Notes

Roll:
• Perception
• Characters suffer a -2 penalty due to extreme distance
Failure: You see a dark blot on the horizon, but cannot
make out any further detail
1-2 Successes: Whatever it is, it’s getting closer
3 or more Successes: You recognize the silhouette of
the Nazi zeppelin, and judging by its speed, you estimate
that it will arrive in less than a day
Sir Jeremiah invites you to follow him to learn
why the Nazis must be prevented from plundering
Paititi. Accompanied by Father Creus, he escorts you
down one floor and into a large, square chamber
that holds a six foot-diameter, wheel-shaped sandstone
boulder stamped with the long-faded insignia
of Imperial Rome. It is plain, pitted, scratched, and
scarred. The stone wheel is suspended in a complex,
scaffolding-like wooden framework. Thick, leather
straps stretch from the frame to gently cradle the
revered stone. With whispered reverence, Sir Jeremiah
tells you that this is the relic that he has been
sworn to protect for over five centuries. It is none
other than the boulder that sealed Christ’s tomb, and
the artifact that raised the old knight from the dead
when used to close his tomb.
(Read aloud...)
(Read aloud...)
(Read aloud...)
(Read aloud...)
24
Wolfram strides across the battlefield, engulfed in
red balefire like an angry demon, bullets and arrows
seemingly unable to do more than scratch him through
the flames. But as he draws near to the ziggurat, Sir
Jeremiah rushes him and the two strive for a moment,
the black and red of the Nazi necromancer clashing
furiously with the white and silver of the Templar
Knight. Sir Jeremiah thrusts his sword at Wolfram’s
neck, piercing the amulet he wears there. There is a
flash of blue electricity, and the Sir Jeremiah drops to
the ground, his ancient body crumbling to dust. But
his sacrifice was not in vain, for now Wolfram is no
longer shielded by the demonic fire and smoke.
Stellenleiter Wolfram,
Thule Sorcerer
Mentor 3
Primary Attributes
Body: 4 Charisma: 5
Dexterity: 3 Intelligence: 3
Strength: 2 Willpower: 4
Secondary Attributes
Size: 0 Initiative: 6
Move: 5 Defense: 7 (15)*
Perception: 7 Stun: 4
Health: 8
Skills Rating (Average)
Academics (History) 4 (2)
Occult 5 (2+)
Athletics 5 (2+)
Brawl 3 (1+)
Diplomacy 6 (3)
Leadership 10 (5)
Empathy 4 (2)
Firearms 4 (2)
Pistols 6 (3)
Intimidation 6 (3)
Staredown 8 (4)
Linguistics 4 (2)
Deciphering 6 (3)
Melee 3 (1+)
Sorcery 8 (4)
Stealth 6 (3)
Talents/Resources
Magical Aptitude (Necromancy), Artifact 2 (Protective Amulet),
Rank 2 (Thule Society)
Flaw
Megalomania (Severe)
Weapons Attack
Luger P08 8 L (4 L)*
Drain Life 8 L (4 L)*
Rituals Known
Channel Dead, Curse, Drain Life, Summon Horror
* Wolfram receives +8 Defense and -4 to attacks until his
amulet is destroyed
LZ-142 Waldhar
Artifact 3
Enhancements
Defense +4 (+4 Enhancements)
Increased Passenger Capacity +100% (+2 Enhancements)
Internal Airplane Hangar
w/1 Arado Ar 68 Biplane (+2 Enhancements)
Turret-mounted
Dual Machineguns (+2 Enhancements)
Limitations
Highly Flammable (-4 Enhancements)
Vehicle Size Def Strc Spd Han Crew Pass
LZ-142 Waldhar 16 6 18 60 -2 30 40
Machineguns
8 L burst fire or 10 L full auto; Range: 100 ft.
Vehicle Size Def Strc Spd Han Crew Pass
Arado Ar 68 2 6 6 190 +2 1 —
Machineguns
8 L burst fire or 10 L full auto; Range: 100 ft.
Amidst the firestorm, Stellenleiter Wolfram and
his team of Nazi soldiers rappel three hundred feet
to the muddied ground to claim his prize. He has
dark, oily hair and wears a black uniform—crisp and
clean, apart from his now-muddy boots. He shouts,
in German, “When we have the Stone, the Führer
will be immortal!”
Stellenleiter Wolfram
Stellenleiter Wolfram is the kind of man mothers
speak of to frighten their children. His childhood is
known only as a series of rumors and myths concerning
a burned farm and murdered parents. His adult
years have been spent in the service of dark gods better
left unnamed. Uncounted sins and violations have
tainted and seared his soul to the point of living damnation—
his demeanor and methods leave even other
necromancers queasy. More than anything, Stellenleiter
Wolfram wants power—power over everything—
and the next step is acquiring immortality for himself
and his Führer via the Resurrection Stone.
Q’ero Strategy: Most of the Q’ero warriors will be
preoccupied with battling the soldiers throughout in
the city, but as long as the Nazis have air superiority
the natives will be too pinned down to be of much help.
If both the zeppelin and biplane are removed from the
equation, the Q’ero warriors can persistently harass the
enemy, inflicting a -2 penalty to defense to all Nazis on
the ground (including Wolfram).
(Read aloud...)
(Read aloud...)
25
long-time friend. Additionally, they will inter Creus in
the ziggurat beneath the Resurrection Stone. In the
interim, the Q’ero will welcome the explorers as friends
and grant them time to rest and recover in Paititi. They
may be surprised when, three days later, Creus arises
from his tomb. He will be accepted by the Q’ero as Sir
Jeremiah’s replacement and will explain that the Q’ero
will relocate to a safer, and again unknown, region that
Dr. Coleridge had been scouting. The Resurrection
Stone and the Q’ero’s safety demand such action. Therefore,
the expedition will be unable to relocate the city
should they attempt to return. The Q’ero will, however,
allow them to take several art objects and Incan relics to
serve as a reward for their efforts in saving them. Father
Creus will help provide guides back to Santiago (if it is
still around) and ultimately back to San Xavier.
Furt her Adventures
There are many plot ideas introduced in this scenario
that could lead to fantastic additional adventures. In
addition to further Church conspiracies, the Lost Plateau’s
location will not be changed by the relocation of
the Q’ero and the characters might need to ascend the
plateau even before returning to civilization in order to
search for lost treasure, investigate the strange animals,
or mop up a Nazi camp. Finally, the player characters
will have earned the enmity of the Thule Society, which
is likely to track the meddling explorers to exact revenge.
Wolfram’s Strategy: At the start of the conflict,
Wolfram possesses an artifact which wreathes him in
sulfurous flames and deflects all attacks made against
him. This grants him a +8 Defense bonus, but a -4 penalty
to his own attacks. On the third turn of combat,
Wolfram will draw near enough to the Resurrection
Stone to be attacked by Sir Jeremiah, who will destroy
the artifact and thereby allow Wolfram to attack and be
attacked as normal.
After his protective artifact is destroyed, Wolfram
will stop at nothing to achieve his goals. He will lie, use
hostages (or his men) as body shields, threaten loved
ones, and any other dirty tactic that might give him an
advantage. Keep in mind that his necromantic rituals
do not require line-of-sight. If need be, Wolfram will
utilize walls and cover to his advantage, casting wasting
and sickening curses at his foes to weaken them for
advancing Nazi soldiers.
Nazi Soldiers
Ally 1
Primary Attributes
Body: 2 Charisma: 2
Dexterity: 2 Intelligence: 2
Strength: 2 Willpower: 2
Secondary Attributes
Size: 0 Initiative: 4
Move: 4 Defense: 4
Perception: 4 Stun: 2
Health: 4
Skills Rating (Average)
Athletics 4 (2)
Brawl 4 (2)
Drive 4 (2)
Firearms 4 (2)
Intimidation 4 (2)
Talents
Autofire
Flaw
Intolerant
Weapons Attack
MP38 SMG 6 L (8 L burst fire, 10 L full auto)
Stielhandgranate 4 (8 L area effect)
Punch 4 N
Conclusion
Paititi and the Resurrection Stone have been saved,
although the cost is dear. The ancient Templar Knight
is disintegrated and Creus is dead. The Q’ero will hold
onto Sir Jeremiah’s sword and shield as trophies of their


Men and women who possess deep and unshakeable
faith are sometimes able to beseech the divine to perform
miracles on their behalf. The majority of these miracles
consist of small occurrences which non-believers are quick
to dismiss as mere coincidence, yet to the faithful these
events offer powerful affirmation of their righteousness
as well as provide shelter from temptation, suffering, and
danger. When a group of like-minded worshippers prays
together for a single purpose, the scope of a miracle can
become even more dramatic. The right leader can focus
the prayers of a religious community to call forth truly
astounding marvels such as expelling incurable diseases,
parting oceans, or transforming day into night.
No single religion has a monopoly on miracles,
though. Many zealous individuals deny the existence
of others’ miracles by claiming that they are the results
of deception or demon-worship. Of theologians who
acknowledge the universal existence of miracles, some
speculate that this is because all the gods are real, while
others hold this as evidence of a single God manifesting
with many faces in many cultures, and still others assert
that miracles come not from the decrees of heaven but
from humankind’s own mystical ability to subtly shape
the universe to our expectations. Whatever the case,
faith can be a powerful ally for those prepared to use it.
App endix:
Fa ith and Miracles
29
If the character is praying for a spontaneous miracle, she
suffers a -2 penalty, however. The difficulty of the roll
is determined by the miracle being prayed for (see the
specific description, below). If the player rolls a number
of successes equal to or greater than the difficulty, the
miracle is granted.
Example: Reverend McCagg is ambushed by a pack of
zombies created by his nemesis, an arch-necromancer. The good
Reverend prays for the Armor of God miracle, which has a
Rank of 2. The pious Reverend has a Faith rating of 3, which
means that he gains a +2 Faith bonus to defend himself against
the forces of darkness when invoking this particular miracle.
Group Prayers
A group of characters who all possess the True Faith
Talent and share the same religion may work together
to request more powerful miracles. Prayer is a conscious
act, so all characters joining in must willingly cooperate
and must be aware of the desired outcome. One of the
participants leads the prayer and the others serve as supporting
participants. For each additional true believer,
the prayer leader gains a +2 Faith bonus (see Teamwork
in Hollow Earth Expedition, p. 50).
Example: Guru Indira wishes to heal a colleague who
was attacked by a Nazi soldier. She gathers her two followers,
both of whom have the True Faith talent, and prays for Faith
Healing. Indira’s player rolls her character’s Focus rating, +4
bonus dice due to her faithful followers, and scores four successes
towards healing her friend.
Miracles
The powers of the divine may be limitless, but each
mortal may expect only a small amount of holy favor at
any given time. Because miracles are granted by an intelligent
power with a universal perspective and an often
unfathomable agenda, the Gamemaster is entitled to
withhold or alter the effects of any miracle at any time.
For example, the characters pray for swift rescue from
a tropical island but are first meant to discover and put
to rights an injustice taking place on the opposite side
of that island, they may instead may find their prayers
rewarded by a cache of supplies.
Each prayer may be modified by several conditional
factors. The character gains a +2 bonus to their prayer
roll for each of the following modifiers:
• Exerting: The praying character exerts (or hurts)
himself while praying
New Necromancy Ritual
Demon Worm
Rank 4
This ritual summons an ethereal spirit of taint and
corruption, known as a demon worm. The demon
worm acts as a spy and saboteur, able to infiltrate
most any location. A summoned demon worm has a
Ppower Rating equal to the number of successes generated
on the summoning ritual. In the spirit world,
the malevolent spirit travels to its designated target
(as indicated by the caster). It then attaches itself to
the victim like a spiritual parasite; the demon worm
can then ride along with its unwitting host, sending
the experiences (including all senses) back to the
necromancer. Additionally, the spirit worm can take
possession of the victim, as if it were using Mind Control
on its target. In all cases, the demon worm’s Base
Attributes are equal to its Power Rating.
Exorcising the demon worm is a trying task, requiring
a total of three successes per Power Rating. An
exorcised demon worm is free to attempt another possession
of any target within ten feet. It must possess
within three turns or it is banished back to its realm.
Additionally, an exorcised (and therefore exposed)
demon worm can be instantly evaporated if doused
with holy water (requiring an Athletics (if thrown) roll
vs. a difficulty number equal to its Power Rating).
Along with the standard Sorcery modifiers for
range, Demon Worm has additional adjustments
based on familiarity with the intended victim.
Familiarity Modifier
Unknown -8
Seen or told about (in photo or person) -6
Met briefly -4
Acquaintance -2
Knows well +/-0
Close friends +2
Siblings or lifetime companion +4
Prayer
A character with the True Faith Talent call forth
miracles through the power of prayer. Such a pious
character knows one miracle for each level of the Faith
Talent, but may also pray for spontaneous miracles with
a slight penalty. In order to invoke a miracle, the character’s
Faith rating must equal or exceed the Rank of the
miracle, however.
A true believer may pray for a miracle by making a
Willpower or Focus roll (whichever is higher). If the
character’s Faith rating is higher than the miracle’s
Rank, she gains a +2 Faith bonus for each excess rating.
30
Purification
Rank 1
Base Difficulty: special
The beneficiary of this miracle is instantly cleansed
of diseases and poisons. The pious character may make
a Resistance roll on behalf of the subject, substituting
the results of his miracle roll for the Resistance roll (see
Resistance in Hollow Earth Expedition, p. 43). Each
additional purification attempt suffers a -2 penalty.
Armor of God
Rank 2
Base Difficulty: special
This miracle shields its subject from harm of all kinds
as bullets whiz past her, stones bounce harmlessly from
her skin, and knives leave nothing more than scratches.
Make a reflexive Willpower or Focus roll when attacked.
Any normal Defense bonuses provide a bonus to this roll
as well. If you roll more successes than your opponent’s
attack, it is deflected and does no damage. If your opponent
rolls more successes, your character takes damage
equal to the number of extra successes. If your character
loses his Active Defense, he loses the Armor of God as
well.
In addition, your character may attempt to shield
other characters as well, suffering a -2 penalty per five
foot area of effect.
Lamb among Lions
Rank 2
Base Difficulty: special
This miracle causes all animals to react positively
toward the beneficiary. Tyrannosaurs will behave as if
they do not see the character, lions will roll over and
mew like cubs, bloodhounds will not follow the scent,
and even insects will not sting or bite. To call upon this
miracle, make a Willpower or Focus roll versus all animals
within a ten foot radius. If you roll more successes
than an animal’s Willpower rating, it will react positively
toward your character and her allies for one turn per
extra success you rolled. If you rolled more than double
the animal’s Willpower rating, it will remain docile for
the remainder of combat or until the end of the scene. If
the animal is provoked or attacked during this time, the
effect will end immediately, however.
Blessed Assistance
Rank 3
Base Difficulty: none
This miracle summons a person or animal to provide
unexpected aid in a time of need. This will not change the
affiliations or motivations of any person or creature, and
the assistance may be provided knowingly or unknowingly
for the brief duration of the effect. For example, rats
• Lay on Hands: The praying character is the subject
of the prayer or is able to lay hands on the subject
throughout the entire prayer. If the subject is unwilling,
he must be bound, grappled, or otherwise immobilized
• Taking Extra Time: The praying character takes
twice as long as required to pray
Conversely, the character’s suffers a -2 penalty on his
prayer roll for each of the following modifiers:
• Additional Subjects: Each additional subject after
the first
• Line of Sight: Prayer does not have line of sight to
the subject
• Range: For each one hundred feet (or fraction
thereof) between the praying character and the subject
• Spontaneous Request: The faithful character does
not know the miracle being prayed for (i.e., the miracle
was not one selected when taking the True Faith Talent)
Sample Miracles
Unless otherwise stated or modified, each prayer
requires one combat turn to complete and the effects last
for one scene or the remainder of combat.
Consecrate
Rank 1
Base Difficulty: 5 successes
This miracle turns an area the size of a large room into
holy ground. Standing inside the consecrated area provides
a +2 Faith bonus on subsequent prayer rolls. Calling
upon this miracle typically involves singing or chanting
while sprinkling the location with holy water, smudging
it with incense, or inscribing holy script on the ground.
Attempting to invoke this miracle without appropriate
supplies inflicts a -2 penalty on the prayer roll.
Five successes are required on an extended prayer roll
to invoke this miracle. Each roll represents one hour of
dedicated prayer.
Faith Healing
Rank 1
Base Difficulty: special
This miracle grants a marvelous recovery to those suffering
from injury or illness. The subject is healed of one
point of lethal damage or two points of non-lethal damage
per success. Calling upon this miracle requires special
components, such as special incense, consecrated food,
or holy water. Attempting to invoke this miracle without
appropriate supplies inflicts a -2 penalty on the roll. Additionally,
each healing attempt after the first consumes
additional components and suffers a -2 penalty.
31
never fail to find their way into his net? If a prayer asks to
smite evil-doers, will it be answered in the form of a lighting
bolt from the sky or a plague of locusts?
The effects of miracles typically last for one scene or
until the end of combat. Note that some effects may be
stacked (added repeatedly for increased effect), while
others depend on the number of successes rolled.
The base Rank for all miracles is 0; raise the Rank by
1 for each of the following effects:
• Primary Attribute*: Add or subtract 1 from the
subject’s pre-designated Primary Attribute
• Secondary Attribute: Add or subtract 2 from the
subject’s pre-designated Secondary Attribute
• Reflexive Attribute: Add or subtract 2 dice from
a subject’s Reflexive Attribute rolls, such as Balance,
Courage, or Resistance
• Healing: For each success, the subject is healed one
lethal wound or two non-lethal wounds
• Smite: For each success, the subject suffers 1 lethal
wound. This damage may be defended only with Active
Defense
• Skill: Add or subtract 2 from the subject’s pre-designated
Skill rolls
• Talent: Grant a pre-designated Talent to the subject
Example: Josh decides to design a miracle for his missionary
character to provide assistance whenever his fellow
explorers are attacked by enemies. The starting Rank is 0,
and to this he adds 1 Rank to make the miracle increase the
subject’s Health by 2. He also decides to add a healing effect
for another Rank. His new miracle, which he calls Divine
Rejuvenation, has a final Rank of 2, but with Josh’s character’s
True Faith rating of 3 and the likelihood that he will be
able to lay on hands when praying for the miracle gives him
confidence that he will be able to achieve the powerful healing
effect he is looking for.
With careful consideration, the Gamemaster may
allow some miracles that go further than those listed
above. As a general rule, the more obvious and powerful
the effects, the higher the Rank should be. In no
case can a miracle interfere with the free will of any witnesses—
it can send dramatic visions to a king, but the
king is still free to decide whether to act on them. Many
of these effects should be beyond the ability of even the
most devout individuals to request—the most awe-striking
miracles are unlikely to happen more than once in all
of recorded history.
may chew through restraints, a dinosaur might appear and
attack one’s enemies, or a guard could accidentally leave
the cell door unlocked. The cost of this miracle depends
on the Follower or Ally level of the temporary ally (see
Boosting Talents in Hollow Earth Expedition, p. 113).
Rain Dance
Rank 3
Base Difficulty: 5 successes
This miracle creates an alteration to the weather.
Most commonly, this type of miracle is invoked to create
just enough rain to keep a village’s crops alive during a
drought. It is not powerful enough to provide a monsoon
in the dry season or diffuse tempests upon command,
but it can be used to change the direction of the wind,
deflect floodwaters slightly, or mitigate the effects of a
violent storm on a particular residence.
Five successes are required on an extended prayer roll
to invoke this miracle. Each roll represents one hour of
dedicated prayer.
Sign from On High
Rank 4
Base Difficulty: 5 successes
Whether used as an affirmation of faith, or a message
to nonbelievers, some religious communities have
been able to call for unexplainable events to support their
cause. This miracle takes the form of an awe-inspiring
sign such as a rain of frogs, a symbol in the sky, a burning
bush, an eclipse, recurring dreams to an oppressive monarch,
or any other possibility. Those calling for this sign
cannot control or predict what form it takes, nor will this
sign ever cause injury or harm to anyone. Furthermore,
it does not force anyone to change the way he thinks or
believes, but the inexplicable nature of the sign may well
cause them to question what they think they know.
Five successes are required on an extended prayer roll
to invoke this miracle. Each roll represents one hour of
dedicated prayer.
Creating Miracles
All characters with the True Faith Talent have access
to at least one miracle, and players and Gamemasters may
wish to create their own. Because divine powers are capable
of accomplishing anything, the Gamemaster may even
allow a player to create miracles mid-scenario. However,
to maintain the tension of the story and the mood of the
event, miracles should never devolve into a simple numbers
game. Avoid simply determining the effect without
explaining the means: for example, if a miracle grants +2
to Survival Skill rolls, is it because the subject receives
visions of where and when to seek shelter, or because fish
32
ally. Each may be activated, commanded, and deactivated
in a different way, and the secret of its activation is generally
available only to those of sufficient religious insight.
Golems have five charges and regain one charge or recover
one lost point of Health each day they remain unused.
Golem
Archetype: Artifact Motivation: Duty
Style: 0 Health: 12
Primary Attributes
Body: 6 Charisma: 1
Dexterity: 5 Intelligence: 1
Strength: 6 Willpower: 5
Secondary Attributes
Size: 1 Initiative: 6
Move: 11 Defense: 13*
Perception: 6 Stun: 6
Skills Base Levels Rating Average
Academics: Religion 1 3 4 (2)
Athletics 6 2 8 (4)
Brawl 6 4 12 (6)
Stealth 5 1 5** (2+)
Talents
Breaking Blow (Brawl attacks do structural damage)
Skill Aptitude: Brawl (+2 to Brawl Skill)
Stone Hide (+2 Passive Defense)
Resources
None
Flaw
Mute (character cannot speak)
Short Temper (character suffers -2 to Willpower rolls to keep its cool)
Weapons Rating Modifier Attack Average
Punch 1 N -1 12 N (6) N
*Golems receives +2 to defense for its stony skin
**Golems suffer -1 size penalty on Stealth rolls
Enchantments: Follower 3 (+6 Enchantments)
Drawbacks: Activation Requirement: Faith Talent
(-2 Enchantments)
The Holy Grail
Artifact 5
This artifact appears to be a simple but skillfully
carved small wooden bowl or large cup. Yet all those
who drink from it on a daily basis age at an extremely
slowed rate and will never go thirsty. Furthermore, the
Grail grants the ability to invoke the Consecrate, Faith
Healing, and Purification miracles with a +4 Faith
bonus on the associated prayer rolls.
Enchantments: Longevity (+2 Enchantments); Talent:
Faith 3 (+6 Enchantments); Immune to Thirst (+4
Enchantments)
Drawbacks: Activation Requirement: Requires
Water (-2 Enchantments)
Rank Miraculous Effect
1 Receive much-needed help
(forest animals bring you food, your un
charted island is discovered by rescuers, a
pirate has a change of heart and sets you free)
2 Alter physical properties of matter within a
small area
(Walk on water, make a heavy
item light as a feather, transform water into
wine, shift the direction of the winds)
3 Alter physical properties of matter within a
greater area
(produce large quantities of food
from meager supplies, invoke a minor eart
quake, divert a lava flow away from a village)
4 Call forth greater signs
(produce a rain of frogs or a burning sign in
the sky, grant visions of the past, present, or
future)
5 or more Override the laws of nature
(call forth a guardian angel, silence a volcano,
raise the dead, turn day into night, part the
sea)
Art ifact s of Faith
Protective Holy Symbol
Artifact 1
This is a commonly created holy artifact which may
consist of a relic such as the finger bone of a saint or
a finely-wrought sacred symbol. Provided that the possessor
of this artifact believes in the religion represented
by the symbol, she gains +1 Faith rating and may pray
for the Armor of God miracle. Those who do not believe
in the religion it represents cannot use this artifact and
cannot be beneficiaries of its power.
Enchantments: Improved Attribute: Willpower +1 (+2
Enchantments); Talent: True Faith +1 (+2 Enchantments)
Drawbacks: Activation Requirement: True Faith
(-2 Enchantment)
Golem
Artifact 2
Although the legendary Golem of Prague is the
foremost of its kind, lesser versions have been created
in other locations. Even the weakest golems are large,
anthropomorphic figures created from clay and granted
life through a miracle similar to, but of a lesser degree
than, that which granted life to human kind. Golems
are generally unintelligent and follow instructions liter33