1. Jewel of the AtlanticThanks go out to Adam Large and Cassie Levine for their ideas, criticisms and contributions.

1. History:

Back in the early 21st century, a new company opened their doors, called Atlantis Cruises.  They advertised cruises at affordable prices anywhere off the Atlantic coast, mostly to the Caribbean, but to South America, Western Africa, Spain and Portugal as well.  The company was turning a tidy profit for the first ten years of the new millennium.

Disaster struck the company on the eve of the Awakening.  One of their most popular cruise ships, the Atlantic Gem, vanished without a trace off the coast of Florida.  No trace of her crew or any of her passengers was ever found.

2. Prologue:“This Is Coast Guard Chopper Echo—Tango –Tango—4—7 on Approach to EPIRB Distress Signal.”

“Copy that, Do you have a Visual yet?”

“Negative. This Storm front has reduced visibility. Wait, I see lights... Jeez…”

“Repeat that?”“It’s a Cruise Ship, Minimum External Lighting. IFF Computer not receiving response, moving Closer for

visual.”“Copy.”“Atlantic…Gem….of Atlantis Cruises? Base Can you pull up her charter?”“Hold on. Negative on Charter, she isn’t registered to be in this area…Wait…...“Base?”“Atlantic Gem of Atlantis Cruises Missing since…..2012”“Repeat that. 2012?”“Roger.”“Jesus Base, It looks too good to be drifting around here for 65 years. Storm’s picking up base, can’t make a

Landing, Returning to base.”“Captain, I think I see something on board.”

Now the Atlantic Gem has suddenly reappeared in the Atlantic 65 years later.  Atlantis Cruises has since been purchased by Global Cruise Lines, housed in Hong Kong and a member of the PPG.  They would like to board the old vessel and see if any of it could be salvaged, perhaps to restore it for nostalgic cruise goers.  They would also like to try and solve the mystery of what happened on the ship over the last half century.  The only problem is that someone else has beaten them there.  It appears that pirates have boarded the ship and are plundering the belongings of the deceased.

A representative of Global Cruise Lines hires the runners to board the ship, stop the plundering of the belongings of their former passengers, and if possible, piece together the events that occurred on that ship.  The run pays 8,000¥ each, but he can be negotiated up, depending on team size and how well the team negotiates.

A large storm has engulfed the area around the ship. Huge swells and high winds prevent air travel. It’s also not advisable for sea travel either. Weather predictions indicate the storm is going to get worse. PPG can provide ship transportation that can get them there in 3 hours (a three hour tour), during a lull in the storm. The next exit window won’t be for another 8 hours.

What isn’t known:  Hours after the Coast Guard radioed confirmation of the Atlantic Gem, several ships docked with her. Several groups boarded her for salvage. Because of the storm, their ships are set to autopilot a good distance away to prevent being smashed against the hull of the Cruise liner. The group that boarded the ship aren’t simple pirates.  They are funded and armed by a Triad that distrusts the PPG (Wuxing especially).  Plus, the ship isn’t vacant.  Its former crew and passengers, several creatures as well as a Nomad that jumps from pirate to pirate, feeding off of Essence of anyone. Anyone unfortunate enough to die on board, then haunt it.

Pirates are in teams of four.  Roll 1D6 to learn team composition:

1 – Four standard thugs2 – Three standard thugs, one cybered thug3 – Two standard thugs, two cybered thugs4 – One standard thug, three cybered thugs5 – Four cybered thugs6 – Three cybered thugs and one magically active thug.

Their Mission is as Follows:

1. Establish the fact that they have control of the ship.2. Inventory what is salvageable from the ship (Ship Parts)3. See if the Ship is Operational to move to a Salvage yard4. Gather Personal Items worth money in a room by room Sweep

The Pirate Team has reestablished limited power on the Ship and is assessing the Engines and Helm controls. They brought some Heavy tools, Power generator and Fuel, in case they are needed. They’ve also Made Secondary Plans. If they cannot retrieve it all they will scuttle the craft.  One team of pirates is in the engine room rigging a large brick of explosives to the hull.  They have rigged it with a timer, but they also have a remote detonator to set it off if the drek hits the fan.  Also, it is fastened to the hull with a pressure switch, which activates the explosive if it is removed from the hull.  The old cruise liner will sink in 30 minutes after the bomb goes off (unless the runners can defuse the explosive).

Thugs are armed with heavy pistols and SMGs.  If deemed Professional, they will fight to the bitter end, but otherwise they may cower in fear after a certain level of damage, or try to run away.  If thugs are getting badly beaten equip a few with grenades (which is bad news on an old ship with a rusty hull).  Smoke grenades, dart guns and flashpaks are also highly recommended for variety. The Pirates made good time with several of their tasks, but when they disturbed the skeletal frame of Boomer in Room P305 (Plaza Deck) and got power back on, they awakened the Nomad. A Ripple effect occurred. Spirits began to manifest, and Odd things began to occur. Sweeper Teams on the Lower Decks reporting back of strange things moving around. One Team on the Caribbean Deck Disappeared entirely. Another Man went into the Michelangelo Dining Area and was ripped to shreds by hundreds of abominations. The rest managed to seal off that Deck.  Near the lowest parts of the ship a pirate is found cowering in a corner crying.  There is no sign of the rest of his team.  If the runners go near him he acts as if they are not there, but one of them speaks to him, or touches him, he springs to his feet, tightly grabs onto the runner that spoke to/touched him, and starts babbling incoherently in Mandarin.  He won’t let go unless sedated or the runners successfully pull him off.

The Atlantic Gem

Carrying a possible 2,600 Passengers on Eleven Decks.

1. Incidental Acts/Effects while on board the ship1. Lights are working in most hallways. While walking down one, you can see a ripple of darkness

moving down the hall at high speeds. Lights Dim as it approaches. There’s a slight rushing of wind as it approaches. Nothing can be seen beyond the darkness. When it makes contact with the players,

there is momentary darkness. Whispers of dozens of people talking about mundane things echo in your mind, and then the darkness passes continuing its path down the hall.

2. View Ports on some of the Cabins shows a Vastly different view of the outside. Some Show the Storm (from 2011) an occasional Crewman or figure would be out there working, others show the View of the Astral Plane it was lost in.

3. Radio Communication sometimes gets interference with old Bridge communications (Voice of the Captain, Engineer, and Comms Officer)

4. The Plants on board have long since outgrown their Pots and Planters. Roots have stretched out into Pools, Spas and Drain Pipes Breaking their Confinements. Sickly looking Trees and Vines have grabbed hold or stretched up to the higher decks in search of sunlight. Some of the Plants have adapted to the Alien environment. Astrally Awakened Plants finding alternative nourishment from the energies of the other realm.

5. Elevators Playing Music.6. Phantom Smells in certain locations.7. Team steps into a never-ending hallway.  No matter which way they turn, they end up in the same

place.  Eventually, they step through a doorway and they break the cycle, but are separated from the rest of the team (and each member ends up in a different area of the ship)

8. Ethereal Whispers as members pass by rooms, walk up stairwells or touch various objects.9. Ghosts that appear different to each runner (manifests as their greatest fear, or an undead version of a

lost love, etc)1.

Maps

Honeymooner’s Suite

Tycoon’s and Widow’s Suite

Ship Locations:

Michelangelo’s Dining Room, Located on the Plaza DeckDoors to this Area have been barricaded. The doors to either side of the lifts have been spot welded shut. It’s a Gruesome Site within. The Mummified remains of over 200 People dressed elegantly lie on the ground or collapsed within their chairs. Mold covered dishes and wine stains are all that remains of a Christmas Dinner (Poisoned by the Cook). There are Fresh bloodstains on the Aft side towards the doors. The Stains look like someone was dragged into this room. The Trail leads to a Far table. The Contorted remains of an Asian man dressed in the black garb of Pirate gear, sits casually at the table. His Gun rests on top of the table next to a open container of beer. A Black, Blood covered Bag, is partially left open beneath him, displaying watches and Wallets from the deceased. Anyone touching the Beer or the Gun gets grabbed by the Dead Pirate. The Pirate Gurgles to his Victim, “MINE!”

If players start going over the bodies looking for the Jewels and Wallets, the Dead start getting angry. If they look up they’ll see that the corpses have straightened up and are now facing in their direction. If the Players Continue, the next Corpse Attacks followed by the others in the area.

The Players Card RoomThis Small Room Adjacent to the Michaelangelo’s Dining Room has several Green Velvet covered tables. The green coloring has faded over time. Dusty stacks of Chips can be seen at several tables. There is a faint sound of cards shuffling. At the Far Corner table, there are Cards that have been dealt out.

Anyone picking up a hand sees that the Cards are Aces and Eights (The Dead Man’s Hand). A voice whispers near the person, “You Lose” Before the rest of the Cards Fly up in a fit of poltergeistic anger.

The SkyWalkers NightClub, located on the Sky Deck.The Lifts and stairs lead up to the very top of the Cruise Line, the Skydeck. At the top, the room is partially wet from Rain entering through broken doors leading to the walkways. Water Stained Paintings and Peeling wallpaper decorate the walls. Classical Rock music can be heard just about the sound of the storm.

Walking out to the walkways, you can see that 50 years has taken its toll on them. Guardrails are missing in sections. You can also hear the Music clearer as well as several attractive singing voices. The Voices call out, pulling you to them. (Those that Fail to resist the spell). The Wind and Rain make the Walkways even more treacherous (Everyone Crossing must make a Strength or Quickness Test, GM Discretion, or fall to their Deaths.

At the other End of the Walkways is the Skywalker Bar. Music from some PreRecordedprerecorded band blares loudly. Lights flash in several colors, projecting themselves onto the club floor. SiloettesSilhouettes of people can be seen in the club, as well as the shadows of three dancing figures.

Inside the Rain comes through the broken windows on either Side. The Music is loud. Figures of people can be seen in the darken tables around the stage. On stage in multicolored lights are three beautiful dancing women. When the Lightning flashes, it lights up the people, showing the Grim Emaciated Smiles of male corpses. The Lightning also disturbs the women’s illusion, showing their true form of grotesquely formed humanoids with wisps of hair.

This also gives players a chance to break free of their spell.

Room P305, is the final resting-place of Boomer. The room has been ransacked. The skeletal remains of a large man has been discarded to the side of the bed. What’s unusual is that unlike the other corpses, which are more mummified, this body is just bones. A closer examination shows even the bones have some attempt of nibbling, micro holes to get at the marrow.

The Princess Fine Art Gallery on the Plaza Deck has been picked clean as well. All that remains are frames and broken glass. Sculptures have been tipped over. One statuette looks like it was holding something, but its hands have been removed along with what it was holding.

The Promenade Dance Room

A Bizarre scene unfolds as the players cross the Promenade Dance area. Skeletons of about 40 people, walk and dance around the area, some look like they are talking, some drinking, even the band is playing. All in some disturbing pantomime. The only real sounds besides the shuffling bones are 1) The light tapping of bones on a piano keys playing out some 50-year-old tune and 2) An oddly accented voice near the bar.

A closer look of the Skeletons, it looks like a plethora of very small worms are wrapped and attached to all the bones. Astrally you can see the ‘worms’ make up a larger tentacle of some creature looking like a anemone reaching up to the ceiling. The anemone is pathetically attempting to lure more victims with this routine. It has a rudimentary Intelligence. The Anemone has started to physically manifest. The body appears to be a 15-Meter Wide mound of ruddy colored Jell-O.

The Voice is one of those Pirates. He appears to be having a conversation with one of the skeletons. He’s speaking English, but with an odd accent considering he looks Chinese. The Bartender (skeleton) pours him another drink (Rather Sloppily). The Pirate’s Dialogue is broken, like he’s hearing the skeleton talk to him (The Jaw on the skeleton does move). Astrally inspecting the Pirate, you can see the Tentacle and the little worms, moving him around like a puppet on a string. The Pirate’s conversation is him complaining to a presumably woman about how boring it’s been getting since the unusual storm. He hopes to get home before the New Year.

When the Players get closer, under the Anemone, other tentacles swing out trying to touch the players. The tentacles are very hard to see, a slight tinge of red. It has stinging Nettles that paralyze its’ prey. Other Parts of the Tentacle, the ‘Worms’ burrow into the Paralyzed prey to take over the control of the body. Others nip and feed off the body sending nutrients to the Anemone.

Anemone Puppeteer – B 7 S6 A4 R5 W7 Armor 8Immune to Intelligence Targeted Spells and Illusions. Attacks with 1d6 tentacles each round and 1 or 2 Puppets that attempt to grapple the players. Each successful hit does 6P Damage. Also if target is damaged, they temporarily lose a point of Reaction from the stinging nettles. There is a dice pool penalty for avoiding the attacks because they are hard to see, unless they can astrally perceive. A Player with a 0 Reaction is paralyzed. The Loss of Reaction lasts for 1-3 Hours.

The Tentacles can only reach the Promenade dance floor area.

Medical CenterOff the Gala Deck is the medical Center. There are a half a dozen medical tables, 2 still have covered bodies. There are dried blood stains, but no bodies to associate them to.  The Doctor’s office looks like it was ransacked for medical supplies. His desk looks untouched. The Desk contains a large stack of paper of patient records. 100 People recorded were suffering from various stomach problems (Food Poisoning). Another 10 had an unusually rash; a subcutaneous discoloring of the skin in short spiral patterns similar to ringworm.

(What the Doctor had discovered is a Native Strain of awakened bacteria. This bacteria strain thrives on magically awakened people. This strain is harmless except for the small spiral patterns that form under the skin.)

Atlantis Casinos, Fiesta DeckThe Casino is loud for being a deserted ship. There is some Background midi going on; sounds of games being played, coins falling, and piano music. Walking in, there is bustling activity with about 10 Drones working the slot machines. Towards the Left of Center, a Junction Panel has been opened and a small Generator hooked up, powering the Casino. The Secured central room where Daily Money would have been kept has been surgically opened. The Door has been cut from the hinges and the small 1-Meter Cube Safe is wide open. Not even the money Bags for moving the money to the Main Ship Safe are here.

All of the Drones currently ignore the PCs as they have jobs to do. 4 of them are ½- Meter Crawlers with specialized Electronics kits (Looking like Very Large Shrimp). The Crawlers have each latched themselves onto Electronic Poker machines with several probes poking at the machine. One Probe is in the coin slot, another is poking around the side panel distorting the screen slightly, and another is making a selection on the screen. When one wins, Coins pour out of the machine. The Crawler’s Tail then pushes the coins onto the floor.

3 others are Lynx Style Drones with a Manipulator arm. One Arm Bandit meets one Armed Drone as they play the Slot Machines. A long wire leads into each Slot Machine’s coin slot. When they win, they also sweep the coins onto the floor. One Lynx Drone looks a bit frustrated and is banging on the machine.

2 More look like Tracked Hogs with a manipulation proboscis, which sucks up the coins, bags on either side of the beast, fill up with the treasure.

The Last Drone, A Blimp, Circles around inspecting the troops.  It Drifts over to the Wet Bar to the south and gently descends on a bottle of scotch. It then carries it’s cargo towards the theater on the Left side.

The Coins have a Slight Reddish tint, which fades over time. Anyone, who picks up a Coin, while it’s red, must make a Composure (3) Test. Failing that, the person must play the coin in one of the Slot or poker machines. It’s an Odd Compulsion, residue from the former Gamblers. Treat it like an Addiction, if the person fails the willpower test. When the Addicted PC leaves the Casino, he will suffer minor withdrawal symptoms. Leaving the Ship will cure the PC.

Players to the left might hear the sound of a toilet

flushing. Then the Doors to the Left open up and there is an Asian Man zipping his fly, before looking up to reach for the bottle of scotch. He is stunned seeing the PCs here, Then Runs out of the Room.

The Lower Princess Theatre Level, Fiesta DeckThe Theater is Dimly Lit along the walls. It doesn’t appear to be occupied. There is a Smell of popcorn in here. There is some litter of Candy Wrappers and empty drinks here and there. As the PCs descend the stairs, they’ll hear the distinct sound of a round being chambered off to the right, then in Broken English, “Put down your weapons. There is plenty to go around.”

There are 5 Pirates in here (Including the one in the Bathroom), 1 is a Rigger, 1 is a Drone Rigger, 2 are regular Pirate thugs, and the Last is an Adept with Melee Weapons. They are Hold up in both Balcony Areas in the lower level. They are armed with various weapons. The Riggers can call in the 10 Drones from the other room, but only the 3 Steel lynx variants are armed with weapons, and the 4 Shrimp Crawlers have Shock rod capabilities with their probes.

Just as things get Tense, the Lights go out (+2 TN for that round), then a Movie Starts up on the Screen. It’s in the middle of some Movie about these people on a large ship (The Movie is Titanic with Leonardo). The Movie goes on for 2 rounds while the PCs and the Pirates Deal with each other, then cuts to the scene of Leonardo and Kate Winslet at the bow of the ship. She lifts her arms wide, and then screams as she is pushed off the ship. The boy laughs maniacally and a storm rise around the ship. The PCs realize that the ship looks really close to the Ship they are on, and the storm looks really similar too.

With a Crack of Thunder, the Storm leaps off the Screen into the Theater. Cold Rain whips around the room. Garbage is pushed around the room. The Lights Explode in sparks. The Pirates Panic from the Pandemonium and try to exit through the doors behind the balconies. The Storm Quiets down as the doors are opened. The Left side door is firmly locked with a chain on the outside. The Right side door opens up onto a Man Dripping wet dressed similar to Leonardo on the movie. His bangs cover his eyes, as he looks downward. In a loud voice that can be heard coming from the speakers, “The Movie isn’t over yet…SIT DOWN!”

And with that, whoever opened the side door is knocked down the stairs, to the lower seating. All the doors to the theater close, with the sound of chains locking them (If they notice after breaking through

the doors, it’s chain from the anchors, wet and rusty). The Evil Leonardo laughs and the Storm picks up the tempo. The movie changes showing this theater with a John Woo play by play.

The Evil Leonardo is linked to the movie Projector, mounted in the Ceiling. Destroying it destroys Leonardo. When it is destroyed, the Lights come back on, and all that remains of Evil Leonardo is a Life Jacket with ‘TITANIC’ written on it.

Sun Deck, Lotus SpaFrom the outside in this storm, this ‘room’ looks undisturbed. None of the windows look broken; the doors are closed and not broken. Thermally, there is some significant heat on the other side. The First test would appear that the doors are locked. On Closer Examination, the doors have actually been overgrown with foliage. The two main double doors need a strength check of 8 to break through; the Small single door is strength 10 check. Or for the smarter people, it needs a screwdriver or something similar, to take the hinges off the double doors. Strength check is halved afterwards to enter. Thick Woody Vines have woven themselves through the door handles.

This room is very warm and moist. Palm trees and Ferns have taken root in chairs, sinks and couches. The Potted plants have long ago broke free of their confines sending roots out in search of water. A Moss/Mold has thickened the Carpet, coloring it a rich green. (If the Pirates got the Power back on, Steam billows out from behind the Lotus Spa). The Flora looks really similar to regular house plants, but these plants look a bit sickly or discolored.

In the Restroom, lime-colored spider plants have covered the entire ceiling, plopping large Violet colored offspring in toilets and sinks. These Offspring give off an ammonia smell from their little blooms. Astrally these plants don’t look awakened, though they have indeed mutated

The Fun Zone is the least covered area. Roots have stretched across the linoleum. Mushrooms and mold have grown large in the decomposing meals of what looks like a birthday party (Several Party Hats, Wax Candles left standing in the mold). PCs passing through here will notice the Hanging TV on the right. Someone’s hot-wired it to some Receiver. Images flicker through static. They are Security Camera images flipping once every 5 seconds. It’s hard to make out some of the images from the water damaged TV, but you can make out people (Presumably Pirates, or other PCs) moving in front of the camera.

The Hallway between the off limits area and the beauty parlor is thick with Moss. 2 Pair of footprints can easily be seen. The Floor is uneven with moss covered objects. Someone up ahead obviously fell leaving a deep impression.

The Whole Lap Pool, steam room, and saunas are a thick jungle. Palm trees are thick and reach all the way to the ceiling. Massive roots descend into the lap pool. 50 years of decay have made fine muddy

sediment at the bottom of the pool. Rats can be seen moving about. Some of the Palm Trees actually move in some unfelt breeze, Their Leaves have a more orange tinge to them.  Anyone Astrally perceiving near the lap pool must make a contested Magic+Will (3), or be pulled astrally from their body.

The Astral View of the Area is spectacular. The Orange Tinged Palm trees glow brightly. Astral Entities fly around them. When the Brightly glowing leaves move out and touch these creatures. The Creatures stiffen and fade out, absorbed by the palm trees. Astral vines swing back and forth trying to strangle any of the larger astral creatures moving in the undergrowth.

The whole area is like an attractant to astral creatures. The Vines prefer Dual natured creatures to feed them (such as the Dual Natured Rats). The Sun-Palm Trees are all astral energy. Touching them the PC must resist 6S Damage and they lose one point of Magic from drain and must then break free of the plant’s sticky astral form, or suffer damage each round.

Mana based spells against the Vines or the Sun Palm, result in a backlash of the spell (As per Reflection) and then also make a Magic+Will (3) or suffer another point of magic loss. This is from the Plants following the connection of the spell to the caster and draining them. The Plants have very little resistance to Physical Spells.

The Ghosts:1. The Captain – Haunt = The Bridge, an apparition that is harmless.  He “steers” the ship perpetually,

muttering about the broken compass, and being lost at sea.2. The Comms Officer – Chain = Message Log, a specter that hovers by the radio equipment.  Seems to

ignore the runners until they try to read the message logs.  Then he attacks by any means he feels is necessary to keep them away from the “classified material” (see notes on the Message Log)

3. The Mechanic – Haunt = The Engine Room, an apparition that darts from engine to engine. No physical form is visible, but an almost overwhelming sense of frustration and panic fills the room as it tries to figure out how they managed to run out of fuel on all engines.  Sometimes there is a Sound of tools being used, and those tools can be found lying out there. Sometimes they’ll be found in different locations, but no one really saw it move.  The Smell of fuel and the occasional splash can be found. Someone’s futile attempt at refueling the engines. The Pirated did some work, but only to get power to the Ship. Their Attempt at restarting the engines was postponed because of the unusual things going on. Barrels of Fuel (Labeled in Mandarin Chinese) stacked near the elevator. A Basic tool Kit for Ships is left in the Elevator. For helping the Mechanic he provides a clue. (see below)

4. The Rich Widow – Haunt = Cabin (Number), a specter that paces back and forth across the room.  She curses the crew up and down, as security has taken forever in responding to her plea.  She has been robbed of her belongings, but most importantly, her prized gem has been stolen.  She would be thankful if it were returned.  It has been taken by one of the pirates (pirate team in (Section)).  She provides a clue to other problems (see below)

5. The Tycoon – Haunt = Cabin (Number), a specter of an old gentleman tries repeatedly to phone up to the security office, until the runners arrive.  He asks if they are ship’s security.  If they say no, he attacks, thinking they are more pirates.  If they say yes, he yells at them for taking too long, and then informs them his briefcase was stolen.  He is not willing to reveal its contents (it’s full of old U.S. dollar bills, and stocks and bonds that could be worth a LOT of money) but he wants it returned.  Pirates stole it, and they are now at (Section).  When returned he thanks them and provides them with information (see below)

6. The Chef – Haunt = Galley, a tortured specter responsible for the death of several of the passengers.  He babbles incoherently about his atrocities before attacking anyone that enters the room.

7. Security Officer – Haunt = Corridors of Deck (Level), like the chef, the Security officer is torn by his past actions.  He silently attacks anyone that he finds.

8. The Mother – Haunt = Corridor outside Cabin (Number), this apparition flits around her limited haunt, making sounds like crying that echo down the hallway.  She is desperately wondering where her husband and daughter are, as they should have been back ages ago.  She possesses a combination of Hidden Life and Possession.  If the team learns of the location of her family, she will possess a team member until they arrive at their location.  The carrier must occasionally make Composure (4) tests to avoid going into a panic attack.

9. The Father and Daughter – Haunt = Poolside, the apparition of the father stands near his likewise apparition daughter and constantly reminds her to be careful near the pool.  The little girl walks in circles around the pool, playing with invisible friends.  If runners draw near, voices that are out of sync with the vision can be heard.  They depict their last moments, before they died, and the bodies falling into the pool can be heard as well.  When reacquainted with their mother, they provide a clue (see below).

10. The Honeymooners – Chain = Wedding Bands, these two apparitions appear naked (were killed as they made love in their cabin).  They are completely harmless, but will insist that anyone who enters leave, as they “aren’t decent at the moment”.

11. The Executive – Chain = Letter, this apparition sits on the edge of his bed.  When a runner enters, he makes a request: deliver his letter to his wife.  He explains that he was having an affair and regretted his decision.  The letter is his apology.  His wife is dead, of course, but if the runners agree, he thanks them and vanishes.

12. The Mistress – Haunt = Cabin (Number) (right beside the executive).  This specter is bitter that her lover had a change of heart half way through the cruise, and will attack anyone who enters her cabin.

13. The Dining Hall – Not so much a person this time, but the chef poisoned much of the crew and passengers one night at dinner, and many of the bodies still lay in this room.  The room is swarming with angry and restless spirits.  One look into the astral plane in this room should tell any mage “Do Not Enter”.

14. Boomer – Haunt = Cabin (Number), this apparition was the last surviving member of the ship’s population, and died the slowest.  All he wants is for the document that he wrote to be read by another human being, and for them to understand what happened.  Of course, the resident Nomad is resistant to the truth being learned, and has found a way to ward off Boomer’s cabin.

The Message Log10:03, Dec 22, 2011

We receive confirmation from Miami, and we left harbor for the first stop on our tour, Puerto Rico.

09:21, Dec 23, 2011

Message comes in from the harbor in Puerto Rico.  A massive storm has rolled in and has completely incapacitated the island.  Ship has been redirected to Bermuda, to circumvent the storm.  Neither navigator nor weather station informed us of a possible storm…where did it come from?

21:43, Dec 23, 2011

Despite our best efforts, we have been overcome by the same storm that hit Puerto Rico.  It is unlike anything I have ever seen.  The level of electrical activity has hindered our broadcast range, and I cannot contact Bermuda or the mainland U.S.  Will keep trying…

11:59, Dec 24, 2011

This storm will not relent.  It hangs over the ship like an omen.  Radio communications are still down.  For some reason, our engines have failed and we are stuck under this cloud cover.  Our passengers will have to get used to the idea that Christmas will be at sea, instead of a warm resort…

22:30, Dec 24, 2011

The storm has cleared.  But we have no communications still.  The equipment appears fine, but I get nothing but static, even on the coast guard channels.  Things seem strange now…the ship was struck by lightning, and shortly after the dark clouds were gone.  But now an eerie feeling permeates the ship…I can’t explain it.

13:34, Dec 25, 2011

I’d love to be able to wish my family a Merry Christmas, but this fucking communications gear can’t connect to anything.  It’s like the world just disappeared.  The passengers are getting restless.  They feel the same uneasiness that I have since the lightning strike.  We all long to reach the next port of call.  The captain has noticed something as well.  Our compass on the bridge has stopped working, not that it really matters, since we’re not going anywhere…

10:45, Dec 26, 2011Still nothing…

13:03, Dec 27, 2011

Something must be done.  The crew grows mutinous, and the passengers are getting riotous.  Food will run out within two weeks, and we still have no engines.  There is no reason that nobody receives our transmissions…I checked every wire, every circuit board.  The communication equipment works fine…but yet nobody hears us…

14:25, Dec 31, 2011

<Handwriting slightly different>It seems that this ship’s time is up.  Nobody hears us.  People are getting angry and the crew no longer takes their jobs seriously.  I think the captain must die.  He got us into this mess in the first place.  I got enough wire here to hang him from the highest point on the ship, and still be able to kick his ass as he swings in the breeze…Happy fucking New Year, Cap’n…

The “Clues”:

Mechanic – “Steer clear of the Chef’s cooking…I hear that a whole lot of people got sick in the Dining Hall a few nights ago.  You couldn’t pay me enough to eat his food when he’s angry…”

Widow – “I do believe I saw a delightful young lady playing by the pool earlier.  Her father watched over her quite diligently.  If there are criminals on board, I hope you are keeping a close eye on the little darling…”

Tycoon – “The security on this ship is a joke, I say.  It took you a long time to get here to address my issues. I’ve seen the head of security just aimlessly wandering the halls.  How is that going to accomplish anything?”

The Family – “There was this rowdy kid on our deck that constantly stirred up trouble once the ship stopped moving.  He was supposedly a college football star, and I wouldn’t doubt it…the kid was massive!  I wonder what ever happened to him…”

What happened:

On the eve of the Awakening, the combination of a sudden upswing of mana and the violent storm striking the ship caused the ship to go to a different plane, dominated by spirits.  No one understood what was occurring, since none had ever witnessed magic before.  Unfortunately for the ship, a Nomad stumbled upon this mundane relic that didn’t belong in their realm.  It possessed the communications officer, and caused him to go mad in the days following Christmas.  Using the wire from the communications equipment, he snuck onto the bridge and strangled the captain as he checked his equipment.  He then hurried to the engine room, and strangled the head mechanic who was working on the engines.  While he was below decks, a security officer found the captain dead, with obvious strangle marks around his neck.  He arrived at the communications room just as the comms officer returned, holding a loop of wire with frayed insulation.  Assuming that he was the murderer, he wrestled the comms officer to the ground, a fight in which the security officer inadvertently kills the squirming comms officer.The Nomad fled.  It sought a new body.  It first found the ship’s doctor, and rapidly learned from him all the compounds that could be toxic.  Leaving the physically weak body of the doctor behind, it sought a stronger body.  It found the chef and soon controlled him.  Once in control, the Nomad made his way back to the doctor’s office in the chef’s body.  Using a kitchen knife he viciously slaughtered the medical staff, and stole the toxic compounds.

He added body parts from his victims and the compounds to make the dinner that night.  In one night, it had managed to kill most of the crew and passengers, and had feasted on their Essence.

However, some had missed dinner, and the Nomad set out to finish the job.  It found a rich old widow first. He burst into her cabin, and repeatedly stabbed her until she lay motionless on the bed.  He left the cleaver embedded in her body as he went next door, where a rich oil tycoon was staying.  The old man managed to dial security before he died.  The chef continued down the hall toward the next room, when the head of security rounded the next corner.  Seeing the chef wielding a bloody knife, covered in blood, he drew his sidearm and ordered the chef to freeze.  Laughing the chef ran off in the other direction.

The security chief pursued him through the halls and eventually into the dining hall.  The scores of lifeless bodies in the room seemed to amuse the chef.  The security chief fired off three rounds that slammed into the Nomad’s host.  The chef fell lifelessly into the galley, where he had cooked up his poison.

The Nomad left the chef’s body as he died, and possessed the security chief in turn.  He roamed the various decks, hunting for new life.  A distraught woman came to him and asked if he had seen a little girl nearby. He replied by firing several rounds into her chest.  He continued onward.

He walked by a room and heard the sounds of frantic lovemaking.  He used his security key to unlock the door, walked in on the newlyweds, and fired a round into each of their heads.

The next corridor had a room where yelling could be heard.  He approached the room with the agitated woman.  He opened the door.  “So, you’ve come to apologi…” she began, but bullets severed the sentence. A startled yelp came from next door, and the Nomad went to investigate.  The man met him at the door. “What just hap…?”

A large mass of a human slammed into the officer.  Bobby “Boomer” Evans heard gunfire and came out of his cabin to investigate.  Watching the exec getting blown away in cold blood caused him to leap into action.  The two wrestled for a while until something snapped in the officer’s neck and he went limp. Unfortunately, the Nomad moved on to Bobby.  The hulking mass of the football player roamed the ship, looking for survivors.  Eventually, he found two.  A little girl was playing near the pool, and her father carefully looked on.

“You’re from our deck, right?” the father asked.The Nomad nodded that he was.“Has my wife begun worrying about us?”He nodded again.“OK, thanks.  Come on honey, we need to get back to the cabin.”Picking up one of the small deck tables, he walked up behind the father and smashed him over the head, knocking him into the pool unconscious.  It took little effort to outrun the frightened girl, and repeat the process.

Bobby was alone on the ship.  The Nomad had grown massively powerful after feeding on the crew and passengers.  Bobby returned to his cabin, distraught by his own actions, and the memories contained within his possessor.  He obtained a pen and paper and immediately began writing down what had occurred on the ship.  He didn’t understand any of it, but he wrote it regardless.  Eventually, he wasted away from starvation.  The Nomad waits aboard the ship.  The spirits that inhabit the plane tire of the old relic floating in their domain, and expel it back to its native plane.  And the Nomad waits to feed again, now that it’s power has waned over the years…

Still required:

Adding Cabin numbers to specter / apparition, and pirate team locations.Pirate team locations, and number of teams.New On-Ship Events.

Promenade Deck

Fiesta Deck

Plaza Deck

Gala Deck

Emerald Deck (going up from Promenade)

Dolphin Deck

Caribe Deck

Baja Deck

Aloha Deck

Lido Deck

Sun Deck

Sports Deck

Sky Deck