THE HALF-SET SUN

By: Teller
Art Direction, Graphic Design, & Layout:
Aaron Acevedo, Mike Chaney, Shane Hensley

Proofing: Jodi Black

Illustrations: Aaron Acevedo, Chris Bivins, James Denton,

and Carly Sorge

Maps: Aaron Acevdeo, Alida Saxon

WWW.PEGINC.COM

Savage Worlds, Weird Wars, all unique characters, creatures, and locations,
artwork, logos, and the Pinnacle logo are © 2013 Great White Games, LLC; DBA
Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Permission is granted to print for personal use.
 CALL OF DUTY

• Date: Augustus, 132 AD Unfortunately for the Romans, the

• Location: The southern border of Nubians chose a perfect time to attack this
Aegyptus critical province. Much of the province’s
• Unit: Legio XII Deiotariana military power is in Judea, helping suppress
the Second Jewish Revolt. The Nile floods
• Composition: The characters are
greatly hinder movement upriver, the
members of the 3rd Century of the 5th
quickest and easiest way to move large forces
Cohort, with one player’s character
long distances. Despite these challenges,
serving as the century’s centurion.
Legio XII hurriedly mobilizes its available
SUMMARY troops and marches south along the Nile with
Aegyptus, a land of mystery and elements of Legio II Traiana and Legio III
antiquity to the rest of the known world. Cyrenaica to confront the invaders.
A place of ancient gods and goddesses,
mysterious temples and tombs, and MOVEMENT TO
extreme environments. CONTACT
The heroes are members of the Third
The trip southward up the Nile (the Nile
Century of the Fifth Cohort of Legio XII
flows from south to north) is fairly uneventful,
Deiotariana, one of three legions garrisoning
but the commander of the Roman forces
Aegyptus to protect the breadbasket of the
pushes his troops hard as they march through
Empire. Stationed outside Alexandria, the
the countryside. It takes the legions 22 days
characters enjoy a cushy posting in this
to cover the 670 miles from Alexandria to the
cosmopolitan city. Unfortunately, this easy
fort near Swenett. Due to the punishing pace,
assignment is about to come to an end.
characters must make a Vigor roll for the
As the annual Nile floods begin to recede,
entire march. Those who succeed with a raise
the Roman governor in Alexandria receives
suffer no penalties. Those who succeed are
word the Nubians have attacked the province
Fatigued, and those who fail are Exhausted.
from the south, quickly overwhelming the
Each level of Fatigue fades only after an
border posts and laying siege to the key
entire day of rest.
frontier city of Swenett and its fortress at
Eventually the heroes arrive at the staging
Elephantine.
area downriver from the city of Swenett. Once

4
 The Half Set Sun
there, the centurion is summoned to attend attendance to the side for their briefing.
the legatus’ planning meeting. When all the The staff officer hands a map to the
senior officers from the assembled Roman centurion (see page 6) and relates the
forces are settled in the temple appropriated following:
as a command center, the Legatus Augusti
pro Praetore gets down to business. We don’t want a horde of barbarians
descending on the legions’ flanks while
“Now that you’ve all seen fit to grace they lift the siege, so your century will
us with your presence we can start this clear this area of Nubians. How you do it
campaign to evict these barbarians from is up to you, but all the legions are short
the Emperor’s lands and assure Rome a of men, so don’t expect reinforcements if
steady grain supply for the next year. As you squander your troops’ lives.”
it stands, the situation is grim. A large
force of Nubians swept across the border Aelius is willing to answer any
and quickly overwhelmed the frontier questions the centurion has, but the
posts as well as a number of villages and Romans only know that the Nubians
settlements. They thrust down the Nile are garrisoning the forts in unknown
as far as Swenett and its crucial fortress strength, along with the villages in the
of Elephantine. area. The locals don’t love their Roman
The garrison there is holding out masters, so support from the natives
for the time being, but they’re badly shouldn’t be assumed.
under strength, what with the troubles As he turns to go, the tribune turns
in Judea. If Swenett falls the Nile is back to the heroes.
navigable all the way to the Mare
Nostrum. This could be a major disaster “One more thing. As the legatus
that echoes across the Empire if we mentioned, the governor’s son, Gaius
don’t stop them cold. Worse yet, the Claudius Appolonius has gone missing.
governor’s son has disappeared. He was The damn fool is a tribune with Legio
serving as a tribune with Legio III, and III and saw himself as a modern Julius
vanished in the confusion of the initial Caesar, always gallivanting around the
attack. eastern desert frontier and beyond with
When the Nubians came across the an ala of Numidian horse auxiliaries.
border, they overwhelmed not only He probably led his men into a suicidal
the forts along the southern border charge against the Nubians and is fodder
but also rolled up the outposts along for the crows. Since he was last seen in
the desert on each side of the Nile. your area of operations though, if you
How they did this we’ve got no idea. find him, the governor would be most
The Nubians aren’t known for their grateful for his return, one way or the
siegecraft, but then again the forts were other. He can be identified by the signet
manned by legionaries who had grown ring he wears, which is identical to the
fat and complacent with the easy life of governor’s symbol you should know so
Aegyptian garrison duty. That doesn’t well from your time in Alexandria.”
describe your lot, now, does it?”
At this point the legatus steps back.
Staff officers then come forward, calling DON’T EXPECT
out to the various leaders in attendance
and presenting them with assignments REINFORCEMENTS
for the upcoming campaign. Tribune –Tribunus Aelius,
Antony Aelius takes the hero playing 5th Cohort
the centurion and any of his soldiers in

5
PLAYER’S MAP
 The Half Set Sun

AREA OF OPERATIONS
The characters are free to develop their
campaign plan as they see fit. Basically,
they need to clear their assigned district
MASS BATTLES
In The Half-Set Sun, track the
of Nubian troops in order to protect
heroes’ force in Mass Battles
the right flank of the Roman forces
as the player characters, all 80
attempting to lift the siege of Swenett to
legionaries, 10 scouts, and four
the east.
scorpiones as 10 tokens.
The century’s assigned area sits at the
Track this number throughout
edge of the arable belt on the eastern side
the adventure, and when a token
of the Nile. They begin 10 miles to the
is lost, roll a die to determine the
north of the map at left, but can march
specific casualties:
to approach from any angle they choose
(with the Nile a few miles to the east). d6 Loss
1–2 4 legionaries and one
The district has three frontier forts
scorpion
(Corvus, Aquila, Accipiter) that
3–5 6 legionaries
originally held a century of auxiliaries
6 2 auxilia cavalry scouts, 3
assigned to Legio III, as well as four
legionaries
villages that need to be cleared and
returned to Roman control (Abu, Satet,
Novo Capua, and Anks Muth). The math won’t add up exactly,
but it should serve for a solid
Since the heroes’ century is expected
narrative approach throughout
to capture fortifications, the legatus
this specific adventure. Ideally,
provides a complement of scaling
this will encourage the player
ladders, as well as two more scorpiones
characters to think carefully
to add to the century’s own.
about how best to use their force
A detachment of ten Syrian horse as casualties are sustained.
archers are also attached to the century
as scouts and outriders (treat them as THE FOES
Auxilia (Missile Cavalry) with Riding d8 Each Nubian settlement or
and armed with composite bows from captured fort lists its strength in
Weird Wars: Rome. tokens as well. In general, each
The locations of importance are Nubian token equals 8 warriors
described below. While the Nubians or 10 archers.
control the area, they basically adopt a
static defense posture, with their soldiers
based in the forts and villages. Not being
horsemen, any patrols encountered in
the area consist of 21-30 infantry (use
Barbarian warriors armed with shields,
bows, and axes from Weird Wars: Rome).
Note: No matter what order they decide
to clear the fortifications or villages in,
And He Rode a Pale Horse occurs just as
they move against the last area.

SILENT ENIM LEGES INTER ARMA”

(LAWS ARE SILENT IN TIMES OF WAR)
–Cicero

7
 The Half Set Sun

TYPICAL
CASTELLUM

THE FORTS burned too badly to determine any other

obvious cause of death.
The frontier forts found in this district A Notice roll reveals no signs of recent
are a standard design used throughout fighting inside or outside the castellum.
the Empire. The heroes are familiar with The gates are intact and the doors and
the layout both inside and out. Having shutters have no damage beyond normal
only occupied them for a few weeks, wear and tear. It’s as if the Nubians
the Nubians have not made any major walked right into the fort and took it
changes to them. (The Frontier Fort over.
poster map available from Pinnacle is If questioned by someone who can
perfect for these forts.) speak their language, the Nubians claim
CASTELLUM CORVUS their gods wiped the Romans out. They
• Mass Battles: 5 tokens, +2 Siege Bonus burned the bodies as offerings and took
This fort is manned by a detachment of it as their own. They didn’t see what
40 Nubians and their wily leader. actually happened so they can’t provide
any further details.
A gully outside the fort contains the
bodies of the garrison, burned in a funeral If the Romans are victorious, Spoils
pyre, leaving few remains. A Knowledge rolls are made at -2.
(Medicine) roll, or a Healing roll at –2 ww Nubian Leader: See page 22.
notes that none of the bodies show signs • Nubian Infantry (40): See page 22.
of violence—there are no sword, axe,
spear, or arrow wounds. The bodies are

8
 The Half Set Sun

CASTELLUM AQUILA Sand specters are the remnants of the

• Mass Battles: 0 tokens, +2 Siege Bonus dead Roman garrison, unceremoniously
This castellum stands at the edge of dumped in the desert and imbued
the eastern desert, closed and silent. with a hatred of the living. They now
There are no visible sentries and sand rise to slake their unnatural thirst for
has drifted up against the eastern wall, vengeance.
partially covering a pile of bloated and Dozens of the spirits attack the fort’s
sun-blackened Roman corpses have been new occupiers. The things are made of
unceremoniously dumped over the wall. nothing but sand and therefore immune
Investigation of the Roman dead to normal weapons—except for their
reveals a lack of violence, but a successful skulls. If these are targeted and shattered,
Healing or Knowledge (Medicine) roll at the specter is vanquished and its spirit
–2 (due to their decayed state) reveals laid to rest. Of course the heroes must
hundreds of tiny welts on each body. figure this out for themselves.
A raise on the roll notes them as spider The fight likely takes place in the
bites or scorpion stings. courtyard. Assume the heroes must
Upon gaining entry, the heroes find
that the Nubian garrison of fifty men lie
scattered around the fort. The dead men ESCALATING
show signs of violent death by bladed
weapons, and all died with a look of
WEIRDNESS
If your party heads straight
terror on their faces.
to Castellum Aquila or
THERE’S ALWAYS ONE Accipiter, they’ll very quickly
As the Romans search the fort, they run into strange and clearly
come across a lone survivor hiding in supernatural events. If you
piles of ruined grain. The Nubian has want to spread this out or
suffered from several deep cuts (from a delay it a bit, you might want to
blade) and says only “All dead. All dead. have them encounter a Nubian
The desert…it rises!” over and over in patrol, a caravan, or even wild
his native tongue. animals first.
If untreated, the man perishes an hour You might also change the
or so after he’s found. Otherwise he descriptions so that the events
survives but is completely mad and says of Castellum Corvus occur at
nothing of any additional use. whichever fort they attack first,
Accipiter happens next, and
THE DESERT ATTACKS Aquila (the most undeniably
Once the Romans have had a chance supernatural encounter) is last.
to talk to the Nubian, the desert does
indeed rise.

A dry desert wind blows out of the

east. It moans mournfully, slowly
rising to a howl. Stinging bits of sand
wash over the walls. The sirocco picks
up in intensity and sand begins to swirl
all around you. Just for a moment, you
could swear you see the ghostly image
of a dead legionary in storm. Suddenly,
one of your men screams!

9
 The Half Set Sun

battle two specters each while the rest of Gear: Gladius (Str+d6).
the force handles additional spirits. After Special Abilities
the third round of battle, 1d4 legionaries • Fearless: Sand specters are immune to
are lost to the others. This continues Fear and Intimidation.
until the spirits battling the heroes are • Fear (–2): The terrifying appearance
defeated. of these creatures causes Fear checks at
Once the sand specters are destroyed, –2.
Spoils rolls can be made at –2. • Immunity: Sand specters may only be
• Sand Specters (2 per hero): See below. wounded by attacks to the skull. Other
attacks may Shake them, but do not
SAND SPECTER
cause wounds.
Sand specters are murdered souls left
in the deep and lonely deserts without • Undead: +2 Toughness; +2 to recover
proper burial. They return to unlife with from being Shaken; called shots do no
a thirst for vengeance, but no longer additional damage (except to the skull).
distinguish friend from foe. Their bodies • Weakness (Skull): A wounding blow
are made up of swirling sand that takes to the skull (–4 to hit) destroys the
the vague form of their mortal body. creature permanently.
A gleaming skull, polished white and
smooth by the scouring action of the CASTELLUM ACCIPITER
sand, forms their head. • Mass Battles: 4 tokens, +1 Siege Bonus
(due to burned gatehouse)
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d6, Spirit
This castellum’s gatehouse is partially
d8, Strength d8, Vigor d8
burned and collapsed and Nubian
Skills: Fighting d8, Intimidation d10,
sentries are visible on the walls. The fort
Notice d6
is garrisoned by a force of 30 warriors led
Pace: 6; Parry: 6; Toughness: 8

10
 The Half Set Sun
by a fierce champion called “The Rhino” lives in a mud structure that houses two
for his violent rages. to six individuals, their belongings, and
ww Nubian Leader: See page 22. dried food stores. None of the villages
• Nubian Infantry (40): See page 22. are walled.
Once the Nubians are defeated and Heroes wishing to conduct
the fort secured, the century discovers reconnaissance of the settlements find
a pair of Roman prisoners shackled in the desert scrub and irrigated fields
the stables. They are dirty, hungry, and of wheat provide a decent amount of
happy to be back in Roman hands. If concealment to within 50 yards or so of
questioned about the Nubian attack, most villages.
they relate the following: ABU
“It was dusk a week or more ago that • Mass Battles: 4 tokens
they came. Titus had just started the This small village is garrisoned by a
cooking fires in the gatehouse for the small force of 30 Nubians. Surveillance
evening meal when his fool servant with a successful Notice roll shows the
stumbled and spilled an amphora of oil. inhabitants seem to be in fear of their
Within seconds the tower was ablaze. occupiers. If the century makes contact
The garrison turned out to fight the fire, with the villagers before attacking, they
but despite our best efforts the gatehouse find them to be too fearful of the Nubians
collapsed several hours later. to provide support of any kind.
That’s when they came. No, not the Once freed of the Nubian yoke and
Nubians. Scorpions, by the thousand. returned to the protection of Rome,
They swarmed over the walls, came the villagers fearfully tell of swarms of
out of every crack and started attacking scorpions attacking a Roman force that
everyone in a frenzy. Appius and I was in the village just before the Nubians
jumped onto an unburned section of arrived. The few survivors of the patrol
the tower, and the hot coals kept the fell easily to the invaders.
little buggers away from us. Then the ww Nubian Leader: See page 22.
Nubians appeared, and just as quickly • Nubian Infantry (30): See page 22.
as they came the scorpions vanished
back into the desert. Maybe they didn’t SATET
like their smell or something. The • Mass Battles: 6 tokens
barbarians fished us out of the smoking Surrounded by lush date palm groves
wreckage and took us prisoner. They heavy with a bountiful crop of fruits,
didn’t seem to care about intelligence this village features a prominent temple
from us. Just shackled us and left us in in the Aegyptian style. Reconnaissance
the stable to rot.” shows a Nubian garrison is present,
headquartered at a temple in the town
Other than the prisoners there is
center.
nothing of interest in the castellum,
though a Spoils roll may be made at –2. Any villagers who talk to the Romans
before an attack reveal the invaders have
HEARTS AND MINDS desecrated the temple of Anuket, an
AND GLADII Aegyptian goddess of fertility whose
The villages in the area are typical of favor provides the village with such
Aegyptian settlements found up and bountiful crops.
down the Nile. They are surrounded Villagers contacted before any battle
by fields fed by irrigation canals, palm may join the Romans’ attack. The natives
trees, and other vegetation. Each family are angry at the desecration of their

11
 The Half Set Sun

temple and promise to help out the NOVO CAPUA

Romans in any way possible. • Mass Battles: 10 tokens, +1 Siege Bonus
If this occurs, 3d6 villagers join any Judging by the name on the map and
impending fight. In a Mass Battle, the the style of the buildings, this village is
Romans add +2 to their Knowledge a Roman colonia, settled by discharged
(Battle) and ignore the first token lost— veterans in an attempt to Romanize the
at which point they lose the bonus. surrounding area.
The enemy garrison consists of 50 A Common Knowledge roll reveals
Nubians led by an experienced chieftain. this is indeed the case, having been
Successfully liberating the village settled by members of the heroes’ own
provides the Romans with valuable allies. legion roughly sixty years ago. The
The villagers can serve as spies for them village consists of a number of stout
in the neighboring villages, providing a buildings constructed in a style more
situation report on enemy strength and suited to Italia than Aegyptus. While no
dispositions (+1 to Knowledge (Battle) wall surrounds the colonia, the homes
rolls). are designed to withstand attack.
Protecting the temple also has an If the century scouts out the village,
effect—whether real or imagined by they notice a number of Nubian soldiers
the superstitious legionaries. If the next scattered about, as well as livestock and
fight is handled on the table-top, add untended fields. A successful Notice
+1 to all Vigor rolls made to determine roll discovers a disused, weed-choked
the Aftermath. If the next fight is a Mass irrigation canal filled with the bodies of
Battle, tokens are recovered on a roll of the settlement’s inhabitants, massacred
3-6, rather than 4-6 as usual. when the Nubians invaded.
ww Nubian War Chief: See page 22. Hundreds of fat, ragged crows feast
• Nubian Infantry (50): See page 22. on the bodies. Disturbing them is ill-
• Villagers (40): Use Peasants with Fighting advised—these are a swarm of corpse
d4, from Weird Wars: Rome. They’re ravens (see Weird Wars: Rome).
armed with light clubs (Str+d4).

12
 The Half Set Sun
Novo Capua serves as the Nubians’ This is what happened to the Nubian
base of supply for this flank, and is garrison.
garrisoned by 100 troops led by a The elders do their best to entice the
powerful chieftain. About twenty are on century to bed down in the village that
active guard duty around the perimeter night, plying the gallant legionaries
of the town. The rest are sorting through with food, beer, and women. During
the murdered citizens’ belonging and this time, anyone who makes a Notice
arguing over loot. roll at –4 might notice a few stray signs
If the Nubians are defeated, every the Nubians were here—a stray quiver,
legionary may roll for a Spoil. arrow, or sash hidden under some
ww Nubian War Chief: See page 22. bed or within a native’s belongings. If
• Nubian Infantry (100): See page 22. questioned, the villager smiles and says
• Corpse Ravens (1 Swarm): See Weird the artifact was acquired from traders or
Wars: Rome. a raid many years ago.
If the Romans stay (even if they set up
ANKS MUTH a marching camp outside the village) the
• Mass Battles: 5 tokens Sobeki reveal themselves at midnight,
This village lies alongside large attacking with their crocodile brethren.
irrigation canals obscured by an There are 40 villagers and 24 crocodiles.
extensive growth of reeds. At first glance If the outsiders made their own camp,
Anks Muth seems peaceful, with the the crocodiles attack first from one
natives going about their business, direction, then the villagers swarm in
animals in the fields, and smoke rising from the other to flank.
from cooking fires. No Nubians can be
If the Romans accepted the Anks
seen.
Muth’s hospitality and stayed within
If approached, the villagers, led by the village, the Sobekis gain surprise for
a man named Nebkheperure, warmly the first round of combat and half the
greet the Romans, inviting them into legionaries are too drunk or entwined
their town. They offer good food and with the village’s women to act for the
drink and deny any encounters with the first three rounds. After that, they rally
Nubian invaders. and fight normally.
The Aegyptians seem somewhat Mass Battle: If using the Mass Battle
strange to the Romans, perhaps of a rules, the villagers add +4 to their first
different ancestral background than Knowledge (Battle) roll if the Romans are
others they’ve encountered. Some of inside their village, and +2 in the second
the villagers’ eyes are set too far apart, round. If the Romans made their own
some have patches of dry, scaly skin, camp outside the village, they receive +2
and others have long faces with severe in the first round only (for surprise and
overbites. Most Romans will assume this the flanking maneuver).
is due to the “backwoods” inbreeding of
ww Sobeki Cult Leader: Use the Sobeki
rural Aegyptians and nothing more.
profile below but add Spirit d10,
The reality, however, is more Spellcasting d10, Knowledge (Battle) d6,
horrifying. Long ago, these villagers and 20 Power Points. He has the armor,
took up a debased worship of Sobek, blast, blind, entangle, fear, and stun
the crocodile god. Now, hundreds of powers.
years later, their children have begun • Sobekis (30): See profile below.
to transform into crocodile hybrids. The • Crocodiles (5): See below.
villagers sacrifice outsiders to the fat ww Avatar of Sobek: One of the crocodiles
crocodiles that live in the nearby canal. is larger and meaner than the others.

13
 The Half Set Sun
Add Size +1, increasing Toughness to Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4, Spirit
10(2). d8, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d6,
SOBEKI
Notice d6
Those who have given themselves to
Pace: 6; Parry: 5; Toughness: 6(1)
Sobek body and soul eventually begin
Gear: Spear (Str+d6, Reach 1).
to resemble the creatures that serve their
Special Abilities
violent god.
• Armor (+1): The cultist’s scaly skin
When spurred to action to defend or
gives them one point of Armor.
sacrifice for Sobek, the change becomes
• Bite: Str+d4. The cultists prefer
even more noticeable. The cultist’s
to attack with weapons but have a
already scaly skin becomes leathery and
ferocious bite if caught unarmed.
tough, his pupils narrow to slits, and
his teeth prolong to grant a terrible and CROCODILES
powerful bite. Attributes: Agility d4, Smarts d4(A),
Spirit d6, Strength d10, Vigor d10
Skills: Fighting d8, Notice d6,
Swimming d8
Pace: 3; Parry: 6; Toughness: 9(2)
wwAVATAR OF SOBEK Special Abilities
Should anyone be foolish • Armor (+2): Thick skin.
enough to go into the irrigation • Aquatic: Pace 5.
canal itself, they find a • Bite: Str+d6.
particularly large crocodile
• Rollover: If a crocodile hits with
there that is the living avatar
a raise, it plants its teeth firmly in
of Sobek. This monster has
its victim and rolls over—causing
alabaster skin, blood-red eyes,
horrendous ripping. Add 2d4 to its Bite
and jet black teeth. The children
damage instead of the usual d6.
call their pet “Kilquato.”
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts CROCODILE SMILES
d10(A), Spirit d10, Strength If the village is searched after the battle,
d12+3, Vigor d12 the legionaries discover more evidence
Skills: Fighting d12, Notice of the Nubians’ demise. Unfortunately,
d10, Swimming d8 the cult sacrifices the many treasures
Pace: 3; Parry: 8; Toughness: they obtain from their victims to Sobek’s
16(4) avatar in the canal, but enough remains
Special Abilities scattered throughout the village to allow
• Armor (+4): Thick scaly skin. a roll on the Spoils table at –2.
• Aquatic: Pace 5. In the canal, the Spoils roll is made
• Bite: Str+d6. at+4—but searchers must contend with
• Rollover: With a raise, the Avatar of Sobek (see sidebar).
add 2d4 to its Bite damage
(instead of +d6).
• Size +4: The croc is 30’ long.

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 The Half Set Sun

AND HE RODE Desert, a large emerald, and a letter. The

letter, written in Latin, reads:
A PALE HORSE
Note: This encounter takes place just My dearest Claudia,
before the last castellum or village is I have finally found what I have been
dealt with. seeking! All these months of searching
As the surviving century progresses the burning desert sands and poring
to the last Nubian stronghold, one of over dusty fragmented texts in search of
the Syrian scouts (or a local friendly clues has led me to the ultimate source
Aegyptian if all the scouts are dead) of power. Yesterday I found a temple of
gallops up to the command group. Serket deep in the desert. It appears a
living god once reigned from this place,
“Sir,” he says, throwing a quick salute but some group or other sealed it in and
to the centurion. “We’ve spotted a group marked it with a half-set sun.
of Numidians coming this way out of If I can excavate the temple and find
the east, headed to the fort (or village). the source of this being’s power, I can
They look like auxiliaries such as used finally give you the life you deserve
by Legio III, but they’ve got a Nubian and take you away from the monster
with them. Your orders?” who birthed us. I ride now to seek the
support of the Nubians in my quest to
This is actually the leader of the Nubian unearth the temple and its treasures. I
invasion force, riding from the lost temple do not know what deal I will be forced
deep in the Eastern Desert. He’s accompanied to make with the barbarians, but it is
by a Numidian bodyguard of 10 riders. Their better to rule in Avernus than serve in
horses are spent from their time in the desert, Olympus.
and quick action by the attached horsemen Especially if you are by my side, dear
(and any characters who wish to accompany sister.
them) might result in their capture or Your loving brother,
destruction.
Claudius
The heroes can attempt an ambush, or
pursue on horseback (commandeering the Note: A prop for this letter can be found
Syrians’ horses or sending the riders after on page 16.
them on their own). The latter case is a Chase.
Since the Numidians’ horses are spent, they TRIFLING WITH GODS
roll at –2. If at the end of five rounds the If captured alive, Juma (or one of his
Romans haven’t killed the Nubian leader men) confirms Claudius’ treachery. If
or his horse, he links up with any Nubian the Nubians aren’t captured, the Romans
forces at the site the Romans were heading must confront him at the last objective.
to. If no Nubians are present, he runs afoul of In the latter case, Juma meets up with
whatever is at that location. reinforcements of 50 Nubian warriors (5
ww Juma, Nubian War Chief: See page tokens total in a Mass Battle).
22. Assuming he is captured, Juma brags
• Numidian Horsemen (10): See page 22. that Claudius came to him and offered
up the local Roman defenses in exchange
JUMA’S CAPTURE for help excavating an ancient temple
If Juma is killed or captured, he is found to to the west. The long lost temple was
be carrying a leather scroll case containing dedicated to the scorpion goddess,
a map of the Roman border defenses of Serket, and was said to be the home for
Aegyptus, troop dispositions prior to the her champion.
invasion, a map to a temple in the Eastern

15
 The Half Set Sun

My dea st Claudia,
I have finally found what I have been seeking! All these months
of searching the burning desert sands and poring over dusty
fragmented texts in search of clues has led me to the ultimate
source of power. Yesterday I found a temple of Serket deep in
the desert. It appears a living god once reigned from this place,
but some group or other sealed it in and marked it with a half-set
sun.
If I can excavate the temple and find the source of this being’s
power, I can finally give you the life you deserve and take you
away from the monster who birthed us. I ride now to seek the
support of the Nubians in my quest to unearth the temple and
its treasures. I do not know what deal I will be forced to make
with the barbarians, but it is better to rule in Avernus than serve
in Olympus.
Especially if you are by my side, dear sister.
Your loving brother,
Claudius

CLAUDIUS’ LETTER

16
 The Half Set Sun
A Common Knowledge roll at –4, or the tribes, and marched on the hated
a Knowledge (Aegypt) roll, remembers Romans.
that Serket is actually a healer of Claudius is tied to the temple and
poisons—such as scorpion stings. Her cannot leave, but can summon the
“champion,” however, might not be so guardians of the desert—scorpions,
beneficent. sand specters, and other horrors—to do
All legionaries who have been in his bidding. Juma serves as his eyes and
Aegypt for a while also know that most ears, communicating with his forces via
modern Aegyptians have foregone their a green emerald the war chief carries.
belief in certain older gods—like Serket. Destroying the emerald is a good notion,
Nubian tribesman, however, still follow but there are many others within the
the old Aegyptian gods and are more temple and a new champion will rise as
likely to believe in such “fanciful” tales. long as the temple stands.
Juma spits after relaying Claudius’ It should also occur to the legionaries
treachery—a great insult in the desert— that slaying the scorpion god may likely
and says there’s nothing the Romans quell the Nubian’s fervor for war as well.
can do now. Claudius has become an
immortal avatar of Serket and is sending
his scorpion hordes to rid Aegypt of the
foreign plague.
Juma’s story is true, of course. Claudius
and his Nubian allies dug a path into
the sand-submerged temple nearly a
month ago. Inside, the young zealot
found a gold crown and foolishly placed
it on his head. Claudius immediately
transformed into the temple’s guardian
and Serket’s vengeful champion. Juma
swore allegiance to the avatar, rallied

17
 The Half Set Sun

18
 The Half Set Sun

RAIDERS OF THE
LOST SCORPION DERELICTION
All of the Nubian war chiefs know the OF DUTY
location of the temple, so whether it is If no guard is left behind as
revealed by Juma himself or one of his the heroes traipse off to the
subordinates, the heroes should find the temple, there is a good chance
path. The ruins lie two days away by the Roman forces to the east
foot into the Eastern Desert, or a single will be flanked by the Nubians.
day by horseback. The heat is intense, as Roll a d6 and add +1 each
usual, so Vigor rolls are likely in order day. If the result is 6 or higher,
along the way. the Nubians attack the Roman
Before the march begins, the centurion flank. They aren’t likely to
must make a difficult choice. He can take succeed, but their appearance
the remaining century with him to the certainly causes dozens it not
temple to expunge its evil once and for hundreds of casualties to the
all, but it will leave the flank of the main main force.
Roman force to the east unguarded. He If this occurs, the player
might also leave most of the century character centurion faces
behind and take a strike force to the severe punishment. The exact
temple, but that will dilute his strength punishment depends on the
should it be guarded or this “scorpion circumstances—how much
king” prove truly powerful. There is no of the century was left, was a
right answer—such are the challenges of sizable force left to hold the
command. flank while they went to this
THE TEMPLE “ridiculous temple,” etc, but
Once the legionaries arrive at the could range anywhere from
temple, they find a colossal ruin built in all loss of rank to slavery to
a style unfamiliar to them and mostly summary execution.
buried in heaping dunes. Obvious
excavations have been conducted to
open a small passageway into the ruins.
To the century’s surprise, there are dazzling everyone as the bright light
no guards or camps of Nubian warriors glints off the many treasures heaped
present. The half-submerged temple within.
simply sits ominous and alone in the
As the legionaries’ eyes adjust, they
harsh desert.
see a massive figure staring at them from
Within the excavated tunnel, the the throne—Claudius, the scorpion king.
temple’s stones shift and creak
ominously. Shattered stone doors lay I, CLAUDIUS
beside the opening, showing a broken, Claudius rises from his throne and
golden seal depicting a half-set sun. attacks the characters while scorpions
A short, 30 foot passageway opens swarm over any of their accompanying
into a large chamber ending in a massive troops (inside or out). Claudius knows
scorpion-shaped throne. The moment “heroes” for what they are and wants to
someone sets foot inside, the doors deal with them personally as potential
behind them close and four massive rivals to his power.
braziers in each corner burst into flame—

19
 The Half Set Sun

During the fight, tell-tale sand CHAMPION OF SERKET

drifts down from the unstable ceiling The being once known as Gaius
above. The pillars are unstable, so if Claudius Appollonius appears as a
the champions don’t believe they can monstrous fusion of man and scorpion.
kill Claudius in single combat they can Standing nearly 20 feet tall, he has the
attempt to topple the ceiling onto him. lower body of a giant scorpion, the torso
This is a three-round Dramatic Task and head of a man, and arms that end
requiring a Smarts roll at –2 on the first in deadly pincers. His tails drips caustic
action to find the pillar’s keystones, then venom and a maniacal glint fills his
two Strength rolls at –2 to collapse them distant eyes. On his head, a golden crown
onto Claudius. This kills the avatar in is fused into his carapace, wrought in the
dramatic fashion, but the heroes must shape of a scorpion with emerald eyes.
make Agility rolls at –4 to avoid crushing Claudius no longer speaks, but can
stones (3d6 damage) as well. understand the human tongue. He’s not
If Claudius is defeated, what remains likely to be bargained with, however.
of the temple can be searched. Add +4 As Serket’s champion, the creature is
to the Spoils roll if he was slain by the entirely bent on throwing the invaders
Romans in hand-to-hand combat; but back to the sea and re-establishing his
only +2 if the roof was partially collapsed. deities’ following, something it knows
Claudius’ crown is a cursed thing can only happen with Aegyptians—not
and should not be touched or removed Romans.
from the temple. If worn, it transforms Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit
the wearer into another avatar of the d10, Strength d12+4, Vigor d10
Scorpion God unless a Spirit roll at –6 is Skills: Fighting d10, Intimidation d10,
made. Notice d6
Pace: 6; Parry: 7; Toughness: 14(4)

20
 The Half Set Sun
Special Abilities THE HALF-SET SUN
• Armor (+4): Chitinous skin.
• Claws: Str+d12. If the heroes fail, the scorpion hordes
• Fearless: Claudius is immune to Fear and Nubian champions sweep over
and Intimidation. north Africa and eventually catch the
attention of multiple sects of the Sons
• Fear: The terrifying appearance of the
of Solomon. They form new expeditions
scorpion lord causes Fear checks at –4.
to destroy the temple, though from this
• Improved Frenzy: Claudius can make point forward it’s guarded by an army of
two Fighting attacks each action with Nubian warriors, scorpion swarms, and
no penalty. sand specters.
• Little Brothers: Every other round If the heroes are successful, Serket’s
the scorpion champion can summon champion lies dead and the temple
a Medium Burst Template swarm of slowly sinks into the earth. It will not
scorpions that deal 2d6 damage (see rise again this millennium. Without
Savage Worlds). the champion, the Nubian army loses
• Size +3: Claudius stands over 15’ its fervor and fades back into Nubia.
tall and is 20 feet long from thorax to Rome’s bread basket and client state in
stinger. Aegypt are preserved.
• Stinger (–4): The champion can attack Exactly what the centurion tells his
with his stinger as a multi-action. It has legatus, of course, is up to him. If he
a Reach of 2 and deals lethal poison took any surviving legionaries with his
(see Savage Worlds Deluxe). main party (likely the player characters)
• Sweep: Claudius may sweep with to the temple, word eventually gets out
his pincers instead of using his Frenzy of the horrific being they encountered.
ability. This uses the outside of the claw Soon after, the heroes are summoned
and causes only Strength damage. to the Temple of Mithras at the fortress
• Weakness (Crown): The champion’s on Elephantine Island, where they are
crown is fused into Claudius’ skull, questioned by the legatus and several
but if it can somehow be removed with other officials. Depending on their
a Strength roll of 20+, the champion story, success, and level of competence,
collapses instantly. they may be drummed out of legion—
or invited to join the Twilight Legion.
If the latter, their initiation trial might
involve returning to a certain temple
in the Eastern Desert to ensure it is
destroyed forever and no new followers
are furiously digging through the desert
sands for the crown.

ALL STRANGE AND TERRIBLE EVENTS

ARE WELCOME. COMFORTS WE DESPISE.
–Cleopatra

21
 The Half Set Sun

APPENDIX: NUBIAN Hindrances: Loyal

Edges: Charismatic, Combat Reflexes,
FORCES Command, Level Headed, Natural
The Nubians are a semi-nomadic Leader
people from who live along the lower Gear: Short bow (Range 12/24/48,
Nile, from Aegypt to the Sudan. At the Damage 2d6), axe (Str+d6).
time of this adventure, they are nominally • Great Chief: Spirit d10, Strength d8,
under the control of the Aegyptians, but Fighting d10 (Parry 8), Knowledge
the various, fiercely independent tribes (Battle) d8, Block, Hold the Line,
rarely pay heed to such things. Frenzy.

wwWAR CHIEF WARRIORS

Nubians tend to select the most Unlike most armies, Nubians tend not
cunning of their warriors to lead their to divide their forces into archers and
warbands. infantry. Each warrior carries an axe
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d8, Spirit for melee, and a bow for war and for
d8, Strength d6, Vigor d8 hunting. Archery skills are especially
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation d8, prized among the Nubians.
Knowledge (Battle) d6, Notice d8, Riding Nubians wear no armor to speak of
d6, Stealth d8, Shooting d8 (though individuals may sometime wear
Charisma: +2; Pace: 6; Parry: 5; captured Roman or Aegyptian gear) as
Toughness: 6 it interferes with their movement and
stealth. The latter is particularly
important for hunting as war
parties have no baggage trains or
supplies—warriors are expected
to forage and fend for themselves.
Attributes: Agility d6, Smarts d4,
Spirit d6, Strength d6, Vigor d6
Skills: Fighting d6, Intimidation
d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Shooting
d6
Charisma: 0; Pace: 6; Parry: 5;
Toughness: 5
Hindrances: Illiterate
Edges: —
Gear: Short bow (Range 12/24/48,
Damage 2d6), axe (Str+d6).
Experienced: Fighting d8,
Shooting d8
Veteran: Strength d8

22
 TALES OF THE
WEIRD WARS
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WITHOUT FEAR
Gladiator Magnus Bos remembers little
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beast of Aegyptus. Some say that battle
left him addled, simple...even dumb.
But it also left the Thracian without fear.
Perhaps this is why the slave is purchased
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village on a distant isle--and the strangest
arena of his life.

WITH UTMOST DISPATCH

Legionary Titus Aetius is tasked with
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But Titus isn’t the only hunter stalking
the dark forests of Gaul. The deserter’s
trail disappears in a blood-soaked and
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loyalty, Titus must find some way to
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survive whatever horror has ravaged the
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