EVIL IN THE EVERGLADES

Designed for a group that contains at least 1 sorcerer character. Works best if the group is experienced somewhat. Begins in Florida at the beach.

THE BEGINNING
The adventure begins on an overcast rainy beach in Florida. Poor weather has kept the beaches largely clear, but a few people are outside in the warm rain. The Man-Thing, moving this far outside the swamp for reasons only it can know, has come to the beach. Needless to say there is a lot on ensuing panic. Players who act agressively by attacking without regard for saving the public first are giving enough negative emotion (hatred) to make them targets of the Man-Thing's corrosive ability.

Players who attempt communication, herding the monster, or trapping the creature (ie. Try to save it, and save the public at the same time) may have more success as the Man-thing is rarely aggressive. Players reading the creature's mind will find it is very disoriented, confused and uncertain how it came to be at the beach.

Man-thing cannot communicate on its own, but its structure would indicate that it is not indigenous to the seashore. Its smell might indicate the sawamp is a more likely place for it.

Players having difficulty with these deductions may need some help. It comes in the form of Ellen Sallis (Ted Salis's former Wife). She is an attractive woman with black hair and sad grey eyes. The left side of her face is horribly melted and she conceals it with her hair.

She can explain who Man-thing was, and where he belongs. She will have been searching for him for the past few days after he mysteriously disappeared from the swamp.

Dr. Sallis (Ted Sallis' ex-wife)
F- TY
A- TY
S- PR
E- TY
R- RM
I- GD
P- EX
H- 22
K- 60
R- FB
P- 0

Hinderance: Monsterous Appearance (melted face)
Talents: Chemistry, Disguise, Computers, Genetics

History: Dr. Ellen Sallis betrayed Ted Sallis to A.I.M. when she thought he was near to completing his research. After he was transformed into Man-Thing, he attacked her, burning her face. Believing her dead, he left her in the swamp. In the intervening years, she has wandered trying to rebuild her life, but has never been able to overcome the guilt she holds for betraying Ted. Seeking the Man-Thing once more, she spends much of her time trying to figure out if it is possible to restore his humanity, as a way of atoning for her sin.

PART THE SECOND
Once it is subdued, it will be necessary to return it to the Everglades (and the Nexus of Realities). Once there, the surrounding swamps will be full of zombies. Many hundreds of them are milling about making life generally difficult. Combined with the dangers of the swamp ('gators, and often treacherous water) the adventurers should not have an easy time of it.

Zombies will attack anything living by piling-on with deliberate slowness. Alligators will attack anything moving (but actually PREFER zombies). Send as many as will keep it challenging, and let PCs escape. Man-thing has limited effectiveness fighting zombies, as they have no emotions.

Zombies
F- TY
A- PR
S- TY
E- GD
R- FB
I- PR
P- FB
H- 26
K- 8

Powers: CL. 1000 resistance to disease, gas, heat, cold and extreme pressure.
Zombies do not suffer any effects from Stun or Kill results, but can be slammed.
Zombies do not need to breathe and can survive indefinitely when submerged or buried.
Zombies are unaffected by any attacks that rely on a sense of sight, hearing, taste, smell or feel.
CL. 1000 Psi-Screen

Alligator
F- PR
A- GD
S- RM
E- EX
R- FB
I- FB
P- FB
H- 64

Powers: Teeth RM
move 1 area on land, 2 areas in water

PART THE THIRD
Once Man-Thing is back in the swamp, he will indicate that the group is to follow him. If Ellen Sallis is involved, she will accompany the group. The Man-thing will lead the characters to the nexus (through more zombies, and more alligators if need be).

There, Baron Mordo has erected an arcane barrier. Inside the barrier, he is performing a ritual that is obviously physically taxing. In order to remain undisturbed, he has created a similacrum to defend the barrier.

The barrier has a CL. 1000 rank and is relatively impervious to any force the characters can bring to bear on it. However it can be brought down by concentrated effort. Assume it will hold long enough to make the similacrum annoying and for Mordo to complete his task. The signifigance of the amulet will be made clear later in the adventure.

Similacrum
F- TY
A- TY
S- PR
E- TY
R- GD
I- GD
P- AM
H- 22

Powers: Magic AM

Limitation: Can only cast the following spells
Eldritch Blast
Hypnosis
Necromancy (to control the undead)
Plant Control (to control Man-Thing)
Flight
Amulet 10 Force Field Vs Energy (including Magic but not Telepathy) can be attacked out of.

PART THE FOURTH:
Mordo will finish his spell just as the barrier is removed, and Death appears. Mordo has summoned the entity Death which he plans to command to animate all of the dead on the planet Earth, and then wrench control of the position of Sorcerer Supreme from Dr. Strange (or other resident Sorcerer Supreme). He has to work fast though, as ritual only lasts 24 hours (plenty of time but it does mean he is on a deadline).

If the PCs try to attack Mordo by brute force, Death removes their life from them. This will continue until either:
1) The PCs end the spell somehow (the amulet will do that if you put it on Mordo or Death)
2) The Spell ends 24 hours later. (by then it’s a little late, Mordo will succeed in his task)
3) The characters defeat death (unlikely, but it would work)
4) Another PC sorcerer finds a way to reverse the spell.

PART THE END
As the spell ends, the entity of Death immediately stops attacking the characters. All the Zombies de-animate, and any character slain by Death comes back alive. Death focuses on Mordo, and grabs him with one bony hand. His screams echo for what seem like the longest minutes of your life.

Consequences: If all goes well, everything is restored. If the Entity known as Death is defeated, then nobody dies anywhere in the world for a week. Even the most horrifyingly mutilated people manage to linger on in pain. After that week a new entity appears, and the characters can breathe a little easier.

Rewards: Defeat Man-Thing (safely) +75 Karma
Destroy Man Thing -75
Figure out what to do Without Ellen Sallis' help +10 Defeat Zombies/Alligators +20
Defeat the Similacrum +50
Defeat Mordo +75
Defeat Death by "brute force" yeah right Use the Amulet Creatively +15
Complete the adventure +10

By C. David Dent

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