While traveling, the party should encounter the ruins of a smaller Ancient village. Perhaps it could be the remnants of a small town that was bombed out and abandoned during the Final Wars. They should feel free to poke around and salvage anything they can, but they will not find too much as this town was looted of anything of value long ago.
With enough poking around, they may encounter a small campsite set up on the very edge of town. A group of archeologists have set up a base of operations here. The leader of the expedition is a human named Scribe who, along with two other human archivists (Steff and Rogher), have been exploring and investigating the ruins to get a better understanding of pre-apocalyptic life. They have found several items of “academic interest” (some various hand tools, a TV remote control, a pair of eyeglasses, and perhaps some other items from the Assorted Junk list (MF rulebook, pg. 124). They ask the party if they would like to help with the exploration, promising that they may keep any weapons and items they find, after they catalog and record the item, of course. The day should be getting short at this time, and Scribe suggests they bunk down for the night to get started in the morning.
Late that night, a small band of Feeders (MF rulebook, pg. 71) who have been watching the expedition from the ruins sneaks in to make a meal out of the sleeping victims. Unless someone has been posted as a nightwatch, the Feeders get surprise when they attack.
Feeders (4) (AL C, MV 120' (40'), AC 6, HD 3, #AT 1 (weapon or bite), per weapon or 1d6, SV L3, ML 8, mutations: thermal vision, night vision)
During the heat of combat, the party may notice one of the Feeders suddenly stop fighting, look about confusedly, then drop dead in front of them. After the combat ends, if they inspect the body of the feeder, they will find an Ancient knife (a kitchen steak knife) buried deep in its back. This weapon dealt the death blow. They may also see Steff staring off into the shadows. If asked, she will say she saw what killed the Feeder. “It was a ghost!” Steff exclaims. “I saw a ghost of one of the Ancients who lived here!” If questioned, Steff will say that she saw a ghostly skeleton dressed in Ancient garb step out from the shadows. It threw something and the Feeder dropped. The Ghost then dropped back into the shadows and disappeared. If the area where the “ghost” was spotted is investigated, nothing will be found.
The next morning, Scribe will begin yelling and shouting, as Steff has apparently gone missing. In a panic, he starts throwing out assumptions that more of the Feeders may have returned or, perhaps, Steff's “ghost” came for her during the night. He pleads for the party to help him locate her.
Steff actually left the camp before sunrise to try to locate her “ghost.” An excellent tracker, Steff returned to the scene of the appearance and found some faint footprints and signs that she was able to follow. If the party returns to the scene, they find Steff's footprints scattered about (where she was searching) and a rather obvious trail she left as she chased after the ghost. Her trail leads to a long-forgotten Ancient graveyard. If the party approaches quietly, they may catch a glimpse of a humanoid skeleton wandering about, then entering a open stone tomb. Rather than “ghosts,” the graveyard is inhabited by a small tribe of
Vitossein – shy, private humanoids with transparent flesh. From a distance, these creatures look like skeletons as their bones are not transparent.
This band has lived in the area for many months. They have dressed themselves in scavenged Ancient clothing, and their small graveyard location and their appearance keep the curious away due to rumors of hauntings. The Vitossein have been fighting with the Feeders for a while now, as they have been attacked by the little fiends as well. One of them heard last night's combat and “helped” the strangers without becoming personally involved.
Vitossein (6) (AL N, MV 120' (40'), AC 3, HD 8, #AT 1, DG weapon + 1d6, SV L4, ML 5, mutations: chameleon epidermis (limited), reflective epidermis (radiation), intellectual affinity (martial))
Steff has followed the path to the Vitossein encampment and is watching them with interest as her specialty is anthopology. This new humanoid species facinates her and she's trying to make as many notes and observations as she can in private. If the party makes too much noise upon approach, she race up and quiet them, explaining that these creatures are a new humanoid race that she wishes to observe. If the party charges in, the Vitossein will make short work of them, as they have a highly developed martial intellectual affinity as well as being very hard to see. If they are beaten in combat, they will be taken prisoner while the Vitossein leader demands an explanation as to who they are and why they attacked.
During this interrogation (or if the party had remained hidden while observing), a larger party of Feeders makes an attack on the Vitossein base. They realize the Vitossein interloper helped the strangers, costing the Feeders last night's meal. When the Feeders attack, the outnumbered Vitossein will need help. If the party is captured, the Vitossein will release them and ask for help. If the party is hidden, Steff will race in the help, yelling at the party to follow.
Feeders (10) (AL C, MV 120' (40'), AC 6, HD 3, #AT 1 (weapon or bite), per weapon or 1d6, SV L3, ML 8, mutations: thermal vision, night vision)
Once the combat has ended, any Feeders still remaining will abandon the ruins as a base and will run off, never to return. The Vitossein will thank the party as they can now live in peace. Scribe will promise to keep the secret of the Vitossein safe in exchange for their help in cataloging the ruined village. The Vitossein, having explored the area at length, collecting many items of intellectual value, are happy to make the arrangement. The party may also be rewarded with some of the more unusual items discovered, including weapons or valuables.
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