3-Guns & the Big Steal

A Bank Robbery in the Wild West

This Tephra adventure is designed as a quick (2-3 hour) adventure for a group of wandering heroes. Its best suited for 3-5 players at first level.

Background

Inside the town called Douglass City, a gang lead by the infamous 3-Guns Charlie has seized the Trust Bank and is robbing
the vault. Its taken a couple hours to get into the vault, so people
are well aware of whats going on. Members of his gang patrol
the road outside, well armed and making sure nobody interferes.
The towns lone sheriff is currently holed up in his office with his
young deputy, nursing some wounds inflicted by the gang.

Overview

The goal of this game is to introduce people to the rules and experience a bit of roleplaying and strategic thinking.
The first combat is a simple one, with the heroes being

pitted against a gang of gunfighters outside of the bank.
The second combat is much more complex. A mad

scientist with a flamethrower-wielding automaton is inside the
bank, and hes using all of the bank employees as human shields.
The players will have to either deal with the threats separately or
immediately go for the scientist who is controlling the automaton
at the risk of hurting the hostages.
The third combat will involve them going down under

the bank, to the vault, where 3-Guns Charlie is just getting the
vault door open. 3-Guns Charlie is an elven gunman with two
mechanical arms. Hell use the vault layout to his advantage and
attempt to gun down the heroes.

After the adventure, the surviving heroes will be treated
well by the town and will be rewarded kindly, unless of course
they failed to protect the hostages...

Introduction
Youve reached Douglass City, a town not hardly large enough
to warrant being called a city. Its a dusty, dry day, and the
air is blurred from heat rising off the dirt. The town is little
more than a single dusty street lined with wooden buildings.
Theres a small crowd gathering off to the side of one of the
buildings and a handful of rough, armed men walking up
and down the street.
Looks like trouble.

The Town

The crowd is gathering behind the sheriffs office, and his back
door is open. Fearful townspeople cycle in and out. The sheriff
is inside, an older gentleman named Thomas Gallagher. He sits
fidgeting at his desk, blaming his inaction on the agony of the
crippling wounds inflicted upon him by the outlaws.
He has a sole deputy named Card, a man who is only

16 and barely worth his salt in a fight. He is a bit presumptuous,
however, and scoffs at the sheriffs excuses, eagerly whispering
to the party that the he was only barely grazed and is simply too
afraid to stand up to the gunmen.
Also in the office is the Trust Bank Chairman, a man

named Hollace Estherbrook. Hes a middle-aged man with a
strong moustache and dark hair. He talks smart and holds his
chin high. He asks for their help, though does not immediately
offer a reward. If pressed, hell offer them 25 princes each, plus
10 princes per outlaw they take out (per hero). With a good argument or a tier 3 cunning result, he could be talked up to 50
princes each, but not a single mark more!

Written by Daniel Burrow, Revised by Tim Bedard

Illustrations by Victor Helton. Maps by Daniel Burrow

Copyright 2012 Daniel Burrow, Cracked Monocle.

This adventure is designed for Tephra: the Steampunk RPG using the Clockwork System.
The reproduction of material from within this book for the purposes of personal or corporate profit,
by photographic, electronic, or other methods of storage and retrieval, is prohibited.
Maps are included after the adventure and may be copied for personal use.
Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Rough & Tumble Gunfight

Outside the bank are 4 outlaws. Two slowly walk the front perimeter of the building, rifles in hand, while another stands at the
top of the banks steps. A fourth sits in a chair to the right of the
steps, head hung low, his hands resting on the two shiny pistols
in his lap. Theyre not much for talkers - they take threats seriously, theyre on edge, and theyll warn people to get off the road
quickly or get shot.

The heroes can approach this situation from a variety
of angles. There are, however, another 3 outlaws inside the bank
who will come outside if theres any commotion or fighting. If the
heroes are subtle in their tactics, the outlaws inside the bank will
probably just walk outside randomly, though somewhat curious
as to what happened to their colleagues.

Outlaw Guard

Race: Human (Evanglessian)

Level: 2/3rds AP: 3
HP: 13 Wounds: 8
Priority: +3 Speed: 25 feet
Note: The outlaw guard can draw items for 0 AP.

Guard

Light Leather Duster (minimal organic armor)

Eva: +0 Def: +1
Soak: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Attacks
Rifle

(2 AP, 1 AP to ready)

Acc: +2 Range: 200 ft.

Damage: 6 | 12 | 18 | 24

Revolver

(2 AP)

Acc: +2 Range: 100 ft.

Damage: 4 | 8 | 12 | 16

Special Actions

Penetrating Shot (Ranged Attack +1 AP)

The outlaw can make a ranged attack that ignores (marksmanship +2: 2 |
4 | 6 | 8) points of damage soak.

Skills Attributes

Agility: +1 Brute: +1
Brawl: +2 Cunning: +1
Expertise: +1
Dexterity: +3
Marksmanship: +2 Spirit: +0
Sciences: +0

Reference

Specialties: Instant Draw, Penetrating Shot

Equipment: Rifle (heavy firearm), revolver (medium firearm), ammunition,
duster, a handful of princes (1-2 princes each).

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Hostages & Flamethrowers

Inside the bank, theres an automaton, a mad scientist named
Hank McGridgit, and 3 hostages. The heroes can see inside the
bank from the windows outside. The automaton is stored behind
the office, obscured from sight. Hank McGridgit is in the back,
sitting on a stool with the 3 hostages bound, each sitting on a
stool around him.

Hank McGridgit is a rascally looking fellow with big
eyes. You can tell that he doesnt eat well, and he has some oddly
placed burn marks on his face, probably from loose embers and
jumping sparks. Hes wearing raggedy overalls and has some
crazy looking goggles on. He bides his time leaning close to the
hostages and doting on his position of power, bragging to them
about his automaton, which a clever hero may be able to overhear
with a tier 3 cunning.

With the hostages surrounding him, his back to the wall,
and the desk in front of him, he gains a +6 cover bonus on his
evade rolls. Because of the hostages, if anybody shoots at him
(trying to just shoot around the hostages), and their accuracy
result is 6 or lower, theyll hit one of the hostages. If somebody
shoots a hostage for less than 8 damage, the hostage will be injured (roll wounds). If a hostage is hit for 8 damage or more, the
hostage will be killed.

Hank McGridgit

Race: Human (Evanglessian)

Level: 2 AP: 3
HP: 16 Wounds: 12
Priority: +0 Speed: 20 feet

Guard

Metal-Plated Overalls (medium metal armor)

Eva: +0 Def: +0
Soak: 3 | 6 | 9 | 12

Attacks
Revolver

(2 AP)

Acc: +0 Range: 100 ft.

Damage: 4 | 8 | 12 | 16

Skills Attributes

Agility: +1 Brute: +1
Automata: +5 Cunning: +0
Armsmith: +3
Dexterity: +2
Gadgeteer: +3 Spirit: +0
Marksmanship: +1 Sciences: +11
Resilience: +1

Reference

Specialties: Steam-Powered Crafter, Beta Drive Cores, Learn Augments,

Optician

Augments Known: (goggles) Protective, Tinted, Weatherproof, (au-

tomata) Automated Repair System, Fireproof, Reinforced Boiler, Remotely

Remote Controlled, Resilient Boiler
Equipment: Revolver (medium firearm), ammunition, overalls, goggles
(Protective Mq.I, Tinted Mq.I, Weatherproof), remote control

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

McGridgits Automaton
Type: Beta Steamer
Wounds: 50 Speed: 10 feet

Guard

Riveted Metal Armor (heavy metal armor)

Eva: -3 Def: +2
Soak: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
Notes: Automaton automatically regains 1 wound per turn. The automaton
cannot be set on fire.

Attacks

Flamethrower

(2 AP, hits only adjacent opponents)

Acc: +0
Damage: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28
Notes: Depending on the tier of damage dealt, it does that tier of burns

to the target (dropping their defense by -1 | -3 | -5 | -7 ) until their next

breather. The flamethrower is mounted inside of the automatons arm.

Wrapping it Up

If there are no wounded hostages, the hostages will both rejoice and
flee after being saved, heading straight for the sheriffs office. They will
also inform the heroes that there is a door hidden under the rug. The
rug covers a thick metal door that opens to a stairway leading into the
basement. The door leads to the vault and 3-Guns Charlie.

3-Guns Charlie
The stairs lead down into the vault. The vault has a row of metal
bars (like a prison) between the stairs and the thick vault door.
The vault door is slightly ajar, but the door through the metal
bars has been closed and locked.

3-Guns Charlie is down there, a hideous, hulking elf
with a giant cloak tossed over him. Hes carrying a single double-barreled, sawed-off shotgun. He secretly has two mechanical
arms attached to his back, each holding a rifle, though he wont
bother keeping them secret for long.

He wont argue or talk much - hes aggressive, angry,
and paranoid (what other kind of personality would get two guntoting arms surgically attached to their back?). Hell use the bars
to keep any melee fighters away from him, and hell hide behind
the door (giving him light cover - a +4 on his evade).

The door made from bars can be broken open with a tier
2 brute result or by dealing them over 12 damage in one hit.

3-Guns Charlie

Race: Elf (Evanglessian)

Level: 4 AP: 4
HP: 44
Wounds: 10
Priority: +5 Speed: 35 feet
Notes: Can move (agility +1: 10 | 20 | 30 | 40 ) feet per turn for 0 AP. 3Guns can draw a weapon or item at any time for 0 action points.

Guard
Duster (minimal organic armor)
Eva: +0 Def: +0
Soak: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Attacks

Double-Barreled Sawed-Off

Acc: +6 Range: 100 ft.

Damage: 5 | 10 | 15 | 20

Rifles

(2 AP)

(2 AP)

Acc: +5 Range: 200 ft.

Damage: 6 | 12 | 18 | 24

Large Hunting Knife

(2 AP)

Acc: +5 Stk: +4
Damage: 7 | 14 | 21 | 28

Special Actions

Dual Strikes (Attack, +1 AP per additional attack)

3-Guns will open with a shot from his sawed-off, then follow up with 2 attacks, each for 1 AP, with his two rifles held by his mechanical arms.

Skills Attributes
Agility: +1 Brute: +9
Expertise: +3 Cunning: +3
Marksmanship: +8
Dexterity: +12
Overpower: +3 Spirit: -3
Resilience: +4 Sciences: +0
Swashbuckling: +3

Reference
Specialties: Dual Strikes, Free Movement, Instant Draw, One-Handing It, Snap
Reload, Weapon Appropriations

Equipment: Double Barreled Sawed-Off (medium firearm, accuracy Mq.I,

damaging Mq.I), 2 prosthetic arms, 2 Rifles (heavy firearms), Ammunition, Large

Hunting Knife (medium metal melee weapon), 20 princes

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Conclusion
Saving Douglas City

Experience: 3-4

Once saved, the Trust Bank Chairman, Hollace Estherbrook,

will graciously pay the offered reward. If the heroes insist that
the automaton counted as one of the outlaws, ask for a cunning
roll. With a tier 2 result, Mister Estherbrook will give in and pay
them for the automaton as well. Thats a total of 9 outlaws (so 90
princes each, plus their 25 prince base pay), or 10 outlaws if they
can convince him that the automaton counted.

The township will treat the heroes quite well, celebrate
their victory, and treat them to drinks and food at the saloon.

That is unless the heroes killed any of the hostages. If
one of the hostages died, the heroes will be briskly paid and sent
away from the town without fanfare. If two hostages died, the
chairman will not pay the heroes, and the heroes will be outlawed
from the town (perhaps given 24 hours to get far away from town
before a bounty is made).

If the heroes fought through each combat, they get 1 experience

point per fight. If they did anything truly awesome, they get a
bonus experience point.

Loot
The gadgets and automaton creations of Hank McGridgit were
all pieced together and poorly built. They can barely be sold for
parts. The goggles can be used, but 3-Guns Charlies arms and
the automaton wont work well (if at all) within a couple hours
of the combat. At their best price, the heroes might be able to
get the following:
Automaton: 100 princes


McGridgits Goggles: 12 princes
Charlies Arms: 20 princes each

Alternatively, for all of the firearms and other things they can
loot, you could just offer the heroes a lump sum of 200 princes
for everything.

Story Rewards
If somebody successfully shot and killed the mad scientist,
Hank McGridgit, with a high enough accuracy so that they didnt
wound any of the hostages, they receive the following story:

Hostages? No Problem

Achievement Story
Whenever a villain is using a poor hostage as a human shield,
chances are good that you wont hit the innocent. If you accidently shoot an innocent person whos unwillingly covering
somebody, you may roll one more time for your accuracy, trying
to prevent from hitting them again.
If somebody accidentally (or purposefully) shot one of the hostages that Hank McGridgit was using as a bullet shield, they
receive the following story:

Reckless Endangerment

Achievement Story
Whenever a villain is using an unfortunate hostage as a human shield, who cares? The cover provided by that innocent is
dropped by one degree (from light to poor, or medium to light,
et cetera).

If someone chooses to steal from the vault, it wont be long before the Trust notices the missing money. This causes the thief
Theres always the chance that the heroes turn less heroic and to recieve the following story:
jump at the chance to steal from the Trust Bank (since, afterall,
n trust worthy a
the vault is wide open and nobodys watching). Thats fine, thats
their choice - but the Trust is large and powerful, and being out- Achievement Story
lawed by the Trust leaves a person followed by some rather large You got on the bad side of the international financial superpower
bounties.
known as the Trust. You cant use any of its services, including
withdrawing any money from accounts you had open from them
and cashing any bank notes you receive as payment for completed jobs.

Stealing from the Bank

U -

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)

Tristan Stothard (order #6517327)