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A Pair of Adventures That Prove

Just How Dangerous The Pen Can BeEvery swashbuckler has a fine blade to depend on, but wise men know of

far deadlier weapons — those written on parchment with quills of ink. Writing can unleashfloodgates of emotion, start a revolution, or inspire a nation to feats undreamed of. In the

two adventures contained in these pages, they can do much, much more.

In “Music of the Spheres”, Charouse is alive with excitement about l’Empereur’s latestprotégé — a young musical phenomenon who has charmed the Montaigne nobility

with her grace and talent. A lavish masquerade ball is thrown to honor her, but somethinggoes badly astray… and danger waits for the band of Heroes who seek to put things right.

Unknown perils lurk beneath the gilded surface of the Sun King’s golden city, a mysterious artifact hold dark secrets within its haunting melody, and an ancient evil

must be vanquished to rescue a very special damsel in distress. Can your Heroes save theday and avoid the wrath of the most powerful man in Théah?

In “The Golden Head of Korlak ur-Nagath,” the danger comes from a much baser source— the tawdry novels of an overblown hack. But within his clichéd romances lurks a map to a fabulous treasure. It’s over nine feet tall. It’s made of solid gold. It may just be the

most valuable artifact in all of Théah. And your Heroes know where it is. Unfortunately, so does the most wretched collection of rogues, scoundrels, and villainsever to sail the seas. The question is not only whether you can get to it first, but how

you’re going to to keep it. In a raucous race like this one, nothing is taken for granted.

Mightier Than the Sword contains two complete adventures for the 7th Sea role-playinggame, complete with detailed NPCs and optional challenges to be inserted as desired. Itrequires the 7th Sea Players’ Guide and GMs’ Guide for play. Copies of the Montaigne and

Pirate Nations sourcebooks are recommended, but not required.

$11.95 M.S.R.P.AEG 7106

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7th Sea, Avalon, Castille, Eisen, Inismore, Highland Marches, Montaigne, Ussura, Vodacce, Vendel, Vestenmannavnjar, Knights of the Rose and Cross, Invisible College, Rilasciare, Novus Ordum Mundi,Vaticine Church of the Prophets, Explorer’s Society, die Kreuzritter, El Vago and all other related marks are © and ™ 2001 by Alderac Entertainment Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Mightier Than the Sword

Being a pair of tales presented for the edification and amusement of 7th Sea players

“The Music of the Spheres” Written by Cris Dornaus with Eric Vaubel

“The Golden Head of Korlak ur-Nagath” Written by Lee Garvin

Additional Material: Kevin Wilson

Art Direction: jim pinto

Cover and Interior Artwork: Cris Dornaus

Map: Jennifer Wick

Design and Layout: Steve Hough, Brendon Goodyear

Cover Design: Cris Dornaus, Brendon Goodyear

Line Developer: Rob Vaux

Editing: Rob Vaux

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The Music of the Spheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Part One: To the Rescue! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7Part Two: Come Join the Masquerade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Part Three: Down in the Underground . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16…And They Lived Happily Ever After? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

The Golden Head of Korlak ur-Nagath . . . . . . . . . . . 24Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Part One: Lunatics and Bad Fiction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Part Two: Off to the Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Part Three: Home Again, Home Again… . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40The Competition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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The Music of theSpheresLo! ’tis a gala nightWithin the lonesome latter years!An angel throng, bewinged, bedightIn veils, and drowned in tears,Sit in a theatre, to seeA play of hopes and fears,While the orchestra breathes fitfullyThe music of the spheres.— from The Conqueror Wormby Edgar Allan Poe

IntroductionMusic of the Spheres is designed to include several different“flavors” of adventure — mystery, intrigue, politics,exploration, and combat. Heroes will have the opportunityto rescue innocent passengers from road bandits, solve amissing persons case, venture into the Syrneth sewers ofCharouse, fight a creature whose evil has kept it imprisonedfor millennia, rescue a very special damsel in distress andmake the Emperor of Montaigne extremely happy… or, ifthey fail in their endeavors, extremely upset.

As usual, a balanced party would be ideal for thisadventure. Those with Montaigne connections or courtierskills will have a chance to use them at l’Empereur’s royalcourt. Characters skilled at combat will be handy as well,when the party faces villains and monsters. At least oneHero should speak Montaigne, and preferably read it aswell. Heroes with knowledge of the sewers and musical lorewill also have an advantage, but these skills are notnecessary.

The monster encountered at the end of the adventure caneasily be modified to suit the skills of the party, but it shouldbe strong enough to give them a challenge worthy of theirabilities. Optional dangers have also been included that theGM can throw in if he or she wishes. The Montaignesourcebook contains more information about Charouse,1’Empereur, the Syrneth undergrounds, and sewer hunters,but is not necessary to run this adventure.

Music is a central theme in this adventure, so you may wantto play certain pieces during the game. Selections from the17th and 18th century are ideal. Harpsichord music is agood way of conjuring up the atmosphere of the RoyalCourt. A fast-paced violin sonata will add a lot to the fightscene with the sewer hunters, as will most classically-basedmovie soundtracks.

Charouse: City of the ArtsThis adventure takes place in the Montaigne capital,Charouse. Designed to be a paradise for the wealthy elite,the city stands as a wonderland of elegant architecture,exclusive shops, and entertainment of every type. It is alsoknown for its sewers — Petite Charouse — which containmysterious passages that existed long before the rise ofman. Unknown dangers haunt these dank tunnels, andtribes of sewer hunters lurk in the subterranean mazes,scavenging for their lives in a savage society all their own.

The nobility of Charouse enjoy a life of luxury and leisure.Friends of l’Empereur spend their time playing games,throwing lavish parties, and engaging in their uniquelyMontaigne brand of courtly intrigue. They enthusiasticallysupport the arts, enjoying theatre, opera, and a newsensation called “ballet,” as well as sponsoring galleries offine painting and sculpture. For more information onCharouse, refer to the Montaigne sourcebook.

The Prodigy of PrevoyeThe latest sensation at l’Empereur’s court is a young womanby the name of Madelene Prevoye. The 16-year oldSample

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daughter of a middle-class music teacher, Madelene showedexceptional musical promise from her earliest days. Herfather, Alfonse Prevoye, a widower since Madelene’smother died of fever ten years ago, delightedly encouragedher talents and she has made stunning accomplishments inher field. She is skilled at playing the violin, harpsichord,flute, and Castillian guitar, and has composed an impressiveportfolio of concertos, symphonies, waltzes, and operas. Hermusic has been lauded by critics as “sent from heaven,” andshe is regarded as an almost saintly prodigy, possessingtalent far beyond normal musicians. Many consider hersecond only to the Eisen prodigy Wolffrond von Hazel insheer musical talent.

Madelene’s appearance and personality have also helped toengender this reputation. She is lovely in countenance —-slender with delicate hands and a halo of blonde hair. Sheis always humble about her talent in public, but realizes shehas a unique gift and drives herself mercilessly to use it well.She is soft-spoken and charming in most social situations,but can become passionate and obsessive when theconversation turns to her art. When composing her music,she goes into a state of almost trance-like concentration, anddoes not like to be disturbed when “the muse flows.”

When l’Empereur heard of the young lady’s talents, he sentan invitation for Madelene and her father to visit Châteaudu Soleil. He commissioned her to write an opera in honorof himself (and Montaigne), and to entertain the court ather leisure. When the adventure begins, she has beenresiding at Château du Soleil for two weeks. The royalfamily and attending nobility dote upon her to no end andlisten breathlessly when she plays. For the moment, itseems, she has all of Montaigne in the palm of her hand.

Enamored of his talented guest, l’Empereur has arranged amasquerade ball at Château du Soleil in honor of her.Guests are to wear their most fantastic and outrageouscostumes — masks and all — and Madelene is to playselections from her opera for the first time in front of anaudience. The ball is the talk of Charouse, and the upperclass is in a fit of excitement over the event.

Part One: To theRescue!The opening is designed to set the scene, make importantintroductions and get the Heroes involved in the adventure.It takes place on a country road outside of Charouse; theGM should determine exactly how and why the party isthere. There are limitless motivations for visiting the capitalcity of Montaigne. A few examples are provided below:

• The Heroes are heading to Charouse to sell valuablegoods from a previous adventure.

• The Heroes are diplomats or foreign emissaries, comingto pay respects to l’Empereur.

• The Heroes are servants, dispatched to Charouse toprocure supplies.

Empereur Leon Alexandre duMontaigne XIV

VillainBrawn 2, Finesse 2, Wits 6, Resolve 5, Panache 2Reputation: –115Arcana: HedonisticAdvantages: Montaigne (R/W), Théan (R/W), MontaigneAccent (South), Noble, Servants (as many as needed) Courtier: All Knacks at 5Scholar: History 4, Law 4, Mathematics 2, Philosophy 3,Research 2, Theology 2Firearms: Attack (Firearms) 4Hunter: Stealth 3, Tacking 3, Trail Signs 3Rider: Mounting 2, Riding 3Porté (Apprentice): Attunement 3, Blooding 3, Bring 4,Pocket 3

More information on l’Empereur can be found in theMontaigne sourcebook.

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• The Heroes are soldiers or musketeers, assigned to patrolthe roads around the capital.

• One of the Heroes belongs to a secret society, and mustmake contact with a fellow member in Charouse (perhapseven at l’Empereur’s party).

Whatever the reason, whether the party is dispersed ortogether, the journey is a pleasant one. The countrysidearound Charouse is green and inviting, and the sun shinescheerfully in a bright blue sky.

As the party approaches Charouse, they notice acommotion on the road ahead of them. A coachemblazoned with the colors of the Montaigne family hasbeen surrounded by a gang of bandits (the number ofruffians can be adjusted to give the party a good fight, butone the Heroes should win with some style). The banditsspeak with a rural Montaigne accent and wear roughclothes with scarves tied around their faces to avoidrecognition. Two of them ride lean horses, and the coach’steam has been cut loose from their yoke (the four horses

haven’t wandered far, and can be seen grazing in the fieldsnearby).

The bandits are armed with a variety of weapons, fromsimple farming tools to stolen pistols and swords. Thefrightened, elderly coachman grovels on his knees next tothe coach, guarded by one of the bandits. The rest of thebrigands have formed a close circle around the coach andare arguing harshly with its passengers, demanding that they surrender all the money, valuables and weapons they possess. From inside the coach comes a frightenedfemale cry.

Any Heroes worth their salt will jump at this chance todefend innocent (and possibly important) people from suchvillainy. The GM can make the fight as quick or as drawnout he likes. If the combat needs some spice, have thebandits leap onto the coach or drag the passengers out ashostages. Once the fight starts, the man guarding thecoachman shoves him sprawling into the dirt, and the oldservant will crawl to the safety of a nearby tree.

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