The four most commonly used weapons in Ti- bet before the 1940’s are the whip, sling, short bow and matchlock rifle.
Tibetan Whip
Skill: Fighting (Whip) Base: 05% Damage: 1D3 + 1/2 DB Range: 10 feet
Att/Round: 1 HP: 4
Tibetan whips are made out of rhinoceros hide imported from Nepal or northern India and are used by the dob-dob monks for crowd control. Whips are also used as a form of punishment Bandits who preyed on pilgrims and the no-
mads in the northern plains of Tibet were a special case who had their hands chopped off and the stumps sealed with boiling butter. The bandits who took lives were made an exam- ple of by the secular governors in the remote provinces by being beheaded and having their heads mounted on posts along the highways. The grisly sights of these bird-picked skulls were a public warning of the punishments that waited for criminals in those areas of the country.
48 Barkhor - South Raving madman. Yeshe Insane old man who had an encounter when he was young. 49 Barkhor - Central Noble Woman and informa-
tion broker.
Nyima Jagdrak Knows all of the gossip about everyone important.
50 South of Norbul- ingka Palace
Young nobleman and traveler. Kipu Palha British trade stations, mer- chants, nobles, Tibetan officials. 51 Barkhor - East Traveling meteorite hunter. Dragbu Metalworkers, merchants, farm-
ers, and nomads. 52 Potala and every-
where else
Assassin, executioner and military leader.
Lama Thokmay Dalai Lama, Tibetan officials, nobles, merchants, Lamas and monks.
53 Potala and every- where else
Traveling official of the Dalai Lama.
Kunchen of U Dalai Lama, Tibetan officials, nobles, merchants, Lamas and monks.
54 Barkhor - West Cultist and information broker.
Devadas of Ladakh
Mystics, cultists, bandits, mer- chants.
55 South of Lhasa at garbage dump
Elderly Healer. Lhundup Poor people of Lhasa. 56 Barkhor - Central Merchant, procurer of child
slaves.
Jungney Nomadic tribes, country farmers, Lamas.
57 Barkhor - Central Noble, traveler, guide, inter- preter, liaison to foreigners.
Mogru Lungrig Nobles, merchants, foreigners, Tibetan officials, British officials. 58 Barkhor - North Merchant, cultist who assists
members of the Great Race of Yith.
Jampa Srongma Merchants, Tibetan officials, Cultists, mystics, many monas- teries.
59 Barkhor - East Merchant, spy for the Indian Political Service.
Dolkar Tsering AKA Archibald Ross
Merchants, Tibetan Officials, Raj officials.
Lhasa - Secrets of Tibet In areas of Kham, as well as the lowlands of Nepal, some archers smear their arrows with a paste made from the aconite plant, also known as monkshood or wolfsbane. The toxin of the plant is within the sap of the leaves and caus- es tingling, numbness and cardiac arrest. The only thing that can save a victim from a fatal dose is atropine which had been first studied by the ancient Greeks but not synthesized into an injectable emergency medical form until 1901. These injectors were not available in Tibet until the latter part of the twentieth century.
Gloves are required when handling the leaves of the aconite plant. If the sap from just a dozen leaves comes in contact with a person’s skin the toxins will be absorbed and can lead to death.
Aconite is deadly (a Strong poison), causing 2D10 damage; a successful Extreme CON roll will half the damage caused.
Matchlock Rifle
Skill: Firearms (Rifle) Base: 10% Damage: 1D10+4 Range: 50 yards Att/Round: 1/4 HP: 12
Malfunction: 96-00
The majority of rifles used in Tibet up until World War II were matchlock single shot muz- zle loaders from early 19th century Austria. The one modification that Tibetans added to the ri- fles were two pronged stands used to rest the barrel on while lining up a shot. These rifles were fired with slow burning matches held by a small firing arm. When the trigger was pulled the arm would swing around and slam the burning match (a piece of heavy string soaked in urine), into a small pan of black powder. The flash in the pan would ignite the main charge which would propel the ball towards the target. These weapons had smooth bores rather than rifled barrels thus the smaller base percentage and effective range.
against some criminals. In some situations the criminals are whipped to the point where their muscles are permanently damaged and they can never walk again.
Sling
Skill: Firearms (Sling) Base: 05% Damage: 1D6 + 1/2 DB Range: 40 yards
Att/Round: 1 HP: 1
A common weapon that is inexpensive, easy to conceal and in skilled hands can be quite dead- ly. Serfs use slings to hunt for small game for food. If the investigators find themselves in a situation where they have angered a mob this will be the weapon that most likely will be used against them.
Children of the nomad tribes are given child- sized bow and arrows at an early age and they practice with the adults.
Short Bow
Skill: Firearms (Bow) Base: 15% Damage: 1D6 +1+1/2 DB Range: 60 yards
Att/Round: 1 HP: 9
Malfunction: 96-00
Childrens’ Bow
Skill: Firearms (Bow) Base: 15% Damage: 1D3 + 1/2 DB Range: 30 yards
Att/Round: 1 HP: 5
Malfunction: 96-00
Tibetan monks, aristocrats and soldiers are nearly all avid archers and hold competitions as social events. The short bow is the most useful since it can also be fired from horseback. Ar- chers frequently practice their skills at full gal- lop whenever they have the opportunity. From horseback an archer uses their lowest skill be- tween Bow and Ride.
10. Mouse 11. Ox 12. Tiger
A representative sampling in comparison to our western calendar is:
2004: Wood Monkey 2005: Wood Bird 2006: Fire Dog 2007: Fire Pig 2008: Earth Mouse 2009: Earth Ox 2010: Iron Tiger 2011: Iron Rabbit 2012: Water Dragon 2013: Water Snake 2014: Wood Horse 2015: Wood Sheep
Tibetan Festivals
The annual festivals in Tibet are based on their lunar calendar, which makes the dates movable. For example, one year their New Year festival, called Losar, might be held on February 9th and on February 28th the next year.
Most major festivals are marked by much eating and drinking. The monasteries usually celebrate with elaborate costumed cham (devil) dances. Following is a list of the major festivals that would have an impact on investigators travel- ling through Tibet and could potentially delay their journey.
Losar – Tibetan new year occurs during the
month of February on the first day of the first lunar month of the year. It is a fifteen day cele- bration with the first three days being observed as a national holiday with much feasting and drinking. The holiday is also celebrated in Bhu-