The summer of 1989 was a very good summer as I seem to recall because of this movie! Last Crusade has it all really! The cast is great, the world is established, the chronology is a mess, & there are holes for adventurers to go wandering in & out with little difficulty at all!
The movie begins straight out of the gate in the deserts of what would become Utah. The Cross of Coronado is resting within an Indianian burial site deep within the cliffs. First lets start with the site. These cliff dwellings are only hinted at within the movie. The gang of thieves led by a 'proto Dr.Jones' is only after the cross.
What's so special about the cross?
The Cross of Coronado was a jewel-encrusted golden crucifix with a chain; named for Spanish explorer Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. It was believed to contain a piece of the cross Jesus was crucified on.
Nope nothing to see here at all. Nothing except that the gang ignores the rest of the site after Indy steals the cross from them. So back in 1912 there's an entire site of ruins with these cliffs that completely gets ignored by the gang! Add your favorite North American treasure & go!
What about the cross itself? Whatever its abilities we haven't a clue. This is a major religious artifact of Christianity & it's only a prop. You could have it causing all kinds of problems within a contemporary setting.
What about the cross itself? Whatever its abilities we haven't a clue. This is a major religious artifact of Christianity & it's only a prop. You could have it causing all kinds of problems within a contemporary setting.
Who the hell is this? He & his gang are looting the ruins of the cross! He chases Indy all over the desert,the back of a train, into town, & always seems e step ahead of the kid.
You lost today kid but it doesn't mean you have to like it - Garth
This treasure hunter is completely unknown. Several sources have indicated two things. One this is a very young Abner Ravenwood whose has the nickname Garth. Two he's a treasure hunter who taught Indy a trick or two. Garth is a 3rd level thief & a 4th level treasurer hunter. I don't know if you've noticed but Dr. Jones has a cruel streak about him. He's not a guy you cross & I believe this is the guy who taught him a thing or two. At least in my games he was. He's the perfect foil to hire the party!
What about his employer? The man in the Panama Hat?
Yeah this guy! The guy who hired Garth & Co. We know nothing about him. Except the following. The man is a collector in antiquities. He's wealthy & we know he's ruthless about the item he collects, he has an interest in Spanish relics from the Early Americas period, & he loathes Dr. Jones. He also owns a shipping company & has interests in Portugal. Indy got a tip from a man whose wife was having an affair with this suited & booted gentleman.
A perfect patron or foil for the party! He's got it all. Active between 1912 & his death in 1938 he could be the source for all kinds of jobs! The man could represent all sorts of opportunities for a party.
"This is the second time I've had to reclaim my property from you-"
The Treasures of Coronado
Fedora: You've got heart, kid.
[regarding the cross]
Fedora: But that belongs to me.
Young Indy: It belongs to Coronado.
Fedora: Coronado is dead. And so are all his grandchildren.
Young Indy: This should be in a museum!
After the Tiguex War a small off shoot of the Hawikuh fled to a Utah settlement along with the cross itself. This site contains no gold, silver, but instead contains the relics & remains of its people. It is a sad place haunted by the ghosts of its former citizens.
The place contains the remains of hundreds who died from disease, famine, & other harsh conditions.
The place is a quiet, eerie strange haunted place. Those who take any artifacts from this place will suffer a curse of bad luck that will eventually kill them.
There are thousands of dollars worth of turquoise relics, vases, & other artifacts of this forgotten & lonely people.
The place represents an unknown chapter in American history & the place screams in the night to be known & its people's story must be heard. While fortune & glory await elsewhere this place is a lonely & mostly forgotten chapter in the history of the Americas. The place however is not without its dangers.
At night the ruins come alive guarded by the ghosts of its very pissed off inhabitants. They act as a one & will drive anyone who stays within them mad with dreams of sadness, death, & insanity.
Anyone staying within must make a save versus death or be driven to the breaking point by feelings of utter isolation & pain.
Anyone staying within must make a save versus death or be driven to the breaking point by feelings of utter isolation & pain.
There are also fetish dolls who come to life when the moon is full on certain nights. These count as mummies & will kill anyone they find. Each is 4 hit points & they have the level draining abilities of a vampire.
The place is slowly but surely slipping away into the unreality of nightmare & dream. If its people's story isn't told within a few decades. The painful memory of it role within the pages of history will be lost forever. Then the place will haunt the dreams of men forever after as a night time foot note. Those who sleep within 10 miles of the place will be haunted by dreams of disease, hunger, & sadness.
The place is slowly but surely slipping away into the unreality of nightmare & dream. If its people's story isn't told within a few decades. The painful memory of it role within the pages of history will be lost forever. Then the place will haunt the dreams of men forever after as a night time foot note. Those who sleep within 10 miles of the place will be haunted by dreams of disease, hunger, & sadness.
Sources : Tiguex_War
The Opposition
Nazi agents are combing the area for the ruins. They've heard of the power of the insanity & paranormal activity. They have reason to believe that a staff of the plains may be secreted within the Utah ruins. These Nazi blend in perfectly with the American background. They've been in the area for a month solid but the dig has come to naught. These agents will be very interested in any party activities within those ruins!
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