Endspiel
Disclaimer/Intro
This scenario explores the final week of WW2 from the perspective of morally compromised Nazi soldiers. The intent is not to glorify them but to examine their grappling with defeat and guilt. Player comfort is paramount; adjust content as needed and use safety tools like X-cards. Prioritize consent and respect.
For 3-4 players, this shotgun scenario explores guilt, despair, and morality among Nazi soldiers facing inevitable defeat. Customize characters collaboratively.
Starting point
In the final days of Nazi Germany, Himmler, refusing to accept defeat, plots to unleash catastrophic destruction using The Red Cross Pocket Bible, a relic tied to the Daemon Sultan Azazoth. To carry out his plan, Himmler enlists the help of Jürgen Tess, a resurrected 17th-century mage. Ernst Theissen, the translator and a Karotechia member, secretly plans to surrender to the Allies and sabotage Himmler’s scheme with a fake translation. Theissen, under house arrest with his wife, becomes the players’ target.
Introduction
It is May 2nd, 1945. The Führer is dead. Panic is spreading, and morale is rapidly fading. Enormous amounts of equipment are being moved out from Himmler’s complex (Gut Hartzwalde) with trucks. The player characters are escorted to a meeting room where an anxious and jittery Heinrich Himmler (whom with successful Medicine or HUMINT rolls can be found to be on amphetamine) is negotiating with an old sickened ashen-grey man in red capes who introduces himself as Herr Tess. Tess sits in shadows, his red cape adorned with symbols (Anthropology or Occult rolls find ancient Saxon symbols co-opted by Nazi propaganda).
Himmler has no intention of ending the war. He briefs the group: there is a book, disguised as a red Bible, that contains the key to the final victory of the Reich. The characters must capture the book and take it aboard a U-boat stored in the Polish port of Stettin. At an appropriate moment, they are to read the passages aloud with Tess and help with the ritual. Himmler brushes off questions about the ritual, saying it’s necessary to push back the invaders.
The book is located an hour away from Hartzwalde, in the town of Hützen. It’s with a translator of the book named Ernst Theissen. There are no others in this rapidly fading empire capable of handling it. If the characters don’t comply, they will be executed for desertion.
Stand-Off
Theissen and his wife are being held in the study of his manor by a group of soldiers. Ortsgruppenleiter Schiller holds the couple at gunpoint, yelling at Theissen to hand over the book. A successful HUMINT roll or 40% in skill reveals that Schiller and the other soldiers are at their breaking point. Any wrong move or word could lead to the characters also staring down the barrel of a gun. The characters would have to use Persuade or Psychotherapy to calm the situation.
Theissen refuses to tell where the book is, saying that if he dies the soldiers will never find it. Theissen explains that the book is infinitely potent and could unleash apocalypse on the world, mentioning “the wrath of the Daemon Sultan.” Schiller puts the gun on his wife’s head while the soldiers point their guns at Theissen. Schiller demands that Theissen take the characters to the book while he waits with his wife. Theissen reluctantly agrees.
Theissen leads the characters to a nearby shed filled with antiques, tomes, and other unnatural items. He retrieves a small red Bible published by the Red Cross. Players don’t know it, but it’s fake. As he is handing over the book, an air raid begins, with bombs drawing closer. Theissen’s house explodes, and the blast also destroys the hut. Characters roll for Dodge; failure gives 1d6 damage from the debris, and with a crit fail, the player is stuck underneath the rubble and rolls sanity for Helplessness (1/1d6). In the confusion, Theissen escapes with the book. The player soldiers can pursue him (requiring Alertness and Survival rolls or 50% skill) or return to the remains of the Theissen house. There they find Schiller, who got out just in time with Theissen’s wife, and keeps holding her hostage, telling the characters to search the nearby city.
Chase
The town has picturesque wooden houses, a store, a church, and an apothecary. Townspeople stay locked inside. Forcing entry (STR x5) reveals a frightened inhabitant who saw a man run into the church.
The characters can also roll for Criminology to determine Theissen likely hides out at the church.
In the church, there is a tense standoff. Theissen hides, waiting for an opportunity to escape. Players can find him and apprehend him with appropriate rolls (e.g., Alertness or Athletics) or coax him out with Persuade. If caught, Theissen pleads with the players, arguing the end is near and they must adapt to the new era rather than plunge the world into chaos to satisfy a broken man second-in-charge. Theissen’s fate is decided by the characters.
If Theissen escapes, he plants the decoy Bible from his shed in the church for the characters to find. If captured, he hasn’t yet gotten to the real book that he’s hidden in the church.
After the group returns to the house, they can negotiate for Theissen’s wife’s life if they care to; otherwise, she’s executed (SAN roll Violence 1/1d10).
Trip to Stettin
The trip to Stettin is hard. The Allied Forces are pushing from the West and from the East, and air raids are frequent. The car with Tess and the players has to stop constantly. Tess is quiet during the trip, answering only with “ja,” “nein,” or “vielleicht (maybe).” With a successful Alertness roll, one might realize his skin is flaking a substance that looks like ash (SAN roll Unnatural 0/1).
When the characters’ car moves into a forest trail, the bridge they’re supposed to cross blows up in front of them (characters with Military Science skill of 30% or a successful Alertness roll might notice signs beforehand). A group of four Allied soldiers tries to take out the players. The nearby forest can easily be hidden in, and the car that the characters drive can be used to ram the soldiers if they’re drawn out. Consider also using Tess’s magic powers detailed in his stats.
If the characters capture and interrogate one or many of the Allied soldiers, they find through torture or Persuade that they were ordered by an American special ops team to intercept and capture the book and Tess. Roll SAN Violence 1/1d10 if they’re killed.
When arriving at Stettin port, the characters hear through the radio that Berlin has surrendered. Tess dismisses this as a minor setback. He talks about how The Sultan will stop this unfortunate charade.
Under the Sea
The U-boat sails toward the Northern Sea. Tess says they need to perform the ritual far away from the shore. After some time, the U-boat bumps into a sea mine and plunges into the depths. The narrow corridors and isolated atmosphere create tension and helplessness in the characters (SAN roll Helplessness 0/1d4). Jürgen Tess isn’t fazed. He reveals, ecstatically, the final part of the plan: the ritual requires a human sacrifice to work. One of the player characters must sacrifice themselves for the ritual to succeed and for the Final Victory.
If players resist, Tess will first try to bargain, explaining that they’re finished and that the only way for some to leave is to make the sacrifice. If the players refuse, he attempts to take the sacrifice by force. If he’s stopped, he turns to a submarine worker, whom he kills. The remaining submarine workers lock the characters and Tess into the room for safety. If the players agree to the sacrifice, play out the gruesome, horrible death.
If the ritual is performed, the players hear Tess chanting ominously from the Bible. The sentences sound foreign, but nothing happens. Anyone with Unnatural knowledge knows that the words are meaningless. For the first time, Tess appears uncertain, revealing this outcome was not part of his plan. Cursing Theissen for his treachery, Tess suggests another solution: a ritual sacrifice to the forces of the deep to secure their aid.
If the players agree and the ritual is carried out, instead of being saved, they are pulled deeper into the ocean. They suffer a painful death as the tight grasp of the Deep Ones destroys the U-boat. If the characters decide Tess is a liability, they may end up fighting him. In combat, Tess uses his magic. Tess’s body is made literally from ash. Any punch, bullet, or melee attack will go through him easily, but his body won’t stop until he is completely obliterated.
It is possible that the players stop the ritual and remain thousands of meters below sea level. The radio contact gets re-established, but it isn’t the command: it’s Delta Green operatives. They give an ultimatum: rot in the U-boat until they run out of supplies and air or give full cooperation and be saved. Let the characters decide.
Jürgen Tess
Attributes:
STR: 10, CON: 12, DEX: 9, INT: 16, POW: 15, CHA: 11
Skills:
Occult: 80%, History: 75%, Anthropology: 50%, Psychotherapy: 45%, Firearms: 30%, Melee Weapons: 40%, Stealth: 40%, Persuade: 55%
Sanity:
Current SAN: 40, Breaking Point: 30
Weapons:
Luger P08: 30% damage, 1d10
Ceremonial Dagger: 40% damage, 1d4
Rituals:
Call of Dagon
Dho-Hna Formula Activation
Call Those From Outside
Raise From the Essential Salts
Fascination
Mountain and the Sea
Special Abilities:
Unnatural Resilience: Being reborn via Karotechia rituals, Jürgen ages slowly and is more resistant to disease and poison.
Aura of Unease: His presence unnerves those with less than 60 SAN. Opponents take a -10% penalty to Persuade or Charm him.
Ashen Body: Tess’ body is fragile and made of ashen like substance. A hit from a fist, melee weapon or from a bullet of a gun goes through him, leaving a hole and puff of ashen clouds. All witnessing roll 0/1d6 Unnatural sanity. Tess’s body only stops when he is completely obliterated.
Ortsgruppenleiter Klaus Schiller
Attributes:
STR: 55, DEX: 50, CON: 60, INT: 50, POW: 35, CHA: 45
Skills:
Firearms: 55%, Persuade: 50%, Intimidate: 60%, Command: 50%, History: 40%
Sanity:
Current SAN: 25, Breaking Point: 20
Weapons:
Walther P38: 55%, 1d10 damage
Karabiner 98k: 55%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Ernst Theissen
Attributes:
STR: 40, DEX: 50, CON: 45, INT: 70, POW: 65, CHA: 50
Skills:
Occult: 70%, History: 65%, Persuade: 50%, Research: 75%, Stealth: 40%, Unnatural: 15%
Sanity:
Current SAN: 45, Breaking Point: 35
Weapons:
Improvised Club: 30%, 1d6 damage
Knife: 25%, 1d4 damage
Wehrmacht Soldier (x3 NPCs)
Attributes:
STR: 55, DEX: 50, CON: 50, INT: 40, POW: 40, CHA: 30
Skills:
Firearms: 55%, Athletics: 50%, First Aid: 30%, Stealth: 40%
Sanity:
Current SAN: 40, Breaking Point: 30
Weapons:98k: 55%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Luger P08: 55%, 1d10 damage
Stick Grenade: 50% (Athletics), base range 20 m, 4d10 dmg, lethality 15%, kill radius 10 m
Soldier (US Army or Wehrmacht)
Attributes:
STR: 55, DEX: 60, CON: 60, INT: 50, POW: 50, CHA: 40
Skills:
Firearms: 55%, Athletics: 60%, First Aid: 40%, Stealth: 50%, Persuade: 40%
Sanity:
Current SAN: 45, Breaking Point: 35
Weapons:
M1 Garand or Karabiner 98k: 55%, 1d10 damage, Armor Piercing 3
M1911 Pistol or Luger P08: 55% damage, 1d10
Hand Grenade: 60% (Athletics), base range 20 m, 4d10 damage, lethality 15% kill radius 20 m
Optional Pregenerated Player Characters
Character 1: Feldwebel (Sergeant) Otto Klaus
Attributes:
STR: 12, CON: 12, DEX: 10, INT: 11, POW: 10, CHA: 9
HP: 12, WP: 10
Skills:
Alertness 50%, Firearms 60%, Athletics 40%, Intimidate 50%, Survival 40%, Command 40%, Melee Combat 40%, First Aid 30%
Sanity and Breaking Point:
SAN: 40, Breaking Point: 30
Bonds:
Younger brother, disillusioned soldier in another unit Bond 9
Estranged wife Bond 9
Childhood friend Bond 9
Motivations:
Maintain leadership under crumbling morale
Return home to his brother, if alive
Preserve his dignity amidst the chaos
Weapons:
Karabiner 98k: 55%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Luger P08: 55%, 1d10 damage
Character 2: Obergefreiter (Corporal) Josef Müller
Attributes:
STR: 13, CON: 10, DEX: 11, INT: 9, POW: 11, CHA: 10
HP: 11, WP: 11
Skills:
Firearms 55%, Stealth 50%, Athletics 40%, Alertness 45%, Persuade 40%, Demolitions 40%, Criminology 30%, Dodge 40%
Sanity and Breaking Point:
SAN: 45, Breaking Point: 35
Bonds:
Teenage daughter living in a war-torn village 10 bond
Fellow Private Baumann whom he is in love with 10 bond
Wife (Dead) 0 bond
Motivations:
Protect his “family” within the unit
Survive long enough to see his daughter again
Atone for guilt over civilian casualties
Weapons:
Karabiner 98k: 55%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Stick Grenade: 40% (Athletics) throw, 4d10 damage, lethality 15% kill radius 10m
Character 3: Gefreiter (Private) Erich Baumann
Attributes:
STR: 11, CON: 13, DEX: 12, INT: 10, POW: 9, CHA: 8
HP: 12, WP: 9
Skills:
Firearms 50%, Athletics 50%, Alertness 40%, First Aid 35%, Survival 45%, Intimidate 35%, Melee Combat 50%, Ride 30%
Sanity and Breaking Point:
SAN: 35, Breaking Point: 25
Bonds:
Sick mother left behind in their hometown
Local farmer who gave him food during a retreat
Fellow soldier and a good friend Corporal Josef Müller
Motivations:
Stay alive to care for his ailing mother
Find meaning in a seemingly hopeless war
Protect those he deems friends or family
Weapons:
Karabiner 98k: 50%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Bowie Knife: 50%, 1d6
Character 4: Wehrmachthelferin Anneliese “Anna” Koch
Attributes:
STR: 10, CON: 11, DEX: 12, INT: 12, POW: 10, CHA: 10
HP: 11, WP: 10
Skills:
Firearms 50%, Persuade 50%, Alertness 40%, Dodge 40%, Survival 50%, Criminology 30%, Stealth 45%, HUMINT 35%
Sanity and Breaking Point:
SAN: 40, Breaking Point: 30
Bonds:
Younger sister working in a munitions factory
Close friend, in holding for desertion
Her commanding officer and mentor
Motivations:
Ensure her sister’s survival in postwar chaos
Prove herself in a male-dominated environment
Avoid falling victim to the same fate as her friend
Weapons:
Karabiner 98k: 55%, 1d12 damage, Armor Piercing 3
Luger P08: 55%, 1d10 damage
Credits
Endspiel was written by Joonas Lehtola for the 2024 Shotgun Scenario contest.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hEHgzKrgpYMA9HK1z43P1UJh8j4ofTC1Y5XeBoykBSY/edit