Now available from DriveThruRPG is Artifacts & Enigmas of Ancient Greece.
This supplements presents a new location, the Palace of Midas Hotel; an organization, the Gryphon Society; six relics; and two puzzles; all of them can help work elements of Ancient Greece into Treasure Hunter Adventures scenarios and campaigns, using the Savage Worlds RPG.
-Nate
Artifacts & Enigmas of Ancient Greece
The early 2000s, following the introduction of the Open Game License, were exciting times in the world of aspiring RPG writers. There were so many projects starting, and lots of potential publishers looking to recruit writers. I was already working on some rules for using D&D 3rd Edition in a modern setting, when, lo and behold, D20 Modern was published. I was lucky enough to collaborate with Todd Crapper from Emerald Press, and the result was D20 Modern Treasure Hunter. For me, that was a dream come true!
How is this relevant to a preview for Artifacts & Enigmas of Ancient Greece? The first of three published adventures for D20 Modern Treasure Hunter was a scenario called The Mystery and the Tomb. It was set in Athens, Greece, which I'd had the privilege to visit a few years prior, and where the 2004 Olympics were being held. That adventure started at the Palace of Midas Hotel. I ran that scenario a number of times, including for Con of the North and at Gen Con.
Presented below, then, is that hotel, which I've modified to be a little more visually appealing. It feels good to return to an adventure location like that after more than twenty years.
-Nate
At the front of the building is the lobby (1), with a broad reception desk and sofas for those who are waiting. Beyond that is the hallway (2), which runs in a rectangle. In the corners there are stairwells (3), which have well-lit seating areas on their landings. In the middle on two sides are the elevators (4), which are flanked by laundry rooms (5) and more stairwells. In the middle of it all is the courtyard (6), a new addition that has a bar along with tables and chairs.
Rooms at the Palace of Midas are designed for longer stays. Each is furnished with a double bed along with a table and chairs, as well as a small kitchen with an oven and stove, sink and refrigerator. The hotel provides a service for guests who wish to order groceries and other supplies.
Here's the Shield of Achilles, one of the six prizes included in the upcoming supplement Artifacts & Enigmas of Ancient Greece, for use with Treasure Hunter Adventures and the Savage Worlds RPG.
-Nate
The Shield of Achilles
As detailed in Book 18 of The Iliad, this shield was crafted by the god Hephaestus at the request of the nymph Thetis, the mother of Achilles. It is described as depicting the stars an constellations; the land, sky and sea; two great cities, and the countryside, and the myriad activities of the people who inhabited those places.
Game Information
The Shield of Achilles has the following attributes.
It radiates Deflection, with a -2 penalty to ranged and melee attacks against its owner.
There are rumblings from San Diego Comic Con that Marvel Comics will be publishing a new Indiana Jones comic, one set shortly after Raiders of the Lost Ark. I am intrigued, and will publish updates as I learn of them.
Here's the article from IGN.com.
https://www.ign.com/articles/marvel-is-finally-publishing-new-indiana-jones-comics-comic-con-2026
Here's the official blurb for the comic.
In the wake of Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indy’s most notorious villains, including the impossible return of an archenemy, seek a terrifying new source of power to recoup their loss—one that’s fallen into the hands of his former companion, Marion Ravenwood. Now, Indiana Jones has to race to the far corners of the globe in search of a biblical weapon, embarking on an epic quest that will put both his archeology skills and skepticism of the supernatural to the ultimate test!
-Nate
This is the cover image, from the page for the comic on the Indiana Jones Wiki.
https://indianajones.fandom.com/wiki/Indiana_Jones_and_the_Sword_of_Pandemonium
-Nate
This post is inspired by two factors.
First, as I mentioned in my post from earlier in this Indiana June, I had intentions to mark the fortieth anniversary of some of those films spawned by the success of Raiders back in 1981: King Solomon's Mines and Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold; Firewalker, and perhaps others. I didn't manage to make myself watch those, however, beyond the first one. And it was terrible. It was rife with racist comments and the production values were low. After sitting through it, I gave up on the intention of watching any more like it.
Second, circumstances on Father's Day unexpectedly gave me a chance to watch Raiders of the Lost Ark in a movie theater. My wife and son had gone to visit her parents, leaving me free to do as I wished, so I took advantage of the opportunity. This is a movie that I've seen scores of times; we watched the VHS tape of it so often that it broke and we had to use Scotch tape to fix it. Even so, I thoroughly enjoyed it. While I was watching, it also started me thinking about the Prize—the first element from the “7 Ps of Designing Adventures and Campaigns”—and why Raiders works while films like King Solomon's Mines don't.
It's the prize. In Raiders, that prize is, of course, the Ark of the Covenant. Several times during the movie, characters talk about how important it is. Marcus Brody says its “Not like anything you've gone after before,” while encouraging Indy to be careful. Sallah cautions that it's not of this earth, something man wasn't meant to disturb. Finally, Belloq describes it as “A transmitter. A radio for speaking to God.” Indy downplays their concerns at first, even telling Brody, “We're on the verge... and your'e talking about the boogie man.”
His attitude changes throughout the hunt, building toward the climactic confrontation on the Greek island that houses the Nazi submarine base, when Indy threatens to blow up the Ark unless the Nazis turn Marion over to him. Belloq tells the Nazi soldiers to step back and let him do it—and he can't. By this point he has recognized how historically, and perhaps even spiritually, important it is, and he can't destroy it. He lets himself be captured, and that sets up the ceremony in which Belloq opens the Ark with face-melting consequences. It is spectacular.
In King Solomon's Mines, on the other hand, the Prize is the titular location, which should be a source of incredible wealth. That should have the benefit of historicity, since it is connected to the story of King Solomon from the Bible. I think it works in the novel, because H. Rider Haggard seems to have a deep respect for Africa, and it ties into the lore there. The movie has none of that respect, however, as it delves into racist comments. And so, since the Prize lacks any sense of gravitas, all of the action that happens in connection with it lacks that gravitas, too. That goes a step further in the sequel, in which Quatermain and his fiancee seek some “Lost City of Gold” which is entirely lacking in both historical inspiration and interest.
Here, then, is my list of the Indiana Jones movies, ranked in order from the least amount of gravitas for their Prizes to the highest.
1. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
This movie leaned into the pulpy science-fiction of the 1950s, with results that didn't thrill me. While it does have some good elements, I just lose interest when it becomes clear that the crystal skull is related to beings from another dimension. This does nothing to embellish any of the other elements, such as chase scenes and the development of the Indy/Marion/Mutt family dynamic.
2. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
I like a lot of the elements from this film. It has great set-piece action sequences, such as the fight in Club Obi-Wan, the mine cart chase, and the confrontation on the rope bridge. I especially like the scene in which Indy, who up to this point has been motivated by winning fortune and glory, decides that they need to free the captive children before they can leave. As far as the Prize goes, however—the Sankara stones—it falls short. They have some connection to Hindu lore, but not much, and thus are just an excuse for the action to happen.
3. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
As the lone Disney entry into the franchise, released fifteen years after Crystal Skull and thirty-four years after Last Crusade, this one always ran the risk of seeming unnecessary. The Antikythera mechanism, however, was in my opinion a solid choice for a Prize. While its link to predicting “fissures in time” might seem a little hokey, but at the least it is a relic with its own Wikipedia article, letting the curious fan read more about it. It also lets the franchise take a dive into the history of Ancient Greece, which is intriguing. It doesn't elevate the film to the level of its predecessor, but it worked well for hooking me.
4. (tie) Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
In terms of gravitas, these two Prizes represent perhaps the most important relics from the Old and New Testaments, respectfully. They were immediately recognizable to this American kid in the 80s. As such, the gravitas that they bring enhances the other strong elements from those movies: the temple escape, Raven bar fight, airfield battle and desert chase of Raiders; and the various chase scenes (tank!), family dynamic, and puzzles of Last Crusade.
Once again it seems like June has snuck up on me. I had good intentions to watch some bad movies--the treasure hunter films that came out forty years ago in campaign history, including King Solomon's Mines, Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold, and Firewalker. That didn't happen for a variety of reasons. I do have, however, my annual update for what in my head I call Indiana June.
-Nate
Using Treasure Hunter Adventures Material in the World of Indiana Jones
Here are some ways to use Treasure Hunter Adventures supplements and scenarios from the past year in the world of Indiana Jones.
The Holy Alliance
Outside of information about the three most recent Popes, all of this information is still relevant. Given the way in which the Vatican was positioned between Fascist Italy (and thus Nazi Germany) and the rest of the world, it is especially relevant for the world of Indiana Jones. In fact, those who are familiar with the game Indiana Jones and the Great Circle can watch or have played some of Indy's adventures in Vatican City. At that time, the Pope would likely be Pius XII, who occupied the throne from 1939 until 1958. The cathedral could be a location for action, and Indy or the O.S.S. would be interested in any of the relics depicted.
https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/535148/OSS-Report-on-the-Holy-Alliance
The Ossuary
One can easily imagine that this location, and the wicked ritual being conducted in it, set the scene for a climactic battle, something akin to when Indy, Willie and Short Round disrupt the Thuggee activities beneath Pankot Palace in Temple of Doom.
https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/538400/The-Ossuary
Allies & Enemies
Professor Martin Hall requires little change for use in this time period. Yelena Valentinov, for her part, could become the daughter of a Soviet government official, perhaps a higher-up in the KGB.
https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/555295/Allies--Enemies
Artifacts & Enigmas of World War II
The content of this supplement is right in the wheelhouse for the adventures of Indiana Jones. After all, Raiders, Last Crusade and Dial of Destiny all depict Indy's battles with the Nazis, in the early and late parts of the war; and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull asserts that Indy and Mac served in the O.S.S. The Thule stronghold, the farmhouse excavation and the salt mine are all depicted as having been a part of the conflict. The character stats fit right into all that, as do the puzzles and relics.
https://legacy.drivethrurpg.com/product/564712/Artifacts--Enigmas-of-World-War-2
Now available on DrivethruRPG.com is Artifacts & Enigmas of World War 2.
This supplement, for use with Treasure Hunter Adventures and the Savage Worlds RPG, presents three places, five prizes, three puzzles, stats for people, and ten plot hooks, all connected to the events of World War 2.
-Nate
Artifacts & Enigmas of World War 2
Here's the second preview for Artifacts & Enigmas of World War II. It presents a puzzle and a prize that pair well with the salt mine from the first preview.
-Nate
The Mural
On one section of wall—in a base of operations, a salt mine, or elsewhere—a mural depicts Siegfried, including his cloak with the patch on it; there are crates of looted antiquities, including a spear, in cases around it. One of those cases holds a broad-pointed hunting spear (Notice). What is more, there is a patch in the mural that corresponds with a leaf-shaped patch on Siegfried's cloak, which conceals a small opening. The spear can be inserted into that opening and turned like a key, which reveals the hidden treasure chamber behind the mural.
Balmung
This sword, according to legend, was first given to the hero Sigmund by the god Odin himself; Odin, in disguise, appeared during wedding festivities and thrust it deep into the side of a tree, saying that whoever could draw it from there should wield it. Sigmund did so, and went on to use it during numerous battles. At one point it was broken, possibly by Odin again, but Sigmund's wife, Sinfjotli, kept the pieces and passed them on to their son, Sigurd (or Siegfried). After it was reforged by the smith Regin, Sigurd used it to slay the dragon Fafnir. Later it was present after his death and that of his lover, Brynhild; perhaps it was interred with them. Other stories maintain that it was taken by Sigurd's wife, Kriemhild, to visit the court of Attila the Hun.
Game Information
Balmung has the following attributes.
It grants its wielder the benefits of the Champion Edge (SWADE 52).
Those benefits stack with the ones from the Edge itself, if the wielder already has it.
Here's the first preview for Artifacts & Enigmas of World War II.
-Nate
The Old Salt Mine
Refer to the map above for the following descriptions. The mine stretches for more than one thousand feet from one end to the other, petering out at one end and sealed by rubble at the other end (see below). Railroad tracks run most of that length, down the center of the mine. It is widest in the middle, of course, as indicated by the section inside the dotted lines; there, the ceiling is as high as the space between those lines. Along the sides, branch tunnels—where the miners initially pursued veins of salt—digger deeper into the surrounding mountain.
Machinery (Area A)
Located here is the equipment that makes the mine livable for those who once worked here. First there is a generator, powered by gasoline. Connected to it are other machines, including ventilation fans, a sump pump, and—perhaps most important—the lights. While the generator has not been used for decades, it can be put back in working order with a little bit of effort (Repair). Once that is accomplished, one can also activate the ventilations fans and lights, thus eliminating the dark conditions.
Supplies (Area B)
Various crates, barrels and other containers are stacked up in this area. Some of them are mundane, such as barrels of water; tools, lumber and hardware for assembling the shelving units; and the like. Others contain World War II-era military equipment such as rifles and hand grenades (use the stats for the M1 Garand and Potato Masher from SWADE pages 75 and 78). There are enough explosives to clear the tunnel exit, too; treat these like Anti-Tank Mines from page 79, except that they can be triggered from a distance).
Collapsed Exit (Area C)
At the other end of the mine the track leads into a pile of rubble and debris. This is the actual entrance to the mine, which the conspirators sealed shut after hiding their treasure here. Beyond this the tracks lead out of the tunnel and down the mountainside, back toward the towns from which the heroes made their approach. They have become overgrown with time and lack of attention, but they are still for the most part passable.
The Mural (Area D)
Refer to the section Puzzles, below, for more information about this mural.
For this and the past three years at Con of the North, I've been running scenarios that involve neo-Nazi antagonists. It started with an idea for one scenario that split into two. While I was writing “Infernal Devices” (for 2023), I realized that what the thieves were trying to steal would lead into a whole other scenario, which became “The Dead Man's Tale” (2024). “Crowning Achievement” (2025) stood on its own, and ended in a place that set up a potential showdown. Wanting to venture into new territory in the future, I wrote “The Thule Ultimatum” to resolve that arc. It sees the heroes being brought into the enemy stronghold—but first I needed to capture them.
That didn't go as I'd hoped.
I started with the heroes aboard a boat in the North Sea. Aboard the boat I put goons armed with stun guns, and thought I might be able to zap the heroes into submission. That's not how it worked. In the first session, I rolled Stealth for the villains as they surreptitiously tried to surround the heroes for an ambush. My roll was a Botch! Not surprised in the slightest, the heroes made pretty quick work of the villains. They then drove the boat into the enemy stronghold anyway and bluffed their way into having the evil Dr. Ingo Hartmann come aboard it, where they subdued him and his berserker bodyguard.
In the second session, the heroes still recognized the ambush; I rolled an 11 for Stealth, but so did one of the heroes for Notice. The fight proved to be a good deal tougher, however, and the bad guys had a couple of the heroes down on the ground with their stun guns. The heroes still won out, however. They drove the boat close to the stronghold, donned SCUBA gear, and went into the water. Thus they snuck into the stronghold, managed to steal some uniforms, and then claimed to be guards (Vaughn, Gavin, Jerry and Linh) who'd captured interlopers (Thaddeus and Magdalena).
Both sides found Professor Hall, strapped into a chair and hooked up to an IV, on top of the howe (burial mound) that the neo-Nazis had built as a nexus of evil arcane energy. My idea with that was that the players needed to solve riddles, to help Hall mentally and spiritually overcome three challenges from Norse mythology. The first group did so. In the second session, however, Jerry pulled his pistol and shot one of the guards, opening combat.
I tried to make the fight more challenging this year, since it seemed a little underwhelming in the second session last year. In addition to Dr. Hartmann, an occultist, I included a Wild Card berserker bodyguard name Hans and plenty of goons. I was pleased with how the big fight went in both sessions. The first table played with more of a run-and-gun style after helping Professor Hall solve the riddles. The heroes at the second table locked themselves in the chamber with the howe and fought the main bad guys, and then, as the remaining goons were cutting down the door with fire axes, burst out and made a run for it. Gavin had Dr. Hartmann in a chokehold with a combat baton, forcing the goons to hold their fire. That scene ended with Linh firing a flare into some fuel barrels, triggering a string of explosions, while Gavin broke the evil occultist's neck and dumped him into the water. It was fun!
Available now from DrivethruRPG is "Allies & Enemies."
This short supplement, for use with Treasure Hunter Adventures and the Savage Worlds RPG, presents two NPCs with stats, plot hooks, and locations related to their activities. #FFFFebruary
-Nate
Here's a recap of the year for me in gaming. It has been a little bit quiet, which is okay.
In 2024, my group and I struggled to find consistent play. We finished up a Star Wars campaign by the spring, and due to a variety of reasons didn't start anything regular in the fall. I did run some Savage Worlds for some of the guys, both Treasure Hunter Adventures and People, Plots and Places of the Wild West. For the most part we played virtually.
That changed in 2024, when we regained a player and the group decided to start a Freeport campaign using the Pathfinder 1E rules. This gave me a chance to run the "The Ironjack Legacy" scenario from the big Pathfinder Freeport book released back in 2014. That took us all the way to summer break, and in the fall we started Plunder & Peril. Since we play every other week, that module has taken us until the end of 2025, but I have a couple of other scenarios in the queue for next year.
Over the course of the year I released three one-sheet supplements for Treasure Hunter Adventures: "Ritual Magic," "Pandemonium" and "The Ossuary." This is all material that didn't find a home in other supplements; hopefully it's been useful for people.
So far I've released a supplement and a short scenario for People, Plots & Places of the Wild West: "Military Fort" and "A Horse Without a Rider." I have one more ready that I plan on releasing before the end of the year, a longer scenario.
My two biggest writing projects of the year were both for Treasure Hunter Adventures. First there was "Artifacts & Enigmas of the Knights Templar." After focusing on the American Revolution last year, this seemed like a natural follow-up. That disbanded order is so steeped in legends that it was easy to find material. I also added "O.S.S. Report on the Holy Alliance," exploring an organization that I found intriguing.
Lastly, I released one little Spelljammer scenario for D&D 5E: "Kith and Kin." That had been fermenting in my brain for a while, and I finally finished it on a day when my son was home from school sick. I still haven't picked up the new D&D books from 2024, and don't have much of an impetus for doing so since I'm not playing it right now. Still, I hope one day to run another Spelljammer campaign using Graveyard of the Gods, and I think "Kith and Kin" would be the first scenario for doing that.
-Nate
I am excited to once again be running Treasure Hunter Adventures at Con of the North in 2026. The scenario for 2026 is called "The Thule Ultimatum." It wraps up a series of adventures involving neo-Nazi sympathizers and their hunt for relics intended to support their evil machinations. The rounds are 10:00 - 2:00 on Saturday and Sunday.
https://www.conofthenorth.org/
-Nate
I am sad to read about the passing of Drew Struzan, an artist perhaps best known for his iconic movie posters. His work captures the quintessential feeling of many great films, ones that certainly inspired me in the RPG hobby.
https://www.ign.com/articles/legendary-movie-poster-artist-drew-struzan-dies-at-78
-Nate
This supplement started as an idea for a scenario at a gathering with some old college Gaming Club friends; it reuses a map from my first convention scenario for Treasure Hunter Adventures, "The Templar Mystery." I ended up not having a chance to run it over the summer, and so decided to use it as a release for #SWAGtember.
-Nate
This short supplement presents a nefarious plot to refit an old Templar church as a shrine to demonic powers. It is designed for use with the Savage Worlds RPG and Treasure Hunter Adventures, released for #SWAGtember and just in time for spooky season.
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This movie came out back in May, but I just had a chance to sit and watch it. Here are some thoughts.
The chases at the start of this movie are reckless! It's hard for me to like a movie if I don't like the protagonists, and it's hard for me like a hero who endangers innocent bystanders.
What's with the dream sequences? They seem to relate to an experience that Luke had with his dad, but it isn't really explained.
Luke seems manipulative, too. He causes his sister to lose her job, and then seems to dismiss it because he believed she'd be happier on a treasure hunt. She has a family to support! Once again, it does not make him likable.
Bringing a section of the Lusitania to the surface was interesting. I doubt that the science behind it works, but it made for some cool action scenes.
We have multiple groups of rivals pursuing the prize, but we don't know much about who they are. A little more back story for them would have made the rest of the movie more engaging for me as the viewer.
The sibling squabbling gets old.
Using music for puzzles was a cool idea. It also gives the young character something important to do, which isn't always the case.
That mechanism underneath the pyramid would have to be massive. They make for an exciting scene as they start to retract, though.
All in all, I didn't particularly like this movie. I think it was due to not feeling invested in the characters. There are several big fight scenes in which lots of guns are used, and I found that I wasn't especially concerned about who would survive them.
Now available on DriveThruRPG is OSS Report on the Holy Alliance.
This supplement, for use with the Savage Worlds RPG and Treasure Hunter Adventures, presents the secret service organization of the Vatican. It includes a short history of the Papacy, two bases of operations, stats for agents, three new relics, a puzzle, and more than a dozen plot hooks.
-Nate
OSS Report on the Holy Alliance
This code system is used by the Holy Alliance to protect important parcels of information.
-Nate
Here's the first preview of O.S.S. Report on the Holy Alliance, a supplement that details the secret service of the Vatican. This preview presents two bases of operations for Holy Alliance agents, a little country church and a towering cathedral.
-Nate
As I was tracking down the four movies featured in Monday's post, it occurred to me that I should type up a post that lists which treasure hunter films are available on the various streaming platforms. Here is that. Note that I did not include non-fiction shows.
Amazon Prime: Lost Treasure of the Maya; National Treasure: Book of Secrets
AppleTV+: Fountain of Youth
Disney+: All five Indiana Jones movies; National Treasure; National Treasure: Book of Secrets; National Treasure: Edge of History (series)
Hulu: None?
Max: King Solomon's Mines (1950); The Goonies; Uncharted
Netflix: Finding 'Ohana; Mr. Car and the Knights Templar; Outer Banks (series); The Monuments Men; Tomb Raider: The Rise of Lara Croft (animated series)
Tubi: Allan Quatermain and the Lost City of Gold; Firewalker; King Solomon's Mines (1985); the Librarian trilogy; Tomb Raider (2018)—and that's where I'll pause the list. A search for the word treasure turned up lots and lots of movies, most of questionable quality.
Please feel free to add comments with anything that I missed, or if some of the movies on Tubi turn out to be pretty good.
