101 Occult
events
by James
Introduction
While science teaches us that the world is
an orderly and predictable place, obeying natu-
ral laws that never vary or change, those on the
front lines of the occult wars know better. For
them, the world is not merely stranger than we
imagine; it is stranger than we can imagine. The
odd, the inexplicable, and the downright impos-
sible are common occurrences for the men and
women who have chosen to fight in the shad-
owy battles that rage just beneath the surface of
21st century life. They encounter events that
defy science every day. Indeed, some seem to
attract these events, as if they were magnets of
the weird.
Whatever the truth, there can be no denying
that occult events can and do occur. While
many are minor and easily ignoredrains of
frogs, the recurrences of certain numbersoth-
ers are not so easily dismissed. To do so would
be to deny that human experience, no matter
how bizarre, has any value and to retreat into a
comfortable but dogmatic Dark Age no better
than those benighted times when superstition
Requires the use of the d20 Modern Roleplaying Game, published by Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Maliszewski
and fear reigned supreme. If the occult wars are
to be wonor at least containedhumanity
will have to face up to the fact that our much-
vaunted science is woefully inadequate to the
task of describing the universe. The sooner we
come to grips with this awful truth, the better.
USING THIS PRODUCT
101 Occult Events is intended to serve sev-
eral purposes. The simplest use is as a
Gamemasters tool, a way to add mystery to an
occult-themed D20 Modern Roleplaying Game
campaign. The GM can select a handful of the
events offered here and sprinkle them sparingly
into his adventures. The events need not tie into
the adventures plotsin fact, they work best
when they do notto create red herrings, mis-
direction, and hint at the notion that there are
things going on that the characters cannot hope
to understand. Of course, the GM can also
select occult events that do tie into his adven-
tures plots. Doing so can provide ways to pres-
Modern 101 Occult events
ent information in an unusual or non-linear fashion,
as well as to heighten the players sense of ignorance
at the forces at work behind the scenes. Either way,
these occult events can add spice to any adventure
NEW FEAT:
and, under the right circumstances, can spur spin-off
or side adventures, thereby making the GMs job
FORTEAN MAGNET (OCCULT)
Strange events inexplicably occur wher-
easier.
ever you go.
Another use for the occult events is in conjunc-
Benefit: One per game session, you may
tion with the Fortean Magnet feat presented in this
ask the Gamemaster that an occult event occur
product. This feat enables a character who possess-
in your presence. If the event is beneficial to
es it to bring about occult events on a limited
you, then nothing further is required. If the
basis. The events presented here can be used with
event is detrimental to you, the GM must
this feat, since they are wide-ranging and generic
compensate you with a bonus action point.
enough to fit into most adventures, whatever their
This action point functions exactly like all
subject matter. Fortean Magnet gives players a small
other action points and its use falls under all
amount of control over the game world, which is
the same guidelines and restrictions as others
essential, especially in occult campaigns where so
of its kind.
much happens in the shadows and without the char-
Special: At the GMs discretion, this feat
acters knowledge.
can only be selected at 1st level or after there
Finally, the occult events in this product can
is sufficient justification for the characters
serve as examples and inspiration for the GM in cre-
manifestation of Fortean magnetism (being
ating his own events. By and large, the benefits and
cursed, acquiring an occult artifact, a near-
impediments that these events provide are small, no
death experience, etc.)
more than a +/-2 bonus/penalty to d20 die rolls or a
minor magical effect that lasts up to 24 hours. No
effect should be permanent, as such things should ment and its hoped the examples here will show
not happen without the GMs specific decision to how even such seemingly insignificant events can
include them as part of the development of his cam- be used to good effect in a D20 Modern Roleplaying
paign. Some events provide no benefit or impedi- Game campaign.

the Occult Events

The occult events presented here use a very simple format. First, there is a description of the event in
broad terms, including any game mechanics needed to use the event. Second, there is a parenthetical
notation indication whether the event is beneficial or detrimental for use with the Fortean Magnet feat
presented above. Some events have no notation, meaning that the GM is free to use it either as bene-
ficial or detrimental, depending on how he chooses to present it in his game.

1. Raindrops run up a window instead of down, cre-
ating a pattern that the characters can recognize
with successful Intelligence check (DC 12). The
exact nature of the pattern is up to the GM and
the specifics of his current adventure.
(Beneficial)
2. The wind seems to carry the faint echo of scream-
ing voices. Characters who make a successful
Listen check (DC 15) can make out what the
voices are saying, as determined by the GM.
(Beneficial)

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Modern
3. A character experiences a sudden muscle cramp
(-2 to attack rolls and Dexterity-based skill
checks for 1d6+1 rounds) every time he passes
through a doorway of a particular locale.
(Detrimental)
4. In the middle of a normal conversation, one char-
acter inexplicably uses an utterly unfamiliar,
alien word for a normal concept. Depending on
the GMs wishes, the word can be a clue or just
an oddity. Whether the word is in a knowable
language is also up to the GM. (Possibly bene-
ficial)
5. Two (or all of the characters) have the same
dream. (Possibly beneficial)
6. A character experiences dj vu upon entering a
room for the first time. (Possibly beneficial)
7. One of the characters suffers a few minutes of
missing time. He cannot remember what tran-
spired during those minutes, except possibly
through hypnosis, magic, or similar means.
(Beneficial or detrimental)
8. One of the characters watches stops deador
goes backwards.
9. A coffee stain on a map circles the place the char-
acters are going nextbut the map is a new one
and no one has ever put a coffee cup on it.
10. An old wound or scar begins to bleed again. The
character suffers 1d6 points of damage.
(Detrimental)
11. A character finds a coin on the ground minted in
the year of his birth. If he keeps it, he automati-
cally succeeds on his next rolls, whatever it is,
after which the coin becomes useless.
(Beneficial)
12. The characters stumble across a monstrously
huge spider web containing a colony of
dozens of spiders, seemingly cooperating in
capturing prey.
13. As far as the eye can see, darkness falls during
the daytime for a period of 1d8+2 minutes. The
darkness is so complete it that all creatures
within it gain concealment (20% miss chance).
(Beneficial or detrimental)
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101 Occult events
14. A black cat crosses a characters path. If he does
not make an effort to find another route, he suf-
fers a -1 penalty to his next d20 roll, after which
this minor curse ends. (Detrimental)
15. A poisonous fog (Inhaled, DC 14, 1d2 Con/1d4
Con) suddenly rolls across the landscape and
lasts for 1d4 hours before dispersing.
(Detrimental)
16. A photograph a character has taken no longer
shows one or more people or objects that had
previously been visible. (Detrimental)
17. A photograph a character has taken now shows
someone or something that had previously not
been visible. (Beneficial)
18. Mysterious lights emanate from the sky without
any obvious source.
19. A telephone line a character attempts to use goes
dead without cause. (Detrimental)
20. A character receives an anonymous telephone
call from a mechanical-sounding voice that pro-
vides him with a small piece of information he
had been searching for. (Beneficial)
21. A bush inexplicably bursts into flames.
22. An unknown body crosses the path of the sun,
creating a partial eclipse for 1d4 minutes.
23. Burning cinders fall from the sky. Characters
must make a Reflex save (DC 15) or suffer 1d6
points of damage. (Detrimental)
24. Every animal within sight of the characters sud-
denly freezes in its tracks and then bolts away at
top speed, taking their owners, if any, along
with them.
25. Strange lights appear on the surface of the
Moon. A successful Intelligence check (DC 15)
can discern a pattern to the lights, possibly a let-
ter or symbol. (Beneficial)
26. The image of a ghostly town, complete with
people, appears as the characters travel through
a desolate area. The image fades as soon as the
characters approach it.
27. The characters encounter a surprising number of
redheaded people over the course of a single
day.
Modern
28. A great shadow of some object or creature falls
across the ground, although there is no evidence
of its source.
29. A meteorite falls within a few feet of the char-
acters.
30. A brownish-red substance, resembling blood,
pours from the faucet of the next sink a charac-
ter uses.
31. An otherwise stationary object (like a rock or a
tree) moves from one location to another while
the characters are not looking.
32. A number (such as 23) keeps popping up again
and again. (Possibly beneficial)
33. A character finds an old newspaper containing
an article of relevance to their current activities.
(Beneficial)
34. The characters hear loud footsteps following
them wherever they go, but cannot discern any
source for them.
35. A character experiences jamais vu, the feeling
that something you should be familiar with is in
fact unknown to you. The GM determines what
the character forgets, while its length is 1d6
hours, after which the characters memory
returns. (Detrimental)
36. A character receives a misdirected email whose
contents pertain to his current activities.
(Beneficial)
37. Someone mistakes a character for another per-
son. (Possibly beneficial or detrimental)
38. A small child stares at the character and points
toward something of interest to him, without
saying a word. (Beneficial)
39. A computer disk, CD-ROM, or other electronic
storage device a character is carrying becomes
inexplicably corrupted and utterly unreadable,
although a successful DC 30 Computer Use
check will reclaim 50% of the data.
(Detrimental)
40. A character encounters an old acquaintance
whom he has not seen in years. (Possibly bene-
ficial)
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101 Occult events
41. A character briefly sees another persons face
when he looks into a mirror. The other person
mouths something that the character can lip read
on a successful Intelligence check (DC 18).
(Beneficial)
42. A character sees a pair of eyes staring at him
from a darkened window. If investigated, there
is no sign of anyone (or anything) at the win-
dow.
43. The characters hear a song that is of pertinence
to their current activities. (Beneficial)
44. A character finds a coin lying face down. If he
picks it up, he will automatically fail his next
roll, whatever it is. (Detrimental)
45. While passing through or near a graveyard, a
character feels an urge to look at a particular
tombstone and finds it bears his name. He suf-
fers a -2 penalty to his next d20 roll.
(Detrimental)
46. A black rain falls for the next 1d4 hours.
47. Someone approaches a character to ask for
directions. As it turns out, he intends to go to the
same place the characters are currently headed,
although for a different reason. (Possibly bene-
ficial or detrimental)
48. A character gets a fortune cookie whose fortune
pertains to his current activities. (Beneficial)
49. A freak snowstorm occurs during the summer
months.
50. A character suddenly gains the ability to speak a
foreign language for 1d4 hours. (Beneficial)
51. A swarm of rats comes streaming out of a near-
by storm drain and heads straight for the char-
acters. The rats are harmless but they do draw
attention to the characters, as well as frighten
anyone adverse to them. (Detrimental)
52. A thunderclap knocks a painting off a wall,
revealing a hidden compartment or safe behind
it. (Beneficial)
53. A bolt of lightning fells a tree within sight of the
character.
Modern
54. A character suddenly sees strange writing appear
in the air around the head of someone he meets. A
successful Decipher Script check (DC 18) allows
the character to understand its meaning but not its
source. (Beneficial)
55. A character sees a person on the street suddenly
wink out of existence.
56. A character witnesses a car crashand finds that
one of the two cars has no driver whatsoever.
57. A person the characters are pursuing trips, falls to
the ground, and immediately dissolves into a pool
of salt water and clothing. (Detrimental)
58. A characters gun jams, because a small crystal is
in the firing chamber. (Detrimental)
59. An elderly person of an ethnicity uncommon in
the area the characters are traveling approaches
them and makes a cryptic statement about them.
(Possibly beneficial)
60. A character finds a sheet of paper on which are
written the final scores of baseball games that
happen tomorrow. (Possibly beneficial)
61. When the character awakes from sleep, he finds a
note written in his own handwriting that contains
a clue to his current investigation. (Beneficial)
62. With a successful Spot check (DC 15), the char-
acters can see that they are being tailed by two
men in black. Once spotted, they disappear and
never return.
63. The characters stumble across a dead dog whose
internal organs have been surgically removed.
64. While surfing the Internet, a character inexplica-
bly gains access to a restricted government net-
work for 1d4 minutes, after which he is shut out.
(Beneficial)
65. A field near where the characters are currently
staying manifests a crop circle for the first time.
The circles continue on a regular basis as long as
the characters are in the area and stop when they
leave.
66. A character wakes up with a small piece of parch-
ment inscribed with the Hebrew word emet (truth)
on his forehead. A successful Knowledge (arcane
lore) check (DC 15) reveals that it is one possible
activation word for a golem.
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101 Occult events
67. The next time a character buys a used item of
any sort, he finds written on it somewhere the
name of its previous owner: Nikola Tesla.
68. The next three times the characters attempt to
call Department-7, they get a wrong numbera
different wrong number each time. (Possibly
detrimental)
69. The characters see themselves doing something
at a distance. If they go to the place where they
saw themselves, they find no one but will see
themselves looking back at them from their pre-
vious location.
70. A wounded character inexplicably heals 1d8+1
hit points after he touches his wound with his
own hand. (Beneficial)
71. The characters encounter someone with a
vicious scar in the center of their forehead,
which, if asked, he says he acquired when he
drilled a hole into his head to let out the evil
spirits.
72. After encountering a devout priest, one of the
characters suffers stigmata for 1d6 days. The
wounds do 1d4 points of damage each day, after
which they cease. (Detrimental)
73. A television psychic describes events uncannily
like those the characters are experiencing. If the
characters contact him, he will, with reluctance,
admit that he made up his entire vision.
(Possibly beneficial)
74. One or more of the characters catches a non-
fatal disease unknown in their part of the world.
(Detrimental)
75. The characters encounter what they believe is an
animal (lion, tiger, chimpanzee, etc.) escaped
from a zoo, only to discover that the town has
no zoo and never has.
76. The radio in the characters car briefly plays a
radio show from fifty years in the past.
(Possibly beneficial)
77. A successful Spot check (DC 12) reveals a wal-
let in the gutter. The wallet belongs to a relative
of a person the characters are seeking or inves-
tigating. (Beneficial)
Modern
78. Stuck in between the pages of a book a character is
reading is a leaf from another book, containing a
map to a previously unknown location of interest
to the character. (Beneficial)
79. When a character opens an email from an unknown
sender, a screen saver appears on his computer
screen. If he fails a Will save (DC 15), he finds
himself receiving telepathic messages that give
him a clue to his current investigation. (Beneficial)
80. Throughout a single day, peopleincluding the
other charactersconsistently mispronounce a
characters name.
81. A character finds a potato chip in his bag that looks
like Aleister Crowley.
82. The characters find a goldfish swimming in a toilet.
83. A character cuts open a fruit whose seeds spell out
a word in a language they know. (Possibly benefi-
cial)
84. A character uses a vending machine and gets a
strange-looking soft drink can. If he drinks it, he
must make a Fortitude save (DC 12). Failure grants
him a +2 bonus to Strength and Constitution for
the next 24 hours. (Beneficial)
85. The characters walk through a door and find them-
selves not on the other side but coming back into
the room they just left. The experience is not
repeatable.
86. The characters see lights in the sky that move
unlike a plane. If they follow them, they lead them
to a clearing that contains a clue to their current
investigation. (Beneficial)
87. A character finds that all the books he is carrying
with him are suddenly blank. (Detrimental)
88. A character sets off metal detectors wherever he
goes for 24 hours. (Detrimental)
89. On one evening, the stars are unusually bright, giv-
ing a +2 bonus to all Spot, Search, and other
vision-based checks.
90. A character gets a letter inviting him to a meeting
where he will be initiated into the higher myster-
ies. If the character goes to the location indicated
in the letter, he finds only an abandoned warehouse
with a copy of the Book of Dzyan (see 101 Occult
Books, also from Ronin Arts) lying on the floor
within. (Possibly Beneficial)
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101 Occult events
91. After trying a new food he has never eaten
before, the character must make a Fortitude
save (DC 12). If he fails, he is able to see the
true form of any supernatural or inhuman crea-
tures for the next 24 hours, although no one else
can see them. (Beneficial)
92. Upon leaving his home in the morning, a char-
acter finds a carpet of worms right outside his
door.
93. When a character picks up a note pad to write,
he can make a Spot check (DC 12). If success-
ful, he sees the imprint of his own handwriting
on the top page of the padand its a note about
the very thing he was about to write.
94. A big book falls from a shelf and hits a charac-
ter on his head (1d4 points of nonlethal dam-
age), opening to page that reveals information
hes been seeking. (Beneficial)
95. A character finds a fully-grown mouse in a bot-
tle.
96. A new TV show airs and one of its characters
has the same name as a player character.
97. A character briefly sees events in a place famil-
iar to him but where he is not currently located.
When he returns to that familiar place, a suc-
cessful Wisdom check (DC 12) enables him to
realize that his remote viewing perspective
aligns with a knothole in a wooden wall panel.
(Beneficial)
98. When a character is next wounded, he does not
bleed red blood but some other color. After a
few moments, though, the blood turns red as
usual.
99. All of the characters undergarments are turned
inside out without his knowing it.
100. Several people comment that the characters
canine teeth are unusually large.
101. A characters nose begins to bleed uncontrol-
lably and will not stop until a successful Treat
Injury check (DC 10) is made. In addition to
blood, the character finds a tiny crystalline
sphere that, under microscopic examination, is
shown to be completely smooth and featureless,
but also inorganic in origin.
Modern
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Modern: 101 Occult Events is copyright 2004 James Maliszewski. Artwork copyright Philip Reed. All text in this book is designated as open
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Modern System Reference Document, Copyright 2002, Wizards of the
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Modern: 101 Occult Events Copyright 2004 James Maliszewski.
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