by Marcus L. Rowland
Copyright © 1994, revised 1998
Please note: All material below is for the use of referees only. If
you intend to play a character in this campaign, please STOP READING
NOW. You are strongly advised to read the six Astronef stories and the
Worldbook before running these adventures.
CONTENTS
0.0 Introduction
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This is a collection of short adventures linked by the history described in the Astronef worldbook, and by certain plot strands. Each adventure can be played in a few hours. If you do not wish to use the timeline in the worldbook, some minor modifications may be needed.
Characters are adventurers in an Edwardian world that is rapidly being transformed by the anti-gravity R. force, by an astronomical disaster, and by contact with alien worlds and civilisations. In the first adventures the R. force has just been discovered, and is only understood by a tiny handful of scientists; as the campaign progresses the adventurers will become familiar with its use, and will probably acquire their own spacecraft.
Because of the size and scope of this campaign minor NPCs are not described in great detail; they have average characteristics of 3 or 4, and skills appropriate to their jobs or ranks. Maps and charts are only provided for key locations. Where details are needed they will usually be described in the text.
For example, the first adventure is set entirely aboard an ocean liner; since the precise layout of the liner is unimportant there is no overall deck plan, but there is a simple diagram of a few cabins. Referees are strongly advised to obtain suitable maps, charts, and photographs to supplement the illustrations provided. Wherever possible sources are mentioned.
Lord Redgrave, his wife Zaide, and their faithful old retainer Murgatroyd appear as NPCs in these adventures. Their details can be found in the worldbook section 6.0, and you are strongly advised to print it out. Note that the Redgrave of these adventures is not the 'evil alternative' described in the worldbook.
When referring to adventurers the words "him" and "his" are short for "him/her" and "his/her"; unless stated otherwise the characters may be of either gender. The male pronoun is used to give a more natural flow of text.
All characters and organisations, except those modelled on historical personalities, are imaginary.
Technical Note: If you are aware of the early history of radio, you
will know that the use of Mayday messages in these adventures is
anachronistic. Early distress signals were based on complex Q-codes, which are
of limited interest to most readers. If you understand this system and
wish to use it, please feel free to modify the messages accordingly;
just be prepared to spend a long time explaining them!
0.1 Campaign Summary
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CABIN 12A is an introductory adventure set in 1901, a few months after the return of the Astronef. A small group of travellers is asked to help in the aftermath of a death, and should eventually earn the thanks of an important man.
In MOON '02 this contact bears fruit. Lord Redgrave is looking for a few good men (and women if appropriate) to help explore the Great Pyramid of the Moon. During this adventure characters should stumble across the first traces of an ancient secret, which becomes important in later scenarios. They will also encounter an old "friend" again.
1904 brings a diversion, THE WRIGHT STUFF. Two bicycle builders have developed a so-called "heavier than air" flying machine, which is limited to atmospheric flight but ought to be much cheaper than a spacecraft. Are they impractical fools, or a lot smarter than they look? A competition will find the answer.
By 1908 many spaceships are already in service, and in the fourth adventure, entitled .-.. .- -.-- -.. .- -.--, one of them has run into trouble near Mars. Naturally the Royal Navy's finest spaceship is ready to answer the call.
Finally, in 1912 an unimaginably cruel plot threatens an entire world.
Can the adventurers intervene, or will THE GANYMEDAN MENACE lead to an
unimaginable disaster?
0.2 Timing and Distances
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These adventures have mostly been written to avoid the need to adhere to a strict timetable. Usually the characters will learn of a problem then have the time they need to deal with it. Occasionally their actions will precipitate events, causing a new problem that requires a rapid response, but even here it should be unnecessary to adhere to a rigid timeline.
In play-testing a freewheeling approach was used, with little attention paid to the passage of time. Regardless of their efficiency, the adventurers always managed to be at the right place at the right time, more or less equipped to deal with the situation. From then on the timing of the scenario was based on the players' actions. This melodramatic approach is strongly recommended.
If it becomes necessary to run an interplanetary chase, the PC
astronomy programs mentioned in the worldbook are extremely useful for
finding distances. There are equivalents for other machines. The
spreadsheet template TRAVTIME.WK1 can calculate travel times at any
desired acceleration.
0.3 Glossary
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This list includes short definitions of some of the words discussed in the Worldbook, and defines some extra words which are used at various points in these adventures.
A character in adventures 1 and 2 was suggested by Rudyard Kipling's "The Village That Voted The Earth Was Flat"; the hymn in adventure 2 is also taken from that story. Information on Atlantis and the Flat Earth comes from several sources, most notably John Grant's "A Directory Of Discarded Ideas" and Patrick Moore's "Can You Speak Venusian?"
Information on Edison, Tesla, and Marconi is mostly derived from Isaac Asimov's "Bibliographical Encyclopaedia of Science and Technology", from The Grolier Multimedia Encyclopaedia, from Ronald W. Clark's "Edison: The Man Who Made The Future", and John J. O'Neill's "Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla". For a vivid if somewhat biased fictional portrayal see Spider Robinson's "Lady Slings The Booze". Information on the Wright brothers and early aviation also comes from the Asimov and Grolier publications, plus David Wragg's "Flight With Power: The First Ten Years."
HMS Astra's motto was suggested by Roger Robinson, and translated into Latin by Kari Maughn. Thanks to both.
Adventure 5 owes much to the works of Sapper, William Le Quex, Kenneth
Robeson, and Leslie Charteris.
1.0 Adventure 1: Cabin 12A
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The year is 1901, a few months after the return of the Astronef. The Pilot skill does not yet automatically include details of spacecraft; Pilots with experience of airships, balloons, and gliders can easily learn to use the R. force, but they must be instructed by Lord Redgrave or Andrew Murgatroyd, and neither is currently in the business of giving lessons. Characters may not own spaceships; only one has flown, and it is currently being repaired. The nova Lilla-Zaidie is midway between Saturn and Jupiter, and is brighter than either of them.
Travellers on an ocean liner become involved in the affairs of a desperately ill fellow-passenger. As they do so they will learn that something is missing, and that at least one other party seems to be looking for it. If successful, they will find the missing object and prevent its theft; they will also earn the thanks of an important man, who will subsequently mention their names to Lord Redgrave.
Characters should be merchant navy officers serving aboard the liner,
or first class travellers en route from Britain to America. Their
reasons for travelling need not be the same, or connected in any way
with the events of this adventure. In most adventures at least one
character has the Doctor skill; ideally an adventurer should be the
ship's physician. If this is not the case, the ship's medical needs
are attended to by Dr. Peter Vernon, a minor NPC.
1.1 Players' Information
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You are travelling to New York aboard the steamship Princess Louise. She carries 250 first-class passengers, 280 second-class, and 800 in third class. You sailed from London yesterday. The trip will take about another six days if the weather is calm, longer if there are storms.
All of you are eating breakfast at the Doctor's table. As you tuck into your kippers and kedgeree, a steward arrives and tells you [or Dr. Vernon] that one of the second-class passengers has been taken very ill in the night. "Clutchin' 'is belly and sweatin' an' moanin' somethin' 'orrible, he is." The steward doesn't know anything about the passenger, except that he's "a Yank"; he's just delivering a message.
If Vernon is used, but an adventurer has the Doctor skill, Vernon will take his medical colleague aside and ask for help; the case sounds serious, and Vernon is only recently qualified. If more than one adventurer is medically qualified, Vernon will ask the character with the highest skill first, but won't think of asking for a woman's help if there is any alternative. Once he realises that an operation is necessary he will also be grateful for the help of a nurse, or anyone else with the First Aid skill.
If none of the characters have medical training, Vernon will tell the adventurers what happens (in sections 1.3 and 1.4 below) over supper.
Since the steward spoke just a little too loudly, everyone at the table knows that someone has been taken ill, and it naturally becomes the main topic of conversation. The adventurers may have something to say, and NPCs (see section 1.6 below) will react in ways that reflect their interests. Try to mix player and NPC dialogue in a natural manner, to introduce the NPCs without disrupting the players as they react to the news:
On this slightly confusing note breakfast ends.
1.2 Referee's Summary
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The sick "Yank" is Alfred Briggs, an employee of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Briggs is travelling as a courier, conveying a small leather box from Lord Redgrave to Nikola Tesla. The box contains an R. lead electrode, roughly the size of a tie pin or the metal portion of a dart, which is to be used to "seed" an experimental R. graviton production plant. At current manufacturing prices the electrode has cost about £150 ($750) to synthesise, but there is a waiting list of several months for even this tiny quantity.
Briggs brought the box aboard in a briefcase handcuffed to his wrist, then locked it into the bottom drawer of his wardrobe; if he had to leave the cabin for any reason he took the case with him. He was taken ill in his cabin; when he felt the first symptoms he went to the drawer to get the briefcase, intending to have it put in the Purser's safe. He accidentally dropped it, and the box containing the electrode fell out, breaking the wax seal and the catch. The R. lead electrode "fell" upwards, and is now resting on the ceiling, in a crevice above the light fitting. Briggs collapsed before he could recover it.
Briggs is suffering from a ruptured appendix and the first stages of peritonitis. In 1901 these are extremely serious medical conditions which usually result in death. The new King's coronation has just been postponed because of appendicitis, and he nearly died despite the fact that he was treated by some of Europe's best surgeons. If Vernon is the only doctor, he won't be able to save Briggs; if one of the adventurers is a doctor Briggs may recover, but he will be seriously ill, unconscious and delirious, until long after the ship reaches New York. Unfortunately others aboard the liner will hear that he was carrying something valuable, and one of the NPCs mentioned above will make a determined attempt to uncover the secret. An unknown intruder will search Briggs' cabin, and will eventually find the electrode if the adventurers don't get there first.
Plans of similar ships can be found in numerous novels and books about the sea. Two role playing modules may also be of interest; Chaosium's "Cthulhu Casebook" details the liner Mauretania, while Steve Jackson Games' "GURPS Time Travel Adventures" includes a long section set aboard the Titanic. Both ships are larger than the liner in this adventure, but that can easily be changed.
As these events unfold, all shipboard activities are continuing normally. Meals are served and eaten, passengers flirt or quarrel, and there is a full program of entertainment. The NPCs described in section 1.6 eat at the same table as the adventurers, and should interact with them at other times; at least one will become much more deeply involved in the action, the others should be red herrings or sources of gossip and news.
Players may find it hard to explain why this matter concerns their characters if they are not involved as doctors or officers. Once it is clear that there is a mystery, detectives and others with experience of exotic events might be called in to help with the problem. Lawyers, military officers, or members of the aristocracy might be asked to act as witnesses while Briggs' luggage is searched. As a last resort, a cunning referee can probably modify the scenario to frame one or another of the characters as the thief, forcing him to fight to clear his name. There are many other possibilities.
This adventure take place in isolation; the liner has no wireless, and
won't be in signalling range of another ship until it nears the
American coast. If adventurers are going wildly wrong an engine
breakdown or a storm can be used to delay the ship's arrival; if they
fail completely no real harm will be done, since Lord Redgrave will
give Tesla another electrode and extra time to prove his theories.
1.3 Is It Safe?
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Players will probably begin with the assumption that Briggs has been poisoned, stabbed, shot, or is suffering from a horrible disease which will eventually sweep across the ship. He has been taken to the liner's sick bay, which has all the equipment of a late 19th century doctor's office. There is no X-Ray, but it does have a steriliser, supplies of bandages and ointments, a microscope and equipment for making slides, a set of surgical equipment, and reference books.
Briggs is delirious, clutching his abdomen and muttering. If anyone touches him Briggs grabs his hand and says "Is it safe?", then resumes his unintelligible muttering. During the examinaton his physician will detect all the signs of a ruptured appendix, and no evidence of foul play, but should notice that Briggs has some chafed red marks around his left wrist. They haven't been left by a wrist watch; as yet these are very rare, worn almost exclusively by women, and in any case Briggs had a silver half-hunter pocket watch in his waistcoat pocket when he collapsed.
If Vernon is working alone the operation is a failure; Briggs will die several hours later. If another physician is involved the case should be treated as a critical injury. First Aid is needed to prevent immediate death, then the Doctor skill to start his recovery. Emphasise the seriousness of the operation, but don't tell players what Difficulty numbers they are trying to beat when they roll the dice. It will be several hours before there is any sign of improvement if the treatment is successful; if it fails, he will take an equally long time to die.
Whatever the outcome, it's obvious that Briggs can't be returned to
his cabin; if dead his body must be returned to New York for burial,
if alive he must stay in the sick bay indefinitely. In either case his
property shouldn't be left unattended. Someone ought to arrange to
have his cases packed and stored, and his valuables locked in the
Purser's safe. Any adventurers who are involved may also want to check
Briggs' cabin to see if there is any explanation of the marks on his
wrist, to look for evidence of foul play, or to find out what "it" is,
and whether "it" is safe. The cabin key is in his pocket, along with
some coins and a small bunch of keys; a house key and two smaller keys
that might fit a padlock.
1.4 Unlucky For Some
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Briggs occupied cabin 12A on one of the second-class decks. It's a small single cabin at the end of a corridor; the only access is along the corridor. If not for superstition it would be cabin 13. The layout of cabins is as follows:
| 12A | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Corridor | ||||||||||||
| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | WC | Bath | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 |
12A and 14 are single cabins, the rest are doubles. Cabins 1 to 12A have portholes, 14-24 are inner cabins and do not have a view of the sea. The layout of the end of the passage is illustrated in more detail in 21_ADV2.GIF
The furnishings of 12A are a bed, a wardrobe, a wash basin, a dressing table, and a chair. The cabin also has electric light, a ventilator, plumbing, and a small porthole. The door is unlocked by a key from the outside, a knob on the inside, and there is also a small bolt on the inside. These details should only be mentioned if players ask about them.
Briggs' coat is hanging in the wardrobe. There is a .32 revolver in the right-hand pocket; the gun is loaded but not cocked, and the hammer is resting on an empty chamber. His passport is in the inner pocket; it identifies him as Alfred Briggs, born 1854, and gives his profession as Confidential Agent. Several business cards in another pocket state that he works for the Pinkerton National Detective Agency.
One of the drawers contains an open briefcase, with a chain and handcuff fixed beside the handle. One of Briggs' keys fits the cuff, another fits the lock of the case. The contents, half spilled into the drawer, are a notebook, twenty rounds of .32 ammunition, a tiny .32 Derringer, a purse containing £4 and $27 in gold and some small change, and a large manila envelope with red wax seals addressed to Mr. Nikola Tesla at a New York address.
The notebook contains a list of expenses, such as:
2nd class ticket from Liverpool to Smeaton, Yorkshire 18s 3d Lunch 4s 11d Accommodation, The Flying Yorkshireman Tavern, Smeaton 10s 6d
Summarised, the notes outline a trip from New York to Liverpool then to Smeaton in Yorkshire, a delay of four days, then a journey from Smeaton to London to join the Princess Louise.
Some newspaper clippings folded into the back of the notebook are "Wanted" advertisements, their subjects including Robert Leroy Parker (alias Butch Cassidy), Harry Longbaugh (The Sundance Kid), and other notable American criminals. None are aboard the liner, but don't tell the adventurers that if they want to look for them!
The envelope is private correspondence, and reading the contents is a serious breach of etiquette. If it does somehow fall into inquisitive hands, it contains papers related to the production of R. matter. Anyone with the Scientist skill will be fascinated, and will soon realise that the process can only be initiated with a "seed" of ready-made R. matter. Despite its apparent importance, this document contains little but the fine details of a process that has already become common knowledge. There is also a note to Tesla, reading:
Redgrave Engineering Ltd.,
Smeaton,
Yorkshire
England
My Dear Tesla,
Herewith the additional details of our current production system which
you requested. Please keep them confidential, since some minor aspects
of the process, which your refinements should render obsolete, have
yet to be patented. I have also sent the electrode with your courier,
since it was ready slightly ahead of schedule.
I trust that this finds you well, and will look forward to hearing
from you at the end of next month. Please pass on my best wishes to
Westinghouse.
Yr obedient servant,
[illegible]
PP Lord Redgrave |
On the table is a small leather box which looks like a jewellery case. It's empty; there are traces of a broken wax seal around the catch, and more pieces of red wax on the floor under the bed. A label on the base of the box reads "Redgrave Engineering Ltd., Smeaton, Yorkshire". An indentation in the padding once held a small cylindrical object, about 1/4" wide and 1" long, with a spike protruding from one end. Adventurers reading the letter should easily guess that the box contained the mysterious electrode.
The steward who found Briggs remembers picking up the box after Briggs was taken to the sick bay. It was lying open on the floor near the wardrobe when he found it, with bits of wax around it.
The cabin is badly lit; visitors tend to switch on the light as soon as they enter, without even thinking about it. The light bulb is covered by a globular glass shade which screws into a ceiling fixture. With the light on it is difficult to see that there is a gap of about half an inch between the metal top of the fixture (a cover resembling the lid of a jar) and the ceiling itself. The gap contains wires and the hooks that support the fixture. When Briggs dropped the box the electrode "fell" up to the ceiling, and bounced into this gap. If adventurers immediately guess that the electrode is on the ceiling, they still won't find it easily; it is small, concealed by shadow, and can only be found by someone standing on a chair or ladder, probing the gap with fingers. Optionally, it has "fallen" further, into the electrical conduit above the ceiling, and can only be retrieved by taking the fixture apart, removing a cover plate, and risking electrocution to pull it out from a narrow gap between two live terminals.
Don't focus any special attention on the ceiling. Ask players to roll whenever their characters examine anything, whether it is the floor, the wardrobe, the ceiling, or the corridor outside. Whatever the adventurers do, short of taking the light fitting apart, they should NOT find the electrode at this point. If characters do take this step they will find the electrode, of course, and it will be necessary to change subsequent events; for instance, there might be an attempt to take it from the Purser's safe.
The remaining contents of the cabin are clothing, a razor, and other personal items, a copy of George Griffith's best-selling "Honeymoon In Space" (signed by Lord Redgrave), and some postcards of London and of Smeaton in Yorkshire (10_SMETN.GIF).
If none of the adventurers take part in an examination of Briggs or the cabin, all of these materials are packed for storage; the guns, papers, and money go into the Purser's safe, everything else is put into a locked storeroom. If adventurers are ship's officers or have otherwise become involved in events, they may have other ideas; provided that their proposals are reasonably legal and plausible, they should be followed.
If the Captain is questioned, he will reveal that he knew that Briggs
was armed. Normally passengers are asked to surrender all weapons on
boarding the ship, but Lord Redgrave arranged for Briggs to have a
single cabin, and requested the Captain's co-operation. Since Lord
Redgrave owns a sizeable share of the line, the Captain was happy to
oblige.
1.5 Table Talk
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At supper Briggs' condition should still be a major topic of conversation. The news is all over the ship, and the Doctor or Doctors involved will face a barrage of questions. There has been a lot of gossip, and everyone seems to know that Briggs was armed, and was carrying something valuable. Lord Redgrave's name will also be mentioned.
Anything said during the meal should be considered as a motive for one or another of the NPCs at the table to start looking for the electrode. Optionally, one or another of the NPCs was already aware of Briggs' mission, and has followed him from Yorkshire in hopes of intercepting the electrode and/or papers.
Next morning a steward bringing tea to another cabin finds the door of Briggs' cabin open, and obvious signs of a search. The bedding has been upset, the table moved, and the wardrobe drawers pulled out and up-ended on the floor. One other incident was reported to the officer of the watch, and should also come to the attention of anyone involved in investigating this matter; during the night someone unbolted a fire door between the first and second class cabins. The bolt was on the first class side, which implies that a first class passenger used the door to reach the second class deck.
Characters will probably guess that Briggs' cabin was searched by a first class passenger, and are likely to focus on those they have already met, their fellow-diners. This isn't completely logical, but (in the great tradition of the English detective novel) happens to be correct.
Depending on the identity of the intruder, there may or may not be useful evidence left behind: a damaged door or lock, an improvised lock pick, and so on. An absence of evidence might suggest (wrongly) that an officer or crewman could be to blame. Evidence for each NPC is summarised in section 1.6
Subsequent events are largely in the hands of the players. One obvious idea is to search the cabin again, much more thoroughly, hoping to find more clues to the intruder. This is likely to be the moment at which the electrode is found, especially if characters think of examining the ceiling more closely. They may also decide to set a trap for the intruder, assuming (correctly) that he or she will return to the "scene of the crime".
All of the above assumes that only one NPC is interested. There are motives below for six NPCs, and two or more might independently decide to go after the mysterious secret.
If adventurers don't find the electrode, and don't catch the intruder(s), it will be stolen. At this point the adventurers have probably lost; the electrode is small, and very easily concealed in clothing or luggage. There is a mail box aboard the ship, intended mainly for postcards. An imaginative thief might easily think of packing the electrode and posting it as a small package. Anything posted is taken ashore by the pilot's boat and posted several hours before the Princess Louise enters harbour.
One special means of finding the electrode should be mentioned; if there are supernatural powers in your campaign, Mrs. Blanche Conway is a powerful medium. If the adventurers explain what they are doing, and take her into their confidence, she will gladly try to find it. She'll request the box and the presence of everyone who has been involved in the case (including NPCs), and conduct a seance in cabin 12A. The consequences could include any of the following:
If this is tried after the electrode has been stolen, Mrs. Conway won't be able to trace it. She has a vague impression that it's "in the dark", but that simply isn't very helpful. Player character mediums should not be able to manifest anything like Mrs. Conway's degree of power; she is possibly the strongest psychic in the world, and wholly dedicated to her "gift". She would never dream of using it for profit or otherwise benefit herself.
If your campaign does not involve paranormal powers, Mrs. Conway might
still be asked to conduct a seance. It's easy to deduce that the
electrode is somewhere on the ceiling, and the light fitting is the
only cover that might hide it; Mrs. Conway is reasonably intelligent
and is subconsciously controlling the glass, so result 1 or 2 above
should occur.
1.6 The Usual Suspects
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The adventurers dined with several other passengers. Each of these NPCs is potentially interested in taking a closer look at Briggs' cabin; it's up to the referee to select a culprit. Each NPC is listed normally, and is also given a motive for breaking into cabin 12A and a means of getting inside. Almost all of the methods leave some sort of evidence, but the evidence will not be conclusive proof. If the character is not the culprit these notes should be ignored. Optionally two of the characters are involved, each using their own methods. In this case it is strongly recommended that Mrs. Blanche Conway should be one of the intruders, an interesting red herring for the adventurers.
Colonel Moutarde of the French Foreign Legion, age 55
BODY [3], MIND [3], SOUL [2], Brawling [6], Business [5], Linguist
(German, Dutch, English) [4], Melee Weapons [6], Marksman [4],
Martial Arts (Savate) [5], Military Weapons [5]
Equipment: Sabre.
Quote: "Mais non, I forget nothing!"
Notes: Colonel Moutarde has been assigned to the French Embassy in
Washington, where he will be military attache. He is pompous and
overbearing, and extremely proud of his impending status. He is
travelling on a diplomatic passport.
Motive: France needs more R. matter to rule the heavens. Since
opportunity has thrown this chance his way, he has decided to take
advantage and capture the electrode for his country.
Method: A man of action, he'll simply kick the door open.
Evidence: He won't think of cleaning his footmark off the door. But is
he the only man aboard with that type of shoe?
Miss Scarlett O'Flaherty, a beautiful Southern maiden, age 27
BODY [4], MIND [3], SOUL [1], Actor [7], Artist (forgery) [7],
Brawling [5], Business [6], Stealth [6], Thief [8]
Equipment: Gems worth £4,500, £1,200 in cash.
Quote: "Oh my! All these darling diamonds for little me?"
Notes: Miss O'Flaherty (real name Gretchen Hagen) is a confidence
trickster who has been plying her trade across Europe, and is now on
her way back to America with a tidy fortune, mostly in the form of
engagement rings and other little knick-knacks.
Motive: Greed. Anything that needs a Pinkertons courier has got to be
worth stealing.
Method: She knows how to distract a man, and how to pick pockets. The
stewards are men, and have keys to the cabins in their pockets. What
could be easier?
Evidence: A check of stewards will eventually discover that one has
lost his pass key, and is desperately trying to conceal the theft,
which could mean the loss of his job. He remembers "a beautiful Yank
lady" tripping and nearly knocking him down a few minutes before he
noticed it was gone. Scarlett won't get rid of the key; after all,
people sometimes leave valuables in their cabins. However, it will be
safely hidden in her bodice, and no gentleman could possibly dream of
looking there.
Mrs. Evadne Peacock, Widow, age 55
BODY [4], MIND [5], SOUL [3], Actor (poker face) [7], Psychology [8],
Ride [7]
Equipment: Several packs of cards, riding gear.
Quote: "Three trumps redoubled, partner."
Notes: Mrs. Peacock is a professional horse breeder and successful
gambler who takes regular transatlantic cruises to play cards with
the rich and famous. She is not a card sharp - just an extremely good
player.
Motive: Political. Mrs. Peacock is a member of the suffragist movement
(not the more militant suffragettes), and hopes to sell whatever she
finds to raise money for the cause of votes for women.
Method: There is a ventilation grille on the door. She unscrews it
with a nail file, then reaches in turn the door knob.
Evidence: She accidentally drops a hairpin with a small pearl on the
end, matching others she continues to wear. The end of her nail file
is slightly twisted, with faint brassy marks matching the screws that
held the grille in place.
Professor Ignatius Plum, wealthy scientific dilettante, age 50
BODY [3], MIND [5], SOUL [2], Scientist [7]
Equipment: Telescope, microscope, camera, and a trunk full of gadgets
and tools including vials of various chemicals.
Quote: "Now the fascinating thing about this type of storm is that the
winds blow anticlockwise..."
Notes: Professor Plum inherited a family fortune and has spent much of
it on his interests, which cover all aspects of science from
Astronomy to Zoology. Unfortunately his studies lack focus, and he
will never make any fundamental discoveries.
Motive: Scientific curiosity. It could be years before R. matter is
available for study, and he wants to get his hands on some now.
Method: His baggage includes a small supply of concentrated oil of
vitriol (sulphuric acid) which will easily destroy the lock.
Evidence: He's the only one of the suspects with access to oil of
vitriol, but there is some more aboard, used by the engineers to
clear scale from steam pipes.
The Reverend Amos Green, Vicar and Flat Earth Enthusiast, age 45
BODY [6], MIND [4], SOUL [4], Actor (preacher) [5], Athlete
(Climber) [8], Brawling [7], Science (weird) [5]
Equipment: Bible, numerous leaflets about flatness of the Earth,
climbing gear
Quote: "Of course ships do seem to disappear over the horizon; it's an
optical illusion caused by the refractive nature of damp sea air..."
Notes: Green is most kindly described as an enthusiast. He is
convinced that the Earth is flat, but appears rational in other
respects (for example, he is willing to concede that evolution may
have occurred). He believes that the flight of the Astronef was a
cunning fake perpetrated by an international conspiracy of globe
manufacturers and map makers, determined to perpetuate their lies. He
is travelling to America with other members of the Alpinists Club on
a mountaineering holiday. The Reverend Green appears again in
Adventure 2, and section 2.A contains more data on his beliefs.
Motive: Lord Redgrave is obviously an agent of the international
spherist conspiracy. Anything that might harm him, such as the loss
of the electrode, is thus God's will. As a man of the cloth the
Reverend Green must help to bring God's will about.
Method: Green has an alpenstock in his trunk, and will use its spike
to lever the door open.
Evidence: The spike has a triangular cross section, and the marks it
leaves in the door and frame are also triangular. Green won't think
of throwing it away, but all of the climbers have similar equipment.
Mrs. Blanche Conway, Medium, age 37
BODY [2], MIND [3], SOUL [7], Medium [9] (or Actor [7])
Equipment: Tarot cards, trumpet, tambourine, Ouija board.
Quote: "I feel a strong presence..."
Notes: Mrs. Conway is an extremely kind, gentle person, and a powerful
and experienced medium. She is a moderately wealthy widow, and never
charges for her services; she likes to think that she is putting her
gifts to good use by helping others.
Special note: Nothing in the Astronef stories confirms or denies any
aspect of the supernatural. If you exclude mediums from your campaign
she is a self-deluded fake with no powers. However, somnambulism and
spirit contact were popular in Victorian and Edwardian melodrama and
fiction.
Motive: None. She dreams of a voice asking her if something is safe,
and sleep-walks to cabin 12A. She searches the room without waking
then walks back. In the morning she has no memory of her actions.
If she finds the electrode she will sleep-walk to the Captain's
cabin and give it to him. While sleep-walking she moves slowly and
with a minimum of unnecessary gestures, her hands by her sides unless
she is using them. Her eyes are open, but stare straight ahead.
She breathes regularly. She doesn't respond to noise or motion, such
as a hand waved in front of her face; she will only regain
consciousness as a result of a slap or some other physical
contact.
Method: When she touches the door it is unlocked and unbolted, even
if it has previously been secured. If characters are waiting in the
cabin, expecting a more conventional intruder, this should be an
unsettling experience. If your campaign doesn't include psychic
powers, the lock is faulty.
Evidence: None, but she will return to cabin 12A every night until
the electrode is found or someone interrupts her visits.
1.7 Rewards
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If the adventurers recover the electrode they will earn Tesla's gratitude; he'll also mention their names to Lord Redgrave. If you wish to develop this relationship, Tesla is described in adventure 3. The Pinkerton agency will also owe them a favour, if the adventurers think of asking for one. Better get it in writing, since this agency isn't renowned for its trust or generosity.
If someone is caught trying to steal the electrode, the shipping line will refuse to prosecute, and do its utmost to hush up the scandal. One of the NPCs has diplomatic immunity, another is apparently innocent of any conscious motive. All are, or appear to be, wealthy and respected members of society. If characters agree to co-operate, they will gain the good will of the Captain and of the line. Even the culprit might show some gratitude for the characters' discretion! Rewards for this circumspection are left to the referee, and should be tailored to the needs of adventurers; for example, it could be very useful to have a friend in the French Embassy if a visa is needed in a hurry, while characters who frequently dabble on the shadier side of the law might have work for an experienced and completely amoral seductress.
Referees may wish to give characters bonus points for success, or for
interesting or amusing actions, but the total should be small; they
were never in any danger, and there would be no serious consequences
if they failed completely. A maximum of three points per character is
about right.
1.8 Further Adventures
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If some or all of the characters are merchant navy officers, this can be a good stepping-stone to a career in space. Lord Redgrave owns a large share-holding in the shipping line; he'll probably come recruiting when he needs officers for the Hartley Rennick and other ships his factory is building.
What will happen to surface liners when the R. force allows transatlantic flights in two hours? How will the owners fight back? Will they go under gracefully, or will they resort to dirty tricks and smear tactics?
Many merchant officers are members of the Royal Navy reserve, and occasionally need to spend time aboard Naval vessels. Once the first military spaceships enter service this could be a very interesting experience. See Adventure 4.
Any or all of the NPCs could appear in later adventures; for example,
the Reverend Green can be found in adventure 2 below. It's always nice
to run into old friends. It is not advisable to have Mrs. Conway
appear too often; if psychic phenomena exist in your world, her gifts
are extraordinarily useful, and lazy players may want to use them in
situations where normal methods and a little ingenuity would produce
more interesting results.
2.0 Adventure 2: Moon '02
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1902. Pilots still do not automatically know how to fly spacecraft; Lord Redgrave, Andrew Murgatroyd, and some employees of Lord Redgrave's company are trained, but the techniques are still his monopoly. Characters may not own spaceships; only one has flown, although another will soon enter service. The nova Lilla-Zaidie is nearer Jupiter than Saturn, and is brighter than all the planets except Venus.
Lord Redgrave is planning the second Lunar expedition; its main objective is to unravel the secrets of the Great Pyramid of the Moon. Candidates for the team must pass a series of tests to qualify, but successful applicants will earn a place in archaeological (or Lunological) history. If there is treasure to be found, they might even get rich.
Lord Redgrave will personally invite anyone who has earned his esteem
(such as a character who succeeded in Adventure 1), or has a
reputation for resourcefulness or bravery; there will also be a
discreet advertisement in The Times.
2.1 Players' Information
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All of the adventurers see this advertisement in The Times:
EXPLORERS |
While the advertisement isn't very informative about the destination of the expedition, Smeaton is known world-wide as the home of space travel. Anyone who has previously had favourable contacts with Lord Redgrave will also be sent a copy of the advertisement with a covering note:
Redgrave Engineering Ltd.,
Smeaton,
Yorkshire
England
Dear _________,
You might be interested in joining the expedition I'm
planning; sorry about the short notice, conditions will
be perfect in a few days, and we've only just got the
Astronef ready to fly again. As you've probably guessed,
we're going to take another look at the Moon.
I should warn you that I really am going to be very firm
about health and qualifications; we don't want any
accidents. I hope that you feel like participating.
Sincerely,
[illegible]
PP Lord Redgrave |
This is a straightforward action adventure. Lord Redgrave wants to explore the Great Pyramid of the Moon; his main objective is scientific knowledge, but some loot might also be useful. Initially he plans a quick expedition, a week or so of exploration, which will be followed up by more detailed work if the results are interesting.
The main stages are the selection process, a brief period of training, the voyage to the Moon, exploration of the pyramid, a dangerous confrontation with a stowaway, and the return to Earth. Each stage can be played reasonably quickly, or stretched out with extra incidents.
This adventure can easily result in the death of characters, and the referee should encourage players to be cautious. Having said that, don't be afraid to kill anyone who makes a stupid mistake. Forgotten Futures allows reasonably fast character generation, and no-one is irreplaceable.
Role playing note: Sections 2.2 and 2.3 below are an introduction to 1902 space technology, but they can become a boring "Balloon factory tour" (see the Forgotten Futures rulebook) if they are taken too far. In 2.2 the pacing of the factory visit should be brisk, with the players wanting to know more as their characters are called back for assessment. Show the players the Astronef plans (08_ASPLN.GIF) but don't give them a detailed description of every compartment; the labels should suffice for now. Similarly, the training described in section 2.3 should be paced to suit the players interests; if their reaction to breathing dress is something like "It's a space suit... big ***** deal" then it's pointless wasting much time detailing the oxygen system, or trying to explain its deficiencies in plumbing and safety equipment. Just try to put one point across; while the players may think that it all looks incredibly quaint and Victorian, the characters should think of it as the cutting edge of technology, a miracle of scientific ingenuity.
Useful sources for this adventure include George MacDonald Fraser's
"Mr. American", which describes the King, and Rudyard Kipling's "The
Village That Voted The Earth Was Flat" and Arthur C. Clarke's "Prelude
To Space", which both contain vivid descriptions of a certain type of
fanatic.
2.3 Testing, Testing
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There are several hundred replies to the advertisement; most can be winnowed out by virtue of obvious insanity, illiteracy, foreignness, or combinations of the above. Eventually about thirty applicants remain, including the adventurers, and all are invited to Smeaton the following week. Since horseless carriages are still very rare, and roads are mostly poor, the only practical way to get there is by rail. There are fast direct services from London, Glasgow, and Liverpool, passengers from other areas must change trains at least once. The town's location and principal sights are shown in 10_SMETN.GIF
Most of the NPCs encountered in Smeaton have strong Yorkshire accents. For the uninitiated, eg Americans, a Lancashire accent (as heard in Coronation Street) is very similar. Omit the word "the" or pronounce it as "t'", e.g. "There's trouble at t'mill". See The Great Old Ones (Chaosium 1989) for a more detailed guide to this dialect.
A small steam charabanc meets the train and carries the candidates to the factory. As they approach the works, a harmonium playing a well-known hymn tune is just audible over the noise of the engine, but the words are unfamiliar:
Hear the truth our tongues are telling, Spread the light from shore to shore, God hath given man a dwelling Flat and flat for evermore. When the Primal Dark retreated, When the deeps were undesigned, He with rule and level meted, Habitation for mankind! Hear the truth our tongues are telling, Spread the light from shore to shore - Oh, be faithful! Oh, be truthful! Earth is flat for evermore. Rudyard Kipling: The Village That Voted The Earth Was Flat
Pickets carrying signs saying "The Earth IS Flat" politely make way for the coach as it enters the factory gates. If characters participated in adventure 1, they will recognise the Reverend Green leading the choir; if the Reverend somehow ended up in prison, he was subsequently released by a sympathetic judge and returned to his congregation. The driver says "They come and picket us once a week. The police want to stop them, but his Lordship won't have it; says they aren't doing any harm. Happen he's right."
A harassed-looking clerk welcomes the visitors and explains that Lord Redgrave is still dealing with the previous group of applicants. In the meantime he can offer tea or a tour of the works. If they take him up on the offer, an overalled workman is called in to guide the tour.
While describing the factory emphasise its sheer size; the whale-like steel frames of the gigantic spacecraft, the hammer of riveters at work, and the hum of an endless row of whirling Wimshurst machines discharging yard-long sparks into complicated electrical devices. At one side of the factory huge new machines are being erected, each a shining symphony of chrome rings and glass columns; the guide gloomily points to them and says "Them's t'new Tesla graviton converters, his Lordship says they'll double R. matter output and halve t'electricity consumption. Happen he's right, I suppose, but it sounds too much like summat for nothing for my liking, and they do say that t'alternating current can fry a man like a piece of best back bacon that's been on t'fire too long."
Near the centre of the yard the Astronef is resting in a steel cradle, her steel flanks gleaming as a workman hoses white dust from the hull. Small compared to the ships under construction, she is still an impressively large machine. "We've re-packed t'hull insulation from stem to stern, and double tarred all t'seams. Won't be any trouble with air leaks now.", the guide says reassuringly. He looks at the workman on the hull, and shouts "Jethro - you sweep away that asbestos properly, afore it dries and blows all over t'yard. His Lordship doesn't want it in his tea!"; he has no idea that the stuff might be harmful, nor should adventurers.
This may be a good opportunity to give the adventurers a QUICK guided tour of the Astronef, using the plans in 08_ASPLN.GIF; the only change is the addition of six bunk beds on the glass-walled upper deck [if there are more adventurers, change this to eight or ten beds]. "Them're for t'people that get picked for t'expedition." He also points out a new "Marconi Wireless Transmitter", a bulky machine linked to dozens of lead-acid batteries.
Soon the clerk returns to escort the adventurers to a marquee where they, and twenty or so others, are to be briefed. Lord Redgrave welcomes everyone, apologises for the delay, and explains the main objects of the expedition; to explore the Great Pyramid of the Moon, and to test wireless communication between the Earth and the Moon. "If there's time we also want to take a look at some other sites, but with so many people aboard our resources might be a bit stretched; that may have to wait for a later expedition."
Lord Redgrave explains that everyone will be tested for physical fitness and for relevant knowledge and skills. He adds "Those of you who have seen the Astronef will know that we have rigged her to accommodate extra passengers. The number of bunks has been dictated by our equipment; we have six spare sets of breathing dress [more if there are more than six adventurers]. Since there are so many eminently suitable candidates, we must narrow down the field considerably. Good luck to all of you, and may the best men win."
Lord Redgrave is as good as his word; everyone is going to be tested, and anyone who fails any test, or gets marginal results on any two tests, will be winnowed out. The first two tests are administered by doctors from the local hospital.
Health is assessed by a simple test; 100 step-ups followed by a check of pulse, blood pressure, and respiration. This is resolved by rolls of BODY versus Difficulty 2 then Difficulty 4. There is no need to make the Difficulty 2 roll if BODY is 3 or more. If the Difficulty 2 roll is a failure the character is unfit, and won't be allowed to participate in the expedition. If the Difficulty 2 roll is a success, but Difficulty 4 fails, the character is marginally fit; a second failure will eliminate him. If both rolls are successful the character has passed with flying colours.
The next test is designed to find out if the subject is mentally fit for space. WARNING: claustrophobic players may react badly to the description that follows! The subject is taken to a private room and asked to don a breathing dress (which has a slight smell of vomit). When the dress is sealed the doctor administering the test asks a few questions through the telephone, then fixes a blindfold over the portholes of the helmet, blocking them completely. Finally the doctor leads the character through a door and pushes him into a swimming pool without any warning. This test requires a roll of MIND versus Difficulty 5; any failure results in severe disorientation and nausea, and claustrophobic symptoms, such as accelerated pulse, rapid breathing, and feelings of suffocation. This is a marginal failure. If the roll above is a failure, and a roll of MIND versus BODY also fails, the character vomits into the suit. This is complete failure.
The third test is an interview, in which characters are questioned about relevant skills and knowledge. They are also given five minutes to write 25 words on why they want to take part in the expedition. While sadistic referees might like to play this out, the questions are easily answered and don't require skill rolls. Nevertheless more NPCs fail, through nervousness or stupidity. Fortunately for most characters, it is much too early in the century for more subtle forms of psychological evaluation; Freudian analysis is still in its infancy, and Rorschach is only 18 years old.
If any character fails you may optionally allow the player to generate a replacement or take over the running of an NPC. If characters seem to be passing too easily you might like to add more tests; for example, of agility (dodging thrown balls at BODY/2) or morality (a trick question of the "would you let a runaway horse run down an old lady or a small boy" variety, where the correct answer is "I'd leap for the reins and stop it, of course"); success should be determined by the appropriateness of the players answer, or by rolling SOUL versus Difficulty 6.
After these tests the surviving adventurers and (possibly) some NPCs are left; in all there should be one person for each of the six places left on the expedition. Brief details of three NPCs are provided below, on the assumption that at least three adventurers survived the selection process:
Lieutenant Victor Bates, Royal Marines, age 25
BODY [5], MIND [3], SOUL [2], Athlete (caving) [7], Brawling [7],
Linguist (Afrikaans, Latin) [4], Marksman [6], Melee Weapon [6],
Military Arms [7], Riding [4]
Quote: "Hmmmm. Better belay a rope around that stalagmite."
Notes: A soldier and amateur speleologist (cave explorer), currently
on leave after service in the Boer War.
Dr Albert Gutteridge FRCS, Surgeon and Naturalist, age 38
BODY [3], MIND [5], SOUL [2], Doctor [6], First Aid [8], Marksman [7],
Melee Weapons [5], Riding [5], Scientist (zoology) [8], Stealth [5]
Quote: "Call that a wound? It's hardly a scratch!"
Notes: An explorer, and the first doctor to remove a gallstone in
Matabeleland. He has discovered several new lizard species.
Professor George Ipps, Egyptologist, age 39
BODY [2], MIND [4], SOUL [3], Artist (restore antiquities) [6],
Marksman [6], Mechanic [6], Riding [6], Scientist (archaeology) [8]
Quote: "Yes... a definite resemblance to sixth dynasty forms...."
Notes: A veteran of numerous excavations in the Middle East. He has
various theories about the resemblance between the Egyptian and
Lunarian pyramids, and hopes that there might be evidence to support
his views.
If NPCs are needed, select characters whose skills complement those of
the adventurers, but try to avoid letting them dominate the party.
Lady Redgrave will join the expedition if there is a single female
character; Lord Redgrave wouldn't dream of having an unchaperoned
woman aboard. In this case Lady Redgrave and the female character will
share the Astronef's night cabin, and Lord Redgrave will sleep in one
of the bunks. Two or more female characters can chaperon each other;
again, they will share the night cabin while Lord Redgrave sleeps in a
bunk.
2.4 Back To School
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A few days of training follow, with the characters accommodated in the commodious guest quarters at Lord Redgrave's local residence, Smeaton Manor. The training includes instruction in the use of breathing dress and cameras, and operation of the new wireless equipment. Anyone who already has the Pilot skill will be given a chance to train on the Astronef's controls.
For breathing dress training Lord Redgrave uses an old rubber and canvas diving suit with a knapsack full of bricks; the real breathing dresses are still being adjusted to give a perfect fit. Most of the sessions are on the lawn outside Redgrave Mansion, with some underwater work in the factory's fire pool. The dry-land training is difficult because the suit is incredibly hot and heavy, much more so than the real thing, and each session leaves the adventurers soaked in sweat and extremely tired. The trainer is Andrew Murgatroyd, who is gloomily convinced that the adventurers will "Come to no good end" if they don't learn to use the suits safely. He lectures on the composition of the suit (see A Visit to the Moon and Worldbook section 3.10), control of the air supply, use of the light, operation of the telephone, and emergency puncture repair. Most important of all, Murgatroyd explains how to stay upright under low gravity, using the weight of the boots to counteract the heaviness of the back pack and helmet. At the end of the course he gives an examination. To simulate this, print out 09_SUITS GIF and cover the labels, then conduct a quick quiz; ask each player to identify a part, such as the air purifier, spotlight, oxygen tank, or telephone connection, and describe some aspect of the suit or its operation. For example:
Anyone failing both parts of the test receives a severe lecture from Lord Redgrave, who threatens to drop him from the expedition if there is any more "slacking". The reward for success should be a reduction in the Difficulty of actions when the adventurers are on the Moon.
Lady Redgrave teaches photography; if she isn't a member of the expedition, explain her omission by mentioning that she has an ankle in plaster following a minor riding accident. She explains how to load glass plates into wooden holders, how to set up and focus a camera, and how to time exposures (which range from a few seconds to several minutes in really poor light). The expedition will carry three cameras; the big whole-plate camera used on the first expedition, and two small quarter-plate models. All three need several minutes of setting up and adjustment before they are ready to take a picture; the quarter-plate cameras are much more compact, and a lot easier to use, but their results tend to be poor since excessive enlargement is needed. Ordinary magnesium flash powder can't be used for lighting, since it doesn't burn in a vacuum, but Lord Redgrave has prepared some self-oxygenating flares based on an incendiary compound. The course ends with a practice session in which each of the adventurers is asked to load a plate holder in the dark, set up the camera to take a photograph, and store the plate afterwards; getting this right requires three rolls:
If Lady Redgrave is coming on the expedition she will look after the big camera, otherwise it should be entrusted to the character with the best results; the other cameras should be allocated to the runners-up. This lesson is mainly important because it introduces characters to Lord Redgrave's vacuum flares, which may be significant later in the adventure:
Incendiary Flare
Lord Redgrave's design is based on Professor Rennick's incendiary
compound. The component chemicals are packed into a cardboard tube,
one of them in an inner glass vial which is in turn wrapped in a layer
of felt. When the end of the tube containing the glass vial is
crushed, the chemical soaks through the felt and ignites spontaneously
after 5-10 seconds. The mixed chemicals then burn, igniting strips of
magnesium which produce blindingly bright light for 20-30 seconds. The
flare is extremely hot, but much smaller than the normal shell:
| Flare | Effect 6, A:F B:I C:I * |
The wireless training is simple; the rudiments of radio operation and Morse code. The aerial for the equipment is a wire nearly a mile long; in flight it will be towed behind the Astronef. Some characters may already know Morse. Others can try, using MIND against Difficulty 10 after one day, 8 after two days, and so on; if successful, record it as the skill Morse Code, initially at MIND+1. Operation of the rest of the equipment is easy; Marconi has adjusted the transmitter and receiver to use the same frequencies as his equipment, and all that should be necessary is a little fine tuning once the Astronef is in space. This can be done using the Scientist or Mechanic skill; difficulty will vary during the course of the flight, and is discussed below.
Referees might like to compose a few Morse code messages for players to receive while testing the Marconi wireless receiver, on Earth or during the flight. The main elements of the code follow:
| A .- | B -... | C -.-. | D -.. | E . | F ..-. | G --. |
| H .... | I .. | J .--- | K -.- | L .-.. | M .-.. | N -. |
| O --- | P .--. | Q --.- | R .-. | S ... | T - | U ..- |
| V ...- | W .-- | X -..- | Y -.-- | Z --.. | ||
| 1 .---- | 2 ..--- | 3 ...-- | 4 ....- | 5 ..... | 6 -.... | 7 --... |
| 8 ---.. | 9 ----. | 0 ----- | ||||
| Full stop | ...... | |||||
| Beginning of transmission | -.-.- | |||||
| End of transmission | .-.-. | |||||
| Mistake | ....... | |||||
for example, -.-.- --. --- --- -.. .-.. ..- -.-. -.- .-.-. translates as "[Begin transmission] GOOD LUCK [End transmission]", while .-.. .- -.-- -.. .- -.-- is "MAYDAY", the international distress signal; the later "SOS" is not yet in use (see note on Q codes in the introduction).
For printing convenience this is also provided as a separate table.
There are several Morse code translators available as shareware or public domain software, some of them able to produce audio signals as well as printed text.
Anyone who already has the Pilot skill will be given instruction aboard the Astronef. This isn't a complete programme of flight training; since Murgatroyd can operate the engines, the instruction covers the minimum of control needed to get the Astronef home if Lord Redgrave is incapacitated. Much more expertise would be needed for a prolonged interplanetary voyage. Ask any characters concerned to make a Pilot skill roll versus Difficulty 6:
While all this is going on the Astronef is being prepared and loaded. Supplies include rations for three weeks, ammunition, spare accumulators for the wireless transmitter, electrodes for the searchlights, and extra supplies of all types. Gear loaded especially for the expedition includes the following:
Lord Redgrave has also built ten clockwork timer detonators for the pneumatic cannon shells carried aboard the Astronef, allowing them to be used as blasting explosive. He won't assemble such a bomb unless it's actually needed. Conventional explosives (such as dynamite) can't easily be set off in a vacuum; electrical detonators aren't yet available, fuses can't burn without air, and chemical timers are unreliable. He won't allow anyone to bring any other type of explosive aboard.
If the adventurers want to suggest additional items of equipment, Lord Redgrave will pay a reasonable amount of attention. The main limitation on equipment is the size of the airlock, which has hatches 3 ft wide by 5 ft 6in high; it's pointless taking anything which can't be unloaded once the Moon is reached. Larger items (such as Babbage engines or extra-powerful telescopes) can be carried if they don't need to be unloaded.
Some other activities that might take place before the flight include shopping (for unusual equipment suggested by the adventurers), a short atmospheric test flight (with a minor emergency to keep adventurers on their toes), breathing dress fittings (with the aid of a tailor who seems to want some very unusual measurements), and a visit to the nearest observatory to study the Moon through a powerful telescope.
Meanwhile the Reverend Green has somehow managed to penetrate the
factory's security. The night before the flight he sneaks aboard the
Astronef with two fellow fanatics, who help him to hide under the
grating covering a deck compartment below one of the bunks. The
compartment contains the Astronef's pneumatic cannon, which aren't
likely to be needed, and there is just enough room for Green, some
blankets, and a small amount of food and water. We shall hear more of
him later.
2.5 Fly me to the Moon...
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Soon the day for departure arrives. Even the normally imperturbable servants are excited, and one or two housemaids seem to be close to tears. Lord and Lady Redgrave join the team for breakfast, a stream of footmen bringing him telegrams and notes as the meal progresses. He reads out a few, good wishes from distinguished scientists and politicians. Eventually he stands and says "Well, ladies and gentlemen, I think that we had better be on our way. It appears that the Royal Train is arriving at Smeaton Station. His Majesty and the Queen will be seeing us off."
Lord Redgrave knew that the Royal Family would attend, but didn't want to worry the adventurers by telling them any earlier. The first flight of the Astronef was organised without a proper launching ceremony, this time things are going to be done properly.
It's a beautiful sunny day, and three open-topped carriages convey the members of the expedition to the factory. As they approach, they can hear the Redgrave Engineering brass band tuning up, while a large crowd cheers their arrival. A little boy throws a bouquet into the first coach, where it is caught by Lady Redgrave. Occupants of the second carriage will hear a loud voice saying "You daft little b*****, I told you to save that for t'King and Queen". Banners waved from the crowd bear slogans such as "Good Luck", "The Moon Is British", and "The World Is Flat - The End Is Nigh - God Save The King". Hundreds of flags wave from the crowd, some the size of handkerchiefs, others as big as a bedsheet.
As the carriages enter the grounds the brass band breaks into a medley of sprightly tunes; if you are using background music, anything by Gilbert and Sullivan or Strauss is reasonably appropriate. The Astronef is already loaded and her engines fully charged; resting on her docking cradle, draped in the Union Jack, flowers, and festive bunting, she is a colourful symbol of Mankind's ingenuity and British engineering genius. A large reviewing stand has been set up, with seats for the senior factory employees and their wives, local notables such as the Mayor of Smeaton, various of Lord Redgrave's relatives, and the Press. The remaining employees of the factory line the coach route, cheering and waving as the adventurers pass.
"Places, everyone, the King will be here very shortly!" Lord Redgrave ushers the members of the expedition to stand on a large area of red carpet around the Astronef's boarding ramp. They are barely in place when the crowds outside the factory renew their cheers, and the brass band ends its previous tune and starts on a vigorous rendition of "Rule Britannia". Escorted by a small troop of mounted policemen, an open-topped coach draws up by the carpeted area, and an equerry runs round to open the door and let down some steps for the King. As he steps down the brass band starts to play "God Save The King", and all present remove their hats and stand with their heads bowed to pay homage to the monarch. Two small girls in their best Sunday clothing present bouquets to the King and Queen.
King Edward VII is rather shorter than he looks in his photographs; he is chubby, ruddy-skinned, and talks with a slight but noticeable German accent. The Queen is taller, with an extremely quiet voice; she is very deaf. The King is greeted by Lord Redgrave, who introduces him to the members of the expedition. Men are expected to bow, women to curtsy. The King exchanges a few words with each person. Typical questions and remarks include:
He is followed by the Queen, with Lady Redgrave performing the introductions. Once again men are expected to bow, women to curtsy. She asks more general questions, but it should be apparent that she only half-hears the answers. Typical questions include:
She listens patiently, smiles vaguely, and moves on to the next in line.
Eventually the King climbs onto a low platform at the bow of the Astronef and makes a short speech: "We are here today to witness the relaunching of this fine vessel of the skies. As you all know, she has already visited several worlds and moons, and we have learned of her exploits with deep pride in the genius that designed her, and the British workmen that built her." Loud cheers from the crowd "Now she is to fly again, in a second great expedition to our sister-world the Moon. Soon we hope to see more regular commerce in space, and the incorporation of new worlds into our Empire." More cheers and flag waving "It is now my great if somewhat belated honour to name this ship the Astronef. God bless her and all who fly in her." The King swings a bottle of 1897 Krug to shatter against the needle-sharp ram at her prow, spraying the surrounding area with droplets and shards of glass, and the crowd starts to cheer again.
After the ceremony there's time for a quick glass of champagne, then Lord Redgrave shows the King and Queen (and an entourage of detectives and flunkeys) round the Astronef, while Murgatroyd makes the last preparations for flight and the explorers load their last belongings. There's room for a small amount of luggage, the equivalent of two suitcases per passenger, in lockers at the ends of the bunks; more bulky items of equipment have already been loaded with the stores for the expedition.
Eventually Lord Redgrave leads the King and Queen back to the upper deck, and they wish everyone a safe journey then leave. The gangway is withdrawn. Once he is satisfied that everyone is clear, and nothing is blocking the airscrews, Lord Redgrave moves forward to the atmospheric control room and signals to Murgatroyd for minimum engine power. Smoother than any balloon, the Astronef slowly rises into the air and turns into the wind, her screws bringing her up to sixty knots as Smeaton and the tumultuous roar of the crowd slowly sink into the distance.
Once the Astronef is airborne, Lord Redgrave leaves the controls to check that all hatches are closed and dogged tightly shut, then sets her course for a gradual rise into space. The Moon will shortly be above the horizon. It's unlikely that the adventurers have flown before; if they have, the dreamlike smoothness of the Astronef's ascent is a marked contrast to any experience of balloons or gliders. Once the Astronef is out of earshot of Smeaton the only sound is the gentle hum of her engines, and the murmur of conversation as the adventurers settle down for the flight. Gradually the sky darkens and the curve of the horizon becomes more and more apparent, until the entire globe is visible below. For a better view Lord Redgrave (or Lady Redgrave if present) can show the explorers to the lower observation panel, behind the engine room.
Soon it's time to lower the aerial and try the wireless. This close to Earth it's easy to tune in to Marconi's signal; Difficulty 4 is about right. There is very little interference, apart from some atmospherics, and the regularly repeated callsign "..." ("S") is easily audible in the operator's headphones. Messages of congratulation are soon flowing backward and forward between the Astronef and Marconi's transmitters in Cornwall and Newfoundland. As the experiment progresses, it becomes apparent that the Astronef picks up the shortest wavelengths most easily; the longest are almost useless for transmissions to the Astronef, but work very well for communications on Earth. This confirms Marconi's earlier experiments. As the trip continues, the difficulty of tuning in to Marconi's signals should rise to 6 midway between the Earth and the Moon, and 8 as the Astronef nears the Moon. The aerial must be wound in before the Astronef lands, so no messages can be sent or received until she takes off again.
Anyone with the Pilot skill can be given some more training during the flight. This has no effect over and above that mentioned in the previous section, but characters who failed their skill roll before may be allowed another attempt now.
Depending on the inclination of players, the rest of the twelve hour flight can be as boring or as eventful as you wish. Some suggestions for unexpected events:
Some other possibilities for more peaceful events include:
Referees may prefer to leave some of these incidents for the return
journey. Despite them, the flight runs more or less to schedule. About
twelve hours after the launching ceremony the Astronef touches down on
the Moon near the central mountain of Tycho, landing in the middle of
a ruined city and a hundred yards or so from the Great Pyramid of the
Moon. Outside the ship the pitiless rays of the Sun are dazzlingly
bright, and curtains must be spread to reduce their intensity. The
huge globe of the Earth hangs in the Northern sky, nearly four times
wider than the full Moon. About half of the visible hemisphere is
sunlit, the rest is dark, lit only by occasional flashes of lightning
over the South Atlantic, and diffuse lights that might be cities.
2.6 Lord Redgrave And The Pyramid Of Doom
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As soon as the Astronef lands the passengers will probably want to go outside and explore; after all, that's what they're here for. The adventurers may want to set up a watch schedule to ensure that someone is always aboard the Astronef; Murgatroyd isn't planning to go outside in any case, preferring to spend his time working on the engines and the life support equipment. Lord Redgrave is prepared to go along with such a plan, but will question the need for excessive caution on a dead world. If the adventurers do insist on leaving another guard aboard the Astronef, don't try to fight it. If there is another NPC available he will volunteer; if one of the adventurers volunteers he will have to be dealt with later.
Murgatroyd's servicing will leave the Astronef incapable of flight without the replacement of a few components that only he and Lord Redgrave understand; if anyone has been planning to hijack the Astronef while everyone else is outside, this should stop them. Murgatroyd would give his life for "the master", and certainly won't be prepared to help fly the ship back to Earth and leave him marooned on the Moon!
As soon as the adventurers are on the surface Lord Redgrave suggests a group photograph, then formally plants a flag to claim the Moon for Britain. Since there is no wind, he has thoughtfully brought two poles and suspends the Union Jack between them. Once this ceremony is out of the way, and someone takes another photograph, it's time to get down to work.
Remember the limitations of breathing dress; with no drinking water supply, and no plumbing, the wearer must return to the ship every few hours. By then (or when you are ready) the Reverend Green will be ready for action, which is described in the next section.
Lord Redgrave wants to give top priority to the pyramid, but he knows that the newcomers will want to spend some time looking around before they get down to serious work. He suggests that it would be a good idea to put on breathing dress and spend an hour or so exploring the ruined city and getting used to Lunar gravity. He has slowly been reducing the Astronef's acceleration (and internal gravity) during the voyage, and the adventurers should already be accustomed to the fact that they can jump much higher, lift heavy objects, and so forth. See the worldbook section 4.0 for details of the effects of low gravity.
Before the explorers set out, Lord Redgrave lays out a few ground rules for safety; "Don't work alone, stay in sight of your partner and linked by telephone at all times, and remember that we can't hear you call for help if both of you run into trouble. Mark your route with paint or string. Watch out for cellars, wells, and pits; I didn't see any on the first expedition, but that doesn't mean that they aren't there. Some of the ruins might be dangerously weak, so take care if they look unsafe. And be back here in two hours, or we'll have to start looking for you."
Nothing especially interesting will be found in the surrounding buildings; they are Spartan in design, single-storey structures with a minimum of furniture and no ornaments. Some contain bones and pathetic scraps of crumbling cloth and wood, others are empty. All surfaces are covered in a thick smooth layer of dust, unmarred apart from occasional pock-marks left by tiny meteors. A common feature of most of the houses is a small ceramic tub, usually located near one of the entrances; the explorers will probably guess that it might have held water. The public buildings are a little more complex, but there are no obvious clues to their nature; one is crowned with a broken dome and has rows of stone benches; it might once have been a court, a church, or a school, but there is now no indication of its use. Another is divided into dozens of small empty doorless cubicles, each about four feet square, with a few larger rooms dotted apparently at random amongst the cubicles.
During their exploration at least one adventurer should run into trouble; the buildings don't have cellars, but some have shaky roofs and walls. Under Lunar gravity damage should be minimal, but accidents might easily sever suit-to-suit telephone cables or damage a backpack, or leave explorers trapped inside a building with no easy way of summoning help.
While the adventurers are exploring the town, Lord Redgrave (aided by Zaidie if present, and by anyone else who cares to help) makes a precise survey of the outside of the pyramid. It's four-sided, just over a thousand feet tall, with only one entrance in the exact middle of the base of the Western face. The entrance is about thirty feet wide and high, and is made of carefully dressed grey stone. To the limits of visibility the tunnel inside shows the same meticulous craftsmanship.
Sooner or later the party will enter the pyramid. 22_ADV2.GIF is a plan of the general structure, but the scale is too small to show many details. It is labelled with the names that Lord Redgrave will later give to its compartments. The pyramid feels bitterly cold when the adventurers leave the sunlight, but exertion and the insulation of the suits will soon compensate for the loss of heat. The tunnel slopes upwards, a 1 in 2 ramp (easy under Lunar gravity) leading to the first chamber of the pyramid.
The description of the pyramid that follows includes information that players can only determine by guesswork, deduction, and patient detective work; when describing things, leave it to the players to determine their function. For example, players might interpret the "stone tables with inset basins" described below as slaughter tables, with the basins used to collect blood. Knives and other utensils will probably be seen in the most sinister light possible. It isn't necessary for the adventurers to uncover every detail on this expedition; the pyramid will be visited again and again until all its archaeological secrets are uncovered, and will eventually become a popular tourist attraction.
The religion of this city was based on scarcity; the pyramid covers a complex of wells dug as the Moon lost its surface water. The priesthood was responsible for the supply of water to the city; in turn the city provided a workforce for the temple, and food for the priests and workers. As the Moon dried out, the quantity of water needed grew until the temple was barely supporting the population of the city. In the end the water supply failed accidentally; the chain used to haul up the workers and the water snapped, and no replacement was available - metal was also scarce. The priests had rope, but it wasn't strong enough to haul up the chain or the workers. They tried to maintain a water supply by lowering jugs on ropes, but the quantity that could be raised was tiny compared to the amount needed. Eventually the workers starved to death in the lower levels of the complex, while the priests and the city died of thirst.
All of the rooms marked on the chart are totally dark, apart from the lights the adventurers bring in. The chest lights worn by the team are directional, adequate to illuminate objects up to 30-40 ft away. They shine ahead in a cone about 60 degrees wide. This means that the nearest 10 ft or so of floor isn't illuminated, unless the wearer bends down. The design of the helmet also reduces the angle of vision considerably, while the position of the light on the chest means that adventurers who look off to one side will find that the light doesn't illuminate what they want to see, unless they twist their torso in the same direction. It's easy to trip over objects on the floor, especially since everything is covered with a layer of grey dust which softens the outline of obstacles and makes them harder to see.
All of the rooms shown on the plan have ceilings about 20 ft high, supported by dozens of stone pillars. For clarity the pillars have been omitted from the illustration.
Room 1, the "Temple", was built around and over the original well-head. It's a chamber about 350 ft square. The floor is littered with humanoid bones, many of them clad in elaborate copper and bronze regalia, inscribed with a complex pattern of wholly unintelligible markings. There are sixteen stone tables (not shown), each with a deep inset basin (carved out of the stone) and a large bronze ladle; they were formerly used for the ritual exchange of food for water, but are now, of course, completely dry, the food long since crumbled to dust. Nineteen bronze knives of various sizes and styles will be found if the floor and tables are searched; they were used to cut fruit and other foods, but players will probably suggest more sinister uses.
Directly under the apex of the pyramid is a shaft, about twenty feet square, leading down into the depths of the pyramid. A huge bronze pulley is suspended from the ceiling above the shaft, with a chain leading down into the depths and across the chamber to a massive eight-armed capstan. The capstan is stiff but can still be turned if the adventurers release a locking lever. In fact it seems to turn very easily; there is only fifty feet of chain left, ending in a broken link, and the shaft is several hundred feet deep. This can be determined by throwing a flare down the shaft. There are no obvious handholds in the rock of the shaft, but it isn't completely smooth.
Anyone trying to use climbing gear to descend the shaft will soon discover that the rock is very soft, on a par with pumice; it tends to crumble and break up as pitons take the weight of climbers. Fortunately this shouldn't be necessary; the adventurers have plenty of rope, and under Lunar gravity even several lengths tied together should be able to lift a ton or two. If anyone does try to climb and falls he is very likely to be killed.
Two archways at the back of the temple lead to smaller rooms:
Room 2, "Record Tablets", contains exactly that; thousands of slates, each marked with hundreds of cryptic symbols, stored in neat wooden racks. The slates are rationing records, lists comparing sacrifices and service to the temple, and the amount of water issued by the temple; there is a slate for each household in the city. If anything is moved the rack crumbles to dust, and the slates cascade to the floor. No other records were kept.
Room 3, "Map Chamber", is also correctly named. The North wall is decorated with an elaborate tiled mural showing the layout of the Moon as it must have been many hundreds of thousands of years ago. There are seas, rivers, and dozens of cities where now there is only airless desert. The map is centred on the pyramid, with distortion proportional to distance from the pyramid.
The South wall is an equally elaborate map of the Earth, drawn upside-down from the usual Terran maps, and is also distorted according to distance from an arbitrary starting point. The detail is no better than can be seen with the naked eye from the Moon, but there are several striking differences from modern geography; Britain is connected to the rest of Europe, and there is a small continent (or possibly a very large island) in the Atlantic between Europe and America. The land bridge suggests that the tiles were laid before the last Ice Age, the extra continent might be Atlantis. The centre of the map is a round bronze disk about four inches wide, which protrudes from the map on the coast of this continent. It's marked with engraved symbols, and is the only inscription on the map. Very patient linguistic analysis, taking several weeks, will suggest that the symbols might be vaguely similar to ancient Etruscan forms, and mean something like "Sea-gods home", more literally "Poseidonis".
Attempts to push or pull the disk won't work, but if it is turned very firmly (Difficulty 8) it will slowly unscrew. It's the top of a solid cylinder roughly 18 inches long with a triple left-hand thread. If it's unscrewed completely, and a crowbar or pickaxe handle is pushed into the hole thus revealed, a block of the wall just over 8 ft square pivots open. Behind it is a chamber containing a bronze sarcophagus, well-made but unornamented. The lid isn't locked. It holds a human skeleton; obvious differences in the size and shape of bones make it clear that they are not the remains of a Lunarian. The bones are fragile and will disintegrate if they are moved or disturbed in any way. The workmanship of the concealed door mechanism, the sarcophagus, and the screw are far superior to that seen elsewhere in the pyramid.
The East wall bears two smaller maps, one showing Mars (but with much wider oceans than exist today), the other a world which Lord Redgrave will recognise as a warmer version of Ganymede. The detail shown is extraordinary; for example, the map of Mars includes features that are only just visible with the largest Terrestrial telescope. No explanation will be found for this accuracy. Both maps have the North pole at the top, and use a mapping style similar to a Mercator projection, but differing in detail.
Players may guess some or all of the truth. This city was visited by explorers from ancient Atlantis, who were then in the process of colonising Mars and Ganymede. They befriended the natives, and created the maps of their new worlds, but realised that it was already much too late to make use of the Moon; the atmosphere and water would be exhausted in a few hundred years. While on the Moon an Atlantean died accidentally, and was buried in the temple. Many years later the Atlanteans' only graviton manufacturing plant was lost when Atlantis sank (the result of misguided experiments with concentrated G. gravitons), and the colonies subsequently lapsed into barbarism and forgot their origins.
The shaft from the temple leads down more than 600 ft to Room 4, marked as "Slave quarters" on the chart. It has been hewn through soft pumice-like rock. A crushed bronze lift cage lies below the shaft, twisted metal mingled with smashed bones and thousands of porcelain fragments, with endless yards of heavy chain on top of the wreckage, and the fragile remains of some long ropes on top of that. Apart from this wreckage the room contains thirty more skeletons, none of them wearing any regalia, and three more shafts. Two are smaller than the first, about ten feet wide and 250 ft deep, and end in a stratum of much harder rock. They are completely empty. The third is fifteen feet wide, and fitted with another windlass, pulley, and cage; this time the cage is still intact, and hangs level with the floor. The shaft is about 400 ft deep. Four or five Terrans can easily operate the windlass to lower one or two people to the depths. At these depths there is a little air, but it is much too cold to breathe, and very low in oxygen.
Room 5, the so-called "Treasure Chamber", will probably disappoint anyone who was expecting to find gems and jewels. It contains three wells, still holding a little water, each fitted with hand winches and bronze buckets. Stone tables bear neat lines of porcelain jugs, more than a thousand in all; they are empty. All are well-made and the same size (about 6.7 pints) and marked with a few symbols which correspond to those on one or another of the slates in the record chamber. Several more skeletons lie on the floor.
If you have especially mercenary players it may be necessary to remind
them that porcelain, especially of a completely unknown type, might be
valuable in its own right, and that these discoveries are an immense
advance in Lunar archaeology. If small numbers of jugs are sold on the
Terran antiques market they should raise £50-£100 (1D6+4 x £10) each.
If all of them were shipped back to Earth the sheer number would drive
the price down to a few pounds each! The bronze and copper artefacts
in the temple are also extremely valuable collectors items, worth
hundreds of pounds apiece; of course Lord Redgrave wants to give them
to the British Museum, and will be extremely annoyed if anything goes
missing.
2.7 The Spherical Heresy
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The Reverend Amos Green has waited patiently through the flight, and while the passengers have prepared to explore the Moon. He has even give the adventurers some time to get down to work. If the adventurers are enjoying their exploration of the pyramid, you may like to delay Green's intervention until they are nearly finished, and assume that Green hit his head during the flight and was deeply unconscious for two or three days.
Now Green is ready for action. He has the skill Brawling [7] and is armed with a length of lead pipe:
| Club | 1 attack, Effect BODY+1 [7], damage A:B, B:F, C:KO/K |
If an adventurer has been left aboard, in addition to Murgatroyd, take him to one side and ask him what he is doing, and where he is aboard the Astronef. Usual responses are "sitting in a deck-chair reading a book", "sleeping in my bunk", "keeping watch with binoculars", and so forth. Green's presence is initially announced by a metallic scraping noise as he slides open the hatch that covers the compartment where he is hiding. If there is an adventurer on the upper deck, Green crawls out on the other side of the bunks from him. If there is an adventurer anywhere else aboard, the noise is audible but the source isn't immediately obvious; it's loud enough to wake anyone who is asleep. Remind anyone who draws a gun that the upper deck has glass walls, and that it seems a bad idea to fire it. In fact the glass is a thick laminate of panes cemented using clear Canada balsam, a natural resin; a pistol bullet will break one or two layers, but won't shatter all the panes unless it is fired at point-blank range.
Once out of his hiding-place, Green looks for anyone left aboard. Anyone he encounters may be slightly surprised by the presence of a dishevelled maniacal pipe-wielding vicar. Green immediately attacks, using the pipe with all his strength, and will carry on fighting even if he is wounded; since there is a chance that anyone he hits will be killed, kind referees may prefer to assume that he pulls his blows just enough to cause a knock-out instead.
If Green is overcome at this stage his part in the adventure is probably over, but if he is alive there is always a chance that he will escape from wherever he is imprisoned and cause more damage. Find out exactly how the adventurers intend to keep him prisoner; the Astronef doesn't have a brig, and the only easily locked parts of the ship are the airlock, Murgatroyd's cabin (which contains tools and has a hatch which a sufficiently determined fanatic might be able to open), the lavatory and bathroom (containing some nasty photographic chemicals), and the night cabin. He might also try a little creative sabotage, such as blowing a fuse or starting a fire.
Usually Green will overpower anyone left aboard; any NPCs (such as Murgatroyd) are overcome automatically. His prisoners are pushed into the airlock (making sure that there are no breathing dresses left inside), and the inner hatch is closed and bolted shut. Once this is done Green returns to the upper deck, equips himself with a pad of paper and a soft crayon, and waits for the adventurers to return.
Green believes that the Earth is flat, and that Lord Redgrave is fully aware of "the truth" but has been faking evidence of the Earth's roundness. Certainly the Earth looks round from the Astronef, but that's because the Sun is only illuminating a small portion of the surface of a flat world. Spotlights cast round beams, why shouldn't the Sun? Green wants to make Lord Redgrave admit that he lied in front of witnesses; once that is done he will readily surrender. Since he isn't a fool, he wants the confession in writing, and he wants to make completely sure that Redgrave can't get at him first. One or more innocents trapped in the airlock should make Redgrave give in to reason.
As soon as anyone approaches the Astronef, Green uses a shaving mirror to reflect light into his eyes to attract his attention, then holds up his first sign "I have locked Murgatroyd [and anyone else he has caught] in the airlock without breathing dress. Do not try to use it. Get Lord Redgrave!"
Once Redgrave has arrived, or someone pretends that he is Lord Redgrave, Green holds up another sign. "The Earth Is Flat. Admit your part in the Great Lie, and I will let you back inside."
Negotiations can last as long as you like; Green isn't in any hurry, and isn't willing to settle for anything less than an abject confession of guilt. Lord Redgrave is carrying the pad and pencil he used to record details of the pyramid, and everyone should be carrying small blackboards, so it should be easy to reply. Green is perfectly willing to explain his ideas, and the referee may wish to quote arguments in favour of the idea that the Earth is flat. They are summarised in the appendix, section 2.A below.
There are three main possibilities for ending the "siege":
Smashing the glass won't be easy. It will take a pickaxe blow to break it, and the remains of the pane will then explode outwards with great force:
| Exploding window | Radius 4 ft, Effect 12, damage A:F, B:I, C:C/K |
Remember that any wound is made worse by vacuum.
A less dangerous way of getting inside is to put two or three of Lord Redgrave's photographic flares against the glass, break the tubes, and stand well back. The sudden heat will crack the pane; explosive decompression still occurs, but this allows a few moments to get clear of the flying glass.
If the broken glass is removed completely, and the outer shutter is closed and caulked with putty then tar, it will hold air, allowing the entire ship to be brought back up to partial pressure for the return flight. The repair won't be completely successful; air will continue to leak out, reducing endurance to 24 hours. Alternatively the upper deck can be shut off from the rest of the ship by closing two airtight doors; this leaves everyone crammed into the lower deck but endurance is better.
Any attempt to make a smaller hole (for example, by using a pickaxe to knock a hole in the steel hull) must get past armour plate and several layers of insulation, tar, and wood. The attack will be countered by Green, who will have ample time to put a putty patch over the hole.
For fairly obvious reasons Lord Redgrave will regard any of these solutions as a last resort. In the long term they make Green into a martyr, and hundreds of people will eventually flock to this irrational cause.
The disadvantage of this idea is that Lord Redgrave is very much a man of his word, and is not eager to sign such a farrago of nonsense. If he is somehow persuaded to sign it, he will keep to the exact letter of the agreement; the statement will appear in 12 newspapers, accompanied by a disclaimer stating that it was signed under duress, and explaining the exact circumstances; Lord Redgrave will publish no more atlases, but will supply free aerial photographs to any publisher who wishes to use them; and he will bring dozens of civil charges against Green and his fellow cultists, and encourage everyone else on the expedition to follow suit at his expense. Ultimately Green and his followers will be totally discredited, but it will be a long and complicated process. Anyone who suggests an alternative will earn Lord Redgrave's gratitude.
If this happens Green dictates the same confession, and the fake signs it. Once the adventurers are aboard they can capture Green and do what they like; he will submit peacefully so long as they pretend that he really has Lord Redgrave's confession, but will try to escape and sabotage the ship if he learns the truth. Once back on Earth he can be discredited completely, and treated as a criminal lunatic who was taken in by a deception that a child could spot. Lord Redgrave will be very happy with this solution, but won't think of it for himself.
It is unlikely that the adventurers can come up with an alternative plan that stands a chance of working. Green isn't a fool; he's a fanatic, and won't easily be conned in any other way. Attempts to persuade him that he is mistaken should be very difficult indeed. Appeals to reason will certainly fail, but theological arguments, or a suggestion that his attitude is unchristian, might possibly succeed. This should not be determined by a dice roll, but by sustained argument and convincing role playing.
Once Green has been dealt with the adventurers may be in a hurry to
return to Earth, especially if the Astronef is leaking like a sieve,
or may want to spend more time on the Moon. To avoid an anticlimax you
may prefer to get the adventurers back to Earth quickly; one
possibility, especially if Green has been tricked, is a suggestion
(which may even be correct) that he might have planted a bomb
somewhere aboard the Astronef.
2.8 Rewards
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The most likely reward for this adventure is scientific acclaim. Lord Redgrave is already immensely popular, and is about to be awarded the Nobel prize for Physics; he is quite happy to share the glory of this expedition with his fellow-explorers.
Award bonus points for the following achievements:
Do not award bonus points for killing Green; this is the worse possible outcome to this problem.
If any of the adventurers already work for Lord Redgrave (as suggested in the first adventure), this is possibly a good moment to start training them for a career in space.
If the expedition was successful, anyone who already has the Pilot skill and wishes to receive full flight training for space can have it for the asking; Lord Redgrave will be delighted to pay their expenses if they do not work for him. Bonus points can also be spent to improve the skill if desired, using the normal dice rolls. Anyone who does not have this skill, but has the necessary bonus points and wants to acquire it, can spend six months or so attempting to learn to fly.
If the expedition was a fiasco Lord Redgrave will not be happy. He's not going to hold unjust grudges, but anyone who has earned his displeasure may live to regret it. He can make it difficult or impossible to earn a living in space. That won't stop characters who are independently wealthy, but it can certainly slow anyone else.
Finally, their experiences on the Moon may have given the adventurers
some ideas on improvements to Lord Redgrave's breathing dress. They
might patent them, or simply tell Lord Redgrave and hope that he'll
remember the favour.
2.9 Further Adventures
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Was Green really just a lone fanatic, or was he working for powerful interests who want to see space travel discredited? Just how did he get aboard - is there a traitor somewhere in Lord Redgrave's company? It's up to you to decide.
Evidence that Atlantis existed should be the cue for a rush to explore the bed of the Atlantic. Accurate copies of the Lunar map should be worth a good deal in the right hands. And just what was Poseidonis? A city? A graviton factory? Or something completely different and alien? The exact size and location of Atlantis has purposefully been left vague; find a reasonably large map and decide where you want to put it. One hint: an extremely nice map was provided in early editions of Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu RPG, and it's worth remembering that some of the nastier monsters of that particular mythos are reputed to live in the sea...
The pyramid is huge, the volume inside it occupied by its chambers is
relatively small. One secret chamber has been found. Is there more to
it, a secret network of corridors and chambers that hasn't yet been
discovered? Is it the only significant archaeological site on the
Moon? There's plenty of scope for further investigation.
2.A Appendix: The Flat Earth
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The idea of the Flat Earth was widely held by primitive societies, but disproved reasonably conclusively by the ancient Greeks. For some reason the early Christians found the idea of a spherical earth repugnant, and for many centuries the idea was considered heretical. Early astronomers rediscovered the Greek proofs, and added more evidence. Eventually the idea became accepted scientific fact, and the Flat Earth was discarded as a mistaken theory. Naturally it soon attracted a moderately large following. The idea seems to have been at its most popular in the later Victorian years, when there were Flat Earth societies in most nations. Its popularity waned as balloons, aircraft, and rockets proved that the world was indeed a sphere, but it has never entirely died out.
Briefly, the main premises of the Flat Earth theory are as follows:
Religious
Logical
Counter-Arguments
Q: It's possible to see ships disappear over the horizon: doesn't that prove that the surface is curved?
Q: How do you explain the fact that ships have sailed around the world?
Q: Experiments on large flat bodies of water, such as long stretches of a canal, have shown that the surface curves to match the idea of a spherical world. How can your theory be correct?
Q: If you point a camera at the sky and leave the shutter open, the motion of the Earth shows each star as a line. Doesn't this prove that the Earth rotates.
Q: Space travellers aboard the Astronef have seen the Earth as a sphere; aviators and balloonists have seen the surface as curved. How do you explain that?
The summary above incorporates ideas from several different versions
of this theory, all sharing the same ideas but differing in details
such as the location of the Poles, the nature of the Sun and Moon
(usually extremely small and a few thousand miles above the Earth),
the movements of the stars, and so forth.
3.0 Adventure 3: The Wright Stuff
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September 1904. By now adventurers with the Pilot skill automatically know how to fly spacecraft. Characters may own ships, but they are very expensive (multiply construction costs by 4 for a small spacecraft, by 3 for a large design). Some equipment, such as Tesla-Westinghouse engines, is not yet available. The nova Lilla-Zaidie is nearing Jupiter, and is brighter than any planet in the sky.
On December 17th 1903 bicycle manufacturers Wilbur and Orville Wright first flew their powered aircraft Flyer I. In another world this might have attracted attention; in this one, which has already seen several flights to the Moon, their experiments have gone virtually unnoticed. Nine months later they have set up a flying competition near Dayton, Ohio, which is attracting considerably more attention.
The adventurers are people who might have some reason to be interested in the competition; journalists, cameramen (the first proper newsreels have yet to be made, but there is already great interest in footage of unusual events), sportsmen, gamblers, inventors, hired pilots, investors, hot dog vendors, security guards, or the idle rich.
Unlike the other adventures in this collection, The Wright Stuff
outlines some events that happen in and around Dayton, Ohio, during
the week of the competition, describes some NPCs, and leaves players
free to do as much, or as little, as they like. There is no plot, in
the sense of an all-encompassing scheme of events, but there are a few
running jokes and subplots.
3.1 Players' Information
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"I see, sir, that there is to be a flying competition in this area next week."
My man Jeeves is an amazing chap. Put him down on a desert island, and within hours he'd know what was going on for hundreds of miles around. There we were, riding a train through the depths of Ohio, of all places, and he was right on top of things. "How the deuce do you know that, Jeeves? Been eating fish again?"
"No, sir, it's in this newspaper." He held the thing up. It was the usual type of rag you see in these out-of-the-way places; pictures of burning haystacks and outlaws, advertisements for patent medicine, circuses, lynchings, and so on. "There, sir." He pointed at the headline, which didn't mean much to me.
"'WRIGHT BROTHERS CHALLENGE THE WORLD', is that what you mean?"
"Yes, sir. The Wright brothers have built a so-called aeroplane, a glider propelled by an internal combustion engine. I believe that it utilises Bernoulli's principle to fly."
"What, not the jolly old R. force, or those levitating magnetic carriages they use on Ganymede?"
"No, sir. It's more like the machines designed by Da Vinci, I believe."
"The artist chap?"
"The same, sir. He was also an engineer."
"A real Renaissance man."
"I believe that the phrase may have been coined to describe him, sir. To return to the Wright brothers, apparently the machine they have designed is considerably cheaper than other systems. Now they are claiming that it has other advantages, and are offering a thousand dollars to anyone whose flying machine can beat theirs around an obstacle course. The competition is apparently intended to attract investors."
"Anyone taking them up on it?"
"Lord Redgrave, also Monsieur Santos-Dumont, Professor Tesla, and Mister Edison. And others the newspaper doesn't name."
"Hmm, sounds fun. Might be a few bob in it if we back the right horse, so to speak, someone's bound to be running a book. I say... Aunt Agatha isn't expecting to see us back in New York for a couple of weeks. We'll stop off for a few days!"
"I have already taken the liberty of reserving rooms, sir."
Yes, no doubt about it; an absolutely amazing chap.
3.2 Referee's Summary
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As well as conquering space, the R. force seems to herald the true dawn of the air age. Unfortunately there are snags; while R. force craft are strong, reliable, and reasonably manoeuvrable, they are also extremely expensive, and currently the smallest ship costs about half a million pounds ($2.5 million). It might eventually be possible to build a cheap simplified flyer for use in the air, but for the moment all R. matter and R. graviton production is committed to larger projects, such as warships and the exploration of space.
Airships are the only tested rivals, but they are unlikely to succeed. They are expensive, big, dangerous, and handle poorly. Liners and freighters would cost nearly as much as R. force machines, smaller vehicles are impractical. Santos-Dumont has built a series of one-man hydrogen dirigibles, but they are very bulky; since a cubic yard of hydrogen lifts about two pounds, and the gas bag and engines add weight, even a one-man machine must be huge. His machines have a top speed of ten to fifteen miles an hour.
A few Ganymedan magnetic flyer engines were imported by Lord Redgrave's last expedition. The public expects to see flyers on sale soon, but Redgrave (and his associates Tesla and Westinghouse) have run into problems. The engines were designed for low gravity and Ganymede's strong magnetic field, and are dangerously unstable on Earth. Tesla's prototype flyer crashed during its first test flight, killing the pilot. It's impossible to think of selling them until the problems are solved. Recently Edison announced that he also intends to build flyers, but claims that he'll be able to develop the engines on Earth. He's raised nearly a million dollars on the strength of this announcement, but most experts are very scept
