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The Transactions Campaign: The ARI Strikes Back

by Jon Bahls and Mark Clark

Summary

The players are asked by the Governor General to investigate why aerial flyers carrying Bhutan Spice from the Boreosyrtis League have been disappearing. The players travel to the League on a Royal Navy warship, learn about the spice trade, and then set sail for the return to Syrtis Major. On the way back, they are ambushed by a zeppelin flying the ARI flag. The zeppelin uses an anti-liftwood ray to cause the player's ship to crash. The players escape by parachute, but are captured by a Hill Martian tribe. The tribe is mad at them because the Red Men have occupied the temple of their ancestors and their land is drying up. It is clear that the temple is actually a pumping station for the canal network, and that the ARI is stealing the power to run their anti-liftwood ray. The players must convince the tribe of their innocence, and break into the temple to foil the ARI's plans. The adventure climaxes with the explosive destruction of the anti-liftwood ray.

The Story So Far

Our Intrepid group of adventurers has been through a lot since their arrival on Mars. Kidnapped by the notorious Fenian Colonel Ian O'Reilly of the Army of the Republic of Ireland (the ARI) just prior to their arrival on the etherliner Majestic, the group discovered the Golden Pyramid of Na-AlepAkoth during their escape. Their subsequent explorations of the pyramid were interrupted by O'Reilly, but not before they had discovered evidence of ancient Martian technology and visitors from the planet Vulcan (the previous fifth planet, now an asteroid belt). After their return from the Golden Pyramid expedition, the players soon became involved in an investigation of gun-running, which climaxed in the fiendish ARI plot to blow up the Syrtis Major Cathedral. The players managed to foil the ARI and prevent the destruction of the Cathedral. As this adventure opens, it is about a month after the saving of the Cathedral.

Most of the players time during that month will have been taken up with official matters. Any ARI members the players captured will stand trial, and the players will be asked to testify. The players will be happy to know that their efforts have put a major crimp in Colonel O'Reilly's plans, since the discovery of the Cathedral Plot also resulted in the capture of most of O'Reilly's agents in Syrtis Major, though unfortunately not O'Reilly himself. As a result, the players are now the most popular men in the Crown Colony and are known and welcome in the highest circles of government. If the referee desires, this popularity might manifest itself in game terms in the form of marriage proposals, gifts of money, offers of investment opportunities and constant press attention (the Syrtis Star will be very persistent), all of which might lead to minor adventure possibilities. In any case, by the time this issue's adventure begins, public attention will have turned to other things, what with the Oenotrian War heating up again and all, and the players will just be getting ready to enjoy their first free day in weeks when Major McGrath, Lord Herring, and Victor Hatherly receive a summons from the Governor General. Dreading another invitation to a formal ball, the group is pleasantly surprised to learn that they are wanted for business, not pleasure.

The Assignment

The players who were asked to meet with the Governor General will be shown in directly. There they are joined by Lord Crumshaw-Pierce, the British Naval Attache, and Sir Robert Figbottom, head of the Hypernian Basin Trading Company. A successful moderate roll against Observation will reveal that Lord Crumshaw-Pierce is very unhappy to be here, and seems almost hostile. This is in marked contrast to Figbottom, who will greet the players heartily and seems quite happy to see them. After introductions and drinks all around, the Governor General explains that he has a bit of a problem and would like the players help. The players no doubt will express an interest, and at that point the Governor will turn the meeting over to Figbottom.

Sir Robert will explain that the Hypernian Basin Trading Company (HBTC) has recently taken over the British Government's trading monopoly on Bhutan Spice. HBTC picks up the spice from the city of Meroe in the Boreosyrtis League and transports it by aerial flyer to Syrtis Major, where it is put up for auction. Most of the spice is purchased by companies from Earth, and the spice is then loaded in ether flyers for shipment to that planet. The problem is that no HBTC ships have arrived from Meroe in the last six weeks. Shipments from Meroe are irregular, but at least two ships should have arrived by this time, and Sir Robert is worried and has asked for government help.

The Governor General will take over again and explain that Her Majesty's government has decided to grant Sir Robert's request and send the aerial flyer Vindication (a Triumph-class aerial cruiser; see page 33 of Cloudships and Gunboats) to Meroe to investigate. Since the Bhutan Spice treaty is a centerpiece of British diplomacy on Mars and is of utmost importance, the Governor General has decided he needs men of proven ability along to investigate the matter. The players are the ones he has selected. At this point, Lord Crumshaw-Pierce, whose face has been getting redder and redder, will burst out, objecting in the strongest terms that this is most irregular, not to mention insulting to the honor of the British Navy. He will then go on to point out that the Vindication is needed at the Oenotrian front, and that no good will come of submitting to the whims of common businessmen. Sir Figbottom will take great exception to this last remark, and the two men will start yelling at one another and will quickly come to blows if the players do not intervene.

Eventually the Governor General will get everything sorted out and the two men calmed down. He and the others will then answer any questions the players might have, after which the players will be instructed to report to the Vindication early the next morning. As the players leave the Governor General's office, Sir Robert will accompany them. He offers to buy them lunch at the Bradley House (see description later in this issue), and over food he will inform them that HBTC will be most grateful for their assistance, and if they are successful the company will go out of its way to make HBTC stock available to them at a bargain rate. Also, he gives the players a letter signed by the Governor General authorizing them to transport the next shipment of Bhutan Spice aboard the Vindication back to Syrtis Major.

After lunch, the players are then free to spend the rest of the day purchasing equipment or making inquiries. If they contact any of their acquaintances from previous adventures, they will learn nothing, unless they talk with the businessman Lionel Tyler (see Transactions #2) or the detective Horace Manning (see Transactions #3). Tyler is very familiar with the Bhutan Spice trade (he has bid for the British government contract more than once), and he can tell the players the information in the article "The Bhutan Spice Trade" this issue. Manning is less familiar with the spice trade (he knows only the information on pages172­3 of the Space: 1889 rulebook), but he does know that the local office of the German Trading Council always receives a coded telegram from the city of Gorovaan several days before shipments of Bhutan Spice arrive. Two such telegrams have arrived in the last three weeks. If the players ask Figbottom about this, he will tell them that HBTC ships do not travel through Gorovaan.

The next morning the players should report bright and early to the Vindication at the Syrtis Major high docks just north of the city. There they will be greeted by Captain Reginald Wallingford, the ship's commander. In contrast to Crumshaw-Pierce, Captain Wallingford appears to be pleased to meet the players, but that impression is colored by the fact that he seems to be very much in a hurry. As soon as the group is on board, he will weigh anchor and make all possible speed for Meroe. If asked about the possibility of stopping in Gorovaan, Wallingford will tell them that he has been ordered to take the players directly to Meroe, remain there for no more than one week, and then return directly to Syrtis Major. He is sorry for any inconvenience, but the threat of a new Oenotrian offensive means that the Vindication must return as soon as possible.

After meeting the Captain, everyone will be shown to their quarters. Lord Herring and Major McGrath will have their own cabins, while Victor Hatherly will be bunked with one of the midshipmen. The Sgt. Major, Wentworth, and Mr. Smith share accommodations with the crew. After their bags are put away, the group will be asked to report on deck for parachute training. There they will each be issued a parachute and will be instructed how to put it on (see the article "Parachutes" in this issue for details). Lord Herring will no doubt immediately wish to test his parachute by jumping over the side milk this for as much humor as possible.

Unless the referee desires, the trip to Meroe is otherwise uneventful, and the players encounter no other ships. If your players like the game Sky Galleons of Mars, you might let them encounter and beat up on some poor pirate (its not often that the players will get to play with a Triumph-class ship, after all). After leaving behind Syrtis Major and the pushti fruit plantations just outside the city, the land rises as the ship travels north. Halfway between Syrtis Major and the Parhoon-Gorovaan canal the players will see the dramatic Haattaahor cliffs that separate the ancient sea-bottom fertile lowlands around Syrtis Major from the harsh upland steppe of Mars' former continents. The steppe ends at the Parhoon-Gorovaan canal, beyond which ranges the Astusapes Highlands, home of the savage High Martians and their liftwood groves. Beyond the Astusapes is the Meroe desert, broken only by the dead Meroe-Sigeus Portus canal, which appears just before the city of Meroe itself. The Vindication will be met by a very efficient Hullcutter-class screw galley of the Boreosyrtis League navy, and directed to land at the diplomatic section of Meroe's high docks

The Spice Trade

The visit to Meroe will not be very productive. The referee can allow the players considerable freedom during this part of the adventure, as there is little they can do that will affect the later course of events. Allow the players learn about how the spice trade is conducted (see the article "The Spice Plantations" in this issue), preferably as the result of some investigative work. They will also learn that the Germans and the French are maneuvering to break into the spice trade, and that the loss of any more shipments will probably mean that the British government will have to share the Bhutan Spice contract. Although there is a Prince of Meroe, the players will soon learn that all of the political power in the League is held by the Hereditary Merchants Association, to which all Bhutan Spice traders belong. Eight families rotate the chairmanship of the association, and the current chairman favors the British. However, if shipments continue to go astray, he will be forced to resign and a German-supported candidate is next in line to succeed him. This should serve to motivate the characters to do their best.

The only other clue is that the German Merchants Association sends a fast (speed 8) aerial flyer to Gorovaan with prices at the same time the ship carrying the spice leaves. This accounts for the telegrams that the German Merchants Association in Syrtis Major is getting. The German ship also alerts Dr. McIntosh (see below) that the spice shipment is on its way.

After their seven days are up, the players can load the latest spice shipment on the Vindication and leave for Syrtis Major.

The ARI Strikes

After loading the consignment of spice, the players can head for Syrtis Major. The journey is uneventful until they reach the Astusapes Highlands. The players' afternoon nap is interrupted by the ringing of the signal for battle stations. The group has just enough time to get on their parachutes and get up on deck, where they are issued rifles from the ship's locker. The players soon see the reason for the excitement. Bearing down on them is a small (hull size 2) dirigible of German design, armed to the teeth and flying the ARI's colors (a green shamrock on a field of red red for the English blood they wish to spill). The players will see that the zeppelin is signaling them, and the ship's signalman will be heard to say "Sir, they are sending 'Heave to and prepare to be boarded!'" The Captain laughs, says "They certainly have some cheek", and orders the signalman to transmit a request for surrender. At this point, the players will notice that an odd-looking device is being lowered from the passenger compartment of the zeppelin. Just as they are about to point out to the Captain that the rather ominous-looking dish is being pointed at the Vindication, the players will see the flash of an electrical discharge from the device. Immediately, they will feel the Vindication dropping, just as if the lifters had been set for a rapid descent. The trimsman will scream "The levers ain't respond'n!" The Captain will order the players to abandon ship, as he and the crew try frantically to repair the lifters. Resolve the parachute jumps using the rules given in the parachute article in this issue. A successful Moderate observation roll on the way down hanging from a parachute allows the player to notice several sailors trying to use a lifelog to escape the ship. It appears that the liftwood of the lifelog has no lift, and the crewmen fall to their deaths. A successful quick roll versus Intellect will allow the players to deduce that the zeppelin's ray destroyed the anti-gravity quality of the ship's liftwood.

Out of the Frying Pan...

As the players drift down, the ship crashes and the ARI ship proceeds to machine gun the survivors. If the players wish to take small arms shots allow them, but it will make no difference for the crew of their ship. It will, however, draw the attention of the ARI ship which will return fire with a Maxim gun. Fortunately, the ARI gunners are not very accurate. Shots rip through the parachutes jerking the players about a bit, but doing no harm. The players will drift down into a chasm running north and south. On landing the players should make agility checks to avoid sprained ankles and the like (see the parachute rules in the next article). If there was an exchange of fire earlier, the ARI ship will move in to finish them off with its machine guns, otherwise the players will see the ARI ship head north. In the chasm, the players will find an abundance of cover and after a few minutes of firing the ARI ship will leave, heading north. Climbing out of the chasm will require several Formidable mountaineering task rolls. If they do, they can go to their ship and recover whatever gear you deem reasonable that they can carry (remember the ship fell a long way so glass and delicate machinery, i.e. machine guns, should be damaged beyond repair). The players would know that to the north they saw some vegetation, and that the canal is a fair distance to the west over rough terrain. To the south and east are unknown, but probably mountains and/or desert. If the players go south, the chasm will eventually open out into the Martian desert. Discourage the players from making the trek across the desert to the canal by pointing out that they do not have enough water. Going west to the canal should be handled the same way. If they stay where they are, the Martians will come to investigate the crash after a couple of days and bring them to trial. Heading east there is nothing but desert.

The Four Holy Rituals of Death

Going north, the players will reach a vegetated area after a day of travel. During the night they will be surprised and captured by the local Martians. If the players insist upon resisting against overwhelming numbers let the blows fall where they may, although there should be plenty of Martians to overwhelm the players. The Martians will try using captured players as hostages until everyone is captured. The Martians speak Koline and Parhooni. They will take the party to the tribal elders for judgment. All of the tribe will gather and an elder will state the crime and the punishments to be considered.

"The red men have defiled the holy place. We have seen them there and the gods anger. The land dries and our crops die. Alas, we cannot go there and make war upon the accursed red men as the gods have forbidden any to go to the sacred source of water. We must give appropriate sacrifice to the gods that they may drive out the accursed red men and fertility will return to our lands. There are four holy rites which are known to appease the gods. In the first, the wrongdoers are placed in the Pit of Nylah and rocks are dropped until the gods take their souls. In the second, they are tied to the pyre of Galnick and remain until the Eye of Galnick sees the sun and Galnick bursts out with joy to accept the sacrifice. In the third, they are taken to the pool of Knoven where his servant shall take them to eternal enslavement beneath the water. The last rite proscribes that the wrongdoers shall be given the leaf of the Yenarship bush. Then a hole shall be bore through their skull and their brains will be taken to Ahlen that they may do no more harm with their evil thoughts."

At appropriate times in his presentation, the elder will point to a nearby pit, a pile of wood and a large, mounted lens, a trail leading to the northwest, and a nearby bush with orange berries. The lens is used to start a fire with the sun's rays to burn the victim at the stake. Those making formidable biology rolls will recognize the Yenarship bush as one producing an opium-like effect. All may speak in their defense though only those speaking in Parhooni will be understood. Koline is a trade language and does not have appropriate vocabulary, except to try to buy off the villagers which will not count in their favor. Eloquence rolls should be made if the players try to convince the villagers of their innocence. The level of success required should depend on what points the players make in their favor (such as coming from the south) and their previous relations with the Martians (i.e. did they kill any Martians). If they should succeed they will be required to drive the evil red men from the holy site to show that they have the gods' favor. The villagers will give the players whatever supplies they have available and help get equipment from the crashed ship if asked. They will guide the players to the holy site, but will not go any further. If convicted, the players will be sacrificed at the pool of Knoven since the villagers feel the return of the water supply is of paramount importance. During the trial the villagers will answer any questions that they feel are relevant to the trial. The holy site is assumed to be central to the trial and as such the Martians will answer whatever questions they can about it. They only know what can be seen from the outside at a distance. They have seen the coming and going of the zeppelin, which is distinctly different from all other aerial flyers they have ever seen.

...Into the Fire

If the party is to be sacrificed they will taken and tied to posts by the pool of Knoven. All the equipment they were captured with (including weapons!) will be left with them as all of it is part of the sacrifice. The bonds can be escaped with an impossible strength or agility check (either breaking the bonds or slipping out of them). The players will get one attempt to escape before the knoe shoshu comes forth from the pool. Try to make this as horrifying as possible, sanity checks would be made if this were Call of Cthulhu! The knoe shoshu will attempt to pacify its dinner with its sting and then take them all to be stashed in the culvert. Gunfire or shouts in a European language will bring investigation from the guards. The guards will take the players prisoner if they think they can (most of the players are still tied to posts), otherwise they will go for reinforcements. It will take five minutes for reinforcements to arrive. The knoe shoshu will retreat at the sight of the guards. If the players do not manage to leave before the arrival of the reinforcements, they will be asked to surrender. Make it very clear the players are outnumbered and outgunned. If the players choose to resist, shoot the offending character(s) once or twice and demand their surrender. If they can't take this hint they deserve whatever happens to them. If they manage to escape without attracting the guards attention let them roam where they may. If they get taken by the knoe shoshu they will awake feeling quite ill (reduce all skills by one die for a few hours) in the culvert beside the grating in a couple of inches of water.

If the players are coming to the site without being sacrificed, they be able to find three entrances. One at the guard room, one at the lab/hangar, and the final one at the culvert. The door at the guard room is a heavy iron one with a bar on the inside and cannot be broken down or into. If the players make noise at the door, the guards will take a peek through the slot. One of the guards will demand to know who they are (in German) while the other goes for reinforcements. If they try to bluff their way in, the guard will let them in and the players will be captured by the reinforcements. If they run away no pursuit will be given. At the door by the lab/hangar the players will note a pair of rails (as in railroad) are covered in sand and going out 100 yards. Astute players will be able to identify them as German made rails. If they make any significant noise the same thing will happen. The culvert is guarded by the knoe shoshu.

Dinner between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sky

If they are captured, they will be taken to dinner with Dr. McIntosh (after their weapons are confiscated). Dinner will be served in the dining room/library. There is a book shelf containing several scientific reference books, as well as Dr. McIntosh's notes. There is also a locked desk in addition to the dining room paraphernalia. Dr. Lisa McIntosh was once one of the brightest chemists in Scotland, making many useful discoveries. When liftwood was discovered she conducted investigations into how it worked and became quite knowledgeable about gravity and ether as well. Using some chemicals extracted from molds found on Venus she came up with a way to render liftwood useless. Seeing the enormous potential for such a discovery she submitted proposals to the British Navy to conduct research on a weapon. The British Navy did not approve of the idea. They had just started to like their aerial flyers and such a weapon would be potentially devastating to their fleet, while leaving the German zeppelins untouched. However, Dr. McIntosh persisted until an old captain told her, "Look here you silly bitch, the British Navy does not need any outlandish ideas from any women, no matter how many fancy degrees they might have. Now bugger off!" Stung by this sharp rebuke, it is still possible she might have recovered and made other contributions to science and the British Empire (God save the Queen). Alas, Col. O'Reilly had heard of the idea through his spies and met with her the next day. He has twisted her into a cold, vindictive woman who hates, above all else, Her Majesty's Navy. Now Dr. McIntosh has dreams of perfecting her anti-liftwood ray and destroying the British Navy. Col. O'Reilly has assured her that once the ray is proven effective, they will give it to the Germans to destroy the British Navy. Whether or not he really will is irrelevant for the scenario since she believes it. At dinner, she will tell the characters her story. Of course, the Navy will be cast in a very poor light and Col. O'Reilly (Ian to her) as an understanding benefactor. Anyone wearing a naval uniform will be ignored throughout dinner (to the extent of not being served). If they should try to speak Dr. McIntosh will address them formally by rank and ask pleasantly, "Do you see a ship?" Upon a negative response she will shout, "Then keep your fool mouth shut!" Any further interruptions from anyone wearing a naval uniform will result in guards coming and taking that character to their cell. She will finish her story by describing her grandiose dreams and the gleeful statement, "The fools, I'll destroy them all!" Upon finishing her story she will be very pleasant and answer whatever questions she can, especially those concerning the operation and details of her anti-liftwood ray since, "Ian is very kind, but he has no mind for scientific things." Inquiry about the attacks upon the spice trade will get the response that it is just a testing ground for better and greater things to come later. (Ideally, this should start out mildly and rapidly rise to a sort of Hitler-like fervor, if it can be done in a female voice with a Scottish accent. Afterwards she will be pleasant once again. Sort of Jekyll and Hyde.) As to their fate, she will respond, "Oh, I expect Ian will come and get you." Beyond that she has no knowledge or interest. After dinner the players will be taken to their cell. Any attempt to steal silverware or the like will succeed on an Easy crime task. See the map at the end of the article for the location of the rooms described below.

The Cell

The cell is carved out of natural stone and has a heavy wooden door with a slot in it which is used to pass the players food. Careful examination of the cell will reveal a small hole (about three inches in diameter) in the back. Steady work will enlarge the hole to something the players can slip through into the culvert after about a day. The players will be ignored by the guards except for bringing them food twice a day. If the players stay put they will be rescued in two weeks by the Hoover Expedition (after the day is won) and returned to Syrtis Major.

The Culvert

The culvert is, in the end, the only way in and out of the complex without overwhelming opposition. The walls are rough hewn stone and the water is ankle deep for the entire length. It is blocked by a steel grate which is old and rusted. An Impossible Strength task will break it off its mountings. The culvert is wide enough so three characters may combine their dice. Any significant noise will bring the knoe shoshu to investigate unless it has already been killed. The culvert leads to the pumping area.

The Pumping Area

This room has four great screws in it, each three feet in diameter and going through the floor and the ceiling. Water is obviously being drawn up by each of the screws. If the characters wish they can climb up the screw and peek through the ceiling to the room above. They will be able to see that extra gears (complete with Krupp stamps on them) have been added to the power train and are obviously loading down the system. Note that the fit between the screw and the ceiling is very tight and will shear off anything put between them (characters without thumbs will be keenly aware of this). This means the system cannot be jammed. In the back corner there is a small region where the floor goes down about a foot. Anyone putting their hand in will note water flowing out a number of small holes in the sides. Nearby, a watertight door is closed and sealed, but can easily be opened. It leads to the stairway going up to the power room.

The Power Room

This room is dominated by a large metallic doughnut. There are a fair number of rusting tools stuck to the doughnut. Any character who touches the doughnut with something made of iron or steel will not be able to remove it. The metal is unknown, but obviously highly magnetic. It can be marked if the characters have anything hard made of something besides iron (diamonds being an ideal choice). If they watch for a while, the marks they make will gradually soften and disappear. Next to the doughnut is a large box covered with gumme. The box has a turning aluminum shaft running out of it over to the gear room. A door leads to the gear room.

The Gear Room

This room lies directly above the pumping area. It has a shaft coming in from the power room which powers everything through a series of gears. Quite a number are of German manufacture and have been recently installed. This will be obvious to anyone who takes more than a casual glance at the gears. The room also has a couple of large electric generators being powered by the gear system, also of German manufacture. The generators are obviously loading down the system. If the generators are shut down (or sabotaged), the screws going through the floor to the pumping area will start turning much more quickly. This will also bring investigation by two guards with a couple of lanterns. Any noise in this area will go unnoticed in the rest of the complex.

The Lab/Hangar

Dr. McIntosh will be working here on recharging the anti-liftwood ray (by lantern lights if the generators are out of commission). The recharging process takes a lot of time and some esoteric fungal compounds from Venus put together with a fairly large electric charge. There will also be three guards here assisting with the work. As such, the guards will not have their weapons ready. If the players have not been to dinner they will get the end of Dr. McIntosh's speech concerning her dreams of grandeur as soon as she sees them. She will assume they have arrived with Col. O'Reilly until they reveal otherwise (How else could they have gotten past the guards?). If any of the characters are wearing naval uniforms this will tip her off and she will finish her speech by punching that character in the face. As soon as it is clear the players are going to stop her work, she and the guards will fight to defend the ray. The fight should be close with reinforcements arriving at regular intervals to keep the outcome in the balance. This is the big climactic scene, so try to keep victory just barely out of the players' grasp. Unless the players have weapons, try to keep this whole thing nonlethal with the guards trying to wrestle the players into submission. Shooting so close to the ray would be dangerous! In the scuffle some damage should happen to the ray and it will start to spark and rumble ominously. One of the guards will yell, "Its going to explode!!" (In German, of course) and the guards will run. Dr. McIntosh will desperately try to save the device and cannot be torn from it unless she is killed. The machine will give off a few minor explosions (to give the players one final chance to run like sensible folks) and blow up spectacularly. After the explosion, the guards will be too demoralized and disordered to offer any effective resistance. Most will run off and be killed by the Martians.

Other Notes About The Complex

There are 25 guards who work in various capacities as well as guarding. They are all German, and know about the whole situation. They live in a barracks room near the guard room. They also will be servants at dinner and cooks. Technicians and fix-it guys as need be. All areas of the complex not mentioned as being used will be empty and unused since the last Martians worked here. Other rooms, such as Dr. McIntosh's room, will not contain anything useful or interesting, just what would be expected for that sort of room (such as a bed and a night stand). The supply room has mostly foodstuffs and ordinary mundane supplies such as lanterns. All important materials for the work will be in the lab.

Epilogue

If the players succeed in blowing up the anti-liftwood ray, the Martians will regard them as honored members of the tribe and guide them back to the canal and civilization (unless the players wish to stay and become farmers). The crucial bits to the anti-liftwood ray were in the lab/hangar and got blown up along with the ray and Dr. McIntosh. However, anyone reading the other notes (in the library) could obtain research dice in biochemistry and ether. The players' personal possessions will be in the guard room and easily recovered. In the library they will also find in the desk papers linking the German Merchants Association and the ARI to the whole thing. The British government will be very pleased with the outcome. If the players recovered the papers in the library, there will be a lot of diplomatic rumblings and some threats of war, but nothing beyond the temporary expulsion of the German Merchants Association will happen unless you want an open war. The players should get a point of renown in patriotic service.

If the players found the complex and managed to escape to the canal and be rescued without destroying the ray, the British navy will come and destroy the place at the loss of one aerial flyer and a dozen or so men. Social level six characters can receive a point of renown in patriotic service. It will all be assumed to be an ARI plot and no more will come of it.

If the players wimped out and never found the complex or stayed in the cell for two weeks the Hoover Expedition will succeed with the same results mentioned above, except the players will only read about it in the papers, unless they are rescued, in which case they will be rescued and returned to Syrtis Major to read all about it in the papers.

Map of the Complex (~70kb)

Posted Monday, 04-May-2009 19:49:36 EDT