Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Table of Contents
The Burning Desert 4 River of Life. 26 Anarchy in the Ether 42
Introduction 4 Introduction 26 Introduction 42
Mercury: An Overview 6 The Great Canyon 28 Voyage to the Harbinger 44
Murder Most Foul 8 Underground River 30 Orbital Heliograph Station 46
Pursuit and Capture 10 The Island 32 The Station Described 48
The Tin Juggernaut 12 Submarine Voyage 34 Arrival at the Harbinger 50
The Villains 14 City of Light and Science 36
Heresy 38 Ausonian Stalker 52
Drums Along the Border 16 Conclusion 40 Introduction 52
Introduction 16 Royal Summons 54
Referee's Synopsis 18 The Search Begins 56
The Crash 20 Wortmann's Hideout 58
The German Camp 22 The Sinister Plan 60
Urschleim Village 24 The Sewers of Mars 62
GDW
INTRODUCTION
A VOYAGE TO MERCURY
WHETHER BY MEANS of their
own ether flyer or by passage on the
HMS Prometheus, the player char-
acters will make their way to Mer-
cury to land at Princess Christiana
Station. While en route they may
wish to find out a bit more about their
destination, and the following brief
excerpt from a popular travel guide
can be photocopied and given to
them or read aloud.
tractions of Mercury pale when com-
Mercury pared to Mars and Venus, and as a Princess Christiana
ONLY AFTER the ether pioneers result, the planet closest to the Sun Station
had sent their expeditions to Mars, has been ignored by most explorers. GREAT BRITAIN established its
Venus, and Luna did they turn their Mercury is a world of extremes. predominantly scientific outpost on
attention to the innermost of planets: It is the smallest of the planets—only Mercury—Princess Christiana Sta-
Mercury. The British Royal Society about 40 percent larger than Luna. tion—in 1880. Situated at the Mer-
underwrote Sir Basil Throckmor- The immense gravitational pull of the curian North Pole, its scientists study
ton's Expedition of 1876 which first Sun has locked one face of Mercury the Sun and the local Mercurian en-
placed the British flag on Mercurian toward the Sun, much as Luna has vironment. The small community is
soil. Three subsequent expeditions one face locked eternally toward home to a faculty of 20 scientists, 50
through the rest of the '70s explored Earth. As a result, Mercury is divid- servants and workers, six govern-
the burning deserts and pools of ed into two hemispheres: the Bright ment officials, and a score of Royal
molten metal of the Bright Side, the Side in eternal day and the Dark Side Marines. Royal Navy ether flyers
glaciers and exotic ammonia snows in eternal night. Sandwiched between call on the outpost at irregular inter-
of the Dark Side, and the 10, 000- the two is the Twilight Zone in con- vals, and a supply ship delivers
mile-long World River which com- stant dusk (or dawn, depending on equipment, provisions, and mail
pletely encircles the planet in the point of view). The Dark Side and every six months. The panoramic
temperate Twilight Zone which sep- the Bright Side are barren wastes, but beauty of the twilight setting of
arates the Dark Side from the Bright the Twilight Zone is a flourishing Princess Christiana Station was fea-
Side. Throckmorton's Second Ex- paradise. tured in an extensive article, replete
pedition (1877) drove deep into the Mercury boasts raw materials with engravings and interviews, in
Forbidding Desert on a specially in- (such as lead and tin on its Bright Harper's New Monthly Magazine for
sulated Mercurian exploratory aerial Side; dry ice and ammonia on the October 1883. In the words of the
flyer, claiming vast tracts of land Dark Side) in abundance, but only if editor, "Truly, and at last, the Sun
along the equator for the British Em- considerable hazards can be over- never sets on the British Empire!"
pire. A German expedition spent six come. Scooping molten tin from a No other permanent national bases
months on the World River in 1878. 600-degree F desert on the Bright are located on Mercury. Since the es-
Throckmorton's Third Expedition Side poses problems which have tablishment of Princess Christiana
(1879) circumnavigated Mercury by proven impossible to overcome thus Station in 1880, the British Royal
following the course of the World far. Dredging dry ice and ammonia Society has supported a number of
River in his aerial flyer; he also snow from the darkness and —200- small expeditions of scientific and
undertook several side trips into the degree F cold of the Dark Side is economic importance within 1000
frigidity of the Dark Side. But the at- nearly as dangerous. miles of the Mercurian North Pole.
GDW
MERCURY: AN OVERVIEW
WITH ONE FACE turned perpet- The Wasteland: Extending from as tin. The pools of liquid metal con-
ually toward the sun and the other the border of the Forbidding Desert tain both lead and tin. The Lead Zone
face in endless night, only a relative- out to the point where tin melts, this is a circular region centered on the
ly thin strip of Mercury's surface, zone is about 600 miles deep and has Subsolar (where the Sun stands di-
called the Twilight Zone, is inhab- temperatures ranging from 212 de- rectly overhead) and is about 600
itable. The following section gives a grees F at the edge of the Forbidding miles in radius. Like the Tin Zone,
general description of the surface of Desert to 450 degrees F at the edge it has its own characteristic terrain
the planet and its many unique areas of the Tin Zone. Probably the only features: metal crystals, plains of
and features. interesting features are the occasional solidified metal in the slightly cooler
hot springs: Underground water chan- areas of the few shadows in the re-
THE HOT SIDE nels broach the desert surface, gion, soldered rocks, and metal-
MERCURY'S HOT SIDE is for- whereupon their water instantly plated rocks.
ever under the steady rays of the Sun. bursts into steam.
It technically begins at the edge of The Tin Zone: Named for the THE DARK SIDE
the Twilight Zone as a desert with shallow surface pools of molten tin MERCURY'S DARK SIDE is
temperatures around 100 degrees F. which speckle its surface, this zone forever in the planet's own shadow,
With distance, these temperatures in- is about 600 miles deep and has tem- and without the Sun's warming rays,
crease (at about one degree every peratures ranging from 450 degrees its temperature gradually decreases
three miles). The Hot Side is roughly F at the edge of the Wasteland to 670 from 32 degrees F to -350 degrees
broken into four zones: the Forbid- degrees F at the edge of the Lead F at its coldest point. The formal cold
ding Desert, the Boiling Wasteland, Zone. Over geologic eons, the heat edge boundary of the Dark Side is the
the Tin Zone, and the Lead Zone. of the Sun has brought the surface point where atmospheric temperature
The Forbidding Desert: This temperature of the entire Tin Zone is 32 degrees F (the freezing point
region extends from the edge of the to an average of 550 degrees F. Basic of water).
Twilight Zone out to the point at elemental metals have been liquefied Like the Bright Side, the Dark Side
which water boils. The zone is about by the heat and have flowed (like is divided into zones based on tem-
300 miles deep, and temperatures water) to low-lying areas. The pre- perature. Each zone is characterized
range from 100 to 212 degrees F. dominant metal is tin; a variety of by the various gases which condense
However, the Forbidding Desert is other elements are present as con- out of the atmosphere to form a layer
studded with what some explorers taminants and slag. Tin accumulates of snow on the ground.
have called "stepping stones": the in many scattered pools, often The Ice Sheath: The first band,
shaded sides of hills, and the shad- covered with their crust of slag. immediately adjacent to the Twilight
ows of great rocks and mountain Slight temperature variations— Zone (and extending for some 300
ranges. These stepping stone shad- caused by the movement of the at- miles into the darkness) is the Ice
ows, never in the light of the Sun, mosphere, by solar fluctuations, and Sheath. Virtually all water in the at-
are warmed only by the air around by actions within the planetary mosphere passing through this region
them, and are much cooler than the crust—shift these pools, allowing precipitates as freezing rain or snow.
surrounding territories. Expeditions some of the metals to vaporize and The zone has temperatures ranging
have found that it is possible to ven- then condense on mountain peaks or from 32 degrees F at the edge of the
ture deep into the Forbidding Desert crystallize on chance rock outcrop- Twilight Zone to -100 degrees F at
by dashing through the unremitting pings. In some regions, rocks are the edge of the Dry Ice Zone.
heat of the Sun to new shaded lands. plated with tin, covered with ac- The Dry Ice Zone: Beyond the Ice
Ultimately, however, shadows can cumulations of tin crystals, or Sheath is the Dry Ice Zone, another
cut the heat by only so much. Beyond soldered together by natural action. band about 300 miles deep in which
the boundary of the Forbidding Des- The Lead Zone: This zone is so atmospheric ammonia and carbon di-
ert, the shadows become shorter and named because its average tempera- oxide have fallen as their own pecu-
shorter. ture is sufficient to melt lead as well liar type of snow.
THE BURNING DESERT
Kelvin's Land: The remainder of tures—fish, tentacled swimmers, a lush tropical region which stretches
the Dark Side (a circular area about shelled snatchers, serpentine mon- for miles. Many low-lying areas
1800 miles in radius) reaches tem- sters, and exotic jellyfish. But the within it are swamp or marsh. The
peratures as low as —300 degrees F restricted size of the World River has exotic plants and trees that cover its
(not low enough to condense out the also brought much of this life out on- land are home to thousands of animal
basic atmospheric components such to the land, and the shores of the species. In many ways, the left bank
as oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen). river are lush swamps, jungles, is similar to the jungles of South
forests, and grasslands. Nearly all America.
THE TWILIGHT ZONE animals are aquatic or semi-aqua- The right bank, between the river
THE HOSPITABLE Twilight tic—at home in the river and ready and the Ice Sheath, is a temperate
Zone is Mercury's fabulous treasure to dash into its waters for safety. region covered with forest and grass-
trove. It is bounded on one side by Web-winged, air-breathing fish land. It is similar to North American
the Ice Sheath (the edge of which is swoop overhead. Short-legged, alli- forests and plains.
technically established by a temper- gator-like fish crawl the river's The character of the World River
ature of 32 degrees F) and on the beaches. Gigantic, multilegged cen- varies with location. In places, it is
other by the Forbidding Desert tipedes crash through the forests. a mile-wide watercourse, sometimes
(whose edge has a temperature of And unwary people who get in these opening up to become a vast lake. In
100 degrees F). Between these two creatures' way sometimes get killed. others it takes the form of rapids,
temperature extremes lie 300 miles The left bank, lying between the falls, swamps, or deep canyons on
of habitable, temperate territory, river and the Forbidding Desert, is its journey around the world.
teeming with life.
The center of the Twilight Zone is
the World River. This watercourse
circles the globe, its flow driven by THE BRIGHT SIDE
Coriolis effects rather than gravity. Area Temperatures (F) Size
The World River is fed by rains and The Lead Zone 670-900° 600 miles radius
drainage from its watershed. In ad- The Tin Zone 450-670° 600 miles deep
dition, when the World River winds The Wasteland 212-450° 600 miles deep
near the Ice Sheath, it is fed by con- The Forbidding Desert 100-212° 300 miles deep
tinuously crumbling glaciers which
place icebergs into the mainstream.
The World River flows in one
direction. To a person standing and THE TWILIGHT ZONE
facing the direction of flow, the right Area Temperatures (F) Size
bank leads to the Dark Side and the The Left Bank 50-100° 150 miles wide
Ice Sheath; the left bank leads to the The World River 50° 0. 25-1 mile wide
Bright Side and the Forbidding Des- The Right Bank 32-50° 150 miles wide
ert. Using these visual clues, it is
possible to determine directions on
the world with relative ease. Mag-
netic compasses do not work. THE DARK SIDE
Mercurian life is in many ways Area Temperatures (F) Size
very primitive, equivalent to Terran The Ice Sheath 32- -100° 300 miles deep
life in the Paleozoic Age. This period The Dry Ice Zone -100- -200° 300 miles deep
was characterized by plentiful sea life Kelvin's Land -200- -300° 1800 miles radius
and limited land life. The World Riv-
er is filled with massive sea crea-
GDW
MURDER MOST FOUL
Dear Sirs:
Respectfully,
Dr. Ignatius Wisniewski
Professor of Chemistry
University of Warsaw
PURSUIT AND CAPTURE
Carrington was the only other senior niewski. At the equator, the aerial
A COURSE OF ACTION official present. He asks the players steam launch finds a well worn road
IT SHOULD BE reasonably easy to undertake the mission. He will of- leading deep into the Forbidding
for the player characters to piece fer them one of the steam launches Desert. Following the trail, the
together the clues provided in the available to the station, as well as two
vessel eventually observes a huge
folder and deduce that Wisniewski Royal Marine privates (out of his tracked vehicle (the Tin Juggernaut)
has constructed another mining ma- total force of one corporal and five on the horizon at the edge of the For-
chine and is bringing large quantities privates). bidding Desert. The air temperature
of tin out from the Hot Side and sell- will make it impossible for the Mos-
ing it to brokers through a holding JOURNEY BY AIR quito to pursue much further, so the
company in Vanaluvala. The players THE AERIAL steam launch used characters will have to make top
will probably also conclude (correct- is the Mosquito, a standard steam speed to catch the vehicle.
ly) that Wisniewski learned that Car- launch as listed in the basic game's
rington was onto him and so had him equipment chapter. Both marine THE MOSQUITO CRASHES
killed. Carrington's suspicions about privates are Veteran NPCs, and one APPROACHING THE Tin Jug-
a possible accomplice at Princess of them is also a trained Nordenfelt gernaut, the Mosquito fires several
Christiana Station were obviously gunner. Player characters will crew warning shots, hails the vehicle, or
well founded. the launch, which needs a helmsman, in some other way challenges it. The
Sir Arthur Choat suggests that the trimsman, and engineer. If no player vehicle turns its two gun turrets
best course of action is to apprehend characters have the requisite skills, toward the Mosquito and opens fire
Wisniewski and Brumpford, and then trained NPC crewmen will be with its six-pounder Hotchkiss guns.
bring them to justice. Unfortunate- provided by Choat. This fire will be extremely accurate
ly, his age and health do not permit The Mosquito travels south along and will begin scoring hits at once.
him to lead such an expedition, and the Twilight Zone in search of Wis- Hit location should be rolled normal-
ly, but crew casualties should be
taken from NPCs to all extents possi-
ble. Player character casualties
should be counted as a single wound.
After a short time the Mosquito
will be disabled and crash. This event
is truly a disaster as the surface
temperature is much higher than the
temperature at several hundred feet
due to the retention of heat by the
desert sand. The ground temperature
is almost the boiling point of water.
The crew and passengers are trapped
aboard the wreck, surrounded by
miles and miles of burning desert.
Survival can be measured in hours.
Fortunately, the Tin Juggernaut
stops and, after a long, ponderous
turn, swings around to the crash site.
The group must make a dash across
the burning sands to the bulkhead
door in the side of the Juggernaut
and climb inside.
THE BURNING DESERT
GDW
THE TIN JUGGERNAUT
GDW
THE VILLAINS
sence of the party and set out to res- They arrive in time to pluck the sur-
ULTIMATE RESCUE cue them with his remaining four vivors from the water or the banks
AFTER THE BATTLE is con- marines and a mixed group of volun- of the river and carry them north to
cluded, the two remaining aerial teers from the station. After locating Princess Christiana Station. Pro-
steam launches from Princess Chris- the wreckage of the Mosquito, they fessor Wisniewski, Brumpford, and
tiana Station will arrive. Choat be- followed the Tin Juggernaut tracks the survivors of his crew will face
came concerned at the prolonged ab- and finally tracked down the vehicle. British justice for their crimes.
Attributes Skills
Str: 2 Fisticuffs 1, Throwing 1
Agl: 3 Stealth 2, Mechanics 2 (steam), Marksmanship 1 (pistol)
End: 2 Wilderness Travel 1. (mapping)
Int: 6 Observation 6, Science 5 (chemistry), Engineering 5 (naval architecture)
Chr: 4 Eloquence 3, Linguistics 4 (German, English, Dutch, French)
Soc: 4 Riding 3 (horse), Pilot 2 (interplanetary ether flyer)
GDW
INTRODUCTION
GDW
REFEREE'S SYNOPSIS
accurate conversations with any Liz- low). Detecting O'Rourke will range
SERENDIPITY ard-men encountered. O'Rourke from Difficult to Impossible (as
WHEN O'ROURKE was hired to feels uneasy about this because it is defined by the event resolution
act as a guide for the players' expedi- one less thing under his control. He rules). If caught, he will claim he
tion, his knowledge of Kurt's plan will insist that Ghillie accompany the discovered the sabotage and was in-
for the massacre enabled him to add party, saying that even if Her Maj- vestigating it in secret in order not
a real kicker. O'Rourke sent a esty's Government trusts Thymon, to alert the perpetrator.
message to Kurt, proposing a modi- he does not. His first attempt will be at night,
fication to the basic plan: Kurt's men when all are asleep, unless the char-
would destroy the village as planned, RUNNING THE ADVENTURE acters have thought to post guards.
but now there were a few genuine THE PLAYERS SHOULD be If O'Rourke cannot achieve his sab-
British to be "caught in the act. " The asked how soon they will be leaving otage unobserved, he will use Ghil-
offending British will all be killed in town, bearing in mind that they are lie as a diversion, ordering the Liz-
the ensuing "melee," just moments expected to leave with dispatch. ard-man to provoke a fight with Thy-
before the American reporter arrives Since O'Rourke does not want the mon and using the resulting confu-
on the scene. players to arrive at Urschleim ahead sion as cover for his sabotage.
This will cause a major diplomatic of schedule, he will be in no great Methods: O'Rourke cannot use a
incident. British denials, in the face hurry to leave. When the expedition time bomb or any pyrotechnic device
of the American's testimony, will ap- departs, he will suggest that the par- for his sabotage—given the flamma-
pear inadequate, and Germany will ty inspect the sites of several raids bility of hydrogen, it would result in
be able to force sizable territorial in order to gather information. his own death. If the players are not
concessions out of the British colony. The referee should run the initial particularly alert, O'Rourke's sabo-
Oberst Kurt, who uncovered the phase of the adventure according to tage could take the form of poking
crime, will be in line for promotion, the travel rules in the basic game. small holes in the gasbags and allow-
fame, and numerous other honors. Roll for encounters normally, but on- ing the gas to leak slowly away dur-
ly implement those which make ing the night. If the players are par-
SETBACKS sense (the characters need not in- ticularly alert, he might poke the
O'ROURKE WAS NOT counting teract with a tyrannosaurus if they holes, then cover them with patches
on the presence of Thymon or the are flying, but a pterodactyl will re- glued in place with a substance that
Aeronaut IV. He had planned to lead quire action of some sort). Of course, will soon deteriorate in the heat and
the expedition to Urschleim on foot, if the characters choose to leave the humidity of Venus (such as muci-
which now means that they will ar- Aeronaut IV for short jaunts on foot, lage) to slightly delay the deflation
rive too early if he guides the party implement the encounters normally. and cover his sabotage. He might tin-
directly there. The players must also Inspecting the sites will reveal ker together clockwork devices with
be separated from their airship before nothing of interest, since they are spring-loaded blades to puncture the
they arrive at Urschleim. In the end, weeks old and rapidly being covered gasbags (the copious piles of junk in
it does not really matter how the par- by the local flora. When the expedi- odd corners of the Aeronaut IV pro-
ty arrives at Urschleim, as long as tion is closer to Urschleim than to the vide ample raw materials) to cast
it gets there at the right time: too ear- British colony, O'Rourke will start suspicion on Forbes-Hamilton.
ly, and the stage will not be proper- trying to sabotage the Aeronaut IV. O'Rourke will also take steps to
ly set; too late, and the witnesses will throw suspicion off himself. He may
become suspicious. SABOTAGE steal Thymon's knife in order to
Another complication, from O'ROURKE IS NOT a fool and plant it among the punctured gas-
O'Rourke's point of view, is Thy- will take care to conceal his actions. bags. He might leave the "glue"
mon. Too stupid to be anything but The means he will choose for his sab- among Forbes-Hamilton's posses-
absolutely trustworthy, Thymon will otage is left up to the referee (a sions or use fabric cut from a par-
get the characters honest, reasonably number of options are presented be- ticular character's spare clothing.
GDW
THE CRASH
O'Rourke is using this as a ploy to the trees yonder who'll be more than
CAPTURED get the characters to focus their at- happy to shoot you where you stand
"WE SHOULD START marching tention on the ground at their feet in- if you don't,'' he says. To accentuate
single file," O'Rourke announces as stead of the trees around them. After this statement, the sound of rifle bolts
the party nears Urschleim. "If I perhaps 20 minutes of this, the char- being slammed home echoes from the
remember these parts aright, there's acters will find themselves skirting trees to your right and from those
a great number o' hidden bog-holes the edge of a pool when O'Rourke behind you.
in the vicinity—a man can drop out- suddenly stops and turns in his tracks The only sane course of action is
ta sight faster then he can yell. I'll to face the characters, his revolver to surrender. The pond to the left ef-
probe the ground, and you be careful leveled at them. fectively blocks any escape in that
to step exactly where I do. Keep your "Will you gentlemen be so kind as direction, and from the sound of it,
eyes on the ground now." to raise your hands. There are a the characters are outnumbered and
There is, of course, no danger. number o' stout German laddies in outgunned.
GDW
THE GERMAN CAMP
GDW
URSCHLEIM VILLAGE
place here. If the characters were or more conversations. This will re-
LEARNING OF captured and made a successful es- quire a great deal of stealth and
THE MASSACRE cape from the German camp, they knowledge of German, but will yield
THE PLAYERS MAY learn of may choose to try to capture one or a great deal of information. If the
the impending massacre by several more Germans for questioning (don't characters are extremely successful
means, depending on what they forget the guard Thymon knocked in this regard, they will overhear the
decide to do. Investigation of the out). The answers will yield other following from Kurt himself:
German camp will reveal a number pieces of the puzzle (the whole plot "It is regrettable, of course, that
of stockpiles of Lizard-man weap- was outlined earlier). the Englishmen must die, but their
onry, which Thymon will identify as A much more difficult course of bodies will add so much to the im-
coming from tribes under British action may occur to the characters: pact of our little masquerade here.
control and being very much out of Enter the camp and eavesdrop on one A hundred or so reptiles, a few En-
glish bodies, and I arrive with the
Schutztruppen just in time for the
final act to be witnessed by the stooge
American reporter. It is too deli-
cious!"
Less outstanding success will re-
sult in the players overhearing junior
officers discussing the upcoming
massacre and expressing some slight
misgivings at the necessity of killing
humans in order to carry it out.
DENOUEMENT
THE CONCLUSION to this ad- O'Rourke (if he escaped alive). gain each player one renown point
venture is open-ended and depends The players will receive the fol- for Service to the Crown. A hard-
on the course of events up to this lowing rewards: fought defense of the village will
point. If the players are successful Experience: Each player receives gain players one renown point for
in saving the village, the arrival of one experience point per episode. In a Heroic Act. Characters responsi-
the dirigible and the neutral wit- this adventure the number of epi- ble for organizing the defense in
nesses will prevent Kurt from car- sodes is heavily dependent on what such a battle will receive a renown
rying out the rest of his plan or direction the adventure takes, but a point for Military Action, particu-
from hunting the characters down. typical run might include four: the larly if one of them is a serving or
The players will be reliable wit- tour until the crash, the trek across former officer. The referee may in-
nesses against Kurt, and the Ger- the countryside, captivity by and es- crease any of these to two points
man colonial governor will have to cape from the Germans, and the fi- for very noteworthy acts. A char-
discipline the colonel sternly. nal battle of the village. This would acter receiving three or more re-
The characters will have made give each player four experience nown points will be knighted.
friends of the British colonial ad- points. Each player who engages in Money: All characters will be
ministration on Venus and the Liz- close combat at least once during the paid £100 as their agreed-upon
ard-men of Urschleim. They will adventure receives one Close Com- salary. (They are in the employ of
have made enemies of Hans Kurt bat experience point. the government, remember. ) A
(formerly of the German Army but Renown: Foiling the plot and sav- character receiving a knighthood
still quite wealthy), and Simon ing the village from massacre will will also receive a grant of £1000.
DRUMS ALONG THE BORDER
Urschleim is located in an area where are built of loosely woven jungle fo-
URSCHLEIM dinosaurs are seldom a problem, so liage and are usually about 10 feet
THE VILLAGE of Urschleim it has only a small exterior palisade in diameter. They normally contain
contains just over 100 inhabitants, of and no other significant defensive one family group. A family group
which about 24 can be armed and works. Probably the best means of consists of one or two warrior/hunt-
equipped as fighters. It is a typical defending against the superior weap- ers and four to six young and fe-
village, having a central hut where ons of the Germans is a delaying ac- males. The shaman's hut is larger
the shaman lives, surrounded by the tion at the outskirts to enable the and contains the tribe's holy relics.
huts of the more prestigious hunter/ dependents to escape into the jungle. It also serves the tribe as a general
warriors and the village craftsmen. The leafy huts of the Lizard-men meeting place for its warrior/hunters.
GDW
INTRODUCTION
ARRIVAL IN TUCSON
IF THE PLAYERS own their own
ether flyer, they will be able to land
directly at Cyrus Grant's ranch. Oth-
River of Life erwise they will have to take the
train, in which case Miss Somerset
will meet them at the station with a
THIS ADVENTURE assumes that scientist Vladimir Tereshkova, the carriage and drive them the 10 miles
players have already played through party escaped and defeated Teresh- to the ranch.
the introductory Luna adventure pre- kova with the help of K'chuk, a Sel- Upon their arrival at the ranch,
sented in the basic game. Briefly, the enite keeper of knowledge. After ac- Miss Somerset will explain that
players journeyed to Luna in Dr. Cy- cepting a strange glowing medallion Grant left for the Moon in early
rus Grant's ether flyer, utilizing his as a gift from K'chuk for freeing his April, planning to return in two or
recently invented Ether Propeller people, they repaired Grant's ether three weeks, a month at the outside.
Governor to maneuver close to the flyer and returned to Earth. He wanted to check on the welfare
Lunar surface. While investigating of the Selenite village, then descend
the mysterious glow from the far AN APPEAL FOR HELP further into the canyon to investigate
side, the expedition crashed in a can- SOMETIME LATER, after the the possible origin of the glowing
yon and discovered that deep within characters have completed several medallion presented to the previous
the moon the gravity was about half other adventures, they receive the Lunar expedition by K'chuk. As he
that of the Earth, with a breathable letter below by mail. The referee was now aware of the presence of an
atmosphere. After being captured by should photocopy this and give it to atmosphere in the canyon, he be-
Selenites and the demented Russian the players. lieved it possible to safely descend
RIVER OF LIFE
using the hydrogen gasbag of his fly- it to their own ship. If the players do ing to the glowing canyon. The care-
er, with the auxiliary airscrew for not have a ship of their own, then ful descent, conducted first by ether
maneuvering. As that was over two Grant's original ether flyer will be propeller and then by hydrogen gas-
months ago, Miss Somerset is con- present in his workshop, and Anna- bag or liftwood, will consume four
vinced that he has fallen victim to an belle will explain that he left in a new more hours to bring the party to the
accident and requires help. flyer which is much smaller but more lower entrance of the cavern com-
If the players have their own ether efficient than his original vessel. It plex that houses K'chuk's communi-
flyer they will use it to travel to the has no sleeping quarters or green- ty of Selenites. Shortly before reach-
Moon. If Grant installed an Ether house and is designed specifically for ing it they will pass first the site of
Propeller Governor after the first short trips to and from the Moon. their original crash, then the wreck
adventure, the flyer may be used as Once a vessel is prepared for the of Vladimir Tereshkova's ether fly-
is; otherwise they will have to install expedition, the characters will gather er, and finally the original opening
one before setting out. Fortunately and pack whatever gear they feel is to the caverns they discovered on
Grant's laboratory contains a com- necessary and take off on the short their first trip. They can land their
pleted governor awaiting installation, trip to Luna. The journey will take flyer on a broad ledge at the lower
as well as the necessary notes and pa- approximately six hours to reach the opening and begin the short trip to
pers to enable the players to attach far side of the moon and the open- the Selenite village.
GDW
THE GREAT CANYON
pedition to the depths of the canyon. low the surface of the world, and the
THE SELENITE VILLAGE He has not returned, and K'chuk is canyon bottom is still not visible be-
ONCE THE PLAYERS have very concerned. low it. The bottom is actually another
landed and made their way to the out- When K'chuk learns that the play- 20 miles below but cannot be seen
skirts of the Selenite village, they ers are planning a rescue expedition due to the increasingly bright light
will contact several Selenites armed he insists on accompanying them, of the glowing fungus further down.
with spears. Although the players did along with several other armed The diagrammatic cross-section of
not have the opportunity to learn the custodians and drones. (Adjust the the canyon on this page is roughly
Selenite speech, and none of the numbers to fit the accommodations to scale and shows a number of im-
armed Selenites speak any human available to the expedition.) There is portant features the players will en-
tongue, the guards recognize the no real reason why K'chuk cannot be counter during their descent to the
characters from their previous visit taken along. The flyer has sufficient canyon floor.
and welcome them with excited lift to carry it to nearly 30,000 feet Animal Life: The players will see
chirps and twittering noises, accom- in Earth's gravity, which gives it familiar evidence of animal life on
panied by short hops and jumps and considerable extra lifting capacity the canyon walls as they descend,
waving of limbs. The guards take here in the Lunar canyon. Also, the particularly in the area of the Selenite
them to the main caverns of the additional firepower may be of as- village. Lunar rats and caterpillars
village where the players will again sistance. will be confined to the canyon walls,
meet K'chuk. of course. The occasional swarm of
K'chuk is happy to see the players THE GREAT CANYON bats will not approach the ether flyer,
again, even excited. He is proud of instead remaining at a cautious dis-
the progress the village has made in tance. As the glow fungus becomes
several short months but is also con- thicker below the Selenite village,
cerned about the absence of Grant, they will see fewer signs of animals.
whom he calls "K'gooddoctor." The The Narrows: About 15 miles
village has grown considerably in the below the Selenite village the light
last several months and now numbers from the fungus will become so
more than 200 Selenites. Many of bright that it will be painful to look
these have joined the village from at. At the same time the canyon will
neighboring communities, and sev- narrow, and the bright yellow glow
eral additional caverns have been fungus will become extremely dense.
taken over as fungus farms, nurser- Experimentation with the fungus will
ies, and living space. The mines are show that the acid secretions from it
still worked, but more carefully and are potent enough to eat through
with more concern for the safety of metal, and a collision with the can-
the drones. Better mining tools have yon walls will severely damage the
been imported, along with nitrogen flyer. Safe passage through the nar-
fertilizers to improve the output of rows with the flyer requires a skill
the fungus farms. Several of the Sel- DESCENT INTO roll by the pilot using his Aerial
enites still carry carbines as precau- THE UNKNOWN Flyer Pilot skill. Because of the
tions against raiding parties from THE GREAT CANYON discov- brightness of the lights this is a Dif-
some of the community's more jeal- ered by the players in their previous ficult task. If anyone in the party
ous neighbors. trip to Luna is arguably the most thinks to use smoked glass or some
K'chuk will tell them that Grant ar- spectacular natural land form in the other form of eye protection the task
rived at the village on schedule, and Solar System. The lower entrance to becomes Moderate. If the task roll
dropped off a load of tools and other the caverns that contain the Selenite is failed, consult the Crash section on
supplies before setting off on his ex- village is approximately 40 miles be- the following page.
RIVER OF LIFE
The Falls: Assuming the players Grant's flyer. If so, the pilot may apparently used by Grant to construct
successfully negotiate a passage make a Piloting skill roll for a Dif- a raft, as there is evidence of a large
through the narrows, the ship will ficult task to crash the flyer onto the mushroom-wood structure having
enter a broader part of the canyon, rock shelf. If he succeeds, the flyer been dragged across the rocks to the
and the actual canyon floor will be is damaged beyond hope of immedi- banks of the canyon river. By the
visible several miles below. The ate repair, but the supplies and equip- shore of the river the players will
dense yellow glow fungus now forms ment in it are safe. If he fails the flyer find a small pile of stones carefully
an almost solid dome roof overhead, crashes into the canyon river, fills up arranged to form an arrow pointing
but it is nearly absent from the can- with water, and quickly sinks. The downriver.
yon walls below the narrows: Nu- characters will hold onto floating The Skeleton: Near the rock wall
merous small streams of water exit wreckage and paddle to the rock of the canyon are the bleached bones
the canyon walls and cascade down, shelf along with K'Chuk and half the of a skeleton. It is not a human skel-
keeping the rocks clean of fungus. Selenites accompanying them. The eton but is also clearly not that of a
These streams gradually combine other half will drown. All equipment Selenite. It is as tall as a man, with
with others so at the canyon floor two except that actually carried on the four limbs instead of the six of a Sel-
walls are roaring waterfalls pouring character (such as sheath knives, enite. The skull is larger but flatter,
into a river that fills the base of the revolvers, and compasses) will be with more massive jaws and brows.
canyon. The combination of the lost. Other differences include fewer ribs,
bright yellow light from above, the Grant's Ether Flyer: The door to an extra finger on each hand, a pro-
glittering cascades of water, and the Grant's flyer is closed but not locked, nounced curvature of the spine,
highly polished stone makes the can- and the party can enter with ease. much longer shins than thighs, and
yon floor a breathtakingly beautiful The flyer is in good working order so forth. That notwithstanding, the
kaleidoscope of light and color. and quite tidy. It appears as if Grant creature was clearly man-like in gen-
The Rock Shelf: A large outcrop- landed without incident and then eral appearance.
ping of rock perhaps 150 feet above carefully packed everything up be- The referee should have the play-
the canyon floor serves to divert the fore leaving the flyer to conduct fur- ers make quick rolls against their
water flow and keep a 200-foot ther explorations. Any attempt to Observation skill, starting with the
stretch of rock shelf below it dry. take off will be unsuccessful, as the player with the highest skill level.
This rock shelf is part of the canyon main valve in the hydrogen generator The first to succeed will notice that
floor but is slightly above the level has been removed (and presumably several small metallic items are em-
of the river, and forms a long, nar- hidden somewhere). Without hydro- bedded in the rocks near the skele-
row beach. On it is Grant's ether gen to fill the gasbag the flyer is ton. These appear to be buttons or
flyer. The party should land and in- stranded. similar garment fasteners which in-
vestigate. The Mushroom Tree Grove: A dicate the creature was intelligent and
Crash: If the task roll for safe small grove of unusual tree-like from a fairly advanced culture. This
passage through the narrows is mushrooms is growing from the may have been what caused Grant to
failed, the flyer will brush through cracks in the rock, and several of investigate further.
the fungus, and a cascade of acid will these have been chopped down and The Canyon River: With the ex-
douse part of it. The resultant rapid removed. The stalks (or trunks) are ception of the rock beach, the floor
corrosion will disable the controls of between six and 12 inches in dia- of the canyon is filled with swirling,
the ship, and it will begin losing al- meter, and they stand from eight to churning water. Clearly the water
titude. As it plunges toward the bot- 12 feet tall. These stalks are the con- drains away somewhere, as there is
tom of the canyon, any player near sistency of a soft wood, such as bal- no evidence that the canyon is fill-
a window (presumably the one with sa, while the mushroom caps them- ing up. A slow current exists, which
the highest Observation skill) may selves, which are several feet in indicates that this water is actually
make a skill roll for a Difficult task diameter, are tough and leathery. the beginning of a gigantic under-
to notice the rock shelf containing The missing mushroom trees were ground river.
GDW
UNDERGROUND RIVER
GDW
THE ISLAND
an Easy task using Stealth skill to ons are electric rifles, the combat
THE ISLAND OF avoid detection by the guards in the statistics for which are included in
THE MOON MEN camp. ) On the far side they will see the charts at the end of the adventure.
THE MAP on the facing page a low stone jetty, a number of crude Several weeks earlier Grant's raft
shows the island that the players will buildings formed from irregularly arrived here, and he was made a pris-
finally come to. It is larger than the shaped stones cemented together, oner in the colony. When the supply
other islands they have found but still two or three small dome-shaped submarine arrived he was taken to
small by Earth standards, being on- buildings which look somewhat more the city for questioning. In the mean-
ly several hundred yards long. The advanced, a corral made of mush- time, Naporrow Bing, one of the
low hills and dunes in the center of room tree logs which contains a more prominent prisoners in the col-
the island, surmounted by numerous small herd of domesticated livestock ony, had befriended him and learned
bushy ferns and a stand of the now- (see Hummas at right), and a glisten- a smattering of English.
familiar mushroom trees, prevent ing metal submarine tied to the jetty. A variety of outcomes are possi-
characters on one side of the island The compound itself is inhabited ble as a result of encountering the
from seeing the other. They will also by a number of Moon Men (see de- Moon Men on the large island. This
allow the players to arrive undetect- scription in sidebar). A dozen of island is a prison colony which
ed. The spiral of smoke comes from these are armed with unusual-looking houses political exiles from the City
the other side of the island. firearms, while the majority, perhaps of Light and Science. The submarine
The players will probably make 30 men in all, are unarmed and makes periodic visits to rotate the
their way to the cover in the center dressed in rags. The few armed six-man guard detachment, land new
of the island to cautiously investigate. Moon Men are obviously in authority prisoners and supplies, and pick up
(Each character who actually goes to and treat the others with contempt ground humma-shell powder, the
the center of the island to look makes and occasional brutality. Their weap- main product of the small colony.
MOON MEN
AS THE TERM "Selenites" has standing still, but their movements
already been used for the insect- are surprisingly smooth and grace-
like inhabitants of the upper cav- ful. Their skulls are massive, with
erns, "Moon Men" is a natural low foreheads and prominent jaws
term for the man-like creatures of and brow ridges, but the ape-like
the lower regions of Luna. Their similarities that these features
most striking difference from hu- might suggest are completely dis-
mans is their pale, almost translu- pelled by the large, intelligent eyes.
cent skin, which shows an elabo- Clothing consists of loose-fitting
rate network of veins and arteries, tunics gathered at the waist by a
and a hint of the muscles working belt. The material of the tunics is
below the surface of the skin. Their of exceptional beauty. It looks and
skin itself has a faintly bluish cast, wears like silk but is iridescent;
and is rough and scaly in texture. each garment has its own dominant
They are about man-size, perhaps color but varies tremendously in
a bit taller, but appear shorter as hue and highlight as it moves or the
they are somewhat stooped. Their light changes. Slaves and prisoners
shins and forearms are longer than are dressed in much more humble
their thighs and upper arms, which homespun fabrics, often soiled and
gives them an ungainly look when ragged.
RIVER OF LIFE
GDW
SUBMARINE VOYAGE
very large, circular portholes, the will need to have either the captain
THE SUBMARINE placement of which is reminiscent of or helmsman along to pilot the ship
THE SUBMARINE used by the the eyes of a fish. There is no peri- and Naporrow Bing to translate. If
Moon Men to visit their prison col- scope. The ship normally runs on the they control the ship the referee
ony is much more advanced than any surface, or at least with the "eyes" should give them a copy of the map
the players may have encountered on above water. When the sub is run- of the aquatic route to the city.
Earth. A submarine is necessary as ning submerged through underwater
many of the aquatic passages be- passages, a spotlight between the two SUBMARINE
tween the prison island and the city windows illuminates the way ahead.
are completely underwater. The ves- The submarine is unarmed with the
sel is powered by electric batteries exception of its ram, and this looks
which hold sufficient charge for 300 to be more ornamental than warlike.
hours cruising at a steady 15 knots The submarine is operated by a crew
(15 nautical miles per hour). Since of four: the captain, helmsman, en-
the city is only about 500 miles away gineer, and apprentice seaman. The
(two days cruising, assuming one submarine has a fairly spacious cargo
eight-hour rest period a day), this is hold and accommodations for up to
more than adequate. four passengers in comfort. Eight or
The ship's form makes it resem- 10 passengers can be carried in very
ble a large fish. It is very broad at cramped conditions. Consult the
the front but tapers gently to the tail deck plan to the right for more details
at the rear. The prow ends in a long, as to its interior layout.
metallic ram, similar to the nose of If the players are prisoners, they
a swordfish. The captain and helms- will see fairly little of the submarine
man pilot the ship from the bridge while in transit to the city. If they
near the front and see through two have captured the submarine they
GDW
THE CITY OF LIGHT AND SCIENCE
tors have been operational for more guards and attempting (unsuccessful-
than 5000 years, though, and they THE DUNGEON ly) to start a popular uprising. This
have been all but forgotten. The tem- AT SOME POINT the characters effort has no chance of doing any-
ple now sees itself as the theological will end up in the dungeon, as either thing more than triggering a few
supervisor of the Shining Flow, be- prisoners or rescuers. The floor plan hours' worth of rioting but will cause
lieving that both temples deal with a below will be of assistance in resolv- sufficient confusion to help cover the
similar force but that their rituals are ing escape attempts. The following players' escape.
purer for being uncontaminated with features are indicated on the floor M. Madman: If this prisoner is
heretical repairs on functioning ma- plan: released, he will join the party tem-
chines. "All machines are flawed; G. Guard: These are the normal porarily, then suddenly attack a mem-
only The Knowledge is pure." The guard stations in the dungeons. If a ber of the group (chosen randomly
Temple of The Shining Flow vigor- number precedes the letter (4G, for by the referee) at an extremely awk-
ously defends its own field as a com- example), that number of guards is ward moment.
pletely distinct area of science, of normally in that location. W. Warehouse: The dungeon
course. C. Criminal: The numbers in- warehouse is used to store hundreds
8. Temple of Smoke and Ozone: dicate how many criminals are there. of large bolts of nakka cloth. A varie-
Originally concerned with knowl- Criminals are, for the most part, in- ty of colors and thicknesses of weave
edge of the ether, this temple has distinguishable from other prisoners are stored, as well as several hundred
been without practical or meaningful so far as the players are concerned. yards' worth of light, strong rope
employment for so many generations If released, however, they cannot be made from woven nakka cloth.
that their rituals have become com- counted on to help the players. Grant: Cyrus Grant's cell. If the
pletely meaningless—form utterly P. Political Prisoners: The players are prisoners they will be
devoid of function. They are the numbers indicate how many pris- crowded into the same cell. Any Sel-
most conservative, and most power- oners are present. If released, they enites with them will be confined in
ful, of the temples. will help the players by attacking the adjacent cell.
DUNGEON
GDW
HERESY
to death as demons as well. Next blend into the wall of the huge spher-
THEIR UNDENIABLE GUILT case. ical cavern that contains this par-
GRANT HAS ALREADY been ticular sea. The foothills are perhaps
condemned to die and is merely TEARFUL REUNION five miles from the city and are clear-
awaiting sentence. If the characters AT SOME POINT the players will ly visible from the city walls above
are captured they will be taken before eventually find Grant, and he and the main gate. At the top of the foot-
the Council for the Advancement of Annabelle will enjoy a very emo- hills are a series of geysers which
Experimental and Experiential Re- tional reunion. When they have both emit steam almost continuously. The
search and put on trial. The council's recovered their composure, Grant Moon Men call this complex "The
reason for existence is, as one might will be able to tell the group what he Mother of Waters."
expect, exactly the opposite of its ti- has learned that may be of assistance.
tle (although the members of the The following paragraphs are infor-
council do not see things that way). mation Grant has learned and should
They carefully examine every new be presented to the players in the
shred of evidence to see if it is form of conversation with Grant. As
"valid" research or heresy. much as possible, the information
The theory is that the community should be in response to questions,
began with a demonstrably true body but ultimately Grant will volunteer
of scientific knowledge, and that pool all of it, as it is important to the
of knowledge should be added to characters' ability to plot an escape.
"
without polluting it with potentially
incorrect theses. The test for valid re-
search has become an absence of
contradiction or potential contradic- The glowing medallions are the
tion to the known body of proven badges of rank worn by the Science Given the tremendous tonnage of
knowledge. Within the past several Priests of the Temple of The Blind- water emptying into the great can-
hundred years, however, the body of ing Light. The priests themselves do yon, Grant believes that a more ac-
existing knowledge has been inter- not know what properties cause the tive water cycle must be going on in-
preted to include its own silence on medallions to glow, although they side the moon than can be explained
a subject—if nothing is said about a provided a very convoluted theologi- by simple evaporation. It is his the-
subject by the existing body of cal explanation for it. They were ory that the water from the canyon
knowledge, there is nothing to be very interested in how it came into and underground river feeds into this
said. Grant's possession but were unable series of huge underground seas,
to determine when a Science Priest which in turn drain deeper into the
may have wandered into the upper planet and eventually close to the
caverns. They suspect that the me- molten core. The water is there con-
dallion was stolen, as no priest of verted into live steam and vented up
This, of course, puts humans in a their order would willingly travel to a number of vertical shafts until near
rather awkward position, as they are a place of so little scientific interest. the surface, where it condenses into
living contradictions to the silence of The City of Light and Science is water and feeds the numerous
the biological sciences on the ex- located on a small promontory near streams that empty into the lower
istence of humans. Logically, there- the base of a fairly large peninsula, part of the great canyon, thus pro-
fore, they are demons conjured by roughly the size of Ireland. Several ducing the spectacular water falls.
anarchical heretics wishing to pollute other cities are on the island, but all One of these vertical steam shafts
the sanctity of the body of knowl- are much less advanced. must be the feature the Moon Men
edge. Their guilt is undeniable and The base of the peninsula butts up call The Mother of Waters. If so, it
irrefutable, and they are condemned against steep foothills that quickly is very aptly named.
RIVER OF LIFE
Virtually none of the Moon Men a ways above the canyon floor.
machinery can be modified or jury- THE WAYS HOME There are two possible solutions to
rigged due to its unique circuitry THE SUBJECT OF the immediate this. First, players can take ropes
(embedded in metal or crystal). escape from the city dungeon may with them and climb down the rock
However, many items seem to have prove difficult, but certainly not im- face, although this will be both dif-
been purposefully designed and then possible. The return to the base of ficult and hazardous. An easier and
created by attaching portable com- the canyon and the ether flyers, how- more flamboyant solution is to take
ponents to some larger machine. A ever, is considerably more taxing. It the collapsed balloon with them and
good example of this is a fishing may be that the players will come up use it as a giant parachute to descend
boat. It consists of a portable power with a very ingenious solution to the into the canyon.
winch bolted to the deck of a power puzzle all their own; if so, the referee
boat to enable the crew to control and should encourage them to work out
move large nets. Since they are on- the details of their plan and should
ly bolted in place, they could easily help them along. Remember that the
be removed and attached somewhere object of this sort of adventure is for
else; if they had been designed as the players to come up with their own
part of the boat that would not be solution, not be made to follow the
possible to do. "right" path to escape.
Nevertheless the information the
players will gather from Grant and
other sources can lead to several pos-
sible escape routes. If all else fails,
Grant can suggest one of these, al-
though it will be much better if the A more difficult, but still practical,
basic idea is suggested by a player. use of the Mother of Waters would
Grant is then available to the referee be to actually climb the vertical shaft
as a means of suggesting refinements using nakka cloth ropes. The extreme
or adding polish to the details. heat and slipperiness of the rocks
The Mother of Waters: The par- caused by the heat will make this dif-
ty can steal nakka cloth and rope, and ficult, but not impossible. Treat the
Prisoners in the dungeon are used go to the cave entrances at the Moth- climb as a mountain climb but roll
as laborers to make nakka cloth, the er of Waters. The cloth and cordage three dice for the number of faces.
lightweight fabric made from pow- can then be used to construct a hot Back Up the River: Stealing a
dered humma shell. Nakka cloth, in air balloon, open on the bottom. The submarine will allow the party to re-
addition to being very attractive, is Mother of Waters provides the hot turn to the bay with the prison island
also lightweight and extremely du- air in the form of rapidly rising on it. If a power winch is stolen from
rable, and can be woven finely steam. The balloon can be carried one of the fishing boats, it can be
enough to be as nearly airtight as fine through the caves to the main shaft used to winch the submarine up past
silk. The powdered humma shell is and then allowed to inflate. It will a cataract. (If the players came by
very caustic, so prisoners are used carry them up the shaft until they way of the falls, Grant will be able
to work with it. Most die of lung reach the point at which the steam to direct them to a cataract. ) After
diseases after four or five years. cools and begins to condense. There, that, the submarine can travel under
Many hundreds of yards of the cloth numerous rock ledges and caves lead its own power back to the canyon,
are stored in the dungeon warehouse, into the system of underground provided the characters can find the
as well as a great deal of rope and streams that feed the canyon. way. The submarine will only be
cordage made from woven and Players may recall that most of able to move at a speed of about four
braided nakka fibers. these rivers and streams emerge quite miles per hour in the river channel.
GDW
CONCLUSION
entists will receive four points. the fashion salons of Europe. Any
CONCLUDING If they have brought back proof, such expedition should be well
THE ADVENTURE in the form of an artifact or Moon armed, however, considering the at-
ONCE THE CHARACTERS ar- Man, then one or more of the char- titude of the Science Priests.
rive back in the canyon, their safe acters may also be rewarded one One final reward is possible. If the
return home is guaranteed. If the Heroic Acts renown point, based players do not have an ether flyer at
characters' ether flyer has crashed, upon some feat they performed dur- the end of the adventure (either be-
all will be able to return home in ing the adventure. (If they have proof cause they never had one or because
Grant's flyer. (He hid the hydrogen of their claims, the story of their en- theirs crashed in the canyon), Grant
valve himself to thwart potential tire adventure will be much more will give them his. He insists on their
thieves and can easily locate it. ) widely reported.) taking it and explains that it is a very
Experience: Upon conclusion of Money: The players may end up small reward considering they risked
the adventure, the referee should with very little to show, financially, their lives to save him. Besides, he
give one general experience point for for their adventure. Of course, sub- says with a smile, while in prison he
each episode. This adventure prob- sequent trips to the interior may had considerable time to think about
ably consisted of at least three epi- result in financially rewarding trad- the design of ether flyers and is anx-
sodes: the underground river, the ing exchanges for nakka cloth, which ious to get home to begin work on
prison island, and the escape from will come to be in great demand in an entirely new design.
the city. As a result, the players
should receive three experience
points. (If your running of the adven- MOON MEN STOCK NPC DESCRIPTIONS
ture was different than this, feel free NPC Type Experience Marksman Attributes Arms
to alter the experience point award.) Soldier Trn/Exp 4 Physical Electric Rifle
Each player who participated in close Merchant Grn/Trn 1 Mental Knife
combat at least once during the ad- Fisherman Trn/Exp 3 Physical Spear
venture should receive one Close Prison Guard Grn/Trn 2 Physical Saber
Combat experience point. Priest Grn/Trn 2 Mental Knife
Any inventor in the party should Prisoner Exp/Vet 2 Physical Club
receive one research die in electrici- Thug Trn/Exp 1 Physical Knife
ty. If he was able to examine a light-
ning cannon, electric rifle, or sub- Electric Rifle: This small arm of the Moon Men would more prop-
marine in detail, he should receive erly be described as a carbine, as it is lightweight and has a short bar-
a + 1 die roll modifier on any ex- rel. It has a shorter range and less stopping power than most Earth
perimental die roll when trying to in- weapons larger than pistols, its principal advantage being its very large
vent a device of that type. magazine. An automatic setting on the rifle allows it to fire six shots
Renown: The characters' tale of per action, but this is never used by the Moon Men (its use is, in fact,
a new race and ancient civilization prohibited) due to the fact that it is nearly impossible to manufacture
beneath the moon will give each sci- the special magnetic darts fired by the rifle. Characters who pick these
entist in the party one scientific rifles up, however, may discover and use this setting. The reload time
renown point. If they have brought may prove useful to characters who happen upon an arsenal with extra
back a working electric rifle or magazines for the rifles. As a general rule, however, soldiers carry only
winch, scientists will receive two the 100 rounds in their rifle, and many have not even been told how
scientific renown points, and all to change magazines.
other characters will receive one. If
an actual Moon Man accompanies Weapon Shots Mag Reload Wnd Req. Str. Save Range
them back, then all characters will Electric Rifle 1-6 100 2 1-2* 2 1 50
receive two renown points, and sci-
RIVER OF LIFE
ANIMAL DESCRIPTIONS
Humma: These are docile, do-
mesticated animals with no means of
defense except for flight. They are
no danger to anyone.
Water Snake: These animals,
usually about 20 feet long, are simi-
Flyer: Weighing nearly 100 lar to the giant caterpillars encoun-
pounds in Earth's gravity, these ani- tered in the upper reaches of the great
mals can fly only due to the low canyon but are aquatic instead. They
gravity of the Moon. They have have a similar multisegmented body,
leathery wings and stout, segmented but the single pair of mandibles on
River Grabber: This solitary bodies. Their normal diet consists of the caterpillar are replaced by a more
water scavenger consists of a long, fish and water snakes, and their long developed set of sideways-opening
flat, flexible body cavity terminating beak is useful for snatching their prey jaws with powerful teeth.
in a round mouth, similar to that of from several feet below the surface
a lamprey. It has three pairs of grasp- of the water. Their talons are pri-
ing tentacles with which it pulls itself marily defensive weapons, but they
along the rocks of the sublunar river, will freely use them against larger,
and row upon row of large suction nonaquatic prey (such as men).
cups along its belly. Its body is dark
gray, almost black, mottled and
flecked with yellow to blend in with Lunar Fish: These aquatic
the underwater rocks. It will normal- creatures travel in schools of several
ly attach itself to the rock walls or dozen fish. They will seldom attack
river bottom by its belly suction cups (roll 1 or 2 on the die), but if they
and await the passage of suitable do they can be quite dangerous. Each
prey. It then grasps its prey, either Lunar Bay Whale: These huge fish is between six inches and a foot
a Lunar fish or water snake, with its swimmers average more than seven in length, and has many small but
tentacles and eats it alive. The teeth tons in weight, and are easily capable sharp teeth. They are edible by hu-
which surround its circular mouth of overturning or crushing a raft. mans, and have a very tart, vinegary
make it difficult for the prey to with- They will usually not attack, how- odor and taste which will cause most
draw from the mouth once partially ever. (Referee: Roll 1 or 2 on the die people to suffer watering of the eyes
in but are not used for chewing. for them to attack.) and a strong pucker reaction.
GDW
INTRODUCTION
GDW
VOYAGE TO THE HARBINGER
meaning. He is intelligent and well has rebuilt his laboratory and con-
AN ADDITIONAL PASSENGER educated, always displaying the best tinues to experiment—with less dan-
A NUMBER OF NPCS will ac- of manners. It was his impetuous fer- gerous things, I am sure.
company the player characters, vor for experimentation which end- "We need him because he knows
depending on the capacity of their ed his career, but here I'm putting the inside of that heliograph better
ether flyer. Because the flight will my cart before my horse. than anyone, and if we're going to
only last a couple of hours, it is pos- "Wren was in charge of taking the find a bomb, we'll need to search
sible to overload the ether flyer with- sketchy notes of Andrew Guilstone, every inch of it.''
out fear of exhausting the oxygen. who originally conceived of the or- The characters join Worth in his
Up to twice the normal number of bital heliograph, and making them carriage for the ride to Wren's
crew and passengers may be taken. into a solid, three-dimensional struc- house, about two miles east of the
Both Worth and Montrose will ture. Guilstone had indicated that the outskirts of London. The carriage
wish to accompany the flight, and heliograph's great mass would rule stops in front of a small house with
Montrose will want to take along as out the possibility of the communica- an extremely cluttered yard. Worth
many constables as possible. Worth tion station being self-powered—it and the characters climb out and ring
also says, with a little embarrass- would have to be towed into orbit by the bell at the front door. They are
ment, that he would like to recruit ether flyers. Wren could not accept met by a butler, who informs them
one other person for the expedition. this and proceeded on his own to that Professor Wren is indisposed.
Worth explains, "The police have devise a means of power which could Worth insists on seeing Wren, ex-
asked me to visit Professor Mortimer lift the mammoth heliograph off the plaining that it is a matter of utmost
Wren and impose upon him to ac- ground. This slowly became an ob- urgency. The butler reluctantly lets
company us to the heliograph." session of his. He neglected his work, them in and instructs them to wait in
When the players ask Worth for and labored night and day in his own the entry hall while he informs his
information about Wren, he will laboratory. master of their visit. He returns
seem very reluctant to say anything It all ended one evening in a fiery momentarily and says that Wren will
more. If they persist, he will have explosion. Wren was badly burned see them in his library. The butler
this to say: and his laboratory destroyed. Na- says that Wren has taken cold, how-
"Mortimer Wren is a strange turally he was released from his ever, and asks that they keep their
fellow—but don't misconstrue my duties as director of the project. He visit as short as possible.
You enter the library and catch
your first glimpse of Mortimer Wren.
He is seated in an easy chair very
close to the fire, with a blanket
across his legs and shawl on his
shoulders. He wears gloves; his face
below his eyes is covered by a mask
to hide his disfigurement; and his
hair and forehead are covered by a
broad-brimmed hat pulled low. Nev-
ertheless, scar tissue is clearly visi-
ble on the patch of skin immediately
above his eyes. Although seated, he
is plainly of medium height and is
slight of build. When he speaks, his
voice is slightly muffled by the mask
but is clearly hoarse due to his
sickness.
ANARCHY IN THE ETHER
"Cornelius, my friend. Please they will find him fast asleep, the
come in, and forgive me for not ris- THE VOYAGE TO ORBIT food and wine untouched.
ing. I'm afraid this spell of damp, WORTH, WREN, and the char- Worth and Montrose appeared at
cold weather has gotten the better of acters will ride back to the char- the characters' lodging at approx-
me. Simms, that will be all." acters' lodging where Montrose and imately 11 p. m. The group takes off
The butler leaves and closes the his constables will be waiting. All for the Harbinger at 12: 30 a. m., and
library door behind him. Worth is will board the ether flyer and take the trip to orbit will take two and a
clearly concerned about his old off. Wren, obviously exhausted from half hours. The group will thus ar-
friend. "Mortimer, you look as if the sudden spurt of activity, will rive at the Harbinger at 3 a. m., leav-
you've lost weight. retire to one of the staterooms with ing them two hours to conduct a
"Yes, quite a bit actually. This his picnic basket of food and drink. thorough search of the station for the
blasted fever has me off my feed as If the players look in on him later anarchist's bomb.
well. Nothing seems very appetizing.
Oh, and please forgive Simms for not
admitting you at once. He's new and
doesn't know that you are always to
be allowed in."
Worth introduces all of you and
quickly recounts the events of the day
to Wren. He says they had hoped
Wren would be able to accompany
them, but clearly that will not be
possible due to his illness. At this
Wren removes the blanket and rises
from his chair.
"Rubbish! Why, it's nothing but a THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK
little cold, and the worst of it's past BY THE TIME Worth and the characters arrive at Mortimer Wren's
anyway. Do you think I could sit here house, Professor Wren has actually been dead for two days, as has his
and sip soup while some madman de- manservant. The man masquerading as Wren is none other than
stroyed our lives' work? Or that I Ravachol, the infamous anarchist, while the "butler" is one of his hench-
could let you go on such a mission men. Ravachol has improved his command of English since his escape
and not offer my help ? Why, you as- from prison and has carefully planned his assault on the orbital helio-
tound me, Cornelius!'' He pulls the graph. Ravachol's statistics are found on pages 40-41 of Space: 1889.
bell cord while he's talking. Ravachol's impersonation of Wren is, of course, aided immensely
Worth rises and shows some con- by Wren's disfigurement and his attempts at masking it. Ravachol is
cern. "Are you sure you 're up to it, Wren's approximate height but is considerably lighter, and his voice
Mortimer? I think you still may be fe- is huskier. Both discrepancies were explained away as the result of his
verish; I've never seen you act quite nonexistent sickness, and differences between his behavior and Wren's
like this." could be passed off as the result of his "fever." Finally, his pretended
Simms opens the door. "You rang, illness allowed Ravachol to spend the entire voyage to the station fak-
sir?" ing sleep, thus minimizing the chance of giving himself away by a slip
"Pack up one of those cold pheas- in conversation.
ants we put up, along with a bottle The bomb is contained in Ravachol's picnic basket. The bottle of Hock
of the Hock, and better put in a bot- (the English term for a German white wine) is actually 14 ounces of
tle of that Port, too. I'm off for the nitroglycerin (explosive power of 7), while the timer and detonator are
Harbinger!" in the bottle of Port. The pheasant is genuine.
"Very good, sir."
GDW
THE ORBITAL HELIOGRAPH STATION
a small vanity glass lying on a shelf. lions of miles toward Mars. The
HER MAJESTY'S ORBITAL Snatching it up, he turned to Guil- smallest of the gears in the mirror
HELIOGRAPH STATION stone and said, "Well, Andy me mechanism would fit in the palm of
THE FOLLOWING SECTION is bucko, why dontcha jus' flash the a man's hand; the largest, the plat-
general knowledge and may be pro- messages with a big mirror?" ter/gear which the mirror is mounted
vided to the players before the adven- Guilstone was bewildered. He stared to, would take several minutes to
ture or at any time during its course. at his friend for a few moments and walk across.
then scribbled out several pages of Complex pressure valves and
DESIGN OF THE STATION notes for a orbital heliograph in due steam nozzles had to be designed to
IN 1872, when the British first ar- order. That night Guilstone and operate the mirror mechanism to en-
rived on Mars, the indomitable Eng- O'Connor went to the pub and sure its complete, clock-like ac-
lish spirit took root in the shifting bought drinks for the whole house curacy. Twin steam engines drive the
sands of the foreign planet. Their because they knew themselves to be turbine, which in turn drives the
natural talent for leadership and their rich men—and they were right. gears which rotate the mirror and ad-
willingness to cheerfully persevere in By its completion in 1882, Her just its angle of reflection. A series
the face of seemingly insurmountable Majesty's Orbital Heliograph Station of slats across the face of the mirror,
odds won them the friendship of the Harbinger (and its sister heliograph much like Venetian blinds, can be
Parhoonese, the cautious respect of Foresage built on Mars) had de- opened and closed in order to flash
the Canal Princes, and a permanent manded the time and talents of more messages in Morse code. The mes-
colony on Mars. A lucrative trade than 100 artisans and cost over sages are composed slowly, due to
between Mars and Earth developed, £1,000,000. The Harbinger required the enormous size of the heavy metal
and the influence of the British in- the aid of eight specially designed blinds, but it only takes the reflected
creased. But news from "back ether tugs to tow it into space and set light a few minutes to reach Mars.
home" was slow—travel between the it in orbit around Earth; the expense Even though the interplanetary
two planets taking several weeks by notwithstanding, the heliograph's mirror is enormous (a polo team
ether flyer. usefulness (in both civilian and could practice on its surface and not
The British government soon military matters) is proven daily. feel crowded), the communications
realized that it needed a much Military reports, materiel requests, officers must use telescopes to re-
quicker means of communication and important news breaks can be ceive messages between the helio-
between Earth and Mars. The solu- flashed in Morse code from helio- graphs. The mirror does not reflect
tion to the puzzle eluded many prom- graph to heliograph in a matter of a very focused ray of light, and even
inent scientists, but an obscure inven- minutes. This line of communication with the aid of a telescope, it takes
tor by the name of Andrew Guilstone has done much to maintain British a thoroughly trained eye to record a
continued to grapple with the logis- authority on Mars. heliograph message.
tics of the problem. When the Harbinger receives a
As Guilstone pondered the matter THE STATION DESCRIBED message from the Foresage, it must
early one evening, his friend, a THE MOST PROMINENT fea- use a much smaller mirror (called the
young Irishman named Jackie ture of the heliograph is the tremen- "planetary") to send the message
O'Connor, stopped in to invite the dous mirror (referred to as the down to Earth's surface. The plane-
struggling scientist to the pub. "interplanetary") which is mounted tary mirror also uses a system of
Guilstone explained his problem, on a rotating platter in the middle of blinds to relate the message in Morse
pontificating on the complications of the station. Two solar boilers drive code, but because it does not always
communication through millions of the enormous and intricate mecha- send its messages to the same point,
miles of ether and, with a wry grin, nism, much like the clockwork ma- it has a separate mechanism to rotate
added that he would go to the pub as chinations of an orrery, which keep it and adjust its angle. This mirror
soon as he discovered a solution. the mirror aligned so that it can catch is also steam-powered, but it is light
Turning to leave, the Irishman spied the Sun's rays and reflect them mil- enough that several people can use
ANARCHY IN THE ETHER
a handcrank to adjust it if necessary. it takes a trained eye to discern the Despite the complexity and mon-
Even though the planetary mirror flashing heliograph's message at strous size of its mirrors and drive
is smaller (and of much better quali- night against the background of the mechanisms, the Harbinger and its
ty) than the interplanetary mirror, twinkling stars. exact replica in orbit around Mars,
messages can only be sent when it is When not in use, the blinds of both the Foresage, have not once in their
nighttime in the region of the planet mirrors remain closed for two rea- seven years of service failed to
that will receive the message. The sons: Stray meteors and space debris transfer or receive a message (a fact
planetary mirror produces a fine con- could shatter the mirrors, and the in which their respective crews take
centrated ray of light, but against the crew and passengers of approaching great pride). The heliographs have
sunlit sky it is impossible to see. And ships could be blinded. been a tremendous success.
The Interplanetary
Greenhouse
Greenhouse
Observation Deck Sunside Deck
Solar Boilers
Main Deck
Lower Deck
Earthside Deck
The Planetary
HARBINGER
GDW
THE STATION DESCRIBED
THE HELIOGRAPH station has The Greenhouse: The dome- miracle "heliodrugs." They often
several functions which are second- shaped greenhouses on the helio- claim that the Sun's direct light on
ary to its communication role. graphs are largely devoted to grow- some obscure Martian plant has re-
The Oxford/Cambridge Ether ing foreign plants in Earth soil. Ex- sulted in a potent cure-all medicine.
Laboratory: The largest and best- periments are then performed on Many gullible British, Americans,
equipped ether laboratory in ex- these plants; many chemists and and Irish have fallen prey to these
istence is aboard the Harbinger. It botanists have made incredible finds, charlatans.
represents a joint effort between Ox- ranging from colognes to food sub- In addition to providing oxygen for
ford and Cambridge Universities, stitutes. As a result, a rash of "fa- the station, the greenhouses produce
and is dedicated to the study and con- kirs" and "doctors" have appeared fresh food for the staff and person-
struction of devices which will on Earth who purport to be selling nel stationed on the heliograph.
harness the power of the ether more
efficiently. Only a handful of scien-
tists are invited to work here, and
both universities award one scholar-
ship a year to a student at the Masters
SUNSIDE DECK MAIN DECK
level or above. Competition is fierce.
The scientists and students who
work here typically remain for one-
year intervals, after which their
scholarship or invitation may or may
not be renewed.
The Times Office: The Times has
an office here (and on the Foresage
as well). It pays heavily for this priv-
ilege, but it also receives all unclas-
sified information first. The Times'
subscription rate has quadrupled in
the last three years, nearly driving
The Daily Mail and several other
newspapers out of business. The
Times is engaged in several lawsuits
as a result of this situation, but so far
none have been successful.
SUNSIDE DECK
1. Station Commander's
Quarters
2. Senior Staff Quarters
3. Shower and Head
4. Space Suit Storage
5. Air Lock
6. Machinery
7. Greenhouse
ANARCHY IN THE ETHER
GDW
ARRIVAL AT THE HARBINGER
WHEN THE GROUP arrives at are satisfied that the room is free of The constable will object, but Rava-
the station, Montrose has all station a bomb of any type. chol has a revolver and will threaten
personnel brought to the docking bay Wren is now clearly exhausted and to use it. He will take along a pris-
and kept there under guard by one says to Worth and the other search- oner capable of piloting the craft.
of the constables. That way, he ex- ers, "I'm afraid I'm not as strong as If the characters have become sus-
plains, they are ready for immediate I thought. Let me stay here and rest picious of Wren, they may decide to
evacuation should that prove neces- a bit while you search the ship. I sug- double back and will then catch him
sary, and, if there is a saboteur gest you break up into small groups in the act of planting the bomb or
among them, he will not be free to and comb every corridor and closet making his escape. If not, they will
place a bomb in some location that on the station. If Inspector Montrose carry out their frantic search for the
has already been searched once. will favor me with the loan of one of bomb. Worth will accompany the
Worth asks Wren for his advice, those revolvers, I'll make sure no one characters, as most of the rooms are
and Wren suggests that they should tampers with the machinery." He very large, and Worth can single out
begin by searching the large housing takes out his pocket watch and exa- key areas. The characters will want
at the base of the interplanetary mir- mines it. "Tempus fugit, gentlemen. to stay together so that they can cover
ror mechanism, as that is centrally It is now 3:30 a.m. " each area very quickly. Montrose
located and would be the best loca- and his constables will form another
tion to place a bomb to cripple the THE FUTILE SEARCH search party. Build the suspense as
heliograph station. RAVACHOL WILL WAIT until the scientist leads them from room
The mirror machinery room is a 4:30 a.m. to set the timer on his to room, and 5 a.m. approaches.
rabbit warren of gears, steam pipes, bomb. He will then go directly to the At 4:50 a.m. Montrose finds them
pistons, and levers. The entire group docking bay. Once there he will de- and says the following:
searches the room intensively for half mand that one of the small emergen- "Not much time left now, and I've
an hour, at the end of which time all cy cutters be placed at his disposal. started to evacuate the scientific per-
sonnel. We won't be able to get
everyone off, though. It seems your
Mr. Wren lost his nerve. He forced
his way into the docking bay and
seized a cutter at gunpoint.
"Mortimer Wren?" Worth asks
skeptically. "I don't believe it. Why,
I'd sooner believe that Mortimer had
suddenly sprouted wings and learned
to fly than that he had threatened
another man's life."
This is the last opportunity for the
characters to deduce that Wren is the
saboteur. However, they must imme-
diately run back to the machinery
room and think to examine Wren's
picnic basket. If they do so they will
notice the ticking sound made by the
timer in bottle of Port and try to
disarm the bomb. The easiest way to
do so is to simply separate the two
bottles; the detonator is not power-
ful enough to do any significant dam-
ANARCHY IN THE ETHER
GDW
INTRODUCTION
AN ILL WIND
WHILE DOING BUSINESS in
the city, the player characters begin
to hear rumors of bizarre murders
being committed. Wherever they
go—be it bazaar, tavern, inn, or
whatever—the citizens of Ausonia
are grumbling about the news, com-
plaining that the ruling families are
more concerned with maintaining
their daily comforts than with pro- rake back, the senior apprentice's
tecting the citizenry. If the players scorched head came with it.
question any of the speakers more Pyamentropaas woke the whole
closely, they will hear one of the neighborhood with his screaming.
rumors listed in the rumor table. Roll Neighbors found the rest of Wal-
1D6 for the story recounted. After doon Maraaks' body inside the
the players have heard two of the oven as well, where it had fallen
three stories, go on to the next sec- out of the chimney. His left arm
tion of this adventure. was outstretched, and the shoulder
joint was dislocated as if someone
or out of the house was either to go had tried to drag him up the inside
RUMOR TABLE through the locked door or to fly of the chimney by his hand.
1-2: Kiithauk Gneesh, a west through the bedroom window upstairs. 5-6: Dreel One-eye, a ne'er-do-
side rug merchant, was walking 3-4: Two mornings past, Anaan- well who frequents the docks, said
home with some friends from the tool Pyamentropaas, a junior appren- he was "running a footrace" with
tavern near midnight five nights tice at the Sistopol Street Bakery near a dockworker late last night and
ago when he heard a scream from the great gate of the palace, rose as was in the lead when he heard the
the second story of his home. After normal and began the fire in the great dockworker make a strangled cry.
fumbling with the lock for several oven, then drew water for Waldoon Glancing over his shoulder, Dreel
minutes, he finally got his door Maraaks, the senior apprentice bak- says he saw a short figure rise from
open and rushed upstairs with his er, to wash himself in after rising. the dockworker's body, then begin
friends, only to find that his wife But Maraaks could not be found. to race after old One-eye himself.
had been slaughtered in bed. It is Returning to the oven, young Py- Dreel said he led the figure on
said that both her arms were bro- amentropaas found that the chimney a merry chase through alleys and
ken, and her throat was torn out. was not drawing well, so he went over fences; the figure kept gain-
After he had recovered from the outside and mounted the 15-foot ing on him. Finally Dreel ducked
shock, Gneesh went to the com- stack with a ladder, then plunged a into an alley and dove into an open
mander of the Ausonian Guard, but pole into the chimney to drive the cellar. He guesses that the figure
the Guard hasn't been able to figure blockage out. Eventually he felt the didn't see where he had gone; he
out who committed the murder. blockage fall free, and greasy black heard it run right on by. The dock-
They almost threw poor Gneesh in smoke began to exit from the stack. worker was found by the Guard a
jail as a suspect but decided not to Upon returning to the oven doors, few hours later; his head had been
when the friends who had been the young apprentice inserted a rake twisted to the side until his neck
with him raised a fuss. to pull out what had fallen from in- had broken, and the right side of
Gneesh swears the only way in side the chimney. When he pulled the his face was torn open to the bone.
GDW
ROYAL SUMMONS
isfy its bloodlust, and the killing need killer into the sewers. But news
JOINING THE SEARCH not be discovered by anyone until the reaches the ears of Ausonia's prince
ONCE THE PLAYER characters next morning. that Earth humans are in the city, and
have heard about the murders being With a little bit of care, the referee he summons them to attend him at
committed in Ausonia they may vol- can have the characters believing that the palace.
unteer to join the search for the they are seeking a Jack the Ripper When the player characters arrive
murderer. If this is the case, the type of murderer, which will make at the palace, they will be ushered in
referee will need to assign chances the next development in this whole to see the prince, who will politely
of them happening to be in the right puzzling situation all the more mys- offer them refreshments. If they ac-
area of the city when one of the kill- terious to them. cept, he will wait quietly while they
ings is committed. seat themselves and are served; then,
The referee should keep several A SUMMONS TO THE PALACE while they are eating, he will tell
things in mind when running this part WHETHER THE player char- them the reason for their summons
of the adventure. First, the creature acters have joined the search for the before him.
is an orangutan, which is why it is murderer or not, eventually the "You have undoubtedly heard, ''
able to run, jump, and climb so well creature will attack a member of the says the prince, "of the series of
while still appearing humanoid in the Ausonian Guard, and although it kills murders that have been committed in
darkness. Remember that although him, it is severely wounded in the the city. We have learned that the
an animal is doing the killing, the struggle. Other members of the killer has taken shelter in the city's
evidence should not make this ob- Guard find the body very shortly and sewers, and it is evident that it is
vious; as far as the player characters follow a trail of blood left behind by from there that he has been striking
are concerned, it could be the work the wounded creature. This trail all along. Unfortunately, the Auso-
of a madman. Also, it should not be- leads them to an entrance to the nian Guard cannot follow him into
come obvious right away that the sewers, and they promptly report this the sewers, so I need operatives who
creature's home is in the sewers; back to their superiors. can. I have selected you.
after each killing, the thing flees in- The Martian governors are "As off-worlders, you can enter
to one of the abandoned areas of the stunned by this news. Because of the the sewers in relative safety. You can
city (every Martian canal city has very nature of the sewers (see The track the killer down and capture or
plenty of them) before reentering the Ecology of the Sewers on page 62), kill him for me. He was badly wound-
sewers, and it exits the sewers at a it is evident that the killer cannot be ed during his last attack, so he should
different spot each night. Finally, a Martian. Most importantly, how- cause you little worry. As long as you
one killing a night is enough to sat- ever, no Martian can pursue the are careful, I expect that you will
AUSONIAN STALKER
GDW
THE SEARCH BEGINS
This portion of the adventure will sages, then just as they are beginning
INTO THE SEWERS require some care on the referee's to be lulled into carelessness, sur-
AFTER ACCEDING to Prince part to build tension in the players as prise!—something happens to remind
Jharmook's demand for aid, you are their characters explore the sewers, them of the danger they are in.
led through the streets of Ausonia by looking for the murderer who is lurk- Two aids are included to help the
a few members of the Ausonian ing there. The referee should try to referee run this portion of the adven-
Guard. Citizens of the city stand convey a sense of mystery and dan- ture. The first is the encounter table
aside as your group passes, and they ger to the players, describing the on this page; the second is the sewer
eye you curiously. As you travel on, long, empty stretches of dark tun- maps on pages 62 and 63. The ref-
you begin to leave the populous nels, the alien stench of the place, the eree should not feel bound by either
center of Ausonia behind and soon damp and warmth of the air, and the of these aids, however. Just because
enter what is popularly known as the strange gurglings that echo within. the players happened to choose the
"Northern Haunts, " an abandoned The secret of running this scene is correct turn every time, and every
area of decaying buildings and stone- timing. The sewers are not a loca- encounter roll came up "no encoun-
cluttered streets. tion of nonstop action, and some of ter, " does not mean that they should
The guardsmen lead you down a the tension and even boredom that be able to waltz right through this
narrow alley that twists unpredict- the characters would feel in travers- scene. Conversely, the group should
ably, then suddenly ends at a blank ing them should be conveyed. If the not have to wander the sewers for in-
stone wall. A rusted grating lies dis- referee is careful, the characters will terminable hours, wading through
carded on the pavement at its foot. wander for a while, discovering hordes of savage creatures and suf-
But your eyes are drawn to a gaping nothing but branches and side pas- fering innumerable cave-ins. Instead,
hole a few yards to the left, a hole the referee should ensure that they
that exudes the warm, moist stench find the doctor's hideout at the
of the city's bowels. dramatically appropriate moment.
The guardsmen look at you expec- The intent is to recreate swashbuck-
tantly. ling adventure, not to simulate a
computer-moderated labyrinth. It is
even recommended that the referee
choose some of the encounters from
the table rather than follow the dice
rolls every time.
ENCOUNTER TABLE
2D6 Encounter
2 Waste gasses
3 Cave-in
4 Willy
5 Croakers
6 No encounter
7 Water hazard
8 Giant snails
9 No encounter
10 Orangutan
11 Earth mutant
12 Spores
AUSONIAN STALKER
GDW
WORTMANN'S HIDEOUT
cacophony of ape sounds. When they of the hideout is sealed off by metal
CAPTURED! come near the mouth of the side tun- walls, something like the hulls of a
EVENTUALLY, WHETHER by nel in which the hideout is located, submarine vessel. By ducking, it is
stumbling upon it by accident or by a light source will become evident, possible to walk beneath the floor of
following Willy or the orangutan to the electric lights that hang above the the construction. That floor is also
it, the characters will discover the cages of the doctor's menagerie. airtight, but an air-pumping machine
hideout of Herr Doctor Franz Wort- Wortmann's hideout has been con- and filter hang from it, cycling fresh
mann. What follows is a description structed on piles that keep it above air into the rooms above.
of how the adventure will likely pro- the water flowing through the tunnel, Within the sealed portion of the
gress at this point. If your group even if it reaches a depth of five feet. hideout are located the doctor's lab,
chooses actions different from those (The diameter of the tunnel where the storage area, and living quarters. His
described here, you will need to hideout is located is near 15 feet, so private chamber fills the upper half
adapt the events to their actions. the hideout itself has 10 feet of head- of a side tunnel that is 10 feet in
The first clue the player characters room at its centerline. ) Metal steps diameter. Only about three feet sep-
have that they are nearing the hideout lead up to the platform on which the arate the floor of the tunnel from the
is that they begin to hear a distant animal cages are located, and the rest floor of the room, so a character
GDW
THE SINISTER PLAN
transport from Earth, but once they ing an affirmative reply, he steps
A BEASTLY SCHEME have been sprayed with my special back to the doorway of the hideout
WHEN THE characters awake, serum, they become veritable de- and commands Willy to commence.
they find themselves in individual mons. " The doctor pauses to flick his It is obvious that Wortmann is afraid
cages on the menagerie deck. Any cigar at one of the unfortunate crea- of accidentally being affected by the
equipment they had has been taken tures, then laughs as it leaps against serum himself, but his sadism keeps
from them, and the males have been the bars, trying to reach him. him close enough to watch as the
stripped of all clothing except for "With these beasts, I am going to player characters are dosed. Willy
trousers. Ladies have merely been bring chaos to Ausonia, and if the walks to each cage in turn and sprays
encaged, and their cages are strewn plan works well here, then next I am the male player characters with the
with pillows to add comfort. Within going to do the same, in a grander serum, taking great care not to get
about half an hour, Wortmann comes scale, at Syrtis Major. And you are any of it on himself.
out onto the deck and greets the going to help me. When the serum touches each
group. Willy accompanies him, and "You think not?" he asks, peer- character, he is suddenly filled with
if the group members have not seen ing at each of the party members. blinding pain. The entire transforma-
Willy before, they will now have an "Look here at my assistant, Willy. tion takes only minutes, and during
opportunity to marvel at his ugliness. Doesn't he look terrifying ? Unfortu- that time the character's skin burns
Given Wortmann's overweening ego nately, Willy had an accident with an unbearably as coarse hair begins to
and his exceeding sadism, the doc- earlier version of my serum, and it sprout from it, his gums throb ago-
tor wants to be absolutely certain that made him as you see him now. But nizingly as his teeth begin to
the characters understand both the that serum had a flaw; it made him lengthen, and his bones ache unmer-
brilliance of his plan and the horror a craven instead of a terror. cifully as his legs and back shorten
to which the male members will soon "DIDN'T IT, WILLY!" the doctor and claws protrude from his fingers
be subjected. shouts, and Willy cowers. and toes. Even after the transforma-
"Greetings gentlemen, "Wort- "But my new serum is a total suc- tion is complete, the pain remains,
mann says in his thick German ac- cess, " Wortmann continues. "It not and the character is filled with a blaz-
cent (adding the word "ladies" if it only makes a creature look fero- ing fury at anyone and everyone.
is appropriate). cious—it makes it act ferocious as At this point, every player treated
"I must admit that I was very sur- well. You will learn that soon enough must make saving throws versus his
prised to find other Europeans in because, of course, I am going to use Intellect and Endurance. If he suc-
Ausonia, and particularly beneath it, it on each one of you. " ceeds at either one, he is able to re-
but you provide a wonderful oppor- With this last statement hanging tain his self-possession by sheer ef-
tunity for me to improve my plan. ominously in the air, Wortmann fort of will. If he fails at both, he is
Undoubtedly you have noticed the sends Willy to the lab for the serum. possessed by the rage and effective-
ferocity of the beasts in the cages Willy returns a few moments later ly loses his self-awareness. The ref-
around you; what you may not real- with a large spray gun. Wortmann eree should ensure that at least one
ize is that they are not naturally so asks him if the antidote is still in its character remains in control of him-
vicious. While in their natural docile correct place in the lab, in case it self, and in order to do this, it is sug-
state, they are relatively easy to should be needed, and after receiv- gested that each player roll in turn,
with the player whose character has
the highest attribute waiting until
last. If none of the other characters
succeed, the referee should simply
tell the last player that he has done
so. (Having the players roll one at
a time also increases the tension and
drama of the moment. )
AUSONIAN STALKER
GDW
THE SEWERS OF MARS
WORTMANN'S HIDEOUT
Side View
A. Menagerie Deck
B. Willy's Corner
C. Lab Equipment
D. Galley Equipment
E. Wortmann's Private Chamber
F. Air Filter and Pump 20'
AUSONIAN STALKER
GDW
SPACE: 1889
THE STORY OF SPACE: 1889 REFEREE'S SCREEN
It was as a result of intense intellec- • A must for every 1889 referee!
tual conversations between Professor Just what every Space: 1889 referee
B. Etienne Moreau of the Sorbonne and needs to speed play: a complete 34-inch
American inventor Thomas A. Edison by 11-inch decorative screen with all the
that the latter devised a practical use pertinent charts and diagrams necessary
for the luminiferous ether. Its nature for faster play. Every chart, table, and
suggested to Edison a device which diagram required to play Space: 1889 is
could "sail at speeds heretofore un- right at your fingertips. Also included is
dreamed of through the luminiferous a complete additional set of game charts
ether. " It was, in fact, a quirk of fate for distribution to players. The screen
which forced his first such invention to itself is in full color with beautiful illustra-
fail —his prototype could not overcome tions, an ideal accessory for the adven-
the atmosphere —forcing Edison to set tures of the century!
his sights toward the airless heavens. GDW: 1981. ISBN 1-55878-015-7.
The space age had begun. Screen and booklet $10. 00.
Edison himself made the first manned
voyage in an ether flyer of his own in-
vention, accompanied by Jack Arm- BEASTMEN OF MARS
strong, a Scottish soldier of fortune. • The dreaded Cult of the Worm.
The two managed to pilot their craft via When a famous archaeologist thinks he
hydrogen balloon high enough to allow can find artifacts of ancient Martians in
their ether propeller to take hold. Un- High Martian kraags, he is understand-
fortunately, their landing on Mars was ably met with criticism. "Artifacts
not as smooth, and the balloon was among the beastmen! May as well be
damaged. The expedition would have buried forever!" But rumors of an aban-
been stranded forever were it not for doned kraag encourage him to mount an
the fact that the planet was inhabited. expedition. The marauding beastmen
Edison and Armstrong were taken send the expedition into great peril. But
prisoner by a local Martian potentate, only upon reaching their destination will
Amraamtaba IX. Armstrong learned the Everything Jules Verne should have written. the humans find the hideous reality of the
language, and Edison impressed the deserted kraag, a conclusion more terri-
ruler with his knowledge. The pair was
Everything H. G. Wells could have written. ble than anyone could imagine.
soon freed, and Edison was provided Everything A. Conan Doyle thought of, but never published — GDW: 1902. ISBN 1-55878-022-X. 64
with materials to repair his balloon. because it was too fantastic. pages $8. 00.
Within months the repaired flyer was
ready to carry Edison, Armstrong, and Everything you need for the adventures of the century!
a curious Martian back to Earth. The ex- CARAVANS OF MARS
pedition landed safely outside Cincin- Where the Martian canals are no longer
nati on the 7th of August, 1870. functional or where they were never
Earth was electrified. Edison and created in ancient times, transportation
Armstrong received fame and fortune. needs have been taken over by vast
Within a year, dozens of companies
were manufacturing Edison Flyers, and
flyers of several nationalities were soon
Science-Fiction Adventure caravans. Large wagons pulled by half-
wild Martian beasts and protected by
nefarious mercenaries carry items for
making regular trips to Mars. The Brit-
ish established a permanent quarter in
the Martian city of Parhoon. Belgians
In a More Civilized Time trade between cities otherwise isolated
from one another. Join a caravan expedi-
tion bound for Alclyon, a caravan beset
and French quickly followed suit, by bad omens and subtle sabotage.
establishing themselves as colonial Someone is willing to go to great lengths
powers. The Germans turned their at- to see that the caravan does not reach
tentions to Venus, a world covered its destination. •
with harsh swamps and inhabited by GDW: 1903. ISBN 1-55878-023-8. 64
ferocious dinosaurs. Edison had opened pages $8. 00.
a cornucopia of worlds and markets for
the colonial powers of the Earth, the • The newest role-playing concept in years!
backdrop for the adventures of a • Science-fiction adventure in a more civilized time. CLOUDSHIPS AND GUNBOATS
lifetime-Space: 1889! Stand on the sandy banks of a Martian canal. Brave the Venusian swamps, giant • Deck plans and additional ves-
lizards, and agents of the kaiser. Chart the jagged wastes of the Martian highlands sels for aerial battles over Mars.
while searching for the fabled liftwood groves. Enhance your Space: 1889 adventures
Colonies on Mars This 21 6-page hardbound rules book is the heart of the Space: 1889 role-playing with large deck plans for cloudships and
Several European powers have small game. It contains the complete role-playing rules, plus the exciting background of gunboats, beautifully executed for im-
outposts or bases on Mars: notably, the Victorian science fiction: ether flyers and Martian cloudships, the canals and civiliza- mediate play. But Cloudships and Gun-
German station west of Umbra, the tions of the red planet, Venus' swamps and dinosaurs, the honeycombed interior boats is more than just a collection of
French research facility in Nilokeras, of Luna, and the thrills of inventions and inventors —the driving force behind Vic- deck plans. It has additional information
and diplomatic missions scattered toria's multiworld empire! and construction rules for vessels, more
across the face of the planet. Also, GDW: 1889. ISBN 0-943580-80-3. 216 pages hardbound $30. 00. ships for Space: 1889, and rules on how
commercial interests from Earth are to use the deck plans with the card stock
becoming well established, and a grow- miniatures provided —25mm characters
ing military presence is manifesting SKY GALLEONS OF MARS SPACE: 1889 TITLES in full color with plastic stands.
itself in the principalities allied to, or • Liftwood has changed the face FOR 1989 GDW: 1982. ISBN 1-55878-021-1.
bribed by, the colonial powers on Earth. of battle forever. Boxed $20. 00.
Only two significant tracts of territory Sky Galleons of Mars places you in Space: 1889 $30
are held by European states on Mars, thrilling air battles high above the Martian Sky Galleons of Mars $28
however: the Belgian Coprates and the red deserts. British aerial gunboats, Ironclads & Ether Flyers (June)... $30
Crown Colony of Syrtis Major. armed with sophisticated naval guns, Referee's Screen $ 10
duel the finest cloudships the Martian Tales From the Ether $8
princes can muster. The rules included in Cloudships & Gunboats (Mar. ).... $20
Cloudships of Mars Sky Galleons of Mars cover movement Beastmen of Mars (Apr. ) $8
With liftwood for power, and enor- and firing, grappling, ramming, boarding Caravans of Mars (May) $8
mous sails or air screws for propulsion, actions, collisions, and much more. Sky Conklin's Atlas (May) $10
the Martian sky galleons have become Galleons of Mars includes seven exciting Steppelords of Mars (Aug. ) $8
an important part of Mars' civilization. scenarios and is played with large plastic Soldier's Companion (July) $12
But these magnificent ships are a fair- pieces depicting the gunboats and cloud- Temple of the Beastmen (Sept. ).. $24
ly recent addition to the rich Martian ships involved on a set of gorgeous, Cloud Captains of Mars (Oct. ) $8
culture —a culture originated by beings hand-colored maps. Tales From the Ether II (July) $8
who had no need for flying machines. GDW: 1890. ISBN 0-943580-73-0. Canal Priests of Mars (Nov. ) $8 PO Box 1646
Boxed $28. 00. Bloomington, IL 61702-1646
AN ACTION-FILLED TOUR OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM. !
FIVE SEPARATE ADVENTURES with danger, intrigue, and a chance to serve the Crown.
• THE BURNING DESERT. An old school chum's appeal takes you to Mercury's Twilight Zone, sandwiched between
burning deserts and icy glaciers. The bright side holds the key to a sinister scientist's plot for domination of the world metals market.
• DRUMS ALONG THE BORDER. Savage raids against the native settlements along the outer border of the German
colonial enclave take you to Venus. The Germans blame the British. You must disprove this slander and find the real culprit,
a daunting task indeed on a world where simple survival in the bush is a full-time occupation.
• RIVER OF LIFE. Cyrus Grant, with whom you previously journeyed to Luna, has disappeared deep within the the Moon
while searching for the origin of a mysterious glowing medallion. Now you must retrace his pathway along a subterranean
river. But what you will find at the end of the river may upset the very foundations of your understanding of the Solar System.
• ANARCHY IN THE ETHER. High above the Earth is Harbinger. Her Majesty's Orbital Heliograph Station, a vital
link in the world-spanning British Empire. Now the French anarchist Ravachol has escaped and plots the station's destruction.
With only hours remaining, it will take all of your skill and daring to thwart this monstrous scheme.
• 'AUSONIAN STALKER, The sewers of the Martian city-states are complete ecosystems unto themselves, breaking down
the wastes of the city into gasses (for heating and light) or organic fertilizers. So efficient is this ecosystem (at breaking down
organic material) that it is lethal to any Martian. When a murderous beast begins a reign of terror and then takes refuge in
the sewers, it is obvious that the beast is not of Martian origin. It is also clear that only adventurers not of Martian origin
could follow it into the sewers and stop it.
EACH ADVENTURE IN this
anthology is complete and ready
to run as is. In addition, each one
is a wealth of valuable back-
. FIVE ground information on one of the
COMPLETE worlds of the inner Solar System.
Whatever the interests of your
ADVENTURES! adventuring party,
Tales From the Ether is the
ideal starting point.