From: "CHRISTINE M THOMPSON" To: Subject: Chaosium Digest v33.08 Date: Thursday, April 19, 2001 10:44 PM Chaosium Digest Thursday, April 19, 2001 Volume 33, Number 08 RISE OF THE OPHIDIAN EMPIRE: PART ONE (Continued) by Mervyn Boyd - jack@ktana.freeserve.co.uk 13. Migo city This huge cavern is absolutely massive - measuring roughly several miles from side to side. Pin pricks of light are just barely visible. From what the characters can make out, they see that the cavern's surface is peppered all over with other tunnel entrances - leading to who knows where. Dozens of Mi-go are seen flying about. The hugeness and complexity of the city prohibits any further description save for there being a Mi-go population of more than 250,000 (as a conservative estimation). The investigators will be in deadly danger if they proceed too far and will almost certainly not live to tell the tale... Welcome to Mi-go city. Please wipe your feet before entering. The Meeting As the investigators come nearer to the cave (marked X), LISTEN rolls detect a distinct a human voice, which gives the players time to react before walking in on the scene below. Sneaking closer to get a better view the players come across a meeting of 6 mi-go, 3 serpent-men and 3 humans. An IDEA roll allows investigators to recognize one of the humans as Jeremy Preston-Forbes, a lesser members of parliament, the other two are the man they followed from the railway station, and a tall, gaunt, pasty faced chap, complete with scar. This is what is overheard: * Forbes: ...is well in hand. Dissension among the people is rife. Strikes are bringing parts of the country to a standstill. Parliament is split and awash with accusations, and bicker amongst themselves. Soon, once Victoria is in our possession, she will have no option but to dissolve parliament and institute a new stronger regime. One who will bring order to the country. Your order. * Serpent-man: Excellent, you have done well my friend. Now tell me how the water treatment is progressing. * Human two: The domination serum is being mixed in several reservoirs as we speak. The populace, depending on their individual tolerance and rate of consumption of the serum should be ready for manipulation in as little as one week. * Serpent-man: Excellent. And the weapons? * Human three: The last shipment arrived at the warehouse on schedule, and are ready to be distributed amongst the various gangs. * Serpent-man: And what of the resistance who continue their struggle? * Forbes: Their small numbers make it very hard to keep track of them. However, I have assurances that we are close to discovering who they are. They will be eradicated in due time. * Serpent-man: Make sure of it. The way must be clear for our inevitable return. * Forbes: Yes, my master. The serpent men and humans are then lifted by mi-go and taken for a tour of the city. This meeting should no doubt astound the players. One thing is however evident there are traitors within parliament who are willing to betray the British Empire. Save for rescuing the prisoners there is nothing else to see or learn here. Time to go home. Who is Jeremy Preston-Forbes? On the off chance the players are interested in knowing more about Forbes, the following information should be used as the keeper sees fit. Just how much is known, or can be dug up, through whatever sources is left for the for the keeper to determine. What is widely known, is that he's a relatively obscure back-bench MP (Member of Parliament representing West Tooting). He's a vicious outspoken troublemaker - a man of questionable policy and ideals and has always been so since an early age. Before his change of allegiance, Forbes was involved in real estate scams, money laundering, illegal weapon shipments, and drug deals from the Orient - though these activities are not known about in great detail, they have been alleged to by his opponents. Is it mere happenstance that anyone who delves into his life and affairs winds up having a fatal accident? He also openly professes ardent support for social engineering - whatever that means, and often gives elusively vague answers when questioned on such matters. If the players do not go through the gate If the players choose not to travel through the gate they will miss a vital meeting in which the serpents and their human collaborators discuss their plans. They won't know anything and the scenario will likely grind to a halt as they kick around waiting for something to occur. Life continues as normal with regards to anarchist activities, police raids, riots, etc.. After a few weeks of inactivity, the situation gets worse. Prime Minister Gladstone and his parliament is dissolved by Queen Victoria and General Sir Roderick Femm - a Serpentine agent - assumes power. Martial law is instituted. He exploits the Bolshevik problem to the fullest, an explanation readily accepted by the masses. Promising a strong Britain, jobs for all, and national glory, he attracts millions of supporters. Once in power, however, Femm quickly establishes himself as a dictator. A subservient legislature is soon passed, enabling the "Valusian Act" which permits Femm's government to make laws without proper legislature. Femm uses the act to clean out and consolidate the bureaucracy and the judiciary, replace all labour unions with one party-controlled labour front, and bans all political parties except his own. The economy, the media, and all cultural activities are brought under similar authority by making an individual's livelihood dependent on his or her political loyalty. Thousands of protesters are rounded up and taken to concentration camps and all signs of dissent suppressed.... Unless the keeper can throw in hooks to keep the scenario going through to its proper conclusion, the players fail and the Serpentine Empire strengthens its grip. Although the players have failed here, the scenario in the grand scheme of things, is by no means over. Things are just getting interesting. The keeper should be able to create spin off scenarios in which the characters struggle against the might of the Ophidian Empire.... Returning Home Stepping back through the gate the players may have the novel idea of putting the manor to the torch. This is easily done, but there's no guarantee that the entire manor will burn to the ground. Unless the players stick around and have a barbecue, they'll just have to hope for the best as they make good their escape. What will they do now? They know of the traitorous faction within the government and their plans. Courses of action include: Find out where Forbes lives and pay him a visit Unless the characters have the ways and means to find out where MPs live, there is no easy way to gain that information. Addresses such as these are withheld from the public due to the possibility of robbery, murder, whatever. Resourceful characters can, however, discover that Forbes has three homes - two in the city, and one country manor (which they've just been to). Just how this can be learnt is left to the individual keeper. Perhaps a simple LIBRARY USE -25 check will suffice, or a favour from a personal friend called upon. The two city homes are 217 Essex Road, Islington, and 36 Old Street, Clerkenwell. Although Forbes owns these properties, he rents the one in Islington to visiting dignitaries, which incidentally is currently occupied by a wealthy German industrialist and his wife who are over on unspecified purposes. There is nothing for the players to find at this abode, except for one extremely irate German if the players persist in harassing him. 36 Old Street, on the other hand is the residence of Forbes, who now, for the purposes of the plot will be very elusive, never returning home because of his many jobs and his obligations to his Ophidian masters. Breaking into his home will be risky. LUCK rolls should be had to avoid being spotted by a policeman walking his beat, or disturbing a neighbour. Forbes' home is opulently furnished. Plush carpeting, sculptures, paintings (all original) and the gold trim and silver plated adornments attest to an exuberant lifestyle. Stealing stuff is easily done for the light-fingered player. Values are left to the keeper. Searching the house for evidence requires one or two SPOT HIDDEN rolls. Success results in the players finding a wall safe hidden behind a chest of drawers. Opening the safe requires the specialized SAFECRACKING skill, or FOUR CONSECUTIVE LISTEN and DEXx2 rolls. The safe contains $10,000 in assorted counterfeit donations (of the type seen before on the two men who shot Mark Thompson), several ledgers, and a rolled paper tube. Also, in a small cubby-hole beneath the stairs, which contains assorted cleaning utensils and boxes of odds and ends, the diligent investigator can find a trapdoor beneath a rug. Beyond which lies a crude set of wooden steps that lead down into a short dank tunnel then out into the sewers. If the players stake out the home in the hopes of netting their quarry, then eventually Forbes will return home for whatever purpose. If a shoot out occurs, the police will be called who come to the scene armed. Forbes will try to escape through the sewers. If he is killed the scenario will essentially be over, though not at an end. Other people can replace him to continue the serpentine plans. If they simply follow him, he will lead them, by cab, to 100 Hope Street for what will be the conclusion. * The ledgers contain the names of all the human collaborators on the serpentine payroll, whether active or awaiting orders. 170 such names, up and down the length and breadth of the UK, are logged along with their placement in society, funds allotted to them, and their current duty. Generally, these fifth columnists are drawn from the lower classes, however a solid dozen or so are grouped together under a different cover; these being contacts within: Customs House, Lloyd of London, New Scotland Yard, Buckingham Palace, Parliament, The Royal Mint, The Admiralty, The Bank of England, The Royal Arsenal, and several other lesser Government Office Buildings. * Unrolling the paper tube, the players discover a map... a map of Buckingham Palace, no less. Disconcertingly, additional features have been drawn on the map, such as an underground tunnel leading from nearby sewers to a cellar or storeroom. Finding their way to the exact junction in the sewers requires an IDEA roll and a fair bit of time wandering about the dank, rat infested smelly underworld. A sixteen foot tunnel offshoots from the main sewer, and assorted digging tools stand propped against the wall. Hanging around to see who turns up to dig is fruitless. For the next week and a half no further tunneling is undertaken. Forewarning the Government or another authoritative body of the traitors' intentions Presenting their evidence to someone the players think they can trust requires a LUCK roll (based upon whoever is presenting the evidence - keeper should roll this). Any failed roll results in this person - including personal friends - being a traitor or conspirator. Whoever they contact will listen to their story, take their evidence and look at it, mulling over the implications of it all, its worth and validity. The names and addresses of the characters will be taken for follow up questioning. They do not get their evidence back now it's in 'safe' hands. If the contact is a traitor, there WILL be a midnight visitation to remove the meddling investigators. However this is done if left to the keeper. But, before callously dispatching them, the bad guys may undertake the following measures: * Watch the characters from afar, studying their every move, seeing what they're up to; who they visit and who the talk to... Spot Hidden rolls may be had to spot these tails at any time - day or night. * Break in to the residence of the characters - wherever they may be - to search their belongings and confiscate illegal material - or plant incriminating evidence of their own, such as a cache of arms, drugs, child porn, or whatever... This'll lead to their arrest later and the destruction of their social standing. * Lure the characters (as a group, or abduct them when alone) to a false meeting where they are ambushed and abducted for an extensive interrogation scene, as outlined elsewhere in this scenario, or killed outright. The precise arrangements of this ambush is left to the keeper to make up, but it should be underhanded and in the favour of the conspirators. Should the friend or authoritative body not be part of the conspiracy, they will mull over what the players have to say, while examining the validity of their claim as before. Their evidence is passed up the chain of command and an investigation ensues. Over the course of the following week each character is brought in by the police and interviewed quite intensively about how they came into possession of such material. Check for inaccuracies in each account. Use these differences to pick holes in their statements. It'll be fairly obvious that they will be holding "stuff" back. Make them sweat. Delve deeper. If the players freely admit to breaking into Forbes' home without good reason, they will be arrested for that. Who's to say their "evidence" isn't some ploy to discredit an upstanding member of parliament. Other "behind the scenes" investigations include the investigation of who the characters are should suspicions be aroused. This'll involve speaking to friends, neighbours, family, work colleagues, etc.. Anything that appears "untoward" or "out of place" will be brought up during an interview: "It appears, Mr. Smith, that you were in Skegness three months ago on such and such a date. Are you aware that a series of murders occurred then. And you were seen doing something or other. Then you, again, were in Shellbourne where another spate of unaccounted murders took place... Just how do you account for the fact that wherever you go people end up dead?" If characters are long standing, their list of strange activities will be similarly long. If arrest warrants are out standing then now is the time to use them. A raid on their homes may drag up a few interesting "devil worship" paraphernalia. Use this information as you se fit. If the characters ramble on about mirrors to strange other worlds, Serpent-men, and lobster-men, they will be looked upon as mad. A team of investigators are sent to the country manor to check it out however, as a matter of course in their investigation. One survivor comes back with an incredible tale, but that's another story...(and maybe a way into part II) If the players can substantiate their claims beyond reasonable doubt, Forbes will be implicated and an arrest warrant issued. A surveillance operation is set up which culminates in a shootout at 100 Hope Street on a date chosen by the keeper. As for the scenario, that's pretty much it. Game over, with the exception of loose ends. The characters will be thanked for the information, and possibly even rewarded. Other things that the players can do Investigating the death of the lesser known MP Once the players learn of the death of the MP from reading Thompson's notes, they may wish to investigate further. Information won't be forthcoming even if personal friends are able to help. Reading the papers is of no help either. They only print the information they're given. The report basically says:: "Alexander Buslowe, 43, an administrator for the Government, was found dead in his home last night having committed suicide by hanging. Preliminary investigation have failed to find a cause for his death, though it is suspected he committed suicide in a fit of drunken depression. Two empty bottles of alcohol were found close by, and no suicide note was found as is customary in such cases, which further suggests his death was on the spur of the moment." Since this event occurred several weeks ago, the trail has gone cold. No further investigation ensued and the case was simply closed. Whether his death is suicide, or whether he was killed as suspected by Thompson is for the keeper to decide. Investigate the water reservoirs Whatever come of this is left to the keeper to decide upon. Without proper reason, the players will not be allowed to wander around. Explaining that somebody is drugging the water will be met with disbelief and bemusement. Without proper reason or evidence the players' warning will go unheeded. Check warehouses for weapons London has far too many warehouses for the players to individually search. Even accounting for just the derelict or disused ones the players find that this'll still be a daunting task. Far too many to realistically investigate - unless they wish to spend the next week doing nothing but this. Perhaps a personal friend, who's part of the criminal underworld may have heard or seen something that'll point the characters in the right direction. Seek out the resistance cell Without specific knowledge of who's involved, where they are, or anything will make this task a little harder. In this instance personal friends are not part of the resistance, and nor can they direct them to their HQ. 100 Hope Street This particular event is mainly resolved in one of two ways, both of which are outlined separately. The players go in There is a chance Forbes spots his tails as he leads them through to London's East End. It doesn't matter if he spots them or not, the only difference being he'll be aware of them. He doesn't want to draw undue attention to himself and so doesn't bother to speed up or try to lose them by ducking down an alleyway. Once in Hope Street, he walks up the stone steps to the door, knocks on it and waits. The cab leaves. A curtain twitches, a face flashes momentarily at a window. The door opens and Forbes enters. If he is aware of the characters he informs his co-conspirators who wait there. Furtive glances out the window may similarly alert observant characters that their quarry are wary. The house on Hope Street is a two story building which is often used by the criminal underworld as a safe house. Currently six other conspirators, including two Serpent-men (in their natural form) are here. Their agenda - a secret meeting of affairs. An escape tunnel leads into the sewers, which, if the PCs think to look for, can easily find. If Forbes and his conspirators decide it is too risky to remain, they will use the tunnels to make their escape, otherwise their meeting goes as planned. For some reason, it has been decided to hold the meeting upstairs, well away from the escape tunnel. A decision the traitors may soon regret. Only the serpent-men are armed. They carry electrical lightening guns given to them by the Mi-Go, and daggers laced with carotid toxin. Swift and concise action on the part of the players surprise the traitors who can be apprehended quite easily, though if the opportunity presents itself everyone will try to escape even if it means putting up a fight. They aren't stupid however, and if outnumbered and outgunned they will simply give up. Summarily executing the humans results in sanity loss. Forbes attempts to keep everything low key, not wishing to escalate the situation. The serpent-men have other plans and aren't too shy about letting loose with their toys at the earliest opportunity. Forbes is a coward and will try to flee rather than fight. Prolonged gunfire results in armed police rushing to the scene... A Police Raid Acting from the information given to them, the Government finally has the evidence it needs to act. Two dozen armed detectives storm the house on any day (day or night) - chosen by the keeper. The sight of serpent-men panics an officer or two who open fire. By the time the situation calms down four conspirators are killed, one of which is a serpent-man (whose body is taken away for examination), two are arrested, two escape (one human and a serpent-man), and Forbes has a 15% chance of escaping also. If not there is a 25% of him being killed, otherwise he is arrested. Since only the Serpent-men are of any import here, only their stats are given. The keeper should make up Forbes and the other conspirators statistics should they be needed Surra'axas'sa & Ssrax'ass STR 11 CON 11 SIZ 11 INT 17 POW 13 DEX 14 MOVE 8 HITS 11 WEAPON ATTK % DAMAGE Armour: 2 point scales Bite 50 1d8 + poison Dagger 70 1d4+2 + toxin Sanity Loss: 0/1d6 Electrical Gun 35 1d10 + special Poison Bite The potency of the toxin is 11. Carotid Toxin A strength potency 20 toxin which causes slow degradation of the carotid arteries. Failing the RR, the victim is doomed to agony as the toxin courses through his system (in CON days) causing massive internal bleeding and almost instant death. Succeeding the RR the victim becomes extremely sick 1d6 days after the toxin is administered. STR and CON drop to 3 and the PC is confined to bed utterly exhausted and hallucinating (1d6 sanity loss). No doctor can help. After CON days after administration the victim begins to recover 1d6 STR and CON per week, but permanently losing 1 from both STR and CON. Electrical Gun The lightening gun is a metallic orb that fires blue electrical bolts of lightening. The device delivers 1d10 damage which causes the recipient to jerk with violent muscle spasms which immobilizes him for an amount of rounds equal to the damage inflicted. Finally the victim must match his / her HP against the damage done on a resistance roll - or die of heart failure. To Be Continued... What, that's it? What an anticlimax. I want my money back. If all goes well, the Ophidian Race has been bested this time, though they have not been beaten - not by a long shot. The tip of the Serpentine conspiracy has been exposed. The truth, naturally, is kept from the public. Behind closed doors, a committee will by set up by the Government to take matters further. The characters may even be called upon (as civilian advisors) to head an investigation to learn more, which may even necessitate a return through the gate...There's plenty more scope to launch further scenarios from here and wrap up those nasty loose ends.... or leave them dangling. As for life in general - it gradually resumes back to relative "normalcy". The players may be rewarded with an invitation, no matter their social class to Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee. Other rewards may befall them. If they did exceptionally well, a Knighthood may be in the offing... Failing to prevent Parliament's downfall has already been outlined under the heading: If the players do not go through the gate... Think of Nazi Germany when writing these continuation scenarios. Instead of Jews and Eastern Europeans being targeted for extermination - it's the whole human race. P L A Y E R H A N D O U T S Player Handout 1. My Beloved Debra Jo, If you are reading this it means that I am now dead, fallen foul to enemy agents or have had to disappear. For some time now I have been living a double life and have safely protected you from the truth, but now you may also be in danger yourself, and so for your protection I must tell you the truth. I have become involved in a struggle to bring about the end of social oppression and see the formation of a more just and equal society. I know that over the past months I grew cold and pushed you away, putting a strain on our marriage - and for that I will be eternally sorry. Things are afoot. Although I am a radical, some say anarchist, I must state that I have played no part in the bombings, arson attacks, killings and riots that are now plaguing society. Those are the acts of true anarchists bent on destroying our way of life, not to further it. They believe in anti-establishment of any kind and want nothing but chaos. Ours is a more peaceful way. This is only the tip of the iceberg, however. Certain things have recently come to light to suggest something more sinister, like these problems are being purposefully orchestrated by persons unknown. Some say it's foreign intervention by extremist Bolsheviks, which is very probable, others say it's home grown and nothing more than the doings of an inept government (which I believe). I've even heard rumor and speculation that it may even be due to that pseudo-religious cult Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn who brainwash their followers, or some other secret cloak and dagger lunatic fringe cult. Conspiracy theories are as many and as varied as there are colours. Everybody has ventured an opinion on why the country is the way it is. Many of this is stuff and nonsense, and nothing more. However, whatever the cause, I'm sure it'll get worse before something breaks one way or another. I pray to God that sanity and order are restored soon. That said, I strongly urge you to pack up and leave. Get away. Anywhere. Just leave and tell no one. You've probably had some visitations already. Strange people asking all sort of peculiar questions. Maybe our home has been ransacked too. That is only the beginning. Should they suspect you of anything - they will be back... So, leave before you suffer the same fate as me. I wish I could come home and be with you. Trust No one. Before you leave however, there is a man you must meet, he has some things I have provided for your safety - £350, and a false passport. Use them, before it's too late. Go to the rear entrance of Harvey's Pub on Mile End Road and ask for "Broadsman". He should see you right. I love you with all my heart and will do so for always. Frank Player handout 2 The diary 27th March Today was strange, very strange indeed. I met a man who wishes to remain nameless at this time. He said he'd been following my "crusade" for equality, and said he supported my efforts. After the usual small talk he confided that he works within the Government as an administrator of some kind. Nothing of note was talked about, but he said he'd like to use me for some "leaks" that occur from time to time. Leaks that he though were in the publics best interests to know. Another meeting is scheduled for later. 29th March Met X again today in Southwark Park. We spoke at length and he disclosed his suspicions that there are moves to subvert the people and replace our Government in a bloodless coup. He spoke of illegal spending, abuse of power and such like on a scale that is above what is 'considered normal'... He also said he doesn't have any solid proof yet but will do his best. He doesn't know who to trust with this information, and so came to me because I am outspoken and feels as though he could trust me more than a trusted friend. He says you have no friends in Government, just people you work with who would just as soon step on your face and smear you to further their own political career. There is no interest in the common good... no civility, only politics. When pressed on the troubles of today, he said that they were the direct result of greedy, squabbling people, but there was something....elusive. He feels something isn't quite right. 6th May X has shown me some papers which appear to support his conjecture, but unfortunately they remain largely inconclusive. He fears he may get caught if he's not careful, and is hesitant about continuing. He was nearly caught yesterday. He won't say how, when, or what he was doing. I confided that he must do what he feels he must. If that means dropping this investigation, then so be it. 28th May Its been 3 weeks since I last spoke to my contact, but today we spoke again, albeit briefly. He said it was necessary to stop his activities for a while. People were getting suspicious. He in fact was caught and detained for questioning, but fortunately he managed to bluff his way through. We discussed our work and how to proceed. He's sure we are being watched. 1st June X gave me scant details of a forthcoming meeting between those of whom he suspects to be involved. No other details are known other than one of them is going to arrive at the Queen Victoria Railway Station at 3.30pm on 6th June, and that he walks with a serpent headed cane, and will be carrying a briefcase. 3rd June X didn't show for a scheduled meeting today. It was only later that I had learned of his death. The paper reports he committed suicide by hanging. Was he murdered by the powers that be. I must be careful. Player handout 3 Boiled down, the 100 page document basically states: Stage 1 being the infiltration of serpent-men agents into society in general, who will determine the will of the people. Stage 2 commences with key positions of power being consolidated. When a power base and a sphere of influence has been constructed, secret but active support for 'anarchists' to speak out publicly will begin, with the recruitment of 'suitable fifth columnist' humans. Such 'anti-establishment' meetings are designed to inflame and polarize its listeners to spread dissension and destabilize the general infrastructure with strikes and riots. To curb this discord, the police will be furnished lists of names, particularly of those known as, or suspected of being 'Patriots', 'Anarchists' or 'Trouble Makers'. These particular people (and possibly their families too) are to be rounded up. Curious friends or neighbours will be told of their neighbours 'illegal activities'. Those who escape to the hills and mountains will be hunted down by "search and destroy" troops, specially trained for mountain and guerrilla warfare. Stage 3. As these meetings gain favour amongst disillusioned youngsters, the lower classes, and the unemployed, agents posing as anarchists will set off incendiary bombs in and around London bringing about public support for measures of an increased police presence on the streets. Crime also rises. This brings in more police and the dissension escalates. Terrorist actions spread to other cities nation-wide in support. Other agents of the conspiracy, then open fire on the police or target the ethnic classes to provoke further contention. Gangs, and those targeted arm themselves. The door-to-door arrests and the gunning down of several 'leaders' bubbles over into riots. True anarchists and other gangs, now fully armed, join in the fray. The real police, vastly outnumbered, cannot handle the rioting and so call in the army to quash the riots and restore law and order. Again agents masquerading as gang members fire upon the army to bring the tensions to a head. The riots continue, but never exceed the brink of all out civil war. Parliament holds crisis talks in which all borders are closed, as well as seaports. No one is allowed to leave, or enter, the United Kingdom - Scotland, England, Wales & Northern Ireland. Stage 4 calls for a well-planned 'crash' of the stock market. This event is planned to further weaken, destabilize, panic and confuse foreign nations, and to deter any intervention on their part. Stage 5. The final phase sees a sizeable chunk of the demoralized population interred in concentration camps to await their final fate. Measures for limiting the population for ease of control are brought into effect. This includes birth control, sterilization and life termination of certain undesirables, brainwashing as well as mass abduction for use as 'batch consignments' of human slaves. Stage 6. Once Britain and her protectorate states have fallen, the new global order will take steps to subjugate the rest of the world, through fear, manipulation and warfare. -- To unsubscribe from the chaos-digest ML, send an "unsubscribe" command to chaos-digest-request@chaosium.com. Chaosium Inc., Call of Cthulhu, and Nephilim are Registered Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. Elric! and Pendragon are Trademarks of Chaosium Inc. All articles remain copyright their original authors unless otherwise noted.