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F o r g o t t e n   F u t u r e s
---------------------------------
H.M.A. Pinafore

A Role Playing Adventure Set In The World Of Kipling's Scientific
Romances

By Marcus L Rowland

Copyright <c> 1993

Full copyright terms and conditions of distribution are explained in
the file README.TOO

Please note: All material in this file is for the use of referees
only. If you intend to play a character in the adventure, please STOP
READING NOW.

Contents

0.0      Introduction
0.1        Plot Summary
0.2        Timing & Distances
0.3        Acknowledgements
1.0      A Night At The Opera
1.1        Setting The Scene
1.2        Rain Of Terror
1.3        An Element Of Mystery
2.0      Invasion of Privacy
2.1        A Passage To Wiltshire
2.2        Inside Compass Rose
2.3        Stand By To Ram!
2.4        Darkness Falls From The Air
3.0      Eye In The Sky
3.1        True Confessions
3.2        The Burden Of Proof
3.3        Mopping Up Afterwards
APPENDIX A: H.M.A. Pinafore - The Opera
APPENDIX B: 'Digs



0.0      Introduction
=====================
This adventure is set in April 2001, a few months after With The Night
Mail. Characters should have a 'dig; the Tangye XXV "Commercial" 'dig,
which is especially suitable for a small group of adventurers, is
described in section 5.4 of the Worldbook. It needs a few crew; if
they are not NPCs, the adventurers should have all the skills needed
to operate it.

Referees may wish to read the libretto of H.M.S. Pinafore, or listen
to a recording, before running the adventure; there is a brief summary
of H.M.A. Pinafore, the version in this adventure, in Appendix 1. The
music may help to set the mood for players. You are STRONGLY advised
to read the other material in this collection before running the
adventure. A few terms that differ between Britain and America are
explained as they occur.

Various characters are named after public figures of the real world.
This usage is intended to highlight the differences in the world of
the A.B.C. stories, and does not imply any other similarity between
the fictional and real personalities. Details of the principal
characters are provided as they appear; anyone not listed should be
assumed to have a rating of 3 in all characteristics and a few
appropriate skills at suitable levels, E.g. Actor (Opera Singer) [6].

Most of the information that follows is intended for the referee, who
should decide how much to reveal to players. For instance, the first
section mentions fire alarms at an exhibition hall. This is something
that visitors are unlikely to notice unless they are actively looking
for them. If players ask about them the referee should say that they
are there, but should not volunteer the information unless they ask.

At various points adventurers can notice things while examining
objects or areas; if you wish to roll for this the difficulty should
always be 4 to 6, but the difficulty should be decreased, or success
should occur automatically, if players say that they are actively
looking for the 'thing' in question. For example, having noticed that
there is a torn corner of paper left on a drawing board, the
adventurers might examine every piece of paper in a building to see if
the corner is missing. If the paper can be found, success should be
automatic.


0.1      Plot Summary
---------------------
Members of an old anarchist organisation, the Sons of MacDonough
(SOMD), believe that the A.B.C.'s new astronomical 'dig Cyclops will
be used to spy from the sky and violate privacy. They intend to make
sure that it never leaves its dockyard in Coventry.

The story about Cyclops has been concocted by Sir Stephen Green, a
powerful business magnate who has reason to wish Cyclops destroyed. He
has deftly steered the extremists towards an attack which will revive
the flagging fortunes of his company.

Birmingham was once Britain's most prosperous industrial city (see
04_BRITN.GIF for the location of cities). In 1984 the A.B.C. activated
a new Cloud-Breaker at Coventry, less than twenty miles away, and made
it the hub of the British network of Lights. Later the Board extended
its Coventry facility, opening new docks and a training school. The
A.B.C. began to place orders with Coventry firms, which had all the
skills the A.B.C. needed, and allowed some old contracts with
Birmingham firms to lapse. Companies moved to Coventry to take
advantage of these opportunities. A ripple of economic change spread
slowly across the Midlands industrial scene. Coventry prospered, while
Birmingham lost business to its neighbour. The trend of change has
been almost imperceptible, but in 2001 some of Birmingham's largest
employers face diminishing order books and a real threat of
bankruptcy.

Sir Stephen is chairman of Consolidated Dirigibles Ltd., which
formerly built several 'digs a year for the A.B.C. but is now
frequently underbid by the Standard 'Dig Company's new Coventry
dockyard. In August the A.B.C. will be awarding contracts for five new
patrol 'digs similar to the Daedalus (see Worldbook section 5.4);
Coventry will probably get the work if the Standard 'Dig dockyards are
available. If something were to make them unusable, such as a wrecked
'dig and extensive bomb damage, there is a good chance that the work
will go to his company. Sir Stephen doesn't want to see anyone hurt,
and if things go as planned there should be no casualties. Or so he
thinks...

The key to his plan is an old helium 'dig, H.M.A. Compass Rose,
normally an exhibit at the Imperial War Museum. Consolidated
Dirigibles recently restored it to airworthiness and flew it to
London's premier exhibition site, the Crystal Palace in South-East
London (see 19_LONDN.GIF). There it will be the main "prop" in a
spectacular opera, MisterLloyd-Webber's adaptation of the old Gilbert
and Sullivan favourite H.M.S. Pinafore, retitled H.M.A. Pinafore.

Members of SOMD with 'dig experience have infiltrated the stage crew
of the opera, and intend to steal the 'dig. There is enough methane
fuel aboard to get it to Holborn, in London's West End, where an old
warehouse has been converted to an improvised dock. There the 'dig
will be fuelled for a longer flight and flown to Salisbury Plain, in
Wiltshire, where Sir Stephen has located an old munitions dump (he
spent his military career guarding it in the nineteen-sixties). The
terrorists will load some aerial torpedoes (rocket missiles), then fly
on to attack the Cyclops. All being well, no-one should be at risk if
they attack in the early hours of the morning.

This plan is already going wrong. Initially the conspirators intended
to steal the 'dig the night before the premiere, but a last-minute
technical rehearsal made it impossible. To make things worse, the
Crystal Palace is also hosting a major art show, (21_ABCHQ.GIF
advertises the exhibition), and security is very tight after hours.
There is no chance of hiding and stealing the 'dig after the halls are
clear. The plotters have decided on a desperate gamble; they will
steal the 'dig during the performance!

There is another snag, which will have tragic consequences if the 'dig
isn't intercepted. The conspirators think that the torpedoes have
explosive warheads, but they are wrong. Sir Stephen has accidentally
unearthed a cache of nerve gas warheads, which will take hundreds of
lives if they are fired at Coventry.

Whether the criminals are stopped or attack Coventry, the full details
of the plot must be unravelled and Sir Stephen must be brought to
justice.

The adventure has a linear plot in the form of a detective mystery:
 1: Opening scene; the 'dig is stolen; the adventurers are unable to
    intervene, but may save a few lives.
 2: Detective work leads the adventurers to Holborn, too late to
    intercept the stolen 'dig. Faked clues suggest that the 'dig was
    stolen by "democrats" who want a return to the era of Crowds.
 3: More detective work suggests that the 'dig is heading for
    Salisbury Plain; the adventurers pursue.
 4: The adventurers catch up with the stolen 'dig as it is loading
    weapons.
 5: The 'dig sets off for Coventry pursued by the adventurers. They
    intercept or board it, and save the day.
 6: The anarchists pretend that they wanted to "make the world safe
    for democracy" and destroy the A.B.C., but it soon becomes
    apparent that they are hiding something. More detective work, or
    revelation of the real nature of the Cyclops, leads to the truth.
    They claim that a man called Bernard Evans told them about Cyclops
    then disappeared. 'Evans' was actually Green.
 7: The search for 'Evans' eventually leads the adventurers to Sir
    Stephen; he confesses, and commits suicide to avoid the disgrace
    of a trial.

The adventurers may have other ideas; don't be surprised if they
leapfrog sections of the plot or go off in a completely wrong
direction. It isn't possible to cover every eventuality, and you may
have to work hard to get them back on track. Don't be too concerned if
they fail miserably; of course several hundred people will die, and
the adventurers should be made to feel some of the blame, but that's
the way the cookie crumbles...


0.2      Timing & Distances
---------------------------
Events in the first sections of this adventure happen between sunset
(7.40 PM) on Monday 2nd April 2001, and sunrise (6.30 AM) the
following morning. The moon is in its first quarter, setting at
roughly 1.20 AM, but by the time the 'dig is stolen clouds have blown
in, and there is light cloud at 500-1500 ft over all areas throughout
the night. The hijackers will attack Coventry just after dawn if they
are not stopped. Players may wish to keep careful track of the time as
they proceed, assuming that every second is vital; the drawback is
that it is easy to waste enough time to make it physically impossible
for the adventurers to intercept the members of SOMD. For instance, if
the adventurers are 200 miles away an hour before the raid, they are
unlikely to reach Coventry in anything but the fastest 'dig. In
play-testing a freewheeling approach was used, with little attention
paid to the passage of time. Regardless of their efficiency, the
adventurers caught up with the terrorists as they were preparing to
take off from Salisbury Plain. From then on the timing of the scenario
was based on the players' actions. This melodramatic approach is
strongly recommended.

The straight-line distances between the main places mentioned in this
adventure are as follows:

                  London      S.Plain    Coventry   Birmingham

London            ------      77 miles   85 miles   101 miles
Salisbury Plain   77 miles    --------   86 miles   90 miles
Coventry          85 miles    86 miles   --------   17 miles
Birmingham        101 miles   90 miles   17 miles   --------

The shareware program Planets, by Larry Puhl, was used to find times
of sunset, moonrise, etc. This program is thoroughly recommended for
all solar system astronomy purposes.



0.3      Acknowledgements
-------------------------
As usual special thanks to John Dallman for pointing out several
serious scientific errors, to the late Nicholas Monsarrat for the name
of the Compass Rose, to all the playtesters, and (last and very far
from least) to my mother for proof reading roughly a hundred thousand
words of game material at very short notice.



1.0      A Night At The Opera
=============================
London in 2001 AD is a huge sprawling metropolis. Large sections of
the city were destroyed in the wars and riots of the twentieth
century, and what remains has been rebuilt along sane, rational, and
healthy lines. Greenery is everywhere, and most homes are built with
access to enough land to support their occupants for several months.
There are still slums, areas of the city with flats (apartment blocks)
and other sorts of old-fashioned housing, but these are rare
exceptions; London leads in every aspect of modern life, and that
includes the elimination of poverty. The city is one of the great
centres of trade, commerce, and global administration, and houses the
headquarters of the A.B.C., most of the world's leading banks and 'dig
lines, and many other international organisations. It is the cultural
and economic capital of the world; with justification, it is said that
anyone tired of London is tired of life itself.

One of London's largest cultural centres is the huge complex of
exhibition halls and galleries at Crystal Palace in South-East London.
Built in the nineteenth century, and almost destroyed by fire and
bombing on several occasions, the halls have been modernised many
times. Today they are glittering confections of glass and steel that
still reflect the intentions of their original designers. See
25_ADVNT.GIF for a simplified plan of the buildings and site. A
Victorian map with a detailed floor plan and illustrations is
available; see RULES.TXT Appendix D for details. The halls are fitted
with all modern conveniences; electric light and heat, and fire alarm
and sprinkler systems.

On a Monday evening in April 2001 the complex is hosting the annual
'bat-boat exhibition, an art show, and the first performance of the
latest opera. The evening will end with a spectacular fireworks
display.

The adventurers have one thing in common; a deep interest in opera, or
some other reason to attend the performance. For example, they might
all be members of an amateur operatic society. A social climber might
be more interested in celebrities than music, a thief might plan to
steal some antique gems (remember that gems without authentication are
valuable mainly for their settings, since stones can readily be
synthesised), a detective might be guarding such gems. The art show
might also attract the attention of thieves or detectives; if players
see the poster and assume that it is going to be important, the events
of the evening may come as more of a surprise. Sportsmen may have
visited the 'bat exhibition, then decided to stay on for the opera.

Routes to the site include several excellent roads, and a public 'dig
dock and 'plane catapult three miles North of the main site. There are
always plenty of taxi-cabs to convey passengers to the site, while
more adventurous visitors might like to try an old Victorian pneumatic
railway which has been lovingly restored to link the dock and the
complex at over 100 MPH; a ticket costs sixpence, cab fare is a
shilling. There are plenty of parking spaces for cars around the
complex.

Check if anyone is carrying weapons; if so, make sure that they are
reasonable for the occasion. Most people don't carry shotguns when
they visit the opera. A sword stick or a heavy cane are quite
acceptable, especially if they are not obviously weapons. A very small
gun might be concealed, but remember that no-one has made ammunition
for such weapons for nearly thirty years. Officers of the remaining
British armed forces will naturally be in dress uniform, which
includes swords; the services are essentially an excuse for
exhibitionists to dress up and put on a glamorous show. Anyone
carrying heavier weapons will be refused admission to the site, but
the police will only intervene if there is violence.


1.1      Setting The Scene
--------------------------
As the sun sets, visitors are still spread out around the spacious
gardens or touring the shows before making their way towards the
central hall which will house the opera. The adventurers meet near one
of the main entrances. If they don't already know each other,
encourage them to "discover" common backgrounds and acquaintances.
Naturally the waiting throng is proceeding inside in couples and small
groups, spaced well apart, not the pushing crowds of earlier eras.

Set the scene by describing the glamorous assembly, the huge
glittering building reflected in its ornamental lakes, and the glowing
sky overhead, jewelled with the lights of passing 'digs and the
distant glare of the great ring of Lights around the metropolis. The
evening should be cloudy but dry, but for the moment the skies are
clear. To the North the lights of a constant stream of 'digs follow
the Thames towards the docks and towers of the East End and Greenwich.

An old lady complains about the lights, and says that when she was "a
lass" you could see the stars on a clear evening like this. Someone
else points out that you can always see the stars at ten thousand
feet, and that "transportation is civilisation". How can anyone
justify complaining about the traffic when it is the very backbone of
society? Abashed, she can only agree.

Eventually the adventurers pass through a palatial lobby, where
posters name the international cast:
* From America, Mister M.J. Fox of the Metropolitan Opera stars as
  Ralph Rackstraw. Most critics feel that he's a little young for the
  role, but he is capable of impressive performances.
* Dame Kylie Minogue, the 'Antipodean Nightingale', fresh from her
  triumph in Aida, will play Little Buttercup.
* Mister Michael Jagger takes an unaccustomed role as Dick Deadeye.
  Usually seen in classic German and Italian opera, it's the first
  time he's turned his hand to Gilbert and Sullivan.
* Miss Bonnie Langford, a comparative newcomer to opera, is the
  veteran of a long distinguished career with the Royal Shakespeare
  Company. She is to play Josephine. Brothers David and Jon, both
  well-known figures in comic opera, play Bill Bobstay and Bob Becket
  respectively.
* Mister David Bowie will undoubtedly lend his usual stately dignity
  to his role as Sir Joseph Porter.
* From Austria Herr Schwartzenegger, late of the Vienna Boy's Choir
  and Opera, will portray Captain Corcoran. He's better known for his
  outstanding performances as Siegfried in the Ring Cycle, but advance
  publicity says that he's very effective in this new role.
With the music of the Electric Light Company's Orchestra, usually
known as the E.L.O., and the able direction of Mister Lloyd-Webber, it
promises to be a performance to remember.

The auditorium resembles a gigantic greenhouse hundreds of feet long
and wide, arched over with a rounded glass roof, a spiderweb of
girders and plate glass panes. A huge U of widely-spaced seats and
tables surrounds the orchestra pit and the stage. Moored over the
stage is an ancient 'dig, long guns protruding from cylindrical
turrets on either flank of its gondola. Anyone with knowledge of early
aviation (Pilot or Military Weapons, difficulty 4) will know that it
is a British Flower-class 'dig, an aerial corvette of the
nineteen-sixties. In the programme they will find a note of thanks to
the Imperial War Museum for the loan of H.M.A. Compass Rose.
26_ADVNT.GIF shows the 'dig during the performance; 27_ADVNT.GIF shows
its interior, and should not be revealed to players.

The adventurers may have seen a 'dig indoors before; it's quite common
at trade fairs and other exhibitions. It's the first time they've seen
one at an opera. It fills most of the roof, dwarfing the stage
underneath. The guy wires retaining the 'dig are slack, suggesting
that it is loaded with enough ballast to counteract almost all of its
buoyancy; don't mention this unless adventurers ask if it is anchored.

The stage is uncurtained and completely bare, as though the director
doesn't intend to use any other props or scenery. It seems strange;
Mister Lloyd-Webber is usually noted for his lavish sets. As they take
their seats a waitress brings the adventurers a menu of refreshments,
sandwiches, and cakes, and soon returns with whatever they order. It's
expensive, 4d for a pot of tea and 6d for a cucumber sandwich, but
excellent.

Soon the orchestra tunes up and starts to play a sprightly medley of
Gilbert and Sullivan airs. As the last members of the audience take
their seats the lights dim, and blinds slide across the panes
overhead. Moments later spotlights, and a searchlight from the 'dig,
reveal that the stage has been magically transformed into a fair (but
extremely large) representation of the gondola of an old-fashioned
'dig. The props have apparently been raised from concealed hatches, as
have the first members of the cast. Projectors turn the white blinds
into a simulation of a lightly clouded sky, with a few gulls in the
distance. There is a ripple of applause as the opera begins.


1.2      Rain of Terror
-----------------------
The opera is essentially H.M.S Pinafore with minor changes. A.B.'s
become Airmen, references to seasickness are changed to airsickness,
and there are a few very minor changes to the words of some of the
songs. Little Buttercup and Sir Joseph Porter make their entrances in
cargo slings, lowered from the 'dig. The cast are even better than the
stars of Mister Lloyd-Webber's last venture into opera, the highly
praised Pirates Of The Stratosphere, and everyone thoroughly enjoys
the performance.

During the interval most of the audience adjourns to the bar, where
amateur critics discuss the performances and staging. It's generally
agreed that Mister Lloyd-Webber has excelled himself, although there
are some reservations about Captain Corcoran's accent. Everyone laughs
at the opera's hilarious portrayal of democracy.

Afterwards the performance continues, but gradually the adventurers
should become aware that there is a problem. The first signs of
trouble occur half-way through the second act, just as Sir Joseph is
ordering Captain Corcoran to his cabin; something seems to go wrong
with the lighting, and an empty section of stage is illuminated, while
Sir Joseph stays in relative darkness. Another beam quickly swings
round from the lighting gallery to cover him. The offending beam is
coming from the spotlight of the 'dig overhead. After a few seconds it
winks off.

Ralph reveals his love for Josephine, and Sir Joseph has him clapped
in irons, then Little Buttercup steps forward to reveal her terrible
secret; the fact that she inadvertently exchanged Ralph for the
Captain when they were babies. As she sings
  "Oh, bitter is my cup!
    However could I do it?
  I mixed those children up,
    And not a creature knew it!"
she repeatedly raises her hand to her brow, wiping drops of water from
her forehead. Anyone who previously looked at the wires will realise
that they are now completely taut, and remember that they were
originally slack. Incidentally, the wires are only a quarter-inch
thick, made of smooth braided colloid fibres; there is no way to grip
them well enough to climb them, and there is no other route to the
'dig with the cargo slings withdrawn.

As the chorus begins Dame Kylie, the rest of the cast, and members of
the audience below the 'dig are suddenly drenched; water is cascading
from its ballast vents. There is a loud whip-crack and one of the
wires snaps down into the orchestra pit, demolishing a piano.

Confusion develops, as everyone tries to get clear of the stage. Dame
Kylie sings on alone, trying to calm the audience by her example. She
switches to her theme song, Little Buttercup, which is evidently a
personal favourite.

A second wire snaps, this time slashing down into the stalls and
injuring several members of the audience. Someone shouts "women and
children first", and the crowd struggling at the exits withdraws to
let them through. With a loud mechanical hum sections of the glass
roof start to rise, revealing the gigantic opening through which the
'dig entered the hall. They seem to be moving very slowly.

By now the adventurers should be doing something, even if they are
only running away or hiding under a table to avoid the wires. It's
apparent that the 'dig will smash into the roof if it breaks free too
soon, showering the hall with broken glass and steel.

The third wire snaps, again scything down into the audience. By now
the adventurers have had ample warning. Fortune favours the brave;
anyone doing something heroic (such as tending to the injured) isn't
in danger. Anyone who isn't under cover and/or doing something heroic
runs a small risk (on a 2D6 roll of 2) of being struck by the wire;
   Effect 6, damage A:F, B:I, C:C/K
Dodging or ducking (difficulty 6) or hiding under a seat will
automatically prevent damage. Only one adventurer should be in the
path of the wire. Several of the audience are again injured, including
one fatality. Repeat this, one round later, for the fourth wire.

If anyone is trying to rescue Dame Kylie, they reach her as the fourth
wire breaks. She is slightly hysterical, resisting attempts to drag
her off the stage with Brawling 4.

As soon as the last cable snaps the 'dig rises towards the roof, and
hits it a round later. It seems to jam half-way through the hatches,
and there are loud creaking noises as it forces the panels apart. The
roof was never designed to be opened this way, and panes of glass
shatter, with fragments raining down towards the audience. There are
enough falling pieces to threaten everyone in the hall, EXCEPT anyone
directly under the 'dig (and on stage) who will be protected by its
bulk. For each character at risk 1-2 pieces of glass attack with
"skill" 4;
   Effect 4, damage A:F, B:F, C:I
Dodging or taking shelter under seats, a table, or any other
reasonably solid object will prevent injury.

As the 'dig wrenches free of the roof its last lights wink off and the
screw starts to turn, its gas turbine engine making surprisingly
little noise. The hull seems to blend with the night sky. The damaged
roof panels sag down but don't collapse. The 'dig disappears from view
before any of the adventurers reach an exit; remember that most of the
undamaged panes are still covered by blinds, so it can't easily be
tracked from the hall.

By now either an adventurer or an NPC has pulled a fire alarm lever.
Bells ring, and more water starts to spray down from sprinklers in the
remains of the roof, and in the other sections of the building;
fortunately most of the art in the exhibition area is protected by
glass, though some minor works are damaged. In the 'bat show dozens of
automatic bailing pumps activate.

A fire brigade (fire department) 'dig appears above the roof five
minutes later. Rescue workers winch down lines to secure the damaged
panels, and switch off the sprinklers and bells. Ambulances arrive and
start to ferry the injured to the local hospital, where they will be
given emergency treatment then loaded aboard an accident ward to
recover in the sterile air at 8,000 ft. Eventually the local police
constable arrives, long after the fire brigade and ambulances.

Meanwhile adventurers may want to set off in pursuit of the stolen
'dig, but there are a few obstacles. First they must get out of the
hall, which isn't easy with water everywhere and several hundred
people milling around in front of the exits. Next, they must find a
way of following.

If they arrived by car it's easy to set out by road, but the 'dig is
already very hard to see, disappearing into clouds to the North as
they leave the hall. By the time they find a route that leads in
roughly the right direction it is long gone. It is last seen at
roughly 8.30 PM. [Once in the clouds it drifts with the wind for
several miles then manoeuvres towards Central London]

If the adventurers arrived by 'dig or 'plane they must get back to the
docks. This isn't as easy as it might seem. All the waiting cab
drivers are joining in the rescue, or helping to ferry the less badly
wounded to hospital, and the operators of the pneumatic railway are
also helping to move debris. Of course adventurers could try to
commandeer a cab or the railway; stealing a cab is easy, since several
still have keys in their locks, but operating the railway requires a
difficulty 6 Mechanic roll or difficulty 8 roll. Any failure means
that the train sets off much too fast, and derails (fortunately
without injuring anyone) half way between the station and the dock.

It takes several minutes to prepare a 'dig or 'plane for takeoff; if
the craft has NPC crew they won't be expecting an early end to the
evening, and will be found playing cards when the adventurers board.
By now it should be apparent that the stolen 'dig has a good lead, and
is trying to avoid interception. By the time the adventurers are
airborne it has disappeared. Running with its lights off, at low
altitude, camouflaged, and in cloud, there is no chance of tracking it
down. No-one aboard any of the 'digs in the area spots anything.
Eventually the local A.B.C. station calls the adventurers on the G.C.
and (very politely) asks them to come back to the Crystal Palace to
make a statement.


1.3      An Element Of Mystery
------------------------------
The police are finally on the scene; the local constable has arrived
to take statements and prepare a report, which will eventually be
forwarded to Scotland Yard. Tomorrow morning a detective will probably
be assigned to investigate the theft; by then, of course, the trail
may be a little cold....

Constable Walter Perkins (policeman)
BODY [4], MIND [3], SOUL [3], Artist (sketching) [4], Brawling [6],
Detective [4], Driver [6], International [3], Melee Weapons [6]
Equipment: Handcuffs, whistle, truncheon, electric bicycle
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
Quote: "Excuse me, sir, might I ask why you are carrying that axe?"
London's police in this era live a quiet life, and rarely have to deal
with violent crime. They pride themselves on their politeness, and
wouldn't dream of invading anyone's privacy. Fortunately there are
almost always a few self-appointed experts around, and they can
usually be relied on to help solve any mystery, regardless how
bizarre. Perkins is open to suggestions, and may even make helpful
remarks occasionally - if there is no other way to keep the adventure
moving. The rest of the time he is polite, ineffectual, and slightly
awkward.

Perkins starts to question the cast and crew. Nobody will complain if
the adventurers try to "help" with the investigation; in fact he makes
it clear that he welcomes competent aid. The referee should decide how
much time to devote to enquiries, while making sure that the
adventurers learn everything relevant.

There isn't much forensic evidence, but a careful examination will
reveal traces of sulphuric acid at the lower ends of the cables.
Unfortunately colloid isn't easily damaged by acid. If the cables had
been weakened they would have snapped harmlessly and lashed upwards,
rather than slashing down into the audience. There are no fingerprints
on the cable; in any case no-one has kept fingerprint files (apart
from prints related to unsolved cases) since the end of the Age of
Crowds. A small metal box has been wired to bypass the switches
controlling the roof; a broken length of fishing line dangles from one
end, pulling it starts the roof panels opening in unison. The switch
box seems to be hand made, without any manufacturers' marks. The
workmanship is very good. There are no fingerprints.

Dame Kylie is still very upset, and convinced that someone in the cast
has arranged the incident to ruin her performance. She mutters dark
suspicions of the other female members of the cast. If asked who was
aboard the 'dig, she says "some stage-hands". She can't describe them
in any detail.

Mister Bowie and Herr Schwartzenegger were both slightly cut, but
don't need to go to hospital. Mister Bowie mentions the spotlight
incident, if the adventurers didn't take special note of it. If asked
who was aboard the 'dig, he says that there were "four or five stage
hands", and mentions that they all seemed to be very nervous. Perkins
uses his descriptions to sketch the stage-hands; use Identikit
pictures or sketches from any crime report. All four were in their
forties, possibly even older. MisterBowie has an idea that one of
them had a Midlands accent.

The other members of the cast are unhurt but can't offer any useful
information. None of them were aboard the 'dig at any time, or know
much about its crew.

Mister Lloyd-Webber is unhurt but EXTREMELY annoyed. The show is
insured, but he's not sure that the policy covers escaped 'digs. He
can't understand how "the wretched thing could fly away"; it had no
fuel aboard! The tanks were drained for safety when it was moored.

If the adventurers try to find the source of fuel, lighting technician
'Sparky' Jones will eventually remember something "a little odd". Last
Thursday some helium was delivered for the 'dig. With hindsight he
recalls a smell of paint and thinks the gas bottles were a little
squat. Helium usually comes in long grey cylinders; the ones that were
delivered looked more like welding bottles, which would normally be
marked with a red stripe. He didn't see the delivery truck. The
bottles were loaded aboard the 'dig by "the Brummies" ('Brummie' is
slang for someone from Birmingham; he's sure that the 'dig crew came
from that area, although they kept to themselves). The gas that was
delivered must have been methane or another fuel gas, not helium.
MisterLloyd-Webber didn't order it, wasn't aware of the delivery, and
has no invoices to explain its arrival. No-one else knows anything
about it.

Naturally the Crystal Palace management keep track of vehicles
entering and leaving the site; if someone checks, they'll find that a
truck belonging to The London Helium Company was logged in on the day
in question. If the adventurers don't ask, Perkins will think of it
after an hour.

If asked how the stage-hands aboard the 'dig were selected,
MisterLloyd-Webber says that he advertised for men with aeronautical
experience, and they were the only ones to reply. Most stage-hands
don't have relevant skills, and they are paid much less than qualified
airmen. He was surprised to find even four with suitable
qualifications. He remembers that they came in a group, and claimed to
have been airmen on the freighter Halma which was wrecked at the end
of last year; there was a story about it in one of the aeronautical
magazines just before Christmas. All of them had Midlands accents, but
plenty of airmen come from that area. They didn't have any theatrical
experience, but they did seem to know about old 'digs, which was much
more important. Their names were James Medway, Richard Thorpe, Leonard
Burke, and Norman Lassiter. London still has a few newspapers which
keep files of old stories; it will take roughly an hour to get
confirmation that the names don't match any of the crew of the Halma.
All four were lodging at the Holborn Hotel on Red Lion Square, near
London University. The hotel has no other address for them.

With this information the adventurers should be ready to take up the
chase. The "stage-hands" were obviously involved in the crime, but
there doesn't seem to be any lead to their current whereabouts. The
"helium" delivery seems a better clue. The telephone book lists the
only London Helium Company address as 2 Fleury Street London WC1, and
the telephone number as HOLborn 4321. Alert adventurers will realise
this must be near the Holborn Hotel. If the number is dialled it rings
but there is no reply. Perkins can't accompany them, since there are
still a lot of statements to be taken, but wishes them the best of
luck and arranges for them to be met by another policeman when they
get to Holborn.

Players may want to travel by air, but the direct road journey takes
less than 25 minutes. If anyone does insist on travelling by 'dig or
'plane, the nearest docks to Holborn are at the Port of London. It
takes at least ten minutes to arrange to dock, and a taxi ride from
the Port to Holborn takes fifteen minutes on the crowded city roads.
In all the journey takes at least forty minutes, longer if the craft
isn't ready to fly.



2.0      An Invasion Of Privacy
===============================
Perkins has arranged for the team to be met by Constable Carmichael, a
local officer with detailed knowledge of the area. Depending on what
the adventurers told Perkins, he will meet them at the hotel or the
warehouse. His statistics are identical to those of Perkins.
The Holborn Hotel is a dead end. The night manager recognises a sketch
of his former guests, but doesn't know where they came from or where
they went. It's none of his business, and he would never dream of
invading a visitor's privacy. The rooms have been cleaned. The
register shows that all four 'stage-hands' paid for their rooms in
cash; this isn't unusual in a world without credit cards or
centralised banking.

Fleury Street is a quiet road near the British Museum. At this time of
night it's almost deserted, apart from occasional strollers; if
questioned, none of them have noticed a 'dig doing anything unusual.
The only excitement around here recently was an odd bit of vandalism
three nights ago, when someone threw a can of paint through a window
of the Standard 'Dig showroom across the road from the warehouse, and
damaged some posters and models. [The display was smashed by one of
the conspirators. It showed details of the Cyclops project. The window
is now repaired, but the display hasn't been replaced. There are still
smears of green paint on the pavement. Constable Carmichael can only
remember that there was a big model 'dig and several posters. If
adventurers want the police to find out more, it will take several
hours.]

All doors of the warehouse are locked shut. There are large "For Sale
or Rent" boards over the doors. Adventurers who go down a narrow alley
beside the warehouse will notice that a window roughly 8ft up is
slightly open. There also happens to be a rainwater pipe running past
it, which looks very easy to climb. Naturally no law-abiding policeman
is going to climb up, or let the adventurers break in. They will have
to distract Carmichael if they want to burgle the warehouse. Asking
him to contact the estate agent (realtor) and get the keys is usually
a good ploy; it will take him roughly fifteen minutes to get the
agent's home telephone number from the police station, and ten minutes
more to learn that the building was leased six weeks ago. The agent
has no idea why the tenant hasn't taken down his signs. He has no
right to enter the building without the tenant's permission, and will
not do so. Papers related to the transaction are with the agency's
solicitors (lawyers), and can't be examined at this time of night. [If
the adventurers eventually want to see them, they'll find that the
building was rented on a three-month tenancy by "Norman Lassiter",
with the Holborn Hotel address].

If anyone climbs up, ask for a difficulty 4 BODY roll to reach the
window, then a difficulty 5 BODY roll to get down safely inside the
building, emerging in the lavatory adjoining office 6. A failure
results in a foot going into the pan of the lavatory (fortunately
clean), but no other ill effects. The doors of the warehouse can be
unbolted from the inside. Carmichael will be slightly surprised if he
returns to find the building open, but he will readily believe that
the door was "just jammed, not really locked" or some similar excuse.

See 28_ADVNT.GIF for plans of the warehouse. Inside scattered
old-fashioned light bulbs illuminate the empty expanse of the
building, while a cool breeze blows down from the open roof. There is
evidence that a 'dig has recently visited the warehouse; the roof has
been opened, and areas of wet and dry concrete show that there was a
brief shower of rain while something 'dig-sized was overhead. A gantry
crane has been moved to one end of the building, probably to keep it
out of the way while the 'dig was docked. Anyone climbing to the
gallery will find that the crane motors are still warm. Around the rim
of the roof opening is a line of guide lights, used to make sure that
'digs don't hit the sides as they pick up cargo; they are also warm.
Faint smudgy footprints criss-cross the dry part of the floor; on a
close examination the tracks of at least three or four different pairs
of shoes can be discerned. Several grey gas tanks, as described by
'Sparky' Jones, are stacked under the catwalk near the stairs. The
words "INDUSTRIAL HELIUM" have been stencilled in green paint on the
tanks, but they contain traces of methane. Incidentally, the paint is
the same colour as the traces outside the Standard 'Dig offices.

The main features of the warehouse are six big gas tanks, two
refrigeration plants, and an industrial Fleury turbine generator. The
generator is still ticking over, but none of the other equipment is
running, although all six tanks are chill to the touch. Hoses lead
from these tanks towards the centre of the floor, and have been left
in an untidy mess. Five of the six are labelled as helium, the sixth
contains methane.

There are six rooms at one end of the warehouse. 1 and 4 are empty.

The members of SOMD felt that they might as well cover their tracks in
the best way possible, so room 2 has been set up to throw blame on
"The People's League For Democracy", a non-existent organisation. Its
main feature is a long trestle table, littered with dozens of books. A
cursory glance will reveal that they are all related to "government",
"the state", and "politics", with titles like "Das Kapital" and
"Principles of Modern Government" that bring a frisson of disgust to
any right-thinking person. Most are extremely old, and obviously
well-read. On one wall is a big hand-lettered sign, reading "POWER TO
THE PEOPLE!".

While this room seems to be a hotbed of insanity, a careful
examination will reveal that the older books don't seem to have been
opened in years; the spines are stiff, and some of the pages crumble
as they are turned. The more recent books (mostly scholastic studies
of the decline and fall of government) also seem curiously unused;
they don't fall open to any particular section, and some have uncut
pages.

A wooden box under the desk has a narrow slot in the lid. It contains
a dozen folded pieces of paper. Each is marked with the words "YES"
and "NO" and two squares. Nine have a pencil tick in the "YES" square,
two in the "NO" square, the word "abstain" is written on the last.
This is another misleading clue; if examined closely it's apparent
that all the ticks were made by the same hand.

In one corner of the room is a powerful radio transmitter wired to an
electric phonograph and a clockwork timer, set for 8 AM the following
morning. The transmitter is syntonised to one of the popular
commercial frequencies. A disk on the turntable bears the logo of the
"Rekord-a-Gram" company, which has recording booths in most Post
Offices and 'dig depots. It's easy to play the record without
activating the G.C.; the message is brief:

"PEOPLE OF BRITAIN. WE, THE PEOPLE'S LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY, HAVE THIS
DAY DESTROYED AN OPPRESSIVE TOOL OF THE SO-CALLED AERIAL BOARD OF
CONTROL. THEIR TYRANNY WILL NO LONGER BE TOLERATED, AND WE CALL FOR
MASS ACTION AGAINST THEIR EVIL DICTATORSHIP. SMASH THE LIGHTS AND THE
CLOUD-BREAKERS, CUT OUT FROM SYSTEMS, RISE FROM YOUR CHAINS. WE HAVE
SET THE EXAMPLE, IT IS UP TO YOU TO DO THE REST. POWER TO THE PEOPLE!"

The words are muffled, as though spoken through a handkerchief. At the
end of the message the tone arm lifts and moves back to the start. It
repeats indefinitely.

Room 3 is a workshop. There are several benches, a small metal-working
forge, a lathe, and a drill press. On one of the benches is a
dismantled Webley-Fosbury 12-gauge electromagnetic shotgun, which
seems to have been partially modified by the addition of a long
magazine and an external battery pack. The insulation on one of the
coils is blackened, with bare copper visible in places. It's apparent
that someone has been trying to increase the rate of fire, but the
coil has burned out under the extra stress.

A successfully-modified gun has the following characteristics:
 Large shotgun, Max 2 targets, Effect 8, Damage A:F, B:I, C:C/K
This modification isn't recommended by the manufacturer, but is
usually successful; on a 1D6 roll of 6 the gun will burn out the first
time it is used, but if the gun works once it will carry on working.
If two shots are fired at the same target the results should be
assessed separately. It holds 20 cartridges.

Adventurers hoping to trace the owner of this weapon by its serial
number will be disappointed; there is no longer any police licensing
system. Smart teak cases stacked under the bench originally held six
identical guns, all are now empty. They can be traced to a gunsmith in
Coventry, but that will take three days. The purchaser paid cash and
left the name 'Bernard Evans'. The shopkeeper can't remember what he
looked like.

All the tools were made in the Midlands, mostly in Birmingham or
Sheffield. This isn't especially unusual since many tool manufacturers
are based there, but is another indication that the criminals might
come from the area.

On another bench is a big drawing board, equipped with compasses,
dividers, protractors, and rulers. There are two small triangles of
paper behind one of the clips; a corner torn from something that looks
like a map, backed by a piece of plain white paper. The letters
"ABC/NAV/UK001/2000" are printed on the map corner; anyone with the
Pilot skill automatically knows this is the current printing of the
standard chart of British Lights, covering England, Wales, and Ireland
(Scotland and the Hebrides are covered by another chart).

A third bench is equipped for electronics work, with a big soldering
iron, reels of gutta-percha coated wire, a box of assorted valves and
bases, wire resistors, and many other state of the art components.
There are empty boxes from dozens of valves, all common types.

Room 5 has no furniture. The floor is covered with a large tarpaulin
streaked with grey paint. On it are heaped a few empty paint cans,
next to them a portable compressor and spray. A discarded stencil on
the floor reads "INDUSTRIAL HELIUM". The stencil is covered with green
paint, but there is no green amongst the discarded cans.

Room 6 is set up as a kitchen, with a portable electric cooking ring,
a small refrigerator, and dozens of cans and jars of food, such as
suet puddings and steak and kidney pies. Paper bags on the table bear
the label of a nearby bakery, and hold scraps of bread crust. A big
sheet of paper has been used as a cloth, on it are the remains of a
pat of butter, the wrapping from a large ham, a sliver of pork pie,
and fragments of cheese, egg, onion, and pickle. It doesn't take
Sherlock Holmes to deduce that someone has made a lot of sandwiches.

If the paper 'cloth' is turned over some faint lines are visible,
apparently left by a pencil pressing through another sheet of paper -
it's the backing paper formerly on the drawing board in room 3. If the
adventurers don't notice this, Carmichael should eventually spot it.
The torn corner on the board fits a missing corner of the sheet.
Gently rubbing the paper with a piece of charcoal (there are a few
sticks near the forge) reveals some faint lettering. To learn more the
adventurers must get hold of a copy of the chart (aboard any British
'dig; there is also a copy at the local police station), superimpose
the paper, and trace the lines. 29_ADVNT.GIF shows the result.

The lines appear to plot a journey. Starting from a place labelled
"CP", at the right position to be Crystal Palace, there is a step of
7.6 miles at 342.7 degrees to Central London; on a larger scale map
this point is right over Fleury Street. The next leg is a stage of
77.5 miles at 251.6 degrees, to a point labelled "SP" in Wiltshire.
There are bearings to Bristol and Coventry, but no distances, so they
are presumably just there for navigational purposes. "SP" is a wooded
area of Salisbury Plain, three miles West of Stonehenge. There are no
villages in the immediate area.

[The adventurers may assume that Wiltshire is the final destination;
in fact the hijackers haven't plotted a course beyond Salisbury Plain
because they will be heading straight for the Coventry Central
Cloud-breaker, and don't need to use elaborate navigational
techniques.]

If adventurers want to set off for Salisbury Plain by road, remind
them how easily the 'dig vanished into the clouds when they first saw
it. Another 'dig might keep up, a car doesn't have a hope of following
it for any distance.


2.1      A Passage To Wiltshire
-------------------------------
Once the adventurers know that the 'dig is heading for Wiltshire, they
probably want to follow. A call to police in the nearest town
(Salisbury) can be made before leaving, or during the journey via
G.C.; unfortunately the town only has two constables, and both are off
duty! Carmichael spends most of the journey moaning about "Bl***dy
yokels having it too bl***y easy". The rest of the time he is
air-sick.

Messages sent to the A.B.C. will be acknowledged, but there will be no
obvious result. If the adventurers want to send any G.C. messages, the
hijackers may overhear whatever they say. Kind referees will remind
players of this fact. Do NOT remind players that they can use the G.C.
to send misleading messages to put the hijackers off guard; let them
think of it for themselves...

If this is the first adventure you've run in the A.B.C. world, tell
the players about the view. See "With The Night Mail" for a vivid
description of the system of Lights seen from the air. 04_BRITN.GIF is
a map of the network. There is cloud from 500 to 1500 ft, above it the
night is bright and clear.

If players want to know more about Salisbury Plain, tell them that it
is mostly famous for Stonehenge, an ancient stone circle. In the Age
of Crowds most of the plain was covered with military bases and firing
ranges; now these have mostly been cleared, although every now and
again someone digs up an unexploded shell. The whole area is being
forested with force-grown trees as it is cleared. Alert adventurers
will probably guess that the hijackers have found a cache of
armaments; it's the obvious conclusion.

As the 'dig nears Salisbury Plain ask the players how they intend to
make their final approach. While 'digs are quiet they are not
completely silent, and any legal 'dig is festooned with navigational
lights. In play testing the adventurers usually switched off the
lights, and tried stealth tactics which included drifting with the
wind with the engines shut down, dropping someone by flicker to scout
from the ground (they forgot that there was no easy way for him to
report back!), and lowering an observer through the clouds on a cargo
sling.

As the 'dig gets closer several lights can be seen through the trees;
they look like headlights and hand torches. Eventually the adventurers
should get close enough to see a clearing, containing the ruins of
some old huts, the stolen 'dig, a Mitsubishi AEoleus van with London
Helium insignia, and several men loading long cylinders into the
gondola of the 'dig. Someone has excavated the floor of one of the
huts, revealing a deep concrete vault. 30_ADVNT.GIF shows details of
the area.

Players will probably wish to trap the hijackers before they take off,
but they are nearly ready to leave, and something (such as the belated
arrival of the local police) should alert them before the adventurers
can block their escape. All of the hijackers should be aboard the 'dig
when it leaves. Some or all of the adventurers may board first; in
most play-tests volunteers rappelled down cargo-slings onto the stolen
'dig, which took off as they were boarding. NPC 'dig crew won't
volunteer, Carmichael will volunteer but 'accidentally' slips; his
scream and the thud as he hits the ground and breaks a leg will alert
the criminals.

If the adventurers don't lower a boarding party, almost all modern
'digs are fast enough to tail the Compass Rose while they consider
their options. It heads North towards Coventry, taking evasive action
and jamming G.C. transmissions if a pursuing 'dig gets too close. It
is possible to put a boarding party aboard the Compass Rose in flight,
if another 'dig can manoeuvre above it without alerting the hijackers,
but this should be much riskier than boarding on the ground.


2.2      Inside Compass Rose
----------------------------
Appendix B contains game data for the Compass Rose, which can be used
if the adventurers try aerial combat; what follows is for use if
players actually board the 'dig. See 27_ADVNT.GIF for a plan.

The most likely route aboard is from above; the other entrances are
armoured hatches, below the magazines and bridge, which are in
constant use while the 'dig is on the ground and will be closed and
dogged shut as soon as the hijackers are aboard. The outer hull of the
'dig is slick with condensation, and adventurers should make a few
difficulty 3 BODY rolls as they move; any failure results in a fall.
If the roll is a 12 the adventurer must make a difficulty 5 BODY roll
or slide off the side of the hull; a fall of about 20ft while the 'dig
is grounded, several hundred feet once it takes off.

The only obvious entrance is the machine gun nest on top of the hull.
This isn't manned unless it is obvious that the Compass Rose is under
attack, but the gun is loaded and cocked, and easily "accidentally"
triggered as adventurers climb past it and down a hatch into the 'dig.
A quick burst of tracer will certainly alert the hijackers if nothing
else does! The machine gun is an old belt-fed Vickers design, firmly
fixed to its mount and immovable without tools and several minutes
work. It can't be fired at the hull of the 'dig.

 Machine gun: Multiple targets, Effect 11, A:F B:I  C:C/K

Inside the 'dig a lightweight metal ladder descends roughly ten feet
to a wire mesh catwalk suspended between huge helium bags, which are
confined inside tough nets. The bags are new, made of top quality
self-sealing rubber, and any cut or tear will close within seconds.
The only way to do permanent damage is to cut out a piece of rubber
completely; remember that adventurers who try this will soon be
breathing helium, and will have high-pitched voices and eventually
suffocate if they don't descend below the hole. If six or more gas
bags are cut in this way the 'dig will start to lose altitude,
crashing (fairly gently; Effect 4 crash damage to everyone aboard)
after ten minutes.

The upper catwalk leads forward to the bow (revealing some heavy
reinforcing girders but otherwise a dead end) and backwards to the
steering engine (BODY 12, use the Mechanic skill at difficulty 6 to
sabotage it). Two ladders lead down to a lower catwalk linking the
forward and aft guns, passing water ballast, helium, and fuel tanks
along the way. It is also possible to climb down the netting that
covers the gas bags. The ballast and helium tanks have BODY 10; the
fuel tank has BODY 15, and the gas inside will explode and wreck the
'dig (Effect 15 fire damage to everyone aboard) if it is breached.

Another ladder leads down from this catwalk to the gondola, which has
steel armour and contains the engine and crew compartments. Forward is
the bridge, followed by cabins to port and starboard, two magazines
containing ten aerial torpedoes, the aerial torpedo turrets (both are
loaded, but a series of complicated stages are needed to fire them; it
is almost impossible to do it accidentally), a galley and sick bay,
and the engine compartment aft. Bridge and engine room doors (BODY 8)
are closed and locked if the hijackers know that intruders are aboard.

There are eight hijackers, all with similar statistics as follows:

SOMD Members (all aged 50-70)
BODY [3], MIND [3], SOUL [3], Brawling [6], International [4],
Marksman [5], Melee Weapons [5]
Equipment: electric torch, large shotgun (see 2.0 above) if armed.
 Name            Alias            Extra Skills   Position     Armed?
 Michael Banks   James Medway     Pilot [5]      Bridge        No
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Iain Blackburn  Richard Thorpe   Mechanic [7]   Engines       No
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Michael Clarke  Leonard Burke    Mil. Wpns [5]  Prt. turret   No
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Vincent Barker  Norman Lassiter  Mil. Wpns [4]  Stbd. turret  Yes
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Robert Gould    -                Mechanic [5]   Bridge (G.C.) Yes
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Roger Allwood   -                -              Ammo store    Yes
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 John McNabb     -                -              Aft gun       Yes
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
 Brian Shaw      -                Business [7]   Forward gun   Yes
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
Quote: "The A.B.C. must be stopped! Power to the people!"
The members of SOMD are retired freedom-fighters from the Age of
Crowds; formerly at the forefront of the war against authoritarianism,
and nostalgic for the days of anarchy and revolution, they have fallen
into the old trap of thinking that the end justifies any means. While
they don't know that they have loaded gas warheads, they have already
killed several people at the Crystal Palace, and their other weapons
imply an intention to kill anyone who tries to stop them.

Banks, Blackburn, and Gould can't leave their posts. Clarke, Barker,
and Allwood are free to move about the 'dig until it nears Coventry,
McNabb and Shaw can leave the machine guns if there doesn't seem to be
an external threat. The bridge, engine room, turrets, and gun posts
are linked by telephone.

If the adventurers board from above, Clarke and Barker will head
forward along the lower catwalk, while Allwood heads aft. Since the
catwalks are made of wire mesh it is possible to see and shoot through
them. Fortunately there isn't any internal lighting, so the hijackers
must use torches, and won't automatically spot someone above them
unless a light is visible or a noise is heard. Unfortunately the wire
tends to "twang" as people move on it.

If a firefight develops, remember that the shotguns and most other
modern weapons make a characteristic whip-crack noise rather than a
loud bang, then whine (like an electronic flash) for a second as they
recharge. With the turbines running the sound is only audible at close
quarters. McNabb and Shaw will join the fight if they see the
intruders, or if the adventurers are trying to break into the bridge
or engine room. Their machine guns cannot be turned round to fire
inside the 'dig.

Adventurers usually overcome the hijackers reasonably easily.
Afterwards they must take control of the 'dig and land without
crashing; this requires a few Pilot rolls, with difficulty 5 since the
'dig is an old design with odd controls. Nothing too drastic should
happen if the rolls are failed; at worst any crash should involve cuts
and bruises, not broken bones.

Once the 'dig is captured, the aim of the theft is obvious; there is a
large-scale map of the Coventry area on the bridge, with aerial
photographs and large-scale plans of the Cyclops (31_ADVNT.GIF, but
printed on paper 3ft wide with correspondingly more detail) and the
dockyard that is building her. There are also aerial photographs of
the Cyclops in the torpedo turrets.

Any surviving hijackers will refuse to talk, making absurd claims
about the "Iron heel of the A.B.C." and "The People's right to
democratic control of their destiny". They will initially say nothing
to reveal the truth - see section 3.0 below for more details.


2.3      Stand By To Ram!
-------------------------
It's possible that the adventurers will not board, but will instead
follow the Compass Rose or fight it. The hijackers will evade pursuit
in the clouds, double back and narrowly miss ramming the pursuing
'dig, and otherwise try to shake off followers. Players should be
reminded that their 'dig is (presumably) not equipped for combat; it
probably carries a pithing iron, but is unlikely to be armed, armoured
or built to ram. If they get too close, a burst of machine-gun fire,
with one or two bullets whipping through the cabin (fortunately
missing everyone aboard) should should warn them that aerial combat is
a spectacularly bad idea. It will certainly dissuade any NPC crew. If
the adventurers do insist on going on the offensive use the rules in
the Worldbook, section 5.5 onwards, and suggest that they prepare to
generate new characters...

If the adventurers try to ram the Compass Rose the hijackers are
desperate enough to fire an aerial torpedo at them. Chances of a hit
are nil, since the weapon is designed for use against stationary
ground targets, but the missile will inevitably fly on to hit a
randomly selected area. Unfortunately even the depopulated Britain of
the A.B.C. stories has many towns and villages, and there is a real
chance of hitting one. Roll 2D6:
    2: Densely populated area; 1D6 x 100 killed
    3: Lightly populated area; 1D6 x 10 killed
 4-10: Uninhabited farmland / woods
   11: As 3
   12: As 2
You may wish to change the odds if combat is taking place over a major
city. The result is described in section 2.4 below.

If the adventurers try to radio for help the hijackers will jam them.
They can send 30 words before jamming begins. Trying another frequency
will allow another 20 words to be sent, 15 words if a third frequency
is used. After that signals will be continually jammed on all
frequencies.

Light signals and rockets are a better bet. Most 'digs carry a good
supply of flares and bombs, and they can be used to attract attention;
'digs in the area will change course to investigate. By now the theft
of the Compass Rose is common knowledge, and all the NPC-controlled
'digs will start to signal its presence, in a confusing mish-mash of
International and voice messages which will eventually break through
the jamming.

Another way to get help is to drop someone off by flicker, and hope
that he lands near a telephone. A swampy field containing a herd of
incontinent cows and numerous stinging nettles is an especially good
landing point; the farmhouse has a telephone, but it is firmly locked
and barred, and occupied by a suspicious little old lady - if you
assume that 2065 AD technology is available it is also surrounded by a
ground-circuit. In all it should take at least fifteen or twenty
minutes to rouse someone and get through to the police or A.B.C.

If the adventurers can call in the A.B.C. the Compass Rose will be
intercepted before it reaches Coventry. Two 'planes with A.B.C.
insignia are the first on the scene, swooping and circling the stolen
'dig, and calling for help on the A.B.C.'s secure S.C. frequencies. A
streamlined patrol 'dig soon arrives, braking from its top speed to
match course and speed with the 'digs in a spectacular display of
airmanship. An overwhelmingly powerful signal over-rides all
frequencies, warning the Compass Rose to heave to and prepare to be
boarded, as a second 'dig arrives. The Compass Rose fires its machine
guns, but the 'digs and 'planes easily evade the shots. After two
warnings the A.B.C 'digs fire their grapnel guns (see Worldbook
section 5.5.8) at the rear rudders of the Compass Rose, then start to
pull it off course. The hijackers try to resist, but they are no match
for the powerful modern 'digs. After a few futile attempts to escape
they surrender.


2.4      Darkness Falls From The Air
------------------------------------
If the adventurers do nothing to stop the Compass Rose, the hijackers
eventually reach Coventry and prepare to attack the Cyclops. At three
miles from the dock they fire the first torpedo; it functions
perfectly, scoring a direct hit on the docks, a few hundred feet from
the new 'dig. In the dawn light a cloud of yellow gas can be seen,
spreading out from the point of impact. Unfortunately the hijackers
assume that the warhead was faulty, and fire another. Through
binoculars people can be seen staggering out of nearby buildings
clutching their throats. After the second shot the hijackers realise
that something has gone horribly wrong and start to retreat. 402
people die as the gas spreads across the city; if the adventurers dip
below 100ft to investigate they will also be in the cloud, and should
also suffer its effects - see Worldbook section 5.5.6 for details.

If the adventurers still do nothing the Compass Rose evades pursuit
and heads towards Birmingham, where the hijackers moor in woods on the
outskirts of the town, make their escape into the city, and try to
cover their tracks. If none of them are captured there is little
chance of solving the mystery; if even one is caught the plot will
eventually unravel, and the hijackers will confess once they realise
that they were tricked. See section 3.0 below.

Optionally, if the hijackers are all killed or escape completely, it
may be advisable to have one straggler caught by the police or A.B.C.
on Salisbury Plain. He can reveal the information that would otherwise
be disclosed in the next section.



3.0      Eye In The Sky
=======================
This section assumes that the hijackers were caught before they were
able to fire any torpedoes; you may need to change things if Coventry
has been attacked. Once the Compass Rose has landed the local police
force and the A.B.C. soon arrive. Another A.B.C. 'dig is sent to
secure the arms dump on Salisbury Plain pending safe disposal of the
weapons. Use the data for Perkins (above) for all police officers, the
A.B.C. is represented by Professor Prendergast:

Prof. Prendergast, A.B.C. Scientist
BODY [4], MIND [5], SOUL [2], Babbage Engine [8], Detective [7],
Scientist [7]
Equipment: Stopwatch, notebook, slide rule, small tool kit
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
Quote: "Am I the only one who ever bothers to read the blasted
manuals?"
Prendergast is an irascible civilian employee of the A.B.C., working
on several projects including Cyclops. This isn't much of a
coincidence since most of the scientists at Coventry have some
involvement in the project. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. His role
is an information source if needed; if the adventurers don't ask, they
won't get his help. He is more interested in examining the 'dig and
torpedoes, and won't willingly travel elsewhere.

When the 'dig is searched by daylight two discoveries are made. The
first is the real nature of the torpedoes, if not already revealed,
the second is a thick printed document in an official A.B.C. binder
labelled "Project CYCLOPS: Initial Specification", tucked into a case
of charts. A paragraph has been ringed; the last sentence is also
underlined:

"Given the cost of this equipment it is desirable to utilise it at all
times, not just at night. Accordingly the 350" telescope will be
mounted for full vertical rotation, to allow its use for land surveys
and map making. The camera will be fitted with a full range of filters
and polarisers, which will aid penetration of atmospheric haze. Using
the 12" film format it will be possible to map a strip ten miles wide
at extremely high resolution, far beyond the needs of map-making. For
example, under ideal conditions it might be possible to read normal
print if a book were left in view; it would certainly be possible to
recognise faces. In exceptional circumstances this capability could be
made available to police forces, governments, etc."

This suggests a powerful motive for anyone who doesn't like the idea
of invasion of privacy, but a group of so-called democrats should
theoretically be in favour of such peeping; there is certainly no
reason for them to oppose it. There's another snag; any scientist will
realise that the paragraph is nonsense. This is difficulty 5, if
players need to roll for it.

An astronomical telescope is almost useless for land surveys; it views
far too small an angle. At ten miles altitude a 350" telescope could
see a few square feet, not a hundred square miles. It could certainly
read a book, but couldn't simultaneously look at someone standing ten
feet away from it. If the telescope could somehow be zoomed out and
used for surveying, at a scale of 12" on the negative to ten miles of
country a single grain in the film emulsion represents an area of
several square feet; recognition of anything much smaller than a
building would be impossible.

The page containing this paragraph has subtly different typography to
the rest of the document; the columns of text are slightly shorter and
narrower. It's a good forgery, inserted into a copy of the real
specifications. While the plans are also superficially convincing, and
have obviously been produced by a draughtsman and then professionally
printed, they don't correspond to reality; see Appendix B below for
the true design. Professor Prendergast can point out the differences.
If adventurers doubt the word of the A.B.C. he will suggest that they
examine the real 'dig and the detailed engineering plans at the
Standard 'Dig docks in Coventry. He recognises the rest of the
specification; copies were sent out when the project was put out to
tender. The true version of the plan accompanied it. If asked, he has
no idea what became of the paperwork once the contracts were assigned.
Presumably it was filed or discarded.

Players who fail to realise the skill needed to create the forgery
should be reminded that the A.B.C. world has no equivalent of DTP or
CAD programs, laser printers, or plotters. Type must be set by hand or
mechanical typesetting machine, large plans must be drawn by hand then
engraved onto an extremely expensive plate; the latter requires many
hours of work. Both need a printing press.

The easiest way to break down the resistance of the hijackers is to
prove that they have been tricked. Once this is done they will
eventually give statements to the police, as summarised below.
Adventurers may plan much more elaborate schemes to find the truth,
requiring some improvisation by the referee, but if possible the
results should be the same.


3.1      True Confessions
-------------------------
The statement that follows can either be used directly, or the details
might be slowly extracted during lengthy questioning by the
adventurers and/or police. Whatever happens, no force will be used or
tolerated by the police:
                  -------------------------------
"My name is Michael Banks
[use another hijacker if Banks was killed]
 I live in Birmingham, and I am a member of an organisation called the
Sons of MacDonough, which is an association of men who fought against
the old State at the end of the Age of Crowds. Mostly we meet a couple
of times a month at a pub in the old Bull Ring market, to talk about
the old days and have a few drinks.
 Just after Christmas last year we were contacted by a man who called
himself Bernard Evans. He said that he was a manager at the Standard
'Dig yard in Coventry, and that he had seen proof that the A.B.C. was
preparing to take power and bring back the old type of government. At
first we didn't believe him, but a few days later, I think on the
third or fourth of January, he came to our meeting with a lot of
papers. Plans for a 'dig called the Cyclops, and instructions to build
it so that the telescope could be used to look down as well as up, to
spy on people. He said that he'd come to us because he saw one of our
meetings advertised, and didn't know who else to turn to.
 We weren't sure what to do about it at first, but he said that he had
a few ideas on that score. Then he told us about a friend of his who
knew where some old aerial torpedoes were buried, and about the
Compass Rose being restored for an opera. He reckoned that it was God
putting things together to make sure that the A.B.C. would get its
come-uppance. We all thought that he was a bit touched, but he was
ready to put his money where his mouth was. He opened bank accounts
for some of us under false names, to use for expenses. In all we must
have spent about eight or nine hundred.
 We thought about it for a bit, and decided that we might as well have
a go. I'm not sure whose idea it was to blame the old democrats, I
think we'd all had a few when we thought of it. You never know, the
bastards might come crawling out of the woodwork one of these days.
 Evans was with us in all the planning, then a few nights ago he
called us at the warehouse and said that Standard 'Dig wanted to know
where the money was going, and that he'd have to cover his tracks for
a bit. He was going to try to get to London in time to help, but he
never turned up. In the end we decided to go ahead without him.
 We were going to steal the 'dig the night before, but they had a
last-minute rehearsal and we had to call it off. In the end the only
time we could get to the 'dig was during the show, so we had to steal
it then.
 Of course everything went wrong, but you know all that. We never
meant to hurt anyone, but once it happened we were all in too deep to
stop.
                  -------------------------------
The statement includes several details that can be checked, often
raising new questions which can in turn be answered by questions to
the A.B.C., examining maps, etc. Most of them relate to 'Evans'. What
follows are answers to the questions most likely to be asked by the
adventurers:

'Evans' is apparently in his fifties or sixties, about six foot four,
and dresses like a clerk. He has black hair and a small moustache. He
doesn't drink or smoke, and seems to be "a bit of a God-botherer"; in
other words, excessively religious. He doesn't have any accent that
anyone can remember. [Naturally much of this description is wrong;
Green (height 6' 1") wore elevator heels and dyed his grey hair and
moustache when he met the anarchists. He really doesn't drink, but
smokes strong Cuban cigars. The religious opinions were feigned.]

There is no Bernard Evans working for Standard 'Dig in Coventry.
No-one at the yard has ever heard of anyone by that name. The only
Evans there is a Welsh welder aged 25, who is only 5' 7" tall.

The Sons Of MacDonough is exactly what Banks says it is; a drinking
club for retired anarchists. There are branches in several cities,
including Birmingham and Coventry. Meetings are occasionally
advertised in both cities. Evans could easily have contacted the
Coventry branch if he really worked there.

Two hundred and fifty copies of the specification were printed; about
half went to Members of the Board of the A.B.C., seventy or so to
interested astronomical organisations, and the rest to potential
contractors in Britain, Europe, and America. Eight British companies
were invited to bid. Standard 'Dig was eventually awarded the contract
to build the 'dig itself, Zeiss of Germany are building the telescope,
and an obscure American adding-machine company called IBM has already
delivered a calculating engine that will be used to coordinate the
telescope, stabilisation systems, and navigation.

Any of the companies that were sent the specifications could re-write
one page and amend the plan, but the forgeries were actually printed,
not just typed and re-drawn. That takes specialised skills and
equipment. Most manufacturers send their printing to subcontractors.

Where did Evans get the money? Eight or nine hundred pounds can buy a
large house; it's more cash than most working men ever see. It's
unlikely that a mere manager could easily lay his hands on that much.
The accounts he opened (by post) at four different London banks are
all still in credit, although there isn't much left. If the
adventurers ask for a description of the person opening the account,
it matches that of 'Evans'.

How did he know about the torpedoes? The old armoury site was bombed
in the 1970s and forgotten. Modern maps show it as a ruin, without any
other description. Old maps show it as a Royal Army Ordnance Corps
depot. Did 'Evans' have some connection with it before it was
destroyed? Why did 'Evans' want to use aerial torpedoes anyway, when
sabotage or a bomb could be used much more accurately. Did he know
that they had gas warheads?

How did he know about the Compass Rose? The restoration didn't get
much publicity outside the specialised aviation press. The work was
done by Consolidated Dirigibles of Birmingham, and the 'dig was flown
directly from Birmingham to the Crystal Palace three weeks before the
opening night. If the adventurers follow up this clue they will find
that contracts for the restoration were signed on the ninth of
January; Evans knew about the Compass Rose nearly a week earlier! To
make this even more baffling, Mister Lloyd-Webber's connection with
the restoration didn't receive any publicity at all; the Compass Rose
was to be the big surprise of the opening night. The only other people
in the know were officials at the Imperial War Museum and the
directors of Consolidated Dirigibles.

Can the call to the warehouse be traced? Yes, if the adventurers have
a suspect and can persuade the G.P.O. to check the records for his or
her lines. All long-distance calls are operator-connected, and logged
(in ledgers) for billing, but there is no way to find out who called a
number without more information.

From these clues 'Evans' is probably based in Birmingham, not
Coventry, and is attempting to destroy Cyclops, the Standard 'Dig
yards, or Coventry. He's middle-aged, has good contacts in the 'dig
building industry, and access to draughtsmen and printers, or all the
relevant skills and equipment. He's rich, or is backed by someone else
who is rich. He's persuasive and is either sincerely religious or a
good actor. He may have some connection with the old British Army.

By now players may wish to know more about Consolidated Dirigibles.
There is naturally a full entry on the company in any trade directory:

CONSOLIDATED DIRIGIBLES LTD.
'Dig builders for merchant aviation, the A.B.C., and the private
sector, specialising in the 50-200 ton range. Licensee for Magniac's
Rudder, Fleury Ray, etc. A.B.C. Certified 'Dig Builder, Lloyd's safety
rating A.
    Chairman: Sir Stephen Green
   Directors: John Burke, Norman Cunliffe, Richard Grant, Harold
              James, Eric Lassiter, Joseph Leonard, Robert Medway,
              Elliot Thorpe.
   Addresses: 12 Colliers Wharf, Birmingham (offices)
              Docks C-F Aston Mooring Towers, Birmingham
              Docks B-D Selly Oak Mooring Towers, Birmingham
   Telephone: Birmingham 4040 (3 lines)
   Telegrams: CONDIG Birmingham
Subsidiaries: Aviation & Technical Press Ltd. (12 magazines, books,
              private contracts, etc.)

This information may also be found if the adventurers are trying to
trace printers capable of producing the forgery; Aviation and
Technical Press Ltd. is listed as having the same chairman and
directors.

The most obvious clue in this entry is the names of the directors;
putting parts together, their names are the aliases of the hijackers.
The company also owns a publishing house; Aviation & Technical Press
prints a range of 'dig, 'plane, and 'bat magazines, none in the
forefront of journalism, occasional technical books, and manuals and
documentation for Consolidated Dirigibles and other companies.
Naturally the latter often include plans and charts.

A "Certified 'Dig Builder" meets A.B.C. standards; this isn't the top
A.B.C. certification, which is "Approved 'Dig Builder". Similarly,
Lloyd's Safety Rating "A" isn't as good as the top "AAA". In other
words, Consolidated Dirigibles meets all relevant standards but
doesn't excel. Checking in old directories, the adventurers will find
that the 1998 ratings were "A.B.C. Approved" and "Lloyds AA". On their
last inspection the A.B.C. found evidence of cost cutting and
inadequate quality control, which affected the subsequent rating. The
information was passed on to Lloyds.

Stockbrokers and other businessmen are aware of the current state of
Birmingham's industry, and Consolidated Dirigibles in particular. If
questioned, the answers are something like this:
"Consolidated Dirigibles? Hmm, wouldn't buy any shares if I were you,
they're rather on the ropes. Lost a couple of juicy A.B.C. contracts
last year, and it doesn't look like they'll do better this year. Come
to think of it, I heard that they were low bidders for that big flying
telescope last year, and the A.B.C. took a look at their yards then
turned round and gave the job to the new Standard 'Dig yard in
Coventry. In fact business is booming all over Coventry at the moment.
Not like Birmingham at all, old man. Of course Coventry has the big
cloud-breaker and the A.B.C. training school, and they pull in an
awful lot of trade."

If the adventurers ask for a check on the Consolidated Dirigibles
telephone lines, and can persuade the G.P.O. to help (which should be
extremely difficult), they will eventually be told that there was a
call from the offices to Holborn 4321 at 9.15 p.m. on the 27th of
March. This is long after the offices close for business and the
switchboard is shut down. Adventurers making enquiries should
eventually encounter Miss Gladys Phipps, the company switchboard
operator; a beautiful young lady looking for romance, who would never
think of accepting a bribe (but will probably succumb to flattery or a
box of chocolates). When she shuts the switchboard for the night she
always leaves one line connected to the reception desk (manned by a
night watchman) and one to the Chairman's office; he often stays late.
The third line is disconnected. The night watchman is 'old Fred', an
octogenarian who is mainly present to sound the alarm if the building
catches fire; he never makes any calls, it's "more than my job's
worth".

The Chairman of Consolidated Dirigibles is now an obvious suspect;
there are several motives, and he controls all the resources needed
for the crime. His biography in Who's Who is very revealing:

GREEN, Sir Stephen, Kt. cr 1994; BSc Physics; Chairman Consolidated
Dirigibles Ltd., Chairman Aviation & Technical Press Ltd. Born
Salisbury (Wilts.) 1943, only son of Dr. Frederic Green. Educ. Harrow
and Imperial College, London. Army Ordnance Corps 1966-70.
Publications: Basic Aviation Drawings 1978, Draughtsmanship for
Publication 1979, Draughtsmanship and Typographical Design 1980.
Clubs: Birmingham Dramatic Association (Chairman 1993-5). Recreations:
Amateur Dramatics, Golf, Gardening.

After seeing this the adventurers should be morally certain that Green
is 'Evans', and responsible for several deaths (or several hundred).
Unfortunately almost all their evidence is circumstantial.


3.2      The Burden Of Proof
----------------------------
Sooner or later the adventurers will want to confront Green with their
evidence, or show him to the hijackers and see if they recognise him.
Photographs of Green are readily available, and they can be retouched
to correspond to his disguise; if so the hijackers will think that
it's the same man, but won't be sure. Other strategies, such as
burgling his home or offices and looking for clues, won't succeed
because he has carefully destroyed all evidence of his complicity in
the crime. An old cheque book in his desk does show that he withdrew a
thousand pounds in cash from a bank account in February, a few days
before the hijackers' accounts were opened, but there is nothing to
show where the money went. With taxes currently at 4.5%, and
collection almost entirely a matter of personal conscience, there is
no mechanism to trace the money further.

For several days Green manages to avoid the adventurers; if they call
at his office he's gone to one of the dockyards, if they call at his
home his butler thinks that he's at the office, if they call at the
dockyards someone thinks that he's playing golf. His Rolls-Royce
Cyclonic is always on the move, as he travels between the outposts of
his personal empire or makes business trips to London and Scotland.
Continue the run-around until the adventurers are nearly ready to give
up.

Eventually they find him at the company docks at Aston Mooring Towers,
near the centre of Birmingham. It's a typical 'dig-builder's yard,
where the ribs of a huge commercial 'dig, looking like the skeleton of
a beached whale, are slowly being riveted and welded together. Green
is talking to engineers in a shed perched on a gantry a hundred feet
above the floor. The site manager insists that the adventurers put on
hard hats before beginning the long climb, and shouts to say that they
are on their way up. Sir Stephen appears at the railing and gestures
for the team to ascend:

Sir Stephen Green (Businessman and criminal)
BODY [4], MIND [5], SOUL [3], Actor (dramatics) [6], Artist
(draughtsman) [8], Brawling [4], Business [6], Marksman [5],
Mechanic [6], Military Weapons [6], Scientist [7]
Equipment: #600 (10 x #50 notes, 100 sovereigns), cheque book,
.38 Derringer pistol (Effect as large gun, 2 shots)
 B [ ] F [ ] I [ ] I [ ] C [ ]
Quote: "Now, I'm sure that we're all reasonable men..."
Sir Stephen is under immense stress, but determined to do nothing to
that will harm the good name of his family (currently in France) or
business. He feels immense guilt for the deaths at the Crystal Palace
(and Coventry if things went badly wrong). Green is not a native of
the Midlands, and lacks the accent of the area.

When the adventurers arrive he suggests that "we talk outside", on a
steel-railed gallery overlooking the workmen. Emphasise the height,
and the fact that the whole gantry seems to sway slightly as it's hit
by gusts of wind. Overhead 'digs are arriving and leaving the tower.
It's a busy scene, the epitome of modern trade. Green gestures towards
one of the 'digs, a huge freighter dropping towards one of the docks.
"That's one of ours. There are probably two or three more here today.
I built this company up from ruins after the State fell apart. Used to
be the biggest 'dig builders in the Midlands. Still would be, if
Standard 'Dig hadn't opened their Coventry yards. As it is we've only
one dock open for now, and I've had to lay off half the men. Now
people tell me that you're going around smearing the good name of this
company and saying that we had something to do with those idiots who
stole the Compass Rose. What have you to say for yourselves?"

Encourage the adventurers to confront him with their evidence, and
with one of the hijackers if they have brought him along. The hijacker
won't be 100% sure that Green is 'Evans'; he always wore disguise and
assumed a strong Midlands accent when they met.

Green listens to what the adventurers have to say, then shrugs, knocks
a little ash from his cigar, and says "Humph. All a little
circumstantial, isn't it? A bit airy-fairy. Can't see a court
convicting on that sort of evidence. Mind you, you could maybe give me
a hard time before I was acquitted. Now, I'm a reasonable man, and I
can see that you've honestly convinced yourselves that I'm responsible
for these outrages. You're wrong, but maybe I'd reach the same sort of
conclusions if I were looking at the same evidence. What I think you
really ought to do is look a little harder. Maybe someone is out to do
in the whole Midlands 'dig industry, not just Coventry. Standard 'Dig
is a big company with big ideas, and maybe they can't stand the idea
of competition. Oh, I'll grant you that their yard was attacked, but
I'll bet that you'll find that none of their senior management were in
Coventry that day, and gas can't do much harm to a yard. They could
always hire more staff. At the right price they'd get some of my best
men. Imagine the publicity, gallant Standard 'Dig bravely pulling
itself together after a tragedy. It could double their business."

"Now I'll put it to you that that's what happened, and that you could
prove it if you put your minds to it. In fact, I'll go so far as to
put up some money on the strength of it." He reaches into his pocket
and pulls out a wad of huge notes, unfolding them to reveal their
value. "As I said, I'm a reasonable man. I hope that you're reasonable
too. Here's five hundred pounds. You can hold it for now, and keep it
when you find proof that I'm innocent. Let's shake on it."

Are the adventurers willing to take this blatant bribe? If they
express doubts, Green digs into another pocket and pulls out a leather
pouch, saying "Well, I only have another hundred on me." He tips out
the bag to reveal the glittering stack of golden sovereigns.

If this also fails, he gets out a cheque book and pen. "Perhaps we
could make it a little more. We'll say four hundred more. If you find
the evidence to clear me you'll have a thousand. Think of it, a
thousand pounds to clear an innocent man. You know it makes sense." He
prepares to write.

If this third offer also fails, Green reaches into another pocket,
saying "Well then, maybe we could compromise." He pulls out a tiny
double-barrelled pistol, holding it to cover the adventurers. "You go
down and let me finish my cigar, then I'll have a nasty accident. This
floor is a little oily, someone could easily slip and break his neck.
Afterwards you say that I gave you proof that I was innocent. I won't
have my family suffer because I made a foolish mistake. You keep the
money. What do you say to that?"

If the adventurers agree, Green is as good as his word. As they reach
the final rungs of the ladder someone shouts, and a falling body
hurtles to the ground, striking with an extremely final 'thud'.
Green's neck is broken.

If the adventurers refuse, Green snarls "Damn you, then", and raises
the gun to his mouth, firing before anyone has time to intervene.
Blood and fragments of brain and flesh spatter the adventurers, and
his corpse topples over the railing to hit the concrete below. Bank
notes flutter away in the wind, while coins roll across the floor.


3.3      Mopping Up Afterwards
------------------------------
Whatever else happens, the hijackers will be convicted and sentenced
to a course of therapy in a high-altitude sanatorium. In the clean air
and quiet at 10,000 feet their thoughts can clear. They receive expert
counselling, gradually lose their old-fashioned ideas, and are
reconciled to the idea that their peculiar talents are no longer
needed, and that revolution is as outmoded as government. Adventurers
who blatantly committed crimes (such as torture, murder, or
unnecessary brutality) should also be arrested and sentenced to
similar therapy at a different sanatorium.

If the adventurers let Green fake an accidental death the A.B.C. and
police will agree to let the matter drop. There will obviously be
rumours of his guilt, but there is no hard evidence. His son takes
over the yard and arranges to subcontract work from Standard 'Dig,
bringing business back to Birmingham. He will be a useful patron in
the future, remembering that the adventurers let his father die with
honour, rather than dragging the family name through the mud. The
police and A.B.C. should also be grateful for their help. The
adventurers should also be a little richer, if they accepted Green's
cash. Give each character four bonus points, plus up to four extra
points if they accomplished some exceptional act of heroism,
ingenuity, or spectacular stupidity, made you laugh, or otherwise
contributed to the adventure.

If the adventurers made Green commit suicide publicly there will be a
major scandal, wrecking Consolidated Dirigibles completely. Hundreds
of workers lose their jobs, and are forced to move to other areas in
search of employment. Green and the SOMD hijackers will become
folk-heroes in the area, while the adventurers are gradually converted
to interfering busy-bodies who were responsible for the death of the
man who tried to save the city. They should not expect much help or
public support if they visit the area in the future, but the police
and A.B.C. will recognise their help and may return the favour in the
future. Give each character three bonus points, plus up to three extra
points for the reasons above.

If the adventurers were foolish enough to take Green's bribe, they
will not be able to find any evidence to support his "theory",
although the 'dig magazines he owns will push it as far as the laws of
libel permit. Amongst numerous flaws, it happens that two directors of
Standard 'Dig were in Coventry that day; if the yard was actually
attacked both were killed. A few weeks later a Birmingham newspaper
unearths a photograph of the February SOMD meeting, taken by a member
who was not involved in the conspiracy; 'Evans' is clearly visible in
the background, talking to Barker and Gould, and his resemblance to
Green is unmistakable. In the uproar that follows Green commits
suicide, and the adventurers fall under suspicion of conspiracy to
pervert the cause of justice. No charges are brought, but all their
reputations are tarnished, and Consolidated Dirigibles go under as
described above. Award NO bonus points for this outcome, and do not
allow adventurers to improve skills with any points they have
retained; the enquiries drag on for months, and there is no
opportunity to practise skills or go on training courses.

If the adventurers somehow failed to solve the mystery, the A.B.C.
will suggest that it would help if they try a little harder next time.
Green will live to a ripe old age, but his companies will eventually
go bankrupt. The crime will remain a mystery. Award up to three bonus
points for good role playing etc., more if the players came close to
success.



APPENDIX A: HMA Pinafore - The Opera
------------------------------------
H.M.A. PINAFORE, or THE LASS THAT LOVED AN AIRMAN
(Sullivan, revised 2001 Lloyd-Webber)

Act 1. The Gondola of H.M.A. Pinafore, Above Portsmouth, Noon

Airmen working on some of the machinery are visited by Little
Buttercup, winched down from her tramp 'dig with a miniature general
store in her handbag. She hints at an aching heart beneath her cheery
manner. Dick Deadeye, an ugly airman, agrees. At the name of Airman
Ralph Rackstraw, the handsome hero, Buttercup murmurs: 'That name!
Remorse! Remorse!'

Ralph loves Josephine, the daughter of Captain Corcoran of the
Pinafore. The Captain tells Little Buttercup that he wants Josephine
to marry Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty, but she will
not accept him. Josephine appears, and tells her father that her heart
is already given to one of his airmen.

Next Sir Joseph is winched aboard, attended by 'his sisters, his
cousins, and his aunts'. His democratic ideas encourage Ralph to
approach Josephine, but she is conscious of their differing ranks, and
haughtily rejects him. Secretly she loves him, and when she finds him
about to suicide in despair, she admits her real feelings. They decide
to steal flickers and elope to Portsmouth that night, though warned of
their folly by Dick Deadeye.

ACT II: The Gondola Of H.M.A. Pinafore By Moonlight

Buttercup finds the Captain alone on deck, and hints that she has
gypsy blood, and can foresee a change in store for him. Sir Joseph
Porter comes to complain to the Captain that Josephine will not have
him. Taking her suitor's democratic opinions at their face value, she
gets him to admit that disparity in rank should not impede a
love-match. He imagines she is thinking of her position and his, but
actually he is unwittingly justifying Ralph's cause.

Dick Deadeye tells the Captain that Ralph and Josephine plan to elope.
The Captain springs out on the pair as they are about to don their
'para kits. Ralph defies him; the Captain uses a swear word, on which
the shocked Sir Joseph, who has returned to the gondola, orders him to
his cabin.

He is shocked again when he finds that Josephine wants to marry Ralph,
whom he puts in irons. Buttercup now reveals her secret: many years
ago she was a baby farmer, and mixed up two children. One of them was
Ralph, the other the Captain! Things are put right: Ralph appears in
Captain's uniform, and Corcoran in that of an ordinary airman. Sir
Joseph's democratic principles do not extend to marrying the daughter
of a common airman, so Ralph marries Josephine, and the former Captain
marries Buttercup.

Dramatis Personae:
 The Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Aerial Fleet
 Capt. Corcoran, Commanding H.M.A. Pinafore
 Ralph Rackstraw, Airman
 Dick Deadeye, Airman
 Bill Bobstay, Boatswain's Mate
 Bob Becket, Machinist's Mate
 Tom Tucker, Airmite
 Sergeant Of Marines
 Josephine, the Captain's Daughter
 Hebe, Sir Joseph's Cousin
 Little Buttercup, A Portsmouth tramp 'dig trader
 First Lord's Sisters, Cousins & Aunts, Airmen, Marines, &c.



APPENDIX B: 'DIGS
-----------------
       Vessel: H.M.A. Compass Rose
       Length: 325 ft (100 m)
Maximum Width: 33 ft (10 m)
        Ratio: 10:1
         Lift: 6 tons (.6 tons ram)  - helium lift
Maximum Speed: 85 MPH
         BODY: 34
      Engines: 800 HP methane turbine
Illustrations: 26_ADVNT.GIF, 27_ADVNT.GIF
The Compass Rose was built in 1964, and is the last surviving 'dig of
her type. She is equipped to ram (but is a weaker design than any
comparable modern 'dig) and is armed with two aerial torpedo launchers
and three Vickers machine guns. Communications equipment includes a
G.C. wireless (which the hijackers have syntonised to modern public
frequencies) and a powerful jamming transmitter. The G.C. cannot use
A.B.C. Service Communicator frequencies. The hull is camouflaged for
night operations. There are no flickers aboard.
Compass Rose was built for a crew of twelve; five gunners, two
engineers, and five others. Her maximum armaments load was sixteen
aerial torpedoes. Costs are not quoted since she was built using
methods and materials that are long obsolete. She is valued at
£100,000, but this figure is mainly due to her rarity. She carries
fuel for fifty hours flight.


       Vessel: Cyclops
       Length: 300 metres
Maximum Width: 30 metres
        Ratio: 10:1
         Lift: 130 tons
Maximum Speed: 150 MPH (towed)
         BODY: 65
      Engines: N/A
         Cost: Hull    #  585,000
               Engines #    2,100 (500 HP generator)
               Gas     #    8,840 (includes 100% reserve)
               Other   #  657,185 (telescope, accomodation, etc.)
   Total               #1,253,125 (estimated)
    Insurance: None, risk carried by A.B.C.
Illustrations: 31_ADVNT.GIF (Note: This illustration does NOT show the
               true design of the Cyclops; see below)
The Cyclops will be an airborne observatory, designed to be towed to a
location that will allow favourable conditions for the astronomers she
carries. To reduce vibration there are no engines aboard, apart from a
generator which is mainly used for small stabilising fans and to keep
Fleury's Gas circulating. The main telescope is a 350" (8.4 metre)
reflector mounted for 45-degree rotation in all directions, with
powerful gyro-stabilisation. The telescope camera is fitted with a
range of remotely-controlled filters used to compensate for
atmospheric conditions. She is built to accommodate up to thirty
scientists for several weeks, and can transfer supplies and crew in
flight. All accommodation can be sealed and pressurised for
high-altitude work.
[The illustration shows plans which have been modified to make it look
as though the main telescope can be pointed downwards; in fact the
lower bulge of the telescope enclosure is a solid section of hull,
ballasted to compensate for the weight of the telescope, and the
telescope mount doesn't allow it to turn that far.]

A.B.C. patrol 'planes and 'digs are described in sections 5.6.2 and
5.4 of the Worldbook.