This is a daredevils style adventure of good chaps against dastardly villains. Think Biggles and Bulldog Drummond, though the ending owes
a little more to 'Where Eagles Dare'. Play the stereotypes with good heart and enjoy foiling the bad guy's evil plot.
The heroes are Roger Blenkinsop and his trusty friends. On a lovely summery morning in 1937, they discover that the Professor has been
kidnapped from his home in the village of Melton St Boltoph. What is the secret that the Professor has been working on ? And who were the men
with German accents who were seen on the village green that morning ? The answers will take the players to the mountains of Bavaria in
their quest to rescue the Professor.
This game is intended for four players. It would work with three, or five, in which case feel free to invent an extra one of your own in the
style of those provided below. An adventurous younger brother or sister for Roger Blenkinsop would work well. The system is a 3D6 GURPS
type one. The character is trying to roll under or equal to the skill level given. A 3 or 4 is always a critical: 17 or 18 is always a
fumble. Invent suitable modifiers according to the difficulty of the particular situation. Shooting a German guard isn't normally too
difficult, but if the PC is hanging from the side of a wildly swinging helicopter, that would be minus 5 or 6 to skill. This scenario is
a good one for adopting ze outrageous foreign accents; in fact a player handout note from the villain to the heroes was written in a
ludicrous German accent.
Only the scenario outline and background is really given here. Exactly how the players set about the adventure will be pretty much up to them.
Hopefully there is enough here for a GM to be able to wing it. The main thing is to keep the action moving. Encourage the players to get
the mood of the times, yelling 'Good show' and 'old chaps', but allow suitable anachronisms if witty or amusing. One player was allowed to
distract the guards by shouting 'Look, it's the Goodyear blimp!'. He made his sound convincing skill roll and I was amused, so the guards
fell for it. Let the players wander down little by-ways in the adventure, so long as everyone is enjoying themselves. Just see that the
Professor is rescued in the end.
You joined the Great War in 1916 by signing for the Royal Naval Air Force, even though you were a year under age. You stayed on until
1932, reaching the rank of Flight Commander. Since then you have lived in the country, occasionally helping out friends in the
diplomatic corps when difficulties need to be solved informally.
You are a true, stiff-upper lipped Englishman, dedicated to serving the Empire and God, in that order. You are from the landed gentry but
your experiences in the War gave you greater respect for the working classes. You believe implicitly in noblisse oblige and all
the duties of rank and leadership
Toddy is your best friend and served with you, as did Doctor McKenna. Sid Harrison, your groom, also served with you. He told you about the
manor in Melton St Boltoph, where you now live.
ST 11 DX 13 IQ 11 HT 13 shoot guns 16 fly things 18 mechanics 10 navigation 11 drive things 12 drive things ridiculously fast 16 rugby tackle 15 fisticuffs 15 savoir-faire 16 get an answer from servants 17 speak German 13 speak French 12 sound convincing 13 horse riding 14 swimming 15 dancing 15 climbing 13 leadership 15 gambling 14 look dashing 18 cricket 15
Webley No 1: 2d damage, 6 shots. Lee Enfield rifle: 6d+1 damage, 10 shots
punch 1d-3
Your flaming red hair and magnificent moustache gave you your nickname (Toddy being a traditional name for foxes). Your friendship
with Roger dates back to your time together at Harrow before you joined up the Great War. Since then you have led the life of an
English gentleman on your estates, flirting with the local ladies and accompanying Roger on his adventures from time to time.
You have always been slightly overshadowed by Roger, but you don't mind as it allows you to get on with other things while he takes all
the attention. So far as you are concerned, the world is perfect the way it is, with hunt balls, whiskey, beautiful women and good horses.
You can't understand why the lower orders don't seem to know their place any more, though obviously the Depression was very hard on them.
Roger is sometimes too willing to listen to his groom, but you don't interfere. You'd rather be interfering with the dairy maids anyway.
ST 14 DX 12 IQ 10 HT 13 shoot guns 15 brawling 15 fly things 14 mechanics 12 fishing 13 tracking 12 sneak quietly 10 driving things 14 riding 16 gambling 17 flirt 15 dancing 14 be boisterous 15 electronics 9 speak German 10 swimming 15 skiing 14 sound convincing 12 climb 14 cricket 14
Webley No 1: 2D damage, 6 shots. Lee-Enfield 6D+1 damage, 10 shots.
punch 1D-2: kick 1D
You were drafted reluctantly into the Great War but enjoyed serving under Mr Blenkinsop. Afterwards, you moved back to your home
village and persauded Mr Blenkinsop to take up the manor house, where you got a job as his groom. You like to go along on his adventures
when you can; it makes for good tales to tell back home, and impresses Mary Bell, who works in the snug at The Ark.
As well as being Mr Blenkinsop's groom, you are also the village poacher, but he doesn't know about this. You admire the gentlemen for
their absolute belief in themselves but you do wish they were not always so honourable about things. You seem to be the only one capable of
playing dirty when necessary. You are fond of the old country, and don't care for foreigners much.
ST 13 DX 12 IQ 13 HT 13 shoot guns 14 brawling 16 tracking 15 set/remove trap 16 sneak 16 control animals 15 lock pick 14 riding 13 fix things 14 tug forelock 14 sound convincing 13 speak German 9 drive things 11 swim 13 climb 14 first aid 13 flirt 13 blend into the background 14
Luger 9mm: 2D+2 damage, 9 shots. Browning shotgun: 4D damage, 6 shots
punch 1D-2, kick 1D+1.
You met Roger and Toddy during the War when you all served in the same regiment. After the War, you went back to Edinburgh and
graduated as a doctor. You now work in Melton St Boltoph, but sometimes leave your junior in charge while you go off with Roger on
his adventures.
Roger is a thoroughly admirable sort and Toddy is a generally reliable chap, both of them are just the sort of thing you need on your
side in a tight spot. However, you are frequently amused by their devotion to the Empire and the old way of things as you can see that
it is about to crumble away. Occasionally you tease Roger about this, taking the opposite point of view just to annoy him. You are
interested inthe new developments of this 'machine age', with its exciting advances in travel, medicine and science. Frankly, the other
two are starting to look downright Victorian.
ST 10 DX 11 IQ 14 HT 12 shoot guns 13 fly things 13 drive things 12 first aid 15 medicine 16 riding 12 drive train 13 wrestling 13 rugby tackle 13 bagpipes 11 operate radio 13 speak German 13 mutter Scottish oaths 16 fix things 14 sound convincing 16 climb 10
Webley No 1: 2D damage, 6 shots. Lee-Enfield rifle: 6D+1 damage, 10 shots.
Bagpipes: an area effect weapon capable of emitting a range of sounds from eerie moans to piercing squeaks. Good for
terrorizing unsuspecting natives.
A charming village in south Suffolk, just off the A12. Most of the houses are clustered around the village green. A little further out
are the church, the manor house, two farms and the railway station.
The adventure starts early one morning with Roger, Toddy and the Doctor in the manor house stables with Sid. Roger's housekeeper (Mrs Blackmore)
brings the villge postman to the stables. The postie tells them that something odd is happening at Professor Grey's house and he can't get an answer.
Postie would have reported it to Constable Parkin, but he knows that the village policeman is over at Melton St Remigus, taking his giant
veg over for the flower show tomorrow.
The Professor's house is substantial, set in its own grounds. He lives there alone apart from his housekeeper.
When the players search the Professor's house, they find his housekeeper, Mrs Bloom, tied to a chair in the scullery. She tells them of
the dreadful men, with foreign accents, who burst in and kidnapped the Professor without even letting him finish his cup of tea. The Prof's
Morris motor car is missing.
The Prof has a lab set up in his greenhouse. It has tubes and flasks bubbling away and a litter of untidy, half-dismantled experiments
about the place (this is normal, as Mrs Bloom will tell them despairingly). None of the characters have any idea what the Prof is working on.
His library has plenty of books in use lying about; mostly on oil refining techniques. There are notes scribbled in the margins "rubbish !",
"old fool," and "try inversion techniques".
When the village is searched, the prof's car is parked outside the tiny railway station. The Station Master saw the Professor and three men catch the 08.51 to Dixborough. From there, they can get a connexion to London at 09.34, arriving at Liverpool St Station at 11.19. The time is now 09.02. If they drive fast, the PC's can get to Dixborough station by 09.30.
When they get there, Dixborough station is in an uproar. Four men got off the train together. Three of them stole a car and drove away down
the main road to London at speed. The other one pushed the driver off the Melton train while he was chatting to someone, and drove the
train away. It can just be seen slowly steaming away round the corner. As the party watch, a figure jumps down from the cab and runs away.
The train is now uncontrolled. There are fifteen passengers on board. The points are set for it to take the branch line by the school, but
the oil tankers from a goods train are still there. The train will crash into them unless it is stopped.
It is possible, but difficult, for the car to be driven alongside the track. A saddled horse is tethered just outside the railway station
while its owner checks the times of London train. Both horse and car go fast enough to catch up with the slow moving train. The train has
a guards carriage at the rear, three carriages, a coal bunker and the engine itself. Climbing from a moving vehicle (or horse) to the train
is difficult but possible. Once inside the cab, the hero has to chose which of the levers and wheels to pull to try and slow the train.
Driving a train is a separate skill from driving things generally, but a default of about -5 should be allowed if the PCs trying don't have
train driving skill. If they pull the wrong lever, they will be tugging on the whistle by mistake.
Being a hero, he should eventually stop the train before it crashes into the oil trucks and blows up. When the immediate excitement has
died down, the PC spots a note in the cab.
It isn't unknown for the players to try pursuing the German's car, but they won't catch it no matter how hard they try at this point.
Naturally, the party will want to know more about Baron Von Leipzig. They best way is to go to Blenkinsop's government contact. This man's
name is Puddock-Browning, he is a member of the same gentleman's club as Blenkinsop, Toddy and the Doctor. He has recruited them for
adventures before now. Puddock-Browning will be very concerned when he hears what has happened. He tells them that the Professor's research
may be vital to the war effort, and that they must go after him. They will not officially represent the Empire, but they will have backing.
Puddock-Browning tells them about the Baron (see below) and says that his operation is backed by the German military. Soldiers are stationed
at his schloss. The party can use reasonable force to retrieve the Professor, but England and Germany are not at war, so charging around like
the Dirty Dozen is not acceptable. The Foreign Office has been aware of the Baron's activities for a while, and have an insider on his staff
who will be told to help the PCs. Apart from this, they are on their own (officially).
Bavaria is a beautiful, mountainous district of south Germany, bordering Austria and Switzerland. Think of the rolling scenery of Steve
McQueen's bike ride in 'The Great Escape', think of 'Where Eagles Dare' and 'The Sound of Music' (filmed just
over the border in Austria).
Traunstein is a pretty village of the sort that makes a second income by modelling for tourist brochures. The houses all have plenty of
dark wood, fancy carved beams and shutters and window boxes full of pink and red flowers. It is built along the bottom of a high valley,
with the schloss perched high above on a crag. The party's contact is a man called Joachim Weber, who is a handyman at the
schloss. His sister runs a gasthaus (guesthouse) in the village, where the party can stay. She will turn a blind eye to odd goings on.
Joachim can get items for the PCs within reason: local work clothes, a motorbike and so on.
It is a good idea for the party to pose as tourists; they are common enough in the lovely scenery of Bavaria, and are still welcomed by the
locals. If they talk to locals, they will hear rumours of a strange flying contraption which has been seen in the valley recently. It makes
a very loud noise, quite different to an aeroplane.
Joachim can tell the PCs about the layout of the schloss, and its occupants.
The non-military staff live in the village: 1 groom, 10 kitchen staff, 7 domestics, 2 handymen. They are all loyal German citizens, but
it may be possible for players to bluff or bribe them.
Inside the castle are: 30 troops, 2 pilots, 1 mechanic. 2 radio men and 5 Army officers. There will normally be 5 troops and 1 officer on
duty. The soldiers cannot be bribed but may well be bluffed. On any evening, there may be 5 troopers in the village pub.
German Officers: ST 11 DX 11 IQ 11 HT 12: shoot 13, drive 12, brawl 14, fencing 13, English 12, climb 13. German Infantry: ST 10 DX 10 IQ 9 HT 10: shoot 10, drive 10, brawl 11, English 8, climb 9. PISTOL: Luger 9mm: 2D+2 shots 9 ME98: 5D shots 6
Medium height with dark hair and piercing blue eyes. He started as a cavalryman in the Great War. An aristocrat of the old school, he
believes utterly in the Fatherland and is determined to return it to its former glory. He believes the Treaty of Versailles to be an unfair
abomination design to break Germany. He is not anti-Semitic, but believes that Hitler has the determination and charisma to take Germany
back to the pinnacle of world power, where it belongs. He is utterly devoted to his country and its fortunes.
By nature, he is well-bred and well-educated. He will behave like a gentleman, and loves poetry and classical music. He admires Shakespeare
but insists that Goethe should be equally respected.
ST 11 DX 11 IQ 14 HT 12 shoot 14, drive 13, climb 12, throw 13, English 15, poetry 15, savoir-faire 15, fencing 15.
What happens from here is largely up to the players. Somehow they must bluff their way into the castle, and from there, find the
Professor.
When the players arrive in the larger courtyard, they should notice a powerful aerial on the roof. Anyone who knows German will see the
signs indicating the Radio room. This is a top-class military installation that connects the castle to the nearest military base, some 30
miles away in the next valley. 1 radio operator will be on duty, probably very bored unless the players do something foolish. He will not
radio for help unless given a direct order, but may sound the general alarm. If he does call for help, bad things will happen.
Enough military, armoured cars, etc will show up to make life tricky for the players as they are escaping.
In the second courtyard is a strange shape hidden under a tarp. This is a helicopter, the very latest thing in aviation. None of the players
have even seen one before, let alone flown one. One of the pilots and the mechanic will be hanging around the nearby workshop. The helicopter
is on test here, and the ordinary soldiers aren't allowed near it. The pilots and mechanic are all proud of their new gadget and possesive
of it. It will be very difficult to bluff them into letting the players take a close look at it. The helicopter has enough fuel aboard for
a fifty mile flight. If the players don't use it for escaping the castle, they would be advised to destroy it.
The Professor is being held in the cells. A Sergeant and 2 troopers will be on duty in a room near the entrance to the guardhouse area.
The party may choose to overwhelm them, or more probably bluff them. Picking the cell lock is tricky but not impossible; the keys are on
a board in the guardroom. The Professor was kidnapped for his research on new oil refining techniques because he has been developing
new forms of aviation fuel, which will be important in the forthcoming war. So far, the Professor has refused to tell the Baron anything,
so he has been locked in solitary confinement until he becomes more cooperative. The only part of the castle he knows is the corridor
leading from the cells to the labs that have been set up for him.
If the players seem to be getting away with rescuing the Prof too easily, have a few more patrolling guards show up, or a couple of soldiers
who want a light for their cigarettes. At some point, most probably through the players' own fault, the alarm will go off. Klaxons raise a
deafening row and lots of grey clad soldiers start pouring into the courtyards. Quite how the players ecape is up to them, but the
helicopter is a popular choice. They may chose to fly it away, or go back to the village. The Baron's black Mercedes is garaged in the second
courtyard, and could be stolen. The last time I ran this, they took the helicopter and nearly lost the Professor out of the side door when
the pilot muffed his skill roll and swooped wildly about the courtyard.
The villagers aren't wealthy, so cars are in short supply there. However, there is a large post bus in a garage near the guest house. This
has the great advantage of being so solid that it can ram barriers and will absorb a lot of bullets. Whatever happends, finish with a good shoot-out
and let the players escape, possibly bruised and wounded but triumphant.
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