™ Verne v1.0 ©2010 by Greg Porter ISBN 0-943891-66-3 BTRC#6116 Published by: BTRC P.O. Box 1121 Collinsville VA 24078 USA [email protected] www.btrc.net Design: Greg Porter Cover art: Douglas Chaffee Interior art: US National Archives, Harry Grant Dart, J. Allan St. John Extras & other Greg Porter, by permission of HeroMachine.com (go visit it!) adventurers: Other thanks: Niles Calder, Helen Forbes Dedication: for Cathy EABA™ and Verne™ are trademarks of Blacksburg Tactical Research Center. All rights reserved. Protected by the Universal Copyright Convention and coal-fired, punch-card programmed mechanical AI’s and their brass and teak mechano- servitors. WHERE DO I FIND IT? ADVENTURERS INTRODUCTION ..........................................4.2 SPECIAL NOTES ..........................................4.2 ATTRIBUTES/SKILLS ......................................4.3 TRAITS ................................................4.6 PRE-GENERATED ADVENTURERS...................4.15 THE GREATER GAME ..................................5.2 INTRODUCTION Adam Wild ...................................5.3 REQUIEM ................................................1.2 The X Club ....................................5.3 WHAT IT S BOUT ......................................1.5 ’ A The Vril Society.............................5.4 Messr. Engiine...............................5.5 Scotland Yard ..............................5.7 Morlocks & Fey.............................5.8 LIFE IN 1869 ............................................2.2 The Diogenes Club....................5.10 WHAT DO YOU KNOW?..............................2.2 Occhi di Dio ...............................5.11 EOPOLITICS ............................................2.4 THE GREAT GAME G US Secret Service.......................5.11 LAW AND ORDER.....................................2.11 League for Gaian Primacy ......5.12 BELIEFS ..............................................2.17 Thugee........................................5.13 THE MILITARY ..........................................2.21 The Vertue Club.........................5.13 CLASS ..............................................2.23 Triads ...........................................5.14 PROFESSIONS ..........................................2.25 Martians ......................................5.15 WOMEN ..............................................2.26 LIFE IN 1869CE Selenites......................................5.18 MONEY ..............................................2.27 POLITICS ..............................................2.28 ADVENTURES .............................................6.2 TRAVEL ..............................................2.28 THE NATURE OF ADVENTURE ........................6.4 FASHION ..............................................2.32 GETTING STARTED ......................................6.9 SOCIAL GRACES .....................................2.33 TIMELINE ..............................................6.12 TECHNOLOGY..........................................2.35 HISTORICAL EXPEDITIONS...........................6.14 TIMELINE ..............................................2.39 THE GREAT BRAIN ROBBERY ......................6.17 THE TRAVELLER.........................................6.24 THE LAST IMMORTAL .................................6.30 WEST OF JAVA........................................6.36 CAMPAIGNS JEKYLL & HYDE .......................................6.41 INTRODUCTION ..........................................3.2 MURDER ON THE ST. PETERSBURG EXPRESS....6.48 CONVENTIONAL TECH ................................3.3 NOTABLE VICTORIANS ..............................6.56 CAVORITE TECH ........................................3.7 RECOMMENDED SOURCES .........................6.63 CLOCKWORK TECH ....................................3.9 VRIL TECH ..............................................3.11 SELENITE TECH .........................................3.13 STEAMPUNK MARTIAN TECH........................................3.14 INTRODUCTION ..........................................7.2 GAIAN PRIMACY TECH.............................3.16 SPECIFIC GEAR .........................................7.3 MORLOCK TECH ......................................3.17 GEAR GEAR LISTING ...........................................7.8 MERFOLK TECH........................................3.17 EXTRAS ..............................................7.13 VENUSIAN TECH ......................................3.17 ADVENTURER SHEET ..................................7.15 SAMPLE VEHICLES & GADGETS ..................3.17 INDEX ..............................................7.17 COMBAT NOTES ......................................3.36 EABA OPEN SUPPLEMENT LICENSE.............7.18 INTRODUCTION 1.1 That night they made camp a short distance Verne1.0 from the cliffs beside one of the numerous cool springs that are to be found within Caspak, According to their custom all, with the exception of the man on guard, sought sleep early, nor, once oftentimes close beside the still more numerous disposed upon the ground for slumber, were they long in finding it. It seemed to Bradley that he had warm and hot springs which feed the many scarcely closed his eyes when he was brought to his feet, wide awake, by a piercing scream which was pools. After supper the men lay smoking and punctuated by the sharp report of a rifle from the direction of the fire where Tippet stood guard. As he chatting among themselves. Tippet was on ran toward the man, Bradley heard above him the same uncanny wail that had set every nerve on INTRODUCTION guard. Fewer night prowlers threatened them, edge several nights before, and the dismal flapping of huge wings. He did not need to look up at the and the men were commenting upon the fact white-shrouded figure winging slowly away into the night to know that their grim visitor had returned. that the farther north they had travelled the The muscles of his arm, reacting to the sight and smaller the number of all species of animals sound of the menacing form, carried his hand to the butt of his pistol; but after he had drawn it, he became, though it was still present in what immediately returned it to its holster with a shrug. would have seemed appalling plenitude in “What for?” he muttered. “Can’t waste the ammunition.” Then he walked quickly to where any other part of the world. The diminution in Tippet lay sprawled upon his face. By this time James, Brady and Sinclair were at his heels, each reptilian life was the most noticeable change with his rifle in readiness.“Is he dead, sir?” whispered James as Bradley kneeled beside the prostrate in the fauna of northern Caspak. Here, though, form. were forms they had not met elsewhere, Bradley turned Tippet over on his back and pressed an ear close to the other’s heart. In a several of which were of gigantic proportions. moment he raised his head. “Fainted,” he said. “Get water. Hurry!” Then he loosened Tippet’s shirt REQUIEM - That night they made camp a distance at the throat and when the water was brought, from the cliffs, beside one of the numerous cool springs threw a cupful in the man’s face. Slowly Tippet that are to be found within Caspak, oftentimes close regained consciousness and sat up. At first he beside the still more numerous warm and hot springs looked curiously into the faces of the men about which feed the many pools. After supper the men lay him; then an expression of terror overspread his smoking and chatting among themselves. Tippet was features. He shot a startled glance up into the black on guard. Fewer night prowlers threatened them, and void above and then burying his face in his arms the men were commenting upon the fact that the began to sob like a child. farther north they had travelled the smaller the number of all species of animals became, though it was still present in what would have seemed appalling plenitude in any other part of the world. The diminution in reptilian life was the most noticeable change in the fauna of northern Caspak. Here, however, were forms they had not met elsewhere, several of which were of gigantic proportions. 1.2 The entire party was moody and glum. There EABA was none of the bantering that had marked their intercourse before, even in the face of blighting hardships and hideous danger. This was a new “What’s wrong, man?” demanded Bradley. menace that threatened them, something that they “Buck up! Can’t play cry-baby. Waste of energy. couldn’t explain; and so, naturally, it aroused within What happened?” them superstitious fear which Tippet’s attitude only “Wot ’appened, sir!” wailed Tippet. “Oh, Gord, tended to augment. To add further to their gloom, sir! It came back. It came for me, sir. Right it did, sir; their way led through a dense forest, where, on strite at me, sir; hand with long w’ite ’ands it clawed account of the underbrush, it was difficult to make for me. Oh, Gord! It almost caught me, sir. I’m has even a mile an hour. Constant watchfulness was good as dead; I’m a marked man; that’s wot I am. required to avoid the many snakes of various It was a-goin’ for to carry me orf, sir.” degrees of repulsiveness and enormity that infested “Stuff and nonsense,” snapped Bradley. “Did the wood; and the only ray of hope they had to you get a good look at it?” cling to was that the forest would, like the majority of Caspakian forests, prove to be of no Tippet said that he did--a much better look than considerable extent. he wanted. The thing had almost clutched him, and he had looked straight into its eyes – “dead eyes in Bradley was in the lead when he suddenly a dead