REX RICH

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WARLORD OF MARS

Rex Rich and the

Warlord of Mars
An Adventure for Spirit of the Century 2009 version by bill White

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SCIENCE WONDER STORIES

SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #1 The Secret of the Kaisers War Machine Well-to-do Princeton drop-out REX RICH joins the French Foreign Legion when the French aviation contest in which hes competing is cancelled at the outbreak of the Great War. There he meets troublemaker JACK REDSTONE, who joined up to avoid a stint in a Paris jail cell. After a big battle in which their unit is decimated by an unstoppable German Dreifusspanzer tripod-tank, they transfer to the French flying corps. Meanwhile, in an observatory in the Swiss Alps near Geneva, DOCTOR EINSTEIN discovers radio signals from space and responding signals from somewhere in Germany. A tense confrontation with PROFESSOR PLANCK at the University of Berlin leads to Einsteins detention on University grounds. Luckily, LUCY LOVELACE is in Berlin with her American diplomat father, and (with nowhere else to turn) she contacts her old school friend Rex to help her carry out a daring rescue in the heart of Prussia itself! SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #2 Max Mensch in No Mans Land Marine corporal MAX MENSCH leads his men into no mans land to rescue downed pilot Jack Redstone. Trapped between a German tripod and an Allied land leviathan in mortal combat, Max and Jack must run a gauntlet of steel to return to friendly lines! They are pinned down and Jack is wounded. All seems lost, but Lucy Lovelace is nearby as a volunteer ambulance driver; she sallies forth from the aid station to create a distraction. All make it back in time to congratulate Rex upon his triumphant return from bombing Rundfunkstelle Rot to stop Professor Plancks Quantum Radio from receiving alien super-weapon blueprints. SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #3 Escape from Mars On the Red Planet, young Red Martian scavenger TAN-GLIIL forages amid the ruins of a once-proud civilization until he and his people are taken captive by the cruel Black Martians, who reward the traitor TEL-JANRU with rulership of the Reds. Tan-Gliil is taken to the flying city of the Black Martians to become a gladiator in the slave-pits. He escapes, acquiring a set of Black Martian data crystals which he uses to aid his one-man rebellion against his captors. Meanwhile, the powerful but degenerate Black Martians come increasingly under the thrall of Tel-Janru, who sets plans of conquest into motion. Pressed hard, Tan-Gliil infiltrates the Black Martian base on Phobos, where he escapes from Mars through a one-way time-space vortex to planet Earth! SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #4 Rex Rich and the Sky Pirates of Africa At wars end, when Rex Rich and Jack Redstone attempt a record-breaking around-the-world dirigible flight, their journey is cut short over equatorial Africa by a squadron of sky pirates, who shoot down Jacks scout plane and take Rexs dirigible in tow to a secret base. Their leader AIR-BARON ZEVO challenges Rex to a series of contests to demonstrate the superiority of homo futurian -- Futurian man! Meanwhile, Jack befriends a tribe of intelligent apes who help him repair his plane. Homing in on the radio beacon that Rex secretly activates, Jack manages to find and infiltrate the Futurian base. Together, the two friends make their escape, and Rex returns to Hub City with secrets taken from the Futurians that he will use to start his own aviation company.

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SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #5 Max Mensch vs. the Kidnappers of Zanzibar Lucy Lovelace disappears in Constantinople while on assignment from her new job as a reporter for the Hub City Tribune. Alerted by an anonymous telegram, Max Mensch and Jack Redstone follow her trail to Zanzibar, where Lucy is trying to conceal her identity as a reporter in the seraglio of SULTAN SINBAD, the notorious slave-dealer. When Jack falls prey to the wiles of the Sultans intoxicating courtesan MISTRESS SHEBA, Max Mensch gets them both out of the villains clutches so that Lucy can write the expose that spurs the British authorities to action. BONUS STORY: Snap Redstone and the Young Rocketeers of America Jacks kid brother SNAP REDSTONE travels from Iowa to Hub City for the Young Rocketeer of America contest, with Dr. Einstein, Rex Rich, and Princeton professor and rocketry pioneer ROBERT GODDARD, SR. as judges. Snap has to work hard to compete with Goddards son ROBERT GO-BIRD GODDARD, JR., whose goofy grin drives Snap crazy. Its a close contest, but in the end Snap learns a valuable lesson when his miscalculations send his rocket beyond the target range and his entry is disqualified. But Rex Rich is sufficiently impressed that he hires Snap as a junior engineer with Rich Aviation! SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #6 Rex Rich and the City of Wonders Rex and Snap travel to the Atlantic island of Bensalem to consult the World Brain, a vast automated information archive, accompanied by Dr. Einstein, who is en route to a League of Nations meeting in Geneva. Rex is caught up in a high-stakes remote-control battle against the wily Sir Herbert George, GAME MASTER OF BENSALEM, in its Micromachical Arena. Rex is only able to win when Snap and Dr. Einstein work together to create a fleet of radio-controlled miniature dive bombers that scatter Sir Herberts clockwork cavalry. Rex emerges from the World Brain with a smug look on his face, but tells no one what he learned. BONUS STORY: The Man from Mars against the Futurians! Tan-Gliil crashes in the sea. He is washed up on the shore of a sun-drenched Mediterranean isle. He becomes ill and pale. Cared for by SOFIA SANTE, his psychic powers do not return in time to warn him about her. ADMIRAL TIRSANO arrives to take the Martian aboard the Futurian science-dreadnought New Atlantis and interrogate him with a Hypnosis-Inducing Field Illuminator, or HIFI set. The New Atlantis recovers the saucer. Luckily, Tan-Gliils powers return and he escapes, soaring off into the skies of Earth. SCIENCE WONDER STORIES #7 The Enigma from Outer Space Rex Rich and Jack Redstone arrive in Germany to see the prototype Panoptisonde Rocket that Snap has built to help Dr. Einstein test his theories. When Tan-Gliils flying saucer shows up in the middle of the rockets test flight, all five find themselves trapped in a strange mindscape of their memories, dreams, and fears. A dark presence haunts this mirror-world, a horrible alien interloper from beyond the stars. It takes a combination of Rexs leadership, Dr. Einsteins intellectual gifts, Tan-Gliils psychic prowess, Jacks insouciance, and Snaps nave and boyish optimism to drive away THE ENIGMA FROM OUTER SPACE. BONUS STORY: Hub City Confidential: Max Mensch Case Files #1 Max Mensch is torn when his new job keeping nosey reporters away from secret projects at Rich Aviation gets him in dutch with Lucy Lovelace. But when a saboteur strikes at Hub City Airport, Max needs Lucy to help him track down the culprit, and the two face off aboard a Futurian skyship against the diabolical MAESTRO MYSTERIOSO, master of illusion.

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HAND OUT PLAYER PACKETS. rank orders ankEach player rank-orders characters by preference for play. Assign characters to players so that we maximize satisfaction across all players. For example: If two players put Rex first, and the only character without a player preferring him/her first is Tan-Gliil, then the player who ranked Tan-Gliil lower gets Rex and the other player gets Tan-Gliil. --- P L A Y E R --CHARACTER Einstein Jack Lucy Max Rex Snap Tan-Gliil ASSIGN COMPANIONS
If Rex, Jack, or Snap are not taken as PCs, they become companions to other characters; other unselected characters become NPCs. They count as Great companions, which gives the PC access to 1 skill each @ Great, Good, Fair, and Average (chosen from character sheet: the companions Superb skill becomes Great, pick a Great skill to be Good, a Good skill to be Fair, and a Fair skill to be Average) and 1 Advance (a STUNT or another column of SKILLS beginning at Good). The player can allow the companion to be taken out in lieu of taking a moderate consequence. The PC can use the companions Aspects, but pays to tag them with his or her own Fate points. Jack: to Snap, to Rex, to Max, to Lucy. Max, Max, Rex: to Jack, to Snap, to Max, to Lucy. Einstein, Snap: To Jack, to Dr. Einstein, to Rex. SuperSuper-Simple Minion Rules: So minions work the same way, except that their base skill column starts at the characters level minus 2 (e.g., Good rather than Great) and they can be taken out in lieu of a minor consequence on the character.

GIVE AWAY FATE POINTS

Give everyone 5 Fate Points. If someone doesnt get their first choice of character, they get bonus fate equal to how they ranked the character minus 1. So if the player who got Tan-Gliil had ranked him 3rd, she would receive 2 additional Fate Points, or a total of 7. Note that the game runs best with 5 players. Any PC who received a companion gets an additional Fate point.

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Dr. Einstein A Little Thought-Experiment The Greatest Mind of All Time! The Secret of the Kaisers War Machine The League of Nations Needs Dr. Einstein My Usual Methods Are Useless Here Jack Redstone Checkered Past Glad to Know You, Max As Strong As An Ape Whatd I Do This Time? But Snaps Just A Kid! Lucy Lovelace All Over Europe Trust A Womans Intuition, Boys Max, Youre My Hero! I Just Need to Ask A Few Questions What Are You Up To, Rex? Max Mensch A Rough Neighborhood Trench Coat Oy Vey! This I Need Ill Keep My Eyes Peeled Do You Have Any Enemies, Mr. Rich? Rex Rich Brains Behind This Outfit War Hero Wealthy Aviation Entrepreneur I Learned Some Things From the World-Brain Ive Heard Good Things About You, Max Snap Redstone Farm Boy A Little Too Much Juice That Goofy Go-Bird! Wheres Jack? A Few More Adjustments TanTan-Gliil Red Martian Tel-Janru Betrayed Us All! Get Out Of My Mind! Torn Between Two Worlds Only Dr. Einstein Can Help Me

We Meet Again, Professor Planck! Fight for Peace Im In Your Debt, Fraulein Lovelace Check Your Math, Herr Redstone Quantum Uncertainty Is Involved!

Seen the Inside of a Jail Cell Lucy, You Are One Hell of a Woman Any Landing You Walk Away From Do I Look Like Im Worried? You Dont Owe Me Anything, Rex

Daddy Was A Diplomat Dont Spoil The Moment By Talking, Jack Sob Sister The Hub City Tribune A Girl Likes To Feel Appreciated

Its A Mitzvah! Im No Einstein Are You Tough Enough, Jack? If Only She Were Jewish Danger, Schmanger

What Is It This Time, Lucy? Jack Redstone Saved My Life Im Paying YouJust Make It Fly Einstein, Youre A Genius! Thats A Risk Im Willing to Take

The Right Tool Second Place in the Rocket Contest Golly! Its Just Like Dr. Einstein Said! Well, Thats Something I Hadnt Thought About Mr. Rich Wont Like That

Foraging in the Ruins of Mars Mars Must Be Free! I Must Consult the Data Crystals Sofia Sante, Beautiful Betrayer Let Us Join Our Minds Together

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Rex Rich and THE GREAT ROCKET RACE

Set out the HUB CITY AIRPORT MAP and put character counters on it, along with a counter for the Redhawk rocket plane. Today is the day of the big rocket-plane race between the Army and the Navy to see which intercontinental interceptor will go into production. Rich Aviations design is the Navys entry; the Armys rocket-plane was built by Dr. Robert Goddard and his team, with his son Robert Jr. or Go-Bird as the pilot. The winner of the race gets a big contract with the War Department.

Everyone gets one free tag on each Aspect in a zoneso you can be in a zone and tag Bystanders when I try to shoot at you (You cant get a bead on me!), and then on your next turn move into an adjacent zone and use the
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Bystanders there to do the same thing on the next exchange. The one thing you cant do is use your free tag to cancel out someone elses invocation of the same Aspectso I cant turn around and use my free tag on Bystanders to say they hem you in and make it easier for me to shoot you. But I could use them to help my block on the same turn: I shoot wildly into the crowd, and their panic prevents you from getting away easily. HAND OUT FATE FOR INITIAL COMPELS Explain ASPECTS as traits, attitudes, possessions, and other features of the character that define his or her identity, persona, and relationships. Tell the players, Im going to compel one of your Aspects to explain why youre here. Normally, youd be able to refuse the compel by paying me a Fate point. Im going to advise you not to do that right now, but you can if you wantbut you may lose spotlight time if you do. REX, youre the brains behind this outfit, so youre here. MAX, youre keeping your eyes peeled for trouble, working for Rex. JACK, you have to ask yourself: what did you do this time? Because youve agreed to test-fly your kid brothers untested rocket-plane, the Rich 1922 Redhawk, in a race against that creep Goddards plane. SNAP, you need to make a few more adjustments on the Redhawk before its 100% ready to fly. LUCY, youre here because the Hub City Tribune needs a story. The League of Nations needs you, DR. EINSTEIN, to observe the test, which skirts disarmament protocols under discussion in Geneva. Finally: Only Dr. Einstein can help you, TAN-GLIIL, and Dr. Einstein is here. Thus you are too.

Introduce a few more compels: REX RICH. Lucy interviews Rex Rich (compel What Are You Up To, Rex?): Rex, didnt you in fact take out a huge loan to finance the construction of the Redhawk? And doesnt that mean that if you lose the race, you also lose your company? Why would you do such a thing? Thats A Risk Im Willing to Take (2 Fate). Hang the Aspect All In On This One on Rex. If Rex doesnt get the contract, he loses access to his Headquarters and his Resources are at -2 until Rex wins his company back (requiring a Superb test of Resources, Leadership, or some other skill as appropriate vs. the Superb Resources of nasty Boss Fowler, the eminence grise of Hub City).
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JACK REDSTONE Arent you worried that going bar-hopping on the night before a big test flight was a bad idea? Do I Look Like Im Worried? Take More Than A Little Hung Over during this scene. If Jack accepts, tell Max he can self-compel Are You Tough Enough, Jack? to hang the aspect Only Slightly Less Hung Over Than Jack on himself during this scene as well. ACTION. START THE ACTION. The order of action is [Go-Bird], Snap, [Sofia], Max, [Gottlos], Jack, [Baron Zevo], Rex, [Gen. MacArthur], Lucy, Tan-Gliil, Dr. Einstein. General MacArthur is eager for the race to begin, and even though hes the judge, authorized by the War Department to award the contract to the better plane, hes rooting for the SCREAMING EAGLE, the Army-sponsored entry built by Robert Goddard and his son. Unless the REDHAWK vastly outperforms the Armys plane, MacArthur will probably give the contract to the Goddardsbut maybe he can be persuaded to judge the contest on the merits.
GoGo-Bird Goddard. Superb Engineering (+5); Great Pilot, Guns (+4), Good Resolve, Resources, Science (+3); Fair Athletics, Contacting, Drive, Rapport (+2); Average Academics, Endurance, Fists, Stealth, Survival (+1). Aspects: Goofy Grin; My Dad Invented Liquid-Fuel Rockets; I Want It To Go Really Fast; Dont Think Youre Smarter Than Me; Ha Ha, Snap, I Beat You!; I Shook Hands With Dr. Einstein; The Rules Dont Apply To Me; Bankrolled by Secret Futurian Silent Partner; Someday Ill Go To The Moon; I Wont Sweat The Details. Headquarters (Goddard & Son Rocketeering, Inc., Hub City N.J. Superb Rocket Workshop (+5); extensive security); Scientific Genius (+1 w/chemistry, +2 w/explosives); Weird Science (concoct fancy retro-science rocket fuels); Contact (Dr. Robert Goddard, Sr. (Dad); independent, great quality , Science +4, Academics +3, Contacting +2, Leadership +1); Custom Ride (1922 Peugot 161; +1 to Drive; spend Fate to declare a minor device has been installed). Toughness 1 , Composure 3 , Fate 5 .

SCREAMING EAGLE futurized Douglas Cloudster rocket plane, Fantastic Speed [+6], Epic Cost [+7], 1 month to build at Goddard Rocketeering.
Gen. MacArthur. Superb Resolve (+5); Great Leadership, Contacting (+4); Good Alertness, Athletics, Intimidation (+3); Fair Endurance, Guns, Stealth (+2); Average Academics, Drive, Science, Survival, Weapons (+1). Aspects: A Patriot First; Small-Town America; Beat Navy!; Lead From The Front; Bring Me My Horse!; A Tactical Diversion; Politically Savvy; Air Power Is The Key!; Bucking For Promotion; Washington Insider. Big Man in the Military (use Contacting for military Resources); Big Name (+2 to Rapport or Intimidation the first time you interact with someone if theyve heard of you); Command Presence (use Leadership for Rapport to get people to do things), Equestrian (use Athletics for riding), Custom Ride (Duesenberg staff car; +1 Drive); Toughness 2 , Composure 5 , Fate 5 8

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CONDITIONS. VICTORY CONDITIONS So winning the contract requires both winning the race (i.e., returning to the airport first without crashing) and convincing MacArthur to be fair (i.e., taking him out via social interaction), unless the SCREAMING EAGLE crashes. The course requires that the two planes take off together, fly out to sea where a few barrage balloons have been tethered to old mothballed destroyers, shoot down the targets, and return to base. THE COURSE Engine Rocket Engine Ignition. These are independent tests of Engineering, versus a difficulty of Superb. Failure takes out the plane on the runway unless the pilot accepts consequences. Spin gives a +1 bonus to take-off, representing a smoother ignition sequence. Take-Off. Take-Off. These are independent tests of Pilot, versus a difficulty of Great (+4). Failure takes the plane out on the runway unless the pilot takes consequences. Spin gives a +1 bonus to the outbound leg roll, representing a faster ascent. Outbound Leg. This is a contest of Jacks Pilot skill vs. Go-Birds. The faster plane gets a +1 bonus, +2 if the difference is 3 or more. The winner gets a bonus equal to the shifts that may be divided among the weapons test and inbound leg rolls, representing quicker arrival at the weapons test site. Weapons Test. These are independent tests of Guns, versus a difficulty of Mediocre (+0). Failure means that the plane cant receive the contract, even if it gets back home first. Spin gives +1 bonus to the inbound leg roll, representing a quick run on the targets. Inbound Leg. This is a contest of Jacks Pilot skill vs. Go-Birds. Again, the faster plane gets a +1 bonus, +2 if the difference is 3 or more.The winner arrives back at Hub City Airport first. Landing. These are independent tests of Pilot, versus a difficulty of Great (+4). Failure takes the plane out unless the pilot takes consequences. Spin gives a +1 bonus to the rocket engine shut-off roll. ShutRocket Engine Shut-Off. These are independent tests of Engineering, versus a difficulty of Superb (+5). Failure takes the plane out with a great big explosion, unless the pilot takes consequences.

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JACK REDSTONE. But Snaps Just A Kid. Theres no way a youngster like Snap could have put together this rocket-plane without making some mistake; youd better double-check the wiring underneath the panel, here. Make an Engineering roll (which Jack doesnt have) vs. Great difficulty; if Jack fails, hang Crossed Wires on the REDHAWK. SNAP REDSTONE. Snap can use Engineering to get rid of the Unmade Adjustments aspect that hangs on the REDHAWK; he can also use his Universal Gadget stunt to add improvements to the rocket-plane. Boy, that Go-Bird Goddard is obnoxious, Snap. You just cant concentrate on those last minute adjustments! Are you going to let him rub it in about being Second Place in the Rocket Contest? MAX MENSCH. Roll Maxs Alertness (+2) vs. Sofias Stealth (+3) to spot a fellow with binoculars and what looks like a wireless set on his back out in the fields surrounding the airport. If he fails, say, Max, Youre No Einstein, so you dont see theres a man out there with binos and a wireless set out in this field right here, isnt that right? Otherwise, Max can go after him. TAN-GLIIL. You feel an insistent throbbing in your skull, like that caused by the mental emanations of a Black Martian terror weaponbut its coming from somewhere close by here on Earth! Get Out of My Mind! Take -2 on all actions until he uses his action to succeed at a Superb Resolve test. For each turn that he accepts the connection, Tan-Gliil can roll Mysteries (albeit at -2) vs. Resolve of Dreifusspanzer Gottlos to gain more information about the tripod (i.e., reveal a random aspect). LUCY LOVELACE. Lucy, you need a big story or your editor will bury your copy on an inside page, and thats no good. Who are you going to talk to try to dig up a good story? She may try to talk to one of the PCs, in which case compel as follows: Max, Youre My Hero (Max); I Just Need to Ask a Few Questions (Snap, Jack, or Dr. Einstein); Trust A Womans Intuition, Boys (Tan-Gliil); or What Are You Up To, Rex? (Rex). Make a Rapport vs. Resolve maneuver on the character in question; if you win, you get to hang the aspect Distracted by Lucy on the character and they take a -2 on their next action because she distracted them. Let the player role-play the response, and give out Fate if they are bound by their Lucy-related Aspects.

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DR. EINSTEIN Herr Doktor Einsteingiven that youre a committed pacifist, and that youre in the middle of a militaristic field experiment that may be in contravention of the treaties being arranged right now back in Geneva, what should you be doing? (Let Dr. Einstein tell you which Aspect hell selfcompel): Fight for Peace. Take a Fate point for trying to convince someone to call off the race and generally making a nuisance of yourself. My Usual Methods Are Useless Here. Take a Fate point for using a skill you have at 2 or less to act [maybe compel this in response to Fight for Peace] THICKENS THE PLOT THICKENS MEANWHILE, Max should be pursuing the man with the binoculars, who is really Sofia Sante, Futurian spy and saboteur. She will be in communication with the Zevodrome, and will use her Alertness (vs. targets Alertness) to try to put Target Spotted! tags on Dr. Einstein, Snap Redstone, and of course Rex Rich.
Sante. Sofia Sante. Superb Deceit (+5); Great Alertness, Fists (+4); Good Athletics, Resolve, Stealth (+3); Fair Drive, Empathy, Endurance, Survival (+2); Average Academics, Art, Engineering, Investigation, Guns (+1). Greek; That Perfume; Exotic Beauty; Futurian; Deadly Double Agent; Cover Identity; If I Cant Have You, No One Will; Hell Hath No Fury; We Are Much Alike, Are We Not?, Saboteur. Clever Disguise (resist scrutiny of disguise with Deceit), Mimicry (imitate mannerisms), Master of Disguise (pay Fate to go undercover), Infiltrator (Use Investigation to send message or leave clues), Linguist (speak many languages), Toughness , Composure , Fate 5 .

Sofia has a flower in her lapel; it takes Great Science or Academics to recognize it as a species of African violet known to grow in what was once German East Africa and is now the Bensalem-run mandate territory of Tanganyika; spin on the roll will identify it as growing mainly on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. If she beats Max, she will leave the flower on his unconscious body. Also in her possession is a photograph of Go-Bird Goddard shaking hands with Dr. Einstein while Rex Rich hangs a medal around his neck. Snap Redstone looks on, clearly disgruntled. A banner hangs above the scene; it reads Young Rocketeers of America. At the other end of Sofias radio connection is Air Baron Zevo. He is aboard the Zevodrome now cruising at top speed for Hub City Airport with the goal of

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kidnapping the scientific expertise that Zevos ally Professor Planck needs in order to complete his new machinery. He will demand updates from Agent Carlos and if he doesnt get them try to browbeat the person on the other end for information about his or her location, activities, and companions.
Air Baron Zevo. Superb Resources (+5), Great Leadership, Rapport (+4), Good Endurance, Engineering, Resolve (+3), Fair Contacting, Fists, Intimidation, Weapons (+2), Average Academics, Art, Athletics, Gambling, Survival (+1). South African By Birth; A Touch of Genius; The Secrets of Bensalem; Behold Futurian Man!; Sky Pirates of Africa; After Them, You Fools!; Curse You, Rex Rich!; Futurians Are Everywhere; Now I Possess the Zevodrome; A World To Conquer. Zevodrome [3] (maximized zeppelin, alternate use (aircraft carrier); armed; conscious (Crack Crew: Well Follow You To Hell, Zevo); skilled (Guns +4, Pilot +3, Engineering +2, Alertness +1; Stunt: Damage Control (roll Engineering to remove consequences at difficulty equal to shifts))); Gyrotroopers and Armored Biplanes (Guns +3, Pilot +2, Endurance +1; 3 squadrons; We Are Futurians! Stunts: Mass Fire (+2 to Guns when used to block); Gyro-pack (futuristic miniaturized helicopter, +1 to Pilot) or Armored Biplane (futuristic biplane, +2 toughness)); Personal Gadget (gyro-pack). Toughness 3 Composure 3 Fate 10 .

Note that Zevos minions work like companions: they can be taken out in place of other consequences, reducing the shifts of an effect by an amount equal to their value (4 in the case of the Zevodromes crew and 3 in the case of each squadron). They are not themselves targetable; they are targeted as a side effect of fighting against Zevo and the Zevodrome. While the rocket-planes are testing their weapons out at the target site, the Zevodrome will float into view over the airport and the armored biplanes will strafe the field, and Dreifusspanzer Gottlos will be lowered from a winch to the field, there to wreak havoc while Sofia and the gyrotroopers capture Einstein, Snap, and Rex.
Godless Godless). Dreifusspanzer Gottlos (Tripod Tank Godless). Superb Endurance (+5); Great Guns, Might (+4), Good Drive, Resolve, Intimidation (+3); Fair Alertness, Deceit, Fists, Survival (+2); Average Athletics, Empathy, Rapport, Science, Weapons (+1). Prussian Heritage; I Have My Orders; Hand-to-Hand in the Trenches; Shattered Body, Shattered Soul; Giant Walking War Machine; Thick Armor Plating; Towering Over the Battlefield; Bristling With Ordnance; There Can Be No Peace For Me; I Still Serve the Fatherland. Armor (Use Endurance to defend in combat); Grappling Arms (Use Might in combat to grab and immobilize opponents); Prototype Car [2] (maximized, speculative, walking tank, +1 to Drive); Personal Gadget (+1 to Guns, +1 to Endurance [craftsmanship], quantum ray cannon [special effects]). Toughness 5 , Composure 3 , Fate 5 .

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Tan-Gliil will recognize Gottlos as employing Black Martian technology. Dr. Einstein will recognize the quantum ray cannon as the handiwork of his old foe Professor Planck, and of course recall the Secret of the Kaisers War Machine. Max, Rex, and Jack will vividly remember battling tripods similar to this one on the Western Front during the Great War; Lucy has seen them as well. The one who gets closest to it first notices markings associated with General LettowVorbecks Schutztruppe Deutsch-Ostafrika. Fair Academics will recall that Lettow-Vorbecks small troop was the only colonial German force not to have been defeated in open combat during the Great War; it fought its way into Mozambique and was repatriated after the war ended. Snap may spot what looks like a satchel charge attached to the underbody of the Dreifusspanzer, wired to a small radio receiver; it will take Engineering modified by Athletics to shimmy up there and cross-wire the thing to either defuse it or make it blow up. The explosion could be quite deadly. Gottlos will go after Einstein or Snap or both, grabbing them and handing them off to gyro-troopers to be carried back to the Zevodrome. MacArthur will put himself at risk, posturing defiantly at the biplanes and gyrotroopers who will try to take him out. Go-Bird will be ordered to attack Jack, and will have to obey his secret Futurian mastersbut hell try to do it sneakily, at the target site, and pretend it was a mistake. If he makes it back to the airport, hell try to land on the Zevodrome. Once the targets are captured, Zevo will begin to withdraw. He will cheerfully abandon Gottlosthat monstrosity, as he saysin order to cover the withdrawal, activating a secret self-destruction device to blow it up. It starts to beep and a lamp lights up; everyone has one exchange to get as far away as possible before it goes off, taking out anyone in the zone and doing a Superb attack on those adjacent, -1 for each zone further out. In summary: The rocket race will begin and things will go pretty smoothly until the rocketplanes get to their target practice site; there Jack Redstone will be shot at by Go-Bird Goddard just as Air Baron Zevo attacks Hub City Airport in his Zevodrome with armored biplanes and gyro-troopers; meanwhile, Max Mensch will tangle with Sofia Sante. The overall plan is for Dreifusspanzer Gottlos to

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wreak havoc while Sofia and the gyrotroopers capture Dr. Einstein, Snap Redstone, and/or Rex Rich. Meanwhile, General MacArthur will try to impress people with his military bearing and obvious heroic qualities, hanging Aspects on them like, MacArthur is a genuine American hero. When things go south, hell throw himself into the thick of things. If he sees a flying saucerlike the one that Tan-Gliil hashell want it for the United States military, and hell do his best to get his hands on it, ordering the land leviathan from nearby Raritanic Naval Arsenal into action. Otherwise, hell do his best to get himself in trouble; hopefully the PCs will feel some obligation to get him out of it! As the GM, your goal is to take PCs out hard and fast, so that the game can move on to the next phase. Give Fate to make people want to give up!

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Rex Rich and The Shining Mountain

ZEVODROME ABOARD THE ZEVODROME Air Baron Zevo will try to withdraw once hes wreaked some havoc and taken some prisoners. If necessary, he will leave Gottlos behind as a distraction and then activate its self-destruct sequence. If Zevo gets away, he may have captives. If Rex Rich is captured, hell be treated as a dangerous and despicable enemy. Zevo will order him staked out on the deck of the Zevodrome, a Superb test of his Endurance. If he fails, he takes a consequence at least as bad as the shifts against him (i.e., 1 or 2, minor; 3 or 4, major; 5 or more, severe). If he gets spin, he escapes his bonds. If Jack Redstone is captured, hell be treated like Rex. If Max Mensch is captured, hell be treated like Rex, too. If Snap Redstone is captured, hell be given a Futurian uniform and a bunk with the Zevodrome crew. They will say, Youre one of us now! Welcome to the Futurians! and explain that among Futurians, technologists and scientists receive the highest honor, and because of their expertise deserve to be running things. He will be assigned as cabinmate to young Dolph Schicklgruber, a Great War veteran from Austria who joined the Futurians after the war after deciding not to become an artist. Dolph will tell him how the Futurians were founded by the great Baron Rosenkreuz 500 years ago on Bensalem with the purpose of leading mankind into an era of scientific, technological, and political enlightenment. Compel Well, Thats Something I Hadnt Thought About to get Snap to play along.
Dolph Schicklgruber. Good Mysteries (+3), Fair Leadership, Resolve (+2), Average Art, Intimidation, Rapport (+1). Born in Austria, The Soul of an Artist, In the Trenches at Ypres, Germany Was Betrayed, Welcome to the Futurians!, Incipient Megalomania. Composure 2, Fate 3.

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If Dr. Einstein is captured, hell be taken to a cabin in the gondola with a tiny porthole through which he can see the ocean below. Compel A Little Thought Experiment to have him spend his time pondering a scientific puzzle thats been on his mind. If Lucy Lovelace is captured, shell be treated as a guest, and be asked to dine at Air Baron Zevos table each evening. She may be able to use Rapport or Empathy to learn of his plans to conquer Mars by opening up a space-time gate and leading an army into the past to colonize and transform the dying planet, eventually returning to Earth to conquer the future! If Tan-Gliil is captured, Zevo will want to recruit him as an ally in the attack on TanMars; if he wont agree, hell be staked out on deck. If Sofia Sante is on board, she will try to persuade him to join Zevo, who knows what Tan-Gliil revealed to her about Mars (in Science Wonder Stories #6): that it is a dying planet ruled by degenerate Black Martians who follow the traitor Tel-Janru. Somewhere over the Atlantic, a transport plane will land on the Zevodrome and a bevy of beautiful German maidens will disembark. They believe that they are going to find work overseas; conditions at home are desperate. Soon, the ocean gives way to desert, then jungles, then savannah. Dead ahead is a great snow-capped mountain. The journey takes about 4 days. If anyone manages to escape from their quarters, it will require Stealth or Burglary to sneak past the crew to do whatever they want to do. They can sneak into the radio room and send a message; they will manage to contact the USS Defiant, on patrol in the South Atlantic (it is a flying warship). The Defiant will contact the War Department back in Washington, which will try to reach Rex. Meanwhile, a search will begin aboard the Zevodrome; test the escapees Stealth versus the crews Alertness; failure means recapture, success means continued freedom, spin means access to where ever they want (the Engine Room, the Arms Room, the Flight Deck, etc.). If the escapees try to leave the Zevodrome in a plane, the Zevodrome will give chase (use the chase rules), trying to shoot them down. In any event, they land or crash in the middle of the Amboseli Plain. If Jack is with them, one of the intelligent gorillas from his previous African adventure will eventually meet and

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guide them; otherwise, they meet a Tchagga tribesman whom they must befriend.
Oo-oolp, (companion). Oo-oolp, Intelligent Ape (companion). Stealth +4, Survival +3, Might +2, Endurance +1. (companion). Msonge, Tchagga Tribesman (companion). Survival +4, Stealth +3, Weapons +2, Alertness +1.

The Tchagga live in small villages of beehive-shaped thatched huts. For money, they use red and blue glass beads and lengths of cloth called doti. They mainly grow bananas. The Zevodrome circles above the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro and then descends into the caldera, at whose floor has been constructed a secret science base; there Professor Planck has been attempting to construct the space-time gate as well as a vehicle capable of making the passage. THOSE LEFT BEHIND As the Zevodrome cruises away, some may desire to give chase. If possible, Air Baron Zevo will try to shoot down any pursuers; those shot down will be taken aboard the Zevodrome by gyro-soldiers. Otherwise, the limited endurance of chasing planes will require them to turn back, although theyll be able to note the Zevodromes southeasterly course heading. Tan-Gliils flitter can sustain the pursuit, and keep out of sight of the Zevodrome, for as long as its pilot desires. With sufficient data, Tan-Gliil may even be able to project its course. Investigation highlights the following facts: (1) An unusual flower was found near where a strange man was seen with binoculars and a new-fangled looking radio set. The flower is an African violet that grows mainly on the slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro. (2) Air Baron Zevos main area of operations has always been Africa. (3) The tripod-tank had markings associated with a German colonial force that operated in what is now Bensalemite Tanganyika.

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Connection. The Zanzibar Connection Goddard, Sr., will be mystified by his sons betrayal in the skies. He will cooperate with investigators to reveal his sons complicity with the Futurians, and can help explain whythe desire to go to the Moon. Air Baron Zevo must have literally promised my son the Moon! Examining the records of Goddard Rocketry, Inc., reveals numerous shipments made from their factory to a shipping agent in Zanzibar. The most recent shipment left a few weeks ago and should be arriving there any day now! Examining blueprints in Go-Birds office is a good test of Engineering; success identifies the design as parts of what can only be a launch cannon built into the top of a mountain like that proposed by Sir Herbert George, the Game Master of Bensalem. The address in Zanzibar will bring the characters face-to-face with Madame Sheba if they pursue it; she will purr and be seductive but ultimately reveal that the goods are picked up by dirigible. The most recent shipment is waiting to be picked up; a Futurian crew aboard a small dirigible will come calling for it.
Madame Sheba. Superb Art (+5), Great Athletics, Empathy (+4), Good Rapport, Resolve, Resources (+3), Fair Contacting, Endurance, Sleight of Hand, Weapons (+2), Average Leadership, Stealth, Survival (+1). Exotic Beauty; Sublime Dancer; In the Harem of the Sultan; How Can Any Man Resist Her Charms?; Bejewelled Costume; Hidden Weapons; I Can Feel the Fire In You, Jack; A Woman Always Lands On Her Feet; Jealousy Becomes Her; New Times in Zanzibar. Minions (servants and guards as needed); Headquarters (Sinbad House, bordello on Baghani St.). Toughness 2, Composure 4, Fate 5.

If Sofia Sante escapes, she can and will reveal something to the characters via a message of some kind (perhaps via the radio she left behind; otherwise, an unsigned telegram from Zanzibar telling the PC with whom she was most impressed): Your friends are in great danger. they are being taken to the heart of the shining mountain. hurry Or you will never see them again. A FRIEND. She does this once she finds out that women are being duped or tricked into becoming Martian colonists; Sofia believes this sort of thing is unconscionable. It takes a Good Academics result to figure out that The Shining Mountain means Kilimanjaro; only Fair is required if Africa is already known to be the destination.

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If Sofia is captured, she will be willing to reveal where Zevo is bound for her freedom. She will try to convince her interlocutors that this is a good idea, and that she will give up her life of evil to join them. She will, of course, later betray them only to double-cross Zevo once she finds out about the German women. Other possibilities include mobilizing resources to track the Zevodrome; it takes a Fair result to reveal its headed for Africa, a Great result to narrow the results down to Bensalemite East Africa, and an Epic (+6) result to pin down Mount Kilimanjaro as the ultimate destination. Failure gives Zanzibar as the answer. THE SHINING MOUNTAIN

Use Survival to move from zone to zone, but flying characters may move one zone as their action for the turn. The zone in the top right corner holds the entrance to a cave that leads to the secret Futurian base at the bottom of the caldera. The base can be seen from the alpine desert zones: when PCs enter
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either zone, add a zone marked caldera with a Survival 8 boundary above the alpine desert zone on the right, with the Futurian base just beyond it. The Zevodrome will float above the mountain (as its own zone), and gyrosoldiers and armored biplanes will patrol.
Professor Planck. Superb Science (+5); Great Art, Engineering (+4); Good Academics, Rapport, Resources (+3); Fair Alertness, Empathy, Resolve, Sleight of Hand (+2); Average Contacting, Deceit, Intimidation, Mysteries (+1). Entropy Explains So Much!; University of Berlin; You Think God Does Not Play Dice, Eh, Einstein?; Secret Weapon; Quantum Radio; They Laughed When I Told Them My Theory!; A Message from Mars; I Will Behold A Final Theory; The First Planck Constant Is Evil; All Hail the Futurians! Scientific Genius (physics, specializing in quantum physics); Mad Science [2] (quantum uncertainty); World Famous Scientist (use Science among those who are aware of your reputation in place of Rapport, Intimidation, Deceit); Secret Weapons (Universal Gadget). Composure 2, Fate 5. Secret Weapon: Uncertainty Cannon (use Science to attack; a successful attack sends the character elsewherein this instance, probably to Mars, or else just out-of-phase with the universe. For each level of consequence accepted, roll 2dF. On a +, move the target left or up; on a -, move the target right or down. Obviously dont move off the map). This could make the fight in the Futurian base positively dreadful for the PCs, as Planck sends them all across Mount Kilimanjaro. Note that he can use it to attack at range, and will probably use it to cause unfortunate rescue-minded PCs to crash their planestag Secret Weapon to pay off the pilot of that plane or vehicle.

Professor Planck is trying to open up a dimensional gatewaya wormhole, as Dr. Einstein likes to sayto Mars 65 million years in the past, the source of the quantum radio transmissions he received during the Great War. This is a scientific and engineering puzzle (i.e., Science modified by Engineering) of Legendary + 2 difficulty (=10) that he has so far been unable to solve. He needs a scientific insight in order to put the final piece into place. The mouth of the interdimensional vortex would be unstable! The polarity of the negative mass cannot be sustained!
(a) Tan-Gliils data crystals contain a scientific insight that will allow him to treat his roll as being ++++ (+4). (b) He can gain a scientific insight with a Science vs. Science contest; however, for every point that his opponents Science skill is below his, the value of the insight is reduced by one (so that winning the contest vs. someone with Great Science allows him to treat his roll as + + + [+3] while winning against Mediocre Science allows an insight that produces a [-1] roll; in other words, subtract 4 from the opponents skill to determine the quality of the insight).

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If Snap agrees to help, this removes the -1 restriction (since Snaps Engineering is equal to Professor Plancks Science) and lets Planck make the Science roll normally to see if he can do it. If he succeeds, a gateway opens; if he fails, it still opens, but in a catastrophic and explosive fashion, sucking everyone in! So, everyone probably winds up on Mars, just as the Warlord of Mars had planned!

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Rex Rich and the Red Planet

TELTEL-JANRU, Warlord of Mars. Superb Athletics (+5); Great Mysteries, Weapons (+4); Good Endurance, Leadership, Rapport (+3); Fair Resolve (+2); Average (+1). Red Martian; A Reputation for Cruelty; Traitor To His Own People; Bow to Me! I Am Your Leader!; Black Martian Super-Science; Plans for Conquest; Radium Sword; Secret of the Kaisers War Machine; Mars Needs Women; We Meet Again, Tan-Gliil! Psychic (use Mysteries for paranormal insight); Telepathy (use Mysteries in place of Rapport and Empathy w/a successful test of Mysteries vs. Resolve); Warlord of Mars (Minions: Black Martians, Green Martians, Tripods, Flitters); Radium Sword (slice through anything; +1 Weapons [craftsmanship]; mysterious PC-defined problem). Toughness 3, Composure 2, Fate 20. The Flying City of Mars. Unbelievable Maximized Plane. Armed. A City in the Sky! Red Martian Slave Pens. Gladiatorial Arena. Control Tower. Arsenal. Telepathic Antenna Array. Lift Matrix Pods. Grand Concourse. Landing Pads. Breeding Chambers. Martians. Black Martians. Mysteries +4, Weapons +3, Resolve +2, Endurance +1. Psychic (use Mysteries as super-scientific Alertness); Psychic Attack (use Mysteries vs. Resolve to attack); Martian Super Weapons (gain +1 bonus to attack if you invent new Martian superweapon, e.g., scintillating heat beam; 1/session per Martian). Black Martian Super-Science; Degenerate Race on a Dying Planet. Green Martians. Fists +3, Endurance +2, Survival +1. Code of the Warrior; Fear the Warlord! Flitters. Pilot +4, Guns +3, Alertness +2, Stealth +1. Unbelievable Plane. Armed. Light and Lethal; Fast as Lightning. Tripods. Endurance +4, Guns +3, Drive +2, Alertness +1. Unbelievable Tank. Armor (can take 1 moderate consequence). Walking War Machine; By Your Command, Warlord.

Set everyone up on the Mars map. Use perception rolls for initiative and spotting (who can see whom) and maneuvering rolls to declare relative position. Zevo will attempt to storm the Flying City. The Warlord of Mars will try to capture everyone and send his forces through the interdimensional vortex. If anyone frees or otherwise befriends Red Martians, its possible that one or more may serve as companions. In that case, give them Survival +3, Stealth +2, Alertness +1.

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