dark conspiracy - drowning pool

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THE DROWNING POOLBy Linden Dunham

INTRODUCTIONTHE DROWNING POOL is a short DARK CONSPIRACYTM adventure that involves the charain one man’s obsessive quest to exact revenge on a Darkling who was responsible for the dehis brother.

Nominally set during the English summer, it can be located in any region where granite quarhas taken place (e.g. Dartmoor, the Malvern Hills or the Soar Valley). This adventure was wusing the D20 die version of the 1st Edition DARK CONSPIRACY™ rules, and requires thacharacters are a) an active group of Minion Hunters and b) have access to their own transpoit car or truck).

THE OPENING SCENEThe adventure’s opening scene is set during the late evening, and sees the characters travthrough countryside near the village of Bishop’s Morton. The reason for the characters presenthe area is for the referee to determine but possibly they are returning from a previous adventu

are en route to a place where they suspect minion activity.

The road takes a straight course across a gently rolling landscafields, hedgerows, and trees. It is a peaceful, old fashioned pascene, a world away from the dirty cities and featureless prairieas a result of agri-corp farming.

The bucolic mood is suddenly shattered, however, when, out ogrowing darkness, an unkempt figure staggers in front of the charavehicle. The driver must make a Difficult: Vehicle Use roll to avo

ting the pedestrian and ending up in a roadside ditch. Failure mthe driver manages to avoid striking the pedestrian but the car reca minor damage hit as it swerves off the road. A catastrophic fresults in two minor damage hits.

As the characters compose themselves after their near miss, theson responsible for the accident starts running along the road towthem. He is a young man, dressed in army surplus fatigues and is ing “Help! Please! They’re after me!”

On reaching the characters he falls to his knees, gasping for bWhen questioned he is only able to say, “They’re coming”, anpoints down a single lane metalled track that leads off the main As if somehow summoned by this gesture, at this same moment

men appear from the darkness of the track.Both carry stun-sticks and are dressed in similar uniforms. The acters may initially take the men for police officers, but an AveObservation roll is sufficient to recognise them as corporate seguards. Any character rolling an outstanding success noticesshoulder patches emblazoned with a logo that reads G-TEK.

The security guards make no secret of their intentions towards the yman, demanding, that they “Give us the crusty so we can give h

good panelling”. If the characters ask why they should give him up, the largest guard answ“Because. That’s why”.

The guards are belligerent towards the characters believing them to be ordinary citizens whom

1 DARK CONSPIRACY ADVENTURES - THE DROWNING PO

DARK CONSPIRACY

ADVENTURE

This is a DARK CONSPIRACY ADVENTURE writ-ten by Linden Dunham and maps by Norm Fenlason.

This document was originally sourced from www.dark-conspiracytherpg.info, the home of Dark Conspiracy3rd edition. Visit this site for more information aboutthis great game of post-modern conspiracy horror.

Dark Conspiracy is licensed by The Gamers’ Con-glomerate Limited, a New Zealand based Role Play-ing Game company. Visit us at www.thegamerscon-glomerate.com

The Gamers’ Conglomerate, the TGC logo, and all associated materials and designsare trademarks or registered trademarks of The Gamers’ Conglomerate Limited ©2006. Dark Conspiracy TM and all associated text and graphics is trademarkedby their owner ©2006.


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elieve can be easily intimidated, and it should be clear to the party that they are dealing with aair of obnoxious bullies.

s it is unlikely that the characters will give the young man up for a beating, the guards will back offheir retreat will be especially hurried if the characters produce firearms) warning them that, “You’lle sorry. Just wait until Mr Barlow hears about this”.

nce the guards have left, and he’s got his breath back, the young man thanks the characters pro-sely. He tells them his name is Kevin Johnson and that he is camped “a couple of miles down thead” with the rest of ‘us‘”.

evin answers any questions the characters might have to the best of his ability and it soon comesear that he is part of a travelling commune called the Direct Action Collective. DAC, as they callemselves, are engage in protests against activities which they consider damaging to the environ-ent (e.g. road and airport construction as well as “Prescotting” - the building of huge swathes ofw quality housing on green belt land). The group is headed by Alison Taylor, a former corporatewyer who formulates much of the group’s strategy and characters who make a Difficult: Intelli-ence roll will remember seeing DAC on a news bulletin. Their usual modus operandi is to park theirehicles in front of a threatened piece of real estate, while Taylor tries to obtain an injunction or othergal remedy against the putative developers. The collective has so has enjoyed some success, mostotably in the case of the M4 motorway widening scheme where several engineering companiesnd local government officials had to resign after Taylor uncovered a bribery scandal.

evin explains that DAC are in the Bishop’s Morton area because G-Tek Global Mining have pur-hased Quarry Pool, a local beauty spot sited on old granite workings, and are planning to startxtracting stone from the quarry again. Taylor believes something underhand has gone on between-Tek and the former owner of the site for it to be acquired in the way it was, and so DAC haveken up residence next to the pool until she can find out what has happened and take the neces-

ary action.

the characters ask Kevin how the security guards came to be chasing him, he will say that he wasored hanging around the camp and decided to explore the area. He had hoped to find a pub orerhaps make the acquaintance of some local young women, but instead ran into the G-Tek thugs.

evin asks the characters if they will give him a lift back to camp - if their car is damaged he pointsut there are collective members who can probably repair it - and directs the group to turn rightown a lane which heads towards a range of hills. As they reach these lower slopes ,they come

pon a rag-tag encampment of tents and campers, the latter a mixture of Winnebago nomads, VWartoffeln passenger vans, plus a converted Roadrunner bus, as well as a couple of Harley David-on motorbikes.

nce in the camp, the characters are met by a crowd of people led by a raven haired woman iner mid thirties. The DAC members are suspicious of the new arrivals at first, but once Johnson tellss comrades about how they saved him from the G-Tek goons they quickly become much friendlierwards the group.

he dark haired woman, whom the characters will probably have guessed is Alison Taylor, thanksem and directs them to two fearsome looking men, dressed in leather jackets, and complete witheer guts and old testament style beards, who offer to give their car the once over and repair anyamage it might have.

he only sour moment is provided by Taylor who rounds on Kevin saying “What the hell were you

oing leaving camp? Thinking with your dick again I‘ll bet. Believe me, that’s going to get you intog trouble one of these days.”

espite her evident anger, Taylor is grateful to the characters for returning Johnson safely, and asksem to accompany her to her nomad so that they can “Discuss matters further”.

he interior of Taylor’s Nomad is a miniature home/office. As well as the usual furniture, there is ariting desk, a small filing cabinet and a Zenith FX2 portable computer linked to a Tojicorp VHC13ell phone. Taylor uses the computer for research purposes and filing legal papers, made easier bye fact that since the e-government initiative introduced by the early 21st Century Labour adminis-ation, most courts accept documents submitted by e-mail.

aylor goes on to explain the collective’s presence in the area, which allows the referee to recapny details not supplied by Kevin Johnson, as well as add some additional information about the



quarry and DAC.

Quarry Pool is a small artificial lake sandwiched between the hills and an open expanse of gland. On summer weekends the pool and its environs are frequented by picnickers and sunbaas well as numerous walkers, horse riders, and mountain bike enthusiasts accessing the hilThe Gut, a wooded pass that runs beside the pool. The area around the pool is a calm rural popular with families of Mikes, Wage Slaves and Gnomes eager to take a break from theirurban lives.

In the last few weeks this has all changed, however, as the pool has been purchased from it

vious owner, Julian Hargreaves, by G-Tek Global Mining. Hargreaves is a local landownea reasonably profitable organic beef and lamb farming business, who has found a niche mamongst Gnomes and well heeled Mikes willing to pay a little extra for meat that tastes bettethe bland pap churned out by the agri-corps. He has also been content for sizeable tracts of histo be used by the public for leisure purposes as long as they didn’t interfere with his farmingweeks ago Hargreaves sold Quarry Pool and some of the surrounding land to G-Tek, and aimmediatety, the company declared its intention to drain the pool and start using the site as a qagain.

Taylor believes G-Tek’s proposals may be a breach of some of the still valid 20th century plaand environmental laws. These were traditionally enforced by local government, but Taylor’s eence has taught her that in today’s modern world, local authorities are too lethargic and ineffito carry out their legal obligations in transactions such as this. By the time the proper autho

would get around to prosecuting G-Tek, the company will probably have been on site for semonths. Furthermore, the courts tend to take a lenient view where there is a fait accompli, espeif the alleged offender has brought much needed jobs into an area, and one of G-Tek’s senioofficers, James Barlow, has already appeared in the local media saying that the recommencof quarrying at Bishop’s Morton will provide “significant amount of employment for local peoTaylor intends to take legal proceedings against G-Tek herself, but, in the meantime, the Collhas parked itself in front of Quarry Pools as physical barrier should the company try to get obefore the courts can hear her case. Johnson’s encounter with the security guards suggests that has indeed already arrived in the area and that they are planning on proceeding with their regardless.

Taylor is mostly concerned with the blatant illegality of G-Tek’s behaviour, but she is also awartheir Quarry Pool acquisition doesn’t make any economic sense - G-Tek are a big mining cor

focuses on large scale mineral extraction projects. Even allowing for the smaller scale of theiish operations, a site like Quarry Pool can only be of marginal value to them. Taylor believecompany has a non-economic interest in the site, especially when she discovered that James Bathe G-Tek official quoted in the press, lived the early part of his life in Bishop’s Morton, and thbrother, John, drowned in Quarry Pool while supposedly trying to save a woman who had godifficulties while swimming there. Barlow claimed that the woman pulled his brother under the wbut his account was uncorroborated and no trace of the woman was ever found. Taylor is cthat Barlow and G-Tek’s interest in the pool stems from this incident.

Taylor asks for the characters help in protecting DAC’s camp while she puts the legal chaltogether, especially as, given the presence of the security guards, she thinks it likely that G-Tedo anything in their power to remove the Collective. She puts it in no uncertain terms that theypeople like the characters, who are capable of standing up to heavyweight corporate bully bokeep them safe. Although she can offer them little in the way of money as an incentive, they wfed and given accommodation in a reasonably well appointed Winnebago while they stay.

REFEREE’S BACKGROUNDAlison Taylor is correct in thinking that James Barlow’s interest in Quarry Pool has nothing to domineral extraction, and everything to do with the death of his brother. The pool is home to a W, which took up residence shortly after the old quarry was flooded in 1999. Since then, the crehas been responsible for a dozen deaths including that of James Barlow’s brother.

About James Barlow

James Barlow was born in Bishop’s Morton, and spent his childhood in the village. His parents

DARK CONSPIRACY ADVENTURES - THE DROWNING PO



rmers, descended from folk who had lived in the area for generations. Both James and John fullyxpected to follow in their footsteps, but that all changed one summer evening when James was 15nd his brother 17. The two teenagers had gone to Quarry Pool to drink a couple of bottles of cheapder procured from the local shop. Normally they would have done this somewhere on the familyrm, but they’d recently been caught by their father who didn’t approve of their underage drinking,nd so James suggested Quarry Pool as an alternative venue. Both knew the pool’s reputation duea number of drownings that had occurred there, but the Barlows weren’t concerned. The pool was

nly dangerous if you were stupid enough to go in the water, and they knew better than to do that,oreover, the people who had drowned there were non-locals, who had probably made the mistake

thinking the deep water was ideal for taking a swim or doing some skinny dipping.

o, the brothers positioned themselves on a high bank on the pool’s northern side overlooking theater, and settled down to some serious drinking. Soon after, and now a little tipsy, they becameware of a commotion in the water below them - a young woman was struggling in the water andalling for help. John, who was under the Wailer’s empathic spell and wasn’t inclined to listen to hisounger brother’s pleas for him to wait, paused only to strip off his outer clothing before plungingto the pool. James, on the other hand knew something here wasn’t right - how had the woman ap-eared in the water? He and John had a good view over the pool from the high bank and neitherad seen anyone approach the pool let alone get in the water.

Watching from the bank, James saw John reached the woman, and then a brief struggle before boththem vanished beneath the water. James hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to jump in after

s brother or go to the farm for help, and then, with a decision he would regret for the rest of hise, ran to fetch his father.

When father and son returned to the pool, less than ten minutes later, they found John’s lifeless bodyoating at the pool’s edge, with no sign of the woman he had tried to save to be seen. James’s fatherever forgave him for John’s death, and on more than one occasion told him, “You should have goneafter your brother”.

r Barlow never really believed James’s tale about John trying to save a drowning woman. He al-ays thought this was a story James concocted to conceal his guilt in the matter, and his eldest son’seath was probably the result of drunken horseplay, almost certainly initiated by James.

s well as dealing his father’s anger, James also had to endure malicious gossip around the village.eople in Bishop’s Morton didn’t believe the drowning woman story anymore than Mr Barlow had,ith some suggested that the fact James alone now stood to inherit the family farm was more than

nough motive for foul play. The fratricide theory came to be accepted as fact by many of the vil-gers, and James rapidly found himself the object of a great deal of hostility - local shop ownersfused to serve him, he was beaten up in the pub, and was generally harassed whenever he ap-eared in public, often by people his own age whom he had considered his friends. It soon becameear to James that he couldn’t stay in Bishop’s Morton any longer, and when a chance to leaveame via a place on a Business Studies Course at university he took it.

mes excelled at this further learning and graduated with honours. Around the same time, his par-nts died in a car crash, and this severed his last connection with Bishop’s Morton. With nothingft to return home to, he sold the family farm and moved to London to start a career in business.nsconced in the city, he secured a junior manager’s job with G-Tek’s British branch where he againxcelled, rising quickly to the post of Operations Director. Company management were impressedy his ruthless efficiency in carrying projects forward to completion, particularly controversial ones

ch as sitting quarries in countryside areas. Barlow always found a way to get things done andasn’t squeamish about using illegal methods if he felt the situation warranted it.

arlow’s success also attracted the attention of the insectoid ETs, who had infiltrated the manage-ent of G-Tek’s British subsidiary. The ETs decided that Barlow could be more usefully employed iforking under their direct control, rather than through G-Tek management. Barlow was summoneda top level meeting at company HQ in London where the ETs revealed themselves to him and

xplained who the true masters of the Earth were. Now, Barlow had the chance to serve those mas-rs, and in so doing secure is own power and wealth. The ETs vision of the future appealed to theb-Nietzchean streak Barlow had developed as he was fighting his way up the corporate ladder,

nd he accepted the ETs’ offer on one condition - that he be allowed to take revenge on the thingat killed his brother.

he ETs were amused at their new minion’s impertinence, but soon began to listen with genuine



interest as Barlow explained how Quarry Pool near his old home had seen several drownings past two decades, and how many of the witnesses had reported seeing an attractive woman pool, although she was never seen subsequently. Many of these witnesses were unable to crecall what they had seen, and this suggesting that their minds had been interfered with. Barlowhis new masters that he believed the woman was some kind of supernatural being who dropeople for its own inscrutable purposes, a fact the ETs were able to confirm. They agreed to him in hunting the creature down, with one qualification: The Wailer, as they termed it, shoucaptured alive so that it could be ‘examined’. The cruelty of this idea, particularly the idea of ing a kind of experiment on the creature pleased Barlow immensely, and it seemed a more

suitable revenge for his brother’s murder.

At the newly promoted Barlow’s direction, G-Tek allocated a considerable amount of resourcwhat became known as the Bishop’s Morton project - the acquisition of the Quarry Pool sitereopening its granite workings.

Several weeks after meeting the ETs, Barlow and his Bishop’s Morton project team acquired QPool from its owner Julian Hargreaves, and one week later G-Tek security personnel arrived area to cordon the site off, and prepare it for the capture of the Wailer.

Barlow’s plan, once the site is secure, is to offer himself as bait to the creature. He will be acconied by Thomas Berger, a senior G-Tek security guard and expert marksman, who will remaiden in the woods by the pool. Berger is also largely immune to the creature’s empathic powerhis being an empathic sink (see his description at the end of the adventure for more details), an

when the Wailer rises from the pool, he will attempt shoot it with a tranquilliser dart. The unconsDarkling is then to be transported back to London for dissection in the bowels of G-Tek’s HQ.

Unfortunately for Barlow, he reckoned without the presence of the collective, and, of coursecharacters.

EVENTSThe following events will unfold over the next day, and act as motivation for the characters to fexplore the village and quarry.

The Police

The characters are woken early by the sound of DAC members moving round the camp and ping breakfast. As the group are eating someone spots a single vehicle coming down the roait nears the camp it becomes apparent that the vehicle is a Range Rover II with police markinstops in front of the camp and a police officer gets out. He introduces himself as Constable NicRead and asks to speak to whoever’s in charge. Alison Taylor steps forward and the two enin an animated conversation with numerous interruptions from DAC members and in all likelithe characters.

Read points out the collective is trespassing on land belonging to G-Tek. Although this isn’t in itcriminal offence, Read thinks it would be in the best interests of all concerned if the collective mon thus avoiding any possible breaches of public order. As an example he may refer to the cotation between the characters and the security guards the previous evening.

Read goes on to explain that G-Tek have the legal muscle to obtain a court order within 24 h

to evict the collective, if required, and that while they can then use the police to enforce the othey are much more likely to give the job to their own security personnel. Read makes the poincorporate cops tend be less disciplined than proper ones.

Taylor counters this by saying that she believes G-Tek’s acquisition of Quarry Pool was itself ilShe intends to take legal proceedings of her own with a view to getting an injunction preventincompany from going on site until their underhand behaviour has been thoroughly investigatedany applicable criminal charges brought. Read hesitates at this. He gives the impression of not unsympathetic.

“Look,” he says. “I agree something stinks about this whole business but these corporate typegood at getting the law on their side and they don’t mess about. I just don’t want to see anyonhurt.”




ead departs after having said his piece.

he Company

t 10.00am a VW Kartoffeln passenger van in G-Tek livery approaches the camp. Stopping justort of the camp, a man and a woman get out, both of whom are wearing suits and are obviously

ompany management types. They are accompanied by two security guards.

he man introduces himself as James Barlow, and the woman as his colleague Gill Greenwood.arlow apologises for the “incident” the previous night and any over zealousness on the part of his

aff. However, the fact remains that the collective are currently trespassing on company propertynd Barlow is within his rights to insist that they leave. Taylor refuses point blank and accuses G-Tekbuying the site in order to commence an illegal quarrying operation. Barlow maintains a reason-

ble tone (characters making a Difficult: Psychology roll will realise this quite an effort for him) and,order to avoid any further unpleasantness, offers the collective £5,000 if they quit the site by

oon. Taylor considers this for a moment, and it almost seems as if she is about to accept but thene shudders, points at Greenwood and yells, “It’s her! She’s in my head! Trying to make me dohat he wants!”

mpathic characters or those who have had prior experience with empathic powers will realise thatylor has experiences some kind of psychic assault.

here are angry murmurings from the collective and one or two members take steps towards Barlownd Greenwood. The G-Tek people retreat to their vehicle and drive off. “You’ve got twenty-four

ours!” shouts Barlow as he slams the door of the van.

though shaken Taylor insists on returning to her motor home so that she can work on the legalapers for the action against G-Tek. If the characters ask her about Greenwood she will say that itas if the lawyer was there in her mind urging her to agree with Barlow. Somehow, she found theill to resist.

reality the characters and the DAC have a lot less than twenty four hours before G-Tek makes aore serious effort to remove their camp, and have only until late evening to make enquiries, lookound the area, and figure out exactly what’s going on.

URTHER INVESTIGATIONevin Johnson has a similar computer/communications set-up to Alison Taylor, which he allows theharacters to use for research purposes, if they need it. The referee should allow the characters toake one Difficult: Computer Operation roll per half hour with a success eliciting one of the piecesinformation below:

G-Tek Global Mining - Since being founded by Robert Istrian. G-Tek has developed into ahighly successful corporation specialising in ore and mineral extraction. The company is atrue multinational with offices and operations worldwide. It is rumoured that G-Tek even hasa mining installation on the moon.

James Barlow - Head of Operations and board member, G-Tek UK. He has earned a reputa-tion as a hard nosed businessman after overseeing several controversial projects, includingthe opening of several open cast mining operations on green belt land. Place of birth: Bish-

op’s Morton, UK. Brother, John Barlow, died in a drowning accident while in his teens. Jamesquestioned about the incident but no charges brought. Parents killed in car crash some yearslater, under no suspicious circumstances.

Quarry Pool - Various news reports from the last ten years relating the drownings at the pool.All of the fatalities have been men aged 16-35. According to the few eyewitnesses some ofthose who drowned apparently died trying to save a second person, invariably female, ofwhom no trace is ever subsequently found.

The Siren - The characters come across recent tabloid article headlined “Siren Strikes Again”dating from the most recent death at Quarry Pool. Written in typically excitable tabloid styleit lists the drownings to date and comments on the woman seen by some eyewitnesses. Thearticle dubs the woman the Quarry Pool Siren, a reference to the female monsters from Greekmyth who enticed sailors to their deaths with their beautiful song. Characters that make an



Average: Education roll realise that there are similar legends from other cultures that athe profile of the Quarry Pool Siren e.g. the Lorelei of Germany and the Rusalka of Rus

DAC - The group has had its fair share of media coverage, and the characters can be the details contained in the penultimate two paragraphs of the “Introduction” above.

THE VILLAGE OF BISHOP’S MORTONBishop’s Morton is a dispersed village with a population of around 250 souls. The inhabitants mwork in agriculture, with Julian Hargreaves’s farm being a major employer, while visitors to thalso contribute substantially to the local economy. Bishop’s Morton folk have always had the retion for being insular, and the regular influx of pleasure seekers at weekends has done nothidiminish this. Although the villagers need the money outsiders bring they don’t really like ‘towor other strangers.

Apart from the named residents mentioned below, the referee should treat the majority of BisMorton residents as Dobies and Gidgets, with skills and attributes at an Experienced level. households have access to a shotgun, equivalent to a Savage 311R, which they will use if ththreatened. Furthermore, given the villagers’ sullen dislike of outsiders, any characters attempt

use Charisma based skills (e.g. Act/Bluff, Bargain, Persuasion) must make a task roll at one ledifficulty higher to be successful.

Locations relevant to the adventure are marked on the above map and are described below:

1. G-Tek Compound

Temporary fencing surrounds two portakabins and three Kartoffeln vans of the type used earlBarlow and Greenwood. A fourth van, of the same type, is painted white with prominently dispred crosses, evidently it is an ambulance.

The Portakabins provide office space and accommodation for Barlow, his personal staff and tachment of G-Tek security guards. The compound is patrolled at all times by two security persarmed with stun sticks and sonic stunners. In the unlikely event that the characters gain acce




arlow’s suite in the executive portakabin, the main item of interest is a Zenith FX2 portable compu-r. The computer is password protected and it requires an Impossible: Computer Use roll to accessne roll per five minutes trying) the records relating to the purchase of Quarry Pool. There is nothinglating to the reasons for Barlow’s personal interest in the site but some of the e-mails to head officeLondon are illuminating:

An e-mail dated a week ago confirms the successful purchase of Quarry Pool and surround-ing land from Justin Hargreaves. It notes that “Miss Greenwood was every bit as persuasiveas you said.”

An e-mail from the previous evening informing G-Tek that “we are now in situ. Access to therecovery site blocked by encampment of travellers. Will take appropriate steps to deal withthem in the morning.”

Finally, am e-mail from 11.00pm the current (or previous) day stating that “the travellers areeco-protestors and not amenable to reason. Please send additional appropriate personnelwith equipment to deal with approximate 40 persons and twelve vehicles. The terse replyreads: “Acknowledged. The requested resources are being sent to your location. ETA 19:00tonight.”

he other portakabin houses 10 security staff. Equipment lockers contain stun-sticks and sonic stun-ers. One especially large locker holds 10 MP7 SMGs with 90 magazines, plus an AR-12 shotgunith 6 magazines (3 buckshot, 3 solid slug). Thomas Berger’s personal equipment (see below) isso stored in a separate locker.

. Lacey’s Garage/Post Office

his building combines the functions of the village filling station and general store. It is run by Mikend Jane Lacey, a financially astute couple who make a good living from providing a range ofrvices that wouldn’t normally be available in a place like Bishop’s Morton. Jane runs the shop,hile Mike handles the garage. If the characters car was too badly damaged for the collective topair, Mike will be happy to tow it to the garage and fix it for them. Of course, running a businessut in the country has its overheads and the characters will find that most of the Lacey’s goods andrvices are just that little bit more expensive than their city purchased equivalents (typically 15 -20%gher).

. Police House

dwelling house with a small police station attached. Constable Read lives here with his wife Helennd their two young sons. The police station is fitted out with an office and two cells, as well asaving a computer and the appropriate police communication equipment. When he is not on duty,ead stores his shotgun and ammunition in a locked cabinet in the office.

the characters wish to talk with Constable Read here, see the section on Constable Read in En-ounters in Bishop’s Morton below.

. The Green Dragon

he local pub. A sprawling, ramshackle building of indeterminate age that is definitely past its best;ndering flakes off the outside walls, and the painted pub sign has peeled and faded so as to beegible. A new handwritten sign attached to the front door simply says: “No Gypsies”.

he interior is just as unwelcoming. And although large, the main bar room contrives to be dark andokey; hardly lit and crowded with furniture placed at awkward angles.

he Green Dragon stays open all day in an effort to attract passing trade from the road, and ife characters visit it in the late morning or early afternoon they find the place empty apart from angle low level corporate executive (not employed by G-Tek), who has stopped for a drink and andifferent lunch while on his way somewhere else. In the later afternoon or early evening the bar isopulated by a number of locals, who, while happy to discuss the situation at Quarry Pool amongstemselves, are less so with strangers.

he pub’s landlord is Tom Morgan. He will take the characters for members of the collective andill refuse to serve them (a Difficult: Persuade or Act/Bluff roll is needed to convince him otherwise).ailure means that Morgan asks the characters to leave. If they refuse he calls Constable Read whorives in about 10 minutes.



5. St Wulstan’s Church

A small church dating from Saxon times with the characteristic square tower, and surroundea slightly overgrown graveyard. Characters searching the grounds discover the graves the Bafamily, including that of John who died at age 17.

Characters spending more than five minutes in the church grounds will be accosted by the Reve Joanna Young, who tries to persuade the characters to make a donation to the church restofund. Generous characters find her very willing to talk about village affairs and she can prplenty of information about Bishop’s Morton and its recent history. If asked whether she thinks JBarlow killed his brother she replies, “I honestly can’t say. Before my time I’m afraid. What widrownings in the pool since Barlow left there’s a fair few people in the village who think he’scent. Mind you there’s still plenty who think he did it. I’d say it’s about a 50/50 split.”

6. Hargreave Hall

The family seat of the Hargreaves, located in picturesque rolling parkland grazed by sheep, and a herd of deer. The hall itself was extensively modified by one of Julian Hargreaves’s ninetcentury ancestors, and it currently resembles a fairy tale castle, as designed by a particularly fgothic imagination. There are several other buildings on the estate, and these house the tenant ers who look after the lands and livestock.

Hargreaves took the hall over on the death of his father, giving up a successful army career to home to Bishop’s Morton and tend the family property. He usually works on his estate durinday, and the property is criss crossed by public footpaths so getting to meet him isn’t overly difHe will be suspicious of the characters at first (thinking that they are collective ruffians), but oncemake it clear they wish to discuss the Quarry Pool situation, he becomes more forthcoming.

Hargreaves explains that he was first approached by G-Tek about a month ago. The corporoffered to buy Quarry Pool from him at a price well in excess of what the land was worth. Ahe turned them down point blank, but G-Tek was persistent. Eventually, however, he agreed to with the company’s representative and legal counsel, especially as the drownings in the pooled to Hargreaves being sued for negligence on more than one occasion, and he was now bning to wonder if the pool wasn’t more trouble than it was worth. Accepting G-Tek’s offer wmake the place someone else’s problem, and would also turn him a handsome profit.

He met with the G-Tek delegation, which consisted of James Barlow and Gill Greenwood – altho

was surprised to encounter Barlow, whom he knew had been hounded out of the village some previously. He says he was aware of the rumours surrounding Barlow and his dead brothehadn’t paid them much attention. Not so much because he didn’t believe them but rather becthe incident had little to do with him or the people he associated with. As a result, he was promore inclined than most other Bishop’s Morton residents to give Barlow a fair hearing.

Barlow tailored his presentation of G-Tek’s offer by stressing the similarities between himself andgreaves; both men had left the village to make their way in the world, but had returned so they put something back into the community. G-Tek wanted to provide local jobs just like Hargreavesdone, and would bring further investment into the community. Hargreaves explains to the charathat “the way he spelled it out, I’d have been silly not to sell. I just felt I had to give him whawanted. I signed the papers right there”.

“An hour after they’d gone I began to have second thoughts. I spoke with my solicitor who

bloody livid I hadn’t consulted him first, but he said there wasn’t much he could do.”What Hargreaves doesn’t realise is that he signed the papers while under the empathic influof Gill Greenwood, a fact the characters may well have guessed. Hargreaves now bitterly reselling Quarry Pool and asks the characters if there is any way to stop G-Tek.

7. Barlow’s Farm

This ruined farmhouse and outbuildings is the former home of the Barlow family. After his padied James sold the farm in lots to adjoining landowners - his neighbours may have despisedbut they definitely weren’t too proud to proud to do business with him.

There is nothing of interest to be found in the ruins, but if the characters investigate the site the remay like to have their visit coincide with Barlow’s. This might give them the chance to questio




If the characters follow the WAILER into the pool they find that the water is very cold and visbeneath the surface is no more than a couple of metres. The pool has an average depth of 10mand the referee should call for Swimming skill rolls and CON checks as deemed appropriate. obviously, the WAILER has a natural advantage in the water, and will attack any characters thinto difficulty in the pool.

If the characters visit Quarry Pool at 16:00 hrs or later they are the first people to discover Johnson’s body, floating in the shallow water at point X on The Quarry Pool (see also MISbelow).

RUMOURSCharacters who manage to strike up a conversation with one or more of the locals can be feof the following items of information/gossip as the referee sees fit.

1. James Barlow murdered his brother John by drowning him in Quarry Pool so he inherit the family farm. There wasn’t enough evidence to convict him, but nobody behis story about John being pulled under the water by a mysterious woman. James was cised by the village after his brother’s death and nobody was surprised when he left BisMorton.

2. As 1. above but the speaker mentions that there have been several drownings in the

since Barlow left. Maybe he didn’t kill his brother after all.3. James Barlow has come back to Bishop’s Morton to take revenge on the village partially true).

4. The Gut was used for executions in the old days. Criminals were hanged from theon either side of the path. Perhaps the vengeful spirit of one of those criminals still haunpool.

5. Julian Hargreaves has done his best to discourage people from swimming in QuarryHe’s fenced the place off and put up warning signs. Some people won’t be told thoughit’s no surprise that all of the drowning victims have been young men. Sometimes ladfoolish, diving in the water to impress their girlfriends or mates, and if they’ve had a drink then that just makes them all the more silly.

6. Hargreaves agreeing to sell the pool to G-Tek immediately after his meeting with Baand the company lawyer was a surprise. Maybe he was blackmailed into selling?

ENCOUNTERS IN BISHOP’S MORTONAs the characters travel around Bishop’s Morton the referee may like to stage the following enters to give them additional information or just add local colour.

Security Guards

These may be found within a few hundred metres of the DAC camp where they’re “just keean eye on things”, or alternatively, as off duty officers found frequenting the Lacey’s shop oGreen Dragon. They won’t necessarily know that the characters are associated with collectivnonetheless a Formidable: Persuasion roll is needed to get them to talk about their assignmBishop’s Morton. The security guards are mostly ex-military types who are deployed by G-Tsituations where the company expects to encounter serious trouble. The guards are puzzled why they should be needed to secure a fairly small, innocuous site like Quarry Pool, especiallythe protestors down the road could be cleared off with an order enforced by the local law. Bseems to have been expecting trouble even before ‘the crusties’ turned up.

The characters don’t get very long to talk to the guards, as after a couple of minutes Thomas Bappears and tells his troops to “stop fraternising with the locals. This isn’t a day trip”. Bergein any mood to talk to the characters, and orders his subordinates to accompany him back tcompound.




onstable Read

the characters haven’t already met Read for a second time at the police house, or possibly after aunken fracas at the Green Dragon or elsewhere (see “3. Drinkers” below), then they run into himwhatever juncture the referee feels is appropriate. The constable recognises the characters from

s visit to the DAC camp, and he repeats his advice that the collective should leave the area. Legallyey don’t have a leg to stand on, and G-Tek are within their rights in having the entire encampmentmoved.

ead is in a reflective mood and quite willing to discuss the current situation at the pool. He has littleking for the corporations, but he wonders if the revival of quarrying might not be a bad thing afterl. He certainly won’t be sorry to see the pool drained, as in the two years he’s been in the villagee’s had to pull three corpses out of the water “all young lads with their lives ahead of them”.

omething in Quarry Pool keeps killing people and Read hopes that G-Tek will get rid of it, whateveris.

rinkers

t some point in the late afternoon the characters meet a group of local people engaging in Bish-p’s Morton’s main leisure pursuit: Getting drunk. The venue for this encounter and the make upthe local party is at the referee’s discretion. If met in the Green Dragon the locals will be middle

ged male regulars, while a younger (mid to late teens), mixed gender, set can be found outsidee Lacey’s shop, waiting for the eldest of their number to emerge with a couple of two litre bottleswhite cider.

haracters making an appropriate Charisma based skill roll can engage the drinkers in conversa-on and will obtain various snippets of gossip and information for their trouble (see the Rumoursdebar). Alcohol has made the drinkers less cagey then usual and they tend to spout the more outra-eous and fantastical rumours from around the village.

ny character making a catastrophic failure of this roll, finds that the inebriated locals quickly turnasty, and accuse the characters of being from the ‘hippy camp by the pool’. This may be a preludeviolence, and if the characters get involved in a fight, Constable Read arrives in about 10 roundsbreak things up.

-Tek Reinforcements

ome time in the late afternoon (nominally at 17:30 hrs but the referee should adjust to suit theharacter’s movements) the sound of heavy traffic will be heard on the main road. A minute laterwo Ramtech P-320 APCs bearing G-Tek insignia come down the road heading in the direction ofe company compound. These are the additional resources requested by Barlow, and their arrivalould make the characters realise that G-Tek isn’t going to wait the twenty-four hours prescribed byw before dealing with the DAC camp.

RETURN TO THE DAC CAMPWhen the characters return to camp they find the collective in a state of some consternation - Kevin

hnson has disappeared. Taylor tells the characters that his absence was only noted a few minutesgo when someone went to call him for the evening meal. Taylor thinks he might be “trying to get

the pub again or anywhere else there’s likely to be girls”.aylor is right. Johnson sneaked out of the camp and up the Gut hoping to find a back way to thelage. Being a young man on his own made him fair game for the Wailer and he was lured intoe water and drowned. If the characters think to check the pool they will find his body. Otherwisegroup of DAC members led by Taylor make the grim discovery.

he emergency services are called. An ambulance takes Johnson’s body away to the nearest townospital. Constable Read takes statements from the DAC members who were the last to see Johnson.he pool is cordoned off with crime scene tape although it is clear that the authorities are going toeat the matter as just another tragic accident.

he collective is devastated by Johnson’s death. Some members want to abandon the camp andove on, especially as the Quarry Pool doesn’t seem worth saving now that it’s taken the life of one



of their own. Taylor manages to keep a lid on the discontent, just, and announces that she hasher papers with the court and is hopeful of getting an injunction to stop G-Tek within the nexdays. It would be an insult to Kevin Johnson’s memory to quit now, she adds, and furthermonow getting late and there’s no practical way the collective can get mobile and find another to camp before dark. Taylor finishes by suggesting that everyone sleeps on it and then sees howfeel in the morning, if a majority want to quit the site then that’s what the collective will do. Thsome muttering at this, but in the end everyone agrees to this proposal.

The Attack

At 22:30 the characters hear the sound of heavy vehicles coming down the lane towards the cThe two APCs they saw earlier are approaching, followed by an extended line of some 20+ security guards armed stun sticks.

G-Tek’s plan to secure Quarry Pool is simple and brutal; the APCs will bombard the DAC campwater cannons and tear gas grenades, and once softened up, the security personnel will wawith their stun sticks and chase every one off the site. Anyone incapacitated by water cannon owill dumped in a heap by the lane until they are well enough to move, and then be “encouraon their way. Any DAC vehicles left behind will be driven off site and disposed of. Once the sitbeen secured Barlow and Berger will put their plan to capture the Wailer into effect.

The DAC’s best hope of stopping a rout at the hands of G-Tek lies with the characters. If theknock out the company APCs the security personnel will retreat. Of course if the characters u

legally heavy weapons to do this they will attract the attention of the authorities. Similarly, characters use firearms to kill large numbers of G-Tek personnel, they will make the company rebut should also expect the police to come after them.

If the attack is broken up, a furious Barlow issues the surviving personnel with MP-7s and ordersto destroy the camp “by any means necessary”.

The characters may be able to enlist the help of Constable Read. He won’t take kindly to removing the camp without due legal process, especially now that Quarry Pool is a crime sRead can call for assistance from regional police headquarters, but this will take time to arrivthe meantime a mixture of Act/Bluff and Persuade rolls are needed to keep the G-Tek goonsrunning riot.

CONCLUSIONSThe characters should be awarded one experience point each if they manage to stop the assathe DAC camp. Another point can be awarded if they kill the WAILER, although this will earenmity of James Barlow if he survives the adventure. The G-Tek executive will be angry at hbeen cheated of his vengeance, and may take his frustration out on the characters at a later Once they’re aware of the Darkling presence in the pool the characters might be tempted tthemselves with Barlow in order to destroy the creature. This may be successful in the short tera permanent alliance is unlikely due to Barlow himself being compromised by the Dark Ones

Provided the confrontation at the camp doesn’t end in a bloodbath the DAC will be grateful characters for their help. Alison Taylor could be a useful contact in the future if the characters reany legal help.

SUGGESTED VARIATIONSIf the characters party is highly experience or empathically gifted the GM can use the followintions to make the adventure more challenging:

WAILERS: Quarry Pool is inhabited by several of these darklings. Barlow saw only one womthe pool with his brother, and believes he is dealing with a single creature. Is Berger’s sink aenough to counter a sustained empathic assault by several WAILERS at once?

Gate: There is a dimensional gateway sited at the bottom of Quarry Pool. The WAILERS usetravel to and from their home dimension. Characters who pass through the gate find themselveproto-dimension composed largely of water. There are numerous sub-aquatic gates to other loca




n Earth. Bishop’s Morton is just one of the creatures’ many terrestrial feeding grounds.

HE NON-PLAYER CHARACTERS

evin Johnson, Male, 19

evin Johnson is a sociable young man who especially enjoys the company of the opposite sex.e thinks of himself as a smooth ladies’ man, but to most people he comes across as an overgrownorny teenager. Taylor and the more senior DAC members find his antics embarrassing, but tolerateem because Johnson’s technical skills are an asset to the collective.

lison Taylor, Female, 36Strength - 4Constitution - 6Agility - 5Intelligence - 9Education - 8Charisma - 8

Empathy - 5Initiative - 2Move - 2/8/15/30

Skills - Admin/Legal 8, Bar-gain 6, Business 5, Compu-ter Operation 4, Leadership

7, Persuasion 7, Psychology3, Vehicle Use (Wheeled) 4,

Willpower 8

Motivation - Ace of Hearts(Just), Ace of Spades (Char-ismatic)

ison Taylor is a former in-house lawyer who became disillusioned with working for the corpora-ons. Much of her work involved unethical takeovers and defending product liability claims ornvironmental actions. After helping to cover up a particularly egregious pollution scandal she quitdisgust, abandoning her comfortable life in Dreamland and taking to the road. Seeking to undo

ome of the harm she had caused in her previous existence she became involved in environmentalctivism. Taylor used the money she had earned as a corporate lawyer to bring actions againstompanies with poor environmental records, often supplemented with direct action. She continues

use this double pronged strategy to this day.

ylor is a natural leader: Decisive, charismatic and a compelling speaker. People naturally gravi-te towards her. Over the years she has collected a rag bag group of followers which she hasoulded into the DAC. The DAC may call themselves a collective but when it comes to decisionaking they nearly always agree with whatever Taylor thinks is best.

quipment: Winnebago Nomad, Zenith FX2 portable computer, Tojicorp VHC13 cell phone

Nicholas Read, Male, 34Strength - 5Constitution - 7 Agility - 7 Intelligence - 6Education - 6Charisma - 6


Skills - Admin/Law 3, In-terrogation 4,Observation 6,Persuasion 6, Streetwise 6,

Small Arms (Pistol) 7, Small Arms (Rifle) 4, Vehicle Use(Wheeled) 5

Motivation - Ace of Hearts(Just), Three of Clubs (Vio-lence)

onstable Read is a former Metropolitan police officer. He transferred out of London in the hope ofnding a better life for his family in the country. He finds the insularity of Bishop’s Morton hard to

Strength - 3

Constitution - 5Agility - 6Intelligence - 6Education - 7 Charisma - 6

Empathy - 2

Initiative - 1Move - 2/8/15/30

Skills - Computer Opera-tion 7, Electronics 6, Me-chanic 4, Persuasion 5, Ve-

hicle Use (Wheeled) 5

Motivation - Eight ofHearts (Sociable), Queen ofDiamonds (Lust)



take though and sometimes wishes he was back in the city.

Although he has ambivalent feelings about the Quarry development he will be outraged at Gcircumventing the legal process. Witnessing their assault on the DAC encampment might be ento persuade him to throw his lot in with the characters.

Read accepts that violence is often a necessary part of a police officer’s job and will not hesituse force if he feels the situation requires it.

Equipment: Range Rover II, Glock 20 Pistol, Mossberg M500 Shotgun (in Range Rover), B

Kevlar Vest (AV:1), Milltech Ltd 50km Secure Vehicle Radio (installed in Range Rover).

James Barlow, Male, 37

Strength - 6Constitution - 5 Agility - 6Intelligence - 8Education - 7 Charisma - 7


Skills - Act/Bluff 5, Bargain6, Business 7 Computer Op-eration 3, Leadership 6, Luck

5, Persuasion 7, Psychol4, Willpower 6

Motivation - Ten of Spa(Ambition), Queen of C(Stubborn - fixated on

Wailer)

Barlow is a man eaten up by hatred. He wants revenge on the Wailer and has entered into atian bargain to ensure that he gets it. Nothing is going to get in his way. Anyone who impedewill be swept aside using any means necessary.

Barlow’s experiences when young hardened him and gave him the toughness necessary to sucbut also made him distrustful and contemptuous of people in general. He has little regard for oand is a true psychopath. His only passions are self-preservation and a sentimental attachmthe memory of his dead brother.

Gillian Greenwood, Female, 27

Strength - 3Constitution - 6

Agility - 6Intelligence - 6Education - 7 Charisma - 6

Empathy - 8Initiative - 2

Move - 2/8/15/30Skills - Admin/Legal 5,Bargain 6, Business 4, Com-puter Operation 2, Forebod-

ing 5, Human EmpathyPersuasion 5, Project E

tion 7, Project Thought 5Motivation - Six of Spa(Ambition), Seven of He(Sociable)

Greenwood is fully aware of her empathic abilities and has used them to great effect on nous occaisions when negotiating on behalf of her employers. This has earned her rapid promwithin G-Tek UK’s in-house legal department. Amongst her colleagues she has a reputationpersuader who can get deals done. Company management and their ET masters know that san empath and are making plans to exploit her abilities more fully.

Although ambitious Greenwood isn’t without a conscience. Recently she has found herself que

ing the morality of some of the things the company does. Bishop’s Morton is a case in point. Gwood can’t see the sense in deploying corporate security personnel to carry out the forced remof a traveller encampment. She knows the proposed action is illegal and doesn’t understandG-Tek is prepared to go to such trouble over a disused quarry.

For the present Greenwood remains a loyal corporate employee but that loyalty is waveringcessful Persuasion rolls by the characters or Alison Taylor might be enough to make her turn agthe company.

Greenwood dislikes Thomas Berger for some reason she can’t quite fathom...




homas Berger, Male, 27

Strength - 8Constitution - 7 Agility - 7 Intelligence - 5Education - 6Charisma - 5

Empathy - 4*Initiative - 4Move - 2/8/15/30

Skills - Climbing 4, Language(English) 5, Leadership 4, MeleeCombat (Unarmed) 5, Melee

Combat (Knife) 6, Small Arms(Pistol) 4, Small Arms (Rifle) 7,Tracking 6, Stealth 6

Motivation - Six of Clubs(Violence), Five of Diamonds(Greed)

Berger is an empathic sink. All empathic effects originating or targeted within his immediate vicin-y have their power level reduced by his EMP rating e.g. an empath is trying to form a mental linkith Berger using their Human Empathy skill. They achieve a Stage 5 success. This is reduced toage 1 after subtracting Berger’s EMP.

s a former German army sergeant who has found gainful employment as corporate mercenary,erger still regards himself as a professional soldier. He carries out his employer’s orders with a highegree of competence and is paid well in return. To Berger’s mind this is entirely right and proper.e has little in the way of politics or ideology. Money is at the core of his belief system.

-Tek knows of Berger’s unusual empathic capability. The company has sent him on several ET-initi-ed missions, hunting down and killing empaths whom the aliens regard as dangerous.

-Tek don’t tell Berger why the targets have to be removed, just that they’re a threat to corporateterests. Berger himself is unaware of his special ability.

quipment: Colt Krait, Tranquilliser Rifle, MP7 SMG, Knife, Kevlar Vest (AV:1)

AC Membershese are mostly standard Mother Earthers with a sprinkling of Gizmoids and reformed Bikers (thetter two groups keep the collective’s hardware and vehicles running). They are sincere well mean-g people. Being unaware of the true situation at Quarry Pool they may strike the characters asisguided, or worse. If the characters suspect that they are Igors a reminder of the good work theollective has done in the past to restrain corporate excess should be enough to make it clear thatey’re not working for the Dark Ones.

G-Tek Security Guardshese are the standard security guards detailed in the Dark Conspiracy rulebook. However, as theypresent the cream of the G-Tek’s security division they should be treated as Elite Ncharacters. The

ompany uses these men in situations where there is likely to be violence. Although often thuggishnd cruel the guards aren’t stupid; they won’t blindly attack the characters if outgunned. If they comef second best in a fight they will retreat in good order, regroup and rearm if necessary beforeturning to the fray.

HE WAILER

Strength - 6Constitution - 4Agility - 7 Intelligence - 5Education - 4Charisma - 9

Empathy - 8Initiative - 5Move - 2/8/16/32Skill/Dam - 5/1D6+2Hits - 8/16# Appear - 1D6+2

All WAILERS have the fol-lowing Empathic skills attwice the listed Empathy

Attribute - Human Empathy,Project Emotion, WillpowerDrain

s noted above the WAILER has an established modus operandi of pretending to be a drowningwimmer. It does not employ the hypnotic song of the Greek Siren or German Lorelei. It uses itsmpathic powers to coerce would be rescuers into the water where they are rapidly dragged intoe depths of Quarry Pool.



The WAILER prefers to prey on solitary men, but if eager for a kill it may risk appearing in froa group.

NEW SKILLS AND WEAPONS

SKILL - Admin/Legal (EDU)The individual has experience with rules and legal assumptions of how administrative, and

agencies work, as well as an understanding of the requirements of dealing with and manathem. Characters with this skill may function as lawyers.

Glock 20The standard pistol of the Metropolitan Police and several other UK police forces.

- Recoil -

Ammo ROF Dam Pen Bulk Mag SS Burst Range

10mm SA 2 1-Nil 1 15 3 n/a 12

Baton

US style police officer’s baton. Replaced the traditional British police truncheon in the late twecentury.

Melee Range Hit Modifier Damage

Short + 1 1D6+1

Sources/AcknowledgementsThe main inspiration for this adventure came from the novels of Phil Rickman (aka Will KingdThe clash between a local supernatural presence and malevolent and/or ignorant outsidercommon theme in Rickman’s work. I’ve borrowed the same basic conceit for this adventure.

G-Tek Global Mining originally appeared in “The Istrian Affair” by John H Godsland, a Darkspiracy adventure published in volume 2, issue 3 of the long defunct “Roleplayer Indepenmagazine.

Information on police weapons came from “London” by Lee Williams (see “Demonground” issAlso my thanks to Lee for suggesting the use of the G-Tek corporation.

Berger’s special empathic ability comes from “Sources and Sinks” by Norm Fenlason (see “Deground” issue 12).

The chapter headings were, in part, inspired by those in “The Cruel Sea” by Nicholas Montsa

The Admin/Law skill as originally used in the MegaTraveller rpg was suggested by SpeedbumpDark Conspiracy Site at http://members.tripod.com/~speedbump920/index

dark conspiracy - drowning pool

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