Fear of Flying (Scenario)

Details

White Dwarf, Issue 72

Fearful Passages

Pages: 4-16

Author(s): Marcus Rowland

Artist(s): Chris Johnston, Gustaf Bjørksten, Martin Trengrove

Setting: 1920s

Appears in: Fearful Passages, White Dwarf, #72 (significantly different)

Summary

An ordinary, if Spartan, long-distance flight proves eventful in more ways than one. Mechanical complications are not the only perils besetting the unwary passengers.

Spoilers - Keepers Eyes Only

Players should not read any further.

Synopsis

 Spoiler Section (Highlight to Read)
The adventure is planned as an interlude between other scenarios, particularly in a campaign where long flights are called for. The investigators face a series of setbacks on their flight, largely independent from one another. The flight occurs in a number of stages, with rest stops in between. The other passengers are a peculiar bunch, including conspiring businessmen, an eccentric publicity-loving film star, and a disguised serpent man. The last is the source of most of the plot.

A flock of birds fly into the plane, and injuring crew and causing damage that must be repaired immediately; Investigators are dragged in to keep the plane flying until it can land safely.

The serpent man, after devouring a dog in the night, accidentally enters an Investigator's room rather than his own. Depending how events play out, the Investigator may be hypnotised, attacked, or remain ignorant until morning reveals a bloody doorknob and muddy footprints.

When a photographer takes a photo of the group, the serpent man subtly poisons him to get a chance to destroy the evidence.

Finally, an accident in flight breaks the serpent man's disguise, causing pandemonium. Depending on how the passengers react, he will either negotiate a safe departure from the vehicle, or fight to the death.

The eventful journey is likely to attract media attention - particularly given the prominence of some passengers - and this can may well affect an ongoing investigation. Any surviving passengers may also become useful contacts, allies or even player characters.

References

Player Handouts: None.

Locations: The plane, rest stop, airfield, another airfield

Creatures: Serpent Men

Tomes and Artifacts: None

Campaigns / Scenarios: designed as an interlude in any scenario involving long-distance flight

Comments

• Diagram of Tarrant Tabor
• Detailed mechanical specs of Tarrant Tabor
• Suggested damage results for aircraft
• Images and information on 1920s parachutes
• Several NPC portraits
• Image of aircraft on the ground, with film star being photographed
• Image of aircraft in flight, with serpent man and Investigators climbing and fighting on wings

The original magazine version of the scenario is considerably different.

• The beginning and endpoints of the flight are not specified.
• The passenger list is different.
• The Mythos threat is a cultist rather than a serpent man.

Not to be confused with Fear of Falling (Scenario)

Keeper Comments

Contains a detailed description of the Tarrant Tabor aircraft, and information on aviation history and practices up to the 1920s.

"Run fully, it is a complete adventure. However, many keepers may want to pull bits and pieces from it in a succession of sessions, alternate use which the episodic stages promote."

"Be sure to learn if the investigators have flown before, what those experiences were, and study their investigator sheets to note any applicable sanity problems."

The other passengers offer several potential plot hooks and links to the Investigators, which can be implemented or ignored as the Keeper sees fit.

The first event can be incorporated into games as an entirely Mythos-free mechanical emergency.

Comments to Keepers about this scenario; Possibly how to run it successfully. Keep general DISCUSSION on the talk page.