Adventure 8 - Grandeur
The heroes are tasked to take the Jungen Buoy. Once again, Lord Admiral Addington asserts his station - levying the citizens of London in their war against Berlin.
Addington and the Royal Navy know that the German battleships use this Rig as a fuel depot. If the Navy can hold it as garrison it would cripple Nazi supplies.
Haste is necessary as the Royal Navy is preparing to break the blockade of Atlantis. Her majesty implores her subjects to assist their allies across the Zee.
The heroes Consider a plan of action. After much debate and gathering intelligence on the layout of the rig. They decide it is best to sneak up to it in small rowboats. A dozen or so marines in each to reach the structural posts of the Buoy. To then climb up and dispatch the enemy garrison.
The larger frigates will stay a distance away. To fire only from a safe spot when the firefight begin on the rig. The best part of the 4 way atack is that If the Germans spot one small boat it could serve as a distraction. Nazi's firing on one small rowboat allow the other three allowing more fighting men to get close!
It was a sound plan and the heroes braved themselves for boarding the Nazi installation. As the rowboats crept forward in the dark Ermanach, the Irish Zailor, and his marines were the first to be discovered. Spotlights from the Buoy catch the little rowboat and Nazi’s crack rifle fire.
Disorganization follows. As the Nazi's open up on the only boat they see the other dingy stall from their initial plan. Despite the cover of darkness the Royal Navy has, some marines cannot steel themselves to fulfill their duty.
Ermanach, confident in his swimming ability dives into to reach the Buoy before his team of Marines. They, and other navy member dawdle somewhat. All the while the small rowboat spotted by those powerful searchlights is devastated by Nazi guns.
However, Edith the Reporter, shows no fear and her team of marines are 2nd to reach the Buoy. Only somewhat behind the Irish swimmer. They climb up a ladder fixed to the structure - upon reaching the top they being a firefight on the rig itself.
Both Edith and Ermanach take advantage of the loud firearms to climb higher to the searchlights. Scaling the rig's upper levels they each manage to surprise the Nazi operators. With one good shove each they toss them off the high ledges. Then they are safe to turn off some of the search lights saving the Royal fleet from detection.
By this time the marines of lesser bravery reach the Rig and the battle swings fully in favor of the British. Quickly all heroes dispatch or capture any resisters and take control of the Jungen Buoy.
This victory is short lived however, for Constable Jack Weston spies that back on the Zee one of their frigates has been blown sky high by that Titanic Battleship - the Bismark! The heroes manage to take the Nazi Installation. Meanwhile their supporting fleet is crushed by the Nazi vessel.
In despair they even see that their Tugboat Betsy has been captured. Presumably Reiser / Charon is in the custody of the Germans.
Quickly the Street Urchin rifles through the office of a Nazi officer. He grabs whatever he can including documents, a combat knife and a uniformed jacket. All try to regroup and consider their next moves.
Ultimately the fate of the Rig was determined my The American. while searching the installation he discovered a large power-station. when it became apparent that they may not be able to hold it he opted to burn the whole place to the ground. Looking for, as he described it, "the most expensive thing in the room," The American came across a machine labeled "Rotes Quecksilber." [Red Mercury]
The American destroyed this machine, causing a massive explosion. The floor opens up under The American and he falls into the Zee.
Within moments the whole purpose of their mission shifted. As fast as humanly [super-humanly] possible Ermanach loaded up the British dinghies. He even lowered new emergency lifeboats into the water while all the heroes prepared to flee. Ermanach even takes care to save some Nazi prisoners. He is the last to leap from the Rig, swan diving into the water.
All get into boats and prepare to row back to London
But where is The American?
In panic Edith and the Street Urchin get into the water. They attempt to explore through the wreckage but only put themselves in danger.
As Ermanach surfaces, looking for his allies, all he meets is Constable Jack Weston. The officer gives him the approximate location of The American, Edith, and The Kid.
In an exhausting, dangerous, and fretful few minutes the Irish Zailor successfully recovers the Reporter, the Street Urchin, and The American.When everyone is safely in the lifeboat each are totally spent. Yet only are handful of restful minutes are given. As their small boat, floating in the dark.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
They spent a good half-hour floating away from the wreckage of the Jungen Buoy. Slowly recovering their breath and reorienting themselves in the dark. Just as they were about to grab oars and head for London they feel a nudge as they bump into something floating in the water.
In their tiny lifeboat they have hardly any illumination. Constable Jack Weston and the street Urchin make an effort to investigate but dim match-light reveals little. They feel up the sides of this floating object and begin to suspect it to be some kind of flat bottomed canoe.
Just as The Kid clambers aboard to more fully feel around this new floating object is pulled away. All the other hold onto this strange boat, not wanting to loose the Urchin in the darkness. With great pace they are brought towards the Dubious Lighthouse. An obstacle they had hoped to avoid.
The Dubious Lighthouse is an infamous source of light on the UnterZee. It illumination is known to move around. Some beaches and rocks are revealed sometimes - but just as quickly disappear.
All the heroes couldn't change this course however, they were all equally pulled. Brought closer to the moving light-source. As their little rowboat is brought to shore they make a startling discovery. This "Lighthouse" is a titanic candle! Held by a woman of gigantic proportions. In fact the "Boat" they accidentally found at Zee is in fact her slipper, which slowly floated away from her notice.
This Giant Woman introduces herself as Glumdalitch and asks for her shoe back.
Everyone was surprised indeed.
When asking Glumdalitch what she is doing in the dark, she explains that she is looking for “little” Gulliver. Lemuel Gulliver is a "little man" much like the heroes. He had been in the company of this enormous lady but was lost as they were enjoying a day at the beach. Glumdalitch came down into this small cave to see if he was here. “Maybe he had fallen down.” She asks if they can help her.
Although the heroes make quite the effort to look for Gulliver, they find little. They return to Glumdalitch unable to further help. Needless to say she was saddened by this news but chooses not to stay in the dark longer. With the advice of the heroes she returns home. She begins to climb up unimaginably large cliff faces. High up she goes, and as she scales out of sight the heroes see that she reaches all the way to the surface.
The heroes, hundreds - thousands of feet below her see starlight in the first time since forever.
They are left behind on this island by the Giant, she had gone back to be with people of her own kind. Our heroes still on the beach were then met by new visitors. The Mongolians from Xanadu.
Knowing that the Mongols are ruthless pirates of the Unterzee the heroes comply. They board the Mongolian Junks and sail back to Xanadu. They are wanted by the Great Khan himself!
Upon arriving at Xanadu the heroes learn many things. They discover that the Robot had walked along the seafloor to Xanadu to get assistance. They are told that Reiser/Charon has been taken captive by the Nazis. They also learn that the Mongols refuse to fight.
The Great Khan wishes the heroes to explain themselves. They mention their only desire is to go home, but the Khan argues this is impossible, reminding them of where they are. Speaking with the Khan proves difficult as several rounds of translation are needed. Eventually the Khan impresses upon them their destiny an reminds them that they are part of the Underworld now.
The Khan and his horde no longer fight the way of the Underworld. They have learned that wars cannot be won as their enemies cannot be killed. The Khan has accepted that all across the UnterZee are dead now. He informs the heroes that their duty is not to destroy but to rescue the Boatman.
The Great Khan then gives this prophecy, "Sky Father was killed, now we belong to the earth. You must reach beyong the Zee, and go to the end of the Earth, so that you may serve the Earth.”
The heroes assume that their destiny is upon them, that they must next find Reiser/Charon at Atlantis.
They make preparations for one last battle.
Adventure 1 — Adventure 2 — Adventure 3 — Adventure 4 — Adventure 5 — Adventure 6 — Adventure 7 —Adventure 8 — Adventure 9 — Epilogue