This is another of my old Space: 1889 adventures. I don't believe it has ever been published before, but I did use it as a convention game once or twice. It depends a lot more on player initiative than most adventures I write. The trouble with player initiative is that it's undependable -- you expect them to take charge of the situation and get into trouble and they just sit there. I tried to build in enough carrots and sticks to overcome that.
THE AUCTION
A Space: 1889 Adventure
by James L. Cambias
INTRODUCTION
A month ago, an archaeological expedition digging near the city of Sigeus Portus uncovered a mysterious ancient Martian artifact. Prince Igburyanki, the ruler of the Martian city-state of Sigeus Portus, will be holding an unusual auction.
SIGEUS PORTUS
Sigeus Portus is a moderately powerful Martian city-state, strategically located astride several major trade routes. Perhaps the city's greatest asset is its young and energetic Prince, who has made Sigeus Portus one of the leading powers in the region.
Sigeus Portus has a population of some 100,000 Martians, with another 6000 Terrans in residence. The city was once much larger, and contains many very impressive ruins, including an ancient pumping station. The city's economy is based on manufacturing -- chiefly textiles and glassware. Canal and caravan trade is also very important. The city is quite prosperous.
Strong, Ambitious Prince; Honest government
Good-quality army (1440 infantry, 720 cavalry, 36 cannon)
Fair-quality mercenaries (720 infantry, 720 cavalry)
Trained-quality fleet (£30,000 each)
The city's fleet is adequately trained and equipped, but undersized. The Prince has realized that the future of aerial warfare lies in steam gunboats, and so has been reluctant to spend money on cloudships which are already obsolete. He is at odds with his naval commanders.
Indifferent attitude toward Earthmen.
Predominant languages: Noachan, Oenotrian.
Slavery: illegal
Sigeus Portus is ruled by a young ambitious prince, very much interested in modernizing his city. He has continued a program of government reform, and has built up the army, but the naval leaders have so far opposed his efforts to modernize the fleet.
The Prince has imported several European experts to begin developing some of the city's industries. There is a substantial population of Terran merchants and scientists in residence.
Prince Igburyanki plans to build a modern shipyard, and is very interested in modern technology. He has plans to send several able young nobles from his city to be educated on Earth.
THE PRINCE
Prince Igburyanki is a highly intelligent and far-sighted ruler. He is striving to modernize his city and keep his independence. He has allowed Europeans into Sigeus, but has been very careful not to allow any one country to gain the upper hand. He maintains formal diplomatic relations with all the Great Powers on Mars, and has even attracted representatives from some Terran countries without any ambitions on Mars.
Prince Igburyaanki
STRENGTH: 3 INTELLECT: 6
Fisticuffs 2 Observation 5
Throwing 1 Science 2 (archaeology)
Close Combat 4 (sword)
AGILITY: 4 CHARISMA: 5
Stealth 3 Eloquence 4
Marksmanship 4 (pistol) Linguistics 2 (French, German, Oenotrian, English)
ENDURANCE: 4 SOCIAL LEVEL: 6
Mapping 3 Riding 5 (gashant)
Pilot 2 (cloudship)
Leadership 2
Goals: 1. Maintain his power and his city's independence
2. Modernize Sigeus Portus
3. Humiliate the Earthmen
THE BALL
Once all the bidders have arrived, the Prince holds a grand ball, with the auction to commence the following day. It is held in his famous Map Room, the floor of which is a vast mosaic map of Mars in the glory days of Seldon's Empire. The deserts are made of red porphyry, the canals are lapis lazuli, and the ice caps are alabaster. Cities are marked with gilded stars. (If any of the player characters learn what Lady Vaarsha is looking for, have them make a Difficult Intellect roll to think of the ice caps on the ballroom floor as the hiding place of the jewel.)
At the ball the various bidders can be introduced and size each other up. Mr. Tanaka is accompanied by his Steam Robot, which creates quite a stir. Unless the player characters make trouble, nothing weird happens.
The climax of the evening is a demonstration by the Prince. He ushers his guests into a large (and heavily-guarded) chamber, where a weird device about the size of a footlocker sits in the middle of the floor, humming gently. A power cable runs from it to a bank of nitric-acid batteries by the window, with a knife switch on a gilded stand.
"May I borrow that?" the Prince asks as he takes a pistol from one of the guards. "Observe, everyone!" He fires off a shot at the device, but the bullet ricochets off thin air with a bell-like noise, and shatters a skylight.
"This is the device I have discovered in the secret catacombs beneath the palace. It is surrounded by an invisible, impenetrable hemisphere. Tomorrow you may decide how much you wish to pay for it!"
He leads everyone out again, making sure nobody stays behind.
INTRIGUES
The players may wish to have their characters sneak around the palace to examine or steal the device. In most of the palace there is a 1 in 6 chance that any room or passage contains a Martian servant. The servants will obey any reasonable command from guests (fetching snacks, leaving the room, etc.) -- but they will certainly report any sign of shenanigans to the nearest guards.
The guards in the palace are concentrated in three areas: the entrance, the wing where the Prince and his concubines sleep, and the room holding the mysterious device. They obey only the Prince, and know that no bribe from a foreigner is worth what will happen if they fail in their duty.
Bidders who are not under the control of players have their own agendas. Lady Vaarsha slips out of her room to search the palace for the missing diamond. Since the slave said it was hidden "under the ice" she disguises herself as a servant to look in the cold room by the kitchens where blocks of ice cut from the canals in winter are used to keep food fresh. Any servant encountered by the others can be Vaarsha in disguise.
Lord Redingstoke attempts to recruit Mr. Tanaka to help break into Boileau's room and steal the letters. However Miss Witherspoon is trying to slip into Redingstoke's room to seduce him. He'll either have to get rid of her before going on his mission, or she'll follow him and see him and Tanaka climbing around on the walls of the palace outside Boileau's room.
Meanwhile Von Basel is trying to sneak into her room with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of champagne. Tanaka (if he can get rid of Redingstoke) will try to sneak into the room where the device is being kept, in order to examine it. Krevlensky is going to try the same thing, only instead of sneaking in through the window he tries to get the guards drunk. Dr. Boileau goes to bed early.
THE AUCTION
Unless events of the night before make it impossible, the auction goes off on schedule. The bidding starts at £1000. The Prince himself acts as auctioneer. There are a couple of minor hitches.
If Boileau is a non-player character, he manages to slip a dose of opium into Von Basel's Martian coffee at breakfast. Von Basel must make a Difficult Endurance test every minute to stay awake, and if he stays awake he begins hallucinating that giant bats are coming through the windows.
Tanaka has brought his Steam Robot to the auction, and could offer it to the Prince as a bid. Naturally, it will choose that moment to malfunction.
OUTCOMES
The entire auction is an elaborate fraud. Some weeks before, Prince Igburyanki discovered a hemisphere of ancient Martian transparent aluminium in the cellars of his palace. His scientists could not duplicate the substance, so it had no real value except as a curiosity. Then the mysterious device turned up, and Igburyanki saw a perfect opportunity to make some money off of the Europeans, while making them look like idiots. He arranged with a conjuror to set up the fraudulent "demonstration."
The Prince does keep his word -- whoever bids the most will get the device. It makes a humming noise and that's all anyone can tell about it. Exhaustive research will eventually reveal it is an ancient Martian electrical transformer.
Before his guests depart, the Prince does invite them to a garden party at which he unveils the centerpiece of his new landscape design -- a fountain made of a giant hemisphere of transparent aluminum.
THE BIDDERS
Lord Basil Redingstoke (British)
You are the scion of one of England's oldest and most distinguished families. Only someone of your good breeding would be sent on such an important mission. You know how to handle Martians and foreigners -- keep a stiff upper lip and don't stand any nonsense from them. This Prince Igburyaanki is a strange duck; he's unusually progressive for a Martian, but for some reason doesn't seem to appreciate the help and guidance of the British Empire.
You know something about the following envoys:
Lady Vaarsha: The Oenotrian Empire is at war with the British colony on Mars, and for some reason England isn't winning. Better watch her carefully.
Doctor Boileau: That French scoundrel has intercepted some of your letters to your mistress, Fifi. He's threatening to publish them unless you agree to help him get the device. You'll show him.
Mr. Tanaka: Japan and England are allies right now, and you've always found the little yellow men quite amusing. He'll probably need lots of help and advice.
STRENGTH: 4 INTELLECT: 1
Fisticuffs 3 Science 1 (chemistry)
Throwing 2
Close Combat 2 (sword)
AGILITY: 2 CHARISMA: 5
Stealth 1 Eloquence 5
Marksmanship 2 (pistol) Linguistics 4 (French, Latin,
Parhooni, German)
ENDURANCE: 3 SOCIAL LEVEL: 6
Mapping 3 Riding 6 (horse)
Swimming 1 Leadership 2
Medicine 1
Pilot 2 (aerial steamer)
Equipment: Hopkins .32-caliber revolver, evening clothes, old cavalry sabre
Finances: £5000 of Government funds, £8000 of your money
Goals: 1. Purchase the device, or keep it out of foreign hands
2. Get the letters from Dr. Boileau
3. Keep the Oenotrians from getting influence in Sigeus
Secrets: The Frenchman has been blackmailing you with letters you sent to your mistress in Paris. If they are exposed, you could be ruined. You must recover or destroy them.
Lady Vaarsha (Oenotria)
You are the representative of the Oenotrian Empire, one of the most powerful states on Mars. Right now Oenotria is at war with the English, and needs every advantage to overcome the superior Terran firepower. You were sent on this mission because you grew up at the court of Sigeus Portus, and knew the Prince when the two of you were only children. You know he is a tricky fellow, and wonder what this is all really about.
You know something about these other envoys:
Lord Redingstoke: The English are always plotting to extend their control on Mars. This one acts stupid but is probably just trying to mislead you.
Hauptmann Von Basel: The Germans are a strange bunch. One minute they offer help to Oenotria in the war against the British, the next minute they offer to help the British "civilize" the Oenotrians.
General Krevlensky: Russia is apparently a large and powerful kingdom on Earth, which has long been hostile to the British. You wonder if he might be friendly.
STRENGTH: 1 INTELLECT: 5
Observation 6
Science 2 (biology)
AGILITY: 2 CHARISMA: 3
Stealth 1 Eloquence 3
Marksmanship 1 (pistol) Linguistics 3 (Parhooni, English, French)
ENDURANCE: 4 SOCIAL LEVEL: 6
Foraging 3 Riding 5 (gashant)
Leadership 2
Medicine 2
Equipment: Muzzle-loading pistol, silken robes, servant's garb.
Finances: £2000 of Oenotrian gold, £10,000 personal fortune
Goals: 1. Keep the device out of Terran hands
2. Secure an alliance with Prince Igburyaanki
3. Find the jewel
Secrets: You were just a girl when the famous Fire Jewel of Sigeus was stolen; it has never been recovered. Years later, an old slave told you he had been part of the plot to steal it. All he knew was that the jewel was hidden somewhere in the palace at Sigeus Portus. He heard the other theives say it was hidden "under the ice" but doesn't know what that means. The jewel is worth at least a million gold pieces.
Hauptmann Heinrich von Basel (German)
You are a Prussian officer, and strive to always be brave, obedient and efficient. During the Franco-Prussian War you personally led the assault on a French position and received the Iron Cross for killing two with your sword. You have been sent to Sigeus Portus to acquire the device for Germany, and you know you cannot fail. After all, you are a Prussian!
You know a few of the other envoys:
Miss Witherspoon: The American scientist woman is a lovely creature. There are few Earth women on Mars, and she is unmarried and travelling alone. How can she resist you?
Lady Vaarsha: The Oenotrian Empire is at war with the British colony on Mars. The Kaiser can't decide if he wants to help his English cousins and win their friendship, or help Oenotria and expand German influence on Mars.
Doctor Boileau: France and Germany have been bitter enemies for a generation. He seems like a nice enough fellow personally, but you can never be friends.
STRENGTH: 4 INTELLECT: 2
Fisticuffs 3 Observation 1
Throwing 2
Close Combat 4 (sword)
AGILITY: 3 CHARISMA: 1
Stealth 2 Eloquence 2 Marksmanship 2 (pistol) Linguistics 2 (French,
English)
ENDURANCE: 6 SOCIAL LEVEL: 5
Mountaineering 5 Riding 6 (horse)
Leadership 4
Equipment: Sabre, Colt revolver, dress uniform, helmet
Finances: £8000 from the Kaiser, £2000 of your own money
Goals: 1. Acquire the device for Germany
2. Secretly propose an alliance with the Oenotrians
3. Seduce the American woman
Secrets: You have been asked to approach the Oenotrian envoy about a secret alliance. If word got out about your negotiations, it could mean war between Britain and Germany. So you must keep your dealings very secret.
Miss Clara Witherspoon (American)
You are a scientist, working at the Harvard University research station on Mars. Harvard has sent you to purchase the device. You are a prim lady scientist, who wants only to study the device for the benefit of the world.
You know a little about some of the others:
Doctor Boileau: You arrived in Sigeus Portus aboard the same canal boat, so you had the opportunity to search his room. You found letters that seem valuable.
Lord Redingstoke: A real live English nobleman, with a title, a monocle, and thousands of pounds in the bank! You'd like to live in a castle, with an army of servants at your beck and call.
Mr. Tanaka: The little Chinaman has some kind of machine that walks around like a person. He and it give you the creeps.
STRENGTH: 2 INTELLECT: 5
Fisticuffs 1 Observation 5
Throwing 1
Close Combat 2 (knife)
AGILITY : 4 CHARISMA: 6
Stealth 3 Eloquence 6
Marksmanship 2 (pistol) Linguistics 4 (French, Parhooni, Russian, German)
Crime 2 (forgery)
Theatrics 2
Bargaining 1
ENDURANCE: 3 SOCIAL LEVEL: 1
Mountaineering 2 Riding 1 (horse)
Medicine 1
Leadership 1
Equipment: Prim disguise, Derringer pistol, hatpin
Finances: £250
Goals: 1. Get the device to sell
2. Make a lot of money
3. Find a rich man you can manipulate
Secrets: You are not actually Clara Witherspoon but Molly O'Grady, a former parlormaid and con artist. The business about Harvard and science are all lies; you are only interested in making a lot of money and living the life of luxury. You have managed to steal some letters from the French envoy, but they don't seem to belong to him. They are from a man named Bobo to a woman named Fifi.
Doctor Philippe-Auguste Boileau (French)
You are a retired Army physician, now travelling on Mars. The French government asked you to be the representative at this auction. Above all, the secret of the device must not fall into German hands. You suffer greatly from an old war wound -- during the Franco-Prussian War you were slashed by a German officer, and have had difficulty walking ever since.
You know some of the other envoys:
Heinrich Von Basel: France and Germany are enemies, and always will be. You recognize him, too (see below).
Lord Redingstoke: France and England aren't on very good terms, either. This Englishman looks like a prize ninny. But you do have some letters which the French secret service managed to intercept (see below).
Lady Vaarsha: The Oenotrian Empire and the British colony on Mars are at war. The French government doesn't want to help the British, but they fear that a Oenotrian victory would be harmful to French colonial ambitions on Mars.
STRENGTH: 3 INTELLECT: 6
Fisticuffs 2 Observation 6
Throwing 1 Science 3 (biology)
Close Combat 1 (sword)
AGILITY: 1 CHARISMA: 2
Marksmanship 1 (pistol) Eloquence 1
Linguistics 2 (English, Parhooni)
ENDURANCE: 5 SOCIAL LEVEL: 4
Mountaineering 4 Riding 3 (horse)
Medicine 5
Leadership 2
Equipment: Doctor's bag
Finances: £6000 of Government money, £1000 of your own
Goals: 1. Keep the device out of German hands
2. Find the letters
3. Get revenge on the German envoy
Secrets: You have told the British envoy that you have letters from him to his mistress in Paris, and are blackmailing him. But unfortunately, the letters have been stolen from you. You have recognized the German envoy, Von Basel, as the man responsible for your crippling injury during the 1871 war.
Mr. Hideo Tanaka (Japan)
You are a brilliant young inventor from a humble family. The Japanese government sent you to this auction because your technical abilities might help you figure out how the device works without having to purchase it. You are taking advantage of the opportunity to display your inventions to the distinguished foreigners at the auction.
You don't know much about the others, except:
Lord Redingstoke: The British claim to be friends of Japan, but you have heard they just want to keep Japan weak. This Englishman seems to be from a noble and honorable family, though.
General Krevlensky: Russia and Japan are on bad terms at the moment, so you probably shouldn't associate with him.
Miss Witherspoon: The American woman is a scientist; surely she will be interested in your amazing Steam Robot.
STRENGTH: 5 INTELLECT: 4
Fisticuffs 4 Observation 4
Throwing 2 Engineering 3 (naval)
Science 3 (physics)
AGILITY: 6 CHARISMA: 2
Stealth 5 Eloquence 1
Mechanics 5 (machinist) Bargaining 1
Linguistics 2 (English, Parhooni)
ENDURANCE: 1 SOCIAL LEVEL: 3
Riding 2 (gashant)
Equipment: Steam Robot, bomb concealed in watch, suction-cup shoes for climbing walls
Finances: £1000 of Imperial funds, £500 of your own
Goals: 1. Get the device or figure out how it works
2. Get Prince Igburyaanki to ally with Japan
3. Show off the Steam Robot
Secrets: You didn't have time to test the Steam Robot before bringing it along, and you're not sure it will function properly. Lately it has not been obeying your commands as quickly as it should.
The Steam Robot:
The Steam Robot is a mechanical man 8 feet tall, powered by a coal-burning boiler in its abdomen. It has a Strength of 10, but its Agility is only 1. The Steam Robot can understand verbal commands (in Japanese, of course), but can only follow one command at a time. It is a unique device, worth about £5000.
General Basil Ivanovitch Krevlensky (Russian)
You are a big, loud cavalry officer from an impoverished noble family. You enjoy the good things in life -- fast horses, vodka, women and gambling. You were sent on this mission because you pulled strings back in St. Petersburg.
You know a few of the other envoys present:
Mr. Tanaka: The Japanese are sinister, scheming little monkeys and this one is no exception. His weird machine looks like the work of the Devil himself!
Dr. Boileau: Russia and France are allies at the moment, which means you and he are brothers! Too bad he is such a serious fellow.
Miss Witherspoon: What is a woman doing here? A scientist, she says! Whoever heard of such a thing?
STRENGTH: 6 INTELLECT: 1
Fisticuffs 5
Throwing 3
Close Combat 4 (sword)
AGILITY: 2 CHARISMA: 4
Stealth 1 Eloquence 5
Marksmanship 2 (rifle) Linguistics 3 (French, English, Parhooni)
ENDURANCE: 3 SOCIAL LEVEL: 5
Mapping 2 Riding 6 (horse)
Leadership 4
Equipment: Sword, dress uniform, case of vodka
Finances: £1000 of Government money, £5000 of your own
Goals:
1. Get the device at any cost
2. Get money
3. Steal the Steam Robot
Secrets: You were given £10,000 by the Czar to bid on the device, but spent some of it and diverted the rest into your own bank account. If you can get the device your theft will not be revealed. The little yellow Japanese man's mechanical servant looks interesting -- if you can't get the device perhaps you can steal that and present it to the Czar.
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