The PCs Involvement:
An unlikely series of events leads the PCs to ______, and into a confrontation with Royal Navy Intelligence. The PC's unusual skills prompt a strange job offer, leading them into an unusual project: a Lunar Expedition, mankind's first venture into space, is being mounted from a disused coal mine!
A year ago miners discovered a working Gate. Unfortunately it opened onto vacuum; the other side was on Mu, and when the Gate was opened the pressure change made the tunnel collapse and flood.
The rescue workers included a Royal Navy diving team, equipped with experimental self-contained diving suits. A diver found the Gate and fell through onto the Moon. Though he died, later better-equipped divers will not.
It all begins with a brief report appears in the Times, No special rolls are needed to spot it.
DIVERS KILLED
Two Royal Navy divers died yesterday afternoon in a training accident near Morecambe Bay, off the Lancashire coast. Petty Officer Jones (29) and Able Seaman Barber (27) were salvaging equipment from the trawler Highland Spring, which was sunk during the Great War. Authorities believe that they accidentally detonated an explosive mine lodged in the wreck. The bodies were taken to Barrow-in-Furness, where an inquest will be held. Three fatal accidents involving divers have occurred this year. We are led to understand that the Navy may review safety practices and equipment.
Those with contacts in the Admiralty or Government find a mysterious lack of information. No one knows what (he divers were doing, and no new orders concern diving safety. Any really influential contact (rank of admiral or better, or a cabinet member) promises to make enquiries, then calls back an hour later to tell the PCs to stay out of the affair, with no explanation.
The investigators must go to Lancashire to do more in this adventure. If they need motive, send a telegram and include enough money to give them freedom of action
If events go no further, then approximately three weeks later, newspapers report the loss of a Navy launch: the crew of _____ are "Missing, presumed drowned." Attempts to learn more lead nowhere.
The city is on the ______ coast, a few miles west of ______, north of _______. The coast is heavily industrialized, and has a population of several thousand, spread out over several small towns and many mining and industrial villages. Railways and roads link the population centers. Inland to the east are the Fells and the Bowland Forest, inhospitable terrain rising to 1700 feet in some areas.
Until a hundred years ago Barrow-in-Furness was a small fishing village. The discovery of iron ore and coal led to rapid expansion. Currently the town is grimy, smoky, and noisy, a typical northern city of around 5,000 inhabitants. The main industries are shipbuilding (based on the Vickers yard), docks, and steelworks. Barrow has a complicated network of tramways and roads, and several spur lines to factories, docks, and shipyards. Barrow is famous for the picturesque ruins of Fumess Abbey, and for its massive town hall. The inquest is in the Coroners Court, part of the town hall building.
The easiest way to Barrow is by express from the Capital to ____, then by local train to Barrow. If the team leave before noon the journey takes six to eight hours, arriving in Barrow in the early evening. The road route is difficult, and extremely slow if the driver obeys the official limit of 20 MPH.
The Station Hotel in Barrow offers comfortable accommodations, catering mainly for commercial travelers and visiting engineers, and possessing enough rooms for any party of PCs. Aristocrats may not be impressed with the food and wines available, but the beds are clean and a good breakfast is provided. At night there are numerous pubs, a picture palace (cinema), a music hall, and a theater. They can meet numerous characters, none relevant to this adventure.