When some people go missing, finding them is the worst thing that could happen….

Unknown Armies

Beginner Level Adventure

Introduction: The town of Angelcross, Wales is mining country. It has suffered the ravages of sixty years of poverty, economic exploitation and would seemingly qualify as one of the biggest losers of the Industrial Revolution. Nearly 50% of the men who can find work, find it underground, at low rates of pay, in dangerous, Stygian coal mines. These mines fuel The British Empire and provide much of the power and wealth that England enjoys in the late 19th Century.

The Town of Angelcross: Angelcross has a population of a little under 2,000 people. It’s major industry consists of the Toohey Mines, Blue Sky Mining LLC, and the Hannity Fields. These mines each employ about 600 people. The bulk of these people are miners who dig for coal. The mines are dangerous, with several violent accidents a year, resulting in plenty of death and disfigurement. Nearly all of the older miners bear a ‘forget-me-not’ of some sort from a mining accident they’ve been fortunate enough to survive.

Angelcross has a Mayor. Sir Gilbert Hannity Ross has been ‘elected’ overwhelmingly four straight times. He’s corrupt and spineless, but he’s generally evenhanded about his duplicity. Everyone seems to get just enough to stand the guy, so they rig things in his favor to prevent any of the dreaded reformers from coming in and shutting down the taverns and bawdy houses that make life as a coal miner bearable.

The Chief Constable, Eustacious Moon, is a corrupt, good-ole-boy sheriff. His basic job description involves bartering truces between groups of miners and beating the union organizers when they try to infiltrate any of the big three mines. He cares a lot more about a manageable statis quo that involves a few nice kickbacks for him than he does about truth, justice, and The British Empire.

The Clergyman, Anglican Bishop Wallace Reed, is the primary impetous for what little charity and civic-minded activity occurs in Angelcross. He leads a temperance movement among his most devout followers and often sermonizes about the evils of liquor, prostitution and pollution. The three mining bosses hate the man, but are not quite bold enough in their effrontery to kill a clergyman yet.

Arliss Hannity is a blue-blooded noble who happened into the good fortune of owning land with so much coal that you could pick it out of the streambeds on his land after a sudden rainstorm. He quickly went into mining and has quietly become one of the richest peers in The House of Lords. Queen Victoria has invited him to call on her at court. He has designs on becoming Duke of The Western Marches. That would make him only one notch less senior than The Prince of Wales amongst the heraldry in this part of England.

Truman Everson founded and runs Blue Sky Mining. He has no true noble blood in his body. He does know how to make a pound Stirling and would eat a live snake, if that’s what it took to make another. He’s feared amongst the traders, the miners, the townsmen and the elite.

Andrew Toohey inherited Toohey Mines. He’s nowhere near the businessman that either Everson or Hannity is and is losing his fortune, one stupid move at a time. He seems preoccupied with his studies and his somewhat weird social scene. This prevents him from being as effective as he should be as a tycoon and as the adventure begins, the townspeople have begun to question his concern for the wellbeing of Toohey Mines.

Introduction:

The party should all receive the following offer in some form. Inquisitive and discreet individuals sought after to locate two missing children. Must be quietly effective. Top money offered. Inquire at 500 N. Ipswitch Ln. of Nightswitch. London, Eng. Be there at 7pm. 14 May. Ask for Mr. Dooland. He should be in The Billiard Room.

The offer will come from The Law Firm of Derridge, Hocker and Castille, Barristers.