Arcanepath.net

Metropolis Evening News - Tuesday 21st February 1984
"Read All About it"
"Foreign Spy Apprehended in Manchester, British Lord Involved!"

The Great Metropolis Constabulary have announced this evening that an agent for a foreign power has been apprehended in the Manchester Borough of the Great Metropolis, he is currently being questioned by Servants of the Crown.

His plot was foiled and his apprehension was the work of a British Lord, one Baron Roborough, Sir Sebastian Reynolds.
Thus far Sir Reynolds has been unavailable for comment.

New London
The corridors were lit by illuminated ceiling panels, they'd defeated and suppressed four of Forsythe Fabrications defensive systems.
This illumination gave the passages a dim aura, they converged upon the laboratory door.
Casting his hand one of their number hurled a number chrome spheres against the door, each flattening like molten metal and seeping to join the other,
quickly covering the entire door.
Momentarily the door blew away in a cloud of dust allowing the four Riders to enter.

The Scope laboratory resembled an earthly lab, however its apparatus more advanced and weird in appearance.
Hovering over a table was a brass portal with a mans face upon it, before it could react their leader raised his Scope pistol and blew it to pieces,
the mans shocked expression imprinted upon its shattered surface.

"Schnell, bevor der Systemverwalter von uns lernt!" barked the leader
They spread across the lab ensuring that no further drones or defences lay in wait, satisfied that there weren't the leader moved to the picture of the cliffs of Dover upon the wall, bracing himself he leapt vanishing into the portal from one Domain to another hidden Domain.

The Leader quickly made his way through the scenic hills along the riverbank, he ignored the small tent and fishing gear ready for another battle with the Scope pike, a battle which would never come, its author now dead.

Arriving at the shallows he made his way across three stepping stones, reaching down he pulled up the fourth looking into a huge six foot long trench into which the river water didn't flow.
Empty, but how! They'd reacted so quickly using the information they'd already obtained from Bennett and his notebook.

He spun his reaction and abilities in the Scope far superior to his flesh and blood, putting six rounds through the figure who'd appeared behind him on the riverbank.

"Your scientists will have to do their own dirty work" smiled the man
The figure was dressed in impeccable black, complete with top hat, contemporary British tailoring from Saville Row, there was a hard edge to his eyes, almost a sense of menace.
The shots had had no effect, looking down the leader noticed that he had no legs just beams of flickering light constructing his form, not even an Avatar a remote projection.

"The Ether Analogue is destroyed, Reynolds and his team suceeded in destroying the Manifestor a fail safe within its matrix destroyed the other.
"So haben Sie auch versagt!" he replied

"Quite so" replied the man, "However I haven't got so far to go and nor do I have MI5 heading for my hotel room at haste"

The leader realised that the Administrator had remained hidden, traced their Scope Points
The Leader smiled, the man frowned and the Domain blinked out of existence.

The English Channel Approaching the coast of Normandy
Aboard the Luftwaffe Battle Zepplin Nachtflügel the leader shook the bioshock from his head, he looked at the Scope relay,
a sensible precaution allowing them to relay their entry point and hence allowing a rapid departure.

The funeral service was of course a sombre and sad affair, however not for the reason of the deceased but more from the lack of mourners.
St James church was a tall spired building completed in 1857, tall arched beams added to a respendant sense of height.

Lord Reynolds and J.P were greeted by Simon, Bennetts former assistance.
Simon thanked them for attending, "Mrs Bennett declined to come, a new chapter and so on, a great shame, thank you both for attending"
Simon smiled and allowed the pair to approach the casket.

Approaching the casket before the altar and a flash of confusion overcomes the pair. Looking down into the satin-lined box, no recognition strikes Reynold's nor J.P's memory. The man laid out is one they’ve never seen before, not even a reasonable mimic of Dr. Bennett. Turning to regard Simon, the pair notice the light change as the door swings open and he walks out. They are left standing, in a church, with the body of someone who is not Sullivan Bennett.

The Times wrote:"Read All About it"
"Murder Most Foul, Renowned Explorer Found Dead, British Lord wanted by Police!"
Wednesday 25th April 1984

Knightsbridge - Saturday 5th May 1984
Doctor Nathaniel Chase scratched his stubbly chin, JPs recovery was nothing short of miraculous, annoyingly so, the human body shouldn't be able to heal so rapidly, his immune system was working twice as efficiently as it should.
He was truly stumped, although he suspected it had something to do with this Tilsbury fellow, who merely smiled emphatically at Chase.

That said JP had followed his advice and remained in bed, allowing his newly attached cybernautic leg to bond.
JP for his part had engaged himself in reading the books taken from Falstaffs laboratory and being waited on hand and foot by the ever bubbly Jodie.

Reynolds had for his part been rarely seen, constantly out on the streets with Bull continuing the search for the murderous Lord,
not returning until late and often falling asleep in his armchair, where Sam would dutifully drape a blanket over him.
So far their hunt had failed to beat the right bush, but Reynolds determination was somewhat frightening.

The Scope
They appeared upon a floating brass disc, hovering over a lush jungle and moving toward a verdant mountain.
Floating higher in the sky above this paradise was a barge bearing the logo Compass Resources Esq.

"The large mount of rock is Maromokotro Mountain, the highest peak on Madagascar, the town of Andapa on the North East coast has the largest Pink Sapphire mine on the Island and indeed the world on its west side, French Mining Conglomerate IMetal run all of the mines on Madagascar"
Treholm's Avatar resembled a blocky facsimile of his real world form, he turned flat impassive eyes regarding Reynold's.
"You'll recall IMetal is owned by the Rothschild dynasty!"

Reynold's nodded drawing upon his knowledge of continental aristocracy "How could I fail to know one of the most powerful Dynasties in the Reich with family branches in Vienna, Paris, London and Frankfurt to name a few!"

"Good man, there was me thinking your were growing rusty" Lindsey jibed, they were now slowly orbiting the mist shrouded mountain.
He continued "De Beers handles the dealing of the gems once mined, no surprises there considering The Rothchilds controlling interest!"
Now outside of the Reich there's the New Dutch East India Company or DIAC holding of Mahajanga Province, they purchased the region from The Reich for a substantial fee in 47, however it has profited they now control the largest port across the Mozambique Channel."

The disc floated south down towards the Savannah that cut a path northward into the jungle at the foothills of the mountains "As you probably know, the island is one of the uncharted territories, the interior is notoriously perilous, thick jungle with many unknown and uncharted species, indeed many of the species are found no where else in the world!"

Reynolds nodded "You mentioned having some of these species on your estate farm?"
Trenholm pointed to some agile looking flightless birds stalking the grassland "Yes Vark Birds, some form of predatory long limbed version of the dodo, viscous blighters, however they grow to a meter high and yield in excess of ten times the meat of a turkey, with the added benefit of keeping the vermin down!" Trenholm quipped