Advice for running Black Madonna

[StainlessSteelCynic]

Interesting stuff, it makes me think of the guy voiced by Phil Lynott in Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds. The guy has become unhinged and is convinced that digging tunnels under London is the only way to survive, he's so deluded by the idea that he thinks they can rebuild the city and society below the earth.
I'm think that an encounter with someone like that early on in the piece could also help to play up the unusual nature of the scenario. Someone who thinks that he can rebuild society under the ruins of the city so he is frantically digging tunnels. The guy is obviously irrational due to the war but maybe he knows something about the area - or maybe he is just crazy

[TiggerCCW UK]

I think you're thinking of the 'Young Artillery Man' character played by David Essex IIRC. Phil Lynott was the pastor who the narrator was buried with under the cylinder. Just talking about War of the Worlds, is anyone familiar with the BBC radio version Not a bad listen if you get a chance.

[Targan]

Just talking about War of the Worlds, is anyone familiar with the BBC radio version Not a bad listen if you get a chance.

We had a version on vinyl in the old family home in Wellington. It had a big impact on me as a kid.

[StainlessSteelCynic]

I think you're thinking of the 'Young Artillery Man' character played by David Essex IIRC. Phil Lynott was the pastor who the narrator was buried with under the cylinder.

Ah yes, (slapping myself now), thanks

[TiggerCCW UK]

No slap intended Stainless - It only really occured to me because I'd been listening to the Jeff Wayne version the other day

Targan - I thought them replacing the artilleryman with a Australian helicopter pilot was interesting, but not as intersting as the fact that the treatment of his idea for the 'Brave New World' was very different to the treatment it received in the novel and the musical version. His ideas were treated much more seriously in the BBC version - possibly because of people thinking about long term shelters and underground life in the event of a nuclear war, or am I reading too much into that

Apols for the thread jack btw

[Slappy]

I'd also suggest that spending some more time in the Margravate could be rewarding. The political information in the module is pretty vague, but there is a good bone structure that you can hang some meat on. Figuring out how such a state would actually function, what the motivations of the individual Barons would be, etc. can provide a lot of interesting material.

I personally envisioned the Markgraf as a bit less obviously crazy, but clearly a bit paranoid. Probably not surprising as he is the head of a fragile and nacent state threatened potentially by the Russians, the US Cav Brigade, internal unrest, the merchant league and Krakow. Even if he is a decent guy trying to maintain control he sees a lot of enemies and there. There are a lot of power bases in the Margravate that the PCs could align with. They could back the Markgraf, back a baron, try to undermine the regime, lead a trade or intimidation mission to one of the towns in the trade league, be given a mission to fight encroaching Soviets or sent out to spy on or destabalize Krakow in one way or another.

I would personally think about delaying the discovery of the Madonna until they have had a chance to explore some of these realities and potentially pick sides without such a valuable item. Geographically, Silesia is the most likely place for the players to end up escaping Kalisz if they run straight South avoiding canon opfor placements. Despite the appeal of Krakow it can be a good place to introduce them to the realites of the Twilight world.

Just my thoughts if I had it to do again.