Torgon Needs Vril!

I've been brainstorming on the whole Henchman-for-Hire adventure idea. The main elements (besides the PCs), as you may recall, are Torgon the Eviscerator (space tyrant), Nazis (along with Romans, the perfect villains), and the Hollow Earth. I probably need to look it over more closely to see if I've given the PCs enough to do; I'm leaving it completely up to them whether they want to aid von Nacht or rebel against him; whether they want to work for Torgon, or try and foil him.

I've pulled a lot of inspiration from Exile Games' Hollow Earth Expedition, including the secret organization of Terra Obscura (their Terra Arcana), and some details of the Vril-ya.

Here are my notes on the subject. I started out by using Doc Rotwang's Adventure Funnel template, which has been very useful for organizing my ideas --- not that they're really all that organized.

Torgon Needs Vril!
Dr. Helmut von Nacht, an agent for "a benefactor who wishes to remain anonymous", has hired a group of Henchmen (the PCs) from the Henching Hand (a Hemchman Temp agency) to secure a source of limitless power, called Vril.
GOAL: 1) Locate the source of Vril on Earth. 2) Summon Torgon's invasion fleet. 3) Secure it until the Fleet arrives
OBSTACLES:

• It's our home planet, dammit!
• We didn't read the fine print
• The Earth is HOLLOW? Who knew?
• Perils from the Surface World: Nazis, ?
• Perils of the Hollow Earth: hostile natives (including "extinct" Surface World cultures), beast-men, dinosaurs, man-eating plants, etc.)
• Torgon the Eviscerator (evil space tyrant), the Interocitor (Torgon's viewscreen/remote control/death ray)
• Dr. Helmut von Nacht, "prominent" scientist, agent of Torgon, member of the Thule society inner circle, secret Nazi; actual employer of the
• But we don't WANT to work with Nazis!!!
• Terra Obscura (secret society, protectors of the Hollow Earth

DETAILS:

Dr. Helmut von Nacht

• Secretly an agent of Torgon the Eviscerator
• Has his own agenda:
• successfully enter the Hollow Earth (has tried several times before)
• verify connection between Atlanteans and Aryans
• Seize the power of Vril

von Nacht's assistants

• Gudrun Schlager, von Nacht's assistant / lover / assassin
• Horst Zimmer, seemingly a big, beefy Aryan stereotype;. von Nacht has some kind of hold over him, which Zimmer resents. Looking for a chance to break free.
• ? some other assistant ?
• One of these is a member of Terra Obscura
• One of these is a result of Nazi breeding experiment, which confers some kind of superior ability (mental or physical) which the subject keeps hidden.
• von Nacht has a secret hold over one of these, which the victim resents.

Why recruit Henchmen? Why not use Stormtroopers

• Helmut von Nacht had a loyal bunch of Stormtroopers, but something happened to them (the doings of the Terra Obscura agent, no doubt).
• (The Henchmen should discover the fate of the Stormtroopers somehow, something gruesome)
• Torgon is getting impatient with him, so he had to find substitutes.
• von Nacht is keeping important details of the mission secret. Partly because this is how he treats his underlings; partly because he doesn't want them to blow the mission for him.

Secrets of the Hollow Earth

• The earth is hollow
• Several entrances, especially at the poles
• Ancient Civilizations, including remnants of the Atlantean civilization. Amazons, Titans (giant humanoids), Vril-ya, Cargo Cultists, Amazons, Cannibals, Neanderthals, Noble Savages, Aztecs, Mongols, Mythikans (Ancient Greeks), Romans
• Beast Men: Ape Men, Gill Men, Mandrakes (plant people), Hawk Men, Panther Men, Lizard Men, Mantis Men, Mole Men
• Creatures: dinosaurs; prehistoric megafauna; "man-eating" plants; etc.
  

Terra Obscura

• Ancient secret society, descended from Atlanteans, working to keep all knowledge of the Hollow Earth a secret.
• Agents will use any means (discrediting, theft, bribery, recruitment, murder) to accomplish their goals
• Small but widespread organization; has infiltrated governments, universities, military; monitors world news organizations. expeditions to areas which lead to Hollow Earth
• Agents are incredibly capable and resourceful secret agents; dedicated but do not act like rabid fanatics. (Think James Bond).
• They have access to some Atlantean technology, but sparingly; don't understand the principles of the technology.
• Though of an Atlantean origin, there are no Atlanteans in Terra Obscura.

Why can't the Henchmenback out?

• Von Nacht will have them killed if they don't do what he wants.
• The Henching Hand will terminate their contracts, with all applicable penalties, if they don't go through with the mission. [Look up the appropriate parts of the contract; if there aren't any, write up new ones. Didn't you check your email? Well, check your spam filter. Do we have your correct email? Home address? etc.)
• Doesn't Earth have, like, space radar? Space stations? Orbiting nuclear platforms?
  

What the heck is Vril, anyway?

• it's an energy source much like the Force, Ley Line energy, feng shui, etc.
• The ancient Atlanteans knew how to master Vril; it was the source of their super-scientific/occult technology.

Atlantis

• Destroyed millenia ago on the surface world; survivors made their way to the center of the Earth.
• Had an incredibly high level of technology and magic
• Mysteriously vanished. (Like the Krell/Forbidden Planet)? Mysterious ruins left behind, showing hints of advanced/magic technology.

Torgon

• identity is kept secret (to keep the PCs from backing out), heighten suspense
•  Dr. Helmut von Nacht is Torgon's Earth agent; works for a mysterious benefactor, who prefers to remain anonymous
• One of the PCs is a former lieutenant of Torgon's who failed a mission or rebelled; von Nacht has orders to see this PC killed.

Moonbase

• Large hangar with rocketships
• Interocitor (big triangular screen, atom symbol, dials, etc.)
• Locked meeting room with Torgon symbol
• Torture chamber w/ prisoners (who? why?) (To clue the henchmen in that something weird is going on. Of course, henchmen get weird handed to them on a daily basis.)
• Alien troops are kept hidden or disguised
• Terra Obscura agent covertly sabotaging mission

Damn Nazis!

• Helmut von Nacht is secretly a highly placed member of the Thule Society
• Wants to discover the lost secrets of Atlantis for the return of the Third Reich (Fourth Reich?)
• Wants to prove the Atlantean origin of the Aryan races, and thus German racial superiority
• Atlantean scientific and occult knowledge behind every major historical civilization
• Knowledge of the secrets of Atlantis will return the Reich to power.

Deros (evil stunted humanoid monstrosities, paranoid, sadistic)

• Have some ancient Atlantean devices which they use for torture, mind reading, mind control, espionage
• They don't understand the principles
• Working with the Nazis

 Vril-ya

• Claim to be the real Atlanteans, but are mere pretenders
• Live in a major set of Atlantean ruins, and have access to more Atlantean technology than annyone else, but do not have more than a smattering
• Pretending to be gods, wizards of great power, etc.
• Have access to a great source of Vril

ASSISTANCE AND REWARDS (Optional)

• The Eisenmaulwurf (Iron Mole): drilling vehicle from an early attempt by von Nacht. Could be repaired and used to ecape if stranded.
• Gaining allies from the natives
• Discovering a minor secret of Atlantean technology