Volume 3, Issue 3

Autumn, 1887

The Æthergraph

In Her Majesty’s Name S P E C I A L P O I N T S O F I N T E R E S T :

 MERCENARIES!  Lord Ronan Curr  The Gun Buggy  New Mystic Powers

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Clive’s Register

3

Verne’s Quarterly

4

Extraterrestrial Adventure

5

Armoured Naval Landing Party

6

Mercenaries for IHMN

8

Regiments of Renown

11

Saurian Tribesmen

15

Her Majesty, Victoria by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India.

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2

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Æ t h e r g r a p h

News of the Worlds By J Womack

Earth

Mars

Tokyo-- The Imperial Japanese Navy announces the completion of their first aetherial warship, IJAN Mushashi. The Musashi carries armament equivalent to a dreadnought’s main guns (though fewer of them), and is armoured like a typical cruiser in order to retain a higher acceleration. The new type is provisionally (and rather dramatically) classified as a ‘dread-cruiser,’ though some in the Admiralty appear to prefer the term ‘battlecruiser’ or merely ‘heavy cruiser.’

Victoria Landing— A new fire engine has arrived from Earth aboard RMAS Elephantine. Engineers of the landship forces assembled the vehicle onsite. Volunteers for a fire service are sought.

Austin— The Republic of Texas entered into negotiations with Her Majesty’s Foreign Office for the purchase of a large quantity of export rifles, intended to upgrade the Texican infantry’s primary weapon. London— The Metropolitan Police report the dispersal of a large gathering of Fenians on Sunday, the 13th.

Galfor— Crown Prince Fash Garuda was found murdered in his bed. Official reports indict one of his many concubines in the murder, which is believed to have been prompted by personal disagreement between the prince and his concubine. Reports suggest that investigators do not suspect an underlying political motivation. The concubine, name unknown, committed suicide by poison before the Prince’s Guard could enter the room and apprehend her. Verenal Canal— A major fissure has caused severe loss of waterflow in the Verenal Canal. British engineers and a host of native Johnnies have been dispatched to attempt repairs.

Editor’s Corner

J Womack

Kaor! China— The Yellow River’s annual flood was particularly devastating this year. Thousands of lives were lost as the raging waters tore through the countryside. London— Issues of Beeton’s Christmas Annual are flying off the newsstand, thanks to a popular detective feature written by Mr. Arthur Conan Doyle.

Venus Venusstaadt— Eminent German scientist Heinrich Hertz discovers new properties of galvanic magnetism, naming it the ‘photoelectric effect.’ Orbit— Venus Highport recorded a record number of private citizens passing through in November. A total of 36 private individuals landed on Venus through the port, carried upon three merchant craft. Albertville— The Right Hon. Joseph Blyhte-Manor took possession of his newly-purchased plantation acreage. Squire Blyhte-Manor intends to put in tobacco and coffee.

This issue, as you can see, has been dedicated to the excellent In Her Majesty’s Name rules, written by Craig Cartmell and Charles Murton, and published by Osprey Wargames. There is a lot of contributed material in this issue, and I want to say thanks to everyone who has submitted items for The Aethergraph. I’d never get three issues out in a year if I had to do it all myself, and, honestly… well, I couldn’t have done it without you guys. A special thanks to Craig Cartmell and Charles Murton for sending me their ‘officially optional’ rules for adding mercenaries into Adventuring Companies. I’m very excited to be able to present those rules here first. Anyway, there are a lot of great articles, new rules, new settings, new Adventuring Companies, and all sorts of VSF-y goodness waiting for you in this issue. Enjoy! -J Womack

Volume 3, Issue 3

C l i v e ’ s

Page

R e g i s t e r L o r d

o f

E d w a r d

B y

C r a i g

P r o m i n e n t R o n a n

C a r t m e l l

C u r r

3

P e r s o n s

Edward Ronan Curr was born on the first of April 1845 to Lord Albert and Lady Marguerite Curr on his family's estate in Donegal, Ireland. He was the second of seven sons and from the very beginning the strongest, quickest and most hot-headed. His elder brother Absalom said that Ronan “would do anything for a dare,” which included jumping down onto moving trains from the local station foot bridge, riding two horses at once, poaching, and even getting into fistfights with Tinkers. As often as not he was caught with his half-brother Gerald and the two rogues were inseparable. He was seventeen when his parents and younger brother were killed in an altercation with a group of Fenians. The local brotherhood resented the fact that that the Currs, who were Catholic, hadn't done more to curb the excesses of local Protestant land agents. Curr inherited his father's title as his elder brother Absalom had renounced his rights to it in order to serve the Church in Rome. Two days later, Curr was found sitting in a barn near Belfast. Five men were hanging from the rafters and all bore the marks of a terrible beating. He had avenged his parents and brother, but at an awful cost. The authorities sought to cover this incident up and Curr was sent to England to attend Sandhurst, where he passed out with honours three years later. He then bought a commission with the 17th Lancers, who were shipping out for Egypt. Ever loyal Gerald followed him by enlisting as a Trooper. It was in Africa that he found his vocation. Despite his military duties he spent more time exploring the Nile with other rogues such as the young Alan Quatermain and the Belgian Doctor Alberte Hugo. Quatermain managed to get Curr seconded from the Lancers to the newly raised Queen’s Own African Rifles and the two of them spent a very happy couple of years banging around the interior, sorting out the tribes, and exploring (some would say ‘plundering’) many ancient sites. Now a brevet Captain, Curr was on patrol with his Colonel when they were ambushed deep in the equatorial jungle. The Colonel was mortally injured and Curr took command. Having escaped the ambush, Curr sent the Colonel back to camp with the

Lord Edward Ronan Curr bearers and then set off in pursuit with his native troops, which was against standing orders. Quatermain disagreed with his decision, so Curr sent him back to consult the Colonel, knowing full well that even Quatermain could not catch up with them before he cornered and engaged the enemy. Curr managed to catch the tribe who had attacked them and quickly found that his company were outnumbered at least twenty to one. The men fought a gallant last stand and when Curr led a breakout only three men were still able to accompany him. None of the others survived the retreat. He stumbled out of the jungle three weeks later, alone, delirious with malaria, and wrapped in his company's standard. Based solely on Quatermain's testimony Curr was court-martialled in short order and cashiered from the regiment. The two men never spoke again. The next ten years are a bit of a mystery. Curr surfaced from time to time apparently working as a Hunter or a Guide across Africa. He appeared on

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4

(Continued from page 3)

the North-west Frontier where he made friends with Lt. Dravot and his subaltern Carnehan, and he rescued a wounded Sikh warrior called Mohan Singh from a raging Hindu mob. Curr was the last white man to escape Khartoum after it was sacked by the Mahdi in 1885. To this day he is said to have nightmares about the death of his friend and mentor, Sir Charles Gordon. He was even recorded as leading the Royal Bodyguard of the Caliph of Zanzibar having apparently converted to Islam and using that office to provoke a slave revolt. Then in 1888, he returned to London at the request of Mycroft Holmes and the Foreign Office. Holmes was gathering a company together to fight against the rise of an organisation called “The Society of Thule.” Curr brought Mohan Singh and Gerald with him and recruited what Holmes called “a brigade of brigands,” who would later become known as ‘the Incorrigibles.’ Holmes justified his choice to the then Foreign Secretary by saying he “needed a man who only considered the ends and never worried about the means.” Over the coming years Curr and his Incorrigibles thwarted the Society at least a dozen times in Cairo, Rome, Jerusalem, Seville, Berlin (twice), the arctic island of Svalbard, Tehran, London (thrice), and most famously, in Istanbul. For reasons not recorded, but believed to have been involving a woman, Curr finally met up with Otto von Stroheim, the Grand Master of the Society of Thule. The meeting ended with Curr blasting von Stroheim's left arm off with a hunting rifle and then having to swim the Bosporus to escape von Stroheim's enraged followers.

an engineer whom Scotland Yard would love to have a chat with regarding several unsolved arson attacks and bombings, both in England and on the Continent. Curr is currently wanted in a dozen countries on various charges of murder, sedition, robbery, treason, espionage and mayhem, and a hero in a dozen more. He is the epitome of a British gentleman-adventurer, the like of which has not been seen since Drake and

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London and Victoria’s Landing

Verne’s Quarterly Maton’s Gun Buggy

Although officially he still does work for the Foreign Office they are getting increasingly frustrated with him going ‘off script,’ and believe that he may be using his men and his contacts to pursue his own agenda. They are also unhappy regarding his sometime partnership with the privateer Lady Helen Quatermain (niece of Sir Allan and a cousin of the Queen) whose activities are cause of considerable consternation. During his many adventures he has picked up a band of loyal henchmen. These include Mohan Singh - the formidable Sikh warrior, Lady Felicity - a woman of dubious virtue but deadly aim, Gerald FitzCurr - his half-brother, and 'Mad' Mick Macfarlane -

Æ t h e r g r a p h

This rapid response vehicle fulfills the niche for cavalry quite nicely. Virtually unarmoured, the operator is at least well-armed, with a Vickers Machinegun. Speed is his best defense.

Gun Buggy

Base Speed

Diffiicult Terrain?

Considerations

Cost

12”

No

Unarmoured but swift. Armed with a machinegun.

20

Volume 3, Issue 3

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5

Extr aterrestrial Adventures in IHMN Off to Barsoom! By J Womack

One of the more popular themes in Victorian Science Fiction is the exploration of other worlds, generally within our own solar system. From the Barsoom of Burroughs to the Venus of Chadwick to the Luna of Verne, several extraterrestrial locales have been described in a variety of ways. Each author has treated the other planets differently, but all within a Victorian setting. I myself make use of these thematic elements in the creation of the universe in which I set my own VSF games. In Her Majesty’s Name has not, to date, directly addressed this theme,. However, it is a simple enough exercise to set your games on other planets populated by fantastic non-human races.

Luna? And the architecture of the new planet? Are alien structures similar to Earthly ones? The Martians of my VSF universe build structures remarkably similar to those found in the Mediterranean region of Earth, especially the North African desert. This is due, naturally, to a similarity in climate driving a similar functionality in housing. The old Martian cities, however, hold towering spires and the homes show a more Italian or Spanish influence along the margins of the dead sea basins. Naturally, Europeans have built European structures, similar to those found in African or Asian colonies, adapted somewhat to the appropriate climatic conditions.

In essence, you have two primary tasks facing you when choosing to move your IHMN adventures out into the solar system (or even beyond). First, you need to consider the settings themselves. Second, the aliens that occupy these strange new worlds have to be created. Each of these tasks has a few items which require at least consideration, if not necessarily any action.

A new setting requires little or no actual changes to the rules. You may want to introduce new Weird Science gadgets, as previously mentioned. New Mystical Powers which carry some of the flavor of the new setting might also be appropriate. For example, a Parrotfolk shaman might have the Power Summon Avian Swarm, described elsewhere in this issue. Another option would be to re-name already existing Powers to fit thematically within the new setting. Calling Zone of Shadows something akin to Rain of Leaves helps it fit a tropical rainforest environment without changing the game effects.

The Setting Consider the landscape of the extraterrestrial adventure. Is it essentially terrestrial in nature, like my version of Venus (essentially a jungle planet, like Chadwick’s in Space 1889)? Is it hostile in nature (airless, like Luna), and thus needing special equipment? Or does, for example, the airlessness modify the landscape—adventuring within a dome which Must Not Be Breached? You may need to create new Weird Science gadgets like the Everton Aetherial Rebreathing Helmet to act as a precautionary measure against oxygen depletion. Perhaps weaker gravity means increased movement rates, or increased ranges for projectiles? Will you need a different playing surface to simulate the red sands of Mars or the lifeless rock of

Alien Creatures Aliens typically come in three broad varieties: humanoid, anthropomorphic, and utterly alien. Humanoids exhibit only minor variations from terrestrial humans. Red Martians, for example, appear very similar to men except for the color of their skin, the number of digits on hands and feet, and the shape of the ears. Anthropomorphic aliens are distinctly nonhuman, but have a basically human shape: two arms, two legs, head and torso. Lizardmen and parrotfolk are good examples of anthropomorphic aliens. An (Continued on page 14)

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Armoured Naval Landing Party An Adventuring Company for IHMN By Paul O’Grady

The landing parties of the Royal Navy are well armoured to withstand fire while closing with the enemy to take defended ships and locations. Supported by ship launched support dirigibles or light steam contraptions, these sailors give Naval Commanders many options to take the fight to the enemy both at sea and ashore. Landing parties can also be deploying via wardirigibles of the Royal Naval Air Service, extending their utility significantly. The exploits of RN landing teams in recent history are an inspiration to many. British newspapers were abuzz with the feats of Commander Everton in the Orient, for which for was knighted upon his return. More recently,young Midshipman Hornblower (the latest personality of that reputable naval family) and the grizzly but ever loyal Petty Officer Bowlin, have built a reputation in action on the Nile and the rivers of the Dark Continent. Pluck

FV

SV

SP

Cost Talents

Basic Equipment

Commander

3+

+4

+4

0

66

Leadership +2, Inspirational

Sword, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Boarding Officer

3+

+4

+4

0

53

Leadership +1 (May take one extra Talent at additional cost)

Sword, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Chief Bosun’s Mate

4+

+3

+3

0

39

(May take one Talent at additional cost)

Cutlass, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Landing Party Sailor

5+

+2

+2

0

29

Medical Sailor

5+

0

+2

0

30

Medic

Pistol, SRC Breastplate

Cmdr. Sir Hugh Everton, KCB, DSO, RN

3+

+4

+4

0

72

Inspirational, Tough

Sword, pistol, SRC Breastplate, monocular targeting array

Mr. Midshipman Hornblower, RN

4+

+3

+3

0

44

Erudite Wit

Sword, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Petty Officer Bowlin

4+

+4

+2

0

43

Berserker

Cutlass, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Cutlass, pistol, SRC Breastplate

Support Dirigible

20

As an Ornithopter (IHMN, p. 28)

Fearnought-class Steam Contraption

45

Three-wheeled armoured (Armour 11) carriage with Machinegun.

Options  Any figure may be equipped with explosive grenades (+6 points) or breath preserver (+2 points).  Any sailor so equipped may exchange his cutlass and pistol for a military rifle (+2 points) or shotgun (-2 points).  Any figure may exchange an SRC Breastplate for Patent Kelly Armour (+33 points).  One Landing Party Sailor may exchange his pistol and cutlass for a Flamethrower (+4 points). This may be done in conjunction with the Patent Kelly Armour upgrade.  Two Landing Party Sailors may be re-equipped as a Gatling Gun or Nordenfelt team, one as gunner and one as loader. Remove their cutlasses and add one MG (total cost + 18 points). They retain their pistols as backup weapons. Design Notes: This Company represents a heavily armed but likely small landing or boarding party embarked in a warship. The troop choices are relatively expensive due to their standard issue of SRC breastplates. Initially, I designed the force to all be in Patent Kelly Armour but this proved too high a cost. Instead, the Kelly Armour has been made optional. Accordingly, a Naval landing force is likely to be outnumbered by the foe, potentially significantly,. However, their armour and support weapon options should give them staying power to close the enemy decisively.

Volume 3, Issue 3

Page

7

Armoured Naval Landing Party, Serving in the Jungles of Southeast Asia

for any reason until its next Movement activation. Pluck roll? No. Cost: 12

Smells Like Bait

New Mystic Powers By J Womack

Summon Avian Swarm Range: 12” Duration: 1 phase Phase: Shooting or Fighting Effect: At the Mystic’s call, a swarm of small birds attacks all figures in a 3” radius at a bonus of +4. Additionally, the dense swarm blocks line of sight for the phase. Pluck roll? Yes, as normal for an attack. Cost: 23

Miring Muck Range: 12” Duration: 1 turn Phase: Movement Effect: The earth beneath the feet of any targeted creature turns to a clinging muck. The figure may not move

Range: Line of sight Duration: 1 turn Phase: Movement Effect: The unfortunate victim of this Power emits a strong smell of whatever food would be most appetizing to any animals within 6”. All animals within that area will move towards and attack the victim in the Fighting phase, regardless of the animal’s handler’s desire. Pluck roll? No. Cost: 29

Mystic Gaslight Range: Line of sight Duration: Until another Mystic Power is used Phase: Shooting or Fighting Effect: A glowing ball of cold light hovers above the Mystic, illuminating everything within line of sight as if it were daylight, negating penalties for nighttime, darkness, etc., in that area. This light does not penetrate Mystical darkness, only natural. Pluck roll? N/A Cost: 8

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Mercenaries In Her Ma jesty’s Name Being An Optional Rule By Craig Cartmell and Charles Murton

Introduction This is an optional rule that allows companies to buy individual figures for single missions. No Company can have more than one mercenary on their roster at any one time. Hiring a mercenary costs 10 points plus the cost of the figure itself. Most mercenaries have restrictions on who they will let hire them. For example, Sir Allan Quatermain will only work for British Companies. Mercenaries can include some individual members of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (see the IHMN blog for full details) and also the others listed below. LXG member

Restrictions

Sir Allan Quatermain

Will only work for British or British Imperial/Colonial companies.

Mrs Mina Harker

Will work for anyone.

Dorian Gray

Will work for anyone.

The Invisible Man

Will work for anyone.

Dr Jekyll

Will only work for British or British Imperial/Colonial companies.

Mr Hyde

Will work for anyone.

Tom Sawyer

Will only work for the US Secret Service.

Captain Nemo has his own agenda and does not work for anyone else. Other potential mercenaries are listed below. Note: If by some chance more than one Company tries to hire the same mercenary for the same game then that mercenary withdraws and the points spent by the hiring companies are wasted. Sidney Reilly Sigmund Georgievich Rosenblum was born on March 24, 1874 in Odessa, Ukraine. He became a British Agent and took on the cover name Sidney Reilly. By 1895, though just 21 years old, Reilly had already proven himself as a masterful con artist. His later exploits included the infiltration of the German General Staff and the near overthrow of the Bolsheviks. Any Old World company, and the US Secret Service, can buy his services for single missions. Figure Sidney Reilly

Pluck

FV

SV

Speed

Cost

3+

+2

+2

+1

60

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

Master of Disguise, Meticulous Planning, Mesmerism.

Lined Coat, Pistol, Fighting Knife

Brendan O'Rourke This rebellious Irishman is a deserter from La Legion Etrangere. He has a terrible weakness for treasure-hunting which often leaves him short of money. O’Rourke mistrusts mystical powers and has a long running feud with Akhenaton and his cultists; he will work for any other company that doesn't employ mystical powers. (Continued on page 9)

Volume 3, Issue 3

Figure Brendan O'Rourke

Page

Pluck

FV

SV

Speed

Cost

3+

+3

+3

+0

65

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

Marksman, Tough, Fearless, Gunslinger

Chainmail Shirt, Shotgun, Pistols x2, Fighting Knife

9

Jimmy Canaan A former member of the High Sierra Gang, Jimmy left to sell his services to the various revolutionary factions down Mexico way. Since then he has been hawking his demolition skills all over the New and Old Worlds, and will work for anyone - except the High Sierra Gang, who now want him dead. The Preacher has already carved him a headstone. If you want something blown sky-high, then Jimmy's your man. Figure Jimmy Canaan

Pluck

FV

SV

Speed

Cost

4+

+2

+3

+0

44

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

Engineer

Lined Coat, Pistol, Gre-

Dr Ivan Robotnik This Hungarian genius is on the run from the Society of Thule. He was the chap who designed their Kriegwalker and then fled when he realised for what purpose they wanted to use it. To stay one step ahead of von Ströheim's hounds, he has had to sell his services and inventions to the highest bidder. Thus, he will work for anyone except the Society of Thule. Currently, Dr. Robotnik has up to four of his Auto-Soldaten with him. These are automatons that are controlled using his Wireless Control Harness (+10 points). This has a range of 12". Despite being steam-powered, the Auto-Soldaten must remain within 12" of an Arc Generator or their electric control relays cease to function. Figure

Pluck

FV

SV

Speed

Cost

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

Dr Ivan Robotnik

5+

+0

+0

+0

46

Engineer

Magneto-static Waistcoat, Arc Pistol, Arc Generator, Control Harness

Mk VII AutoSoldaten

3+

+2

+2

+0

47

Antivenom, Fearless, Impervious

Armour 9, Axe (large), Arc Pistol

Pere Camillo Camillo is a rogue Catholic Priest who was excommunicated for dabbling with powers not meant for man. He is a bit of a rabble-rouser who loves nothing better than to cause trouble, especially for what he calls 'Warlocks' (i.e. anyone else with mystical powers). He is on the Cognoscenti’s ‘shoot-on-sight’ list. He will work for any company that does not already have anyone with mystical powers. Figure Pere Camillo

Pluck

FV

SV

Speed

Cost

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

3+

+3

+0

+0

33+

Leadership +2, Inspirational, Martial Artist (Boxer) Up to 20 points of mystical powers.

Lined Coat

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Aethership Schedule November—December

Line

Vessel

Flag/Tons

Route

Earth (Luna)

Mars

Venus

Cunard

Hermes

UK/25,000

E(L)-M-V-E

11/3 (11/5); 12/31

11/17

12/18

Cunard

Mercury

UK/25,000

V-E(L)-M-V

11/16 (11/18)

12/1

11/1; 12/31

Fr./22,000

E-M-E

11/1 (11/3); 12/1 (12/3)

11/15; 12/15

—

E-V-E

11/10; 12/11

—

11/25; 12/26

E-V-M-E

11/6; 12/31

12/19

11/18

Ger./29,000

E-M-E

11/7; 12/3; 12/28

11/19; 12/15

—

AetherFrance Gloire d’Aether Lufthansa

Frederick

Ger./31,000

Union Star

Washington

US/30,000

Hapag-Lloyd Bremen Hokkaido

Royal Edo

Jap./17,000

E-M-E

11/13; 12/10

11/1; 11/26; 12/23

—

Republic

Brazos Star

Tex./17,000

V-E-M-E-V

11/21; 12/19

12/7

11/8

Diary of a Texican on Venus By Gny. Sgt. Seamus Cox, RTMC (ret.)

25 December … Sergeant Thibodeaux and his expanded crew worked miracles today with Grillag, greens and potatoes as we dined on our Christmas Feast. Father Flannigan gave an inspiring homily at the Mass and we all enjoyed the meal. Chief O’Malley introduced me to Seaman 1st Class (equivalent to a Lance Corporal) David Johansson. He was assigned to us as a pilot for the motor whaleboat-based dirigible. He has been in the Republic Navy for five years and is already a very efficient coxswain with both air and nautical vessels. Since he is in the Navy, he will be under Mr. Griggs' command and not the Army's. He is therefore mine, so I will have to see skills he has besides piloting so I can assign him to one of the work crews. I have a feeling he will be put on Corporal Jones’ saw mill crew. They are a man short due to a bad injury one of the privates suffered last week. The doctors think they've managed to keep the cut from going bad, but in this Venusian mist, who can tell for sure? Lady Venus was treated with a Grillag hip bone today that was smoked by Private Mistrot. We received mail and a few presents from loved ones. The men always enjoy mail call and it is nice to get letters from the missus.

My wife sent me some drawings our younger boys made, and our oldest, Ian James, has gotten word back that he has been accepted into Gannon Military College. I would have preferred the Naval Academy, but they are a bit more snobbish—the Academy does not like to admit the sons of enlisted men unless they have won the Lone Star Cross. Ian wants to join the military, and always has, but I told him if he joins he’ll be mustering in with a bar on his collar tabs instead of a stripe on his sleeve. At Gannon he will be able to become a staff officer with either the engineering, signal or artillery corps; the Naval Academy is the only way one can become a Navy line officer. If Ian chooses civil engineering (which I highly doubt, as the boy is most destructive) he will be in a position like Mr. Griggs; however, I have a feeling he will become an artillery officer. He truly does like to see things go boom. Well, enough rambling on, fatherly pride or not. I should take Lady V for a walk, as Chief O’Malley is waiting for us so he may tag along.

Gunnery Sergeant Seamus Cox, of the Republic of Texas Marine Corps, kept a diary of his adventures in the new colony on Venus. It was printed in 1882 as “Diary of a Texican on Venus.”

Volume 3, Issue 3

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Reginald’s Regiments of Renown: Otto Maton’s Minions By J Womack

Unit History

Maton recruited the first minions when he worked in Germany. He began with a disaffected captain of the Polish infantry, one Stanislaw Slovotsky, formerly of Kalisz. Slovotsky searched the beer halls and universities of Europe for the destitute and the radical, building a small company of desperate losses. Maton is rumored to have men. When Maton seized an aeth- decimated the survivors, including ership to escape Earth, Slovotsky Slovotsky himself, for their failure. and his men led the way. Uniforms

Since his appearance on the world stage as the pre-eminent expert on the arts of mechanickal engineering and automatons, Herr Doktor Professor Otto Maton, the Mad Belgian, has turned his energies to the subjugation of the solar system. In pursuing that goal, Maton relies heavily on his mechanickal creations, but they lack imagination and initiative, and so are unsuitable for tasks requiring menCombat History tal flexibility. For these occasions, Since then, the minons have Maton has hired a corps of desperbeen a battlefield presence in most ate men to do his nefarious bidof Maton’s battles with the Great ding: his so-called “minions.” Powers and native princes. Their The rank and file minions of accurate rifle fire turned the tide Doctor Maton come from the for Maton when Her Majesty’s dregs of society—an argument for forces assaulted one of his bunkers the improvement of the lower in the Martian badlands (the Battle classes if ever there was one. His of Dead Canal Height, May 1885). officers are the sort of ne’er-do- Their determined assault against wells that even the best families the walls of the Martian town of sometimes produce. They serve H’riska carried the gate. Normally, willingly, even eagerly, in Maton’s such an assault would be assigned schemes to overthrow the estab- the automatons, but the existence lished order and replace it with a of a very rare wet moat around the New Order. Maton’s men are quite town’s walls (it is really built on an dedicated to his cause, thanks to artificial island in a canal) made the their outcast nature. In the mean- use of mechanickals problematic. time, the minions slave under a Once the gate was open and the harsh discipline that shocks even bridge down, the automatons adthe most demanding of Prussian vanced into the town. The minions Junkers. Flogging is common, and also took part in the ambush of a the penalty for failure in battle is handwavium convoy in Simla Valley (June 1882). In this instance, decimation. they were repulsed with heavy

Thanks to Maton’s predilection for toxic chemicals, each minion has a breath preserver attached to their helmet. They also wear long coats of a material tough enough to act as a sort of armor. In A hidden manufactory provides the minions with a supply of modern military rifles, machine guns, pistols and carbines. Some are trained as artillerists to crew the Mad Belgian’s diabolical engines. He has an entire platoon armed with arc rifles, and minions crew his vehicles as well. Maton’s mania for classification is evident in his minion’s uniform markings. Each of the several branches is marked with a simple color code on the cuffs of their long coats:  Blue for infantry  Red for artillerists  Yellow for arc rifles.  Orange for flame sprayers.

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The Joker and the Thief Two Characters for IHMN By Mark “Geo” Galinas

JOKER

THIEF

Jacob Oliver Kane was born in New York City on April 1st, 1855. His father, Joshua O’Kane, emigrated from Ireland in 1850 in order to survive the Potato Famine. When he arrived in America, Joshua dropped the O’ from his name like many of his fellow countrymen and became simply Kane. Joshua married Maria Douglas, another Irish immigrant whom he met in New York.

Hannah Winters was born to Robert and Janet Wentworth of Baltimore, Maryland on December 13th, 1857. Her father had married late in life, but her mother was barely 18 when they wed.

Although he was too young to serve in the American Civil War, Jake joined the army and served with the cavalry in the Dakota territories. By the 1870s the Indian Wars were largely over; however, a band of renegades and outlaws known as Red Snake’s Band attacked Jake’s troop while they were on patrol. When the fighting was over, Red Snake and most of his band were dead, along with most of Jake’s troop. Jake was wounded in the action, but quickly recovered. He was given Red Snake’s medicine bag (which he would later give to Hannah). The medicine bag proved to be a powerful amulet granting the wearer the power of shadow. In the army, a sergeant tagged him with the nickname Joker because his initials (JOK) looked like joke. Jake found army life rather tedious, so he left after his enlistment expired and took up studies. In 1881, he was recruited by the fledgling U.S. Secret Service. He had his first big case in 1883 while he was a junior partner to Robert Hickam. They were sent to San Francisco to investigate a conspiracy to rob the mint. It was there that Jake first met Hannah. In the years since their meeting, Jake and Hannah have kept in contact and he has occasionally called upon her and her friend Jeremiah Carver for their talents when working on a particularly tough case, such as when they prevented the Order of the Irish Rose from kidnapping the president’s wife. In 1885, Robert Hickam retired and Jake became a senior agent. His current partner is Phillip Jones, who is junior to Jake, but not a rookie. (Treat Phillip as a Senior Special Agent from HVF, Page 35.)

Two years later, Hannah’s mother died giving birth to her sister, whom her father named after his wife. With the specter of war looming, Robert sold what they had and moved his family to Fort Wayne, Indiana. Her father died when Hannah was 16 and she took to a life of crime rather than other alternatives. She became an accomplished burglar, but after four years her luck ran out. She was arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to the Indiana Women’s Prison.1 After her release from prison, Hannah started using the last name of Winters and headed west to San Francisco to be near her sister and get a new start. Under the assumed name, Hannah worked for her sister as a governess. While in San Francisco, she befriended Jeremiah Carver, a cousin of the more famous George Washington Carver. Jeremiah seemed to share his cousin’s genius, but for machines rather than agriculture. With Hannah’s sponsorship, he was able to patent some household devices. Her share of the resulting income has allowed Hannah to leave the employ of her sister and live comfortably. However, Hannah could not escape her past and was blackmailed into helping the Ben Wilson Gang in an attempt to rob the San Francisco Mint. The plot was foiled by the Secret Service and Hannah was released in exchange for her testimony. One of the agents was Jacob Kane, who saw potential in Hannah’s abilities. 1

The Indiana Women’s Prison opened in 1873 and was the first of its kind in the country.

Volume 3, Issue 3

Page

13

The Patent Cure for All Ailments of the Liver, Heart, Bowels, Throat, Eyes, and Spleen! Cures spots, reduces fevers, freshens breath! Also, a valuable additive to detergents for stubborn stains.

Jacob Oliver Kane, Special Agent, U.S. Secret Service Pluck

FV

SV

3+

+3

+4

Armor Speed 9

+2

Talents/Powers Leadership +2, Tough, Martial Artist

Basic Equipment

Cost

Magneto-Static Waistcoat, Knife, Short Shotgun

50

Options: Jake can add a horse for 5 points or a cavalry horse for 9 points.  If Jake has a horse, he can take the Cavalryman Talent for 3 points.  If Jake is using Secret Service issue equipment, replace the waistcoat and short shotgun with a lined coat and arc pistol for 0 points. 

Hannah Winters, Specialist Pluck

FV

SV

4+

+3

+3

Armor Speed 9

0

Talents/Powers

Basic Equipment

Stealthy, Iron Will, Duelist (Arc Magneto-Static Corset, Throwing Pistol), Lightning Draw (Blades) Knife, Arc Pistol, Monocle Target-

Cost 50

Options: Hannah occasionally carries a medicine bag given to her by Jake for 9 points. (Treat as a Reliquary with the Path of Shadows Power.)  If not accompanied by Jeremiah Carver, Hannah may carry a normal pistol and a second throwing knife instead of her ARC pistol for 0 points.  If in a populated area, Hannah may take the Part of the Crowd Talent for 5 points. 

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14

(Continued from page 5)

utterly alien creature has an obviously non-human shape and frequently different abilities associated with their weird biology. The four-armed tharks of Barsoom, for example, or the insectoid Selenites, are utterly alien. From a rules standpoint, humanoids are no different than humans. Perhaps they have a Talent like Coldproof, based on racial characteristics, but not much needs to be done for them. Anthropomorphs are more likely than humanoids to have special rules. Lizardmen may have a naturally higher Armour value because of bony plates on their scaly flesh. The claws of Tigrids are natural weapons similar to a knife. Just make a note of it, account for the points, and move on.

T h e

Æ t h e r g r a p h

Utterly alien creatures will probably need special rules. Like before, this can generally be handled with the use of Talents. In the case of the tharks, for example (or the white ape, for that matter), a Talent like “Additional Arms” would handle the issue. More bizarre aliens would require other Talents or rules. The xenomorph from the Alien film series would need a rule for its acid blood. You might need a rule that penalizes each side’s Fighting Value and Shooting Value bonuses, because the utterly alien creature’s vitals are located differently. Or perhaps the aliens have been studying humans for ages, and have the anatomical advantage (something handled most easily by increasing their Armour).

Some Talents will be racially based—all members of the race in question should have these Talents. A chameleon-like ability to blend in could be represented by the Stealthy Talent, for example. You may need to create a new Talent or two for more exotic anthropomorphic aliens like the High Martian’s ability to fly.

Taking into consideration these two factors, setting and creatures, a GM can easily tailor a game of In Her Majesty’s Name to a wider scope. A little bit of pseudo-scientific storytelling to describe the reasons for the rules changes helps, too.

Volume 3, Issue 3

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15

Saurian Tribesmen of Venus

An Adventuring Company for In Her Majesty’s Name By James Womack

The tropical rainforests of Venus are home to many strange species. Perhaps none is more dangerous than the lizardmen. Primitive tribesmen, what they lack in technology they make up for in cunning. Using their intimate knowledge of the planet’s great jungles, the lizardmen raid human settlements and constantly war on each other and their ancient racial foe, the parrotfolk. Some tribes even ride into battle on the backs of dinosaurs! The most famed of all lizardmen war chiefs is the ancient Kroq-Gar, rumored to be over a thousand years old.

Pluck FV Kroq-Gar Old Blood

3+ 3+

+4 +4

SV

SP

+0

+1

+0

0

Cost Talents 92

Basic Equipment

Leadership +2, Terrifying, Fearless, Cavalryman, Immortal

Lance, sword, bone armour (as plate armour), shield

Leadership +1, Terrifying, Fearless

Large sword, bone armour (as plate armour)

72 Leadership +1, Swimming, Stealthy, Up to 30 points of Mystical Powers

Staff

Skink Shaman

5+

+0

+1

+1

19+

Temple Guard

3+

+3

+0

0

44

Terrifying, Fearless

Halberd, shield, scaly hide (as chain shirt)

Saurus Warrior

4+

+2

+0

0

23

Fearless

Sword, shield, scaly hide (as brigandine)

Skink Archer

6+

+0

+1

+1

20

Swimming, Skirmisher

Bow, poisoned arrows

Skink Javelineer

6+

+0

+1

1

21

Swimming, Skirmisher

Spear (poisoned), shield

Carnosaur

4+

+4

+0

+0

Pterosaur

5+

+0

+0

+0

Flying

Stegadon Howdah

3+

+4

+0

+0

Berserker, Fearless

Arbalest, howdah (Armour 9)

Options:  Kroq-Gar and any other Old Blood may ride a carnosaur (+49 points).  Up to three skinks may be mounted on pterosaurs at an additional cost of +24 points each.  Two to four skinks can ride a stegadon howdah. Two skinks trade in their bows to operate the arbalest and guide the stegadon. (+35 points) Up to two more skinks, either archers or javelineers, can also ride in the howdah at normal cost.

The Æthergraph XCIV Publishing J Womack, Editor Email: [email protected]

REVIEWED:

Sleeping Dragon, Rising Sun Mr Amazon delivered this goody to my door last week and I've been immersed in its pages ever since. Its very similar in style to the first supplement Heroes, Villains and Fiends, and is jam packed with new companies, descriptive texts, a few new weapons and even a gunboat design. I particularly like the Royal Navy Landing Party which is a very different take to my own Armoured Naval Landing Parties (which one may find at this blog). [Ed.: and in this issue of the Aethergraph] Mine were designed to be heavily armed parties landed from capital ships, while these ones are more ad-hoc gunboats’ crews at the ready to storm ashore. On the down side, I think the addition of some colour artwork and pics of new figs would help fire the imagination but this was clearly a deliberate decision to maximise the written content (as seen at http:// inhermajestysname.wordpress.com/2014/06/21/and-so-itgoes/). However, you certainly can't complain about the amount of great written content that was packed in instead. Author Craig Cartmell has subsequently advised me that they didn't have any choice about the artwork, so I think they made the best of it by adding more written content instead. Overall, if you are into IHMN this is a must get addition to your collection.

[Note: This review originally appeared on Paul’s blog, Yours in a White Wine Sauce, and is used here with permission.]

NEXT ISSUE… An issue without a theme! Our Regular features! Fiction! All this and more, coming this spring in Vol. 4, Issue #1!

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS For Sale: Artifact of Martian Origin, discovered while traversing the Syrtis Desert with Merchant Caravan. Appears to be ceramic; design is unusual, a green glazed image on black pottery. The image is mythical demonic creature, with an octopus for a head and great batlike wings. Proceeds to assist with expenses of care for owner. Inquiries at New Bethlehem Hospital, London. Wanted: Litter of pups. I desire the entire litter of at least four pups. Large breed only. Contact Dr. Vardu, Venusstaadt, Venus. Salvage Employment: Owner of crashed liftwood vessel requires assistance in recovery of property. Approximate location of downed small craft provided on hire. Mr. D. Ungenus-Crabbe, 4 Upper Crust Way, Glabonshire. Missing, Reward: One large spool of copper wire for telegraphy. Last seen in warehouse yard, New Glasgow Downport. MCC H&T Co.

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XCIV Publishing

All text submissions should be typed. MS Word 2003 format is best. Artwork would be best in either .BMP or .JPG file formats. Original artwork only, please! Submit your work to the editor (me, J Womack) by email at [email protected]. Submissions will be selected for publication based on quality, style and length. The editor will contact you if your submission has been selected prior to publication to be sure there is no conflicting publication or other issues. All original submissions selected for publication become the sole property of The Æthergraph and XCIV Publishing unless used under license or arrangements have been made in writing prior to receipt of publication consent. At this time, XCIV Publishing can not pay for submissions. We do this for love, not money.

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