THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

[Lord Liaden]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Well, what would you say to a sunken treasure ship? Ancient Spanish galleon, or a more modern steamship, just waiting for brave treasure hunters to salvage it? Labyrinthine chambers ready to collapse at any moment; sharks prowling the decks, and giant octopi lurking in the corners; chests of riches for the taking... if you can get past the pirates who await the chance to jump your claim. Or perhaps a watertight safe with sensitive documents that the Forces of Evil want to keep out of your hands. (Nazis anyone?)

 

Perhaps you could thrown in a small island or reef near the shipwreck, so that the action could readily move to a surface location.

 

And if you'd like a more supernatural twist, maybe some of the ship's crew decided to stick around after they drowned...

[Captain Obvious]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Well, what would you say to a sunken treasure ship? Ancient Spanish galleon, or a more modern steamship, just waiting for brave treasure hunters to salvage it? Labyrinthine chambers ready to collapse at any moment; sharks prowling the decks, and giant octopi lurking in the corners; chests of riches for the taking... if you can get past the pirates who await the chance to jump your claim. Or perhaps a watertight safe with sensitive documents that the Forces of Evil want to keep out of your hands. (Nazis anyone?)

 

Perhaps you could thrown in a small island or reef near the shipwreck, so that the action could readily move to a surface location.

 

OOH! OOH!

 

The PCs are there to salvage an ancient Spanish galleon, but unbeknownst to them a U-boat has run aground very near their site while running supplies to a secret Nazi base on the island nearby. The characters start out doing some exploratory dives, fight an octopus lurking in the galleon when they find it, then get captured by Nazis, and have to escape the base (hopefully finding out why the Nazis are there in the first place), dive on the now-flooded U-boat to get the secret plans, and escape the island with Nazis in pursuit.

 

All in a day's work for our intrepid heroes.

[Sketchpad]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

How about something like Blackhawk Island? I didn't notice that before hand, so I apologize for re-mentioning it if so. I think an secret air base isle would be really cool to see

[Mantis]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

If you do include ship deckplans, then they could do double-duty. They can be used for a shipboard adventure (spies, pirates, jewel thieves, whatever). Then, to make them a sunken wreck, just add water .

[Prometheus]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

If you do include ship deckplans' date=' then they could do double-duty. They can be used for a shipboard adventure (spies, pirates, jewel thieves, whatever). Then, to make them a sunken wreck, just add water .[/quote']

 

Maybe something like this for various locales? Something along the lines of a generic island map and write up, for example, with options for customizing it into an air squadron base, secret nazi sub station, or "polynesian playground" (think Cape Suzette from Tailspin, with hula skirts). It can even be just in the set designs: a no-name speakeasy might have a reinforced door and a secret hatch behind the bar, Mick's might have the entrance on the south wall and replace table 3 with an upright piano, and the Carthage Club might have imported crystal tabletops and a huge chandelier.

 

It certainly makes for alot of nuance when you start breaking things.

[specks]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Another vote for a deck plans on a steamship or better yet an ocean liner (i.e. Queen Mary). X-Files did a episode with Mulder trapped on an ocean liner that was reported missing back in the 30's in the Bermuda Triangle (hmm, now that sounds like a thrilling place in itself... )

[JakSpade]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I would like to see an honorable mention for SKJAM! for all his "nifty" flavor locations. Noted, they aren't full of action, but they're a good starting or jumping point to new adventures. Maybe a section of the book for flavor locations, to give GMs resources to use in their campaigns.

 

Heck, I'd even like to see them published. For those of you who are not familiar with SKJAM!s stuff, take a look at these threads:

 

• Der Schnitzlehaus
  
• Marsh's Drug Store
  
• Widder Jones' Boarding House
  
• Trail Service
  

 

Heh heh *plug* *plug*

Jak

[walker]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Love Pulp Hero. Thanks for being so proactive about creating supplements for the system.

 

As to your question, personally, I've always thought that Lester Dent (AKA Doc Savage author) was able to come up with a ton of great spots, usually mining them from other stories or myths/legends, but putting his own great spin on them. That said, how about the following:

 

1) A fog-enshrouded, seaweed filled Sargasso Sea, perfect for trapping unsuspecting ships

2) Hidden city within the caverns of a still active volcano

3) Mysterious city in the desert that appears for a few days at a time once a year

4) Forgotten city on top of a mesa in the American southwest

5) Lost Indian tribe in the wilds of Canada, along with a mysterious supernatural guardian, the Wendigo

6) A secret Nazi fortress, high in the Alps, in which devious experiments on human subjects are taking place

7) "Haunted" catacombs beneath the streets of Paris

 

Hope some of those help.

Walker

[Steve Long]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Mysterious city in the desert that appears for a few days at a time once a year

 

What, like Phoenix, Arizona?

 

Lost Indian tribe in the wilds of Canada, along with a mysterious supernatural guardian, the Wendigo

 

Lost Indian tribes aren't allowed in Canada. If anyone is reported lost, or even suspected of possibly being lost, in Canada, the Mounties go find them and bring them in.

 

Ah, the gift of humor....

[Blue]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Could be worse; He could have asked for Miami: City Where The Ancients Dwell.

[Mentor]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Seeing the Venture sail to Skull Island got me inspired again. Lets go for some maritime locales now;

 

With a tip o' the hat to Benchley, a hidden island in the Caribbean where the descendents of the pirates of old have been using old Spanish treasure to continue their nefarious depredations on honest sea commerce but with modern ships and weapons.

 

A lost land of mystic secrets and valuable treasures which only appears in the fog shrouded, storm wracked Hebrides for one day every five hundred years. Unfortunately, not everything or everyone that gets left behind is desirable...

 

A rumor persists rocky outcroppings in the South China Sea which are avoided by fishermen because of rumors of its being inhabited by a Sea Dragon. Certain parties in academia and the entertainment field would pay a fortune if only someone could get their hands on what is no doubt some sort of prehistoric beast.

 

Inspired by Jules Verne, a wealthy inventor has bult his own submarines, ostensibly crewed by idealists bent on preventing a second world war. Seeing the potential for wealth, perhaps some of the skippers involved go into a different line of work.

 

Of course the are the lost or sunken lands of legend; Ys, Atlantis, Lemuria, Mu, Lyonesse, as well as the real one like Port Royal, famed for its buccaneers.

[Steve Long]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Thanx again for all the suggestions, folx! The main author and I are just about done narrowing down the list of locations we want to cover, so if you have any final recommendations, better get 'em in fast!

[Captain Obvious]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The Pleasure Palace of the Leather Goddesses of Phobos.

[Prometheus]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

The Pleasure Palace of the Leather Goddesses of Phobos.

 

Wait, is it too late to change my vote?

 

How about:

 

• A European castle
  
• A Hollywood mansion
  
• A social club, along the lines of the Empire Club or the Odyssey League
  

 

I don't know what you could attach to the castle, but Hollywood is a pulp goldmine, and at the very least I'm curious just how much a Contact with a movie starlet is worth. And maybe membership requirements or even a package deal for the club?

[OddHat]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I don't know what you could attach to the castle, but Hollywood is a pulp goldmine, and at the very least I'm curious just how much a Contact with a movie starlet is worth. And maybe membership requirements or even a package deal for the club?

 

A Hollywood location is a very good idea. Many personalities who were fictionalized in the dime novels and pulps passed through Hollywood in the 30s and 40s.

[Curufea]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

London Below

(from Neverwhere)

[Lucius]

THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

As far as sunken lands go, Atlantis is overdone. I would want to see Ys and Lyonesse, the less well known legendary sunken lands.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary likes the romantic idea of the city appearing in the desert once every 365 years....

[OddHat]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

How about a tribute to Y'ha-nthlei? An underwater city of Fishman Edom-spawn would be just the thing for brave Pulp adventurers to deal with.

[Steve Long]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

A social club, along the lines of the Empire Club

 

Since I intend to cover the Empire Club in The Pulp Resource Guide, we're not going to put anything similar in TP. But you will get it, just in another book.

[BobGreenwade]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

I'll second the Hollywood[land] studio.

[FenrisUlf]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Since I intend to cover the Empire Club in The Pulp Resource Guide' date='[/i'] we're not going to put anything similar in TP. But you will get it, just in another book.

 

 

WooHoo!

 

BTW, will we ever learn if there's a conection between 'Empirean' (member of the Empire Club) and 'Empyrean'?

[Blue]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

Only that the Empire Club sued Empyrean over the name, forcing him to change the "i" to a "y".

[Steve Long]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

will we ever learn if there's a conection between 'Empirean' (member of the Empire Club) and 'Empyrean'?

 

Sure, you can learn right now: none whatsoever.

[Guest Suleyman Rashid]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

A series of volcanic tubes and tunnels that lead from rural Iceland to the Hollow Earth.

 

And of course the Hollow Earth itself.

[Steve Long]

Re: THRILLING PLACES -- What Do *You* Want To See?

 

And of course the Hollow Earth itself.

 

Already available in HPA #12, Inner-Earth. There's some possibility we might include IE in TP, but right now that's not likely.