TEXT: UTITREES
  
  MllItC:2000
  ^- Obviotls AND 
  Eunnent 
  Menace
  
  7
  Colombia
  The Republca de Co/ontbn is a small
  country located in the northwestern 
  portion
  of South America. It is here that the Andes
  Mountains reach their northern terminus.
  Colombia lies almost entirely in the north
  ttopical zone. The tropical heat of this area
  is modified by the higher elevations of the
  Andes and high wind action. The subtropi-
  cal zone lies between 1.500 feet and 6,000
  feet and is located usually on the slopes and
  valleys of the Andes. The temperate zone
  comprises 
  the area 6,000 feet and 10,000
  f eet. Most of the important cities in
  Colombia are located between 3,000 feet
  and 9.000 feet above sea level.
  The vegetation in the temperate 
  zone is
  rich and varied. Forest products are a
  potential 
  source of income that is only now
  being tapped. 
  Up to 10,000 feet the palm
  tree is abundant. 
  Toucans and humming-
  bitds ate f ound everywhere. The tapir,
  peccary, 
  and several types of deer are also
  found here, as well as the puma, laguar, and
  the spectacled bear. There are plenty of
  tuttles. lizards and snakes here also.
  Colombia is a mixing of indians and
  whites, which has been going on for the last
  four centuries. From the time of the
  Conquistadoles 
  until the mid-l9th century.
  the Roman Catholic faith was the only
  religion 
  allowed in the country. Even today
  in the 2lst century. 80% of Colombian
  citizens are Catholics. Many of the people
  living here are decendants 
  of the Incas and
  other indian groups and still speak
  languages 
  in addition to Spanish.
  Starting rn the 1970s and slowly
  building their business, 
  the drug lords have
  gained in power. First growing and import-
  ing marijuana to the United States and
  then harvesting and processing the coca
  leaf into cocaine, these drug lords have
  slowly taken over the government in
  Colombia. The current president of Col-
  ombia. Francisco Escalera. 
  just happens to
  be a first cousin to Esteban Jesus Monte-
  longo. suspected 
  to be the head of the drug
  cartel known as "Black 29." Although
  working behind 
  the scene, 
  Black 29 exerts 
  a
  gteat deal of force to keep the Colombian
  government 
  working for them.
  There is no extradition 
  of cartel members
  out of Colombia 
  and. of course. 
  members 
  do
  not pay taxes. The Colombian army and
  police 
  forces 
  throughout 
  the country go out
  of their way to avoid any possible
  confrontation 
  with Black 29. Twenty years
  ago, several members of the cartel were
  prosecuted 
  for various crimes. 
  Immediately,
  a wave of car bombs and snioer assassina-
  tions swept the country. In one case. 
  half of
  the jury died within twelve hours as well as
  the two key witnesses 
  for the prosecution.
  Naturally, nothing could be done but
  release 
  the cartel members 
  who then sued
  the government 
  f or f alse arrest.
  The Current Situation
  Through threats. fear, and applications
  of a great deal of money. Black 29 has
  become the foremost drug organization 
  in
  Colombia. 
  Currently, Esteban 
  Jesus Monte-
  longo is involved in activities in most of
  South America and has many business 
  and
  political connections 
  in the Unrted States.
  Three months ago, Black 29 worked out
  an alliance with six othet criminal organi-
  zations working the drug trade. Cocaine
  and marijuana shipments to the United
  States and Europe have doubled. The
  ambassadols 
  to Panama and Colombia 
  have
  disappeared 
  and a judge in New Orleans
  was gunned down in flont of the federal
  courthouse. 
  Experts in the White House
  state that the situation will get worse
  unless 
  the alliance 
  is broken up. And these
  experts say that will happen when Monte-
  longo and the other organization 
  leaders 
  are
  eliminated. 
  Not only would the situation
  then return to normal. but drug traff ic to the
  United States should be reduced.
  Mission Briefing
  Intelligence sources confirm that Este-
  ban Montelongo 
  is the mastermind 
  behind
  the rise to power of Black 29 and is also the
  main force behind the criminal alliance.
  President 
  Tanner has declared that this
  organization 
  is "more dangetous than a
  rattle snake coiled to strike" and must be
  stopped. Unnamed sources indicate that
  Montelongo 
  will be at his hilltop stronghold
  lor the next six days and the decision 
  has
  been made to go into Colombia and bting
  Montelongo out and to the United States.
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  8
  Srnce having U.S. troops on foreign soil is
  not socially acceptable 
  (especially 
  if they
  were caught). the CIA and DEA have
  arranged for a mercenary 
  group to do the
  job. The team is to grab Montelongo and
  get him out of Colombia or, failing that,
  liquidate 
  him.
  There are no radar installations at
  Montelongo's 
  home, but air traffic in and
  near Medellin is monitored by specialists
  working for Black 29. For this reason, 
  the
  team will make a HALO (high altitude, low
  opening) parachute drop onto an aban-
  doned airstrip southeast of the town of
  Santa Rosa de Osos which is roughly 60
  kilometers 
  northeast 
  of Medellin.
  Approach
  From the airstrip, the team will make
  their way 20 km across 
  the open country to
  Montelongo's hilltop home near Santa Rosa
  de Osos. lf the team encounters 
  any hostile
  troops ot other personnel 
  that might give
  away their presence. 
  they have free license
  to make sure that such persons 
  cannot do so
  (by whatever means necessary). 
  The Col-
  ombian government 
  is not to know of this
  invasion of their sovereignty. 
  If any drug
  processing 
  sites are discovered. 
  the team is
  to eliminate them. providing that doing so
  will nol leopardize 
  their mission.
  Retrieval
  The team will make a broadcasl on a
  pre-arranged frequency about one half-
  hour before they go in to grab Montelongo
  (to warn the pick up crew). Then, when
  they need to be picked up, another message
  will bring a helicopter to the site within five
  minutes. A red flare placed by the team will
  show the pilot where to land.
  Map Descriptions
  Processing Site:
  Carved out of the jungle, about 2,800
  meters above sea level, the site is relatively
  flat and a stream flows from the northeast
  to the southwest through the clearing. In
  the center of the clearing, a one meter-wide
  foot btidge crosses lhe stream. Near the
  stream, above the storage shed (B) are found
  several circular depressions 
  in the earth and
  a latge amount of green coca leaves drying
  in the sun on coalse woolen cloths. During
  the day, workers can be found here turning
  the drying coca leaves and treading the
  dried leaves into a paste in a hydrochloric
  bath in the earthen depressions.
  A. LMNG 
  SITE: This is the living
  area for the workers and guards. Five
  shacks are ananged in a haphazard 
  square.
  A few mangy dogs lie in the shade of the
  buildings and some chickens scratch
  out a living on the beaten earth.
  (Use the Shed/Hut floor plan from
  Merc 2000 page 79 ior these
  buildings.)
  B.CHEMICAL AND OTHER
  STORAGE: This shed is used to
  store the chemicals needed to pro-
  cess the cocaine. 
  In one corner is one
  glass container of ethyl alcohol and
  some copper tubing. three 55-gallon
  drums of ether, two 55-gallon drums
  of acetone and six one-gallon glass
  bottles of hydrochloric acid. These
  materials are vety flammable and
  extremely explosive. Also found
  here are ten large sacks of dried coca
  leaves waiting to be processed. 
  Also
  siored in the shed are food stuffs and
  other supplies for cooking such as
  oil, flour. and white gas for portable
  cooking stoves. 
  In a box in a corner
  are 400 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
  (Use the Vehicle Repair Shed from
  Merc:2000 page 79.)
  C. PROCESSING PLANT:
  Inside are several large tables and
  sinks as well as four bunsen burners
  and numerous glass beakers, tubes,
  and vials. In one corner are a
  55-gallon drum of ether, a 55-gallon
  drum of acetone and a one-gallon glass
  bottle of hydrochloric acid. Also here ate
  two double-burner camp stoves and a
  gallon of white gas in a metal can. Under
  one of the tables are five quart bottles of
  ethyl alcohol and a variety of pieces of
  distilling equipment. 
  (Use the stable build-
  ing from Merc:2000 page 79.)
  D. CAR PARK: 
  There are two
  one-ton trucks here with canvas tops over
  the beds. Also found here is a broken-down.
  abandoned Chevy Nova. It no longer runs
  and no one has bothered to tow it away.
  Eventually the jungle will claim it. With a
  little work, it could be repaired.
  Montelongo Stronghold:
  The stronghold is just outside the town
  of Santa Rosa de Osos, roughly 60 km from
  Medellin. The hilltop is approximately
  2,400 meters above sea level. The com-
  pound is surrounded 
  by a stone wall. A
  gravel track surrounds the perimeter. A
  paved road comes up the hill from the main
  road about eight km away.
  A. GATEHOUSE AND 
  STONE
  WALL: A small gatehouse manned by
  two guards is located at the perimeter
  entrance. 
  The gate is made of chain-link
  reinforced with iron bars. The one meter-
  high wall is roughcut stone. Guard dogs
  usually have the run of the compound after
  dark. There are six Doberman 
  pinschers 
  and
  four German shepherds 
  available. During
  the day, guard and two-dog patrols follow
  the walled perimeter 
  at one hour intervals.
  Motion sensors are planted at 50 meter
  intervals between the wall and the gravel
  lrack. They are continually malfunctioning
  and there is a 50% chance that they will not
  be turned on. If they do work, the motion
  sensors 
  will turn on flood lights mounted at
  strategic 
  spots around the site.
  B. PAVED PARKING AREA: This
  area is used for temporary parking for
  visitors'cars. 
  It can double as a landing pad
  for a helicopter 
  if necessary.
  C.GARAGES: These two gatages are
  used to house Montelongo's f leet of
  vehicles. Cl holds a 4WD F-250 Ford
  pickup (maroon) 
  and a Toyota Landcruiser
  (dark green). 
  One garage bay is empty. Also
  found here is a complete set of automotive
  tepair tools, a ten HP air compressor, 
  and a
  set of airpowered tools. C2 holds two
  Mercedes 
  450 SLs (one dark blue and one
  silver) and a Rolls Royce Silver Spirit
  (metallic 
  grey).
  D. TENNIS COURTS: These are
  frequently used by Montelongo, 
  his family
  (when they are here), 
  and house guests.
  E- MAIN HOUSE: This is the mansion
  where Montelongo spends about l0-12
  
  I
  days a month while he meets with clients
  and entertains guests. (Use the mansion
  found on pagesT6-77 
  of Merc:2000.)
  F. HELICOPTER LANDING PAD:
  Guests quite often arrive by helicopter and
  land on this paved pad. Though Monte-
  longo uses it sometimes. 
  he prefers 
  to tlavel
  to his stronghold 
  by car.
  G. SERVANTS' QUARTERS: This
  is where the cooks. guards, and maids live.
  (Use the building on page 179 ol Tn,iltghl:
  2004 b$ double the size of the basement
  storage 
  room, make it into extra bedrooms,
  and eliminate 
  the second f loor as well as the
  stairs 
  up to it.)
  H- GUEST HOUSE: This building is
  used for visitors 
  who have not been invited
  to stay in the main house. Particularly
  underlings 
  of some of the important visitors.
  Sometimes. 
  extra guards are allowed to stay
  here on a very temporary basis. (Use the
  building on page 178 of Twtltght:2000and
  eliminate 
  the garage. 
  Instead, 
  use this area
  for a sort of dormitory 
  with four extra beds.
  These could be beds for guests' bodyguards
  or less important underlings.)
  Referee's Notes
  The adventure will take place in two
  sections. 
  First. the team will travel f rom the
  abandoned 
  airsltip to the stronghold. 
  Along
  the way, encounters with animals and
  teptiles 
  can occur or perhaps an encounter
  with peasants 
  out trapping birds, hunting
  for food, or clearing land for a new field.
  About one-third into the journey. the team
  should 
  stumble 
  upon the cocaine 
  processing
  site. There will be 4-8 guards. 2 chemists,
  and at least l2 peasants 
  working on drying
  the coca leaves 
  or treading 
  it into a paste in
  a hydrochloric 
  acid solution out-of -doors in
  shallow pits in the ground. The guards are
  Veteran NPCs, carry either Uzi or MP-5
  SMGs, and are nervous. They will not be
  surprrsed easily. The purpose of this
  encounter is to get the team's adrenalin
  flowing but not get anyone hurt too badly
  to continue.
  The second part of the adventure will
  take place in and around Montelongo's
  stronghold. 
  There should be at least four
  bodyguards 
  in the main house. The guards
  should 
  be available 
  in numbers 
  to make this
  snatch-and-grab 
  job a bit more than a walk
  to the nearest convenience store. Exactly
  how many guards there should be will
  depend 
  on how many team members 
  there
  are and how experienced 
  they are.
  Also on the grounds are ordinary
  servants. 
  There should be at least one cook.
  two household maids. a gardener, and a
  vehicle mechanic. These innocents could
  accidentally 
  get in the way during the
  firefight that is sure to erupt.
  Try to make this part suspenseful 
  at f irst
  as the team sneaks up and into the
  stronghold. Then, make the rest of the
  adventure full of action and confusion as
  the f iref ight begins. For a little more
  suspense, 
  have some reinforcements 
  show
  up from down the road and maybe have the
  helicopter 
  pick up be a bit late arriving.
  NPCs
  All peasant workers f ound in this
  adventure are Novice NPCs and ate armed
  only with machetes or (very rarely) old,
  worn out bolt action hunting rifles like the
  Mauser if they have any weapons at all.
  The stronghold guards are all Veteran
  NPCs, wear individual tactical radios ot
  ITRs (see page 14 of Merc: 2000 for
  details) and also carty M 12 ot Uzi SMGs.
  Montelongo's bodyguards are EIite NPCs,
  wear ITRs and cauy Uzi SMGs as well
  M92S automatic 
  pistols.
  Alternatives
  If the players 
  don't manage 
  to silence 
  the
  bodyguards 
  and grab Montelongo, one of
  the body guards can call for help. This help
  would anive within f ive minutes and would
  probably be guards from the gatehouse
  down at the main road. eight km away.
  Anothel option would be to have someone
  arrive to visit Montelongo by helicopter
  several minutes before the team moves in
  (or even as the perimeter 
  guards are being
  silenced) 
  with more body guards. 
  All of this
  can certainly 
  make life mote interesting 
  for
  the players. 
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Twilight 2000/Magainzes (relocated to Games - Magazines)/Merc 2000 - Voyages SF 16 - An Obvious and Current Menace.pdf