TEXT: Operation Antler v1.0 
   
  29/6/2006 
   
  1 
  Operation Antler 
  An Esoterrorists adventure 
  By Richard Hardy 
   
  This short scenario is intended for a British group of OV investigators, although with some modifications 
  can probably be amended to run anywhere. The scenario is designed as a quick single session investigation, 
  although it can be augmented with extra scenes if required. The investigators actually have a “ticking 
  clock” of the Countryside Alliance protest which is due to start in London the day after the players are 
  called to investigate the ritual – however the players aren’t aware of this until the end of the scenario, so 
  feel free to change the timing and date, if the players are dragging their heels and obviously aren’t going to 
  get there on time. 
  Hours of darkness and daylight used in this scenario, assume that it is set around March. (3rd March if you 
  want to follow the theme of 3s being a ritually significant number) 
   
  Backstory 
   
  Investigation Trigger 
   
  Ritually slaughtered deer are found on a farm in Cumbria. The team is given the cover identity of DEFRA 
  (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) officials sent to investigate the occurrence. It is 
  suspected that the deer have been sacrificed in an Esoterror ritual and the real task for the investigators is to 
  discover if this is really the case, and what the ritual is intended to do. 
  Sinister Conspiracy 
   
  The British arm of the Esoterrorists have dreamt up a new “Esoterric” creature, which they plan to use to 
  spread mayhem in London. 
  The British Esoterror boffins have come up with a creature design that resembles the legendary horned man 
  and a ritual that will create it. The creature is to be released in Westminster during a protest by the 
  Countryside Alliance against parliament’s interference in rural affairs. The resultant televised rampage is 
  hoped to spread fear and terror that can augment any rituals carried out on British soil. 
  Trail Of Clues 
   
   
  Talking to farmer leads to UFO enthusiast. UFO enthusiast gives location of cattle truck. Note at the truck 
  gives phone number which leads to service station and Horned Man.  
  Antagonist Reactions 
   
  The Esoterrorists have tried to cover their tracks as much as possible in the planning for this operation, and 
  as they are working to a deadline do not really have time to upset the investigators’ plans… 
   
  Scenes 
  Operation Antler includes four core scenes. Although not fully described there are also suggestions for 
  extra / alternate scenes. 
  Briefing 
  Scene Type: Intro 
   
   
  The team are contacted in the early hours of the morning and asked to meet at a service station near Carlisle 
  (It can be reached by road or, if the investigators are further afield, by Carlisle airport).  As dawn is 
  
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  breaking, they are briefed in the service station café by a smartly dressed, bowler hatted Mr Verity (think 
  Steed from the Avengers) over a cup of tea and a bacon sandwich. He lets them know about a deer 
  mutilation that has occurred at a farm by the village of Brunstock  by Hadrian’s Wall (with Hadrian’s Wall 
  being such an ancient and obvious land mark, it is often used in British Esoterror rituals in the north of the 
  country). The investigators are provided with cover documents identifying them as government officials 
  sent be DEFRA, to assess any contamination to the environment and possible disease risk from the 
  mutilations. There will be a police incident unit on site. The investigators are shown to a small van painted 
  with the DEFRA logo, given a map to the farm and left to their own devices. Cover IDs are provided in the 
  names of: Thomas Newton, Melina Crosier, James Warton, Phillip Throwburn, Samantha Dodd. 
  Cold Comfort Farm 
  Scene Type: Core 
  Arriving at Wall Cross Farm, just as the early morning mist is clearing, the players find a police incident 
  tent already erected over a large proportion of the field (and actually covering a section of Hadrian’s Wall), 
  several police cars and a BBC Cumbria outside broadcast van. 
  There are approx 6 police currently on site. 
  The news team attempts to interview the investigators as they approach the tent. As the day progresses 
  more news teams will appear. 
  Showing their ID to the policeman on guard will allow them in to the tent. 
  Inside it’s clear why the tent is so big: 
  • 
  27 deer are laid out in an approximate triangle shape (9 a side, each side approx 54 foot 
  wide), with a flat side running parallel to Hadrian’s Wall 
  • 
  Hadrian’s Wall is daubed in what appears to be a combination of primitive cave 
  drawings, geometric shapes (resembling crop circles) and celtic knot work – all drawn in 
  deer’s blood 
  • 
  The deer have had their heads cut off and arranged in a circle in the centre of the triangle 
  (heads looking inwards) 
   
  The scene is overseen by police Sgt Mark Piper, who has been asked to leave everything untouched until 
  the characters arrive. He is fairly surly and unfriendly unless COPTALK is used to win him around. He will 
  tell the players that they were called at around 4:00am this morning (around 5 minute before the players 
  were called) by the farmer reporting a disturbance. The farmer, Burt Hawser, is up at the farmhouse about 
  half a mile up the farm track and is available to be questioned. 
  EVIDENCE COLLECTION: tire tracks from a big truck, ground churned up from deer hooves, amount of 
  blood on-site suggests deer were slaughtered here 
  1 point spend: tire tracks from a big truck, identify boot prints in churned up ground 
  2 point spend: identify number of men (3) from the variation in boot prints, and approx size and weight of 
  truck 
  FORENSIC PATHOLOGY: deer killed by rifle shot to base of the skull before the head was removed. 
   
  The farmer, Burt, isn’t that cooperative especially after his dealings with DEFRA (and its predecessor) 
  during the CJD and foot and mouth scares.  
  REASSURANCE that the investigators are not there to take away any of his livestock will get him to open 
  up. He will reveal the following: 
   
  • 
  He couldn’t sleep and wandered out at around 3:30 to get some fresh air 
  • 
  (core-clue) Saw car lights in one of his furthest fields and wondered if it was that “UFO 
  nut” again 
  • 
  Got into his land rover to drive over there, by the time he arrived no one there, dead deer 
  everywhere 
  • 
  Called Police 
  • 
  Does not normally have deer on his land 
   
  When asked about the “UFO nut” he will mention that there’s a young lad that’s been hanging around since 
  he found the crop circle in his field last summer. He often finds him “trespassing” and out watching the 
  
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  skies on some of his higher fields. He has reported him to the police, and they’ve warned him off. Burt says 
  the police know all about him and who he is, Burt doesn’t care as long as he’s off his land. 
  Sgt Piper can give the Investigators his details almost straight away. His name is Lance Baron and he lives 
  in Brunstock. He has been chased from several local land owners’ fields for trespassing and regularly rings 
  the station reporting UFOs. 
   
  Watch the Skies 
  Scene Type: Core 
  Lead-In: Sgt Piper gives Lance’s details to investigators 
  Lance is your typical UFO / crop – circle enthusiast. His little cottage is covered in Gillian Anderson, UFO 
  and crop circle photos. He is initially very suspicious of the players, suspecting that they are men in black 
  and will not talk to them. 
  IMPERSONATE will convince Lance that they are really from DEFRA and are not interested in abducting 
  him. He can tell them: 
  • 
  Strange things seem to happen around Hadrian’s wall 
  • 
  The police won’t listen to anything he says 
  • 
  Wall Cross farm is on a crossing of three major ley-lines (funnily enough exactly where ritual 
  took place) and the UFOs follow the ley lines 
  • 
   (core-clue) He was out watching the skies last night, but was nowhere near Wall Cross Farm. 
  On his way home (around 3:40am) he was nearly knocked over by a speeding blue cattle 
  truck, not far from the farm 
   PHOTOGRAPHY: (core-clue) A lot of the photographs on one wall are aerial shots of the surrounding 
  landscape. Asking Lance about this, he says that he’s been using his microlight aircraft to photograph the 
  area, to prepare for crop circle season in the summer. He has taken pictures during the day yesterday and 
  they are developing in his dark room - One picture shows a blue truck parked outside a barn in a remote 
  field. Lance can tell them where it was taken. 
  DATARETRIEVAL:1 point spend can use a computer to enhance the picture to show two flat capped 
  figures climbing out of the truck, one carrying a rifle over his shoulder. 
   
  Possible Extra / Alternate Scene suggestions: 
  It’s possible that with a 1 point FLATTERY spend, the players can borrow his mircrolight and find the blue 
  truck themselves, which will lead to a microlight flying scene which can be used to call on ATHLETICS 
  and DRIVING to keep the thing flying. 
  It could be that Lance did not take the photographs himself but has a friend that owns a hot air balloon. 
  Players could then find his friend and maybe even take a hot air balloon trip to find the truck. 
  Barn Storming 
  Scene Type: Core 
  Lead-In: Identification of truck location and barn 
  The barn is located about 45 minutes away from Wall Cross farm. When the players arrive they will find 
  the truck parked up outside the deserted barn. There is no one here and the truck’s cab has been burnt out. 
  The truck reveals the following: 
  • 
  Deer dung, blood and torn apart deer carcass in the back of the truck (a meal to keep the 
  Horned Man subdued)  A difficulty 3 STABILILTY test is required for anyone seeing the 
  carcass. 
  • 
  The cab of the truck is burnt out and is still warm to the touch and smoldering 
  • 
  Tracing the number plate reveals that it belongs to a yellow mini. 
  EVIDENCE COLLECTION:  
  • 
  boot prints in the back of the truck, and in the mud on the ground (the prints match to those 
  found at Wall Cross farm) 
  • 
  There is a discarded petrol can (obviously used to start the fire) to one side of the truck.  
  • 
  There are more tire marks in the mud, indicating at least one other vehicle +1 spend identifies 
  2 other vehicles, +2 spend identifies vehicles as Land Rover with trailer, and small car, two 
  people got into the car, one into the land rover) 
  
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  • 
  There are many deer tracks in the mud 
  The barn itself looks run down and disused. Both the main doors and side doors are both standing open. 
  The floor in here is also covered in deer dung, although no obvious blood. The middle of the floor is 
  dominated by an empty oil drum which is still warm and has obviously been used to burn clothes, papers 
  and any other easily disposable evidence. 
  EVIDENCE COLLECTION: (core-clue) A piece of singed paper can be seen perched on one of the cross 
  beams above the oil barrel (paper that has wafted out of the barrel by an updraft from the fire). An 
  ATHLETICS test (difficulty 3) can be used to retrieve it. It is a piece of notepaper with a legible phone 
  number handwritten on it. 
  +1 spend will identify further pieces of paper scattered around the barn in various difficult to reach places 
  that have also escaped the barrel - about four in total. One is illegible, one has what looks like tomorrows 
  date on it, one reads  “…time speci...” and another “..liance protest.” 
  Calling the number gets a recorded message: 
  “Hi! Sorry but we’re out at the Countryside Alliance protest in London at the moment, however if you want 
  to join us we’ll be meeting up at South Mimms service station tonight and heading into London tomorrow 
  at six in the morning. If you want to join us for our ride through Westminster, please feel free to bring your 
  horse box, cheers.” 
   
  The number belongs to a Darren Masterson, who lives in Kent. He is one of the main organizers of the 
  recent Country Alliance protests. He is not an Esoterrorist. 
   
  Hopefully they should now realize that the Esoterrorists are planning something for the protest and should 
  think about getting to the service station. 
   
  Possible Extra / Alternate Scene suggestions: 
  The investigators may wish to visit Darren Masterson’s home, although they’ll find no-one home. If they 
  break in (INFILTRATION) they’ll find lots of paperwork to do with gaining permission for this and 
  several, other Countryside Alliance protests. 
  Destination Nowhere 
  Scene Type: Core 
  Lead-In: The phone message for meeting at South Mimms. 
  South Mimms is a typical motorway service station, located near the junction of the A1 and M25. However 
  the players arrive, if by plane (flying down from Carlisle to Heathrow, Stansted or Gatwick) or car (taking 
  a 5-6 hour drive) it will be dark by the time they arrive. The car park is full of cars, trucks, vans, land 
  rovers, farm vehicles and quite a few horse boxes. If the investigators have realised that they’re looking for 
  a horse box, they can single these out for particular attention, otherwise they’ll have to wander around 
  looking for anyone or anything suspicious.  
  There is a kind of a party mood with about half the protestors standing out in the car park drinking and 
  chatting and half inside in the on-site pub. There is a small police presence (a few vans and about 10 
  officers) to keep an eye on things. 
  Using COPTALK reveals that the police don’t really expect there to be any trouble tonight (except for 
  maybe the odd drunk and disorderly arrest), but tomorrow morning there’ll be a lot more police arriving for 
  when all the protestors move out onto the roads. 
  The protestors just seem intent on having a good time and the investigators will probably be offered a swig 
  from assorted bottles as they walk around the car park. The Police shouldn’t really be letting the protestors 
  drink outside the service station, but as long as the mood stays good they won’t push the matter. 
  IMPERSONATE will allow an investigator to pass himself off as a protestor and get him directions to 
  Darren Masterson. He is sitting on the floor of the noisy pub with a guitar, singing off-key folk songs to a 
  similarly drunk and off-key audience. FLATTERY will get the players a long way with Darren, especially 
  about his singing skills. He’s very drunk, but can just about slur out what he knows: 
  • 
  He knows quite a few people here, but not everyone  
  • 
  They plan to head in to London at six tomorrow, but they plan on driving really slowly to 
  disrupt the traffic – they don’t really have permission for this 
  
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  • 
  They plan on parking up horse boxes outside of the Houses of Parliament and riding across 
  the lawns – again they don’t have permission for this either 
  • 
  (core-clue)There was a miserable bloke that turned up but, wouldn’t have a drink with him. 
  He describes him as the grumpy man and his grumpy horse, because it was “making all kinds 
  of strange noises”. When asked where this man is now Darren says in the car park, giggles 
  and falls over. 
  The investigators should now know they’re looking for a horse box (and a grumpy man ). A 15 minute 
  walk around the car park will reveal one land rover with a horse box attached (parked in the corner of the 
  car park furthest away from the revelers, police or service station, where the driver is still sitting in his 
  vehicle glancing about and looking shifty.   
   
  This is Peter Gregson he’s a fairly low level Esoterrorist who has been given the task of taking the Horned 
  Man into London and letting it loose. He has been assisted in the summoning of the creature by two higher 
  up Esoterror members, but they’ve left him to carry out the dirty work. He’s expendable and he knows it. 
   
  Peter Gregson  
  Athletics 8, Health 6, Scuffling 4, Shooting 8, Stability 2, Surveillance 4 
  Damage Modifier: +1 (Shotgun, one barrel), +2 (Shotgun, both barrels), +1 (Electric cattle prod) 
   
   
  SHRINK will reveal he’s very, very nervous, tired, scared and paranoid. If they get too close to his horse 
  box or land rover, he opens the window and tells them to “B*gger Off”. If they persist he’ll step out of the 
  land rover showing them he’s got a shotgun and try to warn them off.  
  Any show of aggression will make Peter believe his number is up and start blasting with his shotgun. He’ll 
  blast a path to the back of the horsebox, and throw the latch to let the Horned Man out, before trying to 
  make a run for it. If he’s surrounded and obviously about to be captured he’ll turn the gun on himself. 
   
  An INFILTRATION test will allow them to get close to the horse box or land rover without being spotted. 
  Anyone next to the horse box will hear a strange grunting, crunching and tearing sound from inside the 
  horsebox (the Horned Man enjoying another meal of deer). The only way to see into the horsebox is by 
  opening the back. No matter how quietly the characters try to pull back the horse box’s latch the creature 
  will suddenly go quiet as they do so (as it prepares itself to make a break for freedom). If they open the 
  door even so much as a crack the creature will spring for the door and try to force it open (whoever is 
  holding the door will need to make an ATHLETICS contest to hold it in). Once out the Horned Man will 
  attack the first person it sees. A difficulty 4 STABILITY test must be made by anyone seeing the Horned 
  Man. 
   
  Horned Man 
  Athletics 10, Health 8, Scuffling 10 
  Hit Threshold: 3 
  Weapon: +2 (Antlers/horns ) 
  Armor: +1 vs. Shooting, +1 vs. Scuffling  
   
  Description: Long, thin and bony. Although man shaped the creature’s bones appear to be twisted leading 
  to movement on all fours, although it can stand upright on its two legs. The facial features are unseen 
  behind a mass of long greasy hair from which two huge antlers protrude on either side of the head. The 
  creature’s entire body is covered in short, vicious looking horns of various lengths. It’s “arms” and “legs” 
  terminate in deer-like hooves. The creature attacks by charging or flailing it’s limbs in a kind of macabre 
  dance that uses the horns on it’s body to tear it’s victims apart. It has a liking for deer meet. It does not like 
  electric shocks. 
   
  The Investigators are unarmed, although at the GMs discretion they may have a tranquilizer gun and darts 
  in their kit with a suitable PREPAREDNESS test (although they’re unlikely to have anything more lethal). 
   
  The tranquilizer gun should use the usual rules to hit, but its effects should be handled in a suitably 
  dramatic fashion. It will probably take at least a few darts to take the Horned Man down.  
  
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  Peter has a shotgun and pockets full of shotgun cartridges, depending on events up to this point the players 
  may have access to this. There is also an electric cattle prod on the passenger seat of Peter’s land rover. 
  This works as a scuffling weapon (+1 damage), but Peter and his Esoterrorist friends have been 
  conditioning the Horned Man to the cattle prod, so it can be used to ward the creature off. The protestors 
  will mostly run away although one or two do have shotguns or rifles. 
   
  Peter will try and make a run for it if someone lets the Horned Man out. 
   
  The Police will immediately radio for backup when trouble breaks out, and are currently only armed with 
  tasers, and night sticks. They will concentrate on getting people to safety rather than engaging the Horned 
  Man. They will only call in an armed response unit if things get really out of hand. 
   
  If  everything goes badly wrong, and the investigators can’t see any way of controlling the situation a 
  heavily armed OV special forces clean up team will arrive to “clean-up” the problem. 
   
   
  No Return 
  Whatever happens, OV will probably need to be called in to clear up at least some of the mess. If by some 
  miracle everything is contained and dealt with quickly and quietly it’ll be congratulations all around and 
  commendations will go on all of the OV investigators’ files (which means they will be assigned to more 
  dangerous and high profile missions in the future). Minimizing destruction and loss of life will also be 
  applauded. If things turned really bad the investigators may not get quite so enthusiastic a response (and 
  will be assigned the less high-profile, but probably no less dangerous, missions). 
   
  Peter Gregson, if captured, can give little information on his co-conspirators. He will give names and 
  descriptions but these are fake. He fears his Esoterrorist masters more than the OV. 
   
   
  The Veil-Out 
  The veil-out is really up to the investigators but a suggestion is that the mutilations could be written off as 
  pro-hunt fanatics slaughtering deer and the Horned Man attack could be explained away as a bull in heat 
  (on the way to a cattle market)  escaping in a service station car park.  
    
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Esoterrorists/The Esoterrorists Operation Antler.pdf