Do you like it cold? Interest Check.

[Blinkin]

In January of 1940, Admiral Richard Byrd arrived in Antarctica with a revolutionary new vehicle dubbed The Snow Cruiser; a massive vehicle designed to transport an expedition across the hostile terrain and into the interior of the artic continent. Sadly, the Snow Cruiser was a near utter failure and was abandoned while the party, lead by Admiral Byrd, continued without it.


But… what if…

The reports of the ill fated Snow Cruiser were false; generated for the news reports to hide its actual purpose? What if the entire expedition of Byrd was to conceal another mission and the Snow Cruiser performed, if not exactly as planned, well enough to complete it’s secret mission with a second team?

In 1958, The Snow Cruiser is rediscovered under a layer of ice and snow in the location in which it had been abandoned on the Ross Ice Shelf. When unearthed, the vehicle was discovered to be in remarkably well preserved condition; with only some minor repair, it might be made operational again. Sadly, the big red machine was soon lost to history, never to be seen again.

But… What if…

The discovery of the Snow Cruiser wasn’t where it was reported? What if the news was accidentally leaked and a story was quickly put out about it being someplace else and details removed from the story? What happened to the second team and what was discovered in the interior to cause the cover-up?

This brings us to the meat of the story that I would like to tell with a few reliable players…

In 2008, an artic scientific expedition doing research on climate change discovers the wreckage of a 1930’s era Navy Pursuit aircraft very much like the one that was suppose to be with the Snow Cruiser. The discovery is quickly suppressed by the US government and no mention makes it into the news. Why? What was found in the wreckage to warrant a cover-up?

In 20110, a top-secret outpost is quietly built in the interior of Antarctica and specialist from all over the world is approached with offers for “very Rewarding and earth shattering research in an undisclosed location.” All that’s required is that they sign draconian non-discloser statements… oh, and their research can’t be published for 10 years, and not without approval by the US Government… What are they researching and where? What’s going on and what’s involved?

This is an interest check only, if enough people show interest, I will give serious consideration to expanding and turning this into a game. I expect that characters may range from military support and security staff to a range of specialist in a number of fields and nationalities. What is discovered is largely in the hands of the characters and how they deal with life in a place that would be only too happy to kill you with a white death as anything… how does this create relationships between the characters and how they approach life in general. I expect to try to give this a somewhat suspenseful, perhaps darker feel with elements of sci-fi and urban fantasy in a place that is isolated and survival might depend on the very people about you.

So… any takers?

[Wargtass]

Ah, Antarctica! One of my favorite settings for true survival horror! So where exactly would you want this plot to go? Because it's not exactly clear to me...  :P

[Blinkin]

That's the rub. While I have definent ideas, I'll give too much away if I elaborate much more.

But, the general idea is that "something" was found in 140, something that the nazi's were after as well (Conspiracy theorist love the idea that the expedition was a result of Hitler sending an expedition in 1939). In 1958, the discovery of the Snow Cruiser gives hints to "Something" and the cover-up, then again in 2008 with the discovery of the aircraft. The big question is what, where and how it's so important to the US government that it would invest so much in it.

As for where the story ultimately goes, I tell the story, the characters drive it forward and the mystery is either solved or the characters suffer a horrible fate. ;)