Their Finest Hour- Adventures in the Battle of Britain

Seven weeks and no Adventure Ideas! I guess it just shows how much there is to say about the Battle of Britain. I’ve been saving up odd bits of lore, legend, and history for a post of adventure hooks for Their Finest Hour. When the entire world goes to war and you spread a layer of fantasy on top there’s no end of adventure ideas.

Evacuation

In anticipation of bombers targeting metropolitan centers, the government evacuated thousands of city children to the countryside during Operation Pied Piper. Evacuated children stayed with relatives, generous families, and in special camps built and run by The National Camps Corporation. Much like a summer camp, the facilities had bunk houses, recreation halls, and  outdoor activities.

Five recently evacuated children from London disappeared from a camp in Surrey and haven’t returned. Some campers mentioned small “moon white” creature’s visiting at night. The strange superstitions of the children in local villages supposedly keep them safe from the beings.

Similarly, valuable treasures, such as the nations gold reserves, priceless works of art, and business records spent the war stored at secret locations in rural areas.

After France’s surrender, the Worshipful Company of Hermeticists quietly moved many of its most dangerous grimoirs to the home of a trustworthy Guildmember. While his manor’s security is impressive, this is the most vulnerable this rare collection has ever been to thieves or worse.

Gasmasks

Fearful of Nazi forces using the dangerous gasses used in World War I, the British Government distributed countless gasmasks to the civilian population. The gasmasks for children had bright colors and gained the nickname “Mickey Mouse”.

A gang populated by halflings, dwarves, and beastmen of short stature wear Mickey Mouse masks to hide their identities during their crimes. Their use of the sewer system, and the masks caused the press to name them “The Mickey Mouse Club”.

Black Out

One of the biggest annoyances to the British Pubic during the Blitz was the mandatory Black Out. All windows and doors had to be carefully prepared so no light escaped at night, and all streetlights were dimmed or extinguished. All headlights pointed downwards to prevent extra illumination that might catch the eye of an enemy bomber.

For evil doers, Black Out conditions present intruding opportunities.  One house seems even darker than others. No light escapes from under curtains, through cracks, or glows dimly through a layer of paint. Who knows what evil, driven back by brightened city streets, returns to old forgotten habits in the Black Out?

Chain Home

In the 30’s, the Air Ministry prepared for enemy bombing runs by building a line of radar stations along the eastern and southern coasts called “Chain Home”. Armed with powerful radar towers, CH stations watched for enemy sorties from the European continent. Once warned of incoming bombers, the RAF sent fighters to intercept the attack before the bombs could fall.  As the longest range guardian of the British Isles, enemy aircraft soon targeted CH sites. The ladies of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force manned most radar stations during the war.

One station suffers from continuous false alarms. The receiver nightly indicates several large shapes flying over the English Channel apparently invisible to the naked eye. I’m sure it’s nothing.

Several Guild members complain of spell’s miscasting near CH stations. Do the continuous directed radio signals interfere with magic? Or is something using the signals to steal magical power?

While I could endlessly post adventure ideas about the Battle of Britain, we’re only doing one more next week, I promise. After that we’re looking at some more fantastic weapons of the Nazi war machine. That’s fantastic as in fantasy, not fantastic as in really great. Everybody got that?  After that, this Blog returns to Victoriana in the Victorian era.