INTRODUCTION

This adventure is intended for characters of almost any background and a fair amount of experience, preferably in league with the forces of good and order. The setting is the south of France, near Ste. Tropez. It would probably be most appropriate that the characters be on vacation and not involved in some kind of mission. It is likely that someone will have suggested that while they are in the area they look up Revancheur and La Sorciere (two members of the Defenseurs), who have a beach house near San Tropez. The adventure will begin when they go to make this call. Almost any sort of character could be appropriate for the adventure, preferably a fairly small and varied group.

BACKGROUND

The Defenseurs defend the French Republic and the people of France. Two of the younger, more notable members of the group are La Sorciere and Revancheur, who are husband and wife. They spend much of the year at their beach house near San Tropez in the south of France. This summer there has been some conflict between the Defenseurs and the Challengers. It seems that the Defenseurs were able to foil a major Challengers smuggling operation in Spain, mostly thanks to La Sorciere's Psi detection powers. This has led to the growth of some bad feeling, but there are no indications of specific reprisals.

As far as the characters know when they head out to visit La Sorciere and Revancheur nothing out of the ordinary is in the offing. Their contact who suggested the visit will have written to tell the French couple that they may be visiting. Naturally, when they do arrive the situation is not as rosy as they might have hopped.

AT THE BEACH HOUSE

The characters will have the phone number of the beach house, and they may phone ahead. If they do they will get La Sorciere on the phone. She will extend an open invitation in English or French and mention that if she is not in the house that afternoon she will be on the beach and that Revancheur is in town but will soon be back. In anycase, they should arrive at the beach house in the afternoon.

When they arrive they will find the house unlocked, with Pierre, La Sorciere's 5 year old son playing in the front room. He tells them his mother is at the beach if he is asked. It is a fairly large bungalow on a rock spur looking out across a private sand beach. Presumably they will then go down to the beach to locate La Sorciere. After a search they will find someone who matches her description lying unconscious in a cluster of rocks near the waterside. She is wearing a wet bathing suit, but does not seem to have swallowed any water. Her reflexes are fine, but she seems to be asleep. They will see some other bathers (neighbors) about half a mile down the beach. If questioned one of them may mention that they saw her speaking to a strange man who seems to have disappeared. They can get a rough descriptionn of the man.

While they are standing over La Sorciere examining her Revancheur will arrive home and come down to the beach. When he sees these strangers (suspicious looking foreigners) standing over her flacid body he will become irate. He is rather possessive and defensive about his wife, and may well attack them before they have a chance to explain, unless they are very tactful and talk fast.

DEVELOPMENTS

After Revancheur is calmed down they can take his wife up to the house and things will begin to develop. Over the next several days they can carry on an investigation and call in aid, and some things will be discovered. Most of the other members of the Defenseurs are busy on a mission in Africa, so Revancheur will want to recruit the characters to help out in this investigation.

First, a bit of rest and basic treatment will bring La Sorciere back to consciousness, but it will quickly become clear that she is a shadow of her former self. All of her powers seem to have vanished and her intelligence and rational abilities all seem to have regressed to the level of an eight year old. She has also lost much of her memory. This will send Revancheur into despair, and arouse curiosity for all.

Interviews with bathers from down the beach will get a general description of the man she was seen talking to, but it is not good enough to pin him down. Further investigation will reveal that he was seen boarding a bus late that afternoon for Marseilles (from San Tropez), and investigation in Marseilles will show that he boarded a plane for Stockholm the next morning. People at the hotel where he stayed will give an accurate description, including the fact that he is an American and used the name of Nick Smith, which a computer check will match with the description of Conduit, one of the borderline members of the Challengers. Analysis of this information will lead characters to suspect that he is working with another Challenger, Dr. Nils Invang, who will have to be approached with caution. However, with the source of the problem identified they are faced with returning La Sorciere to health. What is known about Conduit will illuminate the problem. He has the ability to drain of some characteristics and most super powers and transfer them into some object. Dealing with this will require someone with Power Sense to seek out an object on or near the beach which holds La Sorciere's powers. Getting those powers back into her will either require Conduit or someone with similar powers to make the transfer. This will have to be done before the powers bleed off from the object holding them and she is left an invalid permanently. All of this investigation will take 2 or 3 days.

In the meantime, reports begin to filter in from the beaches around San Tropez. They tell of a strange creature which emerges from the sea and drags people off to drown or disrupts picnics or is just sited off shore. The problem with these reports (there are about half a dozen) is that many of the witnesses are unreliable (many are drunk or stoned), and none of the descriptions of the creature match. The earliest description is of a giant squid-like creature which moves on land. Others report a creature of shifting form. Later ones report a large man-like creature with facial tentacles. The latest reports may even mention that the creature emerged from the sea speaking perfect French. Some may think it was an extra from a horror film being made down the coast.

Note that if Pierre is questioned about his mother he may mention an imaginary playmate named Cuthbert who he meets down on the beach. He describes this playmate as a sea-creature, and that may arouse some curiosity in the open minded, though many will tend to ignore the fantasies of a five year old.

Revancheur is too upset to do much of anything, and just stays by his wife's bedside. However, some bright character wandering on the beach may notice a that some of the pools in rocky areas have things living in them, and that squids at rest look an awful lot like rocks. Voila, Conduit transfered the powers into a squid and over the last few days they have had a strange mutative effect. Put this together with Pierre's stories and you have Cuthbert the Cuttlefish, the current possessor of La Sorciere's powers.

SOLVING THE PROBLEM

In order to get La Sorciere's powers back they will have to capture Cuthbert the Cuttlefish. As he has developed, he is halfway between a man and a giant squid, with most of La Sorciere's knowledge, intelligence and powers. To run him, use her powers skills and mental characteristics, with increased HP (about 150), armor (10/10/10) and physical resiliency, plus the ability to swim and live in the water. He is a bit confused about his identity. As far as he is concerned he is still a squid, but he is now more or less humanoid, amphibious, and intelligent. He does not understand that the change is unnatural, but he likes it. He understands and can use her powers, but has little sense of morality or right and wrong.

They will probably have to lure him to shore. Pierre can do this by contacting him psychically, but won't if he suspects foul play. Cuthbert will also resist giving up his powers or being captured, though he might be conned by a real expert. What makes this particularly tough is that they must not harm him as he is essential to La Sorciere's survival. If he should escape to the sea he will be very hard to recapture. Keep in mind that an appeal to pity for La Sorciere will not convince him to give up his new-found abilities. Chances are that a cautious combat will ensue, one which should be carefully planned and executed to insure capture.

COCLUSION

Even after capturing Cuthbert they will still have part of their problem to deal with, specifically that of pursuing and apprehending Conduit, who is presumably hiding out with Dr. Nils Invang (presumably the mastermind who engineered this vengeance on behalf of Jan Rader and the Challengers) in Sweden. As the Defenseurs are still otherwise engaged, Revancheur will plead with the characters to take on this mission as well. He will do what he can to reward them. The raid on Dr. Invang's Stockholm clinic is the subject of the next adventure 'The Trail of Dr. Invang'. Dr. Invang will certainly be aware of their discovery of the plot, and they will receive an anonymous ransom note promising to make the power exchange if $15,000,000 are deposited in a numbered Swiss Bank Account. Such a sum is out of the question, of course, and the policy of France and the Defenseurs is never to give in to terrorism and extortion of this sort, so this is not really an option, though it will enrage Revancheur (remember, he is bereaved and cannot join the characters in the mission.

JACQUES MOLLAY/DARK CRUSADER/TEMPLAR

Background: Jacques Mollay was actually born as Henri Demunier, the son of Algerian imigrant parents in the ghettos of Marseilles. He grew up fairly poor, with limited formal education, though he was a voracious reader. In his early teens he had to go to work at odd jobs on the streets of the city, but an internal motivation gave him the initiative to find greater success, so that he soon owned his own business, expanding into shipping and sales. By the age of 30 he was one of the richest young businessmen in Europe. His immigrant family had brought him up as a devoted nationalist, and this theme dominated his life, so that by the time he became financially secure, he began to use his wealth to further certain conservative political aims. He purchased several influential newspapers and broadcasting networks, and organized and promoted a social/political action group called The New Templars (Le Nouveau Ordre du Temple). This group was intended as a sort of political club to support French culture and tradition, a sort of merger of Syndicalist and Culturalist ideals. As leader of this group he took the name Jacques de Mollay, borrowed from the last leader of the original Templars who had dominated the military of medieval France. He was exposed early in the mutogenon crisis, and in cooperation with the government he gathered a group of French mutants and psi-users to work as a unit for the defense of France. This group became known as Les Defenseurs (The Defenders). Mollay is their leader, respected by all of the members, but somewhat aloof. One of the threads of his background is a lasting interest in magic and the occult, which is manifested in some of his powers. Description: Jacques Mollay has two identities, one as Henry Demunier, businessman and one as Jacques Mollay, leader of the Templars and Defenseurs, sometimes also known as Dark Crusader or Templar. As Demunier he looks like a husky, expensively dressed businessman. As Mollay he dresses in full chivalric armor, often going mounted, and bearing a specially designed greatsword (MD16) of technologically modiefied balance and sharpness. He makes public appearances in this guise from time to time, and dresses as Mollay to take direct action against foes of France. Activities: Mollay is involved as an advisor to the French government, and holds an official appointment as leader of the Defenseurs. He also overseas diverse business interests, and campaigns for nationalistic candidates. With the Defenseurs he fights enemies of France wherever they may be. Because of his public popularity he makes regular lecture tours. He has no close relationships with women, and more acquaintances than friends. His upbringing and driven nature make it hard for him to develop personal relationships, but his skill as a leader, organizer and symbol are unmatched. EPower Notes: Most of Mollay's powers are passive and inherent in his person, except his armor. Most operate at all times or on his command. His main distance attacks will be his magical/psi powers, particularly pyrokinesis, but as he is awesome in hand to hand combat he will often opt for it. He uses his necromantic and demoniac powers to gather information and influence events. He might be seen as a black magician, but he has not sold his soul, merely struck limited bargains with the forces of evil, for the benefit of what he sees as the good.

REVANCHEUR

Background: Etienne Fouchard enjoyed a nice middle-class upbringing in eastern France, near the German border. His unusual skill and natural ability made him a natural for the martial arts, and he entered training and found his way onto the French olympic fencing team in 2008, when he was only 18. Being cautious and medically advanced, the team doctors prescribed a Mutogenon derived treatment when he caught a cold during the games. He won handily and collapsed soon after from some indeterminate cause. It was thought he had sustained nerve damage, but he slowly recovered to a level of physical ability far beyond his original limits. He remained French and world champion in foil for several years, after which he retired to a modest acting career and to champion the cause of France as a member of the Defenseurs. In this role he calls himself Revancheur. During the course of this association he met, wooed and married Jeannette Levalier, another member of the league. They have one child, Philippe. EDescriptionE: He is small and lithe, dresses fashionably, and carries himself well. He goes armed with a special needle-sharp rapier (MD12), and wears light and unencumbering garments. He uses stealth and skill whenever possible. He has a bit of a temper and quite a prejudice against Germans, one of whom cheated against him in his first European championship, so he particularly likes to abuse Germanic villains. He is devoted to his wife. Activities: Revancheur is Mollay's chief lieutenant in the Defenseurs. He is spokesman for the organization and director of covert activities, particularly intelligence gathering, at which he has developed some facility. Other than that he values his private life rather highly. Power Notes: Almost all of Revancheur's powers take the form of physical and skill modifications, with the exception of deflection and absorbtion, which are fairly hard to tell from natural ability. He is excellent at stealthy work, and hell with his chosen weapon and all the martial arts, generally chosing to sneak up on and close with his foes.

LA SORCIERE

Background: Jeanette Levalier is the daughter of a career politician and diplomat, raised in Paris and overseas. She had the best schooling, through college and graduate school, but was a precocious child, who developed an interest in the occult at an early age. Her abilities in the occult were spotted by Jacques Mollay, who took her on as a sort of protege, and she became part of the Defenseurs, where she met and married Revancheur. She handles much of the administration of the organization, and at one time she was Mollay's secretary and personal assistant. She has been devoting an increasingly large amount of time to her family and homelife, particularly now that she has a child. Description: Levalier has had a number of careers, even though she is just approaching thirty. She has been a writer, administrator and fashion designer, as well as being well trained in sociology and psychology. She is attractive, and can generally be found well and expensively dressed. There is nothing unusual about her to mark her as more than a youngish socialite. Activities: As noted above, she handles much of the administration of the Defenseurs. She also carries on magical experimentation and research, and lectures in the paranormal at the Sorbonne for one course per year. She keeps a fairly low profile as a super-being. She is amiable and rather soft-hearted. Power Notes: All of La Sorciere's powers are magical in nature, and she is quite adept with these, but she will certainly try to avoid combat as much as possible. She tends to prefer to work with nature-oriented and traditional magic, and would prefer not to use gross manifestations, such as bolts of lightning, though she is certainly capable.

HUON THE HUNTER

Background: Huon is an enigmatic figure, allowed in the Defenseurs on sufferance. His actual origin is unknown, though he goes by the name of Hugh Loiret and claims to be from Bordeaux (where there is no record of his birth or life). Little is known about his private life or activities, but he is known publicly to have some sort of relationship with La Morte. There are dark rumors about where his great wealth comes from and the things which go on at his large estate in Perigaux. It is suspected that he has a second, unknown identity, and may be part of the military establishment. Description: Huon appears dressed as a medieval huntsman, with dark clothing, horse, bow and spear. He has a wild look to his eyes, which glow at night, and has hard-to-see vestigal horns on his forehead. Activities: Huon's main activities are in hunting down enemies of France and of the Defenseurs. His powers are particularly well suited to a role as an international mercenary and assassin. His private life, interests and origin are deliberatly kept obscure. Power Notes: Huon has quite a selection of powers, with an unknown origin. None of them take any visible form, except his armor, which appears to be a coat of chainmail beneath his clothing. He uses his mental induction to cause rage in his allies in battle or fear in his enemies, causing the strong willed to flee and the weak-willed to kill themselves. When he changes shape, he will most often take the shape of a huge white hound or a wild stag. In addition to the powers listed, in hound form he has unnatural hearing and smell.

LA MORTE

Background: Helene Mourisant was born near in rural Brittany, raised alone by her father, who was a wounded pensioner from the French Army. As she grew up she went to fairly good schools and moved on to attend university at Rouen. During her first year she was in an automobile accident, which left her in a coma. However, she was treated with Mutogenon as a possible preventative for infestion, and this sensitized portions of her mind, so that while she was in a comatose state an ancient, extremely tired death-spirit named Ankou was able to contact her mind, and offer her a choice of life as his replacement or death in her coma. Helene chose to live on in a half-existence, while Ankou was able to go on to a pagan afterlife. She became part of a hidden supernatural heirarchy administering the passages from life to death, eventually rising to a position directing operations for much of Europe, filling the position which Ankou had held for over 1000 years. She spends her vacations with Huon, whom she somehow met through her work, though none of that is very clear to the public. No one in the public actually knows of the connection between La Morte and Helene Mourisant, and most believe La Morte to be a myth. Description: When about business La Morte travels invisible, and manifests in traditional garb and appearance to her subjects (dark, hooded robe and skeletal form, with scythe). She appears rarely in her regular form, for necessary informal social functions. Activities: For the most par La Morte administrates the collecting of the spirits of the dead and the termination of those marked to die. She will sometimes act in her deadly capacity to serve France and the Defenseurs. Power Notes: Most of the powers listed are appropriate and straightforward. The most dangerous is the 'Death Attack', which is the touch of her body or weapon, which on command does a fatal elemental attack of the stated level to the victim. The damage is halved if the victim is not slated to die at that time, and can also be used at extended range rather than touch at half again the normal power.