Fearful Passages
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Nine Terrifying Journeys on Various Continents. Use Independently or Within Other Adventures.
Now Boarding. The Tarrent Tabor Aerial Yacht is a huge triplane made of wood and fabric¸ with the passengers seated in wicker chairs. Upon boarding¸ each passenger finds a card baring his or her name on the assigned seat. Captain and co-pilot welcome everyone to the flight¸ and explain the basic rules for air travellers: wrap up warmly¸ stay in your seat¸ and don't open a window and stick your head out. The engines of the aircraft thunder to life¸ though a series of backfires draw loud curses from the mechanics. Thoughtfully¸ the airline provides cotton wool earplugs ‐ it is too loud to speak anyhow. Down field¸ ground crews fire shotguns to scare off birds in the area. The aircraft lumbers down the runway and¸ with a last bump¸ the Tabor soars up from the field¸ pitching from side to side.
Aircraft¸ Trains¸ Automobiles¸ Dirigibles¸ Diving Suits¸ Canal Boats¸ Armoured Cars¸ Elephants¸ Siberian Sledges. The golden age of travel occurred between 1880-1939. As travelling times shrank¸ destination became more important than the journey¸ a notion now so common-sensical that we blink to think that the reverse was once truer.
FEARFUL PASSAGES contains nine adventures set in the 1920s¸ when travel could be by turns long¸ arduous¸ luxurious¸ and debilitating¸ but always full of incident and meaning.