Fimbulwinter Braincataclysm

...to toss around possible ideas for forthcoming Fimbulwinter sessions.

Beginnings

The show needs to begin somewhere. Some ideas follow: of course, we can always revisit with flashbacks if we open with something on in events.

A symposium of the International Geographical Society, at which the expedition is proposed
The arrival of the main zeppelin at McMurdo Sound, and the establishment of base camp
The first sighting of the Mountains by an expedition foray
the establishment of a camp at the base of the Mountains
the first death of the expedition
the first discovery of Something Very Weird

 * washed up on shore
 * frozen in the ice
 * came in the mail
 * fell out of the sky

Possible "somethings": dead (human) body, elder artifact, meteor, mysterious equipment
Someone is murdered or missing
Meteorological problems: a blizzard, ice fog, bizarre warm period
An entrance is discovered under the ice
The airship explodes
Nightmares plague all. There's sleepwalking
Southern lights have a mysterious effect
Strange radio transmissions are received
Base is audited by an external adviser
An NPC is accused of espionage
The mail arrives
Electrical generators fail
Illness; maybe food poisoning
Something has been stolen or missing
A trial is held
Wildlife attacks
Some place is quarantined or forbidden

I like the idea of calling the base camp Concordia (the name of a much later French/Italian Antarctic research station); it has the right tone of utopian internationalist-brotherhood which can then be horribly undermined.

The most obvious thing that could change is the exact time of the setting; a few ideas:
- Immediately post-WWI, for post-war trauma and new-world-order intriguing
- Pre-WWI, but somewhat earlier so as to leave more wiggle room for alliance-building - perhaps in late 1903, shortly before the Entente Cordiale.
- Late Victorian. Changes stuff very heavily.