Help me plug a plot-hole!

[takyris]

So, here's the situation:

d20 Modern campaign just starting. The backstory:

An earthquake has caused a volcanic eruption off the coast of Washington state, and an island has been created. In defiance of all normal science, the island is NOT just volcanic material, but contains what looks like a large part of the sea-floor on a plateau at the top. And the plateau shows signs of human civilization.

The PCs are just getting started. They don't know if we're doing science fiction or fantasy. They don't know if the stuff on the plateau is a sunken ship or some ancient civilization that sank into the sea ages ago.

Here's where it gets hairy: One important plot point is the fact that the PCs work for a corporation that has secured the rights to explore the island exclusively. The U.S. government steps in, despite this securing, when the island begins emitting strange energy waves, and what follows is the campaign itself -- a PC team of corporate and military folks working together uneasily to ensure the safety of the United States (and the world) and uncover the lost secrets of this new island.

I wanted the island to sort of be "up for grabs" on the surface -- so I put it 350 miles off the coast of the United States, which is definitely in international waters. The U.S. is still the closest country, though.

What I WANT is for rival corporations and governments to try and get the rights to the island for themselves. I don't want it to just be a war, though. There has to be some international council of science or business or something that most corporations would respect. Trouble is, I don't have the first dang idea what that corporation IS.

So, who did my PCs' corporation get the rights from? Does such an organization exist? How are new islands usually handled these days? I'm fine with improbable "special case" stuff, but I'd like there to be some veneer of realism to work with.

I'm fine with the corporation claiming right-to-explore on the island from some international scientific or economic community. I'm fine with the U.S. claiming the island as close to the U.S. and potentially important, and then giving those rights to the corporation.

Basically, I want some organization that most people would feel compelled to respect, at least on the surface, while some dangerous evil folks would work secretly to get around (or through) the laws.

Help!

 

[Hatchling Dragon]

First thing that comes to mind, even if it's not a Corporation, is the United Nations. You might even say that only the UN was chartered to explore the mysterious Island exclusively, since nobody could trust any one country doing it. This would allow you to have any sort of nationality and/or corporate/private group you could wish for, each with thier own potential secret agenda.

Again, it's 2 seconds worth of thought, hopefully you'll find something usefull.

Hatchling Dragon

 

[d4]

there's a UN "Division of Ocean Affairs" that seems like it would handle stuff like this.

and i don't think you'd have any problems with your players believing that corporations and nations would follow the UN's rules "on paper" while constantly seeking to subvert them in reality.

the website is here.

 

[yangnome]

I'd say use the UN as well. The corporation was contracted by the UN to explore the island. The US, wary of the UN inspectors decides they are going to act on it as well...

 

[Macbeth]

Yeah, i would say the United Nations is your best bet, since it is a kind of international assembly that would presumably have jurisdiction over such international affairs. Of course, since the UN is made up of representatives from every country, you'd have to have a good reason they gave one country or corporation exclusive rights. Maybe some kind of political intrige has been going ono to ge the US exclusive rights? Maybe some bribes on the company's part?

 

[d4]

here's some relevant lines from that site:

"Coastal States share with the international community part of the revenue derived from exploiting resources from any part of their [continental] shelf beyond 200 miles"

"All States enjoy the traditional freedoms of navigation, overflight, scientific research and fishing on the high seas [more than 200 miles from the coast]"

"All marine scientific research in the EEZ and on the continental shelf is subject to the consent of the coastal State, but in most cases they are obliged to grant consent to other States when the research is to be conducted for peaceful purposes and fulfils specified criteria"

 

[Hand of Evil]

NASA - claim they lost a satilite that could be causing the issues and could send a team in. This could also be done with Russia and a lost sub.

Japan - Whalers claimed the land under salvage rights and DID radio in a claim. Whalers work for some big corp and the corp send in a team.

You can also perform a land rush, people looking it get rich, rush the island knowing it is going to take 12 hours before other claims can be worked out, they are doing in and outs.

 

[Henry]

Moved to Plots and Places.

 

[Darth Shoju]

The UN thing would work really nicely, as then you could have an international specialist team assembled to accompany the PCs. This would give you the opportunity to include some really cool personalities. You could have the NPCs all be representatives from the various G7 nations' military special forces, like Britain's SAS, the US's Delta Force and so on. But you do have something pretty cool going as is.

Good Luck!

 

[gunter uxbridge]

As for the corporation side, you could have the island be part of a sea mount that an oil or natural gas company has a platform posted on or near. Assuming it isn't destroyed outright, the rig is a great place for a base of operations and a good reason for the government to get into bed with your corporation. It might also clear up some ownership and territorial issues.