Another fun game of Pulp Alley the other night - this one was inspired by seeing Almaric's Skinks and scenery. After seeing his fine pictures I had to find mine in the unused drawers and shamelessly steal his idea.
The BackgroundLady Constance Noring, staying with the Chicago Rothchilds at their villa on the Peak on Hong Kong Island, has been kidnapped by the Tong and cruelly sold to the Dragon Men of Pentang. Here she is, sad eyed and praying for salvation.
Soon she will be sacrificed to the Great Lizard to satiate the God's unspeakable blood lust - fair skinned, blonde women being his particular favourite.
Fortunately, her father, Baronet Nigel Noring the honourable Lord of Neasden was staying at the Hong Kong Residency at the time of the crime and has franatically organised rescue parties to find and return his darling daughter. The reward - £ 20,000.
Such a sum has set the brothels and bars of Kowloon aflame and many a league has offerd their services.
As our story begins Lady Constance is to be found bound and chained atop the highest level of the Ziggurat of Skulls deep within the temperate jungle of China's Hunan Province. Fearful and sobbing she awaits her fate.
Luckily, at this precise moment two rival leagues crash through the jungle toward the ruined city of Pentang and will arrive simultaneously and race to capture the prize.
Captain Kit Stevens is at the start of his Special forces career and was on furlough in Kowloon when the summons went out. Using his contacts he quickly threw together a collection of kind hearted rascals from the dockside taverns. They christened themselves The Miscellany and set out to rescue the maiden (the cash helped bond the group but hey, an adventure is what these guys love best, so persuasion was hardly needed).
The Evil Doctor Choo Fat is however, another kettle of fish altogether. Money talks. He has a plan to rescue lady Constance and then extort more money from the grieving father. Gathering a group is easy for him. His Ninja Sidekick the Black Orchid never leaves his side and a click of his fingers soon collects together his henchmen and three of his fanatically loyal bodyguards.
The race is on - but the Dragon Men will not just sit back and let our leagues stroll in and rescue lady Constance. Oh, no....
PLOT POINTSLady Constance is the major plot point and the challenge is set. It will take 3 successes on Might to break her bonds and set her free.
The minor plot points are as follows:
Lady Constance's Valise - her clothes. Except for a diaphanous cotton shift she is almost naked. No way for a Lady to travel.
Soames the Butler - mad with grief Soames has tracked Lady C half way across China. Now he is just mad, barking in fact.
Jade Buddha - perched on a small granite column. That'll fetch a few bob back in civilisation
A box full of Grog - something the celebrate with (or drown sorrows)
SCENARIO EVENTSThe Miscellany get a boost to initiative - their die roll goes p to a d8
Choo Fat's gang gain an extra Fortune Card
SOME PICS OF THE ACTIONAs this was a 2 player game the Lizards were controlled by a rudimentary AI which just meant they seemed to pick on me every time
The full table view at the start of the game
Tommy "Gun" Gibbons watches Flash despatch a small lizard before he drops the larger one with a well aimed burst of red hot lead
The evil Dr. Choo Fat lays out two of Kit's companions who fail to recover .... mmwhahahahah
Kit reaches the box of clothes and heroically resists the urge to dress up in something slinky (just)
Brawn and Brains don't mix - Chinese "Boom Boom" Gordon takes two rounds to decipher the writings on the Jade Idol. A good job Choo fat has got his back.
Teeth make a hard job of breaking Lady C's chains while the Lizards rush to protect their sacrifice
Not fair!!! why pick on me
The end is near - the final Battle at the top of the Ziggurat of Skulls
The End - the sands of time have run their course and turn 6 see the scenario end badly for Kit and Co
The Choo Fat gang won the day by taking 3 minor plot points. The Miscellany only took 1, the chains and lizard folk denied them the major plot point.
FANTASTIC FUN !!!
I am so looking forward to Perilous Island - take my money, please.