*
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.
March 29, 2024, 08:57:38 AM

Login with username, password and session length

Donate

We Appreciate Your Support

Recent

Author Topic: Perilous Island 5: Lagoon of Terror  (Read 1876 times)

Offline wolfen

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 290
Perilous Island 5: Lagoon of Terror
« on: September 15, 2022, 07:14:49 AM »
It’s been a while but my kids and I are back at our Pulp Alley Perilous Island campaign. We completed Act I a few months ago and I then realized that I did’t have the necessary components to continue playing Act II, like a damaged boat, a Lagoon Terror, natives etc., so I started looking for the elements needed and took some time getting them ready. And here we are.

Here is where we left off https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=137095.0

And now…

After tracking a package from Lord Darrow to the island of Flores in the Azores the Steeles missed out on locating the Old Sailor, the one person who could give them the location of their quarry. The evil Scorpion Master and his cultists got away with that information and immediately began planning an expedition of their own. The Steeles were able to infiltrate the expedition of the Cult of the Emerald Scorpion and stow away on their ship. Having done so both leagues made their way to the legendary Perilous Island!

Located deep within the Atlantic Ocean, Perilous Island rises from the sea, surrounded by sharp rocks, sheer cliffs, and enshrouding fogs. Combined with an active volcano and numerous lava flows dividing the island, Perilous Island and the surrounding seas are able to maintain tropical temperatures. What mysteries remain preserved in the strange island?

As the chartered steamer made its way towards shore, it’s occupants anxious to explore the dangers of Perilous Island, a monstrous beast burst from the depths, ripping a giant hole in the hull in an instant. The ship immediately began to sink. Trapped in the monster’s natural habitat, the leagues swam for shore, the screams of crewmen echoing behind. The leaders of both groups noticed the wreckage of a small craft close to the shore and made their way to it while the rest of their fellows and followers swam to the mainland.


The layout

A large stone platform juts from the beach into the ocean with the ruins of a tower at its end, definitive proof that some ancient civilization once existed here. The beach itself has various vegetation and rock formations scattered along it, as the thick jungle that covers much of the island gives way to the sea.


In the chaos of the capsize and desperate swim to shore, the members of each league found themselves scattered across the beach. As they gathered their wits they tried to organize as best they could, knowing that a fight was coming. Molly, Penny and Ruairidh took position on the stone pier, noticing as they did so that their arrival had startled a person not wearing a green robe. The native fisherman could prove to be helpful if they could first convince him that they were friendly. That task was about to become extremely difficult as they heard the mechanical clanking of the cults’ robotic mascots coming towards them.
Mallory and Finn sat in the shade of one of the large rocks when they noticed a group of cultists pulling themselves from the water. Carefully they moved into attack position…


To Guy’s dismay the Scorpion Master proved himself the faster swimmer despite the weight of his robes and reached the damaged craft first. He climbed aboard and immediately started looking through the remains of the cargo. Guy increased his efforts and powered through the water as fast as he could. As he made his way onto the wreckage he heard his nemesis cry out in triumph. Apparently he had found something useful. Determined to take whatever it was for himself, Guy launched his body at the cult leader. The Master tried to thwart his attack with some throwing knives that seemed to appear from nowhere but to no avail. Guy’s boot connected with his enemy’s chest and the fight was on!


Back on the beach things were just as hot. The group of cultists Mallory had watched pulling themselves from the ocean had spotted something hidden among the rocks and moved to investigate. Finn rushed in to stop them but the brave hound was quickly dealt with. Mallory exchanged fire with the group but quickly found himself outgunned and injured, taking one of the evil doers down with him. The other two were then free to continue their investigation. They quickly wished they hadn’t as they heard a strange clicking noise, followed by a sharp pain and the cultist known as the Professor dropped to the ground. The cunningly concealed trap had done its work.


Elsewhere on the beach another group of cultists discovered a group of rocks which glowed with a dull red colour. Feeling slightly disoriented they nevertheless tried to pry the glowing rocks from the formation in which they lay.


On the stone platform Penny moved to see what secrets the ancient ruins held. She came across some mysterious remains and started to examine them and see if they could give her any clues to the Darrow expedition. That left Molly and Ruairidh to deal with the mechanical scorpions which were coming closer. Ruairidh opened fire with his trusty Thompson as one of the beasts rushed him. It closed the ground faster than he anticipated and most of his shots went astray. Enough of them found their mark to lay the construct low, but not before it was able to deliver a shot of poison to the brave Scotsman. Both man and machine collapsed.



Molly engaged the second robot and quickly rendered it useless before trying to convince the now frightened fisherman on the pier that she was not a danger to him. Given how distraught he was, it was going to take some doing.


Back on the boat wreck the Scorpion Master managed to disengage himself from Guy Steele. Our plucky hero had injured the dastardly cult leader and he was determined to avoid further damage. A sudden roar sounded from the water as the Terror of the Lagoon returned and made its way towards the wreckage. Seeing his chance to escape with his gains the Scorpion Master leapt back into the lagoon and swam with all his might away from the damaged craft. Guy was not so lucky. The Terror was on him before he could move, it’s tentacles lashing out in an effort to catch hold of him. It took all of his skill to evade the writhing appendages but he was able to do so. He sought refuge on the opposite side of the wreck, hoping that the monster would ignore him if it could not see him. His strategy worked as the mass of tentacles and muscle took off after the Scorpion Master.


On the shore the Professor recovered from the poison dart that had hit him and quickly disarmed the trap to avoid further danger. His continued investigation revealed a jar of a strange, pungent substance. His fellow cultist, no longer distracted by the object in the undergrowth, caught sight of movement in the old ruins on the stone pier and opened fire. A high pitched cry was his reward.

Penny, who had cried out in fear rather than pain, quickly got back up and finished examining the remains in the tower. She deduced that they must have belonged to a member of the Darrow party, proving that they had at least made it this far. It wasn’t much to go on, but at least it was something.


Further down the pier Molly wished she was having half as much luck as Penny. She had managed to work out a crude series of hand gestures with which to communicate with the native man but every time she thought they were getting somewhere the cultists on the beach riddled them with bullets and they had to duck and dodge for their lives. Eventually the native had had enough and ran off into the trees.


The other cultists weren’t having much luck with the glowing rocks. The large cultist referred to simply as Number One dropped to the ground, overwhelmed by being so close to the strange things.


In the water the Terror quickly caught up to the Scorpion Master but was unable to overcome the man’s wicked wiles. It chased him all the way to the shore, lashing out with both tentacles and claws, yet somehow the foul felon eluded its grasp. Once clear of the creature, the Master beat a hasty retreat into the jungle, eager to discern what he could about the Darrow expedition with what he had recovered from their boat. Once again the Steele’s were left short handed.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2022, 05:14:46 PM by wolfen »

Offline dadlamassu

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1535
    • http://www.morvalearth.co.uk
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #1 on: September 15, 2022, 07:44:44 AM »
A splendid ripping yarn!
'He could have lived a risk-free, moneyed life, but he preferred to whittle away his fortune on warfare.'
-- Xenophon, The Anabasis

Offline aircav

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 3655
    • the aircav saga
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #2 on: September 15, 2022, 10:51:38 AM »
Fantastic stuff, a thoroughly enjoyable read  8) 8)

Offline Grumpy Gnome

  • Galactic Brain
  • Posts: 5333
    • The Grumpy Gnome
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #3 on: September 15, 2022, 11:15:57 AM »
The brilliance continues! 👍
Home of the Grumpy Gnome

https://thegrumpygnome.home.blog/

Offline marianas_gamer

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 3886
  • Our Man on Guam Watchman in the East
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #4 on: September 15, 2022, 07:47:50 PM »
Great stuff!
Got to kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight.

Offline Cacique Caribe

  • Mastermind
  • Posts: 1978
  • Gelatinous Legal Alien
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2022, 06:48:28 AM »
Looks like an extremely fun game.  Fantastic beach too.

Dan

Offline tikitang

  • Mad Scientist
  • Posts: 604
  • A shadow out of time...
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2022, 08:22:26 AM »
I love this!

Some years back I had great plans to do something very similar to this setup for Strange Aeons, but never got around to it.
https://a-descent-into-the-maelstrom.blogspot.com/


"The things you own end up owning you. It's only after you lose everything that you're free to do anything."

- Chuck Palahniuk

Offline mikedemana

  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • Posts: 2848
  • Investigating curiosities around the globe...
    • Worldwidemike
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2022, 02:27:27 AM »
Very nice! I love that battle mat...is it neoprene?

Mike Demana

Offline wolfen

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 290
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2022, 06:11:17 AM »
Very nice! I love that battle mat...is it neoprene?

Mike Demana

It is indeed, from Table War.
https://tablewar.com/collections/fatmats/products/4x4caribbeanshores

Offline Doug ex-em4

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 2486
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #9 on: September 29, 2022, 02:34:07 PM »
I love the photo of the Terror looming over the boat - very atmospheric. Where’s the boat from, btw?

Doug

Offline wolfen

  • Scientist
  • Posts: 290

Offline Doug ex-em4

  • Supporting Adventurer
  • Scatterbrained Genius
  • *
  • Posts: 2486
Re: Perilous Island: Lagoon of Terror
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2022, 02:30:38 PM »
Thanks Doug. The boat is a 3D print. I got mine from Etsy.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/868969553/ruined-fishing-boat-for-wasteworld?click_key=e606090f57fdf693d2761c5736b568229d17be62%3A868969553&click_sum=2b6a6232&ga_search_query=Fishing&ref=shop_items_search_3&pro=1&sts=1&variation0=1630077575

Thanks for the info - I’m severely tempted by that.

Your accounts make me think I should actually play some "official" PA scenarios instead of trying to bend the rules to play games they’re not really suited or intended for.

Doug

 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
9 Replies
3991 Views
Last post October 01, 2013, 09:01:35 PM
by pistolpete
13 Replies
6433 Views
Last post December 02, 2013, 06:14:22 PM
by Traveler Man
25 Replies
4589 Views
Last post July 17, 2014, 12:13:28 PM
by NickNascati
8 Replies
4038 Views
Last post April 27, 2015, 05:33:40 PM
by pistolpete
5 Replies
961 Views
Last post December 20, 2017, 07:20:35 PM
by d phipps