The Tail of the Snake is Long and Winding (Pulp Alley)

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

The Tail of the Snake is Long and Winding
(The Thing in the Well re-imagined)
Hebishima Town, Nagasaki Prefecture, Empire of Japan
Random Event: Low-light
Servants of Apophis: Serpent Priest, Militant Cultist, Four Fierce Cultists

Many years ago, a redcoat limped into a London curio shop to propose an exchange: a strange snake relic pilfered from a French soldier at Waterloo for drinking money. He said the frog had probably picked it up in Egypt based on some other (previously pawned) trinkets he’d taken from him. It was unsightly and frankly unpleasant to gaze upon, but he took pity and gave Mr. Adkins a fair price for the wretched thing.

It lingered on a shelf for decades until an Eastern student of a sort the owner had never seen before blew through, wanting “omiyage” for his family back home. The sale was more than in his favor this time.

From Egypt to France, Belgium and Britain, it traveled to Japan and was given to the lad’s uncle, a priest at a shrine to Ugajin, the serpent-bodied harvest and fertility deity.

It slumbered here many more decades until strange dreams beckoned the Phantom Ace to bring it home once more, if either he or the thing in a well, were to ever know peace…

Since landing at Tachiarai Airfield, the Phantom Ace’s head had felt like a broken compass, constantly pointing him toward their objective and the closer he got to it, the more urgently it demanded him. Even the Denki Bran proffered by their local contact, Yamaguchi Yuki, couldn’t take the edge off, so he didn’t bother.

“Turn left up ahead,” Gauge said from the passenger seat. Using a map, she was his co-piloted this trip. Despite having no wings, the Ace pushed their jalopy like a SPAD and flew down the rough road. The time frame was short but somehow she managed to produce some of her wonderful toys for the whole team, a utility belt for him, a “bullet-proof vest” for Rutherford, and some odd tool for herself. Hopefully it wouldn’t explode in her face when it was most needed. Again.

Rutherford, his trusted friend and former Belgian Force Publique soldier, kept an eye on the road behind them. They’d been tailed since Hong Kong and though he’d seen nothing obvious, he knew their pursuers were still on the trail.

They arrived in Hebijima Town as darkness swallowed the last vestiges of light. Their destination was a forlorn well behind the old shrine and in the midst of abandoned row houses. It seemed they were not a moment too soon. A local notice board stated the houses would be torn down and the well filled in the following morning.
The agents fanned out and approached the well with unease. It was quiet the save for the droning of summer cicadas and a distant whistling. It seemed this would be easy. That’s what bothered the Phantom Agents…

Fierce cultists, led by a fabulous priestess and her right hand militant mercenary, a veteran of the late unpleastantness in what was Czarist Russia, have followed the agents and await the right moment to constrict about them and the well, like the first of what will be many groan inducing snake metaphors in this campaign.




It’s a well, Charlie Brown. If you toss in a sen coin and make a wish, you won’t have enough money for bus fare home. Also, the ugly snake thing is at the bottom for reasons. Maybe it drove the priest mad and he tossed it down there, or he was naturally suffering from dementia and it just happened that way.


A hive of giant… dear God, what are these monster bees?! Who knew Pokemon were real?!


Yamaguchi-san (no relation), the gardener and daughter of Yaoya Oshichi general store, who can handle the giant Pokemon nest. Currently she is idly chattering with her best friend, who is also Yamaguchi-san (no relation either)


This is a crate of firecrackers and assorted probably legal explosives in the Matsuura Shuzo (Sake Distillery) truck, likely an early preparation for Obon. Local tradition is to toss firecrackers before the spirit boats as they are paraded down the road.


This is a consecrated tree stump still lovingly maintained by the shrine, upon it are strange notations, as if from another’s nightmarish dreams.


Forces deployed on board, including the getaway car guarded by Roswell. (Out of play, this game)

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

The Phantom Agents approach the well with trepidation...


A militant mercenary (cultist) and the serpent priestess he follows, for a price of course.


Two fierce cultists


Two fierce cultists searching for one fierce beer coaster.


Rutherford took action against their tail, the first round erupting into a hail of wasted shots between both parties, though the fierce militants- better brawlers than shooters- moved in and took shots, inviting his superior return fire. The "bullet-proof waist coat" save him from at least one wound and he brought them both down.



Phantom Agent and Gauge rushed for their objectives; her with Gadget X to auto-pass a challenge and him wearing a utility belt of dubious origin.


Phantom Ace thinks there's trouble in the distance, but in this low light it's hard to tell.


Yamaguchi Yuki, the drawn level 2 ally, rushed to get the gardener’s support for handling bursts and claimed the gunshots being exchanged were merely “modern construction equipment” at work. Gardener Yamaguchi Yuko (no relation) was a tough sell and after two rounds of failed cunning checks, she gave up and headed to join the shootout in progress… The gardener had the sense to stay out of whatever was going down, she knew it wasn’t “construction work,” like Yuki had claimed.

Why is every other person in this prefecture named “Yamaguchi?”

(Funny story actually, it goes back a thousand years to the Battle of Dan-no-Ura…)


Gauge gets as good as she gives and sends a cultist to Cobra-La before using her gadget to auto-pass the challenge. She didn’t get far though, as bushwacking the next militant resulted in them both going down.


A cultist grabs the most explosive plot point...


The militant mercenary heralded the priestess’ arrival with badly aimed bullets. The shootout between Rutherford and Ace against the demonic duo took out the militant as Ace went down to take on the well’s three challenges turn by turn. The fierce cultist tossed his burst in the well and every turn the priestess did her part to smoke him out with bursts. Somehow, he only took one wound during the shootout and through sheer determination ignored the bursts as he bested every challenge the well could offer.




Gauge tried to bushwack the fierce militant, but both went down.


Joining the fight, Yuki got a clean shot in on the snake priest. It didn’t do anything but it’s the thought that counts. If you want your own Yuki, please DM me. She and her three sisters are on sale now as a $20 set! I swear, this is the only commercial break.


Finally, Ace emerged victorious with dingus in hand at the end of Turn Six as Rutherford continued to lay down covering fire, now supported by Gauge and their contact. Victorious, they piled into their getaway car and sped back to the Tachiarai airfield.


She's not dead yet, she got better!


Ace beat the three challenges, twice by his own might and finesse and once with the cunning utility belt. His little tinkerer came through. He emerges victorious with dingus in hand at the end of Turn Six as Rutherford continued to lay down covering fire, now supported by Gauge and their contact. Victorious, they piled into their getaway car and sped back to the Tachiarai airfield.

Phantom Ace may have gotten the relic, but Rutherford is the MVP of this round as his dogged though dithering determination kept the heat on the cultists and cleared the Ace’s way. Despite also being in the most fire, he also came out unscathed.

[Kourtchatovium104]

Interesting report! 

[Tom Dulski]

 Great looking table too.

[mikedemana]

Great looking game! Hopefully, Ace's nightmares and headaches will subside after completing his mission. 

Mike Demana

[Doug ex-em4]

Stylish report. Well set up and keeps the reader’s attention right through. Well written and some very tasty scenery. I liked the humorous asides as well.It’s a while since I played PA but this is tempting me back.

Thanks for sharing your game. Was it solo or a two-hander?

Doug

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

Stylish report. Well set up and keeps the reader’s attention right through. Well written and some very tasty scenery. I liked the humorous asides as well.It’s a while since I played PA but this is tempting me back.

Thanks for sharing your game. Was it solo or a two-hander?

Doug

It was solo; I live in Sasebo, Japan so there's not a gaming group for this sort of thing. I'm a scenery and terrain addict, which is partially why I started making miniatures. I figure that if I want it, others may want it too.

[aircav]

Fantastic board & game report

[Vagabond]

Nice scenery and I enjoyed the report.
Cheers

[Traveler Man]

Great game report! 

[Legionnaire]

That was a very enjoyable read  , the scenery looks excellent and fun, entertaining AAR. Well done sir!

Regards,

Legionnaire.

[CapnJim]

I agree with the others.  Great read, and lovely scenery and miniatures.

And I'm with Mike.  Hope the Ace's ills subside now...

[Andy in Germany]

Excellent story and as others have said, lovely scenery.

[Sakuragi Miniatures]

Thanks for the compliments!

[Khusru2]

Great game. Great table. Great story.
Yamaguchi prefecture. I had to look it up due to the ambiguous comment.

What are the cards on the table? Stats for the characters?