M.O.O.S.(E). Ministry of Occult Studies (England): 12/10 Game shots

[Mason]

Lovely table, I look look forward to the AAR.

Thanks, Ballardian.
The report will follow soon.




Until then here is the backgound for the first M.O.O.S.(E). team that has been sent to the area to investigate the reports of mysterious goings-on...

Theydon Bois – Team Leader
 
Theydon was recruited from military intelligence. Having seen some things in his time which were deemed classified even by military intelligence standards, it was a convenient way of keeping his knowledge under wraps whilst to recruiting him for M.O.O.S.(E). at the same time.
He has already proven himself a capable officer with a cool head under fire and perfect material to lead a team of agents.
One of his idiosyncrasies is a penchant for naval memorabilia, one of his prized possessions being the cutlass of Admiral Guy de Gateau, a French naval officer who surrendered to one of Nelson’s captains during the battle of Battenberg.
The blade is as keen as it ever was, and has served Theydon well during his years of service.
A man of confident bearing and obvious breeding, his family date back to the times of William the Conqueror – but he is fiercely proud to be English and serves the Crown with zeal and ruthless efficiency.
 
Ashby de la Zouche – Agent
 
A young and enthusiastic new recruit to the ranks of M.O.O.S.(E), serving within Theydon’s team is his first assignment in His Majesty’s Service.
Trained initially as a firearms officer in the Greater London Constabulary, Ashby showed a deftness when it came to accurately dual wielding pistols which came to the attention of his training officers, and in particular to the minister responsible for M.O.O.S.(E)’s recruitment, who was visiting the training college on the hunt for new talent.
M.O.O.S.(E) recruit through all arms of the military as well as the police, and the Minister almost recruited young Ashby on the spot, especially when he revealed an interest in matters of the occult.
It may also have helped that Ashby’s father is a prominent member of society – Lord Adrian de la Zouche of Cockup Bottom in Cumbria.
 
Chester LeStreet – Agent
 
The most seasoned member of the team. Chester was an overseas intelligence gathering operative for His Majesty’s Government – a spy – for a little over a decade before being recruited by  M.O.O.S.(E).
His work took him to areas of the globe where the occult was more prominent than in Western society, and he became enthusiastic about protecting the realm from zealots and fanatics intent on doing it harm through means ancient and arcane. This naturally led him to make a successful transfer to M.O.O.S.(E).
From humble origins – he comes from a line of boot makers in Wigan - Chester has made a good career for himself, although nobody in his family knows his true profession, thinking that he is a sales executive for a well-known brand of cigars.
He tells a load of old cobblers to a load of old cobblers.
 
Information provided by Legionnaire Bert, who controls this team in-game.



The team......



L-R: Ashby de la Zouche, Theydon Bois, Chester LeStreet

[Legionnaire Bert]

Thanks for posting Mason, I am looking forward to continuing the camapaign in Foulmouth .

The appearance of Theydon and his team will be changing, as these minis are Mason's and I will get around to painting up my own. I am thinking about sourcing them over the weekend, as I already have one or two hanging around at home.

[Mason]

Thanks for posting Mason, I am looking forward to continuing the camapaign in Foulmouth .

The appearance of Theydon and his team will be changing, as these minis are Mason's and I will get around to painting up my own. I am thinking about sourcing them over the weekend, as I already have one or two hanging around at home.

You are welcome, mate.
I look forward to seeing the new team all tarted up and ready for action.
 

[Mason]

A trip to Foulmouth.

M.O.O.S.(E). had been receiving sporadic reports of strange activity occurring on the Essex coast in the region of Foulmouth for some months, but nothing serious enough to warrant any kind of official investigation.
Most of these reports were put down to local superstitions until a photographer managed to take a picture of a strange raised fin appearing from the water some 10 yards from the shore.

Once the photo had been verified as genuine the Ministry decided to send a team to investigate this potential 'Essex Nessie'.

Theydon Bois had recently been appointed as a Senior Agent and given command of his first team and this seemed the perfect opportunity to 'blood' his group in what should be a simple and straightforward investigation.

Taking the train from Ministry HQ in London to Southend-On-Sea, firearms hidden from curious eyes, they arrived to find some difficulty in arranging further transport to the Foulmouth region.
It appeared that the area was considered 'cursed' and the inhabitants were not 'correct'.

Theydon eventually managed to find a slightly inebriated and rank-smelling cab driver who was willing to take them, for an extortionate seeming fee, to within a mile or so of the outskirts of Foulmouth but made it clear that he would be unwilling to go any further.

Having no choice but to accept this offer they set off.

As soon as the cab driver spotted what appeared to be a ruined hamlet in the distance the team disembarked and made themselves ready.

As the cab driver turned his vehicle around he called to them.. 'I reckon you fellas should stop hiding them shooters now and load 'em up.
And dont trust them locals none neither...'



As the team approached what appeared to be a abandoned fishing village ahead of them they spotted a small ship in the harbour and some activity on the quayside.
The appearance of the buildings in the village seemed to be somewhat ramshackle, some to the point of collapse and ruin.
It certainly did not appear that anyone could possibly be living here now.

As the team drew closer all activity appeared to stop and it seemed that those that they had seen earlier had gone into hiding.

Theydon did not like the look of this and, suspecting that he had stumbled across a gang of smugglers who were likely to be most unfriendly at having their 'business' interrupted, ordered his team to arm themselves and cache the rest of their belongings for later recovery.

Creeping up carefully onto the outskirts they still saw no activity, which only served to heighten their tension.

Deciding that an extremely careful approach would be wise they moved with extreme caution and made their way in by entering a, hopefully, abandoned building to begin their search....





To be continued......

[Litebrite]

Damn. Commercial break.... time to get a cold one while  waiting with baited breath. Superb scene 1.

Lem 

[ojdota]

I must ask who makes the figure on the far right? Also I must say your painting is superb and the terrain really sets the scene.

[Mason]

Damn. Commercial break.... time to get a cold one while  waiting with baited breath. Superb scene 1.

Lem 

Cheers, Lem.
I am glad that you approve.
I shall try and do some more tomorrow but time has been difficult to find lately.

I must ask who makes the figure on the far right? Also I must say your painting is superb and the terrain really sets the scene.

Thank you, although I cannot claim the credit for all of the figures as Majorsmith painted the fella with the sword and The Lockswin the big fella.
I did paint the other one and make the scenery, though....

As for who makes that chap: I do not know.
He was picked up in a bargain bin at a show, although I ma pretty certain he is a Copplestone sculpt if that helps at all...?
Maybe someone else can help with that one.....?
 

[Legionnaire Bert]

Cracking start to the AAR Mason! Top work mate - I can't wait to read about the rest of the game, and I played in it!

Such atmos

MUST get cracking on sourcing and painting up three minis to represent the chaps now.

Yeah, reckon the fella in the camelhair coat (so superbly painted by The Lockswin) must be a Copplestone, sure looks like it.

And I am certain I've taken a ride with that cab driver before, sounds/smells familiar! And much like with Foulmouth, he refused to go beyond the very oukskirts of Catford...

 

Bert

[ojdota]

So much great reading and amazing pictures 

[Dr DeAth]

Good start, now crack on with the rest!

[Mason]

So much great reading and amazing pictures 

Thank you, sir.
 

Good start, now crack on with the rest!

Thanks, boss.
Cracking on now, boss.
 

[Mason]

Trip to Foulmouth- Act Two.

Theydon was beginning to think that this was not going to be the 'easy' investigation into weird local superstitions with little foundation in truth that he had been informed it probably would be when he left London.
Unearthing a local smuggling ring was not exactly what he had thought of when he pictured his first assignment.
He wanted something a little less ordinary...this was probably more something that the Customs men and local constabulary should be dealing with.




Nevertheless, the men from the Ministry moved through the Inn cautiously, utilising every scrap of cover that they could find.
Encountering a group of smugglers could be extremely dangerous as it was highly likely that they would be armed.
If he was going to bring them to justice it would not be easy.






As the team moved through the ruined inn and hid behind the tumbled down walls they spotted movement ahead of them.
The smugglers had concealed themselves behind the various boxes and bundles that were stacked in front of the strangely intact warehouse building.
To make matters worse the hooded smugglers were armed and shooting at them!







Whilst the Ministry team was busily engaged in a firefight, hot lead flying in all directions, strange deformed shapes began moving towards them along the docks. They were in danger of being outflanked. By beings that did not appear entirely human!







Theydon quickly realised the danger and, as the first creature emerged from the dockside dripping wet with a shambling but surprisingly fast gait, he drew his sword and ran to engage this mysterious foe.



Engaging the foe he was shocked to find that this being was like nothing that he had encountered before.
It had a strange shambling approach, a twisted parody of man.
It appeared almost fishlike in appearance but those eyes were so human....

It was still trying to kill him, though, so he had better put those reservations aside if he wanted to avoid that viscous looking boat hook that the creature had pulled from under the coat it was wearing!


To be continued.....

[Elk101]

Love that table set up and the whole vibe of the write up.

[Mason]

Love that table set up and the whole vibe of the write up.

Cheers, mate.
The final part of the AAR shall follow soon as I did not have time to finish it yesterday.
 

[Mason]

The Trip to Foulmouth- Act Three.

As Theydon was battling for his life, and his own shock and surprise at the sight and smell of the foul creature, the rest of the team were busy being drawn into a bitter firefight with the other three armed assailants.







As lead was flying all around them, bullets tearing up the assorted goods that were scattered around the area, the hooded 'smuggler' leader armed with the Tommy gun moved up closer in an attempt to riddle Agent Le Street up close and personal.



Unfortunately for her she had been too preoccupied with trying to gun down the trenchcoated figure ahead of her she failed to notice that Agent de la Zouche had her in the sights of both of his .45's and met a grizzly end at the point of both barrels.





As the leader of the band of hooded fiends went down in a crumpled heap, Theydon had finally managed to hand the dripping creature that he had been facing the same fate, slashing his cutlass across the throat of the noxious smelling abomination.

Before he could do any more than draw a breath and gather his wits about him he found himself facing two more of the creatures who had emerged from the docks.
Things were getting a little desperate for the Ministry man!



Theydon quickly found himself on the defensive, desperately parrying the attacks of both creatures.



The two pistol armed Agents quickly dispatched another 'smuggler'.
Their small calibre weapons were proving no match for the heavier .45's the Agents carried, especially now that the Tommy gun was out of action.


As Agent de la Zouche moved in to deal with the final opponent cowering behind the boxes by the warehouse......






.....Le Street moved in to help his team leader, who was desperately fending off the attacks of the two assailants who were slowly pushing him back.






de la Zouche quickly gunned down his final adversary as Le Street pulled out a viscous looking Bowie knife and piled into the fray with Theydon and his oppressors.



With their leader down, and no longer having the weight of numbers, the two creatures that had emerged from the docks were swiftly slain leaving the team to attempt to make sense of what they had discovered.

These were no smugglers that they had faced...




...but what were they?

They would find out more by searching the area and the remains of the 'beasts'.....