Fast forward about 2 minutes:
The machinegun fire dies down after all targets disappear on to the beach. Apparently its traverse does not allow it to engage targets down on the beach directly. You figure out that the machinegun was probably designed to engage targets on the water.
You've pushed the 12 meter motor yacht into the water, but the engine is disassembled and lying on the beach. It's far too heavy to lift or take with you.
You hear the sound of your boat approaching, but you also hear the distant sounds of men yelling.
As you push the boat further out into the water, a shot splashes into the ocean nearby. As more shots land, you hear the distinctive sound of a mortar being fired and suddenly the air around you fills with thick fog and the familiar smell of a heavy smoke shell.
About 30 seconds later a towline is shot towards the boat and you climb up on the boat, as its tow journey begins. More mortar shells are launched by your allies to give you cover as machine guns open up on the water around you.
"Hold on, we have some problems here; there's an aircraft about!" you hear Antonio yell, just as you hear a strangely soft sounding aircraft engine above the smoke.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 6, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0301 hrs Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Harry is in shock as the flare he fired into the sky is joined by another one, a different color, arcing high above the beach, fired from the mountain behind him, it appears. You all hear yelling in the distance from inland.
Harry dives for cover as the enemy machinegun opens up on your position, the distinctive sound of a water cooled Maxim machinegun ripping open the night sky.
Connor was moving to an overwatch position when the machinegun opens up. "About 500 meters up the mountainside inland" he thinks to himself, as he slides down towards the boat, yelling at the others to follow him.
The man in the boat is temporarily dazzled by the flare as Alexios, the flare light behind and above him, takes aim and fires once, the man's head disappearing in a bloody froth.
Doc Brass is stunned by the developments, despite his time in combat. He slinks down next to the wounded man, temporarily stunned and unable to take action.
XP 13 each. It has only been about 4 seconds since you fire the flare. None of you are hit, but Connor senses that the machine gunner will be much closer next time. You can't see the machinegun position.
If you all make a mad dash down the beach to the boat, you might be able to get behind a dune or rock that is below the line of sight of the machinegun. Harry and Connor both realize this and yell out to the others.
Harry dives for cover as the enemy machinegun opens up on your position, the distinctive sound of a water cooled Maxim machinegun ripping open the night sky.
Connor was moving to an overwatch position when the machinegun opens up. "About 500 meters up the mountainside inland" he thinks to himself, as he slides down towards the boat, yelling at the others to follow him.
The man in the boat is temporarily dazzled by the flare as Alexios, the flare light behind and above him, takes aim and fires once, the man's head disappearing in a bloody froth.
Doc Brass is stunned by the developments, despite his time in combat. He slinks down next to the wounded man, temporarily stunned and unable to take action.
XP 13 each. It has only been about 4 seconds since you fire the flare. None of you are hit, but Connor senses that the machine gunner will be much closer next time. You can't see the machinegun position.
If you all make a mad dash down the beach to the boat, you might be able to get behind a dune or rock that is below the line of sight of the machinegun. Harry and Connor both realize this and yell out to the others.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0301 hrs Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
The wounded man is in shock, but Brass is able to secure the tourniquet and stabilize his injuries. The unarmed younger man, teenager really, whimpers and hides his head. When questioned by Connington about the machinegun, he looks up and up the hill behind you, just as a flare lights up the night sky.
Alexios approaches the boat as the flare lights up the sky. He sees that it is beached and has a couple of bullet holes through the bridge area. He dives for cover behind some rocks on the beach, as a man climbs on top of the boat's bridge area rapidly, the rifle slung on his shoulder clanging against the metal rungs of the ladder.
Alexios approaches the boat as the flare lights up the sky. He sees that it is beached and has a couple of bullet holes through the bridge area. He dives for cover behind some rocks on the beach, as a man climbs on top of the boat's bridge area rapidly, the rifle slung on his shoulder clanging against the metal rungs of the ladder.
Saturday, April 20, 2013
Sunday May 17th 1925 0300 hrs still Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Alexios fires at the previously sleeping man who grabbed a rifle and yelled last turn
Perception Roll is 90+20 = 110 to eliminate dimly lit penalty, full bonus
Fires rifle 50 + 40 (medium range) miss.
Brass fires at the same person he fired at last frame, but fails to draw a good bead on him. The muzzle flash and noise. Perception roll 64 + 20. Fires at +20 total 55+20 = 75 is a miss.
Connor dashes up into position, rifle held ready.
Lloyd fails to spot his target and also fails to hit. Perceptin roll 75 total, shot roll 32 total.
The 30 year old rifles have a tremendous muzzle blast and the fireballs that light up the sky dazzle everyone's vision. You're certain the rifle shots have been heard all over the island.
The man with the rifle throws it down and screams "no shooting!! no shooting!!" in Portuguese. The wounded man is on his knees, trying to put pressure on the massive arm wound, not paying any attention at all to his surroundings.
You advance on the two men and notice that the man who surrendered is about 15 years old and has no shoes. His rifle is an impressive looking 50 year old Martini-Henry blackpowder rifle and his friend, who, in the 10 seconds it took for you to arrive at the scene of the campfire, managed to wrap a rope around his upper arm in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. He is a much older man, also shoeless, wearing knee length cut off pants and a dirty t-shirt. You notice that next to the campfire is a double barrel shotgun that probably belonged to wounded guy.
Looking down at the boat, you see no activity at this time. Around the island, no reaction (yet).
XP 11 each.
Perception Roll is 90+20 = 110 to eliminate dimly lit penalty, full bonus
Fires rifle 50 + 40 (medium range) miss.
Brass fires at the same person he fired at last frame, but fails to draw a good bead on him. The muzzle flash and noise. Perception roll 64 + 20. Fires at +20 total 55+20 = 75 is a miss.
Connor dashes up into position, rifle held ready.
Lloyd fails to spot his target and also fails to hit. Perceptin roll 75 total, shot roll 32 total.
The 30 year old rifles have a tremendous muzzle blast and the fireballs that light up the sky dazzle everyone's vision. You're certain the rifle shots have been heard all over the island.
The man with the rifle throws it down and screams "no shooting!! no shooting!!" in Portuguese. The wounded man is on his knees, trying to put pressure on the massive arm wound, not paying any attention at all to his surroundings.
You advance on the two men and notice that the man who surrendered is about 15 years old and has no shoes. His rifle is an impressive looking 50 year old Martini-Henry blackpowder rifle and his friend, who, in the 10 seconds it took for you to arrive at the scene of the campfire, managed to wrap a rope around his upper arm in an attempt to staunch the bleeding. He is a much older man, also shoeless, wearing knee length cut off pants and a dirty t-shirt. You notice that next to the campfire is a double barrel shotgun that probably belonged to wounded guy.
Looking down at the boat, you see no activity at this time. Around the island, no reaction (yet).
XP 11 each.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Sunday, May 17th, 1925 0300 hrs Santa Lucia Island Cape Verde
Connington tries to sneak into position (since the invisible castle links don't work, I'm just going to roll and post my results here) (Subterfuge roll 90+40 =130). He finds a route that can possibly get the party into position and returns.
During the ten minutes nothing unusual happens. The group tries to sneak into position:
Conningtons' aid roll to help the others stay quiet (Subterfuge roll of 32 + 40 = 72, no bonus to rolls), but it is dark and the ground is sandy and rocky. However, the waves breaking on the beach below are relentless in their repetitive sound.
Dr. Brass total subterfuge roll is 60 + 0 = 60
Alexios total subterfuge roll is 03 + 20 = 23 (but 01-05 always fails)
Lloyd total subterfuge roll is 22 + 0 =22
Conningtons total roll is 72 + 40 = 112
Alexios, as he moves up, steps on a loose rock and it crunches loudly underfoot, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The sentry's head jerks in your direction and he taps his sleeping buddy with his foot. You're about 75 meters away, and visibility is okay, as the light colored ground reflects enough moon and starlight to let you make out human shapes fairly well. However, the -20 dimly lit penalty still applies.
Brass fires first, he rolls a total of 51 on his perception roll to try to get a better bead on the target and eliminate the dimly lit shooting penalty. At medium range, his shot is at +40 and his total roll is 115, despite the -20 penalty due to light conditions (in other words, he rolled a 95). The sound of the Kropatchek and the muzzle blast is immense and the sentry takes a shot in the right arm, damage 7 points, blowing the arm mostly completely off. The sentry screams in a short burst of horror and surprise.
Serafim is busy getting up from his spill this round.
Connor fires next. He also is unable to eliminate the dimly lit penalty with a perception roll and his shot is at +20. He fires at the wounded sentry, but misses with a total roll of 78.
The sleeping man jumps up and grabs a rifle from the ground, screaming "attackers!" in Portuguese with the local Cape Verde dialect.
Lloyd fires at him instead of the wounded sentry. With a 102 perception roll, he gets a better bead on him, but his total bonus of +10 added to my roll of 75 is not enough to score a hit.
Next round.
All PCs have XP of 10 now, as per my email. Basically, if you, a a group can get a post in once a week, either as individuals or as a group, you get the XP bonus. If someone isn't participating enough, I'll let them know or you let me know if you're emailing each other behind the scenes.
Group posts should not become the standard format, I might add. In combat, particularly, I expect that you would mostly post individually.
During the ten minutes nothing unusual happens. The group tries to sneak into position:
Conningtons' aid roll to help the others stay quiet (Subterfuge roll of 32 + 40 = 72, no bonus to rolls), but it is dark and the ground is sandy and rocky. However, the waves breaking on the beach below are relentless in their repetitive sound.
Dr. Brass total subterfuge roll is 60 + 0 = 60
Alexios total subterfuge roll is 03 + 20 = 23 (but 01-05 always fails)
Lloyd total subterfuge roll is 22 + 0 =22
Conningtons total roll is 72 + 40 = 112
Alexios, as he moves up, steps on a loose rock and it crunches loudly underfoot, sending him sprawling to the ground.
The sentry's head jerks in your direction and he taps his sleeping buddy with his foot. You're about 75 meters away, and visibility is okay, as the light colored ground reflects enough moon and starlight to let you make out human shapes fairly well. However, the -20 dimly lit penalty still applies.
Brass fires first, he rolls a total of 51 on his perception roll to try to get a better bead on the target and eliminate the dimly lit shooting penalty. At medium range, his shot is at +40 and his total roll is 115, despite the -20 penalty due to light conditions (in other words, he rolled a 95). The sound of the Kropatchek and the muzzle blast is immense and the sentry takes a shot in the right arm, damage 7 points, blowing the arm mostly completely off. The sentry screams in a short burst of horror and surprise.
Serafim is busy getting up from his spill this round.
Connor fires next. He also is unable to eliminate the dimly lit penalty with a perception roll and his shot is at +20. He fires at the wounded sentry, but misses with a total roll of 78.
The sleeping man jumps up and grabs a rifle from the ground, screaming "attackers!" in Portuguese with the local Cape Verde dialect.
Lloyd fires at him instead of the wounded sentry. With a 102 perception roll, he gets a better bead on him, but his total bonus of +10 added to my roll of 75 is not enough to score a hit.
Next round.
All PCs have XP of 10 now, as per my email. Basically, if you, a a group can get a post in once a week, either as individuals or as a group, you get the XP bonus. If someone isn't participating enough, I'll let them know or you let me know if you're emailing each other behind the scenes.
Group posts should not become the standard format, I might add. In combat, particularly, I expect that you would mostly post individually.
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Sunday May 17th, 1925 Santa Lucia Island, Cape Verde
Sunday May 17th, 1925 Santa Lucia Island
Brass XP7 Dashwood XP7 Serafim XP6 Lloyd XP7 LVL1
By around 2am, you near the island. The tug disguised as a fishing boat is surprisingly quiet, although the smell of the powerful coal powered steam engine is pungent. As the coastline looms up ahead, a cool wind makes you shiver. Clouds loom overhead, but the sky is still mostly visible and you can see a about 30-50 meters once you hit land, Connor estimates. When the engine is cut, all you hear is the lapping of the waves and the wind whipping around the boat. You make sure that everyone is clear on the light signals. Antonio and his crew expertly prepare a boat tow line and pat you all on the back and give you a thumbs up before you disembark.
Dr. Lloyd spots tiny prick of flickering light near the boat site, possibly a camp fire.
Alexios takes charge of the rowboat and manages to get everyone into it safely.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015577/]Alexios boat handling roll (1d100+40=47)[/url] However, the boat ride is rough and you feel like you made too much noise and a lot of seawater came into the boat. You arrive on the shore, wet and apprehensive, but no one seems to be reacting.
(GM note: feel free to check out the island's topography on Google Earth, you see that there is a mountain range in the middle of the island, which is only about 13 km long and 3.5 km wide at its widest. Very dry, desert like almost, white beaches, some low scrubs)
Your group pulls the rowboat in and up on the shore and then carefully moves up the dunes. You all definitely see a small camp fire now. It appears to be up on the dunes and not down at the beach where the boat supposedly sits.
Moving carefully and quietly; here are some related rolls and results
Dr. Lloyd [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015589/]Tracking roll (1d100+60=139)[/url] manages to find tracks of three seperate individuals, one barefooted, have walked these dunes in the last day or so, meandering around and doubling back at times. They appear to lead back to the campfire area.
Connor [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015593/]Small Unit tactics roll to approach fire (1d100+60=134)[/url] does an excellent job in positioning the group for its approach and helps everyone stay fairly quiet, even though only he has the subterfuge skill, although two have the jack of all trades perk. As predicted, the sound of the surf breaking on the rocks is hypnotic and loud and covers most casual walking sounds after 20 meters or so.
About 100 meters out from the campfire, you find a good stopping point and concealment behind dune bushes and a couple of rock formations. You can't see the boat from here, as it is below your line of sight down on the beach, but at the campfire you defintely see one man standing near it and what could possibly be another man asleep on the ground.
Connor sneaks down to the edge of the dunes to peek down at the beach
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015599/]Sneaking to look at boat (1d100+40=89)[/url] He does make a little noise, but he is over 100 meters from the targets, sounds of surf in the background and there is no apparent reaction from the man at the campfire.
Connor tries to spot what's on around the little yacht, which is indeed pulled up on the beach.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015604/]Perception roll to see what's going on around boat (1d100+20=55)[/url] There is no apparent activity around the yacht, but it does look like there is a mound of something covered with a tarp perhaps laid out on the beach up away from the breaking surf line.
Connor returns to the party. Decision time.
(I'm not assuming that you all are taking your shots now, as you haven't laid eyes on the boat
Brass XP7 Dashwood XP7 Serafim XP6 Lloyd XP7 LVL1
By around 2am, you near the island. The tug disguised as a fishing boat is surprisingly quiet, although the smell of the powerful coal powered steam engine is pungent. As the coastline looms up ahead, a cool wind makes you shiver. Clouds loom overhead, but the sky is still mostly visible and you can see a about 30-50 meters once you hit land, Connor estimates. When the engine is cut, all you hear is the lapping of the waves and the wind whipping around the boat. You make sure that everyone is clear on the light signals. Antonio and his crew expertly prepare a boat tow line and pat you all on the back and give you a thumbs up before you disembark.
Dr. Lloyd spots tiny prick of flickering light near the boat site, possibly a camp fire.
Alexios takes charge of the rowboat and manages to get everyone into it safely.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015577/]Alexios boat handling roll (1d100+40=47)[/url] However, the boat ride is rough and you feel like you made too much noise and a lot of seawater came into the boat. You arrive on the shore, wet and apprehensive, but no one seems to be reacting.
(GM note: feel free to check out the island's topography on Google Earth, you see that there is a mountain range in the middle of the island, which is only about 13 km long and 3.5 km wide at its widest. Very dry, desert like almost, white beaches, some low scrubs)
Your group pulls the rowboat in and up on the shore and then carefully moves up the dunes. You all definitely see a small camp fire now. It appears to be up on the dunes and not down at the beach where the boat supposedly sits.
Moving carefully and quietly; here are some related rolls and results
Dr. Lloyd [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015589/]Tracking roll (1d100+60=139)[/url] manages to find tracks of three seperate individuals, one barefooted, have walked these dunes in the last day or so, meandering around and doubling back at times. They appear to lead back to the campfire area.
Connor [url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015593/]Small Unit tactics roll to approach fire (1d100+60=134)[/url] does an excellent job in positioning the group for its approach and helps everyone stay fairly quiet, even though only he has the subterfuge skill, although two have the jack of all trades perk. As predicted, the sound of the surf breaking on the rocks is hypnotic and loud and covers most casual walking sounds after 20 meters or so.
About 100 meters out from the campfire, you find a good stopping point and concealment behind dune bushes and a couple of rock formations. You can't see the boat from here, as it is below your line of sight down on the beach, but at the campfire you defintely see one man standing near it and what could possibly be another man asleep on the ground.
Connor sneaks down to the edge of the dunes to peek down at the beach
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015599/]Sneaking to look at boat (1d100+40=89)[/url] He does make a little noise, but he is over 100 meters from the targets, sounds of surf in the background and there is no apparent reaction from the man at the campfire.
Connor tries to spot what's on around the little yacht, which is indeed pulled up on the beach.
[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4015604/]Perception roll to see what's going on around boat (1d100+20=55)[/url] There is no apparent activity around the yacht, but it does look like there is a mound of something covered with a tarp perhaps laid out on the beach up away from the breaking surf line.
Connor returns to the party. Decision time.
(I'm not assuming that you all are taking your shots now, as you haven't laid eyes on the boat
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Saturday, May 16th 1925
Alexios, with Connor's help dismantles and checks the rifles out thoroughly:
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/4000864/ total roll 67 (7+60). No failure, but Alexios realizes that the rifles are old and in not the best of shape and his efforts will not result in much increased reliability. The 8mm Kropatchek rifle has a range of 50 meters, medium range 150 meters, long range 500 meters, 1d10 damage, 8 round capacity in a tubular magazine that takes 2 rounds to fully reload.
Connington is able to devise camouflage and burlap suits, to give everyone a +10 bonus to subterfuge skills.
At midnight, you board the grey fishing vessel, which fires up its ancient coal engine. Alexios checks out the engine and sees that this fishing boat has a larger engine than most, with lots of torque. The sleeping quarters and mess deck have all been turned into coal storage. Antonio Braz and his brother Felipe, the elders of the Braz family, are on board, along with two deckhands. The Braz brothers have their own Kropatchek rifles and also carry machetes and old Portuguese army revolvers.
"Yes, here is a flare gun." (Brass World War I vintage British Very pistol with 3 flares)
In the back of the fishing boat is a small rowboat that you can use to reach the shore. The fishing boat cannot reach the beach itself, as it would ground.
Antonio: "Its' about a 40 km trip to the area where the boat is beached. It will take us 2 hours to get to the area. Figure we cut engine and drop anchor a km off shore. Here is a map (GM Note: see google maps for link I sent you). What do you want to do?"
Brass XP6 Dashwood XP6 Serafim XP5 Lloyd XP6 LVL1
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Chapter 2: The Braz Family
Friday, May 15th, 1925, Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands
You all check out of the hotel, gathering your meager belongings. Met in the street by Andres, you follow him through the streets of Mindelo into the poor fisherman and laborer neighborhood down by the wharves. The smell of rotting fish and thousands of unwashed people gets stronger as he weaves his way through alleys and side streets.
After about 15 minutes, you arrive at a complex of buildings on the edge of town, build right next to a 250 year old stone dock that doesn't appear to be in active use by major merchant ships any longer. Andres unlocks the padlock on the gate built into a crude but sturdy wooden fence and leads you inside.
Inside is a large house surrounded by a walled complex built right up on this ancient dock. There is a drydock for small vessels and about a half dozen shacks that obviously homes for someone. Nothing has been painted in quite a long time. Dogs bark, children dart about and two men are working on a simple fishing boat in dry dock. Next to the dry dock is a workshop building, its large double doors open to reveal a metalworking shop and a crude mechanic shop. Alexios can see it's in obvious constant use, even if the repairs and work done here is quite simple.
Andres: "Welcome to the Braz family home. We are a large family and we all work several jobs to support all of our children. Come meet father."
He walks you over to the workshop, where a grizzled old Portuguese man is busy grinding a gouge out of a boat propeller. "I'm Antonio Braz, uncle of Carlos, whom you've met. Thank you for helping us. We have a lot of simple skills here, but pulling bullets out of abdomens...not yet. My son, Andres, has told you about the business proposition. It is very dangerous. There are several pirates guarding that boat and one of them has an American trenchgun. We don't mind brawls, or the occasional knife fight, but my sons and nephews are not military men. That pirate yacht is worth a lot of money if I can fix it up again."
(continued) Andres takes you to a guest house, a simple two bedroom cottage with four beds and a small kitchen. There is no indoor plumbing, but he shows you the outhouse, the water pump for fresh water. The back of the guest house opens up to the dock, from where you can see into Mindelo harbor quite nicely.
He gives you the rifles and says that the recovery mission for the yacht leaves at midnight tonight (it's about 10 am right now) from the docks.
The rifles are four rusty 8mm Kropatchek bolt action rifles, 1890's vintage. Tube-fed and slow to reload, they hold 8 shots. Alexios checks them out and says that he should have them in fairly serviceable condition in a couple of hours. Andres gives you 20 rounds for each rifle.
Doc Brass asks where Carlos is and Andres says that they had to move him out of Mindelo because of suspicions that the local police may raid the compound, but that Brass can check on him tomorrow after the recovery of the ship.
By lunch time, the rifles are fixed up. A matronly woman, wife of Antonio, brought a good lunch of fish stew, fresh bread and strong red wine.
After lunch, you head to find out more about the vessel from any British sailors in Mindelo. After a couple of hours, you find a couple of British sailors tanked up and talking in a local brothel.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3989719/ Total roll 165. Connor is able to find out that yes, the island of Santa Lucia is infested by pirates and that an exhcange of fire took place between a patrol boat and pirates a few nights ago. The British navy has orders to only engage if attacked and not to meddle in local affairs and the patrol boat commander had to file a report why he felt that shots being fired at a local fishing boat warranted an engagement by a Royal navy vessel. The sailors both feel that shooting pirates might be good sport and wish they were allowed to follow through on their attacks.
By dinner time, you're back at the compound, where dinner is waiting. You see a large fishing boat docked at the old dock by the family home, its wooden hull painted a very dark grey color.
"That's the boat we'll be taking tonight," Andres explains.
(you can ask whatever questions you want in the GM questions thread)
Brass XP5 Dashwood XP5 Serafim XP4 Lloyd XP5 LVL1
You all check out of the hotel, gathering your meager belongings. Met in the street by Andres, you follow him through the streets of Mindelo into the poor fisherman and laborer neighborhood down by the wharves. The smell of rotting fish and thousands of unwashed people gets stronger as he weaves his way through alleys and side streets.
After about 15 minutes, you arrive at a complex of buildings on the edge of town, build right next to a 250 year old stone dock that doesn't appear to be in active use by major merchant ships any longer. Andres unlocks the padlock on the gate built into a crude but sturdy wooden fence and leads you inside.
Inside is a large house surrounded by a walled complex built right up on this ancient dock. There is a drydock for small vessels and about a half dozen shacks that obviously homes for someone. Nothing has been painted in quite a long time. Dogs bark, children dart about and two men are working on a simple fishing boat in dry dock. Next to the dry dock is a workshop building, its large double doors open to reveal a metalworking shop and a crude mechanic shop. Alexios can see it's in obvious constant use, even if the repairs and work done here is quite simple.
Andres: "Welcome to the Braz family home. We are a large family and we all work several jobs to support all of our children. Come meet father."
He walks you over to the workshop, where a grizzled old Portuguese man is busy grinding a gouge out of a boat propeller. "I'm Antonio Braz, uncle of Carlos, whom you've met. Thank you for helping us. We have a lot of simple skills here, but pulling bullets out of abdomens...not yet. My son, Andres, has told you about the business proposition. It is very dangerous. There are several pirates guarding that boat and one of them has an American trenchgun. We don't mind brawls, or the occasional knife fight, but my sons and nephews are not military men. That pirate yacht is worth a lot of money if I can fix it up again."
(continued) Andres takes you to a guest house, a simple two bedroom cottage with four beds and a small kitchen. There is no indoor plumbing, but he shows you the outhouse, the water pump for fresh water. The back of the guest house opens up to the dock, from where you can see into Mindelo harbor quite nicely.
He gives you the rifles and says that the recovery mission for the yacht leaves at midnight tonight (it's about 10 am right now) from the docks.
The rifles are four rusty 8mm Kropatchek bolt action rifles, 1890's vintage. Tube-fed and slow to reload, they hold 8 shots. Alexios checks them out and says that he should have them in fairly serviceable condition in a couple of hours. Andres gives you 20 rounds for each rifle.
Doc Brass asks where Carlos is and Andres says that they had to move him out of Mindelo because of suspicions that the local police may raid the compound, but that Brass can check on him tomorrow after the recovery of the ship.
By lunch time, the rifles are fixed up. A matronly woman, wife of Antonio, brought a good lunch of fish stew, fresh bread and strong red wine.
After lunch, you head to find out more about the vessel from any British sailors in Mindelo. After a couple of hours, you find a couple of British sailors tanked up and talking in a local brothel.
http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3989719/ Total roll 165. Connor is able to find out that yes, the island of Santa Lucia is infested by pirates and that an exhcange of fire took place between a patrol boat and pirates a few nights ago. The British navy has orders to only engage if attacked and not to meddle in local affairs and the patrol boat commander had to file a report why he felt that shots being fired at a local fishing boat warranted an engagement by a Royal navy vessel. The sailors both feel that shooting pirates might be good sport and wish they were allowed to follow through on their attacks.
By dinner time, you're back at the compound, where dinner is waiting. You see a large fishing boat docked at the old dock by the family home, its wooden hull painted a very dark grey color.
"That's the boat we'll be taking tonight," Andres explains.
(you can ask whatever questions you want in the GM questions thread)
Brass XP5 Dashwood XP5 Serafim XP4 Lloyd XP5 LVL1
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Questions for the GM
Instead of email, please post all GM questions here. Don't use email. That way we can all find the questions and answers easier later on in the game. Thanks
Monday, February 18, 2013
Recent World Events your characters would know
Recent World Events in the Campaign World that differ from Earth's real time line
1858: English explorers discover a large lake in the center of the Great Rift Valley, naming it after Queen Victoria, but unable to bring home news of the discovery, as their expedition met its doom to unknown assailants. A letter makes it home in 1861, brought in by the mail from an unknown source, that details the vast lake, a thriving culture of local tribesmen and a mysterious "King of the Lake" that shuns all outside influence.
1880: The British East India Company is restructed. Its military forces are absorbed into the British military and most of its officers are either taken over or let go. While weakened militarily, the company is given a new charter to pursue investments, trade and business opportunities globally on behalf of the Crown.
1908: Significant meteor strike in Siberia accompanied by several lunar impacts observed by astronomers. Dust from impacts kicks up a halo and ring like formation around the moon for several years. Astronomers note slight change in the moon's orbit and some changes to the tides on Earth, leaving some small harbors completely dry and some others flooded out.
14 April 1914: Italian military aircraft leave for reconnaissance flight from Italian controlled Somaliland to the Lake Victoria region and are never heard from again.
9 November 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates his throne in Germany and flees to Luederiz in German Southwest Africa (Namibia), declaring a German government in exile.
23 September 1919: Allied forces sack Luederitz, but find that the Kaiser and his loyal troops are gone. Locals indicate they fled inland in motor cars. The biggest manhunt in world history begins.
7 February 1921: Dutch geology professor Krim van der Loowe reports escaping an attack by machinegun wielding men at his basecamp near Mt. Kilimanjaro. Speculation runs rampant in the press that it must have been the Kaiser and his men. The British military organizes an expedition to the area, which is never heard from again.
9 November 1923: an attempted insurrection in Munich is put down by the Weimar Republic. Most of the leadership of the insurrection is killed.
14 April 1924: Portuguese and British navy exchange shots near Gibraltar. The "Rock Incident" is played up in the press as a prelude to a war over sea lanes, which never materializes. In a show of good faith, the HMS Invincible puts into port in Lisbon later that year and a Portuguese flotilla sails up the Thames in early 1925.
1858: English explorers discover a large lake in the center of the Great Rift Valley, naming it after Queen Victoria, but unable to bring home news of the discovery, as their expedition met its doom to unknown assailants. A letter makes it home in 1861, brought in by the mail from an unknown source, that details the vast lake, a thriving culture of local tribesmen and a mysterious "King of the Lake" that shuns all outside influence.
1880: The British East India Company is restructed. Its military forces are absorbed into the British military and most of its officers are either taken over or let go. While weakened militarily, the company is given a new charter to pursue investments, trade and business opportunities globally on behalf of the Crown.
1908: Significant meteor strike in Siberia accompanied by several lunar impacts observed by astronomers. Dust from impacts kicks up a halo and ring like formation around the moon for several years. Astronomers note slight change in the moon's orbit and some changes to the tides on Earth, leaving some small harbors completely dry and some others flooded out.
14 April 1914: Italian military aircraft leave for reconnaissance flight from Italian controlled Somaliland to the Lake Victoria region and are never heard from again.
9 November 1918: Kaiser Wilhelm II abdicates his throne in Germany and flees to Luederiz in German Southwest Africa (Namibia), declaring a German government in exile.
23 September 1919: Allied forces sack Luederitz, but find that the Kaiser and his loyal troops are gone. Locals indicate they fled inland in motor cars. The biggest manhunt in world history begins.
7 February 1921: Dutch geology professor Krim van der Loowe reports escaping an attack by machinegun wielding men at his basecamp near Mt. Kilimanjaro. Speculation runs rampant in the press that it must have been the Kaiser and his men. The British military organizes an expedition to the area, which is never heard from again.
9 November 1923: an attempted insurrection in Munich is put down by the Weimar Republic. Most of the leadership of the insurrection is killed.
14 April 1924: Portuguese and British navy exchange shots near Gibraltar. The "Rock Incident" is played up in the press as a prelude to a war over sea lanes, which never materializes. In a show of good faith, the HMS Invincible puts into port in Lisbon later that year and a Portuguese flotilla sails up the Thames in early 1925.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Play-by-post ground rules
I will post as GM every weekend. Each player who posts at least one response indicating action during the week will get 1 XP. If the player does not post, that player does not get the 1 XP, but may still get XP for chapter participation as a whole. Not posting during combat or other high action events will mean that the character takes only defensive actions, such as crouching, seeking cover, etc. Depending on game events, failure to participate in the game may mean that the character ends up back at base, campsite or on the ship until the player can rejoin the game.
Experience points are awarded at the conclusion of each chapter. I start a chapter by posting a brand new thread on the blog. Responses to that post are part of the chapter. Some chapters are going to be longer than others and may be more rewarding in the terms of experience points.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Chapter 1 -- Mindelo
Mindelo, Cape Verde Islands, May 13th, 1925
Your characters have arrived on the Portuguese steam ship "Sao Bernardo" a delapidated old wooden ship built in the 1870's and still sporting a main mast and sail propulsion. The city of Mindelo and its surrounding mountains and forests lie before you, home to about 25,000 people, mostly Portuguese, but also many visitors from other nations. An important coaling station for transatlantic traffic to South America and the African routes, Mindelo has an advanced port and small embassies of all the major nations. The influx of commercial interests seeking a safe base close to colonial Africa has also brought corruption, crime and intrigue to the city. Several dozen other passengers arrived on the "Sao Bernardo" with you, including:
Your characters have arrived on the Portuguese steam ship "Sao Bernardo" a delapidated old wooden ship built in the 1870's and still sporting a main mast and sail propulsion. The city of Mindelo and its surrounding mountains and forests lie before you, home to about 25,000 people, mostly Portuguese, but also many visitors from other nations. An important coaling station for transatlantic traffic to South America and the African routes, Mindelo has an advanced port and small embassies of all the major nations. The influx of commercial interests seeking a safe base close to colonial Africa has also brought corruption, crime and intrigue to the city. Several dozen other passengers arrived on the "Sao Bernardo" with you, including:
- Gordon Farnworth--a grizzled veteran of the British Far East India Company, he told you over dinners during your voyage from Tanger that he has come to set up an office for the company.
- Ms. Tatiana Arkalov and her Turkish bodyguard Abrahim--a famous silent movie actress from Russia, Ms. Arkalov plans to meet a movie director in the Cape Verde Islands to make a new silent movie set in the jungles of deepest Africa
- Paulo Sarnardo--a middle aged and very personable Portuguese ship builder who has come to the islands to manage a ship repair yard for the Portuguese navy
- Dr. Mohammed Yousef -- an Egyptian physician renowned for his work with skin creams to treat afflictions of the epidermis. He always carries samples with him and found quite a customer in Ms. Arkalov. Outgoing and cosmopolitan, he also appears to always carry a small pistol in a shoulder holster.
After docking, the passengers go their seperate ways, exchanging pleasantries. The three major hotels in town are:
- Hotel Luxe--old style luxury and faded pompousness, $8/night
- Hotel Sao Vicente--newly built and modern, with ceiling fans and a wraparound bar, favored by younger visitors, $7/night
- Hotel Aroa--old and drafty but clean and well run, dark basement bar favored by local spies (according to ship rumors) $6/night
Post away!
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