Chapter 6: Excursions

This forum is for play and discussion of The Simple Game System rules, and the Dirigible of Doom adventure.
Locked
User avatar
Nazim
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:09 pm

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Nazim »

Kordal led the way out of the tent. His guards quickly formed up, four in front of the party and two behind. Monday walked up beside Kordal, and the two rear guards waited for the others from Morgana to precede them.
Artie didn't like most of what was going on. As a matter of fact, he couldn't think of one thing he liked, at the moment. He didn't like the way they were being... escorted. He didn't like the fact that they were expected. He didn't like bringing the ship inland where god only knows what else might happen. He didn't like understanding the natives' language, and he didn't like being away from Lilly while all these disagreeable things were happening at once. It's not like he had never had the hots for a dame before, but these situations call for a guy to be by his dame. All this apprehension made him look very nervous and culpable. He suddenly didn't like that either.

So he decided to fix that detail. It wasn't much, but it was all he could do. He breathed in deeply, and strolled into position a few steps behind Monday, a somewhat forced smile on his face. Everything will be juuuuust fiiine, he said to himself. Let's just enjoy the party.
Rosisha
Posts: 452
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:17 am

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Rosisha »

Simon falls into place seamlessly with the others, taking his place with the others as if nothing was going on. He moves forward with the others making sure to scan the horizon and see what is going on to make sure that nothing is going to try to sweep down and ambush them. He hopes that as they proceed forward nothing happens, but he knows now that they are entering into an unknown, and where they go... well... he hopes the natives truly are friendly!
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Solomoriah »

Upon entering the lounge, Will found himself surrounded. "I say, old man, what are they like, the savages?" said Lloyd, while the Baron simultaneously asked, "Tell us what happened!" and Miss Emily grabbed him by the arm and attempted to lead him to a table. Everyone seemed to be speaking at once.

Below decks, as soon as the work of casting off was finished, Tommy found himself in the company of the Captain. "Mister Mansel, report! Tell me what you saw. The more information I can get, the better prepared I can be."

.....

It took perhaps fifteen minutes to walk to the edge of the forest, across the broad grassy plain. Kordal had set a brisk but not uncomfortable pace up to that point; but upon reaching the forest and entering on a narrow trail, the party slowed a bit. Artie noticed that the native guards brought their spears to the ready position, and seemed to be scanning the surrounding forest intently. Wild animals, he wondered, or men?

They walked on under cover of trees for a few minutes, before entering a narrow clearing. Artie looked up and saw the reassuring sight of Morgana following at idle.

The next moment, chaos reigned as spears flew into the clearing, seemingly from all directions. Two of Kordal's guards fell instantly, spears jutting from their fallen bodies.
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
Rosisha
Posts: 452
Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2008 12:17 am

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Rosisha »

Simon swore and threw himself at his friends, to tackling them to the ground. He will draw his weapon and take a shot into the forest, keeping his eyes scanning the woods for any target, and trying to get Monday and the others to take cover at the edge of the path, preferably under something hard, but just being not visible would be great.

Further Actions:
He will continue to fire into the woods, firing away from where ever the guards are attempting to fight. He will try to draw the fire of the others. Once he has expanded his rounds, he will grab up a spear and wait for the inevitable hand to hand combat, and will use the spear as if it were a rifle with bayonet (so jabs, blocks, stabs, etc). Where possible he will stay close to the ground, or behind a tree.
User avatar
rredmond
Posts: 808
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 6:10 am
Location: South Jersey
Contact:

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by rredmond »

Solomoriah wrote:Upon entering the lounge, Will found himself surrounded. "I say, old man, what are they like, the savages?" said Lloyd, while the Baron simultaneously asked, "Tell us what happened!" and Miss Emily grabbed him by the arm and attempted to lead him to a table. Everyone seemed to be speaking at once.

...
Will rubs his head, cursing inwardly at his lack of foresight that the lounge would be crowded with people. Taking a seat so that he can look out on the forest below and still answer questions. "They are friendly and wanted to ask us about ourselves. In awe of the dirigible I expect. Luckily Artie, multi-talented as he is, can understand a bit of their language, reminds him of something from his childhood. Reginald Monday figured that he'd send myself and Mr. Mansel back to let everyone know what's going on, as the natives brought them to their village. Savages? I'd say they were actually quite civilized." Will says with a smile, and easing more into an old role of instilling confidence, where he wasn't quite sure how much actual confidence he had. Hope they're okay, he surprises himself thinking, as he looks out the window.
Player of Will Thornton in Dirigible of Doom!
Unseen Servant PbP Forums!
CptClyde: I predict a TPK at the hands of a blind, lame goblin.
teaman: She'll break your heart. And your wrist.
User avatar
Nazim
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:09 pm

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Nazim »

Solomoriah wrote:They walked on under cover of trees for a few minutes, before entering a narrow clearing. Artie looked up and saw the reassuring sight of Morgana following at idle.

The next moment, chaos reigned as spears flew into the clearing, seemingly from all directions. Two of Kordal's guards fell instantly, spears jutting from their fallen bodies.
"I knew it!" Yelps Artie, in a slightly high-pitched voice. Without knowing it, he mirrors Simon's actions, albeit without the professional reflex. He goes for the safest angle, pulling the closest companion to that path down with him. Once behind cover, he draws the gun provided to him, and holds it pointed upright, a bead of sweat trickling down his temple. When he sees Simon unloading, he follows suit, but trying his best to aim carefully and to stay behind a tree. He ends up discharging only 1 round, and he is a bit twitchy. He didn't see where the spears cam from, and isn't sure where his allies are, so he is not sure where to shoot. He keeps the firearm ready to fire, should he be able to make out any of the attackers.

If nothing threatening appears, he calls out everyone's name, one at a time, as if taking roll. He stays in cover, and yells "... Mondaaay?" Once Monday answers, Artie proceeds through the names of his other companions, subconsciously going from eldest to youngest, including the chief and his guards (whom he addresses by title), waiting for a response each time. The entire time, his eyes are big, his jaw is tense and his finger is on the trigger of the heavy, smoking tool in his hand. He then continues in a normal tone, unaware that the area is silent enough that others can hear him. "Anyone have a cigarette?"

Portion in italics is all conditioned on the premise outlined in the beginning of the paragraph.
User avatar
crazycrypt
Posts: 237
Joined: Sun Nov 16, 2008 9:37 pm
Location: Palmyra, MO

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by crazycrypt »

Solomoriah wrote:Upon entering the lounge, Will found himself surrounded. "I say, old man, what are they like, the savages?" said Lloyd, while the Baron simultaneously asked, "Tell us what happened!" and Miss Emily grabbed him by the arm and attempted to lead him to a table. Everyone seemed to be speaking at once.

Below decks, as soon as the work of casting off was finished, Tommy found himself in the company of the Captain. "Mister Mansel, report! Tell me what you saw. The more information I can get, the better prepared I can be."
"Yes sir," Tommy says to the Captain. Tommy will then go in to as much detail as he can. "I was stationed outside the tent, however, as best I could tell there was only one person in the tent, the rest seemed to be guards stationed outside. They do not seem to be as sophisticated as we are, but yet they do not seem as savages either. One of the guards did offer some sort of food to Simon, of which he took a bite and passed it on to the next guard. Will had also said he would explain why we were coming up on the way, but seemed to be too distracted and remained silent. Unfortunately that is about all I have sir."
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Solomoriah »

Cover within the clearing was scant at best, but the entire party dropped immediately, presenting as small a target as possible. Two of Kordal's guards threw their spears into the woods, while the remaining two kept them close as they slunk off to both sides looking for enemies. Simon and Artie each drew their weapons and looked for a target, but the woods provided excellent cover for the attackers; they had chosen a place where their victims would stand in sunlight while they were in shadow. Then Simon glimpsed a moving figure to the left of the trail, and fired his weapon.

The report of the gun was shockingly loud in the quiet forest. Another shot rang out, from Catherine's rifle, firing to the left also, and Artie thought he saw movement to the right and fired in that direction. Again, it was impossible to tell if the weapons fire had any result.

For a few moments, there was silence. Monday said, sotto voce, "Is everyone alright? Have they gone?"
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
User avatar
Nazim
Posts: 108
Joined: Wed Feb 11, 2009 7:09 pm

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Nazim »

Monday said, sotto voce, "Is everyone alright? Have they gone?"
Artie responds, his nerves straining his voice, "I'm okay, but as to where they are, well, no way to know, is there? Couldn't see them before... Only way to check is to go over there." A nazi with a gun, he could see, and he could tell whether he was gonna get shot. He could follow where the barrel was pointing. But here, there's no telling where these guys are. He then glances sideways at Simon, but not for more than a couple of seconds. "Shall I, uh, do it?"

The statement is the farthest from volunteering as it could be. It's a question exploring whether the others expect him to go check on the attackers, voicing his own incredulity at his allies' expectations.
User avatar
Solomoriah
Site Admin
Posts: 12453
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2008 8:15 pm
Location: LaBelle, Missouri
Contact:

Re: Chapter 6: Excursions

Post by Solomoriah »

The lounge was getting a bit warm, so the stewards opened the vent windows, two on the port side and the same number to starboard, and opened all the doors from stem to stern. A cooling breeze soon blew throughout A deck.

Meanwhile, Will did his best to fend off the many questions, and at last they subsided. Dr. Burton sat down on one side of him, and Miss Emily seated herself on the other, waving for a steward. Shortly, Mr. Greaves arrived.

"If you don't mind, sir, I'd like a cup of tea. It's about that time, you know."

"Yes, ma'am," he replied. "An excellent idea. Everyone," he said more loudly, turning toward the others in the room, "we'll be serving tea and crumpets shortly." Turning back to Miss Emily, he said, "Ladies first, of course."

As he moved away, Michael Lloyd appeared and took a seat. "Doctor," he said, "I meant to tell you earlier, I found that last pictogram in the book. It was 'blood.'"

"I say," said the archaeologist. "So the verse reads 'with blood the door opens?'"

"I'd make it more like 'by blood the gate is opened.'"

"Fascinating," said Burton. "Mister Lloyd, if you please, let me get the totem from my room, and you the book from yours, and let's see if we can translate the rest of it."

Just then, Will heard the sound of gunfire, a bit distant, but gunfire nonetheless. As he sprang to his feet, David Graham called out, "Look, below, in that clearing!"
My personal site: www.gonnerman.org
Locked

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests