Captured!

(19-Oct-04)

"Tim" : Tim, Nice but Dim (Adrian McKinnon), British Captain, Cavalry, Hussars
"Robin" : Robin Carbuncle (Andrew Earl), British NCO, Cavalry, Hussars (Tim's batman)
"Yoap" : Joop de Zwarte (Steven Krijnen), Belgian Big Game Hunter
"Nate" : Nathaniel Tanqueray Lovenipples (Darryl Sherwood), British Doctor
"Verdud" : Verdad del Hallazgo (Jeff Clendon), Spanish Reporter
"Walter" : Walter Shackleton (Ian Luxton), British Scientist
"Dunlow" : Lord Dunlow (NPC), British Landed Dilettante and Patron
"Chivers" : Chivers Van Nistelrooy (NPC), British Lord Dunlow's batman

Tromp across the desert in the cool of the night. Meet some Roogies - small carrion-eaters.

Attacked by a Steppe Tiger. It takes out a gashant.

One of Tim's errant rifle shots (during the tiger encounter) lands somewhere off in the dark and party hears a curse. Investigate.

A High Martian sky-boat with two light turrets and one heavy gun has landed. Twenty High Martian soldiers have rifles trained on party.

Party asked to surrender or die.

Nate attempts craven treachery. He wants to hand Lord Dunlow over to the High Martians in exchange for his own skin. Lord Dunlow and Captian Tim are furious and aghast.

Party does surrender and are bound (wrists only, behind back) and marched onto the deck of the ship.

A High Martian Worm Priest (Death god) gloats over the party about how they will all be horribly tortured and then sacrificed to some the Worm God when the skyboat arrives at its destination: a High Martian Kingdom somewhere far north ruled by King Häagen-Dazs.

Yoap is beaten soundly for attempting to escape. He even challenges a Martian to a fight - even bound - and manages to head-butt the fool Martian.

Lord Dunlow demands that Nate be whipped for his treachery, and the Martians gleefully agree. Nate is strapped to the mast and flogged until his back is a mass of blood.

Verdud volunteers to take the photo of the whipman in action, the Martian Worm Priest himself. He is happy for this and poses, whip in hand. Verdud directs him close to the edge of the ship.

During the whipping, agile Robin wriggles out of his bonds and manages to free everyone else.

Escape attempt:

Tim rushes to the deck gun.
Robin takes on the ship Captain and Helmsman.
Shackleton rushes the Worm Priest, tackles him, and they both fly over the side and plummet towards the ground four kilometres below. Martians have flight glands so the theory is that the Martian can land himself and Shackleton safely. Nevertheless, Shackleton holds on to the struggling priest for dear life.
Nate hangs in his bonds from the mast.
Verdud spills flash powder and sets the deck on fire
Lord Dunlow finds a revolver and takes pot shots at Nate.
Chivers garottes two Martians.
Yoap recovers from his beating and lays fearsome punches into the Martians.