Binky and the Hyena Trail (Part 2)

At the Water Hole - Player Briefings

General Briefing - Common to all players: The Waterhole – day 3 0930.

Helen supplied the expedition with 4 litter bearers and 12 porters from the villagers.  All are, nominally at least, Christians and carry spears as well as their loads.  Three of them are reportedly quite good shots with bows and arrows.  Their arrows, as is common amongst the local tribes, are poisoned.  This poison affects only the animal and when the animal dies so does the poison though bleed out the carcase is a good idea to make sure that the poison is gone.  Cooking and drying the meat also removes the poison.  The water tins are nearly empty and could well do with replenishment.  This not really essential but digging for water will slow the safari.  You have been living off the processed food and rice so some fresh meat would raise morale. 

It is the third day of the pursuit and the safari has made excellent time across the savannah lands.  You have been marching for nearly 4 hours already today.  The foothills of the hills behind which lie the Gaasai lands are still far ahead though the trail looks like it heading further to the south avoiding them.  The pace of the slavers is plain for all to see.  The part eaten corpses of the weaker slaves either dead or left to die can be seen more and more regularly and the circling vultures and packs of hunting dogs help show the way the Slavers have gone.  The hunters and Wotmiwori have advised that you march slightly to the south and parallel to the slavers to avoid fouled waterholes and to get the advantage of the higher ground.

There has been scarcely any game or even time to hunt so far and still you seem no closer to the slavers.  There is, however, no sign of the Hyena Trail other than where the Arab is marching.

The hunters are scouting ahead and they are as certain as they can be that the two white women, Lucille and Cynthia, and the evil Portuguese are with Tchibu Tchib now. 

Ahead of you lies a waterhole with some herds of Gnu, Oryx and Zebra ahead.  Likely there are other game animals and, no doubt, predators there too.  Off to the right of your line of march is a small flat topped hill that might make an excellent vantage point where you might just catch sight of the slavers.

Binky’s Briefing – It is the third day of the pursuit.  9.30 am.

The safari, so far, has been uneventful.  You have insisted on long days marching and short nights asleep.  Every day you have been rising before dawn and only resting the fierce heat at midday.  All cooking has been done only at night. 

Your wound is healing nicely though it is still giving you some pain where the bruising lies over your chest especially when you exert yourself.  It is taking you longer to recover from exertion than usual.  Your letter home to Auntie who gave you the binoculars is still unwritten because you do not want to worry her and you have not had much time for writing. 

The new Irish chap, though not exactly forthcoming about his past, seems quite enthusiastic about the expedition.  Perhaps his motives are more pecuniary than altruistic?  But his hunters are excellent trackers.  This morning these indefatigable chaps reported that they had climbed a baobab and seen camp fires in the distance.  Mahmoud and Wotmiworri had heard this and taken 4 bearers with the empty water tins and refilled then at the baobab.  Clever chaps they say that they have seen a few more out on the plains!  The baobabs will be invaluable as each stores several hundred gallons in their trunks at this time of the year.

In front of you lies a waterhole with a few herds of animals dotting the plain around it.  There are zebra, ibex and wildebeest.  The natives call the wildebeest “gnu” from its mournful call.  A bit of hunting and a rest by the water might be a morale boost but can you spare the ti

BINKY’S PARTY

Binky: HERO, Mo 5”; W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +1; Sword +2;

2 x pistols 4” 4+, 8” 5+ Str-3; Rifle 8” 4+, 16” 5+, 24” 6+, 32” 7+ Str-1

Ramsden: vet, Mo 5”; W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +3; Right Hook +1 Stun; Healer

Pistol 4” 5+, 8” 6+ Str-3; Double Rifle 10” 5+, 20” 6+, 30” 7+, 40” 8+ Str+1

Henry Jones: vet, Mo 5”; W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +2; Brawler +1

Heavy pistol: 5” 5+, 10” 6+ Str-1

Samuel Askari Sergeant: vet; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +2;

Martini Henry: 8” 5+, 16” 6+, 24” 7+, 32” 8+ Str0

Gizaminit Askari Bugler: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +1;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Adigun Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +1;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Mamusqat Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +1;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Gurli Pinqpantz Mo 6”; W 3,4, Cr 5, D 6; Me +2; Spear IRB +1 str+1

Throwing Spear 4” 6+, 8” 7+ Str-2; knobkerrie Str -1

His prowess with the spear in killing three Arabs each with a single thrust of his spear was recognised in his reward.  He decided to march with Binky but lacked all the equipment because he came was an orphan.  Helen decided to equip him and (rather unkindly) gave him a pair of her bloomers to wear to cover his somewhat tattered loincloth!  Thus he earned his war name Gurli Pinqpantz!

Special Rules:

 

Prince Wotmiworri: HERO, Mo 7”; W 4,5, Cr 6, D 7; Me +3; Spear IRB +1 str+1

Throwing Spear 4” 6+, 8” 7+ Str-2.

Herbalist 

Takes a whole turn to prepare to heal “Wound”, 3 turns to heal “crippled to wounded” and 7 turns “Dead to crippled”.  Only one healing at crippled and dead is allowed for each character.  Though a dead character healed to crippled may have an attempt at being healed to wounded after d6+1 days.   Healing skills can heal one level on d10 roll of 6+, a score of 10 heals all wounds.   On a “dead” named character a roll of 7 & 8 heals to “crippled” and 9 or 10 means healed to “wounded”.  May make a maximum of two attempts per turn but must be on different figures.  Adds one to attempts on Morvalistani Natives.

Hero

Rolls two dice in combat or shooting and selects which he prefers.

Mighty strike

Once in any day he may invoke a “Mighty Strike”.  To do this he must declare it before a combat.  He them rolls his 2 dice, adds them together and takes the average, adds bonuses and finally adds another +3.  He fights the next round against that opponent at –2.

Great Juju

Around his neck he carried the sacred pouch of his ancestors.  While he wears it he may roll a failed shield parry once per day or he may heal himself from crippled or wounded as above, provided that this is possible – e.g. he may not make a heal attempt when swimming for his life or climbing a cliff etc.  He still needs the preparation time.  He may not, for fairly obvious reasons, heal himself from dead.  Juju is a form of witchcraft though nobody who wishes to continue living would mention this to the Prince.

Shared Porters

 Dizah Myfelliz, Porter Foreman: Vet, Mo 6”, W 3,4 Cr5, D6 Me +1 knife -2 Str-3

Rifle 8” 5+, 16” 6+, 24” 7+, 32” 8+ Str -1

16 Porters: Av, Mo 6”, W 2,3 Cr 4, D5 Me 0 Spear IRB +1, Str 0; knife -2 Str-3

Throwing spear 4” 6+, 8” 7+, Str -3;

 

GERALD’S PARTY

Gerald:  vet; Mo 4” W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +1;

pistol 4” 5+, 8” 6+ Str-3; Rifle 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str-2 

Hassan: vet Mo 5” W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +2, dagger Str -1 Healer

Pistol: 4” 4+, 8” 5+ Str-3; Rifle 8” 4+, 16” 5+, 24” 6+, 32” 7+ Str-1

Jolie: Av; Mo 5”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me -1,

Automatic pistol 3” 7+, 6” 8+ (fires up to 4 times) Str -3,

Carbine 5” 6+, 10” 7+, 15” 8+, 20” 9+ Str-2

Blaze away 2D6 shots each 5” 8+, 10” 9+, 15” 10+, Str-2

Mahmoud: vet Mo 7” W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; swim 5”; Me +1, long dagger 0 Str -1 (special – hatred of Arab slavers)

Pistol: 4” 4+, 8” 5+ Str-3

Tufake Askari Sergeant Bugler: vet; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +2;

Martini Henry: 8” 5+, 16” 6+, 24” 7+, 32” 8+ Str0

Kutlip Askari: vet; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +1;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Brakleg Askari: vet; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +1;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Neezare Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +0;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Bulakkai Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +0;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

 

Special Skills

·         Healing skills can heal one level on d10 roll of 6+, a score of 10 heals all wounds.   On a “dead” named character a roll of 9 or 10 means healed to “wounded”. May make a maximum of two attempts per turn but must be on different figures.

·         Gerald is a tomb raider, historian and linguist of some repute.  He adds +2 to trap spotting, reading texts etc.  All the tomb raider stuff!

·         Hassan is an expert desert warrior as well as a man steeped in the lore of Ancient Egypt.  He reads hieroglyphics as is naturally as if they were his first language.  Sometimes you think that he was alive in the days of the pharaohs!

·         Jolie is a student with an excellent memory a young fit and adventurous lady.  She is armed with the same kind of light Winchester carbine that Lucille had used.  They are very popular with the ladies but only fire light pistol type bullets.  She is adept in its use, at least at targets.  She also carries a new Mauser broomhandle automatic pistol that can fire very quickly.  She may fire 1 round for each quarter turn that she is stationary.  With her carbine she may “Blaze Away” firing 2d6 shots in one turn emptying her magazine.  Each shot is fired at -2 to hit.   It then takes a whole turn stationary to reload the magazine. 

·         Askari Sergeant is a competent NCO who is respected by his men.  They add 1 to morale when he is with them. Bugle may send orders to other Askari units.  Orders include – advance, retire, fall in, meal call, officers’ call, reveille, lights out, action (left, right, front, rear).  Another 5 may be specified at the start of the expedition.

Mahmoud now hates the Arab slavers with a passion.  Partly because he thinks that he should have been able to save Lucille and Cynthia if only he had had his pistol!  He now carries a long curved knife of Damascene Steel.  Exactly how he got it he has never said though it seemed to appear in the fighting at the slavers’ camp.  The knife is particularly sharp and because of the steel it does not reflect light which coupled with his extraordinary vision and agility make him a particularly lethal warrior at night.

 

Piet’s Briefing – It is the third day of the pursuit.  9.30 am.

 

The safari, so far, has been uneventful.  Binky has insisted on long days marching and short nights asleep.  Every day you have been rising before dawn and only resting the fierce heat at midday.  All cooking has been done only at night. 

 

Grunhilda insisted on coming with the safari even though her wound is still giving her some pain now and then especially when she exerts herrself.  It is taking her longer to recover from exertion than usual.

She has recovered her throwing knives and added a beautiful Damascus steel Arab dagger to her fighting collection as well as some rather fine silk Arabic clothes.  Light and quite seductive when not hidden under the black topcoat and veil!  Her new dagger is a beautiful thing and incredibly sharp. 

 

The new Irish chap, though not exactly forthcoming about his past, seems quite enthusiastic about the expedition.  Perhaps his motives are more pecuniary than altruistic?  But his hunters are excellent trackers.  This morning these indefatigable chaps reported that they had climbed a baobab and seen camp fires in the distance.  Mahmoud and Wotmiworri had heard this and taken 4 bearers with the empty water tins and refilled then at the baobab.  Clever chaps they say that they have seen a few more out on the plains!  The baobabs will be invaluable as each stores several hundred gallons in their trunks at this time of the year.

 

In front of you lies a waterhole with a few herds of animals dotting the plain around it.  There are zebra, ibex and wildebeest.  The natives call the wildebeest “gnu” from its mournful call.  A bit of hunting and a rest by the water might be a morale boost but can you persuade Binky to spare the time?

 

What is of interest is the reference to the lost white man mentioned by Mahmoud.  Is he the German mineral prospector who came through Mariba a couple of years ago.  He was one of the few people who had heard of and who shared your interest in the Mbilini.  You had spent many an hour drinking beer and swopping stories he also talked of a creature called the Nboubou and made this sketch made by an explorer many years ago. 

 


PIET’S PARTY

 

Piet: Vet; Mo 6”; W 4,5, Cr 6, D 7, Sw 4, Me +3

pistol 4” 4+, 8” 5+ Str-3; Morval Meg 12” 4+, 24” 5+, 36” 6+, 48” 7+ Str+2

Grunhilda: Vet; Mo 5”, W 3,4, Cr 5, D6, Sw 3; Me -1 Healer

Pistol: 4” 4+, 8” 5+ Str-3;  Throwing Knife:  3” 4+, 6” 5+, 9” 7+ Str -2

Poison Pins; melee -2, Str0 Poison acts within D6 moves Str-1 usually the use of pins gets a +2 partial or +4 full surprise bonus.

Arab Dagger: Me -1, Str-1

Ratul Anroll: Av, Mo 5”, W 3,4, Cr 5, D6, Sw 3; Me +1

pistol 4” 5+, 8” 6+ Str-3; Rifle 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str-1

Skarifelli Foreman: Vet, Mo 6”, W 3,4 Cr5, D6 Me +1 Sword 0 Str0

Musket 6” 6+, 12” 7+, 18” 8+, 24” 9+ Str -2

Kanihitit Musketeer: Av, Mo 6”, W 2,3 Cr 4, D5 Me 0 knife -2 Str-3

Musket 6” 6+, 12” 7+, 18” 8+, 24” 9+ Str -2

Mizfir Musketeer: Av, Mo 6”, W 2,3 Cr 4, D5 Me 0 knife -2 Str-3

Musket 6” 6+, 12” 7+, 18” 8+, 24” 9+ Str -2

Takame Musketeer: Av, Mo 6”, W 2,3 Cr 4, D5 Me 0 knife -2 Str-3

Musket 6” 6+, 12” 7+, 18” 8+, 24” 9+ Str -2

Wareizzi Bearer: Av, Mo 6”, W 2,3 Cr 4, D5 Me 0 knife -2 Str-3

Rifle 8” 7+, 16” 8+, 24” 9+, 32” 10+ Str-1

Carries a flask of medicinal brandy and a satchel of useful stuff (string, flints, tinder box, cigars, clasp knife, bag of herbs, etc).

 

Grunhilda has been helping Sister Theresa with a set of strange knives that were taken from where the strange wicker shield was found.  These knives would be a liability in hand to hand fighting with all the blades and spikes.  The whole thing appears to be designed for throwing only.  And that is what is being practiced though there must be a trick to making it spin through the air properly.

 

 

 

Dervel’s Briefing – It is the third day of the pursuit.  9.30 am.

 

The safari, so far, has been uneventful.  Binky has insisted on long days marching and short nights asleep.  Every day you have been rising before dawn and only resting the fierce heat at midday.  All cooking has been done only at night. 

 

Your hunters are excellent trackers.  This morning these indefatigable chaps reported that they had climbed a baobab and seen camp fires in the distance.  Mahmoud and Wotmiworri had heard this and taken 4 bearers with the empty water tins and refilled then at the baobab.  Clever chaps they say that they have seen a few more out on the plains!  The baobabs will be invaluable as each stores several hundred gallons in their trunks at this time of the year.

 

In front of you lies a waterhole with a few herds of animals dotting the plain around it.  There are zebra, ibex and wildebeest.  The natives call the wildebeest “gnu” from its mournful call.  A bit of hunting and a rest by the water might be a morale boost but can you persuade Binky to spare the time?

 

Most of the treasure captured from the Arabs has been left with Helen at the hunting lodge.  It is an absolute fortune and Binky has divided it fairly into five shares.  That is one each for the leaders of the parties and also one share, slightly smaller, for Helen (she is a woman after all) for her help and the hire of the porters.  Binky seems an honest sort of chap and not at all the useless aristocrat you thought when you first met him. 

 

The stuff that has been brought along is mainly trade goods and a small fortune in Maria Theresas and gold to buy or bribe our way across the plains.  Not sure what we’ll do when we meet the Gaasai who only value cattle and nothing else.  Your share of the treasure has already made your fortune and there is a mighty promise of much more if even a tiny part of Mahmoud’s story is true!

 

You think that this might be a life changing expedition.  Even if everything is shared out you will be able to live in style for half a dozen life-times!!!

 

DERVEL’S PARTY

 

Dervel:  Vet, Mo6”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +2; cutlass 0 Str+1

pistol 4” 5+, 8” 6+ Str-1; Shotgun 5” 5+ Str 0, 10” 6+ Str -1, 15” 8+ Str-2, 20” 9+ Str-3

Target rifle 12” 4+, 24” 5+, 36” 6+, 48” 7+ Str-3

Sr Theresa: Vet, Mo 5”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me -1, stiletto -1 Str 0

pistol 4” 6+, 8” 7+ Str-2

Crucifix melee -1 Str -1 and conceals two poison pins usually the use of the crucifix or the pins gets a +2 partial or +4 full surprise bonus.

Poison Pins; melee -2, Str0 Poison acts within D6 moves Str-1

Erwin: Vet, Mo 6”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6; Me +2 hunting knife -2 Str-1

pistol 4” 5+, 8” 6+ Str-1; Mauser Rifle 12” 5+, 24” 6+, 36” 7+, 48” 8+ Str-1 – excellent climber

Haffa Choppa: Vet, Mo6”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6, Me +1, Knife -2 Str-3

Elephant Gun: 6” 6+, 12” 7+, 18” 8+, 24” 9+ Str 0 (normally) has 12 special bullets that are Str +1

Claude n’Qlet: Vet, Mo6”, W 3,4 Cr 5 D 6, Me +1, Knife -2 Str-3

Repeater: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str -1

Heidake Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +0;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

Broknoze Askari: Av; Mo 6”; W 2,3 Cr 4 D 5; Me +0;

Martini Henry: 8” 6+, 16” 7+, 24” 8+, 32” 9+ Str0

 

Sister Theresa

Following the fight at the slavers’ camp Sister Theresa has acquired some Arabic silk clothing for herself, Erwin and yourself.  They are light and of high quality.  The clothes that you and Erwin have been given may not be of a lot of use as disguises as they may well be recognised as belonging to the slavers killed in the fight.

 

In addition she has kept a rather odd looking set of knives.  She has been practicing with them along with Grunhilda.  These knives would be a liability in hand to hand fighting with all the blades and spikes.  They are a sort of winged pattern that appear to be designed for throwing rather than fighting.  And that is what is being practiced though there must be a trick to making it spin through the air properly.

 


 

Introduction

 

Player Briefings

 

Game

 

Mahmoud's story

 

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