The Pool of the Nir zisari
Well, it all started when Binky and Adrian came back from their hunting trip. They were empty handed as usual. That said they have located a splendid looking waterhole and we set off for that after a fairly Spartan breakfast of dried provisions. The horses are now too done in to carry anything and I doubt they'll last another day without decent grazing and water. Gerald took the central route along the donga with the baggage and the horses following behind while Adrian and Binky took the right and left flanks respectively. They were to advance ahead and scout out any difficulties. Gerald mentioned that the donga wound its way between hillocks and if there was an ambush he expected help. | |
A few wildebeest crossed Binky's path but he decided not to
shoot. Adrian was making good time and had found an isolated
settlement. It was surrounded by a ghost fence made up of skulls on
posts. His askaris were nervous of the fence and of the magic
tree. They rightly told him that this was the abode of a
sorcerer. Adrian was not concerned even though the tree did make him
feel nervous - it was "singing". Gerald was having his own
difficulties. The donga was good going, nearly as good as a track
indeed. But the porters were tired out and the column kept on
getting longer. The horses had fallen way behind. But he had
to press on.
The hut is made from a card tube with a card cone for the roof. |
|
Adrian approached the sorcerer and entered into a lengthy
discussion of the history and customs of the area. He gained a lot
of information and surprisingly he found one of the statuettes stolen from
the party in Cairo. He successfully traded for it.
The ghost fence is made from Foundry/Games Workshop skulls, bits of scrap and plastic leaves from aquarium plants, all set in milliput and mounted on a coin or washer. The sand area is thick paper. The pot is from a fantasy range. |
|
Gerald pushed on along the
donga. He could see Binky ahead near one of the dead trees. He
knew that this meant that there were elephants about in some
numbers. He deployed his men to cover the column as he went through
the defile.
Fortunately they were alert and a force of tribesmen appeared on the hillock. The porters panicked and had to be calmed down by Gerald himself. The hills are polystyrene sheets and the dead trees are made from heather roots. The standing stone is precisely that. A standing stone. |
|
The tribesmen, seeing the panic charge. Unfortunately for them Adrian's sergeant had spotted them and alerted the party. So the warriors were caught in a deadly cross fire. And when Adrian fired a phosphorus shell amongst them they fled from the burning stinging smoke. The sorcerer was much impressed by the this and thought that Adrian must be a powerful sorcerer in his own right. | |
Meanwhile, Binky had his path blocked by a family of elephants and he chose to outflank them. As he did so he met a party heading for the village. The leader was an American Doctor accompanied by an Italian nun. They had been led astray by their guide who was intent upon selling them as slaves. Binky sorted this out leaving the guide crippled and his brothers wounded and unarmed. | |
Binky watched by a lone hunter waits
as the elephants wander past. Behind him on the hillside a rhino
appeared, sniffed and listened for a while and then wandered off
grazing.
The elephants are plastic toys from a supermarket bag of animals and the rhino is an old Airfix one from the Zoo Animals set. |
|
At last the native village is in
sight. It was teeming with life.
The huts are made from card as already described. Some have sand mixed into the roof paint for variety and texture. Most of the green plants are plastic aquarium plants or Christmas decorations. The fields are fabric and carpet samples - sometimes you can acquire useful books of wallpaper and carpet samples from shops. Just be persuasive at the end of a season. The market was inspired by http://www.warflag.com/shadow/cast/terrain/market.htm and the carpets by http://www.warflag.com/shadow/cast/terrain/morocrugs.jpg |
|
Binky was suspicious. His
encounter with Michael, the guide, and the trail of footprints he found
added to his suspicions. Then, after the gunshots, why did nobody
come out to see what happened? Why were the villagers unconcerned?
The baboons were cut from Foundry Ancient Egyptian Policemen that I bought in the Foundry Sale a couple of years ago. Yes, I bought them for the baboons. |
To the next page and conclusion of the action
To the Umpire's Notes
To the First Page of this action
To the Secret Bit (read after you've read the Game)
Back to the Games Page
Back to the Home Page