[Solo] The Prussian Infantry Marches to Carcosa, Turn 3: Dinner Invitation

Continuing the adventures of the Prussians on Carcosa. See Turn 1, Turn 2.

The Detachment:

• Captain Friederike “Freddy” Krüger, a woman who entered service disguised as a man, but is by now accepted as she is
• Brother Paul, Augustine monk and scholar
• Dr. Krowitz, field surgeon
• 20 disciplined Infantrymen with muskets

Turn 3

Day 2, dawn

Location: Hex 0410, Forest

Weather: 7, Neutral

Encounter: 1, Daytime: 58, 3 Mummies. Party surprise: 1, yes. Encounter surprise: 1, yes. Encounter distance: 100’. Encounter reaction: 7, Neutral

                    Soundtrack: "Mummified Fragment of Everyday" by Zofie Siege

With sunrise, the blackness of night first shifts into an indescribable blue iridescence, then into a purple haze. Light filters through the black leaves. The infantrymen lay wrapped in their cloaks, huddled together for warmth.

Four sentries sit, leaning on their rifles. The last shift was trying, the alien forest full off invisible insects and bizarre whispers. But they persevered – driven by discipline… or fear? 

///

But something else stirs in the forest.

Three dark, gaunt, sickly thin figures stalk between the trees. Their joints seem bloated, yet their movements are fluid. Ribbons and thin veils float behind them. Their gazes are trained downwards. From time to time they examine the leaves of certain trees.

[Solo] The Prussian Infantry Marches to Carcosa, Turn 2: Prussians in the Mist

Continuing the adventures of the Prussian on Carcosa. See Turn 1 here.

The Detachment:

• Captain Friederike “Freddy” Krüger, a woman who entered service disguised as a man, but is by now accepted as she is
• Brother Paul, Augustine monk and scholar
• Dr. Krowitz, field surgeon
• 20 disciplined Infantrymen with muskets

© Helene Schmitz. Alabama Fields. Digigraphie, 108 x 134 cm

Turn 2

Day 1, dusk to night

Location: entering Hex 0410, Forest

Weather: 7, Neutral

Encounter: 11, None

                    Soundtrack: "Aqua" by Edgar Froese 

Time seems to move in an unnatural way. The march towards the forest takes much longer than anticipated, the dark mass of vegetation seems just a few steps away, then snaps back into the unreachable distance the next heartbeat. Strange mirages flicker and the air vibrates around the Detachment. Perhaps a trick of the uncanny light emanated by the multitude of celestial spheres that chase each other through the sky.

Finally, the violet sun sets. The skyline lights up with an orange glow, then goes black. One of the twin moons rapidly wanes into just a narrow segment. The air grows colder and moist.

It is under the cover of this sudden darkness that the Detachment reaches the forest.

But what a strange forest it is. Lush, dense. Roots, branches, vines. The abundance of growth doesn’t feel healthy and natural: it’s a forest choking under its own weight. And this is only the edge of it; it seems to get denser in the deeper parts, but it is hard to make it out in the darkness.

Friederike leads the way, slashing at vines with her sabre. Her blade gets stuck. When she grabs the branch to pull back the weapon, the bark feels spongy and rugose.

However unlikely that seems, they eventually reach a clearing. For some reason, the trees don’t grow in this depression, just crowd around it somberly like mourners around the uncovered grave.

A fine white mist covers the ground.

“Careful, men. Probe ahead of you with your rifles,” Friederike warns her troops.

But it’s too late. The silence is broken by a scream as one soldier slips and disappears. There is an audible crack of bone breaking… Then the screams resume, coming from deep down.

[Solo] The Prussian Infantry Marches to Carcosa, Turn 1

I played a solo session today. A Prussian infantry detachment is somehow transported to Carcosa circa 1810. I was very much inspired by this cool session report by Underground Adventures: an Into the Odd one-shot for a single player, about a group of Napoleonic soldiers on Carcosa.

The Detachment:

• Captain Friederike “Freddy” Krüger, a woman who entered service disguised as a man, but is by now accepted as she is
• Brother Paul, Augustine monk and scholar
• Dr. Krowitz, field surgeon
• 20 disciplined Infantrymen with muskets

(Carcosa art by Rich Longmore)

How I play:

I rolled a random starting hex (0311).

Procedure: 1 Turn = 1 Day

For weather: 2d6 Reaction roll

Wandering encounter: 2-in-12 chance, 1 is daytime, 2 is nighttime

Turn 1

Location: Hex 0311, Wasteland

Weather: 7, Neutral

Encounter: 11, None

...Once the electrified mist disperses, the Detachment finds itself in a strange landscape, a purple wasteland. A violet-crowned sun hangs menacingly above and twin moons race through the light blue sky. The soldiers are nearly blinded by the alien hues.

Friederike checks her compass. The needle whirls around like a madman. It’s useless. So Friederike tries to get her bearings by the strange celestial objects.

[LotFP] Napoleon's Egyptian campaign as a sandbox setting?

I have this idea in the back of my mind. A pseudo-historical exploration/adventure sandbox game.

Take Napoleon's Egyptian campaign (1798-1801).

The player characters are soldiers, officers, personnel in Napoleon's army. They learn about the riches of the land - the tombs to plunder, the treasures to find. Henchmen/replacement characters are local guides, guards, workmen, and lower ranking soldiers and camp personnel.  Each night, they sneak out of the encampment, risk being shot as a deserter, to reach the Valley of the Kings and get some of the sweet ancient gold. Avoid guards, Mamluk patrols, sandstorms. Gather information from locals, try to decipher hieroglyphics. Or perhaps the players choose the "legal" route, and get an official commission from Vivant Denon.

Monster-wise, as much as I like Hammer Horror/Universal Monsters, I'd like to break away from the standard "fantasy ancient Egypt" routine. Mummies and scarabs are tried and true, but perhaps some other things can be introduced. This is a hard task. Something to think about.


So, I'm not working actively on this. Just slowly accumulating ideas...

1d6 Rumors

1	Napoleon entered the Great Pyramid and came out pale and shaking. He’s seen a vision of the future.
2	One of the officers found a gold bracelet, but the next day, he was found dead, strangled, in his own tent.
3	All the nearby tombs are already robbed. You need to venture deep into the desert to find riches.
4	Scrapings of mummies have healing properties.
5	A man named Vivant Denon is researching the tombs on Napoleon’s behalf. He knows more about these monuments than anybody else, and is ready to pay for artifacts.
6	The ancient tombs are always bigger than they seem!

And some standard spells, now noted down as Egyptian incantations (pulled from historical sources):

1d3 Spells

1	Unseen Servant O shabti, allotted to me, if I be summoned or if I be detailed to do any work which has to be done in the realm of the dead, if indeed any obstacles are implanted for you therewith as a man at his duties, you shall detail yourself for me on every occasion of making arable the fields, of flooding the banks or of conveying sand from east to west; 'Here I am', you shall say.
2	Speak with Dead My mouth has been given to me that I may speak with it in the presence of the Great God. My mouth is opened, by mouth is split open by Shu with that iron harpoon of his with which he split open the mouths of the gods.
3	Protection from Evil May I have power in my heart, may I have power in my arms, may I have power in my legs, may I have power in my mouth, may I have power in all my members may I have power over invocation-offerings, may I have power over water ... air ... the waters ... streams ... riparian lands ... men who would harm me ... women who would harm me in the realm of the dead ... those who would give orders to harm me upon earth.