Race Against Time

Greetings Gamers,

 I have a good Pulp Alley, After Action Report for y'all. It should give you a good sense of the action generated through Pulp Alley's plot based system. 

I've also added some fiction using just a smidge of imagination (something every gamer probably has an unhealthy amount of) to connect the dots generated by the Scenario Background. These Pulp tidbits will be denoted by italics. 

Got a chance to playtest a new league perk and a couple of new abilities out on my cultist league, The Drowned. One of the abilities is a surprise. DUN! DUN! DUUUNNNNNN! But My leader, Gerald Pettus Ph.D. now has the new ability Cursed Presence, which can cause people to encounter perils. I also picked up Ancient Sect as a league perk, which gave me access to the new cult and minion tables. Sign up to become a playtester if you wanna be privy to the new abilities. Sign up while there's still slots left. 

Our protagonists for this Pulp adventure, were none other than Phantom Ace and company. 

We rolled the up the Race Against Time scenario, and seeing as I'm playing a dark cult and whatnot, I opted for a dark ritual for the backdrop. We then generated the plot points, pictured bellow. 

This is the marker we used for our main plot point. We placed it in the center of the table as directed by the scenario. 

The stone face wore an alien expression, ancient wisdom locked behind a blank stare. Non-Euclidian Geometric patterns covered the surface of the dais. The strange runes begin to swim before your eyes as you stare.

For the first minor plot point we rolled Jeweled Amulet. We used this statuette to represent the Amulet, stipulating that it was around its neck. It could just of easily been in a box or held/worn by an NPC figure.

Power thrummed in the night.  A strange glow emanated from the Amulet's jewel, giving the deity's bronze face a maleficent luster. 

Missing Scientist here.

 Was Dr. Heckleheiber just in the area and curious about the happenings, a captive, or in league with the cultists?

And perhaps more importantly, the Xenon Laser that's missing with the scientist.

Used this crate with the papers on it to represent cryptic letter.

Perhaps the cryptic letter could clear up the missing scientist mystery. 

The meeting of these two leagues was brought about at the behest of fate, and glory is at stake. 

Ace lounged in a hammock strung between two palms, cold drink within arms reach. 'Boy, is it nice to get in a little relaxation. I could get used to lying low,' Ace thought to himself oblivious to Champ's barking.

The balcony doors of the safe house clamored open. Ace hid under his hat,  feigning sleep before the yelling began. 

Special agent Molly Pixler walked out on the terrace (being part of a secret society had its benefits), leaned over the railing and began yelling, "Quiet that raucous hound of yours! How am I supposed to type up these blasted reports with all that racket!" 

Champ had treed a chimp. He barked and circled, growled and bared his fangs, but also, Champ's tail wagged. The small ape leered back, tossing down bits of palm leaves and a few hairy coconuts. 

Before Ace was able to tell Molly to go find someplace else to write in her 'Dear Diary' there came more yelling. Tahoor, Ace's translator came running up the dusty road, using one hand to keep his blue tarboosh perched atop his head. 

"Mr. Phantom! Mr. Phantom!" Tahoor huffed. "You must help us, they've taken our Sacred Jeweled Amulet! Please Mr. Phantom, we must get the sacred amulet back before it's too late!"

"So much for lying low," Ace murmured to himself. 

Phantom Ace rolled three successes on network of supporters, netting him a free ally scout (Tahoor, Ace's translator to the locals) & a follower brawler (Champ's mischievous chimp buddy). 

Gerald Pettus PhD. is a Savvy individual, rolling 4d10 on finesse, netting him four successes, plus another one for wealthy, for a total of five successes on the Cult table. I chose the Brethren, Following, Eyes & Ears, and Prepare the Way from the choices. 

Although the Cultists had prepared the way, and I was able to roll a far superior dice, Phantom Ace somehow managed to steal the initiative. 

"Inconceivable!"

For the scenario events, Ace rolled delayed for the chimp follower gained through network of supporters.

I rolled friendly local, a brawler that we've represented with those red ticks. 

They were the friendliest giant arachnids I'd ever had the pleasure of working with. 

That hasn't always been the case in the past...

"Preparations have been made, the lunar eclipse is upon us."

"Nothing can stop us now."

Except...perhaps... PHANTOM ACE!

"Not more cultists," Ace grumbled. 

For some reason, I foresaw Ace deploying in the jungle and creeping up that way, but the crafty bugger  deployed right behind me, making my cover superfluous. 

"Inconceivable!"

Although delayed, the chimp was able to follow Champ all the way to the temple.

The ritual begins.

First activation, Champ rushes my ally, Soggy.

I played the fortune card Break Away, effectively negating Champ's rush.

I countered by rushing champ with these ticks.

It may not have caused a wound, but I did get the satisfaction knowing Champ's mouth was filled with nasty tic guts. Look you can see the disgust on his face. Mwahahaha!

Tahoor climbs up the pyramid for better vantage and takes a shot at the no longer engaged Soggy. 

Slick goes to investigate the gun shots.

Soggy tries to take revenge, but having been in two combats already, it's not very effective. Champ dodged easily moving a bit to the closest cover, but seeing as he's an animal and couldn't shoot back, I thought it was worth a chance. 

Phil Radke, my league's sidekick comes to lend his aid.

Phil raised his lantern, catching Tahoor's shaking form in the lamps warm glow. 

Phil uses deduction for his action, drawing a fortune card. 

Molly and Ace join the fray, giving us this spectacular temple top shoot out. 

Which rages on for a couple turns.

Bullets whizzed by, ancient stone exploded with impact.

"Hope for death, Phantom Ace," Phil taunted. "If I take you alive, I'll make you watch as I drown each of your companions, one by one, at the bottom of that pit." 

At the end of turn three, every model on the board had to make a recovery check.

Champ was the only member of Ace's league to make the check.

All of mine were successful, The Drowned's dark determination becoming evident.

After such a bloody turn, I decided to parley with Ace; surely he could be reasoned with.

Perhaps a deal could be struck. 

Not being a man of words, Champ takes action. Jumping atop the Dais.

Lifting his leg threateningly, Champ takes aim at the cryptograms chalked on the ancient pulpit. 

Who says animals don't have the shoot skill?

Ace attempted to complete the Jewled Amulet plot point, but I played a "Roll 3 success with: Any skill," peril on him. He used his shooting skill but failed.

Something unexpected happened when Ace tried to climb the statue. Almost within reach of the Jeweled Amulet, the statue began to move, shaking Ace off. Landing in a roll, Ace pulled his trusty Colt and started blasting. The bullets bounced off the magic infused bronze, Ace was grazed by a ricochet. 

The animated idol came for him then, stooping to strike down at him with its many arms. With finesse, Ace rolled between the statues grasp, managing to snatch the Amulet from around its neck. 

The next turn, Ace passed a fineness challenge, capturing the plot point. 

After Gerald and Soggy soften Champ up a little, Phil rushes him.

But determined Champ dodges, staying atop the dais, guarding it with his life. 

On the final turn it started 'Getting Weird' 

Still engaged, Phil activated. Choosing to use his perk shapeshifter, he transformed instantly. 

And with animal ferocity the two tore at each other. 

Ace came to Champ's aid, putting Soggy on his back. 

Gerald rushed in as well , but it was only to feed his murderous rage. The ritual could not be completed.   Champ had stalled them just long enough. The lunar eclipse has passed. 

The Drowned were foiled, Phantom Ace and his companions had beaten them in a Race Against Time.