On Tuesday night we played Alas for the Awful Sea at Netherworld.
(p.s. I know I excluded a couple of things from this game summary - I got deep into it and realised I'd missed the whole german guy thing, so I just kept going - will add it back in later when I add it to our blog: https://brisbanecasualrpg.wixsite.com/brisbane-casual-rpg/blog )
This is a game about a ships crew in the 1800's sailing around and engaging with folklore situations and creatures.
This game, we sailed off to the far east - to a city called Batavia (modern day Jakarta), which had been under the brutal rule of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) for nearly 200 years before falling to British rule in the time period we are playing in.
Our characters were:
• Sydney, the Bosun - an adventure seeker from way back, in command of the deck crew of the ship under command of Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo - a flamboyant Spaniard working for the British.
• Christopher, the Merchant - A thoroughly unlikeable imperialist, believes that through command and colonisation we can bring "civilisation to the savages" of other lands.
• Dr Henson, the Doctor - An incompetent doctor (as all his rolls this game will attest) who accidentally killed a German nobleman through malpractice and fled Europe with the assistance of his friend Christopher.
• Donald McDougal, the Strider - Found marooned on an island earlier in the voyage, has been adopted into a position on the crew thanks to his navigational knowledge. Still, there is something strange about this guy…
As the 'The Royal Mermaid' (our ship) neared Batavia carrying Spanish gold and looted Chinese artefacts - the latter as a bribe for the governor general - they were put on edge as several passing ships(who kept a discrete distance away) flew warning flags of danger and pirates and ambush. Little word had been received from Batavia in over a year or more and so the crew didn't quite know what sort of situation they were getting themselves into.
Soon the crew could see fires on the island back away from the city off in the jungle, and could hear the roar of cannons and gunfire from the landward side of the settlement. Anchoring in port, they were directed through flag signals to remain on the ship and prepare for trouble - Sydney managed to keep control of the sailors who after a long voyage wanted nothing more to hit the taverns with their pay in hand and get drunk. But they weren't happy about staying put.
Listening out for trouble, the group heard the roar of cannons and a great crashing noise as if one of the city defensive walls had been destroyed. Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo appeared on the deck and with a flourish gave the order to lower the boats and set off in defence of the city - something Sydney knew would be a flogging offence (to ignore the port signals). The lure of adventure and action was too high, hurling his bible into the sea, 'to hell with it' said Sydney, and ordered the crew to make for shore under captains orders. About sixty of the sailors were soon on their way to shore with the group, leaving behind an equal amount of men and Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo to unload the treasures they had brought with them.
Arriving at the dock, the group encountered some British soldiers on watch duty, who were uncertain what to do - both about the swarm of sailors arriving from the ship and also about the sounds of battle from somewhere at the other side of the city facing the land. Donald set off in the direction of the action, heading straight through the foreign city alone following the sounds of battle and the slow trickle of wounded soldiers coming back the opposite direction. Sydney took control of the situation at the dock, directing the sailors to work with the British soldiers to reinforce key sections of the city. Arriving at the scene of a recent battle, Donald spoke with a shellshocked young sergeant who asked if they had brought the reinforcements with them - confused, Donald had to confess that there were no reinforcements coming. The sergeant told Donald that the Governor General had started a war with the 'natives' who had somehow gotten their hands on a cannon and were firing back with destructive force, knocking holes in key segments of the city defensive wall. Back at the dock, Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo arrived onshore with a couple more longboats filled with sailors and immediately informed everyone that he was heading to the Governor General's residence post haste, and that Sydney should follow when the situation is under control. He invited Chris and Dr Henson with him and they set off together, leaving Sydney alone with a handful of soldiers and crew.
After dispersing all the men bar a couple of soldiers on guard duty, Sydney was joined by Donald who informed that the situation was dire - a war was being raged here by the Governor General and the British seemed to be slowly but surely losing. The people of Batavia were expecting rescue, but had gotten nothing. They took a longboat out of the harbour to survey the surrounding forces, and Donald communed with the mystical 'beyond' and was given visions of the native population sitting around a fire chanting a strange sound like 'naganaganaganaga' before a great samurai warrior leapt into the light of the fire and began massacring them. Worried that they were out on a small boat in the dark in an area they didn’t know, they retreated to the dock quickly. Soon, a ragged crowd of townsfolk were begging them both for whatever food they could spare, assuming the great three masted ship was filled to the brim with rations and supplies. Donald and Sydney spared whatever supplies they could, but then set about defining a rationing regime with the townsfolk to stretch out their meagre food and whatever they were growing in small gardens within the spaces of the city.
In Juxtaposition, Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo led Christopher and Dr Henson to the manor of the Governor General (GG) where they were met with valets who took them to warm baths and provided them with the finest wines from Europe and trays of fresh fruit and cold meats. Their tattered clothes from the ship were removed ('to be burned' they were assured) and replaced with perfectly tailored new uniforms of European design. Soon they were taken by a valet to a door and told that the Governor General and Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo were dining on the other side, and anticipating their arrival. Opening the door, Chris was greeted with the evil grinning face of a demon - a green skinned brute with enormous red eyes, six feet tall and with tusks protruding from its grinning lower jaw. Taken aback, Dr Henson let out an 'eep' that was most ungentlemanly. The samurai bodyguard wearing the demon mask stepped back allowing the two gentlemen to enter. (side note - at this time in history, Ronin had found themselves in the employ of wealthy benefactors all over the place - acting as mercenaries all over Asia and even being in employ of Europeans). Places had been set for them and they dug into a sumptuous feast, with several courses and much wastage. At the other end of the table out of earshot, the Governor General - a greying man of about fifty years of age, who still maintained a sharp eye and a lean figure - engaged in hushed conversation with Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo.
After dinner, they retired to smoke cigars and drink port on a suite of couches, where Captain Santiago Sergio Domingo began unloading the chests of Chinese artefacts for the Governor General. The Governor General was largely unimpressed as wonderous treasure after treasure emerged from the locked chests. Only at the very end when the chests were mostly emptied did the GG lean forward with interest as a battered wooden puzzle box of oriental design was drawn forth. The GG was practically leaping off his feet to get to the item, and recognising a desperate man, Christopher bargained with him for exclusive contracts and letters of surety for all the riches of the east to pass through his trading organisation - assuring him a very prosperous future. The GG took the aged wooden puzzle box and dismissed them with haste.
Later that evening, Sydney and Donald also made their way to the GG's manse - tired and hungry after working through a rationing system with the starving townsfolk and coordinating the allocation of the sailors from their ship to bolster the British soldiers. They were struck with the injustice of it all as they dined on the finest cold meats, fruits, and wine while bathing in the warm water of the GG's bathhouse. Soon they re-joined Dr Henson and Chris in their allocated rooms in the manse, trying to inform their friends (who were ignorant of the impoverished and starving population) of what was going on outside of this opulent and isolated perspective of things. Taking the initiative, Chris decided to sneak out of their rooms into the darkened house late at night and see if he could find some documentation or notations of what was going on here in Batavia and what game the GG might be playing at.
Chris snuck through the darkened dwelling, eventually finding himself by a door with a subtle glowing light emanating from the other side, coupled with the most amazing bird-song he'd ever heard. Intrigued, he pushed his way into the darkened room and saw an enormous bird cage draped with a cloth - through which the light of whatever was inside was emanating. Before he could get closer to unveil this mystery, he was interrupted by the fiery flare of a smokers pipe in a darkened corner of the room as it was upended and the ash tapped out into an ashtray on a stand. Sensing more than seeing, he saw the outline of a shape in a large dark leather chair in the corner. He thought the glimpse of hand he saw holding the pipe as the ash flared up was… hairy? Taloned? A voice emanated from the darkness in that corner of the room. 'Run' it said. Chris hesitated. 'Run' said the voice again, as terror gripped his very soul, he turned and fled but didn't get far. Behind him, a tigerlike form leapt from the darkness and as he screamed it landed on him, rolling him over as its tiger paws dug deep lacerations into his torso. He began screaming in terror, sure that his end was upon him as his blood flew and the snapping jaws of the great Bengal tiger were barely avoiding his face as he wriggled beneath it.
Hearing the screams, Donald was first to act, picking up his rifle and running full tilt through the home, with Sydney right behind and Dr Henson lagging behind. He came around a corner and barrelled full tilt into a serving maid, scaring her white and knocking the linens in her hands to the floor. Realising where he was headed, she whispered in terror - 'go back, please. Ignore it'. Having nothing of it, Donald carried on his quest, leaving Sydney and Dr Henson to assist the poor young woman to collect her things and her wits. Donald rounded the next corner and saw the great tiger atop the screaming form of Chris and fired his rifle, wounding the creature and Dr Henson suffering a grazing wound from its claw as it dashed past him and down the hallway, leaving Chris alone and bleeding to death. Sydney took a shot with a revolver as well, wounding the creature and sending it scattering down the hallway - Donald and Sydney gave chase but the creature dove out into the darkness through a window, and two armed guards (thinking he was the threat) fired at Donald, flooring him and leaving him bleeding too. Dr Henson reached Chris and performed some emergency work on him to stop the bleeding and close some wounds, but *might* gave given him too high a dose of opioids, as Chris was seemingly dazed and muttering something about a magical bird and a shapeshifting tiger smoking a pipe. Sydney convinced the guards that they should stop shooting, but they wouldn’t believe about a tiger. The guards helped the group down to the infirmary in the barracks outside the great house.
Dr Henson worked on Donald, and even with the help of Sydney (who held the patient down and dosed him with strong rum) caused an irreparable bleed that ensured Donald would likely die within a day. Donald (in his medicated and dying state) was given a vision of the tiger, transforming from a human and sacrificing people to a pit out in the jungle. Realising this, Donald set himself the objective of killing this vile tiger before his time was up. Standing up, he removed his hat and boots to reveal his deformed and somewhat demonic features (one of the playbook inserts in Alas allows a player to be 'The Monster' and since this player was familiar with the game, we let this be a thing) which mildly terrified his allies before storming off into the night - following the blood trail that the beast had left behind as it escaped. Sydney rounded up a few of the sailors and went after him, following closely behind as they exited the city. Dr Henson and Chris meanwhile decided to go back to the GG's house - as Chris was now sobering up and was telling the doctor his tale of the magic bird he had heard, and the transforming Tiger. They wanted to explore more in the house and find what was going on.
Donald and Sydney made their way out to the jungle and Donald, a few minutes ahead of Sydney and the sailors, ambushed a tiger at the pit leaving a body there. He shot at it and his rifle misfired, needing extensive repair work. The tiger dashed back past him towards the city, but Sydney was ready with the soldiers who threw a net over the beast and subdued it at the cost of the lives of several of the sailors. Sobbing, the tiger transformed back into a human - a young aristocratic woman, perhaps twenty five years of age. She explained that she was betrothed to the Governor General, who was an old friend of her father, but had suffered this accursed condition when she arrived here in Batavia - a curse passed to her from the Governor General himself. Donald and Sydney realised that there was not one of these shapeshifting beasts, but two - and one was likely back at the manor where their friends were headed. They bundled the young woman up in the coat of a dead sailor and ushered her back to the city and the manor as the sun began to rise.
Dr Henson and Chris, back at the manor, had encountered some difficulties getting inside the locked building in the dark of night (skipping over details for now in this summary) but eventually got let in. They had a misunderstanding with a pair of guards and ended up trying to fight them - Chris was slashed by a sabre quite badly, and Dr Henson tried to stab one of them. Thinking that these two - a merchant and a doctor - would have no chance against British soldiers with swords, Chris went to plan B - and threw his box of snuff square in the face of one soldier. This had the unfortunate effect of temporarily blinding Dr Henson as well as taking the soldier out of commission. The remaining soldier beat a hasty retreat, blowing a tin whistle for reinforcements. The now temporarily blinded Dr Henson fished around in his doctors bag for some water or something to cleanse his eyes, but instead poured a caustic chemical directly into his eyes - causing irreparable damage to his eyesight. Chris picked him up and the two hobbled towards the room where he had earlier witnessed the fantastic bird. Entering the room, he pulled back the cage cover and saw within the most amazing bird he had ever witnessed - a golden bird with exquisite plumage, flitting about its enclosure with four wings - two pairs which seemed to flap through each other with ethereal movement. Even with his eyes blinded, such was the nature of this amazing creature that Dr Henson could *see* it as much as feel it's mystical presence.
Sydney and Donald made their way into the manor and handed the young woman to an aide before they began searching for their friends and the second tiger-person - the Governor General.
Back in the room with the bird, Chris was overcome with the desire to use the bird and it's mystical powers for himself - reaching into the cage he touched the bird and was immediately subjected to the same curse as the Governor General - he felt immense pain as his body tore and twisted itself into the semi-human, part tiger form. Dr Henson of course, saw none of this and did not realise the danger that he was in standing next to this man-eater that used to be his friend. Sydney and Donald reached the Governor General's rooms and saw him place a strange necklace around the neck of his fiancé - the wooden puzzle box now lying open on his night stand. A shimmering glow engulfed her as her curse was lifted. Striding to the next room, Sydney witnessed the end of Chris' transformation and fired the revolver at him - missing and striking Dr Henson, killing him dead. The newly born tiger-thing, with zero control of its new lusts and powers, attacked Sydney on the way past but made good it's escape to the jungle - off to continue its hunt. Realising that whatever talisman had come from within the wooden puzzle box was only fit for curing one person of their curse, Donald slit the throat of the Governor General who didn't even resist - in fact, he seemed almost pleased to be relieved of his curse as he beamed with love at his young fiancé who was now saved.
With Chris turned into a tiger, left to plague the island for years to come, and Dr Henson dead, the remaining two chose differing paths. Sydney 'went native' and joined the forces of the locals, fighting against the oppressive European rule of Batavia, and the far east in general. Donald, already cursed with his own demonic heritage jumped on the next ship out of here - returning to the sea where he was most at home.
For the local people of Batavia and the spice islands, life remained hard for many years to come as the warring European powers traded them, their riches, and their lives as mere petty play things to trade away for foreign influence.
Thanks Shu, Jon, Kev, and Sean for an awesome game!!
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