Episode 23: The Venusian Swamp Wildlife Is Troublesome

The team settled in for another night in the muggy heat and stench of the Venusian swamp.

On waking they discussed plans and decided to strike North and head for the Airship rendezvous by the lake, with the object of arranging an ambush there for the treacherous Otto. Unfortunately, they discovered that one of their company, Burke, had either left camp or been kidnapped during the night leaving no trace of his leaving nor any sort of note of explanation.

The team were surprisingly unbothered by this new development, and assumed that Burke would either redezvous with them later or would be brought to the airship rendezvous by Otto. Either way, they had problems of their own. Their numbers were down by approximately half, and they were in the middle of a Venusian swamp. Perhaps worries over their own chances trumped worrying about a colleague silly enough to wander off on his own. Who can say?

The discussion wound up, the course of action agreed by all, then suddenly the camp was attacked by a large swarm of Swamp Devils, those fearsome crocodilian reptiles that had bedeviled the team the previous day. The battle was short and intense, with much loss of life on the part of the native Lizardmen bearers, but eventually the beasts were all driven off or killed.

Reverend Fogg tried his best for the wounded Lizardmen, but there was nothing he could do for them, and their Lizardmen tribe-members held a ceremony in which the dead were consigned to the swamp.

It was then that the team discovered that the three lizardmen who were not part of Reverend Fogg's congregation had made good their escape, fleeing for the safety of the swamp when everyone was distracted by the life-and-death struggle against reptiles in a World Gone Mad. Clearly they had been waiting their chance, the absolute bounders!

The tracks led off north-east into the swamp, following the same apparent course taken by Otto, but the team were only just discovering this when three sets of shrill screams split the air, coming from the direction taken by the mutinous lizardmen. There was a short discussion as to whether or not this was worth investigating before the team did, in fact, investigate, discovering three lizardmen corpses with terrible acid burns and the skin and bones of a raptor, also showing signs of acid burns.

at this point each member of the team heard what they thought was Otto moaning quietly off in the fog. Indeed, when Waldmont and Montgomery went to investigate, there was Otto lying against a tree. moaning piteously. Montgomery strode forward and Reverend Fogg would have joined him but the Lizardmen suddenly became frantic, hissing and gibbering in their barbaric language and dragging Fogg back.

Ssassafrash began saying "I not see you see" over and over, and Capt. Forsyth suddely suggested that perhaps the Lizardmen could not see what each earthman could, that maybe "Otto" was not Otto. At this point, Montgomery gave Otto a poke with his sword and there was an explosion of protoplasmic goo as the Venusian Mimic - an insidious telepathic menace - resumed its true form and attempted to engulf Montgomery!

Luckily, Montgomery was nimble enough to scramble out of harm's way, but moments later the dreadful amoeboid thing attempted to engulf the hapless Waldmont! Thank heavens for Waldmont's lightning reflexes, for he too managed to avoid becoming a meal for the disgusting blob.

Unfortunatly, possibly unnerved by his near encounter with death, Montgomery rushed off into the fog, out of sight of his compatriots, and was attacked by a lurking pack of Raptors! He fought valiantly but was overmatched and outnumbered and fell to their hacking claws and flesh-tearing teeth. The rest of the team made short work of the foul-tempered dinosaurs from a safe distance, but as Rev. Fogg discovered, they were just too late to save their compatriot, and Devin was declared dead.

Lacking any digging tools and the soil in which to bury their friend, they were forced to perform a burial at sea, aided by the Lizardmen.

The ceremony, a cross between Anglican and Ssassafrash's tribal ritual for the dead, was suitably solemn, but the occassion was lent a rather gruesome coda as the team turned to leave and the waters to which they had just committed their comrade suddenly boiled with Venusian aquatic swamp denizens fighting to get a share in the bounty.

The team then struck off north and north-west, deciding that the quicker they could get out of this hell-hole the better.

Toward the end of the day they came across a strange scene. Two human figures lying on the ground. One was Burke, who seemed to be alive but sick, and one was awake, but delerious and clearly close to death.

Burke had a dart in him, and a pistol lying by his body. Rusch had a bullet wound and a dart gun by his side. Burke's wrists showed signs of his being tied up.

Rusch was muttering: "Coeus! Coeus! we will watch over Otto and keep him safe! Coeus!¹"

Waldmont pulled out the dart and smelled it, and recoiled as he recognosed the tell-tale whiff of Red Sands! He hurled the dart away from him into the swamp and yelled the danger to the others as he ripped open Burke's clothes to discover a shallow scratch on the victim's chest. The dart had been prevented from penetrating fully by Burke's waistcoat and heavy linent shirt. Thank heavens for proper British attire!

Capt. Forsyth and Rev. Fogg attended to Burke, cleaning his wound and applying bandages while the visibly shaken Waldmont tried to make sense of what Rusch had said.

He remembered that "Coeus" was the name of a Titan for Greek mythology, and that The Brotherhood of Luxor's leadership seemed to identify themselves by code names chosen for such beings. He remembered that in the Kraal² on Mars he had seen three cowled and masked Brotherhood leaders calling themsleves Kronos, Lord Hyperion and Lady Hyperion attempting to arrange an arms shipment.

Furthermore, he recalled that Kronos had spoken with a British accent, and that Lord and Lady Hyperion had French accents.

He surmised that Kronos was the Supreme Leader of the Brotherhood, and that Lord and Lady Hyperion were the infamous "M. et Mme Bourgeouis" from the Fort Oublie fiasco that had started him on this long journey into night.

It was Capt. Forsyth who, upon hearing these remembrances, suggested that "Coeus" might still be on Venus if, as it seemed now, he had tasked Rusch and company with looking after Otto.

Everyone then agreed that if Coeus was indeed on Venus, he would likely be someone living in Venusstadt.

A stretcher was fabricated by cutting up their one remaining tent and using two spears as poles, and Burke was portered by two Lizardmen to the next camp site, where a miserable camp was set up in the drizzle. No tent made for the prospect of an uncomfortable night, made only slightly tolerable by the camp beds and ponchos made from the rubberized tent material left over from the remains of the tent.

Rev. Fogg took the first watch with Ssassafrash, who reported sounds coming from the east, sounds and scents of two Lizardmen and a human. Unfortunately, nothing could be seen through the pea-souper that had descended a day ago and had yet to show signs of lifting.

Fogg woke the others and they in turn moved into positions of cover. The ambush was slightly ruined by the unforseen invasion of the camp site by small frog/iguana-like things which were underfoot and made a shrill screech when trodden on, which every member of the party did. Out in the fog the stealthy approach of the three unknown beings was interrupted by their own discovery of the frog-iguana things.

Tensely the team waited, straining to see anything in the fog.

Could this be the return of Otto?

1. It's pronounced "KEY-awss"↑
2. The High Martian fortress last seen in Episode 12↑

Episode 22: More Adventures in the Venusian Swamp

We return to the scene in the Venusian swamps, where our heroes have been informed by the now-loyal Ssassafrash, Lizardman bearer recently rescued from raptors by Reverend Fogg, that Otto plans to turn on them, kill them and let the swamp life deal with the evidence of this foul treachery.

Camp was made on a large islet, tents pitched and Professor Lazenby's Patent Folding Firecones set out and set ablaze. Professor Lazenby's "Everlast" Safari Torches were planted along the "coast" of the islet to drive back the darkness, the fog, the insect-life and the larger fauna, which fears fires that don't die of the damp in a few minutes. As the heroes huddled round their campfire Reverend Fogg held an impromptu service for a baker's dozen Lizardmen, who engaged him in fiendish disputation and analysis of his sermon for an hour or so, then wandered off hissing between themselves in what could have been a heated continuation of the debate.

There were now two distinct groups of native bearers in the camp: The so-called "Friends of Fogg" who deferred to Ssassafrash, and the rest, including one Ssakatash, the chief bearer to whom all the Lizardmen deferred, Friend of Fogg or not. Ssakatash was seen in earnest quiet converse with Otto, as were the human bodyguards, who had become known collectively to the heroes as the McSweenies for reasons that elude explanation. McSweeny was not in charge of Rusch, Heinrick, Schmidt, Fricke or Reinhart.

Although the heroes were ready for ambush, Otto was biding his time and the night passed relatively quietly. Perhaps the Lizardman had been mistaken?

Next day the heroes were attacked by three alligator-like swamp denizens as they crossed between islets, wading knee-deep in stinking water. Reverend Fogg immediately reprised his fearless defense of the day before and once again a seemingly invincible Venusian death reptile fell dead from a mighty blow on the snout. Sadly, his next attempt was completely unsuccessful, the blow landing on the animal's bony skull rather than its delicate snout, but shots rang out and soon the second creature lay twitching and oozing blood into the rank water of the swamp, at which point the third of these so-called "Venusian Swamp Devils" decided that discretion was the better part of valour and made a hasty escape into the murky water and ground fog. The Lizardmen watched this repulsing of Venusian predators with gape-mouthed silence, only the furious flicking of their tongues betraying their lack of composure.

Later that day the Lizardmen presented Reverend Fogg with the skin of the Venusian Swamp Devil, and insisted he wear it like a cape for a short ceremonial dance. A request to which a bemused Fogg acquiesced, unaware he was taking part in a Lizardman warrior naming ceremony.

It was after making camp that night that Ssassafrash's tip proved to be correct and Otto made his move, but the heroes - alerted to the near certainty of treachery - had planned for this and concocted an ambush of their own. Each hero concealed himself as best as possible in the various terrain features available - mostly large trees resembling a cross between mangroves and cycad fern-like growths, though Burke and Forsyth took advantage of the large pile of baggage in the middle of camp. When Otto's bodyguards and a select group of Lizardmen attempted to kill the heroes in their sleep, the surprise was reversed and a desperate battle broke out. Lizardman fought Lizardman with spears dripping poison, and pistol shots rang through the night.

Reverend Fogg leapt out of hiding and engaged an armed bodyguard with his fists, killing him with a mighty punch to the head, then surged forward to engage a second foe. Devin Montgomery had failed to adequately conceal himself behind a tree, was spotted by hostile Lizardmen, engaged by them and badly wounded by a round from the treacherous Otto's firing from the cover of his tent with his elephant gun. Waldmont was also less than successful in hiding, and was swarmed by a small crowd of belligerent Lizardmen, stabbing at him with their poisoned spears. He took many superficial cuts, but shook off the poison's effects with no trouble.

Burke and Forsyth now engaged from concealment, blasting away with their firearms and any target that presented itself. Devin Montgomery, bleeding from many wounds, staggered from the scene of battle into the darkness of an adjacent islet, but was startled into returning in-theatre by horribly suggestive noises from within the fog. His fear of lizards was, unfortunately, a severe handicap in this situation. Waldmont was now cornered and put up a spirited fight, but was wounded quite severely. Luckily, he seemed immune to the Lizardman poison. Otto was firing from concealment too, choosing target with care and showing a terrifying skill with his elephant gun.

Reverend Fogg took a second life with his lethal boxing techniques, leading many to speculate on a secret career as a didicoy¹ when they had time to reflect on the carnage over a cup of tea. Ssassafrash rallied a pair of Lizardmen and they formed an armed cohort for "Lays on Hands of Death", the near legendary Friend to Lizardmen aka Reverend Fogg.

The battle was fierce, but eventually there were only three enemy Lizardmen left and they surrendered. Somehow Otto and the one remaining bodyguard escaped into the night.

Reverend Fogg now cemented his reputation with the Lizardmen by treating the wounded Montgomery and Waldmont and restoring them to a hale and healthy condition, if not exactly hearty, with a businesslike rapidity and characteristic modesty. Fogg's fellow Englishmen seemed rather blasé about this. English reserve? Sense of Entitlement? Who can say? Ssassafrash noticed, and added it to his growing picture of his hero.

Concerted attempts by the heroes to track Otto's path of retreat were unsuccessful, but Forsyth had the idea of seeing if the Lizardmen could pick up any trace and they were able to identify what looked like traces of Otto's escape path.

Two days of slogging through the swamp and a very intense battle had left everyone not native to Venus exhausted, and no-one was anxious to start ploughing through the Venusian swamp after Otto, who had demonstrated not only a startling marksmanship with his elephant gun, but was also demonstrably a master of wilderness survival and navigation. It was therefore decided to get some rest and to resume the hunt for Otto the next day.

Ssassafrash marshaled his fellow Lizardmen and arranged for pickets to be set, and the heroes were free to retire for a much-needed sleep.

1. A carnival bare-knuckle fighter who is The Champ others are challenged to beat for money↑

Episodes 15-20: Aboard the Empress of the Stars

This entry is a summary of several sessions spent socializing and interacting with the passengers and crew of the Empress of the Stars, an Edison Ether-Propeller interplanetary liner.

Waldmont was subjected to an attempted assassination when his Bhutan Spice tea was spiked with a Martian poison. He survived.

The entire ship is entertained by the events organized by "The Henries", a group of hard-partying middle-aged men who served in the army and saw action in Afghanistan, where they participated in the Battle of Al-Gavidah Pass and saved the day.

Both Waldmont and Wilhelm were subjected to a second assassination attempt when decorative boxes in their staterooms turned out to be clockwork traps containing lethal Martian snakes.

Pirates attempt to take The Empress, but are beaten back and killed to a man by The Henries, aided by Waldmomnt, Wilhelm, Montgomerry (a journalist passenger) and Burke, a contact from the Colonial Office.

One of the passengers is murdered, and a second, a woman, dies as a result of an ill-conceived distration ploy. He turns out to have been a Pinkerton Detective hot on the trail of two suspects involved in a stock swindle that bankrupted one company and cause the near-closure of a bank. He writes a letter to Wilhelm and Waldmont asking them to solve what he assumes will be his murder.

The team does indeed solve the murder, and that of the woman, placing them at the hands of two other passengers beyond any doubt, and recovering a fortune in Bearer Bonds which will go a long way toward repairing the damage done by the stock swindle. They also track down the ghost, who turns out to be a young woman with a weird science device who was working with the Pinkerton Man.

The two swindlers are then ritually killed along with the crewman guarding their staterooms while at the same time another attempt is made on the team, this time with poison gas in Waldmonts stateroom as they plot the best way to take down the most likely suspect in the assassination attempts. The team, now augmented by the newly-acquianted Reverend Fogg, chase the assassin into the baggage compartment where Wilhelm glues him to the floor with his "goober gun".

The assassin bears a Brotherhood tattoo, and commits suicide in mid-histrionic vengeance threat.