Gospog's Pulp Heroes Story Hour!

[Gospog]

OK, here's the details on the Pulp Heroes game we just played.

The group consisted of:

Fluffaderm as the Turtle
Pirate Cat as Augustin Quell
Dave Lozzi as Antonio Augustino
Dr. Midnight as Johnny Chang
Shadow64 as Jackson
Josh as Jericho Clinton

I'll follow this post with a description of each character, and then we'll jump right into the action!

 

[Gospog]

The Turtle
Two-fisted gumshoe and the scourge of the underworld. The turtle is never seen without her fedora and trademark turtle-neck sweater.

Jericho Clinton
An Ethiopian mercanary, Jericho has a mean streak a mile wide. He can be a cruel, cruel man. Jericho carries two massive handguns, and is eager to whip them out at the first sign of danger (or a helpless victim).

Mr. Quell
Augustin Quell is not much to look at. In fact, the people who really like hime describe him as "merely hideous". But his powers of mental persuasion cannot be denied. He can catch your attention with his fine gold watch, and then dominate your very soul! (sometimes)

Jackson
Raised by Anacondas in the deep jungle, Jackson served in the Great War, in Europe. He's come to America, seeking answers about his mysterious past, and his serpentine tatoo. He's as handy carving critters up with a knife as he is shooting Nazis with his revolver.

Antonio Augustino
An accomplished explorer, and a veteran of Shackleton's expedition, Antonio is prepared for any contingency. While he carries a gun, he prefers to meet trouble with the tip of a knife. Several knives, actually.

Johnny Chang
An inscrutable Oriental, Johnny is a master of hand-to-hand combat. He can kill a man seven different ways, and never get a drop of blood on his immaculate chauffeurs' uniform.

 

[Dr Midnight]

Hi-yah.

Fun! Thanks Bisbees. I love playing games over at your house. OH MAN the FOOD... oh yeah the game was good but the FREAKIN' FOOOOOOD!

slurrrrp.

 

[Gospog]

Chapter One: Dinner Guests

The Turtle pulls her sedan in the driveway in front of the Tower of Incredible Science!

The tower is an impressive sight. it soars into the night sky, made of steel-blue metal. At the top of the tower, several glass globes spark and hiss with captured electricity. Frequently, this electricity arcs over to the other globes, as well as the metal rods that jut out from the tower’s roof.

The Turtle is familiar with the tower and finds the dining room on her own. She has been invited to dinner with Dr. Heller, and he mentioned that he would have several other guests in attendance as well.

She strides into the dining room, stopping short to take in the scene. The only familiar face is Jericho Clinton. And his face is hardly reassuring. He sits, eating his cocktail wieners, with one hand on his holstered revolver.

Next to Jericho is an inscrutable Oriental man in a chaffers uniform. He looks upset to the point of tears.

Next to the foreigner is a good looking Italian man. His hair is swept back into a ponytail, and his coat, the Turtle notices, is of fine quality leather.

Across from the handsome European is a man looking a little uncomfortable. His clothes appear binding on him, and he is attacking his food with his knife. He strikes at the dinner roll with a fluid grace, like a mighty serpent closing for the kill.

Next to this “noble savage” is the ugliest man the Turtle has ever seen. She’s squared off against Hammerhead Scioli and the Zap Brothers, Even Pruneface, but this little man took the cake. He seemed to be taunting the Oriental, but turned to scrutinize her as she entered. There was one empty chair at the table. With a smile that could curdle milk, the little man genteelly pulls the chair out for her.

After introductions are made, the guests once again take the drinks offered by the steam-powered automatons of Dr. Heller. There are some cautious conversations as everyone gets to know each other.

ANTONIO: That’s all well and good, but where’s Dr. Heller?

JHONNY CHANG: I think he-

Just then, the door to the dining rooms bursts open, and Miss Igor, the Doctors lovely assistant runs in. She is in tears, and has a note clutched in her hand. She sobs and hands the note to the Turtle,

The Turtle reads the note and passes it to Mr. Quell. After a moment, each guest has read the note:

We have Heller. If you want to see him alive again, travel to a spot 10 miles north-east of Fairbanks, Alaska. You will receive further instructions there.

Dr. Asmodeus
Legion of Dead Men

 

[Gospog]

Dead Men Walking

A hush falls over the dining room, punctuated only by the quiet sobbing of Miss Igor.

All of the guests are familiar with the Legion of Dead Men. They are a ruthless criminal organization whose members ingest a curious chemical elixer that turns thier skin and organs transparent. Their skeletal visages leer at everything that is good and decent in America and the world!

Dr. Asmodeus is one of thier most brilliant minds. Most brilliant...and most Evil!

TURTLE: The Doctor needs help!

Ms. IGOR: The Doctor's personal aircraft is parked out back. Perhaps <sob> you could...

JOHNNY: I can fry.

ANTONIO: Then what are we waiting for?

 

[Dr Midnight]

"I can fry" indeed...

Before anyone attacks ME, I never once substituted an L for an R or vice versa in my dialogue. I'm playing the "Kato", but instead of playing up to the stereotypes of race, I'm playing up to the stereotypes of the race as defined by pulp fiction. "The orient" being pretty much an undefinable area of the world with mystic secrets and open-handed judo chops marked by "HI-YAH!"

Attack someone else. Please. Mr. Quell is ugly, go attack him.

 

[Davelozzi]

Fun! Thanks Bisbees. I love playing games over at your house. OH MAN the FOOD... oh yeah the game was good but the FREAKIN' FOOOOOOD!

He's right! Good game and good food make for a fun time. I'm looking forward to reading about the zany action.

 

[Gospog]

The Path to Alasker

Inspired by Pirate Cat tracing the group's progress to Alaska on a handy prop map, Dr. Midnight was kind enough to create this map of the trip:

http://home.attbi.com/~gospog/alasker.jpg

My players rule. I am the luckiest GM in the world!

More action coming soon!

 

[Shadow64]

Geez - I can't wait to see how you make my actions "heroic". I mean c'mon....a doll*!!!!

*you wonderful readers will soon find out what I mean.

PS - The food and ambiance (yeah - $2 word there, buddy!) of Gospogs place is great (someone did mention the awesome food already, right?). I think everyone will agree that a good time was had by all. I can't wait to "write" the next chapter. Oh - yeah - and play around on the massive terrian table Gospog has set up too.

 

[Gospog]

Winter Wonderland

With Johnny Chang at the controls, the trip to Alaska passes very quickly.

Johnny is a little nervous, as he’s never flown a plane before. But Antonio lends him a hand (of course, he’s never flown a plane either).

Together, they manage to get the plane to Alaska in one piece as Jericho Clinton (an accomplished pilot in the Great War) looks on in disdain.

As Alaska was just recently purchased from Russia in the 1890s (the year is 1927), the air strip is small and crude. Western civilization is trying hard to make progress in this untamed wilderness, but the going is slow.

The group jumps down from the door of the plane and are met by a man dressed similarly to them. The only visible part of the person is his face, which sports a slick mustache. The man seems to be constantly picking ice crystals out his facial hair. His name is TC Jennings.

TC JENNINGS: HALOOO! I SAY, I’VE BEEN SENT TO MEET YOU!

JOHNNY CHANG: You don’t have to yell.

TC: WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU! LET’S GO INTO THE SHED AND GET OUT OF THIS DREADFUL WIND!

TC Jennings looks over at Mr. Quell, whose hat is pushed back, clearly framing his face.

TC: I SAY, YOU CAN STAY OUTSIDE IF YOU LIKE. NO, REALLY!

The group shuffles into the shed near the air strip. It’s not warm, but it’s a lot quieter.

TC Jennings introduces himself. He’s been hired by a “mysterious stranger” to equip the group with a sled, dogs, and supplies. They are to travel east until they reach a series of caves (about five miles). Their next set of instructions will be waiting in the caves.

TC never got a good look at the man. All of his skin was covered over, but considering the weather around here, that’s not surprising.

Moving outside, Jackson and Mr. Quell make friends with the sled dogs, aided in no small part by the dried fish the Turtle produced from one of her coat pockets (why did she have fish in her pockets? No one knows.)

JOHNNY: Mush!