The Admiral, on behalf of Mayumi, rolled 19 using 4d6 with rolls of 2,6,5,6.  Engagement Roll.

I included the +1d from Weaving the Web.

Anyway, this is a Critical success.

This means that the first Obstacle is already completed and you are just starting dealing with the next obstacle in a Controlled position.

The planning goes smoothly, with Mayumi being responsible for the bulk of it. Per your plan, you wait for the sun to set before you infiltrate the graveyard of Port Serena, which is located on the outskirts of town, not far from the plantations.

Everything goes well. Surprisingly well. In fact, anyone who would discover the ritual or try to alert someone is dispatched or captured quickly and quietly, without much hassle. Jaabir's occult ritual also goes surprisingly very well. Soon enough, the dead start rising from their shallow graves, and even some of those who were buried deeper claw their way to the surface, aided by a few of your crewmates who grab shovels from the graveyard keepers shack to make way for them.

When all is said and done, Jaabir has a huge amount of zombies under his command, something over three dozen. It's a question how long he'll be able to maintain control over them. There's always a risk of something going wrong later, the dead becoming out of control and doing everything in their power to satisfy the hunger of the ravenous dead. Or simply return to their lifeless state, as the forces that animate them leave the corpses. But for now, you have what you need.

It takes several minutes for the shambling mob to reach the large plantation, but the effect is worth it. Soon, you hear shouting and the ringing of a large bell to sound an alarm. You see some soldiers freeze at the sight of the horde of walking dead shambling towards them. Your crew members start setting the nearest sugar cane fields on fire, as was the plan, which only further amplifies the mayhem.

As you four watch the mayhem from a nearby small hill, you notice the slave dormitories, a large building to the side near the fields. The bulk of the soldiers assigned to guard the plantation is grouped near the main entrance to the plantation's main building, so the slave dormitories seem to be unguarded. Atleast from this side. And there might be some danger inside as well.

Now, the next steps are up to you.

You have a Cohort with you, a Small Gang (about 6 people) of your crewmates, which is all you can spare. The rest of your crew are manning the ship and have it prepared for a quick getaway. This cohort is currently busy setting the fields on fire.

Jaabir also has a Cohort, a Huge Gang (about 40) of zombies, which is under his control (for now). This cohort is currently walking toward's the plantation's main building to devour the soldiers there.

Whatever else you do next, your position starts at Controlled due to the Critical on the Engagement roll.

Obstacle: Freeing the Slaves

Clock: 1/4
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:11, Thu 28 Mar.

Carina, always the impulsive one, makes a break for the dormitories with one hand on the hilt of her sword. If there are guards, she is ready to fight them. If the door is locked, she may have to borrow Mayumi's tools. Either way, the people in that building are getting out.

As Orlov was not particularly stealthy, he moved towards the dormitory at a respectable distance, not wanting to impede Carina but close enough to run forward to be of assistance if  necessary.

I realise now that I probably put you a bit too far to the action for an Engagement roll aftermath, so gonna move this along a bit.

You go to the slave dormitory, not having to really bother with stealth, as the cover of night, bright flames and a horde of zombies draw the attention away from your small group. You have no trouble getting inside, as you find the door on this side opened. Probably one of the guards inside rushed outside to see what the commotion was about and joined with the others.

Gonna roll to see if perhaps the rest of those guarding the slaves joined those outside to fight off the zombies.

The Admiral rolled 1 using 1d6 with rolls of 1.  Fortune Roll.

Ok, so no such luck.

When you enter the dormitory, you appear in a small "watch room", with a lit candle and the remains of an interrupted card game on the table. From the watch room, you can see into the actual slave dormitories, which is a large room where the slaves mostly sleep on dirty rags on the floor. Well, they are not sleeping anymore, waking up, curious about what the commotion is about. There are five of the governor's men, each armed with a sabre and a small flintlock pistol, trying to instill order in them.

The soldiers didn't notice you yet and neither did the slaves as they are all preoccupied by what's happening.

Obstacle: Free The Slaves

Score Clock: 1/4
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:12, Thu 28 Mar.

Carina draws her sword, the fine steel almost glowing in the flickering light. The sound of steel on scabbard reveals to the guards that they are no longer alone. With the guards' weapons undrawn, Carina and Orlov clearly have the drop on them. Carina stands ready to slash at the first one to go for their weapon but lets Orlov do the talking.

Load 1 of 5: Fine blade
Spending a Stress to assist Orlov's Sway.

"Who wants to go home fellas?" Orlov called past the guards into the dormitory.

He stood there with cutlass in hand and looked the guards in the eyes as they spun round with wide eyes and hands flying to sword hills. "I will cripple the first man to draw a weapon. Not kill, mind, cripple... and those in there will year you apart" he said conversationally.

"If you boys want to go home, you'd best surrender now. Now you're wondering whether you could take us, and maybe or maybe not, but I warn you the woman standing beside me is as fast and deadly as she os beautiful. But you can't take us out before they are on to you from behind. You get tied down in a melee and you will never get out of here alive, they will tear you limb from limb with their bare hands and help will never get to you in time. Your friends are busy. And these people have the best chance they will ever get to get out of here and go home, and they know it."

"If you want to go home, boys, put your hands up high and stand still."

10:51, Today: Orlov rolled 9 using 3d6 with rolls of 4,1,4.  Sway guards to surrender
Using loadout 1/5 A Blade or Two

This message was last edited by the player at 21:58, Wed 22 Nov 2023.

Meanwhile, Wiremu leads his zombie horde towards the plantation house.  He exhorts his army in Waturey, "Come my family!  We shall take from your oppressors what they took from you!"

He waves his fetish at the oncoming guardsmen and lets out a wicked laugh.  "Tonight on your hearts we feast!"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:36, Thu 23 Nov 2023.

"I mean it boys," Orlov growled, stepping forward with steely eyed Resolve. "Who wants a stab through the gizzard from a rusty cutlass?"



22:29, Today: Orlov rolled 14 using 4d6 with rolls of 2,5,1,6. Resist with Resolve.

That's a 6, so I take no stress.


This message was last edited by the player at 08:17, Tue 28 Nov 2023.

The slaves watch on with awe as you manage to get the guards to lay down their weapons and surrender. Yet they make no moves and step back in fear if one of you come closer. Save for one, an older slave whose hair has gone grey with age. "Who are you and what's going on!" You can tell from his fearful tone of voice that he's probably afraid that this isn't going to be a liberation and you are going to become their new owners. Then, he hears Wiremu speak in the language of their people and suddenly, the mood of the slaves changes and they start celebrating. They grab the weapons the soldiers left on the ground or grab whatever there's nearby that can be used as a makeshift weapon. The freed slaves are now under your command!


Obstacle Completed: Free the Slaves

Score Clock (2/4)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:12, Thu 28 Mar.

"Bind them. Gag them" Orlov commanded, pointing at the guards with his cutlass.

Once that was done, he said to the Old Man "I need ten men with me. They need to be quiet and obey without question. At the end of this night, they will be free of this place and free men."

"The rest of you... the guards are at the entrance, dealing with a fire. Leave a different way. Make your way to the port, steal or destroy every small boat and row Eastwards around the island. There is a ship waiting for you, we will take you home."

"If you want to loot some stores and set some fires at the port, that's fine by us, but I suggest you secure the boats first and don't waste too much time. Live free, stay free!"

We will make an exit from the compound away from the guards. It shouldn't be too hard with plenty of helping hands and no guards watching. Then we split, we are off to the mansion and the rest of the slaves off to the docks.

The slaves do as you say and within moments, the soldiers are bound and on the ground and you all are on you way out of here. Your men who were busy torching the fields have decided to fall back while they can, the soldiers still busy fighting with Jaabir's zombies.

They regroup with you on the way to the governor's mansion, while the soldiers at the compound are busy trying to put out the fire and mop up the remnants of the walking dead.

You see the a contingent of soldiers heading towards the compound. Your group took a detour through the jungle so as to avoid them, thus they just pass you by and continue to the slave compound, while you yourself are heading towards where you know the governor's mansion is supposed to be.

A few moments later, you emerge from the jungle and see the backside of the governor's mansion in the distance in front of you. There are lights there, so obviously the commotion at the slave compound has been noticed.

As was agreed, 10 of the slaves volunteer to stay behind with you, while the old slave leads the rest of them towards freedom.

You have a Small Gang of freed slaves with you and another Small Gang of your crew's men from your ship. You can merge them into one Medium Gang.

Obstacle: Get Inside the Mansion

Score Clock (2/4)
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:12, Thu 28 Mar.

Before we leave, we strip a couple of the guards and take their uniforms. We will also grab a green tree branch when passing through the jungle. We will chop the head of the branch, so we have a big stick and some greenery.

Can I get an assist from a gang memnwr?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:23, Wed 20 Mar.

Well, there's no other PCs so no. Assist is something that costs Stress and cohorts don't have that. They can help you in fiction for better position or effect, but not for the +1d to the roll.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:30, Wed 20 Mar.

Do we still have the zombie horde as well?

You left (most of) them behind at the slave compound to keep the guards busy. I guess you could have a Small Gang of them with you still that you kept nearby if you want.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:40, Wed 20 Mar.

As the Governor's compound came into view, Orlov called a halt.

"Okay, me lads, we're after the yellow gold. The guards will be on alert by now, so take it careful. Be quiet and stay out of the light."

"I want you to take up position by this line of trees here. Guns cocked and ready. Lie down or get behind cover. Stay in the shadows."

"Now what I'm going to do is go up to the Mansion, all panicked and disheveled, "Help, help, the slaves are escaping, the fields are on fire, we need help," savvy, and try to lead them off so we don't have as many at the house."

"So, if they come out and go charging up the path, right, then let them go. But if they come chasing me, then I'll lead them straight ti you and we will ambush them."

Having given his orders, Orlov took them where he wanted them and checked they were in place. Then he changed into the soldiers uniform and began doing jumping Jack's and calisthenics until he was red-faced and sweaty, his uniform disheveled and out of place.

"Wait, my brother,"  Weremu interjects.  "Ole ndị nwoke nọ?  How many in big house?  We scare off, yes?  Me zombies chase you.  You say baddies 'Aaaah!  Ebe a gbara ya gburugburu!   How you say, 'zombies come to big house.  Run now or get eat!' Yes?"

"They run away, we go in, gold ours."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:07, Sun 24 Mar.