Pyramids of Mars - Flight of the Intruder

The secret panel slowly slid back into place, closing the entrance to the priest hole and hiding their escape. 

"It's awfully dark down here!" exclaimed Dr. Warlock. 

"Never mind the dark, what's that awful smell?!" remarked Sarah Jane.

"I'm so terribly sorry Miss." muttered Collins "The foreign food that the Egyptian chap insists upon really doesn't agree with me..."

"Excuse me Doctor! There's daylight and fresh air ahead!"

Blinking in the daylight, Sarah Jane crawled from the mouth of the cave. 

"Oh dear. Doctor, I think we have trouble!"

"Do be careful Sarah" said the Doctor as he gently pulled Sarah Jane back into the cave before emerging to assess the situation. 

The Doctor, Sarah Jane, Dr. Warlock and Collins the butler had managed to escape from Namin but now found themselves in the grounds of The Priory being hunted by the Egyptian's murderous servitor robots - disguised as ancient mummies. 

"If we can get to The Lodge we can ask Marcus' brother Laurence for help" suggested Warlock. 

"Good plan!" whispered the Doctor "We'd best get going."

  

The Doctor hurried his companions from the cave and the group crept towards the Lodge climbing over rocks that blocked their path. Nearby a lone mummy stood guard.

 

Carefully taking aim, The Doctor's sonic screwdriver let out a pulse of energy and the closest mummy crumpled to the ground. 

"Run!" shouted The Doctor.

But another mummy stood between them and the Lodge. 

"Sarah!" shouted The Doctor "where are you going?"

Sarah suddenly became disorientated and wandered off in the direction of the pursuing mummies! 

Realising her error, Sarah retreated from the pursuing mummy. 

Meanwhile, Collins made a quick dash for The Lodge but found himself face to face with a mummy. Screaming with fear Collins fled and threw himself into a thicket. 

Seeing his chance, Warlock made for a gap in the hedge. But he was too slow!

A bandaged hand reached out and Warlock found himself held tight. Too tight! Before he had chance to call for help Warlock's lifeless body fell to the ground. 

"Help!" shouted Sarah Jane as yet more mummies advanced. 

Overcoming his fear, Collins scrambled through the gap in the hedge. 

A shot rang out in the woods, Namin had arrived! 

But it was too late, The Doctor and Sarah Jane managed to evade the mummy that stood over Warlock's lifeless body and ran towards the Lodge. 

"You chaps look like you could do with a drink." remarked Laurence "Best come in!"

Stay tuned for May the Force (Field) Be With You!

  

SaveSave

Congo

It has arrived!

Pyramids of Mars - The Priory Hides the Truth

 

 

"It was hideous Doctor!" 

 

Sarah Jane flinched as she remembered the image of the jackel that had, just moments ago, filled her mind. 

 

"Something's going on contrary to the laws of the universe. I must find out what!"

 

The Doctor moves to the consol of the TARDIS and plots a new course. A new course to Earth.

 

 

 

The Priory is a rambling building set in the heart of the English countryside. There is a loud knock at the oaken front doors and Collins shuffles to the hall.

 

 

 

 

Before he even opens the doors Collins can hear Doctor Warlock's exasperated demands

 

"Where is he? Where is Marcus?"

 

 

 

 

Warlock bursts into the hall and frantically starts searching for clues to Marcus Scarman's disappearance. 

 

 

 

A swooshing sound heralds the arrival of a blue police box. As the Doctor and Sarah Jane emerge from the TARDIS they look around and find they are in a store room filled with boxes and Egyptian artefacts. 

 

"What's that noise?" exclaims Sarah Jane. 

 

A scraping noise comes from the stone sarcophagus. 

 

 

 

Suddenly the lid opens.

 

 

 

"Doctor!" Screams Sarah Jane, "The door is locked"

 

"Quick, the window" shouts The Doctor. 

 

 

 

Meanwhile Warlock heads down a corridor searching for clues that may help explain the disappearance of his friend. As he opens a door, he is surprised by an Egyptian gentleman wearing a red fez.

 

"Good gracious, who are you?"

 

"I am Namin and you are trespassing". Namin draws a revolver and fires. But his shot is wide and Warlock flees, with Namin in hot pursuit. 

 

 

 

Warlock finds himself in the library. Books lie in disarray as though somebody was hastily searching for something. 

 

"What is this?" 

 

Dr. Warlock picks up a strange plan that seems to reveal the presence of an ancient Egyptian god under an ancient pyramid. 

 

 

 

 

 

Elsewhere Collins the butler stumbles into a room and finds himself confronted by a mummy! Screaming, Collins turns and runs for his life!

 

 

 

Escaping Namin, Warlock continues his search of The Priory. Soon he is joined by The Doctor. But in the corner of the room another sarcophagus opens revealing yet another mummy. 

 

"Watch out!" shouts The Doctor. 

 

From beneath his coat The Doctor pulls his sonic screwdriver and takes aim. The mummy crumples to the ground, stunned. 

 

 

"Jolly good job!" declares Dr. Warlock.

 

The Doctor grins, "Fancy a jelly baby"

"I say Doctor, these plans are interesting, but I believe we'll be safer somewhere else."

"Good point!" Exclaims The Doctor, "Now where on Earth is Sarah Jane?"

A loud scream can be heard from a nearby corridor...

 

"Help!"

 

"Come on!" shouts The Doctor, "No time to lose! Collins has shown us a way out, through an old priest hole on the balcony."

 

 

 

Namin summons his servitor robots and stands before the communication device. 

 

A rasping voice demands

 

"Find them!"

 

Stay tuned for Flight of the Intruder!

   

Something is Very Wrong...

Turning to Sarah Jane, The Doctor declares

"Something's going on contrary to the very laws of the universe"

Beneath an ancient pyramid something stirs.

"It is time Doctor..."

The adventure begins!

Norse Gael Warriors

I usually write blog posts on my iPad using software called Blogsy. Unfortunately it hasn't been working properly for some time and I've not been able to post anything. 

So here's a quick post  using Blogger itself  just to show some Norse Gael warriors I recently finished. These warriors are armed with javelins. I tend to paint javelins in a lighter shade than spears. This helps to more easily distinguish them on the gaming table. The logic is that javelins are newer and therefore made from more freshly cut wood.

SAGA Iron Man

Gulp!

What have I done!? A madness struck me and I've signed up to participate in Wargames Illustrated SAGA Iron Man event in July!

Anyone else going?

 

Blood Eagle - Get to the Ships!

"But Sire!" cried the Priest, "The host has been assembled and moves with all speed to destroy the pagan invaders."

"I know that!" grumbled Wulfestan, "But they are still too far away. The Northmen will have sailed into the distance by the time the fyrd arrives. We must cut off their escape."

 

 

Johan emerged from the marshes and scanned the riverbank. Ahead lay his longship.

 

 

Despite the misfortune in the forest, this season's raid had been successful. Crates, barrels and assorted plunder lay stacked next to his ship. His was the last longboat to depart. There would be much feasting and drinking in the Great Hall during the long winter nights to come.

 

 

Squinting against the bright sunshine, Johan raises his hand and his men halt.

 

 

"It appears our friends intend to wish us fair thee well on our long voyage!" laughs Johan.

Grinning, he turns to his men and raises his sword.

 

 

"For Odin!" he yells.

 

 

Before his mouth had closed, Ulf the berserker rushed forward, brandishing his mighty axe and bellowing words that not even the Norsemen understood.

 

 

Meanwhile, Wulfestan looked on with grim determination.

 

 

"See how the pagans run to their ship Sigered? This day will be ours."

Anticipating that the Norse would skirt around both sides of the hill, Wulfestan beckoned to a warrior and skirmisher. The two Saxons saw the danger and ran to meet it. A stone flew from the skirmisher's sling, but sailed harmlessly over a Norse warrior's head.

 

 

The Norse warrior and his companion slung their shields and ran towards their ship.

 

But before they can find cover in the scrub bordering the river, a Saxon warrior charges forwards with his spear.

 

Meanwhile, Johan and his two veterans advance towards the Saxon Thegn.

 

 

Wulfestan beckons to his priest.

"Keep close Sigered! We will be calling on your blessings this day!"

 

 

Johan looks to his right and slowly shakes his head.

"Berserkers!" he sighs.

 

 

Wulfestan raises his axe and cries "With me!"

But Johan stands his ground. The berserker appeared to be charging the hill, but at the last moment he changes course and runs at the Saxon Thegn.

Vandil, the hero of the Fateful Bridge, steps forward. Taking aim he hurls a throwing axe. Distracted by the sight of a half naked Norsemen crashing into his Thegn, the Saxon warrior is oblivious to the rotating axe - until it embeds itself into his skull.

 

 

The spearman crumples to the ground, dead.

 

 

On the far side of the ship, the skirmisher could find no clear target for his sling. Drawing his club he charges.

 

 

Without even pausing for breath, the Norse warrior swings his axe. Blood spurts over his shield as the Saxon spearman falls to the ground.

 

 

Before the Saxon skirmisher can even raise his club, a second Norse warrior hacks him to the ground.

 

 

Ox, climbs up the side of the hill. Despite his bellows reverberating against the rocks, his form does not change.

Ulf and the veteran warriors throw themselves at Wulfestan. The berserker raises his axe and seeing the Saxon Thegn mobbed by his companions, he brings it down - hard.

But Wulfestan is Blessed.

 

 

Of course, Blessings count for nothing when the pagan gods are against you!

 

 

Yet another Saxon helm is burst. But what of the skull within?

 

 

Vandil sees his bridge adversary stood before him. Distraught at the loss of his Thegn, Aldwyn stumbles and Vandil's axe cuts him down.

"Be gone you pagan fiends!" shouts Sigered.

 

 

Valiantly whirling his quarterstaff, the priest staggers as a glancing blow knocks him to the ground. Unable to find his feet, the priest looks upwards and as the axes hack at his prone body, he finds his God.

Johan kicks at the shape before him.

"This one will fetch a good price!"

 

 

As the Norse gather their plunder and start loading their ship Wulfestan winces at the bonds that cut into his flesh.

"You may have our silver" he mutters, "but vengeance? Vengeance will be mine..."