In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 14):

"Right, guv."

The boatmen started to pull on their oars and the boats leapt forward through the water towards the island.

The Count readied his rifle and held it at waist height. One of the first off the boats he scanned the surroundings as the others alighted. Once the landing was made he moved off with the others as had been planned.

The water was cold and about waist deep. As wading wouldn't be the best plan, they ghosted through the reeds surrounding the islet, then bumped up against the low wood retainer walls. These prevented the tides and occasional storm from eroding the small island completely away, gave it some degree of permanence.

From a ways away they could hear the clattering of the Lewis gun, still firing, as the sound echoed across the estuary basin. A few red tracers seemed to be zooming straight up in the air! (Thankfully, not a lot.) The veterans (especially JM who'd made many strafing runs) knew this was because a number of rounds that hit hard surfaces like stone were likely to ricochet upwards either straight or at an angle. Those that were not soldiers possibly wondered what the red sparks that drifted up in the air off in the distance before winking out were all about.

Quietly, they disembarked without undue disaster. Through the long grass (turned brown over the winter months) they could see the black stone obelisk. It was surrounded by a ring of about a hundred lit torches set in iron holders placed in a 50-foot radius.

The area seemed deserted. Not too far away, the mansion burned with light. Figures could be seen dashing about in front and in behind, faint shouts could be heard.

Ken helped secure the boats and then scrambled up over the low wall and crouched on one knee in the long grass.  He spoke in a quiet voice to the others.  "Can you see Gavigan and the leaders near the obelisk with your glass Count?  If not we'd be best to move straight into the mansion."

The Count raises his spy glass again trying to pick out the leader of this show. He had instructed Mr Perkins to take a shot on Mr Gavigan if one was available once they had made it into range.

In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 20):

Perkins raised his rifle. His companions covered to the right and left.

There was no one near the obelisk. It was impossible to pick out a leader among the people running around outside the building.

A couple more grenade explosions were heard from in the direction of the front gate.

As the island looms ahead, Singh reaches out to give Miss Cynthia an encouraging pat on the shoulder. He grips his rifle tightly as the boat thumps against the wall and scrambles up and onto the solid ground, turning to give Miss Holloway and others a hand.

Then, crouching low, advances through the reeds and bracken that line the bank. Reaching a thicket of bushes, he lies down and peers through the cover to observe their adversaries more closely.

Seeing no immediate threat or target around the obelisk, he shifts his gaze to the mansion.

Perkins peered through the telescopic sight mounted on his Lee-Enflied.

"Bloody hell... excuse me, sir. Don't see Gavigan."

Cynthia gives Mr. Singh a smile; barely visible in the poor light. She happily accepts his hand and a gentle hoist up; without it, she'd probably never manage to scale the wall.

Once up, she kneels down behind an outcropping of tall grass and shrubbery, letting Mr. Singh help up anyone behind her, or scan the area for enemies. So far the whole affair was like a surreal twist on grouse hunting, complete with the men out beating the bushes.

And just like grouse hunting, she has the worry in the pit of her stomach that she's not totally welcome here; that she's a liability, and even in the minds of her trusted friends, an intruder into the territory of men. Or perhaps it's not their minds, but hers, that recognizes that.

Cynthia is quiet, and careful to stay further back and out of the way, letting the men set the direction and pace.

Molly was glad that she usually wore slacks for this was the type of thing that she would need them for.  She tried her best to climb up when she was told to but she certainly wasn't going to ignore a helping hand either.

Her breath caught in her throat as the clock kept ticking away.  Would they be in time?  Would they stop the insanity of all this?  Or would the next headlines be "Mourning for Mongo"?  Molly shook her head.  She didn't like that last headline thought.

The Count returned his spy glass back into his pocket. There was nothing for it they had to get closer and press the attack before the other gate defenders were over run.

"All right lets have at them, like we planned.... forward."

JM reaches down and with the glint of a smile in the darkness offers Molly a hand up out of the boats and over the low wall.  "Here you go Miss Fuller, just keep your head down and eyes open and all should be well."  If he let his hand linger a bit longer than strictly necessary it was hard to tell in the confusion of the landing.

He nodded in the darkness to the Count.  "Ok, we advance on the mansion and take them from behind.  Let's see if we can hold our fire until we are inside the mansion to catch them further by surprise."

The group bypassed the obelisk and the lit area, as it was deserted, heading towards the mansion.

In front of them a truck started up and, loaded with men, passed in front of the building. It was driving towards the bridge and the road to the front gate.

Keeper's Note: any kind of marching order? Or is everyone just in a kind of mob?

The Count whispers to those around him;

"I think we need to take out the truck that many men could break the gate defenders.

"I am on it, Count," Singh replies, "Carry on to the mansion."


Taking several quick steps to separate himself from the others, he kneels and takes aim at the driver in the cab, fairly certain that a rifle shot would not be remarked amid the noise of shooting at the gate.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:50, Sat 29 Dec 2012.

"Very good Mr Singh, Mr Perkins would you please help Mr Singh with covering our advance and dealing with the truck and contents."

The Count then continues to the entrance to the mansion with the others.

Looking at the mob of people, CSM Jones gritted his teeth as he pulled back the bolt on his rifle to chamber a round.

"Yee lot! Spreed yeut. Wuh ma neet be the anny ones wi' grenades."

He then jabbed a finger at Molly and Cynthia and said in his best Company Sergeant Major's voice, "totties, if yas comin' then bloody wey keep tuh the reor an' try neet tuh clarts things up!"

In reply to Imran Singh (msg # 32):

Leaving the boatmen to safeguard their primary means of exit, the group moved past the obelisk. It was badly kept, with long grass and weeds. There was a glint of yellow-white, shards of bone. Possibly an animal, some told themselves, but the veterans of the war recognised human bone. And in one place, an intact human skull lay among the weeds.


Singh's bullet struck the driver somewhere in the right side, possibly in the head (although it was impossible to tell at this range considering the light). Wherever he was wounded he immediately slumped over the wheel, and the truck slewed out of control. It careened down the bank beside the bridge and plowed down into the river with a tremendous splash!

Unfortunately, the water was shallow and the truck wasn't going very fast. But everyone inside was thrown about and it's likely some were injured.

It appeared that with the departure of the truck (carrying reinforcements to the gate) everyone else was ushered inside, leaving the area outside the mansion deserted.
This message was last edited by the GM at 17:01, Sun 30 Dec 2012.

Singh moves in a crouching run on the trail of the truck, slinging his rifle as he goes and keeping to the side of the drive where the darkness and shrubberies should disguise his outline. He digs in his musette bag and comes up with two grenades. As he gets within about five yards of the crash, he arms one grenade and slings it into the rear of the machine.

Not watching where it lands, he ducks behind a tree and readies the second bomb.
This message was last edited by the player at 17:35, Sun 30 Dec 2012.

JM waves Cynthia and Molly to the rear and then advances toward the mansion.  As Singh deals with the truck he moves up to the outside of the mansion near a window where he can listen or peer inside.

<ooc> I'd say we advance in open order.  JM will go to the front </ooc>

The Count follows towards the mansion. He looks for a door, main or otherwise and takes a position to the right of it away from any windows and providing cover from the occupants.

Perkins and the Jones' brothers followed the Count, as did Darlington and his men.

As Singh neared the half-drowned lorry he saw several men had already gotten out. Their legs were silhouetted by the dim glow of underwater headlamps. A man he believed to be Tewfik al Sayed was shouting something in Arabic, a warning of some kind.

Prepping and throwing the first grenade, he was speared by a torch beam from only a few yards away! Several shots rang out at close range, muzzle flashes and bullets zipping by in that curiously odd slow-motion way of battle. They must be terrible shots as he was completely untouched! There was more yelling as the grenade clattered into the rear of the lorry, rolling down the bed towards the front. Diving behind a tree he heard the grenade explode in the rear of the lorry. Metal shrapnel zinged by his place of refuge.

Arriving at the front they crossed the ill-kept driveway to the main entrance. The once-grand manor was long and rectangular, 2 stories tall and built of dark stone with steep slate roof. It looked like it dated back to at least the English Civil War several centuries before. A couple electric lights had been installed outside, illuminating the driveway area out front and main entrance. It was deserted outside, the windows shuttered. The main doors were made of thick oak, iron-shod. A massive tangle of dead vines left to grow wild covered the outside wall up to the second story.

Over where the lorry crashed, there was gunfire and an explosion. Looking around, some of the party noticed that Singh was no longer in evidence.

Keeper's Note: Google Skyfall mansion and you'll have a good idea of what the building looks like. There is a detached garage, formerly the carriage-house/stable.

As well, make Spot Hidden checks to examine the house.

Seeing Mr. Singh fire on the unarmed truck driver, Cynthia is momentarily taken aback. Her cheeks blanche. But she holds her tongue and follows the group; this would be something to discuss later, if at all.

The CSM's gruff demeanor sets Cynthia on edge, and she stops a moment to consider, but something about John-Marc lets her fall to the rear without her pride being (too) wounded. She stays within thirty feet of the next person, sweeping the sides and rear of the group with her shotgun. When the group reaches the house, she spreads out along the wall, trying to keep out of the way.

While Cynthia can't see Mr. Singh, she is used to him appearing when needed, and so is not too ill-at-ease.

JM examines the house carefully.  The heavily locked front door seemed to be the worst possible way to enter the house although the shuttered windows provided even less access.  Even as he examines the building he calls to the others.  "Cover the front, some one come around the back with me to help find a rear entrance.  We need to get inside while Singh is dealing with the truck."

He keeps his Webley close at hand with the rifle slung over his shoulder.
This message was last edited by the player at 01:30, Tue 01 Jan 2013.

The Count moves at a sprint forward to the main door and once up against the wall will try the handle. He keeps well away from the windows and moves with his rifle at his shoulder ready to engage any incoming fire.