(Savage Showdown) #8 Paparazzi Violenta

The town of Sohai was all aflutter.  This desert watering hole was normally known as a launching point to treasure seekers and a refuge for those on the run.  However, filmmakers from Hollywood loved the location for their latest feature Witness of a Hero.  Most of the staff and actors had already arrived, but today was the arrival of the main star, actress of film and stage, Miss Ruby Diamond. 



Ruby and her trusty driver John Partridge drive through the gates. 

Alas, there were a few individuals who were a bit too excited for the starlet's arrival. The government had taken many a bribe from the movie executives to allow the production to proceed, however none of it had trickled down to the soldiers assigned to protect the village.  A quick kidnapping and a hefty ransom would alleviate their economic misfortune.

Poorly paid soldiers weren't the only people with an unhealthy interest with Miss Diamond.  It just happened that Lt Colonel Thaddeus Ovaltine, nefarious treasure plunderer, was the president of the Ruby Diamond fan club chapter in Sohai.  One perfume laced fan letter (probably written by an intern) had put him over the edge and he believed he was destined to be with her.  His Rough 'n Ready Riders had been depleted from some past exploits, but were ready to assist true love.

The Bad Guys (Soldiers and Lt Col Ovaltine's Group (not allied): played by Dad 

Obejctive:  Successfully detain Miss Diamond before she reached the hotel.   Figure(s) holding her must do so for the remainder of that turn, and must not be Shaken.

The Good Guys:  played by Maja, Age 7

Objective:  Reach the hotel safely within six turns. 

Ruby Diamond and her driver, John Partridge, start the game entering town.  Ruby starts in the backseat, directly behind John.  

Each turn the good guys roll randomly for a random hero to emerge from a random building to assist the actress. 

Turn One:  While the bad buys crept through the buildings to get into position, John Partridge prayed he could eek out another block or two out of the old jalopy. 

Ted Mosby, Aviator, was the first to come out and welcome the starlet. 



"I loved you in "Weighing Mrs Wright!

Turn Two: Maja Millie, famed archeologist, came running down the street.   This distracted the soldiers, who had been anticipating a car. 

 

"She looks like a movie star, it must be her!"

Turn Three: Lt Col Ovaltine drew a joker, and his plan sprung into action.   He jumped onto the car, climbed across the trunk, and ended up on the opposite running board, ready to pull his beloved out of the car.   Miss Diamond did not agree, and a quick swing of her purse kept him at arm's length.

The Rough 'n Ready Riders try to block the car. 

The rest of the Rough 'n Ready Riders launched their end of the plan, jumping in front of the dying automobile, ready to shoot the driver if need be.  A few bullet holes were created in the windshield, but no one was hurt. 

Lt Colonel Ovaltine slides across the back of the car and rides the running board (in-game it's a four-door sedan).

Bob Njano, former native bearer turned hero, slayer of the Egyptian Chupacabra, emerged from a nearby hut and planned on charging the Rough 'n Ready Riders from the rear.   

A Fight roll of 1 and a Wild die of 1 meant he tripped over his own two feet, a face full of sand.

Spend an extra turn and tie your shoelaces next time, Bob!

Down the street, Maja Millie's incredible speed lured the soldiers down a  side street.  With Maja Millie's vast experience in this campaign, we converted her from a Savage Showdown Wild Card into a full fledged Savage Worlds Wild Card.   While her Luck Edge never came into play, her Fleet of Foot and fantastic running rolls allowed her to distance herself from her foes. 



Turn Four:    With a lead foot and a prayer, John Partridge floored it, and the car responded with one last gasp of life.  Rough 'n Ready Riders narrowly dove out of the way to avoid being run over.  Another Rider was shot in the back by retired mobster and cinefile Gerald the Saint.

Gerald the Saint shoots a few sinners in the back.

Bob Njano crawled behind an ancient pillar to compose himself. 

Maja Millie ran into a small building to lure the soldiers inside. 

Ted Mosby couldn't hit the ground using gravity.

Turn Five:  The surviving Riders finally got off a number of fantastic shots, They managed to not only wound Partridge with a precision shot, but also shoot out both back tires as the driver was swerving to avoid a palm trees.  The car launched into the air, rolling twice before resting just short of the hotel.   Ovaltine and a Rider who had just jumped onto the opposite running board rolled out of the way unscathed. 

The sergeant leading the kidnapping knew it was time to strike and ordered an all-out charge across the boulevard towards the smoking wreckage. 

*BOOM* 

The soldiers stopped only a foot or two into their charge as the headless body of their sergeant fell onto the median.   A red-haired women up the street was reloading her shotgun.    Julie of the Jungle Patrol was not happy with this disturbance during her measly one week of vacation she got every year.  The soldiers hight-tailed it out of there.

Julie of the Jungle Patrol single-handedly stops the kidnappers.

The soldiers following Maja Millie had lost her, but Bob Njano hiding around the corner took out of them.  With the fleeing compatriots coming at them, it was high time to leave the area.  Perhaps no one would remember them when they came in to work tomorrow?

Ruby Diamond emerged from the crashed sedan with a sore neck, but worse for wear.  Her driver, Partridge, fared a far worse fate.  He was already cold when checked on him. 

R.I.P. John Partridge

Out of the dust and smoke, Ruby could only see the lone menacing figure of Lt Col Ovaltine coming towards her. 

"Ever since you sent me that letter, I knew we were destin....*Bang* Bang* Bang*"

Three shots merely grazed the amorous treasure hunter, one on his holster, another nicked his shoulder, while the third knocked off his hat.  The was enough to chase Ovaltine away for another day. 

Another figure emerged from the dust, holding an empty revolver and a pilot's cap. 

"Miss?  Are you alright?"



Curses!  Foiled again!



The other ne'er do wells run off together....

Turn Six:  And with that, Ted Mosby, Aviator, managed to escort Miss Diamond into the Hotel Hatari.   An autograph and a peck on the cheek was all the reward he needed.  Some extra money walking her dog would be a pleasure... 


Speaking of which, where was that silly dog?


After a five month hiatus, the "Egypt Game" is back and better than ever!   Depending on what actions Miss Maja and her sister Millie do, I needed some super-cheap easily replaceable buildings ad walls so I finally found some on rpgnow.com.  I only got three assembled that morning, but the set's variety of buildings and marketplace stalls allowed me to move more permanent versions of the terrain further down my want list. 


If this scenario looks familiar, it's because I based it off of Preacher by Day's AAR Starstruck.   No zeppelin troopers, cultists, or nice terrain (all are in the future purchase queue), but for my audience, they were ecstatic for a little kissy-kissy romance with Ruby Diamon, even if Maja's first choice died in a horrible accident.