The Rescue of Slatin Bey Part 1

The Rescue of Slatin Bey
Part 1

The Journey Begins

by Grant Sigsworth

You watch in silence as the native messenger leaves your office. He told you what all the others have told you - there's been no sign of the last spy, or indeed any of the spies that you have sent to Dem Suleiman. Dem Suleiman, where the slaver Suleiman holds sway, is where Slatin Bey is being held prisoner. Slatin was the Governor of Dara prior to his capture, and also your close friend. You have been sending spies to Dem Suleiman to effect the release of Slatin, but have had no luck so far.

Now you have come to the inevitable conclusion that you must go yourself to save Slatin Bey. He was taken three months ago while he was inspecting his district. You have no direct word of his whereabouts but have it second hand that he was taken to Dem Suleiman and is there being held prisoner. You assume he will be put up for ransom, but have not had any official notice.

You consider several ways of journeying south to effect the release of Slatin Bey. You could go in your official capacity, as the Governor of Shakka, but since the slavers that virtually rule southern Darfur take a dim view of the Egyptian Government the chances are that you would be attacked and taken prisoner yourself.

You could go unofficially, but quickly discard this idea as your face is familiar enough that the slavers would recognize you and again, take you prisoner.

You decide you must go disguised. Did not Burckhardt, Burton and even Gordon successfully disguise themselves as natives and travel through Africa? You can do the same. But you must go secretly. No one must know, or else word will inevitably get around that you are traveling in disguise, and Suleiman and his slavers will be extra vigilant. Not even your servants must know.

But how to effect such an operation? If you were to disappear it would certainly reflect poorly on your reputation. The Governor General might even take a dim enough view of it to consider you a coward or even a traitor. You decide then to write the Governor General a vague letter, telling him you must go away for "personal reasons" but will be back as soon as possible. You know he would not accept such a flimsy excuse, but you do not plan on waiting for his answer. If you can save Slatin, and do it quickly, you figure you can salvage your reputation and standing and perhaps earn a few accolades. You also write a letter of instructions to your assistant for while you are gone. Finally, you write a letter explaining your true intentions which you mail home, to be released only on your death.

You leave the letters where your aide will find them in the morning. You head to your apartments where you change into native clothing that you have collected over the years. You fill a purse with money, thrust a sword under your belt and hide your pistol in the folds of your robe. You definitely look like a native, but until your beard grows you are still too recognizable. You must travel only at night for a few days. By then your beard will have grown and you will be far enough away that few people would recognize you, anyway.

After night falls you sneak out, grab some supplies in the kitchen and proceed to the stables. It's a risk to take your horse, because it too is recognizable, but you need the speed, and you are no thief. You mount up, ride out (luckily no one sees you) and head south, towards Dem Suleiman.

You cross the Bahr el Arab in the darkness. Fortunately it is dry this time of year. Beyond you looms the vast, sparsely inhabited forest of central Darfur. You ride through it until dawn comes and you find yourself about twenty miles south of Shakka. Do you:

(1) You ride around frantically, looking for anything that might be familiar. You happen upon a small village deep in the forest and approach it. You ride in and suddenly you are surrounded by armed men. They appear to be bandits! They demand to know what you are doing there and you respond with the first thing that comes to mind - you say you've come to join them. One of them doesn't believe you and calls you a liar. Well, as a gentleman there's only one answer to that. You must duel your accuser. You can not use your pistol because it would give you away, and they would kill you for it, anyway. Each of you has a sword. Face off using the enclosed combat rules.

(2) You ride up to the caravan and talk with the caravan leader, Shaykh Mohammed bin Sufi. He decides you are an intelligent, trustworthy man and allows you to ride with them. You will help guard the caravan in exchange for food and a place to sleep. The next morning you get your first chance to prove your worth, as the caravan is attacked by bandits in the early dawn! Go to (13).

(3) You defeat the bandits in battle. Searching their possessions you find some food in the form of the corn meal-like cakes that pass for bread in Darfur and the sword of the one bandit. There is nothing else of value. Do you:

(4) Tom and battered you make your way north back to Shakka. You are met outside of town by people who recognize you and take you back to the fort, where you are fed and taken care of. Unfortunately now you have blown your cover and have a lot of explaining to do. Go to #16).

(5) You wait impatiently, ready to move out if anyone comes. After an hour you see no one and assume you are safe. You settle back down and await nightfall. When it is dark you ride on. You find the going difficult at night. You could travel faster if you traveled during the day. When dawn comes you have covered about twenty miles, you think, but as the surrounding terrain is illuminated you find that you have no idea where you are! Do you:

(6) You settle in a small clearing in the forest, nearby the caravan trail. You curl up for a few hours sleep. After a while you are awakened by a noise. Bandits! Two men are sneaking up on you. One has a sword and the other has a dagger. You jump up and reach for your pistol. Roll 2d6 for each one to see how many inches away they are, then consult the enclosed skirmish rules to see how things go.

(7) Penniless and weaponless you struggle manfully on down the caravan trail. You've lost blood and in the hot sun you start to rave. People you pass, thinking you crazy, avoid you. Towards nightfall you spot some campfires ahead and with your last ounce of strength you crawl up to one and collapse, senseless.

You awaken to find yourself strapped to a camel and bobbing along in the morning sun. your wounds have been bound and you are enormously hungry. You look around and camels, piled with goods, stretch out in front of and behind you.

You have been taken in by Abderrahman el Effrit, a merchant from Khartoum. After conversing with him you work out an arrangement whereby you can ride south with him in exchange for helping him out with the caravan (you pretty much have no other choice). That night you help set up camp. The next morning, as you are getting ready to go, suddenly a bunch of bandits on horseback appear and attack the caravan! You borrow a sword and move to defend your saviors. Go to (13).

(8) You saddle up and ride on. You pass a few people on the way south. They seem to be eyeing you suspiciously, but it could just be you imagination. Come nightfall you happen upon a southward bound caravan camped along the trail. Do you:

(9) You wake up in a daze, stiff and bleeding. Your possessions and horse are gone. Do you:

(10) You have impressed the bandits and they ask you to join them. They are just now preparing to attack a nearby caravan. You have no choice but to ride with them, otherwise you would arouse suspicion. You come upon the caravan just at dawn and attack. Go to 13.

(11) You turn north and travel through the trackless forest. After a day of marching you reach the Bahr el Arab. You recognize some nearby features. Unfortunately some nearby people recognize you and have some embarrassing questions. You try to explain things away, but are unable to fool the perceptive natives. Your cover is blown and you have no choice but to give up your mission. Go to 16.

(12) You continue along the trail and soon you happen upon a south bound caravan just getting ready to break camp and continue. Do you:

(13) One way or another you are involved in the attack on the caravan. There are 2d6 combatants on each side. For each combatant roll a d6 - on a 6 that person has a musket. Set up each side 20 inches apart. Add any terrain features you like. If you are on the bandit side you may turn coat and attack the bandits. They won't like it, of course. Fight the battle using the enclosed combat rules and go to 17.

(14) The bandits strip your body and leave you for dead. You wake up later in a hut of one of the natives, who has bound your wounds and probably saved your life. The bandits have all gone. You are now lost in the middle of the Darfur forest Iying wounded in a native hut. What will you do? Go to 16.

(15) You go into the forest and try to avoid the caravan. You stumble upon a small village deep in the woods. You ride in and suddenly you are surrounded by armed men. They appear to be bandits! They demand to know what you are doing there and you respond with the first thing that comes to mind - you say you've come to join them. One of them doesn't believe you and calls you a liar. Well, as a gentleman there's only one answer to that. You must duel your accuser. You can not use your pistol because it would give you away, and they would kill you for it, anyway. Each of you have a sword. Face off using the enclosed combat rules.

(16) This phase of the campaign is over. Score personal victory points as follows:

You are back in Shakka after failing to find your way south -1

You are lying wounded in a native hut somewhere in the forests of Darfur 0

You are heading south with either the caravan or the bandits 1

You successfully defended the caravan from bandit attack 1

(17) There are several possible results to this battle. If you were on the losing side of the battle (whichever side) then you are stripped of all your possessions by the victors and left for dead by the side of the road. Luckily some travelers recognize you, bind your wounds and take you back to Shakka - go to 16. If you are on the caravan side and they win go to 18. If you are on the bandit side and they win, go to 19.

(18) You have smote the bandits and all is well. For your role in the defense you are rewarded with a musket and a captured horse. However, if you switched sides from the bandits to the caravan you are not materially rewarded. They eye you suspiciously but, since you helped them defeat the bandits, they will let you travel with them. If you were wounded, you are taken care of and recover in a few days. The caravan is merrily proceeding southward - go to 16.

(19) The bandits have defeated the innocent caravan, with your help! You are sickened by your role, but it had to be done. Some of the bandits eye you suspiciously. If you survived unwounded you receive a musket as your share of the spoils. You and the bandits continue south, looking for more caravans to fall upon - go to 16. If you are wounded the bandits drop you off at their hideout village and proceed without you - go to 14.

In the event of player death: For most every case, if a player loses in combat, the paragraph will describe the outcome. The outcome applies whether the player was incapacitated or mortally wounded. If any case is not covered, assume that while you are lying there, bleeding to death, some friendly natives just happen to find you and bind your wounds (I know, what luck!). They recognize you and take you back to Shakka. Go to 16.

Simple Combat Rules

These rules are meant to be very simple and quickly played. They favor your side. If you would rather use your own set of more complex rules, be my guest, but you have to live or die (literally) with your decision.

Turn Sequence

You fire / they fire / they move / you move / you fire / melee

Firing

There are three types of firearms, revolvers, rifles and "trade" muskets. You may fire your pistol in both fire phases. Muskets and rifles can be fired only once in a turn. If you fire into a melee you have an even chance of hitting either combatant. Rifles can be reloaded in one turn. Muskets and revolvers can be reloaded by rolling a d6. The first turn after firing the weapon is reloaded on a roll of 1. The second turn on a roll of 1-2, the third turn on a 1-3, etc. You can not move while reloading.

Weapon Range To Hit (d6)

pistol 4 3-6

musket 12 4-6

rifle <12 4-6

rifle 12-18 5-6

Modifiers:
mounted: -1
stunned: -2
cover: -1

See below for damage.

Movement

Men on foot move 3" per turn and men on horse/camel back move 7" per turn. There are no terrain modifiers except for special circumstances to be determined by the gamer. You can move and fire, but can not move and reload. If one figure moves next to another figure, the second figure may not move. Stunned figures may move 1". Horses with stunned riders continue moving generally forward (roll randomly for direction) and may speed up or slow down (roll randomly).

Melee

Adjacent figures may now melee. Each figure rolls a d6 and adds any modifiers. In cases where two are attacking one, roll the second combat normally, disregarding any results indicating a victory for the defender (i.e. the best he can do is "parry"). The higher total is the winner. Modifiers are as follows:

Damage is determined by the roll of a d6 for firearms or by the die roll difference (winner - loser) for melees.

Firearms Melee Result

1 0-1 a glancing blow, fight on!

2 2-3 stunned for 1-3 turns

3-5 4 incapacitated - out for 1-3 hours (wounded)*

6 5+ mortally wounded (will die soon)*

* Either one of these results indicates a "loss" for the player. Whether or not the player actually dies in the event of a mortal wound can be determined by consulting the special "player death" paragraph at the end of the adventure.

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