Giglamps and Blood on the Nigella

This is  the conclusion of the tale that began here.

Dear Orcs and Rats of the Afri Society of  the Notables Club,

I am writing you to confirm, with great sadness, the loss of the well esteemed Rat, Mongorc Park, and the return of the Second Nigella Expedition.

Where to begin? Where we left off of course...

We set off from the Capital of Bemako some 21 weeks after having left the coast. Having regained the Nigella it was our intention to follow its course to its mouth, hopefully locating the fabled City of Timsbucktoof along the way.

Sadly we ran into difficulty almost immediately. 

Twenty three weeks out, on a seemingly quiet stretch of river, we fell into an ambuscade of Othari brigands.

Their opening volley brought down our redoubtable Halfing guide, Vikda Moan as well as my acting Colour Sergeant, Bacon. Both losses would be felt keenly in the coming days.

The Othari put up a Brisk fire much to their credit, but our return fire was.er, more Brisk. There is no Otter on Valon who can fire as fast or as effectively as our stout Orcs, and the engagement became general.

Soon clouds of powder Smoke were drifting across the otherwise idyllic scene of the Nigella languidly flowing through a country as exotic as it was beautiful.

 Despite the volume of fire my Marines were able to maintain, our Losses steadily mounted. 

And yet there were signs the enemy's lust for conflict had been overcome. First one band than another of the fierce tribesotters went to ground.

It was soon apparent that only the frantic efforts of their Chieftain were keeping them in the fray. Their dashing leader could be seen capering about, hitting his Otters with the flat of his sword or threatening them with the barrel of his cruel looking pistol.

My orcs dropped around me and neither my Hat nor Coat were spared, each having been Holed in that Fusilade!

Still our find fellahs gave as good as they got and the Othari fire slackend. The brigands were compelled to fall back from the shoreline to the scrub Beyond providing better Protection and yet hampering their fire.

Again the Desert Chieftain harangued his Otters and was forcing them back into the fight.

Until one of our fine Marines, accustomed no doubt to potting Ferach Officers from the Mizzens of the great Orcs of War, dropped him where he stood.

Even as the Othari, their Leader dead, lost heart and melted back into the Scrub, a Roaring sound ahead told us why the Brigands had chosen this spot for their Ambuscade.


Rapids!

Soon the White Water succeeded where the Othari had failed.

One after another out boats disappeared into the churning water...

Only to reappear on the far side holed and broken...

Or not at all.

In all we lost our Guide, my Colour Sergeant, and three other ranks in the ambush, and Lt. Martyn, Engineer Bone, five Marines, the Bo'sun's Mate, one sailor, all of our boats and the majority of our supplies in the rapids!

I quickly had the orcs craft litters for poor Park and one of my Marines too wounded to walk, and we set out overland back to Bemako.

The wounded Marine did not survive the journey and Dear Park finally fell at last  to the Mouldera that had Plagued him for the majority of this Journey back in the "safety" of Bemako.

At this point I was left with a Sergeant, three Marines, three Sailors and a wee bit of powder and shot. Without any "hongo" with which even to buy food, I decided our best course was to hire on as caravan guards and make our way back to the coast.

Wending our way back to Pisofia took longer than having gained Bemako and Beyond and yet, having lost poor Sergeant Holcombe, one Marine, and one Sailor, we arrived, in due course, back in Pisofia some seventy or more weeks after our departure.

Park's final expedition has added greatly to our certain Knowledge of Afri.. The sources of the Gumbia and Nigella are Mysteries no more. And yet...

And yet much more remains to be done, Gentleorcs.

I cast down the gauntlet and challenge you to trace the Nigella to its Mouth.

I challenge you to find the fabled City of Timsbucktoof before some Jumped up Ferach Johnnies do!

In short I challenge You to fill in the Blank Spaces on our Maps of Afri, that the loss of Dear Park, Anderat, Martyn,  and the others need not have been in vain.

Your Obedient Servant,

Giglamps, Captain (brvt), Halflingland Rifles

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So there you have it. Giggers is safe once more after a harrowing journey lasting nearly two years. It was touch and go if not very exciting after the loss of Park I dare say. The Heart of Afri remains as impenetrable as ever and the gauntlet laid down for others to pick up.

The Event cards for "The Sword in Africa" available from The Virtual Armchair General did not disappoint and the events contained therein were easily converted for use with my rules.

And what of Giggers? Shall he stay on and become an Old Afri Hand, or return to the Mordredian Wars and Urop? I had hoped to enmesh him in the unfortunate events occurring in the Suddan. Yet fate had other plans for our hero...

Hope you enjoyed the tale and thanks for stopping by!