Jonny Quest Pulp Alley - Mayhem At Musgrave Manor Chapter 1

So begins my first attempt at a Pulp Alley campaign using the solo deck...
The background story can be found here http://saturdaymornings13.blogspot.com/2017/02/pulp-alley-back-story-curse-of-anubis.html

The Curse of Anubis
Chapter 1 - Mayhem at Musgrave Manor

The Quest gang has just arrived at Musgrave Manor.

But unknown to them, at the same time on the other side of the courtyard, so have Dr. Kazem's henchman!

I had 4 perilous areas around the manor, but this was the only one that really came into play though. I had a mysterious gunman in the second floor window of the manor - who is this person, what is he after, and more importantly who's side is he on??!!

Kazem's men, lead by Andreas McLagan, won initiative (by a roll of the D10) and split up moving towards both the main house and the carriage house in an attempt to grab plot points. McLagan was successful on his first challenge "Stand Firm" - which allowed him to shift his recovery checks up 1D type, though he never even came close to needing it.

The Quest gangs first turn saw everyone run towards plot points except for Race. Dr. Quest and Hadji made a beeline towards the manor to get to the professor and his wife first.

While Jonny used his ability - The Jonny Slide (Speedy, level 1) - to run 16" across the courtyard to the corner of the carriage house. And of course Bandit followed :)

Turn 2 had the bad guys pull the "Surprise Twist" card, which meant their activation stopped immediately and allowed the Quest gang to go first instead. This allowed Jonny to get to a minor plot point, which he ended up taking next turn.

While Race moved into position to take some shots at the henchmen going after Jonny.

Dr. Quest and Hadji were just ahead of McLagan, who was hot on their trail, but still hadn't quite made it to the professor.

Two henchman made it into the carriage house but Bandit was there blocking the path to Jonny - he was able to dodge both attacks from them! Good boy Bandit!

Amon Sighn made his way towards another door into the manor, passing his perilous area challenge when mysterious shots were fired at him from a second floor window as he ran across the courtyard.

Meanwhile, Race continued to pick off bad guys, I don't know, like it was his job or something :)

With the weapons plot point secured by Jonny on the last turn, he made his way through the two goons blocking the doorway with the help of Bandit.

Inside the manor, Hadji was able to get to the professor first and by luck got a free pass challenge! Sim sim sala bim! The Quest gang now had two minor plot points and on their way with the professor to grab the major plot point.

With the professor secured, Dr. Quest thought he'd attempt to move the piano in front of the door to block McLagan from his pursuit. Make use of your surroundings I always say. But of course the Dr. failed his might challenge!

Meanwhile, Amon Sighn made his way into the manor in an attempt to take Hadji and Dr. Quest from behind. McLagan and Sighn now had our heroes in tough spot for sure!

With Dr. Quest failing to block the door, McLagan easily made his way into the room and immediately took a shot at Dr. Quest and hit! Quest failed his recovery at the end of the turn which unfortunately took him out of the game!

Hadji in panic mode made a mad dash with the professor through the door and up the stairs, in an attempt to get the professor to his office and to the sarcophagus.

Knowing that Hadji was in a real bind inside the manor, Race made his way towards a rescue attempt. Unfortunately Race came under fire from that mysterious gunman and failed his challenge right outside the door.

Sighn made his way into the foyer and threw his knife knocking Hadji out and now leaving the professor free as a plot point again.

Thankfully Hadji did pass his recovery check to continue on in the game, but not until McLagan ran in and up the stairs to take the professor and his wife.

It was here that the Quest gang realizing that game was nearing it's final turn, that they played the "Decoy" card which after passing their challenge added one more turn onto the game. This was going to be their only chance of stopping McLagan!

Knowing Hadji wasn't going to be any real help in a fight, and with no cards to help, he made a dash through another set of doors to make his way around towards grabbing the map plot point in the luggage in the courtyard.

And similarly with Jonny, he made his way over to the knocked out driver and secured the keys to the car. Back to two plot points for the Quest gang and now one for Kazem's men.

Race burst through the door and was able to take out Amon Sighn.

And Jonny was making his way back towards the manor.

McLagan made his way up to the third floor with the professor in tow, and into his office where the sarcophagus lay waiting.

Hadji made it to the luggage on the final turn and secured the map after passing his challenge - so three plot points for the Quest gang!

McLagan's challenge to take the major plot point was two successes with might, finesse, or cunning...

And he scored successes on all three dice! A minor plot point and the major plot point for the bad guys!

Wow, a bad guys victory; I certainly didn't have that as one of my possible outcomes when I started the game. Dr. Quest failing that might challenge really changed the game for the good guys. Had he been able to push that piano in front of that door, McLagan would have been locked out of that room and wouldn't have been able to burst in and take out Dr. Quest, or basically get the free pass to grab the professor and the information on the sarcophagus.

But I think that's what I really like about Pulp Alley - the story really morphs into its own thing as you play through the game. I definitely had an outline and things to push the story along, but now... this just opens up all kinds of different directions to go into for chapter two! How is the Quest gang going to get the information that was on the sarcophagus? Have the professor and his wife been kidnapped? Who was that mysterious gunman on the second floor? Stay tuned!

As always, thanks for looking!

Ivor