The Daring Adventures of the HMS Ziggurat: Volume 1

From Brass Goggles

RP status: Active.

http://www.brassgoggles.co.uk/bg-forum/index.php?topic=9287.0

[edit] Backstory & Setting

The small, newly-formed crew of the experimental dirigible HMS Ziggurat are taking their first flight, from Edinburgh to London, as a sort of test. Encountering engine trouble, they are forced to crash-land on an island with some curious stone structures. Upon landing, they are discovered by a group of oddly dressed people of a complexion and appearance that is entirely new to them. These people are Inca, "imported" by a mad anthropologist with hopes of dominating Britain. In addition, he's kidnapped a few Scottish, English, and Irish farmers to be the slaves of his civilization, so that they can get used to dominating the British, as he wants them to do eventually. He has given the Inca steam technology and allows their society to develop as it will, observing all the while from his lair carved into a mountain, protected by a small army of henchmen.

[edit] A Brief Summary of What's Happened So Far

Discovering that the Ziggurat was descending at a rapid pace rather than sailing merrily, Captain Iphigenia McCannon orders the crew to prepare emergency landing procedures. A parachute maneuver is attempt, and works somewhat. Ropes are fashioned and the crew begins to get down from the airship, which is stuck high in the tropical trees. Angelo Giovanni is sent out to scout. Estella Griffin, ship's seamstress, and Nathaniel Smith, engineer, assess the damage. They discover that the balloon's threads have been substantially weakened by bleach. Adelaide Braun, navigator, finds that they've landed among tropical trees.

Barely able to recoup after crashing, the crew is soon surrounded by irate Incas. The Captain, upon seeing that they are heavily outnumbered, gives orders to flee. Estella and Nate Bently are captured almost immediately by Incas. The Captain and the Brigadier Spenser Hawkes-Leggett, First Mate, manage to escape, but only momentarily - they are apprehended by natives, who injure Iffy in the hip and head, and Hawkes-Leggett on his temple, then hold them in a dungeon. Giovanni meets Maytac, Inca, learns that they are on the Island of Doctor Kane, and promptly switches sides. Nathaniel Smith is tied to a pole and thrown with Bently.

The captives are taken to a huge, stone palace, where they are welcomed by Huascar Capac, Inca leader. Capac saw them arrive in a vision, and referred to them as the "chosen ones". Servant girls feed them exotic goodies. The Captain & First Mate still hang in the dungeon, only now they are upside-down.