Steam Valley Chapter 5 - The Professor and Rex

Professor Oscar Brockwurst of Hamburg in Germany found a cryptic chart in an old manuscript. After spending many days deciphering it he was eventually able to do so with the help of his nephew Axle Rosey.

The professor took his expedition to the place in Iceland and it led through a series of vents in the Earth’s crust to a mysterious world deep underground. Here the Professor and his team found reptiles from the age of the dinosaurs.

After many adventures the professor and the expedition managed to escape through a volcano that erupted in Sicily. On the way the professor had raided some nests of the dinosaurs and escaped with a number of eggs that he managed to keep intact throughout the rest of his journey. He carried one large one while the rest of the team carried the ten smaller ones.

Part of their adventures were caused by these raids and the professor was very lucky to escape from the eggs’ mothers.

When they returned to the surface the professor kept the eggs warm and they eventually hatched after much tender care. The professor used his experience of raising ducklings as a boy to get the new hatchlings to see him as their mother.

After a few misadventures at his home in Germany, where his new pets had ravaged various flocks of sheep and herds of cattle, the Professor and his team moved to the more accepting environment of Steam Valley. Backed by the Prussian government and a Hamburg consortium (who, to be honest, were more interested in getting him far away than making money) he was able finance his move and buy a small farm to house his growing livestock.

The Professor, Prussian Army Liaison, Apple and Sauce and Rex in front of their new home.

The largest of the eggs has grown into Rex, a relatively tame (when the professor is around) Tyrannosaurus Rex. Rex is very lonely and to keep him occupied the professor has got his army troops to dress in little T-Rex costumes so that Rex has someone to play with and doesn’t get lonely or grumpy. The soldiers also provide security for the team.

Rex and his friends

The smaller eggs were Raptor eggs. Having several of each sex the professor has been able to establish a viable breeding group and now is successfully selling males. The professor has kept all the females so that he can keep his monopoly as long as possible.

The raptors race after their leader while the Professor waves them on.

The Raptor races around the sewers of London have been very popular. So much so that there is even talk of the Grand National switching from horses to Raptors.

To protect his monopoly, the professor employs a cunning security team of Herr Apple and Herr Sauce to guard the farm he has rented. Apple and Sauce are cunningly disguised as a Diplodocus dinosaur and they patrol the area for thieves and spies.

Apple and Sauce discuss operations with the Professor

Many of the local boys get jobs riding the Raptors to keep them fit and energetic. Often from the steam trains the passengers can look out the windows and see the Raptors racing alongside.

Their speed and terrifying teeth are opening up opportunities in the military world as well. There have been a few enquiries about raising a light cavalry force of junior cadets to carry out reconnaissance as well as foraging for food for the main army.