Back-in-time:
Miss Costorari sold one of the three "spare" rifles (technically for Miss Courtney, Penrington, and Master Po) for 15 pounds which is less than its "when new" value. The weapons purchased in London from the General Arms may not have all been new. Dr. Davis reminded the Party that they were responsible for returning the money (and, presumably, equipment) allocated for this expedition to Lord Franks. Mr. Penrington explained loss justification forms.
It was established that Miss Courtney's father did not have a "home base" where he stored his possessions. He (and presumably Miss Courtney) seemed well accustomed to living out of their portmanteau. [While Miss Courtney brought along her own gear and guns, it has not be established how much of her father's possessions were put into storage along with Dr. Davis' household belongings during the current absence from London.]
Tuesday, 11. April.1888. Freetown, Africa.
[As mentioned at the end of last run] Mr. Blake and Dr. Davis, with the addition of Miss Costorari, visited Max Factor, Lord Frank's agent in Freetown, to request the promised monies for porters and a local guide. Mr. Factor informed the group that they would need 3 porters per person and might expect to pay a pound per day for a guide (even though he argued that the group should use Miss Courtney as a guide). When he started estimating the price of porters, Miss Costorari attempted to bargain, managing to draw the agent's ire and render him uncooperative to the expedition's needs. The group made a strategic retreat.
Meanwhile, Miss Courtney interviewed the two local guides recommended by reporter Bill Stead. The first was Ainar Wolfsen, a German hunter of big cats. He was a round-bodied person with a thick accent. He'd never heard the name Courtney and had never been up to the Lion Mountains. Unimpressed, the young huntress moved on to Rollier Wooster, an Anglian hunter-trapper, skinny, scrawny, shifty-eyed, and shorter than the petite Miss Courtney. He claimed to have been to the base of the Lion Mts., but knew of no one who'd climbed the mountains. Accepting the notion that the expedition was not for hunting purposes, Mr. Wooster nearly offended Miss Courtney by asking whether her husband would head the party. She corrected him with "Dr. Davis is heading the expedition." He asked two pounds a day; Miss Courtney - who knew her father's prices - bargained him down to 3 pounds per week, minus food, plus pelts. That accomplished, the newly-employed guide set off to select the 35-36 porters he expected to need, noting that it would take a day or two to finish furnishing an expedition of 10 plus himself. Miss Courtney managed to remember the note from Dr. Davis reminding her that Mr. Steele would need coal (wood in a pinch) rather than food and that Po would eat no meat but fish. (Dried fish constituted a significant portion of the foodstuffs bought in London.) [Yum.]
That night Voronika had a disturbing dream.
Weds., 12.April.1888
The group as a whole again invaded the Lord Frank's local office. This time Dr. Davis did most of the talking with Mr. Factor, trying to convince him that Lord Frank's commission did not include the Party behaving as a hunting party and "living off the land" no matter how game-filled the forests of Africa were reported to be. Mr. Factor wanted to only pay the porters "upon return"; Mr. Wooster had informed the group to pay half in advance, half on return. Eventually an acceptable resolution was reached.
That night, as the three women prepared for bed, Madeline, having noted Voronika's preoccupation during the day, asked if anything was bothering her. Voronika proceeded to describe her dream "that didn't seem like a dream." Her grandmother had come to her, seeming younger than back in London, and warning that "the one who travels with he who controls the monkeys has sent a karkalanza on your trail." Her grandmother had gone on to say that "it took the young girl" but that she herself did not choose to be such a victim. "An old woman is a bed of bones." Her grandmother had continued by saying, "Keep traveling and do not cross your own path." With vaguer warnings and platitudes (old Romanian proverbs), the vision ended with her grandmother taking her grandfather's hand. Voronika admitted that the combination of her long-deceased grandfather and the phrase "not willing to be his victim" might meant that her grandmother was now dead,.and had, in fact, chosen to die rather than face the karkolanza.
Voronika explained that karkalanza were gypsy legend, vengeful spirits that congregate around meeting places like wells and crossroads during the two weeks around the Winter Solstice. "The Rom use light, many candles, as a defense." The karkalanza are used as bogey men to keep children from straying, but have been known to cause painful lingering deaths or to take over live bodies. She was very puzzled by what her grandmother had meant by the "young girl", wondering if that could possibly be referring to the reporter's ward Elizabeth. Madeline reminded her that, if our current theory about what the monkey had seen for its master was correct, the only people the monkey controller would know about were Veronika, her grandmother, and the boarding house girl Polly Oliver. Polly was the most likely "young girl".
Thursday, 13.April.1888
At dawn the Expedition gathered ... to wait for the next hour while 14 of the porters straggled in. Miss Costorari drew Master Po aside to ask if he saw spirits, thinking about the karkolanza. The young Chinese admitted that he had no skill in dispatching hostile spirits.
Meanwhile Penrington started up a private conversation with the guide Wooster, hitting it off. They parted with a mention of "sharing profits" and "watering the idea".
It began to rain, so the former Londoners sought private shelter and Voronika repeated the story of her dream and the women's interpretations thereof. It was noted that Voronika had only crossed her own path in four places back in London: her grandmother's house, the British Museum, Dr. Davis' apartment, and Mr. Blake's boarding house. Of those, it seemed likely that the Museum was immune to any influence by the karkolanza, being stuffed with spirits, amulets, and esoterica from a variety of cultures. Of course she'd crossed her path these last several nights in Freetown in the Hotel Edinburgh. Dr. Davis expressed a concern that this warning meant that the expedition might not safely return from the Lion Mts. to Freetown, but the group discounted the risk as premature concern.
Around noon, the travelers finally got underway. Travel lasted only some 5 miles before Wooster ordered a halt and camp set up. Unfamiliarity with the equipment made that task more time consuming than expected. Those with Unluck had sore feet. The native bearers sat around the campfire and chanted while a goat roasted. Young Po withdrew from the savory odors to dine on his dried fish. [Yum.]
Wooster took the time to describe various perils of the wild.
The group elected to set up three watches.
First Watch: Miss Costorari, Mr. Penrington, Mr. Smith
Second Watch: Miss Courtney, Mr. Blake, Mr. Steele
Third Watch: Dr.Davis, Master Po, Mr. Steele
Friday, 14.April.1888
Hiked ten miles.
Sat., 15.April.1888
Hiked 15 miles. Reached the jungle. Becoming comfortable with gear. The heat is such that clothing and armor is END +1 per turn. The usual bush clothes, normally costing 0, thus cost 1.
Sunday, 16.April.1888
Discovered that hacking one's way through a jungle doubles the END per turn used although at STR 15 it's only 1 END/turn and at STR 20 it's 0 END/turn.
During the 2nd Watch that first night in the jungle, Mr. Steele realized that something was bothering him. "Blake, Arvey's stopped breathing!" Blake glanced into the tent but could discern no problem in the dark. Steele then checked the bedding, finding artfully arranged pillow and blankets. Blake remained on watch while Steele accompanied Miss Courtney in tracking the missing adventurer to the privy hole and then down to the river. Noting the difficulty of tracking in the dark, the pair returned to camp. Blake commented wryly, "Either Penrington's been possessed by a demon or he decided to leave on his own." They elected to finish watch near the missing man's tent.
Thereafter Blake and Steele both noticed a nearly 5-foot long snake slithering towards Smith's tent. "Miss Courtney? There's at least one snake. Keep your eyes open." Thereupon the mechanical man drove his two-handed sword into the serpent, not quite severing it in twain. At that moment, Blake noticed a dark-clad figure trying to slip from the privy to Penrington's tent. "Halt and be recognized!"
The figure answered, with forced friendliness, somewhat dismayed by having waited for a distraction that failed to distract enough, "Hello Blake, it's Penrington."
Blake: "With coal dust blacking your face?"
Penrington: "Uh, did I get a little dirty?" wiping at his own face.
Blake, sternly, "Where were you?"
Penrington, sounding more casual, "I just happened to go out for a walk and found something interesting."
Blake, even more sternly, "I understand the need for privacy, but it is polite to inform people!"
Penrington, still more casually, "I didn't mean to cause any concern. I just happened to go for a walk and I happened to come across a camp of diamond miners who all seemed dead. There were scavenger animals all through the camp. The smell of bodies was bad."
Monday, 17.April.1888
Outside the hearing of the guide and porters, the expedition members discussed Penrington's find. Po suggested maintaining secrecy to avoid frightening the native porters. A party consisting of Penrington, Miss Courtney, Mr. Blake, Dr. Davis, and Mr. Steele was assembled to investigate the apparent massacre.
Rain again obscured the trail, blessedly lessening the smell of carnage.
En route, a look-out tree was discovered via a leather strap dangling from an overhead limb. Penrington climbed to determine that it only viewed the natural approach along the small stream, down which Our Group had come. He found a small niche that had been used as an ashtray, and took away the leather strap that apparently had been used to secure a watchman.
At the unfortunate camp, the investigators found a dozen bodies, a hill that showed signs of digging, basic camping paraphernalia for white men, a collapsed tent, and no rifles. The radiologist and the doctor turned their forensic skills upon the bodies. Most had been savaged by scavengers. Blake determined that the man he'd examined had been looking towards camp when he died and that some, at least, had died of bullet wounds. Davis found one victim untouched by scavengers but bloated in death. She hypothesized some form of venom that rendered the body inedible.
Meanwhile Penrington investigated the mining gear and Miss Courtney, the disarray in the tent. She realized from the tracks that Penrington had gone into the tent. Inside, she found monkey prints but no food. The real find, however, was a diary of regular but trivial notes, whose last entry was dated 8 days ago.
Penrington found no traces of diamonds, in the dig or amongst the carnage. There was sluice gear and several sets of ammunition. Some 10 empty shell casings of common size were found scattered around camp, a further indication that there'd been shooting.
Blake became very stern with Penrington, asking him again why he'd wandered away in the night. Penrington started again with, "a spot of insomnia" and Blake broke in with a blunt, "Mr. Penrington, please be honest." Penrington started to bluster, "Are you impugning my honour?" but the radiologist made it clear that the hunter needed to tread warily to retain his respect.
The investigators returned. The expedition moved on. That night, again seeking privacy, the Expedition Members gathered while Miss Costorari examined the diary. It prompted a vision which she related to the group. A dark-haired, dark-eyed Anglishman in his mid-20s had been sitting in the tent writing in the diary at night. Outside he heard someone exclaim, "Jamie!" There were shots, then someone shouted, "Jamie, what are you doing!" More gunshots. At which point the diarist had slammed the journal shut and hurried from the tent.
Thereafter, Smith unpacked part of his equipment and started wearing some armor, having decided that "things are dangerous."
Three days later. Thursday, 20.April.1888
Traveling in single-file through the jungle, each member of the Expedition took his or her turn at swinging the machete. Penrington was in the lead when he realized that a wild boar stood in his path. Recognizing a perfect target, he aimed his rifle and shot. Voronika suddenly saw a porter standing next to her, shaking his head, "Very bad." Suddenly a herd of wild boar - two per party member - attacked up and down the line from the Party's left. Penrington was knocked down with one boar slashing his shoulder and the other doing 14 & 3.
Taken by surprise, the guide and Po were knocked down, the latter taking 11 & 3. Miss Costorari, although prepared, also was knocked to the ground, taking 7 & 1. Two boars each missed Steele and Smith. Miss Courtney was gouged for 5+3 & 17 in the ankle, Dr. Davis, for 4+1 &10 in the thigh, and Blake for 3+6 & 18 in the foot.
Steele slashed at the boars on Penrington, stunning them. Penrington rolled out of his fall, drawing his sword as he rose to his feet, abandoning the rifle. His attack skated off the wiry bristles of the giant pig. Miss Courtney moved into a defensive mode, anticipating the next attack. Master Po, using exotic oriental skills, came back to his feet, with a dramatic "Kii-ya!" launching a feint with his quarter staff. [Just how much did he pay you to call it a feint? :)] Miss Costorari scrambled to her feet and drew her great-grandfather's sword. Smith swung his hammer and smashed a boar to the ground. Blake cast a spell, pointing his walking stick whose head had started to glow; the glow exploded into a great white sheeting flash, flattening a swath of vegetation before him and stunning some boars (both his and, by luck, those on old Lok). Dr. Davis glared at a boar and a small flash passed from her eyes towards the animal, with no perceptible result.
The guide got to his feet and began blocking his opponents. Both Steele and Po were again knocked down, taking minor damage. Miss Costorari, having escaped damage herself, swung and injured a boar. Miss Courtney blocked both her opponents. Dr.Davis took 2+5 &14 in the foot from another gore.
Behind the party, there was the sound of lots of packages hitting the ground as bearers ran away.
Steele got to his feet, swung on the boar harassing Penrington, and killed it. Penrington picked up his rifle and surveyed the scene. Miss Courtney continued to block. Master Po swung his cudgel and knocked out a boar. Miss Costorari took up a defensive stance. Smith swung at one of the boars attacking the gypsy and knocked it out. Mr. Blake, emboldened by his first success tried a larger attack, taking down 4 boars and, unfortunately, Voronika. Dr.Davis glared out another mini-lightning bolt to no apparent result.
Steele (6 stun), Dr. Davis (12 & 3), and Miss Costorari (3 +3 in the 11) all were knocked down again, the gypsy to unconsciousness. The rest of the boar attacks were misses (those on Smith were real klutzes) or blocked.
Again Steele stood up and stunned one of the boars on the guide. Penrington shot a boar on Dr.Davis. Miss Courtney anticipated another attack. Master Po damaged a boar on Dr. Davis. Miss Costorari came to consciousness and grabbed her gun, as her boars had gone to attack Smith. Smith smashed a boar that had come from the gypsy. Again Blake pointed his glowing staff. Dramatically, he lost control of his spell. The unfortunate radiologist was caught in the magical conflagration and rendered inert by its backlash. Dr.Davis remained on the ground and cast yet another mental attack, stunning the boar on her. Lok took to his heels, shouting and running in the same directions the bearers had vanished.
Penrington was again taken by surprise from behind and was knocked down, taking 15 & 4, as the original boar gained its revenge. Many boars missed their attacks but Po was again knocked down, taking 10 & 2; Dr.Davis was cut for 4+4 & 8, and Smith was gored for 6+5, being attacked by the boars who had hitherto shown interest in Lok.
Steele, still standing for once, attacked a boar on Penrington and killed it. Penrington, standing, cocked his rifle and, with "Here comes some more", shot one of the new wave of attackers rushing in from the right behind the steel man. Miss Courtney, bringing her rifle into play, shot another. Po got to his feet again and stunned the boar straddling the lady doctor. Voronika, not wishing to be knocked down again, retreated to a tree, shouldered her gun and started to climb. Smith hit yet another boar, driving it from the fight. Dr.Davis' mental attack finally dropped an attacking boar unconscious.
A boar hit Steele behind the knees, dropping the mechanical man to the ground with a point of STUN. Blake, still prone, was gored for 5+3. Dr.Davis, also still prone, took another wound to the thigh for 2+6 &16, and collapsed unconscious from her injuries (-7 STUN). Smith was hit in the chest for 3+2 & 20.
Again Steele stood up and stunned one of the boars on the guide. Penrington shot a stunned boar. Miss Courtney continued her thus far eminently successful blocking maneuvers, as did the guide. Master Po's cudgel swept another boar from the field. Miss Costorari continued to climb, seeking a place from which she could brace and shoot. Smith finished taking out "Lok's" boars. Mr. Blake continued to bleed from his wounds (-40 STUN). [Convention: Negative X means below 0.]
Again a boar knocked Steele to the ground with another point of STUN. Smith tossed a boar off of Blake but one of the new attack felled the big man with a 6+4 gore. The last boar who had with uncanny deliberation seemed to hold back, focused on Miss Courtney, knocking her down for some damage. One of the boars who had tried to follow Miss Costorari set up a peculiar barking at the base of the gypsy's chosen tree.
Again Steele stood up and stunned one of the boars on the guide. Penrington reloaded his rifle. Miss Courtney got to her feet. Master Po swung heavily at the two boars on the huntress, stunning one and knocking the other out. Miss Costorari steadied herself on her branch and aimed. The guide shot and killed another boar.
From in the jungle, a different bark seemed to answer the tree-circling boar. The surviving boars broke off the attack and ran into the underbrush. The embattled adventurers sent a few hasty shots after, before assessing the damage, agreeing that they had just witnessed (and survived) the most amazing behaviour ever seen from boars.
Mr. Blake was dying and the doctor was badly injured. Both Miss Costorari and the guide displayed superb paramedic skills, bandaging up injuries with dispatch and competence. Dr. Davis was brought to consciousness and, thanking Mr. Wooster for his aid, moved to do what she could in the aftermath. Despite Miss Costorari's ministrations, the radiologist was horrifically burned. Taking a deep breath, the lady doctor clutched her locket-watch and began the mesmeric passes for mental healing, gazing with fierce intensity at the man's burns. In moments, the scorched blisters disappeared and the blackened skin gleamed a healthy pink again. No scar would remain as a memory of this over-reach of power.
Showing more happy emotion than the doctor had ever seen in him before, Mr. Blake suggested that all the rest of those with injuries (all of the Party) gather around him. With some mental reservations, as she could see that others besides herself could use an application of her mesmeric healing, Dr.Davis obeyed. Mr. Blake raised his walking stick and they were all suffused with a blue glow, miraculously restoring them to health. She gazed at the radiologist in amazement. "Mr. Blake, we have got to talk."
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