Saturday, 3.June.1888 (cont.)
The Party was put up for the night at the established camp for Lord Cardiff's dig at the Tomb of the Great Conqueror.
In continuing consultation with Lord Cardiff and the native lore-master Umbopa, the Party determined that the Bad Guys had, indeed, had more information than the Party has gleaned, for a longer time. The stolen record of the dig, for instance, had the only complete drawing of the stele and all 12 pieces of its matrix. Additionally, "Mr. Smith" had been part of Lord Cardiff's staff on the dig for quite some time as a "mole".
Miss Costorari took Umbopa aside for private converse. "When people die, what happens to their spirits?" The native described his legends. There is an "Old Man Beneath the Ground." He and his sons allocate the spirits of the dead according to their caste. The spirits thus have an interim existence between their human deaths and being reincarnated again as humans. Farmers go into the ground where they nurture the roots of plants. Warriors become animals. Shamen nest in the highest tree boughs.
Miss Costorari then described a dream she'd had the night of Friday, 2.June. "I dreamed of the karkalanza. It seemed a great beast with yellow eyes, red pupils, and a long snout. It found the bodies of six porters those we are tracking had killed before entering Turner's Town. It inhaled their spirits and was invigorated thereby." Umbopa replied, "That is a Karaal Tulanza. The bones of it are sometimes found, to the south of here. It is a creature of spirit. It has an 8-foot snout lined with teeth. If the proper ceremonies are not done when a man dies, then it takes time for the sons of the Old Man to find the dead man. In that time, he may instead be found by this [hyena man]. In the middle of the driest season, however, it does not roam this land." "This has been set on my trail." The native nodded, "By the Druid-of-Death."
Meanwhile, Dr. Davis talked Lord Cardiff into a private session to view Po's illusion of Cowper. Mr. Blake accompanied the little group at the doctor's request. "I don't hold with seances. I am surprised that a woman of science would countenance..." his lordship had protested. Nonetheless, Lord Cardiff identified the image as being that of his "Mr. Smith."
Sunday, 4.June.1888
[In game discussions did not seem to sync with game chronology; this is my attempt to stay in sync with the calculations involving the karkalanza.]
Discussion ensued as to whether or no a day could be spared for Dr. Davis to go through Dr. Warring's "site notes" searching for the source of "her" stele piece. Miss Costorari brought up her dream of two nights ago, and her discussion with the native storyteller. Umbopa added, "It is as natural as anything else. It is invisible. It is not part of the world; it is a thing of spirit." He knew of no tales where such creatures were defeated, or even where their quarry did anything but run and die.
Po commented quietly to the spirit-controlled machine, "Mr. Steele, you may be particularly vulnerable." Steele seemed to lost in thought for a time thereafter.
Miss Costorari made the heroic suggestion that, if the creature caught up with the Expedition, the others should leave her to her fate, as it was not set specifically upon anyone but her. Mr. Blake and Dr. Davis protested that it did not sound as single-minded as that. Calculations were made, determining that the karkalanza seemed to be traveling at the same rate as the Party (and that it was not profitable to try to imagine how that movement rate was achieved.) Not having the resources to set off cross-country from the dig site, the Party would be forced to retrace its steps to Victoria, at which point the spirit-siphon would be 4 days behind. A side trip to the twin peaks of Biyoga would take two more days, making Victoria the likely site of confrontation with the creature. However, if the Expedition did not go to the twin peaks, but hastened back to Victoria and on to the Niger, there was a chance that the creature's senses -- following the airship trail that passed within sight but not truly near the delta -- would not detect how close they really were. It was felt that the Party would prefer to choose the where and when of dealing with the vampiric spirit, but, without druidic aid, it would be best to simply stay ahead of it. After all, one needed only stay ahead of it and get ahead of the Bad Guys for the situation to resolve favourably, with only the sacrifice of the one who had summoned such a monster.
Despite the possibility of more linear writing at the twin peaks and, perhaps, an explanation for the stream of light there featured in one of the "twins" legends, it was decided that the group could not afford to spend the time it would take to go to Biyoga. A half an hour was allotted to Dr. Davis to visit her fiancé's grave near the dig site. Master Po suggested that the gypsy accompany the doctor. Worried that contact with the dead would, again, cause Miss Costorari distress, Dr. Davis refused. When the Romany lass said that she was willing to learn whatever the spirit had to say and that all she wanted was for the doctor to make peace with her dead (perhaps letting him know that she had not been the implementer of his death), the mourner accepted the offered companionship. There was no spirit at the gravesite.
Dr. Davis made arrangements with Lord Cardiff to add Umbopa to the Expedition. Umbopa's luggage included three fine spears. Dr. Davis asked if he had been a warrior. The storyteller said that he had been in one of the native regiments formed by the Anglish in the subjugation of the coastline. He'd fought against the Zulu in the Battle of the Little Hand, Ishlawanda. The Anglish knew that the few Anglishmen who had survived those same battles were feted as war heroes, so, yes, Umbopa was a doughty warrior. Penrington knew of the battle and, with respect, gave the native one of the Expedition's spare guns.
Tuesday, 6.June.1888
Waking up in Victoria to a very heavy rain, the Party split to make final arrangements for the longest part of their expedition.
Miss Courtney visited Lord Frank's factor to plan and arrange transportation and supplies to and up the Niger, then for porters, guide, etc., north into the Sahara. She found that the earlier telegraphs about the Party's finds had, apparently, excited his lordship such that Pennywise and his minions had been instructed to give all due assistance to the Expedition's further ventures.
Dr. Davis and Miss Costorari visited the local Druidic mission, a small establishment with a staff of two. Happy to see Anglish women, the staff took some time to be convinced that the pair wanted druidic help. Though neither staffer was a combat druid, they did say in passing that a hermit druid might offer more options. Such usually took residence in primitive places such as the headwater of a river. The doctor met the gypsy's eyes, without needing words. Their journey was to be heading upriver, after all.
Meanwhile Master Po, per Dr. Davis' request, sought "druidic" help from the local Buddhist ashram. A gong sounded as he approached and the senior staff greeted the boy with reverence. When Po expressed some surprise at finding an ashram, the abbot answered, "He Who Walks Before," and he bowed to the boy, "has prepared the land and it is very fertile." Po continued, describing the upcoming difficulty with the karkalanza. The abbot identified it as "the Wolf of the Underworld. If it runs outside the Wheel it may not get through the Wheel." Po objected, "But it has plucked from off the Wheel." "Not if they are firmly attached. It can only get those who are loose upon the Wheel." Po asked how he could fight the creature. The abbot mused, "You would have to assume your aspect of War upon the Astral Plane. I am certain it cannot remove you from the Wheel, although this incarnation might, ah,...." The Chinese boy left without any certainty of what he could afford to do about the vampiric spirit.
Each time the Expedition reconvened, the conversation tended to ways and means of dealing with the karkalanza. Mr. Blake mentioned to Dr. Davis that he was able to produce a blinding light. Master Po mentioned to the Party - after a metaphysical admonishment to accept the Middle Way - that he could protect the group from some types of damage with a magical glow. Penrington asked if the glow itself would frighten away opponents or if it would make shooting easier. Dr. Davis said that she could provide some protection for the Party members against mental attack, but it was not clear that the karkalanza attacked on the mental level.
Thursday, 8.June.1888
After two days aboard an airship, the Party disembarked at the "last Anglish fort" of Ledoc on the Niger River delta. All trade down the massive river system ends up on the airship docks of Ledoc. Steele felt that he had been in the town several times in his past.
Miss Courtney set about arranging for a barge to take the group up river. Enduring the native chorus of "Inshoka Courtney, please to see the finest boat on all the river," she eventually selected one she hoped would suffice. "Captain Tom" skippered the barge that was powered by a small and noisy steam engine. Every night, mooring was made on an island or, lacking that, the riverbank. As the river narrowed, Captain Tom had the group set day and night watches to look out for submerged hippopotami and crocodile which could punch holes in the boat. Mr. Blake asked, but Master Po had to admit that his spell to resist damage could not be used on a boat or other inanimate object. The rains continued although, from the Party's point of view, they seemed less fierce and frequent. Captain Tom, however, noted that normally the dry season would have started. Some members of the Party began to wonder if weather magic was being used to help keep the karkalanza on its hunt.
Nonetheless, river travel allowed Master Po to vary his diet with fresh fish.
Along the route, stops were made to resupply. Miss Courtney asked after her father and discovered the he was about three weeks ahead up river. He'd been leading "a good-sized party with much cargo. A half dozen white men and some porters. A big ship."
Those who had never been to Africa before found themselves feeling the strangeness of so many black faces. Not knowing the native language, Dr. Davis found herself conversing more and more often with Mr. Blake, for company. Noting the need at several of the villages, she also began using her healing skills on natives who were ill. Umbopa translated the name the villagers began using for her: "Kicharra, the healing light from the Moon."
Sunday, June 18, 1888
Eventually the narrowing of the Niger River necessitated the transfer to canoes. Although it was reassuring to know that Mr. Courtney's party was still on the same route, the number of canoes he had hired made this task more expensive for Our Expedition. Steele's size required a boat just for himself. The natives again had reports of Mr. Courtney and his party. Master Po made sure that Miss Courtney got a description of same; it included one white woman.
The route became weed-choked. Relief from the heat was brought by the daily rain clouds. By this time, Po had "gone native", stripping down to a saffron-coloured loin cloth. Even Dr. Davis was seen to unbutton the collar button at her throat (although she persisted in wearing her petticoats and corset ).
Conversations still circled around tactics for dealing with the karkalanza. Again Miss Costorari warned the others to run away from her if the monster caught up. Umbopa said that he "honoured the spirit of the warrior that leaps first into danger", complimenting the gypsy girl on her self-sacrificial nature.
Master Po commented that if the woman they were following was as like Dr. Davis as had been indicated, then the Party needed some way to identify "their" Dr. Davis. Dr. Davis protested once again the notion of having a twin. Nonetheless, the boy asked that Dr. Davis mindlink with him for identification purposes after every separation. In addition, Miss Costorari tied one of her brightly coloured ribbons to the doctor's medical bag. Mr. Blake commented that people who could command the services of winged monkeys, were likely to be able to spy out any such physical markers. "Speaking of this woman," he turned to Dr. Davis, "what is it you would want us to do with her when we catch up." Flustered, the doctor replied, "Why - why, we should bring her to justice, to be tried for what crimes she has committed." Coolly, the radiologist turned back to the group, stating, "We don't kill her, then." Dr. Davis looked stunned, as though the thought of killing had never occurred to her.
Privately, Mr. Blake offered Dr. Davis sympathy over the continual reference to her "evil twin", saying that he knew well the distress caused by mistaken identity and prejudice.
Saturday, June 24, 1888
Eventually the Niger River turned west. At Newton, the Party made preparations to go up the Onizudu Valley which Miss Courtney knew for its greenery and good hunting, though she had never penetrated more than a day from the edge. Beyond the jungle clearings of the town could be seen a single hill and, beyond that, the beginnings of the Bandiagara Cliffs. Miss Courtney knew that the tribes that lived in the cliffs were considered different from those who lived along the river, and that there were tales of more tribes further up river. Nonetheless, this was where the Expedition needed to turn north.
The locals did know that Mr. Courtney and his party had hired yet more porters at Newton and were traveling north, going up the Valley. They had had to buy lots of food and were delayed by the need to rig a sledge for carrying some of their large boxes. They stayed in Newton a week. The news caused mild elation amongst Our Expedition: the Bad Guys were only two weeks ahead.
Knowing they'd go no further towards the headwaters of the main river, Dr. Davis asked Miss Courtney to find what news she could of local druids. There were tales of a "white druid" living some 5 days north, in the jungle. The "white druid" had been there 20 years. The location could be identified somewhat by the distinctive surrounding peaks, and would be along one of the jungle streams.
On the other hand, Miss Courtney had no luck in finding one of the desert people to act as a northern guide.
Monday, June 26, 1888
Nevertheless, with new porters, sufficient food, one mule, and a multitude of water containers (some empty), the Expedition headed north along the Onizudu. To the left were barren yellow sand dunes; to the right, treacherous jungle roots. The only secure footing was a very narrow path where the two came together. There were considerable signs that the Party was following a clumsy sledge. Their quarry was likely being more and more slowed thereby, but all that could be told was that it was at least one day ahead.
Saturday, July 1, 1988
Five days and 50 miles north, the group headed into the jungle to find Dr. Davis' "white druid". Miss Courtney could discern a human-made path, albeit infrequently used, along a small stream. It led to a hut in a small clearing. A few natives were occupied in indeterminate tasks. An older white woman dressed all in white stepped out of the hut to greet the travelers. Mr. Blake stepped forward and offered introductions. The woman, in turn, introduced herself with a native name (which Miss Courtney recognized as meaning "Mother Moon") and her gaze lingered on Dr. Davis. Feeling uneasy and on the spot, the doctor proceeded to explain the need for a druid to combat the karkalanza. The old woman said, "Is that all you search for, Silvermoon? Come in, daughter." The doctor stammered, staring, and then fainted again into Mr. Blake's anticipatory arms. Under the druidic woman's instruction, Mr. Blake carried Dr. Davis into the hut, where Miss Costorari greeted her hostess, "Mrs. Davis, we are very glad to meet you." To most of the group, the familial similarity between the white druid and the doctor had been immediately apparent.
The gypsy hastened to tell of the Party's adventures, endeavoring to get through the death of Dr. Warring before Dr. Davis came to her senses. Mother Moon admitted easily that she'd had twin daughters (in addition to the one daughter 5 years older) and that "Black Moon is the other side of Silvermoon." She said that she herself had raised the other twin "here", in the jungle. "When they were born, we could not tell which was light and which was dark. All we could do was separate them. Dark Moon has been a caution, but she is a good girl." When the gypsy tried to explain about all the other deaths, particularly that of Dr. Warring, the druid commanded sternly, "Do you know she killed him? Do you have proof? Do not accuse her!"
When the karkalanza was again brought up, the old woman said, "My daughter does not have the power to hold something like that." She went on to say that the natives called it a "Karaal" (and noted that the similarity to the Rom name was interesting). "The natives are not as primitive as some in Anglia make them out to be. They have a very good understanding of Light and Dark. Here is the point of Light and Dark as they flow around each other." She recognized the similarity of her phrase to a symbol found amongst Po's people. She continued, "There are those who travel more towards the Dark. It is the quicker path towards great power. I've sensed that my daughter knows such a one."
Groggily Dr. Davis rejoined the conscious, staring shyly at the woman who was her mother.
Po asked about twins with skins of different colours. "Here they look almost identical," the druid replied.
Miss Costarari asked about defending against and defeating the karkalanza. The druid responded, "It is a creature that hunts. If you will give me a piece of your clothing that is dear to you, I could arrange for it to be distracted." Blake worried about whether such a distraction could bring harm to the locals. Mother Moon assured him that they would be safe. She continued, adding to the store of knowledge provided by Umbopa, "A soul once safe in the Old Man's son's box, cannot be disturbed by such as the karaal. It is able to scare souls from their body and usually it consumes them, but a target might be imprisoned in a glass bottle and taken back to the summoner. He could then put the spirit back into the body." Po asked about the body so left behind. She answered, "It would be in a coma, what the natives call the 'great sleep' and, unless it is taken care of, it will die."
Thinking of the girl Polly, Miss Costorari asked, "Could a druid back in Anglia restore such a soul to its body?" Mother Moon smiled, "Dear girl, I have been 20 years away from Anglia. I do not know the druids there." "Could your husband do such a thing?" "Again it has been 20 years. Is he still sleeping with the housekeeper?" Dr. Davis gasped, "Housekeeper?" Smiling sadly, the old druid described a dumpy woman who the doctor recognized as the one she had been taught to call 'mother.' Pale and shaken, Dr. Davis fell back silent. But didn't faint.
Miss Costorari continued to inquire about the nature of Dr. Davis' twin sister. Mother Moon said that she used "a different name with every week. Last time I saw her, it was 'Cynthia'." Cynthia was described as having studied mesmerism and "other native stuff. She does not fully understand the nature of Light and Dark." The former Mrs. Davis seemed to feel that Madeline had, of course, become a druid under her father's influence - unlike her twin. The doctor appeared clearly discomfited by her mother's assumption.
Mother Moon offered her hospitality for the night, lighting a circle of druidic fires to keep away the wild things (although, she admitted, it would not fright a karaal.) The conversation continued within the circle.
The druid said that the desert people had a different legend of the karaal. Theirs had the monster springing up from the sands to attack rather than following and tracking. Because it tended to attack at night when people scare more easily, bright lights could be used to fend it off. Mr. Blake spoke, "I have the ability to generate a very bright light, but most people can't see for sometime afterwards." The druid answered, "It would have to be brighter than the noon-day sun." The radiologist replied confidentially, "This would be brighter than that." The druid went on, "I don't know what hurts it although the fact that we've found its bones in the ground indicate that it can die." "They are immaterial?" "Yes." "Then perhaps," Mr. Blake added, thoughtfully, "I can affect it that way as well."
Per her earlier offer, the druid provided Miss Costorari with a wooden tray. The gypsy girl retired to a place of privacy and came back with a sash on the tray. The druid performed some mystic gestures and the ribbon lifted itself up, tied itself into a bow, and floated off into the jungle, beyond the firelight.
Thinking about the next step of their journey, Po asked about Tombouctou. The druid claimed that she knew nothing about it, that she had never been out to the desert. Miss Courtney asked which villages might be able to provide a knowledgeable desert guide. The druid laughed and reminded the group that she was a hermit. However she'd had patients from the desert people who had come from the village of Kidal. She cautioned, "Many of those who live beyond here find those not of their tribe to be threats. Your way will not be as easy henceforth."
Po asked about the process of "becoming friends with the local gods" and the druid turned the question back upon the Chinese boy, curious about his Eastern origins. She asked if her clearing "seemed familiar to you?" "Not yet," Po confessed, "but I have not yet met any local gods." "Are you sure? They recognized you when you came in." The lad sat nonplussed.
At one point in the evening, the druid excused herself and called at the edge of the circle, "Here kitty, kitty, kitty." She was answered with the appearance of a beautiful white jaguar. She fed and petted the great cat as Penrington stared slack-jawed.
Eventually, Dr. Davis asked for some private time with her mother. The two retired into the jungle. The rest of the party, at Miss Courtney's insistence, posted watches 'round the druidic fire circle.
When the druid and her daughter seemed safely away, Po spoke up. "I did not wish to say it in front of the druid, but we must understand that it is unlikely that Dark Moon was unaware that she and her comrades were killing about 50 people when they pillaged the flying boat." With quiet firmness he added, "I do not believe that Dark Moon will be trust-worthy."
[The doctor's conversation with Mother Moon.]
Sunday, July 2, 1888
In the morning the group was rejoined by a tired and haggard Dr. Davis. Umbopa bowed farewell to the druid, "A chieftain amongst chieftains." Penrington noted that Mrs. Davis had, indeed, been very pale.
Tuesday, July 4, 1888
Two days and 20 miles later, the Expedition reached the village of Kidal. The valley had veered to the NW and the land was flattening out. There were signs of the approaching desert, but the village was still within the verdant jungle. In this village, even Miss Courtney felt uncomfortable. Everyone within the village stopped what they were doing to stare, with unfriendly eyes, at the newcomers. No information could be gotten from such natives, but Miss Courtney did manage to purchase the use of a single hut for the night. The Party's porters would have to sleep outside; and the Inventors, to rig a privacy curtain in the back of the hut, to allow the ladies sleeping space. The usual watches were set. The watchers attempted to place themselves around the circular hut so to be able to see each other as well as the surroundings.
Watch 1: Costorari, Smith, Penrington
Watch 2: Blake, Courtney, Steele
Watch 3: Davis, Po, Steele, Umbopa
Around midnight, Miss Courtney called out, "Help! Skeleton's attacking!" She stepped back while, 6 hexes away, skeletons wielding spears and shields poured out of the two huts opposite. Within the hut, all sleepers but Po heard the call.
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