Challenger Campaign

041014           Volume IV, Episode 11: The Second Count

Dramatis personae:

Synopsis:
A series of murders related to the Katabet Tomb mummy’s curse is ruining the career of Mr. Ramsey’s uncle, an airship captain who brought to Anglia from the tomb a peculiar mechanical scarab with a Swiss makers mark. Penrington captures the Times reporter Travis as a possible culprit. Even closer to “home”, Mr. Forester’s new roommate is viciously disemboweled by something unknown but brought back to a semblance of life by Lungta. The mysterious visitor Mr. J.A. Smutts (of the triangle-eye symbol and the plain ring) introduces the concepts of Nosophorous, the plague carrier, once known as Katabet, and the possible counters of the long-lived Count de Saint-Germain and the Dagger of Tihuta (the latter believed to be en route to the Ottoman sultan) The Party now believes Travis is an insane agent of Nosophorous, “the Master.”

Lord Truro engages Miss Costorari and party to obtain surviving manuscripts from the ancient Library of Alexandria; his accountant seems to have draconian and mystic means of tracking expenses.

Following St-Germain to Vienna, Our Heroes meet an imposter and learn of the Ordo Illuminatus. Our Heroes attend a symphony performance and follow the rich industrialist Karl Kellner to a magic portal under the stage where a mysterious woman, Lady Kira, interested in starting a world war, has them attacked. Major Lasher – whom the Party believes is THE St.-Germain – arrives to close the portal, rescue Kellner, and provide some explanations, particularly that OUR plague carrier is Katabe of Arcadia, the “King Arthur” of his kind (the nosferatu), and can only be destroyed by himself. Mr. Homme contains a piece of the Plague Carrier. He can be kept at bay by someone wielding a weapon of Honour and Valor or heaven-sent. Our Heroes venture into the sewers of Vienna and bring forth such a weapon once wielded by a Teutonic Knight against invading Turks: a shovel with a sharpened edge.

Further along the Danube, in the university at Buda, Prof. Arminius Vambery explains techniques for disposing of nosferatu, the vampyrs of Rumania, as well as for combating were-wolves: fire for the former, silver crossbow bolts for the latter. Various non-firearm Party weapons become silvered.

Carpathians, above Bistritz, Rumania. Late Spring.
The surly innkeeper told them, “The ruins of Castle Tihuta is in a pass but no one knows where. Count Borgo doesn’t receive peasants.” As the mountain slopes were treacherous, the Party’s horses and wagon were left at the inn.

Bistritz was in a narrow valley whose mountain walls looked to have various places which might be passes. Penrington proposed that the Party tackle the highest pass. Thus Our Heroes found themselves hiking up through dense forest and creepy meadows. Sister Sunshine quavered, “The Old Ones are NOT friendly.”

Eventually, those in advance found recent tracks of a good-sized group that included a pony and a very heavy person.
Voronika: “Penrington, we’re going in circles.”
Penrington: “Perhaps the local spirits are impeding our travel? We could get Steele to clear a path through the forest.”
Sunshine: “With the tree spirits, an encounter would be, at best, a draw. Threaten a tree, it will threaten one of us.”
Penrington: “But heading back will be no easier than heading forward.” Nonetheless, the group started heading down the mountain, following their own footsteps – into fog. It got late. Mort and Voronika (the later successfully) tried to climb trees to get a bearing. However, only the direction of the setting sun provided any directional indication.
Penrington: “If we go into the fog, there will be no point of reference at all.”
Mort: “Let’s camp at the edge of the fog.”
Penrington: “Our goal now is to stay alive for the night.”

Watches were set.
First watch – Sunshine, Voronika, Ramsey
Second watch – Steele, Mort, McGregor
Third watch – Steele, Forester, Penrington

During first watch, the fog engulfed the camp. Bluish lights flickered on and off in the fog. A wolf howled and seemed to be answered by others.

During second watch, McGregor mentioned to Steele that it was getting lighter overhead as if the moon had risen. Steele and Mort realized that the wolves had gone silent. Mort then noticed an almost inaudible growl and started waking the other adventurers.

Through the mist, the red eyes of wolves could be seen encircling the camp. The low growling set the hackles on Our Heroes’ necks to quivering in suppressed fear. [Draining 1 point of SPD/ 10 character points.]
Mort called out, “Hey, who’s in charge out there?”
McGregor put himself in front of Voronika; the gypsy grabbed a flaming brand from the fire.
As the pack pulled into view, Steele blasted with his shot-gun, spraying silvered pellets into the feral mass, ripping one, stunning another and wounding a third.
Ramsey, too, aimed and knocked back a wolf [4,24] , stunning it.
Forester fired his Radiation Blast over his own shoulder, past his ear, catching three of the wolves. [17,5]

Four wolves attacked Lungta; two wolves each circled Forester and McGregor; only one wolf each was on Ramsey, Penrington, and Voronika. Most of the wolf attacks missed, but the pony suffered three wounds and Forester was stunned by a lacerated shoulder [3 and 3, 18] .

A wolf bit Sister Sunshine in the belly [7 stun in the 12] while two of the creatures continued damaging Lungta.
A wolf bit Forester in the arm [4,3 and stun] while another ripped into his belly [4,2 and 24, in 13] , felling him unconscious.
Mort critted a wolf on Lungta’s rump.
Sister Sunshine cast a heal on the pony. [9,28]

Voronika took a gash in the shoulder. [4,1 and stun]
Three wolves continued trying to eviscerate Lungta.
Two more left Forester and tore into the druidess, biting her upper arm [1,2 and 3] and the back of her shoulder [1,2 and 5] .
Penrington was hit in the chest [2,2 and 16] .
Ramsey was hit in the arm [3,1 and stun] .

A wolf turned and, looking at Mort, ululated.
McGregor was hit in the shoulder.
Lungta’s leg was ripped open.
Sister Sunshine’s arm continued to take damage. [1,0 and 2] .

From two directions, more wolf cries were heard.
The battles continued. Sister Sunshine was wounded in the vitals [4,3 and 32] and fell unconscious from the accumulated damage.
Penrington, too, took a serious blow [6,4 and 40] and slumped to the ground.

Voronika could see a group of men dressed in gypsy style, running towards the fight from out of the fog.

Three gypsies with curved daggers started slashing at McGregor’s opponents. Another, coming up, suddenly looked shocked and surprised, exclaiming in Romani, “Voronika!?!”

McGregor took a gash in the face and fell.
The wolf turned from Sunshine and leapt onto Voronika hitting her in the upper back [5,3 and 24] , stunning her.
The wolf turned away from Steele and attacked Ramsey from the back.

Steele turned to see a gypsy man where Voronika had been, attacking a wolf. He goes for a placed-shot chest, spattering the gypsy with wolf blood.

Ramsey again moved away and aimed his rifle, risking a gypsy, but shooting a wolf in the chest.

There followed an illegal piling on of gypsies on wolves as the tide turned in favour of Our Heroes.
Voronika had recovered enough to see her cousin tending to the wounded Penrington. As she moved to help him, Ravel said, “See to your woman.” Voronika parmediked the druid who was, indeed in sad shape.

Mort: “I think those wolves were working for the vampire and howled out some message.”
Ravel to Voronika: “I’m surprised to see you here. I was sent…”
Voronika: “Great Aunt Scarey said you had come this way. We are trying to destroy a nosferatu – the evil vampyr thing that’s coming back here.”
A dour gypsy with a crossbow emerged from the forest and said, “We were sent by the count of these lands to find the intruders and bring them to him.”
Voronika: “We’re happy to come.”
Ravel: “It is a debt we must repay.”
Voronika looked her question.
Ravel: “A debt from long ago which we owe the count of this land.”
Voronika explained the situation to the Party. A gypsy with veterinary skills bandaged the pony; Lungta watched Sister Sunshine’s limp and bloodied form with a worried expression.
Voronika: “One way or another, we will visit Count Borgo.”

A group of 5 gypsies entered the forest to cut branches to make litters for the seriously wounded. Looking over the damage to Penrington, Ravel said, “Maybe it would be kindest if…”
Voronika: “Take him. If we can wake her,” indicating the druidess, “she can heal.”
Mort: “Hell, I’ve been in worse shape.”

Ravel took Voronika and three other gypsies into the woods where he found an herb and gave it to his cousin. “Make a tea of this for your woman.” [+2 to wake Sister Sunshine.] Then he hunted a little longer and broke off a stem of a wild rose. “Keep this tucked in your bodice.” Voronika complied.

A few minutes after the administration of the herbal tea, the druidess woke in a blaze of hazy pain. She saw an inverted Voronika and a right-side-up Lungta, both staring at her.
Voronika: “Sunshine, heal yourself.”
Sunshine, weakly: “I can’t heal myself. I never have been able to.”
Voronika, shocked: “Can’t Lungta heal you? Ask her!”
Sunshine: “Lungta works through me and I cannot do it.”
Nonetheless, the druidess was able to concentrate enough to cast healing spells on the various other injured.

By the light of an iron lantern, Ravel led the group through the forest to a trail wide enough for a cart. The cart track went steadily uphill to a castle perched against a cliff. It was a dark place. Its walls were in poor repair. In the weedy flagstone courtyard beyond a gate that was rusted open, could be seen a number of gypsy caravans. A single light flickered near the main hall door. The gypsies escorted the group (carrying the druidess on a litter) up the steps to the door. Then they stepped back. Lungta stayed back too.
Voronika: “Does this fulfill your debt?”
Ravel: “No. OUR debt. No.”
Someone: “So this is not the same count that lives in the castle down in the town?”

Forester knocked at the door. There was the sound of bolts sliding and hinges creaking. A tall thin man with a thick whit moustache and aquiline nose stood in the darkened doorway. He seemed to be dressed in a fine version of the Rumanian – gypsy-like – costume, save all was black.
Forester: “Good evening. I believe you sent for us?”
Count: “Greetings. Enter into my ho9me and be welcome. Come freely; go freely. Be my guests.”
Voronika: “Thank you. I accept.” She translated the Romani for the group and their host switched to German. As people stepped through the doorway, he seemed to become more animated, shaking hands strongly. His hand was cool and clammy to the touch.
Forester: “Hello. Andrew Forester.”
Count: “I am Count – Borgo.”
Forester: “My pleasure.”
Voronika continued the introductions in Romani.
Count: “I am pleased to meet you. Please call me Voivoide.” [Voivoide is Rumanian for ‘prince’] He looked at Sister Sunshine quite intently and did not offer the druidess his hand. “She is in pain. Come. Let us put her by a warm fire.”
Mort, who was one of those carrying the litter, responded, “Excellent idea!” and seemed relieved not to have to shake the count’s hand. He also noted to himself that the count had very bad breath.

There were no servants in evidence. The count led his guests to a room with a newly-built fire, on the entrance floor of the castle.

Their host seemed fascinated by Steele. “Is this Anglic? Is there a person inside?”
Ramsey: “The soul of a man resides within.”
Count: “Do you do this a lot?”
Ramsey: “It was an unusual event.”
Voronika: “It was fortuitous.”
Count: “I shall have to visit Anglia someday. What brings you here?”
Voronika: “Following my cousins.”
Count: “Answering the call?”
Voronika: “No”
Penrington: “There is a being coming to this land that may mean death for many people.”
Count: “A great evil? It would be good if that evil is prevented.”
Penrington recounted some of what the Party knew of “Katabe, the fallen king”. There was no mention of Mort or the shovel. Penrington finished up, “We have evidence that he is on his way here.”
Count: “I would not wish such a great evil in this land. If you prevent this, I would be somewhat in your debt.”
Someone: “Do you know where his castle was?”
Count: “He will not return to the castle.”
Forester: “Do you know to where he will return?”
Count: “He would return to the Scholomance, a place of learning near Lake Hermanstadt. It is a place where scholars came to be taught, but every tenth one is – taken by the Master of that place, an Old One, a devil. That is where Katabe learned to cheat death and restore himself.”
Mort: “Where is the Scholomance?”
Count: “It is south of here, not far. The gypsies can take you by back roads. They will be ready to transport you in the morning.” He invited the group into the dining room. “I’ve already eaten and so will not join you. But you are welcome to what is here and welcome to my home, save for the doors that are locked. I need not say that those are off limits.”

He looked again at the groggy druidess. “It is such a pity you are in pain. Would you be relieved?”
Voronika and Steele both glanced suspiciously at their host, mindful that they’d been told that many of the lords of Rumania were vampyrs.
Sunshine, weakly: “Do you have a druid healer?”
Count, suavely: “You are a charming one.”
Sunshine, flustered: “Why, thank you.”

The druidess was too weak to leave her bed by the fire, but the others sat down to a dinner of roast fowl with lots of paprika. There were no vegetables but there was a sort of tea made of boiled leaves. The table ware was made of gold and crystal glittered in the candle light. For once, considering that their host might be nosferatu, neither Voronika nor Penrington were tempted by the display of wealth.

The walls of the dining room were hung with old weapons. Voronika touched one and fell back to lie on the floor. [Took 17 stun.] Her supernatural vision had seen the axe being wielded by an early count hacking on something three times his size. Weakly she said, “That one – might be a weapon of valor.”
McGregor: “Are you alright, Voronika? I dinna like this place.”
Voronika, getting up, “We are safe here.”
Ramsey: “Only if you think he is bound by his welcome.”
Mort: “Which fact we do not know.”

After the count had returned and showed them to the bedrooms, Penrington checked their rooms for concealed passages. The windows of the bedrooms had shutters but none sealed particularly tightly.

Penrington, dispassionately observing that Sunshine was dying, said, “The Sister won’t leave here the same, one way or another.”
Voronika: “I will stay up with her all night.”

[Note: In 1897 Bram Stoker published Dracula, an account of a Rumanian voivoide who moved to London in August of that year. He brought with him three “wives”, the youngest of which was blond and blue-eye, very Anglish in appearance.]

Next Run: The Final Battle
[Note: Sunny will not be present next week.]

(a) Cumulative (b) Cumulative since Volume II (c) Cumulative since Volume III

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