| Don | Benjamin Steele | Former airship steel mage, now enlivening the Naysmith machine. |
| Barry | Arvy Penrington | Avaricious ex-military man "out of Africa". |
| Marian | Voronika Costorari | Lovely gypsy bargainer; seer of spirits. |
| Will | Maxwell Ramsey | Egyptologist and sharp-shooter. |
| Sunny | Andrew Forester | Graduate student, radiologist, chemist, photographer, and tutor. |
| Mike | Mortimer Homme | Forester's Cambridge roommate; walking dead man. |
| Sheryl | Sister Sunshine | Lame druidess-healer, companion to the Tibetan pony Lungta. |
| NPC | Lungta | Pony avatar of Annapurna, Mountain of Life. An Old One. |
| NPC | George McGregor | Surveyor for Prof. Challenger; admirer of Miss Costorari. |
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.
Having discovered in Buda the location of the town of Tihuta in Rumania, the Party guesses at the mountain-pass location of the ruins of Castle Borgo, on the assumption that that would be the goal of Katabet, as former ruler of the area. Attacked by wolves that bring Forester, Penrington and the druidess to the point of death, the Party is rescued by Voronika’s gypsy relatives. In turn, the gypsies bring the Party to the current Count Borgo. Though Sister Sunshine heals the other injured, it is discovered that she has never been able to heal herself. The count expresses his concern for the dying druidess in terms that lead others in the group to suspect that he, too, is a vampyr.
[Note: Sunny was absent. The part of Mr. Forester was played by Marian.]
Castle Borgo, Rumania. Late Spring.
Penrington shook his head. “The Sister won’t leave here the same, one way or another.”
In their bedroom, Voronika sat with the dying druidess, holding her hand, speaking eloquently on the need -- the Party’s and all of Europe’s – for Sister Sunshine to overcome her mental blocks and heal herself. In the midst of this, the gypsy suddenly awoke with the acrid scent of the rose in her bodice flooding her nostrils. The druidess was heavily asleep. The room seemed foggy. In a respectful tone, Voronika addressed the air, “Lord, I do not mean to be rude, but, please, we need privacy.”
To the gypsy’s horror, the sleeping druidess threw off her covers and began to rise. Quickly, Voronika plucked the rose from her bodice and thrust it under Sunshine’s nose. The druidess’ serene expression changed into one of severe pain as she came awake. Bright moonlight streamed through the bedroom’s window. Voronika covered the window with a cloak and used a dagger to hold the covering in place. She sat with Sunshine again, as the latter again fell asleep. When she herself began to tire, she called in Mr. Steele to watch them both.
Voronika: “If she starts getting out of bed, make sure I’m awake.”
Steele: “How can I stay awake if there is some enchantment being used?”
Voronika: “I don’t know. I normally have to sleep. You do not need as much.”
Steele rigged a dead-man’s switch. He triggered it when he heard a noise at the window. (A chamber pot thudded into Voronika’s mid-section.) The gypsy immediately woke with, “Is she ok?” Nothing further happened at the window; they did not remove the window covering to check on the noise. They did not spend a restful night.
Some gypsies measured the Anglic men for armor. Voronika insisted that armor be provided her as well. [4-point armor for the 9-17, head covering optional.]
As the gypsies prepared wagons and gear, Mort examined the castle library. He found one book that was written in something vaguely like Greek. He showed it to Ramsey who recognized the writing as the yet-un-deciphered Minoan language [Linear B]. The Egyptologist then realized that a 2nd book was bound in with the first and it, indeed, was written in Old Greek. Thoughts of the Rosetta Stone raced through his mind as he brought the find to the weak and feverish druidess. She could not help with the translation.
Ramsey, regretfully: “I’d really like to borrow this book.” He tried asking the walls, but there was no answer, and no servant could be found.
Mort volunteered to take the book back to the library. He did so, but pocketed it and left a note in its place on the bookshelf.
Voronika’s cousin Ravel told her that the caravan was ready to leave. He said that they’d prepared a place to carry the druidess. “She should not die HERE. Better a quick death than that.” Voronika placed the still-damaged hunter and radiologist in the wagon with Sunshine, and made one last appeal to the druidess to give up her death-wish for the greater good. The pony Lungta followed the wagon closely, a look of intense concern on the equine face.
Knowing their biggest battle was just ahead and faced with the damaged bodies of her friends, Sunshine – Emily Davis – finally faced the fact that being lame had been her life-time attempt to garner attention from the family whose main concern had been her sisters, the dark and light twins. Giving up her own self-image for a completely unknown future, the druidess started her spell of Regeneration. As the healing glow suffused the wagon, the nearby gypsies made the sign to ward off the Evil Eye. Voronika smiled and leaned into the wagon to say, “Back in Anglia, you should still affect a limp. It will make for fewer questions.” [The GM notes that Sister Sunshine has never been particularly known as an actress.] Though her bandaged wounds had healed, Sister Sunshine was still warm to the touch, having no ability to deal with the fever she had caught while injured.
Ravel approached his cousin and expressed pleasure that she and the druidess had made it through the night.
Voronika: “Thank you for the rose. It did the trick.”
Ravel: “Our cousin doesn’t like it – the wild rose.”
[The meaning of this statement seemed to make sense to the gypsies and was not explained to the others.]
Mort: “How long will we travel?”
Ravel: “We will reach our destination by the end of today.”
The forest opened into meadowlands where there were no roads. The Party’s caravan was joined by two more gypsy caravans over the course of the day. None of the caravans held children or women of child-bearing years. All the gypsies seemed grim. The trail angled towards and up the Carpathian Mountains. Eventually a point was reached past which the wagons could not travel. The wagons pulled into a circle and the Party observed tender goodbyes between the older women (mothers and grandmothers?) who were left with the vehicles and the stalwart young men who would continue the climb up the mountain.
McGregor: “Voronika, lass, can I speak to you? This is looking like a bit of a bad spot. I couldn’t stand it if I didn’t say something before we got well into it…. I know I’m not much of a catch and I’m not likely to settle down well…”
The gypsy interrupted. “Will you marry me? I’ve been waiting for months!”
For a moment the Scotsman looked startled, then he said, “Well.. kiss me, you fool.”
After the kiss, he nodded. “There’s a druidess over there … or will your mother mind..?”
Voronika called out, “Sister Sunshine, will you do us a favour?”
Shortly thereafter, the Party had the pleasure of addressing their gypsy as “Mrs. McGregor.”
As they climbed, the mountain became bare rock. There were spots the size of graves smoothed flat and headstones carved from the mountain itself, all of a piece with the mountain. Various degrees of weathering were in evidence on the stones and none seemed to have engraved legends. The gypsies carefully avoided any of the seeming-graves. Ravel carried a shuttered lantern that seemed to light a particular pathway through the rocks.
Sunset found them in its reddish glow at the summit. The valley ahead and below held a lake and no wisps of smoke, no sign of human habitation.
The lantern picked out a particular “grave”, the headstone of which had been weathered to only 4-inches in height. The gypsies piled wood on the grave and lit a small fire by smashing the lantern into the wood pile. The moon rose. Wolves howled in the distance.
Ravel: “This is where he’ll try to return to.”
Meanwhile, Voronika saw a man in sack cloth looking at her. In Romany she said, “Tell me your name.” In German, she added, “If you have a purpose, tell me.” The man turned away and she realized that he had no thickness. Ravel made the sign of the Evil Eye at his cousin.
Steele shouted out his sighting of the mummy while he continued to entangle the wolf pack, providing Ramsey with a shooting gallery.
Penrington moved out to relieve Mort, drawing his once-silvered sword and saying, with authoritative confidence, “Fall back. I’ve got it.”
Forester braced and fired a radiation blast at a were [24,7] but the creature seemed unaffected.
Another gypsy fell to the werewolves.
Voronika dashed up and thrust her magic sword into the mummy’s back [criting] . Her grandfather appeared at her side and said, “This is a good and valiant thing you do. He is a good man you have chosen. Live well, grand-daughter.” The old man vanished as the mummy gave an unearthly howl. Still holding the mechanical man above his head, the creature staggered towards the fire.
Mort, too, raced up. The mummy turned and hissed at him, its movement ripping the sword from Voronika’s grasp. Enraged, the creature seemed focused on the pony Lungta.
Steele pushed with all his strength and more [STR 50] but could not break free of the mummy’s inhuman grip.
Penrington, Ramsey, and the gypsies continued their private wars against wolves and weres. A wolf broke free of the steel man’s Entangle. Another gypsy died and Cousin Ravel was wounded.
The mummy threw Steele at the Force Wall; the impact caused the mechanical man [33,10] damage. Steele slid down the Wall to the ground, not quite stunned.
The mummy reached down and grabbed the prone Mr. Steele.
The battles with weres and wolves continued. Voronika aimed her rifle into the melee with her cousin, but hit another gypsy in his already-injured hand.
Another gypsy – and Cousin Ravel went down to ravening werewolves. Forester Flashed the wolves in that direction and, elsewhere, other gypsies managed to bring down two weres. One un-named gypsy in particular seemed a Master Swordsman, holding off 2 and 3 wolves at a time. Penrington, though, had arrived and was cutting down the werewolves attacking the lone gypsy.
Mort swung the shovel again, hitting the mummy’s hand [11,11] and causing himself a little stun [2] . Bits of ancient wrappings flew as a dry cloud of dust puffed out of the creature’s limb. The gypsies who had defeated their were opponents moved to assist in the remaining few.
Penrington charged the mummy, screaming and yelling to distract it.
Voronika picked up her cousin’s sword and joined her husband in fighting a pair of werewolves. She found her armor saved her from one wolf bite, but McGregor was hit in the shoulder [5] .
The pack of wolves charged towards the fire as Ramsey shouted, “Wolves!” while still picking off another.
Sister Sunshine moved to be next to the pony and the steel man, preparing to use her strongest healing spell.
Forester recast his Force Wall in such a way as to require the mummy to expend extra time to move around it to reach its grave. [Forcing a full move.]
Those facing in that direction saw the mummy suddenly appear next to Forester. It raised its hand and a wind scattered the embers of the fire away from the gravesite.
Voronika continued fighting the weres as McGregor parried. Ramsey shot another wolf, but the rest of the pack closed in on the druidess or Lungta.
Another gypsy fell and the Gypsy Swordsman took a wound.
Forester dropped the Wall and created another Forcefield to box in the wolves near the druidess.
Sister Sunshine could see Mort standing in sunlight above his body. Blinking back her tears, she swallowed and began to cast another Heal on Lungta. [10, 40] The woman’s deep voice said to her, “I can give you your choice: me or him.”
Mort’s spirit spoke to the druidess, “Sister Sunshine, you need Lungta.” He saw a man dressed as a gypsy come towards him, “Come on. I’ll show you the way home.” Mort and Voronika’s grandfather walked off.
Penrington ran towards the tiny pile of glowing embers and held the shovel blade against them, trapping the blood spots between Valorous Weapon and Fire. The blood sizzled, trapped between two nemeses of the nosferatu. The hunter heard an unearthly wail behind him.
Steele recovered and crawled off the pony. He fired his grapple into the mummy’s arm [11] .
Voronika’s and Ramsey’s battles continued, doing more damage, keeping the foe from reaching Lungta.
The wolves slowed and seemed confused.
Lungta scrambled to her feet and for a moment things grew dim for the druidess. In a voice that may or may not have been audible Sunshine said, “It’s not that I need Lungta; the world needs this symbol of Life!”
Voronika finished off one of the two weres confronting her and McGregor. The arm-damaged gypsy who had been fighting with them, fell, unconscious from his wounds.
Of the mummy, only bandages were left. Bandages, it was noted, that could be analyzed by Scotland yard and, if identical to those used in the airship murder, would exonerate Capt. Ramsey and restore his career.
That which had been Mort was now a decomposed body, two months old. Penrington resolved to bring the body to a place where a proper grave could be dug; Sunshine performed the last rites for her young friend and the gypsies who had given their lives to this end..
Mort had left written farewells for all his friends. Ramsey was amazed and pleased to find the Minoan book – and regretful that it represented the only return that could be made on Lord Truro’s investment, thus he would not be the one, necessarily, to translate it.
Next Run: Back in London.
(a) Cumulative (b) Cumulative since Volume II (c) Cumulative since Volume III
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