Chapter thirteen.
a welcome rest in Transylvania
In which our Protagonists relax by hunting Vampyres and meeting a rather unexpected Evil.
Dramatis Personae:
Katerina, Grafin (Countess) von Ulmfeld from Bavaria
Ruprecht , Ritter von Schlan, of the Austro-Hungarian Diplomatic Corps
Rittmeister (Captain)Maximilian von Ström, of the Austro-Hungarian Lancers
Louis LeBrun - A French Inventor
Frau Elsa Berg - An Austrian Nursing Sister of the Order of Cassandra
Captain Kenneth Campbell, of the British Black Watch regiment
Karl Bergman - An Austrian Explorer & student of Esoteric Orientalism
From the journal of Ruprecht, Ritter von Schlan....
My D-dable leg is still not healed but the morphia helps the pain considerably…….
March 1872
The headman of the tiny, local village came to the lodge tonight asked for help from “the schooled men from Vienna”. Over the past few weeks, he said, the villagers had been finding livestock Drained of Blood! This had been happening overnight and usually around the full moon. The local hostelries were full of superstitious peasants muttering about Vampires and Werewolves and shutters were bolted much earlier in the evenings than usual, especially at that phase of the moon.
Having agreed to look into the problem, we relaxed for a few days as the full moon approached. We examined the site of previous attacks on animals and looked for evidence as to the actual nature of the perpetrators. Although there was much trampling around the area, the few tracks leading away gave no solid clues to the route the attackers had taken.
Deciding to patrol the area each night from a couple of days before the full moon, our company wandered the hillsides of the valley whilst I was forced to remain at the lodge due to my injured leg.. On the third night, they came across a Strange thick fog swept across the valley. The mist had a sickly, sweet smell with a tinge of coal.smoke. Wearing improvised masks of thick, wet scarves, they headed upwind and eventually came across the tubes which were emitting the gas just as the flaps on the outside of them clanged shut.
A swift search around the circumference of the hill found a small wooden chalet. Further investigations (by the highly, professional agent’s technique of “sneaking a look through the window”) discovered that the cabin contained an entranceway heading towards something inside the hill! A quick subterfuge overpowered the two burly chaps guarding the gate and my companions crept into the secret underground establishment.
Having agreed to look into the problem, we relaxed for a few days as the full moon approached. We examined the site of previous attacks on animals and looked for evidence as to the actual nature of the perpetrators. Although there was much trampling around the area, the few tracks leading away gave no solid clues to the route the attackers had taken.
Deciding to patrol the area each night from a couple of days before the full moon, our company wandered the hillsides of the valley whilst I was forced to remain at the lodge due to my injured leg.. On the third night, they came across a Strange thick fog swept across the valley. The mist had a sickly, sweet smell with a tinge of coal.smoke. Wearing improvised masks of thick, wet scarves, they headed upwind and eventually came across the tubes which were emitting the gas just as the flaps on the outside of them clanged shut.
A swift search around the circumference of the hill found a small wooden chalet. Further investigations (by the highly, professional agent’s technique of “sneaking a look through the window”) discovered that the cabin contained an entranceway heading towards something inside the hill! A quick subterfuge overpowered the two burly chaps guarding the gate and my companions crept into the secret underground establishment.
They could hear chanting from deeper within the tunnel. As they ventured further inside, they found a vast, hollowed out space containing a large wooden pyramid. Crossing a heavy drawbridge, they entered the structure and made their way past carvings and decoration in an Ancient Egyptian style which indicated that the construction belonged to the Mystic Lodge of the Temple of Ra. The pyramid seemed to be abandoned but the investigators eventually came upon some thirty or so Temple of Ra members in linen robes parading around a altar-like table chanting in an obscure language and waving fancy snake-headed staffs.
Surrounding the strange congregation were benches laden with weird jars full of coloured liquids and spinning devices emitting steam and pumping luminescent liquids about the machinery in what must have been a cross between a magician’s workshop and a mad natural scientist’s laboratory.
The robed indigents spotted the intruders and moved to attack them. My dear friends swiftly prepared to defend themselves from the oncoming assault! Whilst Von Ström and Campbell drew their swords and the Countess drew her pocket pistol, Karl Bergman leapt into action completely unarmed!
In the midst of all the chaos, Sister Elsa Berg made a quick examination of the process which showed that it began with blood and ended in a blue liquid in very small phials. The Noxious Odours that formed the mist were a by-production of the manufacture of the elixir.
During the fracas, burners heating parts of the process were knocked over and ignited materials scattered around the laboratory. Flames rapidly spread through the pyramid and it began to crash down about the heads of all those left in the building. My friends fled the scene as smoke was bellowing out of the many tubes breaching the surface around the hill.
Surrounding the strange congregation were benches laden with weird jars full of coloured liquids and spinning devices emitting steam and pumping luminescent liquids about the machinery in what must have been a cross between a magician’s workshop and a mad natural scientist’s laboratory.
The robed indigents spotted the intruders and moved to attack them. My dear friends swiftly prepared to defend themselves from the oncoming assault! Whilst Von Ström and Campbell drew their swords and the Countess drew her pocket pistol, Karl Bergman leapt into action completely unarmed!
In the midst of all the chaos, Sister Elsa Berg made a quick examination of the process which showed that it began with blood and ended in a blue liquid in very small phials. The Noxious Odours that formed the mist were a by-production of the manufacture of the elixir.
During the fracas, burners heating parts of the process were knocked over and ignited materials scattered around the laboratory. Flames rapidly spread through the pyramid and it began to crash down about the heads of all those left in the building. My friends fled the scene as smoke was bellowing out of the many tubes breaching the surface around the hill.
Questioning of one of the surviving minions revealed that the Temple of Ra had been using the blood as part of an experiment to increase longevity. Unfortunately, trials made afterwards on samples rescued by our party proved that the elixir did not work, It was unknown if the magickal process failed as it was interrupted by the fight or whether it never worked at all.
From the stunned comments of my friends, I gather that Karl made use of his impressive Oriental Combat Skills, he single-handedly fought nearly twenty of the Temple’s minions, and he did not use a single weapon! My friends said it was amazing to behold! As they fled the collapsing pyramid, a massive beam from the collapsing pyramid fell across his leg and crushed his foot. My colleagues found a lever and released him, then carried him out of the building. Later, at the local hospital, Karl Bergman’s right foot had to be amputated. After this event he went to visit the city of Neuweid , in the Rhineland Principalities, where they make excellent prosthetic limbs and bowed out of our story for a while.
From the stunned comments of my friends, I gather that Karl made use of his impressive Oriental Combat Skills, he single-handedly fought nearly twenty of the Temple’s minions, and he did not use a single weapon! My friends said it was amazing to behold! As they fled the collapsing pyramid, a massive beam from the collapsing pyramid fell across his leg and crushed his foot. My colleagues found a lever and released him, then carried him out of the building. Later, at the local hospital, Karl Bergman’s right foot had to be amputated. After this event he went to visit the city of Neuweid , in the Rhineland Principalities, where they make excellent prosthetic limbs and bowed out of our story for a while.
Host’s notes:
This Chapter ran in Spring 1999.
After this chapter, Ruprecht, Ritter von Schlan ,was posted to Mainz with the position of Consul Emeritus with Special Responsibility for the Rhineland states.
Worthy of High Merit: Matt (Karl Berg) who, although it was his first experience of role-playing, got deeply into the game and helped significantly in the party’s escape.
This Chapter ran in Spring 1999.
After this chapter, Ruprecht, Ritter von Schlan ,was posted to Mainz with the position of Consul Emeritus with Special Responsibility for the Rhineland states.
Worthy of High Merit: Matt (Karl Berg) who, although it was his first experience of role-playing, got deeply into the game and helped significantly in the party’s escape.
