Present –Mesmer (Shane via Jitsi), Bernard (Jamie), Gazala (Richard), Jean (Jeff), Cooper (Ian), Felix (Kevin), Jacob (Chris)
Marmalading – Fleur (Steven), Wonton (Darryl),
By Gazala
Bernard smiled in quiet satisfaction. His dreams of power and glory were beginning to unfold. With the crown upon his head, and sitting upon his throne, Carthage would be his … and then Tunis would fall to his army of the dead.
3 days earlier
We are at Tariq's compound endeavouring to convince him we are worthy of his assistance without disclosing too much. Felix wakes up wiping marmalade from his mouth, while Wonton collapses with marmalade cascading from his. Gazala is back at the truck by the Tariq's gatehouse.
"We like Wonton like this", suggests Mesmer.
"Nice and quiet" agrees Bernard.
"Perhaps we could sew up his mouth like Hafsa" continues Mesmer. "I understand that that enhances one's Mythos power."
"Although I think it comes with some complications" he silently muses
"Enough of this side chatter" Jean interrupts. "We need to make progress"
Tariq interjects. "I have a proposition for you"
For once everyone is silent.
"Prove yourselves by completing some work for me. I am looking for an item in the ruins of Carthage – a torch with mythos – find this for me and return it and I will consider assisting you. In addition, you may have access to my library. "
"Plus, we want you to give us Naseeba" Jean chimes in looking at the marmalading Wonton.
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| Naseeba |
Even in his state Wonton on marmalade Wonton sighs "Yaaas we won dat – I won dat – I won her"
"Agreed" says Tariq. "I want you to also ask Mademoiselle Pelletier, who runs a souk in the Tunis Medina, to accompany you - I think you know her?"
"Yes, we do," says Bernard. "But why do you want us to take her?" Bernard thinks this is very suspicious – all of it – why would Tariq want us all plus Mademoiselle Pelletier to go to Carthage? Surely a trap?
"Se is mythos-aware" says Tariq – "she may be of assistance"
"Agreed!" jumps in Jean, sensing Bernard's hesitancy. "and one last thing" continues Jean (stupidly – it was a night for that). "Do you know of Baal Pty Limited?"
Tariq silently looks at Jean. "What do you know of them" he asks with an edge to his voice.
"Oh, not much" Jean says in a slightly higher pitched voice realising the stupidity of his question
"Inspector Heroux put us onto them as they seemed to have procured a fleet of Citroens"
"They are a dangerous criminal outfit – I would stay well away from them," warns Tariq.
"Of course," states Bernard ending the conversation
We now hastily get on our way.
"Why did you ask that?!" angrily mutters Bernard to Jean "Are you an idiot?"
Little did Bernard know that Jean's question paled in stupid insignificance compared to Bernard's act in a few days' time.
We get back to the truck where Gazala is sitting innocently. As we are preparing to leave one of the guards approaches.
"Do not let that bitch point that knife at us!" the guard says pointing at Gazala.
"It's ok," replies Jean. "She is my betrothed and Tariq has given me this cane to discipline her."
"Beat her now!" demands the guard. Gazala looks up and smiles at Jean.
"Not now," replies Jean nervously.
We drive back into Tunis and to Mademoiselle Pelletier's. A discussion ensues and she agrees that her and her assistant, Atwa el-Cid, will accompany us.
"Why did Tariq want Mademoiselle Pelletier to join us?" muses Bernard. "Something is wrong."
"Perhaps because he knew two women would make the chance of success far greater" proposes Gazala.
"Don’t be stupid" says Bernard.
We gather supplies and check in with Heroux (who can't understand why we are going to the Carthage ruins) for the rest of that day.
That night, we have the usual but now lieu commun (common place) dreams about being eviscerated by Gazala, and also engage Tala about Carthage. She has a wealth of useless knowledge having apparently lived at that time, but not in Carthage.
The next day, we proceed to the ruins of Carthage at the harbour entrance to Tunis, about an hour's drive.
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| Carthage ruins |
"How are we going to find this torch?" complains Cooper. "It will be like looking for a needle in haystack"
Three of the group can detect mythos: Cooper with his soap stone, Mezmer with his Detect Mythos, and Mademoiselle Pelletier's Atwa el-Cid, with a necklace she is wearing. At 10m-15m range this means we will require considerable luck in searching the 5km by 3km ruins.
But, as luck would have it - mythos we did detect, narrowing it down to under a slab of rock. In removing the rock, we find a shaft going down some three storeys.
"We should keep searching" says Gazala. "I don’t like the thought of going down there and we should understand our options"
"Nonsense", says Bernard who was becoming rather uppity in Gazala's mind. "We need to find this torch and return it and we have to follow all leads"
"How do we know what this torch even looks like?" asks Gazala.
"Because Tariq gave us this sketch" says Cooper.
Gazala sighs as the rest of the group seem keen to follow Bernard's lead. Down into the depths of Carthage we go.
Cooper volunteers to be lowered first. He descends 30' to a passage running to the right and left. He listens and it is deadly silent [ he failed his Listen roll ].
Jean follows, and, to the left, hears movement. He quickly engages his SMG before a skeletal creature appears from the gloom and moving at surprising speed. Jean lets loose 2 bursts and does 25 damage sending bone everywhere.
"What was that?" calls out Gazala.
"A skeleton" states Jean
"Stop being so nervous!" calls out Gazala. "Save your ammunition for something real." (note Gazala has never failed a Sanity roll and Mythos remains at -1. She does not believe in mythos)
The vibration of Cooper's soapstone eskimo stops upon the destruction of the skeleton. We lower the stone slab into the hole to block the right hand passage (and to stop some helpful passer-by putting it back and trapping us) and proceed up the left passage.
Jacob has also resourcefully realised there is a 35' ladder in the back of the truck [ Jacob used his Talent Resourcefulness ] and so this is a much easier way to go up and down the shaft, especially if we choose to do so in a hurry.
Jean and Cooper lead the way, shoulder to shoulder. Mesmer reluctantly drags his slippered feet at the rear. The tunnel is clearly cut through a graveyard.
Suddenly a skull emerges from the side and launches itself at Jacob. He bravely fires his pistol (I think for the first time) and does 2 points of damage. Gazala, who is next to Jacob, swings her knife and upon impact the skull shatters. That sure is a useful knife!
The passage narrows and Cooper is now alone at the front.
Jean is clearly nervous and shoots the ground with 1 burst for 33 points. He claims a skeletal hand attacked him. Gazala snorts.
We continue to slowly progress and the passage opens up into a chamber with exits to the left and right as well as the one we have come in from. A sarcophagus sits in the centre.
"No don’t" says Mesmer. "Let me look"
Mesmer carefully investigates he sarcophagus and finds the words "do not open", written in mythos.
"'Do not open', it says. Only those who can read mythos would see this. it is a trap to the uneducated."
We decide to follow his advice and leave it. We are all quietly happy Wonton isn’t here at this point as we would have spent 30 minutes debating the merit of opening it or not.
We proceed up the left passage and suddenly Cooper's soapstone starts to vibrate. Carefully we proceed but before we know it Gazala and Mademoiselle Pelletier are attacked by skeletons from the ground. Gazala hits one with her knife and it shatters but Mademoiselle Pelletier is hit for 8 points (a major wound but she's still up). Jacob shoots and does 10 points (critical) and Gazala hits it with her dagger – destroyed.
Mademoiselle Pelletier is too injured to continue [ Major Wound ], and so we take her back to the truck before proceeding. We reach an ante-chamber with no exits and with nothing of interest and so return to the chamber with the sarcophagus and proceed up the right passage… slowly.
Again, we are attacked by skeletons from the walls and floor. This time Jean, Bernard and Mesmer.
Mesmer fails to dodge and takes 8 points [ Major Wound], Jean lets loose a burst and does 20 shattering the creature, whilst Bernard criticals and does 16 points also shattering his attacker.
Mezmer is attacked again and takes 5 more points collapsing. Gazala hits with her knife and the creature is destroyed. Jacob bandaged Mezmer and brings him around and we walk him slowly back to the hospital truck.
"Why are we going this?" asks Gazala.
We descend again, and this time enter a chamber with no exits but with an altar and a throne.
"There is strong mythos in here" states Atwa.
"Oh yeah, so there is" supports Cooper
"Be careful," says Felix "don’t do anything stupid"
"Would we?" says Bernard as he lazily takes a seat on the throne, feeling rather weary after all this walking.
Bernard's eyes open widely and a menacing red glare comes from his eyes. "Stay away from me!" he shouts.
"Oh shit!" says Jean as he and Cooper lunge at Bernard and try and grapple him off the throne. Bernard dodges and remains seated but points his rifle at us.
Cooper shoots and misses. Gazala shoots and hits Bernard doing 16 points – but the bullet deflects harmlessly. She then quickly retreats up the passage with a shot from Bernard passing harmlessly above her head.
We have a quick conversation down the corridor and decide to rush Bernard. Skeletons are appearing (emerging from the walls) around him – worshiping him, and so we decide Jean will go first and use his SMG, and we will try and create a path to Bernard so Gazala can use her knife. The plans of Mice and Men.
We charge in – Bernard lifts his hand and a bolt of lightning hits Jean in the chest knocking him back and unconscious (17 points of damage). Cooper bravely grabs Jean as he retreats. We regroup and Jacob attends to Jean's wounds. [ In hindsight, with this huge damage, Jean should have outright died – if you take more than your total hit points in one hit you die. However this lightning damage should have been 4D6 and not 3D10, so it was overlooked. Jean has a Major wound anyway. ]
"I will sneak up and see what's happening" volunteers Gazala.
Gazala fails her role and is seen but fortunately avoids the shot and scampers back to the others.
"Let's leave him," says Gazala.
"Yes, bugger him," says Felix
We retreat to the truck and return to Tunis. We immediately report to Captain Heroux that we have discovered more creatures and he now needs to set guard on the Carthage ruins.
[ Note: from Bernard's perspective, when he sat on he throne he had a surge of power and had no desire to get off the throne. With the crown on his head he realises he will be able to in due course. Skeletons are forming around him and worshipping him. Flesh is forming on the skeletons.
Bernard saw us as skeletal
He now has his Queen Nephrim sitting beside him – Carthage is his. He smiles ]
Well done, Bernard!
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