Gazala's Diary Entry #1

Present –Mesmer (Shane), Bernard (Jamie), Gazala (Richard), Jean (Jeff), Felix (Kevin), Wonton (Darryl), Jacob (Chris)

Marmalading – Fleur (Steven), Cooper (Ian)

It's all so strange

(BY Gazala)

With much effort and the tutoring of Wonton I have learnt to read and write. Reflecting in my diary has helped me "master" this written language.

I admit (only to myself of course) that I have developed an affection for the little Chinaman. Not like a woman for a man – he is more like a sister to me. He irritates me and argues constantly about things that seem pointless and a beyond my simple approach to life. Much like my real sister.

I must admit there are many strange occurrences. Things I cannot explain. And yet none of them scare me. Indeed, I feel a coldness, a disconnection from the things around me.  My heart seems unable to feel concern, emotion, hurt or fear.

I have killed but I feel no guilt or sorrow. I have lost "friends" and yet do not cry for them.

I rejoice in vanquishing those who cross me. I delight in spilling their blood.

Anyway, enough of these musings for now – we have had an eventful few days.

Finally, we uncovered the silver-entrapped body of the baby. The very thing we had buried several weeks before. It took us almost four days of hard labour. Even Mesmer tried to dig but complained so much about blisters and feeling tired the others sent him away to bathe his feet and hands and to be far enough away so as not to not hear his whining.

Unfortunately for Jean and I – who were manning Tariq's Hotchkiss heavy machine gun, that meant Mesmer moaned to us about how his hands hurt, his nails were broken and how hot it was.

Wonton also wasn’t digging and so between him and Mesmer they were very long days for Jean and I.

Jacob proved to be made of much stronger stuff and dug relentlessly. That Jewish work ethic would come in handy one day.

During the 4 days of digging and especially at night there were several incidents worth noting.

One in particular made me reflect on myself – why do I feel no emotion? How cold and callous have I become?

It was the second night and a strange skeletal "wolf" attacked. I have no explanation for these creatures and that perplexes me a little. [ Gazala continues to make her sanity rolls and in fact hasn’t failed one yet. ]

Jean lets off a burst of the machine gun but the creature reaches one of our Arab helpers [ Tariq's men ] and rips him apart with a little help from a rain of bullets that also hit him (from us).

It then turns its attention on me. I feel no fear as I draw my knife and stand ready to defend myself. It seems to have been effective against such things. 

It charges, standing as tall as a building. I quickly slash it with my knife twice but as it crumbles at my feet a sharp pain suddenly throbs in my shoulder. I look down and see blood oozing from a neat round hole where a bullet has entered from the back. I slowly turn around looking at each of "my friends".

Wonton has no weapon – "na me" he stammers. Mezmer has a riffle. Jean mans the machine gun. That leaves Jacob and Felix holding their revolvers. 

Felix is sweating profusely (as the French seem to) and gingerly raises his hand – "aghhhh sorry" he whispers.

I stare at him, saying nothing. With a smile I turn to Jacob who is wanting me to sit down so he can remove the bullet and bandage me. 

[ Gazala took 8 points of damage from Felix's revolver. She had to use 2 luck to reduce that from 10, which would have killed her. She remained conscious but had a major wound. ]

"I am sorry" an approaching Felix mumbles. 

"Fuck off" says Gazala.

The other strange occurrence is what turns out to be, messages from Tariq.

On the first night, during Gazala and Jacob's watch, a "white bat" swoops in and flies straight at me. I shoot it and it falls to the ground. It was only white because it was carrying some paper. No need for that bit of paper I say as I hurriedly throw it in the fire before anyone sees. Oops

The second night a skeletal snake intrudes on Jean's and Mesmer's watch. Jean lights up the night with a burst of the machine gun and utterly destroys the snake. None of us overlook the small indistinguishable pieces of paper blowing about.

The following night another "white bat" approaches. This time Gazala misses her shot and Jacob says loudly "leave it". Its flies toward Jacob and lands with an intact piece of paper, which Jacob collects.

"It’s a note from Tariq" states Jacob.

"Waz it say" demands Wonton who is awake like everyone else following Gazala's rifle shot.

"My home has been invaded and have had to return. If you wish to contact me send a note with this bat, it will find me" 

Jacob quickly scribbles a note back. "Getting close. Once have item will return to help" and sends it with the bat. 

"Strange way to communicate using vats" says Wonton. "Wonder why took him so long to tell us" 

The digging continues the next day. We break at night fall but Wonton and Mesmer both feel a great unease and convince the men to work at night. Even Wonton and Mesmer dig this time and about midnight we break through to the cave where the baby is entombed.

Everything is as we left is – the vibrating skull on the top of the stone sarcophagus and the runes on the sides and top. Nothing else changes either. Wonton had many theories about what we should do but I have no idea why we would listen to him and Mesmer as they are the ones who got us into this predicament in the first place. Of course, Wonton denies his involvement.

Eventually with the help of Tala (in the mirror) we determine that the beacon stops when we remove the silver encased baby from he sarcophagus.

Tala

On that basis we decide to leave the sarcophagus and take the silver-encased baby with us. Sounds simple – oh no. Wonton thinks the sarcophagus increases the mythos of anything in it. Leaving it here would be dangerous. Of course, its only 500 kgs in weight and he and Mesmer created it anyway and if hey can create it surely anyone can by writing some silly Baal symbols on a box. That logic alludes them.

Ignoring our Mythos infused "friends" we head along the canyon floor back to our truck as fast as we can. We decide speed is better than caution and that works as half a day later we get back to our truck.

We pack up and head back to town. 

On reflection we are now back to where we were a month or more ago except we have now lost Bernard, who is playing King of Carthage with his Queen Nephrim.

On the return trip to Tunis we radio Inspector Heroux. He advises that the Police Station been attacked and they are now back to their camp on he outskirts of Tunis. We agree to meet him there. So, both Tariq's base and the Police Station have been attacked. By whom?? We can only speculate……

We arrive at the newly established base and immediately report to Heroux. Gazala and Cooper head off to the hospital for some care (and to have healed their major wounds). The others talk to Heroux – "what has happened?"

"The Police Station was attacked two nights ago. It was a troop of skeletons plus a man who looked familiar – we escaped barely with our lives but a few of my men were killed and they have looted the premises"

"Oh no – bad news" Wanton exclaims

"the Censer!" exclaims Mesmer

"Bernard" muses Felix

"We will investigate tomorrow" offers Mesmer "we do not want to go there at night"

[ side note – this journal entry is from Gazala's perspective. In the background, Bernard "the King of Carthage" has been plotting the demise of Tariq and the destruction of the Baal baby. He has learnt that in the light of the green-flamed mythos torch he can pass the borders of Carthage and can slowly take his skeleton horde with him. He has attacked the Police Station (we suspect to obtain the Censer) and as we will find out later – he has attacked Tariq's base. ]

We rest that night at the new military base. Gazala is healed by morning and we head off in our truck to the Police Station. Heroux has seconded three gendarmes to us led by Capitaine Écarlate (Scarlet).

The Police Station is completely ransacked. There are a number of dead gendarmes and even more piles of old bones. The door to the secure room down stairs is ajar and nothing is left inside – the silver Heroux was collecting for us is gone as is our three Mythos items – the Censer being the most important.

"Now Bernard can make flappy feet dead things walk" says Wonton "I not happy"

Upstairs was also ransacked but the spherical container we commissioned remained there. 

"At least dat somting " says Wonton.

We load the sphere on the truck and agree to head to Tariq's base to see what's happened.

A short drive later and the bases smoking remains are approached. There remain a few men in the guard towers who are nervous and a little too trigger-happy for our liking.

"What has happened here?" asks Jean.

"Who are you?" shouts the guard – "go away"

"We work with Tariq" Jean continued. "Surely you recognise us"

"Oh yes – well Tariq's not here – he's back in Tunis. We were attacked by hundreds of skeletons and a man with a crown on his head. And a bright green torch."

"Bernard" mutters Gazala – "I will cut him open and feed him his entrails" 

The rest of the group don’t bat an eyelid at this – they know she will.

"Wot about my betrothed?" asks Wonton "you know – Naseeba – I wuv her – she mine"

"She and the other women were taken," replies the guard

"Who by?" cries Wonton

"The man with the crown" relays the guard

"Bernard!" mutters Wonton – "I will cut him open and feed him his entrails" 

The rest of the group stare at Wonton in surprise but know that he can't – leave that to Gazala.

Naseeba

Wonton's final memory of Neseeba

Armed with Tariq's Tunis address we head back and arrive at his quarters an hour or so later. I am a much better driver then Cooper muses Gazala as she drives the truck back into town.

We are let in to Tariq's Tunis home. 

"We have recovered the baby but we do not have silver – Bernard and his skeleton hoard have taken it."

"Bernard?!" says Tariq in surprise. 

"Yes, somehow he can now get out of Carthage" says Felix 

"With his skeletons" pipes up Mesmer.

"I cannot help" says Tariq. "My forces are severely depleted. You must rid Tunis of this threat"

"We need do many things" responds Wonton. "We need encase baby in silver; we need destroy enhancer left in cave, we need get Fleur back – she missing, I need get Naseeba back, We need do so much – what we do first"

"You and that enhancer" says Gazala. "you made it – you fix it. My vote is we encase the baby and we fly to another country"

"Maybe we could work with Bernard" thinks Mesmer – "we might have similar interests" ……