The Keeper
GM, 625 posts
Tony Stroppa
Tue 11 Dec 2012
at 13:22 | Tuesday 24 March, 1925Dawn broke on the morning of the 24th of March, in the Year of Our Lord Nineteen Hundred and Twenty Five.
It was a Tuesday. The day turned out to be cool and clear, save for a few light clouds at several thousand feet elevation. The wind was brisk off the ocean, an easterly breeze bearing due east. Karlheinz and John-Marc agreed it would have been a fine early spring day for flying.
The weather held up for the day, although the people staying at the remote farm were waiting for night.
A watch was posted in the barn by Major Storm to observe the road and the river and a rough plan was formed in case (against all luck) the Brotherhood attacked them. If they came from the south via the road, the Major and the Egyptian brothers would hold them off with the Lewis gun while the rest tried to escape by boat. If they came by river from the north or west, vice-versa but use the trucks to escape via road. If all else failed and they were unable to escape by river or road then any survivors would try to make it to the crumbling brick remains of the Naze lighthouse tower, and hold out as long as possible until someone (constabulary? Army? Freemasons?) arrived.
Fortunately, nothing happened as they dozed through the day, conserving their strength. Soon enough, it was night.
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John-Marc Falcon
player, 276 posts
Former Flt. Lt., RAF
Aeronautical Pioneer
Wed 12 Dec 2012
at 03:49 | Re: Tuesday 24 March, 1925JM was up early brewing a double pot of strong coffee as well as tea. He had a flash of whiskey handy to provide a wee bit of fortification as needed. Puffing nonchalantly on a cigar he observed the clear sky. "It's a perfect, clear night for us. Fog would mask us but complicate our approach and departure. It's better to see what we need to in the night."
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Karlheinz Bergmann
player, 27 posts
Fmr. Zeppelin Crewman
Pilot/Navigator/Mechanic
Wed 12 Dec 2012
at 06:28 | Re: Tuesday 24 March, 1925In reply to John-Marc Falcon (msg # 2):
Karlheinz stared up into the starry sky. There was no moon, of course, that being the key to this foul ritual.
"Ya, enough light to see by, not enough to give us away. Would have been fuelling up the Zeppelins for a raid on a night like this."
He smiled ruefully at the former RAF pilot, knowing they may have been on differing sides of the last conflict but were on the same one here.
Karl had changed into wool trousers and a wool-lined long coat due to the cold. On his head was a black wool watch cap from his Imperial Navy days, he wore fingerless gloves.
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Count Sigismund Bathony
player, 270 posts
Antiquarian Book Dealer
Owner Abingdon Rare Books
Wed 12 Dec 2012
at 07:39 | Re: Tuesday 24 March, 1925
The Counts mood had become more sombre and he seem to engage less with group as the jumping off time approached. He did listen intently as the last of the plans where gone over fro the last time. these included any slight changes due to the weather conditions.
He stood looking out over the water as people assembled. His rifle was slung over his shoulder and he had made a slight change to his uniform in that he had dulled the mirror shine on his high boots. During the wait Mr Perkins approached the Count and after several minutes they shook hands and the Count clasped his friends shoulder.
With that he was ready to leave. One last thing the Count handed out red and white silk armbands to all taking part in the raid.
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Major Charles Storm
NPC, 64 posts
Major, US Army, Ret.
Former Cavalryman
Wed 12 Dec 2012
at 08:23 | Re: Tuesday 24 March, 1925In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 4):
Accepting an armband with his thanks, Storm was bundled into his army great coat, scarf, gloves and his field cap.
"Thanks, Count! Should help a lot for recognition."
"John-Marc, we should start out soon for the front gates. You want to send up a flare for us to open fire, have us send up a flare to signal you, or we just time the attack for 11 o'clock?"
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John-Marc Falcon
player, 278 posts
Former Flt. Lt., RAF
Aeronautical Pioneer
Mon 17 Dec 2012
at 02:27 | Re: Tuesday 24 March, 1925JM took an armband with a nod of thanks. "The arm bands are a very good idea Count, thank you."
He looked over to Storm. "Move out now and be ready. We'll signal you when you should begin your attack. I'll wait until we are well into the complex before we have you open fire. There is no need to alert them until they are aware of our presence. Then your attack will confuse them and hopefully split their forces."
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The Keeper
GM, 632 posts
Tony Stroppa
Tue 18 Dec 2012
at 12:54 | Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 19259pm
After the sun went down it became overcast, a thick layer of clouds blocking out what little light there was from the stars. There was a smell of rain, but no drops pattered down, yet.
An hour before they went "over the top", they groups split up, carefully getting into position. Storm and his group drove off, intending to park a ways away and then quietly get into position.
The group with the boats loaded up and shoved off into the placid Naze estuary. It was still too cool to hear any insect buzzing or bird chirps until dawn. The experienced river men used dim hooded lamps to guide their way through the gloom. Using a map and compass, Imran and John-Marc successfully navigated the unmarked reaches and branches of the lower Naze. The boats ghosted quietly through the reeds, drawn by strong arms on the oars, coming to a stop at the branch that led to al Misr house about a half-mile away.
Up-branch, they could see the lights of al Misr house reflecting off the water. It was too far away to hear anything but it looked like every light was blazing in the night. There were also torches lit elsewhere on the island, and what looked to be a tremendous bonfire near the obelisk. It was certain that anyone on the island would be quite night-blind if they looked into the blackness of the river during their unholy ritual.
The time by JM's wristwatch (as befitting an aviator) and Imran and the Count's pocket watches read five of ten, almost time to go.
https://maps.google.com/maps/m...p;spn=0.031,0.055189
Keeper's Note: At a half-mile distant, you should be able to row there in about 5-6 minutes. To cut down your final dash you can move a little closer (say a quarter mile) with some risk of being discovered, although it's very slight.
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Cynthia Jane Holloway
player, 298 posts
Dilettante
Globetrotting Free Spirit
Tue 18 Dec 2012
at 16:27 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925Cynthia is staying low in the boat, wrapping herself up in her coat. The men seem to have a strategy, and she trusts them, but nevertheless it seems perhaps a good time for her to rekindle her relationship with God.
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John-Marc Falcon
player, 282 posts
Former Flt. Lt., RAF
Aeronautical Pioneer
Wed 19 Dec 2012
at 06:31 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925JM will suggest the obligatory synchronization of the watches before they go.
He holds up a hand to halt. "Let's stay back and make a dash rather than risk getting spotted."
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Count Sigismund Bathony
player, 272 posts
Antiquarian Book Dealer
Owner Abingdon Rare Books
Wed 19 Dec 2012
at 07:53 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925
The Count riffled in his pocket and produced a small spy glass that he used to examine the fires more closely. He tried to see if the ceremony had started and if any victims were present.
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Molly 'Mungo' Fuller
player, 163 posts
Reporter for the
London Scoop.
Wed 19 Dec 2012
at 14:41 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925Ahhh the stuff that Molly stays awake for at night. The thrill of the adventure, the possibility of a story, the men around with big guns to protect her...can it get better than this? The answer would be...yes. Molly still has to survive in order to write about everything. That being said, Molly stayed down low with her newest bestest friend...her weapon and waited for the guys to tell her to move.
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The Keeper
GM, 635 posts
Tony Stroppa
Thu 20 Dec 2012
at 08:54 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925In reply to Count Sigismund Bathony (msg # 11):
The night was quiet aside from the soft slap of water against the side of the boat. He could hear no sounds. There was some movement near the obelisk, as some torchlight was occluded, and figures were silhouetted by the massive bonfire for an instant. The rest of the night was black as ink.
The hour counted down to ten. A few seconds afterwards, there was a sudden flickering glow somewhere to the southwest, roughly in the direction of the gates. A split second later (due to the distance) a pair of explosions echoed across the water. Boom-booom! It was followed by the stuttering crack of a Lewis gun. The distance seemed about right for a mile distant, in the opinion of the veterans in the crew.
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John-Marc Falcon
player, 283 posts
Former Flt. Lt., RAF
Aeronautical Pioneer
Fri 21 Dec 2012
at 05:39 | Re: Tuesday 24 March - Wednesday 25 March, 1925JM nodded to the boat men. "That's the signal, pull to the island. We need to land and do our thing while the enemy are distracted."
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