Lawrence returns after a short while with some lanterns. “Giles is keeping an eye on your guest upstairs. It is better if the servants do not know about this. Please be careful – this is still my sister!”

You enter the long, narrow tunnel and follow it to a small, naturally-formed cave. An ancient and rusty metal ladder leads to an opening in the roof. “This must lead up to the mausoleum,” whispers Lawrence. There is a deep growl from above.

Gustav leads the climb up the ladder. He manages to enter the dark and icy crypt with a minimum of noise and notices the shadowy figure scratching at the stout wooden door that presumably leads outside. Dermot unfortunately makes a bit more racket as he ascends, and the figure turns around. It has a roughly bipedal stance, with forward slumping and vaguely canine features. The texture of its skin is a kind of unpleasant rubberiness. It is wearing Eloise’s flowery headband.

As it hears Dermot, it gibbers and runs towards Gustav in a blur of movement. Gustav stands his ground, intending to grapple the monster, but it quickly overpowers him and nearly tears him to shreds. He slumps to the ground, bleeding heavily, but still conscious.

"What is going on?" shouts Lawrence in alarm as he hears the sounds above.

Dermot fires three times at the Eloise-thing but misses. It turns to him and swipes at his throat, but he manages to duck below the blow. Rachel climbs up on the ladder and tries to stab the monster with her syringe, but hits the stone floor instead, shattering the needle.


This message was last edited by the GM at 20:13, Wed 24 Oct 2018.

In reply to GM (msg # 101):

Gustav bleeds profusely after a frenzied attack from the beast. Seeing Rachel tries to stab it with no avail, Gustav realised the danger he has put Rachel into, as well as Mr. Murphy. He gathers his remaining wits to keep the pain at bay and clumsily shoots at the creature.

Gustav was able to whisper 'run' before everything goes black.

Gustav manages to fire as he lies bleeding on the ground. One round hits.

The Eloise-thing flinches when the bullet strikes it and it howls mournfully before turning away and loping towards the crypt door at full speed. It reaches the door and crashes right through the thick wooden frame and out to the dark grounds outside!

In reply to GM (msg # 103):

"Gustav, man! Hold it together!"

As Eloise crashes through the portal beyond, Dermot runs up with Art to check on Gustav. Bandages are a great first step, but he's nearly slashed to bits.

"Doctor, he needs a hospital! Hey boyos, help the good doctor here get our man to the car! Take one or two along with ye, doctor."

He pauses to survey the frantic subterranean scene. His eyes alight on young Jonathan, still green and yet to prove his mettle. He allows a flicker of a smirk to play across his face, and with twinkling eyes he says:

"You'll do, lad! Come along, we're off to the hunt! Don't hem and haw, it's time we're off now!"

Before any real protest can be made, Dermot grabs young Jonathan by the collar and hauls him off into the cold winter night, hot on the daemoniac trail of the blasphemous monstrosity which was wrought from the innocent young vessel known in better times as Eloise.

In reply to Dermot Murphy (msg # 104):

Jonathan tried to protest, but was overwhelmed and dragged outside. He looks over to Dermot, "What am I even gonna be able to do here?", he asked.

Yet Jonathan still followed the trail. Something like this caught on camera would be nice to have.

Art reaches into his jacket and pulls out his old Webley MK VI service revolver and nonchalantly tosses it to Jonathan*. “You might need this. Watch out, she’s got a bit of a kick on her.”

He kneels beside Gustav and tuts. “This again? Best get you stitched up toot sweet. Ms. Katz, will you lend me a hand getting him out of here? There’s a hospital in Stockport, that should be the closest. Bromley or Johan, one of you get the car and park it outside. Hurry!”

Lawrence sticks his head up from the ladder and quickly climbs out, gulping as he sees the damage inflicted on Gustav. “My god! I’m so sorry! Eloise did this? And she escaped? She’s probably headed towards the village again. We must catch her and bring her back before she harms anyone else!”

Outside the crypt, Dermot and Jonathan quickly spot hoofed prints in the fresh snow, leading south. It is just possible to make out a dark loping shape in the gloom ahead, some 100 m distant.

*Webley Revolver; uses Firearms (handgun). Basic skill is 20%. Damage 1D10+2. Range 15 yards. Six rounds, can fire three shots per round
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:54, Fri 26 Oct 2018.

In reply to Dr. Arthur Digby (Art) (msg # 106):

Dermot looks at Art's firearm which is identical to his own, and flashes a grim smile.

"Classic choice, doctor! The Brits can do something right every now and again."

Pulling Jonathan along, he follows the peculiar tracks at a distance, keeping the loping form in sight while making no attempt to close the gap.

"Just keep up, and be ready to shoot if anyone so much as sneezes maliciously."

Dermot and Jonathan follow the loping shape from a safe distance, their boots crunching on the white snow, the full moon illuminating the eerie and desolate landscape.

Suddenly, there is an inhuman howl from a small forest nearby, and the Eloise-thing stops dead in her tracks, listening intently. As Dermot and Jonathan watch from a safe distance, two figures emerge from the forest edge. They are of similar form and shape as the Eloise-thing and seem to be beckoning to her. She hesitates, but then changes course, loping towards the shapes and the dark forest.

Back at Plum Castle, Art and Rachel has carefully maneuvered the severely wounded Gustav onto the rear seat and are getting ready to drive off, when Lord Vane suddenly appears at the castle front door, carrying an old shotgun. He is swaying slightly, and his face darkens when he spots the car.

“Where is she?” he shouts angrily. “I’m going to put a stop to this once and for all!”


This message was last edited by the GM at 21:54, Sat 27 Oct 2018.

In reply to GM (msg # 108):

"Lord Vane! Help us!  Our friend needs attention and we are trying to save your daughter!
We must work together man, now pull yourself together!" Johan shouts as moves in front of Lord Van.

In reply to GM (msg # 108):

Seeing the figures as they appear from the shadows, Jonathan stops moving and quietly says the Dermot, "I think we should go back..."

His eyes weren't leaving the sight of the figures; but he slowly starts backing away.

In reply to Jonathan Graham (msg # 110):

"Steady, boy. I'd not like to be slashed bits myself. Mark this spot, we'll return in greater numbers. The townsfolk won't leave such creatures about."

Dermot leads Jonathan away back toward Edale, marching as briskly as the snow will allow.

Johan tries to reason with Lord Vane but the owner of Plum Castle is not ready to listen to reason. His son, Lawrence, also tries to calm his belligerent father but with similar lack of results. Lord Vane shouts at the butler to round up the male servants and arm them. "And release the hounds!", he adds.

“You lot sort this out. I’m taking Gustav to the hospital!” says Art and speeds off in Bromley’s car.

Meanwhile, Dermot and Jonathan carefully skirt around the small grove of trees where Eloise was last seen, and continue on foot to the village of Lesser Edale. It is a cold and dreary Thursday in late January, so most of the villagers are either at home, or at the Laughing Horse.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:47, Mon 29 Oct 2018.

Dermot, no stranger to rabble-rousing, quickly stirs the patrons of the pub into action with his stories of wild beasts. A group of about 15 men assemble near the village center, armed with shotguns and torches. Constable Tumwell tries in vain to stop the gathering but is met with jeers and anger.

“This has been going on too long now, Tumwell. Time to hunt down the killer!” shouts Ned Wallop, one of the locals.

Dermot and Jonathan lead the small group back to the nearby forest, where people form a line and head into the dense foliage of the woods. Ned says that there’s an old cave in there, where a young boy disappeared some 25 years ago. Apparently, the boy was never found but since then people stay away from that area of the woods as it is considered haunted by the ghost of the child.

About 50 meters into the woods, there is a cry of “Over here!” from one of the men. He has spotted what appears to be the entrance to an old lead mine. A sign near the half-rotted wooden door reads; “Entry prohibited. Trespassers will be persecuted to the full extent of the law.”

The sign is marked with the symbol of the City Council of Derby and Derwent Valley.

"Umh, are we supposed't go in there?" asks Ned with a nervous grimace.


This message was last edited by the player at 17:05, Wed 31 Oct 2018.

Back at Plum Castle, another group of armed men have been assembled. One of the gardeners is holding the reins of several large hunting dogs, who are sniffing the air and growling with eagerness.

Lord Vane holds a silken scarf in front of the hounds and they lead the group towards Lesser Edale. In the far distance, there seems to be figures holding torches near a small forest.

Dermot looks at the entrance to the old lead mine. There has been a lot of traffic to and from the mine entrance recently. Muddy prints from hoofed animals can be seen. There's only the sound of dripping water to be heard from inside.

With torches and lanterns lit, the small group enters the mine tunnels. It is freezing cold in here and difficult to breathe. The tunnel roof is held up with rickety scaffolding and smaller side tunnels branch off randomly from the main tunnel. The utter darkness and claustrophobic narrowness quickly take their toll on the villagers, who begin to mutter uneasily about ‘really having to get back to the missus for evening tea’.

Suddenly, there is a scream from the rear of the group. You turn just in time to see the legs of a villager disappearing into a narrow side tunnel, as if he is being dragged. The scream is cut off almost immediately.

In reply to Lord Vane (msg # 114):

Speaking softly to Rachel and Bromley, "We need to keep an eye on Lord Vane, he is man over come by frustration....and maybe some madness, but perhaps we can reach him still.  Regardless, I believe we can do some good by staying by his side."  Johan keeps a close eye and a short distance from Lord Vane searching for his moment to calm the situation.

The villagers start to mill around in panic. One fires his shotgun into a hole in the roof, and Ned Wallop screams in pain as a dark shape suddenly looms up behind him and rakes filthy claws across his back. Torches are dropped, and more dark shapes appear all around. People start to stampede towards the exit, with some of them running the wrong way. There are more screams and then horrible eating sounds…

[Dermot and Jonathan, please roll SAN or lose 1D6 each]


This message was last edited by the GM at 11:59, Fri 02 Nov 2018.

In reply to Johan Braun (msg # 116):

Bromley nods in agreement - If worst comes to worst, he can possibly knock Lord Vane out.

In reply to GM (msg # 115):

As the first man is dragges screaming into the dark, Dermot’s body tenses. He mumbles an agreeing sentiment that he could go for a cuppa just about now. Then, pandemonium as the mob begins a frantic stampede to escape a number of ghoulish forms shrouded in darkness.

"Keep your heads, men! Look alive!"

Reeling from the sudden ghoul ambush, Jonathan is suddenly convinced that his cousin, Emma, is calling to him from one of the side tunnels. How did she get in there? She must know the way out! Despite Dermot’s cry of alarm, the young reporter runs straight into the narrow tunnel. As he approaches the shadowy figure, he realizes that it is not his Emma, but a hideous ghoul. This one seems to have been wounded recently, as there is a bullet wound in its side. Strangely, it does not attack Jonathan, but instead just hisses at him.

In the meantime, the hounds have led the hunting party from Plum Castle straight to the small forest. Screams of terror and shotgun blasts can be heard from a small mine entrance further ahead. A young man crawls out, gibbering about werewolves and demons. He is bleeding from several cuts or slashes to his back and arms.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:41, Fri 02 Nov 2018.

In reply to GM (msg # 120):

As Dermot empties his revolver in the direction of the ghoul blocking his egress, he's startled to hear it utter a curse of pain pain in plain English before skittering away in search of easier prey. His chest twinging in pain, Dermot cries out for Jonathan to head for the exit while it's clear. Not knowing the boy's fate, Dermot's better judgment calls him to run to the mouth of the mine cave, pausing to reload his revolver and to watch and listen for any friend or for leaving the cave.

In reply to Dermot Murphy (msg # 121):

Jonathan heard a familiar voice call out to him through one of the side tunnels. Confused as to why she was here, he turned to where he heard it and started following it. He won't leave his cousin in a place like this.

Outside the mine entrance, Giles the butler (obviously a veteran of the Great War) quickly organizes the men from Plum Castle into small groups and leads the charge into the mine tunnel. The arrival of more combatants seems to discourage the ghouls and they are driven further back into their fetid hideouts, dragging some of the dead villagers with them for later consumption.

Dermot and Jonathan are retrieved from the dank tunnels, bloodied and dazed from the carnage. A ghoul corpse is also recovered, and the men from both the castle and the village study it with horror and revulsion.

“Is this wot attacked our village?” asks one man incredulously. “And there’s more in there?”

He turns respectfully to Lord Vane and doffs his cap. “Sirr, beggin’ yer pardon, but can you protect us from this horror?”

Lord Vane, also shaken from the events, nods. “I will, of course. Giles, find some dynamite! We need to seal off these tunnels!”

As Giles and a few men run off, there is a gasp from one of the villagers. A young woman, naked as the day she was born, stumbles from the tunnel entrance. Lawrence quickly dashes over to her and covers her body with his coat.

As Eloise tries to remain standing, looking at her brother in confusion, Lord Vane hesitantly raises his shotgun towards her, but then lowers it again, tears in his eyes.

He turns to you. “Please help me. I don’t know what to do…”

In reply to GM (msg # 123):

Once Eloise is decent and being lead back to the estate, Bromley calls Lord Vane, Lawrence and his companions over to him for a frank and serious discussion.

"Lord Vane, under normal circumstances I would be hesitant to say what I'm about to say for fear of you thinking me a madman... However, given tonights events I trust you will believe us.

This... curse... upon your family does not look to be an isolated indecent. My companions and I have seen horrors the likes of which are beyond the realm of disbelief. As much as it greatly saddens me to see your family in such a state, I'm afraid we must continue our investigations in London; time is of the essence. It may all be connected, it may not, but I can assure you as a gentleman that any insight into your daughters... condition... that we discover will be yours as much as it is ours.

In the meantime, I suggest you focus on protecting your daughter. I highly recommend that you pay reparations to Edith Stafford; that woman is not the cause of your bane, but she is certainly more than meets the eye. She is as poor as a church mouse so I'm sure a small sum will do. Speaking of churches, the good vicar should also continue his investigation into your family and the potential for a cure."