Eloise smiles timidly at Rachel and glances at her chaperone, who has planted herself in a nearby chair to keep a close eye on her young charge.

“There is not much to tell, Ms. Katz. I grew up here and have been tutored in arts and music. One day, I hope to travel and see more of the world. Are you really from the Americas? Oh, it must be frightfully interesting! Perhaps Papa might let me visit there soon.”

She speaks of the beautiful countryside around the area and the history of the castle, and how she loves to stroll through the flower gardens on fair afternoons. She seems to be a sweet girl, soft-spoken and thoughtful, but terribly distracted. Occasionally she trails off and appears lost in thought.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 16:35, Tue 02 Oct 2018.

In reply to Eloise Vane (msg # 49):

"If you do, you must stay with me-- I'll show you around!" Rachel offered, smiling at the girl.

"Oh, it is quite interesting-- you won't believe have the stories I could tell you. Does your father let you out much? Perhaps London, sometimes?"

In reply to Eloise Vane (msg # 46):

Gustav eagerly takes the cigar and finds a comfortaboe chair to sit on

"Lord Vane, I would again like to express my sincerest gratitude for opening your lovely mansion to us and for the hospitality."

Gustav takes a swig at his brandy and tries to enjoy every taste of it. When everyone is visibly comfortable on their chairs, Gustav looks into Mr. Murphy then to Lord Vane.

"Lord Vane, I've heard from the constable around here that there have been incidents that had happened in these parts. You see, I am a police detective in New York and these kinds of mysteries facinates me."

"Something about giant dogs attacking villegers and such."
This message was last edited by the player at 17:18, Tue 02 Oct 2018.

In reply to Rachel Katz (msg # 50):

Eloise smiles wistfully. "I have been to London a few times. Oh, it's so grand and beautiful! But Papa thinks that I would be safer here at Plum Castle. Especially since..."

She trails off, looking worried and almost ready to burst into tears. Her chaperone rushes to her side and positions herself between Rachel and Eloise. "There there, Miss Vane," she coos. "I think that's enough chit-chat for now. Let's get you to your room."

In reply to Gustav Schmidt (msg # 51):

Lord Vane's face darkens at this question. He turns to the vicar. "Jeremy! What is the meaning of this? Why have you brought a policeman here?" He stands abruptly and scowls at you all. "This dinner is over. You may leave now!"
This message was last edited by the player at 14:25, Mon 08 Oct 2018.

After Lord Vane storms out, Lawrence shakes his head sadly. "Apologies for my father's temper. I would like a word with you before you leave".

In reply to Eloise Vane (msg # 52):

"Ah, are you alright, dear?" Rachel asks reaching out to pat Eloise's arm but her chaperone suddenly imposes herself between them.

"Oh, she's not a five year old, stop smothering her," Rachel muttered lightly as she glanced at Eloise in concern. Standing up, Rachel side steps the chaperone and hands Eloise her card.

"Whatever it is, Miss Vane, should you be in need of any help, you may contact me." Rachel says.

In reply to Rachel Katz (msg # 55):

Eloise takes the card despite the glare of the chaperone. "Thank you, Rachel," she smiles weakly. "And please give my regards to Mr. Graham and your friends."

The chaperone guides the young woman out of the room. Shortly after, the door to the dining room opens and Lord Vane stomps angrily through the room to the Great Hall, barely glancing at Rachel.

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 54):

"And I apologise if your family think us deceitful - It was not our attention at all  - Of course, please speak freely"

Lawrence nods nervously at Bromley and pours himself a large brandy. “It sounds so insane when I say it out loud, but I do believe my dear sister is cursed!”

He gulps down the brandy and lights a cigar. “Three months ago, Eloise turned 21. She went missing on the night of the full moon, and we found her back in her room, naked, torn and bloody. We assumed she had been sleep-walking and gotten lost on the moors. But the next day, she went missing again, and we heard of the terrible murders in the village!”

He goes on to explain that the Vanes haven’t had a daughter for many generations, but have vaguely known of the family curse, dismissing it as an old family legend. He went looking through the family archives and found ancient records claiming that his forebears once practiced devil worship and were dedicated to a blasphemous idol, named as “Mordee-ganee.” The accounts say that the family called upon the idol to satiate their foul desires, and suggests that charnel rites and cannibalism took place. He could find no other evidence to corroborate the outlandish claims, but states that such blasphemy could be at the root of the diabolical curse plaguing the Vane bloodline. Apparently, the Vanes had simply locked up the women during the full moon, or in some cases, they had slain any female babies outright to avoid the curse.

Since that first event, Lawrence and Lord Vane would sedate Eloise, and after she fell asleep, they would carry her down to the castle dungeons and lock her up during the full moon. Once locked in, Lord Vane and his son generally sit in the study, smoking cigars and drinking brandy while they wait out the nightly ordeal. As dawn breaks, the men would return to the dungeon and wait, if necessary, for Eloise to return to humanity. They then carry the exhausted Eloise back to her bed, where she awakens later, none the wiser. It is Eloise’s cries and howls from the depths of the dungeon that the villagers sometimes hear. Only Lord Vane and Lawrence know about this, although Lawrence suspects that Reverend Stratton might also have his suspicions.

At this remark, the vicar nods sadly. “Indeed, my Lord,” he replies. “When these good people arrived at my church, I took it as a sign from above, and brought them here to help.”

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 58):

Crossing himself, Dermot wonders aloud. "Devil's business, the lot of it. I need a rest."

For the first time in a long time, Dermot Murphy stops to consider all that's happened since the group banded together for that fateful Lima expedition. He wears a somber and even sullen expression as the magnitude of strange occurrences mount up in his mind. He takes the brandy after the younger Vane and helps himself. Quaffing half of his new double serving, he poses the obvious question to the party.

"I don't suppose we've found any scraps of legend on how to reverse this condition? Reverend, have ye found any other lore? Young Lord Vane?"
This message was last edited by the player at 21:42, Mon 08 Oct 2018.

"None," replies Lawrence. "I have scoured the castle library but to no avail. My father would be horrified and disgraced if this came out. He could even lose his peerage."

His shoulders slump and he pours another brandy. "I don't know what to do. Last month, Eloise took much longer to return to her true form. I fear that the curse will soon transform her into a beast permanently!"

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 60):

Giving Lawrence a sober look Bromley admits that, while it does sound insane, it's not too much of a stretch to what he and his companions have seen.

"If Elias was here, he'd know what to do... Reverend, you are a man of letters and appear to have some familiarity with this - Can you shed any light?"

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 60):

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 60):

Johan pauses and searches his mental knowledge of such manners, but painfully can not think of a solution. "We may not have answers at this moment but if we could search your archives in some manner perhaps we could come to a solution...at least maybe something to slow the tide, if not stop it."

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 60):

Gustav turned a little ashen at the tale of Lawrence, nevertheless was able to recover and met the man eye to eye.

"I... Perfectly understand your predicament Lawrence. We shall do our best to provide assistance on this matter. I know the situation is grave and from the sound of it, the matter will only exacerbate as the days goes by. I do sincerely hope you can explain to your father that we are here, with the upmost of purest intention, only to help. I know how excruciating this is to your whole family, specially to dear Eloise who has to endure it all."

Gustav turns to the Rev. Straton and ask. "Do you have tomes or knowledge on how to reverse these kind of curse? a ritual? an incantation, anything?"

In reply to Gustav Schmidt (msg # 63):

While listening to the discussion, Bromley zones out; He's heard a story like this before - Yes, yes he had! One of the stablehands on the estate used to tell them stories of curses and transformations when he was a boy. The children had laughed it off as superstition but given the horrors he has seen, he isn't willing to dismiss anything.

Replying to Gustav's question to Rev. Straton Bromley bleakly says: "No... No there isn't... There are tales of English families offering their dead to a deity called Mordiggian... These rights involved cannibalism and all manner of other blasphemies. This resulted in a taint in the bloodline - Said to be stronger in females, but not undead of in men... These cursed children were called 'Blood daughters' and by the time they reached adulthood would turn entirely into their ghoulish form."

He continues: "Ghouls appear like humans, but with canine features and claws. Just like Lawrence has said... They're said to be common around catacombs and other places with underground system... *He pauses to shudder at the though of beats roaming under the streets of London*... They're said to have commerce with witches and those seeking unspeakable pleasures, although by the sounds of it, your sister is more likely to attack..."

"Tell me Lawrence, what became of your mother?"

In reply to Rachel Katz (msg # 55):

As Rachel headed out of the other room, she raised an eyebrow, seeing the Lord Vane stomp off in such a fury. Propriety be damned, she slipped through the room he had just exited. As she neared the door, she caught snippets of the conversation.

"What in good god's name happened to him--" Rachel asked, cutting herself short when she spotted Lawrence.

"Curses?" Rachel said instead, raising an eyebrow at the rest skeptically.

In reply to Rachel Katz (msg # 65):

Gustav turned his attention on Ms. Katz and replied, "You better take a seat" then proceeded to retell to her what was discussed about the curse surrounding the Vane Family and thoughts on how to help them remove the curse.

Turning back to Lawrence, Gustav added, "There's a full moon out tomorrow night..."

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 58):

"Of course the women had to be cursed," Rachel muttered, shaking her head, appalled at the story. Annoyed, she turned to Lawrence.

"What about your father? Do you suspect he's locked away any written evidence of this curse?"

"The dungeons?! Good god--and then, once Elaine is locked up," Rachel spat out with emphasis on the final phrase, regarding Lawrence with pure venom, "Have you seen what becomes of her? Or have you been too cowardly to check?"

"Tell me Lawrence, what became of your mother?", asks Bromley.

“She died giving birth to Eloise. She now rests in the family mausoleum,” replies Lawrence.

As Rachel listens to the description of events, she grows increasingly angry. Lawrence blanches under her verbal attack and the vicar crosses himself.

“My father left it to me to find a solution to this, I’m afraid.” says Lawrence. “He is highly concerned what would happen to the Vane family name if it is discovered that the killer can be traced to Plum Castle. I’m not sure how far he would go to protect his honour. And yes, we’ve both seen Eloise turn into the beast with our very own eyes. The stuff of nightmares, so it is!”

“I would normally let you look through our library, of course, but I fear that my father would be angry. Police detectives and reporters in our house… “, he shakes his head.

With a low voice he leans forward to you. “I fear what he will do if Eloise continues like this. One morning he said how much easier it would be to just get his shotgun and put her out of her misery!”

In reply to Lawrence Vane (msg # 68):

"Lawrence, is yer Ol Fella prone to drink heavily? Perhaps if ye helped him get ossified and retire early, we could have a glance with none the wiser. Just an idea. I'd hate to see the end of such a fine young lass as yer sister."

In reply to Dermot Murphy (msg # 69):

"My father does enjoy a snifter or two of brandy," replies Lawrence. "But I suspect he is in his room upstairs at the moment. Come to think of it, there shouldn't be any hindrance to you having a look in the library. It is just across the Great Hall from here. I will come with you. I want to help my sister, no matter what my father thinks of our precious 'reputation!"

He leads you out of the dining hall to the Library. High-backed leather chairs and occasional tables litter the floor space, while large potted plants compete for light. The library boasts a fine collection of classics, world maps (mainly featuring British territories), and encyclopedias.

[You can try a Library Use skill here]


This message was last edited by the player at 02:15, Thu 11 Oct 2018.

Dermot finds an old tome called The Ghoul's Manuscript, where he discovers the following information:

. . . A colossal shadow appeared that was not wrought by anything in the room. It filled the portals from side to side, it towered above the lintel – and then, swiftly, it became more than a shadow: it was a bulk of darkness, black and opaque, that somehow blinded the eyes with a strange dazzlement. It seemed to suck the flame from the red urns and fill the chamber with a chill of utter death and voidness. Its form was that of a worm-shapen column, huge as a dragon, its further coils still issuing from the gloom of the corridor; but it changed from moment to moment, swirling and spinning as if alive with the vortical energies of dark aeons. Briefly it took the semblance of some demoniac giant with eyeless head and limbless body; and then, leaping and spreading like smoky fire, it swept into the chamber.

Mordiggian is the Great Ghoul. When he appears, all fire and heat is sucked into his swirling void-like body, instantly lowering the temperature by many degrees, and filling the area with a deathly cold and still air. All within the presence of the Great Ghoul are blinded by the weird changing and dazzling form of the necromantic god. Mordiggian attacks by engulfing victims, sucking away their life force, and dissolving their bodies. Nothing remains of the Charnel God's prey, and they are never seen again in the waking world or in the Dreamlands. However, Mordiggian does not appear to be especially malevolent and has been known to spare those who have not personally offended him or his followers (the ghouls); when a trio of Necromancers sneaked into the temple, the wizards were torn apart by the Ghoul priests, while Phariom and his newly revived wife were spared at Mordiggian's bidding. As one of the Necromancers said "Mordiggian's Wrath, though rarely loosed, is more terrible than any other deity. And it should not be thought by wise men to break into his sacred house." So while Mordiggian is attributed with immense powers of destruction, he is apparently a calm and benign deity.

Mordiggian's Priesthood consists exclusively of ghouls, though other races may offer up their dead to the Charnel God, but only as appeasement and not as actual worship, though some citizens of Zul-Bha-Sair, believed fully in him. The ghoul priests of Mordiggian cover themselves in long hooded robes of funeral-purple and silver skull-like masks. Although Mordiggian dwells within the Dreamlands, he is capable of entering the waking world, using the same grave-tunnels and tombs as his ghoul followers. It is likely that Mordiggian has some relationship with the waking lands. Proof of this is demonstrated by his worship in the city of Zul-Bha-Sair on the continent of Zothique in the distant future. There he is the only god since "from years that are lost to man's memory", and all who die in the city are offered to him as provender.

A different name for Mordiggian is Morddoth, mentioned as the dark god of the ghouls revered in the Valley of Hadoth by the Nile, in the ancient land of Altuas and in a time-lost continent likely matching with Zothique. So does the appearance fit with Mordiggian's one.

In reply to GM (msg # 71):

Thumbing an old volume Bromley stumbles upon some shocking information... He immediately breaks into a cold sweat and goes pale.

"Father, a word if you wouldn't mind..."

Leading Reverend Stratton away, Bromley shows him what he has found - A small passage that contains the following information: the way to lift a blood curse is by ending the bloodline of the person who put the curse on the victim.

"I've never been much of a godly man, Father, and I fear the things I have seen have shaken what little faith I ever had... Still, what do you make of this? We may be an odd bunch, but I don't believe us capable of murder  - Even for the great good"

Reverend Stratton reads the passage and frowns. "Shocking, I must say! I do know that the Stafford family lived around these parts for many years. If there are still living descendants of Annie Stafford, the church books would probably tell us. But such an evil act would surely doom the killer to eternal hell!"