Horror on the Orient Express

A Fourgon ConclusionThe players choose jelly baby homunculi in preparation for the final, dramatic episode of Horror on the Orient Express.Mrs. Sunderland and Mary visit a certain Mr. Shakti who helps them out with their... problems, whilst the Colonel and Amelia say goodbye to old friends. Max goes shopping.The party board a plane piloted by the dashing Max Von Richthofen, and renew an old (and unpleasant) acquaintance. Mrs. Sunderland makes good use of the on-board drinks cabinet. Surprised by a fowl attack at several thousand feet, the plane is forced to make an unusual manoeuvre, and the group soon find themselves once more upon the Orient Express.Peculiar goings-on and a surprise appearance lead to an audience with the Jigsaw Prince. Mrs. Sunderland dabbles in arcane mysteries and our heroes have a final confrontation with two powerful enemies.As the train and the drama hurtle towards their final, desperate conclusion, will the party be in time to save themselves and the world from the darkness and corruption of the terrible Sedefkar Simulacrum?Recorded: Thursday, 17th July 2008This concludes our Horror on the Orient Express adventure. A favourite campaign to play.Don't want to say goodbye just yet? Read the excellent (and free) novelisation of this Actual Play – The Express Diaries, written by Nick Marsh.

Darkest before the DawnOur protagonists, minus one member, accompany Aktar on a stealthy trip into the Shunned Mosque. Aktar has time to regret his choice of companions on a short trip in a rowing boat.Within the bowels of the Mosque, Mary further hones her skills with a sub-machine gun, whilst the Colonel displays the somewhat surprising ninja prowess of a one-eyed geriatric with a gammy leg. After a brief perusal of mysterious potions, the group are soon cunningly disguised amongst many cultists, and are once more betrayed and captured.Our heroes witness the return of Makryat and the loss of the Simulacrum before they are re-united with a more-or-less complete old friend, and a much-less-complete even older one.Despite Max's best efforts, our heroes are subjected to a long monologue as Makryat gloats at them in their cell, and they learn something of the dreadful fate that awaits them.Events prove that it is always darkest before the dawn, however, and soon the party is once more contemplating a journey across Europe...We also learn something of the Professor's taste in women (blue veined, mature, with a waxy coating).Recorded: Thursday, 19th June 2008

Head GamesThe episode starts in a familiar fashion – the party are graverobbing. They encounter the insane Companion of the Dead, who soon learns to regret sneaking up on the Colonel.Within the grave of Garaznet our heroes discover a shocking sight, and soon find themselves betrayed, and held captive in a most unpleasant fashion by the Brothers of the Skin. In a fit of panic, Mrs. Sunderland reveals all. Help comes from an unexpected quarter, and the party flee to the Bosphorus, where they suffer a delayed reaction to the horrors they have just experienced.Mrs. Sunderland shows her true feelings towards an old friend, whom no one else can see, whilst Mary Dawson becomes extremely tongue-tied. The now-rather-unstable group encounter Aktar, who has seen first-hand the terrible truth of the Brothers of the Skin, and agrees to help them enter the Shunned Mosque.Recorded: Thursday, 5th June 2008

Blood, Sweat & TearsAfter dinner, the party actually decide to follow up on a side-plot, though there is a brief pause whilst a broken Helen repairs herself. Max and Mary head to the library together to investigate "Garaznet: the thief" amongst the narrow and cozy stacks, whilst the other members of the group pay a visit to Sir Douglas Rutherford, the British ambassador, and learn of the disappearance of his son, James.The staff of the embassy are gathered in the garden for questioning, and shocking events follow (the Colonel's seen worse in the war, mind you!).Following a suggestion from the ambassador, the group decide to head to the baths to meet with the unfortunately (though accurately) named Beylab the Perspirer. The meeting is informative but soon takes a horrific turn and our heroes make a rapid exit from the bath house (some without even wearing towels!).We also enjoy discussion of the excellence of German tentacles, and learn why Paul now wields ultimate authoritaaah as a Keeper. Discussions include the love glove, and the best way to conceal weaponry in a bath house.Recorded: Thursday, 22nd May 2008

Keeping it in the FamilyThe remaining party members further discuss Mrs. Sunderland's recent alliances. Col. Goodenough is less than happy. The Orient Express pulls in to Constantinople, and the group experiences grievous trouble at the station, further confirming the Colonel's opinion of foreigners.Two old friends await them in Constantinople – Amelia Scott, cousin of Violet's husband and (much to Col. Goodenough's displeasure) a modern woman, and Dr. Maximillian Calibré, fedora-wearing American archaeologist (whose resemblance to any person living or dead is entirely coincidental).We get to know our new party members as the group checks into the Moulin d'Orange Grand. With their missing property returned, the party is now in possession of the complete Sedefkar Simulacrum.Our heroes decide to drown their recent sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol, and old "hollow-legs" Calibré finds his fabled drinking skills desert him when he needs them most.The next morning in the market, the party acquire a new ally, Feyar, thanks to the Colonel's stick, and head to the University library. Research there leads them to the famous Topkapi palace museum, where Amelia's silver tongue gains them access to the Sedefkar Scrolls, and a surprise that no one sees coming...Recorded: Thursday, 1st May 2008

FenalikMary reveals her secret to Milos, who secures her new official papers with some well-judged words, and lots of money. Violet goes shopping for drugs.The party discusses what to do with the portions of the simulacrum, and a decision is reached. Re-boarding the Orient Express, the group head towards their final destination: Constantinople.They are not fated to reach it without incident, however. Whilst renewing their acquaintance with the good Dr. Gaspari over an evening meal, tragedy strikes. A terrible battle follows leading to an unskilled but effective use of a machine gun. Mrs. Sunderland is forced to perform an unpleasant task.The party barricade themselves within Mrs. Sunderland's cabin, unfortunately leaving some passengers to meet their end at the hands of their frightful nemesis. Mrs. Sunderland reveals some of her recent activities, and calls on the help of a powerful ally, to no avail. An idea by the Colonel and herbal delivery lead to a sanity-shaking melee in the corridor.Recorded: Friday, 18th April 2008

ChangesSofia, 1925. Milos suffers an unfortunate mustard-gas relapse and returns to the hotel, whilst Violet becomes increasingly reliant on her all-too-regular morphine doses. Whilst the other (relatively) healthy members of the party visit the library, Violet keeps her cravings at bay by shopping for hats.The Colonel, prompted by his visions and certain discoveries at the library, suggests a trip to the local caves, and is frustrated when his suggestion is not received enthusiastically by the younger party members. Whilst the rest of the group return to the Moulin de Violet, Colonel Goodenough persuades a local boatman to take him up the river where he happens upon a scene of terrible carnage, and recovers something that he thought was lost for good.He fails to find the object of his quest, however, and rejoins the rest of the party at the hotel. Later that evening, Mrs. Sunderland also unexpectedly recovers something long-lost, as an old friend steps out of the past and into her bedroom.The evening's surprises are not yet exhausted, however, as in an adjoining room Violet gains a new perspective on her recent misfortune, and in still another room Grace embraces her newly-acquired sorcerous power.The following morning, a woman no-one has laid eyes on before enters the Moulin de Violet with a recommendation from Milos, and thus Mary Dawson joins the party as Mrs. Sunderland's new PA. She immediately ingratiates herself by skilfully (if mysteriously) making a cup of tea just the way Mrs. Sunderland likes it.The reinvigorated party follow the Colonel's lead to the mysterious cave he discovered the previous evening. Whilst the rest of the party discuss porridge, Col. Goodenough re-enters the cave, but discovers nothing more.Recorded: Thursday, 27th March 2008

Paranoia, and the Eyes have itSofia, 1925. Col. Goodenough proves to be a less-than-ideal patient as most of our heroes experience the delights of Sofia from a hospital bed. Violet receives some bad news from the resident doctor, whilst Grace ponders her newly-acquired arcane knowledge.Milos awakens from his coma, and fuels suspicions amongst the younger party members about Mrs. Sunderland. A week passes, during which the Col. Experiences an intensification of his disturbing visions (although he did, of course, see worse in the War).Upon their release, the group discuss their next plan. An attempt to destroy the simulacrum is made, with surprising consequences, prompting the party to merely place the baleful artefact in a safe place.Our heroes pay a visit to the University of Sofia in an attempt to recover the Head, but instead make a grisly discovery. Milos's first aid technique leaves something to be desired, but he realises that every cloud has a silver lining, and takes the opportunity to perform a grim harvest for Grace's benefit...Recorded: Thursday, 13th March 2008

An Eye for an EyeSerbia, 1925. The Orient Express is delayed by snow en route to Sofia. Our heroes, by now desperate for medical attention, find an ally in Dr. Gaspari, a fellow passenger. His skill in medicine (and his readiness to use large doses of morphine) has people feeling better in record time, and soon the group settle down to play a few hands of bridge with their new companion.Unbeknownst to most of the rest of the party, Mrs. Sunderland takes the opportunity to contact an old adversary once more, but his response is less...visceral than previously. After winning handily at bridge, the Colonel is accosted by a supposed member of the otherwise impeccable Orient Express staff. A brief scuffle ensues, after which the Colonel finds that he finally has something in common with Milos (although he probably wishes that he didn't).Violet discovers an important clue to the Simulacrum in a local newspaper, whilst the Colonel experiences some unsettling visions as the Orient Express continues on its journey to Sofia.Upon arrival, Mrs. Sunderland checks into the Moulin de Violet, whilst the rest of the party check into the local hospital.We also learn something of the joys of combining cheese and cake.Recorded: Thursday, 28th February 2008

Saint Valentine's Day Massacre?Yugoslavia, 1925. The party stay overnight in Oraszac. After breakfast, the Colonel receives a present and an awkward social situation from a new friend. After a discussion of dressings and dressing changes, the party is ready to go into the woods today, searching for the right arm of the Simulacrum.Deep in the woods the group find a strange hut, wherein the Colonel expresses a previously unmentioned interest in tapestries. Milos displays his pulling power when he finds the item that the party seek, but the party's triumph rapidly turns to horror when the inhabitants of the hut display their true nature.Fleeing the scene, the Colonel's present only adds to our heroes troubles, and Violet is forced to face up to some unpleasantness.Further tragedy awaits them upon their return to Oraszac, and they seek sanctuary in the church of Father Filopovic.The following morning finds our group safe, if not necessarily sound, on board the Orient Express once more, bound for Sofia. Pursuit is never far behind but a ribbon of iron proves the group's salvation, and Grace is finally free to complete her studies into arcane knowledge, learning the dark secrets and the terrible price of the mysterious Body Warping of Gorgoroth...Recorded: Thursday, 14th February 2008