Play@YSDC

Chapter 1 - The Ahnenerbe
Ahnenerbe Headquarters, Berlin



The hallways rang with footsteps on the marbled floors as clerks and scholars went about their business. It was cool in the vast white-walled building, a pleasant contrast to the stifling August heat of Berlin. The red Nazi party banners hung limp around the walls, in competition for once for attention with the variety of Germanic statuary, Roman busts and Nordic carvings.

Indeed to say that the headquarters of the Germanic Ancestral Heritage Research and Teaching Foundation was impressive was a massive understatement. It was very clear that great energy had gone into ensuring that the importance the Nazi elite placed upon the foundation’s work was clear for all to see.

A classroom had been cleared out and desks arranged for the expedition meeting. As people filled the room gradually the hum gave way to a palpable silence as a large set man stood up and shuffled his notes. “Good afternoon colleagues,” he began in German, “I am so glad to be finally stood here in front of you with clearance for our little adventure to begin! For those I have not yet had the pleasure of meeting personally, let me introduce myself - my name is Professor Albrecht Eichelberger the chief of civilian staff for this expedition!”

He then began to outline the expedition particulars, with emphasis on showing slides of other Ahnenerbe excavations showing suspected Thule sites around the world:



As he finished he looked a little red and embarrassed, “are there any questions my friends?”

OOC - Feel free to make comments, questions or introductions

Paul Eckhart introduces himself. Subconsciously he tilts his head, as if to hide the disfiguring scar on one cheek; the scar--or cut--exposes the teeth and gum.

Professor Eichelberger, gentlemen, I am Professor Paul Eckhart. Botany--especially equatorial forests--is of absolute interest to me. Naturally, this expedition to the Congo is an opportunity which I could not miss in these...er...difficult times.

Professor Eichelberger, how long will the journey through the "jungle" take?

As soon as Professor Eichelberger answers to Eckart, Percy will speak.
- My name is William Percy and I am an archaeologist. Did the first expedition send any information about it's findings? And what proofs you had about this civilization being related with the aryan race?

Eichelberger answered each of the questions in turn pausing for thought between each, "Professor Eckhart, we are glad to have you along your credentials are impressive. We will be penetrating deep into the jungle, I would say that from the staging area in Léopoldville would should expect a 25 day round trip, maybe a month or so in the Jungle."

He then turned to answer Percy, "Good to see your as ready to begin as I am Mr. Percy! Yes the first expedition, headed by the SS had some tantalising evidence from a local guide who led them part way into the jungle. We have secured the service of the same guide to put us on the correct path. We only have this artifact," with that he holds up a small medallion on a chain.



The medallion was about inch across and roughly circular, it appeared to be made of stone with a crude star carving on it. A new leather thong had been attached to a hole at the top. "I have seen this symbol when dealing with ancient sites before and I am convinced it is of Thule origin."

At that point a tall, thin man entered the room and sat down next to Professor Eckhart. The Professor immediately handed him some papers and whispered a few key points from the meeting so far. The tall man began to carefully make notes on a small pad.

Alvaro sitting near the end of the room stands up. All can see his a man of Spanish decent, dark brown sun tan, perfectly shaven with a mustache adorning his lip. He wears a dark green uniform of sort, no decorations or proof of rang, with two belts at his waist and a third over the shoulder as an old fashion Mexican 'guerillero' would have. Black knee high boots that seems way to warm for the season and a pair of well used dark green leather gloves tucked into one of the belts.

'On behalf of the the Spanish people im here to assist in any way i can' 'I have traveled the world and i am a specialist in Jungle warfare, survival and recognizance from my years in the Mexican jungle at the Yucatan peninsula' 'Ill will mainly be the civilians scout, tracker and security' 'dont hesitate in asking for advice' 'Hail Hitler and God bless General Franco!' he salutes as pompous he can thinking to himslef if he was overdoing it... he felt that he had to try to act his pats specially in the start to gain the trust of Professor Eckhart.
'Professor Eckhart tell us please, what kind of dangers can we expect to find, i would need a briefing on this and who is who of the civilians' 'this.. to do my job as good as i can' Alvaro takes a empty chair nearer the rest of the group.

The professor smiles, "I won't worry about the war, we will be many miles from the indelicacies of the Wehrmacht. The troops that are accompanying us are merely to satisfy the SS. I anticipate the normal rigours of the jungle - tropical diseases, biting insects, crocodiles and big cats. We don't expect any trouble from the natives - for years Belgian explorers and our own guide has encountered nothing but friendly, if a little shy, peoples."

OOC - Art is fine, roll away Kabukiman.

A word on colour, can we blue for speech, green for thoughts and red for OOC please, it helps my sanity!

The tall young man looks up at the artifact and makes a quick sketch of it. Then looks around at the faces in the room trying to size up everyone.

It is a pleasure to meet all of you. My name is Armond and I'll be Professor Eckhart's assistant during the expedition. But if any of you need any assistance please don't hesitate to ask.
Armond then turns back to his task of taking notes.

OOC,Is it possible to make a psychology roll to determine if Professor Eichelberger is telling the truth on his true motives? Or if he is thinking something different. Ie. following the slightly embarrassed comment. Is he lying?

Armond OOC,Yes fine to roll psychology.

[/color]

Eichelberger is a tough man to read but I've run into his type before.

OOC,[url=http://invisiblecastle.com/roller/view/3128123/]Psychology roll 1d100 target = 55 (1d100=54)[/url]

Armond OOC,He could see the genuine excitement etched all over the professor's face, it was clear that he was relishing the expedition.

[/color]

Eichelberger: "...maybe a month or so in the Jungle."

Eckhart claps his hands together with glee.

Excellent! Myself, and Armond, will have time--not enough time!--to do research on the jungle's plant life.

Alvaro: "Professor Eckhart tell us please, what kind of dangers can we expect to find, i would need a briefing on this and who is who of the civilians' 'this.. to do my job as good as i can'

He stands and bows.

Signor Uribe, there are so many plants in the Congo a man should avoid! But do not be concerned, I shall be on hand to advise if there are any doubts about the flora.

Armond looks up with a quizzical look on his face as if 2 cogs in his brain just clicked?

Excuse me sir, but you said of Thule origin? I am not as educated as my companions here, but you really expect to find Thule in the heart of the Congo? I have heard Thule is often believed to be North or West of Germany, not South?

Percy looks amazed at the object, he never saw anything like that...
He then answers at Armond question.
-The professor didn't say Thule was in Africa, he said it was related to it. You see, the aryans in historical times moved and conquered very different places: India, Persia, and Europe. So probably in even more ancient times, they had done something similar and that place is a proof of it. Am I correct in my assumption, professor?

Well that does make since thank you Sir. The Congo is a pretty big place, where exactly did you say they found the medallion?

Armond asked.

The professor interjected in the conversation about the Thule, "Indeed our Spanish friend is correct, the Thule were a great people of the past who travelled widely and conquered many of the primitive peoples. If we are to believe the research of Madame Blavatsky in the last century, our great Aryan people came from the a place similar to long lost continent of Atlantis. Our research indicated that the Thule may indeed have had a city in central Africa, a trading hub of sorts."

The professor then launched into a rapid, breathless discourse about the race of 'giant supermen' who lived in Thule, linked into the Cosmos through magical powers. They, he said, had psychic and technological energies far exceeding the technical achievements of the 20th century. The investigators had heard this all before; this knowledge was to be put to use to save the Fatherland and create a new race of Nordic Aryan Atlanteans.

Eichelberger grinned amiably; "Come now sir," he addressed Armond, "what would the military make of me if I were to reveal exact coordinates of our goal. An element of secrecy is necessary," he then winked conspiratorially, "to be honest, I myself am not sure as to the exact location of either this medallion or the missing party. We do, however, have a reliable guide who is on site now waiting for us to arrive. It is, I'm sure you all agree, a tantalising clue however you look at it."

Eichelberger: An element of secrecy is necessary

Quite so.

Prof. Eckhart shuffles the papers before him, and concentrates on aligning the edges.

Armond lowers his eyes.

"Of course sir, just my curiosity getting the better of me. The Congo sounds like such and exciting place, I can't wait to get there."

He then begins to go over the equipment list of what we need to bring.

Alvaro shifts in his seat 'plants can be dangerous yes, but i was thinking on humans, animals and such' 'a few friendly humans and some cats we should be able to handle fine im sure' he shifts again 'im pretty sure we will discover something new' 'wouldnt drag along a army for some cats would you he?!' Alvaro laughs loudly trying to be funny.

"Well I don't know about an army, but we will have a squadron of troopers to accompany us. The SS insist on a certain level of pomp and ostentation in all their proceedings, in some respect the soldiers we are taking with us are simply there to befit a SS officer of that rank. As I said before we don't anticipate danger per se, it is likely that the other team are either hopelessly lost or have succumbed to a tropical disease and are awaiting rescue."

He begins to move towards the door, "if there is nothing else gentlemen, then I will take my leave as I have many things to organise. We leave at the end of the week and a car will be sent for each of you Friday at 5:30am."

OOC - Today is Monday so you have the week for preparation, research, etc... let me know in this thread what your character intents to do and I will write up departure this evening.

After the meeting was over Alvaro stayed lingering and smalltalking for while with the other members of the expedition for some time. After that he would contact the officer in charge of the SS troops to ask for maps over the area they would travel argumenting he would need to prepare as good he could for the expedition on behalf of the civilians. Alvaro had most of the time in Berlin to fight his urge to kill SS soldiers, he stayed at his room the most of the time for that reason, just leaving his room for fetching some small bits of equipment and gather some ammunition.

OOC,[color=#BF0000] The coment about the aryan people being a conqueror was made by Percy, not Alvaro.[/color]

Percy will take just a couple of books. He will take the Vergleichendes Wörterbuch der indogermanischen Sprachen (with vocabulary of what should be the ancient Indo-European language, so if he will found in the city any inscription, it may help him to translate it), and one about egyptian studies. He will take a diary, a pistol with ammo, and a photograph machine.
He will then spend all the time he can trying to understand a bit more of the ancient Indo-european language, and will be some time in the Ahnenerbe library reading about Thule and any other prior findings. In one day he will visit the Neues Museum (collection of egyptian, greek and roman art).
In his last night he will go to a cabaret.

Armond, packs his gear before leaving for the Congo.

He packs a .32 automatic pistol and ammo. He also packs a machete, a belt knife, some rope, a compass, a canteen, mosquito netting, a flashlight, a portable camera, some small clippers for cutting plants, gloves, good light weight clothes for the jungle, any maps I might have of the region, notepad and pencil, and I pick up a book on Botany for Beginners if I can find one. I pack it all in a backpack.