Episode One - New Faces.

[Priest]

A taper is duly retrieved from a drawer in the table and lit from a candle, Helena hands it to Clarence.
Jacques having finished his meal, wiping the last remnants of gravy from his plate with a large slab of bread, picks up his glass and raises it in a toast, “Salute mes amis,vive la France and death to the boshe”

“Now down to business”

OOC:   During the next couple of hours Jacques will suggest the following; The next step is for all of you to reinforce your cover identities. The authorities check the most recent employer when doing routine background checks. So, you need to have an employment history in France. The biggest employer in Saint-Cerneuf is the Decharette copper mine, and they are always looking for labourers. He suggests that a couple of you should get work there – or at least pretend to. Helene’s brother Louis is the chief clerk at the mine, and it has already been arranged for an Engineer from Norway to arrive in a day or so. He can arrange for the false papers, in the name of Ingmar Pederson an engineer from Trondheim. One or two can stay and work on the farm, but too many labourers here would be suspicious. Of course there are other employment opportunities in Saint-Cerneuf, the hotel may have positions or the restaurant. Of course there is always the café, the owner, Mathieu Laurent, is always on the lookout for entertainers, especially if they are cheap. You should “arrive” in town over the next week, find employment, and set themselves up in Saint-Cerneuf. There are always rooms vacant at the hotel, or perhaps you can find somewhere else to rent. Once you have established themselves and they are sure they are not under suspicion, they can get down to work. Of course you have all been issued with the necessary papers by London to provide a cover story for yourselves and your appearance in Saint-Cerneuf. What these are is for you to decide, be aware though claims of relatives in the immediate area will be difficult to prove Saint-Cerneuf is a fairly close community everyone knows everyone, for Finn obviously the cover as Ingmar Pedersson is ready to be activated, simply embellish the details. Oh, and everyone has no difficulty with the language. Of course Finn as a Norwegian Gastarbeiter has no need to worry too much about his command of French

The evening is jolly, the war almost forgotten, the Martins prove to be excellent hosts. Even the brooding presence of the scarred and sullen Bertin Beliac fades, he seems most at home staring out the kitchen window into the darkness on watch against suprises.

OOC:   The floor is open, questions folks?

[DrPeterson]

Maria Vega

Fate Points: O O O

Maria seemed to be enjoying herself, the atmosphere of the gathering of partisans suiting her and reminding her of days long gone. She drank, ate and smoked, enjoying the benefits of a warm house and good company. She flirted, with everyone and with Louis in particular and always made a point of it to compliment her hosts on their hospitality.

Her covert identity was that of Marie Vaiges, a French teacher who fled from Lille after the invasion and who has been trying to make her way to her home town of Toulouse, working odd jobs on the way South.

"Is there a military presence in town? Police? Militants? And who is working against us?", she asked, pleasantly touched by the wine, but still sharp.

[Mr. Handy]

Monique Deveraux XXX

"I shall be Julie Dupont," says Monique, "an entertainer from Paris." She had lived there long enough during her stage career to be able to affect a Paris accent and had plenty of local knowledge to enable her cover to stand up to scrutiny, plus it had such a high population that being from Paris was a good form of anonymity. "I'm talented enough that I should have no problem finding work at the café." She had been in more than a few musical productions, and she could sing and dance with the best of them. "I'll be on my way to Marseilles, and from there by ship to Casablanca. However, my money was stolen during my journey, so I cannot afford passage and need to work until I earn enough. I'll be a widow whose husband had been a sailor in the French Navy who was killed when the British sunk the French Fleet at Mers El Kébir last year." That would help establish her cover identity's bona fides in the eyes of the authorities, as she'd have a reason to dislike the British, and it would also explain her wedding ring in spite of the fact that she's on her own. While she could have removed it, the tan line would not be easily concealed. "I speak French fluently and can make a good impression on people, so perhaps I should be the first to arrive."

[aine]

OOC,Sorry, I don't know how the situation would be in unoccupied France. Would there be Germans about? Could Clarence be a German antiquarian investigating the monastery for the SS or similar group? (As he fluent in German, the SOE could have given him a German identity) or should he be a Frenchman?

[ghill]

Robert Owen 3

Given the choice I'd rather stay out of the town and on the farm, there is work to be done identifying drop zones and landing strips and I'd be better off working on the farm as a labourer or something Says Robert

[Supercape]

Finn Kagge XXX

Finn felt pretty drunk, but on the whole he was used to feeling pretty drunk, He scratched his stubble and yawned. "My speak French and German more bad than my speak English" he explained. "But it well get me through well enough, I think" he told himself, confidently.

"I'll be Ingmar. Ingmar Pederson. I know a little machines, I am good with my hands" he said, clenching his iron fists. "Cannot be so hard to be an engineer. It's all about knowing machines at the day's end. Not about how many books you have reading" he said, determined to pull it off.

He stifled another yawn, feeling sleepy from the wine, pondering his identity, and grew grim. "Pfah!" he spat. "I know some Norwegians who welcomed the Nazi. Traitors and bastards, all. But there are some...and I shall be one. Nazi sympathiser. Exterminate the Jew, master race, all that. Yes. I come to help the Nazi war machine..."

[Priest]

In answer to Maria’s questions, Jacques thinks for a moment then begins. The following is a condensed version of what he says;

The town of Saint-Cerneuf is fairly quiet and more or less left alone, as befits its position within the Free France state. However it is close enough to the border to have frequent visits by German troops, usualy on furloughs but mostly on convoys moving ore from the mine to the railway at Limoges For shipment on to Germany. As far as authorities within the town, there are two Gendarmes, but only one of them is a threat, Henri Jourdan, the other Michelle Bouchard is the senior officer but spends most of his time asleep in the station, while Jourdan does most of the work. Jourdan is a great admirer of the fascists, or was until his girlfriend, Emilie Regnier, took up with one of the German Officers from the nearby garrison at Sainte-Mansac. Now he’s not quite as keen on the Nazis, however he is one of those dangerous individuals who is utterly incorruptible and diligently carries out his responsibilities. As such he is the partisan’s number one enemy as he seems to take their existence and activities personal.

As far as the occupiers are concerned, they seem quite happy to let the Saint-Cerneuf authorities police themselves, as long as doing so does not interfere with their agenda. Just over the border in the occupied zone, there are several detachments of German troops, one of which is SS. So far there has been little contact between these troops and the citizens of the town, however their presence is a warning to the town’s folk as to what they can expect if they step out of line.

As to who is working against us, apart from the Gendarme Jourdan, there are many eyes within the town watching for tit-bits to rush to the authorities with in hope of reward. It is common knowledge that the Germans, in particular Kriminalkommisar Wolfhelm Lucht local Gestapo, pay handsomely for information. So trust no one, except us of course.

To Monique, he nods, “Welcome then Madame Dupont, tomorrow Bertin will take the cart to town. He will drop you off a few kilometres outside the town on the Limoges road. From there it is better if you make your own way”

To Robert, "You are welcome to stay with us here" he thinks for a while, "You will be a distant cousin from Grenoble way, come to help out on the farm."

To Finn "Oui mon ami, vive la Nationale socialistes...mort aux les Jew pigs" he laughs alou then his face takes a more serious cast, "Okay Ingmar Pederson, tomorrow Louis will take you to the mine and introduce you"

“If anyone else would like a lift to town Bertin can take you and drop you off at intervals so you do not all arrive at once. In the barn you will find two bicycles that we borrowed from somewhere far away, they are serviceable and you may use them if you desire”

OOC:   So Robert is staying here, Monique is off to town, Finn is about to become a mining engineer, how about the rest of you? Now if anyone else needs to ask questions please do

Clarence,France had capitulated to the Germans in June 1940. Under the terms of surrender a section of France (shown on the map in the handouts) was declared a Free Zone with its capital in Vichy. As a result this area became known as Vichy France and existed until November 1942 when it was engulfed by the Germans following the allied landings in North Africa. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vichy_France) You can have an identity as a German antiquarian if wish but you need to be careful as Himmler had experts combing every part of occupied Europe searching for ‘occult’ artefacts and so it’s possible that the story of the Abbey may already have drawn one of Himmler’s experts especially under the auspices of the SS or Gestapo and may require some quick thinking. However I leave it to you to come up with a cover story.

[DrPeterson]

Maria Vega

Fate Points: O O O

"I will take one of the bicycles, and try to find some work in either the hotel or the restaurant. Maybe we should hear around a bit and then meet up again in a few days?"

[Mr. Handy]

Monique Deveraux XXX

"That only leaves one more bicycle," says Monique. "Does anyone else need it more than I do? It doesn't make sense for my cover of being a traveler if I don't have one, unless that got stolen too. It wouldn't do for me to pretend to be hitchhiking, what with petrol being rationed severely."

[aine]

Clarence xxx

Clarence has been fishing in his pocket and reading some papers. "I'm a German born historian. Herr Kuhlbert Hase, I've lived in Luxembourg for many years but my antique book shop burnt down earlier this year. My French wife and children died in the fire. I am convalescing after a nervous breakdown and have decided to write a historical book. I'll be staying at the hotel and doing research around the monastery. As soon as I am better I'll be signing up as a journalist for one of the national papers." He frowns and then smiles. "Ich möchte lieber, dass als zu arbeiten hinunter eine Mine!" He says with a perfect German accent, rather surprising for such an English fellow. "I"ll take the cart, I've never been in one before!"

ooc,Once we leave the barn, do we assume everyone is speaking French unless indicated otherwise? Or how should we play it? I dread to think how Google translate has mangled the German above.

[Priest]

You eat, you drink, you smoke, laugh, all in all the evening makes the dark clouds that have fallen across most of Europe lift a little. The Martin's are excellent hosts and amongst all the lighthearted chatter the threat of the Nazis seems far away, however, all things must come to a close and a sharp knocking at the door focuses everyones attention.

Jacques rises from his seat and moves to the door, you note that Bertin moves to a position were he cannot be seen by anyone entering the kitchen and produces a wicked looking knife, its blade some ten inches of well oiled death.

Jacques opens the door and waves a hand behind him to signify no danger. For a few moments he converses with the visitor. From the agitated hand gestures it seems that, despite the subdued manner of the conversation, Jacques is far from happy with what he is discussing.

Meanwhile the door to the stairs opens and a young looking fellow enters the room.

Thibault,Please introduce Thibault Delacroix to the others. You were dropped into France a few days before with instructions to contact the local resistance await the team being sent from England and provide assisstance.

Clarence,"Once we leave the barn, do we assume everyone is speaking French unless indicated otherwise?" Yes everyone is speaking French, if you want to speak German, just stick German in brackets next to your speech.

[Mr. Handy]

Monique Deveraux XXX

"What is wrong?" asks Monique, picking up on the unspoken anxiety in the room.

[Priest]

Jacques glances back over his shoulder to Monique, "Nothing. Nothing to concern you".
However from your position at the table you can see Jacues involved in a heated debate with one of the partisans who had met you at the drop site, you think his name was Leon Ferrand. As you listen you can hear Ferrand demanding to talk to the agents, something to do with needed supplies. But Jacques is refusing to allow him saying that it is something to be dealt with at a later date.

He turns Ferrand away muttering as he closes the door, "...for now they need rest before the job begins"


Leon Ferrand

[Papa Gateau]

Thibaut III enters the kitchen, his eyes scanning the group, pausing fractionally longer in appreciation of the women present, in particular the attractive blonde that asks the question of Jacques.

He takes a cigarette and lights it. Bonsoir, tout le monde he approaches the table and shakes each man's hand in turn introducing himself saying "Thibault, ca me fait plaisir de faire votre connaisance" whilst faire les bises* with the ladies and saying Thibault, enchanté madame

He takes a seat at the table and pours himself a glass of wine, takes a pull on his cigarette, speaking as he exhales "I speak English a little, not very good but ok I think" he smiles warmly We 'ave been err, you prev....non, non err expecting you.

I am 'ere to 'elp you as I can. I 'ave some err, talents and per'aps some contacts.

Welcome to my country, zank you for 'elping us be free again.

* faire les bises - kissing of cheeks

[Mr. Handy]

Monique Deveraux XXX

Monique smiles at Thibault. "You're quite welcome," she says, "and thank you for helping us help you. I may be English now, but I was born in France, and I still feel as though it is my country too. You may call me Julie Dupont." They're both better off if he does not know her real name. "I speak French and English with equal ease."

[Priest]

Jacques closes the door with a thump and returns to the table. He takes his seat and picks a cigarette from a pack near his empty plate, "Sorry about that...Buisness" Taking a match from a pot he strikes it and lights his cigarrette, the unmistakeable aroma of French tobacco fills the room.

"Thibault Delacroix" he hooks a thumb at the newcomer. "These", he indicates the group, "Are comrades from Britain here to help us with the boche" he smiles an almost unfathomless smile. "Here we speak French and only French. You never know who listens"

[aine]

Clarence (ne Kuhlbert Hase) beams at the new comer and then goes back to frantically puffing on his pipe; he just can't get the blasted thing to work and curses all things French under his breath. But of course, he can't be seen to be using an English pipe or tobacco. He sighs, this could all be more tiresome than he first thought.

[DrPeterson]

Maria Vega "Marie Vaiges"

Fate Points: O O O

Maria studies the newcomer with care and then turns a scrutinising eye to their host. She never liked it if distrust crept into partisan operations, it had a tendency of ending up sour.

"If there is anything we can help with, Jacques, we are more than willing."
She then smiles at Thibault.
"I am Marie Vaiges, I used to teach in Lille, before the war."

[Supercape]

Finn leant back on his chair and scratched his stubble.

"I am Finn. Finn Kagge" he said, simply and to the point. His French was not good, and besides, there was little to say. He had strangled Germans to death and he would probably strangle a few more. But it was evident enough that all of them where here to fight. He looked the part.

[ghill]

Robert Owen 3

Robert, nods at the newcomer. Robert he says introducing himself, emphasising the French pronunciation.