Play@YSDC

As soon as Archie turns the switch on, the small train starts to run. When the engine spins the wheels of the model train, strange and small flashes of light seems to arise from the friction that the wheels are making upon the rails. The small vehicle gradually increases his speed and the flashes become a continuous and costant glow. The light does not at all suggest that the train is catching fire. It is an unnatural white light. Rather, it seems more as if the train had a kind of dynamo which, with its motion, powers some small bulbs hidden somewhere inside the train. The train further increases its speed, as if driven by a runaway engine. At some point, in a split second, the glow of the train suddenly increases in proportion, until it blinds all the occupants of the room. A strange field of energy immediately breaks into the room. It´s a large light tube that connects two opposite walls of the room. The light is dazzling at first, but the glow gets lower and something very large moving through the tube becomes visible. Shimmering track and the shunting of a large locomotive, in a gathering cloud of steam announce the arrival of a train passing throught the tube. The inside of the tube seems to be a reality that communicates with the reality of the room, as the vapor smoke coming from the steam of the locomotive immediately bursts into the rest of the room. The very sounds are there, as if a real train were there. Engine and coal car pass through objects in the room and disappear into the wall at the other side. The dimensions of the tube stays within the physical limitations of the room, so to determine the amount of train segment visible at any one time. Once the first passenger car comes into view, the train stops.

The train is full of people. A group of seven glide off the train as though onto a platform.
As they see the investigators, one of them asks:
"What time do we reach London?"
Another one asks:
"Where is the conductor?"
They seem confused. Someone else asks:
"What has been the delay?"
"How has the day become so cloudy and dark?"
"Is another train following? My husband was to be on board."

OOC:   Archie loses 1 Stability. Everybody, including Archie, rolls for Stability, difficulty 4. If failed, lose 1 Stability.

"What?" says Felicity in shock. "What?!" She looks at the people to see if any of them look like the picture of the missing man in the newspaper.

Stability roll (difficulty 4) for seeing the train:
1d6
Stability drops to 11.

[5] = 5
1d6: [ 5 ] = 5
Does that mean I’ve succeeded?

“Gor blimey!” exclaims Alf.

'Great Scott! What devilry is this?' exclaims Andrew, unable to believe his own eyes. It is a like a moving picture, only more so, it's like actually being there, beside the train.

He looks at the people, so real, 'Hello there, can you hear me?' he asks, unsure what he expects to happen in response.

L1d6 at difficulty level 4 = Pass and no Stability loss

“Oh Lord!” Clarence exclaims, trying to take it all in, “How can this be?” He stands flat against the wall in shock.

Roll:3 fail. Lose 1 stability point

Archie staggered back as the light became more and more intense and the train emerges from the glow. Nothing he'd seen in his adventures with his father prepared him for this. He was shaken to to his core as the cars passed, and was too stunned to speak as the people got off asking questions. He just stood there, shaking his head silently, looking back and forth from his friends to the new arrivals.

He finally was able to force words out as he spoke to his friends. "The way that the clerk vanished like that... Did he know this was going to happen?"

The passengers do not listen to the investigotors words. None of them looks like Henry Alexis, the missing man.
Swirling round, drawn like water to a drain, the passengers close around Archie. They speak as one,
“Come with us. Come with us.”
Archie is suddenly powerless to resist. After the passengers surround him, althought no physical action is taken on the part of them, Archie finds himself aboard the train, in the first carriage. The strange passengers are also instantly transferred into the carriage. surrounded by dreadful companions. Once returned aboard the train, the bland, blank faces of the passengers darken and become insistent. Their eyes roll up until only the whites are exposed, and like sharks they close in around Anchie. They reach out slowly, expectantly. Their skins are bluish and cold, their hair matted and coarsened, and their lips, eyes, and nails unnaturally livid. They smell of old, wet wood. They sigh expectantly. Their garments scrape softly one against the other like gatherings of moths. In the scrap of life, they turns malevolently and ingeniously against any living within reach. The train begins to pull out.

OOC:   Another test of stability difficulty 4 for seeing the passengers as living dead. If failed you lose 1 stability point. Remember, rolls are always 1d6 and success is equal or higher the difficulty, so 4, 5 or 6 in this case. The other investigators now must decide whether or not to leap aboard the first car. Individual decision, please. The train is leaving... there´s no time for conferences.

Acting instinctively, and realizing that the "passengers" took Archie because he was the one who pushed the button, Felicity leaps aboard the train car.

Stability roll (difficulty 4) for seeing the zombies:
1d6

"No..." Archie cried as the strange people grabbed him. "NOOO!!" He was completely horrified as the spirit train engulfed him. He looked helplessly at his friends as he was sucked in to the glowing train. He tried to get away from the creatures but they were all around him.

Stability roll (difficulty 4) for seeing the zombies:



1d6: 1d6

[6] = 6
Stability 1d6: [ 6 ] = 6

“‘ere, ‘arf a mo! Leave the gent alone!”

Driven perhaps by fear, bravery or a deep down and long dormant instinct to protect his fellow man from the supernatural, Alf unthinkingly draws his cosh and leaps to Archie’s aid.

Previously said:   OOC: Does everyone need to roll Stability even if they don't get on?

Yes, because everybody clearly sees the living dead throught the windows.

Previously said:   Also, can Andrew turn off the train?

You can do it. There´s no effect. The big train is still there and is still leaving.

spend 1 stability. Roll: 3 >> 4

“All for one!” Clarence shouts above the noise of the puffing engine and strides after his friends with his notebook in one hand and his cane in the other. He is right at the far side of the room however, and the train is pulling out very rapidly...

'I've had enough of this' shouts Andrew, who rushes over to the electric switch and starts flicking it on and off. If he'd hoped it would dispel this vision he is sorely disappointed. He watches Archie surrounded by the wraiths, their cold blue hands reaching out to grasp the warmth of a living body. 'Good God man, get out of there,' he shouts, and leaps into the carriage, fists swinging wildly at the apparitions. Sometimes a gentleman has no choice but to resort to brute force.

L1d6

The five investigators find themselves aboard the train. As the train leaves, the basement room outside the window begins to dissolve and a landscape appears. The travellers don't have time to contemplate what places this train is running through. A chilling and frightening reality is enormously more urgent. Seven scary undead men and women, hungry for living matter, attack them. Three walking dead stretch their arms menacingly towards Anchie, who desperately tries to avoid them. One of them grabs the investigator's arm. The other four are slowly walking, making their way to reach the other four investigators. Meanwhile, the curtained door between the first and second carriages bangs open. It´s the door close to the four investigators. A man cries
"Through here! Quickly!"

3d6 Each opponent rolls against 4 Hit Threshold, as Archie´s Athletics is 8. Only one of them succeed. Ignore the result of the sum.

“Not until we’ve dealt with these devils and rescued our plucky comrade!” Clarence shouts and he shoves his notebook into a coat pocket and draws his sword from the cane.
“All tickets please!” There’s no stammering now and he lunges at the nearest fiend.

Roll: 6

“Gertcha!” yells Alf as he nimbly slips on some knuckledusters and lashes out at the zombies.

[2] = 2
1d6: [ 2 ] = 2
Damn, forgot to add some points

"Take THAT, you foul fiend," Archie said as he drew a small pistol and pointed at one of the creature's heads. He pulled the trigger, and there was a deafening report in the small enclosed space.

After the shot, he started inching toward the doorway whence the gentleman beckoned them.

I am using 1 point from my Firearms which is 8.

1d6

After swinging ineffectually at the revenants, Andrew sees things are more desperate than he first realised and he draws his trusty Webley & Scott .32 pistol. Before the deafening hiss from Archie's round has faded from his ears, Andrew follows his example and unloads a round into another one of these reanimated husks.

F(pd2)1d6+2

d(+2FpL)1d6+2 - I think that's 8 damage, doesn't seem to have recognised my +2 (left a space it appears)

Felicity faces the remaining walking dead man of the four that have not engaged anyone else and drives her knee hard into his family jewels.

Scuffling roll (2 points spent) attacking a zombie:
1d6+2

Clerence stabs one of the dead with his sword. A thick black liquid gushes from the abdomen. The creature backs away without showing any pain. Alfie tries to hit one of the dead passengers who tries to grab him. In the end the two just dodge each other. Archie fires a shot at the once gentleman who is grabbing him. His bowler hat flies away and a hole opens in the forehead. The being falls to the ground, appearing to have been affected more by the recoil from the blow than by the hole opened in what was once his brain. One of the other two deads who were upon him, a young woman in a long white dress, grabs Archie by the wrist as he moves towards the door. The gunshot fired by Andrew destroys the hand of the old passenger who was about to grab him. The being takes a step back. Finally, Felicity pushes her opponent, a teenager who died too young, pressing into a point on his body where the flesh had become soft and putrid. A lousy fragment detaches from the body and spreads across the floor. The creature backs away trying not to lose his balance. Felicity finds herself in her dress stained with a blackish and nauseating liquid.

The voice from beyond the door continues to shout:
"Get here quickly. You can't kill them before they kill you."

Dead attacking 1+ 1d6 Felicity made damage: 1d6

Dead attacking 1+ 1d6 Andrew made damage: 8

Dead attacking 1+ 1d6

Dead attacking 1+ 1d6 Clerence made damage: 1d6

Dead attacking 1+ 1d6 1+ 1d6 Archie made damage: 1d6

Archie hesitates for a moment before he starts moving toward the door. "It seems you are right, sir," he said as he kept his pistol out and leveled at the nearest zombie. "I am given to being a quitter, but this is a lost cause. We should save our energy and resources."

With that, he slipped toward the door. "Come on, friends. We don't have any reason to distrust him...yet." With that, Archie followed the voice through the door.

“Yup, time to scarper!” Alf exclaims as he dodges the walking cadaver that’s ineffectively clawing at him.

“Oh Lor’, what have I gotten myself into?” he asks plaintively as he scrambles for the door.

As soon as Archie is back with them, Clarence starts to back towards the door and the strange voice. He keeps his sword towards the zombies.
“I think the gentleman is correct; we are but stalling them. Best beat a hasty retreat!”

"Quite!" says Felicity, also retreating through the door once she sees that Archie has gotten free.

'I think you'll find we're only here to help you old boy,' says Andrew, as he withdraws towards the carriage door, pistol still in hand and ready to unload into anyone who gets close enough to make contact with him or his companions.

When the investigators move towards the door all the dead go after them, still trying to grab someone. Archie ends up dragging the creature that had grabbed him. He´s now trying to bite him. However, as the group crosses the threshold of the door, the dead retreat. Strange symbols are sketched on the door, principal among which is the inverted ankh. When all the investigators are in, the man who warned them bangs the door shut, while the dead passengers moan outside. The second carriage is deserted, dusty, silent. The man leads the investigators along the passageway and then to the first compartment. Here, is a younger man, about twenty with light hair and frightened eyes. He´s the young man of the newspaper article.

"Welcome to the 9:15 A.M. to Liverpool," pants the older man,
"My name is Randolph Alexis and this is my son Henry."

Randolph Alexis is little-aged after a quarter of a century, but ragged. He wears a dirty and worn suit. He is a small man, bald-headed, and thin. Henry is a thin young man with glasses and red bobbed hair.
As the investigators take a look throught the windows, they see strange glows of white light that alternate at regular intervals, following the rhythm of the train. They seems to emerge from the rails below. Outside is a monotonous landscape of deserted planes under a kind of strange pink sunset, merely seeable beyond the vapors continuosly generated by the train. This great wad of passage extends as far as the eye can see, in patches that means many or hundreds of miles.

Randolph tells his story.

"As absurd as this may seem to you, you have been thrown into another reality. It is a portion of our universe. But humans normally have no access to it."

He stops. His face is thoughtful. Randolph´s mind searches the proper words to explain something that´s not easy to explain.

"The Euclidean world we normally experience out of common sense is just one aspect of a vaster and more appalling universe compreending realities, entities and maybe form of consciousness which lie beyond what we normally name as matter, time and space. The supersensible world is not separated from our mere Euclidean world, however. They are the same universe, conjoined in a way highly disturbing to our three dimensional intellects."

Alexis remarks in abrasive nasal tones.

"Throughout my career I have dedicated myself to the study of the existence of alternative realities and the possibility of building gates to get access to them. Eventually, I figured out a way to achieve that, but I have been very reluctant to perform a controlled experiment. To tell the truth, my achievemnts were possible also thanks to the knowledge provided by scholars other than physicists. Science as we know it is not enough to gain access to these alternative realities. The participation of our conscience is indispensable. Our mind needs to follow procedures that some very ancient peoples knew and that we have too quickly, and with certain presumption, scorned as superstitions and ignorance. I am referring to magical practices."

"Getting to the point.... a few months ago, I had finally managed to build a machine generating uncommons waves of electromagnetic field. Its functioning, if combined with specific magical procedures, could theoretically allow the opening of a gate to other realities. However, I didn't realize how dangerous what I was doing was. One day, I was carrying the machine on this train. I wanted to show it to a scholar friend of mine in London. Suddenly, the machine reacted. I still cannot figure out what might have happened. It must have entered into a state of instability when the train reached a certain speed. Whatever the reason was, the machine exploded, creating a gate. Along with myself, the forward half of the train hurtled into this reality. Strange enough, people on Earth must have experienced or ralated about the first half of the train disappearing."

He pauses. Alexis explains he managed to seal himself into the second and third carriages, with wards that the dead could not broach.

"Luckily, the third carriage is a restaurant car. I found there enought food and water for these couple of weeks I´ve been trapped here. At some point, I saw my son Henry appearing in the first carriage. He knew I was in the train, so he was driven by my disappearence and by the rumors surrounding the extraordinary incident."

Henry takes the floor, and speaks:

"I took my father's notes and used them to built another machine capable of creating a gate to this realitiy specifically. Thus came the idea of the train model replicating the original. I ended up in the first carriage, the way you did."

Randolph speaks again, assuming a sad and somber voice.

"This is my first and last experience with creating such gates and with the paranormal in general. Willing or not, I am tremendously responsible for the deaths of these passengers. My research ends here. If I ever get out of this reality, I will no longer think of experiments other than the motion of a sphere on an inclined plane."

Randolph intervenes and addresses the investigators.

"Well, if you got here, that means you used the train model as well. We need now to figure out a way to go back."

Henry and Randolph have ideas about that, but first, they're obviously curious to know what led investigators to find the model train and activate it.

"I'm Felicity Hayward," says Felicity. "My friends and I are also friends of Professor Julius Smith, who was attacked by Turkish assassins recently." The word is apt, for the hashishin had been based not far from Turkey. "We found out that they were also targeting you, Professor Alexis. When we read about the disappearances in the papers, we started to investigate, and it didn't take us long to find the model train. I don't fully understand the science, but I presume we'll need to create a gate here in order to get back."

Randolph becomes worried when Felicity says what she knows and mention what happened to Smith.
"I know Julies Smith. How is he?"

He continues:

"In the course of our research on the paranormal, Smith and myself discovered that a series of phenomena were attributable to a form of magical energy that cannot be explained only by the laws of physics. So it was that, thanks to Smith's archaeological studies, we came to knowledge of the existence of a relic called Sedefkar Simulacrum. It is a very ancient statue, perhaps as old as humanity and endowed with high magical energy. Smith's research revealed that the statue was decomposed and lost in Europe. Over time, we managed to get clues as to where to find the components. However, what initially began as a fashinating quest then turned into a nightmare. There´s a turkish religious sect called Deri-Üyeleri, wich means brothers of the skin. Their leader is called Selim and their headquarters are in Constantinople, but the sect has an extensive network across Europe, with contacts and influences in countries governments. They are looking for the statue as well and they are dangerous. They have already killed for it. When they learned that Smith and I were close to finding the Simulacrum, our lives were in danger. I'm sure one of their agents was watching Smith closely. Someone very close to Smith."

Randolph pauses.

"The latest days I was in Liverpool, before I got here, I felt the Deri-Üyeleri had me on their net. They were able to follow my every move. I was terrified. I suspect they had someone in London very close to Smith. "

Randolph is caught by a feeling of terrible anguish takes him.

"The Simulacrum must be found and destroyed. If it falls into the hands of the Brothers of the Skin, the consequences are unimaginable. In normal situations, it would be difficult to convince you how dangerous a relic with magical power can be. Now you know that magical energy exists. Believe me that a relic like the Simulacrum can open the gates of hell."

Alexis tells the investigators that his son and he have been working on a way to return the train to Earth, but he need the help of the investigators.

Henry speaks:
"When I built the train model I thought that the model would have been transferred along with myself to this reality. I thought I could use it here to open another gate to go back. However, it doesn´t work that way. I´m sure I can figure out a way to open a gate here, but I need my notes. My bag with all my notes has fallen somewhere in the first carriage. We should grab it and bring it here. With my notes, I will be able to figure out a way to go back. However, you knew how dangerous it would be."

"I have a theory I could test without my notes, but I am not sure if it is going to work."
Alexis leads the investigators to the window. He points to the carriage wheels while the strong wind blows his hair.
"Can you see there?"
The wheels emit an intermittent glow, following the rhythm of the train's pace.
"These are the same glows of the model train, before opening the gate, while increasing its speed.
The "big scale" train we are in could be the key to open the gate here."
"If this theory is correct, we need to reach the locomotive, get inside and increase the speed of the train. This should open the gate again. But I need my notes to be sure it would be the gate we need."

Clarence listens with rapt fascination, nodding earnestly; all those unfathomable puzzles throughout history were unlocking; all the pieces were falling into place.
“It all makes so much sense.” He murmurs. He looks out at the flashing lights and imagines the difficulties ahead.
“One needs to be Harold or Lilian to try a stunt like that. Hmm.” He mutters. “I’m not one for running about on runaway trains but point me in the right direction and I’ll do my best.”

"I'm Dr. Archibald McElheney," Archie said. "Please call me Archie."

While Archie was a man of science, his was a very different field. He tried to follow the technical aspects of the gate, but it was beyond his grip of physics.

"First things first," Archie said. "Let's get your notes. Where is the first carriage where you left them?"

Andrew struggles to process what he's hearing. He introduces himself, 'Andrew Murray, archaeologist.'

'I'm afraid all this talk of magic is outside of my particular expertise, but we've certainly come across these Turks before. Odd bunch. The Brothers of the Skin you called them. That would fit with their unusual similarity, and perhaps sheds some light on a particular, well spell is the best way to describe it, something supposed to modify the skin and flesh.'

He might not fully understand the science, or even the mystical mumbo jumbo, but he's always happy to do something practical.

'Just point me in the right direction and we can find these notes of yours. But it would be helpful to hear what you know about these creatures, they were once passengers is that right?'

"They set his house on fire," says Felicity. "He survived, but he was badly burned. However, he wants us to pretend he's dead, so that the Turks think they got him and stop trying to kill him. He and Beddows told us about the Sedefkar Simulacrum. We were about to leave for the Continent to track down the pieces, as well as the Sedefkar Scrolls we'll need to destroy them. Unfortunately, we have no idea where to find the scrolls. Professor Smith said the Simulacrum could only be destroyed by bringing all the pieces to the Shunned Mosque in Constantinople. Do you know where exactly in the first carriage your notes are?"

Randolph nods and then replies to the investigators:
"Thank goodness, Smith is safe. He must stay hidden, until the Simulacrum is destroyed. The Brothers of the skin are dangerous. They have indeed magical means to manipulate flesh and skin."

When Felicity mentions about the scrolls, Randolph reveals what he has found out.

"The Scroll of the Legs is in Lausanne, with an English man named Edgar Wellington. He served in the Great War and found the scroll at that time somewhere in Europe. Returning to England, he found life at home impossible. Nobody could not understand the returned soldier’s pain. He left with his invalid brother and their savings, and settled in Lausanne. They established a taxidermy shop. I've heard that the other scrolls are in Constantinople, but I don't know where exactly."

Going back to discuss the current situation, Henry Alexis intervenes:
"The dead were normal people of this train before the accident. They died when the first gate formed and they then returned as living dead in this reality. Bullets are not very useful against them. They are immune to pain and will keep on attacking as long as their limbs are attached to their body. They always try to grasp and bite the living things."
"My bag fell somewhere in the middle of the first carriage, the one you came from. That is, where the deads are. We are in the second carriage here,"

He sighs.
"We have to think of a way to get the bag and bring it here, without getting killed by the living dead. Otherwise, we could walk on the train roof of the first carriage, reach the locomotive and try to see what happens if we acelerate the train."

'I wonder how they would respond if one of us climbed over the roof of the carriage, down the far side, and opened the door?' muses Andrew. 'Enough of a distraction for someone to get in from this side and grab the bag?'

"That's just what I was thinking," says Felicity. "Or the rest of us can keep the dead busy by taunting them from this side of the door so whoever climbs above can slip in and grab the bag without being noticed. It would be dangerous, to be sure, but I think I could do it."

"Brilliant, Felicity. That sounds like a wonderful plan. We will be the distraction for you."

He looked down at Felicity's feet. "You are certainly the right size, but are you sure that you are properly clothed and shod for this sort of operation?"

"Probably not," says Felicity, looking at her fancy dress and shoes. "I have clothes for every occasion, but I didn't bring them with me. I have them packed in a rather large wardrobe, but I didn't think I'd be boarding a train just yet. Perhaps I'm better suited as a distraction. No one is more distracting than I."

As soon as she gets on the roof, Felicity sees an empty and unnatural landscape. Something reminiscent of the English countryside, extends as far as the eye can see, but being it devoid of any trace of human settlement, beside this railroad railroad track drawing an eight. The train running upon it seems to be abandoned to its terrible loneliness. The sky looks like a persistent sunset, with shades of pink and orange. As she makes her first steps onto the first carriage´s roof, she heasr the sudden noise of two windows that are being quickly crashed. Human arms emerge from the farthest windows and cling to the roof at two different points, ready to lift the bodies of two willing dead willing to access the roof.
Meanwhile, peering through the glass of the door of the first car, the other investigators see two of the seven living dead breaking the panes of two windows on opposite sides of the train, in the attempt to get on the roof.

Felicity moves quickly toward the other end of the car, hoping to get past the dead before they can climb up on the roof.

“She’ll get stuck over there!” Clarence exclaims.
“Randolph, do you have any of those sigils on paper or something we can carry to ward off the undead?”

'Gentlemen, the lady appears to need our assistance. I will climb onto the carriage if someone could start the distraction at this end.'

Eager for something practical that he can do to help, Andrew climbs the ladder onto the roof of the carriage, and prepares to attack any undead that make it up, looking to shove them into the ether.

"Oh, no you don't!" shouted Archie as he saw the two of the creatures starting to climb out of the window. He opened the door just enough that he could yell loudly through the door and try to get their attention. "Over here, you stinking bas...cretins!"

If possible, he squeezes off a shot at one of the two escapees to see if he can get its attention back on him.

Andrew climbs to the roof. When he stands up and starts walking upon, it he finds himself in front of a living dead man who reaches out his hands to grab the investigator. Meanwhile, Felicity runs to the end of the roof. One of the living dead on the roof follows her. Meanwhile, two creatures in the carriage are climbing through the windows to get on the roof. Other two turn to the doctor when he screamed and walk towards him.
Randolph replies to Clarence:
"Unfortunately, the sigils must be made on the threshold that connects two rooms, otherwise they have no effect."

Calculating that more of the dead are now on the roof than in the car itself and realizing that her distraction is working in a way she didn't expect, Felicity quickly lowers herself from the end of the car so that she can enter it, thankful that the skirt of her dress is scandalously short.

“In that case, we must resort to more tangible methods, hmm?” Clarence draws his sword again and steps back into the deadly carriage to help Archie distract the undead.

Andrew and an undead come face to face. The creature raises their arms, close to attempting a deadly embrace towards the investigator. Two other walking dead crawl on the roof moaning, getting dangerously close to Andrew.
Felicity climbs off the roof and enters the carriage, followed by the same dead teenager who had grabbed her when she jumped into the train. It seems to have a soft spot for her.

Meanwhile, the other three investigators step on the wagon along with Randolph and find three walking and drooling dead men in front of them. Henry is scared, he tries to muster up the courage to go up to the roof and help Andrew, but he does so very reluctantly.

OOC:   Those who are ighting the dead please go ahead with rolls. Remember that you can spend points to improve your roll.

'Three against one? That's hardly sporting chaps' exclaims Andrew, as he kicks out at the shambling creature, hoping to knock it off the roof of the moving carriage.

Spending 2pts of scuffling 1d6+2

"Have another taste of my lead, you wretched beasts," Archie yelled loudly, waving one of his arms as he squeezed off another bullet. "Stay in this car, you cretins!"

I am using 1 point from my Firearms which started off at 8 but is now 7.

1d6

"Leave me be, you're too young for me," hisses Felicity as she evades the dead teenager and moves down the car looking for the bag with the notes.

With grim determination Clarence steadies himself and then lunges at a dead man, hoping to incapacitate one of its arms.

Adding +1 to the roll.
Roll:6

With the center of the car being empty, Felicity is able to locate and quickly reach Henry's bag. She finds it between a a table and an armchair. The "suitor" undead follows her slowly.

Andrew violently hits the dead. The jaw of the pale dead woman flies away and she loses her balance. She falls from the roof. However, she manages to grab Andrew's ankle. She isnow trying to get up, but with slow movements and a lot of difficulty.

Andrews ´s attack Damage:1d6

Archie fires a pistol shot, which pierces the chest of one of the dead. The target creature trembles slightly but continues his attack against Clerence. IClerence and the undead grab each other. Clerence manages to overcome the opponent's strength and pushes him away, but the creature continues his hold on the investigator's arm.

Clarence ´s attack Damage: 1d6

Archie´s attack Damage:1d6

A gentleman now reduced to a walking and swinging corpse takes Alfie's arm, who uses his knife to begin cutting off the creature's forearm. Randolph grabs one of the carriage's lamps and uses it as a club against the dead who has just grabbed him. He hits the creature with little effect though.

1d6 1d6 1d6

Alfies´s attack Damage:1d6

Dead 1 attacking Andrew: 1d6+ 1
Dead 1 attacking Randolph: 1d6+ 2
Dead 1 attacking Alfie: 1d6+ 2
Dead 1 attacking Clerence: 1d6+ 1

Felicity grabs the bag, gets up on a table near the fight between her friends and the zombies, and jumps over. "Catch me, chaps, and let's get out of here!" she calls as she does so.

Do I need to make an Athletics roll?

Andrew attempts to kick away the abomination and then back away to the end of the carriage. He doesn't fancy taking on three of the creatures but he's not sure how the others are managing below him. 'How's it going down there chaps?'

Is Henry on the roof with him? How's he doing?
Does Andrew need another Scuffling roll? I'll spend 1

FFL1d6+1

Clarence looks up with consternation as Felicity makes the jump and he tries to push his zombie against the other zombies to keep them busy.

Not sure what to use but I rolled 1d6: 4

“We’ve almost got it; get yourself back down here, Murray!” He shouts in reply to Andrew.

"I'll catch you," Archie cried as he saw Felicity climb onto the table. He slipped his pistol into his pocket and extended both arms, ready to grab her and pull her to safety.

One of the dead on the roof tries to grab Henry, but he ducks down and crawls to the floor, avoiding the grab. Andrew throws the woman's slender hand off his ankle and her body is sucked under the rails. Meanwhile, however, the other dead who was on the roof grabs Andrew by the arm.

You don´t need Athletics roll, as Archie is helping you and no one among the zombie is currently holding you

1d6
Dead attacks Henry1d6

Dead attacks 1d6
Henry is on the roof with Andrew, I forgot to mention that in the previous post.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage, with the help of Archie, Felicity leaps out of the carriage. The dead teenager who was following her, has now changed his target and prepares to attack Archie.
Suddenly a chilling scream echoes throughout the first carriage. Alfie's face pales and his eyes widen. The zombie who´s grabbing him has sunk his teeth into Alfie's shoulder, who squirms. With a last desperate gesture, Alfie cuts off the dead man's arm. The zombie is still hanging on the investigator´s shoulder by the teeth. A cry that sounds more like a lament follows immediately. Randolph was also bitten by a dead. Before being bitten, however, the poor man managed to break the creature's knee with one swipe of his club.

1d6 Dead attacks 1d6

1d6 1d6Dead attacks1d6

Clerence manages to push his opponent away from him, avoiding being bitten. Bu the creature is ready to attack him back.

Dead attacks 1d6

Previously said:   Not sure what to use but I rolled 1d6: 4

You rolled scuffling. Since the zombie was also holding your arm you needed a higher result to push him away. Don´t forget that you can improve your result by spending points of scuffling.

OOC:   Important note: anyone who has been grabbed by a zombie, and wants to push the creature away from him, must get a Scuffling result higher than the zombie. It is highly recomended to SPEND POINTS. They are refleshed when you get to a place where you are safe.

"Everyone come back, I've got it!" Felicity calls as she hands the bag of notes over to the professor and returns the favor by helping Archie back into the safe carriage.

Clarence retreats immediately back to the 2nd carriage, hopefully before his zombie can reach out for him.

Turning to see the undead creature that has grabbed his arm, Andrew instinctively strikes him across the face with a right hook and follows up by grabbing him and attempting to pitch the fiend off the roof before clambering back down into the safety of the first carriage.

With that 6 I guess I'd better commit all my Scuffling! FFL1d6+6 ETA, and I'm glad I went all in!

Archie takes Felicity's hand and when she pulls, he enjoins his strength with hers, pulling him back over the threshold, and -- at least temporarily -- out of immediate danger from the awful creatures. He is careful to keep moving so that he won't be in the way of the others as they try to escape, as well.

"Thank you, Miss Hayward. Much appreciated. That was very brave of you, by the way."

"Cheers," says Felicity, giving a quick peck on the cheek. "It was frightening, but I think it's also the most fun I've ever had."

Most of the investigators manage to shake off their undead opponent and, in a more or less daring way, they all find themselves safely in the second carriage, followed by Randolph. All but one are saved. Poor Alfie is not that lucky. Although he manages to repel the skeletal woman who was biting him, he then squirms and screams. Something suddenly changes him. His skin turns pale and dry, his mouth begins to smear with blood. He is seized with convulsions and his mouth makes horrible faces. Within seconds, Alfie transforms into a living dead creature, one of the cursed passengers of the Liverpool-London express.

OOC:   Roll Stability difficulty 4. If failed you lose 2 points. You can spend 1 point of Stability and add it to the result.

After some moments of astonishment and terror for the end of poor Alfie, Henry takes the notebook from the bag and, with a face still full of sadness, begins to study the pages of mathematical formulas. After about half an hour, he adresses the others with triumphant but still melancholy words.

"Yes! I was right. We are now in the train set..."
"We need to reach the locomotive, get inside and increase the speed of the train. This will open the gate again for our way back."

'For the love of...' gasps Andrew as he watches Alfie transform before his eyes. He thinks back to his struggles on the roof of the carriage. That could have been me.

L1d6

Felicity manages to take everything in stride, too caught up in the adventure of the moment, though she does shed a tear for poor Alfie. "One of us could make it there via the roof, someone good at mechanical things," she says. "but now we know they can climb. Before we try that, is anyone hurt? We'd better take care of those injuries before we leave the safe carriage."

Stability roll (0 points spent):
1d6

"No, Alfie!" Archie cried. "NOOO..." The name transformed into a mournful cry and then stopped, stunned into silence at the loss of his new friend.

My current Stability is 7. I will spend one point for the roll.

1d6

“Mercy me! Stand back, everyone.” Clarence watches aghast as poor Alfie transforms. He keeps his sword at the ready, aimed at the new zombie.
“Let us avoid being bitten at all costs and end this nightmare!”

Stability: 8, use 1 roll: 5

Previously said:   “Randolph, I am so very sorry.” He realises that Randolph must be at his wits end to be so unaffected by the loss of his son.”

OOC:   It is Alfie the one who died (the investigator of the player who has left). Randolph´s son, Henry, is still alive.

After checking and seeing that nobody is hurt, Randolph says:
"So, someone has to reach the cabin of the locomotive, get in, put coal in the furnace and speed up the train. All this, while avoiding ending up like your friend Alfie. Does Anyone have a plan?"

"Well, if we try what I just did to get to the other end of the first car," says Felicity, "we know they'll climb up to the roof. One of us could get past them, but then whoever did it would be trapped on the other side. They could be knocked off the roof, maybe, but there's a bunch of them. What if most of us go up on the roof to get them all up there and distract them, while one sneaks through the now empty car to the locomotive?"

'We're in the second carriage? Those creatures in the first. So we just need to get past that carriage and then into the locomotive? We know they can climb onto the roof, but not very quickly. If we had some weapons we might be able to fend them off for a while...' He muses, 'What would happen if we disconnected the coupling from the locomotive to the first carriage? Would the locomotive pull away?'

"I would think so," says Felicity, "and probably faster without all that weight. But would all of us fit in the locomotive?"

Archie scratches his chin for a moment, stroking his steadily growing whiskers, the looks over at Felicity.

"Did you happen to glance toward the engine while you were up there? Or were you too busy fighting off the creatures?"

Clarence walks down to the far end of the carriage and looks through the door at the end.
“If we could draw them along the roof to the back of the train and then scurry down and back here to safety, it might give our engine man a chance, hmm.” He ponders his idea and then walks back up to join the conversation.

Henry thinks a little and then replies to Andrew.
"Disconnecting the wagons will work, but we have to do it when we are all in the locomotive. Whoever is in the locomotive will be able to get back. Whoever stays in the disconnected wagons will stay here with them."
Clarence sees that after the second car there is a third one, the restaurant car. This is the last one.

Previously said:   Would all of us fit in the locomotive?

Yes, it is feasible, but someone will have to stand on the edge clinging to the body of the locomotive.

Archie raised his hand, and spoke up.

"Well, I volunteer to be the person standing on the edge. Miss Hayward has already risked life and limb for our sakes. It can be my turn this time."

"Thank you," says Felicity. "We can secure you to the locomotive with your belt. Maybe we should go across the roof to reach the locomotive before the dead can climb up there. Then we'll just have to hold them off until we can uncouple the first car."

Clarence says,
“The rest of us can climb up to the roof and draw the dead all the way to the far end of the carriage behind us. Then we drop down into the carriage and peg it back here and then onto the locomotive. That should give our engine man and stoker time to prepare.
So long as that carriage is empty, of course. Do you know if it is, Henry?”

"Brilliant idea," Archie said as he slipped his thumbs beneath his sturdy leather belt, thankful that he'd gained a few pounds recently so that his pants didn't immediately drop to his ankles as soon as he removed it. "It might take two belt hooked together for our purposes. Would one of you two gentlemen be so kind... It should be safe. I promise to return it unharmed...if I return at all," he said, laughing darkly.

"I don't even want to think about where you would end up if you fell off. I am sure it wouldn't be London."

The plan works. The investigators manage to lure the undead to the third car. Then they run towards the now empty first cars. Eventually, the group reaches the coal tender. As they turn their gaze towards the locomotive and its footplate, they see to figures coming out from there. They are two undead. They are dressed as train drivers. One of them has a shovel in his hand. He points it at the investigators in a threatening way. They are moving towards the coal tender. All the other undeads are now in the third car, but they are slowly approaching.

"Looks like we're going to have to knock these two off the train," says Felicity. "I've still got some fight left in me. Ooh, I know! Anyone got a flask? If we pour it out under their feet, they might slip and fall off."

“Hmm, I only have a hip flask and I don’t think it would be worth the waste to create such a small puddle.” Clarence replies. He draws his sword again, “Come along, Andrew, let’s clear the way.”

Sword, add 2. Roll: 6

'Aye, let's get rid of these blighters,' says Andrew. He draws his pistol and takes aim at the engineers, trying to use the force of the round to knock one of them off the locomotive.

F(pd2)1d6+2

Archie pulls out his gun. "I will avenge my friend," he shouts, aiming at one of the undead in the locomotive. "This one's for Alfie, you brute!"

"Grab that shovel if you can!" calls Felicity as she tries to push one of the engineers off the train. "It'll make it easier to shovel that coal."

Scuffling roll (2 points spent) trying to knock a zombie off the train:
1d6+2

Felicity grabs one of the undead and tries to push him off the train, but the creature grabs her too. The two are stalled. The zombie is resisting and swinging, on the edge of the car. He is hit in the chest by Andrew and Archie's bullets, but the impact of the shots are not enough to knock him down.The other undead is skewered by Clarence's sword and also suffers blows from Randolph's club. Black blood slowly gushes from the cut he got in his belly. The shovel he was holding falls to the coal of the wagon floor. The undead reaches out to Clarance and holds him in his arms. Meanwhile, Henry runs to help Felicity push the other creature off the train.

1 + 1d6 = 4

1d6 Firearms damage to undead is halfed = 3

1d6 Firearms damage to undead is halfed = 3

1d6 Damage = 3

1 +1d6 = 5

Clarence attempts to wrench himself free of the zombie’s grasp and thrust it from the train.

I’ll use both points of scuffling for this: 1d6 roll: 1 gulp!

“Help!” He cries.

"Get your hands off of me!" cries Felicity as she tries to shove the zombie loose with all her might.

Scuffling roll trying to knock the zombie off the train:
1d6

Archie roars in frustration as the creature refuses to go down. He maintains his interval from his target and squeezes off another shot, hoping this will be enough.

Seeing Felicity getting the better of her attacker, Andrew turns his attention to Clarence who is fumbling ineffectually with his sword. 'Keep your hands to yourself you blighter!' shouts Andrew, closing to point blank range he shoots the monster in the face.

F1d6+2

Using a force he didn't know he had, Randolph uses his improvised club to strike at the undead creature that is facing Felicity. The body sways and momentarily loses its balance, so that the woman is able to push the monster out of the wagon. As the creature falls,the being emits a prolonged scream that fades as the train moves away, running throught the desolate plains of the unnatural landscape.

The bullet fired by Andrew hits the other undead in the face. An eye and a piece of the skull fly away with a trickle of blackish blood. But an unnatural force still guide the creature. It feels no pain. A mass of dead flesh that moves, that wants to assemble living flesh to itself. It will do so as long as the limbs are able to move. The hideous, bloody head approaches Clerence's arm and is about to bite into it, with its drooling misshapen mouth.

Henry calls the group's attention. His face is full of terror. He points his finger at the first car. The other undead have just reached the roof and are now staggering towards the coal truck, in a chorus of chaotic moans.

OOC:   Post for the next round

"Cheers! We've got to separate the cars!" calls Felicity, hurrying to the coupling and working to detach it.

'Dammit, these things won't stop,' curses Andrew, dropping his pistol into a pocket and swinging at the monster's head, trying to knock out away from Clarence, and off the train.

FFL1d6, ah damn. I'm out of points in Scuffling.

Clarence makes a last ditch attempt with his sword to slice off the hand that is drawing his own arm closer and closer to the snapping jaws of the zombie.

Weapon, spending last point. Roll:6

"Hurry, Felicity! They're almost upon us," Archie yelled, firing off another shot.

Felicity is helped by Henry and the two manage to separate the coal wagon from the rest of the cars. Clarence pulls his arm away from the creature's bite. Randolph hits the undead with a club blow. The walking dead collapses to the ground. With a kick, Randolph throws his body off the wagon.
The investigators eventually reach the coal tender and then the footplate, the structure on which the locomotive driver and fireman would stand in the cab to operate the steam locomotive. The locomotive is still running, but no one is in the cab. The footplate is covered with wooden floorboards and comprises a large metal plate that rests on top of the locomotive frame. It takes up the full width of the locomotive cab, and in depth it extends from the front of the cab to the coal bunker on the tender. The coal in the firebox appears to fuel a fire that can last indefinitely.
Randolph and Henry begin to hand-shovel more coal into the firebox. The heat of the fire increases. The train´s speed increases consequently. The investigators feel the sudden thrum and click of car wheels slowly rolling and clattering over solid iron rails and wooden sleepers. Out of the windows they see dark English countryside on a late winter’s morning. Randolph leans against the window, suddenly old and tired, his face suddenly aged, his body shrunk, his back bowed.

Suddenly, everybody hears desperate whistle blasts from ahead. Their train is indeed steaming outbound from London on its old track, but a coal train is struggling ahead on the same track, and an alert brakeman has sounded the alarm. Collision is imminent and nearly unavoidable.

“By Jove, We’re back! But out of the frying pan and into the fire - stop the steam and pull on the brakes- there’s a train ahead!” Clarence calls and leaps to the great brake lever to pull it.

Spend 2 athletics? Roll: 1

"We won't stop in time!" calls Felicity. "Brace for impact!" She follows her own advice.

"I think you've got the right idea, Clarence," Archie shouted as he sprang to his friend's side and grabbed his hands, helping to tug the lever back, bracing his feet against the inevitable forces that would attempt to launch him forward.

Spending 1 from Athletics, which is currently at 8.

1d6

Andrew stares in horror at the approaching train, he glances off to the ground rapidly rushing past, considering for an infinitesimal moment jumping before immediately realising he would be dashed to pieces on impact.

He braces himself and attempts to assist the others in pulling the brake lever.

HL(pd2)1d6+2

Felicity also tries to apply the brake with all her might.

Athletics roll (3 points spent) to help apply the brake:
1d6+3

The massive locomotive and coal cars slam together with fatal, metaltwisting impact. The locomotive boiler ruptures. Alexis jumps and is saved, as is Randolph Alexis. Steam rises from the wreckage and flame licks the splintered coaches. The dead passengers are at peace at last. The collision has occurred about two miles northwest of London.

OOC:   Felicity and Clarence lose 2 Health points. Everybody recovers 2 points of Stability.

All the detectives jump off the train and tumble over the gravel and grass that runs alongside the rails. Felicity and Clarence scratch their elbows and knees. Randolph, Henry and the other detectives are unharmed.

The two trains crash into the open countryside, just outside the suburbs of london. All the living dead are turned into mere inanimate corpses, including poor Alfie. The small coal train locomotive shatters and the driver dies on the body. After the impact, only the stillness of the unarmed and silent scrap metal remains. Fortunately, there doesn't seem to be a soul in the immediate vicinity, just fields and grasslands.

Randolph and Alexis sincerely thank the investigators.
"We better get out of here as soon as possible, before someone comes to ask us questions. Ourselves we will go back to Liverpool."

As the investigators take a look at his watch, they see it´s still early afernoon. They may be able to get the Orient Express tonight.

"Take care," says Felicity. "We need to get back to London post haste. We have another train to catch. I just hope it isn't anything like that one."

“Good luck, Gentlemen and keep your heads down for a while.” Clarence shakes hands with Randolph and Henry somewhat painfully as his grazes are just beginning to sting.

"It was a pleasure to meet you both, despite the circumstances," Archie said. "And thank you for your assistance. Otherwise, we would still be on that dreadful train. If you are ever in need of a doctor, I will be happy to attend."

Turning to the countryside, he sighed as he recognized the beautiful landscape. "Thank God we aren't still in whatever hellish world that train was in..."

"I agree, Miss Heyward. We should head to London at all possible speed. However, do we know which direction it's in?"

"It's to the southeast," says Felicity, pointing in that direction. "All we must do is follow the tracks. I could use a doctor myself, as could Clarence, once we're no longer in a hurry. I can help there too. I volunteered as a nurse in France during the war. Purely out of the goodness of my heart, of course. The fact that I was surrounded by strapping young men in varying states of undress had absolutely nothing to do with it."

"Well, for major injuries, we would need the use of my bag, but I believe that I can do some quick battlefield style medicine to help the two of you, now that we aren't under attack."

OOC:   I will spend 2 First Aid points for Felicity and 2 First Aid points for Clarence.

Clarence takes off his jacket which has taken the brunt of the damage, “Farewell faithful friend.” He folds it up reverently. “The very best of Harris tweed.” And allows Archie to practice his magic. He shakes his head at Felicity,
“Really, my dear please consider an old man’s ears; I’m afraid I’m too fusty and traditional to cope with such language!”

Felicity smiles at Clarence. "My apologies," she says. "You know, you do remind me of my father. Thank you, Archie, that feels much better." She gives him a smile too. "I'm afraid my dress is ruined, but I shall refrain from taking it off in front of everyone. I have plenty more clothing at home, so I'll change when we get there. I could use a bath too, but I don't know if there will be time. I'll just have to shop for new clothes when we get to Paris to make up for my loss."

I think you can spend 1 First Aid point to heal up to 2 Health (possibly 3 for being a Doctor), as long as you're healing someone other than yourself, so you'll save some points. I could also spend one of my First Aid points to heal Clarence instead of Archie.

Before leaving, Henry and Randolph Alexis hand the investigators some of the notes that were in the bag that they recovered.

“Now you too know that there is a supersensible reality that goes beyond our world. It's something we've been working on for a long time... these notes may be useful to you in helping Professor Smith in his enterprise. I hope you succeed.”

It is a notebook with notes. At first glance, it describes a kind of concentration and meditation technique, but it encompasses a litany of meaningless words.

OOC:   The notes contain a spell that can be learned by anyone with points in occultism. Someone who has learned the spell can teach it to those who do not have occultism. To learn the spell, the investigators must study it for a few hours. The travel time by train to Paris is sufficient. By studying the text, the authors understand that some passages refer to something mystical. Words that seem vaguely to refer to ancient pagan cults. Knowledge in occultism helps to guess the correct pronunciation of the words of the litany that must be whispered with closed eyes, to open the mind to a higher understanding of the surrounding reality. Chant of Thoth The use of this spell increases the caster’s mental faculties, boosting his or her chance of solving a particular intellectual problem. It grants the caster a bonus to gain knowledge, learn a spell, translate a passage, deduce the meaning of a symbol, etc. Stability Test Difficulty: 5 Cost: 5 Stability Time: 30 minutes

Andrew stares grimly at the mangled flesh that is all that remains of Alfie. 'I think we were better off before we knew about this supersensible reality.' He shakes his head, I must have a talk with Reverend Green about all this when we get back from our trip. I'm having an awful lot of trouble reconciling this with his sermons.'

He brushes himself down, pleased to see that despite the indignity of recent events a well tailored suit can still maintain its shape. 'That's good, British quality,' he says to himself absent mindedly. 'To the train then?'

OOC:   Andrew will definitely want to read that spell if Felicity will teach him. It might help him understand the spell written in Turkish that he found in the shop. So we refresh Investigative Skills, is there time to refresh some other skills? He has some First Aid if needed

“A spell? How fascinating!” Clarence has a not quite pleasant look in his eye; he is determined to scour the document for every shred of knowledge he can glean from it.