Up in Smoke [Doom Train].P2 Conclusion

Doom Train Part 1: https://wjr5oakley.blogspot.com/2022/11/up-in-smokep1.html

Essie Vance [Whitney], Peter Graves [Jordan], Phillip Vance [Aaron]

Recap: After meeting the train enthusiast, Henry Stanley, 3-weeks later they learned of his disappearance. While investigating his apartment, they learned of his train set taken as police evidence. They traveled to the Emporium that sold the set and found the sales ledger that not only listed the sale of the set but also listed the set bought from an auction of one Mrs. Alexis. They decided to call upon the Train Spotters Association to learn more of Henry and this set.  

Mehmet’s Emporium: As Essie shopped at Gladys’ Sweet Tooth shop, Gladys suddenly took notice, “Did you see that flash of light in the Emporium store?” Essie distracted her, “This is SO delicious! May I have the recipe?” Gladys perked up at the compliment and turned her attention back to her customer. Meanwhile, Peter and Phillip glanced at their watches and knew they had minutes to spare in their coordinated “10 minute” search. They exited the office to look inside the display room in search of weapons or Occult books. Peter shined his flashlight on the spines of books but failed to find anything interesting. 

Phillip found a sword-cane and a weird fish-gun but nothing worth chance of being caught stealing.

Gladys rang up Essie’s purchase and waved goodbye. But suddenly gasped, “There it is again! Flash of light.” She rushed back inside the store to use her phone. Essie loudly said goodbye as she walked back down the street toward the train station where she met up with Peter and Phillip.

Train Spotter Association: Essie remembered the business card Henry had given her and directed them to the address. A train ride to the Elephant and Castle station, then cab to the business. A row of houses. One with the placard listing the Association. 

Arthurs Butters answered the door, dress in a conductor’s coat and hat. At first, he was defensive when Essie mentioned Henry, “Not another reporter!” But Essie charmed him with their chance meeting with Henry. She regaled him with train details Henry had spouted to sooth the atmosphere. Arthur relaxed, “Just dreadful what happened. Henry was all excited about the train set he had purchased. How it was to be delivered yesterday. And then the police suspected faulty wiring. Actually delivered it to us to check it out. But to be truthful, I feel uncomfortable around it. Too vivid a memory of Henry.”

Arthur led them into the club and showed off their displays: a train station bench, a station chalkboard of departures and arrivals, various train pictures taken by members of the club. He paused at one picture they recognized, “Henry took this one. Well, he bought it and donated it to us. Henry wasn’t around when the 2LCV train was in service. Derailed in 1897.” Essie jumped in to retell the story per the article she found in Henry’s room. Arthur was impressed. Peter broke into the conversation, “You say you have the set here? Perhaps we could inspect it. Essie studied electricity and could verify its serviceability. We could make the report the police asked of you.” As they walked thru the central room filled with members in heated debate of all-things trains, Peter lit up one of his cigars to blend in. He offered a cigar to one fellow who handed him a train conductors had in return.

Arthur turned on the basement lights that revealed the train set laid on a table in the center of the room. An authentic replica of the real 1890s Brighton-Special train! The track laid out in a figure 8 on a large board, complete with a bridge at the crossover point. Arthur left them to their task, “Thank you for volunteering to test it out.” Essie focused on the plug-in wiring and transformer box. Nothing wrong. Peter and Phillip handled the train cars trying to see if anything obviously broken that might cause a short. As they turned the cars over, they both noticed a painted symbol underneath. The same ankh symbol they’d seen in the Necropolis underneath the Kissah ziggurat! All thought of the upside-down display that implied corruption or desecration. If not before, Essie was now nervous. Especially when she found a small bottle with a squeeze-bulb topper. Peter and Phillip instantly recognized it from their childhood, “Spray it into the train smokestack to create smoke as the train is in motion.”

“Choo, choo”: Peter set the train and cars back on the track as Phillip operated the controls. Essie… backed up. Peter relived his childhood as he sprayed liquid into the smokestack. He directed Phillip, “Faster.” The train rumbled around the track and up and over the bridge and around and under as it completed one figure-8 after another. About the 3^rd loop the smoke finally began to puff from the engine which delighted Peter. Phillip found the button beside the rheostat controller and pressed it to sound the engine, “Choo, choo.” They were too focused on the train to feel the slight vibrations in the basement, see dust sprinkle down from the ceiling, or hear the echoing “Choo, choo” from afar. Essie heard it! She reached for the train engine to pull it off the track. Too late.

Thick black lines etched across the floor in front of them, reminiscent of tracks. Smoke and soot began to fill the basement that mysteriously grew in dimensions. The floor turned to a station platform under their feet as the far wall became a haze before revealing the arrival of a train. The 2LCV to be exact! Phillip grabbed Peter to pull him out of the path of the train. The sound of brakes, sparks from the wheels, the hiss of steam, all filled their ears as the engine slowed in passing such that the first carriage stopped before them. 

And passengers dressed in Victorian style clothing exited, “What’s the delay? Where’s the conductor? When will we reach Liverpool?” Peter responded, “There’s been a short delay.”

All Aboard: Essie stood dumbfounded as she took it all in. The train, the passengers. But most peculiar: both Peter and Phillip suddenly also dressed in Victorian garb! And being hustled aboard the train! Where she saw an unfamiliar face pasted against a rear window, his mouth formed in a scream although she couldn’t hear over the din of the train. Which was suddenly starting to leave. That initial chug of the engine caused a ripple down the line of cars that slowly joined in the motion. Indecision as the train began to gain motion and speed. Essie sprung into action: she grabbed the toy train engine before jumping onto the front platform of the first carriage to join her departing friends.

[Because they handled the toy train and track when put in motion, both Peter and Phillip supplied the magic energy (i.e. 3 MP each) to power the spell that opened the dimensional gate. Thus, them transformed into Victorian clothing. Once everyone was aboard the departing ghost train, they and Essie suffered (1d6+3) MP loss as they left the current dimension. And Sanity check at the departure!]

Peter pushed aside the passengers as he called out, “Henry Stanley, where are you?!” They looked out the windows and saw a black void that had glowing tracks behind the train marking its magical looping progression in the void. Only then did Peter and Phillip notice their new clothing. And see Essie boarding from the front, dressed in her original clothing. 

And heard the hiss of the passengers who transformed into ghouls that reached for them! Phillip swung his hatchet, as Peter pulled his pistol and fired, as Essie pulled her knife from her boot to defend herself. Weapons that had little effect against the mass of undead. Outnumbered, and cornered, Peter and Phillip where grappled and pulled close as a ghoul each planted a ‘death kiss’ to the men’s lips. [suck their life force: loss of more MP then loss of HP when out of MP.]

Essie slashed at her attacker, keeping it at bay [the ghoul failed its grapple]. Phillip broke free of his attacker and moved to help Essie. Peter also broke free and moved to the rear of the car, “This way to the other carriage!” And that’s when the rear door opened, and another Victorian clothed man appeared! Peter readied to attack the ghoul until he realized the man still human as he shouted, “Through here! Quickly!” Uncertain the man’s true intent, Peter pushed him out of the way and held the door open himself.

Essie bound over the bench seats to escape her attackers as she moved toward Peter. Which meant toward the mass of ghouls who had attacked the men! [DEX 00 fumble] Fortune for her a ghoul tangled its leg in the bench frame and broke its leg. Which blocked the other ghoul in pursuit. Phillip copied her move as he vaulted over the benches on the other side. He braced his hands on the top of a bench and kicked the closest ghoul to get by. Of course, he on the other side of Essie meant he kicked the ghouls toward her!  [DEX 99 fumble] Fortune the ghouls became entangled per Phillip’s kick.

They crossed the platforms between the cars and entered the second carriage. They noticed the ankh symbol again, carved into the door frame and door itself. Essie now realized, “Right-side up, it’s a symbol of protection.” With the door closed and barred, their rescuer introduced himself with a stuttering, hysterical banter, “Welcome to the 9:15 to Liverpool… although we are currently…um… running a bit late. “My name is Randolph Alexis.” (more Inappropriate laughter and comments… The man QUITE INSANE!)

Essie was insistent, “Where’s Henry Stanley?” Randolph answered, “If you’ll come this way.” But Essie paused at the first compartment and gasped when she saw shredded old clothing and some scattered and gnawed bones littering the room, “What happened?” Randolph answered matter-of-factually, “Well, my son Albert arrived and we sat down for dinner.” Essie entered and picked thru the clothing to find a watch fog engraved with the initials A.A. She gasped when she realized that stood for Albert Alexis! Randolph shrugged, “A man has to eat.” He touched his vest, “I’ve kept his heart close.” Essie quaked as she realized the man a cannibal. And with that, Randolph continued nonchalantly to the second compartment where they found Henry.

Henry sat on the bench in a fetal position with his legs drawn up to his chest as he muttered non-stop, “I don’t like trains anymore. No trains, I want off. Please get me off! No trains. Stamps. I’d like to collect stamps if you may.” The man quite insane! But it was Phillip standing to the side able to see Randolph’s gaze at Henry. As if the man saw Henry as his next meal!

Randolph continued as if everything fine, “I’ve come up with a plan to escape the train. Perhaps you can help. As I sat down to dine on my son, Albert told me about his train he crafted in attempt to rescue me. He activated the train set which stopped this ghost train. Unfortunately, it only stopped long enough to allow Albert’s boarding. I couldn’t get off.” He led them to the 3^rd compartment where he had his own train set laid out: a track made of Albert’s intestines laid out in a figure-8. Randolph pulled Albert’s decayed heart out of his vest pocket, “This is my train. I’ve etched the symbols on the floor and carved it on the heart. I thought I had it, but that last stop was caused by you. Something’s not right.”

And that’s when they heard wood splintering. And realized ghouls were at the carriage door, breaking it in. Somehow, they got around the protection spell. [They used a broken bench seat to bash the ankh symbols, deforming them and thus broke the spell.] It became a mad rush. Ghouls broke the small glass window of the door and reached in to lift the bar to unlock the door. Peter rushed forward and used his garrote to anchor the bar in place. Phillip arrived with his hatchet to chop at the ghoul arms. Essie madly tugged at her hair trying to reason what was wrong with Randolph’s plan. It came to her as she pulled out the train engine (from her backpack) she had grabbed from the basement, “Try this!”

Peter could hear ghouls atop the carriage. He rushed to the 2^nd compartment to led Henry into the hallway. Arrived just in time to find a ghoul breaking thru the window. Peter shoulder-blocked it back out the window where it fell into the black void. But the threat not gone. More scuffling sounds atop the car as if ghouls crawled towards the rear of the car. Peter anxiously called out, “Essie! How are we doing?” But Essie was busy. She and Randolph manually “ran” the train above the gut tracks, handing it off to each other to complete their half of the figure-8 track. But it wasn’t working. It dawned on her, “Albert’s track had a bridge at the crossing. We need elevation, three dimensions! Peter! Get me some bones!” Peter was not to reason why, he just complied, and got Albert’s ribcage from the first compartment.

While Phillip dealt with ghouls at the front of the car, Peter held off ghouls who had made it to the back door. Essie and Randolph started anew with the revised track layout. With Albert’s heart laid out in the center of the figure-8, they handed off their train as they completed one loop after another. Randolph added to the effort, “Choo, choo, toot, toot, clickity-clack.” 

Soon, Essie’s eyes grew wide as she saw Albert’s heart begin to thump and throb. And soon saw daylight start to peek thru the compartment window. Phillip saw ghoul hands that reached thru the broken door window, crumble into dust. Peter listened to the silence as ghouls at his door faded from sound. And they felt the train start to slow and soon stop in the countryside.

They all huffed a sigh of relief as the train stopped and sunlight poured thru the windows. But their glee short-lived as they heard a distance whistle and horn. Another train! Their ghost train had materialized on a track scheduled with a real train! “We need to exit! There’s about to be another train wreck!”

CLIMAX

[They each heard the train whistle and horn blast at the same time, but Peter was slow to recognize the significance and thus was one round behind the others in taking action. And the collision was to occur on the 6th round!]

Round#1: Peter delayed at the rear door. Phillip passed his DEX to open his door and stepped to the platform. Essie delayed to aid Henry’s escape.

Round#2: Phillip JUMPED from the train onto the gravel edge beside the tracks. Peter failed his DEX (the door jammed). Essie passed her DEX (Hard) as she opened the compartment window.

Round#3: Phillip fumbled (000) his STR check to get away from the tracks. He bashed his head on a rock and fell unconscious (failed his CON save). Peter finally passed his DEX to bust the door open. Essie failed to JUMP out the window.

Round#4: Phillip laid unconscious. Peter failed his JUMP. Essie again failed her JUMP.

Round#5: Phillip laid unconscious. With Luck, Peter JUMPED off the platform. Essie also JUMPED (Hard result meant she aided Henry’s jump).

Round#6: Phillip laid unconscious. Peter passed a STR check to scramble away from the tracks. Essie initially failed her STR check but PUSHED thru the action by abandoning Henry.

COLLISION: Unable to stop in time, the approaching train collided with the front of the Liverpool special. The trains splintered in the wreck, sending shrapnel everywhere. Phillip was pierced in the leg by a metal rod but lived. Peter managed to get far enough away and didn’t have to DODGE debris. Essie wasn’t as lucky; she failed her DODGE and also got hit by flying part. But not a serious injury.

EPILOGUE

Poor Henry, killed by a dislodged wheel rod. Essie wanted to provide medical aid to the passengers of the other train but Peter convinced her otherwise, “How do we explain our presence to the police who will soon arrive?” Thus, the two of them drug the unconscious Phillip to a corpse of trees to hide out and to patch their wounds.

As they waited for Phillip to wake, Peter stewed as he remembered seeing a figure leave from their train wreck. Randolph Alexis! The bastard who was about to eat Henry just like he’d eaten his own son. And probably them if they hadn’t escaped the ghost train. Given time, Peter hoped to track the man down and exact justice.

Essie tumbled the piece of metal in her hand. A piece of shrapnel from the side of the train showcasing the bright green exterior of the car. Her thoughts to pass it along to Arthur at the Trains Spotters Association in memory of Henry.

It wasn’t till they got into London that they realized 5-days had passed! What they thought to today as 23 March turned out to be March 28^th per the papers on the newsstands. Curiosity and fear had them scour the pages where they found 2 alarming articles:

·         About a break-in at the Camden Shop (Mehmet's Emporium).

·         The report of 3 Americans gone missing from the basement of the Train Spotter’s Association. In police interview, a Mr. Arthur Butters provided the description of American visitors. He remembered Essie’s name (and Peter’s American police badge).

By Wednesday, March 29^th, London police came knocking. They separated them for questioning:

·         The shop: “A Ms Gladys across the street gave us your descriptions and suggested we talk to you. What can you tell us about the incident?”

·         The Train Association: “How do you explain your absence? And the absent of the train set engine? And now your return?”

Peter sat calmly through the interview. [Fast Talk - Extreme Success] “I don't believe I know a Ms. Gladys. Oh, the candy store owner. Well yes, Essie stopped in her shop to buy some sweets. Not my tastes though, so I waited nearby. I didn't see anyone around the emporium or hear anything suspicious. I certainly don't know anything about a break-in. [Persuasion - Extreme Success] As for the Train Association, damnedest thing! I wish I could tell you. One minute I'm inspecting this toy train set, then the next, I'm in a field, nearly dead. Apparently, I've been out for almost a week. I don't know if I was drugged, or bushwhacked, or what. It feels like some kind of cruel joke. I can't make sense of it myself. Sounds like a tough case for your Scotland Yard. I think it's best I just go home to Arkham and put this whole mess behind me.” [Nothing worse than thieves and liars.]

Essie smiled and tried to act charming towards Sgt Peel. “Ms. Gladys was such a lovely woman. I thoroughly enjoyed her company, and her chocolates even more. I was polite asking for her recipe but caught off guard when she refused. Maybe I rankled her feelings, and she provided my name to you as a means to get back at me.”

[in 1920s England, suspects had a right to refuse answering questions (the right to silence)… DURING their actual trial. However, the right to refuse answering BEFORE trial was not codified yet. Which led to ‘third-degree’ interrogations employing physical and psychological pressure. In America, the Miranda Rights don’t come into existence till 1966.]

[Charm – 92 failure] Sgt Peel noticed her nervous tick of wiping her hands and launched into more pointed questions…almost 3^rd-degree for another 2 hours. Essie tried to turn the questions back at him, “Are you implying that my fellow associates and I were up to nefarious deeds?! I do not appreciate you holding me like some uncivilized gangster. I refuse to answer any questions without my attorney present. I know my Fifth Amendment rights.” He ignored her request, “So, you do have something to hide?” Sgt Peel pressed harder, “Ms Gladys pointed out the light in the shop. Didn’t you see it? Aren’t you Americans the curious type? Why did you leave in such a hurry? And you still haven’t explained the mystery of your disappearance from the Train Spotter’s Association basement.”

[POW checks during the questioning- Regular and Extreme] His condescending tone gave Essie resolve as she answered with smiles and fortitude, “As for the light in the shop, I did see it. I just assumed it was none of my business. Being a woman in a foreign country, I dare not poke my nose in others' business. Although I must say, didn’t your parliament codify a Judges’ Rule ten years ago that DOES give me the right to refuse to answer your questioning? But I have absolutely nothing to hide, and we did nothing wrong. The missing train engine at the Train Spotter’s Association… lovely men. They did show us the train-set that my dear friend Henry had previously purchased. He was such a kind soul. They must not have seen us leave. Is that why we're here? I am sorry I took the train. I took it for closer inspection as Mr. Butters told us how you ‘bobbies’ did not have the expertise to properly vet it. If my doing your job offends you…”

[Persuade –Hard success] And that’s when Inspector Lord stepped in to apologize, “We are sorry for the inconvenience. Your boss, Sir Wooley from the museum, is outside and explained how you Americans are responsible for delivering a plane full of priceless artifacts to our museum. How you could have easily pocketed gold or gems or any one of the myriad artifacts. Which begged the question why you would want to steal bauble from a cheap antique store. Have a good day.”

It was hard for Sgt Hensley to read Phillip’s face during questioning. The American’s mustard gas war facial scars unnerving to the Brit as Phillip calmly answered the questions. “We went to the shop tracking the train-set Mr. Stanley purchased. We’d met him on the train weeks ago and at the Waterloo dedication. Became friends, thus our interest in his disappearance. I peeked into the shop and thought I saw disturbance which had Peter and I go around back to investigate. Ms. Gladys had said something about a delivery truck. We thought maybe there was more to it than a delivery.”

[Persuade –fail] Hensley already knew Peter had denied such involvement. He smiled at catching them out-of-sync in their stories and pressed Phillip even more, “So, you are admitting you and your partner were doing our police work? Did YOU force the door open? What concern was it of yours?” [Hensley’s failed Intimidation] Hensley realized they were just going in circles on the topic. Besides, so far, nothing had been reported missing from the store. He changed topics to the Train Spotters.

Phillip didn’t even pause to think about it as he truthfully told the whole story, “We started the train-set up expecting to find an electrical short or something. Next thing we know a Ghost Train arrived and ghoulish cannibals whisked us aboard as the train departed for an ethereal dimension. We had to fight for our lives.” Hensley escorted Phillip outside into a police car. Phillip thanked him, “I could have caught a train ride back to my house.”

Phillip wondered why there were 2 other ‘bobbies’ along for the ride. [Sanity loss] He quickly realized and fought them as they pinned his arms and led him up the steps to the Sanitorium to be signed in. “Patient is delusional about ghosts and ghouls. Careful though, he is a war veteran. Must have been driven mad by the mustard gas attack he suffered during the Great War.”

It wasn’t till the next morning that Sir Wooley was able to get release paperwork signed.

BACKGROUND

In 1897, occultist Randolph Alexis tried to test a Gate spell while aboard a train. He miscast, instead of teleporting himself, the entire front half of the train teleported into another dimension. Twenty years later, reading his father's grimoires, Randolph's son Albert Alexis tried to cast the Gate to bring his father back. He altered a toy train set as a scale model of the original train and charged it with magic power. He activated a second Gate, but instead of bringing back his father, it brought the whole train through, sweeping Albert up with it.

Much later, Randolph’s widow began selling off family belongings to pay the mounting bills. A Turkish antiquarian (Mehmet Makryat’s Emporium) bought the set for its uniqueness. An avid train enthusiast (Henry Stanley) saw the train set in the store window and recognized it as a recreation of the 1897 mysterious train disappearance. He couldn’t wait to set it up and test run it. And unknowingly summoned the Doom Train and was ushered aboard.

NEXT SCENARIO: https://wjr5oakley.blogspot.com/2022/11/when-evil-wins.html