October/November 1921
SITUATION
After securing the Golden Fugazi and sending it back to England with Henry Davis, Professor Wraight found herself in Alexandria getting ready to return to Suez where she and her crew would sail for Mombassa and another expedition to East Africa. Before they could get going they received an urgent telegram from von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg, urging them, with all haste, to make for Bucharest where he would meet them.
They sailed immediately for Athens and made their way by train to Bucharest in just under a week. Upon their arrival von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg explained that for some time he had been trying to ascertain the location of the famed Russian occultist Aleksey Borsokovski – and his extensive library (reputed to have Rasputin’s personal papers).
He discovered Borsokovski had escaped the Bolsheviks in St. Petersburg and made his way, along with his books, to Ukraine and had take up with the anarchist “Black Army” . Since the demise of the Black Army in August, von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg became more desperate to track down Borsokovski. He was relieved to find, only two weeks ago, that Borsokovski was alive and well enough and hiding with other Black Army fugitives in a small village west of Chenovstky.
Von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg has arranged a truck and an anarchist guide to take them through the Carpathians, on a forgotten cart track, to Borsokovski’s hiding place and collect him and his books and sneak back through the mountains into Transylvania.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Dr. Emma Wraight – Cultural Anthropologist and Archaeologist (Amanda)
Ag d6, Sm d10, Sp d10, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 6, Sanity 6, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d4, Knowledge: Anthropology d8, Knowledge; Archaeology d8, Investigation d8, Survival 4d, Tracking d4, Swimming d4, Healing d4, Knowledge: Mythos d4, Streetwise d8,
Edges: Scholar, Linguist, Alertness
Hindrances: Curious, Phobia (Major – Snakes)
Gear: Clothes, Anti-Snake Boots (Armour +2), Webley (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4),
Tom Cranston – labourer – (John)
Ag d8, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d10, Vg d12,
Pace 6, Parry 7, Toughness 9, , Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d10, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d8, Riding d4, Throwing d4, Knowledge ( Farmin’) d10, healing d4, Repair d4, Survival d4,
Edges: Quick, Brawny, Fast Healer, First Strike, Scrapper
Hindrances: Illiterate, Loyal, Quirk (Depressed – over the loss of his wife), Heroic
Gear: Work Clothes, Shovel (Str+d6, -1 to hit), Lee Enfield Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF 1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2)
Sgt. Shivanshu Malaker – Gurkha (Darrin)
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d8, Vg d10,
Pace 6, Parry 6, Toughness 8, Sanity 6, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Climbing d8, Swimming d4, Survival d10, Tracking d10
Edges: Brawny, Woodsman, Alertness, First Strike
Hindrances: Heroic, Code of Honour
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2), Kukri (Str+d6)
Freiherr und Ritter Jochimm von und zu Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg – Retired German Army Officer - (Christian)
Ag d10, Sm d6, Sp d10, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 4 (+d4), Parry 5, Toughness 6, Sanity 7, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d10, Notice d6, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Persuade d8, Driving d4, Streetwise, d6, Survival d4, Stealth d4, Knowledge: Occult d6
Edges: Well Adjusted, Rich, Trademark Weapon (Luger)
Hindrances: Vow (major), Quirk (?), Vengeful, Lame
Gear: Fine Clothes, Luger (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4), Sword Cane(Str+d6)
Feldwebel Shultz – NPC – aide/driver for Von Höllenstadt-Fürchtberg
Ag d8, Sm d6, Sp d8, St d8, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 6 (7), Toughness 6, Sanity 5, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d8, Shooting d8, Notice d8, Stealth d6, Intimidate d8, Throwing d6, Knowledge: Mythos d4
Edges: Command
Hindrances: Mean
Gear: Luger (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Knife (Str+d4),
Laurel Trebeau – Administrative assistant (Brenda)
Ag d6, Sm d12, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 6
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d8, Stealth d4, Investigation d10, Riding d4, Healing d8, Knowledge (Psychology) d8, Taunt d6, Swimming d4, Streetwise d8, Persuasion d6
Edges: Alertness, Psychotherapist
Hindrances: Quirk (wears glasses, but doesn’t really need them…), Loyal
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF 1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1), Silver Letter Opener (Str+d4, -1 to hit),
Alexsey Borsokovski – Wild Card – Russian Occultist
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
Black Army Anarchists (8)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
Black Army Anarchists (8)
Ag d6, Sm d6, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) and/or Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6, AP: 1)
Bolsheviks
Valery Malenkov – Wild Card – Cheka Agent
Ag d8, Sm d8, Sp d8, St d6, Vg d8,
Pace 6, Parry 5, Toughness 5, Sanity 3, Corruption 3
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d8, Notice d10, Stealth d8, Streetwise d8, Investigation d6, Knowledge: Mythos d6
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6+1, AP: 1)
Natashya Kasakova (6) – Wild Card – Bolshevik Commissar
Ag d6, Sm d8, Sp d8, St d4, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 4, Toughness 5, Sanity 6, Corruption 1
Skills: Fighting d4, Shooting d6, Notice d10, Stealth d6, Streetwise d8
Gear: Pistol (Range: 12/24/48, ROF1, Damage: 2d6+1, AP: 1)
Bolshevik Riflemen (15)
Ag d6, Sm d4, Sp d6, St d6, Vg d6,
Pace 6, Parry 5 (6), Toughness 5, Sanity 5, Corruption 0
Skills: Fighting d6, Shooting d6, Notice d6, Stealth d6,
Gear: Rifle (Range: 24/48/96, ROF1, Damage: 2d8, AP: 2) , Bayonet (Str+d6, parry+1)
THE GAME
The Truck and company made it through with little trouble – other than the road which reduced their rate of travel to only marginally faster than walking. Hopefully they could make it in and back before it began to snow too much!!
The group met with Borsokovski and the Black Army Anarchists at a farm house west of Chenovstky it didn’t take much convincing to get them to come, but Borsokovski refused to leave his Anarchist comrades and so all left together – and not a moment too soon! Just as they were out of the yard and down a side road the Cheka raided the farm and executed all that remained!
Just as they though they were about to cross the border and be in the clear they came round a bend and saw their way was blocked up ahead – someone had tipped off the cheka – or those devious bastards had guessed the Anarchists intentions…
(click on the pics to see a larger version)
Bolsheviks blocking the way
The pendulum wasn’t showing any sign of swinging the other way to start….
Our heroes and their Black Army Anarchist allies.
Shivansu and Tom lead groups of anarchist through the woods to flank oneither side. Jochim, Otto, and Laurel were in the cab of the truck. Proffessor Wraight and Alexsey Borsokovski rode in the back of the truck.
First contact – a few wild shots fired at half-seen ghosts in the woods.
Malenkov scores a hit – with a raise – with his pistol… apparently it went right through a loose haning part of the anarchists jacket without them even realizing it…
Where’s that awesome luck, Christian!?
The Anarchists with Cranston move up under cover while the Bolsheviks fire wildly (and ineffectively).
The truck slowly creeps forward trying to keep pace with the advancing anarchists. Jochimm, leaning out the window fires at any Bolshevik he sees.
The firefight intensifies. Bolsheviks are dropping.
Otto takes a bullet – luckily while the truck is stopped. Laurel pushes him out and follows so Jochimm can move over and take overdriving and she can attempt to administer some first aid.
The battle continues at very short range. Bolsheviks still taking the worst of it.
One unit of Bolshevkis fails morale (the for one). The others soldier on despite heavier losses!?
Seven men firing on one… sounds more like a firing squad than a fire fight!?
The Anarchists overrun the Bolsheviks position accepting the surrender of the few surviving (uninjured) soldiers.
Both Malenkov and Natashya Kasakova scarpered and made it out, despite their wounds, and Cranston's attempt to pursue!
“Curses, foiled again!”
At least I had an excuse to wear my budenovka!
The Black Army anarchists suffered one dead. That’s it. (oh, and Otto was wounded…).
The Bolsheviks suffered, I think, four dead, four seriously wounded (would probably die out there in the wilderness) and four lightly wounded. The other four that surrendered were disarmed and sent on their way…
The group made it over the mountains into translvania. The Anarchist dispersed and the rest of the group made their way back to England…
