GM's Journal - April 1894

==Monday April 2nd, 1894==
A Telegram arrives from the Budapest Lodge, inviting the leadership of the Southend Lodge to visit to see how a Nationally operating Lodge is run.
==Thursday April 5th, 1894==
A package arrives from Carstairs, containing a Ring carved of Onyx, and an explanatory letter, describing the results of the dig at Saqqara.
==Friday April 6th, 1894==
Belladonna and Jones are recovered from their injuries on the journey
==Saturday April 7th, 1894==
Using the Fishman body that was brought back to the lodge, Belladonna extracts a set of Aquatic Lungs and implants them into Alphonse, who volunteers after spending several months in capsizing boats!
Meanwhile, Jones 'interrogates' the Hybrid Fish-Boy that was brought back from Rottingdean. Jones is more than a little disquieted by the childs constant requests for 'Mother Hydra's Milk' and their desire to be constantly covered in water.
==Sunday April 8th, 1894==
An examination of the 'Ring of Thoth' that Carstairs sent back from Egypt reveals a formula that purports to be able to turn any powerful undead (such as a Mummy or a Vampire) to dust, should they be injected with it. The ring contained three doses, but one was lost in an attempt to discover if it can be replicated. WIth current technology, it cannot ....
==Monday April 9th - Tuesday April 17th, 1894 - Hyde and Seek==
Sir Robert, Belladonna, Cheng-Lou, Jones, Garvin, Tim Simms and Cauliflower Carl make the trip to Budapest. Jones and Belladonna suffer injuries en route, caused by Sir Robert's Dogs, and Cheng-Lou encounters some Oriental gentlemen with dragon tattoos on their necks that appear to have links to the reason he lost his Silk Farm. It being 'burned' is mentionned, but in typical inscrutable fashion he will not divulge the full details.
Upon arrival at Castle Buda they find that the lodge is staffed soley by 'non-combatant' servants and the Harkers and all of the 'combative' Rippers are out taking back the night.
==Wednesday April 18th, 1894==
Jones is decidedly unhappy with having to 'dress for dinner'. Sir Robert and Belladonna do their best to make him clean and presentable. During dinner, they are interrupted by Mina Harker who bursts into the room in torn, bloody clothing. She reveals that they have captured Dr. Jekyll! He is currently in the infirmary, as is Jonathan Harker, who was severly injured in the battle. Belladonna helps to save Jonathan's life, but his leg is badly damaged and will require time to recuperate. Jekyll has 5 bullets in his stomach, which are removed and he is taken to a cell. With Jonathan in no position to perform an interrogation, Mina requests that the members of the Southend lodge assist her in questioning Jeckyll as she has no desire to be alone with such a man.
==Thursday April 19th, 1894==
Sir Robert, Cheng-Lou, Belladonna and Garvin, along with Mina Harker, interrogate Jeckyll. Meanwhile Jones plays with Sir Robert's dogs in the courtyard and tries to get as dirty as possible. Timothy Simms and Cauliflower Carl play cards in their room.
Jeckyll reveals the following under questioning.
*He is aware that Van Helsing is missing, and appears to be highly perceptive, or has done some research into the leaders of a lot of Ripper Lodges - as he speaks with at least a little authority on the backgrounds or private lives of the members of the Southend Lodge.
*Dr. Jack has also vanished. All Jekyll knows is that it had something to do with some stone pillars. He makes a joke that perhaps Jack and Van Helsing are to be found together.
*A few years ago, Dr. Jack showed his students two stone pillars he supposedly retrieved from somewhere in Scotland.
*One of these pillars he placed in the care of Dr. Prometheus, while the other was given to Dr. Frankenstein. [This causes some consternation amongst the gathered Rippers, as Frankenstein is supposed to be dead!]
*With Dr. Jack missing, Jekyll attempted to contact Dracula in the hope of taking Jack’s place as the Cabal’s leader. Dracula was supposed to be in England somewhere, but the mysterious Count was nowhere to be found.
*Belladonna notices that Dr. Jekyll was obviously hurt by this snub and he is goaded into saying more because of this.
*The Cabal are not as organised, internationally, as they might be, because of Dr. Jack's absence.
*He has no idea where the Count might be, but sees the situation as no matter - someone must take control of the Cabal internationally.
*To improve his chances of leadership, Dr. Jekyll resolved to kill all the key Rippers - Starting with the Harkers!
*While he may be incarcerated, he is far from helpless, and didn't come to Castle Buda alone ...
While the interrogation is occuring, Jones sees the drawbridge lowered, and a group of men marching into the castle. One of the dogs growls at 'nothing' but Jones distracts them by throwing a stick.
Shortly after Jones has seen the men enter the Castle and Jeckyll has said he is not alone, gunfire is heard.
Jeckyll swiftly turns into his Hyde form and attacks!, the Rippers present act swiftly and subdue him, then Belladonna sedates him, though he is still in his Hyde form and may not remain so for long. They leave the cell and lock it, splitting up, some running towards the main hall, others to the Armoury in order to better equip themselves for battle.
Jones has run into the castle, forcing his way past the fleeing servants. Sir Robert's dogs go with the boy, and they are shot at by one of the armed men Jones saw enter the room before. Then he sees one of the servants apparently rise up into the air and 'fly' off the balcony - there must be an invisible foe present as well!
Cauliflower Carl and Timothy Simms also rush towards the main hall, and are embroiled in a battle with a Hyde (though not THE Hyde) an two, or possibly three Invisible Men. Cheng-Lou and Garvin arrive to assist them, as more gunfire is heard further into the Castle - near the Infirmary Wing!.
Belladonna and Sir Robert are with Mina Harker, equipping themselves in the Armoury. Once they are equipped, Mina and Belladonna use a secret passage to take them to Jonathan in the Infirmary, while Sir Robert makes his way back towards the main hall. Along the way he sees that Jeckyll has broken out of his cell!.
In the main hall, with the Invisible men and 'minor' Hydes defeated, Cauliflower Carl and Timothy Simms make their way to the Infirmary, Carl is intercepted by an Invisible man on the way and knocked unconcious. Jeckyll, in his Hyde form, bursts into the main hall and attacks Jones, Cheng-Lou, Garvin and the Dogs. Cheng-Lou's curse magic blinds Jeckyll, keeping him from doing much damage, but he proves far too resilient to be taken down swiftly.
Back in the Infirmary, Mina and Belladonna arrive through the secret passageway, to find Jonathan barricaded in, with a table pressed against the doorway. He is bleeding heavily and much the worse for wear. They see him lifted into the air and brought down hard upon the edge of the table - grabbed by an invisible man - Mina goes into shock as she believes her husband has been killed.
Thinking swiftly, Belladonna grabs some talcum powder, but is unable to use it to help make the invisible assailant visible, as a thrown scalpel stuns her for a moment. Timothy Simms fights his way along the corridor, keeping his invisible attackers at bay, to try and defend Belladonna.
Sir Robert arrives in the main hall and empties two entire gatling pistols into Jeckyll, with little effect, it is in Melee, with Jones further distracting the blinded Doctor, and frenzied blows from Cheng-Lou, Garvin, Sir Robert and his Bloodhounds, that the creature Jeckyll became is taken down. Garvin slits the creature's throat in order that the doctor can do no more to harm the people of the world.
In the Infirmary, Mina recovers from her shock and snatches the Talcum Powder from Belladonna and spreads it around the room - making the attackers visible - and vulnerable. Between them, Mina, Belladonna and Timothy are able to defeat one of the Invisible men, and the other flees, coming face to face with Sir Robert who is bringing an injured dog to the Infirmary. The final attacker is laid low, and Belladonna does what she can for the Injured. Jonathan Harker is in worse shape than he was before, but thanks to the Doctor being on hand will live - as long as he is able to get adequate rest.
The lodge at castle Buda is abandoned and the members of the Southend lodge prepare to leave that evening, lest the forces of the Cabal are waiting to re-inforce the 'victorious' Jeckyll.
==Friday April 27th, 1894==
The members of the Southend Lodge return to England and arrange to journey to Rottingdean in order to investigate the 'Mother Hydra' that the 'fishboy' speaks of.
A Carriage is bought so that the mutant child can be transported without causing a scene.
==Monday April 30th, 1894==
Arrive in Rottingdean.
Those that travelled by train (Sir Robert, Cheng-Lou, Jones, Garvin and Cauliflower Carl) discover that they have a long walk to the Village of Rottingdean itself. En route they encounter a one-armed farmer who tells tales of his cattle going wild and biting off his arm!
Belladonna, along with Timothy Simms, St. John King and 'The Fishboy', arrive by carriage and are very nearly run off the road by a gentleman by the name of Charles Rolls, who is testing his 'Energised Horseless Carriage'.
They enter their hotel and are told that the doors are closed at 9 and not opened until the morning. It takes those walking from the station some time to gain the attention of the landlady and gain entrance. Some talk with the 'old men of the village' gains some interesting information about the town's history.
Through the night, Jones is woken up by a curious procession of robed and hooded figures through the street outside of the hotel. He is unable to wake anyone at first, but eventually rouses Belladonna, who goes to get the aid of Sir Robert. Cheng-Lou, sharing a room with Jones, is oblivious to all.
While Belladonna rouses Sir Robert, Jones climbs out of the window and watches the robed figures as they make their way towards the Church. Sir Robert arrives, in full 'costume', and the noise spooks the robed figures, who break and flee into the night.
Later, watching the church again, three of the robed figures are seen to be let into the church by a hunchbacked man, and Sir Robert and Jones, spying through the window, see the figures speak with the Priest, Father MacDougall. When they leave, they make their way up to the abandoned windmill up on the hill looking over the village. Sir Robert and Jones follow them, but do not investigate the mill this late at night.