Reiter Gunter Von Hinterst Player A Report       

Honieren Vater,

                          I fear that I have missed a chance to destroy the main Badamaru family once and for all. Hearing that the lady Griseldis Badamaru was to visit the Schloss Grausbad intending to discover the source of the Djinn strike there I took a squad there. It comprised Otto, his Priest Kette and four servants. Splitting them into three parties I posted them in hiding near the tracks around the Heilig Tiech. Around eleven on the 1^st April Lady Griseldis arrived with nine men and three women. They headed towards the boathouse. I with but two servants tracked them within the cover of the trees. Soon they encountered a patrol of Turkish Militia who stopped them. The Ensign in charge wanted to escort them to the Schloss but Griseldis wanted to get a boat out onto the lake. She and a gentleman with her showed papers to him but he was unimpressed. I definitely saw her threaten him with witchcraft and make sorcerous gestures with her wand. But then firing started and they and the patrol were fighting hand to hand. I led my two to take Griseldis’ force in the rear to such effect that those still standing surrendered. The patrol Ensign was down stunned so the wounded Corporal second in command, was very glad of our support. Thinking back this was the chance where we might have killed Griseldis, her party and the Turks. The thought did cross my mind but I suspected that there would be witnesses near at hand. In fact there were the Rumanian boatman and his wife in a nearby building and it may be that a telescope was trained on us from the Schloss. Also on the other hand I had seen the witch Griseldis attempt a magic spell and it occurred to me that having her tried and burnt for witchcraft would be a much better revenge than a quick death. Be that as it may, I with the Turkish Corporal accepted the surrender.

  Griseldis’ force had two first aid satchels with it so we allowed them to bandage up the wounded of both sides. I was soon joined by the Priest Kette and one of Otto’s men with a Turkish Ranger. The Ranger went off to report our success to the Schloss. Then considerably later we received assistance to carry the wounded and escort the prisoners. I had by then been joined by Otto with another of his servants. Before entering the Schloss I sent him with the four men to hide in the woods. Only the Priest Kette still accompanied me. Inside we were greeted by the Moslem Muezzin Malik Kale who acts as the Castle’s constable. Once all the wounded were safely made comfortable the Muezzin took me aside and asked how I had come to be in the area. An awkward question! I answered that we had stopped to rest on the road nearby and my hunting hound Null had run away into the forest. I had split my people into three and we had come searching for it. I told him that I with two of our men saw a gang of foreigners fighting with some forces of law and order. Naturally I had gone to their rescue and was glad that we had succeeded. I regretted that it was one of my men who had killed the English woman but it was in self-defence. She was armed with a crossbow, a derringer and a dagger! I said that the dispute appeared to have arisen over the Rumanian Lady trying to commit witchcraft. I was very willing to testify to that fact in court if necessary. He replied that he had sent away to the Asa Abdul Abu who would decide what charges if any were to be made against anyone. He had been informed that the foreigners had been sent at the request of the Asa! He did not know when the Asa would arrive but in fact he arrived that evening. When I spoke to him he said that the foreigners had come with a detective to seek out as to why a Djinn had struck a heavy blow against his castle. He would question the fit participants in the fight on the morrow but preferably apportioning blame and making any charges would wait until that mystery was solved. Since the dead woman was a Christian, he asked if Kette would do a funeral service for her. Naturally I agreed and it was held in the damaged harem chambers the following afternoon. Present were the Asa and the Muezzin Malik, Lady Griseldis and her niece Leica, Captain Alfred Dorset, the Detective Ferdinand Finder, Professor Able Learning and some servants.    

 The morning had been spent by the Asa questioning the remaining persons fit enough to stand one by one. He made no move to contact me again and I was wondering whether to leave or not. Kette and I were taking the air on the top of the Schloss keep when we saw them carrying the body of the dead English woman down to the jetty where a boat was moored. I had assumed that she would be interred as was the usual practise and was curious as to why they needed to take her onto the Tiech. Then I realised too late, that were taking her to the St Festus shrine and this would enable Griseldis to renew her magic powers there! As we watched they put the body onto a funeral pyre already made beside the shrine and set it alight. Downstairs the Muezzin told me that only the foreigners had been given permission to land on the Isle and it had been them who had set up the pyre in the morning. Apparently the Badamaru family had maintained the Roman custom of cremation through the centuries using the site beside the shrine. The woman’s ashes would be collected into a stoneware pot for returning to her family in England. The Badamaru cremation pots were stored in Kists, still scattered around the keep under slabs.

  I took the Muezzin to the Asa and asked him:

    “Your Excellency do you realise what is happening on that isle now? The witch Griseldis will be replenishing her powers in the shrine! I tell you she is an evil one and not to be trusted!”

 “Why do you say this Christian?” demanded the Asa.

 “My family have had some troubles with hers in past times and they have used evil witchcraft against us. This very Schloss was built by my family but robbed from us by trickery. I think it possible, even probable that she hopes to seize it away from you for the Lady Leica. In England and France where she has lived females can inherit property. She hated her brother Boris and will not care if he rots in jail for the rest of his life!”

 “These are powerful accusations Reiter. What would you suggest that we do?” returned the Asa.

 “The Lady has recognised me and will be on her guard whilst I am present. She may guess that my Priest Kette has holy powers to counter witchcraft. I suggest you allow him and I to remain to witness such investigations that they do here?”

 “I agree but Captain Achmed must be present when the men are being questioned and the Eunuch Erdibrim when it is the women. They will start tomorrow.”    

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Honieren Vater,

                                   At nine o’clock on the 3^rd of April Preot Kette and I assembled with the others in the damaged portion of the Harem. They comprised the two Badamaru’s, Captain Alfred Dorset, the Detective Ferdinand Finder, Professor Able Learning, Captain Achmed, the two interpreters, four women of the harem and their attendant Eunuch Erdibrim. The Detective Finder opened by questioning through Ibrahim Tok, the Concubines Farli and Lisbit and the abigail Judit what they remembered of the ‘Djinn strike’. They with three others had been relaxing after having the Imam Malik read the Koran to them. He had just left to climb to the top of the minaret so he could call the faithful to prayer for the very first time. Then suddenly there was a tremendous bang and the chamber was full of flames, smoke, rubble and broken glass. The flames were orange and the smoke was grey. They could hear but had ringing in their ears for a while. At the time they were more concerned with the burns and many cuts from the flying glass. Malik and Erdibrim had come to their assistance almost immediately but could do nothing to save Karina, Eva or Zsa Zsa. No, there had not been any strangers calling at the Schloss that day as far as they knew. There were few strangers who ever called at the Schloss, the most suspicious one being that Reuben Finkelstein! Why? Because he is a Jew! retorted Lisbit! Finkelstein humphed but said nothing. He was sporting bandages and looking sorry for himself from injuries received in the Fracas. The questioning continued. There had not been any unusual sounds heard before the ‘Djinn strike’. How did they know it was a Djinn that had caused the damage? Because Imam Malik had explained that it must have been one, an explanation with which the Eunuch Erdibrim agreed. The strike appeared to have hit the wall between two windows with the debris fanning inwards from that point. Mudi the sentry on duty on the SW tower had had his back to the Blast and saw nothing of its origins. Despite her injuries Judit had been forced to assist the three kitchen maids clearing up the mess. Everything had been stained black and it had taken many hours of scrubbing spread over four days to remove all traces of the disaster. Judit knew that the maid Halem had saved a piece of the Djinn’s magic. Erdibrim sent Judit down to collect Halem and her piece of magic. Whilst they waited Erdibrim said that he thought it was not a matter of if it was a Djinn but who had called him up? His Master the Asa had thought it might be Boris Badamaru but there were other possibilities. Imam Malik who was safely elsewhere at present, suspected it might be St Bogo Christian fanatics, angry that the minaret had been built on what had been a Christian castle. I suggested that the witch Lady Griseldis might have summoned the Djinn.

 “Do not listen to him” screeched Griseldis “He is one of the foul Von Hinterst’s who have plagued our family for centuries! I was in England giants leagues away!” 

 “It seems that the Djinn missed the minaret then!” commented Captain Alfred. This caused Finder to ask if there had been any loud sounds after the strike such as a gun’s report but Erdibrim said not. Then Judit returned with Halem who proudly bore the piece of the Djinn’s magic. It was an irregular shaped piece coloured red on one side and black on the other and with the raw edges coloured brown. “There were many similar pieces but this was the largest!” declared Halem. “Is it of metal I asked toying with the idea that it might be the fragment of an exploded shell?”

 “No it is light. I think it is made of compressed cardboard.” Answered the Detective.

 “I think it was a rocket!” Exclaimed Captain Alfred. “That might explain why it missed the minaret. Fiendishly inaccurate devices, rockets! No writing on it I suppose.”

 “Created in the seventh hell perhaps! Now why would a Djinn have need of such a scientific device?” queried Erdibrim. “It must have been the Christian fanatics!”

 “But wise one, another indication that it was the work of a Djinn were the ghost visitations.” said Farli.

 “What ghost visitations?” demanded Lady Griseldis.

 “Well at different times I and both Karina and Lisbit, saw the ghost of a woman. Karina and I in here and Lisbit in the bedchamber. In each case we were alone and the woman pointed straight at us. She mouthed something but we could distinguish no words. It was always in the evenings. We have not seen her since the strike.”

 “How was she dressed, was she a lady or a servant?” asked Lady Griseldis.

The concubines looked at one another, the “A lady we think, a middle aged lady.”

 “Could a ghost have called up a Djinn?” mused Professor Learning.

 “One would rather hope that you could give guidance on such a matter!” sneered Captain Alfred, who obviously doubted the existence of supernatural forces.

Mr Ferdinand thought it best to keep to the matter in hand.

 “Well for whoever it was, they must have fired the rocket from fairly close to hope for a successful hit. Looking out there, that crag with the firs on it looks a likely bet. When we passed the day before yesterday I noted some steps leading up it. I suggest we go there to see what we can find?” 

 “No, we will stay!” objected Lady Griseldis. “I need to investigate this ghost. You Captain and Mr Finder go look for your rocket.”

So I told Kette to remain whilst I joined the party going out to visit the crag. It comprised of Captain Alfred, Mr Finder, their valet Makepeace, Ibrahim the Interpreter and two militiamen supplied by Captain Achmed. Now it so happened that the crag with the firs on it was the very place that Otto and his chirugs were lurking! I went forward with high hopes. We issued forth from the Schloss gate only for Mr Finder to spot something floating at the edge of the Tiech. It was a piece of wood with burn marks on it. Captain Alfred asserted that it was part of the stick from a rocket and we moved on. Next were a pile of clothes. I knew what they portended, a werewolf had changed there. Sure enough a little further on in some bushes we found a body. It was the relatively fresh body of a man whose throat had been torn out. “Inastu the woodsman!” commented one of the militiamen. “He regularly sold fire wood to the Schloss. Why would he want to be out here at night?”

Ibrahim said that they would collect the body for burial later and so we moved over the bridge. The sun had come out and in despite of the tragedy the birds were singing. As another token of good fortune a Rumanian boy ran up to me holding a purse, “Is this yours Sir?” he enquired. Well I had never seen it before, perhaps it had belonged to the dead English woman? Anyway I accepted it and finding five Dirham in it I gave one to the boy as a reward for his honesty. He sped off and I debated within myself what to do when we reached the crag. Otto would relish the chance of killing the three Turks but was it a good move to kill the three Englanders. Of course they were popish heretics but there might be unwelcome political repercussions. The main enemies the two Badamaru’s were safe back in the Schloss but so was Priest Kette whom it would not be good to abandon. The two Turkish militia men were scrupulously staying at the rear of the party with myself in front of them. If Otto made a hostile move I would have to deal with them. Otto would not know that whereas I had my revolver, the Englander’s had no firearms. It was possible that on hearing us approach he might try to hide? My thoughts were interrupted by Ibrahim translating to me “The infidel Englanders are deciding to visit that cottage now. They think that climbing the rock is not being needed. They say it is over a month since the event and at that time everything will have been covered by snow. No evidence will be left up there but the people in the cottage may have seen something.”!!!

    Meanwhile the Preot Kette had stayed with the Badamaru’s. The witch Griseldis had decided that the best place for her to call up the ghost was in the Asa’s own bedroom. It could be dark because all the windows had been bricked up and in its floor was the kist containing the funerary urns of the female Badamaru’s. Since it could only be approached through the concubines bedchamber they were not happy about this. The Eunuch Erdibrim said they had to do as they were told but that they might stay in that room whilst the witch cast her spells. The next upset came when the witch demanded that she be allowed to enter the Asa’s bedchamber alone. She said that a lone person had a much better chance of contacting a ghost. Preot Kette told me that he believed this to be true. He wondered whether he should try to combat the witches spell but decided against it. His powers are weak and might not be enough. Further she was reputedly powerful and might turn very hostile if provoked. Anyway both he and the Professor learning would find it of great interest if she succeeded. After some argument Erdibrim said that the witch could enter the bedchamber alone provided that she could be searched by the abigail Judit when she had finished. So Griseldis entered the room and shut the door on Erdibrim. He immediately put his eye to the keyhole whilst Judit laid her ear against the door hinges. Kette and the Professor stood to their rear with the rest behind them. Presently Erdibrim staggered back pale of face, “So there really are ghosts!” he gasped.  “Let me see!” said Judit pushing him out of the way and peering through the key hole. She stayed thus for quite a long time. Kette could not hear what went on in the because of the chattering going on behind him.

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On the track by the fir topped crag I looked behind me to the Schloss and could see two heads watching us from the south wall battlements. If I called on Otto to strike from above there would be witnesses! Foiled again I followed the mad Englishmen past the steps and a cave beyond. Perhaps something could be arranged when we returned but in fact the opportunity never occurred. Looking upwards I spotted an eagle hovering far above us, a good or a bad omen I wondered. Then the wolves started howling nearby and I knew fate was against us. We carried on to the cottage and a woman came to the door. She said that she was Darya the wife of Dmitri the road mender. Using the Interpreter the English detective questioned her. Speaking Rumanian myself I understood her tale. Yes she had seen the wizard who unleashed the Djinn. She had been peeling potatoes at her window that afternoon, when she saw two men and a mule on the track. They stopped at the steps up the crag and tethered the mule. One of them took a long staff up the steps and then threw a rope down. The other tied it to a rolled up carpet and went up to join his companion. Then they hauled up the carpet and carried it away on the top of the crag where she could not see. Then after a while she heard this enormous bang and when she looked out there was a big cloud of smoke against the Schloss. When it cleared there was the big hole in it that can be seen now! The wizard and his assistant then came down the steps together, collected their mule and went back towards the road. They were wearing blue clothes like the Turkish soldiers in the Schloss wear but she thought that was a disguise. They seemed to be of average height with one taller than the other. The light was good because the snow was still everywhere. She had never seen them before or since. Detective Finder thought that this was very good information and the Captain gave the woman an overgenerous two Dirham pieces. I do not think he understands the Ottoman currency as yet. Finder then suggested that we go to the boathouse and the cottage beyond it, looking for any more possible witnesses. As we went on our way we heard rustlings in the trees nearby which seemed to follow us. We heard the wolves again but now further away and then the cawing of a crow. But I did not think these caused the rustling and I caught a glimpse of a man darting across the track behind us. We went on to call on the Boatman Vanu and his wife Vanya. Vanu had seen the Djinn strike the Schloss from the Tiech. There was a large enough hole in the ice to take the boat out that day. He saw a gout of flames against the building with a trail of fire coming behind it. From that he reckoned that the Djinn must have fire it from hovering over the Pestera Hohe. That must be their name for the fir topped crag. The English jabbered away together and then went to the boathouse. There we met a woman selling fresh bread rolls. Of course she tried to take advantage of the foreigners asking for five Manga apiece but Ibrahim and I soon reduced it to two with the Captain buying one each for us all. Then they decided to row back across the Tiech to the Schloss. That shook off the man trailing us but of course meant we would not pass Otto and his men!  

   At the Schloss gate we met the Imam, Captain Achmed the two Badamaru women and others. The Detective told them that we had found that a rocket had been fired from the fir topped crag by two men in blue military uniforms. The witch Griseldis claimed that there had been no occult involvement. The Imam decided that the Asa should be informed of these findings to decide on what to do next and sent of a messenger to him. It was felt that the matter was finished as far as the foreigners were concerned so told Kette that we were leaving. I explained to the Imam that if Otto and our men had not found my (mythical) hunting hound Null by now the wolves must have got him.

   I had not abandoned all hope of striking at the Badamaru and left one man with a horse to watch when they left Grausbad. I thought we had inappropriate weaponry to successfully ambush their carriages and anyway such an episode would cast suspicions our way. My plan was to derail the train they took from Sovata to Brasov. I accordingly left Kette and another man at Sovata to ascertain which train and warn us. So Otto and I rode down the railway seeking a likely cliff to send the train over. I expected them to take a few days longer but in fact they entrained on the 5^th April. We had found a likely spot but lacking explosives the men placed rocks on the right hand rail. We hope this would tilt the train over and down the steep slope to the left. Alas the only rocks found convenient were of sandstone. Whilst the larger ones were brushed away the smaller ones were crushed and the train hardly checked its progress. News from Sovata is that Lady Vendettah one of the Asa’s wives has committed suicide by poison and Boris Badamaru has been released. With his female relatives going back to England, perhaps we should concentrate on him?  

                                                                        Your obedient son Gunter

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Occult Verification Society Player B

Journal of the Occult Verification Society continued by Lady Leica Badamaru

It is with a sorrowful heart that I take up the task of continuing the Journal of which my dear friend Cordelia Higginbottom had been writing. For alas she is no more, stabbed to death by a retainer of the evil Von Hinterst family!

It happened thus, we travelled to our old estate in two carriages which dropped us at the entrance track. The Magyar drivers always did refuse to go any closer! When we came to the forking of the track Captain Alfred expected to go straight to the Schloss to present his letter of authority. But Aunt Griseldis thought it best to go to the shrine of St. Festus to recover her powers first. After a brief argument Captain Alfred decided that we would all go to the boathouse to do that first. So the thirteen of us headed that way through budding Alder trees either side of the track. Soon we saw five Turkish Militia led by an Ensign coming towards us. He challenged us in Turkish, so through the Interpreter Ibrahim, Captain Alfred explained our mission and gave him the two letters from the Asa Abdul Abu. The silly man pretended that they were forgeries! Aunt Griseldis grew very angry and threatened him with witchcraft, testing our interpreter to the limit. In Turkish the Ensign mocked her, the which being translated, made her say that she would conjure up a ghost beyond the nearby fish smoking hut. The ensign sent a man there to witness it whereupon Aunt said in English “That is one of them out of the way Captain, what are you waiting for?”

So after a shocked moment the Captain said “Charge!” and fired his pistol. I was taken by surprise myself but Cordelia fired her crossbow and others did too, including the enemy. With two more Griseldis’ abigail Oryana charged waving her fruit knife and all was confusion. Whilst I gathered my wits enough to draw my dagger and throw one of my sachets of pepper, the Professor stood frozen with terror. Alas my pepper fell too short and I started to draw out my Derringer.  The enemy ensign was down but so was Captain Alfred, Mate Job, and Oryana, when we were attacked in the rear! To my horror a cloaked man with a dagger attacked Cordelia. Surprised as he ran from behind, she tried to turn and dodge him but he thrust home! There were two other men with him and Lady Griseldis called upon us all to surrender. I saw the leader of those coming from behind hesitate, but the Turks, now led by a wounded Corporal were very happy to call a halt. I opened Oryana’s first aid satchel and finding her still alive bandaged her up. Then I went to Cordelia but it was no use as she was dead, stabbed through the heart! Others had the first aid kit carried by Makepeace the valet opened and in use but I was too upset, and crying over Cordelia. We had become friends at Cheltenham Ladies College years ago. Then when I went back to first Rumania and then France we corresponded. This even when she was living with both parents, out in far distant Hong Kong. When Griseldis decided we should move to London, I made sure that we settled within walking distance of Cordelia’s London home. We had always been interested in occult matters and I had inherited the ancient silver dagger of the Badamaru’s. It had been created for slaying Vampires but had been effective against ordinary men and women too. Truth to tell my Uncle Boris had some claim to it as it had always been carried by a man before but Aunt Griseldis insisted that it came to me. He had very little family loyalty and would just have sold it! Anyway Cordelia had found this Occult Verification Society led by Mr Ronald Helping. Once I had shown my dagger and recounted some of its history they allowed us to join them. Mostly they exposed cheats defrauding people with trickery but they did come across some genuine occult manifestations. Though often cold and empty handed the pair of us found it tempting enough to keep us going whilst others lost interest. Then some like poor Verity Eegre were rejected from the society for various reasons. It was the sense of adventure that drew us the most. Alas it drew Verity to the Bluekiln wharf where she was murdered by an evil chance! And now it was poor Cordelia who had paid the price! I do not know how I am going to face her mother but face her I must. First I suppose I shall have to send a telegraph of the sad tidings. Perhaps by the time I return, that is if I survive to return, the pain will have eased.

    Eventually people came from the Schloss and escorted or carried us all there. Aunt Griseldis whispered to me that the blond man who had led the rear attack was Gunter Von Hinterst our deadly enemy! I could do nothing as my dagger, my derringer and even my two remaining pepper sachets had been taken from me! Lady Griseldis the wounded Oryana and I were put in the maid’s bed chamber. We were given a dinner and that evening a Turkish Doctor Qak came to anoint and change Oryana’s bandages. She is in a bad way alas.

  The next day we were questioned one at a time about the affray near the boat house by Asa Abdul Abu himself. At the end of it he said that any decisions on blame and legal charges would be delayed until after the investigations of the Djinn’s strike had been completed. These would commence on the next day the 3^rd of April. He said that our firearms would be withheld until we left the Schloss but lesser weapons could be returned. This included my dagger and sachets of pepper, Aunt’s stick and Manko’s cudgel.

   Cordelia’s body had been lain in the second floor chamber that had been my bed chamber in times of yore. The doorway between it and the hall next door had been much enlarged. It was this hall that had received the Djinn’s bolt so it was largely open to the elements. It was there that we held the funeral service for Cordelia. We were dismayed that it was held by a Sacrados brought by Gunter Von Hinterst but he was the only priest immediately available. Probably her mother would commission a Church of England memorial service back in London in due course. All the fit Christian were present including Gunter Hinterst. Captain Alfred had only been stunned in the fight and was able to give an eulogy about Cordelia. He said that she was a very brave woman to come all the way out here facing many dangers on the behalf of her friends. This was so true the rest of the service was a blur as I was weeping so much. Aunt Griseldis was of sterner stuff she. She asked for Cordelia to be cremated on St Festus’ Isle where Badamaru dead have traditionally been burnt. Then her ashes could be transported back to London. The Asa agreed and of course it would give us a chance to attempt to regain our powers in the Shrine’s bath! The Captain obtained a boat and they ferried timbers out for the pyre. Aunt Griseldis showed me how to wrap her body in strips of linen sheeting starting from the feet up. When we came close to her head Aunt borrowed my silver dagger and cut off two long tresses of her blond hair. I could not bear to watch such a mutilation but by the time I looked back she was completely swathed and the two tresses tied with her green hair ribbon. At Cheltenham Lady’s College the ‘fashionistas’ (they called themselves the Arbiters of Fashion) had declared that blondes should never wear green! But it was Cordelia’s favourite colour and she wore it ever after. Green was for red heads like me who has never worn it! It was that rebellious streak that drew we ‘intellectuals’ together. (The ‘fashionistas’ called us the bookworms) Griseldis told me that one tress was for Cordelia’s mother and one for me. Professor Learning had made the suggestion because he thought it would assist the Society contact her ghost. I was very upset by this however reasonable it might have appeared to him. Alas I wanted Cordelia back alive, not dead and it took me a long time to get used to the fact that she was gone. Later I helped them carry her poor Mummy down onto the boat for ferrying her across. Once she was in position on the pyre Aunt gave the word and Captain Alfred set it ablaze. Then Aunt and I went into the shrine. She uttered the secret words of power and climbed down into the murky water and ducked down briefly so that she was fully immersed apart from her hat which floated off.               

At nine o’clock on the 3^rd of April Aunt Griseldis and I assembled with the others in the damaged portion of the Harem. They comprised our enemy Gunter Von Hinterst and his priest, Captain Alfred Dorset, the Detective Ferdinand Finder, Professor Able Learning, a Turkish Captain Achmed, the two interpreters, four women of the harem and their attendant Eunuch Erdibrim. The Detective Finder opened by questioning through Ibrahim Tok, the Concubines Farli and Lisbit and the abigail Judit. He wanted to know what they remembered of the ‘Djinn strike’. They with the three who died had been relaxing after having the Imam Malik read the Koran to them. He had just left to climb to the top of the minaret so he could call the faithful to prayer for the very first time. Then suddenly there was a tremendous bang and the chamber was full of flames, smoke, rubble and broken glass. The flames were orange and the smoke was grey. They could hear but had ringing in their ears for a long while after. At the time they were more concerned with the burns and many cuts from the flying glass. Malik and Erdibrim had come to their assistance almost immediately but could do nothing to save Karina, Eva or Zsa Zsa. No, there had not been any strangers calling at the Schloss that day as far as they knew. There were few strangers who ever called at the Schloss, the most suspicious one being that Reuben Finkelstein! ‘Why? Because he is a Jew!’ retorted Lisbit! The interpreter and trinket seller Finkelstein humphed but said nothing. He was sporting bandages and looking rather sorry for himself from injuries received in the Fracas. The questioning continued. There had not been any unusual sounds heard before the ‘Djinn strike’. How did they know it was a Djinn that had caused the damage? Because the Imam Malik had explained that it must have been so, an explanation with which the Eunuch Erdibrim agreed. The strike appeared to have hit the wall between two windows with the debris fanning inwards from that point. Mudi, the sentry on duty on the SW tower had had his back to the Blast and saw nothing of its origins. Despite her injuries Judit had been forced to assist the three kitchen maids clearing up the dreadful mess. Everything had been stained black or red with blood complained Judit. It had taken many hours of scrubbing spread over four days to remove all the traces of the disaster. Judit knew that the maid Halem had saved a piece of the Djinn’s magic. Erdibrim sent Judit down to collect Halem and her piece of magic. Whilst they waited, Erdibrim said that he thought it was not a matter of if it was a Djinn but who had called him up? His Master the Asa had thought it might be Boris Badamaru but there were other possibilities. Imam Malik who was safely elsewhere at present, suspected that it might be St Bogo Christian fanatics, angry that the minaret had been built on what had been a Christian castle. Our enemy Gunter Von Hinterst suggested that Aunt Griseldis might have summoned the Djinn!

 “Do not listen to him” said Aunt, “He is one of the foul Von Hinterst’s who have plagued our family for centuries! I was in England, giants leagues away at that time!” 

 “Whoever controlled him it seems that the Djinn missed the minaret then!” commented Captain Alfred. This caused Detective Finder to ask if there had been any loud sounds after the strike, such as the report of a gun firing but Erdibrim and the women said not. Then Judit returned with Halem who proudly bore the piece of the Djinn’s magic. It was an irregular shaped piece coloured red on one side and black on the other and with the raw edges coloured brown. “There were many similar pieces but this was the largest!” declared Halem.

“Is it of metal?” asked Gunter Von Hinterst.

“No it is light. I think it is made of compressed cardboard.” answered the Detective.

 “I think it was a rocket!” exclaimed Captain Alfred. “That might explain why it missed the minaret. Fiendishly inaccurate devices, rockets! No writing on it I suppose.”

 “Created in the seventh hell perhaps! Now why would a Djinn have need of such a scientific device?” queried Erdibrim. “It must have been the Christian fanatics!”

 “But wise one, another indication that it was the work of a Djinn were the ghost visitations.” said the concubine Farli.

 “What ghost visitations?” demanded Aunt Griseldis.

 “Well at different times I and both Karina and Lisbit, saw the ghost of a woman. Karina and I in here and Lisbit in the bedchamber. In each case we were alone and the woman pointed straight at us. She mouthed something but we could distinguish no words. It was always in the evenings. We have not seen her since the strike.”

 “How was she dressed, was she a lady or a servant?” asked Lady Griseldis.

The concubines looked at one another, the “A lady we think, a middle aged lady.”

 “Could a ghost have called up a Djinn?” mused Professor Learning. In truth it was an interesting question but the sceptic Captain Alfred sneered at it.

 “One would rather hope that you could give guidance on such a matter!”

Mr Ferdinand then said “Well for whoever it was, they must have fired the rocket from fairly close to hope for a successful hit. Looking out there, that crag with the firs on it looks a very likely bet. When we passed the day before yesterday I noted some steps leading up it. I suggest that we go there to see what we can find?” 

 “No, we will stay!” objected Aunt Griseldis. “I need to investigate this ghost. You Captain and Mr Finder go look for your rocket.”

So after some argument they with Makepeace the valet, Ibrahim the Interpreter and Gunter Von Hinterst left on that mission.

Aunt Griseldis then said that the best place for her to call up the ghost was in the Reiter’s bedroom downstairs. We could make it dark enough by covering the window as ghosts do not appear in daylight. It was the best place because in it was the kist under a slab which contained the funerary urns of the female Badamaru’s. Since it could only be approached through what was now the concubine’s bedchamber, they were not happy about this. The Eunuch Erdibrim said they had to do as they were told! They grimaced but bowed their heads. So he said that they might stay in the bedroom whilst Aunt cast her spell. The next dispute came when Aunt explained that she must cast the spell in what was now the Asa’s bedchamber, alone! She said that a lone person had a much better chance of contacting a ghost. I noticed the Saxon Priest Kette nod his head at this and suspect that he has knowledge of occult matters. Professor Learning was sorry to have to be excluded from the experiment. After some argument Erdibrim said that Aunt could enter the bedchamber alone, provided that she could be searched by the abigail Judit when she came out. So Griseldis entered the room and shut the door. Erdibrim immediately put his eye to the keyhole whilst Judit laid her ear against the door hinges. The Priest Kette and the Professor stood to their rear with the rest of us behind them. Presently Erdibrim staggered back pale of face, “So there really are ghosts!” he gasped.  “Let me see!” said Judit pushing him out of the way and peering through the key hole.

 But then the Jew Finkelstein drew me aside, “Lady Leica, perhaps you remember me from when I brought beads, ribbons and other trinkets here years ago.” And I did indeed remember him as a chapman selling these things.

 “I have always, like my father before me, travelled round all the big houses selling such things and also information. People like to know what the latest gossip is, especially ladies who are not able to go out much. Now it happens that what the detective has said has revealed to me what I think happened to cause the three women to die. Now it may be that Lady Griseldis may learn about it from the ghost but otherwise I could sell you my information. I fear that it will be as much as ten Dirham because by telling it I may well receive a Djinn strike myself! What do you think of this offer?”

I knew perhaps better than my English friends what a huge sum ten Dirham was to Rumanian thinking. However I knew that Aunt had received large sums from both Uncle Boris and the Asa for this mission and in fact I had in my reticule more than fifteen. I decided it was worth the gamble even if his ideas were a mare’s nest. So I handed him five and said I would give him the rest after I had heard what he had to say.  

Finkelstein started. “As I say many people in great mansions pay me for information. Mostly they just take what I can tell them but occasionally they actually ask me to find something out. Just as in England you pay detectives like Mr Finder to discover things. Well it has been such a request that has given me the clue that may explain the Djinn strike. That is if it was such a strike? The story starts back in the town of Sovata where there is a fine mansion owned by a prominent official. There he lived as did his father before him with his strong-minded mother. His father, although a man of considerable power, had always been guided by his only wife. This did not stop her from marrying her son up to the four wives permitted within the Ottoman Empire. She chose them all for the political influence their families could muster. After the death of the father the mother for a long while established her dominance over the four wives. Her son however was restive and spent as much time as he could away from home. Despite having four wives he had no children. This was a sore disappointment to both the wives and the mother. For a long time there was some discord between the wives because if one had a child she would become the most important and have the most favour.”

I commented “I have heard that in Turkish families there are such rivalries between the women. I take it that this was a Turkish family?”

 “Yes the family of whom I speak is Turkish. Well the mother began to ail and the daughters-in-law grew restive. Their husband neglected them and told them little of his activities. Further he stated ignoring his mother as much as possible. The Mansion became an unhappy place made worse when they heard certain news.”

I demanded “What news?”

 “They heard from a common rumour that their husband had spent a lot of the family’s money buying a large property, whilst telling them nothing of the transaction! Through their servant Torag they commissioned me to discover how much he had paid, who he had bought it from and where it was. It took me several weeks to discover all these items but I did so in the end.”

 “Where was this property? Was it here?”  I demanded as things started to drop into place in my mind..

 “Let us not rush too far ahead of ourselves. Once I had furnished Torag with the first facts, the wives then asked for yet further information. How was it furnished? and they wanted details of everything, the carpets, the curtains, the bedding and everything! They took great interest in the pictures and tapestries because being Sunni Moslems, they were not allowed such things! And yes the property was the Grausbad Schloss and estate!”

“So the wives found out their husband had set up a love nest in the Badamaru Schloss?” I commented. Under the Ottoman system it would be hard for the wives to do anything about it!”

 “Yes it is very easy for a husband to divorce his wife if she does not please him.”

 “So I would guess that it must be one of them who decided to strike against the concubines rather than the husband. So it would be one of them that called up the Djinn to strike! Say is that not so?”

 “I am afraid it is not that simple. It may have been as you suggest but from what Mr Finder said I have another theory.”

 “What is your other theory?”

 “Well it occurs to me that all the wives of Asa Abdul Abu have powerful male relatives who might feel offended by him neglecting them. Neglecting them for Magyar women of no account moreover! Yet if one of the Magyar’s bore a child, one of the wives would be ejected!  I think that if the strike was from an artillery rocket, then it was very likely fired by one of those relatives, or someone hired by them. There may be others involved but I do know that one wife’s brother serves in the Sultan’s Artillery Corps.”

 “Phew, this information the Asa is not going to like!” I exclaimed.

 “No, you can understand why I am so afraid of a possible Djinn strike against me! Of course what is told to the Asa will be for you people to decide. But whether by magic or by artillery rocket I believe that one or more of the Asa’s own wives is responsible! Of course you may decide to declare that it was by the machinations of your Uncle Boris after all? We must wait for what the Lady Griseldis and the Detective Mr Finder have found out.”  

    Alone in the Asa’s bedchamber Lady Griseldis incanted the old words of power. As she had expected her spell succeeded and an apparition of a woman materialised on the other side of the table from her! The outline of the mirror behind her showed right through.

 “Who are you?” demanded Griseldis.

 “I am or perhaps was the Lady Vladiva Badamaru of long since. Now I ask who are you that have summoned me?”

 “I am Lady Griseldis Badamaru and I am come to ask you certain questions.”

 “What! You can hear me! It has been over three centuries since any could understand my speech! Pray before you question me, and I tell you there are things that I must not reveal, let me tell you my story. I am under a curse and it may be that telling it could end it. Many agonies have I endured over the long years but to have a Turk own the Schloss has been almost the worst! But you are a Badamaru, tell me is our family to return here?”

 “Alas lady Vladiva I fear not. My brother Boris sold the Schloss to the Turk. It is him that you should be haunting!”

 “Perhaps, but you must hear my tale first. My father Reiter Potrivet Badamaru married Lady Elena Vreau and I was born here as were my three sisters. My mother died when I was ten so I had to take her place caring for many things. In those days the Steward was old Iasi and he showed me much of the running of the estate, for my father was mostly away at the court. I was engaged to Limpidi Simplu but he was killed fighting the Saxons a year after the betrothal.”

 “The Hinterst’s no doubt?” interjected Lady Griseldis.

 “Not as far as I know though they may well have been with the enemy army. Anyway I then became engaged to Reiter Bolnav Risipi which was thought to be a very good match. But he fell sick of some ailment that came and went. In fact it dragged on for three whole years before it was decided to call the engagement off. Two of my sisters had married by then. Next Zsadiva my youngest sister and I became engaged to the Umfla brothers, who were half Magyar.”

 “An advancement of importance at that time?” queried lady Griseldis.

 “Some thought so. Alas they were involved in a bad sledging accident and my fiancé was killed. Zsadiva’s survived and married her. He had been crippled enough to debar him from advancement at court so it did not do the Badamaru family much good. Everyone now regarded me a jinx and no more offers for my hand were made. My father had had magic powers but I had none. However Iasi was becoming decrepit and I had taken over most of his duties running the estate. My father had married again and alack, had now a son called Boris, eighteen years younger than me.”

 “An evil omened name!” commented Lady Griseldis. 

 “Boris was indeed evil. My father spoilt him and allowed him to fall in with bad company at court. I saw little of him, what with my duties around the estate and visiting my married sisters at their castles. Under my control the estate prospered despite the money wasted on finery for young Boris. Even his gambling debts though heavy, failed to damage us unduly. I thought that in time Boris would join the army and I would remain as Steward running the estate for the rest of my life. In one way that became true but not as I had envisaged it! I never did like Boris who was a spiteful little toad. On that fateful day my father had returned with Boris on his sixteenth birthday. There was the ceremony that accepted him as his formal heir to Grausbad. Present were some of Boris’s slimy court friends who were vain and insolent in their manner. I went up to the keep roof the get some air and get away from them. Unfortunately Boris followed me with some of the courtiers. My brother said, “You have shown disrespect for my friends Vladiva! I think you ought to know now you will be going to Greva Convent when I inherit. Degraba there will be Steward in your place!”

 “Well father was sixty and still hale but few lived so long in those days. That worthless twerp Boris could inherit only too soon. Degraba had lived all his life in the city and knew nothing of farming or forestry! The Greva Convent up in the mountains was where all the disgraced girls were sent, because it was so strict! Some thanks for my years of building up the estate’s turnover! I saw red and pushed Boris straight over the parapet. His scream of terror was followed by a thud and then silence, broken by my cheers of triumph. Alas I was seized by his friends and cast into the dungeon. “I was tried for murder by my father in the Schloss Hall. Of course Boris’s friends made the case against me as black as they could. My father was heartbroken at the loss of his favourite and turned against me. He did not want the true story to become known elsewhere. He bribed the courtiers to say there had been an accident in which both Boris and I had died. My name was to be struck from the family annals as much as possible. I was walled up alive in the secret tunnel with my father’s curse laid upon me. You thought I was in one of the cremation urns but they all sleep at peace. I alone exist on. So what questions do you want to ask me?”

 “What do you know about the ‘Djinn strike’ in the harem?”

 “There was no supernatural agency. It completely surprised me and I can only suggest that it was a power unleashed by some developments in alchemy. I questioned the Concubine Karina’ spirit, as I had been offended by her presence in what had been a respectable establishment. She said that she had been sold to agents of the Sultan by her family. But at the Tokapi Palace she with others had been rejected as less than worthy. She with Farli and Lisbit had been bought by the Asa. She had no idea why they had been targeted.”

 “The English think it was a rocket fired from the Pestera Hohe and I think that is true. I hope your tale has ended your curse. Three hundred years is a long time.”

 “I, I think that they are freeing me! Yes! Thank you so much Lady Griseldis!” and

Vladiva faded away.

Griseldis came back to tell me and the rest of her consultation. She found that Erdibrim, Judit, Preot Kette, Professor Learning and Farli had all caught a glimpse of the ghost through the keyhole. Reuben and I had been too busy with our negotiations to notice. I told Captain Achmed and all those present of the suspicions attached to the Asa’s wives. Achmed immediately took the new to the Imam Malik Kale who ordered a corporal to get ready to take a message to the Asa. Whilst this was being written out two boats were seen coming across the Tiech. In it were Captain Alfred’s party and everyone except the members of the harem went to meet them at the Schloss Gate. They had found a piece of rocket stick floating in the Tiech. They had a witness who had seen the trail a rocket leaves behind, at the moment of impact on the keep. They also had a witness who had seen the firing party of two men in military uniform carry the rocket up onto the Pestera Hohe. Aunt confirmed that there had been no occult involvement. Achmed then told Malik that one of the Asa’s wives had a brother in the Sultan’s Artillery which I had withheld. Malik said any decisions as to what should be done must be left to Abdul Abu himself. So adding a little more to the message, it was given to the Corporal and he left.  Thereupon Gunter Von Hinterst declared that he and his priest must leave. If his brother Otto and their men had not found his hunting hound Null by now it must have been eaten by the wolves. They would depart to find them on their way, for which we were very glad! The rest of us returned to the keep to have a rather belated lunch. The Corporal did not return until late at night to say that the Asa would come to the Schloss until in the morning. He had had trouble tracking him down.

    The first thing to be found in the morning of the 4^th was that Reuben Finkelstein had absconded. He had taken Manko’s length of rope which was still hanging on the battlements. He was probably wise to do so. The Asa heard the reports of Malik, Captain Achmed, Eunuch Erdibrim, Detective Finder and Aunt Griseldis one by one in private. He said that he was satisfied with their efforts and that he would ask the Pasha to free Uncle Boris. We were given our firearms back and told that as soon as we could arrange to transport our wounded we could leave. I faced up to writing the black edged letter to Mrs Higginbottom informing her of her daughter’s demise. The Asa has donated Two Hundred Dirham as compensation for her loss. This was extracted by Captain Alfred as the price for not complaining to the British Ambassador. A little unfair really as it was one of Von Hinterst’s men that murdered her not the Turks!  

   That afternoon we rowed across to St Festus’ Isle to recover Cordelia’s ashes which we trowelled into a glazed green urn. Aunt had found a cupboard full of them in the cellars. All had the square bases and tops which differentiates them from urns used for other purposes. With we Badamaru’s, Green were for ladies, Red for gentlemen and Brown for servants! The Asa gave permission for us to take three more with us for ourselves and Oryana for when our time’s came. Later Aunt Griseldis with Manko and Mr Finder for protection took me to Tobias the beekeeper’s cottage. He and his wife had been employed at the Schloss in times past and they had six daughters. Aunt wished to hire one of them as an abigail for me and to help tend Oryana. Aunt paid a bride price of ten Dirham to Tobias who ordered one called Ludmilla to pack and come with us. Her mother immediately protested but I noticed that the four sisters who were present, seemed unconcerned by the idea. Ludmilla herself seemed to be in a state of shock. I was a little surprised that Tobias picked her as she was the most comely of the five. Whilst Aunt was arguing with the girl and her mother I asked two of the sisters what they thought of the idea. Would their sister not enjoy travelling to foreign lands and seeing the big cities? “Very likely she will as long as there are plenty of men around!” exclaimed one. Will you not miss her? I asked. “A little. But with her gone we have a better chance of getting husbands.” said the other.

 “She gave us a bad name by hanging around men. She was even friendly with Osman the Turkish Ranger!”

Then Aunt Griseldis said “Right it is settled! Ludmilla is your abigail from now on. You and Oryana will show her what to do. We have a long journey back to London. You will be able to teach her to speak English on the way. Perhaps even to teach her to read and write!” So with floods of tears from Ludmilla and her mother, we marched away with Manko carrying a bundle of her meagre possessions.           

On the 5^th carriages with stretchers for Oryana and the Mate Job Pewter arrived, Doktor Nichtwissen being now able to walk. And so we began the long journey back to England.                  

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Muezzin Malik Kale Player C  

To my most excellent Master the Asa Abdul Abu,

                                                                                I make here my report for the most disquieting events that have occurred today 1^st April. I write in the expectation that you may come to the Schloss here to decide the fates of those involved.

The morning of the first of April proceeded as normal and I was reading excerpts from the Koran to your ladies and their abigails in preparation for the noon devotions. Then I heard shouting and Private Halid was ushered in by the eunuch Erdibrim. He was in an exhausted state having run most of the way from the boathouse. He reported that a strong force of foreigners had massacred Ensign Mustaphin and the rest of his patrol. I immediately ordered Erdibrim to have Captain Achmed put the Schloss in a state of alert. Then I told Halid to calm himself and say precisely what had happened.

    He said that the patrol was travelling in a clockwise direction on the track around the Cursed Tiech. As they reached the boathouse they saw about a score of armed foreigners approaching them. Ensign Mustaphin challenged them as to what was their business. The foreigners had two interpreters for they could not speak Turkish, your servant Ibrahim and the Jew Finkelstein. They gave Ensign Mustaphin two pieces of paper which he declared to be forgeries. There was a woman with the foreigners who wanted to go to the Cursed Isle, whilst Ensign was adamant that it was forbidden. The argument grew heated and Halid was ordered to go behind the fish smoking hut to look for a ghost! There was no ghost but then firing broke out and there were shouts and screams. Halid thought that outnumbered as they were, Mustaphin and his comrades had no hope of survival. He thereupon fled back as fast as he could to warn the Schloss.       

    He had just finished this report when your servant Ibrahim Tok arrived in a similarly exhausted state. He had been running to the Schloss from the other side of the circuit. He reported that he had been with the foreigners of whom there were twelve, including four women and the Jew Rueben Finkelstein. They had dismissed the carriages and walked into the estate. They had some argument in English where the track joined the circuit but decide to stay together in heading for the boathouse. The Lady Griseldis Badamaru, who seemed to have some authority over the others, wished to be rowed out to the Cursed Isle. They had just reached Vanu the boatman’s cottage when they met Ensign Mustaphin’s patrol. Although they showed the letters written to them by your exalted person to Mustaphin he declared them to be forgeries! The Lady Griseldis threatened him with witchcraft but he sneered at her. So she said she would call up a ghost from behind the fish smoking hut to convince him. He sent a private there to see if she could achieve it. She Incanted and made magic gestures with her wand and the Ensign accused her of witchcraft. But then she said in English “That is one of them out of the way Captain, what are you waiting for?”

So the Captain said “Charge!” Some of the foreigners were taken by surprise but others fired or charged and the patrol fired back. Ibrahim, being connected to both sides decided to run to the Schloss for help. On the way he passed Osman the Ranger with two different foreigners who headed for the fracas. 

   I then went out onto the SW Tower to confer with Captain Achmed. He said that the sentry on the tower had seen fighting beside the fish smoking hut across the Tiech but all seemed quiet now. I thought that if Mustaphin and his three men were dead our garrison was much weakened and so put all in a state of defence. However within the hour Osman the Ranger arrived with good news, Allah be praised! Mustaphin was only wounded and with the help of a Reiter Gunter Von Hinterst and his men, the foreigners had been overcome and taken prisoner. Osman said that there were many wounded and some dead. The foreigners had two medical satchels and Vanu and his wife were helping but more would be needed to bring them all back to the Schloss. I therefore had the maids and Abigails establish hospitals in the SW Tower for the men and in the Keep for the women. 

Eventually all were brought back to the Schloss. Ensign Mustaphin’s and Corporal Ali’s wounds were not serious whilst Private Mudi was put to bed.

   Of the foreign prisoners an English woman Miss Higginbottom was dead and a Rumanian servant woman critically injured. A German Doktor Nichtwissen was badly wounded as was an English Sailor. Much less serious were Captain Alfred Dorset who was only stunned, his Valet and the Jew Reuben Finkelstein.

Unharmed prisoners were the English Detective Ferdinand Finder, the English Professor Able Learning, the German servant Manko, the Rumanian Lady Griseldis and her niece Lady Leica Badamaru. Having realised that this was a serious situation I then sent Ibrahim Tok to you for your guidance.

   I have studied the two letters of certification that the foreigners brought and am convinced that they are genuine and in your hand. I fear that Ensign Ibrahim, given his natural contempt for the infidels, may have been a trifle over-zealous in his handling of the situation. The Reiter Gunter Von Hinterst, who with his men helped capture the foreigners, was willing to back up the accusation of witchcraft against the lady Griseldis. Reading your letter to her it appears that you hope to make use of any such magicks as she may possess to track down and destroy the Djinn. Under this circumstance I told the Reiter that any charges to be made were at your discretion and that you would contact him if his testimony was required.

                                                I hope these actions meet with your Excellency’s approval

                                                                                    Malik Kale Muezzin

That evening the Asa came to the Schloss with Doctor Qak, his scribe Byro and his bodyguard Bygun. The Doctor was set checking the wounded whilst the Asa read your report and questioned the Reiter Gunter Von Hinterst. He decided that he would question the other persons engaged in the fight the next morning April 2^nd. He ordered that the Reiter’s priest give the dead woman a Christian burial service in the afternoon in the empty harem chambers. At Lady Griseldis’ request he would allow them to cremate the body on the Cursed Isle provided no Moslem put a foot on it. Apparently the Badamaru family had maintained the Roman custom of cremation through the centuries and it was carried out on the Cursed Isle. Since the woman had been a close friend of the Lady Leica Badamaru, it was felt appropriate to cremate her so that her ashes could be carried back to England. The Asa decreed that Lady Griseldis and her detective could start their investigations on the 3^rd. By then he would be departed back to Sovata, safely away from any Djinns accidentally conjured up!

   Whilst the cremation was taking place Reiter Von Hinterst came to the Asa and myself. “Your Excellency do you realise what is happening on that isle now? The witch Griseldis will be replenishing her powers in the shrine! I tell you she is an evil one and not to be trusted!”

 “Why do you say this Christian?” demanded the Asa.

 “My family have had some troubles with hers in past times and they have used evil witchcraft against us. This very Schloss was built by my family but robbed from us by trickery. I think it possible, even probable that she hopes to seize it away from you for the Lady Leica. In England and France where she has lived females can inherit property. She hated her brother Boris and will not care if he rots in jail for the rest of his life!”

 “These are powerful accusations Reiter. What would you suggest that we do?” returned the Asa.  “The Lady has recognised me and will be on her guard whilst I am present. She may guess that my Priest Kette has holy powers to counter witchcraft. I suggest you allow him and I to remain to witness such investigations that they do here?”

 “I agree but Captain Achmed must be present when the men are being questioned and the Eunuch Erdibrim when it is the women. They will start tomorrow.”

Later the Asa decreed that although their lesser weapons could be returned the foreigners could not have their firearms until when they left the Schloss.   

                                                +                      +                      +

Muezzin Malik Kale Player C  

To my most excellent Master the Asa Abdul Abu,

                                                                                I make here my report for the events on the 3^rd April as reported to me by your servants. Of these most notably Ibrahim, Erdibrim and Achmed! At nine o’clock as you ordered assembled in the harem were the two Badamaru women, Reiter Von Hinterst and Preot Kette, Captain Dorset, the Detective Finder, Professor Able Learning, Reuben Finkelstein, Ibrahim, Captain Achmed, the four women of the harem and Eunuch Erdibrim. The Detective Finder opened by questioning through Ibrahim Tok, the Concubines Farli and Lisbit and the abigail Judit. He wanted to know what they remembered of the ‘Djinn strike’. They with the three, whom alas died, had been relaxing after my reading the Koran to them. As you know I had just left to climb to the top of the minaret for calling the faithful to prayer for the first time. Then there had been a tremendous bang and the chamber was full of flames, smoke, rubble and broken glass. They said that the flames were orange and the smoke was grey. They could hear but had ringing in their ears for a long while after. At the time they were more concerned with the burns and many cuts from the flying glass. Erdibrim and I had come to their assistance almost immediately but could do nothing to save Karina, Eva or Zsa Zsa. Answering questions they said that there had not been any strangers calling at the Schloss that day as far as they knew. There were few strangers who ever called at the Schloss, the most suspicious one being the Jew Reuben Finkelstein!

The questioning continued. There had not been any unusual sounds heard before the ‘Djinn strike’. The strike appeared to have hit the wall between two windows with the debris fanning inwards from that point. Mudi, the sentry on duty on the SW tower had had his back to the Blast and saw nothing of its origins. Judit had been assisted by the three kitchen maids clearing up the mess. Everything had been stained black or red with blood. It had taken many hours of scrubbing spread over four days to remove all the traces of the disaster. Judit told the detective that the maid Halem had saved a piece of the Djinn’s magic. Erdibrim sent Judit down to collect Halem and her piece of magic. Whilst they waited, Erdibrim said that he thought the smoke had a smell similar to that given off by fireworks. He thought it did not matter what means the Djinn used but who had employed him. One strong suspect was Boris Badamaru but there were other possibilities. One would be the St Bogo Christian fanatics, annoyed that the minaret had been built on what had been formerly a Christian castle. Reiter Gunter Von Hinterst then suggested that the witch Griseldis Badamaru might have summoned the Djinn!

 She screeched “Do not listen to him he is one of the foul Von Hinterst’s who have plagued our family for centuries! I was in England, giants leagues away at that time!” 

 “Whoever controlled him it seems that the Djinn’s strike missed the minaret!” commented Captain Alfred. Detective Finder then asked if there had been any loud sounds after the strike, such as the report of a gun firing. Neither Erdibrim nor the women thought so and from my own memory I agree with them. Then Judit returned with Halem carrying the piece of the Djinn’s magic. It was an irregular shape coloured red on one side and black on the other and with the raw edges coloured brown. “There were many similar pieces but this was the largest!” reported Halem.

“Is it of metal?” asked Gunter Von Hinterst. Captain Achmed says that had it been it would have suggested an artillery shell. 

“No it is light. I think it is made of compressed cardboard.” answered the Detective.

 “I think it was a rocket!” exclaimed Captain Alfred. “That might explain why it missed the minaret. Fiendishly inaccurate devices, rockets! No writing on it I suppose.”

Erdibrim snorted, “Created in the seventh hell perhaps! Now why would a Djinn have need of such a scientific device? It must have been the Christian fanatics!”

 “But wise one, another indication that it was the work of a Djinn were the ghost visitations.” said the concubine Farli.

 “What ghost visitations?” demanded the witch Griseldis.

 “Well at different times I and both Karina and Lisbit, saw the ghost of a woman. Karina and I in here and Lisbit in the bedchamber. In each case we were alone and the woman pointed straight at us. She mouthed something but we could distinguish no words. It was always in the evenings. We have not seen her since the strike.”

 “How was she dressed, was she a lady or a servant?” asked Lady Griseldis.

The concubines looked at one another, the “A lady we think, a middle aged lady.”

 “Could a ghost have called up a Djinn?” asked Professor Learning.

 “One would rather hope that you could give guidance on such a matter!” snorted Captain Dorset for the professor was supposed to be an expert on occult matters.

The Detective Finder then said “Well for whoever it was, they must have fired the rocket from fairly close, to hope for a successful hit! Look out there, that crag with the firs on it looks a very likely bet. When we passed the day before yesterday I noted some steps leading up it. I suggest that we go there to see what we can find?” 

 “No, we will stay!” objected the Witch Griseldis. “I need to investigate this ghost. You Captain Dorset and Mr Finder go look for your rocket.”

So after some argument they with Makepeace the valet, Ibrahim the Interpreter and Gunter Von Hinterst left on that mission. Captain Achmed detailed privates Istan and Tuk to escort them, since although the Reiter had a pistol the Britishers still had no firearms as you have ordered.

The witch Griseldis then said that the best place for her to call up the ghost was in your most excellent bedroom. It would be dark enough there since the windows are sealed. She said that ghosts will not appear in daylight. It was the best place because in it was the kist which contained the funerary urns of the female Badamaru’s. Since it could only be approached through the concubine’s bedchamber, they objected. Erdibrim said they had to do as they were told! He did say that they might stay in their bedroom, whilst the witch  cast her spells. Then the witch wanted to be left alone in your bedchamber to which Erdibrim objected. She said that a lone person had a much better chance of contacting a ghost. The Saxon Preot Kette nodded his head at this in agreement, so Erdibrim said that the witch could be alone, provided that she could be searched by Judit when she came out. So she went in but Erdibrim immediately put his eye to the keyhole. He heard the witch chanting in a foreign tongue and then beyond a ghost woman did appear! Erdibrim had not expected any such thing and recoiled in shock. The maid Judit took his place and she has confirmed that a ghost lady had been summoned. This appears to me a very clear case of witchcraft whilst it is yet to be seen whether it is for good or for evil?

   Meanwhile Ibrahim and the detective’s party had left the Schloss. Leaving Corporal Kut on sentry duty on the SW Tower, I went with Private Galeb to the eastern end of the South parapet. This would enable me to watch them progress along the track. Ibrahim has reported that Mr Ferdinand soon spotted something floating at the edge of the Tiech. It was a piece of wood with burn marks on it and Captain Dorset said that it was from the stick of a rocket! Next were a pile of a man’s clothes beside the track, the residue of a werewolf’s transformation Ibrahim thought. Sure enough in some nearby bushes was the body of his victim with his throat torn out. The Reiter guessed the cause aright.

  It was Inastu the woodsman who so often has sold us firewood alas. One would have thought he would have had more sense than to wander out in the open at night! Ibrahim said that they would collect the body for burial later rather than hold up their mission. A boy then came with a purse that the Saxon Reiter had dropped at some time. As they neared the crag Mr Finder said “It has been over a month since the rocket was fired and at that time everything will have been covered by snow. It is not likely that any useful evidence will be left up there but the people in that cottage may have seen something!” and he pointed along the track. Captain Dorset agreed and asked Ibrahim to tell the German Reiter of the change of plan. The cottage was that of Dmitri the road mender.

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Ibrahim said that the German Reiter seemed shocked by the change of plan and looked back to where I and Private Galeb watched from the Schloss. The infidels seemed a little uneasy at the howling of the wolves. It seems that they do not have them in their country. We went on to find Darya the wife of Dmitri the road mender in and willing to talk. Yes she had seen the wizard who unleashed the Djinn. She had been peeling potatoes at her window that afternoon, when she saw two men and a mule on the track. They stopped at the steps up the hohe and tethered the mule. One of them took a long staff up the steps and then threw a rope down. The other tied it to a rolled up carpet and went up to join his companion. Then they hauled up the carpet and carried it away on the top of the hohe where she could not see. Then after a while she heard this enormous bang and when she looked out there was a big cloud of smoke against the Schloss. When it cleared there was the big hole in it that can still be seen! The wizard and his assistant then came down the steps together, collected their mule and went back towards the road. They were wearing blue clothes like Turkish soldiers but she thought that was a disguise. They seemed to be of average height with one taller than the other. The light was good because the snow was still everywhere. She had never seen them before or since. Detective Finder thought that this was very good information and the Captain gave Darya two whole Dirham! They then went to question Vanu and his wife. Apparently Vanu had been out fishing on the day and had seen the blast with a fiery trail pointing to above the Pestera Hohe. Then came Laikah the bread seller, trying to swindle the infidels selling her rolls at extortionate prices. Ibrahim haggled her down to a more reasonable rate which the Captain Alfred paid. They then decided that they had enough information and took the boats to get back to the Schloss.

   Whilst this was happening the Witch Griseldis was conversing with the ghost whom Farli and the Infidel Professor glimpsed through the keyhole. The witch told us that the ghost was a Badamaru woman of long ago who had been walled up for fratricide. The ghost claimed that no Djinn had been involved and that the strike had been caused by alchemy. This was confirmed when we met the detective and his party at the gate of the Schloss. I am very sorry to tell you your Excellency that it is thought that it was a relative of one of your wives who fired the rocket. This may not be true but I fear it is unlikely that any infidel could influence Ottoman soldiers or obtain such a rare weapon. We therefore then sent this letter. The Reiter Von Hinterst and his Preot have departed but the remainder of the infidels will remain here until you return.

I hope these actions meet with your Excellency’s approval

                                                                                    Malik Kale Muezzin

The next morning it was found that the Jew Reuben Finkelstein had absconded. I believe that it was he who furnished details of the Schloss for the rocket--firer. He would sell anything for a profit! The Asa himself arrived and questioned us all one by one. At the end he declared himself satisfied with the work of the infidels in solving the problem. He said he would finalise it himself! Their firearms were returned and they told that they were free to go as soon as transport for their wounded could be arranged. He allowed them to take four glazed cremation urns from the cellars, one of which was filled with the English woman’s ashes. I believe he also donated a generous amount of compensation money for her relatives, so that they would not cause trouble in diplomatic circles. The peasantry will have to work hard this year to pay for all these expenses. I fear that the harem quarters will remain in their present ruinous state through another winter!

 Three days later we were informed that the Asa’s third wife Vendettah had died of a illness. I suspect that in fact she had been poisoned or possibly poisoned herself. Boris Badamaru has been released from prison but Reuben Finkelstein is thought fled from Transylvania. Peace at last Allah be praised!

Captain Alfred Dorset Player D

The log of Captain The Honourable Alfred Florian Dorset Player D

We arrived in the carriages at the track leading into the Grausbad estate and dismounted. The weather was fair and it was a little past eleven when we saw the lake with the Schloss beyond it. I had intended to veer left to go the directest route to the castle to present the Asa’s authority to its commander. However the Lady Griseldis wished to take a boat from the boat house so that she could go to the isle to refresh her ‘magic powers’! This was whether I came or not, so I decided that we should all stick together. We turned right on the track through the woods leading to the boathouse. We had just reached a cottage where the boatman lived, when we were challenged by half a dozen Turkish Militia. I got Ibrahim Tok to present the letters the Asa Abdul had given to Lady Griseldis and myself. But the Officer in charge pretended to think that they were forgeries making Griseldis very angry. She threatened him with magic spells which after Ibrahim had had translated he sneered at. She said she could call up a ghost behind the nearby stone hut and the Officer challenged her to do it, sending a man there to look. She uttered some weird incantations waving her stick and then said “That is one of them out of the way Captain, what are you waiting for?”

In truth I was a bit taken by surprise but soon ordered a charge, firing my pistol as I did so. Some of the others were taken aback but some fired or charged and a confuse melee took place. Then everything went black as I received a head wound.

    I came round in what I discovered was the Men’s tower in the Schloss the following day. I had been stunned rather than anything more serious. Ferdinand Finder who was unscathed, told me that Ibrahim Tok had fled away as had the Turkish private from behind the hut. But before he was downed the Turkish Officer did considerable damage with his sword. Then as our people were beginning to prevail, three men charged from behind taking us by surprise. Miss Higginbottom was killed and with I and several others down Lady Griseldis surrendered. Help was sent from the Schloss and after all the wounded were patched up, all of us proceeded to there. Our weapons were confiscated and we were put under guard. The Asa had arrived that night and in the morning of the 2^nd of April questioned everyone one by one about the fight. In the afternoon was held a funeral service for Miss Higginbottom in the damaged harem chambers. It was held by an Eastern Orthodox Priest and the Asa, his Muezzin and all the fit Christians were present. I said a few words praising the woman’s bravery. She was as mad as all the other Occult Verification people but knew the dangers to be faced in a wild country like Rumania.

Earlier the Asa had decreed that our firearms would only be returned when we left the Schloss but the other weapons were given back. Lady Griseldis obtained permission from the Asa to cremate Miss Higginbottom on the St. Festus Isle.  We obtained a boat and ferried firewood out to build a pyre.  Afterwards we carried Miss Higginbottom’s body down and rowed it out to the Isle. I thought at first it was just a ploy by Lady Griseldis to get to her shrine but apparently the Badamaru family have cremated their dead there since Roman times. The intention is to recover the ashes three days later so they can be carried back to England. Whilst Ferdinand Finder, Professor Learning Manko and myself stood by the fire, Lady’s Griseldis and Leica went to bathe inside the shrine.

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The log of Captain The Honourable Alfred Florian Dorset continued

At nine o’clock on the 3^rd of April Ferdinand Finder, Makepeace and I assembled with the others in the damaged portion of the Harem. They comprised the two Badamaru ladies, Professor Able Learning, Manko, the Turkish Captain Achmed, Gunter Von Hinterst and his priest, the two interpreters, four women of the harem and their attendant Eunuch Erdibrim. The Detective Finder opened by questioning through Ibrahim Tok, the Concubines Farli and Lisbit and the abigail Judit. He wanted to know what they remembered of the ‘Djinn strike’. They with three others had been relaxing after having the Imam Malik read the Koran to them. He had just left to climb to the top of the minaret so he could call the faithful to prayer for the very first time. Then suddenly there was a tremendous bang and the chamber was full of flames, smoke, rubble and broken glass. The flames were orange and the smoke was grey. They could hear but had ringing in their ears for a while. At the time they were more concerned with the burns and many cuts from the flying glass. Malik and Erdibrim had come to their assistance almost immediately but could do nothing to save Karina, Eva or Zsa Zsa. No, there had not been any strangers calling at the Schloss that day as far as they knew. There were few strangers who ever called at the Schloss, the most suspicious one being that Reuben Finkelstein! Why? Because he is a Jew! retorted Lisbit! Finkelstein humphed but said nothing. He was sporting bandages and looking sorry for himself from injuries received in the Fracas on the first. The questioning continued. There had not been any unusual sounds heard before the ‘Djinn strike’. How did they know it was a Djinn that had caused the damage? Because Imam Malik had explained that it must have been so, an explanation with which the Eunuch Erdibrim agreed. The strike appeared to have hit the wall between two windows with the debris fanning inwards from that point. Mudi the sentry on duty on the SW tower had had his back to the blast and saw nothing of its origins. Despite her injuries Judit had been forced to assist the three kitchen maids clearing up the mess. Everything had been stained black or red with blood! It had taken many hours of scrubbing spread over four days to remove all traces of the disaster. Judit knew that the maid Halem had saved a piece of the Djinn’s magic. Erdibrim sent Judit down to collect Halem and her piece of magic. Whilst they waited, Erdibrim said that he thought it was not a matter of if it was a Djinn but who had called him up? His Master the Asa had thought it might be Boris Badamaru but there were other possibilities. Imam Malik who was safely elsewhere at present, suspected it might be St Bogo Christian fanatics, angry that the minaret had been built on what had been a Christian castle. Gunter Von Hinterst suggested that the witch Lady Griseldis might have summoned the Djinn. “Do not listen to him” screeched Griseldis “He is one of the foul Von Hinterst’s who have plagued our family for centuries! I was in England giant’s leagues away then!” 

 “Whoever employed him, it seems that the Djinn missed the minaret then!” I commented  This spurred Finder to ask if there had been any loud sounds after the strike such as a gun’s report but Erdibrim said not. Then Judit returned with Halem who proudly bore the piece of the Djinn’s magic. It was an irregular shaped piece coloured red on one side and black on the other and with the raw edges coloured brown. “There were many similar pieces but this was the largest!” declared Halem.

 “Is it of metal asked Gunter Von Hinterst?” thinking that it might be an exploded shell.

 “No it is light. I think it is made of compressed cardboard.” answered the Detective.

 “I think it was a rocket!” I exclaimed “That could explain why it missed the minaret. Fiendishly inaccurate devices, rockets! No writing on it I suppose.”

 “Created in the seventh hell perhaps! Now why would a Djinn have need of such a scientific device?” queried Erdibrim. “It must have been the Christian fanatics!”

 “But wise one, the ghost visitations indicated it was a Djinn.” said Farli.

 “What ghost visitations?” demanded Lady Griseldis.

 “Well at different times I and both Karina and Lisbit, saw the ghost of a woman. Karina and I in here and Lisbit in the bedchamber. In each case we were alone and the woman pointed straight at us. She mouthed something but we could distinguish no words. It was always in the evenings. We have not seen her since the strike.”

 “How was she dressed, was she a lady or a servant?” asked Lady Griseldis.

The concubines looked at one another, the “A lady we think, a middle aged lady.”

 “Could a ghost have called up a Djinn?” mused Professor Learning.

 “One would rather hope that you could give guidance on such a matter!” I commented having little patience with the Society’s talks of supernatural forces.

Ferdinand said, “Well for whoever it was, they must have fired the rocket from fairly close to hope for a successful hit.” He pointed out of the gaping breach, “Looking out there, that crag with the firs on it looks a likely bet. When we passed it the other day I noted some steps leading up to the top. I suggest we go there to see what we can find?” 

 “No, we will stay!” objected Lady Griseldis. “I need to investigate this ghost. You Captain and Mr Finder go look for your rocket.”

I had no wish to waste time on their mumbo jumbo so went with Ferdinand, Makepeace, and Ibrahim the Interpreter. Before, I had a quick word with Reuben Finkelstein. “Look I think those women had more to tell could you bribe them to spill the beans? Here is five Dirham.”

“But Captain there must be the Eunuch as well?” so I gave him another two.

Before we left the Schloss, Gunter Von Hinterst and two militiamen supplied by Captain Achmed, had joined our party. We issued forth from the Schloss gate only for Mr Ferdinand to spot something floating at the edge of the Lake. It was a piece of wood with burn marks on it. I said that it was obviously part of the stick from a rocket confirming our theory and we moved on. Next were found a pile of a man’s clothes. A funny time of year to be swimming in the lake I thought. A little further on in some bushes we found a body. It was the relatively fresh body of a man whose throat had been torn out.

 “It must have been a wolf!” said I. I was regretting the lack of my pistol.

 “Or a werewolf!” suggested Gunter.

 “He was Inastu the woodsman!” commented one of the militiamen. “He regularly sold fire wood to the Schloss. Why would he want to be out here at night?”

Ibrahim said that they would collect the body for burial later and so we moved over the bridge. The sun had come out and in despite of the dead body the birds were singing. Then a Rumanian boy ran up to Gunter holding a purse. They jabbered in Rumanian and then Gunter took it and gave the boy a coin.

We had just reached the beginning of the crag when Ferdinand spoke, “I have been thinking Captain. It has been over a month since the rocket was fired and at that time everything will have been covered by snow. It is not likely that any evidence will be left up there but the people in that cottage may have seen something!” and he pointed along the track. I agreed and told Ibrahim to tell the German Gunter of our change of plan.

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Makepeace spotted an eagle hovering over us suggesting that it was an evil omen. I thought more threatening were the wolf howls that we heard from time to time. We carried on to the cottage and a woman came to the door. She said that she was Darya the wife of Dmitri the road mender. Through the Interpreter Finder questioned her. Yes she had seen the wizard who unleashed the Djinn. She had been peeling potatoes at her window that afternoon, when she saw two men and a mule on the track. They stopped at the steps up the crag and tethered the mule. One of them took a long staff up the steps and then threw a rope down. The other tied it to a rolled up carpet and went up to join his companion. (The carpet was obviously the body of the rocket) Then they hauled up the carpet and carried it away on the top of the crag where she could not see. Then after a while she heard this enormous bang and when she looked out there was a big cloud of smoke against the Schloss. When it cleared there was the big hole in it that can be seen to this day! The wizard and his assistant then came down the steps together, collected their mule and went back towards the road. They were wearing blue clothes like the Turkish soldiers in the Schloss wear but she thought that that was a disguise. They seemed to be of average height with one taller than the other. The light was good because the snow was still everywhere. She had never seen them before or since. Detective Finder thought that this was very good information so I gave the woman two Dirham pieces. Finder then suggested that we go to the boathouse and the cottage beyond it, looking for any more possible witnesses. As we went on our way, we heard rustlings in the trees nearby which seemed to follow us. We heard the wolves again but now further away. The Von Hinterst fellow claimed that he had seen someone following us. We went on to call on the Boatman and his wife. He had seen the ‘Djinn strike’ on the Schloss from the Tiech. There was a large enough hole in the ice to take the boat out that day. He saw a gout of flames against the building with a trail of fire coming behind it. From that he reckoned that the ‘Djinn’ must have fired it from hovering over the crag. Then we went to the boathouse where we met a woman selling fresh bread rolls. I bought one apiece despite the Interpreter and Von Hinterst quibbling over the cost. Finder and I decided that we had as much information as we were likely get on the estate. Two boats being handy we decided to row back across the lake to the Schloss. At the Schloss gate we met the Imam, his Captain, the two ladies and the Orthodox priest. Finder told them that we had found definitely that a rocket had been fired from the crag by two men in blue military uniforms. Lady Griseldis claimed that she had consulted with a ghost who said that there had been no occult involvement. The Imam became very uneasy and decided that the Asa should be informed of the findings so as to be able to decide on what to do next. He sent off a messenger to him hot foot. The Reiter Von Hinterst said that he must find his men and leave since if they had not found his dog by now the wolves must have got it. So he and his priest collected their things and departed.

   We then had lunch and were able to compare notes with the OVS portion of our company. They said that Finkelstein had admitted that he had conveyed details of the Schloss to the Asa’s wives. They had paid him and he had thought their interest centred on the furnishings especially the pictures and tapestries that as Sunni Moslem’s they were not allowed. Whilst not making any accusation he did know that one of the wives had a brother in the Ottoman Artillery. I thought this was all rather unpleasant for the Asa and hoped it would not make him turn nasty! He did not arrive until the next day by which time the Jew Finkelstein had legged it. He used Manko’s rope to lower himself down from the battlements. As well for him if he disappears completely because neither the Asa nor his wives will be kindly disposed towards him!

   The Asa questioned some of us one by one. He seemed satisfied with Finder’s explanations which encouraged me to harp on about the tragic death of Cordelia Higginbottom. He said that this had been the result of an unfortunate disagreement and that the deed was in fact committed by one of Von Hinterst’s men. He understood the grief that her father would feel and offered a Hundred Dirham as compensation. I then explained that her father was a wealthy Tea merchant and that in England women were rated at far higher values than in the Ottoman Empire. Remembering that we had an Empress to rule us, he saw that as evidence of this and doubled his offer. This I accepted as I had no wish to draw attention to myself in Ambassadorial circles. There were a few consuls around who already eyed me with suspicion from my earlier adventures. Hanging around months waiting for some Turkish court, to try a wretched servant for doing as he was told, did not seem to help anyone’s interests! Best to keep quiet and scarper back to good old Blighty!       

 Lady Griseldis approved my deal which included the return of our firearms. The OVS set off to recover Miss Higginbottom’s ashes from the pyre. I went with Ibrahim to Sovata to arrange for carriages capable of transporting us, including the two stretcher cases to the railway station on the morrow. When I returned to the Schloss I found that Griseldis had engaged a Rumanian maid to serve her but I reckoned that there would be enough room for her in the carriages.

And so next day on the 5^th April we began the long return journey back to England. 

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Games Master’s Account

In this game I decided to exploit the existence of the Rumanian Lady Leica and her Aunt being connected to the Occult Verification Society. Their history had been touched upon in earlier episodes and I soon expanded the earlier snippets. One factor was that we had finished playing our convention game, the Curse of Crackenwald for 2010, so all the figures and scenery were now available. In particular the Keep with its large hole in the top floor asked big questions! Harping on the fact that this area was in the Ottoman Empire in 1892, I replaced the raven’s loft with a minaret. I replaced the stone statue of the Cracken with that of a fallen male model figure whose ankles had been snapped by accident. I used silver wrapping paper for the pond but had to scratch build the boat house and the four Rumanian type cottages. They always have a first floor balcony. I thought it unlikely that Sherlock Holmes would get involved in a case so far from home and so had to invent another detective from the Diogenes Club. Due to snow, illnesses and shift patterns we had great difficulty in assembling all the players for the three evenings it took to play the game. The first evening was a disaster from the Games Master’s point of view. I was expecting the OVS and Captain Alfred’s parties to diverge but they stayed together and thought they could take on the Turkish Militia patrol. Then these should have accepted the two letters from the Asa as genuine rather than force a melee. Of course the Britishers did not know that Gunter Von Hinterst was trailing them itching for a fight. We soon had five down ‘Apparently dead’ plus some wounded and terrified! We had the reasonable luck to have recoverable four of the five but it was very disheartening to lose Cordelia Higginbottom. It was her journal that had given the Occult Verification Society accounts of the previous six actions. I had in fact considered linking them all together for a possible novel but not now! For consistency’s sake one has to accept what has happened on the table. Ordinary authors of novels decide themselves who shall die and who survive in their adventures. We wargaming types are at the mercy of the dice! And Games Masters are at the mercy of their players decisions! The game could have been played with several different story lines and outcomes. The solution would still have needed to come from a combination of detective work and Occult consultations. Of course had Reuben Finkelstein been killed they would have been left scratching their heads. On the rules I had to hastily add some magic items which will be added to in future actions. Magic will be weak, rare and include such things as conjurors tricks in my rules. On the second evening’s play the detective faction spent a lot of time discussing the burst patterns of explosives and the colours of the smoke produced by them. The way the story ends there is still scope for another action in Transylvania involving the Badamaru/Von Hinterst feud or possibly one from an earlier age. Even perhaps between the Asa and his third wife Vendettah’s families? However my thoughts have turned back to England where I am attracted by the story of real murder. Alas it still requires extensive research and a considerable building program. I have already invented a rich widow to chaperone Leica Badamaru in replacement for Cordelia. I am almost certain that Sherlock Holmes will be involved in this one.

Introduction