# Session S05 > [!overview] > [campaign:: [[The Friend, the Fiend, and the Shadow of the Night]]] > [session:: S05] > [prev:: [[2024-09-22_S04]]] > [next:: [[2024-10-06_S06]]] > [session date:: 2024-09-29] > [campaign date:: ] > [my pc:: [[Elsa Johansson]]] > [dm:: [[nellufy|Nell]]] > [player:: [[reyescion|Reyes]], [[elcucuy| El Cucuy]], [[jim0phee]], [[Leah Ferguson|Leah]]] > [pcs:: [[Dr. Niklas Windell]], [[Oskar Brodd]], [[Charles]], [[Elsa Johansson]]] > [active npc:: ] > [discussed npc:: ] > [active locations:: ] > [discussed locations:: ] > > --- > > (tldr:: Summary.) %% ### Starting notes: - %% ## Notes - We begin with [[Charles]] and [[Elsa Johansson]] in the mid-afternoon. - Mr. Brodd is deeply asleep - Elsa leave him a note and goes out to the Botanical Gardens to collect herself, planning to be out there until sunset. - She is unsettled by the mention of the Other Elsa ("Else-a") because this isn't the first time she has heard of someone seeing a woman who looks identical to her. - She is now convinced that she is going to die, as she has previously researched a doppelganger, and combined with the issues of the day, feels nothing but dread. - The garden has always been peaceful to her. - The note is about the incident at the church and how heroic Charles was. - Charles goes to the kitchen (because he can't take his "medicine" because of the children's play that evening…) - He sees another society member [[Yokem Nielsen]] (smells of saltwater, pale face, red hair, blue eyes) making tea. - Asks about a black dog » no information - Asks about a man who smells like the grave ([[Niklas]]) » hasn't come across him - A black cat roams the castle. Charles doesn't trust it. - A member's pet? - Had something in its mouth as it went upstairs. - Charles goes to investigate - Charles' room - Dr. Windell had left him some bread - There are little hairs around his room, though there is no cat in here. - He notices that something is missing… his "medicine" - He rips apart his room searching for it - He decides to go search Dr. Windell's room for more "medicine" - Dr. Windell keeps his room locked, and doesn't keep Charles' medicine in his room - Dr. Windell had sent a letter to Charles to (coded) come pick up some medicine a half hour before his meeting with Other Elsa. - Mr. Brodd is dreaming about Marta, his old flame. - They are talking in a beautiful garden, making small talk about her and her family… everything that has happened since she had left the household. - Marta says she's doing fine - She asks how Oksar is. Mr. Brodd has been taking care of Elsa, and doing well. Living in a castle in Uppsala, of all things… - Marta asks him if he ever wonders if Elsa is *really* Elsa. (He says of course, but doesn't sound quite sure.) - In the dream, the sky starts to darken. A long street appears in front of him, and he sees Elsa in the distance crossing from one side of the street to the other. He looks back to Marta, but she's not there. - He gets up and tries to follow after Dream Elsa, but to keep his distance. - Dream Elsa has five fingers on each hand. - Dream Elsa goes into a dark alley. Mr. Brodd peeks into the alley. - He doesn't see Dream Elsa, but just a lone gas lamp surrounded by darkness. - He hears footsteps… but from behind him, not in the alley. Mr. Brodd turns around and sees a tall silhouette… a tall man, walking by himself towards Mr. Brodd. He has red eyes and is looking straight at Mr. Brodd. - Mr. Brodd decides to immediately leave the area. He starts to run in the opposite direction of the man, but not towards the alley. - The footsteps behind him quicken. - A fog overcomes Mr. Brodd and as it disappears, he sees the same gas lamp in the alley… and Dream Elsa is there, with all ten fingers. She looks all innocent, like usual. - Mr. Brodd walks towards her, asking if she had seen the tall man with red eyes. She hasn't. - She knew he was being followed by him, but he says it wasn't her. - She's scared, and doesn't like being alone and in the dark. - She asks if he *is* actually Mr. Brodd, and asks who the tall man is. - It looks exactly like Mr. Brodd, but he has red eyes. - Mr. Brodd fails a fear test, and is frightened by the dream. - Elsa is outside on a garden bench seated as the gas lamps are being lit… it's dusk - Another society member, the man of god » [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] - Knows [[Father Trosker]], is worried for the old man - Hasn't slept well in days, something evil is growing in Uppsala - Solemn demeanor, almost dreamlike - He looks alert today - Asks her to go check on him - She confesses that she's afraid to wander too far from the castle on her own - She goes back to the castle with [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] who talks with [[Algot Frisk]] - Charles is shouting about cats and shaking Anna and questionning her - Anna is crying at this point, poor thing. She's looking for her brother who is missing. (Eric said he'd be right back, but hasn't come back.) - Eric had mentioned they saw a cat. - Charles tells Algot Frisk his medicine is missing. He needs to go see the doctor. - Algot is cross at Charles (understandably!) - Elsa is trying to console Anna. - Mr. Brodd walks downstairs into this madness. Calls Algot over to speak with him privately. - Asks what the hell is going on (but politely) - Is concerned about the missing Eric, asks Algot Frisk to search the castle - Charles has stormed out already - Algot *has* given Charles [[Dr. Niklas Windell]]'s letter though - Finding the child is more urgent, and [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] agrees - Anna thinks Eric may have gone to the Misty Fields near the Welcome Centre - They'll try to find him - Camera pans to [[Dr. Niklas Windell]]! - He's going to the morgue to meet Dr. Ekstrom at dusk while the gas lamps are being lit - It smells like the dead and formaldehyde - Dr. Ekstrom is in his study, writing - His assistant, Dr. Homegrun, has resigned - Offers Dr. Windell the position, but he says he's quite busy with his practice - Here to see the bodies - The bodies have been ordered to be cremated immediately as the authorities were concerned about pathogen spread - Autopsy notes: - [[Milena Jerzek]]: - Exsanguinated, two puncture marks on left side of neck via juglar vein - No defensive wounds - Contents of stomach: bread, cheese, milk - Died during a spasm as evidenced by her cheek muscles (smile) - The other three victim notes are identifical ([[Iwana Jezewska]], [[Ann Hjortsberg]], [[Kaja Podrazan]]) - All have been incinerated immediately to prevent disease - Signed off in part by [[Gjöl Edlund]] - No indication that the families were even informed - A victim, [[Ann Hjortsberg]] was the only body to show brute force and mutilation - Looks like wolves having torn her apart - No sign of blood at the scene regardless - Dr. Ekstrom is baffled by the exsanguination - Dr. Ekstrom believes their deaths were caused by a spasm (the smile) and finds it to be disturbing - The disease they were trying to prevent isn't specified - Another body has been found ([[Anatol Wisowaty]]) - Autopsy suggests that he died of an animal attack - He is to be incinerated by the others… as ordered by… who knows! It goes high up. - Official written document ("looks quite official") » Dr. Windell notices that it includes someone connected to the AFO (The Association of the Factory Owners) as being listed *and* [[Gjöl Edlund]] (who is not dead) - Assistant had been having nightmares of a man with red eyes… - Dr. Windell helps to incinerate the body of [[Anatol Wisowaty]], but gets a closer look and it looks like the body was dismembered by a blade (axe or knife) and *not* an animal attack - Charles heads off, looking for the doctor… for "medicine" - "A reminder of your appointment at 9:30 PM" but Charles goes directly to Dr. Windell's office - As Charles walks, he passes men lighting the gas lamps - Elias, Dr. Windell's assistant, is there but getting ready to leave… - The appointment isn't *now*, it's at 9:30 PM. Dr. Windell has another appointment, but will be back soon. - Charles says he'll wait here. Elias can leave. (Elias doesn't think this is a wise idea… but three successes!) - Elias is going to close up but asks Charles to *not* touch anything. - Charles has the shakes. - Offers him some whiskey and then locks down the office… - Says Dr. Windell has an appointment at the morgue with Dr. Ekstrom, but will be back in time for his appointment. - Charles "innocently" rummages through everything possible… but isn't effective, other than finding the whiskey. - Charles stares out the window and notices a black cat in the distance… with something in its mouth, and a little boy is chasing after the cat. - …and he smashes through a window to get out after them. - [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]], [[Elsa Johansson]] & [[Oskar Brodd]] head towards the welcome centre - Everyone is looking out the window - Mr. Brodd notices Charles running after… something? towards the general direction we are headed - He's not concerned because it's Charles doing Charles-like things - Charles has lost them, but sees them enter the Misty Fields - He also notices smoke coming out of a building (crematorium), and sees Dr. Windell walking out of the building - He hears a familiar voice yelling (Charles) for "Cedric" even though it's "Eric" - Charles rambles to Dr. Windell about all of the things in a ranty way - They're near the Misty Fields (around 7PM) - Damp grass, etc. Chilly, a fog settles over the field - Moonlight, though it doesn't look full » the only light source - The carriage catches up with them as you have to pass by the Misty Fields to get to the Welcome Centre - Elsa calls out to Eric to see if he's there - A voice responds, "Hello? It's Eric…" - Charles goes *running* after the voice and sees nothing but mist - Elsa walks towards the voice, followed by Mr. Brodd & [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] - Eric continues to call out, is trying to find a cat who took something… - We can't see him. It's so misty. - Charles is on all fours, looking for the cat (aka his medicine) - Two successes… - Can't help but see a dark silhouette standing in front of him » a man, standing and waiting - Asks the silhouette if they've seen the cat or child - The silhouette looks like he's disappeared - Pushed the roll, but succeeded with the three rolls needed - The tall man rushes at him to embrace him, but he dodges - His fangs are out and he looks thirsty - We see this, and Elsa fails the fear test and is frightened (everyone else seems fine for some reason!) - Pastor Jan pulls out his holy water and sprinkles it towards the figure, and it drives him away - Charles recognizes that it's holy water and decides to persue the figure (whom we have used a picture of Bela Lugosi for their token for some reason…) - The man fights back (3 successes) » Charles is broken - Charles is being sucked dry, and goes limp - Dr. Windell smashes a bottle and attacks him with it (stabs him in the eye) - Mr. Brodd hands Elsa his gun, and goes to punch him - He looks like the figure from her dream - She shoots once, and misses… and shoots again (Exhausted condition) - The man turns into a mist and then a flock of bats - The bats swirl around [[Oskar Brodd]] and he hears whispers in his mind… but he shakes free of it trying to control him - The Pastor splashes holy water on the bats, and they start to fly away into the darkness - Charles has a crushed chest, but Dr. Windell stablizes him - Charles wakes up - Elsa calls out to Eric, who comes with a black cat and hands Charles his medicine - Brodd helps Charles up, has the Pastor help as well - Elsa is still holding the gun, Dr. Windell takes it from her, she takes his hand and walks out of the mist - They all head towards the church - [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] says that we seek sanctuary - Pews are occupied by some people who are sleeping there - All six of us enter - [[Father Trosker]] limps towards the group - He pays particular attention to Charles and his neck, says its best if we talk in his study - Mr. Brodd sits Charles down in a chair - Elsa continues to stand, holding onto Dr. Windell's arm - [[Pastor Jon Jonsson]] is asked to take Eric outside of the study so he isn't in earshot - [[Father Trosker]] takes out a bottle of fine wine from under his desk - Mr. Brodd pours everyone a glass, tosses one down, and pours himself another - "I see you encountered something." - Elsa says it was the same thing that killed on the women - Yes… a Strigoii Vii… a vampire - Shows us a book - But first on earth, as Vampyre sent, Thy corpse shall from its tomb be rent: Then ghastly haunt thy native place, And suck the blood of all thy race; There from thy daughter, sister, wife, At midnight drain the stream of life: Yet loathe the banquet which perforce Must feed thy livid living corpse. Thy victims ere they yet expire Shall know the demon for their sire... - It's only a matter of time until Charles becomes one - As it grows with power, it'll be come a Strigoii Mort - Behead him before he rises, and nail of iron in his chest *or* burn it and send it back to hell - It needs to be killed again - Strigoii Vii is the living form; it'll become a Strigoii Mort - A Strigoii - The 7th child of the same sex in a family - Or lead a life of sin - Pregnant woman in the last three months, bit by a Strigoii Mort - Or bitten by a Strigoii - Die without being married - Dr. Windell recognizes him as the baker from [[Petersen's Bakery]] - Probably the kid from the dream - A story from [[Father Trosker]]'s grandmother: - A neighbour was accused of being a Strigoii Vii - A year after losing husband & daughter, became the best baker in town - The neighbours couldn't make good bread anymore - Drained the town of all their happiness - A Strigoii Vii isn't necessarily aware of what's happening - Best way is to reason with him? - A ritual practiced in the carpathians… - Time check: It's 9:30 PM. - Dr. Windell excuses himself rather strongly, especially when Elsa says she would join him going back to his office for supplies - Mr. Brodd tells Elsa to stay with Charles, and follows after Dr. Windell, not wanting him to be alone… but not knowing he's off to see the Other Elsa