Episode 15: Intrigue on the Orient Express

Episodes

In the aftermath of the battle on the Unsichtbare Hand (“Unseen Hand”) our heroes have seized control of a German zeppelin after killing or incapacitating much of its crew. At the same time, their original transport – a Pan Am clipper-style seaplane called The Lady Luck — had gone missing when a prisoner the Wardens had taken escaped his bonds and attacked the pilot, Jason Baxter.

Fortunately, the plane lived up to its name. Baxter fended off his attacker in a desperate battle in the cockpit, finally defeating his opponent by sending the plane into a series of barrel rolls. The violent action once again knocked out the assailant and sent him plummeting out an open hatch.

Baxter radioed over to the Unseen Hand and said he’d meet them at an airfield outside of Paris. He then flew off into the darkness.

The Wardens proceeded on to France, taking  another two days to get there. They arrived on February 26, 1937, and quickly booked tickets from Paris to Istanbul onboard the Simplon Orient Express. They boarded the famous train hoping for a relaxing trip to the Middle East, but expecting anything but.

They were right to be skeptical because there was much and more afoot aboard the train.

To Venice!

Their first day on the train took the Wardens through the French countryside before turning south toward Italy. They passed through the Simplon Tunnel around nightfall. As the trip rumbled through the night, the passengers met in the dining car for dinner, drinks, and mingling.

They encountered a number of interesting individuals:

  • Viscount Joseph and Anna Montgomeries III were British newlyweds on their honeymoon and spent . Anna is was wearing a breathtaking necklace as well as a fine collection of rings.
  • American debutant Anastasia Rockwell sat at the bar looking borcned, sipping martinis, and teasing her bodyguard Herbert Johnson.
  • Karl von Trost, a German diplomat, occupied one dining booth with his four guards, each dressed in Nazi soldier uniforms. Others in the car gave him a wide berth.
  • Fortunato Gatti, a dapper dressed Italian man, spent much of his time stealing glances at the Montgomeries … particularly Anna’s necklace.

The Wardens talked with many of those in the car, and couldn’t help but notice when a dashing looking young man entered the car, made a beeline for Rockwell, and began chatting her up,  much to the chagrin of her bodyguard.

The Wardens heard him introduce himself as Sebastian le Strange. The bodyguard repeatedly tried to push le Strange away, but the man had the uncanny ability to sidestep Johnson’s moves. After dinner, the Wardens and the rest of those in the dining car retired to their cabins.

The Kidnapping

On the second day the Warden Rickard Greystone grew suspicious of the undue attention that le Strange was lavishing on Anastasia Rockwell. That evening Rikard Greystone and Alistair Martindrake invited themselves to her private car at the back of the train much to Anastasia’s chagrin and her bodyguard’s relief. That night le Strange and several of his colleagues attempted to break into the private car.

At the same time,  Fortunato Gatti made his move against his real target — not the Montgomaries and their expensive jewelry, but the Nazis and the briefcase of gold that von Trost was transporting to Istanbul. He was, unfortunately, detected by the Germans while trying to make good on his escape. This led to shouting which woke McGinnis. The gruff soldier nearly caught Gatti, but when he realized what the thief was attempting to do, he instead provided cover for him when the Nazis demanded to know where he went. The man escaped from the train with the briefcase.

Meanwhile, le Strange attempted to seize the Rockwell’s private car.  Anastasia surprised the Wardens by revealing that she was secretly in love with le Strange and that he’d come to take her away. le Strange, realizing the gig was up, declared himself a communist revolutionary and declared that nothing could stand against the Revolution … or his love for Anastasia. The Wardens were having none of it — instead they fought back against le Strange and his allies though they were unable to prevent them from unhooking the rear car from the train.

A frantic fight ensued between the Wardens and le Strange, but the heroes were finally able to defeat their opponent and save Anastasia. Then it was just a matter of waiting for help to arrive in the form of railroad service train that came out to pick up the detached rail car.

The rest of the trip passed uneventfully, and two days later — on March 1, 1937 —  they arrived in Istanbul.

Meta

  • Feature photo credit: Orient Express route map. Source.
  • Game Date: Sunday, January 11, 2015

Experience

  • Rikard Greystone: 3 xp
  • Alistair Sebastian Cadwalader Martindrake III: 3 xp
  • McGinnis: 3 xp

Resources