Dyelli Beybi

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

“We couldn't understand because we were too far... and could not remember because we were traveling in the night of first ages, those ages that had gone, leaving hardly a sign... and no memories.”

---

Munich, Saturday 3 November 1923:

The blood trail was fruitless. It led deeper into the cemetery and stopped.

The stakeout was fruitless. Whomever or whatever was stalking the streets of Munich had the sense to keep away from the place of the brutal killing and the people watching for its' approach. Perhaps it had some sense they were there. Perhaps it was simply chance. It was impossible to tell.

The next day dawned, gloomy and overcast and bitterly cold.

Nicola had gone to see the police the night before and the next morning an officer did appear shortly before Temple, "Another dog attack," he concluded, "How terribly tragic."

He was not in the least bit interested in the clues that Masako had uncovered to suggest the attacker was human. This was, as far as he was concerned, the work of dogs and nothing would dissuade him from this course. There simply was not the time to deal with the case and the dogs were too convenient an excuse.

Temple did not look encouraged by the response, eyeing the man as he left the scene before turning back to the others, "So the body has not been moved?" he queried as he lit a cigarette, taking a long drag before adding, "Tragic... though perhaps we can prevent any more deaths. Does anyone have the expertise to spot if there are any patterns in the reported victims? The Watch has some contacts with the police and you should not encounter any problems with accessing their case files. If we can find a pattern perhaps we can get an inkling as to where, and when, the next attack is likely to be and any outying murders that do not fit the pattern could also tell us something."

Empire of the Clouds

Theme Music

Chapter One: Escape from Inbur

Inbur was in flames.

Gunfire echoed through the dark streets, seemingly from every direction, the harsh crack of rifles and the dull boom of distant explosions. Arkadios ran. Flames lit the streets from hundreds of fires, throwing eerie shapes into the smoke-clogged sky. Arkadios ran. In truth he didn't quite know where he was running to, but there had to be some route out. Perhaps the path along the Old North Road was still controlled by loyal soldiers? Though there was every chance he'd be stopped at a checkpoint only to discover the men in the Inburian uniform were in fact rebels.

He took a turn in the direction of the road anyway, shoving past a band of civilians who seemed to be trying to evacuate what they could from a burning house, colliding with a young woman trying to push past the other way. She looked up at him with frightened dark eyes, "Help me," she whispered.

Arkadios almost pushed past her, what could he do? But the way she looked at him reminded him too much of his own daughter, Elodie, or the woman she might become in a few years. And he could see the rich cut of her clothing. A noble, he guessed. It was no safer for her in the city than it was for him. Perhaps there was something he could do? Perhaps give her a fighting chance? He nodded, "Stick with me." he said.

And as he ran on through the dark streets, she did. They reached a military base where a soldier was standing guard. Nobody had ordered him to leave he assumed. He approached the trooper, not waiting for a salute, "Captain Andreaou, East Morktree Regiment of Foot," he introduced himself, "Soldier, stand down and join the evacuation."

He looked skywards and paused. He hadn't seen it in the smoke before. A massive dirigible was tethered to the ground nearby, it's imposing bulk rising above the nearby barrack huts. The girl looked at the ship, then across at Arkadios before voicing what he had been thinking, "Do you think that Airship has fuel?"

Or a crew... but that wasn't worth thinking about now, "Let's hope so," he set off at a brisk walk towards the ship. A gangplank was down, leading up into the Bridge gondola. The woman followed, stepping into the gondola as Arkadios flicked the light switch and was rewarded to find lights flickering on across the gondola, "We have battery at least."

He glanced about, there was no sign of life, though there was a clipboard. He picked it up. Cargo deliveries, "Where are the crew?" the woman asked, crossing the bridge to open the doorway into the dark interior of the ship, "Hello?" she called. There was no answer.

Arkadios flicked through the manifest, "Looks like they were converting this airliner into a bomber. But they didn't get further than installing machineguns... I think... if I'm reading this right we should have fuel but I don't know how to fly the bloody thing," he paused, looking up over the clipboard, "What's your name lass? You look a little familiar... have we met?"

"Oh... I wouldn't think so," she gave an apologetic smile, "Though perhaps? Zoe... Miss Zoe Spyrou," she introduced herself.

"Well Miss Spyrou, I think I need to go out there and see if there's anyone vaguely competent to fly this as it could, potentially be our ticket out of here."

The girl's eyes lit up, "Do you think so?"

Arkadios nodded, "If we can get it in the air... and it's more complicated than just cutting the cords and turning the engines on. There are a whole lot of buoyancy controls I know nothing about... not that that first bit is simple either!"

"Should I go and look?" Zoe suggested.

"No I..." Arkadios trailed off. He thought he heard footsteps outside. Casually he unbuttoned his pistol holster, placing a hand on the gun, "Stay back from the gangway," he told her...

Empire of the Clouds

Arkadios Andreaou

Name: Arkadios Andreaou
Gender: Male
Age: 49
Nationality: Inburrian
Appearance: 6'1'', dark eyes and rapidly greying hair

My Hider

Personal Effects:
- A single Makarios C94 Pistol.
- A sepia photograph of his family.
- A slightly grimy Captain's uniform

Background:

What is your job: Captain in the Inburian Military
Backstory: Arkadios Andreaou comes from a family of gentry and as the second of three sons, (and two sisters), Arkadios was not expected to inherit the family estate but rather was groomed to enter the military and, having completed his studies was sent to the Officer's Training College at Grendell, where he graduated without any particular merit or failings before being assigned as a 2nd Lieutenant to the East Morktree Regiment of Foot.

For the last 28 years, Arkadios has remained with the regiment. He married, and has four children of his own, three boys and a younger daughter, Elodie, whom he dotes on. During all this time, the Regiment has seen no action aside from quelling the occasional outbreak of communalist unrest in the central provinces of the Empire. Aside from the odd border skirmish with Xak-Shariq, the Empire has remained peaceful.

Arkadios rose through the ranks slowly as other officers retired, eventually reaching the rank of Captain, Commanding one of the Regiment's Companies.

When it became clear the Calarians were mobilising, Arkadios and the East Morktreee were given transfer orders to the border, though the Calarians attacked before the regiment was in position, breaking the Inburian lines and driving towards the capital of Inbur itself. The East Morktree fought an action to delay the Calarian advance at the bridge at Picmylos, which was a gallant but ultimately costly defeat with only 70 men of the East Morktree escaping the field to join the retreat towards Inbur.

The survivors arrived with the enemy hot on their heels and with some units joining the Communalist uprising and the Inburian command structure in a shambles, orders were received for all units to retreat North to Grendell. Arkadios relayed the orders to his troops but was shortly separated from them during an artillery barrage.

Arkadios is a worried man. He is worried for his troops, for his family but also for his own neck. The Calarians are nearby, Communalist rebels are in control of some quarters of the city and everyone remembers what happened to the Nobles during the Calarian revolution. There has to be a way out...

Empire of the Clouds

@Terrans Couple of small changes I would like to suggest, otherwise super!

You've spoken about 'scouting, patrolling, camouflage, infiltration and advanced marksmanship.'... change that to 'scouting, patrolling and marksmanship'. Because camouflage is really in it's infancy as a concept - they know muted colours are helpful and trying to disguise artillery emplacements can help but that's about it. Infiltration hasn't been invented yet (historically this is a response to the battlefield conditions of WWI... which is just kicking off in this world) and marksmanship is also pretty basic... that being said snipers do exist. So all good with the general concept!

Can I also recommend you change the name of the 'Scout-Trackers' to an Alpine Regiment? Just gives that early 20th century feel... and it fits with the terrain!

Empire of the Clouds

@Athol@Theyra@Badarby@Expendable

All look good to me.

Bear in mind there is a bit of sexism in this period... but it's also the time of women's liberation starting to take off.

Incidentally I've dumped character 1 of 2 into the character sheets

Empire of the Clouds

Zoe Spyrou

Name: Zoe Spyrou
Gender: Female
Age: 23
Nationality: Inburrian
Appearance: 5'5'' tall with dark hair and eyes

My Hider

Personal Effects:
- Nothing but the skirt, blouse and jacket she is wearing. All of which look expensive.

Background:

What is your job: Refugee
Backstory: Zoe Spyrou is a young Inburian aristocrat. Though the Spyrou name is not one which is particularly well known, Zoe has the accent and education (knows quite a few languages) to suggest that she either went to an expensive girl's school or was possibly privately tutored. Despite having grown up with wealth and privilege most people do not enjoy, Zoe has railed against this most of her life, finding the conceits and expectations of nobility rather stifling longing for the (largely imagined) freedoms of the lower classes.

While it is not especially likely that her family would be targeted by the Communalists, at least not initially, there is still plenty of reason to be nervous - in Calaria, senior nobles and members of the Doge's Government were executed, often along with their family members with little discrimination for age or political involvement.

Zoe has never had a job and was, rather, expected to marry into another noble family and run the household. Which is not at all uncommon for Inburian noblewomen. While Zoe does not appear to have any skills to contribute to a zeppelin crew, apart from, potentially, acting as an interpreter, she is reasonably intelligent and, unlike most Inburian nobles, is very happy to get stuck in doing basic tasks. In fact, she rather likes the idea.

Empire of the Clouds

@Bingelly Looks excellent!

Wild Beasts of the Earth (Gothic Horror)

Nicola Hoffman

"The only previous evidence for dogs was a police officer had dismissed it as that," Nicola replied to Rudy, "And we dont even know if that Officer had seen a body."

Apparently she also didn't hold the police in high regard.

"How many people have guns?" she asked the group, "We have a lot of potential victims, hostages or people who can be shot by accident," she said, then motioned at herself, to be sure the group knew she was including herself in that number, "If you wish to embark on this, those of us who won't be of any use should return to our homes or at the very least the club. And it would be better if we were escorted. I do not want some boy dressed up as a solider taking a shine to me after too much schnapps."

Empire of the Clouds

Chrstina Ferrari

Character Description

Name: Christina (Visconti) Ferarri
Gender: Female
Age: 22
Nationality: Calarian
Appearance:

appearance

This girl makes you think of a dangerous bird of prey. She has round green eyes that are like two chunks of jade. Her fine, straight, brown hair is worn in a style that reminds you of a turtle's shell. She is very tall and has an amazonian build. Her skin is tanned. She has a large mouth.

Her wardrobe is practical. Cotton batiste camisole and drawers, wool socks, good brown leather work boots, Khaki drill shirt, tan khaki overall suit, brown cassimere cap (golf style), horsehide work gauntlets, black sweater with leather patches on shoulders & elbows; Turkey red bandanas (x2), sheepskin coat, sheepskin hunter's cap, goggles.

Personal Effects:

On her person

Ladies' Nickel watch (4H12282)
Pathfinder Brass Compass (6H5230)
Police Call Whistle (6H4471)
Steamboat Playing Cards (49H160)
Vest pocket Memorandum Book (3H955?)
Pencils x3 (3H13450)
Three-Blade Electricians' or Mechanics' knife (6H17154)
Brass Knuckles

Brown cowhide traveling bag (33H1271)

Tin of hard candy (local)
14-piece Handy Tools in a canvas roll(9H55045)
Hunting Knife (6H4513)
38-Caliber Automatic Pistol (8 shot) with extra magazine (6H1503)
38-Caliber Automatic Smokeless Cartridges with metal patched bullets (box/50 x2) (6H2580)
Book, True Detective Stories (3H1856)
Gold coins inside leather poker chip tubes.

---

Background:

What is your job Mechanic

Backstory: Born to the Visconti Merchant family, she had been playing with Fosca, the daughter of Nicola Ferrari, local blacksmith and family friend, he had spent time with the merchant fleet. As Nicola was bringing her home, they found her father and mother were being dragged out of the house by the communists, then shot in the street.

Nicola picked her up and whispered in her ear, "Remember, you are now Christina Ferrari, niece."

She began spending time in his workshop, helping him alongside his sons, Vittore and Martino. Then the communists came for the teens, to induct them into the people's infantry.

Christina, like the other men and women, learned to march, to polish her boots, to shoot a rifle, to fight unarmed and with a knife. Then when that was done, their basic training unit was broken up to join other units. Some of the women in their group were sent to become nurses. Fosca and Christina, however, were taught how to drive and repair the people's trucks, built in their factories. Once they were graded as satisfactory, they were granted permission to go home before their next assignment.

Nicola told them they'd missed Vittore and Martino, who had been there the previous week. He, too, was worried about the build-up of soldiers and was convinced the communists intended to invade their neighbor. Christina decided to escape. There was a secret escape tunnel her parents never had a chance to use. She used it to get into the house, inside its hollow walls, and retrieve her father's secret stash. Christina provided half of it to Nicola and Fosca, carefully hiding the rest on her person.

Back at their camp, Christina began driving the relief truck along the line. However, the people's truck would frequently break down. One night after it again had broken down, she sent the men up ahead to continue relieving the border guards, telling them she'd pick them up eventually when the truck was fixed. When they were out of sight, she then snuck across the boarder and surrendered herself to the Inburian soldiers, who were surprised she could speak their language, one of several her father had taught her.

It turned out that she was not the first Calarian to cross those lines to warn them. They took her rifle and sent her to the capital. As it happened, Generoso Rubino, one of the few friends of her father to escape the purge was living there and vouched for her. However, it seemed to her that nobody was taking the threat seriously. Nor could she sit around making idle talk with other ex-pats, that was no longer her life. So she got a job with the company building and maintaining the Inburian Zeppelins and began to prepare to escape should the Communists invade.

@Expendable

Looks good to me! Feel free to move this to the character page!

Empire of the Clouds

Name: Post Captain Hamelin Le Marinier
Gender: Male
Age: 42
Nationality: Favis
Appearance: A taller man and bearded to hide the Scars from his injuries that caused his active retirement. Right eye is glass or an eyepatch depending on comfort and part of his right hand is a mechanical prostatic from a blast injury.

Has a number of miscellaneous scars from said explosion on his right side.

My Hider

Personal Effects:
.455 Favis Heavy pattern Navy Revolver
Favis Diplomatic papers
Old Riggers Knife and spike.
Silver plated hip flask with Whiskey.
Navy wool overcoat.
1 glass right eye, 1 eye patch, 1 Right partial hand prosthetic
A folded bundle of small maps and a simple small metal compass.

History:

What is your job:
Former active Naval gunnery Officer and Diplomatic mission staffer from Favis..

Born into a long family of sailors from pirates to merchants and even the odd privateer down the family history it was almost expected that he would serve, sail in some way related to the sea. Hamelin did not disappoint and joined the Favis Navy as a junior midshipman when the chance was first available.

Though minor nobility their Title meant little more than a long family history, a coat of arms and a large home that cost too much to heat but they also refused to sell, a sense of pride and also the old stone building had withstood the centuries as their protector from storms, conflict and more unnumbered. It was this family that shaped the officer who rose in the Royal Flavis Navy, showing promise and being assigned first as a navigation officer until his real talent as a gunnery commander was revealed.

Success began to follow success until he was aboard the heavy dreadnought class, Hammer of Normandy, a large ship clad in iron and steel, mounting the heaviest and most powerful armaments Flavis Forges and war smiths could craft. It lead the fleet forward befitting its name, fire, fury and wrath where exchanged without mercy or pause.

It was In B main turret an anti armour shell slammed into a plate already weakened by several hits from a heavy cruiser that lingered close exchanging close fire but losing it was when his world went black and his memory only returned aboard a land based hospital after the battle taken away by the the hospital ship Mercy of the Angel then to the main Naval hospital.

Victory came at a price for all, for our noble office it came high. His hand was a mass of bandages, Half his face was too. Shrapnel from the hit that buckled the turret's side sending a wave of steel into space and leaving grievous wounds and death to many. 1 man in 20 got out walking.

Decorated, promoted, His active career was over, honourable service meant he had a choice, a quiet retirement or to take what job was available and serve behind the desk instead of gunplot. Hamerlin chose to stay and soon his command was a desk in a comfortable enough office building trying to learn how to use his new hand and adapt to a single eye after a long stay in hospital.

…

Years passed.

…

Years passed and Hamerlin now held a role in the Embassy to a semi allied nation, their Naval attache, his job was not what he wanted, to have commanded warships, maybe even fleets but he had found at least a life that kept him from getting bored. He still was an expert at reading maps, able to calculate terrain, elevations, and transform the 2D into a 3D puzzle to crack complex tables and calculations easily. Those skills he kept, advising on situations and attending various events on behalf of the nation he served.

He rose to Post Captain on both seniority and merit, he was unlikely to make a flag but he had risen as far as a land based officer likely could. His rank also came with responsibilities and pressures that he had not shouldered before but privilege was never freely given.

…

Fire came.

…

Forts, defence lines and established defensive plans expected to hold the enemy for weeks, months if not drive them to utter stalemate buckled and broke far faster than anyone could have believed and soon the Capital rang with guns before even people could move to escape. The armies of the Red tide could not be held back as they began to pound the city, their batteries and heavy siege armies now able to dig, bombard and break the final defences before all was consumed.

Expecting no such army to obey the Diplomatic niceties, he grabbed what he could, his pistol and so from his drawer, stuffing ammo where he could, his knife and a few other things before he left. He would find his own way out and he believed he saw one last do or die plan in his eye. He was likely dead anyway so a small chance of success was more than none.

He had carefully studied the city and its plan, its maps, layout and what he helped would save his life. He made for his desperate plan, avoiding those places he knew would likely be main targets, and navigated his way to the last escape route he could devise.

@PrinceAlexus

Perfect. Before shoving into characters, can I please recommend changing 'Hammer of Normandy' to something like 'Hammer of Vich' to reference an in-universe location? :)