Springer's Mound

The third chapter of Tatters of the King began when our investigators visited the village of Clare Melford in Sussex, on the East Anglian Heights.

A grumpy farmer
They caught the train in on the morning of the 14th November, as the bitter cold, snow, and ice meant other forms of travel were impossible. Upon arrival, they visited the Railway, a local public house and acquainted themselves with the owner, Dick Blair. Some of the locals imparted some wisdom about the local area, including the fact that the farmer who owned most of the surrounding land, Harold Jennings, didn't visit into the village often anymore. Not for the past few years at least.

They also learned that on the night of 30th December 1925, there were five deaths in the village in a single night. Four old people and one child.

After securing lodgings for a few nights at a discounted rate thanks to Grace's haggling, the investigators made their way to the local church in search of the names of those who had died. They spent the next couple of hours clearing snow from graves which soon drew the attention of the local vicar. He was pleased that such strangers would help maintain the churchyard at such a bitter time of year and invited them to tea inside the church itself.

In discussion with him, the investigators learned the names of some of those who had died a few years prior, that they had all died suddenly overnight, and their bodies appeared to be frozen in fear, joy, or somewhere in between. Promising to return for a sermon on Sunday, the investigators then left and purchased a map of the local area from the post office where they heard again how Jennings was an unfriendly sort who wouldn't like anyone poking around on his farm -- but there was a public footpath that ran by his land through a copse of trees.

Resolving to set off on the next day to investigate the hill where Alexander Roby and his friends had planned their clandestine meeting in late December 1925, the troup headed to bed back at the railway, enjoying some local pie and ale. And orange juice.

The next morning they made their way to Jennings' farm, but due to slippery conditions, Grace fell into a puddle of icy water and was worse for wear by the time they arrived. Jennings met them at his door with a shotgun and seemed threatening, but a frostbitten Grace and fast talking from Betty managed to get them inside for a few minutes. Jennings himself disclosed little about the land, though confirmed rumours that he left part of it fallow near the top of Springer's Mound, for reasons of "bad luck."

Meanwhile, Eloise explored the barn outside and discovered a tractor with an engine that was part way through being repaired.

Jennings soon sent them on their way. Though Grace was partially recovered from her frozen fall, the investigators decided to split up, with Betty and Leonid visiting the copse near Springer's Mound, while the other two returned to the pub for warmth and refreshment.

Dark wings
The copse of trees turned out to hold more than just a path around Jennings' land. Leonid and Betty discovered nine pyramid shaped totems or columns. They were precisely nine feet tall and four foot square at the base, each with some sort of inscription embossed on their surface. Using some lipstick and paper, Betty was able to take rubbings of the writing, which talked of Hastur, hatred, love, smells, the hunter's killer, and nine teeth -- something Alexander had mentioned previously.

As they attempted to turn three of the stones which appeared to be lying in such a way as to obscure more inscriptions, Jennings' appeared with his dogs and gun. Perhaps thinking they were someone else, he told them,"take them, I want no more of your money. You've had your guinea's worth. Take them and off with you!"

Unable to be assuaged with words, Jennings then fired his shotgun, hitting one of the columns and narrowly missing Leonid. What followed stretched the understandings of their minds, as a great, black shape with enormous wings descended from above with a scream reminiscent of their strange whistle. It slammed into the earth and unfurled itself to its full height of near seven feet. It grabbed Jennings, who dropped his gun as his dogs ran in fear. The creature then snapped its horse-skull-like head forward and bit him deep on the neck with long, sharpened fangs, swiftly draining him of blood before discarding his corpse.

At the site of this murderous attack, Betty suffered a mental break and fled into the darkening evening, stumbling through snow and bush alike. Leonid was able to retrieve Jennings' gun, but to no avail. The man was dead and the creature soon flew back up high into the evening sky.

Hours later, the scratched, bruised, and freezing pair of Leonid and Betty returned to be greeted by their confused and astounded compatriots. They relayed the story to them, to some incredulous response, but while doing so and attempting to revive some life in to them, a breathy, whistling cry was heard from upstairs. Looking to investigate, the group heard through the door of a private room, the voice of Dick Blair, "No, not me, them, get them!" but it appeared too late for the man, who screamed a bloody scream that was suddenly silenced.

Leonid, taking the lead, entered the room and saw a wall and window smashed, and a pair of legs with no body attached leaking dark blood over the floor. His mind already reeling from the afternoon's attack, this proved too much and he entered a murderous rage. He fired the shotgun, narrowly missing his companions and then began to attack the room, swinging the gun wildly. It took the combined efforts of all three of his friends and a liberal dose of vodka to calm him, but his mind remained rattled in the hours and days that followed.

They first called upon the vicar, who helped them wake the aging postmaster. Together they contacted the nearest police station in the next village, who told them that due to difficulties with transport, they would not be able to arrive for a couple of days. They covered what was left of the body as best they could and discovered yet another black, oddly shaped whistle in the room, as well as a copy of Alexander Roby's book, Der Wanderer Durch Den See.

Tractors and treachery
Resolving to remain in Claire Melford for a few more days in order to await the police's arrival and attend the church meeting on Sunday so as not to raise suspicion, the investigators decided to visit the Jennings' farm in the aftermath of his death. His far house proved unremarkable, with some notes on contract workers and purchasing of farm stock and machinery.

They visited Springer's Mound itself and found its peak to be unworked as described. The reason for why became apparent when they cleared some of the snow and found a thick, cloying stickiness underneath. The sweet smell of rotten fruit accompanied it and reminded Grace fitfully of a dream she had had when they had stayed in Hereford while visiting St. Agnes' Asylum weeks before.

There were a total of nine impressions in the snow and pulpy earth surrounding the peak of the mound, with shapes and dimensions similar to that of the stone columns they had discovered in the copse.

Resolving to try and move them with the aid of a tractor found in Jennings' barn, Eloise attempted to repair it, but upon digging deep into its workings with her outstretched fingers, disaster struck. The machine suddenly sputtered into life for but a second. Long enough to tear free two of her fingers in the attempt.

It would take the rest of the day to complete the fix but eventually, the tractor's cold engine began to turn over. Resolving to attempt to move the pillars the following day, the investigators bedded down for the night in Jennings' farm and suffered the same dreams that have plagued them for months. Relatively fresh-faced in the morning, they set off in the snow and though they became bogged down at times, eventually made it to the copse of trees. There they rigged a pulley system to the tractor and one of the downed pillars and tried to roll one over. However, Leonid's disastrous driving skills saw the tackle snap and smack against the pillar.

Once again the black beast from above swooped down uttering its awful cry. This time it seemed fixated on the tractor, slashing at its metal work and puncturing its engine, sending oil and fluids leaking into the snow. Leonid dived for cover but was injured by the fall, while Grace and Eloise, this being their first sighting of the creature, cowered in fear. For Grace, it proved too much and she fainted face down in the snow.

Leonid, perhaps incensed by the sight of the creature, resolved that the only way forward was to blow the strange whistle they had acquired. He ran to the still downed Grace and attempted to wrest it from her. She awoke just as he did so and attempted to flee, which sent the other investigators after her in a surprising turn of treachery as collectively they tried to manhandle her into giving them the whistle. Grace proved too fleet of foot, however, and managed to escape into the snow, heading back towards the rooftops of Claire Melford in the distance.

Meanwhile, the creature, having dispatched the tractor into bits of ripped and wrought metalwork, took off back into the sky, where it would be seen circling in the days to come.

After hiding out with the local vicar for a period of time, Grace returned to the local pub to find her once-upon-a-time friends giving the police, who had recently arrived, the runaround. Leonid, in particular, was antagonistic and was confined to an impromptu jail in the post office to cool off overnight. Grace was able to smooth things over with the lead investigator, providing alibis for their group so that there was no way they could have caused the death of the pub owner.

After attending a sermon at the church the following day that discussed unity at times of great tragedy, Grace and the other investigators made up after their scuffle the day before and decided to head for home that evening. At the station, however, they found a haulage company bringing the stone pillars aboard some flatbed carraiges. They were unable to get much information out of the workers, other than that the columns were to be transported to some Laird's estate in Scotland.

When the train eventually left Claire Melford that evening, Grace attempted to follow the pillars as they were detached and hooked on to an additional train but was unable to catch it despite a surprising turn of speed.

More letters
Back in London, the investigators took a few days to settle back into their real lives, completing everyday tasks, errands, and getting back to work. While Grace dodged a potential assassination attempt through severed brake lines on her car, Leonid received another letter from Dr. Highsmith inquiring as to the state of his studies into the Roby murders and Alexander's mental wellbeing. Resolving to go and see Dr. Highsmith in person, the investigators gathered their things together and prepared for another journey to Hereford the following day.

On the morning of their leaving, Betty received a letter addressed only to "Friend," from a W. Gresty. In it he described how he knew of their investigation into Alexander, but that although he was affiliated with them, he was no friend of Bacon's or Edwards. He suggested that Bacon should be looked into further and informed them that he would leave his house on 27th November and that they should follow him. He cautioned them of his violence though, and suggested they go armed just in case.

Once in Hereford, the investigators made their way to an impromptu visit to St. Agnes, where Dr. Highsmith was surprised, but pleased, to see them. He was even happier to learn that they appeared to be on the verge of recommending Alexander's release and saw no reason why they couldn't interview him again. However, before asking any questions, Leonid began to read aloud from the passages in Alexander Roby's book, Der Wanderer Durch Den See. He stumbled through the passages, both in English and German, and to the surprise of the group, found Alexander suddenly responsive. He chanted along with Leonid, until, to the other investigator's eyes and the horror of the attending nurse, Leonid fainted.

Leonid though, saw something quite different. Somewhere within the chanting, a hazy city appeared around him, until he was standing within it. With ancient stonework and mountains that appeared behind the moon, it was a strange, but somehow familiar place. The street he was on lead to a narrow bridge. Leonid knew that there was no point in turning back. He must cross. And so he did, and so did the others. The black abyss beneath yawned open beneath him and his footing wobbled. Was he pushed, or did he slip? He fell all the same, down deep into blackness that became all-consuming until there was nothing else.

When he awoke, Alexander looked down on him sadly and said, "I'm sorry doctor. There is nothing that can be done now." He then lapsed into silence.

Despite the concerned faces of his friends surrounding him, this vision, as it hit home, sent Leonid into a panic. He jumped up and fled from the room, screaming down the corridor. His friends chased after him and were able to calm him with a liberal dose of vodka and sense, but he was shaken. And somehow impervious.

Although the situation had resolved, it was far too turbulent for Dr. Highsmith to grant any further questioning of Alexander before his hearing. He wished the investigators well and hoped to hear a final report from Dr. Slutski in the near future.

The group made their way back to the station, heading home to London that same evening. They couldn't let Betty miss her show.

The attack on Bacon
In the days that followed, the investigators busied themselves with preparing for their evening prowl that would take place on the 27th. Knowing, as they had been advised, that arming themselves would be a good plan, they contacted the only person they could think of with some ties to a criminal underbelly. Vincent Tuck.

Through persuasion, flirtation, and the usual flash of Grace's ample purse strings, they were able to convince the haggard man that he should ignore the threats to his own person and business from the tall man named Coombs, and provide them with weapons. What's more, he would accompany them on the evening on their stalking mission.

Two days passed and they met with Tuck once again, this time, in a darkened alley. He showed them the wares he had been able to procure. A set of brass knuckles -- which Leonid took a fancy to -- a short billy club, and a pair of revolvers. Unskilled as they all were in pistolry, the group took the guns and boxes of ammunition to a secluded location and practiced firing at some bottles. After some minutes, Grace proved capable enough at hitting one bottle or two. Betty, on the other hand, smashed a bottle on her first shot, showing the most affinity for the firearms.

And so the night of the 27th rolled around. The group met near Bacon's home where they could keep watch, but remain as conspicuous as possible. The meeting time came and went with no sign of Tuck. Betty was particularly aggravated, as he had made strong promises to her from her bedchamber the previous evening. He did, however, eventually appear, looking a little more nervous, a little more drunk, than usual.

Bacon left his residence near midnight and the investigators followed him down roads and alleys, and along the tow path of the nearby canal. There they split up in an attempt to get ahead of him, and that's when the attack happened. Bacon, his voice calling out strange oathes and the wind whistling and swirling around him, moved preternaturally fast as he chanted at a poor homeless figure, who in turn cried out for help.

Betty, Leonid, and Tuck responded by moving in on Bacon, brandishing their weapons. The large, strange figure called for Coombs and was surprised when he did not show. Betty, having readied her revolver, was first to fire and punched a round right into Bacon's shoulder, leaving him terribly wounded. The man snarled in response and cast some strange magic that turned his hands into snakes, their dangerous fangs digging sharply into Tuck's leg after he too had hit the man a glancing blow with his revolver.

At the sight of such violence, Leonid's mind broke once again, and he ran off into the darkness, with Bacon hot on his heels. Grace and Eloise picked up the chase and discovered Bacon chanting his dreadful curses at a prone and dazed Leonid in an abandoned building. Grace levelled her pistol at the crouching figure and fired. The bullet punched through Bacon's neck who staggered to his feet, stunned as his lifeblood drained away. With outstretched, reaching fingers, he collapsed into the dust and debris at his feet. Dead.

With some effort, the investigators were able to revive the terrified Leonid, though he was much worse for wear. While Betty and Tuck whisked him to a nearby hospital for treatment, Grace and Eloise removed the keys from Bacon's coat pocket and weighing his body with stones, threw him into the nearby canal. They then returned to the man's residence, and let themselves inside.

Bacon's Home
While Vincent and Leonid were admitted to hospital and began their recuperation, Grace, Betty, and Eloise made their way to Bacon's home and place for business. Letting themselves inside using the keys they had recovered from his body, they began to search his dusty, dirty abode. The downstairs contained reams of furniture and paperwork that did little to lift the veil on his plans or his connection with Alexander Roby, Edwards, or Quarrie.

They did, however, discover an awful smell coming from the basement. Using some impressively insightful investigating, Eloise discovered a hidden tunnel. It smelled of damp, mould, and rotting meat, but Eloise, unperturbed, pressed on into it, leading a fearful Betty with her. Grace kept watch at the tunnel's entrance.

The deeper they went, the worse the smell went and Betty seemed eager to leave the tunnel. Eloise was keen to see further inside, but soon came upon a pair of eyes. And another. And another. Five creatures leered out of the dark and began to whisper amongst themselves. When their intentions seemed like to turn violent, Betty and Eloise beat a hasty retreat, stumbling over their feet in the darkness.

Barricading the tunnel behind them, the friends returned to their search of the house. Upstairs they discovered thousands of ancient books, including copies of Der Wanderer and The King in Yellow. But the one that intrigued them the most was The Turner Codex. They also discovered an ornate, engraved silver bell of unknown origin.

Having effectively searched the house, they made their way downstairs, only to hear a banging in the kitchen. They managed to sneak to the door and as they opened and closed it behind them, they saw that the door to the basement had been knocked off its hinges.

Meanwhile, in the hospital, Leonid found himself awoken at an odd hour by a tall man attempting to gain entry to the room. He hid, rather unsuccessfully beneath his bed, only to be greeted by a confused and apologetic detective, who wished to inquire about his wounds.