Before I begin the review of Chapter 2 I’d like to introduce the characters that make up Gloriana’s League of Extraordinary Gentlemen;
The Chief Councilor of the League is Dr. John Dee. Elizabeth’s Magus Primus.
Dee is assisted by William Shakespeare who in this tale is not only a master playwright, but a savant of the mind. His mental calculations can predict outcomes in the near future based on observations made in the present.
Gentleman Adventurers, those agents in the field include the following:
Sir Richard Grenville, Sea Captain and explorer
Sir Philip Sidney, Queen’s Champion of the tilt and an adept mage
Thomas Walsingham, a senior member of his Uncle Francis’ intelligence network.
Cristopher Marlowe, poet, actor, playwright and a man whose luck never seems to run out.
Solomon Kane, adventurer and explorer, having served under Sir Richard on several occasions
Pitr van der Gleek, Grenville’s Master Gunner and quite possibly the greatest marksman in Europe.
Father George, a German priest with a vast store of medical and occult knowledge.
Now, on to chapter 2 of our story.
Once
Tyger was floated off of the shoal the league made good time to the Northern tip of the island where the colony was located. Once there the boats were lowered and the party made its way inland. The shore party was made up of Sir Richard Grenville, Sir Philip Sidney, Thomas Walsingham and Pitr van der Gleek, Grenville's Master Gunner. The party made good time on foot and located the stockade an hour or two before Sundown.
The colony was completely abandoned. In many places the surrounding woods have already begun to reclaim the land. All but one of the buildings, the blockhouse that served as meeting hall and chapel, appeared to have been dismantled and transported elsewhere. Grenville was aware that this might be the case and had been instructed by Dr Dee to look for a marker indicating where the colony had relocated too. Arrangements had been made by Governor Lane before he left that if the colony did relocate they were to carve the name of the place they were moving to. If they were moved there under duress they were to carve a Maltese cross next to the name of the location.
Approaching the blockhouse Walsingham was startled by a movement from within. Creeping cautiously he moved to the door to discover a body hanging from the rafters, an apparent suicide. The body turned out to be that of the colony’s minister. Strange scrawling in chalk on the wall spoke to an unsound mind. Sir Philip was able to decipher some of the writing, which turned out to be in Greek, but could not determine their significance at the time. In the minister’s pocket a notebook, also written in Greek, was found. Perhaps it would yield some clues once reading it became expedient.
The party searches the compound for a sign. Grenville in the foreground, and Walsingham by the large tree.
Clearing away some ivy against the stockade wall, Walsingham appears to have found some kind of sign. It does not bode well for any possibility of a good outcome.
While gathering wood for a fire Grenville's men here the sounds of a large party moving quickly through the woods. The alarm is given and the party falls back to the blockhouse as shambling, decrepit forms emerge from the woods with vile intent.
Sir Philip and his men take an advance position. Any rumors of Sir Philip's acquaintance with White magic are immediately dispelled as he calls forth a great light, revealing the total number of the force arrayed against them. Several large groups of the shamblers assault the party from three directions. The men cry out in fear at the sight of the walking dead.
Sir Philip withdraws, ordering his men to fall back to the blockhouse as well. He works his magic again and a great booming voice, like a thunderclap, issues forth from Sidney and bowls over an entire group of the shamblers. Van der Gleek has taken a position on the roof of the blockhouse and begins firing down into the attackers. His men each carry a heavy musket similar to his which they exchange for an empty one to reload, allowing Pitr to keep up a steady rate of deadly fire. On his first shot it becomes fairly apparent that the attackers are living men for they bleed profusely and cry out when hit. It makes them no less deadly and no one stays their hand.
As Sidney makes his way to the blockhouse one of the ghouls stands out as the leader. He calls out on his own vile tongue and a wave of darkness falls down upon compound. He then leaps forward and lands a devastating blow to one of the billmen. Sorely wounded the billman fights on. Men in the blockhouse fire out through the windows. Their shots felling attackers one by one but their companions take no notice and press forward.
Shamblers have the building surrounded. Soon they will be too close for van der Gleek to shoot from the roof.
Sidney calls forth the light again, pushing the ghoul leader back as Walsingham sallies out with his men. van der Gleeck puts a lead ball in the head of the leader who falls to the ground and bursts into flame. With their leader destroyed the rest of the ghouls give flight.
Once the fight was over Father George was able to inspect the bodies of the ghouls and it would appear that at lease some of the missing colonists could now be accounted for. Father George's assessment was that these poor wretches were not the undead. But instead were probably held in thrall by some fiend, either wizard or undead and sent out to do his bidding. Once he had an opportunity to read the minister's notebook he hoped to learn more.
Welcome, Guest. Please 
April 28, 2024, 12:21:30 PM
October 29, 2007, 12:06:18 AM