Astanael

Tag: Terror on the Orient Express

  • Into St Mokius Cistern

    Underneath Constantinople, April 14th 1204

    Andre stops. Something’s afoot. He was running since the moment he had heard screams from the other site of the cistern, from where the two byzantins went searching for a boat. Suddenly more screaming came, this time from the south ledge where the other group went searching for the cistern’s exit. One by one, the distant lights went out, until his was the only one left. Enemies, surely. But why snuffing all the torches and walks this slippery ledge in the dark? The enemy has the advantage of numbers, so why take this risk?

    Dropping his torch on the ledge, Andre put his lance aside and draw his sword. The blade is heavy in his hands and Andre has to invoke the name of the Lord to strengthen his resolve and his will, gripping the hilt so hard blood starts dripping from his wounds to the water below.

    The still waters of St Mokius cistern starts rippling below his soles. There is something in this shadows. Something huge.

    – Pater Noster, qui es in cælis…

    Pencil doodle on A6 sketchbook
    Excerpt from the Terror on the Orient-Express Chaosium Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign
    ***

    Sous-sol de Constantinople, 14 Avril 1204

    André stoppa net son avancée. Danger. Depuis qu’il avait entendu les cris des deux byzantins à la recherche d’une barque, il n’avait cessé de courir le long de la corniche nord. Mais voilà que non seulement leurs torches s’était éteintes mais en plus d’autres cris retentirent depuis la direction qu’avait pris l’autre groupe, celui parti suivre la corniche sud à la recherche d’une sortie. Une à une, les lumières au loin s’éteignirent, laissant André seul avec sa torche. Encore une malice de leurs ennemis, sûrement. Mais pourquoi éteindre les torches ? André n’imaginait pas quiconque ayant deux sous de bon sens progresser le long de cette corniche glissante dans le noir. Les Vénitiens avaient l’avantage du nombre, pourquoi prendre ce risque inutile ?

    Laissant sa torche à terre, André pose sa lance contre le mur et sort sa lame au clair. Son épée est lourde en ses mains. Invoquant le nom du Seigneur, il affermi sa poigne tant et tant que son sang se mit à sourdre de ses bandages pour souiller l’onde en dessous.

    Les eaux immobiles de la citerne de St Mokius s’agitèrent. De petites vagues se mirent à clapoter sous ses pieds. Quelque chose dans les ombres. Quelque chose de grand.

    – Pater Noster, qui es in cælis…

    Porte-mine sur carnet A6
    Extrait de la campagne Terreur sur l’Orient-Express de Chaosium pour le JdR L’Appel de Cthulhu.

  • Inktober 2019 – 27 – Coat

    Our Lord and Our Master, the Flayed One is pleased
    We Brother of the Flesh have done a evil deed
    We cut and sewn the skin of our many victims
    To brought the Scorched One a coat worthy of him

    ***

    Notre Saigneur et Maître, l’Écorché, est ravi
    Nous, Frères de la Chair, lui avons confectionné
    De la peau de nos victimes un manteau carné
    Afin d’orner l’Écorché d’une parure impie. 

    Inktober 2019 – Cultists Edition
    Ink brush on A6 sketchbook / Encre au pinceau sur Carnet A6

  • Inktober 2019 – 27 – Coat

    Our Lord and Our Master, the Flayed One is pleased
    We Brother of the Flesh have done a evil deed
    We cut and sewn the skin of our many victims
    To brought the Scorched One a coat worthy of him

    ***

    Notre Saigneur et Maître, l’Écorché, est ravi
    Nous, Frères de la Chair, lui avons confectionné
    De la peau de nos victimes un manteau carné
    Afin d’orner l’Écorché d’une parure impie. 

    Inktober 2019 – Cultists Edition
    Ink brush on A6 sketchbook / Encre au pinceau sur Carnet A6

  • Terror on the Orient-Express – The Torso of Sedefkar

    [WARNING : Contains spoilers of the Milano chapter of the “Terror on the Orient Express” Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign. Players are advised to skip this part]

    Teatro alla Scala, Milano, Italy, Januarry 10 1923

    Choura only dreamed of being there, on the stage of the Scala! Draped in a rich gown heavily decorated with numerous egyptian hieroglyphs, he was playing a high priest of Ptah. The costume was magnificent, only rivaled by those of the singers. It was a non-singing role but nonetheless a central one, keeping him close to the tenor playing Radamès. The Aida, Verdi masterpiece, was a bliss to listen onstage ! If only Cavolaro was there. He could swear that he heard her voice during the aria “ritorna vincitor” earlier. But enough ! All of his focus had to go in the role, he only knew the play from memory and didn’t actually had been directed. So far, it was a no fault, but the single mistake could cost a lot to him all all of the italian theater world!

    Cihat in comparison was only wearing a simple soldier attire, a fake spear and a loincloth. He was pulled backstage before he could get on stage, and only could look Choura from afar. On the other side of the stage, he could saw one of Facia’s men, probably searching the same thing that us. While properly dressed, the goon seemed out of place and bored out of his mind. From the corner of his eyes, Cihat saw something move, and went investigating. A strange black smoke were oozing in a corner of the backstage… cautiously approaching, he heard a deep yet soft voice emanating from the dark smoke.

    – Do you need help, my dear? I’m following you for a while, searching for the pieces of Sedefkar, and it seems you’ll need a hand to manage this Facia. He’s a brother of the Flesh, a dangerous man… Would you like me to get rid of him?  
    At the first rows of the room, Henry and Carl were searching for the participants of the Flavio Conti reception, screening the other spectators. Arturio Fascia was several rows behind them and they heard him sing during the aria with the voice of Cavolaro ! Henry was shocked, and looked again to the old woman next to Facia. The eyes, the proportions, the hair… It was beyond reasonable to deny the truth further: it was the lost Diva! After concerting with Carl, they stared to move and leave their seat. Henry has a plan, a hasty and risky one, but a plan.

    By the time they manage to reach the central row, they saw Facia standing up, and precipitately leave his seats, rudely hustling the other spectator. Did he saw them? Carl took a look to the stage and understand the reason behind the sudden move of Facia. No time left, they will have to intercept him backstage. Facia left because he saw what was on stage. Radames was about to get his armor, ready to battle the Ethiopian army. Choura was the one who had to get it to him but when the approached the mannequin revealed in the light he immediately knew they found the missing torso of Sedefkar !
    Pencil doodle on A6 sketchbook
    Excerpt from the Terror on the Orient-Express Chaosium Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign

  • Terror on the Orien Express – The Blood Red Fez

    St John’s woods, London, 1893.

    Barrington
    was in a quite silly situation. Tightly strapped to a chair with
    several leather belts coming from Pr. Smith closets, a huge tub on his
    knees with his handkerchief stuck under his collar in case of violent
    nausea like the ones Amelia had when she touched the fez. He  felt like
    laughing. George then proceed to open the hatbox and lift the fez with
    his trusty fireplace poker and get it closer to his hand.

    His
    hilarity instantly died upon the proximity of this… thing. It was
    disgusting, greasy… almost dripping, covered in unknown filth. He
    would rather lick all the bathroom of grand station central with his
    tongue than touching this abomination, but he had to. Shadows all around
    were moving and became distorted. He began to saw some movement at the
    edge of his vision and could almost hear whispering in his head. He
    began to chant the persian mantra they found, again and again. He took a
    deep breath and bravely put his hand on the fez. Retching and belching,
    he stood still, focused on the mantra, even when he felt something
    moving underneath the fabric.
    After what
    seems an eternity, the oppressing atmosphere created by the fez
    gradually attenuated, to the point of being barely noticeable.

    – We made it ! Now we can carry this abomination to Constantinople and destroy it ! Unstrap me, would you ?

    The
    temptation was enormous for Georges to let this babbling idiot tied up
    in this grotesque situation, but the predicament they were in was too
    serious to joke around. He started to untied the captain, and noticed a strange expression on his face.

    – What is it ? Side effects ?
    – Your name. I can’t recall your name.
    – I’m Georges. Georges Banks
    – Ah yes ! I forgot for a moment who you were. Quite strange…

    Pencil doodle on A6 sketchbook
    Excerpt from the     Red Blood Fez Scenario from the Terror on the Orient-Express Chaosium Call of Cthulhu RPG campaign

  • The Left Arm of Sedefkar Simulacrum

    Poissy, January the 23th, France
    Cihat
    tied the rope around his belly an bravely move towards the light at the
    end of the tunnel. After all, what could be worse than the content of
    theses cells ? Carl said the foundations were extremely robust, Choura
    was firmly gripping the rope at the other end and Henry… Well Henry
    did what he could to not run away.
    It was
    gorgeous and eerie. The wall of the final cave was covered with roses,
    faintly glowing of multiples hues. Spiked vines were crawling all
    around, intertwined with several decayed corpses and skeletons. Some
    grew in the skulls orbits, others were blooming inside a ribcage. a
    thick and dark sap were dripping from the vine, covering the floor and
    releasing some kind of fumes or dark vapors which was swirling around
    his feet.

    At the middle of thins hellish
    mural, was glowing the the arm of a statue. They knew they have found
    the left arm of the Simulacrum of Sedefkar.

    Pencil doodle on A6 sketchbook
    Excerpt from an ongoing run of the “Terror on the Orient Express” campaign for Chaosium “Call of Cthulhu” RPG.

  • Loco 227

    Since I’m mastering a run of the “Terror on the Orient-Express” Campaign, might as well learn how to draw trains.Last session went well, the PC managed to rescue a fellow PC and themselves from a ghost train lost among strange mists. And destroying a valuable 1880s locomotive as the one drawn here.

    Pencil doodle on A6 sketchbook