The next leg of the investigators’ occult adventure began on the morning of Wednesday, August 2nd, as they departed London to intercept the Orient Express. Their goal was to safely escort the mysterious Blood Red Fez they had obtained to Constantinople, where they hoped to destroy its sinister powers. They had learned through strange books and documents that the Fez possessed dangerous magical abilities tied to demonic entities, and that a text called The Whispering Fez contained secrets to unlocking its dark talents.
Boarding a train to Dover and then crossing the Channel by steamer, the investigators maintained a close watch for suspicious fellow travelers. While dining on tiny sandwiches in a cafe in Calais, Madame Zorba noticed a furtive man watching them from across the street. She recalled seeing him earlier that day on their train from London. Noticing them notice him, the man walked away down the street. Unsure if this was suspicious or not, Zorba asked the cards if the man was following them, determining he was not.
The rail journey to Châlons-sur-Marne was not without incident. Shortly after departure, the savvy investigators decided it would be wise to refer to the Fez in code, in case they were being watched or eavesdropped upon. After much debate about objects and terminology that would not draw undue attention, they finally settled on using the term “pipe” as a substitute for discussing the Fez.
After that, they decided it was time for a walk to find more sandwiches and see if anyone else might be paying undo attention to them. Soon Madame Zorba spotted the same shady man from Calais on the train as he entered a compartment in the next car. After debate, Lake and Corning decided to investigate further. Finding the man’s compartment, they listened at his door and determined he was sleeping inside. Not wanting to disturb this metaphorical (or perhaps literal) “sleeping dog,” they kept watch but did not intervene further.
Oskarson had previously worked extensively with a professor in London to translate various Turkish and Persian occult texts he had uncovered, assembling the information into a compilation called the Apocrypha of the Fez. While his companions scouted the train, he studied the documents carefully, learning more about the occult artifact. Though the Apocrypha increased his academic knowledge of mythos lore and magic, the pragmatic student remained skeptical about whether such power actually existed.
After the long journey across northern France, the investigators arrived late at night at the station in Châlons-sur-Marne. There they boarded the elegant Orient Express to continue on to Constantinople. Their congenial conductor Henri escorted them to their sleeping cabins. Despite their long day, Madame Zorba and Miss Sutcliffe convinced the entire party to visit the salon car for a pre-bedtime cocktail to unwind. Entering the lavish lounge, they spied the same furtive man from Calais engaged in quiet conversation with another stranger, alarmingly wearing a red fez.
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