As the train steamed into the Munich station, a brief interlude allowed some to stretch their legs on solid ground. Madame Zorba, with her flair for connexion, engaged Ellie Myers in conversation, weaving tales of her carnival whilst Clinton Lake and Clyde Corning conferred on the urgency of intervening in the newlyweds’ plight. Clyde’s offer of medical aid to Ellie was deflected, for Mr. Menkaph had cast himself as a spiritual guide in this tragedy.

Aboard the train, in the salon car’s embrace, Miss Sutcliffe and Per Oskarson pondered the conundrum of the fez. They discussed employing a calming mantra, a thread of hope in the web of darkness, and the merits of a discreet approach to learn more from the passengers ensnared in this cursed drama.

As they strategized, the conversation veered into the lighthearted, with Per bemused by the idea of serenading with Swedish drinking songs under the guise of tradition. Miss Sutcliffe, seasoned in social manoeuvring, guided him towards subtlety.

The investigators regrouped, hatching plans to confront the enigmatic Menkaph and the fez that ensnared the unsuspecting. They debated their façade — a church group, a fellowship, a band of spiritual seekers — and entertained, with a chuckle, Clyde’s suggestion of employing tiger tranquillisers, a nod to his own harrowing tales.

Their attention turned to the train’s passengers, the unknown occupants of six rooms, and the lovers’ car where conspiracies might bloom. They contemplated engaging Mrs. Myers over tea, prying into the health of her husband and the fez’s influence.

With a delicate blend of charm and wit, they attempted to coax information from Henri, the conductor. But Clinton Lake’s overtures faltered, and Henri’s departure left them with more questions than answers.

Per Oskarson, the “stupid foreigner,” volunteered his innocence as a ruse to discover room occupants. His first encounter, fortuitously, was Ellie Myers, drawn once more into the salon car’s sanctuary. Per seized the opportunity, joining her for a drink, invoking Swedish superstitions against solitary drinking. His psychological acumen allowed him to thread suspicion against Menkaph into their conversation, offering mantras as an antidote to her husband’s affliction.

As lunchtime loomed, the group weighed their options — enact a hasty plan or bide their time for a more opportune moment. A jest about drugging the train with tranquillisers rippled through their ranks, but the seriousness of their mission soon reclaimed them.

Amidst the laughter, a frog song was proposed, a melody not of drinking but one that could become so in the right company. With the plan yet to unfold, the investigators braced themselves for the next chapter of their journey — a tale of cursed relics and the darkness that lurks within the heart of the Orient Express.

Notes
  • The session began with a recap of the previous game, where the investigators were on the Orient Express.
  • During breakfast, the female investigators were seated with other single women, including Aileen MacGregor, a Scottish reporter, and Karla Minkoff, a servant for Countess Rasmuski.
  • Aileen MacGregor is traveling to Turkey to report on the situation with Christian Armenians.
  • Karla Minkoff was quiet but revealed to be a servant for Countess Rasmuski, who was dining with her husband.
  • The male investigators were seated with a Russian man named Pytor Trubosky, who came across as arrogant and possibly looked down on the investigators.
  • Per Oskarson noticed Trubosky glancing at the Countess, leading to speculation about an affair, given the Countess was seen entering a room with someone the previous night.
  • A young woman, Ellie Myers, was seen dining with an older man in a fez, Mr. Menkaph, and left the table in tears.
  • Viola Sutcliffe followed Ellie Myers and learned that she was a newlywed on her honeymoon, but her husband had fallen ill after receiving a hat from Mr. Menkaph.
  • The name Menkaph was previously heard in London, associated with a gruesome murder near a hat shop.
  • Madame Zorba expressed suspicion about Mr. Menkaph, believing he might be a con artist like herself.
  • Matthew Pook’s journal mentioned Menkaph as having a powerful influence on the gullible and carrying the blood red fez.
  • After breakfast, the investigators retired to the salon car, observing the Count and Countess Rasmuski sitting together but emotionally distant.
  • The train arrived in Munich at 10:21 AM, where some investigators chose to step out and stretch their legs.
  • Madame Zorba engaged Ellie Myers in conversation, offering her a cigarette and mentioning her carnival in London.
  • Clinton Lake and Viola Sutcliffe discussed the urgency of checking on Ellie Myers’ husband, considering the similarity to Pook’s situation.
  • Clyde Corning approached Ellie Myers outside the train, offering medical assistance for her husband, but Ellie declined, citing Mr. Menkaph’s role as a spiritual guide.
  • The investigators heard the train whistle, signaling it was time to reboard. Clyde Corning reiterated her offer to help Ellie Myers if she changed her mind.
  • Clyde Corning reflects on his self-reliance and experience in rough territories, mentioning his ability to mend himself while hunting tigers.
  • Madame Sutcliffe (referred to as “madam suckcliff” in the transcript) remains in the salon car while others step off the train.
  • Per Oskarson joins Madame Sutcliffe at the bar to discuss what she has learned.
  • Madame Sutcliffe expresses her preference for the salon car’s air quality over the outside, despite the smoke.
  • Per and Madame Sutcliffe discuss the possibility of multiple fezzes existing, prompted by a story about a dangerous hat.
  • They consider using a calming mantra learned earlier to help the man associated with the fez.
  • Madame Sutcliffe suggests a subtle approach to engage with a young lady, possibly over tea, to learn more without being direct.
  • Per is unsure about his social skills but trusts Madame Sutcliffe’s judgment and agrees to the plan.
  • They discuss the cultural differences and how Per’s Swedish background might be disarming or charming in conversation.
  • Per is confused about whether to sing Swedish drinking songs to the young lady, and Madame Sutcliffe advises presenting it as a family song.
  • The group reconvenes on the train as it departs for Salzburg.
  • The investigators strategize about how to approach the situation with the new fez-wearing individual and Menkaph’s room.
  • They recall the state of Menkaph before his violent outburst and consider creating a diversion to investigate his room.
  • The group discusses potential cover stories for their odd assortment, considering posing as a church group or a fellowship.
  • They debate the plausibility of various stories, including traveling for health, spiritual advisement, or interest in the occult.
  • The idea of using tranquilizers, specifically tiger tranquilizers, as a direct approach is humorously entertained by Clyde.
  • Clyde shares his experience with using a dart gun and tranquilizers when close to beasts.
  • The group tries to ascertain who is in which cabin on the train, with a focus on the lovers’ car and the location of Jubowski’s cabin.
  • The investigators are trying to gather information about the other passengers on the Orient Express, specifically the occupants of six unknown rooms.
  • They consider approaching Madame Myers under the pretense of returning a misplaced item to locate her compartment.
  • The group discusses the possibility of speaking to Madame Myers at lunch, away from Menkaph, to inquire about her husband’s health and any potential aging effects he might be experiencing.
  • They consider the idea of loitering in the hallway to catch Madame Myers alone and discuss the possibility that Menkaph and Madame Myers might be sharing a compartment with a divider.
  • The investigators debate who would be best suited to talk to the train staff to gather information, considering skills like Fast Talk, Persuade, and Charm.
  • An Idea Roll is suggested to generate new strategies, with the highest Intelligence characters being chosen to make the roll.
  • The group discusses the potential use of the Psychology or Spot Hidden skills to gauge the reactions of the train staff when discussing certain passengers.
  • Clinton Lake attempts to charm the conductor, Henri, to gather information about the passengers, specifically Menkaph and Madame Myers.
  • Henri is initially polite but reserved, and when Clinton Lake pushes the conversation further, implying Henri might not appreciate certain guests, Henri takes offense and leaves.
  • Clinton Lake returns to the group to report the failure of his attempt to charm Henri and gather information.
  • The group discusses various strategies to deal with the situation involving the cursed Fez and the character named Ornery.
  • They consider using horse tranquilizer from a medical bag to subdue Ornery but are concerned about the lack of tranquilizer for the entire train.
  • The idea of using brute force with brass knuckles is mentioned but quickly dismissed.
  • Per Oskarson volunteers to knock on doors pretending to be a “stupid foreigner” who can’t read the numbers, as a ruse to gather information.
  • The group strategizes that Per should try every other door to avoid suspicion and possibly encounter either Menkaph or the newlyweds.
  • As Per leaves the compartment, he encounters Ellie Myers walking towards the salon car.
  • Per introduces himself to Ellie Myers and offers to join her for a drink to avoid the bad luck of drinking alone, as per Swedish superstition.
  • Per uses his psychology skills to charm Ellie and joins her in the salon car for a drink.
  • Per and Ellie engage in a conversation where Per suggests that her spiritual advisor might be a fraud and that he could help her.
  • Ellie shows clear unhappiness when her spiritual advisor is mentioned, and Per picks up on her dislike for the man.
  • Per implies that he has knowledge of mantras that could help with her husband’s illness, which is possibly related to a cursed hat.
  • Ellie, though skeptical, shows interest in what Per has to say about the mantras and their potential to help her husband.
  • The group is discussing a potential plan to deal with Menkaph, who is currently the only person allowed to see Scott, a character who seems to be under Menkaph’s control or influence.
  • Madame Sutcliffe is mentioned as being clever and might be consulted for a solution to the problem.
  • There is a suggestion to make an attempt around tea time to work around Menkaph’s control.
  • It is noted that Menkaph or his “ghoul” is always with Scott except during meals when Scott is alone.
  • A plan is proposed where someone could potentially slip away during lunch to gain access to Scott while Menkaph is distracted.
  • There is a discussion about the logistics of accessing rooms on the train, with the conclusion that the doors latch from the inside and there are no keys.
  • It is revealed that the character Henri is not currently guarding the rooms because he was scared off and is looking for a new place to cry.
  • Per Oskarson (referred to as “Per”) decides not to work out all the logistics immediately but takes the information to plan further.
  • The group’s cabins are numbered 9, 10, and 11, while Scott is in cabin 6, which is counted from the front to the back of the train.
  • Per concludes the conversation politely and goes to share the news with the rest of the group.
  • Lunchtime is approaching, and the group must decide whether to enact their plan hastily or wait for another mealtime.
  • A humorous suggestion is made to tranquilize the train by breaking into the conductor’s compartment and putting a tranquilizer in the coal compartment or the central air duct system.
  • The group decides to split up, with some going to lunch to keep an eye on Menkaph and others going to the Myers’ place.
  • The session ends with the GM pausing the game, allowing the players to ponder their plan for the next session.
  • There is a mention of a frog song, which is noted to not actually be a drinking song, but it is suggested that any song can be a drinking song if sung while drinking.