As the Orient Express departed Vienna Station, an air of unease settled over the luxury train. The police boarded, their presence a stark reminder of the dark accusations that hung over the passengers like a suffocating fog. The Baron, an enigmatic figure whose intentions remained shrouded in mystery, sought out Per Oskarson, desperate for information about the cursed Fez and the ancient tome that held the key to its secrets.

Amid the chaos of police interviews and searches, Miss Suttcliffe spun a web of half-truths and lies, her words a delicate dance between deception and revelation. Clyde and Per faced their own interrogations, their stories carefully crafted to conceal the true nature of their mission. The authorities, perplexed by tales of exotic beasts lurking within the train’s confines, found no evidence to support their growing suspicions.

Clinton and Clyde, driven by a sense of urgency, scoured the train in search of Per, their footsteps echoing through the narrow corridors. The discovery of the planted poison in Menkaph’s compartment and the disturbing scene in the Myers residence only fueled their determination to unravel the twisted threads of this mystery.

As Per regained consciousness in an unfamiliar, empty cabin, a sense of dread settled in the pit of his stomach. The cursed Fez, freed from its confines, had seemingly ensnared his mind, dragging him into an abyss of forgotten memories and lost time. The sound of someone attempting to breach the adjoining compartment door filled him with a sense of impending doom.

Desperate to secure the Fez and protect his companions, Per sealed the ancient artifact within its box marked with their secret symbol. With a warbling bird call, he summoned Clinton and Clyde, his voice a whisper of desperation in the face of an unspeakable horror.

The Baron’s surprise at Per’s presence only deepened the group’s suspicions. As Clyde distracted the Baron with clever words and quick thinking, Clinton seized the Fez instruction book, a glimmer of hope in their quest to free Myers from the cursed object’s grasp.

As the gravity of their situation weighed heavily upon them, Zorba turned to her tarot cards, seeking guidance from the mysterious forces that swirled around them. With a steady hand, she laid out the spread, her eyes searching for the truth hidden within the ancient symbols.

The first card, The Magician, spoke of Per’s mastery and power, a testament to his ability to harness the energies required for the daunting task ahead. The Strength card followed, its presence a reminder that inner courage and resilience, rather than brute force, would be the key to overcoming the challenges that lay before them. Finally, the Star, a beacon of hope and inspiration, promised healing and renewal if Per’s will proved strong enough to withstand the Fez’s malevolent influence.

Zorba’s reading, a tapestry woven from the threads of fate itself, bolstered Per’s resolve. Yet, as she delved deeper into the cards’ meanings, a flicker of uncertainty danced across her features. The Baron’s cryptic words and the true nature of the Fez’s power still eluded them, and the price of failure loomed like a specter on the horizon.

Per’s realization that the true battle lay not with the Fez itself, but with Menkaph’s iron will, sent a chill down their spines. The plan was set in motion: distract the police, neutralize Menkaph, and entrust Madame Zorba, with her mystical prowess, to perform the ritual that could sever the Fez’s hold on Myers.

Clyde and Miss Suttcliffe, masters of deception, wove a tale of a phantasmal pygmy jaguar stalking the train, their words a symphony of chaos that drew the police away from their quarry. In the midst of the commotion, Suttcliffe’s nimble fingers delivered the tiger tranquilizer, rendering Menkaph helpless in the face of their desperate gambit.

As Zorba donned the Fez, the weight of countless ages pressed upon her mind. A battle of wills commenced, a silent struggle between the ancient artifact’s malevolent power and Zorba’s indomitable spirit. With luck on her side and an unwavering resolve, she emerged victorious, the Fez’s whispers fading to a low hum.

The train’s arrival at the next station marked a turning point in their harrowing journey. Zorba, now the master of the Fez’s power, sensed the ability to command Myers and perhaps to free him from the cursed object’s grasp, though at what cost she did not know. Yet, as she delved deeper into the artifact’s secrets, she realized that there was much more to the fez than Per or the Baron had let on.

Session Notes
  • The session begins with the police boarding the Orient Express in Vienna Station to interview everyone involved in the Myers poisoning accusations. The Baron also boards and wants to speak with Per Oskarson about the cursed Fez and book.
  • Miss Suttcliffe was interviewed first by the police and told them a mix of lies and truth about the situation. Clyde and Per were also interviewed. The police searched the cabins but didn’t find anything of particular interest, though they were confused by mentions of an ocelot or pygmy jaguar on the train.
  • Clinton and Clyde walked around the train looking for Per. The police had taken the planted poison from Menkaph’s compartment and seemed disturbed by what they found in the Myers compartment.
  • Clinton and Clyde find that Per is meeting with the Baron. The Baron instructs them to get the Fez off Myers before the police take him away at the next train stop in 20 minutes.
  • Per makes a POW roll to resist the call of the Fez and succeeds. He comes to consciousness alone in an unfamiliar compartment on the train, with the Fez out of its box. He hears someone trying to get in from the Baron’s adjoining compartment.
  • Per secures the Fez back in its box, marked with the group’s secret identifying symbol. He makes a warbling bird call to get the attention of Clinton and Clyde in the hallway without revealing himself.
  • Per explains to them that he blacked out and woke up with the Fez. The Baron opens his compartment door, surprised to see Per there. Clyde tries to distract the Baron while Clinton grabs the Fez instruction book.
  • The Baron says Per needs to utter the chant to remove the Fez from Myers. He seems confident this is the path forward but unsure if it will work, making the group suspect he just doesn’t want to do the ritual himself.
  • Per suggests that Madame Zorba, who has mystical experience, should be the one to do the Fez ritual. Zorba agrees to take on the risk. The Baron says the ritual is simply a matter of putting on the Fez and overcoming its willpower.
  • Per realizes that defeating the Fez’s willpower may actually mean defeating Menkaph’s willpower, since he is currently wearing one. They plot to distract the police and tranquilize Menkaph while Zorba performs the ritual.
  • Clyde and Miss Suttcliffe go to distract the police guarding Menkaph by causing a scene about the “pygmy jaguar” loose on the train. During the commotion, Suttcliffe manages to inject Menkaph with tiger tranquilizer.
  • Meanwhile, Zorba begins the Fez ritual, making a contested POW roll against Menkaph. She uses luck to get an extreme success. After a mental struggle, Zorba overcomes Menkaph’s will and gains control of the Fez’s power.
  • The train arrives at the next station stop. Zorba senses she can now command Myers to remove his Fez, and that the Fez grants other abilities she doesn’t fully understand yet. The session ends on this cliffhanger.