Runaway Ghost Train
General Summary
Beck is jostled awake by the rocking of the train car. Upon waking, he surveys his crew. Sheldon is seated across from Beck and leaning back against a window. He is engrossed in a romance novel. The cover of the heavily worn book reads, "Sorcery and Passion," although the filigree has long since worn away.
"How many times have you read that?" Asks Beck.
"Once or twice," replies Sheldon.
"That thing is falling apart," remarks Candra.
Candra is a Tycherosi. His skin is nearly onyx black, but what is more striking are his eyes: two highly reflective orbs of gold. He sits staring out the window.
"Your favorite bit is coming up. The part where he gets his shirt torn off," offers Sheldon.
"That's pretty much the whole book," remarks Candra.
"Yes, I like it, too," replies Sheldon.
"Will you both please stop yammering?" Begs Thena as she massages her bruised brow.
Thena is a short, stalky Severosi. Her hands are still wrapped from the fighting pits of Whitehollow, and her face is swollen and bruised. It is uncertain whether the blood on her knuckles is hers or someone else's
Just as Beck was beginning to enjoy the good-natured banter of his crew, the train slows down to a dangerously slow speed for the deathlands. The lights go out in the car. The only light left is that of the evenly spaced track lamps meant to discourage the monsters of the deathlands from roaming near the tracks. The blue glow of the electroplasmic field that is sustained around the car by the cables that run the length of the train casts an eerie gloom in the car.
"I'll check it out," says Candra as he stands up to investigate.
"I'll come with you," Beck offers, standing to follow.
Candra tries the doorknob, but the door does not open.
"It's locked," Candra says out loud, almost as if trying to convince himself.
"That's strange," Beck notes as he tries unsuccessfully to recall a time where the rail jack's car at the rear of the train was ever locked.
"That's not ideal either," Sheldon says as he looks out the window.
The electroplasmic field that protects the train falters, stutters, and just as it looks to be recovering, fails completely. At around the same time, the train begins to pick up speed.
"Okay, we have to get to the engine now," Beck says.
As the reality of the worst case scenario in which they find themselves sinks in, a knock breaks through the tense silence of the train car.
"Please let me in, I'm scared," comes a small child's voice from the other side of the door.
"Nope!" Declares Beck with no intention of opening the door.
Everyone nods in agreement, and Sheldon puts on a pair of tortoise shell reading glasses. He concentrates and peers into the ghost field. After a long moment, he speaks.
"Can you tell me what is going on?" Sheldon asks through the door.
After a moment, a horrible screech is heard from the other side of the door.
"Well, not terribly helpful, but it's gone now," says Sheldon.
"I hate ghosts," remarks Thena.
"I'm going to pry open this door," suggests Candra
"I'll try the roof," offers Beck.
Candra uses the hook from his rail jack's harness to try and get some purchase on the door. The car fills with the chaotic sound of a barreling train and rushing winds as beck opens the rear door. It is now apparent to all of them that the train is moving much faster than it should. Sheldon helps beck climb up by boosting one leg, but just as Beck goes up, he comes right back down.
"Three of them, on the top of the car. We need to get the field back up," urges Beck
"Shit, it's jammed!" curses Candra.
The door hangs half open. In the next car, there are no windows. Crates are stacked neatly on either side of the cargo car. Wandering spirits can be seen floating almost aimlessly through the walls back and forth, as if searching. The train rocks violently. A distant scream can be heard from further up the train.
"We need to go. Come on, we can slip through," says Sheldon as he pushes his shoulder through the door.
With some effort, he is able to wedge himself past. The others follow suit. Just as Thena forces her way through the door, using her strength to open it a bit wider and get her muscly frame through, the ghosts that previously wandered back and forth disappear from view. After a moment of calm silence, they return and crash at once through one side of the car and into the crates, disappearing within. The force of their attack rocks the train, nearly derailing it as it leans and hovers too long on one set of wheels, but eventually crashes down and and sends the crates sprawling across the car and blocking the path.
"I'll take a look," offers Candra.
Candra's joints pop and contort in strange ways as she crawls and slithers through impossibly small gaps with too sharp angles.
"I'll never get used to that," remarks Sheldon.
"Says the person who talks to ghosts," replies Candra from the other side of the boxes.
Beck begins climbing the crates. With some effort and a great deal of time spent, he makes it past the crates. Candra helps him down the other side.
"I've got this," declares Thena as she prepares herself for a charge.
Thena barrels into the boxes, headfirst. They don't move an inch. Thena crumples into a heap on the floor.
"Are you okay?" Asks Sheldon.
"Ow," replies Thena.
Sheldon cursorily checks Thena for injuries before giving up due to the futility of finding fresh wounds on her already battered face.
“You’ll be fine,” Sheldon says as he adjusts his glasses and his stance.
"My turn," says Sheldon as he slowly draws small circular patterns in the air with one hand in the direction of the crates.
At first, a small breeze picks up in the car. It picks up in intensity as a raging tempest tears through the center of the crates casting them aside and clearing a path to the door.
"Uh oh," says Beck as he opens the door and looks through.
When Sheldon reaches the door, he sees the problem. The next car is several feet away, and only barely hanging on by one of the electroplasmic cables. The cable is frayed and does not look like it will hold.
"We need to get over there now," Candra says as he pulls a length of rope and climbing gear from his pack.
"Yes, faster would be better, I think we might have company," Sheldon remarks as he looks to the back of the train.
Thena looks back to see a woman in an opulent sweeping ballgown at the other end of the cargo car they came from. Her form seems to be slightly translucent and blue. Her back is turned to them. She appears to be knocking on the door to their old cabin and sobbing softly.
Candra prepares a length of climbing rope connected to a grapple. He sets a wide stance on the precipice and swings the grapple in a wide arc, sending the hook clattering to the next car. As it tumbles past a bolted in seat, he yanks back sharply on the rope, securing the hook of the grapple to the seat. After tying off the other end, he leaps from the car, landing on the rail, as it shoots past beneath his feet. The boots of the Rail Jacks have an iron plate secured between the heel and toe, allowing them to perform this maneuver to clear out horrors or beasts that might be stuck in the undercarriage of the cars.
Using the secured line for added balance, he leans back, allowing the racing rails to keep him upright as he pulls himself along the rope. Sparks fly out from under his boots in a beautiful shower of light. Only a couple of feet away, on a steady cadence, he can hear and feel the whoosh of the passing track lights. With some effort, and a couple of close calls, he reaches the other side and swings himself up.
Beck follows suit. With a little difficulty, he makes it to the other side in much the same manner. Thena’s attempt is something else entirely. With a couple running steps, she ignores the rope as she leaps out over the rail and lands with her back to the train, facing the deathlands, sending a spray of sparking metal from her boots. She sinks a little lower as the momentum of her jump carries her across the gap. She then springs up like a released coil turning 270 degrees in the air before landing firm and balanced in front of a shocked Beck and Candra.
“A little assistance, please!” Sheldon pleads, unable to conceal the desperation in his voice.
Thena turns to see Sheldon has followed her out onto the track but is leaning too far forward. Sheldon’s weight shifts, and the track racing under his boots swiftly takes his legs out from under him. A moment of weightlessness takes him as he falls to the tracks below. A huge, strong hand grasps him by the wrist, and he is suddenly flying toward the next car. As he opens his eyes, he sees Thena hanging out over the tracks, gripping a torn piece of the car for support. Her other hand yanking him back from certain death under the rail car.
After Sheldon tumbles across the floor of the empty passenger car, he sees Candra and Beck staring back over the distance to the previous car. Even Thena, after she recovers herself, looks back and seems transfixed by what she sees there. The ghost that stood at the door is turning slowly around. The ghost is smiling, but even through the blue electroplasmic haze of her form, tears can be seen streaming down her cheeks. Her smile grows and grows until it spreads literally from ear to ear, with too many teeth. She leans forward, and her feet leave the ground. She flies forward toward them.
Thena’s once strong and graceful legs crumble beneath her as a mortal panic grips her. Sheldon adjusts his glasses and reaches out to compel the spirit to stop. The spirit is repelled to one side of a crate, but it continues forward. Sheldon concentrates, and the spirit stops abruptly at the torn edges of the previous rail car, as if tied to a tether that has run out of slack. After a moment, the cable holding the car to the rest of the train snaps. The now disconnected car slowly moves away from the car they are standing in, carrying the smiling ghost away with it, until it all but vanishes behind them.
Sheldon and Beck help Thena to her feet. Her eyes are wide with terror, but she appears to be regaining her composure, and so they move on. After a couple more cars filled with crates and only the occasional seat bolted into the floor, they reach the passenger compartments.
These wide seated areas are connected with open doors, allowing the train attendants to pass between them easily and see if passengers in adjoining cars might need assistance. The open view through the train cars offers a long view down the length pf the train. As the train gently curves one way or another down the track, the cars ahead seem to shift and move, giving the unsettling impression of ground that moves as if alive.
While looking ahead, beck sees a car several cars ahead go dark, then the next one, and the next one, and eventually they hear a woosh as the car they occupy goes dark, too. They pass into a tunnel and are plunged into darkness. Some shuffling can be heard in the dark, and suddenly, a light cuts through the darkness and illuminates a dim and distinct circle in the gloom. Sheldon steps ahead of the group carrying a lantern.
They advance through the cars this way, casting the limited light on the empty passenger cars. Most of the passengers were turned away at the station, given any one of a variety of weak reasons. Only the most belligerent and insistent passengers were allowed to board. While this is undoubtedly strange, a late train with less passengers is welcome, so no one complained very loudly. In hindsight, some inquiry could have been helpful.
In the last passenger car before the engine, the dozen or so passengers who made it onto the train all seem to be fast asleep. Sheldon runs his finger along the back of a bench and looks intently at the residue now on his hand as he rubs his thumb and forefinger together, checking its texture. He frowns and sniffs the residue. He immediately turns his head and yawns widely.
“Slumber essence,” he declares.
“Someone knocked these people out?” Observed Candra with some disbelief.
“Is anyone else getting the impression that this was not an accident?” Sheldon offered.
Just then, a deep and horrifying gasping sound comes as three ghosts come into the car from the roof and the sides. Without delay, they sink into three of the passengers, adopting their positions as they do. When thy disappear fully into the people, their bodies shock upward from their seats and their eyes snap open with the new life.
A woman stands in the aisle wearing a riding jacket, wide opulent skirts covering a generous petticoat, and a large wide-brimmed hat sitting at a tilt on her head with an ostentatious cluster of flowing feathers adorning the band. She jerks and writhes as if having to relearn how to operate the flesh. A middle-aged man wearing a gingham patterned jacket stands with a deep curve in his back. His head hangs, but darts side to side as he looks around at the sleeping humans. The third possessed man, an elderly individual wearing a tweed jacket and white hair circling a bald scalp with liver marks perches on top of a chair back squatting down and baring his teeth at the Rail Jacks. The woman in the aisle’s face, but mainly her eyes are a rictus of rage and curiosity, like a dangerous predator preparing to eat.
As three of the Rail Jacks reach for spirit hooks and spirit bane charms preparing for a fight and backing away, Sheldon steps forward, adjusting his glasses.
“Excuse me, my good… ghost. Would you be so kind as to restrain your friends and let us pass.” He says calmly to the predator woman in the aisle.
Her head tilts to the side, her expression unchanging. Suddenly, she walks backward in long quick strides without moving the top half of her body. The movement is unnatural and off-putting. So is the low gasping cry she gives out as she moves down the aisle.
The middle aged, hunched man upon hearing the cry turns to face the wall. The elderly man snaps at the woman as she passes, drool spills from his exposed teeth. The woman’s arm shoots out, red painted nails dig into his neck for just a second. Just as quickly, her arm snaps backward, throwing the man through the air as easily as one would throw a pillow. He crashes through two support bars and topples a bench seat before coming to rest in the lap of a young sleeping couple.
The woman, having never stopped her alien stride, pivots sharply, coming to rest standing at the edge of the aisle, apparently allowing the Rail Jacks to pass. As they do, her wild eyes never blink and never leave them. Passing by her proves unnerving, as the aisle does not allow enough space to be comfortable. To be fair, anything short of a full kilometer would not be enough space to be comfortable.
“Jared! Open the door!” Commands Candra as he pounds on the red door to the engine compartment.
No one answers from the other side.
"Anyone want to try their luck with this one?" Offers Candra.
“I have it,” says Beck, as he produces an engineer’s key.
“Where did you get one of those?” Asks Candra.
“You don’t have one? They are quite useful,” replies Beck.
“Lifted it off of an unsuspecting engineer, eh? I respect that,” Sheldon says encouragingly.
Beck opens the door, and it becomes clear that Jared abandoned the train as the wind from the open door rushes through the engine car and into the passenger car beyond. The wind whips through the open door and around the Rail Jacks. In the engine car, the rail jacks can see through the forward 180 degree window, looming in the distance is the great city of Doskvol, the Dark Jewel of Akeros, and it is already far too close.
“We have to stop this train,” says Candra as Sheldon nudges past him and grabs the accelerator that is jammed forward.
It does not move. He tries more buttons and controls, but nothing seems to respond. Candra dives into the cabinets and drawers beneath the controls tossing parts, manuals, notebooks, and more out of the cabinets.
“What are you doing?” Beck asks the mad Candra.
“I’m trying to find the fuses. That box is missing two fuses. If we find them, maybe we can bring the power back,” replies Candra as pointing to an open fuse box on the wall with two fuses conspicuously absent.
Doskvol looms ahead. The lightning barriers of the city take up almost all of the field of vision. The train still barreling at maximum speed on a collision course with the city.
“They keep them here,” says Beck as he opens a cabinet, revealing a box of fuses sitting neatly on a shelf.
Candra grabs the fuses and struggles with them, trying to get them in place.
“Whenever you are ready, gentlemen!” Sheldon says betraying just a note of impatience.
“It won’t fit. It’s the wrong size!” Complains Candra.
“Turn it,” Suggests Beck.
“Negative to negative, positive to positive! Please hurry!” Sheldon insists urgently as the lightning barriers rapidly approach.
“It’s in!” Candra declares, but the controls do not respond.
“It’s not working!” Sheldon shrieks in a blind panic as he pulls the accelerator back with all of his might.
Thena reaches up and flicks a switch. The lights come back on. The electroplasmic field sparks and crackles to life. An otherworldly chorus of ghostly screams pierces the air as they are repelled by the electroplasm. Most importantly, the control panel hums and comes to life. The accelerator releases and slams back with the weight of Sheldon’s now full body pull. He falls backward through the open engineering door. Beck yanks on a red handle attached to a chain and the brakes engage. All of the rail jacks brace themselves against the controls as the train violently screeches against the locked wheels. Sheldon comes rolling back into the engineering car and slams against Candra.
The train slows down enough for the automatic brakes to trigger as it passes through the lightning barriers of The Dusk and pulls into the station. The air is thick with the toxic haze of industry. It permeates even inside the rail station. The rhythmic mechanical sounds of factories in full swing can be heard even through the closed train. Out the window, as the train comes to a calm stop in the station. The small group of inspectors and spirit wardens that are the typical greeting party of a train pulling into the station from another city seem to be staring at the rent back of the train as it pulls in.
An Akorosi inspector with a very bushy mustache knocks on the train door. Sheldon opens it for him. He steps in, removing his helmet.
“It seems you had a bit of an incident,” he Inquires.
“You could say that,” Beck says.
“We even kicked some ghost ass,” Sheldon says, a bit uncharacteristically improper.
“My goodness, well I am sure the Mora’s will be grateful for the averted disaster, even if their train doesn’t recover. I must say thank you on behalf of Doskvol for averting what would have clearly been a serious disaster costing any number of lives,” the inspector exclaims, clearly thankful for their help.
As he speaks, Spirit Wardens swarm the train. The three previously possessed citizens are carried away. Two wardens carry the old man gingerly, careful not to aggravate his wounds.
“It’s the job,” said Candra.
“I think we are out of a job,” offered Thena, indicating the broken train.
“I am certain capable individuals such as yourselves will be able to find gainful employment in The Dusk. Possibly in the @bluecoats,” offers the inspector.
A balding man stirs from his slumber, collects his hat and bag and makes his way off of the train.
“Excuse me,” the man says as he squeezes past the rail jacks and the inspector.
The man disembarks the train, and walks through the station into the city, completely unaware of the incident he narrowly survived, thanks to the intervention of Beck and the other rail jacks.
Report Date
09 Feb 2022
Primary Location
Secondary Location
Related Characters
Awards:
Lucky Duck goes to Sheldon (Jayme) for the highest average rolls at an average of 5.Unlucky Goose goes to Beck (Julian) for the lowest average rolls at 3.6
Critical Player goes to Sheldon (Jayme) for the most crits at 1.
Team Player goes to Beck (Julian) for the most assists at 3.
Natural Leader goes to Candra (Keaton) for leading the most group actions at 2.
Try Hard goes to Beck (Julian) for the most attempted rolls at 10.
Going to Therapy goes to Thena (Abbi) for taking the most stress at 5.
Stats:
| Rolls | 31 |
| Average Roll | 4.19 |
| Failures | 9 |
| Mixed Successes | 16 |
| Successes | 5 |
| Criticals | 1 |
| Group Actions | 3 |
| Stress Taken | 17 |
Roll Distribution:
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Finesse (Controlled, Standard) to pry open a train door and got a 5
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Attune (Controlled, Standard) to compel a ghost and got a 4
- Beck (Julian) rolled Prowl (Risky, Standard) to climb a train and got a 3
- Beck (Julian) rolled Resolve to avoid fear from a ghost and got a 6
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Survey (Risky, Standard) to figure out how to open a locked door and got a 1
- Beck (Julian) rolled Tinker (Risky, Standard) to pick a lock and got a 2
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Finesse (Desperate, Standard) to squeeze through a cracked door as part of a group action led by Sheldon and got a 5
- Beck (Julian) rolled Finesse (Desperate, Standard) to squeeze through a cracked door as part of a group action led by Sheldon and got a 1
- Thena (Abbi) rolled Finesse (Desperate, Standard) to squeeze through a cracked door as part of a group action led by Sheldon and got a 4
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Finesse (Desperate, Standard) to squeeze through a cracked door as part of a group action that he led and got a 3
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Prowl (Risky, Standard) to crawl past some crates, and rolled a 5
- Beck (Julian) rolled Study (Risky, Standard) to find a path past the crates, and rolled a 5
- Beck (Julian) rolled Prowl (Controlled, Great) to crawl over some crates and got a 4
- Thena (Abbi) rolled Prowl (Controlled, Great) to get past some crates and got a 3
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Attune (Risky, Standard) to cast tempest on some crates and got a 6
- Candra (Julian) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) to throw a grappling hook and got a 4
- Thena (Abbi) rolled Prowl (Risky, Great) as part of a group action led by Candra and got a 6
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Prowl (Risky, Great) as part of a group action led by him and got a 4
- Beck (Julian) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by Candra and got a 5
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Prowl (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by Candra and got a 1
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Attune (Risky, Standard) to compel a ghost and got a 5
- Beck (Julian) rolled Resolve to resist fear from a ghost and got a 4
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Resolve to resist fear from a ghost and got a 4
- Thena (Abbi) rolled Resolve to resist fear from a ghost and got a 1
- Sheldon (Jayme) rolled Attune (Desperate, Standard) to Compel a ghost and got a Crit
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Consort (Risky, Great) to convince someone to open a door and got a 6
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Survey (Risky, Limited) to find a fuse and got a 4
- Candra (Keaton) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by him to replace a fuse and got a 5
- Thena (Abbi) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by Candra to replace a fuse and got a 6
- Beck (Julian) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by Candra to replace a fuse and got a 2
- Sheldon (Beck) rolled Finesse (Risky, Standard) as part of a group action led by Candra to replace a fuse and got a 4
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