Continuing the adventures of the Prussians on Carcosa. See Turn 1, Turn 2.
The Detachment:
- Captain Friederike “Freddy” Krüger, a woman who entered service disguised as a man, but is by now accepted as she is
- Brother Paul, Augustine monk and scholar
- Dr. Krowitz, field surgeon
- 20 disciplined Infantrymen with muskets
Turn 3
Day 2, dawnLocation: Hex 0410, ForestWeather: 7, NeutralEncounter: 1, Daytime: 58, 3 Mummies. Party surprise: 1, yes. Encounter surprise: 1, yes. Encounter distance: 100’. Encounter reaction: 7, Neutral
Soundtrack: "Mummified Fragment of Everyday" by Zofie Siege
With sunrise, the blackness of night first shifts into an indescribable blue iridescence, then into a purple haze. Light filters through the black leaves. The infantrymen lay wrapped in their cloaks, huddled together for warmth.
Four sentries sit, leaning on their rifles. The last shift was trying, the alien forest full off invisible insects and bizarre whispers. But they persevered – driven by discipline… or fear?
///
But something else stirs in the forest.
Three dark, gaunt, sickly thin figures stalk between the trees. Their joints seem bloated, yet their movements are fluid. Ribbons and thin veils float behind them. Their gazes are trained downwards. From time to time they examine the leaves of certain trees.
One of them stops and utters a low, guttural sound. The other two instantly gather around. They’ve found what they’d been sent for: the underside of the leaves are festooned with red, waxy pustules. Strange, parasitic growths… but valuable to those with strange, parasitic ambitions.
With swift movements of their twisted fingers, the creatures pick the infested leaves and carefully place them in a transparent crystal box.
Then they look for the tell-tale signs of the spread of the infestation. The box is only half full. They dare not return with their harvest incomplete.
Perhaps there are more growths in that direction, on those particular trees?
Only now they notice the large group laying around among the roots and rot.
///
“Over there!”
The sentries jump up, then freeze, their weapons half-raised.
Three men-like shapes, some thirty paces away, almost indistinguishable from the gnarled trees.
There is a painstakingly long pause, a length of dead time, as the two groups eye each other in the purple light of dawn.
The other infantrymen slowly wake from their nightmare-filled slumber and rise to their feet. One, two, three… and soon enough, the stalking creatures are outnumbered.
Friederike now is also awake.
“You may approach,” she says sternly – it’s a command, not an invitation.
The strange figures don’t move.
“Take aim.”
“Can… can I try?” asks Brother Paul (does he seem weirdly… happy? excited?). And without waiting for permission, clears his throat and says,
“Ærxaqu... uh, næd?”
Reluctantly, but also somewhat curious, the three creatures move forward.
Their approach is preceded by a peculiar smell: of ash, natron, salt and wax.
Ten more paces.
“Stop there!”
“Uh, ærxæuqun?”
“Zy qyma arzygæj næ zæ. Uæzzær næ ævzagyx zzurys.”
“Mah… mah bæx…qqættæ.”
“Æqas qu, Sau-Sau Huyqauy pazzzahazmæ. Æz zæn Ub-Qikrat, histær sauzžyn, ænæmæxgæ artzzæsty hæssæg.”
“Translation, Brother Paul?”
“They say this is the king’s land.”
“Which king’s land?”
“I couldn’t quite make that out. Something about the… Black King, perhaps? And the one speaking is called Ub-Qikrat.”
As the name is mentioned, the creature in the middle bows.
“Xom yemæ. Yæ uazqžyzæ uz. Yæ Hicauæy zyyg æhsyzgoy uyqzæy qæuimæ fembæxyy.”
“I think this is a formal invitation. To see their king.”
“I’m afraid we will have to politely decline.”
“But Captain Krüger – these three are unarmed and harmless!”
“Brother Paul, your services as a translator are appreciated. These three are unarmed. That is exactly why they offer to take us to another place. Where their armed comrades await. I am not taking my men into the heart of an enemy fortress.”
“This might be our chance to establish contact with the locals!”
“The answer is no.”
“Then I will go! I am not your soldier; you cannot command me!”
Friederike looks Brother Paul straight in the eye.
“Go.”
Brother Paul takes a few steps towards the three figures, who just stand there all this time. Only their ribbons and veils float around them in the morning breeze.
Brother Paul hesitates and turns around to face the Detachment again.
“Any of you men are free to come with me to see their King,” he says.
“Deserters will be shot. Provocateurs too. Take aim.”
The infantrymen raise their rifles.
“Fine, fine,” Brother Paul says, and turns his back on the troops. He instinctively cringes and closes his eyes at a metallic sound, but no shots follow.
He reaches the three creatures and mumbles “A-axæy zæ... paqqzaxmæ.”
Seeing them up close, suddenly Brother Paul starts to wonder whether this was a good idea… But his curiosity wins.
Ub-Qikrat nods but doesn’t say anything else. Slowly, they move away and disappear among the dark trees.
Ub-Qikrat is delighted. They failed to gather a full container of infested leaves. But they managed to find something much-much more interesting…
To be continued?
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