Session Summary - 1 August 2007

With the vagaries of holidays and such like, it was just me and Steve this week, and that of course meant:

Fury of Dracula 180 mins
Player	Posn.
Dave D (Dracula)	Won
Steve H (Hunters)

I am Count Dracula, eight years ago, I set out to bring the rule of the undead to this world, but was defeated by a group of mortals, or so they thought. How could they truly hope to stop one such as I? I who commanded armies hundreds of years before they born, for now I have returned and taken my place astride the world, despite the pathetic efforts of my past antagonists, my undead minions are in every city to do my bidding.

Day 1

My campaign began in the Black Sea port of Constanta, within easy reach of my great ancestral castle and close to my old foe, Abraham Van Helsing, who learning of my return had travelled to Bucharest, but all was not yet ready, so as dawn broke on that first day, I remained in Constanta and called my dark servants to me, knowing that even should Van Helsing find me, he had had no time to prepare for a battle, even in daylight.

By some inspiration, or pure chance, Van Helsing came to Constanta, but the ensuing battle was inconclusive and following this I departed to Galatz, while he searched Varna to no avail. As the day drew to a close, I sheltered in Castle Dracula, recovering from my exertions, before taking the shape of a great wolf and racing to Belgrade before heading south toward Greece.

Day 2

I arrived in Athens as dawn broke on the second day, creating a new undead, which perhaps would advance me toward my goal. The hunters had deduced my path, but I would set sail before they reached me and I hoped that they, seeing I had eluded them, would turn back before entering the city. I had also by this time been able to gather many resources with the aid of the fearful Immanuel Hildesheim. I was to be surprised, however when Doctor Seward, riding as if the devil was behind him entered the city before I was able to leave, he was however in no shape following his desperate ride to cause much trouble, even in daylight, and I was able to slip away into the Ionian Sea, followed by Seward and, shortly after, by Van Helsing. My new child had been easily dispatched, but I could make more.

I did not wish to linger long at sea, due to the insidious activities of Rufus Smith, who would cause me much pain, were I to remain afloat too long, so I proceeded into the Adriatic and landed at Bari, hoping to conceal a vampire at the foot of Italy. Seward sailed on into the Tyrrhenian and I believe both my pursuers would have missed me, were it not for the accursed accountants who somehow revealed my sea route, allowing the hunters to locate me, knowing that Lord Godalming had been in Venice at the time I landed. Seward landed at Naples, travelling on to Rome to join Godalming, Van Helsing also going to Naples via the Tyrrhenian. They expected to catch me in one of these two locations at Dusk, but, with time running short, it was now twilight and I remained in Bari marshalling a great swarm of bats to protect my vampire.

At midnight I again took wolf form and passed through Rome to Florence, avoiding Seward and Godalming, and then onto Venice with unearthly speed, putting distance between us. Van Helsing went to Bari to investigate the city but was driven back to Naples by the bats.

Day 3

At dawn, I reached Nuremburg and gathered more bats, having passed through Munich in the small hours and felt the touch of a stake in my heart as Van Helsing, returning in the nick of time destroyed my child in Bari. Still I pressed on and sired another vampire in Leipzig before travelling to Frankfurt, then Cologne, laying traps for my pursuers as I went. Seward and Godalming were approaching from the south by different routes, though Seward was driven back by the bats in Nuremburg. Van Helsing was returning up Italy, while Mina Harker, who would be so important in my victory, but had so far, played little part in the story approached from the west, having suffered many delays due to defective travelling papers (not all of them entirely accidental).

I reached Amsterdam at midnight using my powers to cloak the city in a great storm intending to set sail and so lose the hunters in this way. I found, however, another way to evade the pursuit, as friendly agents were able to spirit me away to Galatz, before my ship departed. Almost at the same time, Mina was entering Leipzig, where she found my vampire. She thought she was forewarned of anything she might encounter, but my great power deceived her and the vampire was ready. So Mina was seduced and fell victim again to the bite of the undead, bringing oblivion (if it were not for the soon to be damned sisters of St. Joseph and St. Mary) and a massive boost to my quest for domination.

The small hours brought things full circle as I returned to Constanta to bring another vampire into existence.

Day 4

At dawn I remained in Constanta gathering bats, but the hunters had not been idle, their scouts having revealed my visit to Amsterdam, while newspapers pointed them in the direction of Galatz. Seward and Godalming immediately headed east, while Van Helsing rushed to Galatz with great resolve. Mina was already at hand, having recovered from her encounter and left the convent for Szeged.

I knew that by surviving the day, victory would be mine, but things would be resolved sooner than that. I moved to Bucharest and then to Sofia (the consecrated Belgrade being closed to me) at dusk, gathering a pack of wolves to my side in time for the arrival of Mina. Ah, the children of the night, what music they made as they tore at her flesh in that last hour before sunset. Having escaped the wolves, she had the audacity to attack me. I tried to send her horse wild, but this failed due to some miraculous luck, which no hunter had previously possessed. Enraged by this I dashed the stake she carried from her hands and the battle began. Although she did me some minor harm with sacred bullets, when these were finished the battle proved inconclusive in the last minutes of daylight.

It was to be a short reprieve for Mina as, when night fell, I went out into the streets of Sofia and fed to restore the blood I had just lost. Then I sought her out and this time without the sun’s interference, the battle was short. I immediately caught her in my gaze and bit her as she stood mesmerised. I was victorious!

Wonderful game, it's Steve's turn to be Dracula next time. Until next week.