Unhallowed Metropolis - The Curious Cases of Dr Bartlebee

Episode 1: Case File TC37C ??? Fires from the Skies part 2

Having left the elevated carriageway the group, on board of the corpse carriage, made their way through the main roads of??London??towards??London??Bridge. Before each carriage could pass over the bridge the carriage was to be inspected by the police. Satisfied the police let the carriage past and so Dr Edward directed the horses forward.

????????????????????????While crossing the bridge, the tall walls of the structure lined with Death Watch troops scouring the bridge for animates, the carriage was signalled by a soldier, a Lieutenant Mathews, and another fellow corporal. The Lieutentant, introduced himself and that he was there to meet the carriage, under orders from General Davenport. The papers with him checked out but with a keen eye Sir Arthur spotted the corporal had placed some device under wheels of the carriage. Soon enough guns were drawn, shots fired, Arthur grabbing the bomb and flinging it high above the wall of the bridge. As Mathews escaped, the corporal dead and Dr Edward suffering a broken foot from a shot, the Death Watch descended on the group and secured the area.

????????????????????????Taken to the offices at the top of??Tower??Bridge, the group awaited General Davenport. The gruff general with the prosthetic clawed arm informed them that they had found on the corporal a map, with notes in German, describing a route to a farm out in the outskirts of??London. They had until 8pm when some event would occur, presumably the weapon if it had been captured would be taken from the farm at this point.

????????????????????????Leaving the centre of??London, the weapon safely in the hands of the army now, the troupe made their way out into the farmlands of??London??to the east of the city. It was early evening and slowly getting darker as they passed each ring of fortified walls. After some time they dismounted their horses and crept along the roads and into the fields. These few areas of land that exist for farming are owned by the aristocracy and industrialists. After another twenty minutes on foot, making their way over low walls. As they got closer in the dwindling light they could make out a number of men patrolling the farm. Arthur got his rifle out and could see that there were some 20 men circling the farm. As they got ever closer the chance of being spotted increased, and soon they were. A pair of guards made their way out of the farm grounds and headed towards them, as Lottie, Arthur, Edward and Ophelia split up to hide. The guards walked past and then back, finding nothing. But, distracted by a stone thrown in the wrong direction, Ophelia emerged silently and in two clean swipes decapitated the guards.

????????????????????????Taking the uniforms, Arthur and Edward sneaked into the farm while Ophelia and Lottie made their way forward to get a closer look at the barn. Taking the right moment Lottie and Ophelia sneaked over the wall of the farm and hid in the small patch of trees while Arthur and Edward, thanks to Arthur???s ability to speak German, were able to get into the farm house. Here they found the man in charge looking over maps and details about the weapon. It seems that the spy had not yet returned from the attack at the bridge, and so Arthur and the others had the upper hand. Using a bit of distraction Arthur lifted a few papers, especially one that he noted that was written in English. However, outside all hell broke loose.

????????????????????????Ophelia and Lottie watched the guards shout orders as from the skies a large destroyer class British dirigible descended from the clouds and came into range with its undercarriage cannons. Soon enough the first volley of round were fired, obliterating the barn and the airship inside. Men ran looking for cover, others cried out in pain as splinters of wood tore through them. Together Arthur, Edward, Lottie and Ophelia ran for their lives as further shells were fired. The farm was levelled and what few Prussian remained escaped into the fields.

????????????????????????Once safe Arthur pulled out the papers he had stolen, and on the head of the one written in English, was a British coat of arms. It seems that the traitor within the British government is a noble. Something which of course Arthur found very worrying.