Monday,
31 December: Having disembarked the
liner Viceroy
of India and accepted Mrs. Tullis’
offer to “stay at the Taj
Mahal Palace hotel as my guests”, the group is just about to
climb into cabs when they are confronted by local police. “Mr. Androvich? Mikael? If you’ll please come with us;
there is a matter of assault aboard the ship. Please, hand over your passport.”
John tries to intervene, “We’ve already settled this with the ship captain. The
stoker compensated. Mikael is under my employment. Our sponsor will pay for his
release.” Mikael is led away.
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Jenny stands at her room balcony overlooking the city, “Oh my, look at the crowded streets. Row upon row of factories belching smoke, throngs of people cramming the streets. It’s like someone kicked an ant-bed and thousands upon millions came pouring out.” A new voice speaks up from the front door having been let in, “Yes, it is a marvelous city isn’t she. We are a loving people of large families and even the children are put to work in those factories. Hello, I am Siva. Mrs. Tullis said you needed a guide? Where would you like to go? Sightseeing?”
As Siva ushers the group back into the cabs to return to
the hotel, he offers, “Tonight is a great holiday within my country. Is it not
in your country? The new year offering hope, peace, and prosperity. You must
put away your books and deep thoughts and step into the streets to celebrate.”
Tuesday, 1 January 1930: As explained, this is a holy day.
Wednesday, 2 January: The
group shops in anticipation of their climb up the Himalaya. Cold weather
clothing, tents, climbing gear, and even an oxygen system for the high
altitudes. Along the way, Siva makes a detour, “Let me introduce Rajinbar
Singh; Mr. Anzalone’s guide has already returned home.” Rajinbar answers their
questions, “Very friendly. Fascinated by the yellow symbol of the new god the
lowly worship. The Englishman was said to be ‘touched by god’. Kind and liked
to smoke. I took them across the border and handed them off to a Tibetan guide.
If you are not aware, Westerners are not allowed in Nepal per the treaty. Thus,
I did see them cross off-road where there were no guards.”
Noontime arrives with Siva
leading the group outside the city toward a small hill where the holy-man
Parsee prays. Wooden towers rise above smaller houses. Vultures circle the
towers as Siva explains, “The land is too precious to bury the dead. Their souls
have already departed; so, we put the bodies up on the towers to feed gods
creatures.” Siva leads them inside the temple where they see a thin barefooted man
sitting with his legs crossed. His holiness, Parsee, answers their questions, “This
new god is an outsider described in white. Said to be older than earth itself…like
all other gods. His sign is of 3 yellow arms; his prophets wear masks. He is
walking towards us even now, to arrive in the high plains of Tibet.” When
George asks for blessings for their own trek, Parsee laughs, “Religion is about
peace and harmony; not blessings.”
Thursday, 3 January: Trains
in India are called “the linen express” as the rooftops are crammed with more
riders and their ware. Fortunately, the team can afford inside passage having
secured sleeper car rooms with 2 beds each. The long 4-day ride to
Mirzapur is across dry flat fields. Windows kept closed to keep out the stench
of train smoke and the opium clouds of those riding atop the cars. Along the
way, George and John spend most of their time in the dining car.
Jen enlists Siva to find a
missionary to help her talk with the commoners riding in the forward cars that
are more subject to the black-coal-smoke billowing from the train engine. Their
linen stained black. Talk of a white god with a yellow sign soon has the missionary
ushering Jen out, “Do not encourage these people with their false god. They are
my parishioners I hope to convert to Catholicism.” Meanwhile, Lionel spends his
time in the passenger car filled with other Englishmen and soldiers; India IS a
British colony. “Have you had to deal with any uprisings lately?” One soldier
explains a recent incident when the soldiers scrubbed yellow signs off city walls.
Sunday, 6 January: Noon
as the train rolls into Mirzapur, riders are already jumping off the train
before it stops. Jen looks out the window at the bustling crowd; one large
group gathered around a speaker standing atop a dais. The man holding a banner
of the yellow sign. Lionel sees the same, but more importantly, sees the
speaker point to the train as he incites a riot. The crowd frothing and biting
their lips in growing rage. Stooping to pick up rocks they throw at the train. “Crash.”
A rock smashing a window; shards of glass cutting an english passenger. The engineer obviously aware as the train slowly begins to chug
forward. Soldiers at their ready with rifles out the windows.
Lionel rushes to aid the
wounded in the passenger-car as the others stand ready at their own windows in
the dining car. Frenzied cultists rush the train clawing at the windows.
Volleys sound out as the soldiers try to fend off the surge of attackers.
Lionel looks up to spot one cultist climbing thru the broken window. [Brawl] Lionel racks the man’s
arm into the remaining broken glass. He falls off the train and under the
wheels. “Aaugh!” Opening a window, George aims his shotgun: the blast fells
another cultist while peppering others. John sticks his Tommy-gun out the
window and sprays the crowd with a short burst… hard to miss the swarm of
targets.
The train gaining speed (a
fast walk). Cultist trying to climb aboard the gaps between cars or any window. The
soldiers occupied with cultists on the opposite side of the train. Jen swings
her machete at one cultist climbing thru the open dining-car window. George’s 2nd
barrel blast opens a hole in the man’s chest. Another cultist tries to climb
thru Lionel’s window. Lionel braces on the bench seats as he put a boot to the
man’s face, knocking him out the window. But more cultists climb inside the
passenger-car. Lionel pulls his gun to shot: one cultist’s head explodes.
Free of attackers, the
others cross to the passenger-car. John’s screams to “capture one” cannot be
heard over the gunshots and mayhem. Lionel quick-fires 2 more rounds at more
cultists: one drops unconscious while the other wheels about wounded in the
arm. [Brawl – extreme] Jen
rushes forward to slash the standing cultist, decapitating him. And that’s when
more cultists enter the passenger-car from the forward car. Close quarters,
John puts away his Tommy-gun and draws his pistol calling out, DUCK!” [Firearm – fail] His gunshot
splintering wood from the roof. Too many friendlies for George to wield his
shotgun; he waits. Soon the cultists are killed as the train is now at full
speed, leaving the cultist crowd in the Mirzapur streets. The dead adding to
their frenzy.
It’s another hour ride as
the train clacks along toward Benares. Time for Siva to appear from his hiding
in the sleeper-car bathroom. Time to dump bodies off the train and treat the
wounded. Time for John to interrogate the woman captive once revived from
Lionel’s bullet-wound. Nothing new. Yellow god, pallid masks. Their priest
telling them to kill all non-believers. John gasps when George takes over
interrogation… and pushes the woman off the train.
All eyes are at the windows
when the train pulls into Benares. Calm and quiet. No crowds. They change over
to a smaller train with a larger engine to climb the mountains before them
enroute to Natanwa (bordertown next to Nepal). Uneventful ride, arriving in
Natanwa around 3pm. Mountains before them; the sun at their backs.
Siva leaves to get porters and another guide:
Jigme Rinzing (40ish, barely speaks English). Jigme inspects their gear to
ensure all in order for the arduous climb that awaits. Jigme leads all up the
dirt road when Lionel spots border guards and stops the procession, “Siva, tell
Jigme we need to get off the road. We heard how Anzalone avoided the border
guards. Besides, we don’t need others knowing our route. We’ve already dealt
with one cultist attack.” Jigme sends Siva and the porters thru the checkpoint
while the rest wait till dark to cross a rusted drooping fence, away from the
guard shack.
Monday, 7 January: Jigme
already has the porters breaking down camp and packing the tents before
sunrise. Almost a level plain at 4,000ft as they travel within Nepal from
Butwal to Tanzeen, passing women laboring in rice fields. Pause to barter with
the locals. Temples to Vishnu dot the landscape.
Tuesday, 8 January: Another long day of bitter cold hiking to
Pokhara; the last large city before the climb up the mountains. Jigme disappears
but soon returns with a local. Yang Sar Chumpo tells of 4 white ghosts who came
thru the city months ago. One westerner healed the sick with his medicine.
Another spoke Nepalese and tried to enlist Yang to journey with them to the Te monastery
near the border of Tibet. “I say NO. The temple god’s place. If I see deem
again, they be real ghosts. Dead. Not a place for man. Only the Lama and his
attendants dwell there.” Showing gratitude, John gifts his watch fob while Jen
slips a ring off her finger as a gift. With every 3rd tooth missing,
Yang still manages to bite into the ring to verify its gold. He shines with a
crooked smile.
Wednesday, 9 January: A long slow climb to the small village of Rigme
(over 5,000ft elevation). More effigies of Hindu goddesses.
Thursday, 10 January: The pace slower as they climb toward Hille (over
8,000ft elevation). A chasm before them; a questionable rope bridge spans the plunge.
The porters insist they cross first before John steps onto the bridge last. [CON checks] More pauses as
everyone labors to catch their breath. John insisting he’s about to die.
Friday, 11 January: They must be at the border as Jigme departs
after introducing a new guide, Tsewaan. A short rail-thin man built strong.
Porters are swapped for Sherpa as they continue to the Tibetan village of Gore
Pani.
12-15 January: Over the next 4 days, the pace slows to a crawl as
they inch their way higher to 11,000ft. John now labors breathing as he dizzily
gasps for air. Finally, Tsewaan allows him to use his oxygen bottles. They arrive at a collection of huts Tsewaan
calls the town of Kag. Warriors appear, excited at seeing more white folks.
They are drawn to Jenny and her blonde hair, and to George as they tug on his
beard. Tsewaan explains, “They cannot grow face hair.” 2 boxes are brought
forward. Siva translates, “The prior expedition left these by accident.” One
contains papers written in Italian, “Must be a journal. Can’t read Italian but
I can make out a few words like Drakmar.” The other box contains spare ammo, “Schippone
is going to be pissed when he realizes he’s missing these for his rifle.”
Wednesday, 16 January: Already halfway thru his oxygen supply, John
continues to labor for breath as the terrain still rises above 11,000ft. Snow
goggles to prevent blindness and coats drawn tight to fight off the howling
wind whipping around the peaks. George excitedly announces the monastery atop
the rise. All peer seeing a man exit the temple, looking their way. A reflection
of light returns their gaze. Tsewann’s head suddenly explodes about the time
they hear the crack of the rifle fire, “Duck for cover!”
While the Sherpa drop the
gear and retreat down the mountain, the others rush toward a rise for cover as
they see Schippone slide his bolt to reload. Jen aims her Enfield to return
fire [Firearm – need Hard at this range], “Ping” off a
rock near Schippone. Jen tries to dive for cover but is grazed by the next shot
of the snipper. Lionel uses the time (for Schippone to reload) to rush forward
to another ridge for cover. The better rifleman, George takes Jen’s rifle and
takes a shot… miss. But he has exposed himself. Schippone fires again
[extreme], hitting George squarely in the chest. George slumps dead at John’s
feet.
Lionel uses the last shot as his opportunity to bulrush the
snipper, knocking the rifle from his hands, “Get up here and help me!” Jen
breaks cover to charge closer with John gasping and wheezing far behind. Fighting
hand-2-hand, Lionel hits. He even blocks Schippone’s punch dealing more damage.
But Schippone blocks Lionel’s punch, dealing a staggering blow to the
inspector. Jen arrives to join the fight. Back and forth blows till Jen
delivers the fatal slash with her machete. Just as John arrives on scene. Lionel
asking, “Where’s George? Dead? Did you check for a pulse or try to stop the
bleeding?”
Lionel returns to retrieve the body of his friend. Siva
still shutters behind the rise beside the body of the dockworker. As Lionel
grabs George’s coat to drag the body to the monastery, George lets out a gasp.
Lionel drops the body in shock. George clutches his chest, revealing a dented
silver platter he has carried. “I knew it was lucky.” [George spend all his
Luck for the ‘miraculous’ death-save.] Lionel gives First-Aid before helping his
friend walk to the monastery.
Seeking warmth and shelter inside the monastery, all are assaulted
by the foul stench. Ignoring the Buddha frescos on the walls, they search for the
source of the smell. All gag at the sight of 4 bodies (3 adult monks and 1
boy); their throats slit and their chests sliced open with organs obviously
carved out. “Bastards! I thought the Nepalese said they were healers?! What
sick mind would do such things?!” A gravely bandaged George insists the bodies
be burned outside, “You can burn Schippone at their feet.”
A warm night inside the monastery, free from the howling
winds. Siva explains the Kali Gandaki gorge still a day away. Warmth, cooked
food, and healing.
Thursday, 17 January: Hours wasted trying to decide what gear to
bring along, since the Sherpa have long departed. Finally, Siva guiding them
forward towards the gorge. Its midday when Siva stops, “The gorge is just over
that rise. I leave now. That place bad ju-ju. The holy-man said only ghosts
return.” Jen is able to persuade him to remain as guide.
Its evening when they
come upon a sheer wall, bathed in the red glow of sunset. Siva announcing, “Drakmar.”
All can hear a thrumming from the cliffs. Lionel reasons, “Has Anzalone setup a
machine?” Siva knows better, “Their god awakes!”
All calls for his return are
ignored as Siva retreats down the mountain. Leaving all to fend for themselves.
[Survival – pass] George
finds the leeward side of the mountain, erecting tents for shelter. Without
Siva or Sherpa, watch order is set. George ordered to rest and heal from his
prior near-death experience. Jen on morning watch hears movement. Awaking all,
they peer out, seeing over 100 pygmies at their doorstep. Cannibals! Sharp
teeth displayed. Till John finally stumbles out of the tent in a daze.
The
pygmies grovel in supplication to their new god. George can only surmise, “They
must be overcome with the idea of a ‘bountiful harvest’.”
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