The Diary of Dr. Hoffman

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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman

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This thread will be for my campaign journal for Gothic Earth. Actually it was not a typical campaign like the others that I have read on this website. I did not plan out an overarching plot or have a number of surprises to spring on the PCs at the start of the campaign. The reason why was because I started running the campaign quite by surprise.

Back then I had been trying for some time to get my group to agree to play GE but they refused. Our only previous exposure to GE before this was when another DM ran us through the Red Jack adventure from the box set. I was the only one who enjoyed it though. I think the others did not like the fact that they were playing ordinary people in stead of macho heroes and warriors as you would in a typical Ravenloft campaign.

But I kept asking them and finally they agreed to try it for an adventure. When they did I was not prepared so I grabbed one of my Ravenloft adventures and did a quick conversion of it to GE. The adventure is The Awakening. I don’t remember why I choose that one, especially since they were using 1st level characters, but that is the one I used. As we went through it I tried to tame down some of the dangers and make it more survivable.

In the end it was a hit so they agreed to another adventure. So I picked another adventure to run. It was not until after the 3rd adventure this way did it look like it was going to last and we actually had a campaign. Because I continued to run one adventure at a time, there were clear breaks in the campaign, during which we often took a break to play different campaigns and would come back to the GE campaign later.

Eventually I will try to write up a full description of all of the characters, but for now here is a quick guide. There are four characters. James Conners, a detective from Boston; Philip Landers, a “former” jewelry thief, also from Boston; Dr. Nicolas Hoffman, a middle aged spiritualist from the Netherlands; and Isaac Bennington, A British Big Game Hunter.
What will follow is the summary of the first adventure as recorded in Dr. Hoffman’s diary. Any feedback is welcome. If enough people enjoy reading it, I’ll continue with the next adventure.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Wednesday, 12 March 1890 – Afternoon
Cairo, Egypt

Today was quite eventful. I fear we have brushed up against the supernatural again. But I get ahead of myself.

It all started in the Bazaar. I was accompanied by my stoic companion, Isaac, and was on a mission looking for interesting relics from the history of this ancient land. I was hoping to find something that would help my studies of the secrets of spirituality that the ancients may have discovered.

We had been through half a dozen curio shops when we arrived at shop run by Hassan Abu-al-Rohmani. Abu-al-Rohmani is a short, round man, of about middle age, who talked constantly, as he showed me around the shop, trying to pass off fakes as authentic Egyptian artifacts.

When he realized that I would not be taken in by the forgeries, he suddenly became very silent. He went to the window and looked out, before coming back to my side and said in a conspiratorial whisper, ‘I see that you are a man of great learning. I think I have something that may interest you. Please, this way.’

Hassan led Isaac and I into a back storage room, where he produced a small casket. It was ornately carved of ancient wooden, shaped like a cat and perhaps two feet in length. The entire container was studded with tiny gems, while the face has been glided. It looked authentic, but I was still skeptical due to all of the fakes Hassan had shown me earlier.

‘Magnificent, eh. Clearly you can see that this is worth a fortune,’ Hassan stated; however, he could see I was still skeptical. He showed me the casket was still sealed and said the ancient contains were still intact. Then, despite my protests to stop, the fat little man began to pry open the casket, saying, ‘Let us see what is inside, eh?’

After he had pried off the head of the casket, and looked inside, he held it out to me to see the contents. Inside I saw the remains of a domestic cat, encased in a layer of colorfully painted clay. Confused, but now wholly convinced the item was authentic I handed the casket back.

Hassan took another look and began to speak, when suddenly the skeletal cat jumped from the casket at the man’s face. I stood there stunned, as the mummified cat clawed and scratched poor Hassan’s face. Luckily, Isaac was there. With the hunting knife he always carries, he was able to fend the creature off Hassan and hack it to bits.

In the aftermath of this bizarre attack, I had a thousand questions for the shop owner, but Hassan quickly forced us out of his shop, all the while speaking rapidly in Arabic. Once we were escorted outside, he shut and closed his shop for the day. I tried banging on the door to get him to let us back in, but Hassan just shooed us away through the window.

Dejected we returned to our hotel. We are waiting here for our companions, James C. and Mr. Landers to return. I am determined to return to the Bazaar later today. This time I will not give up until we learn more from Hassan.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Wednesday, 12 March 1890 – Night
Cairo, Egypt

In the early evening we returned to the Bazaar. Before we could find Hassan’s shop, we had a harrowing experience. The first warning we had was a terrifying scream. My companions quickly noticed that a pack of horses had panicked and broken out of their corral. Two dozen madden horses were trampling anyone in their path. In the tightly packed stalls of the Bazaar it was chaos.

Mr. Landers and myself managed to make it to safety. But James and Isaac played at being heroes and tried to help people. James C. picked up a little girl who stood in the path of the horses and carried her to safety. Isaac tried to help an old woman who had fallen. He managed to get her to safety but one of the horses kicked him soundly before he reached safety. Luckily the wound was not severe.

It was only after the chaos had died down and we had helped some of the injured that we were able to continue on to our destination. By the time we reached Hassan’s shop the sun was setting. The shop itself was closed with no light within. We knocked repeatedly at the door, but no one came to our call.

The observant James pulled me aside and pointed out to me the rooftop of the shop. A row of stray cats stood on the edge. Their bodies were stiff and their eyes all peered intently down at us. The effect was disconcerting.

We redoubled our efforts to enter the building. Mr. Landers circled around the side of the shop and found a back entrance. Using the unsavory skills of his former life, Mr. Landers was able to unlock the door for us.

Together the four of us entered the shop warily. I called out to Hassan but received no reply. He found Hassan on the floor of the storage room. The room was a shambles, and Hassan was dead. J. Conners quickly took over the scene as this was his forte, while the rest of us searched the shop for any other intruders. We found none.

J. Conners was able to conclude that Hassan was strangled to death. Puzzling was that both doors to the shop were locked and James found the keys on the floor next to the body. It did not seem apparent how the attacker entered and left. We determined to notify the local authorities.

Before we did, I searched for the antique casket, concerned that it may be misplaced in an official investigation. But there was no sign of it, or the remains of the cat that had attacked us earlier. Disappointed we left the shop and went to the local authorities. We told them of finding Hassan, but not about the undead cat that attacked us (they would not believe that anyway). That is where we have left it for tonight. Hopefully their investigation will learn what happened to the casket. I am very interested in studying it more closely.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Friday, 14 March 1890
Cairo, Egypt

It has been two days and we have received no word on the investigation. Mr. C. has been making dismissive comments about the local authorities, thought he seems to do that everywhere we travel. He thinks his “new” method of “scientific” investigation is more successful. I hear him and Philip talking in hushed tones. I think they are planning to do their own investigating. I pray they do nothing foolish.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Saturday, 15 March 1890
Cairo, Egypt

Well, I cannot condone their methods, but I have to cheer their success. J. Conners has found us a lead.

Apparently, last night, he and Landers “visited” the curio shop of Hassan. After spending most of the night pouring through his records, they discovered the name of the man’s supplier. It is a German company. J. has learned that it is owned by a German noble who resides here in Cairo, Tristen von Hiregaard. We shall attempt to get a meeting with the nobleman on Monday.
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THe Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Monday, 17 March 1890 – Afternoon
Cairo, Egypt

We called at Hiregaard’s office this morning, but were told that the gentleman was not in. I left a card and asked for an appointment.

When the visit to Hiregaard’s offices proved fruitless, Mr. Conners did some more digging into the company’s background. Apparently it is a mining company. It is into coal, limestone, and quartz, among others. He could find no mention of the company being awarded any mining contracts in Egypt yet.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Tuesday, 18 March 1890 – Morning
Cairo, Egypt

When I did not hear back from von Hiregaard, I tried his office again. They suggested I return this afternoon.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Tuesday, 18 March 1890 – Afternoon
Cairo, Egypt

Again, no luck. They continue to put me off with, ‘He is a busy man.’ They have asked me to come back later in the day.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Tuesday, 18 March 1890 – Evening
Cairo, Egypt

Yet another trip to the offices in vain. At least this time I have an appointment tomorrow at 10:30.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Wednesday, 19 March 1890 – Evening
Cairo, Egypt

I spent the entire day waiting in the foyer of von Hiregaard’s office to no avail. Most frustrating. When I returned to the hotel tonight I was very angry. However, it seems that my companions have come up with another tact.

Isaac has a contact in the British Consul’s office; apparently they are old hunting club brothers. Tomorrow he and J. Conners will visit with the man, a Sir Hastings, and present the evidence that they collected at the curio shop. They think they can convince Sir Hastings that von Hiregaard is dealing illegally in ancient artifacts. At the very least they are hoping an investigation will be conducted and that we will be able to participate.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Thursday, 20 March 1890
Cairo, Egypt

You have to admire the efficiency of the British. In almost no time, they have forced von Hiregaard to open up by threatening an investigation. During a meeting this afternoon, we learned the entire story.

Last year, von Hiregaard’s company received a mining contract from a shady official in the Egyptian government without the knowledge of Lord Cromer or his administration. The contract was at a granite quarry out in the desert.

After beginning, the workers began to uncover items from Egypt’s past. Knowing the items were valuable, von Hiregaard arranged to sell these items to unscrupulous merchants here in Cairo. He knew it would be too difficult to try to export the artifacts past the British customs agents.

Over the past few months, word has gotten out about his find as more and more items were uncovered. It has attracted bandits who pillage the site in the night, wrecking the work done and stealing off with anything they can. von Hiregaard has been trying to arrange for security for the site, but did not want to inform the British authorities.

The British have agreed to honor the mining contract, as long as von Hiregaard reveals the location of the find and allows an archeological expert to remain at the site full time to chronicle all artifacts discovered and turn them over to the Cairo Museum. And luck abound, I have been appointed as the first on-sit expert! We leave in a few days time with a wagon caravan taking supplies to the site. I must prepare!
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Monday, 24 March 1890
Cairo, Egypt

Left today on the wagon caravan. The last few days were hectic and busy. As we set out I am filled with nervous excitement. This could be a major find. An enormous step in our understanding of the ancients.

Still there is as much mystery surrounding us too. What was the nature of that evil cat that attacked poor Hassan? And who killed Hassan? Did von Hiregaard have him killed to cover up his illegal tomb robbing?

J.C. is still concerned about the murder, though he has agreed to leave the matter in the hands of the local authorities. Isaac has warned everyone to be on guard, just in case we are entering into the trap of a foul man.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Newspaper Clipping from the Cairo Times Evening Edition dated March 26, 1890

International Businessman Murdered!

Hanoverian business tycoon Tristen von Hiregaard was murdered in his home last night. His manservant discovered von Hiregaard lying dead in his study, just after dawn this morning. The local authorities are investigating along with British personnel to determine the cause of this dastardly deed.

A source in the British administrator’s office stated that officials think robbery was the motive, and suspect international art thieves. Apparently, von Hiregaard was a large collector of ancient Egyptian pieces and had many on display in his study. Some of the pieces appear to be missing, however, authorities have not released any details of the missing pieces at this time. The speculation is that in the middle of the night von Hiregaard interrupted the art thieves in the process of plundering his study, and the thieves killed him.

Contradicting the official claim, von Hiregaard’s manservant, Mahmoud Saboh, was quoted as saying, “I don’t understand how they could have killed him. All of the doors were locked. How could anyone have gotten in? How could they have done this?”

Mahmoud went on to say that he only saw a couple of items missing from his employer’s study, not numerous pieces as official sources have stated. He described the two pieces as an ancient metal shield and a small stone statue of a cat. Mr. Saboh said the cat statue was broken into two pieces and he could not image that it had any value. However, he did state that the ancient shield appeared to be plated in gold, in which case it would be extremely valuable both as an antiquity or for the precious metal.

The German embassy has been notified of the man’s death. Through inquiries at the embassy it was learned that von Hiregaard’s wife and children are currently in Germany and efforts are underway to contact them. Tristen von Hiregaard owned the international mining company, Hiregaard Industries, which was founded by his father. The company had grown significantly in resent years through Tristen von Hiregaard’s leadership. The 43-year old von Hiregaard is survived by his wife, Igrid, and two children.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Thursday, March 27, 1890 – Mid Morning
Wagon Caravan, Egypt

What an experience! I still am in shock. My hands are shaking. I try to write so as to calm myself. We have been attacked by bandits! In this day and age! You would think with the British providing law and order here such a thing would not happen.

Our caravan was traveling towards the dig site, which we were suppose to reach this evening. When suddenly riding out of the sands were 15 masked men on horse back, firing their rifles in the air.

I panicked. At the time, I was seated beside the driver of the wagon I have been riding on. I tumbled backwards into the wagon’s bed in a frightened heap. As I fumbled for my revolver, I could see my companions already firing back. I tried to follow their example, but must admit I am a poor shot and don’t think I hit anyone.

Luckily for us, the bandits were not very accurate either and their rifles were of very poor quality. I saw one aiming his rifle at one of our porters, only to have the rifle explode in his face.

The superior shooting of Isaac seemed to be taking it’s toll on the bandits as he shot them down one by one. Watching him calmly fire and reload his rifle, I was distracted and did not notice one of the bandits ride up behind me and leap into the wagon. The bandit brandished a wicked carved dagger at me. I had been reloading my revolver and as I turned, in my panic, I dropped it.

I managed to fend off the bandit with my cane for a few moments, while calling out for help. James heard me and came running. By the time he arrived, the bandit and I were pressed close as the bandit tried to drive the point of his dagger down into me as I held him back. James wrestle the bandit off me. As he did so the bandit’s mask came off revealing to our surprise that the bandit was a woman.

James and I stood there for a second, amazed by this revelation. But the wicked little thing had no kindly womanly virtues. Instead she took the opportunity to fling her dagger at me. It missed me by a hair, and instead buried itself into the crate beside me.

The woman turned and ran back towards her horse, with James in pursuit trying to capture her. I was took shaken to do so and remained staring at the knife but millimeters from me. The woman reached her horse and drew a long curved sword from a pummel on the horse’s saddle. James leveled his revolver at her and ordered her to surrender, but the hellcat rushed towards him with a high pitched scream. Left with no choice, James fired several times killing her.

By this time the rest of the battle was winding down. Many of the bandits had been killed in the battle, and four were taken prisoner. Isaac was grazed by a bullet but none of my other companions were hurt. Two of the porters were killed by the bandits and another 4 were wounded.

As I write this, James, and Philip have been interrogating the prisoners with the help of the caravan master. I will record what they have learned later.
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The Diary of Dr. Hoffman - The Awakening

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Thursday, March 27, 1890 – Noon
Wagon Caravan, Egypt

James and Mr. Landers learned from the captives that their band was the tomb robbers that von Hiregaard had told us were plaguing the dig site. They were Turkish bandits that had come here on the urgings of their leader, who turned out to be the lady who had attacked me in the wagon! They said her name was Chezna, and claimed she was a formidable woman, who was skilled in using poison. This news caused my heart to race, as I wondered about the dagger that had almost impaled me.

James has suggested we have the bandits lead us back to their camp so that we can recover the artifacts which they had stolen. One of the bandits has said that the camp is only a couple of hours away. My companions and I will make arrangements to find this bandit hide-out, while the caravan waits here for us. We shall leave this afternoon. Unfortunately this means the caravan will not reach the dig site today, but I think it is very important to recover the stolen artifacts.
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