Saturday, 31 July, 1870
Having arrived at the Villa near Anwtwerp only a few hours before sunrise, Sir Cosmo asked the staff not to prepare breakfast for the household until after 9am. I would have been surprised that any had risen by 10. However, Mrs. Cuthbert had another of her dreams, and this one was of a rather grim future and she awoke quite in hysterics. She fled to Miss Whitnell's room, and it became clear by the time I reached the top of the back stairs that there was no actual danger present. I left the mystics to sort it out and returned to the dining room. I could hear most of what was said from there, in any case.
Insp. McGreggor came down several minutes later, somewhat out of sorts because Mrs. Cuthbert has rebuffed his offer of assistance. He expressed a desire for some brandy in the coffee, which I offered to get for him, since I had the key to the cupboard.
I attempted to engage him in conversation. Which is completely counter to protocol in my position as a footman. However, Mr. Graves occassionally steps out of the bounds of convention with members of the household. I've also been instructed to be forthcoming with my thoughts regarding dangers or difficulties we are facing. It may be stretching a point to include Insp. McGreggor's current difficulty under this rule, however, because of our recent shared experience, I hoped he would be willing to overlook the breach in behaviour.
He was reluctant to speak of the problems. In what was probably an effort to change the subject, he suggested we should search the grounds for any subtle signs of hostile mystical influence, since he had also experience a disturbing dream.
We made a circuit of the outside of the house together, discovering nothing.
We spoke further. I pointed out that his chakras were out of balance, and not because of demonic curses or any other outside influence. I suggest some possible ways to deal with the problem. He expressed interest in taking unarmed combat lessons, to which I readily agreed.
By this time most of the household had come down to breakfast. Mrs. Cuthbert was calmed down, and ready to describe her dream, which she said had the feel of a prophetic dream. In the dream she first saw Herr Bopp as a young army officer being inducted into the Order of the Teutonic Knights. She saw his career advancing until the present day. Then she saw him defeat us all in a bloody battle at a castle. He took possession of the Lion and placed it in the temple alongside the Bull. His power grew, she said. There were wars in which Prussia conquered more land. Bopp killed sorcerers and priests, including some sort of Bishop who seemed to be above Bopp in the Hierarchy of the Knights. The dream continued far into the future, where Mrs. Cuthbert saw that Bopp was holding her as an elderly woman, captive, and forcing her to be his personal oracle. He also had kept Miss Whitnell's head as some sort of grisly magical lantern. Bopp was still trying to capture the fourth Guardian, the Fish, and it was protected by four people who opposed Bopp and befuddled his plans again and again: Wilhelmina (now an adult), Miss Mitzi, Baron von Zemo, and Lt. Wooster.
Unfortunately, at the end of Mrs. Cuthbert's dream, Bopp had found where the four had hidden the Fish, and he was determined to get it. He was happy when the dream Mrs. Cuthbert predicted that the various gods associated with life and light would gather and oppose him. Such a final battle was something that Bopp had been striving for from the beginning.
Miss Whitnell confessed to also having had such a dream, though one which revealed a different future, in which the League had defeated Herr Bopp, but at a terrible cost. She did not go into further details. Miss Chigwidgeon's dream apparently dealt with a similar future, where she had two children and was preparing for visits from several members of the League. Except that in part of the dream she was also some sort of undead ghoul because Bopp had killed them. But then she dreamed that that this isn't the way things went at all.
Insp. McGreggor suggested that none of the dreams should be trusted. Miss Sinclair voice similar feelings, though she felt that if the dream was coming from the league's enemies, the enemies should stop trying to break our moral by showing us in defeat. I pointed out that so far as we could tell, the dreams were not from our enemies. I am not certain anyone heard me, however, as Miss Haverson began lecturing everyone on the ills of drink, which she felt was the cause of the dreams. When she began praising the virtues of exercise, several of the ladies all spoke up to suggest they have their usual morning lessons.
It was at this point that Miss Sinclair realized that both Edward and Miss Chigwidgeon had left the dining room. It took little time to find them. Edward had gone to Mr. Hassan to ask questions about the other artifacts of Damascus (the Eagle and the Fish). Miss Chigwidgeon had followed. When Miss Sinclair and Miss Whitnell found them, Mr. Hassan was concluding a spell which had allowed him to speak to the other artifacts, and confirm that they are not in Herr Bopp's possession.
Mrs. Cuthbert was still feeling unwell because of the horrific images in her dream so she did not join us. The rest of the ladies had a good work out. Miss Haverson proved to be extremely well trained and practiced in fencing. She is not as fast as Emily, but she did give Emily a bit of a workout.
After everyone had cleaned up and changed, most of the household took carriages into the city. Sir Cosmo, Insp. McGreggor, and Mr. Frazer had their reports to write at the Consulate. Miss Whitnell, Mr. Ramsay, and Mrs. Cuthbert had mystical research to do at the Order of St. Jerome. Lt. Wooster and Mr. Caine also had work to do at the Consulate. Miss Sinclair and Miss Chigwidgeon occupied themselves at the Consulate until their fiances were available for shopping. The two couples visited several stores as well as both the train station and telegaph office.
In the evening the household gathered at the villa once more. Sir Cosmo explained the travel plans for the next day. Miss Whitnell, Mrs. Cuthber, and Mr. Ramsay described what they had learned in their researches. Specifically that Mrs. Cuthbert's vision was correct about at least one thing, Herr Bopp, whom is often referred to as the leader of the Teutonic Knights, is actually only the second-in-command. The Grand Master of the order is appointed by the Austrian Emporer, with the approval of the King of Prussia, and is usually a member of the Imperial Family. At this time the Grand Master is Archduke Wilhelm of Austria. Bopp is the Captain-General and Master of the Bailiwick of Prussia.
Mrs. Cuthbert was shown a portrait of the Archduke, and she recognized him (from her dream) as a person Bopp plans to assassinate. Mr. Ramsay said that the Archduke is a figurehead, and therefore often forgotten. However as the head of the order he may have certain magical prerogatives, whether he is a mage or not, which limit Bopp's powers. Bopp has personal possession of some powerful artifacts the knights have gathered over the century. However, the Bull may be obligated to obey the Archduke as well as Bopp. Other artifacts may It is believed that the Archduke is in Berlin at this time, while Bopp is at the Teutonic Knights' headquarters in Königsberg.
Insp. McGreggor has sent inquiries to police departments in Prussia concerning the young woman we believe Bopp murdered. He has not received an answer, however, he has letters of introduction and some messages from the Belgian police, which should allow him to meet with them and possibly learn more. Lt. Wooster has been ordered to deliver some documents to the defense attache at the Berlin embassy. Sir Cosmo also has business at the embassy in Berlin. We have cover stories for our travel, and some areas for investigation.
The league spent the evening researching, practicing and otherwise preparing for the possible battle with Herr Bopp.
Sunday, 1 August, 1870
The League spent the day travelling. First by rail to the town of , then by coach across the canal and north to the Hamont train station (which is separated from most of Hamont by the canal and the bridge which Wooster destroyed in order to stop the Prussian rail invasion). At Hamont station we boarded the train for Cologne.
The trunk with the Lion artifact had to ride in one of the luggage cars. Hassan wished to remain with it. Sir Cosmo asked me to stay with Hassan. Mr. O'Flaherty decided to ride in the car with us, as he tires of trying to fit comfortably into the passenger seats. Insp. McGreggor also decided to ride in that car to assist in the guarding and so that I could begin teaching him unarmed combat.
The rest of the League rode in the passenger cars.
McGreggor is a determined student. He has the potential to be quite good. His root chakra is blocked by mistrust and disappointment. It causes the heart chakra to turn upon the others. He senses this festering inside his heart, and told me as much yesterday, but he believes time alone will cleans the wound. This will take some work.
The train stopped briefly in Cologne, at which point Miss Whitnell, Miss Chigwidgeon, and Mrs. Cuthbert entered the luggage car. Miss Whitnell was trying to adapt one of the spells from her great aunt's book and learn one she had never before tried. She needed to practice them where she could be monitored by myself and Mrs. Cuthbert. She seemed to succeed at warding herself. She had much more difficulty with the spell that was meant to send her mind into another. She did eventually succeed, though not for long.
We finally reached Berlin rather late in the evening. Sir Cosmo hired several carriages to transport us to the hotel. McGreggor was met at the station by the "kapitan" of the police, a man by the name of Wymms. Meanwhile one of the other constables, a very unpleasant-looking fellow, managed to manhandle some of the luggage. He just slipped in among the freight handlers. He made some comment about contraband. I pretended I didn't understand his comment and gave him my least friendly stare.
He left the vicinty very quickly.
We eventually arrived at the hotel with all persons and luggage intact.
Proceed to A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One
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