I am very grateful that we are on such good terms with the one good Comte in all of Europe.

Victoria’s brilliant idea of asking the Comte de Mulineaux if he (and his airship) could assist us in reaching our friend Miss Metzger has given us a tremendous start on our journey, cutting out several days of train travel.  The Comte has been so kind.  He interrupted his own dinner party to see us, and was very quick to agree to help (especially once we told him that it was Frau Metzger who needed us—he is well aware of the great role she played in crushing Herr Bopp). Of course, we owe much to his own mischievous sense of adventure.  He cheerfully overruled M. Reignier and others who sought to dissuade him from getting involved.

We returned to Sir Spencer’s lodge outside of Potsdorf to find the preparations for our midnight departure well in hand.  Of course, we had scarcely arrived here, so our things are not unpacked—it only remained to extricate the field kits and survival supplies from amidst the tonnes of gowns and millinery.

The party is to be a small one—myself, Mrs. Salmalin, Mr O’Flaherty, his valet Bey, and Turgenov.  When I consulted Turgenov as to whether he would be willing to accompany me, or if he thought he should stay with Benton and the children,  he looked at my abdomen rather pointedly and indicated that he would most certainly come with me, and Owen would look after the remaining company.

The Comte’s airship approached, to all appearances out for a pleasure cruise.  The lighter descended for us, not lowered on long  ropes as is usual, but hanging in the grip of Manfred Berri, whose ability to fly under her his own power (with a heavy burden, no less) drew gasps of admiration and envy from the children—and a few of the adults as well. 

We had only a few moments to say our adieux.  Some of the children were quite put-out at being left behind, (in fact Caroline threw quite an unbecoming  tantrum), but Robert just looked at me seriously and said, “Mama, be careful, and take good care of Turgenov.”  He then added, sotto voce, “I will try to keep Papa and Caroline out of trouble.”  I told him firmly that he was only responsible for his own behaviour. 

Our journey was only a few hours—we went through the gap of one of the so-called passes—I was very glad that we were not taking this route on foot.  We were prepared to be dropped just at the border, but the Comte complained loudly of malfunctioning navigational equipment and continued—albeit now with running lights extinguished and the engines at a slower, quieter speed.   We are to be settled to earth a few miles outside the town of Höhledzwerge, where we plan to acquire horses and supplemental equipment.  We won’t need a full meal, since the Comte’s steward has been bringing us more finger sandwiches than even Mr O’Flaherty could eat. 


Monday, 6 September (continued—evening)

We have arrived at Miss Metzger’s cottage.  It’s deserted, but with signs of hasty packing rather than signs of struggle.  Mrs Salmalin scried to learn that our friend had left on the trail of Arnwulf’s abductors.  Woe unto them! 

We have seen some dreadful evidence of evil during today’s journey.  We came upon the remains of a ritual circle with slain wolves and humans.  None of them seemed to match my memory of the wolves appearing in my dream, though Mrs Salmalin says that is not conclusive, given the imprecise nature of dreams.  Mrs Salmalin’s hypothesis is that the humans were shamanistic shapeshifters who had been living as part of a natural wolf pack.  They seem to have reverted to human form when slain.  The manner of their deaths was quite brutal, including parts of their remains being eaten raw.  It is as yet unclear who is responsible.  The evidence at the scene supports Mrs Salmalin's scried information suggesting multiple assailants, and the state of the remains suggests that it has been perhaps a month since this occured.

We have seen sufficient evidence to suggest that we should be prepared to encounter some form of werewolf hostile to us.  According to Mrs. Salmalin, there are several different types of wolf-human shapeshifting creatures, each with its own characteristics, its own hazards, its own vulnerabilities.  We don’t have enough information to determine which type or types are responsible for the attack on Miss Metzger and Arnwulf.

Based on her information, I am attempting to plan both defences and attack strategies.  None of the werewolf varieties is the least bit easy to fight.

For the moment, we are reasonably secure in this snug cottage.  An interesting phenomenon, seemingly linked to this location, is that I can see and hear Sgt Frazer quite clearly, and even my companions can perceive him.  This is slightly annoying in that it is more difficult to pretend I can’t hear him when he is vexing me.  He and Mr O’Flaherty seem to understand each other rather well, though I dread the outcome if my father-in-law says something indiscreet about the Irish. 

Tuesday, 7 September 1875 (morning)

We are setting out early, hoping against hope that we might catch up with Miss Metzger.  She has a good head start on us, and is traveling light, but we have horses.  We have a little time to tidy and secure the cottage, and Mrs Salmalin has undertaken some little ritual to placate the “house spirits.”

My experiments with creating harness for Turgenov, to allow us to climb a tree and pull him up with us, have had only a qualified success.  Turgenov has been very patient in participating in these attempts.  Mr O’Flaherty has been more of a problem.  He is so very anxious to locate Miss Metzger, and typically uninterested in defensive strategy.  He resents the pauses I require for climbing drills.  He does attempt to curb his impatience, though, when I point out that Mrs Salmalin needs a rest.  The other difficulty with Mr O’Flaherty and the climbing question is that it is difficult to find a tree of sufficient strength to hold him.

Tuesday, 7 September, 1875 ( late)

We have suffered a most dire battle, and all of us are injured in varying degree.  We were saved from death, I am convinced, mainly by the timely appearance of our old friend Hauptmann Stahlmacherson.  We have at present taken a somewhat precarious refuge with some connexions of his.

Our enemies fell upon us as we walked along the trail, striking with unbelievable stealth and speed.  Neither Turgenov nor I perceived them until we were quite surrounded, and there was not the least opportunity to enact any of my defensive strategies.  It was a pack of 10 creatures in the semblance of wolves, and they growled with menace at our slightest movement.  The largest and foremost made his qualities known by speaking to us in a most insolent manner.

This insolence is so often the hallmark of a talkative, gloating sort of villain, so Mrs Salmalin attempted to coax him into revealing his plans, or anything else he might know.  We could also hope for an opportunity to think of a strategy.  Alas, we learned precious little before the lead wolf tired of toying with us and attacked.  He demonstrated his unnatural talents by blowing upon us, creating a howling wind which knocked me to the ground, blew Mrs Salmalin's hat away, and tore up a few saplings.  Several of our horses bolted, taking Bey with them.

Mr O’Flaherty answered the wolf's attack with a will, and instantly we were embroiled.  We were rather badly outmatched.  I kept my pistol trained (and firing repeatedly) on the leader until one of the lesser wolves bore me to the ground, his fangs inches from my face.  Werewolves, like genuine wolves, do not appear to be acquainted with the use of a cleansing dentifrice. 

Just as I brought my pistol up to shoot the beast, Sergeant Frazer threw himself into the fray, and pulled away a portion of my attacker—it would seem that although he cannot affect material things, he was able to grapple with the wolf-like spirit entity which drove the werewolf’s powers.  I was left there with a youngish man, unclothed and looking quite shocked and vulnerable, and shortly looking quite dead, as my bullet took him in the chin at close range. 

Mrs Salmalin had fallen, gravely savaged. Mr O'Flaherty, though inflicting noticable injury on the wolf leader,  was close to collapse.  Turgenov had closed with one opponent, but was being harried by others as well, and took a bad gash to the stomach.  I had only just pushed the dead man off me and rolled to fire again at the leader when help arrived in the form of Hauptmann Stahlmacherson.   He plunged into our fray and hacked at all comers with his sword--he carries a rather large and businesslike broadsword, rather than a typical cavalry saber.   His attack surprised the wolves, and he was able to impale the leader and pin him to a sturdy tree.  He struggled and then was still.   After a few moments, the remaining wolves lost heart and fled into the forest. 

We performed urgently-needed first-aid for our friends, and would probably still have lost Mrs Salmalin (and probably even the redoubtable Mr O'Flaherty), except that Sgt Frazer rushed to tell Mrs Cuthbert of our predicament, and she was able to send help even from so great a remove. 

I noticed that some of the bodies of our opponents, reverted to human form, were wearing nothing save belts made of wolf pelt.  I removed them with care and bundled them up.   When I turned to the body of the leader, however, it had not become human.  It changed from an unnaturally large wolf to a puddle of translucent mucus or gelatinous material.  There was no belt.  It is hard to say if this represents the creature's death or merely a temporary removal from this world (I have learned a little from that irksome dragon-boy, after all).

I noticed that the dog Garvey had accompanied Hauptmann Stahlmacherson as well, and he assisted with checking the area for remaining enemies and tracking our packhorses.  We didn't find the horses, but their trail suggested they mostly kept together.  We can hope that Bey managed to get them under some semblance of control.  I didn't like moving on before we found him, but our partisans desperately needed a sheltered place to recover.  At least the tracks were going somewhat near the direction we took as we set out.

Hauptmann Stahlmacherson helped me make horse litters to carry our friends, and then had to help me to mount my own horse.  As we rode, he explained that he had been on the trail of Gefreiter von Erbersbach, who had rushed off in pursuit of Arnwulf's kidnappers, having had the same dream as I had.  She (and Hauptmann Stahlmacherson after her) had set out from Berlin, and their path an ours were just now intersecting.  We could not presently hope to overtake her, though, because of our injuries.  Fortunately, Hauptmann Stahlmacherson had a nearby sanctuary in mind.  He brought us to a rock face, where he hammered, producing a much more resonant noise than would be expected of solid rock.  In time, a small door, made of well-blanced stone, swung open, and a very short person peered out.  After some discussion in a somewhat odd German dialect, we were settled in an antechamber or porter's room, while the porter sent to discover if we should be admitted. 

In time, an even shorter person arrived.  I felt distinctly at a disadvantage of acquaintance here.  The person proved to be our Hauptmann's brother, and the person appointed to govern this underground city.  I had no idea that the Hauptmann had any connexions with the secretive "dwarf" people of these mountains, much less that he was a scion of their ruling family.   How would one know?  He is plainly not a dwarf.  It seems to be impolitic to enquire as to his personal history at this time.  Especially since his relations with his brother appear to be less than cordial.  The Hauptmann's parents, the Grand Count and Countess, are away at the same wedding in Potsdorf as our friends.  This brother, Acting Chief Engineer Engelbert, was not interested in extending hospitality to us, as non-dwarfs, especially to Mr O'Flaherty, who the Engineer said was a "Fomorian," and therefore an enemy.  Our Hauptmann eventually talked him around, particularly after Mrs Salmalin was introduced as the Witch of Darlston.  There seems to be some obligation to her based on this credential.  So, we have been given, grudgingly, a place to stay for the night, medical attention, and some new supplies.  Although the Chief Engineer  was reluctant to welcome us, others among the people we met were friendly enough, indeed, Hauptmann Stahlmacherson seemed quite popular.  Perhaps this is why his brother dislikes him so.             

One great relief was that the Sergeant was able to tell me that the children I carry are unharmed by today's fighting.  Mrs Salmalin was worse injured than I, but when I put my ear to her abdomen, I could hear the fluttery beating of her son's heart, and I felt him kick against my hands.  She has not regained consciousness, but her breathing is deep, even, and not laboured.  I can only hope that she will recover with rest.  The Sergeant has carried word back to Benton and to Mrs Cuthbert in Potsdorf, that we are all alive.  For that moment, that will have to be enough.

Werewolf notes:

Group 1:  abductors of Arnwulf--seen in dreams and scrying.  group of 8-12 individuals, at least one capable of reasoning speech while it human form; also 2-3 humans not seen to change shape.  Might be acting as agents for another power.

Group 2:  pack found dead near trail--2 female and 2 male humans which seem to have been totemic shapeshifters, plus 3 natural wolves.  One additional natural wolf, yearling female, seems to be a survivor of this group.  Killed and cannibalized ritualistically, possibly by other wolf entities hoping to absorb their abilities or take their territory.

Group 3: group we fought today:  Leader 1 wolf-shaped spirit or fey type creature.  Several "hexxenwolves:" humans who have made a pact with a spirit entity in which the human dons a talisman (such as the wolfskin belts used here), which allows the entity to possess the human's body and change the shape.  Also several other non-natural wolf creatures.  4 hexxenwolves killed and belts taken.  This group's leader seemed surprised and interested to learn of Group 1's activities.  Group 3 might be responsible for deaths of Group 2.

Individual "A" :  Arnwulf.  Shapeshifter with multiple forms.  Appears to change at will, and retain most human identity reason while in animal form (though it's hard to tell with such a young boy--not entirely prone to reasonable behaviour regardless of form).  Ability is inborn, and probably the result of fey heritage.

Individual "B":  Gefreiter von Erbersbach.  Appears to change at will, and retain most human identity reason while in animal form.  I could ask Hauptmann Stahlmacherson for more information, but this might be indelicate.
Why so many Wolf entities concentrated here at this time?

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