The Journal,

Entry One: Nathanel Primm

The occasion of our meeting was the attack by Alexandre LeRoi on her most honorable personage, the dearest Queen. The scoundrel had descended on London's House of Lords, with the intent to force her ladyship to abdicate. It was then clear that he would destroy the House of Lords itself. These actions were not acceptable.

Mister Stick and myself were both in residence inside the House of Lords when it was attacked. Mister Locke and his associate Lafcadio were passing near by when they heard its infernal broadcast. Miss Carver claims to have been just waking up, though has never been clear on where it was she slept.

Lafcadio, with the aid of confusion, which I added, quickly dispatched the ground soldiers, while Mister Stick and Miss Carver assaulted the dirigible directly. Mister Locke, to whom I had previous acquaintance, provided strategic advice and direction, to which he seemed especially talented.

All told, the fiends never stood a chance. The Queen herself declared her gratitude to us, an action that we each took gratefully, though Miss Carver seemed rather out of sorts.

Following the events of the evening, we each agreed to keep in contact with one another, a matter which I precipitated by placing Miss Carver under my employ. She will serve as a security advisor to my various estates.

Entry Two: Jay Carver

Corr. I cannet believe they talked me into writing in this thin?.

How we got "the Keep". The Keep. The Journal. The Group. Cannet we get any more 'regional than that?

Fine.

I heard rumors of a Mad Rat not far from London. Right. Um. Mad Doctor? One of those bloody insane chaps what did this mess to me. The type I like ta burn out of house and home. One of them.

So I was itching to go out and burn out a rat. But I figure I might need some back up.

Lord Primm being all high and mighty lorded and all, and Mista Locke being even worse, so legal he's almost a constable, I didn't even try to ask them. But the big cat and the pale fellow seemed likely enough. And they were game. So we went.

The house was easy enough to find and a peach to attack from above. I just dropped them each on the roof. As soon as we went through, though? I got a little bird brained. It was the sod that had done this to me. The bloody?.

Right. They say I can't write that. They wunt looking over the Baron's shoulder.

We actually tied up the bloke, 'stead of putting him out of his misery. Might of wished we had done him in. We gave 'im the Baroness, a right terrifying lady that Jimmy works for. Figured she could hold him better than we could.

We kept the house. Right castle it is. Turned the dungeon into somewhere that can keep the shinies we bring home. Gave the Baroness a right menagerie out of the bargain, from the old guard. Poor chaps got messed over worse than me.

Then get this. The bloke says he wants to talk to me. I bring the others with. He's all gloating about how happy he is that my wings work. I used to dream of cutting these things off! But then I'd go all bird brained and wake up god knows where, and eventually gave up on the idea. And he was all proud of them. Saying he could die happy cause it worked. I left the room before I lost it.

That's it.

Oh.

They say I got to write more. He told the gents that he was part of the 'Frankenstein Consortium.' That it was trying to make better humans, without magic or mind tricks or nothing. Was trying to ruin folks lives was what it was doin'. And his name was Doctor Muerrta. Guess we aught to remember that. We did take his house, after all.

Entry Three: Jimmy 'the Stick'

Our adventures in the Americas began when my benefactress, the Baroness, requested I look into disturbing rumors. It seems through various unnamed contacts, she had learned of an old powerful relic that had resurfaced in the hands of some chap in the West. Never one to deny her ladyship, I looked into the matter promptly. Seems some gent named Diego Montessi was running a town with the help of an 'Orb.' No real clearer idea than that, save that it made her ladyship nervous. So I asked the blokes I had been working with about it. Told them I was going one way or the other, but would much oblige their help. They signed on ready enough.

The fellow I had spoken with, a Mister Van Helsing, procured us a boat with the necessary provisions. He was quite startled to discover how little I eat. He has apparently made sport of hunting cousins of mine. Not that I blame him much. Some of us can be far from civil.

The boat set sail after sunset. We were all aboard. The Captain was some sort of fish. Gills and webs and wot.

I spent much of the trip asleep. I'll let the others tell the rest.

Entry Four: Lafcadio

We sailed a lot. Too much water. Nearly attacked by some ship. Would have been fun. I shot the parrot off the other captain's shoulder while they were yelling at us. Shot too well. Scared them off. Boring trip.

Entry Five: Sherwin Locke

My friend has left out some details. I will expand. Our ship was named the Captain's Lady. Our Captain, a Mister Bill Mundy, claims to be the offspring of a mermaid and a sailor. His skin was blue green, his hair green, his fingers webbed. He possessed both gills and lungs, both of which we witnessed function very well during our time at sea. During the attack of the other ship, a vessel called the 'Devil's Own,' which was captained by a skeleton and manned by ghosts, Jay was shot. Due to the Baron's excellent medical prowess she was fully recovered by the time we reached shore, however she was much chastised about rushing ahead into unneeded battles. While Lafcadio may be correct that it was exclusively his aiming which unmanned the other vessel, the presence through the Baron's illusions of another ghost ship, may have also helped.

We took port in a town called Seacoast, Texas. Rustic and quaint, I was highly disappointed by the quality of their tobacco. I had been assured that the Americas had some of the finest crops to be found. I did find better stock further inland.

The mayor of this town, a A. J. Pennypacker invited us to dine with him and bring along news of happenings in England. This we did gladly, though in light of later events the man may have been a cad, hunting for information for the 'Tarot.'

Regardless of his intent, it was a fine meal, well prepared. Lafcadio made a small spectacle of himself performing a shooting demonstration for the town. He tells us he has traveled in the Americas before.

We departed for San Francisco in the morning.

Entry 6: Nathanel Primm

We set off in a pair of private train cars, which I purchased for the occasion. It seemed wisest, what with our friend Jimmy's sleeping habits. The journey was mostly without incident. A pair of highly amateur robbers attempted to accost the train, however they were detained with ease. It is possible the other passengers never realized there was a problem. Quite refreshing bit of exercise that. Pity Jay couldn't assist, what with it being so dark. Still, what skills they lacked as robbers they made up for as pick pockets. It seems the pair lifted a set of keys from their guards and were off the train before we ever reached San Francisco.

Entry 7: Jay Carver

San Francisco. Right busy place. Saw a fellow getting robbed before we ever decided where to stay that night. Stopped the blokes. Bunch of fellows jumping around in underwear. Their mark said they was called ninjas. Said they worked for a fellow called the 'Red Samurai.' Said he was running the town. Keeping folks scared to go outside, and working to death to pay money, so he wouldn't attack. Crazy you ask me. Not right. You rob the rich blokes. They got the stuff worth selling. Poor folks just need to eat.

Baron and Locke went up to talk to the Samurai fellow. Lafcadio and me came along all stealthful like. Fine. 'Invisible 'cause of the Baron'-like. Seems no one ever actually asked to talk to the bugger before. His guards let us in. Locke was crazy nervous, even what with knowing we were right behind him. Fellow knew how to decorate, I'll give him that. Gold glit and fancy plates on every inch of his place. And me like to blow our cover if I pinched a farthing of it.

Baron told them what was there for, to ask him to stop his whole 'bad neighbor' act, and he laughed at us. Really laughed. Annoying bloke.

So we showed him that we weren't as out numbered as he thought. Could have done that better. Myself and the cat both made fools of ourselves on our first attack. But the rest went great. Sort of great.

The Samurai sliced the Baron up bad. Had him on the ground, bleeding like a pig. Then Lafcadio shot the sword out of the guy's hand, and you would have thought we hit his knees he dropped so hard when the sword hit the ground. Just sat there dazed over some dropped sword. Ninny.

Still, the Baron pulled himself together and threw out a right pretty picture. Some old bloke, granddad. Great granddad, maybe. Yelling at the Samurai for dropping his sword. And for being a bad neighbor. And something about honor. It sounded a lot better when the ghosty guy said it. And the Samurai was all crying, and begging it to… not sure. Sounded like he planned to die. Then Baron has the ghost tell him to be a good neighbor. To watch out for folks instead of robbing them. Bugger it all if the bloke didn't actually start smiling.

Soon as it was over, I grabbed the Baron and tried to fly him to a doctor, but he kept going on about how he WAS a doctor, and he didn't trust anywhere in this town to be sanitary. So in the end I just took him to the rooms where were staying in and had to play nurse while he stitched his stomach back up. Crazy bloke. Still, damn impressive.

Entry 8: Jimmy 'the Stick'

The others had quite a few adventures while I was slept, it seems. By the time I woke up, the Baron was already bleeding all over the room. Fool. I spent most of the night out, to clear my head, but saw scarce to none of those 'ninjas' they spoke of. Maybe they left town when their boss was laid low. Some locals said they called themselves the 'Order of the Unfolding Lotus.'

Next night I woke up on a stagecoach, as we were most of the way to Campaign City. Seems the fellow, Montessi's, was making himself lord of the town, and wasn't shy about telling folks just where he got his power. Cocky bugger. The team challenged him. We one. We got the Orb. We headed home.

Entry 9: Sherwin Locke

Lafcadio has requested that I write his entry, as he feels I saw fit to rewrite his last one. The Orb was a fascinating device. It seems it granted its wielder unsurpassed intelligence, not unlike my pipe. I would have delighted in studying it more, however the others seem to deem my interest unhealthy and have requested that Baron Primm keep it in his hat. His HAT. How undignified for such a noble and elegant devise. Still, I can see the reasoning in keeping it out of the general viewing of the American rabble as a whole.

We returned to San Francisco without event. From what we saw waiting for our train, this 'Red Samurai' was true to his word and has become a blessing on the town. The papers are calling his conversion a super human act. A few even mention some foreign 'heroes' passing through town as the root of the change. Imagine any of us as heroes?

We boarded the train at the appropriate house, Mister Stick, as usually disguised as luggage, given the hour. And set off for Seacoast.

Entry 10: Nathanel Primm

The return to Seacoast was far more eventful than the journey out. This time the robbers were competent. They were also well supplied. They were also after the Orb.

After parachuting onto the train, an attack I made more challenging by changing the apparent number of cars, Jimmy made short work of the fiends. It seems that ropes and canvas used to slow ones drop are just as effective at slowing ones escape. Jay cut through the rudder cables on their blimp, and in general we were making short order of them, when Lafcadio was shot. Right bad wound that. Must admit I stopped paying much attention to the battle at that point. Patient to see to and all.

Seems we deposited the footmen in the car and the pilots by the rails, or some such. All I know is we left by the blimp.

Did get a good mind read on the chaps before I had to tend to the cat though. Right nuisance operating around all that fur. But I 'spect he would have gutted me if I offered to shave him. The chaps worked for the 'Tarot.' Seems to take its names and ranks for the esoteric cards of the same name. These fellows were swords. The fellow who was mayor of Seacoast was a cup. Good enough reason to not take the Orb back into that town. Somehow we signaled Captain Mundy to meet us at another port, but honestly, I was rather busy and did not notice how.

We towed the blimp home deflated behind the ship. Sherwin was quite insistent. I can see the logic of it, but where are we going to park the fool thing?

Entry 11: Jay Carver

The Baron has become a shameless flirt. Not that I mind too much. But I just want that on the record. Still, he means well. I know it. I've been doing a lot of thinking on the months at sea, and at home. I grew up in London's gutters. How the Dickens did I catch they eye of a Lord?!

Enough of that.

We arrived home to discover that England was not quiet while we were gone. The Van Helsing fellow that Jimmy told us about was dead, and some fellow named Mister Big was trying to pull the same trope here that the Samurai bloke was doing over seas. Crazy loons. We looked into it. Right big fellow. Bridge Troll type big. Ugly to boot. Jimmy asked around and found out the fellow liked ladies what didn't break easy. I thank my stars they got Jimmy done up in that outfit instead of me. The goon sent him flying into a wall with the back of his hand. I still have nightmares about being shot. That would have killed me.

Long short we got in a fight. The bugger was tough. I was doing all I could to stay out of reach, and Baron was poking at him, and Jimmy was hitting him, but we didn't seem to be making a mark. Lafcadio picked a heck of a time to decide he need some 'Lion-time' whatever that meant. Still, at least the Baron was able to link us up with Sherwin so we had his advice in the fight. It was just after that the fellow was offering a truce.

Being the distrusting sort, we kept pounding on him, planning to stop when he surrendered. We still chained him up. A lot. Then took him out to sea.

Not sure what we planned to do with him, but figured he was right about him owning the cops. And there wunt any jail could hold me, much less him. So we took him over the water to think, while Jimmy went to ask his scary lady friend for advice. Darn it all if he didn't get out of the chains and try to throw himself in the water. Was all the Baron and I could do to keep him in the blimp until Jimmy found us. Never did see how Jimmy got on board.

Either way, the Baroness got the monster, who she says was a bloke named Jekel who was in the papers some years back. We got a repair bill. We are still missing a cat.

Oh yes.

The Sun reported on the death of dear Doctor Muerrta the other day. His body was found in a hunting preserves south of London. Seems he had been mauled to death by a large cat. I do wonder what Lafcadio has been up to. I hope he is doing well.

Entry 12: Jay Carver

Well, looks like its fallen to me to write this bullock again. The Baron has been getting so wrapped up in his books and ledgers and noble stuffs that he is seeming more an attachment to the keep than a comrade at arms. Still, the dinner last night was wonderful.

Long and short of it, we were attacked. Them. Tarot blocks, from across the ocean. Seems they figured out where we lived. Guess they wanted their ball back. Very rude about it. Tried to blow us up. Doubt they'll try that again any time soon. Likely try it again, but not soon. We bloodied their noses right good.

They came with a dirigible, and a bunch of blokes in armor, and well, like I said, it was mostly just Sherwin and Jimmy and me. So I set the blimp on fire. Was in a bit of a scared shock I think. Still, the folks on the ground had their hands full, right up to - who should appear - but that mangy ol' cat.

Lafcadio, you are always welcome, but never more so than in that moment.

Either way, they knocked a big hole in our wall, we blew up their army, and the family is all together again. Not bad for a nights work. Mind, I was feeling right awful for a few weeks about how I blew them up. Still, talked with Jimmy about this whole "How to tell who the monster really is" business, and I feel a bit better. After all, they were trying to kill us.

I just have to make sure the blokes keep there eyes peeled and put me down if I ever look into experimenting, or hurting civilians, or what.

Entry 13: Jay Carver

Bloody secretary work. Since when am I sposed to be writing all of these?

Its been a bit since the Tarot. We got the wall fixed. Had a right wyrd instance come up though. Middle of the night, some bloke comes pedaling up on bicycle that roars like thunder and seems to know all our names, and acts like were royalty. Calls himself Captain Future. Or Captain Tomorrow. or Captain Hour. Or something like that.

See? Someone else need to be writing these.

Anyway, this Captain fellow asks us to help him with a job. Seems some rotten eggs from "the future" got lose and the constables where he was from sent him in to work on it, without giving him any gear or backup to do the job. Sounds like constables.

So he asks us to help him catch these blokes, and not tell anyone about it. But I figure, what with us being royalty now, or then, or something, he won't mind if we put it down for US to read. Or maybe I just don't care what he said. Either one. Take your pick.

It was three blokes. A metal man, a man on fire, and a fellow who threw wind around. Never saw anything like them. Or their outfits. Skin tight jobs like you'd use to burgle, but brighter than a rainbow colors.

Anyway, we "helped" this Captain bloke "incapacitate" the "offending parties." It sure looked like we just beat them up and stayed out of their way until he stuck some gadgets on them that made them shimmer and vanish. Said they went back when they came from.

Then he went on a bit more on this "Wow, honor to meet you", "honor to work with you" business. It all seems a bit off. I figure Lafcadio is likely glad he missed it, in that he is still being all cat and sulky.

Entry 14: Jay Carver

By the INFERNAL ---

No. That is not the way to start this one. Doctor Muerrta is back. Or some of him is. A ghost of him. Or a ghoul. Or something. He was throwing magic everywhere, and had a really sore spot for Lafcadio, for eating him. But I suspect he hates all of us about equal now.

We couldn't come up with any other way to stop him. I know he's going to come back. I just hope we can find some way to get his "soul" or "spirit" or whatever it is, put back to rest before he comes digging for us. I know he ain't going to forgive what we did.

He was too strong. I guess he made some bargain with infernal powers to be able to come back and attack us, and they made him stronger than any of us. So we just kept breaking his bones so he couldn't make his jaw work and couldn't cast spells at us. It was all we could think of!

Then we encased him in lead. And stone. Twice. Then we put him back in his grave.

I know he is going to get out, and I know he is going to come after us again, and I have no idea what we are going to do when he does.

A priest said it was not possession, since it was his soul, not a separate person. He agreed to try and research if there is any way to put a soul to rest that was walking around in their own body. But he did not sound hopeful.

Lafcadio finally putting back on pants really pales next to all that.

Entry 15: Jay Carver

I have no idea where to begin. It has been weeks since this started and this is my first chance to put pen to parchment. Lafcadio is healing well in the room beside mine, but it will take time. I still awaken in the middle of the night to the most blood chilling roar. I think he is fighting monsters in his sleep. Well, he defeated them awake, so I suppose he deserves his dreams. Still, I am glad he will pull through, and will gladly accept a few hours lost sleep a week as the cost.

Demons. Monsters. Aliens. The government folks who got a gander at them said they were aliens. I don't know what they were. Ugly squid things, in giant metal spiders that tried to kill us all. That is all I really know, or care to. They came. We fought. They surrendered. But not before nearly killing Lafcadio.

There were twenty-seven pods, all told, that struck the planet. Each held three of the three-legged machines. Each machine held three of the squid things. Each machine could let loose a blast of fire that could ignite a tree in seconds. Or ignite a lion. They also each had small hand weapons that set things aflame.

We destroyed the enemy. Us, and the military, and any other blokes who had the hankering and the ability. Tarot even joined in the killing. I guess they did not want anyone 'else' taking over the world. It has taken weeks. But I think we got the last of them. Those that surrendered died, but I think that may have been for the best. It was bad enough being spliced with something from this world. I would hate to see some poor soul mixed with one of those. And I know scientists. They like to poke.

We kept the guns, and a few of the tripods. I have them mostly disassembled now. The Baron and Jimmy's lady seem to think they know some folks I can trust, so I might get some help with this stuff. If these are the types of enemies that will come with time, we need a much better base. I know Sherwin agrees with me. He has been guarding that Vault like it is his life. I worry for his sanity at times. It is an effort to get him to eat. Still, he is ALWAYS smoking that pipe, and that is some comfort.