After a week as guests at Castle Falkenstein and at hunting lodges down in the wooded valleys, it is the night of the summer ball. The great and the good from all over New Europa are in attendance. Rocher talks to Lord Auberon of Faerie, Gwenny dances with gentleman from Texas, Lady Isabel talks and dances with Rhyme Enginemaster, whom she finds to be agreeable company. but as the lovers and friends waltz in the grand ballroom, there is a shocking attack in the terraced east garden.

Katharin Pengellon is out taking the air with Colonel Tarlenheim. Someone strikes the Colonel from behind, and the old buffer falls down, out cold. Katharin screams out as she is dragged away by the assailant. Emily runs down from the terrace outside the ballroom, Lindsay Pengellon himself follows a little way behind her. By the time Lord Rocher arrives out on the terrace, he is met by an astounding site.

Episode Two of Castle Falkenstein sees a change to the resolution system that underpins the game. I'm abandoning the playing cards rules originally written for Falkenstein, and we'll instead be using the ages old Basic Roleplaying system published by Chaosium Inc.

It's a system that can be as simple or as complex as we need it to be, and most importantly, I know it fairly well. Episode One was extremely light on the rules, majoring on storytelling, acting and passing the snuff spoon. No change to this is planned for future games, but I shall feel happier occasionally calling on rules that I am much more familiar with.

Listen - Opening cinematic scene. Pengellon and Emily chase Van Maasten!

It is Thursday June 9th, 1870. Early that afternoon, Lady Isabel Cavendish and Charles Belmont arrive at Brighton Railway Station, and are met by a carriage sent by Lord Lindsay Pengellon. It's around a twenty minute journey that takes them under the viaduct that marks the northern limit of the town, and out onto the downs.

Fairlie Place, Pengellon's grand residence, is high on a hill overlooking the road to London. It is a large red brick building, with a tower at the northern end. Tiered gardens lead all the way down to the valley. Pengellon greets Isabel and Charles, and shows them through to the drawing room to introduce them to two guests who have already arrived, Gwendolyn St Clare and Mr. Basil Carter.