Masks of Nyarlathotep Campaign

British, 28, and served as a corporal during the Great War.  Son of Adele and Ralph, brother to Adelaide. He succumbed to mustard gas in a heroic effort during the war, leaving him weaker than he would like. His treasured object is a cricket bat, used in anger against its former owner. The name ‘Hans’ is etched into the wood. Now retired and living in England with his faithful hound, Sally (12). He bears a duelling scar over his right eye.

His motivation for joining the expedition is the discovery of plants unknown to western medicine.

German, 24. An ace in the flying circus with five confirmed kills, now a commercial pilot – heavily scarred on account of being shot down twice. He is slight, agile, and spritely. Son of Matthäus, and Edith (deceased, war). Brother of Tobias (deceased, war) and Felix.

His significant person is his old instructor, Flight Marshal Schwartz. His drive in joining the Peruvian trip is avarice.

English, 47. Eldest of five; sister of four younger brothers all lost in the war.  This led her mother to take her own life and father to drink. Outwardly, Irene doesn’t hate all Germans – they were just following orders. Inwardly, her thoughts are darker. Her significant person is Horace, who she met at an early age. He gave Irene her treasured possession – a copy of The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic.

Irene was invited by Horace because she is currently writing a scientific book on the natural world; Peru seemed the perfect place for further research.

English, 39.  Eccentric, physically weak, but benefiting from the bequeathed wealth of his parents, Edmund and Alice.  Horace has one son, Edmund (20), who believes his father a coward. He is venturing to Peru in an effort to prove him wrong. Horace has a weakness for gambling.

His treasured possession is a family heirloom – a pocket watch. His meaningful location is the Diogenes (gentlemen’s) Club. When he was 15, he swears he saw a man in London remove his hat, and his face opened like a flower. He desperately wants to know if there is anything ‘out there’.

English, 49.  A short, balding man with mutton chops and sad distant eyes. He has a slight stoop from carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. Slight stoop and creaky knees from years of indentured servitude. His treasured possession is Alfonso, a Yorkshire Terrier. Albert suffers from Ailurophobia – a fear of cats.

His significant relationships are his partner Maria Sanchez (cook), and employer – Lord Whitby. His meaningful locations are Mulgrave castle (family seat of the Whitbys) and The Running Footman, Charles Street, Mayfair, London.

Whilst accompanying Lord Whitby he witnessed a mans head opening like a flower. He has admitted this to no-one! Albert believes in fate and the class system.

Archaeologist with loose connections to the Cairo Museum. He was taken in off the streets by the curator of the museum, who taught him English and then sent him to university in England.

Hassam, whilst very bright, found university far to stifling, and far too full of know-it-all British toffs, so quit and went exploring throughout Africa. He was involved in many successful digs, especially in Egypt where he made sure that the artifacts didn’t leave the country. He doesn’t particularly like British, who he feels are far too keen to steal priceless cultural artifacts. He has been known to steal them back on occasion. Also known to be a little clumsy at dig sites, likes taking short cuts, and may or may not have used dynamite when things were going to slow.

Alastair was an orderly in the British army. From the green hills of Somerset, his remaining family consists of his sister, Vanessa. Vanessa Ives is a psychic with a fascination for the occult.

The 10th earl of Carlyle, known as ‘Stanners’ to his friends. His immediate family comprises father George James Howard, mother Rosalind Frances Stanley, one older sister, and nine younger siblings. He was born in Calcutta, India in 1870 (55) before spending his formative years at Eton and joining Sandhurst Royal Military College in 1885.

Algenon served with the 42nd Bengal Light infantry around Burma and India, and experienced the Manipur revolution in 1891. He was promoted to Captain at 22 in 1892, then Major in 1897. After several tours, Lt. Colonel was awarded in 1908

His father died in 1911 and Stanners inherited his father’s title. The Great War saw him serve in Egypt (Kantara) from 1915-16 and Mesopotamia 1916-18. The 3rd Afghan war occupied 1919.

His mother died in 1920, and he was finally promoted to Brigadier upon retirement in 1922. He currently resides in Egypt.

Algenon’s full history

A significantly can’t burst of chest hair trying escape from his shirt. Bushy eyebrows, and unkempt hair that’s too long to be fashionable. Usually wearing a knitted jumper (from a collection of very similar knitted jumpers) often without the shirt underneath. But rarely seen without his long black wool jacket. Even if he’s carrying it.

His fingers and teeth are tobacco stained, his nose has been broken more than once, and his personal hygiene could be called cursory. He has a charming smile, and could be attractive if he’d started making effort ten years ago, but he didn’t and that ship sailed. There’s a depth to his eyes. He has kit Harrington level brooding stare into the distance. Like he’s seen things, and that’s before all this started.

Despite his appearance he’s very clever. And one of few at this time that took his work at the asylum as more than a prison guard. He kept his mouth shout. His ears open. And learnt a lot about the human mind and its darkest areas. Perhaps with the right upbringing he could have been a psychologist but a father on the docks was never going to achieve that.

Absent: Brad (Eric).

It must be mentioned that Leo turned up in era-appropriate clothing and looked like a true Lord. Legend.

James, Lord Whitby, Albert, and Hassam arrived in Lima, and headed to Bar Cordano. After trading insults, they were shown to Augustus Larkin’s table by the barman. Following introductions to Jessie Hughes and Luis de Mendoza, Larkin thanked them for joining his expedition and informed them that two more would be joining the group; they had been held up in Belize.

As he filled them in on his hopes of archaeological revelations and significant wealth, the party discerned that Augustus was not a well man. His hand had a slight tremor, veins were darker than would be expected of a fellow in his 30s, and he was sweating more profusely than even the humid Peruvian climate seemed to warrant. Partial sight of a tattoo on his chest also seemed unusual for a man of good stock.

Beneath the glowering gaze of a laconic Mendoza, Larkin presented two artifacts (a pendant and golden cup) as a taste of the potential treasures lying in wait. Hassam’s keen eye deduced that the two pieces were from very different periods. While the turquoise-inlaid cup was clearly of 15th century Incan design, the pendant was 5th century and likely Tiwanakan. Tiwanaku was an ancient city near Lake Titicaca – not much is known of its people as they did not develop a written language.

After Larkin made his excuses and left with Mendoza, Jessie, who had been silent behind his pipe for most of the discussion, asked for their thoughts on Augustus. The investigators shared their distrust, and Jessie felt comfortable enough to reveal that his real name was Jackson Elias. As a well-known author in certain circles, he did not want to risk being turned away from the expedition. Hassam flexed his intellectual prowess once again, saying that he had read Elias’ most recent book, The Black Power. The publication covered various cults across Africa.

Elias had been investigating a potential Peruvian cult when he was led to the trail of Mendoza, and by association, Larkin. While locals talk of Kharisiri – some sort of vampire, Elias believe it is invariably men who are responsible for foul deeds. His suspicion is that Mendoza is a figure in this potential cult; if so, Augustus is likely involved.

Jackson invited the party to accompany him on his visit to Professor Sánchez tomorrow, at the Museo de Arqueología y Antropología. The professor has extensive knowledge of the area, and his attempts to assist Larkin had apparently fallen upon deaf ears. Everyone turned in for the night, agreeing to meet at the museum tomorrow at 2pm.

The following morning, Albert went on a quest for a tailor, seeking clothes for his master that were more suitable for the rather close weather. Hassam got to the museum early and took in the exhibition of Aztec artefacts. There he met Trinidad Rizo – Professor Nemesio Sánchez’ understudy.

Everyone met up at the arranged time and were introduced to the Professor. He and his assistant had uncovered information that may pertain to the lost pyramid – Trinidad was just fetching it from the storeroom, she should be back by now… During small talk, it was clear that Hassam and Sánchez had one thing in common – a hatred of foreigners who would rob a country of its heritage. Horace kept Jackson and Nemesio company as Albert, James, and Hassam headed off to make sure Trinidad was OK.

Trinidad was not OK. Her withered corpse was found in the storeroom; it appeared as if her fluid or fat had been sucked out through a gaping chest wound. Closer inspection revealed small marks appeared around the ragged injury, and that some sort of secretion was present. Rizo’s translation notes of Gaspar Figueroa’s last confession were found in her notebook.

Gaspar was a conquistador, and his confession stated that he had been part of a group who looted a temple – nearly 400 years past. His comrades succumbed to what was clearly a curse from angered Gods – they cried of insatiable hunger and eventually one turned on him. Gaspar shot his attacker in the head and fled back to civilisation, taking with him a piece of worked gold. He died of his wounds a short time later. Of interest to our investigators was the name of Figueroa’s assailant – Luis de Mendoza. It’s probably a common name. A piece of gold suspiciously similar to that mentioned in the translation was found in a nearby overturned box. It appeared to be marked with burnt skin.

Hassam ran back to Sánchez’ office and called the police. Horace, Jackson, and the professor headed down to see what the hell was going on. While the investigators had kept their shit together during the ordeal, Nemesio did not. He vomited in the corner and retreated to his office. During a discussion on what could do such a thing to a person, a couple of loud thumps were heard coming from the office above. Back up the stairs they went.

The professor was found convulsing on the floor – his mouth covered in a greasy, waxy residue. The window was open, and Hassam headed out in an attempt to track those responsible. Although there were footprints in the flowerbed outside, the trail went cold.

Horace inspected the flailing man and saw something large moving beneath the the skin around his belly. While Hassam and Horace pinned Nemesio down, James used Albert’s penknife to make an incision and remove whatever was in the poor fellow. A large maggot-esque creature erupted from the wound and caused James to suffer the first sanity loss of the campaign. The gang were, however, prepared; they quickly trapped the monstrosity beneath a wastepaper bin.

The police arrived, and following disbelief at their claims, were shown the thing that should not be. It bolted across the floor as soon as the bin was lifted, and everyone made a hasty retreat – dragging Nemesio out and locking the door behind them. The police eventually left with the professor (alive and well-ish), and the gang decided they needed to deal with the Hellspawn before moving on. It launched itself at James, but was batted across the room by Albert wielding a weighty book. A crack shot from Horace found its mark and the thing exploded, leaving behind nothing more than a pile of greasy ooze.

Everyone headed off to a bar to gather their thoughts. Was this Luis de Mendoza of old the selfsame Mendoza that was to accompany them on the expedition? Surely not – that would make him 400 years old. Are these Kharisiri real, and was Trinidad’s grisly death their handiwork? Is Augustus Larkin involved with any of this madness? The investigators believe that feigning ignorance and proceeding on the expedition with their guard raised might be the best course of action.

Handouts

Augustus Larkin’s article and radiogram
1920s map of Peru
The last confession of Gaspar Figueroa

Absent: Scott (Hassam).

The gang found Irene and Eric unloading their baggage as they returned to the Hotel Maury. Weary from their travels, they made the poor wizened manager haul their luggage into the building. Heavy heads hit pillows after some brief introductions over drinks (and sausage). Having recently fought on opposite sides in the great war, James was wary of Eric, who couldn’t have been more German if he’d tried.

Augustus Larkin was found breaking his fast in the early hours of the day. He informed them that the trucks would arrive at 8am, so they had a couple of hours to while away. Irene is an old friend of Horace, and he took her to the museum so that she might inspect the scene of the recent crime. Some fast talking and silent walking got them past the stationed policeman and down into the storeroom.

Although nothing new was gleaned from either below or within Sánchez’ office, Irene was at least able to see where it all happened. They headed back to the Hotel, where James and Albert were inspecting the growing pile of supplies for the expedition. Trucks eventually arrive, and as the goods are loaded, Larkin makes an appearance and informs them that Mendoza will not be joining them. He’s nowhere to be found; his loss.

Eric asked for five minutes and dipped back inside to investigate Mendoza’s room. It was practically untouched, with an undisturbed bed and no sign of any personal effects…. except for a golden mask tucked beneath the mattress. Eric pocketed the piece and asked the desk clerk when Luis had checked out – he had yet to do so.

It was a three-day journey by road to Puno, and everyone got to know each other over a few drinks around the evening campfire. Eric brought out the mask, and Irene suspected it was of similar design to the piece of gold that had been discovered by Trinidad’s corpse. Geometric shapes covered the front, while the back was polished to a mirror-finish. Naturally, half of the group took turns holding it up to their face.

Eric experienced a vision of walking down a hotel hallway, plush red carpet beneath his feet. He came to a door numbered 410, and had a feeling that something terrible lay in wait behind it. He opened the door…. and was back by the fire.

Irene caught glimpses of a stone courtyard, where hooded figures stood in a circle with their arms in the air. The moon was full, and the branches on the trees were bare. It felt like home, it felt like England.

Horace witnessed a more geographically-appropriate scene – a stepped pyramid within thick jungle. It was covered in people committing both carnal and murderous acts. As she gazed upon the monument, an enormous tentacle-like tongue erupted from its peak.

They arrive in Puno and Larkin tells them to take in the city and get some rest – they leave by pack mule tomorrow morning. Elias suggests they speak to Nayra, the wisewoman who put him onto Mendoza’s trail lives nearby. All but one decided to head there that evening.

Eric decided to spend the night sampling the local…. locals.

James purchased some coca leaves for Eric, who was suffering the effects of altitude sickness. Irene went in search of Tiwanakan architecture and to learn more of the lost people. A local man told her the tale of Ekeko, the trickster hero who had lured an evil god down into an old armadillo burrow. He covered the burrow with stones and had his people build a temple upon it.

Nayra was not home that night, but a quick chat with a friend who knew Elias revealed that she was in hiding at a fishing village which floated upon Lake Titicaca. They approached the shore with the distinct feeling that they were being watched, and were poled across the water on a raft.

Nayra told them what she had already discussed with Jackson. Tales of the vampiric Kharisiri, and that while they are generally white men, some with a darker complexion have lately been seen in the city’s outskirts. Nayra also filled out the story Irene had heard from the local in town – adding that Ekeko had trapped the evil god with ‘spells worked in gold’. When asked if these Kharisiri had any weaknesses, she suggested that while dismemberment would slow them down, only fire would put them down for good.

The investigators took up the offer of spending the night before heading back to meet Augustus, and retired to a couple of vacant huts.

Irene endured nightmares of her fallen brothers, and woke to the screams of villagers. The party tooled up and headed out into a scene of carnage, witnessing locals either fleeing or locked in combat – the Kharisiri had come. A man, woman, and child (seen watching the group earlier) stepped out of the turmoil and ran towards the investigators – their mouths splitting open to reveal a ring of monstrous teeth.

Although James was briefly pinned, short work was made of their gruesome assailants. James caught sight of another creature stealing into Nayra’s hut, but gave chase and blew its head off before it could do any harm. The gang dragged all of the Kharisiri corpses into a fire in the middle of the village.

Meanwhile, Eric sleeps peacefully in the arms of a Peruvian harlot.

Absent: Scott (Hassam), Brad (Eric).

Having deftly dealt with the village’s attackers without suffering any injuries, Irene, Horace, and Albert tried to get what little sleep they could. James helped out and tended to wounded locals. They rose early to get back to the hotel in Puno, where Augustus had procured six sturdy mules; all were packed and ready to go. Larkin was keen to get an early start and make the most of the day.

As the party trekked to greater heights, they got to see plenty of the local wildlife. This included bears, condors, anacondas, and lynx – although none were to bother the group. They pitched their tents and set a fire blazing in the middle of camp; the nights were noticeably cooler up in the highlands. Larkin made his excuses early and headed to bed, stating that the trip had taken it out of him. James followed and as a doctor gave Larkin a once-over.

Noticing the tell-tale needle marks in Larkin’s arms, he pressed the issue and learned that Augustus was using heroin to take the edge off his ailment. He had more than enough with him for the trip, and assured James that he would be fine in the morning. In the confined space of the tent, James noticed a fetid odour reminiscent of corpses rotting on the battlefield. He says nothing.

The investigators decide to take turns in keeping a watch, starting with Irene; it passes uneventfully. Sally started to become agitated and looked towards the forest, leading to discovery of one of the mules in a very sorry state. It lay on its side, wasted, with a large circular wound on its side. Its leash had clearly been cut with a sharp blade and had not simply come undone. As a mercy, James put a bullet through the suffering creatures head. While Delaney was keen to move camp and get some distance from the dead creature, they eventually agreed to hoist the carcass off the ground to deter predators.

Larkin was concerned that a lost mule meant supplies left behind, and potentially less plunder brought back. James was irritated that his fellow expeditioners had dropped the ball whilst keeping an eye out. The group broke camp and set off in the morning.

The report of a rifle was heard as they ascended a hill; rushing to the brow, they saw two people in the distance. A man appeared to be kneeling down, doing something to the body of what might be a child. Irene and Albert walked brazenly towards the pair, while Albert and James flanked. As they approached, it was clear that the man was tending to a wound on the boy’s chest – he had torn his shirt to create a makeshift bandage. He levelled his rifle at Irene, and her poor attempts at Spanish failed to convince him that they weren’t a threat.

Albert and James moved in and brought an end to the stalemate. James tended to the boys wounds while Albert acted as the group’s interpreter. Julio and his son Domingo, local alpaca farmers, had been attacked by two Kharisiri but managed to fight them off. Julio pointed to where the Kharisiri had fled – roughly the same direction that the party was heading. He was thankful for their help, and offered them a meal and lodgings for the night. They declined; James was keen to pursue the attackers.

While Elias and Augustus continued with the mules over the hills, the rest tracked the Kharisiri through the tall grass in the valley. They eventually caught sight of the pair, a stealthy approach was bungled when a branch snapped underfoot. The investigators got a couple of shots off before they disappeared into the forest; they had been lost.

The expedition finally caught sight of the ruins that afternoon, sitting high on a plateau. The two options for ascent seemed to be a steep, narrow and dangerous path directly up the side, or a much longer, gentler, and overgrown trek into the surrounding hills. The mules wouldn’t be able to manage the latter, so James and Irene led the animals up in two packs – masterfully. A tall stone wall with carvings of clear Tiwanakan design surrounded a relatively short stepped pyramid. The group caught sight of the two Kharisiri they had been chasing, scaling the pyramid and vomiting into its apex. They clambered down the far side and disappeared from sight once again.

Tents were pitched outside the ruins so that they might have a full day investigating tomorrow. All the wiser from the previous night, they lit two fires and doubled the guard. It was noticed in the calm of the night that there were no sounds of animals, to which everyone had become accustomed. Only the buzz of flies filled the silence.

The group took a good look around the ruins. Delaney found a flagstone that looked out of place, uncovering a shaft leading straight down into darkness. Irene did the same – by very nearly plummeting into its depths. Horace and Albert smelt the large pit before they saw it, covered in a pall of flies. The hole was full of corpses in various states of decomposition, and an opening could be seen in the wall near its bottom.

Keen to avoid clambering across mouldering bodies, a rope was dropped down one of the shafts, and Irene was first to the bottom. The passage went in two directions – both with very low ceilings and walls covered in Tiwanakan carvings. Irene saw a bundle of rags ahead and moved towards it as James finished his descent. James brushed dust off the wall’s engravings and uncovered the glint of gold beneath. Irene drew closer to the rags, which on closer inspection appeared to be near-skeletal human remains.

Horace and Albert arrived just in time for corpse to arise and start lumbering in their direction. Horace’s keen eye saw something move behind one of the corpse’s empty eye sockets. The foe seemed much hardier than anything they’d fought thitherto, but they managed to knock it down, and James used his cricket bat to break the creature’s neck. The maggot within launched itself from the skull and narrowly missed Irene; another strike from the bat made short work of it.

It was clear that the gold band in the wall was identical to the piece they had carried from the Museo de Arqueología y Antropología. Light was visible down one length of the passage, likely from the shaft that Irene had discovered earlier. They proceeded in that direction, confirmed their suspicion, and deduced that the tunnels traced the perimeter of the pyramid. The passage split and one direction seemed to lead to a room.

James quietly stepped into the room with a torch, and caught the glimmer of more gold all around… plus a couple of people asleep on the floor. He tiptoed back to brief the others, then they all moved in together. Short work was made of the almost defenceless Kharisiri, and they set alight to the bodies. The room filled with smoke but it dispersed fairly quickly.

They were surrounded by jewellery and other precious personal effects. Most of the group took at least some loot, with Horace choosing a piece of interest rather than value. As keen as James was earlier to take some of the gold warding, he declined to touch what were likely once possessions of the bodies in the pit. They climbed back up the rope and informed Jackson and Larkin what they had discovered. Larkin seemed keen for the investigators to go back down and bring up as much of the gold warding as they could manage.

After a brief rest, the gang headed back down and explored the rest of the tunnel. They found white ooze coming from a crack in the inner wall, pooling on the floor below. This was the spot from which the warding had been prised. Movement was noticed in the pool, and James used his bat to probe its depths – it was deep. Suspecting more maggots, Irene was keen to take one back for scientific study. They managed to scoop one out and into a jar.

The warding was carefully placed back into its rightful place, and the ooze ceased to flow. The ground trembled slightly, causing dust and debris to fall from the ceiling. All seemed well.

After heading back up once again, Larkin became angry that they had failed to pry out any of the gold. He raised his voice and started to yell; the group took a step back.

Larkin stood upright, holding a posture the investigators hadn’t seen in the sickly fellow. His eyes turned black, and a rumbling voice emerged from his lips. ‘Why couldn’t you have just done as you were told. You could have had wealth beyond your wildest dreams, instead you will endure suffering beyond human comprehension!’. His arms came up, and a tear started to form in the air above him. Delaney lost his shit, and had a vision of being alone in a battlefield during The Great War, surrounded by his fallen comrades. He lifted his revolver to his temple.

Irene tried to wrestle the gun from his hand, but it went off and grazed his ear; meanwhile two paws emerged from the tear and started to pull it apart. Horace and Albert raised their guns and fired at Larkin, hitting home and causing clear damage but resulting in barely a reaction. Irene used James’ gun to take a shot, and a dark bestial face could be seen behind the widening tear in reality.

The next volley from Albert and Horace put Larkin on the floor; Horace wasted no time in stepping up and putting a round through the pleading man’s face. The tear vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

Barely had Larkin been dealt with when Mendoza appeared at the entrance; he drew his sword and started limping towards the group – he did not look well. A second figure emerged from behind a wall, Hassam. As Mendoza turned to face him, James, Horace, and Albert raised their weapons and opened fire, dropping him at Hassam’s feet. James hacked off Luis’ head with his own sword; a bloated maggot crawled from the corpse and quickly withered away.

As the group discussed what to do next and how much gold the mules could handle on the trip back to Puno, James bid them farewell and headed off into the forest. He’d had enough of civilisation for the time being. The rest eventually returned to Peru, where Hassam wasted no time informing the local authorities about the treasures they had liberated from the temple. Albert was disgruntled, ending up with merely a fraction of his promised share.

Horace was of course unfazed.

It has been four years since the events in Peru. Hassam spent most of it on archaeological sites around Africa. During this time, Hassam’s mentor (Mustafa Babikki) passed away. He also befriended an Egyptian customs agent; together they helped stop much of his country’s heritage from reaching British shores.

Horace’s relationship with his son improved upon returning to England; Edmund seemed to hold him in higher regard. Horace created the Sherringford Blackwell foundation with Lord Glastonbury – its goal to investigate the occult and discover things of genuine interest. Albert left his service and was replaced by young William Darling.

Flush with cash (although not as much as it might have been), Albert bought a pub (The Golden Feather) and settled down with his wife, Maria. In a room below the pub, he gradually amassed a collection of occult books and began his studies.

James spent his days wandering Peru and Bolivia, drinking and picking fights. His faithful hound, Sally, passed of old age. James eventually found his way back to Nayra’s village, where he spent the next three years putting his life back together and learning a thing or two from the wise woman. She too eventually passed, and he decided that it was time for he and his new dog, Geordie, to rejoin society.

Eric stayed in Peru for a year, before heading for California and joining up as a sheriff. He eventually moved on to New York and joined the NYPD.

Jackson Elias hung around in Peru for a while to finish researching his book. He kept in touch with the investigators, keeping them informed of his latest story as he travelled the world. On the 3rd of January 1925 he sent them a telegram asking for help investigating the Carlyle Expedition. They are to meet in New York on the 15th.

Absent: Tomo (Irene), Brad (Eric.).

Having had a little time to do some reading before their departure, everyone started researching the Carlyle Expedition. They uncovered that Roger Carlyle lead a trip to England with Hypatia Masters, Dr Robert Huston, and Jack Brady. There they met the co-leader, Sir Aubrey Penhew, and set off for Egypt. Following several digs, the group took a break in Africa and abruptly disappeared. Roger’s sister, Erica, mounted a search that eventually led to the discovery of many dismembered bodies. Nandi tribesmen were accused, swiftly tried, and executed.

Our globetrotters arrive separately; each finding lodgings within their means. For Hassam that meant a flophouse, but Albert and James managed more comfortable accommodation. Horace decided that he needed a more personal experience, and bought a brownstone. Everyone received a hasty phone call from Elias, asking them to meet him in room 410 of the Hotel Chelsea at 8pm. He sounded stressed and did not go into details.

There have been recent blizzards, the streets are piled with snow, and it is bloody nippy.

Hassam arrived early and waited in the lobby, followed by Albert, James, and finally Horace. They had a bite to eat in the restaurant and took the elevator up to the fourth floor. Their knocks at the door went unanswered, but Albert thought he heard movement so James tried to kick down the door. The door stayed fast, and James was pretty sure he had broken his foot. The noise in the room grew louder; Albert and Hassam worked together and smashed the door jamb to splinters.

Jackson’s room was in turmoil; his possessions had been strewn about, as had his intestines – they lay around his butchered corpse. Three startled men briefly faced the intruders before they turned and bolted for the window. The chase was on!

James hauled ass to the window and out onto the fire escape. He attempted to tackle the slowest of the men but was successfully fought off – he moved down the first ladder to cut off his escape. The metal stairs groaned and the platform swayed slightly. Albert joined the fire escape and gave the villain a good right hook; he fell back against the railing and the fixings finally gave way. The top section of the fire escape swung out and crashed into the opposite wall.

James, Albert, and the fellow they were bothering managed to keep their footing and avoided falling to their deaths. The two remaining murderers leapt from the last flight of stairs and started running down the alleyway. Horace was wise enough not to try leaping from the window and drew his gun, aiming at those fleeing below. Three crack shots found their mark, hitting the leg of one, and taking the head off the other. Hassam judged the situation in hand and had a look around the crime scene.

The cornered man attacked James, bungled, and was quickly tackled to the floor. Albert risked it all and climbed deftly down the outside of the fire escape; he caught up to the injured man as he approached the road, and punched him in the back of the head. Understandably pissed off, he turned and swung a curved blade down at Albert. He missed, and it clanged loudly against the pavement. Although a much harder shot at this range, Horace still managed to hit Albert’s assailant and he fell to the floor. James managed to tie the remaining man up and everyone caught their breath. It was noted that the murderers had red headbands with a strip of cloth down the side.

No Sanity loss for the horrific death of Elias. Heartless bastards. The attackers were all searched, as was room 410. They noticed that a symbol had been carved into Jackson’s forehead – it looked similar to Augustus Larkin’s chest tattoo.

Back in the hotel, the commotion had caused people to come out into the corridor. Hassam cried out for them to call the police, which they assumedly did, as the ringing of bells was soon heard. James had dragged his captive down to the alley, and despite his best efforts could get nothing from the African chap. Two police cars screeched to a halt in front of the hotel and James called one over; another headed up to 410 where he met Horace and Hassam.

With their forthright attitude and the right skin colour, the uniformed officers had no problem with their story. The restrained man was taken away and everyone gathered back in the room while they awaited a detective. Lieutenant Martin Poole eventually arrived, discussed their relationship with the diseased, and took their contact details. They headed off to Horace’s brownstone, and a doctor was summoned to take care of James’ foot.

Finally they had a chance to go through what they’d found at the hotel. There was plenty to read:

A letter from Miriam Atwright regarding a book Elias was seeking.
A letter from Warren Besart to Roger Carlyle concerning Egyptian artefacts of interest.
A photograph of ships in an oriental harbour.
A pamphlet advertising a ‘tonight only’ lecture on the ‘Cult of Darkness’ at the New York University.
A business card for Emerson Imports with the name Silas N’Kwane written on the back.
A business card for The Penhew Foundation.
A box of matches from the ‘Stumbling Tiger’, possibly somewhere in Shanghai.

Hassam went back to his flophouse for the night and the rest of the group sought out a speakeasy for a nightcap. Everyone met back at Horace’s in the morning; a newspaper arrived featuring an article covering Elias’ murder. Apparently this wasn’t the first cult-style murder to occur, and that a man named Hilton Adams was already on death row for the crimes. They decided to take a trip to The New York Times and have a word with the reporter.

Rebecca Shosenburg was only too happy to sit down with the investigators. She believed that Hilton Adams had been ‘fitted up’ while looking into the disappearances and deaths around Harlem. Rebecca was clearly passionate about the case, and would likely offer any help she could. The first order of business was setting up a meeting with Millie Adams.

Handouts

Carlyle Expedition newspaper clippings
Jackson’s telegram and recent novel
Photograph of an oriental harbour
Letter from Warren Besart to Roger Carlyle
Letter from Miriam Atwright
Article covering Elias’ murder
Pamphlet, business cards, and matchbox

Absent: Tomo (Irene).

Saturday 17th January

Jackson’s funeral was a sombre affair with poor attendance. Aside from the investigators and a group of reporters, there were only a handful of mourners – one of which was Eric. Albert and Eric spoke of their time spent with Elias in Peru, which caught the attention of two men. They later approached and introduced themselves as Jonah Kensington and Carlton Ramsey – Jackson’s publisher, lawyer, and dear friends. They arranged meetings with both.

Horace called police precinct 7a and offered to make a donation to the force… he just wanted a chat with Lieutenant Poole; he’d be round there shortly. Hassam took a trip to New York University in the hope of catching Professor Anthony Cowles – the lecturer mentioned on the pamphlet from Jackson’s hotel room. James headed off to check out Emerson Exports to seek out Silas N’Kwane.

Emerson Exports lay in a rundown area of town, surrounded by warehouses. The workers didn’t know anyone by the name of Silas, but Arthur the owner did – as well as that of Jackson Elias. Jackson had visited about a week ago, and asked about goods that had been moved from Africa. Silas N’Kwane is Arthur’s only customer to import such , and those were shipped from Mombasa by someone named Ahja Singh. Something about Silas gave Arthur the creeps, but he couldn’t put his finger on exactly what. Silas runs an African antiquities store named Ju-Ju House.

Horace, Albert, and Eric swung by precinct 7a and had a chat with Poole. The group were keen to speak to the cultist they had captured fleeing Jackson’s hotel room, but Poole informed them that he had been transferred by Captain Robson to precinct 14. Robson had been the man who ‘cracked the case’ and arrested Hilton Adams a few months ago. Poole made no secret of his dislike of Robson; he thought that Poole dressed better than a man of his station should be able to afford.

Professor Cowles had gone back to Boston, but Hassam was fortunate enough to discover that NYU had a recording of his lecture. It discussed The Cult of the Sand Bat, an old group with links to Polynesia. Although now long gone, the professor discussed their brutal method of sacrifice – a club coated in bat teeth and poison. Legends spoke of some cult members being able to transform into winged serpents. Cowles also covered the MacWhirr expedition’s discovery of ancient ruins in Western Australia.

The investigators shared a toast with Jonas at Prospero House. There they got to see notes received from Elias as he travelled across Kenya, Shanghai, and England. Elias was convinced that some of the Carlyle expedition were still alive – Jack Brady had been sighted, and apparently no white bodies were found amongst the dismembered remains of the expedition. His final notes were disturbed, and Jonas needed convincing before handing them over.

Jackson talked of a grand conspiracy, dark dreams that might also have been experienced by Roger Carlyle, a psychiatrist’s files, books in Carlyle’s safe, and other mad ramblings.

The group swung by Ju-Ju house; it was closed.

Monday 19th January

They made their 2pm appointment with Carlton Ramsey. He mentioned that Elias had updated his will and left a message for his friends only a day before his murder; almost as if he knew his fate. His (considerable) estate was to be liquidated and used to form a fund – that fund would be available to the group should they be willing to follow in his footsteps and look into the Carlyle expedition. Ramsey would handle the finances, naturally. At their request, Ramsay would also try to arrange a meeting with Erica Carlyle.

Rebecca Shosenburg left a message with Darling, Horace’s trusted aid. Millie Adams would meet them at the theatre on Tuesday.

Everyone headed to see Robson at the 14th Precinct, although Hassam waited outside; Horace had made another generous donation to secure a meeting. The captain informed them that the cultist had unfortunately died during the night, likely as a result of treatment at precinct 7a. Although reluctant to display the body, the hefty donation swung things in their favour.

As a medic, it didn’t take James long to realise that the stiff had received a savage beating.

Time for a trip to Ju-Ju house. Hassam mentioned The Cult of the Bloody Tongue and The Mountain of the Black Wind to Silas, who immediately seemed caught off guard. Hassam also clocked a trapdoor behind the counter. As the group left, James decided he would stay behind and watch the place. He expertly popped the backdoor of an adjacent and abandoned pawnshop and settled down for the day.

On his watch, he saw a well-dressed man enter the store. He tucked an envelope into his jacket pocket as he left. A muscular bald African man arrived and stayed for about 30 minutes. James decided to follow him, which led to a café, and finally the door of a flat. He returned to meet up with the others.

The group clocked that at least Horace was being followed. Eric recognised one of the faces and knew that they must be from the force. James and Albert positioned themselves appropriately and confronted the men, subtly brandishing a shotgun and asking their business. Ultimately a stalemate, the policemen walked away.

Threads

Could Professor Cowles have information beyond that in his lecture?
What did Jackson want from Miriam Atwright?
Who did James follow from Ju-Ju House?
How did Mordecai Lemming assist the police?
What do Hilton and Millie Adams know?

Handouts

Elias’ first note to Jonah, from Nairobi
Jackson’s book notes (page one)
Jackson’s book notes (page two)
Scribblings of a madman (page one)
Scribblings of a madman (page two)

Absent: Brad (Eric).

Irene finally arrived in New York and made an appearance at Horace’s brownstone. The gang got her up to speed and headed out for some night-time shenanigans – destination Ju-Ju House.

They arrived at 2100 and made themselves as comfortable as they could in the frosty abandoned pawn shop. At around midnight they heard footsteps and James clocked Silas entering the shop, followed shortly after by a burly gentleman who stood guard at the entrance. By 0030 at least 30 people of varying race and class funnelled down the alley and into Ju-Ju House. The doorman eventually followed them inside.

James and Albert checked that the lights were off and got to work on the door. The locksmith attempt was fumbled and the mechanism seized; James resorted to brute strength and the door jamb splintered noisily. They waited silently to see if anyone had noticed, but heard nothing… nothing but a distant wailing. Hassam, Horace, and Irene joined them as they stealthily clattered and banged their way through the store.

Now clear that the discordant singing was coming from below, Irene lifted the trapdoor to take a peek while the rest searched the shop. Hassam discovered a bundle – something wrapped in leopard skin and tucked under the owner’s bed. James found a chunky ledger behind the counter. The path below was a steep set of stone steps; the investigators descended.

The corridor at the bottom of the stairs was lined with stone, all carved with various symbols. Best they could guess, at least some were tribal and of African origin. The sturdy wooden door at the end of the passage was also heavily carved – these were believed to be warding sigils. James poked his head around the open door to witness a throng of naked worshippers, shrieking and wailing before a man dressed in a colourful feather coat. As the ‘singing’ died down, they beat a hasty retreat up to the shop.

It was clear that the evening’s proceedings were drawing to a close, but with the busted door and Silas’ missing bundle, it was obvious that someone had been snooping. They dragged a display cabinet across the top of the trapdoor, then James and Albert hastily flicked through the ledger. Accounting is an underrated skill – they noticed regular payments to ‘WR14’ and Irene took several photographs. Whilst those trapped below were banging on the door, the group did their very best to make it look like a slapdash burglary. Albert emptied an inkwell over the book while the others wrecked the place and pocketed pieces that looked valuable. They fled into the night.

Back in his flophouse, Hassam unwrapped his leopard skin bundle to reveal an ornate panga. Fairly old, but still quite sharp. Everyone got some kip and reconvened at Horace’s brownstone in the morning.

Tuesday 20th January

With their meeting with Millie Adams scheduled for 1400, the group had some time to kill. Hassam made use of Horace’s phone and rang Harvard University, seeking out the librarian Miriam Atwright. She was sad to hear of Jackson’s death but was unable to suggest where to might find the book he sought – ‘Africa’s Dark Sects’. She did however recall noticing a strange odour in the area that book was stored; it may even have gone missing at that time.

Rebecca Shosenburg greeted them at the Lafayette Theatre and led them through to Millie, waiting the the auditorium. She shared the little she knew. Hilton had been patrolling the streets with his war buddies in an effort to protect the locals – there had been countless disappearances and rather a few murders. She believes he was framed by the police using articles taken from their home during a search. She also recalls Hilton claiming to have once nearly caught someone responsible, but they escaped. It was around that time she noticed him using a strip of red cloth as a bookmark, but thought nothing of it at the time. She also mentioned that Hilton’s friends all but abandoned him when he was arrested.

Hassam’s keen eye noticed someone watching from the balcony; they immediately turned and ran.

Horace and Irene stayed with Millie while Albert, James, and Hassam legged it towards the entrance. Albert guarded the main corridor, Hassam one set of stairs, and James ran up the other. James ‘Lightning’ Delaney caught up with the fellow on his way down – he launched into a flying kick and sent the poor chap soaring. The group left a trail of blood as they dragged the man into a store room. He was in grim condition but James made him comfortable and brought him round.

Horace wrote Millie a cheque for $3,000 to help with legal expenses, then he and Irene joined the others. Millie was left weeping in Rebecca’s arms.

Eventually coaxed to reveal that Silas had sent him to trail the investigators, he wasn’t willing to say any more – despite several slaps. James lost patience, donned his knuckleduster, and punched him square in the face. Alas, despite the intent, it was the final straw for the broken man – sanity rolls for most. Now they had a corpse to deal with. They mopped up the blood, propped him across their shoulders and staggered towards the car.

A string of terrible rolls and fumbles led to a pedestrian alerting a policeman. Albert had the bright idea of emptying his hipflask onto the cultist while Irene sobbed over the body. Somehow the copper bought the story of the drunk man taking a tumble in the theatre, took their phoney details, and let them be on their way. James spent the afternoon drowning his sorrows, Horace went in search of disreputable locals, and Irene and Hassam went in search of a copy of Africa’s Dark Sects.

Darling took calls confirming that an appointment had been made with Bradley Grey – Erica Carlyle’s lawyer, and Dr Mordecai Lemming.

No joy was had at the library, nor at an upmarket bookshop, but they did discover the author – Nigel Blackwell. The store owner said he’d see what he could do, and would ring if he had any joy. Horace checked out ‘Eddie’s’ – the men’s club Millie said was frequented by Hilton’s old friends. He approached a man with a ‘Harlem Hellfighters’ badge sewn onto his jacket.

Vague in his intent, Horace threw $50 onto the table and asked that he visit his residence later that evening…

Threads

What did Hilton Adams keep from his wife?
What the hell are they doing in the basement of Ju-Ju House?
Is Mordecai truly just a ‘crackpot’?
Does Erica Carlyle know anything about Robert’s expedition?

Absent: Tomo (Irene).

The chap from Eddie’s turned up that evening, looking rather nervous, but clearly not nervous enough to turn down another $50. Art Mills used to accompany Hilton on his nightly Harlem patrols – he backed off after Adam’s arrest when Robson’s men started hassling him and his family. He didn’t have much in the way of new information but offered any help he could, short of dealing with the police.

Albert switched hotels, and Hassam found a new flophouse.

Wednesday 21st January

The investigator’s turned up early for their appointment with Bradley Grey, Erica Carlyle’s lawyer and gatekeeper. A foppish well-dressed man greeted and seated them in his immaculate office. Following the suggestion that at least some of the expedition might still be alive, he warned them against mentioning the subject to Erica. She has little time for what she considers a closed matter. As a busy business woman, her calendar is rammed for the next couple of weeks – she’s hosting a charity ball this evening, if the group can afford it…

Eric looked into finding Dr Huston’s notes; he paid a visit to the Fenton Mental Institute and discovered that with Huston’s death, his files were placed in storage. They were unwilling to grant access to some random German fresh off the street, so Eric returned with James. James had little joy convincing the rather tired-looking doctor that a surgeon had good reason to see the files, and he really didn’t want to start rummaging through countless boxes. Eric’s donation of a little cocaine was just enough encouragement and they were shown down to the basement.

The files chronicled Roger Carlyle’s gradual descent into madness, with hints that Dr Huston wasn’t far behind his patient.

Everyone met up at Savile Row to get suited and booted at Horace’s expense. While most were tastefully attired, Hassam opted for a white suite and sported a bright red cravat. James proudly wore his military uniform.

The Carlyle Estate was impressive, with expansive grounds surrounded by tall cast iron fencing. Several armed guards could be seen patrolling the grounds with dogs. With their names on the list, they were shown directly into the large mansion. Bradley Grey was very pleased to see Horace again; they made small talk whilst James and Albert took advantage of the quality champagne, Hassam entertained guests with controversial opinions on foreign digs, and Eric looked for a way upstairs. Eric had no joy talking his way past the staff guarding the main steps.

Erica soon made an appearance. An attractive young woman with stylish hair, a flattering red dress, and tasteful adornments. Horace persuaded Bradley to make the introductions and they got on with the business of convincing her to talk about Roger. Eric’s bold assertion that she had her brother killed led to his hasty ejection at the hands of Joe Corey, Erica’s perpetual bodyguard. James managed to smooth-talk his way past this hiccup and she furnished them with some details of her Brother’s travels abroad.

Roger surprised the family by sorting himself out and taking decent enough control of the family business after their father’s death. Alas it did not last long, and during his infatuation with some ‘negro woman, Bunay’, he started coming off the rails once again. His Egyptian-themed dreams led Erica to suggest the services of Dr Robert Huston; she was rather bewildered to discover that Huston was accompanying Roger his on his little expedition. She hoped that the trip would mark the end of the nonsense, and in a way it did. The shareholder’s have been quite satisfied by the company’s performance with her at the helm.

Erica agreed to let them see Roger’s books. She showed them to the library and suggested that they consider the works of Edgar Allan Poe. The group got to work searching the place. Horace managed to destroy some bookshelves, and James shattered the door of a display case – cutting his leg in the process. Albert and Hassam had rather more luck and located a book of Poe’s poems amongst some occult writings; a series of numbers were written on the flyleaf. A button behind the hardback slid the case aside and revealed a safe.

The Pnakotic Manuscripts, Sélections de Livre D’Ivon, Amongst the Stones, and Life as a God were found within. One of the books was bound in rather delicate… leather? The investigators tidied the place (and themselves) up as best they could. James snuck out the side door and the rest left through the main entrance, all meeting up with a rather cold Eric at the gate. They returned to Horace’s brownstone and took a look at their bounty.

The Pnakotic Manuscripts contained English translations of clearly greater work. A cursory study revealed that it mentioned a ‘City of the Great Race’, and some nonsense regarding a spell that might be used to contact its inhabitants. This is a weighty tome that would probably take some time to study fully.

Sélections de Livre D’Ivon was written in French, and could not be deciphered.

Amongst the Stones, authored by Justin Geoffrey in 1918, contained poetry and was bound in an unusual material. One of the poems mentioned the ‘dread ruler Nitocris’ and her regal paraphernalia.

Life as a God was composed of seemingly mad ramblings. Written by Montgomery Crompton in 1810, it details his time in Egypt. He apparently became a minor priest in a group named ‘The Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah’.

While the group pored over the books and their minds quivered (note to self, James and Hassam were unbelievers), they did not notice the figures approaching the house under cover of night. They did however hear the tinkling of glass downstairs, and tooled up to investigate. They discovered several dark-skinned men exiting the boiler room on the ground floor…

Handouts

Roger Carlyle’s patient files
A page from Life as a God
Floorplan of Horace’s brownstone

Absent: Albert (Andy), Horace (Leo).

One of the cultists was armed with the revolver while the rest brandished curved blades menacingly; the gang put up a valiant fight. It started well, with Eric obliterating the closest cultist with his shotgun. Shots were exchanged and the group retreated to the stairwell, aiming to create a bottleneck. James heard a loud crash above as the front door was kicked in – he headed up to confront yet another sword-wielding lunatic.

Hassam bravely kept the attackers at bay at the bottom of the stairs until Eric had a chance to reload and finish off the last of those below. James performed admirably but fell beneath the blade of his opponent. Irene finished off James’ killer by yanking his legs out from beneath him; his head cracked upon the stairs. When it was all over, James lay dead, Eric was unconscious and gravely injured, and Hassam had suffered a brutal slash. Irene called the police and they tended to their wounds.

Detective Poole took down the details of the attack and reiterated that they should keep their nose out of the case. Eric was carted off to hospital and Irene kept him company; Hassam changed flophouse yet again. The gang got back together the following morning.

Thursday 22nd January

Irene decided to head back to Horace’s brownstone and gather what they’d left behind. A bobby was guarding the front door so she nipped round the back and climbed through the broken window. Pocketing James’ revolver and the books from Carlyle’s safe, she beat a hasty retreat when she heard voices out front and glimpsed Poole talking to the constable.

Despite Eric’s condition, he checked out of the hospital and joined Hassam and Irene in speaking to Hilton Adams at Sing Sing prison. While they already knew most of what he could tell them, they did discover that the Harlem disappearances seemed to coincide with a new moon. The next was in two days’ time.

The investigators decided to break into Ju Ju House and take a look when a gathering wasn’t in progress. With the promise of a little coin, Hassam convinced a fellow from his latest flophouse to help out – a man with a particular set of skills…

Alas, the shop’s lock seized when the newcomer applied his trade. Hassam forced it open with a crowbar and they headed straight down the stairs to the sturdy door carved with sigils. Success was had this time around, and the door opened noiselessly. The stone-lined room held what looked like a well, covered with a slab connected by rope to a winch. There was also a curtained doorway, which the group investigated first.

Several bundles wrapped in leopard skin were piled on a desk… along with four clearly deceased individuals. Entrails hung from their stomach and symbols had been carved into their foreheads – much like Jackson Elias. While their latest member bricked it and ran back upstairs, Eric and Elaine moved to the stairs while Hassam fended the creatures off. He got a couple of good hits in but the monstrosities seemed unfazed.

Hassam joined Eric and Elaine. The undead seemed unwilling or enable to leave the room and simply stood at the doorway. Everyone gathered back in the shop and got ready to head out, with plans to call the police. As they left, the sound of a police car’s bell and screeching tyres could be heard. Two officers were running down the alley towards them.

Absent: Eric (Brad), Horace (Leo).

The police officers confronted the group when they were discovered in Ju Ju House. Hassam lured one of them down to the basement and waiting corpses by the doorway; he freaked out and legged back up and out of the shop. The other policemen ran after him as he disappeared through the alley and across the street.

Finding the police car unattended as they left, Hassam checked the boot, found a shotgun, and decided it was time to pay the undead a second visit. This went much more smoothly and the Cimba were left in pieces on the floor. The group raided the curtained alcove and took everything they could find, including:

A pair of taloned gloves.
A shimmering coat made of flamingo and kingfisher feathers.
A copper bowl etched with symbols.
A curiously warm grey metal headband covered in cuneiform.
A copy of Africa’s Dark Sects.
A large brass marine chronometer (deduced to be showing Greenwich Mean Time).
A grotesque headpieces composed of hideous faces carved in wood upon a thick stem and head strap.
A locked petty cash box.
A wooden sceptre carved with hieroglyphics.
A Cult of the Bloody Tongue headpiece, apparently made from a mummified human tongue.

The investigators checked out the well, combining their strength to turn the winch and raise the stone cover. Alistair poked his head over and used his flashlight to take a look. It contained a boiling black mass covered with dozens of human faces, which all wailed in unison as the light hit them. Alistair managed to keep his shit together – they dropped the cover and got the hell out of dodge.

They met back up with Albert at their hotel room and started going through their booty. Africa’s Dark Sects contained an account of cult sacrifices in Kenya, at a place called the Mountain of the Black Wind. Alistair decided to don the headpiece and after a brief period of violent convulsing was mentally transported somewhere far, far away – he floated in space before an enormous black form with three red eyes. They had a discussion, of sorts.

Albert decided to follow suite and had a less enjoyable experience. His mind broke and he was left in a comatose state for the rest of the day. Hassam kept watch over him while Elaine and Alistair took a trip to the library to try and decipher the metal headband. Although something in the back of Alistair’s mind suspected that it was of Atlantean origin, they could not decipher the text.

With the new moon looming, they decided to try and track down Makunga M’Dari at Fat Mabel’s café. Alistair, Irene, and Albert went there for a bite to eat while Hassam kept watch across the street. M’Dari didn’t appear in the café, but a short while later Hassan heard a door slam, footsteps, and M’Ddari was seen walking past Hassam and down the street.

Hassam gave the others the nod and gave chase at a respectful distance. Makunga turned into an alley; Hassam followed.

Wise to his tail, Makunga lay in wait. After a short skirmish, witchcraft was used and Hassam was left with the district impression that his friends were sure to betray him. He wasted no time in assaulting them upon their arrival, but the effect wore off before any real harm was done.

Knowing that M’Dari’s door was not far from Hassam’s stakeout point, they tried the closest door and had a proper look. A wooden box containing vials of coruscating grey liquid were discovered, but not much else. The place had barely been lived in.

Inspector pool received a visit from the party. After some convincing, he said he would look into things. He has a few good men he can trust. The group need to keep their noses out of trouble; he’ll contact them if he needs anything…

Absent: Eric (Brad).

Horace returned to find his brownstone roped off with an officer keeping watch at the door. He was directed to precinct 7a to speak to inspector Poole if details were needed. Off he went, where he caught up with the rest of the gang as they were leaving.

The lord put them up in more luxurious accommodation and they decided to take a look at the locked box found in Ju Ju House. It didn’t take long to open and was brimming with personal effects – pocket watches, wallets, and various jewellery. They were lucky enough to find a couple of names inscribed on some of the pieces and decided to look them at up at the library the following day.

Hassam took a short boat ride and dropped the many-faced mask into the Hudson river, then returned to his flophouse. Irene decided to stay elsewhere.

Friday 23rd January

With the new moon fast approaching, Irene and Alistair wasted no time in researching the names at the library. They had some success, discovering that one of them definitely disappeared around the time of a new moon. Further investigation revealed that there was definitely a pattern – more people were being reported missing around the same time each month, and had been for years. Hilton Adams clearly wasn’t mistaken.

The party hatched a… cunning plan. They would lure M’Dari and his cronies into a trap and ambush them. This involved constructing notes stating that they had the cult’s belongings; if they wanted them back, they would need to meet at a phone box outside an abandoned police station. There a phone call would lead to an old railway station, a Jewish butcher’s, haberdashery, and finally a warehouse at the docks (near Edison Imports). Each would be watched by an investigator, and all would meet up at the warehouse to deal with M’Dari.

They paid a visit to precinct 7a to catch up with Poole; he hadn’t shown up for work today… Guns were purchased in preparation for the evening’s action.

Horace arranged a meeting with a local crime lord – Stanton ‘ice-pick’ Tyler. He offered a lucrative opportunity to branch out into England, and all it would cost is the provision of a few hired guns. An agreement was made, but only one man would be available today. Irene paid a street urchin to post the notes through the doors of M’Dari and N’Kwane.

Unfortunately for Irene, M’Dari was fortunate enough to see the urchin make the delivery. He grabbed and questioned the child, found out where Irene was staying, and followed her to the warehouse. Unaware of her pursuer, she spent the next couple of hours setting the stage for the final showdown. All of the cult’s belongings were piled up on pallets in the middle of the room, doused in gasoline.

Makunga returned with a handful of cultists and confronted Irene. Clear that the odds were not in her favour, she did the sensible thing and surrendered her rifle – counting on them not searching her and finding the derringer. A truck was backed into the warehouse; Irene was bound, nailed into a crate, and driven off.

Meanwhile, everyone was in their allotted spot for the cult’s treasure hunt around town. The scheduled time came and went, and after twenty minutes it became clear that nobody was coming. Horace rang the next spot and they all agreed to head over and meet Irene – she was gone, as were the cultist’s artefacts. It was obvious that things had gone terribly wrong and they headed off to Ju Ju House with Darling and the hired goon in tow.

They wasted no time, kicking down the door and heading straight down to the lower chamber. Except for Horace, of course – he waited by the car ready for their escape. Irene was found tied to a post by the well, with M’Dari holding a dagger to her throat. Three other cultists also lay in wait, along with a familiar face – Lt. Poole. The unfortunate Poole was not looking so hot, he sported a glazed expression and his insides were hanging on the outside. Work to replace the destroyed undead guardians had already begun. Darling saw Poole and lost his mind – he soiled himself, turned and fled directly into the stone wall, and was out for the count.

Makunga weaved his magics upon Alistair, who immediately believed he was back in the Great War, besieged by Germans. Albert ran straight up to Makunga and unloaded his shotgun at point-blank range. No amount of preparation could resist the blast and his chest erupted in a mist of gore. Alistair was back in the room.

Alistair cut Irene free and she entered the fray; swords were swung and weapons discharged. Brave Albert took a Panga blow to the face during the melee.

The fight finally came to an end, leaving the floor slick with blood. Efforts to put Alberts head back together were in vain. They winched up the well’s covering and poured in oil before tossing down a match; the creature’s wailing doubled in intensity. They grabbed the artefacts, Albert’s remains, and headed to the car to make their escape.

In their haste to catch up with Carlton and Jonah before fleeing the country, nothing was done with the personal effects discovered in Ju Ju House’s basement, nor was any dialogue opened with Rosenburg, Millie, or the local police. The group boarded RMS Neptune (first class) and set sail for Southampton. Hilton Adams was executed shortly after their departure.

The group split up and settled themselves onboard RMS Neptune. Horace found a porter waiting by his cabin; he explained that another guest had requested to exchange rooms for sentimental reasons. Horace asked to be introduced to the fellow, and so he was.

The gentleman had recently become a widower and was in fact on his way to England to lay his wife to rest at her family’s country estate. They had left for America on this very ship after their marriage in London – their room had been that which Horace had been assigned. Wishing to revel in nostalgia, Horace could not convince him that one should not live in the past. They supped together in the main dining hall that evening and Horace agreed to his request.

While the group partook of breakfast the following morning, Horace noticed that the gentleman was nowhere to be seen. Shocking. He, Irene, and Erik took a trip to the cabin, and upon receiving no answer, convinced a maid to open the door. She let out a shriek at the sight before her and fled down the corridor. Most of the poor fellow lay on the floor in the middle of the room – the rest was spread over the room.

Alistair and Hassam heard the screams and made their was down, as did Stanners in his cabin opposite. Algenon recognised Horace and they immediately reacquainted themselves before the murder scene. Polite formalities aside, they got on with the business of inspecting both the body and the room. The chap had clearly been caught in the middle of the night, and some sharp implement had been used to gut him from stern to bow. Nothing appeared to have been taken, although they noticed some black powdery scuffs on the carpet and on the door jamb – coal. Irene rooted around and found the fellow’s journal.

The surly captain finally arrived and they were escorted down to an office for questioning. While it was clear that they were too clean and tidy to have been responsible for the killing, he was curious as to why they were there. He was eventually convinced to take Eric and Hassam down to the furnace room to find out who could have done the deed.

The workers’ head man assured the captain that none of his men had left their post. Hassam spotted someone looking shifty and making their way out of the rear of the room. The chase was on. The chase was also short, and they ended up in a cargo hold. Eric and Hassam tooled up and started their search – Eric eventually hearing some mumbled chanting behind some crates. Silas N’Kwane had followed them aboard.

The fight did not go well for old Silas and he ended his days skewered on a breaker bar at the hands of Eric. N’Kwane had clearly been living down here since they set sail. The captain turned up again, thrilled to find yet another murder had taken place. Still, given the circumstances, it appeared the matter had been settled.

The rest of the trip was comparatively uneventful. Irene and Alistair read some wholesome tomes, and everyone settled their nerves and regained their health. They arrived at Southampton docks on Monday the 2nd of February,

Monday 2nd February

They caught the train to London with plans to spend the evening at Algenon’s estate. They still had daylight, so decided to take a trip to the Penhew Foundation. This institute was founded by Sir Aubrey Penhew, a principal member of the Carlyle expedition. A business card had also been discovered amongst Elias’ possessions in his room at the Chelsea Hotel.

The foundation is renowned for its work funding impoverished scholars, including several digs around Egypt. The main building houses a substantial collection of ancient artefacts and the museum is available for visit on most days. They perused the exhibition after asking if they might arrange to speak to the current director – Edward Gavigan. Nothing on display bore any relevance to the items they had found in Ju Ju House.

Énre Filé greeted them. The investigators explained their interest in obtaining equipment and personnel for an exploratory dig in Egypt; Énre assured them that Mr Gavigan would be no doubt be delighted to assist them and a meeting was arranged for Wednesday at 2pm. The group headed back to Horace’s lodge and settled in for the night. Cameron was already there; a relative of Irene.

Irene skipped town, Cameron was brought up to speed and took her place.

Threads

Mickey Mahoney, Editor or the Scoop, and Inspector James Barrington of New Scotland Yard. Both contacts given by Jonah Kensington of Prospero House. He informed them that Jackson had spoken to Barrington when he was in London.

Absent: Hassam (Scott).

Tuesday 3rd February

With a day to kill before their meeting at the Penhew Foundation, Algenon and Horace decided to head for a fitting – they required something more suitable for warmer climes. Eric, Irene, and Alastair headed to London library to do a little research. Eric trashed a book and was rather rude to an attendant; he was asked to leave the premises. The others looked into the Cult of the Bloody Tongue, the Mountain of the Black Wind, and African masks in general. They discovered that the mountain was in Kenya, the Bloody tongue had Egyptian and African roots, and that masks were all the rage in all manner of religions.

Mickey Mahoney at The Scoop was the next stop – a run-down office that was not in the best state of repair. The Irish newspaper editor was sad to hear of Jackson’s demise; he recalled both his visit in late December and interest in several stories he had published. Access was granted to the archives and Alistair managed to dig out the pieces that were mentioned:

An up and coming artist in Chelsea who was painting bizarre but popular art.
A streak of Murders involving Egyptian nationals.
An outlandish tail of an encounter with a creature in Glasgow
Savage killings in Derbyshire – allegedly by a beast.

Wednesday 4th February

The party arrived promptly for their 2pm appointment. Mr Filé showed them through, and on the way they noticed a single red door next to Gavigan’s office – apparently a storeroom. During their meeting, they decided to drop the pretence of seeking assistance with a dig in Egypt and confessed that they were looking into Jackson Elias. He recalled Elias’ visit and interest in the Carlyle Expedition; he considered Jackson a sensationalist. During the talk, Alastair got the impression that Edward was not being entirely forthcoming.

Keen to see any notes or records of the Carlyle Expedition, they did their best to charm and convince Gavigan. He eventually gave in and wandered off to see what was available. While he was out, they did their best to explore the room. Cameron checked out the cupboards on the wall adjacent to the storeroom and discovered a panel that swung inwards. The storeroom beyond was filled with boxes… and a large Sarcophagus.

Upon Gavigan’s return, Eric bought them some time by demanding that he be shown to the bathroom personally. The discussion went downhill rather rapidly and he was once again ejected from the premises. The group were unable to pry the lid of the Egyptian piece, so quickly put things back as they’d found them and took their seats. With the mood soured from his encounter with Eric, Edward ushered them out and on their way.

The investigators visited Inspector James Barrington at New Scotland Yard. With Eric’s US police credentials, they managed to convince him to talk both about Elias Jackson and the recent ‘Egyptian Murders’. A string of 19 murders had occurred over the last three years – 17 of the victims were from Egypt. While they had all been beaten savagely, the killing blow had been a sharp spike through the chest. Inspector Munsen had been on the case but disappeared six months ago.

Barrington has taken over but had little success. He has spoken with several prominent Egyptian figures and experts in such fields, including Edward Gavigan – Gavigan seemed an upstanding individual. Zahra Shafik, the owner of Empire Spices, seemed a little less reputable. Barrington could never place his finger on exactly what seemed off about her, but his investigation found nothing he could use.

While everyone was in agreement that they needed to break into the Penhew Foundation, they felt that tonight was too soon – it could wait until tomorrow. For now they would explore other avenues. Alastair headed back to The Scoop and got the address of Miles Shipley, the artist. They all headed off to 20 Holbein Mews.

Shipley’s residence was in stereotypical working-class neighbourhood. The group noted the iron bars that covered every window – not unheard of in London. Eric waited around the back of the property in case anyone made a run for it. Miles’ mother answered the door – Martha was perhaps in her seventies, and pleasant enough to the group. She invited them in and a strong odour redolent of a reptile house was immediately noticed.

They were shown up to Miles; a strange and pale fellow residing in a darkened attic room. Martha offered tea, and Cameron was good enough to help her in the kitchen. The group continued to grill Miles as to the source of his inspiration.

Meanwhile, Cameron noticed that Martha’s shadow did not seem to reflect her size. She noticed his gaze and smiled menacingly before lunging at him. Martha’s form grew throughout the struggle, towering into a 7-foot lizard man. Eric saw the silhouettes through the window and burst his way in – immediately going catatonic at the sight. Algenon made his way downstairs when the commotion kicked off, and the others restrained Miles. Cameron put up a brave fight and eventually defeated the creature; sealing the deal by hammering a knife into its chest with a rolling pin.

Eric snapped back to reality. He, Algenon, and Cameron proceeded back upstairs, just in time to see Patsy blow Mile’s right kneecap off with his revolver – at Horace’s command.

Handouts

It Almost Had Me!
Slaughter Continues!
Police Baffled By Monstrous Murders!
Shocking Canvases Craze!

Absent: Alastair (Si), Cameron (Tomo).

With ‘Martha’ despatched and Miles passed on the floor, the gang set about searching the house. They discovered a makeshift apothecary down in the cellar, along with the mangled, half-eaten remains of a woman. They checked out that cupboard containing the artist’s work in progress – Eric fell into a trance and walked towards it, but the rest snapped him out of it and Hassam cut the picture down. Miles was brought around and begged for his life. He stated that the lizardman served as his muse, providing the precious medicine required for the visions he put to canvas.

Hassam found and destroyed Miles’ psychoactive drug, the others rolled the lizard up in a rug, and a van was called. A anonymous tip was given to the police and the group headed back to Horace’s lodge.

That evening, Eric, Algenon, and Hassam staked out the Penhew Foundation whilst Horace set about ‘conditioning’ Miles. He learned that Miles had ultimately been under the lizardman’s sway and had occasionally needed to feed the creature. Local harlots were the target of choice – nobody would miss them. Horace put his hypnotherapy skills to use and altered recent memories…

Meanwhile, the rest caught sight of a Ferris & Sons van turning up and being loaded by men of possibly Egyptian descent. They also observed the night watch’s routine – one guard patrolled the grounds whilst another moved through the building with a torch. This happened about once an hour, on the hour. Upon their return to the lodge, they had Miles shipped off to an asylum.

Thursday 5th February

The group geared up and headed back to the Penhew foundation the very next night, taking both the van and several ladders. They scaled the fence, left a ladder hidden the grass, and broke in through the window to the secret storeroom. Hassam’s examination of the sarcophagus revealed that the eyes could be depressed – and he did so.

A mechanical whirring noise accompanied the lid lifting to reveal a steep staircase. Gavigan’s secret study was a treasure trove of books, scrolls, artwork, and assorted paperwork. Of note was a large statue of a corpulent woman wearing a rice hat, a smaller bronze sculpture of a weird dragon (taken by Horace), a business card for Empire Spices, receipt for a truck rental from Ferris & Sons, a message from the Clive Expedition, and another receipt for a walk-in safe – installed at a manufacturing plant in Derby. A princely sum of £20,000 was discovered. Hassam took one of the books written in Arabic (Whispers of Shaitan) and an ornate set of silver daggers.

They decided to look around Gavigan’s office upstairs before heading out. Although the safe couldn’t be breached, they broke open his desk draw and found a rather incriminating letter addressed to ‘Pale Viper’. The unfolded letter had clearly not yet been sent, and the heading at the top of the page referenced ‘Misr House’. The investigators noticed that the photograph of Gavigan before a stately home had the very same words written in the bottom-right corner. They awaited the next guard patrol and then slipped out into the night.

Friday 6th February

With Gavigan a confirmed wrong’un, a trip to Walton-on-the-Naze was on the cards. They drove up to Essex and found Misr house; it was accessible only by a low causeway, and with the tide on the way back in, they opted to revisit the next day. They took up lodgings in The Hook and Barrow, where a casual conversation with landlord Frank Miller revealed that Gavigan was well-regarded but rarely at his family home – he is rumoured to live in a flat in Mayfair. Apparently Edward Gavigan fell out with his family at a young age and only came into the family fortune upon their demise. The group informed Frank that they were in town for a spot of birdwatching and he suggested that a boat might be hired locally for some of the more reclusive coastal birds.

Saturday 7th February

New dawn, new day. Everyone headed across to Misr house and walked around the estate. The place looked pretty much abandoned, but an open fire could be seen burning after a peek through one of the back windows. The servant’s entrance was locked, so they headed round to the front door and rang the bell…

Handouts

Receipts and business card
Letter to ‘Pale Viper’

Threads

Jack Brady may be alive, in Shanghai.
Is Zahra Shafik involved with Edward Gavigan, and how?
What is the ‘beast’ reported in Derbyshire?
How is Gavigan involved with Henson Manufacturing?
What is being shipped out of the Penhew Foundation?

Absent: Alastair (Si), Cameron (Tomo).

The oriental housemaid had barely a chance to speak before the group bundled her into the house, kicking and screaming. She was tied to a chair and gagged.

Thus began the search of Misr house. The group split up, with Erik heading down to the servant level and Hassam checking upstairs; Horace and Algenon checked out the ground floor. The place looked fairly bare and unoccupied – clearly Gavigan didn’t spend much of his time here. Hassam discovered a silver headpiece in the master bedroom, along with a fine modern clock and painting of a dark pharaoh.

Eric discovered a closet of ceremonial robes of varying quality, all bearing an inverted ankh. Both he and Hassam decided to take a tour of the extensive grounds. The found a stone obelisk in the middle of a paved area; close inspection revealed patches of dried blood of various ages. They noted a tall tower beyond the island, and upon finding a row boat moored near the house, took a trip over to inspect it.

The chain securing the entrance had been broken, and the tower was essentially empty. Some old, soggy shag tobacco was found at the top, where they had a good view of the house and much of the surrounding area.

Horace and Algenon investigated a couple of suits of armour astride the large fireplace in the main hall. Following some poking and prodding of one set, the armour and fixing swung out to reveal a narrow stone staircase. The room below was dark, and essentially a small study it – was lined with countless books, scrolls, assorted ingredients, and some strange-looking sickly plants. Incriminating letters were also secured.

Horace recognised some of the ingredients as those used in rituals and spell crafting, while a book named ‘Song of the Djinn’ caught Algenon’s eye. A small bust of a black pharaoh and set of keys was also pocketed before they wandered into an adjacent room. The side room was clearly a holding area, with several iron cages along the length. Something in the hay caught Horace’s eye and he used the keys to investigate one of the cells. A wallet, apparently belonging to an Inspector Munsen.

Hassam and Eric returned to join Horace and Algenon, and while getting ready to leave, noticed a blue Bentley coming down the drive. Gavigan stepped out, and the group dragged the housemaid down into the secret area before beating a hasty retreat out the back. They took the boat back to the tower and watched from afar. Gavigan’s car did not move, and after some deliberation they decided that this may be the opportunity to deal with a clearly very evil man.

They slipped back into the house and discovered the armour had been moved aside. Creeping closer, Hassam could make out some sorting of chanting. They hastened down but were met with a darkness on its way up. This dark misty form did its best to asphyxiate the investigators, but they just about managed to break free from its tendrils and retreat into the main hall. It seemed reluctant to move any closer to the windows and skulked beneath the dining table.

They decided to inspect the Bentley before they fled, locating a jerry can of petrol. This was turned into a Molotov Cocktail and thrown (from some distance) down the stairwell. Screams could be heard, and as the house filled with smoke and the creature of darkness became ever braver, they escaped by boat and circled back round on land. Locals were gathering and the fire brigade was eventually called.

They returned to Horace’s lodge to plan their next move, but upon arriving found the front door ajar. They quietly made their entry and began looking around. Nothing much seemed out of place, except for the housekeeper who was slumped in the corner of a reception room. He was covered in blood, and three of his fingers had been cut off – they lay on the floor beside him. Some men of ‘eastern origin’ forced their way inside and eventually ‘encouraged’ him to open the safe – everything inside had been taken. Merely a few thousand in petty cash according to Horace. They tended to his wounds as best they could before summoning an ambulance.

Sunday 8th February

With Gavigan’s paperwork documenting items going in and out of Henson Manufacturing in Derby, the group headed up to take a look at the place. It seemed rather over-staffed with security guards for an industrial unit. Surrounded by a tall iron fence, several brick and wooden buildings filled the lot.

Threads

Who broke into Horaces’s lodge, and for what were they looking?
Is Zahra Shafik involved with Edward Gavigan, and how?
What is the ‘beast’ reported in Derbyshire? Is it related to Henson Manufacturing?
What is going in and out of Henson Manufacturing from China and Australia, and why?
What occurred at the obelisk in Gavigan’s grounds?
Is the Blue Pyramid club merely a social group for Egyptian nationals?

Absent: Alastair (Si), Algenon (Andy).

The group headed off to the Flog and Molly for a spot of Sunday lunch whilst they mulled over their approach. The fare was good, and the ale was warm. They overheard a group of nearby men chatting about work around a pint, and one of them mentioned the local manufacturing plant.

The workers eventually finished their drinks and headed out into the night air – the investigators followed and Cameron caught the attention of the man he’d upset. They made amends, and in his inebriated and suggestable state, he invited them round his for a nightcap. More drinks were had and the fellow was eventually confessed that Henson’s Manufacturing was doing secret work for the war office. He didn’t know what they were building, but it was important.

Cameron took the opportunity to show what he was made of; flush with a crisp note from Horace, he bought a round of drinks and got to know the locals. He plied them with drink for some time, but pushed his luck with constant questions and inquiries about Henson’s. Cameron rejoined the others and they watched from a distance.

Erik saw his chance to cause some mischief. Within a short spell he had the formerly satisfied employee angry about the his boss and ready for revenge. Back out onto the streets and towards the plant they went.

Horace, Cameron, and Hassam found a dark spot down the side while Eric goaded the drunken fool into mooning the gate guard. Alas, he tried to run away with his trousers down and was knocked out cold. Eric led the nightman on a merry dance.

The rest of them managed to clamber over the tall iron fence, although Cameron caught himself on the way down. They headed straight for a side entrance to the main building and forced the door. The place looked much as one would expect, although the tools ranged from the mundane to the curiously specific. They took a trip up to the foreman’s office and found what they were looking for – a large walk-in cast-iron safe.

The thing looked borderline impenetrable, but with some quick thinking Cameron sourced some sulphuric acid down in the warehouse. The process of applying the acid to the hinges took hours, but eventually the door clattered to the floor – just as the guards headed in on patrol.

They bolted for the stairs as the guards closed in. Cameron threw the canister of acid down the stairs, then he deftly jumped the rail. Hassam followed in a less graceful manner. Horace was more pragmatic – he threw his coat into the puddle and tootled across. The guard saw his opportunity and tried to follow suit. Alas, luck was not on his side; the coat slid from beneath him and he rolled around screaming as his skin melted.

They bolted for the far door, taking a ladder with them. Cameron performed an act of kindness and hit the sprinkler system on the way through. The water sprayed out, splashing exothermic acid everywhere. The screams of the boiling man heightened as they disappeared up the ladder and into the night. Smart enough to not hang around to deal with the consequences, the group jumped into Horace’s car and headed out. Destination – Lesser Edale, the place mentioned in one of The Scoop’s articles of interest to Elias.

Monday 9th February

The arrived in the early hours and enjoyed breakfast while poring over the contents of the safe. A weird glass tube containing odd components, and a very advanced schematic. Thankfully Hassam and Erik had some Mechanical and Electrical knowledge – they eventually deduced that it was for some sort of propulsion system.

Horace knew of Lord Vane, the ruler of these local lands. After a natter with the waitress about the recent deaths, he headed off to Plum Castle to make a formal introduction.

Hassam, Cameron, and Erik visited the police station (merely the constable’s home) and asked him about the black beast that the officer had shot. Tumwell was convinced he had killed the creature that had brutally murdered two locals and injured one other. He didn’t find the body, but it definitely went off to die somewhere in the woods.

Horace noted a piece of torn white cloth on a thornbush in the estate grounds, and an impressive mausoleum just beyond the castle. Lord Vane was out of town, but his son, Lance, welcomed him into the family home.

There was much discussion. Horace asked to post his respects to Lance’s grandfather and investigated the family tomb. Through some skilful manipulation, Horace convinced Lance to tell him about his sister, Eloise. Something is very wrong with her, but the good reverend is looking into it. Horace mentioned his close friend and skill full doctor… Erik. He was sure he’d be able to help the Vanes out. Speaking of the devil, the rest of the investigators wandered up to the house and got to know the local lord’s son.

Erik convinced Lance to introduce him to Eloise, and they were led down to the castle’s dungeon. There Eloise lay sleeping, naked, in a locked cell. Erik gave her a ‘medical’ examination and noted a gunshot wound that had healed fairly well. They bid Lance good day and said they would check in with the reverend to see what he had discovered…

Threads

What is wrong with Eloise, and how is the Revend supposed to be of help?
What occurred at the obelisk in Gavigan’s grounds?
Is the Blue Pyramid club merely a social group for Egyptian nationals?
What is being built in Shanghai from the parts made in Derby?

Absent: Horace (Leo), Algenon (Andy).

Alistair breezed into town after a brief stay with his sister, Vanessa. He received a message from her shortly after leaving – there was something they needed to discuss.

The group paid a visit to the vicarage to find out what the reverend could tell them of Eloise Vane; he wasn’t at home, but the housekeeper directed them to the church. There they took a moment to examine the gravestones to see if deaths regularly coincided with a full moon. Most did not, but the two most recent deaths certainly did – silver crosses had been placed on their headstones.

Reverend Jeremy Stratton ushered them into the vestry, where he received rather rough treatment at the hands of Cameron. Jeremy had been trying to translate one of his predecessor’s journals – scribed in a mad mix of Latin and Greek. He wasn’t having much joy – so far he had only made out that a curse was said to have been placed on the Vanes many generations ago. Angelina Vane had testified at a witch trial, and the defendants allegedly hexed her blood before they were burned at the stake.

This supposed curse tended to affect mainly the women, and there could often be generations between ‘incident’. The gang’s keen eyes also noted a piece of paper headed ‘Derwent Valley Order of the Golden Druid’ and the poor fellow was grilled over that, too. It was little more than a local history club with a grand name.

With it being all too obvious that Eloise was a werewolf, it was decided that they should investigate the castle’s grounds more thoroughly. Horace had noted earlier that a corner of the family mausoleum looked cleaner than the rest; they headed there and discovered a hinged flagstone in the floor. Below was an old metal ladder, leading to a stone passage and eventually a small chamber. There they found a dark stone statue and offering bowl – Erik recognised the form to be Mordiggian, a charnel god of rather poor repute. The offering bowl looked like it may once have contained blood but it was decades old.

The passage continued but stopped abruptly at a brick wall. Some sort of mechanism sat high in the ceiling, and following some poking and prodding of the brickwork by Hassam, the wall swung inwards. The now empty cell that held Eloise the night before was unlocked, and the investigators took the liberty of seeing if they could find her. Cameron placed an old kettle on the stove and they headed upstairs, eventually finding the young woman doing some embroidery by her bedroom window.

Clearly unaware of her condition, she quickly became nervous enough to call for help. The kettle sounded and they made a hasty retreat before they got into further trouble.

Alistair paid a trip to Constable Tumwell to make use of the only phone in the village. He charmed his way in by playing to his ego and asking to hear the tale of Tumwell’s recent brave deeds. He called Vanessa, who said she had a message for him but refused to go into further details until they met in person. She would be in London for the rest of the week.

With the notion that the black altar to Mordiggian may be related the curse, the gang tooled up and returned to the mausoleum that evening. Erik made short work of the statue while the rest continued to the concealed dungeon entrance. Hassam could hear growling on the other side of the wall, followed by the groan of chains as it started to open. Hassam was able to disable the mechanism in time, but a large hairless army lashed out through the gap. Cameron pinned it against the wall while Erik lay into it with a sledgehammer. There were howls and the arm was withdrawn.

A hasty retreat was beat, but the wall was forced in. Hassam donned his lion claw gloves and prepared to make a brave last stand, but was quickly backed up by Erik and Cameron. The monstrous looming form bounded down the passage towards them, but Erik was ready with his shotgun resting upon Hassam’s shoulder. The creature bore both barrels and immediately hit the ground, then morphed back into the mangled form of Eloise. The curse had been lifted… in a manner.

Wednesday 11th February

Wise enough to know that sticking around was probably a bad idea, they caught the first train back to London. While travelling they noticed a headline on a newspaper being read by a passenger. Gavigan, the renowned Egyptologist, was due to open the British Empire Exhibition. He had somehow managed to escape the fire at his country estate.

Alistair was keen to speak to his sister before they left. They paid her a visit, made their introductions, and she asked if the name Jackson Elias rang a bell. While Alistair knew his sister and was not overly surprised, the rest were particularly curious. As if she had expected their arrival, she led them through to the dining room – already prepared for the séance. Vanessa asked them to join hands whilst she summoned Jackson’s spirit.

The single candle at the table flared as she uttered various familiar voices; first Albert, then James, and finally Jackson. The conversation was unhelpful, disjointed, and brief.

The candle flared brighter as a deep an ominous voice emerged – one Eric and Hassam recognised to be the same that came from Larkin in Peru. This message was clear. The group should cease their meddling; they need not be at odds, favourable agreements could be made. Otherwise….

The candle roared and started to singe the ceiling, while Vanessa’s fingers snapped and twisted one by one. Alistair leapt to shake her awake, but he she immediately screamed and erupted into flame. Hassam tore down the thick curtains and smothered the flames quickly, but it was too late. Her charred body lived only long enough to whisper a few words to her brother – they are coming for you…

Absent: Alastair (Si), Cameron (Tomo).

The gang left Alastair to grieve over the remains of his charred sister. There were a couple of days until the Exhibit opening, so they decided to look into the Blue Pyramid Club and Empire Spices.

Everyone headed over to the club and Hassam signed up as a member. He chatted to the barman/owner and their discussion caught the attention of one of the waitresses. She slipped him a note asking him to meet her outside by ‘the arches’ at 2330 – which he did. Yalesha warned of Shafik, and said that once a month people from the club would head out of London in lorries. Her boyfriend Badru had gone missing and she feared he was dead.

Hassam gave Horace’s details to Yalesha. She could flee there if she felt the danger was too great.

Thursday 12th February

Onto Empire Spices. Albert, Algenon, and Hassam headed into the store while Eric skulked around the rear; he hopped over the wall and made his way inside through the coal chute. Everything looked pretty standard for a spice shop – jars of aromatics, herbs, assorted boxes, a large antique mirror surrounded by black candles that smelled of pork, and manacles bolted to the wall. Eric also found a wooden club with a metal spike. He was eventually discovered by a young boy, who he convinced that he was looking for the toilet.

Meanwhile upstairs, the group made out to be businessmen in need of large quantities of condiments. Zahra said she would talk to her wholesalers and that they should check back in a couple of days. Eric and the boy appeared on the shop floor and Zahra was most displeased – the investigators saw her give the lad a clip around the ear as they departed.

A call was made to Inspector Barrington and they convinced him that Shafik really was a villain, just as he’d suspected. He turned up with another officer who guarded the front as he barged his way downstairs. The club was gone, but Eric convinced the abused boy to help and he sheepishly pointed towards the pile of coal. Barrington needed no further convincing – Zahra was taken into custody.

The investigators later returned and had a proper look around the lower level. Hassam found a secret compartment within a dresser – it contained a couple of sandstone vials, a scroll of hieroglyphics, and silk ceremonial robe. They also took the antique mirror.

Horace made a call to Icepick and arranged for five goons to be sent down. Their rates were high, but money was rarely a concern.

Saturday 14th February

The streets were crowded for the grand opening of the British Empire Exhibit. As Gavigan displayed discomfort during his speech, some in the party caught a momentary glimpse of severe burns and scarring down one side of his face. It lasted only a moment. Everyone followed at a distance as Gavigan headed into the exhibit, as did the five goons hired by Horace.

Gavigan loitered around an exhibit for twenty minutes, looking increasingly irritated. Eventually he departed by car and Horace had the goons follow. Eric and Hassam headed to Empire Spices to see if Gavigan was looking for Zahra. Horace and Algenon returned to the lodge and waited to hear back from the hired help.

Once again they popped around to the rear. They saw the boy through the basement window and he waved them away frantically. The rear door opened and Zahra stood brazenly before them. An exceptionally brief (but civil) conversation was had before Eric raised his shotgun and fired both barrels into her chest. She flew 10 feet back and landed loudly on the floor…. then got back to her feet in a much more disagreeable mood. Her dress was in shreds, and the flesh beneath seemed far more chitinous and scaly than it should.

She raised her hand, whispered some words, and eric weakened – immediately looking more wizened as a streak of his hair turned grey. Zahra stood a little more upright and somehow looked younger than a few moments before. Hassam stepped in to help as Eric reloaded; she deftly dodged his attack and responded by spitting venomous liquid into his face. Eric aimed high on the second volley and obliterated her head – she did not get up a second time.

Meanwhile, Algenon and Horace snuck their way into Gavigan’s London residence in Mayfair…

Absent: Eric (Brad), Cameron (Tomo).

Algenon and Horace made their way up to the penthouse suite and demolished the door. A thorough search was completed, but nothing too suspicious or incriminating could be discovered. They roughed the place up to make it seem a little more like a robbery and headed back to the lodge to catch up with the rest of the group.

They discussed their discoveries at Empire Spices and Horace put in a call to a professor of chemistry to see if they could get the vials from the basement analysed. Horace shortly received another call from Stanton ‘ice-pick’ Tyler – he was most displeased with his men being marched into an apparent ambush. Stanton said that he’d received a phone call from one of his men (his wife’s nephew) that didn’t make much sense, but he expected Horace to pick him up and find out what had happened. Harry was at The King’s Head in Dulwich.

They piled into Horace’s Phantom and Darling drove them straight there; Horace headed in and found Harry vacantly staring into the fire – his shirt was blood-stained. Apparently he and his companions had tailed the car around London before arriving at a warehouse. They tooled up and headed in, but the man in the lead suddenly turned on them and started firing; then another did the same. Harry managed to make it out, but he had no idea what the hell happened.

Horace asked further questions; Harry’s demeanour changed suddenly when Gavigan’s name was mentioned. He pulled an ornate silver blade from his jacket, uttered ‘Gavigan….. Edward Gavigan sends his regards’, then jabbed the blade into his own throat and started sawing.

Blood started pouring, the locals started screaming, and the rest of the group headed inside. Everyone in the party felt the hairs on their neck stand up, followed shortly by a thud upstairs. They headed up and heard more noise coming from the roof, so Hassam stepped outside to take a look. A very large, very black silhouette emerged over the apex of the roof. It moved forward, spread its wings and roared.

The investigators sensibly hauled ass back into the car and Darling took off at breakneck speed. Alistair peeked out the back and saw the creature launch itself into the air, scattering roof tiles across the street – the chase was on. The gap was soon closed, and following a few pot-shots from Algenon, it swooped down and tore the roof off the Phantom as though it were foil. Hassam ducked down beneath the seats.

A crowd of people had gathered in the road up ahead, and while Darling tried to evade, Hassam jammed his fist upon the pedal and sent the onlookers over the bonnet as they sped through. The beast swooped again, but missed as Alistair unloaded a shotgun. The end of the road approached, and opting not to try the narrow alley directly ahead, Darling tried a hard turn at speed. The back end lost traction and the car spun out of control – hitting the entrace to the alley.

The monster landed, clumsily ran towards the car, and threw it clean across the street. Most were moderately injured, but Darling and Alistair came off the worst. As the creature approached to finish the job, Alistair went for a Hail Mary and grabbed Horace’s torch. The things reared back against the light as smoke poured from its skin, before turning tail and flying off into the night.

The hopital doctor had clearly had a long shift, but he did his best to patch the chaps up before they limped back to the lodge. Horace rang Ice-Pick to relay the news, but it was quite poorly received. In an effort to provide some protection for himself, and son during his absense, Horace made a call to Birmingham and arranged for some assistance from a group currently on the rise.

Hassam headed off to his flop hose and Alistair decided to take a closer look at the mirror from Empire Spices. Armed with Hassam’s translations and knowledge of various cult artefacts, he deduced that this might be a scrying mirror – quite possibly the Mirror of Gal! He smeared an inverted ankh across the mirror using the contents of one of the sandstone vials, then placed a dab from the other vial beneath his tongue.

He concentrated on Hassam, and his visage appeared within the mirror – he was tending to matters in his room. Alistair tried again, this time focusing on Edward Gavigan. The image shifted, showing someone in ceremonial garb before an obelisk in a stone courtyard. They were backed by many others wearing similar clothes. Alistair witnessed several chained people led out and tied to the obelisk; the ritual participants stepped forward and took it in turns to beat the prisoners with clubs. Gavigan eventually stepped forward and swung the sharp end of a club straight into the chest of one victim, and Alistair had seen enough.

16th – 27th February

The group set sail for Egypt, making the most of the next two weeks by recovering, reading, or honing their skills. Algenon decided to bring the family along; they had friends over there from his time in the service, and the men would surely be pleased to see them all again. Alistair completed a thorough review of Africa’s Dark Sects and believed he had discovered the makings of a ritual – one that could potentially bring the recently deceased back into the light. All he needed was a test subject….

As useful as Percy had been to Horace, he could not longer trust that Ice-Pick wouldn’t make him a tool for revenge. He treated him to one last (tainted) drink, and watched him die. Alistair had his candidate.

Something happened. Fill in later.

The process was grim, but Alistair kept it together as he spooned out Percy’s eyes and cut off his tongue. He followed the ritual to the letter, and after 14 hours of intense concentration, Percy rose again. He was slow, blind, and clumsy – but he was obediant. Having served its purpose, the sorry creature was instructed to plunge itself into the sea.

Saturday 28th February

The ship arrived at the Suez Canal and the the investigators took a train to Cairo. Algenon had telegrammed ahead and was dismayed not to be met by anyone from the regiment. In the hustle and bustle of the busy streets, it wasn’t long before a local approached the group to recommend the ‘finest hotel in Cairo’. Being of Egypt, Hassam knew better, and the investigators headed off to Hotel Somerset.

Absent: Cameron (Tomo), Alastair (Si).

The group made acquiring a gun licence their first priority, securing an assortment of pistols and rifles before splitting up and heading their separate ways. Hassam and Eric were off to the Egyptian Museum to catch up with Hassam’s archaeology mentor, while Algenon and Horace took a trip to his old barracks.

Algenon was greeted by a familiar face, where he was dismayed to discover that a sickness seemed to be sweeping through the men. The locals have been giving the place a wide berth and minimal guards were on duty. He asked to see the regiment’s doctor and they were led into the makeshift hospital. The doctor explained that one by one the chaps had been falling into a feverish coma – most died within weeks. Feeling they had learned all they could, they went to catch up with the others.

Meanwhile, Dr Ali Kafour and Hassam caught up. He went on to answer their questions:

• He met Jackson Elias once; he had plenty of questions about the Carlyle Expedition but failed to appear for their second meeting.
• He used to regularly meet with Aubrey Penhew to discuss various ancient Egyptian matters. Penhew changed before his demise in Kenya, becoming more standoffish and hostile.
• The current Penhew Foundation dig team uncovered what he believes to be the mummy of Nitocris at the Mycerinus pyramid – the smallest of those on the Giza Plateau. Dr Henry Clive claimed it not to be such, but it may now be impossible to know – both the remains and the sarcophagus disappeared mysteriously one evening. That the alabaster would have weighed tonnes made its prompt transport even more curious.
• An archaeologist named Janwillem Van Heuvelen from the dig team was subsequently dismissed.

Next on the agenda was Faraz Najjar, a name that had appeared on paperwork at Jackson’s flat. Hassam led them to the Street of Jackals – the site of Najjar’s antiquities shop. Alas, the shop was no more; it had burned down four or five years ago. Locals protected themselves with the evil eye ward as they walked by, and upon questioning spoke of fiery demons that had brought judgment down upon the shopkeeper. Faraz’s new business could be found on the less salubrious Street of Potters.

Najja was not receptive to their talk of the Roger Carlyle. He waved a jewelled scimitar and shrieked for help from the locals, who promptly came to his aid. Horace received a bit of a kicking as they beat a hasty retreat. Hassam went back when things had calmed down and managed to win him around. He agreed to meet with Hassam at the local mosque the next day.

Sunday 1st March

The rest of the investigators took up key positions around the mosque, with Albert and Algenon outside a coffee shop and Eric at the rear. Faraz told Hassam of his dealings with Carlyle through a local intermediary – a Frenchman named Warren Besart. He cursed that they’d ever met.

Besart informed Najjar that he was interested in several artefacts, and of rumours as to their whereabouts – in the possession of a locally-respected businessman named Omar-Al-Shakti. Faraz stole them from Omar, not realising at the time that he was a high priest in the Brotherhood of the Black Pharoah. This was a group he had no desire to be involved with ever again. A wise woman named Nuri was mentioned – her son was a hired hand while Carlyle was in the area.

The French embassy was able to furnish them with Besart’s current address, which was stated simply as ‘The Red Door, Street of Scorpions’. The man who opened the door was most certainly not French and claimed to know nobody by that name. Movement was spotted behind a curtain in a back room and Eric decided that enough nonsense had been uttered; he knocked the man to the floor and they barged through to confront Besart.

Besart eventually sang them a sorry tale. He had witnessed the Carlyle group perform a ritual in the sands near Giza; they summoned nightmarish creatures which massacred and devoured the hired help. His mind broken, he wandered the dunes aimlessly for who knows how long before he was picked up by a kindly old woman. She cared for him for many months until he was finally well enough to rejoin the world.

Well enough is overly generous. Warren is a broken man finding solace only in whatever cheap opioids he can scrounge.

On to Van Huevelen, a man who likes a drink. The group plied him liberally until drunkenly slurred his story of the missing sarcophagus and his unfair dismissal. There was no way the artefacts could have been carried out in such a short time, and although he’d had a drink, he couldn’t possibly be held accountable! He was also coerced into discussing his latest work; he has discovered ancient scrolls which he was currently translating. After a cursory glance, Hassam recognised a reference to Bast – a feline deity.

The investigators headed off to the Mycerinus pyramid to inspect the site of the stolen sarcophagus. It was truly empty, but some studious attention to the walls revealed a breeze through some cracks. After further poking and prodding, a section slid inwards…

Threads

How was the sarcophagus moved so quickly, and without trace?
Are there any news archives regarding the Carlyle expedition?
Who was Queen Nitocris?
What artifacts were stolen from Omar-Al-Shakti?