Everyone gathers in the Major’s den and plots their next steps, in the evening.
Hughes recalls hearing that several of the missing or deceased persons in the Egyptian Murders case disappeared on or around a new moon. The next New Moon is this Saturday, Feb. 21st.
The Major and Young agree to surveil Gavigan over the next few days.
Schmidt makes the connection between Khat, one of the drugs that al-Sayed supplies, and and the green resin found on several of the Bloody Tongue cultists in NYC.
The group refreshes their information on The Egyptian Murders: a string of 26 unsolved murders and disappearances over the last 3 years. Most recently the man found floating in the Thames just over 3 weeks ago.
Dr. Schmidt. Henry Brinded, and Stephen Hughes visit The Blue Pyramid, hoping to gain information on Abdul Nawisha, the owner, and his possible connection to the Egyptian murders, as several of the known deceased were said to have frequented his club.
Hughes persuades one of the waitresses into sitting with them and witnessing his mind-reading powers. With his keen mentalist abilities, he is able to tell that she is worried about something, or more likely someone, close to her.
One of the dancers sees the group asking questions, and slips them a note saying to meet later.
While waiting, Hughes phones the Major but gets no answer, and near midnight, a few blocks from The Blue Pyramid, the dancer, named Yalesha, talks to the group. She is worried about her missing boyfriend, and knows that, about once a month or so, a truckload of people is loaded up from The Blue Pyramid and heads out of the city. She is convinced that this is connected to the murders, and claims that several of the victims were seen getting into that truck. Yalesha gets the Major’s phone number to contact the group. Everyone heads back to the Major’s.
In the morning, there is still no sign of the Major, Young, or Harkov.
Hughes, Schmidt, and Brinded find no sign of the others outside the Penhew Foundation.
Neither have they checked in at The Scoop, though Mahoney puts the others in touch with Seamus and Conor, his nephews. They are hired as muscle for £5/day for the pair, and their cars, which are kept ready at the Major’s.
Mahoney tells you that he’s learned Gavigan recently, in the last few years, acquired a country estate in the moors of Essex called Misr House. Schmidt learns that “Misr” is Arabic for “Egypt.”
The group avails themselves of the Major’s gun case, expecting trouble, and hunker down to wait for either the Major’s return or a phone call from Yalesha.

Dr. Schmidt goes to the offices of The Scoop, where he fills Mahoney in on their latest adventures and receives £50 for their work so far. The everyone but the Hon. Major heads to the Royal Society.
The group enters the offices of Prof. Victor Florencio, who is very excited about the books the group had previously left there for study (the books from the Shipley house basement). The three books date to 40,000 years ago, as far as anyone can tell, and the society is all aflutter about them.
The first volume seems to have been committed to paper in that time, but at some point in the second book the ink age seems to be hundreds, not thousands, of years old. The ink gets increasing recent, ending with the half-filled third volume, which looks to have been written in as recently as weeks or months ago. Everyone returns to the Hon. Major’s.
After a disconcerting meeting with Edward Gavigan, director of the Penhew Foundation, about the artifacts he was very keen on examining. That evening, they sneak into the Foundation, and discover Gavigan and some Limehouse-looking thugs loading up a truck.

Henry Brinded suggests that the group split up and canvas Little Cairo for any information about the Egyptian murders. Steven, Roman, and Henry head one way, and Dr. Schmidt and Maj. Randall go the other way, to scour for anyone who might want to chat about the murders.
Nobody talks to you; Little Cairo is a suspicious community, made up of foreigners who are used to being rudely treated by British law and British citizens. Randall and Hughes decide to stake out Tewfik’s spice shop, Dr. Schmidt goes with them. Brinded and Harkov look for a bookshop. Brinded buys a book on Shaafi Gad, late dynastic Egyptian writer. The book is in Arabic. The shop owner gives you his card — his name is Siddeeqi Hannan. Harkov and Brinded meet up with the others at the coffee shop.
Randall and Hughes partake of the hookah at the coffee shop – Hughes erupts in a coughing fit and aquires a lingering rough throat.
Around 5pm, you see the lights in the shop go off, and then a moment later, the lights on the second floor come on. Harkov heads around to the back of the spice shop, watches the back of the shop, but is soon accosted by a shop owner taking out the garbage, and is badgered out of the alley. The group retires to the Hon. Major’s dwelling to plan.

Steven Hughes performs his mentalism act. A body is procured, on Mr. LaGrange, and Hughes proceeds to reanimate it onstage, using the spell he has learned from reading Africa’s Dark Sects. Mrs. LaGrange, mother of the deceased, is in the audience.

Chaos ensues. As the crowd flees, the zombie is attacked by the investigators. Whistler is killed by zombie bite, but the creature is dispatched by the serendipitous presence of The Hon. Major George Randall and his batman, Young, in the audience, with the rifle that Young had kept at the ready. The Hon. Major shoots the zombie, and Roman Harkov dispatches it with a mighty punch to the head.

After spinning a yarn about to the police about a shell-shocked soldier going mad during the show, the group decides to head to their new friend’s London house to gather their thoughts. Hughes notices a shadowy form tailing the group in the fog as they leave, and tries to pursue, but soon loses the figure in the soupy fog.

At the Hon. Major’s, Dr. Schmidt discovers that several of the artifacts the group had taken from The Ju-Ju House back in New York have gone missing: the copper bowl, the metal headband, the High Priest’s Robe, the carved scepter, Africa’s Dark Sects, and Monstres and their kynde.

The group spends most of the day on Saturday recovering and following up on leads. They learn that Tewfik al-Sayed, who runs the small spice shop in Soho, is a known drug dealer.

Stephen Hughes reads Africa’s Dark Sects for a 2nd day.

Henry Whistler hires his criminal network to do Egyptian cult legwork for 10 pounds, as related to the recent murders, and gains some information about The Blue Pyramid: the owner is Abdul Nawisha. The Blue Pyramid is place for trafficking opium. They are addicted to African drug that turns mouths red.

Roman Harkov reads Monstres and their kynde for three days.

Henry Brinded finds a local antiquary to search for any info since the library gave us nearly nothing.

Dr. Schmidt goes to the British Psychoanalytical Society to check in and make sure his colleagues from this side of the pond know he’s around (the idea being that it might come in handy to make some contacts there).

Dr. Schmidt, Brinded and Hughes take the strange books from Shipley’s basement to the Royal Society.

Hughes gets ready for his big show on Friday the 13th.

While Harkov and Whistler recuperate in hospital, the gang turns to research.

Dr. Arthur Schmidt picking up the cheque for £120 from Mickey Mahoney, and asks him if he’s heard any scuttlebutt about Shipley, cults, etc. Mahoney knows of little other than the other two stories Jackson Elias had inquired about.

Henry Whistler studies Monstres and their kynde, and recuperates in the hospital.

Roman Harkov is bedridden in hospital and planning to read books acquired at Shipley House.

Dr. Arthur Schmidt, Stephen Hughes & Henry Brinded: Researching what happened, along with notes from scrolls at the SPR (Society for Paranormal Research)

Stephen Hughes will also bring those that can make it to the SPR luncheon; they would love to hear the stories of the paranormal

Henry Whistler will reach out to his criminal connections to see if there is anything out there about an Egyptian cult or anything about any negro cults.

Whistler struggles with “Monstres,” Hughes reads “Sects” for three days

Harkov is presented with a bill from the hospital for £90 when he is released.

Wednesday, early morning
Shipley House

Dr. Schmidt triages the three wounded in the hall, bandages Harkov. Leaves to call emergency services, spots mysterious figure duck around corner in the fog.

In Hospital

Paramedics rush Whistler and Harkov to hospital, treating the less seriously injured Hughes and releasing him while Harkov and Whistler go directly into surgery, with Whistler starting to convulse and foam at the mouth before the curtain cuts off the view.

Harkov and Whistler survive, but Whistler loses his left arm to the necrotic venom. Inspector James Barrington showed up to interview the three wounded men, and is tipped off by Harkov to the body of Shipley back at his residence.

Schmidt takes off to search for Harkov’s backpack full of purloined books before the cops arrive at the house (after calling Mahoney from the hospital to tell him about the story), meeting antiquarian Henry Brinded knocking at the door. Together, they search the house, recovering Harkov’s backpack but also discovering a half-devoured head in a stone bowl in the basement’s hidden room.

After meeting back at the hospital and filling everyone in, Schmidt and Hughes return to the Hotel Russell accompanied by Brinded. Note from Gavigan expresses regret at the missed appointment, but Schmidt reschedules and he and Brinded visit the next day with the artifacts from the Ju-Ju House.

Thursday, midday
Penhew Foundation

Gavigan is intrigued, but not terribly helpful, only able to place most of them as African in origin, and old. The metal bowl and headband he seems to think are made of odd metals, possibly alloys.

He offers to investigate further if they would like to leave the artifacts there; Schmidt declines, but accepts the offer to get in touch should any visiting scholars with appropriate expertise happen to stop by the Foundation.

Back at the hotel, there is a note from Mickey Mahoney, thanking them for the tip on the Shipley House Massacre, and promising payment whenever they stop by the Scoop offices.

Tuesday, Evening
Shipley House, Holbein Mewes, London

Crocodilian creature has surrendered. Whistler demands that he return Emile, and the creature agrees. Hughes and Harkov takes Miles to the basement to get “the drug” which the creature, which calls itself Ssathasaa, needs to retrieve Emile from the painting.

Once separated, Ssathasaa mesmerizes Whistler, who attacks Dr. Schmidt at the creature’s command. Schmidt attempts to club the creature, but misses, and is rendered catatonic for most of the rest of the session by a blast of psychic malevolence.

Harkov and Hughes follow Miles to the basement, where he reveals a secret door concealing a small alcove, which contains among other things a number of old, mysterious books. Harkov stuffs the four with the most secure-looking bindings into his backpack, along with one of the three vials of “the drug” — Miles grabs the other two.

Arriving back in the attic, Hughes is attacked by Whistler, who misses. He retaliates with a flash-powder effect and tries to grapple Whistler, without success. Harkov runs across the room and attempts to club Ssathasaa, but misses and is blasted into an hours-long fit of complete hallucination.

Miles grabs a meat cleaver and hacks Hughes in the back, who then flees to the middle of the room, where Miles had left the drug on his painting table, and quaffs half a dose of one of the potions. He slumps, unconscious, to the floor.

Hughes finds himself transported to the swamp and witnesses Emile suffering an episode of insanity, and discovers that he is merely an observer on the scene, and cannot interact. He witnesses the arrival of a group of crocodilians, who proceed to stretch out the insanely unresisting Emile on the altar, before disemboweling him and feasting on his flesh as he dies.

Some Time Later
In A Dank Basement

When he returns to his senses, he finds himself tied to a column in the basement, along with Whistler. Dr. Schmidt and Mr. Harkov are tied to another column nearby.

Hughes manages to escape and frees Whistler, who finds a heavy chain among the basement’s junk, but loudly knocks over a box while retrieving it. Hughes rushes to free Schmidt and Harkov while Ssathasaa emerges from the hidden room … only to be immediately brained by Whistler with the chain.

Hughes empties a bottle of something in the hidden room, which creates noxious fumes. Everyone retreats to the first floor. Schmidt begins searching while Whistler and Harkov summon Miles downstairs, who pushes past Whistler and heads into the basement.

Harkov goes upstairs and retrieves the group’s weapons from a disheveled bedroom, while Whistler and Hughes hold the basement door against a now-enraged Miles, who screams “What have you done!” after discovering the crocodilian’s body.

Eventually, Hughes becomes unable to hold the door due to blood loss from the massive wound in his shoulder; Whistler vomits and falls to the ground, poisoned from a scratch by the serpent-man, Dr. Schmidt rushes to his aide; Harkov gets his sword stuck trying to stab Miles through the small hole he’s hacked in it; Miles finally shoves the door open and buries his cleaver in Harkov’s chest; and Dr. Schmidt finally connects with his club, cracking Shipley on the knee and sending him tumbling backwards down the stairs, where his scream is suddenly cut off after an audible snapping sound.

Tuesday Feb. 3rd, Late afternoon
Fleet Street, Offices of The Scoop, London

Outside the door marked “The Scoop” on the third floor, Whistler listens to a conversation between Steven Hughes and Mickey Mahoney. The group enters. Mahoney tells them about Elias’ visit, the three stories he was interested in. Meet Hughes, a medium also sometimes writing for the paper. Mahoney makes it obvious that he’s willing to pay for good stories — “blood and sex always sell.”

Tuesday, Early evening
Shipley House, Holbein Mewes, London

Group heads off to nearby Holbein Mewes with Mr. Hughes to visit the house of the artist who is subject of one of the stories, Miles Shipley. Greeted by Mrs. Shipley, and gain entry by posing as interested (and well-funded) buyers. In the attic, Miles is at work on a new canvas and is clearly insane. Whistler looks at too many paintings, Emile studies the Black Mountain painting. Dr. Schmidt tries to sneak away to investigate the rest of the house, is followed by Mrs. Shipley. He notices that her shadow, glimpsed for a moment in the dimly-lit house, seems to be that of a much taller and much more reptilian shape. Whistler pulls out weapons, tense standoff, flash bang, prized painting and a note of credit for the black mountain canvas. Harkov keeps an eye on Miles.

After taking a cheque drawn on Emile’s UK accounts at Bank of England, Mrs. Shipley offers them the chance to view Miles’ masterpiece, and shows Emile, Hughes, and Dr. Schmidt past a locked door to a small cubby-like room at one end of the attic, wherein a painting depicts an rough stone alter in a serpent-infested swamp. Dr. Schmidt shines his flashlight on Mrs. Shipley, revealing her shadow to Emile and Hughes, who are still gazing at the painting. The image grows more realistic as they gaze at it, and suddenly Emile is gone from the attic and a tiny painted representation of him is now in the painting.

Hughes wrests his gaze from the painting as Whistler, Harkov, and Dr. Schmidt panic and attack Mrs. Shipley, who misses Hughes with a wickedly sharp-looking knitting needle before being clubbed by Whistler, at which point a seven-foot-tall, lithe reptilian humanoid burst from within Mrs. Shipley’s shattered flesh and starts snapping its jaws. Whistler clubs the creature again and demands the return of Emile, and the serpant creature seems to capitulate.