The Case of Shanghai - History

Calendar of Events

<eventCalendar> namespace = Event aspectratio = 1.3 defaultDate = 1925-01-01 </eventCalendar>

Log of Events

Crossing Asia

April 7, 1925 thru April 16, 1925

The investigators spend 10 days aboard a luxury train traveling from Geneva, Switzerland, to Shanghai, China.

Shanghai, China

April 17, 1925

The group of investigators arrives in Shanghai at the Shanghai North Railway Station around mid-morning. Jack Falcon feels that it would be difficult to know if we were being followed in the dense crowds in this town. Li Wen-cheng suggests the Astor House Hotel as a hotel befitting our group's needs. It has high security and we won't stand out as much as we would trying to stay at a cheaper place with our high credit rating folks. We ask Li Wen-cheng where the local library is (Shanghai Public Library and Royal Asiatic Society), where to find info about people passing through customs (high class - Shanghai Club, Stumbling Tiger might be a good place for lower class people), and where to find info on local hot spots (i.e. Stumbling Tiger). Li Wen-cheng lets us know that in mid-January 1925, Chang Tsung-chang (a behemoth known as the “Shantung Monster” or “Dogmeat General”) of the Fengtian Clique and Sun Chang-fang (aka “the Nanking Warlord”) of the Zhili Clique push Chi Shi-yan’s army out of Shanghai and begin joint rule. Sun is left in de jure control of the police and the amenities, but Chang is friendly with the criminal Green Gang, the biggest, meanest gang in town. Records are maybe not the best right now.

Jack heads to the port to check out info on The Ivory Wind and The Dark Princess. He learns from the harbormaster that The Dark Princess is frequently seen in Shanghai harbor, but The Ivory Wind hasn't been seen recently but tends to show up ever 3-4 months. It's been about 3 months since The Ivory Wind has been seen. Lars Torvak is known to captain The Ivory Wind. Jules Savoyard is known to captain The Dark Princess, and Alfred Penhurst is her registered owner. Jack gives him $5 and says there's another $5 in it for the harbormaster if he sends a runner to our hotel when either ship arrives. He then heads to the catholic church on personal business before heading back to the hotel.

Victor, Elise, and Father Quinn go to the Shanghai Public Library. Victor learns that Yig and Yog-Sothoth are Elder Gods. Elise looks up Ho Fong Imports and learns it is one of the largest shipping companies in Shanghai. The proprietor, Ho Fong is in his late 50s. He is very wealthy and involved in the Catholic church. Wei Ching-lai was Ho Fong's wife, an attractive, Western-educated, and politically-minded actress, as well as a poster-child for the revolution. She often used her fame to champion opposition to the corrupt Qing Dynasty. A blooming romance saw Ho and Wei marry in 1911 (just months before the collapse of the Qing Dynasty), with their daughter Tzu-hsi following a year later. She and her husband soon became a popular attendees at Shanghai’s swank high society functions. Unfortunately, she soon slipped into drug abuse and public tantrums which hit a high point by 1919. It was also during this time that Wei had several affairs, including with her personal driver, Pao Wu-kung. Wei Ching-lai tragically died of a drug overdose on December 31, 1923. Father Quinn looks up the Stumbling Tiger. It's a dive bar. Articles mention many fights. It seems to be a place where shady stuff happens. Sounds like a hole-in-the-wall establishment. The purveyor is Fergus "McChu".

Everyone meets back up at the Astor House Hotel. We have dinner, then head to the Stumbling Tiger. The bar's sign is (unusually) written in English. There's a simple bar offering brown and clear drinks. This is a puzzle talk bar - a place where you can buy and sell information in addition to having a drink. Quinn asks the barkeep, Fergus "McChu", about Jack Brady. After some convincing, Fergus "McChu" says that he hasn't seen Brady in months and believes that he went to Nicaragua to run guns with Charlie West. Father Quinn fast talks his way out of revealing too much info in exchange. When Jack mentions Jack Brady to a fisherman at the end of the bar, Fergus gets weird. Quinn catches it and tries to get more info. Fergus slips him a note to meet at Noodle House at 12 Lantern Street. Quinn excuses himself and heads down the street, letting Elise know he's leaving. Elise waits outside to be in position to help if needed. In a few minutes, Fergus appears in the kitchen doorway of Noodle House and waves Quinn in. Fergus reveals that people are looking for Jack Brady, and that drawing the attention of those people is dangerous. It's dangerous for Fergus if he's connected. Quinn attempts to convince him that they're all on the same side, and Fergus says to meet tomorrow night, here in the kitchen of Noodle House, at 2am, and bring your friends if they can be discrete. Father Quinn has some noodles and rounds up the troops and they head back to the Astor House Hotel.

Back at the hotel, Elise discovers 3 people in her room looking to be of Chinese descent. A 4th behind the door grabs her when she screams. As we come running, the man sitting in between the 2 men with Thompson sub machine guns asks who we're working for. He's interested in what we're selling and wants a 30% cut for Mr. Du. They expect us to deliver a considerable payment to Hell's Kitchen nightclub by Monday. They depart; we dismiss Li Wen-cheng and discuss the events of the evening, and then retire to our separate rooms.

---

Skill Checks

April 18, 1925

The group reads the local papers (in English) over breakfast, and we find a few articles that catch our eyes. Jack and Quinn head to the Wayside Police Station to investigate the murders on Lantern Street. People are frequently being murdered by having their arms cut off by a sharp object and then left to bleed out. Jack asks about Mr. Du, and we are told he is heavily connected to the police in the French Concession. Slipping them some cash, Jack learns that Madam Gee was the witness identified in the paper that saw the murder. With some extra cash, we are told that the autopsy revealed one or two slices or chops is all it took to remove the arms, indicating a very sharp blade. We leave, and Jack notices that the fisherman he was talking to at the Stumbling Tiger is following us on our way back. We turn a corner and Quinn grabs him when he comes around. At first he starts screaming for help, but Quinn convinces him to quiet down. He says he's looking for Jack Brady as well because he needs his expertise in procuring something. Asking if he works for the Pale Viper, we believe that he doesn't recognize the name. We tell him not to follow us, but if he drops by the lobby of the Astor House Hotel to check in with us, we could share info.

Victor and Elise go to visit Mister Lung, accompanied by Li Wen-cheng. There's a cat outside, but Elise keeps a foot out to keep it away and shuts the door quickly. Li Wen-cheng needs to translate everything for this exchange. Li Wen-cheng notes that everything in the place has great fengshui. Mister Lung seemed to be expecting more visitors together today. He seems to think that demons were coming to attack him and tried several things to detect or defeat demons on the investigators, always displeased that they weren't working. He has some coins that he can turn into a sword, which we find out when Victor reveals that he has no pulse. There is nearly a confrontation, and then they deescalate. Mister Lung does a few readings for them. They mention the cat, and Mister Lung can't get a sense of it looking at it out the window. Fearing this is a demon sent after him, they set up to ambush it, and let it in the house. It turns into an evil cat demon and combat ensues. Victor takes mortal wounds (again), but shrugs them off (again). Victor manages to take down the demon with Mister Lung's help. Mister Lung gives Elise his coin sword, which can harm demons.

We all meet back up at the Astor House Hotel and exchange information. Victor keeps his wound secret and spends time stitching himself back together. Then we head to Madam Gee's house. It's a house of ill repute, and we're taken back to her office. We slip her some cash and ask about the events of last evening. One of the other girls, Magenta Joy, actually saw it. She is currently in the hospital though. As we talk about recent events, we learn that Choi Mei-ling, one of the working girls, "ran off" or vanished 3 days before the attack. She was the regular girl for John or Jack Brady and presumably ran off with him. We talk to Quivering Jade, who was Choi Mei-ling's close friend. She tells us that Jack Brady and Choi Mei-ling used to use the room in which the attack took place. Choi Mei-ling has a birthmark on her left clavicle and was known at the house as Dancing Sapphire. As we're leaving Madam Gee's house, one of the girls, Falling Quartz, catches us and tells us that she thinks that Choi Mei-ling actually left for a different house, Madam Lin Yenyu on Yu-yuan Road in the Old City. Madam Lin's house is several steps above Madam Gee's and her girls are better protected. Madam Gee would be quite upset if she learned Choi Mei-ling left for another house.

We travel to Madam Lin Yenyu's house (which takes about an hour). It's an older, large, and very well maintained house. There are 2 hard-looking gentlemen outside who eye us suspiciously upon approach. Li Wen-cheng translates as Quinn says that he's looking to spend some time with someone who may be in Yenyu's employ. An English-speaking gentleman is brought out and escorts us in. Asking to see Choi Mei-ling, we're taking into an office to see Madam Lin Yenyu. Victor and Elise notice an occult book collection in her room. Turning on some charm, she tells us Choi Mei-ling declined her offer to work there, and believes that the girl ran afoul of The Order of the Bloated Woman. She tells us they're a very powerful and deadly group - they are devils we do not want to fight with. Another westerner came to call on Choi Mei-ling recently - he seemed very dangerous and, they had a short, tense conversation roughly 4 days to a week ago. Victor gets her to do an I Ching reading: p'i with 9 in the 5th place. She hands a slip of paper to Elise afterward. Victor notes that she's very interested in Elise. Madam Lin Yenyu reveals that she's interested in acquiring more occult materials. Victor notices a set of 9 bronze bells that would aid in summoning something bad (a Byakhee) if he knew the order in which to ring them. Victor also notices a very old Tibetan Thangka painting with tassels and cords made from leather from human skin with a ghastly rendering of Azathoth among the occult collection. Upon leaving, she gifts Elise a very nice silver and ruby necklace saying that it would help bring out her beauty if she wore it. She tells us to beware The Order of the Bloated Woman and give a man named Carl Stanford a wide birth. Quinn remembers a conversation in his order regarding an exceptionally powerful wizard named Carl Stanford - someone the order would normally seek out to bring down, but they deem him too powerful to approach. We leave.

We return to the Astor House Hotel. We eat dinner and take a rest.

---

Skill Checks

April 19, 1925

We wake around midnight and then head to the Noodle House. Victor and Elise notice a guy milling across the street from the Noodle House. We proceed past the restaurant and head down the next street, then circle around from the back. We all notice a man hiding behind a delivery truck out back. Elise asks Victor to go make a distraction. The rest of us slip into the Noodle House, only to be confronted with 3 men, two with rifles and one with a pistol. The man going after Victor also had a rifle, and brings Victor in to join us. The fisherman from the Stumbling Tiger is brought in as well. Quinn doesn't think the guards recognize the fisherman. They put black bags over our heads and bind our hands behind our backs, and they take our guns.

We are driven around for a while, and we hear a bunch of other people as we finally arrive somewhere. They pull our hoods off, and it looks like we're in a metal works factory. We're seated on the main floor with lots of open space around us on uncomfortable metal chairs. Elise picks up that we're in the International Settlement. Jack hears the phrase "strong force" several times. We're seated in the following order: Jack, Quinn, Elise, Victor, and then the fisherman. Jack is taken into an office, asked to strip naked, given a cursory exam, allowed to re-dress, and then sent back out. Same process for Quinn, though they allow him to keep some modesty holding up his undershorts. They repeat the same process for Elise, but swap in a set of female guards when she's taken back. When Victor is taken back next, the doctors have an animated discussion of his wounds. They check his neck area very intently. Then he's told to get dressed and brought back to the rest of us. Then they take the fisherman back, there's shouting, a thud, and later he's brought back out but with a black eye. A black haired, stocky, communist hatted, younger (college-aged) Chinese man (the one that had the revolver at the Noodle House) comes out and asks why we're looking for Jack Brady. Elise says that Jack Brady was one of the last people known to associate with Choi Mei-ling and we haven't been able to find her. Jack understands them to say that they don't want to tell Jack Brady that Choi Mei-ling is missing because they need to keep him focused on the assault. Victor asks about the examination, and they say they were looking for features that would suggest we're not allies: narrow heads, flat noses, bulgy eyes. They indicate that if we prove our allegiance, they'll let us get close to Jack Brady. They identify themselves as the Firm Action Faction, and say those who seek a new dawn for China are allied with them. They want us to investigate Ho Fong, and say they'll contact us in 1 week.

We're taken back to the Noodle House. We have a conversation there with the fisherman. He introduces himself as Captain Isoge Taro of Japanese Naval Intelligence. He believes Jack Brady was working with the communists, but now he's not so sure. He believes Jack Brady has technology of interest, specifically, a weapon they are interested in. He was originally tasked to do a survey of Chinese ports, and then heard rumors of technology far beyond his government. It seemed to be developed by some unknown Chinese faction - unclear who. He believed it would be good for his career to recover the technology, which is why he's looking into it. He has been investigating for 2 months. He believes Brady's been planning something, possibly working with Ho Fong, but that seems unlikely after this evening. The weapon seems powerful, and he wants to secure it for Japan. We share some info on Brady's past and tell him to intercept The Ivory Wind before it can make its delivery to Ho Fong Imports.

We return to the Astor House Hotel and sleep until noon. We receive 2 messages at "breakfast". There is a gold and diamond ring from Madam Lin Yenyu for Elise. We also receive a note from the harbormaster that The Ivory Wind has arrived. Jack believes that it is unnaturally fast for The Ivory Wind to be here; it should've been another month. Victor sends a note to Mister Lung asking if he's ok and if he knows anything about Madam Lin Yenyu. Elise asks Li Wen-cheng to send some kids to the docks to check on The Ivory Wind.

Elise and Jack head to the Shanghai Public Library. Elise researches The Order of the Bloated Woman. Jack researches Mr. Du.

Victor and Quinn go with Li Wen-cheng to Ho Fong Imports warehouse on Kao Yang Street. Li Wen-cheng overhears a conversation among the sailors and dockworkers talking about body parts in the water at the docks - arms, many arms continuously washing up on shore. Victor asks an English speaker about it, who says he believes it was from a ship adrift in the harbor. We proceed to the warehouse. It's a large, 2-story wooden building with few windows, some guards gambling over mahjong. We case the joint. There are 5-6 heavily guarded entrances. There is a yacht named Luxuriant Goddess anchored at a small pier. Business offices are also located here. We head to the business offices. Several guards stop us at the doors. We try to persuade our way in, but a secretary comes out and says they don't do personal business and we must be mistaken. We leave.

The group meets back up at the docks, just as The Ivory Wind is being towed into dock. Arms are being recovered. Quinn notes that all the arms are white, and there are 14 of them (indicating the 7 crew members of the ship). The police tell Victor that the ship has no cargo and 7-10 dead bodies aboard, and they expect pirates. It was found floating in the fishing lanes outside the harbor. Victor bribes the police to let him and Elise aboard to investigate. There is lots of blood, and bodies are everywhere. Among the bodies of the crew they find the bodies of Lars Torvak and Edward Gavigan - dead between 24-48 hours. The arms removed from all the corpses - very clean cuts with a very sharp object. They find a broken Chinese sickle, very sharp. The bodies are spread throughout the ship and show signs of resistance. The door to Gavigan's room is busted open. Elise finds a medallion in the cargo hold and pockets it. There is no cargo in the hold at all. Looking from ashore, Jack notes signs that the ship was boarded. Quinn canvases the crowd and hears rumors that the Shanghai Courier has had strange stories lately - a building collapse and a fire.

We head back to the Astor House Hotel and discuss over dinner.

We head to Hell's Kitchen, and note that the staff and clientele are both very mixed. There is a cabaret. Sitting in the back is the person we encountered in Elise's hotel room, and he motions us into the back. We negotiate, and only pay him $500 for the evening. There's an Irishman in the building, and Quinn takes an interest. He's gambling and drinking in a crowd of women. He says his name is Patrick Devlin, an arms dealer who's paid some small-time fares to the Green Gang. He offers to hook us up if we ever need anything, saying we can find him here. We go back to the Astor House Hotel and sleep.

---

Skill Checks

April 20, 1925

In the morning, we wake and have a discussion about our leads over breakfast. We feel that Ho Fong, the Shanghai Courier, and Magenta Joy are our best leads. We spend some time mapping the "stars" in Victor's dream to a world map.

Jack and Victor head to the hospital to find Magenta Joy. Victor performs psychoanalysis, which manages to give her some clarity. She describes a creature that exactly resembles what attacked Jack on the boat (a Hunting Horror - same as the creatures that attacked at Misr House and the creatures from the dream they all shared at the Carlyle estate).

Elise and Quinn head to the Shanghai Courier. Elise looks up info on Pao Wu-kung (Ho Fong's driver), but there's nothing on him. Quinn follows up on newspaper articles referenced by the crowd at docks yesterday. In doing so, he gains the attention of Anthony Chang, an editor who is interested in the research and offers to assist. Quinn gets the sense that he is more than just an editor. We go back to his office for a discussion and notice he has a diploma from Oxford University. We ask him to look into Pao Wu-kung and The Dark Mistress, leaving our hotel information for him to contact. Then we head back to the Astor House Hotel for lunch.

File:Tcitp d381 the shanghai anglican cathedral.jpg

The Holy Trinity Church

Jack goes to talk to his adopted father, the Bishop Charles Perry Scott, at the Holy Trinity Church in the International Settlement. He gives a confessional first. Inquiring about some disappeared religious folks mentioned in the paper, the Father tells him that Fukien Pirates operating on Whang Poo River may be responsible for taking the bishop and other religious people. He believes the church will do what they need to do to get them home safely. After their reunion, Jack asks about the Firm Action Faction. His father believes the Firm Action Faction is associated with the New China Movement. They're campaigning against corrupt Shanghai organizations, and that they have 4-5 affirmations: Firm Study, Firm Belief, Firm Action, and maybe others.

Quinn goes to the Royal Asiatic Society to research the Firm Action Faction. He finds they are a well armed terrorist organization, presumably bankrolled by one or more rich radicals. Their 4 affirmations are Firm Study, Firm Belief, Firm Practice, and Firm Action. There are a variety of factions within New China that particularly believe in one of these tenants. Firm Action are the ones most dedicated to violence, training, and carrying out anti-colonialism terrorist actions. They are definitely a group of radicals. Sometimes they seem hired out to local gangs / warlords, possibly for training purposes. They are a serious group - not amateurs - they are professionals (or as professional as they can be given their resources).

Victor and Elise go to Chin-Ling Road to look into the fire at the Garden of the Purple Clouds of Autumn. They enter a garden and are greeted by a Buddhist priest. He says that Liu Chen-dai was the witness interviewed by the paper. The fire was on March 20. He tells them where to find Liu Chen-dai, and they head to his place. Liu Chen-dai describes the European sighted at the fire as similar to Jack Brady. He remembers him talking to some of the monks, and then the fire came and killed the monks and Jack escaped. Victor notes that he is very embarrassed by the story and feels the story is crazy and he shouldn't have said anything.

Back at Astor House Hotel, Elise feels that someone's been through her room. Once the rest of us are alerted, we realize that someone's gone through all of our rooms, paying very close attention to all the books we have. Hotel staff apologizes, but nothing is missing. Victor spends time translating the medallion before bed and discovers it belongs to the Esoteric Order of Dagon. We sleep.

---

Skill Checks

April 21, 1925

Over breakfast, we receive a parcel of research from Anthony Chang. In addition to info we already have, he provides a transcript of a police interview that says Pau Wu-kung was last seen at Ho Fong's house. The police concluded he ran away. Anthony also notes that The Dark Mistress is often seen in the harbor. He talked to someone at the docks who's seen The Dark Mistress who swears that he's seen it going 40-45 knots, even though that can't possibly be true for a wind-powered Junk.

Elise has Li Wen-cheng pen a letter to Ho Fong Imports asking to do business.

Victor and Jack go to the Shanghai Library. Jack researches the Esoteric Order of Dagon, but finds nothing of interest ^{failed check}. Victor researches Alfred Penhurst and finds nothing as well ^{successful check reveals nothing at all}.

Quinn goes to the Shanghai Courier to talk to Anthony Chang. He provides some backstory on London and asks about the Pale Viper, Aubrey Penhew, Alfred Penhurst, and possible connections to Ho Fong Imports. Anthony suspects that Ho Fong is involved in criminal activities, but that's pretty par for the course for imports / exports businessmen. He advises Quinn to get hard proof before taking on Ho Fong, or it could be deadly. Shipping info is questionable at best and not worth researching. They end up looking into Esoteric Order of Dagon, but find nothing. Anthony has heard of The Order of the Bloated Woman - he thinks they're a gang and dismisses the legends surrounding it.

Everyone gathers back at Astor House Hotel for lunch. Elise opens a new package from Madam Lin Yenyu and discovers it's a bible from 1611. There's a note inviting Elise to work for her in curating and caring for her library of old books such as these. Jack has a note from the harbormaster saying that The Dark Mistress has been spotted. Quinn and Victor go to check on Mister Lung while Elise and Jack go to the harbor.

Victor, Quinn, and Li Wen-cheng arrive at Mister Lung's place. Repeated knocking at the door is unanswered, so Quinn tries the door and finds it open. A bad smell issues from within. They enter and find his body. Victor notices that all the books and scrolls have been rifled through, and finds Mister Lung's body. Checking it over, he discovers that a sword went through his chest (all the way through) killing him. Defensive wounds are present. He's been dead for about a day. Quinn feels that this was professionally done, no tracks. Quinn performs last rites. It's hard to tell if anything is missing, but Victor searches through the books in the mean time and sees some Occult-looking books, though everything is written in Chinese. We look through the house, but don't find anything else in particular. Victor grabs a couple books, including a copy of the I-Ching. We leave, and have Li Wen-cheng call the police from a public phone on the way back to the hotel.

In the mean time, Jack and Elise arrive at the harbor. Checking with the harbormaster, he says The Dark Mistress just got in, and that he believes the captain was seen on deck. They ask him to keep an ear out for stories from the Indian Ocean. When they arrive at The Dark Mistress, they notice someone disembark. Elise sees that he has a rubbery debauched look, a partially eaten away nose, his bulbous eyes have yellow-ish veins, and he has bald patches in his greasy, dark hair, and he's wearing a medallion, the same as they found on The Ivory Wind. Elise memorizes the creepy features to discuss with Victor later, and she believes that the description matches the information given by the Firm Action Faction. They trail the fish-man to a local flower girl house. Then, they head back to the boat and casually walk aboard. It's trim, well appointed, 90' long, and matches the picture we have. Jack thinks it could go 8-12 knots at max; the idea that it could go 40-45 knots is ridiculous. There is no visible exterior damage. They head below deck. It's made of polished mahogany wood and has few windows (i.e., it's very dark). They find themselves in the engine room, and it's made of metal. It is full of technology that they don't understand: buttons, tubes, shining lights. Elise uses magic to detect life and senses an additional 6 humans on the boat with them. They open a metal door in the engine room and find a fire box and coal laying around the room, but there was no smell of fire and the ship doesn't have a smoke stack. Then they leave.

Back at the Astor House Hotel, Elise tells Victor about the look of the person, and he remembers an article from US Radium Corporation about female factory workers using Radium getting very ill. Ho Fong's secretary, Sun Ch'unhua, has replied that we can meet tomorrow morning. Li Wen-cheng looks and says these are basic astrological books that we took from Mister Lung's house. We use them to determine that Fomalhaut is currently not visible.

We all go to the Stumbling Tiger. Fergus "McChu" has some faded bruises and no longer wants to talk to us. It's an uneventful evening.

---

Skill Checks

April 22, 1925

We all go to Ho Fong Imports after breakfast for the meeting. It's a large brick building on the north bank of the Whang Poo River. A portion is built on wooden pilings of a pier, and a tile roof fends off the rain. Five sets of large doors along the side of the building give access to a high ceiling storage area. Two stories of low ceiling offices face the street. All windows are at least 7' off the ground and covered with iron grills that look especially sturdy. There are about 30 workers around. We are greeted by a woman (the one we talked to previously) who introduces herself as Sun Ch'unhua. Elise introduces us and gets us in. We go through the main warehouse, a large storage area supported by wooden pillars. We see many types of typical goods about illuminated by dim overhead lights. We are led up to the second floor to Ho Fong's office. It's a utilitarian space with simple furnishings. Filing cabinets seem very full. A stocky, rotund gentleman introduces himself as Ho Fong. Elise negotiates some basic business practices and establishes why we're here. Quinn explains why he and Victor had been by previously. Ho Fong says they work with 3rd party ship owners and some owned by Ho Fong Imports directly. We go on a warehouse tour. Quinn notices a step creak loudly on the way down to the warehouse floor and thinks it is loose. We notice many boxes from London, but we don't see any terribly familiar boxes. Quinn notes that there is a sizable space near the stairs that doesn't seem to be accounted for by what they've seen on the tour that would be rather large - the size of the reception area. Quinn excuses himself to the bathroom while everyone else goes back to the office, trying to get to the squeaky stair. Ho Fong sends a receptionist to lead him back though, and he doesn't have time to check anything out. Elise notices that Ho Fong has many Catholic items, and offers to show him her old bible over dinner. We're invited over to his house tonight. The secretary gives us his address - it's in the French Concession. We leave.

We go to the Seaman's Club. Elise and Quinn note that water seepage / erosion was not the cause of the damage. Quinn talks to some of the locals and is directed to Wang Yong who saw what happened. He swears that, even though he was drunk, he saw a walking fish, a human-sized horrifying walking fish creature: bloated stomach, bulging eyes, sharp teeth, human hands and feet but covered in scales. He says they came out of the ocean and undermined the structure. He's unsure how many of them there were, at least several, really strong and really horrifying. Jack questions the staff. They say one of the regulars is missing - an american... maybe John Smith - who was staying in the room where the wall shattered. The description of John Smith matches Jack Brady.

We go back to the Astor House Hotel to freshen up, pick up the bible, and then head to Ho Fong's house. His mansion is a compound with 13' high walls topped with spear points and broken glass worked into the tops (this isn't uncommon). A maid takes us into a luxurious sitting room where we're offered tea. This is fancy to Elise, so it's REALLY fancy. There's a guard behind a screen who smiles and bows when looked at, but he doesn't speak. Ho Fong comes and gets us and leads us to the dining room. Someone else is already there - we're introduced to his good friend and house guest Carl Stanford. Carl is cooking the meal this evening as a special treat and heads to the kitchen. Elise shows Ho Fong the bible and they discuss it a bit, but she carefully avoids discussing where she got it. She then moves the conversation on to what rare books he has. Jack focuses on the surroundings. He notes the house is remarkably quiet, aside from our group and the noises of a single person cooking in the kitchen. He also notes that there are guest quarters through a garden outside, and he knows that there are large vents that run underneath the house for heating and cooling. Carl wheels out a cart with the meal - Beggar's Chicken - and he explains the history of the meal. Quinn remarks on the meal and asks how long he's been in Shanghai. Carl doesn't provide a specific answer but it sounds relatively recent. The others note that Carl's accent sounds Bostonian. Ho Fong asks about our origins, and reveals that Holy Trinity Church is his parish when Jack mentions being found there. We make a bit more small talk over the meal. Jack asks about smoking, but Ho Fong asks him not to smoke in the house. Then, Jack asks about the facilities, and Ho Fong gives him some directions. As dessert is brought out, Elise suddenly starts drowning on seawater bubbling up from her lungs. Ho Fong says that she dies if we do anything. Carl Stanford stops using his power on her, and they lead us through the garden (where Elise, Quinn, and Victor spot corpses with liquefied eyes with plants growing out of them) to a room with a shrine to Buddha. Jack shoves Ho Fong into the room and shuts the door. Carl Stanford freezes Jack in place with magic. Quinn punches Carl but doesn't think he even left a mark. Elise stabs Carl with her coin sword, which cuts him, but he doesn't bleed. Victor remembers Quinn telling them that Carl Stanford is immortal, an trying to think of a way to counter Carl's power, Victor says "Nodens, guide your spear!" and vanishes. Carl freezes Quinn in place and is still holding Jack, and Elise, seeing no way out of this predicament that doesn't leave her enemies power over her mind and body, cuts her throat saying, "My knowledge dies with me!" Ho Fong comes back and has a brief conversation with Carl in which they decide to move the two of us they've captured. Moving through the Buddha, we enter a shrine to The Bloated Woman. In a glass, multi-compartmentalized, coffin-like chamber, we see a woman - Choi Mei-ling - with rats in another compartment over her face. Carl and Ho Fong leave, and we are released from Carl's power. Jack manages to pick the lock on the glass coffin to free Choi Mei-ling. Quinn attempts to comfort her while Jack pries the grate off the vent system. Jack checks out the tunnel while Quinn looks through the room quickly. Quinn opens a teak cabinet carefully, which is good because he manages to avoid a needle trap. Inside is a copy of an ancient text with a strange cover and 4 scrolls. He grabs them and then focuses on bandaging Choi Mei-ling's feet, noting that her feet are infected and she is suffering from blood poisoning which requires urgent medical attention. We all sneak out through the vent system.

Outside the house, Choi Mei-ling says that she knows a safe place, and we let her lead us to an abandoned steel mill. Getting close, we recognize some members of New China Firm Action Faction who recognize her and usher us inside. We call the Astor House Hotel and tell Li Wen-cheng to grab everything he can from our rooms and head to a safe house location provided by the Firm Action Faction. Chu Min, the English-speaking man who had us abducted before, finds us, tells us Choi Mei-ling has been handed to medical care, and that Jack Brady would like to see us.

Brady cuts to the chase and gives us a detailed overview of the Carlyle Expedition events and how he came to be in Shanghai. Brady believes Roger Carlyle is still in Hong Kong in the asylum he left him at. Asking about Anastasia, Brady says her real name was M'weru and she has power, real power. She's an African woman. She's from Kenya. She left the group when they were in Egypt. She left before the Red Pyramid incident. The Red Pyramid is the same as the Bent Pyramid. Brady's been running from the group since they left Kenya. He thinks they only discovered where he was fairly recently. Warren Besart was a purchasing agent for Roger in Cairo. He did accompany the group while they were in Cairo. Besart was too addicted to hashish to be of much use. Brady believes Aubrey Penhew is in Shanghai currently. Penhew first had unkempt white hair and wily eyes, but when Brady saw him last, he looked like a man half his age with no wrinkles and darkened hair. He was a brilliant man and seemed more dangerous than the rest. Brady feels Penhew had the brains and ambition to do whatever he set his mind to. Brady has started to piece together their great plan. There are three points of a triangle where they must open the way that will let their god come through. Brady believes the triangle points are the Red Pyramid in Cairo, Grey Dragon Island just off the coast of Shanghai, and maybe the Mountain of the Black Wind in Kenya. When we mention Darwin, Australia as a point, he says Huston talked a lot about Darwin, Australia at the end. Jack starts asking questions. Jackson Elias met Jack Brady at the Stumbling Tiger bar. Brady says that Elias was shaken when they first met and seemed like he was beginning to crack up and have horrible dreams, kind of like Roger, when he left. Jack asks him about Nyarlathotep, and Brady references several cults - Order of the Bloated Woman, Cult of Sand Bat, Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh, and Cult of the Bloody Tongue - that he thinks are all linked to Nyarlathotep. Brady says there are more cults in India, Japan, South America, Polynesia, and everywhere that are also related. When Grey Dragon Island is mentioned, Brady says the Firm Action Faction will accompany us there for an assault. He quickly shows us his brass plate with symbols and signs carved into it that was given to him by his mother. Brady learned about Ho Fong's involvement in little pieces from working with the Firm Action Faction. He knew Edward Gavigan and didn't like him. We tell him Gavigan is dead. Asking about Hypatia Masters, he says she was there to be the photographer. She seemed sweet and naive. Roger told him that she'd gotten pregnant by some fellow, but he had it taken care of. He thinks she had a lot of guilt from that as she'd always wanted kids. She was all in on crazy town with the rest of the group. She was growing ill though and felt nauseous often. Asking about what needs to be done before going to Grey Dragon Island, Brady says he's found the ritual to seal the locations. It's being translated currently, but will take another week. Brady says Aubrey Penhew had visions of some engine of destruction. Brady met Clive at the Penhew Foundation and knew that he was deeply involved with Aubrey Penhew and Edward Gavigan. Brady believes Aubrey Penhew is likely the Pale Viper. We can get in touch with Brady through the Firm Action Faction, someone should be here to help us if needed. We ask a bit about Choi Mei-ling, and Brady says she had disappeared about a week ago. He tells us to check in at the Stumbling Tiger in a week. If we can track down Isoge Taro, do it; he may be helpful too. He suggests going to Hong Kong for the week, saying that we still need to be careful, but it may be easier to hide out there. The Firm Action Faction supplies a safe house for us - the Jin Jiang Guest House - in the International Settlement, but advises us to leave Shanghai as soon as possible. It's a really quiet inn. We sleep.

---

Skill Checks

April 23, 1925

The next morning, Li Wen-cheng translates the scrolls Quinn got from Ho Fong's house. Then he sends couriers from different places, one to get Anthony Chang to grab train schedules and astrological charts regarding the next eclipse and then meet us, and another to tell Isoge Taro to meet us this evening at a chapel on the way to the train station. Jack and Quinn bring the others up to speed on the state of the investigation so far over the course of the day. Anthony lets us know that the next annular eclipse is July 20, 1925, and the next total eclipse is January 14, 1926. Li confirms that those dates are both within the prophesy outlined by the scrolls.

That evening, the group heads to the chapel to meet up with Isoge Taro. Quinn is certain that no one is tailing them or laying in wait. Isoge Taro got our message and is there waiting for us. We offer him tech in exchange for helping with the assault. He says he'll arrange submarine transport for us to the island, but is less interested in an assault as he's worried it may damage the tech he's after. He suggests we meet up in the Old City on April 29, 1925. We agree. We tell him to lie low during the next week and part ways.

We go to the train station and hop the next train to Hong Kong.

---

Skill Checks

Hong Kong, China

April 24, 1925

We arrive in Hong Kong. Brady told us that Roger Carlyle is held at the Yeung Wo Nursing Home. We decide to stay at the Chinese YMCA. Li Wen-cheng tells us that the biggest library in town is the Hong Kong University, which was founded recently. He also knows there's a Royal Observatory. Quinn wrote a report on the train and files it with the local Catholic church to begin making its way back to the Order of the Sword of St. Jerome.

The investigators head to Yeung Wo Nursing Home, except for Anthony, who stays behind to guard our stuff. Brady told us that Roger was listed under the name Randolph Carter. Jack stays outside and chats with a nurse on break. Quinn talks his way in saying that the church sent him to minister to wayward souls and gets Li Wen-cheng and himself seen to Roger. Roger asks for the password. We wait at the suggestion of the nurse, and he whispers, "Hotep." The nurse says sometimes it's Anastasia or Nyarlathotep or other things at different times. We start interacting with Roger by ministering to him. He talks about the Red Pyramid, opening the door, the eye watching him, Erica Carlyle, and mentions the other members of the Carlyle Expedition. Quinn recites Mark 16:17, "And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues;" but mistranslates "new tongues" as "bloody tongues" to judge his reaction. He starts screaming. Li Wen-cheng calms him down, but they restrain and drug him anyway. We talk to the nurse a bit afterward. She says no one else visits him. He talks about the names mentioned quite often.

We regroup at the Hong Kong University library. Li Wen-cheng researches Australia and finds a reference to the Pnakotic Manuscripts that says Elder Ones lived in Antipowds, Siterra, Australia, and Antarctica. Jack looks for occult things and finds nothing. Anthony looks up the history of Grey Dragon Island. Quinn also researches Grey Dragon Island and finds a map as well as information about its reputation that notes it as a pirate den. People constantly disappear in the area around it, giving it a Bermuda Triangle-like reputation. It's noted as being very dangerous.

We return to the Chinese YMCA. That night, Jack and Quinn dream that they're back having dinner with Carl Stanford. Elise is sitting with him. He says we have something he wants. He demands the return of the Necronomicon in exchange for Elise, whom he claims he resurrected. He says when we find the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan we will give them to him. He implies that we will die if we don't give him what he wants. Then we wake up.

---

Skill Checks

April 25, 1925 thru April 28, 1925

Quinn finds Jack and they discuss the shared dream. Anthony looks into the history of the Necronomicon. The only known copy in greek was said to have burned during the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts. It was originally written by Abul Al-hazred in the 700s. The Greek translation is from 950 AD - by Theodorus Philetas - who gave it the name Necronomicon. In the year 1288, the first Latin translations appear. All known surviving translations were written in 17th century Spain, except for the one in the British Museum, which is from a German printing circa 1454. Li Wen-cheng researches the the Mountain of the Black Wind. Quinn finds a Greek professor at the Hong Kong University to help translate parts of the book and spends the remainder of their time working with him on that. As they complete their work, the professor notes a ritual in the book regarding removing internal organs to gain immortality. The ritual leaves the brain, the seat of power, in the body, and the body can only be harmed if the brain is specifically targeted.

We return to Shanghai.

---

Skill Checks

Shanghai, China

April 29, 1925

We all meet up with Isoge Taro in the Old City. He confirms that a submarine will be available and he and his men are ready.

Then we meet up with Jack Brady. We're staying with him for now. He takes us to Professor Mu Hsien's house. We find that Mu Hsien has been busy translating the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan. His mental health has been critically impacted. Jack writes to Curtis Blakely to let him know what's up, skipping the worst of it. Quinn writes his order to let them know he's in possession of the Necronomicon, specifically a copy written in Greek.

April 30, 1925

In the morning, Jack Brady lets us know that we can't do this raid until 5/8. The translations of the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan tell us that to make a new Eye of Light and Darkness, we need to drip blood on a freshly carved eye for an entire night during the rise and fall of the full moon while chanting and no evil is anywhere near it. Since the next full moon won't occur until 5/8, we're forced to delay until then.

May 1, 1925

We call a meeting of all involved parties to form a plan. We will land on the east side of Grey Dragon Island, make our way through the forest, and then ignore the watchtower and the village to make our way to the caldera. We will leave a rear guard with machine guns to keep the watchtower and village off our asses while we clear the caldera. The rear guard will also have dynamite set up as a fallback. Team 2 will set up with sniper rifles to support the caldera team. Team 1 will enter the caldera and clear it. The rear guard to start carving the eye once afternoon hits, even if the caldera team has not returned. We determine that we'll need a stone knapper, medical professionals, and drummers.

May 2, 1925 thru May 6, 1925

For the next several days, we all lie low, staying indoors and out of sight while prepping equipment and steeling ourselves for the fight to come.

Grey Dragon Island, China

May 7, 1925 thru May 8, 1925

On the evening of 5/7, we board the sub at sunset and make landfall on Grey Dragon Island via boats at night. The island is mostly cinders and sand with stunted palm trees and sand crabs as the main residents. We execute the plan. 20 crew, including Isoge Taro, remain on the sub. 5 Firmies stay at the shore to guard the boats, while the remaining 50 of us make our way through the vegetation of the island. At the point our approach vector is nearest the village, we see a lot of torchlight walking along the path. Jack, Anthony, Jack Brady, and Chu Min split off from the group to investigate. Anthony makes some noise and 3 members of the group split off. A skuffle ensues in which Jack decapitates one, but the others miss and then both Jack and Anthony take wounds. They notice that the island residents have the ugly look that the crew of The Dark Princess had. Jack takes out another one, and Anthony and Brady team up to take the other one out. About 7 cultists remain that are headed up the trail to the mountain. We split the group to flank the cultists and strike. We take out 4 before they can react. They cut down five of the Firmies, and then we kill the remainder. We quickly hide the bodies and continue moving toward the volcano. We see a cave entrance decorated with symbols such as dripping fangs, touching tentacles, etc. and the smell of sulphurous gas as other noxious fumes emanates from it.

We leave the rear guard consisting of two 3-man crews with a machine guns and 6 snipers set up at the entrance, and the remaining 33 of us descend into the creepy cave. We descend the slowly curving stairs and begin to hear chanting coming from below. The group of us and Brady take the lead, followed by the rest of the Firmies. There's a hard orange light emanating from the slimy fungi growing on the walls and ceiling. Li Wen-cheng notes that the fungus is slimy. As we descend, we notice a gleaming metal bullet, 23 meters high, suspended on sturdy girders above a magma pit. There are 6 cultists scattered around the girders performing repair activities, along with 10 fish-like humanoids moving between a dark pool and the magma, and 8 additional workers wearing dark headdresses. On the opposite side, there's a bubbling pool of seawater that can be seen. Far to the rear stands an immense statue, 30' tall, but we can only see the back. It's a horrifying scene. There are some chambers that can be seen as well. The orange glow of the fungi is coming from the magma. As we make it to the bottom of the stairs, we are noticed. A blob-like creature, approximately 15' in diameter, rises out of the bubbling pool. It is horrifying. Jack flies into an insane rage and 6 Firmies run away in terror. We begin exchanging fire with the blob. It gets horrific blows again Quinn and Jack Brady before devouring Jack Falcon and ripping him apart. Seeing this, Quinn lands an extreme blow against the creature using his blessed brass knuckles, causing it to dissolve into effervescent fluids.

Although the Firm Action Faction has suffered heavy casualties, they have turned the tide against the cultists. Anthony murders a headdress-wearing cultist that was hiding behind the blob creature. We wrap up the fighting in this room and take count of our people. 14 Firmies remain including Chu Min. Jack Brady is still alive, but badly injured as well. We clean people up as best as possible and deploy them about the cavern.

We check out a pile of crates. "Darwin, Australia" is stamped on them. It seems that tools, wire, metal cigars, and other supplies were being unpacked from them. We move on to the bubbling pool. It seems to have viscous goop floating in it. We believe that the fish men were moving viscous goop to the magma and that was making the orange light. We leave a couple Firmies to watch over it and head to one of the cavern doors.

Two thick lead doors cover the opening. Quinn tries opening the door on the right, and is thrown back by a burst of force, nearly killing him. Aubrey Penhew emerges from the room in Egyptian robes claiming we are too late. He appears impervious to regular attacks, but Anthony hits him with Jack's blessed hatchet, and that harms him. Penhew blasts Anthony's mind, but Anthony still manages to land another blow and strike him down. We find the room he came from is a workshop. All the tools are very well made, very refined, made with care and precision that we've never seen. We find more copies of the rocket plans. Anthony notes that mounted on the wall is a marine chronometer of extremely high quality. It is correctly set to GMT. Li Wen-cheng takes it. There's also a lead case with a metal cylinder in it with bolts and pistons. Reviewing Penhew's journal, it seems the work on this "rocket" is nearly complete.

We move to the next room, which is a relaxing living room filled Egyptian artifacts.

On the other side of the statue (which we carefully avoid), there is a pen for holding something. There are traces of many people being held there.

In the large room in the back, there is a solid stone altar with weapon marks and dried blood, obviously where the cult made their sacrifices. Anthony checks out the statue and finds it horrifying. It is a statue of the Bloated Woman.

Checking the "rocket" itself, it seems it is mostly finished and they were going over welds. The "rocket" is missing the warhead and instrument section, according to what we can make of the schematics. Quinn believes that the payload of the warhead is in the workshop.

Hiroshi Isuma comes forward to help us examine things. He believes the components on the table in the workshop are for triggering and guidance. He also believes the "rocket" is fueled. He believes he could use the alien tech to strategically drop the rocket.

Quinn grabs Brady and the others and suggests that they head to the top of the volcano and begin the ritual to make the symbol. We begin the ritual at moonrise.

4 hours into the ritual, the "rocket" falls into the lava and explodes.

5 hours into the ritual, we sight a ship coming unnaturally fast - The Dark Mistress approaches. Ahead of it, a tsunami forms, lifting the sub, and crashing it into the shore, killing the Firmies that were guarding the shore. We pile down the slope and form a defensive position and wait.

7 hours into the ritual, a black serpentine thing descends upon us and kills one of the machine gun crew. It is horrifying, and 3 Firmies flee into the night. We do manage to take the creature out with significant gunfire though. (21 Firm Action Faction members remain)

7.5 hours into the ritual, 3 deep ones emerge from the woods, one with a trident. We dispatch those without losing anyone.

8 hours into the ritual, Anthony's soul is assaulted with fear. We spot Ho Fong and a group of 4 cultists in the woods. Ho Fong casts a spell that turns his hands to snakes. It is horrifying, and Hiroshi Isuma passes out. Li Wen-cheng takes aim with Elise's rifle and blows Ho Fong's head off. 2 Firmies died (19 Firm Action Faction members remain). We send one of the remaining to get 4 reinforcements from the ritual site.

We make it to moonset. We head up to the ritual site and the eye opens and begins glowing a brilliant white light (and then it ceases). Li Wen-cheng treats the wounds of Quinn and Anthony. The Dark Mistress has disappeared. We check the submarine for survivors, and find none. We collapse and sleep for a bit. In the morning, we gather together supplies and the rafts and return to Shanghai.

---

Skill Checks

Shanghai, China

May 9, 1925 thru May 19, 1925

The weary group spends the next 10 days resting and recovering in Shanghai.

May 20, 1925 thru May 29, 1925

After healing for several days, the group begins to go their separate ways. Jack Brady says that he's retired from all this cult business and intends to stay in Shanghai, continuing to work with the Firm Action Faction. Anthony Chang returns to his day job at the local paper. Charles St. Dennis arrives to collect the personal property of Mary Elise St. Dennis, and Li Wen-cheng helps to make contact with Chun Li, Jack Falcon's next of kin. Lloyd Gribble, who had met Curtis Blakely in London and taken an interest in escaping his failing career and trying his luck in the field, also arrived following threads that Curtis had begun sharing with him. Father Quinn and Li Wen-cheng share their knowledge of events with these newcomers, who are interested in following the threads that led to the tragic deaths of their family members. Quinn secures the copy of the Necronomicon and hops the next train bound for Italy to secure the book with the Order of the Sword of St. Jerome and ensure it stays out of Carl Stanford's hands. He leaves the Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan, seemingly against his better judgement, with Charles, Lloyd, and Chun Li in hopes that they will be able to use the powerful ritual to seal another site against the horrific evils he's witnessed. Li Wen-cheng departs with Father Quinn, done with all of this nonsense and hoping to return to a simpler life. Charles St. Dennis books passage for himself, Lloyd Gribble, and Chun Li to follow the breadcrumbs to Darwin, Australia.

Map

Locations of Interest

International Settlement

• Astor House Hotel
• Ho Fong Imports
• Holy Trinity Church
• Noodle House
• Royal Asiatic Society
• Shanghai Club
• Shanghai North Railway Station
• Shanghai Public Library
• Stumbling Tiger
• Wayside Police Station

French Concession

• Hell's Kitchen
• Ho Fong's Personal Residence

Chinese City

• Madam Lin Yenyu's