Event:1925/04/17 Arrive in Shanghai

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