Masks of Nyarlathotep: Chapter 1 (New York City)

[Gomez]

"Its a pleasure to meet you Mr Emerson. You say I'm the second peron seeking Mr. N'Kwane? He must be quite popular then. Are you able ot put us in touch with him??"

"Let me see." he pulls out a large ledger and flips through a few pages. "Here it is. Silas N'Kwane manages the Ju-Ju House in harlem. It's address is 1 Ransom Court, New York City. Are you looking for businesses that have connections with Mombasa also?"

 

[Andrew D. Gable]

"I was wondering, would you have any knowledge of this book Ms. Atwright mentions? What was it? What topics did it cover? These sorts of things could prove useful to know."

"For the past year and half, Jackson had been working on something to do with the Carlyle Expedition."

Not all dead? William thinks as he reads Elias' letter. Who survived?

 

[Gomez]

"I was wondering, would you have any knowledge of this book Ms. Atwright mentions? What was it? What topics did it cover? These sorts of things could prove useful to know."

Jonah looks over the letter from Ms. Atwright. "Elias never mentioned this book to me and I don't have any personal knowledge of it."

 

[Isida Kep'Tukari]

"Could you perhaps tell us his last line of research for his books or something like that? I'm afraid I'm a bit ignorant of this type of business," Miriam says with a self-depricating half-smile.

 

[Maerdwyn]

"Let me see." he pulls out a large ledger and flips through a few pages. "Here it is. Silas N'Kwane manages the Ju-Ju House in harlem. It's address is 1 Ransom Court, New York City. Are you looking for businesses that have connections with Mombasa also?"

Jibril nods very slightly, saying truthfully, "Potentially, sir. Are there many businesses with an interest in Eastern Africa in this city? Perhaps other cutomers of yours, requiring the same services you provide to Mr. N'Kwane?"

 

[Gomez]

"Could you perhaps tell us his last line of research for his books or something like that? I'm afraid I'm a bit ignorant of this type of business," Miriam says with a self-depricating half-smile.

"Shortly after I recieved that letter. He sent me these notes." He hands them out to you and summerizes them for you.

Seven sets of neatly handwritten notes, in a strong, bold hand. They are all datelined Nairobi. They are well-organized, but lacking in conclusions, connections, and clearly defined themes.

SET ONE sets forth the offices, officials, and tribes Elias visited, searching for material concerning cults and cult rituals. Nothing conclusive, though Jackson discounts the official version of the Carlyle massacre.

SET TWO describes his trip to the massacre site. He notes particularly that the earth there is completely barren, and that tribes of the area avoid the place, saying it is cursed by the God of the Black Winds, whose home is a mountain top.

SET THREE is an interview with a Johnstone Kenyatta, who says that the Carlyle murders may have been performed by the cult of the Bloody Tongue. He says that the cult is reputedly based in the mountains, and that its high priestess is a part of the Mountain of the Black Winds. Elias is skeptical. Elias records, in quotes, that regional tribes fear and hate the Bloody Tongue, that tribal magic is of no protection against the cult, and that the cult's god is not of Africa.

SET FOUR Elias confirms from several sources that the Bloody Tongue cult exists, but finds no firsthand evidence of it. Tales include children stolen for sacrifice. Creatures with great wings are said to come down from the Mountain of Black Winds to carry off people. The cult worships a god unknown to folklorists, one fitting no traditional African pattern. In particular, Jackson cites "Sam Mariga, rr-sta."

SET FIVE is a single sheet reminding Elias that the Cairo portion of the Carlyle itinerary must be examined carefully. He believes that the reason which prompted Carlyle's Kenyan side trip is on the Nile.

SET SIX is a transcript of an interview with Lt. Mark Selkirk, leader of the men who actually found the remains of the Carlyle expedition. Selkirk says that the bodies were remarkably undecayed for the length of time in which they lay out in the open. Secondly, the bodies had been torn apart, as if by animals, though what sorts of animals would pull apart bodies so systematically he could not guess. Selkirk agrees that the Nandis may have had something to do with the episode, but suspects that the charges against the ringleaders were trumped up. "Wouldn't be the first time," he says cynically. Finally, Selkirk confirms that no caucasians were found among the dead--only corpses of the Kenyan bearers were scattered along the plain.

SET SEVEN is another single sheet. Elias ran into Nails Nelson at the Victoria Bar in Nairobi. Nelson had been a mercenary for the Italians on the Somali-Abyssinian border, but escaped into Kenya after doublecrossing his employers. Nelson claimed to have seen Jack Brady alive in March of 1923, in Hong Kong. Brady was friendly, though guarded and taciturn, and Nelson didn't press the conversation. From this Elias deduced that other members of the Carlyle party might be alive.

"He wired me for funds from Hong Kong a few weeks after that. I didn't hear from him until the middle of last month, Dec. 16 1924. He wired me from London. His telegram was very excited and a bit crazy sounding. He said he had been in China, to Africa of coarse, and to London for a few days, where he had dung up a lot of stuff. Elias said that he'd seen unbelieveable things, and mentioned a plan or conspiracy of monsterous, world wide proportions. He said that there was a timetable, and that he needed to find the missing pieces. The wired ended , saying that he would soon be in New York.
A few days ago, Elias showed up here and left some more notes with me. I looked them over and they were so strange that I think he was on the verge of a mental breakdown."

 

[Gomez]

Jibril nods very slightly, saying truthfully, "Potentially, sir. Are there many businesses with an interest in Eastern Africa in this city? Perhaps other cutomers of yours, requiring the same services you provide to Mr. N'Kwane?"

"Not that I know of personally. But I am the U.S. agent for a Mombasan exporter by the name of Ahja Singh, whose only known U.S. account happens to be the Ju-Ju House."

 

[deadestdai]

How rude!

Uly' almost stumbles and catches himself on a railing by the stairs. Brows furrowed he holds back an angry outburst and takes a deep breath. Slowly, just slowly he was getting more used to being around these..... Americans.

Taking each step carefully, painfully he makes for the same door the tramp had entered by.

 

[Ashy]

"Not that I know of personally. But I am the U.S. agent for a Mombasan exporter by the name of Ahja Singh, whose only known U.S. account happens to be the Ju-Ju House."

Charles speaks up, his brow furrowed slightly above his circular spectacles, "Is there much exporting done out of the Ju-Ju House? I am not familiar with that establishment. What exactly is it again?" He tries to sound interested in an off-handed way, despite his intense interest...

 

[Gomez]

Charles speaks up, his brow furrowed slightly above his circular spectacles, "Is there much exporting done out of the Ju-Ju House? I am not familiar with that establishment. What exactly is it again?" He tries to sound interested in an off-handed way, despite his intense interest...

"No exporting at all." Mr. Emerson says with a chuckle. "I believe the Ju-Ju House sells african tribal art and bric-a-brac. Mr. N'kwane buys his store stock from Ahja Singh. I am basically the middle man between them."