The Penhew Foundation
35 Tottenham Court Road
Thursday Afternoon
January 29th, 1925


This message was last edited by the GM at 22:23, Thu 22 Dec 2016.

Leo smiled at the secretary as they approached. He had donned charcoal suit and hat, which he now held in his hand. "We are here to see Mister Gavigan. We made an appointment earlier?"

Having taken the opportunity to rest and freshen up, Rosalie had changed into a smart, fitted woolen dress and jacket in a soft heather gray.  She'd curled and pinned her auburn hair to fit beneath a felted cloche that sported a matching ribbon band.  As always, she liked to present a professional front when visiting with others that shared her same historical interests.

Clutching her purse in one hand, she smiled at the secretary and then glanced to their surroundings while they waited.  She'd never heard of the Penhew foundation before finding the card among Jackson's things, so she was naturally curious about the establishment and how it played into her cousin's research.

"Oh yes, Dr. Elias. Yes, Mr. Gavigan is expecting you. Come with me," she said. She lead them down the hall a short way, taking the first door on the right which opened into a small waiting room, where another secretary waited.

"Please have a seat," she said to them, then turning to speak to the secretary. "Mr. Gavigan's next appointment is in. Please let him know." She left, and the secretary there knocked on the door and went in. After some quiet murmuring, she came out and sat back down.

A few moments later, a well dressed gentleman in his fifties emerged from the room. As a touch of fashion, he wore a wristwatch

"Dr. Elias, I presume?" he asked, extending his hand warmly. "Good to meet you. Please, come into my office and we can speak. Your name miss?" he asked Rosalie as they together walked into his office.

His secretary closed the door behind them, and he gestured to a couple of comfortable chairs in front of his desk. Behind his desk were several closets, and along the walls were shelves that displayed various curios and relics that appeared to be of Egyptian origin on a cursory examination. The office was magnificently paneled, and like the rest of the building, it was opulently appointed. A strong, modern safe hung slightly ajar in the back corner of the room.

"So, I believe that you were here because of your interest in Archaeology? The Penhew Foundation, as I'm sure you know, is one of the most well reputed clearing houses, libraries, and museums concerning Egyptology. If your interest lays there, I'm sure you'll find this institution of value."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:24, Wed 16 Mar 2016.

Rosalie smiled in greeting as she took a seat.  "A pleasure to meet you, Mister Gavigan.  I'm Rosalie Elias, the Doctor's niece.  I am employed as a historical consultant for several museums in New York City, and am most interested in the acquisition of African artifacts and antiquities.  We often have need for overseas contacts in such areas.  As a reputable clearing house, as you said, I wanted to learn more of your establishment in hopes we might work together in the future." 

Her gaze wandered briefly to the various pieces in the room, studying them and the room itself, before her attention returned to Edward.  "You have several impressive pieces, I see.  Egyptian artifacts are all the rage in New York and in high demand.  Could you tell us a little about the foundation and what services you provide here?"

"Oh, wonderful!" he said when she expressed her interest in the field and her profession.

"Certainly. The main business of the foundation is evaluating scholars and granting them funds, negotiating permits and exceptions with Egyptian authorities, arranging itineraries and schedules, and acting as a physical and informational repository for things Egyptian, especially Egypt before the Ptolemies. We have a library that you might be interested in visiting and working areas for visiting scholars," he said.

"Accredited scholars may access the second floor, where we have an exhibit hall in which they can examine various artifacts."
This message was last edited by the player at 18:43, Thu 24 Mar 2016.

Leo nodded and shook the man's hand. "Yes, I am. Though please just call me Leo." At the next question he indicated his neice. "This is my niece's area of expertise. I've general curiosity about many things, but no actual training in this area." When they seated themselves, Leo adopted a posture that made it apparent he wasn't the one directing this conversation. He appeared curious and interested though didn't seem likely to add to much about a conversation on artifacts.

"I would love to take a tour, if we are allowed.  I am extremely interested in both the era and the area.  I primarily focus on the anthropological aspects of cultural life.  Most of my consultations deal with translation of hieroglyphics from artifacts and ancient tablets.  I would love to see any of the artifacts that you have on display."  She gestured to the pieces in his office collection.  "Out of curiosity, do you handle the import or storage of other African pieces?  We have several collections from other regions, primarily tribal in nature."

"It is a definite pleasure to have an American visiting scholar here with us. I'm sure you'll find much of interest here - at least, with respect to the Egyptian culture. I'm afraid that we do not have anything to do with other regions of Africa, however. You might look into the British Museum for something on those areas," he said. He didn't sound like he thought other regions of Africa were worth much interest.

Leo nodded at the response though didn't interject. The British Museum might be fun, in fact. He'd been there before, but there was always something new every time he visited.

Rosalie smiled.  "I have dual citizenship and actually spent the majority of my childhood here in London when my father wasn't dragging us about to various expeditions.  My father is American, as is most of my family, so I suppose that is home for now.  Do you do business with any companies in New York?  The museum usually prefers to check references before conducting business with new people."

"Welcome home, then. We don't work with any 'companies,' per se. You may wish to contact James Henry Breasted, Professor of Egyptology and Oriental History at the University of Chicago. Our foundation played a role in supporting his 1919 expedition. You might wish also to contact Howard Carter. We supported his expedition as well, and he has spent no small amount of time in New York lecturing on his findings. He may still be there for all I know. He's served as an agent for collectors and museums, including the Cleveland Museum of Art and the Detroit Institute of Arts," he said.

"If after checking with your references, your museum wishes to work with the Foundation, have them contact me." He handed Rosalie a business card.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:58, Sun 20 Mar 2016.

"Thank you very much.  I shall have them do just that."  Taking his card, she gave it a glance to see if it was the same sort they'd found in Jackson's possession, then offered it to Leo.  "It is a curious thing, Mister Gavigan.  I believe I remember my late cousin mentioning the foundation.  While his travels focused primarily on South America and parts of Asia, he did write a book on various curses, including those of Egyptian origin.  Were you acquainted with my cousin, Jackson Elias?"
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:09, Mon 21 Mar 2016.

"Ah, yes! I do recall Mr. Jackson Elias. I thought the name a mere coincidence; I receive many visitors, and it is not an uncommon surname. He sought out an interview with me in pursuit of some information to support some rather strange theories he had about ancient cults operating in modern day London," he said.

"At first, I thought perhaps he was publishing fiction, but it turned out he was rather serious about the matter. How is Mr. Elias doing?" he asked.

"No, he was quite serious about his work and made a good living at uncovering matters of the occult. Unfortunately, he has passed, and very recently.  He would be pleased that you remember him."  She smiled sadly.

"He must have seen you when researching his book on the witch cults of England.  I'm sure he had a great many theories, many of them outlandish or shocking.  I would understand him begging an interview of you to discuss Egyptology or relics of that nature, but what could you possibly tell him on the cults and witchcraft of England?"

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry to hear that," he said, his voice filled with sympathy and surprise. "Such a young man...I don't quite know what to say." He paused for a moment.

"As for English cults, I know precious little about such things. He came here earlier this year to ask about an ancient Egyptian cult that faded away quite long ago, and proposed to me that it was operating in modern day England. I wouldn't call it an English cult even if it was operating here."
This message was last updated by the player at 01:59, Tue 22 Mar 2016.

"I suppose that would make a difference, then.  Is this cult, this ancient Egyptian cult, something that you knew about?  They have so many myths and stories of their gods and the creation of life and of the world, priests and priestesses to worship their deities, but I have yet to come across any tale that speaks of a cult within one faction or another."

"You know, in Ancient Rome there was a cult dedicated to Isis. This was suppressed, as the degree to which Egyptian society expressed sexual freedom was found appalling in Roman society. Cults arise at various times in our history. There was an old group that your cousin asked me about, and I had some level of familiarity with them, yes. Not the Isis cult, but something more obscure. But they've been gone for hundreds of years, so I had a hard time imagining that they are back. Yes, perhaps someone with a little too much knowledge has been imitating them, but cults don't come back like that. It's one thing for pagan Rome to show some interest in Egyptian gods, but with the pervasiveness of monotheistic religion, I don't believe that there will be much of an appetite for worshiping obscure Egyptian deities," he said.

Leo had little to add to the conversation that was in his niece's area of expertise, but he could at least study the man they were here to see. It was often something he did when not involved in the conversation - try to get a read of the person while someone else engaged them.

09:44, Today: Dr. Leonardo Elias rolled 75 using 1d100 with rolls of 75.  Psychology (78).

PM:

"It does seem rather unlikely, doesn't it?" Rosalie agreed with a slight smile.  "In this civilized day and age, no one would really believe that there were barbaric cults practicing in major cities around the world -- certainly not cults that engaged in ritualistic sacrifice or believed in orgiastic magic.  I wonder if he found enough information on them to put in his book.  Do you remember the name of this cult?"

"Ritualistic sacrifice and orgiastic magic...I'm rather inclined to believe you've read one too many pulp novels, Miss Elias. I doubt that he found sufficient information on any such group, as this cult ceased to exist before even the time of Christ. They were called the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh. No disrespect for the dead is intended at all, but I simply can't believe the notion in good faith," he said.

"No disrespect taken, Mister Gavigan.  As I said, it seems an incredulous notion.  Not even I believe all topics that my cousin covered.  Some of his subjects were speculative on the mythical rather than factual.  I don't recall the name in any of his writings, so I suppose you're correct in stating that sufficient information does not exist."  She shrugged to show it didn't matter.  "Anyhow, that's simply an aside and I didn't mean to derail our conversation.  Perhaps we might take that tour?"

Leo nodded at his niece's suggestion. "That does sound like fun. Though I haven't studied history as much as the two of you, I do still enjoy hearing the stories surrounding artifacts."

"I'm afraid there isn't much of a tour to be had," he said, rising to his feet. "We do have quite a lovely library that I can show you to, where you'll find much of interest with respect to Egypt as well as working areas for visiting scholars."

"Our collection of books is quite thorough," he said, leading them down the hallway. On the opposite side, there was a large and well appointed library. Through a doorway, they could see that there was another room that appeared to be its equal in size that looked identical.

"This was the first room of our library. As you can see, we had to expand as our collection grew into that other room. You'll find books here that you'd be hard pressed to find elsewhere. If you need assistance, we have a librarian on staff that should be about somewhere. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Leo quietly followed Gavigan as he took them to the library area. When asked about needing more, Leo shook his head. "I haven't need of anything else, though I do want to thank you for the time you've spent with us."

Leo looked over at his niece to see if she might have something to say on the matter.

"Not just now," she replied to his question.  "We'll have a look about your library before we go.  If we have questions, we'll know to whom to direct them.  Thank you very much for your time, Mister Gavigan."

"You're very welcome," he responded genially, leaving the both of them in the library to peruse the contents to their satisfaction.

---

OOC:
What do you two have in mind?

Rosalie strolled into the library, genuinely interested in the foundation's collection, but really waiting until Gavigan had exited and she and Leo had relative privacy.  Once they were alone, she turned to her uncle.  "Did you wish to visit any other place in London?"  She left the real discussion for the car.



OOC:

I don't have anything else planned.  Leo?

Leo shrugged. "I think there are always fun things to do in a town like this. But I'm more interested in travelling to the countryside. Visiting some old friends and the like."

OOC: I'd like to take a good look at the library, see if anything there is of interest. Particularly anything that could be linked to any of the books that Leo has already read.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:30, Wed 06 Apr 2016.

OOC:

Can I get a Library Use roll?

Ooc: rolled a 93. Brits can't organize their libraries for shit. Yeah, that's the problem...
This message was last edited by the player at 17:02, Thu 07 Apr 2016.

Mine is so low, there's really no hope:

21:02, Today: Rosalie Elias rolled 88 using 1d100 with rolls of 88.  Library Use (25).

"I would like that, very much.  I think we have all of the leads covered unless the others uncover something, so we might as well enjoy ourselves until we can meet up with them."  She threw a glance at the library.  "It really is an impressive collection.  A pity we can't get into see their antiquities."

The library is indeed an impressive collection of volumes. They have all of the classic and seminal works of Egyptology and many for Archaeology and Anthropology as well. Furthermore, it is clear that they had many rarer volumes, including a special rare books collection.

---

OOC:

It's not a big deal, just thought I'd see what you find. Let me know when you know what comes next.

Leo looked trough all the books at least twice. He pulled a few off the shelf and paged through them a little. But nothing seemed to catch his eye. "Wow, there are a lot of books here. Must be very interesting for you to see some of them Rosie? I think I could probably appreciate antiquities more than these volumes, though. Some of the artifacts from the ancient world really capture your imagination."

After some time Leo sighed. "I suppose there's nothing for it, though. Perhaps we should take a bit of a walk? Surely if we decide we need to return, Mister Gavigan will allow us to do so."

"That's true," she agreed.  "Better if we get on with our day and maybe take a little drive.  We've some things to discuss, anyhow."  She gestured to the door.  "Shall we, Uncle?"

Leo took one last look around. "Certainly, dear Rosie." Leo moved with his niece at whatever pace was most comfortable for her, opening doors in advance of her movements.

Once they were outside, Leo set a leisurely pace along the sidewalk.

Once they were alone, she finally posed the question that had been at the front of her mind since their interview.  "Do you think this Egyptian cult ties in to the other things we've found?  It seems strange to me that Jackson still had Gavigan's card in his possession when he met with him some time ago.  That and the fact that the foundation deals exclusively in Egyptian artifacts and nothing from the Kenyan region.  I feel like we're missing something."

Leo nodded at his niece's thoughts. "He was being dishonest about something. While you were speaking, I was trying to get a read on him. I think he might know something about the cult operating in London. What, I cannot say."

Leo paused. "He did also mention the British Museum as a place that has any number of artifacts from Africa beyond just Egypt. Possible something interesting from Kenya is stored there? Perhaps that should be our next stop."

She nodded.  "I still don't know how it ties in to the cult Jackson was investigating, but I had a feeling that he wasn't telling us everything.  I wouldn't mind popping by the museum to have a look.  How do you think the others are faring?"

When they returned to the hotel, Avery awaited them, informing them of the progress and impending return of the others. One by one, they trickled in and when they all returned, they reconvened in the room of Dr. Elias.

Leo breathed a sigh of relief when it seemed everyone had returned safely. "So, how did everyone fare?"

Bishop was also glad to see everyone back safely. Given Vincent's insights into the case, Bishop decided to let his friend report to the others.

As he took off his overcoat he offered Rosalie a smile. After what they had learned about London he hoped he could protect she and the others.

Tommy grinned. "We had fun. Miss O'Connor attempted to get us all drunk.".

The reporter sat at ease on a dresser while more esteemed members of the group took chairs or leant against the smartly papered wall. It was a half decent hotel after all, and Avery had cleared a little space to make folk comfortable.

Becoming more serious he put down the small ornamental clock he'd been toying with and quickly described what his trio had been up to.
"We took a stroll to Fleet Street to pick up on the Mahoney lead. Looks like he runs a small gossip paper, you know the sort. Anyway, Mickey showed us an article that Jackson had been especially interested in...what looks like a serial killer case. Let me see..."
He flicked open his notes and reeled off the key facts.

"24 dead, all Egyptians. First one the cops noticed was three years back, and the latest victim yesterday. All the bodies were killed in pretty much the same way-something about a beating then a spike to the heart.". He grimaced. "Grim stuff. And rumour is they killed a chief inspector too. Did Barrington say anything about that?". He looked over to Moretti and Bishop.

"Anyhow, that's about it. The scoop is offering a small reward, not that it's brought 'em any sensible information so far. Mahoney did mention some club in Soho named the blue pyramid as a place the Egyptians hang out. We walked passed on the way back. Couldn't tell much from the outside, but seemed harmless enough.". He shrugged.

"Bo, Milly, did I miss anything? Jackson was investigating it on some sort of belief there was a cult here in England...which dosnt make sense to me, as I thought he only came here on the trail of the Carlyles?".

"What about the rest of you? Did London give you any of her secrets?".

Moretti nodded in response to Cotton's question. "Yes, Barrington mentioned that his predecessor, who had been investigating the case, had been murdered. The only victim who was not of Egyptian heritage."

Moretti's stomach suddenly went cold, making him wonder if he was beginning to lose his nerve. How many times had he sat at the back table of Nuova Villa Tammaro with Joe Masseria, listening to the boss rattle off which of his enemies his soldati had put in the ground? How many times had he pulled the trigger himself? And yet, talking about these killings in London strangled his courage. Maybe it was because facing down a few teppisti like himself made sense in the scheme of things. It was how the world, his world, worked. But this business Jackson had gotten into defied everything he thought was true. Made him question the fragile fabric of reality.

He cleared his throat. "Barrington told Bishop and I about the murders. Named the same method that Tommy just gave. Every victim was beaten with a spiked club, then stabbed through the heart with a spike."

"Jackson had consulted with Barrington about the murders. He told the Inspector that he believed that the killings were the work of a cult, the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh. Barrington seemed to have dismissed the idea early on, but now, with the cases still unsolved, and an Inspector dead, I think he's more open to unusual ideas."

He took a deep breath. That was it. Once he had this out, he was having a drink. Or two. Or ten.

"I'm convinced Jackson was right. While we were on the Mauretania I read one of the books we collected. Life as a God. It's an account written by a former English soldier named Montgomery Crompton. Crompton became a devoted member of the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh."

"In the book, Crompton talks about having visions of this god he served. The Black Pharaoh, Nophru Ka. He spends a lot of time detailing some of the cult's rituals. I don't want to spoil anyone's dinner. But, when he discussed the human sacrifices the cult made, he was clear about the method they used. The victim was beaten with a spiked, 'sacred' club, then put to death by being stabbed in the heart with a bronze spike."

He paused, then added, "Crompton spent a number of years in Egypt. But in the book, he claimed that he and some of his fellow cult members returned to England in 1805 to...spread the faith. He didn't give much detail about their activities."

"But it sounds like Crompton was telling the truth. And that Jackson had figured out exactly what was going on."

Walter pours a glass of whiskey from the bottle on the dresser and passes it to Vince.

"This Black Pharaoh gang sounds pretty grim and someone should put a stop to them. But what makes them our business right now?"

He looks to Leo.

"Perhaps Jackson thought that this cult was tied to the other, or somehow related.  Our interview with Edward Gavigan of the Penhew Foundation confirmed that Jackson had asked him about the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh.  He denied that any such cult could exist, of course, but Uncle discerned that he was lying when he told us that he knew nothing of the group."

Leo nodded at his niece's response. "It seems like there is another cult here in London, and perhaps Jackson discovered that. It may even have some attachment to the group we discovered in New York." He looked over at Rosie, and then back to the others. "I feel that Mister Gavigan knows something about this cult, but decided not to share it with us. I can only speculate as to why. He did mention visiting the British Museum to consider artifacts that might be there from Kenya."

  Millicent gave a fake horrified look at Tommy.

"Oh come on, it was ONE bottle. I went easy on you since it was the afternoon."

Listening to Tommy and the others, Millicent commented. "Ol Tommy here pretty much got the gist of it, it's a grisly telling isn't it, though I have a feeling you're not too much surprised by it." She gave a little sigh then gave a small laugh. "Perhaps I should have asked Mr. Grey for more dough for doing this; and here I thought I was 'the cat's meow' to him, oh well."

    She didn't look nervous, but when Milly went over and poured herself a drink, one could see her hand shaking a little. She downed it quickly enjoying the feel of it down her throat.

  "This cult like it or not is probably is going to have answers to some of the questions we are looking for; and unfortunately the only way it seems to get those answers is to pry into their business. If we go about it we need to watch our backs, fronts and every other side. I don't want one of us on the front page of Mr. Mahoney's quaint newspaper.

  As for where to go, this museum sounds nifty and all, but I'm just jazzed to see that Pyramid joint and the kind of hooch they serve."

"Well concidering how we acquired that book, if I had to bet it is involved. I have enough nightmares with reading these books, but based on what I heard about it, I would not be surprised if there were more whites among the worshippers."

"I would enjoy a drink as well. This nightclub sounds like a goof place to start. But as before I suggest we take precautions."

"While don't have permits to carry handguns, it might be smart to avail ourselves of the chance to purchase some of the fine firearms for our trip to Africa."
This message was last edited by the player at 15:07, Sun 17 Apr 2016.

Tommy nodded as Bo spoke. What makes them our business now? It was a fair point.

He listened to Leo's response before furrowing his brow.
"But Jackson's notes tell us it is the Carlyles that matter. Even if there is some cult here, the police are on to it. Shouldn't we be focusing on whatever Roger Carlyle did here?". He didn't show it, but the thought of the Black Pharaoh cult made him distinctly uncomfortable. After the Juju house he knew such things were cruelly real, and Moretti's reading confirmed it. They'd got lucky in harlem. Such dangerous groups were a case for the police or government.

He shrugged, easing back and trying not to dwell on dark thoughts. "Though I suppose a few drinks in that Pyramid place would do no harm. If we can dig up a few leads for Barrington and maybe 'Scoop' the reward", he winked for effect at his awful pun "then all the better.

Did you learn anything else about the Penhew Foundation? Why did Aubrey join the expedition?".

He glanced to Milly. "I hate to say it, but aside from the museum, if we really do want to investigate this Pharaoh lot, there is another lead. Mahoney said a fresh body was found yesterday. I dont imagine it would be too hard find out where and pick up from there.".

Moretti accepted the drink Brandon passed to him gratefully. After taking a sip, he cleared his throat.

"Barrington indicated that Jackson wasn't really looking into the murders themselves. He was focused on the cult. Mind you, I could be wrong, but it sounds as though Jackson was already investigating the Brotherhood's existence and the murders just served as further proof to him that they were active here."

"Barrington mentioned that he contacted Gavigan about Jackson's theory regarding the Brotherhood. It sounds like Gavigan dismissed it out of hand. He told the Inspector that the cult was an ancient one that had no modern day equivalent. Gavigan also spoke pretty poorly of Jackson. Told Barrington that he was a sensationalist who was only interested in money. I may be trying to infer too much, but it almost sounded as though Gavigan wanted to discredit Jackson. The Inspector didn't buy it. He viewed Jackson as earnest and sincere."

He set his glass down on a nearby table. "Trust me, the last thing I want is to experience another nightmare like Harlem. But if Jackson thought this Brotherhood was important, it's probably worth looking into, even briefly. There might be a connection between the cult and the Carlyle Expedition that we're not yet aware of."

Leo furrowed his brow in thought as the others discussed the cult and next steps. "There are too many similarities between this cult and the one operating in New York to ignore it as coincidental to our goals. It certainly seems like the same dance to different music, as it were. Mister Gavigan mentioned the Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh. Which is also mentioned in one of the books from the Carlyle Estate - Life as a God. The Black Pharaoh appears to be the name for some sort of god that a group of Egyptians and European ex-patriots worship."

Leo considered the question about Aubrey. "We didn't mention the Carlyle expedition to Gavigan. I don't trust him and didn't want to tip our hand. We can always return later to ask about that - he understands that Rosie has interest in archaeology. We could also play the reporter angle if we want to take a shot at getting more information about Penhew."

"Stanley, could your Pinkerton colleagues get us a line on Gavigan?" Walter asks, "And Vince, maybe you know some friends that could approach the thing from another direction? Then Tommy here can do some of that ace reporting and find out what the Fourth Estate can tell us."
This message was last edited by the player at 03:47, Wed 20 Apr 2016.

"I doubt it Bo, we would normally depend on Scotland Yard in such an endeavour."


Turning to Leo and Rosie "When you spoke with Gavigan did you mention Jack? Or did Gaviganmake a connection? What was your sense of the man?"

  Millicent looked at the reporter with a mix of interest and disappointment. "Well now, that might be a bit of a different route to go, but not as much fun as seeing the joint but," she added, "there's no reason they both can't be done is there? Probably can't get anywhere with getting the info on that body until tomorrow anyway."

Tommy listened to the conversation with interest to Vincent's words.
"You think Gavigan was trying to discredit Jackson? That'd mean he had something to hide. But what? The alternative is Barrington is lying...after all, these killings have led to his promotion...". Tommy shrugged. That didn't sound plausible, but he threw it out there in case it meant more to someone else.

He grinned to 'Bo. "Ace reporting? At your service! I'm sure there are a host of excuses to interview either Barrington or Gavigan for the 'Times. I'd probably need an able assistant though.".

When Milly spoke next he shook his head to clarify.
"Oh I didn't mean we should pick up on the murder today. Probably getting too late for that. I was thinking about our plans for tomorrow after we explore Soho tonight.".

ooc - how unusual is it to have Americans in London in the 1920's? If Tommy was to approach Gavigan for an interview, does the very fact he is American raise suspicion that he is tied to Leo etc? Or were there plenty of Americans in London back then anyway?

In reply to Thomas Cotton (msg # 59):

"I really meant talking to some other newshounds to see what they know about it. No sense sending you in personally until we have more to go on.

"They probably could tell you where that new victim was found, too."

Moretti shook his head. "Sorry, Bo. The Sabinis, they'll help me locate a Captain who's good with the Port Authority in New York, give me a line on who's dealing in high quaility whiskey for cheap, but we're business associates, not friends. They wouldn't assist in getting information on someone, especially not someone who's well outside the usual circle of what they handle."

"Sure, I can make a few calls. Shouldn't be too hard to find out where the body was pulled up - that's probably in local papers anyway. As for Gavigan and his foundation...I can see what's on the rumor mill. Maybe we will get lucky, maybe not.".

Leo nodded at Stanley's question. "We mentioned Jackson and indicated that we are related to him. Gavigan mentioned that Jackson had come to him with theories about a cult operating in London, specifically the Black Pharaoh."

Leo took a breath before he answered the other query. "Though the man seemed willing to answer our questions, I think he's hiding something or knows something more about this cult. Why he's hiding something or what he's hiding I cannot say. Given my, er, misgivings about him, I think we should be careful with what we say to him."

Bishop helped himself to a whiskey as well. "I had not given much thought to the idea that Barrington might be part of some conspiracy. But if indeed the cult has English men among its worshippers best we consider it no matter how unlikely."

"Gavigan on the other hand is involved with Penhew, if he is like the other members of the expedition then he is in some way corrupted. As Life as a God mentions this cult, and as we found it with Carlyle's belongings it is possible Penhew was involved in the cult."

"If Gavigan is involved, and as he knows your connection, it seems likely he would already be taking precautions to deal with you. Though if that is the case based on his dealings with Jack it will likely be something subtle."

"Did you check to see if you were followed after you left the foundation?" Bishop asked Leo and Rosie.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:19, Sat 23 Apr 2016.

Tommy listened with interest to proceedings, before slipping down easily from the dresser he was perched on.
"I'll go and put a few calls in like you suggest...see what I can dig up before the offices close.".

Excusing himself from the room he trotted downstairs to the lobby of the hotel to find some private place where he could make a few calls.

First on his list was 'Times European correspondent Arthur Herald.
He picked up the receiver and waited to be put through.
"Artie! It's Tommy Cotton, you know, from Times New York. Ha, yes, the kid Billy was training! Been too long since we saw you back at HQ! The Christmas party wasn't it?". Tommy didn't know Arthur that well, but the pair had met a few times on the circuit.

"So what have you been up to?". He eased into a patter of small talk before taking a breath and getting to the point.

"So here's the thing Artie, I'm running a trail on a big piece and it's brought me over to your neck of the woods. Mind if I ask you a few questions?".

Arthur was glad of a chance to make a bit of conversation with Tommy, and gladly told his American counterpart what he knew of the Egyptian Murders and other assorted questions Tommy asked him.

He told Tommy that he didn't have any information that wasn't already published in the papers, but did his best to fill him in.

"Who found it? Some bloke walkin' back from a pub found 'im in Soho and called the bobbies," he said. "No, no witnesses. Just a dead bloke layin' on the street like all the rest."

As for the Penhew Foundation, he named it a notable institute and a good source for information touching on Egyptology if it was needed. Gavigan's reputation was only as a respected gentleman, and he hadn't heard anything more about either of them.

Artie passes on going to the Pyramid, as he's got a wife and kids to look in on. He's heard of the place, but doesn't spend that much time down in Soho.

"For my part, if I'm havin' a night out with the boys, I'll go for a couple o'pints, maybe some chips and head home. I don't know about all that, whatever those people eat," he said, sounding distinctly parochial.

Somewhere else, on the phone

Tommy chatted amiably with 'ole Artie, reassured by the voice of an old colleague. It made him feel safe to listen to the experience of the older reporter...who knew, in a few years Cotton himself would settle down in a nice city like London. After he made his name of course.
"Any tell of which pub in soho, or name of the fella who found the body Artie?". Tommy pressed gently. He figured his friend would tell if he knew aught and saw no reason to push the issue.

As the conversation moved to a close Tommy laughed.
"Ha! I can imagine you're missing a decent steak Artie. Can the English cook?

You're a good man, give my respects to Mrs Herald. Once this is all done with I'll tell you the full story over a pint. I owe you buddy.".
Satisfied he hung up, the receiver offering a satisfactory click.
This message was last edited by the player at 07:48, Tue 26 Apr 2016.

"The fella's name is Richard Stewart, and he was comin' from the Lamb and Flag, down in Covent Garden. It's not gonna get you much, though. Really, won't get you anything. Already interviewed him. Of course, so did the pigs. He just happened to be at the right place at the right time," Herald said.

"Damn right I am. Can't wait to get back to New York. These English can't cook worth a lick, but they seem to know that 'cause they seem to keep an awful lotta French cooks," he said.

"I look forward to it. Hey, maybe when I hang up my hat you can take my post over here. I'll tell the Missus you said hello," he said.

"I did not notice anyone following us, but I confess that I wasn't actively looking for anyone, Stanley.  I didn't get the impression that Gavigan was all that interested in us, even though he wasn't that forthcoming with information on the cult.  We were allowed to freely explore the library and there were very few people around.  No one followed us when we left, either."

Leo nodded at his niece's response. "We wandered the streets for a bit as I was concerned with the possibility of being followed. And we didn't come directly here, either. I do not believe we were followed, though one can never be certain."

"Well in my experience when someone is interested in finding out what someone is up to, they put a tail on them. If, as your gut told you, Gavigan is hiding something, he might be interested in knowing more about you. If you are heading out to the Museum, perhaps a couple of us should tail you from a distance and see if someone is interested." Bishop said knowing he probably sounded paranoid. But his training from Pinkerton had taught him that such measures paid off.

Somewhere else, on the phone

Tommy chuckled. He liked Artie. If life ever gave him the time, he'd like to know him better. "Take over as European correspondent? I've got a lot to learn first chief! Besides, that coat has got a lot of wear in it yet I'd say.

Artie, its been a pleasure speaking to you. The next round is on me.". He clicked the receiver down, ending the call.

Reaching down under the telephone cabinet he pulled out the heavy directory. Lamb and Flag...Lamb and Flag... he thumbed through the pages till he saw what he was looking for. "Ah there you are.".
If Artie said there wasn't much to be gained from interviewing that Stewart fellow then Tommy believed him. Still, he jotted down the address in his notebook incase they needed it. He flicked through the heavy tome for a moment longer before returning it to its well dusted shelf.

Back with the others...

Satisfied with his explorations Tommy made his way back to Leo's room. With a nod to Avery he slipped back in to the conversation, hearing the 'tail end' of the conversation about tails.
"Better to be on the safe side I guess. But we shouldn't jump at shadows...". He pulled himself back on to his perch on the dresser.
"So I spoke to an old friend. He's based over here, European correspondent to the Times.". Briefly the reporter described the details of his conversation. "So we could follow up on the killing if we decide to, but it dosnt sound promising. What are we going to find out that Barrington and Artie havn't already?".
He shrugged. "Artie didn't have anything on Gavigan or the Penhew Foundation either. Both pretty respectable...no dark rumours going around. That's good news right?".

He glanced at the clock.
"If you guys want to visit the British Museum before it closes maybe we could meet you at the Blue Pyramid in a couple of hours. Might not do any harm for us to arrive as separate groups. Less suspicious...multiple perspectives and all that? I wouldn't mind a wander around Soho first too. Give the mind some time to think things over.".
This message was last edited by the player at 07:51, Tue 26 Apr 2016.

In reply to Stanley Bishop (msg # 71):

Walter trades a look with Stanley.

"I'll go along to the museum, Leo, if it's alright with you. I could use a dose of culture after a morning drinking with the journalists."

Leo nodded at Bo. "Absolutely, Walter. And Stanley, I think your planned precautions are prudent. If there's another cult here that's killing people, just like in New York, it's best we keep our eyes open."

He nodded at Thomas' report. "Thanks for digging into that lead. Following up on the killings in New York did help a bit, right? Maybe we can start on that tomorrow. I think for this afternoon, Walter, Rosie, and I will head to the museum. Stanley and Vincent can keep an eye on us from distance to see if we've picked up any tails. Millicent - would you like to go with Thomas to Soho? Perhaps Stanley and Vincent could meet you there after seeing to our safety. We could all then reconvene at the Pyramid in the evening, presuming they serve dinner there. Else we can reconvene for a bite and then head to the Pyramid afterwards."

He looked around to the others to see if they had any other thoughts or opinions on how to next proceed.

   Millicent shrugged, "Soho it is then, I wouldn't mind a bit of a walk before we hit the club and a few pints before dinner." She gave a wink at Tommy; "After all this booze we'll probably have to sleep it off. And believe me," she added. "I don't mind a bit about holding off investigating murders, dead bodies, or whatever." 

Bishop took a sip of his whiskey and then looked to Vincent to see if his friend was in agreement and awaited his counsel.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:26, Wed 27 Apr 2016.

Moretti looked to Bishop and nodded. "After what we saw in Harlem, we need to keep our guard up. Vigilance is a good idea."

"While some of you visit the museum, I have a bit of business to conduct with one of my import partners here in the city. I'm sure I'll be back before everyone heads to the Blue Pyramid."

"A few pints before dinner? I'm in.".
He grinned as he stood, ready to depart. "Lets reconvene at the Blue Pyramid in a couple of hours then. If they dont serve dinner Milly and I can find some other joint near by.".
This message was last edited by the player at 08:54, Fri 29 Apr 2016.

In reply to Thomas Cotton (msg # 78):



 Milly gave a jovial laugh and clapped Tommy on the back.

"Lets get on it then, the sooner we get there, the sooner we can start. We'll see you folks later," she said to the others.

At ease in the company of the likable red head Tommy nodded to Avery as the pair prepared to head out. "Wanna join us for dinner Ave's? We'd be glad of your company.".

Outside the sky looked grey, threatening rain which was thankfully holding off for now. With no rush to get to Soho the reporter gestured toward a broad street that seemed to head North, tempted by a a promising set of bronze sculptures awaiting them at the next junction.

"So what do you make of all this Milly? Even if there is some Egyptian killing cult in town, it sounds like they're independent of the Carlyle expedition. I thought that was what we were here to pursue?". He wouldn't admit it, but he had no desire to chase after a cult again. Better to pursue a story-afterall, what harm could the Carlyle expedition do now?

Nimbly he stepped aside to let some racing street kids hurry by before continuing. "Why kill Egyptians too? I mean, who dosn't like a good pyramid?
Vincent mentioned the 'Black Pharaoh'". Tommy waved his hands mysteriously, saying the name with theatrical aplomb " which sounds distinctly Egyptian. So does that mean it is some kind of internal tribal thing? Or maybe these people are willing victims, promised heaven, eternal life, or whatever it is Egyptians like.".

ooc - for flavor, I had a little check and no one seems to have a particular reason to dislike Egypt in the 1920's...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...wars_involving_Egypt

  Millicent let out a surprised laugh. "Willing victims? What would make someone so willing as to die like that and why do it so publicly? If this cult is involved with some ritualistic murdering, why not just do it all secret like so no one knows and gets suspicious?"

  She shakes her head in disgust. "They're all completely daft if you ask me, a bunch of sick loonies, it gives me the Heebie-jeebies just thinking of it."

 Millicent gave a sigh, "You know Tommy, the more we investigate this, the more it seems there is far more to this than just some rich folk disappearing mysteriously. Personally, I just hope WE don't disappear mysteriously and just become some mention on the back pages."

Tommy nodded with interest.
"Interesting...I hadn't thought of that. It sounds like the way the cops know about this is through the bodies...not because they realised Egyptians were going missing. So you think someone might be allowing the bodies to be found for publicity?".
It was an unusual suggestion, but possible. After all, couldn't they have burned the bodies rather than dumping in the Thames where they would be found?
Hearing Milly's concern he clasped her on the shoulder warmly. "Don't worry buddy. We'll tread carefully. Besides, all we're planning right now is having a beer right?".

Approaching the junction they stood back to admire the tall bronze statues that loomed over the traffic buzzing by.
Some plaque read:
To the memory of 2152 Officers, Non-Com. Officers and Privates of the BRIGADE OF GUARDS who fell during the war with Russia in 1854–56. Erected by their Comrades.
"The Crimea eh? Those Brits do love a good war eh?".

He grinned, pointing East.
"Come on, my gut tells me beer is this way.".

ooc-spot hidden to entertain myself while Milly's player is away
09:11, Today: Thomas Cotton rolled 75 using 1d100 with rolls of 75.  Spot hidden vs 60%