In reply to The Keeper (msg # 1):
You regained a number of texts that you previously lost, and gathered some more material. Some artwork and statuary was taken from different locations, as well as photographs of artwork that was impossible to take (like in the basement of the Penhew Foundation museum).
Important Cult-related Books:
The Pnakotic Manuscripts - English translation - ? Weeks Study. 15th Century AD, large bound manuscript.
Selections De Livre D'Ivon - French commentary on a Latin text - ? Weeks Study. Very confusing and muddled, an earlier reader left a marginal note in Medieval French suggesting he believed it to be written by someone named Eibon long before the rise of the Pharaohs. It describes part of his travels and exploits in unknown lands (possibly in dreams) and the blasphemous beings and monstrous gods that live there.
People of the Monolith - English Book (Bound in something unnatural; Cthulhu Mythos Roll needed when handling.) - 1 Week Study. A long and rambling poem written by Englishman Justin Geoffrey. From "People of the Monolith":
They say foul things of Old Times still lurk
In dark forgotten corners of the world.
And Gates still gape to loose, on certain nights.
Shapes pent in Hell.
The Monolith is a primordial black stone somewhere in the mountains of Hungary, and the bestial People worship the monolith with sacrifices. Geoffrey was committed to a madhouse in England shortly after the poem was written and he is still alive.
Life as a God - English book (Bound in Human Skin) - 1 Week Study.
Describes an Englishman's descent into madness over a hundred years ago as he becomes a Priest in the Brotherhood of the Dark Pharaoh. Located somewhere in the UK, unknown exactly where. Egyptian motifs seem prevalent, no mention of sub-Saharan Africans or Africa.
Africa's Dark Sects: English Book by Nigel Blackwell - 1 Week Study. Published in 1921 but already in poor condition (spine cracked, pages torn and dog-eared, copious marginal notes in unknown language. End plate inside the book cover indicates this copy belonged to the Harvard University's Widener Library. (The investigators learned Jackson Elias contacted the library to locate the book but found the book had disappeared. That is, literally disappeared from one minute to the next.)
Africa's Dark Sects is a compilation of the notes left by the English born anthropologist and self proclaimed explorer Nigel Blackwell. It details the religious rituals and ceremonies performed by West African natives.
The longest section of the book is dedicated to The Cult of the Bloody Tongue and their barbaric magical rites. Blackwell describes with disturbing vividness the way the high priests sacrifice victims to their god. A description of The Mountain of the Black Wind is allso given in the same chapter. The Spiralling Worm Cult within the Belgian Congo is frequently mentioned, though the description is often vague and guarded as Blackwell himself never penetrated that particular cult.
Other subjects mentioned include leopard man societies, the gruesome voodoo-like ceremonies employed by a secretive cult in Nigeria, a proto human race of gorillas in the Congo and a complex ritual supposedly used to raise and command zombies. The author also references Sir Wade Jermyn's Observations on Several Parts of Africa.
g'Harne Fragments: English, by Sir Amery Wendy-Smith - ? Weeks Study. Published 1919. Medium-sized volume.
Book of Dyzan: English, author and publisher unknown - ? Weeks Study. A medium-thick parchment bundle.
The scrolls will take additional time to decypher. JM read an earlier scroll found at Tewfik's and now knows some kind of mystic ritual called "Body Warping of Gorgoroth" of unknown purpose. This cost him a small measure of mental equilibrium to read.
There were fifteen scrolls found at the Penhew Foundation, primarily in Arabic (6) and Latin (4), with some in Medieval French (2), Old English (1) and Egyptian Hieroglyphs (2). Ten seem to be poems and epistles in praise of the Dark Pharaoh and the Bloated Woman, possibly his mate or counterpart.
Five scrolls appear to be specific rituals of another sort. They have names such as
Summon Winged Traveller and
Summon Leprous Rabid Dog of the Dark Pharaoh (Egyptian Hieroglyphics),
Bind Walker Beyond the Walls of Creation,
Curse of Azathoth,
The Casting of Dreams (Standard Modern Arabic).
Found at Tewfik's Spice Emporeum:
A papyrus scroll (
Body Warping of Gorgoroth).
An ornate mirror in a golden frame.
a robe (black silk with inverted ankhs), skullcap and metal ankh of an unknown alloy.
Two sceptres of a strange black metal.
Two red-brown sandstone vials. One contains syrupy red substance, the other a black powder mixed with small rubbery crystals.
Found in the Penhew Institute basement:
Africa's Dark Sects, (English)
G'Harne Fragnents, (English)
Book of Dyzan (English)
Liber Ivonis (Latin)
Fifteen assorted scrolls.
Many photographs were taken of paintings and artwork of bizarre and unnatural creatures, the originals being too many and too bulky to take.
A jar with some kind of black powder inside, perhaps an oxide.
Enough food and supplies for two to three days.
Several passports for Gavigan under different false names (several for the UK, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Australia, Imperial Russia, Hungary, British India, British Kenya).
Hundreds of pound notes in different denominations.
A .32 revolver and a box of 30 bullets.
Two cases. The larger one was very heavy, and was addressed in English (and presumably Chinese script):
quote:
HO FONG IMPORTS,
15 KAO YANG ROAD,
SHANGHAI, CHINA.
Attention honourable HO FONG".
quote:
The smaller case was addressed:
Randolph Shipping Co.,
Port Darwin, Northern Territory
Dominion of Australia
Personal to Mr. Randolph
From al Misr House
Literally piles of paintings and statuary, depicting the Dark Pharaoh in many aspects.
Copious cult-related jewellery (inverted ankhs, etc.) and black silk cultist robes.
A fat ledger detailing cult-related shipments over the last three years to Ho Fong in Shanghai and Randolph Shipping in Darwin. As well, many more to Cairo, Alexandria, Nicosia, New York, Bremen, Dublin, Rio de Janeiro, Tokyo, Odessa, Leningrad, Calcutta, Los Angeles and Havana. Much is of substances like Turkish Opium and hashish, surplus rifles, but as well gold, silver and gemstones, tobacco, morphine, spices, textiles, etc.
Over 100 occult-related books, texts and scrolls.
Past Study Times:
Cynthia Holloway: Has read
Selections de Libre d'Ivonis. Not the complete work.
Dr. Weston: Has read both
People of the Monolith and
Life as a God. 3 more weeks of study on Gharne Fragments.
This message was last edited by the GM at 11:38, Thu 08 Aug 2013.