The newspaper article that caught your initial interest, and the telegram received by those who showed interest in joining Mr. Larkin on his expedition:




This message was last edited by the GM at 22:00, Thu 13 Sept 2018.

Located on the west coast of South America, Peru (officially the Republic of Peru) is the third largest country in the subcontinent, home to just under 5 million people. Its northern point touches the equator and its landmass of around 500,000 square miles (1.25 million square km) is widely varied in terrain and climate. The arid coast gives way inland to warm, wet lowlands (including the Amazon basin), as well as the Andes Mountains and their associated highlands. Civilization in what is now is Peru dates back to at least 2,500 BCE. The wide variety of pre-Columbian civilizations largely gave way to the Incan Empire in the 14th century, which then ruled over most of Peru.

The empire proved short-lived, however. The first Spaniards arrived in 1528, followed by the conquistadors, led by Francisco Pizarro, in 1532. Pizarro founded the city of Lima in 1535, where he was later assassinated in 1542. The Incan Empire finally fell in 1572 when Francisco de Toledo executed the last reigning Inca, Tupac Amaru, and the Viceroyalty of Peru was created. The Viceroyalty lasted until the early 1820s, when General Jose de San Martin invaded with an army of soldiers from Argentina and Chile. This marked the beginning of a series of battles and declarations of independence that finally ended in 1824. There has been some political volatility in the intervening years, but in 1921 the country is largely stable and prosperous.

The population of Peru is made up of a wide range of ethnicities. Around 50% are Amerindian, with the majority of the remainder being mixed race, with white people making up around 15%. There are large populations of Chinese and Japanese immigrants in Lima, with many of them having been brought over to build the railways or mine guano (accumulated seabird droppings used as a rich fertilizer in Europe). The majority of Peruvians speak Spanish, although there are a number of other linguistic groups who speak aboriginal languages such as Quechua and Aymara. English is not widely spoken, particularly outside the cities. Visitors traveling up to Puno and the Lake Titicaca region are especially likely to encounter Aymara and Quechua speakers. Traditional dress varies from region to region, although there are certain common features such as hats, ponchos, and brightly colored woolen clothing. In cities like Lima, however, this traditional garb tends to give over to more somber European or North American styles.

Lima
After years of decline and hardship, Lima of the 1920s is a city in the process of economic recovery and rapid expansion. The population is currently over 200,000 and growing fast. Sanitation conditions have recently been modernized and visitors can expect to find all of the amenities of any large Western city. The city lies on a bay and straddles both banks of the river Rimac. The bay is also home to the neighboring city of Callao, although recent expansion makes it hard to tell where one city ends and the other begins. Between being an international port and its status as capital, Lima sees a lot of international visitors, and you can expect to meet people from all around the world. This cosmopolitan atmosphere changes as you travel to more rural regions.
This message was last edited by the GM at 22:27, Tue 03 July 2018.

Augustus Larkin has arranged to meet the prospective members of his expedition for dinner at 7 p.m. on March 18, 1921 at the Bar Cordano, a restaurant and bar in Lima District. This will be the first time that Larkin has met any of you face to face. The restaurant is simply but tastefully furnished, with wood paneling and fixtures and a tiled floor. The food is good, with seafood a specialty. The escabeche, a hot, sweet and sour fish dish is highly recommended.

As you arrive at the restaurant, you are shown to a table where three men are already seated. A pale, thin white man with greasy blond hair and pale blue eyes greets you and introduces himself as Augustus Larkin. He thanks you all for coming, hoping that your travel to Lima was without issue. Despite Larkin’s relative youth, his skin is saggy and he has noticeable bags under his eyes. His white linen suit also appears baggy. He smells quite strongly of expensive cologne and speaks with a slight foreign accent*

Also present is an African-American man of average height and build, with short hair. He wears a tweed suit and sports a fedora hat. He is smoking a pipe, often gesturing with it to emphasize points when talking. Larkin introduces him as Jesse Hughes, a folklorist from New York City and a new member of the expedition. Jesse welcomes you with a friendly grin.

The third man is introduced as Mr. de Mendoza, Larkin’s personal assistant. He is a gaunt man with pronounced cheekbones and deep-set, piercing blue eyes. His medium-length brown hair is unkempt and his light cotton clothing is clean, if old and frayed. He doesn’t speak, but fixes you with an unblinking stare with an almost predatory degree of hostility.

"Feel free to introduce yourself if you wish," says Larkin. "I need to put names to faces."

[You can attempt a Hard (1/2) Language (English) roll or Extreme (1/5) EDU roll to determine his accent]


This message was last edited by the player at 02:06, Wed 04 July 2018.

Bar Cordano as it looks today; https://goo.gl/maps/baqWvpfSzhG2

This wasn't the first time Art had been in South America, having spent some time in Colombia and Mexico. The walk from his motel room to the Bar Cardano grants a close look at a city experiencing economic boon. Art dodges construction workers and building sites and the bustle of a busy main street, the air thick with the conversation of hundreds of street peddlers, hustlers, and money-rich tourists. His time in South America afforded him enough experience to keep track of Spanish conversation, but unable to track so many voices and fluent speakers turns the words into a loud mumble of gibberish.
Thankfully, this passes as Art pushes into the doorway of the Bar Cordano, the street noise giving way to the more dulled conversation of the restaurant.
A camarero welcomes him, and upon giving his name, directs him to the table across from Mr. Larkin and his associates. A few others are present, and before formal introductions begin, others who appear to have answered the same call as him arrive.
Introductions are offered, Mr. Larkin's accent is hard to place. Art has heard many accents but was never great at placing them. Art offers his own introduction when the conversation moves to him.
"I am Arthur Digben, but most just call me Art. A pleasure to make your acquaintance".
Noticing Jesse's pipe, Art nods in his direction, and pulls out worn Prince Albert tobacco tin and a plain wooden pipe. The tin's original contents long-since depleted, Art couldn't rightly say what type of tobacco is now in there after years of buying whatever local tobacco he can.
He lights his pipe and adds his own cloud to the hazy cloud hanging low across the restaurant and sits back while the others introduce themselves.

_{10:07, Today: Dr. Arthur Digben (Art) rolled 69 using 1d100 ((69)).}

In reply to Dr. Arthur Digben (Art) (msg # 6):

"Gentlemen. How do you do? Bromley Aveline-Edgeware of London."

[Bromley Aveline-Edgeware rolled 11 using 1d100.  Hard Education - Target 35]

Hearing Larkins accent, it appears to be Kenyan

"Well my dear fellow, you Kenyans may be used to this heat but I find it quite damnable."

*Bromley removes a silver case and strikes a match before lighting his cigarette*

It was no New York city, but as Rachel Katz made her way down to the the Hotel Maury's reception, she couldn't deny that Peru had a certain exotic charm. Everywhere she looked, there were pops of color, from the hotel's brightly tiled floors, to traditional garbs people wore. Next to them, she felt quite drab in the dark red dress she had opted to wear for dinner.

"The Bar Cordano-- how can I get there?" Rachel asked the ever-smiling receptionist who quickly gave her the instructions.

"Could you write that down please?" Rachel asked anxiously as the receptionist nodded accommodatingly as Rachel absently fidgeted with her shawl. The whole thing had set her nerves on edge, and she needed a drink. While she had funded expeditions before, at that particular moment, she wasn't sure as to what she had been thinking, when she had decided to pack her bags and actually join an expedition. She had heard the stories, read them on the papers, and while she still thought that the whole thing was a good experience that would even look better on papers for her antique shop, Rachel had to admit she was quite nervous about it.

But I'll be damned if I go home empty handed now. Rachel thought as the receptionist handed her the paper, and she quickly made her way towards the meeting place.

At the bar, she was promptly pointed to a table with several men already seated. Quietly, she made her way towards the table, offering a tight smile as she held up the telegram she had received.

"Mr. Augustus Larkin?" Rachel asked, looking around, wondering which one he might be. "Rachel Katz. May I?" She asked, gesturing at an empty seat.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:14, Wed 04 July 2018.

Jesse quickly stands and removes his hat, and pulls out the empty chair so that Rachel can sit.

"My name is Jesse Hughes. This gentleman over here is Mr. Larkin." He indicates Larkin with a polite smile. De Mendoza scowls at both Rachel and Jesse.


This message was last updated by the player at 01:53, Wed 04 July 2018.

The door to Bar Cordano swings open with a quiet force as a self-assured but shabby-looking man wearing an uncomfortably heavy overcoat enters the room. A quick scan of the room leads him to believe this eclectic gathering of strangers must be his destination, though several seem a bit too "academic" for his tastes (or for a jungle adventure for that matter). He strides quickly over and cuts right to the chase in a thick Irish accent.

"Name's Dermot Murphy, not that any of ye particularly need to know about me. I suppose one of ye's Larkin then? Best be gettin' on with the details of this venture, long as we're all here."

Murphy props himself against a pillar near the table and crosses his arms in a gesture of expectancy.



This message was last edited by the player at 03:32, Wed 04 July 2018.

In reply to Augustus Larkin (msg # 4):

This is the first time Gustav has been in the Southern Hemisphere.
"No, definitely not in New York at all" Gustav mutters.

The first thing he noticed is the heat, walking right outside the port of Callao, the hot and humid breeze of the South Pacific Ocean comes in uninviting but nevertheless, staying in a permanent state of order, the cool breeze of the famous Andes mountains remains powerless and so far away as of the moment. The people however doesn't seem to mind the heat and everywhere Gustav looked, everyone is cheerful and smiling. Gustav took the time to stop, and savor every sound, every smell, every sensation this new land has to offer. He then spoke a small prayer of thanks and then proceeded to gather his belongings.

Gustav hailed a taxicab for what to be a very promising vacation. He handed the driver the address and said "Hotel Maury". It took about half an hour for the taxicab to reach the hotel, looking at his watch, it was a quarter before seven in the evening so he immediately paid the cab driver and rushed inside to checked-in to the hotel.

"Ah madam, I am needed at the The Bar Cordano, I am late for a meeting, could you show me the way to get there? I'll check in my room later." Gustav calmly asked the beautiful receptionist at the desk while slipping an american nickel on her hands.

"Danke"

At exactly seven in the evening, Gustav enters the Bar Cordano and asked the barman for a Mr. Agustus Larkin. He was directed to a table with several people already occupying.

"Good evening everyone" Gustav approaches the man sitting in the middle. "Mr Larkin I presume?"
This message was last edited by the player at 04:52, Wed 04 July 2018.