Easter Island, Part One: July 1926

The London Group spends the month of July taking care of personal affairs and preparing for their eventual trip to South America and Easter Island. A brief overview follows.

The Edwin Library: Key volumes in Christopher Edwin’s library are moved to New York City so that the group can more easily access them. Vivian and Mikhail conduct extensive research on Easter Island. Mikhail also reads the library’s more esoteric tomes to see if he can find a magical way to create a new body for Christopher Edwin. His initial efforts are not terribly promising, but he continues undaunted.

The Birdman: In their research, Vivian and Mikhail find some information on Easter Island’s local religions. The native islanders once worshipped Make-Make and a pantheon of other gods (though this faith is now suppressed by Chile, who is in control of the island). They also read some stories about the cult of the Birdman, who seems to be a servant of Make-Make and the focus of several island rituals, including a great race to bring the first egg of the sooty tern laid each season from a smaller island offshore to the main island. This involves a harrowing swim through oceanic waters teeming with sharks.

David Lee: Judge Putnam speaks to the retired banker on Christopher Edwin’s behalf and attempts to get additional information about the Silver Twilight’s activities. David Lee says that things have been quiet in that regard, but that he will forward whatever additional information he can find. He also suggests that the judge and his companions meet with him in Valparaiso, Chile before setting off to Easter Island.

Connie: At Ron’s urging, Connie (and Ron, Jr., and Liam) return to New York City. Ron decides to tell Connie the truth about what he’s really been up to over the past year. Connie does not take it particularly well. Ron suspects that the relationship—such as it is—is dead in the water at this point.

Gate Boxes: With one of their pairs of gate boxes destroyed, the group tries to determine how they should best allocate their remaining resources. They decide to move the far end of the Atlantic City gate box to Dr. Black’s new property in Ossining. They also decide to pool their efforts into making a new set of gate boxes. This succeeds with only minor deleterious effects to the group. As is the custom, one of the new gate boxes is left in the judge’s garage, while the other is brought with them on their journey.

A Ship: Through his connections with various retired military men, Johnny is able to meet with a Captain Charles Keane, who is in charge of the tramp steamer known as the SS Golden Bear. Both the captain and his ship served in the Great War, and Johnny is able to leverage his position as a former soldier to hire the Golden Bear for a good price. Captain Keane arranges for his ship to meet the London Group at the port in San Francisco, setting sail for Chile from there.

August 1, 1926

As prepared as they possibly can be, the London Group prepares to depart for San Francisco by train.

The first snag in their journey happens when they arrive at Grand Central Terminal and find Connie, Ron’s wife, standing on the platform next to all of her luggage. Johnny and Dr. Black try to escape the scene before Connie notices them. Vivian digs her nails into the palms of her hands and tries to be civil. Kane and Judge Putnam regard the scene with detached bemusement. Mikhail does the 1920s equivalent of eating popcorn. Ron and Connie have a protracted argument, in which the rest of the group learns that:

• Ron has told Connie everything.
• Connie doesn’t fully believe Ron’s stories.
• Connie is tired of Ron traveling all around the world without her.
• Connie is going with them this time and is not taking no for an answer.

The group agrees, very reluctantly, to take Connie along. They bring her luggage on board the train and set out for San Francisco.

A Surprise Traveling Companion

San Francisco to Valparaiso

Though the group has private concerns that the cross-country train ride will be as fraught as their recent trip on the Orient Express, they soon discover that, other than Connie, they have very little to worry about. They soon arrive at the port in San Francisco and prepare to disembark on the Golden Bear.

Prior to departure, Captain Keane informs the London Group that he runs a very tight ship, and that he is the sole and final authority on board the Golden Bear. Although the group agrees with this, Captain Keane’s authority is immediately undercut by Pushok, who appears wearing a carefully tailored captain’s outfit, thus endearing him to the crew of the Golden Bear. Pushok has also been fitted with a sling bag so that he can easily carry Christopher Edwin’s mi-go cylinder wherever he goes.

Despite the occasional sniping from Connie, the sea voyage down the western coast of the Americas progresses without incident.

Captain Keane, of the Golden Bear

August 15, 1926

The Golden Bear puts into port in Valparaiso. The London Group take a day to rest, stretch their legs, and see the sights before meeting with retired banker David Lee for dinner. Connie insists on going to the dinner as well, though she immediately becomes lost when the conversation turns to the Mythos.

David Lee informs the group that he has no new information on Carl Stanford, the twins, or the rest of the Order of Silver Twilight. They apparently went to ground a short time after their departure for Easter Island, and no amount of digging by Lee has revealed their current whereabouts or objectives.

Lee does mention that security on Easter Island has increased dramatically recently, as several people have gone missing. He doesn’t know the particulars of these disappearances, thanks to the increased security, though he suspects that, based on their reaction, the Chilean government is taking the matter very seriously.

Lee also mentions his contact on the island, “Sooty Tern,” who has been providing Lee with any information that he discovers on the Silver Twilight. Lee says that he will attempt to contact Sooty Tern, and plans to pass on any information to the London Group before they set sail. He also, at the group’s urging, promises to tell Sooty Tern to be on the lookout for the group and to help them however he can.

Lee then inquires about Christopher Edwin, his and the group’s mutual benefactor. The mood turns somber as the London Group tries to figure out how best to break the news to Lee. Ultimately, Johnny draws a cryptic sketch on a cocktail napkin that alludes to Edwin’s current state. Lee is shocked but maintains his composure and asks to speak to Edwin.

David Lee

Mikhail produces the mi-go cylinder, which is placed on the table so that Edwin and Lee can converse more easily. This baffles the waitstaff of the restaurant and confuses Connie. 

“A radio with no wires! What?!”

The conversation goes very well, with Edwin congratulating and praising Lee for his vigilance and loyal service. Lee is deeply moved.

Conversation turns to how the group plans to arrive on Easter Island. Lee quickly disabuses them of “just coming ashore” anywhere, as this will attract the attention of the island’s military governor. He advises them to anchor the Golden Bear offshore, thereby avoiding the island’s dangerous reefs, and take a small pilot boat to the docks at the military base.

Realizing that they will have to officially present themselves, the London Group decide to play the parts of archaeologists working for an American university, interested in exploring the statues and other monuments scattered around the island. It turns out that those in the group with a more larcenous intent have already procured falsified documents that will support the group’s story.

Lee, relieved that his new compatriots have the situation well in hand, says his goodbyes, pays for lunch, and departs.

Before We Get Underway

David Lee comes aboard the Golden Bear just as it is about to set out for Easter Island. He informs the group that he has contacted Sooty Tern and has told him to be on the lookout for the group. Sooty Tern, in turn, has informed Lee that most of the missing people belonged to an archaeological team headed by a Dr. Methridge. Though tragic, these disappearances nicely dovetail with the group’s crafted backstory, and should allow them a few natural avenues of investigation once they reach Easter Island.

August 27, 1926

The Golden Bear Underway

The Golden Bear anchors off the coast of Easter Island. The weather is cool and rainy. The London Group, not wanting to take any risks at this early stage, have Captain Keane radio the military base on the island for landing instructions. They are told to arrive by pilot boat at the dock, and to have all of their paperwork in order and ready for inspection. They are also sent a list of the rules and regulations regarding visitors on the island, including the mandatory curfew that is currently in effect.

While reading the rules, Ron notes that all the group’s firearms must be either left on the Golden Bear or checked in at the military base. He wonders, loudly, if the Chilean military will want to seize either his knife or his coil of piano wire, which, while not firearms, are definitely weapons.

Captain Keane, hearing this, strongly advises against the group bringing weapons of any kind, so as not to rile up the Chilean military brass. He also warns them that, while the Golden Bear will remain at its present location, both it and he will not be able to intervene quickly should the group run into any issues.

Slightly sobered by this speech, the London Group take a small pilot boat to Easter Island and are deposited at the docks. No sooner have they alighted than they are intercepted by a squad of armed soldiers led by a rather high-strung lieutenant. The lieutenant immediately identifies Dr. Black as none other than the dangerous criminal Carl Stanford, and further states that the rest of the London Group are undoubtedly his criminal associates.

The London Group politely, but vehemently, denies these and all other allegations laid against them by this lieutenant, who is named Alvarez. They soon realize that they have very little recourse other than to allow themselves to be taken into custody and brought before the base commander, Captain Pereira.

Captain Pereira and Lieutenant Alvarez

The captain, fortunately, seems a bit less sure of Dr. Black’s identity than Lieutenant Alvarez does. He interrogates each member of the group, asking if they know two Chilean women or have ever been to a certain Chilean town. Baffled, the group denies everything.

Dr. Black demands to know why Captain Pereria thinks that he is Carl Stanford. The captain then produces a photograph from several weeks before, which shows a man looking very much like Dr. Black boarding a ship in Valparaiso for Easter Island. Dr. Black, unsure of how to argue with such strong photographic evidence, falls silent.

Captain Pereira seizes the group’s paperwork and asks Lt. Alvarez to perform a thorough background check on each member of the group. He also asks if the group can give him the name of any person or persons who will vouch for them. Judge Putnam gives the captain Raleigh Rothschild’s contact information.

The group is then split up and incarcerated in several nearby cells in the base’s brig. To the great consternation of many in the group, Connie and Vivian—the only two women—are put into a cell together. The group takes bets on which woman will emerge from their confinement alive.

Kane, who rarely misses a trick, points out to the group that they have been set up. He wonders if David Lee was ever really on their side, and if he—or his contact Sooty Tern—can be trusted. Everyone else agrees with Kane, but feel that they have very little evidence or means to act on his suspicions at the moment.

A short time later, a Corporal Machado comes into the brig to check on the London Group’s welfare. He talks to them politely about the island and mentions its most famous bird—the Sooty Tern. He then winks at them, establishing his identity as Lee’s contact. The group, unsure as to whether or not Machado is truly a friendly face, ask for food and magazines while they wait on the results of their background checks.