gpsfiles

[gpsfiles]

Finally put up photos

I've finally put up photos for the Orient Express Journal: http://gpsfiles.tumblr.com/post/107661838542/orient-express-7 http://gpsfiles.tumblr.com/post/108267933862/orient-express-8 http://gpsfiles.tumblr.com/post/109735471852/orient-express-9 http://gpsfiles.tumblr.com/post/111474634732/orient-express-11

I've been searching for some information about what happened when the Orient Express arrived in Constantinople so I'll keep you posted.

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Orient Express 11

August 30  31

Today I waited

Yesterday I waited at the post office for word from

I received my wife instead. Its amazing how small a box could be for a person if they aren't a person anymore.

I think I collapsed in the post office, crying, screaming, howling at the moon. I rushed and tore Fiona's library apart

I want ed to find whatever makes that man, FIona's man tick.

But he came and told me what makes him tick. I would need a whole body.

With the box was a note from Griffydd dated the 28 three days ago. He says she passed on-- A better place.

I was angry at first, but Griffydd says he got revenge                                                no need for me.

I guess I'm glad it leaves room for how sad I am

I'm leaving Scotland.

September 4

When I arrived home there was my wife - more alive than any memory I have left.

She must have had the portrait painted while traveling. I wept like I hadn't wept before.

The funeral is tomorrow I will bring the portrait with me. Poor Tom has locked himself in his room.

Sophie's father will be here as well. I can't make any more excuses.

We declared war on Germany yesterday.

I think I will send the journal back to Fiona before I volunteer.

August 28, 1939

Dear Fred,

It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter. Sophie has passed on, she was killed by a vampire one Count Fenelic. He had been following us for most of our trip, he now rots in the desert. With this letter is her remains, preserved as best we could. I cannot begin to express how sorry I am for your loss. She is in a better place now. Good Luck.

With love your friend,

Griffydd Rosenburg

[Photos of the final letter and journal pages will be added later.]

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Family Tree I found for Emmerson Vogel, son of Ben Vogel, a member of GPS between 1935 until some time in the 1940s.

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express 10

As I explained last week it seems Gweniffer never received these later letters from Sophie. One has to wonder if Fiona Salesman was keeping them from him while he was in Scotland. 

DearestGwen,

I loved reading your letter! It feels so good to hear from you after so long, and excellent to hear you are safe in Scotland. It does sound an awfully strange place. We have just departed Belgrade, a quick visit. When I arrived I was in for a shock, a strange veiled lady was waiting with Beardall written on it. She said her name was Hester. I checked and it was in that packet you got from Fiona. She said she would guide us around town, and she spoke Serbo-Croat like a local and helped us out.

We visited the museum where Westly mentioned. Dr. Milovan Todorovic, the curator, had bought several pieces from a priest in a town called Oraszac. So we took a train there with Hester. There the Father said he had gotten the statuary from an old lady in the woods and he sent us there. Before that we saw a quaint little ceremony where the locals parade a poor little gypsy girl around town almost completely naked as some sort of fertility right. Well we went into the woods and found the cottage of this old lady. There was a young woman there, more beautiful than anyone I've ever seen. She was weaving this incredibly detailed hanging of the village. There was a shelf filled with statuary and Mungo saw the arm at the top just as the old lady arrived. What happened next may seem like a fit of madness to you. Well, you saw some things as well.

The old lady used her oven shovel to toss Mungo into the oven, which opened its door like a huge mouth and waddled forwards. The young woman tried to stab Rosenberg. William managed to pull Mungo out of the oven while dodging the old woman. Mungo had grabbed the arm and William and he rolled out of the house. The house seemed to be moving. Me and Rosenberg managed to leap out as well. The house itself had stood off the ground on huge chicken legs. Believe me we ran. Hester had given me this odd comb, and I tossed it over my shoulder as we ran. I didn't look back but we all heard several somethings fighting and then chasing us. But we got away in a mad tumble chase. We found ourselves in a small town, Mungo with an arm under his arm.

We made out way back to the church where his wife had been killed. Before we could deal with that Li-Wei appeared and demanded the Simulacrum. We refused of course and she attacked us. She pinned William and Mungo against the wall somehow and Rosenburg tried to fight back but was badly beaten for his trouble. We escaped however.

We got on the train and I swear we heard the sound of that house chasing after us.

Well, we'll be in Sophia next and all we need is the head! Then on to Constantinople to destroy this cursed statue.

Much Love, hope you are safe. I really really hope you are safe,

Sophie

[gpsfiles]

North China Daily News

Two cut outs from the North China Daily News from 1925 around December when Fiona's expedition where in Shanghai. 

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express 9

So I did some document diving this weekend and what do I see? Sophie's handwriting on several sheets of paper. As I think I forgot to mention with my last Orient Express post no more letters were filed with Gweniffer's journal. But for whatever reason there are several more notes in Sophie's hand addressed to him. They are all pretty well preserved and are no where near as well handled as the others. These letters aren't dated but must have occurred generally after August 21st and the end of the month. World War II broke out September 1st 1939. 

From Gweniffer's Journal:

August 26

I am debating returning to London. I haven't received any letters from Sophie recently and I hope they simply haven't been forwarded here. I wrote her some days ago. So she should Know I am here. Fiona tells me not to worry.

After revealing everything about these ancient forces the last few days Fiona today showed me in the books where references are to certain things. I can't help but believe her, I even saw what floats at midnight.

Fiona says she has organized people to stop this. That it even exists in America. Funny how I didn't even consider that possibility.

She gave me addresses to others like her. Some in Chicago but they had died she said. Others in Arkham. An old friend of Sophie is one. From the old girl's college.

I don't know. Maybe I should go rejoin Sophie, help them now that I know all this.

[My grandmother Monica went to the Miskatonic Girls College in Arkham around 1928 when Sophie may have been there. My mother told me she had traveled a lot between her graduation and when after the war ended. Perhaps this is who Fiona mentions in Arkham?]

Gwen,

A shortletter as we flee Trieste. Following up on the Winkleman diarywe visited the caves of Postumia where Winkleman thoughtsome beings lived who collected occult items. We considered that that amulet Kenneth had could be traded to them for the leg. All went to hell when we got there as it seems the cult preempted us. Our guide attacked us but Mungo, that reminds me we were met by Mungo MacRea who had heard of us from Fiona. He's joined us on the trip and he is a capable if noisy young man. You know how much I hate bagpipes. Some of the man's friends were shooting at us as well so we snuck into a side passage where we found a large underground lake. I think I lost it for awh ile, but Kenneth didn't want to throw his amulet to the creatures there. They spoke to us in Miroslav's voice. And Mungo had to grab it away from him. Ken dove in to get it and we think he drowned. Rosenberg's gun exploded in his hand but something killed the men attacking us. I think I tried to throw Patricia into the lake. Patricia is a painter we met on the train. She's returning to America now and I think she will leave a portrait of me at our house in London, I swear if I was more superstitious I woul d say it looks more lifelike than I do.

After the amulet the creature s let us take the leg and we fled the caves. Something had murdered those men outside. Oh and we met William Dionna another Canadian who was looking for Kenneth. He claims Kenneth was part of some secret service that knows about all this. You know what I mean.

We are safety on the road for Belgrade,

Sophie

A modern photo of the Postojna Cave.

[gpsfiles]

East China Sea

Items I think are connected to the events in 1925 in the East China Sea. Here in the journal of Gweniffer Frederick Beardall, Gwen mentions that Fiona and others committed a ceremony on an island in the East China Sea. The photo of the ship just barely shows the name starting with the letters DA. The map has several points marked, "Shanghai," "MI" and "Island." A part goes from Shanghai to MI and crosses back to the Island. The map itself seems to be a scan from a large book of maps.

[gpsfiles]

Murder on the Calais Coach

This book was owned by Sophie Beardall. Printed in 1933 it is the American printing of Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie. They changed the name to not confuses consumers since another book with Orient Express was published in America the same year. The book has Rosalie Gend scrawled on the first page. One of Sophie's American friends?

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express 8

I decided I would post all of Gwen's notes on 1925 in one burst. He has written in two different ink colors. Plain text is his normal black ink, his main notes are in blue which I've included in italics. Things in [brackets] describe non text items or arrows. 

After reading this I seem to have as many questions of my own as Gwen did. 

What was Fiona hiding about Australia? 

What is wrong with Bruce, Fiona's man? The way Gwen writes about him makes him seem nearly mute, and he apparently wears a coat and hat inside.

This journal still hasn't answer my questions about Thomas Beardall as well. Gweniffer Frederick Beardall had a brother Thomas Frederick Beardall who was reported dead in WWI in 1918, but he is included in the SOPI books up until 1922. 

Sophie's next letter mentions that Gwen wrote to her on August 23rd, sadly his letter is not included in the GPS files I have found so far. Presumably it describes Fiona's household in more detail.

I will have an amended timeline soon.

August 25 Fiona began her tale today. I'll note it down below.

1925-Jan. 15 Carl Anderson-lawyer receives telegram from author Jackson Elias. Elias is murdered by men wearing masks with red tongues.

Jan. 22 Anderson, Felix Dubois, John Patterson, Alistair MacCormick -Fiona's Great Uncle, Jabbar Mohamed, Markus Warrell raid Juju house discover Red Tongue cult.

Feb. 5 Party follows clues to London, Anderson goes mad and is arrested. Patterson departs. -Discover Brotherhood of the Black Pharaoh - later discover both Brotherhood and Red Tongue worship Nyarlathotep. -Adam Westly & Hamilton Kirk join party -Brotherhood run by Edward Havigan & Tewfik al-Sayed

Feb. 1(7?) group raid Misr house disaster! Warren, Jabbar killed. Wesley's legs damaged by magic.

So Westly was involved with this party. According to Fiona he tripped Gavigan and he "withered" his legs. She thought he had been killed in Cairo.

March 1 - group travel to Egypt stay in Cairo. Joined by Lester Sykes, Jack Hudson meet Jabbar's friend Rahul Winston. -Discover that Carlyle expedition involved w/ Omar Shakti and Brotherhood of Black Pharaoh - hear account that they did some ceremony on pyramid to break a seal there. -The cult attacks and follows them. Alistair is driven mad and is killed. Lester Sykes murdered. Fiona joins  -April 1 group leaving Wesley in Cairo escape to Mombasa. Brotherhood worship Nephren-Ka an old Pharao who has been erased from time. His power the "Black Wind" legend spread to Kenya. -April 6 train to Nairobi then hike to Mountain of Black Wind.

-Bruck Salesman, Fiona's man guides them to mountain

April 23 - large ceremony of Black Wind, hundreds of Africans worship at temple - summon something. Hudson, Rahul die, Felix driven insane.

[Arrow pointing at Felix] Sent to insane asylum in England -He escaped later Same Felix? We met on Train & in Lausanne?  *Carlyle exp. set out to Egypt then Kenya *Not really killed *Houston in Australia *Penhew in China *Brady in Shanghai

[Chart showing connections between New York, England, Egypt, Kenya, and China cults.] New York                                  England Red Tongue                             Brotherhood of Black Pharaoh -Emmerson Imports                 -Edward Gavigan [Arrow pointing to Omar                                                                                Shakti]        Singh Exports [Arrow accompanying  pointing at Emmerson Imports]                      Egypt                                                                         -Omar Shakti Brotherhood Kenya                                                    Red Tongue                                            Legend of Black Wind -Mountain of Black Wind                      [Arrow accompanying pointing -Bloody Tongue                                       at Bloody Tongue]

                                                              China                                                              Order of Bloated Woman                   

July 17 - Fiona and Bruce consult experts Raj Furibundas and Hester Beswick - travel to Australia - suspecting some one in Carlyle expedition went there. Cult exporters document shipping there.

Aug. 6 Meet Houston who worships Sand Bat another avatar of Nyarlathotep. He explains that Kenya- Australia- China creates ceremonial triangle to summon their god.

[Map of Indian Ocean. Points in Kenya, China and Australia with a triangle connecting them]

One must admire the logic of their plan.

Houston killed - Aug. 16 leave for Shanghai. Fiona seems to be hiding something. Her account of Australia is surprisingly vague. Her man Bruce came in and seemed agitated hearing what we were discussing.

-Fiona departs from Group -Meets Gilstrap in Scotland

[Another chart this time connected the shipping activities of cult. Emerson in NY connected to Singh Exports in Africa. Penhew Foundation in London connected to Shakti in Africa, Randolph Shipping in Australia, and Ho Fong in Shanghai. Ho Fong and Randolph Shipping are also connected to Shakti and each other.]

In Shanghai Hester  Conner O'Reilly (He joined in Australia) and Raj. join with Bruce's father Stephan Salesman and Lim Wei [Lim Wei circled with an arrow "related to Li Wei"] and San two locals. -want to find Jack Brady one of the Carlyle and Aubrey Penhew who Jackson saw

[A small family tree of Fiona's is included]

Stephan Salesman        | Bruce S. ---------Fiona B.                 |         \           Evana    Lucy (Adopted)

___________________

Shangai Sept. 6 - Jan 15

-disvoer Ho Fong Imports connected to cult sending items to Penhew in East China Sea -Brady working w/ New China & Mu Hsien - translating 7 Cryptical Books of Hsan -Order of Bloated Woman Mrs. Ho Fong in charge -Penhew building device on island to open portal in triangle -Jan 14. Fiona rejoins enact ceremony on island to prevent redo of summoning.

Questions remaining:

-Conner O'Reilly & Jack Hudson [Arrow pointing below "We killed him in Milan -he was wearing red Tongue mask"] both perhaps started worshipping Nyarlathotep

-Hester turned on party in Shanghai, *She & Felix had a connection *Felix escaped from asylum now he is pretending to be a gentleman in Lausanne.- Why?      -What does he want?          -Simulacrum?          -Scroll of Simulacrum      -What does he want scroll for?

-how does Li Wei fit into this? *She clearly knows more than she said

-Cult of Skinless one connected to cults of Nyarlathotep?

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express 7

I suppose I should change the name some point since Gwen is no where near the train at this point. But his wife diligently updates him on what is happening so I guess it keeps the spirit of the thing. As usual I've tried to include the diary passages alongside Sophie Beardall's letter. I wasn't as sure when he received the following one so I've included the two entries before the next one was sent. Gwen also finally hits on something in his journal I have been thrilled to read, a more detailed account of the events of 1925. As we know Fiona and Daville formed GPS in 1929. But the journals Fiona wrote in 1925 are all pretty vague, only including scratched notes, half of it is water logged and unreadable. Kelly must have tried to recover it and rebind the books but almost all of it is useless.

"August 22

I was at the club today chatting with Estabon when the man brought a telegram on the tray. I was talking about statues or something but I was distracted, the collector does like to ask so many questions. I was trying to read my telegram but he kept bugging me so I described the Simulacrum for him just to shut him up. It must have worked since when I looked up he had vanished. I asked the doorman, apparently he had muttered something about the Simplon express.

But Rachel asked if I could catch an evening train up to Scotland. I'm on the train now just passing Carlisle. I should arrive sometime in the night but Rachel said a driver would be waiting for me. One of the MacRae boys.

There was a Civil Servant on board named Michael said he was amazed I was letting my wife travel in Europe. I told him what I thought of overbearing husbands but he explained he meant because of Germany. Apparently their navy is bothering Poland and they are likely to invade soon. England's been putting off getting involved but he said he couldn't imagine anywhere on the mainland will be very safe soon.

I laughed in his face. I showed him my gun wound told him that Germany was the least of Sophie's worries. He got off at Leeds.

August 24

I'm sitting staring at the castle Eilean Donan returning from a walk. I can't help but reflect what an odd time it is here. The castle glints fairly, being just rebuilt as the Lt. Colonel is so fond of relating. I can see Lucy and Evana, Fiona's two girls, one raven haired the other pale climbing about beside the water with some net. I don't think I've ever seen Fiona leave the house.

When the MacRae boy met me at the bus stop in that old car near midnight he asked me what I was doing here, it seems Fiona doesn't get too many visitors. Though she is friendly with the locals. When I mentioned the Orient Express he said one of his cousins had gone to meet it in France as well.

Last night the two girls, Fiona and the Lt. Colonel all sat around a big table and ate. John the Lt. Colonel chatted with me about what I though about Europe and if I though America would get involved if war broke out. Fiona stayed quite through it all and Lucy and Evana squabbled in that weird language go theirs. Not any sort of Scottish I've heard of.

After the last course Fiona suddenly grabbed my wrist, strangely strong for such a frail woman, and insisted I come to her sitting room. Too terrified not to I followed meekly. She had quizzed me before about our trip on the Simplon. But no this time she retrieved a gold coin and made me hold it between my hands and swear on it not to tell a soul what we discussed there.

[On the facing page here is a sketch of Eilean Donan. Sadly my camera is broken at the moment and I can not record it.]

The coin grew warm in my hands as I swore to secrecy but not unpleasantly so. As I handed it back she felt it as if it might be burning.

She began asking me different questions, not about what we did but what we knew. Once she had finished I felt pretty inferior, clearly she had expected more.

She explained that in 1925 her friends and her had encountered a cult. Writing this it sounds the sort of thing from that Tabloid rag the Scoop I used to read in London. But this cult had existed world wide, and together she and the others had stopped their plot. She promised more detail tomorrow but she said she feared the men who had burned down the Anderson mansion might be cultists of the same sort. I wish my letter to Sophie hadn't been so cheerful."

[Page 1]

Aug. 21, 1939

Gwen love,

I apologize if my hand is a little week today, we all took quite a bashing in Venice and we left in just as much hurry as we arrived. We got stopped at the station by a horrible man leading all of those fascists. He wanted Maria, she explained that he was her fiance, the reason she was asking me what married life was like. Now I know. Well after only a little upset we managed to get away and I took Maria with us to the hotel. Sadly the blackshirt had other plans. Since when we were on our way to the Grimanchi doll works, the one we found out about back in Paris, the gondolier instead began taking us to the blackshirt's mansion. We were all ready to push him into the canal then and there, but he yelped that the fascists had his daughter.

So we were pushed along to his mansion. The evil man threatened us to bring Maria to him. He kept Griffyd behind as incentive and took all of our passports as well. Some of his goons started rowing us back, but one of them fell out of Miroslav and Kenneth's boat when one of Ken's birds flapped out. He's doing that more and more now you know. So I jumped up on the gunwales and began tipping. You remember on lake Michigan when we were becalmed. You showed me how you could tip the boat back and forth to sta rt moving again. Well it didn't work so well in such a narrow canal boat and all four of us, Dr. Terzi and I and the two goons with us, all tipped out. I bashed my head on the boat as I fell in but luckily the doctor grabbed my arm and we managed to get to the side. The others had managed to get their second goon in the water as well and joined us on dry land. I insisted so we rushed back to the hotel and grabbed Maria, it took a lot but I managed to convince her to stay at the train station to leave on the Orient Express as soon as her lover appeared. (The lover was the reason for the upset at the train station in the first place) But on our way Griffydd was rowing a boat the other way. He said he had dealt with it. I shiver to think what he meant, he's got an evil glint in his eye these days. Later I heard the German embassy was burnt to t he ground by an arson and the blackshirt was found with a hammer and sickle burnt into his side, if only I believed in Daddy's God.

After all that we finally managed to get to Grimanchi Doll works and we met the most pleasant owner there. He asked us to dinner, and afterwards he told us an old story about how his grandfather had been ordered to replace a broken statue leg or be branded a traitor by the Austrians. If he made a leg that fit he would be considered a witch. But Gremanchi managed to find a ceramic leg he had bought years before, and in the morning the Austrians were so surprised they let him go. Well we figured, rightly as it happened, that that leg was why Adam We stly had put us on to Grimanchi in the first place. So that night we snuck to the old clock tower where this statue was supposed to be. The whole place was filled w ith statues and up in the clock tower were even more. Miroslav luckily noticed a stone Turk whose leg was slightly paler than the rest of him. But when he wrenched it free the hour struck and the statues all began to move about the tower. They all dashed about and we're sure they were attacking us, they began to break their tracks and charge towards us, we all got bashed about. I nearly didn't make it but Miroslav saved me w ith one of his spells, he made my skin loose a nd wiggle so I slid along the floor, or at least that's what Ken said. I hope he was just trying to gross me out. I saw what Miroslav did for Catalina though. There was a man or a bat there. And afterwards I had a horrid dream. In the morning Dr. Terzi suggested the legend of the vampire his mother had once told him.

Leg in hand, that one will amuse you, we decided to quickly leave and where on our way to Trieste before we were even able to smell Venice's disgusting ca nals. I was still in pain from having been bashed in the chest by one of the statues so I stayed the morning in my room. When I came out for lunch I rather surprised the waiter by asking for a stuffed pineapple. Griffydd had given part of his garlic to the chef, I don't think I ever told you, but he said he had

[Page 2]

brought it back from the “Dream” Lausanne. The dinner we all smelled thoroughly of Garlic. Only arriving in Trieste that night we felt the Bora, the ever present wind, blow the train clean of the scent. After the talk of vampires in Venice I am a little sad. I wish I had enjoyed reading Dracula more.

Trieste was wholly uneventful at first, we found a pamphlet for an exhibit on Wincklemann which mentioned that his papers were sold to another man in the 1700s. Wincklemann apparently was very important to the Greeks. The doctor, Ken and I all headed to the museum to see his tomb, a nd Miroslav and Griffydd went to track down the owner of his papers. There was nothing at the museum, but the others had more luck. Apparently the man just handed the journal over. Miroslav was tr anslating it from the Ancient Greek but never finished. I'll get to that soon.

But that night in the hotel everything went crazy, I suppose crazier for what we've seen in the past. My chicken had maggots in it, then a wine glass poured thick red something out on the table, Miroslav tried to stab the air, out in the hall chairs were flung around and fi re burned blue. Miroslav was so rattled, well I think he snapped. He had been muttering about a new spell of his, and making himself young again. Well he st arted shouting and ran up the stairs onto the roof shouting “I will be the Bora!” We followed of course dodging books and tables. He slammed the door ahead of us and we could hear him shouting into the wind. When Kenneth tried to push the door open the hinges snapped and smashed into us but we pushed on trying to get the door ahead of us. At the last second the wind died down and we tumbled onto the roof just in time to see his clothes and cane f all to the ground. I swear as we departed I hear a whisper “Miroslav bids you farewell.” We were all shivering by then. As we turned around there was another man there, Griffydd thinks it was Wincklemann's ghost, he and the ghost spoke in German for awhile and the ghost beckoned t hem to follow. Thinking it wiser to stay I went to Miroslav's room to think for awhile, and Kenneth, the Doctor, and Griffydd returned late at night.

Well I think that covers everything since the last letter, I hope you are well wh erever you are. I still wait eagerly for a letter in return,

Yours forever,

Sophie

[gpsfiles]

Newspaper Clippings V

Newspaper Clippings when the Carlyle Expedition disappeared. According to Fiona's notes many of these clippings were sent to Jackson Elias, an author of several occult focused books, anonymously. The only mark on the papers were the letters AK on them.

Jackson Elias contacted Carl Anderson and two old war friends, Alistair McCormick (Fiona's uncle) and Jabbar Mohamed in July. According to the Newspapers Jackson Elias was found dead in his hotel room on July 15 with many of his papers missing. Some sort of symbol was carved into his forehead. His publisher Kensington had nothing to add.

According to the notes much of what was reported here was reported falsely.

New York Pillar/Riposte

Important Visitors

July 24, 1919

Mobasa (Reuters) - Leading members of an American archaeological expedition arrived here on holiday from digs in Egypt's Nile Valley.

Our Under-Secretary, Mr. Royston Whittington, held a welcoming dinner for them at Collingwood House, where the wit of Sir Aubrey Penhew, expedition co-leader, was much in evidence.

Accompanying Sir Aubrey are two Americans, youthful financier Roger Carlyle and medical doctor Robert Huston.

The part leaves inland tomorrow, for Nairobi and hunting.

Carlyle Expedition Feared Lost

Oct. 15, 1919

Mombasa (Reuters) - Uplands police representatives today asked for public assistance concerning the disappearance of the Carlyle Expedition. No word of the party has been received in nearly two months.

The group includes wealthy playboy Roger Carlyle and three other American citizens, as well as respected Egyptologist Sir Aubrey Penhew of the United Kingdom.

The expedition left Nairobi on August 3, ostensibly on camera safari, but rumor insisted that they actually were after legendary Biblical treasures.

Carlyle and his party reportedly intended to explore portions of the Great Rift Valley, to the northwest of Nairobi.

Erica Carlyle Arrives in Africa

March 11, 1920

Mombasa (Reuters) - In response to clues, Miss Erica Carlyle, sister to the American leader of the lost Carlyle Expedition, arrived in port today aboard the Egyptian vessel Fount of Life.

Several Kikuyu-villager reports recently have been received concerning the putative massacre of unarmed whites near Aberdare Forest.

Miss Carlyle declared her intention to find her brother, regardless of the effort needed. She brought with her the nucleus of a large expedition.

Detailing agents to coordinate supply and other activities with Colony representatives, Miss Carlyle and the remainder of her party depart for Nairobi tomorrow.

Her companion, Mrs. Victoria Post, indirectly emphasized Miss Carlyle's purposefulness by recounting the rigors of the voyage aboard the Semite ship.

Carlyle Massacre Confirmed

May 24, 1920

Nairobi (Reuters) - The massacre of the long-missing Carlyle expedition was confirmed today by district police representatives.

Roger Carlyle, New York's rollicking playboy, is counted among the missing.

Authorities blame hostile Nandi tribesmen for the shocking murders. Remains of at least two dozen expedition members and bearers are thought found in several concealed grave sites.

Erica Carlyle, Roger Carlyle's sister and apparent heiress to the Carlyle family fortune, led the dangerous search for her brother his party. She credited Kikuyu tribesmen for the discovery, though police actually found the site.

Among other expedition members believed lost are Sir Aubrey Penhew, noted Egyptologist; New York socialite Hypatia Masters, and Dr. Robert Huston. Many bearers also are reported dead.

Murderers Hanged

June 19, 1920

Nairobi (Reuters) - Five Nandi tribesmen, convicted ringleaders of the vicious Carlyle Expedition massacre, were executed this morning after a short, expertly-conducted trial.

To the end, the tribesmen steadfastly refused to reveal where they had hidden the bodies of the white leaders of the expedition. Mr. Harvis, acting for the Colony, cleverly implied throughout the trial that the massacre was racial in motivation, and that the fair-skinned victims were taken to a secret location, there to suffer the most savage treatment.

Miss Erica Carlyle, defeated in her efforts to rescue her brother, left several weeks ago, but is surely comforted now by the triumph of justice.

[gpsfiles]

Newspaper Clippings IV

I'm away traveling for the winter so will have a series of Newspaper clippings collected by Fiona Salesman in 1925 while traveling around the world. According to her journal (to my knowledge she has no surviving kin) her Great Uncle Alistair McCormick met up with several other people on January 15th and decided to research the missing Carlyle expedition, lost in 1919. 

New York Pillar/Riposte:

Big Apple Dateline April 4, 1919

Roger Carlyle, the playboy whom everybody knows - or knows about - is quietly leaving New Yawk tomorrow to check out the tombs of Egypt! You've seen the cuties Roger has found in the nightspots. Who can doubt he'll dig up someone - er, something - equally fabulous from the Egyptian sands?

Carlyle Expedition Embarks for England April 5, 1919

Led by the fabulously wealthy playboy Roger Carlyle, the Carlyle Expedition departed this morning for Southampton aboard the crack British steamship Imperial Standard. 

Contrary to earlier reports, the expedition will perform researches in London under the auspices of the Penhew Foundation before continuing to Egypt next month.

Readers may recall the enormous party which Mr. Carlyle, now 24, gave at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel upon reaching his majority. Since then, scandals and indelicate behavior have become Carlyle's trademark, but he never has become tarnished in the eyes of Manhattanites.

Members of the expedition have been reluctant to reveal their purpose in Egypt.

Other Expedition Members

Renowned Egyptologist Sir Aubrey Penhew is assistant leader of the team, and in charge of excavations.

Dr. Robert Huston, a fashionable 'Freudian' psychologist, accompanies the expedition to pursue parallel researches into ancient pictographs.

Miss Hypatia Masters, linked in the past to Carlyle, will act as photographer and archivist.

Mr. Jack Brady, intimate to Mr. Carlyle, accompanies the group as general factotum.

Additional members may be secured while in London.

Carlyle Departs Egypt

July 3, 1919

Cairo (AP) - Sir Aubrey Penhew, temporary spokesman for the Carlyle Expedition, indicated Monday that the leaders are taking ship to East Africa for a 'well-earned rest.'

Sir Aubrey debunked rumors that the expedition had discovered clues to the legendary wealth of the lost mines of King Solomon, maintaining that the party was going on safari "in respite from our sandy labors."

Roger Carlyle, wealthy New York leader of the expedition, was unavailable for comment, still suffering from his recent sunstroke.

Discussing that unfortunate incident, local experts declared Egypt entirely too hot for Anglo-Saxons at this time of year, and suggested that the young American had not been well served by his democratic enthusiasm, rumored to have led him to personally wield pick and shovel.

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express 6

August 20

Rachel has left to visit Fiona in Scotland. And Dr. Happy Lawson has finally let me out of bed rest. But he's keeping [me] in my room at the moment.

One of Sophie's friends tried to visit but Lawson turned her away. He wants me to start seeing people again in a week or so.

August 21

I told Dr. Lawson not to let Marcela, Sophies friend in, but he did anyway. I tried to stay civil but her twitering was abominable. She kept on asking about Tom, like the life of my son mattered to her tiny pointless existence. Or that her gossip mattered to me. I stood up and left. The Doctor shouted all he could but I walked myself to the curb well enough and called a taxi. I went to the club down town. If I'm down there again and bump into Archibald I'll spill my drink on him.

Instead I met someone else. I noticed the white hat first, and white suit. The was face was preceded by a protruding moustache. He never said his name but his tan and conversation said a lot about who he was.

An archaeologist and collector. We spoke on many topics, the history of Rome, a secret valley in France, and Egyptian religions. I couldn't do anything but hint about the Sedefkar Simulacrum, but I was proud to tell him of my short journey on the Simplon Orient Express.

I got another letter from Sophie as well. They should be in Venice at the moment. One of the "Americans" killed the other and fled. With some of the rumors flying around the club I worry Sophie will be stuck in Europe in the middle of a war.

Gwen my love,

I wanted to write a quick missive as we pull into the train station near Venice. We had quite the exciting train journey. I'll write it out in order, but we are all safe and sound, if a little worried. You'll see why in a moment.

First of all there are two new people on the train, Maria Stagliani, an Italian girl whose father just died in Venice. The poor girl asked me about our marriage so I suspect she has much on the mind. The other new passenger was Andrea Stephani, an air pilot taking after the dearly departed Amelia Earhart. She's managed to get an entire airplane in the fourgon according to “collapsable parts.” I'll have to ask her about that for you when we get a quite moment. Sadly we had to skip lunch last night.

At lunch time every thing got rather exciting. Those two “Americans,” you know, the ones we sent those letters to were sitting together. Nicholas Vanderbilt, had a big bandage around his head and suddenly he started to choke on his drink. Luckily there was an Italian doctor near by who helped him. Dr. Attila was staying in his room during the day. After Nicholas had spit out whatever he was having trouble with Peterson pulled out a pistol and was going to shoot him. Rosenberg went and stopped the mad man but Nicholas pulled out his own gun and tried to shoot the both of them all yelling in Russian. Everyone was in a panic by then and I took Maria out of the dining car. Apparently Ken managed to get one of his pigeons to fly in Peterson's face, but he shot Nicholas anyways. He escaped from the train later.

Then while I was in Maria's cabin I saw a man in a black shirt fly past the window, so I went into the hall and pulled the emergency break yelling at the conductor about it. The stupid man wouldn't move for apologizing for the inconvenience. The Wagon Lit employees are all too polite for their own good. Then even more police turned up, Ken explained that they were Germans and the man who fell out the window was a blackshirt, one of Mussolini's thugs. The German's all searched us until he got to that group of Russians, the smaller one knocked him out and the big one ran back to his room. I think they might have bribed the conductors to leave the police behind.

But I think we are all safe again. Li Wei is on the train again as well. I tried to ask her about the Opera and I think Ken and Rosenberg talked to her as well.

I've also noticed Miroslav seems to look more and more tired every time I see him, I'll have to check on that.

As always I love you very much and hope you will write me soon,

Sophie

[gpsfiles]

A telegram dated to the morning of August 16th, just prior to the events that drove G. Frederick Beardall mad. 

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Orient Express Journal 5

Fred Beardall's handwriting is still shaky in this one, though not in the clumsy way in the last entry. There's a letter dated to the 17th from Sophie to their apartment in Addisland Court in London. It seems the travelers sent Fred back to London after the events described in the letter. I've included a scan below.

August 15

August 19

Dr. Lawson wants me to write my feelings down here again.  I feel cold. I feel my heart in my chest. I feel angry about it.

I wish Sophie was here at home with me. Rachel and Dr. Lawson are very kind, but its OUR home. Sophie probably knows best but [scribbled out word] London feels like an ossuary masquerading as a habitable place without her.

Rachel brought a letter from Sophie tonight. She says shell read it if I rest. She asked if I wanted her to get Tom. I can't bear to see my boy now.

Aug. 17 1939

My Dearest Gwen,

I know you must be in great pain. I realize how hard this must be me sending you away like this. But you must understand I had to. I hope the Doctor explains. I wrote to him about what happened. They'll read this to you when you are feeling better. But you know I love you very much. I'll try to get back as soon as possible. But I know how important all of this is. Even if the others are so unquestionably believing. We know so little I don't know how the others don't see that. All I can do is stay and hope to be a voice of reason. Miroslav especially wont listen to me.

When you feel better would you write please? I hope you still trust me, the things you did, and I couldn't keep you in danger like that. They attack us in our hotel! But I promise I'll be safe. I have Ken and Griffydd, and Miroslav and the excellent Doctor to keep me safe for now. Please would you write to me and tell me Tom is alright? I worry about him at school. Oh and Rachel should be writing to Fiona, maybe she'll come and visit you.

I'm going on and on, but I can't put it off I suppose. I'll write another letter to Doctor Happy Lawson so he doesn't read this to you to early but I cant hide the truth from you. You killed four people Gwen. That's what Griffydd told me. We were all sitting there listening to the soul melting Aida and next you and Ken were getting up. I think you were following that old man behind us, the one you said had Caterina Cavallero's voice. You followed them out leaving me and Miroslav to watch the opera. You all went back to the prop room where me and the others snuck in before. You used the fire escape door to the costumiers room where I had told Griffydd to tie a ribbon. But there were already people fighting over the torso. Li Wei was there with those three ladies, those were the ones you killed. And Max, that man you met in Lousanne, the friend of M. Dubois'. And there were men with the old man and that old lady wearing Caterina's ankh. They were all fighting over it. Griffydd, the Doctor and you tried to break it up, but they ignored you. And then Max's heart came out. I know how sensitive you'd become about your heart, you snapped, you grabbed the Doctor's gun and you started the shooting the old ladies. Griffydd told me that you all thought the old ladies had cast a spell on Max. You killed two of them, and shot one of Max's men. Then you stabbed the old lady with one of those prop spears. Griffyd shot a man too and the old lady who said she was Caterina strangled the old man.

You tried to put Max's heart back in. I can't even imagine. You tried to put it down his throat. I think he was dead already Gwen, really.

They took you back, and they got the Torso too! That will make you glad we're a third of the way there! I'm almost dreading going to Venice. You know how much I've always wanted to visit Venice, but it shouldn't be like this. This dreaded trip. I can't help imagining a city filled with broken arms or limps. I can't even imagine what ailment the head causes. They took you back to the Hotel Gwen and I cleaned you off. I took the prop spear from you and the gun. We cried in the bath tub together. I hope knowing what happened will help. You must know that it was bad. But they were fighting each other too. I think the police blamed it on one of Max's men. Griffydd left some of his pamphlets on him.

I can't write it enough, I'm sorry for what happened, I know why you tried to hide why we were traveling, you wanted to keep me safe. Well maybe you can understand why I had to send you away. If if anything happens to me our son needs a father. You need to be there for him.

I'll be yearning for word from you as soon as your feeling well enough to write.

Always always yours, Sophie

[gpsfiles]

"American" Love Letters

Two letters are included in the Orient Express Journal 4 entries. One is in Fred's handwriting, the other is in a nice cursive.

Fred's one:

My dearest Richy,

My eyes happened upon your back the other dusky night upon this most romantic of trains and a quiet thought entered my mind. I could not help but find an appreciative fondness for what I saw. I have much to tell you.I have much to tell you. Would you wait in your berth tonight for my subtle but loving knock.

Nicholas V.

The other one:

My dearest Nicki,

Never would I have thought that I would come to such a moment, but last night, in the flickering candlelight of this most romantic of trains, I found my thought and eyes most consistently drawn to your most steely muscled figure. Truly, the sight of you steals my breath astoundingly and I would wish most fervently to speak my heart in a more private setting. Shall we say my quarters tonight, after dinner? I shall be waiting got you.

Yours truly,

Richard Peterson

[gpsfiles]

Orient Express Journal 4

Sorry no photos on this one, the charger for my phone has broken. I'll add them in later.

August 10

scroll before 4th crusade ~13 cent.

I woke up this morning with a massive head ache and a cold sweat. Sophie was sitting near me reading a book. I lay there quietly considering last night. I couldn't remember much. At thought of seeing Edgar Wellington's body my chest seizes up. I remember returning quickly to the hotel alone and lying in bed. I recall that Sophie left and I couldn't sleep. She returned much later.

I finally got up and spoke. Sophie has left for lunch while I nap. But this morning I asked if the party had said anything to her. She was quiet for a moment.

After thinking she told me that everyone had come back late. She had just opened her book in the suite. They asked her to bring out my packet. The one sent by Fiona. They didn't say what they had found or what had upset me but they let her read the packet GOD DAMN them. How could they! They  knew how much danger we're in and that I was trying to keep her out of it.

Too late now I guess. Miroslav and the doctor had brought some green liquid and they planned on imbibing it. They asked the doctor and Sophie to watch what happened.

They took spoonfuls and fell asleep. That is Griffiths, Ken, and Miroslav. Sophie read through the packet. She said it was quite worrying, but she understands why we must travel. My chest still throbs though.

Later After Dinner - I'm feeling much better now. Sophie finished explaining what happened. When the three med awoke, a scroll and a man appeared. Out of thin air that is.

She said that the man was called Edgar by the others. That can't be right. It can't be.

My chest hurts again.

Anyway apparently Felix Dubois threatened the party to get the scroll. They were quick witted enough to swap it for a fake and Miroslav is reading the real Sedefkar Scroll.

At dinner tonight me and Ken wrote matching love letters from and to the two "Americans" on the train, Richard Penderson and Nicholas Venderbuilt. 

Apparently their relationship is more violent than we supposed. They "accidentally" fired a gun and Penderson "accidentally" hit Nick with an ice pick.

Father Angelico at Duomo

Aida 16th

Costumier's Curse

Las Scala unable to keep costumiers longer than a month due to illness in the chest region

18th c. torso bought by antique dealer           | sold by antique shop to La Scala           | Costume Curse in           | Whole La Scala?

August 12

Sophie was very keen to remind me that I am forty today. I pulled three grey hairs from my head. Sophie says it makes me look distinguished.

We had cake, drinks, and I rented a motorcycle for the day and me and Sophie rode between all of the plazas.

We finished up with a nice dinner at Rapheali's Ristorente. The owner was very enthusiastic about me having canal for dessert. 

Its nice to have a day away from the real purpose of our trip.

August 13

[In a shaky hand] Writing from the Milanese hospital. We were attacked by three men. One of them shot me in the gut. Sophie got an ambulance while the others killed the men. One shot himself but Atilla had a shot gun, god knows where he hit it and was able to stop the rest.

I am keeping Sophie near by.

Attila apparently is the best doctor here and removed the bullet for me and stitched it all back in again.

[A newspaper is taped in here]

Cavollaro's Disappearance: Another Tragedy? Rosario Sorbello, director of La Scala, announced today that 'Aifa' would open tomorrow night with understudy Maria Dimattina appearing in the title role.

Sorbello, in response to comments regarding the 'ghost voice' of last night and other reputedly unnatural occurrences, said that 'There is no substance to these stories. They are mere gossip and old wives' tales.'

Paolo Risconti, props manager for the opera told a different tale. 'We thought our troubles were over.' he said, 'when the costumier's curse ended with the preparations for Aida, but now the bad luck is on the set itself. People are being injured or falling ill, and props are disappearing, Where will this end?'

Tonight's performance is booked out, but the opera is scheduled over the next four weeks.