Also known as “Death in Dunwich”

1923 September 12th to 1924 January – New York, Boston and Dunwich

Characters

Player Characters	Non-Player Characters
Anjuli, Rajkumari of Shahpura – (me)	Anstey, Harry
Carew, Sophie – Government agent (Braddon)	Dunklehurst – Rothenfelder’s private secretary
Fanelli, Tony – metallurgy student (Barry)	Holmes, Munroe – Monica’s twin brother, a vet
Gorson, Joe – private investigator (George)	Rothenfelder, J. D.
Holmes, Monica – American, Doctor of Medicine from Crab Apple Cove, Maine (Jenny)

Involvement

Anjuli’s evil uncle gave her a present at her birthday party, an unusual crystal on a fine gold chain. When she unwrapped and touched it later in the evening, she was transported to the 1920s in an alternative world where the South had won the Civil War.

After this adventure Anjuli worked as a model, nanny and teacher of Indian history (not changed much in this world).

Highlights

After spending five days familiarizing herself with her new but strangely similar surroundings, and having pawned all her jewelry except the crystal to pay for food and accommodation, Anjuli discovered an advertisement in the daily paper that hinted at other lost people from her own world.

On answering the advertisement, Anjuli found three other people who had also become trapped in this world, and who were attempting to find a way to return to her own world. Monica and Munroe Holmes were twins, one a doctor and the other a vet, and Joe Gorson was a private investigator in their own world. They too had been transported to this alternate reality through crystals almost identical to Anjuli’s, and were attempting to find a way back.

Later in the morning Harry Anstey arrived at the hotel rooms in response to the same advertisement that lured Anjuli. He was under instructions to bring the group back to Boston, where they were to meet a man who could help them return to their own world, in exchange for undertaking some investigative work for him. Harry himself was from the group’s original world, and had been trapped in this alternate world for nearly three years before meeting and working for “Sir”.

As “Sir” at this time wished to remain anonymous, the group returned with Harry to an old house in Boston, where Sir spoke to them from behind a partition in the office. He asked them to investigate the recent murder of Dr Plunkett in Dunwich west of Boston, and in return he would show them how they could go back to their own world. In the interim, he would provide the group with money, passports and papers as well as Drs qualifications for the Holmes’ so they could practice in this world if they choose to stay. As added incentive he asked Harry to show the group a da Vinci self portrait that would also be theirs on successful completion of their investigations.

The group questioned Sir on the method of their possible return to their own world, and were informed that the people whom Sir believed were responsible for Dr Plunkett’s murder had in their possession a complete copy of a spell book containing a return spell. Had this been their own world perhaps some members of the party may have scoffed at the suggestion of magic spell books, but given their current situation, none did. The group agreed to accept Sir’s terms, and he gave them one week in which to complete their investigations.

As Harry knew a highly placed officer in the local police force, he obtained from the officer a letter of introduction to the Detective Inspector in charge of the Plunkett murder case in Springfield, Massachusetts. After the party had journeyed to Springfield, they met with the Detective Inspector and he showed them a copy of the police report on the discovery of the body, Plunkett’s personal effects and the coroner’s report, which said Plunkett had been tortured and then murdered. A bite mark on the body was not recognisable as either animal or human, and traces of animal fur found on his clothing were also unrecognisable.

A thorough examination of Plunkett’s personal effects revealed a number for a locker at Boston Station, a number of papers indicating his interest in one J. D. Rothenfelder, an 83 year old fabulously wealthy art collector, and a hollow bullet containing garlic oil and a diamond chip sealed with wax. The victim was found clutching a key that appeared to be his room key, although the hotel owner said Plunkett had returned his room key before he left on the evening he was murdered.

The party returned to Boston where they failed miserably in an attempt to get the station master to open the locker, so having no further clues, they went to Dunwich, the site of the murder. Here the party registered at the Wayward Traveller’s Inn where Plunkett stayed before he was murdered.

The key that Harry persuaded the Detective Inspector to give him was the key to room 3, and the party searched the room carefully in the evening while Anjuli distracted the innkeeper. Nothing was found, but the party determined that the key Plunkett gave the innkeeper was really the locker key, so they returned the room key in exchange for the locker key. The innkeeper had not noticed the difference on casual observation and was thankful to have the proper key returned.

The next day Harry and Anjuli returned to Boston and opened Plunkett’s locker with the retrieved key. The contents included another locker key, newspapers and three more of the wax tipped bullets. As the pair guessed the key was to a locker in New York’s Central Station where Plunkett boarded the train to Boston, they travelled there opened that locker. Inside was another bullet and a number of papers in French, English, Spanish, German, Italian and Turkish. After visiting a number of consulates, the articles in which Plunkett had indicated an interest through pencilled notes were translated into English.

Anjuli believed Rothenfelder was involved in the desecration of the graves of great artists, musicians and writers, and once he obtained some of their remains, he somehow resurrected these artists for the creation of new works. Harry and Anjuli returned to Dunwich and discussed their finds with the rest of the party.

While breakfasting at Whatley’s Tavern the party asked the waitress about the farmhouse in Dunwich owned by Rothenfelder. This place was identified as the Greyson place out of town. The party decided to investigate the farmhouse later in the day, after they had been over the old mill again. The old mill was badly fallen down and revealed noting. An old churchyard had the grave of Ambrose Whately (1800 – 1882), a name written on newspaper clippings found with Plunkett’s belongings.

The party decided to look over Whately’s place, which had been destroyed by fire in 1882. It was in this fire that Whately perished. After looking around the ruins the party discovered and dug up a collapsed tunnel, finding Whately’s body, old ruined books, a ring, a silver cylinder full of dirt, a tooth necklace and a bag of mulch. This disproved the local story that Whately was buried in the churchyard. The townspeople had covered up his death for some reason that the party was as yet unaware of.

The party then attempted to visit Rothenfelder’s house, the old Greyson farm, but were turned back by a man with a big savage dog. The party then decided to go to Miskatonic University in order to get the digging finds examined. A Dr J. T. Mandecker examined the finds and came up with the following:- the books were 14th century, the silver canister was harder than diamond and immune to acid and heat, the bag of mulch was the rotted remains of three types of herbs including mandrake used for protection, the teeth represented the twelve dragon warriors and the inscription on the ring was a fire wheel.

After researching Dunwich in the library the party learnt that witches from Salem had gone to Dunwich and that Whatleys had very early in the town’s history, but had left in the 1880’s and never returned. While lunching in the cafeteria, the party attracted the attention of Tony Fanelli, a metallurgy student who had worked on the silver cylinder. Due to his interest in the origins of the cylinder, Tony asked to join the party, who accepted him on the unspoken condition that they would not ell him where they were from.

Before the party, now including Tony, left Miskatonic, Anjuli bought Joe a .32 calibre pistol so he could use the specially prepared bullets. Against what nobody knew, but now he had a gun to fire the bullets, just in case.

The party arrived back in Dunwich at night and went on to Rothenfelder’s estate outside of town. Here drugged meat was thrown over the fence in order to knock out the savage dog. On eating the meat the dog dropped unconscious and the party them climbed the wall into the grounds of the estate. While advancing toward the farmhouse the party was attacked by a zombie from the graveyard, which was eventually stopped by beating and shooting it.

After checking through the stables and discovering nothing unusual, the party broke into the ground floor of the farmhouse. A quick search of the ground floor, including the kitchen, the study and the cellar produced nothing and the party proceeded upstairs. Here their movements woke up Rothenfelder, who threatened the party with a shotgun. He demanded that they leave his property immediately, before he called the police. The party withdrew at this point because they were uncertain of what they were looking for, and did not wish to confront Rothenfelder at this time.

While attempting to leave the grounds, the party was attacked by another zombie. This one badly injured Harry before it was defeated. During the course of the battle the party had moved toward a small lake with an island at its centre. A man shape was seen briefly on the island, but then Munroe collapsed screaming with his clothes on fire. Although his smouldering clothes were put out quickly, Munroe was unconscious and suffering from severe burns to the chest. With both Harry and Munroe out of action, the party decided on an immediate retreat, fleeing Rothenfelder’s estate and Dunwich for the small town of Gardener further west.

Having stayed in the car overnight with Monica, a doctor, caring for both Harry and Munroe, the party registered at a hotel the following morning. While the wounded recovered and other party members rested, Anjuli and Joe went further west to a larger town to buy arms and ammunition. Here Anjuli bought field glasses, two rifles (a 44.40 and a 22) with telescopic sights, rounds of lead bullets for both, garlic oil, a hand drill and bit, and heavy coats for the party which she hoped would provide some measure of protection from whatever burned Munroe.

The pair journeyed on to Springfield where Anjuli bought diamond chips from a jeweller, then returned to the first town the next day to pick up the 44.40 that had to be specially prepared. While staying at Springfield Joe made more of the special bullets from the lead rounds, the garlic oil and the diamond chips. While returning to Gardener Joe and Anjuli became aware of a car following them which Joe had noticed following them to Springfield the previous day. After settling in again at the hotel in Gardener the party attempted to find the owner of the car which was parked outside a cafe down the street. They were unsuccessful and returned to their hotel to plan their second attempt a discovering just what was going on at Rothenfelder’s estate.

Before dawn the next day the party, minus Munroe who was still not well enough to travel, drove to the outskirts of the lake on Rothenfelder’s property. Again they were followed by the same car that followed Joe and Anjuli to Springfield and back the previous day. As the driver appeared to be avoiding direct contact with the party and at this stage was only following them, and as the party had more pressing problems, they decided to ignore the follower until some form of direct contact had been attempted.

At the edge of the lake the party split up. Tony and Anjuli used a small rowboat to row to the island while the rest of the party (only Monica and Joe, as Harry was too badly wounded to fight and stayed in the car) went around to the other side of the lake and crossed to the island via the bridge. On the island the party discovered a gorilla on a long chain in a gazebo. The gorilla proved to be tame and exceedingly friendly toward Anjuli, who distracted him while the other party members examined the gazebo. A trapdoor was found in the floor of the gazebo, so the party descended, watched by a curious but quiet gorilla. Anjuli had picked the lock on the gorilla’s chain and released him, much to his obvious delight.

Two hundred feet underground the spiral staircase ended and the party found themselves at one end of a very long corridor lined with doors. Opposite the stairway was a large wooden door markedly different to all the others. Behind the door was a large octagonal room containing a horrific statue and seven very old books in glass display cases. These were the books that Rothenfelder had somehow stolen from the Bern University, and that Plunkett was attempting to obtain from him so that Plunkett could return them to the University where he was employed as a librarian.

The Sir who had hired the party was also interested in one of the books, one that was written in Latin and contained a spell that could return the party to their own world. The party smashed the glass cases and took all the books, knowing that the way home was in one of them and that the others would be of interest to Sir, and should be eventually returned to the Bern University.

Further down the corridor was a large room, on the floor of which was painted two pentacle designs. Against one wall was a shelf of bottles containing human remains, probably what was stolen from the graves of the masters when they were desecrated over recent months. At this point Anjuli became very worried, as she had dreamed about crossing the lake, drifting down through the floor of the gazebo and walking along a long tunnel underground. There was danger in the lake and in the gazebo, but the extreme terror her dream-self felt on approaching the end of the corridor woke her from the dream and left her shaking with fear.

The party had experienced no danger from the lake (except perhaps Anjuli almost tipping the rowboat over) and the gorilla in the could have been very dangerous if he had not been pacified by Anjuli. However, neither of these instances produced the unreasoning terror that Anjuli had begun to feel again on approaching the end of the corridor. Her dream had hinted strongly at the physical reality of the gazebo, the trapdoor leading underground and the long corridor. Would it also be proven correct about whatever was at the end of the corridor?

As the party approached the end, Anjuli trailed Joe, Tony and Monica. Her fear of what was ahead out-weighing her fear of anything following the party, including the unknown person in the car that had followed them. The group passed many cell doors on either side of the corridor before coming to one on which was nailed a small card bearing the name Leonardo da Vinci. Inside was a woman, poorly clad and lying on the floor of the cell. Somewhat confused, the party looked into the remaining cells, all of which bore cards on which were written the names of great painters. According to the cards, the party were in the presence of Raphael Sanzo, Peter Paul Rubens, Bernini, Boccachio and other great artists.

The last cells held resurrected artists in new bodies working on new works for Rothenfelder. At the end of the corridor a stout door led to a flight of stairs going upwards. The party started cautiously up the stairs, with Anjuli closing the door behind them. As the party were halfway up the stairs with Joe in the lead, a figure appeared at the top and ordered them to leave. Then Joe screamed and fell backward, his clothes smoking. Whatever had attacked Munroe had attacked Joe, and as he fell backward he knocked Tony down with him. Anjuli stayed just long enough to see Joe and Tony crash to the bottom of the stairs before she panicked and ran down after them.

As she tore open the door at the bottom of the stairs she ran into the woman who had been following the party. Thinking this was another attacker Anjuli cowered by the stairs and wished the woman would shoot her with the gun she was carrying. At least then this nightmare would end. However, after failing to get any sense out of Anjuli, the woman went on up the stairs and tried to take the rifle Monica was holding. Joe was unconscious and Tony appeared to have a broken arm. Monica was on the verge of hysteria and becoming a danger to everyone and waving the rifle at whoever was moving.

The woman was trying to convince Monica to give her the gun when the man at the top of the stairs demanded that the party leave or suffer the consequences. Anjuli suspected that the woman was going to try and reason with their attacker, so she grabbed the other rifle which had been dropped by Joe, and fired it up the stairs, hoping to hit him and prevent him harming the party any further. She missed, and the woman then resorted to threatening the party in order to gain some measure of control over them. As the attacker had retreated the woman gathered the party together and led them back along the corridor and up through the trapdoor in the gazebo.

Here the gardener with the savage dog attacked the party and both were eventually shot. The woman led the party back to their cars, from where they returned to Boston. On the way the woman revealed that she was Sophie Carew and that she was interested in why the party was investigating Rothenfelder, and what their involvement with “Sir” was. This in turn interested the party, who had already agreed not to explain to anyone apart from Sir how they came to be in this alternate world.

On their arrival in Boston, the party arranged to meet with Sir and discuss their difficulties with Rothenfelder. Sir informed them that the man with the terrible destructive powers was Dunklehurst, Rothenfelder’s private secretary, and that he should be destroyed as he was no longer human. As the party needed time to recover from their ordeal, especially those seriously wounded, they decided to stay in Boston for some time.

During the next few months Anjuli tried to obtain work as a history teacher, but was more successful working as a model and a nanny. Sophie Carew taught Anjuli to drive properly and told her she was investigating the party. Sir suspected it was for the Government. After Joe recovered he taught Anjuli how to shoot so that she would no longer be a danger to all and sundry with a gun. After a couple of months Sophie’s investigations turned up Anjuli’s family in Shahpura, only the Rajah had not married an English Earl’s daughter but someone else, and they didn’t have a daughter named Anjuli.

When the party, Sophie included, felt ready to take on Dunklehurst again they noted from articles in the papers that Rothenfelder was in Germany. If Dunklehurst was with him, they would not be able to confront him, but they would be able to sabotage his operations at the farm if he was still working there.

The party returned to the farmhouse outside of Dunwich at dawn on a morning nearly three months after their first encounter with Dunklehurst. The gazebo trapdoor was covered by a large box, and when Harry and Joe tried to shift it they accidentally dropped it on Harry’s foot, breaking it open and breaking his foot. The box revealed the corpse of the gorilla, shot probably for letting the party through the first time they went to the gazebo.

The party eventually descended the stairs into the underground complex, Harry taking care to stay off of his injured foot. The octagonal room was locked from the inside and the party decided not to attempt to open the door this time. The first cell door of the large room containing the pentacle was barred from the inside, and the second door to the same room had a skull and a warning nailed to it. At this point both Harry and Anjuli collapsed to the floor unconscious.

Suspecting foul play, Tony and Joe carried first Anjuli and then Harry back upstairs to the gazebo, while Monica, Munroe and Sophie tried to get the “artists” out of their cells. This proved to be very difficult and by the time Tony and Joe were returning down the stairs only one of the artists had been taken out of his cell. This was forcibly done by Sophie.

While the party was separated and distracted Dunklehurst emerged from the double cell and magically attacked Sophie, who fell screaming to the floor, her clothes smouldering. Monica tried to shoot him, but missed, and when Tony and Joe returned a battle began. Dunklehurst revealed that he wasn’t human by unsheathing razor sharp steel claws and using these to attack both Tony and Joe. They were seriously injured before they managed to kill Dunklehurst. Joe would later lose his right eye, as it had been slashed during the course of the battle.

Now that Dunklehurst was dead, the power he had been exercising over the artists faded and their souls left their borrowed bodies, leaving mindless men and women in some kind of vacant staring trance. The party decided to return to the vacant farmhouse to recover from their injuries after Harry and Anjuli regained consciousness. The doctor from town was called in to aid the injured party members, and a large enough bribe from Sir convinced him not to call the police. The party remained at the farmhouse until they were well enough to travel.

Possessions Acquired

Part share in a Da Vinci self-portrait

14th century old ruined books

Tooth necklace representing the 12 dragon warriors

Ring with a fire wheel inscription

Silver canister, harder than diamond and immune to acid and heat

Field glasses

44.40 rifle and telescopic sights (2d8 + 2/150 yards)

22 rifle and telescopic sights

Heavy coat