Wednesday, February 13, 1924 

 

Dear Mr. & Mrs. Burke-Richards, 

I am an employee of Miskatonic University in Arkham, Massachusetts, U.S.A., serving as a professor in the History Department. I have recently been placed in charge of a special project for the university. 

I realize that you do not know who I am, and I apologize for being so forward in writing this letter. However, I have reached an empass and I hope that you will be able to assist me. I will try and keep this short, so please forgive my abrupt style. 

I have been assigned to work with a special investigator in the disappearance of Dr. Joseph Baker, Professor Emeritus of History at Miskatonic University. Recently, certain items have come into the university’s possession that have prompted this investigation. 

Dr. Baker was part of an expedition to Egypt that left the United States last year. This expedition was organized and led by a Mr. Michael Bradford. Your daughter Elisabeth was a member of this expedition. In a conversation with the Bradford family, I was informed that your daughter had subsequently married Mr. Bradford. 

The information that I have accumulated indicates that the expedition stopped in London before proceeding to Cairo. The information I have concerning their destination is sketchy, and I would appreciate any additional information you could supply. Based on my current information, I believe that the expedition may have met with difficulties that have prevented them from returning. However, I am sure that we will find them and that they are safe. 

I realize that I am asking a great deal, but if you have any correspondence or other information from or about any members of the expedition, I would be very grateful if you would share it with me. I have found that any information may be useful, however small and unimportant it may seem at the time. 

Please feel free to verify my credentials with Miskatonic University. As I said, I am a member of the History Department and am working on Dr. Baker’s disappearance by University President Smithe’s request. 

I thank you for your time. 
 

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Angela Shrewsbury  

Mrs. Angela Shrewsbury 

  To be answered tonight:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Research  
a. Knives and Axe - where did they originally come from & how did they come to the dead man’s possession.  
b. This should be done for all items at sale.  
Nekhalili’s Basket - ancient Indian - soul of messenger god in basket, sends message to anyone over great distances. Appearance: square box said to contain sacred soil. 

 

Mrs. Shrewsbury,   

I hope it will be acceptable if I bring a guest or two to the party on Saturday.   

Dr. Reilly   
 

Mr. Turner, Mr. Waller, Dr. Reilly, 

I have gone to Arkham Asylum to review patient information. Miss Cavanaugh has a family emergency.  
 

Mrs. Shrewsbury

Additional notes 
youngest sister Belinda  
occult matter  
Mona - mom  
frightened of her ugly tiara  
 
Crown of Gorgon  
Greek - myth  
turn to stone  
deviant sect  
*****  
after auction, met with Turner at Duran Estate with Morbitzer, et al. except Waller. 

 

personal equipment  
ceremonial dagger  
amulet  
baseball bat  
spelunker’s cap  
tablet  
box camera  
 
 
 
pocket knife  
wind-up alarm clock  
split skirt (change of clothes)  
sturdy shoes  
pocket compass  
gloves  
ball of string  
bottle of aspirin (100)  
backpack  
Dundee cake  
jam  
 

 

group equipment   
lanterns (electric & kerosene)  
rope  
food (trail)  
pitons  
crowbar  
camera  
torches  
rubbing paper  
first aid kit  
water 

 

Noam Rigarson - antiquarian  
 Gavigan  

1. Egyptian Ceremonial Axe - well polished 
2. Ring of Gold and Jade 
3. Luxury Motorcycle 
4. Gold Coin - Roman 
5. Knives - Egyptian - silver & triangular rock (sold for $12,000) 
6. Arctic coat and pants 
7. Plate Mail - tarnished 
8. Pants/shoes - renaissance (did not sell) 
9. Cape - hand woven 
10. Plate mail - bigger and better 
11. Violin - 300 years old 
12. Book - 150 years old - Irish Poetry 
13. Plate Mail - biggest and best 
 

 

Mr. Turner,  

Regarding information you provided concerning an item in our possession, perhaps certain other items possessed by a collector seen earlier today may also be in danger.  

We will make great effort to secure our item. Perhaps you or someone else we can trust to be discreet should look in on the collector to make sure nothing happens to him or his items.  

A.S.  

After spending time with Ted Turner, you noticed he also has a hint of the supernatural about him. 
 
 
 
 

February 10, 1924  

Dear Leslie,  

Just a quick note to say I am doing fine. I took your advice about writing Tom letters, but what do I do with them once they are written?  

Also, what are the chances of meeting someone that feels supernatural? Not that they are, but that something about them is? I have met two such men in the past two days and there is a third that I am not sure about. What could this mean?  

Have you heard from Abigail or the twins? I wrote a while back but haven’t heard anything from any of them.  

I am currently on sabbatical from the university to research the disappearance of one of the history professors, Dr. Joe Baker. I have enclosed the newspaper clipping concerning his gun. Very mysterious, isn’t it?  

I’ve also been doing some reading. Have you ever heard of Fig Island? I have found a book that covers its history long before Columbus discovered America. Some of the dates are about 500-800 AD My curiosity of the island stems from a large cloud that formed above it. According to one of my colleagues at Miskatonic (who also happens to be one of the ones who feels supernatural), that cloud grew and covered most of Boston as it traveled south.  

This sounds a lot like what Tom and I used to investigate. I wish he was here to help. I wish you were here to help.  

Well, I should go do something constructive before I get too morose. Write back as soon as you can - or come and visit, I haven’t seen you in ages.  

Love,  
Angie  
 
 
 
 

Feb. 12  

Angela -  

I feel it is very important that I return to Boston posthaste. All indications are that there is some kind of psychic energy convergence occurring there, and your letter has caused me a good deal of concern. Trust your instincts and be wary of those men you mentioned. I’m certain your research into Doctor Baker’s disappearance has drawn these men to you, for I’ve long suspected that Baker himself is a powerful psychic.  

Fig Island is populated by a gang of charlatans, although I did hear whispers of a secret illuminatus operating separately from them a number of years ago. Incidentally, I should be very anxious to examine the book you spoke of.  

I expect to arrive on the ten p.m. train on Friday. Please keep an ear out for a stolen Indian totem that I believe has made its way to the area. It could just be the source of all this mischief. See you soon.  

Love,  

Leslie 
 
 

 

 
 

Prof. Angela Shrewsbury  
Department of History  
Miskatonic University  
Arkham, Massachusetts 11606  
 

Dear Mrs. Shrewsbury,  

How nice to hear from you. Tillie and the children send their regards. I understand Tillie intends to write you as well regarding a visit we will be making in the area in the late spring.  

I assure you your concerns about Edward Gavigan’s methods are unfounded. Mr. Gavigan is a highly respected curator of international renown. It is also very likely that Mr. Gavigan and Mr. Rigarson, with whom I have had professional dealings myself, have had prior business with the other, and will be able to reach an amicable solution to any problem.  
As to the items at the auction, it is no surprise to me that the daggers you referred to fetched a high price. Many collectors and curators from all over the seaboard were abuzz about the atypical daggers. Their primitive construction is incongruent with the era they are associated with, and are composed of as yet unidentified minerals. Some factions believe the origin of the items is incorrect, more likely the supposition that the dagger were part of a bas-relief or sculpture that was used in ceremonial sacrifice is closer to the truth. The axe is of the same period as the daggers are assumed to be, and is much more representative of it.  

As to why the bidding went so high, I can only speculate that perhaps the fever of the moment overcame these determined gentle- men. On the other hand, both Mr. Rigarson and Mr. Gavigan are surely very much at home at an auction and furthermore are not likely to pay more for an artifact that it is worth. An item’s worth, as I can well attest, is a highly subjective and speculative figure, however.  

Please let me know if I can be of further help. Hope to see you soon.  

Warmest regards,  

Professor Philip P. Marcum 

Professor Philip P. Marcum  
Department of Antiquities  
College of William and Mary  
 

 

Mrs. Shrewsbury,  

Please don’t tell Jana about this letter. I am her youngest sister. I know that you are an associate of hers and that you are an authority on occult matters. Our mother Mona has been acting strangely for some time and recently I’ve become very frightened of my own mother! Just today I interrupted her admiring a particularly ugly tiara she had gotten from somewhere. I had never seen the thing before. When I spoke she glared at me in a horrible way. I nearly fainted on the spot: Suddenly, I was filled with such fear, I ran from the house. When I returned a couple of hours later, Mother was gone. I’ve just gotten word to Jana and she is on her way here. The reason I’m writing to you is to ask if you could keep an eye on Jana. I’m certain there are evil forces at work, and God help me, I fear Jana may be involved somehow. Please help.  
 

Gratefully,  

Belinda Cavanaugh