Letters, Documents and Other Such Things

June 5th, 1872

The ‘Cornwell’ did not report in. So many damn ships have been lost but this is the last of my family’s merchant ships. Damnit. Damnit. DAMNIT. It was supposed to make a short run to the Americas and come back. Then we were going to dry dock it and bring all the stuff back to weather this hell out.

Ann is worried, hell everyone is. She bought so much extra food that we are storing food in our closets now. The upstairs parlour is a garden by itself. She put away her beloved sewing needles and tools to make that garden grow. The kids are terrified. We keep them home now all the time. School is out till this blows over. As if it will. Damn it all.

June 7th, 1872

A bell rang for hours last night. One of the old fire bells. I heard screaming, fighting, and something else. A screech in the sky. Damn. It was no bird I have ever heard of. I heard it three times before I heard someone screaming. I could hear their screaming as they fell from the sky. Gods, it was terrifying. They screamed until they hit the ground. It wasn’t far from us and I ordered all the lights in the house to be turned off.

Ann came to me today, said the staff quit and most were already gone. She tried to keep some of them on but they are all as terrified as we are. I don’t blame them.

June 8th, 1872

Someone tried to climb our fence last night, they slipped and impaled themselves on the bars. I took him down this morning and saw three more bodies in the streets. Anatomists came around and picked up the bodies. No one said anything. I was forced to clean off the fence since the staff quit. Bloody hell.

June 12th, 1872

I paid some men to cart the rest of what we could use from our warehouse. I locked it up. First time in over fifty years the place has been closed like this. I learned from my clerk there that barely a tenth of the orders were picked up. The rest sit in their crates inside with the largest being from Miskatonic University.

June 18th, 1872

The Cornwell showed up in port finally. Normally. I’d be overjoyed. Ecstatic even but most of the crew is dead. The ship suffered terrible damage. I am writing this in the dark of the night as I recall what I saw. The ship sustained incredible damage but from what I can not tell. There are great marks on the side of the ship and it has multiple holes along the main deck hull. Honestly, it was the sturdiness of the orlop that kept them afloat. My father said the American schooners were the finest built. I can’t disagree at this point. I had to have the dock workers unload the ship and pay several of them to haul it to my family warehouse.

Captain Gainsley is alive but in St. Thomas’s. I went to visit him and I don’t think I have ever seen such a sight. The good Captain is barely in his 30s and has been working for my family for almost 12 years now. Who I saw looked twice as old. 

He told me they were on time and sailed into Newburyport harbor. Nothing was normal, he said. The port was in chaos. A dozen ships sat half sunk in port. Men were trying to recover cargo from them. It looked like there was some sort of evacuation happening but no one knew where to go. People were going left to right and right to left. Some are heading north. Some heading west. Some were gathering on the few remaining ships. He said folks even offered to pay high fees to ride back to England when the Cornwell set sail. He admitted that he took on fourteen souls.

The shipment from Miskatonic came just before dark and they set sail immediately. Two of the boys who brought the shipment begged him to let them come with them. He agreed. Said the fear in their eyes was too much to handle. He had to help. I told him he did a good thing.

He looked at me then. I will never forget this look. He said. It came from the deep. I asked. What came from the deep. He said it battered the ship, knocking it to the side so much it skipped over the water. He is sure they lost a third of the passengers to the dark waters on the first blow. I asked again. What hit the ship? He said that at first, his remaining man on deck said it was a whale of sorts. Slammed right into the ship knocking it aside. The deck was a mess. People were screaming and waving their hands to those lost overboard. He ordered his crew to go full sail. He didn’t know what to do for the passengers other than order them below decks. He said as he stood there, as the sails dropped and caught the wind, as the ship lurched forward and the passengers loose cargo slid back over the main deck. He say something rise out of the water. It was dark and his vantage point was poor. But he said it looked like something was reaching for the ship and just barely missed it. 

I still don’t know what to think about it. Hearing the Captain’s tale and seeing the ship. Claws? What is the world coming to? Of the twelve crewmen only four survived and three of them are gone now. Fled to their homes. The passengers, those that survived, I have no idea. They were off loaded before I got to the docks. From what I heard from Gregorson, they were a mess. All of them lost someone overboard and all of them were taken to the nearest hospital. Gregorson thinks a couple of them have the madness too. 

I was given the manifest of the cargo. Mostly smallwares from America and then another shipment from Miskatonic.

September 5th, 1873

He came today. Finally, Ann is so excited. She thinks, and I am starting to agree, that he can help us. Truly help us. I hope so. I pray so. Every day I see more and more of this wall going up. I want to believe it will save us. I have to ask. What sort of abominations require such a wall?

I am getting off track. He came. We sat in our parlour with him and what he told us. The things he said. It is hard to fathom. He said the wall won’t stop anything. It will just delay the inevitable. He said his Master is bent on purging the world and starting over. Under any other circumstance, I would scoff at him, even remove him from my home. I can’t ignore it. He told us that once we committed there was no going back. He told us so much. Explained so much. It all makes sense now. How did we miss it? It is beyond me.

I will make daily notes about this. ((It is clear this part of the journal has been burned. This page is all that remains.))

November 8th, 1873

Ann returned from her lessons and the things she can do. Amazing. She has warded our estate and I already feel safer. I’ve known magic exists, I even know people who are able to control the arts, as they call them. But to see Ann do it. To watch her weave the power. It is amazing. She has no fear anymore.

November 10th, 1873

Ann continues to show amazing improvement. She is so excited by all this. Each week she progresses more and more. I have not seen such joy in her eyes in a long time. Like the old days when she finished a blanket or throw rug that she made herself. 

I will write down what I can but without staff. I am terribly busy. Father would disapprove of this, but by the time I am back to my bed, I am exhausted.

December 3rd, 1873

I received news of Admiral Belcher’s defense of the Thames and what remained of our Royal Navy. Forty five warships blockaded the Thames in order to protect London. Only four ships survived and made it back to the docks and word is they are worse for wear. I can’t imagine the loss of life incurred. I did not hear what actually happened. Who did they fight? Was it the French? Word is that their navy went piratical and prowls the coast lines now.

I do know this. I am glad for him. Without his guidance and the power Ann wields, well, I dare say that we would be like our neighbors. Terrified and scared, living in fear if not dead.

January 1st, 1874

It happened just like he said. A dark that suffocates any light outside of the sun and even then, it’s a dull figment of what it once was. But we are safe in our home. Between my experience as a soldier and Ann’s magic, I dare say that no one will bother us. At night, we tuck away into our home and during the day, we trade for things we need. It is fortunate that we saved up so much food. He showed us how to make it last longer than it normally would. I have said this before but I will say it again. He truly showed us the way. To the Black Pharaoh, as he called him.

February 15th, 1874

They call it the Long Dark. If only they knew the truth of it. I find it amusing at times when I mingle with people, how ignorant they are. Ann came to me with her sewing kit. Said she wanted to get it back out and make something for him. I wholeheartedly agree. It almost reminded me of older times when Ann would spend hours sewing. She loves her sewing kit. 

March 9th, 1874

Something happened. Again. Damnit. I am losing my mind. I was playing hide and go seek with the girls. No. No, I am not writing this down.

March 10th, 1874

It happened again. A window shattered this time. Damnit.

March 11th, 1874

This time a window was left up. The room was full of crows when I got to it. Luckily it was mostly empty. I tried to shoo them out but they attacked me. Again. Ann came and killed half of them before they left. Her magic is awfully terrifying to watch when she is angry.

I yelled at the girls. I know they left that window open. I feel terrible about it but we can’t let them in. He told us that the crows are her spies. He explained to me again that this creature hates people like Ann and himself. Those who can use the arts so effectively. That she hunts and kills them. Honestly. I am unsure. I feel as if they are after him more than Ann. That room was the room he uses for study when he visits. Maybe it’s just a coincidence.

March 14th, 1874

Ann told me that he is sharing ‘the’ ritual with us but that it will take time to personalize for our family. Immortality. It feels strange to even think about it. The man is easily over 140 years old. It’s… staggering to consider. I should not put this to paper as I do not wish to put weight into my worries. Our lives are better now since meeting him.

March 19th, 1874

Ann told me today they worked out some of the finer points to the ritual. She laid it out for me and if I am honest, it scares me. She means to sacrifice something precious to us. When she said it, how she acted, and when she looked at the picture of our kids. She didn’t come out and say it but in my heart of hearts, I know. I am not so sure I can do that.

April 3rd, 1874

He is here and they are in the basement, working on the circles. Ann mentioned that we need to wait for the stars to align. Something about certain planets being in the right position. My doubts gnaw at me.

April 5th, 1874

I think he suspects my hesitancy. He came today, we spoke in length. He told me of his old ship, the Endeavour and about some of his favorite voyages. He came to assure me that this is not the end for my boy, that this is a new start in a place where only the gods walk. I want to believe him. I should believe him.

April 9th, 1874

I can not do it. I can’t watch my baby boy die even if it makes me immortal. I have paid the old butler to find a place for John should things get worse.

April 14th, 1874

One of the Iron Queen’s warclanks walked by the estate. It was loud and shook the windows. Not long after, I heard the boom of their great gun. I have no idea what went on but people were running down the streets and passed our estate. Some were bloody. Some help others run. Then I saw soldiers pushing past them to get to wherever the warclank went. Everyone ignores our estate. As if it wasn’t even here.

April 19th, 1874

Ann is upset. I accidently broke one of her old sewing needles. I was using it to pry open a chest lid. I should have known it wouldn’t work but I had no idea she would care so much. She yelled at me. Screamed at me. Said if she burned one of my precious books of knowledge, that I would be upset too.

April 23rd, 1874

He was here again and somehow, Ann is better. Happier. She moved back into our room and we were up until the early morning hours making love. I can’t remember the last time either of us had that much desire or energy. I am exhausted now. I am turning in early tonight.

May 19th, 1874

Ann was up all night working with him down in the lab. Something about vessels for the soul for her and I. For her and I. She said nothing about the kids. I asked and she laughed, she said it was a slip of the words. She said, for her, I, and the children. I am not so sure. I am sticking with my plan.

May 21st, 1874

Something is wrong. She knows. Mr. Conner came by to let me know that he has a place for John and Barnabus. Mr. Conner was always a good man. Ann overheard and we fought for hours. She said this has to happen. For us to survive what is coming, this has to happen. I argued that they are our children, that we can’t simply sacrifice them. Right now, as I write this, I can hear her stomping around in the attic. I know she doesn’t want to do this. I can feel it but all this power has gone to her head. In the end, she agreed. She said that it was just John. That I would need to find something else to make it work. That I had to find something else. Damn. She is crying. I can hear her crying now. What will I do?

May 23rd, 1874

Mr. Conner took John this morning. Ann won’t leave the attic. I saw her watching from the window. She was crying but when she looked at me she was so angry. I am locking the door to our bedroom tonight. I am not sure anymore.

June… May… 1874?

Something is happening with the dates. Every time I look at this book, they are different. The calendar in the kitchen is off too. They never match up. Ann is still angry but she came down from breakfast. The girls are upset. They know their mother is angry. They know we are fighting. They know John is gone. Little Barnabus is taking it hard but he doesn’t understand.

I am not sure now what today is. I have, for a long time, avoided saying his name. As I read through these pages. I cannot understand why I did that. Captain. James. Cook. He is the man I refer to. He is the one who has taught us the way of the Haunter of the Dark. He is the one who showed us, showed Ann, how to protect ourselves from a world gone mad.

Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Captain. James. Cook. Am I mad?

I dreamed last night. I dreamed of Ann. I dreamed of darkness. I dreamed I was walking to my family warehouse. It was dark. The sun had set but the lamps were still lit. The shadows played upon the walls of the nearby homes. I dreamed I was walking into darkness. I approached my warehouse. Along the same path I have taken so many times before. I dreamed of him. Captain. James. Cook. He was there. Trying to get in. Trying to get to something inside. But what? I have offered him everything. He suddenly turned to me and told me he did not know it was there. I asked. What is it? He said he did not know that my men picked it up. I repeated my question. He just looked at me. Then I heard something laughing. At first I thought it was him. I thought he was mocking me but as I listened. It was a deeper laugh. Gutterral. I realized he wasn’t laughing at all. He was gone. All around me I could hear something beastial and alien laughing. Then… then I woke up.

Forgive me Ann. While I love you dearly. I cannot do what you ask of me. I would rather you take me instead of my girls. I would rather you take me instead of my boys. I know that is not what you need. I know that I am not a worthy sacrifice. But I would still give myself to it so that they may live. 

I told her. She is enraged. He isn’t here. He left. Said he had business up north. Outside of London. 

I think she started the ritual. I think she doomed us all. I can already feel the pull. My girls are crying on my bed. I brought the children into my room and locked the door but it didn’t matter. I can feel the pull. I brought this doom upon us. I brought him to our family to help us. This is my fault. I failed. Ann is just doing what she believes will save us. I failed her. I am … 

Translated Letters: Here

Untranslated Letters:

First Letter

Second Letter

Third Letter

Fourth Letter

Fifth Letter

Sixth Letter

Seventh Letter

Translation Script – Letters

Translation Script – Numbers

Alice – ???

Anastasia von Meier – P

Aura Ellis

Chester Adams – Known

Cirtina Aurum – Capture alive

Clara Hasting

Clive Donnel

Alex Cord – Known

Emerald Whitt – Known. Updated – I

William Oakley – Known

Fen Wright – Known

Gavin Corlius

Geary Klaxon – Known

Harls – Known. Leveraged – P

Herman – Known. – P

Jasper Featheringhamshire III – ???

Johnny Jones – Known

Kaif – ???

Lillian Steele

Malak – Known

Owen Blacket

Remington Strenham

Ruby – Known

Sevie

Tabitha – Unnecessary

Lickspittle – GR

Victria – P

Vincent Jones

Vivian Blackwell

Henry Smith – Dead already

Jeremiah Smith

Octavian – Dead already

Sara Winsfield

John Winsfield

Gregory Jones

Claria Brown

Tommy Brown

Cynthia Wilson

Jennifer Jay Smith

Harold Jones

Kepler

Oliver

Harry

Noah

Jack

Jack Smith

Leo Davies

Leo

Leo Smith

Fen Jones

Clarissa Stillwater

Cordelia Stillwater – P

Oscar Hasting – Ritual failed. Dead

Harold

Noah S.

Noah. T.

Clive Smith

Clive

Alice Livingworth

Alice Jones

Leo

Leo Brown

Leo S.

Leo G.

Mark Hold

Mark S.

Jerry N.

Jerry D.

Michael

Richard

Joseph

Joseph Smith

Thomas T.

Thomas Smith – Ritual failed. Dead

Thomas Jones

Thomas Whittlewood

Patricia Olmsford

Patricia

Patricia Smith

Patricia Jones

Daniel Jones

Daniel Smith – Ritual failed. Dead

Daniel

James Robert Black

James Smith

James T. – Ritual failed. Dead

James Southland

James S. S.

James

Charles Smith

Charles Black

Charles Wright

Christopher Johns Wright

Christopher R. Smith

Christopher M.

Rebecca S.

Rebecca

Patrick von Kadian

Patrick S.

Dear James,

Thank you for the jelly. I believe that my coming to London has caused my nerves to stand on end which has made it difficult for me to manage ‘them’. The jelly has soothed ‘them’ so that I may learn to maintain better control.

I am struggling with Ann. Like you said, she is terribly strong and I am finding it difficult to keep her from killing anyone who makes a noise. The others are easy to maintain. Just yesterday, she tore one of the men apart that I brought in which of course caused a stir with his friends. In the end I was forced to kill them as well and recruit more men. I seek advice. Is there some sort of ritual I can use on her to reinforce my control?

I do not care for Master K at all. Why must we deal with him? He reeks of misdirection and lies. I have met him once at a cafe in central London and I am happy to leave it at that. I think ‘they’ felt something too.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

I have a good working relationship with George Ransley. He runs the Aldington Gang here in London. I managed to ‘convince’ him that it was best to stay on my good side. He employs an airship called the Lilith captained by Victria. I don’t know much about her or her crew yet but I am building a file on them. This is the ship that will be making the pick ups.

Master K sent me a list of, what he called, common knowledge intel. Things I should know if I grew up in London. He referred to us as the Tiny Church of Limited Wisdom. At first I thought he was making some sort of silly jest, then I was enraged. It was ‘they’ who spotted the ink blotches. When I held the letter to a flame. The words changed to this. “Beware of black feathers.” I have no idea what it means.

One of my men was picked up by a Bobbie while trailing Dr. Watson. Fortunately, ‘they’ killed him before he could talk. This NeverWhere Consortium keeps coming up and so I pulled my men back. I hate not knowing what they are doing.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

A flock of black birds chased me into the sewers a few nights back. Damn them. I will work out something to avoid her gaze. You can count on me.

The ‘Lilith’ is carrying a gift at the next pick up.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch 

Dear James,

That is excellent news! I knew you could do it! 

I have men working through the list now. Sadly, so many of the names are common and it will be difficult to track them down. I have an idea though. 

I have made contact with Mr. Willishire and he is behind schedule on the Soup House project. I believe he is sending you a letter though he clearly has no idea you are not in London. I will  make sure it gets to you.

I am still struggling with Ann. I have gone over the ritual in my head a thousand times now and I just can’t see what is different with hers over her husband or children. She does not make me nervous but I can’t help but feel I did something wrong.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

I had to meet with Master K at his estate. This ordeal with Mr. Willishire and funds are getting out of hand. I have attended a dozen meetings seeking aid and it was finally with Master K that we got what we needed. I swear that man has ears everywhere. You were right. That estate. I can’t understand the depravity that occurs there. May the Haunter of the Dark wipe that place out first.

That said. I learned a few things. 

The M’ha-salei have made their way to London. I don’t know how they even got into London yet but it is what it is. The whispers say that they are looking for something in London or more importantly. Under London. That bit cost me power to learn. The foul creature refused until I tore it from his or its mind. I am not fond of deep ones and ‘they’ hate them. They are not here for us and it seems they have no idea of our plans in the city.

You were right. She has a spy in London. I ran across her in East Havering. A girl named Holeth Bell. She killed seven of my men before I wounded and drove her back. I tracked her by her spilled blood and found where she was staying. I hired a burglar to break into her room and recover all her letters. Everything I read says she is here and alone for the time being. It seems the Sirens don’t have the numbers to commit to London. I did read that they were sending or have sent some to Birmingham which is too close to home for me.

I do not like these Bobbies. They are persistent and their Inspectors are like hound dogs.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

I received word from the Aldington Gang that the ‘Lilith’ is making another run. I am sending something of interest to you.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

It has taken me days to gather the strength to write this letter. She liked to call me Thomas. Everyone called me Thomas because of that. I tried so hard to go by Enoch and not Thomas but she wouldn’t have it. 

Do you remember when she cooked that potato soup that made us all sick on Boxing Day? She was so embarrassed and she never cooked it again. It was so awful. I bring this up now because Mr. Willishire sent me potato soup.

I will be fine. I will. Mother was strong and she would want me to carry on. She loved us all and wanted the best for everyone. Did you know she slapped old Harrington Smith? Just because he spit on the black stone. It was by accident, I think he was as mortified by it as we were. Mother was so furious. She slapped him. That huge man slapped by my little mother. I still laugh at that.

I’m rambling. I will send another letter soon. I need a few more days.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

Time heals wounds. I know. I will miss her, I think, until I die. ‘They’ are helping me get through this. I don’t understand it but I know they are.

I am sending three from the list. I look forward to the results.

On a whim, I found your old family estate and it is empty! Would you like me to take ownership of it? 

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

Master K found a map that he claims is accurate and shows the correct layout of the Underground in Central London. I am sending it to you. This is a copy and I am told it is a copy from an older map from before the Long Dark. He was very specific when he said you would know the truth of it. I am not sure what that means.

Using this map. I took the liberty of walling up the old tunnel to the Kess Warehouse. I will hand off the keys to you when you arrive. One will get you through the tunnel entrance and one is to the Warehouse main entrance.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

Dear James,

I am sorry to be the bearer of poor news but one of your kin is alive. Darwin Cook. I will only observe from a distance.

Yours sincerely,

Enoch

My Dear James,

I am so happy Thomas is doing well in London. He has been gone a full year now and every day he is missed. It is strange how my boy is all grown up now and off doing the work of the Church. Well, I am writing to you so that I may ask permission to send him a letter. I would like to share the news that he is about to have a little brother or sister. Please consider it.

Yours sincerely,

Darcy

Dear James,

He was here tonight. He stood upon the roof of the old train station again. He just stood there for hours before leaving. We believe this to be a positive omen of what is to come for each time he comes, he looks upon the ritual circle.

The village is doing well. We’ve had no sightings of Her in some time now and her followers have held to their side in Birmingham.

Your friend,

Shepard Owens

Attempt 7 or 8? I don’t recall. Takes hours just to prep this damn thing.

I’m sick and tired of this blasted portal. Regardless. I figured out what I did wrong and I will correct it now. Dark One be praised, I will get this right. Oh. For my future self. Portals are touchy bastards. More often than not, they shut down at the slightest damn thing. Once done. Don’t touch it. I swear to the Dark One that anything causes it to shimmer and shut down and I put enough safeguards up to keep it from sucking the damn estate into it if I screw it up again. 

Success! It opened to a frozen wasteland. I think I ended up with almost a foot of snow before I could successfully close the damn thing.

I prepared this time. Opened it again and kept it open for half an hour. I sent Farnsworth through to scout it out. He complained the entire time and if it wasn’t for how useful he is with the wiring. I would have bloody left him there to freeze.

I realize I forgot to date this. Doesn’t matter. It is not like I am keeping a journal. So if someone else reads this. Good luck lifting the curse I added to the lettering and parchment. If I learned anything from M. It was to never trust anything and anyone. That includes this paper.

Ok. I can’t keep the symbols straight. Poor Farnsworth went through but the portal shut down before he could return. Blasted portal. Now I have to find a new man to manage this place’s old wiring. Aether keeps mucking it up.

Just realized he had all the electrical wiring on him when he went through. Bloody hell. Fine.

Report by: Captain Kellog

Date: 4th of November, 1845

Captain Williams died to wounds late last night.

Reported by the Port of London authorities that a creature was spotted in the Port on the 1st night of November. By early morning on the 2nd, five dock workers from the Hambridge Warehouses were found dead. By late afternoon on the 2nd, four more workers were found dead in Hambridge Warehouse 4. Bobbies were called in, the belief at the time was it was a gang or thug. Bobbies tracked the creature to Overtons Warehouse 2 and were summarily slaughtered. We discovered their bodies when we arrived.

In the early morning hours of the 3rd the Port of London was evacuated and closed. Five companies encircled the Port and began systematically clearing Warehouse after Warehouse. Discovered twenty three more bodies in four more Warehouses.

Case Note: All bodies discovered were dismembered with the largest being the torso. Heads were missing in all situations.

Evening of the 3rd, the second Company came across the creature in Port of London Warehouse 8. They attempted to encircle it but found it resistant to damage from blades. In the initial combat, they lost fourteen men. Call to Arms was sounded and the remaining companies moved in to surround the Warehouse.

Captain Williams led the initial attacks on the creature in an attempt to find a weakness. Various materials were used such as acids, fire, metals and liquids. Fire was the most effective. The creature shrunk back from fire and even shrunk in size initially from the fire. When it stopped moving, Captain Williams and forty men moved in to attempt to ascertain its state. The creature struck out with spear like appendages thirty eight of the men and wounded the rest, including Captain Williams.

Major Gabbesson called for the men to withdraw from the Warehouse and it was put to flame. This took several hours to burn down as both pitch and oil were used to strengthen the flames. That and the stock of materials in the warehouse were susceptible to fire, some even causing explosions. Two nearby warehouses caught fire but due to the diligence of our soldiers, they were quickly put out.

Early morning of the 4th, the fire subsided due to rain. No sign of the creature. Major Gabbesson ordered the men to slowly start to investigate the ruined structure. Please note all wounded by this point were moved to a central location nearer the docks. The Major also ordered fourth and fifth companies to withdraw to the docks and work as a quick response force from that location.

Unknown to us at the time. The creature moved into the sewers under the Port. It emerged in the temporary medical tents which were positioned over a large sewer grate to allow the blood and refuse to be easily disposed of. A Call to Arms was sounded but by then, the 4th and 5th Companies were decimated along with the wounded. We are still compiling reports from the surviving soldiers but the current summary is this.

The creature had some sort of effect on those nearby. It screamed and all those who heard it were paralized, falling to the ground and unable to move their body. Those who survived said that you were still able to hear and see what was going on but you could not move and speech was slurred and difficult. It moved through the paralized soldiers killing them easily. The only thing that slowed it down was that it took their heads as it went. A process that was reported to be very gruesome to witness.

Major Gabbesson returned with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Companies and proceeded to retrieve who they could. The creature retreated into the sewer grate it emerged from. The Major ordered that a nearby old whaling warehouse store be raided, and almost a dozen of the great barrels of sperm oil were drawn out and then dumped into the sewers around the central point where the creature entered. This was then lit and an explosion tore the grounds up for almost twenty meters from the central grate. This fire burned for most of the day.

During that time the Major was not idle, he brought in engineers to take the stored cement from the Port of London Warehouse 10. This took almost four hours and during that time, the soldiers of the 1st and 2nd company kept the fire burning.

Cement was poured into the hole until the creature was completely submerged and buried in it. The Major ordered the nearby sewer tunnels to be destroyed. This phase of the operation is still going on as this report is being written. I should add that the engineers brought in iron bars to help strengthen the cement.

The Major will be submitting his report to the office of the Field Marshal by tomorrow.

Arrival of the HMS Endeavor. 24th of October, 1845. Bay 34.

Departure Port listed as Plymouth.

Older full-rigged ship entered the harbor on October 24th, around 2 AM. Port of Watch reported it was the HMS Endeavor and that the crew was ragged at best but in good spirits. Docked in bay 34.

The Port of Watch on duty wrote down that the Captain of the HMS Endeavor reported as James Cook.

The Port of Watch on duty wrote down that the crew immediately began unloading cargo. The Port of Watch attempted to order a cease of this activity as all returning crew were to be sealed until cleared by 3rd company.

I was summoned at 4 AM as Captain Cook refused to cease the offloading of cargo. By the time I arrived, I found that it was being loaded directly onto waiting wagons. Ten of them. By the time I could find and speak to the Captain, all ten were loaded. He then ordered his men back to the boat where they sealed themselves off. 

I was unable to find the Port of Watch on duty. I found his log book. Captain Cook said the man flew into a rage and walked off. I covered his shift till morning and sent a request for the 3rd company Doctor to come clear the crew.

Doctor Peterson arrived around 8 AM and spent an hour aboard the ship. Cleared the crew and then shortly departed. I reported to the standing Sergeant about the missing Port of Watch who then took it to the Port Authority.

As of the writing of this report. John Seagram Mattias is still missing. The HMS Endeavor is moored in bay 34 with a skeleton crew. Fees are paid. 

Personal note. This is an old ship. Old. The hull is in good shape except for some strange markings on it. Looks like reef damage but when you get close, looks like someone carved it. Bark class and I can’t place its build. Crew doesn’t know. Captain Cook was nowhere to be found after the sealing was released.

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London Port Authority Records

Departure of the HMS Endeavor. 6th of November, 1845.

Destination Listed as Americas. Nothing more specific than that.

Recorded by Master of the Port, Roland Despata.

Of note. The HMS Endeavor left with only half its crew and Captain Cook. Fees paid in full. No cargo was seen loaded onto the ship prior to departure. I represented my concerns to the Captain who stated that the current crew complement was more than enough as they were an experienced sort.

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London Port Authority Records

Arrival of the HMS Endeavor. 13th of March, 1846. Bay 25.

Departure Port listed as Americas. Nothing more specific than that.

Recorded by Master of the Port, Charles Smith.

Of note. The HMS Endeavor arrived shortly after sunrise with a full crew and captained by James Cook. Fees paid in full. Crew and Captain waited aboard until cleared by the regiments doctor. Immediately cargo was unloaded and shortly after ten wagons showed up to carry cargo out of Port of London.

Special Note. On the evening of the 13th shortly after dark. Port of Watch reported a fight break out on the HMS Endeavor followed by several screams. When questioned, the crew said no such thing happened but the Port of Watch saw a body floating in the water. The crew immediately attacked the Port of Watch who fled to his shack and raised the alarm. The HMS Endeavor withdrew from bay 25 and was sailing within half an hour.

We set sail on August of 1768 and made for the Cape Horn then westward to Tahiti. I think some time in 1769, we got to Tahiti. I loved that place. Beautiful islands. Beautiful women. Wait. No. That’s not right. We stopped half way from the Cape to Tahiti. But why? Damn my memory. There was a great fog over the sea and Lieutenant Cook vanished for several hours. Right! We searched the ship and could not find the man. Then he was just there, in the water. We hauled him in and he was all smiles. Said he found it. Then tossed a few bags he brought along overboard. Never saw what was in them but they sunk as fast as a cannon ball and were as heavy. No idea. But we left and headed to Tahiti then. Why did I forget that?

Oh. No. After we returned to England in 1771, he purchased the Endeavor and refitted her for another voyage but he didn’t go. I didn’t either, replaced me. Brought on some crew hand picked by him. Half of them weren’t sailors, I know that. Anyway, they left port sometime in 1771, I guess. I joined the HMS Horn and did transport work to the colonies.

What I know – Precious little…

Born on the 7th of November 1728

Joined the British Merchant Navy as a teenager around 1742

Joined the Royal Navy in 1775

Known for the following;

Saw action in the Seven Years’ War and was known for his mapping skills

Three voyages between 1768 and 1779. Specifics are not known as those records are lost BUT what is known is that the voyages were to the Pacific Ocean, specifically Australia and the Hawaiian Islands. It is believed he was the first to circumnavigate New Zealand.

Married Elizabeth Batts in 1762 but she later died a widow when he never returned from his 3rd voyage in 1779. 1779????

1874 is the last year that we are sure of is correct. All the following years recorded are unreliable. So if we use this date as the bar for determining Mr. Cook’s age is at least 146 years old. I guess he is well over 200 years old now and certainly not showing his age.

The crew of the HMS Endeavor for the 3rd voyage is unknown as the records are lost. It is suspected that the logs were intentionally destroyed as only those pages were missing.

The HMS Endeavor returned to London in 1845 and the fact that it was over 50 years overdue was missed by the port authorities. There is only a few scraps of information on this but references to Mr. Cook’ have been found by the receiving Port Watchman.

Shortly after the HMS Endeavor returned there was a string of killings along the docks that were so gruesome that the Port of London was closed. This caused a great deal of trouble for both shipping and merchantmen and there are records of the military moving into the port to find the killer. A beast was discovered and slain but all records held by Scotland Yard and the Port of London on this very subject are missing.

The HMS Endeavor left shortly after the Port of London was reopened. It returned six months later and it was logged to have traveled to America but the port is unknown. It was docked for barely a day before leaving again. During the time it was docked there are logs stating that almost all of the cargo was removed, put into wagons and hauled out of the city. The destination is unknown. Has not been seen since.

Contact in the Americas???

Professor Tesla reported that a ‘Mr. Cook’, was involved in an incident at the Miskatonic University. There were some deaths, some very gruesome deaths at that, and a failed ritual that literally caused a residential home to vanish overnight. Professor Tesla also stated that Mr. Cook attempted to access the Salem Catacombs.

WITNESS STATEMENT 4-2-1886

INCIDENT REPORT 4-1-1886

INCIDENT REPORT 3-30-1886