Howard Tillingford
Friday, 16th November
The others have wrapped up what they could in LA and flew here in the Silver Sable to collect me. We’ve had a chance to catch up, of which there was quite a bit to cover, so I shall summarize: (mostly this is a cut and paste of various factoids over the past weeks just to get them back into the notes)
Otto managed to purchase the 5 books from Echavarria’s collection (for the tidy sum of $2500) from Hamish MacDunn and the UCLA library. MacDunn seems to have forgotten about them, and also seemed far less suspicious to my companions during this second meeting – perhaps he truly had forgotten Echavarria? It seems unlikely.
(The Head Librarian they met with previously was Frances Coward.)
Chastity & the Accountant have gone over the ledger in great detail. It tracks their business accounts for “Product N”, no doubt this honey-liquid mentioned by Ms Clarendon which they consumed at their parties. (see The Cult info page for more details)
Quincy had a run in with the police (Quincy and Chastity had returned to the farm)
Chastity & Otto visited Echavarria’s old home, and were mistaken for film stars. The house had been sold and is now inhabited by and older woman. The home *could* be the one from the disturbing, sexual photos.
Chastity has possibly been stalked (at the very least, unnerved) by a man who drives a dark blue, four-door Ford with Georgia plates beginning in 378. As she approached the Post Office, she was nearly bumped into by a tall, attractive blonde in a crème dress. The blonde crossed the road and kissed the man who Chastity believed may have been watching her, got into that man’s car and the pair drove off.
Is it possible this man was working with the man in LA??? Or was it a coincidence?
Otto knows that the copy of Frank Hickering’s book we found is the “watered down” 1912 print. He has requested a copy of the book from his contacts overseas.
Quincy questioned the mechanic who rented him the vehicle in Savannah. Citing a desire to pursue the hit-and-run offenders, he managed to learn that the same group of thugs rented a car two months ago, and two months before that (at least). These were rented in the name of Mr Loman, and paid by wire from Bangkok.
Erik contacted Abraham Buchwald by phone. Buchwald worked with Echavarria from 1918 until his death, who was a valued client (“good for my business, bad when he died”). Buchwald claimed to be a family man who wants nothing to do with the Echavarria business anymore, leave it in the past. Wouldn’t reveal anything.
Chastity investigated Samson Trammel. Tramel owns a mansion in Pasadena on Hyacinth Rd (probably the one Otto & Chastity visited which we believed belonged to Walker – could they be the same person?) Trammel was a big man in real estate who disappeared approx. 1923. He maintained a low profile, occasionally seen at a dinner, but mostly made charitable donations. Walker was perhaps an employee of his, or even a pseudonym.
* * *
We have met with Mrs Janet Winston-Rogers at her home, filled her in, and left her with a few items we don’t reasonably need to transport with us on our overseas journey. She will make our travel arrangements for Europe and then on to Africa, as well as arrange a guide for us there.
The next weeks pass mainly in transit.We spend time preparing for the trip, and board the boat to Southampton on Nov 21st, arriving Tuesday November 27th. We spend a bit more time catching up along the way, but find ourselves mostly burying our heads in our newly acquired tomes, hoping they might give us some insight on what to expect in Africa, as well as to the mindset of those we seek.
The tomes are disturbing, and I find the Rifts of the Maw particularly so. The book contains 13 mantras about the Mouth or Maw, including a warning not to utter the name of the Maw lest you “summon” it. This shared delusion is remarkably similar across all sources, but considering the high-level of drug-use associated with the cult, I see no reason the participants wouldn’t have eagerly “seen” a creature with mouths when it seems they were looking for one.Animal attacks have been mentioned more than once, perhaps the farm has an escaped zoo-animal in the vicinity, a panther or something of similar exotic ilk.
I will continue to read the tome, as the “honeyed” substance has been mentioned – perhaps there might be a more specific recipe which we could duplicate and study.This may have been the origin of the formula, or it could just be another coincidence. Time will tell.
November 28th (Wednesday)
We spent a day in England, with no luck at the local travel agency (mentioned on Ayers’ itinerary) and continue on to Madrid. A visit to the Universidad led us to the office of who informed us that Acuna had indeed returned from the 1924 excavation, and that Acuna was currently back in Africa on a different excursion.
We were shown an old letter (from the original 1924 expedition) describing Acuna’s heartache and disappointment. He describes Avery as a drug addict, and bemoans a lack of progress. There is mention of “initial successes and promising discoveries on the outer walls” before “momentum [… came] to a complete halt.”
Director Vega described Acuna as a man with an itch, who preferred to be in the field, and took every opportunity to go abroad in search of something or other. Vega had little recollection of the 1924 trip, recalling only that Acuna had been interpreting passages of a book he was studying, and was looking into (thanks to funding from an investor in America) an ancient site near the modern city of Dallol, and further that Acuna had returned (in 1926?) very angry as the entire site had been wiped out by a volcanic explosion.
Vega further told us Acuna’s current expedition (Acuna is apparently quite adept at finding investors and funding) was a project working with the Italians. The information was heartening, as we hoped yet to meet with Acuna and learn more of Ayers and their various expeditions. When we returned to the hotel in Madrid, we received a telegram from Mrs W-R with the name of a contact in Massaua, a Mr Howard Tillingford, who would act as our guide.
After another week of travel, we arrived in Gibraltar, and then took a flying boat (which greatly excited Chastity) to Alexandria, then a regular boat along the Red Sea. We were all struck by the great differences in culture, and spent much time pondering these to ourselves, as well as continuing to read our strange tomes.
We arrived at Massaua and were immediately struck by the (expected, but still striking) Italian military presence. There were an overwhelming number of ships and troops present, even marching, and the locals who were around seemed always to be interacting with them. We disembarked and were presented with our luggage. Just as we were feeling a bit lost, our guide – a large, barrel-chested man – approached and we made introductions.
Mr Tillingford set us immediately at ease (as much as one can be in these circumstances, at least) and took us to the (only) hotel. En route, we encountered a sweating, balding gentleman with 2 Italian officers, who questioned our arrival and purpose. Thanks to Mr Tillingford’s assurances and assistance, we were given very little hassle and were allowed entrance almost immediately (no little thanks, I’m sure, to the bribe which would come over their agreed dinner). We would later learn his name, Mr Carlo Salvatore, the point-of-entry bureaucrat who was well known to Howard.
The Hotel Continental seems quite reasonable, particularly considering it is the only Western building in the vicinity, with great large ceiling fans to keep the building perhaps not comfortable but at least cooler. We agreed with our guide we would spend the next day gathering appropriate attire and provisions (as well as weapons and items to be used as bribes and/or trade goods).
Whilst a few of us did the shopping, Quincy visited the local library and made a great discovery – Bartolomo Acuna had signed out a book only three days ago! (a local guide book of some sort). When we met back up together (after visiting the Quartermaster, Vitori, to obtain guns and ammunition amongst our supplies), Quincy informed us of his great luck. Howard asked at the hotel on our behalf, and surely enough a member of the bar staff remembered the Spanish man, who left 4 days ago with Italian troops.
Acuna had been boasting, rather proudly, about obtaining a contract to transport archaeological finds out of Africa. Howard further questioned Carlo, who said the group had left 4 days ago for Adua. Mr Tillingford has certainly proven himself quite useful, already, and no doubt will continue to do so. Bearing in mind this new information, rather than heading straight for Dallol, we’ve decided to reroute and hope to intersect with Acuna’s expedition.
* * *
I have sent a telegram to George, saying we’ve made it to Massaua, and advising him to investigate NECTAR. (He suspects perhaps the FBI cover-up may be linked to drug sales.)
