Prologue

Our heroes are:

Helen Mayweather, Journalist, working for the New York Times (Julian)

Sarah Roth, Dilettante Opera Singer (loosely based on both Sarah Bernhardt and Irene Adler as interpreted by Carol Nelson Douglas's books) (Josh)

Xian Shen, Chinese doctor, practicing Chinese medicine and working in his grandfather's antiques shop (Greg)

Maria Tatiana Nikolavena, aka Masha, Russian ex-aristocrat and knife-thrower and fortune teller in a traveling circus (Misha)

Professor Catherine Blume, Math Professor at University of New Rochelle (Irene)

Father Peter O'Connor, Irish WWI Veteran turned priest, teaching at a university in Masachusetts (Gaylord)

We worked on how they were connected to each other and to Jackson Elias.

Xian Shen: Mr. Elias used to come into the shop frequently with stories of his travels. Grandfather would always take Mr. Elias into his secret back room, where Mr. Elias would sometimes stay for days, but there would always be some new item on display in the shop after Mr. Elias left.

Helen had a male colleauge fob off the interview he was supposed to be doing of Jackson Elias on her, as the woman reporter obviously wasn't doing anything important. He then put his byline on it. Elias wrote a letter to the paper saying something along the lines of how the "man" who interviewed him certainly looked a lot like a woman, and generally made sure that Helen got the credit she was due.

Helen and Catherine were friends, having met in college.

Irene had previously established: Catherine loves to go antiquing whenever she's in the city, which has been frequently because she needs to get away from the oppressive atmosphere at school where she's expected to pretend to be a well-behaved Catholic.

On one such trip a couple years ago, she happened into the Shens' store and loved the atmosphere and the foreignness of it. She was surprised to see what appeared to be a highschool student working the counter, and inquired as to why he was apparently working the shop alone.

And the two of them hit it off from there.

Jackson Elias corresponded with Father O'Connor and visited Masha, in both cases seeking to expand his knowledge. Father O'Connor talked with him about Irish mythology, and Masha taught him about Russian mythology and gave him pointers on cold reading people.

Catherine had met Father O'Connor when he came to her campus to give a lecture and, as the woman professor who obviously had nothing important to do, she was assigned to show him around and make him coffee and sandwiches.

Sarah Roth (her stage name -- she was one of the Rothschilds, and had been married and widowed before the game started) had met Helen at a society event, as Helen's job was to cover such events for the Times. An unspecified Curious Incident took place at this particular event, requiring Sarah's amateur detecive skills. Jackson Elias was present as well.

Sarah and Masha knew each other because Masha had previously tried and failed to become an opera singer. Her voice wasn't bad per se, just not well suited for opera singing.

I ran God of Mitnal, which started off with most of the PCs having been contacted, directly, or indirectly, by Jackson Elias. Xian Shen was told by his grandfather that he was needed by Mr. Elias in Campeche, and that Mr. Elias might need, well, as Xian Shen understood it, Special Medicine (although player, Keeper, and other players all had different ideas of what that was). This worked to cover for Greg being late (as he'd warned us well in advance).

Catherine was visiting Helen when Helen got the telegram from Elias and insisted on accompanying Helen to make sure she stayed safe. Peter, Sarah, and Masha were contacted separately. Masha was in Texas. We figured Peter would be the one asked to bring guns.

Catherine watched Helen in the hotel room.

Catherine: You have a pistol. Why? (looking rather terrified)

Helen: ... I learned to shoot when I was younger.

(Briefly, when there was a misunderstanding about how many guns Helen had, Caterine said, "You own _two_ guns?" Helen, however, only owned one, so this didn't actually happen.)

Later:

Helen: I need a drink. You coming?

Catherine: I don't drink.

Helen: Okay. See you later.

Catherine: No, no! I'm coming! I'm coming!

Player: I see how this dynamic works.

As Helen ordered a tequilla, Catherine recognized Father O'Connor, and vice versa. He asked what she was doing, rather far from the university.

Catherine: Keeping Helen safe -- although I'm regretting it already.

Peter: I hope you're doing more than just making coffee.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Masha met up. Sarha invited Masha to share her suite.

Sarah: Oh, and you must let me practice my Russian!

Also, the good father, as the only one who spoke Spanish, was giving the four women Spanish lessons, as well as appointing himself their protector and chaperone.

Masha: I would like to try this what they call Tequilla.

Later:

Masha: There's a worm in my drink!

Helen: I'll have one of those!

Leter, Helen considered the Tequilla.

Helen: The boys in the news room will like this. I don't know if they deserve to get some.

The next day, waking up with a hangover:

Helen: The boys in the news room definitely deserve this stuff.

When Xian Shen arrived, someone asked him: Are you one of the death cult members he [Elias} writes about?

Xian Shen: Ah no, I am very much about life and happiness.

Quotes whose context I forget:

I can vouch for that -- it's how we met.

Masha: But you can call me Masha. [I'd guess this is after giving her full name.]

Probably to Sarah, aboout Elias:

So, you met him at a party. and that's why you're here?

Must have been some party.

Peter: A hearty good morning!

Helen (still hungover): Is it a sin to murder a priest?

Peter: Yes.

Helen pouted.

Singing

Let's get some local [illeg]

That sounds like the worst idea in the world.

You're going to miss [illeg -- life?]

I've got some of the Lucky Strikes right here...

Catherine (about the future): I'm cutting you off after one Tequilla.

Helen: Deal.

I forget who said this and when: That's not a chupacabra -- that's a fox.

Xian Shen made a hangover cure for Helen.

Helen: Two things. One. I love you right now. Two. Go to the Times building when you're back in the city. Find [X Person we never named] -- he runs errands for all the reporters. You can make a f*cking mint!

Peter: Watch your mouth!

Helen: Sorry!

By now, people knew a fair amount about Kimble and a little about Ah Puch. They didn't do a lot of research in Campeche, but did hook up with Guillermo, who was very helpful once they proved they were the friends Elias had told him to expect. They set out on the train, and Father O'Connor was actually able to calm down the old woman who warned him about the demons.

The group found Elias's camp, and they were spooked by Kimble's men pretending to be Ah-Puch and demons. This was a big mistake on the part of Kimble's men, as the good father, when spoked, fired on Ah-Puch. The man pretending to be him and the man who stumbled when drunk were both captured, and made to reveal what was going on, but the third man escaped, blowing any chance of surprise.

Our heroes were able to scout out the area and come up with some kind of plans.

Okay, so I'm now with [illeg] people with guns.

Someone, maybe Peter, about Kimble: We could excommunicate him.

They decided that Peter would openly approach Kimble's men outside, as they probably wouldn't open fire on a priest, and try to talk them into surrendering, while Masha snuck over to the horses, ready to scare them away if needed, Helen and Sarah tried to make the group think there were many Federales surrounding the area, and Xian Shen and Catherine snuck into the cave to try to free Elias and his companions.

I pulled Josh and Julian aside to tell them that the women, while hiding in a good position, were approached by actual Federales, and that they should decide when the cavalry moved in.

Father O'Connor was allowed to approach.

Peter: There are bad men. And, there are men who make mistakes. The Federales are interested in the first kind.

However, as the player didn't roll well enough, the men were not convincee that surrender was their best option.

Catherine and Xian Shen could sneak to the cave, but not really past Kimble and his men inside. So, they walked in more or less openly, and Kimble explained his scheme and his intent to lock them up with Elias and the others until he and his men got away -- nothing worse, even if they had shot at some of his men. He was an understanding sort of guy.

Xian Shen tried to use martial arts, but although the player made a good grapple roll, Kimble's lieutenant made a better one, immobilizing Xian Shen, while Kimble grabbed a non-resisting Catherine.

At this point, Josh and Julian decided that the Federales would move in. As they explained the situation, Mischa said she'd wondered about whether there might be actual Federales, and Julian noted that their existence was good scenario design, as most parties probably won't be equipped to take on Kimble and his men on their own.

The men were rounded up by the Federales, as the surprised Father O'Connor nevertheless said, "I did warn you."

At this point, I said that Kimble and his men tossed Xian Shen and Catherine into the cell with Elias and went outside.

Kimble: It's all right -- there are no Federales!

He stopped short as he walked practically into the arms of the waiting Federales.

Meanwhile, Xian Shen busted everyone out of the cell. Greg referred to the Special Medicine, and three of us had radically different ideas of what had just happeed.

I thought the Special Medicine was the guns that Elias had asked for. Clearly, Xian Shen shot the lock of the cell door out. After the game, I kicked myself for not having Kimble's men search Xian Shen or reminding Greg that he had said Xian Shen wasn't armed, but decided no harm had been done.

Josh thought the Special Medicine was gunpowder. Much easier to conceal. I think that's what we finally went with.

Greg thought the Special Medicine was opium.

Despite the amusing misunderstanding, the prisoners rescued themselves. Folks made their way back to Campeche. Elias paid everyone's bill and vanished, leaving behind a thank you note that made it clear he'd try to reunite with them in New York City the following year.