The Case of the Missing Fan Dancer
The Occult Verification Society
Background Player B
You are Mr Ronald Helping Chairman of the London Branch of the Occult Verification Society. The society is a collection of persons interested in occult phenomena from a variety of viewpoints. Some months ago you with others witnessed in St. Radegund’s Graveyard a genuine apparition. It fled away unhurt despite a silver bullet being fired through it! The area has had many reports of ghostly sightings in the past. This morning two of those who witnessed that event, Miss Leica Badamaru and Miss Cordelia Higginbottom called at your home address in great excitement.
“Oh Mr Helping we have news of another occult happening near St Radegund’s!” gushed Miss Cordelia. “It was at the Lily-white Chinese laundry in Bogey Lane. If we could only attract it, there is a Chinese ghost dancer awaiting the full moon, before she is taken away to her doom. Oh pray can we go there tonight?”
Whilst admiring their enthusiasm, but having spent many fruitless cold nights waiting for things that never materialised, you responded. “What evidence do you have to support this ghost case?”
Miss Higginbottom replied “I have received this letter from my friend Jasmine Te who lives in Chinatown. I knew her in Hong Kong. Her father is an official in the Canton Imperial Tea Company.” And she handed it over.
Respected honourable friendly lady,
Knowing how interested you are in the spiritual happenings to be found in our ancient culture, I give tidings of one here in your home country. My maid Watermelon flirts with Wun, an employee of the Hsing clan business. She was so sad when he was sent to work in the Lily-white laundry in Whitechapel. She was happy to see him for the Chinese New Year but it was the day after that he told her this story. Whilst he, Madam Hsing Song and others were celebrating in Chinatown, the dancer Fan Flu disappeared from back at the Laundry. All the other people at the Laundry were later found unconscious but Fan Flu had disappeared. Instead was found a square of raw silk cloth with the two ideograms for symbols for ‘Cultural elevation’ and the Matiken, who are spiteful demons. When the Matiken have taken a human, he or she becomes Min Fa an ‘uncertain soul’, a sort of ghost. Only Tang Zhou the eternal enemy of the Matiken, can rescue a Min Fa. He can take he or she away from them, to go to heaven or hell, or, subject to a payment of two strings of cash, return them alive. Now I have seen Fan Flu dance and I have spoken to her. I hope that you may effect her rescue. For centuries my family as an insurance, have treasured a Tang Zhou summoning casket. With my bound feet I am not capable of using it but I hope that you will use it to rescue this damsel in distress? The casket contains the instructions for summoning Tang Zhou, for telling him the name of the person stolen, the mirror for taking control of him, a silk cloth on which the Min Fa can be restored and six strings of ancient cash. The Matiken are believed to have a ceremony every full moon when Min Fa they are bored with, are cursed to become demons. Further, ‘amusing’ the Matiken is very stressful and those too long in their power are likely to be returned insane.
I give here the incantations needed
To call Tang Zhou “We Jaun Si Tang Zhou”
To take control of him, show him his reflection in the mirror and say “Oi Ha Tang Zhou!”
To tell him who to save “Nan Ki Fom Fan Flu!” and throw the two strings of cash to him. Then lay out the silken mat for her to be returned to. This ceremony should be carried out in the open air, near to where the victim disappeared, because Tang Zhou rides a celestial horse. I do not know how long he is likely to take.
Madam Song and her brother are unbelievers who think it is a trick by someone and are very angry. They have sent some of their dagger-men to question the people who live nearby but Wun and others of their men believe that it is the Matiken that have taken her.
Your indefatigably admiring friend Te Jasmine
When you looked up on the completion of reading this, Cordelia said, “I have here the casket!” and she displayed a black lacquered box. “I have also these!” and she showed two verdigeed bronze disks about five inches in diameter suspended from leather thongs. “These are Na K’uei, they hang these around houses threatened by demons who cannot pass them. I would think that they could keep any away from us if we encounter any Matiken.”
“Would they not also keep away this Tang Zhou?” you asked but she did not know. They were quite heavy and had Chinese inscriptions on them. You decided that this was a chance not to be missed. “Well ladies I think we must take advantage of this opportunity. I have staying with me Doctor Sigismund Nichtwissen. He is across here researching British Witchcraft and the summoning of spirits. Your wishing to contact this Chinese being should interest him greatly. I expect Professor Able will also be eager to come although he is lecturing tonight?”
“We were expecting to carry out the summoning around the witching hour Mr Helping.”
“In that case it will be after the Professor has given his lecture and we will take the Doctor’s servant with us. He is a stout fellow who can scare off any undesirable elements. I had not realised what a dangerously lawless area St. Radegunds is, the last time we went there. Further the Chinese at the Laundry may not all welcome our assistance. One has heard stories that their criminal elements far more evil than our own!”
“Thank you Mr Helping, we will report for duty the same time as for when we last went there.”
“Fine I will contact the others. On consideration I shall take my stake and mallet just in case. Just in case we are too late and this dancer has been turned into some nefarious undead spirit!”
“Ooh we had not thought of that!” exclaimed Cordelia.
“I also shall go fully equipped!” Leica Badamaru reassured her.
Later you enrolled Professor Able learning and Doktor Sigismund to accompany you. The Doktor tells you that since you know the name of the Chinese spirit to be summoned he has another ‘Christian means’ of calling for him. For this he has a space clearing rattle and a birch besom to purify the summoning sextagram area. This is then marked out with a stick of gypsum with six purple candles placed and lit at each point. The summoner beats the ground with a hazel rod and then calls out “Oh Angel Gabriel, lift my spirit to Tang Zhou that he may come here!”
The Doktor is uncertain as to whether this spell should be uttered in English, Latin, German or Chinese. Try them all perhaps except that he does not speak Chinese! He has been told it has been used to summon Teutonic Teufeln. He has not tried it himself, as one needs really strong magic ready to deal with any Teufeln demons that do appear!
You will start at the North end of St. Radegund Road around eleven o’clock. Your route will take you to the Lily-white Laundry. It is up to you whether you wish to contact the staff or just attempt to summon Tang Zhou outside. It is dark with overcast skies, sighting visibility is down to ten inches with recognition at five. This increases to sixteen and recognition at eight inches near the lit gas street lamps.
To conceal identities & strengths in the dark players will move flags until meeting.
Mr Ronald Helping Lea, Activist, M0 6”, Fa 3/3/5, Ag +1, Th +1, Me +2, Mallet Bst –2 Stake Pst –3, Lockpicking D10 6+ to pick each move, any 0 lock cannot be picked.
Class VII, PI Respectable, Charm M0, F +1, Coercion 0 MC £9 – 11s- 5d
Speaks Latin, Romanian (P) Watch, penknife. Bullseye lantern
Professor Able Learning VLe, Activist, M0 5”, Fa 1/2/3, Ag -1, Th 0, Me 0, Silver cross of St Patrocles Bst –3, Deringer 2 silver bullets 3” 4+ st 0, 6” 5+, st –1, 11” 6+ st –2
Bag of reference books. Scroll of exorcism. Bottle of holy water.
Class VI, PI Respectable, Charm M0, F 0, Coercion -1 MC £2 – 7s- 8d
Speaks Latin, Romanian, Greek, French, German, Russian & Italian.
Miss Leica Badamaru Activist, Mo 5”, Fa 2/3/4, Ag –1, Th –1, Me –1,
Dagger Pst –1, 3 pepper sachets R 2” D10 -2 rounds blinded sneezing Mo & Me –2.
Class VII, (VI) PI Respectable, Charm M +1, F +1, Coercion 0. Watch, Bullseye lantern
MC £2 – 2s – 6p Speaks Romanian. French
Miss Cordelia Higginbottom Activist, Mo 5”, Fa 2/3/4, Ag –1, Th –1, Me –1, Dagger Pst –1, Class VII, (VI) PI Respectable, Charm M +1, F +1, Coercion 0.
Hand crossbow 3” 5+ Pst –1 6” 6+ Pst –1, 11” 7+ Pst –2. 3 silver tipped darts
MC £1 – 7s – 5p Speaks Chinese, Bullseye lantern, notebook & pencil
Short besom for sweeping pentacle area. Cloth, Mirror & 6 strings of cash.
Herr Doktor Sigismund Nichtwissen Activist, Mo 6”, Fa 2/3/5 Ag +1, Th 0, Me +2 hazel rod Bst –3. purple candles, gypsum, matches. watch
Class VI, PI Respectable, Charm M-1, F 1, Coercion 0 MC £3 – 13- 7d
Speaks German, Latin, French, English, Polish & Italian.
Manko WA +1, Mo 6” Fa 2/5/7 Ag +1, Th +1, Me +2 cudgel Bst –1. Class III
MC £0 – 1s – 8d, Has 2 Na K’uei bronze disks 3” 3+ Bst –1, 6” 4+ Bst –2
PI Respectable Speaks German, English (P)
Introduction and Umpire's guide