33: Old Bundari’s Lizard

6th June 1925

Old Bundari
Old Bundari

Nairobi, Kenya, Africa:

14:28: PM:

Gaidar doesn’t want to go anywhere near Egypt. He has snapped and doesn’t want to deal with the harsh realities of the world. We are preparing to go up country to the Mountain of the Black Wind. We are certain that M’Weru and Miss Hypatia Masters are there. Hypatia Masters is about to give birth to some hideous spawn of Nyarlathotep.

From Nairobi the plan is to head up towards mount Kenya. Where are Arja and Diwani Singh.

We sleep on the boat. In the morning of 7th June, we decide to get the train up to Nairobi.

Neville Jermyn was the outfitter for the Carlyle exhibition. We power down the reactor on the ship and leave it in the harbour. Gaidar keeps all of his stuff that is magical for protection and Natalia takes him off to New York via Alexandria. They are wary and suspicious of each other.

Travelling are Trixie, Donelly, Grand, Fock, Singh and Bloomberg. Tandoor Singh has a teahouse in Nairobi.

Gupta goes in 3rd class. A Sikh also gets on. He looks a bit jumpy. The train pulls away. We can see the snow capped peak of Kilimanjaro. Mostly Indians and Arabs. An Indian comes over and starts chatting with Gupta. Gupta continues to surreptitiously observe the Sikh.

The Sikh goes up the carriage. Is gone for a while. Gupta grows suspicious and follows. He overhears a voice in Punjabi saying: “Kill all the Europeans, Trixie, Fock, etc.”. Gupta kicks in the door and shoots him with his ray gun, killing him instantly. Then he runs down the carriage to warn the others about the approaching two fire vampires!

The fire vampires attack. Joe grabs a sand bucket and throws it! Joe shouts “Ray gun!” Simon shoots one with his ray gun. Irma blasts with his pistol. Wesley shoots his ray gun and finishes the other one off!

Guard: “What was that! Never seen nothing like it!?”

Simon says: “Ball lightning!”

Gupta, Irma and Joseph go back. There is a commotion because of the body in the khazi. It is Tandoor Singh. We find his keys etc.

Gupta: “I saw him go to the toilet. He was a bit sweaty. He was gone for a long time so I went to see if he was OK. No answer when I knock on the door. I kick it in. He was collapsed and the first thing I did was to get the only doctor I know.”

Male Passenger: “Don’t I know you fellas? My name is Benson.”

Says one of the other passengers. He seems to have recognized us. Particularly Gupta. But he can’t be sure…

We pull into Nairobi at night.

Nairobi is made up of Brown town, Black town, and White town.

Disembarking the train we look around to see if there is anyone waiting for Tandoor. There are Malays, Somalis, Kenyans, Chinamen, very ethnically diverse.

We go to the Highlands Hotel where we stayed before. We split into two groups:

Wesley, Trixie, Simon stay in the Hotel

Joe, Irma, Gupta try to find Sam Mariga at the station and then go to Tandoor Singh’s tea house. Station staff around. Elias was out here a year ago.

Station Guard: “Sam? Good fella, does the day shifts. Family etc. Lives in Black town.”

“He’s a big strong fella working at the station here.”

The tea shop is over in Brown Town.

MEANWHILE: Back At The Hotel.

14:58: PM:

Hotel Manager: “Welcome back! Another expedition?”

We try to check in incognito into the hotel. They agree reluctantly.

MEANWHILE:

Joe, Gupta and Irma get a cab into Brown-town to find Tandoor Singh’s tea shop.

Taxi Driver: “You want me to wait?” “Yes.”

We do a circuit of the block. Using his keys, we enter Tandoor’s shop… Cautiously. The door is locked from the outside and unbolted on the inside… It is the bedroom of a pious Sikh. We search it. There is a ledger beneath his pillow. Correspondence between Arja and Tandoor. Joe and Gupta find a stairway going down from the storeroom. No tracks are visible. Irma starts to go down. There is a strange odour. There are uneven depressions on the floor and recesses containing candles. A central pillar with handcuffs. A large stone cabinet. Padlocked. Behind the padlock there is some kind of idol…

Gupta and Joe draw their ray guns. In the cabinet is a meat cleaver, an old book, some incense and a yellow robe. Also a Hindi calendar with the date 14th January marked. There is an Indian symbol on the cleaver. We don’t recognize it.

The statue is a dwarf with four arms holding swords and tentacle legs/feet. Like a strange version of Kali. The book is bound and numbering several hundred pages. The text is written in Punjabi. There is an odd symbol.

We take everything with us and leave via the side door.

Back to the hotel.

Gupta skims Tandoor’s book. It’s about Deep Ones?

He works out that the source was middle English? And it was translated into Punjabi…?

“Chaataquadingen” Gupta has skimmed it and it will cost him 2 SAN to finish it… It’s a book about monsters.

Gupta is staying at the hotel.

Trixie, Wesley, Simon all go to the station to find Sam…

There is a picture of the Carlyle Expedition in the hotel! We ask the night manager. We cast skin of Sedefkar. We arrive at the station in a taxi.

Sam: “I’m Sam Mariga.”

Simon: “We just wanted to ask you some questions.”

He walks out from under the shade of a tree.

Wesley: “We’re friends of Jackson.”

Sam: “I remember him. He ask many questions. I discover the bodies. I was visiting cousins in Uhudu. Walking through the forest. This is Africa.”

Sam: “What is your interest?”

Simon: “Jackson was killed by African men in America? He was involved with bad people. They were killed by wild animals. Torn to pieces.”

Sam: “No animal killed these men. Animals kill for food.”

Sam: “I see many things with the railway. What is that staff you are carrying, Lady? Do you like Africa?”

Trixie: “Gee honey, I looooove Africa! Have you heard of the Mountain of the Black Wind?”

Sam: “Yes they worship old gods. But not gods of Africa. These are dangerous people. They have power. You must speak to Johnson Kenyatta. I can give you his address. He is an African nationalist.”

We get an address in Black-town. Marianne Street.

“They are a political organization. They want black people in parliament.”

We head over to Kenyatta.

Kenyatta: “You are looking for me?”

We introduce ourselves.

Wesley: “We are friends of Jackson Elias. Killed by the cult of the bloody tongue.”

Kenyatta: “Tell me more.”

We tell him what happened and show him a picture of M’Weru.

Kenyatta: “Hmm. Are you taking over his mission? More than 20 years ago I tried to leave that world behind and join yours… Much of what you say I understand. But much is mystery.” Trixie’s staff intrigues him. “If you’re willing I will introduce you to someone. Your destinies are unfinished. Do you wish to meet this man? Wait here. A friend waits for you behind this door. Follow him at a distance. Enter a door with yellow paint. I am glad to have met you. Please go and do this thing now.”

A remarkably tall thin black man is waiting outside in a white shirt but without shoes. He motions for us to follow.

We follow him. Where is he leading us? We reach a hut with a yellow door. We are inside a small shed. There is a car inside! He gets in and asks us to follow. We drive off. Several miles outside of Nairobi we stop beyond a circle of huts. He talks at length to another man. Kids start to gather. A man walks over.

Okomu: “Why are you here? What are these? This is Kooli things! Why should I meet with you? Kenyatta says many things! What is this stick? What kind of man would have tried to kill you Why should I care about Elias Jackson? The Bloody Tongue? You would go to the place where they summon the monster? Their priestess is M’Weru. She lives in the mountain. She prophesied the coming of the dark god. You should not go there it is very dangerous. None should go there. There is a great sign: The Eye of Light and Darkness. If you can find this then you will have some protection. You already can cast this spell? If you wish to do this thing we will give you aid.

I will take you to meet Old Bundari. Bundari has powerful magic. Bundari must be more conjoined with the other sides. It is my job to guard this reality for him. He has other assistance. The other side. If I bring Bundari to you, you must wait and be patient.”

He takes us to a Masai hut. There is a fence around it. It is like a snail shell. In the central room there are occult signs. Wes recognizes the symbols as protections against the outer gods… There is an old man sitting there who seems to be dead. We sit down. He gets up to restore circulation and then says after 2 hours:

Okomu: “I will bring you some food.”

It is about 13:00 PM in the afternoon. We wait. And wait. At 23:09 PM he starts to move and stir slightly. He is widening and swelling. Bundari looks at us one at a time:

Old Bundari:

“You have lost an eye but retained your wisdom!” (Simon)
“You have travelled far and wide and you know Africa!” (Trixie)
“You have looked into the universe and seen much!” (Wesley).

Old Bundari: The bloody Tongue grows arrogant. We must pray to Nagay. If you have courage you may have a chance. I have a gift for you! A fly whisk with an ebony handle. A defence against evil magic. But only for protection and to find hidden evil You will find it quicker with this. Then a wooden cage containing a chameleon. This is my friend who is not what she seems. Feed her well with flies and she will protect you once if you free her! You have discovered the song of light and darkness. Can you draw this symbol? I can go with you too if you wish. He is the bat, the pharaoh, the bloated woman, the bloody tongue…”

We agree to let Bundari join us. He suggests Sam as a guide. We discover that the mask of Iyama will show you the outer gods… To wear it would cause insanity.

We discover that the ethnic mix at the station may be because the Bloody Tongue has summoned everyone for the final ceremony!!!

There is no time to lose. We must get the others, find Sam and head with Bundari to the MOUNTAIN OF THE BLACK WIND…

Journal Wesley