Session 9 – Unveiling Cult Secrets in Harlem

The session unfolded with the investigators navigating New York City, chasing leads tied to the mysterious Carlyle Expedition and sinister cult activity.  They visited Hilton Adams, a prisoner in Sing Sing who was suspected of being wrongly accused, and debated how to approach his case. Then, between engaging with Bradley Grey to arrange a potential meeting with Erica Carlyle and investigating the chaotic Emerson Imports, the group made steady progress while grappling with setbacks, humorous moments, and the growing intrigue surrounding the mysterious deaths and cult activities tied to Jackson Elias.

Key Characters Introduced

• Bradley Grey: Erica Carlyle’s polished and guarded lawyer, who was hesitant to assist the investigators but offered a potential meeting after some persuasion.
• Erica Carlyle: Mentioned as the wealthy sister of Roger Carlyle, the last known leader of the Carlyle Expedition and a potential source of critical information about her brother’s disappearance.
• Hilton Adams: A prisoner in Sing Sing, suspected of being falsely accused of murders in Harlem, offering a potential link to the cult activities surrounding Jackson Elias’s death.

Key Events

• Recap and Lead Consolidation
  • The session began with the group reviewing their current location and leads and confirming that they were still in New York City.
  • Key leads included the Juju House, Erica Carlyle, Hilton Adams at Sing Sing, and the Emerson Imports card found on a victim.
  • The investigators recapped prior interactions with NPCs.
• Interaction with Bradley Grey
  • The party visited Bradley Grey’s office, Erica Carlyle’s lawyer, to request a meeting with her.
  • Several attempts at persuasion and charm were made, with humor and awkward moments, such as overly persistent handshakes and a failed bribe with “rejuvenating bath salts.”
  • Virginia ultimately secured a tentative promise to meet with Erica Carlyle, with instructions to return in the evening.
• Meeting with Erica Carlyle
  • After securing an introduction through Bradley Grey, the investigators met Erica Carlyle at her opulent mansion. Her composed demeanor contrasted sharply with the weight of the topics discussed.
  • Erica revealed her strained relationship with her brother, Roger Carlyle, describing him as aimless and emotionally unstable before his sudden obsession with an enigmatic African woman, Bunay, whom he claimed showed him “hidden truths.”
  • She recounted her efforts to save Roger from financial ruin and bad influences, including attempts to see him psychiatrists, though none could dissuade him from his ill-fated expedition.
  • Erica confirmed that she had personally traveled to Africa after the group’s disappearance and funded efforts to recover their remains, which yielded no conclusive evidence of their fate.
  • When asked about Roger’s journals or documents, Erica mentioned keeping some of his belongings locked in a safe but expressed skepticism about their usefulness to the investigation.
  • She eventually provided access to the books, which included cryptic notes and references to dreams, cults, and rituals, further deepening the mystery of what truly happened to Roger Carlyle and his expedition.
• Meeting with Hilton Adams at Sing Sing
  • The investigators traveled to Sing Sing prison to speak with Hilton Adams, a man they believed to be wrongly accused of a series of gruesome murders in Harlem.
  • Hilton revealed his deep frustration at being framed, explaining that his attempts to uncover strange disappearances in Harlem led him to be targeted by a corrupt police officer from the Harlem precinct.
  • He recounted eerie details of his investigation, mentioning strange symbols, chants heard at night, and a shadowy figure watching him before his arrest.
  • The group learned about Hilton’s wife, Millie, who might have additional information as she campaigned for his innocence outside the prison walls.
  • Despite his dire situation, Hilton remained determined to expose the cult-like activities he had uncovered. He urged the group to continue his work and provided names and locations tied to his research.
• Investigation at Emerson Imports
  • The investigators arrived at Emerson Imports, a bustling warehouse filled with workers loading and unloading goods worldwide, including crates labeled with destinations like Africa, Australia, and England.
  • Initially met with suspicion by a worker, the group managed to track down the warehouse manager, Arthur Emerson, to inquire about the card found on the murder victim.
  • Arthur confirmed that the card belonged to Silas N’Kwane, the proprietor of the Juju House. This indicates a clear business connection between Emerson Imports and the mysterious shop.
  • Emerson revealed that N’Kwane regularly received shipments from Africa through his company but claimed not to know the specifics of what was being imported.
  • Under further questioning, Emerson appeared uneasy, admitting that N’Kwane was an unusual client who paid well but was secretive about the contents of the shipments.

Standout Moments

• Virginia secures a meeting with Bradley Grey: After others’ numerous failed attempts to charm the lawyer, Virginia succeeds with a mix of poise and persuasion, earning the group a potential audience with Erica Carlyle.
• Bessie’s bath salts bribe falls flat: Despite her passionate delivery, Bessie’s elaborate pitch about magical rejuvenating bath salts from Patagonia was met with skepticism and rejection.
• Alejandro suggests kidnapping Bradley Grey: In a morally questionable yet amusing turn, Alejandro proposed abducting the lawyer as a quick solution to their lack of access to Erica Carlyle.
• The team debates the fate of Africa’s Dark Sects: The Keeper humorously mispronounces the name of the rare book, leading to some unintended innuendos while discussing how to find a copy.
• Hilton Adams shares eerie details of Ju-Ju House: Hilton’s haunting descriptions of strange symbols, shadowy figures, and chilling chants provided a deeply atmospheric moment that added tension and mystery to the investigation.
• The Juju House vanishing act revisited: The team speculated about N’Kwane’s bizarre disappearance during their previous encounter, with Alejandro notoriously blaming it on his extended bathroom break.

As the investigators piece together the web of connections between the Carlyle Expedition, African cults, and the eerie happenings in Harlem, they find themselves on the verge of uncovering dangerous secrets. With new leads to pursue and mounting tensions, their next moves could bring them closer to the truth—or deeper into the madness.

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