Protagonists#

• Alistair Saint-Cyr - Antiquarian (Ioannis)
• Béatrice Beauvivre - Prostitute (Panagiotis)
• Raymond La Grave - Funeral Director (Konstantina)
• Lucidia Fare - Dilettante (Tasos)

New Orleans, Friday, February 5th, 1926#

Marigny’s Home#

The investigators gather at Ettienne-Laurent de Marigny’s home. He presents them a letter from the chief editor of the New Orleans Daily Gazette, Charles Sunstram, regarding the death of one of his reporters, Peter Gavvin. According to the letter, Gavvin was investigating some kind of conspiracy which involved a sign, occult in nature.

Lucidia recognizes the symbol as the Yellow Sign, which symbolizes madness, despair and death. It is usually associated with an entity known as the King in Yellow, or the Last King. The entity is thought to be an avatar of Hastur.

Marigny asks his friends to investigate the case on his behalf, unable to do it himself due to an urgent trip he has to take to Arkham.

New Orlean Daily Gazette#

The investigators visit the New Orleans Daily Gazette and talk to Charles Sunstram about Peter Gavvin’s death. He provides the reporter’s notes and apartment’s address and mentions that detectives from the Uptown police department have already gone through both and concluded that it was a suicide. Before they depart, he notes down their addresses and phone numbers.

Peter Gavin’s Apartment#

Beatrice and Raymond cannot convince Mrs. Shreeve, the landlady, to let them inside Gavvin’s apartment.

Mr. Grimm’s Funeral Parlour#

Raymond visits his acquaintance Mr. Grimm at his funeral parlour and examines the remains of Peter Gavvin. The evidence indicates a much higher fall than from a university building. Grimm provides the name of Dave Cole, a police detective they can ask for more information regarding the apparent suicide.

Lucidia’s House#

Alistair and Lucidia go through Gavvin’s notes:

• Gavvin’s notebooks list names plus home and office addresses of several Swords Krewe members. One entry lists a French Quarter address marked “Swords Krewe HQ?”.
• Krew member Chet Craighten, Denis Bouchard, and Randall Fowler receive extensive coverage, such as ages, home & office addresses, family details, business holdings in Louisiana, charitable contributions, criminal records and reputation with the police.
• Profiles of Krewe Members:
  • Chet Craighten (52)
    • Oil wildcatter who became a millionaire seven years ago.
    • Has the reputation of a roughneck trying to fit into high society.
    • Has a young wife, Barbara, half his age.
    • Long list of minor criminal charges (assault, drunkenness, bribery).
    • Rivals are often bought off or intimidated.
    • His current project is Blacktower Field, a new oil rig near Houma.
  • Denis Bouchard (34)
    • Comes from old money, well‑invested.
    • Family in New Orleans since early 1700s.
    • Knows as playboy, compulsive gambler, antique collector.
    • Police records for reckless driving & public drunkenness, always dismissed.
    • Chairman of the Swords Krewe.
  • Randall Fowler (37)
    • Wealth from shipping and railroads.
    • Family name was LeFleur, changed after Civil War due to ancestor’s slave‑trading reputation.
    • Wife and daughter died in an unsolved hit‑and‑run 1.5 years ago.
    • Became involved in the occult afterward.
    • Connected with Papa Screech, a Voodoo practitioner claiming to contact Fowler’s dead family.
    • Gavvin suspects Screech is scamming Fowler for large sums of money.
• Notes include names and home addresses of Étienne-Laurent de Marigny and Francois Avedon. Gavvin believed both were local occult experts. Avedon’s antique shop is listed: The Avedon Antiquarian Gallery (French Quarter). Gavvin intended to consult them about the strange symbol, but it’s not clear whether he did or not.

The group gathers late in the evening and share their findings and thoughts. Alystair has heard of Francois Avedon and expresses his dislike of him.

Swords Krewe HQ#

Late at night, on his way back home, Raymond walks past the Most Honorable Krew of Swords, on Canal Street.

New Orleans, Saturday, February 6th, 1926#

Investigating Papa Screech#

Raymond reaches out to friends, family, acquaintances and voodoo experts to find information on Papa Screech.

Everyone is clearly frightened of him. He is known as a bokor (evil magician) and was believed to be part of the large cult that worshipped in the swamps outside New Orleans until it was broken up by the police many years ago. That cult had nothing to do with Voodoo, but something older, darker, and unspeakably evil.

Dennis Bouchard’s Mansion#

Beatrice arrives at Bouchard’s Mansion to find out that there is a Yellow Sign placard tied to the gate and the front door. The housekeeper says that Mr. Bouchard is currently not at home and has a servant show Beatrice out, but not before she manages to pilfer a brooch from her.

Peter Gavin’s Apartment#

Alistair and Lucidia bribe and impress Mrs. Shreeves to show them inside Gavvin’s apartment A thorough search of the place turns up a snake hidden underneath the bed mattress, which Lucidia shoots dead before it attacks her.

The snake had a strange triangular white mark on its head.