TOPIC: The Children of Fear

Name: Lieutenant-Colonel Sir M.B Gawain Rutherford-Hill VC GC KCB (Eng), "Bolly"
Occupation: former Royal Warwickshire Regiment officer, Adjutant-General to the British Ambassador and British Embassy, Peking, China
Place of work: formerly British Embassy in Paris, France; currently (in the last month) British Embassy in Peking, China.
Of Note: Instrumental in foiling an assassination attempt made on British PM David Lloyd-George during the negotiations of the Treaty of Versailles (awarded GC), alongside Major-General Sir J.A. Lancelot Rutherford-Hill KCMG, CB, FRCS (Eng) (his father) and Akio Himura of the Japanese government.

Mr. B wrote:
Interesting family connections there Hugh.. The events of Masks occur in 1925, so their dark adventures are yet to be...

A snapshot of an essay written by Wei Chen

Introduction
Chinese literature and thought have a rich and diverse history spanning millennia, encompassing various forms of artistic expression, philosophical musings, and insightful anecdotes. Among the most captivating aspects of this tradition are poetry, poetics, and anecdotal writings, which have played pivotal roles in shaping the cultural landscape of China.

Chapter 1: Poetry - A Reflection of Emotions and Nature
Chinese poetry is a treasure trove of beauty, grace, and emotional depth. The earliest Chinese poems, dating back to the Shijing (Classic of Poetry), showcased the connection between human emotions and the natural world. The eloquent verses of this anthology depicted the daily lives of people, their joys, sorrows, and the magnificence of nature.

One of the distinctive features of Chinese poetry is its adherence to strict forms and tonal patterns, such as the five-character or seven-character quatrains. The Tang Dynasty, often considered the golden age of Chinese poetry, saw the rise of illustrious poets like Li Bai and Du Fu. Their works celebrated the sublime, depicted the turbulence of political times, and expressed personal sentiments, creating a diverse tapestry of poetic expression.

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And we're back on line!!!!!

Rotation 1– Begins 18th August 2023


CAST OF CHARACTERS
Arsala Khan (Jamadar) .........Ade........Indian, 39, ex military
Simon McAllister....................Steve.....Scottish, 29, criminal ….err, facilitator
Vincenzo Manzarelli...............Jim.........Italian, 29, priest (would-be exorcist)
Wei Chen................................Scott......Chinese-American, 38, professor of oriental literature
Yana Grigorievna Rasputina...Mel........Russian, occultist
Lt. Col. Sir M.B. Gawain Rutherford-Hill VC GC KCB (Eng.)........Hugh.......‘Nuff said


Thursday 20th September 1923

An unexpected visit
Simon McAllister was disturbed by an urgent rapping on his apartment door. The knocking repeated itself and an officious voice demanded he open up. Three military police officers stood at the threshold and forced their way into his temporary abode. A thorough search of the premises left his home in utter disarray but the officers failed to find evidence of illicit goods. They left McAllister with a stern warning. Peking was becoming dangerous for his operations.

To Peking University
A presentation and talk by photojournalist, Mr. Sofian Bazaz-Wain, was set to take place at 8.0pm at Peking University. Invitations had been sent out in advance. Attendees included Arsala Khan, an ex military man who set out from his modest home near the Legation Quarter by horse-drawn cab, and from their separate accommodations in the city Professor Wei Chen, Father Vincenzo Manzarelli and Simon McAllister each set out by traditional rickshaw.

Chaos and delay
McAllister and Vincenzo, during their short journeys, experienced the ominous feeling of being watched and all four attendees suffered unexpected delays in the overcrowded city streets, resulting in them arriving at the University only just in time for the presentation. The house lights were already down when students politely collected their invitations and admitted them to the lecture hall.

A long road to travel
As the investigators took their seats, Professor Wang Enlai introduced the evening’s speaker, Bazaz-Wain, who stepped up to a lectern to a ripple of polite applause. A magic lantern whirred to life and began projecting the first of Baza-Wain’s slides onto a white screen. The slides, accompanied by a talk, detailed Bazaz-wain’s journey (of some years ago) from his home in Srinagar, along the old routes of the ancient silk road to its start point at Sian.

Lights out
Part way through the presentation a loud pop startled everyone as the bulb of the magic lantern exploded. The room was plunged into darkness. At this precise moment the investigators experienced strange visions. Wang’s voice was raised over a cacophony or murmuring voices calling for the house lights to be turned on and for a maintenance man to fix the lantern. The investigators were feeling bewildered as their eyes adjusted to the light.

Angry voices
Magic lantern fixed, the talk continues. When the journey reached Tun-huang and the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas, and described the archaeological excavations and removal of many ancient artefacts, numerous voices in the audience were raised – venting annoyance and irritation at national treasures being plundered and taken abroad. It took a while to calm the dissenters so that the presentation could conclude.

Professor Wang
Filing out into the foyer, caterers had laid out drinks and canapés. Wang, who had forwarded invitations to each of the investigators for the event, gathers them together and each is introduced. Wang thanks everyone for attending and asks if he if he may impose on you to aid him in a perplexing matter. He has received a telegram from Langdon Warner, his predecessor as Director of the American School of Archaeology at Yenching University. Prof. Warner is currently at the Caves of the Thousand Buddhas on an expedition sponsored by Harvard University. His telegram is most puzzling but stresses urgency.

Wang need urgent help….STOP
Send people immediately…STOP
Don’t care who……….STOP
Just get them to Tun-haung…STOP
Emergency……STOP
Warner

Will you go to Tun-huang?
Wang has a very ill father and cannot leave Peking. Not knowing who else to ask, he wonders whether the investigators would answer the summons. A month’s journey on rough and dangerous roads separates Peking and Tun-haung. It’s a lot to ask. McAllister is good with departing Peking, but the others need to search their consciences first, and in various degrees of reluctance agree to the journey. They are invited to meet Wang the following day at his office to discuss travel plans.