In the Shadow of the King

This is the Chronicle of the McAllister Foundation (though it began long before the founding of that august association) - Eclectic study, saving humanity, serving greater purpose... To explore, to map the uncharted universe in their pursuit of knowledge... All these noble goals, and more besides, lead them ever forward - like a carrot tied to a stick - to places mankind was never meant to go.

Surely, no good will come of it...

About the McAllister Foundation...

Welcome to the McAllister Foundation (as writen by Prof. Darron McAllister):

        Located in Arkham, Mass, the Foundation is a fraternity of educated individuals who seek to better humanity through paranormal investigation, research, and protection.

       What does this mean, exactly? We at the Foundation have encountered many phenomena that could, if left unchecked, either be used against humanity or fade into nothingness without exploration. These phenomena are a question of science, quantifiable energies, and other “mystical” forces, for lack of a better term. We in response, seek to investigate these forces, determine their danger to the public and deal with them appropriately. Most recently, we as a Debunking Organization, dealt with mad occultists and insane people.

        As the foundation has no political interests, we accept all who can help us in our cause of truth. We take scientists, men of means, military, and the well read. We only ask that you help in our debunking efforts. We do not ask that you even believe in such things. As Founder, I can tell you that such entities as Ghosts, devils, leprechauns, or other such monsters have a reasonable explanation and our job is to find it. In the mean time we have an extensive library, serviceable research areas, and a fully operational kitchen staff. All of which are available to full members.

        To gain membership, please call at our gathering times (7PM, most Wednesdays) and present your card. Our advisors will offer a two week membership so that we can know you as well as you know us. After that the Board of Directors, namely myself, and a few other people, will decide if you are ready for full membership.

        The McAllister Foundation is a place of research and refinement for the discriminating gentleman who’s passion can be found in our line of investigation.

        Welcome Once Again,

Prof. Darron McAllister

The Foundation Charter (as written by Viviane Gladstone, March of 1924):

An Organization based on shared ideals and values, aimed towards research and action on such. Through will, wisdom, education, inquisitiveness and confrontations with forces, this group will strive with honor and bravery to defend the good of humanity as best it is able.

Unusual Traditions: There is a play known as "The King in Yellow", banned and burned en-mass in France. This play (considered evil by some) is notable insofar as the Foundation is concerned, as almost every member has at some point or another read it, and it has become an unconcious part of their initiations into the foundation. Few have ever actualy thought about it, but they have almost all read it just the same.

Members of the McAllister Foundation (Past & Present)

Doctor Darren McAllister - Parapsychologist and founder. Retired from active duty.
Professor William Nathan Gladstone - Professor. Dead to the world, but still very much active. Founding Member.

Viviane Gladstone - What is this nice girl doing in a men's club? Following her uncle around in hopes of keeping him out of more trouble, that's what. Currently a student of photography at Miskatonic U., Viviane is a homely, gawkish young woman who's inheritance (thanks to her uncle's apparent death) and intelligence more than make up for her other deficiencies. Before assisting in the creation of the McAllistar Foundation, Viviane had already faced Zombies in the Congo, the ghost of Jack the Ripper, and walked the streets of fair Ulthar - leading her to be perhaps the most cautious and taciturn member of the Foundation.

Professor Vernon Pettibone- A friend and contemporary of Gladstone, and a veteran of a few foundation investigations. Like Gladstone, he is believed to be dead - like Gladstone, he is very much alive.

Simon Marrison-Rhodes - what this nare-do well dilettante doing in a serious place like this? Not a lot but the long island ice tea keeps him pacified and who knows? If he doesn't die an unspeakable death or be driven to madness a serious adventure might just make a man of him yet.

Doctor Addison James -The retired diplomat was the American ambassador to England for a while. After retiring he met Gladstone in the dreamlands and was referred here. Because he appears to posses the charm and social connections you would expect of such a high level diplomat the foundation members have all greeted him enthusiastically - Captain Thadius mcMillan even offered to drag out the King in Yellow for him within an hour of having met him.

Captain Thadeus McMillan - big blustering retired soldier, who has survived a few of the foundations investigations.

David McIntyre - Former journalist, now considered dangerously insane. Believed to have fallen in with the Brotherhood of the Yellow Sign. Founding Member. Whereabouts unknown.

Phillip Amos Miles Fletcher

Mr. Roberts - Miskatonic U. Librarian.

Samuel McCaris - Engineer. Founding Member (?)

Sam Kierkegaard - Boston Police Detective. Founding Member.

Archibald Gates - PI. Founding Member.

Lomis (?)

Jackson Meredith - Author, current bearer of the Staff of Merlin. Whereabouts unknown.

Timeline (1921-1924)

1921 -September - Prof. Cadwell dies - his will is read. Gladstone begins study of Cadwell’s papers.

October 31^st - "Tatermallion" incident. Gladstone reads “the King in Yellow”. McIntyre goes mad due to the events and wanders the streets for many months.

1922 - Justin Geoffrey writes "People of the Monolith"

January - Prof. Gladstone & his niece discover map to the "Valley of the Gods" in Miskatonic University copy of "Unausprechlichen Kulten" (“Nameless Cults”) & begins planning Congo expedition, leave Arkham, Mass. Taking the Mauritania to London (wherein some bad business happens en-route), they meet with friends and return to the U.S.

February to May - Gladstone studies “the Zanthu Tablets” (Hadley's publication).

June - Expedition to the "Valley of the Gods" begins. In August they arrive, horror ensues, and Gladstone escapes with his life. Dave McIntyre & and Henry Doppelganger suffer madness (each recovering by the end of the year). Macintyre’s family has him committed to Arkham Sanitarium for that period.

1923 - June (ending June 23rd) - Erebus Press hires Prof. Gladstone and a few others to research Geoffrey's "People of the Monolith". The expedition into Hungary leads eventually to the Monolith of Geoffrey's poem and horrific visitations on Midsummer's Eve. A number of disturbing photos of the stone are taken, and Prof. Gladstone takes a casket found in nearby ruins back to Arkham with him.

August through the end of the year – Fearing for her uncle’s sanity, Viviane Gladstone hires the services of Dr. Heinrich T. Muelhig, himself a former student of Freud & Jung, to help the Professor deal with his experiences.

Gladstone finishes his study of “Nameless Cults” (the Golden Goblin edition he acquired after the death of Prof. Paterson).

1924 - January - Gladstone and those others involved in the fact-finding mission to Hungary (in regards to Erebus Press’ expedition) join the Hermetic Order of Silver Twilight, as does the now recovered (?) David McIntyre .

Prof. Gladstone and his grandniece Vivian, along with Parapsychologist Darren McAlester, are introduced to the Dreamlands thanks to the drug Liao. Within this dream they discover some uncomfortable truths about the Order of Silver Twilight.

After a break in by unnamed parties, the Boston branch of the Hermetic Order of the Silver Twilight closes down. Shortly thereafter John Scott, Master Philosopher of the Order is shot to death and dismembered by three unidentified men in Darren McAllister 's apartment. The three were taken into custody by Boston's finest and, after establishing that they were incompetent to stand trial the "John Doe" brothers were interred at Arkham Asylum. With the death of their chief member, the Boston branch of HOST (Hermetic Order of Silver Twilight) closes down.

March - The HOST Lodge building in Boston is bought at an Estate Auction by the newly-formed McAllister Foundation. McAllister himself dies of a gunshot wound to the head while investigating the curious "Look to the Future" organization. Professors Gladstone and Pettibone contract a mysterious and fatal fever, leaving fellow founder Sam Kierkegaard to manage affairs. The "Look to the Future" association disappears under a cloud of scandal after their building is firebombed.

April - Kirby Chopin Carter dies in Cannich, Scotland, in freak weather incident. He leaves his short story collection ("Lost Souls") with his cousin Randolph Carter. The collection later is passed to his old friend Prof. Greydew later that year.

June - The McAllister Foundation is hired by Jacob Hancock to look into his uncle's possible disappearance in Cannich, Scottland. There they encounter ghosts (and worse), but escape with a fragment of the Ryleh Disk - this object is later melted down and used to finance future ventures of the Foundation.

July - The city of Bloomsfield, Maine, ceases to exist after the Foundation fails to stop the summoning of Yog Sothoth and his hunger. The Foundation finds itself in possession of a number of artifacts reputedly datingback to the days of Camelot (and perhaps much older).

August - Kerby Chopan Carter's funeral is held without a body in Arkham, Mass. Addison James and some other guests encounter some troubles at the wake, are aflicted by dreams most terrible, and find cannabilism, madness, and death lurk deap beneath the Carter family crypts...

September - The McAllister Foundation is hired by Count Fantari to discover the reason behind a number of disapearences on his island. After a cozy sailing to the Medeteranian , they begin their investigation - finding yet more vanishings, and an ancient legend of "Sea Deamons" and "Sirens".