Trail of Clues: Pulp Alley AAR

2 July 1923
Owen,

No doubt you've heard from the university about my recent arrest in Cairo.  That clod Yates warned me, in no uncertain terms, that my tenure would be forfeit if anything untoward happened during my sabbatical.  So, I suppose your long dream of having my office has come true.


But dear Lord, Owen, what we've found here!  The fragments of Nyarto are no myth, as held by our colleagues in the States and England.  I was able to find two before our arrest.  Philip Cross---you remember Phil, from Batanga? he's well, other than some bruises--and that promising undergrad Thad both located enough of the fragments to lead us to our next destination, near the border with Libya.  We'll dig there and what we find could change our knowledge of human history.

Unfortunately, it seems we're not the only ones on the trail.  A mysterious order fought us for the fragments in Cairo, wounding several of our party, though at considerable expense to themselves. My Krag served me well.  And one of my students (former students, I suppose, considering the soon-death of my professorship), Olivia, proved to be a crack shot, engaging a cultist in an intense firefight.

We were able to payoff the prison warden and have secured transport to the Libyan border. I will write after we arrive.  Give Anne my love, and keep in mind, that if you sell any of the contents of my office, I will have your hide when I return to the States.

---Horatio

PS
Please take a look at the photographs I've included with this letter; there are pictures here of the fragments, as well as the cultists, perhaps you can find some details that I've missed.  I have included descriptions 

My expedition took a group  photograph before setting out.  From left to right: Me, Philip Cross, Olivia, Thad, Mischa, Alan, and Hasan.

I bought this picture of the cult from a local dealer. 

My assistant took this photograph from a nearby minaret. 

Some of our enemy.

Olivia and Philip went for the first of the fragments.

Philip found the first fragment, a strange statue. Can you make out any of the details, Owen?

On the left was the leader of our enemy.  

Alan, the undergraduate, searched for fragments.  His electromagnifier proved quite useless, but he's a good lad.

Mischa was stunned by enemy fire.

Alan, who thought he'd found a fragment only for it to be prove a fake.

Thad had quite the trouble freeing his fragment from its container. The enemy played many tricks on us.

Olivia fired dozens of rounds during the battle.

Philip was incapacitated by the fragment, which seems to possess a will of its own.

Alan continuing his search.

I took a long range shot at one of our enemies and put the man down.  

Philip briefly engaged the leader before the latter withdrew.

(Thanks to Russ for all the minis and terrain---great stuff as always, Russ!)