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  THE MYTHOS STALKS THE
  INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
  THE RAJ
  MYSTERIES OF
  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
   
  THE MYTHOS STALKS THE SUBCONTINENT 
   
  A MONOGRAPH FOR THE CALL OF CTHULHU RPG 
  SET IN GASLIGHT INDIA 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Playtesting:  Brian Bethel, Madeleine Eid, Dea Matthews, Simon Rafferty 
   
  Cover Art:  Christopher Huth 
   
  Additional Material (Skills):  Bill Barton 
   
  Other Invaluable Assistance:  Jason Williams 
   
  Copyright 2009 by Michael J. Daumen 
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  2 
   
   
   
   
   
  Contents 
   
   
   
   
  Introduction 
   
   
   
  3 
   
  Terminology  
   
  3 
   
  Glossary 
   
   
  4 
   
  Hints to Travellers 
   
  5 
  Geography 
   
   
   
  7 
   
  Terrain  
   
   
  7 
   
  Gazetteer 
   
   
  9 
   
  Hints:  Archaeology  
  10 
   
  Major Cities  
   
  12 
  History 
   
   
   
  19 
   
  Ancient Empires of India 
  22 
  Getting Around the Subcontinent 
  23 
   
  Communication 
   
  23 
   
  Travel  
   
   
  24 
   
  Monsoon Weather 
   
  25 
   
  Lodging 
   
   
  25 
   
  Hints: Observatories  
  26 
   
  Health  
   
   
  26 
   
  Firearms 
   
   
  26 
  British Characters 
   
   
  27 
   
  Typical Life  
   
  27 
   
  Servants 
   
   
  29 
   
  Culture 
   
   
  29 
   
  Hints:  Sport  
   
  31 
   
  Sport  
   
   
  32 
   
  Reverse Timeline 
   
  32 
  Indian Characters 
   
   
  35 
   
  Racial Types  
   
  35 
   
  Caste  
   
   
  36 
   
  Religion 
   
   
  37 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Hints:  Ruins  
   
  39 
   
  Attitude to the British  
  40 
   
  Clothing 
   
   
  41 
   
  Cuisine 
   
   
  42 
   
  Purdah  
   
   
  42 
  Character Options 
   
   
  43 
   
  Character Types 
   
  43 
   
  New Skills 
   
   
  44 
   
  Orders & Decorations  
  46 
  The Written Word 
   
   
  47 
   
  Languages 
   
   
  47 
   
  Languages of India 
   
  48 
   
  Scriptures 
   
   
  49 
   
  Hints: Research Hint  
  49 
  Matters Martial 
   
   
  53 
   
  Indian Weapons 
   
  53 
   
  Hints:  Ironmongery  
  54 
   
  Firearms 
   
   
  54 
   
  Army Kit 
   
   
  55 
   
  Ranks  
   
   
  56 
  Animals 
   
   
   
  57 
  The Mythos in India  
   
  69 
   
  Spells  
   
   
  69 
   
  Tomes  
   
   
  71 
   
  Encounters 
   
   
  72 
   
  Using the Thuggee 
   
  77 
   
  Hints:  Journals 
   
  81 
  Scenario 
   
   
   
  83 
  Appendix:  Princely State Generator 102 
  Bibliography  
   
   
  106 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  3 
   
  Now it is not good for the Christian's health 
   
   to hustle the Aryan brown/ 
   
  For the Christian riles, and the Aryan smiles 
   
   and he weareth the Christian down/ 
   
  And the end of the fight is a tombstone white 
   
   with the name of the late deceased/ 
   
  And the epitaph drear:  "A Fool lies here  
   
   who tried to hustle the East. 
   
   
   
   
  -Rudyard Kipling, “Naulahka” 
   
   
   
   
   
  t is probably impossible to do justice to the myriad of peoples and lands that is India 
  in a single volume.  The holdings of the British Empire here (which also includes 
  present day Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Burma and parts of Iran and 
  Afghanistan) were comparable in size to the continental United States or Europe west 
  of the Ukraine.  The historical background and religious traditions of the subcontinent rival those 
  of similar regions – like the Middle East and China, mankind has lived and worshipped there for 
  millennia.  Anyone opening a purported survey of one of these locations would not expect to find 
  much more than a general introduction.  Having to share with the Mythos alongside the mundane 
  only makes the task more daunting.   
   
   
  Yet this setting should prove a wonderfully attractive place for Call of Cthulhu.  The 
  weight of bygone centuries and fascination of exotic locales always add luster to a typical game.  
  The evocative traditions of the Victorian period only add to the allure.  Despite the small space, this 
  book is designed to give Keepers and players enough information to set adventures and campaigns 
  during Gaslight India (approximately 1890).  It contains, rather than just recitations of facts, tools 
  to create engaging characters and colorful settings.  Ideally, it will tempt readers with no prior 
  desire to run a campaign to change their minds, and inspire those who expected something 
  interesting to delve deeper.  Some of the English language’s greatest writers have visited the 
  territory, and exposure to these works is heartily recommended. 
   
   
  Along with these works, which appear in the bibliography, there are several existing Call 
  of Cthulhu adventures that take place in India.  Although they have been written for a 1920s-era 
  play, many of their elements are nonetheless usable for Gaslight campaigning.  Obviously, this 
  monograph is designed to supplement Cthulhu by Gaslight, and this book is an invaluable resource 
  as well.  Lovecraft’s mentions of the subcontinent are brief:  references to remote places like Tibet 
  and the Himalayas, or hints of shadowy cults worshipping dread gods like their compatriots in 
  better-known areas.  
   
   
  Finally, to every reader who notes a significant omission in these pages – and I suspect 
  there might seem many – not only accept my apology, but speak of what you’ve missed.  India is a 
  fertile place, and there is much room for the Mythos to fester and grow. 
   
  A Word on Terminology 
   
   
  For ease of writing, this work makes use of several linguistic conventions.  “India” will 
  normally refer to the traditional Victorian view of the whole region – basically anything between 
  the Suez Canal and the Far East.  Of course, this area now encompasses several countries beyond 
  the modern republic.  Likewise, “the subcontinent” is a convenient synonym for the same thing.  
   I 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  4 
  Finally, “natives” refer to peoples who have lived there before the arrival of Europeans, be they 
  Muslim or Hindu, Aryan or Dravidian, or anything else.  In contrast, the word “foreigner” means 
  any European living there, usually a subject of the British Empire. 
   
   
  Most words and place names within this document retain their 1890s spelling rather than 
  the modern revisions made after India’s independence.  
   
  Glossary 
   
   
  Here is a short list of words and phrases important to the setting.  Many other terms are 
  explained in the text itself. 
   
  anna:  a unit of native currency.  16 annas make one rupee. 
   
  babu:  a bilingual native clerk.  Slightly derogatory.  
   
  Civilian:  a member of the India Civil Service. 
   
  coolie:  an unskilled native worker or bearer.  
   
  crore:  a Persian word for the sum of 100 lakhs (10,000,000 rupees); only realistically used for the 
   
  measurement of government expenses. 
   
  Eurasian:  disparaging term for a person of mixed European and Indian ancestry (the British in 
   
  India refer to themselves as “Anglo-Indians”). 
   
  ghat:  a terraced river landing upon which Hindus perform ablutions and funerals.  Ghats on the 
   
  Ganges at Benares are considered some of the most holy sites in India. 
   
  grass widow: a British wife left behind while her husband serves in the army or another province. 
   
  griffin:  a British newcomer to India. 
   
  lakh:  100,000 rupees; a common expression for a luxurious amount of money. 
   
  maidan:  a large open square in or near a city used for military drills, horse racing and polo. 
   
  Memsahib:  title of respect for a British woman, derived from “ma’am sahib.” 
   
  mohur:  A gold coin equal to 15 rupees, still circulating but no longer issued. 
   
  Mutiny, The:  The uprising of native soldiers in 1857 which toppled the Mughal Empire and the 
   
  British East India Company.  Called “the Sepoy Rebellion” by neutral commentators. 
   
  nabob:  An Englishman who earned a fortune in India prior to returning home.  Used disdainfully, 
   
  especially by old money. 
   
  Nawab:  A common title for a Muslim princely ruler, including some women. 
   
  paisa:  A small unit of native currency.  4 paise make an anna, and 16 a rupee. 
   
  pie:  The smallest unit of Indian currency.  Three pice make a paisa. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  5 
  Raja/Maharaja:  The most common title for a Hindu princely ruler.  The prefix “maha-“ is added to 
   
  denote particularly high status.  The title for a wife or female ruler is Rani/Maharani. 
   
  rupee:  the most common unit of native currency in India.  It is minted in silver coins and larger 
   
  multilingual denominations on paper.  In 1890, one rupee is worth a tenth of a pound 
   
  sterling.  
   
  Sahib:  typical honorific for a British male in India.  It also applies to native persons of high 
   
  standing (including some princely rulers).  Equal in status to the Turkish “Effendi.” 
   
  sepoy:  a native infantryman. 
   
  sowar:  a native cavalry trooper. 
   
  subaltern:  Generic term for a junior British officer. 
   
  tank:  a generally manmade, typically rectangular reservoir within a city. 
   
  Thakore:  A common title for a princely ruler. 
   
  tiffin:  a midday meal, often taken outdoors. 
   
  -wallah:  suffix for someone involved in a particular trade.  For example, a “punkah-wallah” 
   
  operated a fan for indoor ventilation.  Applicable to European trades as well, as in “book-
   
  wallah” (a bookseller) or “box-wallah” (a traveling salesman).
  HINTS to TRAVELLERS  
   
   
  In 1854, the Royal Geographic Society published a pamphlet entitled 
  “Hints to Travellers” in response to the repeated inquiries of voyagers abroad.  
  Many newcomers reaching India in 1890 would have the sixth edition close at 
  hand.  This was a pocket manual containing everything from tips about packing 
  for a journey, to the correct procedures for making molds of stone monuments.  
  Scientific-minded travelers consulted the book for its useful astronomical, 
  meteorological, and medical references. 
   
   
  In game terms, the book takes 4 weeks to study, and grants skill checks 
  in the following skills:  Astronomy, Anthropology, Biology, Geology, Natural 
  History and Navigate. 
   
   
  Throughout this work, short Hints to Travellers sections appear, each 
  with several thematic locations of interest on the Subcontinent. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  6 
   
       
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  7 
   
   
   
   
   
  Geography 
   
  espite India’s size – approximately equal to the continental United States 
  – only a few approaches have seen constant use through the centuries.  Of 
  these, the passes over the western end of the Himalayas are the only real 
  land entry into the subcontinent.  Even Chinese travelers preferred to brave the Silk Route 
  of Central Asia rather than force a passage across northwestern Indochina.  From the sea, 
  the city of Calicut on the extreme southwest coast is the entrepôt with the longest history 
  of use.  Although railroads and steamships have blazed new trails, vast stretches of India 
  still retain a feeling of exotic isolation. 
   
  Terrain 
   
  India is called the subcontinent because 
  it contains nearly every environment that can be 
  found on the earth’s surface:  from glaciers high 
  atop the Himalayas to sweltering equatorial 
  rainforests of Ceylon, and from the sun-baked 
  Thar Desert to the thick mangrove forest of the 
  Sundarbans.  Obviously, much of the land is 
  settled or cultivated, but there are large 
  stretches of terrain common to many regions. 
   
  Coastal 
   
   
  India lies to the east of the Arabian Sea, 
  and the west of the Bay of Bengal.  Ceylon juts 
  out into the Indian Ocean.  Most of the land 
  bordering these bodies of water quickly meets a 
  chain of hills running parallel to both shores, 
  which trap a good deal of monsoon-generated 
  moisture along the seacoast.  Thus, the climate 
  here is warm and steamy during most seasons 
  of the year.  In addition to harvesting fruit, the 
  residents catch fish offshore and with weirs in 
  the many river mouths and estuaries.  Farmers 
  can also raise rice in small inundated stretches 
  of coastland. 
   
   
  Most of the subcontinent’s coastal 
  regions have specific names.  Her northwestern 
  (Konkan) and southwestern (Malabar) coasts 
  border the Arabian Sea, while the southeastern 
  (Coromandel) 
  and 
  northeastern 
  (Carnatic) 
  coasts meet the Bay of Bengal.  Kumari 
  Kandam is the Tamil name for Lemuria, which 
  lies sunken beneath the waves south of Ceylon.  
  There are other sites along India’s east coast 
  that preserve other submerged ruins. 
   
  Jungle 
   
   
  The very word jungle comes from a 
  Sanskrit word meaning wilderness, although in 
  modern usage it connotes a region of deep 
  tropical vegetation.  There are three areas in 
  India where they are prevalent:  southern and 
  central India behind the range of mountains on 
  either coast; and Ceylon, Bengal and Burma, 
  which bear the full brunt of monsoon-borne 
  moisture from the sea.  The former region, still 
  within the rain shadow of the coastal ghats, is 
  drier than the latter, but stretches remain just as 
  trackless.  The most valuable resource within 
  these tracts are exotic woods like teak and 
  ironwood, as well as the sap from gutta-percha 
  trees.  
   
   
  Both places resemble the traditional 
  picture that readers and players will envision, 
  with high trees forming a canopy above, vines  
   D 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  8 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  9 
  and lianas hanging down from these, and 
  tangled thickets of creepers and scrub at ground 
  level.  Although animal and plant life are both 
  abundant, men have traditionally been unable to 
  scratch out a living in such hostile places.  
   
   
  Scrubland 
   
   
  This environment is the most common 
  in the subcontinent.  It is a transitional region, 
  lying between areas of denser foliage and 
  thinner, as well as arid and wet locales.  Indians 
  have long used it for farming and pasturage.  
  Although it often contains forbidding thorny 
  bushes, there can be lightly forested patches of 
  sal, neem, peepul and banyan trees (each with 
  powerful ritual meaning in Indian societies), as 
  well as meadows of elephant grass.  Well-
  watered areas may also contain stands of 
  bamboo or thickets with game plentiful enough 
  for hunting, as well as fertile places for cash 
  crops like cotton and jute (the hardy poppy 
  grows well even in drier areas). 
   
  Highland 
   
   
  The Indian peninsula is framed by three 
  lateral chains of hills:  the Eastern and Western 
  Ghats, which parallel the coast; and the 
  Vendhyas, which cross the subcontinent from 
  near Bombay west to the Ganges valley.  
  Obviously, north of the Ganges the land slopes 
  upward inexorably to the Himalayas.  Most of 
  the former hills remain covered with scrubland 
  or jungle vegetation, while the northern 
  highlands are thick with rhododendrons, pine 
  forests, and tea plantations in the cultivated 
  regions.  Going even higher, travelers will see 
  meadows of alpine flowers gradually giving 
  way to the snow-crowned peaks themselves.  
   
  Arid 
   
   
  Both rocky and sandy deserts can be 
  found within India, as well as sun-baked salt 
  flats.  The former, a forbidding landscape of 
  ridges and gullies softened by gnarled trees, 
  poppies, or tamarisks, is prevalent in the 
  western and northwestern borderlands.  The 
  sandy Thar lies East of the Indus – a region of 
  dunes whose height increases in the southern 
  stretches of the desert.  Generations of 
  Rajasthani have fortified what small rocky 
  outcroppings exist there and eastward, as the 
  arid land gives way to savannah and scrubland.  
  It gets very little rainfall during the year, and 
  then only during the monsoon.   
   
  Swamp 
   
   
  Areas of poor drainage (or year-round 
  saturation) 
  gradually 
  become 
  marshland, 
  possibly the most difficult areas to traverse in 
  India.  This includes many of the river deltas – 
  especially the mouths of the Ganges and 
  Brahmaputra river system known as the 
  Sundarbans.  The most fearsome animals of 
  India are at home in these sprawling mangrove 
  swamps.  Where men have tamed such 
  wilderness, tea can often be grown alongside 
  food crops.   
   
   
  Gazetteer 
   
   
  This is a thumbnail sketch of the 
  various regions around the subcontinent that a 
  party might visit.  The four most important 
  cities of British India deserve special mention, 
  and are described in greater detail at the end of 
  this section. 
   
  Central India 
   
   
  The 
  largest 
  population 
  of 
  the 
  subcontinent dwells north of the Vendhya 
  Mountains, in the area watered by the Ganges.  
  Most of these people live in small farming 
  villages that dot the region.  This area has been 
  easily settled and poorly defended against a 
  series of conquerors who have forced the 
  Khyber pass throughout India’s long history.  
  The terrain becomes more heavily forested as 
  one travels to the south and east, but stands of 
  untended wilderness can be found in all rural 
  areas.  Although it receives a good deal of 
  monsoon rain, a light monsoon (or a complete 
  failure) can lead to famine conditions relatively 
  quickly. 
   
  Environments:  Scrubland, Jungle 
  Major Cities (with population):  Lucknow 
   
  (264,049), Delhi (206,534),  
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  10 
  HINTS to 
  TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  Recent Archæological 
  Excavations 
   
  1 
  Hampe  
   
   
  This was a major capital of the 
  Vijayanagar Empire until the decline of that 
  state.  It contains huge stone monoliths of Hindu 
  deities, and several soaring temples – some of 
  which are still used today. The current 
  superintendent of the Archæological Survey of 
  Southern India inspected this site in 1884.   
   
  2 
  Fathepur 
   
   
  This city near Agra was constructed in 
  1570 by the Mughal Shah Akbar.  It served as the 
  capital for fifteen years before being abandoned 
  for unknown reasons in 1586.  The  
  Archæological Survey of the Northwest Frontier 
  is engaged at this site, under the direction of 
  E.W. Smith. 
   
  3 
  Ajanta Caves 
   
   
  A peculiar mystery surrounds this 
  Buddhist cave complex, rediscovered by a 
  British soldier in 1819:  copies of some artwork 
  brought to Britain were destroyed by fire in 
  1866 and again in 1885.  Sisyphean survey work 
  proceeds in earnest here and at the larger Ellore 
  complex to the southwest, which was 
  frequented by Buddhist, Hindu and Jain 
  worshippers. 
   
   
   
   
  Cawnpore (189,587), 
   
  Allahabad (172,032), Agra 
   
  (167,877), Bareilly 
   
  (131,208), Gwalior 
   
  (119,433), Meerut (118,129; 
   
  headquarters of the Bengal 
   
  Army) 
   
  Languages:  Gondi, Santali, 
   
  Mundari, Maratha 
   
   
  The Deccan 
   
   
  The entire southern half of 
  India rises quickly from the coast 
  onto a large plateau known as the 
  Deccan.  The more difficult terrain 
  has insulated its cultures from 
  northern incursions; the population 
  here is largely Dravidian in origin.  
  The coastal slopes prevent the worst 
  of the monsoon from inundating the 
  land, but large swathes of wilderness 
  still cover many areas.  Most of the 
  major settlements lie along the 
  coasts and in the southern tip of 
  India. 
   
  Environments:  Coastal, 
   
  Scrubland, Jungle, Highland 
  Major Cities:  Madras (452,350), 
   
  Pondicherry (174,456; 
   
  possession of the French 
   
  Empire), Nagpur (127,734), 
   
  Bangalore (89,599), 
   
  Hyderabad (69,378), Calicut 
   
  (67,527), Ootacamund 
   
  (18,596; headquarters of the 
   
  Madras  Army and summer 
   
  capital of Madras 
   
  Presidency) 
  Languages:  Gondi, Santali 
   
  (interior); Telugu, 
   
  Malayalam, Tamil, Kannada 
   
  Eastern India 
   
   
  Bengal was the seat of the 
  East India Company’s power, from 
  which it expanded throughout the 
  subcontinent.  Much of it is lowland, 
  which 
  suffers 
  the 
  worst 
  from 
  monsoon rains when they come.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  11 
  However, it is quite fertile agriculturally, and 
  some areas remain surprisingly remote. 
   
   
  Burma is the most recent conquest of 
  the Raj; the annexation of Upper Burma 
  occurred in 1886.  A traveler will encounter 
  only thick jungles and steep hillsides from India 
  to China.  Fortunately, from the point of view 
  of the modern voyager, the Irrawaddy River 
  provides easy passage north from Rangoon and 
  the sea to the inland capital of Mandalay.   
    
  Environments:  Jungle, Highland (Burma and 
   
  Assam), Swamp (the Sundarbans) 
  Major Cities (with population):  Calcutta 
   
  (949,144), Rangoon (234,881), Benares 
   
  (209,331), Mandalay (189,501), Patna 
   
  (134,785), Howrah (116,736), 
   
  Darjeeling (16,924; summer capital of 
   
  the Bengal Presidency) 
  Languages:  Bengali, Bihari, Oriya, Assamese, 
   
  Burmese 
   
  Islands 
   
   
  Ceylon has long been considered a 
  jewel off the southeast Indian coast.  It is a 
  teardrop-shaped isle with a mountainous center 
  in the southern interior with peaks over a mile 
  high.  Lying close to the Equator, it climate is 
  lush and tropical, with wetter jungle on the 
  monsoon-prone 
  southern 
  coast. 
   
  Large 
  plantations in the drier north produce tea, 
  coffee, and coconuts in abundance. 
   
   
  The 
  Andaman 
  Islands 
  are 
  an 
  archipelago about 200 miles south of Burma.  
  They are composed of continental rock rather 
  than coral, which allows for greater heights and 
  better soil than other nearby island chains.  This 
  means that timber and tea flourish here.  In 
  addition, the Andamans play two important 
  parts in the Raj:  as the Raj’s penal colony 
  (prisoners are involved in tea cultivation), and 
  as the lookout for cyclones heading for India.  
  The Nicobar islands extend further south, 
  towards Sumatra.  They are smaller and less 
  populous than the Andamans, and have gone 
  mostly ignored by Europeans.  The natives of 
  both 
  chains 
  are 
  descendants 
  of 
  Malay 
  wanderers who settled here in the past. 
   
   
  The Laccadive Islands lie to the 
  southwest of India; these are several dozen 
  coral atolls.  They are sparsely populated, 
  mostly by farmers tending coconut trees.  These 
  men are a mix of Dravidian Hindus and Arab 
  traders who have traded here for centuries. 
  Further south are the Maldives, larger in 
  number but even smaller and more remote.  The 
  rich coral environment is a haven for fish, 
  which provides the sustenance to few who call 
  these islets home.  
   
  Environments:  Coastal, Scrubland, Jungle 
   
  (Ceylon) 
  Major Cities (with population):  Colombo 
   
  (154,691), Port Blair (16,106) 
  Languages:  Tamil, Sinhalese (Ceylon) 
   
  On Maneuvers in the NW Frontier 
   
   
  Northwestern Frontier 
   
   
  Were it not for the Khyber and Bolan 
  passes, the Raj would have little interest in this 
  region.  However, as the likely route for a 
  Russian invasion, Her Majesty’s government 
  will always have an eye fixed here.  The 
  unforgiving terrain is not nearly as much an 
  obstacle to control as the unruly mountain 
  tribesmen.  The rocky highlands conceal 
  wooded vales of stunning beauty like Kashmir.  
  Only hardy animals used to high altitudes and 
  temperature extremes live here.  
   
  Environments:  Arid (Afghanistan), Scrubland, 
   
  Highland 
  Major Cities (with population):  Lahore 
   
  (186,884), Armitsar (161,039), Srinigar 
   
  (122,618), Multan (87,394), Peshawar 
   
  (73,343), Umballa (78,638), Simla 
   
  (13,960; summer capital of the Raj) 
  Languages:  Pashtu, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Persian 
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  12 
  Western India 
   
   
  Although the Indus valley contains 
  some of the Raj’s most productive farmland, 
  much of the rest of the region is dry and hot.  
  Baluchistan resembles the rockier parts of the 
  Northwest Frontier and Afghanistan, while the 
  Thar is a traditional sandy desert.  Only the 
  coastal areas have a more temperate climate, 
  and it is here that the majority of the area’s 
  population still resides.  
   
  Environments:  Arid (the Thar desert, Sindh 
   
  and Baluchistan), Scrubland, Jungle. 
  Major Cities (with population):  Bombay 
   
  (776,006), Goa  (475,513, possession of 
   
  the Kingdom of Portugal),
   
  Ahmedabad (172,876), Jaipur
   
  (160,167), Poona (153,320; 
   
  headquarters of the Bombay Army and 
   
  summer capital of the Bombay 
   
  Presidency), Karachi (105,199), Baroda 
   
  (103,790), Surat (107,375), Quetta 
   
  (24,584) 
  Languages:  Sindhi, Gujarati, Persian, Baluchi, 
   
  Rajasthani 
   
  Major Cities 
   
   
  It is nearly impossible for European 
  characters to visit India without coming to one 
  of these four cities.  Native investigators will 
  also have powerful motives to seek out these 
  places.  Each city is described with a number of 
  useful places a party might need to visit. 
   
  Bombay 
   
   
  The high ridge of the Malabar Point, 
  site of Bombay’s most fashionable homes, is 
  likely to be a newcomer’s first glimpse of India.  
  Once the steamer traverses the Back Bay and 
  rounds Colaba Point on its way to the bandars 
  (wharves), he will see the true economic might 
  of empire.  Dozens of great ships lay at anchor, 
  in the process of loading or unloading a 
  majority of the Raj’s commerce.  Nearly as 
  many smaller vessels approach the steamer, 
  offering quick transport to shore and even onto 
  a hotel.  In the chaos, it takes 1D6 hours to 
  depart in this fashion with one’s baggage; 
  seasoned travellers pick up their belongings at 
  the customs house at their leisure the next day.    
   
   
  Bombay was part of the dowry of a 
  Portuguese princess married to Charles II in 
  1661.  Much will look familiar, as Europeans 
  are frequently met on errands of trade or 
  government – but exotic sights, sounds and 
  smells are never far away.  Most domestic 
  cotton and wheat is exported through the city.  
  A large number of Parsis make up the most 
  important Asian minority, but Bombay is 
  cosmopolitan enough that members of any 
  nationality will be found here.   
   
   
  Bombay can be divided into several 
  neighborhoods:  Colaba, the extreme southern 
  point, is largely occupied by military concerns.  
  Immediately to the north is Apollo, site of the 
  dockyards.  Facing the east above Apollo is the 
  fort area, site of the government.  On the Back 
  Bay side north of Apollo is the Esplanade, the 
  location of the major universities.  A belt of 
  neighborhoods comes next, running east to 
  west, Mazagon, Byculla, and Girgaon.  The 
  west end of this belt is Malabar, a sparsely 
  populated ridge running south to Malabar Point.  
  The Back Bay lies between Colaba and Malabar 
  Points.  
   
   
  Visitors in Bombay can rent a coach for 
  R6 a day.  The city also has a tramway, along 
  whose routes horses pull trolley cars. 
   
  Supplies 
   
   
  At the Crawford Market, shoppers will 
  find flowers as well as any sort of food one 
  desires, including live game and birds.  A 
  native cloth market lies close by as well. 
  The Pedder Market is smaller, but caters 
  strictly to European tastes.  Kabaldavee Road is 
  packed with native shops selling mostly 
  domestic goods, while Rampart Row sports the 
  best selection of imported European goods. 
   
  Lodging 
   
   
  The best hotel in Bombay is the 
  Esplanade.  Other typical hotels are Watson’s 
  Hotel, the Apollo Bandar Hotel, and the 
  Adelphi Hotel.  There are ample boarding 
  houses as well as refreshment rooms in the 
  city’s railway stations, including the elegant 
  terminal building.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  13 
   
  Travellers with enough advance notice 
  can write to join the Bombay Club or the 
  Byculla Club, both of which provide lodging 
  for members.  Most of them have space for 4D6 
  gentlemen, and more (+1D6) during summer in  
   
  tents pitched on the grounds.  Roll Credit 
  Rating for success; members pay an initiation 
  fee of R150 and monthly dues of R6.  The 
  Yacht Club is more exclusive, and has less 
  room (1D6), but allows for immediate requests 
  for membership (half Credit Rating roll to 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  14 
  succeed; initiation fee is R200 and monthly 
  dues R5).   
   
  Research 
   
   
  Elphinstone 
  College 
  is 
  Bombay’s 
  foremost school, and the Jesuits (a holdover 
  from the original Portuguese inhabitants) have 
  recently opened Francis Xavier College.  The 
  University of Bombay allows native enrollment.  
  The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and 
  Ireland has its branch here, in friendly 
  opposition to Calcutta’s Royal Asiatic Society.  
  Membership 
  costs 
  R75 
  and 
  requires 
  a 
  successful roll in a skill germane to the 
  society’s fields of expertise.  A current member 
  may also recommend temporary use of its 
  30,000-volume library (the larger part of which 
  is collected at the Bombay Town Hall). 
   
  Health 
   
   
  The European General Hospital is well 
  reviewed.  The University includes the Grant 
  Medical College and Jeejeebhoy Hospital, 
  which can offer special treatments (including a 
  leper hospital).  Natives may also seek 
  treatment at the Goculdas Tejpal Hospital.  
  Bombay’s lunatic asylum is on the very tip of 
  Colaba Point, far from the bustle of the rest of 
  the city. 
   
  Calcutta 
   
   
  Whereas Bombay concerns itself with 
  commerce, the sole purpose of Calcutta is the 
  governance of the Raj.  Calcutta was once the 
  base of the East India Company’s power, and it 
  still emanates hence.  The waterborne visitor is 
  greeted by the stately Botanical Gardens on the 
  west side of the Hooghly River, and the stolid 
  bulwark of Fort William on the east bank.  
  Bengali clerks and munshis jostle with Brahmin 
  doctors in the streets radiating from the Maidan.   
   
   
  Several European trading concerns had 
  established trading posts along this navigable 
  stretch of the Hooghly, at the apex of Mughals’ 
  power.  One by one, the British wore out their 
  economic rivals, eventually earning the right to 
  collect the empire’s taxes.  With this power 
  they grew strong enough to flex political 
  strength, toppling province by province until 
  both the Mughal crown and the Company fell 
  after the Mutiny.  
   
   
  Calcutta is not as sprawling as Bombay, 
  unless one considers the native town of Howrah 
  across the river a suburb – in which case it 
  rivals the latter’s population.  The Maidan, 
  crowned 
  with 
  Fort 
  William, 
  and 
  most 
  government buildings are concentrated in the 
  south side.   
   
  Supplies 
   
   
  Chowringhee Street has long been 
  renowned for its shops, within which many 
  native treasures lie hidden.  The Burra Bazaar 
  is a large and extremely busy textile market. 
   
  Lodging 
   
   
  Calcutta’s premier hotel is the Grand 
  Hotel (roll Credit Rating to book a room).  
  Other establishments include the Great Eastern 
  Hotel, Charnock Hotel, Dalhousie Hotel and 
  Spence’s Hotel (roll Credit Rating +20% to 
  book a room).   
   
  Research 
   
   
  The Asiatic Society of Bengal is the 
  crown of India’s scientific community, and a 
  place for educated members of all races to 
  congregate in the pursuit of scholarship.  
  Investigators may join this august body with by 
  paying the R75 membership and succeeding on 
  a skill roll relevant to the society’s purview.  
  For over a century, members have collected 
  artifacts and translated documents from a score 
  of native languages.  Many of the former are on 
  display at the Imperial Museum.   
   
   
  The University of Calcutta has several 
  regional colleges associated with it across 
  northern India and Ceylon.  Two Calcutta 
  institutions for natives, the Sanskrit College and 
  Presidency College, are affiliated as well.   The 
  College of Fort William specializes in the 
  teaching of Indian languages as well as 
  translation of written materials.  St. Xavier 
  College, a Jesuit institution, features a well-
  known observatory whose director helped 
  found the Indian Association for the Cultivation 
  of Science, the sole location on the subcontinent 
  for research in the physical sciences. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  15 
   
   
  Health 
   
   
  The government-sponsored Calcutta 
  Medical College has an affiliated hospital.  
  Many of its graduates minister in the Mayo  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Native Hospital close by.  South of the Maidan 
  lies the Military Hospital, which also has a 
  facility for the treatment of mental illness.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  16 
  Delhi 
   
   
  Even with the distance of several 
  decades, 
  the 
  Mutiny 
  colors 
  everything 
  Englishmen perceive at Delhi (most visitors 
  arrive with an itinerary of important sites in that 
  conflict).  As a conqueror’s capital for several 
  centuries – first for Muslim sultanates, and then 
  the Mughals – it rivals any other ancient capital 
  in terms of splendid monuments.  With the last 
  emperor assuming a symbolic place during the 
  rebellion, the British victory spelled the end of 
  the dynasty.  This palpable feeling of lost 
  grandeur has earned Delhi the nickname 
  “India’s Rome.” 
   
   
  Delhi is actually two cities along the 
  west bank of the Jumna River.  The oldest 
  Delhi (also called Firozabad), lies to the south; 
  it contains the largest concentrations of Mughal 
  ruins.  Modern Delhi (or Shahjehanbad) is 
  protected by a wall pierced with ten gates, 
  although much of it was destroyed in the 
  Mutiny.   
   
  Supplies 
   
   
  Chandi Chowk, the Street of Silver, lies 
  within the city walls.  As can be expected, it is 
  noted for its jewelers’ shops.  The Sadar 
  Bazaar, west of modern Delhi, is a large 
  outdoor market. 
   
  Lodging 
   
   
  There are no deluxe accommodations in 
  Delhi, but several typical hotels, notably the 
  Hamilton 
  Hotel, 
  Courtenay’s 
  Hotel, 
  and 
  Maiden’s Hotel.  The Queen’s Serai Hotel 
  caters to native patrons. 
   
  Research 
   
   
  A Baptist College is maintained by the 
  efforts of that missionary society.  The library 
  at Delhi College, which serves the Muslim 
  community, was sacked during the Mutiny.  
  Some of its recovered treasures are kept in the 
  Delhi 
  Institute, 
  a 
  government 
  building 
  containing a small library and museum.  
   
  Health 
   
   
  The Municipal Dufferin Hospital serves 
  European and native patients, while St. 
  Stephen’s Hospital for Women is one of the few 
  places where female health is an exclusive 
  concern.  Along with the college, the Baptist 
  missionaries run a hospital as well.  An insane 
  asylum operates near the jail in old Delhi. 
   
  Madras 
   
   
  Madras is traditionally overlooked in 
  favor of India’s other presidencies, containing 
  the more important cities of Calcutta and 
  Bombay.  Though it is the oldest section in the 
  Raj, many Civilians consider a posting here as 
  less than optimal. 
   
   
  As in Bombay, steamers do not dock 
  directly; rather, native catamarans and flat-
  hulled masulas ferry passengers ashore to the 
  harbor at Blacktown.  Fort St. George and the 
  government buildings are to the south, before 
  the suburbs of Sao Thome, Mylapur and Adyar.  
   
  Supplies 
   
   
  Parry’s Corner is the hub of commerce 
  in Madras.  Thomas Parry started a trading post 
  here in 1788, and several other shops now call 
  this district home as well. 
   
  Lodging 
   
   
  Although there are no deluxe hotels in 
  Madras, the Royal Hotel, Elphinstone Hotel and 
  Rupee’s Hotel are certainly acceptable to the 
  traveler accustomed to Indian hospitality. 
   
  Research 
   
   
  Missionary services dominate higher 
  education in Madras, led by the (Presbyterian) 
  Madras Christian College.  Pacheappa’s 
  College accepts Hindu students. 
   
   
  The headquarters of the Theosophical 
  Society are in Adyar, to the south of Madras 
  proper.  They have amassed a fine collection of 
  Indian religious documents, as well as a number 
  of occult tomes.  The Madras Literary Society, 
  affiliated with Bombay’s Royal Asiatic Society, 
  has a serviceable library as well. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  17 
   
  Health 
   
  Madras has both a General Hospital as 
  well as a Military Hospital.  Two other facilities  
   
   
  – a Maternity Hospital and an Ophthalmic 
  Hospital 
  – 
  deal 
  with 
  these 
  specialties.
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  18 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  19 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  History 
   
  ndians begin the analysis of their history with the Vedas, as they provide a 
  simultaneous origin of the Sanskrit language and the Hindu religion.  English scholars 
  used these monumental works as a starting point as well.  Their translation not only 
  provided the first Western insights into ancient India; the linguistic study of Sanskrit led to the 
  discovery of its ancient ties to many European tongues.  With the painstaking recreation of the 
  common ancestor, most researchers conclude that the current native population wandered southeast 
  from the lands where Indo-Europeans originated. 
   
   
  No one at the end of the 19th Century can say with authority whether they displaced any 
  other cultures at the time, but by the second millennium BC the Aryan peoples were established 
  throughout the Indus and Ganges watersheds.  A travel journal from the 1840s mentions a ruined 
  city west of the Indus, and for decades thereafter clay seals and bricks from other sites were 
  unearthed along the Indus Valley by railroad engineers and archaeologists (who misidentified their 
  finds). Knowledge of a culture that traded with the developing Fertile Crescent did not occur until 
  the 1920s. 
   
  Ancient Empires 
   
   
  The Vedas, unlike many western sources, 
  are concerned more with ritual devotion than 
  historical records.  Thus it has proven difficult to 
  rely on them for a picture of life in these times.  
  However, for one thousand years they created the 
  foundation for Hinduism – a religious and social 
  order that was resilient enough to accommodate the 
  recurring cycle of invasions and new faiths that 
  arrived in India. 
   
   
  The 
  towns 
  founded 
  by 
  the 
  Aryan 
  newcomers coalesced into sixteen kingdoms by 
  about 700 BC.  One of these states, Gandhara, 
  battled Alexander the Great’s army near the Jhelum 
  river in 326BC.  Even before the influence of the 
  Seleucid empire which arose across the Hindu 
  Kush, its capital at Taxila was known as a center of 
  learning.   
   
   
   
   
  The other nation that would prove the mightiest was 
  Maghada.   
   
   
  Both the Maurya and Gupta empires would 
  one day arise to rule most of the subcontinent from 
  the Maghadi capital at Paliputra.  But perhaps the 
  most important Maghadi was Gautama, whose life 
  and teachings form the basis of the Buddhist 
  religion.  Its height in India occurred with the 
  flowering of the Maurya Empire, whose emperor 
  Asoka erected pillars on the boundaries of his lands 
  in the local languages (which included Greek and 
  Aramaic at the western edge).  Buddhist emissaries 
  ranged from Burma to Ceylon to Athens, and along 
  the Silk Road to China and beyond.   
   
   I 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  20 
   
   
  New Religions 
   
   
  Buddhism eventually withered in India, 
  where it had to compete with Hinduism, established 
  for centuries.  It endured in the southern tip of India, 
  ironically one of the few regions left unconquered 
  by both the Mauryas and Guptas.  The Dravidian 
  kingdoms of the far south, many of which had been 
  established by 300 BC, preserved Buddhist 
  scriptures in their original forms and the classical 
  Tamil spoken by these peoples. 
   
   
  No empire could hold much of India for 
  long.  With the fragmentation of the Gupta Empire 
  into its vassal states by the mid-6th Century, local 
  dynasties vied amongst themselves for seven 
  hundred years until the coming of Muslim 
  conquerors.  Since the founding of this religion, 
  other warlords had ranged eastward – mostly 
  Persian expeditions until Mahmoud of Ghazni 
  smashed several Hindu states around 1000 – but the 
  Afghan Mohammad Ghori established a lasting rule 
  in 1206.  Based in Delhi, these Sultanates would 
  range along the northern third of India, meeting 
  resistance only when they tried to penetrate wooded 
  regions that impeded cavalry (as well as the 
  Vijayanagara Kingdom).  They managed to resist a 
  Mongol invasion, were weakened when Tamerlane 
  sacked Delhi in 1398, and could not resist his 
  descendents when they returned in 1526. 
   
    
   
  The Mughals were a gunpowder empire:  
  using earth-shattering cannons, they consolidated 
  their hold on the subcontinent by the mid-16th 
  Century (the Mughal boundaries at their greatest 
  extent in the 1700s eerily resemble those of the 
  Maurya Empire 2,000 years earlier).  Much of what 
  the modern world considers “Indian,” like the Taj 
  Mahal, arose during their reign.  Eventually, 
  however, the seeds of their undoing were being 
  brought to India by a new route:  across the sea. 
   
  The Coming of the British 
   
   
  The Portuguese circumnavigation of Africa 
  would prove as important to the Eastern Hemisphere 
  as Columbus’ crossing of the Atlantic was to the 
  New World.  Vasco da Gama’s arrival in India in 
  1498 proved that Renaissance Europe would no 
  longer need to traverse Muslim-held lands to reach 
  the Indies.  A combination of merchant and naval  
   
   
   
  vessels carved out several coastal enclaves from 
  which the Portuguese influenced local rulers for a 
  century.  At the start of the 17th Century, they were 
  accompanied by the next wave of newcomers in the 
  form of mercantile companies from the Netherlands, 
  Denmark and Britain (the French arrived about 50 
  years afterward after several false starts). 
   
   
  To the Mughal emperors, these trading 
  concerns were minor players on the subcontinent, 
  paying tribute for the rights to ship goods back 
  home.  To the Europeans, India was another front 
  for the struggles of a fractious continent that had 
  gone on for centuries.  France and Britain emerged 
  as the front-runners, by transforming their role from 
  traders to colonial rulers, and securing the right to 
  collect taxes for the Mughals in the regions they 
  controlled.  Over the next century, the power of the 
  native rulers waned as these colonies and other 
  vassals secured independence from Delhi.  By the 
  middle of the 18th Century, the two nascent empires 
  faced each other around the globe as well as on the 
  subcontinent.  India became but one theater in the 
  world-spanning conflict when fighting erupted in 
  Germany. 
   
   
  The East India Company fielded a force of 
  British officers and Indian sepoys.  Despite losing 
  Calcutta early in the fighting, they prevailed against 
  a coalition of French and native troops in Bengal at 
  Plassey in 1757.  Over the next four years they held 
  off the siege of Madras, captured the French capital 
  of Pondicherry in 1761, and defeated a Mughal 
  army a few years later.  Aside from a handful of 
  scattered trading factories along the coastline, the 
  Company was the sole remaining European power 
  in India. 
   
  The Jewel of Empire 
   
   
  The Company was by no means destined for 
  greatness.  They were in firm control of only 
  Bengal; the more powerful native rivals included the 
  Sikhs, the former Mughal vassals of Mysore & 
  Hyderabad, and the restive Maratha Empire.  Many 
  of these states fielded armies with modern 
  equipment, staffed and trained by European officers.  
  Cautiously, the British expanded their sphere of 
  influence – lending company troops as mercenaries 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  21 
  and signing treaties with some states.  By 1800 the 
  Company was conquering its opponents as well. 
   
   
  What had once been a trade concern had 
  turned to empire building.  Of course, the Company 
  still derived its income from commerce, though they 
  had foregone spices for other goods.  In particular, 
  cotton was a lucrative import to Britain, and opium 
  to China (tea was just as profitable in both markets).  
  It remained a tax collector, demanding so much that 
  farmers devoted more land for cash crops than for 
  food.  Fortune-seekers traveled to India to spend 
  several years, accumulating a fortune to spend back 
  home.  These adventurers, mocked as “nabobs” 
  upon their return, happily adopted native customs 
  and married Indian wives during their time on the 
  subcontinent.  
   
   
  By 1849 the Company had defeated the 
  Sikh kingdom in the Punjab – the last native 
  holdout.  Rather than consolidate its gains, it saw 
  only more threats in powerful neighbors like Persia 
  and Russia.  The latter expanded quickly in Central 
  Asia, and soon only Afghanistan lay between the 
  two empires (Afghanistan would prove too thorny 
  for either one to subjugate).  The combination of 
  paranoia and greed worsened as prevailing attitudes 
  soured against the pagan lifestyle of the natives.  In 
  1857, sepoys placed the emasculated Mughal 
  emperor on a largely ceremonial throne under which 
  they rebelled against their British officers. 
   
   
  The rebellion was probably doomed from 
  the outset.  Hindus and Muslims could not work 
  with each other long before religious tensions arose 
  between them.  British troops – as the revolt became 
  a national matter – drove inexorably to reclaim lost 
  territory, succeeding completely the next year.  
  However, the rebellion revealed the worst excesses 
  of Company rule to the British public.  It was 
  shortly dissolved and India became a direct colony 
  of the government.  
   
  Rise of the Raj 
   
   
  Eventually, Queen Victoria’s government 
  began taking steps to improve the lives of her native 
  subjects.  Indians, albeit in minute numbers, were 
  invited to study in Britain and seek administrative 
  posts upon their return.  Railroads, telegraphs, and 
  modern medicine were applied to prevent the 
  depredations of weather and disease (although 
  famines could kill millions of Indians as late as the 
  1870s).  The governors at Dalhousie Square in 
  Calcutta and London’s India Office shrewdly 
  incorporated native rulers into the spectacles of 
  governance even before the queen assumed the title 
  “Empress of India” in 1876.   
   
   
  Princely states are bound by treaty to the  
  government of India; their rulers are advised by 
  British agents.  The Crown manages the affairs of 
  other regions directly, through individual directors 
  and tax collectors.  A few regions outside the 
  subcontinent fall under the Raj’s purview, as well, 
  including Nepal and Burma and even Somaliland 
  for a short time.  The Army is used occasionally to 
  punish (and sometimes subjugate) unruly natives in 
  remote areas along India’s northeastern and 
  northwestern border.  Many bureaucrats and soldiers 
  continue to regard Russia, looming beyond the 
  passes of the Hindu Kush, as the paramount threat to 
  Indian security.  The tsar’s agents are said to range 
  throughout the mountains – seeking willing clients 
  and unknown passes by which his Cossacks might 
  take advantage of discontent and geography to 
  supplant the queen from her greatest treasure. 
   
   
   
   
  Bombay Railroad Station 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  22 
   
  Ancient Empires of India 
   
  Name  
   
  Era [successor] 
  Languages  
  Greatest Extent 
   
  1   Harrappan  
  3300 BC -1700 BC 
  unknown 
   
  Indus Valley 
  2   Vedic(16 Kingdoms)2000 BC - 300 BC[3,4]Sanskrit 
   
   
  Northern India 
  3   Maghada Empire 
  884 BC-424 BC[5] 
  Sanskrit, Prakrit 
   
  Northeastern India 
  4   Gandhara  
  600 BC -530 BC[6,11] Sanskrit 
   
   
  Punjab 
  5   Nanda Empire 
  424 BC -321 BC[8] 
  Sanskrit, Prakrit 
   
  Northern India 
  6   Graeco-Bactrian 
  305 BC - 80 BC[12] 
  Bactrian, Greek 
   
  Punjab 
  7   Dravidian Dyns* 
  300 BC -1300 AD[20] Tamil  
   
  Southern India 
  8   Maurya Empire 
  321 BC -184 BC[10] 
  Sanskrit, Prakrit 
   
  Subcontinent 
  9   Satavahana Dyn. 230 BC -220 AD 
  Maharashtri, Telugu 
  Central India 
  10 Sunga Empire 
  185 BC - 73 BC  
  Sanskrit, Pali  
  Northeastern India 
  11 Scythians  
  55 BC - 400 AD[13] 
  Scythian, Pali  
  Northwestern India 
  12 Kushan Empire 
  60 AD -375[13] 
  Greek, Bactrian, Pali 
  Punjab  
  13 Gupta Empire 
  280-550  
   
  Prakrit, Pali 
   
  Northern India 
  14 Kalabhras Dyn. 
  300-600[7] 
   
  Tamil  
   
  Southern India 
  15 Chalukya Dyns. 
  350-1189[7]  
  Telugu  
   
  Deccan 
  16 Pratihara Empire 
  600 -1100 
   
  Gujarati, Rajasthani 
  Northwestern India 
  17 Pala Empire  
  750-1200 
   
  Bengali  
   
  Northeastern India 
  18 Rahtrakuta Dyn. 
  753-982 
   
  Kannada 
   
  Deccan 
  19 Delhi Sultanates 
  1206-1527[22] 
  Pashtu, Persian 
   
  Northern India 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Chagatai 
  --------------------------------introduction of Hindustani------------------------------------ 
  20 Vijayanagara 
   
  1336 -1646 
   
  Kannada, Telugu 
  Southern India 
  21 Mysore 
   
  1399 - present[PS] 
  Kannada 
   
  Deccan 
  22 Mughal Empire 
  1526 -1858 [EIC] 
  Persian, Chagatai 
  Subcontinent 
  23 Marathi Empire 
  1674 -1820 [EIC] 
  Maratha 
   
  Subcontinent 
  24 Sikh Kingdoms 
  1716 -1849 [EIC] 
  Punjabi  
   
  Punjab 
  25 Hyderabad  
  1724 - present[PS] 
  Hindustani 
   
  Central India 
   
  * 
  Cheras, Cholas, Pallavas & Pandyas 
   
   
  It is impossible to accurately and succinctly portray the succession of 
  Indian states over its history (comparable to listing European states from 
  Alexander the Great to the unification of Italy and Germany).  The 
  accompanying chart provides a list of major players in Indian history 
  (including the then-unknown Indus Valley Civilization).  It is important to note 
  that contemporaneous states waxed and waned with the fortunes of their 
  neighbors, such that two or more players might have vied for the same 
  territory.  The most successful entities spread everywhere but the 
  southernmost reaches of the subcontinent.  The British were the only 
  conquerors to hold the entire land mass, either by acquisition of the East 
  India Company [EIC] or classifying tributaries into princely states [PS].  
  Where no successor is listed, the dynasty tended to fragment into smaller 
  familial units or feudal divisions.   
   
   
  Languages and geographical areas are provided to show where and 
  what might be found in terms of ancient inscriptions and ruins.  Hindustani 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  23 
   
   
   
   
   
  Getting Around the Subcontinent 
   
  ost of India is still considered the mofussil, or wilderness.  But to reach lonely 
  hill stations and forgotten ruins, a traveler needs to know their way around this 
  foreign land.  Here are some basics for making one’s way throughout the Raj. 
   
   
  Communication 
   
   
  Telegraphs grew alongside Indian railways, 
  as a means of train management.  By 1890 they 
  outstrip railroads in terms of coverage, such that 
  every decent-sized habitation has telegraph access.  
  The largest cities have dedicated telegraph offices, 
  while some post offices and train stations have this 
  capability as well.  Private messages can be sent 
  Urgent, Ordinary, or Deferred; customers with the 
  proper credentials may also send press or state 
  telegrams. 
   
   
  There are four links from India to the rest 
  of the world.  One land-line links to the Ottoman 
  service through Turkey, while the other travels 
  through Persia and Eastern Europe.  Karachi is the 
  Indian terminus for these lines.  A submarine cable 
  has been laid from Bombay to Aden and up the Red 
  Sea.  Running eastward, a line from Madras 
  connects with Singapore and the Far East. 
   
   
  The postal system delivers mail for all but 
  two dozen princely states.  Mail trains and steamers  
   
  are responsible for transport between presidencies; 
  otherwise mail carts and local postmen handle 
  shorter deliveries.  Runners are available for urgent 
  intra-city messages.  The Peninsular and Oriental 
  Steam Navigation Company handles parcel post 
  beyond India.  
   
   
  Money orders can be drawn on savings 
  banks as well as at post offices.  It is also possible, 
  though expensive, to transfer funds much more 
  quickly via telegraph. 
   
   
  There are about 150 English-language 
  newspapers in India, and twice that number of 
  periodicals in native tongues.  Major cities have at 
  least one daily journal, and Calcutta has 15 alone.  
  Of these, the Calcutta Statesmen [sic] is as close to 
  an official paper as can be found in the British 
  Empire; a more independent view can be found in 
  the Daily Mirror.  The Times of India vies with the 
  Bombay Gazette for primacy in that city, while there 
  are two important papers in Madras:  the Madras 
  Mail and the pro-native Hindu.  Laws and 
  proclamations are published in the Gazette of India 
  and other similarly-named local gazettes. 
   M 
  Telegrams 
   
  Local  
   
   
  first 8 words, R1, 2 annas/word thereafter 
   
  Local, Urgent 
   
   
  double normal rate 
   
  Local, Deferred 
   
  half normal rate 
   
  International  
   
  £5 for each twenty words 
   
  Press Telegrams 
   
  1/6 cost for domestic; 1/3 for international 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  24 
  Travel 
   
   
  All the major cities of India are linked via 
  railroad; however, a number of bottlenecks have 
  arisen in the network.  Passengers between Calcutta 
  and Madras must travel across the subcontinent to 
  Bombay as there is no direct link between these 
  cities.  Likewise, traffic to Karachi must pass in 
  turn through Delhi and Lahore rather than crossing 
  the Indus further downstream.  In total, over 25,000 
  miles of track exist in India, including small 
  isolated lines from Rangoon to Mandalay in Burma, 
  and from Kandy to Colombo on Ceylon. 
   
   
   
  A few Mughal-established roads are still 
  maintained, flowing mostly south from the core 
  region of Delhi.  In some places, they remain 
  marked by distinctive brick pillars.  Tolls are now 
  only charged (if at all) for ferry crossings on local 
  routes.  Before the Mutiny, the Army was the 
  primary road-builder, and the postal service the 
  chief beneficiary.  The most important road started 
  at that time is the Grand Trunk Road from Calcutta 
  to Delhi and onward to Lahore.   
   
   
  Steamships can penetrate quite far along 
  India’s major rivers, although the majority of this 
  traffic is for goods.  The Indus is navigable for 800 
  miles, well into the Punjab.  Cawnpore, 500 miles up 
  the Ganges from the sea, is accessible to steamer 
  traffic; the Irrawaddy is traversable a similar 
  distance to Mandalay.  Calcutta lies on the Hoogly 
  River 80 miles from the sea; about the halfway mark 
  for steamer traffic (which can reach Nadia).  Canals 
  have been built along most major rivers for 
  irrigation, flood control and some bulk shipping.  
  The most important is the Agra canal that links the 
  Indus and Ganges watersheds. 
   
   
  Travel within the bounds of a city is 
  relatively easy.  All manner of coaches can be hired.  
  Those desiring a more ostentatious form of travel 
  can still rent palanquins. 
   
  Distances between important cities by railway, in miles. 
  Bangalore 
  Bombay 
  500 
  Hyderabad 
  500 
  Madras 200 
  Ootacamund 300 
  Benares 
  Bom 7001 
  Delhi, 4002 
  Patna 150 
  Bombay 
  Ban 500 
  Ben 7001 
  Calcutta 
  10003 
  Del 8004 
  Hyd 400 
  Calcutta 
  Bom 10003 
  Pat 300 
   
  Delhi 
  Ben 4002 
  Bom 8004 
  Lahore 300 
  Simla 150 
  Pat 6005 
  Hyderabad Ban 500 
  Bom 400 
  Mad 400 
  Lahore 
  Del 300 
  Multan 200 
  Peshawar 200 Sim 150 
  Madras 
  Ban 200 
  Hyd 400 
  Oot 250  
  Multan 
  Karachi 700 Lah 200 
  Pes 250 
  Patna 
  Ben 150 
  Cal 300 
  Del 600 
  Sim 600 
  Peshawar 
  Lah 200 
  Mul 250 
  Simla* 
  Del 150 
  Lah 150 
  Pat  600 
   
  * passengers detrain at Umballa and ascend to Simla using local transportation 
  1 this route passes through Allahabad 
  2 this route passes through Cawnpore and Agra 
  3 this route passes through Nagpur and Raipur  
  4 two routes; through Baroda and Jodhpur or Bhopal, Gwailor and Agra 
  5 this route passes through Lucknow 
   
  Railroad Costs (pies/mile) 
   
  First Class 
   
   
  13  
   
  Third Class 
   
   
  2.5 
   
  Second Class  
   
  5  
   
  Goods, ton 
   
   
  8 
   
  Intermediate Class  
  4 
   
   
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  25 
  Monsoon Weather 
   
   
  In its abstract sense, a proper Victorian 
  might admire the punctuality and precision of the 
  monsoon season’s arrival.  In practicality, however, 
  all that rain makes things damnably unpleasant.  
  During the month of June the Indian Ocean, the 
  Thar Desert, and the Himalayas conspire to invite 
  rain-swollen clouds across the subcontinent.  They 
  arrive in the south first, and travel up the east coast 
  before swirling over the Ganges watershed.  By 
  July, ominous clouds are menacing the Punjabi 
  highlands, and by August they begin to disperse 
  over the Arabian Sea.  Before the end of the 
  monsoons in September, an immense mud flat 
  known as the Rann of Cutch becomes a salt marsh 
  teeming with wildlife and migratory birds.  A 
  second, smaller system visits Bombay and the 
  western Deccan in its wake. 
   
   
  During the monsoons plantations are 
  inundated, rice paddies submerged, and dusty roads 
  and plains turned to morasses.  Most things exposed 
  to the rains – weapons, equipment, and especially 
  books – will suffer damage within several hours.  
  Villages nestled in normally tranquil valleys must 
  live with the constant threat of mudslide.  Overland 
  travel by horse and foot takes 50% longer than 
  normal, and wheeled travel takes twice as long.  For 
  every 100 miles a party travels by train during the 
  monsoon, one investigator must make a Luck roll to 
  avoid having a washout delay their plans (picked 
  randomly so that every character rolls, if possible).  
  Only elephants are untroubled by the monsoon – 
  not that they enjoy walking long distances in any 
  weather. 
  Lodging 
   
   
  India’s largest cities have hotels for the 
  discriminating traveler; a few of these rival some of 
  Europe’s better establishments.  To secure a room 
  roll Credit Rating +20% for the former, or just 
  Credit Rating for a deluxe hotel.  Far more likely in 
  a mid-sized city is a boarding house run by the aged 
  female relative of a soldier (or possibly an East India 
  Company hand).  But there are plenty of other places 
  where wanderers will find a night’s rest.  Railroad 
  stations 
  will 
  typically 
  have 
  1D6-1 
  spartan 
  “refreshment rooms” available to passengers.  
  Bombay is unique in having several clubs where 
  members can rent rooms for extended periods – 
  although it is recommended to apply for membership 
  before one arrives there (see page 11). 
   
   
  Along the Grand Trunk Road and in most 
  cities (Delhi being the notable exception), natives 
  and Europeans alike frequent in dak bungalows – 
  government-maintained hostels staffed by natives.  
  Functionaries of the Raj stay and eat here during 
  visits through the territories they maintain.  Patrons 
  often share their nightly quarters with insects, 
  reptiles and the odd ghost.   
   
   
  Native travelers in Southern India dine and 
  lodge in chattrams, which resemble lesser-endowed 
  dak bungalows.  Muslim wayfarers can expect 
  similar service in a serai, which are common in the 
  north.  Finally, many Hindu temples house pilgrims 
  in dharmasalas, where traveling adherents can stay a 
  night on charity.  These options are expected to be 
  the exclusive purview of natives; while Credit 
  Rating will not open any of these doors, a well-
  disguised European may be able to secure a few 
  night’s respite.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Lodging Costs (in Rupees; dinner 
  provided in all but a refreshment room) 
   
   
  Deluxe Hotel  
   
  2D6+3 
   
  Hotel  
   
  1D6+2 
   
  Boarding House 
  1D3 
   
  Dak Bungalow 
  2 
   
  Refreshment Room 1 
   
  Chattram/Serai 
  1 
   
  Dharmasala  
  free 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  26 
   
   
  Health 
   
   
  Although the Raj considers 
  it its duty to provide Indians with 
  adequate health services, the sheer 
  magnitude of this task means that 
  practice lags behind desire.  Still, 
  most large cities contain hospitals 
  for native patients.  Military men 
  can obtain treatment in a cantonment 
  of any size – as can “camp 
  followers” who work closely with 
  soldiers.  In the alternative, most 
  villages and neighborhoods have a 
  Brahmin with some level of medical 
  training.   
   
   
  Many Christian sects have 
  sent missionaries to India with an 
  eye towards converting the native 
  population.  Although their efforts 
  have not achieved any measurable 
  level of success, some have set up 
  field hospitals where European 
  doctors can minister to their would-
  be flocks. 
   
  Firearms 
   
   
  The Indian Arms Act of 
  1878 requires a license to import 
  and possess firearms of any kind on 
  the subcontinent.  Newcomers are 
  exempted from the former if they 
  bring a reasonable number of 
  weapons 
  for 
  personal 
  use.  
  Likewise, individual states have the 
  power to exempt persons or groups 
  from these requirements.  In practice 
  this means that Europeans can carry 
  guns without much fear of reprisal, 
  while only a native with proven 
  loyalty to the Raj may do the same.  
  Still, customs officials have the 
  power to search belongings at the 
  border or upon entry to India; 
  policemen and magistrates can seize 
  the weapons (along with any other 
  property present) which they suspect 
  are being used illicitly. 
  HINTS to TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  Modern Observatories 
   
  1 
  Hennessy Observatory  
   
   
  This observatory was built at Dehra Dun, 
  headquarters of the Survey of India, in 1884.  Its primary 
  purpose is solar photography. 
   
  2 
  Maharaja Takhtasinghi Observatory 
   
   
  Built by the Maharaja of Bhavanagar in 1882 at 
  Poona.  It employs the first native astronomer, the Parsi 
  Khavasji Naegamwala. 
   
  3 
  Madras Observatory 
   
   
  The East India Company established this facility 
  in 1792.  It is renowned for a star chart and the 
  discovery of several asteroids in the early 1800s. 
   
  4 
  St. Xavier College Observatory 
   
   
  The Jesuit Lafont supervised its construction a 
  year after observing the transit of Venus in 1874.  It is 
  one of the world’s only spectroscopic observatories. 
   
   
         
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  27 
   
   
   
   
   
  Strangers in a Strange Land –  
  British Characters 
   
  ritain had unquestioned control over India for the greater part of the 19th century, 
  but pride in this achievement was always tempered by the realities of Great Power 
  politics.  For the East India Company, and the Crown thereafter, any continental 
  rival who looked towards Asia was threatening the jewel of empire – even when their motives were 
  clearly not directed towards that goal.  The Suez Canal, while simplifying travel and 
  communications, increased the stakes by creating a new weak point in Egypt.  Thereafter, simple 
  logic dictated that the Mediterranean was now vital to imperial interests, as were coaling stations 
  and anchorages throughout the globe.  In short, whether it made strategic sense or not, India 
  became the sine qua non of British supremacy. 
   
   
   So it was inevitable that the conquerors would look down on the conquered; not only 
  because of Darwinian theories in vogue at the time, but because of grim necessity.  Losing any 
  hold in India would cost more than prestige, or mercantile power.  It would mean the end of any 
  justification for maintaining an empire in the first case.  Certainly, other rationalizations existed.  
  Bureaucrats, scholars and engineers alike earnestly believed that they were bringing the light of 
  modern society to a dark corner of the globe.  Missionaries arrived in India with sincere zeal to 
  save the populace from their pagan past.  But ultimately, white man’s burden was not a byproduct 
  of European hegemony.  It was the reason for dominion in the first place.   
   
   
  About 100,000 Englishmen were present in India at the height of the Raj, ruling over 300 
  million Indians – and the vast majority of the former were soldiers.  This obviously meant that the 
  typical European had constant interaction with natives, be they rulers, servants, or soldiers.  While 
  racism was pervasive, even among Europeans who were otherwise enlightened, many claimed that 
  they were merely respecting traditional mores like the caste system and the religious diversity of 
  the subcontinent – claims which might not have been totally hypocritical.  
   
  Typical life  
   
   
  Just because Englishmen were forced to 
  live in such a beastly climate was no reason not to 
  try and domesticate the Raj.  In all arenas, 
  expatriates strove to have things as British as  
   
   
   
   
  possible during their stays in India.  Ideally, this 
  meant transforming the social lives of native Indians 
  for all interactions with their British superiors. 
   
   B 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  28 
   
   
  Origins 
   
   
   
  There were several reasons for British men 
  to journey to India; a trip which tended to last a 
  good number of years in a gentleman’s formative 
  development.  A majority of these emigrants were 
  the lesser sons of nobles and other propertied 
  fathers, who were likely to be overlooked by the 
  patriarch.  These men viewed India as a level 
  playing field on which a fortune might be made.  
  With the transfer of power from the British East 
  India Company to the Crown, this meant becoming 
  a planter or, in the rugged eastern reaches of the 
  Raj, a timber merchant.   
   
   
  A similar conclusion awaited men who 
  desired a life on adventure in a foreign land.  
  According to journalists and popular writers of the 
  time, the Army offered young boys a life of thrilling 
  days in exotic locales.  This avenue was popular for 
  scions of well-to-do families, who purchased 
  commissions of high rank in prestigious regiments.  
  Whites were also welcome in the ranks of police 
  agencies in regions of relative stability.  Even 
  academics might find themselves in dangerous 
  backwaters, excavating a ruined temple or lost city. 
   
   
  Idealistic men might sit for the civil service 
  examination in Britain, hoping for a powerful post 
  within a presidency or the retinue of a prestigious 
  princely ruler.  There they could oversee the 
  construction of railways, bridges and other civil 
  projects that would relieve Indians from the 
  vagaries of their meager existence.  Patriots who 
  reckoned that Cossacks would soon pour through 
  the mountain passes from Central Asia were 
  welcome in the halls of power as well.  And strong 
  Christian faith led those with a missionary bent to 
  India as well, working for the betterment of peasant 
  farmers and low-caste laborers in the teeming cities. 
   
   
  Many women arrived on the subcontinent 
  attached to a spouse.  Some husbands arrived years 
  in advance, to ensure that a suitable 
  home was ready for a wife to run.  Most 
  men allowed their consorts varying 
  periods 
  of 
  acclimatization 
  to 
  the 
  mysterious East, before insisting they 
  assumed the customary air of authority 
  over the native.  Ambitious girls could also head 
  East for themselves under the supervision of a 
  relative or other chaperone.  Female matchmakers in 
  India sent home for eligible ladies when they 
  thought marriage might be beneficial for either 
  potential spouse.  India hands called this annual 
  migration of potential wives the “Fishing Fleet.”   
   
  Passage to India 
   
   
  The quickest way from the British Isles to 
  the subcontinent was via the Suez Canal.  By 1900 
  the voyage from London to Bombay took less than 
  two weeks.  Travelers with business on the continent 
  could traverse Europe by rail and embark from a 
  Mediterranean port like Marseilles or Brindisi.  
  Experienced 
  travelers 
  knew 
  which 
  shipboard 
  accommodations would get the benefit of a fresh 
  breeze during the journey:  a port cabin on the way 
  to India, and starboard upon returning.  The resulting 
  mnemonic (“port out, starboard home”) became an 
  enduring synonym for luxury. 
   
  Distances to Port Said, in miles  
  London 
  3570 
  Plymouth 3325 
  Marseilles 1508 
  Brindisi 
  973 
   
   
  East-west naval traffic across the Indian 
  Ocean had a choice of stopping at all the largest 
  ports on India.  Colombo on Ceylon allowed the 
  shortest possible layover for ships bound for Aden, 
  Australia or Singapore and the Malay straits.  A 
  network of smaller steamship companies plied the 
  Indian coast from Karachi to Rangoon.  The 
  cheapest fares for the trip were about ₤35, while 
  first-class accommodations aboard a luxury vessel 
  cost as much as ₤55.  Only a handful of the larger 
  lines allowed native passengers; smaller firms could 
  not afford to be as discriminating. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Distances between major ports, in miles 
  Port 
  Said 
  Aden 
  Bombay 
  Colombo 
  Madras 
   
  1395  
  Aden 
  3059 1664 
   
  Bombay 
  3488 2093 
  875 
   
  Colombo 
  4098 2703 
  1485 
  640 
   
  Madras 
  4868 3473 
  2255 
  1380 
  770 
  Calcutta 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  29 
   
   
   
  Culture 
   
   
  Establishing Britain in exile meant isolating 
  the foreign rulers from the insinuations of native 
  India.  Social life consisted of clinging to Victorian 
  culture while trying to ignore as many of the 
  differences between the two worlds as possible.  
  Englishmen viewed their workplaces and homes as 
  enclaves of modernity in the wilderness, with 
  defenses that were difficult for the natives to breach.  
   
   
  Hierarchy was even more important in India 
  than at home.  Wives watched for the annual 
  publication of the Warrant of Precedence, which 
  established the rank of nearly anyone serving in 
  India.  When hosting guests they were expected to 
  adhere to its strictures on penalty of ostracism. 
   
   
  Plantation 
   
   
   
  Indian agriculture was the primer for British 
  industry; a place where raw materials were cheap 
  and plentiful.  The most important cash crops were 
  cotton, indigo, jute or tea – all of which could be 
  grown most efficiently on a large estate.  Opium, 
  primarily for the Chinese market, was another 
  profitable resource. 
   
   
  Such farms commanded a large work force 
  of virtual serfs.  This was especially the case for tea 
  cultivation, where the harvesting and care of tea 
  leaves was labor intensive and not immediately 
  susceptible to mechanization.  In less-heavily settled 
  provinces like Burma and Assam, laborers were 
  brought in from Bengal to work on tea plantations 
  or land rich in exotic woods like teak and 
  mahogany.  In many instances this was involuntary. 
   
   
  Servants 
   
   
  The realities of the Indian economy meant that even Englishmen of 
  moderate means could have many servants.  Listed below are the members of the 
  typical retinue an established household might expect to employ.  A good number 
  of these laborers will be found in the service of soldiers, as well. 
   
  Ayah – the children’s nursemaid, or a general female attendant 
  Bearer – the catchall term for a male attendant, either in a home or camp 
  Bhisti – a water carrier, supplying the military or a household 
  Chaprassi – a messenger, often employed by the government 
  Chowkidar – a watchman or custodian of a dwelling or other building 
  Dhobi – a washer of laundry 
  Dhooli – a litter bearer (in the military, a stretcher carrier) 
  Durwan – a doorman, sweeper 
  Hurkaroo – a foot messenger   
  Khitmagar – a butler 
  Khansamar – a steward  
  Mali – a gardener  
  Munshi – doubles as an interpreter and a language teacher 
  Punkah-Wallah – manually operates a fan inside a home by pulling its cord with 
  hand or  
  foot 
  Shikari – anything from an experienced guide or hunter in his own right, to a beater 
  for  
  an expedition 
  Syce – a groom, exceedingly useful in both the military or private employ 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  30 
   
  Planters could expect an opulent home, if 
  not many neighbors to impress.  Agriculture was 
  always profitable, since British customs suppressed 
  protectionism in world markets.  Most homes had 
  extensive gardens of local plants and flowers, 
  especially if the landowner was married.  Regardless 
  of marital status, there were plenty of jobs for native 
  servants to take on – all of which were better than 
  working in the fields.  The most sought after 
  plantations were accessible by steamer, which 
  allowed for cheaper transportation to a large city 
  and onward for sale.   
    
  Cantonment 
   
   
  When large units of the British Army 
  forayed into frontier regions, they bivouacked in 
  fortress-like camps called cantonments.  The Army 
  maintained them throughout regions harried by 
  hostile tribes, such as the Northwest frontier.  Larger 
  cities throughout India had cantonments within their 
  borders, or close by, on a more or less permanent 
  basis.  Occasionally, units sally forth from these safe 
  zones on punitive expeditions against hostile tribes, 
  demanding concessions of rifles or, in more extreme 
  cases, burning crops and even villages in revenge 
  for raids. 
   
   
  A cantonment was designed to be an 
  exclusively martial zone, several square miles in 
  area.  Inside its borders, troops could live in safety – 
  and apart from distractions.  They were erected in 
  easily 
  defensible 
  zones 
  manned 
  by 
  patrols 
  throughout the day and night.  Time and time again, 
  when the British Army forgot these basic tactics, it 
  would pay in blood and territory.  As a safe place to 
  keep artillery and machine guns, attackers found 
  cantonments quick to repel most raids.  Other 
  facilities at a typical cantonment included hospitals, 
  mess halls, quartermaster’s stations, and a large area 
  for the husbandry of mounts and pack animals.  
  Businesses crucial to maintaining a cantonment 
  sprung up on their borders:  especially chandlers 
  who could provide native and English food, 
  specialized laborers like tailors, and spiritual 
  services like churches and cemeteries. 
   
   
  As cantonments were the province of the 
  military, the vast majority of inhabitants were male.  
  High ranking officers in permanent camps might 
  expect housing that was decent enough to permit 
  their wives and female servants to be present.  
  Native women could find work of many kinds 
  outside a cantonment’s perimeter, too:  from 
  mundane domestic tasks like washing clothes, to 
  selling wares in a bazaar, to a more traditional role 
  demanded by an army’s presence.  As venereal 
  disease was rampant among British troops serving 
  in 
  India, 
  the 
  army 
  undertook 
  methodical 
  examination of prostitutes peddling their wares 
  close to a cantonment.   
   
   
  Unlike most other British establishments, 
  however, European and Asian men mingled quite 
  freely within a cantonment.  After all, servants were 
  a necessity – even if one bearer was shared by 
  several soldiers in a barracks – and because soldiers 
  had to remain close to their staging areas at all 
  times.  The relationship between native troops, 
  which made up a significant portion of the army, 
  and their British leaders, were closer than most 
  other social bonds.  Many officers expected – and 
  received – loyalty from native soldiers, and 
  willingly responded in kind.  Still, sepoys and 
  sowars slept in huts and shacks on cantonment 
  grounds, instead of the enlisted ranks’ barracks or 
  the bungalows of officers. 
    
  Government House 
   
   
  Once the Crown assumed direct rule over 
  India in 1857, the demand for civil servants rose 
  quickly.  There are positions starting from the 
  district level (of which there are about 250) upwards 
  to 
  lieutenant 
  governorship, 
  residencies, 
  presidencies, and seats on the Council of India.  
  Parallel divisions govern local police forces as well 
  as the Forest Service.  Competition for these 
  lucrative jobs was fierce in Britain, even given the 
  often arduous life ahead of a new bureaucrat.  
   
   
  The main task of a district was to manage 
  the collection of tax revenues from the local 
  zemindar families.  Local administrators are 
  commonly known as “collectors” owing to this 
  function, but most assume the entire administration 
  of the districts they manage.  Some of the tax 
  income was reinvested within the district in the form 
  of public works like canals, railroads and telegraphs.  
  Additionally, the best-run districts had funds and 
  contingencies for famines, monsoons, or plagues.  
  Each district included its own jail, administered by a 
  civil surgeon.   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  31 
  HINTS to 
  TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  The Best Places for Sport 
   
  1 
  The Kaziranga Forest 
   
   
  This stretch of remote wilderness along the 
  south bank of the Brahmaputra in Assam is arguably 
  the richest gameland in India.  Large numbers of 
  tigers, elephants, rhinos and buffalo congregate here 
  in abundance; deer and sloth bear can also be had. 
   
  2 
  The Back Bay Gymkhanas 
   
   
  The finest cricket in India can be found in a 
  strip of land along Bombay’s western coast.  Parsi 
  teams have competed along side whites for decades; 
  Hindu and Muslim squads have joined them within the 
  last decade.  A ladies’ gymkhana allows the fairer sex 
  to ply their own athletic pursuits. 
   
  3 
  The Calcutta Maidan 
   
   
  This sprawling meadow lies in the shadow of 
  Fort William.  Every athlete will find some diversion 
  here, from horse races in summer and winter, to 
  cricket, tennis, polo and lawn bowling whenever 
  weather permits.  The golf course is the third oldest in 
  the world, and the oldest beyond Britain’s borders.  
  More sedate travelers can visit the Botanical Gardens, 
  a short trip downstream and across the Hoogly. 
   
          
   
   
  Collectors wielded a great deal of 
  local information at their fingertips.  Plus, 
  the smaller the unit of administration, the 
  greater the likelihood was of working 
  with locals.  Of course, even men in high 
  position dealt with Princely rulers at some 
  point.  At all levels of the civil service, 
  the attitudes of most administrators vary.  
  The best actively cared about the 
  population they oversaw, either out of a 
  paternalistic sense of duty or genuine 
  affection.  Far more commonly, however, 
  the typical bureaucrat vacillated between 
  racist derision of their primitive subjects 
  and an illusory confidence in their loyalty 
  to the crown.  
   
   
  Office holders typically worked 
  in edifices proportional to the power they 
  wielded.  Mammoth government houses 
  were designed to inspire awe in the 
  largest cities of India.  In remote outposts, 
  however, the collector may not work in 
  conditions better than a typical thatch 
  bungalow.  Remote areas often combined 
  the military and bureaucratic functions 
  into a hill station.  These could be isolated 
  for months at a time, with its residents 
  exercising a large degree of autonomy to 
  face a variety of challenges.  The outpost 
  at Simla gradually grew into the summer 
  capital of both British India and the 
  Punjab state.  Rulers of the three 
  presidencies migrated to their own 
  summer capitals; the populations of these 
  cities ballooned during the warm months.  
   
  Club 
   
   
  Social clubs were havens for 
  British citizens – men in particular, and 
  certainly their wives for many functions – 
  to spend time in the company of others 
  who 
  perfectly 
  understood 
  their 
  predicament.  Members and their guests 
  can expect traditional English recreation 
  within their grounds:  participating in 
  outdoor sports like tennis and croquet, 
  indoor pastimes such as billiards or cards, 
  reading current newspapers from more 
  civilized lands, and drinking spirits 
  cooled with ice brought from higher 
  altitudes or shipped to India. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  32 
  In smaller enclaves, white newcomers are expected 
  to make a formal dinner appearance for dinner as 
  soon as practicable upon arrival.  This allowed a 
  stranger to obtain introductions among the elite of 
  the settlement, while giving residents a chance to 
  catch up on happenings beyond India.  Natives are 
  welcome here, provided they are personal servants 
  of a member or employees of the club.   
   
  Sport 
   
   
  The average British male in India was an 
  avid sportsman.  Active pursuits comprised a large 
  portion of his leisure time.  Surprisingly, this was 
  probably 
  the 
  arena 
  in 
  which 
  non-military 
  Englishmen and natives mixed most often.  The 
  smallest patch of wilderness, if it was found close  
  enough to home, would frequented by hunters with 
  a half-day of spare time for shooting.  Hunting 
  parties ranged anywhere from a handful of men to a 
  veritable safari with shikaris, coolies, and other 
  servants supplementing a train of elephant-riding 
  Europeans.  Creatures from fowl to large cats like 
  tigers and leopards are (literally) fair game. 
   
   
  Cricket was first played in India by sailors 
  on shore leave in the early 18th Century, but 
  followed in the wake of British influence as it 
  spread throughout the subcontinent.  By 1800 there 
  were established cricket clubs composed of white 
  teams competing against each other.  The 1890s saw 
  English teams touring India as well as matches 
  between English and Parsi teams in Gujarat.  This 
  marked the beginning of wide acceptance on cricket 
  by 
  native 
  Indians. 
   
  In 
  turn, 
  they 
  would 
  enthusiastically adopt field hockey as well.  
   
   
  Reverse Timeline 
   
  Someone arriving up to 2 years ago remembers 
  …the founding of the Ahmadiyya movement in Lahore by Mirza Ghulam Ahmad.  His goal is to reform or 
  purify Islam, but his detractors accuse him of starting a new religion, or working for the British to 
  suppress anti-Imperial sentiment. 
  …the Indian Army responding to sporadic events on India’s northern borders.  Units resisted Tibetan 
  advances in Sikkim, quelled unrest in Chin, Lushai & Burma, and battled jezailichis in Hazara.  Many 
  brave women came to India to serve in the latter theater as founding members of the Indian Army 
  Nursing Service. 
  …Landsdowne replacing Dufferin as Viceroy in 1888.  The well-traveled minister had just ended a 
  successful stint as the Governor-General of Canada.  His predecessor is awarded an additional title as the 
  Marquess of Dufferin and Ava for his handling of the recent war with Burma. 
  …Francis Younghusband reporting to Simla in 1887, after an epic journey that began in China seven 
  months previously.  He was able to navigate the Mustagh pass, becoming the first European to do so.  
  These exploits earn him a medal from the Royal Geographic Society and begin a remarkable career of 
  espionage and exploration. 
   
  Someone arriving up to 4 years ago remembers 
  …The SPR’s accusation of fraud against Helena Blavatsky.  Although Society presented an impressive case 
  that she has used legerdemain to mimic occult powers, she remained steadfast in her convictions until 
  departing for Europe shortly thereafter. 
  …British land and naval forces successful in the Third Anglo-Burmese war, at the end of 1885.  Economic 
  tensions and intrigue with France ended with several decisive joint operations along the Irrawaddy River.  
  Burmese forces were caught unawares and Upper Burma was annexed on January 1, 1886. 
  …a joint Anglo-Russian conference setting Afghanistan’s northern border in 1885.  The Russian Empire had 
  expanded to the northern edge of the Hindu Kush, and many British strategists worried that economic 
  development was the precursor to securing a potential invasion route into India.  This temporarily 
  assuages the 
  fears of conflict, but a large number of administrators and soldiers prefer a more proactive approach to 
  countering the tsar.  This marks the height of the Great Game. 
  …the founding of Indian National Congress in 1885 at Bombay, at the suggestion of a British civil servant.  
  At this time they advocate a greater role for Indians within in the framework of the Empire.  The current 
  Viceroy, Lord Dufferin, approves of the gathering, although some Muslim leaders are wary that the 
  majority of its members are Hindu. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  33 
  Another popular sport traveled across cultures in 
  the opposite direction.  Around 1820, exiles from 
  Manipur brought their favorite sport with them to 
  British India:  hockey with the players mounted 
  on the smallish ponies indigenous to their home.  
  Polo proved a hit with British cavalrymen and 
  native nobles alike.  Nearly every cantonment or 
  large city sports a maidan that serves as a race 
  course, polo ground, or cricket pitch when 
  recreation is needed.  Of course, the requirement 
  of owning several horses restricts its participation 
  to the well off; even so, many regiments provide 
  for their teams with a “polo fund,” and through 
  the use of native grooms as horse trainers.  
  Military units returning to Britain would ultimately 
  introduce it to the rest of the Empire.   
   
   
  In game terms, a hunt can be simulated as a 
  typical encounter with wildlife; the variation lies in 
  the ferocity of the prey.  All other pastimes should 
  use a Sport skill with the relevant specialty.  A 
  successful roll means that the player has acquitted 
  himself well during the game – which may lead to 
  favorable 
  impressions 
  by 
  fellow 
  players 
  or 
  spectators afterward.  If a Keeper wishes to leave the 
  outcome of a game up to the dice, compare the skill 
  ratings of the least skilled player on each side. 
   
  * * * 
   
  Someone arriving up to 8 years ago remembers 
  …The Theosophical Society establishing itself in India.  Helena Blavatsky and Henry Steel Olcott arrived in 
  Bombay to great fanfare in 1879.  Three years later they moved to a compound in Adyar, south of Madras.  
  …the Second Afghan war ending with a British victory at Kandahar in September 1880.  Earlier in the year, 
  however, Afghani forces had beaten the British decisively at Maiwand.  Hostilities began when the British 
  army forced the Khyber pass and installed a resident at Kabul in 1878, after the Afghanis accepted a 
  Russian mission.  Tensions had mounted when the British delegation was besieged and murdered.  
  Although the Crown secured many concessions, installing a new resident was not one of them. 
  …Queen Victoria being proclaimed Empress of India at a magnificent durbar on New Years Day, 1877 in 
  Delhi.  The previous year she had accepted this title in Britain, but this marked the official proclamation 
  in the subcontinent.  Most princely rulers attended it in lavish style, and the Empire reciprocated with 
  fanfares and multi-gun salutes.   
  …a crippling famine striking most of southern and central India in 1876, killing over 5 million natives.  It 
  finally convinces the government to take steps that will prevent a recurrence of such a large-scale 
  disaster. 
  …railroads throughout British-administered residencies as well as most major Princely States.  India now 
  has 10,000 miles of railroad track. 
   
  Someone arriving up to 16 years ago remembers 
  …railroads linking most British-controlled cities, including Bombay and Calcutta in 1870.  India now has 
  5,000 miles of railroad track. 
  …the assassination of the Viceroy, the Earl of Mayo, in the Andaman Islands in 1872.  While inspecting 
  prison conditions in Port Blair he is murdered by Sher Ali, an inmate. 
  …getting news from home months out of date, before the completion of an undersea cable between 
  London and Bombay in 1870.  Thereafter, official administration enjoys quicker responses, and journalists 
  report information quickly. 
  …having sailed through the Suez Canal, which opened in 1869.  This cut the length of the Britain to India 
  journey down to less than a month. 
   
  Someone arriving up to 32 years ago remembers 
  …the Mutiny of 1857.  Many sepoys feared that the East India Company was trying to convert them to 
  Christianity.  Rulers were wary too, after Governor-General Dalhousie began annexing native states whose 
  rulers died without a male heir.  The Mughal Shah Zafar proclaimed his supremacy over India at Delhi, and 
  several cities in north-central India were overrun before British forces gained the upper hand.  There 
  were barbarities on both sides, notably the massacre of Europeans at Cawnpore and the indiscriminate 
  reprisals which followed.  100 years after the victory at Plassey, which secured Company rule, it is 
  removed from power and the Crown begins the task of running India.  
  …the first passenger train leaving Bombay for an outlying town a few miles away in 1853.  Calcutta has a 
  train the next year.  By the time of the Mutiny there are 200 miles of track. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  34 
   
  Ghats at the holy city of Benares 
   
           
           Native shipping on the Hooghly 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  35 
   
   
   
   
   
  The Tumult of the Bazaar –  
  Indian Characters 
   
  odern observers should not begrudge the Victorian Indian – accustomed as he 
  was to a worldview spanning millennia – his apparent willingness to be 
  governed by foreigners.  After all, except for the inhabitants of the southern 
  cone of the subcontinent, every race was once an immigrant to the region.  Conquerors had 
  traversed the mountain passes into India for centuries, from the Mughals back to Alexander and the 
  original Aryan migrations.  Likewise, European trading vessels had long been preceded by Arab 
  dhows and Chinese junks plying the shores of the Indian Ocean.   
   
   
  What made the British more successful than the others before had more to do with global 
  trends than to anything particular to the British or native character.  So for most Indians, the 
  newcomers were merely the latest players of an old game.  India had long accommodated differing 
  cultures; what could be so disruptive about the European newcomers?  Consequently, British 
  culture, illuminated by the Jewel of the Crown, evolved as much as Indian culture did.  Likewise, 
  the administrators of the Raj used many of the features of native society to legitimize their rule, 
  entrenching the caste system by official use, and acknowledging the nominal superiority of the 
  Mughal rulers for longer than their majesty demanded.  
   
   
  This section is designed to provide a reader with some basic notions of how British 
  observers (and natives themselves) viewed the natives of India.  Where concepts and ideas are kept 
  brief, it is only for brevity’s sake, and not intended as a comprehensive survey of a culture far 
  removed in time in space from our own.  
   
  Racial Types 
   
   
  British commentators recognized broad 
  categories among the multitude of races in India.  
  Although hardly as cut-and-dried as they are 
  presented here, they make a suitable starting point 
  for general discussion. 
   
  Aryan 
   
   
  The 
  majority 
  of 
  inhabitants 
  of 
  the 
  subcontinent could trace their ancestry from the 
  wave of Indo-European migrations of the mid-
  second millennium BC.  These peoples are most 
  likely responsible for displacing the dwellers of 
  the sprawling Indus Valley cities discovered in 
  the 1920s, and ultimately settling throughout the 
  entire northern tier of the subcontinent.  Although 
  their language and culture shares a common 
  ancestor with most of Europe’s population, time 
  and distance altered the Vedic civilization into 
  something that was utterly foreign to the distant 
  relatives that began studying it in earnest.  All the 
  features traditionally recognizable as Indian stem 
  from this root:  Hinduism, the caste system, and 
   M 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  36 
  the impressive literary tradition flowing from 
  Sanskrit.  The term Aryan means “noble ones” in 
  that language. 
   
  Dravidian 
   
   
  This is the only root stock of Indian 
  peoples that can truly claim native status.  Their 
  homeland is unknown to this day:  although 
  modern scholars suspect the Indus Valley 
  Civilization was the precursor of Dravidian 
  culture, this theory is a creation of the 20th 
  century.  Still, it is unquestioned that the ethnic 
  frontier traveled further and further south as India 
  absorbed more and more migrants.  Eventually, 
  they held on to the jungle-choked regions of 
  south, which provided a cultural bulwark lasting 
  until the arrival of the British.  The Dravidian 
  language family is unrelated to Indo-European, 
  although both families have influenced each other 
  for millennia. 
   
  Martial Races 
   
   
  This is an elusive term largely designated 
  by the British.  It refers to any number of 
  unrelated ethnic groups that were able to resist the 
  European incursion for a period of time.  
  Europeans grudgingly respected those peoples 
  who put up more than token resistance to 
  expansion – even if they lost, which was the rule.  
  Once a region became relatively peaceful, the 
  British Army tended to recruit from these former 
  frontiers.  In this way peoples that were once 
  considered 
  to 
  be 
  martial 
  races 
  lost 
  this 
  designation:  examples include Gurkhas, Sikhs, 
  and the Rajputana clans from the region north of 
  Bombay.  At the end of the century, Englishmen 
  most often use the label for Muslim tribes in the 
  Northwest frontier, applied to races like Waziris, 
  Pathans, and Afridis; as well as pagan groups 
  (including tribes with such ominous names as 
  Nagas, Shans and Karens) in the mountainous and 
  thickly wooded uplands of Assam and Burma.  
   
  Criminal Races 
   
   
  The complex interplay of race and caste 
  was a useful tool for perpetuating the Raj.  
  Because of this, its administrators accepted most 
  societal classifications with scant consideration of 
  how they evolved.  Thus, whole cultures were 
  assumed to have little redeeming social value – 
  regardless of the virtues of any particular 
  individual.   The most conspicuous example was 
  the Gujari tribe, whose reputation suffered due to 
  stories of robbery of both Europeans and natives 
  alike during the 1857 Mutiny.  India viewed 
  many nomadic tribes the same way, ascribing low 
  morals to groups who could vacate a region 
  quickly and unobtrusively.  Groups without 
  literary traditions (like the Gondi, Mundari and 
  Santali peoples) battled similar prejudices.  Both 
  native and British police personnel will consider 
  members of criminal tribes as the most likely 
  suspects of a crime. 
   
  Caste 
   
   
  The development of Hinduism, as it 
  sprung from the Vedic civilization of ancient 
  India, created a society in which every person 
  occupied a specific niche.  It proved remarkably 
  resilient as a mechanism for stability during the 
  periods of migratory upheaval and conquest that 
  permeate Indian history.  It could even 
  accommodate the customs brought by the Raj, 
  such as the tradition of a family's multi-
  generational attachment to a particular regiment 
  (in fact, the quinsap caste was formed by retired 
  members of the Queens Own Sappers, along with 
  the women they married and children they 
  raised).  Although its intricacies were bewildering 
  to the average European, it suited the Crown well 
  as an accepted mechanism for maintaining the 
  peace.   
   
   
  Generally speaking, there are four broad 
  classes (known as varnas) into which someone is 
  born, lives and dies.  In rough order of status, 
  they are brahmin, kshatriya, vaisya, and sudra.  A 
  fifth category of menial laborers lies underneath 
  the caste system; all others consider them literally 
  “outcasts.”   Arguably, Europeans lie outside this 
  framework as well, although there is no 
  prohibition against dealing with persons of such 
  monumental ignorance.  Each varna holds a 
  multitude of subcastes, called jatis, that would 
  arise, grow, calve or disappear as societal 
  pressures affected their members.   
   
   
   
  All Hindu characters, and most other 
  natives who have meaningful interaction with 
  Indian society should designate a caste.  The 
  higher the varna, the stricter the requirements are 
  as far as the character’s Credit Rating score.  The 
  accompanying chart summarizes the particulars  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  37 
  of each major varna.  A member of a given caste 
  will attempt to have as little to do with anyone in 
  another.  Social connections outside of a caste are 
  rare; intermarriage is virtually taboo.  Most 
  economic dealings are tolerated – unless one 
  party is dalit.  Some untouchables are forbidden 
  to have their shadows fall on a member of a 
  higher caste. 
   
   
   
  Religion 
   
   
  Newcomers to India found a many 
  different religions on the subcontinent.  Some 
  were known from tales and anecdotes, and others 
  were encountered for the first time.  Since most of 
  a family’s servants were local, Englishmen had to 
  understand the customs and variations of worship 
  in order to keep a household running smoothly. 
   
   
  The religions founded in India differ from 
  the three major faiths of Europe and the Near East 
  in that they are dharmic.  This means that 
  individual 
  worshippers 
  strive 
  to 
  approach 
  spiritual perfection and oneness with the universe.  
  Those who do not achieve this in one life are 
  reborn, sometimes in a different state, depending 
  on their actions in the previous life.   
   
   
  The interaction of religion was as touchy 
  a subject then as it is now.  Christian missionaries 
  saw it as their duty to convert heathen natives.  In 
  turn, natives often ascribed missionary motives to 
  otherwise mundane decisions.  Both trends came 
  to a head during the Sepoy Rebellion.  Hindus 
  and Muslims treated Christianity as a way to 
  focus opposition to the British, but just as often 
  the two faiths clashed with each other.   
   
   
  As such, these general descriptions are 
  included for the sake of completeness.  Any 
  group who feels this subject is too sensitive can 
  choose to keep religion on the sidelines without 
  too many problems.  It is also important to note 
  that regardless of the exotic nature of Indian 
  religions, none of them should be considered an 
  offshoot of Mythos worship.  Where such 
  connections have been made, they tend to be the 
  product of misguided western analysis (for 
  example, the mistaking of Chanur Faugn for 
  Ganesh).   
   
  Hindu 
   
   
  The vast majority of India’s inhabitants 
  practice this faith.  Its ritual basis springs from the 
  ancient Sanskrit depictions of the Vedic age.  By 
  the Victorian Era it is difficult to separate Hindu 
  religious devotion from other aspects of native 
  life.  Observers consider it a polytheistic religion 
  in which thousands of deities are worshipped.  In 
  actuality, each divine being is a reflection of the 
  universal divine that all souls seek to one day 
  join.  In practice, specific regions and castes 
  venerate their own gods.  Likewise, a variety of 
  festivals throughout the year are observed across 
  many castes and regions. 
   
   
  As with Buddhism or Christianity, 
  Hinduism has a long-standing monastic tradition 
  in which members may remove themselves to 
  monasteries or wander from place to place 
  surviving on charity.  Hindus believe in 
  reincarnation, where one’s next life is largely 
  determined by the actions of the previous one.  
  The most holy place is the city of Benares, where 
  the Ganges River flows past ghats built along its 
  banks.  Most Hindus strive to bathe in the river at 
  least once, to wash away sins or purify the body  
  Caste  
   
  Credit Rating  
  Sample Occupations 
   
  Brahmin 
   
  50+ 
   
   
  priests, scholars, doctors 
  Kshatriya 
   
  35+*  
   
  warriors, rulers 
  Vaisya  
   
  20-40  
   
  merchants, moneychangers, clerks 
  Sudra  
   
  10-25  
   
  laborers, artisans 
  Dalit  
   
  under 15 
   
  washers, barbers, night soil collectors 
   
   
  * a ruler or soldier’s Credit Rating might be boosted by decorations or 
  membership      in  an  Imperial British order (see page 44). 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  38 
  in death.  Pilgrims who do this return home with 
  vials of the river water for those unable to make 
  the journey. 
   
   
  The East India Company was tolerant to 
  the Hindu faith, and many Englishmen adopted its 
  practices while serving in India.  However, the 
  company did suppress things they deemed 
  barbaric – like sati, the immolation of a wife upon 
  her husband’s death.  Things changed after the 
  Mutiny, and the clash of European and native 
  religion is a subject approached with trepidation 
  by all but the most zealous Christian missionary. 
   
  Muslim (Mohammedan) 
   
   
  This was the first proselytizing religion to 
  arrive in force from the Middle East.  Islamic 
  states have endured in India since the Delhi 
  Sultanate established by Turkish invaders in the 
  13th Century, making it the second most populous 
  religion.  The Mughal Empire was also Muslim; 
  as the territory of these polities was primarily in 
  the southern shadows of the Himalayas, it is the 
  northern (and especially Northwestern) parts of 
  India with the highest concentration of followers 
  of Islam.  The longstanding presence of this 
  religion in India has affected native culture in 
  many ways, notably purdah.   
  The core of this 
  religion is submission to the will of God, 
  primarily achieved through daily prayer, alms-
  giving, and pilgrimages.  Although it shares many 
  of the historical underpinnings of Judaism and 
  Christianity, the political and religious leadership 
  are far more intertwined than in the latter faiths.  
  This thrust the last Mughal Emperor into an 
  unwanted role as the figurehead of the Sepoy 
  Rebellion; some restive Muslims will still use 
  their creed as a rallying cry to seek support when 
  resisting the British. 
   
  Zoroastrian 
   
   
  Zoroastrianism developed in Persia at 
  about the same time as Buddhism did in northern 
  India, though it took much longer to migrate to 
  the latter.  This is a dualistic faith that emphasizes 
  the struggle between good and evil on both 
  cosmic and personal scales.  Owing to its 
  geographical position, many observers see in it a 
  mixture of Abrahamic and Dharmic traditions.  
  Fire is an important symbol of the positive force 
  (the 
  creator 
  Ahura 
  Mazda) 
  and 
  figures 
  prominently in many rituals 
   
  The Islamic conquest of Persia fell hard on 
  followers of this religion.  Many adherents 
  migrated to Gujarat in India, where they remain 
  today.  Known as Parsis, the British consider 
  them 
  well-integrated 
  members 
  of 
  society.  
  Bombay is the location of the Tower of Silence, 
  where Parsi corpses are taken after death.  In 
  order to prevent the spread of corruption, they are 
  left there for carrion birds, and any bones 
  remaining are interred in an ossuary.  
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  39 
  HINTS to 
  TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  Famous Ruins 
   
  1 
  Taxila 
   
   
  This city was made into a religious and 
  educational center because of its position astride 
  the main trade routes between India and the rest of 
  Asia.  Persian, Greek, Kushan and Indian influences 
  are evident in its ruins and objets d’art.  One 
  possible translation of the name of the eponymous 
  king who founded the city is “prince of the serpent 
  tribe.” 
   
  2 
  Mamallapuram 
   
   
  Marco Polo was the first European to mention 
  this great port city south of Madras which thrived in 
  the 600s-900s.  It contains striking carvings 
  (including large bas-reliefs) and a large temple.  
  Legend states that there were six similar temples 
  nearby, perhaps swallowed by the sea.   
   
  3 
  Ceylon 
   
   
  One can hardly throw a stone without hitting 
  an ancient site on this island; it is equally likely that 
  the rock used came from some monument as well.  
  Major ruins include ancient cities (Polonnaruwa and 
  Anuradhapura), fortresses (Sigiriya), and temples 
  (including the Temple of the Buddha’s Tooth at 
  Kandy). 
   
        
   
   
  A Parsi Tower of Silence 
   
   
  Buddhist 
   
   
  Buddhism 
  stems 
  from 
  the 
  teachings of Gautama, an Indian prince 
  living in the 5th Century BCE.  He rejected 
  the Hindu caste system in favor of a 
  personal 
  path 
  towards 
  spiritual 
  enlightenment.  This more universalist 
  view 
  allowed 
  Buddhism 
  to 
  spread 
  throughout India and beyond, carried east 
  along the Silk Road.  Ironically, it was 
  almost displaced entirely from its cradle 
  thereafter, with one branch enduring in 
  Ceylon 
  while 
  Tibetan 
  and 
  Chinese 
  versions flourished.  Its rich literary 
  tradition rivals the Vedic one. 
   
  Sikh 
   
   
  This faith arose in the Punjab 
  during the 15th Century, influenced by 
  both Hindu and Muslim traditions.  Its 
  adherents follow the teachings of a 
  discrete line of teachers (gurus) with the 
  aim of living virtuous lives.  Sikhs are 
  easily distinguished by uncut hair (often 
  kept beneath a turban), an iron bracelet, 
  wooden comb, and kirpan sword.  Sikhs 
  have an impressive military tradition and 
  are well-represented in the ranks of the 
  Army of India. 
   
  Jain 
   
   
  Jainism is a faith espousing 
  harmony with all life that arose shortly 
  before Buddhism.  Its notion of pacifism 
  is applied to all living things.  As such, its 
  followers strive to be charitable to man 
  and animal alike.  Jains try to live lives of 
  modesty and toleration. 
   
   
  Christian 
   
   
  Christianity has three wellsprings 
  in India.  Obviously, the British brought 
  their own creed with them.  The Church of 
  England is the most prevalent Christian 
  denomination throughout the Raj.  Missionaries of 
  this tradition have 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  40 
  increased their efforts “to convert the heathen” in 
  direct contrast to the more accommodating view 
  taken by the Company in the days before 1857.    
   
   
  Before them, however, the Portuguese 
  converted large numbers of their subjects to the 
  Roman Catholic faith.  The area around Goa and 
  other former possessions still contain practitioners 
  (of course, Irish Catholics are found in lesser 
  numbers wherever the British congregate).  The 
  origin of the third branch is presumed to the apostle 
  Thomas, who legends say visited India in the 
  decades after Jesus’ death.  An offshoot of the 
  Syriac 
  church 
  still 
  exists 
  today 
  along 
  the 
  southwestern Malabar coast.  Another unusual story 
  is the location of the tomb of Jesus in Kashmir, 
  venerated in a unique syncretization of Christian, 
  Islamic and Buddhist traditions. 
   
  Jewish 
   
   
  Jews have lived in India since before the 
  birth of Christ.  This monotheistic faith that sired 
  Christianity and profoundly influenced Islam 
  emphasizes the relationship between God and His 
  chosen people.  Two distinct populations settled in 
  the ancient kingdom of Cochin in the south, and the 
  Maratha kingdom in western India.  More came to 
  the subcontinent from the Ottoman Empire during 
  the 19th Century, where they hoped to receive more 
  favorable treatment from the British.  Although anti-
  Semitism was as much a reality in India as it was 
  elsewhere, they did enjoy better status than many 
  native castes. 
   
  Theosophic 
   
   
  Helena Blavatsky’s teachings were a 
  marriage of Gnostic sensibilities and Eastern 
  philosophies.  She adopted many of the important 
  facets of dharmic religions into her works, although 
  she espoused the development of humanity along 
  racial lines rather than individual.  Still, as this fit 
  neatly with Darwinian modes of thought her ideas 
  would endure.   
   
   
  Theosophists happily admired many facets 
  of Indian culture and are not likely to discriminate 
  against natives (in other than a paternalistic 
  fashion).  This eventually places its members the 
  vanguard of European support for the giving Indians 
  a greater say in government.   
   
   
  Thuggee 
   
   
  This group was more of a society than a 
  religion, although they worshipped the Hindu god 
  Kali (and obviously, not all worshippers of Kali 
  were Thugs).  They robbed and murdered travelers 
  in the desolate stretches between cities.  The Raj 
  considered them a sect and worked hard to suppress 
  them in the early 19th Century.  By 1870 they were 
  effectively extinct, but it is probable that many 
  Thuggees simply ended their depredations.  There 
  may still be some elders alive today who use the 
  Ramasi cant of the stranglers, a mixture of spoken 
  words and hand gestures.  
   
   
  Pagan 
   
   
  There are small pockets where natives 
  practice devotions unconnected to any “organized” 
  religion.  These would include animistic or 
  pantheistic faiths practiced by primitive tribes living 
  in the deep jungle, or even the shamanistic Bön 
  religion of Tibet.  
   
   
  Attitude toward British 
   
   
  Although many Indians would spend their 
  entire life without seeing a single foreigner, this is 
  an unlikely frame of reference for Call of Cthulhu.  
  Natives that did interact with the British tended to 
  adopted one of three strategies for such dealings. 
   
  Resistant 
   
   
  Most natives who dwelt on the subject 
  expected the British to remain ensconced in India 
  for the duration of their life.  Nevertheless, there 
  were opportunities to be less than helpful.  The 
  average Indian spoke no English, and those that did 
  could always feign ignorance when addressed in 
  that language.  A more common image was the 
  stereotypical hill tribesman of the Northwest 
  Frontier – a Mahommaden looking for any chance 
  to revolt.  Of course, many such tribes were only 
  nominally under the control of the Raj, and were 
  periodically subject to punitive expeditions when 
  they expressed their independence a little too 
  forcefully.  Hindus tended to resist in a different 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  41 
  direction:  those few who were educated in Britian 
  often returned to push for self rule using legal 
  arguments they heard during their studies abroad.  
   
  Beneficient 
   
   
  Some Indians, concentrated in the fields of 
  government or medicine, could not help but notice 
  that British rule had brought some gradual 
  improvements.  It had taken many a plague, famine, 
  or flood, but eventually the Raj began looking to the 
  welfare of its poorest citizens on the subcontinent.  
  These natives might also envision a day when they 
  could take a more substantial part in guiding India’s 
  destiny, but they were willing to be patient as long 
  as conditions improved.  For the sake of a Call of 
  Cthulhu game this personality is the easiest to 
  integrate into a party of mixed natives and 
  foreigners. 
   
   
  Of course, princely rulers enjoyed their 
  parts in the Jewel of Empire.  Queen Victoria often 
  confessed her affection for all Indians, but those of 
  high station tended to get more tangible benefits of 
  Imperial rule in the form of decorations and 
  invitations to governmental functions.  These were a 
  chance to contribute to the allure that most 
  Englishmen, despite their personal feelings towards 
  natives, felt for India.  
   
  Machiavellian 
   
   
  More than a few princely rulers worked the 
  Raj to their advantage as well.  Like the Mughals 
  before them, the British were content to let 
  ambitious natives win fortunes, provided they abide 
  by the rules of the game.  Cynical Indians could use 
  prejudices in their favor, turning these sentiments 
  against their rivals.  Schemers like this make for 
  good, if mundane, villains – especially if the Mythos 
  can turn suspicion elsewhere as they plot and gain 
  power. 
   
  Dutiful 
   
   
  Dharmic religions, and to a lesser extent the 
  caste system, emphasize a person’s duty in the 
  larger framework of society.  Many natives would 
  dislike their station in life if it might have occurred 
  to them to question it.  More often, they accepted it 
  with humility – often to the derision of foreigners 
  who put store in initiative or ambition.  Still, the 
  average 
  Englishman 
  appreciated 
  honor 
  and 
  understood the realities of social class, too.  Most 
  Indians serving the Raj in a military capacity will 
  exhibit this personality; certainly their British 
  officers assumed this was the case. 
   
  Clothing 
   
   
  Only food rivals Asian modes of dress as 
  the strongest native influence on habits adopted by 
  Europeans on the subcontinent.  Many recognizable 
  articles of clothing today – like pajamas, jodhpurs 
  and a tuxedo’s cumberbund, as well as accessories 
  (the word “bangle” is derived from Hindustani) – 
  originated in India.  Popular textiles, such as madras 
  and calico, were created in India or adjoining 
  regions.  Still, the average Briton was easily 
  befuddled by the complexities of native clothing.  
  For ease of description, some basic concepts are 
  listed here. 
   
   
  The most basic article of clothing for both 
  sexes is long and thin strip of cloth.  A dhoti is 4-5 
  feet long, typically white and unadorned, designed 
  to be wound around a man’s waist; a sari is about 
  twice that length, for a female wearer to cover her 
  chest as well.  Both genders use lungis as well, 
  which resemble short skirts worn as one would wear 
  a dhoti.  In the warmest weather, a man can wear 
  this and nothing else.  More often, however, it is 
  supplemented by a large, loose-fitting shirt called a 
  kurta.   
   
   
  Saris are made in a variety of regional 
  colors and patterns; beneath one a woman can wear 
  a cropped blouse (choli) and a petticoat – or nothing 
  in the hottest temperatures.  The choli can be worn 
  as a regular garment with long but tight leggings 
  that bunch on the legs (churidar) or with a wrap 
  dress (lehenga).  Nearly every outfit can be 
  combined with a scarf known as a dupatta, which 
  are as variegated as a sari.  
   
   
  Another unisex outfit is a combination of 
  trousers and shirt known as a salwar and kameez, 
  respectively, although women often combine them 
  with a dupatta.  The latter can also be worn with 
  churidars or breeches that flare on the thigh but 
  tighten on the calf – made famous in the city of 
  Jodhpur and eagerly adopted by European riders.  In 
  formal settings, Sikhs and North Indians don tunics 
  atop more everyday clothing. 
   
   
  Indian Muslims adhere to the strictures of 
  their religion.  For males this means being covered 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  42 
  from navel to knee.  Most Indian clothing 
  accomplishes this, but tribesmen in arid climes also 
  wear robes that resemble Arabian dress.  Women 
  might favor traditional Indian styles in the zenana, 
  but don fully-concealing burkas or chadors when 
  they exit the house (this also holds true for Hindus 
  that follow the rules of purdah).   
   
   
  Clothing customs are even more important 
  to Sikh men, who wear or display five things as a 
  sign of devotion:  uncut hair, a wooden comb, a 
  particular undergarment, a sword and an iron 
  bracelet.  Long hair can be worn beneath a turban, 
  and secured by a ring-like chakram that can double 
  as an edged or thrown weapon.  Turbans are also 
  favored in certain areas of central India, and were 
  adapted into military uniforms due to the prevalence 
  of sepoys in the Indian Army who favored them. 
   
  Cuisine 
   
   
  India has long been associated with spices, 
  even centuries after Europeans had traded directly 
  with the Spice Islands further east (the “Indies”).  
  Still, barring for regional differences, pepper, garlic, 
  mustard and other condiments are a mainstay of 
  Indian cooking, especially in the southern regions 
  where more exotic plants flourished.  Spicy 
  additions to meals appear in a coarsely chopped 
  form (chutney) or a sauce (curry) – both of which 
  gradually made their way westward. 
   
   
  However, rice was the most important 
  staple in a subcontinental diet.  It would be grown in 
  coastal or well-watered areas like Bengal and 
  Madras, easily transported, and stored indefinitely.  
  Wheat was nearly as common; a significant crop of 
  the Punjab.  It is typically baked into round 
  flatbreads called chapatti.  These were both eaten 
  alone or used to wrap other foods like a tortilla.  
  Millet, lentils, and chick-peas are also grown 
  throughout India. 
   
   
  Owing to Islamic and Hindu strictures, pork 
  and beef were not common meals (although 
  clarified butter, or ghee, was).  Jain principles 
  against violence were only one motive behind the 
  prevalence of vegetarian dishes in various cultures.  
  Still, chicken, goat and lamb are commonly eaten in 
  India – especially the latter two meats in the Islam-
  influenced north.  Fish is an obvious part of coastal 
  diets as well. 
   
  Purdah 
   
   
  This word encompasses two broad social 
  customs in northern India:  the process of separating 
  male and female in general, and the veiling of 
  women outside the home.  It developed from the 
  Islamic influence over the subcontinent by a 
  succession of Muslim rulers – and is obviously still 
  practiced in areas where this religion is prevalent, 
  such as Persia and Afghanistan – but by the end of 
  the 19th century many Hindu families considered it a 
  long-standing tradition as well.  It has significant 
  consequences for characters of different genders 
  who wish to interact.   
   
   
  Each household that practiced purdah had a 
  section of the dwelling reserved for female use.  In 
  some homes, it was constructed with the use of 
  temporary curtains or screens, usually lavishly 
  decorated.  Other, richer homes had entire 
  apartments and other rooms devoted for a family’s 
  women.  This area, the zenana, was off-limits to all 
  males except children and close family members.  
  The practice of excluding men from female life 
  provided an impetus to recruit women with medical 
  training from Europe (and a useful background for 
  female characters).  Even in more open households, 
  where people met in mixed company, native men 
  and women would be uncomfortable interacting 
  with Indians of the opposite sex.  Western females 
  could be expected not to adhere to such strictures, 
  but men of any race risked ostracism and anger if 
  they attempted to break purdah. 
   
   
  Women who subscribe to the custom will 
  not leave the house without some form of obscuring 
  dress to prevent male strangers from seeing her.  
  This typically meant the use of burkah or chador, 
  covering all but the eyes – which might even be 
  veiled by headwear of cloth.  Only after clothing 
  themselves in such a fashion would females consent 
  to leave the zenana for tasks to be undertaken 
  outside the home.   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  43 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Character Options 
   
  uropean investigators in India tend to be handicapped by having to operate in an 
  unfamiliar land, while Indian heroes are dogged by their status as outsiders where it 
  really counts.  Still, resourceful players have some resources at their disposal in this 
  setting which might not exist elsewhere.  As always, groups can consult other Gaslight references 
  for even more variations. 
   
   
  Character Types 
   
   
  Most of the occupations in the main rulebook 
  and Cthulhu by Gaslight are usable here for 
  European investigators.  A few more are been 
  presented for certain types of characters unique 
  to the Raj.  Underlined occupations are suitable 
  for Europeans, while italicized entries work best 
  for natives (there are two which work for either 
  type, as well).  Where important, Hindu caste 
  suggestions are also provided. 
   
   Adventurer – some white men were not 
  content to live in civilized areas.  Most looked to 
  the north, playing a part in the Great Game 
  against Russia (alongside native pundits).  Some 
  will also be found in the wilds of Burma or the 
  Himalayas, trying to penetrate Tibet. 
   
  Skills:  Disguise, Languages, Rifle, Navigate 
   
   Dacoit – the life of a highwayman was 
  slipping away, but many natives still took the 
  opportunity to prey on their countrymen.  Bandits 
  that got too powerful would attract the attention 
  of police agencies or even the army [sudra/dalit].  
   
  Skills:  one melee weapon, Hide, Sneak, 
  Survival 
   
   Lascar – Indian sailors often signed on to the 
  steamers that plied the seas for the Empire.  Although 
  a good number of them eventually settled in Britain, 
  they visited much of the world[sudra]. 
   
  Skills:  Mechanical Repair, Navigate, Operate 
  Heavy Machinery, Sailing. 
   
   Mahout – trainers were paired with individual 
  elephants at a young age, which created a rapport 
  between the mahout and his charge.  Elephants figured 
  prominently in festivals and performed labors like tree 
  removal or moving heavy loads [sudra].  
   
  Skills:  Animal Handling, Biology, Drive 
  (Elephants rather than horses), Ride 
   
   Missionary – devout Christians lamented the fact 
  that most of India’s inhabitants were pagans.  After 
  the Mutiny, the general tolerance of other religions 
  made way to a desire to convert Indians to a more 
  suitable faith.  Missionaries assumed secondary roles 
  as teachers and doctors as well. 
   
  Skills:  First Aid, Medicine, Persuade, 
  Religion 
   E 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  44 
   Monastic – there were many sorts of clergy in 
  India beyond the western model.  This can apply to 
  Tibetan lamas, Muslim dervishes, Hindu fakirs, or 
  Buddhist monks.  A good many were wandering 
  mendicants, who survived by begging or traveling 
  with more wealthy pilgrims.  
   
  Skills:  Library Use, Natural History, 
  Religion, Persuade 
   
   Planter – while the gulf between a native farmer 
  and English planter is large, their livelihoods are 
  essentially the same:  producing crops.  Farmers of 
  small plots tried to tend to their own needs before 
  raising cash crops like opium, cotton or tea, but some 
  had no choice, making them more vulnerable to 
  famine [sudra].  
   
  Skills: 
   
  Accounting, 
  Bargain, 
  Craft 
  (Farming), Natural History 
   
   Pundit – rather than today’s meaning, pundits 
  were native scouts employed by the Corps of Guides 
  to map the trackless expanses of the Himalayas.  In 
  order to conceal their true motives, many pundits 
  dressed as religious pilgrims, using disguised ritual 
  implements as surveying tools [brahmin].  
   
  Skills:  Navigate, Religion, Signaling, 
  Survival 
   
   Resident/Administrator – this template applies to 
  native and foreign members of the Indian Civil 
  Service as well.  The most ambitious and effective 
  might one day advise princes or run entire residencies 
  [vaisya].  
   
  Skills:  Listen, Law, Library Use, Persuade 
   
   Shopkeeper – applies to the typical merchant as 
  well as traveling salesmen or well-to-do craftsmen 
  [vaisya] 
   
  Skills:  Accounting, Bargain, Craft, Fast Talk 
   
   Soldier – this template can apply to both native 
  and foreign troops.  Officers might have one or two 
  social skills to allow them to advance in the ranks 
  without resorting to combat [kshatriya]. 
   
  Skills:  First Aid, Ride (for cavalrymen and 
  sowars), Operate Heavy Machinery (for artillery), 
  Rifle, Sport 
   
   Zemindar – the Raj collected taxes from natives 
  through these semi-hereditary positions.  They came 
   from noble families as well as enterprising scions of 
  other castes [kshatriya/vaisya] 
            Skills:  Accounting, Law, Natural History, 
  Fast Talk 
  New Skills 
   
            A Cthulhuian Miscellany has several new 
  skills intended to supplement the Gaslight setting.  A 
  few of these are expounded on below, with some 
  other noteworthy additions. 
   
   Animal Handling:  Animal Handling skill can be 
  used by an Investigator to train wild animals (albeit 
  over a period of time, to be determined by the 
  Keeper).  It is also useful in enticing already trained 
  animals into performing as he wishes--for example, 
  to get a howdah-equipped elephant to kneel to take 
  on riders. The skill may also be used to calm down a 
  trained animal that’s been panicked or spooked by 
  something—though it would be of little use on a 
  herd of stampeding cattle (or worse, elephants—
  trained or otherwise.) To attempt to calm or “stare 
  down” a wild animal, especially to keep one from 
  attacking, an Investigator must roll one-fifth his 
  normal skill percentage in Animal Handling.  
  Anyone working with elephants or similar animals 
  needs this skill. At his option, the Keeper may 
  require Investigators  to  take specializations in this 
  skill for different animals or  classes  of  animals  
  (elephants,  carnivores,  cats,  grazers,  and so on)—
  after  all,  elephant  whispering  and  tiger taming 
  would require very different techniques. Base 
  chance: 10%. 
        
  A Bullock Cart 
   
   Religion:  This is an in-depth knowledge of one 
  particular 
  religion. 
  A 
  player 
  should 
  specify 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  45 
  the faith in which his Investigator is knowledgeable 
  when the skill is purchased, as in Religion (Hindu) 
  or Religion (Buddhist). He will then be at full skill 
  level when attempting to recognize or recall the 
  teachings, rituals, beliefs, or holy objects of that 
  particular religion.  On rolls of one-fifth skill level 
  or less, he can even recognize relatively obscure 
  religious rituals within his area of knowledge or 
  those of a closely related religion. Say, for example, 
  that a character with a skill level of 65% in 
  Religion (Hindu) skill observes the ritual of a cult 
  he’s been investigating and makes a roll against his 
  skill to discern whether it’s related to or based on 
  any known Hindu ritual. He rolls a 23%, and knows 
  that what he’s witnessing is a Hindu ritual to the 
  goddess Kali (Had he rolled a 13% or less, he’d 
  have realized he was watching a Thuggee ritual.) 
  This skill does not impart any knowledge of the 
  Cthulhu Mythos or the Occult, which are covered 
  by their own, existing skills.  Base chances:  05% 
  (but for members of the clergy or priesthood, 15%). 
   
   Signalling:  This skill imparts basic knowledge 
  of all the major communications media of the day. 
  An 1890s Investigator with communications skill  
  would  know  Morse  code  and  be  able  to  
  operate  a telegraph on successful  skill rolls. He 
  would probably also be familiar with the use of 
  semaphores, heliographs, and other means of 
  communication available during the Victorian era. 
  Investigators with skill levels of 25% or higher 
  needn’t make rolls for simple  communications  
  tasks,  although  they  would  to correctly read a 
  message in Morse code or to send one themselves. 
  This skill also gives the Investigator some 
  knowledge of how to repair simple communication 
  devices (at half skill percentage maximum), 
  although Mechanical Repair or Electrical Repair 
  may also be necessary. Base chance: 5% 
   
   Sport:  Nearly every Englishmen enjoyed some 
  form of organized recreation.  Victorian society 
  admired athletes - and winning – to at least the 
  same extent modern society does.  This skill can be 
  subdivided into specific pastimes like croquet, 
  badminton, cricket, and polo.  Base chance:  15%. 
   
   Survival:  Characters with this skill can manage 
  the bare necessities far from the comforts of home.  
  It includes building suitable shelters, finding edible 
  food and water, and avoiding the most dangerous 
  aspects of each clime.  Characters with more than 
  25% in this skill should pick one or more specific 
  environments within which he is particularly 
  specialized; ratings below 25% represent general 
  knowledge which is useful in nearly any situation.  
  Base Chance:  01%. 
   
  A Princely Maharaja 
   
  Pomp and Circumstance 
   
   
  One particularly useful tool in the 
  Queen’s diplomatic arsenal was the reliance on 
  opulence and the appreciation of ancient 
  tradition.  This was one reason that Victoria 
  donned the title “Empress of India” in 1877, at a 
  lavish ceremony attended by a host of native 
  rulers.  The Crown keenly fostered competition in 
  their ranks by equating loyalty with an increased 
  number of guns in a ruler’s salute.  If this status 
  matters for a character, the number of guns in a 
  head of state’s salute can be added to his Credit 
  Rating score (from 9 to 21 in odd increments). 
   
            Another important tactic was the creation of 
  several new chivalric orders open to colonial 
  subjects.  Native subjects were eligible to join the 
  Most Exalted Order of the Star in India, and the 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  46 
  slightly less prestigious Most Eminent Order of the 
  British Empire.  Both British and Indian females 
  could aspire to the Imperial Order of the Crown of 
  India.  Even everyday Britons might hold native 
  members of these ranks in relative esteem.  More 
  importantly to most rulers, however, the relative 
  ranking of such awards influenced when a member 
  could be presented at an official function. 
   
          There are also honors to be earned on the 
  field of battle.  The Victoria Cross was available  
  to British citizens only until 1910; distinguished 
   members of the Navy and Army might also win  
   an Empire Gallantry Cross or Distinguished 
  Conduct Medal, respectively.  Two other awards 
  were available to colonials:  the Order of British 
  India and the Indian Order of Merit.  The latter 
  was exclusive to natives. 
   
         Each reward includes the bonus to a 
  character’s Credit Rating score.  Reductions for 
  dealing across racial lines are halved after 
  applying it.  These titles can be revoked (along 
  with the bonus) if a decorated character acts to 
  the detriment of his status.  
   
   
  Chivalric Orders by rank of precession (including requirements) 
   
  The Most Noble Order of the Garter (English) [+15%] 
  The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle (Scottish) 
  [+14%] 
  Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick (Irish) [+13%] 
  The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (British) [+12%] 
  The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India [+10%] 
  The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael & St. George (British) 
  [+8%] 
  Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire [+6%] 
  Royal Order of Victoria & Albert (British women) [+4%] 
  Imperial Order of the Crown of India (women) [+3%] 
   
  Decorations (including requirements) 
   
  Victoria Cross (British) [+11%] 
  Distinguished Service Order (officers) [+9%] 
  Distinguished Gallantry Medal (Navy ratings) [+8%] 
  Distinguished Conduct Medal (Army ratings) [+8%] 
  Order of British India (British) [+7%] 
  Indian Order of Merit (Indian) [+5%] 
  Military Campaign Medal(s) - Mutiny, Sikh War, Afghan War(s) [+2%] 
  General Service Medal(s) [+1%] 
  Livesaving medals:  Royal Red Cross Medal (for nurses); Albert Medal 
  [+1%] 
  Kaisar-I-Hind Medal (for “service to India”) [+1%] 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  47 
   
   
   
   
  The Written Word 
   
  riting appeared on the subcontinent at roughly the same time as it did elsewhere in 
  the world.  Soon thereafter, trade between the Near East contributed as much to 
  the development of India’s languages as did the Aryan migrations.  Many things 
  will seem familiar to a student of Europeans languages – such as the continued use of a “dead 
  language” in written form for the propagation of religion (both Sanskrit and Latin play this role).  
  But many other things are unique to India. 
   
  Languages 
   
   
  India is geographically comparable to 
  Western Europe, and exceeds these nations in 
  population; so it should be no surprise that at least 
  the same number of languages are spoken on the 
  subcontinent. 
   
  What 
  really 
  compounds 
  the 
  complexity of these tongues, however, is the 
  number of alphabets used in conjunction with them.  
  There are two main sources for the alphabets that 
  comprise a majority of India’s languages. 
   
   
  Brahmic scripts evolved from Sanskrit, the 
  language of ancient Vedic texts.  This alphabet was 
  the basis of the Magadhi Prakrit likely spoken by 
  the Buddha and preserved in stone tablets erected 
  by the emperor Ashoka throughout India.  Although 
  Sanskrit shares an ancestor with most European 
  languages, its descendants appear totally alien to the 
  average westerner (Sanksrit was also written in the 
  Kharosthi 
  script 
  of 
  the 
  Gandharan 
  region, 
  resembling its Aramaic ancestor).  These alphabets 
  include Devanagari, which represents most Indian 
  languages; Eastern Nagari, used for tongues  
   
   
  such as Bengali and Assamese; and several other 
  scripts unique to a number of spoken dialects.  A 
  second important writing system is a form of Arabic 
  writing strongly influenced by the Persian literary 
  and calligraphic traditions (Nasta’liq).  Arabic script 
  is also used for Chagatai, the language of the 
  Mughal Empire preserved in its poetry and the 
  emperor Babur’s autobiography.  And by 1890, 
  English has had two centuries within which it has 
  influenced the languages of the subcontinent. 
   
   
  Several 
  Indian 
  languages 
  lack 
  Indo-
  European roots, although Sanskrit has influenced the 
  development of nearly all of them.  The majority of 
  these are Dravidian languages.  They have their own 
  Brahmic-influenced scripts, as do most Sino-Tibetan 
  tongues – except Burmese, which uses the Eastern 
  Nagari script of several neighbors.  All the 
  Dravidian tongues are still quite similar; characters 
  with skill in one of these languages can comprehend 
  other spoken Dravidian languages at a quarter of 
  their skill rating.  Other non-Indo-European tongues 
  are identified in the accompanying table. 
   
   
  The 
  chart 
  also 
  summarizes 
  the 
  interrelationships among India’s several largest 
  languages.  Note that with many, writers can express 
  a number of languages with more than one alphabet.  
   W 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  48 
   
  Languages of India 
  Indo-European Tongues 
   
  ●Using the Kharosthi alphabet: 
  Sanskrit (a)  
   
   
   
   
  Pahlavi (b) 
   
  ●Using the Brahmic alphabet: 
  Sanskrit (a)  
   
   
   
   
  Magadhi Prakrit 
   
  ●Using the Devanagari alphabet: 
  Sanskrit (a)  
  Hindustani (e) 
   
  Bihari  
  Maratha 
   
   
  Gujarati 
   
  Rajasthani 
   
  Nepalese 
  Punjabi (e) 
  Sindhi (e) 
   
  Nepali (e) 
   
  Kashmiri (e) Pali (e)(d)  
   
  ●Using Eastern Nagari script: 
  Bengali (f) 
   
   
   
   
   
  Assamese (f) 
   
  ●Using unique alphabets: 
  Pali (e)(d) 
   
  Punjabi (e)  
  Oriya (f) 
  Sinhala (d) 
   
  Nepali (e) 
   
  ●Using Perso-Arabic scripts: 
  Hindustani [Urdu] (e) 
  Persian 
   
  Pahlavi (b) 
   
  Baluchi 
  Punjabi (e)  
   
  Sindhi (e) 
   
  Kashmiri 
   
  Pashtu  
  Malayalam (e) 
  Dravidian Tongues 
   
  ●Using unique alphabets: 
  Classical Tamil (c) Telugu 
   
   
  Tamil (c) 
  Kannada 
   
  Malayalam (e) [uses Perso-Arabic script] 
   
  ●Languages with exclusively oral traditions: 
  Gondi 
  Turkic Tongues 
   
  Chagatai [uses Arabic script] 
  Sino-Tibetan Tongues 
   
  Burmese [uses Eastern Nagari script] 
  Tibetan 
  Austro-Asiatic Tongues [oral only] 
   
  Mundari 
   
   
   
   
  Santali 
  Special Tongues 
   
  Ramasi [Thuggee cant; a combination of jargon and hand symbols] 
   
  Notes 
  Dead languages are in italics 
   
  (a) Scholars literate in Sanskrit can read the Brahmic and Kharosthi form of 
  this language at one-half their skill rating.  The same rule applies for characters 
  who can decipher Pahlavi (b), literate speakers of Sinhalese who encounter 
  ancient Theravedic texts in their original Pali (c), and Tamil readers examining 
  works in its classical form (d). 
   
  (e) These languages have multiple writing systems.  Literate users can read 
  one alphabet at their full skill rating, and any other at two-thirds of their skill 
  rating. 
   
  (f) Characters with skill in one of these three languages can comprehend 
  the other two tongues at a quarter of their skill rating.   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  49 
   
  HINTS to 
  TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  The Best Places for Studious 
  Pursuits 
   
  1 
  The Facilities of the Asiatic Society of 
  Bengal 
   
   
  The grounds house the supplemental library of 
  15,000 volumes; 100,000 are stored in surplus offices 
  at the Calcutta town hall.  The Museum is renowned 
  for its collection of Indian curiosities. 
   
  2 
  The Observatories of Jai Singh 
   
   
  The first Raja of Jaipur was an amateur 
  astronomer celebrated in India and admired by peers 
  in Europe.  During the early 18th Century he built five 
  observatories for his Moghul masters, in Benares, 
  Muttra, Ujjain, Delhi and Jaipur.  Despite the use of 
  substandard materials, his measurements were nearly 
  as accurate as those made with modern tools.  A 
  goodly number of his implements are still maintained 
  on the premises of each site. 
   
  3 
  The Palace of the Princess, Tanjore 
   
   
  This ancient Chola fortress has a library with 
  18,000 Sanskrit manuscripts; half are printed on flimsy 
  palm leaves.  Works in many South Indian languages 
  are also represented here, including Buddhist works in 
  Pali and documents in classical Tamil. 
            
   
  The best example is Hindustani, the most 
  common language on the subcontinent.  An 
  important literary variant – written in 
  Nasta’liq 
  in 
  Persian-influenced 
  northwestern India – has diverged far 
  enough to receive its own name:  Urdu.  
  Owing to its use by the majority of native 
  troops, it is the unofficial second language 
  of the British Army.  To the unseasoned 
  ear, however, Urdu is simply Hindustani 
  with a highly specialized vocabulary. 
   
   
  Similar schisms have occurred with 
  many other tongues in the past.  Pali texts 
  appear in both the Devanagari alphabet and 
  a variation of the unique Sinhalese script.  
  Written Nepali once used a script called 
  Bhujimol, but is now written in Devanagari.  
  Punjabi literature can be expressed with 
  Nasta’liq, 
  Devanagari, 
  and 
  its 
  own 
  alphabet.  Sindhi uses Devanagari and a 
  modified Arabic script introduced by the 
  English.  Of course, English writers have 
  begun to simply Anglicize many Indian 
  words as well.  
   
  Scriptures 
   
   
  European scholars encountered a 
  wealth of texts in India that matched the 
  literary canons of Egypt and China.  What 
  made translation even more interesting was 
  the fact that Sanskrit was found to have 
  many words that appeared cognate with 
  Latin, Greek, and Persian vocabularies.  For 
  about a century, linguists have begun 
  tracing these tongues back to the common 
  ancestor 
  that 
  is 
  now 
  called 
  “Indo-
  European.”  Uncovering the links between 
  these languages spurred the study of more 
  texts, which in turn opened up more 
  linguistic connections.  
   
   
  What follows is a brief discussion 
  of the texts used by the major religions of 
  the subcontinent.  Readers should bear in 
  mind that there are multiple systems of 
  classification.  Thus the distinctions that 
  appear here are made for simplicity’s sake, 
  for the benefit of Keepers creating their 
  own Mythos tomes.  Likewise, these 
  guidelines are not meant to disparage any of 
  these religions in the slightest manner.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  50 
   
  Hindu 
   
   
  Experts believe the Hindu scriptural canon 
  has been in continual use as religious texts longer 
  than any other human manuscripts – unless one 
  were to consider any number of particular Mythos 
  tomes.  The earliest written forms of some Vedas 
  approach three millennia in age; since their authors 
  often used poorly-preservable materials like tree 
  bark or leaves, some works must undoubtedly be 
  even older.  This analysis also fails to include the 
  substantial likelihood that they were first composed 
  and transmitted orally.  In written form, they first 
  appeared in Sanskrit, though they have been 
  translated into other Indian languages down to 
  modern times. 
   
   
  Vedas form the ancient core of Hindu 
  spiritual thought.  They can be classified as four 
  large collections of verse (Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, 
  Sama Veda & Atharva Veda).  An array of 
  commentaries sprung from these hymns, roughly 
  assembled into two kinds:  Upanishads, examining 
  the theological and philosophical implications of 
  the vedas; and Brahmanas, detailing the rituals 
  evoked in them.  Groups of Hindus consider certain 
  parts of this supplementary material with varying 
  degrees of importance.   
   
   
  Puranas are historical and mythological 
  tales written from about 350 BC to 500 AD.  They 
  are chiefly creation stories with subjects as broad as 
  the universe, or as specific as a particular temple or 
  caste; several are genealogies of deities and ancient 
  rulers.  These are the most likely source of native 
  writings that could contain Mythos information. 
   
   
  There are also two major Sanskrit epics:  
  the Mahabharata (which includes a section revered 
  on its own as the Bhagavad Gita) and the 
  Ramayana.  The former is slightly older; although 
  both were already well-known throughout India in 
  the last few centuries before Christ.  Like other 
  epics, they are majestic in scope and length, with 
  stories of gods, demons, kings and warriors.  
  Through their tales they identify and promote the 
  same cherished concepts of Hinduism that are 
  formalized in the Vedas. 
   
   
  Neither epic contains anything overtly 
  involving the Mythos.  However, investigators who 
  already possess the Cthulhu Mythos skill will be 
  able to understand the dearth of ghouls in India after 
  reading the Ramayana. 
   
   
  Buddhist 
   
   
  While Hinduism has always remained 
  inextricably tied with the subcontinent, Buddhism 
  quickly spread far from its cradle, influencing lands 
  from Ceylon to Japan and Central Asia.  As a result, 
  the amount and complexity of Buddhist canons is 
  beyond the scope of this book.  However, a few 
  generalizations can be made about what an 
  investigator might find in the course of his studies in 
  India.  
   
  Gautama’s teachings are the wellspring of all 
  Buddhist scripture.  Consequently, students were 
  relying on the earliest works by about 400 BC.  
  Owing to the dynamic cultural changes in the 
  Ganges watershed throughout history, it was an 
  unstable place to preserve literature; Buddhists 
  living on Ceylon were the primary keepers of the 
  oldest texts.  As a result, surviving versions of 
  Buddhist documents are more likely to appear in 
  Pali than Sanskrit.  By 1900, many contemporary 
  translations in modern languages exist in India and 
  Tibet.  
   
   
  Sanskrit document written on palm leaves 
   
   
  There are several ways to classify Buddhist 
  works in terms of importance.  Certainly teachings 
  believed to have been given by the Buddha directly 
  are accorded more weight by the majority of 
  adherents.  Also, particular schools express their 
  values in the texts they include in their canons.  
  Structurally, the majority of Buddhist scripture falls 
  into 
  three 
  classes. 
   
  Abhidammas 
  contain 
  explanations of various properties of the universe.  
  Sutras are scholarly discussions of doctrine ascribed 
  Ramayana:  no SAN loss; Cthulhu 
  Mythos  
  +1 percentile (if a reader 
  already  
  has the skill). 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  51 
  to the Buddha. Vinayas are rules for monastic 
  living.  Of the three types of texts, the former would 
  be the most likely to contain information touching 
  on the Mythos. 
   
  Material in Tibetan Buddhism, whose 
  isolation led to a unique path of development, also 
  appears in termas.  These are texts and even 
  physical 
  objects 
  that 
  trigger 
  revelations 
  of 
  knowledge imparted by an 8th-century master.  
  Owing to the understanding of the soul in 
  Buddhism, some termas can also be in the form of 
  psychic transmissions from this saint, which are 
  revealed during meditation.  Men with the ability to 
  recognize termas in their hidden form are called 
  tertöns. 
   
  Jain 
   
   
  The canon of 45 Jainist scriptures are called 
  agamas.  They have been written in many Brahmic 
  and Dravidian languages, including Sanskrit and 
  Prakrit.  Some of these are also called sutras, as 
  they function in much the same way as their 
  Buddhist namesake.  Religious material can also 
  appear as part of an educational text.   
   
  Sikh 
   
   
  The two main texts of the Sikhs are called 
  granths, which were compiled by the final guru and 
  founder of the sect.  Though they have not changed 
  for 150 years, some parts of these are excerpted as 
  gutkas.  Other writings by any of the 11 Sikh gurus 
  are called bani. 
   
  Theosophist 
   
   
  Helena Blavatsky was a prolific author and 
  student of many religions.  Having moved the 
  headquarters of the Theosophy Society to India, she 
  was in an ideal place to focus on the traditions of 
  the region – particularly Buddhism.  Her two 
  greatest works are Isis Unveiled and The Secret 
  Doctrine.  The latter was based on the Book of 
  Dzyan, which Lovecraft himself incorporated into 
  the Mythos.  The Society has a copy of the Sanskrit 
  translation of this work, as well as a copy of a book 
  penned by the son of a former Viceroy of India that 
  alludes to blue-lit K’n-yan. 
   
  Isis Unveiled:  in English by H.P. 
  Blavatsky, 8  weeks to study, No Sanity 
  loss;  Occult gain +5%. 
   
  The Secret Doctrine:  in English by H.P. 
   
  Blavatsky, 11 weeks to  study, No 
   
  Sanity loss; Occult gain +4%. 
   
  The Book of Dzyan:  in Brahmic 
  Sanskrit, 18  weeks to study; Sanity loss 
  1D4/1D8,  
  Cthulhu Mythos gain +7%; 
  Spells:   
  Summon/Bind Dark Young, 
   
  Summon/Bind Byakhee, Contact 
   
  Deity (Cthulhu) 
   
  The  Coming Race:  in English by Edward 
   
  Bulwer-Lytton, 3 weeks to study; 
   
  Sanity Loss 0/1D2, Mythos Gain 
  +1%;  Spells:  Distill Vril 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  52 
   
   
        A troop of sowars in a cantonment
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  53 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Matters Martial 
   
  he Dravidian lands in the south India have marital arts traditions, primarily involving 
  wrestling and armed combat.  Some of these are as old as China’s; it’s likely that the 
  transmission of Buddhism between the two lands influenced the development of their 
  fighting styles as well.  Burma is the home of several combat techniques too, although they are far 
  less known. 
   
   
  Indian weapons 
   
  Ankus:  The hook near the end of this short spear is 
  sturdy enough to penetrate an elephant’s thick skin.  
  Mahouts use them to goad pachyderms during 
  training and while they are ridden. 
   
  Bagh-nakh:  “Tiger’s claws” mimic a slash from a 
  large feline.  They consist of four metal claws fixed 
  to a central plate or bar, sometimes reinforced with 
  finger holes.  When held in a fist the claws emerge 
  from between the user’s fingers.  
   
  Chakram:  Sikh men sometimes wear this ring-
  shaped blade as a disguised decoration for their 
  traditionally long hair.  Unskilled users may end up 
  cutting their fingers.  Range is 30 yards. 
   
  Katar:  While the bagh-nakh consists of several 
  claws, the katar is a single bladed “punching 
  dagger.”  It is designed to inflict puncture wounds 
  rather than slashes.   
   
  Kirpan:  One of the five articles required for a Sikh 
  to carry, the Kirpan is a short sword with a curving 
  blade.  Unlike the kukri, the convex side is sharp – 
  although some models have an abrupt bend towards 
  the point. 
   
  Kukri:  Nepal’s Gurkha warriors have carried this 
  knife for generations.  It resembles a short sword 
  with a curved blade, the inside of which is 
  sharpened. 
   
  Lathi:  Essentially a stout bamboo stick used like a 
  club or quarterstaff.  The striking end tends to be 
  reinforced with metal.  Native police often preferred 
  them as a non-lethal alternative to firearms. 
   
  Urumi:  This weapon comes from the Kerala region 
  of Southern India.  It is a sword with a flexible blade 
  that can be coiled tightly for concealment.  Some 
  users wear it beneath a belt or sash.  True masters 
  may wield urumis with more than one blade. 
   
  Melee Weapon Statistics 
   
  Base% 
  Damage 
  Ankus 
  20 
  1d4+1+db 
  Bagh Nakh 20 
  1d6+db 
  Chakram 
  Throw 
  1d6+1+db 
  Katar 
  20 
  1d6+1+db 
  Kirpan 
  20 
  1d4+2+db 
  Kukri 
  20 
  1d4+3+db 
  Lathi 
  25 
  1d8+db 
  Urumi 
  15 
  1d6+db 
   
  Bayonet:  Two kinds of bayonets see service in the 
  British army:  a sword bayonet that looks like a 
  miniature saber, and a triangular-bladed socket 
  bayonet that fits in the barrel of a weapon.  The 
  former is replacing the latter. 
   T 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  54 
   
  Lance:  British cavalrymen used their horses 
  primarily to get to battles in India, not fight in 
  them.  Still, a lance was standard equipment if only 
  for ceremonial and traditional value.  Lances used 
  in India were made of bamboo, which stood up 
  well in a tropical climate.  
   
  Firearms 
   
   
  Consult Cthulhu by Gaslight and the 
  Gaslight Equipment Catalogue for additional 
  period weapons. 
   
   Jezail [.75 est]:  frontier tribesmen had been 
  scavenging 
  parts 
  from 
  older 
  weapons 
  for 
  generations by the end of the 19th century for use 
  in their own muskets.  The result is a jezail; easily 
  recognized by a thin, oddly-curving wooden stock, 
  which was often ornately carved by hand.  Though 
  no two are alike, they are all extremely long-
  barreled, typically large but obsolete caliber 
  matchlocks (scrap metal and rocks can be fired in a 
  pinch).   Even though they are single-shot muzzle 
  loaders, their devastating long range allows 
  jezailichi marksmen to fire them from the safety of 
  a mountain ridge or defile. 
   
   Howdah pistol [Lancaster .577]:  before the 
  increased effectiveness of revolvers, many gun 
  manufacturers produced a variety of multibarreled 
  pistols as protection against tigers while hunting.  
  They are known as howdah pistols, as elephant-
  riding sportsman commonly carried them for any 
  sudden encounters with jungle cats.  Some 
  huntsmen also simply removed a portion of an 
  older shotgun or rifle’s barrel to create a crude 
  single-shot pistol.  The model listed here is a 
  Lancaster double-barreled model chambered with 
  a .577 black-powder round. 
   
   Service revolver [Webley .455, from 1887]:  
  Several makes of double-action revolvers were 
  available to British infantrymen.  The Webley 
  handgun proved so effective that it remained 
  competitive for half a century.  It could fire black 
  powder cartridges from any previous British 
  revolver, including a clay-tipped round that 
  expanded like those made at the Dum-Dum arsenal 
  near Calcutta. 
   
   Rifled Musket [Pattern 1853 Enfield .577]:  A 
  few remote hill stations may still have some of 
  these infamous weapons in reserve.  Its cartridges 
  were waterproofed with pig or cow fat, which 
  HINTS to 
  TRAVELLERS   
  - 
  The Best Places to Procure 
  Ironmongery 
   
  1 
  The Royal Arsenal in Dum Dum 
   
   
  Munitions for the residency armies are 
  manufactured in this city, a short ride up the 
  Hooghly.  One enterprising manufacturer has 
  perfected a bullet whose tip flattens outward 
  as it strikes its target, causing grievous 
  wounds. 
   
  2 
  The Cantonment at Meerut 
   
   
  Ironically, the city where the Sepoy 
  Mutiny began now houses the headquarters of 
  the Bengal Army.  Renowned fighting units 
  like the Corps of Guides, Skinner’s Horse, and 
  the Gurkhas are based here; to accommodate 
  the 
  diversity 
  of 
  troops 
  needed, 
  the 
  quartermasters stock a variety of goods. 
   
  3 
  The Shops of Umballah 
   
   
  The closest cantonment to India’s 
  summer capital Simla is at Umballah along 
  the Grand Trunk Road.  Her shops cater to 
  native 
  and 
  foreign, 
  infantryman 
  and 
  horseman, nobleman and commoner alike on 
  their way to Simla, or onward to the 
  Northwest Frontier.  The surplus of decades 
  of campaigning collects dust in back rooms 
  and quiet bazaars. 
    
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  55 
  enraged Islamic and Hindu sepoys who were drilled 
  to open them by mouth.  Their introduction is cited 
  as one major reason for the 1857 revolt.  Still, old 
  veterans or natives without this taboo used them 
  without problems; its improvements helped end the 
  rebellion, too!  As muzzle-loading single shot 
  muskets, however, they are entirely obsolete. 
   
   Breech-loading rifle [Martini-Henry .577, from 
  1871]:  This imposing weapon is synonymous with 
  British imperialism, as it traveled the globe with 
  redcoats from Canada to the Cape of Good Hope.  It 
  was most famously used at Rorke’s Drift, where 200 
  soldiers narrowly held off a force twenty-five times 
  its size.  Mechanically it is a lever-action single shot 
  rifle firing a black powder cartridge. 
   
   Carbine [Martini-Henry carbine .45, from 1871]:  
  Non-infantry troops desired a modern weapon easier 
  to fire from horseback (for cavalry) or just lighter 
  (for artillerists and engineers who preferred to 
  eschew rifles in general).  Carbines achieved this by 
  means of a shorter barrel, although this translated to 
  a weaker overall firearm. 
   
   Lever-action rifle [Lee-Metford .303, from 1888]  
  Soldiers using this weapon had the option to reload 
  after every shot, or wait until the 10-round magazine 
  was emptied.  In either fashion its rate of fire was 
  double that of the Martini-Henry rifles it replaced.  
  Despite this improvement, by the end of the century, 
  it was already being supplanted by the worthy Lee-
  Enfield rifle.  
   
   Elephant Gun [4 bore, throughout 19th century]:  
  Hunters grumbling about their rifle’s inability to 
  stop a pachyderm used these immense smoothbore 
  shotguns.  Despite their massive firepower, they 
  have poor ranges and penetration beyond close 
  work.  At the turn of the century express rifles will 
  render them obsolete.   
   
   
   
   
  Firearm Statistics 
   
  Base% Damage Range Attacks Ammo 
  Jezail 
  15 
  2d8 
  100 
  1/5 
  1 
  Howdah Pistol 
  15 
  3d4 
  5 
  1/ 2 
  21 
  Service Revolver 
  20 
  1d10+2 
  20 
  1 
  6 
  Rifled Musket 
  25 
  4d4+1 
  60 
  1 /4 
  1 
  Breech-Loading 
  25 
  4d4+1 
  80 
  1/3 
  1 
  Carbine 
  25 
  2d6 
  50 
  1/3 
  1 
  Lever-Action 
  25 
  2d6+4 
  90 
  1 
  102 
  Elephant Gun 
  15 
  3d6+4 
  30 
  1 
  2 
   
   
  1 
  One round per barrel 
   
   
  2 
  Ammunition is loaded singly at the rate of 2/round 
   
  Army Kit 
   
   
  A soldier in the Army of India was 
  expected to carry all that he needed into battle.  
  Since 
  he 
  might 
  range 
  from 
  glacier-strewn 
  Himalayan passes to the sweltering Burmese jungle, 
  this was an especially daunting task.  Fortunately, 
  the military was run by men who had come of age 
  in the logistical nightmare that was the Crimean 
  War.  They gave serious attention to the needs and 
  limitations of fighting men, and tried to standardize 
  equipment accordingly.  Though little was left to 
  chance, the distance between London and Calcutta 
  meant that Indian forces lagged a bit behind the 
  cutting edge of technology. 
   
   
   
   
  All soldiers carried a haversack, which 
  contained their rations for extended marches.  
  Likewise, helmets fashioned with small triangular 
  bills in the front and back were standard across all 
  branches of service.  These were made from the pith 
  of the locally grown sola tree.  Lightweight and 
  spongy, if dipped in water before use a pith helmet 
  might cool the wearer’s head for hours.  Many 
  soldiers wound a strip of cloth called a puggaree 
  around the crown which could be pulled down to 
  protect bare skin from the midday sun. 
   
   
  The load on an infantryman’s back was 
  designed to balance with the weight of two 
  ammunition pouches strapped to his sides.  A leather 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  56 
  and canvas valise containing clothes, a cape and 
  vital spares sat atop the load.  Beneath that was 
  secured the D-shaped mess tin and a tightly-rolled 
  great coat.  A belt held water bottle, bayonet and 
  entrenching tool, all strapped to the belt somewhat 
  behind the ammunition pouches.  The haversack 
  was worn on a strap slung over the shoulder.  Total 
  weight was about 45 pounds, including a Martini-
  Henry and up to 80 rounds of ammunition. 
   
   
  Officers wore a Sam Browne belt, to which 
  were strapped a sword, leather holster for a 
  revolver, field glasses and other items considered 
  useful like a compass or notepad.  
   
   
  A cavalryman’s saddle was designed for the 
  comfort of rider and horse.  Attached to the rear 
  was a shoe case for extra horseshoes and nails; two 
  removable wallets fit on the front (usable for 
  cartridges).  Lance boots, where the weapon was 
  stowed upright while riding, were fixed to either 
  stirrup.  Finally, it contained a strap to sling a sword 
  as well as a leather bucket for the rider’s carbine.   
   
   
  A cavalry valise, typically embossed with his 
  unit’s classification, sat directly behind the saddle.  
  This was larger and more cylindrical than the infantry 
  model, accommodating the greatcoat as well as 
  personal items.  A rider affixed his circular cavalry 
  messtin and an Oliver water bottle atop it, while 
  securing a picket post (to secure the horse at night) 
  and forage net (to collect fodder for the mount) 
  between valise and saddle. 
   
   
  While mounted, a rider could still sling a 
  haversack relatively easily.  Most men carried a small 
  (10-cartridge) expense pouch on his sword belt at the 
  same time.  To protect their legs during long rides, 
  cavalrymen often wore puttees, long strips of leather 
  bound tightly around their calves.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Military Ranks in the Raj 
   
  British  
   
  Indian Infantry 
   
  Indian Cavalry 
   
  Viceroy Commissioned Officers 
  Major  
   
  Subedar Major  
  Risaldar Major 
  Captain 
   
   
  Subedar 
   
  Risaldar 
  Lieutenant/Subaltern Jemadar 
   
  Jemadar 
   
  Non-commissioned Ranks 
  Sergeant-Major 
  Havildar 
   
  Havildar 
  Sergeant 
   
  Havildar 
   
  Daffadar 
  Corporal 
   
  Naik 
   
   
  Lance Daffadar 
  Private/Gunner 
   
  Sepoy/Lascar  
  Sowar  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  57 
   
   
   
   
   
  Animals of India 
   
  ere is a short bestiary of important animals likely to encounter in India.  
  Most of them are dangerous, although few seek out humans specifically. 
   
   
  BACTRIAN CAMEL, Camelus Bactrianus 
   
   
  Unlike its cousin, the dromedary, Bactrian camels have two humps within which water is 
  stored for long desert journeys.  However, both species are renowned for their irritability and 
  penchant to annoy their riders or tenders.  They are remarkably well-adapted to arid conditions. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
   
   
  rolls 
  / 
  average 
  4D6+18 / 32 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  4D6+22 / 36 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  10 
  24-25 
  +2D6 
  2-3 (seasonal hides and fur) 
  Weapons: Bite 25%, damage 1D6; Kick 10%, 
  damage 1D6+db; Spit 40%, damage -1D6 APP 
  (temporary loss). 
  Skills:  Go Without Water 90%, Malinger 60%. 
  Habitat:  Arid regions of western India and 
  Afghanistan.
   
   H 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  58 
  BENGAL TIGER, Panthera tigris 
   
  As the largest great cat species, tigers have killed more men than any of their smaller 
  cousins; there are stories of individual tigers with a taste for human flesh that have killed 
  hundreds.  But as these creatures are hunted regularly throughout India, however, the danger is 
  mutual.  A tiger hunts alone, often stalking its prey for long distances and periods.  They can 
  attack with both claws and one bite each combat round. If both attacks hit, the tiger hangs on, 
  continues to bite and may rake with its hind legs for additional damage. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
  rolls / average 
  3D6+12 / 22-23 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  3D6+6 / 16-17 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6+12 / 19 
  10 
  13-14 
  +1D6 
  2 (hide) 
   
  Weapons:  Bite 45%, damage 1D10; Claw 70%, damage 1D8 + db, Ripping 80%, 
  damage 2D8 + db. 
  Skills: Hide in Cover 80%, Move Quietly 75%, Track 50%. 
  Habitat:  Jungles and swamps in Burma and India east of the Indus. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  59 
   
  DHOLE (PARIAH), cuon alpinis  
   
   
  The wild dog of India lives mainly in dense forests and is sometimes quite vicious. They 
  travel in packs of up to a dozen individuals, all good enough hunters that they sometimes bring 
  down water buffaloes. 
   
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Bite 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  1D6+1/ 4-5 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  1D6 / 3-4 
  1D6+6 / 9-10 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  15 
  7-8 
  -1D6 
  5% 
  lD6 + db 
  none 
  Skills: Listen 40%, Track 80%. 
  Habitat: wooded areas and urban fringes of India. 
   
   
  ELEPHANT, INDIAN, Elephas maximus indica 
   
   
  No animal represents India better than the elephant.  Both European and Indian held them 
  in reverence, albeit for different reasons.  To the native, elephants are part of a way of life, 
  assisting heavy labor, providing transport, and partaking in religious observances and war 
  (although no longer the latter by the 1890s).  In Britain they were the epitome of India’s allure, 
  inspiring generations who would one day travel eastward. 
   
   
  Indian elephants are smaller than their African brethren, standing about 10’ and weighing 
  7 tons.  Domesticated ones are paired with specific mahouts early in the life of each.  They are 
  trained for hauling or carrying howdahs for personal transportation.  Without training for use in 
  combat elephants are tranquil creatures.  However, males are known to enter a highly dangerous 
  state called musth in which they are a danger to any animal they encounter.  Mahouts try to 
  assuage the condition by securing a bull between two thick trees and cutting back on food for 
  about a week.  
   
   
  An elephant can attack once per melee round.  If the trunk grapples a target, the victim 
  escapes by successfully matching his or her STR against half the elephant’s STR on the stance 
  Table. The trunk does negligible damage but each round following a successful Grapple the 
  victim can be hit by any of the elephant’s other attacks with a 99% chance for success. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  60 
   
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
   
   
  rolls / average 
  6D6+30 / 51 
  3D6+15 / 25-26 
  5D6+38 / 55-56 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  10 
  35-36 
  +5D6 
  7 (leathery skin) 
   
  Weapons:  Trunk 50%, grapple (see above); Trample 50% (60% in musth), damage 4D6 
  + db; Tusk Gore 20% (25% in musth), damage 6D6+db. 
  Skills:  Listen 80%, Scent 90%, Avoid musth in season 20%. 
  Habitat:  Scrubland and jungles throughout India and Ceylon. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  61 
  HUNTING-LEOPARD, Acinonyx jubatus venaticus 
   
  These cheetahs are similar to their African cousins, although they prefer a drier habitat.  
  They are the fastest land animals, capable of short bursts of speed that will overtake any prey.  
  Some Rajasthani nobles have domesticated hunting leopards which they use for hunting game 
  (the Moghul shah Akbar is said to have had 1,000 of them).  They can attack with both claws and 
  bite each round.  If both claws hit, the animal has sunk them into its target, automatically biting 
  and allowing a rending slash with its hind claws. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  3D6+6 / 16-17 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  3D6+10 / 20-21 
  15  
  12 
  +1D4 
  1 (fur) 
  Weapons: Bite 30%, damage lD8; Claws 50%, damage 1D6 + db; Rake 50%, damage 
  1D10 + db. 
  Skills: Scent 70%, Sneak 80%, Overtake Prey 75%. 
  Habitat:  Scrubland and arid regions of northern and western India. 
   
   
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  62 
   
  KING COBRA, hamadryas hannah 
   
  The largest and most deadly of all 
  venomous serpents, the king cobra can 
  grow up to 18 feet long. Its bite inflicts little 
  actual damage, however, the serpent’s 
  venom is deadly: a single bite from a king 
  cobra can kill an adult elephant. If the 
  cobra’s venom overcomes the investigator’s 
  CON on the Resistance Table the victim 
  begins to have convulsions and experience 
  respiratory failure within 15-60 minutes. 
  Death is imminent. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Bite 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
   
  2D4+6 / 11 
  2D6+3 / 10 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  2D6 / 7 
  2D+10 / 17 
  9 
  11-12 
  -1D6 
  50% 
  l + poison POT 16 
  none 
  Skills:  Hide in Cover 50%, Move Quietly 90%. 
  Habitat:  Jungles of Burma and Bengal. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  63 
  LEOPARD, Panthera pardus 
   
   
  The smallest of the great cats averages six feet in length.  Occasionally a completely 
  black leopard may be found instead of the typically spotted specimen.  Panthers will rarely attack 
  adult humans – but may prey on children in the alternative.  They attack with both claws and bite 
  each round. If both claws hit, the animal hangs on, automatically biting the target and allowing a 
  rake with its hind claws. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  3D6+6 / 16-17 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6+8 / 15 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6+12 / 19 
  12 
  13 
  +1D4 
  1 (fur) 
  Weapons: Bite 30%, damage lDl0; Claws 50%, damage 1D6 + db; Rake 50%, damage 
  2D6 + db. 
  Skills: Climb 80%, Hide 80%, Jump 40%, Sneak 90%. 
  Habitat:  Jungle and scrubland. 
   
  MUGGER CROCODILE, Crocodyylus palustris 
   
  This is the most common species of crocodile in India.  They are not as aggressive as 
  saltwater crocs, but are still a threat to unprepared humans.  On rare occasions they can be found 
  in saltwater marshes. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av. DB: 
  Bite 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls/average 
  4D6+10 / 24 
  3D6+7 /17-18 
  4D6+10/ 24 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6 / 7 
  6 / 8 swimming 
  22-23 
  +2d6 
  45% 
  lDl0 + db 
  4 
  Skills: Glide Stealthily Through Water 75%, Hide 65%, Sneak 50%. 
  Habitat: Rivers and lakes throughout India. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  64 
   
   
   
  RHESUS MONKEY, macaca mulatta 
   
   
  Despite their mischievous nature, these smallish apes are beloved by natives.  They are 
  often present in temples to the Hindu deity Hanuman.  However, they are less tolerated by 
  Europeans, as they tend to be a frequent target for theft of food and other trinkets.    
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Bite 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
  rolls / average 
  1D6 / 3-4 
  2D8 / 9 
  2D6 / 7 
  2D6 / 7 
  5D4 / 12-13 
  6 / 12 climbing 
  8 
  -1D6 
  65% 
  lD3 + db 
  1 (fur) 
  Skills:  Climb 80%, Root through belongings 50%. 
  Habitat:  Jungles throughout India and Ceylon. 
   
   
  RHINO, INDIAN, Rhinoceros unicornis 
   
   
   
  Although this is the largest species of 
  rhinoceros, the Indian variety is less irritable than 
  their African cousin.  In addition to having only 
  one horn, its skin often looks larger than it should 
  be, folded into thick, armor-like plates. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  65 
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  6D6+20 / 41 
  4D6+6 / 20 
  8D6+15 / 43 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6 / 7 
  12 
  32-33 
  +4D6 
  10 (armored hide) 
  Weapons:  Charge 45%, damage 1D10 +db; Trample 65%, damage 3D10 + db. 
  Skills:  Scent Danger 65%. 
  Habitat:  Scrubland and jungles of the Ganges and Brahmaputra watersheds. 
   
   
   
  SALTWATER CROCODILE, Crocodyylus porosus 
   
   
  This is the largest species of crocodile in the world, with reports of some specimens over 
  20 feet in length.  They are also the most dangerous to humans, considering any animal that 
  enters their territory as prey.  Saltwater crocodiles will indeed venture into open seas during the 
  drier months of the year, but can also be found in swamps, coastal areas, and bodies of fresh 
  water. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Bite 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
  rolls / average 
  5D6+10/27-8 
  3D6+8 /18-19 
  5D6+10/ 27-8 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D6 / 7 
  6 / 8 swimming 
  22-23 
  +2d6 
  55% 
  lDl2 + db 
  5 (scaly hide) 
   
   
   
  Skills: Glide Through Water 65%, Burst from Beneath the Surface 55%. 
  Habitat: coastal areas and marshes in Ceylon, eastern India and Burma. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  66 
  SLOTH BEAR, Melursus ursinus 
   
   
  These do indeed resemble sloths, with their shambling gait and long tails.  Yet they are 
  more powerful than the typical bear, and there are sporadic reports of violence against men.  Sloth 
  bears can attack with a bite and slap or two claw attacks. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Armor: 
  rolls / average 
  4D6+10 / 24 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  5D6+10/ 27-8 
  4D6 +8 / 22 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  10 / 4 climbing 
  20-21 
  +2d6 
  3 (fur & gristle) 
   
   
   
   
  Weapons:  Bite 30%, damage 1D10; Claw 40%, damage 1D6 + db; Slap 25%, damage 
  equals db. 
  Skills: Climb 45%, Scent Prey 60%. 
  Habitat:  jungles of India. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  67 
  SNAKE, CONSTRICTOR, python var.  
   
   
  The three species of constrictors in British India – the rock python, Burmese python, and 
  reticulated python – are among the biggest snakes in the world.  Although all three are said to 
  attack humans from time to time, the reticulated python is the only one capable of actually eating 
  one.  A python attacks by looping its steely coils around a body; once caught, victims can free an 
  arm with a DEX x3 roll.  Treat the Crush attack as a Grapple that does damage each round it 
  succeeds.  As the Keeper sees fit, the victim might need to roll CON x5 to prevent 
  unconsciousness.  Once stilled, the victim, of SIZ up to that of the snake, is swallowed dead or 
  unconscious. If not dead when swallowed, death follows quickly from suffocation. 
   
  Stats 
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Crush 
  Damage 
  Armor: 
  rolls / average 
  3D8+10 / 23-24 
  2D6+6 / 13 
  5D8 / 22-23 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  2D+6 / 13 
  6 / 4 arboreal 
  17-18 
  +2D6 
  40% 
  lD6 + db 
  2 (scales) 
  Skills:  Move Quietly 90%, Hide in Cover 75%. 
  Habitat:  Jungles and swamps; Rock Python – throughout India, Burmese & reticulated 
  pythons – Burma, including freshwater rivers and lakes. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  68 
  SNAKE, VENOMOUS, var. 
   
  The three most common poisonous snakes in India are (in order of size) the Indian 
  cobra, krait, and Russell’s viper.  All can kill with a single bite, though they typically 
  hunt smaller animals or eggs.  Even though they are nocturnal, human habitations are rich 
  in these types of food - meaning they can be found in populated areas as well as the 
  wilderness.  Smaller snakes are generally feared more than larger ones. 
   
  Stats 
   
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Bite: 
  Damage: 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  1D6 / 3-4 
  2D6 / 7 
  1D8 / 4-5 
  1D6 / 3-4 
  3D6 / 10-11 
  7 
  5-6 
  -1D6 
  40% 
  1D3-1 + poison POT (1D10+10-SIZ) 
  1 (scales) 
   
  Skills:  Hide in Cover 75%, Move Quietly 60%. 
  Habitat:  All but highlands. 
   
  WATER BUFFALO, Bubalus bubalis 
   
  Water Buffalo have been domesticated throughout 
  South Asia, although there are still large populations in the 
  wild.  They are used as draft animals and, in some places, 
  for food (including meat, milk and ghee). 
   
  Stats 
   
  STR 
  CON 
  SIZ 
  POW 
  DEX 
  Move 
  HP 
  Av.DB: 
  Charge: 
  Damage: 
  Armor: 
   
  rolls / average 
  4D6+20 / 34 
  3D6+10 / 20-21 
  4D6+20 / 34 
  2D6 / 7 
  2D6 / 7 
  12 
  27-28 
  +3D6 
  30% 
  2D6 +db 
  5 (hide & muscle) 
   
  Skills:  Scent Enemy 65%. 
  Habitat:  Scrubland and villages 
  throughout India. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  69 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  The Mythos in India 
   
  his section contains new elements of the Mythos for use in 
  campaigns involving the subcontinent. Some items have appeared 
  elsewhere and are compiled here for the sake of completeness.   
   
   
   
  The spell “Darkness of Kali” appears in the 
  scenario “The Horror on Haldon Hill.” “Brew 
  Draught of Phan” and “Enchant Torch” appear in a 
  modified form in The Keeper’s Companion Volume 
  2.  The rest are new to this document.   
   
   Brew Draught of Phan:  Using alchemical 
  practices from esoteric Islamic science, the caster 
  creates an opiate that induces a heightened state of 
  suggestibility in those who drink it.  Anyone who 
  ingests a dose for 20-POW must thereafter follow the 
  verbal commands of the brewer until either one dies.  
  Up to twenty doses can be created with one casting, 
  at the cost of one Magic Point per four doses.  The 
  brewing process takes eight hours, after which the 
  brewer must make Occult rolls for each Magic Point 
  expended. 
   
   Distill Vril:  By spending 5 Magic Points and an 
  hour in a well-stocked chemistry lab, the caster can 
  create a draught which revitalizes the drinker, healing 
  1D4 hit points.  The distiller can only have one of 
  these potions in existence at any time; further 
  creation attempts fail until someone uses or destroys 
  the existing one.  There may be other, undocumented 
  uses for vril as well. 
   
   Darkness of Kali:  This spell takes three combat 
  rounds to intone, costs 1D4 points of SAN and from 
  2 magic points to a max of 10. When created the 
  caster is enveloped by a dark cloud which only he 
  can see out of.  For the expense of 2 magic points 
  this will afford him/her the protection of -10% on 
  the attackers to hit rolls. Each further point protects 
  him/her a further 5% up to a maximum of 50% - 
  this is an impenetrable as the darkness will go. This 
  spell only affects aimed and hand to hand weapons, 
  area weapons are not affected (except shotguns 
  which suffer no to hit penalty but only do half 
  damage as the darkness always causes the caster to 
  be affected by the least amount of blast). The caster 
  suffers no penalties attacking out of the darkness. 
   
   Dream Communication:  Casters can use this 
  spell to interact at great distances.  Each must be 
  asleep at the time designated for their conversation.  
  The caster with the highest POW can “choose” the 
  setting of the encounter, although this does not 
  affect the discourse in any way.  It requires 2 Magic 
  Points to use. 
   
   Dream Portent:  A caster who falls asleep upon 
  uttering this spell and expending 3 Magic Points 
  will dream a startlingly real vision of future events 
  (make two percentile rolls and multiply the result; 
  the product is the number of days into the future the 
  caster sees).  The temporal disturbances created by 
  this spell are particularly noticeable by Hounds of 
  Tindalos – a third percentile roll under the lower of 
    T 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  70 
  the two made for determining the dream “date” 
  attracts a Hound.  
   
   Enchant Torch:  This spell creates unquenchable 
  torches imbued with the fiery power of Cthugha.  It 
  requires chanting for 6 hours as well as 6 Magic 
  Points and 1D6 Sanity.  After this, only invoking that 
  deity may extinguish the brand.  Users casting a 
  Summon/Bind Fire Vampire spell with these torches 
  may automatically summon additional creatures 
  beyond the first by spending 3 Magic Points and 1D3 
  Sanity per extra target. 
   
   Enlarge Animal:  By spending Magic Points equal 
  to the SIZ of a normal animal, the caster imbues it 
  with the blasphemous power of Sub-Niggurath, 
  growing it to an unnatural size.  Double the SIZ 
  characteristic, 
  modifying 
  the 
  animal’s 
  stats 
  accordingly.  Venomous creatures have the POT of 
  their poison increased by 50%.  The effects last until 
  the creature goes to sleep.  Fortunately, casters have 
  not experimented to see how large of an animal can 
  be used.  Sanity cost is 1D6; the spell requires three 
  rounds to cast. 
   
   Kali’s Might:  A second pair of arms grows from 
  the caster’s sides, beneath the original pair.  These 
  function like normal arms of the same STR, save that 
  a caster can perform simultaneous actions like 
  wielding a second weapon or casting a spell while 
  otherwise occupied.  This effect lasts for 3d4 rounds.  
  The caster loses 4 Magic Points and 1D10 Sanity 
  when the spell is cast, and observers risk 1/1D4 
  when seeing the transformation. 
   
   Rend the Earth:  This powerful spell requires ten 
  minutes and 60 Magic Points to cast; like Wave of 
  Oblivion, it is typically evoked by multiple casters.  
  Cast on a 100’x100’ square or 55’ radius circle, it 
  may have substantial effects:  draining small bodies 
  of water, collapsing tunnels and structures, and 
  causing landslides.  Creatures standing within the 
  affected area must make a SIZ roll to avoid falling 
  over, and a Luck roll to see if a fissure has opened 
  beneath them (a successful Dodge roll prevents 
  falling in and suffering 2D10 points of damage).  If 
  the region has a faultline, even greater damage is 
  possible.  Casters lose 1D6 Sanity, and depending 
  on the result of the spell, onlookers may suffer 
  losses as well. 
   
   Path of Hanuman:  The target of this spell gains 
  the climbing ability of a monkey.  Climbing skill 
  increases to 95% and he can move at normal speed 
  along vertical surfaces.  This spell takes 3 Magic 
  Points and one round to take effect. 
   
   Voice of Yig:  For 4 Magic Points and 1D4 
  Sanity, the caster gains the ability to speak with 
  normal snakes.  The creatures are not compelled to 
  listen to the caster, although normal personal skills 
  like Fast Talk and Persuade will work (as will 
  bribes of food). 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  71 
  New Tomes 
   
   
  The Scriptures section contains several 
  “real-world” tomes that can be found on the 
  Subcontinent. 
   
   The Black Terma:  This work was smuggled 
  from Tibet by a pundit serving in the Corps of 
  Guides.  At great personal risk it was then delivered 
  to the Theosophical Society, where it remains today 
  in their copious library.  This scroll describes an 
  alternate history of creation populated by a demonic 
  race called Tendhlos, which seeks to correct the 
  universe by suborning the one humanity occupies.  
  According to its tenets, there are weak spots within 
  time through which this race can travel; if enough 
  of their kind infiltrate our present they may be able 
  to reorder the universe in a manner more acceptable 
  to their race.  In Tibetan, handwritten paper scroll; 
  11 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1/1D4; Cthulhu 
  Mythos Gain +4%; Spells:  Dream Portent. 
   
   Cthaati Kardath:  The most notorious Mythos 
  tome to emerge from the subcontinent.  Its most 
  notable section deals with the worship of the Small 
  Crawler avatar of Nyarlathotep.  The only known 
  copies are hand-bound manuscripts penned in 
  Kharosthi Sanskrit.  A few copies have traveled to 
  Britain in the luggage of those returning from their 
  Indian service, and the Asiatic Society owns a copy 
  as well.  35 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1D8/2D8; 
  Cthulhu Mythos Gain +14%; Spells: Contact 
  Nyarlathotep (Small Crawler); Darkness of Kali; 
  Nightmare; 
  Summon/Bind 
  Hunting 
  Horror; 
  Summon/Bind Star Vampire. 
   
   Dvara Abidhamma:  An extremely fragile palm-
  leaf manuscript written in the Pali language of 
  ancient Buddhist texts.  It examines the worship of 
  Yog-Sothoth as known to ancient India as 
  Ramasekva. Rumors place one copy within the 
  Palace of the Princess’ collection at Tanjore.  10 
  weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1D3/1D6; Cthulhu 
  Mythos Gain +5%; Spells:  Contact Yog-Sothoth 
  (Ramasekva). 
   
   Faysala Na-Rakna:  A translation of an original 
  Arabic record known as the Fatwa al-Ridda – “the 
  Judgment of the Apostate.”  It is a transcript of 
  shari’a court records of the early Delhi Sultanate, 
  dealing with a heretical cult masquerading as 
  faithful Muslims.  Remarkably, the preserved 
  commentaries to the manuscript refer to the al-Azif 
  in a way that suggests one or more of the authors 
  had access to that document.  A copy of this 
  transcript languishes in the Delhi Institute, whence it 
  was brought shortly after the Mutiny.  In Urdu, a 
  paper manuscript from the 14th Century, 13 weeks to 
  study; Sanity Loss -1D8, Cthulhu Mythos gain +7%; 
  Spells:  Call/Dismiss Deity (Azathoth), Elder Sign, 
  Powder of Ibn Ghazi; Grants skill checks in Law and 
  Religion. 
   
   The Journey of Fa Tsieng.  A Tibetan scroll which 
  records the dialogues the author – presumably a 
  monk or even abbot of a lamasery – had with a 
  Yithian mind transfer subject.  It also contains the 
  details of a mandala to be drawn with special chalk 
  from an exposed ridge in Bhutan (this takes 1D6 
  hours to complete).  If the finished result is viewed 
  by someone possessed by a demon or evil spirit (or a 
  Yithian consciousness), it may expel this presence.  
  In Tibetan, 7 weeks to study; Sanity loss -1D3, 
  Cthulhu Mythos Gain +1%; Spells:  Cast Out Devil. 
   
   Katala Purana:  The main scripture for the 
  Cthulhu Cult in India, likely brought southward from 
  the Chinese wellspring of this sect.  These typically 
  appear as hand-printed paper scrolls folded in codex 
  form.  Some temples may have copies that have 
  escaped the notice of zealous archivists.  In Brahmic 
  Sanskrit; 27 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1D4/1D8; 
  Cthulhu Mythos gain +9%; Spells:  Call Cyaegha, 
  Contact Deity/Cthulhu, Curse of the Stone, Grasp of 
  Cthulhu. 
   
   Khathadisamukari   A Hindustani (Devanagari) 
  edition identical to the Cthaati Kardath except that 
  Cthulhu Mythos gain is 13%.  A folio-sized book 
  produced via woodblock printing common to Central 
  Asia, indicating that it may have been translated by 
  cultists masquerading as Buddhists. 
   
   Shankcharakya  A lyric poem about the “Secret 
  Beasts” or Mi-Go which haunt the upper peaks of the 
  Himalayas.  It contains a phonetic chant of the 
  Contact Mi-Go spell which must be cast out of doors 
  at an altitude of a mile or more above sea level.  In 
  Nepali, bound manuscript printed in the early 1800s, 
  3 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1/1D4; Cthulhu 
  Mythos gain +2%; Spells:  Contact Vidyahara (Mi-
  Go). 
   
   Sussuros de Tartesso:  By Alfonso Ramalho, c. 
  1689, this printed duodecimo book was designed to 
  mimic the exterior of a Catholic missal.  It reveals the 
  inner workings of the ancient Lusitanian worship of 
  Geryon/Nyarlathotep/the 
  Small 
  Crawler. 
   
  In 
  Portuguese, 6 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1/1D4; 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  72 
  Cthulhu Mythos gain +2%; Spells:  Contact 
  Lemurian. 
   
   Tiivu Karrupatu:  A Translation of copper tablets 
  which were shortly destroyed by the ruling Chola 
  monarch in the last century before Christ.  It details 
  the founding of the Tcho-Tcho worship of Shub-
  Niggurath within the Sundarbans (on the Isle of the 
  Black Goat), and their subsequent corruption of the 
  Thuggee.  The Theosophical Society has a copy of 
  this palm-leaf manuscript written in Classical 
  Tamil.  10 weeks to study; Sanity Loss 1D2/1D6; 
  Cthulhu Mythos gain +4%; Spells:  Dream 
  Communication, Kali’s Might. 
   
   Wazataxsh:  The testament of Mobed, the 
  original prophet of the Parsi fire cult in Bombay.  
  This has been passed down through generations of 
  worshippers since the 7th Century.  The current 
  form is a handwritten codex last recopied in the late 
  1600s.  There may be additional copies lingering in 
  Persia, or brought to new shores by the branches of 
  this sect.  In Pahlavi, 15 weeks to study; Sanity loss 
  1D4/1D8; Cthulhu Mythos gain +6%; Spells:  
  Call/Dismiss Cthugha, Draught of Phan, Enchant 
  Torch, Summon/Bind Fire Vampire. 
   
  Encounters 
   
   
  Listed below are a number of groups with 
  ties to the Mythos, offering varying degrees of 
  threat or succor, as the case may be. 
   
  The Lytton Club  
   
   
  This brotherhood was formed in the posh 
  Byculla suburb by members of the 6th King’s Own 
  Lancers (“Bombay’s Blades”), all veterans of the 
  Second Afghan war.  There are ten rooms that they 
  allow fellow cavalrymen to use when the latter are 
  in Bombay; any investigator with this background 
  can roll Credit Rating to secure one.  Although each 
  member is too old to ride in battle, they are still 
  engaged in a war. 
   
   
  Afghanistan was a thorn in the British side 
  throughout the 19th Century.  The 1880 engagement 
  at Kandahar was billed as a British victory, 
  although it did little but preserve the terms of the 
  previous year’s treaty.  For the troops involved, it 
  was warfare at its most brutal.  The hill tribesmen 
  were experts at ambushes and long-range sniping – 
  and some of them worshipped a blasphemy from 
  beyond the mortal ken. 
   
   
  The bulk of the unit distinguished itself by 
  protecting the rear of Burrows’ retreat to Kandahar 
  following the British defeat at Maiwand a few 
  months earlier.  One troop, however, separated from 
  the rest and stumbled into a camp of the most savage 
  jezailichis any had fought.  These natives did not 
  leave wounded opponents on the field of battle, to be 
  finished by their women as was commonly believed.  
  Instead, they retreated with seven prisoners, leading 
  the remainder on a chase further into the mountains.   
   
   
  For the Blades the path was easy to follow, 
  as it was marked by pieces of one of their 
  compatriots.  Most suspected a trap, but were far too 
  enraged to care.  It ended in a steep ravine, decorated 
  with an immense statue that they assumed was the 
  Hindu deity Ganesh.  Though smaller than the 
  colossal Buddhas of Bamiyan, it was impressive 
  enough.  Yet even with the six bodies of their 
  countrymen lying beneath it, they could do nothing 
  but watch the statue shrug to life and drink the blood 
  from the corpses through its hideous trunk.   
   
   
  Those who did not go mad on the spot 
  retreated once more, determined to skirt the hellish 
  valley and find the men responsible.  In fact, a village 
  lay close by, and as the sun was disappearing behind 
  the western ridges the horsemen slipped silently into 
  town.  Once every round in their wallets was spent, 
  they continued their grim task with saber and lance.  
  When it was finished, the graves of those who fell 
  that night watched over the conflagration that burned 
  every building to the ground.  A few were led back to 
  Bombay, and now reside in the asylum at Colaba 
  Point rather than at the club, which the intact men 
  then founded. 
   
   
  Since none of the veterans ever returned to 
  the site, it’s doubtful they could provide directions 
  back to it.  But in the decade since, each man who 
  has stayed on at the Lytton Club has sworn to assist 
  any who would oppose such horrors.  Beneath the 
  aging collection of regimental regalia in their 
  storerooms grows an ever-larger body of information 
  about similar foes that still fester in India.  Via 
  correspondence with the Asiatic Society and 
  London’s Diogenes Club, they tend to be the first to 
  know when such an expedition is mounted, and try to 
  lend their aid accordingly.  As rumors persist of an 
  even larger statue somewhere in the Eastern 
  Himalayas, they are most keen in finding out the 
  truth. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  73 
   
   
  Immense Brother of Chaugnar Faugn, an elephant one never forgets 
  STR 
  37 
  CON 75 
  SIZ 
  35 
  INT 
  14 
  POW 20 
  DEX 12 
  Move 8/12 flying 
  HP 
  55 
  DB 
  +3D6  
  Armor  none 
  Weapons:  Grapple 40%, damage holds fast; Blood Sucker 100%, damage 1-6 CON drain 
   
  per round; Crush 35%, damage 1D6+db. 
  Skills:  Listen 60% Spot Hidden 60% 
  Spells:  Contact Chaugnar Faugn, Curse of Chaugnar Faugn, Summon/Bind Lesser 
   
  Brother of Chaugnar Faugn, Summon/Bind Greater Brother of Chaugnar Faugn,  
  Sanity Loss:  Inert 0/1D4, animated 1D4/1D8. 
   
  Sergeant-Major Peter Stockton, haunted soldier 
   
   
  Most nights, he wakes up with the stink of cordite in his nose and the screams of his dying 
  friends in his ears – but that is not the worst part.  Although he led the soldiers to that valley, to a man 
  they would have ridden to hell itself to rescue their captured compatriots.  That it proved to be a trap is 
  not the worst part, either.  And though he now lives a profitable existence as an importer in Bombay, 
  part of him has never returned from this place. 
   
   
  The worst part is that the rest of him wants to go back.  In some way, his men are still there, 
  calling to him.  And he belongs there with them.  He needs to know:  when he kneels before that 
  blasphemous idol, will he smell his blood as that hideous proboscis drains it from his veins?  How will 
  it feel as his soul is blasted away?  If he meets the right group, perhaps he will take one final patrol.  
  One last ride. 
   
  STR 14 
  CON 13 
  SIZ 15  
  INT 11  
  POW 12 
  DEX 11 
  APP 10 
  EDU 12 
  SAN 37 
  HP 14 
  Weapons:  Lee-Metford Rifle, damage 2D6+4. 
  Skills:  Speak English 85%, Speak Hindustani 45%, Rifle 73%, Cthulhu Mythos 3%,  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  74 
  Cthugha cult in Bombay 
   
   
   
   
  Zoroastrian worship in Persia 
  has always been associated with the 
  veneration of fire.  For centuries, 
  however, a small minority of Mythos 
  devotees was able to survive in the 
  flickering 
  shadows. 
   
  During 
  successive waves of Islamic purges, 
  these Cthugha worshippers were 
  uprooted from their sanctums and 
  driven to India with other refugees.  
  They have settled in Bombay since, 
  and maintain the outward appearance 
  of typical Parsis. 
   
   
  However, they are nothing 
  but.  They were one of the last groups 
  to end the practice of sati – the 
  immolation of a widow on her 
  husband’s funeral pyre.  Even in 
  Bombay, they must take pains to 
  dispose of their dead on a burning 
  ghat rather than at one of the Towers 
  of Silence, lest their secrets be 
  revealed here.   
   
   
  The writings of their original 
  leader, a prophet of the 7th Century, foretell of a date 
  when the stars will be right once again for the return 
  of their fiery god.  For all their apparent danger, 
  however, this cult has no concrete plans of 
  consummating their worship.  Although an ardent 
  minority of the cult believes the ritual must take place 
  across 
  the 
  sea 
  (the 
  holy books 
  mention 
  a 
  gate 
  and 
  tower 
  apparently 
  fashioned of gold), most members believe they can 
  accomplish their goals within India.  One member 
  is 
  a 
  noted 
  astronomer 
  who 
  frequents 
  the 
  observatories of the subcontinent looking for more 
  concrete signs that the time is ready to act.   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Mabed Moliji, priest of Cthugha 
  STR 10 
  CON 10 
  SIZ 13  
  INT 15  
  POW 18 
  DEX 9  
  APP 11 
  EDU 17 
  SAN 0  
  HP 12 
  Weapons:  none. 
  Skills:  Religion 75%, Speak/Read Persian 90%, Speak/Read Hindustani 73%, Read 
  Pahlavi 80%, Speak English 32%, Cthulhu Mythos 24% 
  Spells:  Call/Dismiss Cthugha, Summon/Bind Fire Vampire 
  Table of Eclipses, 1890-1899 (with path) 
   
  17 June 1890:  Annular Solar Eclipse (Delhi-
  Chittagong) 
  12 December 1890:  Total Solar Eclipse (Ceylon) 
  23 May 1891: Lunar Eclipse* 
  15 November 1891:  Lunar Eclipse 
  4 November 1892:  Lunar Eclipse* 
  6 April 1894:  Total Solar Eclipse (Mysore-Calcutta) 
  29 September 1894:  Partial Solar Eclipse 
  22 January 1898:  Total Solar Eclipse (Bombay – 
  Patna) 
  27 December 1898:  Lunar Eclipse 
  23 June 1899:  Lunar Eclipse 
   
  *  moon above the horizon the entire night 
                               
   
  Transits of Mercury, 1890-1899 
   
  9 May 1891  
   
  10 November 1894 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  75 
  Ghouls 
   
  Despite the large numbers and population density of 
  India, the number of ghouls there is smaller than one 
  would expect.  One main reason is the prevalence of 
  cremation of Hindu dead.  Sati exacerbated this 
  effect, even after the British outlawed it.  Their 
  eradication of the Thuggee was an even more 
  important factor, since these killers tended to leave 
  victims in shallow roadside graves.  Still, there are 
  many ways to die on the subcontinent, and during 
  times of war, famine, or plague ghouls have always 
  found enough food to sustain themselves. 
    
   
  Religious notions of the soul are another 
  important factor.  Becoming a ghoul is an affront to 
  the dharmic concept of reincarnation, as it prevents 
  the achievement of one’s destiny on the wheel of life.  
  No Hindu will willingly associate with ghouls as a 
  result; indeed, when an infestation is discovered 
  beneath a city or in the countryside, members of each 
  caste have their parts to play in destroying it:  from 
  brahmins that comb old texts for abjurations, to dalits 
  who venture into fetid sewers and charnel houses to 
  hunt them down. 
   
   
  This all means that ghouls must be 
  extremely diligent to survive long in India.  The ones 
  that do attain near-immortality by assuming the 
  guises of the corpses they eat, flitting from shape to 
  shape.  Some are brazen enough to openly rule 
  remote princely states for years, feasting on the 
  dead until their subjects discover the truth.  They 
  tend to live alone from others of their kind, both to 
  prevent the notice of the living and challenges to 
  their territory from others.  It is these ghouls that 
  are still known by an older, more feared name:  
  rakshasa.  
    
   
  Legends state that they were far more 
  numerous before the heroes of the Mahabharata 
  defeated their king in a great battle.  Other warriors 
  ventured into caves and jungles to fight powerful 
  rakshasas who dwelt there.  This campaign against 
  them, as well as the funerary rites that arose in 
  India, are what have led to the dwindling of their 
  race today.  Still, a single rakshasa is devious 
  enough to spread ill across a large area or city.
   
  Rudraprayag (created with the Princely State 
  Generator) 
   
  Population:  55,000 
  Location:  South India 
  Governance:  Autonomous within Raj 
  Worship Sites:  Hindu Temple, Christian Church 
  Majority Religion:  Hindu 
  Ruler’s Religion:  “Hindu” 
  Services:  railroad station, dharmasala, missionary 
  doctor 
  Economy:  Textiles, food bazaar 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  76 
   
   
  Sanda
  mathra became a 
  ghoul in 1792 
  during the doji 
  bora – the “skull 
  famine” 
  – 
  so 
  called because of 
  the numbers of 
  corpses left to 
  rot in abandoned 
  villages 
  throughout the countryside.  By the time he had 
  discovered his new nature he also understood the 
  threat posed by humans as well as fellow ghouls.  
  Since he regarded famine as an even greater threat 
  than discovery, he set out to acquire temporal power 
  as the hereditary ruler (nayak) of the state of 
  Rudraprayag.  Through this arrangement he has 
  insured that the Raj may step in to prevent the most 
  egregious effects of future droughts.  A group of 
  Christian missionaries operates a hospital and small 
  church in the capital; these days their buried dead 
  comprises his main source of sustenance. 
   
   
  When he decides to pass his title onto an 
  heir, he adopts the guise of a recent meal as his next 
  human form.  In this way he has upheld his dynasty 
  for eight decades.  Right now his personal honor 
  would prevent him from assuming a female disguise, 
  although since he has never been mortally threatened 
  it is hard to say whether this line might ever be 
  crossed.   
   
   
  Investigators who research the history of 
  Rudraprayag will discover that it has been 
  administered well during the time Sandamathra has 
  ruled it.  In truth, he has been a capable leader, and 
  his depredations have not caused undo harm to his 
  subjects.  European characters might be convinced to 
  leave him in place, for the native populace will not 
  act without evidence that he is a ghoul – and would 
  not suffer him if they found out.  Of course, if the 
  group leaves him in place, and it is discovered that 
  they concealed his secret, they may find themselves 
  in just as much danger. 
   
   
   
   
  The Tcho-Tcho Diaspora 
   
   
   
  The depraved race known as the 
  Tcho-Tcho have trickled down onto the subcontinent 
  from Leng for centuries.  The extreme ruggedness of 
  this route has prevented this from becoming an 
  invasion like those which have plagued India from 
  the northwest since time immemorial.  Still, there 
  have been two main paths of migration for this 
  fearsome people.  Although the increased distance 
  from the plateau of Tsang means that they are not all 
  solely followers of Chaugnar Faugn, there are still 
  other forces in the cosmos they venerate…. 
   
  The Dwellers of the Black Jungle 
   
   
  One branch of this hellish volkswanderung 
  had led several generations of Tcho-Tchos to the 
  festering morass of the Sundarbans.  There, on one 
  of the few islets that stay above water in all seasons, 
  they erected an altar to Shub-Niggurath.  The leader 
  of this cult is always female, and typically a 
  sorceress of great power.  In their native language 
  this place is referred to as the Black Jungle.   
   
   
  Over the years, they managed to commingle 
  with several bands of thuggees, occasionally 
  snatching one of the Stranglers’ victims for a fate 
  even worse.  While some of the outward 
  manifestations of their devotion resemble that of the 
  Hindu goddess Kali, the foreigners took great pains 
  to prevent the cross-corruption of their own worship.  
  The British forces that suppressed this sect in the 
  middle of  
  the 19th Century received unknowing help when the 
  Tcho-Tcho realized they could buy even more 
  freedom with the Thuggees’ demise.  In many cases, 
  thugs were identified by Tcho-Tcho turncoats – or 
  simply killed outright if they resisted.   
   
   
  The Dwellers of the Black Jungle have 
  bided their time, gradually marshalling their strength 
  in the event they attract the same notice the Thugs 
  once did.  To that end, they have received an 
  unlikely boost by their latest high priestess:  Dorcas 
  Quinlivan, the wife of the Commissioner of 
  Chawnapore.   
   
  Sandamathra, Nayak of 
  Rudraprayag 
  STR 17  
  CON 
  15 
   
  SIZ 16 
   
  INT 14   
  POW 18 
  DEX 14  
  APP 
  17* 
   
  EDU 
  15 
   
  SAN 0 
   
  HP 16 
   
  * in current 
  human form 
  Move 9 
  Damage Bonus +1D4 
  Weapons:  Claws 30%, 
  damage 1D6+db; Bite 
  30%, damage 1D6 + 
  worry; Saber 88%; 
  damage 
  Armor:  firearms inflict 
  half damage 
  Skills:  Credit Rating 
  Spells:  Cloak of Fire, 
  Consume Likeness 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  77 
   
  Her bucolic life was ripped from the stark 
  beauty of Galloway to the brutish squalor of rural 
  India eight years ago, once her family thought a 
  marriage to an up-and-coming Civilian would mean 
  good things in the future.  Unfortunately for her, the 
  Commissioner is excellent at his job, and has all but 
  left her to wither in her home.  The other wives at 
  the club, or in Simla on the occasion she 
  accompanied Quinlivan, are crushingly boring.  The 
  natives under which her husband lords are sullen and 
  dull, and she curses the climate each day she 
  awakes.  For several years, nothing in her new life 
  was worth her interest. 
   
   
  The only person who ever caught her 
  attention was an elderly munshi who confessed to 
  having been a Thuggee decades ago.  With rapt 
  attention she listened to the tales of travelers he 
  killed, and the rumors of the even darker practices 
  by the traitors who abandoned the Stranglers to their 
  fates.  Under his tutelage she has learned to read 
  classical Tamil, and has journeyed to Ceylon in 
  search of the lore of Black Goat of the Woods.  Her 
  first spell was a dream-sending in which she 
  attempted to contact the Dwellers of the Black 
  Jungle.  Her second stopped the heart of her elderly 
  teacher, whereupon she took up a new patron. 
   
   
  She has made several pilgrimages to the 
  fane, each under the guise of a trip to a missionary’s 
  camp.  When the cult desires a new sacrifice, a small 
  group of Tcho-Tchos makes a dacoit-style foray into 
  the province – usually after her dream-sent warning 
  that the garrison is occupied elsewhere.  As these 
  victims have been the daughters of native farmers, 
  the disappearances have gone unnoticed by the Raj 
  (although the locals whisper of an unclean spirit).  It 
  is only a matter of time before some slight by a 
  fellow Englishwoman convinces Quinlivan to 
  attempt something more daring.  
   
  Using the Thuggee 
   
   
  The Thuggee cult of India has an evil reputation and a fearsome pedigree in 
  popular movies and fiction.  Naturally, this means most players will see them coming 
  from a long distance off.  This is compounded by the fact that the Stranglers were 
  officially disbanded several decades in the past.  
   
   
  A Keeper who wants to incorporate the Thugs in a Call of Cthulhu game will 
  have to consider a number of questions about the viability of the cult. 
   
    How has the sect survived?  Any previous members would be at advanced ages by 
  1890, making it hard to practice their craft in the traditional fashion.  Did the 
  current members start the group anew, using the ancient traditions for a veneer of 
  ages? 
    If there are young members, why did they decide to join the Thugs?  What sort of 
  inducements would be worth the risk of lifelong imprisonment the British exacted on 
  members? 
    How do modern technologies affect their activities?  Railroads and steamers 
  reduced the number of travelers that the sect preyed upon, and improved the 
  authorities’ response time.  The growing ubiquity of the telegraph favored the Raj 
  even more.  
    What is the Mythos’ connection to Kali?  Then and now, everyday Hindus have 
  worshipped other aspects of the Dark Mother; the very name “Calcutta” may have 
  been derived from a shrine to her.  In addition to treading a bit too close to modern 
  religious practice, Shub-Niggurath is almost a too-obvious choice.  This monograph 
  deviates slightly with the model of the mundane cult suborned from the inside by the 
  Tcho-Tcho.  Another possibility is a now little-known masculine aspect of the goddess 
  of death and corruption.  His name?  Nirrta. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  78 
   
   
   
   
   
  The Andaman Spider Cult 
   
   
  A smaller branch of Tcho-Tchos lives in 
  the Andaman Islands, where they worship Atlach-
  Nacha.  They were drawn to a remote isle upon 
  which juts a black obelisk since prehistoric times.  
  This monument bears more than a passing 
  resemblance to Hungary’s Black Stone; indeed, von 
  Junzt himself remarks on the similarities in his 
  work. 
   
   
  These tribesmen believe that the Spider 
  God has woven his web across the interior of the 
  planet, creating a design too complicated for 
  humans to fathom.  Its completion will spell doom 
  for the Earth.  By accessing the dim racial memory 
  of the Tcho-Tcho people, the current shaman has 
  divined a pattern to the locations along which 
  Atlach-Nacha travels.  Distorting Hindu thought, he 
  calls each finished knot a “yuga” – a Sanskrit word 
  derived from an Indo-European root meaning 
  “connection,” from which also comes the English 
  “yoke.”   According to his fevered calculations, the 
  god will soon migrate to a spot beneath the 
  Andamans, where he might easily be communed 
  with.  This may happen as early as 1895.  In 
  connection with this momentous event, they have 
  begun 
  seeking 
  female 
  subjects 
  to 
  undergo 
  transformations into Daughters of Atlach-Nacha.  If 
  none are found on the subcontinent, they may have 
  to cast their nets further afield. 
   
   
  Many Hindus think 
  that the world itself is in the 
  last yuga before the re-
  creation 
  of 
  the 
  universe.  
  Traditional teaching holds 
  that during this age, men turn 
  away 
  from 
  righteousness, 
  resembling 
  brutish 
  beasts 
  who care for little beyond 
  physical 
  gratification 
  and 
  violence.  This is not so far 
  removed from the musings of 
  the Cthulhu cult as to the 
  ultimate state of humanity. 
   
   
  The Cult of the Small Crawler 
   
   
  The 
  Small 
  Crawler 
  is 
  an 
  avatar 
  of 
  Nyarlathotep.  Although small but constant numbers 
  of Indians have worshipped it for several centuries, 
  its original human cult first appeared on the Iberian 
  peninsula, in the decadent city of Tartessos.  Here 
  citizens venerated the god as Geryon, a giant depicted 
  with four arms and snakelike legs.  By 500 BC the 
  Carthaginians had laid waste to the city – ostensibly 
  in competition for its mineral wealth.  Rome would 
  eventually subdue Hispania before the birth of Christ, 
  yet her chroniclers make no mention of the sect.  
  However, it endured both the Roman and Moorish 
  conquests, for it had been revived at some point by 
  the Christian Reconquista of the Middle Ages, along 
  the rocky southern coast of Portugal, where devotees 
  met in deep caves along the sea cliffs. 
   
   
  Portuguese sailors under the tutelage of 
  Prince Henry the Navigator were the first Europeans 
  to reach the Asian mainland by sea.  Where they 
  landed along these routes – Africa, India, and onward 
  to the Moluccas and Japan – small, easily-concealed 
  idols of the Crawler sometimes went ashore with 
  them.  Despite this diaspora, the cult would only 
  flourish on the subcontinent, for it was once the home 
  of the Small Crawler’s original worshippers, the 
  Dorcas Quinlivan 
  STR 7  
  CON 10 
  SIZ 9  
  INT 14  
  POW 
  13 
  DEX 11 
  APP 10 
  EDU 12 
  SAN 24 
  HP 10 
  Weapons:  none. 
  Skills:   
  Spells:  Dream Communication, Stop Heart 
   
  Typical Dweller of the Black Jungle 
  STR 13 
  CON 15 
  SIZ 7  
  INT 12  
  POW 
  12 
  DEX 15 
  APP 8  
  EDU 0  
  SAN 0  
  HP 11 
  Damage Bonus +0 
  Weapons:  Bagh nakh,  
  Skills:  Climb 65%, Cthulhu Mythos 8%, Hide 70%, Track 75% 
  Spells: none 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  79 
  dwellers of Lemuria:  the Third Root Race 
  described by Blavatsky. 
   
   
  As their continent sank, the Lemurians had 
  sought refuge through tiny fissures into India’s 
  ancient geologic strata.  Evidently forsaken by their 
  deity, the race all but died out in lightless caverns 
  deep beneath the ground.  But evidence of their 
  existence remained in the holy texts of the 
  Portuguese worshippers, and appeared in rare 
  Buddhist and Hindu scriptures found in the new 
  lands they visited.  Natives who still received odd 
  dreamscapes of Lemurian life flocked to an estate in 
  Malgudie on the southeast coast, owned by a 
  nobleman named Alfonso Ramalho.  From here, 
  bands of the faithful wandered India looking for 
  physical evidence of their religious forbears. 
   
   
  However, as Portuguese fortunes waned in 
  Asia, other European empires began to prosper.  In 
  particular, 
  the 
  Netherlands 
  seized 
  most 
  of 
  Portugal’s Indian possessions in the 1600s, and in 
  turn, several Dutchmen were introduced to the 
  worship of the Small Crawler.  By now, the 
  Ramalho estate passed into the hands of a wealthy 
  adventurer from Vlissingen named Thijs van 
  Rijneveld.  The family in turn hired a Bohemian 
  mining engineer to excavate a particular cave near 
  Chandrapur in Bihar during the 18th Century.  There 
  van Rijneveld met the surviving remnant of the 
  Lemurian race, stunted, multilimbed creatures 
  lacking any memory of their former greatness.  
  Witnessing the encounter drove the miner insane; he 
  died in the care of a Brahmin doctor in Madras in 
  1834.  His account was brought to the attention of 
  Theosophists soon after they established their new 
  home in Adyar (Joachim Ferry translates it as a 
  visiting scholar after the turn of the century, 
  whereupon it is compiled with the Hindi edition of 
  the Cthaat Aquadingen). 
   
   
  The devolved Lemurians have no desire to 
  return to the surface world.  However, the Marabar 
  cave remains an important fane for human 
  worshippers, who sometimes bring sacrifices here for 
  the inhabitants.  Among Europeans and Hindus, the 
  caves have a poor reputation, and few who live close 
  by visit more than once. 
   
   
  Deep Ones 
   
   
  Although Dravidian peoples first settled the 
  islands southwest of India by 500 BC, they went 
  remarkably unnoticed for much of history.  The 
  remarkable traveler Ibn Battuta visited the Maldives 
  in the 14th Century, but the rest of the Indian 
  Ocean’s great voyagers – Cheng Ho, and the 
  Portuguese under Prince Henry the Navigator – 
  mention these lonely atolls only briefly.   
   
   
  Certainly their location does not help – 
  water stretching across a third of the globe’s 
  circumference lies between them and Antarctica, 
  with only a few other specks of land strewn to the 
  south.  Thus it is not a surprise that the Deep One 
  city of Ra’nh-Mar’i lies unmolested close by in the 
  Vema Trench, whose depths plunge to twenty 
  thousand feet. 
   
   
  For centuries, deep ones ascended to 
  bedevil the inhabitants of the Maldives, abducting 
  women for their nefarious purposes.  An ancient 
  legend holds that a Muslim traveler ended this 
  practice by reciting verses of the Koran in the 
  sacrificial temple at Malé, where the king had left 
  maidens to their fates.  In truth, the story is slightly 
  different.   
   
   
  The purported savior was an Arab sea captain 
  named Makhrama al-Sadiq, whose sturdy baghlah 
  plied the Indian Ocean from Zanzibar to Sumatra.  It 
  was undoubtedly in the eastern edges of this territory 
  where he first met other humans who had taken up a 
  more mutually beneficial interaction with the deep 
  ones of the Java Trench.  The odd copper plate he 
  read from, however, displayed a language that was 
  ancient before Mohammed heard the voice of 
  Gabriel.  To the deep ones, he promised enough 
  women to found a settlement on dry land on the 
  hitherto unoccupied Chagos Islands.  The inhabitants 
  of 
  the 
  Maldives 
  would be rid of their 
  scourge, and al-Sadiq 
  received 
  trading 
  concessions 
  from 
  Malé and the promise 
  of even more riches. 
   
   
  The merchant 
  furtively guarded the 
  location 
  of 
  his 
  ghastly 
  harem 
  – 
  home to women from every shore along the Indian 
  Ocean, many of them slaves – and grew rich with the 
  odd jewelry fashioned by the hybrid islanders.  Over 
  LEMURIAN 
   
   
  The typical 
  Lemurian resembles a tall, 
  gaunt bear at first blush.  
  Its light-colored fur is 
  typically smeared with 
  mud and dirt from its 
  cavern home.  They 
  possess three or four eyes, 
  which grant 360 ° vision 
  and sight into exotic 
  frequencies.  Most 
  Lemurians have four arms 
  and three tentacle-like 
  legs, but mutants with 
  more limbs exist as well.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  80 
  the next century, traders with bulging eyes and 
  mouths like knife wounds bought and sold their 
  wares in the markets of Aden, Calicut, and 
  Malacca.  But when the French claimed the islands 
  at the end of the 18th Century, the islands showed 
  signs of having been deserted for several decades.  
  The current populace is descended from African 
  slaves brought to fish and raise coconuts, but now 
  and then a well-digger unearths an 
  exotic piece of jewelry or a copper 
  plate 
  with 
  incomprehensible 
  markings.  British steamers and 
  naval vessels call occasionally, 
  bringing Indian lascars and sailors 
  from all parts of the empire; it is 
  only a matter of time before one 
  with unusual knowledge sees 
  these relics to understand the real 
  history of the archipelago. 
   
   
   
   
  HINTS to TRAVELLERS 
  - 
  Extant Periodicals of Note 
   
  1 
  Corpus Inscriptionum Indicarum 
   
   
  Although on an irregular schedule, the Indian 
  Archæological Survey periodically releases large volumes of 
  epigraphs collected throughout the subcontinent. 
   
  2 
  Indian Antiquary (1872) 
   
   
  The proceedings of the IAS are collected in this 
  annual publication. 
   
  3 
  Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (1832) 
   
   
  The transactions of this august body are arguably the 
  preeminent source of regular academic information.  Earlier 
  editions from the same source have been published since 
  1784.  
            
  4 
  Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal 
  Asiatic Society (1841) 
   
   
  Backed by the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britian & 
  Ireland, elected fellows may use the honorific “FRAS.” 
   
  5 
  Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal 
  Asiatic Society (1841) 
   
   
  From its headquarters in Colombo, this journal 
  publishes matters with an obvious focus on Ceylon.  
   
  6 
  Madras Journal of Literature & Science (1833) 
   
   
  Founded before the Madras Literary Society’s 
  affiliation with the Royal Asiatic Society, this journal is in 
  decline and will cease publication in 1894. 
    
  7 
  The Theosophist (1879) 
   
   
  Despite their mystical bent, its editors are avid 
  scholars of Eastern arts, religion and philosophy.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  81 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Scenario 
   
  his adventure embroils the group in perilous questions of diplomacy and 
  exploration in the mountainous lands between India and Russian 
  Transcaspia (as Central Asia was then known).  Dealing with the Mythos 
  might prove to be the easy part of the journey. 
   
  The Situation 
   
   
  The Corps of Guides exists not only to 
  survey the remote and forbidding lands along 
  India’s northern border.  Another vital mission 
  involves 
  detecting 
  and 
  countering 
  the 
  ambitions of other empires that might be 
  inimical to British aims.  For about fifty years, 
  this has meant keeping an eye on Russia, 
  whose border has moved closer to India every 
  year.  It has finally reached the opposite edge 
  of the mountain ranges that crown Asia. 
   
   
  However, the natural obstacles to any 
  further expansion are daunting.  Cossacks 
  might reach Tashkent via rail with startling 
  ease, but sending an army over the mountains 
  is a hundred times harder.  The peoples who 
  live there have a bit to say about any foreigners 
  who try to make headway there, too.  The 
  difficulties of dealing with Afghanistan, for 
  example, have lasted for the same half-century. 
   
   
  For centuries, travelers have sought 
  passes between the jumbled slopes of the 
  Pamirs, Karakorams, Himalayas, and Kunlun 
  range.  One which has remained unfound is the 
  near-mythical Shandani Pass, said to exist in 
  the territory of the fearsome Demza people.  
  Most tribes in the area say that even if it could 
  be found, it is haunted by demons, and anyone 
  who traverses it will be cursed. 
   
   
  But these superstitions mean little to the 
  Russian agent who is looking for it.  Igor 
  Chernosertsev is an expert in dealing with 
  mountain tribes, and has decided to devote his 
  energies to working with the Demza to secure 
  access to this land.  This outcome would be 
  unacceptable to Britain, and the Raj has 
  dispatched native pundits and European scouts 
  to stop him.  
   
   
  One of these scouts, Edmund Stockton, 
  has not returned from his assigned mission in the 
  region of Demza.  It was assumed that he was 
  traveling under a disguise, possibly as a 
  Buddhist pilgrim – so when reports that just 
  such a man was murdered by brigands in Demza 
  reached India, the Corps took notice.  Under 
  their analysis, a more official enquiry is called 
  for, with an eye towards gauging Demza’s 
  interest in having closer ties to her majesty’s 
  government.   
   
  Framework 
   
   
  The group will travel through the 
  southern mountains to the kingdom of the 
  Demza, in the hopes of locating and securing the 
  body.  They will find that it has already been 
  examined, although the searcher has tried to 
  conceal this fact.  Also present in Demza is the 
  Russian mission whose leader is trying to 
   T 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  82 
  negotiate with the Faujdar.  The party may 
  have the tools to discover the Guide’s secret 
  before anyone has a chance to thwart them.  
  Events will occur as the Keeper deems useful, 
  or as the investigators affect the situation. 
   
  The Truth 
   
   
  The pass does indeed exist.  The 
  Demza shun it for two reasons.  First, using it 
  might invite discovery.  Second, and more 
  importantly, is that the degenerate men who 
  live there have long allied themselves with the 
  Mi-Go who scour the region for odd minerals 
  important to their race.     
   
   
  Unbeknownst to anyone, the secret of 
  the route to the pass has been in British hands 
  for decades.  A romantic tale of a princess, also 
  named Shandani, contains directions to it 
  disguised as a journey a nobleman takes to 
  meet her.  The Asiatick Society collected a 
  manuscript shortly after the Sepoy Rebellion, 
  and it remains in their stacks, hardly disturbed 
  over the years. 
   
   
  There is a second copy of this tale, 
  among the personal belongings of the pundit 
  who was killed in the mountains.  Fortunately, 
  the erotic nature of the artwork makes it 
  scandalous for anyone in Demza to examine it 
  openly (the fact that it is written in Sanskrit 
  protects it from immediate scrutiny as well).  
  The party may have to determine if othershave 
  seen it as well. 
   
  Roles 
   
   
  Plenty of motivations exist for a group 
  to undertake this adventure, either directly or 
  as a side excursion.  Some investigators should 
  be able to read Sanskrit and/or speak Pashtu. 
   
  Military – the Corps of Guides, worried about 
  the disappearance of an agent, has made 
  discrete enquiries about the possibility of a 
  search party.  Soldiers will need to take pains 
  to stress their role as guards and not 
  conquerors. 
   
  Guide – Their mission has always been to 
  survey the desolate regions beyond Kashmir, 
  and counter any Russian activities they 
  uncover in their wanderings.  The trouble lies in 
  the 
  persistent 
  suspicion 
  of 
  every 
  minor 
  princeling in the area:  they all believe that 
  explorers are the first step that ultimately leads 
  to extinction.  It’s hard to take issue with that 
  view, but once the frontier advances, the 
  individual pundit will have other lands on his 
  mind. 
   
   
  Many members of the Corps have ties to 
  the scholarly community of India.  A typical 
  disguise is that of a wandering pilgrim.  To that 
  effect, the Corps has devised measuring 
  implements disguised as religious artifacts:  
  prayer wheels that can hold concealed messages, 
  and bead strings suitable for measuring long 
  distances.  
   
   
  A fellow Guide would be among the 
  first to know of a disappearance of a compatriot.  
  They would also have a powerful motivation in 
  recovering the body and possessions. 
   
  Academic – The 19th Century has witnessed the 
  ascendance of scientific and technological 
  progress.  India’s British scholars value 
  knowledge above all other pursuits, and will 
  look kindly on others who express the same 
  aspiration.  To a select few, however, the reality 
  of the Mythos makes this a less than impressive 
  achievement.  These men understand the true 
  dangers to mankind and the globe, and will 
  sacrifice much to keep them from materializing.   
   
   
  Of course, most academics are proper 
  English patriots, and understand that the Raj 
  brings progress as well as enlightenment.  Thus, 
  the motives of the British government can be 
  assumed to be beneficial to India.  Anyone who 
  thinks otherwise is entitled to this viewpoint, but 
  will be looked on at best with suspicion.  
  Finally, preserving the rich heritage of the 
  subcontinent is a lofty ideal in itself, which tends 
  to 
  coincide 
  with 
  other 
  more 
  important 
  objectives. 
   
   
  Naturalists 
  might 
  want 
  to 
  collect 
  information about various animals that dwell in 
  the high mountains, or analyze the geographical 
  information the Guide collected. 
   
  Diplomatic/Government – To the Raj, the globe 
  looks best adorned in red.  India’s prosperity 
  makes this possible, and guarding her frontiers is 
  the prime aim of the troops stationed there.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  83 
  Over the last few decades, Russia’s expansion 
  in Central Asia has become a worrisome 
  problem, and the Tsar is the prime target of 
  British activities in the mountains.  Finding out 
  their schemes and neutralizing them is the top 
  priority. 
   
   
  As 
  long 
  as 
  that 
  goal 
  remains 
  attainable, Queen Victoria truly desires that the 
  lives of her subjects be as good as possible.  
  This means encouraging development in the 
  poorer regions of India to prevent the ravages 
  of weather, famine and plague.  A stouthearted 
  few consider this even more important than the 
  integrity of the Empire’s borders. 
   
   
  Her Majesty’s government is always 
  looking for opportunities to oversee (some 
  might say meddle) in the region.  The Demza, 
  in particular, has no agreements with the Raj of 
  any kind, and a treaty would make a nice 
  feather in a budding diplomat’s cap.  The tribe 
  will treat diplomats with begrudging respect – 
  meaning that while their heads won’t be 
  immediately used for polo, the more ambitious 
  tribesmen might size them up for later. 
   
  Dilettante – Kashgar, the exotic capital of 
  Eastern Turkestan, is a short journey past the 
  mountains.  Rich travelers who have not seen 
  the Western Gobi might want to arrange such a 
  journey.   
   
  Merchant – Despite the threat of bandits, trips 
  along this route tend to be lucrative, and a 
  trader might find good deals amongst the 
  unsuspecting populace.  
   
  Travellers – a party headed north into 
  Turkestan may stop in Demza and get 
  embroiled in the controversy as patriotic 
  citizens of the empire. 
   
  Preliminary Research 
   
   
  A Credit Rating roll made in the right 
  place (at Dehra Dun, the headquarters of the 
  Topographical Survey for example; or a large 
  enough cantonment in north India; or even 
  among authorities in Simla) reveals that 
  Stockton was an accomplished surveyor and 
  explorer.  He made his reputation mapping the 
  Central Himalayas near the border of Nepal 
  and Tibet, although he never entered the latter 
  country.  Some of his observations about the 
  hillside tribes might also have made it to any of 
  the scholarly societies in Calcutta or Bombay.   
   
   
  Researchers looking in these places can 
  also find out information about the Demza.  
  They are undistinguished among any number of 
  semi-barbarous (as described by European 
  scholars) peoples inhabiting secluded valleys 
  where the mountains of Central Asia meet.  A 
  success with a relevant skill roll (or Library Use 
  halved) looking for such materials reveals 
  speculation about the existence and location of 
  the Shandani pass – which might be a heretofore 
  uncatalogued route through the mountains – 
  rumored to be located in Demza territory.   
    
  Traveling to Demza 
   
   
  A party trying to reach Demza must 
  head north from Lahore or Peshawar into the 
  fastness of the Hindu Kush.  The trip is expected 
  to last ten days, although on the fifth day the 
  route reaches a deep gorge crossed by a 
  swinging rope bridge.  Assessment of the terrain 
  will indicate that the bridge will likely save two 
  days travel if the group is willing to use it.  
  Nervous travelers might need to make SAN 
  checks to try it, particularly if they have a 
  phobia that might interfere (0/1).  Three people, 
  or one person leading a beast of burden, can use 
  the bridge at one time.  Although no one will 
  molest them as they do, that possibility should 
  always be a realistic one (especially if they are 
  being pursued…). 
   
   
  By this time the trail winds through 
  narrow, winding passes between stark mountains 
  of rock.  Regardless of the time of year, snow 
  can be seen in shadowy crevices, and the nights 
  can be quite cold.  Markhors – woolly sheep 
  with corkscrewed horns – watch the party pass 
  from safe niches in the rock   They in turn may 
  be stalked by a snow leopard, who pauses to size 
  up the humans before moving on to easier prey.  
  With a successful party Luck Roll, a Keeper 
  may allow the group to hunt for an entertaining 
  distraction (a snow leopard pelt will raise the 
  hunter’s status in the estimation of the Demza). 
   
   
  On the second-last day of travel, there 
  will be obvious signs that someone has noticed 
  their arrival:  camp smoke from behind a ridge, 
  or the shadows of sentinels in the cliffs above.  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  84 
  Only shouts in Pashtu will convince the 
  watchers to descend and greet the party.  The 
  men are armed only with long knives, as they 
  cannot climb quickly with rifles.  They will 
  share the mutton jerky they carry if welcomed 
  in any way, and accompany the group to the 
  city of Demza. 
   
  Arriving in Demza 
   
   
  After stabling the group’s mounts, a 
  servant with military bearing will bring them 
  to the diwan-i-khas, or audience hall, of the 
  Faujdar’s fortress.  The party can quickly tell 
  that little expense has been spared in trying to 
  impress newcomers – the geometrical patterns 
  in the marble floor reflect a complex 
  knowledge of geometry, and exquisite rugs 
  from Central Asia are displayed along the 
  columned walls.  Thicker rugs and cushions lie 
  on the floor for the party to use while waiting.  
  Astute observers will notice a second-floor 
  balcony 
  occupied 
  by 
  women 
  whose 
  voluminous garb cannot hide their curiosity.  
  Very astute observers (succeeding in a Spot 
  Hidden roll) note a bubbling samovar in one 
  corner – a gift from a very important guest 
  currently staying in the fortress.  A khansamar 
  will serve tea from it before the Faujdar enters.  
  Keepers should let the investigators stew, or 
  worry about accommodation, before this 
  happens. 
   
   
  Through 
  an 
  interpreter 
  he 
  will 
  welcome the group to his humble home, and 
  invite them to stay in one of the wings of the 
  fortress (hinting that he expects this courtesy to 
  be accepted).  A banquet will be held “for all 
  the guests’ honor” soon after nightfall; before 
  then they are free to amuse themselves.  
  Requests to see the dead Guide will be granted 
  through the interpreter; the only thing that will 
  keep the Faujdar present is a hint that the Raj 
  is prepared to sign a treaty preserving the 
  autonomy of the Demza (which would be quite 
  a bold thing for a character to suggest). 
   
  Preliminary Activities 
   
   
  Investigators may try some of these 
  things prior to the banquet.  Chernosertsev 
  keeps a low profile until the feast, gauging the 
  threat to his plans prior to making formal 
  introductions. 
    
  Inspecting the Body 
   
   
  Stockton’s body was found by a 
  goatherd along a mountainside.  The herdsman 
  loaded it into a cart and brought it to Demza, on 
  the hopes that he would be rewarded.  Although 
  this man cannot be located, servants will avow 
  that all of his possessions are still present (which 
  is true if unverifiable).  It has remained in a bare 
  storeroom traditionally used as a cold pantry, but 
  was emptied for its latest use. 
   
   
  Anyone who examines the body will see 
  the gunshots that mar its torso.  A relevant 
  medicinal skill reveals that exposure was the 
  likely cause of death:  the wounds would have 
  bled all night while the man hid from his 
  attackers.  His face and hands have been stained 
  brown with walnut juice – a traditional method 
  of trying to pass as an Asian.  This (and if 
  anyone cares to look, the circumcision of the 
  body) invites the conclusion that they have 
  indeed found Edmund Stockton. 
   
   
  The accoutrements of a Buddhist 
  traveler are also present (these would have been 
  left by superstitious brigands, especially as they 
  have no monetary value):  a prayer wheel, prayer 
  beads, and a stout walking staff.  These, 
  however are not what they seem. 
   
   
   The prayer beads number 100, not the 
  traditional 108 of Buddhist practice (if no one 
  thinks to count, a Religion roll reveals this).  
  This was used to record distances. 
   
   
   The prayer wheel contains a single 
  sheet of paper, upon which are written Arabic 
  numerals.  These calculations were the result of 
  Stockton’s calculations on his final journey.  
  Ideally this should seem out of place in the 
  possession of a Buddhist.   
   
   
   The tin tip of the staff will rattle if 
  moved.  It can easily be unscrewed and removed 
  (this is actually loose, as someone has examined 
  it already).  Within a hollow space are a small 
  glass vial that held walnut juice, and a 
  manuscript wrapped in cloth.  The still-wet 
  stains on the cloth indicate that someone has 
  recently examined these things before returning 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  85 
  them to their places – possibly staining their 
  hands and clothing as well. 
   
   
   The Sanskrit manuscript is a long 
  sheet of paper folded over into several sheaves.  
  Protected by the cloth, its illustrations are quite 
  colorful and quite pornographic.  It should 
  become readily obvious that the Faujdar would 
  frown upon anyone sharing it with other 
  Demza natives. 
   
   
  A tame picture from the manuscript 
   
  Medical Assistance 
   
   
  A medical character who offers to 
  minister to the household will have a busy if 
  productive time doing so.  This is a good way 
  to earn the trust of the residents for the future – 
  indeed, many patients may be willing to 
  overlook minor indiscretions, or provide other 
  inconspicuous services for this goodwill.  
  Although this takes up a good portion of a 
  character’s day, no skill rolls are required. 
   
   
  Converting the Natives 
   
   
  Conversely, this is the least helpful 
  activity.  Most Demza will view preaching as 
  the opening salvo in a campaign to subdue their 
  lands.  Allow zealous investigators a Religion 
  roll; if this fails, they are harangued by an angry 
  native who will glower at them for the 
  remainder of their stay in Demza. 
   
   
  Visiting the Zenana 
   
   
  Female characters will be able to 
  arrange a meeting with the women who live in 
  the fortress.  The native women will be 
  somewhat awed by the daring of their European 
  counterparts, who mingle freely with uncouth 
  men.  A Spot Hidden role undertaken during this 
  time reveals that one young wife’s clothes are 
  stained with walnut juice.  Miraji is the one who 
  looked through Stockton’s belongings when the 
  rest of the castle was asleep.  If confronted (with 
  no other native women present), she will admit 
  to examining the body.  She vows that nothing 
  has been taken, and cannot recall any specifics 
  of what she saw. 
   
  Sport  
   
   
  The best way to impress the Demza is to 
  join in a display of prowess in sport.  
  Investigators looking for hunting parties or a 
  polo game can find one with ease.  Those who 
  acquit themselves well (a simple skill roll may 
  suffice) will be grudgingly accepted as real men, 
  albeit Europeans. 
   
  Snooping 
   
   
  Investigators can wander the drafty halls 
  of the fortress, keeping their ears and eyes open 
  for anything interesting.  Those who speak 
  Pashtu can make a language roll to overhear 
  servants speaking about another European 
  presently staying within the confines of the 
  fortress.  Attempts to discover his quarters 
  should fail until after the banquet – there are 
  plenty of other things to do before then. 
   
   
  The utility and danger of sneaking into 
  other places depends on what investigators are 
  looking for.  For instance, a male trying to enter 
  the zenana risks a summary promotion as a 
  eunuch.  Those failing a Sneak roll looking for 
  the Faujdar’s rooms get a stern warning against 
  such impolite behavior. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  86 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Translating the Manuscript 
   
   
  The only barrier to deciphering this 
  manuscript should be time.  Ideally, one or 
  more 
  investigators 
  can 
  undertake 
  its 
  translation.  This can be done with a series of 
  three language rolls.  Success indicates that the 
  information listed below is readily available, 
  while failure means a night spent checking and 
  re-checking one’s work.  While the first skill 
  roll can be completed prior to the banquet, is 
  probably better to delay the other rolls until 
  further events have unfolded. 
   
   
   First attempt:  the scroll tells the 
  story of a young nobleman who pines for a girl 
  he once saw atop the tower of her father’s 
  fortress.  Although he has been forbidden to 
  court her, an elderly farmer takes pity on his 
  love and shows him a secret way beneath the 
  castle and into the woman’s chambers.  Once 
  he summons the bravery to take this route, he 
  encounters the woman.  As they discover their 
  shared feelings, the couple consummates their 
  love. 
   
   
   Second attempt:  the nobleman’s 
  journey seems far more metaphorical than real.  
  The distances it cites seem far too long for a 
  travel under a dwelling, even a fortress.  The 
  description of the fortress, however, resembles 
  that of the Faujdar’s home.  It is possible that 
  the scroll describes an overland route to 
  somewhere. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Excerpt from the manuscript 
   
   
   Third attempt:  a long ode to the 
  princess, whose name is revealed as Shandani.  
  The description of the journey becomes clear 
  enough to be followed.  It also contains an odd 
  warning about her handmaidens (this is a veiled 
  description of the Mi-Go which haunt the pass – 
  see the accompanying excerpt). 
   
  The Banquet 
   
   
  Once the investigators have had a 
  chance to familiarize themselves with the 
  fortress, the Keeper can announce that the 
  banquet is ready.  As a vain man, the Faujdar is 
  eager to impress sophisticated travelers from the 
  south, and will offer as many delicacies as he 
  can find.  These include fresh fruits recognizable 
  by any Englishman, and sometimes hard to find 
  in India:  apricots, apples, pomegranates, and 
  many varieties of nuts.  A beef dish with rice, 
  raisins, carrots and pistachios looks colorful and 
  is pleasing to the tongue; less adventurous eaters 
  can try veal with onions, plums and lentils over 
  boiled white rice.  There are mountains of thin 
  bread, which the natives tear into pieces and use 
  to hold morsels of food or sop up the remnants.  
  Yogurt and sherbet is served cold, kept so by ice 
  from the mountains.  There is no alcohol. 
   
   
  Three of Demza’s wives are present, 
  wearing slightly less severe clothing than 
  normal, and no veils in order to eat without 
  obstruction.  They remain demure and quiet on  
  one side of the host.  On the other side – at a 
  position of prestige – sits the Russian 
  adventurer, Igor Mikhailovich Chernosertsev.  
  O Shandani, thy handmaidens conceal 
  thee/ 
  Wearing crowns of glowing gems [like/from] 
  the  stars/ 
  their hearts are like snow on the slopes of 
  the  mountains/ 
  Evil sleeps in their cold breasts. 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  87 
  Two silent Cossack manservants wait silently 
  at the walls behind him.  Other seats are filled 
  by several hard-looking men that serve as the 
  Faujdar’s noble retinue.  There is room for all 
  the PCs who wish to attend. 
   
   
  The group can ask questions of 
  anyone.  This is a good opportunity for 
  investigators to establish less-confrontational 
  reasons for their visit.  If asked, the Faujdar 
  will only refer to Chernosertsev as his guest.  
  For his part, the Russian will dissemble if 
  asked his motives for traveling here (he speaks 
  English as well as Pashtu).  He describes 
  himself as a merchant with interests in Central 
  Asia, for which he does look the part. 
   
   
  Once the diners have had time to 
  partake of several courses, an elderly Pashtun 
  storyteller will delight those who understand 
  his tales.  The entire affair will take at least 
  three hours, or last until darkness descends 
  over the mountainsides. 
   
  More Avenues 
   
   
  Obviously, many of the preliminary 
  activities can continue after the feast.  The 
  group’s introduction to Chernosertsev allows 
  for some other possibilities. 
   
  More Snooping 
   
   
  The Russian has stayed in Demza for 
  several days, and is planning at least a two-
  week sojourn in the mountains.  To that effect, 
  his quarters are crowded with heavy furs and 
  traveling equipment.  Investigators can attempt 
  to examine his possessions when they think he 
  is otherwise occupied (most safely, through the 
  collusion of other characters).  Have searchers 
  make Spot Hidden checks; if they fail, another 
  resident of the castle discovers their activities.  
  Any success discovers a hastily-concealed yet 
  gleaming rifle – the Mosin-Nagant, so new it is 
  not yet in the hands of Russian soldiers – 
  which Chernosertsev has brought to prove his 
  sincerity before the Faujdar.  Although there is 
  no ammunition, this is damning evidence that 
  something sinister is afoot.  Other than this, 
  however, the man’s other effects are mundane.  
  The only other item of note is a bottle of 
  Russian vodka from Vladivostok. 
   
   
  Denouncing the Russian 
   
   
  It may be possible to try and discredit 
  Chernosertsev before the Faujdar during the 
  investigators’ stay.  The most likely way to do 
  this is to best him at some sort of manly pastime 
  like a hunt or game of polo.  Heroes who have 
  discovered the Russian’s rifle will be sorely 
  disappointed at the Faujdar’s reaction, should 
  they reveal it:  this is precisely the kind of gift he 
  is hoping for.  It is far better to approach 
  Chernosertsev alone, threatening to report his 
  maneuvers to the Raj.  Indeed, if confronted in 
  this manner about the weapon (especially by a 
  group of Englishmen), he will skulk home at the 
  first opportunity.  He does not know about the 
  Shandani Pass, and will not discover it unless 
  the Keeper decides it is merited.  This might 
  involve searching the party’s quarters if the 
  players have taken no pains to hide their secrets.  
  The best he can hope for on this trip is a good 
  reception from the Faujdar, after which he will 
  return to Russia to procure more rifles. 
   
   
  The 
  best 
  way 
  to 
  embarrass 
  Chernosertsev before his host is to show him the 
  concealed vodka.  The Faujdar will not take this 
  affront lightly, as he is a fervent believer in 
  temperance.  While decorum demands that his 
  guest can stay as long as he likes, Demza will no 
  longer be open to the Russian’s diplomacy. 
   
  Travel 
   
   
  If the investigators have discovered the 
  location of the Shandani Pass, a journey there to 
  confirm their suspicions is a distinct possibility 
  (see the next section).   Travelers using the 
  directions contained in the scroll can find it after 
  three days and a successful Navigate check 
  (failure 
  involves 
  an 
  additional 
  day 
  and 
  subsequent roll; this can repeat until an unlucky 
  party finds the pass).   
   
   
  The Faujdar will send two of three two 
  or three guides to accompany the party if they 
  announce a departure for anywhere but back to 
  India.  While they will not attack the 
  investigators, they will report back if the 
  expedition returns to the palace before leaving 
  Demza.  This is dangerous, as the ruler will 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  88 
  assume they are leaving with a vital secret.  To 
  that effect, he will invite the local bandits to 
  waylay the party on the next leg of the journey.  
   
   
  There is no one in the fortress who can 
  locate the spot where Stockton died, if 
  investigators are curious.   
   
  The Pass 
   
   
  It is entirely possible that a party will 
  complete this scenario without interacting with 
  the denizens of the Shandani Pass.  In truth, 
  that would likely serve the Mi-Go just fine.  
  They haunt the remote peaks that adjoin the 
  path, mining the mountains for the unusual 
  minerals found in only a few places on the 
  earth.  Over the years, they have suborned the 
  handful of goatherds and nomads who stray 
  too close.  Not a cult in any organized sense, 
  these unfortunates will follow the mental 
  commands of the Whisperers as best they can.  
  If asked, most assume the creatures are djinni, 
  creatures of smokeless fire, to be heeded for 
  fear of their mystic powers. 
   
   
  Forcing the Shandani Pass takes four 
  days once it is discovered.  If the party 
  completes this task, they will realize that this 
  represents a grave danger to the Raj’s northern 
  flank.  It would take a decade to fortify the 
  area to the British Army’s satisfaction – 
  assuming the natives would let them work 
  undisturbed.  A party who returns with tangible 
  proof of the pass’ existence will be hailed as 
  heroes and likely forgot while diplomatic 
  overtures begin with the Faujdar.   
   
   
  After each night, there is a 25% 
  cumulative chance that a passing Mi-Go detects 
  the party (in turn, investigators on guard duty 
  have a 5% chance each night to spot this 
  surveillance – 10% if a guard calls for Spot 
  Hidden rolls on watch).  On the night after a 
  success, they will send five cultists to attack the 
  group while they observe atop a nearby ridge.  
  The men will press their advantage until their 
  losses outnumber the party’s (retreating in this 
  event, even if they lose the first casualty).  
  Defenders who make Spot Hidden rolls after the 
  fight notice the fungi fly off soon afterward.  
  Since it is likely the party will prevail, the Mi-
  Go will prepare for their final solution:  casting a 
  Rend the Earth spell to destroy the pass.   
   
   
  It will take them a week to accumulate 
  the Magic Points necessary to use this potent 
  spell.  Ideally, this means the party will be out of 
  range when it happens.  This should be an 
  acceptable solution for most of the factions 
  involved – only Chernosertsev is truly thwarted 
  by this change.  At best, a party returning to 
  what was the Shandani Pass will get a mild 
  rebuke from the Raj, who will still consider the 
  matter resolved.  
   
  Characters 
   
  Major Personages: 
  Akbar, Faujdar of Demza 
  STR 14  
  CON 14 
  SIZ 12  
  INT 11  
  POW 11 
  DEX 12 
  APP 11  
  EDU 8  
  SAN 55  
  HP 13 
  Damage Bonus:  +1D4 
  Weapons:  Sabre 75%, damage 1D8+db 
  Skills:  Credit Rating 25%, Speak Pashtu 66%, Sport 40%, Survival (Mountain) 40% 
   
   
  The truth is uncomfortably apparent to the Faujdar:  the British and Russian empires are 
  bound to clash soon, and it will occur somewhere near the mountain fastness the Demza call home.  
  The Shandani Pass is by now a mythological part of their heritage; they play up stories of the 
  hauntings to prevent natives from looking for it.  In truth, perhaps a handful of men knows the true 
  location of the pass.  The Faujdar does, and will pass this knowledge on to his heir, but no one else. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  89 
   
  He has received several Russian missions in the last few years, as well as a British one.  The 
  former have offered more than the latter, but he has held off agreeing to either side in the hope of 
  securing even more concessions.  Above all he desires modern rifles for his forces, “to protect his  
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  90 
  borders,” although neither empire has agreed to this.  He has an unspoken agreement with the dacoits 
  of the area to alert them to rumors of rich travelers or poorly-guarded caravans traversing Demza in 
  return for freedom from their depredations. 
   
  Miraji, wife of the Faujdar 
  STR 7  
   
  CON 11 
  SIZ 9    
  INT 15  
  POW 13 
  DEX 13 
   
  APP 16  
  EDU 8  
  SAN 65  
  HP 10 
  Damage Bonus: -1D4 
  Weapons:  none 
  Skills:  Listen 45%, Sing 50%, Speak Hindustani 15%, Speak Pashtu 75%, Spot Hidden 35% 
   
  Igor Chernosertsev, Russian through Central Asia 
  STR 13 
   
  CON 15 
  SIZ 13  
  INT 14  
  POW 12 
  DEX 11 
   
  APP 10  
  EDU 14 
  SAN 60  
  HP 14 
  Damage Bonus:  +1D4 
  Weapons:   Sabre 60%, damage 1D8+db; Pistol (.44 Smith & Wesson revolver) 50%, damage 
  1D10+2 
  Skills:  Credit Rating 43%, Speak English 20%, Speak Pashtu 40%, Speak Russian 90%, Survival 
  25%, Toady 66% 
   
   
  Luckily for British interests, the wily noble scion is more interested in personal ambition than 
  advancing the cause of Mother Russia.  Anyone who can forge an alliance with the Demza will see 
  their star ascendant in St. Petersburg, and Igor wants this more than anything.  A sale of arms to the 
  Faujdar wouldn’t hurt his finances, either, if he could pull it off.  Since this is officially off the table, 
  he is racking his brain for some way to make it happen.  The discovery of a pass usable by Imperial 
  forces is certainly nothing to sneeze at either. 
   
  Stock Characters: 
  Demza/Jezailichi 
  STR 12 
   
  CON 11 
  SIZ 11  
  INT 10  
  POW 10 
  DEX 13 
   
  APP 10  
  EDU 5  
  SAN 50  
  HP 11 
  Damage Bonus:  +0 
  Weapons:  Fighting Knife 70%, damage 1D4+2+db, Rifle (Jezail) 60%, damage 2D8 
  Skills:  Speak Pashtu 50%, Sport 35%, Track 45%, Survival (Mountains) 33% 
   
  Cossack/Soldier 
  STR 13 
   
  CON 13 
  SIZ 13  
  INT 10  
  POW 10 
  DEX 10 
   
  APP 12  
  EDU 8  
  SAN 50  
  HP 13 
  Damage Bonus:  +1D4 
  Weapons:  Sabre 70%, damage 1D8+db; Rifle (.42 Berdan M1870) 65%, damage 2D6 
  Skills:  Ride 70%, Speak Russian 50%, Survival 20% 
   
  Cultist/Dacoit 
  STR 12 
   
  CON 12 
  SIZ 12  
  INT 10  
  POW 11 
  DEX 14 
   
  APP 10  
  EDU 7  
  SAN 44/55 
  HP 12 
  Damage Bonus: +0 
  Weapons:  Fighting Knife 65%, damage 1D4+2+db 
  Skills:  Cthulhu Mythos 11% [Cultists], Sneak 35%, Speak Native Language 55% 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  91 
  Cultists 
   
   
  Left to their own devices, these cultists are surprisingly benign.  They are certainly satisfied 
  with the status quo:  no one looks for them, and in turn they keep to themselves.  When the Mi-Go 
  demand a human sacrifice, they kidnap a Demza shepherd living on the fringes of their territory.  This 
  keeps the natives more than happy to shun the area, upholding the mythically cursed reputation of the 
  Shandani Pass.  The Faujdar has heard tales of these raids, and considers a secure border to be worth 
  the poor reputation.  
   
   
  Occasionally, one of their ranks will journey to India if their arcane practices require it.  To 
  that end, they have worked with local merchants in the past for the delivery of sensitive artifacts to 
  their area.  So far, they have managed to keep the location of the pass secret, volunteering to handle 
  the actual transport of their wares. 
   
   
  Dacoits 
   
   
  The life of a mountain bandit is a simple, if not easy, one.  Gather enough loot to live without 
  becoming so large a threat that the trade route trickles to a stop – or the British send a punitive 
  expedition through the passes.  So far, they have done a far job at maintaining the balance.  They are 
  willing to strike deals with merchants and local rulers for protection money, which is even simpler.   
   
   
  Acquiring better weapons would go a long way towards improving their job performance, so 
  to speak.  Thus they have asked the merchants they release (after taking any spoils) about the 
  possibility of buying obsolete rifles.  So far, no one has taken the bait. 
   
   
  Munshi/Vizier 
  STR 10  
  CON 9  
  SIZ 10  
  INT 13  
  POW 12 
  DEX 11 
  APP 12  
  EDU 12 
  SAN 60  
  HP 10 
  Damage Bonus: +0 
  Weapons:  none 
  Skills:  Advise 60%, History 50%, Speak Pashtu 90%, Speak Hindustani 60%, Speak English 15%, 
  Speak Russian 20% 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  92 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Appendix:  Princely State Generator 
   
  his section provides a simple way to determine the basics of an 
  Indian princely state for Keepers who want quick background 
  or inspiration with the toss of a few dice.  Up to four six-sided 
  dice are needed, in various combinations of rolls.  Users are free to pick their own results 
  from each table, or skip some altogether when an interesting situation arises.  The results are 
  designed to create small (under 100,000 in population) states with a main city administering 
  otherwise undeveloped land, along with important features like housing, health and 
  government services that investigators might look for. 
   
  1. Size of capital:  4D6+1 x 4,000 people 
  Location:   roll 1D6 
  Table 1:  Location 
  Roll 
  Result  
   
  1  
  Ceylon 
  2  
  Burma 
  3  
  Northwest Frontier 
  4  
  South India 
  5-6 
  India proper 
   
   
   
  2. Administration:  roll 1D6 
  Table 2:  Administration 
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
   
  1-3 
   
  Independent Treaty with Raj 
  4-5 
   
  Autonomous within Raj 
  6  
   
  Administered by Raj 
   
   T 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  93 
  3. Religion:  roll 3D6 once per 30,000 inhabitants (rounding up).  The result of the first roll  
   
  indicates the majority religion of the state (treat Christian results as Hindu and Jewish 
   
  results as Moslem), as well as a site of worship.   A repeat of a previous result indicates 
   
   that the site is particularly noteworthy.  Continue to Table 3.3. 
   
  Table 3.1:  Worship Sites 
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
   
  4 or less 
  Buddhist Temple 
  5 
   
  Christian Chapel 
  6 
   
  Jain Temple 
  7 
   
  Cave Temple (see Table 3.2) 
  8-11 
   
  Hindu Temple 
  12 
   
  Muslim Mosque 
  14 
   
  Christian Church 
  15-16  
  Muslim Mosque 
  17 
   
  Sikh Shrine 
  18 or more 
  Jewish Synagogue 
   
  Table 3.2:  Cave Temple Use (roll 1D6) 
   
   
   
   
   
  Roll 
   
  Result 
  1-3 
   
  Hindu 
  4-5 
   
  Jain 
  6 
   
  Buddhist 
   
  Table 3.3:  Religion of Ruler (roll 1D6) 
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
  1-4 
   
  Religion of Majority 
  5-6 
  Result of 2nd roll (if any).  Otherwise if the majority religion is Hindu,  
   
  rulers are Muslim (Buddhist in Ceylon or Burma); if majority is not Hindu, 
   
  rulers are Hindu 
   
  4. Services (roll for each subsection as desired): 
  a. Railroad Station:  if the state lies on a rail route, a station exists on a 1D6 roll of 5 or  
          more.    If the state lies on a navigable river, there are dock facilities on a 1D6 roll of 5 or 
          more.   Add 1 to either roll for each 40,000 inhabitants (round down). 
  b. European Personnel:     roll 2D6 
  Table 4.1:  European Administrators 
  Roll 
   
  Result 
  2-5  
  none 
  6-9  
  Civilian 
  10 or more Council 
  Add 1 to the roll if autonomous; 2 if administered by Raj (Table 2)  
   
   
  Add 1 to the roll if population exceeds 50,000 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  94 
   
   
  c. 
  Telegraph:  telegraph office exists on a 1D6 roll of 6 or more.  Add 1 to the roll 
  if there  
   
  is a railroad station (4.a) or if administrated by a council (4.b). 
   
   
  d. 
  Cantonment:  cantonment is present on a 1D6 roll of 6 or more.  Add 2 to the 
  roll if   
  the state is in the Northwest Frontier; subtract 1 from the roll if the state is in Ceylon. 
   
   
  e. 
  Housing:  roll 2D6; if the result is even, accept the result and continue rolling  
   
   
   
   Table 4.2:  Housing 
   
   
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  2-5 
   
  Dharmasala in regions with Hindu or Jain worship sites (Table 3.1) or 
  none 
   
   
  6-7 
   
  Dak Bungalow/Refreshment Room in a railway station (4.a) 
   
   
  8 
   
  Chattram in South India/Serai in NW Frontier/Dak Bungalow 
   
   
  9 
   
  none 
   
   
  10 
   
  Hotel 
   
   
  11 
   
  Dak Bungalow 
   
   
  12 
   
  Boarding House (roll 1D6, 1-3 men only, 4 women only, 5-6 no 
  restrictions) 
   
   
  13 
   
  Ladies’ Gymkhana (1-3) or Men’s Residential Club (4-6)  
   
   
  Add 1 to this roll if a cantonment exists (4.d) 
   
   
   
  c. 
  Medicine:  Roll 2D6 
   
   
  Table 4.3:  Medical Facilities 
   
   
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
   
   
   
  1-5 
   
  Missionary doctor 
   
   
  6-8 
   
  none 
   
   
  9-10 
   
  Brahmin doctor 
   
   
  11 
   
  Hospital 
   
   
  12 
   
  European and native hospitals 
   
   
  Add 1 to this roll if a cantonment exists (4.d); subtract 1 from this roll if a Christian 
  worship  
   
  site is present (3.1) 
   
   
  5. 
  Economy 
   
   
  a. 
  Main Business:  Roll 3D6 once per 30,000 inhabitants (rounding up) 
   
   
  Table 5.1:  Main Business 
   
   
  Roll 
   
  Result  
   
   
   
   
  3 or less 
  Clothing 
   
   
  4-5 
   
  Handicrafts 
   
   
  6-8 
   
  Textiles 
   
   
  9-13 
   
  Farming 
   
   
  14-16  
  Cash Crop (see Table 5.2) 
   
   
  17 
   
  Industry (see Table 5.3) 
   
   
  18 or more  
  Commerce 
   
   
  Add 1 to this roll if there is a railroad station, dock facilities, (4.a) or telegraph office (4.c).   
  Multiple results indicate the region is especially renowned for this trade. 
   
      Table 5.2:  Cash Crop (roll 1D6) 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  95 
   
        Roll 
   
  Result  
   
  0 
   
  Timber 
  1 
   
  Tea 
  2 
   
  Cotton 
  3 
   
  Opium 
  4 
   
  Jute 
  5 
   
  Oil Seeds 
  6 
   
  Tea 
  7 
   
  Rubber 
   
  Add 1 to this roll if in Ceylon; subtract 1 from this roll if in Burma 
   
   
  Table 5.3:  Industry (roll 1D6) 
   
      Roll  
  Result  
   
   
      0-3  
  Mill 
   
      4-5  
  Metalworking 
   
       6 
   
  Jewelrymaking 
   
  Subtract 1 from this roll if there is textile trade (5.1) 
   
  b. 
   Provisions :  roll 2D6; if the result is even, accept the result and continue rolling  
   
  Table 5.4:  Supplies 
   
      Roll  
  Result  
   
   
      2 
   
  shops (jewelry) 
   
      3 
   
  none 
   
      4 
   
  bazaar (crafts) 
   
      5 
   
  none 
   
      6 
   
  bazaar (textiles) 
   
      7 
   
  bazaar (food) 
   
      8 
   
  shops (crafts) 
   
      9 
   
  bazaar (food) 
   
    10 
   
  quarter (metalworking) 
   
    11 
   
  quarter (jewelrymaking 
   
    12 
   
  shops (clothing) 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  96 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  Bibliography 
   
  riting this monograph was basically an excuse to educate myself about the Victorian 
  era in India.  These are the sources I consulted and recommend for anyone seeking 
  more detail. 
   
   
   
   
  Gaming 
   
   
   
   
  There is surprisingly little about Gaslight India is available for gamers.  British India has d20 
   
   
  Modern treatments for mythical Indian creatures, which I have largely ignored in favor of the Mythos.  
   
   
  The Pyramid article provides GURPS stats, while those in Unspeakable Oath are recommended as 
   
   
  BRP-statted and on point (dealing with the Thuggee and Indian weapons, respectively). 
   
   
   
  Aniolowski, Scott; Malleus Monstrorum; Chaosium, 2006 
   
   
  Barton, William; Cthulhu by Gaslight; Chaosium, 1988. 
   
   
   
  --; A Cthulhian Miscellany; Chaosium, 2007. 
   
   
  Basler, 2005; Gaslight Equipment Catalogue; Chaosium, 2005. 
   
   
  Branney, Sean; “Along the Indus” in Fearful Passages; Chaosium, 1992. 
   
   
  Bishop, André; “This Fire Shall Kill” in The Stars Are Right!; Chaosium, 1992. 
   
   
  Ciechanowski, Walt; The Imperial Age:  British India; Adamant Entertainment, 2007.  
   
   
  Detwiller, Dennis et al.; Delta Green:  Eyes Only; Pagan Publishing, 2007. 
   
   
  DeWolfe, Michael; “Mister Corbitt” in Mansions of Madness; Chaosium, 1990 
   
   
  DiTillio, Larry & Willis, Lynn; Masks of Nyarlathotep; Chaosium, 2001. 
   
   
  Herber et al.;Keeper’s Companion I; Chaosium, 2000. 
   
   
  Herber, Keith; Spawn of Azathoth; Chaosium, 2005. 
   
   
  Lippiett, Rick; “The Horror on Haldon Hill;”[accessible at www.yog-sothoth.com] 
   
   
  Perry, David & Glancy, A. Scott; “The Decievers” in Unspeakable Oath 15/16; Pagan Publishing, 
   
   
   
  2001. 
   
   
  Varhola, Michael; “Dhanurvidya, Varman, and Avarna” in Unspeakable Oath 15/16; Pagan  
   
   
   
  Publishing, 2001. 
   
   
  Vortisch, Hans-Christian; “In Her Majesty’s Service:  Weapons And Equipment Of The Late  
   
   
   
  Victorian British Soldier” in Pyramid (July 4, 2003); Steve Jackson Games. 
   
   
  Warren, Anthony; Kingdom of the Blind; Chaosium, 2008. 
    W 
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  97 
  Williams, Jason; Mysteries of Tibet; Chaosium, 2008. 
   
  --; Mysteries of Sudan; Chaosium, 2009. 
  Wiseman, Tim ; Tatters of the King, Chaosium, 2006. 
   
   
  Fiction 
   
   
  If you can get over his paternalism, Kipling truly loved India and has the best eye for detail; Orwell 
   didn’t seem to enjoy Burma nearly as much.  Kaye’s hero Ashton Pelham-Martyn is a tailor-made PC if  
  I’ve ever seen one. 
   
  Forster, E.M.; A Passage to India 
  Hower, Edward ; Shadows and Elephants 
  Kipling, Rudyard; various (esp. Kim, “The Man Who Would be King,” poems) 
  Kaye, M.M.; The Far Pavilions 
  Orwell, George; Burmese Days and various short stories (esp. “Shooting an Elephant”) 
  Ryman, Rebecca, Shalimar 
   
  Nonfiction  
   
   
  Noted items are available online, whether at their own site*, Project GutenbergPG or Google 
   BooksGB; the travelers’ handbooks are especially recommended for anyone seeking specifics about  
  particular regions. 
   
  A Handbook for Travellers in India, Burma and Ceylon; John Murray, 1903. GB 
  Balthorpe, Michael; The British Army on Campaign, 1856-1881; Osprey, 1988. 
   
  --; The British Army on Campaign, 1882-1902; Osprey, 1988. 
  Black, Charles E.D.; A Memoir on the Indian Surveys, 1875-1890; Etre & Spottiswoode, 
    
  1903. GB 
  Britannica Encyclopedia, 1911 Edition.* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Main_Page] 
  Caine, W.S.; Picturesque India:  A Handbook for European Travellers; George Routledge and  Sons, 
   
   1891. GB 
  Chappell, Mike; British Cavalry Equipments 1800-1941; Osprey, 2002. 
   
  --; British Infantry Equipments 1808-1908; Osprey, 2002. 
  Dalrymple, William; The Lat Mughal:  The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi 1857; Vintage, 2008. 
  Farwell, Byron; Soldiers of the Raj:  From the Great Mutiny to Independence 1858-1947;  W.W. Norton, 1989. 
   
  --; Queen Victoria’s Little Wars; Harper & Row, 1972. 
  Gilmour, David; The Ruling Caste:  Imperial Lives in the Victorian Raj; Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 2005. 
  Imperial Gazetteer of India; Clarendon Press, 1907. GB 
  Hopkirk, Peter; The Great Game:  The Struggle for Empire in Central Asia; Kodansha International, 1992. 
  James, Lawrence; Raj:  The Making and Unmaking of British India; St. Martin’s Press, 1997. 
  Keay, John; India:  A History; Atlantic Monthly, 2000. 
  MacFarlane, Iris & Alan; The Empire of Tea; Overlook, 2009. 
  MacMillan, Margaret; Women of the Raj: The Mothers, Wives, and Daughters of the British Empire in India;  
   
  Random House, 2007. 
  Meyer, Karl & Brysac, Shareen; Tournament of Shadows:  The Great Game and the Race for Empire in Central  
   
  Asia; Perseus Books Group, 2006. 
  Schulberg, Lucille; Historic India; Time-Life Books, 1968. 
   
  
  MYSTERIES OF THE RAJ 
  98 
   
   
  Time-Life Books, eds.; What Life Was Like in the Jewel in the Crown:  British India, AD  1600-  
   
   
   
  1905; Time-Life Books, 1999. 
   
   
   
  Art 
   
   
   
   
  Along with color versions of the page-sized maps in this document, several other excellent ones 
   
   
  appear at the first website listed (maintained by Ian Poyntz; they appear here with his kind permission). 
   
   
   
  Constable’s Hand-Atlas of India* [accessible at   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~poyntz/India/maps.html ][large maps] 
   
   
  http://www.freeclipartnow.com/ * [animal pictures & picture on pg. 85] 
   
   
  Landor, A. Henry Savage; Across Coveted Lands; Macmillan & Co., 1902 PG [photo pg. 52] 
   
   
  Penfield, Frederick Courtland, East of Suez:  Ceylon, India, China & Japan; The Century Co., 1907;PG 
   
   
   
  [all other photographs] 
   
   
  Roberts, Frederick (Lord Roberts of Kandahar, VC); Forty-One Years in India; Richard Bentley & Son, 
   
   
   
  1898; PG [illustration pg. 11] 
   
   
  Webster’s New International Dictionary of the English Language; G & C Miriam Co., 1911*  
   
   
   
  [http://srufaculty.sru.edu/david.dailey/public/mammals/mammals.html] [animal pictures] 
   
   
  Wikimedia Commons [http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page] * [illustrations pp. 50  & 68; 
   
   
   
  physical maps of South Asia appearing in Hints to Travellers] 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  Find other treasures at
  www.chaosium.com
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Call of Cthulhu (CoC) (BRP) [multi]/3rd Party (Unoffical Content)/Miskatonic University/Monograph #391 - Miskatonic University - Mysteries of the Raj.pdf