Dateline: Friday, 7 July, 1905 – SCENE 01 – Milton Kessler, lifelong family friend and now caretaker for Augustus Larkin, arrives at the train station in downtown Arkham to pick up Larkin’s weekend guests, his longtime school friends, Gregiory Grekov, Susan Douglas-Manchum, and Thomas Parker.

SCENE 02 – Though meeting for the first time in five years for the christening of Larkin’s daughter, Veronica, the group cannot help but feel the weight of unresolved trauma from the spring of 1900.

Driving through Arkham, the trio makes a brief stop at Christchurch Cemetery to pay their respects to their fallen friend, Atticus Whitney, before driving to the very edge of the town limits, deep in the wooded hills overlooking the town, an oppressive heat and humidity dogging them the entire way, the sky the color of charcoal, punctuated the occasional drops and the sound of distant thunder.

SCENE 03 – Arriving at Larkin’s house, the Weyland Estate, there is a joyful reunion and the men and women separate to catch one another up. Susan follows the sounds of play upstairs and finds Evangeline playing with Veronica.

After some pleasantries, Susan can tell the Evangeline is hiding something and Susan gets her friend to open up: Evangeline is very worried about Veronica’s soul. She tells Susan that Larkin has become obsessed with the Beaux Artes movement from France, particularly the spiritualists, and the idea that not only is there life after death, but it’s possible to get to the other side through one’s dreams.

SCENE 04 – Downstairs Larkin engages in a friendly debate with Grekov about the afterlife and tries to pry Grekov for information about the Dreamlands. Grekov warns Larkin not to get involved in such things. Changing the subject, Larkin shows them three paintings he recently purchased from Eugene Otto, an artist from Germany who studied in Paris and was very involved in the Bohemian lifestyle.

Larkin is certain that Otto is somehow in touch with this other world and draws inspiration from it for his otherworldy visions, much as the famous artist Pickman does.

SCENE 05 – At dinner, Larkin announces to the group that Otto will be spending the weekend with them as he is leaving on Monday to return to Germany. He also tells the group that Jameson is scheduled to be sentenced on Monday, 10 July, at Sing Sing prison, and he was able to obtain tickets for all of them to travel to the prison and witness the execution. Larkin is convinced that Jameson will reveal some great secret upon passing to the other side.

SCENE 06 – After dinner, Grekov goes to Larkin’s study and searches his books but can only find volumes on the occult, art, history, and psychology, particularly Jung.

SCENE 07 – Dateline: Saturday, 8 July, 1905 – Kessler drives Larkin’s motor to the train station once again and picks up Eugene Otto. Otto is a tall and thin man, well-dressed and groomed, and the two speak in German. Otto hands over his luggage to Kessler except for one long case which he insists on carrying himself. By the time the auto is halfway to Weyland House, Otto is quite fidgety and asking how much longer the drive will be, thrumming his fingers on the case. Thunder peels in the distance.

As soon as the motor comes to a stop, Otto practically runs into the house past Larkin. Once inside, Larkin rushes him into the dining room where the sound of latches opening and chair being dragged across the room can be heard.

SCENE 08 – At the sound of the motor arriving, Evangeline ushers Veronica into the study and closes the door. Susan joins her and explains that she cannot hide from Otto the entire weekend. Evangeline has a feeling that something terrible is going to happen and Susan remarks that’s just the pressure from the storm causing her to feel uneasy.

SCENE 09 – Parker, hearing the sounds from the dining room, opens the door to greet their new guest. He is shocked when he sees, not only Otto an Larkin, but a 3-foot long doll dressed in a child’s sailor outfit, its face of faded, molded plastic. Larkin introduces the doll as Robert.

Parker rushes outside to tell Grekov not to go inside, Otto’s ‘friend’ is here, too, but before Parker can explain fully, Grekov goes inside the house. He hears two people speaking in the living room and opens thee door expecting to find Larkin and Otto but instead only finds Larkin alone, and Robert the doll.

At that moment Larkin enters with Kessler, armed with trays featuring cold meats from last night’s dinner and he announces that lunch is now served.