An Historical Timeline of The Scarifyers

December 24th 1936 - January 1937

The Scarifyers: The Nazad Conspiracy

Ghost-story writer Professor Edward Dunning is drawn into a world stranger than any of his imaginings when a mysterious Russian enters his apartments on Christmas Eve and jumps through a window. Dunning assists Inspector Lionheart of Whitechapel Police in uncovering the sinister plans of a group of Russian emigres to harness the power of a reincarnated Rasputin to regain power in their motherland. They are helped along the way by the Satanist Aleister Crowley. Impressed by their work, Colonel Black of Military Intelligence asks them to head up his new supernatural investigation department, MI-13.

January - February 1937

The Terror of Totleigh (unrecorded)

Lionheart and Dunning journey to the sedate village of Totleigh-in-the-Wold where they uncover a coven of witches with a sinister agenda, operating behind the cover of the Womens’ Institute. They apprehend the criminal mastermind responsible, Doreen Bradshaw, when she gives herself away during the ritual of Imbolc. Luckily, Dunning isn’t tempted by her Victoria sponge.

February 1937

The Scarifyers: The Devil of Denge Marsh

Lionheart and Dunning are called to Whitehall to investigate the mysterious death-by-melting of junior minister Barnaby Weir. The investigation leads them to the isolated village of Denge Marsh on the south Kent coast, where an RAF project has taken a sinister turn. Soon they find themselves dragged into the murky world of the Cult of Shub-Niggurath, a terrifying interdimensional being from the dawn of time.

March 1937

The British Museum Affair (unrecorded)

“What’s escaped?” asked Professor Dunning, unable to believe what he was hearing. At the other end of the telephone line, Lionheart repeated his announcement...

May 1937

The Scarifyers: For King and Country

MI-13 take it upon themselves to investigate the supernaturalist ‘Sir’ Harry Price, who has constructed a remarkable machine to aid in his ghost-hunting. His "Price Ghost Captivator™" will enable him to capture the spirits of the dead - if he can make it work. But is there more to his invention than even Sir Harry knows?

Meanwhile, Londoners are being killed - in especially gruesome fashion - with their own electrical appliances. Inspector Natterjack of the Yard is puzzled by the Faraday Murderer’s habit of leaving cryptic messages in 17th century English at the scene - cryptic messages that mention a certain Harry Price…

May 12th 1937

BBC Television transmits King George VI’s Coronation procession, the first official outside broadcast and use of an OB van, and seen by 50,000 viewers.

June 1937

Renowned explorer and antiquarian Sir Basil Champion is pronounced missing, presumed dead.

July 1937

The Scarifyers: Curse of the Black Comet

MI-13 are called in to investigate an outbreak of a particularly virulent strain of bubonic plague, which occurred during the reading of Sir Basil's will. The investigation leads them to the remote Scottish hideaway of the American billionaire D.D. Denham, and eventually to Egypt, the site of one of Sir Basil's least celebrated ventures. There they discover the true identity of the mysterious Mr Ravenscroft, and the terrible secret of the fabled Black Comet.

October 31st 1937

The Curse of the Cult of Thoth

Dunning appears live on BBC Radio’s Picture Page with Leslie Mitchell, to read his latest short story, “The Curse of the Cult of Thoth”. The appearance goes down in broadcasting history, for all the wrong reasons.

December 24th 1937

The Yule Lads

Arthur Fright, Dickens fan and octogenarian, is disturbed from his Christmas Eve mutterings by an unearthly moaning from his chimney. He is more than a little put out when the boys from MI13 emerge, hot on the trail of some Icelandic trolls...

December 25th 1937

Mr Crowley's Christmas

With neither Lionheart or Dunning having much in the way of family to spend Christmas with, they decide instead to surprise their old friend Aleister Crowley. But, as the world's pre-eminent Satanist, Perdurabo isn't looking forward to the Yuletide festivities. Can they induce him to to enjoy Christmas Day? It's the Scarifyers' toughest challenge yet...

<< BACK TO SCARIFYERS SECTION