"That plague of '46 must have taken off the best blood in the place. Anyway, they're a doubtful lot now, and the Marshes and other rich folks are as bad as any. As I told you, there probably ain't more'n 400 people in the whole town in spite of all the streets they say there are. I guess they're what they call 'white trash' down South - lawless and sly, and full of secret things. They get a lot of fish and lobsters and do exporting by truck. ***** how the fish swarm right there and nowhere else.

"Nobody can ever keep track of these people, and state school officials and census men have a devil of a time. You can bet that prying strangers ain't welcome around Innsmouth. I've heard personally of more'n one business or government man that's disappeared there, and there's loose talk of one who went crazy and is out at Danvers now. They must have fixed up some awful scare for that fellow.

"That's why I wouldn't go at night if I was you. I've never been there and have no wish to go, but I guess a daytime trip couldn't hurt you - even though the people hereabouts will advise you not to make it. If you're just sightseeing, and looking for old-time stuff, Innsmouth ought to be quite a place for you."

We return to the haunted streets of Innsmouth with fresh minds, and fresh faces. Joining our ranks are 16 new investigators, each with a unique back story and style.

It seemed so surreal when she was approached by a recruiter after one of her gymnastic meets all those years ago. Somehow, she had come to the attention of a nameless agency working for the government to protect the country. Never one to turn down a new challenge, Trish had eagerly signed up. One of the first things that they taught her is that there is strength in focus – in joining the mind to the body to exceed the whole. With her agile body and formidable mind, she was soon one of their best spies. But recently, Trish has begun to wonder at the motives of the organization she works for. Are they really tied to the government, or is she working for some sort of shadow society ruling the country from behind the scenes? Her quiet inquiries eventually led her to the small city of Arkham, Massachusetts. Normally, newspaper buildings are something that Trish avoids like the plague in her line of work. But standing in front of the Arkham Advertiser, she knows that this is her last lead. If the information she needs is anywhere, it’ll be here.

Silas always felt the call of the ocean. Even as a little boy he loved to play in the waves. There was just something soothing and otherworldly about the sea that put him at ease in a way nothing else could. It came as no surprise to his family when Silas announced that he’d decided to become a sailor and travel the world. They’d actually been waiting for him to reach that conclusion for several years. So, he signed up with a merchant shipping company and spent the next few years gallivanting from one port to the next and seeing all the sights he could take in. Periodically, he would dream. At these times, his sleep was haunted with strange, ethereal visions of undersea vistas and bizarre creatures that smiled toothily at him. Gradually, he came to feel that there was something sinister about these dreams, and when he asked his family, they simply nodded and said, “It’s time for you to visit the main branch of the family up in Innsmouth. They’ll set you straight.” Two days later, as he disembarks from a ship at the Arkham docks, Silas can’t help but find his family’s remark just a little bit sinister.

Zoey knew that she was special. She’d known it ever since God had spoken to her one night when she was six years old…the night that terrible fire took away her parents. He told her that He had chosen her from among all the people of the world to be His agent. She would protect the innocent and punish the wicked. Since then, He came to her in times of trouble, offering guidance and comfort. He has also come to lead her to an evildoer on several occasions. In each instance, with His aid, good triumphed. Then, one day, He spoke to her, telling her to come to Arkham, where she would face her greatest challenge yet. He has not spoken to her since. Now, as Zoey steps off the train onto the platform, she fingers her cross, feeling the wrongness of this place in her bones. Perhaps if she cleanses the city of its taint, He will speak to her once again.

13 faces have yet to appear, but they arrive soon. Steel yourselves, for there is still much to come. ..