Given that Pinthas mentioned the Crimson Manor incident, I thought I would share the unfolding of that incident with you from Book #2 and the
Historical Data | Journal Entries that chronicled the path of
Decca and the
Cult of Shut'thend that left death and destruction in their wake prior to the grand exodus from Earth to Monria.
We're traveling on a path of the unknown, and the more we understand what
Decca and the
Cult of Shut'thend is capable of, perhaps the better chance we have of protecting ourselves ... I'm just fearful that their advanced technology with dark magic will be our downfall.
Ch 15 / Journal Entry - 24 December 2345 Trevor Wingard - Christmas Eve at the Crimson Manor
Written by ... Pinthas Schmenke Dorian
I was welcomed into the Crimson Manor for Christmas Eve dinner with Archibald. To date, I had only met his wife Mrs. Crimson on four or five other occasions, but at least I know she is well. Tonight, we are having a holiday dinner together, and throughout the course of the night, I'm hopeful I will have some answers.
Having indulged in good food and fine wine we all retired to the study to relax. Archibald told me he had a Christmas surprise for me. I was excited to learn what surprise, but I also noticed just how much I had been indulging at the constant offering of wine. I started to feel slightly intoxicated and very relaxed. Moments later a dark hooded figure entered the room. Immediately I knew who it was by the permeating stench that overtook the room, and quickly regained my sober senses. I wanted to reach out and kill him right there on the spot but stayed in control and was vigilant to make sure I was not in any danger.
Archibald seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood, which I thought was the wine. However, I soon realized it was being near this Priest that seemed to put him in this incredibly pleasant state. The two of them started to walk out of the room and Archibald instructed me to follow them. As we entered another area, I saw the Priest standing just inside a large circle doorway revealing quite an unusual environment. There were a variety of plants and small trees. Rock formations were surrounded by an odd green hue emanating from them. There were waterfalls cascading over the rock formations into small pools that seemed to be recycling a continuous flow of greenish fluid. It was one of the most beautiful and serene terrariums I had ever experienced.
I was motioned over closer and brought face-to-face with the Priest who was now standing next Archibald. He reached into the small pool with a glass in each of his decaying hands and filled them. He handed me one of them, and as Archibald had already been holding his glass, the Priest raised his in a toast. Mrs. Crimson was nowhere to be seen and I assumed she had retreated to another part of the Manor. It was odd that she did not say her goodbyes.
Hesitant at first, I watched the two of them drink down this greenish fluid, and then decided that I too would join them. The only description I could muster as to the experience from the moment the solution touched my lips was “
nectar of life.” I have never tasted anything so intoxicating and pleasurable in my entire life. I felt as if I could not get enough, or drink it fast enough. I wanted more.
In seconds, my entire perception started to change. The room began to fade and alter from what it was to something of another worldly dimension. With that, I started to see Archibald and the Priest change as well. Their forms continued to modify to a type of transparent image and then re-solidify once again. They continued to fade in and out during the whole experience. In the distance, I noticed one other figure in a different robe. I couldn’t make out a face and saw no part of its body, only an outline under a robe.
As the figure approached, it too was fading in and out. It hugged Archibald and the Priest, and then turned to me and said hello while extending a hand which I cordially shook. I never got a name, and after a few quiet moments of the figure fading in and out, it finally disappeared. Minutes later all effects seemed to have worn off and we were back in the terrarium. They turned and walked back to the study. I followed. I was only 2 to 3 steps behind watching both Archibald and the Priest enter the study, but when I walked through the study doorway, only Archibald was present. He greeted me and seemed pleased that I had shared this experience with him.
In the depths of my mind I relived my first encounter with the unnamed Priest who tortured and killed four of my men. I realize now that he kept me alive for this reason. That somehow I was part of his overall plan to have this experience. There was now a part of my mind that felt changed. I was feeling the torment that the Priest and Archibald were experiencing. They both appeared to be connected in some way. Deep down I wanted to return to that dimension once again. I was feeling drawn to it. I was already aching for it. I knew that at some level this was all wrong but I didn’t seem to care, I just wanted more of that green liquid to drink, and to revisit that dimension once again.
As with all journal entries in the Historical Data | Journal Entries book, I offered my reflections for more critical thinking ...
...
as written by Dark Moon Enigma
I had to give myself pause to actually consider what was going on here, and after Trevor's description of the feeling as being one of "
the nectar of life," I began to also consider not only what level of advanced technology was being applied, but also what if, just what if, the Cultists were able to tap into some other dimension with this happy sauce that gave us peace.
You know I don't believe that.
I snapped out of that thought right quick because no matter the level of technology, given all of the incidents thus far with a greenish hue, greenish lights, and now free flowing green fluid from waterfalls tucked away in the Crimson Manor somewhere, people had experienced tortuous encounters and died. I liken that to an intense rise in collective danger as the global Cultist church phenomenon increased.
Ok, here's the headline for me ...
one other figure in a different robe ... this is the first occurrence of this type, but Trevor was unable to make out any defining features, or experience anything other than shaking an extended hand, but then, no description of that either. I'm pulling my hair out right now because there's such a suspension of time and space that really says nothing.
It all just leaves me with questions:
- who was that hooded figure
- what was the connection between the Priest and Archibald that warranted the hug
- was the greenish fluid experience in another dimension purely one of fading in and out in a cerebral state with no solid encounters
- what was the purpose of Trevor feeling the torment and pain of the Priest and Archibald
- why was Trevor chosen to live and have this experience ... what was the Priest's overall plan
- if Trevor's mind was changed in some way, what were those changes and how did it effect his decisions
- and most importantly ... were there more green fluid encounters
The more I'm learning from this ancient journal, the more concerned and fearful I become that the increase in Cultist occurrences on Monria will escalate to the degree that we will be facing an alternate kind of challenge in maintaining control of the Moon.
Sometimes it pays to be paranoid about our current technology being weak ...
