THE OCULARUM

Location:
West Dream Analytics

Overview

- This page is intended for RP threads taking place at or in relation to the Ocularum! Additional information regarding the organization and its workings can also be found below. -

On the outskirts of Pumpkin Hollow, where the rural Northwest Hollow meets the edges of Lockwood Forest, there is a cottage. A thatched roof with wooden detailing houses a tall brick chimney from which a rich pinewood smoke rises in plumes. Warm and inviting windows glow with lantern light. A red door with a golden knocker is seated below a sign. "WEST DREAM ANALYTICS," it reads. This is both the home and the business of psychic dream therapist Neil West. Indeed, it is also the meeting place of the organization which he founded--- the Ocularum.

You must be invited to attend either by another member or by Neil himself, though they don't tend to be picky. Moreso they are cautious. They've been burned before for speaking out against the church's way of doing things. But they are committed to action. The Ocularum believes that they can settle the issue of Pumpkin Hollow's haunting once and for all, and that the Temple of Sacred Roots is doing nothing but hindering progress. But if you earn their trust, they will show you the secrets which they believe are key to finally undoing the curse besetting the island.

Membership

Initiation | Due to their poor relations with much of the island, the Ocularum is slow in its induction process. Start with a simple orientation and earn the trust of its members over time to learn more.

Benefits | Those who work with the Ocularum will find themselves less impacted by the effects of the curse and better prepared for what the island throws at them. This is in part due to Neil's occult expertise and strategies taught by him for dealing with these things, but members also find themselves passively having better luck as well.

Drawbacks | Neil's outspoken views against the Temple's methods and ongoing feud with Dahlia Leeds has not made the Ocularum particularly popular. Joining them may occasionally earn you the ire of others. There are also sometimes murmurings about "costs" among the members, implying that there may be some financial expectations.

Philosophy

The Ocularum believes that the solution to Marrow Isle's problems lies in occult knowledge and direct action. Whether the result of an angry ancient deity, restless spirits, or a leyline of dark energy beneath the land, there is some terrible magic plaguing the island. It can be treated. It can be harnessed.

However, the Temple's insistence on waiting around for dead or apathetic goddesses to answer the prayers of the people is putting this on hold. The Historical Society is no better, focusing on reactionary measures gleaned from dusty old books. And the heretics in the forest are respectable folk but are exposing themselves to unnecessary danger. The Ocularum needs bold and dedicated truth seekers who aren't afraid to step into the unknown for the sake of protecting themselves and their neighbors.

art credit, code credit

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Mmm. Awfully convenient to have someone to blame for the woes of the world. River marks that down mentally as being highly suspicious. "...Alright. So traffic with this culture is not considered desirable. How do the mortal ward them off, or excise their influence?"

"Thankfully, most encounters with the infernal are quite rare, to the point of being considered the stuff of folklore. I myself am only aware of the reality of their existence via my research," Neil explained. "However, this does mean that knowledge on how to combat them reliably is... limited. The Temple believes them antithetical to their goddesses, though I feel that likening them to gods does them too much credit, but the Temple seems to claim that they have methods of 'holy banishment' they can perform."

At this, Neil's tone is mocking and uncharacteristically harsh. His disdain for the Temple of Sacred Roots has never been a secret, but it is exceedingly odd to see this otherwise cheerful man express such a passionate disgust.

"I, on the other hand, prefer to take a more academic approach. Demons are, fundamentally, not too different from most people. They are sapient beings that think and need and want. And they all have explicitly outlined domains. I believe that knowing what they thrive on and what disempowers them will vary from one demon to the next, and allow us to bargain with or redirect them. I am still working on the specifics, but I feel that with new information and collaborators, we can devise a specific plan."

"...Y'all don't have the love of iron, what the fuck -"

The realization that she just said that out loud hits River like it's trying to get her reborn in another world; her face reddens, and she tries to recover by clearing her throat. It doesn't work, but now she's gotta say something else to be polite, so: "If that knowledge is limited, then I. Suppose you also wouldn't know the potential fallout of attempting a hard separation between the realms. From the sound of it, the reality of this world is one in which they've always had traffic...they're part of the ecosystem, as it were."

Neil let out an awkward, almost apologetic laugh. "You'll forgive me for not knowing the expression. No, no one is aware of any methods of permanently separating them from us. I would be surprised if it is possible at all."

"It's - from home. Iron is hostile to the immortal and amortal, there, I can tell you the legend about why sometime if you like." River pauses, but if anyone is going to agree to an experiment, it might be the people here. "...I do have a slightly off topic proposal. It's a bit...extreme, however. I would need to strictly insist on volunteers."

Neil nodded slowly. "...If it's something I believe will work, I may be able to help arrange it. Go on."

Deep breath in. Deep breath out. "...I'm a necromancer by trade, from a family of the same. The books other sorcerers steal? The la Croix family wrote them, and they keep a lot of what we've learned about death, dying, and souls. You already know something is wrong with death and dying in this place, but I suspect none of us know the half of it. I had some...interesting initial encounters, with those little blue crabs, but they're of pretty limited use for research, especially not when I need to focus both on humanely killing them and trying to sense the process of their dying...or lack thereof."

"...In short, sir, if volunteers can be found, I need some human sacrifices, and someone willing to kill them swiftly and painlessly. I focus on the process that's happening, and then, presuming death doesn't suddenly start working right halfway through for gods only know whatever fucking reason, we interview them afterwards and see if we can't glean any evidence from the experience. I don't like proposing this. There's a minimum amount of cruelty and pain involved and I damn well know it. But...I was called here for a reason, and this is what I'm good at."

Again, Neil gave a slow nod, more grim this time. A stark quiet hung over the room as the other members of the Ocularum, so far unnamed but quiet listeners, exchanged glances with each other before looking to Neil for answers.

Finally, he spoke. "I'll see what I can do. How many volunteers do you need?"

"As many as are willing, and someone you trust absolutely to kill them clean. I don't expect many, but repeatable testing is how you get certainty." River blows out a long breath, her ears dropping. "I really, really, only want to do this once."

"Let me ask you one more question," he said, a bit firm. "What is it that you hope to learn from this?"

That's clearly the right kind of question. River visibly relaxes, and even ventures a shy smile. "Death at home has an energy of its own, which lingers. The cunning can alloy it with other forms, even - death-in-flame, called balefire, is one of a necromancer's most feared tricks, but more common are 'death bottles', which store it as a power source."

It's certainly River's trump card.

"I need to a close look at what's going on. I want to know if the death itself is being siphoned, moved, or prevented. I'd like to track the motion of the soul and its relationship to the mortal shell, which it should by rights be abandoning. Is a ghost left behind, and if so for how long? Will the subject remember their experiences as a ghost? These are all things I'm used to taking for granted, which need to be approached as if I know nothing."

Neil lights up at this. "Fascinating."

After a moment of thought, he continues. "In that case, I will take care of the hard part personally. My people trust me, and I care about them. It will be a mutual burden."

A nod. River is not going to question this man's ability in front of his people. "Which just leaves the question of volunteers, and environment. In my perfect world there'd be privacy and few prior deaths. Graveyards, massacre sites, hospitals, and predator dens are all right out. Rivers and lakes too, underwater life is uh...brutal."

Neil hummed thoughtfully. "...I don't know very many places on this island where no one has died, frankly," he confessed. "I suppose the least offensive places might be the more remote ones. Such as the summit of Crane's Ridge."

Edited 2023-09-01 01:37 (UTC)

"I'd be deeply shocked if anywhere was truly death free, just trying to reduce the..." River Gestures. "Background noise, as it were. Remote sounds perfect. And...I appreciate you giving this serious consideration."

"We do what we must," Neil said grimly. "It will take time. I need to find the right people, which will involve mental health assessments and care. But when it becomes possible, I will let you know."

"That's good to hear, genuinely. I'll keep in touch."

"As will I," Neil agreed. "Thank you for your help."

The Ocularum

THE OCULARUM

Overview

Membership

Philosophy

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Wrap?

Wrap! :D