Document 15

DOCUMENT #015 – Cult leader’s diary
 CONTENT:

 

 July 24, 1930

 Everything had been going smoothly. After spending a week repairing the building, we finally have a decent place that’s out of sight from anyone for miles.

 July 25, 1930

 After going through some of the old books left here, I came upon the sudden realization that the great Alexander Blackstone once lived here! Albeit, for a very short time. I am led to believe that the mirrors in the basement are part of his research into the divine.

 August 1, 1930

 Yesterday, Nic caught a couple of kids snooping around. He brought them to the basement and locked them in. Now we have 4 sacrifices to work on. But the cops, we must be careful so that the cops won’t be on our trail.

 August 5, 1930

 The kids are afraid at first, but they seem to warm up to us. We fed them, but did not allow them out of the cell.

 August 6, 1930

 Sandra said she saw the papers mention about the missing children, but they believe they were kidnapped and taken on a train down South. I guess we’re safe.

 August 8, 1930

 The ritual went well. I saw visions of paradise across the mirror during the deep trance. Bob is still working on transcribing my diving uttering when I am under possession of the dark lord.

 August 10, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Mirror magic can mess with your mind at times. I saw myself in the mirror, standing with Mr Blackstone himself. He had his hand on my shoulder, a somber look on his face. I turned and saw no one. I turned back to the mirror, and the wall behind me started to disappear! I believe it must be fatigue. I will rest for the night.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> August 18, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> I had been down with a bad fever the past few days. Ever having that weird episode involving the mirrors, I keep having these strange dreams. Mr Blackstone is talking to me. He speaks of many things. Most commonly, he talks about killing the king of the castle, the endless torment to the king’s soul, how the mirrors are gateways. This is a lot to take in, even for me.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> August 21, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> I have recovered enough. While I was unwell, the rest went on an abduction spree. Now we have 11 sacrifices. Mostly homeless people. The two who are not have blood debt to us and they are repaying it with their souls.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Nicolas put them in the cage, conveniently located near our sacrificial altar. Sometimes they bring them up to the torture room just for fun.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 1, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Apparently, Bob mentioned that the divine uttering I made was along the lines of “Come here”, “Open the door”, “Welcome adventurers”. Which is weird, if you ask me. I am still wondering what it might mean. Perhaps we’ll perform another ritual to find out.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1">

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 2, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Bob did the ritual on No. 1 and 2. He reported seeing flashes of lights and a voice telling him that the answer is not 72. It is 916. He then took the ritual dagger and carved some runes into his left forearm. It was pretty gnarly, I’ve never seen anyone have such a violent reaction to a ritual. Sandra is working on the translation.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 5, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> “Welcome, friends” That was what the rune said. Honestly, I don’t know what to make of it. Are we communing with Mr Blackstone? Perhaps it’s something else altogether? And that black shadow I see darting across rooms sometimes. What is that? I must commune with the spirit world again.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 8, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Bob, Sandra and myself performed the ritual today. No.3, 4 and 5 were sacrificed. We couldn’t really get a strong connection with the other side as the sacrifices were already so weak due to injuries, lack of food and awful hygiene. So we decided to sacrifice the rest. All 11. Now the room is in such a mess. Got Nic to clean it up after we’re done.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> It still wasn’t as fruitful as having one healthy sacrifice, but we’ve managed to glean some more information.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> It might be that we’re talking to a spirit that knows Mr. Blackstone, or even the man himself. The voices speak of something about welcoming the dark lord. I don’t know what to make of this. It also said something about setting up mirrors in an equilateral triangle 8 feet apart in the room. Perhaps that’s the key. I’ll send Nic to town tomorrow.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Oh, and again 916. What does that mean?

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Bob said he’s pretty bored as there’s nothing left to torture since all the sacrifices are dead. We’ll probably find some more if we have the time. But for now, we have to figure out this riddle.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 11, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Finally got the 3 mirrors set up. Nothing fancy, just regular full-length bedroom mirrors. It’s getting late, so we all called it a day.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 12, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Nic ran off somewhere. Didn’t leave a note. Probably chasing butterflies or something. That fool.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 13, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> The stench from the dead bodies is unbearable. Without a shovel, we can’t just dig up a hole somewhere and dispose them. Bob suggested throwing them away in the marshes down south. I checked out the area, seems like a good idea. We’ll start it tomorrow. Nic is not back yet. I’m a little worried.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 14, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Tried to clean up the bodies today. It was such a mess, only managed to dispose one. I heard Nic’s voice at night coming from the basement. He was screaming out for help. I figured he must have returned that night. Fell down and got hurt. Went in and the basement was empty. Only the rotting bodies and rats. Pretty sure I heard him whisper “916” just as I closed the door.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 15, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Got woken up at 4 in the morning. Again to the sounds of Nic’s voice. This time it was louder, like it was in the same room I was in. And a scream. Checked on the others, Bob disappeared too. He can’t have abandoned us. I’d like to commune with the spirit world again. They might have answers. Those voices, they’re driving me insane. But without a sacrifice…

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> 916

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> What is it? What is the elusive 916.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> September 16, 1930

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Early today, I sacrificed Sandra. She thought we were cleaning up the place. I stabbed her from the back while she was busy picking up a body. It felt wrong, but I know she’ll be happy to die as a sacrifice to the dark lord. I was so afraid, my hands were shaking. Couldn’t really concentrate through it, I convulsed, threw up all over the floor and was out cold. Although the ritual wasn’t complete, I had the most vivid dream.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> It was a huge house with portals opening to alternate versions of the house. And the Dark Lord was walking me through it. Then he told me that it was time. I woke up at noon, drenched in dried vomit and blood.

<p align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center"> Tonight I’ll get down there and try again once more. With all the voices and apparitions, I could probably commune without a sacrifice. We’ll see.

<p class="MsoNormal"> DESCRIPTION: You can see that he’s very level headed and easy going at the start, but as time goes by, he starts to get increasingly obsessed with the whole thing and is eventually driven insane when he killed his friend. On the date of the last entry, when he tried communing again that night, he is consumed by the mirror.