assault Posted April 14, 2021 Report Share Posted April 14, 2021 Mulraven House is a location mentioned in DEMON - Servants of Darkness. It's described as "a mansion built by Elisha Mulraven, the Beggar King of London, after he fled England in 1843". Sometime after that it came into the possession of Prince Blackwell, one of the identities of the Edomite. It's located in Canberra, Australia. What is interesting is that the city of Canberra didn't exist in 1843. It was founded and formally named in 1913. There were Real World(tm) buildings in the area before then, some of which have been preserved. Clearly, in the Champions Universe, Mulraven House was one of these. The obvious question is: was its location in what would become the capital of Australia coincidental, or did someone foresee what Canberra would become? Coincidence is possible - it was probably the obvious choice for a home base for the Edomite in Australia. But why did the Beggar King build his mansion in the area that would become Canberra, rather than in the many other possible places? Or was the location of Canberra chosen because Mulraven House was there? Or, perhaps most likely, Canberra and Mulraven House were located where they were because of a common factor. Correlation, rather than causation. Maybe there is something of mystical significance about the location. In any case, the thought that DEMON has (or had, before 2012), a major stronghold next to the centre of power in Australia is interesting. How much influence does/did it have on Australian federal governments? What mystical influences are still at work, after DEMON's big "Oops!"? I'm ignoring Champions Online canon here, and sticking to the written game text. Some of the online canon might be applicable, potentially. I'm also ignoring the satirical potential of Australian federal governments being riddled with the followers of bizarre religious cults. It's too easy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted April 14, 2021 Report Share Posted April 14, 2021 One thing that Champions mystic lore repeatedly stresses is that occultists build whenever possible on sites of mystic significance and power, or else attempt to create such a site where other types of power exist or will exist. The occult history of Washington DC described in The Mystic World pp. 69-70 provides a very salient example: "The nascent Trismegistus Council and Circle of the Scarlet Moon each saw that the fledgling United States of America carried the potential for great mystical and temporal power. Both organizations set out to shape the new nation into their vision of an ideal state to dominate the world. The Trismegistans want to build a republic of the wise, where power defers to law and prosperity comes to all. The Scarlet Moon seeks a tyrannical Occult Empire, ruled by itself through magic and conspiracy, and ruling the rest of the world through armed terror and economic exploitation. The Circle always thinks it’s about to win, but never quite succeeds." "The nation’s capital became one of the chief battlegrounds. Not only do both conspiracies seek to influence government officials, they try to shape destiny itself by creating mystic power sites in alignment with the streets, utilities, and public buildings. As usual with magic of time and destiny, this involves calendar sites — from the star map of the Einstein Monument to the cut-glass zodiacs that surround light fixtures in the Federal Reserve Building. Each new site alters the city’s ley lines of power, focusing them to the advantage of one side or the other." "America’s prophecied mystical hegemony takes an unexpected form. In most parts of the world, the local mythology ordains (or was ordained by) a limited range of spirits and supernatural creatures. Djinn visit the deserts of the Middle East and Central Asia — not Australia. Satyrs stalk the forests of Greece — not Japan. Rakshasas stay in India; wereleopards stick to Africa. But any and all of them can appear in the USA (or nearby parts of Canada and Mexico), and some of them take up permanent residence. The Occult Republic attracted mortals from every culture in the world, and their spirits, gods, demons, and monsters came with them." I would submit that despite the brief reference to Australia above, that country's large and diverse immigrant population has created a dynamic similar to that of the United States, although still on a smaller scale. But if the Circle of the Scarlet Moon started the process (it dates from the late Eighteenth Century), the mystic sites of Canberra could have been seized from them by DEMON, which has a history of such "power grabs." Derek Hiemforth and assault 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted April 14, 2021 Report Share Posted April 14, 2021 Incidentally, I derived much inspiration from David Ovason's The Secret Architecture of Our Nation's Capital. Core argument is that Freemasons laid out Washington, D.C.'s street plan to map stellar alignments as a way to shape destiny, and develops from there. Dunno what the crackpot scene is like in Australia, but someone might have already produced an occult study of Canberra. Search for terms such as "ley lines" or "Freemasonry." Dean Shomshak Lord Liaden, Derek Hiemforth and assault 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted April 14, 2021 Report Share Posted April 14, 2021 ADDENDUM: I just Googled "occult Canberra" and here's what I got on the first page. Indeed, someone has already found Masonic origins and an arcane street layout. Have fun! THE OCCULT HISTORY OF CANBERRA - YouTube www.youtube.com/watch?v=im_24NRylDU a comparison in symolism between australia and america Is There an Occult History of Canberra | Clowning Around ... aus.worldpeacefull.com/2019/09/is-there-an... Is There an Occult History of Canberra. Published Wednesday, 4th September, 2019 | By Susan AKA Peacefull. This is an interesting video in the public interest. THE OCCULT HISTORY OF CANBERRA | Illuminati Archives www.illuminatiarchives.org/occult/the-occult-history-of... Canberra is the Australian capitol and I have provided a link to a web page that goes into extensive depth on the architechs who designed the city as a pln and the esoteric origins of their work. http://www.scribd.com/doc/186934/Proudfoot-The-Secret-Plan-of-Canberra-occult-masonic-architecture-of-Australias-capital-1994 Canberra's Secret Undertones - by James Macaron (Occult ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dVM9Di9jto On location in Canberra, James Macaron talks about occult aspects to Walter Griffin's Canberra street plan and more. Here is a video by James Macaron: https:... CANBERRA: CAPITAL CITY OF AUSTRALIA: ESOTERIC ASPECTS OF ITS ... www.theosophydownunder.org/library/theosophical-lectures/... The nucleus of the Canberra design is generated from the sacred figure of the vesica, from which emerges 2 equilateral triangles which share a common base. The sanctity of the vesica lies in its ability to give rise to geometrical figures such as the rhombus, Star of David, or the hexagram. Canberra's alternative occult history could add to Lonely ... www.canberratimes.com.au/story/6026675/canberras... Tourists love the occult and I think we should take advantage of the Lonely Planet triumph (influential travel authority Lonely Planet has declared that Canberra is one of the best 10 cities of ... Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witchcraft_and_Paganism_in... Witchcraft and Paganism in Australia is an anthropological study of the Wiccan and wider Pagan community in Australia. It was written by the Australian anthropologist Lynne Hume and first published in 1997 by Melbourne University Press. Occult Symbolism Australia (pt 6) Canberra road trip. ANZAC ... www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_kIYs9k2Ow Part 7 link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TThY8yCshP4Links to musician Sean Walsh:http://www.myspace.com/seanwalsh1111http://www.youtube.com/seanwalsh1111 Parliament House was designed by Freemasons to resemble ... the-riotact.com/parliament-house-was-designed-by... In fact the War Memorial has been designed as a occult ritual edifice (a longer story for another day). In the early 1920’s the geometry of the Canberra plan was Gazetted into Australian law, protected from ever being tampered with or modified, even if a serving Government wished to do so. Dean Shomshak Derek Hiemforth, Lawnmower Boy, Lord Liaden and 1 other 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Hiemforth Posted April 14, 2021 Report Share Posted April 14, 2021 11 minutes ago, DShomshak said: Someone has already found Masonic origins and an arcane street layout. Because of course they have! 🤣🤣🤣 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drunkonduty Posted April 15, 2021 Report Share Posted April 15, 2021 I live in Canberra. A less magical place I cannot imagine. But I guess now I have some things to go check out on quiet weekends. Lawnmower Boy and assault 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted April 17, 2021 Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 On 4/15/2021 at 3:33 AM, drunkonduty said: I live in Canberra. A less magical place I cannot imagine. That's what They want you to think! Dean Shomshak Steve, drunkonduty and Derek Hiemforth 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Liaden Posted April 17, 2021 Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 I'm curious as to the background of Elisha Mulraven. I wasn't able to find info about him on the Internet. Anyone else know anything? If so, is there anything in his story to suggest a supernatural element? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Hiemforth Posted April 17, 2021 Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 35 minutes ago, Lord Liaden said: I'm curious as to the background of Elisha Mulraven. I wasn't able to find info about him on the Internet. Anyone else know anything? If so, is there anything in his story to suggest a supernatural element? AFAIK, he's a fictional character who only exists in Champions. So whatever background is in the Champions Universe material is the only background there is. Lord Liaden 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted April 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Looking at history: the transportation of convicts to New South Wales was still going during the 1840s, so it is likely that the followers of a "Beggar King" would be present there. On the other hand, the Metropolitan Police had been formed in London in 1829, resulting in policing in London becoming more professional and organized. It's not hard to see why the Beggar King would flee to New South Wales. That's the mundane side. The other question is the mystical one. Now that I think of it, it could be coincidence that he settled in the area that would become Canberra, and that his house would be suitable for the purposes of the Edomite. If Mulraven House hadn't existed, another location, perhaps in a different city, or in no city at all, could have been chosen. No foresight or mystical conspiracy needs to be involved. Mulraven House was there, and suitable. But still, how deeply involved was Elisha Mulraven with the occult? He would have had some involvement, I think, purely on narrative grounds. drunkonduty 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
assault Posted April 18, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Although there's no mystic element, it would be worthwhile to look at John Gay's The Beggar's Opera and Bertolt Brecht's Die Dreigroschenoper for insights into Elisha Mulraven. Of course he could be a mix of Peachum and Macheath. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DShomshak Posted April 18, 2021 Report Share Posted April 18, 2021 Horrabin, from Tim Powers' The Anubis Gates, might be worth a look, too -- though he's more grot4esque, and deep in the sort of occult weirdness Powers does so well. Nick Harkaway's Angelmaker shows a more contemporary London demimonde, in a context of high weirdness (though that demiminde is not itself part of anything supernatural). Dean Shomshak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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