The Brass Goggles Occult Society...The Esoteric Order of the Brazen Dawn...

[groomporter]

PS
The occult was as much, if not more of an aspect of Victorian culture that Verne, H.G. Wells and Doyle. It is a viable subject for discussion in Steam Punk forums.

Not to mention the fringe religious groups and Utopian communities of the 1800's. The Mormans were just the tip of the iceberg. Although Brassgoggle's rules discourage talk of religion, some of these groups could be a humorous addition to a steampunk story -especially with some of their odd sexual hang-ups or beliefs. How about a clockwork-cyborg preacher trying to recruit converts to his community? Or for this thread, an arcane cult leader that is a clockwork-cyborg?

The Oneida Society believed that the second coming had been in the year 70 AD, making it possible for them to bring about Christ's millennial kingdom on Earth. To support themselves they were manufacturing various items and eventually devolved into the Oneida silverware company. They could be inspiration for a religious, and/or occult commune of makers of certain types of clockwork or steam powered devices. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oneida_Community

A list of other 19th century Utopian Societies in the U.S. http://www.easternct.edu/depts/amerst/utopia.htm

[Robert Sandler]

This reminds me of a project that I've wanted to do for some time: A demon summoning kit.  An old-fashioned wooden box with all the spell components and the manual needed to summon a demon. (Virgin blood not included)  The manual would be a parody of normal manuals, and include a set of "dos and don'ts."  Someday, my friends, some day...

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

The meeting place of the Order needs to be in a place that can only be accessed under certain circumstances.  Like if you walk towards it from the East, you'll find it, but any other direction and you'll pass it.  Or perhaps the door can only be seen by looking through a seeing stone.

If anything turns out as expected, I may have two or three seeing stones by tomorrow evening

Then you will be able to see all the doors!  It sounds like you're machining them.  I have often come across those stone "donut" pieces in the beading aisle and though, Oh, look, mass-produced seeing stones...

by all means, as far as I know, manufactured seeing stones do not work. The hole has to be made into the stone by nature, not by human hand. I would never machine them. Magic does not work that way... in my world at least.

Would they not be effective if carved by way of handtools? Must these objects be made of stone, or can other substances carry the same properties - coral, perhaps?

I ask this on behalf of the Van Helsing society. Some of ours might find such an object very useful. As someone very much interested in the realm of the supernatural, I do have a certain curiousity on such things.

[deps]

Lisa Peschel's A Practical Guide to the Runes is a fairly well-respected standard in Runle lore these days.  You may wish to start there.

Thank you very much, I appreciate the help.

[Toji Chiba]

The meeting place of the Order needs to be in a place that can only be accessed under certain circumstances.  Like if you walk towards it from the East, you'll find it, but any other direction and you'll pass it.  Or perhaps the door can only be seen by looking through a seeing stone.

If anything turns out as expected, I may have two or three seeing stones by tomorrow evening

Then you will be able to see all the doors!  It sounds like you're machining them.  I have often come across those stone "donut" pieces in the beading aisle and though, Oh, look, mass-produced seeing stones...

by all means, as far as I know, manufactured seeing stones do not work. The hole has to be made into the stone by nature, not by human hand. I would never machine them. Magic does not work that way... in my world at least.

Would they not be effective if carved by way of handtools? Must these objects be made of stone, or can other substances carry the same properties - coral, perhaps?

I ask this on behalf of the Van Helsing society. Some of ours might find such an object very useful. As someone very much interested in the realm of the supernatural, I do have a certain curiousity on such things.

I think there is some research necessary to examine that point. I heard it works with stones, as the thing is called seeing stone. But, I think from theory, every natural element with a naturally produced hole in it could work. My theory regarding the functioning of a seeing stone (or coral or wood or whatever): Thereality is in a way bend around the seeing stone and forms a spiritual event horizon in the hole. just the way soap-bubbles work. The circle holds the event horizon in place and thus forms a lens through which one can see through our reality into the nevernever.

So, according to my theory every natural material should work.

Regards

Toji

[Ben Hudson, Esq.]

The meeting place of the Order needs to be in a place that can only be accessed under certain circumstances.  Like if you walk towards it from the East, you'll find it, but any other direction and you'll pass it.  Or perhaps the door can only be seen by looking through a seeing stone.

If anything turns out as expected, I may have two or three seeing stones by tomorrow evening

Then you will be able to see all the doors!  It sounds like you're machining them.  I have often come across those stone "donut" pieces in the beading aisle and though, Oh, look, mass-produced seeing stones...

by all means, as far as I know, manufactured seeing stones do not work. The hole has to be made into the stone by nature, not by human hand. I would never machine them. Magic does not work that way... in my world at least.

Would they not be effective if carved by way of handtools? Must these objects be made of stone, or can other substances carry the same properties - coral, perhaps?

I ask this on behalf of the Van Helsing society. Some of ours might find such an object very useful. As someone very much interested in the realm of the supernatural, I do have a certain curiousity on such things.

I think there is some research necessary to examine that point. I heard it works with stones, as the thing is called seeing stone. But, I think from theory, every natural element with a naturally produced hole in it could work. My theory regarding the functioning of a seeing stone (or coral or wood or whatever): Thereality is in a way bend around the seeing stone and forms a spiritual event horizon in the hole. just the way soap-bubbles work. The circle holds the event horizon in place and thus forms a lens through which one can see through our reality into the nevernever.

So, according to my theory every natural material should work.

Regards

Toji

Interesting. Define 'work'.

[rovingjack]

so what you need to do is get some 'seeing stones' and make goggles/monogle with them.

as to the whole idea of seeing stones, I've never really gone heay into that sort of thing. I make natural jewelry and I do my own spiritual practices but I also understand the principles at play in these types of things and I could make some and find some and put them all in a box and have you try to figure which is which and they will preform  about the same. Differant people experiance them differantly too (which is part in parcel of the mind involved in the use and not really requiring the stone at all)

Would washers be used to see the underlying mechanism of the world? Sorry random thought.

Anyway if you really wanted a nature formed hole in stone to use simply find a peice of slate or shale or something thin, make a bucket or planter on a stand with a tiny hole drilled in the bottom that forces the water to drip out and let the dripping drill the hole for you over a few months. Feel free to do a barrel with larger hole and sand/salt in the mix for somewhat faster work thogh you'll likle have to refill the barrel some.

[Mal `e Diction]

I apologize for being late to this thread, but...would it still be possible to become a member of the Society? I find the occult to be a fascinating subject, and the discussions here very interesting.

If I might add, if you want to find stones with natural holes, I have found many at the beach, the holes made by the pounding of the surf, and the natural buffing of sand and shells.

[Toji Chiba]

Interesting. Define 'work'.

Function as a seeing device. Make it possible to see beings of the other world(goblins, leprechauns, fairies)

[Gazongola]

The meeting place of the Order needs to be in a place that can only be accessed under certain circumstances.  Like if you walk towards it from the East, you'll find it, but any other direction and you'll pass it.  Or perhaps the door can only be seen by looking through a seeing stone.

If anything turns out as expected, I may have two or three seeing stones by tomorrow evening

Then you will be able to see all the doors!  It sounds like you're machining them.  I have often come across those stone "donut" pieces in the beading aisle and though, Oh, look, mass-produced seeing stones...

by all means, as far as I know, manufactured seeing stones do not work. The hole has to be made into the stone by nature, not by human hand. I would never machine them. Magic does not work that way... in my world at least.

Would they not be effective if carved by way of handtools? Must these objects be made of stone, or can other substances carry the same properties - coral, perhaps?

I ask this on behalf of the Van Helsing society. Some of ours might find such an object very useful. As someone very much interested in the realm of the supernatural, I do have a certain curiousity on such things.

A stranger in our midst? Bah! Do your own research!

[Toji Chiba]

He will see whats coming, thats a good thing. to know how to stop it from chewing your head of, thats the next thing

[Gazongola]

Indeed. Unlike us, for instance I with my large book of beasts.

[Jake of All Trades]

I apologize for being late to this thread, but...would it still be possible to become a member of the Society? I find the occult to be a fascinating subject, and the discussions here very interesting.

I second these notions.  Study of the occult and the paranormal is an interest of mine that ranks on the same level as my love of Steampunk.  I'm not so much into the modern mysticism and/or magic, but pretty much anything Mulder or Walter Bishop would be into

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

I'm inclined to believe that they let you see more then simply supernatural creatures. Other hidden things as well - the True Nature of Things, if you will.

Mr. Gazongola - this is my own research 

[Gazongola]

Mayb can let us do the research and sell them to you...

[Toji Chiba]

Mayb can let us do the research and sell them to you...

I would like some of the artifacts these guys use to fight beasties. some of them have powers that would be worthy of researh and they ae completely wasted on some uninformed gunslinger... not to say that there are any uninformed gunslingers in the Van Helsing Society, because I'am sure there aren't. Nevertheless, some artifacts should be studied before put to use. And Field-testing those devices seems a trifle dangerous. A nice binding circle might secure that nothing happens.

[Sean Patrick O-Byrne]

Oh no - plenty of uninformed gunslingers. Our admittance policy is pretty lax at the moment. Membership just haven't been the same since the witch-hunting days of yore... No offence. 

[hereaftermouse]

...
Picatrix (I have only found a partial translation of this work, and only in Seattle. The second half of the book is supposed to be translated soon, but will be limited in only short run publication). Note - my copy of the first two segments of this work cost me over a C-Note to finally get an english translation of a text, to date, had only been available in Latin.
...

You've found a copy of the Picatrix? I'm impressed! Where in seattle was this?

[lilibat]

Considering one of the things I make is a Gizmometer for finding lay lines, I am all about this. ;-)

[Katrina Broekhart]

I talk to dead people! Count me in!

[Mal `e Diction]

My husband and I just watched Spiderwicke again, and they used a very interesting sort of half-goggle to hold the seeing stone, therefore leaving your hands free to deal with whatever creatures you see with it. Would be fun to attempt to make something similar.

Oh, and the secret attic study is just....well, awesome. Actually, the whole house is pretty awesome.

[Arabella Granger]

I talk to dead people! Count me in!

Even though most paranormal things frighten me, count me in too!

[clockwork creation]

careful my creatures feed of fear 

[Arabella Granger]

I'll be sure to take that into consideration. 

[Gazongola]

careful my creatures feed of fear 

Really? Fancy that. Mine just eat cake and small children.