Device, Art. No 340
Working Name; "Far-Viewing System"
Designation; "Ocularscope"
Development Circa; 1922
Application for patent not applied for.
The introduction to these notes were in a markedly poor state of preservation, with but one single accompanying photographic plate being in good order and particularly compelling, and so here must add of my own extrapolations at their start for continuity.
This apparatus was based on the mechanism and theory of the "Crystal of Bandhlohn", but did not develop as grandfather wished. The concept of providing a means of viewing places and people from great distances, much in the manner of binoculars etc, was sound, and did initially appear to operate as designed.
In actuality, the apparatus produced a hole through dimensions or "layers of existence", which in turn gave onto scenes of unequalled horror.
As always, grandfather affixed a spring driven clockwork timer to his camera and actually captured the moment an inhabitant of one of the dimensions saw fit to thrust a questing arm, or tentacle, through the breach. Fortuitously, moments later, the devise exploded. Here grandfathers notes take up the tale;
".... with a fulgurous flash, the apparatus erupted, first sending its component parts flying outwards. Then, with a further loud "pop", began sucking those same, still flying integrants back to where the centre of the viewing screen had stood only moments past, but where now a small white ball of brilliance hovered. The articles upon my desk, screwdriver, calliper, note papers etc, all were drawn swiftly towards the floating aberration.
I, fumbling with the book of Chantathrik, began reciting the Denuntius even before the required page was found, knowing most of the cant by rote. This dissipated the manifestation quick enough, leaving me yet again with a devastated workroom and the pungent aroma of sulphur".
Of The Mechanotheurgia
Mechanics Used:
- Clockwork cage No16.
- Cogged engine, type 3.
- Gas chamber No6 to feed perforate
frame (guard well against inhalation).
- Std. calibration and increment lever.
Esoterics Used:
- Compressed atmosphere of Teraph
(refer Posticum Inferni, and the words
of The Umbra Epos).
- Calmed fluid Sull (Dors Sull Codex
R'os'Oth Jj'otth)
With the benefit of hindsight, and in later years, grandfather would come across a fuller, more robust version of this same system, in which just such a device might be constructed by use of Yahn Kootahn Bandholn's "Ocular Espial Dioramic Dilation Ring", the like being detailed in the Bifurcate Addendum of The Biblionihilistica
Follow-up notes
The Ocularscope was intended as a far viewing device which might improve upon and eventually supersede the telescope, but which in fact initiated a means to so access strange otherworldly visions. For, when activated, the operator is subject to, if not visions of purest fantasy, then of purest horror.
After much study of this engine, it is my postulate that it actually operates exactly as designed, and is reproducing scenes on far distant worlds, and on occasion sees through the thin veil that separates us from the spiritual and intangible, and merely needs calibrating.
In the early stages this process was supported by the ingestion of calmed fluid Sull to aid mesmerism and to achieve what I thought to be the required state (as advised by the relevant esoterics laid out in the Dors Sull Codex). Due to this, I initially thought the results to be entirely mental .... until I developed the photographic plates, when the full extent of the truth hit me like a poleaxe.
By further experimentation, I discerned that the mechanical element of the process voided this need, and that the fumes of the Sull upon my breath were the activating catalyst to the whole process, and that the mesmerism only either dulled or exacerbated the result upon my senses, and so simply added the Sull to the aspergilla reservoir.
This, coupled with the calibrator, impeded the potency of the device to the point where an actual "opening" would not be formed, but that the more wished for and relevant views might still be projected upon the scrutiny plate. Even after these remedial actions, it became very clear that these views, whilst now being of this Earth, still gave onto very disparate images superimposed over our fields and valleys. Images of incomplete character; disembodied heads afloat and drifting aimlessly, what appeared to be normal people, but where their feet ought to be, their legs fade to insubstantial wisps of mist.
Were these ghosts, or incomplete visions of our future?
Whilst the mechanics of the machine are specific to task and operate as expected, the esoterics here utilised allowed for all of the above anomalies.
A sea-change, with a more secretive tone, passed over grandfathers notes after vague entries appeared in his diaries with reference to a clandestine meeting around mid August 19?? From dropped hints and shadowy intimations it appears that grandfather was eventually, but unofficially, engaged by military intelligence, to protect and counter attack against a rapidly rearming Germany and specifically against certain aspects of the regime which had machinations to black magic.
Whilst officially the military chiefs continued to poo-poo this aspect of Hitler's regime, it was still deemed "safer to have all bases covered", to use the colonial idiom. But the mainstream governmental departments would still brook no commerce with grandfather, and indeed looked upon the intelligence services employing him and giving credence to this kind of warfare as ".... cranks and fantasy merchants alike".
From a partially destroyed document, the following was recovered:
.... it was in this manner, that when called upon to give what aid I might to
defend against pending hostilities, that this apparatus was gainfully employed in France.
Thus it was that on the 18th July, 19?? I was dispatched to a research bunker in the hills behind Guebwiller, eastern France, where a covert British/French collaboration was developing special weapons and methods, and who were at the time under regular, nightly attack from unseen assailants.
In the mornings no evidence of ordnance, tyre tracks or human footprint could be found, only the wreckage of our trucks and great gouges scored into the mass concrete and steel doors of the bunker, and what appeared to be giant, over-sized bird claw prints in the loose earth. Five men had so far vanished, silently and without trace.
From this, and the exaggerated fear it caused, a supernatural agency was ascribed, and the department I was assigned to was called upon.
Coinciding with my arrival at the facility, further intelligence came to light from the British secret service, and the single code-word; "Valkyrja".
We set up the instruments at the heavily grilled window, and set about making ourselves comfortable for the night. It wasn't long before the assaults
thrown back by a gust of fetid wind which struck like ..........
all Hell broke loose, ..........
............... to be found.
.......................... was immediately curtailed, business as usual.
Result; By the aid of the Ocularscope, we were fully able to actually see our assailants, who otherwise would have remained invisible. After our initial shock, and calling upon God in His Heaven, we were able, in a more conventional manner, to drive off the grey fleshed abominations with our rifles, who we now saw soundlessly descending upon us from the night sky on great leathery wings.
Conclusions; It is debatable whether we actually killed, or even permanently injured, any of the beasts as, come day break, no casualties were to be found.
Research into these "Valkyrja", has disclosed their true name and type as being "Night-Gaunt".
These same faceless creatures I had learnt of from the books in my library, assuming of them at the time to be but mere fiction, similar to the original Valkyries of Scandinavian mythology.
Remedial Action, Aims, Recommendations;
-Track down and separate these beasts from Himmler's influence.
-Banish same to whence they came. The facts might be found upon page 333 of The Daemonabulum of Da'es Volintolaeus
-See separate listings for equipment requirements.
It would appear, and again the official line was to ridicule the matter, that this was to be the true precursor of the Nacht und Nebel, or Night and Fog Decree of 1941, which, due to the subsequent actions of the team including grandfather, set this design back many years, and removed it from the vile hands of alien creatures to be placed back into the almost comparatively vile (but at least human) hands of the Nazis. A much watered down version of this contemptible scheme was still to be put into operation in 1941 under the euphemism of Nundin.
As a point of interest, the same code-name of "Valkyrie" was resurrected years later, sending ripples of fear through knowledgeable circles. But fears that the Night-Gaunt initiative had been resurrected were swiftly quashed, when the name proved to be the nom de guerre of one of Hitler's new rocket, missiles.
It was subsequent to some unspecified encounter during this period with either Himmler's machinations to black magicks, or the results of it, that grandfather rejected and eventually destroyed much of the evidence of his works fusing modern mechanical devices with the sorcerous arts, and turned his back on any further utilisation of such practices. Suggestions that he had learnt too much and that he had reached too far were regular comments after this period, and he refers, later on, to the phrase; "Seekest Not .... Lest Ye Find", much used by an associate of his, one Quelron Bathis. This was quoted in the grim sense, rather than the positive.
This theme of having "seen too much" is again taken up by grandfather in his last jottings, and just prior to his mysterious disappearance.
