Chapter 34Where History Unfolds

From the book 'Nosferatu - Vampire Findings Through The Ages'

History and purpose of the Silver Abbey

Please note that what is written here is a compilation of data from my research. It is by no means completely comprehensive but should give a decent background to the history and purpose of the Silver Abbey.

The Silver Abbey was one of the few remaining places where research into the paranormal was performed. This, even in this enlightened age of science and reason, is a sad thing. In their time they investigated all kinds of phenomenon without prejudice on it's importance. This meant that a lot of valuable results were gathered in the library at the Silver Abbey... And lost in the fire.

It's purpose was simple. Find proof, explanations and examples of the paranormal. Both in material and human form. This meant them spying on those performing certain crafts, like witchery and alchemy; or those with curses upon them, that of the werewolf or the vampire. They collected research as much as they could but never intervened as far as I could tell.

Two very interesting questions are, to this day, unanswered. What was the name of the organization behind the Silver Abbey, we know there are more places like that but not many. The other question is that of it's 'duties'. It seemed connected to the Church just like normal but there is much suspicion this was only a front to be able to research unhindered.

Especially the latter is very strange but logical in a sense. What better way to hide from the prosecutors then to become one? Research into their areas was forbidden for the last thousand years. Even this research has not been accepted widely.

The history of the Silver Abbey is mostly punctuated by what went wrong. Like the fire, the storm and the one time some of it's work was noticed.

The normal Abbey was used not for services but more as a refuge for those in need. They held on to the old style for as long as they could. Offering shelter, food and water to those out in the cold. As far as I could tell this had two advantages. It meant that travelers bringing something for the Silver Abbey were hidden in plain sight without any trouble. The other major advantage was that any brother could 'work' upstairs, feeling how it is to serve and help those in need. Giving perspective to his own existence.

Beneath the Abbey was a large series of catacombs, not for the dead but for scrolls and later books. There, many scribes and brothers were present, involved in many kinds of research. The various scrolls we found indicated that most of them could read and write quite well and had an inquisitive mind. They must have been very precise in who to trust and to allow entrance below.

There have not been many reports of the time before it served as an abbey, so it is hard to tell where or how it was before. Though there is little doubt there was. It must be added there is no solid evidence of anything this old so this is partly speculation.

The first major disaster was that of it's public discovery or supposed exposure. This was before the Reformation with all the witch-hunts. Publicly it still was only a house of refuge and healing. Reports of the time, translated from various scrolls, describe a crowd coming to the Abbey with torches, some swords and pitchforks raised high. It is not entirely clear how this crisis was averted, but the common story goes that they allowed people in without their weapons and showed them they used 'proper' healing methods and only offered shelter for those who needed it.

One interesting detail in those reports is that of a local monastery coming to the defense of the Silver Abbey. Usually suspicion was more then enough to let something burn to the ground but in this rare case it seems 'honesty' prevailed.

The second disaster came in the form of a large storm. Lightning and hard wind and rain destroyed half of the upper Abbey and exposed the lower catacombs. Through some stroke of luck the library in this case was unaffected, though a large number of scribes did perish in the collapse. The help of local towns at the time had them rebuild most of it, strengthening the existing walls as well.

The last disaster was a more curious one. A large fire, starting in the lower catacombs burned both scribe and scroll alike, wiping out all the Silver Abbey was in one night. The strange thing about this fire was that it started between the library and the sleeping quarters, effectively spreading to both sides. Current research, still ongoing, does suggest the fire was intentional. This is no more then speculation at this time however.

As a few final words, I'd like to add, there is only very little we could retrieve from the ruins of the Abbey. Even less on the history of the Abbey itself. A lot of this is pieced together by the style and wording of the reports we did find.

I closed the book and thought for a moment. In my minds-eye I could just see my headmaster giving a speech like that to the class. I wondered what made him so curious about the Silver Abbey to devote so much of his life to it. What was the connection?

I yawned, feeling the dawn drag me into a deep sleep. I put the book away under my bed for now, finding it heavy and almost dropping it from my fingers. A last thought flared up and then faded away into the soft embrace of timelessness.

Did Khuna come home?