Meet the Oracle

Overview

Locations: Southampton.

Key Themes: Cult power struggles, supernatural forces, and violent confrontations.

Focus Areas: The Oracle's control, the McCloughlin raid, and encounters with the Hounds of Hell.

Key Events and Discoveries

Ahmed and the Krushita Equation

Ahmed: Continues working on The Krushita Equation, developed by Nickolai Krushita:

• A groundbreaking theory proposing that time is not linear but folded and angular.
• The equation remains unsolved, with unknown and potentially catastrophic implications.

During an episode, Ahmed emits light from his mouth while speaking in multiple languages.

Dr Monroe: Seeks help from Mr Grey, believing he is the only one capable of understanding the ramifications.

New Forest and Local Connections

With information that Southampton is a crucial location for tracking Weiß Maus, Imelda and Jacob alongside Sarah Anderson make their way away from Oxford and towards the coast.

Death Cult: Operating in the New Forest, this group celebrates murder and death.

McCloughlin Gang:

• A local gang, with rumours that the younger son, Billy 'Dimples' McCloughlin, is working with wealthy individuals connected to the New Forest.

The Silver Vines (Outside Southampton)

Imelda and Sarah: Investigate The Silver Vines, a location tied to the cult:

• Receptionist Sarah: Unpleasant and dismissive.
• A gentleman recognises Imelda as "one of them from the Horton Estate,".
• Horton is described as tied to metropolitan elites.

The Horton Estate

Curious by the ongoings in the Horton Estate, they attempt to sneak onto the premises to gather further information on the "cult" that resides here

The Estate:

• Guarded by a man with a rifle, who seems uneasy.
• Part of the gate is rusted, but Sarah forces it open.
• The house itself is large, two stories tall, with numerous windows.

Various cult-dressed inviduals are seen walking around the house. Able to sneak past most of them, the group is then discovered by one of the residences of the property

The Oracle's Gathering

The Oracle ("Zara"):

• Commands a room from a raised platform with a throne.
• Appears in her early 30s, wearing a masquerade mask and long black dress.
• Zara forces the group to bow before her. Resistance from the group results in her retaliating by harming them and forcibly leading them to the basement.

Basement Encounter

In the Oracle's basement, the group finds:

• Billy 'Dimples' McCloughlin tied to a wooden post, bleeding.
• Brother Tartarus, an older man with salt-and-pepper hair, holds a small blade and oversees Billy's captivity.

Shocking Execution: Zara executes Billy before the group's eyes to make a statement, horrifying the group.

The McCloughlin Raid

The Attack: The McCloughlin clan launches a raid on Zara's estate, aiming to disrupt her cult's activities.

Zara's Cult Followers: Retaliate violently, creating a chaotic battlefield.

The Hounds of Hell Appear:

• Amid the chaos, smokey hound-like creatures materialise, dripping blue liquid.
• These creatures are The Hounds of Hell and add to the carnage, attacking indiscriminately.
• The group struggles to escape as the chaos escalates.

Supernatural Encounter:

• Imelda has a vision of a white cat appearing in the car.
• Her eyes emit light directly into Jacob's face, coinciding with the disappearance of hound-like creatures dripping blue liquid.
• The creatures are described as smokey, never touching the ground, and may be tied to The Hounds of Hell.

Unfolding Mysteries

• Zara's Power and Plans: The Oracle's cult displays significant supernatural power, including the Hounds of Hell. Zara's true intentions and her link to the red volume (Orphieus and Heracles) remain unclear.
• The McCloughlin Connection: How deep is Billy's involvement with Zara, and how does his execution affect the McCloughlin gang's plans?
• The Hounds of Hell: These terrifying creatures are tied to the Oracle's cult. Are they summoned, controlled, or part of a larger force?