Behind the Ivory Veil
Introduction
Behind the Ivory Veil is an occult fantasy. Much of the story revolves around two pagan cults, one in England and one in Greece, that preserve ancient practices into the modern day (1955). Its underlying assumption is that magic is real, it works, and it is present in our everyday lives—usually unrecognized or passed off as mere coincidence. So the people in this story are all normal folks you’d meet on the street and never imagine were involved in the art and ritual of pagan magic, any more than you would suspect they were Methodist or Catholic.
Famed witch Aleister Crowley is thought to have said that the difference between white magic and black magic is that white magic is poetry and black magic works. As a result, this volume is filled with stories, legends, and poetic rituals. You, like the characters, may be surprised that they work. Many of these rituals have been developed by other practitioners and, although I recognize works that have been influential in my view of paganism, it is not possible for me to identify if specific parts of rituals might have been more heavily influenced by one author or another. I cite The Spiral Dance by Starhawk, A Book of Pagan Rituals by Herman Slater, The White Goddess by Robert Graves, Mythology by Edith Hamilton, Bulfinch’s Mythology by Thomas Bulfinch, and a library filled with other books about mythology and paganism. It is likely that the stories and rituals have influenced my phrasing and even words within the rituals here and I do so with utmost respect, acknowledging that every brother and sister of the craft contributes to the overall knowledge and experience of the others.
For those faint of heart, it is only fair to say that the gods, whether Greek or Hindu or Christian or Pagan, are seldom kind and compassionate. They have their own agendas and humans are an insignificant and sometimes incovenient part of their plans. So, do not be surprised when gods have their way and people are brushed aside. Remember that the story continues in The Props Master 1: Ritual Reality.
Now, let us begin the journey. Doc discovers a path to the legendary City of the Gods, their abandoned home on Mount Olympus. He enlists musicologist Wesley Allen to return and interpret the strange musical notations at the site. Wesley’s fiancée, Rebecca, goes to the University of Edinburgh to complete her thesis on matriarchal thealogy. She meets Mrs. Weed and is initiated into the ancient Coven Carles. But Doc’s one-time protégé, ‘The Blade’, dogs Rebecca’s footsteps, attempting to locate Doc’s dig. His intent: to find and claim the lost goddess hidden behind the ivory veil. Myth, magic, and mayhem nearly destroy the coven and place an impenetrable curtain between Rebecca and Wesley.
Names of places and things
Like any art, pagan ritual has a unique vocabulary that includes words from several sources. Some of the words here are Celtic in origin and others are untraceable. This is not meant to be a definitive list of terms and definitions for the art, but is provided for context as used in this story. Coven Carles might be referred to as Cobhan Carles (but is pronounced the same) and the members of the coven might be referred to as cildru. Occasionally, Greek words and phrases are also used, but they are defined in context.
Pagans often name each of their tools, but I am only listing here the names of the Four Faces of Carles, the sacred tools of the grand coven.
Athamé: is a knife or sword—a blade—sacred to the workings of magic, and representative of Air and the East. The ritual Athamé of Coven Carles is named Creüs and is in the keeping of Ryan McGuire, The Blade.
Wand: may be a short wand (think Harry Potter) or a full staff (think Gandalf), sacred to the workings of magic, and representative of Fire and the South. Usually, but not always, made of wood. The ritual wand of Coven Carles is named Iäpetus and is sometimes referred to as the Staff of the Vagabond Poet. It is in the keeping of Doc Heinrich, The Flame Keeper.
Cup: may be any shape or material, sacred to the workings of magic, and representative of the West and Water. The ritual cup of Coven Carles is named Cottus and was in the keeping of Mrs. Weed, The Water Maiden.
Pentacles: May be a star, star-shaped stone, medicine bag with symbols on it, or a disk, usually also engraved with a pentacle of some sort. Sacred to the workings of magic, and representative of the North and Earth. The ritual pentacles of Coven Carles is named Enceladus and is in the keeping of the high priestess, “Magda”.
Special Note: My use of the word pentacles may differ slightly from that of other practitioners, but to keep terms straight for readers of fiction, I offer the following. The tool referenced herein is always referred to as a plural. The use of ‘is’ or ‘are’ is based entirely on what sounds better in the context, but as much as possible, pentacles always refers to the tool, no matter what shape it takes. The singular form, pentacle, is the design on the tool. The design is not necessarily star-shaped. Of the forty-four known Pentacles of Solomon, only two designs (the second pentacle of Venus and the first pentacle of Mercury) have a five-pointed star. In magical workings, however, a five-pointed star is often drawn on the floor or even in the air. This specific symbol is a pentagram. There are many ways of drawing the pentagram (forward, backward, upright, inverted) and each has its own use. But all are five-pointed stars.
A Book of Shadows is a journal kept by a witch, chronicling what he or she has learned, including dreams, rituals, spells, and lore. One witch’s Book of Shadows may become another witch’s grimoire.
A grimoire is a book of witchcraft with spells, chants, rituals, and various charm-making recipes. It is usually intended to be copied and/or passed on to another witch.
Pagan holidays fall at the quarters and cross-quarters of the year, in other words, the four celestial holidays and four between them. They are:
Yule, the winter solstice. This is considered by some traditions to be the start of the pagan year. ~December 21.
Imbolc, in the United States celebrated as Groundhogs’ Day and in the Catholic Church is marked as Candlemas. ~February 2.
Oester, the vernal equinox. Originally the feast of Astarte, near Jewish Passover and Christian Easter. ~March 21.
Beltane, or May Day. The first of May has long been celebrated as the great fertility festival.
Litha, the summer solstice. While westerners largely consider the quarters to be the beginning of the season, old references point to the fact that these were considered mid-season, as in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Longest day and shortest night of the year. ~June 21.
Lughnasad, also called Lammas or first harvest. This festival celebrates the death of the corn king. ~August 1.
Mabon, autumnal equinox. End of the harvest season and sometimes celebrated with the burning of a wicker man. Current celebrations in the U.S. that arise from the tradition include Burning Man over Labor Day weekend. ~September 20.
Samhain, or All Hallows Eve, Halloween. This celebrates the end of the pagan year as it descends to the darkness of Yule. It is said that on this night, the veil between the worlds (of the living and dead) is thinnest and both humans and spirits may walk between them. October 31.
Greece. The Metéora is a region of Greece located in the Plains of Thessaly and is home to many monasteries built in the 1500s on the tops of great sheer pinnacles of rock. I have tried to be faithful to the spirit of the area, but you would be unable to draw a map from my descriptions.
Indianapolis. As much as possible, the places in and around Indianapolis are real or were real in the ’50s, though some names (especially around the college) have been changed.
England. As nearly as I can remember them, the locations in and around Keswick, England are described accurately for the time and the geography is at least nearly the same.
The Grand Coven Carles Castlerigg (Cobhan Carles) comprises four smaller circles, named for the landmarks that surround the stone circle, Skiddaw (in the north), Threlkeld (in the east), High Lodore (in the south), and Braithwaite (in the west).
Cast
This is a list of the principal characters in Behind the Ivory Veil. When a character is or becomes involved in a pagan circle, he or she is usually given a special name. This name is how the coveners refer to each other as a way of keeping their actual identities secret. The custom originates in the Burning Times. Even older, however, is the practice of adopting or being given a secret name that is shared only with others who are engaged with the practitioner in deep ritual magic. Hence, Rebecca Allen is given the circle name ‘The Hart’ when she is initiated. But her mentor also gives her a secret, magical name, ‘Sadb’, which is only used when Rebecca is working deep and intense magic or has fully entered her identity as a practioner of the art. Most people in the coven are commonly referred to by their coven name. Only a few are referred to by their secret name.
Dr. Phillip “Doc” Heinrich, professor of archaeology, Farrington University in Connecticut. Also known as The Flame Keeper, keeper of the Second Face of Carles.
Dr. Margaret Jacobson, former student of Doc’s and associate professor of anthropology.
J. Wesley Allen, professor of musicology at Indianapolis City College (ICC).
Rebecca Hart Allen, graduate student in anthropology at ICC and Wesley’s fiancée and then wife. In the circle, she becomes The Hart and in magic working, Sadb.
Dr. Ryan “The Blade” McGuire. Scots-English archaeological adventurer and treasure hunter. A thorn in the side of Doc and member of the same coven. Keeper of the First Face of Carles.
Andrew Pariskovopolis, an old man of the Metéora. Keeper of the secret.
Apollo “Pol” Pariskovopolis, Andrew’s 12-year-old grandson.
Mrs. Alice “Hebe” Weed, a witch in Scotland who adopts Rebecca. As The Water Maiden, she is keeper of the Third Face of Carles.
William Renton, Doc’s valet, friend, and former classmate. A sculptor in wood and stone.
Dr. Benjamin “The Firebrand” Wilton, disgraced archaeological adventurer and former bearer of the Second Face. Doc’s mentor. Also wrote fiction as Ben Wills.
Brother El, a monk of one of the monasteries of the Metéora, not identified as such, but may have been Elbert Parker, Wilton’s spy contact.
Thea Pariskovopolis, Andrew’s wife.
Sophia, Andrew’s daughter and Pol’s aunt.
Marcos Pariskovopolis, a taxi driver/chauffeur in Greece. Pol’s father.
Helen Pariskovopolis, Pol’s mother and wife of Marcos.
Comments
Please feel free to send comments to the author at devon@devonlayne.com.
