Internal Bureau of Occult Affairs (IBOA) Dossier Case: PV-08753202 – "Why does the moon change shapes?" Date Compiled: September 26, 2025 Agent: E. Claiborne
Subject: Cult Activity Monitoring – The Pale Veil and Lunar Events
Introduction:
Investigation into the activities of The Pale Veil, particularly regarding their interest in lunar phases and mechanisms, has uncovered a complex network of rituals, coded manuscripts, and esoteric beliefs that appear to converge on specific lunar events. This dossier collates recent findings linked to the fluctuations in lunar visibility, commonly referred to as the phases of the moon, which the cult associates with various occult powers and prophetic events.
Exhibit A: Transcript of Surveillance Audio - Hollow Pines, Night of the New Moon
Date: September 12, 2025 Location: Near the perimeter of Hollow Pines Recorded by: Remote Listening Device #3A Transcriber: Junior Agent L. Morse
[BEGIN TRANSCRIPT]
Unknown Male Voice (UMV1): "The sliver wanes, and now it vanishes, swallowed by the dark. Gather, for the veil is thinnest tonight."
Unknown Female Voice (UFV1): "We do not sleep. We wait."
Chorus of Voices: "We wait."
UMV2: "The twin shadows cast by the old light shall reveal the path. The Ashen Gospel speaks of this night, does it not?"
UFV2: "Verse 17, forgotten by all but the Choir. 'Under the eye of the unseen, they shall begin to gather, bearing the sigil of ◬.' Are we not gathered?"
UMV1: "Yes, and the sigil has been cast. The ground, the trees, the air itself bears our mark."
UFV1: "Then let us commence. The rites of the Silver Hollow must not be delayed."
[Sounds of movement, rustling of leaves, faint chanting in the distance.]
UMV2: "The moon's absence is our presence. Let the ritual of the Pale Veil unfold."
UFV2 (whispering): "Look to the skies, brethren. The moon hides not; it breathes and dreams as we do."
[Long silence, approximately 7 minutes.]
UMV1: "It is complete. The cycle moves. We do not sleep."
Chorus of Voices: "We wait."
[END TRANSCRIPT]
Note: Post-event analysis confirms no lunar light was visible due to the new moon phase, correlating with the cult's chosen time for their ritual.
Exhibit B: The Ashen Gospel, Annotated Page Fragment
Found: Inside an abandoned cabin within Hollow Pines Date of Recovery: August 22, 2025 Analysis Officer: Dr. H. Reynolds
Document Details: The page appears torn from a larger tome, with heavily annotated margins. The central text reads:
"When the Moon doth hide her face, the old secrets are writ anew in the skies. Seekers of the Pale Veil find truth in darkness, for it is the light that often blinds and deceives."
Margin Note (in faded ink): "Verse 17 - redoctor the formulations as per the lunar alignment. The Choir must recite backwards during waning crescent. Page 13."
Analysis Summary: The Choir's practices involve complex recitations aligned with specific lunar phases. The note on "reciting backwards" may suggest a form of ritualistic inversion or negation, potentially aimed at manipulating or countering natural celestial rhythms.
Exhibit C: Photo Evidence of Lunar Sigil ◬
Location: Northwestern clearing, Hollow Pines Date of Capture: September 11, 2025 Photographer: Agent K. Delaney
Image Description: The glyph ◬ is seen here etched into the earth, spanning approximately twelve meters in diameter. Each segment of the symbol points towards a cardinal direction, with an intricate array of what appear to be astronomical symbols linking the segments.
Agent Notes: The construction of such a large and precise sigil suggests significant premeditation and knowledge of surveying and astronomy. This location offers an unobstructed view of the sky, possibly intended as a giant celestial observatory or ritual ground.
Conclusion & Recommendations:
The Pale Veil's activities during specific lunar phases, particularly new moons, indicate a deep-seated belief in the occult power facilitated by celestial events. The alignment of their rituals, as described in the recovered fragments from The Ashen Gospel, suggests an attempt at harnessing or altering natural cosmic cycles, potentially aiming to invoke something the cult refers to ambiguously as "the cycle."
Given the cryptic nature of their practices and the potential for larger ritualistic gatherings during upcoming lunar events, particularly the next lunar eclipse, it is recommended that surveillance at Hollow Pines be increased. The IBOA should also consider deploying undercover agents with expertise in astrophysics and occult symbology to further infiltrate and understand the scope of The Pale Veil's ambitions.
[End of Report]
Agent Claiborne’s Personal Note: There’s something unsettling about how they talk of the moon’s breath and dreams. It’s as though they aren’t just worshipping or observing – they're communicating, or worse, awakening something. We must remain vigilant.
