Shrouded Story

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For many of us, it started back at the IOBB. For those who don't know, the IOBB was a forum for illumanti-order.com, a Floridian group with ties (loosely if not directly) to the late Solomon Tulbure (another self professed Illuminist). I believe I registered in 2005, possibly 10 years ago to this very day if Im not mistaken (I don't recall the exact date, I think I just recall something like 3-3-5 on my signup date), and I was one of the earlier members (possibly #33, not exactly sure).

That IO was managed by 4 individuals, Merrick, Tawney, Methos and Dharma. I actually had the opportunity to speak with Methos by phone, whom I recall being polite. The curriculum was essentially based on Ayn Rand's Objectivism spliced with Multi-Level-Marketing and Stephen Covey material. There were 7 grades, with the 4 being the only of level 7, or grandmaster. Some of us, like myself, quickly accelered to level 6, or master level. Usually progress along the grades was done through personal study, but with the guidance of a mentor. In the beginning my mentor was IXO_Didymus, one of the earliest IOBB members (possibly something like #7). There were no political agendas, no rituals, nothing to resemble what many commonly ascribe to Illuminati. In order to be a grandmaster, you had to develop your own solo project, and there wasn't much more said than that.

The IOBB received a larger influx of people following in the next year or two. Many of us had met this way. All the original founders for POD were there. Gradually drawn were a number of other individuals ranging from freemasons (from various rites) to researchers, many curious about the authenticity of the order. The story about Supriem Rockefeller also largely started, or at least took off, from IOBB, more details on this will be shared momentarily.

Aside from study materials, there was little to be said for interaction with the IO outside the IOBB. The forum itself had brought a lot of people together, and a lot of interesting, and heated, discussions took place in that time. But the IO was not really central to that interaction, in fact the grandmasters basically took a backseat and after some a short time became distant and unresponsive. Benpadiah was very outspoken against this behavior, and after a time I found in indefensible as well. Eventually a great breakaway occurred, with many members, including most if not all the master level ones, leaving. This began as early as 2006 and drew out into 2007, if I am being accurate. In the end the forum seemed to be closed and contact with the original 4 was lost, which marks a segway to another chapter.

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At the time when I searched for what I had considered the "Illuminati", my understanding was more narrow, and had not really thought out the concept of multiple claimants to the Illuminati name. For instance, while the Bavarian Illuminati is most commonly known, earlier historical renditions such as the Illuminees of Avignon or the Roshaniyya, were not as widely discussed. At the time of the IOBB, other self profressed Illuminist groups were present on the internet, such as the Brazilian(?) Illuminati of Paolo Bortel or the the Illuminist Rojism system of Gabriel Lopez, as well as others without a public leading figure. There simply isn't one incarnation out there, and whether one or all of them or legitimate or not doesn't take away from the circumstance of multiple claimants and the confusion that results. This has also played elsewhere for other groups and traditions, as I later came to realize.

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I suppose it is fair to say that like many other members, I grew disillusioned with the IO, and even before our departure I had begun looking into other things. At this time, the esoteric side to occidental systems was new to me. I began to learn more about Hermeticism, Freemasonry, Rosicrucianism, Golden Dawn, Thelema, all that stuff. I considered whether or not to participate in any other society. I had visited a couple of Masonic lodges, a Rosicrucian temple, had a brief correspondence with a Thelemic order in British Columbia, and more elaborate and personal communication with a fair deal of masons, magicians, alchemists, etc. whether in person or online. It helped give me a better background perspective, but I didn't commit to any further involvement yet. I came across some members of the EOGD (a Golden Dawn group) and was initiated at the nearest local temple, I think this may have been in Feb. 2006. It was interesting and the people were friendly. For some reason, I still kept searching for whats out there and came across a very obscure and seemingly unknown system which is the subject of another post of mine you might find on the POD site.

The esoteric and occult systems, with the formality and structure, was newer to me and was a lot to process, leaving me unprepared for the sordid elements that were to follow.

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As the IO was dissolving, a number of us met to reflect and consider options. Among that number, 5 of us decided to put together our knowledge and backgrounds to see what we could come up with. We formulated the Illuminati Order of Knights and Monks, and established an egregoire known as AL-MOIAK, an owl figure resemblant of that in other esoteric sources (or your money). While we were initially enthusiastic, some rifts formed early on over the nature of our oaths. The resulting conflict let to another split. IXO_Didymus went his separate way with his version of IOKAM. Benpadiah formulated the POD. 

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The formulation and dissoluton of IOKAM occured after I had begun my magic(k)al practice. At the time, my focus was more on the latter. I was initially enthusiastic about the EOGD, but also was unaware about its more recent schisms and controversies until later. At a power week event (I believe in 2006), I met Robert Zink and Rafaella. At the time I had no idea of the story behind them, Zink's misdeeds, etc. He certainly acted the salesman then, I can tell you that. As I learned more about the different branches and lineage issues with the Golden Dawn, it raised questions for me.

While I had a large amount of Thelemic material in my library, and some Thelemic contacts, I never was never interested in pursuing Thelema in any capacity. My mentor, and at the time friend, of another system, Rasom Te Efalom Og Manee, or the Agnaw, preferred Thelemic and New Aeon material to that of GD, and guised his system under the former, pretty much with me oblivious to that actually. I had learned he himself had been initiated through both currents, and was apparently a significant figure (so I was told) in the GD, which I later learned really meant Zink's early GD setup in Pomona(?).

An elaborate series of events led me to be disillusioned with the EOGD and Agnaw and I gave up ritual magic/k practice entirely. This was in summer/fall of 2007

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I grew up with no religious or spiritual background, no indoctrination, and was pretty ignorant about the topic until I became an adult. When beginning to research about spirituality back then, I came across information about the Urantia Book, and a number of individuals who seemingly embedded themselves into it. A now defunct site, mrdynastyempire.org, was run by one Jerry Markham, who claimed to be Yahweh himself. He allegedly had a strong masonic background, and was very interested in Tarot. He was engaged in a long term conflict with Robert Burgess, who claimed to be Caligastia, of planetaryhq.com (as of now still up). I basically confronted Burgess on his forum. He was little different than a fire and brimstone type preacher. Markham congratulated me for battling Caligastia (Burgess) in his own lair.

Suffice to say, the credibility of these individuals was lacking to warrant further in their activities, and since they seemingly personified Urantia material (as the figures they claimed to be) I thought I was done with Urantia too.

These events took place approximately 2004ish, but possibly as early as 2003 and as late as early 2005, unfortunately I am less exact with this, but basically this is before the events at IOBB.

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One of the highlights of the IOBB discussions was the introduction of Supriem Rockefeller. Basically some posts were made to describe him, under the same pretenses that were done so with Wes Penre's material, with him being a Antichrist figure with unbelieveable resources and power. This naturally aroused the curiousity of the many masonic and paramasonic types in the forum. Eventually a myspace profile for Supriem appeared, and a number of us began interacting with him then. He didn't say much, and was very cryptic. I later learned that one of Supriem's interests was the Urantia Book, which he described as all true. One forum member befriended him and acted as a graphic designer. Another engaged in communication and potential business deals. Many of us simply talked with him, I had a number of conversations with him myself, and there was an interesting, if not odd, conversation between him and my mentor at the time (I think this was 2007), given their obscurity as well as the topic of discussion then.

This was still well before Wes Penre's exposition.

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Before Facebook got big, there was Myspace, which at one time was fairly prolific, and many of us had profiles on there. There were also a number of groups on myspace. At one point there were myspace groups for IOKAM, POD, Agnaw Sa Set, etc.

Now you can't find them. If I didn't tell you this story, you the reader, probably would have little to no chance of knowing these things.

mrdynastyempire.org is gone too, and little can be found about Jerry Markham. Planetaryhq is up, but not very functional and the forum archives are inconvenient to sort through.

The IO site is still defunct. They issued a statement on their departure, but since they are unresponsive and the forums were down (Benpadiah preserved what posts he could but there were additonal forums admittable by grade, which he did not have access to as far as I know, hence those posts may be lost).

When myspace went, the Agnaw groups on there went with it. Lord Ferocia went as far to claim that his facebook group in 2014 was the first one when it was not. The Belt of Alyon site he made, while defunct in certain places, still has some pages up.

Supriem also had some satellite sites or profiles that also are gone as far as I know.

 

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When I left EOGD, I wrote Robert Zink (I think this was September 2007) and plainly said that I was resigning from the order (pretty much the exact words). I learned somewhere that Zink put Voodoo curses on people, I contemplated whether he would try that on me. I ended up doing further research and learned more about the controversy involving him and Rafaella. I also learned about the controversies involving linege, conflict between branches, etc. This was all more than enough incentive for my decision. I wasn't the only one who had doubts. Of my two friends that were members, one left as well, although probably for additional and different reasons. He gave a lot of good advice on that matter and others. 

For years after I would still receive email invites or notices from Zink, like add me here, join this group, etc. I received a voicemail from the local temple in 2010 that urged people to attend what I think was an upcoming power week or something, but I had left 3 years before and was not involved enough to begin with to explain why they would call.

Later that year I spoke with my other GD friend who had told me he was taking a step back from the order. I didn't really ask why, he was extremely busy in life at the time so I could understand, but it did feel like something else was amiss.

I hadn't been paying attention to GD at all since then so it was only last year that I learned about the decisive split between Robert Zink and the leading adepts (some of them I have met and remember, I recognize their motto abbreviations in the declaration letter).

How ironic it was. It eerily similar to the events occuring more than a century earlier that lead the dissolution of the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn.

These things only helped to reinforce my departure as justified.

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My experience with the Agnaw was different. Practically speaking, I think I preferred it more to GD early on in part because I felt stronger responses during ritual practice, and also because the symbology was interesting and seemed to make more sense to me. I had good relations with LF and the others for a time, a number of people were in the groups (which were divided in tiers similar to the GD and AA structures), but I was probably one of the few, if not only, serious student. Since the Agnaw origins were depicted as mysterious, I tried to help and do some research. For example, references to the similarity between specific Agnaw and Phoenician letters was found by myself, not Lord Ferocia. The correspondences between the symbols and concepts, or between them and other systems, was something I was really interested in at the time, but there were some particular gaps that were hard to make sense of. I memorized everything I could, and took lots of notes (most of which are unfortnately gone but it I still got it in my head). Based on having done that, I could tell you that there are some inconsistencies between the versions presented to me years before and the material seen on the facebook group (which is now gone?)

LF's story and background was also obscure (bits and pieces are available at occultforum.org forums and the Temple of Thelema forums at heruraha.net, if you know what posts to look for), and there was no way to verify anything he was saying then, although I gave him the benefit of the doubt up to a certain point and years later was able to verify at least some things. He was incredibly distant especially as time went on, and I think he only once revealed a picture showing his face accidentally. He took secrecy seriously.

There were, and still are, a number of things that are hard to account for or explain, if you know the story, which I think he realizes too.

Ultimately, these concerns, as well as those relating to more personal experiences, are technically irrelevant to why I went my separate way in the end.

 

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There were some unusual experiences during my time with LF. There were a number of "tests", which even now I can't say what the end purpose is except it seems to be initiatory in nature, and basically seemed intent on to drawing out and guaging some kind of reaction. One of these may have involved a ritual on 7/7/7, but I can only tell you so much, ask LF what that was about.

A much stranger occurrence happened that summer too, where he told me about a vision he had of some kind of elf. Around that time, he, some of the others, and I, would chat with a program called IMVU. At one point I received a chat invitation from someone in a female drow (dark elf) avatar, and we talked for a period of time that summer. We were flirtatious, but she lived across the country and I also learned she was in a long term relationship, which she didn't tell me about at first. She alluded to me that LF reminded her of her uncle. Was there a connection? I don't know, but the way the events occured, who they involved, what they said, raised red flags. The woman's avatar drow elf avatar was part of a larger elf roleplaying webring on IMVU, which may have involved some shady things. She claimed to practice witchcraft, as taught by her mother, and that they were part of a coven, and described to me rituals they did with sexual overtones. From what she said, many of these same people were in that elf roleplaying group, with the latter basically concealing the activities of the former. I was concerned that I was being drawn into some kind of ritualized catfishing scheme. LF's girlfriend at the time, who was basically # 2 in the group if not me, also had some inconsistent pictures (the face would usually be similar, but sometimes eye color and certain things would be different).

Odd eh? If you have a hard time believing me, I can provide real names and locations.

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One central feature to the Agnaw system is the notion of a spiritual race called Efalom, but what are they supposed to be? Angelic/Demonic equivalents? It was never really made clear. LF told a story that the tradition stems from a couple, Frater Lamis and a blind woman named Patora(?), whom are entrusted with the tradition by the Efalom. But not much more is known.

When the newer facebook group was found, there was material for depicting figures that was not in the old group's material, are these the Efalom?

In the old groups, there was verbal mention of Efalom, but not so much visual. In the new group, there are visual references but no verbal ones.

As fas as I have looked, there aren't references anywhere else of something close to "Efalom", Nephilim might be the closest possible match but from what I read it doesn't seem like it.

It is possible that phoenetic variations of spelling would make it hard to find actual references, but I don't think it fully explains the lack of an explanation.

Whether there is a legitimacy to this concept, or if it is some form of Neo-Goetia (LF was a Goetia practitioner, at least at one point) I can't say. Ask LF

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When the original IOKAM split took place, IXO_Didymus went his own way, while the rest stayed with POD. What happened since? There was an IOKAM on yahoo, which seems to have been unactive for some time. His more recent activities are commercial in nature, as seen in these links:

http://www.cafepress.com/profile/2775603

http://www.cafepress.com/+illuminati_hooded_sweatshirt,19083880

http://www.cafepress.ca/+illuminati_mousepad,19083872

http://www.cafepress.com.au/mf/6729963/illuminati_mugs

http://www.cafepress.com.au/mf/6729963/illuminati_tank-top

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+illuminati_wall_clock,19083878

http://www.cafepress.ca/+illuminati_stein,19083862

http://www.cafepress.com/+illuminati_calendar_print,19083876

http://www.cafepress.co.uk/+illuminati_dog_tshirt,19083867

I think there's more links, but are difficult to pull up through google and the site itself doesn't navigate through it all very well. Either way, you should get the idea.