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The Followers of the Eye of Darkness are a religious cult of followers that worship the Eye of Darkness. While the cult doesn’t have an official name, its peers refer to the Eye as "the truth in the darkness". However, their true motives remain a mystery.
Backstory[]
Events Before the Manor[]
It is currently unknown when the Eye of Darkness' cult was founded, but the deity's believers have rejected conventional faiths and atonement rituals as they claim the light represents prejudice and lies. Eventually, they embrace death and rebirth through darkness as the path to clarity and justice. Over the past several centuries later, Alva Lorenz was woken up by a group of religious hooded figures who claimed that God had saved his life from a lab explosion and gave him powers that'll allow him to continue his research.[1] Alva decided to join the religion and serve the god.
During a devastating epidemic, Ann developed polycoria, a rare eye condition around the same time her mother was infected. Her father's mental health deteriorated as he obsessively prayed to a black cat-like idol with glowing yellow eyes. After her mother's death, the idol was put away but later revived during Alva's strange visit[2], with whom her father resumed the mysterious rituals.
After her father also succumbed to the plague, Ann inherited their estate but became the subject of growing suspicion and cruelty from townspeople. As townspeople accused her of bringing the plague, her distinctive eyes earned her the nickname "devil's child" before facing harassment that escalated into threats of violence.[3] As fear consumed her, Ann began hallucinating and questioning her own sanity.
The church had declared Ann possessed and lured her into a false confession, where she was stabbed and abandoned in the wilderness to be crucified. On the brink of death, Ann encountered a shadowy, cat-like being that offered her a wish in exchange for her remaining faith. She accepted. Following her resurrection, a second plague erupted but unlike the first one, it mysteriously swept through one land that curiously spared some and struck other specific towns to punish them for their sins.
Het Arresthuis Breakout[]
"Dogma" was accused of murder at the Haarlem Plantation and was sent to Het Arresthuis, earning her nickname as “The Marigold Killer" from the media. While in prison, she met a daughter of a prison guard named Amanda Gaddis who had trouble with fainting episodes while suffering narcolepsy. At some point, she befriends Amanda and tells her stories about her time working at the flower fields. When Amanda first heard about the news of "Dogma" sentenced to be hanged due to a physiognomy pioneer's research, a voice told her to buy "Dogma" some time during a final interview and medical examination by intentionally falling down the stairs, faking her relapse. During this commotion for prison guards, it gave Ann, Alva and other followers a chance to break "Dogma" out and took Amanda with them. Amanda would then send them a location of Philippe and Christina's address to hunt them down for revenge of attempting to have "Dogma" executed. Shortly after, the followers decided to abandon Amanda due to her wariness and only brought "Dogma" in. Amanda was left alone, but went out her own way to created exhibitions by using her optical equipment that focuses on nightmares and crime.
Later on, one of the followers were tasked with supporting preparations for an upcoming ritual. Though not central to the ceremony, they are honored to assist and note Alva's growing distrust of the ritual's mysterious sponsor despite the invitation. This sponsor, who seems suspiciously well-informed, may have hidden motives behind their generous offer of materials and support. To investigate further, the follower retraces a jailbreak in the Netherlands of Het Arresthuis,[4] tied to the Eye of Darkness and "Dogma" as the ritual's chosen candidate. While physical evidence has been erased, they sense the involvement of unknown entities and discover that graves of former cultists have been emptied.
Events at the Manor[]
Some time later, Alva and a follower, possibly Ann, would arrive to the proving grounds somewhere on the 13th night of participating in a religious ceremony where they were given rooms on a noble mission. The follower recall a past moment when an apostle of the Eye of Darkness appeared to them, lifting them from despair and bestowing upon entrusting them with a sacred artifact called the "vertical pupil." This moment marked their transformation into a devoted follower. While settling at the Manor, Alva sensed an infiltrator's presence watching them.[5]
Once the ceremony has begun in Lakeside Village,[6] The Master Disciple arrives dressed in funeral black as the follower kneels to submit themselves spiritually and physically to a process that will erase their former self, confirming them to be the "chosen one." They describe their connection to death through metaphor and reveals their complete devotion to becoming the next Disciple, dissolving into "eternal night." Unlike others in the cult who die, and return changed, they believe they will truly cease to exist, allowing their body and soul to become a vessel for the Eye's eternity. Through sacred transmutation, new followers are created. During the ceremony, the "chosen one" notes the presence of unawakened participants, and a hidden infiltrator. Ultimately, they accept that ideological ascension requires the decline of competing beliefs. It is unknown what Alva and Ann's fates were during their time at the Manor but Ann at some point, implemented her consciousness with the cat and passed away in her final moments.[7]
Alternate Theories and Conclusions[]
- Ann's 2023 and 2024 Letters are written by a follower who is the "Chosen One" to become the Eye of Darkness's next Herald. It is currently unknown if this is Ann or another follower. It is also unknown whether Ann is the Master Herald or another follower who became the next Herald.
Members[]
| Known Members | ||
|---|---|---|
| Member | Occupation | Status |
| Eye of Darkness | Higher Entity | Unclear |
 Alva Lorenz |
Hermit Follower of the Eye of Darkness |
Unknown |
 Ann |
"Disciple" Follower of the Eye of Darkness |
Deceased |
| Ann's Father | Follower of the Eye of Darkness | Deceased (Plagued) |
| "Dogma" | Follower of the Eye of Darkness | Unknown (Missing) |
 Amanda Gaddis |
Lanternist Follower of the Eye of Darkness |
Unknown |
Trivia[]
- Although the cult doesn't have an official name, a common name used by the fandom is the "Cat Cult".
Gallery[]
Story-Related[]
Season 39 Essence 2 Story[]
References[]
- ↑ Hermit Deduction #11 - A voice: "Alva, you are the 'prodigy' we've been looking for, the key to a better world..."
- ↑ See "Disciple's" 2021 Letter.
- ↑ "Disciple" Deduction #6 - A note wrapped around a stone: The handwriting on the note is childish and sloppy: Get out of our town! They said it was you who brought the plague! You killed my mother!
- ↑ See Hermit's 2025 Letter.
- ↑ In Prisoner's 2024 Birthday Letter, Luca was almost certain that not only Hermit has discovered his existence, but could penetrate through walls encased by such mechanisms with sharp sight.
- ↑ The Character Relations Menu confirms this Manor Game location was Lakeside Village.
- ↑ See "Disciple’s" 2025 Letter.