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I’m a new kid on this particular cyberblock; so – hello!
Now then: does anybody have any idea whatever happened to the Black Alchemist? According to the relevant books, Andy’s crew didn’t cause anything particularly catastrophic to happen to him, they just foiled him on a temporary basis – certainly there’s no proper show-down at the end of The Second Coming; it might as well end with “To Be Continued…”, but as far as I know, it just sort of fizzled out.
Since TBA was associated with a group of like-minded individuals (that Hexe crowd, apparently), who, depending on which source you believed, amounted to anything from a standard coven not dissimilar to the one in The Devil Rides Out to a huge multinational organisation linked to the government and quite possibly those evil little Greys (perhaps a slight exaggeration?), at least some of them are presumably doing the same things that it was so important to do something about all those years ago, yet nobody seems to be doing anything about it!
Any thoughts on this? Does anybody have any recent possible sightings, clairvoyant or otherwise, to report? Are the People of Hexe a genuinely threatening ongoing cult with big ambitions, or a handful of misguided zeebs who drew scary pictures in barns for a year or two and then packed it in? And since there were hints (admittedly from fringe sources of dubious trustworthiness) that TBA & friends were quite important people whom we might know as public figures, whether he’s active, retired, or even dead, has anybody ever put a name to the fellow? And what about the Black Sorceress of Arundel?
Your thoughts, please?
Hello Mad Dan
All this is loosely lumped under the term ‘Black Questing’… ie, fighting off and undermining the machinations of the bad guys… whoever they may be… as opposed to regular questing which is usually historically research based type stuff, and non confrontational.
Different psychics can tune into different frequencies as it were and most of the BA stuff came via Bernard… He had enough of it all in the end, was concerned about his family’s safety and so retired, which meant that ‘frequency’ was turned off.
Other psychics tried to continue with things but it all eventually fizzled out. Some members of Earthquest did not want to be doing any ‘Black Questing’ simply because ‘who needs the hassle or the worry?’ and also things like the Seven Swords quest were more inspiring, plus the BA and the rest of it faded into silence.
I think it is believed that the BA is either retired or died, he is certainly elderly and presumed inactive. The Sorceress sent Andy a card years ago, from France, saying that she had nothing to do with anything any more… was the card really from her? who knows.
But there are always going to be negative people wanting to cause chaos or control power.
Questing often is about learning the energy of the land (personified by Elen) and healing the land. By default, this means you are sent to places that need healing, either because the site has been forgotten or neglected, or tapped into and abused, a bit vampiric-like, someone or group syphoning off its life energy or ‘chi’.
For the people to be well, the land they live on needs to be well. If you want to screw up the masses and keep their minds asleep… screw up the land they live on.
Its an endless game of chess really. You can do what you can to help, but its endless and if you did/do it all the time then you’ll never have time to do the enlightening investigative side of questing… so you just have to figure it out as you go along, and do what feels right.
Hello Mad Dan,
In an interview with AC last September on “Now That’s Weird” (available in the downloads section of this site), AC stated that he has reason to believe that the Black Alchemist is dead, though he didn’t elaborate. That he believes this to be the case and does not claim to know implies that BA’s identity remained an enigma to the end.
Michael
Re. that naughty Alchemist fellow: I’m still slightly confused as to the exact mechanics of the whole business. I do have a rough idea what “Black Questing” is supposed to entail (incidentally, is there a specialist term for people who want to embrace the Dark Side – there must be a few, no? – and use psychic questing to do very bad things like old TBA? – presumably not “Even Blacker Questing”?), but it seems to me that if a particular individual is for whatever reason thrown into a Black Quest against the forces of evil, if he (or she) eventually decides that he’s frightened or sick of it or simply can’t be bothered, and packs the whole thing in, don’t the bad guys win by default?
If, on the other hand, fighting the Forces Of Evil is something you can do or not do as the fancy takes you because ultimately it doesn’t really matter, what’s the point of making a fuss about it? Why spoil TBA’s fun by taking all those mystic bits of rock away from the churches he placed them in if nothing very bad was ever going to happen anyway? Do I take it that it’s all just a great big jolly game, and if the Good Guys get bored and stop playing, the Bad Guys will pack it in too because there’s no fun in it if there’s nobody else to play hide-and-seek with?
It seems to imply that everyone concerned knows perfectly well that the whole thing is just fantasy role-playing that was fun for a summer or two, but walking away because you’ve grown out of it is perfectly OK because obviously a fantasy bogeyman you made up isn’t going to hurt anyone if you don’t get around to pretending to stop him!
And – seriously – if these characters really are as dangerous as they’re made out to be, isn’t it a bit irresponsible to imply that going head-to-head with them is something which pretty much anybody can do just for jolly, and if they get a bit freaked out, they can just walk away whenever they want and nothing will happen? It’s a bit like suggesting that it’s quite exciting joining the Mafia and becoming a supergrass, but if the constant threat of death gets to be a bit much, you can stop any time you like and take up your old life, and nobody will bear you any nasty old grudges!
If I’m completely missing the whole point, it’s purely because there’s doubtless a lot going on in the questing scene that I’m unaware of because not everybody has the ability or the inclination to write books about their exploits; so – any progress reports? I’d genuinely like to know what the score is.
As I said; – “so you just have to figure it out as you go along, and do what feels right.”
Whats not to understand?
A few years ago in Liverpool on a train carriage, there were about 8 people on board. Three thugs got aboard, intimidated everyone and raped a yound woman… no one stood up to stop it because they were all frightened. But if one had stood up to object then the rest would of followed… I would never condone apathy.
That said, what can one do? Are we ment to go out as vigilanties with shot guns? what would that make us?
At best, it is a case of ‘tidying up the mess’ afterwards, healing a wound; or to try and confound things so that further damage cannot be done. It is just about keeping the land well.
You can heal the world or make it uglier… its a simple choice.
Its not really about a fight between good guys and bad guys (which is a terribly simplistic world view when there are so many varying shades of grey created by circumstances)
Its not about being judge and jury its about looking after the world, via sacred sites and so on
Yup, totally echo Yuri’s points here – it isn’t about good v evil, life just aint like that.
Got to say, I feel that some of your later comments MadDan are a tad unfair. I don’t think that the impression is given that you can just walk away – no probs, no issues. Life just aint like that either. All black questing has some degree of inherent risk attached. Just look what it did to poor Bernard! He really suffered and then jacked it in- sensibly!
And also, just because Andy doesn’t talk about the negative effects it may or may not have had on him, doesn’t mean to say that there weren’t any. Unless he choose to speak in detail we will just have to wait.
In many cases, the best any of us can do is to attempt to heal what mess is left. People who pollute our ancient and beautiful sites are at best idiots and at worst the slime of humanity. Personally I object to morons who seem to view our ancient land as their domain. These Isles belong to all of us and it is all our responsibility that they are cared for. Not only does it honour our ancestors, it honours us.
I have been involved in some of the activities at Binsey (see thread) and ‘plugging yourself into the network’ as it were does carry its own burden. At present for me, it is forms of uneasiness and brooding feeling. Who can say in time how far it will go?
And lastly (and then rant will be over – promised!) Andy has given allot to the PQ community. I reckon if he wants to step away from black questing now and move onto more positive quests, who can blame him?
Saying that, you have posed an interesting questing concerning TBA – and one that I have wanted to know the answer to for a very long time. Perhaps Andy will release more info one day. But in the mean time, you may find this link very interesting. It concerns what TBA may have got up to before the eighties.
(Written with a slight degree of irritation, because it’s the second time I’ve typed this in – presumably clicking “Submit” doesn’t usually crash this entire website? Sorry if anybody got locked out for a while yesterday afternoon – apparently I was somehow to blame. Or possibly a disgruntled Black Alchemist did it? Or maybe even rubbish web design…?)
Anyhow… Points taken. Vyxen’s link to the 1963 activities of a possible BA is most interesting; if it’s him, it would suggest that he’s capable of doing very little for long periods of time and then popping up again, so maybe we haven’t seen the last of him – that or it’s a family business…? Though if, as the article claims, BA was born c. 1940, he’s probably still alive, barring accidents. And if it isn’t him, it’s one hell of a coincidence – there must be something about the area that draws them out of the woodwork.
Some years ago, I read a very detailed account of all manner of curious events – I’m pretty sure UFOs and black magic were involved – in and around Bluebell Wood, though unfortunately I can’t remember all the details, or where I read it. Of course there are probably quite a few places in England called Bluebell Wood, so it may have been another one, which would itself be interesting – are places called Bluebell Wood, Hill, or whatever dodgy by nature, and if so, is “bluebell” a corruption of an older word meaning something quite different? – just a thought. By the way, obviously there are zillions of not-terribly good websites featuring a ragbag of weird bits and pieces of a Fortean Nature, but is there a really good one I haven’t found yet offering a guide to UK (or indeed World) weirdness hotspots, complete with maps and regular updates? If not, shouldn’t there be one?
Oh, and talking of websites and links to interesting things and all that, I did know about the Andy C interview in which he mentions the BA’s possible death because I’d seen it mentioned on the Eden website quite a while ago, but when I followed the links I couldn’t find it. I’ve just looked again, and I still can’t find it – am I just being unobservant (it’s a pretty crowded site), or has it been dumped ages ago to make way for newer stuff? If it’s still there, could somebody please tell me exactly where it is?
Anyway, the main point that puzzled me all along about this BA-People of Hexe-Black Questing thing is: how bad are these people really? I mean, it’s all very well to say “look what happened to Bernard”, but the fact is, not very much did happen to Bernard – a few panic attacks and stomach upsets, but as far as I know, none of it was exactly life-threatening, and since he packed it in, he’s been doing whatever it is he does of a non-psychic nature with no after-effects whatsoever. I would have thought that if you were the sole obstacle to some massive magical undertaking by a really serious group of extremely competent and totally ruthless black magicians, you’d suffer a lot worse than that! In fact, if I was the BA (I’m not, by the way), if I’d gone to all that trouble, there was just this one guy constantly spoiling everything, and my group’s combined magic simply wasn’t working for whatever reason, other than to make him a bit uncomfortable from time to time, well, if I knew where him and his family lived… I think Bernard got off pretty lightly, don’t you?
To be honest, I’ve always had the impression that the BA was – stand by for heretical statement – not really all that bad! If his Hexe organisation (or whatever they’re called) really were as effective as they were made out to be, they don’t seem to have had any real intention of harming him, just making him so uncomfortable that he’d quit bugging them. If so, they succeeded, and then presumably had another go at their Magnum Opus and quite possibly succeeded, but it wasn’t really that big a deal.
Alternatively, they were genuinely evil, and genuinely trying to kill Bernard or drive him permanently insane, but they simply weren’t as effective as Andy C thought they were, and the very worst they can do was so unimpressive that they probably just got sick of trying and quietly packed it in – certainly nobody was ever in any real danger.
So, final question – what is THE VERY WORST that can happen as a result of deliberately or inadvertantly getting involved in a Black Quest? Do people who started out healthy and sane actually ever die or go mad? Has this ever happened to anybody you actually know?
(Let’s see what happens when I press this button…)[/u]
All the 1963 stuff was new to me; thanks for putting the link up Vyxen.
Also, Mad Dan’s observations/questions are perfectly reasonable and intelligent; – we’ve all thought them from time to time.
Was the Black Alchemist a powerful embodyment of evil? No, I dont think so. Evil people with real power start a war in Iraq for no purpose other than oil … the death of thousands hardly compares with breaking tomb stones and leaving animal bits and pieces around.
And also, Drug dealers today think nothing of carrying a gun and getting rid of annoying people; you’d think the BA or Hexe or Friends of Hecate would be just as ruthless to anyone who was in their way.
So, ultimate evil it aint. Gun happy mafia it aint. So what is it? Sometimes one or two people, occaisionally a group. Doing ritual activity and leaving horrible items around; human bone, animal hearts and heads.
I think the majority of the BA artifacts found were concealed and hidden, so the person wasnt broadcasting their activity; they wanted privacy. Same too with Clapham Wood, the occultists there appear to of not wanted to draw attention to themselves, but wanted privacy… the 1963 stuff was quite different, it was very much about leaving something gross and odd ‘to be seen’… it wanted an audience… Who knows what to make of it. and it still goes on.
Richard Ward has gone to some churches and still found bones lain out in odd patterns.
I would add to all the above the horrible ‘Horse mutilations’ that seem to happen in waves. Stop for ten years or so then start again. Attacks specifically upon Mares, cutting at their eyes and hacking at and inserting fencing posts into their vaginas… was happening quite regular about 12 years ago… no one was ever caught, seen, and it just stopped… As far as I know, no one ever has been caught.
The Black Alchemist book is a heady mix because it combines a few unrelated events, that are related in the minds and visions of the psychics involved. Andy and Bernards BA questing. Toyne Newtons ‘Demonic Connection’ book and the terrible stoms that hit the country… all combine to quite a ‘heady’ read.
I dont have any answers, nor claim to understand what is going on… some people treasure sacred spaces and others hack up animals and desicrate graves… No, it aint the work of ultimate evil, and it appears far from intelligent genius. I’m sure serious black magicians remain unseen and you’d never see any evidence of their workings. But I would still harp back to my earlier post, usually all one can do is ‘clean up’ after them.
I’m sure most of us have favourite places, little sanctuaries where we can go and relax, meditate, be at one with the world; be it a church if you are christian, or a park, stone circle, ancient well or just beautiful countryside… If you went there one day and found blood soaked into the ground, occult graffiti splashed about and some animal mutilation left in a deliberate pattern… it’d be pretty upsetting to you and you’d want to ‘clean up’… really that is all ‘Black Questing’ is (not a term I am keen on actually; – but it defines the category as differnt to regular ‘questing’ which is investigative research using psychic methods)
Wierd stuff happened, Andy wrote about it, Bernhard retired from ‘Questing’ because it upset him so much. Thats about all you can say. There are probably many ways it can be measured and evaluated… Bloody interesting story though
Ta very much, Yuri – one does hear rumours, but they’re kinda vague, and I just wanted to know what the position really was. ‘The Demonic Connection’ in particular seemed to go a lot further than Andy ever did without really being able to build much of a case (and what did all that stuff about the Philadelphia Experiment have to do with anything, eh?).
Regarding horse mutilation (Satanic and otherwise) – I’m not sure whether this is relevant, but I do have an interesting tale concerning this which is not widely known. About 17 years ago, I used to live on a farm in the Borders, near a tiny village called Blainslie a few miles from Lauder, where there were several Welsh mountain ponies. I was there for a couple of years because the place offered a free residential caravan to anybody who could be relied on to look after the chickens (times were hard!). Anyway, at the time all the locals were aware of these nasty horse incidents, though there hadn’t been any in the immediate area.
After a while I moved on, and some other penniless bum replaced me for exactly the same reasons. A month or two after I left, this chap was awoken by some sort of commotion in the field very late at night, and he went to investigate. A man was doing something mysterious with one of the horses, and when approached, he lashed out with a knife and cut my replacement’s face open – thus I narrowly missed out on becoming the only human victim of the horse ripper! (This incident was briefly reported in ‘Fortean Times’.) The really weird thing is, when they got a good look at the horse, it wasn’t cut at all – what he’d actually been doing was trying to turn the horse white (it was brown) with ordinary household paint!
There are two possible interpretations. The obvious one is that for some reason this guy got off on whitewashing farm animals under cover of darkness, which has got to be the most contrived sexual perversion on record! The other is a bit more interesting. Until a few months before the incident, the small herd had included an exceptionally beautiful cream-coloured pony (very unusual for the breed), which shortly before I left had been sold for a good price. Also, at around that time, a middle-aged man who was almost certainly far too old to have been the knifeman in the incident I’ve just described had been seen several times (including by me) peering intently at the horses over the wall of a back-road about a quarter of a mile away with very large binoculars.
Did somebody or other carefuly plan a ritual which specifically required a white horse they thought was going to be there, and when it wasn’t there, they were forced to improvise at short notice? Nobody was caught doing anything definitely suspicious – the owner of the farm did actually have a word with the older man, but he seemed quite respectable, and since the knife attack hadn’t happened yet, he didn’t think much of it, thought the man did seem to be obsessively interested in some not terribly remarkable ponies. It does rather sound as if there might have been a behind-the-scenes planner and a much younger perpetrator involved, which would be odd if it was just some kind of sexual thing.
There is one other possible sequel, though rather a silly one. A friend of mine who still lives in Galashiels, about 10 miles away, mentioned about 3 years ago that he had been reminded of my bizarre tale of horse-painting perverts by a weird item which was covered in the local press but presumably nowhere else. Apparently a Galashiels resident woke late at night because the dog was making a terrible noise, and called the police; they happen to have a car very nearby, and were in time to catch an intruder attempting to paint the dog – quite a largeone, I believe – white with ordinary household paint… Curiouser and curiouser!
(PS – For what it’s worth, we used to get regular flypasts by Honest-To-Gods Black Helicopters too – go figure…)
Anyway, I reckon I’ve now got the information I was looking for about the BA & Co. (though I’d still be interested to hear of any new sightings – I daresay we all would). I did have a reason for asking how seriously I’m supposed to take such people – I shall be posting more on this shortly.
Something else wierd too, another possiblility. I was reading ‘Foulcault’s Pendulum’ by Umberto Eco and he described 19th century occult alchemy, and the creation of an homonculi, (a ingredients to create this creature is something called ‘Hippomene’ (not sure if I have spelt it right); – specifically it is a bodily secretion from a Mare’s vagina… I wondered if this was relivant but who know?…. wierd people.
As Yuri said, others attempted to continue the quest with mixed results. Sadly the questing nearly always had a negative effect on those who got caught up in it both psychically and in the “real world.” From information I gained BA returned to this country around 1993 and attempted to train an apprentice but things went wrong and to cut a long story short, he is no longer around anymore. I know Andy and Richard Ward have given a few lectures that updated the story after the “Second Coming”. I’ll say no more in case Andy want to do BA3….
Cheers for that Indarkness. I take it from your words ‘he’s not aorund anymore’ you mean he’s dead?
you’re welcome Vyxen. Yes I would concur with others that he is no longer alive.
It is thought that BA is now dead, and that his ashes were scattered in a Sussex churchyard by his nephew. My friend and colleague David picked up on this a while back. I have visited the place he picked up and it fits his psychic description. As there is no plaque or memorial thats where the matter was left. There have been a few “copycat” incidents of a BA style, but whether they were carried out by individuals in any way connected to BA will have to remain a matter of conjecture.
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