Unseen Shadows
Barry Nugent
The US Universe
The Book of Cademus
The following was taken from the Icarus Foundation's Research and Archive Department.
Sir Oliver Cademus journeyed the land telling all who would listen of his belief, discovered through his years of self imposed exile, that a person who followed his teaching could achieve a state of what he called eternal freedom and that one reaching this state would never need fear anything again. His message had already caught hold during his travels and had already amassed followers in various parts of world each one of which he called Chapters in The Living book of Cademus (ref R.Jones Cademus martyr or madman, 1935).
Oliver's message was a simple one. He believed that his experience in the crusades taught him one thing
"True freedom in its most purest form is devoid of any moral constraint"
In his strange view of the world good and evil no longer existed they were merely falsehoods, distortions of the greater truth that was eternal freedom. Under Oliver's charismatic leadership the cult which he called The Book of Cademus grew larger and more powerful especially in England, France and Spain. As a result of this an army was dispatched to wipe out the source of this cult before they could really do any damage. So on the night, some of Cademus followers refer to as the 'night of ascension'. A detachment of armed knights' journeyed to Oliver's castle to kill him, The castle was breached and all those inside put to death, including Oliver's wife and daughter. It was thought that Oliver escaped the purge, to his stronghold in Spain where he told his followers that he had heard voices which had warned him of the danger and that they would spare him if he pledged himself and his followers to their cause. In return the voices promised Oliver and his followers great rewards and powers, including immortality. It was clear that Oliver's experience during the crusades had unhinged him but his miraculous escape from England was enough to convince his followers that the voices inside his head, which he proclaimed were the protectors of their cause, were real.
Soon after this Oliver Cademus was thought to have spent the next several years travelling to each of his chapters preaching a slightly different message.
"Eternal freedom is that which comes from chaos, no rules, no authority nothing but pure unbridled, unrelenting chaos."
By this time his followers had elevated Cademus from prophet to an all-powerful messiah- like figure, so they believed his new credos without question. In the spring of 1132 on the eve of Oliver's 40th Birthday he told his followers that he was to be taken by his protectors to place where he would learn the true destiny for himself. His followers pleaded with him not to go but he said so long as they believed he would return.
Final Note:
It was thought that like most cults that are centred around a charismatic leader the Book of Cademus died out about a decade after Oliver's disappearance. Questions were raised about the abruptness of the cult's disappearance along with a huge amount funds gathered over the years.
Many conspiracy theorists believe that the cult did not die out but in fact, under the orders of Cademus, went underground. Some believe that over the centuries the cult has slowly gathered strength in numbers and power to wait for the time when their leader returns to deliver his promise of the relization of eternal freedom through chaos.
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