NightfalL
Charity Haunt Experience
2024 DATES
October 11,12,18,19,25,26 - 6:30 pm-9:30 pm
October 31st HALLOWEEN! - 6 pm-10 pm
dates and times are subject to change.
READ ALL INFORMATION BELOW BEFORE ATTENDING
Nightfall Orphanage is a neighborhood haunt for the local community that raises donations for community-based charities and is held at a private residence in a quiet area. All are welcome but please be respectful of the community and neighbors. Nightfall Orphanage may be too intense for some younger children (we recommend 10+, but have much younger kids love it). You know your child. Parental consideration is advised. Check the website again before attending as dates, times and information may change suddenly.
Parking Information and Warning
Nightfall Orphanage appears at a private residence in a residential neighborhood and is intended for the local community. All are welcome but please be respectful. The area surrounding Nightfall has many narrow residential streets. Many of these have posted no parking, or are for resident parking only. Several residents are elderly or may require medical care (including at Nightfall) and these streets must be kept clear for emergency vehicles and reasonable access. As such:
-
OBEY ALL parking and street signs.
-
DO NOT PARK in No Parking zones
-
DO NOT PARK in or in front of Resident Driveways (We can't believe this needs to be said)
-
Please try to park on LARGER MAIN STREETS, to help keep smaller residential streets clear.
-
If you drive a LARGE CAR OR TRUCK (e.g. F-150, Silverado, Large SUV, etc.) do not park on any of the narrow streets. Please park on one of the larger main streets such as Genesee and walk in. Maintain reasonable access at all times.
-
You will likely have to WALK A LITTLE WAY from where you park*. You will probably be eating too much candy anyway and could use a little extra exercise. At least I could.
-
Practice good community thinking and act as if this was your neighborhood and we will all have a good time.
We are working with towing companies that contract with the city and who will be on call and patrolling the area. Failure to abide by these rules, obey posted signs, block reasonable access to residential streets, or park in someone's driveway (yeah, some people did) will result in your vehicle being TOWED AT YOUR EXPENSE. In addition, if we find out this is occurring, we will have to shut down the event for the evening. PRACTICE GOOD COMMUNITY THINKING AND ACT AS IF THIS IS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
It is unfortunate that we even have to put all this into practice; 99% of our guests have been awesome, thoughtful, and practiced common sense & and community awareness. This is for the 1% that actually believe parking in someone's driveway or blocking an entire street by parking your car in the middle of it is acceptable behavior.
*If you are with someone with limited mobility, or have a large donation package, you may drop them off at the top of the driveway and bring them to the entrance or request help to do so. (see Guest Information below)
Guest Information
-
There are no tickets or reservations. The line may close early some nights when we reach capacity. Admission is free, please give generously to our charities.
-
Nightfall is held at a private residence. There are no public restrooms. Go before you go.
-
Unfortunately, as it is a home haunt at a private residence built in 1926, there is no wheelchair access throughout the event. You may leave a wheelchair at the entrance, but all guests must be able to traverse uneven ground, go up and down steps, and be comfortable in tight spaces.
-
We accept non-perishable food donations for West Seattle Food Bank and monetary donations for Washington's National Park Fund. 100% of Donations go directly to our charities on-site.
-
Treat Nightfall staff and other guests with respect and obey instructions at all times.
-
Respect the neighborhood and community. Be quiet and curious when walking to or from the event, especially later in the evening.
-
We ask all guests to be up-to-date on Covid vaccines and please do not attend if you have Covid or flu-like symptoms. This is for the safety of both our guests and the operators of Nightfall.
-
All guests and staff have the right to feel safe and welcomed. Hate, intolerance, rowdy or threatening/violent behavior will not be tolerated.
-
All are welcome who would be welcoming to others.
LOCATION
4544 51st Place Southwest
Seattle WA, 98116
Halloween starts in the neighborhood. At its heart, it is a community event. Nightfall is dedicated to aiding and promoting local and state charities that support the community and environment.
Admission is Free
Please give
generously to
our charities
Washington's National Park Fund is the official philanthropic partner of Mount Rainier, North Cascades, and Olympic National Parks. WNPF annually funds 30-40 priority projects including research, maintenance, stewardship and opportunities for people from all backgrounds to experience, learn to care for and protect park resources. Find out more @ wnpf.org
Guest can donate to WNPF via QR codes displayed at Nightfall Orphanage, or in cash at the WNPF table by the entrance.
There are more than 10,000 families in West Seattle alone that live below the poverty level, and West Seattle Food Bank is committed to providing food security and community connections to neighbors in need.
Nightfall has raised over one ton of food since it began. Barrels will be stationed at the entrance to collect non-perishable food items. For a complete list of acceptable items please visit https://westseattlefoodbank.org/donate-food/
All are welcome who would welcome others.
Trailers & Media
Gallery
History & Rumor
Fredrick Nightfall
Born the only child of poor Norwegian immigrants Bjorn and Torill Kvelden, (Anglicized as “Nightfall”) Fredrick was unlikely to ever join the small class of rich elite industrialists that powered the growth of the nation. But when an uncanny series of accidents laid waste to several of the competitors best ships, Nightfall was able to step in with his small shipping company and fill the void. Soon he had put his competition out of business and was well on his way to becoming one of the largest shippers in the country. His children, Aldus Emmet and Rose Elise, would found Nightfall Orphanage.
Nightfall Shipping Empire
Despite being known as an odd man who dabbled in the occult (as did many industrialists of the era) Fredrick was able to secure the hand of Margaret Holmes of Virginia, whose dowry helped exponentially expand the Nightfall Empire. It was an open secret in social circles that Margaret was unhappy in her marriage and suffered from severe melancholia. However, she still did her duty and gave birth to Fredrick's heirs, fraternal twins Aldus Emmet and Rose Elise Nightfall. With his company continuing to dominate the industry and with the subsequent birth of his children, Fredrick Nightfall had risen out of the poverty of his birth, and claimed a success so unnatural that rumors circulated that it had come by way of some dark supernatural pact.
Nightfall Shipyards
As the Nightfall Shipping Empire grew exponentially so to did its control over harbors, ports and some would say the seas themselves. Recovered work orders and ledgers show that most if not all of the Nightfall ships were built only at night, and logs from dock workers describe seeing a green glow beneath the harbor waters from time to time.
Competitors vessels were often lost at sea with all hands, while Nightfall ships made safe port even in rough seas and terrible storms. Some sailors that did survive, reported their ships were attacked by some manner of creature and pulled down into the depths.
Accidents seemed common when others tried to sail along Nightfall Shipping routes and those that did often found trouble hiring crew, as it was said that Nightfall had struck a bargain with some devil beneath the waves. That it was due to some ritual performed in the secret society The Order of the Eastern Sky, of which Fredrick Nightfall was rumored to belong. Experts in Nightfall and Eastern Sky history believe that if some ritual pact existed, it was likely with Daga'thule -- The Deep One, The Drowned King -- a Drid archfiend who is the Custodian of the Watchtower of Despair.
One well-known story of that time was that of a new bride and her sailor husband. According to legend, they married on the same day he set out to sea with one of Nightfall Shipping's competing vessels. She promised to wear her wedding dress every day until he came back to her so that upon his return, they could resume their nuptial celebration as if he never left. Hygiene of the time being what it was, it probably didn't pan out as romantically as she hoped. Either way, her love was lost at sea and never returned. Melancholy, she roamed the docks day and night as if his ship would make port at any moment. Her sadness turned to anger, and she began to blame Nightfall for her tragedy. She was found sometime later in the harbor waters, having drowned herself, perhaps on purpose, perhaps in an effort to join her lost love.
The Secret Order of the Eastern Sky
Secret societies were a staple of industry magnates and men of wealth, and Fredrick Nightfall was no different. He was inducted into The Order of the Eastern Sky, a fraternal organization that focused on mysticism and the occult. It was here that he met his future partners Benedict Orr, Jurgen Gotten and Heinrich Hemmel.
The secrets of The Order of the Eastern Sky have been well kept, and only bits and pieces of information are available about their rituals, tomes, and influences. It is rumored that Fredrick Nightfall had achieved the highest rank in the organization; A 33rd degree Magus of the Amaranthine Nightwind. Together with his compatriots Orr, Gotten and Hemmel, he formed an elite cadre within the Order, made up of the most influential members, as well as those who possessed the strongest affinities for magicks and alchemy. They called this The Circle of Dusk. Among its many interests and focuses, the Dusk Circle (as it was also known) delved deeply into meanings, symbols, and rites laid forth in the Orders great tome: The Codex Malificarium.
"As above so Below!
As was done, now be Undone!
As was dead, be Alive Forevermore!"
"Let my Tongue be cut so that I may never speak
My Eyes be torn out so that I may never see
My Ears be cut off so that I may never here
My Hands be severed so that I may never write
My Feet be hobbled so that I may never run
Should I ever betray the Sacred Rites or Secret Rituals
Hail Bathuzel! The Old One! Threshold of the Eastern Sky!"
- Rumored to be parts of a rite of the Order of the Eastern Sky
Codex Malificarium
"A Crown of 3 stars shall I lay,
Before the Light is torn asunder
For Lo, I have seen the Night swallow day
And it is Dark and full of Wonder"
- From a torn page speculated to be the Codex Malificarium
What little has been revealed of the Eastern Sky's Great Tome, has been mostly in torn pages secreted out by an anonymous traitor, and from a badly burnt book found in the ruin of Nightfall Orphanage rumored to be the Codex Malificarium. The Book was discovered years later when the remains of the orphanage were cleared, and the lands surrounding it were renamed Widows Hill, after local legends of a ghostly bride haunting the cemetery and grounds.
Many believe the book was passed on from Fredrick to his children, who then, armed with the knowledge of the Circle of Dusk, unlocked more of its mysteries and power. If the book found in the ashes of the orphanage was truly the codex, then it is likely that many of the incantations, rituals, and summoning, were performed there.
Benedict Orr & Orr Mining Company
Benedict Orr was once a struggling farmer from a small town in Ohio. One night during a great and terrible storm, neighbors reported seeing Orr standing naked in his fields screaming at the sky as the rain poured down. The next morning, as most local farmers had their crops ruined by flood, Benedict Orr found rich copper veins on his land. From those initial mines, he expanded increased his operations across the landscape and expanded his mining operations to include other precious and industrial metals such as Gold, Silver, Iron, and Steel. Ever the narcissist, at each mining location he founded an Orr Town. For years, there were multiple Orr Towns dotting the globe.
Orr Farm
Even after his success Benedict Orr kept his family's farmlands. The lands and the farm itself were not without their own dark legacies. Tales of horrible deaths, brutal murders, and tales of affairs, jealousies, and revenge were as much a part of Orr Farm as the land on which it sat. At some point through the years, local vandals renamed the farm by adding a bloody "H" and "or" on the sign. From that point on it became known as "The HOrror Farm."
The Orr Farm and its lands had other importance as well. Though the legend says it was many years older, the first recorded instance of Mr. Black and his Black Carnival was one strange October on the Orr Farmlands.
Orr Town
At one time there were many Orr Towns, each with its own mining operation. The Orr Mining company was the main supplier of industrial metals to Gotten & Hemmel Metal Works. Though most of its locations have been renamed and lost to time (either on purpose or by accident) some are still known. One example is the town of Blood Falls, renamed so because the remaining copper deposits turn its signature waterfall a reddish color. Others are known too, most famous of course being the site of the Old #66 Mine.
Old #66 Mine
The first thing that was odd about #66 was that it didn't produce, yet had more miners than most other Orr Mines, who worked around the clock. Maps of the #66 mine showed that its many channels ran deep, strange for a mine to keep delving when it had never turned a profit.
Eventually, the mine collapsed trapping most of the miners below. It was one of the single greatest mining catastrophe in histories, and though aspects have been forgotten, changed or lost, the story in most its parts is widely known. The miners were never rescued, and those who believed their deaths were supernatural in origin, grabbed on to local folklore and legend that said the miners were still somehow alive, and that you could still sometimes here them tapping out messages, waiting for a rescue that will never come.
Among those who have studied the legends surrounding Orr Mining Company, it is believed that the collapse was done purposefully, the miners buried as a cover-up, a sacrifice, or both.
Urban legend hobbyists agree that something was happening in the old #66 mine, that they had found an ethereal gateway legend calls "The Maw" , mentioned in the Codex Malificarium. Others still think instead, or in addition, The Dusk Circle (by way of Orr Mining Co.) uncovered an important element, a device of some sort, integral to what they called "The Great Work."
Found Letter from Orr to Nightfall
(Reconstructed from the available sample)
Fredrick,
We have done it! 66 has proved its worth,
it is as we thought and we are ready to proceed with our next phase.
This must be the maw described in the Malificarium, it will be an important gateway in our future endeavors. It is, of course, currently dormant and will obviously take a great sacrifice to open and direct, but here I believe we can kill two birds with one stone. No one must know.
As our research showed, near the entrance to the maw we uncovered an intact and perfectly preserved Antikythera device. This will prove invaluable as its true purpose is so essential to the Great Work.
Once The Maw is opened and connected to your lands we can move the device through and into the Dusk Chamber. In the meantime, I am sending you my loyal man Jean-Marc Luc whom I think will prove useful to you as you prepare. He is an able man if not a wise man but seems to genuinely believe in our purpose. He is affable and hard working. I think you will find him a capable servant.
Soon all the pieces will be set, it is shame we will not see the fruition of our great work until after our earthly deaths, but I know that your children will be more than up to the task of building along the sacred
geometry we have established and completing this magnificent endeavor. What was dead will be alive forevermore and we shall be reborn without time to reap all we have sown. Hail Bathuzel, Threshold of...
(End of available text)
The Maw & Antikythera
Nomi Vasquez is a paranormal enthusiast and researcher who has become somewhat of a default expert on Nightfall and Radiant Lore. According to her research, when the Nightfall lands were turned over to the state, and became Widows Hill, crews found an underground passageway near the cemetery. The passage, overgrown and partially collapsed led to where a sink hole was found.
"We believe the sink hole is the site of the Dusk Chamber, a secret meeting place for the circle on Nightfall lands," Nomi says on her podcast. "So it makes sense that there was a secret passage to it. Whats strange is that headed the OTHER WAY, it dead ends. Not collapsed, not caved in. Just built that way where it suddenly stops."
She goes on to posit either by some paranormal anomaly or just imagined in their heads, the Circle of Dusk tried to connect the gateway they called The Maw, discovered in the depths of the Old #66 Mine, to the overgrown passageway on Nightfall land.
She writes on her blog; "If the collapse was on purpose, it might have been some kind of sacrifice they believed would allow them to control this gateway...The Maw...and somehow connect it near the Dusk Chamber on Nightfall property. The object they refer to as Antikythera, which is a Greek island, may be related to the device found there in 1901 and now bearing the same name. If it is or not, they clearly believed this object, device, or mechanism could do something like merge realities and/or manipulate space and time. There are several mentions of 'being reborn without time' in letters and papers, etc.
It is clear that this object was important to what the Circle kept calling their "Great Work," and that the buildings and structures on Nightfall land were placed very specifically in line with Eastern Sky's teachings on Sacred Geometry. This includes Nightfall Orphanage built by the Nightfall Twins Rose Elise and Emmet Nightfall after their father's death.
It seems pretty certain that the original Dusk circle knew they would not live to finish what they started and that it would be a generational project. Yet somehow, they expected to see it at the end. "
Rose Elise & Aldus Emmet Nightfall
Margaret Nightfall's chronic melancholia got worse, and she was given to mad ravings about creatures roaming the Nightfall Manor, and that her own children were somehow “Unnatural.” She soon moved to her own wing of the manor and would not see her husband or her children. In high society circles, the gossip was that she had finally gone mad, plagued as she always was from Melancholia.
After the birth of his children, opinions of Fredrick changed dramatically. Where once people talked about his odd ways and rumors of his unnatural interests, he was then regarded as a devoted father who could always be seen with his children, as if the three of them shared a "special" connection. As Margaret retreated from the world, Fredrick and the twins had only each other. But the years took their toll on Fredrick as well, and his increasingly frail state confined him to a wheelchair. Yet where most people, rich or poor, meet old age and the coming of death with fear and denial, it was said that Fredrick and his children displayed anticipation bordering on excitement. Fredrick seemed, to some accounts, to be preparing to meet death as an old friend.
After Fredrick's death many rumors circulated concerning the twin Nightfall heirs; stories of odd gatherings at the manor, mysterious deaths of servants, and their naturally odd manner. But the Twins were well known for their generosity in matters of philanthropy and charity, and most of these rumors were dismissed along with those that spread them. At least for a time.
Nightfall Manor & Nightfall Asylum
Rose and Aldus Nightfall became as well known for their generosity and charity work as they did for their odd ways and strange behavior. They moved back into their childhood home Nightfall Manor, having inherited it and the lands it stood on after their father's death. Servants came and went, many claiming that the manor itself was cursed, which did not help ongoing rumors about the Nightfall family. But Rose and Aldus Nightfall continued to serve the community even as it whispered more and more behind their backs, and opened The Nightfall Asylum for the Insane and Melancholy. They based the architecture of the asylum on their father's design and laid the foundation in a location said to be predetermined by their father and the perhaps the Dusk Circle itself. It's first patient was their mother, Margaret and the twins hoped she could get the treatment she needed. Unfortunately, even with access to new and experimental procedures, Margaret Nightfall succumbed to her illnesses and passed away. There was no funeral, as she had long ago lost touch with any friends or family, and she was placed in the Nightfall Mausoleum in the Cemetery. Though it had an ever-increasing number of patients and boasted the newest and best practices, Nomi Vasquez notes that according to records no patient was ever cured. Indeed, in its history, not one patient was ever discharged from Nightfall Asylum. On her blog, she says that it is possible the Asylums placement and design had something to do with "The Great Work" and the Dusk Circle's Antikythera Device.
Years later, the Nightfall lands would be taken over, and the name of the area changed to Widows Hill after the local legend of an angry bride wandering the Cemetery.
Nightfall Cemetery & The Widowed Bride
Nightfall Cemetery was not just a family plot, but larger grounds on Nightfall Property that served as the final resting place for many people from the surrounding areas. Fredrick Nightfall had opened it to the public so that people rich and poor alike could be buried in the once garden-like acreage. Whether it was out of charity or for some other darker purpose, his reasoning was never known.
Not all buried there were local, as Fredrick invited friends, members of the order, and others to make Nightfall Cemetery their place of internment. It was Fredrick, who suggested the young widowed bride, who had drowned herself by the shipyard, be buried at Nightfall.
Local legend has it that she still rises from her grave, walking the grounds, still searching for her husband. Her anger and longing so great, that she pulls the dead from their graves searching for her lost love. She continues her futile walk on dark nights, and the dead she pulls from the ground walk with her.
This legend, and accounts of those who had seen her, is why the area was nick-named Widows Hill. Years later, the entire area would take that moniker officially. Nightfall Cemetery became Windows Hill Cemetery and Recreation Park. Nightfall Asylum for the Insane and Melancholy was renovated and renamed Widows Hill Institute of Mental Health.
Nightfall Orphanage
Continuing with their charity work, Aldus and Rose Nightfall opened the Nightfall Orphanage, which they would run themselves, and promised love and care to those children who had none. Initially, their continued generosity was celebrated, but soon people began to question the goings on at the Orphanage. The children, some would say, were as peculiar as the Nightfalls themselves and seemed to just appear over night. The rumors about the Nightfalls persisted, and met with new whispers of everything from child abuse, to dark rituals, to the orphans being supernatural themselves. Old Legends mixed with current rumor, and many people believed it had to do with old Saxon superstitions about changeling children.
According to Vasquez's paranormal blog, the changeling was a superstition in European and Saxon folklore in which fairies, elves or evil forces abducted young human children and replaced them with a deformed or malicious doppelganger. This was often used to explain changes in behavior in children, as well as other events easily debunked in our time. It was commonly thought that you could have your child returned by torturing the changeling and then leaving it in the hallow of a tree or under a specific boulder. This obviously led to numerous cases of actual abuse. However, given descriptions of the children by those that lived near by, Vasquez feels there might be something to it. OR at least, she can see why the connection.
Spats of disappearances in the area after the Orphanage was built did nothing to help its reputation. People reported seeing a kid, sometimes two, in bowler hats before the disappearances, and it became a rumor that the Bowler Hat child was a harbinger of some dark fate. There was growing concern about the orphanages' “Bad Place." Anger and fear in the community eventually boiled over, and one night a mob arrived with torches, and set fire to the Nightfall Orphanage. The home burned to the ground, presumably with all its inhabitants still inside, however no bodies were ever found. As the Orphanage burned into the night, many reported hearing not screams or cries for help, but the sounds of children laughing. Several people claimed that entwined with the roaring sounds of fire, “as if on the wind,” they heard children playing Ring Around the Rosy and singing "Ashes, ashes" as Nightfall Orphanage burned down.
Bowler Hat Kid
Hickory trickery, Mice and Bats
Sores and boils, alley rats
Father and mother put out the cat
and run from a kid with a bowler hat
Double Trouble, toil and shrew
make you do housework, make you eat stew
Mother and Father and bubbling brew
the bowler hat kid is coming for you
Bell Book and candle, beetle and bark
toad in a pond and song of a lark
say it three times and then it will start
the kid with the bowler hat waits in the dark
- Old Children's Rhyme
Among those who research Nightfall legend such as Nomi Vasquez, it is commonly accepted that the Bowler Hat child, or Bowler Hat Twins, were at least considered to be manifestations of the twin Drid Archfiends Vazinath, Herald of the Dusk, and Xothtamal, Bane of the Dawn. But who really knows?
The Bad Place
“Bad children go to that bad place” was a warning that parents still gave to their misbehaving children years after the Nightfall Orphanage was burned to the ground. When word of its existence had first reached people's ears, most thought it just a disciplinary implement for unruly children, if perhaps a little overbearing. But as time went on, and whispered warnings in the day turned to distant screams in the night, people began believing that The Bad Place was something different altogether. It became clear that all the children of the orphanage were bad, some people would even say evil. Bad children going to the bad place, was not perhaps so much a disciplinary action, as it was an invitation for the changeling children of the Orphanage. In the days leading to the fire, townspeople openly talked about dark rituals made, and dark beings being called. The most pervasive of these rumors was about someone or something the children reverently called “Mr. Giggles.”
Mr. Giggles
Although the mystery of who or what Mr. Giggles actually had never been discovered, it was commonly said that he was some sort of demonic benefactor to the children of the Orphanage. Many believed that sightings of the so-called "Bowler Hat Kid" were related somehow, or that people who went missing during these sightings, were used in rituals to summon Mr. Giggles or taken to the "Bad Place."
On Vasquez's blog, she says writing and illustrative fragments from the ruins of Nightfall Orphanage point to some kind of creature, that could assume multiple shapes to please the children. One at least seems to be the form of a giant clown.
Cross-referenced with what can be gleaned from the ruined copy of the Codex Malificarium, she thinks that his being was from the Drid pantheon commonly worshiped by The Order of The Eastern Sky and especially by the Circle of Dusk.
"Specifically," She said on a Paranormal Podcast concerning her research, "I think Mr. Giggles is likely Ethroot, The Infestor, Baron of Flies and custodian of the Watch Tower of Disgrace. Which would probably mean the "Bad Place" is a reference to the Dark Reach, which is his domain."
The Dark Reach
The Dark Reach (aka just 'The Reach') is the domain of the Drid Ethroot. The Dark Reach exists as a construct, usually manifested as a hallway with many doors. The Codex Malificarium and the Order of the Eastern Sky make reference to it many times and are meant to make use of it as a multi-destination gateway. It is more than that, however, and it is not known what is truly behind the Red Doors in the Dark Reach. Do they lead out? Or is something trying to get in?
The Red Doors are not limited to just Dark Reach lore and appear in other legends and other sources, as well as other places. There is some evidence that Red Doors were thought to exist in certain places in the Radiant Twilight. While they all seem to share a common purpose, what that is, despite the additional sources, remains a mystery.
The Dark Reach is often confused with The Radiant Twilight, but the two are quite different.
The Drid Pantheon
What remains of the Codex Malificarium found in the ashes of Nightfall Orphanage, speaks often of The Radiant Twilight. It is a place, it proclaims, between worlds, alternately describing it as the hallway between rooms, the space between the walls, the room behind the door, and the moment just after Dusk and just before the Dawn. It is a place behind the veil, where echoes of what has been, and nightmares that should never be take shape. Memories appear whole, places once visited return. In certain times of the year, such as October, the veil between this world and the Radiant Twilight grows thin and some things cross over.
According to the Codex, There are nine watchtowers in The Radiant Twilight, each with a custodian. It does not go into detail but these watch towers seem to be part of on going balance between opposing ideals and opposing forces, yet they are as much a part of the Radiant Twilight as anything else within it. Because of the states the purported Codex was found much of the information is missing. But it is known that The Custodians of the Watchtowers were from the Drid Pantheon worshiped and revered by the Eastern Sky and the Circle of Dusk. Only some of the watchtowers and their Drid custodians are legible. They are;
The Watchtower of Despair, whose custodian is Daga'Thule, The Deep One and The Drowned King.
The Watchtower of Regret, whose custodian is Belial, The Malignant, Teeth of the Wind
The Watchtower of Disgrace, whose custodian is Ethroot, The Infester, Baron of Flies
The Watchtower of Ridicule, whose custodian is Vazinath, Herald of the Dusk
The Watchtower of Vengeance, whose custodian is Xothtamal, Bane of the Dawn
The Watchtower of Deceit, whose custodian is Tothmaru, The Night Mother, Regent of the Somber Day. In the codex she appears as a powerful figure who holds sway over the Drid and the nine Watchtowers.
But all the Drid are ruled over by the Elder God Bathuzel, King of Shadows, Threshold of the Eastern Sky
- Special thanks to Nomi Vasquez for sharing her information on this.
The Radiant Twilight
The Codex Malificarium refers to the Radiant Twilight in fairly dark terms; Nightmares, Regrets, unfulfilled desires, haunting, and so on.
"But this is not the whole picture," says acquitted surrealist anthropologist Dr. Beth Gilmore in her book The Secrets of the Eastern Sky, "There are other sources, having nothing to do with Eastern Sky, that speak of it as a place of manifest dreams, of fond memories...it is more a place of balance, like the mortar between the bricks - a place between the walls and between worlds...It would be inaccurate to say that the Radiant Twilight is neither good nor evil, but rather that it is BOTH good and evil, co-existing at the same time -- like two quantum Ron Silvers*"
Gilmore notes that some of the material explains that for all the Watchtowers there are opposing Lighthouses, both of which have some import in keeping an uneasy but necessary balance. "The Codex only gives one mention, but other sources talk about a place usually referred to (depending on the translation) as The Bastion, which clearly relates to these Lighthouses in opposition to the Watchtowers. As if there are two sides of a balanced whole."
"Imagine the foundation, the structures between the walls of a house, or its foundation. If the balance isn't maintained the foundation wavers and the house collapses," Reads Gilmore's chapter on the Radiant Twilight, "The Radiant Twilight exists in someway as that foundation between reality and dreams, between the real and the imagined, between nightmares and waking." She concludes towards the end of the book that the collapse of that balance, a breaking of the walls separating the Radiant Twilight from other realities, may have been what The Dusk Circle was after all along," Dr. Gilmore concludes.
Nomi Vazquez further illuminates;
"It's not just these things, these echos appearing...there is...an energy it seems, almost like it's a living thing. And according to the Eastern Sky, that energy can be used for different purposes."
Vasquez writes on her blog, "Psychics and demonologists, such as Ed and Lorraine Warren, have documented how demons use fear to feed themselves, grow stronger and take possession of hosts, or of their souls. As far as the Drid are concerned, this kind of fear or despair is a savory meal to them. There are plenty of legends and folklore from all over the world that focus on the power of fear...some say a scream...like a good, solid truly terrified scream...is part of the soul leaving the body, presumably to be captured...or I guess eaten by...some demonic entity depending on the region of the tale. Likewise, there are plenty of stories and legends about the Radiant Twilight by other names such as the Spirit World, Goloka (Not the one who thought the Yulu's were too ugly to save**), The Astral Plane, The Veil...though it's quite different in its presentation I wouldn't be surprised if 'The Upside-down' from 'Stranger Things isn't at least loosely based on some legend of the Radiant Twilight. Likewise, the world is full of tales of spirits, ghosts, and demons who can inhabit both worlds or places where these worlds intermingle; Forbidden forests, haunted houses, spiritual vortexes."
In another post she connects these concepts to The Black Carnival:
"There are plenty of legends about these carnivals or circuses appearing, especially in the autumn. But none as pervasive as Mr. Blacks. When we think of the Black Carnival in the context of The Radiant Twilight, The Drid, and so on, it becomes quite compelling...almost Meta in a way. Sources point to a 'Debt long owed,' by Mr. Black, 'which must be paid in screams.' So here is this carnival of his, The Black Carnival, whose sole purpose it seems is to feed the Drid with the screams of unsuspecting guests. But where it gets kinda mind-blowing is that in today's terms at least, it's basically a haunted attraction...like for Halloween. If it's real it's really clever. Disguise what you are doing with the thin you are doing. Lie by showing the truth. If legends are real, then the black tents of Mr. Blacks' carnival are all gateways of some sort, connecting Radiant objects to those in our world. All the Nightfall echos, like the Orphanage, come out of this. Is it just a haunted attraction, or is it all a construct to steal a part of you through your screams? It's f--cking fascinating."
During October, the veil grows thin enough that the memories and echos of Nightfall Orphanage re-emerge on our mortal plane in a sort of half-reality.
*No one is going to get that reference.
**Probably not that one either
The Black Carnival
Per Nomi Vasquez Paranormal Blog:
Stories of the Black Carnival go back ages, and in different forms, usually passed down by word of mouth or oral tradition folklore. But some of the evidence of its actual existence comes from the paperwork of Benedict Orr. The Black Carnival definitely was erected throughout several Octobers on his farmland. There is even an old artist rendering of it from a local paper that depicted a sea of Black Tents against other normal carnival implements such as Rides and games...a sideshow of some type sponsored by Dr. Marvel & his Miracle Tonic and so on. It was there.
Whether there are gateways into and out of the Radiant Twilight, or they are just themed attractions based on the lore..maybe both... it's clear the main attraction was the stories or events that took place in those black tents. In legend at least, it seems The Black Carnival is or was a place that was half-in and half-out of this world and the next. Its purpose is to capture part of people's being, or their soul or whatever, by filling them with fear...by stealing their screams.
Mr. Black himself seems to be a migrating spirit, or like an avatar, who inhabits a person in that time in order to gain access to the mortal plane and rebuild his Carnival in an effort to repay that "Debt long owed."
The Bastion
"If The Black Carnival is a place of Nightmares and Fear, the Bastion is a place of dreams and Imagination. They are perfect examples of the legends surrounding the Radiant Twilight and the balance kept through the conflict of these opposing paradigms." Writes Dr. Beth Gilmore in her forthcoming book, published by Hammer & Lowe, "The Darkness of the Light in the Darkness of the Shadow in the Twilight Between the Light and the Darkness that make the Shadows and Thus by the Places they are Absent Reveal the Light in those places without Darkness" (Working Title).
Nomi Vasquez is particularly interested in stories of The Bastion, though she admits not much on the subject has been found beyond fragments;
"I am really fascinated not only by The Bastion but by stories of The Wardens, this kind of ranger or warrior that patrol the Radiant Twilight and protect the Bastion. It just sounds cool...But I mean just imagine this place where dreams and ideas can actually take shape. In the same way, The Black Carnival can take you on these journeys into horror and darkness, it seems like the Bastion can take you to fantastic adventures and other worlds. It's almost like these things are some kind of imaginative Theme Park concept.
But I also just like this idea, that somewhere out there there are these people, these Wardens in other realms, protecting the dreamers, the thinkers, the hopeful. Doing battle with Nightmarish forces. It's cool. I just feel an affinity there, especially around the legend of The Bright Warden. Sometimes when I find some new piece of information, or someone emails me some newly found text...I feel like I already know the story like I am remembering it instead of hearing it for the first time. It just sounds familiar to me. I want it to be real haha!"
"But this is also part of what makes Mr. Black so interesting. Even though he is The Proprietor of the carnival, he doesn't necessarily seem to be evil or have any real allegiance to either side."
Mr. Black
Stories of Mr. Black go back ages, though sometimes he is referred to by different names. The tales themselves are as variant in tone as they are in the mythos. From one paranormal website or mythology blog to the next, and ancient tales from several cultures, Mr. Black has been painted as everything from a harbinger of darkness to a playful trickster spirit. But as divergent as his legends and purposes are, several elements remain constant;
Mr. Black is an avatar, or migrating spirit, who takes up residence in a host's body. He usually looks for artists or craftsmen, those with talents he can use to achieve his aims. He seeks out those who have been weakened or ill, and offers them a bargain in return for using them as a vessel. He uses the symbiosis between their talents and his magic to try to rebuild his Black Carnival; a dark festival of fear and Nightmares, where countless nightmares come to life. The carnival will pay his debt long owed in screams.
"Mr. Black is a much more complex legend than it seems on the surface. I mean there are versions of stories where he helps the wardens, or where he uses The Carnival to both pay his debt and help people in need. Even the host he makes a bargain with is much more of a symbiotic relationship; each gets something in return. He's back and forth. He's a trickster. He's like a dark Willy Wonka," Vasquez said on a recent Podcast.
"I mean look at Nightfall Orphanage. Is it a haunt just based on the Nightfall stories or is it actually part of the story? Is it just a haunt or is it partially a construct in Mr. Blacks' endeavor to pay his debt? Is it both? Is it a charity to help attract people to come and steal a piece of their soul, or is it just to help people? Again, is it both? And Aleister Black, that wasn't the name he was born with...but in the legends, all the hosts take the name...so is he just taking the name after the legends of Mr. Black, or is he actually f#$%ing Mr.Black? I mean he fits with the legend; He was an artist type, he did get sick, he even died for a few minutes and came back saying he was Mr. Black. So what is the truth?
I mean we can guess because we live in this reality, but even that is just perception and there are things out there, things I have seen, that are not easily explained. There is strange S#%t afoot at the Circle K.
Either way one thing is clear...this is just some small part of some larger design."
"In fields down low
or high on a hill
the carnival comes
and goes at will
A spider whispers
inside your ear
that Mr. Black
knows what you fear
Where shadows walk
and change their shape
you'll soon find out
there's no escape
For when you scream
he takes you back
then you belong
to Mr. Black"
-Old Children's Sing-Song
A shout-out and special thanks to Nomi Vasquez, whose knowledge, passion, and research into Nightfall lore made this page possible. She is a brilliant young woman with a bright future. Thank You!
The Greenhouse of Clockwork
Nightmakers
The echoes of Nightfall Orphanage do not appear in the Dark Reach with a simple wave of the hand or simple, second-rate magic. It takes the hard work of the talented and creative people at The Greenhouse of Clockwork. We call them Nightmakers.
Aleister Emmet Black
The Proprietor - Purveyor of Nightmares and Dreams
Aleister Emmet Black is the man behind the dark curtain. He is the vicious cocktail of imagination, magic, and alchemy that grinds the ghoulish gears of The Radiant Twilight. But it is only working in synergy with a talented and dedicated team that the nightmarish echoes of The Radiant Twilight can truly be brought to life. Aleister believes that the strength or weakness of any worth while endeavor rests in the people that stand beside you.
In 2015 Aleister was prescribed the antibiotic Levaquin which damaged his mitochondria and neuromuscular system. Prior to his illness Aleister was very active; He practiced Martial Arts, enjoyed world travel (including in North Korea), and had worked in the Halloween Industry for 20 years.
Now he has accepted Mr. Blacks bargain and together, they have begun to build a new, better life out of the Twilight.
The Magic is in the details.
"Seek your nature not in darkness, nor in light, but in that perfect twilight of the soul to which we should be bound"
- A.E. Black
"Chainsaw" Gilmore
Cruise Director
“Chainsaw” is a senior product manager at Amazon, but that doesn't mean she isn't a good person or believes in subjugation and oppression. Also known as “Cruise Director,” she makes sure Aleister and the rest of the team don’t blow up the world or destroy the local economy. She got her masters in Primatology at Oxford, wrote a dissertation on Orangutan communication, and worked with them in the wilds of Sumatra.
Atticus Black
Hellspawn
Atticus is the prodigal Hellspawn of Aleister Black. He grew up around Special Effects Make-up and Halloween as a necessity but was always allowed to decide on his own when he was ready to watch scarier movies, use special effects make-up, and claim his Halloween birthright. He is a martial artist, an avid gamer, a musician, and someone who does not believe in cleaning his @$%#! room.
Shawn of the Dead
Nightmaker
Shawn knows how things work. Trapped in the 8th dimension for over a decade, Shawn was able to distill the ancient Sumerian texts of universal working, which allows him to design and build some really cool stuff that makes crap work. You probably won't ever see the stuff he has designed, because that's the point, but it's there in the Dark Reach…stalking you. He enjoys combat glowstick juggling, sand swimming, breeding face-huggers, and lending money to wayward fishmongers living in landlocked states.
"Dandelion" David
Nightmaker
Dandelion graduated with a degree in Unified Field Physical Engineering where he received an award for chemically reshaping the cosmos to match his wallpaper. He is an avid collector of left socks and believes furniture makes people soft. He lives a spartan existence in a world called Thume, which apparently has a magical entry portal in his mother's basement. He enjoys the occasional joke and had fun once. He didn't like it.
Crazy Halloween Lady
Nightmaker
Crazy Halloween Lady can basically redo your kitchen & bathroom using only what you find at a 99 cent store. She can also sew like the wind just like the old woman in “Three Amigos.” If it's in the Reach and it has a stitch she probably had her hands on it. She also makes sure none of us lose a finger when none of us know what the @%$#& we are doing.
Tony "Satony" Loverti
Brigadier Nightmaker General
The constructs and artifacts of The Radiant Twilight take dedication and skill. Much of the architecture that diligently retains the echos of Nightfall Orphanage was built and erected by Tony. He is the carpenter, tradesman, and Home Depot sage.
Ian Davis
Nightmaker
Ian is the right man to have around when you are in a bind. Like when you have had too much cheese, he is the existential prune juice that keeps you moving along. He is a wanderer, but he is not lost.
The denizens and spirits of the Radiant Twilight are often the work of talented outside artists, whose skill and knowledge are only overshadowed by their passion. As we grow we are always looking for thrilling new frights and phantasms from creators who dwell in the realms of night.
Special Thanks
FAQ
Do You Need Reservations?
No, you don't need a reservation at this time. However, we are a small neighborhood haunt that supports local and community charities. As such, we have a far lower capacity than larger, commercial haunts. Depending on the night, there may be a wait, but so far this has never been more than around 30 minutes. Depending on attendance though, the line may be shut down early (around 9;45), so that we close one time.
Is there parking?
There is no parking on the upper part of 51st in front of Nightfall Orphanage, and at that time of night most residents have taken up the street on the lower half. However, all other streets have parking, and Nightfall is just a short walk from either cross street.
Do you have a bathroom?
There is no bathroom available for public use. We are a high-end neighborhood haunt at a private residence. We also do not have a gift shop.
Is there wheelchair access?
Unfortunately, no because we are a neighborhood haunt at a private residence built in 1926. Due to the multi-level and limited footprint, there was no way to create accessibility at this time. However, when we move to our commercial spaces we will be, and Mr. Black has fearful designs specifically for those who are differently abled.
Is there a dress code?
Um...no. Dress up, wear costumes, be yourself. I mean, probably no banana hammocks.
Are Masks required?
Guests are encouraged to wear masks at all times, however, they are only mandatory inside the event itself.
How long does it take to go through?
This can vary from person to person and group to group. Obviously, there are many factors, and there is lots of cool stuff to look at. At a steady walk-through, roughly 7 minutes.
Are Monsters/Creatures/Characters allowed to touch you?
Do not touch anything in the Radiant Twilight and it won't touch you. The phantasmagoric energies that bind the Radiant Twilight together are such that there is an inherent danger in making contact with them; If you touch anything in the Twilight, you may become a permanent resident.
Is there an age restriction?
Not officially, but we usually say 10 and up. It depends on the child though. We have had 6-year-olds that want to go again and again, and 30-year-olds who won't go in at all. However, if you try to drag a screaming, obviously terrified child into the haunt, we will not let you go in.
Is there are a lot of smoke?
We do use smoke, haze, and scent machines throughout the haunt and outside. It is all water based, safe and non-toxic.
Are you open if it rains?
Normall, yes unless it is a full-fledged storm and wind, rain or other elements become a safety concern. However, if it is raining, you will likely get a little wet.
Can we take flash photos or videos?
No. You are welcome to take as many photos or videos as you like, just not with flash.
What is the difference between The Radiant Twilight and The Dark Reach?
What a good question, someone has been paying attention.
Values
It is the moral imperative of all those who can do good, to do good
Keep Watch over those in your care
Protect those that cannot protect themselves
Leave no one behind
Do what is right, over what is easy
Speak the truth
Learn all you can, Teach all you know
Above all Else:
Loyalty
Integrity
Honor