In the late 19th century many Victorian’s were experiencing a crisis of faith. Changing technology and scientific breakthroughs had many questioning the traditional explanations of humanities place in the cosmos. Some reacted by seeking answers in the occult— secret knowledge preserved in esoteric sources. In 1888 a group dedicated to exploring the occult known as the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn was founded in London. This group not only created a rigorous curriculum of occult study, they also developed a unique system of practical magic based on Jewish Kabbalah, ancient Egyptian rituals, and the writings of an ancient mage called Hermes Trismegistus. But, when a shocking revelation was made about the groups founding documents, the Order quickly splintered into competing factions. Was the Victorian era’s most important magical society undone by fake history? Tune-in and find out how astral travel, magical tartans, and the wickedest man alive all play a role in the story.
