The Sanctum of Insanity

“Dip into the waters of insanity. Only then may you see the world as it truly is.”
~Neo Deus

Discovery

In the year 1875, the journal of Professor Quentin Weskers was found in a heap of animal bones in the deserts of northern Africa. Inside were several photographs and these writings:

"Our trip took a most unexpected detour while we were traversing the Kufra Basin. The winds began to move in the most erratic ways. First north, then south, all within the matter of a minute. I had never seen anything so drastic. As the winds continued for some time, my compatriots and I had to seek what little shelter we could. Using our canvas, we were able to construct a makeshift hide to protect us from the stinging winds.

“When the winds stopped, we finally went back to our exploration, but something was not right. Using a pair of binoculars, I saw, not too far away from us, a most queer formation of stones. They were arranged in a circular pattern, as my photograph shows:

“At first, we had no idea what could have caused such a phenomenon. It was too perfect to be natural, and yet there wasn’t a village for at least 100 kilometers. And what purpose could such a thing serve? The only thing I could fathom was that it was like the Celtic burial mounds of Scotland. But that only brought up more questions. Who would be buried out here, in the middle of nowhere, and why?

“The caravan moved over to the mound to examine it as best we could. It was one of the youngest members of my entourage who made the key finding: upon each of the stones there were engravings. In fact, it was the same engraving on each; this engraving, here:

“We remove one stone, then another, then another. Each and every one had the same engraving. It was uncanny. We decided that this was no burial mound. I instructed some of our hired hands to dig up the mound. I was fascinated to find what dwelt beneath. With pickaxe and shovel, they discarded the stones to the side.

“However, we were unprepared for what would happen. When they had gone about 3 feet into the mound, there was a great tremor. The ground beneath the stones cracked open like a giant egg, and we all fell deep into the earth. Down, down we went. How far, I will never know.

“When we finally reached the bottom, we saw a sight which filled us at once with horror and fascination:

“It was a temple, a temple the likes of which I had never seen before. The architecture seemed to be from eons past. And the moaning. Dear God, the moaning. It did not seem to come from within the temple. Nay, it was emanating from the temple itself. It seemed to be calling to us, beckoning us inside. And we, being the weak minds we were, followed.

“Walking through the entrance, we came about a single room. No other doors or windows. No way to continue that we could see. The same pattern of eyes lined the walls and the altar which stood silently in the center of the room:

“The altar was stained with blood. Whether it was animal or human, we could not tell. We were lost. We searched the walls, hoping to find a switch that would open some unseen passageway, but to no avail. We were in despair when our youngest member, the one who found the engravings on the stones, jumped playfully upon the altar.

“It was then that we felt the power. Like the shock of an electric force, it swept through us. We felt We knew that something was amiss. We screamed at the boy to come off the altar, but he was frozen in what appeared to be fear. The boy’s father rushed to grab him, but it was too late. An enormous light shot up from the altar, consuming the boy, enveloping him. And his scream. He screamed like a banshee. I don’t know what he said. He either screamed ‘Pi,’ like the Greek letter, or ‘Pie,’ like the pastry. I do not know which would make more sense.

“When the din ceased, we were placed back into darkness. The hired hands worked feverishly to relight their torches, and when they did, we were shocked. Upon the altar were the boy’s white bones, piled together. We could not believe our eyes.

“It was then that the door opened. The far wall lifted, and we were presented with a great hallway:

“We continued down, feeling the whole time as though we were being watched. We went further and further until we reached the end. There was an opening at the end, but we could not see into it. All we could see was a pitch-like darkness. One of the hired hands mentioned writing above the doorway. I looked at it. Sancire Vesania. Latin. ‘The Sanctum of Insanity.’

“Not wanting to wait any longer, we entered. It was unlike anything other than we had ever experienced. We were not entering into another room. We were entering into another world, one separate from the mortal laws of our own. It was incredible, beyond any and all belief. Many of my entourage, especially those with the weakest minds, were literally ripped apart by the mere absurdity of this plane.

“I saw a figure in the distance. A silhouette, it seemed to be. A shadow. But it grew. And grew. I tried screaming at it, but my words came out backwards and upside down. The shadow consumed the shred of my fallen compatriots, and opened its great eye in my direction. I knew I could not stay long in this place. I swam through the air to find the doorway. But not before the shadow touched me.

“When I finally reached our world again, I tried to inform everybody of my discovery. But none listened. None could understand. My words were jumbled, confused. They all called me ‘madman.’ I tried writing them down, but people couldn’t read. All they saw were scribbles. I am alone in my struggles. I opened the passageway to the Sanctum, and soon, those inside will come to our world. They will make all the world mad, just as I am. I know not what ill become of us.”

(Pages were ripped out here.)

“My strength wanes. I have one hope. I will sacrifice creatures, spill the blood, so that one day, my words may be read by mortal eyes. I must go. I can hear them now. Laughing. Laughing psychotically. They will come. The insanity shall spread. I cannot stop them. All I can hope is to slow them down.

Pie,
Quentin”

Modern Days

Once the seal upon the Sanctum of Insanity was broken, it, indeed, became melded with the human universe. It threatened to consume the world without prejudice or even reason. People the world over began to fear the impending doom. It was not until Neo Deus (The Man) entered into the Sanctum in 1902 that the frequent tremors in the area ceased. When the man came back from the world, he claimed to have slain the shadow within. The people rejoiced, but stopped when Neo Deus said that he had taken over the Sanctum, becoming its new lord and master.

The people were confused and afraid. Some asked Neo Deus what he meant. Would this really end the meld between the two worlds? Thus came Neo Deus’ famous reply: “It has only begun.” With that, the temple which housed the gateway was destroyed. Not only was the gate opened, it was decimated.

The Sanctum now has permanently fused with our world. It is possible to transport from one to the other with a thought (a well-concentrated thought, to be more precise). Beings from both sides transport on a daily basis. The longer one spends in the Sanctum, the less coherent they become in this world, and vice versa. The leaders of the nations within the Sanctum have perfected the ability to be perfectly coherent in both worlds.

Within the Sanctum, there is a strange fixation with pie (the pastry, not pi the Greek letter). None outside the Sanctum know exactly why. Whether this “Pie” is some sort of ultimate reality, or if the Sanctum is, in fact, some enormous bakery, they can and will never know. Only those who are fully consumed within insanity know the truth.

However, it has been recorded that people who return from the Sanctum into our world are always holding a pie in their hands.

Nations and Leaders

The Sanctum of Insanity contains the following nations and their leaders (in order of their becoming one with the Sanctum). The leader’s pie of choice is also included.

“Founder” and Master:
The All-Consuming Faith of Neo Deus – Neo Deus (The Man) – Rhubarb

Head Warmongering Military Honcho:
The Smoke and Mirrors Nation of The Dark Brotherhood – Vlad/Roshan/Vladshan/Roshad – Beefs

Major Pie Manufacturer:
The United Federation of Garden SeeD Nations – Commander S.K. Leonhart – Apple

Protectors of Primates and Pies:
The Banana-Growing Lands of A Man and His Monkeys – The Man – Banana Cream

Storage for the Masses:
The Community of Dead-Eyed Suburbanites – Housewife – Lemon Meringue

High Priest of Pie:
The Giant Coal and Curry Mine of Kromainia – General Krom - Cricket

Positive Female Influence:
The Republic of Tomauzeutah - Goddess Nomau - Samoan Peach

German Impersonator:
The Armed Republic of Flake Town - Mangoes - Boysenberry

Silent But Sneaky Guy:
The Rogue Nation of SNEAKDOM - Sneaky Von Sneaky-Pants - Blueberry

Political Watchdog:
The Republic of Los Republicanos - The Man in the House - Pecan

Necromatic State:
The Holy Empire of Black Widow Spiders - Her Supreme Darkness Lucie Fur - Chocolate Peanut Butter

Militaristic Female:
The Fiefdom of Ffifnon - General IE - Chocolate Cream

Romantic Interest of Commander Leonhart:
The Rogue Nation of Timber Owls - Princess Rinoa - Skittles

The Australian Teen who took a wrong step:
The Dominion of Till ville - Kazmanian Devil - Unknown

And the rest:
The Jingoistic States of Phantasmal Shadow
The Rogue Nation of Terrormaina
The Nomadic Peoples of Fulantania
The Disputed Territories of Vtexo
The Constitutional Monarchy of PsychoticLemurs

Conclusions

“The Sanctum will never simply ‘go away.’ It is a part of the world; it is a part of you, a part of us... [People] will one day understand that it will simply grow larger, in a sense; it will grow more prevalent. One day, soon enough, it will not just be an alternate universe. It will be the one universe. The best thing for them all to do is sit back and enjoy the thrills of insanity.”
~Neo Deus


"Ah, the perfect play ground...where all can find that being insane is the most beautiful thing in the world, and finding where your beauty lies, can be the beginning of your own personal darkness."
~Goddess Nomau and her dark side, Her Supreme Darkness Lucie Fur