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Ciphertology was a new age religious cult formed by the notorious conman Silas Birchtree (who was in reality Bill Cipher piloting Silas' corpse) in the rural Kansas town of Orchard Lake.
History[]
Founding[]
In 1952, Bill Cipher would come across the corpse of snake oil salesman Silas Birchtree, who had choked on a coin he flipped while hiding from debtors. Seizing this chance, Bill would possess Silas's corpse and take up his identity, with many noting the salesman's sudden change in demeanour, posture and curious complexion. "Silas" would begin to hold speeches in the town square of Orchard Lake, proclaiming that his near-death experience had granted him a connection with an omnipotent being named Bill Cipher, whose power would help humans satisfy their desire for anarchy which was being suppressed by their overlords. Silas would also promise to teach people absurd and powerful skills, as well as grant them their own moons as rewards. As a result, many of the townsfolk were either indifferent or charmed by Silas's charisma, though they'd deny it. One townswoman named Emmaline Butternubbins was, however, fiercely opposed to Silas's actions, claiming with eerie accuracy that he was a corpse possessed by an extraterrestrial triangle, seeking pawns to build him an interdimensional portal.
On June 18th, 1952, "Silas" would conduct an interview with the lead reporter of Orchard Lake's newspaper, Welton Danforth, during which he explains that he's just preaching ideas which are real so long as you believe in them. While initially sceptical of the cult leader, Welton would be convinced of Silas's supernatural powers after he correctly deduces his strained marriage and secret dreams of becoming a famous author, becoming a follower of Ciphertology during this interview. It's implied that shortly after the interview, nearly the entire town converted to Ciphertology, giving Silas free rein over them.
Establishment of Billville[]
With the entire town now under his control, Silas would overthrow the local government and rename the town of Orchard Lake Billville, turning it into a totalitarian dictatorship with him at the centre. Silas would encourage Ciphertologists to emulate his style, shave their heads to paint Bill's eye on them, inhale helium to imitate his voice and spread the word of Ciphertology to non-believers, harassing them until they accepted or killing them on the spot allegedly via a skull-shattering shriek. The Ciphertologists would also raid nearby stores, garages and burger joints for weapons, car parts and ball pit balls respectively, using their scrap metal and resources to begin building Bill's portal, attempting to disguise their true intentions to the general public whilst doing so.
Under Silas's rule, healthcare would be completely banned as he thought pain was hilarious, travel wasn't allowed and all pre-existing laws were abolished, making the town crime free by technicality. Silas would also punish uncooperative cultists by sending them to "The Hole" and would host "Dream-Ins", in which Bill would possess up to 30 people at once and make them all maniacally laugh. Despite this, Emmaline Butternubbins would stubbornly remain unconverted and would try to convince her fellow townspeople to fight against Silas to no avail.
Confrontation with the government and dissolution[]
A few months after Silas's coup against the local government, the Ciphertologists would hijack a local television station to broadcast Silas's reading of erotic geometric fiction to the nearby region. The nearby town of Elk Glen would file a complaint to the Federal Communications Council, causing the Ciphertologists to retaliate by pouring 600 gallons of bubble bath solution into the local water source, causing any who drank it to spew bubbles. As a result, the state government of Kansas issued an ultimatum to the Ciphertologists: return the city hall and dismantle their portal or be gunned down by the state's military.
Silas and his followers would obviously refuse, leading to a standoff between them and the Kansas military, during which the Ciphertologists were holed up in a Waffle House for 13 days, chanting "TEETH" unendingly in a presumed attempt to shatter the skulls of the troopers. After escaping back to Billville, Silas would grow increasingly desperate and cut off all communication in and out of the town, ordering his cultists to work extra hard on the portal. Furthermore, Silas's body was notably deteriorating, with signs of decay finally showing as Bill's vessel began to desiccate.
Finally, Emmaline, out of frustration that everybody was ignoring her anti-Bill pamphlets, would hurl a torch into the Ciphertologists' headquarters, conveniently igniting their gas tanks and destroying the portal. With all hope lost, Silas would order his cultists to drink a potion meant to kill them but when it only gave them a bad stomachache, he would order them to stand in line holding hands singing "We'll Meet Again" as the troopers fired on them. His decaying vessel falling apart, Bill tried to issue one last message to his followers, proclaiming that as an idea he can never die and that he'd return one day, but just as he could finish a stray bullet knocked Silas's head clean off, making his corpse crumble into a rotten, fly-infested mess.
Members[]
- Silas Birchtree (Bill Cipher) - Leader
Headquarters[]
Sightings[]
Books[]
Trivia[]
- Ciphertology is a reference to Scientology, a notoriously litigious new age cult with similar rules (albeit less morbid).
- "The Hole" is a reference to a Scientologist-run penal colony for punishing any member of their order who acted against their interests in any way possible.