[MH] Vile Vortices and Supernatural Threats

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

Well, I picked exclusive social clubs as covers for various lodges in Facets, because they work really well for that sort of thing.

Make membership in the "Ancient and Honorable Society of Folklorists" (or something) available only to those with backgrounds and world-views shaped by extraordinary experiences, and you might have what you need.

Under U.S. law, they could qualify as 501c7 tax-exempt social clubs, which are discussed at:
https://cullinanelaw.com/nonprofit-l...-organization/.

Moreover, many clubs have reciprocal hospitality agreements with like-minded clubs in other parts of the world, and the ties between U.S. social clubs and their British counterparts are particularly close.

The nature of exclusive clubs make them perfect to host activities that require considerable finesse (and lots of political cover), and remain completely out of the sight of scruffy reporters and other nosy-parker types.

Let's say I want to put a Cabal or Lodge analogue in St. Louis, MO, maybe with satellite groups or at least reciprocity arrangements in a number of locations that make sense.

What are things to keep in mind?

If we imagine a society of people interested in archaeology and history of the Midwest, including, according to the various interests of the individuals involved, both pre- and post-European contact, should these be registered as a 501(c)(7) social club or as something else?

If they want to be involved at some level in funding various odd research projects and work with foundations that have to do with historic sites, protected buildings and the like, is 501(c)(7) any kind of barrier to that?

I'm thinking something like a Historic Society in a small town, but more exclusive in membership than most, in that members are accepted only on sufferance, remain on a trial basis for quite a long time and they can reject an applicant without any explicit reason at any point. So, definitely don't want any kind of quasi-public status that would hold them to any federal or state anti-discrimination statues.

At the same time, however, they'd want to be able to work closely with whatever public or non-profit organizations were responsible for maintaining historic sites, museums, old houses, cemeteries and the like in their area of operation. Also, ideally, give grants to universities to research specific archaeological or historical questions.

I'm thinking a membership in the low hundreds, most of them upper middle class and over, with several quite wealthy members who give generously to causes close to their heart.

This could either be a new organization founded in the last 15-30 years or it could be an older organization that had started as a perfectly mundane institution and only gradually became subverted to occult purposes as the supernatural became more powerful in the my setting. In the latter case, is there any real-world non-profit associated with St. Louis that would fit?

[freefoodfilms]

Hey folks, I'm doing a little research on vile vortices and I'm having a hard time finding a copy of Ivan Sanderson's original Devil's Graveyards article from Saga magazine in the early 1970s. Does anyone have a digital copy of it they could send me? Or a link that isn't broken? I believe it was posted on Paranoia Magazine's website, but it seems defunct now. I'd really appreciate it! Thanks!