THE BSTCE FOUNDATION
Founded in 1702 the BSTCE was once a prestigious society dedicated to the exploration of a vast and unexplored world — planet Earth. With the expansion of the British Empire and importation of exotic goods igniting a hunger for newer and wilder discoveries, many an English gentleman found himself aspiring for fame, fortune and adventure. The BSTCE helped facilitate many an expedition and provided safe storage for discoveries in its private collection.
Back in those days, gentlemen’s societies prided themselves on being expensive and exclusive. Those who couldn’t afford the £5 membership fee (about £385 in today’s money) or who were a woman were unable to access the access the premises and could only learn about the archive through purchasing a collector’s catalogue. Aside from its costly annual fee, the BSTCE funded itself primarily through the sale of artefacts, a practice that is heavily frowned upon today.
The BSTCE had no one head, but operated via a board of benefactors, many of which who were scientists and explorers themselves. This egalitarian structure has allowed the BSTCE to survive many changes over the years, escaping corruption and asset stripping, whilst keeping a heart of curiosity and truth in all things.
DISCOVERY OF THE SKEW
While the BSTCE cannot claim to be the first to discover the Skew (evidence of a human presence there dates back to 2000 BCE) it was the first to truly begin to understand it. What began as an exciting new discovery developed into a sense of guardianship: to protect the Skew in a way humanity was already failing to with its own planet. Focus drifted from a desire for personal acclaim and titillation to a collective goal of knowledge and preservation.
LOCATION
The original location of the BSTCE was based in the modern and ever-industrialising London. However, the building and many of its prized artefacts, both Skew and mundane alike, were destroyed during the Blitz. Headquarters were briefly set up in Sussex, using the personal premises of society member Peter Attwood, before finding its permanent (and current) home in Hertfordshire.
The current facility was donated by the executors of the Alexander Kemp estate. Kemp was an ambitious explorer who was one of the first to publicly exhibit artefacts from the Skew during the mid 1800’s. While Kemp was not a BSTCE member, the organisation recognises his dedication to the Skew and wishes to honour his memory by using his estate. The BSTCE endeavoured to preserve as much of the original building as possible, restoring parts that were destroyed during the 1863 fire and replicating what was not conservable.
I didnt see anything i swear to god i didnt look i dont know anything. i just did my job thats it. I saw nothing. no thing. when i close my eyes i feel HIM in the folds of my brain but i wont remember what happened i swear i dont know. Gaz said its the only thing that will save me. I shouldnt look but its screaming with no mouth and i dont need to look to hear. i hear everything.
I hear the static in the silence when HE looks for me. I DONT REMEMBER. how to STOP listening. It screams for HIM. Gaz wants to burn it but i am afraid that HE is in every part of it now and even the ashes of the SCREAMING will scream forever and ever and ever. They always scream. Why is that always what gets left behind? When I die will i still hear them or will my own cries fill the static? I dont want to look i dont want to see hear feel anymore.
If i forget i hope i never remember.