Suppression Bureau

*'The Bureau is charged with punishment of the less usual type of criminal - the criminal whose crimes may exist only in dreams.'*
 *'Suspiscion'*

**The Suppression Bureau** is a British organization which polices and suppresses information regarding supernatural events and entities. Their primary duties include censoring books, art, and other works with a connection to the occult, investigating notorious individuals who may be delving into forbidden works, and safeguarding against threats from outside of the Wake, though to what extend is never explicitly shown or stated. It is assumed that the full extent of their responsibilities is kept secret from the public, and that they take some effort even among their own operatives to limit their knowledge and exposure to the Mansus and the Hours to what is necessary in performing their duties.

The Bureau is also known to work with outsiders for various purposes – enlisting support for investigations from more standard law enforcement officers, recruiting individuals with occults experience as agents, or consulting with other organizations and scholars.

Though the Suppression Bureau had noticeable influence in the early 1900’s with regional offices throughout the British Empire and Europe, by the 1970’s they had undergone significant budget cuts and down-scaling, such that they are no longer even called “the Bureau” anymore. Whatever remains has largely become a private enterprise, headed by an aging Connie Lee whose new agenda is unknown.

## History

The precursor organization to the Suppression Bureau seen in Cultist Simulator was the Nocturnal Branch of the Metropolitan Police, which dealt with “troubles unseemly and occult”, and similarly had international offices and agents. However, after what is referred to as the Ortucchio incident at the turn of the twentieth century, the Branch was absorbed into the Suppression Bureau. Little is known about this incident beyond the involvement of Duffoure, the Reckoner Lord, and a list of materials seized from Ortucchio near the Fucine Marshes, which were either destroyed or taken by a rogue agent named Lacombe under the influence of a Crowned Growth Name known as Robigo.

In 1896, five years before the absorption of the Nocturnal Branch into the Suppression Bureau, the Branch was permitted to construct a prison at Hush House in return for providing funding to the library. In addition to occult prisoners, artefacts deemed dangerous were also locked away there. This all continued until a prisoner of great power escaped and scorched the prison along with its staff, leading to the closure of Hush House.

## Hunters

* **Douglas Moore, the Weary Detective**: A rather run-of-the-mill British detective, though one with the potential to grow into something more. The Weary Detective's first name is only revealed after recruiting him or upon becoming a rival in Culist Simulator. By time the Book of Hours takes place, Douglas has been promoted to Detective-Illuminate of the Suppression Bureau, although he only wishes to retire and take up gardening.
* **Zachary Wakefield**: A grim police inspector seconded to the Suppression Bureau.
* **Spencer Hobson**: An eccentric individual who has bounced around a number of professions and dabbled in mysticism before joining the Bureau.
* **Connie Lee**: A wealthy and adventurous young woman who has taken up with the Suppression Bureau. It appears that in later years, her funding and support are holding up what remains of the Bureau, though Christopher Illopoly is suspicious of her motivations for doing so.
* **Doctor Natalia Dragon**: An academic disgraced for her studies of the Secret Histories.

## Other Notes

* The player is able to serve as a Hunter for the Suppression Bureau through the Detective Legacy of Cultist Simulator, though as a seconded officer they seem to have limited knowledge or influence in the organization.
* Several endings in the Exile Legacy also show that the Suppression Bureau is interested in recruiting the Exile to work for them, after their confrontation with the Foe and the Reckoner Mobs.
* The Suppression Bureau is known to correspond with Hush House and its board of directors, requesting books to be restricted or suppressed, though they seem limited to making recommendations rather than enforcing such actions.
* The Suppression Bureau's motto is *Aliis Si Licet, Tibi Non Licet*, which can be translated as “What is permitted for others, is not permitted for you”.

## Sources

1. ↑ To Superintendent Wynford, of Nocturnal Branch
2. ↑ Velletri Interviews
3. ↑ On the Friar's Tapestry
4. ↑ Nocturnal Period
5. ↑ Lesser Bridge
6. ↑ Night Gallery
7. ↑ Crucible Tower: Interview Laboratory
8. ↑ Weary Detective, Douglas, a Reshaper
9. ↑ DI Douglas Moore
10. ↑ Zachary Wakefield
11. ↑ Spencer Hobson
12. ↑ Connie Lee
13. ↑ Doctor Natalia Dragon