Spindle's Gate: A History

***Spindle’s Gate: A Short History***

The town of Spindle’s Gate, like many other settlements in the Americas, began as a haven for Protestants fleeing religious persecution. The settlers, all ages, all desperate, followed the rich and reputable William Spindle. William Spindle was known for his pious life, and a model citizen to the other settlers. When it came time to name their new town, William’s name was the only one bounced around. Eventually, it was decided as a group that their new world would be named Spindle’s Gate.

Their first winter was, as all winters are, haunted by carnage. Twice, they were raided by Native Americans, who in recent years had wizened up to the destructive habits of the English. A mysterious illness killed nearly all of the children under twelve, halving the population and forcing older adults to do back breaking labor in the subzero temperatures.

By the time spring arrived, one family had resorted to cannibalizing the corpses of their dead children, victims of the cruel plague. Before the town could finish drafting its legal system, however, the father shot his wife and then himself. The plot of land upon which they lived became known as Family’s End, and would remain barren for centuries.

Spindle’s Gate began to deviate from the fates of the other well-known colonies after the end of the Revolutionary War. During the subsequent political turmoil, Spindle’s Gate underwent another brutal winter, and even though its colonists were well-established, the town was unprepared for the full force of nature’s wrath. The storm quickly buried houses, schools, roads, and people in piles of ice and snow. Only the spire of the local church was tall enough to remain unburied, a tall cross that stood dark in contrast to the pale snow. People froze to death next to empty hearths, unable to burn their firewood due to the pervasive dampness and cold that seemed to sink into every molecule.

Despite the ferocity of this storm, very few colonies noticed the plight of Spindle’s Gate. Wrapped up in drafting a constitution, and preoccupied with the complexities of running a country, as well as fighting for their own survival, meant that the storm of Spindle’s Gate would fade into obscurity, and no aid would be sent, as no man could travel far enough to deliver the message. It was a self-contained Hell, made of ice rather than fire.

The storm lasted for twelve consecutive days. On the twelfth day, deep underground in the belly of the Old Church, unbeknownst to the people, William Spindle slaughtered his firstborn daughter. He watched as an entity he called God’s Left Hand devoured her remains, leaving only a faint stain upon the tiled church floor.

Rumor has it, on winter nights, the stain is still visible.

The true events that set Spindle’s Gate apart, however, are set nearly a century later, in the 1920s, due to a descendant of William Spindle known as Henry Spindle.

Spindle’s Gate, like many other religious towns, became a beacon of power for Chokmah, strengthening the ancient god until his eventual fall. However, in the 20th century, as the Demiurge weakened, Chokmah faced pressure from its divine shadow, Chagadiel, and nowhere was that conflict more evident than in Spindle’s Gate.

Henry Spindle was always eccentric in his younger years, but never struggled to make friends. He was charismatic, handsome, and intelligent, so his idiosyncrasies were only an afterthought to his personality.

All that would change as Henry reached the age of ten.

Over the next two years, Henry would be repeatedly molested by a high-ranking church official. Upon speaking out, he would be shunned by the majority of the town.

Henry would eventually run away, wandering aimlessly through the vast forest that makes up the majority of Spindle County, the larger region containing Spindle’s Gate.

After seven days of this aimless meandering, Henry Spindle would begin to hear voices. He begins to see things, unimaginable things. He is haunted by a twisted version of his abuser. He is being stalked by the Death Angel Chagadiel, who feasts upon his agony and uses him to gain a foothold in Spindle’s Gate. Chagadiel also taunts Henry by guiding him to the bare minimum of resources to survive, further worsening Henry’s crumbling mental state. Alongside this, he sends dark, murderous urges, of increasing intensity, that haunt Henry through many sleepless nights.

As Henry grows increasingly more unstable, Chagadiel begins to threaten Chokmah’s position as the dominant authority. As a result, after three months of constant torment, Henry is “saved” by Chokmah, who grants him plentiful resources and a place within the town. However, still isolated from his peers and his old family, Henry nurses his old wounds. He believes that Chokmah is God and Chagadiel is Satan, and turns to self-flagellation in an attempt to excise Chagadiel’s influence that lingers within him.

He also believes that the town’s church, and thus the entire population, has been corrupted by Chagadiel and needs to be purified. So on a Sunday exactly a year after he first left, he traps everyone in the church and burns it to the ground, killing everyone inside. Only a few survivors remain, due to inattendance. Henry honors these survivors as the new Apostles, and advocates for freedom from the illusion— and from the cruel influence of Chagadiel. His new church is built deep in the woods, where he first had his epiphany. He calls it The Church of the Seventh Day, after the day he began seeing visions, and a reference to the biblical verse “and on the seventh day, he rested.” The church is topped with the shape of a spindle rather than a cross, although a cross remains a prominent symbol within the community.

In modern times, The Church of the Seventh Day has fallen into the same pitfalls as many other religious organizations. Corruption and abuse scandals run rampant, positions are based upon wealth and power rather than skill, and the organization strives to maintain the Illusion rather than destroy it, in opposition to what Henry Spindle believed. Part of this shift in ideology was due to the change in ownership after Henry Spindle died. He had no children, nor living relatives, and the church would change hands multiple times in the following years. Today it is registered under the name Carl Peters.

The site of the old church was eventually paved over and replaced by the Spindle County Hospital. Spins, as it is known amongst the community, is the most lucrative business in the county. It partners with the Church of the Seventh Day to offer group therapy, in exchange for a share of the church’s annual tithes. They also receive funding from large pharmaceutical companies looking to develop experimental drugs. Between these two incomes, the hospital is able to provide low-cost psychiatric services, and has become a popular destination for the criminally insane, locals, and even some people from across the country. This also provides them with income.

As a result, the economy of Spindle’s Gate relies heavily upon tourism (many local hotels advertise the town as a hub for ghosts, attracting many paranormal investigators) and on the asylum. The church also attracts visitors from across the country, as many are enthralled by rumors of cults and madness. Some tourists who visit the church even opt to stay, saying that there is a certain magnetism in the area that makes them want to return.

Deep below the asylum, the remains of the church basement still remain. While several people have been hired to sort through the rubble, none have completed the job. However, esteemed Dr. Pater, the only licensed therapist in Spindle’s Gate, is attempting to implement a program for patients to aid in the cleanup, so as to provide a structured and safe work environment where patients can feel a sense of accomplishment and accountability that allegedly may aid in their recovery.

This program, nicknamed Project Purge, is currently in the process of being confirmed.