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Memory Reference: Black Eyes & Broken Souls

This document serves as a memory of Book #1 of the series, and can be used as a point of reference to the people, places, and events that occured within it.

Key Character Details

Michael "Mick" Hargraves

  • Former Detective Constable with the Metropolitan Police, now working as a private investigator
  • Left the force after the Jamie Matthews case (a child murder investigation where he failed to save the victim)
  • Suffers from alcohol dependency (bourbon is his drink of choice) and takes non-prescribed painkillers
  • Has a bullet wound injury in his leg from a case that ended his police career
  • Is possessed by/shares his body with Marchosias, a fallen angel turned demon
  • Sister is Elizabeth "Liz" Harrison (née Hargraves), married to Bob Harrison
  • Became possessed at St. Agnes Church after overdosing on alcohol and painkillers
  • Carries significant guilt over Jamie Matthews case and his subsequent downward spiral

Marchosias

  • Ancient fallen angel, described as a "Great Marquis of Hell"
  • Once commanded "thirty legions" and was part of the "Third Choir" before falling
  • Possesses Mick in a unique "symbiotic" relationship rather than full possession
  • Speaks in italicized dialogue and communicates mentally with Mick
  • Has developed a fondness for ice cream (particularly with sprinkles) and later discovered heavy metal music
  • Can manifest "shadow hounds" - demonic Rottweiler-like creatures that can operate semi-autonomously
  • Can travel through shadows and "scout" using smaller shadow entities
  • Is weakened by daylight but maintains some abilities
  • Has "history" with Baalberith that dates back to before his fall

Detective Inspector Diana Reeves

  • Mick's former partner at the Metropolitan Police
  • By-the-book detective who gradually accepts supernatural reality
  • Carries an extendable baton and taser as per UK police standards (no firearm)
  • Experienced a failed marriage that Mick occasionally references to antagonize her
  • Was present during Mick's violent assault on Philip Weiss after Jamie's death
  • Initially skeptical but becomes an ally in dealing with supernatural threats
  • Maintains separate unofficial files on cases with unexplained elements

Elizabeth "Liz" Harrison (née Hargraves)

  • Mick's sister, married to Bob Harrison
  • Works as a social worker
  • Became pregnant with a daughter, Eliza Grace Harrison
  • Was kidnapped by Vassago's cult during her pregnancy
  • Her unborn child's soul was displaced to make room for Baalberith's essence
  • After the events of the novel, her daughter was born with some supernatural sensitivity

Bob Harrison

  • Liz's husband, father to Eliza
  • Works as a senior accountant at Harrison Financial Services
  • Initially portrayed as somewhat pompous and self-important
  • Was briefly controlled as a "puppet" by Vassago's forces
  • Has a strained relationship with Mick

Philip Weiss

  • Child murderer who killed Jamie Matthews and at least three other boys
  • Former respected child psychologist
  • Incarcerated at Broadmoor with multiple life sentences
  • Bears the Sigillum Lilith mark/tattoo on his wrist
  • Has been possessed by a "lesser entity" since university
  • Receives monthly visits from someone posing as "Dr. Eleanor Crane"
  • Connected to the current cult through the Sigillum Lilith

Vassago

  • A "President of Hell" who works for Baalberith
  • Specializes in revealing hidden knowledge and predicting futures
  • Used a human vessel that appeared as an impeccably dressed man
  • Orchestrated the kidnapping of street children for ritual purposes
  • Was ultimately pulled back to Hell to face Baalberith's wrath after his ritual failed
  • Used the identity "Marcus Deveraux" in the human world

Baalberith

  • Referred to as "Hell's Secretary" and "bureaucrat of Hell"
  • Higher-ranking demon than Marchosias or Vassago
  • Has a collection of souls kept in crystal vessels
  • Attempted to be born into the human world through Liz's baby
  • Has "history" with Marchosias that's yet to be fully explained
  • Keeps his collection in his personal chambers in the Administrative District of Hell

Eliza Grace Harrison

  • Liz and Bob's daughter, Mick's niece
  • Born after her soul was retrieved from Hell
  • Has a subtle golden aura visible only to those with supernatural perception
  • Shows some ability to perceive Marchosias despite his non-physical nature
  • Potentially of special interest to Baalberith for future attempts

Key Locations

St. Agnes Church

  • Abandoned church scheduled for demolition
  • Site of Mick's initial possession by Marchosias
  • Where amateur occultists attempted a summoning ritual
  • Has a graveyard where four bodies were later found (Marchosias's first victims)

Mick's Flat

  • Small, typically cluttered and unkempt
  • Located on the second floor of its building
  • Often covered in case files, empty bottles, and takeaway containers
  • Later became their base of operations

Broadmoor Hospital

  • High-security psychiatric hospital where Philip Weiss is incarcerated
  • Site of Mick and Reeves' interrogation of Weiss about the Sigillum Lilith

Elysium Nightclub

  • Nightclub owned by one of Vassago's shell companies
  • Used for subtle essence harvesting from patrons
  • Contains VIP section where more concentrated extraction takes place
  • Described as having a converted warehouse exterior painted matte black

The Administrative District (Hell)

  • Area of Hell described as a bureaucratic center
  • Contains the Central Archive where Baalberith keeps his soul collection
  • Buildings described as impossible structures of obsidian and bone
  • Connected by bridges made of living tissue

"The Crossing"

  • Not a physical location but a state between realms
  • Where Vassago attempted his final ritual to bring forth Baalberith

Key Events

Mick's Possession

  • Occurred approximately 3-4 months before the main events of the novel
  • Mick overdosed on bourbon and painkillers, then wandered to St. Agnes Church
  • Amateur occultists had attempted a ritual there, thinning the veil between worlds
  • Marchosias, seeking escape from pursuers, found Mick's dying body and possessed him
  • Mick had no memory of the following three days, during which Marchosias killed four people

Jamie Matthews Case (5 years ago)

  • Mick tracked child killer Philip Weiss but was too late to save Jamie
  • Weiss created a "choice" scenario where Mick had to choose between pursuing Weiss or saving Jamie
  • Mick chose wrong, and was forced to watch Jamie's death via livestream
  • This led to Mick's assault on Weiss (witnessed by Reeves) and eventual departure from the force
  • The case continues to haunt Mick and shaped his downward spiral

The Warehouse Rescue

  • Mick and Marchosias rescue trafficked teenagers from a warehouse
  • First instance where Marchosias fully manifests his power, leaving victims with "black residue where eyes should be"
  • Led to Reeves questioning Mick about the strange deaths
  • Connected to Vassago's operation collecting specific youths for ritual purposes

Hell Journey

  • Mick willingly travels to Hell to retrieve his niece's displaced soul
  • In Hell, Marchosias separates from Mick, appearing in his true form
  • They confront Baalberith and steal the soul back
  • They escape through Vassago's collapsing ritual bridge
  • This experience fundamentally changed both Mick and Marchosias, deepening their bond

The Shadow Hounds

  • Manifested during their confrontation with Vassago's forces
  • Created from Mick and Marchosias's "shared essence"
  • Become semi-autonomous, guarding Liz and baby Eliza even without direct orders
  • Can perceive and operate in both the human world and supernatural realms

Important Supernatural Elements

The Sigillum Lilith (Fourth Gate binding mark)

  • Occult symbol/tattoo marking those who serve demonic entities
  • Found on Philip Weiss, the traffickers, and various cult members
  • Allows for "gradual extraction of essence while the bearer still lives"
  • Marks servants who have willingly entered demonic pacts

Soul Displacement/Extraction

  • Demons can remove human souls and store them in crystal vessels
  • Vassago/Baalberith attempted this with Liz's unborn child to create a vessel for Baalberith
  • The ritual requires thirteen child vessels to stabilize the transition
  • Process leaves distinctive sigils on the subject's body

Essence Harvesting

  • Demons feed on human "essence" or life force
  • Can be extracted gradually (as in the nightclub) or completely (leaving black residue in eye sockets)
  • More corrupt souls provide "richer" essence
  • Extraction equipment resembles medical dialysis machines modified for demonic purposes

Shadow Travel

  • Marchosias can move through shadows as portals
  • Described as "doorways for those who know how to use them"
  • Limited by daylight, which thins shadows and weakens this ability
  • Used for both travel and sending scout entities

The Crossing

  • A state between realms where reality is fluid
  • Created through specific rituals that thin the veil between worlds
  • A place where demons can manifest more fully
  • Can be used as a bridge between realms if controlled properly

Potential Future Elements

Baalberith's Vengeance

  • Hell's Secretary was humiliated and will likely seek retribution
  • Has specific interest in Eliza, possibly for future attempts
  • Maintains a powerful position in Hell's hierarchy

Vassago's Possible Return

  • If he survives Baalberith's wrath, could return seeking revenge
  • Has extensive knowledge of divination and forecasting
  • Maintains human contacts through his cult network

Remaining Cult Members

  • Some of Vassago's followers escaped capture
  • Others ended up in psychiatric care, speaking unknown languages
  • Could potentially reorganize under new leadership

Mick & Marchosias's Detective Agency

  • Potential future business focusing on supernatural cases
  • Reeves indicated willingness to consult unofficially
  • Shadow hounds provide additional investigation/protection capabilities

Eliza's Development

  • Shows supernatural awareness even as a newborn
  • Her soul's journey to Hell and back may manifest in "unexpected ways"
  • Specifically targeted by Baalberith, suggesting unique qualities

The Changing Partnership

  • Mick and Marchosias's relationship continues to evolve
  • Boundaries between them becoming increasingly blurred
  • Both are changed by their shared experiences, particularly the Hell journey

Memorable Quotes

  • "You assumed much about the nature of judgment. The universe I've glimpsed is far more complex than the binary heaven and hell your religions describe." - Marchosias on afterlife
  • "It's always dark inside." - Mick's insight that allowed Marchosias to manifest shadow-worms inside their attackers
  • "I taste the children you've hurt." - Marchosias to a corrupted guard before killing him
  • "I knew this was a one-way trip... What's the alternative? Let Baalberith win? Let my sister's child become his vessel? I'd rather cease to exist." - Mick before traveling to Hell
  • "In all my millennia of existence, no host has ever considered me anything but a parasite or master. Friend is... unexpected." - Marchosias when Mick referred to him as a friend
  • "Some pleasures are worth the pain." - Common saying between Mick and Marchosias regarding ice cream despite lactose intolerance

Writing Style Notes

  • Marchosias's dialogue is always in italics
  • When speaking aloud through Mick, the text should be italicized to indicate the different voice
  • When communicating mentally with Mick, the dialogue remains italicized but is framed with thought indicators rather than speech marks
  • Marchosias has a formal, somewhat archaic manner of speaking that contrasts with Mick's more direct style
  • The narrative maintains a noir detective tone mixed with supernatural horror elements
  • Humor often comes from Marchosias's discoveries of human experiences (food, music, emotions)