Inspirational: Occultism in Soviet Union before WWII

[tnjrp]

Everybody likes to go on about Nazi occultism, but theirs wasn't the only regime that dabbled in it in the early 20th century:
https://espionagehistoryarchive.com/2016/04/16/the-bolsheviks-occult-war/

At least if we believe the article, of course. But even if we don't it works by the way of inspiration.

[FramFramson]

Wow, super-interesting!

[d phipps]

Very cool! THANKS for sharing. 

[warrenpeace]

Really interesting! And the links and names lead to other really interesting stuff. Good ideas for Pulp groups (especially villains).

[Burnin Coal]

That link is a gateway into a very strange world indeed....thanks for sharing it

[Matt]

Very interesting, provides some good info for the themes I am using for my pulp leagues.  Thanks for sharing!

[FramFramson]

It's especially interesting to me, since I already have a Russian league which frequently investigates mystical or occult situations, under the direction of a shadowy and secret branch of the Soviet government. Even they're not sure who they work for!

[Burnin Coal]

...Even they're not sure who they work for!

Sounds about exactly right

[FramFramson]

I know you've already added a note saying the article is just a bit of silly inspiration, it's worth mentioning that consensus research from more sober sources seems to indicate that the real-world purpose of the NKVD's "Special Department" was the creation and maintenance of the Soviet Union's system of concentration camps for political dissidents - Solzhenitsyn actually refers to Gleb Bokii as one of the three leaders of this department.

Which doesn't mean that you can't also use it to drive more fantastical, pulp-oriented stories in the same way Himmler and the Ahnerbe are also great sources to drive Nazi-occultist plots. Gleb Bokii (and the others mentioned in the article) was most definitely into mysticism and there's no reason he couldn't also use his broad authority to authorize special missions by NKVD agents to investigate mystical or occult events, people, or places. But some might find it a bit grim, unless perhaps (like most Nazi leagues) you're mainly using them as villains or otherwise acknowledging them as "bad guys". So just adding a bit of a disclaimer here!

I did however trip over this additional, incredible line in the wiki article for Bokii:

Bokii's fellow bureaucratic NKVD foes had conjured up fictions of his being as a sort of Dracula-like human blood drinker.

So there's even more inspiration for you!

[pistolpete]

Wow what a great trove of interesting things...so many jumping off points.   I only got halfway through the article and I'm already down the rabbit hole in a major way; much more so than the templars/rosicruscans/masons.  I don't know whether to thank you for some great ideas or hate you for making me waste all kinds of time or both!