Credit Roll

STORIES BEHIND THE STORY

In recognition of the exceptional individuals, places, temene, and

fortuitous events that have touched my life and made this work possible:

OUR SINE QUA NON OC TEAM

Sara Hermann | Gale Carr | Eliza Tutellier |

Cassius Ramsey | Meagann Parson

OUR BIG-HEARTED AND TENACIOUS NISTARIM

Circle of OC readers named after “the 36 righteously

concealed,” which also includes the entire OC team:

Regula Suter | Denise Senn | Stefan Schrott | Mats Scholz |

Beatrice (Laura) Dobler | Jutta Geisenberger | Petia Prisadnikova

| Gerhard Seel | Christian Jendreiko | Tomas Veloz | Peter

(Pitsch) Dobler | Erhard Widmer | Razvan Ionescu-Quintus

OUR VALIANT BETA READERS

Vasilis Karasmanis | Maria Koutsafti | Niisa Morton | Siegfried

Lenz | Theodora (Dora) Polihronopoulou | Silvie Steiner

EDITING

For putting up with my unorthodox efforts (to say the

least), without leaving my self-confidence in tatters:

Eliza Tutellier (U.S.A.) | Lucy Ellis (U.K.) | Bryony

Sutherland (U.K.) | Heather Sangster (Canada)

SUPPORTING CAST

PERSONAL AIDE: Beatrice (Laura) Dobler, born adventurer, by my

side no matter where I needed to go, handling logistics, organizing

transportation, destination planning, on-the-road equipment, and

security, as well as staying in touch with local contacts, and so much more.

SPECIAL ASSISTANT: Barbara Morris, principal transcriber

of dictations, notes, plot designs, dialogue drafts, and

philosophical musings, as well as librarian and converter of

citations and references from printed matter to digital media.

GENERAL SUPPORT: These individuals assisted me in

various capacities as I was putting together the basics for

the OC, often on the road, at times during excursions and

expeditions, or during workshops and lectures:

✝︎Susi Waldburger | Charles (Chaz) William Morris III |

Teri Glover | Tom Craig | ✝︎Larry Craig | Derryl Rice |

Sandro Hodosy | ✝︎Ev Michalek | Claudia Zanvit |

Claudia Schön | Hedy Berger | Jürg Fürst |

Jeff Crouse | Alexios Polychronopoulos

FAMILY

In honor of my adopted Hopi family—my mother, Virginia, and my

brother, Hubert, whom I miss very much, together with the rest of

the Taylor family (how I long for the Kachina dance occasions at

Old Oraibi, where we would all get together at Virginia’s house):

✝︎Virginia Taylor | ✝︎Hubert Taylor | Eli Taylor | ✝︎Elvena (Pep) Taylor

| DeAlva Honahnie | Anthony E. Honahnie | Sandra Hamana

My father ✝︎Otto P. Hermann, survivor of the Soviet Gulag system

(Russia), and a Stalinist forced-labor camp in the Danube Delta

known as Canal. His ordeal sparked my interest in Stalin and

his soul-engineering designs, particularly since my father and

the dictator were both theology students. In my father’s case this

resulted in his arrest and imprisonment. Aspects of Stalin’s highly

advanced behavioral coding are explored in Book 2 (Soul Engineer).

My sister, Arlene Ionescu-Quintus, her husband and my cumnat,

Razvan Ionescu-Quintus, his father and mother, ✝︎Mircea and ✝︎Viorica

My wife Sara | my mother-in-law Hedy

my daughter Eliza | my grandson Gabriel

FRIENDS, COLLEAGUES, ADVISORS,

AND MENTORS

Some of the remarkable individuals I have listened to and learned from:

✝︎Enrique Hülsz, Mexico (Heraclitus sage, amazing friend, impassioned guitar

player—miss you terribly bro) | Néstor-Luis Cordero, Argentina/France

(for his deep insights regarding all things Parmenides, and his encouragement)

| ✝︎Walter Burkert, Switzerland (God, Pythagoreanism, Mystery cults and

ancient ritual, and his invaluable advice) | ✝︎Emory Sekaquaptewa, U.S.A.

(Hopi Professor of Anthropology, Tucson, AZ. His work in keeping the

Hopi language alive, his wisdom and trust) | Gerhard Seel, Switzerland

(my “old” friend and philosophic mentor, who taught me that revelries and

celebrations were invented to make us feel immortal—if only for a night) |

Vasilis Karasmanis, Greece (our long talks and his engineer’s approach

to philosophy have had a lasting impact, as have his friendship, humor, and

boundless generosity) | Maria Koutsafti, Greece (Maria is the perfect host—

her dinners are legendary—and a master career counselor. Can’t wait to return

to Athens) | Tomas Veloz, Chile, and Christian Jendreiko, Germany

(great friends, gifted musicians, margarita mates, and visionaries in their

academic fields. Deeply indebted to both for keeping me abreast of cutting-edge

developments) | Mitchell Miller, U.S.A. (Plato’s Parmenides and its subtle

mysteries, and our talks) | Richard McKirahan, U.S.A. (Presocratics in

general, his thoughts on Ouranos in the Derveni Papyrus, and his mentoring) |

Alexander Mourelatos, U.S.A. (Parmenides, the Doxa, and singing musicals)

| Patricia Curd, U.S.A. (Parmenides’ Ways and influence) | David Yount,

U.S.A. (Plato’s sun, line, and cave; Plotinus, and our lively talks) | Alexandra

Theodoropoulou, Greece (our talks about Mnemosyne, Dionysian cults,

and the origin of civilization, poetry, and so much more) | ✝︎Nicolae (Nic)

Filip, Romania (Masonic history, rites, and rituals, and for saving my father’s

life at Camp Canal) | Constantin (Costel) Iancu, Romania (our endless

discussions of Masonry, politics, diplomacy, mystery rites, art, and music) |

✝︎Doug Lemons, U.S.A. (Sovereign Inspector General 33°, CA. My principal

mentor in Freemasonry and the Scottish Rite, for believing in me) | ✝︎C. Fred

Kleinknecht, U.S.A. (Sovereign Grand Commander 33°, S.C., S.J., Mother

Council of the World. For appointing me Special Representative for Eastern

Europe, and granting me unfettered access to the Rite’s archives) | Friba

Ahmadzai, Afghanistan/Canada (for teaching me all things Afghanistan,

especially about the life and customs of the Kochi people) | Joyce Haiyan,

China (for teaching me about China, and providing me with links about the

Yuezhi culture) | Noel Hearle, U.K./ Switzerland (for his advice, and for

being a patient listener when I drone on about obscure topics | ✝︎Malcolm

Cecil, U.K. (for his Tai Chi imbued wisdom) | ✝︎Snake Priest of Walpi,

First Mesa, Hopi Tribe, U.S.A. (for his colorful stories) | Chris Rutkowski,

✝︎Roger Amidon, and ✝︎Frank Caperello (for introducing me to the Digital

Universe and AI at Rising Star Industries) | Paloma Callisto, Switzerland

(for all things Spain, and our delightful middle-of-the-night talks) | ✝︎Wolfgang

Richter, Germany (indomitable bass player in our glorious band “Satanic

Blood”—it was the early 70s, right after the rise of Black Sabbath. For our times

breaking in wild horses in Andalusia, our forays into Spanish guitar playing and

flamenco dancing, bullfighting and rejoneo training, equestrian dressage, and

Nouvelle cuisine cooking. For being my best friend, until your untimely passing.)

LITERARY AND ACADEMIC INFLUENCES

TRAVELOGUES:

Growing up under communism made me feel trapped, suffocating—like

having a chain around my neck. Everything changed the day I discovered

travelogues. Inexplicably, these wonderful tales with their promise of

limitless freedom had escaped the ban of the commissar censors.

Ahmad Ibn Fadlan (The Risala of Ibn Fadlan, 921 AD) | Al-Masudi

(Meadows of Gold and Mines of Gems, 947 AD; Secret History of the Mongols,

after 1227) | Giovanni da Pian del Carpine (Ystoria Mongalorum, 1240s;

The Journey of Friar John of Pian de Carpine to the Court of Kuyuk Khan,

1245–1247) | William of Rubruck (The Journey of William of Rubruck

to the Eastern Parts of the World, 1253–1255) | Marco Polo (Book of the

Marvels of the World, c. 1300) | Ibn Battuta (The Travels of Ibn Battuta, AD

1325–1354) | Gabriele de’ Mussi (Istoria de Morbo sive Mortalitate quae

fuit Anno Dni MCCCXLVIII [1348]) | Pero Tafur (The Travels of Pero Tafur,

1435–1439) | Edouard Taitbout de Marigny (Three Voyages in the Black Sea

to the Coast of Circassia, 1818, 1823–24, 1837) | Edmund Spencer (Travels

in Circassia, Krim Tartary, &c, 1837) | James Stanislaus Bell (Journal of

a Residence in Circassia During the Years 1837, 1838 and 1839) | Karl F.

Neumann (Russland Und Die Tscherkessen, 1840) | J. A. Longworth (A

Year Among the Circassians, 1840) | Annie Jane Harvey (Turkish Harems

and Circassian Homes, 1871) | Paul Bushkovitch (Princes Cherkasskii or

Circassian Murzas: The Kabardians in the Russian boyar elite 1560–1700)

CLASSICAL INFLUENCES:

Homer (the notion of a “divine” Council of Influences for guiding/shaping

human endeavors, including their history) | Hesiod (Theogony and Works

and Days) | Xenophanes of Colophon (on the nature of God, truth, and

limits of human knowledge) | Parmenides of Elea (the Goddess’ account

and manner of teaching; the distinction between Ways, Truth and Doxa) |

Heraclitus of Ephesus (Gods showing by sign, flux, logos) | Empedocles

of Akragas (the exiled God, the Purifications, the return to the Divine

Realm, the cyclical cosmological concept, Love and Strife) | Herodotus

(Thracians, Getae, “Longheads,” Asian tribes) | Plato (Republic, Sophist,

Parmenides and Theaetetus. Individual topics are too many to list) |

Aristotle (Final Cause, soul, heaven) | Polybius (Histories) | Diodorus

Siculus (history of tribes, esp. Asia, Amazons, Hyperboreans, Scythians)

| Cicero (historical remarks, e.g., on Pythagoras) | Basilides (Gnosticism)

| Diogenes Laertius (various biographies) | Sextus Empiricus

(commentaries, skepticism, Kayin’s advocacy for the suspension of

judgment) | Plotinus (First and Second Men, the Two Worlds, the One) |

Plutarch (Parallel Lives, Delphic mysteries) | Simplicius (on Parmenides

and Aristotle, and his depiction of Harran, the Sabian school) | Giovanni

Boccaccio (Decameron) | Dante Alighieri (The Divine Comedy)

INSPIRING POETS:

Nothing can disarm me quite like lyric poetry, particularly the waka

verses of Ono no Komachi, one of the 36 immortals of poetry in

Japan. She speaks as though our true self is found only in loneliness,

and thus in our dreams. Outer reality, with its rigid mores and

pretentions, deserves only lip service—a tribute for returning

us to our solitary dreamworld where beauty reigns eternal.

Aristeas of Proconnesus, Greece (8th–7th century BC) |

Archilochus of Paros, Greece (680–c. 645 BC) | Sappho of

Lesbos, Greece (630–c. 570 BC) | Simonides of Ceos, Greece (c.

556–468 BC) | Pindar, Thebes, Greece (c. 518–c. 438 BC) | Ono no

Komachi, Japan (825–c. 900 AD) | Jalāl al-Dīn Muḥammad Rūmi,

Persia (1207–1273) | Saif-i Sarai, Golden Horde (1321–1396)

MODERN ACADEMICS:

A few of the thinkers whose daring ideas, speculations, and accounts

inspired my own modest thought experiments. Their mention should

not suggest an endorsement of concrete positions, but a conceptual

pantry for food for thought whose “flavors” imbued the OC.

William James (Pragmatism, the Unfinished Universe “still pursuing its

adventures”) | William James Sidis (The Reverse Universe) | John Wheeler

(It from Bit, Information Universe, encouraging the study of Presocratics) |

Richard Feynman (Physics Lectures) | Roger Penrose (Consciousness,

Quantum aspects of mental processes) | Stephen Hawking (Black holes,

Time, Information) | Julian Barbour (The Timeless Universe) | Sean

Carroll (“Baby” Universes) | Max Tegmark (Mathematical Universe) |

Carlo Rovelli (for bridging Presocratic thought and Quantum Philosophy)

| John Dillon (Plotinus, Soul, Gnostics) | Charles H. Kahn (Presocratics,

Pythagoreans, Plato, Being) | Mikhail Kizilov, U.K. (for drawing my

attention to the various Jewish communities populating Kaffa, and his paper,

“Slaves, Money Lenders, and Prisoner Guards: The Jews and the Trade in Slaves

and Captives in the Crimean Khanate”) | A.V. Lebedev (Heraclitus, Greek

doctrines of reincarnation and immortality of the soul) | Gábor Betegh

(Derveni Papyrus) | Apostolos Pierris (Ancient Greek economy) | Sara

Iles Johnston (Hecate) | Verena Gassner and Giovanna Greco (on Elea/

Velia) | Yulia Ustinova (Sacred caves) | Mircea Eliade (Shamanism,

Zalmoxe) | Hedvig von Ehrenheim (Incubation, dreams, and the temenos) |

Peter Kingsley (Incubation) | Mihály Hoppál (Shamanism) | Manduhai

Buyandelger (Mongolian shamanism) | Micha Titiev (Hopi history, Old

Oraibi) | Slavoj Žižek (Controversial ideas, deep grasp of Stalinist systems)

ESSENTIAL FICTION, SCIENCE FICTION,

and FANTASY AUTHORS:

Jack Vance’s flowery, often over-the-top dialogues taught me much

about the flexibility of the English language—I love his Cugel the Clever

character (in The Eyes of the Overworld and Cugel’s Saga). On the other end

of the spectrum is Otto McGavin, Joe Haldeman’s tragic protagonist

in All My Sins Remembered. The way Otto gets his memories purged

after every mission—to be fitted with a different persona for the next

one—is a brilliant take on the identity loss, personality implant and

conditioning genre. Kayin owes quite a bit to both Otto and Cugel.

Jack Vance (Dying Earth series, Lyonesse Trilogy, Planet of Adventure

series) | Ray Bradbury (The Martian Chronicles, Something Wicked This

Way Comes, “The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit,” Too Soon from the Cave, Too

Far from the Stars) | Joe Haldeman (All My Sins Remembered, The Forever

War) | J. G. Ballard (“The Garden of Time,” “The Watch-Towers”) |

Tim Powers (The Drawing of the Dark) | Robert Heinlein (Stranger in a

Strange Land) | Roger Zelazny (My Name Is Legion) | Gordon Dickson

(Childe Cycle series) | Jack L. Chalker (Well of Souls series) | Richard

Ben Sapir (The Far Arena) | David Mitchell (Cloud Atlas) | Umberto

Eco (The Name of the Rose, Foucault’s Pendulum) | Hermann Hesse

(“Orgelspiel,” The Glass Beads Game, Steppenwolf, Klein and Wagner,

Siddhartha) | Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre (Or I’ll Dress

You in Mourning) | Edgar Alan Poe (“The Masque of the Red Death,”

The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket) | Albert Camus

(The Plague, The Stranger) | Jorge Luis Borges (“The Immortal”)

LOCATIONS, GUIDES, HOSTS, CATERING

AND ACCOMMODATIONS

Some of these destinations and establishments served as refuges for

writing sessions. Others stand for milestones, such as the completion

of a research project, or the base of operations for expeditions and

archeological surveying work. More details are on the OC website, with

updated links, names of hosts, inn owners, and other useful contacts.

Andorra, Sant Julià de Lòria: Restaurant Pizzeria Venècia.

Meeting place for our Pyrenees motorbike runs. Thankful to Lluell

Llorenç Marti Alvar (Grand Master Andorra) for his guidance.

Austria, Galtür: Silva Peak Residences. Finished the OC’s

most challenging chapter, “Dark Harvest.” (Was hospitalized

for a near fatal blood-clot incident. Coincidence?)

Bulgaria, Sofia: WorkNomads LAB Hotel. Stayed there for four months.

Great place for a writer. Visited Devil’s Throat Cave, whose layout is reproduced

in the OC’s Orphean Cave. Thanks to Dr. Maria Christova-Penkova,

National Anthropological Museum, for the cranial elongation exhibit

and tour, and Petia for the Rodopi Mountains and Rila excursions.

Denmark, Copenhagen: Il Grappolo Blue

Ristaurante. Book 1 edit, and Istegade research.

Finland, Inari: The Sámi capital served as base for various excursions, including

the Sámi parliament and museum. Thanks to our Sámi guide, Satu Aikio. |

Restaurant Aanaar. Discovered the best restaurant in Finland, worthy of

Michelin stars. Its food and presentation alone are worth the trip to the Arctic.

Smoking deserts, Lingonberry cocktails, marinated cloudberries, sea buckthorn

pearls, spruce sap. Bonus: It bears the name of Aušrine's Sámi stepfather, a very

happy coincidence. | Oulu: Fuchka Oulu, Bangladesh Restaurant. Edits

and review of Book 1. The food is unique, and the owner most accommodating.

France, Montluçon: Château Saint-Jean. Historic, part of my Knight

Templar studies | Carcassonne: Hôtel de la Cité. Cathars research.

| Montségur: Hôtel Costes. Base for exploring Cathar fortresses.

Georgia, Tbilisi: Restaurant Barbarestan | Stepantsminda:

Rooms Kazbegi | Mestia: Tetmuldi Hotel. Base of operations for

Georgian and Caucasian studies, search for Quum, the Holy Trinity

Church, Gergeti, and the Svaneti museum in Mestia for the original

Soul Chronicles exhibit—models for the Kything. Grateful to Oto

Jafaridze, his theological background made him the perfect guide.

Germany, Dierhagen: Frei wie der Wind-Chalets. Ideal place

for edits and revisions. Baltic Sea beaches in walking distance. |

Helgoland: Zum Hamburger. I worked on this island for three

years in my youth. I consider it an Isle of Immortals analog.

Greece, Halkidiki: Eagles Resort, Ouranoupoli. While working on Plato’s

Parmenides there, I discovered the Temple of Ouranos nearby, which inspired

the Numen. | Kokkinos Finest Fish Restaurant. Best in Ouranoupoli, classy,

not a tourist trap. | Delphi: European Cultural Centre. The cultural heart of

Greece, and favorite venue for philosophical conferences. My thanks to former

director Vasilis, the center staff, and Delphi’s mayor, Panos Kaltsis. | Lakonia:

Kyniska Palace Hotel. Named after my favorite Spartan princess (Book 3). |

Chania: Restaurant Matzenta Kuzina del Sol. Best Mexican restaurant on

Crete, Mesoamerican/Cretan fusion. | Vathianos Kampos: Villa Ria. Spacious

Villa, stunning working conditions for last read of Book 1 before its release. |

Thermon: Ancestral home of my friend Vasilis; fascinating archeological site. Koukos

Konstantinos, vintner and blue olive oil maker, hosts astounding five-hour lunches.

Guatemala, Antigua: My spirited guides, Diana Paola Andrino Hernández, and

Cristian Alexander Loarca Oliva, who have shown me some of the most beautiful places

on Earth, especially mystical Lake Atitlán.

Italy, Sorrento: maison la minervetta. This hotel is a unique work of art. Perfect

stay to visit Paestum and Velia/Elea. Much indebted to Dr. Verena Gassner

for her archeological knowledge of Velia, and to Elvio Sciubba for his guidance

in Rome. | Catania, Sicily: Pudamuri Ristorante. Best Aetna olive oil.

Latvia, Riga: Restaurant “Locale,” Old Town. Tasty Eastern Mediterranean

cuisine. Went there repeatedly while in Riga to trace Aušrine˙’s Curonian roots.

Lithuania, Neringa Beach, Curonian Peninsula. The Beach is dreamy

white, inspiring Aušrine˙’s mother’s name. | Mose˙dis: Curonian Tribe

History Museum. | Vilnius: I advise getting an AirBnB in the Old

Town. Everything is within walking distance. The city is delightful

and sparkling clean. Researching Aušrine˙’s Curonian origins.

Malta, Valletta: Fifty Nine Republic Restaurant. Excellent fare.

| St. Paul’s Bay: LOA Restaurant. South American fusion cuisine,

fantastic cocktails. | Gozo: Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz.

Poland, Warsaw: The Westin. The Old (restored) town is a must

see. Tried to visit Auschwitz (for Book 2) on our way back from

Finland/Baltic States, but site was closed due to Covid.

Romania, Bucharest: JW Marriott Grand Hotel. Base of operations.

One of the capital’s better restaurants is Casa Doina, especially

the summer garden. | Ploiesti: Hanul Dacilor. A good bet for

traditional cuisine and atmosphere. | Sibiu (old Hermannstadt, city

of my ancestors): Crama Sibiul Vechi. Restaurant offers authentic

Transylvanian fare. Indebted to ✝︎Stefan Manole, and Lucia Mihalache.

Russia, Moscow: Hotel National, Red Square. Stayed in the

historic suite 107, Vladimir Lenin’s office and living quarters in 1918.

Direct view of the Kremlin. | Cafe Pushkin. Cosmopolitan flair and

borscht. | Restaurant Central House of Writers. Historic, great

food. | St. Petersburg: Corinthia Nevsky Palace Hotel.

Serbia, Belgrade: Radisson Collection Old Mill; Vinča, Archeological

Site. | Belovode: Vinča Culture, VI millennium BC, for my studies

on the Copper Age and the Neolithic. | Veliko Laole: “Copper

Mountain,” site of Y’lira’s village and Kayin’s home (Book 3).

Sweden, Stockholm: Boca Grande Tapas & Pinchos Restaurant.

Reviews and edits for a week when our SUV needed service on our way

to the Arctic. This Spanish restaurant hit the spot, night after night.

Switzerland, Davos Mountain View Residence.

Finished Kayin’s run there, the OC series’ climax.

Vreni’s Teekanne. Tea specialty store. Vreni Federici is a well-travelled

tea expert and provided me with blends typical of the waystations on the

Silk Road. | Zurich: Ristorante Napoli da Gerardo. Gerardo is the

consummate host. Try his truffle pasta with cocoa and tell him I sent you.

An especially warm salute to the town of Richterswil: For the artistic

freedom, peace of mind, and interesting people one meets here.

Türkiye, Şanliurfa: Top-notch archeological museum; base for trips to

Göbekli Tepe, Karahan Tepe, and Harran excursions. Kudos to our guides

Taha Ozyavuz, Halil and Halil. | Çulcuoğlu Restaurant. Pistachio

flavored coffee! Kahramanmaraş. Base for exploring Domuztepe. Much

indebted to caretaker Sait (Cep) Tümay for his hospitality. | Cappadocia:

Restaurant Dibek, Göreme. Grateful to our excellent guide Nesime Tanis.

U.S.A. Second Mesa, AZ: Hopi Cultural Center. The place to stay when

visiting Hopi lands. Delicious Hopi Tacos. Must see: Tsakurshovi Trading

Post, origin of the “Don’t Worry, be Hopi” slogan. Wonderful storeowners.

Great selection of authentic Kachina dolls and ceremonial garb. | New

Mexico: Pueblo of Zuni, Acoma Pueblo (Sky City); Taos Pueblo. |

Utah: Valley of the Gods B&B. Solitary retreat. Navajo country.

ART

Anca Seel Constantin (Switzerland/Romania). Dear friend and consummate

artist whose paintings are windows to a world we all remember but cannot name.

Anca transformed the Masks of God into a Book Art Object, exhibited at the

Craiova Modern Art Museum, Romania, October 31–November 30, 2024.

Ashley Von Helsing (U.S.A.). Artist photographer. For her inspired

creation of the feathered “Setenay, Silver Mask” image, which has

become iconic, and her phenomenal Aušrine˙ photoshoot.

Doralynne Valenzuela (U.S.A.). Photographer. For capturing

the winning shot of Aušrine˙ featured on the cover.

Ihor Reshetnikov (Ukraine). Artist. Creator of

the blue Hiding Land/CoMonia image.

Richard Langberg (U.S.A.). Graphic designer. Creator

of the animated Ouroboros and OC Word Cloud.

Simeon Netchev (Switzerland/Bulgaria). Graphic

designer, cartographer. Creator of Maps.

Peter Dobler (Pit Xeno) (Switzerland). Generative

artist, content producer, character studies.

Cassius Ramsey (U.S.A.). Videographer, visual

editor, content producer, character studies.

FaceOut Studio (U.S.A.). For their contributions to the cover design.

Jürgen Atzgerstorfer (Switzerland). For the author photographs.

GAMING

Playing video games is the fastest way I know to clear my

mental RAM, allowing me to return to researching, writing,

and editing with fresh eyes. Here’s to my gaming friends:

“Killer” Rob, “killerbudzs420” | Hazard “slugle” | Jutta “Trancima”

| Laura “Kukumukxku” | Sven “NuntiusLucem” | Logan

“LoganBanging” | Michi “Crelio SEVEN” | Gabriel “SuperSonicLion2”

and “AstroMantis.” My own gamertags are “Daymare7” and “Xeniades.”

Games played: Elden Ring and Shadow of Erdtree (all-time

favorites—they feel like playing the OC, plotwise and aesthetically);

Destiny 2 (though barely nowadays, the game is on life-support);

Halo: Master Chief Collection (still fun as a classic); Revenant; Cyberpunk

77; Forza 5; Horizon Zero Dawn (best plot, regrettably only single player);

Outriders; Atlas Fallen; (and the greatest brainteaser of them all) Balatro.

SOUNDTRACK

Some of these pieces reflect the geographical

regions and cultures celebrated in the OC.

Armand Amar & Lévon Minassian (“Hovern’ engan”) | Bliss (“They

Made History [Main Title]”; “When History Was Made”) | Owen

Ear (“Expectation”) | Ryan Farish (“Walk With You”) | MARION

(“Talking to the Moon”) | Forester (“Cambria”) | Tom Middleton

(“Return to Atlantis”) | En Voice (“Hall of Dreams”; “Inner Vision”)

| Emancipator & 9 Theory (“Bombilla”) | Reasonandu (“Pure Love”)

| Lauren Daigle (“Rescue”) | Sofiane Pamart (“Nara”) | Jens Gad

(“The Orbiting Suns”) | Enigma (“Sitting on the Moon”) | Zetandel

(“Sweet Moments”) | Electrix (“. . . Coming Home”) | Erik Seifert &

Josef Steinbüchel (“Anamorphic”) | 7and5 (“Forward Way Back”)

| Sleepthief (“Reason Why”; “Tenuous”; “Sublunar”; “Entre Ciel

Et Mer”) | Lauge & v e n n (“Sollys”) | Promid (“Caress”) | TWO

LANES & Kwesi (“Another Time”) | Nordsø & Theill (“Alabas”)

| Rohne (“Ceres”) | Anita Lipnicka & John Porter (“Death of a

Love”) | Delerium (“Innocente”) | Conjure One (“Damascus”) |

Christian Jendreiko and ✝︎Stefan Werni’s Europa Quartet | Michel

Barros Bessone & Tomas Veloz (“El Aparecido”) | Pettya & Arn (Ciel

Noir: “Uncreated-George Remix”; “Soulwind”; “Imaginary Heart”;

“Soulveniers”; “Vertical Love”; “Sky City”; “Night and Light”).

FINAL WORD

I owe the greatest debt to Ray Bradbury for challenging me to try my

hand at philosophical fiction. Like him, “I truly believe in a Future.”

Arnold Hermann, September 25, 2025

The Real Life Origins of The OC

Author's LOG