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Information on three separate, closely-connected books, along with Armitage's commentary, all dealing with the visions Paul the Baptist supposedly had of the End Times while in prison.
From the Armitage Collection:
Against the Secret Revelations By: Tertullian Language: Latin Cthulhu Mythos: +1 History: +3 Occult: +2 Religion: +4 Sanity Loss: 1/1d3 Average Study Time: 6 weeks
Against the Secret Revelations survives only in fragmentary form; the full form, if found, would add an additional +1 to Occult and to Religion. Against the Secret Revelations is a heresiology written by Tertullian and directed against The Secret Revelations of Paul. According to Tertullian, information about The Secret Revelations came almost exclusively from The Mystical Teachings of Jesus, an anonymous quasi-Gnostic text on metaphysics. The Mystical Teachings (which is now believed also lost) quoted large segments of The Secret Revelations, which it described as being the transcription of the words spoken by the angel to Paul in Revelations, which he was instructed to conceal:
“And when the seven thunders had uttered their voices, I was about to write: and I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Seal up those things which the seven thunders uttered, and write them not.” (Rev. 10:4, KJV).
Supposedly, Paul wrote The Secret Revelations either at the same time as or shortly after he wrote Revelations proper. The author of Mystical Teachings does not explain how the document came to be in his possession, or why Paul disobeyed the angel's command. Tertullian harshly criticizes The Mystical Teachings and its author. He demonstrates the incompatibility of both The Mystical Teachings and the portions of The Secret Revelations it contains with Christianity as it is generally understood, and accuses the author of fabricating The Secret Revelations whole-cloth, noting that it was literally unheard-of prior to The Mystical Teachings. He also notes that various other authors (who he does not name in the surviving fragment) have written similar texts in which they claim to have had access to The Secret Revelations, but dismisses them as having appeared in imitation of The Mystical Teachings.
Armitage's Commentary By: Catherine Armitage Language: English Sanity Loss: 0/0 Average Study Time: 4 hours
After Tertullian, The Mystic Teachings and The Secret Revelations appear intermittently in occult lore, most often associated with gnosticism and the kabbalah. In the Necronomicon, Abd al-Azrad makes a typically elliptical reference to “the heresy by the prophet,” which “explained much and little”; based on other statements in the text, some believe this is a reference to The Secret Revelations. A fragment (probably apocryphal) claims that John of Toledo determined his prediction of the end of the world in 1186 using flawed extrapolations from a copy of The Secret Revelations. A text, supposedly written by a perfecti of the Catharist hereticism, claims The Mystic Teachings as the basis for Catharism. Edward Kelley, associate of John Dee, claimed to have been shown intact copies of both at a remote Italian monastery, but his claim is deeply suspect. Other references abound, although details vary wildly, ranging from advocacy of ascetism so extreme as to lead to death, to libertine amorality.
The Mystical Teachings of Jesus By: Unknown Language: Greek Cthulhu Mythos: +3 History: +4 Occult: +8 Sanity Loss: 1d4/1d8 Average Study Time: 4 weeks Spells: Voorish Sign
Note that this text is not in the Armitage collection and is believed extinct. According to Tertullian and the most reliable of the other authors, The Mystical Teachings of Jesus was a quasi-Gnostic textbook on metaphysics, drawing heavily on the more bizarre offshoots of Platonic philosophy and early Christianity. After discussing such matters as the viciousness of matter, the divine Monad, the twenty-eight emanations of the Godhead, and the like, The Mystical Teachings evidently devoted a large section to quoting from and approvingly commenting on The Secret Revelations of Paul.
The author claimed to have obtained a copy of The Secret Revelations from a friend, who had in turn obtained them from a prison guard on the island Paul had been imprisoned on. The Mystical Teachings of Jesus was, for a time, a widely-read and influential if unoriginal text on Gnostic metaphysics. Its popularity had largely dimmed by 200 AD, and the last mention of an extant copy is in 638 AD, when it is included in a list of works destroyed in the taking of Caesarea Palaestina by the Muslims, and there is serious speculation that even this report is false.
The Secret Revelations of Paul By: Unknown, possibly St. Paul the Baptist Language: Greek Cthulhu Mythos: +8 History: +6 Religion: +12 Sanity Loss: 1d6/2d6 Average Study Time: 6 weeks
Note that this text is not in the Armitage collection and is believed extinct. According to Tertullian and the most reliable of the other authors, The Secret Revelations consisted of two parts. The first was an elaboration on and explanation of the symbolism in the seven signs and trumpets of the Apocalypse, including numerological explanations for how to calculate the dates and times of the signs and trumpets. The second half consisted of an elaborate account of the Angel's words, which supposedly were the Secret Names of the Tripartite God. Supposedly, this account contained clues hidden cryptographically and metaphorically that would reveal these Names. Only isolated sentences survive of either section. If it did exist, The Secret Revelations was non-extant almost from the moment of its creation. Copies of books purporting to be The Secret Revelations circulated widely among Gnostic and occult communities in the late 1st and early 2nd centuries AD, according to Tertullian, but probably most if not all were forgeries.
Story Seed
The Cathars believe that the physical world is a corrupt illusion created and ruled by the evil Rex Mundi. They believe that God is a purely spiritual entity powerless to influence the material. Some would be appeasers trying to worship the aspects of Rex Mundi (as they would understand the Mythos to be) and some would struggle to resist the material temptations. The conflict between these two factions might erupt in the middle ages. Here we enter the realm of Secret History. Perhaps the increasing Cathar influence and discord in Averoigne (See Worlds of Cthulhu #2) stirred up a mad hornet's nest of trouble just prior to the Albigensian Crusade. Basque Tsathogens to the south (see Cthulhu Live Lost Souls) could ally with Moorish sorcerers and opportunistically look to acquire occult power during the chaos. Then the Church and King invade the region, slaughtering all those not abandoning heresy. This would be a ripe time of slaughter, an ideal period for the Templars to become corrupted by the witchcult worship of Shub-Niggurath prevalent in the dark forests of Northern Europe.
The Templars would struggle to understand the conflict between the Cathar worshippers of Rex Mundi and the orthodox Gnostics who oppose them. It is easy to imagine crusading knights discovering Gnostic secrets of the Holy Grail and Holy Blood being lured into ever-increasing heresy and corruption by seductive medieval witches. A Germanic Coven would come south into the war, following blood and souls promised to them by the Black Man. The witches would be so eager to delve into sacred caves painted with the vile images of their prehistoric goddess. Wild cruel witch dances and naked supernatural orgies in the south of France - an excellent Dark Ages campaign awaits.
After the dissolution of the Templars in 1307, the Church may have conducted a purge, a Hidden Inquisition of surviving Knights lasting for seven years, when the Pope finally secretly pardoned the Knights in 1314. Uncorrupted Templars accepted into the Hospitalers after 1307 could easily form the nucleus of a catholic secret society. Although religious orders largely gave up banking and usury at this time, there was a large shift in treasure and people and power occuring. This was an ideal time for a newsecret society to plant it's roots throughout Europe and the Holy Land. They would call themselves: The Order of the Sword of Saint Jerome...
"Paul the Baptist"? Not familiar with this figure.
John the Baptist was a cousin of Jesus, executed by Herod several years prior to Jesus' death.
John the Apostle, son of Zebedee, was one of Jesus' twelve disciples. Church tradition holds that he alone of the twelve was not martyred (executed for his beliefs). He was instead exiled to the island Patmos, where he wrote Revelations (or "Revelations of John" or "Apocalypse of John".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Apostle
Paul, born Saul, was a Jew and a Roman citizen, and early Christian evangelist. A large number of New Testament books (letters) are traditionally attributed to Paul.
Most likely, you're referring to John the Apostle. He seemed to be a favorite of the Gnostics, as well.
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