2001 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House Year 5
2001 – NETHERWORLD Haunted House – Year 5
The main theme for NETHERWORLD in 2001 was BURIED ALIVE – a tale of an ancient evil lurking in the catacombs beneath the old Harkness House. Drawing foul nourishment from the torture of victims, the creature sent its undead zombie servitors out into the night to bring back fresh prey. Sort of a mashup of a haunted house and a Zombie theme, this year featured the creation of a one eyed tentacled monster called the Somnabula, a very Lovecraftian creature, core to the prime storylines of NETHERWORLD. The 3D show featured a very far out concept, PLANET X, that went all the way from very 50’s Sci-Fi style little green men and robots to an extremely surreal and detailed alien world that many found to be quite trippy!
This was a very tough season for haunts (and everyone else) and NETHERWORLD was no exception, as the 9-11 attacks hit just as events were starting to open. Across the country everyone’s thoughts were on more important things than Halloween, and going to big public events wasn’t considered a good idea by many. NETHERWORLD had however coincidentally decided long before 9-11 to expand its marketing plans considerably so the haunt actually grew slightly in attendance in a year when most of the industry had experienced a major downturn. It seemed in late October that folks had developed a resolve to go out and enjoy life, and not give into depression over world events, so things began to look up. By the end of the 2001 season we were once again successful and able to turn our thoughts to next year’s show!
BURIED ALIVE!
In the middle ages it caused the death of millions
It came from utter darkness to feed on the pain of mankind.
Attn. Lyle Ackerman, Lead Field Operative, Southeastern Region
Re: Case: 2466 Brotherhood of Fire/Harkness House
One of the darker secrets of the Inquisition was the Brotherhood of Fire, a little known order of warrior monks devoted to destroying foul creatures from the Netherworld, or Shadows as they were called. It was at their command that tens of thousands of innocents suffered horrible deaths in foul torture chambers during the Middle Ages. But to their credit, legions of inhuman monsters were also destroyed; their remains sealed in hidden catacombs deep within the earth.
Note: Our scholars have discovered that the Brotherhood received divine inspiration from a “fallen angel” that crashed to earth near their monastery. We now believe this angel was in fact a Xenomorphic Psychic Vampire, an alien life form also known as a Somnambula. It is possible that this creature brought about the Inquisition to feed on the pain and death agony of humans. It is also very likely that this creature captured many Shadows, to later release for its own purposes.
Cast out of Europe, and Buried Alive in the new world…
For 4000 years it has waited to feed again.
When the New World was discovered, the Brotherhood decided it would be the perfect place to dispose of the deadly remains and cursed torture equipment, and built a fortified monastery deep within the Georgia swamps to house the ancient evil. Local Indian tribes sensed the darkness that had been brought to the land, and destroyed the monastery and its inhabitants.
Following the Civil war, wealthy landowner Jebidiah Harkness found the solid stone foundation, and built a large manor house there. One by one, his family went mad or died horrible deaths as the evil began to awaken. More than one child of the Harkness family was born with unnameable deformities, and locked in the attic away from the eyes of man. 27 years ago the last known Harkness died, and the house was abandoned to the swamps.
Now the chains have been broken…
From the foul catacombs, beneath the Harkness House,
Its undead warriors will spread a festering evil once more.
But something has happened in the last few months to draw our attention once more to Harkness House. The Dead are returning. Slowly at first came reports of disturbed graves, of stolen bodies. Then came the missing person’s reports. Field tests show a major Mobius event developing, with the Harkness House at its center. All tests indicate a major gateway to the NETHERWORLD is about to open.
Note: Both of our other Somnambula encounters have involved animation of the dead. The Somnambula infects host bodies with Necrophages, microscopic viral life forms that reanimate dead tissue. When the Slave Zombies consume the brains of their victims, the life energy feeds the Somnambula. It can inject the Necrophages directly through tentacles, or with a winged insect like parasite called a Necromantis.
Soon you will have to choose.
Join the Army of the Dead or be…. BURIED ALIVE
Take your team and seal the gate before the shadow spreads once more…
P.S. Hey Lyle…Isn’t there a flame in our logo? Probably a coincidence?
Randolph W. Varga
Asst. Chief of Field Operations
Majestic 12
PLANET X IN 3D
It came to Earth to destroy Mankind
So we paid its planet a visit
Earth sent a drone ship to open the gateway..
They will never know what hit them!
How could we be so wrong?
No one could be prepared for what we found on PLANET X!
REVIEWS FROM 2001
“It’ll scare the crap out of you!”
– Creative Loafing
“It is an incredible experience, even for those that shy away from haunted houses.”
– Forsyth County News
“A combination of state-of-the-art horror displays and genuine scares.”
– Forsyth County News
“The quality of the sets is top notch.”
– Forsyth County News
“People leave the Netherworld satisfied.”
– Forsyth County News
“Netherworld is here: You may just soil your linens!”
– GSU Signal
“A high-end version of a traditional haunted house.”
– Ledger-Enquirer
“A Halloween tradition for Atlanta.”
– prickmag.net
“One of the nation’s most satisfying horror experiences…so you may want to bring a change of shorts.”
– digitalcity.com
“Scares aplenty can be found at Netherworld Haunted House.”
– 99XPress Magazine
“For the last four years, Netherworld Haunted House has been one of Atlanta’s favorite sources for fright, and this year promises to be their spookiest yet.”
– Digital City: Atlanta
“More horrifying than ever!”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter
“One of the scariest and most innovative haunts in the nation.”
– Atlanta Social Crew Weekly Newsletter