A letter of welcome (to whom it may concern)

Submitted into Contest #230 in response to: Write a story in the form of a list.... view prompt

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Mystery Fiction

We of the esteemed Society of Luxure and Beon (for the fabulously hedonistic and lavish) wish to congratulate you on your entry into our outermost circles. This is not a privilege that is given to just anybody and we hope that you can both understand and respect the gravity of this honour and act accordingly. 

Your enjoyment of the finer things in life have not gone unnoticed and we offer you a platform for which to delve into whatsoever pleasures you might wish to indulge. 

It is of vital importance that you heed the rules of the Society. This is to ensure both your continued delights and the protection of those within the wider community. 

Show nobody the rules you have been provided, but wear them close to your heart. This is not negotiable and failure to comply with this, or any of the following rules will result in punishment of the highest order. 

1) Do not, under any circumstances, discuss matters of the Society to those on the outside. 

We do not need to know about whatever tedious humdrum drivel the mundane masses are getting up to, so why should they concern themselves with our business? The less they know the better all that are involved are. They say that ignorance is bliss, and we can imagine that is true for those who have never had the privilege of tasting pure and true bliss, and so who are we to deny them their makeshift mockeries of joy and pleasure? 

Our matters are simply our own, and we request that all members keep to this. If it comes a time that you suspect a stranger to be aware of anything at all, do what you feel is necessary to ensure the situation is dealt with to its conclusion. 

Secrecy is a delight all of its own.

2) If any of your whims run the risk of endanaging a fellow member, remember to ask permission first. 

There will inevitably be at least least a member or three who shares in your personal proclivities, no matter how obscure you think it to be. We are, after all, a group that reaches all corners of the map! If you wish to seek your pleasure alongside another, ensure that all involved are aware of what this entails. Not everyone finds the spilling of blood to be quite so enticing, and while that may seem odd and rather dull, it is their decision what they might engage in, not our own. 

There is much fun to be had in a well-orchestrated revenge, and so it is highly encouraged to engage in lavish revenge plays against members who are seen to have wronged another member. 

The greatest pleasures are shared and indulged in wholeheartedly. 

3) Ensure all signs of your presence has been thoroughly eradicated upon completion. 

They say that cleanliness is next to godliness, and you, each and every member of the Society, are as close to gods walking among mankind, so it is vital there is no risk of jeopardising this. It is understandable that one might wish to leave some trace of themself upon the world, but it is a necessity to maintain the secrecy (see rule 1) of our group and so not a single drop of fluid or scratch of stone go undealt with. 

There is no shame in asking for help if you need to. Not everybody has the necessary skills, and stubborn stains are not always so ready to go away, and some discarded bulk takes longer to get rid of than others do. 

Leave no traces that you had ever been, your privacy is our privacy. 

4) Ask no questions of your fellows that you would not be willing to answer yourself and do not question the answer you are given. 

What we each do with our time is no concern to anyone but the individual themself. We can imagine you would not wish to be bombarded with inquiries towards how you spend your private hours, so assume the same for your fellows. Do not ask questions that you do not wish to accept the answer to. 

Assume that any and everything you are told is the complete truth, even if you presume something to be false, know it to be true. If you lie, presume the same for your fellows and likewise presume their reason to be the same as your own. 

Everyone is entitled to their own truth. 

5) You are a person of exceptional character, it is vital that you approach the world around you as much. 

To have even been considered for the privilege of joining your fellow Society members it would have been seen that you are a person of esteemed character. Do not spoil who you are by busying yourself with those who are less that we are. You simply do not need them to be fulfilled anymore. 

That said, it is just as important to not give away your affiliation. The ties you must sever requires the gentle touch of the gentlefolk as to not arouse suspicion. We've no doubt in your ability to do so, you have proved your capacity, so show the world and do what you must to ensure that you can leave your past behind so you can claim the beauty of your future with both hands. 

Complete your metamorphosis and embrace your new, true life. 

6) One's exploits and merriment are free to be shared among your fellows but regrets and concerns are to be kept to yourself. 

Life is to be enjoyed, to be lived to its fullest extent in any and every way this can manifest. So why, then, should you burden others with the darkness that would dampen this? That is frankly just selfish, and not even in a way that one can derive any enjoyment from whatsoever. 

Jealousy, on the other hand, breeds innovation. Delight in your pleasures and delight in the reactions your fellows have to hearing how you thrive. Nobody needs to know if you regret the choices you chose to make of your own free will, not when it is far more fullfilling to hear of a life spent living to its absolute fullest. 

Nobody needs to hear of sorrows, joy rings far sweeter to the hearts and minds. 

7) Upon the rare instance of discovery, you are required to do any and everything within your capacity to ensure secrecy is maintained. 

As emphasised in both rules 1 and 4, secrecy is vital for the maintained longevity of the Society and so it is asked of all members to take it upon themselves to ensure this is not jeopardized. Each person is free to do so how they choose, and are free to have fun with it to whatever degree they might wish, but we ask that the end result is final. We understand that the eradication of one's loved ones can be a touchy subject and so we encourage you to ask for help from your fellows when a situation may arise that it is necessary, there is no shame in asking for help when necessary. 

If it comes to light that it was an active decision on a member's behalf to share private information, it will lead to an immediate annulment (see rule 10) of group membership. An annulment enacted upon by all members of the Society that are in the vicinity. 

This is our world, it does not need to spill out into the lives of those that are not worthy. 

8) Your fellows of the Society are your friends, remember that you do not need to associate with anyone lower than you are. 

It is not difficult for you to understand that through your admittance, you have entered a higher order of life to those you were previously acquainted. We recognise the difficultly that you may face when severing ties to those you know, but it is the quite simple fact that you are not of the same order as they occupy and so it would be a disservice to you to maintain a connection. A disservice to you, and would reflect poorly upon us if it were to get out that a member was spending their days with something lesser. 

You have now all the space to surround yourself with like-minded fellows who not only would serve as ideal companions, but would inevitably have an overlap of interests and passions. Who could ever need more than that? 

There is no greater enrichment of the mind than that shared with like-minded individuals. 

9) All matters of the Society are to be solved by members thereof, the introduction of outside parties is strictly prohibited. 

Upon the rare but inevitably instances where personal grievances and vengeances cannot be solved between the involved parties, it is necessary to state that the individual or individuals involved can only call upon their fellows of the Society to bring it to its natural conclusion. This ensures that all involved will be placed nearabouts an equal place of understanding, as well as ensuring no matters of our own will run the risk of spreading beyond where it belongs. 

We understand the allure of the modern policing and jurisdictional systems, however we are more capable of managing our own concerns and so these services are not to be contacted. They are but weak-minded fools and so could never understand our world. 

It is your fellows with us, and us alone who can keep you safe. 

10) Upon your admittance to the Society, you are a member for the remainder of your life, this is not debatable. 

The admittance into the Society is an honour that is not to be taken lightly. The knowledge that you learn through us, the opportunities that you would never have dreamed of, the freedom to embrace all that life has to offer will be yours until the final beat of your heart. Only a fool would wish to sever the ties that they are so kindly offered. 

The attempt at severing these ties would be considered a breeching of rules 1, 4 and 7 and the remaining members would then be forced to take immediate action to ensure their own safety. We can assume by this point you understand the severity of this, and so would accept the necessary eradication with the same dignity that brought you to our attention. It is simply a given that upon being admitted to the Society, you will live out your days amongst us. So why would you wish to bring your days to an end so swiftly? Through us you are free to live as you please, the right to both is revoked when you might wish to leave.

There is nothing sweeter than life, don't lose it so soon. 

As long as you follow the rules as they have been given, we trust that your presence among the Society of Luxure and Beon (for the fabulously hedonistic and lavish) will be a happy one. We trust you will not consider going against these very simple rules.

We shall be in contact again before too very long. 

And don't forget to embrace all the moments of profound pleasure, ecstasy and joy as they come to you. 

December 27, 2023 14:22

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