Q: So, who are you guys??
A: Hi! We're a team of 3 people:
- Nellinanutshell91 - Me! I started the blog after visiting in 2004.
Fun fact: Outside of this project, I work as an art handler. Once I got to hold a Cezanne! - Yell0wsine - Organizes most of our real-life research and field work.
Fun fact: He's been looking into Carcosa since all the way back in the 80's. - xX.magpie.Xx - Internet outreach, and helps me review incoming testimonies. Visited in 2001.
Fun fact: She makes taxidermy (creepyyy >_<)
There are a few other people working with us on the project, but they prefer to stay off the blog :-) You can find our public testimonials above.
Q: Is Carcosa a real place? Are you crazy?
A: This is one of the main questions that led to us starting the project. On our own, we each thought that our journey was just a strange dream. As we found each other, we realized it may not have been. Everyone’s time in Carcosa is unique, but there are overlaps in our stories. Hopefully, the more experiences we can gather, the more proof we’ll have that it is something real!
Q: How can I visit?
A: So far, no one has been able to locate Carcosa voluntarily. This is another goal of the project: to find a way to return. We have every reason to believe it is a tangible space, since all of us returned with physical evidence.
Q: How can I know if I was there, aside from the dreams?
A: Here is a non-comprehensive list of reported after-effects:
Upon immediate return, many find themselves to be dirty or sore, as if they had sleepwalked a long distance. Other common post-visit symptoms seem to include brain fog, loss of short term memory, dissociation/derealization, and a fixation on the images seen there. Many of us describe this fixation as a sort of yearning/homesickness. Multiple individuals have reported numbness in their extremities for a period of time following their visit. Some have also reported hearing a slight echo to their voice when speaking.
Q: I think I visited Carcosa, and I had a negative experience. What should I do next?
A: It seems to be common for individuals to be injured in Carcosa, or be compelled to do things they would not typically want to do. This can be difficult to deal with after returning, as it is impossible to accurately describe what happened to anyone else, including loved ones and therapists.
We are currently figuring our how to host a support group forum. In the meantime, please reach out to us via email if you would like to talk through the events of your journey. If you would like to get your experience off of your chest anonymously, we encourage everyone to submit their testimonials. If it happened to you, it may have happened to one of us, too.
A: “Carcosa” is the name of a fictional city from Ambrose Bierce's An Inhabitant of Carcosa, which was later referenced and popularized by Robert Chambers and H. P. Lovecraft.
Q: What kind of stories are you looking for?
A: As a rule of thumb, if you have a story, send it! If you’re unsure if your experience applies, here are some guidelines:
Q: Where does the name “Carcosa” come from?
A: “Carcosa” is the name of a fictional city from Ambrose Bierce's An Inhabitant of Carcosa, which was later referenced and popularized by Robert Chambers and H. P. Lovecraft.
Yell0wsine noticed some similarities to the story in his research, and the name caught on among our group! We don’t know if Bierce was also a visitor, but there’s no proof he wasn’t!
Q: What kind of stories are you looking for?
A: As a rule of thumb, if you have a story, send it! If you’re unsure if your experience applies, here are some guidelines:
DON'T SEND US A STORY IF YOU HAVEN'T VISITED.
- We are seeking written testimony from individuals who believe that their “dreams” may be more than that. We are looking for the details of locations, environments, objects, etc., anything that you may have encountered there.
- Document any physical evidence you brought back (sand in shoes, etc.). If you can draw images of the things you saw, include those as well, regardless of artistic ability.
- If possible, include your best estimate of the timeline and map of your journey.
- Some commonly recurring sights include: A teal signal tower, black “stars,” large beaches, and tall figures made of copper wire. If you did not see any of these, it does not invalidate your story. We are unsure of how large Carcosa is, so claims of any new locations are extremely valuable. Most people never encounter other people on their visit, but that does not rule out the possibility. Everyone’s journey is unique!
- This is not a creative writing forum. Do not submit short stories in the format of a testimony. We are seeking true, autobiographical experiences.
- Do not submit stories heard secondhand. If you believe someone you know has visited, please ask them to catalogue their experience themself, in the name of accuracy as well as privacy.
- Do not submit a story if you know for a fact it was the result of a drug trip/mental health episode. We know that Carcosa can appear to be dreamlike and hallucinatory, but it is neither of those things.
- We can always tell if your story is a joke/prank. Please do not waste our time with spam.
If you've read this far and think you have something to share, head to the Send Us Your Story tab!