23.5 DEGREES- Bloodline: The Resurrection of the Dead Plantard Letters

Hello Stella,

Yes I agree with your comments on Ben Hammott's book, lost Tomb of the Knights Templar. I too am skeptical of Ben's discoveries but I can't fault some of his research. I have been keeping an eye on his website for a while now, which I also find interesting as he seems to post articles about stuff that others don't and he usually has a lot of good photos to go with the text to back it up, in fact sometimes it is mostly photographs. But to get back to the book, I did enjoy Ben's humour (if not his choice of cuisine) in the book and the way it follows his 'quest' from first hearing about Rennes-le-Chateau and then his research and discoveries. It was easy to read and kept me interested the whole way through. In its way I think it will probably become a valuable book for those interested in the Sauniere saga, whatever you think of Ben himself. I cannot think of another similar book with so many images to accompany the text and it really enables you to enjoy the story more than if they were absent.

I have sent a couple of emails to Ben where I posed certain questions to him and he always replied promptly and with a detailed answer. Now after reading Ben's book I tend to believe his account of what happened in relation to his discoveries, even though I still need to be convinced about the actual messages and the chest, but however they got there I believe Ben found them as written in his book and it was not him who placed them there.

Your article hints that Plantard, looking for a way to boost the waning interest in the Rennes mystery, may have had a hand in the authorship or hiding of the chest and bottles, and I am not altogether against this idea but if so, he must have been playing the long game as they have only recently been discovered, after his death. Could his demise have triggered someone in the know to somehow hint at or release certain information to ensure someone would discover them?

Also, I am looking for a group or forum I can join to chat about Rennes-le-Chateau, the Priory of Sion, The Knights Templar, etc, so if anyone can point me in the right direction I would be grateful.

Sarah

<div>Hi Sarah... I noticed that you only registered today, so thanks for joining in.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>I think the most distressing element of Ben's culinary preferences is the way he willfully desecrates the High Art of fermented potato production with Coca-Cola. Has the man never experienced the joys of a civilised vodka tonic (preferably with a slice of lemon)?! I'm telling you, his wife must have the patience of a saint!</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>As for the rest... I've been investigating secret societies and chivalric orders for nigh-on fifteen years now, and I haven't met one person with any real Knowledge or even one tiny little Secret yet. I always try to keep an open mind, just in case, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On the other hand, maybe the truly enlightened ones simply keep their mouths shut and watch us all happily chase our sorry tails around in circles?&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>In the meantime, I tend to avoid discussion forums like the plague... occasionally I'll post on the 23.5 forum here at Mania if I have time, but only because I know that our site moderator is well versed in proper internet etiquette. I think he drinks beer, though... I prefer a nice Corbieres rouge, myself.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Sparkles from Stella</div> <div>&nbsp;</div>

The attached article from yesterday's Times rang faint bells with an article that Stella wrote earlier this year.

http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article5201784.ece

Interesting comments/questions raised by Ms/Mrs Blacksmith...

 

 

 

 In the original French Plantard letter, the word "sauvegarde" has been translated as "copy", whereas it actually means "safeguard".  Is there any significance in this?

Stella, thank God you have a memory like a steel trap and never throw anything away!  You're right, it all makes perfect sense.  Somewhere in Catalonia, I know someone who is smiling broadly.

BTW Prof. W., a back-up copy would be referred to as a "sauvegarde" in French.

Hmm, so whatever they made a safety copy OF must have been small enough to fit into a safe...?

Buzz, once I had the date of the opening of the first bottle from Ben's book, the rest just slotted into place. Believe it or not, I now have all my emails and material from as far back as 1994 compiled onto one computer... although it's all an absolute nightmare to trawl through. Need time to organise everything into files.

Good catch on Times article, W... it's interesting to see that the academics can be just as devious as the amateurs...

BTW... does anyone recognise the mountain in the thought-bubble next to the Scarlet Angel's head in Ines' painting above??

hmmm...off the top of my head...is it Mt. Caignou?

 Well, it would definitely be awfully convenient for some of the spin-off backstories if it was Canigou... but, somehow I think that would be too obvious.

 Buzzkill, you may be right about "sauvegarde" - if it is indeed an electronic copy.  If it's not electronic, then "copy" isn't the right translation.  I guess we'll never know!