Archive 81 Explained: Kaelego, Otherworld, Baldung Witches, and More | Den of Geek

The Vos Society

Though Kaelego is ancient and perhaps even timeless, The Vos Society is where the human portion of Archive 81’s story truly begins. The Vos Society is a parapsychological organization created by the rich Vos family in the 1920s. The Vos family is made up of two brothers (Jonah and Lukas) and one sister (the aforementioned Iris). Their father started the quest for Kaelego before he died but it was Iris who really took to the mission. 

As far as we can tell, the Vos Society is not based on any real-life organization. Still, “spiritual societies” and the like have dotted the Western cultural landscape for centuries. The early 1920s in particular seemed to be a lucrative time for organizations seeking enlightenment outside of the usual scientific or religious channels. There are dozens of notable secret societies from the early 20th century. 

More than any real secret society, however, The Vos Society resembles a fictional one. For an example of another prominent sect of demon-worshippers, look no further than the classic 2018 horror movie Hereditary. In fact, if you liked Archive 81, that movie is an excellent next watch. 

Comet Kharon and Kharonite

One interesting feature about the demon Kaelego is his close ties to a celestial object. In the world of Archive 81, Kaelego can most easily be summoned when a fictional comet known as “Kharon” (alternative spelling could be “Charon”) is passing over Earth. Also known as “The Ferryman”, Kharon is named after the ferryman of Hades who carries souls across the river Acheron in Greek mythology. 

The magical ritual to open The Otherworld and summon Kaelego can only work when The Ferryman is overhead. Kaelego’s relationship to Kharon persists even when the comet isn’t making its journey across Earth. A type of hallucinatory mold called Kharonite (or stardust) will begin to infest areas in which Kaelego’s followers garner his good favor. 

In our world, there is no comet known as Kharon or “The Ferryman” (though there absolutely should be because it sounds rad). There is, however, one prominent example of a cult building its mythology around a comet. In March of 1997, 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate cult committed suicide, believing that they would be transported to a spaceship that was tailing the Hale-Bopp comet.