The Hall of the Order of the Harvest Moon

"'I mean look at the damned thing - seem like harmless bunch of Freemasons to you?' Stephanie" The Hall of the Order of the Harvest Moon, also known as the Order of the Harvest Moon, or colloquially as the Lodge or even the Order, is a secret organization that holds great sway over the town of Harvest. It is an exclusive order that only permits male membership, although a few women do work there. It promises members forgotten knowledge, forgotten pleasures, and "pleasures as yet undiscovered", and members are said to have truth revealed that had been formerly forgotten by them.

The inner workings of the Lodge, and how much control they have over Harvest, is kept largely a secret from the general populace. Nonetheless, the Lodge influences activities within the town, such as organizing the PTA-Lodge Bake Sale and the Harvest Blood Drive. Sheriff Duane Dwayne admits that he'd never be able to get his job done without the Lodge's assistance.

The citizens of Harvest are said to always speak of the Lodge in a "hushed, reverent tone." The only one who seems hesitant about the Lodge is Colonel Buster Monroe, who sees it as "the most suspicious place in Harvest", and urges Steve to join it in order to look for "red sympathizers."

Membership
Only men are permitted to become members. To become a member, one has to go to the post office and fill out a form provided by Postmaster Boyle. Unfortunately, lodge applications run out quickly, and Boyle only prints out copies on the first day of every month, making applications hard to get by. Once an application is filled out, it must be delivered to the Sergeant-at-arms. Only a few applicants are accepted by the Lodge for membership consideration. After fulfilling a series of tests decided by the Lodge, the applicant then becomes an initiate, and may at last enter the Lodge. They are given a sacred dagger upon entering the Lodge. After passing through a series of tests, they can finally become full fledged members.

To obtain membership is seen as a sign of high prestige, and joining the Order is said to be "the highest dream of everyone in Harvest." Sheriff Dwayne remarks that he had hoped to become a member ever since he was a boy, but was unable to do so due to the failure of his teachers and clergy. Mr. Johnson applied for membership and was rejected, which left him with a deep bitterness. Mr. Pottsdam regularly tries to obtain a membership, but never can. (Although his desire is based more on the fact that he hears they have "more meat in there than they know what to do with.")

Members carry certain privileges within Harvest, such as being exempt from the Harvest Blood Drive.

Known Members in Harvest

 * Sergeant-at-arms
 * Postmaster Boyle
 * Principal Herrill
 * Mr. Pottsdam (later on)
 * Karin Fitzpatrick's father (allegedly)

The Inside of the Lodge
There are three levels in the Lodge.

Front Lobby
A large display light shines above. Busts of Ludwig von Beethoven, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Barbara Bush line the walls. A valet greets those who enter.

Underbelly
A pit leads one into the "stomach" of the Lodge, which at the time of Harvester is infested with giant bugs. Veins cover the mucus-dripping walls, and doorways resemble sphincters. A large room full of eyeballs lies at the other end.

Bar
Strong alcohol can be found here, as well as money in the till. A mirror projects a darker version of Steve which then attacks him.

Cloak Room

A clothing room for the Lodge. A statue of a man in a toga sits off to the side - if it's moved, it reveals a secret entranceway where shotgun shells are kept. A room attendant is here, who offers to clean acid off of Steve's clothes for $5. An electrical switch off to the side opens the door to the lounge.

Lounge
An entertainment room in the lodge, complete with slot machines, a pinball machine, and a pool table. A baseball bat and pool cue can be picked up as weapons. A demon lurks here that Steve must kill.

Kitchen
Where the Lodge chef works. Bodies of victims are brought here and turned into food. Dismembered hands (still twitching) hang from the ceiling, and a decapitated head boils in a pot. Meat can be taken for inventory.

Harvest Moon Art Gallery
An art gallery within the Lodge. The vast majority of its works are all ugly and hideous in form, based on the principle that "the most extreme works are the hardest to dismiss." When passing through, some of the statues will actually come to life and attack initiates.

Library
The Library is where countless books are kept.

The Mysteries
The Lodge runs initiates through a series of "mysteries", many of which question conventions of society. They are found within "temples," or individual sections of the lodge, although they are not always referred to as temples, nor do any of them look like conventional temples.

The following mysteries are known within the Lodge:
 * The Mystery of Abstinence
 * The Mystery of Motherly Love
 * The Mystery of Religion
 * The Mystery of Morality
 * The Mystery of Flesh
 * The Mystery of Beauty
 * The Mystery of Pain
 * The Mystery of Charity
 * The Mystery of Mercy

The "mysteries" tend to be ironic depictions of their namesakes, portraying their negative aspects rather than their positive. For example, the Mystery of Motherly Love depicts a mother being eaten by her own children as she refers to them like leeches.

Inner Sanctum
The Inner Sanctum is where high-ranking members of the Order reside. The Grand Muckity Muck and Vice Muck can be found here.

The Chapel of Love
Marriages are held in the Chapel of Love, but only for those related to members. To be married in the Chapel of Love is seen as a wonderful achievement for a couple. It is found on the third level of the Lodge.

Ranks/Roles
The following are known ranks and roles within the Order.
 * Grand Muckity Muck - A high-ranking member of the Order. He wears a fez and buffalo hat, and keeps knowledge on the secret handshake and "funny passwords". He can be found on the third level.
 * Vice Muck - The second-in-command to the Grand Muckity Muck. He introduces and speaks for the Grand Muckity Muck. He can also be found on the third level.
 * Lodge Membership Director - He keeps track of all members, as well as who enters and leaves the Lodge. He resides on the second level.
 * Sergeant-at-arms - He guards the front door, and assists applicants with their tests for membership as well as their initiation quest.
 * Art Gallery Curator - He runs the Harvest Moon Art Gallery.
 * Librarian - She runs the library, and is one of the few women within the Lodge who are not either a prostitute, victim, or part of one of the Mysteries. Some members have overdue books, but she admits to not being eager to confront them as they are "highly regarded among the Order."
 * Chessmaster - A chess playing member who challenges initiates to either play a game of chess or fight him to the death.
 * Janitor - Cleans and mops the floor. He yells at initiates if they walk on floors he's just done.
 * Brothel Workers - Prostitutes and a madame make up this group. Some of them carry STDs, although this is only revealed after an initiate has paid for service.
 * Chef - The cook for members and others who feast within the Lodge. He cooks corpses brought to him by members.