PARIS - 1995

A woman with gray hair and glasses sitting at a table with a pencil and the medieval image of the Christian devil, wearing a red blazer and white shirt, in front of a dark blue patterned wall, saying 'Adelaide!' and 'The devil is no laughing matter!'
An animated illustration of an older woman with gray hair and glasses, wearing a red jacket and a collared shirt, with speech bubbles saying "You will fear Satan" and "And his evil demons!"
A young woman with brown hair and a red sweater sitting at a table with a contemplative expression, with comic speech bubbles discussing God, Satan, and evil.
A woman with brown hair and brown eyes, wearing a red top with a white ruffled collar, has a confused or questioning facial expression. There is a speech bubble near her head with the word 'WORSE?'

PARIS - 1995

Miss Trout réprimande la jeune Adelaide et lui rappelle que le Diable n’est pas un sujet de plaisanterie.
L’enseignante répond avec fermeté aux questions d’Adelaide sur Dieu, le Diable et les conséquences du péché.
Adelaide enfant interroge son enseignante sur Dieu et le Diable, dans une pièce éclairée par des vitraux religieux.
Gros plan sur Adelaide, sceptique, demandant : « Quelqu’un de pire ? »

Betrayed by her childhood faith, a young woman turns to Magick to regain control over her life. She soon discovers the power she seeks to wield will demand she gives up everything she ever was…and everything she could have been.

I am that woman.

INITIATION

Left decorative gold divider
Right decorative gold line

Empire Vertigo is a true story. It follows my life journey and spiritual path through Witchcraft, Chaos Magick, Daemonolatry and High Magick from 1995 to the present day as I face self-deception, survive transformation, reclaim lost power and achieve liberation.

The story explores the beliefs we inherit, the realities we construct and the familiar patterns we cling to.

In Empire Vertigo, Magick is the tool that reveals reality.

The story draws from more than two decades of occult practice, study and direct experimentation within Western occultism. More than practical knowledge is shared through my story — the reality of deep inner work, the cost of searching for answers beyond society’s accepted boundaries, the need to develop discernment, separate belief from fact, and take responsibility for ourselves.

Empire Vertigo explores power: how we lose it, how we reclaim it, and why we are so often afraid of it.

Occultism has repeatedly been portrayed through grim austerity or exaggerated caricature — as something fantastical, disturbing or terrifying, governed by mysterious forces and unknowable consequences.

The project moves beyond medieval clichés and obscure superstition, approaching esotericism as a practice requiring discipline, resilience and emotional mastery. You see what happens and the reality of life as a practising Magician — what works, what fails, what seduces, what breaks and what transforms you.

The project becomes a window into the unseen: an entertaining, cinematic companion to your own exploration of power, self and what constitutes reality.

THE MAGICIAN

An elegant gold line divider
A thin gold line divider
Close-up of Adelaide Filippe, a woman with silver hair, red lipstick, light skin, wearing dangling star-shaped earrings, and a black top against a plain light background.

My name is Adelaide Filippe. I am a magician.

My study of occult knowledge began in 2002 and has followed an odd path. While parts of that journey were occasionally shared with peers, for most of my life it remained a private, solitary practice — one that demanded a strange kind of double life.

Like many people raised within Western Christianity, I emerged from my religious upbringing lost, resentful and carrying unanswered questions about existence and the human condition.

I started Magick because of a deeper call.

I took Magick seriously because my life was in free fall.

I learned through relentless questioning, exploration and experimentation. Knowledge was harder to access then, and my craft evolved according to what I could find, test and understand at each stage of the journey. I have never had a human master... I started with traditional Witchcraft before quickly embracing Chaos Magick for more than a decade. In 2018, I entered modern Daemonolatry, allowing my practice to evolve towards the Great Work and the transformative alchemy of High Magick.

Alongside that path, I built a career in costume, prosthetics and concept art, with more than 15 years of experience across film and television. My work has contributed to award-winning productions for studios including Lucasfilm, Disney, Marvel, DC and Universal, with selected credits including Star Wars: Andor, Poor Things, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Star Trek: Discovery, Justice League and 007: Spectre.

You can visit my portfolio here, and my IMDb page here.

Today, I bring those two worlds together in Empire Vertigo — decades of occult practice and a career spent turning complex ideas into unforgettable entertainment.

Logo of Empire Vertigo with stylized text and a circular element in the center.

ACROSS THE YEARS

Empty background with a gold elegant line at the center

2018-2020

Empire Vertigo starts as an oracle spirit deck. First traditional drawings of Lucifer.

Two sketches on paper. The left sketch depicts a female figure with wings, standing in front of a large, glowing orb. The right sketch shows a detailed portrait of a spirit with an intricate mask, with a halo of swords surrounding the portrait.
The image of a thin gold like line

2020-2021

EV goes public. Website 2.0 moves out of beta and allows the audience to read the graphic novel online.

Promotional poster for an earlier version of the online graphic novel: ‘Empire Vertigo: Magnum Opus’ featuring the Spirit Lucifer on top, and the Archangels Mareia and Raphael alongside occultist and magician Adelaide Filippe inside a pentagram.
A website showing various episodes of the first version of the online graphic novel ‘Empire Vertigo: Magnum Opus’, with a promotional traditional illustration of the spirit Eurynomous.
A gradient progress bar with shades of orange and beige

2021-2022

Empire Vertigo’s first printed edition, featuring Chapter 1: Calcination, goes to market.

Two copies of the book titled 'Empire Vertigo Magnum opus' by Adelaide Filippe placed on a wooden surface. The book covers feature black, white, red, and gold colors, with illustrations of London landmarks and a figure in a red coat.
Open book displaying the title page of 'Empire Vertigo: Magnum Opus,' with a subtitle describing it as the world's first illustrated magical memoir and a brief description of the story.
Gold line on a transparent background

2023-2025

Project is taken offline and the structure redeveloped to include animation and a wider publishing objective.

The designer and magician Adelaide Filippe working on an Empire Vertigo illustration at an art desk, using a pencil and clips to hold drawings, with books and plants in the background.
Adelaide Filippe is sitting on the floor, examining a collection of printed comic strips or storyboard pages spread out in front of her.
A gold-colored bar with a rounded tip against a plain background.

2026

Empire Vertigo returns as a multimedia experience, bringing Magick and the esoteric sciences to a global audience.

Promotional image for Empire Vertigo by Adelaide Filippe, featuring a young version of the author with brown hair and a black leather jacket on a background showing religious flags behind a gold Halo and text presenting the project.

WHAT EARLY READERS SAID

Five gold stars arranged in a row.

“Adelaide’s work is a heady mixture of complex concepts, beautifully rendered with a friendly and accessible narrative. Her approach is engaging and provides a trustworthy guide through previously murky waters.”

Andrew Robert Burgess

Five gold stars placed in a row with a 3D effect

“Adelaide is an incredible artist and practitioner. Her work pushes boundaries and helps us examine ourselves in a new light and with deeper intent, with tremendous care and feeling in every aspect of what she creates.”

Myriam T

Five gold stars on a transparent background

“Empire Vertigo is an outstanding piece of work. It gives us a glimpse into Adelaide’s magickal life through beautiful artwork and illustration. Her story is one of a kind — full of insight, interesting ideas and information.”

Helen R

EV_desktop_video_fallback.jpg
Empire Vertigo logo — a multimedia occult memoir by Adelaide Filippe exploring Witchcraft, Chaos Magick, Daemonolatry and High Magick.
A very thin golden line on a transparent background

GOD DOESN’T MAKE DEALS.

Created by Adelaide Filippe

FOLLOW THE JOURNEY

Empire Vertigo is still unfolding. Join the list for news, animation,

artwork and writing as the project develops.

Read our Privacy Policy.