SteelHeart I Reclamation

Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________
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STEEL HEART
Issue I: Reclamation
The Last Cycle Kult forum presents it's first journal, Steel Heart: Reclamation. Steel Heart ezine is a semi-re ular pu!lication "hich aims to sho"case the #ery !est in fan-pro$uce$ materials for the mo$ern horror roleplayin ame Kult. This electronic #ersion of Steel Heart is ma$e freely a#aila!le throu h """.%ult-rp .com for the personal use of Kult fans, an$ may !e re$istri!ute$ on a non-commercial !asis pro#i$e$ no chan es are ma$e to contents or layout. &ll future issues of Steel Heart are on su!mission !asis. To su!mit materials or for"ar$ an en'uiry a!out Steel Heart ezine, contact Chief ($itor Chris )arren at *n$erspa"n+aol.com, or o to The Last Cycle community at """.%ult-rp .com, "here su!missions can !e poste$ an$ $iscusse$ in the Steel Heart su!forum. Steel Heart "elcomes all su!missions, !ut cannot uarantee the pu!lication of all unsolicite$ materials. ,lease note that acceptance of materials is contin ent upon sai$ materials !ein compliant "ith Kult rules -prefera!ly .r$ e$ition/, an$ respectin all rele#ant copyri hts. &ll su!missions remain the property of the "riter or artist, an$ "ill !e cre$ite$ as such in the final pu!lication. Steel Heart ezine an$ The Last Cycle forum are create$ !y an in$epen$ent internet community of horror roleplayin fans, an$ are not license$ !y the Kult copyri ht hol$ers -,ara$o0 (ntertainment/ or pu!lishers -1th Circle ,u!lishin /. 2either ,ara$o0 (ntertainment nor 1th Circle ,u!lishin are responsi!le for the content of this pu!lication. Kult: Beyond the Veil Copyright Information ,ara$o0 (ntertainment &3 Hitech!uil$in 45 676 85 Stoc%holm S"e$en Publishing Information The 1th Circle ,u!lishin Co. Le 19eme Cercle :5, rue $e Tauzia .. 777 3or$eau0
FOR MA !R" R"A#"R$ O%&'

Layout ; $esi n of this $ocument < C. )arren &ll ima es property of respecti#e artists. Co#er ima e < =. 3e%sins%i. Kin$ than%s to ,. >mocho"s%i for permission of use. The Last Cycle community is $e$icate$ to e0plorin the $ar%er aspects of humanity throu h the ima inati#e roleplayin of fictional stories an$ scenarios. )hile Kult $eals "ith many per#erse an$ $istur!in issues, The Last Cycle $oes not in any "ay en$orse, con$one or encoura e #iolent or criminal !eha#iour of any sort.
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Table of Content
First World Myth
Kult, and all its implications
+ , -. -/ -+
Prying Open The Third Eye The Thanatophagos

Synergy through agony
The unexamined life is not worth living
Sensorites
Don't trust anyone
Verlassene
Reductio ad absurdum
Litany
Leaving by Volker Baetz Premonitions by enette !owning Voices in the Dark by Steven "# $inger That Ha nting by !avid oelsson
-0 -, /. // /1 23 2, 21 21 +. +-
Ordeal
Morning Star by %o&ciech Krzyminski
! dgement
"eksinski by 'ukasz (espondek Lai#ach$ % nst nd Fanatism s by )ablo Barron The &ell by %o&ciech Krzyminski "ad Lie tenant by %o&ciech Krzyminski Sa' by *hris %arren
(e&ycled
)epharites * P rgatory
+ur most diabolical &ailors, here discussed at length
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First World Myth

by *hris %arren $O( $ ""& )"AR ( A P!B&ICA IO% B' A%# FOR FO&&O*"R$ OF K!& ( A &I &" PI"C" OF )"&& I%VA#I%+ )"AV"%( P"R)AP$ A fe" "or$s of e0position are in or$er. Kult is a fictional uni#erse of many epithets, many faces. ?n appearance: $ar%, surreal, horrific. ?n moo$: in$ustrial, e0treme, $istur!in . ?n theme: apocalyptic, re#elatory, mythic. ?t is a fiction "hich stri%es a $eep an$ resonant chor$ in the postmo$ern psyche, $ra"in from the $eep reser#oir of occult rotes'uerie an$ reli ious o!solescence, an$ $eri#in motifs from the most po"erful of horror sources !oth past an$ present. *nli%e the familiar forms of tra$itional horror, of @ran%ensteins an$ >raculas an$ )olfmen, shrou$e$ in their Romantic conceits, Kult $el#es $eeper into the source of "hat $istur!s us. ?t cuts to the #ery root of our ni htmares, fully encompassin the metaphors of the a!o#e, an$ then some, in a ran$ unifie$ theory of horror in "hich reality itself is the monster, an$ it has alrea$y s"allo"e$ us "hole. @ar from !ein a stale repac%a in of a classic myth for a ne" eneration, Kult is sin ular an$ uni#ersalA a pro$uct "hich coul$ only arise from the philosophical literacy of post-in$ustrial times, yet sym!olises a theme as ol$ as any human fiction. ?n Kult, "e are immerse$ in a ficti#e microcosm in "hich "e are the $ecei#ers an$ the $ecei#e$, a composite of in$ustrialise$ an0iety, consumer anomie, primor$ial terror, ata#istic instinct, com!ine$ into a fascinatin an$ re#ealin amal am of ma nificent lies. Here the col$, !rutal materialism of Lo#ecraft is in#erte$ to $epict a relati#istic an$ solipsistic -!ut nonetheless horrific/ uni#erse in "hich human%in$, far from !ein foo$ for the o$s, ta%e centre sta e in the roles of !oth sa$istic master an$ masochistic sla#e. ?t is us "ho are the alpha an$ the ome a, the !e innin an$ en$ of this uni#erse full of sufferin . ?t is throu h our in$olence an$ repression that the monsters of the "orl$ -an$ of other "orl$s/ are succoure$. Bet, $espite this infinite po"er, "e $o nothin to alter our pli ht. )e li#e short li#es, ensla#e$, ensla#in , corrupt an$ $estructi#e, until "e $ie, none the "iser for our pain. Lies $ictate our e#ery action. ?n ultimate honesty none of us can rise a!o#e $efinition as prostitute an$ mur$erer, an$ throu h our crimes "e perpetuate our misery upon our chil$ren. 3ut still "e o on, procreatin , !uoye$ !y $elusion, insulate$ from the horrors of truth !y the tenuous authority of society an$ the chara$e of sanity. Security of !elief, a settle$ spirit, a concrete self e0istin "ithin a "orl$ it can comprehen$, or at least ha#e comprehen$e$ for it - all illusions, all forms of ensla#ement for oursel#es an$ all those "ho "ill come after us. ?t is this e#ery$ay illusion that shac%les us to one mo$ality of e0perience - that of hamsters in "heels, oppresse$ !y a self-constructe$ falsehoo$, a trem!lin e$ifice !uilt upon our su!ju ate$ senses. &n$ it is our senses "hich "e ha#e to !lame. ?n the "or$s of >escartes: C(#erythin ? ha#e accepte$ up to no" as !ein a!solutely true an$ assure$, ? ha#e learne$ from or throu h the senses, 3ut ? ha#e sometimes foun$ that these senses playe$ me false, an$ it is pru$ent ne#er to trust entirely those "ho ha#e once $ecei#e$ us.C & scary proposition, to !e $epen$ent upon lies for our sur#i#al, an$ $ou!t the foun$ations of our !ein . 3ut it is situation into "hich
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all human%in$ is !orn, an$ is con$emne$ to li#e, to !e presente$ "ith the choice of mun$ane $elusion or insurmounta!le terror, terror of the limitation of the self an$ its uses. This is the central theme of Kult, an$ it is a $istillation of a curiosity as ol$ as ci#ilisation itself: the 'uestion of "hat human consciousness is, an$ ho" far it can ta%e us to"ar$ a true an$ unmiti ate$ %no"le$ e of reality, if in$ee$ "e actually "ant it to. ?n the mutilation of reli ion, reason, morality, mortality, the fiction fin$s correspon$ence !y i#in name, shape an$ lo ic to that ne!ulous uncertainty "e possess to"ar$s our most elementary mental concepts, a erm "hich i#es rise to all !ree$s of terror. The stories of the uni#erse of Kult locate us at the precipice of a spiritual "ell, a portal $o"n into a $istressin ly familiar $ar%ness "hich "e half-recall from our life of sleep. There, in the $ar%ness, "aits a su!terranean -implyin the fossilise$ past/ "orl$ of hells, lon one $erelict !ecause someone for ot to pay the !ill of uilt. &n$ all aroun$ us, !ehin$ the faca$e of common reality, "e fin$ a $ilapi$ate$ hea#en, e'ually as false as hell, a ma nificent Detropolis, no" nothin more than a !attle roun$ for po"ers that hate us an$ fee$ on our "ea%ness. The Cita$els of the &rchons clim! s%y"ar$, linchpins in the fa!ric of the lie, spiritual to"ers of 3a!el. 2ote that the empyreal spheres to "hich these Cita$els point $o not ser#e as the seat of some inscruta!le creator $i#inity, "aitin to recei#e us an$ one $ay ma%e humanity "hole a ain. 2o, there is nothin up there. ?n see%in hea#en, "e shoul$ loo% aroun$ us, for "e li#e in the last scrap of it, in precious, !lissful i norance, "ithin our $eterioratin (lysian prison. ,risoners thou h "e are, perhaps oppression is not totally !ereft of comfort: !illions of souls li#e out their li#es in supine capti#ity, just as !illions upon !illions more "ill continue to $o so. 3ut the mechanics of this trap are "ea%ene$, an$ the crac%s are sho"in in its construction. )e re ar$ the "orl$ aroun$ us, an$ "e sense that there is somethin un$enia!ly "ron . Bet "e are $oin e#erythin ri ht. )e o to "or%. )e pay our ta0es. )e lo#e our families an$ rea$ a oo$ !oo% e#ery no" an$ then. 3ut the $ance of stai$ conformity only sen$s us $eeper into a spiral of confusion, a ression an$ fear "hich $oes not a!ate, !ut only increases. &n$ "ith this escalation of uncertainty comes the $e ra$ation of our senses, "hich in turn lea$s to the loss of innocence as "e turn to other sources to #ali$ate our concepts an$ ease our terror. &s a result, each in$i#i$ual !ecomes isolate$ in our o"n incommunica!le an uish, cut off from parts of our o"n min$, or a collecti#e min$, "hich "oul$ other"ise pro#i$e the ans"ers. The crac%s ha#e sprea$ !et"een us an$ !ecome chasms. There is a concern that perhaps there e0ists some primal responsi!ility that "e ha#e forsa%en -preten$-!usy as "e "ere playin "ith our toys an$ "orryin o#er "hat our choice of $eo$orant says a!out us/. )e concei#e of a selfima e more in harmony "ith the "orl$ aroun$ us, more attune$ to actualities an$ re'uirements of an e0istence $eeper than the materialistic, %no"a!le not to our confuse$ conscious min$s, !ut to a su!conscious Self "e fore!o$e as much more consistent an$ compassionate, fully sensate, in$epen$ent an$ a"are. This Self "hich "e %no" "e shoul$ !e, perhaps "hat coul$ !e calle$ an ?mmortal Soul -?mmortal !ecause it is harmonious/, has one missin , our connection to it se#ere$. &n$ "here else coul$ it !e !ut some"here out !eyon$ the !oun$aries of rational, or anise$ thou hts, to "here our senses !arely e0ten$, in the places "hich "e project our uncertain terrorsE The Self that "e see% is lost, out there, in the haunte$ city into "hich "e are afrai$ to #enture. To our fri htene$ eyes Eschatology I ~ C. Warren this "orl$ is a sharp an$ hostile ur!an e0istence, rule$ !y
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capricious po"ers "e $o not un$erstan$ nor "ish to un$erstan$, perhaps !ecause "e %no" alrea$y that they are !ut offsprin !re$ !y our failin s. The city out there is your city, my city, uni#ersal city. Cosmic an$ e#ery$ay, %alei$oscopic an$ architectural, ma$ an$ rational, o#erflo"in all sensory cate orisation, a prison "ithout "alls, "ithout $efinition. The penum!ral "orl$ of the su!conscious, in$ustrialise$. This city that $"ells at the heart of Kult "as once the forest of fairytale, the un%no"a!le "il$erness an$ !e etter of monsters, $epicte$ throu h the eometry of $reams, an$ presentin us "ith the $rea$ful eni ma of a maze: an architectonic structure - recallin the sulci of the human !rain - craze$ in its confi uration, an$ of a $esi n so comple0 as to ma%e escape impossi!le for the $emon "hich, accor$in to myth, it "as constructe$ to contain. Bet, the only entity !oun$ in this concrete perple0ity is us, humanity, the creators. ?n escapin the "il$erness of the natural "orl$, "e ha#e only create$ another sa#a e ar$en in "hich to torment oursel#es. )e realise that "e are prisoners of our min$s, our senses, our artifices, incarcerate$ !y our o"n fear an$ loss of control. Kult is therefore an e0ternalisation of the most internal, thin s "e $i$n't e#en %no" "ere insi$e us !ecause, in the instant of transition from sleep to somnolence, they shrin% !ac% into the sha$o" of a #i!rant, false, e#ery$ay nature, into sha$o"s cast !y sunli ht, so that "e can et !ac% to the frustrate$ $ol$rums of a "oul$-!e -shoul$-!e/ para$ise. 3ut the "a%in eye "ill fore#er !e $ra"n to the $ar%ness of the alley at ni ht time, to the unmar%e$ roa$ lea$in o$-%no"s-"here, to the crac%s an$ chasms permittin entry to, an$ escape from, the safe an$ sane i$ylls of a misera!le i norance. Kult is such a portal. ?t $re$ es up our phantoms an$ lets them i#e chaseA lost in the infinite city of the min$, "ith all our enemies, all our ni htmares, all our $emons scourin the streets an$ cra"lin in its se"ers, it is an e0perience of threatenin truth that neither the mechanics of "a%in reason nor the chaos of su!conscious intuition alone can !rin us to"ar$. ?n enterin into the premise of the Kult "orl$, "e refuse to ma%e a choice !et"een reason an$ $elirium, searchin perhaps in #ain for a synthesis of the t"o ami$ e0panses of $ea$ streets, harsh lit concrete, !ro%en "in$o"s, loc%e$ $oors, empty rooms, out there. )e see% a state of "a%in $ream, "ithout intellectual $ishonesty, an$ possessin the "here"ithal to na#i ate an$ sa#our that plane of su!consciousness rich in occult lore an$ collecti#e "is$om "hich "e call ma$ness or $i#inity. *pon transcen$in the schizophrenia of the city, of e0ternalise$ confusion, "e realise that the su!jecti#e ur!an ni htmare an$ the po"ers that rule it can only !ut emanate from our interior, the source of all illusions. Their ori in !ein the $epths of the self, the terri!le hallucinations of oppression manifest only in response our o"n $esire, of "hich they are merely the sym!olic resur ence. This is the first step on a lon roa$ lea$in to the reclamation of $i#inity, an$ the $iscar$in of illusion. Kult -a ame, li%e e#erythin else/ is a!out stri#in for "a%efulness. Throu h its surreal, oneiric, mythic $rama, is an intimation of the path to enli htenment, to a"a%enin from the "a%in $ream of capti#ity. &n$ so, this is a co$e0 of Kult in it's i$eal form - Kult !y in$i#i$uals, for art's sa%e, for insanity's sa%e, for unreality's sa%eA !its an$ pieces of reflecte$ ra e an$ confusion, contorte$ senses an$ mor!i$ fascination, from people on the same roa$, tryin to fin$ common e0pression throu h the metaphor of spiritual imprisonment an$ the pro#enance of first "orl$ myth.
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Prying Open The Third Eye

by )ablo Barron
)" )IR# "'", A&$O K%O*% A$ )" $I- ) C)AKRA, I$ &OCA "# B" *""% )" BRO*$, I% )" C"% "R OF )" FOR")"A#( A reat $eal has !een "ritten a!out it. ?t is consi$ere$ to !e a $oor to inner an$ spiritual %no"le$ e. @urthermore, it is suppose$ to !e relate$ to the $e#elopment of psychic po"ers such li%e (S,, tele%inesis, clair#oyance an$ clairau$ience. There is a stron attraction for the $e#elopment of the Thir$ (ye amon occultists an$ mystical oriente$ people, for "hich the openin of the Thir$ (ye is praise$ as a major step to"ar$s enli htenment. Ho"e#er, the lure lea$s to a terrifyin trap, for those una!le to han$le it. &n$ most of us can't. The openin of the thir$ eye is usually achie#e$ throu h me$itation, !ut ne ati#ely !alance$ in$i#i$uals !elo" -687 may open it spontaneously. 3oth "ays, the process consists of the openin of a hi$$en perceptual or an insi$e our !o$ies. ,hysically, this or an is the pineal lan$: it is %no"n in en$ocrinolo y as the source of the hormone calle$ melatonin, relate$ to sleep re ulation, an$ also that it has a fe" optical ner#es attache$ to it: this is "hy it is felt !y the person "ho opens it li%e a thir$ eye !et"een the !ro"s, !ut it is an eye "hich loo%s in"ar$s. That initial sta e of the Thir$ (ye openin lea$s to an increase$ a!ility to percei#e thou hts an$ emotions. The pro!lem is that the min$ is una!le to han$le "hat the Thir$ (ye percei#es. The !i!lical le en$ tells a!out Cain, "ho "as an ere$ an$ jealous !ecause o$ ha$ manifeste$ an$ fa#oure$ his !rother &!el. Fo$ fore"arne$ Cain that he shoul$ con'uer his !eastly spirit of selfishness an$ rule o#er it, that the "ill must !e e0ercize$ in o#ercomin the !east: G?f you $o "hat is ri ht, "ill you not !e accepte$E 3ut if you $o not $o "hat is ri ht, sin is crouchin at your $oorA it $esires to ha#e you, !ut you must master it.C. Fo$ con$emne$ Cain to restlessly "an$er the earth, !ut protecte$ him from !ein %ille$ !y puttin a mar% on his forehea$. This metaphorical !irth of our Thir$ (ye an$ its unfol$in in the apocalypse as the mar% of the !east "ere crafte$ as "arnin s a ainst those curious enou h to use it. Still, our Thir$ (ye "asn't create$ !y any o$: it is an a!ility "hich has al"ays !elon e$ to humans, an$ a sense that is #ery $an erous for the sta!ility of the ?llusion.
Opening the Third Eye

There are se#eral metho$s throu h "hich the Thir$ (ye can !e opene$A the most usual is me$itation, !ut it is sai$ it sometimes opens spontaneously. &n e0treme mental !alance can also acti#ate the eye, !oth for the ne ati#ely an$ positi#ely !alance$. The main function of the Thir$ (ye is to Gloo% "ithinH. ?t is felt li%e someho" our o"n emotions an$ perceptions "ere analyse$ !y a Gsi0th senseH, "hich is this su!tle eye's point of #ie". Ho"e#er, most of us are not prepare$ to han$le "hat can !e seen insi$e us. If these ne" "orl$s, the unconscious is just the !e innin : an$ it is enou h to !rin a sta!le min$ $o"n. Ince acti#ate$, the Thir$ (ye is #isi!le to those "ith enou h a!ility to $o so. Some chil$ren of the ni ht ha#e this a!ility, an$ usually e#eryone !elo" -587 or a!o#e J587 mental !alance "ill !e a!le to $etect it: an$ a Thir$ (ye in the process of openin is a #ery appreciate$ price for those in the %no". The acti#ation of the Thir$ (ye is notice$ !y a !uzz !ehin$ the eyes, in the center of the forehea$. This "ill last a $ay, an$ after that, the in$i#i$ual "ill continuously sense a "arm feelin !et"een the !ro"s. The Thir$ (ye openin lea$s to such an intense flo" of information an (FIK5 thro" must !e $one in or$er to han$le it. ?f the roll is faile$, a psychotic !rea%$o"n "ill happen in as lon as t"o "ee%s: T"o important e#ents affect the !rea%$o"n. @irst of all the !earer feels insecure of his pre#ious point of #ie" of the "orl$, as a ne" sense has !een a$$e$ to the fi#e he ha$. &s if this "asn't enou h, too much
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information is athere$ throu h the Thir$ (ye, so much that the in$i#i$ual "ill not !e a!le to han$le it: so, if the (FI thro" is faile$, he "ill e0periment a paranoi$ !rea%$o"n: the Thir$ (ye !ecomes the center of the ne" point of #ie" from "hich the "orl$ "ill !e ju$ e$, an$ its !earer "ill notice it can !e percei#e$ !y others. The !rea%$o"n "ill put the !earer in an e0tremely confuse$ state in "hich the "orl$ has to !e reor anize$ accor$in to the ne" %no"le$ e: he "ill !e una!le to trust anyone, e#en close frien$s, as this perceptual o#erloa$ lea$s to a paranoi$ fear throu h "hich he "ill ha#e to reor anize the point of #ie" of the outsi$e "orl$ accor$in to the these ne" parameters The !earer "ill try to loo% normal until he ets an opportunity to escape from those aroun$ him -the !rea%$o"n lasts as many $ays as the $ifference !et"een the roll an$ (FIK5/. ?n this phase the paranoia can turn out really !a$, as the !earer feels li%e e#eryone is out to catch him, an$ those "ho $on't can't un$erstan$ him. ?ronically, this is true. (0tremely un!alance$ in$i#i$uals can feelKsee those "ho are openin their Thir$ (ye. &s they %no" the un!alance$ state the !earer is in, many of them "ill try to ma%e use of it. Sometimes, if they G et the feelin H that someone is openin their Thir$ (ye, they'll try to !e charmin an$ et close !efore it happens. ,ositi#ely !alance$ GmysticalH in$i#i$uals "ill try to con#ince him to rela0 into fear, accept this ne" ift -praisin it as a stron a$#ance in $e#elopment/, an$ chan e their Gfrien$sH if they $o not accept his ne" !eha#iour, path an$ %no"le$ e: this is a "ay many sects, $estructi#e or not, attract ne" mem!ers. They "ill usually offer the in$i#i$ual a safe place in "hich to learn ho" to use the Thir$ (ye: ho"e#er, the mechanisms to han$le these perceptions are con$itione$ to the path of those "ho the !earer just joine$ -"ho "ill seemin ly hol$ Gthe %eyH to han$le it/, so this "ill effecti#ely en$ up !in$in him to them. 2e ati#ely-!alance$ in$i#i$uals "ill try to use the !earer in a $ifferent "ay: as the Thir$ (ye can !e an useful $econ$itionin tool, they "ill try to %i$nap or other"ise charm the !earer, an$ treat him li%e a Chosen: he "ill !e tempte$ "ith %no"le$ e an$ po"ers, an$ his mental !alance "ill !e !rou ht $o"n throu h manipulatin the perceptions of the Thir$ (ye an$ lettin the psychotic mental states ro": a normal human can !e easily turne$ into a Chil$ren of the 2i ht this "ay. 3oth sorts of pre$ators ha#e one thin in common: they "ill encoura e the !earer to use his eye as much as he can, in or$er to enhance any sort of reality !rea%$o"n an$ ti hten the control. Ince the first paranoi$ phase has passe$, or if the !earer resiste$ it, Thir$ (ye perceptions are easier to mana e. Still those "ho $etect it "ill try to approach the !earer, !ut he "ill not !e so easy to charm as in the pre#ious situation, in "hich the pre$ator "as his #ictim's Gonly frien$H. @rom this sta e on, the !earer "ill !e a!le to use the Thir$ (ye easilyA a#oi$in a psychotic !rea%$o"n "ill re'uire an unmo$ifie$ "ee%ly (FI roll, !ut that may !e the "ill of the !earer. ?f the (FI roll is faile$, or if the !earer "illin ly lets his min$ o, mental !alance "ill o $o"n. &s "ell, there is a chance to et a Limitation an$ en$ up loc%e$ in the $o"n"ar$ spiral of the Chil$ren of the 2i ht. (FI rolls "ill still !e necessary, until the in$i#i$ual $e#elops %no"le$ e o#er it: as it "as sai$ earlier, the easiest "ay this is $one is throu h or anizations "ith e0perts "ith enou h %no"le$ e on Eye -W. Krzyminski usin it. )illin ly or not, the !earer "ill !e tie$ to this
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or anization -those or anizations can help "ith a J6KJ67 mo$ifier to the "ee%ly (FI roll, "hich "ill al"ays $epen$ on the in$i#i$ual !ein near this roup/. Some positi#ely-!alance$ in$i#i$uals are a!le to mana e the Thir$ (ye !y themsel#es, !ut this "ill re'uire retirement from the $ay-to-$ay "orl$ an$ stron me$itation. (ach time the !earer ma%es his (FI roll successfully, the "ee%ly roll "ill ha#e a cumulati#e J6. )hen it reaches 57, there is no further ris% of !rea%$o"n.
Final )otes
? "oul$ li%e to let the Fame Daster esta!lish the $etails of the real Gpo"ersH of the Thir$ (ye. ?'#e trie$ not to i#e many GrulesH an$ Gta!lesH to %eep this open enou h so it can !e a$apte$ to your tastes. &ny"ay, my final su estion on the Thir$ (ye is: thin% a!out it as a tool to know yourself. Consi$er it a su!tle eye "ith "hich you can Gloo%H to your emotions, perceptions an$ thou hts from a separate or an than min$ tryin to e0amine itself. This point is important: usin a sense to percei#e your min$ in or$er to analyse it is much stron er than just usin your min$ to analyse itself. This $e#elopment can ro" you intuiti#e an$ i#e you a control !oost, lea$in you to hi h mental !alance states. ?t can also $estroy you if you aren't a!le han$le this sort of a"areness -an$ in Kult ? li%e to thin% you "on't/ an$ thus !rin you to the $o"n"ar$ spiral.
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The Thanatophagos
by %o&ciech Krzyminski
)" )A%A OP)A+O$ I$ A $P"C RA& "% I ' *)IC) F""#$ O% #"$PAIR A%# RA+", B! I +AI%$ MOR" "%"R+' FROM A #'I%+ human !ein , especially if the #ictim commits suici$e. The Thanatopha os journeys throu h the ?llusion onlyA as it cannot pass into Detropolis. This entity possesses #arious telepathic po"ersA therefore it prefers to create a suici$e cult than to hunt. &n$ the Thanatopha os has foun$ a oo$ can$i$ate for a lea$er of such cult in the person of Thomas Ca!!ot. Thomas Ca!!ot "as an or$inary office $rone "hose am!ition "as to et a hi her salary an$ a !ran$ ne" car. He "as neither u ly nor especially attracti#e. His $reams "ere stan$ar$ an$ pre$icta!le, e#en his $rin%in ha!its "ere nothin a!o#e the or$inary. (#ery $ay he "or%e$ from ei ht to ei ht, $ro#e home an$ "atche$ the same sports sho". Ca!!ot li#e$ in this "ay throu h ten years, until one $ay. ?t "as Satur$ay e#enin , he "as home. The hea#y rain o!scure$ the "orl$, the soun$s of the city "ere !arely reco niza!le. Ca!!ot "ante$ to "atch a foot!all match !et"een Danchester *nite$ an$ Li#erpool @C. He sat on the couch "ith a !eer in his left han$ an$ reache$ for the remote control. Su$$enly he hear$ a stran e noise, somethin as a $istorte$ choir of chil$ish #oices. Ca!!ot jumpe$ on his feet an$ loo%e$ aroun$, !ut he sa" nothin unusual in his room. &n$ then a "a#e of !urnin pain ran throu h his !o$y. Thousan$s of "hite-hot nails pierce$ Ca!!ot's s%in. He "ante$ to scream, to reach the phone, !ut his stru les "ere not successfulA he coul$ neither spea% nor cryA he fell on the floor "ithout ma%in a soun$. Ca!!ot "o%e up after t"o hours, !ut "as not alone. &n alien, yet s"eet #oice tal%e$ to him, as%in him if he "as feelin all ri ht. ?t intro$uce$ itself: CThe learne$ men call me The ,hantom Tra#eller, !ut this is not my true name. Ho"e#er, let it !e my nic%name in our communication. )e "ant to communicate, $on't "eE So, you $o nee$ companions an$ ? can !rin them to you, if you can fulfil a con$ition.C Ca!!ot 'uit "ith the office "or% an$ foun$e$ a cult for lonely an$ $esperate people: The Dission of *nity. The Thanatopha os in#este$ some of his telepathic po"ers in Ca!!ot, thus he can see the auras an$ create emotions in those "ho join the cult. The cultists come from many $ifferent "al%s of life: some of them "ere 'uite successful if you consi$er only material aspects of life, some "ere completely $estitute an$ homeless, !ut they all ha#e one thin in common: they yearn for an affection an$ attention. *sin his ne"ly aine$ po"ers Ca!!ot i#es them the feelin that they are at home, that he $oes care a!out them. ?n turn he can use them in many "ays. 3ut e#erythin has its price, an$ the mem!ership in Ca!!ot's cult is pai$ "ith human life. &t the en$ of the month the cultists ather in their shrine -a $eserte$ "arehouse at the outs%irts of the to"n/ to perform the Rite of the Doon. This ritual consists of three consecuti#e parts: 6/ the >ance of the Doon, "hen the $ancers mo#e alon the lines of a la!yrinth, $ra"n on the floorA 5/ the Sacrifice, "hen a cultist, chosen !y Ca!!ot, is stran le$ "ith a piece of !ar!"ire an$ ./ the Son , "hen they sin a short poem a!out C!ein to etherC, compose$ !y Ca!!ot. The articles of the faith are simple: your $espair came to an en$ than%s to Ca!!ot. Bour life has ot a meanin throu h the Ca!!ot's "ill. Bou shoul$ !e than%ful for all the oo$ Ca!!ot has i#en you.
4ntrod cing &a##ot * His & lt

& ,C's relati#e or frien$ has joine$ the cult. She $oes not "ant to spea% "ith the ,C, she tal%s all the time a!out Cthat "on$erful man Ca!!ot.C ?f the ,C meets "ith Ca!!ot, he "ill !e polite an$ sincere -e#en a ,C "ith such a$#anta es as (mpathy or ?ntuition "ill sense no lies, !ecause Ca!!ot $oes nee$ to lie/, !ut he "ill refuse to tal% a!out the cult: CBou %no", it's a pri#ate matter. ? am the lea$er, !ut ? "on't !etray the people, ? "on't spea% a!out their reasons "hich lea$ them to this point. ?f you $on't li%e it, then o to the police, may!e they "ill help you "ith yourself. Bes, ? sense that you ha#e some serious pro!lems. ? $on't nee$ to as% you a!out it, !ecause ?'#e ot a ift. Ih, come onL ? %no" that... -he !e ins to spea% a!out some pri#ate matters of the ,C/. >on't you seeE ?'#e ot a iftL &n$ no" ? thin% you shoul$ lea#e.C
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The police can $o nothin , !ecause they cannot fin$ any proof to char e Ca!!ot "ith the !rain"ashin , for instance. Some cultists ha#e i#en all their money to Ca!!ot, others ha#e not. ?f Ca!!ot feels that the ,Cs are $an erous -it is your $ecision, Fame Daster/, then he "ill try to communicate this to the Thanatopha os. ?f a ,C has any special talents -,mpathy, "agical -ntuition, ,nhanced .wareness/, then perhaps the Thanatopha os "ill replace Ca!!ot "ith this ,C. If course, our jailers $o not ta%e li htly the presence of an alien entity, fee$in on their puppets. Let's suppose that a ser#ant of 2etzach -? "ill call him ,etros/ met Ca!!ot an$ his her$, !ut he sense$ that somethin more po"erful pulls the strin s. ?f the ,Cs use ,etros' help, perhaps he can pro#i$e them "ith some much nee$e$ informationA then it can !e his turn to as% for help. ,etros "ants the ,Cs to $estroy the cult, thus cuttin the Thanatopha os from its fee$in roun$. 3ut remem!er, if a human !ein $ies in reat pain, the Thanatopha os fee$s on it. Ca!!ot has a#era e statistics, only his po"ers of (ead "ind, *reate ,motion an$ "ind *ontrol are important -if a #ictim fails her (FI roll, the po"er ta%es the full effectA only if she e0periences a reat shoc% "ill the effect !e $ispelle$/.
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Sensorites
by Steven "# $inger / 'ukasz (espondek $"%$ORI "$ AR" )" R"$!& OF +RO!%#BR"AKI%+ "-P"RIM"% A IO% B" *""% )" ./01$ O )" MI#2./31$( )" +"%" IC en ineerin en$ea#our ha$ the oal of pro$ucin a super spy an$ assassin to a$$ to the Lictors' security forces. Sensorites ha#e e0ceptionally acute senses "ithin the ?llusion, "ith their senses of hearin , smell, eyesi ht an$ taste au mente$ to nearly 67 times that of an a#era e human. They are remar%a!ly "ell!alance$ an$ often am!i$e0trous as "ell. Sensorites ha#e no outer s%in of their o"n $ue to enetic errors from the tamperin of their >2&. )hen $eploye$ in to the fiel$, the Sensorite %ills a person "ho "as "or%in or li#in in the #icinity of their inten$e$ tar et. The Sensorite then flays the #ictim "ith reat precision, an$ then $onnin the s%in an$ mer in "ith it in a parasitic union, the Sensorite is a!le to assume the form of it's #ictim. Ince !on$e$ "ith the s%in, a Sensorite is in$istin uisha!le from the ori inal person. & Sensorite's real !o$y is a mass of rey, $e0terous muscle. Stran e transparent tu!ules run throu hout the flesh, pumpin a yello", oozin li'ui$ "hich %eeps the musculature moist an$ mallea!le. Their facial features are har$ to $iscern an$ the only thin that can !e seen "hen loo%in upon their ru$imentary faces are a pair of lo"in re$ eyes. )hen not $eploye$, Sensorites are %ept in a $ru -in$uce$ coma an$ immerse$ in a chemical stasis solution until nee$e$. The usual recruits for the Sensorite process "ere capture$ spies, !lac%-op mem!ers, un -ho elite sol$iers or $upe$ #olunteers. Dany Sensorites function as porters, mai$s an$ eneral la!ourers to ather information an$ access to a tar et, usin their senses from a $istance an$ not $ra"in attention to themsel#es until the opportunity to stri%e presents itself. 2ot many "ere successfully $eploye$ $ue to pro!lems in their mental faculties. Dany coul$ no lon er sleep or $ream "ithin a fe" $ays of acti#ation treatments. Dost su!jects to this e0perimentation an$ other enetically manipulate$ in$i#i$uals ha$ 'uic%ly $e#elope$ se#ere mental illnesses an$ malicious homici$al ten$encies after only a fe" "ee%s of ser#ice, presuma!ly $ue to their enhance$ senses. &lthou h the recepti#e s%ills of those creatures are reat, the amount of information they et at one moment is a!le to tear an un-&"a%ene$ min$ apart. Sensorite !rains "ere re-$esi ne$ in such a "ay that one part of it ser#e$ as a containment unit for storin information, the other acts as o#ernin the !eha#ior of the Sensorite. *nfortunately, $ue to some mista%es the athere$ information starte$ lea%in into the secon$ part "hich also causes some se#ere personality $isor$ers. The remainin Sensorites are often sa$istic, confuse$ creatures "hose personality is a sum of all their pre#ious $is uises an$ their life e0periences prior to enetic au mentation. Those Sensorites that mana e$, throu h ma$ness, to escape the ?llusion, can occasionally !e foun$ huntin for ne" s%ins in Detropolis. Some ha#e fallen into the han$s of the &rchons Dal%uth an$ Fe!urah. Dost of them "ere terminate$ after their missions $ue to their enetic faults. The pro!lems arose in the nee$ to pro$uce an un'uestiona!ly loyal a ent !ut one "ith an iron-"ill, immune to telepathic Lictors an$ a$#ance$ torture techni'ues. & ents coul$ !e recalle$ #ia a Ctri erC such as a musical tone, co$e$ phrase or uni'ue chemical scent !uilt into their ne" enetics. Their !rains "ere corrupte$ in such a "ay they "oul$ recor$ elements of information su!liminally, $eep !elo" conscious thou ht threshol$s, to !e !rou ht forth at the appropriate time. )hen the tri er is acti#ate$ they report all that they ha#e o!ser#e$ #ia their especially %een senses to a Lictor or specially assi ne$ han$ler. &ll Sensorites are sterile an$ una!le to repro$uce #ia natural means. They $o not a e normally an$ their appearance $epen$s on the current s%in. The ta%in of a !o$y ma%es them the ultimate >oppel an er for their line of "or% since their fin erprints, retina patterns an$ >2& all !ecome i$entical to that of their #ictim.
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Milos Hasala
Dilos "as a KF3 a ent recruite$ in Czechoslo#a%ia an$ later capture$ !y the C?&. ?t "as his &merican captors "ho for"ar$e$ him for the process of e0perimentation "hich "oul$ ma%e him into a po"erful Sensorite "ith a lo" mental !alance. Create$ $urin the early 64M7's as one of the last of his %in$, his ma%ers trie$ e#erythin to a#oi$ the errors of their earlier e0periments. &t first they !elie#e$ they ha$ succee$e$ until, in 64M., he returne$ from >allas ha#in complete$ his thir$ mission. Dilos returne$ to the Chica o la! "earin a ji sa" of shre$$e$ human s%in "hich he ha$ strappe$ to ether as his Gne" selfC. )hen his %eepers trie$ to e0amine him, Dilos !e an a ra in , mur$erous onslau ht, !utcherin all la!oratory personnel, security men an$ other Sensorites that "ere statione$ at the la!oratory !efore !urnin almost the entire comple0 to the roun$. )hen the authorities arri#e$, they foun$ only horri!ly mutilate$ !o$ies lyin throu hout the facility, many strippe$ of their s%in. & ents of Fe!urahs "ere 'uic% to hush up the matter an$ confiscate all files relatin to the inci$ent. Shortly after the Chica o massacre, Fe!urah's or anisations !e an !ree$in their o"n attempts at Sensorites to spy on suspects, carry out punishments an$ infiltrate the or anizations of Dal%uth. 3ut they "ere to run into the same limitations. Dilos Hasala ha$ escape$ an$, after a total mental collapse, is no" a!le to pass !et"een Detropolis an$ (lysium at "ill in or$er to hunt ne" s%ins an$ carry out $elusional assi nments. Hasala is $eeply psychotic, an$ $ra"s pleasure from the pain an$ humiliation of his prey. His tar ets are no" ol$ ac'uaintances, ne"ly remem!ere$ in his resurface$ memories, or simply ran$om people "hom he pic%s out from the streets from time to time. He enjoys %illin his #ictims in !rutal an$ !estial "ays, often cripplin their !o$ies, unless the #ictim is to !e his ne0t Cs%in $onorC.
Stats
+amemaster )ints: Do#e rapi$ly, full of ner#ous ener y, as if e#erythin "as $istractin you. Spea% either nothin , or floo$ the players "ith incomprehensi!le mum!lin . A+& 61 Mo6ement: 67 ft per roun$ P"R 55K58 A4tions: 5 "+O N Initiati6e bonus: J5 -$ue to their hi h ,(R/ CO% 65 #amage bonus: J. COM -$epen$s on the s%in that is C"ornC/ #amage Capa4ity $ R 68 : scratches O6 li ht "oun$ "#! #aries . li ht "oun$O6 serious "oun$ C)A #aries . serious "oun$ O6 fatal "oun$ >ies after 5 fatal "oun$s "nduran4e: 657 Po5ers: Dallea!le appearance an$ #oice, (nhance$ senses. &imitations: Sensiti#e to e0treme e0periences -si hts, soun$s, smells etc./ #isad6antages: #aries, usually split personality, !loo$lust, mania -former life/ error Roll Mod: J8 -in his true shape/ $7ills: 3ur lary 68, Crypto raphy 66, >emolition 6M, >is uise 6N, ?nformation Retrie#al 6N, ?nterro ation 6M, Lan ua es 6. -usually 5-8 lan ua es/, 2i ht Com!at 6., Security Systems 61, Sha$o" 6M, Sur#i#al 6., Chan e Tar ets 6:, Rifle 6N, Delee ; Thro"in )eapons 61, Han$ un 6N(
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Verlassene
by Steven "# $inger V"R&A$$"%" AR" B"&I"V"# O B" C!R$"# )!MA% $O!&$ !%AB&" O B" F!&&' #I$PA C)"# O )"IR "%# I% "I )"R PARA#I$" or ?nferno. Someho" a!le to hol$ on to their mea er e0istences, they are foun$ only in the most $istant, a!an$one$ an$ remote locations, mostly resi$in outsi$e the commonly %no"n realms or perhaps emanatin from a lon lost su!conscious memory. They al"ays appear as !lac%, clear or "hite pu$$les of flui$, an$ may !e mista%en for pools of oil, "ater or mil%. They ha#e !een rarely encountere$ !y humans !ut seem $ra"n to the !or$erline areas "hen they are foun$, such as !et"een (lysium, Detropolis an$ ?nferno. Some !elie#e these creatures are a result of some faile$ 2epharite cleansin s or early e0periments on human imprisonment. Day!e they are shattere$ human consciousnesses or ancient mutant offsprin from Faia. Their e0istence is #irtually un%no"n to all !ut the most el$er an$ a"are cosmolo ical entities an$ "ell tra#ele$ &"a%ene$. They are attracte$ to attac% !y #i!ration or 'uic%, hea#y mo#ements. They $o not appear to in est #ictims !ut "ill not stop attac%in until mo#ement Search For Missing Workers ceases. They seem to !e $ri#en !y a refle0 response alone, ha#in no Halts Roosevelt Tunnel Project $iscerni!le a en$a other than to !e left alone in their stru le to e0ist. New York Times >epen$in upon the stren th of the souls e0istence, it appears as a li'ui$ 10th ul!" 1#$% fi ure tryin to e0tricate itself from "ithin the flui$ !y reachin out as &'cavation on an au'iliar! su(wa! reaching )ar (eneath the &ast simply as a han$ to as po"erful as the top half of a torso "ith arms. Some tunnel River was halte* !ester*a! a)ter the fi ures are $emonic in shape, "ith horns, pointe$ ears, multiple eye m!sterious *isa++earance o) three workers" Sam ,ear!" -lan Soto an* soc%ets, len thy for%e$ ton ues, cla"e$ han$s an$ o$$, s%ull-li%e shapes. .eorge Pre/(!lewski0 The three men were surve!ing a 2o t"o appear e0actly the same an$ each is uni'ue. Separate$ flui$ mass new (ranch o) construction some %00 rejoins the reater mass of flui$, as if "ille$ or recalle$ effortlessly in )eet un*er the F1R thorough)are some"ay. This occurs !y $efyin ra#ity, seepin throu h confine$ spaces when the! )aile* to return0 While a cave2in is thought to (e the likeliest or minuscule cre#ices. cause" no structural colla+se has !et The flui$ seems e0empt to a!sorption an$ eneral e#aporation. Lim! (een re+orte*0 3(servers )rom outsi*e the +roject have suggeste* mo#ement is jer%y an$ enerally uncoor$inate$, such as po"erful flailin that the men ma! (e lost" citing the !lo"s, ra! an$ cho%e type com!at an$ crushin !lo"s #ia its "atery su++ose* e'istence o) an anti4uate* a4ue*uct network stemming )rom a mass. The eye soc%ets in these creatures are completely #acuous. There reservoir (eneath Roosevelt 5slan*0 The tunnel" inten*e* to relieve seems to !e a #ast nothin ness insi$e them. They are terrifyin to "itness (lockages in the la(!rinthine an$ their mo#ement pro$uces a soun$ li%e a ho"lin "in$, accompanie$ Mi*town26ueens network" has (een (! mis)ortune )rom *a! one" !y a multitu$e of i!!erin #oices spea%in at once. They "ill fall !ac% in +lague* inclu*ing a recor* num(er o) injuries to themsel#es if they reach out"ar$ too far, re#ertin completely in to their an* technical )ailures0 Now si' months (ehin* sche*ule an* )acing elatinous, li'ui$ form an$ ha#in to reform. union (acklash" the cit! is Perlassene seem to ha#e no %no"n spo%en lan ua e nor any other form consi*ering whether to a(an*on the +roject altogether0 of communication, an$ no $iscerni!le intelli ence other then the am(itious - statement issue* (! Port -uthorit! s+okesman err! So(otka ru$imentary presence of a shattere$ soul. reveale* that construction on the ?f foun$ in an e0treme temperature situation such as that of !oilin Roosevelt tunnel +roject woul* (e re2 evaluate*0 7This tunnel is twice as "ater, !urn $ama e must !e assesse$ to the #ictim of any attac%. @reezin as an! e'isting line an!where on temperatures, li%e that of "ater, slo" the creaturesA li'ui$ nitro en or the *ee+ the New York su(wa! network0 While col$ness of space "ill freeze them completely. They "ill come ali#e a ain if we e'+ecte* the task to (e *i))icult" we coul* not have antici+ate* this tha"e$ out. ?f t"o creatures are mi0e$ to ether they repel from each other level o) u+set0 3ur +ra!ers are with at reat #elocity, li%e that of a cannon!all. They "ill !e stunne$ after"ar$s the missing men an* their )amilies07 So(otka ha* no comment on the for up to an hour !ut they seem to naturally a#oi$ each other normally re+ute* e'istence o) the ol* other"ise. ,erhaps this is throu h some %in$ of instinct. Some fail to mo#e un*ergroun* reservoir" nor an! other +re2e'isting structures )ar (eneath for $eca$es if left un$istur!e$. Roosevelt 5slan* (eing res+onsi(le Rumors ha#e it that some are poisonous, aci$ic or immensely $eeper. & )or the men8s *isa++earance an* other trou(les0 Perlassene first appears as a pu$$le a!out 6m "i$e an$ 6cm $eep, thou h it can actually suc% a #ictim $o"n into itself. Space an$ time ha#e #ery little
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meanin to these creatures. They are unaffecte$ !y ra$iation as "ell. These creatures are sai$ to !e percepti!le to Tele%inetic an$ >ar% &rt type a!ilities, "hich can hol$ them at !ay or repel "ea%er ones. They a#oi$ electric current an$ stron ma netic fiel$s, "hich confuses them. They $o not attempt to $o$ e !lo"s as they are apparently !lin$ an$ insensate to all forms of stimulus e0cept #i!rations.
Stats
A+& 6M P"R 68 CO% 6M "+O 67 $ R 58 C)A 8 Mo6ement: 68m -,u$$le form only/ Initiati6e Bonus: J6N #amage Bonus: -&ssess G3urn >ama eH if super heate$/ Po5ers: Recall separate$ parts, resist heat, form lim!s from flui$ #amage Capa4ity: 8 SCR O 6 L), .L) O 6 S), . S) O 6 @) -Li'uefies for a 5:-hour perio$ an$ reforms ane" thereafter/
%umber Appearing: 6 Q : -Pery Rare/ *eight: N8% )eight: 6cm -,u$$le/ K 5m ma0imum e0traction -torso ; lim!s/ $enses: Sense #i!rations up to .77 meters Communi4ation: *n%no"n -if any/ "nduran4e: 657 Atta47 Modes: Fra!!in ; flailin , >ro"nin , Crushin !lo"s 0 Lim!s
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Leaving
by Volker Baetz So a han$ is a han$. If course. 2either a spi$er nor a cla", & han$ is a han$. neither a hammer nor a sa". 3ut ?'#e seen "hat ?'#e seen, still the !loo$ stains my fin ers, an$ !ehin$ my #ery eyes, that's "here the mur$erer lin ers. &n$ the city "as create$ !y human han$s, not !y unspea%a!le thin s, $ancin to an atrocious rhythm, preyin on us carrie$ !y cancerous "in s. Carl's screams still echo in my ears, ha$ he any hopes to sur#i#eE ? uess those #anishe$ a!ruptly, "hen he sa" "hat ?'$ $one to his "ife. 3ut no one can $eem me uilty, ? can't e#en harm a fly, so ? flee to these stran e su!ur!s, %iss this real "orl$ oo$ !ye. R
Infernal Machine - Broken Doll

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Premonitions
by enette !owning #R"AM$, $)A#O*' $P"C R"$ )A *OK" M" $CR"AMI%+ I% )" #ARK%"$$8 !% I& )" $I&"%C" R"$!M"# &IK" )" BR"A ) OF a corpse a"aitin cremation, or the reapers !la$e poise$ o#er the nec% of an ol$ man. ? shu$$ere$ at the sha$o"s from "ithin that use$ ni htmares to rip at my soul an$ shatter my min$ "hile ? slept, until ? "oul$ "a%e up screamin , co#ere$ in !loo$, an$ "on$er if it "as really my o"n. Then ? a"a%e, an$ feel somethin lur%in insi$e me, an$ realize ? am no lon er alone... ?9$ trie$ e#erythin to stop them, !ut the $reams "oul$ sen$ me runnin , screamin , from myself, only to fin$ the $ar%ness of sleep !ec%one$ me "ith a cry of a onizin torture. & pain so intense it !or$ere$ on pleasure. *ntil the time ? a"o%e from my ni htmares only to fin$ that my ni htmares "ere a prelu$e to reality, an$ reality "as "orse than any ni htmare ? coul$ ha#e feare$. & foul coppery taste clun in my mouth as ? prie$ my eyeli$s open, a col$ iciness un$erneath me. ? attempte$ to raise a han$ to !rush the re$ loc%s of hair from my face !ut foun$ myself strappe$ to a sho$$y, metallic ta!le. Dy hea$ still ache$, thou h $ully. &!o#e me !eame$ a !ri ht, fluorescent li ht not unli%e those use$ in hospital operatin theatres. Turnin my hea$ to the ri ht ? sa" trays "ith the implements of sur ery an$ science littere$ a!out. @urther alon the "all ? sa" #ials, microscopes an$ journals lai$ open. @ear crept up my spine as ? s"allo"e$ har$, an$ sa" the fi ure of an insi$ious $ar% haire$ man in a pristine "hite la! coat pullin supplies from a stoc% room. ? ha$n't felt this fri htene$ since the ni ht my mother "as mur$ere$, an$ ?9$ hope$ ?'$ ne#er ha#e to feel that "ay a ain, !ut ? "as "ron . ,lease, ? plea$e$ silently, internally, ,lease, anyone...please... ? froze as ? sa" the fi ure pic% up a scalpel an$ pause$ to stare at the metallic sheen. & free han$ fi$$le$ "ith some chal% "hile he !e an to $issect my clothin , GSust mar%in #arious places for later incision.H He informe$ me offhan$e$ly. He hoo%e$ me up to a !an% of machines that $isplaye$ my #ital si ns in a series of soft tones an$ lo"in #i!ratin lines. ,ausin , he too% note of my "ell-tone$ physi'ue. C?'m la$ to see that you'#e !een ta%in care of yourself ma$am. ?t shoul$ ma%e this a little !it easier on you.C Su$$enly he ja!!e$ a nee$le into my nec%. The $ru s acte$ 'uic%ly in alterin my senses to the point of ma%in e#erythin sharp as crystal, !ut my !o$ily control $estroye$ to the point of near em!arrassment. )ith a monumental stru le ? lifte$ my hea$ sli htly off the ta!le to ta%e a loo% at the rinnin paro$y of the $octor, an$ a#e him a meanin ful mi$$le fin er. C@uc% you.C The li ht lintin off the scalpel an$ su$$enly !ein una!le to correctly control my !o$y cause$ me to !ite !ac% a cry of fear. CRot in hell you son of a !itch.C ? %ne" the threats "ere useless, !ut ri ht no", they "ere all ? ha$. CLet's ta%e thin s slo". Bou'll et some soonA in a manner of spea%in .C He motione$ to my mi$$le fin er !efore a$ministerin another shot to the si$e of my nec% "ith a flui$ race ? foun$ unner#in . The !urnin sensation that the injection cause$ to race throu h my #eins ma$e me yelp an$ "himper. CCome no" surely you9#e !een $reamin of !ein the carrier, of no lon er !ein alone.C He cut my ni ht o"n open in such a "ay that the %nife in$ente$, !ut $i$ not puncture, my s%in. GHa#e you !y chance ta%en a loo% to the left of youEH He 'uestione$ me, a sli ht smile playin a!out his lips, the mans face stri%in a spar% of reco nition some"here $eep insi$e me, thou h ? coul$n't place a name to the face. )ith a mi0ture of $rea$ ? slo"ly t"iste$ my hea$ to the left, noticin a fetus layin comforta!ly on the ta!le ne0t to a photo raph of my mother. The man's $eep soothin #oice spo%e "ith "armin tim!re. C?t too% me 'uite a "hile to perfect this one... Tell me, Heather... $i$ you e#er "ant chil$renEC HHo" $o you %no" my nameEH ? as%e$ him !e innin to "himper. GBou9ll remem!er that in time.H He
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replie$ !efore preten$in to jump an$ #ertically slicin me !elo" the um!ilicus, the col$ness of the scalpel $oin little to num! the lance of sta!!in pain. CThat shoul$ lea#e a nice little scar.C He sai$ to me "ith a "in% as my insi$es tum!le$ out li%e a !a full of san$. )ith a transfi0e$ horror ? "atche$ the layers of my a!$ominal "all flap a!out as if to pre#ent this man's entry, until he clampe$ them open. He smile$ a ain an$ pause$ to lance at a !an% of machinery my #ital si ns "a#erin here an$ there as he pushe$ my intestines up"ar$. He mo#e$ a!out my uterus "ith a $elicacy that seeme$ inhuman, slashin a careful entry point for the fetus. G>o ta%e care, all su!se'uent pre nancies "ill cause this uterine scar to !urst, an$ any future !a!ies "ill ha#e to !e $eli#ere$ !y cesarean section.H He cautione$ me, seemin to i nore my loo% of star% terror. Carefully he cra$le$ the fetus an$ place$ it "ithin my "om!, nestlin it firmly in place "ith a soft cooin . To my infinite $is ust ? felt it !e in to mo#e an$ realize$ "ith a$$itional horror ? coul$n9t e#en #omit $espite my ur e to $o so. Stru lin $esperately ? mana e$ to partially close my eyes, !ut "as still a!le to see thou h a $im haze as #arious parts of my anatomy "ere !ein sifte$ throu h as the ma$ $octor snippe$, clippe$, an$ tie$ parts of me to ether. The pain rose an$ fell in un$ulatin "a#es, "hile he "or%e$, si hin in satisfaction an$ pattin me softly on the hea$. Hummin a soft, almost soothin melo$y, he !e an to close my uterus an$ a!$omen layer !y layer in re#erse or$er usin a thic% flesh-colore$ t"ine that seeme$ to t"ist an$ mo#e as if it "as ali#e. Smac%in his lips in satisfaction, he chec%e$ my #ital si ns one last time, an$ "ent to the sin% to "ash up. ? shi#ere$ uncontrolla!ly for lon moments as ? felt my !la$$er release itself an$ some small control of my !o$y return to me C)hy....EC ? murmure$ "ea%ly. C)hat's so $ifferent a!out me than someone else...EC )ipin his lasses, he $ismisse$ my 'uestion "ith a shru . CBou're my $au hter.C ? "as shoc%e$ silent !y his a$mission, attemptin to $re$ e up the memory of my mothers mur$erer an$ compare it to this man "ho claime$ to !e my sire an$ pro#e to myself they "ere not one an$ the same. )ith a 'uiet lau h he thre" a"ay the scrap of my clothin "hich he ha$ use$ to $ry himself off. The room seeme$ to $aze as my !o$y !ecame floo$e$ !y pain, his face !lurrin out of focus as he perio$ically fe$ me #arious chemicals #ia shot or ?P, sometimes leerin close enou h to "hisper ho" they help preser#e the fetus. C3e fore"arne$ my $ear, if you fail to carry this full term, ?'ll simply !e force$ to $ra you !ac% here an$ insert another.C Dy eyes lare$ "ith nothin !ut contempt at this t"iste$ shell of a man. (ach time he injecte$ ne" chemicals my !o$y reacte$ $ifferently. Sometimes ? felt hotter than the !laze of a thousan$ suns, an$ other times, col$ as a corpse. There "ere times that he "oul$ #anish all to ether from my si ht. Iccasional shatterin noises re!oun$e$ off la!oratory steel "hile shufflin of papers an$ other $ocuments echoe$ a!out. &ll the "hile, !one-shatterin screams echoe$ in places of li ht an$ $ar%ness "here neither ha$ presence. Returnin to me, he si he$. C? rather li%e$ this little section of pur atory. ,ity ? ha#e to lea#e it li%e this.C ? jumpe$ at the soun$ of his #oice as he re-entere$ my #ie", !ut foun$ myself 'uic%ly su!$ue$ !y the ti ht restraints. Dy fear "as !e innin to fa$e into col$ ra e as ? thou ht of this man touchin my mother, of the "ay he use$ to touch meT )ith a snarl of hatre$ ? lare$ icy eyes lare$ $a ers into the lan%y man, my han$s clenche$ ti htly into fists a ainst the restraints. C)-)hat9s oin to come ne0t you !astar$EC ? spo%e throu h chatterin teeth, my !o$y "rac%e$ !y col$ spells. CC-co"ar$.C G? $on9t recall !ein the one to co"er in the closet lea#in your mother to face $eath all !y herself.H His irises sharpene$ on me as if to accentuate his point. ? opene$ my mouth to retort !ut somethin screame$ a ain in the !ac% roun$, noticea!ly more feminine than the others. ?t "as as if "hoe#er she "as, she ha$ i#en "hat little life she ha$ left into #oicin $eath - only to realize that she "as still ali#e. Dy father flashe$ a toothy smile, o#ercome "ith joy.
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C&hh... she's a"a%e. 3ein re-animate$ can !e a #ery painful process. 3e a oo$ irl an$ stay put "hile ? run some tests.C ? flippe$ him the fin er a ain as he turne$ his !ac% to me. Strainin , ? ji le$ my arms a ainst the restraints, "hich hel$ ti ht. &s pointless as it "as, it "as a consolin feelin to %no" that ? "as re!ellin a ainst "hate#er came at me. The effects of the $ru s "ere finally "earin off an$ ? foun$ myself more an$ more a itate$ "ith the fact that ? "as nu$e an$ at the mercy of my mother's %iller. Loo%in aroun$, ? "as a!le to ma%e out that this 'la!' "as $ismal, an$ the screams continue$ out of my #ision, couple$ "ith inconsola!le so!!in . )ith a rimace of frustration an$ fear my eyes "an$ere$ a!out, azin up at the lar e, open ceilin from "hich "arpe$ pipes coul$ !e seen, a$$in a $reary element. The so!s ot closer as time passe$ !y, as $i$ the echoin soun$ of footsteps a ainst the concrete floor. CHeather, ?'$ li%e you to meet someone.C )illin my hea$ to loo% a!o#e my chest, nothin prepare$ me for "hat ? "as to "itness ne0t. ?t "as a soulless shell of a "oman, "ho continue$ to "ail consi$era!ly. Lon , matte$ scarlet hair lay tum!le$ o#er the shoul$ers an$ eyes of a "al%in corpse. ?ts s%in "as ashen, han in paper thin o#er a $elicate !one structure. Then it lifte$ up its hea$, an$ ? cho%e$ on a scream. ?t "as my mother. CSuch a soft-hearte$ irl. )hich is "hat ? foun$ most interestin ... She ha$ no coura e to resist "hat ? $i$ to her, yet staye$ marrie$ to me for se#eral years.C He fishe$ a han$ throu h my mothers hair, enshrou$in the len th of her arm "ith his o"n. Their sha$o"s flic%ere$ to ether. &t any moment my father mi ht ha#e pounce$ for the %ill, !ut continue$ to $ance aroun$ his prey instea$. & sli ht clic% shac%le$ !oth her "rists to ether. CThen ? allo"e$ her to !ecome pre nant so ? coul$ ha#e another toy to amuse myself "ith.C )ith a $e#ious rin he set her asi$e an$ a!sentmin$e$ly stro%e$ my !reast. G? fi ure$ you shoul$ ha#e a chance see each other one last time !efore you o home.C )ith a sar$onic smile he e0ten$e$ his han$ an$ touche$ me li htly on the forehea$, my "orl$ !ecomin en#elope$ in $ar%ness once moreT.
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Voices in the ar!

by Steven "# $inger I *A$ %"V"R AFRAI# OF )" #ARK( "V"% A$ A C)I&#, I %"V"R R"9!IR"# A %I+) 2&I+) ( )"R" *A$ $OM" )I%+ A&&!RI%+ an$ comfortin in its nothin ness. So ? "al%e$ these a!an$one$ passa e"ays an$ su!terranean tunnels, stum!lin alon in the $ar%ness. The passa e "as on an incline an$ ? inche$ my "ay $o"n it step-!ystep, $eeper an$ $eeper. &lthou h ? $i$ not un$erstan$ their nature, ? ha$ follo"e$ the #oices $o"n here "illin ly. Iccasionally, the flutterin of a !are !ul! han in from the ceilin illuminate$ the corri$or !efore me. &s ? "al%e$ the path ? coul$ hear unfortunate insects !ein crushe$ un$erfoot, "ater $rippin from hi h up a!o#e into pu$$les !efore me an$ as al"ays these ceaseless #oices that ha$ entice$ me $o"n here. &lthou h ? "as certain ? "as "al%in forth to my $oom, ? just no lon er seeme$ to care. )ith each step ? too% in this $ismal la!yrinth, the "hirl"in$ of #oices ot a little lou$er. The #oices "ere ettin so intense no" ? #ery nearly nee$e$ to co#er my sufferin ears until ? a$juste$ to the sheer #olume of them. Dy flashli ht "as nearly spent. ? ha$ conser#e$ all ? coul$ mana e to in these last fe" sta es of my journey into these $ar%ene$ $epths. *nfortunately, ? nee$e$ it no" to pro ress as ? ha$ come to yet another $ea$ en$. ? acti#ate$ the s"itch an$ it la!oriously lit. Throu h the faint illumination of the no" $im !ul! an$ the sha$o"s cast from the crac%e$ plastic lens, ? "as a!le to see a !ric%e$ up $oor"ay. ? notice$ a small #entilation rill at floor le#el an$ ? %ic%e$ at it an$ then !eat it "ith a fallen !ric% until it finally came a"ay. ?t "as just then as the ratin came free that my li ht source "as completely e0hauste$ an$ the !atteries "ithin, fully e0pire$. ? $roppe$ it outsi$e the airshaft an$ clim!e$ insi$e the $uct"or%. @eelin ahea$ sli htly as ? cra"le$, ? continue$ on my "ay. ? coul$ hear ro$ents scurry a"ay, ? coul$ hear an ol$ crea%y #entilation fan hi h a!o#e myself slo"ly thrashin a!out the foul air an$ as al"ays ? coul$ hear the #oices callin out to me. They "ere much clearer no" !ut still haphazar$ly o#erlappin themsel#es an$ not as yet entirely $iscerna!le. ? foun$ myself hopelessly lost in this !lac% la!yrinth. ?n my heart of hearts, ? %ne" ? "oul$ ne#er a ain aze upon the $a"n. ? ha$ "hole-hearte$ly forsa%en the sun an$ the "on$ers of the $ayli ht "orl$ for this my ne" "orl$ of the $ar%. ?t "as all ri ht, for soon ? "oul$ join "ith the #oices callin out to me. Soon ? "oul$ share in "hat secrets they hel$. &ll ? nee$ $o is ans"er the summonin of their calls. ?9m not sure ho" lon ? ha#e en$ea#ore$ on this tre%T "ee%s, $ays or hours, it "as all fa$in to a !lur in my min$s eye. &s e0hauste$ as ? foun$ myself at this moment, "ormin my "ay alon "ithin the #entilation shaft ? "as o#er come "ith the compulsion to continue forth. ? follo"e$ the #oices an$ ? coul$ tell ? "as ettin #ery close no". ? "as nearin the en$ an$ ? "as almost a!le to ma%e out the assorte$ #oices relentless messa es. ? hastene$ my paceA rec%lessly tra#ersin throu h the $ar% li%e a chil$9s joy at first cra"l, ? !ecame o!li#ious to any possi!le harm that may "ell !efall me. )ithout "arnin , the shaft su$$enly a#e "ay an$ split apart aroun$ me. ? fell further an$ further into the immense $ar%ness aroun$ me. ? must ha#e !lac%e$ out $urin the fall ? ha#e no recollection of any manner of lan$in . Then as su$$enly as ? ha$ fallen ? !ecame a"are of my ne" surroun$in s. Sittin up ? foun$ that ? "as star% na%e$ an$ confine$ "ithin a small hot metal room. & small !lac% can$le "as nearly melte$ entirely a"ay. ? loo%e$ a!out in my fe#er of confusion !ut there "as no $oor, hatch or "in$o". ? pic%e$ up the can$le remnants carefully !ut its hot "a0 naturally still mana e$ to scal$ my han$s. The flame "as no" flic%erin $o"n lo". ? trie$ to fin$ some trace of air, perhaps a seam in the metal "alls "here ? must ha#e someho" entere$ throu h. Ho"e#er, ? coul$ not fin$ any #isi!le or concei#a!le e0it. The air "as no" 'uite foul "ith the scent of my o"n perspiration an$ filth.
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? hear$ #oices all aroun$ me. Parious people "ere !an in on each si$e of my cu!e li%e prison. They "ere callin for help an$ as%in if anyone "as out there. Some of the #oices soun$e$ #a uely familiar most li%ely some tric% of my min$. ? $eci$e$ it !est not to ans"er. ? ha$ notice$ that t"o of the #oices "ere no" aspin $esperately an$ then fa$e$ out an$ the !an in ha$ su$$enly cease$. ? 'uic%ly !le" out the can$le to conser#e the o0y en left aroun$ me. Dy heart!eat seeme$ as $eafenin as the shoutin aroun$ me. @or the first time in my life, ? %ne" a true fear of the $ar%. ? realize$ the #oices ha$ not !een callin out to me e0actly. They "ere callin for help. Some poor souls "ere e#en callin out in "arnin T to turn !ac%. ? uess ? ha$ hear$ "hat ? "ante$ to, sa$ly !lin$ in my o"n #ast $ar%ness. The !an in an$ yellin on yet another si$e of my cu!e ha$ cease$. ? "as su$$enly o#er "roth "ith panic. ? starte$ to "il$ly !an an$ call out for help. Dy heart "as racin an$ my callin out 'uic%ly metamorphose$ into screams for ai$. ? "as ettin intensely tire$ an$ rea$y to pass into slum!er. ? realize$ the air ha$ ro"n 'uite thin aroun$ me an$ it "oul$n9t !e lon !efore the $ar%ness completely claime$ me as its o"n. Dy mortal eyes !e an to tearT ? no" foun$ that ? no" "ante$ a $eli#erance from this $ar%ness. ? "as instille$ "ith fear, horrifically terrifie$ to $ie. ? "ante$ to li#eT ? screame$ it alou$ an$ unashame$ly... C? "ant to li#eLC *nfortunately for me, it "oul$ seem that this epiphany has come far too late. ? $roppe$ to my %nees aspin for !reath as the s"eet morphia came o#er me, pro#i$in my only means of escape.
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That "a#nting
by !avid 01mpact2 oelsson
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)" %I+) *A$ CO&#, !%FOR+IVI%+ A%# #ARK( PI C) B&ACK "V"%( I RA% #O*% )" $ R"" $, )" CACK&" FO&&O*I%+ M' e#ery step. Rain starte$ to pour $o"n, pushin the mist a"ay as it came. The streets "here hauntin me, lea#in me #ulnera!le an$ feelin trappe$ in their close alley"ays. The soun$ of sharp steel scrapin o#er stone tol$ me that he ha$ starte$ to catch up "ith me. )ho "as this $emonE )hy "oul$ it chase meE 2e#er min$, no time to thin% a!out that. &s ? $uc%e$ an$ sli$ un$erneath a chic%en "ire-fence ? coul$ hear the cac%lin lau hter a ain.
GBou cannot escape usLH ? "as $amn "ell oin to tryL The moon pea%e$ throu h the $ar% rain clou$s, rantin the sha$o"s some more len th. ? curse$, an$ no sooner then ? ha$ $one so, ? coul$ hear the scrapin soun$ a ain, closer, to my ri ht. ? ran to the left, into the ne0t alley"ay. Su$$enly the "orl$ !ecame mil%y-"hite an$ sha$o"s in#erte$. )hat "as this ne" $e#ilryE ? stoppe$, only to hear the cac%le comin closer yet a ain, he "as pic%in up the pace. ? loo%e$ aroun$. )hite !e$-sheets. Laun$ry. CursesL ?t ha$ stoppe$ me far to lon . ? ha$ this chillin feelin of >UjV #u. This seeme$ so familiar, !ut ? coul$ not remem!er e0actly "hy. GBou can run, !ut you cannot hi$eL He he he heLH ? tosse$ the laun$ry !ehin$ me as much as ? coul$, lea#in it floatin an$ t"irlin from its pincers. 2e0t street, left, "as an ol$ alley"ay that lea$s to the har!our. @irst left, then o#er the !ri$ e an$ then secon$ alley to the ri ht an$ ? "oul$ !e in the $oc%s an$ amon st people. GBou ha#e fou ht "ell, prettyL He heLH He "as so much closer no". ? $i$n9t $are to loo% o#er my shoul$er, out of fear that ? "oul$ spot that ol$, half-$ecaye$ mouth, an$ those pale eyes. ? ran aroun$ the corner, no" for the !ri$ e. ? stoppe$ an$ loo%e$ aroun$. This coul$ not !e. To the left ? ha$ "hite sheets han in in pincers, an$ to the ri ht ? coul$ see a lon scratch of somethin sharp onto the stone sla!-"all. G)hat9s the matterE ,ray tell, pretty. )hat9s on your min$E Tric%s you sayE Har$lyL The rules are ours to $ictate little one.H ? "as confuse$. Then ? loo%e$ to the ri ht a ain. & %nife "as hel$ "ith the tip a ainst the "all. In the !la$e there "as an en ra#e$ sna%e t"istin from the han$le an$ $o"n"ar$s. &t the mouth of the sna%e "as an apple, also en ra#e$, "hich the sna%e seeme$ to !ite at. The %nife scrape$ o#er the "all a ain an$ ? follo"e$ the !la$e to the han$le, "here those ala!aster-"hite fin ers too% o#er. Bello", cla"-li%e nails hinte$ on the other si$e of the e$ e. Dy eyes, transfi0e$, follo"e$ the han$ up to the in%-!lac% coat. )orms "ri le$ out throu h the slee#es, "hite putri$ "orms, their s%in soile$ "ith !loo$. The coat "as $amp, ? coul$ see that. &n$ there "as a spi$er "e! pattern of a sli ht $ar%er colour that "ent alon the slee#e. ? follo"e$ it, e#en thou h ? $i$n9t "ant to, all the "ay up to the shoul$er. ? hear$ the cac%le a ain. This "as so familiar. ?f ? coul$ only remem!er.
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G)hat9s the matter, prettyE Bou fear little ol9 meE He he he heLH Dy eyes still cra"lin slo"ly up"ar$s, "i$ene$ as ? came onto the face. The s%in "as smooth, ala!aster an$ un!lemishe$. The mouth smile$, then it crac%e$ up so that the teeth coul$ !e seen. ?t ha$ stoppe$ rainin no", an$ the mist "as rollin in a ain, !ut those teeth haunte$ me. They %ept on smilin . T"o, may!e three, teeth "here "hole. The rest "here rotte$, yello"-!ro"nish. @an s they seeme$ to !e. & cla"e$ fin er came up to the mouth. G>oes our mouth $istur! you, prettyE These teeth of ours !urn in your eyes $on9t theyEH The cla" po%e$ one of the rotte$ teeth out, an$ yello" pus came in its "a%e. ? "as una!le to turn a"ay, instea$ my eyes "an$ere$ hi her. ,lease $on9t. >on9t. >on9t loo%. 3ut ? loo%e$, an$ ? sa". In its hea$ sat a top hat. There "as no hair, !ut apart from the mouth an$ the lac% of hair, the hea$ "as perfect. &n$ the eyes. The eyes "here mil%y, just li%e the eyes ofT 2o, ? coul$ not. )oul$ not. ? ru!!e$ my temples an$ tears ran $o"n my face. G@atherE >on9t you li%e us no more @atherEH &s the creature sta!!e$ me strai ht in my heart ? felt e#erythin o. ? ha$ lost her. Lost her so lon a o. The "orl$ seeme$ to mo#e a"ay, as if ? "as in a tunnel, an$ the tunnel mo#e$ a"ay, instea$ of the train. G@atherL >on9t oLH
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3lac%. The ni ht "as pitch !lac%, an$ the mist "as rollin in. There "oul$ !e rain. Dy forty-some years ha$ tau ht me to see "hat the "eather "oul$ !e in the city. ? turne$ aroun$ an$ lit the can$le. The soup "as !oilin an$ ? too% out a spoon, cleane$ it off "ith my slee#e. )here "as that "retche$ $octorE He "as lateL ? put the spoon $o"n ne0t to the tray on the ta!le. & plate for the soup, "ith some juicy pieces of salte$ ham alrea$y "aitin for the soup, a lass of "ater, a piece of !rea$ an$ the spoon. ?t ha$ cost me this "ee%s pay to et all the thin s for this meal, !ut she nee$e$ it. &s lon as she ot this meal, "e coul$ li#e from scraps for a "ee%, !ut ri ht no" she nee$e$ the foo$. ? too% $o"n the !ottle of !ran$y from the me$icine ca!inet. The tin-cup "as ne0t to it, an$ ? fille$ it up to the rim, lea#in !ut a $rop or t"o in the !ottle. & cou h from the secon$ floor tol$ me that she ha$ a"o%en. ? too% of the soup from the fire an$ fille$ the plate "ith it. Lifte$ the tray an$ too% the can$le in my other han$. The thun$er hit at the e0act same time as the !an in on the $oor. GIpen up man, Wtis >octor HutchinsLH ? put the tray $o"n an$ opene$ the $oor, at the same time the rain poure$ $o"n. The $octor pushe$ me asi$e as he entere$, his $octors-!a slamme$ onto the ta!le, ne0t to the tray of foo$. He "as a lar e man, "ith lon er, "hitene$ hair. His eye ha$ the telltale mar%s of a monocle. His facial features "here rim, almost accusin , an$ in his left han$ he hel$ a poc%et "atch as if to point out that he "as in a hurry. His teeth "here half-rotte$. The man $is uste$ me. He shut the poc%et "atch an$ put it in his front poc%et. Then he $roppe$ his coat into my han$s an$ put his top hat ne0t to his !a . He loo%e$ at the foo$, no$$in appro#in to"ar$s me. GFoo$ man, ?9m star#in LH
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He !elche$, an$ "as !ein ru$e, an$ "as e0pensi#e. 3ut ? ha$ no choice. He "as the only one "ho coul$ possi!ly help us. He ate the soup an$ the !rea$ "ith reat luttony, $i$n9t !other to as% for secon$s !ut just too% more as he "ishe$ himself. The last he $i$ "as to $o"n the !ran$y. G)ell, it "as certainly not the !est of !ran$y, !ut it9$ !e a shame to let it o to "aste. 2o", sho" me the sic%lin LH ? loo%e$ at the man. He ha$ just finishe$ a "hole "ee%s "orth of foo$ in less then t"o minutes, finishe$ the last of my !ran$y. He "as o!no0ious, !ut mayhap he "oul$ ha#e me$icine for her. Da%e her healthy. That "as the most important. ? sho"e$ him the stairs, an$ too% the can$le in one han$ an$ his !a in the other an$ "al%e$ upstairs. The room "as confine$ an$ felt putri$. The "in$o" ha$ !een left close$, !ecause the moist from outsi$e "oul$ only ha#e "orsene$ her illness. &s "e came up, ? felt the nausea of the smell that came from her sic%!e$. She cou he$ an$ ? put the can$le ne0t to her !e$. ? $i$n9t say anythin , just let my han$s caress her forehea$ as she loo%e$ up at me. Her eyes "here mil%y, as if a shrou$ of pale "hite ha$ !een put to co#er them. Her s%in "as ala!aster, spotless !ut "et !y her s"eat. G)ell no"L Step asi$e manL >octor comin throu h to ta%e a loo% at the "ee oneLH He pushe$ me asi$e. ,ulle$ $o"n the sheets, re#ealin her ni ht o"n an$ her feet. Then he mo#e$ his fin ers ne0t to her ears. G)ell, ? can say ri ht a"ay, that this is somethin that a stea$y meal an$ a shot of 3ran$y"ine "ill $o the tric% forLH He lare$ at me. ? "as too shoc%e$ to un$erstan$ "hat ? hear$. G3ut it9$ !etter !e 'uic% man, !ecause she "ill $ie "ithin the ni ht if she $oesn9t et foo$LH ? loo%e$ at him a ain. GCome on manL She "ill $ie a painful $eath if you $o not i#e her some foo$ an$ 3ran$yLH Dy ja" $roppe$. He ha$ curse$ her. He ha$ $amne$ her to $eath. This WIh so hi h an$ mi hty9 $octor ha$ %ille$ my $au hter as he ha$ entere$ my #ery o"n house. ? loo%e$ at the $octors-!a in my han$. ?t "as open. ?nsi$e ? sa" se#eral me$ical tools, an$ a me$ical %nife. ?t "as $elicate. &lon the !la$e "ri le$ an en ra#e$ sna%e, aimin to ta%e a !ite at an apple that "as also en ra#e$ more to"ar$s the point of the %nife. He coul$ just as easily ha#e %ille$ my $au hter "ith the %nife. )hy "oul$ he $amn her to painsE ? loo%e$ up, he sai$ somethin . G>amn it manL @i0 up some foo$ an$ !ran$y for the irlL The pains "ill starts soonLH ? loo%e$ $o"n a ain. 2o. There "oul$ !e no pains. 2ot for my little irl. ? too% out the %nife, "ei he$ it in my han$. ?t "as a fairly hea#y %nife, !ut it felt oo$ in my han$. The $octor "as loo%in at my $au hter. He ha$ no ri htL ? sta!!e$ him ri ht !et"een his shoul$ers. ? ha$ e0pecte$ a stru le, or e#en some "ri lin from his part. 3ut he just san% $o"n an$ turne$ aroun$.
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G)hT"hat are you $oin manEH He "heeze$ out the "or$s. He ha$ !een loo%in at my $au hter "ith those eyes. (yes of a mur$ererL ? !ent for"ar$ an$ cut out his left eye. He screame$. G@atherEH ? loo%e$ at him. He ha$ panic%e$, !ut he ha$ no force in his !o$y any more. ? too% his other eye, an$ let him sit an$ $ie in the pu$$le of his o"n !loo$. ? too% up my $au hter out of her !e$. )e nee$e$ to et out off this house. ? ha$ promise$ myself that she "oul$ not $ie in this house, not "ith me still ali#e any"ay. Dy $au hter. Si0 years is no a e to $ieL ? "al%e$ $o"n the stairs "ith her in my arms. She cou he$, !ut "here other"ise silent. G@atherEH ? put the $octors jac%et on her, it ree%e$ of his $espica!le smell, !ut at least it "oul$ %eep her "arm an$ $ry. ? too% on my o"n jac%et an$ opene$ the $oor. Iut to the streets. )e "here almost ramme$ !y a carria e as "e e0ite$ our house. She hun onto me !ra#ely. Dy !ra#e, silent, little irl. G@atherEH ? too% the ne0t street $o"n to the left. The sea. That9s "here ? "ill let her $ie. The sea !rin s the souls to the creator. She "ill !e happy there. To $ie !y the sea. The mist rolle$ in as the rain stoppe$ slo"ly. 2e0t turn ri ht, an$ then to the left a ain an$ then o#er the !ri$ e an$ first left throu h an alley"ay to the $oc%s. ? turne$ ri ht. &n$ ran into a "hite !e$-sheet, han in to $ry in the $amp Lon$on air. ?t "as almost funny. G?t hurts @ather.H ? hurrie$. ? lau he$ sli htly. Sheets. ? ran aroun$ the ne0t corner an$ loo%e$ for the !ri$ e. ?t "asn9t there. ? curse$. ? loo%e$ at my little irl. Her eyes loo%e$ fri htene$ an$ mo#e$ !ac% an$ forth. She coul$n9t see anythin A she ha$n9t !een a!le to see since the mil%y-sheet $rape$ her eyes. ? stum!le$ an$ $roppe$ my little irl. Dy %nee hurt. ? trie$ to stan$ up on it, !ut it just $i$ not "or%. ? curse$. ? loo%e$ to the si$e. &n alley"ay. ?t smelle$ li%e the sea here, my little irl coul$ not see. ? "oul$ $o "hat ? ha$ to $o. ? too% her in my arms an$ cra"le$ into the alley"ay. G?t "ill !e all ri ht, pretty. ? am here an$ ? "ill not let anythin happene$ to you.H She loo%e$ up at me. G@ather, $o the not li%e us anymore @atherE ? loo%e$ at her.
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G)hom &man$aEH GThe men in !ri ht clothes. They ha#e !een aroun$ us for a lon time, !ut no" they are mo#in a"ay. Turnin a"ay an$ "al%in out of si ht.H She soun$e$ afrai$. She "as $elirious of course. The fe#er an$ the soun$ of the $octorT -? %ille$ a man/ ? loo%e$ $o"n at her, smilin . G>on9t you "orry a!out the men in "hite. ?f they are truly frien$s of yours they "ill return shortly. ? promise. 2o", "ill you !e a oo$ little irl, prettyEH She no$$e$. She "as a #ery nice little irl. ? %isse$ her forehea$ an$ hel$ her close. ? alrea$y misse$ her so $early. 3ut there "as no "ay out of this !ut "hat ? nee$e$ to $o. She "oul$ o to hea#en, an$ ? "oul$ fore#er !e $oome$ for this, !ut ? coul$ not let my little irl suffer pains. GListen carefully to me no", pretty. )e are !y the sea. ?t is ni ht time so the sea ulls are silent, !ut if you listen carefully you "ill hear the soun$s of "a#es. The smell of the sea comes clearly if you i#e it some time. ? thou ht it "as too nice a ni ht to sit insi$e. So ? too% you here. &n$ ? promise that your frien$s in "hite "ill return shortly.H ? ra!!e$ a ti hter rip on the %nife. ? $ra $octorT e$ it throu h a pu$$le of "ater to rinse of the !loo$ of the
-? %ille$ a man, an$ ? am a!out to %ill my little $au hter/ G?f you coul$ see ri ht no", you "oul$ see the millions an$ millions of stars up in the s%ies. The rain has stoppe$ an$ it is a clear s%y. Some"here up there is your mother, loo%in $o"n upon the !oth of us.H ? "ept. ? misse$ her so much alrea$y. G&n$ that is "here you ha#e to o. Bour mother "ill reet you, !ut ? ha#e to o else"here.H ? raise$ the $a er slo"ly.
-? %ille$ a man, an$ ? am a!out to %ill my little $au hter. D*R>(R(RL/ G2o @ather, $on9tLH ? sta!!e$ her strai ht in her heart. &n$ ? crie$ out lou$ as ? $i$ so. G@ather. >on9t oLH She "hispere$ as she $ie$. &n$ ? loo%e$ at her in my arms. The %nife still in my han$. &n$ ? crie$ an$ crie$. &n$ ? misse$ her.
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&n$ ? slit my throat "ith the %nife. &n$ ? $ie$. &n$ ? misse$ her. &n$ ? "oul$ miss her fore#er.
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The 2i ht "as col$, unfor i#in an$ $ar%. ,itch !lac% e#en. The soun$ of the rain haunte$ me as much as the streets. GRun, prettyL Run as much as you "ish, !ut you cannot escapeLH The #oice carrie$ alon the empty streets, follo"e$ !y a cac%le of a lau h. ? foun$ myself runnin , !ut una!le to say "hy. )hy "oul$ ? runE )here "as this placeE -(yes of a mur$erer/ ? remem!ere$ somethin . & man. &n$ a %nife. ?t "as all so !lurry. GSo, pretty, "e are startin to for etE That9s a pity, $on9t you thin%E Iur ame has laste$ so shortlyLH )ho "as thatE ? reco nize$ the #oice, !ut ? coul$ not say "hom it "as. ? ran $o"n the streets an$ into an alley"ay to the si$e. ? ran strai ht into clotheslines fille$ "ith "hat seeme$ to !e "hite !e$-sheets. This all seeme$ so familiar, !ut ? coul$n9t remem!er. ? stoppe$ for a secon$. Ru!!e$ my temples. Somethin a!out eyes. -D*R>(R(RL/ ? ran a ain, simply !ecause that "as all ? coul$ remem!er $oin . G&ahT the pretty is for ettin . Ih "ell. That is the name of the ame. ?t has outsmarte$ us. This timeLH ? came out into a !i street. The pa#ement "as co!!le$ stone, the streetli hts lo"in sli htly reenish from the as in them. The en$ of the roa$ "as not to !e seen, the only thin "as the mist rollin in. &ll "in$o"s "here $ar%, all $oors close$. ? stoppe$ an$ loo%e$ !ehin$ me. The same street, mirrore$, "ent the other "ay. Fone "ere the alley"ays ? ha$ run throu h. & scrapin noise came from in front of me. ? turne$ aroun$ an$ loo%e$ throu h the mist. &lon the left "all came a short person. ?t "as a chil$. In the chil$9s hea$ sat a top hat, an$ it "as $resse$ in a $ar% coat. ?n the ri ht, cla"-a$orne$ han$ "as a %nife, scrapin a ainst the "all as the chil$ came closer. ? loo%e$ at the chil$ as it approache$ me. The mouth seeme$ to !e an open "oun$. &n$ the eyes "here mil%y-"hiteT -mur$erer/ ?t seeme$ so familiar, !ut ? coul$n9t say "hy. The chil$ steppe$ out into the mi$$le of the street an$ too% off the hat, re#ealin a completely hairless s%ull. ?t loo%e$ li%e a little irl, !ut the mouth an$ the lac% of hair ma$e it so $ifficult to $istin uish. ?t "as
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li%e somethin out of a ni htmare. Than% o$ it $i$n9t ha#e any features of anyone ? %ne". That "oul$ ha#e !een pure torment. -? %ille$ a manT/ G?t is a fine e#enin , "oul$n9t you say, prettyEH ?t rinne$ at me. ? $i$n9t ans"er. ? $i$n9t %no" this thin . ?t stoppe$ smilin . G)e sai$L ?t is a fine e#enin L )oul$n9t you sayL ,rettyEH ? %ept my mouth shut. Day!e this "as a !a$ $ream. The creature let out a si h. GIh "ell. This is no more fun. Bou may o. )e release youLH ?t hel$ out the %nife to its ri ht an$ let o of it. ?t han e$ still in mi$-air. ? coul$ see some features of the %nife. ?t "as a $elicate %nife, "ith a slitherin sna%e en ra#e$ on one si$e of the !la$e, stri%in for an apple. ? loo%e$ at the %nife, mesmerise$ !y it. Then the creature ma$e a mo#e "ith its han$, as if it thre" somethin , an$ the %nife shot throu h the air an$ hit me. Strai ht into my heart. &n$ ? $ie$. &n$ ? crie$. &n$ there "ere !ri ht li hts. &n$ there "here men in "hite to recei#e me. &n$ ? li#eT.
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MOrNING STAR
aN Ordeal fOr kult by wOjcIech KrzymINskI
F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 4ntrod ction
)I$ A#V"% !R" AK"$ P&AC" I% A% AM"RICA% OR "!ROP"A% CI ' *I ) A CA )O&IC !%IV"R$I '( )" P&A'"R Characters shoul$ ha#e ties to the Catholic Church or to the *ni#ersity, !ecause the in#esti ation "oul$ !e more $ifficult "ithout such connections. & ,C can !e a lecturer of an ancient lan ua e -prefera!ly He!re"/, another ,C can "or% in the uni#ersity li!rary -this ,C coul$ see Christopher 3ar!os "ith Clau$ia Kin there/, alternati#ely 3ar!os can !e their relati#e or a pupil, if a ,C $eci$es to play an ol$er character. ?f you, $ear ame master, prefer to run this scenario "ith esta!lishe$ ,Cs, then you must in#ent another connection !et"een them an$ 3ar!os. ,erhaps he ha$ helpe$ them "ith his %no"le$ eA they coul$ contact him on an ?nternet forum of 3i!lical enthusiasts, for instance. Christopher 3ar!os is an important 2on-,layer Character, althou h he is $ea$. &ll $escriptions of the 2,Cs are on the en$ of the scenario.
?n our $ar% times fe" people $o !elie#e in Fo$A the majority ten$s to thin% that He ne#er e0iste$, that He "as only a false ima e of man. 3ut e#en the faithful can fall prey to the $is!elief, e#en they can turn to "orship Lucifer in his many $is uises. The satanists sel$om consi$er themsel#es as Lucifer's prisonersA in$ee$, they thin% that they $i$ li!erate themsel#es from the fetters of morality an$ reli ion. If course, not only &staroth or >eath &n els create an$ use satanic cultsA 2TzCh or DLKPTh can employ such cults as "ell. Christopher 3ar!os stron ly !elie#e$ in just an$ merciful Fo$A in the en$ he $eci$e$ to !ecome a priest in or$er to help the people. He "as !orn in a Catholic family of ,olish $escent, an$ his parents "ere $eli hte$ !y their son9s $ecision. 3ar!os $i$ e0ceptionally "ell at the colle e, thus he 'ualifie$ to o!tain a scholarship on a Catholic *ni#ersityA there his star shone e#en !ri hter. He li#e$ in a small room in the *ni#ersity $ormitoryA a youn priest name$ Thomas >a#i$son li#e$ ne0t $oor an$ they 'uic%ly !ecame frien$s. >a#i$son helpe$ Christopher "ith the learnin of He!re", !ut he "ante$ more than a frien$ly smile in return Q he $reamt a!out se0 "ith Christopher, !ut "as too afrai$ to try to fulfil his fantasy. & full year passe$. ?n the *ni#ersity li!rary Christopher met Clau$ia Kin , a stran e, passionate irl "ho reatly chan e$ his life. They met almost each $ay an$ tal%e$ a!out Fo$ an$ Satan, a!out oo$ an$ e#il. Christopher "as $eeply shoc%e$ "hen Clau$ia finally a$mitte$ that she "orships Satan. She trie$ to se$uce Christopher that ni ht, !ut faile$A this enra e$ her, an$ she left him. He unsuccessfully stru le$ to remo#e her from his memory an$ suffere$ a ner#ous !rea%$o"n. School officials force$ him to ta%e a short #acation Q they thou ht that he "or%e$ too much Q an$ after si0 "ee%s 3ar!os returne$ to the *ni#ersity. Inly fe" persons %no" a!out 3ar!os9 relationship "ith Clau$ia Q it is an ol$ $ormitory uar$, a female li!rarian in the &ncient Lan ua es >epartment in the uni#ersity li!rary -she sa" them chattin / Q an$ of course jealous Thomas >a#i$son. Clau$ia !elon s to small satanic cult calle$ GThe Dornin StarH. She has thou ht that she coul$ con#ert Christopher an$ play "ith him, !ut his refusal $isrupte$ her plan. ?n or$er to impress other cult mem!ers "ith her callousness, Clau$ia comman$e$ her youn er !rother Samuel to %ill 3ar!os. >is uise$ as a cleaner, Samuel crept into the Christopher9s room in the *ni#ersity $ormitory -the $oor loc% "as easy to open/, an$ "aite$ till Christopher appeare$. Samuel sta!!e$ him t"el#e times in the chest an$ cut off the nose. ?n his #ictim9s !loo$ Samuel $re" a cru$e inscription in He!re" from the 3oo% of So!: G&n$ the LIR> sai$ unto Satan: W)hence comest thouE9 Then Satan ans"ere$ the LIR>, an$ sai$: W@rom oin to an$ fro in the earth, an$ from "al%in up an$ $o"n in it9 -So! 6, 1/.H T"o months after he ha$ met Clau$ia, Christopher 3ar!os "as $ea$ !ecause of her. The $ormitory uar$s !ro%e in the room a $ay later, alarme$ !y the horri$ stench. They sa" Christopher9s mutilate$ !o$y an$ !loo$ inscription on the "all opposite the $oorA the cleanin la$y feinte$ an$ >a#i$son rushe$ to call the police. The forensic team has foun$ only a fe" traces of the %iller -the policemen are not e#en sure if there "ere t"o %illers/, !ut they ha#e retrie#e$ a fin erprint from the $oor%no!. The $ormitory uar$ has i#en the policemen a short $escription of Gthe ne" cleaner.H
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F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com &hapter 45
The police are searchin after Ga youn s%inhea$ irl "ho "ears !lac% leather jac%et an$ !lac% jeansH an$ Ga tall, youn man "ith !ro%en nose an$ lon re$ hairH. The i$enti%its "ill !e release$ three $ays after the mur$er, an$ the police spo%esman hol$s a press conference, $urin "hich he says: G)e are on the mur$er9s trail, "e alrea$y ha#e many lea$s, so you may rest assure$ "e9ll catch the %iller.H The information a!out the 3i!lical 'uote is %ept secret !y the in#esti ators, an$ the police spo%esman $ismisses any 'uestion a!out it "ith the phrase: G?t9s clear "e are $ealin "ith a case of ro!!ery, !ecause there are a!solutely no clues lea$in to any cult acti#ity.H If course, the opposite is true, so "hy are the police lyin E & ro!!ery $oes not $eman$ so much me$ia attention as an occult mur$er $oes, thus the pressure on the in#esti ators is "ea%er. 3esi$es, the $etecti#es suspect that the %iller "as hire$ !y someone "ho "as close to the #ictim, an$ they $o not "ant to scare off this person. &ll *ni#ersity staff "ill !e interro ate$, their past connections to Christopher 3ar!os "ill !e closely e0amine$. Bou coul$ t"ist the plot a little !it, so a ,C coul$ !e $eeme$ a suspect !y the $etecti#es ->i$ this ,C often meet "ith the #ictimE Has that ,C sho"e$ special attention to the #ictimE Ha#e they e#er ha$ an ar umentE/. The $etecti#e Sohn Freene "ill as% the ,C "ho is lecturer for a little help "ith the translation of the inscription. ,erhaps it "ill thro" a ne" li ht on the mur$erer9s moti#esE Freene $oes not thin% that the %iller "as someone close to the #ictim, as he is con#ince$ that it "as a hire$ thu "ith little e0perience. In the contrary, Fil!ert Hamilton Q the other $etecti#e Q $oes !elie#e that the %iller "as Christopher9s frien$ or e#en his relati#e, precisely !ecause the mur$er "as not $one in a professional "ay. The $etecti#es ha#e interro ate$ Thomas >a#i$son, !ut he only hinte$ a!out Clau$ia Kin , !ecause he is afrai$ of her. Certainly >a#i$son $oes not "ant to !e %ille$ just li%e 3ar!os "as. ?f the ,Cs tal% to >a#i$son, he "ill not trust them, as he suspects almost e#eryone is some"hat responsi!le for the $eath of his !elo#e$ Christopher. Ho"e#er, the youn priest can tell the ,Cs -especially if they are aca$emics from the *ni#ersity/ a reat $eal a!out Christopher an$ Clau$ia, !ecause he ea#es$roppe$ many of their con#ersations. >a#i$son stru les to hi$e his lon in for Christopher, !ut if the ,Cs are percepti#e -or possess such a$#anta es as G(mpathyH or G?ntuitionH/, they "ill easily sense "hy >a#i$son feels so intense rief. The ol$ uar$ian sa" Samuel, !ut he cannot remem!er anythin special a!out this particular person Q GBou %no", it "as an or$inary youn uy, a ne" cleaner ? thin%. Beah, he ha$ re$ hair an$ "as rather tall.H The uar$ $oes not thin% that he faile$ to $o his $uty, in fact, he !ecomes irrita!le if the ,Cs su est that.
&hapter 445
Clau$ia "ill not atten$ Christopher9s funeralA she "ill sen$ a Satanist to spy on >a#i$son $urin the ceremony, thou h. ?f the ,Cs e#er pai$ a #isit to the youn priest, they "ill !e "atche$ !y a cultist from the Dornin Star. >i$ the ,Cs fin$ anythin important a!out this caseE &re they especially smartE >i$ a ,C manifest any special s%ill or a!ilityE ?f the ans"er is yes, then the Dornin Star "ill try to %ill the ,Cs. @irstly, the cultists play a little ame "ith the ,Cs. @or e0ample, a ,C fin$s a hea$ of a pi at the $oor of the apartment, freshly cut offA a spee$in car !arely misses a ,C on a streetA someone plays !lac% metal music #ery lou$ at the mi$ni ht ri ht in front of the ,C9s houseA Clau$ia calls a ,C an$ comman$s him to act out his se0ual fantasy, in or$er to $o this she "ill use of her po"er of GComman$in PoiceH -see p. 14 in 6st e$ition of Kult/. &fter a "ee% the Satanists !ecome !ore$ "ith these ames. Tric%y, the lea$er of the Dornin Star, "ants to she$ some human !loo$ for Satan. He $i#i$es his follo"ers into roups of three an$ sen$s them to capture each ,CA the cultists ha#e tonfas an$ chloroform. ? assume that the ,Cs are not oo$ fi hters -perhaps ? am "ron /, thus the Satanists ha#e a oo$ chance to succee$. Tric%y "ill perform the sacrificial ritual at a ru!!ish $ump Q he personally cuts each ,C9s throat an$ the !loo$ is athere$ in a !o"l.
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Ho"e#er, if the ,Cs fin$ Clau$ia !efore the cultists start to play, they can "in. >o not for et that at least three persons ha#e seen her: the female li!rarian, the ol$ uar$ an$ >a#i$son. The youn priest can 'uite accurately $escri!e Clau$ia to the ,Cs, an$ he %no"s that Clau$ia uses to han out in a sha!!y ni htclu! calle$ GSemataryH, !ecause he o#erhear$ once that she "ante$ to o there "ith Christopher. The clu! o"ner9s name is Ro!ert Smith. Clau$ia sees him as an interestin !u "hich can !e tormente$ an$ finally s'uashe$A she ha$ promise$ Smith to ha#e se0 "ith him, !ut later she lau he$ him out. The $escription of GSemataryH is !elo", rea$ it to your players. The club 0Sematary2 is situated in the basements of a sleazy housing block# -ts walls are covered with primitive graffiti 3 among them are pentagrams and reversed crosses# . rusty staircase leads you down to a metal door with an intercom# 4ou press the button and hear a coarse voice5 0%hat do you want62, but if the )*s have the money ready 70*ash only, we don8t need your fucking cards129, there is a short buzz heard and the door are open# The walls are deep red and the lighting is dim# :eavy, industrial music pours out of the speakers 7'aibach, Tool, Voivod9, so you can hardly hear each other# "ost of tables are occupied by tattooed men, wearing silver &ewellery 7goat heads and snakes are the most popular motifs here9# .t the chromed bar you see a couple of pretty girls, scantily clad in black latex# They lustfully smile at you, and one of them asks frankly5 0Boy, wanna play with my pussy6 -8m all wet down here# *8mon, it doesn8t cost much### Buy me a drink#2 Suddenly a fat, pale man in his forties appears# :e has long, loose grey hair and a ring in his nose# 0-8m (obert Smith, the owner of the club# %ho are you6 %hat are you looking for62 3 he gazes at you intensely all the time with the bloodshot eyes# ?f the ,Cs tell Smith that they are loo%in for Clau$ia Kin , he "ill ta%e them to a !ac% room "here they can $iscuss a $eal. I!#iously Smith $oes not "ant to $eli#er Clau$ia to the police, !ut he can use the ,Cs to !lac%mail her. &n$ Smith has hear$ Samuel !ra in a!out !ein Ga ruthless %iller.H >o the ,Cs "ant to %no" "here the mem!ers of the Dornin Star ha#e their hi$e-outE ?t is a $erelict "arehouse, locate$ on the city outs%irtsA its floor is co#ere$ "ith ru!!ish, on the "alls are re#erse$ crosses an$ a reat paintin of Satan -ali%e to a H. R. Fi er9s picture/ a$orns the "estern "all. The cult lea$er calle$ Tric%y li#es there "ith his t"o female !o$y uar$s -their statistics are ali%e to Samuel9s, these irls are fit an$ rea$y to fi ht/, $i#i$in his time !et"een rea$in occult !oo%s an$ se0. Ither mem!ers of the cult ather there each ni ht to hear Tric%y9s rants an$ sermons. The stan$ar$ ritual of the Dornin Star is calle$ Gpurification of the min$H: the participants chant an$ "hirl in circles till they feel a rush. This altere$ state is sai$ to cleanse the min$ from all e0ternal influences. Sometimes $urin this $ance Tric%y !e ins to spea% out his insane #isions. The Dornin Star has thirty mem!ers, most of them are street teena ers, tou h an$ col$-hearte$. Tric%y teaches them that #iolence is a "ay to free$om, an$ they are fanatically o!e$ient to him. Tric%y "ill moc% the ,Cs: GSo you "ant to play $etecti#es, $on9t youE 3ut ?9#e no time for ames, if you un$erstan$ "hat ? mean at all. Fo a"ay to pray to your castrate$ prophet, it "ill ma%e you feel !etterLH Inly if the ,Cs can offer him somethin interestin Q an important piece of information a!out another satanic cult, for e0ample Q then Tric%y "ill tell "here they can fin$ Clau$ia an$ Samuel, as he "ants to et ri$ of them any"ay. The police ha#e finally i$entifie$ the fin erprints -Samuel "as sentence$ to t"o years for assistin in a ro!!ery, thus he has a file in the police catalo ues/A the $etecti#es Freene an$ Hamilton are circlin li%e #ultures aroun$ the motel "here Clau$ia an$ Samuel are hi$in . Their capture is only a matter of time. >urin the trial Clau$ia "ill not utter a "or$, as if a reater po"er has o#ercome herA Samuel "ill commit a suici$e in the jail.
6ppendi7
There are the $escriptions of main 2,Cs, !ut not all of them ha#e statistics, !ecause some of them are from a eneric stoc%. Christopher Barbos "as a nice, youn man "ith $ar% hair an$ !ro"n eyes. He often smile$. He sincerely
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!elie#e$ in Fo$, !ut "as not a fanatic. He "ante$ to help Clau$ia to fin$ Fo$ a ain, !ut after a "hile he fell in lo#e "ith her. Thomas Davidson is a rather short youn man -he is 58 years ol$/ "ith san$y hair an$ pale reen eyesA he al"ays "ears !lac% priest ro!e. He spea% "ith a soft #oice an$ ne#er loo%s in the eyes of his spea%ers. >a#i$son $reams a!out se0 "ith Christopher e#ery ni htA he re ularly "hips himself for this, !ut the $esire $oes not "ea%en. A+& N "+O 65 $ R N C)A 67 CO% 4 P"R 66 COM 4 "#! 68 )eight:6M1cm *eight: 1:% Communi4ation: He spea%s se#eral lan ua es. Mo6ement: : A4tions: 5 Initiati6e bonus: 7 #amage bonus: 7 #amage 4apa4ity: : SCRK . L)K 5 S)K 6 @) "nduran4e: 18 %atural armor: none Mental Balan4e: - 8 Ad6antages: Co$e of Honor -Roman Catholic, 8/ #isad6antages: 2i htmares -$reams a!out Christopher, 67/ $7ills: Rea$K)rite 2ati#e Lan ua e 68, Computers :, Counselin 8, Creati#e )ritin N, >ri#e Pehicle 8, ?nformation Retrie#al 67, Iccultism ., Rhetoric 1, &ra!ic :, &ramaic M, Ferman 67, &ncient Free% 67, 3i!lical He!re" 6:, Latin 6:, Humanities 65, History N, Theolo y 6:, Lin uistics 67. Claudia King is a me$ium-!uilt irl. Hey rey eyes $el#e $eep into the soul of any man. Currently she loo%s li%e a s%inhea$ -!lac% jeans, "hite shirt an$ !lac% sol$ier !oots/A on her is a tattoo "ith the t"ohea$e$ $e#il. She is 5. years ol$. Sometimes she plays a little irl "ho is lost in the !rutal "orl$, sometimes she li%es to humiliate men, to pro#e that they are "ea%. Clau$ia $i$ not lo#e Christopher, she lo#es no!o$y e0cept herself, !ut she respects Tric%y for his insane ima ination. A+& 6: "+O 6: $ R 67 C)A 61 CO% 6. P"R 66 COM 6: "#! 1 )eight:6MNcm *eight: 86% Mo6ement: 1 A4tions: 5 Initiati6e bonus: 5 #amage bonus: 6 #amage 4apa4ity: : SCRK . L)K . S)K 6 @) "nduran4e: 48 Mental Balan4e: - 58 Ad6antages : Po5ers: Comman$in Poice -68/ #isad6antages: @anaticism -67/, ( otist -8/, Se0ual neurosis -sa$ism, 67/ S%ills: Rea$K)rite 2ati#e Lan ua e 1, *narme$ Com!at 6., >a ers 8, Han$ uns 6., &rea Secrets N, 3ar ainin 65, ?nterro ation 6:, 2et of Contacts -han$larze nar%oty%X"/ 66, 2et of Contacts -satanists/ 6:, Iccultism 6., ,oisons ; >ru s 65, Se$uction 66, Street"ise 6:, Sur#i#al N.
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Samuel King, Clau$ia9s youn er !rother -he is 57 years ol$/, is a primiti#e !rute. He $oes not li%e to thin% on his o"n, he prefers to carry someone9s or$ers. Samuel is a tall, stron -!uilt man "ith !ro%en nose an$ lon re$ hair. His arms are full of tattoos sho"in sna%es, flamin s%ulls an$ Satan9s names, "ritten in He!re". A+& 6M "+O 67 $ R 6M C)A N CO% 6M P"R 66 COM 67 "#! 8 )eight:6N5cm )ei ht: N8% Communi4ation: #ery poor #oca!ulary "hich consists mostly of #ul arisms Mo6ement: N A4tions: 5 Initiati6e bonus: : #amage bonus: . #amage 4apa4ity: 8 SCRK : L)K . S)K 6 @) "nduran4e: 667 Mental Balan4e: - 8 Ad6antages: (n$ure hun erKthirst -67/ #isad6antages: >ru &$$iction -68/ $7ills: >is uise 67, >o$ e 6., Hi$e 6., Rea$K)rite 2ati#e Lan ua e 8, Snea% 65, *narme$ Com!at 6:, Han$ uns N, &rea Secrets 8, 3ur lary 4, >ri#e Pehicle N, 2et of Contacts -satanists/ :, Iccultism 6, ,oisons ; >ru s 8, Street"ise N John Anthony olmes "or%s part-time as a uar$ at the uni#ersity $ormitory. He prou$ly "ears his $ar% !lue uniform, it remin$s him the lorious $ays at the police ser#ice. Holmes "as fire$ after he $isco#ere$ !y chance some e#i$ence "hich incriminate$ an important politician. 2o" Holmes is a resentful, el$er man. His rece$in hair an$ a !eer !elly $o not impro#e his ima e. Robert Smith o"ns the clu! GSemataryH. He is an a#i$ fan of horror an$ snuff mo#iesA sometimes he sits all ni ht in a secret room, "atchin a mo#ie. He collects !oo%s a!out serial %illers. Smith is a fat, pale man in his forties. He has lon , loose rey hair an$ a rin in his nose. >etecti#e John !reene is a stoc%y man "ith reyish hair an$ hazel eyes. He spea%s #ery fast an$ esticulates a lot. Freene usually "ears a rey coat , a steel- rey suit an$ a !lac% hat. His collea ue Q $etecti#e !ilbert amilton Q loo%s 'uite $ifferent, he is rather tall an$ thin man, almost !al$. Hamilton $oes not care much a!out the ele ant clothes, he $resses casually. Tric"y, the lea$er of the Dornin Star, is an attracti#e 5N-ol$ man "ith $ar% !ro"n hair an$ ice col$ !lue eyes. He smir%s at e#eryone, thin%in that he is far superior than those "orms. Tric%y is preoccupie$ "ith his ni htmares an$ #isions, as he tries to $isco#er their hi$$en meanin . ?f someone helps him to un$erstan$ a #ision, Tric%y "ill see that person as a peer to him, not as a sla#e.
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$e!sins!i
A Revie# $% The &ate 'olish Artist by 'ukasz (espondek
;#;I$&A* B"K$I%$KI *A$ BOR% I% ./</ I% $A%OK, PO&A%#( )" $ !#I"# A )" >epartment of &rchitecture of Cra%o" Technical *ni#ersity !ut his career as an architect "as a #ery short one. He starte$ to e0periment "ith photo raphy -circa 6485/ an$ he 'uic%ly ac'uire$ acclaim in that particular !ranch of art. 3ut, e#en then, his "or%s "ere $ifferent from those of the many others. )here usually photo raphers trie$ to picture the outsi$e "orl$ - e#erythin that is surroun$in us - 3e%sins%i's photos "ere aime$ at the hi$$en, somethin #ery har$, althou h not impossi!le, to achie#e "ith the technolo y that "as a#aila!le at that time. He "as alrea$y $ra"in "ith crayons, !all-pens, etc. his fantastic $ra"in s that "ere full of $isfi ure$ people an$ a ressi#e se0uality. &fter he realize$ that the impressions an$ inner feelin s he trie$ to impose "ere har$ to achie#e !y the means of photo raphy, he turne$ to paintin -he later returne$ to photo raphy, usin computer pro rams to chan e an$ re"or% his ima es/. &fter se#eral e0positions in )arsa" an$ Cra%o", it "as 'uic%ly clear that a reat talent "as unco#ere$. If course there "ere s%eptics, !ut as someone once sai$ GTrue art must !e contro#ersial, you cannot pass it not !ein touche$ Q you either lo#e it or hate itH To say that his art is $istur!in is only lic%in the surface of the $epths that are represente$ in 3e%sins%i9s "or%s. & man "ith a can$le is "al%in throu h a corri$or in "hich the "alls are car#e$ "ith iant, s%eletal statues. Lon -for otten !attlefiel$s -or citiesE/ on "hich !ones ather $ust an$ $e!ris, an$ crosses are ma$e of jun% an$ hay"ire. *n$er the soft, !arely seen co#er of #ein-li%e sil% hi$e faces, $isfi ure$ lo#ers, human silhouettes fille$ "ith many !ony fin ers an$ arms spra"lin in e#ery $irection to clutch at stra"s that are no"here to !e seen Q not !y them, nor !y the person pee%in at the artist9s, as "ell as his o"n, inner "orl$. (#erythin is full of eerie reenish- ray li ht that fills the empty city Q crum!lin , it9s !uil$in s fallin apart li%e the tissue from a $ea$ !o$y. Tom!stones "ith car#e$ faces that stare !lin$ly into the un%no"n, an$ only sometimes, the silhouette of a man can !e seen, hi$in !ehin$ a !uil$in "ith !ro%en, empty "in$o"s that are "ells for more unima ina!le ruin. &ll this catches you offuar$ Q not e0pectin that you ha#e !een suc%e$ into the fantastic, an$ yet so real, "orl$ of 3e%sins%i. )hat can a Kult amemaster fin$ in the art of 3e%sins%iE )ell, there are plenty of options. ? %ne" this art lon !efore ? ha$ e#er hear$ of KultA as a matter of fact, lon !efore ?9$ e#er hear$ of roleplayin . )hen ? finally ot to Kult, in the $escriptions of Detropolis ? sa" the art of 3e%sins%i. )hen ? thin% of the empty
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city that "as once the $i#ine home of human%in$, the paintin s of my fa#orite artist sli$e in my min$ in a %alei$oscope of places lon for otten, !ut still not completely a!an$one$. &lso, the creatures that are $epicte$ in his paintin s can easily fit into any $escription foun$ "ithin the pa es of Kult !oo%s. &n$ notice that those are still human shapes, $istorte$ an$ $isfi ure$, the spar% of humanity can !e clearly seenT. (nou h. ?Wll lea#e the play of associations to you. ?9m sure there "ill !e plenty, e#en if the author himself refuses to i#e names for his paintin s Q those are ma$e un$er certain feelin s, impressions an$ shoul$ !e also e0perience$ "ith those Q not necessarily the same. In 56st @e!ruary, 5778 the !o$y of the artist "as foun$ in his flat in )arsa". He "as mur$ere$ !y a youn man "ho "ante$ to ro! him. This callous act has left the "orl$ !ereft of a reat artist. 3e%sins%i once sai$ in one of his early inter#ie"s that he "ante$ to li#e throu h his "or%s, !ut later realize$ that nothin lasts for e#er. The future "ill sho" ho" he "as "ron in that !elief. His "or%s "ill li#e as lon as there is at least one person "ho remem!ers them Q an$ he "ill li#e throu h them. Here ? pass to you the herita e of 3e%sins%i. Remem!er him "ell. The "or%s of 3e%sins%i are !est e0perience$ in their full lory in e0hi!ition. There are many in ,olan$: in Sano%, )arsa" an$ Czestocho"a. @rance is also pri#ile e$: they can #isit the allery of ,iotr >mocho"s%i "ho o"ns the lar est collection of 3e%sins%i9s paintin s -an$ "ho %in$ly permitte$ inclusion of the "or%s you see in this pu!lication/. There are also many internet sites that $isplay those paintin s, amo st the !est of "hich are: ###(dmocho#s"igallery(net - a lar e site "ith $o"nloa$a!le, hi h 'uality repro$uctions an$ past, present an$ future e0positions -you can also or$er one of t"o al!ums "ith the art of 3e%sins%i/. The other is ###(be"sins"i(pl - a !eautifully flashe$ site "ith concept art menu an$ illustrate$ !y the eerie music of Kantor. &$$itionally the latest computer "or%s "ere use$ as C> co#ers for al!um ren$itions of psyche$elicroc% !an$ The Le en$ary ,in% >ots, an$ in ,olan$ many !oo%s ha#e feature$ his "or%s as a co#er, specifically the "or%s of 2ic% Ca#e -&n$ The &ss Sa" The &n el, an$ !oth Kin ?n% !oo%s/.
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%#nst #nd Fanatism#s

A Revie# $% The Slovenian Industrial )usic !roup &aibach And The *SK State by )ablo Barron O!R
)" I&&!$IO%8 A$ I $ BA$I$, FORM I $"&F I$ A tool in the han$s of our ensla#ers. They fin$ it easier to ma%e us !eha#e the "ay they nee$ if they are in control of such an important element of the composition of our perceptions. 3ut, as the illusion shatters, they are $esperately tryin to !rin its po"er to the fullest !efore it !rea%s $o"n. The continuous fee$ of conceptual maps throu h the no" e#er-present me$ia is tyin us further into an illusion "ithin the ?llusion: this is a timeless structure in "hich humans fully !ecome puppets "hich !eha#e imitatin "hat they are tau ht throu h their tele#ision channels: it is not that the form is !on$in the formless perceptions of the ?llusion, it is that a secon$-le#el simulation is replacin the ?llusion itself. &s "ell, our ensla#ers %no" that the $e#elopment of $ifferent cultures in the ?llusion has create$ $ifferences on ho" reality is percei#e$, an$ thou h so far it has "or%e$ to separate humans, it has al"ays le$ to the possi!ility of tearin up holes into the reality factory. Their aim is to !rin a meanin less share$ lo!al culture upon the ?llusion, an$ a share$ lo!al form of o#ernment an$ $omination. Ippose$ to such efforts, Lai!ach sur#i#es. MI%#$ AR" PAR IA&&' +OV"R%"# B' $'MBO&$ CR"A "# I%$I#" $ R!C !RI%+
0The name 'aibach appears for the first time in ;;<< as the original name for '&ubl&ana# -t meant a city by the river# !uring the .ustro=:ungarian empire, it replaced the Slovene name '&ubl&ana# The name 'aibach reappears after the defeat of -taly when nazis and collaborators &ailed, tortured, and murdered the inhabitants of '&ubl&ana# -n ;>?@ it emerged for the fourth time as the name of the youth culture group 'aibach# The name now suggests a concrete possibility for the existence of a politicised art# -n this sense, the name couples the horror of totalitarianism and industrial alienation in its slavish form#A == 'aibach ?n 64N7, the Lai!ach musical roup forme$ in the minin to"n of Tr!o#lje. ?n their sho"s, they use$ a mi0ture of totalitarian 2azi an$ Stalinist sym!olism. The name Lai!ach, a $irect offence to their fello" Slo#enians, "as sure enou h to create a stron opposition to them. Ho"e#er, their 'uotes "ere ta%en from Dar0ist authors, an$ they coul$ as "ell ha#e !een authoritarian communists. The o#ernment in Bu osla#ia $i$n't %no" "hat to $o "ith Lai!ach an$ the lo#e for totalitarianism they seeme$ to ha#e, "hich surpasse$ their o"nA they coul$n't just eliminate them for usin such aesthetics "hile 'uotin Bu osla#ian Dar0ists such li%e Tito or Kar$elj... &n$ !y opposin to the essence of totalitarianism in Lai!ach, the Slo#enian o#ernment attac%e$ itself. Lai!ach's ori inal i$ea, "as precisely to assume the shape of the state in or$er to oppose itA an$ this "as $one !y sym!olically i$entifyin the Stalinist, the 2azi, an$ e#en further, capitalist $emocracy as an e#olution of the totalitarian tool. 3y usin this inconsistent mi0ture, the aim of Lai!ach is to annihilate the sym!olic $ream, to sho" its meanin lessness. ?t is as "ell to confuse those usin the sym!ols, as they're ren$ere$ unusa!le after Lai!ach's performances. ?n the case of the Slo#enian state, it is consi$ere$ that Lai!ach "ere the see$ of the $emocratic $e!ate. 0!emocracy ensnares people through the Btopian in&ection of desires and fantasies into a social bloodstream# -ts hypodermic needle is the entertainment culture industry# -t8s a shared needle, and a shared needle leads to the spread of disease# -n democracy there is no cure against its own disease# The ,ast collapsed because it blindly believed in the
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%estern utopian definition of freedom of the individual# The %est only survives because it slyly established a system, which insists on people8s freedom# That is to say, under democracy people believe they are acting accordingly to their own will and desires2 == 'aibach ?n 6447, a lar e collecti#e calle$ 2SK, 2eue Slo#enische Kunst, forme$. ?t ha$ Lai!ach as a mem!er an$ as its i$eolo ical foun$ation, an$ is an union of $ifferent roups "ith a share$ point of #ie" on ho" to act upon the ?llusion !ut "ith $ifferent a!ilities. There is the 2oor$un Theater roup, "hich is concerne$ mainly "ith reli ion. The 2e" Collecti#ism >esi n Stu$io cooperates "ith $esi n -posters, raphical propa an$a. Speeches are i#en !y the >epartment of ,ure an$ &pplie$ ,hilosophy. 2SK is a state "ith its !oun$aries esta!lishe$ in time instea$ of in space. The state only e0ists in the places "here 2SK sho"s are performe$. There, they use a tactic share$ !y totalitarian re imes, $emocratic me$ia, an$ human min$s: to reconstruct the past in or$er to fit the future. The sym!olics an$ aesthetics of past-time totalitarian re imes are carefully mi0e$ an$ a$apte$ to the present situation an$ ma$e inconsistent, to re#eal our present ensla#ers Re%erences: &aiba4h: See the $ocumentaries GLai!ach Q 3ra#oH an$ G,rero%!e I njaH -,re$ictions of @ire/ %$K $tate: """.ns%state.com
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The &ell
C@@@, dir5 Tarsem Singh I *A C)"# )I$ MOVI" )R"" IM"$, B"CA!$" OF )" VIVI# A%# MOVI%+ IMA+"R', %O B"CA!$" OF A $!P"RB AC I%+ = )" actors are !elie#a!le, this is sufficient for me/. 3ut if the ima es are the main stren th of this mo#ie, "hat shoul$ ? "rite thenE ? "ill focus on the fe" motifs from the mo#ie, in or$er to sho" that they can !e use$ in a Kult ame. The first motif is the $ream in#asion technolo yA of course it is only a pro#isory name. Such technolo y can !e use$ !y ser#ants of Tiphareth to spy on the ,Cs, for instance. Such technolo y can !e hi$$en in a scientific institute, $e#ote$ to Dal%uth, or a $ream ma ician coul$ !uil$ it an$ the ,Cs fin$ it some$ay in his a!an$one$ la!oratory. The secon$ motif is a !eautiful scene in "hich a horse is slice$ !y lass panels, yet someho" li#es on. ?ts heart continues to pump !loo$, an$ the animal sha%es its hea$ Q may!e a ,C "ill e0perience this Q slice$, !ut li#in on throu h a fe" momentsE The thir$ motif is !oun$ "ith the #illain of the mo#ie, Carl Star her -playe$ "ith unsettlin usto !y Pincent >'Inofrio/. Star her is a $an erous an$ per#erte$ psychopath "ho captures an$ $ro"ns "omen in or$er to place them in his $ream "orl$ as toys. His o!session "ith the colour "hite is an interestin 'uir%, too. 3ut actually ? "ante$ to mention the scene "hen Carl steps $o"n from his throne, an$ "e see his purple cloa% unfurlin from the "alls, to "hich the cloa% is attache$, an$ joine$ to his !o$y #ia metal rin s em!e$$e$ in his !ac%. This scene is a perfect, impressi#e e0ample shoul$ a ame master "ants to $epict a $emon, 2epharite, $ream prince or similar entity. The colours an$ te0tures are #ery important in GThe CellH. ?n fact, they are crucial in e#o%in the atmosphere. ? loo%e$ at them #ery carefully, in or$er to remem!er them an$ use later Q the li ht, the clothes an$ the pale flesh -or is it plasticE/ of !izarre $olls in Carl9s $ream "orl$. The film's score, compose$ !y Ho"ar$ Shore, ju0taposes a symphony orchestra "ith the $issonant yet !eautiful clatter of the Sajou%a musicians of Dorocco, an$ is central to the e#ocati#e po"er of the piece. ?t is o!#ious that a oo$ mo#ie cannot !e e0presse$ !y "or$s, so ? can only recommen$ "atchin an$ stu$yin this mo#ie. (#en the famous S. Lo $oes not much harmT &n$ a !it of tri#ia on the en$ Q the $irector of GThe CellH, Tarsem Sin h, "as !ehin$ the famous R(D music #i$eo GLosin Dy Reli ionH. = %o&ciech Krzyminski
;>>C, dir5 .bel $errara ABO! A +OO# MOVI" O%" CA%%O *RI " M!C)8 MOR"OV"R A R"VI"* I$ %O A $!MMAR' OF A MOVI", $O I *I&& FOC!$ myself on the usefulness of this mo#ie to Kult ames. Har#ey Keitel's performance as the titular corrupt cop is stunnin . Simply put, ? for ot that ? "as "atchin a mo#ie - ? e0perience$ a jun%ie an$ am!ler oin throu h the sor$i$ streets of 2e" Bor%, rather than merely "atche$ him on the screen. ,erhaps ? am o#erenthusiastic in my opinion, !ut Keitel's actin in this role "as #ery con#incin to me. ?n Bad 'ieutenant you can fin$ plenty of motifs "hich can !e transporte$ to a Kult ame. ?f you "ant to play a corrupte$ cop, "ell, this shoul$ !e your main source of inspiration. ?f you as a ame master "ant to portray a true $e enerate, then the !a$ lieutenant is your star -for e0ample the scene in "hich the lieutenant forces a irl to enact fellatio, merely !ecause she has no $ri#er's license/. The most important scene in this mo#ie is the appearance of Sesus Christ. ?t can !e un$erstoo$ t"ofol$. @irstly, it is the true Christ, the Sa#iour. Secon$ly, it is a $emon "ho !rin s $o"n the policeman. ? choose the secon$ possi!ility, as it allo"s me to i nore the 'uestion: "ho "as the real Sesus -"hat force ha$ sent himE/. ? thin% that the CSesusC in this mo#ie can !e a ser#ant of the @alse Rescuer, Famichicoth, !ecause in the en$ he !rin s $o"n the cop. %o&ciech Krzyminski
"ad Lie tenant
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Sa'
C@@<, dir# ames %an A #"M"% "# $"RIA& KI&&"R I$ O% )" &OO$" 2 A MA%IAC *I ) A *"&&2#"V"&OP"# $"%$" OF IRO%', A $ RO%+ P"#A+O+ICA& strea% an$ a !oun$less appetite for human sufferin "hom the police ha#e ta e$ the Si sa" %iller. The Si sa"'s mo$us operan$i in#ol#es $esi nin a hellish trap for his #ictims, !ase$ on "hat he percei#es to !e their sins: a razor-"ire maze confinin a man "ho until recently "as toyin "ith the i$ea of "rist-slash suici$e, a $ru a$$ict force$ to !utcher another person to sa#e herself from a ruesome $emise, etc. The #arious fates of the Si sa"'s #ictims are truly horrifyin , an$ are a para$i m for the metho$s of 2epharites in Kult. ?t is in such a pur atory-li%e pli ht that the film's t"o main characters La"rence an$ &$am a"a%e, chaine$ !y the an%le to stur$y pipes, "ith #arious clues to their $ire situation, an$ the harro"in path to sal#ation, place$ on or near their person. & $ea$ !o$y occupies the room !et"een them, face $o"n in an e0panse of !loo$, a rim testament to their captor's sa$istic "ill. La"rence an$ &$am's stru le is intercut "ith flash!ac%s to earlier happenin s, re#ealin the e0tent of the police in#esti ation into the Si sa", an$ his metho$s of locatin an$ capturin his #ictims. This in turn lea$s to more harro"in realisations as the characters $isco#er just ho" $oome$ they, an$ their lo#e$ ones, actually are. >irector Sames )an han$les the script "ell enou h to $eli#er somethin close to its full effecti#eness, thou h certain intense scenes -one #ictim's $esperate stru le for her life a ainst the tic%in of the cloc%, a hectic chase se'uence/ $e enerate into DTP e$itin an$ craze$ monta e. Such an approach almost "or%s, !ut it is har$ not to "ant for more su!tle $irection "hich "oul$ allo" the scenes to e0press their full potential of tension, perhaps accente$ !est "ith simple protracte$ shots of a #ictim's a"ful pre$icament, nothin !ut silence to amplify their terrifie$ !reathin as they stru le for their life. Dinor slips asi$e, the film is !eautifully realise$ in terms of appearance. 2ot since >a#i$ @incher's Se1en has horror !een frame$ in such majestic s'ualor. Harsh strip li htin illuminates the Cprehistoric !athroomC of &$am an$ La"rence's imprisonment li%e a pu!lic toilet in Hell. Soile$ tile surfaces, iron pipes an$ the lon -coa ulate$ slic% of !loo$ aroun$ the $ea$ man form a shoc%in ta!leau to"ar$ "hich the #arious !ac%stories of the plot all ine0ora!ly ra#itate. @rom the outset it seems ine#ita!le that the story "ill not lea#e this ni htmare cham!er, at least not for lon , an$ the au$ience, li%e the characters, "ill stay trappe$ in there also, ri ht up to the feral, nauseatin conclusion that the script fore!o$es. Sa" is a rare creature in$ee$: a ory, Dachia#ellian slasher flic%, "ell "ritten, $ecently acte$ an$ $irecte$, an$ "ith a t"ist "hich actually "or%s "ithout !ein $etrimental to the prece$in plot, or to repeate$ #ie"in s. & !rutally enjoya!le in$ie classic. Bou %no" you'#e just "atche$ a truly Kultes'ue mo#ie "hen the en$ cre$its roll not to music, !ut to the simple, chillin soun$ of screamin . *hris %arren
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&epharites ' P#rgatory

-n the below transcript, The 'ast *ycle Kult community analyse the nature and role of the Depharites, the overseers of our torment in )urgatory, and figures of central importance to the oppressive cosmology of the Kult universe# &aughingChance ?n recent chat an$ $iscussions ? ha#e come to realize many of you $on't ha#e the ,ur atory source!oo%. ? thou ht ?'$ i#e you a #ery !rief o#er#ie": (L?S&H -Thaumiel/ Ine of the ol$est an$ most po"erful, he secretly inflicts psychic scars that remain after souls are release$ he can influence an$ return to him. ?n#ol#e$ in a 2epharite conspiracy. Kno"n as CThe TeacherC, an$ e#en po"erful Razi$es fear him. SI2&H -Cha i$iel/ )ea%er then (lijah an$ Cain !ut ancient. ,refers a false CFuar$ian &n elC type uise an$ "or%in in (lysium. Dal%uth has a fa#ora!le interest in him. ?SHD&(L -Sathariel/ She "as once human. &lliance "ith (lijah. She is a masterful trap sprin er. 2&TH&2 -2ahemoth/ Il$er 2epharite immune to is masters influence of apathy. Hates Dal%uth an$ enjoys crushin the hopes an$ $reams of the youn . C&?2 -Fola!/ &lmost as po"erful as (lijah he has a po"erful aze others cannot stan$. He is a!out 4ft tall an$ prefers a !onin %nife or flayin #ictims. *neasy alliance "ith (lijah. (@R&?D -Famaliel/ 2ot #ery mi hty !ut crafty an$ un$erhan$e$. ,refers se0ual pain an$ torment. >ar% $ealin s "ith passion conjurers an$ intereste$ in (lysium. Danipulates Sonah. F&3R?(L -To arini/ )al%s in (lysium li%e his fallen master. ,ossesses !o$ies to $o his !i$$in an$ ne#er materializes physically in his "ea%ene$ state. *ses !eautiful people, acts li%e an &n el !ut is really a $ar% massiah. DIS(S -Samael/ 2ot as po"erful as (lijah or Cain, !ut one of the more mi hty. Shunne$ !y other 2epharites. ,unishes re#en e see%ers an$ fre'uently re"ar$e$ !y his master. @ree han$ to "or% in (lysium. Fan -type #iolence empo"ers him. ?3R&H?D -Hara!-Serap/ Crusa$er for Fo$ uise. He truly sees himself as $oin the "or% of Fo$ in his punishin . (njoys reli ious !attles. Close ties to ?shmael as he "as once Human too. D(SH*L -Famichicoth/ *naffecte$ !y his master's hun er ; thirst po"ers. He is a cunnin planner !ut not "ell %no"n outsi$e the Cita$el. He is not #ery po"erful, ha#in ser#ants assist him to $o his "or%. ,olitically influences
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matters that ma%e hun er issues "orse. &lliance "ith 2athan. The ,ur atory source!oo% is really $esi ne$ "ell. & !it $istractin to rea$ since it is $esi ne$ li%e a calen$ar "ith !lac% an$ "hite art an$ re$ !loo$y stains an$ colorin here an$ there. ? am currently of the opinion e#eryone shoul$ et it if you are a 2epharite lo#er. 3ut you coul$ "or% all your $ays a"ay in Kult "ithout it if nee$ !e. ?t is inspiration an$ i#es a reat many e0amples of ,ur atories an$ $ifferent 2epharite a en$as an$ relations to their >eath &n el masters. The !oo% also contains a fe" artifacts an$ >eath school spells. +nderspa#n ?'m startin to thin% of 2epharites $ifferentlyA ? thin% more emphasis shoul$ !e put on the intensely personal connection the 2epharite has "ith it's #ictim, rather than them just !ein another leather-cla$ sic%o "ith a 3i!lical name. Specifically, ?'m thin%in of the character Seze!el in the mo#ie Saco!'s La$$er. ?f you ha#en't seen this film in "hile, try chec%in it out from the Kult perspecti#e. Thin% of Saco!'s life "ith her as his pur atory: the su!tle, callous $isre ar$ she sho"s to"ar$s his %i$s an$ his past life. She really is a menacin character. ? thin% ?'$ rather portray a 2epharite as another seemin ly normal non-player character, actin a role in the pur atory of it's #ictim. ?t coul$ ta%e on the role of an in#ali$ parent, an a!usi#e spouse, a sic% chil$, or a suici$al frien$. There are "orse forms of pain than anythin inflicte$ "ith a %nife. The pur atory e0ists not as some raphic, !loo$-soa%e$ hell, !ut as a simple, unen$in , 'uoti$ian ni htmare...a real living hell. @or e0ample, as a postman in 2e" Bor%, "ith a !a$ !ac% an$ a cruel lo#er, an$ only a lifetime of sorro" an$ confusion to loo% !ac% on. ?t's li%e >anny &iello's character 'uotes in the mo#ie: C?f you're clin in to your life, you'll see $emons snatchin your life a"ay. 3ut if you'#e ma$e your peace, they're really an els.C >oesn't this $escri!e the 2epharites' role perfectlyE ? thin% it also intro$uces more sha$es of rey to the cosmolo y, nothin is truly ' oo$' or '!a$' - it's just a matter of perspecti#e. So ?'m no lon er portrayin 2epharites as t"o-$imensional !a$ uys "ho "ant to car#e people up for fun - hell, you encounter people li%e that on the !us in real life. ? thin% their metho$s shoul$ !e much more su!tle an$ Dachia#ellian, an$ therefore menacin . &aughing Corpse ?'#e rea$ so much a!out Kult, an$ ? still can't tell 2epharites an$ Razi$es apart. )hat e0actly are the $ifferencesE Brynol% &h, yes, ? re-"atche$ the La$$er yester$ay. Lo#e itL &n$ ? a ree, this 'uote really hits the spot "hen it comes to the Kultish recyclin of souls... The more 'uestions you as% an$ the more you "oul$ "ant to accomplish "ith your life, the lon er "ill your stay in ?nfernoK,ur atory !e. &s for the $ifference !et"een Razi$es an$ 2epharites, ? mostly see Razi$es as officers in the >eath &n els' or anizations, "hile 2epharites are more li%e hire$ consults, "ho sometimes o their o"n "ays... this is not official, thou h. &aughingChance Razi$es are li%e SS Troopers an$ the 2epharites are li%e the Festapo... an$ that is ho" ? loo% at it. Some ar ue that the Razi$es seem to !e hi her up in the ?nfernal Hierarchy !ut if you rea$ ,ur atory you "ill see that there are a fe" the mi htiest Razi$es fear an$ shy a"ay from $atin !ac% to the capti#ity of man an$ !eyon$. ,mpact ? al"ays sa" them as t"o $ifferent types of creatures: 2epharites "or% more in$epen$ently, Razi$es "ith a !it more Csteerin from the topC. Sort of li%e this: The 2epharite is the Captain -Feneral, e#en/ an$ the Razi$e is the Lieutenant.. ?f you "ant to tal% a!out $ifficulties to $istin uish creatures, ta%e a loo% at
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>esparytes #s. 2epharites. &aughingChance Razi$es are far more $irect or !rutal, %in$ of the full frontal assault... !eat no" as% 'uestions later... physically punishin souls a"ay an$ clean more so then mental torture techni'ues... 2epharites to me lay the traps, ensnare their inten$e$ #ictims, !rea%in the "ill of the su!ject more so "ith the han$s of a sur eon... Razi$es may ma%e $eals teachin others Da ic an$ "hat ha#e you for a price to !e pai$ later...2epharites lay traps in spell!oo%s so a foolish human $ooms themsel#es to it's ser#ices. ?t's %in$ of a su!tle $ifference. The Razi$es may seem mi htier !ecause of the sheer !rutality - "here 2epharites are more !ehin$ the scenes mentally manipulatin an$ ensnarin #ictims #ia craft. ,mpact They ha#e $ifferent -ori inal/ moti#es as "ell. 2epharites ori inal moti#es are !ase$ upon the fact that they are oin to !e a!le to punishKtorment sinners. Razi$es ori inal moti#es are !ase$ upon !ein uar$ians so that the sinners cannot escape. The fact that they no" can roam more freely, ha#e more selfish moti#es an$ enerally !e more !a$-asses on a !i er scale is "hat ma%es it so... $ifficult. 'anopticon ? "oul$ e#en o so far to say that it is our $esire to !e punishe$ that creates 2epharites. )e alrea$y %no" that humanity has the a!ility to project it's o"n fears into reality. ,ur atories an$ 2epharites seem to !e a natural e0tension to this i$ea. +nderspa#n Foo$ i$ea. Kult is a!out the projection of our su!jecti#e fears onto reality, so it ma%es sense that 2epharites are creations of our o"n min$s. Their ori ins are %ept #a ue - may!e "e create$ them !efore the loss of our $i#inityE &s for >esparytes, they $on't seem to ha#e much function other than to pa$ out the cast of creatures in ?nferno. ? can't thin% of any use for them other than as scenery. 'anopticon ? ha#e al"ays playe$ "ith the i$ea that &rchons are the same, projections of humanity as a collecti#e. &aughingChance ? am currently rea$in a no#el e$ite$ !y 2eil Faiman calle$ San$man... a collection of short stories inspire$ !y the comics. ?n one story they use the $ream person create$ !y the $reamer is entirely real, as an entity. ? thin% that is a cheap "ay to o "ith the 2epharites. ? lo#e the fact Humans i#e them po"er o#er themsel#es !ut not to !e create$ li%e a $ream. 'anopticon @or me thou h that is the "hole point. Humanity is the sleepin iant "ho if "a%ene$ "ill pull $o"n the "hole house of car$s. Thin% ? mi0e$ a num!er of my metaphors there, !ut you et my point. ? ha#e ne#er really li%e$ the i$ea that the meta#erse controls the $estiny of humanity. ?n heaps of ames humanity's reatest mista%es are al"ays !lame$ on the interference of reater po"ers !eyon$ our control. ?n my o"n ame ? try to let humanity ta%e centre sta e. ?t is the &rchons that are peripheral. Sure they mi ht li%e to thin% they are all po"erful !ut "e ha#e the po"er to $estroy or transform them throu h our collecti#e actions. &ctually, our opinions are not that $ifferent. Sust that you see 2epharites as a race of opportunists ta%in a$#anta e of humanities !lin$ness. ?f this is the case "hat $i$ they $o prior to thisE )ere they "arpe$ !y our $esire to !e punishe$ or ha#e they al"ays !een as they areE ?f they are a separate race "hy $o they punish, "hat $o they et out of itE ,mpact (#en thou h it is a nice i$ea, the i$ea a!out 2epharites !ein create$ !y our $esire to !e
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punishe$..."ell...it simply $oesn't "or%. 2epharites an$ >esparites came out of the sha$o"s an$ offere$ their ser#ices to &staroth upon the creation of ?nferno. They alrea$y e0iste$... Thou h 2epharites can still !e forme$, an$ !y humans at that. This fact ? ta%e "ith thou hts to a 'uote out of -? thin% it is / Foo$ Imens, or San$man: AThere is no devil, no demon, that could ever grasp the cruelty of humans themselves#A The $e#il %no"s "e are "ay more cruel then anythin else can !e...so he employs us "hen he can. -note: this can !e use$ for more C$o"n to earthC ames... hmmm/ Brynol% The 2epharites ha#e a #ital role in the >emiur e's machineA after $eath "e are suppose$ to !e torture$ -one "ay or another/ until our memories are $estroye$, an$ our D3 neutral. 3ecause of this ? ha#e a har$ time !elie#in that the slum!erin $i#inities insi$e of us "oul$ ha#e any reason, e#en su!consciously, to attract 2epharites. ? li%e the i$ea, thou h. &aughingChance Humans !efore capti#ity seeme$ to ha#e really pisse$ off a lot of races. Dany "ant re#en e just or not $oesn't matter they hate us an$ ta%e pleasure in our fallen stature. ,mpact ? actually rea$ it in the rules. 2epharites offere$ their ser#ices to torment humans. )hy they "ant to $o this isn't $isclose$. Day!e they are just fYY%e$ up !ein s "ho ot an opportunity to "or% "ith their fa#ourite type of "or%. &aughingChance ?n ,ur atory the openin !it "ith (lijah says somethin a!out he "as aroun$ for the capti#ity of man... so he "asn't a pro$uct of Human su!conscious... an$ he is one of the ol$est, so there "ere others... 'anopticon 3yrnolf, ? thou ht su!conscious $esire to !e punishe$ is "hat pur atories are all a!out. ?n all the e0amples ? ha#e seen the pur atory re#ol#es aroun$ 2on-,layer Character seriously unresol#e$ issues -ne ati#e D3/. ? realise this i$ea of 2epharites is not canon !ut you "oul$ ha#e to a ree it "oul$ help $ifferentiate them from Razi$es. Brynol% +,anopticon, Lmpact ; Lau hin Chance: 3oth ,ur atory an$ the main rule!oo% -5n$ e$/ confirms that it is the humans' o"n uilty conscience that $ra s the 2epharites to them, trappin them in ChellC. 3ut remem!er that uilt can't really !e CtrueC uilt, ie uilt that the CtrueC, slum!erin , soul is feelin . ?t is rather somethin our !lin$ eyes is foole$ to feel !y the prison uar$s. &n$ 2epharites are, as far as ? %no", not created !y our uilt, !ut some alien race that felt that there "as "or% to !e $one in the Dachine. Brynol% 7-n )urgatory there is9 & hint a!out the nepharites' role in the hierarchy, compare$ to razi$es... C(#en most razi$es !o" in Z(lijah's[ presenceC. The "or$ Ce#enC implies that razi$es normally are #ery hi h on the infernal po"er-scale, hi her than nepharites. 3ut "e alrea$y %ne" this, $i$n't "eE &n$ here "e ha#e "or$, that it is possi!le for humans to turn into nepharites...aha, aha...&fter re-rea$in this te0t, ? see no proof of "hether the 2epharites "as create$ to fit into the Dachine, or if they arri#e$ #oluntarily. )ell, ? $on't fully un$erstan$ "hat you "ere aimin at... !ut (lijah is $efinitely a nasty !astar$. Torb Dy ta%e on "here 2ephs come from: the "ay ?'#e interprete$ it -an$ ?'m not at all sure it's e#en partly ri ht/ there are t"o "ays a 2epharite can come into e0istence: (ither !y simply !ein create$ !y a $eath an el -it soun$s silly e#en as ?'m thin%in a!out it, !ut if Dal%uth can ma%e lictors, ? !et my !utt that po"erful $eath an els can create nepharites/.
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Ir, -as "ith certain Cha i$iel 2epharites in The 3lac% Da$onna from here on to !e %no"n as the three Kalen%o "omen, Belena an$ her t"o $au hters &lyona an$ Katya/ !y !ein con#erte$ from humans into nepharites either !y ha#in an e0treme an$ $istorte$ lust for re#en e o#er people. Brynol% The >eath &n els shoul$ in$ee$ !e a!le to create, or at least emulate, nepharites. The purpose of ?nferno fits almost too "ell "ith the "or% of nepharites. )hat ? mean here is, that ?nferno "oul$ !e for torturin people, e#en if there "ere no nepharites aroun$. Thus, the $eath an els shoul$ !e a!le to come up "ith efficient torturers, ie creatures li%e nepharites. This "oul$ moti#ate a cosmolo y "here the >emiur e creates nepharites. The source!oo%s say $ifferent, thou h, an$ for some reason ? thin% it's cosy the "ay it is... 3ut ? am not unreasona!le. &h, !ut those three coul$ as "ell !e nepharites ori inally, on a mission to capture Kalen%o in his pur atory. There are ho"e#er more e0amples of humans turnin into 2ephs than thatA @allen an els, anyoneE &n$ it really says in ,ur atory, that it is possi!le to !ecome one. ? am not #ery fon$ of this i$ea, thou h, as ? li%e nepharites to !e some"hat alien, or possi!ly a part of e#ery humanA not the human itself, if you et my stran e sentences. Humans may turn into an els of #en eance, chil$ren of the ni ht or other horri!le thin s, !ut nepharites... )ell, technically a human may !e anythin , really, !ut still... ,mpact 5n$ ($. (n lish -for purposes of copyri ht, ? "ill snip !i chun%s/: p.64: Zsnip[...)hen the illusions crum!le in these places, "e see into inferno. -t is the home of !eath .ngels and (azides, where they were once created by evil powers. ...ZKsnip[ Zsnip[...& person "ith feelin s of se#ere uilt can more or less unconsciously et in contact "ith the 2epharites, "ho rea$ his innermost feelin s an$ create a pur atory for him. ...ZKsnip[ Zsnip[....rcanum "etropoliE These monsters -Razi$es/ "here once create$ !y &staroth an$ his an els of $amnation to ser#e in ?nferno an$ to torment the sinners... ZKsnip[ p.64M Zsnip[...They -2epharites/ emer e$ from the sha$o"s "hen the flamin halls "here create$ an$ entere$ the ser#ice of e#il... Zsnip[ ... They ha#e the a!ility to locate a sinner an$ rea$ their feelin s to fin$ their sins. ...ZKsnip[ Zsnip[... The ori ins of 2epharites are un%no"n. They li#e$ in the sha$o" of humanity until the >emiur e ensla#e$ us. Then they steppe$ for"ar$ an$ offere$ their ser#ices to &staroth an$ his cohorts. . few humans have been turned into Depharites but the powers involved are unknown even to the most powerful of tyrants. ...ZKsnip[ p.641Zsnip[....rcanum "etropoliE These !ein s -2epharites/ are the princes of pain... They see% souls to torment an$ fin$ e0treme pleasure in feelin the fear an$ re rets of other !ein s... ZKsnip[ This is "hat ? foun$ that is rele#ant to this topic. ? $i$n't o throu h ,ur atory at this time, !ut ? do remem!er the line a!out Razi$es !o"in for him. ?f my memory $on't fail me, ? thou ht ? rea$ some"here that Rai$es $on't !o" for no=one not e#en incarnates of &staroth. ?t $oesn't state so in the 5n$ ($. (n lish thou h, so if ? rea$ it any"here it "as in 6st or 5n$ e$. S"e$ish -"hich ? $on't ha#e at han$/. ? mi ht !e "ron a!out that one thou h. ? al"ays thou ht that Razi$es an$ 2epharites ha$ $ifferent tas%s, hence they $on't face each other tat much, that plus the fact that Razi$es are create$ "ithin the illusion an$ 2epharites "here all rea$y there !efore... %in$a ma%es my thou ht pattern o to"ar$s the feelin that Razi$es are lesser in status.
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,mpact 3ase$ upon my pre#ious post, ?'$ li%e to !rin forth a theory: &staroth -an$ his Can els of $amnationC/ create$ the Razi$es so that humanity coul$ !e torture$ until they for ot their pre#ious life, hence "oul$ !e ena!le$ to return to Cli#in C in (lysium. Sust after the Razi$es "here create$, the 2epharites steppe$ out of the sha$o"s an$ offere$ to $o the same, an$ &staroth an$ his minions "ent: )hat the hec%, "hy notL )e're all a happy !unch $o"n here, "hy not some more tormentors, e0cellent, smashin L So no" you ha#e creatures create$ !y &staroth "ho $o his !i$$in , an$ also creatures IL>(R then Razi$es that torment. This i#es an e0planation to one thin : ?n ,ur atory, it is sai$ that 2epharites are slo"ly !uil$in up to re#olt. &lso, se#eral or only one -can't remem!er at this moment, ah, nee$ to rea$ ,ur atory...(lijahL/, 2epharites can scar humans in ?nferno, so that they "ill come !ac% o#er an$ o#er an$ o#er a ain. Thus they increase their po"er an$ also et to torment more an$ more sinners -cos at one time or another, ne" souls "ill enter the ,ur atory of these 2epharites/. Razi$es $on't $o this. Bes, &staroth left so they are actin up an$ ta%in as much po"er as possi!le. ?n this theory thou h, Razi$es are li%e the Cmice that $ance on the ta!le "hen the cat is oneC. 2epharites are li%e Crats that come trash the party for the miceC. They eat the same stuff, $rin% the same $rin%s an$ $ance on the same ta!le, !ut the rats just came into the house !ecause they sa" some free !eer an$ cheese.C yes, ? li%e analo ies, sorry... Hope this theory ma%es sense. ?n the en$, its a ame, $oKthin%Kact out "hate#er you as a Fame Daster feels is the !est. &aughingChance Sust thin%in out lou$ here...There are Techrones an$ ,roto-Techrones... The same $eal applies to Lictors... in re ar$s to Humans in one "ay or another... ,erhaps the con#erte$ Humans shoul$ !e ,roto2epharites... Li%e ?!rahim an$ ?shmael. The true 2epharites the ancient ones are in a lea ue of their o"n a!o#e Razi$es. Razi$es are C!ornC in to the ?nfernal Hierarchy 2epharites that are not create$ or Humans Cpromote$C to !ein a 2epharite... are essentially CcontractorsC. ,erhaps the 2epharites "ere not many an$ they "ere $uplicate$ an$ their race e0pan$e$... those may fall un$er the Razi$es in the ?nferno Ran%s !ut the true 2epharites from the time !efore are just !elo" >eath &n els in status an$ stren th. KingSiLC: ? a ree. 3ut !oy are they resentfulL Thousan$s an$ thousan$s of yearsL Brynol% I%, ? i#e up, humans can o!#iously !e turne$ into nepharites... 3ut ho" a!out this thenA &ll humans in (lysium are not of the same $i#ine species -ie the CraceC "e !elon e$ to !efore "e "ere imprisone$/. Fo$s come in many shapes, after all. &ll of us aren't e#en o$s, some may !e an els, &z houls, $emons or other stran e thin s, e#en 2epharites. This is possi!le, if "e assume that the reat C3an C, "hirl"in$ or "hate#er it "as that !i $a$$y > use$ to !lin$ us all, "asn't #ery precise in terms of accuracy, so some uninten$e$ creatures "as Csuc%e$C into (lysium alon "ith us. &aughingChance Conspiracies... )ell the Lictors ha#e a !i conspiracy...an$ the 2epharites ha#e one too...>eath &n els an$ &rchons too...(#en ,azuzu $oin it's o"n thin ... ?s anyone min$in the storeELE ? li%e the i$ea of the 2epharite conspiracy - they seem more li%ely to succee$ then the Lictors in my opinion. Tintomara
+rginally posted by Brynolf### But how about this thenE .ll humans in ,lysium are not of the same divine species 7ie the AraceA we belonged to before we were imprisoned9# Fods come in many shapes, after all# .ll of us arenGt even gods, some may be angels, .zghouls, demons or other strange things, even Depharites#
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&lthou h this is a oo$ i$ea, ? thin% you ot to !e careful "ith it. The ,C's are suppose$ to ha#e !een $i#ine monsters, an$ e#eryone tries to pre#ent them from turnin !ac% into these monsters. ?f the ,C's are Clesser monstersC, you "ill et a pro!lem to e0plain "hy they are imprisone$. This is a pro!lem especially "hen the ,C's turn out to !e lictors or nepharites, in other "or$s the jailors of humanity. )hy are they really imprisone$E )hy are they not part of the jailor hierarchyE )hy can't the other jailors tell that they are LictorsK2epharitesE &nother pro!lem is that if ChumanityC "oul$ !e this hetero ene, then the illusion is no lon er a matter of %eepin a CraceC of monsters imprisone$ !y e#ery!o$y else. -?n the normal scenario no!o$y li%es humans, no!o$y "ants us to !e free./ )ith a more $i#erse humanity, Kult !ecome a mena erie of $ifferent species trappe$ insi$e a zoo... an$ plenty of $ifferent species are there as potential allies. This latter scenario easily $e enerates into some %in$ of Cmetropolis free$om force - featurin $emon!oy, an el irl an$ spi$ermanC. -)hat's the num!er one clichU in roleplayin E The heroic team consistin of one elf, one human, one $"arf an$ a ho!!itKthief, comes to my min$./ ? thin% an &z houl ,C -not %no"in that sKhe is an &z houl/ coul$ ma%e sense. &fter all the &z houls are the ol$ sla#es an$ ser#ants to the humans, the lictors $oes pro!a!ly just not thin% they are "orth %eepin imprisone$. ? $on't thin% a Lictor ,C "oul$ ma%e sense in the same "ay, at least not a Lictor "ho !elie#es himKherself to !e a human. This is just a thou ht... ?'m not at all a ainst non-human ,C's. ? thin% the point is that it is humans "ho shoul$ !e imprisone$, !ut of course a re!ellious LictorKan elK2epharite coul$ ha#e !een sentence$ to imprisonment to ether "ith the humans in the (lysium. .allen Angel Dy #ie": ? thin% of razi$es as officers -e#en enerals/ in the army, an$ nepharites as a ents in the C?& -or somethin similar/. ? thin% their moti#es are entirely $ifferent an$ ? also thin% that the nepharites $on't really fit into the re ular hierarchy. Their tas% is somethin to itself -- erasin the memory of humans so that they can !e recycle$ !ac% into the illusion. ? therefore has come to the conclusion that the #ie" presente$ in ,ur atory conflicts a !it "ith my o"n. ? really li%e the i$ea of Seze!el in Saco!'s La$$er as !ein a nepharite -- it "oul$ i#e a oo$ meanin to the mo#ie's en$in . ? still "on$er ho" this "oul$ erase Saco!'s memory thou h -- may!e the torture is ta%en to another le#el "hen he realizes he is $ea$, or is that the fulfilment of the tortureE ? %in$ of see the entire uni#erse of Kult as a projection of the human min$ an$ all the co s in the machinery are create$ !y the >emiur e to fit to our neurosis an$ am!itions etc. Thus nepharites are in a "ay create$ !y our sense of sin an$ uilt -razi$es create$ out of ra e an$ hate/ --- our "orst enemies an$ most po"erful jailors. Humanity really only has to con'uer its inner $emons to a"a%en an$ !rea% free. Humanity is the %eyL ? still li%e the i$ea of the >emiur e !ein a human !ein -- "ho %no"s, may!e he has !een reincarnate$ into the illusion or as an a"a%ene$, DessiahE Bitpic"er ? see Kult as a completely anthropocentric ame. (#erythin is ma$e the "ay it is !ecause of humans. 2epharites are !ein s create$ e0clusi#ely for the purpose of cleansin human souls !et"een incarnations. They ha#en't ot the !rains to ha#e a conspiracy, they're not $esi ne$ for in$i#i$uality or anythin . ? feel that "hile anta onism amon the in$i#i$uals in Kult -archons, $eath an els/ is o%, the races shoul$ !e less in$epen$ent. ?f you can play one 2epharite a ainst another the ame loses some of its horror potential. To me, ,ur atory rea$s li%e an attempt at crammin e#en more fishy 3i!le references into the ame. ? really $on't see a nee$ for that. 3ut that's only my unhum!le opinion of course, an$ it can !e $ispro#en !y the pu!lishe$ material. ? ten$ to $isre ar$ that, especially as the pu!lishe$ material is selfcontra$ictory so often that it may "ell !e "ron in places "here it happens not to contra$ict itself, too
+riginall yposted by Brynolf### But how about this then5 .ll humans in ,lysium are not the same divine species 7i#e# The 0race2 we belonged to before we were imprisoned#
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? came to a similar conclusion to account for the fact that the num!ers of humans are increasin , "hen ? thin% it shoul$ ha#e !een $ecreasin slo"ly !y means of e0termination -jump into &chlys, anyoneE/ an$ ascension, "ith a set num!er of humans "ho ha$ !een imprisone$ in the first place. )here $o the ne" ones come fromE There are possi!le ans"ers to that, !ut ? ma$e up the (phemeri$es for that reason. The (phemeri$es -$etails a#aila!le in (n lish on my site at """.ny!oria.$e/ are a %in$ of anthropomorphic immune system of the illusion, a %in$ of fail-safe $e#ice "hen the illusion "ears thin in places. The more li%ely the illusion is to !rea% $o"n, the more (phemeri$es s"amp the area. They are humans "ithout souls, incapa!le of !reachin the illusion, !ut they support the consensual reality of the illusion than%s to their presence an$ $is!elief. This is the reason "hy our slums $on't all $isappear into Detropolis... That $oesn't help "ith the creation of 2epharites thou h. ?n my recent Kult campai n -the complete lo files for "hich are also on my site/ ? ha$ a character slo"ly turn into a 2epharite, too - here it "as some %in$ of 'parasitic infection' than%s to some sur ery performe$ on the character in a pur atory. ?t "as a "ay for the ori inal 2epharite to ensure his control o#er his inten$e$ #ictim e#en thou h the ,Cs "ere attac%in the #ictim's pur atory from "ithin... &aughingChance This has !een pro#i$e$ for. Remem!er time an$ history is not al"ays "hat it is sai$ to !e an$ $istortions occur. 2ames may sur#i#e in one format or another !ut the truth has !een lost to the ?llusion. So CfishyC 3i!le references an$ such matters are a symptom of that in the ame. ? am not sure ? am e0pressin myself "ell enou h in ma%in my point... !ut ? hope you et "hat ? am after. ? enjoy ha#in thin s come up the ,Cs may feel are familiar to them to ha#e it !lo" up in their faces. @alse rescuers an$ "hat not... that is a crucial part to the ,Cs realizin all they %no" is a lie. So ? am all for the CfishyC references an$ name $roppin . ?t fits the !i picture to me. +3itpic%er: 2ot $esi ne$ for in$i#i$ualityELE ? thin% to ma%e the ?llusion "or% in all it's parts you nee$ $istractions so humans $on't ain any focus. Lictors are full of in$i#i$uality... ta%in on $ifferent roles an$ uises... they ha#e a conspiracy oin ... 2epharites as "ell... to !e a$apta!le you nee$ some personality. &ll the &rchons an$ >eath &n els ha#e #aryin personalities an$ interests... )hy "oul$ 2epharites !e any $ifferent. ? ather they are contractors "or%in for the ?nfernal or$er... as ol$ if not ol$er then humanity... Some !ein s may!e sin le min$e$ an$ focuse$ !ut they are in$i#i$uals at the en$ of the $ay perhaps one of the e0ceptions are the Ser#ilants "ho it says ha#e no self preser#ation or moti#ation other than their Lictors "ill an$ or$ers. Hmmm %in$ of a zom!ie-es'ue thro" !ac% to Ce#ilC clerics in >;> "ith zom!ie ser#ants. &nimalistic intelli ences e#en ha#e personality. Loo% at the personality in peoples pets for e0ample. )hy "oul$ 2epharites or other hosts of horror !e any $ifferent or lesserE ,erhaps "ith the >* in char e they $i$n't $are... !ut no" it is a free for all... as the ?llusion crum!les. Brynol% +Tintomara: Bou're ri ht. The non-humans inha!itin (lysium shoul$ !e #ery restricte$, !ut if use$ in mo$erate proportions, ? thin% the i$ea is reat. ? am more or less !uil$in a "hole campai n aroun$ it -it's har$ to %eep it as restricte$ as it shoul$ !e, !ut.../. +Ro!in: So you're the 2y!oria uyL ? rea$ your articles a "hile a o, an$ ? really li%e$ them. ? just "ante$ to say that another reason "hy the population is ro"in , mi ht !e that ?nferno is emptyin , !oth "hen it comes to sinners, an$ employees. ?t is the last cycle after all, an$ many eyes are turne$ on (lysium... Bitpic"er +Lau hin Chance: ?'m not sayin the 2epharites mi ht not !e $ifferent from each other, they are, in fact, they are each in$i#i$ually a$apte$ -or a$apta!le/ to their human 'host'. 3ut ? $on't i#e them human-li%e !rains. ? thin% it ta%es a lot of horror out of the ame -an$ a lot of sense an$ meanin out of actual reli ion/
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"hen e#eryone an$ their supernatural mother are moti#ate$ e0actly !y "hat moti#ates humans. & uni#erse o#erne$ !y oo$ an$ e#il, !ase human moti#ations !ein !ehin$ e#erythin e#en non-humans $o, that is cheap. 2epharites ha#in a conspiracy is just u ly humans $resse$ in leather an$ plastic. The lictors ha#e a !it of an e0cuse for a human-li%e personality as they ha#e !een suppose$ to pose as humans most of the time, !ut all the others $on't ha#e the same e0cuse. Conspiracies, hun er for po"er, mutual animosities, just ma%e them un$erstan$a!le an$ human-li%e. ? "ant the completely alien. The $eath an els an$ archons em!o$y principles "hich are, as a matter of fact, anta onistic. They are much more than just their anthropomorphic ima es, an$ "hile "e seem to see intelli ent in$i#i$uals plottin a ainst each other, they are just as much forces of super-nature ratin a ainst each other !ecause that is "hat they $o. Li%e "ater an$ fire are oppose$ "ithout actual malice or intent, they are, too. ? prefer to see the typical human fallacies an$ features as e0clusi#e to them. They may !e part or "ea% sha$o" of "hy humanity "as imprisone$ in the first place. ?f 2epharites et al turn out to !e the same type of po"er-hun ry plotters as the humans are, "hy isn't it them "ho are imprisone$E /lminster0112 ?9#e al"ays thou ht that 2epharite are just another !ree$ of chil$ren of ni ht, that en$e$ up ser#in Hell. &aughingChance ,erhaps they are imprisone$ as "ellE Lictors fates tie$ to our o"n all this time, the 2epharites too... Razi$es create$ just for that sole purpose... e#en the &rchons an$ >eath &n els ha#e their interests an$ time spent %eepin us at !ay -Human%in$/... They aren't han in out surfin the rin s of Saturn... they are Ccompelle$C for #arious reasons to !a!y-sit us... "here is their Cfree "illC they are Cprisoners to Human%in$C a oo$ reason to %ic% us "hile "e are $o"n, ta%e $eli ht in punishin us... resentin us... they are just as much prisoners as Humans !ecause of Humans in my #ie". ?t's not li%e there are other ro ue 2epharites or somethin roamin aroun$ unemploye$. ?t seems that "hole races are in ser#ice to the Dachine, nicht "ahrE Humans are on the !ottom run !ecause "e "ereKare that much more $an erous... the others may ha#e positions #ia accepta!le le#els of ris% to the >emiur e an$ his plans an$ that of the others "ho helpe$ ensla#e us to the ?llusion. ? li%e to entertain that Human-li%e traits in the ?nfernal an$ &rchonic Hosts are just Human perception an$ le#el of un$er-stan$in . )ith Lictors ? ha#e ne#er !een so e0act that it nee$e$ to ma%e sense to the ,Cs they ha#e plans an$ $uties to fill that are !eyon$ Human comprehension an$ $is uise$ as "ell... so any patterns that seem Human li%e is part of our limitations currently. .allen Angel
+riginally posted by Bitpicker... - came to a similar conclusion to account for the fact that the numbers of humans are increasing, when - think it should have been decreasing slowly by means of extermination 7&ump into .chlys, anyone69 and ascension, with a set number of humans who had been imprisoned in the first place# %here do the new ones come from6
The ro"in num!er of humans is $ue to ?nferno !ein emptie$ of souls. The core !oo% states this 'uite clearly ? thin%. &staroth an$ the &n els of >eath nee$ them as sol$iers in (lysium. ? also thin% that some humans mi ht not !e real humans !ut rather jailors in $is uise an$ fallen an els an$ such, "hom at first seems human !ut if you see throu h the illusions they're really not. ? thin% all R(&L human !ein s are mem!ers of the same $i#ine race. &ny other option ta%es the meanin of the cosmolo y concept a"ay in my opinion, as Tintomara has alrea$y sai$.
+riginally posted by Bitpicker### - think it takes a lot of horror out of the game 7and a lot of sense and meaning out of actual religion9 when everyone and their supernatural mother are motivated exactly by what motivates humans# . universe governed by good and evil, base human motivations being behind everything even non=humans do, that is cheap# H###I - want the completely alien#
? ha#e a totally $ifferent approach to this. Li%e you state$ earlier ? see Kult as anthropocentric. @rom this follo"s that e#erythin is create$ aroun$ humanity. The human min$ is the !asis from "hich e#erythin
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has ta%en form. ? too thin% The &n els of >eath an$ &rchons represents principles rather than in$i#i$uals, !ut these are fun$amental !asic human principles really. )e mi ht not al"ays reco nise them for "hat they are, !ut they really are archetypal human $esires. ?t's the same forces that "or% the illusion that also "or% the human min$ -concious an$ unconcious/. The creatures of Chea#en an$ hellC are create$ from human conceptions of fear, hate, mor!i$ity, sa$ism, hun er for po"er an$ control etc. That is "hy they also ta%e on certain human 'ualities an$ are not completely alien after all. They are really not much more than mirror ima es. This ? thin% e0plains the conspiracies amon them "hile also maintainin the fact that humanity is the center of it all. That sai$ ? $on't li%e ,ur atory too much either !ecause ? see the 2epharites as !ase$ on other human 'ualities than hun er for po"er. ,o"er to them is somethin $ifferent. ,o"er to them is ha#in a human souls pain an$ $estiny totally "ithin their rasp \ this is "hat they see% to achie#e. This is "hy they are so "ell suite$ to $o their jo!. ? $on't ha#e anythin in principle a ainst po"er stru les in hell, they are li%e the conflicts of moti#es in our o"n min$s, !ut ? thin% these stru les are more the ame of the hi her ran%in Razi$es an$ other enerals an$ that they enerally $on't interest most 2epharites that much. Bitpic"er That is fine if you ta%e such human moti#ations as you fin$ in the imprisoned humans to !e normal human moti#ationA "hereas ? thin% e#en the '!asic' human ur es are part of the frame"or% of the illusion, an animal part marrie$ to the hi her human self an$ o#ernin -suppressin / it. )e cannot au e "hat an real, a"a%ene$ human is li%e just from loo%in at the inmates of the ?llusion. &n inmate of the illusion can $eal "ith hate, terror, lust... ?'m tryin to fin$ somethin on the other si$e "hich the imprisone$ human min$ cannot hope to $eal "ith either "ay -i. e. &"a%ene$ humans or their anta onists/. ? %eep thin s incomprehensi!le for that reason, an$ conspiracies are too easy to comprehen$ for my tastes. Tintomara ? sometimes use Cmechanical $ollsC for the same purpose. Bou'll ha#e to see throu h the illusions to see the co s an$ sprin s mo#in insi$e their CfleshC an$ to see their crac%e$ plastic s%in. Some of them are C"al%in on rail"aysC, al"ays repeatin the same tas%s. They ori inally come from a num!er of ni htmares ? ha$ "hen ? "as in !et"een 8 to 1 years ol$. ? thin% they only $iffer from (phemeri$es in that they are mechanical. Some lo"-ran%e$ Lictors are assi ne$ to repair an$ ta%e care of C"in$ upC the $olls, usually such ser#ice is carrie$ out in supermar%ets. ? thin% of nepharites as !ein !i in$i#i$ualistic e0o-parasites, that is they $on't nee$ company, ha#e no real nee$ to plot a ainst each other... !ut ? also see them as hi hly CterritorialC. ? thin% they are in nee$ of sufferin , just li%e a sha$o" is in nee$ of li ht. ?f all li hts o out, there are no in$i#i$ual sha$o"s, just a compact $ar%ness. To say this in other "or$s: ? thin% a 2epharite is $estroye$K%ille$ if it e#er ets trappe$ "ithin an area of non-sufferin , ? $on't e#en thin% they'll ha#e time to escape. ?f sufferin ceases, they cease as "ell... an$ that's a oo$ reason to fi ht o#er the resource you are in nee$ of. ?n this case the CresourceC is sufferin people, so ? thin% nepharites may plot a ainst each other to ain control o#er sufferin souls, an$ perhaps o#er certain areas "ith lots of misery. 3ut ? $on't thin% they conspire a ainst anyone to ain hi her Csocial statusC, they simply ha#e no use of status. ? thin% they can !e fascinate$, mesmerize$ an$ e0alte$. ? sometimes ima ine nepharites are attracte$ !y e0pressionistic art remin$in a!out sufferin , an$ ? li%e to thin% that they ha#e some "eir$ aesthetic taste. )hat they $on't e0perience is interest in any other in$i#i$ual, other than as competitionK$an er or a resource. They ha#e a self preser#ation, !ut they $on't fear anythin . ? thin% they e0perience some %in$ of CpainC instea$ of fear "hen their e0istence is in $an er -this is ho" ? thin% !acteria e0perience $an er/. ?n one "ay, ? thin% of them as flies on a ca$a#er. The life of a fly often oes somethin li%e this: Star#ation, a#oi$in !ir$s. Smell of a ca$a#erL Ten thousan$ other flies has alrea$y foun$ the ca$a#er.
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Fotta !ree$ as fast as possi!le "hile the ca$a#er is still thereL 3ree$in , eatin , !ree$in . Iops, no more ca$a#erL Dore star#ation, a#oi$in !ir$s. -3elie#e it or not, !ut flies can !e 'uite territorial if their Cca$a#erC is small./ Ine sufferin human may not !e enou h to sustain se#eral nepharites, perhaps nepharites sometimes fi ht o#er sufferin souls. ,erhaps nepharites compete in such "ay that the one "ho can cause most a ony to a soul, "ill recei#e most of the sufferin . ,erhaps there isn't enou h sufferin for !oth, so only the one "ho ot most out of the humans "ill stay "ith it. This "ay a human soul coul$ CselectC it's tormentor, !y !ein more responsi!le to himKherKit. &aughing Corpse These creatures all Csur#i#eC throu h human sufferin after $eath ri htE This ot me to thin%in ho" the Lore of >eath an$ the Lore of >reams seem tailor ma$e to escape the ?llusion to a reat $e ree an$ especially to escape >eath. Ine lets you escape to the >ream an$ the other can rant eternal youth. 2epharites an$ Razi$es surely aren't happy a!out that...or a!out Chil$ren of the 2i ht that et immortality. Tintomara
+riginally posted by ,lminsterC@@;### -Gve always thought that Depharite are &ust another breed of children of night, that ended up serving :ell###
Bes, there are similarities... in many "ays ? thin% of them as Chil$ren, !ut ? still thin% 2epharites are $istincti#ely $ifferent. Lictors an$ others $o not appear to hunt 2epharites $o"n, "hich su est that they cannot a"a%en in the human sense. &lso, it seems that !ecomin a 2epharite re'uires that some really po"erful creature -li%e a >eath &n el or somethin / is in#ol#e$. &s Lmpact has pointe$ out, nepharites seem to ha#e e0iste$ !efore the imprisonment of humanity.
+riginally posted by 'aughing *orpse### These creatures all AsurviveA through human suffering after death right6
? thin% so, at least nepharites. Ir perhaps they are just #ery, #ery !ore$. Brynol%
+riginally posted by Tintomara### 'ictors and other do not appear to hunt Depharites down, which suggest that they cannot awaken in the human sense#
)hy shoul$ a Lictor hunt nepharites, "ho in fact ha#e important roles in the machineE &s lon as the nepharites $on't en$an er the safety of (lysium, Lictors "oul$n't care a!out them. ?f, ho"e#er, a 2epharite $oesn't $o its jo! #ery "ell, say it lets #ictims escape or such, it mi ht !e consi$ere$ an in$irect threat. ,mpact &part from the ine#ita!le Fame Daster "ho ha#e $one it, there is actually only I2( that has escape$ the rasps of the 2epharites.He is mentione$ in S"e$ish 5n$ e$. He is calle$ CHeatSee%erC an$ is suppose$ to ha#e "or%e$ for a 2epharite once as a CS%arpr]ttareC -sort of an e0ecutioner, ? coul$n't fin$ a !etter translation !ut it isn't e0actly translate$/. &nyone "ho has access to the S"e. 5n$.e$ core!oo% can pro!a!ly i#e !etter info on this, !ut it is mentione$ only !riefly. Heatsee%er also appears on the S"e$ish FD screen -$on't %no" if it is the same screen-ima e on (n lish #ersion/ an$ is the uy "ith the lon , $ar% hair, one eye seems re$, the other seems reen. &n$ he hol$s a frea%ish s"or$. 2o", isn't that interestin E (0ecutioners of 2epharites'E ?t once ma$e me create a personal e0ecutioner for &staroth, calle$ Dephisto -yes, ? "as youn , !ut it fitsL/ Brynol%
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Heatsee%er $i$n't "or% for Serena$e -the 2epharite/, !ut for the master of them !oth, "hich coul$ !e almost anyone, really, &staroth a >eath &n el, a Razi$e, a 2epharite or someone else. &ccor$in to "hat "e more or less a ree on here, nepharites $on't ha#e #ery much use for pri#ate assassins. /lminster0112 ? "as thin%in , can it !e that 2epharite are menomate$ humansE Day!e the ori inal ones "here so C!ornC, an$ there are "ays to cripple a human in this form. The >emiur e $i$n't see them as a menace, an$ so $i$ not imprison them, an$ they hate the rest of humanity. Tintomara ? thou ht Heatsee%er was a 2ephariteE
+riginally posted by ,lminsterC@@;### ###can it be that Depharite are menomated humans6
Cripple$ Fo$sE ? li%e the i$ea, !ut ? thin% of them more li%e Csha$o"sC of the &"a%ene$ humanity. Somethin that "as ta%en a"ay from us, an$ somethin that "e can !e turne$ into. 2ot #ery $ifferent from the Csha$o"C that "e cleanse a"ay from our souls "hen "e attain an e0treme mental !alance, !ut someho" $ifferent any"ay. ? thin% nepharites fear the a"a%enin of humans, !ecause ? thin% "hene#er a human a"a%ens, one 2epharite Cmer esC "ith that human's soul an$ loses its i$entity. &n$ ? thin% they cannot e0ist outsi$e sufferin . ? fin$ it har$ to $escri!e them any !etter... !ut the Ccripple$ o$sC theory is a oo$ one. ?f ? ha$n't alrea$y ot one theory, ? "oul$ a$opt it. Bro"en Doll Foo$ i$ea Tintomara. Hmmm... Ho" a!out this: The 2epharites are the remainin sha$o" of humans "ho ha#e !een utterly $estroye$, ho"e#er their sha$o" is allo"e$ to remain to ser#e as cleansers of the human min$ throu h pur atories. This "oul$ in theory ma%e it possi!le to C!rin them !ac%C throu h the creation of a Cne"C li ht sha$o", a li ht si$e that is strippe$ a"ay "hen a human !ecomes a 2epharite. That "oul$ also e0plain their #ery oo$ un$erstan$in of human fear an$ pain. +nderspa#n ...an$ also ans"er the 'uestion of "hat !ecomes of you shoul$ you $estroy your sha$o". Brynol% ? li%e that i$eaL 3ut ? thin% it %in$ of conflicts "ith the li htK$ar% sha$o"-thin . The 'uestion of "hich i$ea is the !est nee$s a little thin%in . Hmm, may!e it $oesn't conflict... "ell, ?'ll %eep thin%in any"ay... hmmm. +nderspa#n Bou mer e "ith your li ht or $ar% sha$o" to !ecome &"a%ene$. ?f you "ere to $estroy your sha$o" !efore you reache$ the a"a%enin sta e, 2epharite-ism soun$s li%e a fairly lo ical fate. Bro"en Doll ?'m "ith Spa"ny on this one... &lthou h none of my players -nor their characters/ are any"here near enli htenment. KingSi? $on't thin% that the 2epharites shoul$ !e the remainin sha$o" of humans that ha#e !een utterly $estroye$. This !ecause there are only a han$ful of humans that ha#e !een $estroye$ an$ put to rest in the city of the $ea$. -6st e$/
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?n that case ? li%e the thou ht that 2epharites are sha$o"s of our true nature !etter. Brynol%
+riginally posted by Bnderspawn### 4ou merge with your light or dark shadow to become .wakened# -f you were to destroy your shadow before you reached the awakening stage, Depharite=ism sounds like a fairly logical fate###
Bes, ? realise$ that, too. ?t ma%es sense, ? thin%. +Kin si0: The city of the $ea$ is in fact full of tom!s, "here -pro!a!ly/ humans that ha#e $ie$ !oth !efore an$ after the a e of (lysium rest. ? thin% there coul$ !e enou h $ea$ humans to co#er the num!er of 2epharites. KingSi? $on't a ree "ith you. The human race "as immortal !efore the imprisonment, an$ still is. Ho"e#er $eath has !ecome a a C ate to other e0istencesC - an$ to erase our memories to %eep us imprisone$. ?n the chapter !eyon$ $eath "e are also i#en a hint that not many human !ein s ha#e !een $estroye$. ?t is not e#en o!#ious that $eath e0iste$ !efore the imprisonment of man. CInly a han$ful ha#e !een "ipe$ out $urin the past millennia. ?t ta%es much more than $eath to o!literate a human !ein .C -p567 6st e$ition/ Brynol% Hmm, you're ri ht. 3ut on the other han$, "hy ha#e a City of the >ea$, if humans $on't $ieE )hat are all those tom!s forE +nderspa#n Day!e they are the restin places of our past sel#es, an$ also our memoriesE Thou h perhaps the Dirror Halls an$ Demory 3an%s co#er those. Humans are har$ to %ill, an$ $eath may only !e an illusion, !ut, as the 6st e$ su ests, "e can !e $estroye$ - if only at a rate of a fe" souls per millennium. The multitu$e of tom!s to !e seen in the City of the >ea$ coul$ !e an intri uin hint at just ho" ol$ humanity is. KingSiFoo$ pointL ? a ree that is a #ery interestin point. &aughingChance )hyE ? ha#e no pro!lem "ith there !ein other Fo$s or >ieties in Detropolis. )hy $oes it al"ays nee$ to come $o"n to humansE ?t just seems so narro" min$e$. ,mpact
+riginally posted by Tintomara... - thought :eatseeker was a nepharite6
2o, it is clearly state$ that he is "ante$ !y a 2epharite -"hether that "as Serena$e or "home#er Serena$e is actually a >esparyte, an$ not a 2epharite, !ut there is confusion a!out that one any"ays - ? $o not remem!er/ !ecause he has escape$ his o"n pur atory. 2epharites $on9t en$ up in pur atories, !ecause they create them. )hich !rin s another couple of interestin thin up: Ho" much po"er $oes a 2epharite ha#e in a pur atoryE >oes a 2epharites po"ers $iffer $epen$in on "hether the pur atory is create$ !y himKherKitE Can 2epharites enter any pur atories at "illE -$ there is plottin an$ enmity to a !i er e0tent !et"een 2epharites, $o they try to openly challen e each other insi$e ,ur atoriesE &n$ if so, "hat is the conse'uences for humans trappe$ in a pur atory in "hich t"o 2epharites are !attlin each otherE -)hether it is physical or mental !attle./ Sust some thou hts that came up. This is of course moot points to $iscuss if you $on't thin% 2epharites ha#e a nee$ to "or% a ainst each other for more Cpo"erC.
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(#en thou h this is an interestin topic, an$ e#eryone's opinion is their o"n, ? still $on't see "hy 2epharites ha#e to !e somethin create$ !y or for Humanity. )hy can't they ha#e e0iste$ !eforeE )hy can't they ha#e !een un%no"n to humanityE ? li%e the fact that there are some un%no"n thin s a!out Kult. KingSiThe only reference ? ha#e seen mentionin Heatsee%er is the secon$ S"e$ish e$ition of Kult. -p61:/ ?t is ne#er e#en sai$ that Heatsee%er "as human. He "as raise$ to !ecome the foremost assassin of inferno. He "as traine$ to slay humans an$ !rin their souls to hell. He "as not see%in $eath alone, !ut the poetry of $eath, a stri#in that finally ma$e him fall from the race of his master. He "as thro"n from the hi hest of thrones into a !urnin a!yss "here he "as imprisone$ !y his former ser#ants, the 2epharites. He "asn't a 2epharite, !ut he "as e#en more po"erful. 2epharites are not the only ones that create pur atories. That can !e $one !y the sinner. & character "ith enou h uilt can create his o"n pur atory. -e0ample: (liza!eth Seymor in @allen &n els/ ?t is also hinte$ in the 5n$ S"e$ish e$ition that the nepharites "as !efore the imprisonment: CThey steppe$ for"ar$ from the sha$o"s "hen the flamin halls "ere create$ an$ came in the sur#i#e of e#il.C Ho"e#er, in the 6st *S it is state$ that they "ere create$ as tormentors. Brynol%
+riginally posted by 1mpact### %hat is the conseJuences for humans trapped in a purgatory in which two Depharites are battling each other6 7%hether it is physical or mental battle#9
)o"L This is really a neat i$eaL Sa$ly, it $oesn't fit #ery "ell "ith the Csha$o"C- an$ Cnon-conspiracyC nepharites "e ha#e $iscusse$ here. Bour i$ea is, ho"e#er, a oo$ reason to let the nepharites !e more as they really are $escri!e$ in the source!oo%s. Hey, you can't ha#e it all... Tintomara ? can't see "hy this "oul$n't fit just as "ell "ith a Cnon-conspiracy sha$o"-styleC 2ephariteE 2epharites !attlin each others for the po"er o#er a sin le human $oes not imply that 2epharites are po"er hun ry conspirators. ?t is fully possi!le that nepharites compete for in$i#i$ual humans, !ut not for po"er o#er other nepharites. >o they e#en ha#e a hierarchyE &!out "hat happens "ith the human trappe$ in !et"een t"o !attlin nepharites, here is one more of my animal analo ies... (#er seen an C?chneumon flyCE -parasitstekel in S"e$ish, it's not a CrealC fly/. They fin$ a caterpillar, lay an e insi$e the caterpillar, the e hatches "hile the caterpillar is still ali#e an$ the little CflyC lar#ae starts eatin the caterpillar from the insi$e. ?f t"o CfliesC infect the same caterpillar, !oth lar#ae "ill $ie from star#ation -unless one lar#ae %ill the other lar#ae/. There isn't enou h caterpillar for !oth, so the CfliesC a#oi$ each other. Iccasionally they en$ up t"o to ether in the same host, !ut this $oesn't matter to the caterpillar. ?t "ill $ie any"ay. ? $on't thin% a human "ill notice if t"o nepharites $o !attle o#er it, !ecause the results are the same: pain, torment an$ loss of memory. &aughingChance ? thin% you can safely assume there is some sort of or$er... or 2epharite Hierarchy from ,ur atory. (#en if it is a mi ht ma%es ri ht or a >eath &n els fa#orite son type $eal. Some are more feare$ then others, some nee$ help carryin out their tas%s an$ plans. There are Froup ,ur atories... if there is any fi htin oin on it "oul$ !e o#er that an$ not just one puny Human Soul... Brynol%
+riginally posted by Tintomara### - canGt see why this wouldnGt fit &ust as well with a Anon=conspiracy shadow=styleA nepharite6
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? meant that if nepharites are !orn out of the $ar%ness -Osha$o"/ of each in$i#i$ual human soul, they shoul$ !e 'uite attache$ to that specific in$i#i$ual, an$ not ha#e anythin to $o "ith other souls, an$ no interest in clim!in the hierarchy la$$er. &aughingChance That is e0cellent reasonin an$ ? a ree. The $ar%nessK uilt an$ "hat not in the Human souls attracts a 2epharite in my opinion... !ut !esi$es the ,roto-2epharites that are create$ the others "ere to me their o"n race entirely. ?f they "ere once Humans to start "ith it "as lon , lon a o an$ they e#ol#e$ 'uite $ifferently from Humanity as "e %no" it... ame-"ise. >amn this is a oo$ threa$L Stirner Rea$in all the threa$ too% me a "hile, !ut heyL Foo$ pointsL So ?'ll thro" in my t"o cents. ?n my cosmolo y, there are three %in$s of 2epharites: The Bechorim -primi en/ - are li%e (lijah an$ many of those $escri!e$ in ,ur atory: ancient as man capti#ity. They are calle$ the Sons of the Se#enth >ay. )hen our capti#ity "as complete an$ >emiur os retire$ in his cita$el, &staroth $eci$e$ to create somethin on his o"n. They spa"ne$ from &staroth's $esire to ma%e somethin at his o"n ima e, li%e >emiur os $i$ "ith Den. 3ut &staroth ha$ nothin li%e him, so he spa"ne$ the 3echorim, t"iste$ an$ !ro%en ima es of man. They are the masters of the ,ur atories in ?nferno, an$ usually $on't come out often. They loathe humanity not just !ecause it's imprisone$ an$ "ea%, !ut also !ecause they are its imperfect reflection. The Shakah -those "ho for et/: Humans "ho ha#e !ecome 2epharites. They can !e as ancient as thousan$ of years a o or recently transforme$. *sually they enacte$ pacts "ith $ar% po"ers to !ecome 2epharites, or their sheer #ileness attracte$ a 3echor, or e#en a >eath &n el, "ho has con#erte$ them in 2epharites throu h a Torment ,alimpsest -the ri$ of pur atories "ho pierce a 2epharite's flesh/. They hate humanity !ecause they %no" that "ith their transformation as 2epharites, ha#e fore#er lost their o"n possi!ility to a"a%en, thus !ein foole$ !y ?nferno. Last !ut not least: the Vezarim - uilties/: They are calle$ from ?nferno "hen one's sense of uilt, or his o"n sins, create a ,ur atory in ?nferno. They are just a reflection of that sin le man's uilt or #ileness, just li%e a 2epharite "as a $istorte$ reflection of man create$ !y &staroth #ileness. This means the Pezarim are unconsciously created by a guilty human, one "ith a lo" D3, of course. They come free "ith his ,ur atory, !ut e#en once they pur e$ the soul, they remain in ?nferno, alle in to an &n el of >eath or simply operatin mass pur atories. They hate humanity !ecause they feel li%e humans create$ them as "rec%e$ creatures, an$ they feel the ur e to "rec% them in return. That's "hat ? ma$e to fit in my cosmolo y, ? hope you li%e it. ,mpact ?nterestin , Stirner. Pery nice i$ea. The one thin ? $on't li%e is that &staroth create$ the first ones, !ut ? ha#e my point since !efore in this topic. Sust on a note for you people, &staroth ha#e create$ -"ith a little help/ t"o an elic choirs -"ell, they are ?nfernal, since they "or% for &. !ut it "ill all !e e0plaine$ in Host./. This mi ht e0plain "hy ? $on't feel tempte$ to ha#e &staroth fi0 up ne" 2epharites... he all rea$y has loa$s of creations of his o"n. &ny"ays, still an interestin i$ea Stirner, "ith CtypesC of 2epharites. Brynol% 2iceL 3ut ?'m not sure if ?'$ call all those three nepharites. ?f nepharites can ha#e such $ifferent !ac% roun$s, then "hat is it really that $efines oneE TortureE )ell, many creatures from the other si$e practice that. ?'m not sure yet of "here ? stan$ in this $e!ate, either the Cthey came out of the $ar%, an$ offere$ &staroth their ser#icesC, or CThey are the t"iste$ remains of a human Csha$o"C...C hmm, ?'ll ha#e to %eep thin%in as usual...
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Tintomara ? thin% se#eral $ifferent %in$s of nepharites can !e a 'uite oo$ i$ea. &t least it $oesn't interfere "ith the official rules. &ccor$in to $aPinci in the S"e$ish 5n$ e$, the nepharites are so $i#erse that they seem not to ha#e anythin in common, !esi$es that they resem!le humans an$ !rin sinners into inferno to !e tormente$. &n$ then you ha#e the >espartytes... ? "oul$n't !e a!le to tell the $ifference !et"een a >espartyte an$ a 2epharite e#en if they "oul$ come for me. ,erhaps >espartytes are a special !ree$ of 2epharitesE ,mpact >esparyte #s. 2epharite: & 2epharite for me, is a creature "ho's purpose -at least in this ame/ is to punish human-s/ until the pre#ious life is for otten. 2epharites ha#e a #ery $efine$ tas% to perform. 2epharites also $iffer reatly in their loo%, as pointe$ out !y Tintomara. >esparytes -for me/ on the other han$, are creatures that ha#e more in common "ith each other on a pure #isual le#el. >esparytes are in fact the ones "ith spi%es an$ mas%s -a loo% that is tra$itionally thou ht to !e !esto"e$ on 2epharites, loo% in your core !oo% once a ain an$ rea$ the $escriptions on 2epharites an$ realize that they $on't al"ays "ear mas%s an$ sport spi%es on their hea$ a la ,inhea$./ )hen it comes $o"n to the tas%s of the >esparytes, it ets a !it more $ifficult thou h. Dy personal approach to this is that ? see >esparytes an$ 2epharites as #ery similar creatures, possi!ly "ith similar or same ori ins, !ut "ith the fun$amental $ifference that 2epharites no" "or% for Hell -shortene$ $o"n, you %no" "hat ? mean/ "hilst >esparytes are more CfreelancersC. This is my personal approachK#ie" on them thou h -apart from the $escriptions of them/. Bou $on't ha#e to $o li%e ? $o... Stirner @or me, a 2epharite is someone one totally o#er pain an$ pleasure, "hose min$ is totally alien from man's. The fact is not that he's torture$, !ut that he is torture$ &2> $eli hte$. & 2epharite thou ht is totally impossi!le to un$erstan$. This is the main $ifference, for me !et"een a 2epharite an$ a ,ur ati$e. The latest is !ein torture$, he %no"s it an$ suffers. 2ot so the nepharite. He ?S torture$, !ut he has !rou ht his min$ o#er the limit. 7.s for Depharites and !esparytes9 The main physical $ifference is the mas% an$ the ro!e, just as Lmpact "rote. In the mental si$e, ?'$ su est that the 2epharites are !orn out of uilt, an$ they fee$ on it, the >esparytes are !orn out of human fears, an$ they fee$ on it. They ha#e no ,rimi ens, they ha#e ori ins from human fears. ? ha#e also ma$e particular >esparytes "ho represent particular ancestral pho!ias, li%e claustropho!ia an$ arachnopho!ia, !ut this "oul$ ta%e more space to "rite. KingSi? ha#e also otten the impression that >esparytes are !orn from human misery an$ $espair. ?n a sense they coul$ !e some!o$y's "orst ni htmare come true. &aughingChance ?'m intereste$ in ho" you fol%s thin% of an$ e0plain (liza!eth in @allen &n elsE )as she in fact a proto2ephariteE KingSi? thin% you coul$ call her a ,roto-2epharite althou h they call her an &#en in &n el in the a$#enture. 2ot to !e mista%en for Samael's a#en in an els from Lo>. The te0t states that her ne" form is #ery close to a 2epharite. ? thin% that if she can !e calle$ a proto-2epharite the ,Cs coul$ too as they are also turne$ into somethin a%in to 2epharites: Chil$ren of ?nferno &aughingChance )hat ma%es a 2epharite a 2ephariteE ?n (liza!eth's case she $esire$ to punish an$ lash out at those she
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consi$ere$ uilty the players are not really incline$ that "ay in my min$s eye. She is e#ol#in in her $esire, the ,Cs really aren't. 2epharites enjoy their "or% an$ ma%e themsel#es stron er from it -if they are s%ilful enou h/ in my opinion, !ut the ,Cs $on't fit that !it. They are more li%e mutate$ ,ur ati$es or somethin in essence in @allen &n els. (liza!eth is a $ifferent story. She "ants to et e#en an$ so forth. ? remem!er rea$in somethin in the *S 6st ($ition a!out in times of stress, shoc% an$ so forth... the ?llusion as "e %no" can crum!le locally for the ,C. The e0ample they a#e "as Ccorpses et up an$ menace the ,CC. The ,C is actually usin po"ers no" for otten an$ not controlle$ creatin an hallucination of terror. The $elusions of others can effect the illusions #ersion of reality for other ,CsK2,Cs as "ell. The character can $is!elie#e it -( o/ an$ $issol#e it a"ay out of e0istence. ? thin% in the same section it tal%e$ a!out the !o$y can chan e temporarily ro"in natural "eapons such as tentacles an$ cla"s an$ so on as D3 lo"ers. 3ut ho" far $oes it oE I!#iously in (liza!eth's case in @allen &n els she !ecame a 2epharite li%e !ein ... !ut not a true 2epharite. ? ha#e to thin% an$ ? prefer to thin% that 2epharites are an entirely $ifferent race. ?t'$ !e %in$ of cool if they "ere a $ar% sha$o" of humanities e0istence !ut they aren't. So ?'$ ha#e to say that the ,Cs in @allen &n els are not chan e$ of their o"n "ill to punish. KingSi&lso in (liza!eth's case her father has trie$ to create his o"n punisher "ith the help of the >eath ma ic 3oorman tau ht him. ?f that ha$n't happene$ she mi ht not ha#e !ecome "hat she !ecame. ? "oul$ say pro!a!ly not !ecome this a#en in an el. Brynol% &nother thou ht on ?nferno... ?n theory, it "oul$ !e enou h to let ?nferno !e our only prison. Lettin humanity !e torture$ for all eternity, an$ ne#er et a hol$ of any thou hts that coul$ lea$ to a"a%enin "oul$ !e a reat "ay to %eep them a"ay from the truth, ri htE )ell, may!e the ans"er is that, li%e in the Datri0, if humanity $on't et foole$ !y a "orl$ "here all is happy an$ fine, then, in the case of eternal ?nferno, they "ill e#entually et so enra e$ -or another po"erful feelin / o#er their situation, that they "ill rise a ainst the torturers, re ain more an$ more po"er, an$ e#entually a"a%en... +nderspa#n Bes. as re#eale$ !y & ent Smith in the first mo#ie, the Datri0 cannot !e a lan$ of perpetual happiness, !ecause "e "ill reject it. Li%e"ise, our prison cannot !e a place "here there is nothin !ut sufferin , !ecause it "oul$ !e simple to re!el a ainst that too. )e must !e allo"e$ our free "ill. ?t is our a!ility to choose -an$ usually choose "ron / that %eeps us in this prison "ithout "alls. 2one are more hopelessly ensla#e$ than those "ho falsely !elie#e they are free. &aughingChance ? ne#er pai$ all that much attention to the $ifference Hbetween Depharites / !esparytesI since it is not really an area of the cosmolo y ? use to often. Ho"e#er, "hen you put it li%e that, it clearly conforms my opinion on the matter in a reement "ith your o"n. (0cellent. ,S - ? $on't feel 2epharites are create$ from thin air. ? li%e to thin% of them as another race. &lthou h it is terrifyin to thin% "e coul$ $o that to oursel#es ? fin$ it more of a menace that others are out there..."e %no" nothin a!out enjoyin an opportunity to %ic% us "hile "e are $o"n... ?t is icin on the ca%e cosmolo y-"ise. &s @allen &n el sai$... ?nferno is losin more an$ more souls one of the reasons 2epharites an$ Razi$es are #enturin forth to claim an$ capture #ictimsKclients. ?t "or%s for me... "ithout the >emiur e in place a lot of thin s are slippin as "ell an$ humans are !ein $umpe$ !ac% into the ?llusion at a much 'uic%er rate as a 'uic% fi0 to me. In the me$ical science si$e of thin s people are li#in lon er -Dal%uthE/ an$ ettin a reater an$ reater chance to realize thin s aren't ri ht. 3ara0stra
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? thin% that the fact that people are li#in lon er $oesn't mean that they "ill realise anythin . Some people are cheatin $eath for centuries an$ still $on't %no" the truth. The fact of lon er life-e0pectancy means only that people's ties to their mortal shells are stren thenin - as is their cra#in for anythin material - ?t mi ht actually mean that it is another "ay to chain humans to illusion. Demorney Ine thin ? $on't un$erstan$ - if you ta%e a loo% at the o#erall population num!ers' increase - ho" can this !e "hen "e're all re!orn an$ e0ist ri ht from the startE Thus the num!er of souls shoul$ !e e'ual or $ecreasin -as some are $ra"n into pur atory or enli htene$/. Can it !e e0plaine$ "ith the non-e0istence of timeE )hich "oul$ mean there are still 'fresh' human !ein s arri#in here in this reality for the first time... 3ara0stra There is a possi!ility of !ree$in a fresh a"a%ene$ human -throu h ma ic, ? thin% it "as mentione$ in the rule!oo%/ an$ ? also suspect that there are many other circumstances on "hich it can happen - !ut the main pro!lem ? thin% is that after the >emiur e has one missin the rotation in pur atories must !e a lot faster - "hich lea$s us !ac% to the ori inal theme - 2epharites Brynol% &ll the homo sapiens on the planet isn't human. Some are for otten o$s li%e 3aal Reshef, some are ser#ants to archons or other entities. &lso remem!er that many humans has a $ar%Kli ht sha$o", "ho pro!a!ly loo%s an$ acts li%e a human, further increasin the population. @urthermore, 3itpic%er ha$ an i$ea that many of the Cne"C humans are just "al%in illusions, create$ !y lictors-E/ to stren then the control o#er us. &n$, as "e %no", ?nferno is emptyin . Brynol% Hey, "ho tol$ you "e "ere si0 !illion ppl on (arth, any"ayE The lictors pro!a!ly ha#e somethin to ain !y sayin so. (arth mi ht as "ell !e inha!ite$ !y you, your "ife an$ some monstrous ra!!its in the !ac%yar$. The people you meet are just lictors an$ their ser#ants, an$ the planet isn't any !i er than your !loc%. >on't !elie#e e#erythin you hear :> &aughingChance ? ha#e to $iffer "ith you =. The lon er "e li#e the reater an$ lon er "e can tra#el the li htK$ar% roa$, the more e0perience$ "e are in the ?llusion, the more $esperate "e !ecome. Dental illness an$ !iolo ical illness chan es the person also. 3ut li%e the Iracle, "ho !elie#es themE 3ara0stra Ih, come on LC, ho" many of those "ho li#e for, let's say N7 years, start to "al% either path, they rather !ecome rannies an$ ran$pas "hose D3 is as close to 7 as it is possi!le, an$ after $eath they loose it all. ? thin% that people trea$in the path to a"a%enin usually ha#e some sort of emotion "hich $ri#es them to it, an$ all those ol$er people i#e a shit only for their momentary sur#i#al, "arm !e$ an$ some ran$chil$ren... )oul$ it !e really "orth ris%in an$ in#ol#in #alua!le resources for the a ents of Dal%uth to in#est in somethin that slo" an$ $epen$ant on the nature of an imprisone$ humanE ? $ou!t it. Bou say that they !ecome $esperate - of courseL 3ut they clin to their shells - they are enchante$ "ith the "orl$ of their fi#e senses "hich year !y year !e in to fa$e, an$ they miss it. Ih, ho" they miss the smells, #ie"s, soun$s... So the only thin they're intereste$ in is returnin to their youth "hen they "ere !eautiful, sin in cattle le$ !y a $ecei#in shepher$. That's "hy the cities are the main aim of Dal%uth - life there is fast, full of emotions an$ usually #ery short, !ut e0actly that imposes a $ifferent %in$ of sur#i#al instincts on people, that "hich lea$ them finally to $eath or one of the paths.
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3ut as usual, that's only my opinion :/ &aughingChance @irst of all ,Cs are not re ular people in the ame settin ...they are that somethin special oo$ or !a$ that falls into the o$$ places an$ stran e e#ents... ,Cs at an a$#ance$ a e "ill sell their souls for youth, po"er or promises real or false... Humans that are afrai$ to $ie may clin to their shells as you $elicately put it... !ecomin re#enants, offer themsel#es to chil$ren of the ni ht an$ so forth loo%in for a "ay to cheat fate... anyho"... as Humans ro" ol$er an$ suffer mala$ies they are more li%ely to see crac%s in the ?llusion ? can't see you $e!atin that. Hospices, hospitals, ol$ persons homes an$ such a!use !y youn er family mem!ers an$ sheer frustration at their current state of life are all certainly factors on D3 to me... may!e they e#en !ecome for otten... homeless... fallin into other states of min$ or #ictims to forces that !e "ith no one to help... Iur souls are eternal so "hether a 47 year ol$ shell or a 57 year ol$ shell 2epharites an$ such $on't care, it may not !e a factor at all to them... it is a soul. To me the ol$er a person is they more time to repent or reater time to !e "ic%e$ an$ feel uilty. &ctually ? see the opposite. They for et a!out their o"n sur#i#al, e0istin $ay after $ay, ne lectin themsel#es, for ettin to eat an$ !athe an$ so forth. ?f care$ for you ha#e me$ications affectin them... Loo% at cultures aroun$ the "orl$ "here people are li#in past 677 years: if a person starte$ on the li ht roa$ lea$in a oo$ life, me$itatin an$ such they coul$ et 'uite far... The lon er Humans li#e the reater the threat to the ?llusion perio$. Day!e it is a reason for "ars in the ?llusion to %eep Humanity from a$#ancin further... %eep %illin them off an$ %eep them stupi$... "ith the ?llusion !rea%in $o"n... an$ people ettin "iser as a populace just %eep fin$in "ays to %ill them off li%e cancers an$ ne" $iseases... so there are more people aroun$ then e#er !efore at the same time no"... Since most ha#e stoppe$ !elie#in in hea#en an$ hell... "ait time is at an all time minimum to start a ain... ,erhaps the ?llusion "asn't $esi ne$ to ha#e so many Human souls "ithin it at the same time an$ place... heh heh heh. 3ara0stra Hmm, may!e you are ri ht...to some e0tent that is :/ . ? a ree "ith you that if "e put ol$er people as a players that may !e so. The main $ifference may !e that ?'m not li#in in a !i city -nor a city to !e precise/ an$ most ol$er people in my surroun$in s are rather the "ay in my a!o#e post. ?'m sure that there is plenty of nasty thin s oin just !ehin$ the curtain -as sho"n in T"in ,ea%s for e0ample/ 3ut remem!er that "hat you are tal%in a!out are e0tremes, an$ althou h the !or$er is constantly mo#in e0tremes are usually eliminate$. The 'uestion is if "e ta%e the e0tremes you tal% a!out as $ominatin , if so, then there's nothin peculiar in the e0treme - thus it stops !ein e0treme. ?f ? "ant the players to !e shoc%e$ then they must see somethin that they $i$ not e0pect, an$ if it is all at once "ith e#erythin they encounter, then it stops !ein shoc%in . Tintomara Inly pro!lem is that humans $on't ro" any ol$er. Dost humans in the Cci#ilize$C "orl$ $ie some"here in !et"een 87 an$ M7, an$ the rest $ies some"here in !et"een N7 an$ 47 years. Rumours spea% a!out 657 yrs ol$ humans, !ut none of these CsuperhumansC ha#e !ecome ol$ !y the use of me$ication -an$ it remains to !e pro#en that any human ha#e passe$ 66. yrs of a e/. So humans !ecome a!out 47 yrs ol$ to$ay, !ut can fin$ 47 yrs ol$ human fossils from the ,alaeolithic a e as "ell. Conclusion: Humans $o not ro" ol$er to$ay than un$er the stone a e -!ut they ro" ol$er to$ay than they $i$ aroun$ the mi$$le a es/. Brynol% Ho" our torturers actually $o it... ? came up "ith this i$ea in another threa$, !ut this is pro!a!ly "here it !elon s the most. &ll memories et Cattache$C to the immortal soul, an$ can ne#er truly !e erase$ -if &chlys or Coatlicue
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%eep a"ay from your min$, that is/. )hat happens in ?nferno is that the nepharites an$ their little helpers simply use the same phenomenon that ma%es Cli#in C humans repress !a$ memories. They let us reli#e our li#es a ain an$ a ain, !ut "ith $etails $rastically chan e$ in t"iste$, per#erte$ an$ C uiltin C "ays. The 2epharite -or "hoe#er it is/ ta%es it one scene at a time. &fter a "hile all that remains of that scene in our min$ is a pulp of pure uilt an$ horror, that "e prefer to a#oi$. ?n short, they force us to associate e#ery little memory "e ha#e collecte$ $urin our recent time in (lysium "ith uilt or somethin !a$, horri!le, unrational or enerally unthin%a!le. That's "hy the pur in in ?nferno ta%es such lon timeA "e ten$ to ha#e 'uite a lot of memories that must !e tainte$ an$ represse$. I%, this is some unfinishe$ thou hts, !ut the eneral i$ea fits nicely into the Kulti#erse. ?f there isn't anythin ? ha#en't thou ht a!out... 3ara0stra Hmm, that seems 'uite con#incin !ut ? $ou!t that !y multiplyin our uilt the 2epharites are pur in us... that "ay "e "oul$ rather come !ac% "ith more an st than !efore an$ thus "ith lo"er D3. ? thin% that the system for pur in souls "as a little !it $ifferent "hen e#erythin "as still in or$er, !ut "hen &staroth left ?nferno to search for the >emiur e pur in souls also chan e$ - 2epharites coul$ succum! to their $ar% cra#in for sufferin . ? still thin% that torture !y itself cannot !rin our !alance !ac% to 7. +nderspa#n ? "oul$ say that is the e0act point of it - to increase the uilt an$ shame until the human min$ reaches !rea%in point.Consi$er "hat ?DI is one of the !est pur atories "e'#e rea$ a!out: the ,ur atory of Seanette 3eau#ois -Shattere$ Li#es - The &!yss/. Her pur atory, li%e all ,ur atories, is tailor-ma$e for her !ase$ on the 'sins' of her life: promiscuous se0, paternal a!use an$ $ru a!use, the thin s "hich cause$ her the most pain an$ e#entually %ille$ her. 2o", Seanette can only for et her past life "hen she lets o of her memories an$ willingly lea#es the pur atory. She "ill not escape until she has cease$ to care a!out e#erythin that once constitute$ her life. Thus, she must $iscar$ it. )hat other metho$s are there of achie#in this, if not to focus on the unresol#e$ emotions "e retain from our lifeE Brynol% Bes, in ?nferno "e ta%e repression a step further, an$ e#entually repressin the repression, so our min$s o !ac% to the Cempty sheetC !efore "e are re!orn. 3ut... "hat if "e for some reason starte$ to remem!er our past li#esE &fter all, that happens from time to time in Kult. ?f those memories are still tainte$ !y an st, ho" "ill "e e#er !e a!le to process, an$ actually Cremem!erC themE &n$ "hat are the Demory 3an%s, if the only "ay to ma%e us for et is !y tortureE 3ara0stra ? li%e$ "hat "as "ritten in 7Broken !ollKs adventure9 CCrac%s in The DirrorC: the 2epharite trie$ to ma%e the ,Cs remem!er an$ !y it return them to their personal hells. &lso a oo$ 'uestion "oul$ !e, "hat "oul$ happen to us if "e starte$ to remem!er not our real past li#es !ut our pur atoriesE Brynol%
+riginally posted by zaraCstra### .lso a good Juestion would be, what would happen to us if we started to remember not our real past lives but our purgatories6
That "as %in$ of "hat ? as%e$, too. ?f our pastlife memories are all too horri!le to remem!er, ho" coul$ "e remem!er them "ithout oin nutsE Remem!er that all "e see of a pur atory, is the memories the 2epharite is a!out to taint. Thus, remem!erin pur atory is synonymous "ith remem!erin our tainte$ memories from past li#es. That is, if nothin oes "ron in the pur atory -"hich it ten$s to $o "hen ,Cs are in#ol#e$/. Say, if the ,Cs play an a$#enture "here one of them is stuc% in his pur atory, !ut the others mana e to et in to sa#e
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him. Their presence an$ actions ma%e the pur e$ ,C a"are of that he is in hell -somethin most of the nepharites' clients $on't/, an$ so the Cnatural or$erC is $istur!e$, as the ,C starts to et enuine memories of actually ettin his memories strippe$ from him -!izarre, isn't itE/ ?f he, in later li#es remem!ers his past li#es, it is then possi!le for him to actually remem!er ,ur atory, instea$ of, or in a$$ition to his Ctainte$C memories. Dan, ? "oul$n't e#en !e a!le to e0plain this properly in S"e$ish... hope you follo"... 3ara0stra Bes, ? follo" :/ ? thin% that memories from past li#es are so !lea% that they cannot $rastically chan e our D3. That is of course, if you assume that people can ha#e $ifferent personalities in $ifferent incarnations -li%e ? $o/. Then it is li%ely for the person "ho remem!ers somethin to ta%e the approach as if the memories "ere someone else. In the other han$ of course they can !e much stron er an$ inflict a ra$ical chan e of personality an$ D3. Tintomara
+riginally posted by Brynolf### But### what if we for some reason started to remember our past lives6 .fter all, that happens from time to time in Kult# -f those memories are still tainted by angst, how will we ever be able to process, and actually ArememberA them6
Dy ta%e "oul$ !e that -unless you're &"a%ene$/ the ?llusion "ill !ecome "arpe$ "hen your memories of the pur atory come rushin !ac%. ? $on't thin% you "ill instantly re-create your ol$ pur atory aroun$ yourself, !ut you "ill most certainly alert 2epharites. ? "oul$ li%e a surfacin memory from hell to affect 2on-,layer Characters near!y you, t"istin their min$s... 3ara0stra That's a #ery interestin concept that coul$ !e perfectly usa!le in an a$#enture. ?f the ,C is the source of the chan es it coul$ !e a "ay to let him %no" that the ans"ers rest in him. That coul$ !e also a "ay to "orsen his D3. Let's say that !ecause of shoc% the ,C remem!ers somethin from his past lifeKpur atory, an$ althou h it seems #ery $istant an$ unreal in a "ay, "hen he ets out of the street, people start harassin him as if they %ne" him - moc%in his actions from the past life. Thus his state is "orsenin - an$ if there is enou h remem!ere$ a 2epharite sho"s up. ?t coul$ ser#e as a oo$ solo a$#enture Tintomara &lternati#ely 2on-,layer Characters can CrepeatC scenes the ,C has e0perience$ -or committe$/. ?nstea$ of moc%in the ,C, perhaps some of the 2on-,layer Characters su$$enly ather to %ill another 2on-,layer Character "ith chains, hoo%s an$ stran e me$ic e'uipment... &fter"ar$s they ha#e no reasona!le e0planation. KingSi+riginally posted by Bnderspawn### - would say that is the exact point of it = to increase the guilt and shame until the human mind reaches breaking point#*onsider what -"+ is one of the best )urgatories weGve read about5 the )urgatory of eanette Beauvois 7Shattered 'ives 3 The .byss9# :er purgatory, like all )urgatories, is tailor=made for her based on the GsinsG of her life5 promiscuous sex, paternal abuse and drug abuse, the things which caused her the most pain and eventually killed her#Dow, eanette can only forget her past life when she lets go of her memories and willingly leaves the )urgatory# She will not escape until she has ceased to care about everything that once constituted her life# Thus, she must discard it( %hat other methods are there of achieving this, if not to focus on the unresolved emotions we retain from our life6
Pery oo$ point. ?t ta%e a lot to stop carin a!out your memories. )hich must !e the reason "hy you are pur e$ for such a lon time - li%e fore#er. Da%es me "on$er if it ha$n't !een smarter !y the !i > to let e#eryone $ie from &lzheimer's $isease.
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+nderspa#n ? thin% the %ey point is free "ill - !i > lo#es his ironic punishments. Iur memories are only "ell an$ truly o!literate$ -thou h pro!a!ly not from the $eepest le#els of the immortal soul, as $iscusse$ a!o#e/ "hen "e "illin ly $iscar$ them. ,erhaps they cannot !e ta%en from us forci!ly. )e ha#e to let o of them, an$ there!y en$ the hell -or para$ise/ "e impose upon oursel#es. e. .: GThe secon$ of the 3u$$ha's truths $eals "ith the cause of sufferin , an$ is calle$ trishna, "hich is the act of clin in , raspin to hol$ on to thin s "hich must fa$e a"ay. )e are moti#ate$ to clin to thin s out of avidya, or i norance. Iut of i norance, "e $i#i$e the "orl$ into in$i#i$ual an$ separate thin s an$ so try to confine the flui$ forms of reality to fi0e$ cate ories create$ !y the min$. &s lon as "e rasp at these transitory thin s, "e "ill suffer. &s lon as "e see thin s as permanent an$ firm, "hen in truth they are transient an$ e#er-chan in , "e are trappe$ in a cycle "here e#ery action enerates further action an$ the ans"er to each 'uestion poses more 'uestions.H Brynol% ? $on't %no"... of course, in the en$ it's a choice !et"een suppressin the memory or lettin it $e#our your sanity, !ut it's pretty much a no-!rainer choice, so ? "oul$n't count that as free "ill. ?f "e really let o of our memories "illin ly, "hat is then the role of the 2ephariteE The helpin mentorE 3ara0stra )ell "ho %no"s. Consi$er the e0ample of $octor '"hat's-his-name' from Saco!'s La$$er. He "as actin li%e a mentor. -of course if you'll appro#e that he "as a 2epharite/ Tintomara ? $o also consi$er Seanette 3ea#ouis9 pur atory to !e one of the !est pur atories e#er $escri!e$, !ut ? cannot un$erstan$ "hy she "oul$ !e a!le to lea#e only !y lettin o of her memories. She can "al% a"ay if she "illin ly lea#e her pur atory, so "hy can't she "illin ly lea#e her pur atory to out of a $esire for re#en e -"ithout i#in up her memories/E I!#iously she cannot, somethin hol$s her !ac%... !ut is it the 2epharite or her memoriesE ? "oul$ li%e this i$ea much !etter if the pur atory "as create$ out of !a$ memories an$ uilt ma$e physical -in "hich case the pur atory "oul$ cease to e0ist "hen she finally "oul$ Clet oC of all past memories/, !ut this concept "oul$ ma%e the 2epharite a !it superfluous... only a creature fee$in upon her sufferin . ,erhaps the 2epharite is nee$e$ for the sufferin to et Cuse$ upC -so "ithout a 2epharite you're stuc% fore#er in your pur atory/E )hich !rin s up the 'uestion: Can a pur atory e0ist if no!o$y remem!er that it e0istsE +nderspa#n Bou ha#e state$ a oo$ e0planation for this earlier in the threa$ - comparin t"o $uellin 2epharites to fly lar#ae fi htin o#er a nestKmeal -only on TLC, ehE/ 2epharites coul$ !e parasites fee$in on the natural process of human pur ation. Sust simple e#olution - "e $esire to torture oursel#es for percei#e$ sins, so there are or anismsKentities "hich capitalise an$ flourish on that process. Sinners are the host or anism from "hich they $ra" sustenance. 3ecause uilt an$ shame is "hat the 2epharites fee$ on, they "ill not let a ,ur ati$e o free until they ha#e completely e0hauste$ their foo$source. Da%es sense to me. 3ara0stra ? remem!er a fra ment from 6st e$ition rule!oo% that mentione$ that the 2epharites "ere fleein from crum!lin hells an$ pur atories !ecause people starte$ to ma%e their o"n - "hich hints that a pur atory $isappears if no one remem!ers it. &aughingChance
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Foo$ point !rou ht up here. ?DHI: 2epharites create an initial pur atory or are attracte$ to one in e0istence alrea$y... in preparation for the human soul it is after...if suita!le. &fter o!tainin the human soul that ,ur atory is re-enforce$ an$ other"ise empo"ere$ thereafter. )hen the soul is cleanse$ it is all o#er... ,ur atories $on't necessarily e0ist in time as "e %no" it, so it is possi!le may!e it e0ists e#en after a soul is release$Kfree$ or escapes. ,ur atories an$ personal hells in ?nferno itself may !e a $ifferent story. ?nferno an$ &staroth are lin%e$. Ine cannot !e $estroye$ "ithout the other, so a crum!lin pur atory there can !e a si n of "ea%ness or restructurin , conser#ation of some type. ?'m sure in ?nferno there "ere many stan$ar$ pur atories for chil$ molesters, serial %illers, "ife !eaters or "hat ha#e you. @or the really special souls custom pur atories are create$... !ut "e %no" from the ,ur atory source!oo% there are roup pur atories. Demorney Spea%in a!out roup pur atories, are there any Kult references to"ar$s >ante's ?nfernoE +nderspa#n 2ot to my %no"le$ e. Rather un!elie#a!le that no!o$y has pic%e$ up on that yet.... ?s Pir il &"a%ene$E Demorney ?'$ say he's a Lictor, as he $etracts >ante from the truth an$ sho"s him hea#en an$ hell in the #ersion >ante $escri!es in the en$. 3ara0stra
+riginally posted by 'aughing*hance### -Gm sure in -nferno there were many standard purgatories for child molesters, serial killers, wife beaters or what have you###for the really special souls custom purgatories are created### but we know from the )urgatory sourcebook there are group purgatories#
? "oul$ as% "hat ma%es the stan$ar$E ? al"ays ima ine$ that pur atories are as in$i#i$ual as the pur ati$e9s uilt an$ !elief on ho" it shoul$ loo% li%e. ? thin% that 2epharites, Razi$es an$ all the infernal $enizens are only a channellin tool for our o"n po"ers. ?n the mi$$le a es the !elief of hell "as some"hat stan$arize$ an$ !ecause people !elie#e$ in almost the same ima e of it, an$ hell "as e0actly that "ay -"ell, may!e "orse/. ?n the a e of reason people $ou!t the ol$ truths an$ thus are entan le$ in their o"n in$i#i$ual pur atories. 3ecause "e are in the state of illusory $eath $oesn't necessarily mean that our po"ers can !e use$ a ainst our "ill. 2otice that e#ery physical chan e occurrin in a state of shoc% is $ictate$ !y our an st an$ inner nee$ to protect oursel#es e#en if "e mi ht fin$ most of those chan es horri!le an$ un"ante$, they follo" our $i#ine instinct. The same case is, in my opinion, "ith pur atories. >emiur e "as #ery cle#er, !asically the only thin he $one "as shortenin our illusory lifespan an$ chainin us to illusion "ith fi#e senses. The most important thin "e'#e lost is our lon term memory. "e li#e our li#es from one o!li#ion to another - an$ "e are le$ to it !y another thin - morals. There are really #ery fe" in$i#i$uals that are $e#oi$ of uilt. In this feelin the nepharites prey. The last chain of the >emiur e, an$ pro!a!ly the most efficient one, is the system of morals "hich is impose$ on us !y the society from the #ery !e innin . Call it "hat you "ant: honour or ten comman$ments. )e, in our current state, are $e#ise$ to fail. There is al"ays somethin that "e cannot achie#e. 3asin on that memories an$ feelin s of uilt the nepharites are a!le to channel our o"n ener ies to create a pur atory "hich "ill e#entually lea$ us to for et a!out those principles that "e faile$ alon "ith e#erythin that "e learne$ $urin our short life. That approach causes, as usual, another 'uestion: )hat "ith the people "ho $on't feel uiltE The first thin is that those people are #ery rare. Inly a $rop of uilt suffices for the 2epharites to "i$en it to un!elie#a!le le#els. 3ut if someone li%e that appears he is untoucha!le !y ?nferno. ,ro!a!ly untoucha!le !y Hea#en also. Here ? thin% rather of some psychopathic %illers than Csaintly peopleC. That coul$ also !e a oo$ theme for an a$#enture. The players chase$ !y a %iller "ho feels no remorse must in#esti ate his
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lon for ot past to fin$ if !ut one thin that he coul$ feel uilty of... Hope that ? ma$e myself clear an$ $i$n't complicate this too much. &aughingChance Some crimes an$ situations are #ery common to the human con$ition. li%e mur$ers of passion, ro!!ery, $run% $ri#in hit an$ run... or emotional uilt such as a chil$ moleste$ !y a priestKparent, or a chil$ feelin uilty for hisKher parents9 $i#orce. True or not "e carry the uilty feelin s all our li#es. Cheatin spouses, s"in$lin money or inheritance. These are all stan$ar$ pur atories to me. Thin s li%e "ar crimes, me$ical e0perimentation a ainst a su!ject9s "ill, lyin in court -falsely con#ictin someone of a crime/, mass e0termination or torturers. These "oul$ !e special cases $o to the uni'ueness of the crimes an$ re'uire custom pur atories in my Kulti#erse. 3etrayin reli ious principals can !e stan$ar$ or uni'ue. Case-!y-case !asis there. 3ara0stra Dy Kulti#erse: &s ? thin% that pur atories are partially ma$e out of our o"n po"ers, each pur atory is more or less pri#ate an$ in$i#i$ual. (#en if "e C!urnC in rapists hell "ith other rapists "e still are haunte$ !y our o"n #ictims an$ our e0periences. The more uilt "e feel a!out it, the more "ill it haunt us in our pur atory. &aughingChance Bes the 2epharites appear as #ictims or people in#ol#e$ in the inci$ent the person is con$emne$ for...!ut "e are tal%in a!out 5 $ifferent thin s here: ?nferno pur atoriesK roup pur atories, an$ personal pur atoriesKpersonal hells ?n ?nferno t"istin Humans to empo"er the ,ur atory isn't necessary... !ut can !e $one. ?n a personal ,ur atory outsi$e of ?nferno the 2epharites resources are much more limite$... thus t"istin someone9s $i#ine po"er a ainst themsel#es is crucial...&s Humans stoppe$ !elie#in in Hell 2epharites "ere force$ to a$apt an$ create personal hells for the uilty soul. ?nferno is crum!lin an$ empty !ecause there aren't many ta%ers anymore. 3ara0stra Hmmm... ? am not really sure if there is such !i $ifference !et"een infernalKpersonal pur atories. )e coul$ easily assume that our i$eas a!out hell "ere #ery ali%e "hen ?nferno "as still not crum!lin . ? see it as that: )hat "oul$ happen "ith a !i !uil$in if you "oul$ ta%e almost all !ric%s that "ere at it's foun$ation an$ !uil$ smaller !uil$in s "ith themE If course the !i one "oul$ fall apart. &n$ ? thin% that the same happene$ "ith ?nferno. This coul$ also !e the reason "hy some of us are not entirely cleanse$. &aughingChance ? $on't see that 2epharites "oul$ !e much trou!le for an &"a%ene$ Human to $ispatch "ith... their real po"er o#er us is the $eceit an$ mis$irection our uilt i#es them "hen "e $ie. ?t's #ery har$ to lie to yourself... an$ most humans in the ?llusion feel at heart they nee$ to account for their sins... 47^ of the "orl$ or so !elie#es in some form of Fo$ after all... 2epharites use that to their a$#anta e... remin$in the person an$ manipulatin the soul in 'uestion of their mis$oin s ainin reater an$ reater a!ility to punish an$ cleanse the soul of the 2eph's #ictim. )ell in my hum!le opinion anyho"... 3ara0stra ? ha#en't sai$ that 2ephs are $ealin "ith a"a%ene$ here. In the contrary - ? sai$ that "hen "e're in a pur atory "e still !elie#e our petty li#es to !e true. Iur ener ies are, as you "rote, manipulate$, an$ ? thin% that these manipulations are fee$in the inferno an$ 2eph's po"er o#er us. Sust li%e the sna%e eatin his o"n tail )( su!consciously use our ener ies to cleanse oursel#es an$ re!orn, !y some mischie#ous machination >emiur e has put our o"n tail into our mouths. &aughingChance
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?t seems to me you implie$ that ?nferno nee$s souls to continue to e0ist. ? $on't $ra" that correlation. 2or $o ? thin% the 2ephs nee$ us to sur#i#e... they steppe$ out of the sha$o"s or "hat ha#e you... it coul$ mean anythin , especially "hen there are 2ephs in the ,ur atory source!oo% "ho are as ol$ as humanity. The >* ultimately loo%e$ at "hat "as aroun$, loo%e$ at "hat he ha$ create$ an$ loo%e$ at us as a species an$ formulate$ his reat plan, for "hate#er reason. ? $isli%e the CjealousC moti#e !ut these thin s are $istorte$ after all this time an$ the >* ha#in one south for the "inter. ? $i$n't mean to imply that 2ephs o after &"a%ene$. ? thin% they'$ run. Day!e the most po"erful 2ephs the ori inals mi ht ma%e $eals or somethin , !ut &"a%ene$ no lon er ha#e Cfeelin sC as "e %no" it, nicht "ahrE Thus no uilt -that !ein part of the ?llusion/ so 2epharites nee$ to o after a suita!le #ictim. 3ara0stra ? certainly thin% that pur atories nee$ us to last. )hat "oul$ they !e for if not for tormentin usE So after "e all a"a%e - the pur atories "ill cease to !e. ?nferno "ill pro!a!ly sur#i#e either "ay !ut only as a $esolate$ home of the once reat ?nfernal $enizens. &s ? pointe$ a!o#e, "hen "e are in shoc% or un$er influence of #ery stron emotions "e can channel our hi$$en ener ies for e0ample to su!consciously chan e our appearance. ?n a pur atory "e are shoc%e$ almost constantly. )e are su!jecte$ to fear, an er an$ all the ne ati#e emotions, so "e CemitC more an$ more of our po"er. ? thin% that this is use$ to further reinforce the pur atory staine$ !y each in$i#i$ual 2epharite. So "ithout it an$ "ithout us the pur atories "ill #anish. Demorney & ree, !ut ? uess the infernal is seen too ne ati#e. &t least, ho" ? un$erstan$ it they ser#e the purpose of 'cleansin ' the sinner from trou!lin inci$ents !y inflictin pain. So they're nothin more than the "ashin facility of our soulKlife ener y, tryin $esperately to transform the soul into a state "here re!irth is possi!le an$ useful -an$ the ne" life not !ein hin$ere$ !y past e0periences/. See, lots of people ha#e pro!lems for i#in themsel#es "ithin their i#en lifespan, "hat if you coul$ accumulate the uilt of se#eral li#esE So the pur e is nothin !ut part of our lifecycle an$ such, "ith the life cycle !ro%en its useless. 3ara0stra
+riginally posted by !emorney### .gree, but - guess the infernal is seen too negative# .t least, how - understand it they serve the purpose of GcleansingG the sinner from troubling incidents by inflicting pain#
2ot necessarily pain. & lot of Kult fans $efine "hat you coul$ see in the mo#ie Saco!'s La$$er as a #ery oo$ e0ample of a pur atory. ?t is more !ase$ on the recycle$ e0periences from our recent life rather than pain. Demorney Hmm, ?'ll specify, not physical pain, !ut especially the psycholo ical one. History sho"s that the latter is far more effecti#e than the physical one "hen it ets to coerce people into $oin stuff or tryin to chan e their !eha#iour K !rain"ash them, as this is the %ey of chan in self esteem, #ie" of the "orl$ an$ personality. ?f you thin% a!out it e#en 3ill Durray9s flic% 'Froun$ho >ay' coul$ !e seen as -#ery Holly"oo$-es'ue/ pur atory, coercin him to thin% a!out his life an$ chan in his attitu$e an$ personality. &aughingChance ,ersonal ,ur atories... o% e#i$ence in the official Kulti#erse mi ht !e ta%en from @allen &n els, especially the en$in . ? thin% of it li%e this: Fo$-li%e po"ers can create thin s that e0ist after they are one, so "hy not a pur atoryE?t is li%e a $ream"orl$ that !ecomes self a"are... ? rea$ a 2eil Faiman story -San$man-relate$/
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"here a $reame$ character "as $e#elope$ to the point of self a"areness an$ e0iste$ althou h his $reamer no lon er $reame$ him "ithin the realm of $reams itself. *nless actually $issol#e$ a"ay "ilfully !y a Human "ith control o#er their $i#ine a!ility... ? $on't see "hy a pur atory "oul$ simply cease if unuse$. (mpty hells e0ist... ? thin% a ,ur atory coul$ as "ell. ?t just "oul$ !e mute. ?f you stum!le$ into one -empty/ the 2eph in#ol#e$ may sense it or the Human attache$ to it an$ !rin a "orl$ of trou!le to the trespasser - heh heh heh.. These are timeless little poc%et $imensions to me, create$ from ma icK$i#ine a!ilities outsi$e the normality "e %no" as reality. The ?llusion is cut from Dal%uth - if she is C%ille$C "oul$ it crum!le completelyE ? $on't thin% it "oul$. ?t is li%e i#in !irth to somethin . She o!#iously $oesn't nee$ to acti#ely maintain it - Cset it an$ for et itC seems to !e the rule. ?f an illusion or po"er- i#in some $ream or reality is $estroye$ at the source then ? can see it crum!lin a"ay. Demorney Bep, funny, !ut it #isualizes the principle ho" ? see it. If course Saco!'s La$$er is closer to the truth here... 3ara0stra Bou ot a point here LC. That coul$ !e a reat theme for an a$#enture ? !ac% the stuff a!out #anishin pur atories. )hat ? also "ant clear: ?'m not ar uin a!out the e0istence of !oth collecti#eKpersonal pur atories. ? only thin% that each must use the e0periences of the ,ur ati$e. &aughingChance & ree$. 2epharites rea$ the thou hts, secrets an$ sins of their inten$e$ #ictim an$ personalize thin s for ma0imum effecti#eness accor$in to their s%ill at $oin so. 3ut some sins are so eneral roup pur atories are create$. Ho" personal a hell "oul$ a ta0 cheater et after allE Tintomara
+riginally posted by zaraCstra### -n a purgatory we are shocked almost constantly# %e are sub&ected to fear, anger and all the negative emotions, so we AemitA more and more of our power# - think that this is used to further reinforce the purgatory stained by each individual Depharite#
Hey... you just e0plaine$ Cinherita!le sinsC to me. ,erhaps !y e0ten$in their influence o#er an in$i#i$ual e#en in life, 2epharites can pre#ent a pur atory from ceasin to !e "hen that in$i#i$ual is re!orn. The e0act mechanism is not important, perhaps the 2epharite coul$ "atch o#er its human personally -the monster un$er the !e$, ya' %no"E/ or ma%e a $eal "ith some!o$y -the parents/ to ma%e sure the ne"!orn $oes not for et its past sins. The i$ea is that !y ma%in sure that the ne"!orn ne#er really for et that it is tainte$ !y sin, the 2epharite can rely on that the human "ill return life after life. Thin% of it as hol$in cattle. (specially in Christianity the i$ea is that "e are !orn staine$ !y the sins ma$e !y other forefathers, !ut may!e it is in the interest of the 2epharites that "e $on't for et everything "hen "e $ie. Sure, they are suppose$ to erase all memories, !ut perhaps they $on't $o it perfectly on purposeE +nderspa#n ?t is state$ in ,ur atory that the 2epharite (lijah mar%s souls in such a "ay that they return to him after $eath, an$ also act as his -un"ittin / a ents $urin their life. )e can use 3rynolf's i$ea that the immortal soul is in$eli!ly 'staine$' !y memories of sin - thus, e#en amnesiacs are punishe$ for the crimes they $on't remem!er -an$ so an affliction li%e &lzheimer's $isease is no et-out-of-pur atory-free car$/. 3ara0stra The i$ea that the sins of our for!ears are still "ith us !ecause of a 2epharite manipulation is #ery temptin . This is supportin the 2epharite re!ellion, an$ coul$ open some interestin "ays of usin it in a$#entures... 4KingSi-4
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&s ? ne#er li%e$ the 2epharite re!ellion -soun$s too much li%e Lictor re!ellion all o#er a ain/ this "as a pretty interestin "ay to #ie" it. Loo%in at it this "ay the 2epaharites9 $iso!e$ience is fairly attracti#e. 3ara0stra Beah, the truth is that almost e#eryone is re!ellin a ainst somethin or someone after >emiur e's $isappearance... (ach an$ e#ery one to fulfil his o"n a en$a. The forces that %eep us imprisone$ are thus more concerne$ a!out #arious po"er stru les, so some people "ith enhance$ a"areness can remain unnotice$.... Demorney @oun$ a $istur!in theory some"here in the "e! "hose reference is !urie$ some"here un$er my other materials. ?t states that life itself is nothin !ut a 'pur atory' -althou h they $on't call it li%e this/, one that "e "illin ly en$ure. ?t says that all e#ents are preset an$ "e choose them !efore enterin this "orl$ to e0plore oursel#es an$ $e#elop accor$in ly. If course this is fla"e$ as the e0istence of $estiny is somethin ? can't accept ... !ut it "oul$ e0plain the e0istence of a !ene#olent o$ seen from an imperfect "orl$... +nderspa#n
+riginally posted by !emorney### +f course this is flawed as the existence of destiny is something - canGt accept ###
)hat a!out in a fatalistic sense: Ca man's character is his fateCE & soul coul$ $isplay certain characteristics "hich ma%e it pre$ispose$ to ma%e the same mista%es a ain an$ a ain - an$ this is reinforce$ !y the ?mmortal Demory i$ea -if you accept it/, an$ also !y the concept of %armic re!irth. Demorney To some $e ree, yes, !ut o#erall there are countless tiny influencin parameters "hich surpass the character or at least mo$ify it. @or me character an$ '!orn traits' are just the !ase of the personality, e#erythin is mo$ifie$ !y the !ein s e0periences an$ sensations. &n$ the latter are prone to coinci$ence or e#en the $ecision of others. If course these thin s influence each other so the character also $efines the "ay you ta%e those e0periences -e. . stoic or sufferin /, !ut personal philosophies often chan e on a more than $aily !ase, so ?'$ say personality $e#elopment is a #ery comple0 system "here only the start is pre set, e#erythin else is in flu0. &aughingChance ? $on't thin% Kult is a system "here a sense of pre-$estiny really "or%s. I!#iously in a story that is "ell "ritten it mi ht !e a!le to !e pulle$ off !ut ? li%e thin s to seem preor$aine$ !ut they really aren't... allo"in for an une0pecte$ t"ist. Ither"ise it is just Cconnect the $otsC to me. The scarin of souls to return to a 2epharites influence is a oo$ i$ea thou h as is in ,ur atory !ut not to the point the ,C is $oome$ to re-enact the same sort of situation time an$ time a ain. +nderspa#n ReallyE @or me, pre$estiny is a $efinin theme of Kult. The point is that humanity's free "ill -"hich in my opinion, is the most !ase element of our $i#inity/ has !ecome increasin ly constraine$ !y an e#er-more self-$estructi#e an$ hu!ristic nature. The nature of free "ill is that it $oes, of course, entail that "e !ear the full conse'uences of our choices -no nee$ to 'uote *ncle 3en here/. 3ut such a "ei ht is $ifficult to carry, an$ can seriously impe$e our enjoyment of life. So "e a!$icate our free "ill. )e $o "hat the ne0t uy $oes. )e $o "hat the TP says "e shoul$. )e $o "hat the ,resi$ent tells us. )e $o "hat the holy men comman$. Consistently, "e rea$ily a$opt the i$eas of others rather than la!oriously an$ systematically $e#elop our o"n. Humans are e0ceptional at $oin "hat they are tol$, an$ lettin others $o the thin%in so that they
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$on't ha#e to, in#aria!ly $eferrin to the po"er "ith the most authoritati#e tone of #oice. ?n almost e#ery aspect of life, "e $ele ate to the concept of a hi her authority in some form or another. -Can you say you ha#e o!jecti#ely an$ empirically assesse$ e#ery aspect of your o"n moralityE Ho" much of it is yours, an$ ho" much came from family, society, reli ion, zeit eistE Ho" much $o you clin to out of fear of ri$icule an$ ostracismE/ 44^ of the a#era e human !ein 's e0istence is "ilfully $e#oi$ of truly free "ill. This is "hat ? call pre$estiny. Iur fate is not "ritten in the stars !y some supernatural $eity, !ut in our enes an$ in our !rains, an$ in the choices of our past. 2o!o$y can escape their nature. Iur nature - to ac'uiesce an$ su!mit to hi her po"er rather than assert our o"n in$i#i$ual authority an$ accept responsi!ility for our o"n min$s an$ actions - is (lysium. Thus, the reclamation of $i#inity !e ins in $e#elopin our o"n free "ill -!e it alon a li ht or $ar% path/, an$ the realisation that (lysium is only "hat some!o$y tol$ us the "orl$ "as li%e, rather than an empirical e0perience of the "orl$ as it is. 3ut (lysium cannot !e completely $e#oi$ of free "ill. ?n fact, it $epen$s on it. ?t is the role of our jailors to ensure that "hat little free "ill they allo" us is focuse$ entirely on insi nificant matters, an$ causin us pain an$ sorro" in the process. To ela!orate... The function of ,ur atory is to use our pain as a le#er to pry us a"ay from our memories. The source of this pain is our uilt. Fuilt is felt "hen our actions fall short of an i$eal, a construct that e0ists in our min$s. )hat that i$eal is $oesn't matter, only the upsettin !elief that "e faile$ to achie#e it due to some erroneous choice on our part# There is no uilt "ithout free "ill. Thus, humanity must al"ays possess some $e ree of free "ill - thou h that free "ill may !e su!tly curtaile$ an$ controlle$, !ut ne#er eliminate$ entirely. )hy must our free "ill !e preser#e$E 3ecause if "e are not a!le to ma%e our o"n choices, "e are not responsi!le for anythin . ?f "e are not responsi!le, "e cannot feel uilty. ?f there is no uilt, there is no source of pain "hich can !e amplifie$ an$ use$ to normalise or reset our consciousness in the afterlife. ?f "e cannot !e reset after e#ery lifecycle, "e "ill not stay sla#es for lon . Thus, free "ill, in mo$eration, is the #ital component of the (lysian prison. re 2ephs... & 2epharite $oes not torture a soul accor$in to an e0ternal moral criteria -such as the 67 comman$ments, for e0ample/, !ut to the criteria of the in$i#i$ual soul -the conscience/. @or e0ample: if ? %ill a man, !elie#in it "as the ri ht thin to $o, ? "ill not !e tormente$ "ith the memory of that act "henKif ? o to ,ur atory, !ecause ? feel no uilt. Ho"e#er, if ? mur$er a man an$ !elie#e that ? ha#e $one "ron , then the 2epharite "ill seize on my uilt an$ e0ploit it to cause me pain. The torment inflicte$ !y a 2epharite accor$s only to the soul's personal morality, not the popular morality of the society they li#e$ in. Conscience, not $octrine. So, ta0 $o$ ers are not automatically !oun$ to o to ta0 $o$ er hell, !ecause not all ta0 $o$ ers !elie#e their act to !e a sin, e#en if their society says it is. Thus there is no uilt -an$ therefore pain/ present for the 2epharite to e0ploit, meanin in that in$i#i$ual's personal 3oo% of Life, his acts of ta0 $o$ in are "ritten in !lac% in%, not re$. His o"n conscience as%s no price of him. The source of our uilt, pain, an$ capti#ity are mental i$eals - $reams, aspirations, fantasies - "hich "e can ne#er fulfil. Carrots $an le$ from stic%s. The asymptotic $esire of the e o an$ the concept of an e#ere#ol#in self. )in$ humanity up, an$ "atch us chase our tails for the rest of eternity, our memories reset after e#ery rotation. Thearmiger ? li%e the point just ma$e especially the i$ea that you may not !e tormente$ for "hat you e0pect to !e. Has anyone playe$ TaroticumE in that, the players are meant to !e the past ser#ants of a lictor one !a$, an$ in the future li#es they ha#e they ha#e to pay for sins of the past they $on't e#en remem!er. &aughingChance ?f you are plannin an a$#enture an$ ha#e a ,C put in to ,ur atory they can un$erstan$ !ein tormente$ for mur$erin someone, e#il $ee$s an$ their $ar% secret-s/ !ut to just sprin a torture of ,ur atory on them for somethin totally un%no"n "oul$ cause a riot "ith my players any $ay of the "ee%. ?f they feel
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you are just messin "ith them Kult is no fun for them... you nee$ purpose. The only e0ception "oul$ !e enterin someone elses ,ur atory may!e... ? thin% "e nee$ to lea$ the players alon a little in the !eyon$ $eath areas of the ame... so they can rasp a little of "hat is oin on an$ "hat is e0pecte$ of them or allo" them a route to e0plore...3esi$es ? thin% a 2epharite torturin a human for somethin they ha#e no memory of or $i$n't e#en $o "oul$ put the 2epharite at a "ea%ene$ stance. Their po"er o#er us is !y our o"n uilt an$ acceptance of our mis$oin s. ?f the a$#enture is to $isco#er a past life an$ ma%e amen$s li%e "ith Tarot... then that is a $ifferent story. Here you nee$ pre enerate$ characters, history an$ stats to play out. ?t "oul$ !e unfair to $ilute someone's character up li%e that other"ise. 3ara0stra ?t is possi!le LC - Crac%s ?n The Dirror is a perfect e0ample of this. @irst, they shoul$n't %no" from the !e innin that they are in a pur atory. Bou can hint it !ut let it !e a surprise to them. Secon$, you can al"ays $elicately tric% them into $oin somethin they "ill feel uilty of, or !elie#in that they $i$, simply !y usin their o"n actions in the pre#ious a$#enture as a !ase for some mischief... for e0ample !y sho"in them some nasty effects of somethin they $i$ in the past an$ thou ht it "as harmless. &aughingChance
+riginally posted by zaraCstra### ...for example by showing them some nasty effects of something they did in the past and thought it was harmless###
That to me is a $ifferent case entirely... "hy "oul$ they attract a 2epharite if they $i$n't ha#e uilt until it "as pointe$ out to them their actions cause harm someho"... it is just "ea% to me... #ery "ea%. 3ara0stra ?t actually $epen$s on your players. ?f they are empathic enou h they'll feel uilt then... it mi ht !e not the uilt that has ta%en the characters to the pur atory, !ut after they're in the 2epharite "ill pro!a!ly use all of his cannons on the characters. &aughingChance ?t's funny you $on't see such intense ta%es on Razi$es, &rchons, >eath &n els, >* ; &staroth as you $o on the 2epharites. ? thin% e#eryone secretly lo#es the 2epharite i$ea... Lictors ha#e their moments !ut this forum is 2eph-happyL Thearmiger That ma%es sense thou h. The other creatures you mention are merely enemies. )hat is more fascinatin than a nemesis so personalE &n$ "ith such arcane rulesE )hen ? thin% of nepharites ? can't help !ut thin% of Hellraiser, "here the roup of Ceno!ites are or$ere$ !y ,inhea$ not to touch the mute irl, sayin , C?t is not han$s that call us, it is $esire.C The other thin is that in a sense they are usA us ta%en to the place of T.S. (liot's Hollo" Den. The su!tlety of them is intri uin A they are summone$ !y puzzle !o0es, they $eal in our $eepest uilts an$ stran est secrets. They're fascinatin L 3ara0stra ? thin% that the 2epharites are simply the most usa!le of the a!o#e in the a$#entures. &rchons, >eath &n els, The >emiur e or &staroth are simply to $istant to appear in person -or as an incarnate/. Castin such creatures coul$ !e misun$erstoo$ as some %in$ of >;>-ish *!er!oss. Thearmiger ?'m not sure ? a ree that ha#in thin s you $on't remem!er for your characters is a!usin them - since that is a central point of the ame, isn't itE &aughingChance
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,layers can ta%e their characters seriously. Ine time ? ha$ a step-!rother turn up that the player $i$n't %no" he ha$ -from an unfaithful parent/, an$ it $i$ not o o#er "ell. The player sai$ they ha$ their family outline$ an$ there "as no !rother an$ it ot $isrupti#e. The point is ? $on't thin% "e shoul$ tin%er "ith ,Cs too much, you can't ma%e it somethin the player $oesn't "ant to play... trea$ carefully. ?f you are playin "ith pre$etermine$ characters then $o "hat you "ant ho" attache$ to them can they really !eK et. +nderspa#n ?'m not a#erse to a little merciless punishment, !ut ? a ree that the players shoul$ %no" - e#entually, at least - "hy such !a$ fortune !efell them. The 'uestion of "hether or not ,C's canKshoul$ !e torture$ in pur atory for sins they $o not recall committin -an$ thus suffer no uilt for/, can !e a$$resse$ -a ain/ !y 3rynolf's in$eli!le sin i$ea. & person's conscious recollections are irrele#ant - the soul %no"s the sins it has committe$, suffers uilt for them, an$ so 2epharites come s"armin li%e flies to poop. ?f this "ere not the case, amnesiacs "oul$ ne#er o to pur atory. Consi$er someone $yin of a !rain tumour - they coul$ ha#e their !rain -an$ all memory functions/ turne$ to mush !efore they $ie. >o they not ha#e to "orry a!out pur atory just !ecause they $ie$ in a #e etati#e state, not e#en %no"in their o"n nameE ?t ma%es sense that there !e somethin more fun$amental - a $i#ine core, "hich ? uess is easiest to call a soul, "hich remem!ers e#erythin . So, to e0ploit these sins for sustenance, the 2epharite must first remin$ the ,ur ati$e of his sins. 2ot so "ea% ?DI, more e0cellent $rama. &aughingChance ?t's a funny thin ... ? o"n an$ lo#e the mo#ie &n el Heart - it "as one of the first >P>'s ? e#er !ou ht an$ ? thin% it is $one "ell. That is the "ay ? aspire my Kult-"ritin Ka$#entures to !e. ?n that mo#ie he "as untoucha!le until he $isco#ere$ an$ accepte$ his uilt, not !e $ra e$ $o"n an$ then $isco#er it "hile !ein punishe$. ? just can't "rap my arms aroun$ it. ?f you ta%e a pen home from "or%, that is stealin if it is a company pen...their property... not many if anyone is oin to !e up all ni ht $ro"ne$ in uilt for their actions... many "on't e#en consi$er it stealin !ut an accepta!le loss the company e0pects... a 2epharite "oul$n't !e attracte$ to the person to punish them... ? thin% you shoul$ !e ti ht in playin the 2epharite an le unless it is really calle$ for... ?f, for the !etter oo$ -as the ,Cs see it, any"ay/, they %ill someone or commit torturous acts to et information, somethin reusome an$ #ile, no matter "hat their moti#e - they can ha#e enou h uilt. ?t is the human con$ition to thin% Gmay!e there "as another "ayH. ? "oul$ !uil$ up to it thou h, ha#e someone resem!lin the person they "ron e$ a!out... may!e they fin$ out that person "as innocent... or a stray shot %ille$ a chil$... let it fester "ith them !efore !rin in in a 2epharite. That to me is ho" they are effecti#e an$ not just another monster or encounter ?DHI. &s for the ar ument that the soul %no"s: ? $on't !uy that. The soul %no"s "e "ere once Fo$s. ?t is the soul that i#es our fears $ominion o#er us "ithin the ?llusion. The prison is po"ere$ lar ely !y our acceptance... a"a%ene$ are free of these thin s. ? thin% the human soul in Kult in it's purity %no"s neither oo$ or e#il, so ? thin% that point is moot. The uilt "e ha#e in Kult is part of the ?llusion an$ process. The conscious min$ must %no" "hat it has $one to !e punishe$. Ince that is strippe$ a"ay the person is re!orn ri htE 3ara0stra &n el Heart is a oo$ e0ample of per#erte$ CSins of the fathersC syn$rome... !ecause Harry is actually a completely $ifferent man - that of course $oesn't stop the $e#il from claimin payment for his ser#ices. 3ut ? thin% it is not !ase$ on uilt, in Kult terms ? "oul$ compare it to a $emonolo ist an$ an &z houl case. &aughingChance &n el Heart -S,I?L(RS/ Here is a uy "ho thou ht he coul$ escape punishment !y !ecomin someone else, free of the %no"le$ e
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of his sins. The C>e#ilC in this case hires him as a $etecti#e to in#esti ate his past life... fin$ out all the $etails of his mis$oin s an$ e#entually "ho he really is... once that "as %no" to Harry, the >e#il coul$ claim him... not ha#in !een foole$ !y his tric%ery. &lso here is that he ma$e a $eal "ith the >e#il, !ut ? li%e the "ay this mo#ie han$les it. ?f Harry "as $ra e$ to hell as an innocent an$ then tol$ of his uilt it "oul$ !e a real short an$ $ull mo#ie. 3ara0stra Here is a uy "ho thou ht he coul$ escape payin his $e!ts. His soul "as the price for fame an$ "ealth... &s for "hat happens "ith it "hen you promise it to the $e#il it is not sai$ not in the mo#ie, neither in many tales of people sellin their souls. 2epharites $on't ma%e the $e#ilish $eals -may!e !ecause of the fact that in the tales, people usually fool the $e#il/ That is "hy ? thin% the situation from the mo#ie "as more appropriate for an &z houl than for a 2epharite... &aughingChance The >e#il in this case represents the ?nfernal Ir$er in Kult terms, not !ein a Kult pro$uct. He coul$ !e a 2epharite, >eath &n el...that's not important - the premise is "hat ? am illustratin for you. The person nee$s to %no" "hat he is !ein punishe$ for - then punishe$... once he %ne" all the e#il he $i$ Harry "as o#er"helme$ "ith his emotions an$ #ulnera!le to the ?nfernal Ir$er -the >e#il/. +nderspa#n
+riginally posted by 'aughing*hance### .s for the argument that the soul knows### - donGt buy that###the soul knows we were once Fods### it is the soul that gives our fears dominion over us within the -llusion### the prison is powered largely by our acceptance### awakened are free of these things### - think the human soul in Kult in itGs purity knows neither good or evil### so - think that point is moot###The guilt we have in Kult is part of the -llusion and process# The conscious mind must know what it has done to be punished# +nce that is stripped away the person is reborn right6
&lri ht, you'#e ot a point there, !ut the issue is only "ith the semantics. The soul is !eyon$ all conceptions of oo$ an$ e#il an$ shoul$ !e treate$ as &"a%ene$. )e nee$ a !etter term to e0press in$eli!le memory -a memory "hich "e carry "ith us after $eath, after !rain-$estroyin illnesses, an$ not $epen$ent upon the neurolo ical action of conscious remem!erin /, "hich recor$s "hat "e consi$er to !e our sins. The soul remem!ers nothin , !ecause the soul clin s to nothin . So perhaps it shoul$ !e calle$ a spiritual memory... terri!le acts stain our spirit -"hat coul$ !e calle$ our !o$y an$ min$ !eyon$ $eath/ an$ affect our mental !alance. Ir, shoul$ it just !e consi$ere$ our conscience, an inescapa!le su!conscious 3oo% of Life, an$ the most potent curse of our imprisonment. Tintomara
+riginally posted by Bnderspawn### %e need a better term to express indelible memory 7a memory which we carry with us after death, after brain=destroying illnesses, and not dependent upon the neurological action of conscious remembering9, which records what we consider to be our sins#
? thin% it "oul$ !e enou h that somebody out there remem!ers our sins. The $ay "hen this CsomebodyC "ill e#entually come !ac% to tell us a!out our past sins, ? can picture three possi!le thin s to happen: )e re-a$opt -remem!ers or !elie#e in them/ all our ol$ sins, an$ oe to Hell -literally or not, $epen$s upon "hat personality "e ha#e, an$ "hat po"ers this Csome!o$yC has/. )e re-a$opt our sins, !ut mana e to con#ince this Csome!o$yC to i#e us for i#eness. )e are no" @ree If Sin -TD/. )e smile at the accusations, an$ call for the mental asylum to carry this "hinin sic%o a"ay. The fun thin is: ?f some!o$y accuses you of ha#in $one terri!le $ee$s in a Cpast lifeC, an$ you start to feel uilty of this -!ecause you !elie#e in the accusation/, you are really innocent, !ut you $on't %no" this. 2o" "hat "ill the 2epharites $oE ? thin% that Cthe moral majorityC is the real C3oo% of LifeC "here past sins are remem!ere$.
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+nderspa#n ,erhaps this eschatolo ical snitch is our sha$o". If course, the sha$o" $oesn't ta%e physical form in (lysium until a!out -587 or therea!outs, !ut may!e e#en the sli htest $e#iation from 7 D3 enerates it -most pro!a!ly in Porte0/, an$ it "ill !e calle$ upon to confess all it %no"s "hen "e $ie.
+riginally posted by Tintomara### - think that Athe moral ma&orityA is the real ABook of 'ifeA where past sins are remembered#
-? mi ht !e rea$in you "ron , !ut.../ The morality of the Doral Dajority cannot !e consi$ere$ the '3oo% of Life' !y "hich "e are ju$ e$. & $ea$ person's personal morality may happen to a ree "ith that of their milieu -"hich it usually $oes, !ut not al"ays, in "hich case, this is only coinci$ental/, !ut personal morality - specifically the percei#e$ "ron $oin s "e see oursel#es as responsi!le for - is "hat a 2epharite fee$s on. &ll uilt is illusory, a symptom of the %arma-!oun$, (lysian min$ "hich refuses to let o. -&s is the re#erse of uilt - innocence an$ the resultant e0pectation of afterlife re"ar$s - "hich, inci$entally, is "hy there nee$s to !e a para$ise to satisfy the $esires of positi#e D3 people an$ return them to 7 D3. So ?DI, yes, you can !e punishe$ for a crime "hich you falsely !elie#e you ha#e committe$ ?@ you are of ne ati#e D3 $ue to the uilt your !elief causes you to feel. The purpose the 2epharite ser#es is to return the pur ati$e to a uilt-free state 7 D3 - mentally satisfie$ an$ untrou!le$. 2epharites ha#e no o!jecti#e consi$erations of justice, only the $esire to $o the jo! of resettin us to D3 7, as our uilt $eman$s. & catholic oes to pur atory just for !ein !orn, "hereas a serial chil$-a!usin mem!er of 2&D3L& ets instant re!irth, if not a !rief stint in para$ise. Tintomara
+riginally posted by Bnderspawn### 7- might be reading you wrong, but###9 The morality of the "oral "a&ority cannot be considered the GBook of 'ifeG by which we are &udged# . dead personGs personal morality may happen to agree with that of their milieu 7which it usually does, but not always, in which case, this is only coincidental9, but personal morality = specifically the perceived wrongdoings we see ourselves as responsible for = is what a Depharite feeds on#
)ell, yes... "e are only punishe$ for our o"n uilt an$ shame. ? thin% ? follo" you to some e0tent - there is C uiltC that "e mi ht !e punishe$ for, of "hich other people ha#e hear$ nothin . )hat ? say is that it is enou h that some!o$y remem!ers past sins, an$ "hose interest it is to remin$ us. &ll humans are !orn e'uippe$ "ith a $e#ice that is constantly tryin to rea$ the i$eas of the CDoral DajorityC, "hat they li%e an$ "hat they $on't. This $e#ice is $esi ne$ to ma%e us !eha#e in such a "ay that "e $o "hat the CDoral DajorityC thin% is oo$ -!e it %illin Se"s or sellin soup to the poor an$ homeless/, at the same time tryin to o!tain the !est possi!le outcome for oneself. This $e#ice is calle$ Ca !rainC, an$ it ta%es many years of trainin to i nore the CDoral DajorityC. 2o!o$y is !orn a sociopath, !ut any chil$ can !ecome one in just a fe" years. ?t's a lot har$er for a$ult people. &n$ $on't for et the ea erness of the CDoral DajorityC to remin$ you a!out e#erythin !a$ you mi ht ha#e $one. Boun human chil$ren may remem!er your sins for a hun$re$ years, an$ they are ea er to tell you a!out it. They mi ht e#en tell their chil$ren. There is really no nee$ for anythin supernatural to remem!er our past sins. 3y the "ay, in Kult humans are re!orn. Dany people thin% that "e are responsi!le for ol$ sins, e#en if "e $on't remem!er them. Il$ $e!ts are inherite$ !y your chil$ren. 2o", if you're re!orn -an$ accor$in to the 5'n$ source!oo%, most people are re!orn into the same ethnic roup, the same se0, an$ often the same !loo$line as they ha$ in pre#ious li#es/, then an opportunity arises to remin$ you a!out these ol$ sins once more, an$ punish you for it Cin the afterlifeC. That may !e the reason to lon !loo$"ars !et"een ol$ families. They mi ht not %no" a!out re!irth for a fact, !ut they mi ht %no" instincti#ely. &n$ the 2epharites "atch from afar, until their time has come a ain... R
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FOR MA !R" R"A#"R$ O%&'

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Prying Open The Third Eye The Thanatophagos

The unexamined life is not worth living

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Opening the Third Eye

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4ntrod cing &a##ot * His & lt

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aN Ordeal fOr kult by wOjcIech KrzymINskI

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%#nst #nd Fanatism#s

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"ad Lie tenant

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