Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
STEEL HEAR T Issue I: Reclamation The Last Cycle Kult forum presents it's first journal, Steel Heart: Reclamation. Steel Heart ezine is a semi-reular 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 f reely a#aila!le throuh """.%ult-rp.com """.%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 chanes 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 enuiry a!out Steel Heart ezine, contact Chief ($itor Chris )arren )arren at *n$erspa"n+aol.com, or o to The Last Cycle community at """.%ult-rp.com, """.%ult-rp.com, "here su!missions can !e poste$ an$ $iscusse$ in the Steel Heart He art 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 continent upon sai$ materials !ein compliant "ith Kult rules prefera!ly r$ e$ition/, an$ respectin all rele#ant copyrihts. &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 copyriht 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 ; $esin of this $ocument < C. )arren &ll imaes property of respecti#e artists. Co#er imae < =. 3e%sins%i. Kin$ than%s to . . >mocho"s%i for permission o f use. The Last Cycle community is $e $icate$ to e0plorin the $ar%er aspects of humanity throuh the imainati#e roleplayin of fictional stories an$ scenarios. )hile Kult $eals "ith many per#erse an$ $istur!in issues, The Last Cycle $oes not in any "ay en$orse, con$one or encourae #iolent or criminal !eha#iour of any sort.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
STEEL HEAR T Issue I: Reclamation The Last Cycle Kult forum presents it's first journal, Steel Heart: Reclamation. Steel Heart ezine is a semi-reular pu!lication "hich aims to sho"case the #ery !est in fan-pro$uce$ materials for the mo$ern horror roleplayin ame Kult. This electronic #ersion of Steel Heart is ma$e freely f reely a#aila!le throuh """.%ult-rp.com """.%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 chanes 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 enuiry a!out Steel Heart ezine, contact Chief ($itor Chris )arren )arren at *n$erspa"n+aol.com, or o to The Last Cycle community at """.%ult-rp.com, """.%ult-rp.com, "here su!missions can !e poste$ an$ $iscusse$ in the Steel Heart He art 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 continent upon sai$ materials !ein compliant "ith Kult rules prefera!ly r$ e$ition/, an$ respectin all rele#ant copyrihts. &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 copyriht 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 ; $esin of this $ocument < C. )arren &ll imaes property of respecti#e artists. Co#er imae < =. 3e%sins%i. Kin$ than%s to . . >mocho"s%i for permission o f use. The Last Cycle community is $e $icate$ to e0plorin the $ar%er aspects of humanity throuh the imainati#e roleplayin of fictional stories an$ 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 encourae #iolent or criminal !eha#iour of any sort.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Table of Content First World World Myth
+
Kult, and all its implications
Prying Open The Third Eye
,
The unexamined life is not worth living
The Thanatophagos
-.
Synergy through agony
Sensorites
-/
Don't trust anyone
Verlassene
-+
Reductio ad absurdum
Litany Leaving by Volker Baetz Premonitions Premonitions by enette !owning Voices in the Dark by Steven "# $inger That Hanting by !avid oelsson
-0 -, /. //
Ordeal Morning Star by %o&ciech Krzyminski
/1
!dgement "eksinski by 'ukasz (espondek Lai#ach$ %nst nd Fanatisms Fanatisms by )ablo Barron The &ell by %o&ciech Krzyminski "ad Lietenant by %o&ciech Krzyminski Sa' by *hris %arren
23 2, 21 21 +.
(e&ycled )epharites * Prgatory Prgatory
+-
+ur most diabolical &ailors, here discussed at length
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
First World Myth by *hris %arren $O( $ ""& ) "AR( A P!B&ICAIO% 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 $eep reser#oir of occult rotesuerie an$ reliious 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 $istur!s us. ?t cuts to the #ery root of our nihtmares, fully encompassin the metaphors of the a!o#e, an$ 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%ain of a classic myth for a ne" eneration, Kult is sinular 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 amalam of manificent 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$s, ta%e centre stae in the roles of !oth sa$istic master an$ masochistic sla#e. ?t is us "ho are the alpha an$ the omea, the !einnin an$ en$ of this uni#erse full of sufferin. ?t is throuh 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 $o nothin to alter our pliht. )e li#e short li#es, ensla#e$, 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$erer, an$ throuh 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!juate$ senses. &n$ it is our senses "hich "e ha#e to !lame. ?n the "or$s of >escartes: (#erythin ? ha#e accepte$ up to no" as !ein a!solutely true an$ assure$, ? ha#e learne$ from or throuh 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. & 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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$ unmitiate$ %no"le$e of reality, if in$ee$ "e actually "ant it to. ?n the mutilation of reliion, reason, morality, mortality, the fiction fin$s correspon$ence !y i#in name, shape an$ loic 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 $istressinly 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 $erelict !ecause someone forot to pay the !ill of uilt. &n$ all aroun$ us, !ehin$ the faca$e of common reality, "e fin$ a $ilapi$ate$ hea#en, eually as false as hell, a manificent Detropolis, no" nothin more than a !attleroun$ 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 $ay ma%e humanity "hole aain. 2o, there is nothin up there. ?n see%in hea#en, "e shoul$ loo% aroun$ us, for "e li#e in the last scrap of it, in precious, !lissful inorance, "ithin our $eterioratin (lysian prison. risoners thouh "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 rear$ the "orl$ aroun$ us, an$ "e sense that there is somethin un$enia!ly "ron. Bet "e are $oin e#erythin riht. )e o to "or%. )e pay our ta0es. )e lo#e our families an$ rea$ a oo$ !oo% e#ery no" an$ then. 3ut the $ance of stai$ conformity only sen$s us $eeper into a spiral of confusion, aression an$ fear "hich $oes not a!ate, !ut only increases. &n$ "ith this escalation of uncertainty comes the $era$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 anuish, 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 selfimae more in harmony "ith the "orl$ aroun$ us, more attune$ to actualities an$ reuirements 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$aries of rational, oranise$ thouhts, 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 frihtene$ eyes Eschatology I ~ C. Warren this "orl$ is a sharp an$ hostile ur!an e0istence, rule$ !y
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 failins. 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 cateorisation, 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$ !eetter of monsters, $epicte$ throuh the eometry of $reams, an$ presentin us "ith the $rea$ful enima of a maze: an architectonic structure - recallin the sulci of the human !rain - craze$ in its confiuration, an$ of a $esin 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#ae 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, thins "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 sunliht, 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 $ar%ness of the alley at niht time, to the unmar%e$ 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 inorance. 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 nihtmares, 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#iate 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 nihtmare an$ the po"ers that rule it can only !ut emanate from our interior, the source of all illusions. Their oriin !ein the $epths of the self, the terri!le hallucinations of oppression manifest only in response our o"n $esire, of "hich they are merely the sym!olic resurence. This is the first step on a lon roa$ 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. Throuh its surreal, oneiric, mythic $rama, is an intimation of the path to enlihtenment, 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$ rae an$ confusion, contorte$ senses an$ mor!i$ fascination, from people on the same roa$, tryin to fin$ common e0pression throuh the metaphor of spiritual imprisonment an$ the pro#enance of first "orl$ myth.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
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$s enlihtenment. Ho"e#er, the lure lea$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$ throuh me$itation, !ut neati#ely !alance$ in$i#i$uals !elo" -687 may open it spontaneously. 3oth "ays, the process consists of the openin of a hi$$en perceptual oran insi$e our !o$ies. hysically, this oran is the pineal lan$: it is %no"n in en$ocrinoloy as the source of the hormone calle$ melatonin, relate$ to sleep reulation, 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 stae of the Thir$ (ye openin lea$s to an increase$ a!ility to percei#e thouhts an$ emotions. The pro!lem is that the min$ is una!le to han$le "hat the Thir$ (ye percei#es. The !i!lical leen$ tells a!out Cain, "ho "as anere$ an$ jealous !ecause o$ ha$ manifeste$ an$ fa#oure$ his !rother &!el. Fo$ fore"arne$ Cain that he shoul$ conuer 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 riht, "ill you not !e accepte$E 3ut if you $o not $o "hat is riht, sin is crouchin at your $oorA it $esires to ha#e you, !ut you must master it.. 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 "arnins aainst those curious enouh to use it. Still, our Thir$ (ye "asn't create$ !y any o$: it is an a!ility "hich has al"ays !elone$ to humans, an$ a sense that is #ery $anerous for the sta!ility of the ?llusion.
Opening the Third Eye There are se#eral metho$s throuh "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 neati#ely an$ positi#ely !alance$. The main function of the Thir$ (ye is to Gloo% "ithin. ?t is felt li%e someho" our o"n emotions an$ perceptions "ere analyse$ !y a Gsi0th sense, "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 !einnin: an$ it is enouh to !rin a sta!le min$ $o"n. Ince acti#ate$, the Thir$ (ye is #isi!le to those "ith enouh a!ility to $o so. Some chil$ren of the niht 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 (FI5 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$. &s if this "asn't enouh, too much
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com information is athere$ throuh 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 reoranize$ 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 throuh "hich he "ill ha#e to reoranize 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 $ifference !et"een the roll an$ (FI5/. ?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 feelsee 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 Get the feelin that someone is openin their Thir$ (ye, they'll try to !e charmin an$ et close !efore it happens. ositi#ely !alance$ Gmystical 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 $e#elopment/, an$ chane their Gfrien$s 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 seeminly hol$ Gthe %ey to han$le it/, so this "ill effecti#ely en$ up !in$in him to them. 2eati#ely-!alance$ 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 !rouht $o"n throuh manipulatin the perceptions of the Thir$ (ye an$ lettin the psychotic mental states ro": a normal human can !e easily turne$ into a Chil$ren of the 2iht this "ay. 3oth sorts of pre$ators ha#e one thin in common: they "ill encourae the !earer to use his eye as much as he can, in or$er to enhance any sort of reality !rea%$o"n an$ tihten the control. Ince the first paranoi$ phase has passe$, or if the !earer resiste$ it, Thir$ (ye perceptions are easier to manae. 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$. @rom this stae on, the !earer "ill !e a!le to use the Thir$ (ye easilyA a#oi$in a psychotic !rea%$o"n "ill reuire an unmo$ifie$ "ee%ly (FI roll, !ut that may !e the "ill of the !earer. ?f the (FI roll is faile$, or if the !earer "illinly lets his min$ 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$ren of the 2iht. (FI rolls "ill still !e necessary, until the in$i#i$ual $e#elops %no"le$e o#er it: as it "as sai$ earlier, the easiest "ay this is $one is throuh oranizations "ith e0perts "ith enouh %no"le$e on Eye -W. Krzyminski usin it. )illinly or not, the !earer "ill !e tie$ to this
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com oranization those oranizations can help "ith a J6J67 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 manae the Thir$ (ye !y themsel#es, !ut this "ill reuire 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 $etails of the real Gpo"ers of the Thir$ (ye. ?'#e trie$ not to i#e many Grules an$ Gta!les to %eep this open enouh so it can !e a$apte$ to your tastes. &ny"ay, my final suestion on the Thir$ (ye is: thin% a!out it as a tool to know yourself . Consi$er it a su!tle eye "ith "hich you can Gloo% to your emotions, perceptions an$ thouhts from a separate oran than min$ tryin to e0amine itself. This point is important: usin a sense to percei#e your min$ in or$er to analyse it is much stroner than just usin your min$ to analyse itself. This $e#elopment can ro" you intuiti#e an$ i#e you a control !oost, lea$in you to hih 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
The Thanatophagos by %o&ciech Krzyminski )" )A%AOP)A+O$ I$ A $P"CRA& "%I' *)IC) F""#$ O% #"$PAIR A%# RA+" , B! I +AI%$ MOR" "%"R+' FROM A #'I%+ human !ein, especially if the #ictim commits suici$e. The Thanatophaos journeys throuh the ?llusion onlyA as it cannot pass into Detropolis. This entity possesses #arious telepathic po"ersA therefore it prefers to create a suici$e cult than to hunt. &n$ the Thanatophaos 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 $rone "hose am!ition "as to et a hiher salary an$ a !ran$ ne" car. He "as neither uly 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 eiht to eiht, $ro#e home an$ "atche$ the same sports sho". Ca!!ot li#e$ in this "ay throuh 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 reconiza!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 strane 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 throuh 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 strules "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 riht. ?t intro$uce$ itself: The 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. Ca!!ot uit "ith the office "or% an$ foun$e$ a cult for lonely an$ $esperate people: The Dission of *nity. The Thanatophaos 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 stranle$ "ith a piece of !ar!"ire an$ / the Son, "hen they sin a short poem a!out !ein toether, 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 throuh the Ca!!ot's "ill. Bou shoul$ !e than%ful for all the oo$ Ca!!ot has i#en you.
4ntrodcing &a##ot * His < & 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 that "on$erful man Ca!!ot. ?f the C meets "ith Ca!!ot, he "ill !e polite an$ sincere e#en a C "ith such a$#antaes 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: Bou %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 on ? %no" that... he !eins to spea% a!out some pri#ate matters of the C/. >on't you seeE ?'#e ot a ift &n$ no" ? thin% you shoul$ lea#e.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com The police can $o nothin, !ecause they cannot fin$ any proof to chare 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 $anerous it is your $ecision, Fame Daster/, then he "ill try to communicate this to the Thanatophaos. ?f a C has any special talents mpathy, "agical -ntuition , nhanced .wareness/, then perhaps the Thanatophaos "ill replace Ca!!ot "ith this C. If course, our jailers $o not ta%e lihtly 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 strins. ?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 Thanatophaos from its fee$in roun$. 3ut remem!er, if a human !ein $ies in reat pain, the Thanatophaos fee$s on it. Ca!!ot has a#erae 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Sensorites by Steven "# $inger / 'ukasz (espondek $"%$ORI"$ AR" )" R"$!& OF +RO!%#BR"AKI%+ "-P"RIM"%AIO% B"*""% )" ./01$ O )" MI#2./31$( )" +"%"IC enineerin 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, eyesiht an$ taste aumente$ to nearly 67 times that of an a#erae 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$ taret. The Sensorite then flays the #ictim "ith reat precision, an$ then $onnin the s%in an$ merin "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$istinuisha!le from the oriinal person. & Sensorite's real !o$y is a mass of rey, $e0terous muscle. Strane transparent tu!ules run throuhout the flesh, pumpin a yello", oozin liui$ "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 taret, 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 loner 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. <houh 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-$esine$ 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 $isuises an$ their life e0periences prior to enetic aumentation. Those Sensorites that manae$, throuh ma$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$uce an unuestiona!ly loyal aent !ut one "ith an iron-"ill, immune to telepathic Lictors an$ a$#ance$ torture techniues. &ents coul$ !e recalle$ #ia a trier such as a musical tone, co$e$ phrase or uniue chemical scent !uilt into their ne" enetics. Their !rains "ere corrupte$ in such a "ay they "oul$ recor$ elements of information su!liminally, $eep !elo" conscious thouht threshol$s, to !e !rouht forth at the appropriate time. )hen the trier is acti#ate$ they report all that they ha#e o!ser#e$ #ia their especially %een senses to a Lictor or specially assine$ han$ler. &ll Sensorites are sterile an$ una!le to repro$uce #ia natural means. They $o not ae normally an$ their appearance $epen$s on the current s%in. The ta%in of a !o$y ma%es them the ultimate >oppelaner for their line of "or% since their finerprints, retina patterns an$ >2& all !ecome i$entical to that of their #ictim.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Milos Hasala Dilos "as a KF3 aent recruite$ 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 Chicao la! "earin a jisa" of shre$$e$ human s%in "hich he ha$ strappe$ toether as his Gne" self. )hen his %eepers trie$ to e0amine him, Dilos !ean a rain, mur$erous onslauht, !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 throuhout 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 Chicao massacre, Fe!urah's oranisations !ean !ree$in their o"n attempts at Sensorites to spy on suspects, carry out punishments an$ infiltrate the oranizations 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 assinments. Hasala is $eeply psychotic, an$ $ra"s pleasure from the pain an$ humiliation of his prey. His tarets are no" ol$ acuaintances, 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 s%in $onor.
Stats +amemaster )ints: Do#e rapi$ly, full of ner#ous enery, 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 5558 A4tions: 5 "+O N Initiati6e bonus: J5 $ue to their hih (R/ CO% 65 #amage bonus: J COM $epen$s on the s%in that is "orn/ #amage Capa4ity $R 68 scratches O6 liht "oun$ "#! #aries liht "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 sihts, soun$s, smells etc./ #isad6antages: #aries, usually split personality, !loo$lust, mania former life/ error Roll Mod: J8 in his true shape/ $7ills: 3urlary 68, Cryptoraphy 66, >emolition 6M, >isuise 6N, ?nformation Retrie#al 6N, ?nterroation 6M, Lanuaes 6 usually 5-8 lanuaes/, 2iht Com!at 6, Security Systems 61, Sha$o" 6M, Sur#i#al 6, Chane Tarets 6, Rifle 6N, Delee ; Thro"in )eapons 61, Han$un 6N(
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Verlassene by Steven "# $inger V"R&A$$"%" AR" B"&I"V"# O B" C!R$"# )!MA% $O!&$ !%AB&" O B" F!&&' #I$PAC)"# O )"IR "%# I% "I)"R P ARA#I$" or ?nferno. Someho" a!le to hol$ on to their meaer 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$$les of flui$, an$ may !e mista%en for pools of oil, "ater or mil%. They ha#e !een rarely encountere$ !y humans !ut seem $ra"n to the !or$erline areas "hen they are foun$, such as !et"een (lysium, Detropolis an$ ?nferno. Some !elie#e these creatures are a result of some faile$ 2epharite cleansins or early e0periments on human imprisonment. Day!e they are shattere$ human consciousnesses or ancient mutant offsprin from Faia. Their e0istence is #irtually un%no"n to all !ut the most el$er an$ a"are cosmoloical entities an$ "ell tra#ele$ &"a%ene$. They are attracte$ to attac% !y #i!ration or uic%, hea#y mo#ements. They $o not appear to inest #ictims !ut "ill not stop attac%in until mo#ement Search For Missing Workers ceases. They seem to !e $ri#en !y a refle0 response alone, ha#in no Halts Roosevelt Tunnel Project $iscerni!le aen$a other than to !e left alone in their strule to e0ist. New York Times >epen$in upon the strenth of the souls e0istence, it appears as a liui$ 10th ul!" 1#$% fiure tryin to e0tricate itself from "ithin the flui$ !y reachin out as &'cavation on an au'iliar! su(wa! reaching )ar (eneath the &ast simply as a han$ to as po"erful as the top half of a torso "ith arms. Some tunnel River was halte* !ester*a! a)ter the fiures are $emonic in shape, "ith horns, pointe$ ears, multiple eye m!sterious *isa++earance o) three workers" Sam ,ear!" -lan Soto an* soc%ets, lenthy for%e$ tonues, cla"e$ han$s an$ o$$, s%ull-li%e shapes. .eorge Pre/(!lewski The three men were surve!ing a 2o t"o appear e0actly the same an$ each is uniue. 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 FR thorough)are some"ay. This occurs !y $efyin ra#ity, seepin throuh confine$ spaces when the! )aile* to return 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* 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* The tunnel" inten*e* to relieve seems to !e a #ast nothinness 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 )ailures Now si' months (ehin* sche*ule an* )acing elatinous, liui$ form an$ ha#in to reform. union (acklash" the cit! is Perlassene seem to ha#e no %no"n spo%en lanuae nor any other form consi*ering whether to a(an*on the +roject altogether of communication, an$ no $iscerni!le intellience other then the am(itious - statement issue* (! Port ru$imentary presence of a shattere$ soul. -uthorit! s+okesman err! So(otka that construction on the ?f foun$ in an e0treme temperature situation such as that of !oilin reveale* Roosevelt tunnel +roject woul* (e re2 "ater, !urn $amae must !e assesse$ to the #ictim of any attac%. @reezin evaluate* 7This tunnel is twice as as an! e'isting line an!where on temperatures, li%e that of "ater, slo" the creaturesA liui$ nitroen or the *ee+ the New York su(wa! network While col$ness of space "ill freeze them completely. They "ill come ali#e aain if we e'+ecte* the task to (e *i))icult" coul* not have antici+ate* this tha"e$ out. ?f t"o creatures are mi0e$ toether they repel from each other we level o) u+set 3ur +ra!ers are with at reat #elocity, li%e that of a cannon!all. They "ill !e stunne$ after"ar$s the missing men an* their )amilies7 So(otka ha* no comment on the for up to an hour !ut they seem to naturally a#oi$ each other normally re+ute* e'istence o) the ol* other"ise. erhaps this is throuh 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(les Perlassene first appears as a pu$$le a!out 6m "i$e an$ 6cm $eep, thouh it can actually suc% a #ictim $o"n into itself. Space an$ time ha#e #ery little
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com meanin to these creatures. They are unaffecte$ !y ra$iation as "ell. These creatures are sai$ to !e percepti!le to Tele%inetic an$ >ar% &rt type a!ilities, "hich can hol$ them at !ay or repel "ea%er ones. They a#oi$ electric current an$ stron manetic fiel$s, "hich confuses them. They $o not attempt to $o$e !lo"s as they are apparently !lin$ an$ insensate to all forms of stimulus e0cept #i!rations.
Stats A+& 6M P"R 68 CO% 6M "+O 67 $R 58 C)A 8
Mo6ement: 68m u$$le form only/ Initiati6e Bonus: J6N #amage Bonus: &ssess G3urn >amae 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 @) Liuefies for a 5-hour perio$ an$ reforms ane" thereafter/
%umber Appearing: 6 Q Pery Rare/ *eight: N8% )eight: 6cm u$$le/ 5m ma0imum e0traction torso ; lim!s/ $enses: Sense #i!rations up to 77 meters Communi4ation: *n%no"n if any/ "nduran4e: 657 Atta47 Modes: Fra!!in ; flailin, >ro"nin, Crushin !lo"s 0 Lim!s
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Leaving by Volker Baetz
So a han$ is a han$. If course. 2either a spi$er nor a cla", & han$ is a han$. neither a hammer nor a sa". 3ut ?'#e seen "hat ?'#e seen, still the !loo$ stains my finers, an$ !ehin$ my #ery eyes, that's "here the mur$erer liners. &n$ the city "as create$ !y human han$s, not !y unspea%a!le thins, $ancin to an atrocious rhythm, preyin on us carrie$ !y cancerous "ins. Carl's screams still echo in my ears, ha$ he any hopes to sur#i#eE ? uess those #anishe$ a!ruptly, "hen he sa" "hat ?'$ $one to his "ife. 3ut no one can $eem me uilty, ? can't e#en harm a fly, so ? flee to these strane su!ur!s, %iss this real "orl$ oo$ !ye.
Infernal Machine - Broken Doll
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
Premonitions by enette !owning #R"AM$ , $)A#O*' $P"CR"$ )A *OK" M" $CR"AMI%+ I% )" #ARK%"$$ 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$$ere$ at the sha$o"s from "ithin that use$ nihtmares to rip at my soul an$ shatter my min$ "hile ? slept, until ? "oul$ "a%e up screamin, co#ere$ in !loo$, an$ "on$er if it "as really my o"n. Then ? a"a%e, an$ feel somethin lur%in insi$e me, an$ realize ? am no loner alone... ?9$ trie$ e#erythin to stop them, !ut the $reams "oul$ sen$ me runnin, screamin, from myself, only to fin$ the $ar%ness of sleep !ec%one$ me "ith a cry of aonizin torture. & pain so intense it !or$ere$ on pleasure. *ntil the time ? a"o%e from my nihtmares only to fin$ that my nihtmares "ere a prelu$e to reality, an$ reality "as "orse than any nihtmare ? coul$ ha#e feare$. & foul coppery taste clun in my mouth as ? prie$ my eyeli$s open, a col$ iciness un$erneath me. ? attempte$ to raise a han$ to !rush the re$ loc%s of hair from my face !ut foun$ myself strappe$ to a sho$$y, metallic ta!le. Dy hea$ still ache$, thouh $ully. &!o#e me !eame$ a !riht, fluorescent liht not unli%e those use$ in hospital operatin theatres. Turnin my hea$ to the riht ? sa" trays "ith the implements of surery 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 fiure of an insi$ious $ar% haire$ man in a pristine "hite la! coat pullin supplies from a stoc% room. ? ha$n't felt this frihtene$ since the niht my mother "as mur$ere$, an$ ?9$ hope$ ?'$ ne#er ha#e to feel that "ay aain, !ut ? "as "ron. lease, ? plea$e$ silently, internally, lease, anyone...please... ? froze as ? sa" the fiure pic% up a scalpel an$ pause$ to stare at the metallic sheen. & free han$ fi$$le$ "ith some chal% "hile he !ean to $issect my clothin, Gust mar%in #arious places for later incision. He informe$ me offhan$e$ly. He hoo%e$ me up to a !an% of machines that $isplaye$ my #ital sins in a series of soft tones an$ lo"in #i!ratin lines. ausin, he too% note of my "ell-tone$ physiue. ?'m la$ to see that you'#e !een ta%in care of yourself ma$am. ?t shoul$ ma%e this a little !it easier on you. Su$$enly he ja!!e$ a nee$le into my nec%. The $rus acte$ 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 strule ? lifte$ my hea$ slihtly off the ta!le to ta%e a loo% at the rinnin paro$y of the $octor, an$ a#e him a meaninful mi$$le finer. @uc% you. The liht lintin off the scalpel an$ su$$enly !ein una!le to correctly control my !o$y cause$ me to !ite !ac% a cry of fear. Rot in hell you son of a !itch. ? %ne" the threats "ere useless, !ut riht no", they "ere all ? ha$. Let's ta%e thins slo". Bou'll et some soonA in a manner of spea%in. He motione$ to my mi$$le finer !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 throuh my #eins ma$e me yelp an$ "himper. Come no" surely you9#e !een $reamin of !ein the carrier, of no loner !ein alone. He cut my nihto"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 youE He uestione$ me, a sliht smile playin a!out his lips, the mans face stri%in a spar% of reconition some"here $eep insi$e me, thouh ? 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 photoraph of my mother. The man's $eep soothin #oice spo%e "ith "armin tim!re. ?t too% me uite a "hile to perfect this one... Tell me, Heather... $i$ you e#er "ant chil$renE Ho" $o you %no" my nameE ? as%e$ him !einnin to "himper. GBou9ll remem!er that in time. He
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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. That shoul$ lea#e a nice little scar. 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$ aain an$ pause$ to lance at a !an% of machinery my #ital sins "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!seuent prenancies "ill cause this uterine scar to !urst, an$ any future !a!ies "ill ha#e to !e $eli#ere$ !y cesarean section. He cautione$ me, seemin to inore 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 $isust ? felt it !ein to mo#e an$ realize$ "ith a$$itional horror ? coul$n9t e#en #omit $espite my ure to $o so. Strulin $esperately ? manae$ to partially close my eyes, !ut "as still a!le to see thouh a $im haze as #arious parts of my anatomy "ere !ein sifte$ throuh as the ma$ $octor snippe$, clippe$, an$ tie$ parts of me toether. The pain rose an$ fell in un$ulatin "a#es, "hile he "or%e$, sihin in satisfaction an$ pattin me softly on the hea$. Hummin a soft, almost soothin melo$y, he !ean 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 sins 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 )hy....E ? murmure$ "ea%ly. )hat's so $ifferent a!out me than someone else...E )ipin his lasses, he $ismisse$ my uestion "ith a shru. Bou're my $auhter. ? "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 lauh 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 enouh to "hisper ho" they help preser#e the fetus. 3e fore"arne$ my $ear, if you fail to carry this full term, ?'ll simply !e force$ to $ra you !ac% here an$ insert another. 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 toether from my siht. 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 liht an$ $ar%ness "here neither ha$ presence. Returnin to me, he sihe$. ? rather li%e$ this little section of puratory. ity ? ha#e to lea#e it li%e this. ? jumpe$ at the soun$ of his #oice as he re-entere$ my #ie", !ut foun$ myself uic%ly su!$ue$ !y the tiht restraints. Dy fear "as !einnin to fa$e into col$ rae as ? thouht of this man touchin my mother, of the "ay he use$ to touch me )ith a snarl of hatre$ ? lare$ icy eyes lare$ $aers into the lan%y man, my han$s clenche$ tihtly into fists aainst the restraints. )-)hat9s oin to come ne0t you !astar$E ? spo%e throuh chatterin teeth, my !o$y "rac%e$ !y col$ spells. C-co"ar$. G? $on9t recall !ein the one to co"er in the closet lea#in your mother to face $eath all !y herself. His irises sharpene$ on me as if to accentuate his point. ? opene$ my mouth to retort !ut somethin screame$ aain 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com &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. ? flippe$ him the finer aain as he turne$ his !ac% to me. Strainin, ? jile$ my arms aainst the restraints, "hich hel$ tiht. &s pointless as it "as, it "as a consolin feelin to %no" that ? "as re!ellin aainst "hate#er came at me. The effects of the $rus "ere finally "earin off an$ ? foun$ myself more an$ more aitate$ "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 lare, 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 aainst the concrete floor. Heather, ?'$ li%e you to meet someone. )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, hanin paper thin o#er a $elicate !one structure. Then it lifte$ up its hea$, an$ ? cho%e$ on a scream. ?t "as my mother. Such a soft-hearte$ irl. )hich is "hat ? foun$ most interestin... She ha$ no courae to resist "hat ? $i$ to her, yet staye$ marrie$ to me for se#eral years. He fishe$ a han$ throuh my mothers hair, enshrou$in the lenth of her arm "ith his o"n. Their sha$o"s flic%ere$ toether. &t any moment my father miht ha#e pounce$ for the %ill, !ut continue$ to $ance aroun$ his prey instea$. & sliht clic% shac%le$ !oth her "rists toether. Then ? allo"e$ her to !ecome prenant so ? coul$ ha#e another toy to amuse myself "ith. )ith a $e#ious rin he set her asi$e an$ a!sentmin$e$ly stro%e$ my !reast. G? fiure$ you shoul$ ha#e a chance see each other one last time !efore you o home. )ith a sar$onic smile he e0ten$e$ his han$ an$ touche$ me lihtly on the forehea$, my "orl$ !ecomin en#elope$ in $ar%ness once more.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
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 nothinness. So ? "al%e$ these a!an$one$ passae"ays an$ su!terranean tunnels, stum!lin alon in the $ar%ness. The passae "as on an incline an$ ? inche$ my "ay $o"n it step-!ystep, $eeper an$ $eeper. <houh ? $i$ not un$erstan$ their nature, ? ha$ follo"e$ the #oices $o"n here "illinly. Iccasionally, the flutterin of a !are !ul! hanin from the ceilin illuminate$ the corri$or !efore me. &s ? "al%e$ the path ? coul$ hear unfortunate insects !ein crushe$ un$erfoot, "ater $rippin from hih up a!o#e into pu$$les !efore me an$ as al"ays these ceaseless #oices that ha$ entice$ me $o"n here. <houh ? "as certain ? "as "al%in forth to my $oom, ? just no loner 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 flashliht "as nearly spent. ? ha$ conser#e$ all ? coul$ manae to in these last fe" staes of my journey into these $ar%ene$ $epths. *nfortunately, ? nee$e$ it no" to proress as ? ha$ come to yet another $ea$ en$. ? acti#ate$ the s"itch an$ it la!oriously lit. Throuh 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 liht 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$ slihtly as ? cra"le$, ? continue$ on my "ay. ? coul$ hear ro$ents scurry a"ay, ? coul$ hear an ol$ crea%y #entilation fan hih 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 aain aze upon the $a"n. ? ha$ "hole-hearte$ly forsa%en the sun an$ the "on$ers of the $ayliht "orl$ for this my ne" "orl$ of the $ar%. ?t "as all riht, 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% "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 messaes. ? hastene$ my paceA rec%lessly tra#ersin throuh 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$$enly as ? ha$ fallen ? !ecame a"are of my ne" surroun$ins. Sittin up ? foun$ that ? "as star% na%e$ an$ confine$ "ithin a small hot metal room. & small !lac% can$le "as nearly melte$ entirely a"ay. ? loo%e$ a!out in my fe#er of confusion !ut there "as no $oor, hatch or "in$o". ? pic%e$ up the can$le remnants carefully !ut its hot "a0 naturally still manae$ to scal$ my han$s. The flame "as no" flic%erin $o"n lo". ? trie$ to fin$ some trace of air, perhaps a seam in the metal "alls "here ? must ha#e someho" entere$ throuh. Ho"e#er, ? coul$ not fin$ any #isi!le or concei#a!le e0it. The air "as no" uite foul "ith the scent of my o"n perspiration an$ filth.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ? hear$ #oices all aroun$ me. Parious people "ere !anin on each si$e of my cu!e li%e prison. They "ere callin for help an$ as%in if anyone "as out there. Some of the #oices soun$e$ #auely familiar most li%ely some tric% of my min$. ? $eci$e$ it !est not to ans"er. ? ha$ notice$ that t"o of the #oices "ere no" aspin $esperately an$ then fa$e$ out an$ the !anin ha$ su$$enly cease$. ? uic%ly !le" out the can$le to conser#e the o0yen 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 to turn !ac%. ? uess ? ha$ hear$ "hat ? "ante$ to, sa$ly !lin$ in my o"n #ast $ar%ness. The !anin an$ yellin on yet another si$e of my cu!e ha$ cease$. ? "as su$$enly o#er "roth "ith panic. ? starte$ to "il$ly !an an$ call out for help. Dy heart "as racin an$ my callin out uic%ly metamorphose$ into screams for ai$. ? "as ettin intensely tire$ an$ rea$y to pass into slum!er. ? realize$ the air ha$ ro"n uite thin aroun$ me an$ it "oul$n9t !e lon !efore the $ar%ness completely claime$ me as its o"n. Dy mortal eyes !ean to tear ? no" foun$ that ? no" "ante$ a $eli#erance from this $ar%ness. ? "as instille$ "ith fear, horrifically terrifie$ to $ie. ? "ante$ to li#e ? screame$ it alou$ an$ unashame$ly... ? "ant to li#e *nfortunately for me, it "oul$ seem that this epiphany has come far too late. ? $roppe$ to my %nees aspin for !reath as the s"eet morphia came o#er me, pro#i$in my only means of escape.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
That "a#nting by !avid 01mpact2 oelsson
45 )" %I+) *A$ CO&# , !%FOR+IVI%+ A%# #ARK( P IC) B&ACK "V"%( I RA% #O*% )" $R""$ , )" CACK&" FO&&O*I%+ M' e#ery step. Rain starte$ to pour $o"n, pushin the mist a"ay as it came. The streets "here hauntin me, lea#in me #ulnera!le an$ feelin trappe$ in their close alley"ays. The soun$ of sharp steel scrapin o#er stone tol$ me that he ha$ starte$ to catch up "ith me. )ho "as this $emonE )hy "oul$ it chase meE 2e#er min$, no time to thin% a!out that. &s ? $uc%e$ an$ sli$ un$erneath a chic%en "ire-fence ? coul$ hear the cac%lin lauhter aain.
GBou cannot escape us ? "as $amn "ell oin to try The moon pea%e$ throuh the $ar% rain clou$s, rantin the sha$o"s some more lenth. ? curse$, an$ no sooner then ? ha$ $one so, ? coul$ hear the scrapin soun$ aain, closer, to my riht. ? ran to the left, into the ne0t alley"ay. Su$$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 aain, he "as pic%in up the pace. ? loo%e$ aroun$. )hite !e$-sheets. Laun$ry. Curses ?t ha$ 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$e He he he he ? tosse$ 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 riht an$ ? "oul$ !e in the $oc%s an$ amonst people. GBou ha#e fouht "ell, pretty He he 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 hanin in pincers, an$ to the riht ? coul$ see a lon scratch of somethin sharp onto the stone sla!-"all. G)hat9s the matterE ray tell, pretty. )hat9s on your min$E Tric%s you sayE Har$ly The rules are ours to $ictate little one. ? "as confuse$. Then ? loo%e$ to the riht aain. & %nife "as hel$ "ith the tip aainst the "all. In the !la$e there "as an enra#e$ sna%e t"istin from the han$le an$ $o"n"ar$s. &t the mouth of the sna%e "as an apple, also enra#e$, "hich the sna%e seeme$ to !ite at. The %nife scrape$ o#er the "all aain an$ ? follo"e$ the !la$e to the han$le, "here those ala!aster-"hite finers 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 "rile$ out throuh 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 sliht $ar%er colour that "ent alon the slee#e. ? follo"e$ it, e#en thouh ? $i$n9t "ant to, all the "ay up to the shoul$er. ? hear$ the cac%le aain. This "as so familiar. ?f ? coul$ only remem!er.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com G)hat9s the matter, prettyE Bou fear little ol9 meE He he he he 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 aain, !ut those teeth haunte$ me. They %ept on smilin. T"o, may!e three, teeth "here "hole. The rest "here rotte$, yello"-!ro"nish. @ans they seeme$ to !e. & cla"e$ finer came up to the mouth. G>oes our mouth $istur! you, prettyE These teeth of ours !urn in your eyes $on9t theyE The cla" po%e$ 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$ere$ hiher. 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 of 2o, ? coul$ not. )oul$ not. ? ru!!e$ my temples an$ tears ran $o"n my face. G@atherE >on9t you li%e us no more @atherE &s the creature sta!!e$ me straiht in my heart ? felt e#erythin o. ? ha$ lost her. Lost her so lon ao. 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@ather >on9t o
445 3lac%. The niht "as pitch !lac%, an$ the mist "as rollin in. There "oul$ !e rain. Dy forty-some years ha$ tauht 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 late ? 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 thins 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 riht 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 $rop or t"o in the !ottle. & couh from the secon$ 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 !anin on the $oor. GIpen up man, Wtis >octor Hutchins ? 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$. He "as a lare man, "ith loner, "hitene$ 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 $isuste$ 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
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 ? 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 couhe$ 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" Step asi$e man >octor comin throuh to ta%e a loo% at the "ee one He pushe$ me asi$e. ulle$ $o"n the sheets, re#ealin her nihto"n an$ her feet. Then he mo#e$ his finers ne0t to her ears. G)ell, ? can say riht a"ay, that this is somethin that a stea$y meal an$ a shot of 3ran$y"ine "ill $o the tric% for 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 niht if she $oesn9t et foo$ ? loo%e$ at him aain. GCome on man She "ill $ie a painful $eath if you $o not i#e her some foo$ an$ 3ran$y Dy ja" $roppe$. He ha$ curse$ her. He ha$ $amne$ her to $eath. This WIh so hih an$ mihty9 $octor ha$ %ille$ my $auhter 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 "rile$ an enra#e$ sna%e, aimin to ta%e a !ite at an apple that "as also enra#e$ more to"ar$s the point of the %nife. He coul$ just as easily ha#e %ille$ my $auhter "ith the %nife. )hy "oul$ he $amn her to painsE ? loo%e$ up, he sai$ somethin. G>amn it man @i0 up some foo$ an$ !ran$y for the irl The pains "ill starts soon ? loo%e$ $o"n aain. 2o. There "oul$ !e no pains. 2ot for my little irl. ? too% out the %nife, "eihe$ 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 $auhter. He ha$ no riht ? sta!!e$ him riht !et"een his shoul$ers. ? ha$ e0pecte$ a strule, or e#en some "rilin from his part. 3ut he just san% $o"n an$ turne$ aroun$.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com G)h"hat are you $oin manE He "heeze$ out the "or$s. He ha$ !een loo%in at my $auhter "ith those eyes. (yes of a mur$erer ? !ent for"ar$ an$ cut out his left eye. He screame$. G@atherE ? 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 $auhter out of her !e$. )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 $auhter. Si0 years is no ae to $ie ? "al%e$ $o"n the stairs "ith her in my arms. She couhe$, !ut "here other"ise silent. G@atherE ? 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 carriae as "e e0ite$ our house. She hun onto me !ra#ely. Dy !ra#e, silent, little irl. G@atherE ? too% the ne0t street $o"n to the left. The sea. That9s "here ? "ill let her $ie. The sea !rins 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 riht, an$ then to the left aain an$ then o#er the !ri$e an$ first left throuh an alley"ay to the $oc%s. ? turne$ riht. &n$ ran into a "hite !e$-sheet, hanin to $ry in the $amp Lon$on air. ?t "as almost funny. G?t hurts @ather. ? hurrie$. ? lauhe$ slihtly. 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$ frihtene$ an$ mo#e$ !ac% an$ forth. She coul$n9t see anythinA she ha$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 riht, pretty. ? am here an$ ? "ill not let anythin happene$ to you. She loo%e$ up at me. G@ather, $o the not li%e us anymore @atherE ? loo%e$ at her.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com G)hom &man$aE GThe men in !riht clothes. They ha#e !een aroun$ us for a lon time, !ut no" they are mo#in a"ay. Turnin a"ay an$ "al%in out of siht. She soun$e$ afrai$. She "as $elirious of course. The fe#er an$ the soun$ of the $octor ? %ille$ 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, prettyE She no$$e$. She "as a #ery nice little irl. ? %isse$ her forehea$ an$ hel$ her close. ? alrea$y misse$ her so $early. 3ut there "as no "ay out of this !ut "hat ? nee$e$ to $o. She "oul$ o to hea#en, an$ ? "oul$ fore#er !e $oome$ for this, !ut ? coul$ not let my little irl suffer pains. GListen carefully to me no", pretty. )e are !y the sea. ?t is niht time so the seaulls are silent, !ut if you listen carefully you "ill hear the soun$s of "a#es. The smell of the sea comes clearly if you i#e it some time. ? thouht it "as too nice a niht to sit insi$e. So ? too% you here. &n$ ? promise that your frien$s in "hite "ill return shortly. ? ra!!e$ a tihter rip on the %nife. ? $rae$ it throuh a pu$$le of "ater to rinse of the !loo$ of the $octor ? %ille$ a man, an$ ? am a!out to %ill my little $auhter/ G?f you coul$ see riht 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 $o"n upon the !oth of us. ? "ept. ? misse$ 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. ? raise$ the $aer slo"ly. ? %ille$ a man, an$ ? am a!out to %ill my little $auhter. D*R>(R(R/ G2o @ather, $on9t ? sta!!e$ her straiht in her heart. &n$ ? crie$ out lou$ as ? $i$ so. G@ather. >on9t o 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com &n$ ? slit my throat "ith the %nife. &n$ ? $ie$. &n$ ? misse$ her. &n$ ? "oul$ miss her fore#er.
4445 The 2iht "as col$, unfori#in an$ $ar%. itch !lac% e#en. The soun$ of the rain haunte$ me as much as the streets. GRun, pretty Run as much as you "ish, !ut you cannot escape The #oice carrie$ alon the empty streets, follo"e$ !y a cac%le of a lauh. ? 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 foretE That9s a pity, $on9t you thin%E Iur ame has laste$ so shortly )ho "as thatE ? reconize$ the #oice, !ut ? coul$ not say "hom it "as. ? ran $o"n the streets an$ into an alley"ay to the si$e. ? ran straiht into clotheslines fille$ "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(R/ ? ran aain, simply !ecause that "as all ? coul$ remem!er $oin. G&ah the pretty is forettin. Ih "ell. That is the name of the ame. ?t has outsmarte$ us. This time ? came out into a !i street. The pa#ement "as co!!le$ stone, the streetlihts lo"in slihtly 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 throuh. & scrapin noise came from in front of me. ? turne$ aroun$ an$ loo%e$ throuh 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 $ar% coat. ?n the riht, cla"-a$orne$ han$ "as a %nife, scrapin aainst 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-"hite 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 $istinuish. ?t "as
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com li%e somethin out of a nihtmare. Than% o$ it $i$n9t ha#e any features of anyone ? %ne". That "oul$ ha#e !een pure torment. ? %ille$ a man/ G?t is a fine e#enin, "oul$n9t you say, prettyE ?t rinne$ at me. ? $i$n9t ans"er. ? $i$n9t %no" this thin. ?t stoppe$ smilin. G)e sai$ ?t is a fine e#enin )oul$n9t you say rettyE ? %ept my mouth shut. Day!e this "as a !a$ $ream. The creature let out a sih. GIh "ell. This is no more fun. Bou may o. )e release you ?t hel$ out the %nife to its riht an$ let o of it. ?t hane$ still in mi$-air. ? coul$ see some features of the %nife. ?t "as a $elicate %nife, "ith a slitherin sna%e enra#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 throuh the air an$ hit me. Straiht into my heart. &n$ ? $ie$. &n$ ? crie$. &n$ there "ere !riht lihts. &n$ there "here men in "hite to recei#e me. &n$ ? li#e.
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MOrNING STAR
aN Ordeal fOr kult by wOjcIech KrzymINskI
Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
4ntrodction )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#estiation "oul$ !e more $ifficult "ithout such connections. & C can !e a lecturer of an ancient lanuae 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, althouh he is $ea$. &ll $escriptions of the 2Cs 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 imae 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 $isuises. 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$ reliion. If course, not only &staroth or >eath &nels create an$ use satanic cultsA 2TzCh or DLKPTh can employ such cults as "ell. Christopher 3ar!os stronly !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 $elihte$ !y their son9s $ecision. 3ar!os $i$ e0ceptionally "ell at the collee, thus he ualifie$ to o!tain a scholarship on a Catholic *ni#ersityA there his star shone e#en !rihter. 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 strane, passionate irl "ho reatly chane$ 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 niht, !ut faile$A this enrae$ her, an$ she left him. He unsuccessfully strule$ 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 thouht 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 Lanuaes >epartment in the uni#ersity li!rary she sa" them chattin/ Q an$ of course jealous Thomas >a#i$son. Clau$ia !elons to small satanic cult calle$ GThe Dornin Star. She has thouht 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 youner !rother Samuel to %ill 3ar!os. >isuise$ 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 o!: 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 o! 6, 1/. 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 finerprint from the $oor%no!. The $ormitory uar$ has i#en the policemen a short $escription of Gthe ne" cleaner.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ 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% jeans an$ Ga tall, youn man "ith !ro%en nose an$ lon re$ hair. 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. The information a!out the 3i!lical uote is %ept secret !y the in#estiators, 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. If course, the opposite is true, so "hy are the police lyinE & ro!!ery $oes not $eman$ so much me$ia attention as an occult mur$er $oes, thus the pressure on the in#estiators 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 interroate$, 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 arumentE/. The $etecti#e ohn Freene "ill as% the C "ho is lecturer for a little help "ith the translation of the inscription. erhaps it "ill thro" a ne" liht 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 interroate$ 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 strules to hi$e his lonin for Christopher, !ut if the Cs are percepti#e or possess such a$#antaes as G(mpathy or G?ntuition/, 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. The uar$ $oes not thin% that he faile$ to $o his $uty, in fact, he !ecomes irrita!le if the Cs suest that.
&hapter 445 Clau$ia "ill not atten$ Christopher9s funeralA she "ill sen$ a Satanist to spy on >a#i$son $urin the ceremony, thouh. ?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$niht riht 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 Poice 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$ fihters 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com Ho"e#er, if the Cs fin$ Clau$ia !efore the cultists start to play, they can "in. >o not foret 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 nihtclu! calle$ GSematary, !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 suashe$A she ha$ promise$ Smith to ha#e se0 "ith him, !ut later she lauhe$ him out. The $escription of GSematary 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 !rain a!out !ein Ga ruthless %iller. >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. Fier9s picture/ a$orns the "estern "all. The cult lea$er calle$ Tric%y li#es there "ith his t"o female !o$yuar$s their statistics are ali%e to Samuel9s, these irls are fit an$ rea$y to fiht/, $i#i$in his time !et"een rea$in occult !oo%s an$ se0. Ither mem!ers of the cult ather there each niht to hear Tric%y9s rants an$ sermons. The stan$ar$ ritual of the Dornin Star is calle$ Gpurification of the min$: 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 !eins to spea% out his insane #isions. The Dornin Star has thirty mem!ers, most of them are street teenaers, touh 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 !etter 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 finerprints Samuel "as sentence$ to t"o years for assistin in a ro!!ery, thus he has a file in the police cataloues/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 2Cs, !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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com !elie#e$ in Fo$, !ut "as not a fanatic. He "ante$ to help Clau$ia to fin$ Fo$ aain, !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 nihtA he reularly "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 lanuaes. Mo6ement: A4tions: 5 Initiati6e bonus: 7 #amage bonus: 7 #amage 4apa4ity: SCR L) 5 S) 6 @) "nduran4e: 18 %atural armor: none Mental Balan4e: - 8 Ad6antages: Co$e of Honor Roman Catholic, 8/ #isad6antages: 2ihtmares $reams a!out Christopher, 67/ $7ills: Rea$)rite 2ati#e Lanuae 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, Theoloy 6, Linuistics 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 imaination. 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: SCR L) S) 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$)rite 2ati#e Lanuae 1, *narme$ Com!at 6, >aers 8, Han$uns 6, &rea Secrets N, 3arainin 65, ?nterroation 6, 2et of Contacts han$larze nar%oty%X"/ 66, 2et of Contacts satanists/ 6, Iccultism 6, oisons ; >rus 65, Se$uction 66, Street"ise 6, Sur#i#al N.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com Samuel King , Clau$ia9s youner !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 )eiht: N8% Communi4ation : #ery poor #oca!ulary "hich consists mostly of #ularisms Mo6ement: N A4tions : 5 Initiati6e bonus: #amage bonus: #amage 4apa4ity: 8 SCR L) S) 6 @) "nduran4e: 667 Mental Balan4e: - 8 Ad6antages: (n$ure hunerthirst 67/ #isad6antages: >ru &$$iction 68/ $7ills: >isuise 67, >o$e 6, Hi$e 6, Rea$)rite Rea$)rite 2ati#e Lanuae 8, Snea% 65, *narme$ Com!at 6, Han$uns N, &rea Secrets 8, 3urlary 4, >ri#e Pehicle Pehicle N, 2et of Contacts satanists/ , Iccultism 6, oisons ; >rus 8, Street"ise N
John Anthony olmes "or%s part-time as a uar$ 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 $o not impro#e his imae. Robert Smith o"ns the clu! GSematary. He is an a#i$ fan of horror an$ snuff mo#iesA sometimes he sits all niht 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. >etec >etecti# ti#ee 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 colleaue 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 eleant clothes, he $resses casually. casually. Tric"y, Tric"y, the lea$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 nihtmares an$ #isions, as he tries to $isco#er their hi$$en meanin. ?f someone helps him to un$erstan$ a #ision, Tric%y Tric%y "ill see that person as a peer to him, h im, not as a sla#e.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
$e!sins!i A Revie# $% The &ate 'olish Artist by 'ukasz (espondek
;#;I$&A* B B "K$I%$KI *A$ BOR% I% ./epartment of &rchitecture of Cra%o" Technical *ni#ersity !ut his career as an architect "as a #ery short one. He starte$ to e0periment "ith photoraphy circa 6485/ an$ he uic%ly acuire$ acclaim in that particular particular !ranch of art. 3ut, e#en then, his "or%s "or%s "ere $ifferent $ifferent from those of the many others. )here usually photoraphers trie$ to picture the outsi$e "orl$ - e#erythin that is surroun$in us - 3e%sins%i's photos "ere aime$ at the hi$$en, somethin #ery har$, althouh not impossi!le, to achie#e "ith the technoloy that "as a#aila!le at that time. He "as alrea$y $ra"in "ith crayons, !all-pens, etc. his fantastic $ra"ins that "ere full of $isfiure$ people an$ aressi#e se0uality. se0uality. &fter he realize$ that the impressions an$ inner feelins he trie$ to impose "ere har$ to achie#e !y the means of photoraphy, he turne$ to paint paintin in he he later later retu return rne$ e$ to phot photo ora raph phy y, usin usin comp comput uter er prorams to chane an$ re"or% his imaes/. &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 it 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$le is "al%in throuh a corri$or in "hich the "alls are car#e$ "ith iant, s%eletal statues. Lon-forotten !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, $isfiure$ lo#ers, human silhouettes fille$ "ith many !ony finers 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 liht that fills the empty city Q crum!lin, it9s !uil$ins fallin apart li%e the tissue tissue from from a $ea$ $ea$ !o$y !o$y. Tom!sto om!stones nes "ith car#e$ car#e$ faces faces that stare 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 unimaina!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 l on !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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com city that "as once the $i#ine home of human%in$, the paintins of my fa#orite artist sli$e in my min$ in a %alei$oscope of places lon forotten, !ut still not completely a!an$one$. &lso, the creatures that are $epicte$ in his paintins can easily fit into any $escription foun$ "ithin the paes of Kult !oo%s. &n$ notice that those are still human shapes, $istorte$ an$ $isfiure$, the spar% of humanity can !e clearly seen. (nouh. ?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 paintins Q those are ma$e un$er certain feelins, impressions an$ shoul$ !e also e0perience$ "ith those Q not necessarily nec essarily the same. In 56st @e!ruary, @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 throuh his "or%s, !ut later l ater realize$ that nothi nothin n 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 throuh them. Here ? pass to you the heritae 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$: in Sano%, )arsa" )arsa" an$ Czestocho"a. @rance is also pri#ilee$: they can #isit the allery of iotr >mocho"s%i "ho o"ns the larest collection of 3e%sins%i9s paintins an$ "ho %in$ly permitte$ inclusion of the "or%s you see in this pu!lication/. There are also many internet sites that $isplay those paintins, amost the !est of "hich are: site "ith $o"nloa$a!le, hih uality repro$uctions repro$uctions an$ past, past, ###(dmocho#s"igallery(net - a lare site ###(dmocho#s"igallery(net present an$ future e0positions e0positions you can also or$er one of t"o al!ums "ith the art of 3e%sins%i/. The other is ###(be"sins"i(pl ###(be"sins"i(pl - a !eautifully flashe$ site "ith concept art menu an$ illustrate$ !y the eerie music of Kantor. &$$itionally the latest computer c omputer "or%s "ere use$ use$ as C> co#ers for al!um ren$itions of psyche$elicroc% !an$ The Leen$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 &nel, &nel, an$ !oth Kin ?n% !oo%s/.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
%#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 $R!C!RI%+ 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 throuh 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 tauht throuh 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$ thouh 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 meaninless 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" PARIA&&' +OV"R%"# B' $'MBO&$ CR"A"# I%$I#" )"
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 enouh 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 Buosla#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 Buosla#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 oriinal 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 meaninlessness. ?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 topian 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com %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 lare collecti#e calle$ 2SK, 2eue Slo#enische Kunst, forme$. ?t ha$ Lai!ach as a mem!er an$ as its i$eoloical 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 reliion. The 2e" Collecti#ism >esin Stu$io cooperates "ith $esin -posters, raphical propaan$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 reimes, $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 reimes 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#o an$ Grero%!e Inja re$ictions of @ire/ %$K $tate: """.ns%state.com
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
The &ell C@@@, dir5 Tarsem Singh I *AC)"# )I$ MOVI" )R"" IM"$ , B"CA!$" OF )" VIVI# A%# MOVI%+ IMA+"R' , %O B"CA!$" OF A $!P"RB ACI%+ = )" actors are !elie#a!le, this is sufficient for me/. 3ut if the imaes are the main strenth 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 technoloyA of course it is only a pro#isory name. Such technoloy can !e use$ !y ser#ants of Tiphareth to spy on the Cs, for instance. Such technoloy can !e hi$$en in a scientific institute, $e#ote$ to Dal%uth, or a $ream maician coul$ !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$, !ut li#in on throuh a fe" momentsE The thir$ motif is !oun$ "ith the #illain of the mo#ie, Carl Starher playe$ "ith unsettlin usto !y Pincent >'Inofrio/. Starher is a $anerous an$ 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 rins 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 Cell. ?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 liht, 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 ajou%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 . Lo $oes not much harm &n$ a !it of tri#ia on the en$ Q the $irector of GThe Cell, Tarsem Sinh, "as !ehin$ the famous R(D music #i$eo GLosin Dy Reliion. = %o&ciech Krzyminski
"ad Lietenant ;>>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, ? forot that ? "as "atchin a mo#ie - ? e0perience$ a jun%ie an$ am!ler oin throuh 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 $eenerate, 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 esus Christ. ?t can !e un$erstoo$ t"ofol$. @irstly, it is the true Christ, the Sa#iour. Secon$ly, it is a $emon "ho !rins $o"n the policeman. ? choose the secon$ possi!ility, as it allo"s me to inore the uestion: "ho "as the real esus "hat force ha$ sent himE/. ? thin% that the esus in this mo#ie can !e a ser#ant of the @alse Rescuer, Famichicoth, !ecause in the en$ he !rins $o"n the cop. – %o&ciech Krzyminski
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
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 tae$ the isa" %iller. The isa"'s mo$us operan$i in#ol#es $esinin 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 $emise, etc. The #arious fates of the isa"'s #ictims are truly horrifyin, an$ are a para$im for the metho$s of 2epharites in Kult. ?t is in such a puratory-li%e pliht 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$istic "ill. La"rence an$ &$am's strule is intercut "ith flash!ac%s to earlier happenins, re#ealin the e0tent of the police in#estiation into the isa", an$ 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 ames )an han$les the script "ell enouh to $eli#er somethin close to its full effecti#eness, thouh certain intense scenes one #ictim's $esperate strule for her life aainst the tic%in of the cloc%, a hectic chase seuence/ $eenerate into DTP e$itin an$ craze$ montae. 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 strule 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 sualor. Harsh strip lihtin illuminates the prehistoric !athroom of &$am an$ La"rence's imprisonment li%e a pu!lic toilet in Hell. Soile$ tile surfaces, iron pipes an$ the lon-coaulate$ 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 nihtmare cham!er, at least not for lon, an$ the au$ience, li%e the characters, "ill stay trappe$ in there also, riht 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"ins. & !rutally enjoya!le in$ie classic. Bou %no" you'#e just "atche$ a truly Kultesue 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com
&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 $on't ha#e the uratory source!oo%. ? thouht ?'$ i#e you a #ery !rief o#er#ie": (L?&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 The Teacher, an$ e#en po"erful Razi$es fear him. I2&H Chai$iel/ )ea%er then (lijah an$ Cain !ut ancient. refers a false Fuar$ian &nel type uise an$ "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 spriner. 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 mihty !ut crafty an$ un$erhan$e$. refers se0ual pain an$ torment. >ar% $ealins "ith passion conjurers an$ intereste$ in (lysium. Danipulates onah. F&3R?(L Toarini/ )al%s in (lysium li%e his fallen master. ossesses !o$ies to $o his !i$$in an$ ne#er materializes physically in his "ea%ene$ state. *ses !eautiful people, acts li%e an &nel !ut is really a $ar% massiah. DIS(S Samael/ 2ot as po"erful as (lijah or Cain, !ut one of the more mihty. Shunne$ !y other 2epharites. unishes re#ene see%ers an$ freuently re"ar$e$ !y his master. @ree han$ to "or% in (lysium. Fan-type #iolence empo"ers him. ?3R&H?D Hara!-Serap/ Crusa$er for Fo$ uise. He truly sees himself as $oin the "or% of Fo$ in his punishin. (njoys reliious !attles. Close ties to ?shmael as he "as once Human too. D(SH*L Famichicoth/ *naffecte$ !y his master's huner ; thirst po"ers. He is a cunnin planner !ut not "ell %no"n outsi$e the Cita$el. He is not #ery po"erful, ha#in ser#ants assist him to $o his "or%. olitically influences
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com matters that ma%e huner issues "orse. &lliance "ith 2athan. The uratory source!oo% is really $esine$ "ell. & !it $istractin to rea$ since it is $esine$ li%e a calen$ar "ith !lac% an$ "hite art an$ re$ !loo$y stains an$ colorin here an$ there. ? am currently of the opinion e#eryone shoul$ et it if you are a 2epharite lo#er. 3ut you coul$ "or% all your $ays a"ay in Kult "ithout it if nee$ !e. ?t is inspiration an$ i#es a reat many e0amples of uratories an$ $ifferent 2epharite aen$as an$ relations to their >eath &nel masters. The !oo% also contains a fe" artifacts an$ >eath school spells. +nderspa#n ?'m startin to thin% of 2epharites $ifferentlyA ? thin% more emphasis shoul$ !e put on the intensely personal connection the 2epharite has "ith it's #ictim, rather than them just !ein another leather-cla$ sic%o "ith a 3i!lical name. Specifically, ?'m thin%in of the character eze!el in the mo#ie aco!'s La$$er. ?f you ha#en't seen this film in "hile, try chec%in it out from the Kult perspecti#e. Thin% of aco!'s life "ith her as his puratory: the su!tle, callous $isrear$ 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 seeminly normal non-player character, actin a role in the puratory 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 puratory e0ists not as some raphic, !loo$-soa%e$ hell, !ut as a simple, unen$in, uoti$ian nihtmare...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: ?f you're clinin to your life, you'll see $emons snatchin your life a"ay. 3ut if you'#e ma$e your peace, they're really anels. >oesn't this $escri!e the 2epharites' role perfectlyE ? thin% it also intro$uces more sha$es of rey to the cosmoloy, nothin is truly 'oo$' or '!a$' - it's just a matter of perspecti#e. So ?'m no loner portrayin 2epharites as t"o-$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 it &n$ ? aree, 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 loner "ill your stay in ?nfernouratory !e. &s for the $ifference !et"een Razi$es an$ 2epharites, ? mostly see Razi$es as officers in the >eath &nels' oranizations, "hile 2epharites are more li%e hire$ consults, "ho sometimes o their o"n "ays... this is not official, thouh. &aughingChance Razi$es are li%e SS Troopers an$ the 2epharites are li%e the Festapo... an$ that is ho" ? loo% at it. Some arue that the Razi$es seem to !e hiher up in the ?nfernal Hierarchy !ut if you rea$ uratory you "ill see that there are a fe" the mihtiest 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 steerin from the top. 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 $istinuish creatures, ta%e a loo% at
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com >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 techniues... 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 sureon... Razi$es may ma%e $eals teachin others Daic 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 mihtier !ecause of the sheer !rutality - "here 2epharites are more !ehin$ the scenes mentally manipulatin an$ ensnarin #ictims #ia craft. ,mpact They ha#e $ifferent oriinal/ moti#es as "ell. 2epharites oriinal moti#es are !ase$ upon the fact that they are oin to !e a!le to punishtorment sinners. Razi$es oriinal 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 !ier 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. uratories 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 oriins are %ept #aue - 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 thouh 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 stae. ?t is the &rchons that are peripheral. Sure they miht li%e to thin% they are all po"erful !ut "e ha#e the po"er to $estroy or transform them throuh our collecti#e actions. &ctually, our opinions are not that $ifferent. ust that you see 2epharites as a race of opportunists ta%in a$#antae 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 thouh it is a nice i$ea, the i$ea a!out 2epharites !ein create$ !y our $esire to !e
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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$... Thouh 2epharites can still !e forme$, an$ !y humans at that. This fact ? ta%e "ith thouhts 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 $o"n to earth ames... hmmm/ Brynol% The 2epharites ha#e a #ital role in the >emiure'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, thouh. &aughingChance Humans !efore capti#ity seeme$ to ha#e really pisse$ off a lot of races. Dany "ant re#ene 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 !eins "ho ot an opportunity to "or% "ith their fa#ourite type of "or%. &aughingChance ?n uratory 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, ? thouht su!conscious $esire to !e punishe$ is "hat puratories are all a!out. ?n all the e0amples ? ha#e seen the puratory re#ol#es aroun$ 2on-layer Character seriously unresol#e$ issues neati#e D3/. ? realise this i$ea of 2epharites is not canon !ut you "oul$ ha#e to aree it "oul$ help $ifferentiate them from Razi$es. Brynol% +anopticon, mpact ; LauhinChance: 3oth uratory an$ the main rule!oo% 5n$ e$/ confirms that it is the humans' o"n uilty conscience that $ras the 2epharites to them, trappin them in hell. 3ut remem!er that uilt can't really !e true uilt, ie uilt that the true, 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... (#en most razi$es !o" in Z(lijah's[ presence. The "or$ e#en implies that razi$es normally are #ery hih on the infernal po"er-scale, hiher 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 riht/ there are t"o "ays a 2epharite can come into e0istence: (ither !y simply !ein create$ !y a $eath anel 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 anels can create nepharites/.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com Ir, as "ith certain Chai$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 $auhters &lyona an$ Katya/ !y !ein con#erte$ from humans into nepharites either !y ha#in an e0treme an$ $istorte$ lust for re#ene o#er people. Brynol% The >eath &nels 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 anels shoul$ !e a!le to come up "ith efficient torturers, ie creatures li%e nepharites. This "oul$ moti#ate a cosmoloy "here the >emiure creates nepharites. The source!oo%s say $ifferent, thouh, 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 oriinally, on a mission to capture Kalen%o in his puratory. There are ho"e#er more e0amples of humans turnin into 2ephs than thatA @allen anels, anyoneE &n$ it really says in uratory, that it is possi!le to !ecome one. ? am not #ery fon$ of this i$ea, thouh, 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 strane sentences. Humans may turn into anels of #eneance, chil$ren of the niht or other horri!le thins, !ut nepharites... )ell, technically a human may !e anythin, really, !ut still... ,mpact 5n$ ($. (nlish for purposes of copyriht, ? "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. ...Zsnip[ Zsnip[...& person "ith feelins of se#ere uilt can more or less unconsciously et in contact "ith the 2epharites, "ho rea$ his innermost feelins an$ create a puratory for him. ...Zsnip[ Zsnip[... .rcanum "etropoliE These monsters Razi$es/ "here once create$ !y &staroth an$ his anels of $amnation to ser#e in ?nferno an$ to torment the sinners... Zsnip[ p.64M Zsnip[...They 2epharites/ emere$ 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 feelins to fin$ their sins. ...Zsnip[ Zsnip[... The oriins of 2epharites are un%no"n. They li#e$ in the sha$o" of humanity until the >emiure 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. ...Zsnip[ p.641Zsnip[... .rcanum "etropoliE These !eins 2epharites/ are the princes of pain... They see% souls to torment an$ fin$ e0treme pleasure in feelin the fear an$ rerets of other !eins... Zsnip[ This is "hat ? foun$ that is rele#ant to this topic. ? $i$n't o throuh uratory at this time, !ut ? do remem!er the line a!out Razi$es !o"in for him. ?f my memory $on't fail me, ? thouht ? 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$ ($. (nlish thouh, so if ? rea$ it any"here it "as in 6st or 5n$ e$. S"e$ish "hich ? $on't ha#e at han$/. ? miht !e "ron a!out that one thouh. ? al"ays thouht 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 thouht pattern o to"ar$s the feelin that Razi$es are lesser in status.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ,mpact 3ase$ upon my pre#ious post , ?'$ li%e to !rin forth a theory: &staroth an$ his anels of $amnation/ create$ the Razi$es so that humanity coul$ !e torture$ until they forot their pre#ious life, hence "oul$ !e ena!le$ to return to li#in in (lysium. ust 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 not )e're all a happy !unch $o"n here, "hy not some more tormentors, e0cellent, smashin So no" you ha#e creatures create$ !y &staroth "ho $o his !i$$in, an$ also creatures IL>(R then Razi$es that torment. This i#es an e0planation to one thin: ?n uratory, it is sai$ 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$ uratory...(lijah/, 2epharites can scar humans in ?nferno, so that they "ill come !ac% o#er an$ o#er an$ o#er aain. 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 uratory 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 thouh, Razi$es are li%e the mice that $ance on the ta!le "hen the cat is one. 2epharites are li%e rats that come trash the party for the mice. 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. yes, ? li%e analoies, sorry... Hope this theory ma%es sense. ?n the en$, its a ame, $othin%act out "hate#er you as a Fame Daster feels is the !est. &aughingChance ust thin%in out lou$ here...There are Techrones an$ roto-Techrones... The same $eal applies to Lictors... in rear$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 leaue of their o"n a!o#e Razi$es. Razi$es are !orn in to the ?nfernal Hierarchy 2epharites that are not create$ or Humans promote$ to !ein a 2epharite... are essentially contractors. 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 &nels in status an$ strenth. KingSiLC: ? aree. 3ut !oy are they resentful Thousan$s an$ thousan$s of years Brynol% I%, ? i#e up, humans can o!#iously !e turne$ into nepharites... 3ut ho" a!out this thenA &ll humans in (lysium are not of the same $i#ine species ie the race "e !elone$ 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 anels, &zhouls, $emons or other strane thins, e#en 2epharites. This is possi!le, if "e assume that the reat 3an, "hirl"in$ 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 suc%e$ into (lysium alon "ith us. &aughingChance Conspiracies... )ell the Lictors ha#e a !i conspiracy...an$ the 2epharites ha#e one too...>eath &nels an$ &rchons too...(#en azuzu $oin it's o"n thin... ?s anyone min$in the storeEE ? 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com <houh 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 lesser monsters, 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 Lictors2epharitesE ¬her pro!lem is that if humanity "oul$ !e this heteroene, then the illusion is no loner a matter of %eepin a race 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 menaerie of $ifferent species trappe$ insi$e a zoo... an$ plenty of $ifferent species are there as potential allies. This latter scenario easily $eenerates into some %in$ of metropolis free$om force - featurin $emon!oy, anelirl an$ spi$erman. )hat's the num!er one clichU in roleplayinE The heroic team consistin of one elf, one human, one $"arf an$ a ho!!itthief, comes to my min$./ ? thin% an &zhoul C not %no"in that she is an &zhoul/ coul$ ma%e sense. &fter all the &zhouls 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 himherself to !e a human. This is just a thouht... ?'m not at all aainst non-human C's. ? thin% the point is that it is humans "ho shoul$ !e imprisone$, !ut of course a re!ellious Lictoranel2epharite coul$ ha#e !een sentence$ to imprisonment toether "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 aents 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 reular 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 uratory conflicts a !it "ith my o"n. ? really li%e the i$ea of eze!el in aco!'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 aco!'s memory thouh -- 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 cos in the machinery are create$ !y the >emiure 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 rae an$ hate/ --- our "orst enemies an$ most po"erful jailors. Humanity really only has to conuer its inner $emons to a"a%en an$ !rea% free. Humanity is the %ey ? still li%e the i$ea of the >emiure !ein a human !ein -- "ho %no"s, may!e he has !een reincarnate$ 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 !eins 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 $esine$ for in$i#i$uality or anythin. ? feel that "hile antaonism amon the in$i#i$uals in Kult archons, $eath anels/ is o%, the races shoul$ !e less in$epen$ent. ?f you can play one 2epharite aainst another the ame loses some of its horror potential. To me, uratory 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 $isrear$ 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ? 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 $etails a#aila!le in (nlish on my site at """.ny!oria.$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 $oesn't help "ith the creation of 2epharites thouh. ?n my recent Kult campain the complete lo files for "hich are also on my site/ ? ha$ a character slo"ly turn into a 2epharite, too - here it "as some %in$ of 'parasitic infection' than%s to some surery performe$ on the character in a puratory. ?t "as a "ay for the oriinal 2epharite to ensure his control o#er his inten$e$ #ictim e#en thouh the Cs "ere attac%in the #ictim's puratory 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$ $istortions occur. 2ames may sur#i#e in one format or another !ut the truth has !een lost to the ?llusion. So fishy 3i!le references an$ such matters are a symptom of that in the ame. ? am not sure ? am e0pressin myself "ell enouh in ma%in my point... !ut ? hope you et "hat ? am after. ? enjoy ha#in thins 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 fishy references an$ name $roppin. ?t fits the !i picture to me. +3itpic%er: 2ot $esine$ for in$i#i$ualityEE ? 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 &nels 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$er then humanity... Some !eins may!e sinle min$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-esue thro" !ac% to e#il clerics in >;> "ith zom!ie ser#ants. &nimalistic intelliences 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 chare they $i$n't $are... !ut no" it is a free for all... as the ?llusion crum!les. Brynol% +Tintomara: Bou're riht. The non-humans inha!itin (lysium shoul$ !e #ery restricte$, !ut if use$ in mo$erate proportions, ? thin% the i$ea is reat. ? am more or less !uil$in a "hole campain aroun$ it it's har$ to %eep it as restricte$ as it shoul$ !e, !ut.../. +Ro!in: So you're the 2y!oria uy ? rea$ your articles a "hile ao, an$ ? really li%e$ them. ? just "ante$ to say that another reason "hy the population is ro"in, miht !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 +Lauhin Chance: ?'m not sayin the 2epharites miht 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 reliion/
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com "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 uly 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 $on't ha#e the same e0cuse. Conspiracies, huner for po"er, mutual animosities, just ma%e them un$erstan$a!le an$ human-li%e. ? "ant the completely alien. The $eath anels an$ archons em!o$y principles "hich are, as a matter of fact, antaonistic. They are much more than just their anthropomorphic imaes, an$ "hile "e seem to see intellient in$i#i$uals plottin aainst each other, they are just as much forces of super-nature ratin aainst 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-hunry plotters as the humans are, "hy isn't it them "ho are imprisone$E /lminster0112 ?9#e al"ays thouht that 2epharite are just another !ree$ of chil$ren of niht, that en$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 &nels ha#e their interests an$ time spent %eepin us at !ay Human%in$/... They aren't hanin out surfin the rins of Saturn... they are compelle$ for #arious reasons to !a!y-sit us... "here is their free "ill they are prisoners to Human%in$ a oo$ reason to %ic% us "hile "e are $o"n, ta%e $eliht in punishin us... resentin us... they are just as much prisoners as Humans !ecause of Humans in my #ie". ?t's not li%e there are other roue 2epharites or somethin roamin aroun$ unemploye$. ?t seems that "hole races are in ser#ice to the Dachine, nicht "ahrE Humans are on the !ottom run !ecause "e "ereare that much more $anerous... the others may ha#e positions #ia accepta!le le#els of ris% to the >emiure an$ 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$ $isuise$ 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 &nels of >eath nee$ them as sol$iers in (lysium. ? also thin% that some humans miht not !e real humans !ut rather jailors in $isuise an$ fallen anels an$ such, "hom at first seems human !ut if you see throuh the illusions they're really not. ? thin% all R(&L human !eins are mem!ers of the same $i#ine race. &ny other option ta%es the meanin of the cosmoloy concept a"ay in my opinion, as Tintomara has alrea$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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com has ta%en form. ? too thin% The &nels of >eath an$ &rchons represents principles rather than in$i#i$uals, !ut these are fun$amental !asic human principles really. )e miht not al"ays reconise 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 hea#en an$ hell are create$ from human conceptions of fear, hate, mor!i$ity, sa$ism, huner 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 imaes. This ? thin% e0plains the conspiracies amon them "hile also maintainin the fact that humanity is the center of it all. That sai$ ? $on't li%e uratory too much either !ecause ? see the 2epharites as !ase$ on other human ualities than huner 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!. ? $on't ha#e anythin in principle aainst po"er strules in hell, they are li%e the conflicts of moti#es in our o"n min$s, !ut ? thin% these strules are more the ame of the hiher 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 ures are part of the frame"or% of the illusion, an animal part marrie$ to the hiher human self an$ o#ernin suppressin/ it. )e cannot aue "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 antaonists/. ? %eep thins incomprehensi!le for that reason, an$ conspiracies are too easy to comprehen$ for my tastes. Tintomara ? sometimes use mechanical $olls for the same purpose. Bou'll ha#e to see throuh the illusions to see the cos an$ sprins mo#in insi$e their flesh an$ to see their crac%e$ plastic s%in. Some of them are "al%in on rail"ays, al"ays repeatin the same tas%s. They oriinally come from a num!er of nihtmares ? 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 assine$ to repair an$ ta%e care of "in$ up 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 aainst each other... !ut ? also see them as hihly territorial. ? thin% they are in nee$ of sufferin, just li%e a sha$o" is in nee$ of liht. ?f all lihts 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 $estroye$%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 fiht o#er the resource you are in nee$ of. ?n this case the resource is sufferin people, so ? thin% nepharites may plot aainst each other to ain control o#er sufferin souls, an$ perhaps o#er certain areas "ith lots of misery. 3ut ? $on't thin% they conspire aainst anyone to ain hiher social status, they simply ha#e no use of status. ? thin% they can !e fascinate$, mesmerize$ an$ e0alte$. ? sometimes imaine nepharites are attracte$ !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$ual, other than as competition$aner or a resource. They ha#e a self preser#ation, !ut they $on't fear anythin. ? thin% they e0perience some %in$ of pain instea$ of fear "hen their e0istence is in $aner this is ho" ? thin% !acteria e0perience $aner/. ?n one "ay, ? thin% of them as flies on a ca$a#er. The life of a fly often oes somethin li%e this: Star#ation, a#oi$in !ir$s. Smell of a ca$a#er Ten thousan$ other flies has alrea$y foun$ the ca$a#er.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com Fotta !ree$ as fast as possi!le "hile the ca$a#er is still there 3ree$in, eatin, !ree$in. Iops, no more ca$a#er Dore star#ation, a#oi$in !ir$s. 3elie#e it or not, !ut flies can !e uite territorial if their ca$a#er is small./ Ine sufferin human may not !e enouh to sustain se#eral nepharites, perhaps nepharites sometimes fiht o#er sufferin souls. erhaps nepharites compete in such "ay that the one "ho can cause most aony to a soul, "ill recei#e most of the sufferin. erhaps there isn't enouh sufferin for !oth, so only the one "ho ot most out of the humans "ill stay "ith it. This "ay a human soul coul$ select it's tormentor, !y !ein more responsi!le to himherit. &aughing Corpse These creatures all sur#i#e throuh human sufferin after $eath rihtE This ot me to thin%in ho" the Lore of >eath an$ the Lore of >reams seem tailor ma$e to escape the ?llusion to a reat $eree an$ 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 2iht 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 $o"n, "hich suest that they cannot a"a%en in the human sense. &lso, it seems that !ecomin a 2epharite reuires that some really po"erful creature li%e a >eath &nel or somethin/ is in#ol#e$. &s mpact 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 $on't en$aner the safety of (lysium, Lictors "oul$n't care a!out them. ?f, ho"e#er, a 2epharite $oesn't $o its jo! #ery "ell, say it lets #ictims escape or such, it miht !e consi$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$. He is calle$ HeatSee%er an$ is suppose$ to ha#e "or%e$ for a 2epharite once as a S%arpr]ttare 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 $on't %no" if it is the same screen-imae on (nlish #ersion/ an$ 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 interestinE (0ecutioners of 2epharites'E ?t once ma$e me create a personal e0ecutioner for &staroth, calle$ Dephisto yes, ? "as youn, !ut it fits/ Brynol%
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 &nel, a Razi$e, a 2epharite or someone else. &ccor$in to "hat "e more or less aree 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 oriinal ones "here so !orn, an$ there are "ays to cripple a human in this form. The >emiure $i$n't see them as a menace, an$ so $i$ not imprison them, an$ they hate the rest of humanity. Tintomara ? thouht 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 sha$o"s of the &"a%ene$ humanity. Somethin that "as ta%en a"ay from us, an$ somethin that "e can !e turne$ into. 2ot #ery $ifferent from the sha$o" that "e cleanse a"ay from our souls "hen "e attain an e0treme mental !alance, !ut someho" $ifferent any"ay. ? thin% nepharites fear the a"a%enin of humans, !ecause ? thin% "hene#er a human a"a%ens, one 2epharite meres "ith that human's soul an$ loses its i$entity. &n$ ? thin% they cannot e0ist outsi$e sufferin. ? fin$ it har$ to $escri!e them any !etter... !ut the cripple$ o$s theory is a oo$ 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$ throuh puratories. This "oul$ in theory ma%e it possi!le to !rin them !ac% throuh the creation of a ne" liht sha$o", a liht si$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$ea 3ut ? thin% it %in$ of conflicts "ith the liht$ar% sha$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 mere "ith your liht or $ar% sha$o" to !ecome &"a%ene$. ?f you "ere to $estroy your sha$o" !efore you reache$ the a"a%enin stae, 2epharite-ism soun$s li%e a fairly loical fate. Bro"en Doll ?'m "ith Spa"ny on this one... <houh none of my players nor their characters/ are any"here near enlihtenment. 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$/
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ?n that case ? li%e the thouht that 2epharites are sha$o"s of our true nature !etter. Brynol% +riginally posted by nderspawn### 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%. +Kinsi0: 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 ae of (lysium rest. ? thin% there coul$ !e enouh $ea$ humans to co#er the num!er of 2epharites. KingSi? $on't aree "ith you. The human race "as immortal !efore the imprisonment, an$ still is. Ho"e#er $eath has !ecome a a ate to other e0istences - an$ to erase our memories to %eep us imprisone$. ?n the chapter !eyon$ $eath "e are also i#en a hint that not many human !eins ha#e !een $estroye$. ?t is not e#en o!#ious that $eath e0iste$ !efore the imprisonment of man. Inly a han$ful ha#e !een "ipe$ out $urin the past millennia. ?t ta%es much more than $eath to o!literate a human !ein. p567 6st e$ition/ Brynol% Hmm, you're riht. 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 Thouh perhaps the Dirror Halls an$ Demory 3an%s co#er those. Humans are har$ to %ill, an$ $eath may only !e an illusion, !ut, as the 6st e$ suests, "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 intriuin hint at just ho" ol$ humanity is. KingSiFoo$ point ? aree 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 puratory. 2epharites $on9t en$ up in puratories, !ecause they create them. )hich !rins another couple of interestin thin up: Ho" much po"er $oes a 2epharite ha#e in a puratoryE >oes a 2epharites po"ers $iffer $epen$in on "hether the puratory is create$ !y himheritE Can 2epharites enter any puratories at "illE -$ there is plottin an$ enmity to a !ier e0tent !et"een 2epharites, $o they try to openly challene each other insi$e uratoriesE &n$ if so, "hat is the conseuences for humans trappe$ in a puratory in "hich t"o 2epharites are !attlin each otherE )hether it is physical or mental !attle./ ust some thouhts that came up. This is of course moot points to $iscuss if you $on't thin% 2epharites ha#e a nee$ to "or% aainst each other for more po"er.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com (#en thouh 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 thins 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 hihest 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 puratories. That can !e $one !y the sinner. & character "ith enouh uilt can create his o"n puratory. e0ample: (liza!eth Seymor in @allen &nels/ ?t is also hinte$ in the 5n$ S"e$ish e$ition that the nepharites "as !efore the imprisonment: They steppe$ for"ar$ from the sha$o"s "hen the flamin halls "ere create$ an$ came in the sur#i#e of e#il. 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" This is really a neat i$ea Sa$ly, it $oesn't fit #ery "ell "ith the sha$o"- an$ non-conspiracy 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$n't fit just as "ell "ith a non-conspiracy sha$o"-style 2ephariteE 2epharites !attlin each others for the po"er o#er a sinle human $oes not imply that 2epharites are po"er hunry conspirators. ?t is fully possi!le that nepharites compete for in$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 analoies... (#er seen an ?chneumon flyE parasitstekel in S"e$ish, it's not a real fly/. They fin$ a caterpillar, lay an e insi$e the caterpillar, the e hatches "hile the caterpillar is still ali#e an$ the little fly lar#ae starts eatin the caterpillar from the insi$e. ?f t"o flies infect the same caterpillar, !oth lar#ae "ill $ie from star#ation unless one lar#ae %ill the other lar#ae/. There isn't enouh caterpillar for !oth, so the flies a#oi$ each other. Iccasionally they en$ up t"o toether 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 uratory. (#en if it is a miht ma%es riht or a >eath &nels fa#orite son type $eal. Some are more feare$ then others, some nee$ help carryin out their tas%s an$ plans. There are Froup uratories... if there is any fihtin 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ? 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$ ? aree. The $ar%nessuilt 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 ao an$ they e#ol#e$ uite $ifferently from Humanity as "e %no" it... ame-"ise. >amn this is a oo$ threa$ Stirner Rea$in all the threa$ too% me a "hile, !ut hey Foo$ points So ?'ll thro" in my t"o cents. ?n my cosmoloy, there are three %in$s of 2epharites: The Bechorim primien/ - are li%e (lijah an$ many of those $escri!e$ in uratory: ancient as man capti#ity. They are calle$ the Sons of the Se#enth >ay. )hen our capti#ity "as complete an$ >emiuros 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 imae, li%e >emiuros $i$ "ith Den. 3ut &staroth ha$ nothin li%e him, so he spa"ne$ the 3echorim, t"iste$ an$ !ro%en imaes of man. They are the masters of the uratories 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 foret/: Humans "ho ha#e !ecome 2epharites. They can !e as ancient as thousan$ of years ao 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 &nel, "ho has con#erte$ them in 2epharites throuh a Torment alimpsest the ri$ of puratories "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 uratory in ?nferno. They are just a reflection of that sinle 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 uratory, !ut e#en once they pure$ the soul, they remain in ?nferno, allein to an &nel of >eath or simply operatin mass puratories. They hate humanity !ecause they feel li%e humans create$ them as "rec%e$ creatures, an$ they feel the ure to "rec% them in return. That's "hat ? ma$e to fit in my cosmoloy, ? 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. ust on a note for you people, &staroth ha#e create$ "ith a little help/ t"o anelic choirs "ell, they are ?nfernal, since they "or% for &. !ut it "ill all !e e0plaine$ in Host./. This miht 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 types of 2epharites. Brynol% 2ice 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 they came out of the $ar%, an$ offere$ &staroth their ser#ices, or They are the t"iste$ remains of a human sha$o"... hmm, ?'ll ha#e to %eep thin%in as usual...
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 humans/ until the pre#ious life is forotten. 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 thouht to !e !esto"e$ on 2epharites, loo% in your core !oo% once aain 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 thouh. Dy personal approach to this is that ? see >esparytes an$ 2epharites as #ery similar creatures, possi!ly "ith similar or same oriins, !ut "ith the fun$amental $ifference that 2epharites no" "or% for Hell shortene$ $o"n, you %no" "hat ? mean/ "hilst >esparytes are more freelancers. This is my personal approach#ie" on them thouh 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> $elihte$. & 2epharite thouht is totally impossi!le to un$erstan$. This is the main $ifference, for me !et"een a 2epharite an$ a urati$e. The latest is !ein torture$, he %no"s it an$ suffers. 2ot so the nepharite. He ?S torture$, !ut he has !rouht 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 mpact "rote. In the mental si$e, ?'$ suest 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 rimiens, they ha#e oriins 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 nihtmare come true. &aughingChance ?'m intereste$ in ho" you fol%s thin% of an$ e0plain (liza!eth in @allen &nelsE )as she in fact a proto2ephariteE KingSi? thin% you coul$ call her a roto-2epharite althouh they call her an &#enin &nel in the a$#enture. 2ot to !e mista%en for Samael's a#enin anels 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 stroner from it if they are s%ilful enouh/ in my opinion, !ut the Cs $on't fit that !it. They are more li%e mutate$ urati$es or somethin in essence in @allen &nels. (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 corpses et up an$ menace the C. The C is actually usin po"ers no" forotten an$ not controlle$ creatin an hallucination of terror. The $elusions of others can effect the illusions #ersion of reality for other Cs2Cs 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 chane 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 &nels 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 &nels are not chane$ 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 maic 3oorman tauht him. ?f that ha$n't happene$ she miht not ha#e !ecome "hat she !ecame. ? "oul$ say pro!a!ly not !ecome this a#enin anel. Brynol% ¬her thouht on ?nferno... ?n theory, it "oul$ !e enouh to let ?nferno !e our only prison. Lettin humanity !e torture$ for all eternity, an$ ne#er et a hol$ of any thouhts that coul$ lea$ to a"a%enin "oul$ !e a reat "ay to %eep them a"ay from the truth, rihtE )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 enrae$ or another po"erful feelin/ o#er their situation, that they "ill rise aainst the torturers, reain 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 aainst 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 cosmoloy ? use to often. Ho"e#er, "hen you put it li%e that, it clearly conforms my opinion on the matter in areement "ith your o"n. (0cellent. S - ? $on't feel 2epharites are create$ from thin air. ? li%e to thin% of them as another race. <houh 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 cosmoloy-"ise. &s @allen &nel sai$... ?nferno is losin more an$ more souls one of the reasons 2epharites an$ Razi$es are #enturin forth to claim an$ capture #ictimsclients. ?t "or%s for me... "ithout the >emiure in place a lot of thins 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 thins people are li#in loner Dal%uthE/ an$ ettin a reater an$ reater chance to realize thins aren't riht. 3ara0stra
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ? thin% that the fact that people are li#in loner $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 loner life-e0pectancy means only that people's ties to their mortal shells are strenthenin - as is their cra#in for anythin material - ?t miht 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 riht from the startE Thus the num!er of souls shoul$ !e eual or $ecreasin as some are $ra"n into puratory or enlihtene$/. Can it !e e0plaine$ "ith the non-e0istence of timeE )hich "oul$ mean there are still 'fresh' human !eins 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 throuh maic, ? 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 >emiure has one missin the rotation in puratories must !e a lot faster - "hich lea$s us !ac% to the oriinal theme - 2epharites Brynol% &ll the homo sapiens on the planet isn't human. Some are forotten o$s li%e 3aal Reshef, some are ser#ants to archons or other entities. &lso remem!er that many humans has a $ar%liht 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 ne" humans are just "al%in illusions, create$ !y lictorsE/ to strenthen 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 miht 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 !ier than your !loc%. >on't !elie#e e#erythin you hear :> &aughingChance ? ha#e to $iffer "ith you =. The loner "e li#e the reater an$ loner "e can tra#el the liht$ar% roa$, the more e0perience$ "e are in the ?llusion, the more $esperate "e !ecome. Dental illness an$ !ioloical illness chanes 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 aents 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 course 3ut they clin to their shells - they are enchante$ "ith the "orl$ of their fi#e senses "hich year !y year !ein 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, sinin 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 3ut as usual, that's only my opinion :/ &aughingChance @irst of all Cs are not reular people in the ame settin...they are that somethin special oo$ or !a$ that falls into the o$$ places an$ strane e#ents... Cs at an a$#ance$ ae "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 niht 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 youner 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 forotten... 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 foret a!out their o"n sur#i#al, e0istin $ay after $ay, nelectin themsel#es, forettin to eat an$ !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 liht roa$ lea$in a oo$ life, me$itatin an$ such they coul$ et uite far... The loner 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 aain... erhaps the ?llusion "asn't $esine$ to ha#e so many Human souls "ithin it at the same time an$ place... heh heh heh. 3ara0stra Hmm, may!e you are riht...to some e0tent that is :/ . ? aree "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$er people in my surroun$ins are rather the "ay in my a!o#e post. ?'m sure that there is plenty of nasty thins 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$ althouh 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 ci#ilize$ "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 superhumans 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 ae/. So humans !ecome a!out 47 yrs ol$ to$ay, !ut can fin$ 47 yrs ol$ human fossils from the alaeolithic ae as "ell. Conclusion: Humans $o not ro" ol$er to$ay than un$er the stone ae !ut they ro" ol$er to$ay than they $i$ aroun$ the mi$$le aes/. Brynol% Ho" our torturers actually $o it... ? came up "ith this i$ea in another threa$, !ut this is pro!a!ly "here it !elons the most. &ll memories et attache$ to the immortal soul, an$ can ne#er truly !e erase$ if &chlys or Coatlicue
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com %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 li#in humans repress !a$ memories. They let us reli#e our li#es aain an$ aain, !ut "ith $etails $rastically chane$ in t"iste$, per#erte$ an$ uiltin "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 purin 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$ thouhts, !ut the eneral i$ea fits nicely into the Kulti#erse. ?f there isn't anythin ? ha#en't thouht a!out... 3ara0stra Hmm, that seems uite con#incin !ut ? $ou!t that !y multiplyin our uilt the 2epharites are purin us... that "ay "e "oul$ rather come !ac% "ith more anst than !efore an$ thus "ith lo"er D3. ? thin% that the system for purin souls "as a little !it $ifferent "hen e#erythin "as still in or$er, !ut "hen &staroth left ?nferno to search for the >emiure purin souls also chane$ - 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 puratories "e'#e rea$ a!out: the uratory of eanette 3eau#ois Shattere$ Li#es - The &!yss/. Her puratory, li%e all uratories, is tailor-ma$e for her !ase$ on the 'sins' of her life: promiscuous se0, paternal a!use an$ $ru a!use, the thins "hich cause$ her the most pain an$ e#entually %ille$ her. 2o", eanette can only foret her past life "hen she lets o of her memories an$ willingly lea#es the puratory. 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 empty sheet !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 anst, ho" "ill "e e#er !e a!le to process, an$ actually remem!er themE &n$ "hat are the Demory 3an%s, if the only "ay to ma%e us foret is !y tortureE 3ara0stra ? li%e$ "hat "as "ritten in 7Broken !olls adventure9 Crac%s in The Dirror: 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 puratoriesE 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 puratory, is the memories the 2epharite is a!out to taint. Thus, remem!erin puratory is synonymous "ith remem!erin our tainte$ memories from past li#es. That is, if nothin oes "ron in the puratory "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 puratory, !ut the others manae to et in to sa#e
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com him. Their presence an$ actions ma%e the pure$ C a"are of that he is in hell somethin most of the nepharites' clients $on't/, an$ so the natural or$er 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 uratory, instea$ of, or in a$$ition to his tainte$ 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 chane 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 stroner an$ inflict a ra$ical chane of personality an$ 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 puratory come rushin !ac%. ? $on't thin% you "ill instantly re-create your ol$ puratory 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$#enture. ?f the C is the source of the chanes it coul$ !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 lifepuratory, an$ althouh 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 enouh remem!ere$ a 2epharite sho"s up. ?t coul$ ser#e as a oo$ solo a$#enture Tintomara <ernati#ely 2on-layer Characters can repeat scenes the C has e0perience$ or committe$/. ?n stea$ of moc%in the C, perhaps some of the 2on-layer Characters su$$enly ather to %ill another 2on-layer Character "ith chains, hoo%s an$ strane me$ic euipment... &fter"ar$s they ha#e no reasona!le e0planation. KingSi+riginally posted by nderspawn### - would say that is the exact point of it = to increase the guilt and shame until the human mind reaches breaking point#*onsider what -"+ is one of the best )urgatories weGve read about5 the )urgatory of eanette Beauvois 7Shattered 'ives 3 The .byss9# :er purgatory, like all )urgatories, is tailor=made for her based on the GsinsG of her life5 promiscuous sex, paternal abuse and drug abuse, the things which caused her the most pain and eventually killed her#Dow, eanette can only forget her past life when she lets go of her memories and willingly leaves the )urgatory# She will not escape until she has ceased to care about everything that once constituted her life# Thus, she must discard it ( %hat other methods are there of achieving this, if not to focus on the unresolved emotions we retain from our life6
Pery oo$ point. ?t ta%e a lot to stop carin a!out your memories. )hich must !e the reason "hy you are pure$ for such a lon time - li%e fore#er. Da%es me "on$er if it ha$n't !een smarter !y the !i > to let e#eryone $ie from &lzheimer's $isease.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com +nderspa#n ? thin% the %ey point is free "ill - !i > lo#es his ironic punishments. Iur memories are only "ell an$ truly o!literate$ thouh pro!a!ly not from the $eepest le#els of the immortal soul, as $iscusse$ a!o#e/ "hen "e "illinly $iscar$ them. erhaps they cannot !e ta%en from us forci!ly. )e ha#e to let o of them, an$ there!y en$ the hell or para$ise/ "e impose upon oursel#es. e..: GThe secon$ of the 3u$$ha's truths $eals "ith the cause of sufferin, an$ is calle$ trishna, "hich is the act of clinin, raspin to hol$ on to thins "hich must fa$e a"ay. )e are moti#ate$ to clin to thins out of avidya, or inorance. Iut of inorance, "e $i#i$e the "orl$ into in$i#i$ual an$ separate thins an$ so try to confine the flui$ forms of reality to fi0e$ cateories create$ !y the min$. &s lon as "e rasp at these transitory thins, "e "ill suffer. &s lon as "e see thins as permanent an$ firm, "hen in truth they are transient an$ e#er-chanin, "e are trappe$ in a cycle "here e#ery action enerates further action an$ the ans"er to each uestion poses more uestions. 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 "illinly, "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 aco!'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 eanette 3ea#ouis9 puratory to !e one of the !est puratories 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 "illinly lea#e her puratory, so "hy can't she "illinly lea#e her puratory to out of a $esire for re#ene "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 puratory "as create$ out of !a$ memories an$ uilt ma$e physical in "hich case the puratory "oul$ cease to e0ist "hen she finally "oul$ let o 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 use$ up so "ithout a 2epharite you're stuc% fore#er in your puratory/E )hich !rins up the uestion: Can a puratory 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 fihtin o#er a nestmeal only on TLC, ehE/ 2epharites coul$ !e parasites fee$in on the natural process of human puration. ust simple e#olution - "e $esire to torture oursel#es for percei#e$ sins, so there are oranismsentities "hich capitalise an$ flourish on that process. Sinners are the host oranism from "hich they $ra" sustenance. 3ecause uilt an$ shame is "hat the 2epharites fee$ on, they "ill not let a urati$e o free until they ha#e completely e0hauste$ their foo$source. Da%es sense to me. 3ara0stra ? remem!er a frament from 6st e$ition rule!oo% that mentione$ that the 2epharites "ere fleein from crum!lin hells an$ puratories !ecause people starte$ to ma%e their o"n - "hich hints that a puratory $isappears if no one remem!ers it. &aughingChance
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com Foo$ point !rouht up here. ?DHI: 2epharites create an initial puratory 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 uratory is re-enforce$ an$ other"ise empo"ere$ thereafter. )hen the soul is cleanse$ it is all o#er... uratories $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$free$ or escapes. uratories 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 puratory there can !e a sin of "ea%ness or restructurin, conser#ation of some type. ?'m sure in ?nferno there "ere many stan$ar$ puratories for chil$ molesters, serial %illers, "ife !eaters or "hat ha#e you. @or the really special souls custom puratories are create$... !ut "e %no" from the uratory source!oo% there are roup puratories. Demorney Spea%in a!out roup puratories, 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 Piril &"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 imaine$ that puratories are as in$i#i$ual as the purati$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 aes the !elief of hell "as some"hat stan$arize$ an$ !ecause people !elie#e$ in almost the same imae of it, an$ hell "as e0actly that "ay "ell, may!e "orse/. ?n the ae of reason people $ou!t the ol$ truths an$ thus are entanle$ in their o"n in$i#i$ual puratories. 3ecause "e are in the state of illusory $eath $oesn't necessarily mean that our po"ers can !e use$ aainst our "ill. 2otice that e#ery physical chane occurrin in a state of shoc% is $ictate$ !y our anst an$ inner nee$ to protect oursel#es e#en if "e miht fin$ most of those chanes horri!le an$ un"ante$, they follo" our $i#ine instinct. The same case is, in my opinion, "ith puratories. >emiure "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 >emiure, an$ pro!a!ly the most efficient one, is the system of morals "hich is impose$ on us !y the society from the #ery !einnin. 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$ feelins of uilt the nepharites are a!le to channel our o"n eneries to create a puratory "hich "ill e#entually lea$ us to foret 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 saintly people. That coul$ also !e a oo$ theme for an a$#enture. The players chase$ !y a %iller "ho feels no remorse must in#estiate his
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com lon forot 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 priestparent, or a chil$ feelin uilty for hisher parents9 $i#orce. True or not "e carry the uilty feelins all our li#es. Cheatin spouses, s"in$lin money or inheritance. These are all stan$ar$ puratories to me. Thins li%e "ar crimes, me$ical e0perimentation aainst a su!ject9s "ill, lyin in court falsely con#ictin someone of a crime/, mass e0termination or torturers. These "oul$ !e special cases $o to the uniueness of the crimes an$ reuire custom puratories in my Kulti#erse. 3etrayin reliious principals can !e stan$ar$ or uniue. Case-!y-case !asis there. 3ara0stra Dy Kulti#erse: &s ? thin% that puratories are partially ma$e out of our o"n po"ers, each puratory is more or less pri#ate an$ in$i#i$ual. (#en if "e !urn 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 puratory. &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 $ifferent thins here: ?nferno puratoriesroup puratories, an$ personal puratoriespersonal hells ?n ?nferno t"istin Humans to empo"er the uratory isn't necessary... !ut can !e $one. ?n a personal uratory outsi$e of ?nferno the 2epharites resources are much more limite$... thus t"istin someone9s $i#ine po"er aainst themsel#es is crucial...&s Humans stoppe$ !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 $ifference !et"een infernalpersonal puratories. )e coul$ 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$ins "ith themE If course the !i one "oul$ 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$#antae... remin$in the person an$ manipulatin the soul in uestion of their mis$oins ainin reater an$ 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 puratory "e still !elie#e our petty li#es to !e true. Iur eneries are, as you "rote, manipulate$, an$ ? thin% that these manipulations are fee$in the inferno an$ 2eph's po"er o#er us. ust li%e the sna%e eatin his o"n tail )( su!consciously use our eneries to cleanse oursel#es an$ re!orn, !y some mischie#ous machination >emiure has put our o"n tail into our mouths. &aughingChance
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com ?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 uratory 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 jealous moti#e !ut these thins 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 oriinals miht ma%e $eals or somethin, !ut &"a%ene$ no loner ha#e feelins 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 puratories nee$ us to last. )hat "oul$ they !e for if not for tormentin usE So after "e all a"a%e - the puratories "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$$en eneries for e0ample to su!consciously chane our appearance. ?n a puratory "e are shoc%e$ almost constantly. )e are su!jecte$ to fear, aner an$ all the neati#e emotions, so "e emit more an$ more of our po"er. ? thin% that this is use$ to further reinforce the puratory staine$ !y each in$i#i$ual 2epharite. So "ithout it an$ "ithout us the puratories "ill #anish. Demorney &ree, !ut ? uess the infernal is seen too neati#e. &t least, ho" ? un$erstan$ it they ser#e the purpose of 'cleansin' the sinner from trou!lin inci$ents !y inflictin pain. So they're nothin more than the "ashin facility of our soullife enery, tryin $esperately to transform the soul into a state "here re!irth is possi!le an$ useful an$ the ne" life not !ein hin$ere$ !y past e0periences/. See, lots of people ha#e pro!lems fori#in themsel#es "ithin their i#en lifespan, "hat if you coul$ accumulate the uilt of se#eral li#esE So the pure is nothin !ut part of our lifecycle an$ such, "ith the life cycle !ro%en its useless. 3ara0stra +riginally posted by !emorney### .gree, but - guess the infernal is seen too negative# .t least, how - understand it they serve the purpose of GcleansingG the sinner from troubling incidents by inflicting pain#
2ot necessarily pain. & lot of Kult fans $efine "hat you coul$ see in the mo#ie aco!'s La$$er as a #ery oo$ e0ample of a puratory. ?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 psycholoical one. History sho"s that the latter is far more effecti#e than the physical one "hen it ets to coerce people into $oin stuff or tryin to chane their !eha#iour !rain"ash them, as this is the %ey of chanin self esteem, #ie" of the "orl$ an$ personality. ?f you thin% a!out it e#en 3ill Durray9s flic% 'Froun$ho >ay' coul$ !e seen as #ery Holly"oo$-esue/ puratory, coercin him to thin% a!out his life an$ chanin his attitu$e an$ personality. &aughingChance ersonal uratories... o% e#i$ence in the official Kulti#erse miht !e ta%en from @allen &nels, especially the en$in. ? thin% of it li%e this: Fo$-li%e po"ers can create thins that e0ist after they are one, so "hy not a puratoryE?t is li%e a $ream"orl$ that !ecomes self a"are... ? rea$ a 2eil Faiman story San$man-relate$/
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com "here a $reame$ character "as $e#elope$ to the point of self a"areness an$ e0iste$ althouh his $reamer no loner $reame$ 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... ? $on't see "hy a puratory "oul$ simply cease if unuse$. (mpty hells e0ist... ? thin% a uratory coul$ 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 maic$i#ine a!ilities outsi$e the normality "e %no" as reality. The ?llusion is cut from Dal%uth - if she is %ille$ "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 - set it an$ foret it 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 aco!'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 puratories. )hat ? also "ant clear: ?'m not aruin a!out the e0istence of !oth collecti#epersonal puratories. ? only thin% that each must use the e0periences of the urati$e. &aughingChance &ree$. 2epharites rea$ the thouhts, secrets an$ sins of their inten$e$ #ictim an$ personalize thins for ma0imum effecti#eness accor$in to their s%ill at $oin so. 3ut some sins are so eneral roup puratories 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$ inherita!le sins to me. erhaps !y e0ten$in their influence o#er an in$i#i$ual e#en in life, 2epharites can pre#ent a puratory 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 foret its past sins. The i$ea is that !y ma%in sure that the ne"!orn ne#er really foret 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 foret 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 uratory 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/ aents $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-puratory-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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com &s ? ne#er li%e$ the 2epharite re!ellion soun$s too much li%e Lictor re!ellion all o#er aain/ 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 aainst somethin or someone after >emiure's $isappearance... (ach an$ e#ery one to fulfil his o"n aen$a. The forces that %eep us imprisone$ are thus more concerne$ a!out #arious po"er strules, 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 'puratory' althouh they $on't call it li%e this/, one that "e "illinly 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$inly. 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: a man's character is his fateE & soul coul$ $isplay certain characteristics "hich ma%e it pre$ispose$ to ma%e the same mista%es aain an$ aain - 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 $eree, 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 !eins e0periences an$ sensations. &n$ the latter are prone to coinci$ence or e#en the $ecision of others. If course these thins influence each other so the character also $efines the "ay you ta%e those e0periences e.. stoic or sufferin/, !ut personal philosophies often chane 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 miht !e a!le to !e pulle$ off !ut ? li%e thins to seem preor$aine$ !ut they really aren't... allo"in for an une0pecte$ t"ist. Ither"ise it is just connect the $ots to me. The scarin of souls to return to a 2epharites influence is a oo$ i$ea thouh as is in uratory !ut not to the point the C is $oome$ to re-enact the same sort of situation time an$ time aain. +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 increasinly 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 conseuences of our choices no nee$ to uote *ncle 3en here/. 3ut such a "eiht 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com $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 $eleate to the concept of a hiher 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, reliion, zeiteistE Ho" much $o you clin to out of fear of ri$icule an$ ostracismE/ 44^ of the a#erae 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 acuiesce an$ su!mit to hiher 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 !eins in $e#elopin our o"n free "ill !e it alon a liht 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 insinificant matters, an$ causin us pain an$ sorro" in the process. To ela!orate... The function of uratory 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 $eree of free "ill - thouh 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 riht thin to $o, ? "ill not !e tormente$ "ith the memory of that act "henif ? o to uratory, !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 $anle$ from stic%s. The asymptotic $esire of the eo 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 uratory they can un$erstan$ !ein tormente$ for mur$erin someone, e#il $ee$s an$ their $ar% secrets/ !ut to just sprin a torture of uratory 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com you are just messin "ith them Kult is no fun for them... you nee$ purpose. The only e0ception "oul$ !e enterin someone elses uratory 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$oins. ?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$ preenerate$ 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 !einnin that they are in a puratory. 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$ thouht 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 enouh they'll feel uilt then... it miht !e not the uilt that has ta%en the characters to the puratory, !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 &nels, >* ; &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-happy Thearmiger That ma%es sense thouh. 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, ?t is not han$s that call us, it is $esire. 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 intriuinA they are summone$ !y puzzle !o0es, they $eal in our $eepest uilts an$ stranest secrets. They're fascinatin 3ara0stra ? thin% that the 2epharites are simply the most usa!le of the a!o#e in the a$#entures. &rchons, >eath &nels, The >emiure 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 ? aree that ha#in thins 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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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com 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 !eet. +nderspa#n ?'m not a#erse to a little merciless punishment, !ut ? aree that the players shoul$ %no" - e#entually, at least - "hy such !a$ fortune !efell them. The uestion of "hether or not C's canshoul$ !e torture$ in puratory for sins they $o not recall committin an$ thus suffer no uilt for/, can !e a$$resse$ aain/ !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 puratory. 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 puratory just !ecause they $ie$ in a #eetati#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 urati$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 &nel Heart - it "as one of the first >P>'s ? e#er !ouht an$ ? thin% it is $one "ell. That is the "ay ? aspire my Kult-"ritina$#entures to !e. ?n that mo#ie he "as untoucha!le until he $isco#ere$ an$ accepte$ his uilt, not !e $rae$ $o"n an$ 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 niht $ro"ne$ 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 tiht in playin the 2epharite anle 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 enouh uilt. ?t is the human con$ition to thin% Gmay!e there "as another "ay. ? "oul$ !uil$ up to it thouh, ha#e someone resem!lin the person they "rone$ a!out... may!e they fin$ out that person "as innocent... or a stray shot %ille$ a chil$... let it fester "ith them !efore !rinin in a 2epharite. That to me is ho" they are effecti#e an$ not just another monster or encounter ?DHI. &s for the arument 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 $ominion o#er us "ithin the ?llusion. The prison is po"ere$ larely !y our acceptance... a"a%ene$ are free of these thins. ? 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 rihtE 3ara0stra &nel Heart is a oo$ e0ample of per#erte$ Sins of the fathers 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 $emonoloist an$ an &zhoul case. &aughingChance &nel Heart SI?L(RS/ Here is a uy "ho thouht he coul$ escape punishment !y !ecomin someone else, free of the %no"le$e
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com of his sins. The >e#il in this case hires him as a $etecti#e to in#estiate his past life... fin$ out all the $etails of his mis$oins 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 $rae$ to hell as an innocent an$ then tol$ of his uilt it "oul$ !e a real short an$ $ull mo#ie. 3ara0stra Here is a uy "ho thouht he coul$ 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 $e#il/ That is "hy ? thin% the situation from the mo#ie "as more appropriate for an &zhoul than for a 2epharite... &aughingChance The >e#il in this case represents the ?nfernal Ir$er in Kult terms, not !ein a Kult pro$uct. He coul$ !e a 2epharite, >eath &nel...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$er the >e#il/. +nderspa#n +riginally posted by 'aughing*hance### .s for the argument that the soul knows### - donGt buy that###the soul knows we were once Fods### it is the soul that gives our fears dominion over us within the -llusion### the prison is powered largely by our acceptance### awakened are free of these things### - think the human soul in Kult in itGs purity knows neither good or evil### so - think that point is moot###The guilt we have in Kult is part of the -llusion and process# The conscious mind must know what it has done to be punished# +nce that is stripped away the person is reborn right6
&lriht, you'#e ot a point there, !ut the issue is only "ith the semantics. The soul is !eyon$ 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 neuroloical action of conscious remem!erin/, "hich recor$s "hat "e consi$er to !e our sins. The soul remem!ers nothin, !ecause the soul clins 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 nderspawn### %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 enouh that somebody out there remem!ers our sins. The $ay "hen this somebody "ill e#entually come !ac% to tell us a!out our past sins, ? can picture three possi!le thins to happen: )e re-a$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 some!o$y has/. )e re-a$opt our sins, !ut manae to con#ince this some!o$y to i#e us fori#eness. )e are no" @ree If Sin TD/. )e smile at the accusations, an$ 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 past life, 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 $oE ? thin% that the moral majority is the real 3oo% of Life "here past sins are remem!ere$.
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Steel Heart Issue I _________________________________ F _________________________________ www.kult-rpg.com +nderspa#n erhaps this eschatoloical 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 slihtest $e#iation from 7 D3 enerates it most pro!a!ly in Porte0/, an$ it "ill !e calle$ upon to confess all it %no"s "hen "e $ie. +riginally posted by Tintomara### - think that Athe moral ma&orityA is the real ABook of 'ifeA where past sins are remembered#
? miht !e rea$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 aree "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$oins "e see oursel#es as responsi!le for - is "hat a 2epharite fee$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 neati#e D3 $ue to the uilt your !elief causes you to feel. The purpose the 2epharite ser#es is to return the purati$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 puratory 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 nderspawn### 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 = s pecifically the perceived wrongdoings we see ourselves as responsible for = i s 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 uilt that "e miht !e punishe$ for, of "hich other people ha#e hear$ nothin. )hat ? say is that it is enouh that some!o$y remem!ers past sins, an$ "hose interest it is to remin$ us. &ll humans are !orn euippe$ "ith a $e#ice that is constantly tryin to rea$ the i$eas of the Doral Dajority, "hat they li%e an$ "hat they $on't. This $e#ice is $esine$ to ma%e us !eha#e in such a "ay that "e $o "hat the Doral Dajority thin% is oo$ !e it %illin e"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 $e#ice is calle$ a !rain, an$ it ta%es many years of trainin to inore the Doral Dajority. 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$ $on't foret the eaerness of the Doral Dajority to remin$ you a!out e#erythin !a$ you miht ha#e $one. Boun human chil$ren may remem!er your sins for a hun$re$ years, an$ they are eaer to tell you a!out it. They miht 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 in the afterlife. That may !e the reason to lon !loo$"ars !et"een ol$ families. They miht not %no" a!out re!irth for a fact, !ut they miht %no" instincti#ely. &n$ the 2epharites "atch from afar, until their time has come aain...
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