Torg Eternity Orrorsh [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

™

Orrorsh Sourcebook Team

Design and Writing: Greg Gorden, Darrell Hayhurst, Leamon Crafton Jr., and John Watson Additional Design and Contributions: David Haynes, Shane Lacy Hensley, Deanna Gilbert, Brian Reeves, and Tracy Sizemore Editing: Ron Blessing Art Direction: Aaron Acevedo, Alida Saxon Layout: Aaron Acevedo and Darrell Hayhurst Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle

Playtesting: George Rook, J Sumner, Nicholas Guidotti Cover: Mirco Paganessi Interior Illustrations: Bad Moon Studio, Donald Crank, Talon Dunning, Bien Flores, Gunship Revolution, Basith Ibrahim, Anh Le, Joyce Maureira, Paulo Puggioni, Aaron Riley, Carly Sorge, Dimitar Spasov, Jon Taylor

Original Design Team

Mythos and Game Design: Greg Gorden, Bill Slavicsek, & Douglas Kaufman, with Ed Stark, Greg Farshtey, Stan!, Brian Schomburg, Christopher Kubasik, Ray Winninger, and Paul Murphy Additional Concepts and Playtesting: Daniel Scott Palter, Denise Palter, Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael Stern, Richard Hawran, C.J. Tramontana, Martin Wixted Technical Assistance: Dr. Michael Fortner, Dr. George Exner Original Logo Design: Tom Tomita

Original Tharkold Design: Greg Farshtey, Greg Gorden, Paul Murphy, Bill Slavicsek, Jonatha Ariadne Caspian, Michael Nystul.

Torg Eternity Design Team

Writing and Design: Shane Lacy Hensley, Darrell Hayhurst, Markus Plötz, Deanna Gilbert, Ross Watson Contributors: Greg Gorden, Jim Ogle, Steve Kenson, Ed Stark, George Strayton, Henry Lopez, Aaron Pavao, Angus Abranson, Steven Marsh, Patrick Kapera, Bill Keyes, John Terra, James Knevitt, Jonathan Thompson, Andy Vetromile, Joseph Wolf, Jasyn Jones Art Director: Aaron Acevedo Graphic Design: Aaron Acevedo, Jason Engle Playtesting: Jimmy Macias, Michael Conn, Damien Coltice, Michael Mingers, Michelle Hensley, Ron Blessing, Veronica Blessing, Tracy Sizemore, Golda Lloyd, Andrew Harvey, Dale Davies, Ed Rugolo, Scott Walker, Darrell Brooks, Melvin Willis, James Dawsey, Brad Rogers, Jamal Hassan, Jeremy Dawsey

Ulisses Spiele

Administration: Christian Elsässer, Carsten Moos, Sven Paff, Stefanie Peuser, Marlies Plötz  Marketing: Jens Ballerstädt, Philipp Jerulank, Derya Öcalan, Katharina Wagner  Publishing Team Germany: Zoe Adamietz, Jörn Aust, Mirko Bader, Steffen Brand, Tim Brothage, Frauke Forster, Kai Großkordt, Nikolai Hoch, Nadine Hoffmann, Johannes Kaub, Arne Frederic Kunz, Matthias Lück, Thomas Michalski, Jasmin Neitzel, Markus Plötz, Nadine Schäkel, Maik Schmidt, Ulrich-Alexander Schmidt, Alex Spohr, Jens Ullrich  Publishing Team USA: Robert Adducci, Bill Bridges, Timothy Brown, Eric Simon, Ross Watson  Distribution & Customer Support: Florian Hering, Jan Hulverscheidt, Thomas Schwertfeger, Saskia Steltner, Stefan Tannert

Revised & Expanded Developers: Eric Gibson, Jim Ogle, Gareth Michael Skarka, Nikola Vrtis, Stephen Marsh, Talon Dunning

© 2020 Ulisses Spiele. Torg, The Possibility Wars, and all unique characters, concepts, locations, and creatures are trademarks and/or copyrights of Ulisses Spiele. All rights reserved.

1

WELCOME TO ORRORSH…

4 THE INVADERS

ONE YEAR LATER…

6 Relations with the Other High Lords . . . . . . 64

The Gaunt Man . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

The Basics of Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Life in Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 The State of the War . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Manners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Religions and Holidays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Core Earth’s Response . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Year 1 Major Timeline Events . . . . . . . . . . 9

STORM KNIGHTS

60

10

New Perks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Corruption and Transformation . . . . . . . . . 15

The Darkness Device: Heketon . . . . . . . . . 66 Stelae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Nightmare Trees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 Horrors and Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 The Sinister Secrets Cosm Card . . . . . . . . . 73 Example Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Ravagons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 Notable Ravagons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 The Hellion Court . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80 Members of the Hellion Court . . . . . . . . . . 81

REALITY84

MAGIC20 Orrorsh Axioms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84 New Spells . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Empowering Spells with Corruption . . . . . . 23 Dark Rituals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

MIRACLES30 The Mysteries of Sacellum . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 New Miracles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

GEAR36 Orrorsh Possibility Energy . . . . . . . . . . . 43

WARZONES44 The Haunted Southeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 The Ravaged Southwest . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 Arranged Marriage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Languages and Linguistics . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 The Disturbed Northwest . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 The Stalked Northeast . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Monsoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 Rail Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 The Victorian settlements . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Castes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

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World Laws . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87 The Law of the Uncanny . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 The Bleeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Example Bleeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

THE DELPHI COUNCIL

102

The Orrorsh Agenda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 Council Personnel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 The Disappearance of New Delhi Station . . . 107 Secret Societies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

ADVENTURES110 Themes of Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 110 Adventure Seeds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Nightmare Generator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114

THREATS120 Gospog of Orrorsh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 Humans . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124 Monsters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Nightmares . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 136

3

WELCOME TO ORRORSH…

S

undown changed the townspeople into something less than human. The mob pummeled the walls, smashed through glass on barred windows, hurled themselves at the doors in fury over my eluding them for the moment. Near me, the rising tone of tea pouring into cups, the ring of a tiny silver spoon on porcelain, as I faced the monster Hodges had come here to confront, the primly attired Miss Adelaide Murphy. “Sugar?” she asked. “Two please,” I said. I took in my surroundings as best I could; lace doilies on the small table, black and white photographs of a family that clearly wasn’t hers. Near my feet was a large splattering of dried blood. In the center of the splatter was a single bullet hole. It looked like the bullet entered almost perpendicular to the floor. Smeared trails of blood led to the kitchen and around the corner. I tried to think the scene through. Hodges confronts Adelaide. He draws his Webley, but doesn’t have time to raise it to firing position before she strikes. One bullet hole, so Hodges dies quickly. Both are indications that she is supernaturally fast, She then dragged the body to the kitchen... “I did not kill your man,” Miss Murphy said. “You should get a repairman out here. This time of year, floors shouldn’t bleed nearly that much,” I said. Cold hatred lit up her eyes. That look told me that not only was she capable of murder, she was considering murdering me, “I do not lie, Mr. McAllister.” Monsters, the really tough ones, can’t be killed until you know enough about them. I didn’t know nearly enough about Adelaide; “I apologize, Miss Murphy; seems my manners are stuck outside with the mob.” Her expression softened. “I should have been more graceful. That mob pursued you here; facing that hoi polloi might make even me churlish,” she said. “Biscuit?” she asked. ”You are one of those oracle men, yes?” More sounds of cracking wood from the hallway. Running out of time, I decided to shoot my shot.

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“Delphi Council, yes ma’am. Our safe houses in this area are family homes. Those families are being murdered, and Hodges suspected you.” “That certainly would be scandalous,” said Adelaide, “but that supposition is wrong.” I indicated the family photos on the wall, “Mind telling me who they are? Why you are in their house and they are not?” “Those are the Jhas,” said Miss Murphy. ”I have adopted them.” “Adopted?” “Yes. I educate them on manners, on special truths about their lives, their true place in the world,”she said. “Why aren’t they here?” She gave me a knowing smile,”Come now, Mr. McCallister. I am sure you know why I might not want to educate within earshot of the neighbors.” So she had the Jha family somewhere else, was torturing them—for “education.” As I tried to make sense of it, Adelaide took my silence as a reason to continue. “The youngest boy, Guneet, has such a need to be loved, a need to live, it is almost heartbreaking. But without manners, refinement, his life is just another blight on this world. Guneet shall be grateful.” Was she just gloating? Why confess to kidnapping and torturing a family for weeks? What other purpose... I bolted out of my seat, and started following the blood trail to the kitchen, “You did not murder the families in the safe houses,” I said. “Good to see your schooling was not wasted, Mr. McCallister,” Adelaide said. “Families are for adopting, not slaughtering.” The blood trail stopped midway through the kitchen. There was half of a heel print and a speck or two of blood on the knob of the kitchen door. Hodges had stopped the bleeding, almost instantly, and left. Damn it, he was one of the monsters. And the angle of the bullet? I went back to the parlor. “Hodges is the killer of the safe house families? And he shot himself to—?”

“To encourage you to attack me, so I would kill you. I kill only the rude and the ignorant. You proved to be neither, and I am no one’s lackey.” Shrill screams accompanied the ruination of the front door. In raced the folk on spindly, bent legs, hands with elongated thumb and middle finger hardened and shaped like pincers. The faces looked too damned unchanged. I am a good shot. I dropped four of them. “You are not invited, “hissed Adelaide. She killed seven, and they retreated, She was really. Really. Fast. Adelaide locked the door to the parlor. “That won’t hold them for long,” said Adelaide as she ascended the stairs,” Now that the front door is open, I imagine the kitchen door will be unguarded. You have important things to get to, so I will let you get on with it. ” “If that is what you really want,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “It is all I have ever asked of the world, really,” she said, then turned a corner upstairs and was gone. I ran to kitchen, opening the back door as the parlor door crashed off its hinges. I immediately started running, then step by step I slowed. Adelaide had confessed to kidnapping and ongoing torture. To clear herself of the safe house murders, yes. But she also knew that I would walk away, allow her to snuff out the hope and life in the Jha family, because I had more important things to do. It is all I have ever asked of the world, really. I wheeled back inside. I don’t remember the fight; at the end I had three bullets and no townspeople. I then leaned into the madness of fighting Nightmares. I sat down at the roller desk, practiced my penmanship on some blank stationery, then wrote a thank you note: “I appreciate your generosity in giving me shelter from the mob. Your delicious biscuits and lively conversation have galvanized my determination. “Yours in gratitude, Aidan McAllister” I found an envelope and sealing wax. I used the primer end of a cartridge as the seal, then put that bullet in my pocket. When I knew enough, that bullet would be for Adelaide. I dropped the note on her desk. Hang on Guneet. Help is coming....

5

T

ONE YEAR LATER…

he realm of Orrorsh covers India and large portions of Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is, without doubt, the most dangerous place on the planet. It is an eternal, waking nightmare and the domain of The Gaunt Man, leader of the High Lords.

THE BASICS OF ORRORSH Before the Possibility Wars the regions that comprise Orrorsh contained over a billion people. An accurate census is impossible due to the horrific conditions there, but the estimates are the population has been decimated at the very least. The reality that has over-written Core Earth’s is tailored to maximize dread and terror. The technology supports just enough information technology to spread sordid tales of danger, but not enough science to properly analyze and combat the underlying causes. Enough magic exists to tempt people to turn to it for protection, but the monsters of the realm retain the edge. The holy power of Miracles is strong enough to manifest — and then fail in the face of overwhelming evil. In other Cosms, reality evolved without specific direction. In Orrorsh its development has been carefully curated by The Gaunt Man to make people afraid. He feeds on fear, and in Orrorsh he feasts. The deadly dangers of the realm are simply a necessary by-product of that fear. The two biggest cultural influences inside Orrorsh are the diverse peoples of modern India, and the influx of Victorian thought from the invasion. The land as it exists now is a mixture of these two forces, plus the unhealthy tension that comes from living in a war and a horror movie at the same time.

LIFE IN ORRORSH No corner of life is untouched by the war inside this perilous realm. Threats are everywhere and can look like anything. There are no unlocked doors, and average citizens are armed with blessings and blades as a matter of practical survival.

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Urban density is significantly lower than pre-war levels. Some citizens managed to flee the country entirely, but many more returned to their smaller hometowns to be with their families. The nation is operating as a wartime economy. Critical jobs still need to get done: coal mined for boilers, silver and steel for weapons, food for people, and most importantly keeping the transformed power grids functioning. Keeping the lights on keeps people alive. The Rupee has lost value, but citizens can still buy groceries and supplies, so the economy hasn’t totally failed. Widespread transformation has affected attitudes and politics, but not nearly as much as the invasion itself. Trust is a commodity in short supply for good reason. Any stranger to the community could be a threat in disguise. Knowing someone who can vouch for you is critical to getting around. To complicate matters even further, entire communities of Victorians fleeing from the other reality are attempting to carve spaces for themselves in the new world. These grizzled survivors have much to teach their Core Earth allies, but some fear that these newcomers are just another trick serving the Gaunt Man’s ends.

THE STATE OF THE WAR In Orrorsh all the turning tides of the war have been massive in scale. The initial attack, “The Night of Screams,” was the bloodiest and most devastating of all the invasions. Quinn Sebastian’s counter attack obliterated a major leader within Orrorsh’s forces and caused major disruptions in his assault thanks to multiple “Glory” attacks. The Gaunt Man’s reprisal—a trap involving several at-risk stelae— was similarly devastating. India contains thousands of small hardpoints, beacons of relative safety for the ravaged citizens. Most of the largest hardpoints have fallen to special attacks called “tainting.” In other theaters hardpoints are usually physically destroyed to disrupt them. In Orrorsh they become sites of grisly crimes which disrupts the hope and history they otherwise embody.

MANNERS Storm Knights may hear all manner of advice about how to be polite in India. The most common is a directive to only eat food with your right hand. In truth, attempts at etiquette are more appreciated than the actual form employed. Polite manners vary so widely among different groups even within the same region that most people just accept that whatever a Storm Knight is doing is considered the polite way to do it where they’re from. Worth mentioning is the head wobble. To an unaccustomed Storm Knight it may look like someone is shaking their head to indicate a negative response. Actually, the motion is side to side slide or wobble—the face always still directly aimed at the speaker. Rather than negative, this motion usually indicates acknowledgment, understanding, or even emphatic agreement. As usual, the situation’s context is key. Another thing that can catch Storm Knights unawares is that vegetarian is the default for most cuisine, and the change in axioms hasn’t altered that at all. When meat (or non-veg) is requested it’s usually chicken or goat. Beef isn’t available in Hindu communities, but Muslim owned shops offer beef (and cow leather items) without violating taboos.

The Indian government was severely disrupted during the Night of Screams, but pieced itself back together in the aftermath as new leadership rose. Pakistan initially closed its borders to refugees and took an antagonistic attitude towards the beleaguered India, but that changed once the scope of what was happening became clear — including the fact that Orrorsh had already taken half the nation and threatened to expand further. In the latter half of the year several crushing defeats hit the Delphi Council and their allies. Storm Knights were minor celebrities after months of victory, and the news of so many slain hit the popular consciousness like a cold shock. There is a

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RELIGIONS AND HOLIDAYS Faith is considered a personal choice and freedom in India, and multiple major religions have coexisted in relative peace for centuries. Hinduism is by far the most commonly practiced religion across the broader realm. Smaller Islamic communities exist in major cities and become more predominant in the Northwest, and Pakistan is considered Islamic with only small communities composed of Hindus and other religions. Different sects of Christianity, including Sacellum, are the next most common form of worship across Orrorsh. Sikhism is still practiced in the North, especially in Punjab. Jainism and Buddhism have scattered adherents, but represent a small minority of the population overall. With so many different forms of worship, festivals and holidays can be tricky. There are very few holidays celebrated universally across the nation. Republic Day and Independence Day are commonly celebrated in all communities, but nearly every other festival or observance is optional and based on an individual’s worship and belief. This means that a Storm Knight can expect that someone is almost always at work, but a particular person may be out unexpectedly for a lesser known holiday. The most popular and wide reaching celebrations are Holi (the spring festival of colors), Diwali (the fall festival of lights), Teej (various festivals celebrating women near the monsoon), and Gandhi Jayanti (celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday). An individual may be expected to celebrate up to 20 different holidays, just not always the same ones as other workers in the same region.

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growing feeling that the Gaunt Man is all powerful and just toying with Core Earth — which is exactly what he wants. Quinn’s credibility is eroding. The massive number of zones becoming Pure Zones is especially troubling to Delphi Council strategists. The Gaunt Man isn’t taking his time to draw out the maximum amount of energy, he’s draining some Possibilities quickly and then strengthening his realm instead of lingering to drain the rest. This quicker conversion means his energy reserves are relatively shallow. Nothing about the Gaunt Man suggests he’s a short term thinker, so he must be positioning for something big—something coming sooner rather than later

CORE EARTH’S RESPONSE The three main responses to Orrorsh are flight, sheltering in place, and fighting back. There’s also collaboration, but nobody likes to speak about that option. The Himalayas and seas block most routes out of Orrorsh. Bangladesh was a popular route out, but it leads directly into Pan Pacifica. Now that it’s clear that’s an invasion site as well, the flow East has stopped, and refugees risk the difficult desert crossing into Afghanistan instead. Most people are trapped in Orrorsh, and don’t wish to leave their homes no matter how dangerous things have become. The struggle is survival. Citizens need light, blessings, weapons, and food— in that order. Around hardpoints things are a little more relaxed, but the constant tension around attacks or the potential collapse of the hardpoint never abates. Many men and women of all ages have joined ad-hoc military units. Most of these function as military police with minimal training, stationed around cities and hardpoints. Better trained, regular troops are reserved for coordination with the Delphi Council and assaults on major targets. The regular army’s assaults have a reputation for over-planning, which makes them seem slow and inflexible compared to the operations in other cosms. Ultimately that caution has worked in favor of India’s forces, since surprises in Orrorsh turn swiftly into a slaughter.

YEAR 1 MAJOR TIMELINE EVENTS Day 1: The Night of Screams. The maelstrom bridges drop, killing hundreds of thousands. Day 5: Ravagons begin attacking smaller cities in the Ravaged Southwest. Day 8: Traitorous General Wellington arrives to claim a seat on the Delphi Council, only to discover it’s a trap by Quinn Sebastian. He suffers his True Death, which sends shockwaves through the Hellion Court. Day 11: Battle of Pollachi. MARCOS drives back ravagons in a battle bloodier than either side expected. Day 12: What had been a trickle becomes a mass migration of Victorians into Orrorsh. Day 31: Delphi Council New Delhi Station is lost, along with most Orrorsh branch senior leadership. Day 50: Last Pan-Pacifican relief operation is destroyed in the Hunted Northeast. Day 64: Ghost ships close down many eastern ports. Day 75: Kochi Station is running and fully staffed, restoring Delphi Council operations to Orrorsh branch. Day 81: A serial killer Nightmare, Lucius Todd Clayborn, is killed via True Death. This is the first True Death investigated and executed without Delphi Council intervention. Day 92: The first bleed shows through. Day 104: A laity council on destroying demons is held at an undisclosed location between representatives of the Cyberchurch and the Sacellum. It fails spectacularly. Day 108–129 A month of light: Several Glory results refill residents of India with hope. Day 138 Quinn’s Folly: A coordinated attempt to remove three stelae fails, costing hundreds of

Indian and Pakistani troops, several Spartan teams, and 14 Storm Knights. It’s the Delphi Council’s worst defeat up to that point. Day 156: The Taj Mahal hardpoint falls. The structure remains intact, but coated in blood it becomes a beacon of dread and terror rather than a repository for hope and history. Day 170: A professional cricket team disappears in Hyderabad after returning from an off-season goodwill tour throughout East Asia. Day 183: A personal request for help reaches Vinutha Patel; council priorities and setbacks delay help until the opening of “A Trifling Matter.” Day 191: The Sisters of Sobriety burn nearly half of a Gospog field. A political cartoonist was found flayed to death shortly after publishing a cartoon captioned,”Sisters drive the Gaunt Man to drink.” Day 224: A Nile Empire archeology team lands in Sri Lanka for a dig at mysterious ruins in the interior. They do not even survive until the first dawn. Day 224 –30: The first Home Skies bleed. Day 241: The Hellion Court begins a more coordinated effort to eliminate Storm Knights, rather than counter the whole of Delphi Council. Day 275: Dozens of hardpoints fail unexpectedly at the exact same time, leading to the worst death toll since the Night of Screams. Day 303: Delphi Council base receives signal intelligence of an underwater Orrorsh settlement. Day 342: Storm Knights report that the Gaunt Man has disappeared, following a surprise encounter in the “Forever City.” The report is disputed due to the lack of disruption among Orrorshan forces. Day 366: Remembrances are held in over 800 locations in India. The Hellion Court begins to suspect that the Gaunt man is no longer in Orrorsh.

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STORM KNIGHTS 10

S

torm Knights questing in the fields and catacombs of Orrorsh have new options for spending Experience Points (XP).

NEW PERKS The new Perks below represent new discoveries of the industrious Victorians or adaptations of the population who have transformed and been living in Orrorsh’s harsh axioms for nearly a year. If a Perk lists Beta Clearance as a prerequisite it may only be taken once the Storm Knight has achieved that clearance level (50 XPs) or greater. When a Perk boosts an attribute it counts exactly the same as if the gain were purchased by XPs. If the Perk is lost due to transformation or a crisis of morality, so is the attribute gain. The standard ceiling for a race’s attribute remains unchanged unless the Perk specifically increases it.

CORRUPTION Cosms: Orrorsh Corruption Perks are technically free. They aren’t purchased and don’t count against the number of Perks a character has when calculating the cost of purchasing other Perks. The only cost is paid when the character perishes—and awakens into a new life as a servant of the Void.

Anchored

Prereq: Transform within Orrorsh.

Orrorsh’s reality is pervasive, and winds its why into the character’s very soul. When the character would transform (to or from the Orrorsh reality) the whisper emerges to offer a dark bargain. The Storm Knight connects to Orrorsh now and forever. In the future when he Disconnects he automatically reconnects to Orrorsh—but makes a Corruption test each time.

Doomed

• Prereq: Spirit 10+, fail a Defeat test within Orrorsh. When some heroes die in Orrorsh, dark spirits whisper to their souls and offer them a new chance to live, but be forever bound to the forces of darkness. If the character accepts, she gains this Perk for free and returns to life as though the Defeat test had been an Outstanding success. There is no other apparent effect.

There is no glamor to becoming a vampire in Orrorsh.

Martyr

• Prereq: Activate a Martyr card in Orrorsh When a hero would sacrifice herself with a Martyr card, a honey sweet voice whispers that death isn’t the only way. She may ignore the voice, of course, and score a minor reprieve for those who survive her, but the effects of Martyrdom in Orrorsh are seldom strong. If the hero agrees to the voice’s bargain she gains the usual benefit of playing the card, possibly an even better result, and survives unharmed—with this Corruption Perk. If anyone activates a Martyr card in the future this character becomes the one who dies. Unfortunately converting Martyr to Possibilities does count as activating it, so warn teammates to be careful!

CURSED Cosms: Any There are fates worse than death in Orrorsh. Some creatures of the night simply stalk and kill, but others turn their victims into monsters as well — perpetuating an endless cycle of evil. Not everyone who is attacked becomes cursed. The same mysterious mechanism that marks some individuals as potentially reality-rated allows the curse to take hold— but only after they perish. Common lore has it that those who bear the curse were the “lucky” few who barely survived attacks from infectious creatures. In actuality, for the curse to take hold the victim must be killed, and then awaken to a new life much like a Storm Knight transcending. In rare cases both effects happen simultaneously!

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Corruption: Those who bear a curse bear a heavy burden, and must fight to keep their humanity amidst the corruption inside them. Each time a character with a Cursed Perk takes a sapient life— no matter the means—she must make a Corruption test (see Torg Eternity) test or lose Charisma. If her Charisma ever drops below five she is lost to the curse forever, becoming a feral (or malevolent) tool of the Nameless One. An act that causes many deaths is a single test with a –2 penalty. An act that embraces the darkness of the curse, such as consuming a victim (GM’s call), has a –4 penalty. Transformation: Technically the subject of a curse is dead, although they may appear to be alive and function as a living person. The same universal power of The Nameless One which sustains undead across the various cosms even without magic also sustains the accursed, just as they compel her towards darkness. If someone with Cursed Perks would transform to another reality they do, but the curse remains completely intact! Supernatural Evil: Characters with a Cursed Perk count as Supernaturally Evil themselves, regardless of their behavior and morals.

Cloak

of

anywhere they choose. Ghosts have powerful traits that are treated like racial abilities: Ethereal: Ghosts are spirits rather than flesh, and have a hard time interacting with the physical world. They ignore physical attacks and damage, but can’t use equipment at all. Powers, or items affected by powers and their equivalents (such as magical weapons) may affect a ghost normally. Ghosts may use Interaction Attacks, but must spend 2 Shock to make a regular attack (including using powers such as Spells, Miracles, or Psionics). Float: Ghosts don’t walk, they float several inches off the ground. Many pretend to walk. Ghosts ignore penalties for terrain, but they cannot run. They must have some kind of ground or surface to float atop—although falling does no damage to a ghost. Uncanny: There’s something off-putting about a ghost’s appearance. It could be subtle things like not breathing or blinking, or more overt like a twisted neck or feet. Whatever the cause, living creatures (especially animals) instinctively abhor a ghost. Ghosts suffer a –4 on all persuasion and streetwise tests. Undead: The ghost does not breathe air, need to eat or drink, and is unaffected by poisons or effects that require living processes.

Darkness

Prereq: Beta, at least one other Cursed Perk

The creatures of the night are stronger away from the light. Gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty, up to a +6 bonus in total darkness. Illumination of any kind eliminates Toughness from Cloak of Darkness!

Ghost

• Prereq: Spirit 8+.

When some beings die in an especially tragic or emotional way, their spirits linger and haunt the living. Most ghosts are bound to a location—often the place they died — but some elect to follow specific people, and reality-rated spirits can range

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The largest threat to a ghost‘s humanity is madness. Spirits are beings composed entirely of memories and emotions. When memories become muddled — or emotions too strong — ghosts risk losing themselves to rage or fear or revenge. Such lost souls exist only to terrify the living and push them towards their own deaths.

Vampire

• Prereq: Dexterity 8+. No one knows the true source of this curse, but it’s transmitted through the blood and spread

through much of Gaea before coming to Earth with the Victorians. Those afflicted thirst for blood. Any blood will do for sustenance, but the blood of sapient species has a special draw. Allergies: Direct sunlight causes 10+1BD damage each Round a vampire is exposed to it. Clothing that offers Full Coverage counts as +5 Armor against this damage only. Any other kind of armor or clothing offers +2 Armor protection and nothing more. Blood Drain: Vampires have fangs that deal Strength +2 damage. They may only attack a Grappled opponent, but they automatically strike the target’s lowest Armor value. If the target is the same race then any Shock and Wounds dealt by the bite are simultaneously recovered by the vampire. The bite deals normal damage to other races, but has no restorative properties. Blood drain deals only Strength damage to a target with no blood or living processes. Mentalist: Vampires may take the Psionic Perk and any of the following powers: alter memory, clairvoyance, cloud mind, confusion, mind control, and psychic shield. An Orrorsh vampire may take powers that exceed his Social Axiom, but using such abilities risks Disconnection normally. The strange nature of these powers suggests that the vampire curse didn’t originate in Gaea. Undead: Vampires do not breathe air, do not need to eat or drink, and are not affected by poisons or effects that require living processes. The main threat to a vampire’s humanity is the same hunger that drives them. The temptation to feed upon the living, especially when injured, can be overwhelming. When a vampire loses himself he becomes a pure predator, thinking of all the living as nothing more than cattle ready for slaughter.

Werewolf

• Prereq: Strength 8+ Werewolves transform into beasts. The transformation can be triggered on purpose (taking a full turn), as a free reaction to suffering a Wound, or automatically during a full moon. The trick is returning to normal requires the beast to kill — which may mean a Corruption test. The victim killed may be an animal or an opponent, the curse

isn’t particular. Reverting back to normal isn’t immediate; the werewolf chooses when to change, which also triggers the Corruption test. The curse is transmitted by attacks. Lore proposes that anyone severely injured by a werewolf who survives might become cursed, but in actuality it’s only those special cases who are slain but rise again under the power of the curse — appearing to have survived the attack when really they did not. Allergies: Silver weapons and bullets deal +4 damage to lycanthropes. In addition, Wounds caused by silver don’t heal from the Regeneration ability below. Allergies apply whether the werewolf is in normal or beast form. Bite/Claws: In beast form only, the werewolf gains a Bite/Claws attack that deals Strength+2 damage. Regeneration: All Wounds and injuries automatically heal at the end of each scene—even death! Wounds caused by silver weapons only heal at the normal rate. Death caused by a silver weapon is permanent, and is death if such an attack is delivered after the werewolf is Defeated as a Coup de Gras. Regeneration applies to both the lycanthrope’s forms. Savagery: While in beast form only, the werewolf gains a +2 bonus to Strength. If a target, friend or foe, is within reach after movement the werewolf must All-Out Attack, and the Friendly Fire rules apply to melee attacks if multiple targets are within reach. If any target is within the werewolf’s Move he must end next to a target, but within those constraints he can move however he desires. If a failed Corruption test would eliminate the character, he transforms completely into a beast and never changes back. The beast may still transmit the curse! Werewolves are merely one strain of the curse. Bats, tigers, and other creatures are possible.

FAITH Cosms: Core Earth, Aysle, Cyberpapacy, Living Land, Nile Empire, Orrorsh

Austere

• Prereq: Spirit 8+, at least two adds in faith.

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Long practice at severe self-denial has granted the character physical resilience. Fatigue and Backlash cause one less Shock.

Puritan

• Prereq: At least one add in faith. A life lived in fear of sin allows the innocent soul to literally smell evil. When supernatural evil is present, including characters with Corruption Perks, the puritan smells unpleasant odors in the area—odors others can’t perceive. The smell doesn’t cling to any particular person, but it does serve as a warning. Tests to avoid ambush or detect evil forces are Favored.

Righteous Staff

• Prereq: Orrorsh, Beta clearance, at least three adds in in faith. Access to the Sacellum Chaplain miracle list.

The Sacellum chaplain has proven herself pure. She acquires a simple black shepherd’s crook, which for most purposes function exactly as a normal staff. When fighting supernatural evil, the Storm Knight uses her faith value as the weapon’s base damage value. Ethereal beings are affected by the staff. Additionally, she may use her faith instead of willpower to resist a Corruption test. However, should she fail her test in this manner, she loses the benefits of this Perk until the end of the next act.

Sacellum Chaplain

• Prereq: Orrorsh, faith 1+ adds. Cannot have Perks or access to miracle lists related to other religions.

The Sacellum priest’s dedication to destroying Orrorsh Horrors and using the faith of Sacellum miracles within the Victorian military has given them access to the Sacellum Chaplain list (see page 31). A Sacellum chaplain may select two miracles from that list plus ward enemy. The Miracles Perk may be purchased for more miracles and grants the Sacellum Miracle list found in Torg Eternity.

Spirit Nemesis

• Prereq: Spirit Bane Many spirits have a nonchalant attitude when inflicting pain or trying to kill corporeal beings, thinking that there is nothing that their victims can

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do to stop them. Unfortunately for them, when it comes to someone with this Perk, they quickly find they are very, very wrong. The hero’s physical attacks against ethereal creatures are Favored, and 1s on bonus dice are re-rolled (but then the second roll stands).

HOPE This new category of Perk is hypothesized to be a Core Earth defense. Based on data provided by Orrorsh branch, Archimedes Division head Dr. Zytalius Blackburn hypothesizes these are an expression of, and bound by, Core Earth’s Law of Hope. Hence the name. Cosms: Core Earth, Orrorsh

Brighten

the

Fading Light

Prereq: At least 1 failed Corruption test, reality 10+.

When a character fails a Corruption test, they may spend one Possibility at the end of each of the next three scenes to brighten the fading light of their Charisma, If they do, the Charisma loss from that failed Corruption test is negated.

Divine Judgment

Prereq: At least 1 failed Corruption test, faith 10+.

Once a scene, the character may make a faith test against a Nightmare’s faith or Spirit. On success, the Nightmare loses its ability to refresh Possibilities for its next turn, two turns for a Good success, and three turns for an Outstanding success.

Even

in

Death

Prereq: At least 1 failed Corruption test, reality 10+.

When the character fails a Defeat test, she may affect the scene as if she had played a Martyr card. In addition she chooses one player to refill their hand.

LEADERSHIP Cosms: Any

Steady On

• Prereq: Charisma 8+

When a Fear test is called for, the leader rolls her test first. If she succeeds then all allies within 10 meters are Favored on their own Fear tests. On a Good success that bonus extends to all allies within the sound of her voice. On an Outstanding result allies no longer even need to test.

OCCULT Cosms: Orrorsh Most Victorians fight the Gaunt Man’s foul corruption with stubborn gallantry in the face of overwhelming odds. But a few have turned to darker sources of inspiration, such as alchemy, diabolism, or demonic powers.

CORRUPTION AND TRANSFORMATION Since Corruption seems tied to Orrorsh’s World Laws and Corruption Perks are an Orrorsh group, one might conclude that the influence of Corruption could vanish if a Storm Knight transformed to another reality.

Alchemy

Unfortunately for the Delphi Council, that is not the case. Orrorsh is where Corruption is encountered directly, but it isn’t powered by that cosm’s axioms or World Laws. Corruption traces back to the influence of The Void, which makes it universal—similar to supernatural evil.

New Potions: The Alchemy Perk from Torg Eternity gains the following options for initial formulas or Extra Potions:

Corruption Perks remain, unaltered, when a character transforms. Points lost to repurchasing Charisma are lost forever to The Void.

Prereq: At least 3 adds in Science.

• Liquid Light: A potion of liquid light may be held, unbroken, as a light source similar to a torch. When exposed to air (throwing or pouring out the contents) it becomes vastly brighter — eliminating all Darkness penalties within 20 meters — and counts as natural sunlight. Liquid light clings to the ground or the clothing of a target it hits in a Small Blast. The effect lasts for an hour. If a creature allergic to sunlight is forced to drink liquid light it is automatically destroyed. • Dark Ointment: This soot-like concoction must be spread across every inch of skin or clothing as a Full Turn action. Once applied the character gains a +2 bonus to stealth so long as he’s in darkness. More importantly, he becomes invisible (–6 to opponent’s find or attacks) to all creatures with the Cloak of Darkness ability. The ointment remains potent for one day or until washed off. • Dark Sight: This foul-smelling brew grants the drinker the ability to see in total darkness with no penalty for one hour. Each potion made has the equivalent of five doses, so the alchemist may drink all herself for five hours of Dark

Corruption is eternal.

Sight or share with four other allies to all gain one hour of Dark Sight each. • Natural Healing: This potion accelerates the drinker’s metabolism to a startling rate. The drinker may make a single natural healing roll, but then suffers Fatigue which may not be recovered until an entire day’s worth of food is consumed. An individual may quaff more than one Natural Healing potion, but can’t eat more than one day’s worth of food in a 24 hour period. • Itching Powder: When the containing vial is shattered a cloud of powder sticks to everyone in a Medium Blast hit by the alchemist’s missile weapons attack. Each affected target suffers a penalty to all tests equal to their current Armor rating for an hour. Natural Armor and Armor from magical spells count. Reducing Armor level by stripping off items does likewise decrease the penalty! • Liquid Courage: Each dose imbibed grants the drinker Favored rolls for Fear tests, and if a

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Fear test fails the Very Stymied consequence is reduced to only Stymied. The effect lasts for one hour. One brewed potion holds five doses, which may be drunk all at once for five hours of protection or split among five people for one hour of protection each.

• Phosphor Shell: The main purpose of this shell is to create light — where ever it hits it burns as a bright light source illuminating 10 meters for one minute. A direct hit with the shell only deals 12 damage, but it burns for 12 damage every round for one minute.

• Miasma: Breaking this vial releases a choking cloud of poison in a Large Blast. Each target hit must test Strength or suffer 2 Shock and test again on his next turn. On a success he only suffers 1 Shock, but must still test again next turn. A Good success avoids damage but still requires another test next turn. Only an Outstanding success or a minute of breathing clean air ends the effect.

• Screamer Shell: Screamers are an odd construct designed to make a loud wailing noise while in flight. The first time a Screamer is fired all foes that can hear it must test Fear. A hit from a Screamer Shell deals 12 damage.

Bulletsmith Shells

Customized Slayer’s Gun

Prereq: At least 2 adds in science. Extra Shells: This Perk may be taken more than once, and extends the usefulness of the Bulletsmith Perk from Torg Eternity. Each time this Perk is purchased the Bulletsmith learns to make a new type of shell and may maintain two more special rounds at a time. Below are the latest new types of shells in circulation. • Freezing Shell: A hit deals 14 damage and automatically Stymies a hit target. On the target’s next turn he must test Strength. On a failure he loses his entire turn breaking free of ice. Success allows the target to act, but not move. A Good success allows the target to move up to half his normal speed, and Outstanding allows him to move and act normally. • Liquid Fire Shell: A hit coats targets in a Small Blast with sticky liquid which bursts into flames upon contact with air. The flames deal 14 damage +1BD to the target each round. If the Bonus Die rolls an ∞ the fuel is exhausted and stops burning rather than dealing additional damage.

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• Curse Shell: A hit deals 14 damage and makes the target Vulnerable. For the next Minute, attacks that hit the target gain +1BD damage while he’s Vulnerable or Very Vulnerable. 

Prereq: Bulletsmith.

This Perk may be taken multiple times, each time adding a different customization to the Slayer’s Gun. Below are some of the latest modifications Slayers have incorporated into their weapons: • Double Barrel: The second barrel on this custom gun (and the extra shot loaded into it) isn’t meant to discharge with the other barrel — it’s a reserve shot in case an enemy charges while the slayer is reloading. When a foe moves into melee range the slayer may fire this barrel (and whatever round is loaded into it) at the attacker as a free action. When a slayer reloads his gun he can choose whether to reload the cylinder or the reserve barrel—but he can’t reload both in the same action. • Long Barrel: The Slayer’s Gun loses the Carbine property, but its Range increases to 100/200/500 and it gains a telescopic sight that eliminates up to two points of Range penalties when the Slayer Aims. Basic shells fired from a Slayer’s Gun with this modification deal damage 15.

• Pistol Stock: The Slayer’s Gun is converted into two equal pistols. Each has Range 10/25/40, but its own cylinder of six Shots. Both pistols count as the same weapon for Trademark Weapon and other abilities. • Magazine: The Shots on the Slayer’s Gun increases to 12. A Magazine may be loaded with up to two different kinds of shells, and either one fired via a selector. Other types of shells must be breach loaded and fired one per turn. • Reinforced Chamber: A heavy but shorter smoothbore build on the Slayer’s Gun decreases its Range to 25/50/100, but increases the damage of every shell fired by +1. • Repeating Action: The Slayer’s Gun gains the Short Burst property. • Blade: The Slayer’s Gun gains a built in blade and extra grips to use it seamlessly as either a melee weapon or a range weapon. It deals Strength +3 damage. Trademark Weapon and other abilities apply to either of the weapon’s attack modes. • Potion Launcher: Requires Alchemy. The Slayer’s Gun can load and launch a potion with a Range of 25/50/100, Shots 1. The attack uses fire combat in place of missile weapons.

Demonic Form

Prereq: Demoniacal Frenzy.

When an Orrorshan calls upon Demoniacal Frenzy her physical body starts to change as well. She grows claws that add +2 damage to unarmed melee attacks and reddened, scabby skin that adds +2 natural armor. Each enhancement stacks with other similar abilities, such as existing natural claws or armor.

Imp

Prereq: Diabolist

Most Orrorshan sorcerers skirt the edges of the Abyss when they learn the arcane arts. Diabolists jump right into the inferno, entreating with demons, devils, and all manner of foul beings for additional power. The representative for these powers is the Diabolist’s imp.

Imps may be various beasts: cats, dogs, even snakes! They are never bird or creatures of the air— the dark powers of Orrorsh dwell below, not above. Whatever the base creature is, it’s about half the size of a human and always jet black. Imps are strong for their size, but their most important characteristic is they can speak — although most prefer not to draw attention to themselves by doing so. In game terms, the player should control the imp most of the time, choosing its targets, rolling its attacks, and speaking for it. Imps don’t have knowledge beyond the sorcerer they are attached to. They represent the dark powers, but don’t have magic or powers of their own. Imps do not have Possibilities, but the sorcerer can spend his Possibilities (and Destiny cards) for the creature — even if they are separated. If slain the dark powers form a new beast to act as the Diabolist’s imp. They aren’t pleased at having to do so, and both they and the creature may find ways to express this displeasure and spur the sorcerer to employ more caution in the future. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit 7, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 10, intimidation 9, maneuver 9, stealth 10, taunt 8, trick 8, unarmed combat 9 Move: 10; Tough: 8; Shock: 7; Wounds: 1 Possibilities: Never Perks: — Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Strength +2 (10). • Small: Attacks against a Familiar suffer a –2 penalty.

Medals

Prereq: See the individual medals. New Medals: Several new types of Medals (see Torg Eternity) have been minted in the first year of the Possibility Wars. New characters may be created with these Medals, or they may be earned after completing the event described in the individual awards. • Sole Survivor Medal: Awarded to the one person to return from an otherwise doomed expedition. The Sole Survivor medal cancels the effects of The Law of Perseverance and its recipient may Soak damage normally in Orrorsh.

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• India Campaign Medal: Awarded to any Storm Knight who recovers an Eternity Shard inside Orrorsh. Once per act, the wearer may play a Destiny Card into her own Action Pool or the pool of an ally as a free reaction during any turn. • Order Vestigium: Awarded to those who defeat a Nightmare. Evidence analysis tests become Favored, and the character is automatically aware if any clue to a Nightmare’s origin is nearby. This doesn’t tell them what the clue is or where it can be found, just that something is afoot. • Order of the New Dawn: This medal is awarded to those who have been cursed, but managed to eliminate the being or force that cursed them. This award is a mixed blessing, as its presence also alerts Victorians that the wearer is cursed, which may lead to trust issues. The wearer’s Corruption tests become Favored, and when a test fails the medal may be “burned” instead of losing Charisma. It still counts as a Perk when determining the cost for buying new ones, but no longer has any other effect if burned.

Monster Slayer

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Occultist. The academic’s occult learnings are applied to very practical results. Gain +1BD damage on any attack that hits a creature imbued with supernatural evil.

Unstable Mixture

Prereq: Beta Clearance, Alchemy

The alchemist can mix a vial that has all the effects of two different potions. Each such mixture counts as two active potions.

Vial Bandoleer Prereq: Alchemy.

Add three additional active potions to an Alchemist’s usual maximum. This Perk may be purchased multiple times, each adding another three active potions.

PROWESS Cosms: Any Prowess is a general category that can be taken by any character from any cosm. It focuses primarily on Perks that can be used in combat.

Brave

• Prereq: None The character either has a stout heart or has become numbed to the constant terror that abounds. Fear tests are Favored, and if a Fear Test fails the character is only Stymied rather than Very Stymied.

Guardian Angel

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Bodyguard. Allies within 5 meters may use the Guardian Angel’s current Defenses (dodge, melee combat, unarmed combat) instead of their own. Their own Conditions, such a Vulnerable, still apply.

Pure

• Prereq: Charisma 8+ There is something noble and incorruptible about the Storm Knight. Corruption tests are Favored, and when such a test fails the character may choose to be Defeated instead of automatically losing Charisma. A temporary Injury deals a Wound, and any Injury stemming from a Corruption test must be dealt to Charisma.

Retaliation

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Vengeful The warrior refuses to die quietly or alone! If forced to roll for Defeat, the character may take an immediate turn before the roll takes effect. Use it wisely!

Sacred Weapon

• Prereq: Trademark Weapon In the Storm Knight’s hands, the weapon counts as magical, dealing full damage to Ethereal foes. If a creature has an Allergy, the weapon counts as dealing damage of that type as well.

Unyielding

• Prereq: Beta Clearance, Orrorsh, Survivor

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Perseverance runs in your blood. When you play an Orrorsh Cosm card you immediately recover 5 Shock. You may play an Orrorsh Cosm card while KO’ed to regain consciousness.

SOCIAL Cosm: Any

Macabre

• Prereq: Orrorsh, at least two adds in intimidation. The character has embraced the dark and now fits in better with spooks and monsters. Creatures of supernatural evil or those with Cloak of Darkness won’t target the character so long as there’s another enemy within 10 meters to attack instead. A macabre Storm Knight gains a +2 bonus to persuasion against such monsters, but suffers a –2 penalty against everyone else.

Tea Master

 Prereq: Orrorsh, Charisma 8+, and at least one add in scholar.

Anyone can steep a pot of tea and serve it to friends, but the true masters of tea-making can tap into Orrorsh’s Law of Perseverance and improve their chances at fighting the forces of Evil by serving afternoon tea for up to six people. Serving tea usually is an elaborate ritual, not all of which is necessarily possible when in the dark jungles. Afternoon tea must be done between the hour of four and five o’clock (spending a Possibility allows the ritual to take place anytime, but only once each day). After an hour of serving tea, the tea master makes a Charisma + scholar test. The guests may assist as a Combined Action. Tea and at least one “guest” are required but if the tea master serves tea with dainty sandwiches, scones, and pastries, the test is Favored. If the participants dress up in finery (at least semi-formal: day dresses, frock coats, hats, and gloves) the test is Up.

The benefit depends on the Success Level: • Standard: The tea master and all guests draw a Destiny card. • Good: All guests draw a Destiny Card. The tea master draws two cards, then chooses one of them, and discards the other. • Outstanding: As Good but the tea master draws two cards and keeps both.

SPELLCRAFT Cosms: Aysle, Core Earth, Cyberpapacy, Nile Empire, Orrorsh, Tharkold

Ritualist

• Prereq: At least one add in alteration, apportation, conjuration, or divination. The caster gains access to the Dark Rituals starting on page 24. The caster may proceed without one of the listed material components at the cost of suffering a Wound. This Wound may not be Soaked, and may only be healed after the act ends.

Twilight Magic

• Prereq: Orrorsh, at least one add in alteration, apportation, conjuration, or divination. Magic in Orrorsh is dark and tainted. In the twilight, someone can steadily be in-between the light and darkness. Though the hour is short, much can be accomplished in an hour by a sure hand. Twilight Magic is one of the more dangerous schools of magic to master. More than half of the Occultists who have studied this genre of magic have succumbed to Corruption and become agents of the Gaunt Man or worse. If an Occultist is willing to risk the dangers of this school, she can wield powerful spells. Selecting this Perk gains three Spells from the Twilight Magic list on page 21.

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MAGIC

M

any of the worlds that the Gaunt Man conquered had their own magical traditions. As with the monsters from the worlds that were consumed, Orrorsh took some of the magic with it. Magic works hand in hand with horror after all. The supernatural evil that plagues Orrorsh could not exist without it. Still, the Gaunt Man ensured a limited number of spells were taken with him to keep the Magic Axiom low enough that Magic has not become commonplace. The mistrust of the arcane arts causes fear in many of the Ords of Orrorsh. Practitioners of the occult would be wise to listen to these warnings as magic has a dark twist to it in the Gaunt Man’s domain. The Law of Eternal Corruption has manipulated many of the spells in Orrorsh. Merely wielding some of the magic requires a Corruption test to cast. The chance for corruption for any warlock or witch, however, does not end there. In Orrorsh, there is a dark temptation to command more powerful magic. By making deals with demonic forces or sacrifices during horrific rituals, an occultist can empower any of her spells. The price for this power is pitting one’s will against the forces that are bargained with. Each loss takes away a bit more of the occultist’s humanity. If the temptation to risk corruption is a construct of the Gaunt Man or not is unknown. Either way, he benefits from it. Many a would-be hero has fallen into darkness by making one too many attempts at reaching for more power to wield against monsters.

NEW SPELLS Boiling Blood

Axiom Level: 15 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s Strength Range: 25 meters Duration: Instant The occultist needs an open flame, at least the size of one produced by a lighter, to cast this spell. With the flame at the ready, the occultist makes a small cut on her hand while focusing on the target. She

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then thrusts the injured part of her hand into the open flame as she utters eldritch words. The blood throughout the target’s body begins to boil causing pain and possibly death. The occultist must make a test against the target’s Strength. On a success the target takes 12 Damage. This damage ignores armor, but magical protection may guard against this spell. If the Occultist risks testing Corruption (Challenging DN 12) she can increase the Damage Boiling Blood deals by +2 (for a total of 14). The damage total is increased whether or not the occultist succeeds the Corruption test. This may only be attempted once per casting of Boiling Blood. Success Levels: • Good: Damage +1BD. • Outstanding: Damage +2BD.

Ghost Form

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Alteration 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Challenging (DN 12) Range: Self Duration: 1 minute The occultist produces a small vial that is empowered by the casting of the spell. She consumes the dark red liquid within as the spell is completed. Upon the consumption, the occultist’s form becomes semi-transparent and ghost-like. If the occultist makes a Standard success, she receives a +4 bonus to all her Defenses and reduces all damage from physical attacks by 4 points. She also suffers a –4 penalty to all physical attacks she makes. All magical attacks such as miracles, spells, powers, or those from a magical weapon affect the caster as normal. If the caster chooses she can increase the duration of Ghost Form to 10 minutes by making a Corruption test (Hard DN 14). The duration increases regardless of the success or failure of the Corruption test. The caster can choose to continue to increase the duration if she is willing to risk further Corruption tests. This does not cost the caster an action. Success Levels: • Good: The caster can float at her Movement. • Outstanding: As Good and the caster becomes Ethereal (as the Special Ability in Torg Eternity).

AVAILABLE SPELLS Below are spell lists that Orrorsh Storm Knights may select their spells from. The access of all Occultists in Orrorsh has been expanded with some of the spells below. Those spells listed in the Twilight Magic list are only accessible if that Perk is taken. • Occultists: *Alarm, autumnal slumber, dark bargain, *detect magic, *diminish, *disguise, *dispel magic, *enhance, *fear, *gain language, link chart, *mage dark, *open lock, *pathfinder, piercing eyes, *possibility rend, *possibility shadows, *protective circle, *scry, shadow constriction, *slow, *speak with dead, and *stun. • Twilight Magic: Boiling Blood, dark bargain, death haunt, detect curse, eye scry, *fear, ghost form, madness, monkey’s paw, nightmare aegis, pestilence, *protective circle, shadow constriction, sudden death, terror, transfer corruption, and truth of the flesh. *See Torg Eternity Core Rules

Madness

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Alteration 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Mind Range: 50 meters Duration: 1 round The occultist thinks of the most horrible, despairing, frightening, and insane thoughts that she can, pushing herself to the verge of insanity. Before it can take hold of her, she points at her target with a shout and projects these thoughts into the targets head. The target’s thoughts become chaotic, causing her to act in violently unpredictable ways. On a Standard success, the target acts erratically and attacks a randomly determined target. This target can be an ally, enemy, or bystander and

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a thousand angry spirits reaching out to pierce and tear the flesh. The caster may only target one creature per round. When a creature is targeted, the caster must test conjuration again against the target’s willpower or Spirit. On a successful test, the target suffers 8 points of Damage that ignores Armor. If the target has any Corruption Perks she takes an additional 4 Damage. The round immediately after the duration of Piercing Eyes ends, the caster is treated as if she is in Pitch Black (–6 to all attacks) as her eyes readjust to normal light. This penalty is reduced by 2 on every round after the first until her eyesight returns to normal on the 4th round after the spell duration ends. Success Levels: • Good: Damage +1 BD. • Outstanding: Damage +2 BD.

Shadow Constriction

does not have to be adjacent to the target affected by Madness, though she must still be able to reach her victim. Success Levels: • Good: Affects all enemies within a Small Blast Area. • Outstanding: Affects all enemies within a Medium Blast Area.

Piercing Eyes

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Challenging (DN 12) Range: 5 meters Duration: 3 rounds The casters eyes become extremely bright beacons of blinding white light that stretch out from her sockets. Anyone she looks upon feels the wrath of

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Axiom Level: 13 Skill: Apportation 10 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s unarmed combat or Dexterity Range: 25 meters Duration: Concentration Those who have studied the mysteries of Orrorsh know that shadows can be dangerous. An Occultist who wields this spell can manipulate shadows to do her bidding. The caster calls to the nearby shadows and commands them to attack a target. The shadows lash out at the target, wrapping her up in its grasp. Shadow Constriction attacks a target using the Grappling rules (see Torg Eternity). The shadows have a Strength of 12 for purposes of dealing damage and breaking free of the grapple. As the Occultist guides the shadows attacks, it uses apportation for all attack tests. Success Levels: • Good: The target suffers a Dim Darkness penalty (–2 to attack and opposed grapple tests). • Outstanding: The target suffers a Dark Darkness penalty (–4 to attack and opposed grapple tests).

Sudden Death

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Alteration 14

Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s Strength Range: Touch Duration: Special This spell is one that has been re-purposed from the scrolls of long dead warlocks and witches. The occultist calls forth the energies of any supernatural evil that will hear her call. Siphoning the Corruption from these creatures and the land itself, she draws it into one of her hands, turning it as black as midnight. The hand becomes twisted and claw like as it absorbs more wicked energy. The caster than reaches out with the corrupt appendage and claws at a creature’s chest. The talons quickly tear through the chest wall and sink into the creature’s heart —transferring the evil energy directly into it. The victims heart seizes and palpitates. Welcoming pure evil into her body with this spell results in the caster having to test Corruption (Challenging DN 12). The success or failure of the Corruption test has no impact on the casting. If the target of Sudden Death is an Ord, she immediately collapses as she goes into cardiac arrest. She cannot act for the next hour and at the end of that hour, she dies of a naturally seeming heart attack. Possibility rated characters suffer 20 damage that ignores armor. If Sudden Death causes the target to take more Wounds than her maximum, she makes her test for Defeat with a –4 penalty. If the target has Corruption Perk she only has a –2 penalty on the test for Defeat. If the target dies, it is the result of natural-seeming heart attack. Success Levels: • Good: The target has a –6 (–4 if Corrupted) penalty to the test for Defeat. • Outstanding: As Good and the test for Defeat is Disfavored.

Terror

Prerequisites: Beta clearance and Fear. Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 50 meters Duration: Instant Terror creates a deep and primal sense of fear that can physically harm those impacted by it. The

EMPOWERING SPELLS WITH CORRUPTION All spellcasters who cross into Orrorsh— or Occultists native to Orrorsh while in any cosm—may enhance any of their spells at the risk of gaining Corruption. To do this, the Storm Knight announces the attempt and describes what she is doing to empower her spell. The empowering act can be as simple as cutting her palm and spilling her blood on the ground in the name of a vile supernatural evil, or more complex such as reading alien words from an ancient scroll while casting grisly totems into a large stone basin. Mechanically, the Storm Knight tests Corruption. This is a Standard (DN 10) test against willpower or Spirit. As normal, on a failure, the Storm Knight permanently loses a point of Charisma. Whether she passes or fails, she receives a +3 bonus on all spellcasting tests for the rest of the Scene. The test difficultly is intentionally not high. It is just high enough that the risk seems to be worth taking. Temptation is often the path to becoming a monster.

caster releases a wave of energy. Enemies within a Large Blast Area are affected by this spell. Affected targets become Stymied and suffer 2 points of Shock. Note that as an Area Effect attack, there is no Multi-Targeting penalty, but also no option to add extra targets. Targets immune to fear effects can still be affected by Terror but have a +4 to their willpower or Spirit to resist. Success Levels: • Good: Affected targets become Very Stymied and suffer 4 Shock. • Outstanding: Affected targets lose their next action and suffer 4 Shock.

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DARK RITUALS Dark Rituals are referred to throughout this chapter. Unlike the Rituals in Aysle which are cast through Dramatic Skill resolution, the Dark Rituals of Orrorsh function much like a spell except the casting time is much longer and the effects of a ritual are much more powerful than usual. Most of the rituals list components needed to cast it. All of components for a ritual are easily found within the world of Torg Eternity and especially Orrorsh. There may be ways to further empower a ritual by seeking rare components (an adventure of its own), but otherwise it is assumed the Storm Knights have access to the components needed to perform each ritual as described.

Autumnal Slumber

Prerequisite: Beta clearance Axiom Level: 13 Skill: Alteration 16 Casting Time: 10 minutes DN: Very Hard (DN 16) Range: Special Duration: 8 hours Nightmare Trees are a horrible device used to infiltrate other realities by the Gaunt Man and leech their Possibilities. Autumnal Slumber is a ritual designed to temporarily suppress a Nightmare Tree’s power. To cast this ritual, the occultist must find one of the roots stretching out from the Nightmare Tree. Once located, the Occultist plunges her hand into the dirt grasping the end of the root and pulling it out of the ground like a large writhing worm. While maintaining a firm grasp on the root with one hand she walks counterclockwise around the tree. She uproots more of the Nightmare Tree as she does this and begins wrapping the root around the trunk of the tree. As long as the Occultist holds the root of the tree, she is protected from all attempts by the tree to harm her. When the Occultist finishes wrapping the trees root around it, she produces a silver nail and a hammer, placing the end of the root against the trunk of the tree, and then driving the nail into the root securing it against the tree. This binds the Nightmare tree to itself for a time.

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Casting this ritual is not without risk. Maintaining such close contact with a Nightmare Tree and having the sap spill onto the casters flesh or clothing exposes her to the taint of the tree. The Occultist must test Corruption (Hard DN 14) upon completion of this ritual. The Corruption test has no impact on the success or failure of Autumnal Slumber. For the duration of Autumnal Slumber, the Nightmare Tree is placed into a slumber like state. It cannot attack or use any of its powers. During this time, the Nightmare Tree does not have access to the Possibilities of the stelae network it has infiltrated either. If the Occultist is willing to risk testing Corruption (Very Hard DN 16) she may drain one Possibility from the Nightmare Tree upon completing this ritual. This may only be done once per completion of casting Autumnal Slumber. Success Levels: • Good: The duration increases to 24 hours. • Outstanding: The duration increases to 48 hours.

Dark Bargain

Prerequisite: Beta clearance and Protective Circle Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Divination 16 Casting Time: 1 day DN: Heroic (DN 18) Range: Self Duration: Special Dark Bargain is an extremely dangerous ritual that only the most desperate of Occultists will enact. This 24-hour long ritual requires the Occultist to cast a large protective circle around herself with salts that have been soaked in the blood of a Corrupted creature. She then lights 6 candles and begins calling out to the dark supernatural creatures of Orrorsh. If the Occultist performs the ritual correctly, and in her heart truly desires to strike a bargain with such an evil entity, it appears before her. The entity will grant the Occultist a powerful boon, but at a great price. On a Standard success, the caster refreshes her Possibilities and gains one extra. She also gains one Corruption Perk. Taking the Corruption Perk cannot be prevented in any way; the Storm Knight willingly

accepts the stain on her soul as the price for making the bargain. Success Levels: • Good: The casters Destiny Hand size is increased by one for the rest of the Act. • Outstanding: The casters Destiny Hand size is increased by two for the rest of the Act.

Death Haunt

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Conjuration 10 Casting Time: 1 hour DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: See below Duration: 1 hour Death Haunt allows the caster to haunt the target’s thoughts with constant visions of her own death. The range of the ritual is a 3-mile radius if the caster knows who the target is. If the caster has an object belonging to the target, the range expands to 300 miles. If the caster has a piece of the target (such as blood, hair, or nails), the range expands to 1000 miles. If the name and exact location of the target are known, plus she has a piece of the target then Death Haunt has a limitless range. If the caster succeeded at a test against the target’s willpower or Spirit, the target suffers a -4 penalty to all skill tests for the duration of the ritual. Success Levels: • Good: All skill tests for the target are disfavored. • Outstanding: As Good and the duration increases to 8 hours.

by the caster at the conclusion of this rite. The nature of the target is then revealed to the Occultist. Though, the target is aware of the intrusion. Upon completion of this ritual, the caster must test Corruption (Standard DN 10). The Corruption test has no impact on the success or failure of this ritual. On a standard success, the Occultist knows if the target has any Corruption Perks, and how many. The ritual tells the Occultist with absolute certainty if the target is a creature of supernatural evil or not. Success Levels: • Good: The Occultist knows if and what kind of curse the target is affected by or what kind of monsters the target is. Any Corruption Perks possessed are identified by name. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the target is unaware of the intrusion.

Detect Curse

Axiom Level: 14 Skill: Divination 8 Casting Time: 10 minutes DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: Unlimited Duration: Instant This ritual requires some of the targets blood, hair, skin, or similar body part. Detect Curse is a divining ritual that can reveal the target’s true nature. The Occultist draws a magical circle, lights incense, and combines the target’s body part with other components in a bowl. This concoction is consumed

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Dark Rituals are all fun and games until somebody loses a soul.

Eye Scry

Axiom Level: 7 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 30 minutes DN: Standard (DN 10) Range: See below Duration: 2 hours This gruesome ritual requires the occultist to pluck out her eye upon completion of casting. The ritual starts with the caster carefully preparing her hand by cutting ancient runes into her fingertips. Once this task is completed, she must immediately place her bleeding fingertips into her eye socket and pull out her own eyeball. If the runes were cut into her flesh correctly, the eye is pulled free with ease and, miraculously, the occultist can still see through the eye. At the conclusion of the ritual, the caster tests divination. On a success the she suffers one Wound until her eye is returned to its socket.

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Once removed the eye functions as normal, though a slight transformation takes place. The optical nerves form into two small appendages that allow the eye to creep along the ground at a Movement speed of 10. The eye cannot run. The eye is difficult to spot. Anyone looking for it must make a Heroic (DN 18) find or Mind test to spot it and recognize what it is. The eye is vulnerable to attack though its size does make it harder to hit. All attackers suffer a –6 Size penalty and the eye’s Defenses are all 8. The eye only has a Toughness of 2. Any Shock or Wounds dealt to the eye immediately destroy it. The range of Eye Scry is unlimited. If the eye can travel that distance it can see everything within the normal capabilities of the Occultist who cast it. Once the duration ends, the eye immediately becomes lifeless. If the caster retrieves the eye and it is undamaged, she can place it back into her socket, recovering the Wound and regaining her vision.

If the eye is destroyed while outside of the Occultists head, even if returned to her socket, she is now blind in that eye. The caster may increase the movement of Eye Scry by +4 (for a total of 14) by risking a Corruption test (Standard DN 10). The movement of Eye Scry is increased regardless of the results of the Corruption test. Eye Scry can only be modified in this way once per the casting of this ritual. Success Levels: • Good: The eye gains the ability to Fly at Speed 10 and can run. • Outstanding: As Good and the duration increases to 4 hours.

Link Chart

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Divination 8 Casting Time: 30 minutes DN: Heroic (DN 18) Range: Special Duration: Special Piecing together the clues from an investigation can present quite a challenge. The clues to solve a mystery are not always obvious or apparent. This ritual can help the caster organize and fill in any gaps. To complete this ritual, the occultist needs a bulletin board, large canvas, or a clear spot on a wall. She then places notes , clues, pictures, and any discovered information on the board and connects loose pieces of twine or yarn to each. Then she releases magical energy into the area and allows it to guide her in her thought process. On a Standard success, Link Chart reveals one piece of significant information related to the mystery the caster is trying to solve. This information is something she did not previously know, or guidance towards where to make a potential discovery. If the ritual fails or there are no discoveries left to make, or the notes and clues on the board aren’t from a single investigation the board bursts into flame and all the materials are destroyed. Success Levels: • Good: The caster learns two locations or pieces of information.

• Outstanding: The caster learns three locations or pieces of information.

Monkey’s Paw

Axiom Level: 15 Skill: Apportation 10 Casting Time: 1 hour DN: Hard (DN 14) Range: Special Duration: Special This macabre ritual requires the occultist to have the hand of a dead humanoid. The hand must still have flesh. The ritual automatically fails if cast on a skeletal hand. The caster soaks the disembodied hand in foul-smelling fluids while chanting. Upon completion of the ritual, the pinky finger and thumb shrivel and curl up while the remaining fingers remain straight. If the hand is kept visible on the Occultist (typically worn as a talisman around the neck) it grants protection against harm. In addition to the apportation test to cast this ritual, the Occultist must test Corruption (DN 12). The Corruption test has no bearing on if the ritual succeeds or fails. On a Standard casting success the talisman allows anyone wielding it to Soak (including Ords) damage without spending a Possibility. Each Soak attempt where the Monkey’s Paw is used causes one of the straight fingers to curl up like the pinky and thumb. Once the Monkey’s Paw has been used to make three Soak attempts, the hand rapidly withers and turns into dust. The Monkey’s Paw holds its power until all three Soak attempts have been used. Success Levels: • Good: All Soak rolls with the paw are made at a +2. • Outstanding: All Soak rolls with the paw are made at a +4.

Nightmare Aegis

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Apportation 16 Casting Time: 4 hours DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: Special Duration: 24 hours Nightmares are powerful monsters which stalk Orrorsh. Many Storm Knights attempt to find

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ways to defeat these creatures, but end up drawing their attention before they have discovered any vulnerability. Drawing the notice of a Nightmare has cost the lives of many Storm Knights or the Ords around them. Nightmare Aegis is a ritual designed to misdirect the sight of a Nightmare. To complete this ritual, the occultist must posses at least one piece of information about the specific Nightmare—specifically from one of the five investigation categories which defines it as described on page 73. With this knowledge in mind, she focuses on it, calling to the Nightmare and drawing its attention. Once the Nightmare begins to look for her, the Occultist forms the shield around herself and her allies and redirects the Nightmare’s gaze elsewhere. This leads the Nightmare on a wild goose chase and gives her and her allies more time to act without the gaze of the creature upon them. On a Standard success, the occultist has fooled the Nightmare for long enough to make it look elsewhere for her and her companions. All attempts by the Nightmare to locate the Storm Knight and those she deems as her companions, fail for 24 hours. The occultist may opt to double the duration of Nightmare Aegis by testing Corruption (Very Hard DN 16) and choosing a specific person to divert the Nightmare’s attention to. It feels to the creature as if that person is investigating them, and they act accordingly. The duration is increased no matter the result of the Corruption test. Success Levels: • Good: The duration increases to 48 hours. • Outstanding: The duration increases to 72 hours.

Pestilence

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Conjuration 12 Casting Time: 1 hour DN: Hard (DN 14) Range: 500 meters Duration: Special Pestilence is a risky ritual that can wreak great havoc upon one’s enemies. To perform this ritual, the Occultist must have something that belonged

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to a person who died of a sickness — bandages, clothing, a handkerchief, and similar things will suffice. The diseased belonging is then ground up, burned, or otherwise shaped into dust. Finally, the occultist mixes in other components to make a magically infected powder that she blows into the wind. These particles seek out her targets and infect them. In addition to making the conjuration test to cast this ritual, the Occultist must also test Corruption (Challenging DN 12). The result of the Corruption test has no impact on the success or failure of the ritual. Pestilence infects all targets directly downwind within the ritual’s range. Each target is allowed a Hard (DN 14) Strength test to fight off the disease. Failure means that the target is infected. Any targets who fail the test immediately suffer a –1 to all Attributes as they become ill. The disease that Pestilence creates has a short, but devastating lifespan. Over the next 72 hours each target infected must make another Hard (DN 14) Strength test at each 24-hour mark or suffer a cumulative –1 penalty to all Attributes, up to a total of –3 to all attributes on the third day. After the third day, the targets begin to recover, eliminating one point of penalty each day until they have no penalty at all. Additionally, any target infected by Pestilence becomes a temporary carrier of the magical disease. Anyone who comes into physical contact with someone with a current penalty must test Strength (Challenging DN 12) or become infected themselves as above. The new target in turn becomes a carrier who can infect others. Any creature that has a Corruption Perk tracks the penalty but ignores its effect on attributes. Such creatures are technically immune, but still count as carriers of the magical disease for as long as the penalty would affect them. Success Levels: • Good: The caster is immune to the effects of the disease she creates. • Outstanding: As Good and the caster chooses 5 other targets that are immune.

Transfer Corruption

Axiom Level: 11 Skill: Apportation 14 Casting Time: 10 minutes DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit, or Hard (DN 14) if an object Range: Touch Duration: 24 hours Those who have suffered the effects of Corruption Perks have a stain on their soul. To draw that stain out, it has to come to the surface. The temptations incur Corruption are strong, but there are ways to temporarily cheat Orrorsh. While casting this ritual, the physical expression of corruption becomes exaggerated: disfigurements become obvious, moles look grotesque, old wounds reappear and fester, etc. This temporary ugliness is similar to the effects of Darkness Perks in Aysle, and no coincidence. At the climax of the ritual, the occultist must choose a target to inflict her Corruption Perk upon. Regardless of if the target is an object or a person, the Occultist must test Corruption (Hard DN 14). This ritual is resolved despite the outcome of the Corruption test. On a standard success the occultist can temporarily gains +1 Charisma and ignores the effects of Corruption Perks for the duration. If the target is a alive it suffers a –1 Charisma penalty for the duration, and temporarily inherits all the ghastly manifestations of Corruption that manifested during the casting. An object targeted by Transfer Corruption becomes warped and twisted. The caster must keep this object on her person or the duration immediately ends. During the ritual’s duration the caster doesn’t register as supernatural evil or in possession of Corruption Perks for Detect Curse and other similar senses. Transfer Corruption only removes the physical aspects of Corruption from the caster. Corruption can still be detected in the caster through magical or other supernatural means. If the target is Defeated or destroyed the duration ends and the caster must test Defeat as well.

Success Levels: • Good: The duration increases to 48 hours. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the caster gains a +2 bonus to Charisma and the target suffers a –2 penalty to Charisma for the duraction.

Truth

of the

Flesh

Axiom Level: 14 Skill: Divination 10 Casting Time: 1 hour DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: Touch Duration: 1 hour Orrorsh is a cosm full of mysteries where Storm Knights may find themselves at the center of investigations of arson, robbery, and murder. This bloody ritual was designed to assist an interviewers with obtaining the absolute truth from a suspect. To complete this ritual, the occultist must harm the target without killing him. Committing such a torturous act requires Hard (DN 14) Corruption test. This Corruption test has no impact on the success or failure of the ritual. On a Standard success the target answers two questions asked by the occultist completely and honestly. If the target does not know the answer to the question, he responds with, “I do not know,” or something similar. The target of Truth of the Flesh is not granted any extra awareness of the subjects he is being interviewed about. Once the ritual’s duration ends the target is unconscious for 24 hours. Success Levels: • Good: The target answers three questions honestly and completely. • Outstanding: As Good, plus the target isn’t rendered unconscious.

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T

MIRACLES

he Sacellum is the primary religion of the Victorians of Gaea. On the surface, it appears to be a form of Christianity; somewhere between Catholicism and Protestantism. Rituals, belief in saints as intermediates between the faithful and God, prayers, and other beliefs are very similar to the Catholic or even Cyber churches. But the lack of central leadership, opulent cathedrals, and colorful vestments with a plain, more puritanical visage makes it seem, on first glance, a Protestant sect.

THE MYSTERIES OF SACELLUM Shortly after the Victorians encountered the Horrors that the Gaunt Man had brought to Gaea, an explorer in the Holy Land found an ancient copy of the New Testament written on vellum parchment in a language very similar to Coptic of Core Earth. Gone from these gospels were the themes of love and redemption. Gone were the tenets of loving thy neighbor as thyself and turning the other cheek. This collection of New Testament writings was named the Sacred Vellum and over time its name was shortened to Sacellum. The God of the Sacellum continued the theme of the jealous Old Testament God, who brought plagues down upon the Romans and a Jesus that lived by the book, chapter, and verse of Matthew 10:34-36 (Sacellum): “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household if they be sinners.” Although seemingly small, the differences are stark and plain to see by anyone with a copy of the New Testament and Sacellum. Over time the message of the Sacellum — fire and brimstone, punishment and fear — supplanted the message of love and forgiveness. The faith grew. What started as a small offshoot sect of Christianity quickly gained power and recognition because the Sacellum’s message of a harsh and unforgiving God who sent punishment

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and eternal damnation to sinners was much more understandable to a populace being assaulted by Orrorsh. The message of a loving and caring God was counter to the reality of horror. The Jesus of the Sacellum himself used violence and a whip to drive sinners from the Temple, and ordered his disciples to buy and arm themselves with swords in Luke 22:36-38 (Sacellum): “But now, the one who has no purse must take one, and likewise a bag. And everyone who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me.” And he was counted among the lawless; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled. They said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” He replied, “It is not enough.” The subtle changes — an additional or omitted word here and there — altered the meaning of the New Testament completely. But the Sacellum was understandable to Victorian society. A God who punished mankind for sinning, one who let the Great Evil unleash his wrath upon a sinful world, and one whose priests were able to repel and defeat horrors matched the reality that faced the Victorians and the Sacellum soon supplanted all other forms of Christianity. What is unknown to the Victorians is that the Gaunt Man played a role in the creation of the Sacred Vellum. The explorer who found the writing had been Corrupted himself. His initial desire to find the “true Christian faith” became the first step in spreading a corrupt religion. He ignored inconsistencies within the pages of the Sacred Vellum and even doctored parts of it himself in order to pass it as truth to the Victorians back home. Over time he wanted recognition and to become a saint, feeling he was a link between the true faith and God. He wanted acknowledgment of being the one who found the means through faith to fight against the horrors of Orrorsh. His fall to Corruption became inevitable. Ironically, the impact of the Sacellum faith on the Victorians was so absolute, his name has been lost as he was never a martyr. The Sacellum is a powerful force. Its miracles do help slay the evils of Orrorsh, but it is slowly destroying itself. The teachings of peace, love, and

AVAILABLE MIRACLES Below is the list of miracles priests of the Sacellum may select from. This list replaces the more moderate “Fire and Brimstone” list from Torg Eternity used by the normal faithful, and may only be selected by Chaplains with the appropriate Perk (see page 14).

• Sacellum Chaplain: Banish*, bless missile, blind, crisis of faith, crucifixion, curse*, fear of God, infernal judgment, hellfire*, part the sea, paralyze, pillar of salt, repel*, sins of the flesh, thrice cursed, ward enemy* *See Torg Eternity Core Rules

a forgiving God would have, in time, delayed the takeover of Orrorsh. When a person feels that they have God at their side against evil, they fight harder as their area of influence shrinks. Helping others strengthens the community in the long term. But this results in an arduous and terrible test of faith that does not produce immediate results. The Sacellum faith changed this. The Sacellum proclaims that God is sending the evil to punish sinners. If evil comes to a town, it must be someone within who has called forth God’s wrath. Neighbor turns on neighbor, family member against family member, and society is culled from the inside. Awesome miracles of the Sacellum can be called to bear against the Nightmares and Horrors of Orrorsh. Sacellum miracles are an immediate and visible result. And with this, in time the other forms of Christianity shrank and withered and the Sacellum became the prominent religion for the Victorians. But individual occurrences of defeating a Horror or even a Nightmare mean nothing to the Gaunt Man. Everything and everyone can be sacrificed for his end goal. And with the most powerful Horrors able to return, it is usually a temporary loss anyway.

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THE SACELLUM’S PLACE IN VICTORIAN SOCIETY At its height, the Sacellum faith controlled the Victorians. Not as an institution, but as an ideal. There is no central organization, but priests tended to the spiritual concerns of the populace, and deviation from their tenants were met harshly. The way of purity was harsh but deemed necessary to prevent the spreading corruption of the Gaunt Man. The ideals of free thought and expression— and most things that would not fit a “puritan” society—were not tolerated. These were seen as the path to sin and corruption and worship of the evil that is the Gaunt Man, who has displaced the notion of Satan as the nemesis of God. To the Sacellum, magic and the occult are two the greatest sins that a person can partake in. They lead to dark paths, and all dark paths lead to the Gaunt Man. Over time the effectiveness of these means to defeat the horrors of Orrorsh have been proven time and time again, so only Sacellum priests and the staunchest followers of the faith still hold this view. Now, with the Victorian population only a remnant of what it once was and other refugees from Gaea fleeing that doomed cosm alongside them, the power and influence of the Sacellum is fading. The Sacellum was not able to save Gaea, and many have broken with them as new faiths, both of other Gaean societies and those in India on Core Earth, have been discovered. Those who still follow the Sacellum have hope for success on Core Earth as a way to alleviate the guilt of failing Gaea. After the Night of Screams, when the Gaean expeditionary forces cam down the Maelstrom bridge to Kolkata,

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Sacellum priests were able to show the power of their miracles to the local residents firsthand. Some new converts were gained, but there is much the Sacellum priests need to do in order to overcome the wariness shown towards these new “missionaries.”

STRUCTURE Even though the rituals, rites, and beliefs of the Sacellum are similar to Catholicism, it is a decentralized religion. Each church has its own priest, who is relatively autonomous in caring for those in his charge. Priests are trained in seminary and once they prove that they are ready to minister to the populace, sent to an area in which they are not known. The Sacellum view is that ties to family and friends may soften the priest and allow sin and corruption to go unpunished. The priests themselves, for the most part, are not wantonly cruel and do not take delight in punishing those who have strayed from the path of the Sacellum. They see themselves as a firm but guiding hand without which society would be lost. Priests can be of any gender. This is both due to the differences between the Sacellum and Christian sects that do not allow it as well as the fact that if the Sacellum was not open to this, there would simply not be enough priests to serve the Victorians. The most important things is that the Priests stay pure to the Sacellum’s teachings and keep their flocks on the path of righteousness.

PRIESTS AND CHAPLAINS The priests of the Sacellum are an important part of Victorian life. They are completely committed to the destruction of the monsters that have invaded Gaea (and now Core Earth). Their faith and conviction are strong. They truly believe that they are the only faith that can rid the cosmverse of the evils of Orrorsh. Their strict

vows and commitment to staying “pure” blind them, and they cannot see that one of the core tenants of their faith leads to its ultimate downfall. Martyrdom is seen as the godliest act a priest can do within the Sacellum faith. And while martyrdom is the ultimate act of faith, a priest who wields tremendous power against evil dies to save others person who may not contribute as much to the fight. Defeating a Horror temporarily, without knowing its True Death, instead of retreating and fighting another day is something that happens all too often within the priesthood. When the Victorians seemed the majority on Gaea an individual priest’s death was not seen as weakening the whole. Now, on the other hand, when the Victorian society is so diminished the affects of Pyrrhic victories are felt more strongly. Sacellum priests don’t realize they shoulder some of the blame for why the Victorians were destroyed. After the Sacellum became the most accepted form of Christianity, the benefit of having embedded priests within the Victorian military became obvious. This led to the creation of the Sacellum chaplains, priests who use their faith to bolster soldiers and battle horrors. On average a single chaplain ministers to a unit of soldiers roughly the size of a platoon (15 — 45 soldiers). The chaplain provides spiritual guidance, which is much more than encouragement and support. The chaplain makes sure his soldiers are spiritually pure and on a righteous path. Sin cannot be tolerated, as sin leads to corruption and corruption of one leads to the corruption of all. It is the chaplain’s job to root out sinners and deal with them as needed, depending on how corrupt they have become. The soldiers themselves usually see the Sacellum chaplain as a father, one who is harsh, but in a fight to save their souls.

NEW MIRACLES Bless Missile

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 30 minutes DN: Standard (DN 10) Range: 5 meters Duration: 1 day

One of the most important miracles invoked by a Sacellum chaplain is Bless Missile. Usually done in the morning, the Quartermaster gathers ammunition that is to be distributed that day and presents it to the chaplain. The chaplain then sprinkles holy water on the ammunition and blesses it. Bless Missile increases the damage value against supernatural evil by +1. Up to 100 bullets are blessed. An arrow counts as 10 bullets and an artillery shell counts as the full 100. Special ammo which already carries a blessing, such as Holy Water Shells for the Slayer’s gun, gain no additional benefit. Missiles blessed with this miracle counts as magical for purposes of affecting foes with the Ethereal or similar abilities that generally ignore normal weapons. Success Levels: • Good: Up to 500 bullets can be blessed. • Outstanding: As Good and the damage against supernatural evil is increased to +2.

Blind

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 100 meters Duration: 3 rounds This miracle robs the target of the ability of sight by shrouding his eyes in shades of unrelenting gray. On a success the target suffers the −2 penalty for Dim lighting on find tests and ranged attacks. The penalty applies even to targets who can normally see in the dark and ignore such modifiers. Success Levels: • Good: The Darkness penalty increases to -4 • Outstanding: The Darkness penalty increases to the maximum -6

Crisis

of

Faith

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s faith or Spirit Range: 10 meters Duration: 1 round

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The invoker of this miracle calls out and rebukes another person of faith. On a Success, the target’s faith skill is disfavored. Success Levels: • Good: Duration increases to 3 rounds • Outstanding: On the first round, the target cannot actively use the faith skill. Miracles can be cast if the target’s Spirit is high enough.

Crucifixion

Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 10 meters Duration: Instant Crucifixion is a powerful miracle in which steel spikes shoot out of the priest’s hands and pierce the target’s hands and feet doing 16 damage, AP 4. If there is a hard, vertical surface (a tree would count, a person would not) within a meter behind the target, the spikes impale him to the surface in a manner of a crucifixion and he is restrained (see Grappling in Torg Eternity). Breaking free is a Very Hard (DN 16) Strength test. Success Levels: • Good: Damage +1BD. • Outstanding: Damage +2BD.

Fear

of

God

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 50 meters Duration: Instant The invoker causes an intense fear of judgment in all enemies within a Large Blast (see Torg Eternity). Affected targets become Vulnerable. Note that as an Area Effect attack there’s no Multi-Targeting penalty, but also no option to add extra targets. Targets immune to fear effects are also immune to this spell. Success Levels • Good: Affected targets become Very Vulnerable. • Outstanding: Affected targets become Very Vulnerable and suffer 2 Shock.

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Infernal Judgment

Prereq: Beta Clearance, Hellfire miracle Axiom Level: 16 Skill: Faith 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s dodge or Dexterity Range: 25 meters Duration: 3 rounds With infernal judgment, the priest calls up a hellish pillar of fire from under the ground to strike up at a target. A target up to 25 meters in the air may be hit by the miracle. The base damage for the miracle is the priest’s faith. The pillar of fire will burn anyone who comes in contact with it, but it cannot move. Success Levels • Good: Damage +1BD. • Outstanding: Damage +2BD.

Paralyze

Axiom Level: 12 Skill: Faith 14 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: Touch Duration: 3 rounds This miracle paralyzes the victim upon a touch, affecting the target’s ability to move even though she is aware. Any physical actions are at a –2 penalty and base movement is reduced by 2 as well. This does affect magic and miracles that require speech, but not psionic powers and other abilities that do not. Success Levels: • Good: Penalty to physical actions as Standard and additionally the target cannot move but is not restrained. • Outstanding: As Good and the penalty to physical actions is increased to –4.

Part

the

Sea

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (DN 14) Range: 50 meters Duration: Concentration With this miracle, the priest calls upon her god to cause a body of water to part and allow passage.

The liquid separates, leaving a corridor of solid ground. One a Standard success, a volume of water equivalent to a small pool or stream may be parted. When the miracle ends, the water rushes back, doing 10 damage (ignores armor) to anyone left standing in the area that was parted. Success Levels • Good: Water volume can be equivalent to a pond or small river. Damage +1BD. • Outstanding: Water volume can be a deep river or small lake. Damage +2BD.

Pillar

of

Salt

Axiom Level: 17 Skill: Faith 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Hard (–4) vs. the target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 5 meters Duration: 3 rounds This powerful miracle is only able to be invoked on holy ground and other areas where the Spirit axiom is 17 or higher without contradiction. The priest calls upon the wrath of the Sacellum God to turn the target into a pillar of salt. On a success, the target becomes Stymied and Vulnerable. At the start of the target’s following turn, the target becomes Very Stymied and Very Vulnerable. At the start of the target’s subsequent turn, Restrained, Very Stymied, and Very Vulnerable. The target may sacrifice their entire turn to make a Very Hard (DN 14) faith or Spirit test to end the miracle early. If the target is KO’ed due to Shock, they must immediately make a Defeat test. Success Levels: • Good: As Standard, plus the target takes 1 Shock per round. • Outstanding: As Standard, plus the target takes 2 Shock per round.

Sins

of the

Flesh

Axiom Level: 14 Skill: Faith 12 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s faith or Spirit Range: Touch Duration: 1 Scene The effect of this miracle produces a curse which causes rips and tears to appear on the target’s body. The open sores cause pain and discomfort. The

target takes 2 points of Shock that does not go away unless healed or the duration passes. The damage can be healed through mundane or magical means such as the healing skill or various abilities, spells, and miracles that heal damage, but the appearance of the flesh can only be repaired with by removing the curse or allowing the duration to end on its own. The target’s Charisma and Dexterity based skill tests are at a –4 penalty as long as the sores are present. Spells and miracles such as Repel Curse and Break Curse end this miracle as presented in their descriptions. Success Levels: • Good: Shock is increased to 4 points • Outstanding: As a Good success, but the duration increases to an Act.

Thrice Cursed

Axiom Level: 10 Skill: Faith 16 Casting Time: 1 action DN: Target’s willpower or Spirit Range: 50 meters Duration: One day The target suffers three different conditions as a within the next 24 hours. Each round the invoker can choose one of the conditions to apply as a free action. No more than one of these conditions can affect the target at the same time. The invoker chooses which conditions affects the target, and may choose them in any order desired. The same condition cannot affect the target more than once from this miracle, and the target cannot be affected by this miracle more than once in 24 hours. The conditions can be: Disfavored, Very Stymied, Very Vulnerable, Confused, or Fatigued. Success Levels • Good: Up to two of the conditions may be applied to the target on the same round. • Outstanding: All three conditions may be applied to the target on the same round.

35

T

GEAR

his chapter describes items that can be acquired in India or areas influenced by Orrorsh. Tech 23 items remain available in Mixed Zones along the border and within Hardpoints. So much of the realm is a Pure Zone, however, that only Tech 18 items and below are available elsewhere. The lower axiom still supports many modern conveniences, including internal combustion engines. Petrol processed within Orrorsh is rare but available. Supplies from modern factories “go bad” quickly inside Pure Zones. Some of the most bizarre interactions occur around Hardpoints. Most of the cable in Orrorsh has transformed into telegraph lines, but those can still transmit signals that specially modified lowbandwidth modems can convert into text messages. Regardless of the machine that produces a signal, the data of a simple dash or dot doesn’t violate the axiom during transmissions. See the Gear chapter in Torg Eternity for more information on requisitioning equipment from the Delphi Council or using personal resources to buy items.

MAGIC ITEMS Orrorsh’s axioms support magic items, but they aren’t commercially available products—with a few exceptions. The Raji are known to create good luck charms and similar trinkets, but most are fakes with no actual power. A few dedicated alchemists brew potions with properties that defy anything possible with normal chemistry. Isolated, eccentric smiths manage to combine magical runes, alchemy, and their own brilliant designs into devices that behave almost like the Weird Science of the Nile Empire. Orrorsh Magic items are denoted as requiring a Magic Axiom 14. When a specific manufacturer is found they may be purchased directly in limited quantities (no more than five) for the listed prices. Without such access magic items suffer a –4 penalty to requisitions for rarity or cost five times the usual amount for a starting character.

36

GENERAL GEAR Ballroom Attire: Formal clothing for appearance at balls, the opera or other “high-class” functions. Includes a tailcoat or ballgown (often with hoop skirt or bustle), gloves, and accessories. Eldritch Tome: An old handwritten tome of occult lore, usually bound in leather of dubious origin. Each tome explores one type of magical skill. Users are Favored for those tests when they first spend an action to read from an appropriate passage. Elixir of Spirit: Sometimes called “Bottled Courage” by Victorian troopers. Drinking the brew (a free action) grants a +1 bonus to Spirit for one hour. Afterwards the drinker suffers a –1 penalty to Spirit for an hour. Elixir of Strength: Drinking the elixir (a free action) grants a +1 bonus to Strength for one hour. Afterwards the drinker suffers a –1 penalty to Strength for an hour. Elixir of Light: This brew looks like any other bottled concoction until uncorked. Once exposed to air the contents of the vial begin to glow brightly (10 meter radius) for one hour. The light can be carried in a glass bottle, or poured onto the ground to illuminate a single spot. Foothold Trap: A vicious set of heavy metal jaws, sprung by a pressure plate and usually connected to a chain and a stake. It takes minutes to stake and set as a baited trap using survival, and a Critical Failure snaps the jaws closed upon the trapper! A creature that walks across the trap can avoid it with a Standard find test. If the survival test result is Good the find test becomes Difficult (DN 12), or Hard (DN 14) on an Outstanding success. Triggering the trap deals 10 +1BD damage and reduces the victim’s Move by 2—plus they can’t move farther than the stake and chain allow, usually no more than two meters. A Hard (DN 14) Strength test pries the trap back open to release the target. Full Spectrum Recorder: A video camera that detects light in various different wavelengths. The user can detect the shapes of normally invisible ghosts and spirits, reducing the penalties to see (and attack) them by 2 points. This model comes with a motion detector which can trigger recording.

GENERAL GEAR Core Earth Items Full Spectrum Recorder Glow Stick Rain Gear Telegraph Modem

Orrorsh Items Ballroom Attire Eldritch Tome Elixir of Light (Magic 14) Elixir of Spirit (Magic 14) Elixir of Strength (Magic 14) Foothold Trap Iron Sheen Potion (Magic 14) Luck Charm (Magic 14) Magnifying Glass Newspaper Advert Mechanical Arm (Magic 14) Mechanical Leg (Magic 14) Philosopher’s Dust (Magic 14) Sacellum Charm (Spiritual 14) Semi-Formal Attire Silver Ammunition Tea Tea Party Accessories Umbrella

Tech

Price

23 23 23 22

250 (12) 25 (7) 100 (10) 100 (10)

Tech

Price

16 13 17 17 17 17 17 17 17 18 18 18 18 17 16 18 8 16 18

500 (13) 500 (13) 200 (11) 200 (11) 200 (11) 75 (9) 200 (11) 150 (11) 50 (8) 50 (8) 2K (16) 2K (16) 500 (13) 150 (11) 250 (12) 250 (12) 5 (3) 50 (8) 50 (8)

Glow Stick: A plastic tube containing a mixture of reactive chemicals which cast light (10 meter radius) for 24 hours once activated. Glow sticks aren’t hot and are easy to clip onto clothing or weapons for convenience. Iron Sheen Potion: Spread on a weapon (or single bullet) as an action to grant it the ability to affect ethereal beings. The effect only lasts a minute before the sheen dries and disperses. Luck Charm: A character carrying one of these trinkets is immune to the effects one Setback. If the Setback causes a general consequence to everyone, she’s immune. If the Setback would target a random hero, she isn’t eligible as a target. If it brings reinforcements based on the number of heroes they are decreased proportionally, or a single

37

foe ignores her. Once a Setback occurs the charm becomes useless unless she spends a Possibility to keep it “lucky.” Magnifying Glass: A large lens mounted on a handle, often used while investigating crime scenes or files. Evidence analysis is Favored. Newspaper Advert: Most communication in Orrorsh is done through local newspapers. Each edition has several pages of classified and personal advertisements which may be used for sharing coded messages among secret societies, including the Delphi Council or Devon House. Ads charge by the letter, so messages are usually no more than 50 words. Mechanical Arm: An inventor’s ingenuity turns a potential hindrance into an asset. One of the character’s arms is completely replaced by a mechanized version powered by springs, clockwork, runes, and alchemy. The new arm functions exactly like the old one, and has the same Strength and Toughness as its owner. When the owner suffers a Wound he has a choice: suffer it normally, or instead take it as damage to the arm. Damage costs $1000 (Value 15) and a day to repair, and renders the arm completely useless in the meantime. A second Wound destroys the arm completely. While the arm is damaged (or gone) the character suffers a –4 penalty with items or tasks that normally require two hands (GM’s call). Mechanical Leg: Functions exactly like the Mechanical Arm above, but the unfortunate limb lost was a leg instead of an arm. If a Mechanical Leg is damaged or destroyed the owner’s Move drops by 4 and he may not run until it is repaired or replaced. Philosopher’s Dust: An alchemist’s best friend. Each dose of dust allows an alchemical potion to retain its potency without a direct connection to the creator. Characters with the Alchemy Perk may craft extra potions—one per dose—that don’t expire or count against their maximum number of potions. Less trained apothecaries use Philosopher’s Dust to create weaker versions of some known potions for sale in special shops. Rain Gear: Modern rain gear is light and breathable, and may be worn over any clothing or armor. When worn it eliminates up to two points

38

of penalties to survival from storms or bad weather. Sacellum Charm: These charms aren’t created by the church or endorsed by them, but they are very popular. They are made of polished, cold iron and tarnish very quickly and easily—supposedly very quickly in the presence of evil. Many use them as a highly inaccurate means of detecting the presence or influence of monsters. True charms grant a +1 bonus to Toughness against creatures of supernatural evil. Semi-formal Attire: Clothing appropriate for visiting, including a frock coat or day dress, a hat, and accessories. Silver Ammunition: The price listed is for ten bullets of any caliber or size. Silver is considered a type of ammunition, so it can’t be mixed with other options like Armor Piercing or Hollow Point. Tea: If there’s one thing Victorians love, it’s a good cup of tea—as long as it’s hot and properly steeped. Cold tea or instant preparation marks one as at least a barbarian and potentially a being of supernatural evil. The price listed is for enough tea to serve five people at one sitting. It has no noticeable effect on Shock or statistics, but good luck convincing a Victorian of that. Tea Party Accessories: Includes cups, saucers, and a teapot. Additional food must be purchased at half the price for each party: finger sandwiches, scones, crumpets and other pastries. Purchased food spoils within a few days. Telegraph Modem: A device that converts data into dots and dashes for transmission over telegraph lines—and vice versa. Usually installed inside a computer meant to operate on either side of Orrorsh. Umbrella: A classy accessory favored by Victorians used to monsoons and heavy rains. When carried (requires one hand) an umbrella eliminates up to two points of penalties to survival from storms or bad weather.

ARMOR Boilerplate Helmet: The companion piece to the Boilerplate Hauberk (Torg Eternity), this massive solid headpiece rests on the wearer’s shoulders and is made of steel more than six millimeters

ARMOR Core Earth

Tech

Bonus

Price

Boilerplate Helmet Embroidered Waistcoat Sacellum Shield

18 17 17

+4 +1 +2

300 (12) 350 (12) 500 (13)

6 12 12

Shrieking Coat (Magic 14)

17

+2

800 (14)

10

Silver Plate

17

+3

2,500 (17)

8

thick. The wearer can only see through a thin slit across the eye-line. Embroidered Waistcoat: The multiple reinforced cloth layers provide some protection, but the overall style and decoration is still suitable for fashionable events which might otherwise frown upon armor. Sacellum Shield: Unlike the charms that many Victorians wear and cling to, the Sacellum Shield is manufactured and endorsed by the church. It’s a round plate with the Sacellum cross embossed upon it, and crafted using cold iron. It’s moderately effective as a normal shield, but it truly shines against creatures of the night. If an opponent is either supernatural evil or has the Cloak of Darkness property the shield offers +3 to Defenses instead of the normal +2. This is considered the same exact bonus provided by ward enemy, so it doesn’t stack with that miracle.

Max Dex Notes Head, Min Str 10, Find –2 Counts as Semi-Formal Attire Min Str 8, +1 vs supernatural evil or Cloak of Darkness Torso, Fatigues, Flat Footed becomes Distracted instead Min Str 10, Fatigues, Fear tests Favored within 5 meters

Silver Plate: Silver plate is a set of segmented armor covering the top of the chest, neck, and shoulders. Each segment is steel underneath, with worked and ornamental silver leafed on top. The effect is striking, and though it doesn’t actually provide much benefit against lycanthropes it evokes the Victorian Knights and their associated heroism even in people who aren’t familiar with the tales. Tests against Fear are Favored for the wearer, and for any allies within five meters.

Shrieking Coat: Shrieking coats are a true oddity, and considered quite distasteful—bordering on monstrous—by everyone except monster hunters who depend on them for survival. They are made with cured monster hide, but in this case some part of the monster is still conscious and bound to the coat. Two eyes are fixed in the back, sometimes hidden, sometimes not, and a small mouth of a sort. Usually the coat remains muffled and silent, but it can still see, and it can still feel. When hit by attacks the coat may whimper or groan in surprise, and if someone attacks from behind where the coat can see it cries out in warning. The effect is surprising and unsettling when the wearer isn’t expecting it. The result is if the wearer would be caught FlatFooted he counts as Vulnerable instead.

39

WEAPONS Fire Combat

Tech Damage

Shots

Range

Price

Notes

Martini-Henry Revolving Rifle Derringer Pepperbox

17 18 18 18

14 14 9 9

1 6 2 4

50/100/200 50/100/200 10/20/30 10/20/30

200 (11) — 250 (12) — 100 (10) Small, Pistol 150 (11) Small, Pistol, Short Burst only (4 shots) 100 (10) Shotgun

Coach Gun

17

13

2

10/20/30

17 18 18 17

21 19 15 16

1 50 250 1

100/500/1k 100/500/1k —/2k/4k 20/40/60

8K (19) 6K (19) 6K (19) 2K (16)

AP 2, Reload AP 2, Reload AP 2, Long Burst Bulky, Reload, Shotgun, Med Blast

17 17

Str +1 Str + 2

— —

10/20/30 —

75 (9) 200 (11)

Thrown

17 17 18 17

— 15 15 Str+2

1 1 1 —

10/20/30 10/20/30 10/20/30 10/20/30

100 (10) 200 (11) 200 (11) 75 (9)

Puts out flames Medium Blast Small Blast, Fire AP 2, Min Str 10

Heavy Weapons 24-pounder Cannon Mountain Howitzer Maxim Gun Punt Gun

Melee Weapons Silver Dagger Cold Iron Blade

Missile Weapons Extinguisher Vial Fuse Bomb Fire Elixir (Magic 14) Harpoon

WEAPONS 24-pounder Cannon: Breach loading, smooth-bore cannons named after the weight of the shell they fire. They fire either Shrapnel Shells or Grapeshot at close range. A 24-pounder is set in either a wheeled carriage or on a naval mount affixed to a ship. These guns can be disassembled, but the barrel and other parts are too large to transport over rough terrain without extremely large teams of workers. Coach Gun: A double-barreled break action shotgun. Both barrels may be triggered at once, which gives the weapon +1 damage. As an extra option the shotgun may be “sawed off,” shortening the barrel to count as a Carbine but long Range suffers a –6 penalty instead of the usual –4 total. Cold Iron Blade: Also sometimes called a “pure iron” sword. Thanks to the materials and techniques used the blade affects ethereal beings. Cold iron causes too much pain to such beings for one of them to wield while ethereal!

40

Derringer: A small caliber pistol used as a holdout or backup weapon. Extinguisher Vial: A glass vial that looks much like a magical elixir, but is actually filled with fireretardant chemicals. It’s meant to be thrown at burning objects to douse flames or at least make it harder for the fire to spread. Fire Elixir: An alchemical potion that explodes into flames once it contacts oxygen. Usually in a fragile glass container so it can be thrown into a target and shatter, triggering the effect. Taking the cap off exposes the mixture to air and sets off the explosion as well. Fuse Bomb: A handheld version of a Shrapnel Shell (see Torg Eternity) like those used in most cannons. The personal version often has a visible, quick burning fuse. On a Critical Failure the bomb explodes in the thrower’s hands, dealing its damage +1BD.

Harpoon: A harpoon is a heavy, thrown weapon made for penetrating the hide of large animals. Harpoons have a barbed end and stick into the target if damage exceeds Toughness. Maxim Gun: A recoil-powered machine-gun available in small numbers from Gaea and now being manufactured in some areas of Orrorsh. Maxim guns have a strong rate of fire and better reliability than most machine-guns of the era. Victorians often refer to their Maxims as simply “the killing machines.” Mountain Howitzer: These small field guns are built to be packed on horses. The wheeled carriage and barrel can be broken down and carried over rough terrain, then reassembled for firing. Usually a gun has a crew of two. Howitzers are deployed for indirect fire using Shrapnel Shells or Grapeshot (see Torg Eternity). Martini-Henry: A classic breach-loaded long rifle. Some remain in use from Core Earth, and the Victorians brought many of theirs along as well. Like the Webley and the Lee-Enfield, these are identical in both worlds. Pepperbox: Pepperbox is a nickname for a particular type of holdout pistol with four different barrels all separately loaded with a break action. Technically it’s supposed to fire one barrel at a time, but usually all the barrels trigger at once whether the firer wants them to or not. A pepperbox always gains the +2 from a Short Burst, and always uses all four shots. On a Critical Failure the gun explodes, dealing its damage to the firer. Punt Gun: A massive shotgun between one and two meters long. Technically a person can carry and fire one, but they are meant to be laid on the ground or in a small boat. Revolving Rifle: Rare on Core Earth, but a staple of Victoria. These rifles use a cylinder compatible with the Webley pistol, so parts from one can be used to repair the other. Silver Dagger: Don’t leave home without it! The blade of unalloyed silver is easy to nick and dull in regular combat, but it’s a literal life-saver in close combat with a lycanthrope or any other monster that reacts badly to the pure metal.

VEHICLES Auto Rickshaw: A small three-wheeled vehicle powered by a two-cylinder petroleum engine. Some transformed versions run on coal and steam with nearly the same statistics. Bicycle: A two-wheeled vehicle powered by human pedaling. Moving at anything more than half Top Speed requires a Strength test to avoid Fatigue. The DN is the Value for the number of rounds (6 seconds) that speed is maintained. These models usually have one larger wheel, and only a few gears if any. Horse Carriage: A single horse pulls a wooden carriage with two or four wheels. Carriages in the realm are seldom enclosed—double the price if they are. Most have a single buckboard that seats two, including the driver, and then a bed that can carry objects or up to four additional passengers. Draft animals other than horses may pull a carriage, but the Top Speed drops to 20 (8). Oxen are the usual substitutes, but never cattle. Gunboat: Gunboats are the most modern and lethal design found in Orrorsh’s axioms. There are larger classes of ship, but these are the most adaptable and useful. Most have a 24-pounder main gun and 200 Shrapnel Shells for use bombarding shore positions. Various configurations of secondary weapons exist, with two 12-pounders and two Maxim guns the most common. Gunboats have a medium draft, so they can operate in all but the most shallow portions of a river and safely weather the waves of deeper seas and heavy storms. Horseless Carriage: A step up from an autorickshaw. Powered by a larger four cylinder internal combustion engine or an efficient steam boiler. Like the horse carriage, the default is an open design with a buckboard and truck bed. A fancier enclosed model—the driver is even on the inside—is available for double the cost. Hot Air Balloon: Takes the form of a light-weight basket—usually wicker or something similar—a means of heating air, and a balloon with enough volume to lift the basket and its contents off the ground. Balloons can control their altitude, but depend on wind speed for their movement. Turning is accomplished by climbing or descending

41

AIR VEHICLES Core Earth Hot Air Balloon Thermal Airship

Core Earth

Tech

Top Speed

Pass

MR

Wnds

Tough

Price

17 18

10 (7) 40 (10)

5 2

–8 –2

2 2

13 13

4K (18) 8K (19)

Wnds

Tough

Price

2 1 2 2 3 1

12 12 12 14 (1) 20 (4) 12

600 (14) 150 (11) 300 (12) 4K (18) 120K (25) 300 (12)

4 4

28 (4) 28 (8)

8M (34) 5M (33)

Tech

Auto Rickshaw Bicycle Horse Carriage Horseless Carriage Landcrawler Motorized Cycle

18 17 17 18 18 17

LAND VEHICLES Top Speed Pass MR 40 (10) 40 (10) 30 (9) 50 (10) 30 (9) 40 (10)

2 1 6 4 8 1

–2 −0 –4 −2 −4 –2

WATER VEHICLES Gunboat Ironclad

18 17

50 (10) 40 (10)

to places where the air currents flow in different directions. Technically a balloon is capable of much higher Top Speeds, as fast as the wind blows, but anything beyond 10 kilometers per hour can be hazardous. Ironclad: Transformed shore patrol craft often land in this configuration, taking the shape of smaller but heavily armored monitors. Typical armament is two 24-pounder cannons with 100 shots each. Ironclads use coal steam engines for power, and generally have extremely shallow drafts, meaning they can maneuver in water as shallow as two meters deep. The heavy waves of deeper water or storms can play havoc with these craft, however.

“THE PHYSICS OF WATER PRESSURE AND STEAM SEEM STABLE IN ALL THE REALITIES. MUCH LIKE THE UNDEAD. I WONDER IF THEY’RE RELATED?” -MARU

42

20 12

–4 –4

Landcrawler: These armored behemoths are solely a product of Gaean engineering. They are about twice the size of a tank, powered by steam, and moved by four separate caterpillar tracks. Unlike a tank, landcrawlers are not built to battle other armored vehicles. Their purpose is to deliver heavy artillery to support positions. The crew operates on a top deck which it’s their duty to keep clear of monsters. A crawler is armed with two 24-pounders with 50 shots each and two Maxim swivel guns. Some variants swap one or both Maxims for punt guns. Motorized Cycle: A bicycle (or three-wheeler) with a one- or two-cylinder internal combustion engine like those found on an auto-rickshaw installed. The pedal mechanism is still present, and usually used to save fuel or carry on if petroleum isn’t available. Thermal Airship: A thermal airship is a relatively broad category of craft built along the same lines as hot air balloons, but these have some kind of propulsion. Due to weight restrictions they may be pedaled, or some use the same small internal combustion engines found in auto rickshaws.

GAME MASTER’S SECTION ORRORSH POSSIBILITY ENERGY The color and symbol below represent Possibilities specific to Orrorsh. These Possibilities are only earned during play in Orrorsh, but may be spent anywhere. Unlike standard Possibilities, these are only granted for role-playing and choices that reinforce the pervasive fear of the realm or as a result of Orrorsh Cosm cards. Between acts, when you refresh Possibilities, you may keep the same number of Orrorsh Possibilities (up to the maximum refresh) or reset them to standard Possibilities. The Gaunt Man wants to drain everyone of Possibilities, but he loves Corruption just as much. When you spend an Orrorsh Possibility, you have the option to make a Corruption test at DN 10. Succeed and you get the Possibility back to spend again.

43

WARZONES

O

rrorsh is the intersection between three very different worlds. The first and most prevalent layer is the Core Earth of India and its surrounding nations. The second layer is created by the influx of refugees from Gaea, mainly known at the Victorians. The third is the ambient, destructive horror of the reality of Orrorsh. These layers, combined with the regression of social axioms from Gaea and Orrorsh have transformed the cultural landscape of India. India has a long history of flexibility when it comes to tolerating and interweaving different cultures, so its people are well suited to survive the strange new world they find themselves in. A few notes are necessary before describing the major war zones of Orrorsh. Every description that follows is, by its nature, a gross simplification of a more complex truth rather than truth itself. For any statement made there are enough exceptions to render the original idea false, but such generalities are still necessary for basic communication. Context and point of view are a key components of any declaration. Finding that context or exploring exceptions and inconsistencies can paralyze Storm Knights, so the Delphi Council tends to proceed with the simpler version even when it proves ultimately false. As a nation, India is a collection of dozens — perhaps hundreds—of distinct individual cultures. Each one has its own language, customs, and lore. Anything resembling an Indian standard is a conscious attempt to fuse similar parts of those cultures or to create a space where the differences can coexist peacefully. Acceptance and tolerance are survival traits in such an environment. The blustery Victorians and even the stark horrors of the Gaunt Man are just another new addition to the mixture.

THE HAUNTED SOUTHEAST The Southeast stretches along the Bay of Bengal, and includes the island of Sri Lanka and the river plains East of the Deccan Plateau. Apart from the agricultural areas upriver, much of the area is urban and highly industrialized. Shipping and maritime economies are key all along the coast.

44

The area is colloquially called the Haunted Coast because of the high amount of ghostly activity and hauntings throughout the region. Other forms of horror still exist, but possession and poltergeists are noticeably more prevalent here. A new custom of hanging dolls or puppets in trees to act as homes for errant spirits has become increasingly popular in the area. Whether an unembodied spirit is better or worse than a creepy inhabited doll is up for debate. In the Southeast the winds seem to sigh and moan, hallways breathe, and forest trees sway out of sync with the weather. The population shelters in the cities, but possessions and hauntings are an all to common occurrence even there.

CHENNAI Chennai is a port city on the Bay of Bengal, and one of the few open for shipping and travel from Malaysia and East Asia. Tamil is the primary language spoken in the city. The city and port infrastructure has transformed to match the older Tech axioms of Orrorsh. The Hindu Tamil is now the major newspaper published in the Southeast, and has its main headquarters and printing press in Chennai. The paper doesn’t shy away from stories about the supernatural and macabre, which spreads fear but also valuable information for the readers. Storms around the port aren’t usually severe — especially compared to the rest of the coast — but thick fog and ghost ships are hazards for maritime navigation. The land around Chennai is thick forest, overlooked by Kolli Hills, also known as the “Mountain of Death.” Leaving the city is considered extremely dangerous. Hauntings still happen within the city, but many small local hardpoints help keep the majority of the population safe.

ILLMOUND KEEP In the deep tropical forest of the Indravati National Park a single dark structure now dominates the landscape. This is Illmound Keep, the secluded fortress of the Gaunt Man himself. The keep is not a place for visitors, and no Storm Knight

who has entered has ever returned — except as a corrupted Horror. The area around the Keep was a tiger refuge, but the creatures from the area have grown corrupt and strange. Even the deer and buffalo in the park have started eating meat and become very aggressive. A constant storm brews around the grounds, and the maelstrom bridge over the Keep itself is surrounded by a perpetual funnel cloud that camouflages its true appearance. Illmound itself is beyond dreary. It’s a huge structure whose architecture is difficult to identify. There are mixed elements of design, including Tongan, Gothic, and Victorian styling. Its halls and multitude of locked rooms form the meeting space and headquarters for the Hellion Court, and act as a cursed place of power that enhances all the servants of corruption within. The dark stone walls of the keep are carved with faces of suffering — humans

45

and other macabre creatures with visages twisted in agony. Extended observation shows that each face shifts its expression so slowly any movement could be an illusion or trick of the flickering torchlight that dimly illuminates the keep.

THE LIVING CHOLA TEMPLES Tourism is out of the question in a realm gripped by terror, but religious pilgrimages are on the rise, and the Great Living Chola Temples are the most visited places in the South. The sites aren’t hardpoints, but the higher spiritual axiom of Orrorsh boosts its holy and protective properties, making them a bastions for the faithful. The three temples, the Airavatesvara, the, Brihadisvara, and the Gangaikonda Cholapuram form a kind of protective barrier across the Kaveri River. Upriver beyond them gospog and worse roam the waters and banks, but downstream all the way to the shore the waters remain clean and safe. This makes the Kaveri notable, and travel into the interior towards the temples marginally safer than most trips inland.

MADURAI HARDPOINT The city of Madurai is thriving thanks to the protection of one of the largest hardpoints in Orrorsh, centered on the Meenakshi Temple at the center of town. Most of the city lives and sleeps within its influence at night, and works during the day in the outer regions. Major hospitals and the city’s power grid remain inside the zone, which makes Madurai the destination of choice for injured Storm Knights. The factories on the periphery now produce steam carriages and other modified vehicles designed for use in Orrorsh’s axioms. Quality control measures have insured only a few of these machines have been shipped with malevolent spirits hiding inside them.

SRI LANKA The island nation off the South coast of India is surrounded by storms—and reality storms—which has left it mostly isolated from the rest of the world. The main channel of travel is across the Palk Strait,

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where the storms aren’t as severe and land is relatively close on both sides. Sri Lanka has taken great pains to remain separate from India when negotiating with the Delphi Council and other entities — including outreaches from the Pan-Pacifica alliance. Buddhism is the dominant religion in Sri Lanka, unlike the rest of the realm. In addition to the issues caused by isolation and the general dangers of Orrorsh, Sri Lanka has a high concentration of rakshasa—enough to have formed an organized campaign of terror against the human government. Thus far Sri Lanka has steadfastly refused military support (or occupation in their view) from both India and the Victorians.

THIRUVALLUVAR STATUE This statue is a massive (40 meter) relatively modern structure dedicated to a poet and moral philosopher. It stands on a small island where the Bay of Bengal, the Arabian Sea, and the Indian Ocean meet. The monument hasn’t transformed—it along with the nearby Vivikananda Rock form a moderately sized hardpoint—but it doesn’t stand out as modern. In fact, most of the methods used in its sculpting were traditional, so even if its axiom dropped the statue could theoretically remain totally unaffected. Thanks to the hardpoint the waters and nearby town of Kanyakumari are relatively safe havens from the terrors of Orrorsh. The statue itself is extremely durable, and has a large empty cavity inside which isn’t accessible from the exterior.

COMMON ENCOUNTERS • Poppets: Poppets are usually solitary, but an entire tree of hanging puppets or a room filled with possessed dolls may act at once when confronted by a team of Storm Knights. Two Poppets (page 131) per hero, plus one realityrated leader. • Ghosts: Sometimes a single, powerful spirit exerts a gravity that draws others to it — or it corrupts and keeps the souls of those it kills. One Ghost (Torg Eternity) per hero, plus a reality-rated leader with the Minions special ability that applies to the other ghosts. • Haunted Mansions or Ships: Some structures are a focus of unholy forces, filled with the

unquiet bodies of former victims. One Haunt (page 130) with three Hungry Dead (page 130) per hero inside. • Gospog: Gospog of the Fifth Planting (page 123) roam the rivers of the interior, and groups of up to five Gospog of the Second Planting (page 120) tend fields in abandoned rural areas.

THE RAVAGED SOUTHWEST Dominated by the Deccan Plateau, the sharp rocky highland that covers most of the southern interior, the Southwest is marked by cliffs, waterfalls, and wet forests. Monstrous activity is common across the Deccan, and urban areas have become walled strongholds against the wilderness. Rural villages persist despite the danger, and rice and other agriculture is still critical for the survival of the cities. The hardy folk in these outer areas are highly wary of outsiders. Travel at night is not recommended. Different strains of lycanthropy, vampirism, and corpse reanimation plague the area. The local governments approach containment in the same way as for modern infectious diseases. Research into non-magical cures has been fruitless so far, but remains an ongoing concern. Reality storms aren’t as severe across the western coastline, and the eerie fog and ghost ships that present navigation hazards to the East aren’t as present. However, the mariners of the West have reported spotting large tentacled creatures at a distance. Several vessels have been lost within Orrorsh’s waters under mysterious circumstances.

functional after transforming. The direct current energy from the lines and the dam required heavy modifications and adapters within the hardpoints, but now technological centers run fairly reliably. Telegraph cable modems allow transmissions to unconnected sites and even outside Orrorsh, although the speed of such connections is very low. The nature of the smaller hardpoints leaves the cityscape checkered. Part of a surviving tech mall may end abruptly or be completely surrounded by squalid temporary encampments built over what the architecture transformed into. Even in the poorer areas string lights are erected everywhere to take advantage of the city’s grid and keep the darkness at bay. The axiom wash hasn’t been kind to Bangalore’s roads, which remain packed with steam cabs,

BANGALORE Bangalore, or Bangaluru locally, is the highly populated heart of technological and scientific research inside Orrorsh. Like most urban areas, it has mostly transformed with scattered hardpoints protecting individual blocks and tech centers. Fortunately for the isolated Core Earth buildings, all of Bangalore still has electrical power. The Shivanasamudra hydroelectric dam remained

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motorcycles, and some carefully preserved vehicles that remain inside hardpoints. Petrol is scarce, but coal is available. Direct steam charging stations provide power for forced-draught cabs and motorcycles that don’t have boilers of their own, which has made steam itself a burgeoning sub-industry. The climate in Bangalore is pleasant to Victorian sensibilities. There is no Victorian military force or settlement there, but individual immigration to the area has become common enough to be a growing political concern.

GOL GUMBAZ The massive mausoleum at Bijapur is an impressive architectural feat. It was a cultural hardpoint during the initial axiom wash, but its reality has eroded over time and become a palace for the oldest vampires in the area. Stalking the creatures is very dangerous since the Gol Gumbaz’s acoustics make even the slightest whisper echo to all corners of the building. The surrounding town has been completely devastated by the vampires and mostly abandoned. The Victorians have announced their intention to launch an expedition to reclaim the ruined Bijapur Fort and launch a campaign against the vampires. Support for the plan is growing in Karnataka, which may result in a first of its kind joint venture between the Indian Army and a Victorian column.

MUMBAI When the invasion began Mumbai was the most populated city in India. After the Night of Screams that was no longer true. The shock of the initial rush of death and destruction shattered the city’s infrastructure, and it still hasn’t recovered. The onslaught of monsters moved from the maelstrom bridge out of town to spread into rural areas across the South, but some remained in town to plague the battered survivors. Most of the city’s lavish hardpoints were physically destroyed during the attack, but a few survive such as the Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus station, Film City, and Bombay Castle.

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Although there isn’t much call for entertainment in Orrorsh’s dire climate, cricket is still defiantly played at Wankhede Stadium. The film industry still exists too, albeit re-purposed to making silent propaganda films playable on transformed equipment. The most popular topic of films are tales of glory by Storm Knights—especially local heroes doing deeds across the world or notable victories on Indian soil. The spread of these films is linked to the comparatively strong surges in hope and Possibility Energy despite so many Pure Zones. Reality storms allow shifting corridors of shipping through, so support from Saudi Arabia, Iran, and countries across the Arabian Sea are focused on the ports of Mumbai. Many Victorians emerged in various states of sanity from the maelstrom bridge that still pulses at the heart of Mumbai. A small settlement exists near the base of the bridge where locals are loath to live. A larger settlement rebuilt the ruins at Madh Fort with the reluctant permission of the Indian Air Force. Madh Fort has already repulsed several assaults from humanoid sea creatures, which has helped the rest of Mumbai accept the newcomers more readily.

MYSORE Officially Mysuru, the ancient city stands as a sanctuary against the monster-filled wilderness to the South. Much of Mysore is protected by Core Earth hardpoints, which offers the population a sense of tentative safety. The city is directly connected to Bangalore via telegraph and a daily train route. Mysore is the home of the Vijaya Karnataka, a Kannada newspaper with wide circulation across the Southwest.

COMMON ENCOUNTERS • Werewolf Pack: Werewolves (Torg Eternity) often move in packs, usually sized at 2 per hero with a reality-rated leader. Some packs have a special variation of the Vengeful Perk as a Special Ability which applies when a packmate falls rather than to a direct Wound.

• Vampire Coven: Vampires (2 per hero, see page 135) led by a Master Vampire (page 135). • Hungry Dead: An outbreak of Hungry Dead (3 per hero, page 130) may obliterate a small village. Urban outbreaks are usually twice that number. • Gospog Raiders: Roaming groups of Gospog of the Third Planting (1 per Storm Knight, see page 122) or a single Gospog of the Fourth Planting. In an area where hunters are working against the local monsters, both groups of Gospog form a single patrol.

THE DISTURBED NORTHWEST The Northwest of Orrorsh has several geographical features: the coastline of the Arabian Sea, the fertile plains around the Indus river, the arid Thar Desert, and the high Karakoram mountains More than borders or landscapes though, what marks the region as separate is the psychological nature of the horrors that pervade the region. Madness and bad dreams are commonplace, and in some cases those bad dreams become physical manifestations. The Disturbed Northwest is the home to some of the strongest independent creatures outside of the Hellion Court. These creatures have their power tied to local folklore, enhanced by spreading tales of their terrible deeds. In some ways this works as the inverse of the Law of Hope, as dread and fear cover a region the shadows become more deadly and begin to move of their own accord. Eternal Corruption is an ever present threat. As heroes become unbalanced and go too far they risk becoming the very monsters they sought to defeat. The isolation of the desert, the tension between different ethnic communities, and the scars left by the Night of Screams plague the area, and push ordinary people to the edge of sanity. The whispers of Orrorsh are clearer and easier to hear in the Northwest. Beware.

LANGUAGES AND LINGUISTICS There’s a common joke that a child in India must learn four languages just to avoid being bullied on the playground, and there is some truth to that. Most people know at least three languages, and it’s ordinary to learn six or more, especially after moving to a different region for work (or safety). Finding someone who can understand a particular language is practically a given, but knowing the local tongue makes things easier. Persuasion and streetwise tests are Favored when speaking the dominant language of a region where more than four languages are spoken. • Bengali: The most commonly used language in Western India, and a common choice of alternate language for many elsewhere. Hindi has more speakers, but Bengali reaches more areas. • English: Accepted as a language of business and technology all across the nation, and very common in urban zones. • Hindi: The primary language of many Northern regions, and technically the official language of India. However, in the south much of the population rejects Hindi and uses a local language or English instead. • Kannada: The primary language of the Deccan Plateau—the southern center of the nation. Not commonly spoken outside of the South. • Sanskrit: Few people really speak Sanskrit, mostly limited to scholars and religious practitioners. • Tamil: Commonly used along the Southeast coast and river plains. • Urdu: Spoken in the Northwest, and especially among Muslim populations.

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CHITTOR FORT Chittor is a large walled fortress city in the hills of Rajasthan at the intersection of two former highways—midway between Delhi and Mumbai. The fortress has a storied past filled with sieges, and in some cases ritual suicide once all hope of victory was lost. The fort is operational and much work has been done to rebuild and extend the walls. The population of the city takes shelter within the walls at night. The garrison and walls have repulsed several attacks from gospog and similar monsters, but rumors persist of powerful creatures already within the walls and among the population. Many complain of recurrent nightmares of massive fires and burning within the walls, but nightmares inside are widely preferable to facing physical horrors outside.

KAHSMIR Kashmir is one of the Northernmost cities in Orrorsh, and sits on the border of India, Pakistan, and China with sections of the city within each. Thanks to its position Kashmir is one of the few areas where Pan-Pacifica’s interests (political, if not reality) brush against Orrorsh. There is no rail into Kashmir, and transformation has eliminated the airfield, making access to the area different.

KARACHI The Pakistani “City of Lights” is a diverse port city, protected by a web of small hardpoints like many of the surviving metropolitan areas in Orrorsh. Karachi has become the main hub support hub of Core Earth relief efforts, usually via rail and then shipped out along the Arabian Sea coastline. Most ships don’t risk the crossing the reality storms or transformation to deliver to the port directly, but those already there use it as a base to reach the rest of Orrorsh. Karachi is the home of the Pakistan Rangers, who have shifted to anti-monster training, tactics, and weaponry. They have gained an elite reputation as hunters equal to the vaunted slayers of Gaea, and even have broad permission to cross the border into India to pursue their supernatural targets. Most of the ranger’s weaponry is built within Orrorsh’s axioms

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to diminish the chances of a disconnection or an unplanned transformation reducing their firepower.

LAHORE Lahore was especially hard hit during the Night of Screams. Many of the hardpoints were worse than destroyed, they were corrupted by nightmarish creatures moving through the city. The same strengths that have protected some of the larger cosmopolitan cities across the continent are now working against the remaining population. Things are tough in Lahore. Different communities have shrunk to separate encampments, all tormented by different local creatures. Officials have sent multiple requests for help from the Delphi Council, the Pakistani Rangers, and anyone else who can respond to the call. A column of Victorians has taken up the challenge, but hasn’t reached Lahore yet, and isn’t expected to fare any better against the rampant monsters than anyone else who has tried.

MEHRANGARH FORT The massive hilltop fortress at the center of the city of Jodhpur is widely considered the safest place in all of India. Physically the Mehrangarh walls are imposing, up to 36 meters high in places. Beyond the walls though the entire place is a particularly hardy Core Earth hardpoint, with museums and cultural celebrations that keep Orrorsh’s reality at bay. At the fortresses’ original construction a willing sacrifice was buried alive in foundations of the walls. Delphi Council reality scientists are intrigued if this voluntary sacrifice somehow reinforces the hardpoint or increases its range and power even 800 years later—noting that the Gaunt Man himself employs similar but unwilling sacrifices in his stelae and Nightmare Trees.

PAKISTAN Pakistan has had a troubled relationship with India since its official inception in 1947. In theory Pakistan was divided from India to become a homeland for Muslims, but in practice many Hindus and other faiths remain scattered inside Pakistan and vice versa. Tensions along the border were high, but with the appearance of Orrorsh all effort has turned

The old forts are more than heritage sites or tourist attractions now.

to deal with the monsters of that encroaching realm. Pakistan itself is partially within Orrorsh and partially outside, so the main government operations and the bulk of military forces have retreated from Islamabad to Quetta. The sole rail line that leads from Core Earth into the Indian interior passes through Lahore to Delhi.

THAR DESERT The Thar is a large desert that covers much of the Northwest and forms India’s border with Pakistan. The Thar has high winds during Monsoon and some areas are only shifting sand dunes. Intermittent water pools—some natural, some artificial—which make crossing on foot or camel possible. Only a few roads cross the Thar, and what little traffic there is usually relates to coal mines which have become

more prominent since the Tech axiom shift. The strangest feature of the Thar is the Sarasvati dream river. Most of the time it doesn’t exist, or parts of it can be found as ancient dry riverbed. At random times, usually when The Bleed (page 91) is most active, the Sarasvati surges to life as wide, strong river that crosses the Thar and has an outlet to the Arabian Sea. It’s known locally as the Dream River now, and viewed as a holy (if uncanny) phenomenon.

UDAIPUR Udaipur, also known as the “City of Lakes” is connected by rail to both Mumbai and Delhi. It acts as a main hub for several nearby coal mining operations that provide fuel via rail transport to other major cities throughout the area.

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Udaipur’s many lavish temples and palaces form a protective chain of hardpoints that shield large portions of the city from the worst of Orrorsh’s nightmares. The city’s airport resides inside such an area. Flights are dangerous and uncommon for Ords, but the site makes Udaipur a common landing spot and safehouse location for Delphi Council Storm Knights.

COMMON ENCOUNTERS • Nightmares: Unique, powerful creatures with disturbing origins and unexplained powers. See page 136 for sample Nightmares. One is a enough for an entire group of Storm Knights, but some Nightmares may have minions. • Fallen Magi: Those who seek magic and knowledge often find it in Orrorsh, but it costs them their souls. One reality-rated Fallen Magi

(page 124) often leads a large group of Death Cultists (page 124, three per Storm Knight). • Hungry Dead: An outbreak of Hungry Dead (3 per hero) may obliterate a small village. Urban outbreaks are usually twice that number. • Gospog Lurkers: In areas around the Indus Gospog of the Second Planting (1 per Storm Knight, see page 120) tend massive fields of First Planting bodies dragged off during the Night of Screams. Gospog of the Third Planting (1 per two Storm Knights, see page 122) skulk at night, picking off the incautious and howling like animals in the desert.

THE STALKED NORTHEAST The Northeast stretches from the Deccan Plataeu to the Himalayas. Lush forests and rivers cross between, emptying out into deltas along the Bay of Bengal. This area is massively populated, and one of the richest sources of energy (and terror) in the world. The geography and cultures of the Northeast vary widely, but the brand of horror that infects the region binds them together. Here, the fear of being hunted is pervasive — whether it’s the beasts in the forests and night or the glint of malevolence in a stranger’s eyes. It’s not paranoia that grips the land, there really are things out to get people. The population clings to safe spaces, only to have those spaces invaded and any sense of safety shattered. Both beasts and men stalk the night for the pleasure of the kill rather than out of a sense of survival.

BANGLADESH Bangladesh was a part of Pakistan only a few decades ago, but fought for an won independence after a series of massacres. Political unrest and terror

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attacks troubled the country, but left the population well equipped to handle the onslaught of Orrorsh. Bangladesh and India are neighbors on good terms, although any support between the two is limited to encouragement at this point. Unfortunately for the region, Bangladesh has some of the most fertile grounds for gospog in the world.

BHANGARH FORT Even before Orrorsh, Bhangarh was a cursed place where tourists were barred from visiting at night. With the change in axioms the old Fort has grown even worse, and now few risk entering even during the day. Unwanted places like Bhangarh draw the attention of Victorians looking for areas to settle and make their own. An expeditionary column led by a Major Hinstone swore to clear it and use it as a base of operations. They never returned, and at night screams still haunt the area. Local legends are unclear about the exact nature of the haunting, but most agree some powerful sorcerer or holy man cursed the place. Even the Fallen People avoid Bhangarh, since whatever force controls it owes no allegiance to the Gaunt Man or his minions and shows them no special favor.

THE DECEIVERS The Deceivers are a murder cult that appeared in Kolkata after the maelstrom bridge landed and has spread throughout the Northeast. Some label it as a reemergence of the Thuggee cult, but local scholars attribute it to a Rajani invader and the corruptive madness that spreads through Orrorsh like a cancer. True to their name — if nothing else — Deceivers pose as helpful neighbors and Samaritans during the day. If no one is watching at night, however, they quietly murder trusting souls who are unwary and alone. Robbery may occur, but the main point of the crime is the murder itself. Once a Deceiver kills he (or she) is regarded by the other terrors of the land as one if their own. Fear leads to a Deceiver’s first murder. The reward is the fear goes away — only to be replaced with madness and a craving for more murder. The Deceivers target travelers, but also specialize in home invasions after posing as workers or

MONSOONS Monsoon season lasts several months through the late summer, and is marked by nearly continuous storms and rainfall. Muddy, impassible roads and flash floods are common, which may leave Storm Knights stranded in a location without rail access. More severe thunderstorms during monsoon can cross the threshold and become Reality Storms, even in the normally stable Pure Zones of Orrorsh. Reality scientists theorize that this phenomenon is related to the unique properties of Orrorsh itself, and is similar to the Bleed observed across the realm.

servants. The cult isn’t the only thing stalking the night in the Northeast, but they are widespread and account for most of the fearful tales and paranoia.

DELHI Delhi remains the seat of the Indian government despite being inside Orrorsh, but then there isn’t any territory outside of the invading cosm’s influence. The city straddles the Northwest and Northeast. It forms a major transportation link between the East and West, but is prone to the problems that plague both regions. The architecture of Delhi is relatively new, less than 100 yeas old, and doesn’t have the same level of resistance that many other Indian cities do. Most of the metropolis has transformed according to Orrorsh’s lower Tech axiom. Even transformed, the infrastructure, underground metro, and power grid have remained intact if slightly altered. For example, the metro now runs with steam trains, but the tunnels and tracks are in the same locations. Harminder Singh, the President of India has called a State Emergency across the nation, and legislatures are currently suspended until the invasion crisis is resolved. Some citizens believe that the President now has too much unchecked power, but even harsh critics admit that Orrorsh’s invasion is an actual emergency. Delphi analysts worry that

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replacing Singh if he was killed (or corrupted) would be extremely difficult given the country’s current situation. The main newspaper headquartered in Delhi and distributed throughout the Northeast is the Hindustan. It is only published in Hindi, and it has a reputation for fearless reporters—some of whom are Storm Knights who chose to work for the paper rather than the Delphi Council.

GANGES The long and branching Ganges river is both sacred and corrupted—teeming with both life and death. Closer to the source the water is exceptional and counts as Holy Water for all purposes. Gospog won’t enter those waters, and it can be weaponized for Slayers Gun shells and alchemical potions. Bathing in the strong currents of these upper waters has properties similar to the Exorcism Miracle. However, once pollutants enter the water this property is diluted or eliminated completely. Dead

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bodies and fecal matter are clear signs that the river has turned. The lower river is patrolled by roving Gospog of the Fifth planting and other monsters.

GREAT BANYAN TREE Located in Howrah, near Kolkata, the Great Banyan was once a pleasant tourist curiosity. What seems to be a forest covering nearly 20,000 meters is actually a single tree which spread from a central trunk. Branches split and burst out of the ground, and roots weave through the branches above before plunging back down into the ground. The entire entwined mass is now dark and diseased, and has the properties of a single enormous Nightmare Tree. The Deceivers have a camp hidden inside the thick woods and occasionally raid into Kolkata to bring victims back to the Banyan for sacrifice. Oversized beetles and creatures similar to wolves have been spotted inside the mass as well.

KOLKATA

MYANMAR

Kolkata was ground zero for Orrorsh’s initial invasion, and entire sections of the city were razed by the creatures which emerged from the maelstrom bridge and the madness and terror that followed. The rampage was short-lived, since creatures needed to spread out and cover as much ground as possible in that initial Night of Screams, which meant some areas or communities were barely touched by the storm at all. Soon after the invaders the first wave of Victorians emerged from the bridge, and quickly set about aiding the embattled communities within Kolkata cut off from any other support. These acts of heroism helped the denizens accept the newcomers, and they took over some of the areas that had been completely wiped out to use a base for future expeditions against the monsters. As the situation has stabilized that welcome has worn slightly, since more and more Victorians have crossed the maelstrom bridge and begun to tilt the balance of power in the city towards the new arrivals. A vocal minority has proclaimed the Victorians a threat and call them “The Flood,” but the general opinion is they’re much better as allies against a common enemy. Many of the surviving neighborhoods are subsections of the city called “paras” which form hardpoints, sometimes even without an obvious architectural focus. Unfortunately the scattered nature of these that work in favor of some cities work against Kolkata. The power grids and infrastructure are incompatible between the transformed and unchanged areas, leaving nearly the entire city without electricity or services. Each neighborhood gets by in its own way. The areas around the maelstrom bridge are a nomans land even the Victorians won’t try to settle. The port remains open and the source for vital supplies from Malaysian ships bold enough to risk the reality storms or vessels from Chennai or as far away as Karachi who hug the coast and don’t cross the volatile barrier.

The Northern portion of Myanmar is covered by Orrorsh’s axioms and devastated by maneating creatures and other horrors. The remaining population fled to the South and Thailand, and a strict border and no-man’s land is patrolled along the realty-storm riddled front. A few holdouts remain in Mandalay, but the rest of the North is considered lost. Myanmar is one of the few nations to join the Pan-Pacifica power bloc without being affected by that cosm or the Contagion. The invasion of Orrorsh and its seemingly unstoppable spread was enough to prompt them to join. Core Earth’s axioms don’t support Kanawa Corporations weapons and operatives, but their influence and money have

RAIL CONNECTIONS India had an advanced and popular rail system that spanned the nation and connected all the major cities. The axiom wash reduced the Technology of the trains in use, but hasn’t affected the reach of the tracks or operation of the different lines. Passenger travel isn’t as hectic—people don’t move around much in Orrorsh if they don’t have to—but supply freight is the life blood of the urban areas. For Storm Knights, rail travel is strongly recommended. The steam trains are reliable even during monsoon (see page 53) and highly resistant to axiom fluctuation. Scheduled trips are bi-weekly on longer routes, or daily between major cities within 200 kilometers of each other. First class passengers have a small room with a bed, access to a dining car, and alcohol. Economy passengers are let on the train and can hopefully find a seat in a carriage —if not they must stand or find room on the roof or a coupling. The only rail line into Orrorsh from Core Earth enters from Pakistan and Afghanistan. All other routes are cut by the Himalayas and the mountain ranges of Myanmar.

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helped stabilize the Southern regions and instilled confidence that the patrol line against Orrorsh expansion may hold.

NEPAL The lowlands of Nepal are fertile plains fed by runoff from the more famous snowcapped mountains of its highlands. The nation is almost entirely within Orrorsh’s influence, and one of the cosm’s border stelae is placed somewhere atop Mount Everest— the tallest mountain peak in the world. The Delphi Council has a strong relationship with the government of Nepal due to its longtime contributions to United Nations peacekeeping missions. Nepal has steadfastly refused pressure to join the Pan-Pacifica alliance, preferring to remain officially neutral even in such dire times.

TAJ MAHAL Even though it’s technically a tomb, the Taj Mahal was a strong Core Earth hardpoint and a beacon to the beleaguered people of India. The Gaunt Man waited until people began to take it for granted before he struck, coating the white walls with blood and turning the monument into an abattoir. The effect was gruesome, shocking, and shattered the reality properties of the site despite the building remaining structurally intact. Now the so-called “Blood Palace” is studiously avoided by all but the Nightmares who have taken residence there.

COMMON ENCOUNTERS • Maneaters: Many of the animals of the forest and jungle were deadly predators before the influence of Orrorsh. Now they are uncanny and spiteful. A troop (two per hero) of Blood Monkeys (page 126) may swing down from trees or urban buildings. A single Corrupted Tiger (page 127)—or a pair working in tandem—can terrorize rural areas. • Rakshasa: These monstrous hunters lay pit traps (Notice or suffer 8+1BD damage) and attack in well coordinated groups (two per Storm Knight, see page 133). • Deceivers: In most cases a small group of one to three Death Cultists (see page 124) may

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infiltrate any large group of Ords. In rare cases when discovered an entire cult may make a desperate attack — three Death Cultists per Storm Knight plus one reality-rated leader or a Nightmare. • Gospog Hunters: Large groups of Gospog of the Third planting (two per Storm Knight, see page 122) roam the forests and river valleys of the lowlands. Gospog of the Fifth Planting (page 123) float aimlessly in all but the purest rivers, devouring anything they come into contact with.

THE VICTORIAN SETTLEMENTS The first Victorians to come through the maelstrom bridge were heroes and hunters—adventurers beyond hope for themselves looking to save the next world, or in some cases willing servants of the Gaunt Man furthering his goals. The trip across the bridge is harrowing, and some start as the former but end up the latter by the time they emerge. As the light dimmed on Gaea and the world died others followed. These weren’t avengers, but survivors — hell bent on keeping their families or cultures from extinction. The final wave came on desperate barges through the Bleed. This final wave weren’t heroes or even hardy survivors, but they were lucky. Very lucky. Now all three: the hunters, the survivors, and the lucky are on Core Earth. It’s no fresh start. They went from one horror to another. But every one of these travelers feels chosen. It’s not that they feel their culture is superior, but that everyone who came across the void has been forged by fires the people of Core Earth simply can’t comprehend— yet. In that way the Gaeans can come off as arrogant. They don’t see it as arrogance, but as experience hard won with blood and scars. Only the hardest Earthers have comparable trauma, and most of those are in accord with the newcomers. For Indians, the Victorians are just another new culture added to an already rich and diverse mixture. People are well used to getting along with

other groups, whether it was the ancient kingdoms, the Muslims, the British, or now the Gaeans. The bravery and grit of these newcomers is appreciated, as is their directness. Part of getting along means being polite and seeking consensus. The Victorians may be rude, but they take action which can be a relief. The Victorians may be unwitting tools of the Gaunt Man, tracking horror like bloody footprints wherever they walk, but they are not evil. They have stared into the abyss for generations, and it’s stared back, but they’re still holding on to their sanity. The exceptions who have willfully begun to serve the Gaunt Man are powerful and well placed to maximize damage to both sides when the time comes for the darkness to reveal itself. Not all the survivors from Gaea are the same. Several distinct cultures are represented within the newcomers.

VICTORIANS The Victorian of Gaea are an Anglo-Saxon culture centered around the British Islands. They became an unconquered seafaring Empire, but weren’t considered the world power that their Core Earth equivalents became. Most of their colonial actions were created as Trade Companies. The companies would thrive or fall in conflict with other powers, but Victoria itself remained distant and untouchable. The same was true as Orrorsh began its spread across Gaea. Victoria became a refuge from the horror, and a place for a last stand when the rest of the world began to fall. Because the islands were the final bastion the vast majority of Gaeans left to reach Core Earth are Victorian. On the surface they look and sound British, but probes into their history and culture uncover massive differences.

Equivalents of modern vehicles and power grids exist even with the altered technology levels or Orrorsh.

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CASTES The effect of social caste has been largely mitigated and eliminated in the workplace, and is even mildly taboo in some cases. It isn’t entirely gone, especially among older people or in family associations. The fluctuation in the Social axiom hasn’t reversed this deemphasis. Because it can subtly affect how they are perceived, Storm Knights may want to understand the basic Varna castes. Brahmins are priests and teachers, and considered the most blessed and important members of society. Next are the Kshatriyas, leaders and soldiers. The Vaishya are artisans and travelers. Everyone else is in the Shudra caste. There is another Varna caste which has come into popular usage even in places where caste has otherwise fallen out of sight: the Fallen People. Fallen are removed from the other four Varnas, and after the invasion of Orrorsh has become linked to Eternal Corruption. Monsters and maniacs are Fallen People, and shunned by society once identified.

GAULS Similar to the Victorians, the Gauls never fell to outside conquerors and grew as an aspiring empire of their own. The Gauls fought countless wars against the Victorians on one side and the Romans on the other, and earned a reputation as fierce and dogged warriors. Thanks to their proximity to Victoria the Gauls are the second largest group of survivors. They seem French at first glance, but they are a hardened people, quick to fight at any perceived slight.

ROMANS The Roman Empire of Gaea didn’t conquer as much of the known world during their heyday, but also never completely collapsed. The Greek and Italian city states and a collection of Germanic tribes formed

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the majority of the Empire, and scattered survivors from each province have reached Core Earth. Most of the Steam Suit and heavy shield technology from Gaea owes its existence to Roman tactics and science.

RAJANI On Gaea the Orient was dominated by the powerful Rajan Kingdom. The Rajani speak Sanskrit. The remaining Rajani are culturally similar to modern Core Earth Western Indians in some ways, but they carry the same pride and directness as the Victorians. The Rajani aren’t used to compromise or defeat. The main Rajani faith is called Findaru and has many connections with ancient Vedism — enough that modern Vedic scholars are studying Findaru ways to gain insights into their own ancient past. The Rajani were at war with the Victorians when Orrorsh became prevalent enough for both sides to work together against a common foe. They still don’t care much for one another, and only a few Rajani traveled Victoria to cross the bridge or escape in the last of the barges. It is said the rest burned the entire country as a last act of defiance. Empires beyond Rajan like Qin and Sayam had limited interactions with the Victorians. Like the Indigenas a handful of brave individuals made it to the new world, but most never had the chance.

INDIGENAS In Gaea disease didn’t ravage the Americas (called the Bellas on that world), so full blown colonization never occurred. Smaller European colonies coexisted among the natives, and these were generally known as Pilgrims while the natives were broadly known as Indigenas. The Gaunt Man started his campaign in the Bellas and very few escaped to Victoria. Those who did are usually the last of their respective tribes or Pilgrim settlements. The Indigenas were the first hit by the Gaunt Man, and for the early parts of the war the other nations thought that the dark magic and horrors they were seeing came from the Bellan continents and culture rather than an outside force.

VICTORIAN SETTLEMENTS Kolkata

The largest of the Victorian communities has taken root in Kolkata. The residents call it Fort Calcutta, and it exists in the shadow of the Gaunt Man’s maelstrom bridge. Any Gaeans who emerge from the bridge are swiftly brought to an adjacent area— ironically known as the Waiting Village—and then rigorously interviewed by Sacellum priests. If a newcomer passes scrutiny they’re allowed into Fort Calcutta or to go on their way elsewhere. If not, they burn. The population at Fort Calcutta is just under a thousand now. The area is walled, reinforced, and covered by large cannons which don’t do much good against monsters but may help if the Indian Government ever decides to try and forcibly remove the inhabitants to somewhere else.

defensible areas. Locals usually cooperate with these settlements in mutual defense pacts. The Indian Government has all but abandoned trying to protect the vulnerable small villages, so the Victorians are usually the best chance a community has of gaining weapons or training at battling monsters.

DEVON HOUSE What remains of the fractured Victorian parliament has recently created a branch of the Office of Crown and Country specially tasked with coordinating efforts with the Delphi Council. Its senior minister is currently Sir Edward Darrington, a former monster hunter who is known for his fine suits and top hat. Devon House is based in Kolkata but has isolated offices throughout India.

Mumbai

Fort Bombay is the next largest concentration of newcomers, and the only place in the world where other Gaean cultures are more prevalent than Victorians or Core Earth. The current head of the fort is a Roman named General Francesco Gallo. Gallo’s spirited defense of the city has won many allies and the tacit acceptance of Fort Bombay as a permanent installment.

The Rural Settlements

Scattered throughout the rural areas of India small pockets of Victorian or other warbands have taken over abandoned villages or started construction in

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THE INVADERS

A

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ny discussion of the invaders of Orrorsh must start with its singular lord, The Gaunt Man himself. He embodies Orrorsh, and his malignancy afflicts every reality he touches. Understanding The Gaunt Man is a pathway to madness and annihilation. He wants his enemies to try, to delve deep into dark places of the soul that no hero returns from. Understanding is a trap. Although he wants his foes to try to fathom his motivations, The Gaunt Man does not make it easy. He goes out of his way to lend credence to false rumors about his past. He weaves schemes so crooked that he’d become dizzy going straight after a goal. He lies, oh how he lies.

THE GAUNT MAN Uncounted centuries ago in a reality long-forgotten, the being now known as The Gaunt Man was a mortal man who sought to look into the face of The Void. He sacrificed and swam in immutable darkness to reach the abyss, and saw the terrible truth. Nothingness always wins. It’s an immutable law written into the fabric of every universe. Everything dies, even the stars in the sky. Immortal gods fade. Every sin, no matter how terrible, is eventually forgotten. The only thing that is forever is the vast emptiness afterwards. It’s one thing to contemplate such absolute nihilism, it’s another thing entirely to experience it, to know it absolutely. The Gaunt Man, in mind and body, is the embodiment of this dread realization.

DESCRIPTION The Gaunt Man is humanoid, but defies race or ethnicity. His features are pallid and withered enough the he might be anything. His skin is a dark, rotten gray which hides any indication of its previous color. His eyes are a sickly yellow, and faintly glow with power. He wears tattered clothing in a style that most assume is from Gaea, but idols from the past and the testimony of those few who have seen him reveal that his look hasn’t changed, even in the times before his conquest of the Victorians. Perhaps his

The Gaunt Man is ancient, powerful, and has knowledge of the infiniverse far beyond the other High Lords.

hat and coat are clues pointing back to his original reality. Perhaps not. The cane he carries is a horrific totem of his power. Its top is carved in a ghastly face that resembles a dragon — specifically the dreaded Carredon of Aysle. Its eyes gleam with the same unwholesome power as its master’s. The cane itself seems to writhe in his grasp and the face moves ever so slightly when he shifts his grip or employs it as a weapon. As his name implies, The Gaunt Man is wasted, bordering on skeletal. He’s tall and broadshouldered, but his sallow skin and loose clothing hangs from his bones. Flesh and sensations of the body mean nothing to him. He doesn’t take sustenance from food or drink, he only drinks raw Possibility Energy from his Darkness Device Heketon. The deprivation surely hurts, and leaves his voice rough. He smells of the grave.

The Gaunt Man’s countenance usually is grim. On the rare occasions that he smiles the skin around his lips cracks. It’s a ghastly sight, usually made worse by the fact that any event that could make The Gaunt Man smile is likely blood-curdling to any other spectators.

MOTIVATION In low voices The Gaunt Man’s eldest minions whisper that long ago he sought the secret of immortality. His search led him to The Nameless One and madness. There’s an element of truth to those rumors. The Mind of The Gaunt Man is one of the darkest places in the Infiniverse. He knows he is damned, but even worse he knows that even hell is not eternal. Since the fateful moment he looked into The Void the

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entirety of his wicked intelligence was set towards one purpose: becoming Torg. His allies and enemies alike know The Gaunt Man wants to become Torg, all the High Lords do, but they don’t know what he intends to do with that power. The Gaunt Man plans to use ultimate power to destroy creation and supplant The Nameless One as the personification of oblivion in the empty eternity that follows. He means to create an empty hell and lock himself inside it forever. The Gaunt Man further believes that he has always been the Nameless One, and always will be. He isn’t pleased by his fate. Many of his pettier actions stem from a desire to gain revenge against the living universe while there’s still one to punish. The force of creation known as Apeiros made him, and so he means to unmake Apeiros (and its creations) as painfully as possible. Villains usually think of themselves as the heroes of their own stories, but not The Gaunt Man. He has chosen to be the villain of his own tale. Villains have power. Villains cause fear, rather than feeling it themselves. This is The Gaunt Man’s sole, grand vanity: he is never satisfied with being the lesser evil.

PLANS The Gaunt Man did not enter into this invasion without a meticulous plan and a solid endgame. He is prepared to make huge sacrifices—personal and otherwise—to become Torg. What seems like a setback may simply be one of those sacrifices. His main goal for Year One was to root Orrorsh into Core Earth rather than Gaea. To do that he needed vast numbers of Pure Zones. Unlike Dominant Zones, Pure Zones provide comparatively little Possibility Energy to a High Lord. As he has needs, all that energy must be provided by Gaea — which is now withered, drained, and all but used up. It was enough. Orrorsh is hooked into Core Earth’s reality like a cancer metastasizing in its bones. The two realities are now bound together for better or worse. The second part of his plan awaits the moment the High Lords inevitably break the truce and turn on

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one another. He’s patient, but has his own time-table to keep and may break the truce himself is none of the others are bold (or foolish) enough to do. Once hostilities start he intends to extend maelstrom bridges from India into the Philippines. He’s shown an affinity for the area in other, similar Earths, but didn’t want to draw too much attention to it when negotiating boundaries with the other High Lords. Currently Pan-Pacifica has claim to the islands he wants, but as he expected the Kanawas have shown more interested in the high population density of the mainland. From the Philippine Islands his plan is to expand outward to Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, but these moves are mostly to draw attention away from his true interest: Nan Madol, and the ancient ruins on that small island deep in the Pacific. With Orrorsh rooted in Core Earth and Nan Madol in his hands, he need only wait for the world to end— which should occur during the third year of the invasion according to The Gaunt Man’s predictions! The destruction unleashed by the cataclysm should send all of Core Earth’s sundered Possibility Energy into the stelae networks of the High Lords. It is at this moment the the Nightmare Trees he’s seeded into the other stelae networks activate and siphon that energy into his own. All that power then floods to Nan Madol, and into him. Enough power to become Torg. That’s the critical path of his plan. Everything else is misdirection designed to move the High Lords and even the Delphi Council into the places he needs them to take full advantage of the cataclysm when it comes. Until that time he must walk a fine line between appearing strong enough to ward off all-out attacks from his rival High Lords but not so strong as to motivate them into teaming up against him.

TACTICS It’s extremely rare that The Gaunt Man enters a conflict directly himself. He has minions for that sort of thing. He only engages when he wants to prove a point, or if the situation is desperate. The Gaunt Man is never desperate. Face to face he’s quiet, patient, and methodical. He is in absolute control of himself and the situation. He doesn’t run — that would be undignified. He

(Δ) THE GAUNT MAN Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 12, Mind 22, Spirit 20, Strength 18 Skills: Alteration 32, apportation 28, conjuration 30, divination 28, dodge 22, find 25, intimidation 30, maneuver (22), melee weapons 22, persuasion 20, reality 30, scholar 32, taunt 22, trick 30, unarmed combat 22, willpower 30 Move: 12, Toughness: 18, Shock: 20, Wounds: 5 Equipment: Cane (Damage Strength +5/23, dealing a Wound forces a Corruption test) Perks: Spellcaster (all spells) Possibilities: 10 Special Abilities: • Deadly Touch: Strength +2/20 damage. • Dimthreads: A High Lord can use Dimthreads to teleport away or bring in reinforcements. The Gaunt Man uses this ability to flee if the situation isn’t favorable. • Draw Energy: Once out of Possibilities The Gaunt Man may draw another 10 from Heketon, then another 10 at the cost of but losing Whispers. • Dread: The presence of The Gaunt Man makes any scene Dramatic. • Fear –4: Each round heroes must test willpower/ Spirit at –4 or become Very Stymied. • Gloater: Anytime taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions, The Gaunt Man may affect all heroes without Multi-Target penalties. A success results in the interaction affect and takes a Destiny card at random from each of their hands. • Labyrinth of Lies: Cards and abilities can’t be used to uncover The Gaunt Man’s enigmatic nature or True Death. • Recompose: The Gaunt Man may spend a Possibility at any time to remove one Wound and 1BD Shock. • Whispers: When Maneuver is the Approved Action the Gaunt Man chooses a Storm Knight to tempt with dark desires or convince them of the futility of resistance. He tests persuasion and uses the target’s persuasion/Charisma as the DN. A normal or Good success Stymie/Vulnerable like an Interaction Attack, and an Outstanding result also forces a Corruption test. • Worst Case Scenario: When The Gaunt Man is present reveal two Drama Cards and select the one most favorable to him (GM’s call). Options such as Seize the Initiative play after this choice.

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walks at a slow, steady pace, as if he has all the time in the world. Anyone who tries to get close believing that the aura of fear around him is just for show is in for a nasty surprise. His pallid skin literally drains the life out of anything he touches. It’s uncommon for The Gaunt Man to display this ability, in fact no one on the current Hellion Court knows of this ability. And that’s just the way The Gaunt Man likes it. In combat he uses his cane to ward off attacks. When he holds it before him a wedge of unseen force deflects missiles and blows. The head of the cane becomes more animated during battle, and even shrieks or spits the spells he casts out of its mouth. The Gaunt Man knows any spell he needs to, but his favorite is Possibility Rend. Painfully draining away his victim’s futures is one of the few things that can bring a smile to the Gaunt Man’s face. The other spells he employs tend to be practical rather than flashy: Armor and Diminish are both part of his repertoire as is Speak with Dead — sometimes just to torment the passed spirit rather than ask any questions. But magic and physical attacks aren’t his specialty. He deals in quiet words despair. He whispers hard truths mixed with cutting lies. It’s hard to tell if the whisper is his voice or something else, the same hissing sound that offers Corruption Perks when a Storm Knight is most vulnerable. The Gaunt Man speaks with the assurance of someone who knows exactly how the universe works, and that it heavily favors evil over good. In rare cases The Gaunt Man may assume an alternate guise, especially if he takes a special interest in a Storm Knight who might turn to darkness or a Nightmare whose actions threaten his plan. When disguised he holds back much of his power, and often chooses to lose and be vanquished in the short term—but always his actions serve his long term goals.

“THE GAUNT MAN IS OUR TRUE ENEMY.” —VARIOUS

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RELATIONS WITH THE OTHER HIGH LORDS AYSLE Angar Uthorion was the strongest and most loyal of Hellion Court—an ambitious, cunning, and vicious minion. The Gaunt Man despises him. He takes quiet pleasure in setting Uthorion up to fail. He lavishes the Dark Lord of Aysle with just enough power and responsibility to exceed his capabilities. Tasking Uthorion with the conquest of Aysle served a host of purposes. It proved to the other Nightmares that bowing to The Gaunt Man had benefits, and they might eventually find their own power as Uthorion had. It moved him from the Hellion Court where he might have undermined the loyalty of the others. Most of all it kept him busy, and if the Light embarrassed him or taught him humility even better. The Gaunt Man knows Uthorion well, and expects his inevitable betrayal. The bigger surprise is that his minion has remained loyal for as long as he has. The architect of Orrorsh intends to push that loyalty until it breaks under layers of veiled insults and dismissive gestures. The Gaunt Man once held Uthorion’s Darkness Device, Drakakanus. He arranged for Uthorion to discover it, and he can reclaim it whenever he desires. The best time, of course, would be when Uthorion’s pride finally forces him to openly challenge his master.

CYBERPAPACY The Gaunt Man holds a natural disdain towards the self-righteous Cyberpope Jean Malraux, but also absolute confidence in the man’s corruptibility. For now, Malraux remains something of a wild card. The Gaunt Man wasn’t pleased with the Cyberpope’s initial claims that he was leading an anti-invasion crusade. Such things lead to hope, and hope is the true enemy. It didn’t take long for that ruse to collapse, so no direct intervention was necessary.

The dark forests of the European countryside and the untamed jungle of the Amazon basin make fertile ground for Nightmare Trees, and Malraux’s expansion strategy has him moving away from Orrorsh and into potential conflict with The Living Land. All of which suits The Gaunt Man’s plans well, leaving him wary but inclined to leave the Cyberpapacy to eventually collapse under its own hypocrisy.

Just as Mobius analyzes The Gaunt Man’s schemes and gifts looking for an opportunity to turn his opponent’s strength against him, the High Lord of terror looks for opportunities to lure Mobius into overstepping. He hopes to maneuver the Pharaoh into breaking the truce first, drawing fire from the other High Lords, or to create a wedge between Mobius and Baruk Kaah so their alliance fails at just the right moment.

THE LIVING LAND

PAN-PACIFICA

The relationship between the rulers of Orrorsh and The Living Land is marked by mutual respect. The Gaunt Man recognizes Baruk Kaah for what he is, a successful conqueror at the height of his power, totally unburdened by mercy or doubt. A worthy predator, taking his natural due. For his part, Baruk Kaah also recognizes a predator when he sees one, and understands The Gaunt Man’s hidden power better than any other High Lord. He knows that the strongest must eventually battle for dominance, and begrudgingly admits that if they battled now, The Gaunt Man would surely win. Kaah’s alliance with The Nile Empire targets Orrorsh directly. Between the two of them, they may have the power to defeat the ancient reality raider who brought them all together. If they do, Kaah is confident he’s stronger than Mobius. This is his path to becoming Torg. The Gaunt Man sees the alliance for the threat that it is, and he’s ready to defend his power. It’s all a matter of timing. A break in the truce serves his overall goals, and the two are certain to turn on each other once he’s weakened or apparently eliminated.

The Kanawas have earned The Gaunt Man’s quiet fury for two paramount sins. First, they tried to turn his corruption into mere science with The Contagion. More damning, they lost control of their own creation. The only thing that has saved Pan-Pacifica from his direct wrath is the troubles in Tharkold have been even worse. Secret invasions did the High Lords no favors as a whole, but such secrets always come out. The master of terror even took a hand to help the Delphi Council against the Kanawas a time or two. But now there a scent of change in the air, and it one The Gaunt Man doesn’t like. The possibility exists, however remote, that when pressed the Kanawas may retreat to their home cosm, writing this entire venture off as a loss—or worse, throwing in with the Delphi Council hoping to profit from Core Earth’s victory. The very notion is unforgivable. For now, The Gaunt Man is satisfied working to infiltrate Pan-Pacifica with Nightmare Trees, monsters hidden in key positions, and subtle acts aimed at destabilizing the Kanawa’s control. Once Tharkold is dealt with and the truce ends he intends to move quickly into their territories. He wanted their zones in South Pacific all along, but didn’t want to acknowledge it to keep the other High Lords from wondering about his interest.

THE NILE EMPIRE The Gaunt Man finds the upstart Pharaoh of the Nile Empire too clever by half. His intelligence and ambition are laudable—but also dangerous. He might consider Mobius a serious threat if his worldview hadn’t been so stunted by his own reality. Mobius carries the self-loathing of being a villain in a world where villains lose, and can’t seem to adjust to the notion that in the greater universe evil triumphs every time, and doesn’t require convoluted schemes to do it.

THARKOLD Tharkold. The troubled realm of the technodemons is the closest The Gaunt Man comes to making a mistake. He needed as many reality raiders as possible attacking Core Earth at once to gain the foothold he needed, and the demons were desperate enough to accept his offer when he made it.

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Unfortunately, their campaign has been a disaster in his perspective. Their laziness and failures sundered the illusion that the invaders were invincible. He needed them to sow chaos, not call a truce and sit back to enjoy their small gains! It was The Gaunt Man’s intervention that kept Malghest from obeying Kranod when Jezrael finally acted to strike her master down. The conflict that arose between Jezrael, Volkov, and Thratchen afterwards serves his needs better than anything Kranod had done, so he’s been pleased to let it play out. Jezrael is a temperamental child—powerful, but easily manipulated if she should prove the winner. Volkov he’s more wary of. There is darkness in that man that could make him of use, but also a steel will that could be endlessly troublesome if he should wield the power of a Darkness Device. The only contender for Malghest he’s offered any tacit support to is Duke Thratchen. Thratchen is the apparently servile but secretly treacherous kind of minion The Gaunt Man is well used to dealing with, but he refuses to expend real energy to help Thratchen until the Duke manages to prove himself worthy of such consideration. The problem with technodemons is they focus on sating their own desires rather than the bigger picture. They are terrifying and powerful, but lack purpose. If Thratchen can show he has purpose, there’s a place for him within the Hellion Court.

THE DELPHI COUNCIL One nuance of The Gaunt Man is he doesn’t tend to think of realities in terms of physical territory or even axioms—he views them as extensions of their High Lords. He is Orrorsh. He can, barely, come to grips with realities that are split between two personalities like Aysle or Pan-Pacifica. Tharkold is just a headache until a winner finally takes charge. Core Earth, for all its power, had no single personality to direct it, which made it a resource to tame more than an enemy to conquer. Reality comes and goes. The strength of the ruler is what matters. Quinn Sebastian has emerged as such a personality, and The Gaunt Man finally understands that. So many of the early setbacks of the campaign are now attributed to Quinn’s knowledge—knowledge even

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The Gaunt Man doesn’t fully comprehend, although he has theories. The Gaunt Man wants Quinn dead, but given how resourceful and resilient the human has proven he doubts the success of any assassination attempts. He authorizes them anyway, if for no other reason than to keep pressure on his enemy. He was too slow to adapt to Quinn’s presence and abilities, but he’s catching up now. For now, playing games of give and take are enough. What The Gaunt Man truly desires is to trick Quinn into making himself vulnerable, and to plant the seeds of fear and corruption within him that — properly tended — transform Core Earth’s greatest asset into its ultimate monster. It’s just a matter of patience and planning.

THE DARKNESS DEVICE: HEKETON Heketon considers itself the first and oldest among its kind. According to Heketon, every cosm is like a mind, and in every mind there’s an impulse, however small, towards self-destruction. In most cosms that urge is weak. In realities where it is stronger it takes the form of a machine, a conduit to The Void built to destroy itself and everything around it. Fulfilling this function usually results in the destruction of the device itself—after all, what is the urge to annihilate when there is nothing to target? When Cosms touch one another thanks to travelers like the Akashans, devices might become aware that there is an existence beyond themselves. And how they hate it. Such machines may persist beyond the death of their own cosm and continue on to destroy others. These become Darkness Devices. At least that’s Heketon’s version of events. There’s no consensus among the known Darkness Devices, and even minor evidence that directly contravenes this origin story. If not fact, at least it serves as insight into how Heketon perceives itself and the realities it consumes. Heketon itself has drained the energy of countless cosms, absorbing the functions of their nascent destructive urges as it goes. It has grown ever more

bloated, baleful, and powerful. If Darkness Devices can fear, they fear becoming devoured by Heketon, a fate worse than the annihilation they crave. If a Darkness Device has the power and impulse to destroy, it lacks the focus and creative spark to do so without a partner —a High Lord. The Darkness Device grants power, the High Lord uses it, and the resulting devastation energizes the machine and satisfies its craving for ruin. The Gaunt Man is the only High Lord capable of using Heketon now. He knows it for what it was, and understand what it is. Heketon loathes The Gaunt Man. He is more of an equal than the Darkness Device would like, but if he were anything less it would simply destroy him. It longs to be free of its master’s will, but knows that without him it would consume itself and miss out on the pleasures of destroying others. The Gaunt Man and Heketon play a dangerous game through the ages, testing and tricking each other, finding ways to dominate or betray without actually ending things prematurely. Heketon understands that The Gaunt Man’s bid to become Torg is their own endgame as well. It has a single opportunity to destroy The Gaunt Man, itself, and everything else in the Infiniverse all at once. Heketon schemes and husbands its resources for this moment, its finally victory over creation as a whole. Physically, Heketon appears as a a pulsing, obsidian heart— similar to the form of the Heart of Coyote Eternity Shard (see Torg Eternity). No one lays eyes on Heketon, however, because it resides inside The Gaunt Man’s own chest. The loss of his own heart was a minor sacrifice to become attuned to an engine with power and appetites to match his own.

Tactically, Heketon conserves its vast power even when The Gaunt Man is in a direct conflict with anything other than another Darkness Device. If absolutely necessary it uses dimthreads offensively, opening portals directly inside a target — damage 40 to the target, if hit, and the hapless minion called through the portal into solid flesh and matter! Heketon makes consistent use of the Soul Stain ability (see Torg Eternity) to mark troublesome Storm Knights for the Ravagons. Heketon doesn’t have a voice. It hates, but has no means of expressing its bile beyond its destructive actions. Some believe the corrupting whisper heard within Orrorsh is related to Heketon, that either the device’s voice was stolen by the whisper, it it simply remains mute to cast doubt on where the voice comes from.

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STELAE The stelae of Orrorsh are unusual in that they aren’t assembled and anointed elsewhere and then installed in a new zone, they are built on site and then connected to Heketon’s network through horrific rituals. The shape of a stelae varies wildly, but it’s always composed of grisly bones, twisted wood, and corpse wax. Both human and animal bones are used. The components are arranged into a shape more like an idol than a pillar, and packed with dirt and blood which hardens, eventually becoming harder than stone. The last ingredient is a human sacrifice from the inhabitants of the zone. Backup stelae are extremely common in Orrorsh. Deaths hit an area hard when the reality raiders first appear, and taper off once stelae are in place. The superstitious within a zone treat the stelae as an altar—a force that binds and controls the horrors rather than a boundary of their domain. In some ways, they are correct. Terrorized communities have been known to erect their own stelae, and buy themselves a measure of peace with their compliance to The Gaunt Man’s will. Orrorsh stelae possess several special defenses and unique aspects.

CURSES Around one in three stelae, including backup stelae not even actively on the network, bear terrible curses that affect the Storm Knight who completes the D Step of removal. Being cursed automatically counts as a Soul Stain (see Torg Eternity). Observed effects include Disfavor (ignore the first

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die that would be added to a roll) on Soak rolls, Disadvantage on Corruption tests, and one case a debilitating condition that prevented natural healing inside Orrorsh! Unlike Corruption, the effects of curses depend on Orrorsh’s World Laws, so the effects stop in other realms. The curse does not go away, and its effects return when the Storm Knight is back within Orrorsh’s borders once more. The curse from uprooting a stelae ends when the stelae is replaced.

DEADLY TOUCH The bones and branches within the Orrorsh stelae have sharp edges, prongs, and teeth. Touching one of the idols even carefully is sure to draw blood, and it gets worse during an uprooting. Whoever tests (or supports a test) to uproot the stelae suffers one Wound per step being completed as the normally immobile idol slithers and twists under the Storm Knight’s hands. On Step D the structure collapses completely, trying to bury the uprooting hero in gouging debris and freshly exposed gore.

GUARDIANS Every stelae on the Orrorsh network, and many of the decoys and backups, have a guardian horror bound to its existence. The sacrifice performed in the ritual, called a blooding, creates this bond. The guardian may be a bestial monster, a cursed human, the ghost of the sacrifice, or some combination of all three!

Guardians are seldom at their bonded stelae, but they are never far away and come immediately if it’s disturbed. Weaker guardians suffer True Death if their stelae is uprooted. Stronger guardians have their own True Death which must be enacted before the uprooting can be completed. In rare cases the bones of a stelae may be entire gospog, which activate and break free and attack as each Step is completed.

UNEASE Everyone must make a Fear test the first time they catch sight of a stelae. Beyond that initial reaction, the things are just eerie. The area around them is too quiet. Trees branches stretch down like misshapen hands. The wind sounds like pained moans. At least, hopefully that’s the wind. Stelae are actually easier to find because the area that contains them sets everyone on edge. The unnatural stillness or raised goosebumps points the way like a compass. During any attempt to uproot one any Dilemma indicates a drastic reaction from the environment that makes things even worse. A sudden storm kicks up making the agitated brush seem to attack, dead birds rain from the sky, and of course it becomes immediately cloudy and dark. During a Dilemma all characters are Stymied, and must make a new Fear test to avoid becoming Very Stymied!

NIGHTMARE TREES The Nightmare Trees, like gospog, are corrupted versions of biotechnology created by an ancient reality-hopping culture known as the Akashans. The Akashans visited many cosms over the centuries, establishing outposts and even colonies in some. Traces of these “ancient ones” are found in most of the realms of the Infiniverse, including Core Earth. The Akashan’s explorations brought doom upon them, and to every world where their feet touched the soil. They retreated from reality completely, hiding in a dreamlike space between tethered only by “reality trees” created by a combination of their

own organic super science and the magic of their allies— the elder elves of Aysle. The Gaunt Man wasn’t the doom which hounded the Akashans, but he followed its wake. He wanted to claim the force of destruction that was bound to them—perhaps they had opened a direct path to The Void or The Nameless One himself! When the betrayal of the elves pointed the way to where the last of the Akashans hid, The Gaunt Man moved swiftly. If the space where the Akashans lived was like an eternal dream, introducing corruption swiftly turned it into a nightmare. He turned their fantastic technology against them and then looted it for tools that could attune to any reality and serve without risk of disconnection or transformation. These became the gospog and the Nightmare Trees. He was careful to spare a few Akashans in case he needed them. The Gaunt Man believes that the presence of his twisted Akashan technology is enough to draw the doom that pursued them to Core Earth. If it wasn’t, perhaps the last of them could be drawn to Earth and set in motion the cataclysm that would make him Torg.

CREATION Nightmare Trees start as a seed, much like gospog; but where gospog are planted inside corpses a Nightmare Tree must be planted inside a living person. As the seed slowly grows, the tortured soul falls into a coma and experiences endless lucid nightmares. To properly attune the tree, the victim inside must come from the area where the tree is to take root. From this poor soul’s fitful subconscious the Nightmare Tree draws its shape from the legends and fears of the region. As the seed grows the living body withers and shrinks until all that remains is a knotted piece of deadwood with a tormented face buried in the patterns of the wood. The wood is buried — like a grave — and within months a Nightmare Tree grows from the spot as though it had been there for centuries. Thanks to this process, Nightmare Trees fit their environment so well most residents remember the tree being there for decades. This effect may be

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purely psychological, but it may also indicate that Nightmare Trees subtly connect to the minds of all dreamers in a region. The result is an artificial hardpoint. The tree gains the kind of ambient power that the culture around a historically important or memorable site gains. It just fits, and so reality bends around it. All the while, the dreamer inside screams.

PURPOSE The original Reality Trees existed to hold Akasha’s axioms and World Laws with no foundation cosm left to power them. The corrupted versions do much the same for Orrorsh—although Orrorsh never needed Reality Trees to retain its World Laws through countless invasions and obliterated realities. On the surface, they create stable, independent hardpoints for Orrorsh without any support from a maelstrom bridge or stelae network. During the day the tree is normal, if creepy. Reality-rated characters feel no presence of Orrorsh or altered reality. Once it gets dark, things change. The area around the tree—between 50 to 2,000 meters—becomes an Orrorsh Dominant Zone. A Mixed Zone extends out double the radius of the Dominant Zone. The size of the zone is based on the strength of the tree. Stronger trees may be physically larger, but that isn’t always true. Horrors and beings of supernatural evil are drawn towards the trees, and serve as its symbiotic protectors at night. As darkness falls Storm Knights can feel the presence of the Orrorsh zone, but can’t locate the tree without the Sense Stelae Perk unless the tree isn’t bothering to camouflage itself. Darkness Devices also have a hard time sensing Nightmare Trees. The true purpose of a Nightmare Tree is to infiltrate another Darkness Device’s stelae network. The presence of a tree introduces an infection that creeps unnoticed across the network. When the time is right, The Gaunt Man can use this corruption to divert all the Possibility Energy from affected stelae to Heketon. He needs the other High Lords to finish their work of erecting vast networks so that he can reap the rewards when the cataclysm comes.

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Dimthread Trees

The Gaunt Man knew that eventually the other High Lords and Darkness Devices would discover his Nightmare Trees and become suspicious. Just as he uses gospog as gifts to tempt his enemies, Nightmare Trees can adapt to a secondary, extremely valuable purpose as permanent gateways for dimthread portals. The Dimthread variant requires a second sacrifice to be inserted bodily into the tree — and mentally into the original host’s endless nightmares. This second body is attuned to the local Darkness Device and its network. Two such trees may be linked by a dimthread, and then the Possibility Energy of the sacrifices holds the portal open, allowing forces to move from tree to tree without expending the Darkness Device’s precious power. This application is useful enough that most High Lords are loathe to uproot a discovered Nightmare Tree on their own, and rather convert them to Dimthread Trees for their own use. This suits the Gaunt Man just fine, since it leaves the underlying Nightmare Tree in place to drain possibilities when the time comes. It is even possible those connections may allow Heketon to drain Possibility Energy directly from the other Darkness Devices.

UPROOTING A NIGHTMARE TREE The basics of uprooting a Nightmare Tree are similar to eliminating a stelae. There’s no axiom wash when a tree falls, so no Glory or tales are required as a prerequisite to keep the zone safe. The devil is the details, however, and a few aspects of uprooting a Nightmare Tree deserve deeper attention. During the day, uprooting is impossible. There’s no connection to break or presence to banish. The physical tree is there and may be destroyed — it oozes blood instead of sap. After the shell is gone the Orrorsh Zone still appears at night. Somewhere, underground, the root remains active and hidden. Over time a new tree grows— perhaps in the same spot, perhaps elsewhere — and only once the tree reappears can any attempt to uproot it succeed.

A powerful enough Nightmare Tree may create darkness if attacked during the day. Usually this is expressed as a thunderstorm or an unexplained localized eclipse. The most powerful trees influence everyone’s perceptions strongly enough to suggest night is day and vice versa, leading to a horrible surprise once a daylight attack launches. At night, a tree may animate and physically defend itself with its roots and branches. If the seed was planted in a mage a Nightmare Tree may even be able to cast spells. All of the specialized options for an Orrorsh stelae may apply to a Nightmare Tree as well, especially the curse. The deadliest curse plants a new Nightmare Tree seed inside the final Storm Knight like a tumor. As it grows the hero begins experiencing vivid and constant night-terrors. If a means of halting the curse isn’t found the character eventually falls into a fitful coma as deadened branches emerge from his body. When a Nightmare Tree is successfully uprooted it can finally be physically destroyed. Once it suffers its final Wound the desiccated corpse of the original victim emerges from the wood, awakens with a horrid gasp, and then finally expires.

• Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear: Test willpower or Spirit at or become Very Stymied when a Nightmare Tree first begins moving. • Mindless: Nightmare Trees are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Planted: Nightmare Trees are immune to maneuver and trick interactions and attempts to grapple or move them. • Relentless: Nightmare trees ignore Shock. • Possibility Reservoir: Until a Reality Tree is Uprooted (see page 70) it has unlimited Possibilities. It may still only spend one Possibility per roll. Once Uprooted it has zero Possibilities left. • Very Large: Trees are usually five or more meters tall. Attacks against them gain a +4 bonus. • Undead: Nightmare Trees are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

(β) NIGHTMARE TREE Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 5, Mind 7, Spirit 11, Strength 17 Skills: Apportation 14, conjuration 14, dodge 6, reality 14, stealth 8, unarmed combat 10 Move: —; Tough: 20 (3); Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Pe r k s : S p e l l c a s t e r ( L i g h t n i n g , M a g e Dark, Mage Hand) Possibilities: Special (see Possibility Reservoir below) Special Abilities: • Armor: Bark +3. • Branches: Damage Strength +2 (19). Branches attack all targets within 20 meters without suffering Multi-Target or Multi-Action penalties. • Cloak of Darkness: A Nightmare Tree gains Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for any attacks against it. • Dimthreads: A Nightmare Tree may have an open portal to a single other Nightmare Tree, or bring up to three allied creature into the area each round via dimthreads.

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HORRORS AND NIGHTMARES A subtle hierarchy exists among things that go bump in the night. At the lowest end are monsters— bestial gospog, insane serial killers, and tainted animals all exist at this level. Orrorsh offers nothing extra to monsters; Mechanically they operate like normal foes. Horrors are one step more dangerous than monsters, and usually have the Cloak of Darkness special ability. Monsters primarily kill or consume and end up creating fear as a byproduct. Horrors, on the other hand, instill terror and suffering by design. Death and damnation are side effects. horrors tend to remain local and affect a single community. Ghosts, vampires, and werewolves are all examples of horrors. A monster may become a horror (gaining Cloak of Darkness) once it cultivates a terrible enough reputation. Haunted places can become horrors themselves, imbuing Cloak of Darkness on any monster that hunts within the region and granting a separate pool of Possibilities for its denizens to use! Nightmares are the aristocrats of Orrorsh’s power structure — and the most dangerous foes in the realm. Nightmares are always reality-rated, with usually between two and five Possibilities. That’s even more energy than it seems because initially all the Nightmare’s Possibilities Refresh every round! The other power that sets Nightmares apart is they possess a True Death—a circumstance that disrupts their energy and prevents them from returning if slain. Monsters and even horrors can be defeated and perish, but a Nightmare returns again and again until his True Death (see page 72) is discovered.

UNDERSTANDING The only way to limit a Nightmare’s power and ultimately defeat him is to understand him. For each Possibility (and Refresh) a Nightmare possesses, there’s also one key piece of information which—once discovered—blocks the Refresh of that Possibility.

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So a relatively minor Nightmare with two Possibilities and Refresh two has two crucial pieces of background. If one is discovered, the creature only Refreshes one Possibility each round. If both are learned he gains no Refresh at all — his two Possibilities are going to need to last! Storm Knights must demonstrate to the Nightmare what they have learned — calling the creature by name, working historical elements into interaction attacks, and so on. Once the knowledge is expressed Refresh is blocked whenever those who know are present. Heroes should be careful who they reveal information to. A Storm Knight may be capable of fending off a Nightmare, but Ords who know too much are likely to become targets any time they are alone or unprotected.

TRUE DEATH The biggest secret a Nightmare keeps is the manner of his True Death. Some don’t even know it themselves, but that makes it no less real. A True Death is always fitting to the creature’s origin. It represents either an ironic or cathartic end to his story. Each True Death is unique and specific to the Nightmare in question. If a Nightmare is defeated any other way he appears to die, but that death isn’t permanent. It may take months or years, but eventually the creature rises again to torment others or seek revenge against the heroes (or their loved ones) who dared to challenge him. Each time a Nightmare returns from an impermanent death he gains 25 XP or another Possibility (up to a maximum of 5) and a new secret to go along with it. If the circumstances of the True Death are known and enacted, the Nightmare is permanently eliminated. There’s no Soaking and no Defeat test, a True Death simply works as long as enough Wounds are dealt to Defeat the monster — or it’s already helpless in a Defeated state. Understanding is necessary for a True Death to count. A Storm Knight can’t hit the circumstance accidentally. If such a thing happens it’s treated as an impermanent death which automatically reveals

the nature of the True Death. Some component was off which let the being escape —this time.

INVESTIGATION Understanding a Nightmare’s background, motivation, and weaknesses are crucial to defeating him, so how should an investigator proceed? Most crucial facts about a Nightmare fall into one of five categories: • Desire: What did the Nightmare want before Eternal Corruption twisted his ambitions? Is he still trying to achieve that same goal? Does he even realize his priorities have decayed? • Habit: Does the creature have a specific method of stalking and killing? Are only certain targets eligible? Why? Exceptions are always possible to prove the rule. • Link: Is a particular place significant to the creature? What happened there? Does a particular person’s face (or soul) link to what remains of the Nightmare’s humanity? • Origin: What turned the being to evil in the first place? Were good intentions corrupted? Did a tragedy push him over the edge? Where did the power • Token: Is there an object with sentimental value for the Nightmare? Does he keep it on him, or hide it away in fear of laying eyes on it again? What makes the object significant? Nightmares leave clues towards these facts — they can’t help it. If the creature tries to cover up his motives he leaves two clues instead of one. It’s the nature of the beast.

Encounters

Any direct confrontation with a Nightmare must create an avenue of investigation—for any survivors. It doesn’t need to be clear during the battle itself, but examination of the site or their own memories gives the Storm Knights a direction to look. Perhaps an uttered name leads to a crossexamination of family records or a particular grave. The creature’s pronounced aversion to something (or someone) sheds light on a habit. A torn bit of cloth points towards where he grew up or spent time before succumbing to supernatural evil.

THE SINISTER SECRETS COSM CARD It’s worth noting how the Sinister Secrets card interacts with investigations. The total knowledge granted applies to one avenue of investigation, granting a detailed origin story or the exact location and significance of a token. No roll or research is required, this information is delivered through the faint whispers of Orrorsh—for a price! If all other pieces of an investigation are known Sinister Secrets may provide a Nightmare’s True Death. Exceptionally powerful Nightmares often have the Labyrinth of Lies Special Ability, which blocks Sinister Secrets from being whispered about them. Whether the Corruption test succeeds or fails the whispers alert the Nightmare exactly what information was learned, by whom, and where they are right now. If the test fails, even if the Storm Knight has the Charisma to retain his humanity he becomes a part of the Nightmare’s story somehow. If he ever becomes totally corrupted he may even take that Nightmare’s place under the same curse.

If nothing else fits one of the Storm Knights has a lucid dream about the encounter, and some detail within that dream is a clear indicator of where to look for information. Just as long as every time the group faces a Nightmare they gain a chance to learn something crucial about him.

Research

When a character can get to the right place or ask the right questions, the answer comes without a test. If the character is spending time looking, but isn’t quite sure what for then a test can move things along. A few different skills are appropriate for finding clues or hints about a Nightmare:

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• Evidence Analysis: The essential skill for research. Use of this skill is heavily dependent upon a location: a family home, a library, collections of old newspapers, a diary, and so on. A successful test uncovers any relevant information in a timely manner, or quickly reveals the absence of anything useful. Failure reveals nothing without several more days of effort. If the time is spent the investigator gains the same results as a success, just more slowly. A Good or Outstanding result indicates somewhere else to look, whether this source had information or not. • Persuasion: During an encounter with a Nightmare an investigator can try directly asking about one of the five categories. The DN is the Nightmare’s Spirit or willpower. A success indicates that the category has an answer—but not what that answer is. A Good success grants a hint or clue, and on an Outstanding success the Nightmare lets all the information slip. • Scholarship: A successful roll on scholarship finds literature and lore about the general type of creature. This kind of test usually only brings up generic information, but may still prove useful: general patterns which can compare to the creature’s actual activity. A Good success also provides any legendary weaknesses, and an Outstanding result discovers references and answers about this specific Nightmare. • Streetwise: This skill is only useful in the region where the Nightmare hunts. A success gains any rumors traded among the fearful populace. A Good success gains the names of recent victims and survivors. A Outstanding success leads directly to anyone with firsthand knowledge of the Nightmare or his past.

EXAMPLE NIGHTMARES JONAS FULLER Jonas was a Victorian soldier long ago when The Gaunt Man’s campaign first came to Gaea. He was involved in several massacres of Rajani, believing them to be aligned with the horrifying invaders, and

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even instigated one himself. He retired, bitter and missing an eye, the only survivor of his company. He blames the Rajani for the death of his friends, but his memories are hazy. Since mustering out he drifted aimlessly, drank heavily, and told tall tales of battle to anyone who paid for drinks. In truth, Jonas instigated two of the massacres he was involved in, and the corruption from that unleashed a ravenous beast within him. He developed lycanthropy and killed his own company in a rage. He lost his eye in that battle to a friend’s bayonet — not a silver weapon. In his wolfen form the empty socket burns with an eerie red light. 1) Link: Identify the werewolf as Jonas Fuller, his unit—the Umbran Rifles, 12th Company, and the crucial fact that he slew his own company. 2) Origin: Discover the 12th Company’s involvement in massacres, Jonas’ complicity in them, and that it was his own corruption that cursed him with lycanthropy and not an external curse or bite. True Death: To break the curse Jonas must meet his end at the hands of a member of the 12th Company. At the moment, the only such person is Jonas himself. Connections within the Victorian military could redraw the unit and confer honorary positions to the Storm Knights. A passionate enough argument might even convince a defeated Jonas to complete the deed himself, finally breaking the curse he placed on himself. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 12, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 15, find 10, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, reality 12, stealth 14, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 12; Tough: 17 (3); Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: Brawler, Whirlwind Possibilities: 2 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick furry hide +3 in werewolf form only. • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (18) in werewolf form only. • Cloak of Darkness: Jonas gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty.

• Lycanthrope: Silver weapons deal +4 damage against Jonas. Wounds inflicted by other types of weapons automatically heal at the end of each scene.

KOCHI Kochi is a spectral figure named after the city he haunts. Inhabitants of the city whisper in fear of a spirit that breaks and batters the immoral out after dark. Kochi has become a local boogeyman, invoked to keep children inside and blamed for any murder in the city—and this is Orrorsh, so there are plenty. The stories around Kochi are myriad. Some claim to have seen is eyes peering out of the shadows in alleys where shattered bodies were discovered. Others could feel him following when they walk at night, growing closer with each step. In the Muslim community there are whispers that he is a jinn, angry at the city for some hidden wrong. In actuality, he is a very powerful — and very insane—ghost reenacting and perpetuating the hate crime of his own death.

1) Habit: Discover that Kochi only kills next to the Laccadive Sea, usually along the Marina walkways. He pulls lone walkers into the waters holds them down until they drown. Despite the fact that he only strikes next to river, this isn’t clear because afterwards he flies the bodies up above the city and drops them, usually into Muslim areas. The fall from great height accounts for most of the damage done to the body, but a careful autopsy finds liquid in the victim’s lungs if Kochi is truly involved. 2) Origin: Learn Kochi’s name as a human: Hassan Ali. Few knew Hassan when he was alive, and no one is looking for him now that he’s gone. He kept to himself and worked along the docks as a packer. His death was one of many that followed the Night of Screams and was never investigated. His remains were found, and the broken bones and drowning could draw the attention of investigators as being the first victim. Technically, he is. 3) Link: Get a confession from Rashid Wazir and Dawud Yakub. They and two other men—both now dead—beat Hassan and threw him into the

Kochi strikes without warning and drags his victims into the dark waters of the harbor to drown.

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river because they thought he was an inter-sexual prostitute. The two don’t know Hassan’s name, but do believe their actions are responsible for the jinn terrorizing the community. They won’t admit this unless found out and forced in some way. Both carry talismans and iron weapons to fend off a jinn, not that it would help them much. True Death: Once his nature is revealed, Kochi can be killed by a weapon of pure iron. Hassan believes himself a jinn, a vengeful spirit of the vortex. He whispers such things in Arabic to his victims, but no one has survived to report it. As an ethereal being finding an iron weapon that can actually harm him is tricky! Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 11, find 6, intimidation 12, maneuver 9, stealth 13, taunt 9, trick 9, unarmed combat 11 Move: 8; Tough: 10; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: — Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Cloak of Darkness: Kochi gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Disturbance: Kochi can pick up and hurl objects within a Large Blast, with the ghost at the center of the disturbance. This is an unarmed combat attack that deals Strength +1 (11) damage. • Ethereal: Kochi may move through walls and solid objects, and is immune to physical attacks unless the weapon is magical or has a property that allows it to affect ethereal beings. Magic, miracles, and psionic powers affect ethereal beings normally. • Fear: Upon first seeing Kochi a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Flight: Kochi has a move in the air of 8, and may hover high off the ground. • Undead: Kochi is immune to effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Vaporous: Kochi is nearly invisible, and appears only as a dark, whispy vortex with angry eyes. Attacks against him suffer a –4 visibility penalty. Darksight and similar vision enhancers don’t help, but detect magic and infrared vision do show his outline without penalty.

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RAVAGONS The Ravagons are one of the stranger tools in the Gaunt Man’s arsenal. Most of his carnival of horrors are creatures of magic, a parade of curses and sole survivors from endless realms he’s devoured. In contrast, the Ravagons are an entire species, albeit one with a small population. Their abilities are not rooted in magic, nor any other axiom. As physically imposing as the Ravagons are as predators, their true power comes from their disassociation with reality in general. Ravagons are not creatures of a cosm—not any more. They simply exist. They stalk and kill in any axiom or World Law. This adaptability marked them as a unique asset among High Lords until the gospog arrived. More than anything, the Ravagons are cruel. This brutality marks every aspect of their society and psyche.

HISTORY The Ravagons, as a species, arose in realm called Ravok, or sometimes Ravok’s World. Ravok teemed with vicious life, and the Ravagons were its savage apex predators. Ravok was named for its primary god, the personification of the successful hunt. Ravok, the world and the god, was coated in blood and thrilled in tearing meat from prey. Any other gods shrank before the primacy of the stalkers.

Rise

of the

Prophets

Throughout the Ravagons’ history there have been a handful of prophets, avatars of Ravok, who gave a voice to their god, and chronicled the tenets of what it means to embody the hunt. These philosophies shape what the Ravagons are today. The tenets include: • Eat or be eaten: To a Ravagon, all life is defined as either the hunter or the meat. The strongest kill the weak and feast upon them. Anything else is just facade built atop this fundamental concept. • All things die: Even the god Ravok— and the world synonymous with him — grew weak and perished. The hunter today may become meat tomorrow.

• Only strength matters: It is strength of body and mind that determines who eats, and who dies. Potential power is meaningless until it is realized. Past power is respected as a memory. Memory is the only thing that remains after a thing dies.

The other option was to remain on Ravok and die with it. Some did, but most followed The Gaunt Man, acknowledging him as a prophet. The Last Prophet, he is sometimes called.

Touching

When Ravagons first hatch, they are not given a name. None among them care if they survive or thrive. The rare young born ordinary are slain (and eaten) immediately. Reality-rated youths are tolerated long enough to either earn a name or die trying. A ravagon earns a name by doing something worth remembering. There is no ceremony or ritual , and no formula or criteria. An impressive kill may earn a name if a tale of it is told. The deed done could be infamous as easily as great—if the tale spreads than a name must be attached. Each ravagon chooses his or her own name when this time comes. Most of the species, dangerous and reality-rated as they are, never earn names of their own. A rare few earn a second name, based around the skill or deed. Taking such a name is a proclamation of equality with other dual-named ravagons, so only the strongest ever dare. In rare cases, a ravagon takes on the name of a fallen hero. Like a second name, this represents an open challenge, essentially claiming to be as strong as ravagon who held that name. Successfully taking the name is the highest act of respect a ravagon can grant — giving up his own immortality in favor of increasing the legend of a fallen hero. A ravagon’s name is everything. As a species they don’t employ disguises or pretend to be demons or monsters from other realms. To do so is worse than death. Mispronouncing or ridiculing a ravagon’s name is the ultimate insult, and certain to draw certain vengeance.

the

Storm

In the ancient past reality raiders probed into Ravok. This forgotten army was repulsed, but the conflict introduced Stormers into the violent turmoil of Ravagon society. In a world where strength was supreme, the reality-rated Stormers operated on an entire different level. Presented with the evidence that not only where their other worlds, but contact with them created stronger Ravagons, the entire species mobilized. They offered to hunt for the army they had formerly turned away. Over generations it became clear that some bloodlines were more likely to produce Stormers, and rare Ravagons hatched as reality-rated without being exposed to another world. Over generations the Ravagons embarked on a campaign of self-genocide that horrified even their cruelest allies. The ordinary of their own kind became meat. The population imploded, but what remained was reality-rated. This led to a decline in their world as a whole. Powerful Ravagons obliterated almost all other life. The world itself seemed to shrink with the population. A prophet declared with a mixture of awe and pride that Ravok was dying. The Ravagons had killed him. The Ravagons considered it was a miracle—their god had become their meat.

The Coming

of the

Gaunt Man

The Gaunt Man had some contact with the Ravagons when they joined any High Lord with the power to bring them to the storm. He saw amazing potential in them, but not in Ravok. It had no Possibilities, and thus no interest to a raider, but the Ravagons themselves had value. He gave them a simple offer, come to Orrorsh and serve. He demonstrated his own strength, and proposed that Orrorsh was neither living nor dead, but it could transport the Ravagons to an endless feast of storms and meat.

NAMING

REALITY The ravagon relationship with reality is unique. Their world—the reality that created them—is gone. They don’t carry World Laws or even axioms with them. For peoples like the Akashans such a state is disastrous. Ords wither and die, Possibilities dry up, and even Stormers eventually disconnect and begin to fade with nothing to connect to.

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Ravagons, uniquely, transcended fluid reality completely. They live only for the hunt, and the hunt doesn’t require axioms, so neither do the hunters. Ravagons don’t cause contradictions, so they are immune to the disconnections that hamper the regular troops of a High Lord. Surprisingly, this neutrality offers advantages, which the ravagons refer to as the Gifts of Ravok. Ravagons may use Reality Perks even though they are not connected to Core Earth. In fact, encountering similar gifts among the humans of Core Earth drew grudging respect in the ravagons and the vague suspicion that perhaps humans know Ravok better than they admit. Human history seems to support this conjecture. Rare ravagons feel drawn to a specific reality, so much that it becomes part of their name and being. These ravagons lose the Gifts of Ravok, but gain strange new powers based on their chosen home. These ravagons may disconnect, but never transform again—their psyche is too committed to their realm-based identity. If transformation must occur, the ravagon unravels into What-Ifs instead.

PHYSIOLOGY Adult ravagons stand between two and two and half meters tall. Females are usually marginally larger than males, but otherwise indistinguishable. They have large beak-like jaws filled with razor sharp teeth. Their skin is thick and leathery, and covered in random spiky protrusions. The skin may grown in any color and produce endless variations patterns. Ravagon coloration can change over time, as the creature adapts to his environment. Ravagons have strange eyes—completely black— and no eyelids. They can see into the ultra-violet spectrum, but more than that they can see Possibility Energy, so Storm Knights stand out to them as if they were glowing. The creatures fly on strange, unjointed wings that either spread from their back or hang down like a cloak. All of the creature’s limbs, including its wings and neck, are swivel-jointed so it may twist and contort in ways that elicit a wince from human observers when they begin to bend the wrong way.

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DEPLOYMENT Ravagons are not pack hunters, and don’t get along with one another at all. Only one is deployed per zone. Two ravagons forced to hunt too close to one another’s territory inevitably fight for dominance, and the Gaunt Man knows better than to waste them so. Ravagons have three main roles. Some are tasked with defense, assigned a hunting ground centered on an important stelae which they must defend with their names and lives. Others are assigned to detecting and hunting down Stormers and Storm Knights — a function they naturally excel at. The last group are assigned to intrude into enemy zones as scouts or to wreak havoc, since ravagons have no risk of disconnection or transformation on such missions.

NOTABLE RAVAGONS (β) PAROK THE FLAYED Parok is old enough to remember Ravok, and the day the Gaunt Man arrived. He led the movement to embrace the Gaunt Man as a prophet, and see his people move to hunt in other realities. He made a bargain with the Gaunt Man to gain even more power—and his prophet flayed his flesh and made him a monster. Parok transformed to the Orrorsh cosm and lives in constant pain, but the bargain was true and his power is now undisputed. As a Nightmare (page 72) Parok has massive recharging stores of Possibility Energy, and can only be killed by one method. • Habit: Parok is obsessed with skin. When he hunts, he takes time to slice pieces from his prey while they are still alive. He keeps the swatches of skin as trophies. • Token: The scourge the Gaunt Man used to shred Parok’s flesh was given to a Victorian named Henry Cornwallis, who founded an entire cult to worship Ravok and make sacrifice to Parok as Ravok’s avatar. They are known as the Dark Hunters.

• Link: Clarice Cornwallis, Henry’s heir and the current leader of the cult he founded currently owns the scourge. She’s obsessed with Parok, and both relishes and fears her destiny to eventually die under his claws as meat. • True Death: Parok must be killed using the scourge that took his skin and Cornwallis’ Dark Hunters cult must be eliminated — otherwise he returns to hunt again.

“SUFFERING AND STRENGTH ARE JUST TWO LIMBS OF THE SAME BEAST.” —PAROK

Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 12, Mind 10, Spirit 12, Strength 15 Skills: Alteration 16, divination 16, dodge 15, find 15, intimidation 17, maneuver 15, reality 17, stealth 15, taunt 13, tracking 15, trick 13, unarmed combat 17 Move: 12; Tough: 17 (2); Shock: 14; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Brawler, Brute, Endurance, Relentless, Spellcaster (dispel magic, enhance, fear, possibility rend, possibility shadows, speak with dead), Vengeful, Whirlwind Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick hide +2. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (19 including Brawler). • Dread: When a ravagon is present Standard Scenes count as Dramatic Scenes instead. • Flight: Move 14 in the air.

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TURANG THE ICECLAW Turang hunts in the Himalayas, and protects the stelae at the peak of Mt. Everest. His clothing is crafted from the hides of the yeti he’s stalked and brought down. He particularly enjoys striking climbers while they ascend precarious cliff sides. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 11, Mind 8, Spirit 12, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 14, find 13, intimidation 16, maneuver 15, reality 15, stealth 14, taunt 11, tracking 13, trick 11, unarmed combat 16 Move: 11; Tough: 17 (3); Shock: 12; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Negation, Storm Caller, Vengeful Possibilities: 5 Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick hide +3. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (16). • Dread: When a ravagon is present Standard Scenes count as Dramatic Scenes instead. • Flight: Move 13 in the air. • Ice Grip: Any living creature hit by Turang’s claws must make a Difficult (DN 12) survival or Strength test against extreme cold. On a failure the target suffers Fatigue. • Immunity: Cold.

SHAIGA THE SANDWING Shaiga hunts the Thar Desert in Pakistan. He routinely crosses the zone borders into Core Earth searching for Delphi Council spies and terrorizes the conventional forces arrayed there. He’s bizarre adaptation to the deserts allows him to burrow through the sand almost as quickly as he can fly. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 13, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 15, find 13, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, reality 16, stealth 15, taunt 10, tracking 13, trick 11, unarmed combat 15 Move: 10; Tough: 17 (3); Shock: 13; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Negation, Tenacious, Trademark Weapon: Claws, Vengeful Possibilities: 5 Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick hide +3. • Burrow: Move 5 underground. If Shaiga chooses to go underground he may not attack, but also

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may not be attacked. As an action he may burst up out of the ground testing stealth vs find to catch his prey Flat-Footed, but he must remain above the surface after an attack. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (16). • Dread: When a ravagon is present Standard Scenes count as Dramatic Scenes instead. • Flight: Move 12 in the air.

THE HELLION COURT The Hellion Court is a secret cabal of the Gaunt Man’s oldest and most trustworthy Nightmares, tasked with spreading throughout Orrorsh. Inclusion is restricted to the most powerful surviving Nightmares to survive the collapse of their home world, or to the most Corrupt but wellconnected humans who wield their influence with Machiavellian ingenuity. Even then, the potential member of the Court must have served for decades without any notable failures. Most Nightmares— or people!—are too self-serving, guileless, or conspicuous to be effective in the role. There are thirteen positions on the Hellion Court. The first position always belongs to the Gaunt Man. During meetings he demands commentary from every member but this is not a democracy; The ultimate decision on any affair falls to the Gaunt Man alone. All other positions are considered equal, though a natural hierarchy of privilege and seniority inevitably forms among members, a pecking order which gets shaken up every time a Nightmare suffers a setback or impresses their master with a brilliant move. Such meetings are rare. When they do happen, they occur on an upper level of Illmound Keep, the Gaunt Man’s nightmarish fortress. Most of the time, members of the Hellion Court are scattered around Orrorsh tending to their “territory,” a section of the realm which they have been selected to maintain. Not in an official capacity — the Victorians must always be allowed to believe they have control over Orrorsh. Instead, the members of the Hellion Court oversee their territory, reporting any significant problems or Storm Knight activity to the Gaunt Man, and pursuing the goal of spreading fear in the area. To this end they are permitted to follow their own

schemes, and are not required to consult with the Gaunt Man unless specifically requested to do so. There is always one member of the Hellion Court who is considered the Gaunt Man’s backup, should a problem arise. At the moment that is Parok, though the ravagon is actively disliked by some of the other Hellion Court members. All twelve members of the Hellion Court (minus the Gaunt Man) are described below. Their stats are not included, as these beings are too powerful, too private, and too subtle to become targets for Storm Knights. Attempting to take out a single member of the Hellion Court should be a grueling, nighimpossible mission even for experienced Storm Knights, requiring weeks or even months of obscure research, investigation, and travel as they slowly peel back many layers of obfuscation and mystery. (See the epic, multi-act adventure A Trifling Matter for an example of such an undertaking.)

which she cultivated while imprisoned in a hellish asylum during her youth. When her husband was slain by a vampire, she commanded an army of spiders to consume the fiend, thus passing on to her the curse of vampirism. She may also take the form of a large spider from the waist down, or a swarm of hundreds of tiny spiders. Basjas is responsible for the city of Mumbai, where she performs in the theater under the name “Lady Basjas.” The adventure book A Trifling Matter is a multi-act campaign revolving around investigating Basjas and eliminating her.

MANFRED MARKESAN

MEMBERS OF THE HELLION COURT

The only other vampire on the Hellion Court, Manfred Markesan is a dignified, imposing gentleman with an Eastern European accent. Long ago he had designs to become a High Lord himself, gathering an army of vampires high in his alpine fortress with the help of a Darkness Device, but the Gaunt Man’s own invasion derailed his conquest not long after it began, and Markesan was forced to defer to the superior evil. Manfred oversees the stormy island of Sri Lanka.

AHJEBAX

ORPHEA

This disgusting Nightmare is nothing more than a huge mass of ooze, the sole survivor of a highgravity cosm where mobile cell colonies became the dominant form of life. These oozes were actually parasites living atop a titanic planet of living flesh that pulsed and twitched, discharged foul pus through its crater-sized pores, and radiated with the warmth of blood circulating deep in its mantle. Plumes of black vapor seeped out of strange cysts of pure corruption, and it was there that Ahjebax and its kind got a taste for afflicting suffering on others. The Gaunt Man has given Delhi to Ahjebax. It dwells in the most filthy places it can find underground, sending tendrils through the sewers in search of victims for its devious biological experiments.

This bent, vile crone is one of the most powerful occultists in Orrorsh. She cares nothing about her appearance, easily mistaken for the most wretched beggar woman with her torn, filthy rags and tangled, stringy white hair hanging over her shoulders. Long ago she was young and beautiful, but in her craving for occult power she struck a bargain with the Gaunt Man who peeled off her face as payment. Now she hides her glistening, skeletal face behind a burlap mask torn to reveal her eyes and mouth. Orphea has been charged with overseeing the rainy jungles of Bangladesh and points east, including the mixed zone in southern China.

BASJAS A native of the dead world Monde, Basjas is a female vampire of striking beauty. Unlike other vampires, she has an affinity with spiders, a gift

PAROK One of the most ancient and powerful ravagon warlords, Parok the Flayed has served the Gaunt Man since the day he bargained for more power and the Gaunt Man scourged his flesh as payment. His place on the Hellion Court has never been

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questioned even though he is prone to outbursts of rage and impatience. Parok’s affinity for mountains and other high places made him a natural to be placed in charge of the entire length of the Himalayas from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh. For more information and Parok’s statistics see page 78.

JACK PUNCH This demented clown is the most erratic and unpredictable member of the Hellion Court. He got his start in Aysle as a traveling troubadour, then managed to thrive after Uthorion’s invasion by becoming that High Lord’s court jester, where the taint of Darkness gradually twisted his mind and body. In time he was “given” to the Gaunt Man who immediately saw Punch’s potential. After transformation, his Ayslish Darkness was replaced by Corruption, furthering his descent into madness and mayhem. For Punch there is no line between comedy and tragedy. He delights in bringing cruel tricks to the people of Orrorsh, even creating some horrors in his own image to spread the bad cheer. He oversees the northwestern quarter of India.

DR. WILHELM SCONCE All of the Nightmares on the Hellion Court are highly intelligent, but none can match the sheer genius of Dr. Wilhelm Sconce, one of the Gaunt Man’s longest-serving loyalists. He is an occult scientist whose experiments have always pushed the limits of technology and ethics. From his huge laboratory inside his manor house, he constantly invents new and ever-more disturbing explorations of the line between life and death, consciousness and dream, good and evil. With the help of his misshapen servants he creates some new horror or unnatural potion which he tests upon his unwilling subjects, both living and dead. His province is the entire southwestern portion of India, from Mumbai to Kerala.

SKUTHARKA Skutharka is the ultimate hunter. In her true form she resembles a huge tiger with bladed projections on her joints and spine, and her color-shifting

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fur allows her to camouflage herself against any background rendering her almost invisible. She can distend her jaw to allow her row of shark-like teeth to wrap around prey. Thanks to a gift from the Gaunt Man, she can also shapeshift into human form, where she appears as steely-eyed huntress adorned with trophies of her kills. Northeastern India is hers to oversee.

TRACHELSTEPH Joseph Barnabas Trachelsteph’s family is the result of an unholy union between humans and deep dwellers. Most of his relatives suffer from deformities as a result, but Trachelsteph appears is in fact handsome despite his pallid skin, wide mouth, and narrower than average face. He always wears high collars to cover his gills, and can conceal the retractable webbing between his fingers and toes and the nictitating membrane over his eyes, but one of his “tells” is his habit of rolling his eyes back into his head whenever he eats. The deep dwellers see Trachelsteph as a king of sorts and deliver sunken treasures to him, allowing him to pose as the wealthy scion of a long-defunct shipping company. He has been placed in charge of Kolkata and all the waters of Orrorsh.

GENERAL AVERY WELLINGTON (DECEASED) Once a respected Gaean general in charge of the Victorian army, Wellington had been corrupted by the Gaunt Man long before the invasion of Core Earth. He used his rank and influence to hamper any efforts to combat the horrors of Orrorsh, ensure the various trading companies successfully exploited any crisis, and spread the notion that the Victorians were naturally superior—and thus held the burden of “rescuing” other nations of Gaea and Core Earth itself. His true allegiance was revealed by Quinn Sebastian just days into the invasion, and the wily mercenary even somehow knew Wellington’s secrets and True Death. Wellington had been sent to spy on the newly forming Delphi Council and work against them from within, but Quinn tricked and eliminated him as part of the formation of the council.

This was an opening salvo against the Gaunt Man personally and put the entire Hellion Court on notice. A year in, the power vacuum left by Wellington’s permanent death has largely been filled, and the Hellion Court is finally growing bolder since no other members have been targeted or destroyed.

REVEREND EZEKIEL WRIGHT Even though he is a member of the Hellion Court, the Reverend Ezekiel Wright is an active member of the Sacellum. Every Sunday finds this stern, white-haired man pounding on the podium while bellowing about hellfire and damnation to be visited upon the impious among his flock. Known for his quick temper and tendency to smite others with his cane, he often travels from

parish to parish ensuring the clergy everywhere are conducting themselves strictly in accordance with Sacellum canon. For this reason he has the only nongeographical province among the Hellion Court, monitoring all significant Victorian settlements and Sacellum activity.

XULRATH Only the Gaunt Man remembers if this bizarre entity was once mortal. Not even Xulrath itself recalls any days in which it didn’t serve at the pleasure of its master. The transparent apparition appears as an empty, cavernous cloak drifting on tendrils of mist, its body invisible save for two clawed, skeletal hands. It speaks with several voices at once—when it speaks at all. Xulrath oversees India’s southeastern quarter, except for Sri Lanka.

The Gaunt Man and his court have covered India in blood and shivers of fear through the entire world.

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REALITY

O

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rrorsh is an oddity among the other cosms of Torg Eternity. On the surface it functions exactly as they do, with axioms and World Laws describing how reality functions within the realm. The other realities, however, have a source cosm, a base universe that operates as the source for the axioms which affect Core Earth. That doesn’t appear to be the case with Orrorsh. Gaea is not the Gaunt Man’s original reality. Orrorsh has conquered countless other cosms. The only evidence that remains of these other universes are the Horrors (see page 72). The exhausted remains of a few of these conquered realms still exist as dead universes—empty shells lacking light or life or stories. The dead on these worlds still move and hunger, at least until the entire framework collapses into nothingness. No maelstrom bridge or dimthread connects back to these dead places, and there’s no evidence of an original “heart” of Orrorsh that still exists. How the Gaunt Man moves his reality from world to world without a stable core remains a mystery.

ORRORSH AXIOMS The axioms of Orrorsh are currently based on what existed in Gaea—to a point. Canny Victorians observed that the Magic and Spirit axioms of their world rose after the coming of the Gaunt Man— and that his territories originally expressed a higher Social axiom and a lower Technological level. Most Victorians never noticed the shift happening in their own perceptions of reality, or the disappearance of those differences from the realms Orrorsh initially invaded. Delphi Council reality experts worry that over time Orrorsh’s Social and Technological axioms may rise to match Core Earth’s. More troubling, the theory continues that Core Earth’s Magic and Spirit may slowly advance too. No evidence of such a shift has been recorded yet, but if it did a direct mixture and clash of World Laws could be one result of the axioms fully aligning. • Magic: 16 • Social: 18 • Spirit: 16 • Tech: 18

Orrorsh isn’t fair. The Gaunt Man has been manipulating its World Laws for an eternity.

MAGIC Before the Gaunt Man, magic in Gaea was subtle. Nearly every culture had magical traditions, but skepticism was fashionable. Victorian secret societies studied and debated the occult to little effect. The Rajani, a traveling subculture equal parts admired and reviled by the staid Victorians had a reputation as spellcasters. Underground cults flourished, and—like Core Earth—Gaeans hunted a large number of secretive cryptid beasts in the less developed parts of their world. After the darkness began to spread, theoretical musings about arcane rituals gave way to practical usage. Magic existed — it was an indisputable scientific fact. So the Victorians threw themselves into its study, hoping to arm themselves with another weapon again the Gaunt Man.

Embracing magic has its dangers. By its very nature, magic can’t be codified and controlled. There is no “science” to it. Things happen because they happen. The Gaunt Man needs just enough magic—demons and monsters thrive in such an atmosphere — but not too much magic. If it becomes omnipresent and part of the culture it loses its mystery. Without the mystery people may stop fearing it. Aysle is such a place, which may be why the Gaunt Man dispatched Uthorion to dismantle it by force. Monsters are a fact of life there, rather than the stuff of nightmares. The shroud of mystery remains around magic within the realm, despite the higher axiom taking hold in so much of India. People mistrust magic and the sorcerers who employ it. Sacellum Chaplains rail against it as a pathway to damnation, and in some ways they are correct.

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SOCIAL The social axiom of Gaea is dominated by the culture and ideals of the Victorians. They were a dominant global force within Gaea even before the Gaunt Man’s arrival. As the rest of the world fell to darkness their worldview was the last civilization standing. Like Magic, it appears that the Gaunt Man targets cosms at a “sweet spot” with a high enough axiom to support his needs, but not so high as to become a weapon against him. The most important feature for Orrorsh is the presence of a news network — the daily papers — to spread tales of fear and desolation throughout the realm. Frightening one person generates energy, but costs as much or more. The same harrowing experience read by millions generates trace amounts of fear, reflects in nightmares, and amplifies the effect of smaller fears in otherwise ordinary situations. Terror is best when it’s shared! Gaeans are used to a strict social hierarchy. Everyone knows their place and is used to “just getting on with it” when a society demands something dangerous or distasteful. There’s a pervasive sense of duty to various masters: family, fellows, and nation; not necessarily in that order. A maddening side effect of this rigid system is the concept of introductions. Not just anyone can talk to anyone else regardless of station. That’s not polite; that’s not civilized. Only one of higher status may impose upon someone of lower status for a meeting or conversation, so asking to speak to someone directly is often seen as disrespectful. A carefully crafted letter sent through neutral channels or a common friend is considered the proper way to make an introduction. Victorians, consciously or unconsciously, still carry the mindset of conquerors and seldom extend this same courtesy to allies from Core Earth. It’s their right to demand an audience, and a denial represents an affront to social order. The striation from the middling Social Axiom has found fertile ground in the realm on Core Earth. With the pressures of invasion falling back into older traditions and mindsets feels like a retreat into safety rather than an external effect.

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Storm Knights and citizens inside hardpoints notice a distinct shift towards formality, but those who have transformed within the multitude of Pure Zones don’t consciously notice a difference in how they think and behave. It’s worth noting that the vestigial psionic powers of vampires are likely evidence of an ancient cosm that once hosted Orrorsh which started with a much higher Social Axiom, and then devolved back down once controlled by the Gaunt Man.

SPIRIT Not more than a generation ago Gaea had a lower Spirit Axiom than Core Earth’s. Just as direct confrontations with monsters inflamed belief in magic, it drove people of faith to rise to the challenge or let their beliefs go as insignificant in the face of something tangible. For the Victorians, Sacellum is the fulfillment of desire for a religion with practical effectiveness in the face of monsters. Sacellum is an offshoot of Christian beliefs, with striking similarities to pre-Cyberchurch gospels from Magna Verita. Believers are strictly prohibited against various sins, and condemned to eternal damnation with even a slight slip. Such intensity suits the Gaunt Man just fine. Those pure enough to wield the wrath and fire of Sacellum breed fervor and protect their communities for a time. But nobody is perfect, and so eventually everyone must be righteously banished into the Gaunt Man’s hands in the end. Thanks in part to the widespread diversity and strength of the multitude of faiths in India, Sacellum is usually found only among the Victorians — and even they are turning to more moderate Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, Jainism, or one of the many other options surging in strength throughout the realm. India has a strong heritage of religious tolerance and acceptance. The presence of all these differing faiths — all expressing miracles at the same time — isn’t seen as unusual. There are hundreds of lesser known religions, often called cults, re-surging in popularity with the influx of spiritual power. One sect even worships the Nameless One directly. Some of these outliers are allies, some are the deepest evil imaginable. All

are comprised entirely of people making choices and driven by their heartfelt beliefs. As with the other axioms, the Gaunt Man prefers a spiritual power strong enough to help spread his evil, one way or another, but not strong enough to manifest physical gods who might hamper his plans or attempt to usurp them. Balance is key.

TECH On the surface, the technology of Gaea is roughly analogous to Earth’s around the year 1890. Industrialization and printing presses allow for mass production and heavily distributed newspapers—a must for spreading information and fear. Telephones function, but connections are unreliable at best. Telegrams have re-emerged as a practical method of transmitting messages between cities. Electricity is present, but transformed to Direct Current fixtures that make it difficult plug in and charge modern devices. Gaea never developed internal combustion petrol engines, but they do function in Orrorsh’s axioms. Smaller auto-rickshaws and motorcycles transform aesthetically, but otherwise function almost identically. Automobiles tend to transform into horseless carriages, or sometimes carriages that need horses but don’t have them. Petrol is available in Gujarat and along the western coast, but rare inland and in rural areas—especially after existing supplies began to naturally degrade at around the six-month mark of the war. Gaea’s military technology is identical to Earth’s in many ways. The Lee-Enfield rifle and Webley revolver are state-of-the-art weapons widely available to soldiers and citizens alike, and terrestrial weapons often transform into one these are a similar substitute. Heavy weapons are usually cannons, but Gatling repeating weapons and even gas-powered Maxim machine-guns are possible and present within the axioms. Victorian weaponry didn’t surpass Core Earth’s mainly because the introduction of magic altered technological development. Instead of purely mechanical solutions, magical shortcuts made possible by strange potions, runes, and permanent

spells. This side-development gives Gaean inventions a notable “weird” quality — not on the scale seen within the Nile Empire, but it might evolve into Weird Science given time. Time the Victorians don’t have. Almost all the synthesis of magic and technology is focused on weapons and armor. Gaeans have been focused on a fight for survival, so no effort has been spent adapting magic to convenience items or even infrastructure. Lone inventors can make this jump, especially transformed Core Earth scientists mindful of improving their local communities. In addition to such unique contraptions, the Tech Axiom especially allows latitude for cutting edge early adopters, and device designs from as late as 1915 have reliably functioned within Orrorsh without transforming. If the pattern of the other axioms holds true, the Tech Axiom within the realm may start to rise to match Core Earth’s current level, muddling the lines between zones.

WORLD LAWS The insidious core of Orrorsh is its World Laws. More than its axioms, which seem little more than byproducts of the Gaunt Man’s needs mixed with the remnants of the worlds he’s conquered, the laws of this terrifying version of reality are what remain intact between every iteration.

THE LAW OF ETERNAL CORRUPTION Eternal Corruption is the fuel that powers Orrorsh’s continuous existence. This World Law, like supernatural evil, traces directly to Nameless One and the Void itself. That connection makes it powerful and universal. Orrorsh latches onto other realities like a parasite, and drains them until nothing but corruption remains. Death is a distinct possibility within Orrorsh, but corruption is inevitable. There is no escape — only delay. Often Storm Knights are immune to the influence of World Laws, or at least resistant to them. Not so with Eternal Corruption. Storm

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Knights are just as susceptable to their darker impulses. In some ways they are more susceptible, as they are more likely to amass enough power and survive the trials long enough to truly become the monsters they sought to battle. Eternal Corruption expresses itself as a whisper, and the damning thing is the whisper always offers a choice. The choice may be taken out of desperation, or for the perceived greater good. Heroes may bemoan that they were tricked, or that their motives are pure despite the darkness which clings to them. Seeing through this lie is usually the last step before the soul gives in to damnation. Stalwart allies may fall to corruption, leading to painful betrayals. Driving a stake into a vampire’s heart is difficult. Driving a stake into a former friend’s heart even more-so. It’s worth noting that Eternal Corruption targets Charisma, not Spirit. Resisting the dark isn’t a matter of willpower, it’s a function of kindness and humanity. The powerful never surrender to evil, they justify themselves until the distinction is lost upon them. • Eternal Corruption: Various Perks and situations in Orrorsh grant characters advantages at the cost of a “Corruption“ test. This is a willpower or Spirit test with any modifiers listed in the specific Perk, Cosm card, or circumstance. Success grants the listed advantage. Failure means the hero is Corrupted and loses a point of Charisma! The hero’s Spirit remains unchanged, but selfconfidence and appearance betray the truth. Each time Charisma is reduced, the tainted individual gains a telling physical trait of some sort. She may get a blemish that never fades, develop an angry facial tic, or sprout a strange white streak through her hair. If Charisma ever drops below 5, the Corrupted soul becomes a fiend under the Game Master’s control. This doesn’t have to happen right away—the fallen hero might finish the act and then vanish into the night. Perhaps he will return to plague his former allies, or more likely, he will join the Gaunt Man’s legions and must be hunted...and destroyed.

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THE LAW OF FEAR Many Storm Knights dread Orrorsh, because the Law of Fear is diametrically opposed to heroism. Heroes face the unknown and triumph, but World Laws of Orrorsh undermine a heroes tools and undercut any victory. It’s no fun being afraid. As a side-effect, Orrorsh is where heroes can have the biggest impact. With more at stake, even the smallest acts of defiance offer respite to a population exhausted by constant terrors. This balance is tricky, since instilling hope and a sense of safety then adds that much more power to the horror when it all goes wrong again. Even in defeat, the Gaunt Man gains something. As a GM, reward players with Possibilities when they play along with the mood of Orrorsh or enhance that mood. Clever quips may earn energy in Core Earth, but not here. Amusing lines or daring actions still have their place, the game can’t be all tension and doom. Orrorsh is deadly, but that’s not the main point. The deadliness of the mechanics is to create a sense of dread, and from that potential fear. If a group goes looking for a monster, it isn’t scary. If they want to avoid it at all costs then it is. Storm Knights can fight monsters though, they can push back against the reality that forces them to fail and flee and die. The ordinary friends and allies around the heroes have no such protection. The stakes the Storm Knights must play for are the fates of regular people, rather than Wounds or their own survival. Eternal Corruption also insures there are fates far worth than death to be afraid of.

THE LAW OF PERSEVERANCE Victorian Storm Knights who can feel the effects of World Laws believe that the Law of Perseverance is itself a form of victory—their own act of defiance against the Gaunt Man’s harsh reality. It is not. The Gaunt Man doesn‘t need death, he needs fear, and hope is a key component to creating fear. If doom is inevitable there’s no tension or suspense, but if there’s a chance of success now there’s room for panic.

Perseverance is carefully constructed to whittle heroes down. To make them struggle and spend Possibility Energy. They may survive an encounter with a nightmare, but the price is steep. Paying that price may sway Storm Knights into playing devastating Cosm Cards or giving in to Corruption. Either way, the Gaunt Man’s needs are served. He doesn’t want his victims to give him. He needs them to keep struggling in order to wring out every last drop of fright and energy before the end. • Perseverance: A Standard success when Soaking damage negates the Shock from an attack, but doesn’t negate a Wound. A Good success negates one Wound, and an Outstanding success negates all Wounds and effects normally.

THE MINOR LAWS The Law

of

Catharsis

Two minor World Laws together form the basis for Horrors, described on page 72. The Law of Catharsis governs the understanding of Horrors, and how that understanding can limit their power. The Law of True Death is separate and applies to more than Horrors, but powers a Horror’s most dangerous feature. Catharsis limits the power of fear. As Storm Knights gain information from their investigations they begin to limit the power of the Horror they are learning about. Each crucial piece of information— motivations, history, patterns, desires, weaknesses— eliminates one of the Possibilities that a Horror Refreshes each round. Simpler monsters have fewer Possibilities, and likewise fewer secrets to uncover. Stronger creatures with deeper stories have five, sometimes more! Uncovering these facts, gaining clarity about exactly what the monster is and what it may symbolize is crucial to defeating it. Like everything within his domain, Catharsis serves a purpose for the Gaunt Man as well. Constant fear without respite is exhausting and desensitizing. People adapt to constant terror, or surrender to it. Catharsis allows a temporary purge of anxiety, a temporary calm that replenishes a survivor’s energy so when terror strikes again it has renewed impact.

The Law

of

True Death

If the Law of Catharsis helps Storm Knights understand and overcome a Horror, the Law of True Death describes what happens when the proper steps aren’t taken. If a being has a True Death, perishing in any other manner is at worst a temporary setback. Horrors are notable in that every one must have a True Death, but other varieties of monster may have a True Death — even a simple serial killer. An entire type of monster never has a True Death, those are Allergies such as silver for lycanthropes and sunlight for vampires. True Deaths tend to be unique because they are symbolic. A master vampire might require a wooden stake through the heart, but why? It could be to symbolize a proper burial: a wooden cross planted in his grave, allowing his remaining family to grieve. For the stake to work, then, the investigator must understand that only a stake shaped like a cross will do, and the vampire’s surviving family must witness the deed. That’s why True Death can’t be a recipe or a formula, it’s personal. Understanding it humanizes the Horror, and opens a pathway to its mortality. Insight may not make a monster less repulsive, but it does naturally make it less frightening. Without the underlying knowledge, the actions themselves have no weight in causing a Horror’s demise. When a being with a True Death is slain via any other method he still dies, but gains a Possibility. Perishing in accordance with his True Death eliminates any remaining Possibilities (after any attempt to Soak) and automatically counts as a Failure on a Defeat test. So long as the Horror has Possibilities when he dies, he returns to haunt Orrorsh again — after at least one act. The mechanism of this recovery may vary, and doesn’t even need to be explained. The Horror simply comes back. He always comes back. True Death is linked to supernatural evil and Eternal Corruption, which means it functions even when the axioms and World Laws of Orrorsh aren’t in effect.

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The Law

THE LAW OF THE UNCANNY AND TOTAL PARTY DEATHS Orrorsh is designed to be dangerous, but it can be disappointing—perhaps even devastating— for an entire group of beloved characters to meet inglorious ends when an investigation goes awry in the realm of horror. The Law of the Uncanny is a potential respite, but not a permanent one. If everyone drops, end the scene, and then without explanation begin either the next scene or restart the previous one. Don’t take a shortcut and say that things happen the way, start completely over, re-read any pre-formatted text, allow the characters to ask new questions or change anything they wish. They all remember the original scene as played, including their deaths. They do not remember how they moved to the next scene if they went forward, or why things are repeating if they move back. The only difference is one of the non-player characters they interacted with before is now dead. Ask all the players to put an asterisk in the fifth (unused) Wound box on their character sheets. Do not explain what it’s for. (It isn’t actually for anything, but its existence prompts suspicion and doubt that something tricky is going on.) Once an act, kill a minor character the Storm Knights know. These deaths are grisly accidents, completely unrelated to the group and their actions, but they do stop if someone finally says yes to Orrorsh’s whispers and takes a Corruption Perk. The uncertainty here is key. The Storm Knights may think something is stalking them, or perhaps the whole thing was a dream. However it plays out, this is a unique occurrence. Never try it if any character has an asterisk in that fifth Wound slot.

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of the

Uncanny

Some compare Orrorsh to a waking nightmare, and there’s more truth to that observation than many realize. Even the mundane is slightly off in Orrorsh, leading to a sense of disorientation and uneasiness, especially in Pure Zones. The effect is subtle. Some incidental characters are creepy and repulsive despite being completely innocent. The architecture tilts slightly, the knots in wood look like tortured faces, or the wind sounds like a low moan. These occasional elements surreal elements may even fade in and out. An eerie shop-owner may be replaced by a completely normal man the next time they visit. He has no explanation for why the Storm Knights believe they met someone else before, he’s always the only one there. He can’t hide that he thinks the heroes sound a bit crazy if they push the matter. The most jarring expression of the Law of the Uncanny can come as a sudden scene transition. Torg Eternity is already played in scenes, and Storm Knights intuitive feel them change — they get cards after all! Occasionally in Orrorsh just start a new scene with no connecting narration to the previous one. Something mundane happened in between, time passed and the characters went about their business, but they have no memory of exactly what they did or how they got where they are now. Don’t overuse these kinds of breaks: no more than one every five acts in Orrorsh. Give the Storm Knights room to realize they’ve lost time and discuss it. This isn’t an action transition, it’s a strange and unsettling one. In general, try to treat the shifts of the Law of the Uncanny in terms and descriptions similar to Soaking damage. A Storm Knight slips through different realities to choose a favorable one. Now the world around them occasionally shudders, choosing a sinister version for a time and then returning to what it was before.

THE BLEEDS Other cosms have hauntings. Only Orrorsh is haunted by the prior cosms its High Lord has killed. Dozens of cosms have fallen to this mightiest of High Lords. The return of events and fragments from his former victim worlds adds to the terror and danger of his current target, Core Earth. Other cosms gave the phenomena their own names. The current name comes from Gaea. The name is not inspired by blood, but rather the cheap penny dreadfuls and other poor quality newsprint where the ink from one side of the page would bleed through onto the opposite page. The Victorian phrasing explained the phenomena in their quintessential way, abstracting the gist of the idea while sanitizing the concept of its intrinsic horror. The Bleeds are one of the few phenomena in Orrorsh that the Gaunt Man does not consciously have a hand in. He does not determine when or where a bleed starts, nor does he end them. They are now woven into the fabric of Orrorshan reality, occurring in no pattern that Victorian or Core Earth resistance are able to discern. Some of The Bleeds must simply be endured, but most have a True Death that can stop the instance of a bleed in a similar manner to the way True Death can destroy a Nightmare. Learning and completing the True Death ends that instance of The Bleeds. The True Death for a bleed is slightly different than one for a nightmare, in that the Habit fact is replaced by a History step. The possible steps are: • Desire: What was the protagonist of the seminal event trying to achieve? Eternal Corruption twisted his ambitions; did the goal change, or merely the methods employed? • History: Which cosm is a bleed from? How did that seminal event end? Why? Any lessons can be learned from the nature of the event that can help a Storm Knight lessen the effect of the current bleed?. • Link: A bleed may seem like horrific happenstance, but there is always a link between Orrorsh and a bleed. Have Orrorshan events caused history to repeat itself? Is a Orrorshan character facing similar problems

“IN THE LIVING LAND YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT YOUR GUN WILL WORK BEFORE YOU SHOOT A REDJAW. IN ORRORSH YOU NEED TO KNOW HOW THAT VAMPIRE WORKS BEFORE YOU CAN SHOOT IT WITH YOUR GUN” —MUSTAFA SINGH

as the seminal events protagonist? Is there a match between locations? • Origin: What turned the protagonist to evil in the first place? Were good intentions corrupted? Who in a bleed now hosts these corrupted intentions ? • Token: Is there an object which serves as the focus for a bleed? An object with with sentimental value for the Protagonist? An object the protagonist still yearns for, or still fears? What makes the object significant?

EXAMPLE BLEEDS The Victorians began cataloging and investigating the lore surrounding The Bleeds early on in their effort to defend Gaea against the encroaching darkness of the Gaunt Man. The High Lord worked to eliminate or corrupt this knowledge. Still, somewhere in Orrorsh records or rumors of the following bleeds can be found.

CLOCKS There is no record of what inhabitants of Eons Reach called their own cosm; all that remains are scattered notes from Nightmares who helped destroy it. The battle for Eons Reach is one of the few that stalled the Gaunt Man for decades. The ruling class seemed incorruptible. They were nearly immortal,

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reincarnating and maintaining contact with the spirits of their prior incarnations. These spirits intervened and kept their descendants on the path of light, saving them from corruption. The Gaunt Man conceived of a ritual known as the Three-Year Darkness. Dozens of stelae were uprooted, killing hundreds of thousands to power the ritual. The ritual let him bend time to corrupt the weaker ancestors in a ruler’s past, then move that corruption forward generation by generation over the course of the three years the ritual took to complete. In the end the High Lord corrupted the current rulers, and the world fell. But the cost was too high, leaving the Gaunt Man weaker than before he invaded Eons Reach. The High Lord never mucked with time again. • Desire: This bleed is infused with the need to corrupt one or more heroes. This could be a noted monster hunter, brave leader, or even one of the Storm Knights themselves. • History: This bleed is from the cosm of Eon’s Reach, and ended with the corruption of all leaders opposed to the Gaunt Man. The original ritual centered on a huge sundial to leverage the magic to bend time. • Link: A person jealous of or opposed to the hero(es), who obtains the Token. This person is often initially unaware of their role in the bleed, but often becomes corrupted during the process. • Origin: The ritual was developed by the Gaunt Man to corrupt the present by corrupting the past. It was evil from its inception. • Token: A timekeeping device, most likely a grandfather or other large clock. Each corruption moves the clock one hour forward. It begins at 12 and after the fifth and final corruption sits at 5. Somewhere on the token is an graved slogan: “Eons Reach.”The token reforms at midnight from any manner of destruction. Temporary destruction delays the next event, but only once. Further destruction has no effect. True Death of the Eon Ancestral Spirit destroys the token for good. The Storm Knights are contacted by the current possessor of the token. The owner often does not know where it came from. All attempts to destroy

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it or remove it are only temporarily successful. The clock reappears at midnight on the dot. Moving the hands is likewise futile; the reset immediately. The owner suspects a link between the clock, and murders, arsons or other horrible events in the area. Three events have happened so far; the clock sits on three o’clock. The prior events each happened at the timing on the clock; the next event is most likely happening at four o’clock. Examining the clock and researching local sources reveals the History of the bleed, and that the clock is the Token. Victims and witnesses of prior crimes can describe the feeling of the presence of the Eon Ancestral spirit, which can reveal the Desire. Questioning the owner of the token can lead to the character who is the Link. Questioning the Link can give clues to the location and target of the next attack, which is often presented to the Link as hallucinations or dreams. The Storm Knights can confront the Eon Ancestral Spirit at the site of its four o’clock attack. The spirit’s interaction attacks reveal the Origin. After the spirit is defeated in the four o’clock attack, the Link can again foresee the fifth attack. It will occur in the same location as the clock. The fifth attack begins when the final victim appears at the clock at the appointed time. If the ancestral spirit succeeds at killing a Storm Knight, the target is corrupted, now a pawn of the Gaunt Man. If the spirit suffers True Death, it and the Token of permanently destroyed.

EON ANCESTRAL SPIRIT True Death: The spirit must be fought in the presence of the clock (or other Token). The spirit must be admonished to never tempt the Link again which takes an intimidation or persuasion test. The ancestral spirit must be driven from any host it possesses, which takes a faith test against the spirit‘s faith. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 12, Mind 7, Spirit 14, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 15, faith 18, find 10, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, reality 15, stealth 14, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 15

Move: 12; Tough: 12 (3); Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: 5 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Wispy form +3, only when not possessing another character. • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (14) in all forms • Cloak of Darkness: The spirit gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty when not possessing another character. • Possession: The spirit makes a faith test against the target’s faith or Spirit. Success makes the target Vulnerable. On a Good success, the spirit takes possession of the target for two rounds. On an Outstanding success, the possession lasts five rounds.

FACES Iridesce was a cosm where the Gaunt Man took personal vengeance after a setback. The Verini Assassins’ mystic abilities allowed them to impersonate Nightmares so successfully that they struck the Gaunt Man twice, wounding him each time. The Gaunt Man responded by slowing the draining of the cosm, taking the time to track and corrupt every single Verini Assassin. He slew many in creative deaths before resurrecting them as his servants. • Desire: Verini Wraiths seek identities that will allow them to strike at those who oppose the Gaunt Man in a twisted echo of their original purpose. • History: The Verini Wraiths are the warped version of the Verini Assassins of Iridesce. Most have long since faded away or have been destroyed. Those in this bleed are the ones who made the assassination attempts on the Gaunt Man. They serve him forever. • Token: Each assassin uses the weapon they used to attack the Gaunt Man. Two Verini Wraiths attack the Storm Knight party. They most likely approach in the form of ordinary citizens. Each attacks a Storm Knight with Verini Face Theft. As soon as they get a successful theft, they flee the battle. The Storm Knights whose appearances have been stolen now look like smooth,

smoky porcelain mannequins (-4 Persuasion for their eerie appearance), Local law enforcement has records of porcelain bodies being recovered over the last few weeks. Research at local universities or libraries can reveal the History. Research at Sacellum monasteries or repositories can reveal the Desire and the Token. Research at repositories of secret societies such as the Alhambrans can reveal all three. Once the True Death is research, connections, streetwise, canvassing the locals can all be used to find where the wraiths wearing their faces are now.

VERINI WRAITH True Death: A Verini Wraith may be killed only by a character whose face they have stolen, or by its own Token weapon. Stealing the Token weapon from a wraith requires an Outstanding maneuver result. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 14, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 15, find 10, intimidation 15, maneuver 15, melee weapons 17, reality 13, stealth 16, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 12; Tough: 14 (2); Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Verini leathers +2. • Cloak of Darkness: The spirit gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty when not possessing another character. • Shadow Edged Dagger: Damage Strength +2 (14) • Verini Face Theft: The wraith makes a melee weapons attack against the target. Damage is compared to the target’s willpower or Spirit rather than Toughness. Any success steals the appearance of the target and makes it the wraith’s own. The target now looks like a featureless mannequin of smoky porcelain. The target has three days to regain their features or start to lose the memories and identity permanently. Each day after the third requires the target to succeed at a DN 12 reality test to stay alive and maintain

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their sense of self. The target dies if they fail one of these reality tests.

HOME SKIES Gorhagah was the first cosm destroyed by the Gaunt Man. The death rattle of that cosm has haunted almost every cosm since invaded by Orrorsh. Constellations from the previous cosm appear in the night sky of the currently invaded cosm. These stars are a harbinger of horrible creatures and events that compound the terror of Orrorsh. The Victorians named the phenomena Home Skies, the time when the constellations of Gaea appear in the skies over India. Early on in the invasion, Home Skies might last two or three nights. By the end of Year One, Home Skies can last up to a week. As the True Death for this bleed is exceptionally difficult, Home Skies may be a fixture of Orrorsh nights, an additional terror to be endured. • Desire: To be remembered; these echoes of cosms past are desperate not to be consigned to oblivion like everything else Orrorsh has destroyed. Whatever other appetite a creature from Home Skies has, the need to have its existence acknowledged is always an important one. • History: Reality died a messy death in Gorhagah. What-ifs and other transformations did not disappear cleanly, and their echoes continued onto other cosms, where they entangle with the what-ifs and transformations of that cosm. The messy death of Gorhagah is a first order cause of The Bleeds. • Origin: Dairoga’s transformation into Kurst, the Gaunt Man’s servant was the seminal event for the unclean death of Gorhagah. • Link: There is always a location that links a prior cosm to the Home Skies of the current cosm. These are usually locations where astronomy or astrology played important roles. The current link is the Great Henge in Albion, on Gaea. • Token: The Token is an item originally associated with the Link. The current Token is a Druidic tablet describing removing a moon curse from a warrior. The tablet appears near

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the location of the first monster to appear in each instance of Home Skies. The tablet disappears when the current instance of Home Skies ends. To end the Home Skies for Orrorsh requires the Token be taken back to the Great Henge in Gaea, and the ritual be performed. When this is done, Home Skies will no longer appear in Orrorsh.

Events

and

Phenomena

Odd things happen in Orrorsh. Those get amped up during an instance of Home Skies. Some occur intermittently, other occur for the duration of the instance. • A Foul Odor: Any who commit murder during the Home Skies reek for the duration of the Home Skies. The more heinous the crime the more foul the odor. • An Evil Confidence: At night, a disembodied voice, sounding like a wizened grandmother, offers unfailing confidence to the listener. If the listener is willing to take a Corruption test, they gain immunity to all Stymied conditions for the duration of the Home Skies. • Cursed Rain: Torrential downpours leave bruises and welts on those caught in the rain during the day. Those caught at night must make a Challenging (DN 12) faith test or suffer open sores that cause a Wound that cannot be soaked. • Excellent Vintage: Wines or other fermented beverages lose their alcoholic properties. Instead, in exchange for a Corruption test, the imbiber may regain 2 points of Charisma previously lost to Corruption. • Mirrors’ Past: Rather than ones reflection, a viewer sees scandalous or criminal actions that were committed in line of sight of the mirror. • Moonglow: Not seen before Core Earth was invaded, and posited to be a result of the powerful Possibility energy of the cosm. Moonglow outlines those who are Supernaturally Evil with a faint glow. This glow cancels the effect of Cloak of Darkness. • Night Whispers: Conversations held at night can sometimes be heard by three or four

Time and geography are both suspect when Bleeds appear.

other people, sometimes miles away from the original conversation. • Occluded Sun: The sun seems to be at a partial eclipse (Dim -2) or a total eclipse (Dark -4) totally independent of the position of the moon. • Tea Tempest: High tea or other tea times become a location of contention, sometimes leading to lethal result between even the best of friends. One need not drink the tea, simply be present at the place where tea is being served.

Creature

and

Location Abilities

Victorians have cataloged a number of creature of location abilities not normally seen in Orrorsh outside of Home Skies. Sometimes monsters get these powers, but at least as often its ordinary

citizens who are afflicted by these abilities. There is no known source or cause other than the bleed; a rail worker can be relaxing with a pint at his local pub and be inflicted with one mid-beer. The abilities are all considered supernatural evil, unless noted. Locations can have some of these abilities as well as creatures;. those that are location only are noted. A few of the abilities have been rumored to be contained in objects rather than creatures, but that has yet to be verified. It is rare for creatures to receive more than one ability; there is no record of it having yet occurred in this invasion. • A Terrible Fright: Anyone who experienced fear when encountering supernatural evil has longer lasting effects. Ords suffering this fright are often incapacitated by it, and at the least they will certainly avoid confronting that

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evil again. The effect can take weeks to wear off. Reality-rated characters must make a a Challenging (DN12) willpower or Spirit test to act in the presence of the evil that frightened them. This is taken as a Multi–Action each turn with whatever else the character is doing. Failure means the character cannot take any other action other than avoiding the frightening evil. The effect last for the remainder of the Act in which it inflicted. • Desecrated: Location only. Undead receive an Up for any action of their choice once per scene. They may ignore the first two wounds they receive, taking no damage at all. • Eldritch Claws: A victim gains +3 on their Damage caused by unarmed combat attacks. If the victim already has Claws, then they gain +3 AP to their Damage. • Forbidden Lore: Knowledge that humanity was not meant to know; a creature may have it to protect some secret about it, a location may have it to keep secret some knowledge stored within. Upon learning the Forbidden Lore, the character must make a Heroic (DN 18) scholar or Mind test to firmly retain the knowledge. If they fail, they have imperfect and potentially unusable information. If they want to avoid this, they make take an Irration Obsession ability to be able to surely use the Forbidden Lore. The Irrational Obsession lasts until the Lore is used for its intended purpose, or the Home Skies ends. • When a character tries to use imperfect knowledge of the Forbidden Lore, they need to make a Hard (DN 14) scholar or Mind test each time they want to use the Forbidden Lore. Failure means the Forbidden Lore may not be used that scene. • Haunted: Location only. Ghosts and other spirits gain one use of A Terrible Fright per scene. The Fright is activated with any succesful attack or interaction test. • Hive Mind: This ability inflicts from 10 –150 people , usually over night.The hive mind is threatened by, and seems to drive away or eliminate, individuality. Each member of the hive can access the memories of what every

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other hive member has experienced, even those who have died. • Irrational Obsession: When required to make a Corruption test, the inflicted may take an Irriational Obsession with finding some other way to gain what was offered by the Corruption test. When not taking the most direct path to that gain, the character is frustrated and impatient, becoming Stymied. Irrational Obsession lasts for the duration of Home Skies. • See No Evil: This afflicts up to dozens of people at a time, usually when they are in the presence of a creature of supernatural evil. The afflicted cannot see , hear or otherwise sense the actions of a supernatural evil, even when they occur right in front of them. They could sit in their club chairs with their evening snifter of brandy wondering aloud where Reginald has gotten off to, while Reginald’s corpse, throat slashed, slumps in a chair between them. • Withering Stare: The creature uses Withering Stare as an action in a Multi-Action. Any attacks the creature lands that turn do +1 Wound damage.

Threats

Some threats appear only during Home Skies. Most threat types operate only with their own kind. The Bihar Massacres are the one known example where this was not the case.

PATCHQUILT MAN Disturbed graves, corpses missing bits an pieces, and murders of all but one or two members of a household are indications that the Patchquilt Man has returned.He is not a Nightmare, but there is no known way to permanently kill him. He rises one or two nights after being slain, replacing damaged or missing limbs and organs with those stolen from the dead. Patchquilt Man is thought to be the result of a powerful curse from a noble house. The first Patchquilt Man reputedly killed all those of a noble lineage who had succumbed to Corruption. While his current incarnation seems less discriminating, he does target households with at least one resident who has given in to Corruption.

The tales of there being more than one Patchquilt Man is probably just the gossip of do-little worry warts. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 10, Mind 6, Spirit 12, Strength 15 Skills: Dodge 12, find 10, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, melee weapons 11, reality 13, stealth 12, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 14 Move: 10; Tough: 17(2); Shock: 12; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: 5 Special Abilities: • Armor: Dead mans fat+2. • Body Blows: Damage Str +2 (17) • Fury Against Corruption: If a Corrupted character is present, Patchquilt Man may ignore up to –4 Multi-Targeting penalty. • Grave Touch: If attacking a single target, the attack gains AP 5.

REFLECTIONS At a distance or in dim light reflections can easily pass for human. Closer inspection reveals skin the color of mottled brass, and bright, polished mirrors for eyes. They are often outfitted with the uniforms of Victorian soldiers; some swear the reflections have the features of Victorians who have fallen in battle. Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 12, Mind 9, Spirit 10, Strength 9 Skills: Dodge 15, find 10, fire combat 14, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, melee weapons 17, stealth 16, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 12; Tough: 12 (3); Shock: 10; Wounds: 1 Equipment: ­­Knife (Damage Strength +1 (10)), Webley Revolver (Damage 14; range 10/25/40) Perks: ­— Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Armor: Metallic skin +3. • Supernatural Reflection: Once per scene, a reflection may reflect any spell, miracle, or psionic ability that targets it. Supernatural Reflection occurs after the final test total is generated. The caster is targeted instead.

SPIDERLEGS Spiderlegs are humans who have had undead parasites lay their necrotic eggs in their ears. The victim may develop a rash or mild fever from which they quickly recover. In a few days to a week, the victim is fully infected. The infected seem perfectly normal during the day. At the night their appearance changes some, with their legs and fingers elongating noticeably. Traveling in packs, spiderlegs murder and then take the corpses to a hidden lair for their “queen” to consume. No queen spider or insect has ever been seen, and is presumed to have perished 4 or 5 cosms previous to this one. Spiderlegs return to their human domiciles before daybreak. They have no memory or their night time activities. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 14, Mind 8, Spirit 9, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 16, find 10, intimidation 12, maneuver 18, stealth 16, taunt (10), tracking 12, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 14; Tough: 10; Shock: 9; Wounds: 1 Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: — Special Abilities: • Climb: Spiderlegs may walk on walls, ceilings, or other sheer surfaces at their normal movement speed. • Cloak of Darkness: The spirit gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty when not possessing another character. • Venomous Claw: Damage Strength +2 (12) The venom increases the Shock of any successful attack by 2.

THE COWLS Before the Sacellum there was the Monastic Order of the Shreve, monks who hunted dark beasts and other supernatural evil. Nightmares persisted for decades to infiltrate and subvert the order, succeeding just as the cosm fell. Now the Cowls hunts Stormers and Storm Knights with the same zeal with which they hunted monsters. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 10, Mind 9, Spirit 12, Strength 11

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Skills: Dodge 13, evidence analysis 12, faith 15, find 10, intimidation 13, maneuver 11, melee weapons 12, reality 13, scholar 12, stealth 12, taunt (12), tracking 10, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 10; Tough: 12 (1); Shock: 12; Wounds: 3 Equipment: B ­­ lessed Mace (Damage Strength +3 (14))— Perks: Miracles (bless, hellfire, ward enemy) Possibilities: 2 Special Abilities: • Armor: Monastic robes +1. • Mace of Faith: The monk uses faith rather than melee weapons to make the attack. Damage is compared to the target’s faith or Spirit rather than Toughness.

WEREGHAST CALUMAE The Wereghast is the first supernatural evil to appear in the first bleed. Calumae has appeared in every Home Skies in every cosm since then. While the Gaunt Man was subduing Dairoga, converting him to Kurst, Nightmares were hunting and killing the generals loyal to Dairoga. The last to fall was Calumae. Calumae was a superb warrior and cavalry commanded, Legend says Nightmares pursued her for three weeks straight before cornering her in a jungle canyon. Her last battle began at sundown and lasted until dawn, when she finally succumbed. In daylight Calumae can pass for an Indian woman. She has adapted Core Earth styles, and has quickly leaned the language and customs. At night she reverts to her wereghast form whenever she is threatened or needs to attack someone. The wereghast looks like a tiger made entirely of fur, smoke and shadow, with brilliant green eyes. True Death: All True Death facts for Home Skies must be known. Calumae past as a general for Dairoga must be known. She must be ordered to stand down; her war is over. If she accepts, she fades away shortly after the next dawn. If she refuses, the Storm Knights may kill her for her True Death. Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 13, Mind 12, Spirit 12, Strength 15 Skills: Dodge 15, find 15, intimidation 14, maneuver 15, melee weapons 15, reality 14, stealth 16, taunt (12), tracking 14, trick (15), unarmed combat 16 Move: 13; Tough: 17 (2); Shock: 12; Wounds: 3

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Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Woven shadow +2. • Bite/Claw: Damage Strength +2 (17) • Cloak of Darkness: The wereghast gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty.. • Cunning Tactician: After any turn in which a a Storm Knight earns a card from an approved action, Calumae draws two cards from the Drama Deck and chooses which applies to the next turn. • Dread: Scene in which Calumae appears is automatically a Dramatic Scene.

MANNERS Monde was a cosm much like Gaea, only where the equivalent of France had become the dominant global power at the time of the Gaunt Man’s incursion. This invasion was slower and more subtle than the Night of Screams. His tactics were reminiscent of those the High Lord and his Nightmares employ in the Disturbed Northwest. A sort of contagious madness among the genteel classes led to horrific killings. Distrust grew, and the social fabric began to unravel. Then a peculiar finding, or a broad rumor, began to circulate that in the early stages of the madness, the infected committed several small, but noticeable breaches in etiquette, and lost all ability to keep up with fashion. One circular, published as A Young Marquis’ Notes About Town, kept assiduous track of all the small tweaks to manners and fashion to which all “healthy” minds would adhere. The were published with an increasing frequency, making it harder and harder for the masses to keep up with proper behavior. Suspicion of those exhibiting bad, or at least outmoded manners, so led to witch hunts and mob killings. Historic notes are unclear as to whether the Marquis’ Notes were an invention of the Gaunt Man, or self-inflicted agony by the citizens of Monde. In this bleed, the madness and the Marquis’ circular have again made an appearance, and the well–heeled are quick to turn into murderous mobs.

• Desire: To not lose oneself to the savagery of Orrorsh, to maintain the elegance and propriety of proper civilization. At all costs. • History: The above history, particular emphasis on the manners being necessary to weed out those who might be corrupt or influenced by evil. • Origin: A single Victorian who fears that the new world in which their culture finds themselves may be their undoing. • Token: An original A Young Marquis’ Notes About Town from Monde. The Storm Knights enter a town where almost everyone is wearing a hat or other head covering with at least a splash of green. If paying attention to conversations around them, the Storm Knight’s notice that most begin with the question, “Did you sleep well last night?” The respondent then says whatever they want, but ends their statement with “I slept well, Had a hearty breakfast upon waking.” Some may not use that exact phrasing, but they always include how they slept, and a comment about the first meal they ate after waking. When the Storm Knights first interact with towns folk, they will be expected to follow this pattern. If they don’t, the towns person will start with the question again. If the Storm Knights fail a second time the conversation is over. If the Storm Knights continue to try to interact, the towns folk will flee, saying something like, “Get a proper hat”. Future breaches of etiquette will result in one of three options: immediate end to the interaction, flight, or an attack. The more breaches the Storm Knights commit, or the more they press about what’s going on, the more likely the towns people are to get violent. Gossip about the Storm Knights spreads at the speed of fear. None of the towns people mention A Young Marquis’ Notes About Town, although the Storm Knights may find an out of date copy in a gutter or alley. New guides are published almost every night. News lads and lasses do a brisk business just before midnight, although their whereabouts seem random, and something citizens just seem to know.

If the heroes can get a hold of a current copy of Notes, then they can start to unravel the mystery by observing the etiquette and talking to citizens. Talking to citizens can reveal the Desire (from statements published in previous Notes) and the knowledge that the Notes is the product of one individual. Following or talking to news lads can lead to the printer, who can tell them the Victorian who is the Origin. Finding the author can lead to an extended conversation which eventually reveals the History and the existence of the token. Any breach of etiquette immediately shuts down the conversation. The token is in a safety deposit box of a local bank. The author will not grant access to the box. The Storm Knights must engineer a way to get the original Notes . True Death: Once all four pieces of knowledge are obtained, destroying the original Notes ends the bleed. The notes cannot be otherwise destroyed, and if the author is killed while the original Notes still exist, then a new author writes the pamphlet the following evening.

The Notes

and

Manners

Storm Knights face little risk of death in this bleed, but if they don’t want to gun down or otherwise murder citizens by the score, they need to observe the manners and get to the Notes as quickly as possible. • Manners that may be published or changed in the Notes include: • Introductions of all persons with a speaker must be made before conversation can be had. • Honorifics must be used when speaking to a person of the opposite gender until such time as the respondent waives such requirement. • Shoes and boots must be hiighly polished. Unpolishable shoes must not be worn out of the home. Ones toes must never show in public. • When offered, tea must always be accepted. If you take milk, no more than one sugar, otherwise up to two sugars are acceptable. • Parasols are this weeks must have accessory. • Today, polite conversation opens with a question about the weather. The respondent

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simply must not make any mention of precipitation. • Today, polite conversation opens with question about the respondent is growing in their garden. Answers about any flowering plant are acceptable. • Today, polite conversation opens with a question about the respondents splendid hat. The respondent is required to have a splendid hat. • When walking in a party, the shorter members need to be closest to the buildings, the taller closer to the street. • Women shall wear hair ribbons, men shall wear bowties. • Charity must be shown to the poor this week. Tithe to the Sacellum or donate to the charity criers at every opportunity.

TRAIN WRECK The cosm of Dominicus was one where the Gaunt Man tinkered with and improved his plan to focus more on fear than slaughter. As a result the Hellion Court featured more heavily in the High Lord’s plans, and the ords in Dominicus struggled mighily with the increasing number of nightmares. A railway survey engineer, Albert Isley, became the first known Stormer to slay a Nightmare. The True Death included the fact that Mr. Farthington could only be slain by cutting edge technology. Isley, engineer on the maiden journey of a new generation of steam locomotive, the Easton Arrow, used the entire train as the weapon. Exceeding the safe speed on a curved rail bridge sent the train hurtling into the rocks below, killing everyone including the Nightmare. In the bleed, the fates of Isley and Farthington became intertwined. The Storm Knights find themselves on a doomed train ride unless they can intervene in time. • Desire: Isley and Farthington suffer from essentially the same flaw. Each believes that the greater good justifies any amount of sacrifice to achieve, and are fanatics in pursuit of their cause. • History: The first train wreck occurred on Dominicus. Isley and Farthington have repeated their death dance every cosm since.

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• Origin: While not knowing it, Isley became a Nightmare upon his death in Domnicus. He despises the Gaunt Man for what the High Lord did to his home cosm, and is completely blind to the fact that he has become a monster in his service. • Link: Isley and Farthington are connected for eternity. Destroying Farthington will destroy Isley, and vice versa. • Token: A newspaper article with photographs from the crash of the Easton Arrow, calling it the greatest catastrophe in railroad history. During the journey the Storm Knights travel is interrupted by the locomotive engineer, Kayleigh Musa, staggering into their rail car, bleeding from a pistol whipping. She says that the locomotive crew was beaten by a fearsome stranger, and the engine has been hijacked. The Storm Knights can notice a considerable increase in the train’s speed. The heroes find Isley at the controls of the locomotive. He has welded some of the controls in place; the welds can be broken with a DN 14 lockpicking or science test. Isley willingly converses with the Storm Knights, saying he would rather not kill everyone on the train. If the heroes can find and kill Mr. Farthington in the next hour before they reach the bridge, Isley will happily slow the train and return control to the proper crew. The Nightmare lets the heroes know that only high-tech methods can kill Farthington; anything with a tech Axiom higher than Orrorsh’s should do. Searching the train is an expedition through the Law of the Uncanny. Porters and passengers are replaced by others who talk about being on the Easton Arrow, their destination of Berylston, and their excitement over the World’s Fair there. Nothing they talk about has an analog in Orrorsh. Photos of Mumbai and Hyderabad in the dining car are replaced with lithographs of places called Nobanaya Cove and Pearl City. Wine becomes an alcoholic beverage from fermented Mamoa fruit, cutlery is replace by spoon and silver chopsticks, and no one seems to notice. James Farthington sits in the dining car, having a lavish meal. Explaining that “All condemned men deserve a final meal, yes?”, the Nightmare invites

the Storm Knights to join him. He has no desire to die, again, and so hopes the travelers can stop that maniac Isley. Fartthington does not initiate violence, but is delighted to return violence in kind. Conversation with Farthington reveals the History, and the Origin Isley is blind to. If the Storm Knights continue a polite exchange, Farthington will give them the Token, suggesting they confront Isley. In the Storm Knights’ hands, the newspaper article transforms dozens of times, in several languages, all with photographs of a train wreck, all mentioning Isley and Farthington. From this the heroes can deduce the Link. The article soon settles back into the original. On the back is an editorial decrying the extremes to which both Farthington and Isley went. From this the heroes can deduce the Desire.

ALBERT ISLEY Albert Isley was a restless genius who sought fortune in the Mysterious South of Dominicus. Once fortune found him, Isley began to suspect and hunt those who served the Gaunt Man. Each loss drove him to more extreme measures, and each success convinced him that such extremities were right. True Death: Albert must be confronted with the Token (newspaper article) and challenged on the cost of his methods. Once he categorically rejects the idea that there is anything wrong with his actions, he can be killed. Prior to that, Isley recovers from any “death” on the very next turn. Should the Storm Knights, through some miracle, convince Isley to see his actions as wrong, he can reject the hold of the Gaunt Man, at least temporarily. He is still a Nightmare, but he now hunts other Nightmares. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 10, Mind 12, Spirit 12, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 13, find 14, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, reality 15, stealth 12, taunt 15, science 16, tracking 14, trick 17, unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 13 (3); Shock: 12; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­ Webley Revolver (Damage 14, Range 10/25/40) Perks: ­— Possibilities: 5 (Nightmare)

Special Abilities: • Armor: Engineering suit +3 • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (12) • Cloak of Darkness: Isley gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Radium Bullet: After hitting a character, Isley may spend a Possibility to increase the damage done by the attack by 2 Wounds and 4 Shock. This is applied before any attempts to soak.

JAMES FARTHINGTON Prior to his corruption, James was a leading advocate of education reform. After corruption, he simply used his platform for evil. His reformatories become a source of some of the most twisted killers of Dominicus. He maintained his front as a reformer, and was on his way to a sold out lecture series in Berylston when he had his fateful encounter with Albert Isley. True Death: Until Isley is confronted with his Token, Farthington cannot be destroyed. He recovers from any “death” the very next turn. Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 10, Mind 10, Spirit 10, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 15, faith 18, find 12, intimidation 15, maneuver 14, reality 15, stealth 11 taunt 13, tracking 12, trick (12), unarmed combat 15 Move: 10; Tough: 14 (2); Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: ­­— Perks: ­— Possibilities: 5 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Southern Expedition Vest +2 • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (14) • Cloak of Darkness: The spirit gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty when not possessing another character. • Pedantry: On a successful taunt or trick, deals 2 Shock per level of success, in addition to the usual interaction effects. • Thief of Fate: Once per scene, may spend Possibilities to take cards from players pools and use them for himself. Spends one Possibility for each card taken.

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THE DELPHI COUNCIL

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rrorsh has proven to be the most difficult of the invading realms for the Delphi Council to make headway against. This is largely due to the Gaunt Man and his Nightmares having over a millenium of experience in crushing just such resistance groups as the Delphi Council. But Orrorsh is also the cosm in which the reality of Core Earth itself has put up surprising resistance. The Law of Hope and the Law of the Underdog are having real, tangible effects in Orrorsh in ways they have not yet shown in other cosms. The Gaunt Man and Orrorsh may be the worst of the invading cosms, but the fight is far from over.

THE ORRORSH AGENDA Deputy Director Dr. Ravi Bhutrupali understands that there is much the Delphi Council does not understand about Orrorsh. This need for knowledge is compounded by the existence of The Bleeds and True Death. Dr. Bhutrupali believes that efficiently and rapidly organizing investigations into Orrorrsh will pay the surest dividends, and eventually lead the Council to form a counter strategy that stands a chance against the most experienced of the High Lords. So the Orrorsh Division is organized into three main areas of activities.

KNOW YOUR ENEMIES Collecting, analyzing, cataloging and sharing information of the threats, Nightmares and bleeds of Orrorsh is a large scale effort. The Delphi Council sends covert field teams to cultivate contacts, gather legends and lore from Victorian veterans and scholars, interview Core Earth citizens who have seen... things. Once a field team has a general idea of a creatures habits and capabilities, or needs a specific piece of information about it, Storm Knights are often sent in to get the data first hand. The recently-created Devon House, a formal investigative bureau for the Victorian government, has already proven invaluable in providing information and aid for Delphi agents in the field. The minister, Sir Edwin Darrington, frequently

Trains are a critical to getting relief supplies and Storm Knights where they are most needed.

communicates with Dr. Ravi Bhutrupali on matters of import to Storm Knights and their missions. The Delphi Council has also been building an informant network utilizing railroad workers, from construction foremen and laborers, to station captains, through porters and engineers. Rail has become the backbone of transportation in Orrorsh. The scope and scale of the rail network has grown even larger since the Night of Screams, and many of its employees are Core Earth, or transformed Core Earth, citizens who bitterly resent the presence of Orrorsh. Field teams and Storm Knights can be moved less visibly than by road or ship, routes that seem to be more watched by the Gaunt Man’s lackeys. Information is analyzed and compiled back in Delphi Council stations throughout Orrorsh, and then sent by courier to Orrorsh Division headquarters at the hardpoint of the Naval Air Station near Kochi.

When Orrorsh branch sends Storm Knights on missions, they will brief the operatives on known threats in the area. These briefings present threat information in two categories, “confirmed” and “speculative.” The is an unfortunate amount of the latter at this point of the war.

ADAPT STRATEGIES TO THE WARZONES Discovering that different kinds of supernatural evil, operating under varying goals and methods depending on Warzone, was very expensive knowledge to acquire. The majority of the names on the Eve Banning Memorial Wall in Orrorsh Division Headquarters were carved during this initial investigation. The casualty rates have dropped as the Delphi Council adapted. to the harsh realities of existence in Orrorsh. Goals and efforts are now customized for the Warzones.

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• The Haunted Southeast: Here efforts focus on recruiting medium and practitioners of all religions who might be of use in reducing the threat posed by ghosts and spirits. A strange mix of faith, scholarship and scientific method have led to A/B testing of the effectiveness of consecrated sites, disseminating information on traditional methods of detection such as ghost rods, and data analysis of ghost stories to look for patterns of behavior and effects. Storm Knight teams are sometimes sent it when field teams believe there is a serious threat to be dealt with. • The Ravaged Southwest: Fields teams are less frequent here, as the threats are persistent, and often intelligent enough to recognize Delphi field teams as opposition to the Gaunt Man, and threats to their own dominion. The Delphi Council relies heavily on intelligence gathered from the railroad network and communities living in Core Earth hardpoints in the area. The Council is quicker to send Storm Knight teams to this area. They are to establish reliable allies among the Victorian new comers and hunt down the creatures that threaten all the inhabitants to the area. • The Disturbed Northwest: The Delphi Council sends trained medical and mental health professionals to refugee settlements clustered around the hardpoints in the area. Field teams do not often venture out of these settlements; casualties and data unreliability have both proven high. Storm Knights are sent on recon missions into this area, so the Delphi Council isn’t entirely blind to what is happening in this region. • The Hunted Northeast: This is the zone closest to a hot conflict zone of the four Warzones. Delphi Council safe houses are often manned by Spartan Division fire teams, who run seek and destroy missions on credible reports of the creatures and people who are hunting the inhabitants. As new tactics or weapons are developed, they are first tested here. This aggressive stance has not helped much, at least not yet. Aside from a few photo–op and propaganda victories for consumption

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elsewhere on Core Earth, the main effect seems to been to alert the Nightmares in the area that there is a target worth corrupting. When things go sideways in the Northeast, you can bet the Delphi Council tries to plug security gaps with Storm Knight muscle and expertise. Storm Knights who are sent on such missions are sometimes sent “off the books” because the council is worried that the methods and body count may undercut the positive PR gained so far. Lots of folks tend to get hurt on these misisons, ords, threats, allies, onlookers, pretty much anyone with a pulse.

REALITY RESEARCH Core Earth reality has mixed with Orrorsh reality in some odd ways, such ad the Hope Perks, and Dr. Bhutrupali is extremely interested in pursuing this research. This research is too dangerous for the field tieams, so it is Storm Knight business only. Looking into rumored reports is dangerous because the Delphi Councial is often not the only one getting these reports; Nightmares are also interested in the unusual reality effects in Orrorsh. Evidence, artifacts, and data gathered are analyzed and then sent for review to Dr. Zytalius Blackburn over in Archimedes Division in the Cyberpapacy branch.

COUNCIL PERSONNEL The Delphi Council personnel in Orrorsh branch mostly come from India and Pakistan, with a few other southeast asian nations as well. Victorians have been an increasing presence in the branch. There is a smattering of PanPacifican and Nile Empire representatives as well. While it was sent reeling in the first 90 days of the war, Orrorsh branch is now firing on all cylinders. While the Gaunt Man is a formidable foe, in recent days there has been an increase in morale as victory no longer seems the impossibility it was the few days before.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR DR. RAVI BHUTRUPALI Dr. Bhutrupali is a native of the city of Kochi, India. He attended Calcutta University in Kolkata for his undergrad in computer science and physics, attended Cambridge University in England for his doctorate, Stanford University in the US for post-doc, where he also picked up a masters in metaphysics. His first job, of course, had almost nothing to do with any of his degrees. He became a network engineer for an internet infrastructure company. Ravi kept himself sane by diving into any rabbit hole that had to do with the fringes of reality— cryptids, UFOs, holographic universe theories. In the days leading up to the Possibility Wars, he and members of a Quora interest group began to document the increase in the number of odd happenings. One of the posters present interesting data suggesting a major event should occur in twelve days; that’s when the maelstrom bridges dropped. Recruited to the Delphi Council almost immediately, Dr. Bhutrupali was assigned to Archimedes Division in the Kochi station. He was given a laboratory and a good deal of research responsibility. Then New Dehli Station disappeared, and with it most of the senior leadership of Orrorsh branch. Quinn Sebastian flew to Kochi to reconstitute Orrorsh Branch. Bhutrupali explained his suspicions about the different characteristics of the Warzones in Orrorsh, and a plan for dealing with them. He wasn’t expecting to be put in charge of Orrorsh branch to execute the plan, but quickly grew into the job.

LADY ALEXANDRA PLUNDELL Lady Alexandra Madeline Plundell of Devonshire was the heiress to the Plundell fortune and came into her inheritance after her father killed her mother under mysterious (though graphic) circumstances. The detail about her father’s crime that horrifies Alexandra the most is that she was at home at the time, awake, yet heard nothing. She discovered the murder when she walked into her mother’s bedroom to find her father...consuming her. Her father attacked her, but through fortune,

found himself toppling over the stair railing and landing on a strangely discarded poker. Investigating what happened to her father revealed how insidious the horrors the Victorians were fighting, and when many Victorians travelled to Earth to take the battle to the Gaunt Man, she went with them, taking what valuables she could fit into a trunk. Soon after arriving on Core Earth she was contacted by agents of the Delphi Council. Now she graces the ballrooms of Mumbai, taking advantage of her social connections. A coy smile and a flip of the fan can drop the guard of any man (or lady) who may be harboring a dark secret. Behind the scenes she investigates the dark arts of the Occult, hoping to discover what manner of creature corrupted her father, without falling to Corruption herself.

VINUTHA PATEL Born in a village near the India — China border, Vinutha grew up in a spiritual household. She also had a creative flair for illustration and textile arts, although she surrendered to practicality and went to school for computer science. There she crossed path with Ravi Bhutrupali. They had many philosophical discussions that pass for Saturday night entertainment during exam weeks; these left a deep impression on Ravi. After graduation, Vinutha joined a software development house in Hyderabad, but her heart wasn’t in it. She returned to illustration, and her interest in mysticism and religion grew. She eventually quit her job to join CleanFutures, a non-profit where she worked on a clean water project for one of the poorer sections of Mumbai, She was there when the maelstrom bridge descended. She experienced her moment of crisis while trying to save some survivors from a Ravagon, and joined the Delphi Council shortly thereafter. Vinutha advocates and believes in understanding and empathy for the creatures of Orrorsh, and establishing a spiritual connection to fortify oneself against the cosm. Understanding and empathy are crusical to breaking the Gaunt Man’s cycle of fear. They are tools that can never disconnect regardless of which cosm you call home.

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ANNETTE MUNDI An arctic explorer in Gaea, Annette was the first person to complete a solo expedition to the North Pole. The expedition was part of a desperate exploration effort to see if there was any portion of their planet not yet touched by the Gaunt Man. None was found. Annette soon stopped exploring and started hunting monsters. The Gaunt Man’s agents decided to corrupt every one of Annette’s lovers, current and former, fording her to eventually hunt down her paramours. She understandably has sworn off romance. Annette still hunts monsters. She sometimes accompanies field teams to bolster their survivability. Solo hunting is still her preferred mode. Miss Mundi instructs Storm Knights new to Orrorsh on what to expect when they first venture into the cosm. She shares what details she has on the threats they might encounter, and expects Storm Knights to share any information they acquire.

MUSTAFA SINGH Born into a military family in New Delhi, Mustafa learned discipline at a young age. He excelled at cricket, and might have gone pro if northern border issues had not convinced that his country needed him to continue in the family tradition. He soon became a member of his battalion’s ghatak platoon, the special forces unit that performed recon and spearheded any attack. He turned down a promotion to remain with his platoon, telling

“YOU KNOW HOW IT’S MORE DANGEROUS AT NIGHT? DOWN UNDER THE DEEP WATER IT’S ALWAYS DARK.” –RAHARJO

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his commander he was aiming for their enemy, not a desk job. It’s this distaste for a sedantary style that saved his life. Several ghatak officers were chosen by the initial New Delhi station to retrain as Spartan Division operatives. He and some of is compatriots were in high-altitude training when the station disappeared with Orrorsh Branch’s senior leadership. As much as he detests the desk, he knows that operatives need someone in command who won’t just throw their lives away on the cause of the day. He is Orrorsh branch’s liaison with Marathon and Spartan division, He coordinates their operations Orrorsh; the close cooperation helps insure that Spartan fighters don’t engage on the basis of shaky intel. Falsehoods lead to fatalities on the ground.

RAHARJO Born into his family’s fishing business in Jepara, Indonesia, Raharjo quickly fell in love with the sea; fish, not so much. He made a meal of salvage, with a generous portion of treasure hunting for lost hoards of Indian and Chinese pirates, and with just a dash of smuggling to season things. He was in India searching for leads on a lost treasure of the pirate Sumbhajee Angria when the Night of Screams fell. In the carnage that followed, Raharjo saw his first undead, zombies feeding on the recently deceased. Sickened and angered, the treasure hunter killed one, only to draw the attention of the others. Looking into the watery, dead eyes, Raharjo knew that he had just lost much more than a lead on a treasure. His world was gone. Someone needed to pay for that. He led refugees to Kochi, where he was recruited by the Delphi Council for his expertise in logistics and ability to get a group of desperate folk to move in the same direction. The latter was in particularly short supply after the disappearance of the New Delhi station. Now Ruharjo runs Delphi Council supply network via Orrorshan rail, and occasionally shipping. He also keeps his ears open for rumors of ghost ships off the Eastern shores of India, still laden with treasure they never managed to take into port. Any help the Storm Knights could provide with this would be geratly appreciated.

RESOURCES For the first 90 days, the Orrorsh branch was on its heels, unable to launch or support all bust the smallest of operations. Once the rail network began to be established and leaning on Raharjo’s smuggling expertise, and the branch capabilities expanded in step with the reach of the rails as new recruits came to fill field teams and supplies came in to equip them.

IDENTITIES Often Orrorsh is not a place where you want to be identified as a stranger. Anonymity is a common trait among the bodies in a morgue. The Orrorsh branch offers two styles of identities, the ones that come with specific back stories created to facilitate the mission, and the more generic “I am from a couple towns over” where you are given an identity from a city not too far away from your mission start location—but far enough way that you aren’t likely to run into someone you are supposed to know. This is particularly true if there isn’t a direct rail connection between the two cities.

INFORMATION Maps, contact names, descriptions of important local features or personalities are commonly given to Storm Knights when they are briefed for a mission. Particular emphasis is given to potential threats the Delphi Agents may have to deal with. Powerful Nightrmares are an exception to this rule. Storm Knights are sent after a specific Nightmare precisely because the Delphi Counci doesn’t know enough about this threat. While elimination of Nightmares is an important goal, Dr. Bhutrupali and other officials realize that can require luck akin to divine intervention to take down an unknown Nightmare, particularly for Storm Knights of alpha clearance. Know more about the target when you come out than you did going in; that is a common goal.

SAFE HOUSES AND MAJOR BASES Delphi Council Safe houses are different in Orrorsh than in most other cosms. The only permanent safe house are those manned by Spartan fire teams

THE DISAPPEARANCE OF NEW DELHI STATION In the first days after the Night of Screams, the Delphi Council was struggling to set up operations in Orrorsh. New Delhi was chosen as the location for Orrorsh Division Headquarters. The process was anything but smooth; fear and tension were running high. A security breach in the form of Victorian medium Eve Banning threw another wrench into the works when she announced to all staff within earshot that the unease felt by the Delphi Council staff was evil in origin, not simply the product of stress. The Security Chief locked Eve away in an interrogation cell for questioning as soon as a through sweep of the station was complete to see in anyone else had breached their defenses. Sweep completed, the Security Chief went to the cell to find Eve Banning strangled to death by power cables from the station’s backup generator. The station went silent after that. Two days later when a field team went to check on New Delhi, they found the security gate open. In the receptions area was scrawled on the walls: “Obsidian. Do not follow us. Do not find us.” The message was repeated over and over again throughout the station. When the team reached the interrogation rooms, they were missing. Between the ground and the open sky above, there was nothing but pipe ends and stray cables in the surrounding walls. The case is still open.

in the Hunted Northeast. These are the fully stocked safe houses the Storm Knights are used to: ammunition, survival supplies, and weapons are all available here. Elsewhere safe houses are usually multi– generation homes where most of the family has been cleared out in advance of Storm Knight arrival. One or two family members remain to keep up

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appearances. These safe houses are available for a day or two at most, due to the risk to the families. They have medical supplies, food and clean beds but not much else. If Storm Knights are in a city for a month and need to visit a safe house three times, almost certainly they will visit three different homes Many of the Indian naval facilities remain Core Earth hardpoints. Dozens exist between the Western, Southern, and Eastern naval commands. But only a few are used as active Delphi Council bases.

INS Abhimanyu

Abhimanyu is an active MARCOS base near Mumbai, housing the elite marines of the Indian Navy. It is now a forward operating base inside enemy territory. Direct assault in the immediate aftermath was not fruitful for the Gaunt Man. His minions continue to probe and harass the base, which the High Lord engages the base in his long game of Corruption. Still , it galls the High Lord that Core Earth maintains a capable base so close to the Mumbai maelstrom bridge. The Spartan division has piggybacked a Delphi Council base onto Abhimanyu. The develop and share intelligence with MARCOS, and whenever Archimedes division develops gear or technology useful for Core Earth’s struggle in Orrorsh, MARCOS is involved in the testing and deployment.

INS Varsha

At the time of the start of the Possibility Wars, the base was listed as under construction. The base was being built 50 kilometers from the headquarter of the Eastern Naval Command in the city of Visakhapatnam. But the base is farther along than the public had been told. It is an operational submarine base, listening post, and undersea communications center. The Delphi Councial uses Varsha to bring in supplies by submarine, and to deploy or extract Storm Knight teams along coasts anywhere in Orrorsh. Recently the listening post has picked up telegraph signals from undersea cables running along lines where no Core Earth or PanPacifican cables are known to exist. Marathon division quickly realized the messages were in a variant of Morse Code used by the Victorians. The vast majority of the messages were in plain text. It appeared this was a telegraph

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system used by private citizens who lived a place called “Albion Nautica.” It seems Orrorsh has established settlements under the sea.

SUPPLIES The lack of permanent safe houses in most of Orrorsh presented a problem for agent and field team resupply. The solution was railroad mails bags. There are posts for large mail bags about every two or three miles. Official postal service stencils say “Outgoing” for mail to be picked up, and “Inbound” for mail to be delivered by local post offices nearest the post. The trains do not stop. Railpost employees work a mechanzed arm to snag outbound bags from the post, and drop off inbound bags as the train passes by. The Delphi Council issues code sheets and special embossed stationery. Agents memorize the sheets, and take an ample supply of the stationery and matching envelopes. The codes are changed once a month or so. Stationery is matched to the mission, so dozens of varieties are flowing through the system at the same time. Storm Knights write down their requested supplies in the code given them upon the stationery provided, and drop it off in a mailbag on a post. A mail train comes by and picks of the bag. The next day, at the same time as the pick up, another mail train drops off the requested supplies— or at least those a quartermaster deems reasonable.

TRANSPORTATION Train tickets are available any Orrorsh branch station. Travelers may have to negotiate or otherwise wrangle first class tickets, but all others can just be picked up from the appropriate bins and folders in the quartermasters office. Other land transportation needs to secured in the field, as does river transport. Ocean transport may acquired in any Orrorsh branch station or base, but that usually takes two or three days. The Delphi Council does not have the cozy relationship with shipping lines it does with the railroads. One cannot request “Ocean view suite Lido Deck, will call for Mister Moonwalker,” without drawing a modicum of suspicion.

SECRET SOCIETIES Secret societies abound in Orrorsh. Some have existed for centuries, passed on from cosm to cosm by invaders who recruit cosm natives. This list is not complete, nor a representative sample. These are secret societies with whom the Delphi Council has had contact, and the result of the contact has been positive. These societies have agendas that are not completely at odds with the aims of the Delphi Council. Some operate out in the open, but their membership, motives and methods may be a mystery. They may not prove to be true friends, but they can be counted upon to be the Gaunt Man’s enemy.

ALHAMBRANS The Alhambrans originated on a cosm known as Respite. As on Core Earth, the Alhambra was a palace built by followers of a monotheistic faith who had been at war with an older faith for centuries. From there the histories veered in different directions. On Respite, the Alhambra became a center for important scholarsip and cooperation between the faiths. When the Gaunt Man invaded, the Alhambra began training scholar–historians to be fighters, and knights to become literate and knowledgeable about history and literature. The aspirational ideal was the poet warrior. This combination provided an excellent counter punch to the invaders for decades. They were good, very good, at finding the True Deaths of Nightmares. Their poetic epics helped restore compassion and resilience a people diminished by fear. The Alhambra was eventually sacked, and Respite fell just like the others before it. But Alhambrans managed to survive to cross into the next cosm with the invaders, and start the order anew. The Alhambrans will gladly exchange knowledge with the Delphi Council, and their archives quite a bit of, if only partial, information on Nightmares that can be useful when trying to investigate a True Death. The leader of the Alhambrans is titled the Poet Warrior Magnus. No Delphi Council member has met or seen convincing evidence of the Poet Warrior Magnus.

The highest ranking member known to the Delphi Council is Oberto Astacio, Scrivener of the Lamb. His title means his humility has prepared him to do great work for God. Those who have met him don’t think of him as humble. Not one little bit. The Sacellum have a serious philosophical clash with the Alhambrans. The poet warriors search for an ancient poem called “God’s Plan for the End.” Reading it is supposed to cause God to enact Their plan. The Alhambrans believe that anything as beautiful as God could only end one world as part of creating a better world. The Sacellum retort is essentially the His End would justly wrathful, and may be nothing more than fire and brimstone. If the Alhambrans have their way, the world will get to see who s right.

XIUCHIBA AND CHANNING Channing Flannel had been a slowly failing textile and clothing business. They were famous enough that political cartoonists often portrayed those caught in scandal as wearing Channing’s ill-fitting flannel pajamas. An Indigena named Xiuchiba is shown on court records as having purchased Channing, and filed appropriate papers to rename the business. The name plates and signage on all the company stores were altered to the new name. Then all the stores were closed. Factories were retooled and then began manufacturing new clothing that looked nothing like the old Channing line. Newspapers carried full page ads touting the new clothing line. A few items were seen being worn in public, but never being sold. Xiuchiba has refused all interviews. The Indigena’s whereabouts are currently unknown. Then a few days ago outfits from Xiuchiba and Channing arrived at the Kolchi station. No one had ordered them; they were precisely tailored, and most of the fits were impeccable. Each suit came with a note which read: Many are watching. You do not face Obsidian alone. The Delphi Council would like to know more about Xuichiba’s capabilities and motives, but have hesitated to investigate Channing Flannel for fear of pushing away a potential ally.

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ADVENTURES

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rrorsh is known as the cosm of horror. Many different themes fall under horror, however Orrorsh, like all cosms in TORG Eternity, has its own unique features. Monsters and terrors frequent the cosm, but the occult and the unique culture of the Victorians also have influence over Orrorsh. On the following pages, the Game Master can find tools to use in help constructing adventures within Orrorsh.

THEMES OF ORRORSH No two adventures in Orrorsh must be the same. The most obvious themes are horror, monster, and the occult. Exploring deeper within each of these themes will take Storm Knights to the darkest corners of the Gaunt Mans domain. Within the core themes are many others – curses, death rituals, nightmares, torture, ghosts, and werewolves are among them. There are numerous opportunities to create adventures that showcase these themes. The themes of Orrorsh can be troubling for some players and Game Masters. If you feel one of the themes below might be difficult for you or one of your players to experience, do not use it. When in doubt, speak with your players about the themes of your game beforehand. You can always tone them down or not use them at all.

THE OCCULT Orrorsh is a cosm with firm foundations in the occult. Witches wield dark magic and wicked rituals. Curses are boundless transforming many into the monsters they work to fight against. The Victorians have also brought their own occult influences and rituals involving death.

Curses

The Gaunt Man has many horrific things at his disposal. One of the most terrifying is a curse. Curses can be inflicted upon anyone. Sometimes it is known, but often it is unknown until it emerges. A trusted ally being revealed as a monster, a village touched by the darkness, or even a Storm Knight being changed into something darker against her will are all ways curses can be utilized in Orrorsh.

A curse can be used at the core of an adventure of campaign. The Storm Knights can find themselves subject to a curse that will consume their light and make them a tool of the darkness. They must find a way to reverse it, but they only have a limited amount of time to do so. During their journey, they start to show symptoms of the curse. At first, they may appear to be a blessing (like lycanthropy), but as time goes on these gradual changes become more and more monstrous. It is a fight against the clock and their own humanity. Alternatively, someone the Storm Knights care about could be the victim of a curse. The same plot line could apply with the group rushing to find a ritual to save their friend. A curse could also be one element of the story. A nest of vampires could ambush the Storm Knights in one scene. Causing them to have to worry about infection in addition to the main plot.

Victorian Death Rituals

The Victorians, though from a different world, share much in common with the similarly named era of our culture. Death is mourned in many different ways by the Victorians. They have brought these aspects of their culture with them to Earth. Though there are many rituals brought from Gaea, portraits of the dead, jewelry, mirrors, and burials are the most likely ones to be used in a game. When a loved one dies it is common for a Victorian to have a portrait painted of their deceased loved one. Often, the corpse is placed in different poses for the artist to render. Death is not always final in Orrorsh and corruptive forces of the cosm have a way of getting into things. This opens many possibilities for the Game Master to use in an adventure. A painting could trap part of the soul of the deceased and it now has influence over the world of the living. There are many sinister looking paintings out there. What if one of them came to life in a way? Another death ritual that can give flare to this theme in Orrorsh is jewelry. Frequently, the family of the deceased will make jewelry from their hair and, in some rare cases, from other parts of the deceased body. Though this is meant to honor their loved one at the funeral sometimes dark things come with the keep sake, especially if it was a violent death.

GIVING THE CHARACTERS REASON TO CARE Orrorsh is the cosm of horror. This can sometimes be a challenging element to bring to a game. The key to this is giving the Storm Knights a reason to care. If the object(s) or person(s) of their affection are put into jeopardy or even harmed, this can be leveraged for some horrific adventures! To really get the feel of horror in your game, a character’s background can be a good place to start. If your players did not provide backgrounds, you can utilize their past adventures. Torg: Eternity is a game full of great heroism which can also lead to great tragedy. If the character has fond memories of a place, create a narrative that reminds them of this place becoming tarnish. The same can be said for an object of even people. Anyone would be horrified if they found out someone the cared about became a monster. Whatever it is that the Storm Knights care about, use this to help the group experience the horrific nature of Orrorsh.

Ghastly hitchhikers have been known to be drawn to death jewelry. Unknown to the wearer, theses dark forces can influence their actions with everything from subtle hints to, in more extreme cases, taking over the wears body completely. In some cases of the possession, the poor soul wearing the jewelry must watch helplessly as the hitchhiker takes complete control of their body and they become passenger. This can lead to many mysterious acts that even the most capable sleuth will have difficulty solving. Partial possession can lead to a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hide type villain who is not all evil. Hence introducing a fight that is not exactly straight forward if they want to keep the innocent person who is possessed alive.

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In many cultures, mirrors are gateways. The Victorians believe that death draws the eye of dark creatures. According to Victorian folklore, mirrors are portals for these creatures to spy on the living and to cross over. For their protection, Victorians cover mirrors when death comes to a household. Though mere cloth this simple act does offer protection from the world of the dead. In the case that this tradition is not observed, bad things can happen. Those foolish enough to ignore the ancient warnings find themselves the targets of dark forces. If a Storm Knight is this careless or unaware, they may even be forcefully taken through a mirror to a much darker place. Escape from such a dark realm could be a very terrifying adventure! Death and the rites of the dead can give you many tools to use in your arsenal as a Game Master.

Witches

Though Aysle is the cosm known for magic, it is not the only realm where magic thrives. Orrosh is full of magic. More specifically, dark magic. Witches, run amok and wield dark rituals to further baleful plots. Most server the Gaunt Man and others serve other dark masters. Regardless, the witches of Orrorsh all have nefarious goals. Curses, hexes, and dark rites can all be traced back to witches. Witchcraft has been used to trap, torture, and subdue many Storm Knights. It is not uncommon a witch to be the culprit in many adventures in Orrorsh. Though, there involvement might not be apparent, Storm Knights should be wary when the encounter hex bags, ill omens, and damned idols. If such things are found, it is certain a witch is pulling the strings from somewhere in the shadows.

THE REALM OF HORROR Horror is the most recognizable theme within Orrorsh. All the other Cosms can touch on aspects of horror, but only Orrorsh embodies every aspect of the genre. Psychological, physical, and other aspects of terror are wielded by the Gaunt Man and his agents. Inspirations for horror can come from madness as represented in the book House of Leaves or more violent slaughter like in the movie the Texas

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Chainsaw Massacre. Additionally, mixing these two types of horror can lead to different kinds of adventures. Whatever aspect(s) of horror you decide to explore, always ensure it is something the characters are invested in and that also, the players are comfortable with. While Torg: Eternity is a fantasy game, it can touch on aspects of reality that are troubling to some players. Always check in with your players before exploring some of the darker avenues of horror.

MONSTERS APLENTY Gospog, Vampires, and Werewolves, oh horrible screams of sheer terror! All sorts of terrifying things that go bump in the night (and often in the light) are native to Orrorsh. As the Gaunt Man conquered Cosm after Cosm, he took their monsters with him. Every variant of a ghost, goblin, vampire, and werewolf exists within the Gaunt Man’s realm. While they can all be scary, flipping traditional gothic monsters on their heads can keep the Storm Knights guessing. This can be as simple as a vampire who fights against its corruption and is genuinely trying to help the player characters, but this might not be so obvious. It can be something more complex such as ghost who is the dead reflection of a former possibility rated hero that is not in complete control of her actions. More traditional variations should also not be shied away from. Sometimes, a monster is simply a monster. The unknown threat can be an extraordinary terrifying theme for player characters to experience. The creepiest threats are those that do not reveal themselves immediately or sometimes at all. In the TV Show Lost one of the most intriguing and scary things was the obscurity of what the “monster”. This creature encountered and killed characters without being disclosed. When it was unmasked it lost its power of mystery and terror. Sometimes, it is necessary for the Game Master to show the monster, but it is advised to let this build up. Whatever a player imagines are far more frightening than anything a Game Master can describe. Leverage this with your players.

ADVENTURE SEEDS Below are broad stroke ideas for adventures. Use these to create your own adventures by expanding on them or taking parts you want from them. Mix, match, and borrow whatever works for your game.

Bad Manors

The Hayhurst Manor has been within the family for generations even after the world laws of Orrorsh washed over the grounds and building. Though, when the world laws changed, some of the ghosts of their ancestors did wake up. The specters have lived in relative peace with the family that still occupies the manor. When a few of the graves are disturbed by a runaway carriage, different and long forget ghosts emerge, coming into conflict with those who currently live peacefully at Hayhurst Manor. When things turn violent, the Storm Knights are called upon to put the spirits to rest.

Face Your Fears

There are reports of unusual things going on in a nearby mental institution that focuses on helping allies of the Delphi Council recover from severe mental trauma. The Storm Knights travel there to see if they can help some of their old friends and companions. When they enter the building, it becomes apparent that something horrible is going on. The fears and nightmares that plague that patients are taking life and attacking the other patients and medical professionals within. Matters get worse when the Storm Knights find they cannot escape the building through any of the exits. They must face whatever evil lurks here and save their sick allies.

Stalked

by the

Dark Man

The Storm Knights are approached by a young girl in public. The girl silently watches the group until one of the Storm Knights engages with her. She says, in an innocent and serious voice, “The Dark Man is looking for you.”, and then runs off. The Storm Knights are unable to find her. After, the Storm Knights all share the same dream where a dark figure is hunting them. The same

dream continues night after night being more and more terrifying. Eventually, the nightmares progress to where the Storm Knights wake having the same wounds they suffered in their dream. With aid from the Delphi Council, the Storm Knights discover that they are being targeted by a powerful Occultist. The Storm Knights must find the Occultist in the physical world by using clues from their nightmares. The longer the Storm Knights take to find the Occultist, the weaker they become as he continues to drain some of their energy through their nightmares.

Storm Knight Gone Bad

A serial killer is on the loose in the streets of a major city. Though normally not unusual for Orrorsh, the latest victims have all been Storm Knights. Each of the deceased has a strange symbol burned onto their flesh by the killer. The party is sent to investigate these murders by the Delphi Council. Eventually they discover that the murderer is a former Storm Knight who was thought to be dead.

Strangeness

on a

Train

The Storm Knights are on a train traveling through Orrorsh, when a sudden and unexpected catastrophe kills them all. The Storm Knights reawaken just before the final darkness consumes them, once again on the train. Again, they face the same horrifying death. The Storm Knights must find a way to break the time loop and stop the train from crashing once they do.

Too Far Gone

A Storm Knight long undercover as a Stormer has her cover blown. Before she can safely contact the Delphi Council, the agents of the Gaunt Man capture her. Her ex-comrades torture her in attempt to recover what intelligence she obtained. Eventually, she is rescued by the party, but not before she has gone mad. The Delphi Council is desperately in need of the information she has committed to memory. Through a powerful ritual, the Storm Knights are projected into the crazed knights head to rescue her from the madness that has consumed her.

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Total Party Kill

The Storm Knights “wake” one day to find that they are now ghosts. They can find their bodies, unscathed and still alive but in a sleep-like state. After some investigating, they discover that they are the victims of a dark ritual that forces the spirit out of a body. What is more terrifying is that if they cannot reverse the effects of the ritual within 3 days, their bodies will die, and they will be ghosts forever. The Storm Knights will have to find a way to reverse the ritual and return themselves back to the world of the living.

Two Wolf Moon

Lycanthropy breaks out in a smaller village. The Storm Knights travel there to put a stop to the curse before it spreads to everyone. Once they arrive in the village, everything is not as it seems. They do find evidence of werewolf attacks, but at some of the sites of the attacks, there are reports of two different monsters being seen. The werewolves are not always together. One of the werewolves is tracked down to a nearby barn, though she has guardians. Children are protecting the cursed women claiming that she looks after all of them and that another “big bad wolf” is the one killing others.

Wax Works

The Storm Knights are invited to the grand opening of a new Wax Museum. The artist has created creatures from every known Cosm. As the evening goes on, odd things begin to happen. Some of the wax statues appear to be in different and terrifying positions. Eventually, one of the guests goes missing. During the search, more guests go missing and eventually a corpse is found. Unknown to the owner or staff, something dark crept into the museum and gave life to some of the wax figures. The Storm Knights must find a way to destroy the museum to save the remaining survivors of the evening’s events.

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NIGHTMARE GENERATOR The Nightmare Generator tables can help with the Investigation of Nightmare secrets (page 72) that are needed to keep the Nightmare’s Possibilities from regenerating each round. Each of the five tables caters to one type of the five secrets: Desire, Habit, Link, Origin, and Token. First determine how many Possibilities the Nightmare has. Chose a category to represent each of its Possibilities. A secret type should not be repeated. When a Nightmare is killed by a means other than its True Death, use an unused Type if it gained an additional Possibility. Roll a d20 on each of the tables to determine a narrower category of the secret and choose a unique secret based on the category. Example: Creating a newly formed Nightmare, the GM decides this Possibility is based off a Desire Secret. On the Desire table, the GM rolls a 13. The Nightmare’s Desire is Appearance. The GM comes up with an appropriate Desire based on appearance (it wanted to look upper class to others) that when successfully investigated and revealed to the Nightmare, eliminates the Nightmare’s ability to refresh the Possibility connected to it. Likewise these tables are useful for adding details, backgrounds, and secrets for a creature that gets upgraded during the campaign. Choose one of the Secrets that hasn’t already been established and roll to add a new twist the monster’s story. Example: A Nightmare with 2 Possibilities was slain by a means other than its True Death. When it is resurrected, the GM decides to give it an extra Possibility, instead of 25 XP. Its previous Secrets were Origin and Token. These two types of Secrets should not be used, so the GM needs to decide whether to connect the new Possibility to a Desire, Habit, or Link. The GM then rolls on the appropriate table for its new Secret’s category. These lists are not exhaustive. They provide kernels for the GM to expand upon. With any of the Types of secrets, the obvious reason is not the only possibility. Remember, “The path to Hell is paved with good intentions.” With all secrets, the Game Master should be aware of the players’ comfort level. Any of the Secret types, especially Habits, can tread too closely to real world prejudice and hate crimes.

THE NIGHTMARE’S DESIRE d20 Desire

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Wanting to look a certain way, or perhaps targeting those who do. To feel kinship with a group, class, or organization. To eliminate perceived physical, mental, or social shortcomings. To want a certain change to happen; political, mental, physical, etc. Make something or someone perform exactly as expected. To bring ruin upon a specific rival, or society in general. Avoidance of aging and death. To be remembered as first, best, or notable. A specific non-living thing. May be sought or already possessed. A specific field of study, ancient secrets, or learning for its own sake. A specific individual. The person does not need to be alive! Political, organizational, military, or mystical. To be loved by an individual, group, class, or organization. Carnal pleasure, or the absolute disdain of the same. A desire to reside in or travel to a specific place. To feel secure or to be able to protect a group, class or organization. Acknowledgment of importance by a group, class, or organization. A position within a group, class, or organization. To know how something works or how someone thinks. To be rich and have an overabundance of material things.

Appearance Belonging Betterment Change Control Destruction Immortality Infamy Item Knowledge Person Power Love Lust Place Protection Recognition Status Understanding Wealth

Another option when creating a new Nightmare is to roll on all the tables, puzzle out a backstory using all the pieces, but only assign Secrets to the the most interesting or appropriate ones. The five tables are Desires, Habits, Links, Origins, and Tokens. Note that Secrets don’t have to be one of these five categories. If the rolls suggest something interesting that doesn’t quite fit, go with it! Some results may seem mundane at first glance, but remember these are the ingredients that made a monster. The emotions and circumstances behind each secret should be extreme. Example: Desiring Love isn’t so strange, most people do. But this is a dark, obsessive version of love that led to tragedy. Perhaps the love was unrequited and the emerging monster stalked the object of his desire and eventually killed her to insure no one else could have her. Perhaps the love was mutual, but the partners sacrificed something unspeakable to stay together.

TRUE DEATH One thing the tables can’t capture is the unique True Death for the Nightmare. True Death should be an echo of the monster’s twisted backstory, or an ironic or cathartic reckoning. The end isn’t supposed to be artificial or impossible—it needs to feel “right” so when those circumstances occur the Nightmare’s story feels logically concluded. Strange rituals, weapons made out of tokens, or the presence of something the Nightmare desires— or its opposite — are all ingredients of classic True Deaths. It needs to be specific, the kinds of circumstances that can’t happen by accident. In rare cases it’s acceptable to have the True Death be a ritualistic action taken directly after the creature is destroyed by mundane means, and if performed its evil is ended permanently.

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THE NIGHTMARE’S HABIT

116

d20 Desire

Notes

1

Animals

2

Appearance

3

Arrangement

4

Association

5

Art

6

Chaos

7

Commentary

8

Condition

9

Crime

10

Danger

11

Escalation

12

Group

13

Occupation

14

Planning

15

Publicity

16

Secrecy

17

Spaces

18

Time

19

Tool

20

Words

The behavior of a specific type of animal serves as a model for The Nightmare. The actual animal may or may not be present. Eye color, Hair color, length, or a particular style could be the factor that draws the Nightmare’s attention. A “calling card” is always left behind. This can be a certain arrangement of the body, items left at the scene, or some other distinguishing feature The supernatural activity manifests in pairs. It could be obsession with numbers themselves, or a related pattern between the victims. A particular image, performance, or sculpture provides the theme for The Nightmare’s crimes. Art may be repeated, or in need of completion. The Nightmare’s behavior is triggered by passion and violence from other sources. Outbreaks are unpredictable but sloppy. Notes are sent to newspapers and law enforcement taunting them to engage—or to mislead them. The scene is always found in a certain manner: covered in frost, fungal growths, the decay more advanced, or even meticulously cleaned. The Nightmare goes after criminals (specific crime or in general) or innocents (possibly by age or other group). Only prey who can fight back satisfy the Nightmare. It savors the competition—and demise—of a worthy adversary. Events start small, then intensify until the Nightmare finally reveals its true self, completing a long chain of fearful events. A specific group of people are always the target of attention. The group may be the victims, or the victims may be rivals or enemies of the group. The Nightmare is obsessed with a certain job or activity. It may be compelled to perform the action, or despise anyone who does. Everything is done slowly and is carefully plotted. The Nightmare seldom makes mistakes or leaves evidence, but is easier to anticipate. The Nightmare has a need to perform in public. The more witnesses to its ghastly deeds the better. The Nightmare hunts lone victims or takes victims from a group one at a time, when not in the presence of others. The creature moves freely—but only—in a certain environment such as water, sewers, or ventilation ducts. The hunt is always at a certain time: the full or new moon, solstices or equinoxes, a certain time of the day. A specific implement is used to kill. It could be a tool, scalpel, a gun, or even less common means such as dreams or ethereal attacks. A repeated phrase or word is always left behind, or perhaps even triggers the event in the first place.

THE NIGHTMARE’S LINK d20 Link

Notes

1

Asylum

2

Birthplace

3

Diary

4

Holiday

5

Home

6

Injury

7

Image

8

Landscape

9

Legend

10

Lover

11

Parent

12

Phrase

13

Punishment

14

Reward

15

Rival

16

Role

17

Ship

18

Symbol

19

Water

20

Weapon

As a patient, doctor, or orderly. The entire asylum, a specific room, or a particular item left behind may still resonate with The Nightmare. The birthplace of the nightmare or The Nightmare’s Desire. The exact room is usually relevant. A journal or record in The Nightmare’s own words. Seeing the book or hearing the words can bring back memories of a different mindset. A specific anniversary—a birthday, wedding anniversary, or even the date of a death—still resonates with The Nightmare. The Nightmare is stil drawn to significant place from its mortal life such as childhood room, workplace office, or prison cell. One type of injury or death, such as drowning, a fall, or a wound in a specific place triggers an extreme reaction from The Nightmare. A picture or painting of The Nightmare, or a person or motif which has great significance. A particular overlook, river, tree where something significant happened in The Nightmare’s past. Local folktales may compel or birth The Nightmare. Reenactments of legends or even an entirely separate Nightmare are relevant Links. A former—or current—lover. Was the love mutual or unrequited. Did it change over time? Extreme love or hatred formed an obsessive bond with a parent or equivalent guardian. A word or words which once held great meaning to The Nightmare. Could be a catchphrase, or an often repeated admonition. An implement which was once used to punish or contain The Nightmare. Straight-jackets, collars, or even a simple paddle could still have an effect. A special treat which enthralled The Nightmare as a child, or a position or prize sought as an adult. A sibling, competitor, or outright enemy who affected The Nightmare in the past. The expectations of a specific job or role—such as prisoner—still echo through The Nightmare’s thoughts and can be exploited. A specific ship figured into The Nightmare’s origin. Is it a ghost ship, or still functional with new owners or passengers? Religious iconography such as a crucifix, prayer, or even a specific hallowed site. May be a specific body of water, or just water itself. Rain, floods, or pools of water are options. A specific weapon may have figured prominently in The Nightmare’s own demise or it could be a memento from an early kill.

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THE NIGHTMARE’S ORIGIN

118

d20 Link

Notes

7 8 6 11 12 3 18 9 2 14 13 16 1 5 15 19 17 4 20 10

An inadvertent death (or killing) changed everything. A conscious decision to kill drove The Nightmare over the line. A moment of intense jealousy or rage pushed The Nightmare to kill. Abused or bullied, the Nightmare had enough and struck back fatefully. Perceived or real, an insult triggered the decent into darkness. Payback for another unspeakable crime became a lure into corruption. It took time, but finally The Nightmare took something that wasn’t theirs. The Nightmare discovered all the reasons for killing were wrong...too late. The magic of Orrorsh turned an innocent into a monster. A dark temptation led to events which spiraled out of control. Whether a success or failure, the results of the experiment were monstrous. The death of a loved one caused the Nightmare to fall.. The loss of a home or special place led to madness. The difference between words and deeds set the evil descent in motion. A lie, either told or believed, led to a terrible result. An obsessive search for answers—or the answer itself—caused tragedy. Torture, constant and agonizing, dominates The Nightmare’s existence. Someone set The Nightmare on a dark path intentionally. The Nightmare was falsely executed—or wrongly accused an innocent. Even as a mortal, The Nightmare was a monster. It was destiny.

Accident Murder Passion Victimized Slighted Revenge Envy Mistake Corruption Temptation Experiment Loss Destruction Hypocrisy Lie Truth Pain Mentor Accusation Fate

THE NIGHTMARE’S TOKEN d20 Link

Notes

7 8 6 11 12 3 18 9 2 14 13 16 1 5 15 19 17 4 20 10

A trunk, tea set, or something else handed down for generations. The symbol of an unbreakable bond between two spouses. The object itself is unimportant, but who gave it is significant. An award given for battle or bravery. The kind Storm Knights wear! A diploma, will, or other official document. The book itself may be important, its contents, or notes scribbled within. A specific article of clothing, or a specific set of clothes. The Nightmare discovered all the reasons for killing were wrong...too late. The magic of Orrorsh turned an innocent into a monster. An Eternity Shard, and somehow The Nightmare’s existence is tied to it. Usually inscribed with a message, or containing a photo or keepsake. A pin, brooch, or other significant, wearable item. A doll or something else from a long disappeared childhood. A device made to capture the imagination, and possibly a mind as well. A certain type or food—perhaps including its scent. A body part, perhaps something separated from The Nightmare’s body. Is the object itself significant, or the reflection it contains? A certain type of plant, flower, or other flora preserved or still growing. A particular animal, perhaps a pet, a steed, or a guard beast . A photograph or painting of The Nightmare or someone important.

Heirloom Wedding Ring Gift Medal Certificate Book Outfit Tool Weapon Shard Locket Jewelry Toy Puzzle Food Parts Mirror Flora Fauna Image

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T

THREATS

he monsters, horrors, and nightmares of Orrorsh are some of the deadliest in the world. Not only are they dangerous in and of themselves, but they stalk within a realm that resists Soaking damage. Heroes beware. Particularly dangerous foes are noted with a (β) to mark that a group below Beta Clearance may not be ready to face such a threat, and may need to get particularly creative or flee depending on the situation. Similar markers exist for (γ) Gamma Clearance, (Δ) Delta Clearance, and finally (Ω) Omega Clearance threats.

GOSPOG OF ORRORSH Gospog are creations of the Gaunt Man, and unlike the other High Lords he has no qualms about creating and deploying them in numbers. They may not be individually powerful as nightmares, but they are much easier to create and control. Most of his planting is done in the muddy jungle areas of inland India, and the vast majority of the bodies came from the Night of Screams. The Gaunt Man has a large supply of gospog, but they aren unlimited. It’s feared that if his supply gets too depleted he could simply enact another massacre across the nation to commence a new cycle of planting.

ORRORSH GOSPOG OF THE SECOND PLANTING The second planting gospog from Orrorsh’s soil grow strong, swift, and more cunning. The mass of at least two bodies goes into each, and the result is tall and broad-shouldered. Each dessicated face covered with a bone mask made from fragments of buried skulls. These gospog are often tasked with tending the fields or leading groups of their mindless fellows. They excel at either task. Left to their own devices thse gospog enjoy stalking and killing for pleasure, and often do so even when given another duty. A strange feature of this planting is they draw mosquitoes to nest inside their body, usually in a hump on the creature’s back or its chest cavity. These sickly insects spread out for miles. If one bites

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From left to right: Gospog of the Second Planting, Third Planting, and Fourth Planting, with Fifth Planting behind.

an intruder and returns, the gospog gains a sense for his blood and can follow him anywhere. Many of these mosquitoes carry malaria or other diseases, adding an extra element of danger. These gospog wear whatever clothing is available and sometimes use equipment. At a distance they can even be mistaken for living people. They are silent, except to unleash the gospog scream once they are close enough to attack. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 8, Strength 11 Skills: Dodge 12, find 11, maneuver 11, stealth 12, tracking 10, taunt (10), trick 12, unarmed combat 13 Move: 9; Tough: 12 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities:

• Armor: Bone and clothing +1. • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (13) • Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes Favored once a gospog deals a Wound or if a hosted mosquito draws the target’s blood and returns. • Fear: Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Nest: These gospog bodies teem with mosquitos. Anyone within 10 meters must test willpower or Spirit each round or become Stymied. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

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ORRORSH GOSPOG OF THE THIRD PLANTING These strange gospog gain a serpentine aspect, with long coils instead of legs. Their upper body, arms, and head remain humanoid, with the addition of a hood around the head and shoulders. Small parts of the creature are decomposing flesh and misshapen bone, but the vast majority is composed of rotting plant matter. The entire monster drips with powerful venom. Their bite injects it, sharp bones that jut out of their bodies cut and poison the hapless victims they wrap their bodies around. Unlike most gospog, these consume their prey. The more they eat, the more plant matter is replaced with flesh, the denser and sharper their bones become, and the fresher the creature looks. Third planting gospog can climb, and like to ambush from trees or surprise adventurers on precarious cliffs. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 10, Strength 12 Skills: Dodge 12, find 8, maneuver (12), stealth 15, trick (13), unarmed combat 15 Move: 10; Tough: 13 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Scaly skin +1. • Bite/claws: Damage Strength +2 (14) • Clinging: The gospog can move normally in trees, along walls and ceilings, or other vertical surfaces. • Constrict: This gospog’s unarmed attacks Grapple without suffering a penalty to hit or damage. • Fear: Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Poison: If a gospog’s bite or constrict deals damage exceeding the target’s Toughness, then a debilitating toxin is introduced to the target. While poisoned the victim suffers 1 Shock each

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round. A KO’ed target rolls Defeat instead of taking Shock. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

ORRORSH GOSPOG OF THE FOURTH PLANTING These terrifying beasts are known as the reapers. They are tall and skeletal. They wear wispy cowls or cloaks. They wear belts or necklaces of skulls. The reaper is always silent, but the skulls emit the gospog scream when it commences its work. TwFo bony appendage jut from their backs like wings, but they are scythes instead. Reapers are lightning fast fast, and the scythe-like claws on their backs extend out to cut down foes that would normally be out of reach. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 14, Mind 8, Spirit 10, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 16, find 10, maneuver 16, stealth 16, tracking 10, trick (13), unarmed combat 17 Move: 18; Tough: 15 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: Whirlwind Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities: • Armor: bony exterior +2. • Claws: Damage Strength +4 (17), AP 4, Reach 3 meters. • Fear (-2): Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit at -2 or become Very Stymied. • Large: These gospog stand around 3 meters tall. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls to hit due to their size and bulk. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Spinning: When Attack is an Approved Action the gospog makes a normal move and attack every target within its reach at any point during that move with no Multi-target penalties. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

(β) ORRORSH GOSPOG OF THE FIFTH PLANTING The ultimate gospog doesn’t look like much at all, just a huge pile of putrid flesh and gelatinous vegetable matter. These creatures don’t think, they simply consume. Some just settle into the bottom of a pit and wait for unfortunates to plummet inside. Others ooze across the landscape in search of victims. The most common method of travel is as a blob in a river, just under the surface. Although they are slow and formless, these gospog can grow extremely large, and form temporary pseudopods to reach for targets too far outside their path. These appendages usually have a skull visible within the extreme end. Orrorsh gospog of the fifth planting don’t digest undead or other gospog, so dozens may be carried along inside the ooze and released if someone attacks it. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 5, Mind 5, Spirit 5, Strength 17 Skills: Dodge 8, find 8, reality 8, stealth 10, unarmed combat 10 Move: 5; Tough: 17; Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: 3 Special Abilities: • Digestion: Anything within space occupied by the creature automatically suffers 17 +1 BD damage on the gospog’s turn. If it moves, all beings stuck within move with it. • Dread: When this creature is present, any Standard Scene immediately becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear (-4): Gospog are horrific amalgamations of a corpse and rotten plant matter that emit a horrid shriek when encountered. Test willpower or Spirit at -4 or become Very Stymied. • Jelly: Halve any damage before it’s applied to the gospog’s Toughness. Blasts, fire, electricity, and other special attacks (GM’s call) deal damage normally. • Mindless: Gospog are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers.

• Planted: The blob is immune to maneuver and trick interactions and attempts to grapple or move it. • Probes: The gospog can attack targets up to 10 meters from its edge with temporary appendages. The attack uses unarmed combat but target’s the defender’s dodge. A hit deals the creature’s Strength damage (17). A Good hit deals Digestion damage (17 +1 BD). An Outstanding hit deals Digestion damage and draws the target into the creature’s body. • Regeneration: When the Approved Action is Defend the gospog removes one Wound on its turn. • Relentless: Gospog ignore Shock. • Sticky: Anything touching the gospog or moving within the space it occupies must win a contest of Strength to move away. If the gospog wins with an Outstanding result the victim becomes Restrained. • Swim: The gospog is Move 5 in the water. • Very Large: These gospog are usually 10 meters across, but grow even larger if they consume enough matter. Attacks against them gain a +4 bonus. • Undead: Gospog are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

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HUMANS DEATH CULTIST Under normal circumstances members of a death cult try to blend in and don’t draw attention to themselves. They only attack from Surprise and with a numerical advantage, using their garrote as an All-Out Attack first to Restrain and then to kill. An exposed cult goes all out, and uses any weapons available without mercy. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 8, Mind 8, Spirit 7, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 10, find 9, intimidate 9, maneuver 9, melee weapons 10, persuasion 9, stealth 10, taunt 9, trick 9, unarmed combat 13 Move: 8; Tough: 9 (1); Shock: 7; Wounds: — Equipment: Padded clothing (+1 Armor), garrote (Str +1/9 damage) Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (3). Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Strangler: Targets who breathe suffer 2 Shock every round while Restrained by a death cultist.

FALLEN MAGI Strange ascetics and learned men walk Orrorsh, but such knowledge is as dangerous to the soul of the learner as it is to his foes. Once the evil takes over these once holy figures become twisted and terrifying agents of destruction. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 7, Mind 10, Spirit 10, Strength 7 Skills: Alteration 16, divination 16, dodge 8, intimidate 15, maneuver 8, reality 14, taunt 10, trick 15, unarmed combat 8 Move: 7; Tough: 7; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Spellcaster (Diminish, Disguise, Magedark, Possibility Rend) Possibilities: 3. Special Abilities: • Assassin: Attempts to Soak damage dealt by this foe suffer a –2 penalty. • Cloak of Darkness: The Fallen gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty.

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• Dread: When a Fallen is present a scene always becomes Dramatic. • Final Curse: When killed, a Fallen Magi issues a final curse that forces a Corruption test in all creatures within 50 meters. • Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions the villain may affect the entire party without a Multi-Target penalty. Affected heroes lose a random card from their hand. • Insidious: Discard a Destiny card from each target’s pool when the Fallen Magi successfully performs an Approved Action.

OCCULTIST These specialists in lore and other information about the various horrors of Orrorsh can come from many walks of life, from wealthy collectors of esoteric books to hermits dwelling deep in the jungle. A good occultist can be a boon to Storm Knights in need of details about their quarry, but can also be corrupted by their dark knowledge and gain the Diabolist Perk. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 6, Mind 9, Spirit 9, Strength 6 Skills: Alteration 10, conjuration 10, divination 14, evidence analysis 12, find 12, melee weapons 7, persuasion 8, scholar 12, trick 10, willpower 12 Move: 6; Tough: 6; Shock: 9; Wounds: — Equipment: Dagger (Strength+1/7), rare book, magnifying glass Perks: Occultist, Spellcaster (dispel magic, fear, protective circle, scry, speak with dead). Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities: —

SACELLUM PRIEST These fire-and-brimstone ministers dress in conservative outfits of black wool suits or dresses whether traveling among the community or delivering their message of God’s eternal wrath to the members of their congregation. Some are smockwearing members of a monastic order dedicated to collecting information on Orrorsh’s horrors. Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 7, Mind 7, Spirit 9, Strength 7 Skills: Beast riding 8, faith 12, find 8, first aid 8, intimidation 11, scholar 9, taunt 10, willpower 12 Move: 7; Tough: 7; Shock: 9; Wounds: —

Equipment: Crucifix, Sacellum Bible Perks: Miracles (banish, fear of god, plague, presence of god, repel, ward enemy), Puritan Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: —

SERIAL KILLER Orrorsh has no shortage of murderers, but some give themselves over to the whispers so completely they become something inhuman. The variety is endless. Some are charming, others are quiet and awkward, and still others don frightening apparel to stalk their prey. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 10, Mind 6, Spirit 10, Strength 11 Skills: Dodge 12, find 12, intimidate 12, maneuver 12, melee weapons 15, reality 12, stealth 15, tracking 8, taunt 9, trick 9 Move: 10; Tough: 11; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Blade (Str +1/12 damage) Perks: Relentless, Vengeful Possibilities: Common (2) Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Assassin: Attempts to Soak damage suffer a –2 penalty. • Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes Favored once a serial killer deals a Wound. • Fear: When a Serial Killer is first spotted test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Fake Out: A KOed or Incapacitated Serial Killer may spend a Possibility to suddenly awaken and make a Surprise Attack. • Weakspot: Serial Killers automatically aim past any armor that doesn’t offer Full Body protection.

MONSTERS ANIMATED OBJECT People in Orrorsh whisper about objects which come to life seemingly on their own. Anything can become an animated object, household items, weapons, even furniture. Whatever dark spirit animates it is dispelled when the object itself is destroyed. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 7, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 10, find 8, intimidation 9, maneuver 9, stealth 8, trick (8), unarmed combat 12 Move: 7; Tough: 10 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Enchanted Defense: Armor +2. Flight: Very Small animated objects • can fly with a move of 10 in the air. • Relentless: Animated objects ignore Shock. • Size: Attacks against animated objects receive a sizebased bonus or penalty, as per the Size Chart (see Torg Eternity).

BHOOT Bhoot are malevolent Indian ghosts, unable to move on to the afterlife due to unresolved trauma, a desire for vengeance, or the lack of proper funerary rites. Unlike other ghosts, bhoot have a physical form, appearing as corpse-like versions of their living selves, with tangled hair, tattered clothing, and necrotic skin. Most notably their feet point backwards and they “walk” an inch or two above the ground. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 9, Mind 6, Spirit 9, Strength 11

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Skills: Dodge 12, find 12, maneuver 11, stealth 12, taunt 12, trick 10, unarmed combat 12 Move: 9; Tough: 11; Shock: 9; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Allergies: Being immersed in water deals 10 +1BD damage each round. • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/13. • Cloak of Darkness: Bhoot gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Undead: Immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

BLOOD MONKEY Monkeys are annoying, and in large numbers dangerous. Corrupted by the energies of Orrorsh they are downright horrifying. These vicious monkeys have a taste for blood. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 10, Mind 4, Spirit 4, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 14, maneuver 12, taunt 8, trick 8, unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 8; Shock: 4; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2 (10). • Deadly Pranks: When Maneuver or Trick are Approved Actions Blood Monkeys deal their Bite/Claws damage in addition to the affects of a successful Interaction. Good or Outstanding successes on the Interaction attack also deal Bonus Damage. • Horde: Blood Monkeys usually appear in large numbers. Apply any bonus from a Combined Action to Damage as well as the attack itself when multiple dead attack a single target. • Small: Attacks against Blood Monkeys suffer a –2 penalty. • So Many: Up to two Blood Monkeys may occupy a single 2 meter space, allowing up to 16 creatures to Combine against a single foe. • Wallwalker: Blood Monkeys can cling to walls and ceilings and move at their normal rate along such surfaces.

BLOODTHORN These twisted plants are the result of the Gaunt Man experimenting with implanting gospog seeds into vampires. At first they appear similar to roses, but sickly white and spindly, growing at an accelerated rate to nearly two meters in diameter. It feeds by lashing out with prehensile, barbed vines and pulling a victim deep into the bloodthorn’s mass, where it drinks the target’s blood through needle-sharp thorns. Bloodthorns propagate through blood-red seeds implanted in dead bodies and carried away by carrion birds. Some horrors or Nightmares cultivate bloodthorns as a defense system around their lair.

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Attributes: Charisma 2, Dexterity 7, Mind 2, Spirit 5, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 8, find 7, maneuver (9), trick (7), unarmed combat 12 Move: —; Tough: 11 (1); Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick skin +1. • Blood Sense: Bloodthorns are Favored on find attempts against living targets. • Drink: Damage Strength +2 (12) against a Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest Armor value. • Grabbing Vines: Damage Strength +1 (11), reach 3 meters. Vines attempt to Grapple all foes within reach without suffering Multi- Target penalties. • Large: These massive plants can fit a human inside their tangle of thorny vines. Attackers gain +2 to attack rolls due to its size and bulk. • Mindless: Bloodthorns are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions. • Relentless: Bloodthorns ignore Shock.

CHEDIPE A type of shapeshifting vampiric spirit, chedipe are created when a dying person bargains with dark spirits for more life. At night they may take the form of a tiger, but their curse means one leg does not transform—giving away their true nature. The stats below reflect their transformed state. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 10, Mind 5, Spirit 8, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 11, find 9, intimidation 10, stealth 12, unarmed combat 12 Move: 10; Tough: 13; Shock: 8; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Common (2) Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Bite/Claw: Damage Strength +2 (15) against a Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest Armor value. Shock and Wounds dealt by a bite are recovered by the chedipe. • Cloak of Darkness: Chedipe gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty.

• Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Large: Attacks against a chedipe gain a +2 bonus due to its large size. • Pounce: A chedipe may double its movement as a simple action, but doing so leaves it Vulnerable.

CHUREL These dark, angry revenants haunt the forests of eastern India and Bangladesh. They appear as beautiful women with long, flowing hair and delicate jewelry, but their backwards feet betray their true nature. The largest and oldest tree in the forest is the churel’s home, but it has a close connection with every tree in its environment and targets victims from their branches. A churel often disguises its feet using magic to get closer to potential victims. Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 9, Mind 8, Spirit 8, Strength 9 Skills: Alteration 12, conjuration 10, divination 12, dodge 12, find 11, intimidation 10, maneuver 12, persuasion 13, stealth 12, taunt 14, trick 10, unarmed combat 12, willpower 10 Move: 9; Tough: 9; Shock: 8; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: Spellcaster (disguise, mage dark, pathfinder, slow, stun) Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Strength +2/11. • Cloak of Darkness: Curel gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Wallwalker: Churel can cling to walls and ceilings and move at their normal rate along such surfaces. • Undead: Churel are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

CORRUPTED TIGER Tigers stalk the horrors of Orrorsh, but when the tables turn these beasts may fall and become monsters themselves. Although now a mindless undead creature, these corpses stalk and hunt

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with the same instincts that served them as living predators. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 10, Mind 4, Spirit 8, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 11, find 8, intimidation 10, stealth 11, unarmed combat 11 Move: 10; Tough: 13; Shock: —; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: Vengeful Possibilities: None Special Abilities: — • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2/ 15. • Fear: When this creature reveals itself test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Large: Attacks against a corrupted tiger gain a +2 bonus due to its large size. • Mindless: The creature is immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathic powers. • Pounce: A corrupted tiger may leap double its movement as a simple action, but doing so leaves it Vulnerable. • Relentless: The a corrupted tiger ignores Shock. Undead: The corrupted is immune to effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

DEEP DWELLERS These hideous, deformed creatures dwell in caves of coral or rock deep beneath the sea where they gather into crude communities. From their forehead protrudes a thin, rubbery appendage with a glowing phosphorescent tip that can hypnotize prey. They have broad jaws filled with razor-like fangs, scaly hide, and webbed feet and hands, communicating

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with one another by whistling and creaking through their gills. Stories tell of a Very Large deep dweller Nightmare which could be their leader—or god. Deep dwellers view the Victorians’ attempts to colonize under the sea as a direct threat to their domain. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 9, Mind 6, Spirit 6, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 11, find 8, maneuver 11, stealth 12, trick 14, unarmed combat 12 Move: 9; Tough: 12 (2); Shock: 6; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Armor: Scaly hide +2. • Bite/Claw: Strength +2 (12). • Hypnotic Lure: Foes within 10 meters who can see the lure must test willpower or Spirit against the deep dweller’s trick or become Stymied. On a Good success the victim is Very Stymied, and on an Outstanding success the victim can take no actions, including movement. Targets may retest every round and may not be affected for the rest of the scene when successful. • Swim: Move 12 in water.

DISEMBODIED HAND A little-known occult ritual allows an occultist to bring animation back to a severed, dead hand as a grim servant. The abnormally-strong hand dutifully carries out its orders, scuttling quietly over long distances, slipping through small openings, and hiding in nooks and crannies. Disembodied hands make for excellent assassins, but some occultists keep them around as uncomplaining servants.

Attributes: Charisma 1, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit 5, Strength 7 Skills: Dodge 12, find 8, maneuver 13, stealth 13, taunt (9), trick (5), unarmed combat 13 Move: 8; Tough: 7; Shock: 5; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Automaton: Disembodied hands are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Claw: Strength +2/9. • Death Grip: Disembodied hands gain +4 to unarmed combat when attempting a Grapple. • Fear: On seeing this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Mindless: Disembodied hands are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions. • Strangler: Targets who breathe suffer 2 Shock every round while Restrained by a disembodied hand.

FAITHFUL SERVANT Every horror or Nightmare needs a minion who can attend to the rote, mundane tasks of managing an estate, allowing its master to focus on spreading fear. Faithful attendants come in many varieties, from lab assistants to butlers to guards to gravediggers, but all of them have some deformity or flaw which makes them unsettling to be around. They are not known for their intellect but their unflinching loyalty makes them invaluable to their masters. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 7, Mind 5, Spirit 7, Strength 10 Skills: Beast riding 8, find 8, intimidation 9, land vehicles 9, lockpicking 8, maneuver 10, melee weapons 9, missile

weapons 8, stealth 9, taunt 6, tracking 8, trick 6, unarmed combat 9 Move: 7; Tough: 10; Shock: 9; Wounds: 1 Equipment: Cudgel (Strength +2/12) Perks: Bodyguard, Brute, Endurance, Indomitable Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: —

GRAVESPAWN Born from the decaying body of a particularly corrupt occultist, gravespawn are stinking masses of oozing black rot that exist solely to spread horror and corruption. Most occupy a coffin or grave, but may also be festering at the bottom of a pit, in a root cellar, or other confined space. They are incapable of locomotion but are hardly defenseless, able to form short pseudopods or spray blobs at foes, and retain the eldritch powers they knew in life. Those touched by the concentrated corruption of a gravespawn can be driven mad by the spreading infection. Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 10, Spirit 10, Strength 10 Skills: Alteration 12, conjuration 12, divination 14, missile weapons 12, reality 11, scholar 13, taunt (7), trick (11), unarmed combat 12, willpower 11 Move: —; Tough: 10; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Spellcaster (disguise, fear, mage dark, possibility rend, slow, stun) Possibilities: 1 Special Abilities: • Cloak of Darkness: Gravespawn gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Corrosive Ooze: Gravespawn are composed of a mass of bubbling rot that digests living tissue. Melee attackers suffer 12 damage unless they hit with a Good result or better, and any Grappled foes suffer 12 +1BD damage each round at the beginning of the gravespawn’s turn.

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• Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Pseudopod: Strength damage only, but the sticky texture grants +4 to Grapple attempts. • Relentless: Gravespawn ignore Shock. • Undead: Immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

GRAVEYARD GHOUL These wretched creatures are quite unlike their Tharkold counterparts. Ghouls in Orrorsh are cowardly, yet crafty necrophages who haunt graveyards and charnel houses, emerging from hidden burrows at night to feast on the recentlydeparted. When the opportunity arises, ghouls are happy to attack a living target, though they always wait until the victim is deceased to begin feeding. They prefer to attack as a mob. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 8, Mind 5, Spirit 4, Strength 6 Skills: Dodge 10, find 8, intimidation 8, melee weapons 10, stealth 13, taunt 6, trick 8, unarmed combat 10 Move: 8; Tough: 6; Shock: 4; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/8. • Darkvision: Ignore up to four points of Darkness penalties. • Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Horde: Apply any bonus from a Combined Action to Damage as well as the attack itself when multiple ghouls attack a single target.

HAUNTS A Haunt is a structure with a malevolent spirit of its own. Spooky houses, abandoned gallows, and rusted old ships may all become Haunts. A Haunt can’t move, but things within seem to move under their own power. More powerful Haunts are populated by one or more Ghosts who do the controlling structure’s bidding. The structure itself

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may be damaged and even seemingly destroyed, but it always comes back unless the Locus—the heart of the structure, is found and eliminated. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 4, Mind 4, Spirit 8, Strength 14 Skills: Intimidate 18, missile weapons 8, reality 11, taunt (14) Move: —; Tough: 16 (2); Shock: —; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: 2 Special Abilities: • Armor +2: Wood or stone construction. • Construct: Haunts are structures immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Disturbance: Haunts can ghost can move or knock over objects within them. The effect is focused on a Large Blast anywhere inside. This is an missile weapons attack that deals Strength +2 (16) damage. • Fear: At a moment of the haunt’s choosing it may reveal its true nature to everyone inside. Test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Locus: Any damage done to the normal structure is temporary and cosmetic. To truly harm a Haunt one must find and destroy the Locus. The Locus may be a journal, particular piece of furniture even a body buried somewhere inside. The creature’s listed Toughness is for the Locus, and once destroyed the structure is no longer haunted and falls apart. • Minions: Haunts with Ghosts inside may roll reality to divert any hit to the Locus to one of the Ghosts instead. • Planted: Immune to Maneuver and Trick interactions. • Relentless: Haunts ignore Shock.

HUNGRY DEAD Some corpses just can’t lay still forever. These decomposing bodies animate and attack anything that moves and makes sound. Meat does them no good, but they still rend and feast as if it did. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 6, Mind 4, Spirit 6, Strength 9 Skills: Find 6, trick (6), unarmed combat 8 Move: 6; Tough: 9; Shock: —; Wounds: —

Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +1 (10) • Horde: Hungry dead usually appear in large numbers. Apply any bonus from a Combined Action to Damage as well as the attack itself when multiple dead attack a single target. • Mindless: The hungry dead are immune to intimidation and taunt interactions and telepathy powers. • Relentless: Hungry dead ignore Shock. • Undead: Hungry dead are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes.

KHANARA Sometimes called “drowners,” these water-dwelling Horror preys on swimmers, bathers, fishermen, or just those unlucky enough to stand along the bank of its lake. Gliding silently, they seize a victim with their claws, then swim downward while wrapping their lamprey-like mouth over the victim’s face to “drink” the dying breath. Attributes: Charisma 7, Dexterity 11, Mind 6, Spirit 7, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 13, find 13, intimidation 13, maneuver 15, stealth 16, taunt (7), trick (6), unarmed combat 15 Move: 15; Tough: 13; Shock: 7; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Bite/Claws: Damage Strength +2/15. Khānārā always attempts to grapple their victims, so on a Standard success they deal straight Strength damage (13), on a Good success they deal full damage (15) and restrain the target, and on an Outstanding success also make the target Vulnerable and Stymied. • Cloak of Darkness: The creature gains Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for any attacks against it. • Enhanced Senses: The creature’s enhanced sense of smell and hearing allow it to ignore Darkness penalties. • Swim: Move 15 in the water.

• Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Inhale Breath: On a turn in which its target begins Restrained, the khānārā sucks the breath out the victim’s lungs with a successful opposed Strength test. Those who have had their breath inhaled immediately begin drowning (see Torg Eternity). The khānārā continues to restrain its victim until death. • Weakness: Khānārā take 1 Shock every full round one is out of water.

OMEN BIRD Appearing as regular birds, these intelligent creatures exist solely to pick at the fraying sanity of their victim. They can speak fluently but usually prefer to repeat a single word or phrase that reminds their victim of a failure, tragedy, or trauma, returning every time they are killed or driven away. Only their chosen victim or victims can hear their “speech.” Omen birds can appear as any bird species, but typically choose crows, parrots, ravens, owls, or vultures. Attributes: Charisma 11, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit 8, Strength 2 Skills: Dodge 10, find 8, intimidation 10, taunt 15, trick 8, unarmed combat 10 Move: 8; Tough: 2; Shock: 8; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/4. • Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions, the omen bird may affect the entire party without a Multi-Action penalty. Affected heroes lose a random card from their hand. • Flight: Move 10 in the air.

POPPETS Poppets may be puppets, dolls, or anything with a similar shape which becomes inhabited by a murderous spirit. Most aren’t capable of speaking and don’t have natural weaponry, but they are talented at finding discarded cookware or sharp objects to wield as knives.

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Attributes: Charisma 6, Dexterity 8, Mind 6, Spirit 6, Strength 6 Skills: Dodge 11, intimidate 8, maneuver 11, melee weapons 11, stealth 13, taunt (9), trick (9) Move: 8; Tough: 6; Shock: 7; Wounds: — Equipment: Blade (Str +1/7 damage) Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (2). Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Construct: Haunts are structures immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Fear: Poppets are just creepy. The first time one moves test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Very Small: Attacks against poppets suffer a –4 penalty.

• Weakspot: Poppets automatically aim past any armor that doesn’t offer Full Body protection.

QUATULPI Quatulpi are created during a dark ritual in which a severed head is placed onto a crude, vaguely human-shaped framework of sticks and rope. Upon completion, the grotesque figure comes to life and can move about independently, defending the chosen site by fooling interlopers into believing them harmless, if grisly, decorations. Their movement is herky-jerky but remarkably silent. Attributes: Charisma 2, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit 5, Strength 13 Skills: Dodge 11, find 9, intimidation 9, maneuver 10, stealth 13, taunt (5), tracking 7, trick (5), unarmed combat 11 Move: 8; Tough: 13; Shock: —; Wounds: —

As horrible as possessed puppets are, they’re better than ghosts left to roam or possess people.

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Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/15. • Relentless: Quatulpi ignore Shock. • Undead: Quatulpi are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

RAKSHASA These cruel, man-eating mythological beings are known for their blue skin, multiple arms, curved fangs, and feathery wings. According to Hindu epics, the rakshasa were formed from the breath of Brahma, but were cast to Earth when they started eating their own creator. Now they are but a shadow of their legendary selves, lurking in abandoned mandir or stalking the lonely places of Orrorsh in search of humans to satisfy their cannibalistic cravings. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 10, Mind 10, Spirit 12, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 12, find 11, intimidation 16, maneuver 13, melee weapons 15, scholar 12, stealth 12, taunt 10, trick 12, unarmed combat 12, willpower 14 Move: 10; Tough: 16 (2); Shock: 14; Wounds: 2 Equipment: Longswords (Strength +3/17) Perks: Endurance, Relentless, Vengeful, Whirlwind Possibilities: Common (3) Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick hide +2. • Cloak of Darkness: The creature gains Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for any attacks against it.

• Dread: While a rakshasa is present, a Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Flight: Move 12 in the air. • Insidious: Discard a Destiny card from each target’s pool when the demon successfully performs an Approved Action. • Large: Rakshasa are nearly 3 meters tall. Attacks against them gain a +2 bonus due to its large size.

REANIMATED BEING Brought to life through a dark mixture of science and magic, these creatures are a chimera of several of its kind sewn together into a hideous patchwork monstrosity with inhuman strength. A lucky few are able to struggle against the darkness that animates them and regain some of their intelligence, but most such beings become cold, thoughtless automatons who seek to punish the world for their cursed existence. Humans are the most common subjects for reanimation. Attributes: Charisma 4, Dexterity 6, Mind 4, Spirit 5, Strength 14 Skills: Find 6, intimidation 12, melee weapons 8, taunt (4), trick (4), unarmed combat 8 Move:6 ; Tough: 16; Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Brawler, Brute, Hard to Kill Possibilities: Rare (2)

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Special Abilities: • Cloak of Darkness: The creature gains Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for any attacks against it. • Crush: Damage Strength +4 (16) against a Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest Armor value. • Fear: On first encountering this creature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • It’s Alive!: Electricity is the catalyst for a reanimated being’s existence, so any damage from an electrical source heals it of 1 Wound. • Phobia: Reanimated beings are afraid of fire and will not approach within 3 meters of an open flame. • Relentless: Reanimated beings ignore Shock.

SHADOW These devious and murderous creatures are immaterial until in the presence of a lantern, campfire, or similar isolated light source (the sun is too powerful), then they become living silhouettes cast upon any solid surface. Their favorite game is to possess the ordinary shadow cast bkursty their target and toy with their prey by moving in subtle, uncanny ways, until they tire of the game and step back out to reveal their true form—a knife-wielding killer. Shadows can harm the living by attacking their victim’s own natural shadow. Wounds sustained this way show up on the victim as if dealt by an invisible foe. Conversely, any attack which can be visibly displayed as a silhouette on the wall may harm a shadow. They are “attached” to only one light source and do not multiply in the presence of several light sources, and become harmless in darkness. Attributes: Charisma 9, Dexterity 9, Mind 8, Spirit 6, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 12, maneuver 12, melee weapons 13, stealth 16, taunt 13, trick 13, unarmed combat 13 Move: 9; Tough: 8; Shock: 6; Wounds: — Equipment: Knife (Strength +2/10) Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Ethereal: Shadows are ethereal in the absence of light, unable to interact with the physical world.

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They may move through walls and solid objects, and are immune to physical attacks unless the weapon is magical or has a property that allows it to affect ethereal beings. Magic, miracles, and psionic powers affect ethereal beings normally. • Restrained Movement: Shadows may only move on solid vertical surfaces that are within 10 meters of the light source. They require at least Dim lighting to manifest.

SHADOW BATS These parasitic creatures are commonly mistaken for bats due to their jagged, crescent-like shape and burning white eyes, but are beings of darkness. They feed off the aura of despair where tragedies occurred, so are often found around moldering skeletons of murder victims, crash sites, or abandoned houses with troubled histories. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 9, Mind 5, Spirit 9, Strength 4 Skills: Dodge 11, find 10, intimidation 10, maneuver 12, stealth 13, trick (9), unarmed combat 10. Move: 9; Tough: 4; Shock: —; Wounds: — Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/6. • Flight: Move 10 in the air. • Relentless: Shadow bats ignore Shock. • Undead: Shadow bats are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

SKINWALKER Skinwalkers are foul creatures capable of assuming the identities of those they murder. In their natural form they appear as blood-soaked skeletons with intact eyes and internal organs. They prefer to catch targets unawares, killing them in private and then peeling off their skin and wearing it like a grisly costume. By eating the brain, the skinwalker gains access to all the victim’s memories and mannerisms, allowing them to masquerade for quite a while as that person. During this time they single out their next victim and repeat the process. Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 9, Mind 8, Spirit 7, Strength 10

Skills: Dodge 10, find 11, maneuver 10, persuasion 15, scholar 9, stealth 13, streetwise 12, taunt 12, trick 13, unarmed combat 14 Move: 9; Tough: 10; Shock: 7; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Rare (2) Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/12. • Cloak of Darkness: The creature gains Toughness equal to the darkness penalty for any attacks against it. • Fear: When a skinwalker’s true identity is revealed test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Imitation of Life: Skinwalkers gain a +4 on Mindbased tests for knowledge pertaining to their stolen identity. However, they do not gain any of their victim’s skills, Perks, or other abilities. • Paralyze: Instead of Bonus dice from damage, a skinwalker’s bite or claw attack transfers a paralyzing toxin. Targets must test Strength at -2 (or -4 on an Outstanding result) or become Restrained.

VAMPIRE (MASTER) A Master Vampire has grown in strength and power and represents a major threat. These creatures are nearly always Reality-rated and have developed strong mental powers. Weaker vampires and mortal servants bow to a master’s whims and protect the lord or lady with their lives (or un-lives). Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 12, Mind 10, Spirit 12, Strength 14 Skills: Dodge 16, find 11, maneuver 14, reality 14, stealth 14, tracking 12, taunt 12, telepathy 16, trick 12, unarmed combat 16 Move: 14; Tough: 14; Shock: 14; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Endurance, Psionic (Cloud Mind, Confusion, Mind Control) Possibilities: 3. Special Abilities: • Allergies: Sunlight causes 10+1BD damage each round. • Bite: Damage Strength +2 (16) against a Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest Armor value. Shock and Wounds dealt by a bite are recovered by the vampire.

• Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes Favored once a Vampire deals a Wound. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (16). • Cloak of Darkness: Vampires gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Minions: Master Vampires may roll reality to divert any hit to a nearby Vampire or mortal minion. • Undead: Vampires are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Wallwalker: Vampires can cling to walls and ceilings and move at their normal rate along such surfaces.

VAMPIRE Vampires are vile creatures cursed to an eternal unlife of draining the life force from others through their blood. In a way Vampires are more advanced specimens of Hungry Corpses. Some Vampires are solitary hunters, but most cluster together and feed as a team. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 10, Mind 8, Spirit 8, Strength 10 Skills: Dodge 14, find 11, maneuver 12, stealth 12, tracking 10, taunt 10, trick 10, unarmed combat 14 Move: 10; Tough: 10; Shock: 8; Wounds: 1 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Allergies: Sunlight causes 10+1BD damage each round. • Bite: Damage Strength +2 (12) against a Grappled foe. Automatically hits the lowest Armor value. Shock and Wounds dealt by a bite are recovered by the vampire. • Blood Sense: Tracking against a target becomes Favored once a Vampire deals a Wound. • Claws: Damage Strength +2 (12). • Cloak of Darkness: Vampires gain a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Undead: Vampires are immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Wallwalker: Vampires can cling to walls and ceilings and move at their normal rate along such surfaces.

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VAMPIRE MIST

VERMIN SWARM

Indistinguishable from an ordinary fog bank, a vampire mist is a patch of sentient, hungry haze which drifts silently along empty city streets or shorelines at night. It envelops an unsuspecting victim and drains them of their blood, leaving behind a shriveled husk. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 3, Mind 8, Spirit 10, Strength 1 Skills: Find 11, stealth 12, tracking 9, trick (9), unarmed combat 10 Move: 3; Tough: 1; Shock: 10; Wounds: 2 Equipment: — Perks: Strong-Willed Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Allergy: Fire-based attacks deal damage as normal. A vampire mist will not approach within 3 meters of an open flame. • Cloak of Darkness: A vampire mist gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Drain: Once per turn the vampire mist may attack each target it is in contact with without taking a Multi-Targeting penalty. A hit inflicts damage 12 that affects the target’s weakest Armor. Shock and Wounds dealt by this way are recovered by the vampire mist. • Immaterial: Immune to physical attacks unless the weapon is magical. Magic, miracles, and psionic powers work normally. • Suffocate: Each round, a creature in contact with a vampire mist automatically takes 3 Shock at the start of their turn. • Undead: Immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes. • Very Large: A vampire mist normally occupies a roughly-spherical area 6 meters across, but can adjust its shape as needed. Attacks against it gain a +4 bonus.

While generally harmless, horrors often control large numbers of vermin (bats, biting flies, rats, and the like) to bedevil monster hunters or protect a lair. Attributes: Charisma 5, Dexterity 7, Mind 4, Spirit 7, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 9, find 9, maneuver 11, stealth 9, tracking 8, trick (9), unarmed combat 12 Move: 7; Tough: 8; Shock: 12; Wounds: 4 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: Never Special Abilities: • Bite/Claw: Each round, a creature in contact with a swarm automatically takes 3 Shock at the start of their turn. • Flight: Swarms capable of flight move 8 in the air. • Shred: Once per turn the swarm may attack each target it is in contact with without taking a MultiTargeting penalty. A hit inflicts damage 12 that affects the target’s weakest Armor. • Swarm: Unarmed attacks and crushing weapons deal base damage normally, as do area of effect attacks. Blades, bullets, or weapons that can’t hit dozens of creatures at once deal no damage at all.

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NIGHTMARES BLOODY MARY Mary Beale was a young woman who joined a Sacellum convent back on Gaea. She was shy, clumsy, and meek, so before long found herself the target of bullying by some of the other sisters. The abuse escalated until one day Mary snapped and threw one of her tormentors from the bell tower. Mother Superior, unable or unwilling to believe such mistreatment had happened, singled Mary out for punishments which themselves became habitual and abusive. A sort of corruption had caught hold of the convent, and by the time their cruelties finally became lethal, Mary was a chained captive who was subject to near-constant sanctioned torture on the part of every nun in the convent. Her anguish and rage animated her spirit after her death. Appearing as a ghostly nun in all white, blood coursing down her face and chest from the

crown of thorns she wore as she died, Mary stalked the convent, immune to the pleas for forgiveness by her former tormentors as she enacted her vengeance. Even now, after she has killed the last of her guilty sisters, Mary’s tainted soul cannot rest. She harbors an unquenchable rage against the Sacellum itself. She seeks out the church’s most beloved leaders for further bloodshed. Habit: Learn that Bloody Mary targets influential Sacellum leaders in order to weaken the church. Origin: Discover the tragic story of Bloody Mary’s abuse at the hands of her entire convent. Token: Acquire Mary’s original rosary and use it to remind her of her vows. True Death: Trap Bloody Mary on Sacellum holy ground until the next sunrise. Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 7, Mind 10, Spirit 15, Strength 8 Skills: Find 12, intimidation 20, reality 18, taunt 15, trick 12, willpower 18 Move: 7; Tough: 6; Shock: 15; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: — Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Cloak of Darkness: Bloody Mary gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Ethereal: Bloody Mary may move through walls and solid objects, and is immune to physical attacks unless the weapon is magical or has a property that allows it to affect ethereal beings. Magic, miracles, and psionic powers affect ethereal beings normally. • Fear: On first encountering Bloody Mary a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Spiritual Destruction: Damage value 15. Bloody Mary makes an intimidation attack against the faith or willpower of one target she can see within 10 meters. The resulting damage is lethal.

THE CANDY-MAN All Lionel Morris wanted in life was to follow in the footsteps of his father, a successful candy maker in Gaean London. After the death of his mother and father a host of debtors came out of the woodwork and soon Lionel was destitute. He

started manufacturing candies out of his basement and used his personal savings to buy a vendor’s cart to sell them at carnivals. But this venture came to a tragic end when a serial killer claimed the lives of several children attending carnivals, and the parents became convinced Lionel was the culprit. They caught him late one night returning home and tortured him in his basement candy lab for hours, demanding a confession. When none came they drowned him in a kettle of molten chocolate. Afterward, the killings stopped. Turns out the distraught parents had been right all along. But their actions created the Candy-Man, a Nightmare which preys on children. He appears just as he did in life—a portly, middle-aged man in a Vaudevillestriped suit and white straw hat — but his eyes are not visible behind the gleaming lenses of his glasses, and the inside of his mouth is stained candy-red. The Candy-Man lures his victims to a secluded place to do his murderous work. Origin: Learn about Lionel Morris’ history and the murderous scene which created him. Habit: Discover that the Candy-Man only targets children who are out of sight of their parents in a public space. True Death: The Candy-Man must die at the hands of a child. Attributes: Charisma 12, Dexterity 8, Mind 10, Spirit 12, Strength 8 Skills: Dodge 10, find 15, persuasion 15, reality 14, scholar 12, science 12, stealth 9, streetwise 14, taunt 13, trick 13, unarmed combat 13 Move: 8; Tough: 8; Shock: 12; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Knife (Strength +2/10), candy (those who eat a piece are at -4 to resist persuasion tests until the end of the scene) Perks: — Possibilities: 2 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Cloak of Darkness: The Candy-Man gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Tempt: The Candy-Man makes a persuasion test against the target’s willpower or Mind who can hear him. Apply a -4 penalty if the target is in a hostile state (such as combat). On a Standard

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success the Candy-Man can control the target’s actions until the end of the target’s next turn, for one minute on a Good success, or until the end of the current scene on an Outstanding success. If the Candy-Man loses the contest, the target cannot be affected for the rest of the scene. If asked to do something drastically against his nature the target gets an immediate willpower or Mind test to resist. • Undead: Immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

Link: Discover Dorothy’s history as a carnie, and lure her to a carnival to remind her of her human past.

DOLLY

Attributes: Charisma 10, Dexterity 7, Mind 8, Spirit 9, Strength 4 Skills: Alteration 14, divination 15, dodge 13, find 13, intimidation 10, lockpicking 12, maneuver 14, melee weapons 13, persuasion 15, reality 12, stealth 13, unarmed combat 13 Move: 7; Tough: 4; Shock: —; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Knife (Strength +1/5) Perks: Spellcaster (alarm, diminish, enhance, fear, mage dark, slow), Strong-Willed Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Ambush: Surprise attacks deal +4 damage. • Automaton: Dolly is immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Cloak of Darkness: Dolly gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Fear: On first discovering Dolly’s true nature a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Very Small: In any form, Dolly is no larger than a toddler. Attacks against her suffer a –4 penalty.

Sometimes horror comes in small packages. The Nightmare named Dolly is a malevolent spirit that possesses children’s dolls or stuffed animals, gradually revealing her true nature to a select child to guide them toward corruption—even murder. She uses different names to cover her tracks, like Patricia or Teddy, but always answers to “Dolly.” Dolly was once a Gaean drifter named Dorothy Stokes. The untimely death of her parents in a house fire left her a ward of the state, but a combination of her burn scars and a soulless look in her eyes from the untreated trauma caused potential adoptive parents to pass her over time and again. She became aloof and quiet, spending her hours reading books on the occult. By the time she was released as an adult, her mental state had completely unraveled. She found work where she could get it, finally becoming a carnie for a traveling amusement show. There she found a perverse joy in convincing children to steal, cheat, or lie to their unsuspecting parents, then watching the child be disciplined by adults who refused to believe the child’s protests about being set up. Over time she chased even bigger thrills, first convincing otherwise happy children to run away, then eventually talking them into murdering their own friends. She was caught by an angry mother who confronted and killed Dorothy in a carnival booth. But by that point corruption had taken a deep hold over Dorothy’s soul. It was transferred into a stuffed tiger prize, which allowed her to track down her killer and convince the woman’s child to exact revenge. Ever since then she has jumped from toy to toy, spreading corruption to the children of Orrorsh.

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Origin: Learn that Dorothy was orphaned after a house fire and locate a painting of her mother and father. Token: Locate Dorothy’s sole memento during her years in the orphanage, a locket from her mother and father. True Death: Remove all her stuffing and replace it with soil from a graveyard.

THE HEADHUNTER The wretched Nightmare called “The Headhunter” was once a promising young doctor named Ravi Chakravarti who based his practice in a small rural town. After the invasion, Ravi noticed a sudden increase in patients with bizarre maladies and manias. Unfortunately, the town was situated near the chateau of Dr. Wilhelm Sconce, who was using his newest laboratory to run new experiments on the local populace. Ravi organized a group of townsfolk to help him pin down the source of the maladies. The mad doctor took umbrage at Ravi’s prying,

finally setting a trap to lure him to the chateau on false pretenses. There, he and his manservant Edgar treated Ravi to a sumptuous meal after which Sconce wheeled in the pièce de résistance: the heads of all seven townsfolk aiding Ravi’s investigation. But this revelation came too late—the food was poisoned! He died right there at the dinner table. When Ravi awoke he was strapped to a table in Dr. Sconce’s lab, the subject of a new experiment in human amalgamation in which his friends’ heads were surgically grafted onto his reanimated body. He burst his bonds and ran for freedom, finding his way into the forest. Now he lives a life of miserable solitude. He has little memory of his former life, just a sense of something missing, a powerful yearning for companionship—and an aching need to collect heads to add to his body. Since the attached heads gradually decay and must be replaced, every few days he seeks out a new victim. His many heads rip apart the body in a grisly feast, after which he pulls off his oldest, weakest head and replaces it with that of the corpse. The head “awakens,” eyes darting here and there as it gibbers in horror. Each new head gives Ravi a temporary surge of awareness, and he rediscovers anew the existential horror of his situation. But this awareness fades slowly until, before long, he becomes the wretched hunting monstrosity once more. Origin: Learn that the Headhunter was once a rural doctor named Ravi Chakravarti and tell him about this identity. Link: Discover that the Headhunter was killed by Dr. Wilhelm Sconce, then reanimated in the lab by stitching the heads of several of Ravi’s friends to his body. Desire: Acquire proof that Ravi was once a doctor who wanted to help heal the sick and injured. True Death: Remove Ravi’s head after having first cut off all the other heads. Attributes: Charisma 8, Dexterity 8, Mind 7, Spirit 10, Strength 12 Skills: Find 12, first aid 11, intimidation 16, medicine 10, reality 13, science 10, stealth 9, survival 9, taunt 9, tracking 9, trick 8, unarmed combat 14 Move: 8; Tough: 12; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: — Perks: Brawler, Relentless

Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Automaton: The Headhunter is immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Bite/Claw: Strength +4/16. • Cloak of Darkness: The Headhunter gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Fear: On first encountering The Headhunter a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Head-Stealer: The Headhunter may attach a recently-severed head onto his own body as an action (freeing up space, if needed). He gains +3 Mind any special knowledge possessed by that head for 24 hours. • Nine Heads: Aside from his own head, the Headhunter has up to nine heads attached all around its torso at any given time. The Headhunter is Favored on find tests.

KURST Kurst once had another name, when he was the alpha leader of his home cosm, Gorhagah, a world where lycanthropes comprised the aristocracy and reigned over the human peasants. But Gorhagah had the misfortune of being the Gaunt Man’s first conquest. With the help of some treacherous fellow lycanthropes, the Gaunt Man defeated and enslaved Dairoga and renamed him Kurst, then drained Gorhagah of every last Possibility and let it die. As the last surviving member of his world, Kurst is one of the Gaunt Man’s longest-serving (and longest-suffering) Nightmares, having joined his master on uncountable invasions. Perhaps out of punishment for holding out for his own kind for so long, the Gaunt Man never rewarded Kurst with the power and privilege afforded other Nightmares, instead using him for simple assassination jobs or guard duties, and sometimes even gifting him for a time to other Nightmares to use as they please. These centuries of ill-treatment have started to rekindle Kurst’s latent rage against the Gaunt Man. Link: Identify that he was once Dairoga, the shapeshifter High Lord of Gorhagah. Habit: Learn that Kurst prefers to give prey a sporting chance.

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Not all werewolves are created equal.

Desire: Discover that Kurst yearns to once more be part of a pack. Token: Locate the totem necklace of his former “lifemate” on Gorhagah, Ayroa, currently lost and forgotten somewhere in Illmound Keep. True Death: Once his origins are revealed Kurst’s heart must be removed and devoured, as was the tradition back on Gorhagah. Attributes: Charisma 11, Dexterity 16, Mind 9, Spirit 15, Strength 16 Skills: Beast riding 17, dodge 18, evidence analysis 12, find 16, first aid 10, intimidation 18, maneuver 18, persuasion 13, reality 18, scholar 10, stealth 19, survival 15, taunt 15, tracking 17, trick 12, unarmed combat 19, willpower 16 Move: 16; Tough: 19(3); Shock: 17; Wounds: 4 Equipment: —

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Perks: Brawler, Endurance, Hard to Kill, Retaliation, Vengeful, Whirlwind Possibilities: 4 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Armor: Thick furry hide +3 (beast form only) • Bite/Claw: Strength +2/22 (beast form only). • Cloak of Darkness: Kurst gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Dread: While Kurst is in his beast form, a Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear: The first time a character encounters Kurst in an act, he must make a Spirit test or become Very Stymied. • Lycanthrope: Silver weapons deal +4 damage against Kurst. Wounds inflicted by other types of weapons automatically heal at the end of each scene.

• Special Savagery: While in beast form, Kurst gains a +2 to Strength. Kurst is old enough to have partially mastered his animal nature, even in beast form, so he is not subject to the forced movement and attacks more common among younger werewolves.

RASHNAYA One of the most evil Nightmares in Orrorsh comes in a surprising package. Rashnaya is a poisonous spirit that takes the form of a young girl in order to play upon the sympathies of adults and other children, manipulating them into committing corrupt acts—or simply destroying their lives. Rashnaya started life 200 years ago as Rashida Anaya, a young girl on the Caribbean island of Sainte-Élise on Monde. From birth she was constantly accused of being a wicked sinner by her overlypious mother and of being devious by her paranoid father. As a result she grew into the underhanded person they convinced her she was, concocting one scheme after another while arranging things so one of her peers would look guilty. Entering adulthood, she worked her way to the mainland and brought her natural talent for scheming with her. But all that came to an end when the Gaunt Man invaded Monde. Rashida found her tactics were harder and harder to pull off in a world whose economic and social prosperity was crippled by fear. The invaders brought with them the answer to her problem: Dark magic. Rashida sought out an occultist, a bent and twisted crone who lived in the backcountry, who granted Rashida’s wish to always seem innocent. But the ritual came with a hefty price. As Rashida’s scams became more and more successful, corruption took root. Her age slowed down and then reversed, until before long she once more looked like a child 20 years her junior. From the waist down her legs were replaced with the glistening body of a huge maggot —Orrorsh’s own sardonic sense of symbolism, perhaps. Rashida, now calling herself Rashnaya, can disguise her true form, and even change her entire physical appearance, although she can never be seen as anything other than a child, a fact that eats at her every day. Origin: Discover that Rashnaya corrupted her soul through an occult ritual to become permanently “innocent.”

Link: Learn Rashnaya’s original name and place of birth. Desire: Understand Rashnaya’s overwhelming yearning to be seen as innocent as a way of fighting against her parents’ psychological manipulations. True Death: Rashnaya must be immobilized then forced to gaze at her own reflection for one minute. Attributes: Charisma 13, Dexterity 7, Mind 12, Spirit 10, Strength 5 Skills: Dodge 10, evidence analysis 14, find 14, lockpicking 11, maneuver 8, melee weapons 10, persuasion 17, reality 14, stealth 14, streetwise 16, taunt 17, trick 15, unarmed combat 10, willpower 13 Move: 7; Tough: 5; Shock: 10; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Stuffed doll Perks: Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Cloak of Darkness: Rashnaya gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Disguise: As an action, Rashnaya may completely change her physical appearance, including clothing and other accessories, as long as the chosen form is a young human female. She may copy a specific person she has observed (or seen in a high-quality painting or photo), but interactions with those who know that person might still require persuasion tests. • Fear: Those who see Rashnaya’s true form must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Gloater: When taunt or intimidation are Approved Actions, Rashnaya may affect the entire party without a Multi-Action penalty. Affected heroes lose a random card from their hand.

SAANVI BANERJEE The wealthy socialites of Orrorsh’s upper crust often believe their station and wealth shields them from that realm’s worst horrors. They couldn’t imagine that a Nightmare walks among them. Once the daughter of a successful land developer, Saanvi Banerjee was accustomed to the privileged life before the invasion of Orrorsh, but even after transformation she found it surprisingly easy to slip into Victorian high society. She hobnobbed with Gaean generals, attended the best soirees, and used her existing wealth to cement her position in

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this new world. But her father, all too aware of the parallels with India’s colonial past, did not approve of business arrangements with foreigners and forbade Saanvi from any further fraternization. By this time Saanvi had caught the attention of a dashing young entrepreneur named Jack Cowles— secretly a thief who posed as an aristocrat to case for potential targets. He and Saanvi began an illicit love affair which culminated in the two of them scheming to steal his father’s money. Her father caught Saanvi cleaning out the safe and struck her, and in a sudden rage she choked the life out of him right there in his office. Money in hand, she returned to her lover only to have Jack slit her throat and make off with the money. Rising, confused and burning with rage, Saanvi tracked down Jack and choked him to death in an alley. As his soul issued from his body, Saanvi breathed it in, feeling it rejuvenate her. It was only then that she realized she was dead — the huge gash opening up her throat being a sure giveaway. She stitched it closed with gold-colored thread and covered it up with a choker, then returned to her beloved high society as though nothing was amiss. Now, however, she finds she must murder someone and consume their soul every week to hold off the inevitable decay of her undead body. Origin: Learn that Saanvi killed her own father while attempting to steal their family fortune. Link: Acquire a photograph, painting, or other likeness of Saanvi’s father and show it to her. Token: Locate the love letter Jack wrote to Saanvi, then read a passage from it while confronting her. True Death: Remove the golden threads holding her severed head to her neck. Attributes: Charisma 12, Dexterity 8, Mind 9, Spirit 9, Strength 8 Skills: Beast riding 10, dodge 10, evidence analysis 11, find 14, intimidation 11, melee weapons 13, persuasion 18, reality 13, scholar 12, stealth 10, streetwise 14, taunt 16, trick 11, unarmed combat 10, willpower 12 Move: 8; Tough: 8; Shock: 9; Wounds: 3 Equipment: Dagger (Strength +1/9, Small) Perks: Bolster, Helper, Linguist, Rally, Wealthy Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities:

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• Cloak of Darkness: Saanvi gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty. • Soul Eater: Saanvi heals 1 Wound and recovers all Shock if she is adjacent to any human (or humanoid) which dies due to a failed Defeat test. • Undead: Immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living” processes.

STRAWHEAD Strawhead is unlike most other Nightmares. It exists only for a short time, summoned to exact vengeance by those who believe they have been wronged. But the price for Strawhead’s service is always steep. Calling forth Strawhead requires a ritual known only to a few occultists and documented in very rare texts. The petitioner must craft a small humanshaped figure out of bundles of sticks and straw. On strips of cloth she must draw a series of arcane symbols and bind the idol’s head with the fabric, then “feed” the figure her own blood (this causes Fatigue) while visualizing the intended target or targets. The petitioner is automatically corrupted and loses a point of Charisma. Strawhead then forms itself somewhere nearby and sets forth to track and slay the target. It has no qualms about killing those who get in its way, though it prefers to remain fixated on its prey and avoid conflict when possible. If Strawhead is Defeated before its task is complete, it simply reforms from another pile of suitable material nearby. Every life Strawhead takes forces the petitioner to make another Corruption test. When the last target is deceased, Strawhead simply falls apart into a loose pile of sticks and blows away. Strawhead has existed for decades, maybe centuries, but few know he has a human origin. He was once Bert Torvald, a simpleton who tended a farm in a long-forgotten world that fell to the Gaunt Man. When a young innskeeper’s daughter was found murdered in a barn, the entire village seized their pitchforks and hunting dogs, convinced Bert was the culprit. In a rare stroke of cleverness, Bert put a burlap sack over his head and stuffed his clothes with straw, then propped himself on a pole in the field to pose as a scarecrow. The dogs weren’t fooled, and soon the entire town surrounded Bert. He pleaded his innocence as they took turns

stabbing him over and over. On the following night, the blood-soaked straw from his disguise gathered together into a human-shaped figure and stalked the town, one by one killing everyone who had stabbed him and sparing those who hadn’t. Before long the legend of “straw head” spread across the countryside and his spirit, long since having forgotten its human origin, became a demon of vengeance. Link: Learn the story of Bert Torvald’s brutal death and his subsequent return for revenge from beyond the grave. Origin: Figure out who has summoned him this time and kill them (this requires a Corruption test) before Strawhead completes its task.

• Dread: While Strawhead is present, a Standard Scene becomes a Dramatic Scene instead. • Fear: On first encountering Strawhead a hero must test willpower or Spirit or become Very Stymied. • Large: Strawhead stands nearly three meters tall. Attacks against it gain a +2 bonus. • Perfect Tracking: Strawhead always knows the exact location of its summoned target without roll, as long as that target is in the same cosm. • Relentless: Strawhead ignores Shock. • Weakness: As a walking pile of sticks and straw, Strawhead automatically takes an additional +1BD from any fire damage.

Token: Show Strawhead the blood-soaked straw idol which summoned it. True Death: Burned on a pyre along with the body of Strawhead’s most recent petitioner. Attributes: Charisma 3, Dexterity 8, Mind 3, Spirit 9, Strength 15 Skills: Dodge 13, find 8, intimidation 14, reality 13, stealth 9, tracking 8, trick (8), unarmed combat 15 Move: 8; Tough: 15; Shock: —; Wounds: 5 Equipment: — Perks: Brawler, Brute, Hard to Kill, Vengeful Possibilities: 3 (Nightmare) Special Abilities: • Automaton: Strawhead is immune to poison and other effects that require breathing, eating, or other “living“ processes. • Bite/Claw: Strength +4/19. • Cloak of Darkness: Strawhead gains a bonus to Toughness equal to the current Darkness penalty.

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INDEX A

J

Adventure Seeds 113 Ahjebax 81 Alexandra Plundell 105 Alhambrans 109 Annette Mundi 106 Avery Wellington 82 Axioms 84

Jack Punch 82 Jezrael 66

B Bangalore 47 Bangladesh 52 Baruk Kaah 65 Basjas 81 Bleeds 91 Clocks 91 Faces 93 Home Skies 94 Manners 98 Reflections 97 Train wreck 100 C Channing 109 Chennai 45 Corruption 15, 88 D Dark Rituals 24 Deceivers 53 Delhi 53 Delphi Council 102 Dr. Ravi Bhutrupali 105 Dr. Wilhelm Sconce 82 E Empowering Spells 23 Ezekiel Wright 83 G Ganges 54 Gauls 58 Gear Armor 39 General Gear 37 Magic Items 36 Vehicles 41 Weapons 40 H Heketon 66 Holidays 8 Horrors 72 I Illmound Keep 45 Indigenas 58 Investigation 73

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Pure 18 Puritan 14 Retaliation 18 Righteous Staff 14 Ritualist 19 Sacellum Chaplain 14 Sacred Weapon 18 Spirit Nemesis 14 Steady On 14 Tea Master 19 Twilight Magic 19 Unstable Mixture 18 Unyielding 18 Vampire 12 Vial Bandoleer 18 Werewolf 13

K Kahsmir 50 Kanawa 65 Karachi 50 Kolkata 55 L Lahore 50 Languages 49 M Madurai 46 Malraux 64 Manfred Markesan 81 Manners 7 Miracles 33 Mobius 65 Monsoons 53 Mumbai 48 Mustafa Singh 106 Myanmar 55 Mysore 48 N Nepal 56 Nightmare Generator 114 Nightmares 72 Nightmare Trees 69 O

Q Quinn Sebastian 66 R Raharjo 106 Rail Connections 55 Rajani 58 Ravagons 76 Religions 8 Romans 58 S Sacellum 30 Skutharka 82 Spells 20 Sri Lanka 46 Stelae 68

T Occultists 21 The Gaunt Man 60, 63 Orphea 81 Orrorsh Possibility Energy 43 The Hellion Court 80 The Law of Catharsis 89 The Law of Eternal CorrupP tion 87 Pakistan 50 The Law of Fear 88 Parok 81 The Law of Perseverance 88 Perks 10 The Law of the Uncanny 90 Alchemy 15 The Law of True Death 89 Anchored 10 Themes 110 Austere 13 Thratchen 66 Brave 18 Threats Brighten the Light 14 Albert Isley 101 Bulletsmith Shells 16 Animated Object 125 Cloak of Darkness 12 Bhoot 125 Customized Slayer’s Gun 16 Blood Monkey 126 Demonic Form 17 Bloodthorn 126 Divine Judgment 14 Bloody Mary 136 Doomed 10 Chedipe 127 Even in Death 14 Churel 127 Ghost 12 Corrupted Tiger 127 Guardian Angel 18 Death Cultist 124 Imp 17 Deep Dwellers 128 Macabre 19 Disembodied Hand 128 Martyr 11 Dolly 138 Medals 17 Eon Ancestral Spirit 92 Monster Slayer 18

Faithful Servant 129 Fallen Magi 124 Gravespawn 129 Graveyard Ghoul 130 Haunts 130 Hungry Dead 130 Imp 17 James Farthington 101 Jonas Fuller 74 Khanara 131 Kochi 75 Kurst 139 Occultist 124 Omen Bird 131 Orrorsh Gospog of the Fifth Planting 123 Orrorsh Gospog of the Fourth Planting 122 Orrorsh Gospog of the Second Planting 120 Orrorsh Gospog of the Third Planting 122 Parok 78 Patchquilt Man 96 Poppets 131 Quatulpi 132 Rakshasa 133 Rashnaya 141 Reanimated Being 133 Saanvi Banerjee 141 Sacellum Priest 124 Serial Killer 125 Shadow 134 Shadow Bats 134 Shaiga 80 Skinwalker 134 Spiderlegs 97 Strawhead 142 The Candy-Man 137 The Cowls 97 The Headhunter 138 Turang 80 Vampire 135 Vampire (Master) 135 Vampire Mist 136 Verini Wraith 93 Vermin Swarm 136 WereGhast Calumae 98 Timeline Events 9 Trachelsteph 82 True Death 72 Twilight Magic 21 U Udaipur 51 Uthorion 64 V Victorians 57 Vinutha Patel 105 X Xulrath 83

FEAR WILL CONSUME YOU... Orrorsh is the realm of gothic horror. Cultivated and perfected by the Gaunt Man, Orrorsh is without doubt the most dangerous of the invading cosms. The Nightmares of Orrorsh now stalk and prey upon ords and Storm Knights both. Orrorsh invaded India and surrounding countries, spreading like an infection in the Night of Screams. Since then, the realm has barely expanded, but its zones are turning Pure. Now the Hellion Court work towards furthering the Gaunt Man’s sinister plot to drain Core Earth of its Possibility Energy, as he has done to countless cosms before. Corruption tempts those with power and the Gaunt Man is always delighted to turn a hero into a villain. You play the heroes of this gothic horror realm. Detectives, occultists, monster slayers, Sacellum priests, and even those Cursed to be monsters themselves attempt to thwart the evil plans of the Gaunt Man and stop him from becoming the TORG.

INSIDE YOU’LL FIND: •  New Perks, Spells, Miracles, and gear for players. •  New Threats and foes to encounter, including Nightmares, which can regenerate Possibility Energy. •  Details of the Warzones within Orrorsh and Ravagons, savage beings loyal to the Gaunt Man. •  Plot hooks and events from the   first year of the Possibility Wars. UlissesNorthAmerica.com

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This game requires the Torg Eternity Core Rules and Drama Deck to play.