According to this book, the thin veneer of civilization is a perversion of the natural order of humanity. We are born as beasts, and it is only by returning to the way of the beast that truth and purity can be found.

In short, the book is a cult manual for the Brotherhood of the Beast – which also refers to itself as the Brood of the Beast.

The core ethos of the cult is complicated in its worship of Ravvan – a chaos god they revere as the True Beast or the Beast Without Shadow. They believe that they can hear the words of Ravvan – the “whisper of the Beast” – in their souls. By surrendering to the guidance of the Beast, the members of the cult experience a religious ecstasy.

Chaotic Possession
Enchantment (Compulsion) [Chaotic, Mind-Affecting]
Level: Clr 6
Components: V, S, F
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: See text
Saving Throw: Will negates (see text)
Spell Resistance: Yes

You cause a chaotic spiritual entity (often a demon) to inhabit the target for a time. Left to its own devices, the entity usually takes control of the target immediately, causing him to commit chaotic (and usually) evil actions. The target falls under the complete control of the DM. When the entity causes the target to commit an act he would normally never do—attack a comrade, commit a crime, and so forth—the target gets to make a new saving throw to cast out the entity. He remains possessed until he manages to succeed at a save

to cast out the possessor. The caster can give the entity one suggestion that it automatically must obey. Sometimes this involves an action to take place much later; until that time, the entity lies quietly dormant within the target. In such a case, the target has no indication that he is possessed.

Banishment, dismissal, dispel evil, or any other exorcism-type effect immediately rids the target of the controlling entity. Protection from evil does not help, however, because the entity is within the subject. Dispel magic has no effect. The target suffers a –2 luck penalty to the saving throw if he currently (knowingly) has any chaositech in his possession.

MONSTER GOD’S MARK

You have been marked as one of the god of monster’s favored minions.

Prerequisites: Con 13, god of monsters as patron deity.

Benefit: Your abdomen bears several ugly scars, as if your belly had been torn open by a clawed hand. The Monster God’s Mark identifies you as favored of this god, and if it is visible, you gain a +2 bonus on Intimidate checks but a –2 penalty on Diplomacy checks.

Once per day as a free action, you may invoke this god’s name as you strike a non-evil foe with any melee attack. As you do, you cause the creature struck to become deformed in some hideous manner (cloven hoof, horns, forked tongues, and vestigal limbs like wings and tails are common deformities). The deformity imparts a penalty of 1d4 points to the target’s Charisma score for 1 hour; the target can resist this effect by making a Fortitude save (DC 10 + your character level + your Charisma modifier). The physical deformity vanishes as soon as the Charisma penalty fades.

Any offspring you sire or give birth to gain the fiendish template.

Some material on this page is covered by the Open Gaming License.

Back to Chaos Lorebooks

It’s like starving yourself for three days, and then eating a pecan. Kiraz makes you hungry for information, but leaves you unsatisfied when all is said and done.

Review Originally Published October 10th, 2001

Kiraz: The Lost City is the second adventure in the In Search of Panaga trilogy of modules. However, it is also a sourcebook for the lost dwarven city of Kiraz. As Crossby writes in his preface:

It was like this: Columbia wanted me to do Kiraz, and I wanted to complete the next volume of In Search of Panaga. Both modules were late. So, I thought, why not set the Horns of Ikarus in the Lost City?

I am largely unqualified to review the adventure portion of this product: I do not own either the first or third parts of the trilogy. However, I don’t feel this is a major impediment, because the bulk of the book is the sourcebook for Kiraz. And, in fact, the reason I bought the book to begin with was for the Kiraz source material.

Kiraz: The Lost City is comprised of three articles/modules: Kiraz (14 pages), Ushet (4 pages), and Horns of Ikaras (5 pages). There are also two pages of full-color illustrations (maps of the areas surrounding Ushet and Kiraz, as well as visuals of the entrances to each of them which can be shown to the players). There are also two blank pages labelled “GM Notes”.

KIRAZ

Kiraz is the oldest dwarven citadel in Hârn. A massive complex, it was once the pinnacle of dwarven civilization. Roughly six hundred years ago, however, Lothrim the Foulspawner laid siege to the city with his army of orcs. Kiraz fell.

Although the dwarves had their final vengeance upon Lothrim, the halls of Kiraz were sealed away forever – a grim reminder of the dark memories which were forged there. Today most of the halls stand deserted, although some of the lower levels have been broken into by orcs.

This section is really the core of the book: Brief detail is given of Kiraz’ history and the current area around the ancient city (3 pages). A cut-away map of the entire complex is given, along with a one-page summary of the major features of the city (2 more pages). After this one page summaries and maps are presented for several major areas of the city:

The High Halls: The Great Hall of Kiraz, the Royal Apartments, the Council Chamber – the High Halls once housed the royal family and government of the city.

Gallreda Complex: A residence for officers of the royal government. This includes the Hall of Galreda and the Hall of Zelanthu.

West Gate: The primary point of entrance to the city.

Ranzad Complex: The largest cavern in Kiraz, this was the marketplace and social center of the city.

Minehead: As the name might suggest, this was the point from which the mines were reached. Workshops, ore storage, and the like are all found here.

The Catacombs: Not only the communal graves of Kiraz, but also the Royal Tombs. The Hall of the Godstone (an ancient earthmaster site predating dwarven civilization) can also be found here – it is generally considered to be “the birthplace of the Hârnic Khuzdul [dwarves]”.

An additional page discusses ways in which the GM can develop the material presented here. Finally, two more pages give several artifacts and special locations which can be placed by the GM in whatever locations seem most appropriate.

Before I continue, let me make one point abundantly clear: All of the material which is found here is excellent. Beyond par. The maps are beautiful and superbly executed. The logic and detail of the city is meticulous: Crossby refuses to simply wave his hands in the construction of this city; instead insisting that the city make sense. By the time you are done reading through this article, you will have the sense that a place like Kiraz really could exist. This is, by no means, a small or unvaluable accomplishment.

The problem with this supplement is not the quality of what is present, but the vast amounts of information which is – quite literally – missing. This is, apparently, keeping in line with the intended design methodology – which is described as such:

In keeping with our long term policy, there is lots of room for the GM to customize his own version of the Golden City – even if a player should get hold of a copy of this module, it won’t help him much.

Folks, this just doesn’t cut it for me. The whole point of buying a supplement is so that I don’t have to do design work. Certainly keeping snoopy players on their toes is a laudable goal – but if I want to do that, I am quite capable of changing information. In fact, changing and rearranging information is vastly easier than being forced to create material out of wholecloth.

USHET

This is a four page article discussing the Rock of Ushet. Ushet was once a hunting lodge, connected to Kiraz via a series of spent mining tunnels. Following the Carnage of Kiraz, the Ushet entrance was sealed. In recent years, however, orcs have broken through those seals and taken up residence in the former hunting lodge.

The material presented here serves two purposes:

First, Ushet serves as the point of entry to Kiraz for characters playing through The Horns of Ikaras (see below).

Second, there are many former dwarven hunting lodges spread throughout the area around Kiraz. They are sites of conflict between the barbarian tribes (both orcs and humans) who remain in the area. Ushet serves as a generic template which the GM can use for any of these hunting lodges.

There’s nothing phenomenal in this section – but it’s all solid material, and very useful as either a specific or generic resource.

HORNS OF IKARAS

As I noted above, I am not familiar with the first part of the trilogy of which the Horns of Ikaras is the second part. With that being said, I am thoroughly unimpressed by what I see here.

Essentially what Crossby presents is a four-page outline of an adventure, rather than an adventure. A summary is given of what took place in the first adventure (1 page), the NPC who gives them the hook into this adventure is described at length (1 page), player handouts are provided (1 page), and the adventure is briefly summarized (1 page).

In short, the material presented here can be summed up with extreme accuracy by saying: “Several months have passed since the last adventure. The PCs should have heard some rumors about the Big Bad Guy’s activities (kidnapping three beautiful women, stealing some rare animals, and burning town officials in Aleath). They go to Kiraz – most likely gaining entrance via Ushet – where they need to find a key to gain access to the room where the Horn is kept.”

CONCLUSION

As I write this I currently have a D20 module in development: I have a general outline of events written down; about half of the maps completed; and rough notes quickly jotted to remind me what the keys on those maps mean. That’s what Kiraz looks like.

By the time I finish developing that D20 module I will have a text which presents the adventure in full to the GM, a complete set of maps, and a fully developed and descriptive key for all of those maps. That’s what Kiraz should look like.

Reading Kiraz feels like starving yourself for three days and then eating a pecan.

Having said that, however, let me go on to say that Kiraz comes with my recommendation: Although I take issue with the fact that so many things are simply left undeveloped, what is developed here is – quite simply – superb. For $15 this presents a solid value for your money, and anyone thinking of including a dwarven citadel in their own campaign could only hope to benefit from this book. Certainly anyone interested in Kiraz in and of itself as part of the world of Hârn should snatch up a copy of this book without a second thought.

Style: 4
Substance: 4

Author: N. Robin Crossby
Publisher: Columbia Games, Inc.
Line: Hârn
Price: $14.98
ISBN: 0-920711-28-6
Product Code: 5016
Pages: 28
Year Published: 1989

Rereading this review, I was somewhat surprised to discover that I’d given it a rating of 4 in Substance. Flipping through my copy of the book, though, I understand where I was coming from: It was a little on the pricey side for 30 pages of material, but there’s a lot of great stuff in here and the maps are truly spectacular. The problems aren’t what’s on the page; it’s the mismatch between the scope of the product and the scope needed by the subject matter.

For an explanation of where these reviews came from and why you can no longer find them at RPGNet, click here.

The end of the world we know shall come like to the tolling of a bell.

In the beginning there was a darkness at the heart of the world, and it cloaked itself in the shape of Shadow King – He Who Was Banished and wrapped in the threads of the Demonweb.

But like a shadow banished by a candle, the Shadow King lurked in the flickering darkness. And he reached out and reared up his Demon Court. And like their King, the Princes did furnish forth their Dukes.

And they are known in the Dark Tongue as the Galchutt – the Lesser Lords. And in the tongue of elves they are known as the Natharl’nacna. And in the tongues of men they are the Dukes of Chaos.

War was fought. And lost. And the shape of the world was changed. And the Princes were banished to serve their King in the webs that lie beyond the edge of time and space.

The Galchutt were not drawn into the temptations of that web. But their power was bound to their masters, and so they retreated to their Caverns of Slumber. And there they sleep.

And they wait.

Those who would serve them must sow the seeds of chaos. For the night shall come when the ties between the Dukes and the Princes shall be forever broken. And then their sleep will end. And the Galchutt shall walk the earth and in their footsteps the seeds of chaos shall blossom into the end of days.

And that night shall be the Night of Dissolution.

THE MANIFESTO OF THE TOLLING BELL

The rest of this book reads as a manifesto. The author – who calls himself Wuntad – describes the need for all the forces of chaos to join together in order to bring about the Night of Dissolution and the end of days. They would be led by a single cult known as Brotherhood of the Tolling Bell.

Mark of Chaos
Transmutation [Chaotic]
Level: Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M, DF
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One creature
Duration: One hour/level
Saving Throw: Fortitude negates
Spell Resistance: Yes

The target gains a physical mark prominently on her body—one of the many symbols of chaos or a chaos cult. Each time the target performs a non-chaotic act, she suffers a –2 penalty on any check or die roll (including attack rolls) involved with the act, if any. Each time the target performs a chaotic act, she gains a +2 bonus on any check involved with the act, if any.

The DM is the final arbiter of what constitutes a chaotic or non-chaotic act. Some are easy—attacking a lawful creature is a chaotic act. Casting a chaotic spell is a chaotic act. Using a chaotic (or anarchic) weapon is a chaotic act. Some acts are a bit harder to judge: Destruction, in general, is chaotic, while building and repairing is not. Murder, defying authority, lying, and cheating all can be chaotic acts, but the decision is ultimately up to the DM.

Arcane Material Component: A burning smokestick

DESIGN NOTES

Some material on this page is covered by the Open Gaming License.

Wuntad’s cult of the Tolling Bell is the central antagonist of The Night of Dissolution adventure. As with The Touch of the Ebon Hand, you can see how I’m taking chunks out of the Chaositech sourcebook and parceling it out via the lorebooks, creating an additional layer of lore for the PCs to slowly peel back. (In practice, this sort of material would also appear in cultist spellbooks and the like.)

Back to Chaos Lorebooks

Here’s a piece of bespoke terminology that I often teach my  players: low stakes test.

It’s not at all unusual for a roleplaying game or storytelling game to gives PCs a resource that they can use to improve their action checks. This might be a meta-currency, charges from a magical item, or some kind of exertion mechanic. Some games will even make this a central element of the resolution mechanic. (In GUMSHOE, for example, spending points from your skill pools is the only way that your character’s skill will have an impact on the check. This is less true in the Cypher System, but most checks will still see the PCs spending points through Extra Effort.)

The trick is that, when I’m GMing, sometimes I like to interrogate the system for stuff that would be kind of a rip-off if the players decided to spend limited resources on the check. If it’s a situation where I can clearly describe the stakes of the roll before the roll is made, no problem. (The players can decide for themselves whether it’s worth spending resources on.) But sometimes this would be awkward, inappropriate, or anticlimactic.

For example, the PCs might all be searching a room together and I want to figure out which of them finds the hidden tiara. I could make an arbitrary decision, roll a flat random check, or even elide past the question of who actually finds the tiara, but in this case

If I call for Find Hidden checks, however, one or more of the players might decide this is worth spending Perception Points on, which I know would be silly because they’re guaranteed to find the tiara – the check is just providing focus, a little bit of color, and a potential roleplaying prompt for one of the players (“Look what I found!”).

This is where the low stakes test enters the picture. Instead of saying, “Give me Search checks,” I say, “Give me low stakes Search checks.” This just literally means, “This check isn’t a big deal and I don’t think it’s worth spending points one.”

Players can, of course, still spend points on a low stakes test, but now I’ve done my due diligence and nobody will ripped off when the true stakes of the check are revealed.

It’s a small difference, but I’ve found – once I’ve taught the players what it means – that it greatly streamlines these interactions. (Some of my players probably think this is actually a published term of art in the games we play: It’s not at all unusual for me to include it when I’m explaining the rules of the game.)

MEANWHILE IN MOTHERSHIP…

In Mothership, every failed check causes a PC to suffer one point of Stress. This is a fantastic mechanic which constantly ratchets up the tensions and helps provided perfect pacing for every session, but it also largely removes small, incidental checks from GM’s toolkit.

I know some will cry out that this is, in fact, the point. I get it. But after a dozen or so sessions, I was still feeling handicapped by the loss of these checks.

So, once again, I’ve introduced the concept of a low stakes test, this time indicating to the player that they shouldn’t mark Stress if they fail the check. And, once again, I’ve found it incredibly useful for streamlining these table interactions, even when I’m running an open table and have to frequently introduce new players to the terminology.

This is very much a finesse technique (like the ones I use when collecting initiative), but it’s another example of how small improvements in your GMing can really add up.

You know him from The Pinky Guard and When Society Collapsed, now Luke Humphris is releasing an amazing new RPG: When Society Collapsed – Dam Nation.

Luke joins Justin to share their best GM tips in the first episode of a new video series!

Subscribe Now!