Psycho #14 from 1973 features some all time classic horror bits from Skywald publishing's house of gore and more. This issue dives right into the deep end with some absolutely classic bits in stories like 'The Classic Creeps" - This tale can easily be adapted for a weird Call of Cthlhu style one shot ride and features themes that wouldn't be seen again for quite some time until the 80's classic monster movies such as Monster Squad!
'Monsterity' is the sort of midnight movie or Saturday night special fungus or slime monster with origins that can actually send a team of adventurers heading for the hills. The interior featurette is the sort of classic reference point that can give readers and DM's some ideas and pointers for classic horror adventures. A real window into fester years bastion of horror. " The Artist's Other Hand"'s character could make a very nasty NPC patron or encounter for a group of horror adventurers. "The Horror That Is Not As It Seems" might make an interesting little turn around adventure for a game of Lamentations of The Flame Princess for the Weird New World style campaign and the same goes for the 'Man Who Dared Not Sleep'. "Cassandra: Sorceress of the Seventh Wind" is really the whole reason to download this mag. Written by Marv Wolfman/Art by Don Heck and Mike Esposito this piece can serve as a bridge gap between a modern game and an Astonishing Swordsmen and Sorcerers of Hyperborea. The art is great and the storytelling is solid in my humble opinion. It really does make this issue for me. "The Hippy Criters Are Coming' is pure 70's shlock but in a good way and might make a solid encounter for a more modern style game such as Call of Cthulhu for a change of pace.
" I Battled The Vicious Vampire Bats of Transilvania and Lived To Tell About It' is well pure Skywald at its finest and might make a great turn around modern style vampire encounter or one for Planet Mother $%#$er.
Back in 1975 Beowolf The Dragon Slayer debuted and it was a part of the weird DC sword and sorcery vibe that swept the comics back then. It was one part heavy metal concept comic, three parts sword and sorcery, eighty nine percent LSD trip into an OD&D high octane fueled trip.
The character debuted in Beowulf: Dragon Slayer #1 (May 1975), and was created by Michael Uslan and Ricardo Villamonte.
The World Of Beuwolf The Dragon Slayer!
Wiki has a decent break down of Beowulf The Dragon Slayer :
Under instructions from a being known as "The Shaper", Beowulf travels to Castle Hrothgar in Daneland, to fight the monster Grendel. On the way there Beowulf and his men take a detour into the Underworld where they rescue Nan-zee, a Swedishscylfingwarrior from the Demons who have been controlling her. Beowulf, Nan-Zee, and his companions Wiglaf and Hondscio continue onwards to Castle Hrothgar, but are again detoured, ending up in a bog where they battle Swamp Men. Meanwhile, for some reason Grendel and his mother reveal to the reader that they are descendants of Cain. Somehow, Beowulf and friends fall through a dimensional gateway beneath a patch ofquicksand into a fiery underworld they refer to as Hell.[1][2]
In the final issue of the series Beowulf and Nan-Zee travel from Atlantis to Crete, where they finally get their hands on some Zumak fruit in the labyrinth of King Minos where Beowulf fights a Minotaur which is being controlled by Satan. Because Satan has made Dracula his heir over Grendel, Grendel kills Satan by plunging a stalactite into his back. The Minotaur dies, and Beowulf eats some Zumak fruit; the fruit grants him supernatural strength on par with Grendel. Beowulf and Nan-Zee then make their way back to Daneland in order to slay Grendel who has taken Satan's place as king of the underworld.
The Incredible Covers of Issues 1-6
This series went off the rails right around issue it goes into science fiction, Faust like horror, a huge chunk of Dante style Hell, and then some Greek myth. Words utterly fail to capture the outrageous and weirdness of the series. Back in 2008 DC decided to resurrect the character for an appearance in Wonder woman along with Stalker, Claw The Unconquered, and more. According to wiki: Beowulf's first appearance in over thirty years occurs in Wonder Woman #20 (July 2008), where Wonder Woman and Stalker recruit him and Claw the Unconquered for a mission to slay the Demon Lord Dgrth
Recently I checked out the new 53 series from DC. Which the hero has now been revamped into a post apocalyptic hero.
Beowulf is featured in a backup story in the ongoing series Sword of Sorcery beginning in September 2012. The story is written by Tony Bedard. In this version Beowulf lives in a post-apocalyptic future where the society has reverted to ancient times. Created as a super-soldier he kills an entire group of warriors sent to find him, but spares a young kid called Wigstaf who explains to be there with a message from King Hrothgar, begging Beowulf to come north and slay the monster Grendel that plagues his mead hall nightly. Beowulf is uninterested until is told that the King is a great general.[8] Upon confronting the creature Wigstaf and Beowulf discover the latter to be his brother and that both are created by Basilisk leader Regulus who had seen the threat of metahumans and aliens growing on earth, and schemed to empower average humans
I don't know but the material really seemed to lack the punch that the earlier 1970's series had.
Gone were the encounters with Dracula, the mysterious Lost Tribe of Israel, and of course Ulysses accompanied by a troop of anonymous Greek Warriors, Sumerian Space aliens straight out of Chariots of the Gods, and the lost city of Atlantis.
Beowulf only lasted six issues and is now only fondly remembered by those who experienced some of DC's Sword and Sorcery comics.
If you want to sample a story. There's one right over HERE
Grab a copy right over HERE Way, way, back in 1982 when Epic Illustrated was first being published, I discovered Marada The She Wolf. She was exactly what I was looking for in a Sword and Sorcery character. Her stories were different, in a fully formed quasi Roman Sword and Sorcery World. Marada is not your typical S&S heroine. She's a damaged hero on a journey of terror, magic, and this series goes straight into the darker side of her journey. Her's were adventures in a very dark and deadly European style world. A world of demons, dark deeds, sorcery, and monsters! This was a much more adult oriented series then other comics of the time. It's lessons were ones that I would apply in my OD&D gaming.
According To Wiki :
Marada, the She-Wolf is a fantasy comic book fictional character created forEpic Comics by writer Chris Claremont and English artist John Bolton. She first appeared in Epic Illustrated #10 (Feb. 1982). The story was originally planned for the character of Red Sonja, Conan's sometime partner, but had to be changed due to issues surrounding the then-in-production Red Sonja movie with Brigitte Nielsen. Claremont moved the historical milieu from the Hyborian Era to theRoman Empire, and changed her hair from red to silver. Marada is also more sensual than Red Sonja, perhaps due to Bolton's drawings. (This change of character from Red Sonja to Marada resulted in some dispute over ownership of the character. Since Marada's adventures were first published in the creator-owned series Epic Illustrated, the rights to her character were eventually given to writer Claremont and artist Bolton.)
Marada's History :
Marada is introduced as "her mother was the first born of Caesar,"[2] though it is unclear if this refers to Julius Caesar or to a current emperor (bearing the generic title of "Caesar") during the Imperial age. Her adventures are a mix of fantasy and history, told from an adult point of view. Together with her friend, the princess Arianrod, she fights against evil demons, wizards, witches and other fantastic creatures, but also against the threats a woman could expect from a world ruled by males.
In a tip of the hat to New Mutants #32, Marada met a woman named Ashake in the graphic novel, and in a nod to Giant-Size Dracula #2, a demon named Y'Garon
You can find a ton of material on this heroine right over HERE
Most of the Marada The She Wolf stories suggest they bracket the Birth of Christ roughly between 50 BC to 50 AD. Her foe Y'Garon seems to be about the power of a minor Pit Fiend and you can find out more about him right over HERE
Clarmont and John Bolton really did a great job with this one. It both evokes a sword and sorcery feel while echoing a weird Celtic world of myth and legend. Rhiannon who appears in the stories as a young girl would go on to become a powerful wizard and goddess in the Marvel universe. You can read about her right over HERE If you wish to sample some of her stories check one out HERE The artwork is solidly done, the story crisp, the language concise and to the point, the ideas as original as they were when I read them in Epic Illustrated number ten.
Much of the material is still very entertaining and interesting even after all this time. Marada has always ticked a number of buttons for me. The way her world is set up, the use of adult themes,settings, magic, etc. never seemed juvenile nor cheap in their use. The world of Marada has recently resurfaced in my life with my look at Astonishing Swordsmen and sorcerers of Hyperborea. Marada's world is pretty much how I picture the Keltic elements in the AS&SH. Much of it weird, ancient, sinister, and more then slightly twisted in a good way. If you haven't checked out the "Marada The She Wolf' stories then do yourselves a favor. Grab a copy today and dive into her world.
You can Download And Purchase this right over HERE
So in honor of HPL's Birthday I've done a really extensive dig into 'The Whisperer In The Darkness' The Miskatonic Project Graphic Novel By Mark Ellis. The first part of my musings can be found right HERE
The Miskatonic Project was a small group of paranormal investigators from the special documents wing of the Miskatonic University library in Arkham. Well they're each investigators whose lives were touched by the Mythos. These brushes with the Great Old Ones in the past have had some very nasty effects on these folks. That's not say that they are victims. This is actually where the differences between the approach that HPL presents and Mark Ellis. The idea that the characters or PC's are central to the story line or adventure. Whisperer follows the old pulp tradition of putting the investigators into harms way right out of the gate.
H. P. Lovecraft's The Miskatonic Project...from left to right, Fleur Averoigne, Randolph Carter and Detective Malone.
Each and every one of the investigators of the Miskatonic Project have had life and limb scarred up. They're minds, sanity, and souls touched as well as consumed to some extent by the Mythos. They've seen behind the curtain of reality and they can never look away. The Project never swirves away from the Mythos or Lovecraft's stories. These tales especially Whisperer dive head long and weave their mysteries around the events of the various Lovecraft tales. A take that Chaosium would later borrow by providing stats for various Mythos NPCs.
This is a group that is willing to do anything to stop the world wide conspiracy that is the network of the Great Old Ones. Even if it means their sanity or lives. The trouble for the investigators and adventurers of this series is not like something not out of the sanity shattering fiction of HPL but a pulp roller coaster ride. Robert Howard's Mythos writings have this sort of two fisted pulp sensibilities about them. And so do the characters of these stories. These are flawed heroes dealing with the fallout of their lives touched by forces from beyond their pale. They've had to suck it up and fight outwards.
The Kingsport Archive And The Miskatonic Project
Several differences between The Miskatonic Project's version of the various cults of the Old Ones and others is that these cults are very well funded. They've got the best equipment. Headquarters are stellar and they've got access to the very best Mythos tomes that money can smuggle. They form a world spanning network of like minded cultists willing to do anything for their various dark masters and their alien servants the Mi Go. The Kingsport Archive was formed by 'Top Men' after the Fall of Innsmouth and this group operated more like a spy cell then a group of academics. They were more then willing to get their hands dirty with wet work. They seemed to always be running afoul of Lord Justin Sabbath.This happened to be over a certain nasty piece of Mi Go technology that they had recovered.
It took the attentions of both folklorist Professor Albert N. Wilmarth and Inspector Lagrasse's intervention to stave off bloodshed and legal action.
The Archive began the task of recovering the various Mythos artifacts and dealt with the sanity shattering effects of said artifacts keeping them under lock and key.
The Archive's collection was taken away and was later incorporated into the stacks of a certain warehouse. The PC's went their separate ways after The Red Hook Affair took the life of one of their number.
The 'Archives' often seemed to take up the slack in New England when the Project was off in some other part of the world. My advice would be to use the project sparingly if at all.
The Archive was much more New England or backyard oriented while the Project seemed to be a more world spanning organization. The players actually seemed to care more when the game took place on their home Lovecraftian turf.
Great DON HECK page from HP LOVECRAFT'S CTHULHU #2.
The Different Aspects of the Mi Go
'The Whisperer In The Darkness' has some other marked differences from other takes on the Mi Go. The author uses the Mi Go as scouts for the returning 'Old Ones' and they are laying the foundation for the return of great Cthhlu and his ilk.
Why do the Mi Go appear different from other adaptations of the story? This might easily be explained by the fact that there are different aspects of this insidious insectoids. Things that scuttle through the cracks of the universe and undermine the fabric of the cosmos for the 'Old Ones' return.
There is a sense with these Mi Go that their disposable in the long run in the agenda of the Old Ones. Simply another biological tool or weapon in the arsenal of the Mythos. Mankind is heroic but it matters little in the scope of the agenda of the cycle in the Mythos.
The Mi Go make an excellent pulptastic antagonist race against a party.
'The Whipserer In The Darkness' The Miskatonic Project Graphic Novel By Mark Ellis is a really nice take on the Mythos instead of the usual turn of events. As always your mileage may vary.
You can Download And Purchase this right over HERE According to the blurb on Amazon: Before the X-Files, before Torchwood, there was the Miskatonic Project! Dedicated to breaking the aeons-old power of ancient, alien entities, the Miskatonic Project battles the loathsome threat of Cthulhu and his unspeakable spawn! In H.P. Lovecraft's The Whisperer in Darkness, the Miskatonic Project faces an enemy of inhuman cunning whose power has never been directly challenged! Deep in the catacombs beneath legend-haunted New England hills, the final confrontation between Cthulhu's legions and the defenders of humanity begins! Featuring art by Don (Iron Man) Heck, Darryl (Green Lantern) Banks and Daryl (Crypt of Cthulhu) Hutchinson.
The Miskatonic Project came out in 1993 as a three issue limited comic book series from the pen of Mark Ellis and the imagination of Don Heck. The series flew into my comic box over at Smokey Joes in Torrington,Ct. after I got back from a pretty awful turn of events in Boston.
What Is The Miskatonic Project?
The Miskatonic Project was a small group of paranormal investigators from the special documents wing of the Miskatonic University library in Arkham. Well they're each investigators whose lives were touched by the Mythos. These brushes with the Great Old Ones in the past have had some very nasty effects on these folks. That's not say that they are victims.
Long before Delta Green was even thought of. This comic series provided a blue print for running my Call of Cthulhu games with a slightly more heroic bent. The mini series was interesting because it ran right along side of the various HP Lovecraft events.
These were folks who were trying to make a difference in a world where the Mythos wasn't simply on the rise it was ascending and causing some very nasty turns. The insanity was always lurking one step around the corner and the madness was bubbling below the surface of the series.
Here's how the series stacked up according to Wiki:
" Lord Justin Sabbath, Professor Augustus Grant, and psychic Fleur Avignon used the Miskatonic University as a base of operations. They worked closely with noted folklorist Professor Albert N. Wilmarth, who brought the Mi-Go to their attention." The mini series basically threaded its way in and out of the Lovecraft mythos stories. Familiar locations, objects of power, Old Ones, races all made their appearances. Again according to Wiki : The Mi-Go and their human collaborators were portrayed as paving the way for the return of the Old Ones, including Cthulhu. Inspector John Raymond Legrasse, the New Orleans police officer who first appeared in Lovecraft's inaugural Cthulhu story, "The Call of Cthulhu", appears in the second chapter.
So it was a fun read to connect the dots with the Chaosium game.
Using The Miskatonic Project For Your Old School Horror Game The Miskatonic Project ran from December 1991 - April 1992 and it was very solidly written. The series definitely has a pulp flavor and treaded some pretty dark ground even back then. The books were put into the adult section right next to some of the White Wolf Games. This was cutting edge stuff for 1991. Much of the time I had the players dealing with some of the fall out from the Project. There would often be loose ends that the graphic novel didn't really go into. This was a limited series and therefore left out some of the events that were happening in the Lovecraft stories. The trick was to pick up where the story ended and bring in the investigators to deal with the Lovecraftian menace. The Kingsport Archives became a thorn in the side of Miskatonic and there was a confrontation with Lord Justin Sabbath. The Archives dealt with things a bit more harshly and certain men in high places paid the right people to look the other way when 'special jobs' needed to be done. Very important top men who had dealt with the Innsmouth affair. The 'Archives' often seemed to take up the slack in New England when the Project was off in some other part of the world. My advice would be to use the project sparingly if at all.
Looking At The Miskatonic Project Graphic Novel By Mark Ellis
The graphic novel clocks in at 128 pages black and white. I've only reread the series. It's a pretty timeless comic mini series. The book does hit the high points and its a very interesting read after all these years. There's definitely a blue print for the world of Ellis's take on the Mythos. The book is tight, fast, and good reliable read. That being said with Delta Green out today and the amount of Mythos related stuff from Pagan Press. The Project might be a cool addition to those who want a bit of a different take on Lovecraft. Its worth a look at. You can get the graphic novel on paper right over HERE
A splash page from the upcoming NOSFERATU: PLAGUE OF TERROR Kindle ebook by Rik Levins and Melissa Martin Ellis.
Introduction
Please read this part for an overview of the graphic novel Part I HERE And Part II HERE
The following is a continuation of NOSFERATU: PLAGUE OF TERROR which is going to be coming out as a downloadable ebook soon. I used the graphic novel as the basis for a World of Darkness and Kult crossover campaign way back in the 90's. But ultimately I ended this campaign when the players went their separate ways. The themes of the campaign followed the graphic novel and the film from which is is derived. They can be broken down into the following :
The curse of the vampire as supernatural disease and its effects on the victim and the pollution of the soul.
Immortality as a curse and personal hell. It places the victim outside of the laws of God and man. The person becomes a blight on the face of reality itself.
The vampire as walking disease vector and font of corruption.
The loose ends of both the graphic novel and the film and exploitation of those ends as story hooks for newer horrors.
PLAGUE OF TERROR
The following is a thought exercise and riffs off of Plague of Terror and the original movie. Each issue of Plague of Terror weaves its way through the centuries and hits the high notes about the battle between Orlock and the hero of the piece. Its a good solid story and a ripping yarn. That being said there are loose ends that a DM can and should use for their own campaigns. A plot overview from Wiki :
Returning from the Crusades in the eleventh century, English knight Sir William Longsword stops at the castle and finds the nuns dead or dying of plague. Longsword’s squire, seeking treasure, inadvertently frees Orlock who kills the man. He bites Longsword but does not turn him into a vampire—rather, he becomes immortal for reasons known only to Orlock. The series tracks Orlock throughout history as he perpetuates his evil, instigating wars and bringing down plagues. Longsword tracks him through 19th century India and the madness of the Vietnam War and finally catches up to him in an abandoned cathedral in contemporary Brooklyn.
The final chapter ends in a conflagration in which both Orlock and Longsword are killed but the curse of the Nosferatu is passed onto an innocent, as it was to Longsword ten centuries before. The series was notable for presenting a vampire character drawn from European folklore rather than the refined Anne Rice model that was in vogue at the time.
A Nosferatu: Plague of Terror compilation in graphic novel format was released by Millennial Concepts in October, 2009.
The Burden Of Immortality English knight Sir William Longsword is ultimately a very tragic figure in the series. Orlock makes him immortal. A fellow member of the damned. He's consigned to his own personal hell of living along side his hated foe for eternity. He's a hero because even as the world winds down through the centuries he's still out there fighting both his own existence and as a warrior. Yet what does he do throughout the centuries? Simply moving from one war to another in pursue of Graf? There's a lot of room for a DM to fill in gaps right here. A being that can not die might be a monster in his own right. The source of immortality is the carrier of a plague of evil beyond compare. The burden he carries is harsh and very nasty. The idea of a never ending existence raging across the world trying to end your own existence? That's not living at all. Its simply trading one hell for another. What secrets might Sir William Longsword hold? In a world of Darkness setting he's a rather unique figure in a world of mages, vampires, and werewolves. A lost soul damned down through the centuries pursuing his prey. Or is it the other way around? The series centers on Orlock but really its Longsword whose the intriguing one. With a setting like Kult, this knight has some very rare insights into how the world really works. A being who might well be sought out by others because of his own legend. An undying warrior in pursue of an evil merely whispered about in certain occult circles and dingy bars. A warrior who walks in a sunset world of half truths,legends, and the living hell of the immortal damned. Surly he couldn't be used in a AD&D or OD&D setting? I'm ultimately reminded of the old Keep Adventure by Mayfair games. In this one the party is part of a plot in the Dark Ages involving the adventure location and then their own descendants get involved again. I can see using Longsword in the same way.
NOSFERATU: PLAGUE OF TERROR As Rpg Chess Board
The series is a solid tour of a strange and through a glass darkly history of a very dark and dangerous world. A world of vampires,plagues, immortals, and violence, which makes it a perfect place to adventure. Ultimately is the fact that its tied into the fact that it is its own mythology. The mythology of its authors and creators which I hope at some point they return to. Its a good jump off point for a very distinct campaign. But in the end its a very complex chess board for an immortal chess master who creates war and plague moving through the shadows of history. However its not one that I would use myself again. Everything that follows here is going to be based on the silent film Nosferatu, eine Symphonie des Grauens. Which was based on Bram Stoker's character Count Dracula. The Plot according to Wiki:
In Nosferatu, Count Orlok is a vampire from Transylvania, and appears to be the haunt of many nightmarish creatures, including a werewolf (which was actually played by a hyena in the film). Orlok, known locally as the eponymous "Nosferatu", is a living corpse also known as "The Bird of Death", which feasts upon the blood of living humans.
Count Orlok dwells alone in a vast castle hidden among the rugged peaks in a lost corner of the Carpathian Mountains. The castle is swathed in shadows, and is badly neglected with a highly sinister feel to it. He is in league with the housing agent Knock, and wants to purchase a house in Wisborg. Local peasants live in terror of Orlok and never venture out after dark. Thomas Hutter scorns their fears as mere superstition, and ventures to the decrepit castle; however, the coach-driver will not take him over the bridge leading to it. A black-swathed figure in a black coach (Orlok in disguise) drives him the rest of the way. He is greeted by Orlok, who claims as it is past midnight all his servants have gone to bed, and the two dine together and discuss Orlok's purchasing of a house in the fictional city of Wisborg, Germany. Hutter accidentally cuts his hand when slicing bread and Orlok is barely able to control himself from drinking from Hutter's wound. After Hutter collapses in a chair, Orlok feeds off of him, but this is not shown on screen: Hutter discovers two bites on his neck the next day but is unaware that his host is a vampire.
Hutter only realises the horrific truth later in his chambers after further reading from "The Book of the Vampires", and he discovers that he is trapped in the castle with the Nosferatu. Orlok advances upon Hutter, and Hutter's beloved wife, Ellen, senses through telepathy that her husband's life is in mortal danger; she screams for him and somehow Orlok is powerless to touch him. The next morning Hutter searches the castle, and discovers to his revulsion that Orlok is "sleeping" in the basement in a filthy coffin filled with earth. Hutter then witnesses Orlok loading a cart with several coffins filled with soil, one of which he then hides in and they are driven off to be loaded on to a ship headed for Wisborg. This soil is later revealed to be unhallowed earth from Orlok's grave; according to "The Book of the Vampires", all Nosferatu must sleep by day in the unholy earth from their graves to sustain their power.
On board the ship, he kills every crew member until only the captain and his first mate remain. Later when the first mate goes to the cargo hold to investigate, Count Orlok rises from his coffin, terrifying the first mate who jumps overboard in fear. The captain ties himself to the wheel of the ship when Count Orlok creeps up on him and kills the captain. His journey by sea spreads plague all over Europe.
Upon his arrival in Wisborg, Orlok infests the city with rats that sleep in his coffins, and countless people fall victim to the plague, forcing the local authorities to declare a quarantine and provoking hysteria among the citizens. Rather than come back as vampires, however, his victims simply die. Ellen and Hutter know the causes of the plague but fear they are powerless to stop the vampire. Ellen watches sullenly as lines of coffins are carried through the empty streets, and she realises Orlok must be stopped. Ellen learns from "The Book of the Vampires" that - rather than a stake through the heart - the Nosferatu can only be vanquished if a woman pure in heart willingly allows him to feed off her long enough to prevent him from seeking shelter from sunrise. Ellen coaxes Orlok to her room and lies in bed whilst he drinks from her neck. The sun rises, and Orlok is burned away in a cloud of smoke. Knock is able to sense Orlok is dead. Ellen dies soon after.
The Children of Orlock There is an entire world within the film itself which never gets mentioned today. We get lots of deviations or reflections upon this dark world but never any real expansion. Ultimately the coming of Orlock brings the plague of corruption onto the shores of Europe. The plague spreads like wildfire throughout the whole of Wisborg. Those who contract it die. This is a sickness of the soul and spirit. The rats moving through out Europe spread it. The disease is very nasty and spreads quickly through cities. Yet everything stems from Orlock himself. A reflection of evil in the very beginning of the film. The character of Knock looks and acts like a miniature Orlock and even the contract for the house he wishes to buy is a satanic contract if there ever was one.
One thing that has always bothered me is the end of the movie. The sun comes up and the evil is extinguished. There are several ideas that occur. Why was orlock spreading this horrid plague in the first place? "In Plague of Terror" we are given one possible answer. But let us look at this through the lens of the DM for a moment. Was Orlock trying to create an empty kingdom of the dead? A place were the plague vicims were stacked six foot high. Those bitten die and receive the curse of the vampire. Orlock was going to be a king whose throne was those of bleached skulls. A world of death ruled by an undead king. Why kill your food source? Those who survive are likely to have wounds upon their souls. Divine healing might be needed and even then it might not be a sure thing. Insanity, degeneration, and worse might await the plague survivors. Aftermath of the Plague Bearer What I'm about to say is has caused some very large arguments. Count Orlock isn't Dracula or even a close reflection of him. From Wiki: "Orlok does not create other vampires, but kills his victims, causing the townfolk to blame the plague, which ravages the city. Also, Orlok must sleep by day, as sunlight would kill him, while the original Dracula is only weakened by sunlight. The ending is also substantially different from that of Dracula. The count is ultimately destroyed at sunrise when the "Mina" character sacrifices herself to him." Evil like this does not simply wither with the coming sunlight even according to the Book of Vampires in the film. Could there be plague victims trapped in a living undead hell just waiting to tear into the streets? You bet they are. Remember Orlock isn't Dracula or even a shadowy reflection. Just use your favorite game's version of zombies add fangs and plague. Parodies of humans that might fall between the cracks of reality itself. The Shadow Kingdoms of Orlock The world of Orlock is a shadowy place where the final stages of death caused by the plague makes things seem to fade away. Each day the second hand of the clock brings Orlock's vision of reality closer to reality. This isn't the World of Darkness or Kult but the world of Orlock. And what does this creature want for the world? A look at his Carpathian origin point paints a very grim picture indeed. A place swathed in shadows, and is badly neglected with a highly sinister feel to it. This is a kingdom of phantoms,vampires,undead, and werewolves.The day brings final dissolution of the things of the night. But only for that night. This is a vastly different world from the more traditional games of Vampire or Kult or even OD&D. This is a world affected by the ravages of the plagues of the vampire. A place of the damned and haunted. A place that might be swept away at dawn's light into the pages of someplace like Kult or Limbo. A place where the living,half living, and undead are under the sway of both angels and demons. Caught up between the Illusion and Death itself. Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror Itself As Future Horror Rpg Campaign
The movie itself might also be transported to a very bleak steampunk kinda future where the Count once again begins his attempts. The PCs might be plague survivors, undead hybrid things, vampire slayers or even 1900's Undead Bounty Dogs hunting down the last remains of this horror. This kinda campaign is perfect for Mutant Future or a science fantasy campaigns. This kinda of campaign would be populated with vampire worshiping cults, Reverents, ghosts, werewolves, crazed survivors, and even other vampires. Relics of The Grave When we speak of any world infected by the evil of Orlock and his ratlike minions. We are also talking about former treasure houses of the living. These places are folded between the pages of history books. Lost unto themselves. Items from these sort of places carry their own curses. According to Hoyt "Lust For Blood The All Comsuming Story of Vampires" Items handled by the undead carry with them a curse all their own. In the world of Orlock even the items of survivors of the plague might well carry this sort of haunting. Items cursed by fate. Diaries of survivors and photos of the world of the undead. Vampire touched gold with its guardian rats. All these options are on the table. There is one item that threads its way through the movie itself that tells of the evil of the Nosferatu but of which we know little about. "The Book of the Vampires" threads its way throughout the film despensing critical information, acting as chorus for the plot,and we almost nothing about it. Who was the author, where did the book come from, and why is it the authority on the undead? This book gives a DM the opportunity to create his own book of the undead with critical information for his games. It allows one to insert highly critical info to players with little fear of doubt. The author knows his subject and isn't afraid to deal with it.
The Rats of Orlock One loose end that bothers me are the "Orlock disease vector". The rats with the coffins spreading the plague. So Orlock is banished. Do the rats vanish with him? Or do the little furry minions wait for another day to spread the taint to a new unsuspecting world? Are these rodents of unusual aspect? I've used them any number of times to spread some nasty disease upon unsuspecting players. These minions could be awaiting the return of their master.Just waiting for the opportunity to swarm when the night comes to arise from sewer and storm drain.
The Blight of Reality Legends of Orlock point to a seething cauldron of horror just waiting to be tapped for your games. The truth is that this often neglected classic needs to be dusted off and used more often for table top rpging. NOSFERATU: PLAGUE OF TERROR is a decent and concise way of delivering the horror of Orlock but go back to the source material to get the full effect! You can purchase the book right over HERE
