Taroticum and Other Tales - Razors Through Flesh

2/26/22, 12:15 PM taroticum and other tales – Razors Through Flesh
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Razors Through Flesh
Exploring KULT: Divinity Lost
Tag: taroticum and other tales
Oakwood Heights (Scenario Review)
Oakwood Heights was the first scenario published for KULT: Divinity Lost. It is free to download on their homepage (http://kultdivinitylost.com/wp-
content/uploads/2018/08/KULT_-Divinity-Lost-Quickplay-Scenario-Oakwood-Heights.pdf). It can also be found in Taroticum and Other Tales. It is written by
Petter Nallo, the creative director of the game and the writer of the mythos chapters in the rulebook.
Set during a crime scene reconstruction in Detroit the players assume the role of people connected to the justice system trying to discover what exactly happened
during a murder spree committed in the area Oakwood Heights. The man arrested for the crimes, Franklin Mills, claims to have lost his memory. But during that
day of blood and terror a boy disappeared, and they did not find his body. So the goal is to get Franklin Mills to tell (or remember) what he did to the boy.
It’s a scenario written for one session. The characters (four of them) are premade and tightly woven into the story. They each have personal motivations and hidden
agendas. Especially two of them are extremely fascinating and creepy with a lot of hidden baggage that might (and probably will) be revealed during play. There
are also several handouts.
Zug Island is one of the places that the characters get to visit in this scenario.
This is an excellent scenario. One of the strongest I’ve read (and not just for KULT). Deep and complex characters, Locations that are memorable and varied and
countless surprises and twists and turns. You are constantly forced to reassess the situations and the people involved and the deeper you go into it you discover the
darkness that is underneath.
I don’t want to spoil the story and what happens since I think this is something that should be read, or even better, played. Everything is tied together in an elegant
way. Franklin is a fascinating character. It also includes one of the scariest nepharites and a truly haunting purgatory.
If I would say anything bad about it, it would be that there are quite some information to take in up front. But, it is done as a scene in the beginning of the scenario
so it still works.
I have played this scenario twice and both times it has been a memorable experience and really pushed the players to explore their own, inner, darkness.
If you want to dive into it and don’t mind to be spoiled you can of course read it but Red Moon Roleplaying has done an excellent playthrough of it. So listen to
it here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_2PTM-C4kI)
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November 8, 2018October 19, 2018
2 Minutes
The Atrocity Exhibition, playthrough
I have now played the scenario The Atrocity Exhibition with my group. I thought we would finish it in one session but no, it took two 6 hour sessions. I just did
not want to rush through it since we had such a good time.
I moved the scenario in time to the mid 1990s and the players had a really fun idea when it came to characters. Since my playgroup have stuck together for a long
time we played KULT in the late 90s. And one campaign that we played was abandoned and we sort of left it unfinished. So then Jenny got the idea that they
should re-make them for new KULT and the scenario would be sort of a story about what happened to them.
So, everyone re-made the characters based on the old Archetypes. So we had a Ronin, a Artist, a Deceiver, a Veteran and an Occultist. The Veteran was not part of
the old group since he was a new player.
The scenario played very well and we had quite some time just with the characters before the opening. And then all hell, literally, broke loose. It became very
weird and dramatic.
One memorable scene was when the Ronin in the group was trapped in a room with Purgatides that danced around him, playing instruments of bone and with the
melodies spread madness. In a desperate act he pierced his eardums to silence them and then was both broken and deaf for the rest of the scenario.
The most tragic scene was in Djeraba when the Femme Fatale managed to seduce/still Vauquelins wrath and save the Artist by offering herself to him. But in their
act of passion he slit her throat. And in the final scene the surviving characters faced her as a purgatide. The Ronin that had a relationship with her could not bear
himself to kill her and was strangled by her.
In the end only The Artist and the Veteran survived. The others were lost in the Purgatory or slain by Vauquelin himself.
It was a truly great experiece. A masterly written scenario by Jason Fryer and I highly recommend it. My advice is to let it take its time. Don’t rush it. And use the
images in the book when you show the exhibition.
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November 3, 2018September 24, 2018
2 Minutes
The Laraine Estate (Scenario Review)
The Laraine Estate is written by Sarah Richardson. It’s a haunted house tale with a wet and sticky erotic vibe to it that can be found in Taroticum and Other Tales.
Set on the countryside of southern US it is centered around an old mansion that is rumored to be haunted. Since the building is abandoned fans of the supernatural,
explorers and teens that seeks thrills have sought it out. One of them, “Popper Polly”, a quite famous Youtube star has gone missing and the final upload was a
strange video that is said to be from the estate.
The premade characters all have a connection to people that have disappeared in the mansion or to the mansion itself but it is easy to make own characters and tie
them to the story. In fact, this scenario would work very well as a classical scenario of ‘a group investigators on a mission’.
The investigation begins with the mansion and there are some strange things that happens in the building and then an entrance is found to the subterranean levels
where things turn… strange. And dark.
I don’t want to spoil what is down there but it is different and quite provocative.
This scenario is well worth playing. There are some cool descriptions and interesting scenes where the player characters really are challenge in how they should
act. Still, I think that the mansion itself could have been described in a bit more detail right now it feels rushed over. For an investigation scenario there aren’t that
many things to investigate. I think that the premade characters could have been tied tighter to the story now they have a clear role in it but it is not as strong as I
feel it could have been. Also, I would have loved to have some more artworks in the layout. We get the chapter heading and some maps and I think the art for this
could have made it more interesting to read.
What is especially intriguing is the backstory. This is what makes the scenario to stand out and be KULT and not just any kind of horror setting. I love that Sarah
Richardson used an Angel of Tiphareth as the main antagonist and that the angel isn’t evil. Just broken and desperate and tries to do good. It gives me a lot of ideas
how I can use them in my own KULT: Divinity Lost campaigns.
There is a nice mix of old and new. The old haunted mansion is mixed with Youtube celebrities. And I really like that it does not shy away from sexual themes and
dares to be intense and “full frontal”. Perfect for a singe game session.
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October 24, 2018October 21, 2018
2 Minutes
The Atrocity Exhibition, a review
The Atrocity Exhibition is written by Jason Fryer. A veteran when it comes to KULT. He also wrote a book about Purgatory in the 90s.
Now he is back for KULT: Divinity Lost, and I can already say that he is in top form. This is one of the best scenarios in the scenario collection Taroticum and
Other Tales.
The setting is the Cecil Throne Art Centre where an exhibition is held. The works of the eccentric artist Guy Vauquelin is displayed for the first time. Now
Vauquelin is long since dead but what people did not know was that he was a death magician and that this whole exhibition is part of a plot to bring him back
again.
The scenario has a nice pacing and starts with ease and comfort, then becomes creepy and uncanny and then explodes in the surreal, insane, mind that is
Vauquelins purgatory. And here it turns epic and weird worthy of a Clive Barker novel. The players are drawn into fragments of the mad artists mind, places he
visited in his life and everything is expertly written. The NPC’s are fleshed out and the purgatides are in particular imaginative and unique.
This is great as a stand alone scenario but I can easily see it be tied into a larger campaign. It does not come with any pre-made characters but most Archetypes
could fit into this story.
The strength of this scenario is really the imaginative vision of purgatory that transforms again and again giving you the feeling to be inside the artists twisted
mind. In some ways it remind me of the movie the Cell with its weird surrealism, or something inspired by Lynch or Del Toro.
The art to this scenario is also stunning. Instead of normal illustrations (if now, normal is something that should said about the art for KULT) we get paintings.
Each painting representing one of the paintings in the exhibition. These are clearly inspired by classical works, but much darker. And they really have a high
standard. It looks like real art that you could have on the wall if you had a morbid style of mind.
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-
review/ae-art5/)
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-review/ae-art3/)
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-review/ae-art2/)
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-review/ae-art/)
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-review/ae-art-4/)
(https://kultrpg428229752.wordpress.com/2018/10/15/the-atrocity-exhibition-a-review/ae-art-3/)
Some of the gorgeous art from the scenario.
To sum it up, this scenario is well written and very imaginative. It does not hold back when it comes to surreal weirdness, so if you are looking for a more subtle
experience this is the wrong one. There are also no pre-made characters so there is more prepp for the GM if she or he wants to run this as a one shot. If you are a
bit new as a game master I would not suggest this as a first scenario to run since it is so unique in it’s style and when it becomes surreal and abstract you really
need to know what you are doing.
I can really see this scenario as part of a campaign or a starting point of something that can evolve into a campaign.
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October 15, 2018September 24, 2018
2 Minutes
Rules for using the KULT Tarot Deck
You can now Download the rules for using the KULT: Divinity Lost tarot deck here. (http://kultdivinitylost.com/tarot)
Even if you don’t have the tarot deck I still suggest checking it out because it is a great resource for the Gamemaster.
Each card contains people, locations, situations, items and much more that can be used when shaping a campaign or scenario for KULT: Divinity Lost or any other
horror RPG for that matter. There is just an abundance of material like a great table of random results.
This is the description of 1 of the 68 cards. Each with a clear theme and connected to the illusion and our road to Awakening.
It is impressive how much sense the cards make when you study them. Now I have only started to use them but each card suit is itself a journey. Take for example
the Suit of Skulls that is described like this:
This suit represents Death as a breakthrough to the other side, as well as the mortal destruction that binds us to our flesh. It is strongly connected to both
Metropolis and the Archons, as well as to Inferno and the Death Angels.
One one end, Card 1 you have Metropolis. On the other end, Card 9 you have Inferno. Both path of the machinery that governs and binds the souls of mankind
after death. The middle card, that balance the suit is Card 5 and represents Transition from Life to Death. So just by studying the suit you can see the different ways
the soul may wander. And the steps that goes out from Card 5 both up and down are steps towards Metropolis or Inferno. Very, very nicely done. I am extremely
impressed by the level of detail and can only applaud the creator Petter Nallo for this. All five suits have this beautiful balance.
Besides the cards there is a system how to do a Tarot Reading and I can clearly show that you easily can create your own, far more complex, especially if you are
experienced in using Tarot cards. It is worth noting though that the KULT tarot is different from the normal tarot, it is not just that the motifs are different.
Now, lets just talk a little bit about the card art by Axel Torvenius because it is glorious! It is steeped in the occult and I really wish that they would have used more
of his art for the core book. But I can see that it would diverge to much from the established style.
Just a few of the amazing cards in the
Tarot by the talented Axel Torvenius.
The Tarot Cards could have been a simple prop but this is a truly impressive product both when it comes to design and art. It is a must when you play the scenario
Taroticum and as a Gamemaster they can be the key to your subconscious. I truly appreciate the level of spiritual depth KULT: Divinity Lost offers.
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September 28, 2018September 27, 2018
2 Minutes
La Cena, Playthrough and Review
This weekend I played La Cena a scenario for KULT: Divinity Lost written by Jacqueline Bryk It is part of Taroticum and Other Tales
This weekend I played La Cena, a scenario for KULT: Divinity Lost written by Jacqueline Bryk. It is part of Taroticum and Other Tales.
First of all I have to say that this is a different scenario to play. It is not the “standard” KULT story and it is something you will have to wrap your head around.
Because, basically this is a scenario that is all about dialogue and acting than any other scenario I’ve played. I would say that it borders on being a LARP. The main
scene is a dinner where we see how a family completely breaks down. And when we played it was glorious.
But, first. Let me tell you what it is about: Set in a steaming hot Miami in 1967 a family gets the unexpected news that the oldest son, Eduardo, is joining them
from Cuba. The family had a great trauma when they fled from Cuba but Eduardo chose to stay and fight in the revolution. So there is a lot of broken relations
there. And that is not the only thing that is messed up in the Cruz family. There is so many secrets, so much hidden pain, so much resentment there bubbling under
the surface. And Eduardo will burst that bubble.
Now, Eduardo is not the one you think he is. The real Eduardo is dead. The “Thing” that wears his shape is a creature born out of dreams. He returns to his family
pretending to be Eduardo.
The scenario is tight. Just a few scenes: The picking up of Eduardo at the airport. The arrival to the home of the Cruz family. And the Dinner which is the central
scene. And here are some more things that I am not that used to see in RPGs:
Each scene has a suggestion of music that should be played in the background to set the tone.
Eduardo is a NPC. But there are 7 player characters in the scenario. Seven characters are far more than I would recommend in a KULT: Divinity Lost scenario.
And since they are all tied to the family and the dinner you can’t really leave them out. So then they becomes NPC’s.
The Dinner is the central scene and it has seven courses. Each tied to a deadly sin. Now the courses are important to the story. They move the dinner along and
each character as well as Eduardo has a description of a thing that the character is recommended to do in that segment of the scene. It is not like the characters are
given lines, but they are getting suggestions how to act against each other.
And this works really well. In fact, it is what keeps the scenario together and creates the drama. All the players agreed that it was extremely helpful. It was not like
they were scripted, they were just pushed in different directions.
The session I had was with 6 players and myself. I let one of the twins be an NPC. Two players were completely new to KULT: Divintity Lost. I had set a table just
like a dining table and to make conversations easier I had dinner placements with the characters names. These could be folded up like a name sign so that they
were easy to read. I had made playlists with the suggested music as well as a playlist with some dark ambient music. I did not have a full dinner but I had some
snacks that the players could eat at different times. I also allowed all the players to have their character sheets in front of them so they could read their cues. I also
had a little bell that I rang when a new course was carried in.
It became a really good session. There was almost no rolls. Only drama, family trauma and an intense and feeling of unease as Eduardo grew in power. But during
that dinner the family somehow came together. And that weakened the creature. After the last course. I stood up as Eduardo. Threw my napkin on the plate. Said to
Rafael, the father, “Your son is dead” and then described how he just faded away. The family sat there in silence.
It was all very powerful. Strong emotions and some bleed.
The scenario demands its players. If the players don’t act it all fall apart. And I would say that you want to have as many of the roles filled as possible. I think it
could work well on a convention if you can get the privacy. The whole style feels just very unique when it comes to setting (the 60s is not really what you think
about when you think about KULT), subject matter, story techniques and act structure. I also really liked the themes in this scenario: Family Strife, Claustrophobia
and Assimilation as well as the guides how to use them. That and the tips for the Gamemaster made my job easier.
The scenario could have had a bit more love when it comes to art. It has a chapter heading which is really nice. But that is it. At least one of the small images
within a frame would have been appreciated.
I highly recommend the scenario. It can be played very subtle when it comes to the supernatural. And it was just nice with a story that did not involve nepharites or
lictors. This was a broken family living in a lie and having to face the truth. All us playing it had a really good time and we got to touch upon really dark themes.
Dice rolls weren’t really needed at all.
So if you make the space and time for it. You get several players that likes roleplaying La Cena will be an experience that stays with you for a long, long time!
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Prepping La Cena
I am in preparation of the scenario La Cena for KULT: Divinity Lost that is included in the book Taroticum and Other Tales.
It is written by Jacquline Bryk and is a very different scenario (in fact, all the scenarios in Taroticum and Other Tales are very different from each other, but that is
for another time to discuss).
The scenario all takes place in Miami in 1967 and is centered around a family dinner. There are instructions for what music to play and even what dishes to serve.
Well, my plan is to arrange a dinner table, invite the group and give them the character sheets. I have already made some playlists on spotify. This will probably be
more like a LARP but it will be interesting to see how it goes.
This will also be the first time I have seven players in a group. Because this is a one shot and it is all in one location it might just work. Or it will be complete
chaos.

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2/26/22, 12:15 PM taroticum and other tales – Razors Through Flesh

Razors Through Flesh

Exploring KULT: Divinity Lost

Tag: taroticum and other tales

Oakwood Heights (Scenario Review)

The Atrocity Exhibition, playthrough

The Laraine Estate (Scenario Review)

The Atrocity Exhibition, a review

Some of the gorgeous art from the scenario.

Rules for using the KULT Tarot Deck

Just a few of the amazing cards in the

Tarot by the talented Axel Torvenius.

La Cena, Playthrough and Review

It was all very powerful. Strong emotions and some bleed.

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