"If you are troubled, if you are

afraid, turn to Chesed. He will

bring harvest to your barns, fire
to your hearths, harmony to your
roofs. He protects you from the
wicked, the stranger and the
troublemaker. Bend the knee and
close your eyes, freedom is the
danger that knocks at your heart."

77th Commandment of the

Hashmallim Book of Hope
 6 The relationship
7 We are where we are
7 We are what we are
9 Eszter Kovács
10 Ferenc Tóth
12 Character’s traits

14 The Therapy
15 Dr. Takács
15 The steps
16 Szomorú Vasárnap

18 the dreams
19 The Shared Dream
20 The Smell of Powder
23 Tears and Anger
26 The truth

27 The The illusion crumbles

28 At the Krizantém
29 At the BMW Group Werk

30 THE ENDS
31 Sathariel and Chesed
32 Geburah and Malkuth

4
5
 CHAPTER 1

the relationship

6
We are Where we are
Hungary, Budapest, Sunday, January 8, 1989.

It's been 40 years since the Stalinists seized power in

Hungary, and they're holding on to it with an iron fist.
After censorship, repression and purges, the winds of
change are beginning to blow through the country.
The death a few months ago of Kádár, leader of the
single party, sent the regime reeling, and the fall of
the Iron Curtain made the population nervous and
uncertain about its future. Some newspapers spoke
of the end of "Goulash Socialism", the beginning of
the country's liberalization following the
insurrection of '56. Everyone senses that "the gayest
barrack in the camp" has been destabilized, but no
one knows whether it's time for a new emancipation
or the next tyranny.
And in the water trickling over the roofs, in the
fogged car windows, in the glare of the wrought-iron
lampposts, a murmur nestles. How like the haunting
litany that precedes the roar of the storm.

We are What We Are

A young couple visit a recommended
psychotherapist for the first time to resolve their
relationship problems.
The couple attend several sessions with a
psychotherapist. At each of these sessions, the
psychotherapist addresses a particular subject,
using a particular communication tool. In reality,
the psychotherapist is a Nachtschreck, a living
nightmare that feeds on terror and despair. It was
drawn to Budapest by the resentment and suffering
of the population following the fall of the Iron
Curtain, and has taken on human form through
Eszter's dream of reconciliation. He works against
reconciliation. Collective and individual. Each
session is an opportunity for him to manipulate the
couple a little more, so that one leaves, mistreats or
kills the other. No matter who the tormentor is, he
must believe himself to be enough of a victim to
become one.

7
8
 Eszter Kovács
Who you are
+2 You're a 27-year-old Hungarian woman with fine features and long, dark,
constantly damp hair framing her large, smoky eyes. You're wearing soft,
comfortable clothes that completely cover the scars on your arms.
+0 +1 There's a strange magnetism in your eyes. You seem as much a fragile
flower as a poisonous one.

Your Dark Secret

You lived in a complicated family. Your parents met during the popular
+0 +1 uprising of 1956. Both workers, they opposed the Russian troops who
came to bring order back to Budapest. Witnessing the horror of the
bloody repression and haunted by his shattered dreams, your father took
+1 to drink. You always wondered if your mother pretended not to see your
bruises. You learned to hide your wounds so as not to be responsible for
another fight. When you were 14, you realized that she knew. That she
-1 -2 was doing the same. You understood when you saw your father in tears,
trembling on his knees before the inert body of the woman he was
supposed to love and protect. Blood everywhere. Maybe if you'd spoken
+2 up, you could have saved her. Since then, you've run away from this man.

Relation
You met Ferenc 3 years ago in the flower store where you work. He asked
you to compose a bouquet to pay tribute to someone. He had only a few
+3 dozen forints in his pocket, but his sad and beautiful look touched you.
You combined a few Damask roses with two white lilies and handed him
the bouquet, which he thought was too expensive for him. When he took
it in his hands, his gaze froze for a moment and you thought you
detected a tear in the corner of his eye.
Some time later, you met again, some time later, you loved each other.
He was gentle and intelligent. He knew how to listen to you, and you
opened up to him. But Ferenc also has a tendency to say things, to blow
hot and cold without thinking too much about it. Sometimes he
disappears for days at a time. You suspect he's secretly seeing another
woman. He's never told you about his family, or where he comes from.
Sometimes his excuses ring hollow. Sometimes you realize that that
book you both enjoy, he may not have actually read. A few weeks ago,
when Ferenc disappeared again, you told yourself it was your fault. That
he was running away from you. And anger rose from the bottom of the
frozen lake. You've hurt yourself. He doesn't know it, but that's why you
suggested he see a therapist recommended by your boss. You hope
things can go back to the way they were.

Therapy

◊ Session 1 : Express your emotions without holding back. Talk about

your doubts about Ferenc and your relationship. Ask where he goes
when he disappears.

◊ Session 2 : Talk again about your doubts about Ferenc and your
relationship. Ask insistently where he goes when he
disappears.Reprimand Ferenc. Admit or hide that you don't believe him.

◊ Session 3 : Talk or do not talk about your childhood. Get angry. Forgive
yourself or feel guilty. Seek comfort in Ferenc or in yourself.

This dramatic hooks are game instructions for the PJs. They are
deliberately laconic, so that players don't get too hung up on them.
What's more, they are subject to free interpretation and are not
exhaustive.

9
 Ferenc Tóth
Who you are
+0 You're a 26-year-old Hungarian of Kurdish origin. Your features are hard,
your face is closed and the dark circles under your eyes never seem to
fade. You're wearing a military jacket and functional clothes stained with
+2 +1 grease. You seem cold and unsympathetic at first glance, but your
intelligent gaze gives the impression that you're always looking for what
to say.

Your Dark Secret

+0 +1 Your real first name is Serhat. In Kurdistan, your family never had any
ties. Your parents never explained why, but their haunted eyes, the flags
they had to hide and their whispered conversations spoke for
-1 themselves: they were running away from something terrible. They woke
you up several times in the middle of the night to escape, leaving behind
all your possessions. And finally... They abandoned you. Maybe they're
still on the run, maybe they've been overtaken by what they feared. You
+1 +3 still have a strong feeling of being out of place, and when the war started
in 1984, you had to flee again, this time from the country to Hungary. But
wherever you live, you never stay for long. You don't know exactly what
+2 would happen if you settled somewhere, but your instincts tell you that
you'll be abandoned again. So ever since, you've been in the habit of
lying to avoid being abandoned.

Relation
-2 You met Eszter, who worked at the flower shop where you go every year
to buy a bouquet in memory of your comrades who died under the
Turkish bombs. That day, you were almost out of money and the young
girl with the fine features composed the most beautiful bouquet you
could ever dream of. You were moved. Almost to tears. Would a woman
who could put so much passion, precision and generosity into
assembling a few flowers for a complete stranger have the ardor to love
you as you are? She wanted to see you again, you wanted to be
convinced. Every confidence she offered you, you saw as a sign of trust.
And yet, the closer she came, the more you were tempted to disappear.
In your mind, to be attached is to suffer, to love is to die. So you're
constantly on the edge. Torn between the desire to love her, and the fear
that she'll play you for a fool, that she'll abandon you as soon as she
knows who you really are. So you lie to her. You present her with the
mask she'll appreciate best because, frankly, she's too good for you.
Recently, without much explanation, she asked you to accompany her to
see a therapist. Does she want to tell you that she wants to leave you? Or
does she still want to reproach you in front of a witness this time?

Therapy
◊ Session 1 : Express your reluctance to be here. Try to look your best.
Don't answer awkward questions.

◊ Session 2 : Try to gain Eszter's trust. Invent a lie to explain your regular
disappearances. Deflect blame. Give yourself away or keep your feelings
to yourself.

◊ Session 3 : Talk or do not talk about your childhood. Get angry. Accept
or reject the idea that you have not been abandoned. Try to obtain
commitments from Eszter.

This dramatic hooks are game instructions for the PJs. They are
deliberately laconic, so that players don't get too hung up on them.
What's more, they are subject to free interpretation and are not
exhaustive.

10
11
 Character’s Traits

Ferenc Tóth Eszter Kovács

12
13
 CHAPTER 2

The Therapy

14
 Dr. Takács
Dr. Takács is a Nachtschreck. A creature of the dream
world attracted by the tensions following the fall of
Hungary's Communist regime, he took shape thanks
to Eszter's recurring nightmares. He sensed her
distress and the struggle under the ice between
desire for revenge and reconciliation. He
materialized under the skin of the sympathetic
therapist after whispering to Eszter in a dream that it
would be a good idea to pay her a visit. The human
costume he dons is that of a dentist who drowned
while vacationing in Lake Balaton. Also, if you touch
Nachtschreck, you can feel his icy, damp skin, and his
breath exudes a pungent, marine scent.

Therapy The steps

In a therapy office, players embody a
couple in crisis, seeking to resolve
their relationship problems. The
seemingly benevolent therapist uses a
series of subtle manipulations to sow
discord between the partners. Here
are just a few examples of the tactics
the therapist may use during each
session:
Session 1 - Emotional Isolation and
Reality Distortion: Dr. Takács may
encourage one partner to express his or
her emotions intensely, while
minimizing the other's reactions. He
thus creates a sense of emotional
isolation between the two, leading
them to believe that the other doesn't
understand or care about their feelings.
In addition, the therapist may interpret
the partner's words and actions in a
biased way, presenting a distorted
version of reality that sows mistrust.
For example, he might say: "It seems
your partner doesn't appreciate your
work at all", based on a simple anodyne
remark.

Session 3 - Exploiting Vulnerabilities Session 2 - Reinforcing Paranoia and

and Antagonizing: The therapist can
exploit the emotional vulnerabilities
and secrets the partners have shared
in previous sessions, using this
information against them to make
them doubt the trust they have in each
other. Dr. Takács must be able to
subtly slip in the idea that staying
together is probably not the right
solution, and that the victim within
the couple has a legitimate right to
defend themselves, to take control.
the Blame Game: The therapist may
allude to imaginary infidelities or
hidden agendas, fueling the partners'
paranoia and prompting them to
investigate each other's activities.
Furthermore, Dr. Takács encourages
the projection of responsibility for
problems onto the other, fostering a
permanent blame game. For example,
he might say, "For this to work, you
must first change this aspect of your
partner."

15
 Szomorú Vasárnap
The Nachtschreck has decided to introduce each
new session with this music composed under the
influence of Togarini (The Angel of Compulsion). This
music possesses a powerful ability to install discord
and distress in the minds of those who listen to it. At
the start of the first session, the therapist will play it,
explaining the history of the song and emphasizing
that he doesn't believe any of the rumors, and that
he plays it for his patients to soothe them and give
them a glimpse of what can be beautiful in despair:

“Szomorú Vasárnap” is an iconic Hungarian song,

also known as “Gloomy Sunday” in English. It was
composed in 1933 by Rezső Seress, a Hungarian
pianist and composer, accompanied by lyrics by
László Jávor. The song is infamous for being
associated with many rumors and urban legends.

One of the most widespread rumors is that the song

is cursed and has inspired a large number of suicides
around the world. It is claimed that the song's
melancholy lyrics have a profoundly depressive
effect on listeners, driving them to suicidal thoughts.
It's important to note that this rumor is widely If a PC succeeds in a "see
considered an urban legend, as no solid evidence through illusion" roll while
has been found to back up these claims. listening to the music, he
Nevertheless, « Gloomy Sunday" has a dark history. perceives an infernal litany
Legend has it that composer Rezsó Seress himself creeping into the notes.
lived a tragic life, committing suicide in 1968 by
jumping out of his apartment window. It is also said The goal of the scenario is
that his co-writer, László Jávor, committed suicide at to maintain an atmosphere
the age of 42. The song has been banned in many of growing tension and
countries at various times due to its alleged paranoia as the therapist
associations with suicide. However, it is important subtly manipulates the
to say that the relationship between the song and couple to divide them and
suicide is generally considered to be based on myth make them think they are
and legend rather than hard evidence. victims enough to leave or
kill each other. Players will
"Gloomy Sunday" has been performed by many have to work together to
artists over the years and has become a classic of discover the therapist's true
the Hungarian repertoire. It has been recorded in intentions and decide how
many languages and is appreciated for its musical to resist his manipulations
beauty and moving lyrics, rather than for any to save their relationship -
alleged curses. and their lives.

18
17
 CHAPTER 3

The Dreams

18
The DReam World
Each session is interspersed with a return to the apartment the
couple share in Budapest's 7th Arrondissement. These moments
allow the characters to talk to each other without the Doctor
present, for better or for worse. But every night, they will each
dream strange things, dreams induced by the Nachtschreck and the
power of the song “Szomorú Vasárnap”.

Night 1 :
The Shared Dream
Eszter and Ferenc both dream of Lake Balaton,
which is normally a tourist area with a mild climate
but which, in the dream world, is a huge frozen
expanse. The PCs are in Eszter's recurring nightmare.
It's cold and the characters' fingers go numb, the
blizzard envelops them as mist slides over the icy
surface of the lake. A character who passes a "see
through illusion" test can feel waves coming from
beneath the ice. Something immense and unhealthy
lurks beneath the surface. And the surface begins to
crack. Something knocks and the impact mingles
with the heartbeats of the PCs, who wake up
shivering. Each holds in his hand the torn half of
Binah's map (Archon of the Community).

19
 Night 2 :
The Smell of Powder
Eszter dreams of the 1956 uprising that gave birth to
her parents' romance and sowed the seeds of
despair in her father's mind: « In 1956, the streets of
Budapest were the scene of a student and worker
revolution. Long-buried desires for independence
and freedom erupted in a tumult of joint anger. Cries
of revolt echoed in the air, carrying the hopes of an
entire people in the face of the relentless oppression
of the Communist regime. The dream of a nation
rising from the ashes, of the dawn of a new era,
crumbled before the authority imposed by Russian
tanks. The streets of Budapest, once filled with songs
of hope, were invaded by the darkness and crash of
shattered aspirations. The dreams of a nation
dissolved in an ocean of tears and blood, leaving an
indelible imprint of disillusionment in the hearts of
those who witnessed it. » Eszter wakes up scratching
his skin with the Samael (Angel of Vengeance) card
in his hand.

Ferenc dreams of the 1984 uprising of the PKK Kurdish

forces demanding independence from Turkey and the
establishment of an autonomous collectivist society. «
In 1984, Turkish Kurdistan erupted in a deeply poignant
uprising. It was a time when hope and the desire for
freedom took root in the hearts of a population long
oppressed, systematically uprooted. Aspirations that
had been stifled by decades of domination erupted in
relentless revolt. Kurdish mountains and cities were
ablaze with the fervor of a population determined to
claim its place in history. Cries of revolt tore through the
air, carrying the conviction of a people to break the
chains of oppression.
The dream of an autonomous Kurdistan, of a recognized
identity, clashed with Turkish power. The mountains,
once the symbol of resistance, have witnessed bitter
conflict and relentless struggle. Kurdistan's aspirations
crashed against insurmountable walls, leaving a mark of
affliction and destruction in the whistle of shells. »
Ferenc wakes up swimming with the map of
Hareb-Serap (Angel of Conflict) in his hand.

20
21
22
 Night 3 :
Tears and Anger
Eszter dreams of the night her father killed her
mother. She's in her bedroom, awakened by loud
voices. She's used to this, and covers her ears with her
comforter. The sound of broken dishes, then silence.
Eszter rises slowly, sobs echoing in the living room.
The floorboards creak. His father can't hear him. He's
bent over his wife's body. Blood everywhere. He's
holding her head. Eszter always thought he was
crying for her. Now she's beginning to understand
that he's crying for himself. For what he's lost. He's
feeling sorry for himself. Yet it's on his hands that the
blood is starting to clot, it's his wife who's no longer
breathing, and it's his daughter who will bear the
scars for the rest of her life. Eszter is awakened by the
sound of breaking dishes. In her hand is the card of
Chagidiel (Angel of Abuse).

Ferenc dreams of the day his parents abandoned him,

alone in the village of Ceylanpınar in Southeast
Anatolia. He's still young. Much too young. He feels
the warm air through the diaphanous curtains. He
hears his parents whispering. They've packed their
bags. They look at him again, as if haunted by
something. He doesn't understand what his father is
saying, but he's stern. His mother suppresses a sob
and Ferenc knows they're leaving. That they'll leave
him. She holds him close one last time. He smells
white lilies and Damask roses as he nestles his
tear-drenched face against his mother's neck. He
doesn't want to let go of his mother. He begs. His
father unhooks his little arms from the young
woman's neck. His father hands him a glass of water,
as if to compensate. As if it were only fair. Ferenc
squeezes it with all his might. He hears that a big boy
doesn't cry. That they'll soon be reunited. And as he
watches his parents leave him, sitting on the rough
carpet, he throws his glass to the floor in rage. Ferenc
comes to, he's in the middle of his kitchen, tears
streaming down his cheeks, he's broken a glass and
cut his hand badly. Blood drips onto the parquet
floor. In his bloodied hand is the Sathariel (Angel of
Exclusion) card.

23
24
25
 Night 4 :
The Truth
Optional if the Nachtschreck is revealed :
Eszter and Ferenc dream that they are together on Lake
Balaton. The blizzard continues to blow, but they keep each
other warm. The mist has amalgamated into a gigantic,
monstrous form. A mist in which we hear the crashing of
shells, the agonized cries of martyrs, the cries of Eszter's
father, glass shattering in the fragrance of lilies and roses
and the smell of gunpowder and blood. The image of the
Nachtschreck faces them. It contains all the despair,
resentment, anger and fear of the two humans. It is
powerful, and the lovers must counter it. One way or
another. If they fail to do so, a spurt of control can tip them
back into antagonism, even violence, with the one who
kills the other escaping the dream world, waking up having
killed his love in bed. If they succeed, if they forgive each
other and form a more powerful pact than with the
Nachtschreck, the latter will cause the lake ice to collapse,
swallowing up the mist for good. The lovers wake up in
each other's arms, expelling steam from their mouths. They
hold hands, and wedged between their palms is the card of
Gamaliel (Angel of Desire).

26
 CHAPTER 4

The Illusion
is crumbling

27
 At the Krizantém
These events can occur at the GM's whim.

At Krizantém, the flower store where Eszter works :

◊ the rain keeps falling and begins to wash out the

color on the flowers on display outside. She sees
the shapes she recognized in the Rorschach test
slowly taking shape in the puddles.
Rorschach test. The flowers she touches
immediately fade and lose their petals.

◊ Frost forms all over the shop window and a

blizzard seems to be rising outside. Handprints
in the mist on the glass.

◊ When Eszter waters the plants, the water she

uses seems to take on a strange odor. That of
death, decay and rancid dampness.

◊ A strange customer has ordered her boss a

funeral wreath in Ferenc's name. She
must choose the flowers.

28
At the BMW Group Werk
At BMW Group Werk, the factory where Ferenc :

◊ the heady roar of the machines prevents him

from thinking things through. He concentrates on
his work on the assembly line. The tools are old,
the foreman comes and goes and the hours pass
slowly. Little by little, time seems to dilate until it
comes to a complete standstill. Ferenc feels and
thinks at a frantic pace, but can no longer move,
everything around him has stopped. He remains
trapped in this loop for hours before time
flows normally again.

◊ The machines stop, a siren sounds, a comrade

jams his hand in a press. He’d just worked 21 hours
to replace a colleague. He screams, blood
everywhere. In the blood, Ferenc sees the shapes
he recognized in his Rorschach test.

◊ Comrades talk of going on strike. Ferenc senses

tension rising in the Factory. A comrade joined the
union, you never saw him back the next day.

◊ When Ferenc picks up a tool to tighten a nut, it

shatters as if made of ice.

29
 CHAPTER 5

the ENDS

30
31
 Sathariel’s Advent

CheSED’s Advent
If one has left the other
(fear, resentment or anger) :

The Nachtschreck is satisfied, gaining enough

strength to cast his shadow over the whole
town and whispers in the ears of every soul in
pain. Political tensions crystallize
crystallize in the city. The socialist government
falls, and with it the hopes and dreams of the
working class. of the working class. Coalitions
of small landowners forming a new bourgeois
class once again dominate society. Their policy
of deregulation and deepening inequality led
to a major economic crisis in 2009. Against this
backdrop, a reactionary populist government
took power, embarking on a massive hunt for
immigrants and the poor.
and the poor. This was the advent of Chesed
(Archon of Security).

32
 Geburah’s Advent
If the couple separates
(collective emancipation) :

The Nachtschreck is frustrated. He's losing his

power and influence, he's dwindling away and
the only way means left for him to keep a
foothold in this world is to cling to a new victim.
victim. The country is undergoing a democratic
transition. The opposition takes its place in
government, calling the 1956 revolution a
"popular uprising" (previously
counter-revolution by the regime). The one-party
system came to an end, and elections were held
in the new Republic of Hungary. in the new
Republic of Hungary. But certain racist groups
also began on anti-immigrant positions, while a
shadow already hangs over a young girl who
starts girl who begins to dream of Lake Balaton.
It's the advent of Geburah (Archon of the Law).

Malkuth’s Advent
If the Nachtschreck is defeated by reconciliation
(in the dream world or not) :

The Nachtschreck is furious, loses all power and

attachments in reality and is expelled in the form
of a dark mist from the mouth of his human
costume. dark mist from the mouth of his human
costume. The skin slips off and falls like an empty,
shrivelled disguise. The mist becomes thinner and
thinner, and the monster's face monster's face
appears one last time in the dark reflections
before being sent back to the world of dreams. The
country is undergoing a democratic transition.
The opposition takes its place in
government, calling the 1956 revolution a "popular
uprising" (previously counter-revolution by the
regime). The one-party system came to an end,
and elections were held in the new Republic of
Hungary. in the new Republic of Hungary. It's the
advent of Malkuth (Archon of Compliance).

33
 Therapy
"Errare humanum est, perseverare diabolicum. January 20, 1989. As
rain washed the streets of Budapest and the hearts of passers-by, a
couple headed for reconciliation. After all, forgiveness is divine."

A supplement for Kult : Divinity Lost

Concept, Writing and Art
Faust
https://kultfrance.blogspot.com/

Playlist for the game

CC BY-NC 4.0 DEED

Game system © 2018 Helmgast AB. KULT: Divinity Lost is developed and published by Helmgast AB.