H.P. Lovecraft's Nyarlathotep: The Haunter In the Dark and Further on Cults
In the triumphant return of H.P. Lovecraft's Nyarlathotep, T.K. Nyarlathotep explores the themes of the story The Haunter in the Dark and provides a veritable cornucopia of horrors with new, revised rules for Cults and Factions, and a whole new group of stunning cults mentioned in the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, lovingly written up for the Fate Core system by Evil Hat Games!
One of Lovecraft’s stories highest on detail regarding the background of the Old Ones, The Haunter in the Dark revolves around a dead man called Robert Blake, who accidentally discovered a cursed object called the Shining Trapezohedron. It was an item crafted on Yuggoth and left on the earth long, long ago by the Old Ones, coveted by the Serpent People of the old world, and finally come to rest with the Starry Wisdom Cult of a mostly-unspecified (though likely to be Arkham) part of Massachusetts.
The Shining Trapezohedron’s power lies in its ability to apparently summon Nyarlathotep himself, specifically as an avatar known as the titular Haunter of the Dark. The Haunter of the Dark is interesting as it is one of Lovecraft’s more heavily-described creatures, a giant bat-like beast larger than a church steeple with a burning red eye containing three lobes.
Little else is revealed about the nature of Nyarlathotep himself except that, as is already known, he has many cults and ties to the Old Ones. The story seems more interested in exploring the ancient past of the Old Ones and their non-human worshipers than in giving information around its central horror, the titular Haunter, a mask of Nyarlathotep. We are given that he has the ability to possess other beings, but that ability may or may not be exclusive to the Haunter. What dark results the possession would have had are mercifully left unknown as Robert Blake is finally struck dead by a bolt of lightning.
Game material for this story is something of a different proposition than normal. One could go the route of statting out the Shining Trapezohedron or the Haunter itself, but both of those have been done countless times by other, more experienced game designers.
Instead, I’ll focus on the idea of cults and evil sects, as extrapolated from the Starry Wisdom Cult. In this, we’ll be taking specific cults from the stories of HP Lovecraft himself and developing them utilizing the Fate Core rules for organizations combined with the Fate Core Rules Supplement “Factions”, written by Diaz Truman, both of which are available via Evil Hat’s official Fate Core site, located here.
Cults have no cost in game terms, as they are considered to be an innate part of the game’s setting. In order to reap the benefits of a cult, such as its Faction Skills, Stunts, and Beliefs, you must take at least one of its Faction Aspects on your character.
The Church of Starry Wisdom
The Church of Starry Wisdom was founded circa 1844 with the discovery of the bizarre, maddeningly angled Shining Trapezohedron. With the coming of the Trapezohedron, the cult fell to collecting bizarre occult books and repositories of dark secrets, with the promise of knowledge that would allow them to summon a being known as Nyarlathotep, the Haunter in the Dark from the ancient stone. Whether they were ever successful remains unknown.
The church was officially disbanded 1877, but has seen many revivals and subsequent disbandments up into the modern age, holding as many as 200 members or more at its height. Each revival has been headed by a man claiming to be Enoch Bowen, the original founder, although whether it truly is the Bowen of old is a matter of fierce debate amongst its members…
Faction Paragon: Enoch Bowen (Aspects: Inestimably Mysterious, Faceless or Ageless?, Guarian of Lost Knowledge)
Belief: Nyarlathotep brings the knowledge that humanity deserves; he must be allowed to provide this knowledge.
Faction Aspects: Guardians of Lost Knowledge; Risen From the Ashes; Knowledge Over Ambition
Faction Skills: Fraternity (+3 Good), Fealty (+2 Fair), Fellowship (+1 Average), Force (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: The Fight for Resources: Add +2 to rolls when actively attempting to acquire a relic, text, or other form of ancient and blasphemous artifact to present to Enoch Bowen and advance the agenda of the Starry Wisdom cult.
Brothers of the Yellow Sign
Brutal and vicious visionaries who consider the art of death, torture, and violence to be the finest art of all. Their members come from all manner of worshipers with a profession in violence, from lowly slaughterhouse workers to high-ranking private military contractors and even members of their own nation’s military.
They favor blood sacrifice and often display their kills for other cults posed in grotesque shapes and poses, complete with placards like in a sick gallery. All this is done for the benefit of a mysterious and horrible benefactor who calls himself the Yellow King. The Yellow King grants favors to those who pay grim artistic tribute to him — some befitting earthly desires, others far darker and otherworldly…
Faction Paragon: Owen Black (Aspects: Callous and Abusive, Thrice-Decorated Veteran, Sadistic Visionary)
Belief: Humanity is the ultimate horror; the world will be spared its ultimate doom and be led to an era without cruelty if they can convince the King in Yellow of the truth of this.
Faction Aspects: Sadistic Visionaries; Fight Fire With Fire; Calloused by a Vile World
Faction Skills: Force (+3 Good), Fraternity (+2 Fair), Fellowship (+1 Average), Fealty (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: Beyond Feared: Your cult is horrifying, and its reputation precedes it. You may use Force in place of Fealty to defend against Fealty attacks.
Cult of the Skull
This cult, native to Chesuncook, Massachusetts, keeps a blasphemous subterranean temple within the deep woods, said to hold six-thousand steps down below to a pit of starving shoggoths. With this, they make sacrifices to Shub-Niggurath in exchange for visions of the future and promises of the secret to immortality.
They see themselves as prophets and saviours, viewing a single sacrifice to Shub-Niggurath bringing them one step closer to invincibility for the entire human race. They often use their hysterical visions to give aid to other cults - for a price, of course.
Faction Paragon: Ephraim Waite (Aspects: Formless Wraith, Maddened by the Ages, All Knowledge Has a Price)
Belief: There are two kinds of people: Those who learn and those who teach. Only through Shub-Niggurath can one do both.
Faction Aspects: Mad Psychics; The Ends Justify the Means; All Knowledge Has a Price
Faction Skills: Fellowship (+3 Good), Fraternity (+2 Fair), Fealty (+1 Average), Force (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: Visions of the Future: With intense concentration and the aid of your brothers and sisters, your consultation with dark forces pays off. You may use Fellowship to create an advantage revolving around learning a truth about the future.
Cult of Cthulhu
One of the largest cults of the Elder Beings in the world, with tendrils of influence reaching from Louisiana to the dark of South America and even the frozen North, this veritable superpower of dark belief is a force to be reckoned with. Ominous, lurking from the shadows, what they lack in unity, they make up for in sheer zealotry and resources.
These madmen seek one of the most wretched goals of all: The resurrection of Cthulhu himself. With his revival, they hope to proffer themselves and be given a special place as priests during the rise of the Great Old Ones. They seek to burn this world down and rebuild it in their own image, crafted by the hand of the Elder Gods.
Faction Paragon: Alberto “Old” Castro (Aspects: Friends in Dark Places, Hardened Criminal, Wizened Old Spaniard)
Belief: We are all simply food for the Old Ones. Only by their worship can there be salvation, and only through prayer to their High Priest can we be their equal.
Faction Aspects: Worshipers of Dead Things; Friends In Dark Places; In Madness They Dwell
Faction Skills: Fealty (+3 Good), Force (+2 Fair), Fraternity (Average +1), Fellowship (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: Dark Deceptions: When attempting a Force roll to gain a high-ranking ally (such as in federal government, high member of the church, etc.) for the Cult of Cthulhu, they may roll Fealty in place of Force.
The Esoteric Order of Dagon
Rich beyond all imaginings, this vile cult out of Innsmouth, MA has been developing a following since the 19th century. Though far smaller than they were at their height, their devotion has not faltered, nor has their incredible wealth. With just three simple oaths, you can become a full member of the Esoteric Order, a cost only the bravest, maddest, or most debased would consider worth spending.
The cult worships manlike fish beings that live deep in the oceans below, swimming among undersea cities, immortal servitors of the Old Ones. Through generations of interbreeding, they promise immortality to those that come after, and wealth to those who cannot join them.
Faction Paragon: Barnabas Marsh (Aspects: “Abaout Changed”, Wealthy Grandson of Obed Marsh, Heir to a Monstrous Legacy)
Belief: The ocean will claim all, and only those who can swim within it will be truly free.
Faction Aspects: Heirs to a Monstrous Legacy; Influence Comes With a Dark Price; Dying Breed
Faction Skills: Fraternity (+3 Good), Fealty (+2 Fair), Fellowship (+1 Average), Force (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: Grease the Wheels: +2 to Fraternity rolls made to attempt to bribe someone into changing their mind regarding helping your cult to achieve a subtle or seemingly innocuous end.
The Witch-Cult of Arkham
Witches, occultists, and mad worshipers based on Arkham, MA. They make their yearly tribute on Meadow Hill as revelers on Walpurgis Night, when they make sacrifice to the Black Man, an avatar of Nyarlathotep in service of Azathoth. This cult is all about belief in a higher power to grant them dark gifts and forbidden knowledge.
Headed by the rarely-present, but always felt, Keziah Mason, this cult is among the least organized but the strongest in their beliefs. Never ones to see a plan half-done, they assure that everything they do is done with purpose, practicality, and ultimate victory.
Faction Paragon: Keziah Mason (Aspects: Ancient Spirit, Master of the Night, Ingenious Occult Mathematician)
Belief: Nyarlathotep, Azathoth, and Yog-Sothoth are the key to true freedom of the mind. Through them, you may travel beyond the borders of space and time to achieve true enlightenment.
Faction Aspects: Masters of the Night; Revelrous and Debauched; Worshipers of the True Trinity
Faction Skills: Fealty (+3 Good), Force (+2 Fair), Fraternity (+1 Average), Fellowship (+0 Mediocre)
Faction Stunt: Bridge to the Stars: When trying to retrieve an item of immense esoteric power from another faction without the faction knowing, you may use Fealty in place of Force.
