[Hoo boy. For the better part of a year (during which time Pagan Publishing Carcosa harbors secrets. Within the city’s shifting insanity a figure From the beginning, H.P. Lovecraft’s Mythos encompassed the works of many In the Call of Cthulhu game, Hastur in some way holds dominion over Carcosa, However, exploration of Carcosa in these scenarios is somewhat limited and “During my convalescence I had bought and read for the first time The In various Chaosium publications, several methods of travel to Carcosa have Another method from the rulebook is Gate travel. Creating a Gate and investing Two other, riskier ways are possible. One may make a deal of some sort with Beyond these methods, a number of options can be created. Hastur has a special Swirl of the Pallid Dancers<\/strong>: This spell will enchant several dancers, The dance lasts a number of minutes equal to the target’s SIZ. It requires Gahan’s Canvas<\/strong>: This is a painting, showing a battered throne in When finished, the subject grows insubstantial and fades away, as does his Camilla’s Shears<\/strong>: An ornately decorated pair of scissors, with curious Mottled Clay<\/strong>: This substance must be created from a number of things, The user of the Clay covers the target completely with it. If a person is In order to free the target from the invulnerable stone stasis, the user These methods are examples; similar items and spells doubtless exist, corresponding “Night fell and hours dragged on, but still we murmured to each other To truly know Carcosa we must begin with a look at the nature of reality. But the coming of the King in Yellow brought to an end the rule of such Now, existence in Carcosa is not predicated on internal stability. Rather, The key element in this mutually-defining reality is perception. While your The difficulty with Carcosa’s reality lies in what happens to the things Thus, a person who walks from one end of a street to the other and then Hastur’s mutational reality is also self-propelling. As one area of reality Maps are useless. Buildings, streets, entire areas disappear and reform Once all of this has been made clear to the newly-arrived investigators, From this point on, call for both Sanity and Idea rolls as you feel they There is another important difference in the two rolls. A successful Idea As well as enlightening. Whenever the investigators attempt some moderately For example: Archie McPhee, crack investigator, is wandering through dim Obviously, the more SAN you lose the easier you will find it to get around. It should be noted that only one investigator in a group needs to succeed There are three principal areas that the investigators might wish to explore: Upon arrival — however they get there — the investigators will immediately The city itself is a ferocious marvel; investigators with a sense of the The most unusual feature of the city is that it is constantly changing; In preparing for your players to explore the city, you should create eight The Whisper Labyrinth<\/strong>: Somewhere below the city there is a crumbling As soon as anyone progresses far enough down any hallway to lose sight of The labyrinth consists of hallways and small rooms. In every wall there In wandering around, there is a 3% chance per hour (not cumulative) that When an investigator (or a group) enters the labyrinth, roll 3D6. This gives Needless to say, it should be quite rare for anyone to just happen upon The Whisper Labyrinth is a strange and frightening place; at your discretion, The Gallery of Shades<\/strong>: One of Carcosa’s larger structures, this elaborate The artworks displayed are of all types: paintings, sketches, statuary, The effect of these works upon touring investigators is slow but insidious. The affected investigator will now lose 1D3 SAN every ten minutes. In some Should the investigators decide to leave the Gallery (entrances abound, Should the investigators remain in the Gallery for too long, the afftected The remaining investigators will find that the strange paralysis wears off Somewhere in the Gallery is the hall referred to in the section on Mottled The Whisper Labyrinth and the Gallery of Shades are typical of the sort The lake of Hali is the passive essence of Hastur. It shares with its surroundings The lake covers an uncertain area, and indeed may never truly end. Just Though few ever learn much about it, the lake is fully as strange as the Of course, the lake is occupied. Anyone contemplating a journey onto the One of the most fearsome and curious aspects of the lake is its changing Visibility under the fogwater is about fifteen feet. Deep-ocean sounds resonate About eighty feet down the explorers will begin to descend past tower spires, If they are brave enough to continue, several hundred feet down the boat Other secrets of the lake are not for discussion here. As the essence of Standing on the shore of the lake of Hali, where it meets the edge of Carcosa, But, hope springs eternal in the heart of every player. Should you wish Before attempting to use this section, the Keeper is strongly urged to read Reaching the Palace is the first and most difficult step. Achieving a means However you choose for the investigators to get there, achieving the Palace The Palace is of great size and great beauty. Standing before it, the viewer There they will find the inhabitants of the Palace, standing and sitting The outcome of all this is up to the Keeper. Terrible dangers may well exist You can think of this text as a toolkit. Creating a scenario with these The first step, of course, is to come up with a good enough reason for a Other possibilities could include recovering some item vital to stopping Once you have a plot in mind, you will need to construct locations, NPC’s, Locations are perhaps the most important part of your scenario. There will Time is also important. It does not truly pass in Carcosa, which will thwart Special notice should be paid to the times when the lake of Hali becomes Finally, you may want to answer for yourself the question of just what Hastur In many ways, Hastur seems to be a very abstract manifestation of something
\nwas born) I was experiencing a period of profound mental instability and
\ndepression. For a time I believed that the following was real, in some strange
\nway I can no longer grasp. I suppose this means that I’m better, though
\nconsidering that it often seems I had all my best ideas during that time
\nI’m not so sure I fancy this being mentally healthy business all that much.
\nAnyway, this was my first real gaming work and is an adaptation of Robert
\nW. Chambers’ fiction to the game. This area had been touched on by the Chaosium
\nscenarios “Tell Me, Have You Seen The Yellow Sign?” and “Tatterdemalion,”
\nbut neither had gone to the extent to which I thought was needed. Hence,
\nthis article. Owners of our solo scenario “Alone On Halloween”
\nmay recognize some of this from a dream sequence I wrote for that adventure.]<\/em><\/p>\n
\nstands, a whisperer in mottled rags. From behind a pallid mask a voice shuffles\u00a0forth with an exhalation through yellowed teeth. The soft words are intended\u00a0for you. This being will tell you of Carcosa’s secrets, it will share its
\nknowledge with any who will turn an appreciative ear. It will never tell
\nthe same tale twice.<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nwriters. The creations of Arthur Machen and Lord Dunsany, for instance,
\nfigure into several of his works. Another writer who was posthumously inaugurated
\nwas Robert W. Chambers, a turn-of-the-century writer of continental romances
\nand social ponderings. In a book of short stories collectively entitled
\nThe King in Yellow, Chambers connected several stories together by means
\nof a curious and forbidden book, a technique Lovecraft adopted later with
\nhis Necronomicon. This curious book, not surprisingly also entitled The
\nKing in Yellow, was said to be a particularly brilliant and twisted play
\nwhich wreaked havoc in the lives of those who read it. In these short stories,
\nChambers introduced the doomed city of Carcosa, on the shores of the lake
\nof Hali. This city existed\/exists not on Earth, but rather on a planet circling
\nthe far star Aldebaran. Chambers made oblique references to the events of
\nthe play, in which a stranger in a pallid mask disrupts a costumed ball
\nand informs the royal partygoers of their land’s doom. In Chambers’ stories,
\npeople reading this play would grow depressed and melancholy, eventually
\ncommitting suicide or worse. Artists and creative types seemed drawn to
\nthe book and the peculiar, twisting Yellow Sign on its cover.<\/p>\n
\nand is the source of its misery. Hastur — whatever or whomever it is —
\nalso spreads ill on Earth. Several Chaosium adventures, including “Tell
\nMe, Have You Seen The Yellow Sign?” by Kevin A. Ross, “Tatterdemalion”
\nby Richard Watts and Penelope Love, and “The Evil Stars” by Keith
\nHerber, are excellent representations of Hastur’s malevolent intentions
\ntowards humanity. In the first two of these adventures, investigators can
\nactually travel to Carcosa and see the dominance of Hastur firsthand.<\/p>\n
\ndirected. Keepers who really want to put their players through some changes
\nmay be intrigued by the prospect of a longer stay in the strange city. What
\nmysteries might it reveal? This article takes a long look at this alien
\nplace; players may wish to avert their eyes lest surprises be spoiled. Keepers,
\non the other hand, should come closer. Someone wants to tell you something…<\/p>\nHow To Get There<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nKing in Yellow. I remembered after finishing the first act that it occurred
\nto me that I had better stop…” -Robert W. Chambers, “The Repairer
\nof Reputations”<\/p>\n
\nbeen postulated. The first can be found in the CoC rulebook itself. This
\nmethod involves brewing a drink known as “space mead”. When consumed,
\nthe imbiber is immune to the detrimental effects of space travel — that
\nis, one may breathe freely in the vacuum, etc. Having done this, the traveler
\nsummons and binds a Byakhee, and is flown millions of miles to far Aldebaran.
\nThis form of travel is time-consuming and dangerous, but is often used by
\ncultists to neatly dispose of victims.<\/p>\n
\nit with 14 points of POW will enable one to travel to Carcosa at will, though
\nan expense of 14 magic points each way is costly and will bar some from
\nthe journey. A similar method — described in detail in “Tatterdemalion”
\n— is through a Window prepared by a god or very powerful cultist with a
\nPOW of 25. Travel through the window is easy — only one magic point is
\nneeded. But this method is rarely available, and using it may draw the attention
\nof the window’s creator.<\/p>\n
\nHastur, which involves contacting or calling that being. Again, this is
\nunlikely to be used by player investigators. Another method, found in “Tell
\nMe, Have You Seen The Yellow Sign?”, is rarest of all. In this adventure,
\na portion of Carcosa itself briefly manifests on Earth. Investigators may
\nenter the city through this manifestation, but will be trapped there if
\nthey do not leave before the phenomenon ends.<\/p>\n
\nattraction for wizards and artists; doubtless, many of these have come up
\nwith their own unusual ways of travel. Some sample ones are given below;
\nin themselves, they may suggest scenarios to any Keeper.<\/p>\n
\nall of whom must be willing participants. The dancers require special tattered
\nrobes and scarves, all of a mottled yellow. When cast, the dancers begin
\nan elaborate and hurried dance, circling the target who is to be transported.
\nThe dancers whirl around him, moving faster and faster, as their unraveling
\ncostumes form a solid blur. When completed, the dancers will collapse and
\nthe target will be gone.<\/p>\n
\nan equal investment of magic points, which are drawn from among the dancers.
\nThe caster may be one of the dancers, or may simply be nearby; should the
\ncaster be one of the dancers, he may add additional magic points above the
\nminimum needed. When the dance is completed, the target attempts a resistance
\nroll of POW vs. magic points spent (including extra ones added by a dancing
\ncaster). If the target fails to resist, he is lost in the blur of the dancers
\nand is instantly transported to Carcosa. If the caster has been there before,
\nhe may choose where the target is sent; otherwise, the target may arrive
\nanywhere within the strange city. The dancers each lose 1\/1D3 SAN; the caster
\n2\/1D6, and the target, 3\/1D8. Anyone viewing the process loses 0\/1 SAN points.<\/p>\n
\nthe shadows of a columned hall. A painter who owns the canvas may paint
\na subject into the picture, usually seated in the throne. The subject must
\nbe present during the painting. The entire process takes 4+1D4 hours to
\ncomplete, and the painter must make a successful Painting skill roll or
\nthe attempt fails. During this time, which must be continuous, the subject
\nmay make an hourly resistance roll of his POW vs. the painter’s. If the
\nsubject succeeds, the attempt is spoiled, though the subject will not be
\naware of what the artist was attempting to do. In such a case, the painting
\nmay be begun again, if the subject is willing. Should each hourly resistance
\nroll be failed, the subject sits there placidly and awaits the results.<\/p>\n
\nimage on the canvas. Upon finally vanishing, the subject is transported
\nto Carcosa, appearing in a hall identical to the one on the canvas and in
\nthe same position as he was painted. When it is over, the canvas once again
\nshows only the hall, awaiting its next visitor. Using the Canvas costs 1\/1D4
\nSAN; being subjected to the process costs 3\/1D8 SAN.<\/p>\n
\ntwisting designs that seem to shift before the eyes (including an occasionally-glimpsed
\nYellow Sign). To be used, they must be operated in the air, as if cutting
\nall around a sleeping or immobile victim. When the scissors have “cut”
\nall around the victim, a POW vs. POW resistance roll may be attempted against
\nthe user of the scissors. Should the roll succeed, the victim will instantly
\nawaken. Otherwise, their mind will be gone, transported to Carcosa, where
\nit will join the other invisible wailing spirits who haunt the streets.
\nThe victim’s body will remain unharmed, but will be nothing more than a
\nmindless vegetable. Using the scissors costs 1\/1D4 SAN. The victim takes
\nD100 SAN, and will in any case quickly become permanently insane, now privy
\nto the incorporeal terrors that lurk in dim Carcosa. Use of this item as
\na method of willing player investigator travel is not recommended.<\/p>\n
\nwhich should be chosen by the Keeper for their unusualness and inaccessibility.
\nSome typical components might include ancient papyrus, dandelions, mummy
\nwrappings, baby fat, and other odd things. Some of these items must be obtained
\nin quantity, for half a pound of the Clay is needed for each point of SIZ
\nto be transported. When the ingredients are assembled and a noxious ritual
\nperformed (at a cost of one magic point per half pound) the result is a
\nmottled yellow clay, thick and slimy.<\/p>\n
\nthe target, they must be immobile or a volunteer for all of the clay to
\nbe applied. Of course, the target may also be a book or item, which will
\ntake no damage from the Clay’s application. As it is smoothed on, the Clay
\nhardens quickly into a tough shell. When the target is completely covered,
\nthis shell may be shattered with a quick blow, and will be found to now
\nbe hollow. The target has been transported to a particular location on Carcosa,
\nturned to stone. There, in a strange gallery of petrified people and objects,
\nthe target waits for the user of the Clay to come.<\/p>\n
\nmust gather the now-hardened Clay fragments and grind them into a fine powder.
\nJourneying to Carcosa, the caster sprinkles this powder over the target
\nit was used on, restoring them to flesh (or whatever) and freeing them from
\nthe stasis. Of course, many who are sent to the gallery are never retrieved,
\nand so it is a repository for many lost and vanished souls. Without the
\npowder of the Clay that sent them there, they will remain petrified forever.
\nUsing the Clay costs 1\/1D4 SAN.<\/p>\n
\nto their own cultures and times. Investigators will no doubt be hesitant
\nabout using some of these to transport themselves to Carcosa… their caution
\nis well-founded.<\/p>\nYour First Steps<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nof the King and the Pallid Mask, and midnight sounded from the misty spires
\nin the fog-wrapped city. We spoke of Hastur and Cassilda, while outside
\nthe fog rolled against the blank window-panes as the cloud waves roll and
\nbreak on the shores of Hali…” -Robert W. Chambers, “The Yellow
\nSign”<\/p>\n
\nIn our human experience, reality is fairly consistent and reliable. Atoms
\nhave an internal stability that allows them to remain what they are. Lead
\ndoes not become gold; a chair does not turn into a butterfly; if you turn
\nright, walk three steps, turn around, walk three steps, and turn left you
\nwill be back where you started.<\/p>\n
\nreality in Carcosa. The malignant turmoil of Hastur entered and re-assembled
\nreality in its own image.<\/p>\n
\nit is a sort of relational reality. If there is a door on Earth, it is still
\nthe same door whether you stand by it, walk through it, or just look at
\nit. But bring that door under Hastur’s influence and its definition is constantly
\nchanging. When you stand by that door, it is defined by how you stand —
\nhow close you are, what color shirt you are wearing, what dust is on your
\nshoes. Should you cross your legs, you have changed the door’s definition
\n— as well as your own.<\/p>\n
\npresence near a door alters its reality, your looking at it actually materializes
\nthe change. If you watch the door while a friend walks back and forth through
\nit, you may see the door shift and shudder. Your friend might see the same
\nthing, or something more appropriate to him.<\/p>\n
\nnear you that you cannot see. Your perception of a thing strengthens the
\nbonds, so little will change as long as you can watch it. But beyond the
\nedges of your vision — beyond your immediate perception — reality is free
\nto change as it pleases, simply because you cannot perceive it. It will
\nstay in a more stable form only when you turn to look at it.<\/p>\n
\nback again will find that the street has changed greatly; should they turn
\naround and traverse the street once more it will bear even less resemblance
\nto the way it looked the first time.<\/p>\n
\nis modified, everything around it changes in response. This causes the original
\narea to shift in response to that, and so on. The net effect of this is
\nthat Carcosa is completely remade every few hours, never the same thing
\ntwice. Needless to say, this makes navigation incredibly difficult for the
\ndoomed fools — that is, the investigators — who have traveled there.<\/p>\n
\nanew after you pass them. Leaving behind markers is similarly futile; they
\nare quickly absorbed into the city, and likely as not your carefully-made
\ntrailblazes will appear all over the city, pointing in different directions.
\nEven movement inside a building is difficult, though the changes tend to
\nbe less drastic than those of the city as a whole (the entire building,
\nfor instance, will not disappear while you are in it).<\/p>\nSanity Travel<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ncall for Idea rolls. Successful rolls cost them each 1D6 SAN; failure only
\ncosts 1D3. Request that the players begin keeping a running total of how
\nmuch SAN they lose due to the city’s influence (though SAN is still recorded
\nnormally as well, and the usual detrimental effects apply).<\/p>\n
\nare appropriate. Sanity checks should be made as the result of some shock
\n— realizing that the way home is blocked, or seeing a monster. Idea rolls
\nare used whenever you feel that the investigators might have an opportunity
\nto grasp something about the reality of the city. If they experiment with
\nthe reality shifts or try to “test” how things work here, Idea
\nrolls would be appropriate.<\/p>\n
\nroll will cost more SAN than a failed one (as seen in the 1D6\/1D3 roll made
\nabove). This is just the opposite of the normal Sanity check, which costs
\nmore if you fail than if you succeed. In Carcosa it is not sudden crude
\nshocks that illuminate the mind. Rather, it is the slow but constant eating
\naway at your rationality and sense of place that is truly damaging.<\/p>\n
\ndifficult feat of navigation, one of the group must make a roll. This roll
\nneeds to be under the total Carcosa-related SAN that investigator has lost
\nto date. Note that “difficult” means that the investigators are
\ntrying to get somewhere that they can’t see; as noted earlier, as long as
\nyou keep your eyes on something it will remain fairly stable.<\/p>\n
\nCarcosa. Turning a corner, he sees a strangely attractive statue a couple
\nof streets ahead. Should he walk directly to it, he will reach it with no
\nproblem. If, instead, he makes a side trip into a building along the way,
\nthe statue will probably not be visible (or will have turned into a lamppost
\nor whatever) when he comes back out. If he wants to make the statue reachable,
\nhe will have to roll under the amount of SAN points he has lost so far.<\/p>\n
\nExplorers must budget their stability: they will need to understand enough
\nof this strange reality to get where they need to go, but still retain enough
\nSAN to survive the trip back.<\/p>\n
\nin their navigation roll, provided that unrestricted communication is possible
\namong the group’s members. But they must convince a majority of the group
\nthat they know the way. This can be accomplished however the Keeper desires;
\nthe investigator may need to make an Oratory or Debate roll, success indicating
\nthat those listening may make another sanity travel roll with a bonus.<\/p>\nWhat You’ll See<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nCarcosa, the lake of Hali, and the Palace. All three share a common mood:
\nit is always night, always gloomy, always alien. The rising moons never
\ncomplete their journeys, frozen in their tracks since the coming of the
\nYellow King. Whether they have actually stopped, or whether time here simply
\ndoes not pass, is a matter for private contemplation. Game time should still
\nbe kept track of normally as some things happen at regular intervals, but
\ninvestigators attempting to make use of time (by meeting at a certain hour,
\nfor instance) will find that it does not pass at a rate they are accustomed
\nto. Despite the everpresent gloom it is not too dark to see the nightflyers,
\nthe strange everchanging winged things that swoop and arc above the city;
\nprudent investigators may remark that this clarity of vision works both
\nways, and keep a lookout for nearby cover.<\/p>\n
\nfeel alone, unwelcome. This place was once built by humans, perhaps another
\nseed colony planted by the Elder Things. But with the coming of the Yellow
\nKing and the malignant influence of Hastur it shifted, slowly becoming a
\nphysical extension of that being’s inner self. It is inimical to normal
\nlife, normal perceptions; the only way to truly know Carcosa is to lose
\nyour sanity, drop by drop, gaining precious but shattering knowledge of
\nthis strange realm.<\/p>\nCarcosa<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\nromantic will be drawn to it, sensing its strange beauty, its ethereal grandeur.
\nThose who pride themselves on rationality and logic will not fathom it,
\nfinding that, taken as a whole, it disturbs and sickens them. But any who
\nstay long enough will not want to leave…<\/p>\n
\nas you look around, the structure of the city — or at least, your perception
\nof it — breaks down and disassembles at the corners of your vision. If
\nyou move your gaze slowly from left to right and then back again, the entire
\nexpanse will have changed somehow: new bricks become old, flagstones become
\ngranite, fences become walls, doorways vanish or become cupboards. The only
\nway to keep an area stable is to never take your eyes from it; of course,
\nthe longer you aren’t looking at the rest of what’s around you, the more
\nthat will change. Staring intently at a particular door will allow it to
\nremain constant, but the floor just behind you may be turning into a crumbling
\ncliff. More information on this is given in the travel section.<\/p>\n
\nor ten special locations for them to wander into. These places may be keyed
\nto whatever the characters’ objectives are, or may be resources useful in
\na variety of circumstances. Such places tend to have more stability than
\nmost of the city due to the power that has gone into their creation; their
\nphysical details will remain fairly constant, though never reliable. Examples
\nfollow:<\/p>\n
\narchway from which a pale draft issues. An investigator might be led here
\nby the distant calling of their name from within, or perhaps by the smell
\nof the draft. Entering the archway, one sees a smallish, circular room with
\nthree damp and narrow hallways leading off into darkness; a light source
\nis needed to progress beyond here.<\/p>\n
\ntheir companions or the archway, they are lost. Physical aids such as ropes
\nand marks will not help exploration: the rope will soon be found to have
\nlooped around somehow and become tied to itself; markings on the wall will
\nbe altered beyond usefulness, repeated on every surface, or simply deleted.
\nInvestigators who explore as a group will become separated if any of them
\ngo too far ahead or drag behind; remaining in immediate contact is essential.<\/p>\n
\nwill be several little alcoves or shelves. Each of these holds a bottle;
\nthere are tens of thousands of these bottles throughout the labyrinth, and
\nno two are alike. They are short or tall, fat or skinny, ornate or plain,
\nand may be constructed of any number of materials. Each bottle, however,
\nhas a name on it, the name of the owner of the bottle. All bottles are closed
\nin some fashion — cork, lid, whatever — but none may be opened except
\nby the person whose name appears on the bottle.<\/p>\n
\nan investigator comes across their own bottle, though a successful Spot
\nHidden is still needed to spot it. Should the bottle be opened, a whisper
\nwill be released, audible only to the investigator. The message and its
\neffects are up to the Keeper, who must come up with something suitable.
\nIt may be a revelation about a past mystery; it may be the voice of a dead
\nfriend or a forgotten lover; it may be a cryptic statement that will offer
\naid or lead them into a trap. Whatever the message is, it will not be inconsequential
\nor insignificant.<\/p>\n
\nyou the number of perceived hours they will wander around before finding
\nthe way out. Should an investigator’s bottle be found, however, that investigator
\n(and any who are with him) will find the exit from the labyrinth in a matter
\nof minutes. If a bottle is taken that does not belong to the taker, they
\nwill find that no matter which direction they turn they keep coming back
\nto the empty alcove until the bottle is returned. Investigators may keep
\ntheir own bottle, if they like, though it will not do anything after first
\nbeing opened.<\/p>\n
\ntheir bottle. An adventure that used this location would probably include
\na spell, magic item, or perhaps a guide of some kind that would enable the
\ndesired bottle to be found in a reasonable period of time. As the investigators
\nwander around the labyrinth, feel free to allow them glimpses of other travelers,
\nor hear voices cry out; unless you wish it, none of these phenomena can
\nbe caught up with. Take note of what light sources the investigators bring
\nwith them, and determine if they will last long enough. Anyone unlucky enough
\nto be lost in the dark will eventually reach the surface, but will quite
\nprobably be insane.<\/p>\n
\na hallway may suddenly open up into a large room or other oddity, perhaps
\nwhere nefarious goings-on are going on. There may be truth to the legend
\nthat somewhere, deep in the labyrinth, one may find the Voice that gives
\nbreath to all the bottles. This may not be a desirable objective…<\/p>\n
\nmuseum houses the works of dozens of artists, all influenced in some way
\nby the madness that is Hastur. The building, like most in the city, changes
\nconstantly. Rooms and balconies contract and expand or disappear completely
\nwhen you’re not looking; carpeting becomes oak becomes tile becomes marble.
\nThe disorienting nature of the structure has a purpose: to draw the visitor’s
\ninterest to the works shown, rather than to the gallery itself.<\/p>\n
\nkinetic sculptures, folk art, etc. The quality varies widely, but all share
\na common heritage of unbalanced creativity. Works here are rarely designed
\nto shock or disgust; the grotesqueries of Richard Upton Pickman would have
\na hard time finding a place in Hastur’s aesthetic. The subject matter varies
\nwidely in both depiction and effect; a painting of a strange alien landscape
\nmay not be as disturbing as the sketch of a Paris cafe where a woman’s eyes
\nhunger for something that she will never find in Paris. The influence of
\nHastur is pervasive and ever-changing, and its madness finds new interpretation
\nin each creator.<\/p>\n
\nAs they travel through the gallery’s many floors and wings (perhaps chasing
\na mad friend or seeking a certain work, depending on your scenario), call
\nfor Luck rolls from each. The person who rolls the highest (whether they
\nfail or not) will begin to fall under the gallery’s sway. Optionally, you
\nmay simply target any investigator who is appropriate (a painter, a writer,
\nhas the lowest SAN, read The King in Yellow, etc.).<\/p>\n
\nway the others can not grasp, he has had a terrible insight into the nature
\nof Hastur, and now all the artworks in the gallery make a curious kind of
\nsense. While the others in the party simply feel uneasy when they view these
\npieces, he begins to understand them. Each bit of sanity lost makes it easier
\nto lose the next bit, and soon the rational structure of the unfortunate
\ninvestigator’s mind falls like a line of dominoes. Do not roll for temporary
\ninsanity, etc., but instead just keep track of how much SAN has been lost
\nwithout telling the player. The investigator is not consciously aware of
\nwhat is going on, as he slowly retreats into the madness growing inside
\nhim.<\/p>\n
\nso this is not a problem), the affected investigator will not want to leave.
\nHe will resist any physical attempts at taking him out, even fighting if
\nhe has to. Should a friend attempt to talk him into leaving, however, he
\nmay make a POW resistance roll against the speaking friend. Should the roll
\nfail, the insight he gained will suddenly elude him, and, shaken and pale,
\nhe may be led out of the Gallery, though the lost SAN still applies. Once
\nthe investigator has escaped, he will remain pale and melancholy for as
\nlong as the party is in Carcosa, unwilling to take any action. Divide the
\ncharacter’s new SAN by 5 and use that as his effective POW for as long as
\nhe remains in the city. Upon returning home, he may recover normally in
\nan institution or through therapy.<\/p>\n
\nvictim will go with the party, acting perhaps quiet but otherwise normal
\nuntil he reaches 0 SAN and is permanently, incurably insane. At this point,
\na dozen masked figures in dark robes will suddenly step into the room where
\nthe party is, blocking all entrances. The investigators will find themselves
\nfrozen, unable to act, as the insane investigator steps forward and walks
\noff with the strange figures, never to be seen again.<\/p>\n
\nquickly, but no trace of their friend will be found. However, if they spend
\nany significant amount of time looking for him, another investigator will
\nbegin to suffer the same fate. Should the party refuse to leave until their
\nfriend is found, it is likely that they will all become Shades of the Gallery.<\/p>\n
\nClay. This area will contain somewhere between thirty and sixty stone objects
\nat any given time. These will include petrified people, animals, books,
\nitems, any number of things, all awaiting (many in vain) for the day when
\nthe dust of their creation will be sprinkled on them, releasing them from
\nthe invulnerable stone prison they find themselves in. Some sculptors, it
\nis said, prefer to construct their works entirely from life, using Mottled
\nClay to transform real objects or people into eternal statues, to be displayed
\nhere.<\/p>\n
\nof strange madness that Hastur generates. Keepers may use them as models
\nfor scenarios; remember that most places in Carcosa do have some purpose,
\nthough it may be lost on normal people.<\/p>\nThe Lake Of Hali<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\na certain insubstantiality — the size of the lake is not constant, though
\nthis will not be obvious to an onlooker. The lake is sometimes made up of
\nwater, sometimes not. When it is not water, the lake takes the form of roiling
\nclouds, like a huge swirling fog that nevertheless has crests, waves, and
\neddies. When it is in this fog-state, it may well be a sign that Hastur
\nis dreaming.<\/p>\n
\nwhat Hali is is difficult to say; Chambers speaks of the cloud-waves rolling
\nonto the shores of Hali, which suggests that it is a general name for the
\narea. Perhaps Hali was the name of this land before the coming of the Yellow
\nKing?<\/p>\n
\nrest of this place. Dim lights occasionally emit a glow from somewhere deep
\nunderwater. This glow may be constant, or may even flash like a beacon or
\na message of some kind; whatever it is, the investigators aren’t likely
\nto want to find out.<\/p>\n
\nlake while it is in water form (and while Hastur is awake) had best think
\ntwice. Boats of strange and baroque design may well be found on the shore
\nfrom time to time, and spirited investigators can certainly set sail. They
\nwill quickly learn that anything may be living in this odd body of water.
\nIt is assured that there are all sorts of monstrous Hastur-spawn and who
\nknows what else — if you wish to stage an attack on an investigator vessel,
\nfeel free to use the game statistics for a shoggoth or other such entity.
\nCreatures of this magnitude are common in the watery depths. See “Tell
\nMe, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?” for a more thorough description
\nof the lake’s inhabitants.<\/p>\n
\nsubstance. Unknown to many, when the lake is in its foggy dream-cloud form
\na voyager may actually travel down into the lake itself, simply by tipping
\nthe boat downwards and paddling a course into the deeps of the fog. Such
\na voyage will be a strange and wondrous experience, and not wholly unpleasant.<\/p>\n
\nfrom time to time, perhaps the low rumbles of some Aldeberan whale. Occasionally
\none of the lake’s inhabitants will drift by through the dim clouds, just
\nout of sight. In such cases the investigators will nevertheless be aware
\nof something truly huge passing them by — worth a 0\/1 SAN check.<\/p>\n
\nonly dimly glimpsed in the fog. Soon it will become apparent that the investigators
\nare surrounded by buildings, in a vast city that lies unguessed at beneath
\nthe lake. Nervous investigators will wonder just what they have gotten themselves
\ninto. Remind them that they are far below the surface of the lake — should
\nHastur awaken, and the dreamclouds become water once more, they would surely
\nbe doomed.<\/p>\n
\nwill come to rest on the bottom, actually one of the many streets in the
\nstrange secret city beneath the lake. As the investigators disembark and
\nget their bearings, the fog will slowly drift away until they can see with
\nperfect clarity, revealing stars above. The investigators have gone as far
\nas they can and have arrived at last at the lake of Hali’s deepest secret
\n— Carcosa itself. For as you descend into the dream-lake and pass through
\nHastur’s slumber you eventually emerge above Carcosa, and when you reach
\nbottom you are once again in the city where you came from. Investigators
\nwill quickly deduce this (Idea rolls are appropriate here, at a cost of
\n1D8\/1D4 SAN) when they see the shores of the lake of Hali still beckoning
\nthem from not far away, the lake once again consisting of water, its strange
\ncloud-substance only a memory. If you would like to drive the point home,
\nallow the investigators to see themselves in the distance, climbing into
\nthe boat and descending into the lake once more…<\/p>\n
\nHastur, the lake of Hali is a strange and wondrous place, not quite in sync
\nwith Carcosa. After traversing the dream-lake, one may sense that Carcosa
\nitself is still in transition. In time, perhaps it will share the essence
\nof the lake more fully. Meanwhile, a journey on or into the lake is a brave
\nundertaking, one that should reward the players with a very curious experience.<\/p>\nThe Palace<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\none may occasionally glimpse a far-off structure across the lake, impossibly
\nfar to still be visible. This is the Palace, where the King in Yellow made
\nhis appearance and brought the infestation of Hastur. It is the setting
\nfor the banned play that bears the King’s name, and under normal circumstances
\nshould not be reachable by the investigators.<\/p>\n
\nto form an adventure utilizing the Palace, here are some guidelines.<\/p>\n
\nthe boxed summary of The King in Yellow play by Kevin A. Ross that appears
\nin both “Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?” and “Tatterdemalion”.
\nA short story by James Blish — “More Light”, in the anthology
\nAlchemy & Academe (Anne McCaffrey, editor) — gives Blish’s version
\nof a good chunk of the play’s text. While not wholly successful, the story
\nshould greatly assist the Keeper in getting an accurate feel for the Palace,
\nits inhabitants, and its immediate history.<\/p>\n
\nof transportation to the Palace would be worthy of a scenario in itself.
\nIt may be that when the lake of Hali is in its dream-state, there is a boat
\nsailing within it that will carry the investigators to the Palace. Perhaps
\na bottle in the Whisper Labyrinth contains a clue. A woman frozen in stone
\nwithin the Gallery of Shades might have a piece of vital information.<\/p>\n
\nis likely to be the climax of an extended Carcosa-oriented campaign. If
\nthe lake of Hali is the strangely beautiful soul of Hastur, the Palace is
\nits secret, palpitating heart. The Palace may lie within the lake; perhaps
\nthe vision occasionally glimpsed by the investigators is simply a reflection
\nof the real Palace underwater. Such concerns are left for you to decide.
\nThe Palace, however, is almost certainly not on the lake’s far shore, if
\nsuch a location even exists. When the Yellow King arrived, the Palace was
\nsomehow absorbed by Carcosa, and it was displaced from the shore where it
\nonce stood. Or so they say.<\/p>\n
\nis bitterly tempted to weep for lost Yhtill. Indeed, the entire structure
\nradiates a kind of alien sadness. Within, the recent remnants of a great
\nparty are evident. When the investigators enter, in fact, it is only a few
\nhours after the initial arrival of the King in Yellow. Time here has in
\nsome way slowed almost to a standstill. The investigators may wander the
\nstrange, ornate rooms of the Palace unchallenged, but the sound of voices
\nwill eventually draw them to the great ballroom.<\/p>\n
\nin small groups, speaking in low, stunned tones. Everyone here is gaily
\ndressed for a masquerade, though they have all unmasked. Only a few hours
\nprevious, it should be explained, the King in Yellow arrived, informing
\nthe party-goers of his identity. In that moment the city of Yhtill — wherein
\nthe Palace lay — became Carcosa, and the royal family of the palace learned
\nthat they were somehow doomed. They stand around now, morose and uncertain.
\nAny of them will speak with the investigators, seeing them only as familiar
\nparty-goers. Little information may be passed on, however — the people
\nof the Palace are truly lost in both mind and soul.<\/p>\n
\nin the dungeons and cellars of the palace, but such amusements are rightly
\nyour province. The Palace should be a deeply unsettling but finally incomprehensible
\nplace to visitors. Hastur’s madness is not a crude, violent spasm but a
\nsubterranean impenetrable solitude, indefinable and unyielding. Exploring
\nits heart would not be a wholly pleasant experience.<\/p>\nPacking Your Bags<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\ntools is still an involved process — otherworldly travel is something that
\nusually crops up only in long-running campaigns, and is then exceedingly
\nrisky. Hali is no different in that respect.<\/p>\n
\ngroup of investigators to do such a foolish thing as to travel there. In
\n“Tatterdemalion”, they make the journey to find the Yellow King
\nand stop one of his plans. The adventure does sort of lead the players by
\nthe nose, though; the more comprehensive rules in this article on sanity
\ntravel may be of assistance if you plan to run “Tatterdemalion”.
\nBut the reasons for travelling to Carcosa are as varied as the reality of
\nHastur itself. Some of the items given under “how to get there”
\ncould easily kick off a rescue scenario — say a diplomat disappeared at
\na state function while surrounded by swirling dancers, or a friend of the
\ninvestigators vanished after an old acquaintance from art school came by
\nto do a portrait. Any novel manner of transport will suggest a scenario
\nin itself.<\/p>\n
\na fiendish plot. Perhaps an NPC needs the investigators to help him find
\nhis bottle in the Whisper Labyrinth, so that he may at last learn the words
\nto a forgotten ritual that needs to be performed.<\/p>\n
\nand encounters in Carcosa that relate to your plan. No detailed maps should
\nbe created — just a general description of a building and what sort of
\nthings it contains will suffice. NPC’s may be human or not, and will likely
\nbe insane. These individuals or creatures may have special advice for the
\ninvestigators, or may take the form of pursuers dogging their trail.<\/p>\n
\nprobably be several places for the investigators to go, not all of which
\nwill relate to the matter at hand. Decide what each location is used for,
\nwhat inhabitants might be there, and what sort of SAN\/Idea rolls and costs
\nmight be needed. You will also need to work up some sort of rough diagram
\nshowing connections between the locations to facilitate sanity travel. Physical
\nlandmarks do change appearance, but they will retain some sort of spatial
\nrelationship with each other. An observatory may move underground, but it
\nwill still be in the same general area — for a while.<\/p>\n
\nany attempts at making some sort of scheduled rendezvous, but you will need
\nto keep rough track of elapsed game time. SAN costs will often come at somewhat
\nregular intervals (as in the Gallery of Shades) so keeping track of this
\nwill be essential.<\/p>\n
\nfilled with cloudy fog instead of water. This article interprets the phenomenon
\nas the dream-state of Hastur. Conditions beyond the lake may change as well,
\nat your discretion. The mists could extend all through the city; a shimmering
\nYellow Sign may materialize in the night skies (as it does in the illustration
\non page 27 of this issue); those already under Hastur’s sway may suffer
\na loss of willpower and drive during such times. The lake itself exhibits
\nstrange properties while in the dream-state: boats could be encountered
\ndrifting along under the surface, perhaps phantom derelicts of sinister
\nportent. Adventures that make use of the dream-state may have things in
\ncommon with the Dreamlands.. perhaps the lake allows movement into and out
\nof that place. If the idea appeals to you, refer to H.P. Lovecraft’s Dreamlands,
\nfrom Chaosium, for more ideas.<\/p>\n
\nis. This article has referred to Hastur in purposefully vague terms — you
\nmay well notice the lack of any detailed statistics for beings encountered
\nin Carcosa, and that is an extension of the confusion surrounding Hastur.
\nIn “Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?” it is mentioned that
\nthe term Hastur appears in The King in Yellow as both a person and a place.
\nThe name crops up often in Robert W. Chambers’ short stories, but Hastur
\nis not identified as being a god or a man or much of anything. His short
\nstory “The Demoiselle D’Ys” has a very minor character named Hastur,
\na man who works as a falconer. This would seem to only be a bit of inspired
\nmischief on Chambers’ part, but who can say?<\/p>\n
\nwe cannot understand. Its existence raises many questions — who did write
\nThe King in Yellow, and how did the author know the details of the coming
\nof the Yellow King? “Tatterdemalion” identifies the writer as
\na man named Castaigne, but this appears to be incorrect. Two men named Castaigne
\ndo appear in Chambers’ story “The Repairer of Reputations” and
\none of them reads the book, but certainly neither one wrote it. One possibility
\nworth considering is that Hali did not exist until the unknown writer created
\nit, making the city, the palace, and the lake into a sort of projected reality,
\nbrought into being by the madness of the play’s readers. Which came first,
\nthe play or the King? Perhaps Hastur knows, but It is not telling.<\/p>\n