Commentary & Review of 'His Flesh Becomes My Key' By Kort'thalis Publishing For Your Old School Horror Campaigns

One of the harder tricks to pull off is telling a modern  & engaging Neo noir/horror adventure with OSR overtones. Well, 'His Flesh Becomes My Key' is one part John Carpenter/Stephen King / mixed in with a simmering helping of Cliver Barkerish weirdness strained through the lens of Venger Satanis.

Alright this is the usual Outer Presence rpg included in the adventure package bit we've seen before & I'm going to go out on a limb here & throw that right into the waste basket.
" This is an eldritch pulp / investigative horror scenario especially suited for The Outer Presence roleplaying game. A serial killer case opens up before the investigators and leads to something beyond the usual detective story."
So after reading through this adventure which puts the PC's front & center of a murder investigation/slash horror story I'm going to say that this would make a killer horror story adventure for the 

Silent Legions From  Sine Nomine Publishing. 

Why? Because quite frankly this adventure has a bit of it all; 

1. Viable underworld/sleaze encounters, a trail of madness & dead bodies everywhere. 
2. Sex & weird reality warping world sex magick occult themes pepper throughout the adveture. 
3. Darkness & dangerous cultists waiting. 
4. Independent Venger Mythos action, if you know the Venger's other adventures then you know the drill here. He's big on working his own brand of horror that fits the same DYI horror ideal that Silent Legions adheres to. 
5. There are not enough Silent Legion adventures & this one actually fits the bill very well. He's sort of toned down the T&A to actually tell a coherent adventure & it shows.
   "The Outer Presence RPG is about curtailing obscenity and darkness.  Horror = fear + revulsion.  Does that mean spectators, rather than participants, are just as subject to "mature content"?  Should reading or listening to the description of unwholesome things also be restricted to "adults only"?"
6. Because he's toned down the sex Venger has upped the weirdness which makes this far more accessible as a dungeon master. 

So the PC's are on the trail of Richard Black a horror novelist & run smack into the back burner of a whole lot of unraveling pulp horror business. Sure there's plenty of bloods, guts, gore & more here. But this is a thinking man's adventure that can be played over several nights sessions. Sure it includes everything you need to get started and play through but I want more. I want solid pacing, plot/setting, and a set of rules that's going to give me extended modern OSR neo horror play. That's where Silent Legions comes in and frankly there aren't enough adventure modules to support at system but 
'His Flesh Becomes My Key' fills the slimy gap quite nicely. This really isn't Lamentations of the Flame Presence turf although there is this sort of thing,  ‘When his gaze meets that of  the investigators, the chartreuse-hued dweller of the cavern begins to melt into a pool of liquid flesh.’
Instead this is one part X Files twisted around an unraveling 'In The Mouth of Madness' with a good helping of Cthulhu & Venger's tendrils of horror. So yes its a good solid fit for a Silent Legions game.



 

What I like about this adventure is that its about holding back the darkness but it doesn't play cute with the subject matter. This adventure handles things in a quick & with a deft hand. Its the sort of thing to spring on a group that needs to be eased into the deep end of a horror game without the numbness that one sometimes finds with Call of Cthulhu. This is an investigation adventure that is quick, down, dirty and apocalyptic. 

Are there any complains? Well a few.  There needed to be more of this adventure & I don't mean padding. I mean there needs to be more encounters & more of a fleshed out world for the Outer Presence or perhaps not. The fact is that sometimes less is more and more horror and material might have bogged down  'His Flesh Becomes My Key' as an adventure. I really need to run this adventure to get the real gist of it as a DM. So with that said I'm still weighing in on that part of the adventure. 

The content itself is a step up and off for Venger as a writer/designer. Quite frankly I want to see more of this sort of adventure  from him. Now that I know that he's capable of doing this sort of Neo OSR adventure then I want to see this sort of a standard from him. 

Who should buy  'His Flesh Becomes My Key'? Those who are looking for a different take on the investigative horror adventure. Who shouldn't buy  'His Flesh Becomes My Key'? Stodgy horror dungeon masters  who would rather research obscure historical facts, timelines, and historical events rather then run an action packed Eighties horror inspired adventure. Grab this one if you want a quick jumpstart for an easy to run horror campaign.

Sixty Minutes to Go For The Trinity of Awesome Kickstarter!

The Trinity of Awesome Kickstarter from Kort'thalis Publishing is ending very soon. You can get in on the action for the moment. The deal is three modules for three of Venger's rpg line from Crimson Dragon Slayer, The Outer Presence, & Alpha Blue. The Alpha Blue module seems like a cross between Flash Gordon & some late night science fantasy low budget porn you'd find on Cinemax back in the Eighties. That's some great ideas are on the back burner here. So back it before its to late!

 Back It Right HERE



When it comes to Alpha Blue this is another link in the ever expanding pool of space sleazy that is the space brothel empire. This time we get an underwater bit of weirdness for your old school spacers
Slippery When Wet

This is a 4- 5 page adventure of sleazy space opera action in the 23rd century.  After a large-scale assault, the PCs hitch a ride on an underwater vessel named the bearded clam.  Their destination is the undersea citadel Aqua Vulva.

Occult Secrets Of The Trinity of Awesome Kickstarter With Kort'thalis Publishing

The Trinity of Awesome is winding down in about seven days but it still needs your help to get to the promised stretch goals but I wanted to take a look into the deeper Lovecraftian horrors of  The Green Jewel They Must Possess adventure for a moment a part of The Outer Presence rpg line.



GO HERE TO SUPPORT THE KICKSTARTER

When it comes to low prep, high octane Seventies old school adventure one of my favorites is the Outer Presence by Venger Satanis. Now with the release of the Trinity of Awesome kickstarter we've got another Lovecraftian piece of that puzzle that is the Outer Presence universe in the form of A Green Jewel They Must Possess adventure. The basic plot outline sounds like something from an Eighties animated film but there are some very subtle differences;"This is a 4 - 5 page adventure of investigative horror set in "modern day," specifically the 1970's.  A glowing green sphere with spiritual powers has been discovered in Peru, but it's cursed because people keep dying.  Obviously, it's worth a fortune."
Right off the bat we've got this glowing jewel showing up in the 1970's Peru a country with a history soaked in blood going all of the way back to the Incan empire through the rise of the Shining Path. There is a lot of real world & Lovecraftian history tied up in Peru.


Photo by Matěj Baťha

Weirdly enough this is the second Venger Satanis adventure set in South America, the first one The Outer Presence deals with some very 'Cannibal Holocaust' jungle elements & Lovecraftian adventure sequences mixed with a good dose of adventure. These adventures are also self contained mini rpg systems that hook in with the principal game mechanic which is a d6 dice pool.  It's a simplified, closer-to-the-real-world version of Crimson Dragon Slayer and it makes modifying it into your favorite old school investigative supernatural game a snap. The Outer Presence takes place in & around Papua New Guinea with a health dose of action & some very dark supernatural horror taking place within its pages.


There is a definitively Lovecraftian element to the back universe story in the Outer Presence;"
The adventure starts in and around Miskatonic University and quickly heads to Papua New Guinea... cause you know what they do there, right?  This isn't one of those dull scenarios where hardly anything happens.  In fact, The Outer Presence occasionally borders on "out there" without diving into full-on gonzo territory.  Eldritch pulp action-adventure probably sums it up best." There are several places where the adventure almost seems to strain against itself to tell you more about the Outer Presence universe. In fact just the other day on G+ Venger let slip a tid bit about that universe that implies that there are deeper secrets in the Outer Presence adventures then meets the eye;"There is a para-military organization safeguarding the world from supernatural disaster. Theta Chartreuse is a splinter group devoted to awakening the Great Old Ones. They are determined to usher in an apocalyptic new world order." So already we're getting into tin foil hat X files territory which reminds me of several late night Eighties horror films not to mention the Heavy Metal film from 1981. 

Could this be because someplace deep within the Outer Presence universe there are those in the 'know' who are being deeply influenced & whose sanity is strained by the very Lovecraftian gods, horrific elements, and other weirdness just lurking on this side of the adventure. Could this have something to do with the Lovecraftian horrors lurk just on the other side of both Crimson Dragon Slayer and Alpha Blue? I think so my friends because there are wheels within wheels in the Outer Presence & Venger Satanis's creations. We've seen this in Alpha Blue & The Island of Purple Haunted Putrescence's connections through NPC's, random encounters, and other game elements. The same could be said for the Outer Presence. This sort of a pulpy weird vibe runs through the Outer Presence right from the very beginning.
 Basically its really essentially a boiled down pulp adventure done in a more contemporary style with Venger's flare for the gonzo with a heap of Lost, Cannibal Holocaust, and a piping hot side of HP Lovecraft. .There's precious little preventing the Game Master from swapping New Guinea out for the jungles of South America or similar locale. This scenario could take place during any period of the 20th century. If the 70's don't resonate with you, feel free to change it. Some conversion will be necessary, but the majority should play just fine as it is."

There are elements of Robert Howard's Cthulhu Mythos and other far more contemporary echoes in The Outer Presence. With a heap of Jim Jones style madness that anyone who grew up in this time will recognize. For example is  Doctor Karl Steiner, anthropologist, ego-maniac, and frequent contributor to the quarterly anthropology journal Culturally Speaking. With the help of Dr. Steiner and his team, the Meepie tribe has regressed to cannibalism and human sacrifice in order to appease something that lives in the nearby temple…the outer  presence."

And now the circle of Green Jeweled Lovecraftian madness has moved into 1970's modern  America, no one or nothing is going to be safe from the horrors that shall come from outside our reality. The secret cabal behind the jewel and its machinations are going to the fodder for the continuing weirdness. Be sure to support the Trinity of Awesome on Kickstarter to get more 1970's investigative horror.

Review & Commentary On The New Investigative Style Adventure From From Venger Satanis - The Outer Presence

Want to get your players hip deep in weird Lovecraftian hijinks without the huge prep time that seems to come with contemporary adventures that sap your sanity as a DM? Need a game adventure that is self contained and easy to run at the drop of a hat with ten minutes of prep time? Well  Kort'thalis Publishing  is here to help with the Outer Presence. An adventure and modern horror d6 PC system all in one self contained horror package ready to go straight out of the gate.  I followed the Kickstarter action on the Outer Presence adventure and I'm very happy with the result.

Grab It Right Over HERE

I received my pdf copy of The Outer Presence a few days ago and its really essentially a boiled down pulp adventure done in a more contemporary style with Venger's flare for the gonzo with heap of Lost, Cannibal Holocaust, and a piping hot side of HP Lovecraft. But it doesn't venture into the territory of Crimson Dragon Slayer. Seriously though this is a very well done adventure which clocks in at about forty five pages of out and out weirdness. This adventure is new school & old school at the same time, this adventure uses the  principal game mechanic of  d6 dice pools. This seems to be the in house  Kort'thalis Publishing system which is easily convertible into your favorite OSR or modern system. You get a full range of options straight out of the gate in this module but from a 1970's grind house horror movie perspective. Described as

This is both a self-contained, investigative horror RPG and "weird tales" scenario set in 1970's New Guinea. I get the sneaking suspicion that Venger watched tons and tons of VHS 1970's and 80's horror films and The Outer Presence is the result. But is it playable? Yes if your into the dangerous and sanity action fest that's laid at your feet as the DM of this easily convertible adventure. You could use this with any D6 or Call of Cthlhu style adventure. The trick here is that this adventure actually delivers what it promises straight up. Monsters, mayhem, and nastiness right out of the gate with everything laid out at the DM's feet. I actually like this adventure. And it delivers exactly what it promises. Everything from careers for the PC's to weirdness rules are laid out in spades. Even from the introduction to the Outer Presence everything is laid bare with as much minimalist outfiting as possible;
 "This story is meant to take place in the 1970's, but can easily be modified by the Game Master. I was influenced by such great films as Cannibal Holocaust, Cannibal  Ferox, and Jungle Holocaust, as well as, the 1960's Jonny  Quest television show.There's precious little preventing the Game Master from swapping New Guinea out for the jungles of South America or similar locale. This scenario could take placeat any period of the 20th century. If the 70's don't resonate with you, feel free to change it. Some conversion will be necessary, but the majority should play just fine as it is."

There are elements of Robert Howard's Cthulhu Mythos and other far more contemporary echoes in The Outer Presence. With a heap of Jim Jones style madness that anyone who grew up in this time will recognize. For example is  Doctor Karl Steiner, anthropologist, ego-maniac, and frequent contributor to the quarterly anthropology journal Culturally Speaking. With the help of Dr. Steiner and his team, the Meepie tribe has regressed to cannibalism and human sacrifice in order to appease something that lives in the nearby temple…the outer  presence.

On the surface this seems rather simplistic and rather straight up horror gaming but this is a pot boiler of an adventure with lots happening under the hood. I don't want to really get into the back end or front end of the Outer Presence because I don't want to spoil the adventure but this is one to get. The maps here are solid, the ideas straight up well presented and represented, the artwork isn't bad at all and is evocative of the grind house vibe that the Outer Presence is going for. All in all this is a really solidly presented at  adventure that is a must for any system neutral or old school contemporary or modern adventure game. Or simply use it on its own. Five  out of five for one of my favorite straight up adventures. Because I love the weird 70's cannibal exploitation  Lovecraft horror vibe that Venger is going for here!

The Stars Are Almost Gone For Kickstarter From Venger Satanis's - The Outer Presence Adventure

The hours are slowly ticking down for Venger Satanis's latest horror inspired Lovecraftian investigation module Kickstarter 'The Outer Presence', this is a short, sweet, nasty adventure of Lovcraftain horror and hi jinks and the Kickstarter is winding down as we speak! This one has a bit of everything in it, some investigation, a bit of horror, even more horror, and dangerous adventure around every corner but time is running out. 

                                                             Contribute right over HERE

 

This adventure has that over arching Seventies horror vibe going on, and the Seventies is a perfect vehicle for a horror investigation set in New Guinea. Think one part cannibal flick , two parts Mythos, and then throw in some death dismemberment and insanity.

The Seventies are the perfect time for the  Mythos economic unrest, world wide strife, gas strikes, the second wave of high end horror movies.  Yes this is the perfect time to set this adventure.  There was a play test right over HERE

Well that I can see this adventure proving to be another in a series of Satanis trips that my players have come not to like at all. The PC to torture ratio tends to run a wee bit just this side of Lamentations of the Flame Princess style play with Venger's modules and that in my opinion is a good thing. So get on board before the opportunity disappears like the KickStarter. 

Commentary on the new Call of Cthulhu Style Adventure Kickstarter From Venger Satanis - The Outer Presence

So there's a new Venger Satanis Kickstarter page up for a new adventure called the Outer Presence, the idea here is a slick investigative adventure in the style of Cannibal Holocaust with a twist of Cannibal  Lost, and  heap of H.P. Lovecraft on top. Now the bend in the road is that this is an investigative style adventure in the spirit of Call of Cthulhu, call me a glutton for punishment but I'm very curious to see how this is going to turn out.
Contribute right over HERE

Another very interesting aspect of this adventure is that its not set in the Twenties or Thirties but the Sevenities. That brings a whole other twisted aspect to the table. Think about it, the Sevenities is a perfect CoC time. Civil unrest, ecomomic angst, the energy crisis, the occult revival all perfectly framed with the Mythos.
Now there are some clues already as to how this adventure might go down. You've got an entire play test entry right over HERE
But the bit that really grabbed my attention is from the play test of  the adventure;
'Onto New Guinea!  Their host was a piece of work.  I really wanted to push the envelope with what players and PCs might expect from the scenario's principle antagonist.  He pushed a lot of buttons and made everyone hate him.  PCs didn't actually vomit... but they wanted to.  Incidentally, the actor Sidney Greenstreet was my inspiration for Doctor Karl Steiner.
Exploring the temple!  Over the last few years, I've been on the jungle cruise at Disney World's Magic Kingdom probably a dozen times.  The part when the boat goes into that dark structure was the basis for my temple.  Could have been more detailed, but I think it was successful on the whole.'

I'm not rushing out just yet but I'm sure this will have the Venger flare to it. Given the fact that I've got at least three or four Satanis books on my shelf and the amount of Call of Cthlhu books that I'm in love with this looks very interesting to me. So in my humble opinion, drop some coin and let's get this pdf out of the gate.