Tuesday, April 7, 2015

The Beyond - A Modern Dimension of Supernatural Horror & Depravity For Your Old School Campaigns

There are weird and modern realms of supernatural horror where Dark Forces can snare the living and adventurers might be forced to deal with the horrors and demonic fury of 'The Beyond'
Bordering the realms of the Afterlife & the living is 'The Beyond' a place of supernatural horror where the forces of the Undeath and the Demonic draw the living into the cross hairs of this realm. 'The Beyond' can cross dimensions and can draw the living into its clutches. The ancient texts of wisdom define the Beyond thus: 
The Beyond was a mysterious plane of existence which occasionally encroached on the physical world. A shadowy limbo vaguely akin to the Afterlife, it served as the source of the many supernatural menaces which threatened the "Realm of the Living." In a number of cases, it was a gray, lifeless purgatory inhabited by rotting corpses; in others, a place of perpetual torment akin to hell (although rarely defined as such).
The Beyond was depicted as the abode of all of humanity's worst fears; vampires, ghosts and demons existed alongside ghouls, witches and harpies. All seemed generally hostile towards mankind, some periodically crossed over to prey on selected victims or to seek vengeance on former tormentors. The traffic appeared to flow in both directions; mortals could inadvertently find themselves trapped in the Beyond before the end of their natural lives.
The demonic forces of the Abyss & Hell are often recruited by the powers of the 'Beyond' in their machinations and efforts.  The forces of the Beyond often have cults and other organizations of occultists who are in the service of this realm. 
The Beyond is a realm that can show up in any number of worlds from alternative Earths to post apocalyptic wastelands. The 'Beyond' is far more influenced by modern technologies and societies boasting demons and undead monsters who both familiar with these modern amenities and capable of using them. 
The Beyond is a supernatural limbo where the souls of the damned and dying are often sent to their final rewards but not before being tortured and demeaned by the  demonic forces that reside there. Often adventurers and outlaws journey to the beyond in efforts to bargain with these demonic monsters often for theses souls in an effort for occult rites of resurrection and a return to the world of the 'Living'. There are forces of ancient order and hellish law that keep such events from taking place. 
The forces of the Beyond have a number of locations within its confines that allow it to interact and yet remain unseen by the average man. These locations include the following : 
 Castle Valord  - A legendary ruin and  megadungeon of epic proportions that is under the dominion of the demonic ruler Countess Siroon who rules a small and ancient European kingdom that calls to adventurers and promises adventure. 
 Thirteen Long Road - The departure point for the haunted Last Express train that roars to life traveling between the worlds of the Living and the realms of the dead, this demonic express train is often caught by adventurers to enter the Beyond and some times the Abyss. Those who find this platform to haunted adventure rarely return to the worlds of the Living. The Last Express is often used as means of traveling from one world to another but because of the proto demonic staff of the train this into itself can be a dangerous and weird experience of a most harrowing nature. 
The Salem Bookstore - This legendary place is an exchange of powerful occult and forbidden knowledge where wizards and witches go trade swap and gain extreme insights into the nature of the worlds of Dark Forces. It is also under the control of the The_Shop_Keeper. To most it appears to be a burnt out vacant lot but to those with the 'sight' and the gift of occult observation it is a business of power and wisdom that calls to those of mystical power. The place moves across the planes and dimensions. 
City of the Fearful Night- This gray and strange urban location often lays itself over an existing city like a shroud, populated by the recently dead this place often acts as an intersection between the world of the living and the limbo of undead. Various demons and hellish forces lurk in the background read to snare the Living and drag them into the clutches of the Beyond. Many occult treasures are sometimes found here tempting and drawing in adventurers. 
The World of the Dead - This is one of the inner rings of the Beyond and the domain of the ghostly souls of the damned; this a grey depressing world within the dominion of the Courts of the Damned who lay claim to those who come under the call of the laws of the afterlife. Those who try to defy these esoteric and strange laws often find themselves at the mercy of these weird and powerful undead lich gods. Powerful undead bailiffs and bounty hunters often work for the The Judges of the Dead enforcing their wills and judges. 
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Hell Level - The ultimate circle of torment for the Beyond this realm is under the dominion of  demonic powers of the Beyond.  Known as the 'World of the Evil Ones , this supernatural wilderness and wasteland has portals that lead to both the proper Hell and Abyss. And it is the zone of rulership for the gods of The Beyond.  This region is a place of perpetual torment for any mortal unfortunate cross its boundaries, regardless of their innocence or guilt. Hell appears to have a number of 'masters', including Mephisto Satan,Countess Siroon and The Shop Keeper. The ultimate power in this region appears to be Dr. Death, to whom all others must defer - even it seems, the devil himself.

The Sea of the Dead - This is a region that links with the Styx and those who drowned at sea & have suffered in the oceans  might find themselves. Demonic ships, wrecks, and other sea going horrors often trawl these waters looking for souls to feed upon. Ancient islands of horror and demonic gods often come to feed in these waters and encounters here can be dark dangerous  for  it is said that the seas turn back upon themselves. 


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