S.E. Lindberg's Blog, page 21

Tales from the Magician's Skull - review by SE

Tales from the Magician's Skull #4 by Howard Andrew Jones
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Eight new engaging tales printed in superb format. As per the Tales from the Magician's Skull series, all are graced with RPG item/character statistics so readers can play out the stories, or play with key parts of them; the stats are in Dungeon Crawl Classics form which can readily be applied to other formats. Most have a King-sent-me-on-a-mission premise, but all are varied in tone and style. The illustrations are wonderful too. You can get TftMS from sellers like Amazon, or better... direct from Goodman Games (PDF's via DrivethruRPG).


All are stellar reads. I star my personal favorites (I'm a sucker for ghosts, dark blood magic, and tortured souls and the two with ties to Atlantis struck a cord).

-Expect returning authors to continue their serials: (a) John C Hocking's has his King's blade Benhus tracking down a magical ring in a den of thieves; deliciously dark magic explodes there; (b) also, Enge's Morlock Ambrosius appears again; this episode is a somewhat comedic and psychedelic experience as he seeks out a pair of hands he lost previously.
-Sword & Soul champion, Milton Davis, delivers a tale with the livestock loving warrior Garang being toyed with elder gods in Africa's Kush (reminiscent of Saunder's Imaro).
-Warhammer/Black Library author C.L. Werner offers a blood-soaked samurai tale that will encourage you to take care of your pets better.
*-Veteran writer Adrian Cole offers up an 'Elak of Atlantis' pastiche that echoes Henry Kuttner's voice really well (splendid conflict on a cursed island rife with elder god-things).
*-Speaking of Atlantis, Tom Doyle sends us into subterranean ruins with an Atlantean. This was the first time I read his work.
-Ryan Harvey offers us a touch of Steampunk gods plaguing Sorrow-ridden freedom fighters struggling to rebuild a city.
-James Stoddard offers the most varied tale, arguable not classic S&S. It's post-apocalyptic, curse-breaking adventure with cameo's from fairy tales.

Table of Contents (with the official teaser blurbs):
(1) Guardian of the Broken Gem by John C. Hocking

Benhus wondered what he could expect if they took him alive. Torture and interrogation, probably. They’d pry the fact that he worked for the King from him and that would seal his death warrant. He squeezed the hilt of the white dagger and wondered how many of them he could kill before they took him down.

(2) On Death Seed Island>/i>- by Adrian Cole

The cloud writhed gently, as if shifting in a breeze, though the air in the grove was very still. In a moment it had formed itself into a distinctive shape and the men drew back in alarm. It was a human figure, hunched, its face a blur, save for the eyes and mouth.

(3) Masks of Silence - by James Enge

The glass cages were full of… things. Not people, but parts of people. They were moving—they were alive: meaty throbbing hearts, shiny pulsating strips of liver, fingers crawling like inchworms, feet flopping like fish.
“There is a part of hell that’s supposed to be like this,” Deor remarked.

(4)Cage of Honor - by James Stoddard

Without hesitation, he sent his knife whistling through the air, striking the witch full in the throat. Ignoring her, he caught the woman in his arms, and she was everything to him all at once, everything he ever wanted.

(5) The Witch’s Hound - by C. L. Werner

In a burst of supernatural speed, the dog-ape lunged at Oba. It drove its hairy body beneath the sweep of his sword and drove its shoulder into his midriff in a maneuver that was more tackle than pounce. The samurai was knocked back, sent sprawling on the ground

(6) The Dead Queen’s Triumph - by Ryan Harvey

“You—don’t yet believe—that I am your queen.” The tongue moved freer as the abomination became used to speaking. “For long, I forgot that I was as well. But I am royal blood still. See?” One of the manipulated arms placed its hand over a flap on the chest cylinder. Fingers gripped the sides and pulled it open.

(7) Thieves of the Fallen World - by Tom Doyle

We’d taken these unearthly glowing gems and blades of cold flame from beings who (at best) weren’t quite human. These trophies were still puissant for ill, and a captured battle lance twitched at me like a living bug impaled on a pin. You shouldn’t be keeping such things, sire.

(8) Apedamak’s Army - by Milton Davis

Garang had made a mistake. He crouched as he walked backwards to the hut, hoping the beasts did not see him. He was halfway to the hut when the last beast spotted him and changed directions, shrieking at him as it attacked.

(X) Appendix: Game Statistics by Terry Olson

We present this appendix of game statistics for the various creatures, spells, and items described herein.

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Dark Rituals Malleus Maleficarum - Preparing the Game

Dark Rituals Malleus Maleficarum 

This recently fulfilled 2020 Kickstarter arrived right before the 2020 Holidays. It's one-versus-many game (witch vs. 1-4 heroes).  Before jumping in, I did some prework that other backers (and future buyers) may appreciate. This post clarifies some steps to make the already-great game more enjoyable. 

Watch Tutorial Videos on Youtube:

Tutorial #1Tutorial #2Tutorial #3

Tutorial #4 / Gameplay -1Learn to Play (based on proto-type) Download PDF's and Instructions (ie for Solo mode):

DGG download page and links to English versions:Dark Rituals MM – Core Box Rules ENDark Rituals MM – The Witches Sabbath Rules ENDark Rituals MM – The Cursed Fjord Rules ENDark Rituals MM – Solo Mode ENBoard Game Geek Files Section

Check out the FAQ on Board Game Geek : 

This is a fan-based FAQ, living-document that captures feedback from DGG to key questions like: 

Q. What does the ✸ symbol mean?

A. A Hit (added to the Attack Value). ("gain 1 ✸" is equivalent to adding an extra  roll to Attack Value... it is NOT an extra wound)

Preparing The Miniatures, Reference Guide, and Chests:

These miniatures are great... but they are all born gray! Tough to play a game of fantasy chess with all the pieces looking the same. And the size of the mini's vary even with a type, so you cannot rely on size to help. So, let's clear that up:

Label each miniature with a Sharpie on its undersideColor by creature type/class (based off of colors in the rule book)Witch's team primed in BLACK, Hero & Villagers with WHITEWitch's subclasses dry-brushed to bring out detail:Witches are red (even the burning ones)Minions are cyan/blueCreatures to be summoned are lime-greenDemons are purplePossessed Serfs (just black with white highlights)As per the FAQ, added an "✸" on the icon reference sheet (backside of manual) for a "hit"For chests, placed colored tokens to enhance contrast (otherwise they are too difficult to see" 

2021 Annual ANTHOLOGY and MAGAZINE group read begins Jan 1st!

Sword & Sorcery Group on Goodreads

Our annual group read for Sword & Sorcery Anthologies and Magazines starts now (thru Feb-2021)! 

Please join us as we read new and old anthologies & magazines, the media form that kickstarted the genre.

Great way to discover classic and contemporary authors!

Discuss here/below. Link to Discussion Folder

Please peruse and add to the Poll which we are using as means to communicate books we are reading or discussing. Poll Link

Masthead banner and credits
Tales from the Magician's Skull #5: cover art by Manuel Pérez Clemente (Sanjulián)
Appendix N: The Eldritch Roots of Dungeons and Dragons cover art by Arik Roper
Savage Scrolls Volume One : Thrilling Tales of Sword-and-Sorcery cover art by Jesus Garcia

   

Tour Guide - Imaro Series by Saunders

This was posted originally on Black Gate

“Who am I? Who is my father? Where is my mother? Why do death and demons follow me wherever I go?” – Imaro in The Quest for Cush

Charles R. Saunders, the originator of Sword & Soul, passed away May this year (2020, Greg Mele covered a tribute for Black Gate).   Saunders is most known for his Imaro tales chronicling an African-inspired “Conan the Barbarian” on the fictional continent of Nyumbani. Saunders also wrote of a heroine named Dossouye (separate series), amongst other characters. Over the years,  Black Gate  has reviewed the entire Imaro series and the book of associated stories called Nyumabi Tales (see list). The Goodreads Sword and Sorcery group honored his memory with a groupread, catalyzing this post. If you are looking for some buddies to share experiences while you read, then please join in (formally the Saunders group read goes through Dec., but discussions will continue beyond). This post serves as a tour guide for the series, clarifying transition from Book#1 to #2 per edition, provides Saunder's own voice (excerpts) to capture the essence of Imaro's Nyumbani, and reviews book availability. Imaro Series Publication History:The publication history also follows Imaro's chronology as well. Links to Black Gate reviews included. Imaro: DAW 1981, Nightshade reprinted 2006 with story changes; Lulu 2014; 2008 Review by Howard Andrew Jones Imaro II: The Quest for Cush:  DAW 1984, Nightshade reprinted 2006 with story changes; 2008 Review by Ryan Harvey The Trail of Bohu:  DAW 1985 & Lulu 2009; 2009 Review by Bill Ward Naama War: Lulu 2010; 2010 Review by Ryan Harvey War  and  2009 coverage Howard Andrew Jones & John O'Neill Nyumbani Tales: Mvmedia, LLC  2018;  2017 by Fletcher Vredenburgh The Warrior’s Way: unpublished collection mentioned in the 2017 introduction to Nyumbani Tales penned by Saunders (more on this below).What is Sword & Soul?:Saunders’s revealed his motivation in the introduction of Milton Davis’s Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology:

“Robert E. Howard and his contemporaries were products of their time. Racism, in the form of white supremacy, was an integral part of the popular culture of the early decades of the twentieth century, and as such it pervaded pulp fiction. As a product of a later time during which the tenets of racism came under vigorous challenge, my enjoyment of fiction from past decades was often compromised by the racial attitudes I encountered in my reading. On some occasions, I simply let it slide. On others, I wrestled with resentment. Then I discovered a way to resolve my dilemma. Interest in African history and culture surged during the 1960s, and at the same time I was reading sword-and-sorcery and fantasy fiction, I was also absorbing heretofore-unknown information about a continent that was not “dark” as its detractors made it out to be. I realized that this non-stereotypical Africa of history and legend was just as valid a setting for fantasy stories as was the ancient and medieval Europe that served as the common default setting for everything from Conan to Lord of the Rings. A character came into my head then: Imaro, a black man who could stand alongside mythical warrior-heroes like Beowulf and Hercules, as well as fictional creations such as Conan and Kull.” – Charles Saunders

Imaro #1 Covers Imaro:An excerpt captures Imaro's presence best:

"The Ilyassai was a fearsome sight. His dark skin glistened sweat-slick through garments that hung in skimpy tatters from his massive frame. Crimson-crusted wounds scored his body like glyphs inscribed by devils. Dried blood matted his wooly hair. His face was hardened into an implacable mask of hatred. Unrequited vengeance flickered like a torch In his eyes, yet beneath the lamina of that emotion lay a core of grief so bitter it threatened to consume him entirely…" - Omaro #1

Imaro vs. Lovecraftian “Mashataan” Sorcery:Each story compounds the conflict of Imaro versus the evil Mashatann and their demonic sorcery. Their aura has overtones of dark, Lovecraftian mythos, and their minions assume mythological status:

"Elephantine legs rose like wrinkled trees from the ground, Long bony arms hung like sticks from a pair of, knobby shoulders. The hands were incongruously delicate and graceful. Other than his head, those hands were the only remotely human features [spoiler’s name] had left… …Upon the dais hunched a bizarre image sculpted from pitted, gray-green stone. From the waist up, the creature the sculpture depicted resembled Ngai the gorilla, although its skin was hairless and its wide mouth bore fangs even longer than those of the red panther Imaro had slain. It was the lower extremities of the unknown beast’s body that marked it as something alien to the world of natural beings. Its legs were the hindquarters of Mboa the buffalo: thick, muscular haunches tapering to sharp, lethal hooves." - Imaro #1 “Against her will, Tanisha’s gaze left that single, sadly beautiful face and slid downward once again. And the gorge rose hot and sick from her stomach, blocking the cry of revulsion that leaped into her throat as she stared at the woman’s body. // Her long neck flowed smoothly into slender shoulders. Her bare breasts were small, cone-shaped, perfect. Beneath those breasts—horror! // A bulbous mass of tissue clothed in dark skin protruded from the woman’s abdomen. Its shape seemed a distorted replica of the buttocks of young child. Jutting from the asymmetrical mass were a pair of legs and a single arm ending in clenched, clawlike fingers…” - Imaro #2

Imaro #1 ContentsDAWNightShadePrologue “I leave a warrior behind”1: Turkhana KnivesSame #12: The Place of StonesSame #23: Slaves Of The Giant Kings(Love interest and companion Tanisha introduced)

3: The Afua

(same basic story as “Slaves” with updated context)

4: Horror in the Black Hills

(Cover for DAW based on this one)

Same #45 new content: Betrayal in Blood.5: The City of Madness (sage and companion Pomphis introduced) (moved to Book#2)  Imaro #2 Covers Imaro #2 ContentsDAWNightShadeMji Ya Wzimuits (The City of Madness from Book #1  renamed and moved here)1: In MwenniSame2: In Bana-GuiSame3: On the Bahari MashirikiSame4: In CushSame  A Fellowship Forms:In the first volume, Imaro evolved from being a fatherless, abandoned child from the Ilyassai tribe… into a vengeful, tribeless Hercules-like figure set on destroying evil sorcery. We learned that his mother, Katisa had been force-married to a shaman named Chitendu. Chitendu was a servant to the Mashataan Demon Gods and was removed from power thanks to Katisa. She was also exiled for her being tainted. Imaro’s biological father is a mystery, who may have been someone other than Chitendu. Katisa is a fascinating figure who deserves more attention (in fact, she is featured in the first story in the Nyumbani Tales collection). What is clear, is that Imaro is very special, akin to the child of a god. His destiny is to confront the Mashataan gods/sorcery run through the Namaa. Imaro may be the primary hero, but Saunders gifted him a fellowship with two others. First in the party was his love-interest, Tanisha, who grants companionship (she was rescued in Book#1). Secondly, is the pygmy sage called Pomphis, who is introduced either in DAW’s Imaro Book #1,last chapter "The City of Madness", or in the introduction of the Nightshade 2006 edition (the same story renamed “Mji Ya Wzimu”). Depending on which edition of Imaro #1 and #2 you read, you may miss a key transition. Why move of the “City of Madness”?  Well, the Nightshade edition of Imaro#2 captures the full story arc of Pomphis (a) finding Imaro and (b) delivering him to Cush. Whereas Imaro #1 and #2 are coherent books evolved from separate short stories,  Imaro #3 and #4  were written as novels from the start. DAW printed the first three versions. Actually, Saunders conceived of The Naama War during the DAW period, but the publisher opted to not release it (sticking to the all-fantasy-books-should-be-a-trilogy approach). Imaro #3 Covers Availability & A Future Collection?:Click here to go to  Saunders’ website to locate books. Amazon and used bookstores carry several versions of these books. Lulu.com still distributes his books too (except for Book #2); note, the books appear under two different versions of his name: With the "R" ... at Charles R Saunders Lulu:  Imaro #1 and Imaro #3 Without the "R" ... at Charles Saunders Lulu: Imaro #4 and the two Dossoye novelsThere are at least nine published, Imaro short stories that have not been scooped into a collection. These are presumably the ones Saunders intended to release in a collection called The Warrior’s Way. The current 2020 status is “complicated” according to the esteemed Milton J. Davis, Sword & Soul author & owner of MVmedia, LLC. So, stay tuned. "Mzee" (1984, Dragon Magazine ) "The Skeleton Coast" (1978, Dark Fantasy ) "Scorpion Sand" (1983, SPWAO Showcase ) "Mai-Kulala" (1977, Space & Time ; 1979 Swords Against Darkness IV) "Bwala li Mwesu" [The Pool of the Moon] (1976, Dark Fantasy ) "Kibanda ya Kufa" [The Hut of Death] (1974, The Chronicler of Cross Plains ) "Death in Jukun" (1979, Heroic Fantasy) "Death's Friend" (1987, Weirdbook ) "Drum Magic" (1989, Argonaut )Imaro #4 Cover & Nyumbani Tales   S.E. Lindberg  resides near Cincinnati, Ohio working as a microscopist by day. Two decades of practicing chemistry, combined with a passion for the Sword & Sorcery genre, spurs him to write adventure fictionalizing the alchemical humors (under the banner Dyscrasia Fiction). With  Perseid Press , he writes weird tales in the same vein (Heroika and Heroes in Hell series). He co-moderates the  Sword & Sorcery group on Goodreads , and invites all to participate. He enjoys studying Aikido and creates all sorts of fine art in the family workshop. Touch base via  Facebook .

Imaro: The Trail of Bohu - Review by SE

 

The Trail of Bohu by Charles R. Saunders
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Spurred by a Sword & Sorcery groupread honoring this year's passing of Charles R. Saunders, I continued the Imaro Series with The Trail of Bohu. A guide to the series and book availability will be posted on Blackgate.com shortly [link coming].

This third novel is a setup for last: The Naama War. The Trail of Bohu has considerably less action than Imaro and The Quest for Cush: Imaro II (the prior being comprised of short stories and this being the first full length novel). So far, Saunders has been building up two big plots: (1) Imaro's mysterious, ancestral origin, and (2) the burgeoning war between the united Northern tribes/nations (Cloud Strider and Cushite aligned) and the evil Naamans (Erriten, Mashataan sorceries). Here Saunders delivers mostly on the former, and quite comprehensively; the latter, reserved for the final book.

When he does deliver action, he doesn't hold back. Creatures are wonderfully dark:

"Even in the half-light of dusk, the animate corpses were hideous to behold. Though they were all naked, the bloating of their bodies had advanced to the point that their sex was difficult to determine. Their faces were travesties of humanity: noses split apart, teeth jutting beyond peeling lips; eyes that were nothing more than gelatinous orbs that glimmered with a tinge of green luminescence. Machawai green... The walkingdead gouged at throats, faces, eyes. They attempted no defense against the steel that hacked and slashed at their bodies..."

Saunders provides plenty of Nyumbani (i.e. Africa) lore, culture, and creatures, including mountable rhinoceros and zebras. Glossaries in the back of each book are appreciated, but not necessary. There is one distinct moment which made me snicker, recalling Samuel Jackson's renowned cursing. When questioned by Rabir about what Imaro will do when he catches the titular Bohu, Imaro says: "I will kill the mama-mfuka." I am no linguist to know the etymology of that insult, but it sounded the most contemporary of every Nyumbani term.

My favorite location is the "The Placed of Carved Trees", a mystical grove that Imaro seeks guidance:

"Each of its trees was carved into a gigantic sculpture that was grotesque in form and enigmatic in meaning. At first glance, the sculpted tree-trunks appeared distorted, and even monstrous. Many of the carvings took the shape of bulbous masses of bodies separated by thin, cylindrical stalks that might have been legs. Faces hung from those bodies--faces with misarranged features and distended mouths with protruding teeth, sometimes smiling, sometimes screaming..."

All in all a great stage for an all-out war for the continent of Nyumbani!

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Raising Daughters - Dyscrasia Fiction in Whetstone Magazine Issue 2

Doctor Grave, the golem necromancer from Dyscrasia Fiction, appears in Whetstone #2's RAISING DAUGHTERS. This is a stand-alone tale occurring chronologically after Spawn of Dyscrasia. 

Read Whetstone #2 now for free online (or download as PDF, click here)! 

"Lindberg's wondrous tale is like peering through a microscope or telescope and discovering an alien world almost entirely non-human, but nevertheless still recognizable: children are always a challenge, but when you create them by untraditional means, you can wind up with far more than you bargained for." - Jason Ray Carney (editor) with Chuck Clark (Assoc. Editor)

Cover Art by Rick McCollum

Issue 2, Winter 2020 CONTENTS:

Editor’s Note                                 Jason Ray CarneyThe City of Tombs                        George JacobsAn Unforgiveable Interruption      D.M. RitzlinThe Stain on the Skull                   Simon RulemanThe Augur of Khoalse                   Corey GrahamDark Meditations                           J. Thomas HowardThe Mortal Essence                       Ulysses Maurer Hounds                                          Chuck ClarkMother of Malevolence                 Chase Folmar Raising Daughters                         S.E. LindbergThe Slain of Talhn                         R. SagusUnder the Oak                               Zack TaylorBest Left to Professionals             Jace PhelpsRolf's Ride                                     Frank Coffman

WHETSTONE is an amateur magazine that seeks to discover, inspire, and publish emerging authors who are enthusiastic about the tradition of "pulp sword and sorcery." Writers in this tradition include (but are not limited to) the following: Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber, Jack Vance, Michael Moorcock, Karl Edward Wagner, David C. Smith, and many more. "Pulp sword and sorcery" emphasizes active protagonists, supernatural menaces, and preindustrial (mostly ancient and medieval) settings. Some "pulp sword and sorcery" straddles the line between historical and fantasy fiction; at WHETSTONE, however, we prefer "secondary world settings," other worlds liberated from the necessity of historical accuracy.  

First released Friday, December 4th, 2020  

Cover art by Rick McCollum 

Whetstone Seal by Bill Cavalier. 

Skull graphic by Gray Moth.  

Webpage: https://whetstonemag.blogspot.com/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whetstonemag/ 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SorceryWs 

Discord: https://discord.gg/hJKdkyDuUb  

Editor/Publisher: Jason Ray Carney

Associate Editor: Chuck Clark 

Shattered Seas Review AND Deep Madness Tour Guide - Review by S.E.

This post was simulcast on Black Gate.com on Nov-28-2020

Cover art by Christopher Shy / Cover design by Byron Leavitt.Shattered Seas is a toxic dose of Lovecraftian mythos, psychedelic team-exploration (reminiscent of Stark Trek voyages), and survival-horror melee (mutant creatures replacing zombies). It’s a maelstrom of fun if you enjoy horror adventure, losing your mind, and drowning.

Ever want to crack open the gateway into an Otherworld with a few friends? Perhaps you are ambitious and naively want to gain dominion of cosmic powers. Will you be comfortable with mutating forces transforming you into a tentacled mass? Start the madness by searching for the mystical Sphere buried in the ocean near the submerged Kadath Mining facility. Lucas Kane, a marine biologist, is one of your tour guides. Here he observes Kadath, a mining facility with organic qualities (excerpt):

Kadath lit up below them drew his attention and caught his breath. The facility sprawled across the seabed like a sunken metropolis from another world, its illuminated structures pushing defiantly upward into the inky abyss. The station’s domes and towers seemed like the last bastions of light and reason still standing in an endless Stygian wasteland. It was hypnotic, dreamlike, and yet somehow inexplicably solid. Lucas could make out the shuttle tubes running between the three main domes, as well as to the smaller, squarer outposts and middle structures. He could even see the primary enclosed drilling site not far off from the main facility, connected to Dome Three by long, spacious tubes.

This novel was inspired by Diemension Games' Deep Madness, a cooperative sci-fi/horror board game. The novel serves as a stand-alone book as much as it does a gateway into the game narrative. Non-gamers will enjoy it all the same since the key protagonists (Lucas Kane and Connor Durham) are freshly introduced, plus the story is a prequel to the story presented in the game. At the end of this article, there is an embedded movie overviewing the board game. 

The cover features Lucas Kane (Christopher Shy artist)

Deep Madness was Diemension Games’ first title and raised over $4 million USD across two Kickstarter campaigns (from ~2018-2020). Byron Leavitt injected loads of narrative into the game, so Kadath and all its many inhabitants have curious backstories and strange intentions. With Shattered Seas Leavitt extends the world created by the Diemension Game team (with designers Roger Ho, Cherry Li, Chauncey, and Yichuan Wang) to whom Byron dedicated the book… in addition to the KS backers). There are also many illustrators and sculptors, including Chang Yuan, Stefan Kopinski, D.Rock-Art Studio and NWA Studio featured in the art book, that brought the world to life. The surreal aesthetic is captured well by Leavitt in the novel. Experience supernatural horror (excerpts):

The walls of the corridor were changing around him. This alteration wasn’t like the red fungus he had seen earlier, either. This was something else. The only way he could describe this was… biomechanical, perhaps? It almost seemed that pieces of people had been used to help craft the walls. He saw faces staring sightlessly at him, arms and legs and torsos fused into the substance around them.

The being above him burned like flames, its massive body ethereal and translucent. It was roughly human in shape, except that it had multiple heads and sets of arms – and it was almost as tall as the cathedral. While much of its body shimmered and fluctuated, one thing Connor could make out for sure: its eyes were like miniature suns in its faces.

Board Game Art
Shattered Seas is saturated with ghosts, possession, & body horror. Expect bloody action that tilts toward the fun side of horror.

You will observe the melding of multiverses as the forces of the Sphere are unleashed. The novel is much easier to digest than the game (which is very challenging and requires some commitment of hours per session and table-top real estate to accommodate the maps & pieces). Leavitt was challenged to write the novel as part of the second printing. He could have “phoned-it-in” and provide some shallow replay of a scenario. Instead, Leavitt went the extra mile to build on the lore.

Read the book, or play the game. Either way, you’ll want to do the other.

In a world as nutty as this, don’t expect all mysteries to be solved. However, it genuinely expands the story in a stand-alone fashion. We can avoid spoilers while covering the approach.

There are two main perspectives woven together. The first has Lucas Kane, a mysterious marine biologist, exploring in/around Kadath Mining Facility (yes, that is a call out to Howard Phillips Lovecraft’s “The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath”). The other has Connor Durham, a preacher from Ireland leading a small band on a strange, isolated zone we’ll just call Tower-Island.

The Leng Corporation funding Kadath, as well as the mysterious Golden Dawn cult, play roles as the fates of Connor and Lucas get intertwined. Strangely, the characters from the core box do not appear appreciably, but characters from expansions appear in dominant roles:, ie Regan & Meredith Waite from the Rise of Dagon set and Dr. William West from Oracle’s Betrayal.

[caption id="attachment_466833" align="aligncenter" width="900"] Character cards from Deep Madness expansions[/caption]

One cooperative battle was an explicit, over-the-top melee paying homepage to the armory within Kadath:

Ron grimly picked up the woman’s crowbar…[Gerald] threw the rivet gun aside in disgust... Gerald swung his axe….Lucas reached the beast and drove his scalpel… Ronald cracked its skull with the crowbar, then bludgeoned it over and over until it collapsed to the ground… his axe was still embedded in the third one...The girl pulled out a utility knife and jabbed it into the thing’s neck.

Experience horror in deep waters:

What do we do now?” It was the question they were all wondering, and, as such, no one had an answer when Connor finally asked it. Mitsuko sat curled up in the belly of the boat, rocking back and forth, while Min and Connor perched on either side of her. Their combined silence spoke volumes. “Connor…”

...Hands breached the surface of the water. They writhed and flailed, grasping at the air as they sought for any purchase they could find. Some looked ruddy and perfectly normal, while others were pallid and rotting. And some were not human in the slightest. The hands grabbed the sides of the boat, their desperate grips wildly rocking the small craft and threatening to either capsize it or tear it completely apart. Mitsuko grabbed an oar and started beating the hands, while Min began trying to pry them off. “Connor, get us to the shore!”

Board Game Art
Wanting to Tour Kadath Yourself?Shattered Seas book for Kickstarter backers: You received links eBook already. Hardcopies are en route now for a ~Nov/Dec 2020 delivery for most.AudioBooks for Kickstarter backers: The two versions of the audiobook near Halloween (update 72). One is a simple voice narration and the other a “full-blown audio drama with a cast and sound effects and music”--listen to the outstanding demo from Soundbooth Theater.Non-backers: Expect paperbacks, eBooks, and Audio of Shattered Seas to be available via standard sellers of games and books ~early 2021.Get the game too! The third printing of Deep Madness is planned for 2021 via Kickstarter and will likely have all this content (get notified form on Dimension Games website). Check out Board Game Geek or local board game retailers for new/used copies. Own the Game Already, but Could Use a Guide to the Narrative Scenarios?Check out this guide if you want to play in chronological order or to see how the novel characters fit in with scenarios (noted in purple): Deep Madness Scenario Guide - Chronology. Note, the Shattered Worlds special game scenario featuring Lucas Kane will be revealed with the delivery of the paperbacks.The board game is very challenging, so consider some of the game variants (i.e., my household uses the "extra stamina" rule, so each character gets +1 action (for a total of four each). Touch base with fans if you need help. In addition to the Board Game Geek link above, there are two active Facebook groups to scope out, one being the official Deep Madness Game page and the other the Deep Madness Universe: Backers, Collectors and Fans page.Deep Madness Board Game Overview (official blurb):

"Descend through the ocean depths into unbridled madness. Deep Madness is a cooperative board game of survival horror for 1-6 players. Journey with a team of investigators to the Kadath deep-sea mining facility, and discover the dark secrets lurking on the ocean floor. Something is down there, waiting for you: an ancient, incomprehensible power that channels your deepest fears and gives them flesh. With each successive chapter, the nightmare unravels before you, ratcheting up the tension through fiendish gameplay and a progressively psychedelic story. Fight to stay alive as you hold your breath through flooded rooms while throbbing madness devours the station around you. Flee from the squirming hordes of monsters clambering down the corridors, and face off against the horrific Epic Monsters as each round brings you closer to certain doom. The question is not if you will discover the truth buried within Kadath’s claustrophobic depths: it’s if you will survive long enough to tell anyone about it. Featuring 66 plastic miniatures in the base game alone (and over 259 across all of the expansions), Deep Madness is a tense, nail-biting experience you won’t soon forget."

S.E. Lindberg  resides near Cincinnati, Ohio working as a microscopist by day. Two decades of practicing chemistry, combined with a passion for the Sword & Sorcery genre, spurs him to write adventure fictionalizing the alchemical humors (under the banner Dyscrasia Fiction). With  Perseid Press , he writes weird tales in the same vein (Heroika and Heroes in Hell series). He co-moderates the  Sword & Sorcery group on Goodreads , and invites all to participate. He enjoys studying Aikido and creates all sorts of fine art in the family workshop. Touch base via  Facebook  or  Twitter .

The Quest For Cush by Charles Saunders - Review by SE

The Quest for Cush by Charles R. Saunders

S.E. rating: 4 of 5 stars

“Who am I? Who is my father? Where is my mother? Why do death and demons follow me wherever I go?” – Imaro in The Quest for Cush

Charles R. Saunders, the originator of Sword & Soul, passed away May this year (2020). He is most known for his Imaro tales chronicling an African-inspired “Conan the Barbarian” on the fictional continent of Nyumbani. Saunders also wrote of a heroine named Dossouye (separate series). The Goodreads Sword and Sorcery group honored his memory with a groupread, catalyzing this review and tour guide into the series:
1) Imaro DAW 1981 (Nightshade reprinted 2006 )
2) Imaro 2 : The Quest for Cush DAW 1984 (Nightshade reprinted 2006). reviewed previously)
3) The Trail of Bohu DAW 1985 & 2009
4) Imaro: The Naama War 2010
- Nyumbani Tales 2018, a collection of tales of character’s in Imaro’s world
- The Warrior’s Way (mentioned in the 2017 intro. to Nyumbani Tales by Saunders; the current 2020 status is “complicated” according to the esteemed Milton J. Davis, Sword & Soul author & owner of MVmedia, LLC. So, stay runed.


So where were we?: In the first volume, Imaro evolved from being a fatherless, abandoned child from the Ilyassai tribe… into a vengeful, tribeless Hercules-like figure set on destroying evil sorcery. We learned that his mother, Katisa had been force-married to a shaman named Chitendu. Chitendu was a servant to the Mashataan Demon Gods and was removed from power thanks to Katisa; Chitendu is confronted by Imaro in Book#1 “The Place of Stones”. Katisa was also exiled for her being tainted. Imaro’s biological father is a mystery, who may have been someone other than Chitendu. Katisa is a fascinating figure who deserves more attention (in fact, she is featured in the first story in the Nyumbani Tales collection). What is clear, is that Imaro is very special, akin to the child of a god. His destiny is to confront the Mashataan gods/sorcery run through the Namaa.

#2 The Quest for Cush, i.e., the Fellowship of the Sacred Warrior: Imaro may be the primary hero, but Saunders gifted him a fellowship with two others. First in the party was his love-interest, Tanisha, who grants companionship (she was rescued in Book#1, Chapter 3: Slaves Of The Giant Kings, a story reimagined & replaced with “The Afua” in Nightshade’s edition). Secondly, is the pygmy sage called Pomphis, who is introduced either in DAW’s Imaro Book #1, chapter 5: The City of Madness, or in the introduction of the Nightshade 2006 edition (the same story of “City of Madness” renamed “Mji Ya Wzimu”). Depending on which edition of Imaro #1 and #2 you read, you may miss a key transition. Why move of the “City of Madness”?

Arc & Conflict: Well… the second edition of Imaro#2 captures the full story arc of Pomphis (1) finding Imaro and (2) delivering him to Cush. Imaro 2 : The Quest for Cush retraces Pomphis’s journey backwards toward Cush with the object of his quest found: a sacred outcast warrior. Underscoring every conflict is an epic battle of forces between evil, Mashataan forces (streaming through the land and people of Naama) and their mchawi magic (cast in green auras, which involves tentacles, serpentine mutations reminiscent of Lovecraftian mythos) versus the “good” sorcery (cast in red auras, fueled by the power of tawa from the Cloud Striders, streaming though the people of Cush).




Imaro 2 : The Quest for Cush Contents:
0) “Mji Ya Wzimu” is the first chapter in Nightshade’s 2006 reprint, which is merely a renamed version of ”The City of Madness”, the final chapter from DAW’s Imaro #1. This has Imaro, with Tanisha, meeting Pomphis.

1) “In Mwenni” 100pages: The first seventy pages have the group searching for a ship and a secret artifact containing tawa that Pomphis knows about. Cultural conflict. Frankly, I expected more ties to the death of Pomphis’s mentor (Khabatekh) who was murdered as Pomphis traveled with him through this seaport Kundwa (located in Mwenni). Instead, we get introduced to the Heart of Shihazz, but slowly. Firstly, we have battles in an arena and the coming of an Asian-inspired martial artist named Chang Li. Li’s presence interrupted the “Sword & Soul” vibe but his role reinforced the concept of chi/balance in the universe (ie the struggle between Mashataan and Cloud striders). The last thirty pages kick into high gear, with weird sorcery, a focus on Imaro’s past, and strange creatures:

“The left side was human, although the sin was the marbled gray hue of a corpse left to rot in the sun…The right side was horror. Pale, pitted stone tinged green…Only mchawai, the unimaginable evil power of the Mashataan could have created such a composite monstrosity… Their arms were spread to forestall Imaro from fleeing…Hatred burned hot within him…Shortening the slack of his chain, Imaro swung the weapon overhand, catching the half-man full in the face. The flesh of the human side was torn by the blow, but no blood leaked from the wound…”

2) “In Bana-Gui” 60pages: The trio pass through the remote village of Rendille, stumbling through horrific echoes of the past wars against Mashataan sorcery. Mutated, cursed folk remain, and the chapter reveals their history:

“Against her will, Tanisha’s gaze left that single, sadly beautiful face and slid downward once again. And the gorge rose hot and sick from her stomach, blocking the cry of revulsion that leaped into her throat as she stared at the woman’s body. // Her long neck flowed smoothly into slender shoulders. Her bare breasts were small, cone-shaped, perfect. Beneath those breasts—horror! // A bulbous mass of tissue clothed in dark skin protruded from the woman’s abdomen. Its shape seemed a distorted replica of the buttocks of young child. Jutting from the asymmetrical mass were a pair of legs and a single arm ending in clenched, clawlike fingers…”

3) “On the Bahari Mashiriki” 20pages. Finally, the trio finds a ship for hire. But the storm season approaches and evil forces hunt them. Captain Rabir takes them through storms while the piscine hibi attack:

“Yet for all their sea-spawned strength, ferocity, and swiftness, the hibi could not reach Imaro. Like a leopard ravening among dogs, the warrior carried the battle to the hibi. His arm rose and fell in a dark blur, raining steel on the horde of sea-dwellers. Showers of blood spurted to mingle with the rain of the dhoruba … Shark teeth snapping madly at air, the sea-dwellers leaped and fell, their bodies piling in a grim harvest at Imaro’s feet.”

a. “In Cush”  23pages: The end answers some questions while preparing us for books #3 and #4 that escalate the conflict. Imaro will go to war with the Mashataan-loving Naamans!

Availability: Click here to go to Saunders’ website to locate books: Where to purchase new Saunders books. Although the first two Imaro books from DAW were reprinted in ~2006 by Nightshade, they are sometimes difficult to track down. Used bookstores are your best bet. Lulu.com still distributes his books, but note: books appear under two different versions of his name:
A) With the "R" ... at Charles R Saunders Lulu
B) Without the "R" ... at Charles Saunders Lulu

Saunder’s Passion: An excerpt from Saunders’s Into to Milton Davis’s Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology best reveals the author’s motivation:

“Robert E. Howard and his contemporaries were products of their time. Racism, in the form of white supremacy, was an integral part of the popular culture of the early decades of the twentieth century, and as such it pervaded pulp fiction. As a product of a later time during which the tenets of racism came under vigorous challenge, my enjoyment of fiction from past decades was often compromised by the racial attitudes I encountered in my reading. On some occasions, I simply let it slide. On others, I wrestled with resentment. Then I discovered a way to resolve my dilemma.

Interest in African history and culture surged during the 1960s, and at the same time I was reading sword-and-sorcery and fantasy fiction, I was also absorbing heretofore-unknown information about a continent that was not “dark” as its detractors made it out to be. I realized that this non-stereotypical Africa of history and legend was just as valid a setting for fantasy stories as was the ancient and medieval Europe that served as the common default setting for everything from Conan to Lord of the Rings. A character came into my head then: Imaro, a black man who could stand alongside mythical warrior-heroes like Beowulf and Hercules, as well as fictional creations such as Conan and Kull.” – Charles Saunders

View all my reviews

Deep Madness Board Game - Tour Guide of scenarios, book, campaigns

Deep Madness Scenario Chronology v6 21 total scenarios (canon) + 1 fan campaignSeth Lindberg and Phil Blake 

Starting place for playing Diemension Games's Deep Madness:

·       Read the Shattered Seas novel by Byron Leavitt

o   Many key characters in the novel are colored purple in the table

 

·       Note: the Chronology Table below is not necessarily the suggested order of play.

·       For newcomers, the suggested playthrough order of Expansions is:

o   Drowning in the Depths (tutorial)

o   Core story

o   Endless Nightmares …. Another Dawn

o   Explore other expansions

Chronology Table Scope:

·       The original intent of the table was to organize the chronology of the canon scenarios to further narrative gameplay.

·       We include a representative fan made campaign to highlight the community involvement (which often includes feedback from Diemension Game representatives).

·       Other fans, like Phil Blake, are set on creating expansions focused on the Epic monsters (colored red in the table) that do not have scenarios. 4 scenarios are done (story pending) for Spawn of the Sleeper, Insidious, Drifter Kin and Devourer of Worlds. Still working on the last 3 (Dimension Rift, Ravenous Omega and Penitent/Forsaken.)

Versions of this will be posted in:

·       Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/DeepMadnessFans/

·       BGG: https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/202077/deep-madness/files

Chronology

Expansion

Game Title

Chapter/Scenario

Epic Monster

Person of Interest

Character Focus

(or those come with the expansion)

  Person of Interest

Prequel

Shattered Seas (complements novel of same name; requires a game tile from Uncounted Horrors)

1: Shattered Worlds

Lucas Kane (marine biologist)

Pre-Core Story

 

Rise of Dagon

1: Rite of Bile

Ward Phillips (novelist)

Regan Waite (cultist)

Meredith Waite (executive)

2: Virulent Whispers

3: Dagon Rising

Premonitions of Despair

Fan-generated campaign

1: Malfunction

Christopher Dalton (mystic),

Lisbeth Gibson (hacker),

Charles Ryan (heavy miner),

Jacob Clarke (relief expert),

Dakota Johnson (officer),

Sophie Brigman (diver)

2: Mutilation

3: Hallucination

4: Exit Wounds

Profundum PDF/The Faces of the Sphere

1: Drowning in the Depths (tutorial)

Same as core story

Core Story

Core Box of Deep Madness

1: Crawling Asphyxia

Arthur Weyland (engineer),

Felicia Armitage (doctor),

Jared Drake (soldier),

Randi Carter (researcher),

Roman Asimov (biochemist),

Samuel Smith (captain)

 

Oracles Betrayal:

Hannah Cobb (little girl)

John Murdock (detective)

Dr. Clarence Branom (psychiatrist)

 

2: Last Shuttle to Hell

3: Bathphobia

4: Through the Looking Glass (William West)

Oracle’s Betrayal

1: Trimming Victims (William West)

2: Collecting Tissue (William West)

3: Lobotomy (William West)

Core Box of Deep Madness

5: Madness Within

6: Lost in the Mist

7: The Horror Beneath (Edgar Kayce)

8: The Substance of Terror

“True Ending”

to Core Story

Uncounted Horrors

1: Another Dawn

Core story characters, plus:

David (pilot),

Pris (secretary),

Dakota Johnson (officer),

Stephen Cooper (physicist),

Charles Ryan (heavy miner),

Jacob Clarke (relief expert),

Amanda Weaver (quartermaster),

Sophie Brigman (diver)

Jon (cat)

Post Core Story

Profundum PDF/The Faces of the Sphere

1: Faces of the Sphere

Same as core story + Hannah + Ward Phillips + Jacob Clarke (Visages of them!)

No fixed timeframe

 

Play at anytime

Endless Nightmares

1: Fathoms Dark (Unbound)

Christopher Dalton (mystic),

Emma Kruger (special agent),

Franklyn Christie (navigator),

Amanda Weaver (quartermaster)

Isaiah Wiesenthal (prophet),

Lisbeth Gibson (hacker),

Sophie Brigman (diver),

Scarlet Romanov (special agent)

2: Fevered Dreams (Obscure)

3: Expectant Terror (Nest)

Nov-Dec Groupread: Charles R. Saunders Tribute and Sword & Soul

 
Sword & Sorcery Group on Goodreads
For the Nov-Dec 2020 Sword & Sorcery groupreads, the topic will be Sword & Soul in honor of Charles R. Saunders's passing (by royal decree). So Saunders will be a focus, but the sub-Genre he championed is all fair game. Including the works inspiring an HBO series for the Asuna works (Sebastian A. Jones) and all of Milton J. Davis's work too. Please join us! Discover and rediscover Sword & Soul!

Link: Discussion Folder for Saunders/Sword&Soul 

Link: Poll used as a means to declare which book you intend to read (and see what others are choosing!) 
Banner Credits: Saunders and Sword & Soul Groupread Banner. Cover artists for Charles R Saunder's works:- 2013 The Quest for Cush cover art by Alain Brion
- 2011 Griots: A Sword and Soul Anthology cover by Natiq Jalil
- 2008 Dossouye cover by Mshindo Kuumba