Welcome to the second installment of Chaos Theory, Valkyrie's regular Chaosium column. This month, I've collected together several smaller pieces.

Adam Crossingham and Simon Hibbs have contributed some British background for Nephilim, and a short scenario set in Bath. They should get you started if you're considering a British Nephilim campaign. Adam and Simon are also working on their own Nephilim fanzine, Esoterica. If you'd like more information, you can email Adam at Adam_Crossingham@ALDGEN.CCMAIL.CompuServe.COM.

My own contribution to this issue's column is "The Secrets of the Silent Watcher", which covers the avatars of Yibb-Tstll for Call of Cthulhu.

Be here next month for Call of Cthulhu background on Ramsey Campbell's Severn Valley. In the meantime, feel free to send me feedback, care of Valkyrie, Chaosium, or my email address.

Shannon Appel, appel@erzo.org

A Small Island Nation or Punching Above Weight

Occult Role-playing in Britain
by Adam Crossingham

Nephilim is a game about truth, lies, and history. The truth is that the world we live in is not the world that has truly come to past. Lies are a veil that occult initiates such as the Nephilim and human secret societies try to penetrate. History is the lies that are accepted as truth by the non-initiate. Ultimately those who control history, control reality or the perception of reality.

Playing Nephilim in Britain is no different. Perception is important to the British nation, and permeates all levels of society. In Nephilim, the Britain that you think you know is a very different country from the one you live in.

The Myths of Arthur

Britain is significant in Nephilim myth. To humans, King Arthur is the dominant British hero: historically a Romano-British general, mythically the Once and Future King. To Nephilim Arthur is the human recreator of Atlantis, who established a realm where Nephilim and human could work together towards enlightenment. The Atlantis theme recurs through human and Nephilim history. Another attempt at 'New Camelot' was to be made at the court of Elizabeth I, but it led to temporal power not spiritual.

Arthurian myths are also associated with the Holy Grail, the Fool Arcanum and one possible path to Agartha. Legends say that Joseph of Arimathea brought the Grail to Albion, where it remains still, in the possession of his descendants. The Grail is a powerful reason for the Nephilim tribes to maintain their presence in Britain.

Some claim that the Holy Grail is really the Celtic cauldron of rebirth, but Joseph and the power of Christ's blood have transformed the cauldron into something more significant. By finding the Grail a Nephilim may come closer to Agartha, by ensuing its next incarnation will be as an unborn child. It is of course, an extremely perilous quest to seek the Holy Grail. Enlightenment is not a straight or easy path. Glastonbury is said to be the traditional departure point for those Nephilim starting the quest.

The Order of St. Sulpice has sought the Grail for centuries, but the enlightened claim that they simply look for the physical shadow of the Grail, not the true substance.

The Remnants of History

Britain's landscape is ancient, having been shaped by humanity over 10,000 years. Ancient monuments litter the landscape of Britain, some still extant, others buried or destroyed over the centuries.

When the Ice Age ended, some Nephilim travelled east to the British Isles, fleeing the Orichalka Men. The flooding of the Channel around 6,000 BC provided the refugees respite. The struggle restarted when the Orichalka Men followed from Spaain and Africa, bringing their knowledge to control the land's energy, and deny the Nephilim its power.

They raised the first megalithic monuments, cursus and barrows, then stone circles at significant nexi and plexi sites. Such was the influence of these monuments that later peoples copied them. Some plexi were missed by the Orichalka Men, the most important of which is the Water plexus beneath what is now Bath. The important stones still stand, though their power has diminished.

Alfred Watkins publicised ancient ideas of mystical energy crossing the land in the 1920s. Today, the concept of ley lines is widely accepted, even in some parts of archaeology. Watkins' motives, allegiance and even the origin of his ideas are unknown. The Magician Arcanum, or the Order of the Black Star (the Orichalka Men's descendants) may be behind the leak. Is the row over the controversial proposed Stonehenge road bypass a power struggle between Black Star and Tower Arcana factions, who either wish to destroy Stonehenge or protect it?

The Glorious Past

Modern Britain's long history is the result of the power struggles between occult factions manoeuvring behind the scenes to achieve long-term aims. The Templars have fought for control of the British throne against the Emperor arcana throughout British history. As the powers of the monarch have diminished, the fight has concentrated on control of parliament. A Nephilim-backed Tudor monarchy won the War of the Roses and began the foundations of a world empire. Elizabethan colonies in North America however, proved to be the basis of Templar power in later centuries. Templar influence was destroyed by the ascension of the Emperor-backed Stuart family to the Scottish and English thrones.

The English Civil War between the Templar-backed Parliament and the Emperor-backed Royalists, and the short-lived coup de gras of the 'Glorious Revolution' defined the British form of government which survives to the present day. The American War of Independence severed the American colonies from Emperor influence, but the Empire was able to grow and prosper as the jewel of the Empire, India, remained firmly under British control and Nephilim influence. Fate, however, caught up with the Emperor Arcanum in 1914 when the 'Cleansing War' it supported blew out of control. The Great War fatally weakened the British Empire and left it in debt to the Templar-dominated United States.

The scars of British history can be reopened, sometimes disastrously. Northern Ireland is one such wound that has picked at since the 16th century. Discovery of the secret history could shake the British state to its very foundations. What would happen to the existing political union if evidence to destroy the 1707 union between England, Wales and Scotland was discovered? Perhaps a secret society or Nephilim researching another theme could stumble across evidence of past collusion, or treachery. Secrets that can endanger the existence of a country are very high stakes. Nephilim who find such secrets can expect great reward or a very swift death.

The Unknown Future

Although bereft of empire, modern Britain is still rich in the remnants of power and intrigue from its imperial past. The rump of the secret societies and Nephilim tribes exist in modern Britain, still significant because of the resources they accumulated during empire, and important because of the place Britain holds between the new powers in America and Asia, and the old power of Europe.

Britain is a diplomatic centre acting as intermediary between the sole surviving super-power, the United States, and Europe. Possibly the current struggle in British politics over the role of Britain in Europe is a result of secret society-Nephilim competition to gain Britain's declining influence and realign it more profitably. Or, is it just a mundane argument between the forces of capitalist freedom and social reform?

Britain is an important financial trade centre, as London sits between the New York and Tokyo time-zones. If the Nephilim seriously want to harm the fortunes of the secret societies, the City of London is the place to do so. The activities of the Emperor Arcanum would also be endangered though as they fight the secret societies on the electronic battlegrounds of international finance, around the world, 24 hours a day.

Those who control the youth, control the future. Britain is a trend-setter of popular culture, influencing facets of peoples' lives around the world, in fashion, music, and lifestyle, and has been since the sixties. Are youth fads tools of the secret societies to influence society, or experiments to shape Humanity as superior simulacrum?

A recent phenomena, rave culture, has mutated and spread across Europe from Britain. The large assembled crowds that attend gatherings like a rave or a music festival are equally good cover for Nephilim seeking young fit hosts, or secret societies seeking recruits. The trance-like dance states that have emerged from raves are remarkably similar to those practised by primitive peoples. In the darkened, strobe-lit clubs of London, is the Hierophant Arcanum reviving their old ways of co-operating with humanity, or are the mystery cults like the Mithridites or Gnostics back?

Contemporary themes are ripe for exploitation and make an ideal basis for a British Nephilim game. Follow Jeremy Paxman's lead and ask "why is this lying bastard lying to me?"

Is the current debate on the future of the monarchy in Britain the result of superb Templar PR by foreign owned media empires to undermine the Royal Family or is it just another social trend? Does the heritage industry boom and the fad for 'past times' indicate the rise in the influence of the Lovers Arcanum, or an End of Millennia phenomena? Is the latest sleaze scandal the result of secret society manoeuvres, or men with human defects being caught? Is the fight against road developments a result of heightened environmental awareness, or an organised response by occult forces to protect their interests? Is the increased number and frequency of pop festivals, such as Glastonbury, Reading, or the defunct Stonehenge, anything to do with the fruition of the Templar master plan at the end of the century?

With Britain changing or unravelling every day on the front pages of the newspapers, now has never been a better time to start a Nephilim campaign. Just take a story and look at it in a different way. The Truth is there if you want to see it...

Pulling the Plug

A Short Scenario in Bath for Nephilim
by Simon D. Hibbs

Bath, Southwest England

Bath is the site of an ancient hot mineral spring welling up from deep in the earth's crust, together with a powerful current of magical energy primarily attuned to the Water elemental field. After the destruction of the Nephilim stronghold of Tarshish in 9600BC, the Orichalka Men used a network of megalithic constructions to attempt to control and suppress the elemental fields in western Europe. Bath was one of the few sites to survive their machinations untouched and became a haven for Nephilim in this dangerous era.

Since AD 70, when Roman Nephilim built a temple complex at what they called Aquae Sulis, the spa at Bath has been under the control of the Temperance Arcanum. The current caretaker is the undine Ophirios who first served here as a priest in the first century AD. Ophirios is occasionally assisted by other Temperance Nephilim.

The spa is also a site of pilgrimage for Water Nephilim, who come to recharge their stases or otherwise make use of the permanent water plexus at the site.

Apart from the permanent water plexus, the spa also manifests an earth plexus approximately once every month. At any given time there is a 1D20 day wait until the next manifestation of the earth plexus, which will last for 1D6 hours. Once per year a full nexus manifests for 2D4 hours on February 1st, also known as the pagan festival of Imbolc. The nexus has also been known to manifest at other times, but only rarely (once in the last 100 years).

Player

The Player Nephilim are in or near Bath when they are contacted by their Arcanum. Something is wrong at the spa, but all anyone knows for sure is that Ophirios cannot be contacted. A Templar operation is known to be under way in the area, but its purpose is unknown. The Player Nephilim are asked to investigate.

Background Information

The spa is nominally run as a tourist attraction by the local tourist board and a local archaeological trust, of which Ophirios is the senior trustee. Ophirios has been conducting magical investigations into the nature and processes of the magical fields at the site, and has recently discovered the point of origin of the magical field with the aid of a Nephilim of the Wheel of Fortune Arcanum named Xerephas. Unfortunately, Templar agents have infiltrated the archaeological trust and have guessed at parts of Xerephas' findings. The Templar agents contacted allies at Whitehall and have instigated a plan to destroy the plexus at the spa permanently.

The spa site has been taken over by what appears to be a special archaeological investigation team, supposedly working on some very exciting recent discoveries at the spa. In fact, Ophirios and Xrephas have been captured and are being held at the site of the spa while Templar specialists attempt to decode their notes. The Templars believe they can destroy the site by driving an Orichalka seal deep into the main channel of the spring, but need Xerephas' notes to determine the precise placement.

Against the Templars

The player's best bet is to scout out the spa using magical means, perhaps surreptitiously capturing a Templar agent and using magical or mundane interrogation techniques to find out what is going on. They might capture one of the Templars leaving the spa on his way to meet up with the team bringing the orichalka seal.

Though they will not realize it, the players are faced with a ticking clock. Eventually the Templars will realise that they cannot fully decipher Xerephas' notes and will use torture to force Xerephas to help them. The player Nephilim must rescue Ophirios and Xerephas before they succumb to the Templar's sophisticated inquisitional techniques.

The players will find they have a number of options available:

1. The Orichalka seal must be transported from London to Bath. The player Nephilim might be able to intercept it in transit and prevent it from reaching the spa.
2. The simplest (and most bone-headed) option is to attack the spa and attempt to kill the Templar agents. If the players elect to do this, they have a serious fight on their hands. The Templars are reinforced by members of the Artist's Rifles, their elite paramilitary wing recruited from the ranks of the British special forces. All the Templars carry orichalka wards. The Artist's Rifles are armed with orichalka blades and have firearms available (Glock 19 9mm pistols), though they do not carry them as a matter of course. All their firearms are silenced to avoid attracting unwanted attention, after all the spa is located in the middle of a town centre. If a major firefight does ensue, armed police will arrive within 1D6+2 minutes of the alarm being raised. Player Nephilim fleeing the site will be pursued by police vehicles, sirens wailing.

The Secrets of the Silent Watcher

Avatars of Yibb-Tstll
by Shannon Appel

In last issue's Chaos Theory, I presented a short scenario centering around Yibb-Tstll, the Silent Watcher, and his servitors, the nightgaunts. This article expands a little bit on Yibb-Tstll's background, so that Keepers can continue to use him as a recurring malevolent force in their campaigns.

Of Yibb-Tstll and Others

Yibb-Tstll is the creation of Brian Lumley, featured most prominently in "The Horror at Oakdeene", "The Caller of the Black", "The Black re-Called", _Hero of Dreams_, and _Sorcery in Shad_. He is imprisoned in the Jungle of Kled, in Earth's Dreamlands, but that has not stopped him from taking an unhealthy interest in the affairs of Earth. A full description of Yibb-Tstll appears on pp. 125-126 of the _Call of Cthulhu_ rulebook.

Yibb-Tstll's blood is a black, suffocating substance occasionally used by sorcerers as a weapon.

Yibb-Tstll is kin to Bugg-Shash, the Drowner, who appeared most prominently in "The Kiss of Bugg-Shash". Bugg-Shash has already been fully described in _Ye Booke of Monstres_ pp. 13-14. Keepers wishing to run campaigns involving Yibb-Tstll can muddy the waters by introducing Bugg-Shash as well.

Yibb-Tstll is the lord of the nightgaunts. Although many of these creatures are simple-minded savages who follow no whims but there own, there are great numbers of them that worship their dark, faceless god.

The Avatars of Yibb-Tstll

Only when the stars are right may the Great Old Ones be freed from their ancient prisons, to once more ooze from planet to planet, spreading their blasphemy. However, with a little intervention from humankind, the Great Old Ones can imbue another with the most infinitesimal part of their essence, creating an avatar. Two avatars of Yibb-Tstll are detailed below.

Although Great Old Ones should only be encountered in the most fear-fraught finale to a long campaign (and maybe not even then), avatars are weaker beings that may be used with less restraint.

Yibb-Tstll's Avatar of Stone

"The -- thing -- had a head, a polished black lump atop its sloping shoulder of stone. Two eyes were frozen in oddly unnatural positions... the lower eye was green and shone with an inner luminosity -- a massive emerald -- but the other was of a reddish, bloody hue, and of the two it looked decidedly more real." -Brian Lumley, _Hero of Dreams_

At least twice, Yibb-Tstll has inhabited an avatar of stone. Such a statue may only be created by a master sculptor [Art (Sculpture) 90% or better] who criticals his Sculpting roll while creating a statue of Yibb-Tstll. Afterwards, a successful Contact Yibb-Tstll is required.

Once inhabited, the stone avatar is an independent creature. It will think for itself, though very slowly. It typically remains in an inanimate stone state, but if it is awakened (either due to something happening near it, or the will of the sorcerer), it will animate, and take on a more fleshy appearance.

When the sorcerer who Contacted Yibb-Tstll dies, the stone avatar returns to its inanimate state forever.

The Stone Avatar

STR 40
CON 100
SIZ 20
INT 3
POW 20
DEX 3
Move 5
HP 60

Damage Bonus: +3D6
Weapon*: Claw 30%, Damage 4D6
Bite 50%, Damage 4D6

* The Stone Avatar may Claw twice or Bite once each round.

Armor: 10-point stone-like skin. Takes minimum damage from physical weapons.

Spells: None.

Sanity Loss: 0/1 to see inanimate statue. 1/1D10 to see animate avatar.

Yibb-Tstll's Avatar of Blood

"Beneath those garments -- the gross body of the man was black! Not a Negroid black, not even the jet of ink or deepest ebony or purest onyx. Black as the spaces between the farthest stars -- black as the black blood of Yibb-Tstll himself!"
Brian Lumley, "The Black re-Called"

Some insane sorcerers desire a closer union with their dark god. After doing many dark deeds in Yibb-Tstll's name, and building up a mighty cult of followers, a sorcerer Contacts Yibb-Tstll, and begs to be baptised in Yibb-Tstll's dark blood, making himself the very embodiment of his god. There can be only one such avatar of Yibb-Tstll upon the Earth, but the last, Ben Gifford, is long dead.

When a sorcerer becomes the living avatar of Yibb-Tstll, his skin becomes pure black, the color of Yibb-Tstll's blood. It is a color that literally sucks in light, and is a thoroughly unnatural shade. If watched for an extended amount of time, the sorcerer's skin seems to slowly move, like a living entity.

The Blood Avatar

Use the sorcerer's original stats with the following additions.

Armor: 12-point black skin that easily yields to blows, but then seeps back together over all but the most grievous wounds.

Sanity Loss: 1D6/1D10 to see the avatar, and an additional 0/1D6 if the skin is examined for an extended amount of time.

Special Powers:

CALL FORTH NIGHTGAUNT. For an expenditure of 5 MP, the avatar may call forth a nightgaunt from his black skin. It will follow one order before returning to the Black.

CALL FORTH THE BLACK. For an expenditure of 5 MP, the avatar may call forth the blood of Yibb-Tstll to suffocate a target. This target must be within the caster's sight. The target will immediately start drowning, as per _Call of Cthulhu_ pg. 32, and will eventually expire unless he is submerged in water. While Yibb-Tstll's blood is suffocating another, the avatar is vulnerable. His skin becomes light grey in color, he only retain 2-points of armor, and he may not use his special powers. The Black will be recalled if it is submerged or if the casters spends a full round calling it back.