Deluxe Edition Preview #3: Catalog of the Strange
Looking at one of the most exciting entries, our take at a "bestiary."
Welcome back to part 3 of our lead up to the Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition newsletter series!
As we gear up for the April 15th launch on Backerkit we will be exploring what is contained within the book!
In this series we’re looking at each Chapter/Section in the book so you can get a good idea of everything we have in store for you.
For this entry we will be diving into Chapter 3: Catalog of the Strange (our take on a bestiary). A collection of all the weird, strange, and horrifying NPCs, monsters, factions, and haunted items. While not a comprehensive list of monsters, factions, and doomed objects, its our hope they start to paint a picture of the types of things you can make for Liminal Horror. While there is no single setting or subgenre, the Catalog of the Strange sets up the Haunted Pacific Northwest, a lore/setting that can be used in your games, or chopped up for parts.
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The previous newsletter entries focused on:
Chapter 1: Investigators Guide (the core rules and character creation section of the book)
Chapter 2: Facilitator’s Guide (essays on how to run and create horror at the table)
As always, remember that things are still subject to change as we’re in the editing and layout process. Even so, this should give a good look at what you’re going to get with Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition.
Chapter 3: Catalog of the Strange
This toolkit collects all the weird and horrid entities, objects, NPCs, and organizations that weave through the Liminal Horror setting. It is not a comprehensive or definitive establishing of lore, but does provide a unique web of mystery and intrigue that can be used in your games.
The Catalog is broken into five subsections, each focusing on a different type of weird entry.
Factions: Organizations connected to the weird that have distinct drives, resources, and relationships to the strange.
Cults: Collective groups aiming to align themselves to great and dreadful powers.
Horror: This bestiary present beings that have various drives, flaws, and means to achieve their goals. It is broken into five subtypes of monstrous NPCs.
Resonant Artifacts: Sometimes referred to as magic items, relics, or objects of power.
Allies and Adversaries: NPCs who are entangled with the weird and strange that can be a detriment or a boon to the Investigators.
Factions
There are six factions presented in the text. Each faction entry includes a description, their goals, a list of key personal, their headquarters, their Resources & Methods, allies, adversaries, contracts they may provide, and for many of them there are included stat blocks for different deployable assets.
Some factions included that have shown up in official modules are below, while the remaining three have been hinted at if you read closely enough.
The Bureau: A clandestine United States government agency that is tasked with controlling paranatural phenomena. (This faction is the centerpiece for the module The Bureau)
The Church of Celestial Science: A group of interconnected organizations devoted to the belief that the human body is a conduit capable of receiving and translating signals from celestial and extra- dimensional beings. (You can find direct reference to them in The Bloom)
The Archivist: A mysterious and knowledgeable patron. (The Archivist is referenced as a starting patron in The Parthenogenesis of Hungry Hollow)
Cults
While similar to factions, Cults operate as small “human” organizations bound together by their strange beliefs that drive the to attempt to access great and terrible powers. They also differ in that their level of fanaticism and belief drives them to great lengths to attain their goals. Also provided is advice on how to use and create your own cults (including a cult generator).
Each entry includes their description, notable members, the rite they are attempting to achieve, known rituals, assets/entanglements they have.
There are six cults presented in the text.
One such cult is the Church of the Divine Mutilation: A group that believes that shedding of their flesh allows them to ascend and sanctify in order for them to build the “Divine Machine.”
Horrors
Divided into different types, these monstrous NPCs are one of the focal points of any session/arc/campaign. Each entry has multiple pieces of usable information including stats, tables, variants special abilities, and advice on how to run them.
Lesser Horrors
Minor threats, more common in number that serve more powerful entities. These horrors are often made, many of which were once human. With 13 entries, these are the minions of greater beings that Investigators are likely to encounter during their endeavors.
One such Lesser Horror is the Warped - humans that have been horribly twisted and changed by their proximity to Resonant Anomalies.
Greater Horrors
Powerful beings that have found their way into our world. These are major threats that seek power upon the material plane. These are big bads that pose a very real and serious threats to the Investigators.
There are 12 Greater Horrors listed in the text, with each entry providing not only stats but tables, variants, and information to help you run it.
One of the Greater Horrors presented are Therianthropes - cursed with the ability to animalisticly shapeshifter.
Resonant Horrors
Manifestations of energies and entities from other planes of existence. These often incorporeal entities weave their way in and often appear in spaces that have other incursions present.
There are 8 types of Resonant Horrors in the text, with one being Dissonant Artifacts (first presented in The Bureau) - dangerous energies bound to an object.
Ritual Users
Humans that have gained access to rituals through dread means. Some enter into pacts while others have transcended mortality. There are three types of Ritual Users presented in the text, including Pact Warlocks - humans who have entered into pacts with Greater Horrors or Dead-Gods in order to gain access to rituals and power.
Dead Gods
Vestiges of powerful beings that still have a foothold on this plane. This sub-section goes over how to use, create, and leverage dead-gods in your game, as well as present a few of the recorded ones that have show up in different adventures and the deluxe edition.
Resonant Artifacts
Sometimes referred to as magic items, relics, or objects of power. These objects allow access to the strange and weird. We’ve included 50 Resonant Artifacts, in all their dreadful glory.
Example: BUTCHER’S KNIFE - A large meat cleaver, its blade chipped and speckled with rust. Activation: Sever the body parts from a living being. Effect: The cuts draw no blood and each severed piece remains alive and under the control of its owner.
Allies and Adversaries
NPCs who are entangled with the weird and strange that can be a detriment or a boon to the Investigators. Each provides a potential entanglement to draw the Investigators. Each follows a NPC format of Name, Stats, Weapon, Items/Special Abilities, Description, Desire, Secret.
Example: ED BURTON
STR: 9 Dex: 14 CTRL: 11 HP 5
Switchblade (d6),
Items: lockpick set, fake id, gloves.
Resonant Artifact: “Lucky” Bronze Nail (p. x). It always makes its way back to him.
A small-time burglar and con-man. Always sporting the same outfit of blue jeans and white t-shirt when not on a job that requires something else. Ed hates hurting people almost as much as he loves taking things. He’s always game for a night out and uses jokes to disarm and distract.
DESIRE
To go straight and quit a life of crime, but can’t seem to make it stick.
SECRET
Obtained his “lucky” Bronze Nail when he pulled a job stealing from the Devotees of Bael (p. x).
Stay Tuned
During our next newsletter we’ll look an exciting addition to the Liminal Horror oeuvre… our take on a setting guide, The Haunted Pacific Northwest.
Liminal Horror Projects to keep your eye on
Liminal Horror Deluxe Edition, because everyone is going to need a copy.
https://liminalhorrorrpg.com/ the official Liminal Horror website got a revamp and reorganization.
Liminal Grimoire by M. Allen Hall: A box set of pamphlet adventures and supplements.
I Don’t Belong Here by Adam Stations: A horror spark book supplement that includes tarot sized encounter cards.
Playthings by Seth Ian: a new third party Liminal Horror adventure where the players are trapped in a plastic toy Demi-plane.
Actual Play list for Liminal Horror
If you want a low barrier of creative entry, write a Liminal Horror conversion for one of the following adventures.
If you’re feeling creative, hop over to join the Horrors of the America Jam and write an entry highlighting something weird within North or South America!