Leagues of Cthulhu: Guide to Afghanistan

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Leagues of Cthulhu Guide to Afghanistan by

Mr. Paul “Wiggy” Wade-Williams

Additional Material by Mr. Anthony Boyd Line Editor: Anthony Boyd Graphic Design: Robin Elliott Typesetting: Paul Wade-Williams Cover: James Hayball Artwork: Michael Syrigos Ubiquity Rules System Design: Jeff Combos

www . t r i p l e ac e ga m es . c o m

First Published 2020 1 3 5 7 9 10 8 6 4 2 Printed in the USA

This game uses the Ubiquity Roleplaying System, developed by Exile Game Studio (www. exilegames.com). Ubiquity Roleplaying System, Exile Game Studio, and all associated logos and trademarks are copyright, Exile Game Studio, LLC. Used with permission. ©2020 Triple Ace Games. Leagues of Adventure, Leagues of Gothic Horror, Leagues of Cthulhu and all related marks and logos are trademarks of Triple Ace Games. All Rights Reserved.

Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan

Table of Contents Chapter the First: Introduction........................................................... 3 Caveat............................................................................................... 3 A Brief History................................................................................. 3 Antiquity....................................................................................... 4 Recent History.............................................................................. 4 Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-80)............................................ 4 The Current Era............................................................................ 5 How to Get There............................................................................ 5 Brief Overview.................................................................................. 6 Major Battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War............................. 7 New Eldritch Book........................................................................ 9 League of Adventure: The Alexandria Club........................................ 12 Chapter the Second: Gazetteer........................................................... 13 Ancient Sites................................................................................... 13 The Mythos in Afghanistan.............................................................. 14 Natural Features.............................................................................. 20 Settlements........................................................................................ 23 Balkh........................................................................................... 23 Herat........................................................................................... 24 Kabul........................................................................................... 24 Bala Hissar................................................................................... 25 Kafiristan..................................................................................... 25 Maymana....................................................................................... 26 The Nerghar Valley...................................................................... 27 Sherbigan..................................................................................... 27 Chapter the Third: Denizens............................................................... 29 Cults: Brethren of the Silent Fire................................................... 29 Horrors.......................................................................................... 31 Darkness from the Void................................................................ 31 Tentacles!.................................................................................... 31 Notable Persons.............................................................................. 32 Stock Characters............................................................................ 33 Sample Henchmen............................................................................. 35 Afghan War Veteran (Sample Character).......................................... 36 Correspondent-at-A rms.....................................................................38

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Chapter the First: Introduction “The Pathan tribes are always engaged in private or public war. Every man is a warrior, a politician and a theologian. Every large house is a real feudal fortress. ... Every family cultivates its vendetta; every clan, its feud. ... Nothing is ever forgotten and very few debts are left unpaid.”­ —Winston Churchill, My Early Life Even in the hallowed halls of the Leagues, very few people in the western hemisphere have any clue where Afghanistan is or know anything about the remote Central Asian country. Those with any inkling typically know of the place only from newspaper reports concerning the Second Anglo-Afghan War (187880). Even those who have shed blood on its arid plains and hills or passed through on the way to somewhere else in search of adventure have little understanding of the country’s history and people. This sourcebook for Leagues of Cthulhu explores the distant and unfairly maligned country of Afghanistan, with particular reference to its exposure to the Lovecraft Mythos.

Caveat While we’ve endeavored to provide Gamemasters a basic overview of Afghanistan, this guide is a game book, not a historical and cultural essay. The aim of this sourcebook is to give Gamemasters the basic tools they need to create interesting adventures in Afghanistan.

As such, it glosses over many topics, takes certain liberties with history and misses out some things altogether.

A Brief History For much of geological history the land that became Afghanistan lay under shallow seas, wandering from the northern hemisphere to almost the South Pole before heading north again with the relentless movement of the continents. Here it lay, untroubled by the arrival of the Flying Polyps (who built on land), Great Race of Yith, or the spawn of Cthulhu (by then it was too far south). Only after the submerging of Mu some 360 million years ago did the Elder Things create a small colony at the bottom of the shallow sea. As Mu sank during the Permian period, so other parts of the land rose. For the first time, the land of Afghanistan was bathed in sunlight. Their city devastated by the twin horrors of the massive earthquakes and Shoggoth rebellion, the Elder Things partially abandoned their colony in favor of more stable realms. Afghanistan’s rise was short-lived, and within 20 million years it has once again sunk beneath the waves. There it remained until the Indian sub-continent’s northern wandering was blocked by Asia, and the collision that forced up the mighty Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. It was only at this point in history that the other elder races paid much attention to the new land. Ever greedy for those minerals

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-80) The Leagues of Adventure timeline begins a mere decade after the end of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. This means that serving or ex-military personnel may have fought in the conflict. The following British Army units were involved in the war, and thus can be used to expand a character’s background.

Cavalry 6th Dragoon Guards, 8th Hussars, 9th Lancers, 10th Hussars, 13th Hussars, 15th Hussars

Infantry 5th Northumberland, 7th Fusiliers, 8th Liverpool, 9th East Norfolk, 11th North Devonshire, 12th East Suffolk, 14th West Yorkshire, 15th East Yorkshire, 17th Leicestershire, 18th Royal Irish, 25th King’s Own Borderers, 51st South Yorkshire, 59th East Lancashire, 60th Royal Rifle Corps, 63rd West Suffolk, 66th Berkshire, 67th Hampshire, 70th East Surrey, 72nd Seaforth Highlanders, 78th Seaforth Highlanders, 81st North Lancashire, 85th King’s Light Infantry, 92nd Gordon Highlanders, 4th Battalion Rifle Brigade

Royal Artillery (Battery/Brigade) H/1 RA, I/1 RA Field, C/2 RA, D/2 RA Field, F/2 RA, C/3 RA, E/3 RA, G/3 RA, A/4 RA, C/4 RA, D/4 RA, E/4 RA Field, G/4 RA, L/5 RA, 1/8 RA Mountain, 5/8 RA Mountain, 6/8 RA Mountain, 13/8 RA Heavy Siege, 16/8 RA Heavy, 11/9 RA Mountain, 12/9 RA Heavy, 13/9 RA Heavy, 14/9 RA Heavy, 15/9 RA, 5/11 RA Heavy, 6/11 RA Heavy, 8/11 RA Heavy Siege, 10/11 RA Heavy, 11/11 RA Mountain

Royal Horse Artillery D/A RHA, E/A RHA, F/A RHA, I/A RHA, A/B RHA, D/B RHA, E/B RHA, H/C RHA, I/C RHA (AM), B/B RHA (reserve)

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found only on Earth, the Fungi from Yuggoth constructed mines in the virgin uprisings, while the lowlands were later occupied by the Serpent Men.

Antiquity Afghanistan’s long history can be summarized in two words—bloodshed and trade. Since the first humans began to trade with their more distant neighbors, Afghanistan has been a meeting point. Later, when civilizations sought to expand their lands, its soil was a battlefield as the Achaemenid (First Persian), Macedonian, Indian, and Islamic Empires struggled to incorporate the land into their territory with varying degrees of success and longevity. In other ages, Afghanistan has been the center of native kingdoms and empires, among them the Greco-Bactrians, Kushans, Saffarids, and Mughals. Over time, towns and cities grew up to cater to the growing needs of the merchants and local rulers. Great markets attracted new wealth, grand palaces allowed the rich to bask in their wealth, mosques were erected in praise of Allah, and forts were raised to watch over strategic passes and control trade. Urban existence was brutally shattered with the 13th century, when the Mongol hordes tore through the region. As walls tumbled and buildings burned, the natives largely forsook the major population enters in favor of a return to a rural lifestyle. The eventual collapse of Mongol rule led to more strife, with various dynasties and local warlords waxing and waning until the foundation of the Hotak Empire (1709-38). This was followed by the Durrani Empire (1747-1823), and finally the current Emirate of Afghanistan (1823-1926).

Recent History Afghanistan has the unenviable position of being bordered by Russia to the north, Persia to the west, China in the northeast, and British India to the south and east. While colonial pawns operate in surrounding lands, Afghanistan is the board over which the Great Game is played.

Introduction With India becoming an ever important part of their growing Empire, the British grew concerned about Russian influence in the region, especially at the Persian court. The First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-1842), pursued by the British East India Company, was an unmitigated disaster for the invaders. Undeterred by the Afghans’ resistance to foreign rule, Britain instigated the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-1880) when a British request to found a mission in the capital, Kabul, was rebuffed. Believing the rejection was due to Russian influence, Britain was desperate to thwart further advancement of the Russian Empire at any cost. Despite enduring heavy losses, the British forced the Afghans to sign the Treaty of Gandamark (1879), This gave Great Britain control over Afghanistan’s foreign policy (and the desired mission). Equally as important, it gave the British control of the strategic Khyber Pass. The deal was not all one-sided—Afghanistan would benefit from new trade contracts and a telegraph line between British India and Kabul, the new emir would receive an annual subsidy and military support should Afghanistan be invaded, and those soldiers and civilians who fought against the British would be granted amnesty. Despite the Iron Amir’s attempts to break the power of the mountain tribes, Afghanistan remains a very wild and dangerous place. In the north, Russia is making threatening gestures along the border, prompting the Amir to call on British support to help maintain his country’s sovereignty. The tribes bordering India are restless, having had their ancestral lands sundered by the new border without any compensation. Indian guerrillas, violently opposed to British rule, frequently retreat over the border to escape British retribution.

The Current Era Between 1888 and 1893, Emir Abdur Rahman launches three campaigns against the independent Hazara tribes. The brutality of the campaigns results in the area being depopulated by around 60%. In 1893, the Durand Line (after British diplomat Sir Mortimer Durand, 1850-1924)

is proposed. Marking the border between Afghanistan and British India, it was officially adopted in 1896. From 1894 to 1896, an Anglo-Afghan force undertakes a demarcation survey to define the border on the ground, placing hundreds of marker pillars along the border’s 800 mile length. During the late 1890s Britain is forced to undertake two major campaigns against the local Pashtun tribes of northwest India. Although technically independent, the Durand Line places their lands within Britain’s sphere of influence. Fearing the annexation of their ancestral lands and stirred up by the Ottomans’ victory over Greece, they rise up in 1897. The Afridi tribe sends 10,000 troops against British forts near the city of Peshawar, prompting the Tirah Campaign. Meanwhile, the Mohmand tribe rebel north of the Khyber Pass, forcing the British to deal with two uprisings simultaneously. Peace is restored in 1898. Ruler: Emir Abdur Rahman Khan (18801901)

How to Get There Afghanistan is a remote country, and getting there is an adventure in itself. The journey is long and arduous, and certainly not one for the faint of heart or weak of flesh.

Via Air and Land The fastest way to reach Afghanistan is via airship. The nearest airfield is Empress Fields in Bombay, though, still over 1,000 miles distant from Kabul. Due to its importance to the British Raj, there are two scheduled flights from Cairo each week, while there is a single flight from Shanghai every two weeks. From Bombay, one catches a train heading north. The nearest train station to Afghanistan is at Landi Kotal, close to the southern end of the Khyber Pass. The journey is close to a thousand miles and requires multiple changes of train. Here the trappings of civilization end, forcing visitors to traverse with Khyber Pass on foot or mount. From there, is a 70 miles trip to Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan While airships are speedy, they are also expensive. A scheduled flight from London to Bombay, via Cairo, covers close to 5,000 miles. At £2 per 100 miles, globetrotters will need to find £100 for their tickets—a sum only characters with Wealth 4 can afford at short notice. From London, the cost of the entire trip to Kabul costs £110, including all fares, meals, and bribes. Arguably, globetrotters with connections to the British military or government may be able to arrange cheaper flights, as may those with Transport Contacts.

Via Sea and Land The closest major port to Afghanistan is Muscat in Oman. From there, globetrotters can easily catch one of the many merchant ships that ply the shipping lanes to the port of Gwadur in northwestern India. Globetrotters then have two choices—catch a train to Landi Kotal and cross the Khyber Pass as noted above, or begin walking directly to Kabul from Gwadur, a distance of around 1,000 miles following the ancient trade routes. From London, the cost of the entire trip costs £53, including all fares, meals, and bribes.

Brief Overview This section provides a brief overview of various topics useful for the Gamemaster when creating a scenario set in Afghanistan. Again, these topics are an overview rather than a detailed study.

Geography Afghanistan covers approximately 250,000 square miles, making it only a little smaller than Texas or twice the size of Great Britain and Ireland. Except in the southwest and north, it is heavily mountainous, the Hindu Kush range slicing through its center. The highest peak, Noshaq, stands over 24,000 feet. The mountains divide the country into

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three regions—the Central Highlands dominate roughly two-thirds of Afghanistan, the Southwestern Plateau (largely desert), and the tiny Northern Plains. The country is landlocked, and while arid due to only infrequent rains, the valleys are fed by numerous watercourses and springs. Flowing through the landscape are four major rivers—the Amu Darya, Hari River, Helmand River, and Kabul River. Globetrotters from other parts of the world are warned that Afghanistan is frequently struck by natural disasters. Powerful earthquakes strike the mountains, destroying villages and causing rocky avalanches that block the passes. The southern plains are routinely subjected to both floods and droughts, either of which can result in widespread famine.

Climate Afghanistan’s geography gives rise to great variation in its climate. In the central highlands, for instance, winters are long and harsh, with temperatures averaging 5 °F (−15 °C). In summer, low-lying areas bake under endless days of sun and temperatures of 95 °F (35 °C). The temperature extremes are winter lows of −11 °F (−24 °C) and summer highs (in the shade) of 113 °F (45 °C). Strong winds rear across the land, bringing sandstorms in summer and blizzards in winter. Geographic variation means the temperature can rise and fall dramatically over a short distance. Mughal Emperor Babur (1483-1530) described this when he wrote, “Within a day’s ride from Kabul it is possible to reach a place where snow never falls. But within two hours one can go where the snow never melts—except in the rare summer so severe that all snow disappears. Both tropical and cold-weather fruits are abundant in Kabul’s dependencies, and they are nearby.”

Demographics The Emirate of Afghanistan boasts around six million inhabitants, giving a population density of 24 people per square mile.

Introduction It is a multi-ethnic collective of rival tribes and peoples bound together only by the influence of the country’s ruler. The natives are mostly Pashtuns (Afghans), Tajiks, Hazaras, or Uzbeks, with less than 10% of the population from other ethnic groups. Pashtuns, also known as Afghans, make up around 55% of the population. Of their tribes, the Duranis are dominant; the Ghilzais are regarded as the most warlike; and the Yusufzais the most rebellious. As a rule, the Pashtuns settle only in towns associated with their tribal chiefs, much preferring to occupy small villages. Of the other peoples, the Tajiks are concerned most with agriculture and industry; the Hindkis and Jats (both of Indian origin) dominate the towns and are primarily concerned with crafting and trading; the Kizilbashes (descendants of Persian soldiers) are well educated and are often found working in the country’s bureaucracy; and the Turkic Hazars are nomads who follow the ancient ways of their ancestors. Abdur Rahman, a military despot known as the Iron Emir, has been quick to stamp his authority on the land through his remodeled army. Unfortunately, he is not forward looking. Believing it would pave the way to foreign influence, he has rejected the introduction of both the telegraph and the railway.

Major Battles of the Second Anglo-Afghan War This sidebar lists the major battles during the Second Anglo-Afghan War. British characters who fought in the war will have been awarded the Afghanistan Medal. Those fighting in battles marked “*” were also awarded a clasp denoting their participation.

1878 Battle of Ali Masjid* (British victory) Battle of Peiwar Kotal* (British victory)

1879 Action at Takht-i-Pul (British victory) Action at Matun (British victory) Battle of Khushk-i-Nakud (British victory) Battle of Fatehabad (Afghan victory) Battle of Kam Dakka (Afghan victory) Battle of Charasiab* (British victory) Battle of Shajui Battle of Karez Mir Battle of Takht-i-Shah Battle of Asmai Heights* (Afghan victory) Siege of Sherpur* (British victory)

1880

Clothing Every ethnicity living in Afghanistan has its own style of clothing. For brevity, we discuss only that of the Pashtuns. Men cover their bodies with a perahan, a type of knee-length linen tunic with wide sleeves worn over a tunban, loose trousers. A waistcoat, made either from wool or sheepskin, is commonly worn over the upper body. A heavy overcoat called a chapan is worn in winter. Headwear includes turbans, kufis (rounded, brimless cap popular across large parts of Africa and Asia), and pakols (round, woolen cap which is rolled up to give it a thick headband). Traditional dress for women is the firaq,

Battle of Ahmed Khel* (British victory) Battle of Arzu Second Battle of Charasiab Battle of Maiwand (Afghan victory) Battle of Deh Koja (Afghan Victory) Battle of Kandahar* (British victory)

1881 Kandahar (and Afghanistan) Evacuation

which combines a shirt and skirt and is typically beautifully embroidered. Their baggy trousers are called partug. The head is covered by a chador, or scarf. Devout Muslims may don a burqa over their ensemble.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Historical Racism Leagues of Adventure is set in an age where racism is endemic and the colonial powers consider themselves far superior to other peoples. We don’t promote that view in the game, except in the eyes of villains, but history cannot be ignored, if only to show how naive and racist our ancestors were. During the Victorian Age, the Afghans were considered to be “proud, vain, cruel, perfidious, extremely avaricious, vengeful, selfish, merciless, and idle” (Chamber’s Concise Gazetteer of the World, 1914 edition). One way to convey this racism is for characters planning to visit Afghanistan to be informed of the negative traits by NPCs who have been to the country. At the start of the first adventure in Afghanistan, give all Afghan characters the Bad Reputation Flaw (–2 to social rolls) when dealing with Europeans. As the Flaw states, the reputation needn’t be deserved to be applied, and in this case, it is the globetrotters’ preconceived view of the Afghans that brings about the Flaw. As play proceeds and the globetrotters begin actually interacting with the locals, they come to learn that the Afghans may be proud, but they are also honorable and friendly, if treated with the respect they are due. Once the characters realize the truth, the Flaw can be dropped.

Cuisine Like most nations, Afghanistan has staple foods, these being fruit and vegetables, cereals, and dairy products. Bland on their own, these basic ingredients are transformed into countless delicious meals. Rice is at the center of most meals. While challow, boiled rice then baked in a clay oven, is either served as an accompaniment or combined with meat and vegetables to create palaw dishes. Examples include the Afghan national dish, Kabuli palaw (rice with meat, stock, fried raisins, slivers of carrot, and pistachios), Narenj palaw (a sweet dish flavored

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with saffron, orange peel, pistachios, almonds, and chicken), and alou balou palaw (chicken and cherries). Many rice dishes are served with qormahs, or casseroles. All begin with a base of onions and tomatoes, into which various other ingredients are added. Members of the Epicurean Society may wish to sate their palates with qormah e alou-bokhara wa dalnakhod (chicken or veal casserole with sour plums, cardamom, and lentils) or qormah e shalgham (a sweet and sour lamb dish with turnips and sugar). Other popular dishes includes kebabs, quroot (a sour cottage cheese), mantu (steamed meat dumplings), ashak (steamed vegetable dumplings), and torshi (pickled eggplant and carrot). Globetrotters with a taste for alcohol will find Afghanistan a nightmare—Islam forbids the imbibing of alcohol and the people have no history of fermenting cereals or grapes. British explorers will be happy to find tea a common beverage, while those wishing to refresh themselves after a day in sweltering temperatures may find doogh (a mix of water and yogurt flavored with mint) most welcome.

Economics The modern landscape of Afghanistan, with its simple mud brick houses and lack of infrastructure, obscures the fact that it was once one of the richest nations on Earth. Great caravans carried exotic goods from China, Arabia, and India to the Afghan markets, the merchants then loading up with native wares for the return trip. The idea of a central government is relatively new in Afghanistan. Under the Iron Emir, steps have been taken to centralize trade under government authority. Through this the government can monopolize industries under state control and levy taxes. While it has bolstered the government, the plan has impaired the country’s long-term potential. Despite its geography, the plains and many valleys are suitable for agriculture. The Kandahar district, for example, produces castor oil and tobacco. Herat is the breadbasket of Af-

Introduction ghanistan, with crops of barley, cotton, grapes, melons, mulberries, and wheat. Wild vegetation is sparse, but the tough grasses that cover the land in spring are ideal fodder for sheep, goats, and camels, which the Afghans keep in great numbers. While the flesh of goats and sheep is reserved for family use, the rest of the animal is used to manufacture sheepskins, felt, and garments woven of goat and camel hair. Raw silk still flows along the Silk Road, where it is spun into clothes by the urban craftsmen. These animal products form the bulk of the country’s exports. The mountains have copper, gold, iron, and lead deposits. Afghan lapis lazuli found its way to Ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, and during the time of Alexander the Great, great quantities of gold, silver, and precious stones flowed out of Afghanistan. Since the Mongol conquest, little mineral wealth has been extracted from the hills. French, Germany, and Russian prospectors poke around the mountains in search of rich veins, but British influence prevents them from exploiting any finds.

Currency Until 1891, circulated coins were the gold mohur, silver rupee, and copper falus. Not only did disparate regions mint their own coins, but there was no agreed upon exchange rate between them. In 1891, the Iron Emir introduces new currency. Now known as the Afghan rupee, the silver coin is divided into 60 paisa, each of which is subdivided into 10 dinar. Other coin include the shahi (5 paisa), sanar (20 paisa), qiran (30 paisa), and the tilla (10 rupees). There is no paper currency. While the rural tribes do use coins (this allows them to buy in the town markets) they frequently barter for goods.

Entertainment Afghanistan may lack music halls and opera houses, but it has a wealth of entertainers. Music is especially popular, with native

New Eldritch Book The Book of Arda Viraf Language: Avestan (an academic tongue in the Iranian language group); Author: Unknown; Publication: Unknown; Complexity: 4; Horror: 2; Mythos: 1; Contents: Commune Fire Mist, Gate, Summon Child of the Fire Mist A Zoroastrian text, the book describes a dream journey undertaken by the protagonist, whose name translates as “Righteous Man.” A fiery angel, Atar (described in Zoroastrianism as “the burning and unburning fire”), escorts him past the moon and stars and deep into the void, where he meets Ahura Mazda, the Zoroastrian creator god.

tunes combing elements from India and Persia with ethnic sounds to produce a wide variety of music. Wandering minstrels, largely extinct in the West, still ply their trade in Afghanistan, wandering from village to village, entertaining the inhabitants in return for food and a few coins. Instruments include the dohol (a cylindrical drum), dombyra (lute), dutar (long-necked lute), Kafir harp, mangey (a type of drum), tabla (twin drums), zerbaghali (hand-held drum), and zurna (woodwind instrument; very similar in appearance to those used by snake charmers). Afghanistan has a rich heritage of poetry dating back to before the Muslim conquest. Despite Arabic influences, much verse is composed in Dari or Pashto. Buz-baz is a form of musical puppetry. Whereas British puppetry like Punch and Judy shows use a variety of characters, buz-baz employs just a single figure—a goat. Sporting globetrotters may have tried their hand at polo. The Central Asian version of the sport, buzkashi (Persian for “goat-pulling”), is a little different from the British and Indian version, in that the aim is to drag a calf or goat carcass through a defined goal area while defending oneself from aggressive rivals. Backgammon and chess, both imported

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan by the Persians, are popular games among all social classes. Children’s games include gudiparaan baazi (kite fighting), oqaab (a chase game, with one player an eagle and the others pigeons), sangchil baazi (a version of jacks or knucklebones employing pebbles), and tonanaal (a bat and ball game, with the batter in a circle of players)

Fauna There are many reasons why globetrotters might venture into the wilds of Afghanistan. One of those is an interest in the country’s fauna, either in a scientific capacity or as a collector of unusual animals. Amid the hills and valleys can be found a wide variety of animals large and small. Among the mammals are bats, bears, foxes, gazelles, hares, lynxes, musk deer, rodents (dormice, gerbils, hamsters, rats, squirrels, shrews, and voles), and wolves. Those interested in other animals will find plentiful insects and reptiles to add to their collections, not to mention a plethora of birds, including cormorants, eagles and falcons, flamingos, herons, ibises, lapwings, owls, pelicans, pheasants, parrots, and waterfowl, among many others. It is unwise to root around in cracks and under rocks without taking due care, for Afghanistan has several species of scorpions and spiders, including tarantulas and black widows. Of the many scorpion species, three have venom lethal to humans if not swiftly treated. The venom of the Hemiscorpius lepturus scorpion causes necrosis and blisters with the appearance of third-degree burns.

Information Sources No newspapers are published in Afghanistan. Major American, European, and Russian newspapers can be obtained from the British mission in Kabul, but they will be several days, if not many weeks, out of date. The sole telegraph line in Afghanistan runs from the British mission in Kabul to India. It might be possible for globetrotters with political

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contacts to make use of the telegraph for personal usage, but otherwise it exists for official use. A government postal system was introduced in 1871, along with the first native stamps. Philatelists will undoubtedly seek to locate copies of the round stamps printed between 1871 and 1891, after which square stamps were introduced. By far the best means of gathering information is to befriend a local (no easy task, especially British globetrotters). Despite the lack of infrastructure, word spreads quickly by mouth along the trade roads, and the locals learn things far quicker than it takes official sources, if the latter learn of them at all.

Languages Dari (Afghan Persian) is the official language of Afghanistan, with Pashto and Uzbek the other major languages. Roughly half the population are bilingual. All told, the country boasts some 30 tongues, making diplomacy and travel difficult, especially in remote areas. Although Islam is the dominant religion, Arabic is reserved for religious scholars and imams. Those native to the Indian border regions may be conversant in the tongues of the Indic language family, while a tiny percentage of the population are able to speak a few faltering phrases of English or Russian. In game terms, the Iranian and Turkic language groups are the most useful, with the former covering the major tongues.

Military The modern Afghan army traces its origins back to the Durrani Empire (18th century), though Afghans have served in many nations’ armies since the 10th century. Since the cessation of hostilities with Great Britain, the emir has reorganized his military. Until the 1880s, Afghanistan had three distinct armies—the regular army, soldiers raised by tribal levy, and community militia. Today, these have been combined into a single force of professional soldiers utilizing infantry, cavalry, and artillery.

Introduction Level

Afghan Army Rank

0

Dvahomi Baridman (2nd Lt.)

1

Lomri Baridman (Lieutenant)

2

Jag Turan (Captain)

3

Jagran (Major)

4

Dagarwal (Colonel)

5

Setar Jenral (General)

Pashtunwali Fiercely independent by nature, the native Pashtuns rarely conformed to the moral and legal codes of their supposed overlords. Instead, they developed their own code of conduct incorporating communal identity and behavioral rules. Globetrotters tend to be from the middle and upper classes of society. In some countries, globetrotters may be able to lord it over their social inferiors, and even insult them, without fear of repercussion. After all, a plebian should know their place in the grand scheme of things. Among the Pashtuns, though, even an accidental insult - even a simple taunt - warrants redress by shedding the offending party’s blood. Blood feuds are not uncommon, and in extreme cases can endure for several generations and cause dozens of deaths. In simplified form, the code can be broken down to eleven basic elements, as listed below. Groh (Faith): Faith in one’s god. Typically this means Allah, as many Pashtuns are Muslims, but it applies equally to any deity followed by the individual Pashtun. Hewaad (Country): Protecting Pashtun land from outsiders. Adherence to this aspect of the code can temporarily end tribal squabbles for the greater good. Khegara (Righteousness): Respect for the natural world and to be good in deed, thought, and word. Melmastia (Hospitality): Showing great respect and offering hospitality to visitors regardless of their race, religion, or social status. Naamus (Protection of women): Many female globetrotters may be able to protect their honor and person from harm without outside interference, but when among Pashtuns they

Pashtunwali in Play Pashtunwali incorporates several Motivations (Faith, Honor, Justice) and Flaws (Loyal, Vengeful) into a single body. In Ubiquity terms, it can be neatly brought into play with the Code of Conduct Flaw. Every Pashtun character who follows Pashtunwali should be given this Flaw in addition to any others. As well as potentially losing blood (or even a body part), a globetrotter who offends a Pashtun’s sense of Pashtunwali will invariably acquire the Bad Reputation Flaw among the Pashtun tribes until they rectify the situation.

will find it is expected of men to do this on their behalf. Nanawatai (Asylum): Protecting a person from their enemies. Nang (Honor): Protecting the weak. Nyaw aw badal (Justice/revenge): Righting a wrong committed against oneself or family. Pat, wyaar aw meraana (Respect, pride and courage): The core qualities of any Pashtun. To lack any of these is to be seen as unworthy as remaining in the tribe. Sabat (Loyalty): Loyalty to one’s family, tribe, and friends. To show disloyalty in any form brings great shame on the offender and their entire family. Turah (Bravery): Every Pashtun is expected to defend their family, property and land, oppose tyranny, and defend their personal honor.

Policing & Justice Afghanistan has had a police force for almost two centuries, though it is poorly organized and equipped. It is not an investigative force, nor does it solve crimes. Instead, it responds to hues-and-cries and tracks down suspected criminals in order to bring them to trial. Each provincial capital has its own police. Whereas British constables carry truncheons, their Afghan colleagues sport long-barreled rifles and sabers.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Sample Names In addition to the given names below, Afghans use Arabic names. Personal surnames are rarely used. Instead, people add the name of their tribe or clan to their given name as an identifier.

Male Arman, Ashkan, Atash, Beena, Daanish, Dastgir, Delafrooz, Fariborz, Gulzar, Hamayoon, Jubran, Kaivan, Kamran, Kavah, Mazdak, Mirbacha, Namdar, Niaz, Noorzad, Pazhman, Ramin, Sarban, Sardar, Shahbaz, Shahrukh, Tabish

Female Azita, Chehrah, Dorakshenda, Fereshtah, Firoozah, Gulnaz, Laadan, Mahnoosh, Mahnaz, Muzhgan, Parand, Parasto, Rokhshan, Rukhshana, Shahzadah, Seema, Shefta, Shiva, Sussan, Zhala

Until 1882, when Mohammad Sarwar Khan “Barakzai” was appointed the first Minister of Justice, justice was a haphazard affair. Local governors and tribal chieftains dispensed justice according to traditions and whims, leading to abuses of power and corruption. Under the Iron Emir, justice is now handled by the courts in each provincial capital. That said, lesser crimes are still handled by chieftains in remote areas.

Religion Being a crossroads nation brought Afghanistan more than wealth and misery. New ideas came with the merchants and conquerors, especially religion. The first recorded faith brought here was Zoroastrianism, which took root sometime around 1500 BC and which still survives in remote valleys. The later Kushan Empire adopted Buddhism, leaving the convictions of their faith for all to witness with the many colossal statues carved into cliff faces and crumbling remains of expansive monasteries.

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Other conquerors and settlers brought the faiths of Surya (an Indian solar deity), Nana (a union of the Mesopotamian goddesses Inanna and Ishtar), Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, Manichaseism, and Nestorian Christianity. Islam arrived in the late 7th century and has slowly become the dominant faith, with around 99% of the people following the word of Mohammed. Of these, around 80% are Sunnis with the remainder being Shias.

Transportation Reaching Afghanistan can be an ordeal, but it doesn’t end at the borders. Believing the railway to be a colonial tool, the emir has refused all offers of creating a railway network in his country. Aside from vehicles brought here by globetrotters, the only way to cross the country is by foot or mount. Paved roads are few and far between. Rough tracks, routes that have been traveled by caravans and camel trains for thousands of years, criss-cross the landscape. Without a guide one is very likely to become lost in the confusing network of valleys.

League of Adventure The Alexandria Club Alexander the Great founded numerous cities bearing his name across Asia. The ruins of many are known to historians, but there remain others whose location is suspected but not proven, or lost under modern settlements or beneath the earth. Founded in 1836 in Alexandria, Egypt, the Alexandria Club is determined to locate and excavate all of the remaining cities. Members are a mix of desk-bound academics trawling through old documents and maps, and field archaeologists combing the ground and questioning locals about potential ruins. Starting Skill List: Academics: History, Anthropology, Expeditions, Investigation, Linguistics, Survival

Chapter the Second: Gazetteer We found the lamp inside those hollow cliffs whose chiseled sign no priest in Thebes could read, And from whose caverns frightened hieroglyphs Warned every creature of earth’s breed. —H. P. Lovecraft, Fungi from Yuggoth

Ancient Sites Alexandria Ariana Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Whether it was ego or a statement of his authority, Alexander the Great founded numerous cities bearing his name. After defeating the Persians in Afghanistan, he created a new capital in the Aria region of the country. The exact location of the city is, however, lost. Ptolemy states that it stood on the shore of Lake Arius, while Pliny puts it on the Arias River somewhere near to Herat (see p. 24). Eratosthenes provides historians with measurements, listing it as being 440 miles from Bactria and 730 miles from the Caspian Gates. Since Bactria was a region that straddled modern Afghanistan rather than a fixed point and the location of the Gates have yet to be settled, the measurements are so vague as to be useless. The most recent claim, that of the Prussian geographer Konrad Mannert (1756-

1834), was that the Arius River is the name for the modern Hari River, and that the ruins of Alexandria Ariana would be found near to the village of Pilki. Following the death of Alexander, his empire was divided between his senior generals. The lands now encompassing Afghanistan became part of the Seleucid Empire, Whereas Alexander sought to cleanse the world of elder lore, as indicated by his razing of Persepolis after discovering gruesome idols and accursed texts, Seleucus was seduced by it. Adventure Seed: It was a lust for forbidden lore that set Seleucus against India and saw him raid the ancient library at Babylon. History records that Seleucus sought wisdom, but the nature of the knowledge and where it was stored have been forgotten. The chance discovery of a Greek text in Babylon has the Alexandrian Club and Bibliophile Society hurriedly arranging a joint expedition. The text lists the books taken from Babylon on the orders of Selecus and provides directions for them to be sent to the “library at Alexandria Ariana.”

Buddhas of Bamiyan Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Carved into the rocks of the central highland province of Bamiyan are two monumental statues of Buddha. While the bodies are hewn from the living rock, their arms and finer details were crafted from a mix of mud and

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan The Mythos in Afghanistan Other, more profane, religions have infiltrated Afghan society over the ages. The cults of Cthulhu and Ghatanothoa slithered their way from Southeast Asia, that of Shub-Niggurath was brought from nearby Persia, and knowledge of Yog-Sothoth was endemic in Zoroastrianism. The hand, or tentacle, of Nyarlathotep stretches across the rugged land in multiple forms. Here, among local cults, one finds the abhorred Cult of the Black Hand, whose members seek to bring Britain and Russia into bloody conflict; the Illuminated Fraternity of the All-Seeing Eye, which seeks world domination; and a branch of the Servants of the Shackled Jinn, who insane initiates look to releasing their master from bondage. Islam brought with it stories of wicked genies, and it did not take long for tales of native genies to spread. The rugged mountains are inhabited by the Fungi from Yuggoth and the deepest caves descend into Stygian depths where the Black Spawn of Tsathoggua slither and slide. Children of the Fire Mist, summoned here in ages past by fire worshipers, return periodically to dance and flit through the night skies over the ruins of Zoroastrian temples.

straw and then coated with stucco. Historians believe the Buddhas were constructed in the 5th century. Once part of the Silk Road, the area around the statues was an important religious site. Among the ruins that can still be seen are ten monasteries, each of each was large enough to house hundreds of monks. According to Xuanzang, a 7th century Chinese pilgrim and traveler, a third statue once stood in the vicinity of the Buddhas—a colossal, reclining figure said to be over 1,000 feet in length. While they have stood the test of time, the Buddhas have been subject to numerous attacks from man. Since the 17th century, they have been target practice for cannons, first by

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the forces of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb and layer by the Persian king Nadar Afshar. The last damage occurs during the emir’s persecution of the Hazara tribes between 1888-93, when the Buddha’s faces are destroyed. Adventure Seed: Following the damage inflicted by Emir Abdur Rahman Khan’s soldiers, a network of carved chambers are discovered in the rock behind the statues. The chambers nearest the entrance are decorated with Buddhist art. Those further back are inscribed with strange glyphs and disturbing artwork. Several Leagues are interested in an expedition to explore and detail the artwork. As yet undiscovered in the warren of tunnels and chambers is a stone trapdoor of alarming proportions marked with the Sign of Koth (see Leagues of Cthulhu Codicil).

Dilbarjin Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Supposedly founded during the First Persian Empire and Hellenized during Alexander the Great’s rule, the city was abandoned in the 4th century. Only a small town, Dilbarjin (its modern name) was dominated by a circular, domed citadel, sited centrally, and a temple complex. Several inscriptions written in Bactria remain, though most are illegible due to weathering. The sole complete inscription records the temple was dedicated to “the two who are one.” The few western academics who know of the ruin have proposed the building was dedicated to Castor and Pollux (also known as the Dioscuri). Adventure Seed: Professor Heinrich Wagner of the New Argonauts Club believes Castor and Pollux were initiated into the Eleusinian Mysteries, secret rites held to honor Demeter (goddess of agriculture and fertility) and Persephone (goddess of vegetation). It is his belief that the temple at Dilbarjin might yet contain evidence of a previously unknown rite. Wagner came to this conclusion after reading Von Unaussprechlichen Kulten, which tells of a temple dedicated to “the two who are one” in the “land of the Pashtuns” at which strange rites were performed.

Gazetteer “The two who are one” actually refers to Shub-Niggurath and her consort/male aspect, the Black Goat of the Woods. The local cult remains active and seeks to disrupt any plans to dig at the site.

Haji Piyada Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Said to be the oldest Islamic building in Afghanistan, Haji Piyada (also Masjid-e Noh Gonbad, or “Mosque of the Nine Domes”) suffered extensive damage in 819, barely a generation after its erection, when the region was wracked by a severe earthquake. Its structure weakened by successive tremors, more walls and domes have since collapsed. Although mostly ruined, the mosque is a site of pilgrimage, with worshipers coming to pray over the tomb of Haji Piyada, a little known 15th century Islamic saint after whom the site is now named. The mosque was built over the remains of a Buddhist monastery, which in turn was raised over a considerably older structure. Adventure Seed: Half-remembered folklore mentions Haji Piyada for defeating a wicked genie and imprisoning it in the ground. As he approached death, Haji asked for his tomb to be built over the site so that the genie might remain imprisoned for all time. The genie was actually a Black Spawn of Tsathoggua. A cult devoted to awakening the genie has learned that Woodrow Hastings, a British scholar residing in Kabul, has a partial copy of the Yothic Manuscripts, which contains a ritual to awaken the Spawn. Having noticed that he is being followed, Hastings has become somewhat paranoid. He contacts friends among the Leagues of Adventure, who in turn ask the globetrotters to visit Hastings and see what the problem is. As often happens, Hastings is missing from his home when the globetrotters reach Afghanistan. Having deduced what his followers want, he hides his copy of the Yothic Manuscripts and leaves clues any would-be allies. The cult, still watching Hasting’s house, note the arrival of the globetrotters and begin tailing them.

Mes Aynak Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Persian for “little source of copper,” Mes Aynak is ironically named, for it sits atop the country’s largest deposits of copper. Mined for millennia, the extracted copper was smelted locally before being transported along the Silk Road, which runs along the valley floor. The importance of the ore, and the wealth it generated, is abundantly clear from the ruins along the valley—a citadel, two forts, four fortified Buddhist monasteries, not to mention a Zoroastrian fire temple, workshops, villages, and even a mint. While the mines remained viable, the area was gradually abandoned and the buildings left to crumble under the weight of time at some point in the 10th century. Adventure Seed: In their search for ever richer copper seams, the inhabitants of Mes Aynak burrowed too deep into the earth. Their tunnels broke into a vast cavern, one of the last living remnants of the once-widespread Serpent Men empire. When a Prospectors’ Club expedition to Mes Aynak disappears, the Leagues of Adventure set forth to solve the mystery and locate their comrades.

The Minaret of Jam Eerie Atmosphere: –1 A solitary tower in a narrow defile in an almost inaccessible part of Afghanistan, the Minaret is said to be all that remains of the city of Firozkoh (see Turquoise Mountain below), although the tower supposedly indicating the location of that lost city may be another minaret altogether. Based on Islamic inscriptions, the minaret was raised around 1190. Folklore, however, says the structure was erected long before the rise of Islam and was dedicated to elder gods. That the Mongols left the minaret standing when they tore down so many others was due to fear, for their horses shied away from the brick structure and its disgusting imagery. Later, Muslims refaced the edifice with stucco and converted it to a minaret to mark an earlier victory.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Adventure Seed: A sorcerer has discovered that the Minaret of Jam marks the site of a powerful ley line nexus needed for the Call Azathoth ritual. Unfortunately, the nexus is locked and the ritual to open it lost. Using his contacts, he begins hunting down Mythos texts in the hope of locating the ritual. The globetrotters are drawn into the nefarious plan when a friend, one who collects rare or occult books, is murdered. Following the clues takes the globetrotters to Afghanistan and a confrontation withf the sorcerer and his bound creatures.

Monasteries & Temples Eerie Atmosphere: Varies from 0 to –2 Centuries before the first mosques were constructed in Afghanistan, worshipers of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism raised temples

and monasteries. Before them, people built sites to venerate older gods, including the Great Old Ones. Archaeology in Afghanistan is in its embryonic stage. Countless ruins remain undisturbed and the purpose of others has been forgotten entirely or subsumed into folklore and erroneously attributed to different cultures. What may be referred to as a Buddhist monastery may, in fact, have been ancient when Buddha found enlightenment. Afghans are wary of venturing too close to certain ruins, suggesting they are offensive to Allah or the dwelling places of malevolent genies. Not all such places have any ties to the Mythos—the human imagination is capable of creating its own horror stories. Others, though, have the tell-tale signs often included with the Great Old Ones, having columns that lean inward and outward at the same time, corridors that loop back on themselves but occupy a different point in space, and non-Euclidean angles that induce nausea and madness. Some of these sites are occupied by elder horrors, such as the Fungi from Yuggoth or Serpent Men, while others are guarded by Shoggoths and Black Spawn of Tsathogghua. Others are long abandoned, though one may find fragments of inscribed tablets, broken statuettes, or vile glyphs of myriad conjoined globules.

Rock Inscriptions Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Carving writing into rock is a tried-and-tested method of ensuring a scrap of immortality. Some ancient scribes did so to show their faith, others to mark a victory. Inscriptions in Ancient Greek, Aramaic, Avestan, Old Persian, and Sandskrit are known to many tribes inhabiting the deep valleys. Although they do not understand their meaning, the natives attribute to them to everyone from Alexander the Great to the Devil. Not every inscription was created by the hand of humans, however. Certain high peaks of sacred mountains in the Hindu Kush are inscribed with the geometric writing of the Fungi from Yuggoth. Scraps of text written by Elder

Gazetteer Things (Pnakotic) and the Great Race (Yithian) have withstood millions of years of weathering. Most, though, were the handiwork of the Serpent Men (Aklo), the ruins of whose cities lie beneath the accumulated soil. It would be a grave error to assume that every elder inscription provides an insight into elder lore. Complete inscriptions may be nothing more than a warning to stay away or directions to a specific location. Others may simply the recitation of that elder phrase “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn” in different scripts.

Sikundergul Eerie Atmosphere: –4 Alexander the Great founded at least a dozen cities bearing his name. According to legend, Alexander constructed one such city, now called Sikundergul, high in the eastern mountains of Afghanistan in the province of Kafiristan (“Land of Infidels”). Here the general stored a great stock of treasure, promising to return in the future. To prove it would be him who returned, he left the inhabitants a sign—a compass emblazoned with the All-Seeing Eye. Regarded as a holy city by the Afghans, no one may visit except by personal invitation of the high priest, and such invitations are exceedingly rare. Only once in the past century have strangers been permitted to enter, and that visit did not end well for them. Sikundergul was constructed by alien hands hundreds of millennia before Alexander reached it. Legend is correct that there is a treasure stored there, but it is not wealth in coins or gems, nor did Alexander place it inside the strange temple. Housed in this city of mind-bending geometry and guarded by an order of priests is an impressive library filled with eldritch texts, some of which were written before humanity’s ancestors learned to stand upright. Adventure Seed: While exploring an Afghan town, the globetrotters come across a curio shop in a back alley. Seeing that the globetrotters are foreigners, the owner offers to sell them a semi-mummified head, which he claims is the head of the last white man to

entire Sikundergul. Should the globetrotters try to return to the shop, they find it gone. The locals claim the building has been unoccupied for many years.

Ta’aa Eerie Atmosphere: –2 The subterranean city of Ta’aa is known only in obscure texts penned by madmen, the whispers of a few degenerate and shunned Afghan tribes, and the insane ravings of the few outsiders who stumbled across it and escaped with their lives. First described by Abdul Alhazred in his profane Al-Azif, Ta’aa’s location was given simply as “the mountains of Central Asia.” The only specific clue was mention of a towering obelisk of green stone topped by a statue of an octopus-headed man. According to the Mad Arab, the shadow cast by obelisk by the light of the full moon when “the stars were right” pointed the way to a narrow defile. At the end of this was an opening to downward-leading stairs built by no human hands. Alhazred speaks little more of Ta’aa, save for indicating that he sat at the feet of strange and alien creatures, from whom he learned much elder lore. With only the Arab’s vague description to go on, it is impossible to determine the nature of his mentors. Among the candidates are the Fungi from Yuggoth, who still haunt the remote mountains, the Serpent Men, whose empire extended across Afghanistan after the collision with India buckled the land and drove it from the sea, and the Elder Things, members of which may have survived the rise of the Hindu Kush mountains. Alternatively, it may be that Alhazred’s creatures are unique and have yet to be added to Mythos lore. Adventure Seed: James Lovegrove, a member of the British commission mapping Afghanistan’s border, is one of the few scholars to have read fragments of the Necronomicon. While performing his duties, he spied a tall obelisk in a remote valley. Unable to investigate due to a lack of supplies, he hopes to launch an expedition to locate the lost city of Ta’aa.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Be Respectful Throughout history, cultures have stamped their mark on the world by constructing walls, forts, and holy places. This is especially true of religious sites, which are often built on the remains of structures dedicated to older faiths. There is no reason why you can’t place a Mythos site beneath a mosque, for instance, but make sure the current building doesn’t need to be vandalized, or worse, blown up by the globetrotters in order to reach their true goal. Access might be permissible through a well shaft or the cellars, for instance, rather than requiring flagstones to be dug up or walls to be knocked down.

driven by military necessity or barbaric cruelty. The city had a bad reputation, its citizens said to worship strange gods whose existence was an affront to Allah. Adventure Seed: While enjoying a quiet drink in a League clubhouse, the globetrotters are bothered by a drunken gentleman. Recently returned from Afghanistan, he shows them several turquoise artifacts. One of them is clearly an amulet depicting an inhuman deity (ideally one the globetrotters have encountered before).

Natural Features Caves

Lovegrove’s worm-ridden copy of the dreaded book made no mention of alien beings or elder lore. The cartographer believes Ta’aa is nothing more than a lost city, albeit one that predates Sumeria by millennia. By finding it, he hopes to ensure his name lives on for posterity.

Turquoise Mountain Eerie Atmosphere: 0 A former capital of Afghanistan, Turquoise Mountain (Firozkoh) was destroyed by Ogedei Khan, son the infamous Genghis Khan, in the early 13th century. Since then the city’s location has been lost. In 1886, Thomas Holdich (1843-1929), a British military officer and cartographer employed by the Afghan Boundary Commission, reported seeing a lone minaret in a mountain valley beside the Hari River. He had no time to investigate, and his journal entry has been forgotten. If the minaret is indeed part of Turquoise Mountain, it marks the site of what was once a fabulous city, its mosques adorned in shards of precious turquoise. The Mongols’ decision to raze Firozkoh to the ground, scatter its stones, and slaughter every last man, woman, and child was not

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Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The mountains of Afghanistan are riddled with caves. Throughout time they have been used as places of meditation for Buddhist monks, refuges for combatants trying to topple the latest governors of Afghanistan, and even homes for ordinary families. The Tora Bora (“Black Cave”) system in eastern Afghanistan cuts deep into the earth. The caves are named not for the color of the rock, but their reputation. Strange noises are heard echoing from the deeper caves and few who venture deep into the complex ever return. Those who resurface from their exploration are insane, spending their remaining days raving about “the slithering dark” and the “blasphemous toad.”

Dasht-e Nawar Basin Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The origin of the Pashtuns is obscure— even the wisest elders provide only vague speculation, leaving historians to put forward their pet theories. One legend states the Pashtuns’ distant ancestors were forced to leave their ancestral lands when “the earth shook, the stars moved to different places in the sky, and the water

Gazetteer rose above the land.” Such tales are hardly unique, but supporters of the existence of Mu use it as evidence for the lost continent. The story continues with some of the recently displaced peoples moving through Indochina and India before ending up in Afghanistan and northwest India. Here they lived as simple shepherds until they founded a great city on the edge of a lake. The story concludes with the city being destroyed, for the people became wicked and were punished by Allah. The ending probably dates from the 8th or 8th century, replacing the original conclusion when Islam became the de facto religion. The lake still exists today, its brackish water covering an area of 40 miles by 10 miles and in places bordered by dense reed beds. No stream flows into it and no stream flows out of it, the water level fed by several springs. No visible ruins dot the surrounding land, but no nomads come here to fish (despite the fish being of large size) or gather reeds, lest the souls of those condemned to destruction by Allah still lurk in the water. On still nights, so it is said, faint wailing can be heard emanating from one of the larger reed beds. Other folktales speak of a greenish mist that rises from the water. Adventure Seed: Few have heard the story of doomed Sarnath, which lay in the land of Mnar and of those, none have gazed upon the lake or heard the Afghans’ stories. Most, however, see the tale as a fictionalized memory of a city on the Silk Road that fell to natural ruin when trade dried up. Sir Bertie Winthrop, a retired colonel and historian, is one of the few outsiders to know of Sarnath and the lake in Afghanistan. He plans an expedition not only to locate the foundations of Sarnath, but also to uncover the cities of Ilarnek, Kadatheron, and Thraa. In doing so, he will prove to his many critics that the land of Mnar was a real place.

Hindu Kush Mountains Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The mighty Hindu Kush mountain range arcs across Afghanistan for 500 miles, dom-

inating the entire country. A natural barrier, its peaks average 14,800 feet, with the higher mountains towering an impressive 20,000 feet. Although the higher mountains are found in the east and central regions, the foothills cover much of the country. Despite the mountains’ formidable presence, the major passes have been an important route for both invading armies and cultural ideas. Once a major center of Buddhism, the landscape is littered with the ruins of monasteries and time-weathered statues, some carved into the living rock. Largely unexplored by westerners, the Hindu Kush is a dangerous place. As well as the risk of avalanches, explorers face capture by slavers. Human trafficking is both a large scale operation and undertaken by government officials. Mir Ghulam Bey, governor of Faizabad, for instance, supposedly maintains a cavalry force numbering in the thousands purely for acquiring slaves. The vast majority of slaves are non-Muslims who are sold in the markets of Central Asia. The meaning of Hindu Kush is open to debate, with theories ranging from “mountains of India” to “Hindu killer” (the latter because of the large numbers of Hindu slaves who died here). Another option is that it stems from the Avestan language, used in Zoroastrian texts, and translates as “water mountain.” Could it be that the fire mages, who certainly conversed with the Children of the Fire Mist, also worshiped dread Cthulhu? Adventure Seed: While exploring the Hindu Kush, perhaps as part of a League’s expedition, the globetrotters find an abandoned monastery. At first, believing it a thousand-year old Buddhist structure, the explorers soon find glyphs in an unknown language and grotesque statues of a squatting toad-like entity that cause them to think otherwise.

Khyber Pass Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The Khyber Pass separates Afghanistan from India. For millennia it has been the gateway to Afghanistan, its well worn trail trod by the

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan

armies of the Persians, Alexander the Great, the Muslims of the 6th century, Genghis Khan, and in recent decades the British. Whoever holds the pass not only controls trade between central and southern Asia, but can safeguard India from invasion. Britain may control the Pass, but the local Pashtun tribes charge a levy on all travelers in return for safe passage. The British government reluctantly permits this tax on its citizens, not because it is the tribes’ major source of income, but to try and change the status quo will result in bloody resistance. As one politician put it, “It is better to pay a pound of flesh and swallow one’s pride than leave the Pass littered with entire bodies.” Adventure Seed: A group of antiquarians exploring Afghanistan’s ancient ruins has disappeared in the Khyber Pass. The native tribes deny any involvement. They claim the foreigners entered a forbidden cave (the Cave of the Buzzing Ones) and have not been seen since. Not wishing to risk angering the tribes by sending soldiers, the British government in India has contacted the Leagues of Adventure.

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The Mountain of Genies Eerie Atmosphere: –1 Bordered to the south by a branch of the ancient Silk Road, the mountains of southeastern Afghanistan are inhabited by hardy and fierce tribes who value their independence. One in particular carries a bad reputation and is much feared. Known by their neighbors only as the Sky Devils, the tribe haunts a barren peak. The tribesmen are feared for their stealth, for they take animals and people without leaving any trace. Most often their captives are never seen again, but on occasion mutilated bodies are discovered in the arid valley below. Having suffered heavy losses in the region during the First Anglo-Afghan War (1839-42), the British left the tribes in peace for decades. During the Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878-80), the British attempted to prevent a recurrence by striking first. Two companies of the 2nd battalion of the East Surrey Regiment supported by elements of the 1st Regiment of Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force (renamed the 1st Prince Albert Victor’s Own Regiment

Gazetteer of Cavalry, Punjab Frontier Force in 1890) marched into the valley beneath the mountain. Nothing was seen of them again. Other tribes shun the mountain, believing it was the first peak selected by Noah, but that he sailed south when he saw that wicked genies had survived the Flood and had taken up residence on the mountain. Explorers seeking to map the region around the mountain have had no success. Locals have pointed out the peak from a distance, yet every expedition has failed to reach it, suffering attack from unseen opponents who strike at night and destroy provisions and equipment, problems with compasses not working properly, or becoming lost in the network of valleys. The mountain is home to a small colony of Fungi from Yuggoth. Having been left in peace for untold centuries, they have reacted badly to the recent British incursion. Adventure Seed: A member of an expedition lost several months ago has staggered back to Kabul. Raving mad, he has spoken only of “winged devils,” “monoliths from beyond time,” and “basalt ruins.”

Zorkul Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Referred to as Lake Victoria by the British, the first Europeans to gaze upon it, Zorkul (Sir-i-kol in Persian) extends east and west along a valley in the Pamir Mountains and is bordered on the south by the old Silk Road. Chinese records from the Tang Dynasty (618-907) refer to Zorkul as the “Great Dragon Pool.” In his travelogues, the explorer and poet Zhang Qiang (c. 736-818) describes seeing an idol carved from sea-green stone depicting a “water dragon” lying half-covered in the rushes. Could it be that the legendary city of Sarnath once stood on the shores of Zorkul, rather than in the Dasht-e- Nawar Basin? A source of contention between the Russians and British, the lake becomes part of the border between Afghanistan and Russia in 1895. The new border runs through the center of the lake. Adventure Seed: A severe drought has

caused the waters of Zorkul to retreat, exposing a large area of land that had been submerged for uncounted centuries. When the Leagues of Adventure hear stories of a “dragon” statue poking up from the water, they immediately plan an expedition to verify Zhang Qiang’s claims.

Settlements Balkh Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Such is the perceived antiquity of Balkh that the first Arabs to visit it named it Umm Al-Belaad, or “Mother of Cities.” While its origins are unknown, the city boasts many historical claims. Legend says that it was here that Zoroaster first preached and where his remains are interred. One modern historian has argued that the city was actually the mythical Shambhala, which took its name from the Persian Sham-i-Bala (“Elevated candle”). Later, Alexander the Great married Roxanna, the daughter of Balkh’s executed king and ruler of Bactria (named after the city). The prophet Ezekiel is said to be buried here. Although this cannot be confirmed, Balkh has had a Jewish population since the time of Assyrian king Sennacherib (740-681 BC), though the population in the current age has diminished to a few families occupying a single street in the old Jewish Quarter. Balkh remained a major religious and scholastic site long after the introduction of Buddhism. Sadly for modern scholars, much of the ancient lore housed here was destroyed by the Mongols. With any structure capable of being used as a fortification reduced to rubble, little remained of the once prosperous city. Such was the level of destruction wrought by the nomadic horsemen that it would be a century before rebuilding began. Situated in a fertile region during antiquity, Balkh has succumbed to the relentless encroachment of the desert sands. As the fertility

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan diminished, so Balkh became less important to its overlords. The death knell that saw it removed as a provincial capital rang out in 1877, when cholera swept through the streets. Adventure Seed: Marco Polo visited Balkh several decades after the Mongol invasion. Oddly, he referred to it as “a noble city and a great seat of learning,” a far cry from a description of 1335, in which it was said to be “completely dilapidated and uninhabited.” Most scholars presume the Venetian explorer was wistfully describing Balkh as it was at its height, but not everyone agrees. Henrietta Roche, a noted psychic, believes Polo did visit the city, but what he witnessed was a “dream-shadow,” a psychic imprint left on the landscape that the sensitive can still see. She hopes to prove her theory through an expedition, for which she is currently raising funds by means of a lecture tour. In Leagues of Cthulhu terms, the Balkh Marco Polo visited is part of The Dreamlands.

Herat Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Afghanistan’s third largest city lies in the west of the country. Founded during the days of the First Persian Empire (550–330 BC), Herat quickly became the capital of the breadbasket of Central Asia. Strategically placed on the Silk Road, vast wealth flowed through its gates. By the 10th century, it was regarded as a prosperous town, with extensive suburbs, a fortified citadel, thousands of shops and bath-houses, and a huge marketplace surrounded by caravanserais. Islam was already the major religion, though Herat boasted both a functioning Christian church and Zoroastrian fire temple. Wealth attracts conquerors like flies to dung, and the city became part of various avaricious empires until it was razed by the Mongols in 1221. Rebuilt in 1244 by prince Shams al-Din, the reborn Herat became a center of literature and the arts, its many splendid buildings securing the title of the Pearl of Khorasan. After reaching its height in the 15th century, Herat soon

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found itself reduced to a provincial capital under the Safarid dynasty. Even when the Afghans regained control of it in the 18th century, Herat’s glory days could not be rekindled. The last tragedy to befall the city was at the hands of the British. In 1885, under the auspices of needing line of sight against any invading Russian forces, the British destroyed the Islamic Musallah complex of religious buildings. All that remain today are nine minaret towers. In the many narrow alleys and back streets are countless shops. Some of the wares on sale are true antiques, dating back to the first Persian rulers, others are fakes. No man can say what other wares may have ended up in Herat, for certainly foreign cults walked the Silk Road, bringing with them strange artifacts and books of forbidden lore. Combing through the dusty shelves may unearth a previously unknown copy, or at least a few pages from, the Al-Azif, or books as yet unknown to Mythos scholars. Complete or partial volumes of elder lore that might be found here include The Book of Hidden Things, Chou-shih Ming-t’ung Chi, the Dhol Chants, Kitab al’iisharat, and the Yothic Manuscripts. One may even discover fragments of works penned in doomed Sarnath. Adventure Seed: After buying a book in Herat, a globetrotter finds several pages from an older work inside. They appear to be from the original Al-Azif. The text provides no elder lore or rituals, but it does suggest that Alhazred spent several years living in a cave in a secluded valley deep in the Hindu Kush.

Kabul Eerie Atmosphere: 0 While mention of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, dates back to the 2nd millennium BC, its origins are lost to history. By the time the Persians conquered the region, Kabul was already regarded as a center of learning, first with the Zoroastrian faith and later Buddhism. Like other cities, its history is one of conquerors and dynasties, the city changing hands countless times over the centuries. It was not until the 14th century that the city became a commercial center, largely taking over from

Gazetteer Herat. Ironically, the British helped the Afghans recover Kabul from the Persians during the First Anglo-Afghan War, only to be assaulted by the British during the Second Anglo-Afghan War as retribution for the slaying of British subjects. Adventure Seed: In 1897, fire sweeps through the city’s bazaar, destroying over 150 shops. While not a seed in itself, this historical fact can easily be worked into an adventure.

Bala Hissar Among the notable landmarks are the ruins of Bala Hissar fortress. Supposedly constructed in the 5th century, the castle was extensively altered and expanded by later rulers of Kabul. It was in Bala Hissar that Sir Pierre Louis Napoleon Cavagnari, the British envoy to Afghanistan, was slain, an event that triggered the Second Anglo-Afghan War. Shelled by British artillery, it was severely damaged when the castle’s armory exploded. Adventure Seed: Major General (later Field Marshal) Frederick Roberts (1832-1914), commander of the Kabul Field Force during the Second Anglo-Afghan War, initially demanded that Bala Hissar be reduced to ruins to prevent the Afghans using it in the future. Officially, he simply changed his mind and left it standing. A letter has recently been brought to light that paints the situation in a very different light. Following a visit to the castle to decide where best to place explosives in the warren of cellar, Roberts returned to his command white-faced and visibly shaken. The only words he spoke to his adjutant, Major John Henderson (author of the letter), were “Leave it be. For all our sakes, the sleeper must remain undisturbed.” Did Roberts, who denies such a conversation ever occurred, merely suggest that the destruction of the fortification would cause the Afghans to rebel, or was there a more sinister meaning to his words?

Kafiristan Eerie Atmosphere: 0 Kafiristan, located in eastern Afghanistan, is named for the Nuristani people who inhabit

Using History in Adventures The history section in Chapter One is very much a brief summary, existing to paint a broad picture of the complexities of historical Afghanistan. Below is a rough timeline detailing the many cultures that have ruled all or part of the country. These present the Gamemaster a great opportunity to set adventures utilizing these ancient peoples.

Years Before Christ c. 50,000: First modern humans c. 3,000: Indus Valley Civilization c. 2,000: Waves of semi-nomadic Indo-Iranian tribes c. 1,500: Zoroastrianism founded 6th century: First Persian Empire 330: Alexander the Great 312: Seleucid Empire c. 305: Maurya Empire (Buddhism & Hinduism introduced) 3rd century: Greco-Bactrian Kingdom 3rd century: Indo-Greek Kingdom 1st century: Indo-Scythians

Years After Christ 1st century: Indo-Parthians 1st century: Kushan Empire 3rd century: Sasanian Empire 4th century: Huna people (Kidarites, Alchon Huns, Hephthalite Empire, & Nezak Huns) 642: Islam arrives in Afghanistan 7th century: Zunbils 9th century: Saffarid Muslims 10th century: Samanid Empire 10th century: Ghaznavids 11th century: Ghurids 13th century: Khwarazmian Empire 13th century: Mongol invasion. Becomes part of the Ilkhanate 14th century: Timurid Empire 16th century: Mughal Empire 16th-18th century: Mughal Empire (east), Khanate of Bukhara (north), and Safarids (west) 1709-1738: Hotak Empire 1747-1826: Durrani Empire

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan

the mountainous region. As non-Muslims, the natives are kafirs, or infidels. Thus, Kafiristan literally means “land of the infidels.” Surrounded by Muslim states but isolated by geography, most Kafiristanis follow a form of ancient Hinduism. Several degenerate tribes venerate gods much older and far more alien than anything dreamed up in Hinduism. Seeking to rid his country of the strange faiths and unite the otherwise disparate Afghans under one creed, Abdur Rahman Khan orders his army to invade Kafiristan in 1895. The aim is not bloody extermination, but to convert the locals to Islam either by force or persuasion. The campaign lasts 40 days. Following the victory the region is renamed Nuristan (“Land of the Enlightened”) and the people the Nuristani (“Enlightened Ones”). Adventure Seed: During the campaign against the Kafirs, soldiers burned hundreds of wooden temples, shrines, and pillars. A small few of the engraved pillars were brought back to Kabul as spoils of conquest. One is acquired by the a private collector.

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Globetrotters renowned in the fields of anthropology, ancient history and languages, or religion receive an invitation to a private showing. During the gathering, the host, who briefly steps out of the room to fetch some sketches, is brutally murdered.

Maymana Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The northern city is one of the oldest in Afghanistan, having been inhabited for several thousand years. Little historical evidence of its earliest incarnations remain, though shepherds find caches of Stone Age ceramics in the surrounding caves. During the 16th century the city and its surrounds were part of an independent Uzbek khanate. Folklore says they were cruel masters, with a fondness for sexual relations with children and offering up sacrifices to strange gods once venerated by their nomadic ancestors.

Gazetteer Under their rule, the city became a center of trade, but also a center of slavery and depravity. Sher Ali Khan (1825-1879), the then emir of Afghanistan, tired of the stories of wicked depravity, ordered the city put to the torch in 1876. Such was the destruction that only 10% of the population remained after the victorious Afghans sated their destructive urge. Adventure Seed: The cult Sher Ali was hoping to eradicate still lurks in the ruins of Maymana. The surviving cultists intend to bring about the summoning of a Great Old One in the belief it will be the hand of their vengeance. Someone known to the globetrotters has been kidnapped while exploring Afghanistan. The unfortunate soul is scheduled to be sacrificed when the stars are next right.

The Nerghar Valley Eerie Atmosphere: –1 The steep sides of the winding Nerghar Valley, in the central mountains of the Hindu Kush, are dotted with cave mouths. The tribes in neighboring valleys give it a wide birth and shun all contact with the degenerate troglodytes who dwell there. Not even the emir’s soldiers have the courage to venture there, even in strength. Rumors abound that the cave-dwellers worship strange gods and engage in human sacrifice, though this is only partially true. Rarely venturing outside their valley, the Nerghar tribe has inbred for generations. They do not venerate the Great Old Ones, although they are cognizant of their existence. Indeed, the tribe has spent millennia ensuring that a terrible creature living at the bottom of a deep pit in one of the larger caves remains dormant. Without their continuing rites, and the occasional human sacrifice, the monstrosity (an avatar of Tsathoggua) would slither forth from its home and ravage the area. For all the bad press and strange appearance, the Nerghar tribe are guarded but friendly to outsiders and are always grateful for news of the wider world. When the star reaches Fomalhaut reaches its zenith in the night sky,

though, the tribesmen venture forth in search of victims to placate the sleeping horror. Globetrotters with an interest in astronomy may know that among its many names, Fomalhaut is called Difda al Auwel (“The first frog”) in Arabic. Adventure Seed: Bertie Knowles, a member of the Royal Astronomical Society with a keen interest in the folktales concerning stars, has heard stories of an Afghan tribe that venerates the star Fomalhaut. He plans an expedition to find them and learn their legends. Alas, the expedition arrives just as the tribesmen are seeking a sacrifice.

Sherbigan Eerie Atmosphere: 0 The Uzbek-dominated northern town of Sherbigan is, like many of Afghanistan’s ancient settlements, a remnant of the nation’s prosperity when great riches flowed along the Silk Road. It is not the modern city that will be of interest to globetrotters, though.

The Lost City Eerie Atmosphere: –1 The natives of Sherbigan are unaware of the history that lies close beneath their feet. Ten millennia ago, not long after the glaciers of the Ice age began their retreat, a city stood here. Even in that distant epoch, it was part of a trade network that spanned the region. It was not the richest city, nor was it the largest, but its inhabitants were loremasters and historians, keeping records of all the information they learned from visiting merchants. Time is harsh and cruel, destroying that which cannot survive the eons by sleeping in hidden places, and the city was no exception. When it fell to ruin shall perhaps never be learned, but fall it did, for no record of it exists. Such are the ravages of time that nothing exists beneath the ground near the modern town save for a stone altar in the shape of a cross and the lower courses of several brick pillars a mile to the north. Persian for “Golden Hill,” Tillia Tepe is a

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collection of burial mounds five miles north of Sherbigan. They take their name from the local belief that a rich horde of gold is buried beneath it. The locals fear to dig anywhere near it, for local folklore states that the treasure belonged to a wicked kings versed in the black arts and that to disturb their rest or plunder their tombs will result in a swift death. [Historically, the mounds were excavated in 1978 and were found to include over 20,000 gold, silver, and ivory objects collectively referred to as the Bactrian Gold. In Leagues of Cthulhu, though, things are very different.] Talk of gold is a mistranslation of treasure, and the treasure is actually a collection of inscribed brick cylinders. No kings were buried here—those interred there were scribes and priests. Stories of a curse are true, though—

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the withered remains of the dead are merely sleep, ready to awake if their slumber, or the cylinders they guard, are disturbed. Adventure Seed: While browsing a museum, a globetrotter spies a number of inscribed mud-bricks. The museum card claims the bricks were unearthed near Sherbigan during the excavation of a well in 1823 and brought back by a British soldier. The inscriptions on the bricks are badly weathered, but the word fragment, “KADAT” can still be seen. Could Sherbigan stand near the remnants of fabled Kadatheron, the ancient city in which scribes etched the knowledge of the known world on brick cylinders, and are the mounds of Tillia Tepe the remains of the ten millennia-old library? Adventure Seed: A stop at a deserted village near Sherbigan reveals a spot of shade inside a walled yard with a ruined home. The interior scorched by fire and walls battered down lie in rough fragments, the rubble shows every sign of deliberate destruction. Investigation reveals that the mud construction of the house proved somewhat resistant to this destruction as large sections lie scattered about the yard. Each bears the impression of having been decorated by pressing an object of some sort to transfer the texture of that tool onto the wet surface of the mud. The texture resembles the inscribed mudbricks shown in a recent newspaper article about some academic controversy concerning the interpretation of a word fragment. Will these ruined walls shed light on that fragment? Examination by those cursed with Elder Lore might reveal whether the fragment is Kadatheron or Kadath, or perhaps what the endlessly repeating sigil of concentric and disturbingly recursive circles represents. Adventure Seed: Passing a dark entrance to a cave deep in the Nerghar Valley, some strange sounds are emanating from the opening in the rock face. Curious travelers trying to find the origin of these sounds quickly find themselves lost in the tunnels. The Nerghar Tribe are likely to find hapless adventurers and capture them and use them in their evil rituals.

Chapter the Third: Denizens “No, he observed something else in my haggard face: The stunned stare common to those who serve in Afghanistan. No British soldier leaves that desolate place without it.” —James Lowder, The Weeping Masks (published in Shadows Over Baker Street)

Cults Brethren of the Silent Fire Even in the wilds of Afghanistan silence is rare, the still broken by the sound of the wind or call of birds on the wing. In ages past, when Zoroastrianism was the primary religion of Afghanistan, an order of fire worshipers argued that only through true silence could they hear the words of the creator, Ahura Mazda (“Wise Lord”). At first, they took a vow of silence—so as not to disturb the silence—and muffled their ears. When that failed, they took more drastic steps, cutting off their tongues with ceremonial daggers and sealing their ears shut using hot pokers. Such self-mutilation led to their expulsion to the Hindu Kush. Becoming aesthetes, and with no sounds to disturb them, the followers spent much of their time in meditation, allowing their minds to drift beyond the conscious realm and into the limitless void. There, in the darkness, their wandering minds heard a voice.

In their mind’s eye they saw the source of the voice, a swirling maelstrom of nuclear fire. Believing it to be Ahura Mazda, they collectively submitted to its will and opened their consciousness to its teaching. In doing so, their sanity was shredded by the profane wisdom of the Fire Mist. The cult exists to share the wisdom of its patron—whom they still refer to as Ahura Mazda—and bring others into the fold, for only then can they learn the truth of reality. The latter is rarely voluntary. Instead, victims are captured and ritually mutilated before being forced into the ever-lasting fire that burns in a deep cavern in the mountains. The fire, which produces no heat, exposes the unfortunate soul to the babbling of the Fire Mist. Sooner or later, prolonged exposure induces insanity, opening one’s mind to elder lore.

Roshaan Deshiwal Roshaan is a rarity in the cult, in that he was offered membership. A history student, he was driven by his insatiable curiosity to delve ever deeper into the mists of time. Through piecing together fragmentary evidence learned from his elders, he came to realize that Earth’s history was more fantastic than most people understand. It was while investigating links between Zoroastrianism and certain elder entities that he came to the attention of the Brethren. Where others would be forcibly initiated, Roshaan was given the option to learn the truth of his own volition. It was a chance he took in both hands.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan A high-ranking member of the Brethren, Roshaan has been blessed by the Fire Mist with two gifts. First, he is able to hear spoken words, though they are whisperings heard only in his mind and in the crackling voice of the Fire Mist. Second, his body is host to a Child of the Fire Mist. In addition to imparting elder lore, the fiery creature serves as a bodyguard, able to detach itself from Roshaan’s flesh at will to harm transgressors. Roshaan is unaware that the entity may also be his destruction—should he be captured and interrogated about the cult, the Child has standing orders to cause Roshaan’s death by spontaneous combustion. No longer requiring meditation to learn elder lore, the priest devotes his waking hours to two pursuits. He hunts for suitable candidates for his followers to kidnap, favoring those who already know fragments of eldritch lore and

seek more, and he browses the many shops in Herat in the hope of uncovering artifacts or tomes relating to the elder lore. Patron 3 Archetype: Clergyman; Motivation: Faith; Style: 3 Primary Attributes: Body 3, Dexterity 3, Strength 4, Charisma 3, Intelligence 4, Willpower 4 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 7, Perception 10, Initiative 7, Defense 6, Stun 3, Health 9, Sanity — Skills: Academics: History 5, Athletics 6, Con 5, Diplomacy 5, Elder Lore: Creatures 6, Elder Lore: Great Old Ones, 6 Elder Lore: Locations 6, Empathy 6, Investigation 6, Linguistics 5, Melee 6, Performance 5, Streetwise 6 Talents: Alertness (+2 Perception rating), Robust (+2 Health rating), Second Sight (Able to perceive psychic energy) Resources: Ally 1 (Child of the Fire Mist), Artifact 0 (Incense Cone Type 1; Commune Fire Mist)*, Rank 3 (Brethren of the Silent Fire; +4 Social bonus) Rituals: Astral Projection, Commune Fire Mist, Harm, Summon Child of the Fire Mist, Summon Fungi from Yuggoth Flaws: Curious (+1 Style point whenever his curiosity gets him or his companions into trouble), Mute (+1 Style point whenever a severe problem or misunderstanding occurs because of his inability to speak) Weapons: Punch 0N, Dagger 7L * Bonus Resource from his cult Rank.

Typical Member Although they spend much time in meditation, cultists are expected to evangelize, which in the cult’s eyes means bring in victims for forced conversion. Clad in red robes, their heads swaddled save for their eyes, they walk the highways and byways of Afghanistan in search of new recruits. Most Afghans see them as nothing more pitiful infidels, beggars deserving alms only because Allah commands it. Ally 1 Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Faith; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2,

Denizens Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity — Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 4, Elder Lore: Great Old Ones 4, Melee 4, Stealth 4 Talents: None Resources: Rank 1 (Brethren of the Silent Flame; +2 Social bonus) Flaws: Mute (+1 Style point whenever a severe problem or misunderstanding occurs because of their inability to speak) Weapons: Punch 4N, Dagger 5L

Horrors Darkness from the Void There are many horrors lurking in the lightless expanse of deep space. The alien entity known only as the Darkness from the Void is a hive mind, sharing intellect, memories, thoughts, and senses across unimaginable distances. It exists as both a single drop and an endless ocean spread across the galaxies. A protoplasmic black sludge similar in color and consistency to thin tar, it descends from the stars encased in a mineral shell, much like the Colours Out of Space. The Darkness is immobile. Once the shell containing a minute fragment of the sentient ooze cracks, it waits dormant until it makes physical contact with animal life. Burrowing into the victim’s flesh, it quickly infects its host, rapidly multiplying while simultaneously devouring its mind and adding its memories to the collective. Creatures infected by the Darkness rapidly develop pallid skin, their eyes go black, and their flesh is riven with oozing lesions from which a protrude a multitude of thin, wiggling tendrils. Creatures infected by the Darkness are capable of movement. The entity gains all the senses of its host and can even converse through its mouth. The Darkness has a single goal—total

Tentacles! It isn’t always necessary to use a whole monster—sometimes just a part of it can be used to threaten globetrotters or suggest something far more monstrous hiding in the shadows. In Leagues of Cthulhu, that role is best suited to tentacles or tendrils. Each giant tentacle is an individual monster. “Killing” one has absolutely no affect on the greater monster from which the tendrils emanate, which never enters play itself.

Giant Tentacle Follower 0 Archetype: Animal; Motivation: Survival; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 6, Dexterity 2, Strength 6, Charisma 0, Intelligence 0, Willpower 0 Secondary Attributes: Size 2, Move 0, Perception 0, Initiative 2, Defense 6, Stun 6, Health 8, Horror 2 Skills: Brawl 10 Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Tentacle (Cannot talk or use tools) Weapons: Slam 10N, Grapple 10 Crush: If a tentacle successfully pins an opponent, it can begin squeezing on the next round. Instead of making an Attack, the creature automatically inflicts lethal damage equal to its Strength. Being pinned, the victim can resist only with his Passive Defense. Immobile: Tentacles cannot move from the crevice or hole from which they protrude, but they can reach targets up to 25 feet away. Mindless: Tentacles are not affected by Talents, rituals, mentalism, or other abilities that affect the mind in any way. That is, you cannot use Captivate, Fear, Mind Control, or similar abilities against a giant tentacle.

domination of the universe. Once present on a planet, it endeavors to spread itself. Typically this involves it vomiting a portion of itself over a potential victim.

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan This urge is not one of conquest or domination. The Darkness believes that there are secrets forgotten even by the Great Old Ones, and that only by bringing all intelligent life into its hive mind and unifying their thoughts will those terrible truths be revealed in all their blasphemous glory. Thousand of worlds have fallen in its quest for universal truth, but there are countless millions left to unify. Reaction to Summoning: The Darkness cannot be summoned from the heavens. Instead, the ritual calls an existing host to the summoner. As noted above, the Darkness has no interest in small talk—it seeks only to spread itself.

or fire. Alternatively, an arm or leg can be severed before infection. This results in the loss of 50% of the victim’s maximum Wounds, plus gaining the appropriate Flaw. Reduced Pain: A creature controlled by the Darkness gains High Pain Resistance 2 (Ignores wound penalties until reaching –5 Health). Vomit: As an attack action, an infected host can vomit over an adjacent creature. The intended victim must make an Active Defense roll against Difficulty 3 or be struck by the expulsion.

Notable Persons

Darkness from the Void Ally 1 Archetype: Alien; Motivation: Truth; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 0*, Dexterity 0* Strength 0*, Charisma 3, Intelligence 4, Willpower 5 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 0*, Perception 9, Initiative 4, Defense 0*, Stun 0*, Health 5, Sanity — Skills: As a hive mind, it has access to every Skill known to the entire entity. For ease, treat it having every Skill at a 6-die rating Talents: None. Resources: None Flaws: Alien (Cannot use tool or communicate except when in a suitable host) Weapons: Punch 6*, Vomit (see below) * Use the host’s Attributes. Alien Form: While a host can be killed by conventional means, bullets, knives, and other such weapons do nothing to harm the Darkness, which becomes dormant on its host’s demise. Only immersion in acid or reducing the corpse to flame destroys the Darkness within. Infection: Each combat turn the Darkness remains on exposed skin, the victim must make a reflexive Body x 2 roll against Difficulty 3. Failure results in the victim’s death as their mind is consumed into the hive. Death occurs at the rate of one automatic lethal wound per combat turn. After this time, the Darkness gains full control of its host’s corpse. Removing the Darkness before it takes hold requires five points of lethal damage from acid

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Peachey Carnehan A former British Army sergeant and adventurer with a criminal bent, Carnehan and his compatriot, Daniel Dravot, engaged in a scheme to set themselves up as kings in Kafiristan, a remote part of Afghanistan. After several escapades and near-death experiences, the pair stumbled across the city of Sikundergul. Rather than being shunned or driven away by the priests, the adventurers were warmly welcomed inside. Not only was Dravot, a Freemason, wearing a badge emblazoned with the All-Seeing Eye, but his pale skin brought to the priests’ memory a prophecy that a “white god” would come to the city. Two years later, in 1890, Carnehan reached Kabul alone, his clothes naught but rags, his flesh riven with the scars of frostbite and cruel torture. Clutched to his chest he held a heavy cloth bundle. What transpired in that city of alien architecture shall perhaps never be known, for Carnehan was a raving lunatic. It may be that merely occupying the warped city ruined his mind. Alternatively, he may have read some of those terrible books of elder lore so prized by the weird priests or witnessed a summoning of the All-Seeing Eye. Carnehan spends his days wandering the streets of Kabul, surviving on the charitable nature of the locals. Whether awake or asleep, he mutters things in a tongue even the wisest imams cannot translate, occasionally ranting in

Denizens English about the “All-Seeing Eye” and the “city is all wrong!” Carnehan’s sole possession is the mummified head of Daniel Dravot, its forehead still encircled by the royal crown of Sikundergul. Mild-mannered much of the time, he becomes violent if anyone tries to touch the bag holding his friend’s head. Carnehan sometimes whispers to the head, holding up the bag to his ear and nodding and shaking his head as if in answer to words only he can hear.

Peachey Carnehan Ally 3 Archetype: Insane Ex-Adventurer; Motivation: Mystery; Style: 1 Primary Attributes: Body 4, Dexterity 3, Strength 3, Charisma 3, Intelligence 2, Willpower 3 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Perception 5, Initiative 5, Defense 7, Stun 4, Health 7, Sanity — Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 4, Con 4, Diplomacy 4, Elder Lore: Great Old Ones 5, Expeditions 4, Firearms 5, Gunnery 4, Larceny 5, Melee 4, Ride 4, Streetwise 4, Survival 4 Talents: Acclimated (Can resist extreme temperatures for longer), High Pain Tolerance 2 (Ignores wound penalties until reaching –5 Health) Resources: None Flaws: Disfigured (+1 Style point whenever he is rejected because of his appearance.) Weapons: Punch 5N

The Head of Daniel Dravot Unique Artifact 4 The head of Daniel Dravot is neither dead nor alive. Certainly its life essence has perished, but some part of Dravot’s consciousness remains bound to his severed head. Whatever survives, though, has no distinct personality. The head can talk, though its mouth, forever trapped in a scream, does not move. Instead, it communicates with a limited form of visual telepathy. Likewise, the ghastly trophy can hear and see despite its eyes being sewn shut and its brain dead. Dravot’s head communicates only to an-

swer questions concerning elder lore or teach one of two rituals. Learning either ritual is as per the guidelines on learning from a magician (see Eldritch Magic in Leagues of Cthulhu). Enhancements: Alien Senses: Can talk, hear, and see (+2 Enhancements), Skill: Elder Lore 6 dice (+4 Enhancements), Teach Rituals: Commune All-Seeing Eye (avatar of Nyarlathotep), Summon Hunting Horror (+2 Enhancements)

Stock Characters Whether they are faceless extras or named individuals, stock characters are neither heroes nor major villains. They are the elders who can grant or deny passage through their tribe’s land, craftsmen touting their wares at market, and tribesmen who can provide escort or turn their weapons on foreigners. These characters differ from any henchmen of the same name in that they are better trained.

Afghan Craftsman Much of the Afghan population may live a rural life, but the major towns are thriving centers of industry. While Afghanistan exports very little, almost every traditional craft can be found for sale in the bazaars and markets. Follower 1 Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Duty; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 4 Skills: Brawl 4, Con 4 (Lying 5), Craft: Pick one 5, Empathy 4, Streetwise 4 (Haggling 5) Talents: Skill aptitude (+2 Craft rating) Resources: None Flaws: Envious (+1 Style point whenever their envy causes trouble for them) Weapons: Punch 4N

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Afghan Elder Whether the head of a tribe, clan, or family, the elder (sometimes titled chieftain at tribal level) is a respected member of Afghan society. A mixture of leader, diplomat, and judge, it is their duty to maintain the unity and strength of the grouping they oversee. Globetrotters should note that the term “elder” is an administrative one and is applied to any tribal, clan, or family leader regardless of actual age. Follower 1 Archetype: Aristocrat; Motivation: Honor; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 4 Skills: Academics: Law 4, Bureaucracy 4, Diplomacy 4, Empathy 4, Intimidation 4 Talents: None Resources: Status 1 (Elder; +2 Social bonus) Flaws: Code of Conduct (+1 Style point whenever their code forces them to make something much more difficult than might otherwise be necessary) Weapons: Punch 0N

Afghan Tribesman Whatever their ethnicity, the tribes people of Afghanistan are a hardy people, long accustomed to the variations in climate. Bound into tribes, they are fiercely protective of their ancestral lands and quick to use violence to end disputes. Clad in sheepskin vests, they are typically armed with sabers and long-barreled jezails. Many of their weapons are trophies taken from their battles against foreign invaders. Follower 1 Archetype: Everyman; Motivation: Preservation; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2

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Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4 (5)*, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 4 Skills: Athletics 4, Brawl 4, Firearms 4, Melee 4, Survival 4 Talents: Acclimated (Can resist extreme temperatures for longer) Resources: None Flaws: Illiterate (+1 Style point whenever illiteracy causes them severe difficulty or embarrassment), Loyal (+1 Style point whenever their unswerving loyalty causes trouble for themselves or their companions) Weapons: Punch 4N, Saber 7L, Jezail 8L * Thick sheepskins give +1 Passive Defense.

British Diplomat Members of the British mission in Kabul are charged with overseeing Afghanistan’s foreign policy, as well as ensuring trade with India continues. Few Afghans openly welcome British interference in their country and the resentment is fueled by the British distrust of the indigenous, warlike people. The mission may be able to help globetrotters who fall foul of Afghan law and customs, but the diplomats will not risk endangering the mission by angering the natives—globetrotters who cause serious trouble will be left on to solve the problem themselves. Follower 1 Archetype: Government Official; Motivation: Duty; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 4 Skills: Academics: Law 4, Bureaucracy 4 (Government 5), Diplomacy 4 (Etiquette 5, Negotiation 5, Politics 5),Linguistics 4 Talents: None Resources: Status 1 (Diplomat; +2 Social bonus) Flaws: Intolerant: Afghans (+1 Style point whenever their intolerance causes trouble, or

Denizens they convince someone else to detest the same thing they do) Weapons: Punch 0N

Russian Spy On paper, Russia has accepted Great Britain’s influence over Afghanistan and turned its attentions to other parts of Central Asia. In reality, the Great Game is still unfinished. Russia may have given up on adding Afghanistan to its empire, but the Tsar has no intention of making life easy for the British. White skin attracts attention in Afghanistan, so many spies are drawn from neighboring states and peoples loyal to Russia. Follower 1 Archetype: Government Official; Motivation: Truth; Style: 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 4, Initiative 4, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 4 Skills: Con 4, Firearms 4, Linguistics 4, Spying 6, Stealth 4 Talents: Skill Aptitude (+2 Spying rating) Resources: None Flaws: Skeptic (+1 Style point whenever they prove an assertion wrong or convince someone else to question their beliefs) Weapons: Punch 0N, Light revolver 6L

Sample Henchmen Afghani Craftsman Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 1 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 3, Initiative 3, Defense 3, Stun 2, Health 3, Sanity 3 Skills: Craft: Pick one 4, Streetwise 4 (Haggling 5, Rumors 5) Talents/Resources: None

Flaws: Poor (+1 Style point whenever they spend their money unwisely or are unable to buy a basic resource) Weapons: Punch 0N

Afghani Guide Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 1, Strength 2, Charisma 1, Intelligence 2, Willpower 1 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 3, Perception 3, Initiative 3, Defense 3, Stun 2, Health 3, Sanity 2 Skills: Athletics 4, Survival 4 (Hunting 5, Navigation 5) Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Coward (+1 Style point whenever they give up without a fight or abandon their friends to save their own skin)

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Weapons: Punch 0N

British Junior Official

Afghani Translator

Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 4, Initiative 3, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 3, Sanity 4 Skills: Bureaucracy 4 (Government 5), Diplomacy 4 (Negotiation 5) Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Judgmental (+1 Style point whenever their swift judgments cause trouble) Weapons: Punch 0N

Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 4, Initiative 3, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 3, Sanity 4 Skills: Diplomacy 4 (Etiquette 5), Linguistics 4 (Translation 5) Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Illiterate (+1 Style point whenever their illiteracy causes them embarrassment) Weapons: Punch 0N

Afghani War Orphan Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, Charisma 2, Intelligence 1, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size –1, Move 2, Perception 3, Initiative 2, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 3, Sanity 4 Skills: Con 4, Survival 4 Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Young (+1 Style point when their size causes them difficulty or they are patronized because of their age) Weapons: Punch 0N

British Afghan War Veteran Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 1, Intelligence 1, Willpower 1 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 2, Initiative 3, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 3, Sanity 2 Skills: Brawl 4 (Punch 5), Firearms 4 (Rifles 5) Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Sickly (+1 Style point whenever he suffers from his illness) Weapons: Punch 5N, Rifle 8L

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Drunken Russian Translator Follower 0 Primary Attributes: Body 1, Dexterity 1, Strength 1, Charisma 3, Intelligence 2, Willpower 1 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 2, Perception 3, Initiative 3, Defense 2, Stun 1, Health 3, Sanity 4 Skills: Con 5 (Fast-Talk 6), Linguistics 4 (Translation 5) Talents/Resources: None Flaws: Morbid (+1 Style point whenever their fascination with death causes problems) Weapons: Punch 0N

Afghan War Veteran Archetype: Soldier; Motivation: Survival; Style: 3 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 3, Strength 3, Charisma 2, Intelligence 2, Willpower 3 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 6, Perception 5, Initiative 5, Defense 5, Stun 2, Health 5, Sanity 5 Skills: Athletics 5, Brawl 5, Firearms 5, Gambling 4, Linguistics 3, Ride 5, Stealth 5 (Hiding 6), Survival 5 (Foraging 6) Talents: Acclimated (Can resist extreme temperatures for longer) Resources: Artifact 1 (Lucky star-shaped stone;

Denizens grants Lucky Talent), Follower 0 (Afghani war orphan), Rank 0 (The Survivors’ Club; +1 Social bonus) Flaws: Old War Wound (–2 penalty on all rolls when your old injury flares up; +1 Style point when you suffer from your injury) Weapons: Punch 5N, Rifle 8L

“I’d rather face the hangman’s noose than return to that sunbaked, fly-infested hell hole.” Character Background War is hell, you say? There are worse things than hell and at least wars come to an end. No, I am not a philosopher—I am just a soldier of low rank, but I have seen comrades torn to ribbons by artillery fire and opened from navel to chin by keen-edged sabers. I have held the hands of dying comrades and watched the light dim and then fade from their eyes to be replaced with a glassy vacancy. Sometimes I think they were the fortunate ones, for in death there is at least blessed ignorance. Yes, I will tell you my tale. Be assured that what you might hear, it is the God’s own truth. I was among the 66th (Berkshire) Regiment of Foot at Maiwand. You may recall the reports of the newspaper that told how we were outnumbered ten-to-one on that dark day. Dear God, wading through such blood and over corpses would even give the Devil pause. My company had been overrun and I found myself alone. There was no thought of surrender, for the Afghans did terrible things to prisoners. My only option was to conceal myself, and my only recourse was to hide among the piles of dead and hope to remain unnoticed as the Afghans chased our retreating troops. Fear kept me among the dead and flies, for each time I thought to make good my escape I swear I heard voices. Thus it was that I was still among the dead when the sun set. Under cover of darkness I began to pick my way clear of the corpses above me, but quickly stopped.

By the light of the moon I saw figures stalking the battlefield. At first I assumed they were looters, but when they began to consume the flesh of my dead comrades I knew they were something far more wicked. I was so terrified I thought the pounding of my heart might betray my location. Damned be the god that created such vile things! I lay there, still as those poor souls around me, as one neared. It was only then I caught sight of its ghastly appearance. Men they might have been, but if so they were born in some blasphemous union of human and dog, for their faces were more akin to jackals. As it drew ever near, I panicked. Clutching the nearest object my groping hand found—a sharp, star-shaped stone ripped from around neck of a dead Afghan—I struck out at the creature. My blow was weak, but the scream emitted by that nocturnal monster was one of utter agony. I ran for my life, but not before the fiend struck back, ripping open my right shoulder with its filth-encrusted claws. A British patrol finally found me, but not until a month later. Of what I drank or ate during that time I have no recollection, but certainly I was only half-starved and only near mad with thirst. My wound had been dressed, if inexpertly, but I have no recall of who showed such mercy. I do not care if you think my story one born out of injury or thirst—I know what I saw that night, If you are present at my eventual death, please cremate me, for I have no wish to have my flesh become a feast for the damned.

Roleplaying You have faced the horrors of war, and horrors that no human should face. It has marked you physically, and for a time mentally. For whatever reason, you have regained your wits and your senses, and though your injury pains you frequently, you are still a soldier and a good hand in a tough situation. You are a soldier, however, with no war, no desire to fight, and no wage. How will you make your way home, or is this awful place now home?

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Leagues of Cthulhu: Afghanistan Correspondentat-arms Archetype: Adventurer; Motivation: Truth; Style: 3 Primary Attributes: Body 2, Dexterity 2, Strength 2, Charisma 3, Intelligence 4, Willpower 2 Secondary Attributes: Size 0, Move 4, Perception 6, Initiative 6, Defense 4, Stun 2, Health 4, Sanity 5 Skills: Academics 4 (Research 5)*, Athletics 4, Art: Photography 5, Art: Writing 7, Brawl 4, Firearms 4, Investigation 5, Linguistics 5 (Translation 6)*, Ride 3, Stealth 3, Survival 3 *Bonus Skills from Bloodline Talents: van der Heyl Bloodline (Cthulhu Codicil); Well-Educated: Academics* *Bonus Talent from Bloodline; if you do not have the Codicil, remove Bloodline Talent and keep Well-Educated Resources: Follower 0 (former sapper), Rank 0 (The Press Club; +1 Social bonus) Flaws: Meddler (+1 Style point when your interference in others’ business causes trouble) Weapons: Punch 5N, Rifle 7L

“When your countryman is lying dying on the ground, you can’t just watch that horror unfold in front of you and then write about it for the folks at home.

You have to pick

up your gun and go get the man who did for him, first!”

Character Background In my profession, war gets under your skin, or your skin ends up underground. Some would say that a correspondent should maintain a professional detachment from events so as to better provide an objective

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view into what has transpired on the field of battle. I do not think objectivity exists nor has any place on the battlefield. While those who only read my words, not live them, might imagine me as another George Wingrove Cooke, it is more from George Wilkins Kendall that I draw the certainty that the truth is found in participation, not observation. My reports ring with truth because I have fought alongside the brave men serving on the front lines. I have saved lives, had my life saved, had thought myself lost, and have honored those lost to us. War is hell, for certain, but it is also a time that forges the raw ore of a man into the refined steel he can become. There is excitement, and there is glory, but more than this there is contact with the true fire of life. You can feel it in the hot pulse of the blood in your veins and the clenching and tightening of every fiber as death seeks to rip you apart. Life is a force, and to really experience it, you have to pursue it to the very edge. I am a soldier, but I am one trained in capturing the significance of the dramatic and historic events in which I have taken part so that other might understand. I am a journalist, but one who will not stand idly by and allow the interests of the Empire be overrun, serving only to mourn in print the passing of an age. Since the conclusion of the war in ’80, things have been quieter on the surface in Afghanistan, but below that calm surface, if you know how and where to look, there is a menace gathering itself for violence. I came to this fascinating and multi-faceted country with the 13th Hussars but detached myself early in the conflict as the regiment was not seeing any. I stayed on to continue my reports as the rise of the Iron Emir began to make significant changes, not all of them good. It has been more than ten years now. I am still here. My countrymen are still here. Menace is still here. It is out there, in the mountains and under them. In the ruins the guides insist are not there and in the dying villages and towns that feed whatever it is that is gathering itself. As a boy, I heard my maternal grandpar-

Denizens ents arguing about places and times like these. That was before they knew I could understand them. My grandmother would insist that such secrets were why most of the family had fled to America already, and that my grandfather and his children and grandchildren were fools for not going with them. My grandfather would not laugh, exactly, rather he would smile a sad little smile and pour her some tea. He would tell her that they would go, but first there was one last thing he had to uncover – before it was too late and the chance to make a real difference was lost. I was too young to understand their words and their deeper meaning, although I understood the language well enough. Age took them both before I could talk to them as an adult, with all the benefits that the fine education they paid for has given me. I think now I am starting to understand that drive and the sad smile in my grandfather. I think he died never having learned the secret that compelled him. That will not be me. A few months ago, while searching for camps of violent malcontents near the Khyber Pass, I found the remains of several Pashtun tribesmen, but what killed them was like no weapon I have ever seen deployed in battle. Worse, at some point the men had been tortured to the point of permanent maiming and beyond. After death, the bodies were desecrated in what I fear was some ritual fashion. This may be the clue I need to pin down the sense of menace I feel is out there and reveal its pattern to me. Perhaps now, after years of just scratching the surface, I will finally strike the mother lode. All the secrets of the hidden world and the great menace it represents will be revealed, and I will be the one to expose them to the world.

Roleplaying You have led an active life with its fair share of adventure, but that call to action had purpose. In your time in Afghanistan you have learned much about the languages, history, and cultures that make up the patches of its

troubled and volatile quilt. Armed with this knowledge, you are ready to go farther, dig deeper, and bring light to darkness. Although a journalist, a soldier, and a person of action, your main motivation is to uncover the truth. It is like a thorn in your mind that you cannot remove that the very mountains of this troubled nation are built on secrets and more secrets dating back to time immemorial. You can feel it. You must blast away their ancient concealments and expose the truth they have tried so hard to hide. Once on the path to the truth you are like a dog with a bone and will not give up until all the facts have been exposed.

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$14.99

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FREQUENTLY CONQUERED BUT NEVER TAMED, AFGHANISTAN KEEPS ITS SECRETS SAFE - UNTIL NOW

A crossroads for cultures and ideas for millennia, Afghanistan and its people are little understood by the great European Powers who fight to bring this land into their empires. Once a center of Zoroastrian and Buddhist learning, there are religions far older than humanity still thriving in the deep valleys and high mountains. Now the veil of ignorance has been lifted and the secret history and ageless lore of this timeless land can be revealed. This supplement for Leagues of Cthulhu explores Afghanistan in the Late Victorian Era. Contents include: A history of the region stretching back to the dawn of time. An overview of the Afghan culture. A new League of Adventure and eldritch book. Details on 11 ancient sites, 6 natural features, and 6 settled areas. Write ups for the Brethren of the Silent Fire, the Darkness from the Void, generic monstrous tentacles, Peachey Carnehan (with the head of Daniel Dravot), stock characters, sample henchmen, and a sample globetrotter.

Leagues of Cthulhu is powered by the Ubiquity game engine and requires both Leagues of Adventure and Leagues of Gothic Horror.

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