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Tharkold has joined the Living Land and Nippon Tech in the use of Monolith technology. It has suffered much at the hands of Storm Knights, but perhaps less so than the other two realms. Virux, its new High Lord, has chosen to situate it over Terran Rome, hoping to crush religious opposition through sheer destruction.
Contents:
Tharkold since the Possibility Wars
Like Nippon Tech, Tharkold has a fraction of the strength it once had. However, due to the Gaunt Man’s affinity for the techno-horror realm, he has decided to preserve its space in the Possibility Wars and give it some help.
After the sudden disappearance of Jezrael and the Darkness Device, the entire realm on Earth collapsed and Tharkold was suddenly cast from its short-lived role in the Possibility Wars. What followed was a brief and very vicious power struggle in the ranks of the Demon High-born. New faces would rule for only a month or so before being cast out for one weakness or another. When things finally settled it was a sadomach named Virux who became ruler of Tharkold. It was the first time that a lesser creature such as a sadomach had even been allowed in the demon court, much less to rule it. Most demons think this is a sacrilege, but she is powerful enough to resist any and all attempts so far at dethroning or assassinating her.
Soon after Virux’s rule was established, she got a visit from the Gaunt Man, who gave her the same offer he gave to 4861 of Nippon Tech: join him in his conquest of Terra and revenge scheme and he will support her realm with a monolith. Of course, like 4861, Virux was limited to a small zone until she could prove herself, and she would have no Darkness Device to call her own. Of course she accepted and Tharkold was back in the wars.
The rule by a sadomach has changed Tharklold slightly, although not enough to alter any axioms or such. Demons are still most numerous, but there has been a sharp rise of pain sculptures, face stealers, dim’azzins, and Virux’s own people, the sadomachs.
Virux had the maelstrom bridge dropped on the Vatican in Rome, causing the reality to cover the entire city, plus hundreds of miles of countryside. Terra’s Rome is now as Earth’s Los Angeles was: a wasteland in the tradition of Terminator, populated by demons and sadomachs. Of course the Tharkoldu love the irreverance of turning the center of the Christian religion into their version of hell. Virux herself rules from the Pope’s throne. The Pope’s head is on display in the entry hall. The Vatican has been turned into a near impregnible fortress on the outside, and a maze of horrors on the inside.
The High Lord, Virux
Even though not technically a Highlord, Virux is ambitious enough to become one shortly. She is tall with a strong, looming presence. Her leather outfit is cut to accentuate her sex, as are artistically cut sections of her skin. Hooks in her skin all over her body are arranged to pull painfully when she makes certain moves, as is the way of the sadomach.
Virux
DEXTERITY 11
Dodge 17, Energy Weapons 17, Fire Combat 18, Maneuver 17,
Melee Weapons 18, Stealth 20, Unarmed Combat 19
STRENGTH 11
TOUGHNESS 13
PERCEPTION 14
Alteration Magic 19, Divination Magic 18, Evidence Analysis 18,
Find 19, Land Vehicles 18, Language 18, Scholar (anatomy) 23,
Tracking 19, Trick 18
MIND 15
Apportation Magic 19, Conjuration Magic 22, Medicine 20,
Science 18, Test 18, Willpower 22
CHARISMA 10
Charm 23, Persuasion 21, Taunt 20
SPIRIT 16
Faith (Tharkoldu Evil) 19, Focus 18, Intimidation 20 (natural
18), Reality 22
Possibilities: 30
Equipment: Hook dagger (STR+4/15)
Arcane Knowledges: Death 2, Darkness 2, Magic 1, Entity 3,
Folk 4, Metal 5
Tharkold Spells: Summon Chains of Torment, Torture, Lament,
Hooks of Suffering, Nails of Suffering, Cords of Suffering.
Tharkold Miracles: Damn, Transformation.
Axioms and World Rules
These are outlined in the book, and I have made no changes. Tharkold uses Monolith technology, among Nippon Tech and the Living Land. Therefore, there are no stelae. Any gospog are left over from the first Possibility War.
People and Places of Tharkold
Note: this section is incomplete.
A primer on the Race Warriors
Note: this section is incomplete.
There is much to be said about the humans of Tharkold, commonly called the Race Soldiers. They are uniformly desperate, tough people, forced to be athletic and mentally acute due to the stresses of life in Tharkold. They have openly declared war on the demons and their kin, hoping to one day win back Tharkold.
The Race have long since abandoned names as we know them. Having several Michaels around got confusing, especially in battle. Therefore, they have come up with a system of generating names which prevents confusion by making sure everyone has their own, unique name.
The first part involves the geographic location where the Race member was born. Geographic locations are determined by continent, subcontinent, and region. They are divided into 26, each represented by a letter of the alphabet.
The second involves the principality, which tends to be one of 26 within a geographic location, almost like states within a country. A Race member born in geographic sector R, principality S would have RS for the first two digits.
Third is the District, also divided into 26 letters. Districts are approximately the size of counties. Next comes the date of the birth, calculated to the second. For instance, 340315142422 would be the number for someone born at 2:24 p.m. and 22 seconds on the 15th day of March in '34. ( Format: Year/month/day/hour/minute/second.)
The last part of their name does not come until their thirteenth year of life, when they are tested for various attributes, including strength, agility, intelligence, patience, and wisdom, among other things. This is a huge celebration in a Race member's life, much like a bar mitzvah or other rites of passage. The subject they score highest in determines what letter will finish out their name (S for strength, A for agility, I for intelligence, P for patience, etc.)
A Race Soldier born in geographic location W, Principality D, District M, at 6:42 and three seconds in the morning of the seventh day of October in '56, and who tests for intelligence would be named WDM561007064203I.
What a mouthful, you say? Of course, each group, clan, or tribe will shorten the names of its members to the most vital information, usually consisting of the first five digits, plus the final one. This would be their unofficial name, and they would also acquire some kind of nickname, which is usually something to do with their personality.
Running Tharkold in Torg 2000
Tharkold has not changed much since the version WEG put out. The most important changes involve the location and the population increase in facestealers and sadomachs. A good idea would be to research Rome, particularly the Vatican, and get a good idea of the layout.
Adventures in the new Tharkold can include searching for Vatican artifacts (most likely the Pope had a few "holy" Eternity Shards before the invasion!) or assisting the Race Soldiers in preventing the addition of another monolith. Tharkold is also a great place for villains to go to hide from the Storm Knights. Players hate it when they have to go in there to retrieve somebody.
Recommended Materials: Movies: Hellraiser I, II, III, and IV Terminator I and II Mortal Kombat Books: (Anything I missed? Send me an e-mail!)
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