throne of azathoth - ending

Throne of Azathoth Original ending to Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu campaign ‘Spawn of Azathoth’

Keith Herber

Reprinted by www.yog-sothoth.com with permission of Keith Herber and Chaosium Inc.

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Spawn of Azathoth for Call of Cthulhu, original ending

Provided by www.yog-sothoth.com with permission 2

Foreword Many moons ago (1986 to be precise) in my local Games Workshop in Manchester (back when GW did more than just Warhammer), I found on the ‘new arrivals’ shelf a copy of Chaosium’s latest release, a boxed set by the name of ‘Spawn of Azathoth’. Of course it didn’t take me long to pick it up and my local games group to be put through another wonderful set of Cthulhu-based horror. Some 17 years later, with the rise of the world wide web and the collector’s playground – eBay, what should appear but the original manuscript for auction by the author and former Chaosium editor, Keith Herber. I was fortunate enough to win the auction, which represented not only a piece of Call of Cthulhu history, but a chance to reveal for the first time, the original unpublished ending to the campaign – and here it is. The pages that follow substitute for the published ending (starting at ‘The Valley of the Seed’, Book 2, p. 56 and here called ‘The Valley of The Throne’). I hope you find it of interest, and perhaps it may whet your appetite to seek out a copy of Chaosium’s ‘Spawn of Azathoth’ supplement and give your players a fright. Needless to say – FOR KEEPER EYES ONLY! Enjoy.

Paul of Cthulhu

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Throne of Azathoth (renamed Spawn of Azathoth) was the third book of scenarios I wrote for Call of Cthulhu between June of 1983 and October, 1984. The first two books, Fungi from Yuggoth (originally Voices Out of Time) and Trail of Tsathogghua, were published almost immediately. Azathoth was delayed for several years, finally appearing in 1986. The three books were an evolution in my approach to writing scenarios. Fungi (patterned after Shadows of Yog-Sothoth) still held on to some of the standard gaming conventions of the time, when success was most often rewarded by money/gold and/or magical/technical items. Trail of Tsathogghua eschewed most of these conventions and, I think, Azathoth was even more successful. My thinking at the time was that, unlike most other RPG's of the time, CoC scenarios were driven by the players' curiosity and their desire to be part of a good tale, and less by the acquisition of wealth, power, and fame, and the power-gaming that follows that line. Where formerly I had spent some time and effort trying to find places to "fit" clues into the scenario, Azathoth was designed more realistically, with clues appearing where they most naturally would appear. Surprisingly, there was a wealth of likely sources, and I ended up with more player aids-type clues than in earlier works. Azathoth suffered from a certain amount of sprawl. Whereas Fungi was relatively tightly contained, both Tsathogghua and Azathoth were allowed to spread out as far as ideas suggested. This resulted in some scenarios running far over the size planned, with the result that a couple planned scenarios were scrapped before the book was finished. Although Azathoth went on to win a "People's Choice" award, I was disappointed in the ending Chaosium added. I'm not sure my original ending was better, but I was dismayed to find it had been replaced with yet another "end of the world" finish. Not only had it been done before, it seems to me no more effective than simply wiping out the entire party in an appropriately horrific finish. I mean, who cares if the world ends if you're already dead. Seems much the same thing to me. Also, it's easier to start your next campaign if you don't have to provide an explanation as to how the world was reassembled and rebuilt after being destroyed a couple weeks earlier. I think my favourite scenario in the book was St. Augustine.

Keith Herber




The Valley of the Throne It will take the party less than two hours of fairly easy downhill walking to reach this place. The small valley can be entered from three directions; from the southwest as the investigators are, the northwest (Dorkieff's possible entry), and the northeast. It is from the northeast that the mysterious albino Indian has come and he will arrive in the valley not long before Dorkieff. It is his intention to reverse the path of Azathoth, changing the direction of time and sending the human race back into the past. 1,000 times the albino has done this is and he has always been aware that some day his plans would be foiled. The conclusion of The Throne of Azathoth can be customized by the individual Keeper to suit the style and mood of his campaign. The severity of failure on the part of the investigators can range from their injury or destruction to the reversal of time in this remote part of the galaxy. The following Conclusion is offered first: As the investigators enter the valley they will hear, just out of sight, the sound of repeated gunfire. At least 8-10 shots will be fired and as the group rounds the last bend, they will see before them, 50 yards away, the figure of Dorkieff holding two smoking pistols and standing over the prostrate figure of the albino Indian. Before any words can be exchanged, all present in the valley will feel every hair on their body start to stand on end as the sky darkens and takes on a luminescent, metallic-green color. The investigators will notice that any wind that was present has suddenly disappeared and in fact, it is so quiet that the sound of an individual's heartbeat is the loudest thing he can hear. Everyone must roll SAN (0/1D4). It will be noticed that Dorkieff is unmoving, as if frozen stiff and if the investigators look around they will notice that all things are similarly stopped. The only living, conscious things in the world are the people of the small party in the valley along with a few, scattered individuals around the world; those who know and understand at least a little of the truth. Within seconds the investigators will hear, high above them, a quiet sizzling that will quickly grow in intensity and volume until, a moment later, a dull explosion, accompanied by a brilliant flash of light, will hurl the investigators to the ground (causing 1D3 points of damage). A

horrendous, shrieking sound will then be heard and, soon raising to a howl, will cause anyone failing a roll of CON x5 to suffer a permanent hearing loss of -15%, subtracted from their Listen score. As the ground buckles and heaves the investigators will sense an awesome presence overhead and if anyone should raise their head to look above them, they will see, against a dark, green sky, the form of Azathoth, hovering miles high in the sky and eclipsing our own sun with his terrible form. This character may not survive to accurately describe to the others what he saw (a character reaching 0 SAN will instantly vaporize in the sight of Azathoth) but they should realize their peril. From their present position there is little they can do other than attempt to Dismiss Azathoth (difficult in the best of times). This is a last resort and if successful, will cause Azathoth to leave this space but, due to the effect of Eibon's time web, it will reverse the god's path, much the same as the Indian had intended to do. Fleeing the valley is possible, but the tremendous explosion as Azathoth bursts the web will occur within the next hour causing any character failing to roll Luck x1 to be utterly destroyed. A successful Luck roll will indicate that 3D10 points of damage have been taken from the blast. If the characters take cover (in a nearby cave perhaps) the Keeper may wish to raise their chance for survival to Luck x2. In the meantime… The Rising of the Throne The investigators will have only seconds to ponder their predicament before, with a crashing roar, the side of a nearby mountain, overstressed by the tremendous tidal forces generated by the shrieking form of Azathoth, falls away to reveal an underlying surface of polished stone, the actual heart of the mountain revealed to show its pyramid-like form. At its foot stands an open, arched portal. It is at this moment that any character who has obtained "Special Insight" during the course of this adventure will begin to feel its most significant effects. Any individual who was radiated by the 'seed of Azathoth, bitten by the spider in Providence, or introduced to the shamanic rite while in the Andaman Islands will clearly understand that he is destined to enter the portal at the foot of the mountain. Any individual possessing either the stone given to the group by the Dreamlands Azathoth or holding Rasputin's crucifix mounted with the similar stone will feel




the object, wherever it is carried, suddenly increase its weight to about ten pounds. If taken out and examined either of these stones will be found to have changed form, now appearing as strange multi-faceted gems that glow and pulse with an internal flickering light. These two items will provide no other clue as to their purpose. Reaching the portal will, due to the heaving of the earth, take some care but the investigators should be able to make the 20 minute hike across the rolling valley without major mishap. The opening is nearly twenty feet across and as the investigators approach they will feel, even though time has seemingly stopped, the movement of a steady breeze passing into the interior. The corridor leading in will be lit, if somewhat dimly, by the green-tinged light from outside. The investigators need travel about 150 yards before they emerge into a large chamber, smoothly cut from the rock of the mountain and at least 250 yards across; its interior shape amazingly similar to the strange, multi-faceted jewels the investigators may possess. At the far end of the chamber a ledge, cut from the stone, runs across the width of the chamber at a height of 50-60 feet above the floor and a broad smooth ramp, beginning near the entrance to the chamber, climbs at a steep angle to give access to the center of this high balcony. The center of the ledge is dominated by an opening, a 'pore' in the wall of the chamber through which the investigators can see a vast darkness--in its center a floating, nebulous, glob of light. The opening itself is nearly 12 feet across and webbed by 'lines' that give it the look of space that has somehow been crystallized. The brisk breeze the investigators feel pulling them forward seems to have its source in this opening. As the investigators enter the chamber those with "Special Insight" will again be aware of dim, but slowly awakening, memories--the sight of the 'crystal lens' reminding them of the ancient promise of Azathoth and what is owed to Him. The god is about to break the final bond laid upon him by Eibon and if he is not to wreak great destruction on the area (as he did in Siberia in 1908), he must be appeased by sacrifice. This sacrifice will take different forms depending upon the particular "Insight" of the individual. Any person suffering the horrible effects of the radiation will be overcome with a suicidal urge to propitiate the being by hurling himself through the lens to join Azathoth. He will hear an eerie voice

inside his head urging him: "Come to father. Come to father". An individual can overcome this urge with a roll of POW x1 roll, or his companions may restrain him. A person whose 'vision' comes to him as the result of a near-fatal spider bite will only know that Azathoth's needs will be satisfied by human sacrifice. The first thought will be to use another individual although this investigator might realize on his own that he himself would suffice as well. An individual having undergone the shamanic rite has the best one. With a properly performed chant to accompany the meager, token offering, Azathoth will be satisfied by any small human effigy that the group can quickly construct and hurl through the lens. This chant is already known to the 'shaman' and he can quickly teach it any others who make a roll of INT x5 or less. Performance of this chant takes less than three minutes but otherwise follows the same rules as given in the CoC rulebook for dismissing deities. This chant can be performed from the floor of the chamber and if successful must be followed by throwing the effigy through the crystallized space of the portal above. The characters will be aware of the strong, sucking, wind that blows through the chamber and past the crystal lens and this can actually aid them by compensating for the distance if and when the character makes his Throw roll from the floor below. The attempt will be made without penalty for the distance but if the character should miss, the effigy will fall short of the mark and land on the ledge somewhere near the frightful opening. Those individuals carrying one of the pulsing gems will again receive no implicit information but after stepping into this chamber, the weight of the gems will again increase--this time to approximately 100 lbs. causing the investigator to probably drop it, or worse, tear his clothing away if it is pocketed. Although no clue to the gem's use is available, investigators will notice that in the presence of one of these jewels, the crystal lens above will begin to glow and pulsate in unison with the gem(s). (Keeper's note: as with the other sacrifices, the gem must be hurled through the crystal lens.) If anyone should ascend the ledge to the halfway point, they will begin to feel more powerfully the pull of the strong wind being sucked through the portal of 'crystallized space' above and ahead of them. If they step beyond the halfway point the




suction will increase to a STR of 5. Any character failing a resistance check of the wind vs. his SIZ will be pulled forward, off balance, and begin to tumble and bounce up the smooth ramp towards the ledge itself. Once on the ledge, the investigator may try to grab the edge and hang on (DEX x4 or less to succeed). If he misses, he will be more or less on his feet but now exposed to a whistling wind with a STR of 12. If the character fails this resistance struggle he will be pulled off the ground and, spinning end over end, be pulled towards his doom. He will have one last chance to save himself by grabbing the rim of the opening (DEX x1 or less) but if he misses he will be sucked screaming through the gate to join with Azathoth. He will be seen, in multi-imaged, kaleidoscopic form, to spin through a dark infinity of space, sucked toward some blurry, indiscernible disc of light in the center of the portal. Characters attempting to carry one of the now extremely heavy gems up the ramp may argue that the increased weight will help them. The weight will also hinder them an equal amount by throwing them off balance and if they should lose a struggle with the wind and fall, the first thing they will do is drop the heavy object negating any value it might afford them. The gem will fall to the floor with a loud crash but not break. Investigators may seek to foil this terrible wind by tying a rope to an investigator mounting the ramp. Held at the bottom by companions with sufficient total SIZ points, this should make the trip fairly risk-free. Once atop the ledge, an investigator will notice what could only be a magical diagram enscribed in the stone floor halfway between the end of the ramp and the crystal lens. This diagram is roughly the by-now familiar shape of the gems and glows with its own light. If a character can make it to this area, he will find himself in an area of peace and silence. Somehow the terrible wind is unable to reach this protected area. The Throne Any character who stands within the diagram will be in the focus of the 'crystal lens' and will be able to see clearly to the dark place in space whereon this portal opens. This gate, constructed by the great Eibon, is special in that it opens always upon Azathoth, following him endlessly on his journey through the voids. At first glance, the

character(s) standing here will see Azathoth in the form of a blind, amorphous mass of nuclear chaos, surrounded by the dancing lesser gods that wheel in orbit about the father. And they will hear the insane, monotonous piping caused by the passage of these spheres. However, before any SAN rolls can be made, this image will waver and melt taking the shape of a human face, the face of the man seen in the dream in the Stony Desert--dark, strangely handsome, and compelling. Seeing this image will cost the player no SAN but the face will speak to him, commanding him to break the bonds that hold Azathoth, the Son, trapped. Hearing Azathoth's voice inside his head will cause a character to roll SAN or lose 1D6 points each and every time Azathoth speaks to him. If the investigators have not yet learned how to free Azathoth, he will demand it of them, requiring one of the gems or, in lieu of this, a human sacrifice. Failure to appease the god will cause him to repeat the demand over and over with subsequent losses of SAN to be suffered by whoever is standing within the focus. Should at any time an investigator go insane while listening to Azathoth, he will respond by hurling himself through the lens. If and whenever the proper sacrifice of any type is offered to Azathoth he will be appeased, the magical bond of Eibon broken, and the survival of the party more than likely assured. As the sacrifice passes through the portal, it will trigger, when it actually reaches Azathoth deep in space, a violent explosion that will destroy the lens forever. Most of the force of the detonation will be pulled through to the other side by the vacuum of deep space but some debris will come this way causing 1D4 points of damage to anyone on the ledge at that time. Those on the floor will be safe from harm. The characters may return to the outside world to find things returned to normal, the horrible image of Azathoth, the Son, no longer blighting the light of the sun. Players failing to release Azathoth and attempting to avoid the effects of the explosion by remaining within the chamber will have a split-second of extreme distress when they realize that the terrible detonation is caused (as it was in Siberia) by a tremendous bolt of energy that travels from the Azathoth-Son in the sky to 'ground' at the crystal lens.




Alternate Conclusions If the Keeper wishes, the goal of the investigators could be to learn of and stop the Indian from once again reversing time. In this case, Dorkieff will not be present in the valley, or may even come with the group as an ally. The Indian could be found near or in the cave, or even standing upon the ledge in the act of sending Azathoth backwards through time. While challenging, if the players fail, all time will move backward, creating a very strange campaign. If this is too tough and somehow Dorkieff has been killed or incapacitated, the 'threat' of the Indian can be finished by having him become a casualty of the earthquake. Another possibility is for the players to discover his neatly de-brained body lying on the floor of the valley. The Fungi, for purposes perhaps unknown, lurk within the area. If the Keeper wishes, Eibon could have protected the chamber with a guardian monster or two. Whatever may be decided, it should reflect the style and taste of the individual campaign. SAN Awards All players involved in avoiding the devastating explosion that would have taken at least a few hundred lives will receive 2D10+4 points while any character that actually saw Azathoth through the lens will receive also, a 10% increase in Cthulhu Mythos knowledge. Saving Wilson from Dorkieff, either by trailing the Russian and his prisoner or by later recovering Wilson from the cave (Dorkieff, with a dying breath, will tell where he left him, or Tsang might know of the cave) will bring an award of an additional 1D8 points. If the explosion takes place, all survivors must roll SAN or lose an additional 3/3D6 points. The person actually releasing the god will receive a gift of 4 points of POW and another increase, this time 5%, in Cthulhu Mythos knowledge. If the characters can stagger back into Tibet, they will soon encounter a Tibetan army patrol who, after verifying their nationality will, in the normal Tibetan manner, politely and helpfully escort them to the southern border where they will be able to enter British India and eventually return home.

THE END

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Manuscript sample page.


throne of azathoth - ending

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