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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Forsaken One" data-source="post: 791825" data-attributes="member: 799">Here's some stuff <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" />-----Cultists GuideA proud product of Occultech PublishingIntroductionThe world is a huge and wonderful place, filled with more mysteries than you can imagine. In fact, don't even try to imagine them. You can't and trying only makes you a candidate for a white jacket with long sleeves. Nevertheless, the exploration can be a safe1 and enjoyable2 experience, sharable with family and friends.We here at Occultech are always happy to see new faces in the craft but would like to see the old ones a bit longer, so have composed this handy manual to help you from making many of the common mistakes that have claimed so many young and talented souls (or if they're fortunate, just their lives). By following the instructions outlined in this booklet, we hope to make your life a much happier, longer one.1Compared to say, Olympic diving into an active volcano or playing Russian roulette with an armed and loaded fully automatic weapon. These activities are certain death, while summoning things best unsought by man is uncertain death, in that it's uncertain when and how one will die but it will probably be quite painful and messy.2 Compared to, um... well it starts off enjoyable, but then you mispronounce a syllable and the walls disappear and your buddies start getting eaten and it goes downhill pretty fast from there... But it starts offenjoyable!Getting StartedThe first step that should be completed is to decide why you're delving into the darker side of the occult. If you're simply trying to make new friends or pick up girls then this really isn't the way for you to go unless you have really unusual tastes. Likewise, there are many other hobbies out there for those just looking to have fun, such as philately, train watching or seeing how many times you can insult that biker before he gets really angry.If the life of a scholar, dabbler and worshiper of things best unknown really is the right thing for you then it's important to decide what it is you're looking for. If you're trying to learn the secrets of the universe while not getting your hands dirty then you might be more satisfied studying relativity, quantum mechanics and the other sciences of the day, inaccurate as they may be. On the other hand, those with linguistic talent could greatly assist others in the field by translating, completely and accurately, many of the tomes used today. Comprehensive pronunciation guides are a plus. If you decide that this is the path for you, you should read the sections on Tome Handling Procedures and Guarding Against Errant Mispronunciation, as well as setting aside a sum of money to pay for any trips to psychiatric hospitals that may be necessary. Unlike many others, you may have a chance to spend it.It may be, however, that you're seeking out a power much greater than yourself, perhaps in hopes of obtaining powers beyond that of any other human, or perhaps just because elder beings are just so charismatic you can't but help falling to your knees and chanting their name. If this is you then it's critical that you read the sections on Choosing a Power, Preparing for the Ceremony, and Conducting the Ceremony.Finally, you might fit between the two, prodding at the tattered fabric of the universe, trying to find out how it ticks and using any tool available to do so. If this describes you then you should read every single section in this booklet and put our phone number on speed dial.Tome Handling ProceduresThe best case scenario for reading a book that contains knowledge best unknown to man is if it's written in a language that you don't know. Since everything needs to be carefully translated before it can be comprehended, this reduces the risk of accidently glancing at a page and learning something you wish you didn't. Caution should still be exercised around illustrations and diagrams, as a picture is often worth a thousand shrieks of agony as your soul is ripped from your body.If the tome is in a language that you already know, it may be worth the effort to find somebody who is illiterate in the given language to copy out carefully preselected passages for your perusal.Before acting upon any knowledge that you acquired from the tome, it's a very good idea to read the passages both before and after to gain a sense of context. As an example, while it's extremely useful to know that Nyarlathotep fears Cthugha, it's also vital to know that due to Cthugha's form, it's a very good idea to be quite far away when he's called down from the heavens3.Perhaps the most critical piece of advice for handling tomes of forbidden knowledge is NEVER READ OUT LOUD!3This is actually quite good advice for dealing with any Mythos entity, but sometimes practicality prevents it from being followed.Guarding Against Errant MispronunciationIn many languages, especially those of the complexity used in many rituals, a small shift in pronunciation can spell a huge difference in meaning. If dying at an old age with your body intact is considered an admirable goal to you, it's crucial to learn how to pronounce properly.In spite of the dangers inherent in learning a new language (see section on handling tomes), it may be worth it to learn the language you will be using in your ritual as well as any easily mispronounced words. Be particularly cautious with dead languages. In many cases, while the spelling and grammar of the language is still known, the original pronounciation is not. This warning is especially appropriate for those tongues which weren't designed by humans.If you have time before a ritual (and if you don't then you've done something wrong), take time to double check what you're going to say. If you must read the incantations outloud as part of your practice, give long pauses between sentences, or even words, and try not to say the same thing more than twice in a row.Pronouncing the name of the diety or other entity that you're invoking is a matter that's best approached with caution. If you mispronounce the name during during the ritual, it's likely to be annoyed. On the other hand, if you pronounce it correctly, you might draw its attention before you're ready. In this case I urge you to follow your own judgement based on your confidence with pronounciation and the entity's history. In any case, always be prepared to run.Choosing a PowerA great influence on your cultist career will be what powers you invoke and why. Some people invoke whichever power suits their ends at the moment while others, perhaps because of haunting dreams or peer pressure, are monothiestic, perhaps striving to revive a fallen or dormant power.While not available to everybody, if you have a choice it's quite important to study the options open to you. For example, some beings, such as Cthulhu, are unlikely to harm you directly. On the other hand, their followers are known to indulge in human sacrifice and blood rituals and so are worth avoiding.Preparing for the CeremonyBuy a good pair of running shoes. Practice running in any ceremonial garb that will be warn during the ritual. Modify it as much as permitted to make running even easier. Clear any obsticles between where you'll be performing the ritual and the closest exits. Post guards to keep an eye out for unwanted visitors. Getting shot is a real damper on one's evening and getting shot while in the middle of a binding ritual can make things unpleasant for everyone.Conducting the Ceremony Follow the instructions exactly. If you can't follow them exactly, you probably shouldn't be doing it. If things start going wrong, start running and don't look back. When running, the 'to' isn't quite as important as the 'from'.In spite of the views expressed by an online list of advice for cultists, many creatures can tell the difference between human flesh and SPAM.</blockquote>

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