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Mage: the Sorcerers Crusade
Infernalism: The Path of Screams
The Path of Screams is the ultimate descent -- a rebellion against all that is holy and right. Those who choose to Fall perform blasphemous rites, master horrifying magicks, and sell their very souls to demonic tempters.
This is their story: A dark collection of cults, characters, motivations and night-black Arts. An enlightenment of the damned.
Infernalism: The Path of Screams includes:
* The trials and temptations that lead magi down the Road of Sin
* Dark magicks, soul pacts and Infernal Investments
* Characters, sects, demonic creatures, and more!
This is their story: A dark collection of cults, characters, motivations and night-black Arts. An enlightenment of the damned.
Infernalism: The Path of Screams includes:
* The trials and temptations that lead magi down the Road of Sin
* Dark magicks, soul pacts and Infernal Investments
* Characters, sects, demonic creatures, and more!
127 pages, Paperback
First published August 26, 1999
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 14, 2019
The book opens with a very strong piece of short fiction, a testament by one of the Fallen in a dungeon about to be executed. They gloat over their crimes and then escape, to go commit new ones. It's well written and tightly set, and quite evocative, setting the tone for the book as a whole quite nicely.
Chapter I includes a general overview of the beliefs of Infernalists and how they relate to the more mainstream beliefs of the time. The creation story is strong, and, as intended, tempting to go along with before you think it through, as such a thing must be to make those who DO go along with it compelling. The chapter does have a few problems, mostly around inconsistencies. Not inconsistencies in the in-world material, but some of the text and the sidebars contradict each other about real world beliefs! For instance, the (very Christian, and if I recall correctly, Catholic and Protestant, not Orthodox Christian) view of Satan/Lucifer is given as belonging to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, whereas a sidebar (correctly) points out that Satan in Judaism doesn't work like that. Similar issues occur with mentions of hell: at first they're attributed to the religions of the Book, even by name, but then a sidebar or later bit of text clarifies that hell is a thing in Christianity and Islam, but not Judaism.
Chapter II starts a problem throughout the book that can be laid at the feet of layout, rather than the author: the chapter titles are wrong! The headers on individual pages are correct, but Chapter II is correctly "The Devil's Own" but listed as "The Order of Reason" right at the beginning. It describes how one becomes an Infernalist and what the Path of Screams consists of, often drawing parallels with the right-handed Path of Thorns occasionally referred to in the core books (and which refers to Ascension). It gives many examples of character archetypes for Infernalists and then some special ones, including Jodilynn Blake, who continues to show up in the modern nights of the game line.
Chapter III is again mislabeled on its title page (it would be really nice if they took the opportunity of PDF publishing to fix that) but is about the Ars Maleficarum. It covers the powers that demons can bestow onto their mortal playthings, merits, flaws, rotes and wonders. It closes with a discussion of various Infernal cults, including the Nephandi who are less all-encompassing in the Dark Fantastick than in the modern World of Darkness
The final chapter covers infernal beings other than Infernalists. Creatures possessed by demons, demons who have been summoned, some as unique individuals and some as archetypes. The appendix continues, listing infernal beings whose power is effectively limited only by the ST's desires, beings that the Infernalist likely never meets, but pays homage to.
Overall, the book is extremely well put-together, describing how Infernalists think and act without making any of it seem attractive or like a good idea, even for a PC. The inaccuracies about real world beliefs seem to be contained to a small corner of Chapter I, and even then, most of them are corrected in other places within that chapter. This book is a must have for any Mage ST, especially any who are looking to run things set in the Renaissance or those looking for a more in-depth approach to handling the Fallen, in a page count that even the two versions of the Book of Madness can't match (given that they have other things to discuss).
Chapter I includes a general overview of the beliefs of Infernalists and how they relate to the more mainstream beliefs of the time. The creation story is strong, and, as intended, tempting to go along with before you think it through, as such a thing must be to make those who DO go along with it compelling. The chapter does have a few problems, mostly around inconsistencies. Not inconsistencies in the in-world material, but some of the text and the sidebars contradict each other about real world beliefs! For instance, the (very Christian, and if I recall correctly, Catholic and Protestant, not Orthodox Christian) view of Satan/Lucifer is given as belonging to Judaism, Christianity and Islam, whereas a sidebar (correctly) points out that Satan in Judaism doesn't work like that. Similar issues occur with mentions of hell: at first they're attributed to the religions of the Book, even by name, but then a sidebar or later bit of text clarifies that hell is a thing in Christianity and Islam, but not Judaism.
Chapter II starts a problem throughout the book that can be laid at the feet of layout, rather than the author: the chapter titles are wrong! The headers on individual pages are correct, but Chapter II is correctly "The Devil's Own" but listed as "The Order of Reason" right at the beginning. It describes how one becomes an Infernalist and what the Path of Screams consists of, often drawing parallels with the right-handed Path of Thorns occasionally referred to in the core books (and which refers to Ascension). It gives many examples of character archetypes for Infernalists and then some special ones, including Jodilynn Blake, who continues to show up in the modern nights of the game line.
Chapter III is again mislabeled on its title page (it would be really nice if they took the opportunity of PDF publishing to fix that) but is about the Ars Maleficarum. It covers the powers that demons can bestow onto their mortal playthings, merits, flaws, rotes and wonders. It closes with a discussion of various Infernal cults, including the Nephandi who are less all-encompassing in the Dark Fantastick than in the modern World of Darkness
The final chapter covers infernal beings other than Infernalists. Creatures possessed by demons, demons who have been summoned, some as unique individuals and some as archetypes. The appendix continues, listing infernal beings whose power is effectively limited only by the ST's desires, beings that the Infernalist likely never meets, but pays homage to.
Overall, the book is extremely well put-together, describing how Infernalists think and act without making any of it seem attractive or like a good idea, even for a PC. The inaccuracies about real world beliefs seem to be contained to a small corner of Chapter I, and even then, most of them are corrected in other places within that chapter. This book is a must have for any Mage ST, especially any who are looking to run things set in the Renaissance or those looking for a more in-depth approach to handling the Fallen, in a page count that even the two versions of the Book of Madness can't match (given that they have other things to discuss).
March 8, 2008
Worthwhile for giving the Nephandi a lot more detail. You have to laugh at the numerous disclaimers, though. "It's just a book. Don't worship the devil. Etc." I'd like to think that readers aren't that dumb, but I know some people ARE that dumb.
November 14, 2019
It's pretty dark, but it's got some good source material in it for any storyteller using the Sorcerer's Crusade game. A definite good addition to my collection.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews