Get ya self some tapes! pt 2 (w/ bonus lost codices table!)

Back with a second round of lo-fi, small batch Satanry in cassette form.

You know the drill, it sounds kinda like shit (or "textured") in its production, so buy it in physical-sounds-like-shit form. Direct links to bandcamps, you can buy most of these from Out of Season, who have a fantastic selection of the black metal and dungeon synth we all love.

Blood Magic- Goetic Blood Spells Murky, raw black metal. First track is drone, if it doesn't do it for you then don't write it off, the rest will give you your thrills on route 666.

Crucified Serpent- No Second Coming Winner of this post's Best Band Name award, and best band member names too ("Cruel Treatment" & "Canine"). Well-composed black metal of the traditional variety with some punky elements and ambient interludes.

Warlock Corpse- Cosmic Spell Excellent fusion of outsider dance/rave, dungeon synth, sci-fi sample/sound-collage. Great variety from track to track. Some of his other releases have full-on black metal interspersed, but this one is straight electronic.    

Fief- IV Fourth in a series, the best in my opinion. Medieval Ambient, not dungeon synth, it sounds much more instrumental and less synthy, with a metronome precision and elegant composition that makes it really relaxing and rich at the same time.

Dim- The Holy Crag Similar to Fief, it's medieval but more conceptual. Ambient, atmospheric, mixed with depth and subtlety. Reminds me of the quiet, empty parts of Shadow Of The Colossus, slightly more whimsical in others, but still in a misty minor key.

Yellow Eyes- Master's Murmur The strongest hybrid of Dungeon Synth/Medieval Electronic/Black Metal I've heard so far (though I acknowledge I'm not perfect...). This is'nt just campy pastiche ambience, this is music made by genuine artists and made it onto a lot of best of 2023 lists on major metal review sites. Yellow Eyes is some good stuff, they know how to make some peculiar sounds with fantastic vibes.

Precious Blood- Bow To None 7 minutes of black metal so raw that it takes the left hand path out of your speakers (recorded so lo-fi it doesn't play in the right channel, lol). I really like Precious Blood, but I can't recommend this in its physical form unless you actually want to hear good music sound terrible.

Gnoll- Mork Borg An obvious choice, this is one of the releases responsible for the Dungeon Synth albumcrawl phenomenon. I put it here because it's a bit of a different take on the sound, with a harder, martial edge to the sounds of DS. Should one want a vibe more imposing than mysterious, Gnoll is a good bet. If I make more tape posts there will be more Gnoll recs, curated, because it's sufficient to say right now that you basically can't go wrong with them (as long as you're a fan of theremin with your DS).

Check out more dope tape lists here and here. Gameable content included!

Bonus Gameable Content: d8 more Lost Codices!

Not all books, but all containing information worth keeping in a wizard's trove or lost library...

d8

Lost Codex

1

Goetic Blood Spells: A leatherbound codex of chiaroscuro sigils scratched into 

pitch-blackened vellum, powerfully scented with ancient brazier-smoke. The sigils 

allow communion with all forms of fiends, though some bind the user to the spirit, 

rather than the other way around…

2

No Second Coming: An apocryphal text attributed to a messianic apostle, a series 

of lamentations that reveal that the eschatological prophecies are false- but the 

apocalyptic warnings are all too real.

3

Cosmic Spell: The anodyne translation of this scroll belies its power. If properly 

understood, it allows the caster to conjure their choice of dying sun, supernova, 

or black hole within one of their eye sockets. Deeper study allows manifestation 

of a miniature binary solar system in ioun-like 

configuration around the caster’s head. All effects are up to the Referee.

4

The Fourth Fiefdom: A hagiography of a minor lord, glorifying her knightly 

adventures, military victories, many virtues, and exaggerated divine ordination. 

Valuable to historians or relatives, possibly useful for justifying lineage or 

inheritance.

5

The Holy Crag: An archaeology-sage’s treatise upon a site far to the frozen 

south, erected and rooted in a glacier. A belltower sits atop a cleft in the ice, 

said to lead into the “Aghartha”. 

Unclear if it is the southernmost tip of a mostly-unexplored continent or an 

antarctican remnant of ages past. 

6

Master’s Murmur: A grotesque ram’s horn which, if blown, emits only the 

unsettling susurrus of the demon bound within. He is the trusted general of 

Carnaethon, disgraced archduke of rot and worms, and gives information and favors. 

No matter how benign, its assistance always leads towards the location and release 

of its master…

7

Bow to None: A fiery polemic written in the plebeian dialect of the region, 

encouraging the dissolution of hierarchies. While not outwardly magical, it 

can be read for 10 minutes to improve Morale by +1, or used once as a scroll to 

counteract the effects of magical compulsion or paralysis, after which it is consumed.

8

Mork Borg: A “fascia” bundle of gnawed bones, seemingly trash, but actually tribal 

history recorded by a Gnollish wizard in their codified script of tooth marks. Can be 

used to learn both spoken and written Gnoll. Tells of a “dark fort” of some defeated 

dark lord the pack once served, is otherwise not useful.

Or it’s an ostentatious yellow, black and pink book of game rules. Your call.


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