[Review] The Esoterror Summoning Guide

If I’ve ever publicly made a complaint about Pelgrane Press’ The Esoterrorists roleplaying game (powered as it is by the GUMSHOE system), then it has been the fact that no concerted effort has ever seemed to be made to really define its setting and background. As such, it often gets called a knock-off of other, more detailed, modern horror settings such as Delta Green, Hunter, or even good old Conspiracy X. (As an aside, I personally think this is an opinion that is a little unfair, given the unique approach The Esoterrorists takes on the conspiracy-horror genre, but hey!)

Despite this, it is still a valid point to say that if there is anywhere that Pelgrane Press has not done the game justice then it has been in its ongoing support. Sure, over the years we’ve had an expanded second edition of the game, a couple of official scenarios and even a campaign or two, but what has always been missing is that comprehensive explanation of the Esoterrorists world, i.e. the ‘this is The Esoterrorists bible’ or a guide that explains the game fictional premise in a concise manner. If that wasn’t unfortunate enough, what information there is about the ‘world of The Esoterrorists’ is spread between three separate products (these being the core rulebook, the excellent Esoterror Fact Book, and the supplement to which this review is dedicated – The Esoterror Summoning Guide)¹.

So, why do I call The Esoterror Summoning Guide a vital part of the Esoterrorists’ core, and just what does this supplement add to the game? Well, read on and let’s see what’s inside this short but intriguing supplement, one that I think should be in everyone’s The Esoterrorists collection.

Please note, this review is written with the assumption that the reader has some knowledge of The Esoterrorists roleplaying game. For those who mightn’t be familiar with the setting, my ‘one sentence descriptor’ would be – A modern-day, conspiracy horror game of secret operatives protecting our reality from the cold, dark nihilism of the ‘Outer Dark’; a realm outside our, from which entities of terror and malevolence look on hungering for what they see.

About the Supplement

The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that the Esoterror Summoning Guide (I’ll call it simply ‘the Guide’ from now on) is only available as a PDF (I got my copy via DrivethruRPG, but I see it is also available on the Pelgrane Press website and I’m sure other places as well). While one might fault the logic of publishing such a supplement in an electronic-only format, as it comes in at a scant 44 pages, the Guide is probably too short a length to be worth physically printing in this day and age.

Published back in 2013 (just after the release of the 2nd edition rulebook), it is well laid out (although I note it uses the 1st edition design style, not the updated 2nd edition layout), includes some decent black and white line art, and is extremely well written (as is just about everything I’ve ever read by its author, Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan). While clearly aimed at Game Masters, the Guide also includes plenty of material that can be further disseminated to players, although this might need to be done selectively to ensure what few secrets the text does contain aren’t too readily revealed.

If I were going to say anything negative about the actual document, it would be its use of Headings, as these seem to be utilised unevenly throughout the supplement. As such, the Table of Contents is a bit hard to navigate, and at times – such as with the included sample scenario – the text has odd breaks (for example the ‘Section’ level heading is used at one point creating a strange break in the text). A minor quibble I know, but it might be indicative of the attention given to the release overall?

Overview of the Content

The Guide is divided into four main sections along with a brief introduction. These sections aren’t really connected in any way but cover a range of topics all of which expand and define the Esoterrorist setting. These are:

• The nature of the Membrane (the barrier protecting our reality from the Outer Dark) and its decay in the face of increased Esoterrorist activities.
• The various techniques used by Esoterrorist groups to summon Outer Dark Entities, looking at each ‘approach’s’ strengths, weaknesses, and more importantly, how they can be countered.
• How and when Ordos operatives might try to engage and negotiate with Outer Dark Entities (rather than simply confront them) and the risks and benefits of such methods.
• A short operation, Cell Death, that sees the operatives attempting to stop an Esoterrorist ritual that will see a new Outer Dark Entity brought forth into our reality.

Most of the information presented throughout the book focuses firmly on expanding the premise and setting, rather than any explicit game mechanics.

Note: As I’d like to provide a bit more detail on the content of the book before giving my final comments, what follows is a rundown of each of the sections and my thoughts on them. If you are a player of The Esoterrorists, do feel free to jump down to the Conclusion, to avoid any spoilers.

The Introduction

While only three pages in length, the introduction offers a bit of ‘in setting’ fiction about the state of quote “Ordo Veritatis’ efforts to contain the Esoterror threat”. Providing some long-desired insight on how the organisation the player-characters work for – Ordo Veritatis or OV – has historically operated, it paints a fairly grim picture for the organisation and its efforts moving forward, clearly stating that OV faces an uphill battle if it doesn’t adapt its tactics in its fight to stop the Outer Dark.

On reading this introduction it immediately becomes clear just how simple it is to convey the game’s central premise with just a few good words. Gareth does a fine job portraying just what dire state the fight against esoterism is in, and why the battle needs to be maintained. I know I will say this again and again, but this sort of material is sorely missing from the core rulebook.

The Membrane

The first full section of the Guide (although it is likewise only three pages long), explores the nature of the Membrane – the insubstantial border that protects our reality from the madness and insanity of the Outer Dark – and how Esoterrorist activities (usually those acted out by the Esoterrorists themselves, but also by humanity’s own ongoing belief in the supernatural) weakens this barrier. It makes it clear OV treads a fine line in the way that it operates, as its fight against the Outer Dark risks somewhat of a cascading negative effect (i.e. admitting through their activities that the Outer Dark exists results in more public belief in the supernatural, this belief naturally weakens the Membrane which in turn allows more Out Dark influence to leak through, which drives more belief, etc.). While such breaches are often contained, creating what are called Low Membrane Strength Locations (LMSLs), these are the beginnings of wider problems. Fortunately, the Membrane can be repaired, it just takes time and the use of the Veil-Out (the techniques used by OV operatives to convince people who witness or are touched by the Outer Dark that these events were nothing more than readily explainable mundane occurrences).

The detail provided in this section is an excellent insight into one of the core facets of The Esoterrorists’ setting – understanding the nature of the only thing that stops reality from being dragged into a very real ‘hell’. Sharing this with your players will not only give them an insight into the setting but also some understanding of the necessity of their efforts (i.e. the fact they are – as the game’s tagline states – ‘Realities Last Defenders’). In my opinion, these brief but vital words should really be a standout selling point for the Esoterrorists – telling potential players why it is different from its peers – but unfortunately, once more it’s a bit lost only appearing in the Guide.

Summoning Techniques

By far the longest section of the supplement, at 18 pages, here we get an examination of how Esoterrorists can commune and draw forth the Outer Dark. Not only do we get six very different ‘techniques’ used in such practices – all provided in some detail – but each also includes a case study as an example of how such rituals might manifest in the world. Among these we have everything from your ‘traditional’ (or as OV calls it ‘Greater Invocative’) summoning – you know, the rituals done in the dark of night by a mass of gullible cult followers – through ‘Ontological’ summoning (or in other words the use of belief in the supernatural to manifest the Outer Dark) and even ‘Imposition’ magic (the distasteful act braining washing or the application of drugs to make a victim a suitable host for an Outer Dark Entity).

Each of these ‘techniques’ is interesting and different, and reading through the ideas and their associated ‘case studies’ stirs up numerous scenario ideas. I also appreciate the sidebar discussing the ‘Nature of Magic’, which appears on page 12. While only a few hundred words in length, this text examines how magic can exist in the setting, an explanation that has been absent in The Esoterrorists supplements to date.

Negotiating With The Dark

The third section of the supplement (at six pages in length) discusses how or why operatives might look to parley with Outer Dark Entities. I’ll be honest, until I read this, it never occurred to me that doing so was even a viable option – I mean in The Esoterrorists you are meant to stop the Outer Dark, not bargain with it. That said, this material does a good job of outlining just why the operatives might want to attempt such an approach, and the risks inherent in trying to make a deal with such alien and otherworldly minds. Obviously, negotiations with ODEs will be fraught with danger, but the information here again inspires more than a few ideas for missions that a Game Master might want to throw at their players, either as the result of other groups’ failed attempts or when facing an entity to powerful to otherwise overcome.

Cell Death

The last 11 pages of the Guide is the scenario Cell Death, an adventure designed to highlight the various aspects of the Esoterrorist setting outlined earlier in the supplement. Without giving too much away, the mission sees the operatives racing to locate the site of an Outer Dark summoning before it is too late. All-in-all Cell Death is a fun, albeit brief scenario, and while the intro to the story is pretty run-of-the-mill, the focus on the characters needing to use their knowledge of the various ‘summoning techniques’ (as previously detailed) is a neat and interesting approach. The scenario also introduces a very challenging Outer Dark Entity for the operatives to face, which if they aren’t careful will lead to major causalities among the party.
A nice addition to the Guide, as I’m always a fan of having some way of putting into practice the ideas presented in a supplement such as this.

In Conclusion

I don’t think it will take a genius to work out what I think of The Esoterror Summoning Guide, as I’ve probably made my opinions loud and clear throughout this review. If one was to take a step back, I suppose my overall observation would be:

The fact that this supplement – which offers up some of the best ‘this is what the Esoterrorists game could be’ material – is a standalone PDF is probably indicative of Pelgrane Press’ entire approach to the line… that is scattered and disjointed.

Don’t get me wrong, I understand why this is. It’s clear that the Esoterrorists is just a side-line gig for the team over at Pelgrane – it was the first test bed for the GUMSHOE system – and being a tiny publisher they’ve always put the effort into where they get the best return (go see how well Night’s Black Agents is supported or just how many great Trail of Cthulhu scenarios they have released) – but that doesn’t stop me wishing they would do more with this great little game.

And that is why The Esoterror Summoning Guide is so good and yet so disappointing. Gareth does so much heavy lifting in what is nothing more than a few thousand words, and these immediately highlight how The Esoterrorist setting is a little different from other modern horror-conspiracy games. It’s a shame they are somewhat lost in this forgotten supplement.