Thanks to all of the Patreons and listeners who have kept the podcast going for two years. This is a brief, bonus episode to celebrate the anniversary.
For the 100th episode of Games From Folktales I posted a poem by Charles Swinburne that contained the initiation script for Dolores, the Infernal Saint of Sorrow. When Swinburne originally released the poem, on of his colleagues (Arthur Charles Hilton) released an imitative work, discussing Swinburne’s passionate desire for an octopus. I’m not going to stat up the octopus now, although I may eventually prepare it as an alternate form for the Infernal Saint. She might be a kraken that people fed themselves to in pieces, in exchange for the Dark Muse Virtue.
Octopus
By Algernon Charles Sin-Burn
Strange beauty, eight-limbed and eight-handed,
Whence camest to dazzle our eyes?
With thy bosom bespangled and banded
With the hues of the seas and the skies;
Is thy home European or Asian,
O mystical monster marine?
Part molluscous and partly crustacean,
Betwixt and between.
Wast thou born to the sound of sea trumpets?
Hast thou eaten and drunk to excess
Of the sponges — thy muffins and crumpets,
Of the seaweed — thy mustard and cress?
Wast thou nurtured in caverns of coral,
Remote from reproof or restraint?
Art thou innocent, art thou immoral,
Sinburnian or Saint?
Lithe limbs, curling free, as a creeper
That creeps in a desolate place,
To enroll and envelop the sleeper
In a silent and stealthy embrace,
Cruel beak craning forward to bite us,
Our juices to drain and to drink,
Or to whelm us in waves of Cocytus,
Indelible ink!
O breast, that ’twere rapture to writhe on!
O arms ’twere delicious to feel
Clinging close with the crush of the Python,
When she maketh her murderous meal!
In thy eight-fold embraces enfolden,
Let our empty existence escape,
Give us death that is glorious and golden,
Crushed all out of shape!
Ah! thy red lips, lascivious and luscious,
With death in their amorous kiss,
Cling round us, and clasp us, and crush us,
With bitings of agonised bliss;
We are sick with the poison of pleasure,
Dispense us the potion of pain;
Ope thy mouth to its uttermost measure
And bite us again!
Photo on Foter.com
Games From Folktales 
Sinburnian Octopus / Dolores as Octopus
Order: Infernal Saint (new)
Infernal Might: 40 (scaled as Princess of the Furies) (Corpus)
Characteristics: Int +5, Per +3, Pre +7, Com +5, Str +4, Sta +7, Dex 0, Qik 0
Size: +2
Confidence: 5 (15 points)
Virtues and Flaws: Unknown. Change as relevant to your story.
Personality Traits: Cruel +6, Passionate +6. Which of these is higher is a matter of some interest to her followers. Some
suggest the demon is one and the human the other.
Reputations: Lady of Pain +9
Combat: Dolores’s attacks, are slower, but more damaging when she is in octopus form. Her main advantages are that she
can touch or grapple with eight foes simultaneously.
Kisses like poison*: Init +1, Attack +7, Defense +7, Damage +4**
Touches that causes pain*: Init +1, Attack +8, Defense +8, Damage +6**
*Does not include specialisation (skin contact)
**Does not include contact damage from Wounds the Bloom power (+15, Perdo)
Soak: +9, +18 against crushing weapons
Wound Penalties: –1 (1–9), –3 (10–18), –5 (19–27), Incapacitated (28–36), Dead (37+)
Abilities: unclear, but assume Brawl 9 (when contact is made with skin), Carouse 9 (debauchery), Charm 9 (sinful acts),
Houe Tytalus Lore 9 (was there when it happened), Infernal Lore 8 (Order of Hermes).
Powers:
Envisioning 1 or 5 points, Init 0, Mentem: Can enter dreams and cause waking dreams.
Form is shapeshifted human: 0 points, Init. 0 : Technically does not coagulate from ambient matter like a demon. Actually
shifts shape into ambient moisture, travels and then turns back into her human shape. Her human shape is always beautiful
and female, but can vary to suit the culture she is visiting.
I could hurt thee but pain would delight thee: 0 points, 0 Init. Dolores does not suffer Wound penalties, except on Defense
totals.
Obsession: 1 point, Init -5, Vim: Can impose the desire for suffering..
The Serpent Oracle: 2 points, Init. +2: Dolores may cast any Intelligo spell for 2 Might, and automatically knows the context
and likely outcome of actions made in response to the information gained.
Shroud the Stench of the Pit: variable points, Init. +7, Vim. This Power makes another Infernal Power appear to be aligned
to the Magical or Faerie Realm, at the demon’s choice. It has the same cost as the power it disguises.
Waxing Tide of Humors: 3 points, Init +6, Mentem. This power causes passion to overcome sense. A character can resist
this effect with a roll against an ease Factor of 9, modified by Traits like Calm.
Wounds that bloom: 3 points, Init -5, Perdo: Makes Dolores’s touch do +15 additional damage for the rest of a battle.
Weakness: The Virgin Mary. The cult of the Virgin hasn’t really taken off yet in 1220, but it gains a lot of power over the 13th
Century. When people start wandering around with Servite scapulars, Dolores is going to go after that Order.
Vis: 8 pawns, Perdo
Appearance: A languid woman, filled with delightful venom. She changes appearance to suit the appetites of the local
culture.
Infernally-tainted Octopus
Order: Corrupted beast.
Infernal Might: 5 Animal
Characteristics: Int 1, Per –2, Pre +6/-6, Com –6, Str –8, Sta +3, Dex +4, Qik +8 (* Corrupted beast)
Size: –2
Qualities: Aquatic, Grapple, Slippery x 2, Defensive Fighter, Pack Animal
Virtues and Flaws: Giant, Greater Infernal Power, Puissant Brawl, Horrifying Appearance (human eyes and skin)
Personality Traits: Sadistic +6
Combat: Dodge: Init +6, Atk +5, Dfn +5, Dam -6*
* Does not include Infernal power (=15 Damage)
Soak: +3, +6 against crushing weapons
Fatigue Levels: OK, 0, –1, –3, –5, Unconscious
Wound Penalties: –1 (1-3), –3 (4-6), –5 (7-9), Incapacitated (10-12), Dead (13+)
Weakness: The Virgin Mary
Abilities: Awareness 2 (food), Brawl 2 (grapple), Survival 3 (sea), Swim 5 (sea)
Vis: 1 pawn (Perdo)
Appearance: Large octopi, with human eyes and skin.
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