Lottie and I are off to GDC next week! This will render us quieter on social media than usual. Probably quieter when we get back, too, and I’m recovering from sharing atmosphere with all those other humans. If you’re also at GDC, do come say hi. I’m doing a talk about running an indie studio on Tuesday at 10. (Some folk have asked if the talk will be shared online; it probably will, but only GDC can tell you when.)

We’re still on course for the Explorer’s Build release (note because of untidy month endings and Easter, that’ll be April 9th…. WE ARE STILL ON TIME this was always the plan). That’ll have Expeditions, Mansus access and very nearly all the final game tomes. Talking of which…

The books in the game are written in English; in Latin, Greek, Sanskrit and Aramaic; in Deep Mandaic, Fucine, Phrygian and Vak. Some of these languages are more fictional, or more dead, than others. I can happily make up phrases in Fucine (which is based on Marsian, a language that exists now only on half a dozen inscriptions and a stolen bronze) but Sanskrit demands more than a bluffy Google translate.

So we actually contracted a university lecturer specialising in Sanskrit poetry to translate a dozen-plus occult formulations into Sanskrit. Here are a few below. Two of them are, in fact, quotes from real-world tantras that she suggested would fit the context; the others are invented. See if you can work out which.

ACTUAL TANTRIC PHRASE OR OCCULT INVENTION?

The Furious Tantra ( Ugra Tantra / उग्रतन्त्र ) – śītalo bhāti, bhūtāḥ punar jāyante, na kīlāly api tvayā ghātyas, tvam hi eva syāt – िीतलो भातत भूताः िुनर् जायन्त्ते। न कीलालयति त्सवया घ्यातयस् त्सवं तह एव ्यात्। “A full moon appears, creatures are reborn and even a lizard should not be slain, for it could be you.” The Ceaseless Tantra ( Samātata Tantra / समातततन्त्र ) – yan na pratitiṣṭhati, tan na kenacit sthāpitam

– यन्न प्रततततष्ठतत, तन्न केनतित्स्थातितम् । “That which does not cease, is not ceased.” The Devoured Tantra ( Khādita Tantra / खाददततन्त्र ) – nānārūpamukhair grastam, jvalitair agnisahasrair, udare dagdham… – नानारूिमुखैर् ग्र्तंज्वतलतैर् अतग्नसहस्रैर्।उदरे दग्धं… “A million blazing fires in the belly engulf what has been swallowed by the multiform mouths.” The Shaven Lock Tantra / The One Who Has Shaven His Hair ( Niṣkālaka Tantra / तनष्कालक ) – bhūmyāṃprajapasyagnau śocasi, mahodadhau prakṣipasirahasyāni tathapitāni tvadalakeṣu tāni lageyuḥ – भूमयां प्रजि्यग्नौ िोितस महोदधौ प्रतक्षितस रह्यातन तथाति त्सवदालकेषु तातन लर्ेयुः “Whisper your secrets into the earth, burn them in fire, scatter them in the sea. Still they will cling to your hair.” The Tantra of Worms ( Kīṭa Tantra / कीटतन्त्र ) – kīṭā nityaṃasmāsu vastuṃutsukāḥ. etair apy abhyāsair manuṣyaśarīrās tebhyaḥ pratilomāḥ krṭāḥ – कीटातनत्सयं अ्मासु व्तुं उत्ससुकाः । एतैरप्यभ्यासैर् मनुष्यिरीरास् तेभ्यः प्रततलोमाः कृताः। “The Worms have always been eager to inhabit us. Here are the practices which make us inhospitable to them.”

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