ENnie voting, Interviews, and Gravestone Carvers galore

First off – I’ve put out a new call for submissions to the Arkham Gazette for our fourth (!) issue.  Please give it a read and consider submitting something.  The Gazette lives by the aid of many hands. 🙂

If you’ve somehow not heard, ENnie nominations have been announced, including a whole host of Lovecraftian-related projects have honored:

• Horror on the Orient Express (2nd Ed)
• Acthung! Cthulhu: Terrors of the Secret War
• Dreamhounds of Paris
• Ken Writes about Stuff: Vol. 2
• Ken and Robin Talk about Stuff
• The Miskatonic University Podcast

Vote now!

Speaking of of the MUP, I had a great chat with Keepers Jon and Murph of the Miskatonic University Podcast about the soon-to-be-released next issue of the Arkham Gazette, long-forgotten witch trails of New Hampshire, and Colours Out of Space.  I’m always glad to talk to the MUP crew and it was a special treat to talk a bit about one of my favorite of Lovecraft’s creations.

What else is new in podcast land?

• Since the last update, there’s been a Keeper Dan only episode of the Misk. U. Podcast, in which he recapped the most recent Lovecraftian gaming news.
• The Good Friends of Jackson Elias discussed Lovecraft’s “The Shadow Out of Time”.
• Ken and Robin talked about Hollow Earth Theory and how to barbecue a unicorn; I suspect Ken will always answer Kansas City style.

In other news have Pelgrane Press revealed the subject of their recent countdown – Cthulhu Apocalypse, The Doomsday Edition, which collects the previously released Apocalypse Machine, the Dead White World,  and Slaves of the Mother and adds on eight new short scenarios.

Cubicle 7’s World War Cthulhu: Cold War Kickstarter continues to recruit assets, crossing over $40k.

I have been doing research on New England’s Colonial gravestone carvers, and drawing upon that research, I’ve put together an annotated list of all those carvers known, including the related sources about each carver.  If that pique’s your interest, give it a look.  It is still very much a work in progress – I need to regularize all the citations and start adding more links

Let’s conclude with a projects update:

• The Arkham Gazette #3 – issue save scenario is done and laid out (I guess I need to write an intro though); out scenario author Chris Huth is revising “The Queen of Night”.  When that it ready, be assured I’ll trumpet the news here.
• My Jackson Elias scenario for the Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion backers is still in progress.
• My unnamed scenario for an unannounced project is in the earliest draft stages – outline only currently, waiting for me to finish the two projects above.
• Our first stretch-goal scenario for the Arkham Gazette Kickstarter backers is done and waiting layout.  The other scenario is being worked on and the bonus article is still being written.  The former will be released in the near future.
• I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but those projects are what has been on my mind of late.

Graveyard visit: Old Burial Ground, Boylston

A couple days ago we had very nice weather, so I decided, as is my way, to visit a cemetery. In this case, it was the Old Burial Ground in Boylston, MA (1741). (Findagrave listing, Farber images; no MACRIS listing as Boylston is omitted from online files oddly).

I’ve been to this cemetery many times and decided that with the stone walls surrounding the grounds, I could safely unleash the homunculus whilst I took some photographs.  It’s a scenic spot with a convenient parking lot across the street and worth a visit if you are in the area.

Graveyard visit: Fairbank Cemetery, Sterling

I’ve been meaning to post for quite a while, with new podcasts, Kickstarters, and of course the Arkham Gazette all requiring some comment.  Unfortunately time is at a premium so I will have to confine myself just to posting some pictures and hope I finish playing catch up on other projects soon.

Today’s featured graveyard is the Fairbank Cemetery (sometimes listed as Fairbanks) aka Faribank Burial Ground or Fairbank(s) Family Plot, etc. in Sterling, Mass.  This is a family plot and a smallpox cemetery, meaning that the burials here are all from a single family and the burials were necessitated by the fact that the main burying ground in Sterling (Chocksett Cemetery) refused to take any remains from those who died from that rather contagious disease.  There are a goodly number of these in New England, some as small as a single grave.

The Fairbank Cemetery (Findagrave listing) is on Chase Hill Road in Sterling MA, conveniently close to Rota Spring Farm‘s delicious ice cream.  It isn’t a large yard (only a dozen stones) but has a few nice specimens.  Unfortunately at least one stone (Thomas’) has been vandalized in the past few years since when I saw it it was face down and broken at the base.  Click on the Findagrave listing above to see the intact stone.  There are a few James New stones (my best guess) and one winged skull.  Even the willow-and-urn stones are nicely made.

Gravestone of the Day: James Hayward

Fate would have it that I had a moment to briefly visit a graveyard today (in Acton, MA) and in my quick survey of the yard, I spotted several interesting stones.  Here is the most interesting; since it lacks a date, I suspect it is a foot stone, but I could not locate a corresponding headstone – time was of the essence so I may just have missed it…  (Click for full version)

James Hayward stone

‘Tomes in Progress’ progress

I’ve made a two small additions to the blog that might be of interest to my reader(s):

• Added a page about my historical research hobby New England graveyards, those in Worcester County, Massachusetts in particular.  there is a map and and a few links (to be improved upon).
• Added a page about another hobby – Lovecraft Country, that is, the sandbox campaign setting for the Call of Cthulhu RPG.  I’ve added a link to my semi-comprehensive list of Lovecraft Country scenarios and will add more in the future.
• Lastly, I’m still happy to answer questions about the MoN Companion.  If you have any points of inquiry, let drop me a line.