Monthly Archives: August 2014

Drowning in new gaming news

I’m sure that cave is safe.

The Good Friends of Jackson Elias have released their first post-GenCon episode, with Matthew Sanderson recapping his experience in Indianapolis this year while Scott and Paul pepper him with questions.

The Delta Green panel from GenCon has also been released (as Episode 12 of the Unspeakable Oath Podcast.)  Time to feed Hecubus again!

If that’s not enough DG for you, tonight (8/28) there will be a live chat on RPG.net with some of the DG writers.

(If you really want more DG stuff, contribute to Dennis Detwiller’s Patreon.)

Pelgrane has made a public release of Mythos Expeditions (after tantalizing us all with selling print copies at several cons).  I’m sad to see not all of the originally announced content made it in, but I’ll pick it up eventually and give it a closer look.

CoC scenario reviews has posted their take on 2003’s Unseen Masters.

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Guns, lots of guns (and more)

Another few items of interest:

  • Sixtystone Press has announced that their book Investigator Weapons Vol. 1 is back in print.
  • Modiphius have released (to Kickstarter backers only) their next Achtung! Cthulhu book The Guide to the Eastern Front.
  • The Miskatonic University Podcast have released a holding episode to tide you over awaiting the release of their GenCon 2014 video episode.  It’s rather unfocused, but if you want to hear Keeper Murph swear like a sailor about Harn, the transit failure that is the Dallas-Fort Worth airport, or a ceaseless wave of rabbit videos, you should check it out.
  • I keep forgetting to highlight a few recent posts by Adam Gauntlett – cremated remains from Jonestown (for Nights Black Agents), on using a werewolf in Bookhounds of London, and on the London Underground.
  • Finally a few reviews – The Black Goat of New Orleans and The Machine King.

Grab-baggery

Let us get to it, in no particular order:

Pagan Publishing’s Kickstarter for Horrors of War: A Covenant with Death reached its initial goals… eagerly awaiting news of an stretch-goals.  Huzzah!!

Modiphius has announced they are working on an Achtung! Cthulhu movie.  Really?!?

Paul of Cthulhu (from Yog-Sothoth.com) has posted a short video of a visit to London’s The Atlantis Bookshop, an occult book emporium of considerable age.  More videos are available to YSDC patrons.

Golden Goblin Press continue to offer glimpses of art from De Horrore Cosmico.  As Oscar reports: “Currently all of the scenarios are written. In fact, two are ready for final edits, two are in editing, and the last two should be back from re-writes over the weekend”.  Skips, is that you?

Dan Harms has been conducting a reconnaissance of Lovecraftian sites in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.  Hmmm… very suspicious.

A smattering of post-GenCon reports continue to filter in:

  • Matthew Sanderson (of the Good Friends of Jackson Elias) was nearly killed by horseradishes
  • Chaosium minion Dustin adds his report
  • and RPPR posted their first panel recording – Diversity in Gaming
  • There’s also a video of Goodman Games panel

Finally, we have a new episode of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff – covering Dracula’s castle, the Oak Island mystery, and answer a listener day to come up with an advanced civilization lacking fine motor control (and no, they don’t say “give them scotch”).  It was recorded pre-GenCon so they don’t spend the entire show calling themselves “ENnie awarding winning…”

You have 364 days…

Marking HPL’s 124’s birthday, NecronomiCon 2015 has been announced in an email to 2013 attendees:

The next NecronomiCon Providence will be August 20th to the 23rd, 2015 – coinciding with Lovecraft’s 125th Birthday anniversary – and will have a theme of an International Homecoming, bringing together academics, authors, artists, and Lovecraftian devotees and fans of Weird Fiction of all stripes from around the world. As with last year, we anticipate lots of eldritch events held all month leading up to the conference and festival weekend, in partnership with our various local allies and friends. Expect another intensive immersion into the city central to Lovecraft’s life and literature, filled with scholarly talks, panel discussions, author readings, art shows, film screenings, walking tours, gaming, music and parties, and myriad other stellar events bringing your into the heart of hoary Providence that you’ve all been clamoring for since last year.

Fingers crossed and I will be there.  The official site currently has the poster and not much more, but I suspect that will change soon.  I’m considering offering some sort of graveyard-related presentation, perhaps updating my guide to Providence’s graveyards (I still have a few old ones!).  Maybe I’ll do that Providence/Rhode Island special issue of the Arkham Gazette… I feel the mental gears spinning…  Any thoughts from my reader(s)?

Metal Kings, New Orleans’ Beasts, and a 124 year old man

We’ve got a lot to cover today… First two new releases-

Cthulhu Reborn has unleashed The Machine King, a free Gaslight and Dreamlands scenario by Geoff Gillan.

Meanwhile Golden Goblin Press have released (to Kickstarter backers of Tales of the Crescent City only) The Black Goat of New Orleans, developed by New Orleans Mythos.

Gen Con is over and there are various after-action reports:

Speaking of Mr. Ivey, I’d like to note that, as per usual, I’ve been sent my payment for two pieces in the latest issue of the The Unspeakable Oath.  Arc Dream continues to be the most prompt-paying company I’ve written for.  Thanks!

A poster by Daniel Spitzer

Finally, today marks (among other things) two different anniversaries.  It is the 124th birthday of H.P. Lovecraft, without whom this blog would not exist. Here are few folks doing likewise:

I am of two mind about old Grandpa Howie.  On one hand he was a uniquely creative writer, synthesizing earlier horror writing with new fears and terrors of the 20th century, spawning not just the Cthulhu Mythos, but a community to foster his nightmare imaginings even after his death.  At the same time he was, even for his era, a racist and bigot, and wrote some pretty terrible things that we cannot wish away no matter to what degree these views may have softened or changed as he aged.  I think it is fitting, when we recall his good qualities we must also temper it by acknowledging his worst ones.   Today I think it best I have a small dish of ice cream (sorry, no beans and toast, my fandom only goes so far), think of HPL, and make a small donation in his name to a charity he would likely have despised.

Juggernautics

An early RPG juggernaut.

The juggernaut of GenCon continues to roll forward, so there’s a bit more news of late. Don your protective gear of choice and charge in!

There’s a new episode of the Good Friends of Jackson Elias – they’re playing R’lyeh Roulette and trying to create a story based on the hook of one randomly chosen spell… no, they didn’t end up with Attract Fish.

Like clockwork… or perhaps according to Anunnakkuan programming?… Ken and Robin have again talked about stuff, this time covering tips for writers, the Cathars, and Ken’s new GURPs book – The Madness Dossier. Among the books they’re shilling for (it is on sale!) is Shotguns v. Cthulhu, which includes a story by Adam Scott Glancy based on one of my Shotgun Scenarios.

Speaking of thing’s I’ve written, here’s a short new review of Machine Tractor Station Kharkov-37.

Turning to Seattle’s most dangerous residents, Pagan Publishing’s Kickstarter for Horrors of War: A Covenant with Death is now two weeks old and only about $2600 from hitting its basic funding (though let’s hope for some stretch goals?). It seems that some are reluctant to join in due to co-author John H. Crowe III’s opposition to offering a digital copy. I’m sympathetic to this – international shipping it truly a diabolic plot of late – but I’m hopeful some solution can be reached. Maybe a PDF only version of just Mr. Glancy’s scenarios?

In other news, Golden Goblin Press is having a “we’re not at GenCon sale“. If you don’t have either of their fine scenario collection, this is your chance.

Finally, I’ve posted a short update on the Sentinel Hill Press blog covering my reading list of late, sans journal articles which I should probably add. Have a look; I’m hoping we can work out the licensing issue shortly after GenCon. Maybe? Feel free to talk up the Arkham Gazette at the Chaosium booth, eh?

Twice the weight of a human brain!

A few quick items before you depart for GenCon (or look in the direction of Indianapolis with envy in your heart… or ignore the whole damn thing, make another cup of tea, and dive back into that book, it is all up to you…

There is a new episode of the Miskatonic University Podcast, covering among other topics, weapons. The MUP crew will be at GenCon; follow them on Twitter @mupgc. Don’t forget to ask Keeper Chad about his nightmare ride with Large Marge.

Cthulhu Reborn has announced their next upcoming free release – the Machine King, a scenario for Gaslight with an alternate Dreamlands. I look forward to seeing it!

If you (like me) missed it live, you can hear Dan Harms’ local radio interview all about Lovecraft from the show’s archives HERE.

Chaosium has also posted some additional information about the forthcoming(?) reprint of Horror on the Orient Express – it weighs 7 pounds; it is also now available for pre-order. Also be on the lookout for the print release of Ripples from Carcosa.

An Untrue Detective?

As GenCon grows closer – and it looks like I won’t be able to attend sadly due to circumstances beyond my control – various folks have begun to outline their plans for the Doritos consumption event to come.  Arc Dream (and Delta Green).  Chaosium.  Dennis Detwiller.  Pelgrane Press.  You Too Can Cthulhu.  Perhaps most importantly, Christopher Smith Adair provides his insight into the Vegan dining options available to GenCon attendees, a topic I suspect doesn’t get much coverage unfortunately.

The biggest news in the various circles of Lovecraftiana are the serious accusations that the writer of True Detective, Nic Pizzolatto, plagiarized portions of the script from other authors, Thomas Ligotti in particular. While this particular story is a bit outside TiP’s usual remit, aside from the biggest bit of Lovecraft-adjacent news (i.e. True Detective), the issues it raises about issues of copyright and fair use that I think are important. It also reminds me of how… mature and rational… (what are some good antonyms there?) internet discussions can be. Caps Lock is not a replacement for facts people.

To wrap things up some bullet points:

  • The retro-reviews of Call of Cthulhu scenarios continue with The Stars are Right.
  • The Dan Harms media empire has moved on to radio.
  • The Kickstarter for Pagan Publishing’s A Covenant with Death is about 2/3rds of their way to its target.
  • Finally, Cubicle 7 have released a PDF preview of The London Boxed set.  Drool.

Move along now, nothing to see here.

Arrivals in a Bolt of Lightning

Hello Friday, what have you got for me?

We’ve got a special 100th episode of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff, an all lightning-round special!

Pagan Publishing has announced its new Kickstarter for “A Covenant with Death” the first in their (fingers crossed) Horrors of War series. At what point do I pitch Glancy on my Far Eastern Republic scenario? 😉

Finally… what’s that… a noise at the door? Oh look, my copy of Tales of the Crescent City arrived! Awesome!

Your move, Saturday.