The near-cessation of February

As February winds down, it is time to post a few news updates here on ye old Tomes in Progress…

What I’ve been up to:

First off I am working on the latest update to our Kickstarter campaign as well a items associated with that – updating previous issues, writing the remaining  stretch-goal rewards, keeping tabs on related work.  Things are not progressing as rapidly as I wished, but I hope I’m more disappointed than our backers about the pace of things and that folks have been generally kept up to date.

I’ve nearly finished up with the second episode of the Sentinel Hill Press-cast (and now you can see why I waited to add it to various podcast aggregation sites!).  I shall definitely keep the next episode’s historical piece more concise!

I’ve posted an audio report about two interesting book for our Patreon backers – The Horror Guide to Massachusetts and Rev. Moody: The Man and His Diary.  If you’re interested in joining in, there is still time to help me select what book I will be picking up next through the generosity of our backers.

Over on the Sentinel Hill Press blog I’ve posted two tales of odd New England – the strange case of J. Bruce (in which a young man vanished in 1824 Boston only to have his remains located, allegedly, by a “mesmerist”) and all about that sweet Marblehead treat, the Joe Frogger, a cookie made with both saltwater and rum, guaranteeing it will be loved by sailors.  Speaking of Marblehead, I am currently working on a renewed call for submissions for issue #4… look for that soon.

Meanwhile, I’ve posting some shorter items of interest (assuming you care a whit about New England history and folklore) to our G+ group- An overview of the Dogtown “witches”, Tituba and the Salem Witch Trials, a folktale of how New England became so rocky, a Vermont Public Radio interview with author Joseph Citro, Mary Dyer and her “monster” child, I ask for reader feedback to answer the question “What does ‘He was a witch-cat‘” mean?, solicit member feedback on the new film The Witch, an example heart-burning to fight tuberculous from Harvard, MA (the town, not the college), a history of the Massachusetts State Police, and  two methods to find your future husband (from Marblehead, MA).

Other news

• Protodimension magazine has released a new issue, now following their “shorter but more often” release plan.
• Chaosium have announced A Time to Harvest, a 6-part campaign for members of their promotional Keeper group “The Cult of Chaos”.  Perhaps most exciting to me is the fact that it is set in Lovecraft Country.

Podcasting mayhem!

• the Cthulhu Breakfast club narrowly dodged some technical glitches to provide us Episode 12 – Failsafe.  No, it is not about Mutually Assured Destruction, but instead the new Conan RPG, an MR James card game, and reading games for pleasure (among other things).
• the Good Friends of Jackson Elias: Episode 71 (Gaming in the Modern World) & Episode 72 (Props!).  If you’re interested in seeing their Patreon only book “The Blasphemous Tome”, there is still time to become a backer if you are interested.
• Ken and Robin Talk(ed) About Stuff, such as a hypothetical Martian nuclear war, MI5 jerk Maxwell Knight, Ted Cruz’s inexplicable draw on Ken, & the supposed Neanderthal conspiracy.  As an added bonus, they released a mini-episode about their new Patreon campaign, which as I post this is already at $760 a month, about 3/4 of the way to their third milestone (aka “let’s pay the audio editor”).
• The Miskatonic University podcast had a jumbo “campus crier” episode.
• The Role-playing Public Radio gang did a campaign wrap-up for their epic run of The Masks of Nyarlathotep, including some very kind words for The Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion.  There was also a new episode of the MR James “Podcast to the Curious” which covered “A Night in King’s College Chapel” a bit of Jamesian ephemera.

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Antecedant of the rodentine horror

What ho, chaps and, err… chapettes!  I want to get a jump on that prognosticating marmota monax, so let’s get to it…

First off, I’ve launched a Patreon page for myself to help fund my work for Sentinel Hill Press, in particular my research and perhaps eventually better equipment for our podcast.  We have 7 backers so far and are just a dollar or two away from our second funding goal – $25 dollars (aka “not as cheap books!”).  Backers will get updates about my various research projects that they helped fund and and some behind the scenes discussions of my work at Sentinel Hill Press and, at higher levels, periodic previews of our works in progress.  I’ve posted a quick overview of my research collection, as it stands, so that you can see what sorts of books I’ve collected so far (and check out my Amazon wish-list for possible future purchases), if you are curious.

Meanwhile, while I have neglected my “Year in Lovecraftian Gaming” duties, Dean Engelhardt has stepped up on Yog-Sothoth.com and highlighted how 2015 was a very good year, numbers-wise.

Some new books:

• As Above, So Below (a 128 page sourcebook for their Laundry Files RPG, covering the Laundry’s military operations as well as the political machinations that guide that super-secret group).
• Achtung! Cthulhu: Elder Godlike (a mashup of Modiphius’ Achtung! Cthulhu and Arc Dream’s Godlike, letting you mix your Pulp Lovecraftian and WWII super-hero style gaming to your heart’s content.)
• (I realize I’ve missed releases for both the Laundry and A!C since neither are systems I play nor do they cover eras of which I am particularly interested.  Nevertheless, I am sorry for missing these lines in the past and hope to at least note their releases in the future.)

Odds and ends:

• If you do not follow the Sentinel Hill Press blog or our attendant G+ group, I’ve recently gathered up the more interesting links from the later (those of recent vintage at least) as well as an omnibus post on the SHP blog covering our short series highlighting odd animal tales from New England.  There were two ghost animals (or maybe just one?), a wooden fish, some odd tracks, a rabies outbreak, and a prescient cat.  The story of the Sacred Cod contains an annecdote of particular interest to detail-oriented Lovecraft Country Keepers. 🙂
• Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion contributor (no, I don’t know when it will be released, sorry!) Hal Eccles has just launched a Kickstarter for his game “Mythos Tales”, a Lovecraftian take on the old Sherlock Holmes, Consulting Detective game.  The original free version were produced in a most lovely form by Dean Engelhardt – #1 (A Grain of Evil) and #2 (The King Cometh) – if you’d like a preview.
• If you simply must have something Masks Companion related, you could back Stephanie McAlea’s Patreon; her backers get access to specially prepared color versions of the maps she produced for the book.
• Here’s a collection of all the commercially produced Keeper’s screens for Call of Cthulhu (text in Spanish).  So many screens!
• Chris Lackey (of the H.P. Lovecraft Literary Podcast among other places) was one of the makers of this amusing (but perhaps less-than-reverent) take on “The Statement of Randolph Carter”:

New podcasts of note:

• The Cthulhu Breakfast club “jumped the sharktopus” with episode #11, weighing in on the question of Peak Cthulhu, the merits of limited run gaming products, how to pronounce “bourbon“, and the guest’s favorite horror authors; Paul of Cthluhu also shows off his deluxe Keeper’s screen and miniature Sedefkar Simulacrum.
• The Good Friends of Jackson Elias concluded their discussion of “The Colour Out of Space”, looking at the assorted film versions of the story, and stories and films that bear a hint of the “Colour’s” influence.  The show includes a short interview with director Huan Vu, whose “Die Farbe” is probably the truest film adaptation of the story to date.
• Ken and Robin talked of… their visit to see John Dee’s books at the Royal College of Physicians… the relative merits of The Force Awakens… pad thai… and Chicago’s bloody newspaper Circulation Wars (1910-1919) – among many other things.
• The Miskatonic University podcast released episodes #93 (“Elbow Deep in Chicken“) and #94 (Conspiracy Theories).
• The Double Shadow returns (just in time for Puxatawny Phil, we dare say?) with “The Isle of the Torturers“, a tale as absurd as it was lurid.  Read it first here if you dare; my anti-virus software keeps flagging that site due to, apparently, expired certificates, but caveat linktor.  As an aside, I wonder how many of CA Smith’s stories’ titles could double as the name of an old AD&D module?  Perhaps something from Judge’s Guild?

That is all for now, hopefully.

 

Kickstarter successes, Troubled Goblins, miscellaneous news

Yellow – eye-catching and popular with taxis

The top story for the day is that I’ve launched a Kickstarter for the next issue of the Arkham Gazette, and that we’ve already funded.  Huzzah!!  Our next stretch goal is $2000, which will allow us to offer a print on demand version of the issue.  I’m still working out the details for some future stretch goals, but hopefully I can announce further details soon.

A happier Goblin

In much more disturbing news, Oscar Rios (of Golden Goblin Press) has made some rather serious allegations of deceit and theft on the part of his European re-distributor:

Unfortunately I am slowly coming to realize that once again I have been lied to by my international re-distributor, Angus Abranson of Chronicle City. I was given assurances that all of the missing rewards were mailed out, and I sent out the few items he claimed not to have. The items I mailed out seem to have arrived, but the items he claimed to mailed I now believe were never sent out.  I cannot express how deeply this entire business sickens me.

I promise that everyone due material will get their rewards, I just ask for your patience. If I am forced to resend everything out, to mail all the missing items directly it will be ruinous. I have already shipped these items to him and paid for the postage, promptly sending him a small fortune I might add.

I sincerely hope that this situation is resolved to the satisfaction of Golden Goblin Press’ backers and Golden Goblin Press itself.  I very much hope this doesn’t prevent GGP from releasing more new books this year.

Turning to Podcasts – Ken and Robin have been talking about Richard Sorge, foils in RPGs, Charles Richet, and an introduction to Surrealism; the head of Henry IV, character choice, Gerard Encausse, and Andre Breton. Dreamhounds and Dracula talk predominates but doesn’t overwhelm their chats.

The Miskatonic University Podcast released a supplemental episode, talking about the release of Call of Cthulhu 7th edition, and updating the MUP IndieGoGo campaign, among other topics.

Finally the Unspekable Oath podcast has been releasing more readings from Dennis Detwiller’s Tales of Failed Anatomies – Intelligences (which I didn’t love) and Philosophy (which I preferred).

As for Kickstarters…

• Puppetland funded
• The Masks of Nyarlathotep prop set is over 800% of its original funding goal
• Silent Legions is almost 300% of goal.

And that, for now, is all she wrote.

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.

How many Hit Dice do Smorgasbords have?

We’ve got a smorgasbord of Lovecraftian RPG stuff to note.  Grab a plate and make your own feast:

• The ENnie nominations have been announced.  Of particular interest to me are the Best Adventure nominations for the Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Quick-start rules for best freebie, The Sense of the Sleight-of-Hand Man and Eternal Lies, Ken and Robin Talk about Stuff for Best Podcast, and Achtung! Cthulhu’s Keeper’s Guide to the Secret War for cover art, writing, and product of the year.  Voting starts July 20th.
• Manservant Hecubus reports that a new episode of the Unspeakable Oath podcast was recorded over the weekend, with special guest Ryan Macklin.  It is expected to be released in a few days.
• Do you want your own (mini) Sedefkar Simulacrum?  (For only 35,000€ you can have a ‘life-sized’ one.)
• This is an ad in the new issue of the Unspeakable Oath (you’ve picked up your copy, yes?) suggesting that there will be a Kickstarter for the long awaited Horrors of War this summer.  Fingers crossed?
• Want another fundraiser?  Dennis Detwiller has launched a Patreon account (? not sure what term to use here).  In short, you can pledge a fixed amount to Dennis every time he creates new content for Delta Green.  His initial goal is $750 but if he gets to $5000 he’ll devote himself to Delta Green full time.
• Feed the Shoggoth’s Kickstarter is drawing to a close and our last question is how many stretch goals it will hit.
• In the realm of completed fundraisers, Dave Sokolowksi (one of the many contributors to The Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion) has publicly released He Who Laughs Last(in PDF), a scenario for Cthulhu Dark.

That’s it for now.  Stay frosty.

‘Call’, waiting

Chaosium has announced that the release date for the Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition  has been pushed back to October, citing art delays. Here’s the main point of the latest Kickstarter update:

Thus, our initial estimate of 7th Edition delivery for late Spring has had to be pushed back. Which is something neither you or we wanted to happen, but given the circumstances, is something that cannot be avoided – unless we want to diminish the quality of the 7th Edition products, which is something we definitely do not want to do. So, our new estimate on shipping 7th Edition (Rulebook, Investigator’s Handbook and Keeper Screen Pack) is Halloween.

I’ve been publicly agnostic about the new edition – I’m not innately against it but I worry about too much change – and wasn’t part of the Kickstarter, but I’m sorely surprised that the book got pushed back so far due to late art. Surely there are other artists? Not that I’ve got a lot of room to talk, since the Arkham Gazette’s next issue was supposed to be out in February, but I’m doing that with only a small number of authors, for free.

Let hope Halloween is more treats, fewer tricks.

Beware the Flail Snail!

Argh (busy busy)

Sorry for the lack of updates; things have been hectic around TiP Central due to various IRL issues.  Ideally I would be talking about a few odds and ends from 2013, including the various Lovecraftian RPG podcasts, my favorite releases from the year, etc.

Instead, for now I’ll just pass along a link to Golden Goblin’s latest Kickstarter for their next book “Tales of the Crescent City”.  They’ve already reached twice their initial target.  Check it out.

London Kingstarter endgame; also, Dean Engelhardt is nuts

Sorry for the lack of updates.  Things have been busy around TiP HQ with the holidays, and scenario writing (sorry Stuart!), and homunculus wrangling.  Rest assured gentle reader(s?), I’ll have more to say when I wring more time from the fabric of reality, or after Christmas, whichever comes first.

First off, we’ve entered the final few hours of the Cubicle 7 Kickstarter for their London Boxed set.  With nearly 700 backers and over £80,000  pledged, I suspect those of your who were thinking of joining, have already done so, but just in case you missed it, give it a look.

That’s just a tiny part of the thing.

Meanwhile, Dean Engelhardt, who is clearly a lunatic, graphed the evolution of the skills of the various editions of Call of Cthulhu.  It’s huge (and fascinating, frankly) and definitely worth a look.  I’m really amazed how much the skills have been winnowed down in 7th Ed.  I hope they’ve cut down the skill points.

Cubicle 7 Kickstart’s their London Boxed Set

A project I have been eagerly anticipating has finally reached the Kickstarter stage- Cubicle 7 have launched their Kickstarter for the London Boxed Set.  I’ll let them explain it:

While London has been covered in previous books* (and most recently most ably by Anthony Warren in the Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion) this will be the most comprehensive (and best looking) treatment of London for Call of Cthulhu ever.  If you’re interested, give the Kickstarter a look.

*Off the top of my head, Green and Pleasant Land, the London Guidebook, Kingdom of the Blind, Masks of Nyarlathotep, Day of the Beast… and of course Trail of Cthulhu’s masterful Bookhounds of London.

News roundup (yee-ha?)

Sorry to have been so remiss in my posting.  I’ve been focused on wrapping up the first regular issue of the Arkham Gazette as well as another writing project (more on that soon, I hope); when compounded with pressing real-life necessities, the blog had to take a pause.  That being said…

My copy of Island of Ignorance arrived (slightly dinged sadly), making Golden Goblin Press the first publisher to keep a deadline for any Kickstarter I’ve joined.  Nicely done.  The book’s great too; hopefully I can put together a review at some point.

Podcast news:

• The Good Friends of Jackson Elias have talked about their favorite spells  in CoC and conducted a video interview with author Rafael Chandler (also available in purely audio form).
• The Miskatonic University Podcast crew released another episode, this time talking about art and inspiration for your Call of Cthulhu game.
• The Unspeakable Oath has released a recording of a playtest of Cold Dead Hand, a scenario that appeared in their latest issue.
• Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff talked about Ken’s trip to Vermont and Marblehead MA and, more disturbingly offered preliminary reviews of Sleepy Hollow and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.  I cannot agree with their assessment of the two shows; I find it much easier to ignore some rejiggering of the Marvel Universe continuity than having real-world history put through the filter of the National Treasure movies.  In other words, Sleepy Hollow – bleh, Agents of Shield – eh.