Tag Archives: Sixtystone Press

Guns, lots of guns (and other news)

Time continues to race by, as it always seems to when I have a project overdue!

First off, I’m still working on issue #3 of the Arkham Gazette. Hopefully our next issue won’t take nearly as long! It will definitely be shorter. Our goal is to have a draft of the issue, sans scenario, available for our backers before the end of the month, with the issue itself getting a regular release soon after. I’m more likely to update the Kickstarter (and our G+ group) before I post something here, if you’re awaiting it with bated breath.

Text by Hans-Christian Vortisch, cover by Chris Huth

Sixtystone Press just announced that their Print on Demand version of their excellent Investigator Weapons vol 2: Modern Day is now available. Buy it now for an excellent discount!

We’ve had, oddly enough, lots of podcasts in the month since my last update:

(and very incongruously for the above gun and podcast talk, I am currently listening to this: https://youtu.be/Rgb8am3NQU0 . Such is life.)

Sammons, Submissions, and a plea to John Crowe.

“Reiterpistolelefthand” by Memecry2 – Own work. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

There has been a new episode of the Miskatonic University podcast.  This time their guest is Brian Sammons, who talks about a number of upcoming projects – editing World War Cthulhu (a fiction anthology), the scenario collection Doors to Darkness, and his campaign A Time to Harvest (about which he says very little, but consider my interest piqued).  I kind of wished they had asked about his work in the 7th Ed revamp of Arkham Unveiled, but I suppose that will come eventually…  They also talk about guns (auto-fire, shotguns, and ‘howdah pistols’ specifically) but, inexplicably, don’t mention Sixtystone’s outstanding Investigator Weapons vol. 1.  I guess I know what I’m getting them for Christmas…

Protodimension magazine still needs submissions for its next issue.  This is something I am particularly attuned to working on the Arkham Gazette; I’m checking my folder of half baked ideas seeing if I have something they might find useful.

After some discussion here in our comments section, I’ve decided to lower my pledge (temporarily) for Pagan’s Horrors of War scenario collection Kickstarter to $1 to show my support for a PDF release of the book.  I may not work, but I truly do think the lack of a PDF option is holding the project (which I have been eagerly awaiting for many years now) back.  (For example, the Feng-Shui 2 Kickstarter, which I’m sure is a fine game but one I am utterly indifferent to despite Robin Laws all but leaping from my iPhone and insisting I buy a copy, has hit $30,000 in under 24 hours.  Golden Goblin Press’ Horrore Cosmico Kickstarter is closing on $17,000 after less than a week.  Please John Crowe, reconsider a PDF option.)

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.

We All Live in Ulthar Now…

20140426-012340.jpg

Sixtystone have released their first book of the year… Cathulhu

From the blurb –

Welcome to Cathulhu, the Call of Cthulhu alternative setting where feline sleuths investigate the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos.

Cats are mysterious, self-contained creatures. Both wild and domestic in nature, they are silent observers of all that goes on around them.

In Cathulhu, discover the secret life of the cat as a Dreamlands warrior and a Waking World sleuth. Cats are the secret allies of humanity in the fight against cosmic horror; confronting overlooked machinations orchestrated from the sewers, tracking down sorcerers and cultists in the Waking World, and taking the fight to Nyarlathotep’s minions in the Dreamlands with the Cat Armies.

Fully compatible with 6th Ed CoC. Catnip not included.

UPDATE : Dean Engelhardt, who laid out the book and provided much of the art shares more on the book, including some page previews on his blog.

(not to be confused with The Call of Cathulhu)

What a year (part 2)

Continuing on…

Innsmouth House Press
The Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion {PDF}

I edited all of and wrote much of this titanic project. Hopefully I will be able to announce a print version soon.

Miskatonic River Press
Tales of the Sleepless City

MRP’s swan song (not counting the delayed “Punktown”), Tales was bittersweet; a great book but one that marked the end of a publisher. Unlike the forgettable scenarios included with Secrets of New York, it managed to wed the Cthulhu Mythos to its New York setting in a way that would no doubt driven Lovecraft from Brooklyn even faster. If you are running Masks of Nyarlathotep or want a change of pace from remote places or rural New England, give this book a look.

Modiphius
The Trellborg Monstrosities {PDF}
Achtung Cthulhu: Keeper’s Guide to the Secret War {PDF}
Achtung Cthulhu: Investigator’s Guide to the Secret War {PDF}

As per my comments about World War Cthulhu yesterday, while I’m very glad that Modiphius has had great success, this series simply didn’t capture my imagination. Perhaps some day I’ll pick up a copy and be swayed.

Pelgrane Press
The Final Revelation

I’ve read (and enjoyed) all but the framing scenario when they were published previously, but I wanted to have a reading copy so I can keep my limited edition Dragonmeet copies up on the shelf. I should probably read that framing scenario…

Eternal Lies {PDF}

Time for another confession… I can’t get into this. There is something so clinical about most Trail of Cthulhu scenarios that they simply are not, unlike Call of Cthulhu ones, fun to read. It’s like reading a grocery list merged with a horror story. Maybe it was the overall plot (which reviewers have appropriately avoided spoiling and I will do likewise) but I’ve still not finished it despite making a couple attempts. I should read it since it is Trail’s first campaign and I’m curious to see how they handle an on-going game.

Sentinel Hill Press
The Arkham Gazette #0 (PDF)
The Arkham Gazette #1 (PDF)

Wrote and edited most of these two. Give them a read!

Sixtystone Press
Lost in the Lights (PDF only)

An interesting, well-written and attractively presented modern scenario. Wondering why it still hasn’t come out in print.

Investigator Weapons, Vol. 1 (Classic era)

Essential for any Classic era game. Hans knows his stuff but this isn’t a dry catalog of weapon stats and damage tables. This presents weapons as historical artifacts that enriches your game, not just adds nifty kill machines, by giving you the context to the weapon and a deeper understanding of how they function. If you’re like me and aren’t someone with a lot of experience with weapons (reading that polearm table in Unearthed Arcana counts as experience, yes?) this is fascinating.

Solace Games
Fungi Mine (PDF)

I tend not to read PDF-only release. I may pick this up at some point, but I am in no rush.

Tomorrow, Chaosium and perhaps additional comments.

Another Kickstarter: the Call of Catthulhu

As Cubicle 7’s London Boxed set’s Kickstarter rockets skyward, I wanted to mention another crowd-funding project running at present…

Whilst at NecronomiCon is had the pleasure of picking up an early version of the Call of Catthulhu.  It was an amusing game and I’m glad I picked it up.  Now (well, two weeks ago but my attention has been elsewhere) they launched a Kickstarter for a deluxe edition of the game.  It’s already reached and exceeded its initial goal, which is lovely.  If you want to fight the Mythos as a cat (and now as a dog as well thanks to a stretch goal), check it out.

(In case you wondered, this has nothing to do with the Call of Cathulhu (note the single ‘t’), as appeared in Worlds of Cthulhu and to eventually be released by Sixtystone Press, though they both involve the Mythos and cat.)

Thank you, nameless Postal servitors (Updated)

Look out! The Dover Demon is, uh, mute! Any tiny! And probably not very dangerous!

{Of course as soon as I post something about the mail, I get more things to report.  I’ve added those at the end.}

Whilst enjoying some positive feedback on the Arkham Gazette’s demo issue, I was also fortunate enough to get a batch of books in the mail, so expected, some ordered long ago and forgotten. Let’s have a rundown, shall we?

  • The Unspeakable Oath #22.  Excellent as ever, with a really interesting modern scenario (“Die High”, which is not about a German High School despite the name).  Have you subscribed yet?
  • Stone Structures of New England, a pamphlet about, well, stone structures in New England.  An interesting resource.
  • Monsters of Massachusetts, which sadly doesn’t contain any beasties I’ve not heard of already, but has some interesting scenario building material nevertheless.
  • Shotguns v. Cthulhu, which contains Adam Scott Glancy’s fictional take on my Shotgun Scenario “Last Things Last“.  It is simultaneously thrilling and odd to see what one of the creators of Delta Green does with my little scenario.  I appreciate Scott’s enthusiasm for the scenario and his gentlemanly willingness to split the payment and contributor copies 50/50.
  • Three issues of Lovecraft Studies arrived at long (long long) last from Necronomicon Press (#33, 39, & 41 if you were curious).  I ordered these back in early June, having had my interest piqued about Foxfield, so I went right to the source… that source being Will Murray’s article “Where Was Foxfield” in #33.  Finally!

I’m expecting The Sense of the Sleight of Hand Man any day now (already have PDF but prefer to read the print version)… certain occult signs suggest that Sixtystone Press’ first book will see print soon as well.  I’ve got a lot of good reading ahead of me… now I just need to get my scenarios ready for NecronomiCon.

News update

I’ve got a couple of news items that I wanted to share.  Excuse my brevity, I’m still neck deep in assorted projects and need to get cracking before sleep overtakes me (or I give in to my dark addiction to playing “just a couple more minutes” of Fall Out: New Vegas… and fall asleep doing it,again.

  • There is a new episode of the Miskatonic University podcast – their guest this time is Mike Mason (of 7th Ed. CoC fame).  They also have a news recap, talk about their favorite Lovecraftian films, and reveal some of the secrets of hopping Indonesian zombies .  Yes, hopping zombies.  No, they are not a zombie with pop rocks around the rim.
  • Adam Crossingham has announced that Sixtystone Press is looking for playtesters for Colonial Lovecraft Country.  I’ve had the pleasure of reading Kevin Ross’ manuscript as well as several of the scenarios and I highly recommend it.
  • Did I mention Raiders of R’lyeh?
  • Do you want to listen to Dan Harm’s talk at Treadwells in London from a few months back?  You can now!
  • Shane Ivey has started posting notes from his playtest of the Sense of the Sleight of Hand Man.
  • I’ve sent out a draft of the Arkham Gazette Issue 0 to a proofreader.  Huzzah!  It should be done soon (fingers crossed).

Read any good PDFs lately?

I have been very busy of late, between the escape release of the Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion, work I owe [REDACTED], research and writing for [REDACTED], a visit from my family, and trying to get the Arkham Gazette’s preview issue ready for release.  Since time is at a premium and I keep falling asleep at the keyboard (and I’ve wasted far too much time on my Father’s Day gift; oh Fallout New Vegas, how many hours will you consume?!?) I’ve decided to at least catch up on things via a good old fashioned bullet point list.

  • The lads at the Miskatonic University Podcast have some kind words for the preview of the Gazette I shared with Keeper Chad in their latest episode.  I’m not sure why it sounds like someone is shooting at him.
  • A bunch of places have mentioned the Companion, but I’ve not seen any full reviews.  Perhaps it takes time to read 572 pages?
  • The contributors to the Companion collectively purchased me a nightmarish bust of Nyarlathotep (in his God of the Bloody Tongue form) which now terrifies all visitors to my home, lording over them from the mantle.
  • The Gaming Grunts have nearly wrapped up their playthrough of Realm of Shadows; it’s been a fun ride so far – they skipped so much! – and I cannot wait to see how it ends.
  • Sixtystone Press has announced that they’re releasing an expanded PDF/POD version of Cathulhu, a version of CoC in which you play a cat originally published in Worlds of Cthulhu magazine (issue 3 maybe?).  I’d link to it but I can only find a post to their Google plus thingie.  Hopefully we’ll see a print book from them soon?
  • Finally, I’m working on a separate blog for all things Arkham Gazette, including notes on submissions, topics for future issues, etc.  I’ll make that live when I finally get the preview issue done.  I should probably make up a name better than WinstonP-writes-a-magazinette-about-Lovecraft-Country-etc is a mouthful.