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MOB

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MOB last won the day on March 10

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About MOB

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  • RPG Biography
    Vice President, Chaosium Inc.
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    MGF
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    Melbourne, Australia
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    A.K.A. MOB

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    http://www.chaosium.com/michael-obrien

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  1. Chaosium Con takes place in Ann Arbor MI in exactly one month from today — and there are badges available if you'd like to join us for a weekend dripping with cosmic horror, essential runes, swashbuckling adventure, and chivalrous quests (and guests)! Single Day Badges and Student Badges are now available too. What can you expect from Chaosium Con 2024? We'll have panels, live shows, seminars, Mimosas mixers, community content pop up stall, games, games, games, and games! ...And more! If you don't have your badge-- get it NOW! You don't want to miss this event. Chaosium Speakeasy Event Thursday from 7pm For our opening celebration, come mix and mingle with the Chaosium tribe. We're providing hors d'oeuvres and there will be a cash bar! This is a great opportunity to connect, chat, and hang out! OH! And it’s a Speakeasy! So, jazz it up with your favorite 1920’s cosplay! Chaosium Collectables Auction Friday 4pm-6pm (viewing prior) Join auctioneers Mike Mason and Rick Meints as they tell tales, share history, and auction off a wide variety of Chaosium collectables from our archives. Plus, we have powerhouse groups like You Too Can Cthulhu and Lurking Fears putting on events throughout the entire convention. Where can I stay? Once again, our convention will be held at the Eaglecrest Golf Resort and Convention Centre, 17 miles west of Detroit Metro Airport (DTW). A limited number of hotel rooms are still available at the on-site hotel (Ann Arbor Marriot Ypsilanti); if they sell out, there are two other hotels within walking distance/a few minutes drive: Hampton Inn & Suites Ypsilanti Fairfield Inn & Suites Ann Arbor Ypsilanti
  2. The sixth and final episode of our blockbuster Call of Cthulhu actual play series is now up on YouTube! As the world falls to chaos around them, our investigators make one last desperate attempt to save Arkham... Starring Mark Meer as Keeper of Arcane Lore, and Investigators Patrick Logan, Josephine McAdam, Lucia Versprille, and Noura Ibrahim. Original Story by Belinda Cornish & Darren Ormandy. Grateful thanks to all the Graveyards of Arkham Kickstarter backers: we couldn't have made this blockbuster Call of Cthulhu actual play show without your generous support!
  3. All aboard! Uncover horrific mysteries in the new board game Horror on the Orient Express! Exclusive gifts available only at the Kickstarter railway station—join the over 10,000 passengers who've already signed up to the pre-launch page, ready for the train journey to begin! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chaosium/horror-on-the-orient-express-the-board-game/
  4. Earlier today (or yesterday, depending on your time zone) the final episode of our blockbuster actual play series Graveyards of Arkham premiered on Twitch TV - if you missed it, don't worry, it will be up on the Chaosium YouTube channel on Sunday at 2:30pm PT / 5:30pm ET. Thank you to all the viewers who have watched the show as it unfolded over the past six episodes - especially if you participated in the live Twitch thread, or commented on YouTube. The comments have been almost entirely positive and encouraging: it seems people absolutely loved the show - and would love us to do more - which is very gratifying for all the cast, crew and creative team involved. Let's give them the recognition they deserve: Many thanks to the amazing cast: Keeper of Arcane of Lore, Mark Meer And doughty investigators Josephine McAdam Patrick Logan Lucia Versprille and Noura Ibrahim Plus our wonderful guest NPCs! Andrew Leman Paula Deming Belinda Cornish and Becca Scott And many thanks to the professionals behind the scenes, without whom the show could not have been made: First and foremost, we'd like to highlight the fiendish imaginations of Graveyards of Arkham co-writers Belinda Cornish and Darren Ormandy (they wrote the predecessor series Bookshops of Arkham too!). In Los Angeles, many thanks to producers Becca Scott, Jake Michels and Matt Moynihan at the Good Time Society studio, Director Jake Michels, Costume Designer Alicia Silverstein, Editor Garrett Johnson, Production Designer Daniel Baxter, Director of Photography Nate Cornett and all of the rest of the hardworking production crew. Chaosium's James Coquillat and David Naylor did a sterling job in post production, getting all the episodes ready for release. Thanks also to Call of Cthulhu creative director Mike Mason, and to Chaosium staff artist Ossi Hiekkala who made the spectacular Graveyards of Arkham Official Movie Poster. And props to prop makers Gina DeVivo and Katie Michels made the unnervingly realistic human torso cake that features in the production (yum yum!): We'd also like to thank our friends at Roll20 who co-sponsored the show, and whose interface on screen ably helped viewers see how the Call of Cthulhu game actually works in play, e.g.: And biggest thanks of all to the Graveyards of Arkham Kickstarter backers! Putting together an actual play show of this production quality and level of talent was costly (but worth it!) As we have said time and again, we couldn't have done it without you! Michael O'Brien and Brian Holland Executive Producers, Graveyards of Arkham
  5. One of the stars of our currently-showing blockbuster actual play series Graveyards of Arkham is coming to Chaosium Con in Ann Arbor MI next month! Josephine McAdam, who plays hard-boiled detective Vic Mason, will be a special guest at the convention on April 18-21st. An award-winning actor, Josephine is also a frequent face on Chaosium’s Stream of Chaos, and fans of TTRPGs will know of Josephine as the blood-witch Eva in LA by Night, from Battle for Beyond, The Glass Cannon Network's Haunted City, Ain't Slayed Nobody, and many more actual play shows! Fans of horror may have seen Josephine over on Shudder in the films The Mortuary Collection, and Scare Package. -- Josephine McAdam as Vic Mason in Graveyards of Arkham -- Episodes premiere weekly on TwitchTV, Wednesdays at 6:30pm PT / 9:30pm ET, followed by YouTube the following Sundays at 2:30pm PT / 5:30pm ET. Get your badge for Chaosium Con 2024! Badges are on sale now for a weekend dripping with cosmic horror, essential runes, swashbuckling adventure, and chivalrous quests! The convention takes place once again at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti, Eaglecrest Golf Resort and Convention Centre, 17 miles west of Detroit Metro Airport (DTW), Michigan.
  6. Yes, as @Mike M has noted in his tribute to Keith Herber, published today on the 15th anniversary of his passing:
  7. -- Keith Herber (January 3, 1949 – March 13, 2009) -- Today marks 15 years since Keith "Doc" Herber passed on. Doc was born in Detroit, Michigan and later moved to the Bay Area during his time working at Chaosium on Call of Cthulhu. It’s funny how things change, given that Chaosium’s head office is now based in Michigan. Perhaps it’s something in the Michigan water that nurtures game designers? As well as being an accomplished musician, playing bass guitar for blues bands like the Progressive Blues Band or rock for the likes of The Violent Femmes, Doc was a writer and editor. While he wrote for White Wolf’s Vampire and contributed to small press zines like The Unspeakable Oath and Worlds of Cthulhu, it is his lasting work on the Call of Cthulhu tabletop roleplaying game that most who read this will remember him by. Doc wrote for Chaosium from the mid-1980s, not that long into the game’s history, and was Call of Cthulhu line editor for around five years after working on the development of the fourth edition of the game, released in 1989. After that, Doc went on to manage the fifth edition of Call of Cthulhu (1992) as well as numerous scenario books and supplements, including The Fungi from Yuggoth (1984),Trail of Tsathogghua (1984),Spawn of Azathoth (1986), Investigator’s Companion Vol 1 & 2 (1993 & 1994), and the Keeper’s Compendium (1993). In terms of Call of Cthulhu, Doc is probably best remembered for his work on developing what came to be known as “Lovecraft Country” through the books Arkham Unveiled (1990), Return to Dunwich (1991), Kingsport (1991), and Escape from Innsmouth (1992). -- Arkham Unveiled (1990) -- These works firmly established the Miskatonic Valley region in game lore. Building on Lovecraft’s, Derleth’s, and others works, Doc grafted meat on to the bones, breathing life into these fictional locations with quirky characters, strange buildings, and engaging plot seeds. It was a vast amount of work, whether as lead writer or editor, in pulling all the strands together to form a consistent, believable, and immersive setting—and I should know, given that I’ve been working on updating and expanding these books! It was no small feat and I for one certainly understand and recognize the effort and passion Doc had for this unique and groundbreaking series. Keith left Chaosium for new dimensions in 1994. A few years later, he would return to his love of Call of Cthulhu by setting up Miskatonic River Press in 2009 to publish supplements for the game under license, as well as fiction anthologies. It was in the early days of this new and exciting venture that Keith left us all. In writing and producing the new edition of Arkham Unveiled, now simply called "Arkham,” I felt it was only right to honor Doc within the game’s canon, and so there’s a new entry within—look up location OS109 and you’ll find it. Just my way of thanking Doc and remembering him. Mike Mason @Mike M March 13, 2024
  8. Episode five of our blockbuster Call of Cthulhu actual play series is now up on YouTube! Outnumbered and outgunned, our investigators turn to extreme measure and strange allies... Featuring guest NPCs Belinda Cornish - who is also one of the co-writers of the show! - and Becca Scott. Graveyards of Arkham episodes premiere weekly on TwitchTV, Wednesdays at 6:30pm PT / 9:30pm ET, followed by YouTube the following Sundays at 2:30pm PT / 5:30pm ET. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and you won't miss a thing! Starring Mark Meer as Keeper of Arcane Lore, and Investigators Patrick Logan, Josephine McAdam, Lucia Versprille, and Noura Ibrahim. Guest NPCs Belinda Cornish and Becca Scott. Original Story by Belinda Cornish & Darren Ormandy. Grateful thanks to all the Graveyards of Arkham Kickstarter backers: we couldn't have made this blockbuster Call of Cthulhu actual play show without your generous support!
  9. Unnatural Selections #82: Graveyards of Arkham is a hit with viewers! The 'Unnatural Selections' series is our regular round up of notable Chaosium reviews worth a look. The early reactions were ecstatic, and now four episodes in viewers continue to love our actual play series Graveyards of Arkham. Here's a sampling of YouTube comments by viewers from episodes two, three and four! "Great sequel to the Bookshops of Arkham series! Just top notch all around and once again enjoying the fantastic work of Mark Meer!" — @SilverViper219. "Woot! I'll be a keeper for my first time in March. This is fun and informative for me." — @MiniatureMashup "Fantastic stuff from Mark and the cast as always!! But also hats off to the ‘NPC’ this week [Paula Deming]! Great work!" — @phoenixiwaki "Another excellent slow-burn episode - with some great Keeper NPCs and Guest NPC - the creepy tension gathering to a storm cloud as the mysteries unfold..." — @aztecjaguar6571 "I love the way you have organised and projected this game. So, as we all know, CoC is just a "game" but you bring this to life as a play - almost a slice of real, if creepy, life. The scene setting, the costumes, the background music and of course the multiple roles played by you are vivid and engrossing. Real talent, thank you for your efforts." - Tim "I love the sets and the costumes...they really are a nice touch...but I could just relax, close my eyes and become immersed in this "actual play" due to the fantastic audio and voice talents. Bravo! I guess this is similar to what people were entertained with before television and movies." — @rpmfla "The chemistry this cast has, man. There's something so perfect about the Keeper having to pop into the middle of a conversation between investigators to remind them of their leads, because both the players and the investigators are just spiralling into confusion ... Chef's kiss. It just makes me want to hunt down a group and start playing. Chaosium, thanks for a lovely series. (again)" — @yourspoookyaunt "This was great. I loved how everyone really came alive. Archibald with his past. Vic with the great distressing with the twine. Betty being catty and mean. And Theodore dealing with death. This was an amazing chapter for all these characters. 100% loved it." — @TheFaulkned "Tension deliciously builds. Becca enters at the cliffhanger." — @AetherflyerGames "I'm not sure why but CoC actual plays are the only ones I can consistently consume. I just love them so much. I originally only intended to watch Andrew Leman's episode as I'm a lifetime member of the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society (Leman is one of the founders) but this ended up making me subscribe to Chaosium's channel and follow this particular series. Given the other comments I've seen, I'll probably check out Bookshops of Arkham, too." — @ryanahr2267 "So nice to see some effort; costumes and a set rather than a series of zoom boxes. I appreciate this has a production budget but it really helps the atmosphere and immersion. Top level stuff!" — @ashleyblake4899 "Goosebumps on top of goosebumps!" — @dee_w784 "The dinner was truly horrifying. The players really got rattled by the feast presented to them!" — @LightningRaven42 "I mean Bookshops of Arkham was already excellent, but this is absolutely next level!" — @niccolomereghetti4808 "All the cast is so good. Their performance in the dream scene is deeply moving." — @Himbros "Becca Scott in 1920s attire looks she is a character straight from The Great Gatsby." — @aztecjaguar6571 "Not to be missed, a classic." — @FleshyInterloper "A BIT of a cliffhanger? Talking about an understatement there 😉 So when is the next one??" — @sanja2776 Watch Graveyards of Arkham episodes premiere weekly on TwitchTV, Wednesdays at 6:30 PT / 9:30 ET, followed by YouTube the following Sundays. Subscribe to our YouTube channel and you won't miss a thing!
  10. Download for free! – maps and handouts for Call of Cthulhu: Arkham, the definitive guide to the signature setting of Call of Cthulhu. This includes the Player and Keeper Maps of the haunted city, Arkham Outskirts Map, and Massachusetts 1922 Map. Plus the complete four page Arkham Advertiser newspaper, created specially for this book by award-winning prop makers The H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. You can download the free handouts pack directly from the Call of Cthulhu: Arkham product pages, and at our Itch.io page. Call of Cthulhu: Arkham is also available at DriveThruRPG and at Roll20.
  11. Available for both; however we can't dictate how swiftly distributors and then game stores are going to order in copies.
  12. To be released at Chaosium Con in Ann Arbor next month...
  13. For questions you might have about the BRP Design Challenge, please see our FAQ at this post on Chaosium.com.
  14. Please do not include AI content (e.g. Midjourney. ChatGPT etc) in your BRP Challenge submission.
  15. Last year at the Ballarat Heritage Festival David Waldron's Call of Cthulhu live actual play production William Bailey's Haunted Mansion was a great success; it was then published in the Miskatonic Repository, Chaosium's platform for independent Call of Cthulhu creators at DriveThruRPG, and even went on to receive a commendation in the 2023 Victorian Community History Awards. This year David is back for the 2024 Ballarat Heritage Festival with an all new Call of Cthulhu actual play production Spectral Schemes, adapted from fellow Miskatonic Repository creator Kat Clay's scenario The Hammersmith Haunting. The scenario is set in the turbulent 1890s of the historic city of Ballarat in Victoria's Goldfields, Australia: It is the year 1890 and the streets of Ballarat have become gripped by ghost fever. The nightly depredations of the Ballarat Ghost have turned the gaslit streets of the city into a place of fear and dread. Even in the halls of the City Council The panic has reached such a state that a bounty has been offered for thye capture of "the person playing the ghost" in the dark corners of the city. Meanwhile, a far more sinister threat lurks beneath the city from a long forgotten crime. Will our party of brave investigators be able to put an end to the terror of the Ballarat Ghost? David and the team from the award-winning Tales from Rat City podcast have produced an amazing live play theatrical event for the 2024 Festival, including figurines, live music, and many more surprises. Spectral Schemes takes place on Thursday, 23 May 2024 7:00 PM - 9:30 PM at the Ballarat Town Hall and online. This event is free, but requires a ticket: get yours here! Chaosium is proud to support this event in association with the City of Ballarat, Guf Games Ballarat, Good Games, Federation University, and Ballarat Libraries.
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