MOB

Cults of Prax was published forty years ago this year. Its groundbreaking presentation of gods and how they interact with the world through those who worship them still makes it one of the most influential and important works ever released for RuneQuest and the world of Glorantha, and indeed for roleplaying games in general. https://www.chaosium.com/blogunnatural-selections-27-cults-of-prax-what-the-critics-said-then-and-what-they-say-now

An official launch event for our new Call of Cthulhu supplement BERLIN THE WICKED CITY, taking place in the Wicked City itself! Join Chaosium's Jeff Richard and Jason Durall at the Otherland Bookshop (Bergmannstraße 25 Berlin) at 6.30PM on September 7th. The book will be available, along with Berlin-themed cocktails. More details about the event here: http://otherland-berlin.blogspot.com/2019/08/release-event-cthulhu-goes-to-wicked.html

BERLIN THE WICKED CITY is now out in full-color hardback!Mythos Horrors in Weimar-era Berlin, available directly from Chaosium: https://www.chaosium.com/berlin-the-wicked-city-hardcover Also available in special Leatherette edition: https://www.chaosium.com/berlin-the-wicked-city-leatherette

The word for "War" in Sanskrit translates as "A desire for more cows", at least according to the movie 'Arrival'. Suspect it's the same in Praxian...

The Shadow Over Providence now available at DriveThruRPG too.

The Kickstarter for the Swedish edition of Call of Cthulhu is now live. Our friends at Eloso Förlag have created a special international collectors backer level for non-Swedes, but if you don't do anything else do watch their campaign video - its AMAZING!

Available now: THE SHADOW OVER PROVIDENCE, the new Call of Cthulhu scenario created by Chaosium to celebrate NecronomiCon 2019. Available in PDF—if you purchase from Chaosium.com now you'll get the full price of the PDF off the physical product when it is released. https://www.chaosium.com/the-shadow-over-providence-pdf

Available now: THE SHADOW OVER PROVIDENCE, the new Call of Cthulhu scenario created by Chaosium to celebrate NecronomiCon 2019. The setting of this adventure may seem strangely familiar to anyone who has visited Providence’s iconic Biltmore Hotel. By Jon Hook of the Miskatonic University Podcast, with with artwork and maps by Matt Ryan. Available in PDF—if you purchase from Chaosium.com now you'll get the full price of the PDF off the physical product when it is released. https://www.chaosium.com/the-shadow-over-providence-pdf

This theme is explored in the final "making a tribe" stages of the King of Dragon Pass game.

As noted, we've received an avalanche of orders after Shadow of the Crystal Palace went to air and our North American Shipping Company has been overwhelmed by the Critter Community Death Hug! Our customer support specialist Dustin outlines what we're doing to to catch up... https://www.chaosium.com/bloga-note-from-dustin-shipping-delays-death-hugs-and-your-order-status

In the third article about Shadow of the Crystal Palace, as physical props can be a big part of Call of Cthulhu, here's how they were brought at the game table by Keeper Taliesin with certain narrative and mechanical implications in mind. https://critrole.com/shadow-of-the-crystal-palace-the-props

Trevor Ackerly and I wrote about this issue long ago: THIS IS A DOCUMENT OF LHANKOR MHY, LORD OF THE LIGHT OF INSPIRATION AND SEEKER OF KNOWLEDGE FROM BEYOND THE KEN OF THE GODS. ABSTRACT A report by Theodopolous Pandarus, initiate of Lhankor Mhy and Temple Collator, on the scandalous faction-fighting at the Lhankor Mhy temple of Nochet City, with specific reference to the hoarding of knowledge and its deleterious effect upon the temple library, examined in context with the depilation of knowledge caused by the recent conflagration and pillage; and incorporating a brief dissertation on the growing reliance placed upon verbal descriptions. There is a lot of faction-fighting at this temple[1]. Having commenced thus I am uncertain how to continue... [Translators' Note: There follows many pages of drivel upon the direction good writing should follow, eg. "The Sages of the West love to start a story in the middle and finish there as well. They jump about the story-line with no respect for continuity. The Lunars, on the other hand, love to tell a story in true Imperial style, beginning at the start and finishing at the end, never deviating from a direct linear path. I myself prefer a middle road...."] At the Lhankor Mhy library in Nochet great disarray prevails. The collection of scrolls and tablets referred to as "the library" is a motley assortment of documents written in every tongue known (and some unknown) to man. Each faction head or notable has therefore resorted to keeping a personal library pertaining to his own interests, written in whatever tongue he has mastered. Access to these private collections is reserved for members of the faction, and even then one must know the correct language to have any hope of reading a particular document. However, by appeasing the writer it may be possible for him to translate it for you: thus it is often necessary to espouse the "Round Earth" theory[2] or similar rubbish to gain access to a vital text. Many documents are available in the common library, and some copyists laboriously reproduce them for general use. They are invariably in some foreign tongue however, and therefore of no use to anybody. Furthermore, the apprentices assigned to sorting and cataloging often spy upon the doings of other scholars, then report their information back to their factional superiors. It is not at all uncommon for certain crucial documents to be translated overnight by some priest into a language unknown to the researcher's faction, or simply disappear into a factional hoard. The root cause of this evil is the incumbent High Priest's policy of "publish or perish", by which is demanded that all Sages and initiates must produce a given quota of written material each season. In the mayhem that followed Greymane's sack of the city four years back (1618), a great fire consumed part of the library wing of the temple (upon the site of which you will today see the temple corral). Furthermore, much of what was saved was later sequestered by rapacious Lunar scholars after the Empire's capture of the city last year ( including, sadly, the only extant copy of the Golden Books of Elephantis, the most copious encyclopeadia of pornography ever assembled). I must begrudgingly acknowledge the fact while the damage to the collection from these twin disasters was tragic, even greater would have been the loss had not much of the collection been stored away from the library in factional caches. To reverse this catastrophe, it is current policy that all should do their utmost to set to written account all they can accurately recall from their studies in the old library. By order of High Priest, strict quotas have been applied, so that reconstruction can proceed with the utmost speed. This order has resulted in even the most reputable sages churning out the most inaccurate, prolix and banal reports, merely to met their quota. The present drought has also caused a grave shortage of flax for paper making. As a result, paper too has become another focus of factional struggle. Much vital information cannot be set down due to the limited supply, and is retained only in the memories of the elder priests (who for their part are unwilling to divulge what they recall anyway, because of the increased prestige it has given them). This state of affairs is cause of many errors, especially as many of the older sages are senile. As Temple Collator, in charge of the great Collectanea, that great fount of wisdom collected and assembled down the ages by sages numerous and wise, I call upon all in this temple to cast aside their petty factional differences and strive to build up the present thirtieth volume of the work. A ready supply of the freshest parchment awaits those who would endeavour to recall the knowledge that was lost when Greymane's mob ruled the city. By doing so, we can restore all that perished in the flames, or was taken in the sack afterwards. Come bearded brothers! Still your venomous tongues and instead take up the stylus and pen so as to glorify Lhankor Mhy, Mouth of Wisdom! [1] Factions in the Nochet temple are centered around dominant personalities in the temple hierarchy rather than nationalities, unlike the New Pavis Lhankor Mhy (see Cults of Prax, p.72.) Thus cliques are formed around the High Priest, the Chief of Loremasters and so on. Potentially one of the most powerful members of the temple organization is in fact the Provost of Apprentices, who has dozens of apprentices to serve and spy for him. In reality, many of these junior sages are seduced and swayed by other factional leaders, with promises of preferment and obligation. Sometimes great philosophical controversies rage through the temple, with each faction taking opposing views. The High Priest has long since given up staging debates in the chapter house to resolve these divisions, as most used to end up in undignified brawls. The general lack of cooperation in the temple has enabled the Irripi Ontor cult to insinuate itself effectively into the temple administration. Let it be said that there are some scholars at the temple who disdain to enter the fray of factional politics, but they are few. [2] Theo P. writes of the Round Earthists: "This ridiculous theory, devised by the sage Columbus Mercator, claims that the world is actually spherical, rather than the quarish, bulging lozenge of legend. Such is typical of the speculative frippery one must expect from the quill of our Chief Priest and his cronies." From the Notes From Nochet files... [XXIX.22-14.a] My initial impressions of notable members of this temple, made in haste by Capybarus the Thinker, lately arrived in Nochet and here to root out and understand the chaotics in our midst. [22-14.b] Mutiog, high priest: A sheep in sheep's clothing. [22-14.c] Anias, deputy chief librarian: He has but one interest, that of self-interest. [22-14.d] Columbus Mercator, chief of loremasters: He has a brilliant mind - until it is made up. [22-14.e] Lucien, temple diviner: He has not a single redeeming defect. [22-14.f] Eudoxus, assistant deputy chief librarian: A modest little man with much to be modest about. [22-14.g] Phlogiston, temple alchemist: A lewd vegetarian. [22-14.h] Procopius, chief priest: He not only overflows with learning, he stands in the slop. [22-14.i] Festus Rustbeard, deputy provost of apprentices: He has delusions of adequacy. [22-14.j] Thredbo the Traveller, wild sage and erstwhile temple cartographer: He is apparently suffering from mental saddle-sores. [22-14.k] Asmodea, assistant chief priest: She has made her conscience not her guide, but her accomplice. [22-14.l] Narses Leadbeater, temple auditor: A dessicated calculating machine. [22-14.m] Theodopolus Pandarus, temple collator: A sage of absolutely no consequence. [22-14.n] Telgonius the Jurist, law-master: Supplemental Note by Theodopolus Panderas: I can only add the following summation of Capybarus's character, to complement his list: Capybarus the Thinker, sage: A curious mix of geniality and venom. Theo. P. http://rpgreview.net/mob/factionfighting.htm

We love what Into the Darkness do too, and have been giving them some prize support to help promote their show. They are very different in intent to Critical Role, being a club with around 60 players and 20 Keepers, with newcomers welcomed. Into the Darkness have a vast repertoire of Call of Cthulhu actual play in their back catalogue (having played almost 100 scenarios and campaigns, including HotOE which took them almost three years). This is a very handy reference for Keepers and the Cthulhu curious. They get most of their listens on podbean and i-Tunes.

We are excited to announce a collaboration between Chaosium and Prof T.R. Knight in the Professional Writing department at Taylor University, Upland IN. With the mentorship of Call of Cthulhu line editors Mike Mason and Lynne Hardy, seven students will be picking a topic, outlining, researching, writing, editing, rewriting, proofreading, choosing art, laying out, and publishing the finished book on the Miskatonic Repository. The students plan to build upon an existing legend or supernaturally rumored location in Indiana, as that is where Taylor University is located. https://www.chaosium.com/blogstudents-at-taylor-university-to-write-and-publish-a-call-of-cthulhu-adventure-in-new-professional-writing-course

Stopping off to celebrate in Casino Town! Some mentions of Harrek and the Wolf Pirates, from "Follow the Money", my (as yet-unpublished) Casino Town gazetteer: Casino Town’s run of good fortune ended with the disappearance of Belintar in 1616. The destruction of the God-King’s Navy had a severe impact on commerce across the Choralinthor Bay. Harrek and his Wolf Pirates disembarked at Casino Town after their victory, and although they didn’t purposefully sack the city, the destruction that was wrought as they celebrated was much the same. Although no damage was done to the Faro Wheel itself, in his elation and frustration Harrek did destroy one of the viewing platforms while winning and then losing a mighty fortune. 11. The Vadotto Following the destruction wrought by Harrek, the Vadeli claimed some of the devastated area to build a new structure. After the Great House, the Vadotto (literally “Private Pavilion of the Vadeli” in their language), is the biggest and most imposing edifice in Casino Town. Downstairs the Vadotto hosts the finest accommodations in the city. The Vadeli stipulate anyone going upstairs has to wear a mask. The upper floors offer a variety of gaming rooms and other diversions for high-end customers. In a recent coup, the Vadeli lured away the featured act Horo’s Hounds (see Pavis – Gateway to Adventure, p.206) from Dayzatar’s; the popular and endearing “Moon Poodles” now perform at the Vadotto nightly. The Vadotto is one of the few venues in the city offering gambling with cards, common in the West but relatively unknown here. At first glance, some punters assume the Vadeli must have somehow outsmarted the Talar, and are offering better odds*. However the Vadeli remit their full vigourish to the Great House every week, just like everyone else. *Vadeli Odds: The odds offered by the Vadotto are subtly different to those offered elsewhere in Casino Town. The Vadeli claim it is their practice to pay on odds “for”, rather than “to”. For example, on a successful bet at 5 silvers for 1 on a roulette table at the Vadotto, the winner receives 5 silvers but the Vadotto keeps the initial silver piece. At establishments offering “to” odds, the winner would also receive back the original 1 silver wagered. nb the Vadeli do not make this distinction clear to new patrons. 14. Red’s Globster A cheap and popular “all you can eat” buffet (provided you’re happy eating endless portions of vaguely fish-like material cut into various shapes then deep-fried or boiled). The proprietor “Red” hearkens from the Lunar Empire, and keeps a live walktapus out the back. Pieces are continuously hacked off for the pot. His first walktapus apparently escaped in the confusion during Harrek’s visit, and he’s only recently been able to import a replacement. Red is reticent to divulge just what he was serving up in the intervening time. 15.Thunderbreath Gobblegut An unofficial branch of the popular troll eatery, opens at dusk. Offers the crude but entertaining betting game from the Shadow Plateau, “Pull my Finger” (a real favorite of Harrek). 17. The Lupenar Casino Town’s largest and most notorious bawdyhouse, said to be able to cater to any carnal desire. As vividly remembered in a series of erotic wall friezes, Harrek singlehandedly engaged the Lupenar’s entire company during his 1618 visit; such was his amatory enthusiasm, the building had to be completely rebuilt afterwards (fortunately he left a tremendous tip). Numerous smaller establishments, from wine shops with back rooms to simple curtained cells, cluster around it.

A new "Middle Ages" Call of Cthulhu setting is currently in development, and broadens the Medieval scope significantly.

In a new RPGNet review, Runeblogger says, "The RUNEQUEST GLORANTHA BESTIARY is "a must for playing games in Glorantha… The interior art is as awesome as the cover. …It is no wonder that this book, together with the two others in the RQ slipcase, won an ENnie award for Best Interior Art in 2019." https://www.rpg.net/reviews/archive/17/17808.phtml

The second of three articles exploring the world of 'Call of Cthulhu: Shadow of the Crystal Palace', Critical Role's recent cosmic horror one-shot. Here Keeper Taliesin Jaffe looks at the fascinating setting itself - a prequel of sorts to the “Edge of Darkness” scenario in the CALL OF CTHULHU STARTER SET, taking place some 30 years or so prior to those events. https://critrole.com/shadow-of-the-crystal-palace-the-setting

In the wake of Critical Role's 'Shadow of the Crystal Palace' airing on Twitch and YouTube our fulfilment warehouses have been pummelled with orders for the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set. Which is great! But it seems our overwhelmed US warehouse has goofed somewhere along the way: we're helping our friends at Nocturnal Media out with distribution, and a handful of Starter Set customers were sent a copy of their game 'Aquelarre' by mistake. Don't worry if this happens to you, we'll send you the Call of Cthulhu Starter Set replacement right away! And you can just keep and enjoy 'Aquelarre' too.

In the first of three articles exploring the lore and legerdemain behind The Shadow of the Crystal Palace, Keeper Taliesin Jaffe talks about the memorable assortment of player characters created for the one-shot: https://critrole.com/shadow-of-the-crystal-palace-the-investigators

CALL OF CTHULHU the Official Video Game is up to 73% off at the PlayStation Store until September 4. 66% off in the United Kingdom and Sweden. 65% off in Poland. 63% off in Eurozone. 20% off in Japan. 73% off in Australia. (No news on discounts for USA or Canada). Call of Cthulhu the Official video game was recently described as "…hands-down, is one of the most atmospheric Lovecraft-inspired video games ever developed."(Dragonblogger). Some more reviews we like of the game here, here, here, and here.

There's 20% off the range of Call of Cthulhu dice and related stuff over at Q-Workshop:http://bit.ly/2z9eCVE

Wow CritRoleStats kept track of literally everything that happened during Critical Role's 'The Shadow of the Crystal Palace'. Even the puns: https://www.critrolestats.com/blog/2019/7/31/call-of-cthulhu-shadow-of-the-crystal-palace-masterpost

GREG STAFFORD was featured in the "In Memorium" list shown at the Hugo Award ceremony at World Con in Dublin, Ireland last weekend, honouring those lost in the last year: "Game Designer Greg Stafford (b.1948) died on October 11*. Stafford created the Glorantha setting for his game White Bear and Red Moon and later it was used for the game Runequest, published by Chaosium, the gaming company Stafford co-founded. Stafford also designed the Arthurian RPG Pendragon and Elric, based on Michael Moorcock’s fiction. He was inducted into the Origins Award Hall of Fame in 1987." https://dublin2019.com/in-memoriam *Greg passed away on Oct 10

Well, a certain poster's "welcome" to me on The RPG Site was to call my mother a whore and wish me dead at the hands of Islamic terrorists. All because we announced we weren't continuing with RQ6, and it was my role to communicate that news (lucky me). I don't have an issue with robust discussion, but nerd-rage abuse like that seems to be pretty much textbook cyberbullying, yet the moderators there let that stand, so that was enough for me. Likewise at The RPGPub: there seem to be a handful of long-standing and inveterate Chaosium detractors on that site (for reasons that are obscure to us), and as it's my current responsibility to speak for the company, I guess I am a visible target. However, that's another forum I do not frequent. Here's something we've found: since the return of Greg and Sandy, and Moon Design joining the company, there are some people who it seems don't want to cope with the whole Chaosium ecosystem changing. You'd think they'd be happy that instead of withering and dying, the games they love are coming back stronger than ever. Instead of celebrating it and wanting to be part of it, they resent that Chaosium's revival has somehow diminished their own relevance and importance, or somehow invalidated their previous experiences (it hasn't). But it's like they preferred it back when they could feel they were the noble and stoic keepers of the flame, knowingly tut-tutting at Chaosium's incompetence: sadly Chaosium, during its low point, created a very bad cycle of codependence and enabling (and that low point was the better part of 20 years). Fortunately, although we are by no means perfect and have made plenty of missteps along the way, we reckon we've managed to bring 99.9% of people along with us who are happy to see Chaosium successful and starting to prosper again. We've expanded our social media audience more than 2000% in the process, and are building up the audiences for our games by reconnecting with old fans and attracting newcomers (the recent Critical Role game being an example). We want those newcomers to feel welcome too, and we are fortunate we have Trif's BRP Central as the key discussion forum to help facilitate this; a site for friendly and civilized discussion about Chaosium (and related d100) games with a very light hand of moderation and an expectation of mature self-moderation. It's a shame some folks don't seem to want to be a positive part of it all now that Chaosium is vibrant and successful again. Because they could be if they really wanted. We are a very welcoming tribe.