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In addition to a beguilingly splendid cover, Poul Holmelund's modern Call of Cthulhu scenario The Art of Hygge features a Spotify playlist tailored to generate a thematic experience as you play it. It is just one of the many diverse and imaginative independent creations recently released in the Miskatonic Repository – do check them out! The Art of Hygge Poul Holmelund ($4.99, 27 page PDF) Something is indeed rotten in the state of Denmark as four American exchange students are about to find out while they explore the Danish cultural phenomenon of hygge. On the surface everything seems tranquil in the late winter of 1999 as a renowned dancer and artist seeks to guide our hopefull students into the deeper aspect of Danish culture, but looks can be deceiving and a fairy tale ending may not be in the script. This scenario is part of the Northern Lights and Darkness collection. Scenarios in this collection share the common traits that they are set in a Nordic country, written by a native of said country and set in a modern setting. Dreamers of the Bogland Wille Ruotsalainen ($5.00, 14 page PDF) Myths of the Kalevala, iron age bog grave and epidemy of madness are connected in this present-day adventure. Cthulhu mythology lives in dark corners of Finland and investigators will meet both academic challenges and great danger.. This scenario is part of the Northern Lights and Darkness collection. Scenarios in this collection share the common traits that they are set in a Nordic country, written by a native of said country and set in a modern setting. The Tunnel People Jonas Morian ($4.95, 20 page PDF) The investigators are urban explorers in modern-day Stockholm, Sweden. They have found a hidden blog post from a fellow explorer who went missing some years ago, and in it is revealed that the explorer has discovered a hidden research facility from the 1950s underneath a busy metro station. The investigators set out to find it for themselves. This scenario is part of the Northern Lights and Darkness collection. Scenarios in this collection share the common traits that they are set in a Nordic country, written by a native of said country and set in a modern setting. The Elk Jaw Dagger, It Drives 'Em Mad Clio Urquhart, Gulleyflower Games ($1.00, 7 page PDF) “I don’t know who made it, but my dreams grew dark, and the shadows round my cabin grew darker still. No matter where I hid it, the thing always came back, sharper than before.” ~ Former Owner of the Elk Jaw Dagger (Deceased), New Mexico, 1957 A pit stop in the southwest town of Crestone, Colorado turns to a night of terror in the dark arid scrubland of the San Luis Valley. Deer Camp Edward Kabara ($1.00, 29 page PDF) Come hunt deer with your buds in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan in the 1930s. Drink some beer, shoot some deer, and tell ghost stories with your friends. What could go wrong in the cold, dark winter? Dreams of Ghaa-Xothal Michael Babbs ($29.99, 194 page PDF) Mary Perkins, a promising young journalist working for The London Evening News is missing. Can the investigators find her, overcome the terrors that confront them, and escape with their sanity? The fate of humanity is in your hands. An epic adventure for 2 to 4 investigators – the players will visit the smog laden streets and sewers of London, the quaint but sinister English countryside, the towering mountains of Tibet, and even the depths of time and space itself. Ultimately, the investigators must discover a long-forgotten alien city and confront an ancient power. The Unremembered ForeverGM Products ($5.00, 22 page PDF) "You awake in your hotel room bed, before you even sit up, you can tell something is wrong. You smell iron in the air. Your eyes open, and you look around. Blood. It covers the bed across the room from you. The blankets are thrown all over, there are tears in the mattress, and there are personal effects around the bed that have been tossed around the room. This is alarming enough, but the real dread comes when you remember going to sleep in this room last night alone. What do you do?" Sensitive Cases Division Patrick Corcoran ($2.99, 68 page PDF) The Sensitive Cases Division (SCD) does not officially exist. It is an informal collection of individuals that are brought together to tackle very difficult and strange cases. There are no official records with the name Sensitive Cases Division (SCD) attached to them. Most people assume it is just an urban legend. Sensitive Cases Division is a supplement meant to provide a gaming table with an organization that has ties to official law enforcement channels but operates in an extra-legal fashion. The intent of the supplement is to provide a ready-made organization, and a set of 10 different pre-generated character types that can be plugged into a scenario. You could always use the Sensitive Cases Division and the characters as NPCS for a rival faction or antagonistic group as well. Eclipse of the Heart Sabrina Haenze, Jack Taylor ($7.00, 27 page PDF) May 11, 1985: It's prom night, Hamilton High seniors! Bring your dates, your big hair, and your corsages, and be prepared to have the time of your life! Nothing bad *ever* happens on prom night? Right? No Silver Linings Mark Corrigan ($6.99, 33 page PDF) During the cold, wet October of 1919; an ill wind blows through the Silvermines, a small rural mining village in Ireland, when the investigators are called to investigate a bleak discovery. A body is found under circumstances that have the authorities baffled. As the investigators delve into the mystery, can facts be discerned from fiction where local folklore, conspiracy theories and paranoia are in between the lines? 100 Locations for Miskatonic Country Adrian Kennelly ($1.99, 11 page PDF) This supplement has 100 locations that can be encountered in the areas of Arkham, Kingsport, Innsmouth and Dunwich, and reference the sourcebooks for these areas. Midwest Mythos: Heart of the Music A.M. Viers ($3.99, 33 page PDF) The S.S. Madam Columbia is a grand casino boat from Chicago, and is often the envy of those that are unable to board. However, with new management and the promise of Spritiualist leaders and occultists on board, along with a cheaper ticket price, the boat is open to many who might want to enjoy a night gambling, drinking, and learning about the darker side of the world. What many do not know is the secret that lays beneath the deck and how a murder on board reveals that everything is not how it appears. Creator A.M. Viers says, "Reviews are appreciated to continue improving the quality of such scenerios. I wish to create many more situations exploring my home, the American Midwest, and every odd thing that exists within it." We Dream of Flying Jim Phillips (FREE, 30 page PDF) A disparate group of international elites have, each for their own reasons, boarded Flight 19 from Los Angeles to Tokyo on a first-class ticket. The flight promises to be a quiet affair - allowing for time to rest, relax, and perhaps even get some work done. The fight is completely full, but an unfortunate coincidence and the all-too-understandable sorrow of a lonely little girl will lead them deep into a mystery from which there may be no escape. Intended as a Modern Day exercise in mystery, character development, and role-playing interactions between the Investigators themselves, there are no monsters to be fought and no cultists to defeat. There is only a mystery, and the question of how the Investigators will ultimately choose to resolve the terrible and fantastical situation they find themselves in. Plus new releases in Finnish, French, Korean, and Spanish! WHAT IS THE MISKATONIC REPOSITORY? Are you a Keeper looking for new scenarios and story elements? A player looking for something mysterious to spark a character idea? Is your group looking for eerie ideas to use in your game? The Miskatonic Repository is where you can find —and create —self-published material for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. Interested in submitting content? Go here to see the guidelines, and here for the additional guidelines. No extra license is required. Get started and download the MS Word template or the InDesign template for Miskatonic Repository submissions, and check out our other free creator resources.

Harald's Smith's Nochet: Queen of Cities opens up Glorantha's greatest city for play and exploration! A DriveThruRPG site bestseller, see why reviewers call this independently-created release is "a supplement many fans have been waiting decades for." And check out other new community content releases for RuneQuest in the Jonstown Compendium: Nochet, Queen of Cities Harald Smith ($24.99, 280 page PDF) The city of Nochet is the largest city in all Glorantha. It is an ancient city, yet colorful and vibrant. It is a city of wonders, yet a city of day-to-day life. It is a divine city filled with temples and shrines, yet a city of decadence. It is a city of the familiar, yet a city of mystery where the ghosts of ancestors come annually to see what their descendants have accomplished. It is a city of the verge of the Hero Wars. Designed for both gamemasters and players, Nochet: Queen of Cities includes: an overview of the city, detailed and indexed maps, ~1300 detailed locations, 5 pre-defined Houses for adventurers, a Cast of Characters, Daily Life, Encounters, Rumors, Legends, and information on the Ever-changing City. It is a foundation for your urban Gloranthan adventures. Caravanserai Ian Straus ($4.90, 61 page PDF) Is it time for your RuneQuest adventurers to have real lives with more ties to Gloranthan society and economy? Are they rootless and need a place of their own? Or have they outgrown the economic limits of their home clan? Is the Issaries merchant ready to shine in doing bronze age business - or perchance to blunder at it? Caravanserai is intended for at least one experienced and prosperous key Adventurer with at least 2,500 Lunars, preferably an Issaries initiate (and ideally his or her companions) - to own and operate a caravanserai, which is a highway inn with a walled compound of outbuildings and stables. All Along A River Paul Baker ($16.00, 160 page PDF) A mini campaign set in the South Eastern lands of Teshnos. Makes extensive reference to the Houses of Teshnos and Teshnos Companion. The scenario follows the voyage of the River Rose between the cities along the great river Tesho. Character Campaign Book, Female Adventure Michael Bernth ($9.95, 124 page PDF) Character Campaign Book, Male Adventure Michael Bernth ($9.95, 124 page PDF) With the Character Campaign Book, you can make a journal of your player character’s adventure through Glorantha. The book is designed to enhance your sheet with a journal aimed at providing a convenient and immersive experience for your game. Within the pages of the book, you'll find a well-organized layout that allows for easy access to all the important information you need, all contained in a single volume, ensuring a seamless gameplay experience. Each and every possible entry are made with fileable fields. Glorantha Settlement 26 Mikael Mansen ($4.05, 2 maps) A small settlement with a fort; one day and one night map. Teleos - Glorantha Close up Mikael Mansen ($4.15, 2 maps) This up-close map contains two high resolution maps of Teleos. Loral - Glorantha Close up Mikael Mansen ($4.15, 2 maps) This up-close map contains two high resolution maps of Loral.

Chaosium Unveiled looks at The Lightbringers, the second release in the Cults of RuneQuest series. A "must have" says Philgamer, "Not only is it easy to read, but the colors and vivid illustrations are all powerful and attention-grabbing.” The Lightbringers is available now in full color hardback and special leatherette version. Also available at DriveThruRPG.

Rock Paper Shotgun considers Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out to be one of their 'Bestest Bests'. And had this to say about the setting, Greg Stafford's Glorantha, the world of the RuneQuest TTRPG: "You... lead a clan in a fantasy setting called Glorantha, whose real world history goes back to the 1960s, and stands out from 99% of other fantasy games by being good, focusing on anthropology instead of photocopying Lord Of The Rings' tired racial casting and good vs. evil narratives." https://www.rockpapershotgun.com/six-ages-2-lights-going-out-review

Your ancestors united two rival clans and formed a powerful tribe. Then Chaos broke the world and killed most of your gods. Can you protect your people and cling to survival as the world ends? Now in release - Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out is is the sequel to Six Ages: Ride Like the Wind, and the spiritual successor to cult hit King of Dragon Pass. Set in Greg Stafford's mythic Glorantha, the world of the RuneQuest TTRPG, it combines interactive fiction and turn-based strategy to immerse you in a hostile, blood-soaked land governed by myth and cursed with wonders. Six Ages 2: Lights Going Out is available now on: Steam, GOG and iOS.

This year's KRAKEN gaming retreat at the Prussian Château Schloss Neuhausen welcomed Ukrainian gamers Tasha Dashkevich and Oleg Slovesny of the YouTube TTRPG channel IdeaRoll – and they brought print copies of the new Ukrainian Call of Cthulhu Quickstart rules! Our local partner Geekach have worked under very challenging conditions to produce this. Вітаю! Oleg and Tasha, with Chaosium COO Neil Robinson on the left Earlier this year we shared an article by the Counteroffensive Substack which looked at the surge in Ukrainians playing #TTRPGs since the conflict in their country began as an interlude from the trauma and realities of the war. Tasha was one of the Ukrainian gamers interviewed for it. She said playing TTRPGs "helps anchor to a sense of normalcy, reminders of brighter yesterdays, and hope for a new future."

In his previous 'Out of the Suitcase' post, Rick thought he'd written the complete story of that "one off" Glorantha ad from the Best of the Dragon - volume I (1980). However, it appears there's more to the account... https://www.chaosium.com/blogout-of-the-suitcase-43-an-unexpected-magazine-ad-part-ii

Chaosium Unveiled takes a look at The Prosopaedia, the first book in the Cults of RuneQuest series. Described as "the single most comprehensive survey of Glorantha's rich mythology that we have ever seen" (Andrew Logan Montgomery),The Prosopaedia is available now in full color hardback and special leatherette edition. Also available at DriveThruRPG.

Chaosium's Jeff Richard talk with James Coquillat about what you'll find in Basic Roleplaying Universal Game Engine book, our system of core rules for tabletop roleplaying. Part of our Chaosium Interviews series. Whether you’re a seasoned roleplaying veteran or new to the hobby, BRP has everything you need for years of entertainment! Buy the BRP PDF now and we'll deduct the cost from the physical book when it is out in October.

Here's Rivers of London creator Ben Aaronovitch and line editor for the TTRPG adaption Lynne Hardy showing off their 'Best Rules' silver 2023 ENNIE Awards. Both were special guests at The Kraken gaming convention, taking place at the Prussian Château Schloss Neuhausen in Germany this weekend. The award-winning Rivers of London is available now in full colour hardback and special leatherette edition. Also available at DriveThruRPG.

"This is the game I'm most excited for!" – in her Gen Con 2023 Vlog, Paula Deming checks out the prototype of our Horror on the Orient Express board game, based on the classic TTRPG campaign for Call of Cthulhu. Make sure you are on board! Sign up to our Horror on the Orient Express: The Board Game newsletter, and stay up-to-date about news, developments, and our timeline for release announcements: https://mailchi.mp/805d007763f2/horror-on-the-orient-express-board-game

With the release of Cults of RuneQuest: The Prosopaedia, this thread is to catch any typos or errors spotted. Please note them here, quoting the relevant page number, the error, and the suggested correction. We will correct the PDF file and the print file for reprints. IMPORTANT NOTE: this is not a thread for questions or discussion of the rules, we are specifically looking for errors and typos only. Please take discussion to another thread.

With the release of Cults of RuneQuest: The Lightbringers, this thread is to catch any typos or errors spotted. Please note them here, quoting the relevant page number, the error, and the suggested correction. We will correct the PDF file and the print file for reprints. IMPORTANT NOTE: this is not a thread for questions or discussion of the rules, we are specifically looking for errors and typos only. Please take discussion to another thread.

With the release of Cults of RuneQuest: The Lightbringers, this thread is to catch any typos or errors spotted. Please note them here, quoting the relevant page number, the error, and the suggested correction. We will correct the PDF file and the print file for reprints. IMPORTANT NOTE: this is not a thread for questions or discussion of the rules, we are specifically looking for errors and typos only. Please take discussion to another thread.

Good news Australian RuneQuest fans! - after the unavoidable and protracted shipping delay, The Prosopaedia is now finally available from our Australian warehouse. Along with the two new Cults of RuneQuest books releases. Go on, order all three!

Two new titles in the Cults of RuneQuest series are out today in full colour hardcover! Cults of RuneQuest: The Lightbringers Cults of RuneQuest: The Lightbringers is the second book in the new Cults of RuneQuest sourcebook series for the RuneQuest TTRPG. This book is the player’s guide to the storm pantheon, opening up character creation and advancement to a whole new level. A player-facing RuneQuest supplement. 19 cults, each of which can be used as the bases for a new RuneQuest character, offering a unique selection of spells, skills, and special traits. Expand existing RuneQuest characters by adding cults from this book to their roster of worshiped gods. Lore and history of the Lightbringer pantheon of gods. Rules to advance your character to a God-Talker, Rune Priest, or even a mighty Rune Lord! CHA4043-H $39.99* 168 Pages Hardcover, full color ISBN: 978-1-56882-467-3 Authors: Greg Stafford, Jeff Richard Cover Art: Loïc Muzy Interior Art: Loïc Muzy, Agathe Pitié, Katrin Dirim, Antonia Doncheva, Andrey Fetisov, Ossi Hiekkala, Roman Kisyov. Also available in special leatherette version and at DriveThruRPG. Cults of RuneQuest: The Earth Goddesses Cults of RuneQuest: The Earth Goddesses is the third book in the new Cults of RuneQuest sourcebook series for the RuneQuest TTRPG. This book is the player’s guide to the earth pantheon, opening up character creation and advancement to a whole new level. A player-facing RuneQuest supplement. 16 cults, each of which can be used as the bases for a new RuneQuest character, offering a unique selection of spells, skills, and special traits. Expand existing RuneQuest characters by adding cults from this book to their roster of worshiped gods. Lore and history of the Earth gods pantheon. Rules to advance your character to a God-Talker, Rune Priestess, or even a mighty Rune Lord! CHA4044-H $37.99* 144 Pages Hardcover, full color ISBN: 978-1-56882-468-0 Authors: Greg Stafford, Jeff Richard Cover Art: Loïc Muzy Interior Art: Loïc Muzy, Agathe Pitié, Katrin Dirim Also available in special leatherette version and at DriveThruRPG. Both these supplements requires only the RuneQuest core rules to play. Also available in the Cults of RuneQuest series: The Prosopaedia. *price includes PDF when purchased direct from Chaosium.com and from Friendly Local Game Stores that are part of the Bits & Mortar initiative.

Greg Stafford and I started discussing Cults of RuneQuest after the Guide to Glorantha came out in 2014. But work really started on it in 2017. Originally, it began as "Cults of Dragon Pass", but pretty quickly we realized we really needed to bite the bullet and write Greg’s BIG LIST of major cults. We'd done this before with the HeroQuest materials, and I had all of Greg’s notes and unpublished drafts, as well as the Orange Book, Belintar’s Book, and more, coming out to thousands of pages of material. However, it was very fragmentary and incomplete—although we could see the basic structure, a LOT needed to be written. The goal was to give a magical and mythical foundation for Glorantha, like with Cults of Prax and Cults of Terror, but extending beyond Dragon Pass into the Lunar Empire and beyond. Enough of a framework could be provided that missing cults could be slotted in with future publications. As I wrote, I kept track of which cult had access to what, built a relationship table, and kept a book of every special Rune spell, which got spun off in 2021 into The Red Book of Magic. Each cult writeup was an iterative process—I’d write an initial version, which we would revise as new cults were added, which would cause new rounds of revisions, etc. New discoveries in one cult might cause a cascade of revisions. Things were linked together far more than in the Guide to Glorantha (which was ultimately a smaller undertaking). One of the stranger memories putting this together was writing the first set of cults while on a ski trip with my father-in-law. Each day we’d head up to Nauders or Sulden, and then each evening I would furiously write. It was astounding how productive I was on those trips—if people want me to be able to really churn out material, they should take me on long ski trips. The project was intensely personal for both Greg and I, as mythology forces us to look at the ugly as well as the beautiful. Death, hatred, and fear are as much a part of myth as life, love, and knowledge. But fortunately the Lightbringers Quest was always there to guide us out of the Darkness. In the process of writing this, Greg sadly passed away, and other people came and left the project. But in 2020 I was ready to bring on someone who became a key co-creator—Loïc Muzy. Early on, I decided I wanted Loic to do the bulk of the visuals of the book. Each cult would have a chapter header illustrated by him, and Loic did most of the associated illustrations. It was a HUGE project, but it meant that the book would have a strongly cohesive visual look. And then what I had originally envisioned as a single 256 page book became two volumes the size of the RuneQuest Core rules. Finally last year, sanity asserted itself and the decision was made to break this into a series of books, each organized around a primary cult—Orlanth, Ernalda, Yelm, the Seven Mothers, Magasta, Primal Chaos, Horned God, etc. The introduction to Mythology and Magic was made its own book as well. That broke the logjam, and in my opinion is a far better project as well. Although I am very pleased with the text in the Cults Books (and consider it some of our best writing), what is really amazing in these books is the art. To that we need to thank Loïc Muzy, Agathe Pitié, Katrin Dirim, Antonia Doncheva, Andrey Fetisov, Simeon Cogswell, and the other members of the art team. In my biased opinion these are the best looking RPG products ever made. The art direction was pretty minimalist—I’d give Loic a brief description of this deity’s iconography, plus perhaps some reference pieces, and let him run wild with it. Loic drew on fantasy, real world art, and his own subconscious to give these deities a uniquely Gloranthan look. Loic made countless discoveries, brought forth new inspiration, and really defined a take on these gods like no one before. Each pantheon got amazing murals by Agathe Pitié, which had a different take on the deities but were still recognizable. These murals illustrated myths, cycles, etc.We had other artists work on this as well—a particular thank you to Antonia Doncheva, Katrin Dirim, and Andrey Fetisov. Again all these artists really helped establish the idea that we might have many different representations of the divine, even if the iconography remained the same. Then Simeon Cogswell took all of this art and put it together with the text in the book, worked with Loic to develop graphic design, and so much more. They added tremendously to the book’s overall success and if you think the books look good, thank Sim! The process took a LONG time—Loic and I started to work on the art back in 2020 and layout did not begin until 2023. The result however, was better than I possibly could have imagined. — Jeff Richard The first three titles in the 10 book Cults of RuneQuest series are available now: Cults of RuneQuest: The Prosopaedia Cults of RuneQuest: The Lightbringers Cults of RuneQuest: The Earth Goddesses

Our friends The Glass Cannon Network invited Brian Holland to their booth at Gen Con to crack open the newly-released Pendragon Starter Set. Watch here Noura Ibrahim, Troy Lavallee, Josephine McAdam, and Joe O'Brien dive straight into a medieval adventure! It is the age of Pendragon! What kind of Knight will you become? Pendragon Starter Set

The Glass Cannon's Friends of the Pod welcomed Chaosium's Brian Holland for a deep dive into RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha! Focusing on the bevy of new options that appear in the two new Cults of RuneQuest books, Brian leads Troy Lavallee, Joe O'Brien, Noura Ibrahim and Josephine McAdam through a wild character creation session in Part One: In Part Two, the four new heroes are drawn to the small town of Pyne for reasons they cannot explain, as rumors of the Red Emperor's return spread across the land. And in Part Three, after a vicious combat, the heroes join together, intent on finding out why the heralds of the Red Emperor were sent to steal from the sacred tree. Their quest will take them far from Pyne, into the heart of mind-bending evil. Explore RuneQuest and the mythic World of Glorantha yourself! RuneQuest Starter Set RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha core rules Cults of RuneQuest: the Lightbringers (releasing August 17) Cults of RuneQuest: the Earth Goddesses (releasing August 17)

The Glass Cannon called this one of the highlights of their weekend at Gen Con. Chaosium's Brian Holland returns to The Glass Cannon Network's booth to take Rob Kerkovich, Troy Lavallee, Skid Maher, and Joe O'Brien through a wildly original Modern Call of Cthulhu story where four knuckleheads head to a log cabin in the woods for a Bachelor Party weekend! What could go wrong?! Start your own investigations into the mythos: Call of Cthulhu Starter Set Call of Cthulhu Keeper Rulebook Call of Cthulhu Investigator Handbook Petersen's Abominations (Modern Call of Cthulhu collection)

What novel TTRPG mechanics are needed for chivalrous play in the Age of Pendragon? David Larkins, line editor of the Pendragon TTRPG, discusses the unique mechanics that help the game transpose you to the age of knights and tournies. He's talking to James Coquillat for our Chaosium Interviews series.

Call of Cthulhu's Horror on the Orient Express has long been revered as one of the most iconic and acclaimed horror campaigns in tabletop roleplaying — so we're very excited that a new board game adaption is coming! In this design journal series, co-designer Adam Kwapiński shares insights on the development of the new game, which is to be launched on Kickstarter in 2024, and released in early 2025. Call of Cthulhu: The Board Game Design Diary #1 – Where Our Journey Begins In the first Design Journal I described how, one week before a scheduled meeting with Chaosium to talk about Horror on the Orient Express (HotOE) as a board game, I had a lot of interesting notes and ideas with great potential… but what I didn't have was a prototype. And then a chance to work with Michał Gołąb Gołębiowski arose, and I jumped on a train to Warsaw to meet him. I had no expectations before that meeting. I knew we had very little time and there was a big chance that Michał might simply have other plans or commitments. But sometimes the stars are truly right! And this is what happened here. With some coffee we went straight into talking about the game itself. After 15 minutes I already knew Michał was the right person to do this project with. He immediately put forward his own thoughts and ideas for the game, and suggested some very simple solutions to problems I thought were going to be very tricky to solve. After chatting for several hours about what we wanted to create we came up with our vision for the game. We were ready to start creating the first prototype. But I knew this couldn’t be done properly in the few days we had left until the scheduled meeting with Chaosium. So I told Michał I would ask for one month more and if they agreed we’d have to work quickly. Fortunately Chaosium did agree, and we’re grateful for their trust. And then we started working like hell: 14-16 hours a day creating a Tabletop Simulator (online) version of the prototype. Unlike the previous year, where I had struggled, this time the work went really fast. It was exhausting, but fun! After a week Michał and I had our first prototype and were ready to give it a go. We felt we had something special – but before that first test you always feel like that as a designer (and quite often, after the first test the only thing you can do is to put your work into the trash, because the game doesn't meet your own expectations.) I’m not sure which of us spoke first after that first play. I only remember that there was a long moment of silence because neither of us wanted to start first. It’s a weird thing co-designing a game: you might like the game after the first play but what does the other person think? “It’s quite good isn’t it?” I asked, trying to hide my rising excitement. “It’s better than good, it will be a blast”, said Michał, who, I learned, is always more prone to show his emotions. But he was right: after that first play we both knew that we had something special. Of course, still needing tons of work. A lot of things didn't work perfectly, but the prototype was as close to our vision as it could have been! From that point everything immediately accelerated! We showed the prototype to our friend Kuba, who liked it a lot. He then set up a meeting with his Chaosium colleagues, well before the extra month’s deadline. We played a full game with the Chaosium team on Tabletop Simulator, and during that playtest we realized our game was indeed working! During this online meeting we could see our Chaosium friends forgetting this was about making a business decision – they became players having fun trying to stop the cultists on the Orient Express, fighting all the horrors of that doomed train. And so it was a couple of days later we signed the contract and started working on our unpolished game to make it as great as possible! Subscribe to our newsletter to stay informed about the game: https://mailchi.mp/805d007763f2/horror-on-the-orient-express-board-game

In his new 'Out of the Suitcase' post, Chaosium president and collector par-excellence Rick Meints comes across an early advertisement for Glorantha he'd never seen before. https://www.chaosium.com/blogout-of-the-suitcase-42-an-unexpected-magazine-ad

Line editor Lynne Hardy talks about building a magic system for the TTRPG adaption of Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London. Lynne is talking with Chaosium's James Coquillat as part of our Chaosium Interviews series.

Call of Cthulhu creative director Mike Mason discusses shapeshifters and how you can incorporate them into your games. This is of our part of our Chaosium Interviews series on YouTube with James Coquillat.