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4000 backers and still just under a week to go: thank you to everyone so far joining our 40th year celebration! 4000 Backers and still just under a week to go! Thank you to everyone so far joining our 40th year celebration! The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game! Remember, our strategy for delivery of this Kickstarter has three key phases: ONE - Within 1-2 weeks of this campaign ending we will distribute to backers all of their PDFs. ALL of them. They're already done. For Digital only backers this Kickstarter will be done and delivered. TWO - Within a month of this Kickstarter ending all of the print files will go to our print partner for printing, collation, and then shipment to our warehouses. We will also make last calls for address updates. THREE - Once the boxed sets are in our 5 fulfillment warehouses (USA, UK, EU, AUS, CAN) we will ship out everyone's boxed set(s) in a very timely fashion.

That is one of the main reasons why we commissioned it, to show how easy it is to play these classic scenarios using the Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition rules! Already got 20,000 views – Grateful thanks to Good Time Society, Investigators Erika Ishii, Xander Jeanneret, B Dave Walters, Josephine McAdam, and their Keeper Becca Scott for helping us celebrate going back to our eldritch roots! https://www.chaosium.com/blogover-20k-views-of-becca-scott-and-an-allstar-cast-playing-call-of-cthulhu-classics-the-auction

A MESSAGE DELIVERED With Cornspot's shout of encouragement still ringing in his ears, Melo Yelo lowered the faceplate of his magic helmet. Twin beams of light shot forth from the eyes, illuminating deep into the tunnel. The baboon didn't understand the message Lord Belvani tasked him with delivering to Daystar, or what the Light Captain was doing consorting with the strange light priest. But Belvani put his trust in him: he was a Light Sun of the Sun Dome, after all, so Melo Yelo resolved to diligently carry out his mission. What the baboon tried to put out of his mind was what would happen to himself afterwards though? Belvani didn't say. But Melo Yelo trusted in Yelmalio. He knew his calling. It was deep, deep in mines that Melo Yelo found Daystar again. This time, in an open cavern full of pillars and bulbs and domes of salt. Everything was streaked and stained from the smoke of braziers and lamps burning the substance known locally as black gold, but the ceiling was illuminated by some sort of light spell, giving the whole space a sickly yellowish glow. This is where the wretched Dark detail had their camp. It was cold down here, and Melo Yelo could see them dotted about the space, huddled around their small stoves. There were errant Sun Domers, outcaste Praxians, downcast adventurer types, and by herself away from the others, a young woman in rags stacking human skulls into a small pyramid. She eyed him for a moment and then looked away with disinterest. The middle of the chamber there rose into a mound. Sitting cross-legged atop it on a beautiful silken rug was Daystar, the old man he and Belvani had met in the tunnels before. The priest was smoking a long-handled hookah pipe, sending gouts of yellowish smoke up to the faintly glowing roof of the chamber. Standing with crossed arms behind him, as motionless as a statue but for the gently swaying tip of its tail, was the monstrous dragonewt. By them, a pair of naked trollkin with ears cropped and noses slit operated the winch of a crudely built-well. A bucket of water came up, and Daystar gestured towards one of the braziers. Someone detached themselves from the group and approached the priest. Melo Yelo thought he looked like one of those jeering Storm Bullies from the Bison Tribe who'd teased and tormented him in times past. But when he got to the mound he bowed low and then prostrated fully, literally propelling himself the last part of the way on his belly. After liberally kissing Daystar's feet he was allowed to fill up a large waterskin and return to his group. The trollkin released the rope again and the bucket clattered down the shaft until there was a distant splash. They began the process of slowly winding the rope up again. The baboon came to the mound. He was uncertain if he was supposed to get on his knees - was this how you approached a Light Priest? He did not have to find an answer because when Daystar noticed him he threw down his pipe and sprung up, almost running down the slope to him. "And so what does your master say?" Daystar asked eagerly, with a hungry gleam in his eye. Melo Yelo hesitated. He wanted to say the word right. He'd gone over and over it in his head, ever since Belvani quickly told him, seated on the wyrm's back. "Well? Well?," urged the priest. "Ourobor," said Melo Yelo hesitantly. Yes, that was the word, Ourobor. He said it again: "Ourobor -" "- Oossssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss," hissed the Dragonewt from top of the mound. Daystar smiled, revealing yellowing mottled teeth. He licked his lips. The baboon noticed that the end of his tongue was split.

As Phil Frances wrote in White Dwarf #75, "Chaosium’s companion packs should be pretty familiar by now, and the company’s intention to publish bits of lore too odd to fit in elsewhere is essentially an admirable one. The latest collection of oddities is the Second Cthulhu Companion, also known as Fragments of Fear…" Fragments of Fear was first published in 1985, and one of the five supplements we're reprinting in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter, currently underway. The cover art is by Tom Sullivan. Here's what reviewers have said about Fragments of Fear over the years: Fragments of Fear (the Second Cthulhu Companion) (1985) "All in all, worth every penny I spent on it. I strongly recommend it for the additional scenarios if nothing else, and it easily earns 5 stars from me." — Jeffrey V., DriveThruRPG. "In the question and answer chapter (Sandy) Petersen explains reading Mythos tomes takes months because the authors badly handwrite obscure words, making occult and literary references unknown without further research. He answers the questions, “How do I learn a language in Cthulhu?” “Why must my character lose multiple SAN for seeing multiple monsters? and “Why can’t my character get used to seeing common Mythos monsters?” His answer to the last question changed the way my group plays, and my change your ways as well." — Guy Hail, Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer #79. "The best part of Fragments of Fear is the fold out size comparison chart, which displays the relative sizes of most of the monsters and gods in the game... the weirdest thing is a selection of quotes of historical ritual curses compiled by Sandy Petersen." — Vintage RPG. "Best known for its foldout size comparison of various Mythos gods and entities." — Reviews from R'lyeh. nb if we hit our next Stretch Goal that Size Comparison chart will be included as a poster! Fragments of Fear is available in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter. Have you backed it? The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game!

DOME ABOVE, BROTHER Melo Yelo was unchained, and with a mild kick from an overseer, scampered expectantly over the golden Light Son perched on the back of the wyrm. Had the Sun Folk realised their mistake? Was he now to be forgiven? They spoke for a short while, and then Lord Belvani pointed back at the coffle of prisoners. With a look of resignation, the baboon slunk back to the line. "I'm in great haste", Belvani told the guards. "This prisoner has been singled out for Dark detail punishment but is under my protection – see to it he is delivered to the mines the moment you arrive at Pent Ridge. Believe me, there are geases you can't even imagine if you fail me in this". With that the great wyrm rose into the air and headed back towards the setting sun. When Melo Yelo returned to the chain-gang Cornspot next to him whistled, drawing in breath. "Dark detail means once you go in, you never come out, not until your time is done... If you live that long." Looking side-to-side, he pulled out something hidden in his beard and passed it surreptitiously to Melo Yelo. It was a small package, wrapped in leaves. "Daystar rules inside the tunnels, I've heard nothing goes on without his say-so. Give him this choice dummy as an offering and maybe you'll get on his good side. No take it, I insist," Cornspot said. "I know what you did for us all at Angle Fort even if those Goldbirds at the Sun Dome don't seem to appreciate it." The rest of the way Melo Yelo heard more about this Daystar. Cornspot said years ago, back when he was a kid, Daystar was a high-up in the temple hierarchy, official custodian of the Old Sun Dome, a light priest. "Great buddies with the old count too – everyone sure loved the dummy back then, though folks won't talk about that these days. Anyway, when the new count came in Daystar was on the outs, and got sent here. Things were pretty wild in the Summer of Love, but he apparently got up to some real hinky stuff. Who knows why Solanthos didn't just poke out his eyes and stick him in a tower?" Such fear the overseers had for Lord Belvani's wrath that Melo Yelo was not even given a chance to take a drink when they arrived at Pent Ridge, shortly after sundown. "Dome Above, Brother!", called out Cornspot, giving a hopeful sign of encouragement as the baboon was deposited at the yawning mouth of the mine and roughly prodded in with the butt of a spear. But this was the first time a Sun Domer had called him "brother", and although very frightened, Melo Yelo was also as happy as he'd ever been.

The Cthulhu Companion was first published in 1983, and one of the five supplements we're reprinting in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter, currently underway. It features a compilation of articles from a wide variety of writers, including additional skills for the game, details on prison systems of the 1930s world, an expansion of the Sanity condition, a selection of gods and monsters, and three ready-to-play scenarios. And, as the H.P.Lovecraft Wiki notes, even some poetry by HPL himself! The cover art is by Chris Marrinan. Here's what reviewers have said about The Cthulhu Companion over the years: The Cthulhu Companion (1983) "5 STARS - This supplement contains two "scholarly" essays that are well enough written that I used them as player handouts in my original game when my player group was researching the nature of the "threat" during some "downtime" between adventures! In addition there are four new scenarios, one of which, "The Secret of Castronegro," was a particular hit with my group and became the stuff of legends as time went by." — Jeffrey V, DTRPG. "7/10 – The scenarios are quite good" — Jon Sutherland, White Dwarf #51. "Its only failure is that it is merely a good solid work instead of the brilliance I was expecting." — Steve Marsh, Different Worlds #36. "...it is to be hoped that future supplements will maintain the very impressive standard of the Cthulhu Companion. The value for money is excellent, and no Call of Cthulhu referee can afford to be without it." — Graeme Davis, Imagine Magazine. "To my knowledge... the Mesoamerica essay has never been reprinted, which is a shame. Written by Richard L. Tierney, a mainstay of American Weird Fiction best known for his series of Red Sonja novels and his Simon of Gitta stories, the essay is a fascinating exercise in comparative religion, revealing the secret truth of the Cthulhu Mythos lurking in the hearts of human faiths." — Vintage RPG The Cthulhu Companion is available in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter. Have you backed it? The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game!

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"BEG THE COUNT TO PLUCK OUT YOUR EYES RATHER THAN SEND YOU TO PENT RIDGE." - SUN DOMER ADAGE Still not comprehending what had befallen him at the Sun Dome Meeting House, Melo Yelo had been joined to a chained coffle of prisoners and marched away. The baboon later learned from one of the other prisoners – a dour farmer from Cornspot who'd been illegally growing dummy* until his neighbours ratted him out – that they were headed to that terrible place of stinging salt and punishment out in Vulture's Country, Pent Ridge. That was the dark place Lord Belvani took him to before, where he'd been unnerved by the strange old light priest and frightened by his monstrous dragonewt. What had he done to so disappoint the rune masters of the Sun Dome? Cornspot said he was lucky – through his contacts in the dummy trade he'd called in a favour, and he'd been promised his time out there would be served in the Dawn detail; a cushy assignment working on the surface, maybe in the cookhouse. He'd never have to go into the mines. But Melo Yelo? Cornspot simply shook his head and sighed. Having picked up more convicts in a winding route through the Sun Dome breadbasket, a week later the chain gang was trudging through the arid badlands of Vulture's Country. Now they were but a few hours from Pent Ridge. Prisoners and guards alike were parched, but they shuffled on with the promise of mugs of water – barely drinkable for the overseers, almost brackish for the criminals – and bowls of steaming date mush if they got to the prison by nightfall. With Yelm low in the sky, Cornspot next to Melo Yelo gave a dry croak of alarm and pointed to the direction they'd come from. Framed by the setting sun, flying low towards them was a great winged wyrm! Melo Yelo's spirits rose when he saw the Light Captain Lord Belvani was on its back. With a mighty flap of its wings, Windwhistler landed before the column. Without dismounting Belvani gestured to the startled guards that he wanted to talk the condemned criminal Melo Yelo. *hazia

The Grognardia blog writes about the strange serendipity between the bibliographies of 1978's RuneQuest and 1979's Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide. Both bibliographies are the fourteenth appendix in their respective volumes ("N"). "RuneQuest's Appendix N offers a fascinating contrast to Gygax's own... Reading them side by side, one is immediately struck by the different cultures that produced each game – as anyone who has played them can attest. It's precisely those differences that enabled them to exist side by side, appealing as they did to different tastes, sensibilities, and interests." —Grognardia. http://grognardia.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-first-appendix-n.html You can check out the original Appendix N here: https://www.chaosium.com/runequest-1st-edition-softcover-pod

It doesn't have the Free RPG Day logo on it, otherwise the same.

Lynne Hardy's Scritch Scratch is a modern-day Call of Cthulhu scenario for two to six players. It is now available from Chaosium.com in three formats: Softcover (US, UK, EU, AUS, CAN), price includes PDF - USD$9.99 POD fulfilled by Lulu, price includes PDF - USD $9.99 PDF - USD$4.99 Set in the modern-day, in a quiet valley somewhere in the north of England, this adventure concerns the demise of an age-old tradition in the quaint village of Muscoby—and the consequences of forgetting the Old Ways. Muscoby has never not had a rat catcher. Old Gurteen has been carrying on the tradition in the village, but recently he was involved in an accident and is now hospitalized. With Old Gurteen away, who will ensure the rat population is kept in check? For two to six players, Scritch Scratch and can be played in one or two sessions. Six pre-generated investigators are provided for use with this scenario, which is a great introduction to Call of Cthulhu while also being a suitably mysterious and horrific evening of fun for more experienced players. What the critics say "Scritch Scratch asks the question, “What Terror Lurks Within the Gloomy Woodlands Surrounding a Sleepy English Village?”... A pleasingly low key one-shot of bucolic mystery and horror." — Reviews from R'lyeh Lynne Hardy is also the author of our newest Call of Cthulhu campaign, the critically acclaimed The Children of Fear.

Having passed $400,000 in our Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter it's on to the next Stretch Goal: $450,000 Stretch Goal - 34" x 11" Size Comparison Poster Today is shaping up to be an historic and epic day. Not only did we achieve another stretch goal "out of the shadows", but we are about to set a new record for the number of backers on a single one of our projects, 3698. That surpasses the number we had for our Miskatonic University: The Restricted Collection campaign in 2018. It's an honor to have so many of you join us for this campaign to bring back into print some of the "Great Old Ones". (update: we're now at 3740 backers!) As for the stretch goal we just achieved, we will be adding a free printed page of new Silhouettes into each printed box set. All $20 backer levels and higher will get a free PDF of the new Silhouettes created by Simon Bray. Of course, that also means it is time for another stretch goal, and this one stretches out into a long poster... THE SIZE COMPARISON CHART, IN MONSTROUS SIZE

A revelation in the vaults As the storm clouds of conflict gathered over Prax, the Sun Dome leadership made their preparations for the uncertain times ahead. Still wrapped in his golden cloak, Count Invictus oversaw the muster of the Templars. With Lord Bakchos in disgrace at Pent Ridge, he would personally lead the First Square. Lord Belvani persuaded the Count that he should go to the Paps for a last-ditch attempt to come to terms with the nomads. The Light Captain promised that, come what may, he would see Invictus and the Templars at Moonbroth oasis. But rather than head to the Paps on foot or zebra, Belvani quietly went first to the Old Sun Dome. He had a swifter means of travel in mind, and a detour to make. As Guardian of Sun County, Vega Goldbreath was in charge of the local defenses. After despatching her deputy and protege the Light Lady Yolanda to the eastern borders, she went to confer with the Guardians of the Four Directions. These are the great spirits who defend the Sun Dome Temple itself, and in times of mortal threat their role is scare away the sendings of nomad shamans or other discorporate entities. Mere mortals though could commune with them via the hexomino in the temple vaults*, and Vega wanted to be assured that the Sun Dome's magical defenses were solid. The martial spirits said with pride they were ready to face all threats, and solicitously asked the Light Lady if they should be released to scour the temple boundaries again? This was curious – rarely if ever would all four Guardians be sent away from the temple building at the same time. But Vega learned from the spirits that this had happened not once but twice of late, most recently on the very morning Count Invictus had returned hale and well again. "Who ordered this?" she asked, and was disquieted to learn it was the count himself. Vega went straight to the treasury. There, back sitting in its rightful place among Duke Raus's other valuables was the Wand of the Seven Phases! It was once said, perhaps uncharitably, that the late Count Solanthos loved the correct forms of legality almost as much as he despised the concept of justice. No so with Lady Vega Goldbreath. As a woman making her way in a cult of men, for her Truth was always paramount, and form must always be backed by substance. Why did Invictus say nothing of this while she condemned the baboon as a thief? Had an injustice been done, and even worse, at her hands? She did not want to be responsible for a judgement displeasing to Yelmalio. When the current crisis was over, Vega Goldbreath resolved to get the bottom of this. *this cube-shaped artefact, a gift of Ernalda to her husband-protector, is made of multiple intersecting parts. It is so-called because it has six-sides. Few remember that, in an interesting mythological parallel with Umath's Camp of Orlanthi legend, the Sun Dome Temple too originally had Six Spirit Gurdians. The hexomino sits directly below the high altar and helps power and coordinate the temple's magical defenses. One of the few treasures that survive in the new temple from the Old Sun Dome, it was rescued from the desecrated site in pieces but no one knew how to reassemble it until Feshoaar, Soul of Light, came down from heaven to give the Sun People guidance. Even then it is apparent not all of the hexomino's powers were able to be restored properly. Cult Secret: the hexomino has six faces but seven parts.

Late last week as part of our Call of Cthulhu 40th anniversary Becca Scott and friends played the scenario "The Auction". This adventure is part of the 1983 Call of Cthulhu release The Asylum & Other Tales, one of the five supplements we're reprinting in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter, currently underway. If you watch Becca and her investigators in action you can see just how easy it is to play these classic scenarios with the current 7th edition rules! Here's what reviewers have said about The Asylum & Other Tales over the years: The Asylum & Other Tales (1983) "Considering its early release date (1983), The Asylum & Other Tales is quite a remarkable product, filled with lots of modular material for use by a harried Keeper. I learned a great deal about crafting good – and not so good – Call of Cthulhu adventures from it. In fact, thinking back on the book and its scenarios makes me wish I were refereeing a Call of Cthulhu campaign right now." — Grognardia. "The Asylum is a collection of cases designed to make your characters feel cursed." — Vintage RPG. "The title scenario and 'The Auction' are strong. Only 'Black Devil Mountain' really stinks (I suppose this scenario was written in 1983, and scenario writers hadn't quite got the hang of the whole "not D&D" thing yet). All the others are good, solid Cthulhu scenarios. All in all, a good package." — James Holloway review, RPGNet. "9 out of 10: Asylum is a neat collection providing short interesting adventures... Quality-wise it compares very favourably with Shadows [of Yog-Sothoth]." — Jon Sutherland review, White Dwarf #47. “Overall, this is a fine collection of Lovecraftian adventures will worth the attention of enthusiastic keepers and completist fans of H.P. Lovecraft.” — Anders Swenson review, Different Worlds #35. "A worthy addition to the Cthulhu Mythos and should be snatched up hand and tentacle by all CoC Keepers.” — William A. Barton review, Fantasy Gamer #5. "All together the seven scenarios in The Asylum & Other Tales present a snapshot of Call of Cthulhu writing as it was in 1983, just as the writers were laying down many of the ideas that authors have since revisited again and again. They feel rough and ready, but no less playable and whilst it it might one of the worst scenarios ever published for Call of Cthulhu, it is fortunate that all of the other scenarios more than make up for ‘Black Devil Mountain’... ‘The Auction’ is still a classic and undoubtedly the star of the anthology." — Reviews from R'lyeh. The Asylum & Other Tales is available in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter. Have you backed it? The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game!

"This one small scenario has done more to draw role-players to Call of Cthulhu than anything ever published for CoC, and I had the desire to exploit the concept to the max." In a 2007 essay for Electronic Book Review,Trail of Tsathogghua author the late Keith Herber talks about his scenario in that book "The Haunted House", and how it builds on Sandy Petersen's original 'Haunted House' mini-adventure that came in the Call of Cthulhu core rules. "I wanted a scenario that threatened to drive investigators mad, rather than simply tearing them to pieces. I also wanted to see if I could create a scenario so difficult to unravel that most investigating parties would eventually give up and leave without solving the mystery, without destroying the haunt that inhabited the house. I wanted an adventure that would leave players with stories to tell. Best of all, it utilized the moral ambiguity inherent to Lovecraft and CoC. The haunt isn't really bothering anyone - save the rich man who inherited the house. The investigators - who generally assume themselves to be "good" - are actually there to evict the supernatural tenant and will be paid money for destroying a creature who is actually bothering almost no one." Here's what reviewers have said about this influential Call of Cthulhu work over the years: Trail of Tsathogghua (1984) "Man, Trail of Tsathogghua (1984) has the best cover art of early Call of Cthulhu books, hands down. Eisner award winning creator Steve Purcell is the culprit and I quite like his interiors too. The standalone [scenario] “The Haunted House,” is a damn classic... the twist at its heart is so good. It is also maybe the Call of Cthulhu investigation with the most difficult to unearth solution. I expect a good number of players have given up without solving it. And it is in this scenario you can see Keith Herber’s future brilliance the clearest." — Vintage RPG. "Best Call of Cthulhu adventure? 'The Haunted House' from Trail of Tsathogghua. Talking about it is a spoiler, but it's a brilliant premise." — Abject Questioner, RPGNet. "One of the best covers of the Call of Cthulhu RPG." — The Outer Topic. "If you've been happily devouring Chaosium's Cthulhu releases, rest assured that Trail of Tsathogghua is another top-notch effort. This is roleplaying at its finest, and I'm ready for the next one. And who knows . . . maybe it'll even have a title I can pronounce." — Rick Swan review, The Space Gamer #75. "I think Keith Herber's scenario "The Haunted House" is one of the best scenarios ever published for CoC. So glad it's coming back into print." — Sean Branney, H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society. Trail of Tsathogghua is available in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter. Have you backed it? The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game!

RuneQuest fans, did you know the Arkham map from Call of Cthulhu first ed (1981) has a #Glorantha easter egg? The poster version of the map was unlocked in our last stretch goal in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chaosium/call-of-cthulhu-classic

Now on Youtube:

The Call of Cthulhu release Does Love Forgive? is now available on the Fantasy Grounds Virtual Tabletop! Does Love Forgive? for Fantasy Grounds Does Love Forgive? is a collection of two special scenarios for Call of Cthulhu for one Keeper and one player. Both adventures are perfect for a fun evening of gaming for two people. Each scenario can be played over the course of one to two sessions, and is suitable for Keepers of all experience levels. "The compilation you need in order to gently lure people into horror roleplaying, one victim at a time." — Antonios S, RPGNet Review. Note: use requires an active subscription or a one time purchase of a Fantasy Grounds Full or Ultimate license and a one time purchase of the Call of Cthulhu 7E ruleset.

A Call to Arms With the Light Guide now safely immured in a tower and Melo Yelo – the only witness to the events at Stableford – despatched in chains to Pent Ridge, Invictus called the people forth. Keeping his baboon arm wrapped and hidden in a magnificent gold cloak, from Summons Hill the count made great show of reversing several of the more contentious concessions he’d given to the Lunars during his affliction. A messenger was sent to Pavis to inform the governor of this new state of affairs. A week later the messenger returned, with a Lunar tribune in tow. It was now late Earth season 1624. Frictions among the nomads were at a boiling point as they jostled to occupy the prime places of Prax since returning after the Great Winter. Governor Halcyon resolved to march out in support of Inire the Red and the Sables. The tribune brought a command requiring the Sun Dome Templars to join the Lunar forces assembling at the Oasis at Moonbroth. He curtly said the governor rejected what Invictus had said in his letter, but that this "insolence" could be dealt with later. The governor’s message was more like an order to a conquered vassal than a request to a loyal ally. This enraged Vega Goldbreath. Her view was that the Sables owed them nothing, and urged an armed neutrality in any coming clash. The Light Captain Lord Belvani went further, and for the first time intimated that he knew the nomads were far stronger and better organized than the governor suspected. Before the Lunar peace in Prax was shattered forever he advised coming to terms with the nomads’ new leader, the enigmatic foreigner known as Argrath White Bull. Seeking divine guidance, Gaumata the Seer was confused and troubled by what he saw: a great dragon rising from the mountains in the west. Although Yelm remained at its zenith throughout the vision, the dragon’s wings obscured the Red Moon. Count Invictus was inclined to Vega’s view, but didn’t count on the Red Witch’s wiles. The tribune brought with him a special gift – the magic stopper for the brass jar, tied in a red ribbon. It was a subtle reminder that Marusa could yet tell all about their illicit affair. With some reluctance, Invictus gave the order to make preparations for Sun Dome Templars to depart in force for Moonbroth Oasis. The governor commanded them to be there by the first full moon of Storm season.

The following HeroQuest Glorantha print titles will be withdrawn from sale on July 15 as part of our deal to transfer ownership of the HeroQuest trademark to Hasbro. Once withdrawn, they will be out-of-print permanently. If you would like to own these HeroQuest print titles, order now! $9.99 price includes PDF. HeroQuest PDF titles at Chaosium.com and DriveThruRPG will also be withdrawn from sale on July 15. Please note: If you own these PDF titles they will remain in your account's digital library. We will be rebadging the HeroQuest line of products as Questworlds.

HIDING THE TRUTH Now reinvigorated, Count Invictus quietly returned Raus’s Wand to the vaults, and sought to both reassert his authority and hide his illicit collusion with Marusa. With their count back and in good health (though strangely reticent about where he had been), the next day the Sun Dome leadership gathered at noon in the Meeting House for their customary assembly, the first in a long time. As soon as everyone had taken their places, the Light Guide Laertes Coatilon stood up to make a surprise announcement: effective immediately, he was retiring, and would pass his remaining days meditating on the Light of Truth. Belvani was keen to find out exactly what had gone on at Stablefort, and suspected Laertes Coatilon was involved in the coded messages he'd intercepted. He was eager to question the Light Guide about what he knew, but several Templars from Invictus's bodyguard promptly escorted Laertes straight from the room. The Count announced the vacant retirement tower in the temple grounds – the same hermitage that had housed the unfortunate Taleo Lumine, in fact – had been prepared for Laertes. He said the former Light Guide now craved solitude and was to be disturbed by no one. Next, the one-armed Melo Yelo was summoned to the Meeting House. Overawed by the gilded surrounds and the splendid figures looking down at him, Melo Yelo squatted on the floor and politely bared his teeth in a gesture of deference. Vega Goldbreath immediately denounced the baboon as a thief, accusing him of breaking into the temple vaults and stealing the Wand of the Seven Phases. The proceedings were conducted entirely in Firespeech (as was the custom), so Melo Yelo had little understanding of what was going on, other than the female Light Son seemed angry with him. Invictus simply lowered his head and said nothing as the judgement was given. Lady Vega's pronounced sentence was six seasons of hard labor at Pent Ridge; this would be served in the Dusk detail, those who toil in the salt mines but are permitted to return to the outside for rest and sleep. She asked Count Invictus to confirm Yelm's justice. Belvani's face had remained completely passive while Lady Vega gave her verdict. But, taking care to look Melo Yelo straight in the eye, the Light Captain begged the Count's indulgence for a moment before he approved the sentence. Theatrically chiding Vega for her lenience, Belvani instead argued the punishment should be more severe! Theft from the temple vaults was not merely criminal but sacrilegious, he said. Given the monstrous gravity of the baboon's offenses, surely Count Invictus would consider it more fitting that this abominable ape serve his punishment in the Dark detail, forbidden to leave the mines nor ever allowed to see the sun? Count Invictus, still looking at the ground, gave his assent with an almost imperceptible nod. The perplexed baboon, who thought he'd been summoned before the glittering leadership of the cult he loved to be praised for his fidelity, was roughly led away by a pair of Invictus's Templars.

Here it is on YouTube: Becca Scott and an all-star cast plays 'The Auction', a scenario from The Asylum & Other Tales, one of the five classic supplements featured in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter, currently underway.Becca says, "We're playing Call of Cthulhu Classic in celebration of the Call of Cthulhu RPG's 40th anniversary and the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter campaign! After 40 years of horror RPG excellence, Chaosium goes back to its eldritch roots with a remastered version of the original boxed set and several of Call of Cthulhu's very first supplements." 'The Auction' is one of the scenarios in The Asylum & Other Tales, one of the five classic supplements available in the Call of Cthulhu Classic Kickstarter. Have you backed it?The boxed sets and PDFs on offer are not only packed-full of nostalgia from the birth of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game in 1981, but are also fully compatible with the 7th Edition of the game! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/chaosium/call-of-cthulhu-classic

By Jason Durall, RuneQuest creative director The Starter Set for RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha is coming! Between now and its release later this year, RuneQuest creative director Jason Durall's Design Diary will share insights about the development of this exciting new boxed set which will introduce the RuneQuest RPG and Greg Stafford's mythic world of Glorantha to all-new audiences. Diary #1: What to expect in the RQ Starter Set Diary #2: Cover Art reveal, and what's inside the box Diary #3: The new adventurers Diary #4: More about the new adventurers Diary #5: Welcome to Jonstown, setting for the Starter Set (guest post by Jeff Richard) Diary #6: Creating the Jonstown City Maps (guest post by Jeff Richard) Diary #7: Printer's proofs are back! Diary #8: A Gateway to Adventure Diary #9: Beyond the Starter Set Diary #10: Take a look at an advance copy of the Starter Set (guest post by Rick Meints) A guest post from Chaosium Vice President Michael O'Brien: MOB: OK, now this is cool: I was handing over the advance copy of the RuneQuest Starter Set I'd recently received to my colleagues David and Jim of the Stream of Chaos. They are going to make the Chaosium Unveiled video for it. And look what we discovered happens when you line up all the back covers of the booklets within...

Our Miskatonic Repository community ambassador Bridgett Jeffries has published several titles on the platform herself. Here for our Chaosium Interviews series she talks to James Coquillat about getting started as a community content creator. If you're currently taking part in the Storytelling Collective's 'Write Your First Adventure' workshop, Bridgett is here to give you inspiration and encouragement! Also check out her Gnome Stew article, You Too Can Self-Publish Call of Cthulhu.

The Brass Jar Sealed Tenderly gazing at his suffering Count as they hid in the dark, Melo Yelo recalled something he saw long ago, back when he still ran with his troupe and was barely more than wild. An old baboon shaman had taken them to see the great Painted Wall, the mile-long cliff-face in Vulture’s Country. Engraved among the ancient petroglyphs and symbols, the young baboon saw this very scene. That was, he now realized, the first awakening of the unlikely path his life later took, when he was drawn in from the Wastes to follow the golden god of the Sun Dome. Slinging the now debilitated Count over his back and patting him gently as he ran, Melo Yelo resolved to bring Invictus back to the Painted Wall to seek out the old baboon shaman’s aid. He kept them hidden the whole way, hiding in dry channels and hayricks; the baboon was resigned to the fact the Sun Folk probably wouldn't understand, no matter how hard he tried to explain. By the time Belvani and his Templars arrived at Stablefort the fracas was over. Several militiamen were dead, and more were mind-blasted. The attackers, whoever they were, were gone too, having fled by boat. Of Count Invictus or Melo Yelo, there was no sign. Belvani decided to keep the Count's mysterious disappearance a secret, for now, confiding only in Gaumata the Seer. That noon the high priest cast a divination and received a vision revealing Invictus was "still of this world", yet "safe with Yelmalio". (Being careful not to lie, Belvani did not dispute it when temple officials blithely assumed the count had just unexpectedly departed on another of his consultation visits to New Pavis.) Meanwhile, Duke Raus's Wand of the Seven Phases was found to be missing from the Sun Dome vault. When Vega Goldbreath learned Melo Yelo had scarpered away from the temple in great haste the night before, she named him the thief. Orders were sent out to her militia to be on high alert. Belvani also had his Templars out discreetly looking, and so they conveniently joined the hunt to apprehend the fugitive baboon. Several days later Melo Yelo and the Count reappeared together at the Sun Dome Temple. Vega's militiamen or Belvani's Templars could not arrest the baboon if they tried; Melo Yelo and Invictus were surrounded by a throng of excited Sun Dome citizenry, rejoicing that Daga had been defeated at last! What happened out the Painted Wall Invictus and Melo Yelo would not say, but the Brass Jar was now permanently sealed, and the count was mercifully free from torment. Invictus’ whole arm, golden vambrace and all, still held his hand in place, sealing in Daga, but had somehow been separated from his body. Together with the Brass Jar, it was now encased in packed mud inscribed with weird shamanic symbols. Where his own left arm once was, Invictus now had the lanky furred limb and claws of a baboon: Melo Yelo had literally given his own left arm to save the count. *As noted in The Guide to Glorantha, "This mile-long cliff face is carved with many large runes, symbols, and petroglyphs. Shamans are often found here speaking with the spirits of the Wall; they will often tell visitors where to find their story on it."