MOB

The Dead of Winter is upon us! Miss the livestream on Chaosium Twitch? Don't worry. You can catch the four one-on-one prologue sessions on the Chaosium Youtube channel. Keeper Mike Mason @mikemason leads each player through a strange and defining event for their character. https://www.chaosium.com/blogthe-dead-of-winter-is-upon-us-oneonone-prologue-sessions-now-up-on-youtube The strange reappearance of people long gone from the investigators’ lives precedes the arrival of two curious letters, both asking for help from unexpected sources. The investigators are drawn into a series of events taking them far from home and into the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous landscape of Soviet Russia where friends may be enemies and enemies might be friends. Join us for an adventure like no other: Tuesdays at 8pm GMT (UK) / 3pm EST / 12 noon PST live on Twitch TV, then later on YouTube.

Cthulhu Dark Ages is a world lit only by fire. The ancient empires collapsed centuries ago, taking their culture and learning with them. It's a dark world and people are right to be afraid of the dark. Apart from the Viking raiders, witches, and outlaws, there are the unquiet dead, ancient horrors, and other malevolent beings stalking the countryside. Dark entities, beyond good and evil, wait hidden in the recesses of time and the angles of space. A few brave souls try their best to resist these horrors and push them back from whence they came. Will you be one of them? Cthulhu Dark Ages has been updated for Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, completely revised and with a wealth of new setting material. Included are a players' guide to the Dark Ages, an optional Sanity mechanic which mirrors the medieval mindset, rules for the oral tradition of storytelling, rules for mounted combat, a grimoire of Dark Age spells and optional rules for folk magic, a bestiary of monsters, as well as a fully detailed setting - the Anglo-Saxon community of Totburh in England's Severn Valley which includes interesting characters, dwelling descriptions, and a multitude of plot hooks for Keepers to use and develop. In addition, three scenarios introduce players to the Dark Age Severn Valley. CHAPTERS Introduction and Foreword Anglo-Saxon England A to Z of the Dark Ages Dark Age Investigators Game System Investigative Horror in the Dark Ages The Cthulhu Mythos in the Dark Ages Bestiary The Community of Totburh Three Scenarios: 'The Hunt'; 'The Doom That Came to Wessex'; 'Eseweald' Appendices

With an extensive array of Chaosium credits between them (Terror Australis, Reign of Terror, Horror on the Orient Express, and much, much more), we are delighted to announce MARK MORRISON and PENELOPE LOVE as Australian Guests of Honour for Chaosium Con Down Under! Mark Morrison won second prize in a White Dwarf scenario-writing contest in 1985, and has never looked back! In addition to his extensive Call of Cthulhu credits, Mark was a story consultant for Call of Cthulhu The Official Video Game, and is now a partner in Campaign Coins, making real metal coins for tabletop gaming. Along with her scenario writing accomplishments, Penelope Love's Mythos fiction includes Cthulhu's Dark Cults, Made in Goatswood, Madness on the Orient Express, Heroes of Red Hook, Tales of Cthulhu Invictus and the World Fantasy Award winning anthology She Walks in Shadows. Her most current Call of Cthulhu project is upcoming Cthulhu by Gaslight campaign supplement The Curse of Seven. About Chaosium Con Down Under Chaosium Con Down Under takes place on 2-3 May, 2020 at the evocative and historic Glebe Town Hall in inner Sydney, Australia. We're planning a boutique yet captivating program that's going to be in parts mythic, epic, heroic and horrific, with Chaosium's favourite games on offer including Call of Cthulhu, RuneQuest, Pendragon, 7th Sea, HeroQuest, and more. Ticketing opens later this month, and spaces are strictly limited due to the boutique size of the venue. Sign up to our Chaosium Con Down Under mailing list to be the first to know when ticketing opens! We are also currently recruiting GMs, who get free entry to the convention: details here.

Can't do front and back images on Redbubble, unfortunately. But there is this:

Creature Feature Day Eight is the Walktapus, chaotic regenerators with humanoid bodies and octopus-like heads. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44437351-walktapus-by-cory-trego-erdner Merchandise available at Redbubble; recipes in Wyrms Footnotes #2! Chef tip: always remember to stun or disrupt each portion of walktapus sushi before swallowing. Creature Feature Day #9 - Air Elemental: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43635664-air-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day Ten: Dream Dragon by Cory Trego-Erdner. In Glorantha, dream dragons are the physical manifestations of the dreams of True Dragons. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44350910-dream-dragon-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day Eleven: Do Not Leave Fire Elemental Unattended! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43659730-fire-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day Twelve: broo! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44409287-broo-by-cory-trego-erdner RELEASE THE BAT! Creature Feature Day Thirteen is the Crimson Bat, Steed of the Red Goddess. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44259745-the-crimson-bat-by-cory-trego-erdner An earth elemental - our #creaturefeature on Redbubble for Day 14! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43659533-earth-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner A thumbs up from the Morokanth for Creature Feature Day 15! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44262874-morokanth-by-cory-trego-erdner A Giant Mantis is the Creature Feature for Day Sixteen. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44325794-giant-mantis-by-cory-trego-erdner Embrace the dark! Creature Feature Day Seventeen is a Shade, a darkness elemental. Available on sorts of merch at Redbubble, where it is 20-50% off everything today with the code UPTO50OFF: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43659148-darkness-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner Day Eighteen - today's Creature Feature is... lots of creatures! All the fabled herd beasts of Prax: rhino, sable, impala, zebra, high llama, bolo lizard, ostrich, bison (herd man must have got distracted somewhere along the way...) Creature Feature Day Nineteen: Triceratops!https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44527733-triceratops-by-cory-trego-erdner Our #CreatureFeature for Day 20 is a water elemental, which you can actually get on a water bottle at Redbubble. Along with all sorts of other merchandise. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43659317-water-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43659317-water-elemental-by-cory-trego-erdner?asc=u&p=water-bottle&rel=carousel Creature Feature Day 21 on Redbubble - Alynx, also known as Shadowcats. The Orlanthi use them for herding and hunting in the same ways dogs are used on Earth (ample proof that Glorantha truly is a fictional universe). https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44320816-shadowcat-alynx-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day 22 - the enigmatic Dragonewts, an immortal race descended from dragons, who evolve through four distinct stages. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44436697-dragonnewts-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day 23 – Dragonsnail, proof that two heads are not always better than one. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44469678-dragonsnail-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day 24 is a Wyrm, winged intelligent serpents that claim to be following their own path to dragonhood, instead of the dragonewt way. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44351063-wyrm-by-cory-trego-erdner A Lune, an elemental from the Red Moon, is our Creature Feature for Day 25. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/43658773-lune-by-cory-trego-erdner "Scorpion Man, where is thy sting?" Creature Feature Day 26 at Redbubble.https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/45008165-scorpion-man-by-cory-trego-erdner Day 27: Moar Trollz! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44526619-uz-by-cory-trego-erdner "Picture a large, rat-shaped, creature about a half-meter long. Move the corners of the mouth back to the front shoulders and open the mouth about 60 degrees to reveal a row of sharp-pointed teeth. Cover the whole gruesome thing with armadillo-like scales. Realize that it is always hungry and runs in packs, and you have a rubble runner." #CreatureFeature Day 28 https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/45008066-rubble-runners-by-cory-trego-erdner Our #creaturefeature on Redbubble ends on Day 29 with a Wyvern. All art featured here over the month of February is by Cory Treo-Erdner, from the RUNEQUEST GLORANTHA BESTIARY. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44351214-wyvern-by-cory-trego-erdner

Mr Albert Shiny is not quite what he seems. More work-in-progress for the Malleus Monstrorum by Loïc Muzy.

We are excited to announce that in addition to 7th Sea creator JOHN WICK, the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society's SEAN BRANNEY and ANDREW LEMAN are coming to Chaosium Con Down Under as International Guests! And in addition to their con duties, we have a special announcement: On the Thursday night before the convention (April 30th), Chaosium Con Down Under in conjunction with the H.P. Lovecraft Historical Society will be presenting a one-night-only screening of The Call of Cthulhu (2005) at the Dendy Newtown. Door Prizes by Chaosium. We encourage the audience to come in Call of Cthulhu-themed costume! The film will be introduced in person by the HPLHS’s Sean Branney, producer and co-writer, and Andrew Leman, director. Q&A to follow after the screening. Also showing the “Making of…” featurette. Tickets for the film night will be available separately once ticketing for the convention opens later this month. Sign up to our Chaosium Con Down Under mailing list to be the first to know when ticketing opens! Screening The Call of Cthulhu at the Sun Theatre in Melbourne in January 2019 was a great success: we had a full house of cultists! Sean and Andrew are looking forward to bringing the horrors of the Mythos to Sydney!

THE DEAD OF WINTER, an epic story of intrigue, love, and horror set in 1929 across London and Russia: Tuesday nights on Chaosium Twitch Coming to Chaosium Twitch on Tuesday nights: The Dead of Winter, a new Call of Cthulhu live play campaign. Set in 1929 in London and Russia, this is an epic tale of intrigue, love, and horror by Tim Wiseman, author of the brilliant Tatters of the King campaign. Call of Cthulhu creative director Mike Mason @mikemason is play testing this bizarre and mystifying campaign live on Twitch TV, then on YouTube, starting February 4 at 8pm GMT (UK) / 3pm EST / 12 noon PST. Joining him are these intrepid investigators: Lynne Hardy @CogsandCakes – playing Francis Ball, a private investigator Becky @ConPlusRPG – playing Eleanor Wright, a journalist Jema @SparklyJem – playing Georgina Sullivan, a sculptor Jayson @ConPlusRPG – playing Maxime Elliot, a dilettante The strange reappearance of people long gone from the investigators’ lives precedes the arrival of two curious letters, both asking for help from unexpected sources. The investigators are drawn into a series of events taking them far from home and into the unfamiliar and potentially dangerous landscape of Soviet Russia where friends may be enemies and enemies might be friends. Join us for an adventure like no other. When the human mind peeks behind the curtain, how long before it is lost? The Stream of Chaos team are playing scenarios from the recent Pulp Cthulhu release A Cold Fire Within. On Chaosium Twitch Tuesdays at 19:30 AEDT / 08:30 GMT

Halycon Var Enkorth and his long-time companion/accomplice Marusa the Shrew were present and among the few Lunar survivors. Both pitched up in Furthest some time later (separately), seemingly none the worse for wear.

The first planning meeting for the Rivers of London RPG took place last weekend! Chaosium's Lynne Hardy and Mike Mason worked with writers Paul Fricker and Keris McDonald on scoping out mechanics, player roles, and the setting. And with Richard Hardy and Lucy Fricker on board as willing guinea pigs, Lynne then ran the first-ever RoL scenario to test out key game concepts. All went well and the scenario is something the team are developing for play as an intro game!

Join Mark Morrison @mark_gor, author of Reign of Terror, as he leads @Magicspacegirl, @BWHolland, @Richardthewatts and @Alex_catoo through a chilling new scenario set during the French Revolution. Call of Cthulhu live play from this year's Arcanacon in Melbourne, Australia (Jan 26). Nifty effects supplied by Arkenforge.

Julia, our 'merc of merch, has dubbed February our #CreatureFeature month. One creature from the RQG Bestiary for every day of February on Redbubble. We have them all, from Aldryami to Wyvern. Art by Cory Trego-Erdner. And speaking of Aldryami, the plant people of Glorantha, here's Day One! https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44436206-aldryami-by-cory-trego-erdner For day two, it's a Thunder Brother: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44529154-thunder-brother-by-cory-trego-erdner Excuse us for trolling, Day three it is Uz: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44527156-troll-and-trollkin-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day 4: the exotic and dangerous Jack O'Bear: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44470110-jack-obear-by-cory-trego-erdner Creature Feature Day Five: Demibirds are fearless and carnivorous, and have beaks, feathers, and lay eggs, but have solid bones and vestigial arms instead of wings. The dragonewts of Dragon Pass use these fearsome creatures as mounts. https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44350720-demibird-with-dragonnewt-by-cory-trego-erdner (before anyone queries, dragonewts drive with their left hand) Day Six: Snake Daughter https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44528507-snake-daughter-by-cory-trego-erdner On Day Seven, the most dwarvish of days: https://www.redbubble.com/people/chaosium/works/44470388-mostali-by-cory-trego-erdner

The Daughters of the Yellow Sign, each a titan of unmasked fire in their own right, have parted the curtains. From Hali’s deeps and Carcosa’s gloomy balconies and Styx-black towers, come their lamentations and rage and the consequences of intrigues and follies born in Oblivion. Run into their embrace. Their carriages wait to take you from shadowed rooms and cobble­stones to The Place Where the Black Stars Hang... It's WOMEN IN HORROR MONTH, and to mark that our double World Fantasy Award nominated anthology CASSILDA'S SONG is 50% off at Chaosium.com. Available in multiple electronic formats (EPUB, MOBI, PRC) "Featuring a who’s who of not just the top women writing weird fiction today but some of the very best authors and stories of the year period."—OUTER DARK PODCAST. https://www.chaosium.com/cassildas-song-ebook

Here's a partial list of the awards Chaosium has won over the years. We've lost track of some of our awards, so if you know of any that are not listed here, please contact us or comment in this thread and we can update the list. 2020 Australian Roleplaying Industry Awards - Reign of Terror - Best Scenario ENnie Awards - Berlin the Wicked City - Best Setting (Gold) ENnie Awards - Berlin the Wicked City - Best Art - Cover (Gold) ENnie Awards - Refractions of Glasston (Miskatonic Repository) - Judge's Spotlight Awar 2019 Dragon Con Awards - Masks of Nyarlathotep - Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures/Collectible Card/Role Playing Game ENnie Awards - Masks of Nyarlathotep - Best Adventure (Gold) ENnie Awards - Terror Australis - Best Art - Cover (Gold) ENnie Awards - RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha - Best Interior Art (Gold) ENnie Awards - Miskatonic University:The Restricted Collection - Best RPG Related Product (Silver) ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu Starter Set - Best Rules (Gold) ENnie Awards - Terror Australis - Best Setting (Silver) ENnie Awards - The Glorantha Sourcebook - Best Supplement (Gold) ENnie Awards - Chaosium Inc - Fan’s Choice Best Publisher (Gold) 2018 ENnie Awards - Khan of Khans - Best RPG Related Product (Gold) ENnie Awards - Khan of Khans - Best Family Product (Gold) ENnie Awards - Reign of Terror - Best Supplement (Gold) ENnie Awards - RuneQuest Quickstart & Adventure - Best Free Product (Gold) ENnie Awards - Down Darker Trails - Best Monster/Adversary (Silver) ENnie Awards - Chaosium Inc - Fan’s Favorite Publisher (Silver) Tabletop Gaming Magazine 'Top 150 Greatest Games of All Time' - Call of Cthulhu - Ranked #3 (Reader Poll) Tabletop Gaming Magazine 'Top 150 Greatest Games of All Time' - RuneQuest - Ranked #9 (Reader Poll) Tabletop Gaming Magazine 'Top 150 Greatest Games of All Time' - King Arthur Pendragon - Ranked #75 (Reader Poll) UK Games Expo Awards - The Two-Headed Serpent - Best Roleplaying Adventure UK Games Expo Awards - Down Darker Trails - Best Roleplaying Game Expansion 2017 Beasts of War Awards - Call of Cthulhu 7th Ed - Best RPG ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu Investigator Handbook - Best Cover Art (Gold) ENnie Awards - S. Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors - Best Interior Art (Gold) ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu Keeper Screen Pack - Best Cartography (Gold) ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu Slipcase Set - Best Production Values (Gold) ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu Keeper Screen Pack - Best Aid/Accessory (Gold) ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu the Coloring Book - Best RPG Related Product (Gold) ENnie Awards - S. Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors - Best Adversary/Monster (Gold) ENnie Awards - Doors to Darkness - Best Adventure (Silver) ENnie Awards - Pulp Cthulhu - Best Supplement (Gold) ENnie Awards - Chaosium Inc - Fan’s Favorite Publisher (Silver) 2016 Dragon Con Awards - Call of Cthulhu 7th Ed - Best Science Fiction or Fantasy Miniatures/Collectible Card/Role Playing Game UK Games Expo - Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition - Best Roleplaying Game World Fantasy Awards - Cassilda’s Song - Finalist – Best Anthology World Fantasy Awards - ‘The Neurastheniac’ (Selena Chambers) in Cassilda’s Song - Finalist – Best Short Story 2015 ENnie Awards - Horror on the Orient Express - Best Adventure (Gold) ENnie Awards - Horror on the Orient Express - Best Production Values (Silver) ENnie Awards - The Guide to Glorantha (with Moon Design Publications) - Best Cartography (Silver) The Diana Jones Award - The Guide to Glorantha (with Moon Design Publications) - 'Excellence in Gaming' Award 2014 ENnie Awards - Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Quickstart - Best Free Product (Silver) 2013 ENnie Awards - Mythic Iceland - Best Setting (Silver) 2012 ENnie Awards - Cthulhu by Gaslight - Best Supplement (Gold) ENnie Awards - Cthulhu by Gaslight - Best Art - Cover (Silver) 2007 Hobby Games - The 100 Best (ed. by James Lowder) - Call of Cthulhu, Ghostbuster, Pendragon, Prince Valiant, RuneQuest - selected for inclusion Origins Award - King Arthur Pendragon - Hall of Fame The Diana Jones Award - Greg Stafford for The Great Pendragon Campaign (with White Wolf Publishing) - 'Excellence in Gaming' Award 2004 ENnie Awards - Cthulhu Dark Ages - Best non-d20 RPG 2003 Number One Gothic/Horror RPG - Call of Cthulhu - As voted as by readers of GamingReport.com. 2001 Awarded by the University of Toronto School of Psychiatry - Unseen Masters - Mary Seeman Award in the area of Psychiatry and Humanities for the background given on mental health and addiction Origins Award - Call of Cthulhu 20th anniversary edition - Best Graphic Presentation of a Book Product Origins Award - Unseen Masters - Best Roleplaying game adventure 1999 Origins Award - Beyond the Mountains of Madness - Best Role Playing Adventure Origins Award - 'Just a Tad Beyond Innsmouth' - Best Game-Related Short Work 1998 Origins Award - Starry Wisdom - Best Amateur Game Magazine Origins Award - 'A Fourty Share in Innsmouth' - Best Game-Related Short Fiction Wiener Spiele Mischung - Mythos: New Aeon - Best Collectable Card Game 1997 Origins Award - Mythos - Best Collectable Card Game Origins Award - Masks of Nyarlathotep - Best Roleplaying Adventure Origins Award - Cthulhu For President - Best Game Accessory Origins Award - Cthulhu Cycle - Best Game-Related Fiction Wiener Spiele Mischung - Mythos: Dreamlands - Best Collectable Card Game 1995 Origins Award - Call of Cthulhu - Hall of Fame Origins Award - Cthulhu's Heirs - Best Game-Related Fiction Origins Award - Encyclopedia Cthulhiana - Special Achievement 1994 Gamer's Choice Award - Call of Cthulhu - Hall of Fame Gamer's Choice Award - Sandy Petersen - Favorite Designer 1993 Leeds Wargame Club - Call of Cthulhu - Best Role Playing Game 1992 Origins Award - Horror on the Orient Express - Best Roleplaying Adventure Origins Award - Horror on the Orient Express - Best Graphic Presentation of an RPG 1991 Gamer's Choice Award - Cthulhu Casebook - Best Role Playing Adventure Origins Award - King Arthur Pendragon - Best Role Playing Rules 1990 Origins Award - Great Old Ones - Best Role Playing Adventure Origins Award - Creatures of the Dreamlands - Best Role Playing Supplement Origins Award - Creatures of the Dreamlands - Best Graphic Presentation Origins Award - Sandy Petersen - Hall of Fame Readercon Small Press Award - Creatures of the Dreamlands - Best Interior Illustration 1989 Origins Award - Petersen’s Field Guide to Cthulhu Monsters - Best Graphic Presentation of an RPG 1988 Origins Award - Arkham Horror - Best Fantasy Boardgame Origins Award - Tournament of Dreams - Best Role Playing Adventure Origins Award - M.U. Graduate Kit - Best Graphic Presentation GorpCon ’88 - Daughters of Darkness (with The Avalon Hill Game Company) - Rising Star Award 1987 Gamer's Choice Award - Cthulhu by Gaslight - Best Role Playing Accessory Gamer's Choice Award - Spawn of Azathoth - Best Role Playing Adventure Games Day Award - Call of Cthulhu - Best Other Role Playing Game Origins Award - Greg Stafford - Hall of Fame Origins Award - Cthulhu By Gaslight - Best Role Playing Supplement 1986 Games Day Award - Call of Cthulhu - Best Contemporary Role Playing Game Games Day Award - Masks of Nyarlathotep - Best Role Playing Adventure Origins Award - The Pendragon Campaign - Best Role Playing Supplement Origins Award - Ghostbusters (with West End Games) - Best Role Playing Rules 1985 Games Day Award - Call of Cthulhu - Best Role Playing Game Games Day Award - Chaosium Inc. - Best Manufacturer Games Day Award - Shadows of Yog-Sothoth - Best Role Playing Adventure 1984 Games Day Award - Scorpion Hall - Best Solo Adventure Games Day Award - RuneQuest - Best Role Playing Game 1983 Games Day Award - Dragon Pass - Best Fantasy Boardgame Games Day Award - Griffin Mountain - Best Role Playing Scenario Games Day Award - RuneQuest - Best Role Playing Game 1982 Games Day Award - Dragon Pass - Best Fantasy Boardgame Games Day Award - Griffin Mountain - Best Roleplaying Scenario Games Day Award - Stormbringer - Best New Game Game Designers Guild - Shadows of Yog-Sothoth - Select Award Game Designer's Guild - Trollpack - Select Award Origins Award - Call of Cthulhu - Best Role Playing Game Origins Award - Thieves’ World - Best Role Playing Adventure 1981 Game Designer's Guild - Stormbringer - Select Award Game Designer's Guild - Call of Cthulhu - Select Award Game Designer's Guild - Thieves’ World - Select Award Origins Award - Chaosium Inc.- In Appreciation Strategist's Club Award - Call of Cthulhu - Outstanding Game Strategist's Club Award - Dragon Pass - Outstanding Boardgame Strategist's Club Award - Vive L'Empereur - Outstanding Miniatures Rules 1978 Game Designer's Guild - Lords of the Middle Sea - Select Award Strategists Club Award - RuneQuest - Outstanding Miniatures Rules

Whoa - OBS has said the DriveThruRPG charity bundles for Australian bushfire relief have so far raised over $150K! For a good cause, you can get the original TERROR AUSTRALIS in the Modern & Urban Horror Bundle, and there are seven other themed bundles to choose from too.

Greg's letter was in response to this exposé of its true origins and inspirations: http://rpgreview.net/mob/inspiration.htm

Microsoft has announced CALL OF CTHULHU THE OFFICIAL VIDEO GAME will be available FREE to all Xbox Live Gold members next month, along with three other game titles. (Call of Cthulhu available February 16 to March 15 for Xbox One) https://www.polygon.com/2020/1/28/21111968/xbox-games-with-gold-free-february-2020

WYRMS FOOTNOTES IS BACK! We have lovingly recreated the classic Chaosium in-house magazine and brought it into the digital age! These are not simple scans, but OCRed reproductions created by our layout team to match the original. Published from 1976 to 1982 the 14 issues span most of the early history of the company, from the dawn of tabletop gaming. Want to relive the original experience? — look no further! Available in a single bundle of all 14 individual PDFs, or separately: https://www.chaosium.com/wyrms-footnotes

A new artist we're working with: Eleonor Piteira's radiant work adorns the CODEX MIRABILIS, a current work-in-progress for the King Arthur Pendragon RPG.

Yep, checks out (vid has major spoilers for The Good Place):

Further elucidation on FB, which I'm recording here so I can easily come back to it: The last significant activity in Prax that the Coders participate in is the Cradle Episode. The Coders are sent on a wild goose chase at the Pairing Stone where the rebels hold a ritual in support of Argrath when the Cradle appears. The Coders are tricked into believing a major force is being gathered there, part of various deception efforts to throw the Lunars off and prevent Sor Eel from concentrating all his forces on the Cradle. They race back from the Pairing Stone in time to be one of the Lunar exploration parties that board the Cradle when it is temporarily beached at Pavis. On discovering the Giant Baby, her safety and welfare became their paramount concern. The Coders eagerly wanted to understand the Cradle's secrets for the good of the empire, but also sought to protect the life of the giant baby (after the Cradle was secured, Princess Anderida intended for the infant to be taken into the care of a Teelo Norri orphanage, and raised to serve the Red Goddess). However, they were horrified to discover another Lunar party, sent on board by Sor Eel's intelligence chief Gim-gim the Grim, intended to kill it there and then. After the Cradle was heroically refloated by its defenders, Count Julan and Princess Anderida were seen making their escape from the deck on wyverns. Maculus was plucked away by a strange pedal-powered hang-glider, and then circled round to drop a rope ladder to pick up Eslas, who was cornered at the prow fighting a group of masked figures. Nose Ring was nowhere to be seen, but all the members of Gim-Gim's party washed up dead on the riverbanks the next morning. Later, the Coders were part of the Wyvern assault at Corflu. Maculus remained on the sidelines, helping coordinate the magical team animating the Watchdog, but Count Julan and Princess Anderida landed on the deck and engaged the defenders directly. Meanwhile Eslas remained aloft deploying her devastatingly accurate skill with the bow. Both Anderida and Julan fought duels with Argrath (Garrath Sharpsword). Anderida withdrew from the fight following a brief exchange of words*, but after a heroic combat Julan was bested by the Orlanthi wind lord. Only Nose Ring emerging from the hold to come to his friend's rescue saved Julan's life**. They jumped overboard together, just as Cradle's magic defeated the Watchdog. The Lunar assault failed and the Cradle passed into the Ocean. *just what Argrath said to Anderida is unknown, but she immediately returned to Glamour and within a season had withdrawn to a sanctuary on the Red Moon itself. **rather than flee when the Cradle was refloated at Pavis, Nose Ring remained hidden on board to safeguard the helpless Giant infant, swearing by Danfive Xaron to protect her against all danger. He would have remained on the Cradle when it went out into the Ocean, but broke his cover to save Count Julan's life in the final battle at Corflu. Having heard that the Cradle later disappeared into Magasta's Whirlpool, it is said Nose Ring later captained one of the Lunars' fabled Black Galleys to the Underworld, seeking her there. (Other stories say Nose Ring remained on board and went to Magasta's Pool with the child). The Fate of the Coders None of the Coders ever probably return to Prax again after they are recalled following the Cradle episode. Rightly or wrongly, Sor Eel deflects some of the blame for the failure to capture the cradle onto them, and they are summoned to Furthest to account for themselves. The Coders are completely exonerated in the inquiry - all the blame is heaped on Sor-Eel - but, deeply perturbed by what Argrath whispered to her on the deck of the Cradle, Anderida takes a leave of absence and withdraws to a sanctuary on the Red Moon itself to contemplate his words. Before long, Nose Ring too goes on detached service, and it is said he captained one of the Lunars' fabled Black Galleys to the Underworld, seeking the Giant Baby there. Julan, Eslas, Maculus, and a new member, Anderida's daughter Johana, continue in their Coder service on missions throughout the Lunar periphery for a couple of years. It is after Eslas is left behind - or chooses to remain behind - on a disastrous mission beyond the Redlands that the group disbands: this is around the time of the Dragonrise. Julan is promoted to higher office in the Citadel of Halfway. Maculus finally gets to retire to do his 'sorcerer in a tower' thing in his own purpose-built retreat near Eneal in Aggar. In the shattered times after the Dragonrise Johana forms a new cadre of Lunar Coders, and goes on to new adventures! (Eslas, it is rumoured, leads a horde of red-haired Lunar outlaws, said to have sworn life and soul to the returned Sheng Seleris...)

Climate change has made our weather here go insane: 30 mins before this video it was 30c (86F) and sunny: https://twitter.com/firewaters/status/1218776149657968640 (apparently it was the birthday of the older lady trying to protect herself under the folding chair) And then this. Locusts are probably due on Thursday: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/20/huge-dust-storms-hit-central-new-south-wales

I think the Sun Towners would have just taken Haloric and his mens' demise with stoic equanimity after the answer to Gaumata's divination is known. They are thankful the Miracle of the Garden saved them from outright starvation at the end of the Great Winter, and honour Haloric's part in that. BTW, in the Argrath era the de facto head of the family in Pavis is the Ernalda Priestess Rana Goldenhair, only child of Haloric Glowbrow. She sits on the Pavis Council as the Suntown representative. From 'The Great Winter and Time of Two Counts': *yeah, another character from RQ2's Rune Masters.