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Paul Fricker

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    Top 3 Mythos Media feat. Mike Mason (Episode 199 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2021/01/05/top-3-mythos-media/

    We’re back and we’re hearing the call of Cthulhu from some unusual places. Most of our consumption of Mythos media comes via the printed word. Sometimes, however, it seeps out from the page and infects other formats. Unless we commit to slapping an elder sign on the cover of every book, we had better learn to embrace this, or at least let its pseudopods embrace us.

    Main Topic: Top 3 Mythos Media

    This episode presents a discussion of some of our favourite Cthulhu Mythos media, in the form of films, songs, musicals and comics. Anything, really, as long as it’s not a novel, short story or RPG. Obviously, there’s going to be a bit of debate as we never agree on anything. We are joined in the scrum by Mike Mason, creative director for the Call of Cthulhu RPG.

    Thank you very much to cuppycup of the wonderful Ain’t Slayed Nobody podcast for his help in salvaging some damaged audio from this recording session!

    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. We’re getting used to this.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    200th Episode Special

    We’re about to turn 200. Well, maybe not us as people, but the podcast will hit the milestone of 200 episodes this month. We’re celebrating with a big Q&A session, in which we answer some questions sent in by our lovely listeners. Mike Mason joins us once again, acting as questionmaster.

    Also, thinking about it, if you add up the ages of everyone on this episode, the total isn’t far off 200…

    Call of Cthulhu 40th Anniversary

    As Mike reminds us in the episode, Call of Cthulhu turns 40 this year. Expect some major releases this year to celebrate this milestone! While it’s too early to offer specifics, keep watching the Chaosium social media feeds for announcements.

    A Weekend With Good Friends

    Following the success of Jacks-Con in July of 2020, our lovely listeners have organised another virtual convention. A Weekend With Good Friends will take place on our Discord server between the 14th and 18th of January 2021. Player sign-ups begin on the 6th of January. Full details can be found here.

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    • Like 2

    The Whisperer in Darkness, part 1 (Episode 194 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    And the final part 5 is out today!

    We’re back and we’re saving face. OK, it’s not one of our own faces, but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t keep it safe. You never know when Mr Akeley may need it again. Thinking about it, we should probably do something with these hands too. That old Akeley is a careless sort. We’re sure he’d forget his own head if it weren’t attached…
    This is the final instalment of our multi-episode investigation of Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Last episode, Albert Wilmarth travelled to Vermont to visit his eccentric penpal, Henry Akeley. The two shared some mind-expanding conversation that quite unnerved Wilmarth. Now, we cut forward to that night as Wilmarth searches for answers and then wishes he had never found them.
    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. None of us has had to call in from Yuggoth, mercifully. The internet connectivity there is shocking.

     

    Links
    Things we mention in this episode include:

     

    Last Chance for The Blasphemous Tome 6!
    You can still secure your issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome if you act quickly! We shall send you a copy or two of this exclusive fanzine if you back us by the end of December 2020.
    This is the print-only ‘zine we put out every year for our Patreon backers. It is licensed by Chaosium and contains material for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. In particular, this issue features a new scenario by our own Paul Fricker, called “Of This Men Shall Know Nothing”, set in the latter days of World War II.

     

    Scott on Pretending to Be People
    Scott has been running his scenario “Bleak Prospect” from Nameless Horrors for the Pretending to be People podcast. This has been glorious, bloody chaos so far, in all the right ways. Episode 1 is now available for download.

     

    Matt on Roll to Save
    Matt recently appeared on the Roll to Save podcast, discussing the new RPG releases of 2020. Iain Wilson and Matt also talked about some games they played for the first time this year.

     

    Paul on panels at Grogmeetish and Dragonmeet
    And as if that weren’t enough guest appearances, Paul joined our good friends from What Would the Smart Party Do and The Grognard Files for two panels recently. The first was a Q&A session at Grogmeetish and the second a panel at Dragonmeet, both of which took place online this year for obvious reasons.

     

    A Weekend With Good Friends
    Following the success of Jacks-Con in July of 2020, our lovely listeners have organised another virtual convention. A Weekend With Good Friends will take place on our Discord server between the 14th and 17th of January 2021. Full details can be found here.

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    • Like 1

    The Whisperer in Darkness, part 1 (Episode 194 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    And now for part 4

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/12/08/the-whisperer-in-darkness-part-4/

    We’re back and we’re getting sick of these fleshy bodies of ours. They’re always going wrong and they’re too expensive to maintain. This only seems to get worse the longer we have them. We suspect they’re long out of warranty by now. Happily, our new buzzy friends seem to have the perfect solution for us. They’ve told us that it’s not unlike taking a long, warm bath. A very long one. Maybe forever.

    Main Topic: The Whisperer in Darkness part 4

    This is the fourth instalment of our multi-episode investigation of Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Last episode, Albert Wilmarth had become troubled by the increasingly bizarre letters from his new friend Henry Akeley. Someone or something also seemed to be interfering with their correspondence, stealing stones and sending fake telegrams. Now, after receiving a typewritten letter telling him all the alien attacks were a simple misunderstanding, Wilmarth has decided to accept Akeley’s invitation to Vermont. This can only lead to a happy ending.

    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. Happily, we have worked out how to network our brain cylinders. We just hope these attachments provide a reasonable simulacrum of human speech.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    The Blasphemous Tome 6

    Issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome is now shipping! This is the print-only fanzine we put out every year for our Patreon backers. It is licensed by Chaosium and contains material for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. In particular, this issue features a new scenario by our own Paul Fricker, called “Of This Men Shall Know Nothing”, set in the latter days of World War II.

    Don’t worry if you haven’t secured your Tome yet. All hope is not yet lost! We shall send you a copy or copies if you back us by the end of December 2020.

    Matt at the Miskatonic Repository Convention

    Matt took part in a panel at the recent Miskatonic Repository Convention, talking about how to write scenarios for Call of Cthulhu. He was joined by such luminaries as Jon Hook, Oscar Rios and Call of Cthulhu line editor, Mike Mason. Happily, the panel was recorded and you can watch it on YouTube.

    A Good Friends Christmas Carol

    To help everyone get into the Christmas spirit, good friend of the Good Friends Mike Perceval-Maxwell is organising a reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol in the week before Christmas. He will be joined by Dominic Allen, Rina Haenze, Paul Fricker and Scott Dorward. This is an edited version of the story, cut down to a suitable size for readings by Mr Dickens himself.

    We will read the story over four evenings — the 14th, 15th, 16th and 17th of December. Each reading will start at 10 PM GMT and run for around 30 minutes. The readings will take place in the Bar voice channel of our Discord server. We also plan to record the readings and make them available later for those who cannot listen live.

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    • Like 2

    The Whisperer in Darkness, part 1 (Episode 194 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    And part 3 is out:

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/11/25/the-whisperer-in-darkness-part-3/

    We’re back and we’re running low on dogs. Have you any to spare? For some reason, we seem to be getting through loads of them. They are considered consumables, right? We tried asking the breeder at the kennels but he just told us that we’re barking. And the fact that Professor Armitage only needed one dog to deal with his intruder is making us self-conscious. Regardless, we’ll carry on throwing dogs at this problem until it goes away. We’re dogged that way.

    Main Topic: The Whisperer in Darkness part 3

    This is the third instalment of our multi-episode investigation of Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Last episode, Albert Wilmarth had made a new pen pal up in Vermont, Hnery Akeley, who told him some troubling tales linked to local folklore. Now, things are ramping up as Akeley’s farm comes under attack from shadowy alien presences.

    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. Our current working arrangements are like the long-distance collaboration between Wilmarth and Akeley, only with fewer dead dogs.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    The Blasphemous Tome 6

    Issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome is heading off to the printers. This is the print-only fanzine we put out every year for our Patreon backers. It is licensed by Chaosium and contains material for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. In particular, this issue features a new scenario by our own Paul Fricker, called “Of This Men Shall Know Nothing”, set in the later days of World War II.

    Interview With Matthew McLean of A Scottish Podcast

    Scott recently interviewed Matthew McLean, the writer, producer and co-star of A Scottish Podcast. While the name may not suggest it, this is an audio comedy/drama that feels like a Call of Cthulhu campaign. As well as talking about finding the humour in Lovecraft, Matthew offered some fantastic advice about how to create audio dramas. The special episode is now out — check your podcast feed.

    October Horror Movie Challenge

    Scott and Paul took part in the October Horror Movie Challenge this year, watching a horror film every day throughout the month. We offer an overview of our month’s viewing in the episode. You can also find Scott’s reviews on this the Blasphemous Tomes website https://blasphemoustomes.com/

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    • Like 1

    Chases and attacks - clarification requested.

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    Oh that's a good question Greggers. On page 134 under Actions in a Chase Round it says on their turn in the DEX order a character may use their turn to initiate one attack, with an asterisk indicating that the one attack can mean multiple attacks for some monsters (such as your ghoul).

    In a regular combat round a human can make one attack on their turn. In a chase round the human can make one attack in the round (expending one movement action to do so).

    In a regular combat round a ghoul can make three attacks on their turn. In a chase round the ghoul can make three attacks in the round (expending one movement action). 

    If we make the ghoul have to spend one movement action for each attack that is effectively slowing them to the same fighting speed as a human. 

    I hope that clarifies the rule - I agree it could be made clearer in the text. 

    The Whisperer in Darkness, part 1 (Episode 194 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    And part 2 is out today!

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/11/10/the-whisperer-in-darkness-part-2/

    This is the second instalment of our multi-episode investigation of Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. Part one offered some background to the story and a poke around the first chapter. This time, events are in full swing and tension is building!

    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. We have each forgotten what the others look like. These are strange times.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    October Horror Movie Challenge

    Scott and Paul have been taking part in the October Horror Movie Challenge this year, watching a horror film every day throughout the month. We share a few of our favourites in the episode. You can also find Scott’s reviews on this very website.

    The Blasphemous Tome 6

    Issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome is almost ready for layout. This is the print-only fanzine we put out every year for our Patreon backers. It is licensed by Chaosium and contains material for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. In particular, this issue features a new scenario by our own Paul Fricker, called “Of This Men Shall Know Nothing”.

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    • Like 3

    The Whisperer in Darkness, part 1 (Episode 194 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/10/27/the-whisperer-in-darkness-part-1/

    We’re back and we’re heading up into the hills of Vermont. A folklorist friend told us that the nice creatures that live there might make us some surprising offers. There’s a risk that we could undergo a repellent mental change, but it seems unlikely anyone will notice that. The whole thing sounds like it should be a mind-expanding experience that’s out of this world!

    The Whisperer in Darkness part 1

    This is the first instalment of a multi-episode delve into Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, “The Whisperer in Darkness”. As well as being a gripping yarn, this is one of the key stories of the Cthulhu Mythos. It not only introduces the mi-go, one of our favourite monsters, but also draws in a number of other writers’ creations.

    Once again, the pandemic means we recorded this episode remotely. We have each forgotten what the others look like. These are strange times.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    October Horror Movie Challenge

    Scott and Paul have been taking part in the October Horror Movie Challenge this year, watching a horror film every day throughout the month. We share a few of our favourites in the episode. You can also find Scott’s reviews on this very website.

    The Blasphemous Tome 6

    Issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome is almost ready for layout. This is the print-only fanzine we put out every year for our Patreon backers. It is licensed by Chaosium and contains material for the Call of Cthulhu RPG. In particular, this issue features a new scenario by our own Paul Fricker, called “Operation Varsity, or How to Get Ahead in World War 2”.

    Secret Societies Specials

    As another follow-on from our cults episodes, Scott has interviewed author and researcher Robert Howells about secret societies and how they differ from cults. You can find part 1 as a special episode in your feed, with the conclusion coming out on the 3rd of November.

     

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    • Like 3

    The Good Friends Talk To: Robert Howells about Secret Societies (Bonus Show: The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/10/20/special-secret-societies-and-cults-part-1/

    We’re back with a special interview episode about secret societies and how they might relate to Call of Cthulhu.

    In our recent episodes about cults, we briefly touched on how the representation of cults in Call of Cthulhu sometimes more resembled secret societies or magical orders. We thought it might be interesting to dig into what the differences are between these types of organisations. If nothing else, this may offer some inspiration for how we portray them in our games.

    Once again, we have called upon expert help. Robert Howells is an author and researcher into secret societies. He has written books about the Priory of Sion and the Illuminati, and worked on a number of related television programmes.

    This is a long and discursive discussion, drifting into many esoteric and occult areas, so we have split it into two episodes. Join us in a fortnight for the conclusion, when Rob and Scott tie all of this further into cults and Call of Cthulhu.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

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    • Like 1

    Three Views of the Weird West, Part 1 (Episode 192, The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    And here's part 2 of our discussion of the weird west:
     
     
    We’re back and we’re heading down darker trails. We really hope that those are tumbleweeds rolling towards us. That rustling in the sagebrush is making us jumpy too — we’re pretty sure that sagebrush doesn’t usually have that many eyes. For a such a wide-open place, this landscape is getting mighty crowded. Maybe if we read a few passages from this here dime novel Necronomicon we can get through the night without any eldritch varmints making a meal out of us.
     
    This is the second of two episodes exploring the weird west. Last time, we looked at a couple of other RPGs and what they might be able to teach us about the setting. Now, we’re focusing on the Down Darker Trails supplement for Call of Cthulhu. From our superficial knowledge of the genre, it seems like all this weird west stuff came out of the pulps and Lovecraftian horror, so it’s good to see it moseying on back to its roots.
    We also take a little time to jaw about the general appeal of playing RPGs set in the Old West, as well as how all this weird stuff got mixed into our westerns. Finally, we tie off our discussion by talking about our own experiences of Lovecraftian gaming in the Old West.
    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We think we’re getting the hang of this.
     
    Conspiracy Theories Specials
    Following on from our recent series about cults, Scott has recorded two special episodes with our good friend Bence Szlamka. These explore the weird fusion of cult and conspiracy theory that has arisen in the age of social media. Both parts are now available in our normal feed.

    The Murder Shack and The Green Pumpkin

    Scott has also been busy streaming games with our good friends at Ain’t Slayed Nobody. First, he ran “The Murder Shack”, his scenario from issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome. Then, shortly after, he ran an improvised session just based on the proposed title “The Green Pumpkin”. Both streams were recorded and are now available on Twitch.

    The Night Bus

    And speaking of Scott recording videos, he has also been playing with How We Roll. This time, he ran a new scenario for them called “The Night Bus”, set on, um, a night bus. The recording was made for the Tabletop Gaming Live convention, which went online this year. At the time of posting, the video is not available. We will update these show notes as soon as it is.

    The Watchers of Warbleswick

    And if all that weren’t enough, Scott has also been recording with our good friend Andy Goodman, as part of his new Grizzly Peaks Radio podcast. This time, Scott was a player in “The Watchers of Warbleswick”, a classic Call of Cthulhu scenario plucked from the pages of White Dwarf magazine, back when it still published that kind of thing.

    CORP Online Convention

    James Corp is organising an online RPG convention on the 19th and 20th of December. You can find out more information on Warhorn or by following James on Twitter.

    Last Calls for The Blasphemous Tome 6

    Issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome is coming soon! There is still time if you would like to submit a short text article (no more than 500 words) or a piece of black-and-white artwork. Please ping us on social media (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit or Discord) if you have any ideas. The cut-off date is the 18th of October.

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    • Like 2

    Conspiracy Theories and Cults part 1 (Bonus Show from The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    Part 2 out now: 

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/10/06/special-conspiracy-theories-and-cults-part-2/

    This is the second part of our discussion with our good friend Bence Szlamka about the murky grey area between cults and conspiracy theories. Those of you on our Discord server will know Bence as TRNSHMN, one of our moderators. While Bence is clear that he is not a scholar, he has spent a great deal of time studying conspiracy theories.

    Our last episode largely focused on QAnon, which dominates the modern conspiracy landscape. In this instalment, Scott talks to Bence about some of the weirder aspects of modern conspiracies, including, mole children, flat Earth adherents, and the role of Jesus in network security.

    While we try to keep the tone relatively light, some of these conspiracy theories involve unpleasant ideas. QAnon, especially, embraces various beliefs about the abuse, trafficking and sacrifice of children. We avoid going into too much detail, but be warned that we at least touch upon these subjects. In the end, however, this is an RPG podcast, and our focus is to find inspiration for our games.

    We will be back next week with a regular episode: the second part of our journey into the weird west.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

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    • Like 3

    Three Views of the Weird West, Part 1 (Episode 192, The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    We’re back and we’re saddling up our shantaks, filling our waterskins with space mead and heading out to where the land is weird. For a long time, we thought that “weird west” just meant Austin, but it turns out to be a whole subgenre. Let’s hope we can explore it before the heat, outlaws and eldritch monstrosities leave us as nothing more than bleached bones amidst the sagebrush.
     
    This is the first of two episodes exploring the weird west in gaming. With the release of Down Darker Trails, Cthulhu has followed the pioneers out to a strange new frontier. We thought it would be interesting to map out some of this territory.In this instalment, we discuss a couple of the weird west games that predate Down Darker Trails. First, Matt guides us through the pulpy mayhem of Deadlands. Then, Scott preaches the word of the King of Life Reborn and the glory of Dogs in the Vineyard. Oddly enough, we also mentioned both these games in our episode about our favourite game mechanics.Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope we’re getting the hang of this.
     
    Links
    Things we mention in this episode include:

     

    Calls for The Blasphemous Tome 6
    We have almost finished writing issue 6 of The Blasphemous Tome. This is the annual printed fanzine we send to all out Patreon backers. While this is shaping up to be a pretty packed issue, we are still accepting submissions until the 18th of October. This could be a short article or story of up to 500 words or a piece of black-and-white artwork. We are licenced by Chaosium and are free to include material written for Call of Cthulhu. Ping us on social media if you would like to send us something.Anyone backing us by the end of November should receive their copy by the end of the year, as well as one of our chthonic Christmas cards. We will send out a second batch of Tomes in the New Year to anyone who backs us before the end of December.500 Patreon Backers!We recently passed a major milestone. Over 500 of you wonderful people are now backing the podcast on Patreon. Thank you so much to you all for such generosity! It is genuinely humbling. Your backing has allowed us to put a lot more time into producing the podcast, which we hope is paying off for everyone. We are profoundly grateful.

    Matt on Into The Darkness

    Matt has been busy recording stuff with our good friends at Into the Darkness. As well as the ongoing Two-Headed Serpent campaign, Matt has recently run his scenarios, “A Saturnine Chalice” and “Pulvus et Umbrus Sumus”. Check out the Into the Darkness website for more details.

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    • Like 4

    Conspiracy Theories and Cults part 1 (Bonus Show from The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/09/22/special-conspiracy-theories-and-cults-part-1/

    In our recent episodes about cults, we mentioned how social media has blurred the line between cults and conspiracy theories. Phenomena like QAnon display many cult-like attributes but lack formal leadership. We thought it would be interesting to dig into this a little more.

    As none of us knows much about modern conspiracy theories, we turned to our good friend Bence Szlamka for help. Those of you on our Discord server will know Bence as TRNSHMN, one of the moderators there. While Bence is clear that he is not a scholar, he has spent a great deal of time studying conspiracy theories. Scott talked to Bence for a couple of hours, delving into the darker corners of QAnon, the anti-vaccination movement, flat-Earthers, and other cult-like conspiracy theories.

    While we tried to keep the tone relatively light, some of these conspiracy theories revolve around unpleasant ideas. QAnon, especially, embraces various beliefs about the abuse, trafficking and sacrifice of children. We avoid going into too much detail, but be warned that we at least touch upon these subjects. In the end, however, this is an RPG podcast, and our focus is to find inspiration for our games.

    This turned into quite a long discussion, so we have split it into two episodes. Join us in a fortnight for the conclusion, when Bence and Scott talk about some even stranger contemporary conspiracy theories.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

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    • Like 4

    Mythos Deities: Nodens (Episode 191 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/09/15/mythos-deities-nodens/

    We’re back and we’re poking around this here abyss. Someone told us we could find Nodens down here. It’s not pleasant work looking for him, however. The cold has left us quite hoary and there are endless bloody nightgaunts flapping around and getting in the way. Maybe we should have checked that other site on the Welsh border instead. Oh well. We’ll just have to write our complaints on some lead tablets and toss them into the deep. We’re sure Nodens has nothing better to do than read them.

    This is the latest instalment in our ongoing series about the deities of the Cthulhu Mythos. Previous subjects include Dagon, Shub-Niggurath, Yog-Sothoth, Nyarlathotep and Azathoth. This time, we’re delving deep into the abyss to learn about hoary Nodens, charting his progress from obscure Celtic deity to the public face of the Elder Gods.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We think we’re getting the hang of this.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    Nodens in Myth

    Nodens in Call of Cthulhu

    Nodens in Lovecraft

    Final Lockdown Special

    With lockdown easing around the world, we are suspending our run of backer specials. Do check out last week’s final episode about television if you haven’t done so already. Backing us at any level will grant you instant access to this episode and the entire back catalogue.

    Full Fathom Five Available

    Paul’s seafaring scenario, “Full Fathom Five”, is now available from DriveThruRPG! This is a rollicking adventure set aboard a whaling vessel in the 19th century, packed with blood, excitement and period detail.

    Scott on Without a Net

    Scott recently appeared on the Out of Character spin-off of the Without a Net podcast. He and host Jupiter Sanders talked about HP Lovecraft and how his life shaped his creations. This is a meaty discussion.

    UNLAND on Ain’t Slayed Nobody

    Scott also recently recorded another game with Ain’t Slayed Nobody, as a special crossover with How We Roll. He ran his scenario “UNLAND” from the Stygian Fox anthology, Fear’s Sharp Little Needles. The first part will be available on the 22nd of September.

    The Blasphemous Tome 5.5 now available

    Issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome is now available! This is the PDF-only interim edition of the Tome that we publish mid-year. The latest issue contains an all-new scenario by Scott Dorward called “The Murder Shack”, dripping with blood, ichor and despair. You will also find articles by the Good Friends and some of our wonderful listeners, as well as artwork from Evan Dorkin, John Sumrow, Jonathan Wyke, Lucy Fricker, and many others. Anyone backing us on Patreon at any level will be able to download a copy, as well as issue 4.5, which contains an original scenario by our very own Paul Fricker.

     
     

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    • Like 2

    Sound of My Voice (Episode 190 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/09/01/sound-of-my-voice/

    We’re back and we’re joining a cult. It’s OK — we’re just doing so to get some background on Sound of My Voice. We’re not so gullible as to let any cult leader talk us into doing something unwise. Our reasons for strapping you to this altar are, um, completely our own. Now, stop squirming.

    Following our run of episodes about cults, we thought we’d follow up with a look at a related film. Sound of My Voice is a 2011 independent production from Zal Batmanglij and Brit Marling. Regardless of what Matt may tell you, this is an ambiguous story about a cult leader who claims to have come back from 2054 to prepare the faithful for the dark world to come. While it’s not a horror film, it does present an interesting view of life inside a weird cult. That has to be good for some Call of Cthulhu inspiration. This may also be the most divisive film we’ve discussed since Repulsion.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We think we’re getting the hang of this.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational to your gaming lives. If you are already backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

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    • Like 2

    Unusual Places (Episode 189, The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/08/18/unusual-places/

    We’re back and we’re going on our summer holidays. Of course, all this lockdown stuff means that we’re all somewhat limited in our options. With this in mind, we thought we’d take you on an audio tour of some of our favourite unusual places. Sure, at least one of them isn’t actually there anymore, but given that we’re used to making places up entirely, this is still a step up. It just means that you’ll have to source your own overpriced souvenirs.

    After the last few episodes, we thought we’d leave the cultists alone for a bit. Instead, this episode offers some unusual places from the real world, along with our thoughts about how we might use them in games of Call of Cthulhu. Such locations form the foundations of many of our scenarios, as a quick flick through our back catalogue might indicate.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational to your gaming lives. If you are already backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    Episode189.jpg

    • Like 4

    Cults, Part 1 (Episode 185 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    PART 4 out now!

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/08/04/cults-part-4/

    This is the conclusion of our discussion of real-world cults and how they might inspire Call of Cthulhu games. We wrap things up by looking at why people stay in cults, how they might break away, and what could happen to those who do.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    Audio Quality

    Since we started recording remotely, we’ve struggled a bit with audio quality. Scott’s Blue Snowball microphone, in particular, has been malfunctioning in alarming ways. With the lockdown easing a little, we managed a brief socially distanced meeting in which we distributed the equipment we’d used when we recorded in person. As a result, you should hear a marked improvement as of this episode.

    The Good Friends of Jacks-Con Elias

    A few weeks ago, our wonderful listeners organised a virtual convention in our name! There were over 50 games run and around 120 players. Thank you very much to Orbital Axolotl for kicking the whole thing off and to TRNSHMN and IPwndMSCS on our Discord server for running it all so smoothly!

    Scott on Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks

    Scott recently recorded a substantial interview with Andy Goodman of the Expedition to the Grizzly Peaks podcast. The discussion covered Scott’s background in gaming and the various Call of Cthulhu projects he has worked on over the past 10 years or so. Do check out the other episodes, including actual plays of Masks of Nyarlathotep and “Blackwater Creek”.

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational in your gaming lives. If you are backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    Episode188.jpg

    • Like 2

    Question skill difficulty vs npc

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    You have it right. It was designed with ease of use prioritised above statistical balance, and some compromises were accepted. One additional factor that helps to swing things, is that the PC can choose to push their roll when making a skill roll vs an NPC, boosting their chance of success to around 33%. Whereas in an opposed roll there is no push option. Hope that helps. 

    • Like 1

    Gatsby and the Great Race scenario - Virtually?

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    11 hours ago, Joe Kenobi said:

    Okay, so what I'm getting is I should make every effort to ensure no one has a view of Gatsby at Point Zero. If they follow him into the house, for instance, I should ensure Gatsby maneuvers away and they don't have a view of him at the time Point Zero strikes.

    Consider the individual time tracks of Gatsby and the PC that perhaps follows him, and what will happen at the gaming table and what won't. This is just an example:

    GATSBY: At gaming table: Gatsby goes in to house and kills time. As Point Zero is reached he is in the hallway. [Not at gaming table: following PZ he then moves to the casting room, does the ritual]. At gaming table: Gatsby exits the casting room following PZ.

    PC: At gaming table: follows Gatsby in to house. At PZ the PC is perhaps watching Gatsby. [Not at gaming table: We'll never know what happened here, but somehow the PC loses Gatsby.] At gaming table: Gatsby, if being watched, blinks out of sight. 

    Cults, Part 1 (Episode 185 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    Part 3 now out:

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/07/21/cults-part-3/

    We’re back and we’re accepting an enticing invitation. Apparently, if we accompany our new friends back to their commune, they’ll give us dinner and share the secrets of the universe with us. We’re more interested in the food, but who are we to turn down some free enlightenment? The meal smells lovely too. It’s roast pork of some kind, although the cuts look unusual. Still, best tuck in and fuel up for the initiation ritual later.

    We are continuing our discussion of real-world cults and how they might inspire Call of Cthulhu games. This time, we’re exploring how cults draw people in and what kind of people they attempt to recruit. Based on the anecdotes we share, the answer seems to be “Paul and Scott”.

    Once again, this is a slightly longer episode than usual, mixing together elements from the recording misadventures we mentioned last time.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    Full Fathom Five

    Paul has a new Call of Cthulhu scenario coming soon to the Miskatonic Repository. “Full Fathom Five” is an unusual adventure set aboard a whaling ship in the 19th century. As well as blood and sea slime, it drips with period detail. It should appear on DriveThruRPG by the end of the month. Watch our Twitter feed for more details.

    Masks of Nyarlathotep on How We Roll

    The end is nigh! As many of you may know, Scott has been running his prelude chapter from Masks of Nyarlathotep for an all-star cast on How We Roll. The players include Veronica from Cthulhu and Friends, Keeper Murph from The Miskatonic University Podcast, Seth Skorkowsky, and Eoghan and Joe from How We Roll. Well, we are now in the final stretch. The final episodes will be appearing in the HWR feed over the course of the next month or two. Now is a great time to start catching up if you haven’t already done so!

    The Blasphemous Tome Issue 5.5

    We are currently putting together issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome. This is an interim digital edition of the fanzine we publish for our Patreon backers. Issue 5.5 will contain a number of pieces we couldn’t fit into our last print edition, along with all-new articles and artwork. It will also feature a new Call of Cthulhu scenario by Scott, titled “The Murder Shack”. Anyone backing us at the time of release (expected to be early July) will receive a PDF copy.

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational in your gaming lives. If you are backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    Episode187.jpg

    • Like 2

    Gatsby and the Great Race scenario - Virtually?

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    ***SCENARIO SPOILERS TO FOLLOW***

    1) How important is the character portrait element to the scenario? Given the nature of Zoom, those are tough to bring in naturally. I'd like to encourage everyone to use their character name as their screen name, so they can "recognize" one another that way as they move between rooms--will that be enough, or will we be missing an important element of the fun?

    Character portraits add a lot to the game if you can work them in somehow, because of the experience of witnessing the change in one's appearance, or of someone else having 'your face' when you move games.

    Names change in some cases from game to game. The player will assume to keep the same name, but the way they are known in other games may be different. 

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    2) Since I have to advertise this as one big game, my plan is to have each of the Keepers tell their tables that they're the early guests to the party who are staying overnight, but of course other guests, some traveling together, are en route and will arrive later--and imply other Keepers are running rooms traveling to the party, while they are the room that starts at the Gatsby estate. I don't know if that will work, but hopefully it creates some early misdirection to make up for their knowledge that others are also in the larger game.

    That sounds fine I think.

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    3) I'm a little confused as to what happens if on the First Time run someone follows Gatsby to take his "phone call" and watches him pace in the hallway. If someone watches him when Point Zero occurs, then on successive loops, they'll jump to a point where they're watching an empty hallway, correct? (And so perhaps the point is that Keepers should ensure no investigators have him in sight when Point Zero does occur?)

    Gatsby is summoned to a fake call and goes into the house, wanders about, hides, etc, to kill time until 2:27:00 PM (point zero). This is the point at which you record where people are, this is where they will be at the start of each loop.

    2:27:01 Loop starts - but not the first loop. Numerous loops have already taken place and been forgotten. So during that first cyle of time (2:27-3:27, prior to the first time jump), somehow Gatsby DID the ritual. Nothing the players can do to change that (unless they kill him before the loops begin, before 2:27).

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    4) I'm also a little confused by the Frozen Moment. Is the purpose simply to create a shared extra-dimensional space that discerning players can discover they all pass through, so they have a point where they can hand things off (physically, or record information to share)? There's not an original piece of the disc here, is there?

    Its there to add strangeness, and allow players to have some interaction with characters from other games. You could have a piece of disc there if you want, but I don't think there's one there by default. 

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    5) For Summoning in a virtual game, my suspicion is we're best off having the Keeper take down the summoners' questions, chat them to the Extradimensional Keeper, and have that EK ask the questions of the summoned in the extra dimension breakout room, type up the responses, and send them back to the summoners' Keeper for reading to the group.

    Sounds good. Be great if the responses could be recorded and replayed, but probably technically difficult.

    On 7/14/2020 at 4:26 AM, Joe Kenobi said:

    6) I figure it probably makes the most sense to have a single Extradimensional Keeper, since there will be fewer physical logistics to manage, and have that EK maintain Video Off (i.e. a black screen) in the extra dimension, and only speak to players.

    Appreciate any answers or feedback anyone has on these points!

    Audio only could work well for that I think. 

    I've messaged a couple of others with experience of running the game online and asked them if they'd like to contribute.

    Do keep us posted on how it goes!

    Cults, Part 1 (Episode 185 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    Part 2 is now out:

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/07/07/cults-part-2/

    We’re back and we’re examining our beliefs. Everyone believes things that seem weird to other people. Whether this is that a dead god speaks to us in our dreams or that podcasting is a serious career, others may be bemused or horrified when we express it. Most of the time, however, these beliefs don’t impact others (although our sacred tenet that we should only bathe during solar eclipses has cut down on party invitations). When a cult forms around such beliefs, however, things might become more sinister. Probably no more fragrant, however.

    We are continuing our discussion of real-world cults and how they might relate to Call of Cthulhu. This time, we delve into the kinds of belief systems cults build themselves around. In the process, we cover some unusual variations, from terrorist groups to multi-level marketing firms. We try very hard not to conflate the two.

    Perceptive listeners will notice that this episode is a little longer than usual. There is a story behind this…

    We meet (online, these days) once a month to record our standard episodes. Usually, this gap doesn’t present any problems, as our episodes tend to be on discreet subjects. The longer runs are either heavily scripted, as in At the Mountains of Madness, or broken into subtopics, like The King in Yellow. With the cults episodes, we are just working to a single page of bullet points, bringing our own research and experiences to the conversation.

    Well, during the last month, we lost our place in our notes and completely forgot where we had got to. Paul and Scott are old, and so have an excuse for poor memories, but we are very disappointed in Matt!

    All this means that we ended up talking about some of the same things in episodes 2 and 3. To save on redundancy, we have edited two recordings together into a single episode, removing repeated talking points and anecdotes. The two recordings aren’t exactly duplicates, however. The unedited versions going out to Patreon backers will have plenty of juicy material that didn’t make it into either episode.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    The Blasphemous Tome Issue 5.5

    We are currently putting together issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome. This is an interim digital edition of the fanzine we publish for our Patreon backers. Issue 5.5 will contain a number of pieces we couldn’t fit into our last print edition, along with all-new articles and artwork. It will also feature a new Call of Cthulhu scenario by Scott, titled “The Murder Shack”. Anyone backing us at the time of release (expected to be early July) will receive a PDF copy.

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational in your gaming lives. If you are backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    The Good Friends of Jacks-Con Elias

    Our wonderful listeners over on our Discord server are putting together an online gaming convention in our honour! The Good Friends of Jacks-Con Elias will take place over the 10th-12th of July, with game slots running around the clock. Everyone is welcome to come and join in.

    You can find out more details on this very website, or, better still, join our Discord server and take an active role. Thank you very much to Orbital Axolotl for coming up with this and bringing it together, and to everyone else who has chipped in with logistical support, ideas and games!

    Episode186.jpg

    • Like 3

    Cults, Part 1 (Episode 185 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/06/23/cults-part-1/

    We’re back and we’re preparing for Ascension. All right, we’re not entirely sure what Ascension involves, but it certainly sounds exciting. Our glorious leader, the beacon of effulgent wisdom that he is, assures us that the flame of enlightenment awaits us all. We merely have to follow his instructions precisely and question nothing. We have faith that this can only lead to wonderful things. Um. Yes. Wonderful things. Now, where’s that smell of smoke coming from?

    Main Topic: Cults part 1

    This is the first of a multi-episode look at cults in the real world and how (and even if) they relate to what we see in Call of Cthulhu. Over the course of this series, we will discuss what kind of person forms a cult, how cults recruit, how they indoctrinate their members and what kinds of things they might believe.

    This episode is largely taken up with trying to pin down what a cult is. Trying to do so proved contentious, especially as “cult” is such a loaded term. No organisation in the modern day would willingly call itself a cult, and some fight hard against the label. But why is it such a pejorative term? And are people right to be afraid of organisations they consider cults?

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    The Blasphemous Tome Issue 5.5

    We are currently putting together issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome. This is an interim digital edition of the fanzine we publish for our Patreon backers. Issue 5.5 will contain a number of pieces we couldn’t fit into our last print edition, along with all-new articles and artwork. It will also feature a new Call of Cthulhu scenario by Scott, titled “The Murder Shack”. Anyone backing us at the time of release (expected to be early July) will receive a PDF copy.

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still releasing fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational in your gaming lives. If you are backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    Matt on Roll to Save

    Matt recently appeared on the latest episode of the Roll to Save podcast, discussing his love of Vampire: the Masquerade. He will also be returning in a later episode to discuss Paranoia. We assume he means the RPG. At least that’s what they tell us.

    The Good Friends of Jacks-Con Elias

    Our wonderful listeners over on our Discord server are putting together an online gaming convention in our honour! The Good Friends of Jacks-Con Elias will take place over the 10th-12th of July, with game slots running around the clock. Everyone is welcome to come and join in.

    You can find out more details on this very website, or, better still, join our Discord server and take an active role. Thank you very much to Orbital Axolotl for coming up with this and bringing it together, and to everyone else who has chipped in with logistical support, ideas and games!

    Scott in Trebuchet Magazine

    Scott has an article in issue 8 of Trebuchet Magazine, due out in July. The theme of the issue is Contemporary Surrealism. His article, titled “Lovecraft, Artificial Intelligence, and the Limits of Human Imagination”, is a playful piece about the role AI weirdness might play in bringing Lovecraftian madness into the real world.

    If you would like to try a digital issue of Trebuchet, simply order one from their website and enter the code CORONA2020 at checkout to get it free of charge. Assuming this impresses you as much as we think it will, you can then pre-order a print copy of issue 8 at a discount — £10 (instead of £14) in the UK and £15 (Instead of £19.50) everywhere else. This is a 180-page, full-colour arts magazine, and promises to be a thing of beauty.

    Episode185.jpg

    • Like 3

    Character Development (Episode 184 The Good Friends ofJackson Elias)

    in Call of Cthulhu

    Posted

    https://blasphemoustomes.com/2020/06/09/character-development/

    We’re back and we’re embarking upon a programme of self-improvement. According to this pamphlet we sent off for, we can build ourselves up into mightily thewed warriors by killing all these rats in the basement. OK, that technically only takes us to first level, but from there, the sky is the limit! We’re just a bit worried about that thing in the corner that looks like a football covered in eyes. Maybe if we kill some more rats, we’ll become tough enough to see it off.

    This episode is our typically idiosyncratic look at the subject of character development in RPGs. We look at different ways in which characters can change through play, from gathering XP by killing monsters to resolving their messy character arcs. Not every character improves over time, however, and we discuss our expectations, as well as how all this relates to fiction and real life.

    Once again, the lockdown means we recorded this episode remotely. We hope that we’re getting the hang of making this sound all right. It’s far from the biggest problem current circumstances have presented, but it’s still a challenge.

    Links

    Things we mention in this episode include:

    News

    More Lockdown Specials

    We are still putting out our fortnightly lockdown specials, discussing films, books and television you might find inspirational in your gaming lives. If you are backing us on Patreon, check your feed. Otherwise, backing us at any level will grant you instant access to the back catalogue.

    The Blasphemous Tome Issue 5.5

    We are currently putting together issue 5.5 of The Blasphemous Tome. This is an interim digital edition of the fanzine we publish for our Patreon backers. Issue 5.5 will contain a number of pieces we couldn’t fit into our last print edition, along with all-new articles and artwork. It will also feature a new Call of Cthulhu scenario by Scott, titled “The Murder Shack”. Anyone backing us at the time of release (expected to be early July) will receive a PDF copy. If you would like to submit a short article or a piece of artwork, we would love to hear from you!

    Episode184.jpg

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