MUP Episode 186 — Dateline Malleus Mike Mason
Campus Crier
The Campus Crier is where we keep all the mythos related news and info for the podcast, this episode was recorded on August 16, 2021.
I want to personally congratulate each of the Alumni of the Storytelling Collective’s Write Your First Adventure Workshop last month. The market has been flooded with over 50+ titles on the MR, Chaosium’s Community Creator Content hub. Ya’ll, I’m so proud of each and every one of you. These scenarios look amazing, the cover arts are BOSS, the Miskatonic Repository Creator’s Circle is buzzing, you’re being featured in Chaosium newsletters, and you’re making your first sales. I’m just– I’m just so proud of you guys. Congrats! Head over to the Miskatonic Repository and make someone’s day by checking out their newest creations!
Annnd speaking of the Miskatonic Repository, Miskatonic Repository Con GM Signups just opened up! This virtual con will be hosted October 15th – October 17th. We have 3 awesome panels and over 16 events already submitted! So, come play some 7th Edition Call of Cthulhu with us! A link to the TTE will be in the show notes… and you can email MisktatonicRepositoryCon@gmail.com to get in touch!
Innsmouth The Missing Child: A Gamebook is a choose your own adventure styled solo game book where you are an investigator brought in to find the whereabouts of a missing child amongst the odd and terrible inhabitants of Innsmouth. It has funded with $23k of a $1300 goal and still has 23 days left at the time of recording. The art looks sparse, but that’s what I would expect from a product of this type. You can get a PDF for as little as $9 and a physical starting at $17. Overall it looks pretty neat, and I’m trying to not back it.
Free League has another Kickstarter out for two new products in their Forbidden Lands line, this time a bestiary of sorts called Forbidden Lands: Book of Beasts and a campaign called The Blood March. As we have come to expect from Free League, the art on display is absolutely gorgeous. And this seems to be a no brainer for any fan of the weird fantasy setting. You can get a pdf of both books for $35 or either individual book in print for $35. If you want both in print it will cost you $69. The project has already funded with $285k of a $12k goal, and will have another three days left at the time of this release.
Good friend of the show and proprietor of The Old Ways Podcast, Mike Diamond, has officially announced a third campaign for their excellent live play series, but this time with a twist! They are currently accepting GM pitches for a new campaign run by a new Storyteller. So if you have a campaign in mind and have it well thought out put in your submission at the link in the show notes. You can also find Mike on our own Discord, where he is a mod, or over at The Old Ones Discord, or you can just email him at theoldwayspodcast@gmail.com
And finally, it is with great sadness that we have to say a final goodbye to RPG Legend Steve Perrin, who passed away earlier this month. Goodbye Steve, safe travels.
https://www.chaosium.com/blogvale-and-farewell-steve-perrin-1946-2021/
The Discord PlugWe have our MUP Discord and we are all there! We invite all of our listeners to come and enjoy the community of horror gaming and cute pet pics.
A big birthday shout out to Zelda, the pup of patreon backer, Al Smith, who if you’re lucky enough to get a seat at this table, she’ll probably make an appearance. Also, good luck to the kitties, Spaghetti and Meatball, who are currently in foster care with one of our awesome listeners.
MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D
And thank you beaucoup to Murph for editing this episode.
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Brolin Graham
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Recent GamingBridgett – Pale Rider Playtest 2
MepaCon Man’s Best Friend by Jazmin Ospa
Main TopicWe create a monster from scratch!
Campus CrierJon talked about Robert Bloch’s story, Black Bargin’, in our previous episode, which centered on a malevolent shadow — well, he has created a new spell and a new monster based on that shadow creature for Call of Cthulhu, and I call it Shade of Yog-Sothoth. It’s available now from the Miskatonic Repository.
Dave Heath has a blog, called “Dave’s Corner of the Universe,” and in a pair of recent posts he talks about the “Final Girl” movie trope. Dave’s blog talks about how to introduce a “Final Girl” occupation into your Call of Cthulhu game:
The Final Girl Trope for CoC 7e. Part 1.Old Gods of Appalachia is a Lovecraftian horror anthology podcast. Long before anyone lived in those hills, beings of immeasurable darkness and incomprehensible madness were entombed beneath them. Old Gods of Appalachia is set in an alternate, (or shadow), Appalachia. An upside-down Appalachia, if you will. This is an anthology podcast of original weird short stories set in this alternate version of the Appalachia.
Chaosium has announced a contest for a new logo for the Cult of Chaos! They are looking for a logo that will pay homage to each of Chaosium’s current main RPG lines. The winner will be given a contract from Chaosium and a sub-license for it to be used for Cult of Chaos properties. Oh and $60. We have links in the show notes.
“Gateways to Terrors – Three Evenings of Nightmare” was just released by Chaosium. The book contains three short scenarios that were originally designed to be run as demonstration games of Call of Cthulhu. The included scenarios are: The Necropolis, by Leigh Carr, The Dead Boarder, by Todd Gardiner, and What’s in the Cellar, by me. I have a copy, and I can attest that it looks amazing! Shout out to Matt Ryan who did the maps and handouts, I know for my scenario, he did a fantastic job making them look amazing for both the Keeper and the players.
MU Discord server invite link: https://discord.gg/vNjEv9D
And thank you so much to Max for editing this episode.
This episode, Graham brings us a YouTube channel called ‘Curious World‘ a tale from 2016, where he said the circumstances immediately made him think of Ithaqua.
Listening RoomThe Listening Room is closed for renovation today. Sheets of newsprint have been taped to the inside of the windows, and while several undefined shadows can still be seen skulking about in an oddly flickering light, there are no sounds coming from in there. None. In fact, if you get too close to the windows, you’ll even stop hearing any sounds. Even the sound of your own breath, or the trepidatious scuffling of your feet against institutional carpeting…
Main Topic- A new edition of Malleus Monstorum – is in the works! What can Mike say about it?
2. Journalist investigators – “What aren’t all investigators journalists? Discuss.” – What are the inherent problems of a journalist investigating the Mythos? Ethics, greater good vs. suppressing information, game-rich dilemmas…
Resources: a Free Newspaper Article Generator
Ethics case studies from the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ)
The ethics page for National Public Radio (NPR)
The ethics page for The New York Times
A security guide from the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)
Here is a guide from the Ethical Journalism Network listing “the five principles of journalism.”
Five Principles of Journalism3. Pacing your horror games – “Keeping on time – why directing your players is not a bad thing.”