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Chaosium Digest Volume 07 Number 07
Chaosium Digest Volume 7, Number 7
Date: Monday, September 5, 1994
Number: 1 of 1
Contents:
Strange Aeons Discussion Group (Jan Engan) CALL OF CTHULHU
The Ghastlycrumb Ickies (Michael Tice) CALL OF CTHULHU
Unspeakable Book Reviews (Shannon Appel) CALL OF CTHULHU
Inter Solar System Species Index (Dru Smith) ENDTIME
Editor's Note:
New out from Chaosium this week is Nephilim (Chaosium, 230 pg.,
$21.95), in my opinion one of the coolest games ever published. In
it, you play a Nephilim, an immortal spirit who has incarnated in the
bodies of men throughout history. The game is full of secret
societies, conspiracies, false histories and the occult. Check out
V6.10 for the initial announcement of Nephilim and V6.11 for a preview
of it, based on one of the playtest drafts.
Shannon
--------------------
From: <LadyeJan@aol.com>
Subject: Strange Aeons Discussion Group
System: Call of Cthulhu
Strange Aeons, the CoC discussion group originally announced in V6.12,
is now available through subscription to a listserver.
* To subscribe to Strange Aeons, again, just send an email to:
listserv@wizards.com
with no subject and the single line:
subscribe strange_aeons-l your-name
in the body of the message
* To post to the list, just send the email to:
strange_aeons-l@wizards.com
and it will automatically go to all the members who signed on (which,
in a week or so, should hopefully be everyone!)
Thanks
Jan Engan - Moderator Strange Aeons
LadyeJan@aol.com
--------------------
From: "TICE, MICHAEL" <TICE@physics.ucla.edu>
Subject: The Ghastlycrumb Ickies
System: Call of Cthulhu
The Ghastlycrumb Ickies
by Michael Tice
with apologies to Edward Gorey
A is for Azathoth deep in the Void
B for the Byakhee who bite when annoyed
C for Cthonians far underground
D for the Deep Ones wherever they're found
E for the Elder Things down in the snow
F for the Fire Vampires warm and aglow
G for the Ghouls who seldom are tamed
H is for He Who Is Not To Be Named
I for Ithaqua who walks in the wastes
J for wee Jenkin's unorthodox tastes
K for the King robed in yellow all tattery
L for the Lloigor and oneiric battery
M for the Mi-Go with metal brain-cases
N for the Nightgaunts who haven't got faces
O for the Old Ones awaiting their hour
P for the Polyps that fly and devour
Q is for age-haunted Quachil Uttaus
R for Rhan-Tegoth who's big as a house
S for a Shoggoth - malevolent slurry
T for Tsathoggua all sleepy and furry
U for the prehuman Ubbo-Sathla
V for the Voorish Sign: wave and voila!
W for Wil Whately, an expert at pentacles
X for Xiclotlians' silvery tentacles
Y for Yog-Sothoth who's both here and there
Z for Zoth-Ommog obscured by Its hair
--Mike
(tice@physics.ucla.edu)
--------------------
From: Shannon Appel <appel@erzo.berkeley.edu>
Subject: Unspeakable Book Reviews
System: Call of Cthulhu
In recent weeks, I've read a number of Lovecraftian books set in the
modern era. Each one of them was centered around the same basic
tenant: In the twenties and thirties, a gentleman by the name of HP
Lovecraft wrote a number of horrific tales. The heroes of the books
are familiar with the works of Lovecraft and soon learn, much to their
dismay, that his stories of fiction cloaked a hideous truth.
The Color Out of Time
Michael Shea
Daw, 1984
This book bills itself as a sequel to Lovecraft's The Colour out of
Space, and, to a certain extent, that is true. The story is indeed
about two old doctors who find that a strange, unearthly presence
still dwells beneath a lake, where, decades before, a certain
farmhouse was visited by a creature from beyond. However, Shea
departs quite far from Lovecraft's original story. He contends that
when Lovecraft wrote The Colour out of Space, he changed many of the
facts from the real event, and thus the horror faced in the modern
lakeside resort is quite different from the original. The story is
one of alien contamination rather than or eldritch horrors from beyond
the stars.
Although the story might be slightly disappointing to a reader
expecting to find the mythos, when taken either as a simple tale of
horror, or as a homage to Lovecraft, the book is superb. Michael Shea
is an excellent writer who is quite able to create feelings of terror
in his readers. Cthulhu Now keepers might especially want to take a
look at The Color Out of Time, since it updates many of Lovecraft's
ideas to much more modern viewpoints.
Although The Color Out of Time is now out of print, it shouldn't be
too hard to find a copy in a used book store, since at least a couple
of different paperback printings were made.
The Philosopher's Stone
Colin Wilson
Jeremy P. Tarcher, 1989
This book is very interesting one, because, at first glance, it
doesn't seem to be a Lovecraftian story at all. Rather, it is a tale
of a man obsessed by the human mind, and the inability of most humans
to make full use of it. For the majority of the book, the plot jumps
all over, as the protagonist studies psychology and medicine in an
attempt to develop his mind to its full potential. It's only after
the protagonist finally expands his mind, raising himself to the next
level of evolution, that the Lovecraftian elements come into play.
Probing into the past, he discovers barriers, and shortly afterwards,
the beings that erected those barriers begin to move against him.
Like The Color Out of Time, The Philosopher's Stone is not set totally
within the world of Lovecraft's Cthulhu horror. Rather, only a few of
the elements are used (in this case, the Great Old Ones themselves,
who have dwelled sleeping for aeons). However, The Philosopher's
Stone is still a very good Lovecraftian story. It is a story of the
mundane world, where the horrors of Lovecraft only intrude when man
tries to step beyond his normal world.
The Philosopher's Stone is still in print, and should be fairly easy
to get a copy of.
Strange Eons
Robert Bloch
Pinnacle, 1979
Of these three books, Strange Eons is the only one that I would truly
call a Mythos novel, set in the world that Lovecraft first described
in _The Call of Cthulhu_, and so many other stories. It is, to be
precise, a last tale of the Cthulhu mythos, a tale of the time when
the stars finally are right, and Great Cthulhu tries once more to rise
from his watery grave.
Strange Eons is delightful for a number of reasons. Not only is a
tale of The End, one possible conclusion to the entire Cthulhu Cycle
of Mythology, but it is also a homage to Lovecraft himself, and to his
stories. Throughout the book, elements from many of Lovecraft's most
memorable stories are met. Bloch almost seems to make a game of it,
daring the readers to figure out the reference before he announces it
himself, through his characters recounting the pertinent Lovecraft
story. Overall, Strange Eons is a very fun read, a fitting cap to
decades of stories of the Mythos.
Unfortunately, Strange Eons is also the hardest of these three books
to get ahold of. Although both hard cover and paperback editions were
published, they are all now long out of print, and diligent searching
will be required to find the book. However, the searching is well
worth it.
Shannon
--------------------
From: <DRUSMI@OHSTMVSA.ACS.OHIO-STATE.EDU>
Subject: Inter Solar System Species Index
System: Endtime
INTER SOLAR SYSTEM SPECIES INDEX (HPL works ONLY!)
--------------------------------------------------
[this article originally appeared in alt.horror.cthulhu]
With the upcoming arrival of ENDTIME, a new game from Pagan
Publishing, I thought this index of "monsters" living within our own
Solar System might prove useful.
Why, in the name of Cthulhu, is this useful? Well, primarily because
of the premise of ENDTIME. ENDTIME is a role-playing game set in the
late 21st century, after the "stars are right", and thus after the
rise of R'lyeh, and the subsequent rise of Cthulhu, and the return of
the Old Ones. Needless to say, humans aren't really happy with this
arrangement, and have fled to Mars. It was this concept of human
inhabitation of other planets that lead me to think it would be
interesting to introduce all of those frequently overlooked little
species that HPL wrote about, but which were never developed for Call
of Cthulhu.
This index is a cut down/edited version of a complete list of HPL
works. The only things I've kept in this list are those things which
are active in or around our solar system. The list is incomplete, in
that no other authors besides HPL are included (except for 1 Robert
Bloch story) and of the HPL stories, only about 80% have been read and
cataloged (cut me a break, I've got a dissertation to work on, too!).
Almost all page #'s in the index are references to the Del Rey
paperback versions of the stories.
As an example of how the index works, look at the entry below for
"MOON BEASTS":
MOON BEASTS
(44) 20-26*,89,90,91*,98-103,105*,107,108*
Veiled High Priest of Leng
(11) 7*
(44) 15*,77*,90*,93,94*,97,99,105,110,115,118,119
Read it like this: MOON BEASTS (in capitals, implying it is the
primary reference) is found in story 44, on pages 20-26, 89, 90, etc
(where a "*" indicates a particularly important or descriptive
reference to Moon Beasts... Story 44 being "The Dream Quest of Unknown
Kadath", from the list below).
Also, under MOON BEASTS is "Veiled High Priest of Leng" indicating
that this entity is a Moon Beast (Upper/Lower mixing indicating a
sub-class of the primary reference, MOON BEAST). This priest is found
in stories 11 and 44 (Celephais and Dream Quest..) on the pages
indicated.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Story # Story name, year written
LOVECRAFT, HP
(4) Beyond the Wall of Sleep, 1919
(6) The Doom That Came to Sarnath, 1919
(11) Celephais, 1920
(21) The Nameless City, 1921
(30) The Festival, 1923
(44) The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath, 1926
(47) The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, 1927-28
(49) The Whisperer in Darkness, 1930
(51) At the Mountains of Madness, 1931
(52) The Dreams in the Witch-House, 1932
(53) Through the Gates of the Silver Key, 1932
(55) The Shadow out of Time, 1934
(56) In the Walls of Eryx, 1935
(57) The Haunter of the Dark, 1935
(68) The Lurker at the Threshold
OTHER AUTHORS
Bloch, Robert
(71) The Shambler from the Stars
MONSTERS AND CREATURES
CATS FROM SATURN
(44) 26*
DHOLES
(44) 41-44*,103,104*
(53) 37*,38,40,41
(68) 106,169
Doels
(49) 39
EFJEH WEEDS
(56) 20*,22,26,29,30
FORMLESS SPAWN OF TSATHAGGHUA
(51) 46
FORNOTH FLIES
(56) 8,13,16,17,22,26
GASES
(11) 7
(44) 70*
(53) 32*
S'ngac (specific name)
(11) 7
(44) 70,140
MI-GO
(49) 2*,3*,4*,5,8*,11*,13,14,17*,19*,21,22*,38*,46
(51) 46,70*,79
(53) 26*
(68) 106,169
Abominable Snow-Men
(51) 46,70
Million Favored Ones
(49) 15
Outer Ones
(49) 25,26*,27*,34,35,37,39,40*,41*,42,44*
Outside Beings
(49) 46
Outside Things
(49) 39
Outsiders
(49) 47,48
MIRAGE PLANT
(56) 4,6
MOON BEASTS
(44) 20-26*,89,90,91*,98-103,105*,107,108*
Veiled High Priest of Leng
(11) 7*
(44) 15*,77*,90*,93,94*,97,99,105,110,115,118,119
SIFICLIGHS
(56) 16,17,22,26
SKORAHS
(56) 3,20*,21,31
STAR VAMPIRE
(71) 10-12*
TSATHOGHUA
(51) 30*,46
(53) 32
(55) 21
(49) 12,15,38*
(68) 107,169*,176*,177*
Ossadagowah
(68) 17*,18*,176*,186
Sodagui
(68) 176*
Zhothogguah
(68) 176*
MISCELLANEOUS/UNNAMED CREATURES
ARACHNID DENIZENS OF EARTH'S LAST AGE
(55) 21
BLACK SNOUTED WINGED CREATURES
(55) 23*
COLEOPTEROUS SPECIES/BEETLES TO FOLLOW MAN AS EARTH'S PRIMARY
INHABITANTS
(55) 21*,22*,28,40
CREATURES OF YADDITH (See Also WIZARD ZKAUBA, ARCH-ANCIENT BUO)
(53) 36*
ELDER BEINGS WHO LIVE WHERE ZOOGS LIVE NOW
(44) 5*
ENTITIES FROM THE CENTRAL CAVERNS OF AN ESPECIALLY INTERESTING DARK
STAR BEYOND THE GALAXY
(49) 41
FLAMING THING
(47) 36
FURRY PREHUMAN HYPERBOREAN WORSHIPPERS OF TSATHOGGHUA
(53) 32**
(55) 21*
GREAT HEADED BROWN PEOPLE OF S. AFRICA, 50,000 B.C.
(55) 21*
HALF-PLASTIC CREATURE
(55) 39*
INHABITANT OF NEPTUNE
(49) 41*
INHABITANT OF VENUS
(55) 21*
(56) 2*,3*,5,8,10,11,13*,17,21*,22*,23,24,25*,26-32
INSECT PHILOSOPHERS OF THE 4TH MOON OF JUPITER
(4) 11
(55) 21*
MEN OF YELLOW HAIR AND BLUE EYES
(6) 7
MIND FROM A LARGE ASTEROID
(55) 43
PEOPLE FROM THE BLACK GALLEY
(44) 14*,15,16,17,18,21,22,27,89,98,104,107,111,112,113
REPTILES OF THE NAMELESS CITY
(21) 8*,14
VAPOROUS BRAINS OF THE SPIRAL NEBULAE
(53) 26
VEGETABLE BRAIN OF THE FUTURE
(53) 32*
VEGETABLE ENTITIES OF MERCURY
(55) 22*
VERY WORM THAT GNAWS
(30) 10
ZEBRA SLAYER
(44) 32*
PLACES
ALDEBERAN
(30) 1,5
(44) 3
ANTARES
(44) 134
ARCTURUS
(4) 11
(53) 32*
ARGO NAVIS, CONSTELLATION OF
(52) 11,13
BETELGUEZE
(68) 168*,171*
CARCOSA
(68) 106*,138,170,175
ERYX
(56) 5*,31
FORMALHAUT
(44) 3
(68) 169*
HALI (See Also LAKE OF HALI)
(68) 158,175
HYDRA, CONSTELLATION OF
(52) 11,13
JUPITER
(53) 8*
LAKE OF HALI (See Also HALI)
(49) 12
(68) 106*,170
LITTLE BEAR, CONSTELLATION OF
(44) 73
MAGELLANIC CLOUDS
(49) 30
MARS
(53) 43*
MILKY WAY, GALAXY OF
(44) 40
MOON
(44) 6*,13,19*,20*,26
(51) 68*
NEPTUNE
(53) 42
PLUTO (See YUGGOTH)
SATURN
(44) 26
SHAGGAI
(57) 2,18*
YUGGOTH, PLANET OF
(49) 12,15,17,22,23*,27,35,37*,38*,40,46
(53) 42*
(57) 12,18*
(68) 169
New Planet Beyond Neptune
(49) 13,46
Pluto
(49) 46,51
UNNAMED PLACES
AN ESPECIALLY INTERESTING DARK STAR BEYOND THE GALAXY
(49) 41
CITY ON MOON INHABITED BY MOON-BEASTS
(44) 20*,22*,23
DARK RADIOACTIVE COMET OF INCONCEIVABLE ORBIT
(53) 32*
LARGE ASTEROID
(55) 43
REGION WHERE FORM DOES NOT EXIST
(11) 7
(44) 70*
UNKNOWN TRANS-PLUTONIAN PLANET (18 MIL. YEARS IN THE FUTURE)
(55) 39*
ARTIFACTS/SYMBOLS
FLUTE OF THE MOON BEASTS
(44) 23*,24*,93*,112,113,130*,138
LYGATH TREE
(44) 81
MOON-TREE
(44) 20,109
MOON-WINE
(44) 6,10,16,20,110
--------------------
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