(Teviot Row Union on the Edinburgh University Campus.)

Last weekend, Teviot Row House in Edinburgh was host to Conpulsion 2012 or Conpulsion Apocalypse, and I was fortunate enough to be there as an invited guest.  I missed out on the Steampunk Disco on Friday night, but was in full attendance for the following Saturday and Sunday, culminating in the Griffies Awards and closing ceremony Sunday night.  And I was not alone!  Conpulsion 2012 was very well attended, numbers being well up from the previous year, and everyone was talking about what a success the event was.

Much of that success must be attributed to the tireless work of Phil Harris, Gregor Hutton, and the small army of green- and blue-shirted staff working at the event.  Everything went off without a hitch and I would like to add my voice to the chorus of people who have thanked Phil, Gregor, and everyone else to make Conpulsion 2012 so special.  Cheers all!

This was only my third gaming convention, my second in Britain, and my first as a guest.  On the Saturday, I arrived early and had a chance to catch up with many of the artists who had worked on Shadows Over Scotland.  Andy Hepworth, Scotty Neil, Paul Bourne and Jon Hodgson, now Art Director at Cubicle 7, were all in good form and I took the opportunity to buy as much of their Shadows-related artwork that I could.

(The Cubicle 7 stance at Conpulsion.)

It was a really useful catch up and when Dominic McDowall-Thomas, CEO of Cubicle 7, arrived in the afternoon, we had a chance to talk about future releases in the Cthulhu Britannica line.  More on this in future posts once plans have been put in place.  In the early afternoon, I also had the chance to meet Francesco Nepitello, Venecian designer of The One Ring game for C7 and all-around amazing fellow.  Sadly I couldn’t make it to The One Ring talk as I had an interview.

I finished up Saturday afternoon running my own game of Call of Cthulhu with players Peter Cakebread (of Cakebread & Walton fame), Martin Hendry, Neil MacVicar, Pieter Blue and Fraser Dunn.  The scenario we played was a one-shot I wrote especially for Conpulsion entitled ‘No Place Like Home’.  A tale set in the Gaslight setting, it revolves around strange happenings aboard the RMS Oceanic returning to San Francisco from Yokohama.  If you can judge the success of a Call of Cthulhu scenario by the number of characters driven insane, then it was an outstanding success!  I certainly had fun and I’d like to thank my players for making it a great session.

Sunday morning began with another interview, this time by Liz and Mike of Nearly Enough Dice, who had previously reviewed Shadows Over Scotland.  You can see the full interview on YouTube or above.  Liz and Mike were brilliant and a lot of fun to talk to.  I don’t know where these two find their energy.  Check out their website nearlyenoughdice.com and/or listen to their wonderful podcast.

Just before noon I caught up with Vivienne Dunstan, Yockenthwaite on Yog-Sothoth.com and a fellow Lovecraft aficionado.  Vivienne had come down especially and took part in the Shadows Over Scotland talk at noon.  The panel of speakers at the talk included (as below) Scotty Neil, Dominic McDowall-Thomas, myself, Paul Bourne, Andy Hepworth and Jon Hodgon (in front).

(Shadows Over Scotland panel in Teviot's Middle Reading Room.)

It was great fun to sit down with folk and talk about Shadows Over Scotland.  From my viewpoint, it was interesting to hear the panel’s favourite bits of the book or working on the book.  As I’ve said in the past, working with artists and seeing their contribution to the written text has been one of the most rewarding aspects of working on Shadows Over Scotland.  I look forward to working with them all in the future.

After the Shadows talk I was back in the Middle Reading Room for a talk on Apocalypses and their use in gaming.  Phil led this talk and we were joined by Francesco Nepitello and members of the SLA Industries team, including founder Dave Allsop.  The talk proved really interesting and it was enlightening to hear what others had to say on the subject of the apocalypse (pre/during/post).  Writing for Call of Cthulhu, an apocalypse of some sort is always lurking around the next corner and, in my view, represents perhaps the ultimate challenge for adventurers, who protect mankind from the horrors out of time and space that haunt, hunt from, and conspire in the shadows.

Following on from the Apocalypses talk, all of the guests went to lunch at the nearby Meadow Bar.  It was a nice chance to get away from the hubbub of the con and talk about books, movies, and stranger things—many, many stranger things.  With so much creativity in the room, I suppose you couldn’t expect less!  It was really good fun and again I’d like to thank Phil for kindly hosting us.

So Sunday night came sooner than I think any of us expected and during the closing ceremony the 2012 Griffie Awards for Best Roleplaying Product and Best Board Game Product were announced along with the Banquo Award for the Spirit of Scottish Gaming.  I was honoured that Shadows Over Scotland was nominated for Best Roleplaying Product as was The One Ring RPG and Dark Harvest.  The winner was Iain Lowson’s Dark Harvest: The Legacy of Frankenstein and kudos to Iain on the win!  Other winners include Ora et Labora for Best Board Game and Paul Bourne deservedly won the Banquo Award.

So Conpulsion 2012 wrapped up… or did it?  Having stayed late for the awards, I was pleased to hang around afterward with Jon, Andy, Scotty and Francesco in the Library Bar, talking games and pop culture until late.  I returned to the Meadow Bar at noon on Monday to have some lunch, chat more with Francesco, Phil, Gregor and others, and to finally say goodbye to a very successful Conpulsion weekend.

Thanks again to everyone involved.  If you’ve never been to a Conpulsion convention, I can now heartily recommend it.  Come along next year, play a game or two, and meet some great folks.  I know I will. 

 

(The exquisite cover for Cthulhu by Gaslight 3rd Edition (c) Chaosium)

More than 20 years have passed since the last edition of Cthulhu by Gaslight appeared in gaming store across the globe.  But the wait is over and I, for one, am very glad to see the eagerly-awaited third edition pop up on Chaosium's website. While the original 1920s setting for Call of Cthulhu is still far and away the most popular, I've always had a soft spot for the 1890s gaslight setting. Why you ask?

Well, let me tell you... And while I'm doing so, let me share some more amazing Lovecraftian artwork I've been introduced to, this time from K.L. Turner who goes by the moniker Eclectixx on deviantART.

Ok, so Gaslight... why?  Well, it has nothing to do with the politics of empire or class which many people find so appealing.  In fact, it has nothing to do with Victorians per se or the vogue for 'new' Victoriana -- and by extension much of the Steampunk genre -- which we see so prominent in role-playing games at the moment.  It is, in fact, because the Gaslight offers us a darker and even more desperate struggle against the Cthulhu Mythos.

It's hard enough to escape or combat the dark horrors and mind-crushing entities that inhabit the Lovecraftian shadows in the 1920s with electric light, Thompson machine guns, and modern conveyance.  The 1890s investigator has to get by with decidedly murky gaslight, the gentleman’s revolver and sword cane, and horse-drawn carriages.  I’m exaggerating a little here, but my point is a simple one:  the scale of the challenge in Gaslight scenarios is that much greater.

Two of the reasons that I hear people regularly give for preferring the default 1920s Call of Cthulhu setting to modern horror settings are that (a) in the 1920s there are still ‘dark corners’ of the world waiting to be discovered -- that is, the unknown is still alive and well -- and, linked to this, (b) that science and technology are not ubiquitous -- wonder still exists and people rely more on innate ability than equipment.  Again, I exaggerate, but what I take from these confessions is that we gamers are attracted to the mystery and challenge of the setting.

The attraction of the Gaslight setting, to my mind, is thus quite clear:  the potential for even more mystery and greater challenges.  Having said that, I understand completely that for some Keepers and players alike the 1890s is a step too far.  The setting is more remote, more specialised and more fraught with temporal and cultural peculiarities.  Simply put, it isn’t going to be everyone’s cup of tea.  But for those of us who appreciate this special blend, the announcement of the third edition of Cthulhu by Gaslight comes as a very welcome treat.

Bring on the dark mysteries, I say.  Bring on the desperate race.  And, above all, bring on adventure!

Those of you who follow this rambling blog will know that I am a fan of Lovecraftian mashups and reinventions. So before I get down to explaining the enigmatic title of this post, let me share with you some of the brilliant Mythos-inspired artwork of Ivan Griessel. I stumbled across these movie poster mock-ups the other day and had to share.

The Invisible College of Cthulhu

It's a good time to be involved in creative efforts of a Lovecraftian nature.  You might say that the Mythos is on the move, rising up on pallid, membranous wings into the public consciousness.  The works of H.P. Lovecraft and the influence of his extended Cthulhu Mythos are appearing in the media with greater frequency: Lovecraft is on the BBC, at the movies, and on our iPods. And in the gaming industry we see steady growth and increasing interest.

It's great to be working in this Zeitgeist (if you will) of Lovecraftian production. Of late, I have had the privilege of working with Oscar Rios of Miskatonic River Press on a new scenario entitled 'The Quickening Spiral', which will appear in an as-yet unnameable tome in late 2012 or perhaps early 2013. Miskatonic River Press, like Cubicle 7, is a company that throws everything it has into its games and products, and its people are a dedicated and extremely capable lot.

I have to say that the more people I encounter behind these companies and in the wider gaming community, the more I realize that there is an 'invisible college' of Cthulhu at work here.  By invisible college, I mean a supportive, creative network of interested and dedicated professionals (note: this is not a dictionary definition and you can blame my undergraduate sociology lecturer for my awkward adaptation of this concept).  The point here is that there's a great network of people out there today working on keeping Lovecraft's mythic cosmology alive and thriving.

And that vision is a shared one. One of the things that has really struck me in working with Oscar, for example, is how like-minded we are.  Working with him is a joy and, in everything we do, there is the earnest, shared desire to be faithful to Lovecraft and, in this case, the Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. Oh and to have a blast doing it!

For me, induction into this invisible college of Cthulhu has been a very welcome surprise.  I wonder what H.P. Lovecraft himself would have made of this legacy, of generations of writers and artists, game designers and movie makers, all taking inspiration from his works. I think Lovecraft's influence on popular culture is now undeniable. You don't have to look very far or dig very deep to find reflections of the monstrous horrors and gibbering madness he described in our waking world--some of them all too real.

From what I've seen of the dedication and passion of the people in the gaming industry, it is safe to say that the Cthulhu Mythos and Lovecraft's legacy are in very good hands. I'm glad to have the opportunity to be part of this invisible college and to turn my hand to creating works that I hope will interest others.  So as 'The Quickening Spiral' moves towards its final draft, I turn my attention to Cubicle 7's World War Cthulhu, where I am delighted to work again with Sarah Newton and to contribute to this new exciting project. Here's a teaser for you, below.

(Hogmanay in Edinburgh - probably the best New Year's Eve party in the UK.)

Let's see.  There's less than 12 hours remaining in 2011 and I promised a blog update before 2012 rolls in.  Ok, here goes.

Looking back...

With the publication and positive reception of Cthulhu Britannica: Shadows Over Scotland, I'd say I've had an extremely good year.  All the hard work that went into the book now feels oddly distant and I am looking forward to moving on to other projects in 2012.  It's been a bit of a dream to finally give something back to the role-playing community from which I have taken so much over the past 30 years. Oh that makes me sound ancient -- I started young!  Honestly!

The fall of 2011 has been full of great surprises and enjoyable discoveries.  Being able to meet and chat with so many folks I've known only as online 'profiles' at Dragonmeet 2011 was fantastic.  Being able to go out to local stores and run a few games from the book has been amazing.  And all along the good reviews have kept coming.  Then just a few days ago, another wonderful surprise arrived.

Diehard GameFAN’s 2011 Tabletop Gaming Awards were announced on December 26, 2011 and Shadows Over Scotland was named Best Adventure Collection.  Alex Lucard of DHGF had previously written a review of Shadows in September, but I was completely unaware of the award until Boxing Day morning.  What can I say to Alex and Co. but a huge thank you!  I'm honoured!

Writing the scenarios in Shadows Over Scotland was probably the most nerve-wracking part of writing the book.  They were also amongst the last things to get written so the pressure was mounting.  I tried to introduce a lot of different elements into the six adventures and I wasn't sure how some of it would be received, particularly coming from a first-time author.  So to receive this accolade is a real pleasure and a nice little affirmation.

Since finishing Shadows and running through Masks of Nyarlathotep, I've mostly been working on secret projects so my poor gaming group has been suffering with little input from me beyond running sessions of Mansions of Madness and Elder Sign -- which are great by the way -- in between sessions of The Laundry and Warhammer FRPG.  I'm looking forward to having an opportunity to throw more Mythos mayhem into the mix.

And before moving on, let me thank Gordon and Peter once more for buying me Arkham Horror for Christmas.  I was less than subtle in the gift suggestion department, I know.  Thanks for putting up with me guys and thanks for the brilliant present.  Upon receiving the game, I devoured the rules and here's the set up for the game against Ithaqua that we played the other day. Clearly I need a bigger table!

Moving forward...

Bring on 2012.  I'm delighted to be able to add some more to a fun scenario I did for Miskatonic River Press recently.  What a pleasure to be told that the publisher wants more, not less!  That particular scenario is entitled The Quickening Spiral and will be coming out in one of MRP's publications scheduled for late 2012, I believe.  In addition, I am working up another scenario for MRP's Oscar Rios.  However, I can't say much more about that one at the moment, I'm afraid.

I am also very happy to continue my working relationship with Cubicle 7 in 2012 and, in the next little while, I will be contributing to the upcoming World War Cthulhu project.  Looking a little more long term, I am writing up a proposal for a lengthier Call of Cthulhu campaign, something probably destined for 2013.  It's something I'm very excited about after a discussion I had with C7's Sarah Newton at Dragonmeet, and, I hope, that it will offer me a chance to do a few more unusual and interesting things with my favourite RPG.

Lastly, I have some plans for some fiction writing as well, so it is going to be a busy year, if I can manage it. Here's hoping 2012 is a good year for all of us.

About 8 hours left of 2011 now.  I hope that you enjoy it and I wish you all the best for 2012!

I'll leave you with something cool that Paul Mclean, of Yog-Sothoth.com fame, created and shared with me the other day. It's a HD flip through Shadows Over Scotland available on his YouTube channel.  Let's see if I can't embed it below...

(Digital Scratchboard 01 by the divine Mr Murray Groat. See more of his work here.)

Just a quick post to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas 2011!

It's been an extremely eventful year.  I'm not sure where the bulk of November/December went!  But I'll get another post in before the New Year to let you know some of the exciting things I'll be working on in 2012.

Until then, let me take this chance to wish you all the best for the festive season!

Cheers from Scotland,

Stuart