Chaosium Digest Volume 8, Number 4 Date: Sunday, October 23, 1994 Number: 1 of 1 Contents: Where is Pagan Publishing? (John Tynes) MISC Chaosium Product Releases (Charlie Krank) MISC -------------------- From: John Tynes Subject: Where is Pagan Publishing? System: Misc WHERE IS PAGAN PUBLISHING? Good question, but handily answerable. We're in Seattle, WA, where we relocated last May. We've had a very busy summer incorporating the business and reorganizing just about everything we do to distribute the workload. There's five of us doing Pagan now, mostly full time with some part time. All of our current products are way, way late. Our nemesis has been the proverbial bite bigger than we could chew, WALKER IN THE WASTES. This 224-page campaign for Call of Cthulhu finally went to press back in July, and promptly hit a brick wall. A series of difficulties with the cover separations meant the final films for the cover arrived at the printer a few *days* ago. Let's see... July, August, September... yes, trying to get this book out has been a nightmare. Lord Ithaqua is most displeased. Regardless, we're almost over the hump. Somewhere the printing presses are clacking along and the book is finally becoming a reality. I don't have a ship date yet, but will post one to alt.horror.cthulhu as soon as I know. Issue 11 of The Unspeakable Oath is completed and will go to press after WALKER is done. The Resurrected: Volume Two is also completed and will scuttle off to press sometime during or after TUO11. Our new mail-order catalog The Outsider has done very well, and a new edition is being prepared. This new edition will include Call of Cthulhu books from Triad Entertainments, a lovely latex Cthulhu Tentacle from Dead Earth Productions, the new horror RPG Whispering Vault, and more. To get on our mailing list, just send your snail mail address to us at paganpub@aol.com and we'll add you on. I don't have any further updates, except to say that we've started a number of new projects that should bear interesting fruit in 1995. I've been busy working on the new catalog, dealing with the WALKER cover, and finishing a prospectus for investors. I'm about to start (as in today or tomorrow) serious work on DELTA GREEN, which is 80% written and amazing. If you ever thought The X-Files would make a neat RPG, this blows the series out of the water. Look for it in early 1995. If you have any questions about any of our stuff, please drop me email at paganpub@aol.com and I'll do my best to answer them. We're here, working hard, and things are going to get very exciting in the near future. John Tynes Pagan Publishing 1910 N. 49th St. Seattle, WA 98103 (206) 632-3471 (Noon-8pm, PST) paganpub@aol.com p.s. our furiously fuggly card game Creatures & Cultists is back in print... in German! Courtesy of G&S Verlag, you can now get a German edition of our card game. It's known as Gotten, Riten & Damonen (SP?) and should be available in Germany at shops that stock G&S' game SAGA. -------------------- From: Charlie Krank Subject: Chaosium Product Releases System: Misc The following contains information concerning releases from Chaosium for the next few months. In Sanity, Charlie Krank Director of Sales and Marketing ****************************************************** Recent Releases ****************************************************** NEXUS Live-Action Roleplaying [#6500, $19.95] Secret agents from all over the world are converging on a small science fiction convention. Coded transmissions have been intercepted, emanating from somewhere near the Con suite. Fans have mysteriously disappeared, and strangers have shown up at the convention wearing their badges. And rumor has it that some of these clever costumes aren't really costumes at all! NEXUS contains a complete live-action roleplaying adventure and the rules needed to play the game. Ample handouts are included as well as detailed instructions for hosting and organizing a live-action session. THE SHUB-NIGGURATH CYCLE 15 Horror Tales Involving Shub-Niggurath & Her Thousand Young [#6004, $9.95] NEW CALL OF CTHULHU FICTION -- Among the most familiar names in the Lovecraftian litany, Shub-Niggurath, the Black Goat of the Wood, the Goat with a Thousand Young, is never met personally in Lovecraft's stories, but is often referred to in rituals and spells. This deity was spread and adapted as Lovecraft crafted and revised tales spawned by other authors. This is the first collection of tales concerning Shub-Niggurath. FATE OF FOOLS Two Tests of Wits and Wiles in the Young Kingdoms [#2903, $10.95] TWO ELRIC! ADVENTURES -- The first of these tales involve strange apparitions haunting the city of Raschil which the adventurers struggle to understand and control. The second adventure finds a lovesick young nobleman financing a search across the Sighing Desert for that which can heal his true love. Maps included in this book portray a portion of the Northern Continent, and summary plan of the University of Cadsandria, details of the library, and city maps of Ilmar on the Pale Sea, Raschil, and Cadsandria. There are also many new illustrations and statistics, several new spells, and other source materials. NEPHILIM A New Occult Roleplaying Game System [#3100, $21.95] NEW ROLEPLAYING SYSTEM -- For the first time in many years, Chaosium releases a new roleplaying game and unveils a modern-day world of adventure. The response is tremendous. Building upon the percentile roleplaying game system that we first developed with RUNEQUEST and then refined with CALL OF CTHULHU, STORMBRINGER, ELFQUEST and ELRIC!, NEPHILIM is instantly playable by any of our fans, and is quickly learned by new fans. Players portray ancient spirits, given existence when mankind was still walking on knuckles. These spirits seek the path to Agartha, or enlightenment; an awakening made possible only through the possession of human bodies. Highly magical, Nephilim are hated and feared by many human organizations who hunt them down to enslave them and steal their magic. This interplay of danger, magic, and the Occult tradition, coupled with our traditional deep research creates a roleplaying setting rife with excitement and excellent story lines. Nephilim will be supported over the next months with a variety of supplements and adventure books. ***************************************************** October Release ***************************************************** THE BRONZE GRIMOIRE Magic & The Supernatural [#2904, $12.95] AN ELRIC! MAGIC SUPPLEMENT -- This supplement adds to and extends the magic chapter of the Elric! rulesbook. Runes and spell-like runes introduce a powerful new class of magical effects. New demon breeds and abilities, plus a handful of unique individual demons, are presented. Many enchantments are outlines, and a plethora of enchanted items are offered. Finally, the last chapter discusses the tome, as distinct from the grimoire, and gives a dozen examples. The location entry for each book includes scenario ideas. ****************************************************** November ****************************************************** NEPHILIM GAMEMASTERS' VEIL A Gamemaster Screen, Scenario, Celestial Alignment Wheel, & Essential Tables and References [#3101, $14.95] A NEPHILIM PLAY AID -- The Nephilim Gamemasters' Veil provides the players with the tools that help make playing Nephilim easier. The Gamemaster Screen collects the important information used during play in a convenient format, complete with page references. A set of deluxe, 4-page dossiers is included, expanding upon the character sheet provided in the core rulesbook. The Celestial Alignment Wheel simplifies what is probably the most complex portion of the game: determining the appropriate magical modifier based on the positions of the planets, the month, and the day of the week. An easy spin of the wheel dials-up the correct modifier. The scenario presents an introductory tale introducing many of the essential concepts of the Nephilim roleplaying game. ****************************************************** December ****************************************************** ENCYCLOPEDIA CTHULHIANA The Definitive Guide to the Cthulhu Mythos [#6007, $9.95] CALL OF CTHULHU FICTION -- When H.P. Lovecraft first created the Cthulhu Mythos it was little more than a collection of obscure terms and unpronounceable names. Since that time in the late 1920s and 1930s, with the inclusion of other authors and their additions to the body of lore, the depth and detail of the Mythos has grown and in 1981 Chaosium first released Call of Cthulhu, fostering a renewed interest in the Mythos and bringing more authors and their creations. This release is an important guide to the Cthulhu Mythos, including every detail inhumanely possible, arranged in an alphabetic format and extensively cross-referenced. ****************************************************** December ****************************************************** THE UNMAPPED EAST Heart of an Ancient Empire [#2907, $16.95] A BOOK OF BACKGROUND AND ADVENTURE FOR ELRIC! -- This sourcebook provided clues and details for that area of the Northern Continent dubbed The Unmapped East. It lies across the Sighing Desert from Kaarlak, the last abode of Elric and his wife Zarozinia. Each nation is given a chapter that reveals the background and politics of that nation as well as important points and notes on magic for that land. ****************************************************** January 1995 ****************************************************** AZATHOTH Ruler of the Outer Gods [#6006, $9.95] NEW CALL OF CTHULHU FICTION -- Ruler of the outer Gods, Azathoth has existed since the beginning of the universe, dwelling beyond normal space and time, where its amorphous body writhes unceasingly to the monotonous piping of a flute. The concept of Azathoth is central to the Cthulhu Mythos and appears in many of the tales written by Lovecraft and the Lovecraft Circle of writers. This book collects the most important tales concerning this all-powerful deity, and arranges them in the order in which they were written. This is the fifth title in the Cycle Book series. ****************************************************** January 1995 ****************************************************** CHRONICLE OF THE AWAKENINGS Previous Lives for Nephilim [#3102, $12.95] A SOURCEBOOK FOR NEPHILIM -- Each Nephilim has experienced many lives in the past. With each incarnation, a Nephilim draws closer to enlightenment. This book expands upon the Past Lives chapter of the Nephilim rulesbook and presents a variety of historical era during which your character might have lived. ****************************************************** February 1995 ****************************************************** NEW TALES FROM LOVECRAFT COUNTRY Four Tales of Dread and Darkness [#2356, $10.95] FOR CALL OF CTHULHU -- Here are four new adventures set in Lovecraft Country, that area in New England including Arkham, Dunwich, Innsmouth, and the Miskatonic River where the seemingly Good often proves to be filled with Darkness. ****************************************************** February 1995 ****************************************************** MISKATONIC U. The Most Infamous University in the World [#2352, $12.95] A CALL OF CTHULHU 1920s SOURCEBOOK -- Miskatonic University, pillar of the 1920s academic community, nestles along the bank of the Miskatonic River in the city of Arkham, Massachusetts. This guide explores this prestigious institution in detail, covering such topics as the Campus, the Library, the University by Department, On-Campus Life, Graduation, and a multitude of other details. Also included are 13 scenario seeds, using M.U. in other eras, Lovecraft references to M.U. Miskatonic expeditions, and more. ****************************************************** March 1995 ****************************************************** WYRM'S FOOTPRINTS Gloranthan Legend and Lore [#4501, $10.95] GLORANTHAN SOURCEBOOK -- Wyrm's Footprints collects long-lost lore about the world of Glorantha culled from many sources. Some pieces once appeared many years ago in Wyrm's Footnotes , a magazine that we used to publish. Others are gems garnered from Greg Stafford's voluminous files and early writings. Much that is here is new, never having seen the light of day before. ****************************************************** March 1995 ****************************************************** STRANGE AEONS Adventures Through Time [#2353, $14.95] CALL OF CTHULHU ADVENTURES -- The dire mysteries and threats to humankind from the minions of the Cthulhu Mythos are not limited to the eras of the 1920s, 1890s, or even the modern-day. They can occur in any era, at any moment. Strange Aeons presents three adventures set in various moments in history. ****************************************************** March 1995 ****************************************************** MYSTERY OF THE SERPENT MOUNDS Exploring An Ancient Mystery [#3104, $16.95] ADVENTURES FOR NEPHILIM -- In Midwestern Ohio exists an ancient serpentine structure called The Serpent Mound. This book presents a sequence of adventures leading to a fatal confrontation between Nephilim and those that oppose them. ****************************************************** Spring 1995 ****************************************************** SECRET SOCIETIES Foes of the Nephilim [#3103, $16.95] A SOURCEBOOK FOR NEPHILIM -- Many human organization fear and hate Nephilim: they resent the intrusion of the Nephilim spirit into human bodies and find the whole concept of possession repugnant. To combat the Nephilim, these humans have organized into secret societies dedicated to the elimination of these ancient spirits. This book reveals the innermost secrets of these shadowy organizations which frequently operate at the edge of the law and decent society. ATLAS OF THE YOUNG KINGDOMS The Northern Continent [#2905, $16.95] A GUIDEBOOK FOR ELRIC! -- This is a much-needed guide to the Young Kingdoms, the world described by Michael Moorcock in his Elric novels and the setting for our roleplaying game. Notes for many lands in the northern Continent are provided, as well as adventure hints. ****************************************************** Summer 1995 ****************************************************** THE CAIRO GUIDEBOOK A Guide to Cairo in the 1920s [#2351, $10.95] A SOURCEBOOK FOR CALL OF CTHULHU -- This book provides a detailed look at Cairo, Egypt, as it was in the 1920s. Filled with background and historical detail, it also suggests a multitude of adventures for our Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. BEYOND THE WALL The Land of Picts & Scots [#2717, $12.95] A PENDRAGON SOURCEBOOK -- This supplement to our Arthurian roleplaying game explores the are beyond Hadrian's Wall, the land of Picts and Scots. It includes background about the area, notes on the cultures found there, notes about the religions they follow, and a fold-out map of the area. TAINT OF MADNESS A Guide to Sanity [#2354, $18.95] FOR CALL OF CTHULHU -- The fundamental worry of every Call of Cthulhu investigator is the state of his or her sanity. Will the next encounter with a Mythos monster topple you over the edge? Can your allies carry your babbling private eye to reputable care? Taint of Madness covers such topics, expounding upon the Sanity rules given in the Call of Cthulhu rulesbook. It covers asylums, mental health care in the 1920s, 1890s, and in the modern-day, presents new insanities, and an insane assortment of other details. ****************************************************** Fall 1995 ****************************************************** LONG AGO & FAR AWAY Fantasy Live-Action Roleplaying [#6501, $14.95] PLAY THIS BOOK SERIES -- This is the second release for our "Play This Book" series of games. These are all live-action roleplaying adventures including the system mechanics in every book. LONG AGO & FAR AWAY presents a scenario for 45 players, taking them to a fantasy land of intrigue and high magic, a land filled with kings, princes, ghosts, giants, efreeti, and the Terrible Triumvirate. THE LONDON GUIDEBOOK A Guide to London in the 1920s [#2347, $10.95] A SOURCEBOOK FOR CALL OF CTHULHU -- This supplement explores London during the 1920s. Discover secrets and arcane facets of this fog-shrouded city of mystery. Explore the strange tunnels under the city, learn about the aftermath of the Great War, follow new occupations, and more. Adventure tips are also included. -------------------- The Chaosium Digest is an unofficial discussion forum for Chaosium's Games. To submit an article, subscribe or unsubscribe, mail to: appel@erzo.berkeley.edu. The old digests are archived on ftp.csua.berkeley.edu in the directory /pub/chaosium, and may be retrieved via FTP.