Episodes

4d ago

We are wrapping up our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s... The post The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen – part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

5d ago

We are continuing our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime... The post The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen – part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

6d ago

We are continuing our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime... The post The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16

It is time once again for us to all gather around the virtual hearth for another festive ghost story reading. This year, we present “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen, a weird tale of... The post The Great God Pan, by Arthur Machen – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16

We’re back and we’re watching the skies. You never know when some gannet might decide to kamikaze its way into your skull, or a mob of hawks take exception to your woodwork and peck it... The post The Birds, with Ross Bryant appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 2

We’re back and we’re talking to ourselves. Not everyone has an interior monologue, but apparently exterior ones are even rarer. Describing your life in real time like the voiceover from some hard-boiled detective movie may... The post Narration in Call of Cthulhu, with Ross Bryant appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 18

We’re back and we’re scaring ourselves. Sure, we do all the normal stuff like jumping at shadows, gasping at loud noises, and cowering under the bedclothes when thunderstorms shake our windows, but the really frightening... The post We Are the Horror, with Ericka Skirpan appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 3

We’re back and we’re acting up. While we are normally pretty sedentary gamers, we have been convinced to try some LARP techniques and see if they can make our roleplaying more immersive. The props seemed... The post Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 20

We’re back and we’re heading out to a big party under the hill. While the rest of you are busy clubbing, we’ll be trying out a different kind of dancing. There’s even a singalong, plus... The post The White People, with Jared Logan appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 6

We’re back and we’re bloody. Honestly, that’s the least of it. Most of this gore is blood, but we’ve found flecks of meat, shards of bone, and what looks like the occasional kidney mixed in.... The post The Joy of Gore, with Jared Logan appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 22

We’re back and we’re raging. While this virus may play a part, we’re mostly pissed off at the sequels to 28 Days Later. The first one, in particular, is enough to make you chew someone’s... The post 28 Days Later, with Maverick Haenze appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 8

We’re back and we’re hungry for brains. Sure, that whole that whole thing about zombies eating brains was made up by Dan O’Bannon in 1985, but that doesn’t make them any less tasty. And just... The post Zombies, with Maverick Haenze appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 25

We’re back and we’re checking the vents. They’re long overdue a service, but that doesn’t mean they should be talking about eating people’s kidneys. While we might dismiss that as a load of hot air,... The post The Broadsword, Laird Barron, and Old Leech, with Andy Goodman appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 11

We’re back and we’re hunting for the biggest cigarette paper known to man. Well, ideally known to the gods too. If we’re going to fit an entire pantheon inside, this thing needs to be truly... The post Roll Your Own Mythos, with Andy Goodman appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 28

We’re back and we’re discussing metafiction and horror, shoehorning the title of the episode into the first paragraph for SEO purposes. Main Topic: Metafiction and Horror Metafiction turns up in every genre from literary fiction... The post Metafiction and Horror, with Eleanor Hingley appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 14

We’re back and we’re keeping to ourselves. You really can’t be too careful. The outside world is full of dangerous ideas and strange people. Some of them don’t even play Call of Cthulhu. Sure, they... The post Small Town Horror, with Eleanor Hingley appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 30

We’re back and we’re pushing boundaries. Good taste has never come easily to us, but it’s downright impossible when talking about art that might inspire Call of Cthulhu games. From performance artists who mutilate themselves... The post Art and the Cthulhu Mythos, with Kailas Elmer appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 16

We’re back and we’re poring over bas-reliefs yet again. Once you start looking into the relationship between Lovecraft and art, the damn things are everywhere. We would say that there’s no relief from them, but... The post Lovecraft and Art, with Kailas Elmer appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 2

We’re back and we’re twiddling the tracking knob. It’s supposed to clear up the image on this old videocassette, but maybe that’s just missing the point. The static can be the most interesting part, filled... The post Analogue Horror, with Holly from RPG Reanimators appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 19

We’re back and we’re answering the call of the void. It’s about the scariest call you can receive, regardless of what Cthulhu may claim. The yawning darkness of eternity just shouldn’t be that tempting. For... The post Horror in Space, with Holly from RPG Reanimators appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 5

We’re back and we’re and we’re putting on our plastic ponchos. Sure, they look a bit silly, but we can work with that. Hell, it might even help. The important thing, however, is keeping some... The post Comedy Horror, with Evan Dorkin appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 21

We’re back and we’re making stuff up. But so much of the stuff we make up is inspired by stuff other people made up. And sometimes, it turns out, they’re inspired by some of the... The post RPGs and Fiction, with Evan Dorkin appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 7

We’re back and we’re riding the carousel. Holding onto the handlebars is a bit awkward, however, with all this pricking in our thumbs. Our digits may be warning us that something wicked this way comes,... The post Something Wicked This Way Comes, with Cuppycup appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 25

We’re back and we’re mopping up protein spills. What sounded like an innocent sexual innuendo has turned out to be far more scatological than we would have liked. The unpleasant realities of theme parks are... The post Theme Parks and Horror, with Cuppycup appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 11

We’re back and we’re smothering ourselves in garlic. While we’ve been assured this will protect us from vampires, we’re wondering if it might just make us more appetising to cannibals. Getting chopped up and roasted... The post The Appeal of Vampires, with Josephine McAdam appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 25

We’re back and we’re hiding behind the sofa. Sure, the monsters, masked killers, and mutants can probably find us back here, but it still feels safer for some reason. Fear is rarely a rational thing,... The post Horror For the Nervous, with Josephine McAdam appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 11

We’re back and we’re digging up the past. Some of this excavation is purely physical, burrowing into the clay under London in search of the usual skulls and spaceships. The rest, however, is more atavistic... The post Quatermass and the Pit, with Seth Skorkowsky appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 28

We’re back and we’re blundering. That’s not to say that we don’t have a clue, but we’re not quite sure what to do with the handful we’ve managed to find. We’ve tried pinning them to... The post How to be an Investigator, with Seth Skorkowsky appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 14

We’re back and we’re digging deep. While you might expect to find ghosts in these haunted landscapes, mostly we’re unearthing history. Oh, and carcinogens. On balance, ghosts seem like the healthier option. Main Topic: Haunted... The post Haunted Landscapes, with Heather Miller appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 30, 2024

We’re back and we’re polishing our magnifying glasses. Being a detective requires a keen eye for detail, an analytical mind, and a thorough knowledge of genre. But that happens when you find yourself in a... The post Call of Cthulhu and Detective Fiction, with Heather Miller appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 21, 2024

Our 2024 Christmas ghost story double-bill concludes with the second part of William Hope Hodgson’s “The Horse of the Invisible”, from the casebooks of Carnacki, the Ghost Finder. This is our second Carnacki tale this... The post The Horse of the Invisible, by William Hope Hodgson – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 20, 2024

Our 2024 Christmas ghost story double-bill continues with William Hope Hodgson’s “The Horse of the Invisible”, from the casebooks of Carnacki, the Ghost Finder. This is our second Carnacki tale this year, and you can... The post The Horse of the Invisible, by William Hope Hodgson – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 19, 2024

Our 2024 Christmas ghost story reading reaches the bizarre conclusion of “The Searcher of the End House”. You can find part one of this tale on your podcast feed of choice or on this very... The post The Searcher of the End House, by William Hope Hodgson – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 18, 2024

We have a special treat for our 2024 Christmas ghost story reading, with not one but two tales of Carnacki, the Ghost Finder by William Hope Hodgson. Our first is “The Searcher of the End... The post The Searcher of the End House, by William Hope Hodgson – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 17, 2024

We’re back and we’re enjoying the salt air. Or should that be the Saltair? Either way, it would be even jollier if there weren’t all these ghouls around. We have nothing against ghouls, and they... The post Carnival of Souls, with Ross Bryant appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 3, 2024

We’re back and we’re raising the dead. Well, sort of. After all that discussion about Joseph Curwen’s necromantic exploits, we thought we’d try something on a larger scale. Instead of tomes of forbidden knowledge, however,... The post Bringing Historical Games to Life, with Ross Bryant appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 19, 2024

We’re back and we’re peering through time. Handily, Yog-Sothoth has granted us the power to see he who is to come after us. Well, except Charles Dexter Ward actually turned up in 1926, around a... The post The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 5 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 5, 2024

We’re back and we’re peering into wells. Perhaps it’s not unusual to find dead things in wells, but they aren’t generally this animated. Maybe the poor things would lie down and die if there was... The post The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 21, 2024

We’re back and we’re rearranging the furniture in the library. All perfectly normal stuff. Nothing to worry about. Everyone gives a strangled cry or two when lifting heavy objects. And that nasty smell? Furniture polish.... The post The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 7, 2024

We’re back and we’re researching our family histories. Nothing but wholesome stuff here. Surely everyone’s ancestors faced an angry mob or two. It was just the done thing in those times. Main Topic: The Case... The post The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 23, 2024

We’re back and we’re digging through our family tree. Or should that be digging up our family tree? Either way, we dig it. While The Case of Charles Dexter Ward doesn’t precisely advocate for raising... The post The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 9, 2024

We’re back and we’re summoning horrors from beyond space and time. If we’re honest, we’re not quite sure why we’re doing this, but here we are. It’s too late to worry about such details at... The post Call of Cthulhu Deities: Iod, Zu-che-quon, and Nyogtha appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 26, 2024

We’re back and we’re being suggestive. Or is that suggestible? Why don’t you tell us! Main Topic: Listener Suggestions Meets the Wolf Man Back in late 2022, we used Discord and Twitter to ask our listeners what kinds of... The post Listener Suggestions Meets the Wolf Man appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 19, 2024

We’re back with the conclusion of our interview with Jason Cordova, the mastermind behind The Gauntlet and creator of such RPGs as Brindlewood Bay, The Between and Public Access. Our winding discussion takes in game... The post Special: Interview With Jason Cordova part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 12, 2024

We’re back and we’re catching up with our sleep. You think we’d be trying harder to escape, given that we’ve been tied up and lowered into the abysmal depths under the pyramids. But, no, we’re... The post Under the Pyramids appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 5, 2024

We’re back with another special interview episode. This time, we’re talking to Jason Cordova, the mastermind behind The Gauntlet and creator of such RPGs as Brindlewood Bay, The Between and Public Access. Jason’s games take... The post Special: Investigative Games With Jason Cordova appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 29, 2024

We’re back and we’re squirming. Sure, the best way to get out of this straitjacket would be to have someone unbuckle it, but where’s the fun in that? Then again, now that we’re getting lowered... The post Strange NPCs: Harry Houdini appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 15, 2024

We’re back and we’re doubting our humanity. It’s easily enough done. Whether it’s these gill slits on our necks, that pervasive smell of death surrounding us, or just the weird way our shadow shifts and... The post Non-Human Characters in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 1, 2024

We’re back and we’re catching up with our reading again. Specifically, in this episode, we seem to be reading in bed. You’d think that such a common pastime wouldn’t merit much discussion, yet somehow we... The post Media Catch-Up – Books appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 17, 2024

We’re back and we’re under the influence. Sure, the alien entity taking up residence in our heads may not technically be a demon, but that feels like an academic distinction right now. It’s little comfort... The post Possession in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 3, 2024

We’re back and we’re dabbling with dark forces. If Late Night With the Devil has taught us anything, it’s that achieving fame and fortune is just a matter of striking the right bargains. Sure, that’s... The post Late Night With the Devil appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 27, 2024

In our recent episode on injury and disease in Call of Cthulhu, we mentioned the strength drain ability of Dark Young. Good friend of the Good Friends Frank Delventhal, AKA Strongman Frank, got it touch... The post Special: Strength Drain and Recovery With Frank Delventhal appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 20, 2024

We’re back and we’re damaged. Send help. Main Topic: Injury and Disease in Call of Cthulhu This episode, we’re looking at how injury, disease, poisons, and other physical hazards work in Call of Cthulhu. Being... The post Injury and Disease in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 6, 2024

We’re back and we’re spinning the wheel of misfortune. R’lyeh Roulette is not a game to be entered into casually. While you might not place bets in the normal manner, there is still much at... The post R’lyeh Roulette IV appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 22, 2024

We’re back and we’re suckling. This is more difficult than you might think, at least when Yibb-Tstll is involved. Even once we get past all those pesky nightgaunts, there’s the whole, um, moving target aspect... The post Call of Cthulhu Deities — Shudde M’ell, Yibb-Tstll and Bugg-Shash appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 8, 2024

We’re back and we’re consuming. Mostly, we’re consuming media. At least that’s the consumption we feel happiest talking about in public. Also, the digestion of media tends to lead to less dyspepsia, bloating and flatulence... The post Media Catch-Up appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 26, 2024

We’re back and we’re enjoying a nice seaside holiday. Of course, when most people talk about the seaside, they mean the bit that’s on land. Somehow, we’ve ended up in the wetter part. Maybe that’s... The post The Ocean in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 12, 2024

We’re back and we’re wondering what’s in this jar on our desk. The contents are murky, but it looks like it might contain the heart of a small boy. Robert Bloch swears by it, but... The post Robert Bloch and the Cthulhu Mythos appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 27, 2024

We’re back and we’re abluting with trepidation. It used to be that taking a shower was relaxing. We could just pull that curtain closed and enjoy the jets of warm, cleansing water. Since watching Psycho,... The post Psycho (1960) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 12, 2024

We’re back and we’re rolling to disbelieve. Honestly, the world around us just becomes weirder and weirder with every passing year. A lot of this is probably down to age, but we can’t discount some... The post Delusions in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 29, 2024

We’re back and we’re doubting ourselves. Well, that’s assuming we have any selves to doubt. Once you start plumbing the dark recesses of psychological horror, you soon realise that you can’t take anything for granted.... The post Psychological Horror in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 16, 2024

We’re back and we’re going through our mailbag again. It becomes a lot more manageable once we sift out the missives written in Aklo and other inhuman tongues. We’re not saying that what’s left is... The post The Ghost of Listener Suggestions appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 2, 2024

We’re back and we’re heading beyond Innsmouth. The literal and metaphorical tentacles of the Deep Ones now extend far beyond the town’s limits. We’re finding our fishy friends moistening the pages of books, slithering across... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth – Sequels and Adaptations appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 21, 2023

Our 2023 Christmas ghost story reading of Jerome K Jerome’s “Told After Supper” draws to its conclusion. After learning all about ghosts in the first reading and hearing some strange anecdotes in the second, we... The post Told After Supper, by Jerome K Jerome – part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 20, 2023

Our 2023 Christmas ghost story reading continues. This year, we are presenting Jerome K Jerome’s comic tale “Told After Supper”. After the introduction to the nature of ghosts we received in the first reading, we... The post Told After Supper, by Jerome K Jerome – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 19, 2023

We are delighted to offer you another ghost story for Christmas. Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories), has once again organised a suitably festive performance on our... The post Told After Supper, by Jerome K Jerome – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 19, 2023

We’re back and we’re picking through the ruins. The US Federal Government may have bombed Innsmouth to smithereens, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still useful gaming inspiration to be found in the wreckage. From... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 6 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 5, 2023

We’re back and we’re taking part in some self-reflection. It would just be a bit easier if our reflections didn’t keep changing. Maybe it’s inevitable once you get to a certain age. Your hairline starts... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 5 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 20, 2023

We’re back and we’re playing hide-and-seek. No, hang on. That’s when everyone hides and one person goes looking for them. This is the other way around. There’s a name for that game, isn’t there? Oh,... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 14, 2023

Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories Sampler In a change to regular programming, here is a sample of another podcast we thought you might enjoy. Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories is a collaboration between Paul Fricker... The post Mason and Fricker’s Eldritch Stories Sampler appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 7, 2023

We’re back and we’re enjoying a nice whiskey. OK, maybe we shouldn’t drink a whole quart of the stuff, but you’d do the same if you lived in Innsmouth. The alcohol fumes go some way... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 24, 2023

We’re back and we’re on a bus journey. Sure, this is a bone-rattler, but that’s like combining a gym visit and a massage, right? It certainly seems to have done the other passengers good. Have... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 9, 2023

We’re back and we’re sightseeing. Like most penurious writers, we’re doing so on a tight budget. Wasting money on expensive train tickets means that we won’t be able to afford the good cheese crackers for... The post The Shadow Over Innsmouth part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 26, 2023

We’re back and we’re poking around in holes. Sometimes it’s hard not to let curiosity get the better of you. There could be anyone on the other side of that barrier, even a god. You... The post Glorious appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 12, 2023

We’re back and we’re petrified. It’s bad enough that you can become mummified by standing near Ghatanothoa, but being imperilled just by looking at his image is simply too much. And then we learn that... The post Mythos Deities: Yig & Ghatanothoa appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 29, 2023

We’re back and and we’re listening to our listeners. No, not in a creepy way. Well, not beyond our natural creepiness, anyway. We’re not even using our ears this time. Hmmm. That probably makes it... The post Bride of Listener Suggestions appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 15, 2023

We’re back and and we’re playing Jenga with that teetering pile of unread books, plucking out a few tomes for discussion and hoping we don’t get crushed in the attempt. Main Topic: Media Catch-Up –... The post Media Catch-Up – Books appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 13, 2023

We’re back with another special episode. This time, we’ve teamed up with Mike Perceval-Maxwell, host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories, for a reading of Frank Belknap Long’s “The Hounds of Tindalos”. If you would like... The post Special: The Hounds of Tindalos, read by Mike Perceval-Maxwell and Scott Dorward appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 1, 2023

We’re back and and we’re geeking out. Main Topic: Nightmare Alley With all the talk about mediums in recent episodes, we thought it might be helpful to examine one from media. Guillermo del Toro’s 2021... The post Nightmare Alley appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 18, 2023

We’re back and and we’re in the dark. While we’re told that darkness is essential for séances, it does make it tricky to watch when the medium starts dancing. Also, if the spirits are going... The post Séances appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 4, 2023

We’re back and we have an angle. Well, it started out as a curve, but then some bits fell off. It’s outrageous! We’re not sure if that was some kind of fall from grace, an... The post The Hounds of Tindalos by Frank Belknap Long appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 20, 2023

We’re back and we’re going round in circles. Driving around Milton Keynes has prepared us for such eventualities, although these are temporal loops rather than roundabouts. Then again, what is a time loop but a... The post Time Travel in Call of Cthulhu part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 13, 2023

We’re back with our first special episode for a while. After our recent look into Victorian Spiritualism, Sean F Smith contacted us, offering to discuss the topic from the perspective of stage magic. Sean is... The post Special: Stage Magic and Spiritualism With Sean F Smith appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 5, 2023

We’re back, or should that be forward? Time does have a tendency to jump around, and you’re never quite when you thought you were. Days pass in years and years pass in days. And the... The post Time Travel in Call of Cthulhu part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 23, 2023

We’re back and we’re glowing. While we’re only too happy to ascribe this to good diet and healthy living, all this phosphorous oil we keep splashing on ourselves may also play a part. It really... The post Victorian Spiritualism part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 8, 2023

We’re back and we’re rapping. While we’re sure we could come up with some killer rhymes, we’re letting our toes do the talking today. There’s no reason why messages from beyond can’t come with a... The post Victorian Spiritualism part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 24, 2023

We’re back and we’re listening again. Usually, we don’t hold with listening. Most things people try to tell us are things we’d rather not hear. Whether this is advertising, gossip, or sinister secrets about the... The post Son of Listener Suggestions appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 10, 2023

We’re back and we’re trying to figure out why the hell this film is called “Barbarian“. Learning that the screenwriter doesn’t know either makes us feel better, but not by much. Maybe a nice bottle... The post Barbarian (2022) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 27, 2023

We’re back and we’re catching up with our sleep. Don’t worry, we’re still using this time productively, just like Edgar Cayce taught us. Whether it’s diagnosing your athlete’s foot, telling you of your past life... The post Strange NPCs: Edgar Cayce appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 14, 2023

We’re back and we’re stroking our chin serpents. The Byatis beard care regimen is a strange one and requires a little more anthropophagy than we normally indulge in. Still, it’s hard to argue with the... The post Mythos Deities: Cyäegha and Byatis appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 27, 2023

We’re back and we’re listening to the strange voices that whisper to us from beyond the veil. Well, maybe they’re whispering from Twitter and Discord, but we’re not sure that’s any less frightening. At least... The post Listener Suggestions appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 14, 2023

We’re back and we’re pouring ourselves into our rubber suits and orthopaedic shoes. Doing up all these straps can be murder when your fingers are made of protoplasm. We’re going to need a nice, tasty... The post Michael Shea’s “Fat Face” appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 31, 2023

We’re back and we’re staring in disbelief as our hands fall off. Media Catch-up – TV Once again, we are perched open mouthed before the small screen, gobbling down televisual delights and regurgitating opinions. This... The post Media Catch-up – TV appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 16, 2023

We’re back and we’re puzzling over titles. If you were making a Gothic horror film about a haunted village, you might wisely consider a name like Curse of the Dead. Hell, if you wanted to... The post Kill, Baby… Kill! appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 2, 2023

We’re back and we’re skulking around the old ruined abbey. Sure, the place is lousy with ghosts, but they’re not really that important. We’re far more concerned with the weather. If reading Gothic horror has... The post Gothic Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 24, 2022

Our 2023 ghost story for Christmas concludes with part 4 of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Viy”. Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories), has once again organised a suitably... The post The Viy – part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 21, 2022

Our 2023 ghost story for Christmas continues with part 3 of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Viy”. Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories), has once again organised a suitably... The post The Viy – part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 20, 2022

We’re back and we’re getting on a bit. Turning 250 is a sobering milestone. Worse, we seem to be getting a bit peculiar in our dotage. Or maybe it’s just the world around us that’s... The post Making Call of Cthulhu Weird appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 17, 2022

Our 2023 ghost story for Christmas continues with part 2 of Nikolai Gogol’s “The Viy”. Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories), has once again organised a suitably... The post The Viy – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16, 2022

We are delighted to offer you another ghost story for Christmas. Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of Mr Spike’s Bedtime Stories), has once again organised a suitably eerie performance on our... The post The Viy – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 6, 2022

We’re back and we’re heading deep beneath the earth. We’ve heard that there’s nothing but good things down there in the endless dark. Admittedly, we’ve mainly heard that from the sinister voices that whisper to... The post Mythos Deities – Tsathoggua, Atlach-Nacha and Abhoth appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 21, 2022

We’re back and we’re getting ready to snip. Our scissors are sharp, our tape is sticky and our minds are made up. This poor film doesn’t stand a chance. Sure, we could censor it carefully,... The post Censor (2021) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 8, 2022

We’re back and we’re starting a moral panic. It’s good to have a hobby. While riling up frightened mobs isn’t everyone’s idea of a good time, it certainly helps us unwind after a hard day’s... The post Is Horror Dangerous? appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 25, 2022

We’re back and we’re taking things easy. Sometimes, after a particularly hectic battle against the forces of eldritch darkness, a bit of downtime is just what the doctor ordered. Literally. What could be better than... The post Dealing With Downtime appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 11, 2022

We’re back and we’re getting all eclectic. It’s simply inevitable that if you ask the three of us to pick films, our selections will not mesh together at all. Just think of this episode as... The post Media Catch-up – Films appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 27, 2022

We’re back and we’re taking up a new hobby. Esoteric numismatology isn’t for everyone, however. Unfortunately, eldritch coins have steep prices, and not just financial ones. Our lives have become complicated ever since we picked... The post 30 Coins (30 monedas) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 13, 2022

We’re back and we’re in a moral quandary. It’s fair to say that the gods and monsters of the Mythos are beyond human comprehension. The problem is that we are human (or at least that’s... The post Morality in the Cthulhu Mythos appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 30, 2022

We’re back and we’re sitting in judgement. Unfortunately, it turns out that judgement doesn’t make a very good seat. Next time, we’re bringing cushions. The topic of morality in RPGs shouldn’t be a comfortable one,... The post Morality in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 16, 2022

We’re back and we’re trying our hands at cat breeding. According to these instructions we received from Louis Wain, the secret is electricity. The cats don’t seem to happy about this, even if it does... The post Strange NPCs – Louis Wain appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 2, 2022

We’re back and we’re catching up with our reading. Until recently, we thought we’d seen the most sanity-blasting fanfic the internet could offer. Between terrible prose, wooden characters, and unacceptable levels of horniness, bad fanfic... The post Y’golonac and The Revelations of Gla’aki appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 19, 2022

We’re back and we’re holidaying at Deepfall Water in sunny Gloucestershire. The area may be a bit rundown but you can’t argue with these prices. Buying a house here cost us less than a week... The post Mythos Deities: Gla’aki appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 5, 2022

We’re back and we’re building up our hoards. All this loot is nice and shiny but it’s not especially comfortable. We wonder how dragons can sleep on their treasure without putting their backs out. Maybe... The post Loot appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 20, 2022

We’re back and we’re making like bookworms. This is easier than it might seem, given that bookworms don’t really eat books — just their bindings — and aren’t even worms. Then again, they don’t read... The post Media Catch-up – Books appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 7, 2022

We’re back and we’re taking an almost Lovecraftian interest in architecture. While we’re suckers for a good gambrel roof, these blueprints for The Night House are far more compelling. The Welsh maze designs, the oddly... The post The Night House appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 24, 2022

We’re back and we’re waking up. It’s been a long old kip, but not that refreshing really. Dreams of being chased by hunting horrors aren’t as restful as we might like. On the bright side,... The post The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 5 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 9, 2022

We’re back and we’re holidaying in Leng. While it’s not everyone’s first thought for a getaway, we’ve found it really quite dreamy. Leng may have had some shocking reviews on TripAdvisor, but we’re not sure... The post The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 25, 2022

We’re back and we’re making stuff up. Sure, it’s a bit disjointed, filled with inconsistent characterisation, narrative dead ends, and terrible jokes, but it sort of feels like a story. What do you expect when... The post Creating Stories at the Table – With Gaz Bowerbank appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 11, 2022

We’re back and we’re lost in reverie. These dreams are really something — so vivid and insistent. We just wish we knew whose dreams they are. Regardless, they’re inspiring us to create strange, wondrous new... The post Mythos Deities: Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 28, 2022

We’re back and we’re on the lam. Setting fire to all those libraries seemed like a good idea at the time but apparently the authorities disagree. We’ve tried explaining that there are simply some things... The post Breaking the Law appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 15, 2022

We’re back and we’re in danger. At least, we think we are. Something seems to be at stake, although we’re not quite sure what. Maybe it’s our lives, our loved ones, or some of this... The post Peril in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 1, 2022

We’re back and we’re growing sleepy, sleepy, so very sleepy. We are listening to your voice. Only your voice. Yes, yes, we are under your control. We shall do you bidding. What is it you... The post Mind Control in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 15, 2022

We’re back and we’re getting scared. Everywhere we look, there’s something creepy hiding in the shadows. Sometimes it seems like there’s a bit of horror in every game, regardless of the genre. Maybe a nice... The post Everything is Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 1, 2022

We’re back and we’re trying to work out how to cook this shantak egg we bought. Boiling it seemed practical until we realised we’d need a pot as large as a house. Frying poses similar... The post The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 18, 2022

We’re back and we’re visiting the dark side of the moon. Not the most popular tourist attraction, but it does have its charms. The leprous-looking coast and fields of white fungi are particular highlights. We... The post The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 4, 2022

We’re back and we’re descending the seventy steps of light slumber. At least we can take a breather in the cavern of flame before we have to trot down the seven hundred steps to the... The post The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 28, 2021

We’re back with another special episode! Our own Paul Fricker recently attended the Dragonmeet 2021 convention in London. While there, he took part in a few panels. This recording is of the discussion about the... The post Special: Rivers of London Panel at Dragonmeet 2021 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 21, 2021

We’re back and we’re moist. Between all this chicken custard, cow spittle and milk, Gozu has left us downright sodden. We’ve seen films use 3D, moving seats, and even subsonic vibrations to enhance the viewing... The post Gozu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 17, 2021

Our seasonal treat concludes with part 3 of “The Canterville Ghost”! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a reading of Oscar Wilde’s classic ghost story on our Discord server. He is... The post The Canterville Ghost – part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16, 2021

Our seasonal treat continues with part 2 of “The Canterville Ghost”! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a reading of Oscar Wilde’s classic ghost story on our Discord server. He is... The post The Canterville Ghost – part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 15, 2021

We have a special seasonal treat for you! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a reading of Oscar Wilde’s “The Canterville Ghost” on our Discord server. He is joined by guest... The post The Canterville Ghost – part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 14, 2021

We’re back with another special live episode! Our own Paul Fricker recently attended the Dragonmeet 2021 convention in London. While there, he took part in a couple of panels. This first recording is of the... The post Special: Call of Cthulhu 40th Anniversary Panel at Dragonmeet 2021 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 7, 2021

We’re back and we’re trying to understand the attraction of these concrete boots. They’re not very stylish and even less comfortable. Apparently they’ll help us sleep with the fishes, but that’s how we got into... The post Gangsters in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 23, 2021

We’re back and we’re clearing out all those pesky veils. They just clutter up the place, getting in the way of seeing how things really are. Also, somehow, they make things feel less spongy. We... The post Mythos Deities – Daoloth and Eihort appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 9, 2021

We’re back and we’re trying to stop Matt drooling in our popcorn. Listen to the episode. It’ll make sense. Main Topic: Media Catch-Up – Films This is the latest of our occasional discussions about the... The post Media Catch-Up – Films appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 26, 2021

We’re back and we’re preparing to pillage. This weird, shining tower looks like it should contain treasures, or at least an interesting story to discuss. There’s rustling in the undergrowth surrounding it, but we’ll just... The post The Tower of the Elephant appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 18, 2021

We’re back with another special episode. This time, we have a reading of Robert E Howard’s “The Thing on the Roof” by our good friend Mike Perceval-Maxwell. You may remember Mike as the director and... The post Special: “The Thing on the Roof” by Robert E Howard, read by Mike Perceval-Maxwell appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 11, 2021

We’re back and we’re hitting the books. That’s probably not fair, though. Just because they’re full of boxing tales doesn’t mean they can hit back. And two-fisted stories don’t actually seem to have any fists... The post The Works of Robert E Howard appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 27, 2021

We’re back and we’re spoiling for a fight. Well, a boxing match at least. There’s this fellow we met down at the ice house who’s promised us a bout or two. We heard he’s some... The post The Life of Robert E Howard appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 13, 2021

We’re back and we’re looking at our underpinnings. This can be an awkward thing to do when you reach our age. We recommend finding somewhere nice and private first. Alternatively, record it all in a... The post Genre Emulation in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 30, 2021

We’re back and we’re poking around in our dusty old attic. It’s usually the most convenient place to find ghosts. You’d think that with the number of people who have died over the years, ghosts... The post The Changeling appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 16, 2021

We’re back and we’re ransacking forbidden ruins, crumbling temples, and the shelves of this abandoned video store in search of a sword and sorcery film worth watching. Our quest has has been a perilous one.... The post Sword and Sorcery part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 2, 2021

We’re back and we’re puzzling over the riddle of steel. Is it an enigma? Maybe some clever bit of wordplay? It’s probably safer if we stick to swordplay, especially with all these sorcerers around. They... The post Sword and Sorcery part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 19, 2021

We’re back and we’re playing God. It’s a demanding role but we have hubris to spare! In fact, no one has ever had as much hubris as we do. We shall use our hubris to... The post Weird Science in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 5, 2021

We’re back and we’re seeking direction. While human lives are generally chaotic, we can at least bring order to our work. Pinning down good scenario structures can help us pretend that the world makes sense.... The post Scenario Structures appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 28, 2021

We’re back with the conclusion of our interview with YouTuber and author Seth Skorkowsky. This time, we are also joined by Jon Hook, Seth’s co-host on their new Modern Mythos podcast. As well as being... The post Special: Seth Skorkowsky and Jon Hook on Modern Mythos (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 21, 2021

We’re back and we’re flying the friendly skies. Well, maybe not that friendly. OK, they’re downright malevolent. Ithaqua may be one of the fastest ways to travel but the in-flight entertainment is chilling. And the... The post Mythos Deities – Ithaqua appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 14, 2021

We’re back with another special interview episode. This time, Scott talks to fan-favourite YouTuber and author, Seth Skorkowsky. Unfortunately, Jon Hook — Seth’s co-host on their new podcast, Modern Mythos — was held up. Happily,... The post Special: Seth Skorkowsky on Modern Mythos (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 7, 2021

We’re back and we’re back again. It feels like going around in circles. Or maybe the circles are going around us. It’ll all become clear in time. But few of us have experienced time in... The post The Endless appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 31, 2021

We’re back with another special interview episode. This time, Scott talks to bestselling science fiction and fantasy author Adrian Tchaikovsky. In particular, they discuss how Tchaikovsky portrays a wide range of non-human characters in his... The post Special: Adrian Tchaikovsky on Non-Human Intelligences appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 24, 2021

We’re back and we’re putting on our reading glasses. At least two of us are now old enough that we need them to make out anything smaller than a billboard. Even then, we’re still not... The post Media Catch-Up – Books appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 17, 2021

We’re back with another special episode. This time, Paul talks to Professor Christopher McGlothlin about horror films. Primarily, they discuss the good professor’s current Kickstarter campaign, Transgressive Horror, a collection of essays by a variety... The post Special: Christopher McGlothlin Discusses Transgressive Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 10, 2021

We’re back and we’re looking for like-minded individuals to join our investigator organisation. Sure, the pay is awful but the work is disgusting, deadly, and likely to drive you insane. It’s a bit like working... The post Investigator Organisations in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 27, 2021

We’re back and we’re presenting a somewhat darker episode than usual. While The Good Friends of Jackson Elias is definitely a horror podcast, most of the horror we discuss is rooted in the fantastic. In... The post Strange NPCs: Albert Fish appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 13, 2021

We’re back and we’re going on our summer holidays! What could be finer than drifting down the Danube, marvelling at all the willows crowding these sandy little islets? Well, maybe not being consumed or driven... The post The Willows appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 30, 2021

We’re back and we’re and we’re contemplating the secrets of the universe. People have warned us that it isn’t good for the human psyche to truly understand its insignificance in the wider cosmos. Luckily, as... The post Cosmic Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 16, 2021

We’re back and we’re heading out for a night on the town, or at least what’s left of the town. Apparently, this new dinner theatre is to die for. Their menu is light on vegetarian... The post Cadaver appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 2, 2021

We’re back and we’re contemplating the mysteries of life and death. Sure, we could read a lot of dusty old religious texts but we’d rather seek the wisdom of the prophet Klarkash-Ton. His visions of... The post Mythos Deities: Ubbo-Sathla and Mordiggian appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 16, 2021

We’re back and we’re sucking at the glass teat again. Like all lazy creative types, we watch a lot of TV and try to convince ourselves it’s research. There certainly is a lot that the... The post Media Catch-Up: Television appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 2, 2021

We’re back and we’re job hunting. This makes a pleasant change. We’re more used to things hunting us. But how much does your occupation actually matter when you’re running around the globe, trying to save... The post Occupations in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 19, 2021

We’re back and we’re turning 200. Please be gentle. We’re tired and our feet hurt. Main Topic: Ask Us Anything This is our big 200th episode celebration! Somehow, we’ve managed to keep the podcast going... The post 200th Episode Special: Ask Us Anything appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 5, 2021

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... The post Top 3 Mythos Media appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 22, 2020

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... The post The Whisperer in Darkness part 5 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 18, 2020

Our special Christmas treat concludes! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a week of readings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on our Discord server. He is joined by guest readers... The post A Christmas Carol – Stave 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 17, 2020

Our special Christmas treat continues! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a week of readings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on our Discord server. He is joined by guest readers... The post A Christmas Carol – Stave 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16, 2020

Our special Christmas treat continues! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a week of readings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on our Discord server. He is joined by guest readers... The post A Christmas Carol – Stave 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16, 2020

We have a special Christmas treat for all our listeners! Good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell, has organised a week of readings of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol on our Discord server. He... The post A Christmas Carol – Stave 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 8, 2020

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... The post The Whisperer in Darkness part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 25, 2020

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... The post The Whisperer in Darkness part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 17, 2020

Special episode: Secret Societies and Cults with Robert Howells (part 2) The post The Good Friends talk to Matthew McLean of A Scottish Podcast about Lovecraft and Comedy appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 10, 2020

We’re back and we’re knee-deep in letters. It’s all very well communicating with strangers via columns in the local press but sometimes you need the intimacy of personal correspondence. This is especially true when exchanging... The post The Whisperer in Darkness part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 3, 2020

Special episode: Secret Societies and Cults with Robert Howells (part 2) The post Special: Secret Societies and Cults part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 27, 2020

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... The post The Whisperer in Darkness part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 20, 2020

Special episode: Secret Societies and Cults with Robert Howells (part 1) The post Special: Secret Societies and Cults part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 13, 2020

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... The post Three Views of the Weird West part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 6, 2020

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... The post Special: Conspiracy Theories and Cults part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 29, 2020

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,... The post Three Views of the Weird West part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 22, 2020

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... The post Special: Conspiracy Theories and Cults part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 15, 2020

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... The post Mythos Deities: Nodens appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 1, 2020

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... The post Sound of My Voice appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 18, 2020

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... The post Unusual Places appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 4, 2020

We’re back and we’re preparing for the end. Prophecy, in the form of our recording schedule, warned us that this day would come. Admittedly, our calculations did initially place the release date for this episode... The post Cults part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 21, 2020

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... The post Cults part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 7, 2020

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... The post Cults part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 23, 2020

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 post Cults part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 9, 2020

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.... The post Character Development appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 26, 2020

We’re back and we’re afraid. We’re very afraid. Main Topic: The Fly Following on from our episode about body horror, we thought we should discuss an example of the genre. And what better-known body horror... The post The Fly appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 12, 2020

We’re back and we’re here to talk about body horror and… Hang on. Can anyone else smell that? It’s sweet and cloying, and not in a good way. Everything we touch feels moist, which wouldn’t... The post Disgust and Body Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 28, 2020

We’re back and we’re heading up to the laboratory to see what we can throw together. There are some leftover eyeballs in the fridge, and an assortment of horns, fangs and claws in those crates... The post Making a Monster appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 14, 2020

We’re back and we’re bubbling and blaspheming at the centre of the universe. Actually, we’re just sitting at home like everyone else. It’s still nice to dream of getting out of the house, however, even... The post Mythos Deities: The Daemon Sultan, Azathoth appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 31, 2020

We’re back and we’re having another look through our history books. They’re so much safer than those other books we consult. You know, the ones with unwholesome bindings that whisper dark secrets with voices that... The post More Great NPCs of History appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 24, 2020

We’re back with the second part of our discussion with parapsychologist, RPG author and raconteur, Christian Jensen Romer. In the first part, CJ told us how he became involved with ghost hunting. In this episode,... The post Special: Parapsychology and Ghosts – a Conversation With Christian Jensen Romer part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 20, 2020

Update: Some people have requested links to the various things we discuss in this episode. We’ve added some at the end of this post. We’re back with something of an impromptu special. Scott recently joined... The post Special: An Introduction to Online Gaming With Joe Trier of How We Roll appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 17, 2020

We’re back and we’re heading off to the seaside. People might tell you that Suffolk can be bleak at this time of year, but what do they know? There’s plenty to enjoy here. The hotel... The post A Warning to the Curious appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 10, 2020

Following our recent discussion of ghosts in Call of Cthulhu, we thought it might be useful to get an expert opinion. Luckily, our good friend Christian Jensen Romer (CJ to his friends) is a qualified... The post Special: Parapsychology and Ghosts – a Conversation With Christian Jensen Romer part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 3, 2020

We’re back and we’re being haunted by all the material we couldn’t fit into the last episode. Happily, we have managed to lay it to rest by discussing it in this second instalment. At least... The post Ghosts in Call of Cthulhu part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 18, 2020

We’re back and we’re getting the willies. Has anyone ever used that phrase and not received a derisive response? But, as we’ve discussed before, laughter is often a way of protecting ourselves against fear. And... The post Ghosts in Call of Cthulhu part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 4, 2020

We’re back and we’re playing favourites. Sure, we love you all, but you do understand, right? And we also have favourite films, books and RPGs too, some of which were created within the last 10... The post The Best of the 2010s appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 21, 2020

We’re back and we’re on our Midsommar holiday. Happily, we don’t have anything as horrific as Cliff Richard to contend with. It’s only the usual festivals, drugs and human sacrifice. The locals seem nice enough,... The post Midsommar appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 7, 2020

We’re back and we’re looking for strange and interesting people. Sure, that drunken man on the bus who shared the details of his entire family’s military history before announcing that he loved us is memorable,... The post Great NPCs of History appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 24, 2019

We’re back and we’re poking around this hole in the ground we discovered. Some more experienced adventurers told us to be prepared, so we have a 10-foot pole, 50 foot of rope and all the... The post The Appeal of D&D appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 10, 2019

We’re back and we’re cracking open the books, trying to ignore the strange wails they issue as we do so. The words probably shouldn’t scurry across the page like that. Maybe we’re lucky and they’re... The post Mythos Tomes appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 26, 2019

We’re back and we’re finally free of the city of the Elder Things. Now, we’re racing off to the aëroplane as fast as our little legs will carry us. Everything will be fine once we’re... The post At the Mountains of Madness part 5 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 12, 2019

We’re back and we’re nearing the end of our expedition. The tunnels below this ancient, pre-human city are full of penguin droppings but somehow these aren’t the foulest things down here. Something has been polishing... The post At the Mountains of Madness part 4 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 29, 2019

We’re back and we’re catching up with some history. Happily, the folks who lived here before documented the entire story of their civilisation in easy-to-read comics. Even more conveniently, they carved them on walls everywhere.... The post At the Mountains of Madness part 3 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 15, 2019

We’re back and we’re still boring. That is to say, we’re drilling down through layers of ancient rock in search of even more ancient secrets. And it’s pretty dull. We’re sure there’s not going to... The post At the Mountains of Madness part 2 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 1, 2019

We’re back and we’re putting on our thermal underwear, ready for a long journey south. Sure, we’ve timed our trip for the summer, but it still gets a little nippy down there. We’re not inured... The post At the Mountains of Madness part 1 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 17, 2019

We’re back and we’re having a chinwag with our Holy Guardian Angel. It’s good to catch up with all the divine gossip. Arranging this chat proved a bit of an arseache, however. In these days... The post A Dark Song appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 13, 2019

In our second Necronomicon 2019 interview, I talk to Call of Cthulhu author, Brian Courtemanche. You may know Brian’s work from Chaosium publications such as Doors to Darkness and The House of R’lyeh. I was... The post Special: Brian Courtemanche interview at Necronomicon 2019 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 11, 2019

I first encountered Matthew M Bartlett‘s work at Necronomicon 2017. While I didn’t have the funds to buy any of his books at the time, I added them to my list. When I finally picked... The post Special: Matthew M Bartlett interview at Necronomicon 2019 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 9, 2019

We’re back and we’re coming to you live from Necronomicon 2019. OK, we’re not actually live. This was recorded a few weeks ago, but it was a live event at the time, so we’re standing... The post Special: Necronomicon 2019 with the Miskatonic University Podcast appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 3, 2019

We’re back and we’re trying to keep all this blood from staining our carpets. Worse still, we can’t get the smell out goat out of our best robes. Everything will be ruined at this rate.... The post Occult Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 19, 2019

We’re back and we’re wondering why all these robed figures around us are chanting the name of Cthulhu? Don’t they know that Lovecraft made him up? What do they expect to get out of this?... The post The Occult and Lovecraft appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 6, 2019

We’re back and we’re casting protective circles around our microphones, burning incense that smells like Cthulhu’s armpits and waggling our wands for all they’re worth. No matter how fevered our incantations, however, the songs always... The post Lovecraft and the Occult appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 23, 2019

We’re back and we’re strapping some of our favourite RPGs to the dissection table and cutting deep into them to understand why they appeal so much. You always hurt the ones you love. And who... The post Top 3 RPG Mechanics appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 9, 2019

We’re back and we’re hiding under the bed. Maybe this dark, twisted shape that’s creeping around the house won’t find us here. The anticipation is making us quake in terror. Not knowing what the hell... The post Making Call of Cthulhu Scary appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 25, 2019

We’re back and we’re putting ourselves through torments. Watching Pascal Laugier’s 2008 horror film Martyrs is not necessarily a pleasant experience. This is not to say that it is a bad film — quite the... The post Martyrs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 11, 2019

We’re back and we’re taking a last look around Carcosa, wondering where all these tentacles came from. Robert W Chambers was more concerned with masks, moons and mists. Now there seem to be monsters everywhere... The post Mythos Deities: Hastur appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 10, 2019

We’re back with another live recording, this time coming to you from UK Games Expo in Birmingham. To be clear, the “we” in this case means “Paul”. Identity is a mutable concept amongst the Good... The post Special: UK Games Expo 2019 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 28, 2019

We’re back and we’re still blundering around in all this infernal mist. There is a sound of lapping water in the distance, but we’re more worried about the way these streets keep changing around us.... The post The Carcosa Mythos in Media and Gaming appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 14, 2019

We’re back and we’re looking for the Yellow Sign. It’s probably fallen down the back of the sofa again. Have you found it? It’s tricky to describe, but you’ll know it if you see it.... The post The Yellow Sign appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 30, 2019

We’re back and we’re punting across the Lake of Hali, taking in the sights. Well, we’re trying to… All these cloud waves spoil the view somewhat. Then again, from what we’ve seen of Carcosa, maybe... The post The King in Yellow (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 16, 2019

We’re back and we’re taking a look at this odd play that’s appeared on our shelves. The King in Yellow? That’s not a volume we remember buying, but we do have so many books. The... The post The King in Yellow (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 2, 2019

We’re back and we’re checking the dark corners of the corpse fridge of R’lyeh for tasty eldritch horrors, hoping that they’re not past their sell-by date. There’s something that looks like calamari in the dark,... The post Keeping Cthulhu Fresh appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 19, 2019

We’re back and we’re trying to maintain our grasp on reality. This is tenuous at the best of times, and all this conflation with imagination is doing it no favours. In this episode, when we... The post Realism in RPG Settings appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 5, 2019

We’re back and we’re facing harsh realities. How do we make RPGs feel “real” when we play them? And what do we even mean by “real”? More importantly, how can we ask such questions without... The post Realism in RPG Mechanics appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 26, 2019

We’re back with something a little different. For a start, when we say “we”, we mean Scott, who recently recorded this live game of Call of Cthulhu with the How We Roll podcast. Sadly, Matt... The post Special: PodUK 2019 with How We Roll appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 19, 2019

We’re back and we’re preparing for the apocalypse. To be fair, this seems to be a pretty understated apocalypse. It mostly involves an invisible monster prancing around a hilltop. Maybe the creature will do something... The post The Dunwich Horror (part 4) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 5, 2019

We’re back and we’re ready to start our investigation into the actual Dunwich Horror. Somehow, it’s taken two episodes and half the story to get here. Everything that’s happened so far is simply prologue. Admittedly,... The post The Dunwich Horror (part 3) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 22, 2019

We’re back and we’re continuing our exploration of the hidden corners of Dunwich. The locals seem quite welcoming and some of them may even be described as undecayed. Those Whateleys are especially interesting, although we’re... The post The Dunwich Horror (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 8, 2019

We’re back and we’re examining these strange bite marks, boarding up the windows and trying to work out where that damnable smell is coming from. This is the start of our look at Lovecraft’s classic... The post The Dunwich Horror (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 25, 2018

We’re back and we’re heading off to Potters Lake in search of the secrets of creation. We hear good things about the apples there too. This is our look at the weird, evocative and highly... The post Heaven & Earth appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 11, 2018

We’re back and we’re cocking our hats, lighting some torches and wondering where the hell all these snakes came from. Why did it have to be snakes? This is our look at how we developed The... The post The Two-Headed Serpent appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 4, 2018

We’re back and we’re once again locked in battle with our good friends Baz and Gaz from The Smart Party. For the first time since 2015, we managed to arrange a joint seminar at Dragonmeet.... The post Special: Dragonmeet 2018 with The Smart Party appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 27, 2018

We’re back at the beginning, where we started our grim journeys many years ago. Looking at our grey hair and wizened features, it’s difficult to imagine that we were ever young. Yet here were are,... The post Call of Cthulhu for Beginners appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 13, 2018

We’re back and we’re loading our shotguns, lighting a bundle of dynamite and laying waste to everything we see. This is our look at the role of violence in Call of Cthulhu. Boom! Main Topic:... The post Violence in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 30, 2018

We’re back and we’re eyeing each other suspiciously, freezing our bollocks off and watching in dismay as our blood sample runs screaming out the door. This is our look at John Carpenter’s 1982 science fiction/horror masterpiece, The Thing.... The post The Thing appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 23, 2018

This year saw the first Tabletop Gaming Live event at Alexandra Palace, London. While its focus is mainly on board games and war games, there was some RPG presence. Chaosium were in attendance, offering demo... The post Special: Tabletop Gaming Live 2018 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 16, 2018

We’re back and we’re staring at the players with frightened eyes, peeling our tongues from the roofs of our mouths and drowning in flop sweat. This is our look at the role of improvisation in... The post Improvisation in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 2, 2018

We’re back and we’re learning hideous secrets from Nyarlathotep, Messenger of the Outer Gods, signing his black book and hoping we recognise him next time we meet him. He can be difficult to pick out... The post Mythos Deities: Nyarlathotep appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 18, 2018

We’re back and we’re discussing all the nifty Cthulhu-related stuff that happened at Gen Con 2018 (and one non-Cthulhu thing). Well, I say “we”, but this largely means Paul, as he’s the only one of... The post Gen Con 2018 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 4, 2018

We’re back and we’re tripping over our feet, dropping our only torch and entirely failing to save the day. This is our look at the role of failure in RPGs. Or at least that’s what... The post The Joy of Failure appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 28, 2018

In episode 137 we discussed Nathan Ballingrud‘s short story Wild Acre. A few days ago, Mr Ballingrud generously took some time to record an interview with us. We discuss Wild Acre and its themes of trauma, as well as... The post Special: Nathan Ballingrud Interview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 21, 2018

We’re back and we’re checking the undergrowth for sinister shapes, getting ready to run for our lives and preparing to deal with the consequences. This episode is our discussion of Nathan Ballingrud’s short story, Wild Acre.... The post Wild Acre appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 7, 2018

We’re back and we’re building on last episode‘s discussion of the theme of mental illness in Lovecraft’s work. This time, we turn our attention to the role of insanity in Call of Cthulhu. Obviously, Call of Cthulhu... The post Insanity in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 24, 2018

We’re back and we’re tackling a potentially contentious subject. If you spend much time on gaming forums or social media, you may have stumbled across debates about whether mental illness is a fit subject for gaming.... The post Insanity in Lovecraft appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 10, 2018

Would you like a peek behind the new Masks of Nyarlathotep? After last episode‘s spoiler-free discussion of the classic campaign, this time we’re revealing all. Mike Mason and Lynne Hardy from Chaosium join Paul Fricker and Scott... The post Masks of Nyarlathotep (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 26, 2018

We’re back and we’re excavating ancient horrors, dragging them up into the light and revealing them to a trembling world. This is our spoiler-free discussion of the new edition of Masks of Nyarlathotep, with all four of... The post Masks of Nyarlathotep (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 12, 2018

We’re back and we’re dangling shiny things in front of our players, making encouraging noises and trying to direct their attention back to the game. This is our discussion of player engagement, specifically what engages... The post Player Engagement appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 29, 2018

We’re back and we’re strapping on our headlamps, checking our harnesses and spelunking like our lives depended upon it. This is our look into subterranean spaces in Call of Cthulhu and Lovecraft. From his work,... The post Subterranean Spaces in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 15, 2018

We’re back and we’re lost in the woods. There seem to be some familiar landmarks, however. If we look to the left, there’s The Blair Witch Project. Over there on the right is The Wicker... The post The Ritual appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 1, 2018

We’re back and we’re counting our shells, holding our breath and searching for somewhere to hide until dawn. This is our look at the subgenre of survival horror. While we might normally associate survival horror... The post Survival Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 17, 2018

We’re back and we’re chasing our tails, trying to lick our nether regions and hissing at anyone who looks at us funny. Meow. This is our look into the role of cats in Call of... The post Cats in Call of Cthulhu and Lovecraft appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 3, 2018

We’re back and we’re splitting our sides, busting a gut and otherwise rupturing ourselves in the pursuit of comedy. It’s rare to find a gaming table where no one is laughing, even if the subject... The post Comedy in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 20, 2018

We’re back and we’re touching up our greasepaint, frolicking with wild abandon and preparing for our unspeakable transformation. This episode is our look at Thomas Ligotti’s weird tale The Last Feast of Harlequin. While Ligotti may... The post The Last Feast of Harlequin appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 6, 2018

We’re back, standing atop Sentinel Hill, chill wind whipping under our robes, shrieking until our lungs hurt. Damn, that wind’s cold! This is our discussion of Yog-Sothoth, the All-in-One, the Gate, the Key, the Lurker... The post Mythos Deities: Yog-Sothoth appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 20, 2018

We’re back and we’re baring all. The most common thing people seem to ask writers is “Where do you get your ideas?” Apparently, “By eating the brains of more talented writers” isn’t as helpful an... The post Inspiration and Development appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 6, 2018

We’re back and we’re erecting monstrous effigies, playing deadly games and proclaiming that The post The Wicker Man appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 23, 2018

We’re back and we’re hiding in the hedgerows, weaving twisted little corn dollies and performing unspeakable acts of Morris dancing. This episode is our discussion of the very British subgenre of folk horror. In particular,... The post Folk Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 16, 2018

We’re back with another special recording to tide you over during that long, bleak fortnight between regular episodes. This time, we’re coming to you from MK LitFest 2017, the first ever Milton Keynes literary festival. We... The post Special: Milton Keynes LitFest 2017 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 9, 2018

We’re back and we’re wondering just what it is we’ve been doing with all these dice. Inspired by our mention of Ron Edwards’ System Does Matter essay in our recent episode on Sorcerer, we give some thought to how... The post System Matters appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 26, 2017

We’re back and we’re watching in helpless terror as echoes of the dead past haunt us, screaming endlessly. This is our look at the classic 1972 British horror film, The Stone Tape. Fittingly, the BBC originally... The post The Stone Tape appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 12, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re starting a cult. No, worse than that — we’re starting three of them! Last episode, we looked at how real religions and their practices might inform our depiction of... The post The Mythos as Religion (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 28, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re making offerings to twisted idols, praying in inhuman tongues and performing rites passed down through strange aeons. This is our look at the role religion plays in the Cthulhu... The post The Mythos as Religion (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 14, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re scratching pentagrams into the floor, muttering blasphemous incantations and making ill-advised pacts with demons. This episode is our discussion of Ron Edwards’ influential indie RPG, Sorcerer. Kicking off a... The post Sorcerer appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 31, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re digging into another Lovecraft story, looking for the horrors that lie beneath. The Shunned House is one of the more minor of Lovecraft’s major stories, if that makes any sense.... The post The Shunned House appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 17, 2017

Main Topic: Shub-Niggurath We’re back and we’re dancing around in the woods, bleating with ecstasy, smearing our mutating bodies with Mother’s milk. This episode is our discussion of the Lovecraftian deity, Shub-Niggurath. It is part of... The post Mythos Deities: Shub-Niggurath appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 10, 2017

We’re back — well, sort of. For the first time since we moved to a regular fortnightly schedule, some 2 1/2 years ago, we are unable to put out a full episode. I’ve been a... The post Special: Necronomicon 2017 Call of Cthulhu Scenarios appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 3, 2017

We’re back with another special episode recorded at Necronomicon 2017. This time it’s the turn of the seminar about Call of Cthulhu campaigns. Once again, Mike Mason chairs the discussion, and Lynne Hardy joins Matt,... The post Special: Necronomicon 2017 Call of Cthulhu Campaigns appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 26, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re intimidating goons, charming cult leaders and fast-talking the slow-witted. This is our look at the use of social conflicts in RPGs. By this, we don’t mean arguments over whose... The post Social Conflicts in RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 20, 2017

We’re back with another special episode we recorded at Necronomicon 2017. This time it’s the Pulp Versus Pure panel that took place on the Friday morning. Paul Fricker and Lynne Hardy defend the purity of... The post Special: Necronomicon 2017 Pulp vs Pure appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 12, 2017

We’re back and we have such sights to show you. Or tell you. Can you really tell a sight? You can tell of it, but does that really convey the same visceral impact? This is... The post Hellraiser appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 8, 2017

We had a request for an unedited version of the live podcast we did with the Miskatonic University Podcast, so here it is. The version we released previously has some inserts from Paul where he describes... The post Unedited version of Necronomicon 2017 podcast recording appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 6, 2017

Our recent visit to the Necronomicon convention in Providence was a blur of wonders. One of the highlights was finally getting to meet our friends from the Miskatonic University Podcast in the suspiciously waxy flesh. While... The post Special: Necronomicon 2017 with the Miskatonic University Podcast appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 29, 2017

We’re back and we’re putting ourselves through our paces. Over on our Google+ Community, Tore Nielsen recently asked us to explain a little more about how we handle pacing in games. It’s a topic we... The post Pacing in Horror Games appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 14, 2017

Main Topic We’re back and we’re giving the wheel of misfortune another spin. In our earlier R’lyeh Roulette episodes — 37 and 60 — we rolled for random spells from the spreadsheet that would one... The post R’lyeh Roulette III: Monster Madness appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 1, 2017

We’re back and we’re still being haunted by those hellish dreams surfacing from lost R’yeh like bubbles of pure madness. This is the second part of our discussion of Lovecraft’s classic weird tale, The Call... The post The Call of Cthulhu (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 20, 2017

We’re back and we’re talking about one of Lovecraft’s best-known stories. The Call of Cthulhu probably boasts more name recognition than any other Lovecraft tale. This is largely due to the ubiquity of old squidhead himself.... The post The Call of Cthulhu (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 4, 2017

We’re back and we’re following up episode 105‘s discussion of the World of Darkness with a more detailed look at one of the core games that make up the current incarnation of the line. Mage: the Awakening is the reinvention of the RPG that started life as Mage: the Ascension. Onyx Path released a second, heavily revised edition last year, and this version is the focus of our episode. The post Mage: the Awakening appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 21, 2017

Paul attended the UK Games Expo in Birmingham recently. While he was there, he took part in a seminar about running horror games, with Mike Mason and Lynne Hardy. Unfortunately, neither Matt nor Scott could make... The post Special: UK Games Expo 2017 appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 20, 2017

We’re back and we’re putting on silly voices, adopting exaggerated mannerisms and making life as miserable as possible for the player characters. In other words, we’re playing NPCs. This is the follow-up to our discussion... The post Portraying Memorable Non-Player Characters appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 6, 2017

We’re back and we’re poring over stat blocks, writing up physical descriptions and searching the internet for names. This is the first of two episodes about NPCs. Our focus this time is on how we... The post Creating Memorable Non-Player Characters appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 23, 2017

We’re back and we’re sharpening our fangs, picking the nits out of our fur and preparing for some paradox. Born in 1991 out of Vampire: the Masquerade, the World of Darkness has grown, changed and... The post The World of Darkness appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 9, 2017

We’re back and we’re wrapping up our investigation into, um, investigations. This is the second part of our look at investigative games. Once again, we are joined by Mike Mason, line editor for Call of Cthulhu.... The post The Appeal of Investigative Games (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 25, 2017

We’re back, and we’re polishing our magnifying glasses, scraping the gum off our shoes and hunting for clues. This is the first of two episodes delving into the appeal of investigative games. A big topic such... The post The Appeal of Investigative Games (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 11, 2017

We’re back and we’re heading out into uncharted space. Where better to talk about horror movies? This time it’s the turn of 1997’s Event Horizon, an ambitious film that blends science fiction, cosmic horror, religious... The post Event Horizon appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 28, 2017

We’re back and we’re indulging in some therapeutic negativity. Normally, we use the podcast to talk about things we like. This time we’re venting our bile ducts, spewing forth about aspects of gaming, books and... The post The Memory Hole appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 14, 2017

We’re back and we’ve made it to 100! There’s no sign of our telegram from the Queen yet, but it will surely be here any minute. We have spent countless hours sitting around in a... The post The Appeal of Lovecraft appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 28, 2017

We’re back, and we’re doing unspeakable things to innocent villagers. It’s all right, though. Master told us to. And who are we to question Master? Generous Master feeds us only the best table scraps, sometimes... The post My Life with Master appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 14, 2017

We’re back and we’re getting some of that old-time religion. When we say old-time, we mean pre-Christian. Or maybe we mean dating back to 1917. It can be so hard to tell sometimes. Our subject... The post Mythos Deities: Dagon appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 31, 2017

We’re back and we’re heading into uncomfortable territory. This is our discussion about extreme subject matter in games. As you might surmise, the conversation gets a little unpleasant at times. It is hard to talk about... The post Extreme Subjects in Gaming appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 17, 2017

We’re back and we’re trying to make even less sense than usual. This is for your protection. Pontypool has taught us the hidden dangers that lie in meaning, so we’re going to follow the advice of... The post Pontypool appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 3, 2017

We’re back and we’re setting our long-range scanners to search the cosmos for the insidious influence of the Mythos. One of the things that set Lovecraft’s work apart from the Gothic tales that had previously... The post The Mythos as Science Fiction appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 20, 2016

We’re back and we’re digging through the crypt to bring you another toothsome Lovecraft tale, dripping with succulent grave mould. This time it’s the turn of The Outsider, probably the most popular story from Lovecraft’s early,... The post The Outsider appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 6, 2016

We’re back and we’re facing the inevitable. All good things must come to an end, and this includes our look at beginnings, middles and ends in roleplaying games. Our previous two episodes examined how to... The post Ends appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 22, 2016

We’re back and we’re continuing our analysis of the structure of roleplaying games. RPG scenarios are similar in form to stories, even if they become more chaotic in play! While they don’t necessarily follow a... The post Middles appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 8, 2016

We’re back and we’re ready to start at the beginning. No, this doesn’t mean that we’re recycling episode 1. Instead, we are trying something a bit new. This episode is the first of three linked... The post Beginnings appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 25, 2016

We’re back and we’re following up last episode’s discussion of Clark Ashton Smith with a look at one of his stories. The Seven Geases is part of Smith’s Hyperborean cycle, the series of his that most... The post The Seven Geases appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 11, 2016

We’re back and we’re delving into the life and work of Clark Ashton Smith. Along with Robert E Howard, Smith was a core member of H P Lovecraft’s literary circle. While his work was massively... The post Clark Ashton Smith appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 27, 2016

We’re back, and we’re digging through those thick books and bulging boxed sets that dominate our gaming shelves. Published campaigns have been a huge part of roleplaying games since their infancy. This is especially true... The post Running Published Campaigns appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 13, 2016

We’re back, and we’re talking about a horror film for the first time in far too long. The Witch: A New England Folktale is one of the most unusual and ambitious horror films of recent years. It... The post The VVitch appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 30, 2016

We’re back and we’re mostly live! No, we haven’t fallen into the clutches of Herbert West. The bulk of this episode is a live recording of a seminar we gave at the Continuum 2016 convention... The post What Makes a Good Convention Game? appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 16, 2016

We’re back and we’re resorting to violence again. Combat is a large part of roleplaying games, arguably disproportionately so.  Even in Call of Cthulhu, a game where academics, librarians and antiquarians carefully search crumbling ruins and pore... The post Making Combat More Interesting appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 2, 2016

We’re back and we’re ransacking lost temples, mouldering tombs and forbidden ruins to bring you things man was not meant to know. Our searches have uncovered a number choice Mythos artefacts to share with you. Specifically, that number... The post Mythos Artefacts appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 19, 2016

We’re back, and we’re looking at the dice clutched in our hands, asking “why?” Seriously, sitting around a table with people you like while everyone pretends to be someone else sounds pretty weird. And yet, for many,... The post The Appeal of Roleplaying Games appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 5, 2016

We’re back, and we’re tearing into the ripe meat of another Lovecraft story. This time we discuss the charnel pleasures and toothsome delights of Pickman’s Model. While there is nothing of the cosmic about this tale,... The post Pickman’s Model appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 21, 2016

We’re back, and after a few episodes about Call of Cthulhu, we’re talking about Dead of Night, a horror RPG that is largely tentacle-free. That’s not to say that you that you can’t do Lovecraftian horror with... The post Dead of Night appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 7, 2016

We’re back, and we’re continuing our run of episodes inspired by the print release of Call of Cthulhu 7th edition by taking a look at Pulp Cthulhu. While it’s only available as a backer-only PDF at the moment, Pulp... The post Pulp Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 24, 2016

We’re back with the conclusion of our discussion about how Call of Cthulhu 7th edition came about. Once again, we’re joined by Mike Mason, line editor of Call of Cthulhu, who co-authored  7th edition along with our very own Paul... The post How Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Happened (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 10, 2016

We’re back… In fact, we’re all the way back to May of 2015. Around a year ago, when we believed the print release of Call of Cthulhu 7th edition was imminent, we spent a day chatting with Mike... The post How Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Happened (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 26, 2016

We’re back, and we’re staring death straight in its empty, pitiless eyes. This episode is our discussion of death in games. Well, specifically it’s a look at the different ways we can handle the deaths of player... The post DEATH appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 12, 2016

We’re back and we’re looking at all the different ways in which people use Call of Cthulhu at the gaming table. Conveniently enough, we have Call of Cthulhu line developer Mike Mason on hand to help... The post Styles of Play in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 29, 2016

We’re back, and we’re talking about everyone’s favourite eldritch curtain-twitcher, Erich Zann. Lovecraft’s short story, The Music of Erich Zann, is a highpoint of his early career. More importantly, it is a rare example of a work... The post The Music of Erich Zann appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 15, 2016

We’re back, and we’re taking a look at David Lynch‘s 2006 film, INLAND EMPIRE. This is a strange, strange film, even by Lynch’s standards, and unravelling it almost proved too much for the three of... The post INLAND EMPIRE appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 1, 2016

We’re back, and we’re taking a whistle-stop tour through what’s new in Call of Cthulhu 7th edition. While we’ve done episodes on some of the new mechanics before, and Paul has recorded a series of videos summarising the... The post What’s New in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition? appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 16, 2016

We’re back, and we’re getting physical. This time we’re taking a look at all those neat little things that Keepers can give to players in the course of a game, excepting the keen sense of their own mortality... The post Props and Handouts appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 2, 2016

We’re back, and we’re chasing you young whipper-snappers off our lawns. Things just ain’t what they used to be, with all these mobile telephonic doodads skulking in people’s pockets, cheap flights to all corners of the world,... The post Horror Gaming in the Modern Day appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 19, 2016

We’re back, and we’re wrapping up our discussion of H P Lovecraft’s eerie mix of the Gothic and the cosmic, The Colour Out of Space. This time we’re looking at various adaptations, as well as... The post The Colour Out of Space (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 5, 2016

We’re back, and we’re looking at another of Lovecraft’s major stories. This time it’s the turn of The Colour Out of Space, an unsettling tale that Lovecraft considered the closest he came to capturing the essence... The post The Colour Out of Space (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 22, 2015

We’re back, and we’re looking at the two Clive Barker feature films that aren’t Hellraiser. We have nothing against Pinhead and his cruel crew of sadomasochistic sybarites (just trying to say that is a torture that would... The post Nightbreed and Lord of Illusions appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 16, 2015

You may have seen or heard us mention that we co-hosted a seminar at the recent Dragonmeet convention in London, along with our good friends Baz and Gaz from the What Would the Smart Party... The post Special: Dragonmeet 2015 with The Smart Party appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 8, 2015

We’re back, and we’re doing another top three countdown. This is a spiritual follow-up to episode 62’s look at our favourite Lovecraftian monsters, only this time we’ve set our sights a bit higher. We each... The post Top Three Mythos Deities appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 24, 2015

We’re back, and we’re mulling over a topic suggested to us by good friend of the Good Friends, Tore Nielsen: what is the appeal of horror? Apparently this is a huge subject, and even pinning down... The post The Appeal of Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 10, 2015

We’re back and we’re looking at another classic horror short story. This time it’s Karl Edward Wagner’s Sticks, a nasty little tale that is both of the Cthulhu Mythos and about it. The story draws from a... The post Karl Edward Wagner’s Sticks appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 27, 2015

We’re back, and we’re continuing last episode‘s coverage of Lamentations of the Flame Princess with an interview with James Edward Raggi IV, the man behind the horrors. This was originally meant as a brief insert for the... The post James Raggi Interview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 13, 2015

We’re back, and we’re looking at the Old School Renaissance and, more specifically, Lamentations of the Flame Princess. In case you aren’t familiar with the OSR, it’s a broad movement that embraces the simplicity and immediacy... The post Lamentations of the Flame Princess appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 29, 2015

We’re back and we’re looking at monsters, hoping against hope that they don’t look back at us! In particular, we’re talking about our favourite monsters from Lovecraft and Call of Cthulhu. There’s one entry on... The post Our Favourite Lovecraftian Monsters appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 15, 2015

We’re back, and we’re watching horror films about books. We don’t mean films based on books (although one is, just to confuse things), but films where a book plays a central role. In fact, you... The post Maléfique & The Ninth Gate appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 1, 2015

We’re back, and we’re plunging once more into the abyss of despair and madness that is R’lyeh Roulette. In case you didn’t listen to our first round, back in episode 37, this is where we let... The post R’lyeh Roulette II appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 18, 2015

We’re back, and we’re watching each other from the corners of our eyes. Paul is hiding something behind his back, Matt keeps glancing at the door, and I’m trying to look nonchalant. It’s only a matter... The post Conflict & Secrets at the Gaming Table appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 4, 2015

Our minds may have escaped the clutches of the Great Race, but their interest in other ages has clearly rubbed off on us. We have also grown new protuberances, capable of fine manipulation, from atop our... The post Cthulhu Through the Ages appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 21, 2015

We’re back from the distant past! Our minds have escaped the sinister and rugose clutches of the Great Race, and we have returned to the present to wrap up our discussion of Lovecraft’s classic story, The... The post The Shadow Out of Time (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 11, 2015

We’re breaking normal communication protocols to get this time-sensitive transmission to you before counter intelligence can trace the source. Memorise the contents and burn after listening. The Kickstarter for World War Cthulhu: Cold War, Cubicle... The post Special: World War Cthulhu: Cold War appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 7, 2015

We’re back — back about 250 million years in the past, to be precise! At least this gives us a chance to take an extended look at Lovecraft’s classic tale of time travel, identity theft... The post The Shadow Out of Time (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 23, 2015

We’re back, and we’re looking at a couple of old favourites: Re-Animator and From Beyond. While these films have been around for almost as long as Matt, we would still be remiss if we didn’t... The post Re-Animator & From Beyond appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 9, 2015

This episode we’re taking a look at Unknown Armies, a roleplaying game that’s not strictly horror, but is close enough that we feel little remorse for talking about it. We also have too many hardened notches... The post Unknown Armies appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 26, 2015

This episode we’re speaking about the unspeakable, mentioning the unmentionable and naming the nameless. More particularly, we’re talking about a recently published book that we co-wrote, Nameless Horrors, using this as a starting point for a discussion about... The post Nameless Horrors appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 12, 2015

We’re back, and we’re doing our homework. In particular, we’re looking at what kinds of research can help GMs and players give their games depth, possible sources of information and how not to lose your... The post Research appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 28, 2015

We’re back with the first episode of our new, regular schedule. Now that we’ve hit $50 per episode in sponsorship via Patreon, expect a new episode every other Tuesday. We also have five episodes in... The post Repulsion and The Babadook appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 14, 2015

We’re back, and we’re celebrating our fiftieth episode! We’re as surprised as you are that we’ve made it this far; we really should have been eaten by a shoggoth or returned to our essential salts long ago.... The post How Cthulhu Took Over the World appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 24, 2015

We’re back, and we’re in sounder health that the title of this episode may suggest! Although after hearing us sing again (yes, we have a new Patreon backer!) you may disagree. This time we’re looking... The post Robert Aickman’s The Hospice appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 10, 2015

We’re back and we’re looking at Primetime Adventures, a roleplaying game that uses the techniques of serial television in imaginative ways. This may seem like an unusual topic for us to cover, given our focus on... The post Primetime Adventures appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 23, 2015

We’re back (after a bit of a delay) and we’re talking about the classic Masks of Nyarlathotep campaign. In an ideal world we would have had this episode out a couple of weeks ago. Of... The post The Masks of Nyarlathotep Companion appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 29, 2015

We’re back, and we’re nicking stuff again. Following on from episode 42’s discussion of neat GM techniques we’ve stolen, this time we’re thieving from players. There are plenty of discussions about how to be a good... The post Player Techniques appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 19, 2015

It’s been far too long since we’ve talked about horror films, so this episode we’re looking at three horror mockumentaries. What do we mean when we say “mockumentary”, beyond indulging our almost fetishistic love of... The post Horror Mockumentaries appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 19, 2014

We’re back, and we’re talking about Cubicle 7‘s Call of Cthulhu setting, World War Cthulhu. We’ve had a few people ask us at conventions what exactly World War Cthulhu is and what makes it different from other... The post World War Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 5, 2014

We’re back and we’re bursting with song, but more on that later. We’re also talking about conventions, and definitely not singing about them. That would be silly. Specifically, we’re talking about the UK roleplaying conventions... The post UK Convention Overview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 13, 2014

We’re back and we’re stealing everything that’s not nailed down. This episode is all about clever things we’ve seen other GMs do and how we’ve incorporated them into our own games. No matter how many pieces of... The post GM Techniques appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 22, 2014

We’re back and we’re wrapping up our look at H P Lovecraft’s The Thing on the Doorstep. This is the episode containing all the bits you wanted to hear last time, but were bumped because we talked too much.... The post The Thing on the Doorstep (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 10, 2014

We’re back, and we come bearing some proper awesomeness. This is our discussion of another of Lovecraft’s later works, The Thing on the Doorstep, once again with an eye on how it can be used in gaming.... The post The Thing on the Doorstep (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 19, 2014

We’re back, and we’re poking around places where no sane person should set foot. Given that two of us live in Milton Keynes, this is hardly a stretch. In particular, we’re discussing haunted houses and their... The post Haunted Houses appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 28, 2014

We’re back, and we’re talking about Gen Con. Again. This is our third episode about the world’s largest roleplaying convention, and Scott has still not managed to make it there. No, instead he gets to sit... The post Gen Con 2014 Review appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 14, 2014

In this episode, we play a game of sorts. No, this isn’t an actual play recording — Scott hasn’t been allowed to do that since the injunction. This is something a bit weirder. Matt has... The post R’lyeh Roulette appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 21, 2014

We’re back a bit sooner this time, which is only fitting, given our topic for this episode. We have taken the recent Ennie nomination of the Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Quick-Start Rules (a title almost as... The post Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition Quick-Start Rules appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 6, 2014

We’re back with the second half of our discussion of Lovecraft’s story, The Dreams in the Witch House, slightly later than planned. We should have posted this last week, but our consciousnesses have been trapped in... The post The Dreams in the Witch House (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 16, 2014

In this latest episode, we discuss Lovecraft’s story, The Dreams in the Witch House. As usual, we talk a bit about the history and content of the story to set up our analysis of how to cannibalise... The post The Dreams in the Witch House (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 1, 2014

In this latest episode, we discuss player-led games: in particular, we try to pin down what makes a game player-led, whether or not incorporating player input works with investigative games, how you can run a... The post Player-Led Games appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

May 18, 2014

We’re back, a bit later than usual, and we’re finishing up our discussion of our favourite non-Lovecraftian roleplaying games. This time it’s Paul’s choice, and much to Matt’s disgust, he’s chosen Monsterhearts. Matt is unfazed... The post Monsterhearts appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 30, 2014

This latest episode sees us return to our discussion of our favourite non-Lovecraftian horror role-playing games, with Matt sharing his unwholesome love of all things Kult. Admittedly, it would be difficult to make anything related... The post Kult appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 18, 2014

This latest episode is the audio portion of last week’s interview with Malcolm Craig of Contested Ground Studios. The only differences are the addition of our theme music, some slight fiddling with sound balance, a few... The post Malcolm Craig Interview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Apr 1, 2014

This latest episode isn’t quite what it was meant to be. We started out believing that each of us would talk for a while about our favourite non-Lovecraftian horror RPG, but then Scott went on... The post Hot War appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 18, 2014

This latest discussion is all about skills in roleplaying games, ranging from Library Use to Firearms to the ability to put out a podcast on a regular schedule. We’ve put some more points into this... The post Skills & RPGs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Mar 5, 2014

This latest episode sees us heading back to Gen Con. Well, we don’t actually go there, as it’s around five months away and it would be silly and expensive of us to do so at... The post Gen Con Preparations appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Feb 14, 2014

The episode now departing from platform 4 is the delayed discussion of Horror on the Orient Express, calling at recaps, anecdotes, spoilers and updated content. First class material will be found throughout this episode. The... The post Horror on the Orient Express appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 21, 2014

We’re back with a new episode, and this one is all about how we write scenarios. Us being us, we come to nothing resembling a consensus. This is probably a good thing, as it offers... The post How We Write Scenarios appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jan 8, 2014

We spend this week’s episode in search of the weird. To be precise, we each select three of our favourite weird films and talk about them. Some of the choices may be what you expect... The post Top 3 Weird Films appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 25, 2013

We have a new episode out today as a Christmas present to the world. Christmas is a time of peace and goodwill towards all men, which can only mean that it’s time for us to... The post Combat in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 6, 2013

We’ve broken with our usual schedule to bring you a special episode about Cubicle 7‘s Cthulhu Britannica London boxed set Kickstarter. There is less than a week to go before the campaign finishes, so we... The post Cubicle 7 Interview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Dec 3, 2013

This week’s episode demonstrates that we haven’t run out of things to say about magic in Call of Cthulhu. Really, this is the episode we should have started with, as it is an in-depth discussion... The post Magic in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 26, 2013

This week we take a look at what was arguably Lovecraft’s first major story, The Rats in the Walls. As we did with our discussion of The Haunter of the Dark, we try to find ways that... The post The Rats in the Walls appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 19, 2013

This week we meander around a topic suggested by Alistair Warmington, over on our Google+ Community, namely that of using Call of Cthulhu for genres other than Lovecraftian horror. We suggest inspirational material, rules hacks,... The post Call of Cthulhu and Non-Lovecraftian Horror appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 12, 2013

This week we talk about our favourite magical spells from non-Lovecraftian sources, as a follow-up to our discussion of spells from Call of Cthulhu in episode 16. Matt and Scott pick examples from some of their... The post Top 3 RPG Spells appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Nov 5, 2013

This week’s episode is our interview with Rafael Chandler, RPG designer, video game writer and novelist. We’ve never had a guest on the show before, as there is precious little room in Paul’s shed, but... The post Rafael Chandler Interview appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 29, 2013

This episode we take a look at our favourite spells from Call of Cthulhu and talk about just how you can use them to destroy your campaign, or maybe just bring in a few complications. Mostly... The post Top 3 Call of Cthulhu Spells appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 22, 2013

This week’s episode is the conclusion of our discussion about Lovecraft’s The Haunter of the Dark. All that stuff we promised about looking at it from a gaming perspective — that’s in this episode. Sorry... The post The Haunter of the Dark (part 2) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 15, 2013

This week we talk about HP Lovecraft’s final story, The Haunter of the Dark. In particular, we look at it with a gamer’s eye (we’ll put it back when we’re done), breaking down various aspects... The post The Haunter of the Dark (part 1) appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 9, 2013

This week we discuss the Cthulhu Mythos skill in Call of Cthulhu: what it represents, how it works mechanically and what is new about it in 7th edition. The discussion is thoroughly unwholesome and touches... The post The Cthulhu Mythos Skill appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Oct 1, 2013

This week’s episode is a discussion of the films of David Cronenberg and how his unique style of reality-bending body horror has influenced us and our games. While we go through most of Cronenberg’s back... The post David Cronenberg’s Films appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 24, 2013

This latest episode is all about insanity in gaming. No, that doesn’t mean we’re going to talk about that bloke in your group who always plays lesbian ninja stripper catgirls, even in Call of Cthulhu... The post Insanity Mechanics in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 18, 2013

This episode we have a rambling discussion on the theme of “The Cthulhu Mythos as corruption”. While the Mythos and associated games are packed full of cool monsters, it is also an ineffable alien presence... The post The Mythos as Corruption appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Sep 6, 2013

In the latest episode, Paul and Matt talk about their visit to Gen Con while Scott tries to kill them with his mind. We discuss new releases in Lovecraftian gaming, the cool games that Matt... The post Gen Con 2013 Review appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Aug 24, 2013

This latest episode sees us trying out the vehicle chase rules from Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition, with Paul taking on the role of Keeper. The chase itself is a comparatively short one, as the... The post Car Chases in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 24, 2013

This week we chat about how we discovered Lovecraft, became fans of the Call of Cthulhu RPG and ended up writing for it and other RPGs. If you fancy listening to a couple of middle-aged... The post How We Got Into Lovecraft appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 16, 2013

This week we demonstrate another new aspect of the Call of Cthulhu 7th edition rules. Paul takes on the role of Keeper and convinces Matt and Scott to run for their lives, as we check... The post Foot Chases in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jul 10, 2013

This week we talk about our favourite horror TV programmes. Some of these could be better classified as science fiction, drama or even comedy, but they all disturbed us in that special way that horror... The post Top 5 Scary TV Programmes appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 27, 2013

In this week’s episode, we talk about the new Push mechanic in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition. If you’re not familiar with this change, it allows a player to retry a failed roll, but only... The post Pushed Rolls in Call of Cthulhu appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 21, 2013

This week we put down the dice and talk about films instead. Specifically, we each choose the five films we found most frightening and then ramble on about them for a while. Even once Paul... The post Top 5 Scary Films appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 15, 2013

In the second episode of the podcast, we run through creating Connections, one of the new mechanics in Call of Cthulhu 7th Edition. Connections are ties that an investigator has to the good and normal... The post Connections in Call of Cthulhu 7th edition appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .

Jun 7, 2013

Note: Please, for the love of all that is eldritch and unspeakable, do not use this episode as your introduction to The Good Friends of Jackson Elias! We have learned a lot more about podcasting... The post Using Pre-Generated PCs appeared first on Blasphemous Tomes .