The Transition of Anthony to October

 

Welcome, once again, to the best month of the year. As is my annual October ritual, I set aside time to get my fix of Lovecraft. Despite the title of this post, I'm actually going to be delving into my Del Rey collection of the Dream Cycle of H.P. Lovecraft initially, instead of The Roal to Madness collection. Not that I haven't read most of these stories sometime in the past, but as I'm sure you can relate, it's nice to revisit the old pathways into the lands of dread...  

 

So, I'll see you somewhere in Dreamland, fellow wanderers...

Really grotesque method for animating the dead...

Illustration by Michael Bukowski

 
If you don't know Michael Bukowski's really awesome Yog-Blogsoth, you are missing out. Today's feature is the Rolang, and you really have to check out this post.

Why? Because it contains descriptions of the most horrible animate dead ritual I've ever read! If D&D magic users had to use the time consuming and disgusting process described, there would probably be a lot less zombies in D&D games.

How is everyone enjoying their October?

 I won't bore you with saying sorry for lack of posts, and move right on to my post! I know I am enjoying my favorite month, but I always feel like I am not doing enough to celebrate it. I've felt this way all my life. I always feel there is more I could be doing during Halloween Month, as I like to consider it.

In addition to that annual feeling, I am also feeling a bit sad about the warm temperatures that seem to have prevailed in recent years during October. I find myself missing the many crisp days of past Octobers. Many trees where I live seem to bypass the changing of colors, their leaves simply turning brown and falling off. There are some trees that still change, though, but this other trend is disturbing.

At any rate, as is my tradition during this time of year, I've picked up beloved tales of horror by Lovecraft and other authors and am rereading them lovingly. And since this is the first October since I've started gaming again in earnest, I've injected some horror into recent sessions.

If you love October, give a shout out to this greatest of months and let us know how you celebrate!

"...let me whisper it to you..."

The Management apologizes for the recent lack of posting. In the meantime, we interrupt our normal programming to offer the following for your consideration (which we consider to be quite thrilling and cannot wait to view for ourselves):

The Whisperer in Darkness - Trailers

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lovecraft!

Howard Philips Lovecraft was born on August 20th, 1890. I discovered his weird writings as a teenager and have been hooked ever since. I have a few of the Del Rey reprints of his stories in my personal library. Every year around Halloween it's a ritual for me, taking those books off the shelf and delving into them. I read them on the train to work or in a park, and as the words shift my reality into the strange, I look about at those around me and wonder if we're all just scurrying insects under the poised crushing thumb of some unknowable terror...

I think I might have to check out The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft sometime soon! Ron Howard was heard sometime last year, I think, talking about adapting this comic series into a movie.

And then there's word that Guillermo del Toro is doing a big screen treatment of "At the Mountains of Madness." However it happens, I hope Lovecraft does finally get a good film that introduces him to a wider audience. Cthulhu knows there's been a plethora of terrible B movies created from his work.

So take a moment today and check out the H.P. Lovecraft Archive, which is probaby the best website about Lovecraft that I've come across. Let's celebrate the man who is one of the inspirations for James Raggi's Lamentations of the Flame Princess RPG, which I'll be running soon!

Thanks Mr. Lovecraft!