Re-Call To Cthulhu

 



Well, it's a true bastard of a week in my studio, with a perfect storm of technical brushwork, every day.

However, it has meant that I've had podcasts and audiobooks playing for 10 hours a day to keep me sane, and how better than with the complete works of H.P Lovecraft, a whacking 82 hours of well narrated pleasure, including not only the stories, but also the prose and the scholarly 'Supernatural Horror In Literature'. Note that the latter will cause 1D10 SAN loss if listened to after 2PM.

Now as you know, I am a Grognard of the crustiest and grumpiest type, who generally cares little for the modern gaming world, so you will be surprised I am sure, to find out that I am waving the flag for the 7th edition of Call Of Cthulhu.

I began collecting 1st and 3rd edition, when Roger mentioned that he wanted to lose some SAN again, but he then asked 'Old or 7th?', because let's face it, he likes to throw me into turmoil like that, with hard hitting and controversial statements.

In the 90s I ran and then owned a games store, so I got to see a lot of gaming stuff for 70+ hours per week, and try as I might I never really warmed to the glossy off-white bindings of the Cthulhu books of the time, and then the darker, grubbier covers. They lacked the sheer excitement of the older books with their full colour cover paintings. Crusty old bastard to the very end!

So you'll not be surprised to hear that it was with some trepidation that I listened again to the episodes of the Grognard Files podcast covering 7th edition. And I bought the slipcased 7th edition set directly from Chaosium, weighing in at just under 5KGs for the 2 core books and Keeper's screen.

Chaosium's customer service is some of the best you'll ever get, so support them!

I'd been a bit resistant to the idea of a rules re-write, but in actual fact, the changes are subtle and actually in theory, enhance the game play. Production is very modern, but has the quality feel of the older stuff. I am still resistant to full colour interiors as I personally think it detracts from the readability of a book, but I guess I can't have it my own way all the time. It's top quality and a real joy, and the Keeper's Screen Pack is brilliant. containing not only a screen, but a couple of scenarios, character sheets and some lovely maps. It's worth noting that the adventures are properly bound in full colour and the screen itself could be used to kill Shoggoths. In fact, as I am typing this, I've had to reach across and look lovingly at that very item, stroking it gently and losing 1d2 SAN in doing so...

Roger will be taking delivery of his set today, so I am looking forward to comparing my notes with his own when we both end our working week. Mind you, I'd put money down, that he just has to skive off from his work for a few minutes to remove the plastic and have a gander - and why the hell not?

KEPPER'S SCREEN FIRST, ROGER!

TTFN

Comments

  1. The Responsible One12 June 2021 at 05:10

    If you're liking the latest edition, I can strongly recommend the "Harlem Unbound" supplement. It absolutely knocks it out of the park.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mark Hides12 June 2021 at 14:00

    Strangely, that's on my 'to get' list, so thanks for the 'heads-up'. - M

    ReplyDelete

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