| Post/Author/DateTime | Post |
|---|---|
| JoeFirebritches03-28-08, 10:35 AM | Has anyone (or is anyone) running a campaign where the dark powers of the Lovecraft mythos take a hand? "That is not dead which can Eternal lie And with Strange eons even death may die" I mention this because I find definite borrowing of the Lovecraft mythos in everything from Buffy to J.V. Jones Cavern of Black Ice series--the idea that the underlying face of reality is something terrible. It might be interesting to see what the gods of Faerun made of things like Cthullu and the other dark entities in Lovecraft's stories. Given the catastrophic changes to the Cosmology in Faerun, it's my best personal explanation for the idiocy currently maiming the realms. Hell, if they're going to burn the Realms, let's have some fun playing out the last act. . . Any thoughts? |
| MarkusTay6303-28-08, 06:44 PM | There was a Dragon Magazine article that detailed all the connections between D&D and Lovecraft, but I can''t remember which issue. The actual mythos was included in the 1st printing of the 1e Deities & Demigods. The recent Elder Evils tome highlights the Far Realms - D&D's own personal take on all things Cthulhuish. Also, both of Bruce Cordell's recent novels have an aberration-heavy flavor to them, and Bruce is known to be a big Cthulhu fan. Since he is the lead designer for the 4e FR campaign setting, expect to see many more connections between Toril and the Far Realms come 4e. Thats all I got. I personally don't care for that level of weirdness, but I occassionally borrow from it, just like everything else. |
| EytanBernstein03-28-08, 10:54 PM | Eric Boyd and I slipped several Lovecraftian references into Dragons of Faerūn. We followed those up in a number of other places. It's been one of my goals to slowly introduce a reference here and there to make it possible to build on Lovecraftian themes, but without forcing them on people who don't like them. |
| Lord Karsus03-29-08, 12:52 AM | ...but without forcing them on people who don't like them. -This is why you are considered a deity among designers. That, and because of your great web articles. ;) |
| Stigger03-29-08, 09:16 AM | Thanks for that... was subtle to be sure, which I could completely live with, even though I usually hate Lovecraft stuff. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin03-29-08, 04:51 PM | Eric Boyd and I slipped several Lovecraftian references into Dragons of Faerūn. We followed those up in a number of other places. It's been one of my goals to slowly introduce a reference here and there to make it possible to build on Lovecraftian themes, but without forcing them on people who don't like them. As others have mentioned, we appreciate that.:) |
| Khaelieth03-29-08, 05:06 PM | My brother wuvz Lovecraft, i love the Far Realms. Games are good for both of us! |
| The Ubbergeek03-31-08, 12:21 AM | I am interested. |
| MarkusTay6303-31-08, 02:59 AM | Strangely, as much as I dislike a Lovecraftian theme, I have heavily borrowed from the mythos for the Utter East thread. The fact is that the people there are all being slowly corrupted by some unseen outside force, and some of them are even turning into fish-people! (canon) That is so Shadow over Innsmouth, and I have built upon it, using the lost Batrachi Civilization in the Shining sea as a basis for Locathah interbreeding with certain humans. Also, some of the people of Konigheim have a third eye in their foreheads! tell me that isn't psuedo-natural Cthulhuness at its finest. Even though I dislike Cthulhu, obviously someone had that region (the Utter East) stake out as 'abberation central' for the Realms, and since it IS Realmslore, I am more then willing to run with it. I'm hoping to have the Ulgarth book done soon. ;) |
| EytanBernstein03-31-08, 09:56 PM | -This is why you are considered a deity among designers. That, and because of your great web articles. ;) Now I just need a few more thousand followers for a divine rank. By the way Lord Karsus (and anyone else reading), are you heading to ICON this weekend? |
| BadCatMan03-31-08, 11:17 PM | FR has had a few things appear over the years than can be considered Lovecraftian in either form or function. The Dragonking, the Lost Gods, Pandorym and the other one from Elder Evils, various aberrations and so on. But the great thing about FR is that they didn't have to be, you could portray them however you like. (Unlike Eberron, where everything is nailed to the metaplots.) I'm currently reading the stories HP Lovecraft. It took a while to find some in the libraries. Around here, his works are as hard to find as the Necronomicon itself. But I've been curious about the Mythos for a while, and discovered it in other media. In FR, I've done: I was assistant DMing for a campaign where a demon prince was being summoned by his cultists to destroy Amn and take over the world. I was curious about the Alienist PrC, so I asked to run one during the final encounter. As it turned out, I was left running almost the entire thing with few clues to go on. So the demon prince became a tentacled monstrosity crawling out of the portal, atop a platform formed from creeping tendrils, whilst other betentacled creatures (Half-Farspawn Ogres) defended the Alienist summoner from the PCs. It was weird, but fun. I've also been using the new Spawn Of Tiamat monsters (since low-level PCs fighting real dragons of the baby variety is less impressive). But I implied that they were twisted draconic creatures spawned from the Pit Of Many Colours (linking back to the Dragonking and the Dragons Of Faerun stuff, not that I mentioned it), a possible gateway to the Far Realms. And now I'm running The Twilight Tomb adventure, which already has a lot of Lovecraftian elements. I started the PCs off in Azr Thoth's Tavern, where a minstrel plays a flute of thin piping tones. But I don't think any of them got the reference. :( Even though I dislike Cthulhu, obviously someone had that region (the Utter East) stake out as 'abberation central' for the Realms, and since it IS Realmslore, I am more then willing to run with it. Well... it could still be a Yuan-Ti influence. ;) |
| Straploknight04-01-08, 01:14 AM | The actual mythos was included in the 1st printing of the 1e . Love that book, finally got it after a trip to gencon - it was so worth the 80.00 bucks I paid for it. When I was a young lad, a neighbor of mine had that book, and I begged him to sell it to me after he got out of the D&D thing back then, it was the only book he kept. I also just picked up Forgotten Temple of Tharzidun. Of course all of this pales to my obssession for the A series modules, I can't go some place and not pass them by, got them as PDfs and the paper items as well (glances at stack of 3 A1's, 1 A2, 2 A3s, 1 A4) - okay nerdgasm over. --->edit<--- I'm updating some old 2e info for a drow house and I think in the house mage's 3e incarnation, I'm going to dispense with the driven mad but lucky to be alive via the failed lichdom and probably make him an alienist plus some other things. Thinking maybe as a necromancer he delved to far into forbidden lore and didn't realize his research actually exposed him to the Far Realm (cliche' probably, but thats okay I fine with it). |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 02:56 AM | Now I just need a few more thousand followers for a divine rank. :shifty: -I've got this dealer I know... By the way Lord Karsus (and anyone else reading), are you heading to ICON this weekend? -ICON...ICON...ICON? :: Does a search :: -Whoa, whaddya know? You know, I've never been to a convention before, but this one is kind of, more or less, pretty close...I'm not doing anything on Sunday, at all, so, you know what? I might...Hmm... |
| MarkusTay6304-01-08, 03:03 AM | Its in the next town over from me, and would you believe, I've only gone to it once? About 20 years ago. :( I think the best guest they ever had was 'Q' from Star Trek - they're always 2nd or 3rd tier type people, no one really cool. They got the 'black dude' from Ghost Busters - How lame is that? He wasn't even in the first one... Basically, they charge you a whole lot of money to come in and have the privelege of spending a whole lot more money. I'm saving up for this year's Gencon - I'm going to make a mint with my "Rich Baker Must Be Stopped!" T-shirt booth. :P |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 03:26 AM | I think the best guest they ever had was 'Q' from Star Trek - they're always 2nd or 3rd tier type people, no one really cool. -It looks like they have a couple of people of some prestige: Mike Mearls (WotC) Bill Slavicsek (WotC) Margaret Weis (Or, at least her company) Ray Bradbury (via Teleconference) Billy West (Futurama) Ray Park (Darth Maul) The 501st Stormtrooper Legion (Star Wars) -And, those are the only ones I know who have prestige, mind you. There might be other 'famous' people, that I just don't know. A couple of Star Trek people, I saw... -And, if Eytan is going to be there... They got the 'black dude' from Ghost Busters - How lame is that? He wasn't even in the first one... -Heh, he's still there. I'm saving up for this year's Gencon - I'm going to make a mint with my "Rich Baker Must Be Stopped!" T-shirt booth. :P -Yeah, and that's in like Hickville, Indiana, or something like that. -That said, my offer to give whoever documents themselves shouting "Rich Baker must be stopped!" and getting recognition from him still stands. Twenty dollars... |
| MarkusTay6304-01-08, 04:06 AM | Meeting those people doesn't thrill me. I used to work in a restaurant (I was the building manager, among other things), and in the same week Ralph Macchio and the wrestler mankind (Mick Foley) came in to eat, and people were like "Do you know who that is?" I was like "so?" I think the Karate Kid heard me... he didn't look too happy. :D Seriously, meeting 'real' famous people doesn't thrill me, so why would I care to meet people who are only famous to geeks? They still wipe their a__ the same way I do. Gencon is probably worth it, because itis very 'showy', but I don't think a gymnasium full of tables is all that thrilling. The only time I went, I pulled up to the back door with my work van, and they thought I was a vendor, and I was able to walk right in. :P Its a good trick, but it only works if you have a van. ;) |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 04:25 AM | I used to work in a restaurant (I was the building manager, among other things), and in the same week Ralph Macchio and the wrestler mankind (Mick Foley) came in to eat, and people were like "Do you know who that is?" I was like "so?" I think the Karate Kid heard me... he didn't look too happy. :D -Dude, it's Mankind! Gencon is probably worth it, because itis very 'showy', but I don't think a gymnasium full of tables is all that thrilling. -Again, GENCON is also in Hoosierville, NASCAR County, Indiana. Who wants to go there? :rolleyes: |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-01-08, 12:32 PM | Seriously, meeting 'real' famous people doesn't thrill me, so why would I care to meet people who are only famous to geeks? They still wipe their a__ the same way I do. That's a great mental image--I don't think you could have put that more perfectly. :rofl: |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-01-08, 12:33 PM | -Again, GENCON is also in Hoosierville, NASCAR County, Indiana. Who wants to go there? :rolleyes: I can't help but laugh at this, either. :rofl: If you go to ICON, or whatever it is, let me know how it goes.:) |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 03:01 PM | If you go to ICON, or whatever it is, let me know how it goes.:) -Probably not. I was mulling it last night, but I'm sick now, so...I hate throwing up. :weep: |
| Alediran04-01-08, 03:37 PM | -Probably not. I was mulling it last night, but I'm sick now, so...I hate throwing up. :weep: Don't tell me... I have a weak stomach, if I eat 2nd rated food my stomach starts complaining. |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 03:57 PM | -I don't even know what it is. I ate some Kraft maccaroni and cheese, nothing special, and I suddenly get sick. I can barely get out of my computer chair without getting massively nauseous and sometimes throwing up. |
| Alediran04-01-08, 04:41 PM | I have gastritis (don't know if it's the english name for it), so when I eat poor quality food I get very bad stomach aches, I can't drink alcohol (not that I care) |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 04:55 PM | ...I can't drink alcohol... -That sucks (not that I get drunk every day or anything)... |
| Alediran04-01-08, 05:50 PM | -That sucks (not that I get drunk every day or anything)... I don't drink that much either, even when I wasn't affected by this, I was always too sensitive to the taste of the alcohol behind the drink. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-01-08, 06:58 PM | -Probably not. I was mulling it last night, but I'm sick now, so...I hate throwing up. :weep: I hate throwing up too!:( I hope you feel better. It's possible it was something you ate, but it could also be an actual virus (sometimes it's hard to tell). |
| Lord Karsus04-01-08, 11:49 PM | I hate throwing up too!:( I hope you feel better. -Thank you. I am feeling somewhat batter now, though, so that's good. It's possible it was something you ate, but it could also be an actual virus (sometimes it's hard to tell). -Seems to me like a virus that had a very sudden onset, as I do have other symptoms- a little dizziness, some achiness, and the tips of my fingers hurt. |
| Khaelieth04-02-08, 09:03 AM | I don't drink that much either, even when I wasn't affected by this, I was always too sensitive to the taste of the alcohol behind the drink. You get very much used to it after a while, i cannot taste the alcohol in beer at all, for example (unless it's super lage, but that's a completely different story). First time i drank lager, i was "how can anyone drink this!?" Got used to it, and to be fair, now i find soft drinks far too sweet, and would much rather have a bitter ale. And Lk, sure you just not been looking at a screen too much? Fingertips might be accredited to loads of typing ;p Just joking, hope you feel better. Got the sniffles myself and coughed up phlegm spiced with blood - How's that for a mental image! |
| Lord Karsus04-02-08, 11:19 AM | You get very much used to it after a while, i cannot taste the alcohol in beer at all, for example (unless it's super lage, but that's a completely different story). First time i drank lager, i was "how can anyone drink this!?" Got used to it, and to be fair, now i find soft drinks far too sweet, and would much rather have a bitter ale. -Beer is easy to get used to. Harder liquors are much harder. At least, straight up, and not in mixed drinks, anyway. And Lk, sure you just not been looking at a screen too much? Fingertips might be accredited to loads of typing ;p Just joking, hope you feel better. Got the sniffles myself and coughed up phlegm spiced with blood - How's that for a mental image! -Yeah, I'm better. It was one of those freak, 24 hour viruses. After, like the third time I vomited, my spit was speckled with a little bit of blood, from too much wretching, or a little nosebleed, or something, so I'm with you there. |
| Khaelieth04-02-08, 11:26 AM | -Beer is easy to get used to. Harder liquors are much harder. At least, straight up, and not in mixed drinks, anyway. Yeah, that's why i don't drink vodka, because i find it tough to gauge how much i've had, as it's too easy to drink. Much like rum, which i've gone off after i had a litre of it to myself, which was rather stupid. But that's why i drink whisky and beer, because you don't mix it unless you're a completely uncivilised, horse-raping, kid-slapping girly boy that's got no balls. But gin and tonic is so nice when it's sunny! |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-02-08, 01:44 PM | -Thank you. I am feeling somewhat batter now, though, so that's good. You're welcome. Glad you're feeling better.:) -Seems to me like a virus that had a very sudden onset, as I do have other symptoms- a little dizziness, some achiness, and the tips of my fingers hurt. Hmm, my guess is that it's a virus, although only a doctor would know for sure.:) |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-02-08, 01:47 PM | -Beer is easy to get used to. Harder liquors are much harder. At least, straight up, and not in mixed drinks, anyway. For the record, last time I had these stomach problems and went to the doctor, he said not to drinkn alcohol when you have an upset stomach. Just figured I'd mention that, while on that subject.;) Other things he warned against--fatty foods and dairy foods. I know from experience that spicy foods are best avoided when one's stomach is upset, too (eat bland foods). |
| Lord Karsus04-02-08, 01:48 PM | You're welcome. Glad you're feeling better.:) -Whoops. Yeah, I'm feeling 'better', and not 'batter'. Heh. |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-02-08, 01:51 PM | -Whoops. Yeah, I'm feeling 'better', and not 'batter'. Heh. I didn't think you were feeling "batter" (like batter?).;) :rofl: |
| Khaelieth04-02-08, 02:25 PM | When your stomach's upset, eat kiwis. Kickstarts things, some Greeks taught me as i walked into the common room, though not too sure on that. Fiber's also good, and i'd recommend fruit and vegetables! |
| EytanBernstein04-02-08, 08:24 PM | :shifty: -I've got this dealer I know... -ICON...ICON...ICON? :: Does a search :: -Whoa, whaddya know? You know, I've never been to a convention before, but this one is kind of, more or less, pretty close...I'm not doing anything on Sunday, at all, so, you know what? I might...Hmm... Sunday is still fun, but not nearly as much goes on then as on Friday and Saturday. I won't be there on Sunday. |
| EytanBernstein04-02-08, 08:26 PM | Its in the next town over from me, and would you believe, I've only gone to it once? About 20 years ago. :( I think the best guest they ever had was 'Q' from Star Trek - they're always 2nd or 3rd tier type people, no one really cool. They got the 'black dude' from Ghost Busters - How lame is that? He wasn't even in the first one... Basically, they charge you a whole lot of money to come in and have the privelege of spending a whole lot more money. I'm saving up for this year's Gencon - I'm going to make a mint with my "Rich Baker Must Be Stopped!" T-shirt booth. :P They've had some decent guests over the years. Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan from Lord of the Rings, lots of people from Star Trek, and of course a whole host of sci-fi channel actors and the like (not that this is necessarily a good thing). |
| EytanBernstein04-02-08, 08:27 PM | -Dude, it's Mankind! -Again, GENCON is also in Hoosierville, NASCAR County, Indiana. Who wants to go there? :rolleyes: Indianapolis is actually a really nice city. It has a nice flow and there are a lot of good restaurants. |
| EytanBernstein04-02-08, 08:28 PM | I have gastritis (don't know if it's the english name for it), so when I eat poor quality food I get very bad stomach aches, I can't drink alcohol (not that I care) I can't drink alcohol either. It lowers my blood pressure too much. Funny enough, I'm also quite sensitive to the taste. |
| Khaelieth04-02-08, 08:29 PM | Indianapolis is actually a really nice city. It has a nice flow and there are a lot of good restaurants. What about European conventions!? Make some happen! Your articles are amongst the best! We need some love too! |
| EytanBernstein04-02-08, 08:30 PM | What about European conventions!? Make some happen! Your articles are amongst the best! We need some love too! If you can get me invited to one (where I don't have to pay for it), I'll be happy to go. |
| Khaelieth04-02-08, 08:40 PM | If you can get me invited to one (where I don't have to pay for it), I'll be happy to go. You sure? We serve stronger beer than Americans?:) |
| Lord Karsus04-02-08, 11:32 PM | Indianapolis is actually a really nice city. It has a nice flow and there are a lot of good restaurants. -I'm a stereotypical New Yorker that looks down on everywhere else, based on the simple fact that it's not New York. |
| JoeFirebritches04-03-08, 01:39 PM | Thanks for all the interesting responses. Stomach flu . . horse raping (??) . . . beer. Well, okay, beer. I noticed the Elder Evils article in Dragon and just caught an episode of 'Angel' for no good reason very early this morning. I think the Lovecraft element would work well, though I'd probably add some tangents Lovecraft would hate. Then again, he was a die-hard racist, so I doubt he and I would ever have sat down together and had a few. It's a pity: I like some of Lovecraft's stories, I really enjoy some of the old Conan stories, but I would cheerfully have kicked the crap out of both authors. Hmm. Tangential thought. I'll probably post it in the Other category for the Realms. Anyway, here's hoping that the stomach ailment has passed, the convention was worth the admissions price, the horse has entered thereapy, and that beer shall continue to flow plentifully wherever you are gathered. :P |
| Lord Karsus04-03-08, 01:42 PM | Thanks for all the interesting responses. Stomach flu . . horse raping (??) . . . beer. -As long as you remember not to literally connect the dots, it's all good. |
| EytanBernstein04-12-08, 04:48 PM | You sure? We serve stronger beer than Americans?:) I will do anything for a free trip. You can put me in the freight section of the plane with the chickens. |
| Stigger04-12-08, 06:55 PM | Be careful what you ask for... |
| Rinonalyrna Fathomlin04-13-08, 08:43 PM | I will do anything for a free trip. You can put me in the freight section of the plane with the chickens. Inside the chicken coop? |
| Lord Karsus04-14-08, 08:02 AM | Inside the chicken coop? -Well, that goes without saying. You can't have you luggage unsecured. :P |
| EytanBernstein04-14-08, 10:13 PM | Inside the chicken coup, with all of the snakes, doesn't matter. If it's a free trip and I can get time off from work, I'll do it (Certain restrictions may apply. Continental U.S. only. Not available in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Cannot be combined with other offers. While supplies last.) |
| Stigger04-15-08, 08:47 AM | And here I was going to send you to the Virgin Islands... oh well. Some other dev I guess... :P :D |
| Lord Karsus04-15-08, 09:00 AM | And here I was going to send you to the Virgin Islands... oh well. Some other dev I guess... :P :D -I'm sure a joke could be made from that. |
| Stigger04-15-08, 09:23 AM | Yes, a good one too, but it would be impolitic. |