MUP 087 - NecronomiCon 2015 Remembrances

Post by **Keeper Dan** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 5:20 pm

Episode 87 is all about Chad and Murf talking about their time at NecronomiCon Providence 2015! There was much fun and debauchery to be had, apparently. And we even have a musical interlude! This episode was recorded on September 6, 2015.

Campus Crier-
NecronomiCon 2015 attendance survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/9TP7K3T
If you attended NecronomiCon 2015 and would like to share your thoughts on the experience, the survey is still open for a little while longer and you will have a chance to win one of five $25 amazon gift cards.

You may participate in this second survey even if you did not participate in the first survey. You must be 18 years or older and affirm that you attended NecronomiCon 2015 in Providence. The survey takes about 15 minutes and includes questions about what you like about Lovecraft or Lovecraftian things in general, why you went to the convention, what you thought of it, and similar questions. More information is available on the first page of the survey.

Feel free to contact him if you have any questions or concerns.
Jeffrey S. Debies-Carl, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Sociology
University of New Haven
300 Boston Post Road
308 Harugari Hall
jdebies-carl@newhaven.edu

Chaosium appoints James Lowder as new Consulting Editor for fiction line!

As part of its new restructuring, the iconic game and fiction publishing company Chaosium has appointed award-winning editor James Lowder as its Consulting Editor for Fiction.
Lowder, the recipient of five Origins Awards and an ENnie Award, has also been a finalist for the International Horror Guild Award and the Stoker Award. He has extensive experience directing novel lines and series for both large and small publishing houses.

Chaosium President Rick Meints said Lowder’s first order of the day is to help resolve any outstanding issues with writers’ organizations, and authors, editors and artists. He is also working closely with the Chaosium creative team planning and commissioning a schedule of new fiction releases, in both print and e-book formats.

Questions about existing contracts, outstanding payments or royalties etc. –
James Lowder – james@chaosium.com

The Things We Leave Behind KS Funded
[url=http://The%20Things%20We%20Leave%20Behind%20KS%20Funded%20https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/stephaniemcalea/the-things-we-leave-behind-for-call-of-cthulhu%20Feed%20The%20Shoggoth%20should%20be%20shipping%20by%20end%20of%20October!%20And%20one%20for%20this.]https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/st ... of-cthulhu[/url]
Feed The Shoggoth should be shipping by end of October!
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/323520698/feed-the-shoggoth-card-game

Scriven is now accepting submissions for Cephalophobia Issue 2!
If you have ideas for scenarios, fiction, art, or whatever, contact him on the Campus Forum!

7th Ed Kickstarter Update from Chaosium-

...the Investigator Handbook is complete, and that the Keeper's Rulebook should be complete on Tuesday. That means that all of the initial print run files will be delivered next week to the printers for the creation of paper proofs.

The reformatting was a bigger job than expected, and only two of us at Chaosium (Nick and I) know the InDesign layout software. While we worked on the files, we also had digital proofs run, checked, and verified on all of the other initial print run items: Keeper Screen, Adventure Book, 3 maps, Keeper Reference, Character sheets, and the Adventure Floor Plans. These will all be collected together with the two main books and shrink-wrapped into a slipcase. Nameless Horrors will not be in the slipcase set, but is being printed and shipped at the same time. A more detailed list of these items is in Update #112. Of course, your slipcase will only contain the core items you purchased.

Additionally, we have shipped the Horror on the Orient Express add-ons to Europe to send out to our European purchasers. Once they arrive there they will be shipped directly to each backer who bought the HotOE as an add-on. We should have this add-on shipped to everyone who purchased it shortly.

Of course, the big question remains: When will you get the main backer rewards?
The short answer is that we are working hard to have them printed and shipped from the printer by Halloween. We wish that meant they would be arriving in your mailbox by Halloween, but that is not likely. Worst case, we are planning on having the main backer rewards delivered this year. The printing should be done in late October. The books then go to Hong Kong for fulfillment out to several regional shipping centers. Once they leave Hong Kong we are looking at weeks, not months to get the main backer rewards to you this year.

Feedback-
3 new iTunes reviews!
5-Star in iTunes by Flecka's Papa from USA

Really enjoyed my first listen
So, I was looking up Lovecraft podcasts, came across this show, and I have to say I was intrigued as this was an RPG that I really enjoyed decades ago -- have even had a copy in my hand recently thinking...well if I buy it, I can at least read and see how the game plays today. Being remotely located, not a big gaming population, so rule reading and scenario reading would be about it. This made me want to order that copy I had even more!

5-Star in iTunes by Originalray's from USA

Good Stuff!
Totally listenable, engaging hosts, with a great format. Scratches that unspeakable itch.

5-Star in iTunes by Nvision79 from Canada

The Ultimate Resource for Call of Cthulhu Afficionados
Both new players and veteran Keepers can glean a tremendous amount of arcane knowledge from Keepers Dan, Chad, Murph, and Jon. They cover all aspects of the game, as well as Lovecraft-related gaming and media news. Guests are numerous and esteemed in Lovecraftian circles. Stay all the way to the end for some great outtakes (the vast majority of which include Keeper Murph colourfully botching lines!). Give it a listen and get some new perspective on the game and be well entertained at the same time!

Cryptocurium Spotlight-
October Parcel of Terror announced:

I've thought long and hard and I've decided to make the October "Halloween Edition" of the Parcel of Terror a mystery box! There are so many awesome items to be included from various sources and given the "trick or treat" theme, I figured you folks would appreciate a big Halloween box of mysterious tricks and treats!

Topic-
Necronomicon Talk!

Present from MU Nation:
Tim, R.J. MacReady
Randall, WiseWolf
Ian, Nvision
Steve, Mindless-Focus
Matt, Gladius
Max, Mahaffa
Nigel, Cityslicker
Tristan
Magnus
Bob
Edwin - from Skype of Cthulhu
John – Was on the Nerdbound podcast 2010-2012, now on Dragon Fisters [2013 2 years] (Mostly Pathfinder AP) since, and doing Legends of Tabletop with Vince. (FB link)
(Kim) - James
Cory, Caddy1071
Jason McKittrick from Cryptocurium
Joe Broers
Mike Mason
Nick

Things that cannot be undone:
Gaming
Live MUP episode recording
Drinking
Panels
Lovecraftian theater
GG Party
Drinking
Feeding cheese to Mythos luminaries by hand(?)

Nvision · Post by **Nvision** » Mon Sep 07, 2015 9:23 pm

Oh, the cheese... The goat brie being served by Chad was most deliciously melted due to the incredible body heat of the many, many people in that hotel room...which might make it sound even more weird.

Sign me up for whatever doodles you need for the next newsletter, plus I can probably polish up my Arkham election scenario if you need more pages filled.

WinstonP · Post by **WinstonP** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 7:26 pm

(Just a note - the link to the campus forums in the show notes leads to Scriven's user profile.)

I know the MUP is not a news show per se, and that this episode was more about Murph and Chad's impression of the con, but I but I'm surprised and a little disappointed that you guys didn't at least mention and point a link at the dust-up over Bob Price's comments at the opening ceremonies. It was certainly the most talked about single moment of the Con from my conversations there.

I think this story below includes a useful overview and video of both Bob Price's remarks in question and Niels' response at the Lovecraft and Racism panel.
http://www.rifuture.org/lovecrafts-raci ... dence.html

there was also some discussion afterwards, including Mr. Price suggesting he wouldn't attend in the future w/out an apology
https://www.facebook.com/robert.m.price ... 3724872331

Nvision · Post by **Nvision** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 8:03 pm

I was late getting into Providence, so I checked out the art exhibit while the opening ceremonies were going on, but I heard about the infamous speech the next day. Dropping "Red Hook" to support one's views is kind of bad form. Vitriolic bigotry aside, I kind of dig the core story for its wackiness (the protagonist calls out Jewish mystic texts as demonic!), but I'm not going to wave around a current newspaper and shout about how it proves Lovecraft's prescience. While it was foolish of Price to say, I wonder if it has more to do with his "Christian atheism" than out and out racism? Reading his other writings on religion, and even those on militant atheism, he's seemed a little more moderate in the past.

Keeper Jon · Post by **Keeper Jon** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 8:23 pm

WinstonP wrote:I know the MUP is not a news show per se, and that this episode was more about Murph and Chad's impression of the con, but I but I'm surprised and a little disappointed that you guys didn't at least mention and point a link at the dust-up over Bob Price's comments at the opening ceremonies. It was certainly the most talked about single moment of the Con from my conversations there.

I think this story below includes a useful overview and video of both Bob Price's remarks in question and Niels' response at the Lovecraft and Racism panel.
http://www.rifuture.org/lovecrafts-raci ... dence.html

there was also some discussion afterwards, including Mr. Price suggesting he wouldn't attend in the future w/out an apology
https://www.facebook.com/robert.m.price ... 3724872331

Hey WinstonP, this was a topic that we discussed, and we chose to make this episode focused directly on Murph and Chad's experiences at the con only. We do plan to cover this topic soon in response to Bob Price's comments at Necronomicon. This won't be a topic that we leave on the table untouched.

Mindless-Focus · Post by **Mindless-Focus** » Tue Sep 08, 2015 8:59 pm

NOT Steve

yes, the brie was good, if not very melted and a bit squamous when it came to my wife and I. This episode had me laughing and gave me semi post con depression. I miss it badly. Also, I failed my san roll on the Max song. I took 3 point hit to my sanity.

R.J. MacReady · Post by **R.J. MacReady** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 1:09 am

I’m glad to hear that you will be discussing that topic on a future show (hopefully sooner than later.) I too was surprised that it wasn’t even mentioned by you gents. Robert Price’s comments were met with quite a bit of shock from many there. I'd say Mr. Price had a responsibility as the final keynote speaker of NecronomiCon 2015 to keep the focus on the literature and appreciation of Lovecraftian culture in its many forms. To instead espouse xenophobic views, take a shot at affirmative action, and top it off with 'all Western, white male logic is seen as a tool of oppression these days' (boo hoo, us poor white guys) was not how the con should have been kicked off to say the least.

No one is questioning Price's scholarly contributions to Lovecraft's legacy - he wouldn't have been so prominent a speaker at the opening ceremonies if such were not the case. However, divisive rhetoric was wholly inappropriate in that setting. Price can have whatever beliefs he likes, but he should express them and grind his axes on his own dime, not in a setting where he was a guest. Aside from the attendees offended (and there were many – I was there), let's not forget government representatives of the city of Providence were also present, so it was not a good look for NecronomiCon PVD in their eyes I'd imagine. All this being said everyone I spoke to at the con was pretty dismayed and shocked by his comments. The devotees of Lovecraft who in this day and age may share his appalling views on race, are definitely a very small percentage of the overall fanbase.

It was an unsightly blemish on an otherwise stellar and beautiful experience for those who attended. Niels (the director of the con) was upset about Price’s comments, but he is to be commended for his thoughtful responses on Facebook and on a great panel he led about racism and Lovecraft that I attended at the con. While I know many people are sick of the racism topic when it comes to Lovecraft, the Price incident of NecronomiCon 2015 and The World Fantasy Awards controversy show that it is still both relevant and topical. I think that this topic can be spun via MU-Podcast and its Forum (and others like it) into a positive conversation and exchange that will only strengthen and grow our community’s devotion and pride regarding the Call of Cthulhu RPG, horror gaming, and weird fiction. It may not be easy, or pretty, but in the end it will be worth it, because if I were to take away one thing from attending both NecronomiCon 2013 and 2015, is that the people of our community are thoughtful, caring, empathetic, and very weird – and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

PirateLawyer · Post by **PirateLawyer** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 5:09 am

WinstonP wrote:I know the MUP is not a news show per se, and that this episode was more about Murph and Chad's impression of the con, but I'm surprised and a little disappointed that you guys didn't at least mention and point a link at the dust-up over Bob Price's comments at the opening ceremonies. It was certainly the most talked about single moment of the Con from my conversations there.

I don't think you should be all that surprised, given the position taken by the show with respect to coverage of Chaosium's performance with respect to the fundraising debacle.

That said, I would have thought it would be mentioned even so, given that Price's remarks were out there in the public record at a very high profile event . . .

Dr. Gerard · Post by **Dr. Gerard** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 3:18 pm

Thanks all for the thoughts on Bob Price's comments and blowback. We had a long discussion about whether to talk about it, what to say and how to frame the topic of race and diversity more broadly. We talked about how to do it thoroughly and with the greatest sensitivity. I regret our decision to omit any mention of this controversy. It did indeed come up often in conversations over the convention weekend. Our decision was to return to this topic when we're able to give it more attention, possibly with other guests and perspectives to add to the discussion. While I think leaving it out of this convention recap was a mistake, a serious conversation has emerged that I believe will affect our content in positive ways.

I encourage anyone who is curious about what happened to go to Bret's video links above to hear Bob Price's comments from the source, and to watch the racism panel that Neils Hobbs moderated, in which he addresses those comments.

WiseWolf · Post by **WiseWolf** » Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:17 pm

Interesting, avoiding controversy sparked controversy. I was shocked by that comment during the ceremony, and it was very irresponsible and of bad taste, however, the CON was so amazing in every aspect and as Murph and Chad mentioned, everyone else there was so cool, that it is hard to look at the black dot on the white piece of paper. I felt at home, so there was no racism in my eyes that I could tell, I felt surrounded by smart and fun individuals, and that what's really important to me, to highlight the good things that the Con provided to this small community. All the good things that the Con left me have completely shadowed Price's comments to the point that I had forgotten about it.

Maybe you guys should do a mini panel to discuss racism in Lovecraft works, or discuss the one in the con, I can see this topic taken over the whole show and this can be part of that discussion.