In this episode, Jon and Seth talk about our favorite grave-mold covered cannibals... ghouls!
Episode Sponsor: The Great American Dynasty
We want to thank author Keller O’Leary and Space Cat Publishing for sponsoring this episode. Check out “The Great American Dynasty,” a true-blue, red-blooded, modern-day Call of Cthulhu scenario!
Investigators are tasked with retrieving old files hidden in the home of a fellow “society” member who passed away from (seemingly) natural causes. The scenario blends iconic American folklore together with Lovecraftian Mythos to weave a story with roots long predating the founding of the American colonies. Can your investigators survive a terror that’s over 600 years in the making?
The Great American Dynasty is a three-part mystery filled with abductions, body horror, mutilations, and violence. Also, be on the lookout for Space Cat Publishings next scenario, “The Curse of Punk,” where you explore the terrifying underbelly of punk society in the 1980s.
The Great American Dynasty: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/453708/the-great-american-dynasty-a-call-of-cthulhu-scenario?affiliate_id=51821
Ghoul Lore:
-
Arabic - lurked in cemeteries and uninhabited places
-
male : ghoul female: ghoulla
-
Could take on a pleasing shape to lure people. Some could transform into hyenas. Canine features. Light causes pain. Could transform to last person they devoured. Some legend was born looking human, then transformed when older (changeling)
-
Edgar Allen Poe (one of Lovecraft’s literary heroes) wrote of ghoul in his poems The Bells and Ulalume
-
Introduced to the west in 1700s when One Thousand & One Nights translate into french
-
Modern audiences associate them with undead - possibly to George Romero Night of the living dead calling them ghouls
Literary Sources:
-
Pickman’s Model, by H. P. Lovecraft (written 1926)
-
The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath, by H. P. Lovecraft (written 1927)
-
The Dwellers Under the Tomb, by Robert E. Howard (first published in 1976, 30 years after his death, possible sequel to The Children of the Night (1931))
-
The Charnal God, by Clark Ashton Smith (first published in 1937)
-
Amina, by Edward Lucas White (first published in 1907)
-
Down in the Delta, by Adam Scott Glancy (posted to DriveThruRPG in 2018)
Down in the Delta: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/236934/delta-green-down-in-the-delta?affiliate_id=51821
Ghoul Combat in Call of Cthulhu:
-
Bullets do half damage (rubbery skin?)
-
3 attacks (with Bonus die to multiple attacks on a target, this can become overwhelming)
-
Special Bite and Hold maneuver - (opposed STR (80 avg) or 1d4 per round)
Ghoul Game Hooks/Ideas:
-
NPC is ghoul raised by humans
-
PC is a ghoul raised by humans
-
How to play a ghoul “fighting the urge” to feed
Ghoul Call of Cthulhu Scenarios:
There are a ton of scenarios that feature ghouls. The Yog-Sothoth.com wiki is a living resource that really helped with today’s topic. Some of the more notable scenarios include:
-
Paper Chase
-
Pickman’s Student
-
The Auction
-
The Lurker in the Crypt
-
The Madman
-
Thoth’s Dagger
-
The Fog of War
-
Wail of the Witch
-
Crimson Letters
If you’re interested in checking out the full list of ghoul scenarios, please join the Yog-Sothoth.com community so you too can check out their amazing wiki. I believe the list is primarily scenarios where ghouls have a major role, and not every scenario with a possible ghoul encounter. I did not see the Paris chapter of the Horror on the Orient Express campaign listed, or the introductory chapter of the Spawn of Azathoth campaign listed, or my Age of Cthulhu scenario, The Timeless Sands of India. So, a list of scenarios that include any instance of a ghoul is much-much larger.
Sandy Petersen YouTube on Ghouls: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vVaJ7nca3lI
Special Thanks to Bret Kramer and the amazing resources available at Yog-Sothoth.com.
Miskatonic Repository Con:
Don't miss the 5th Annual Miskatonic Repository Convention! This free online event runs from Friday, October 4th to Sunday, October 6th, and is dedicated to the Miskatonic Repository. Whether you're a seasoned creator, aspiring to be one, or simply eager to play some spine-chilling Call of Cthulhu scenarios, this convention is for you!
There will be engaging panel discussions where you can learn the ins and outs of being a creator, and plenty of games to immerse yourself in. Player sign-ups open on Friday, September 6th. Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity to connect with fellow enthusiasts and creators. For more information, find the Miskatonic Repository Convention on Facebook, Discord, and Tabletop Events. (Don’t miss it)
Tabletop Events Link: https://tabletop.events/conventions/call-of-cthulhu-miskatonic-repository-con-2024
Discord Link: https://discord.gg/3rd4RJq
KamCon ‘24 – https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kamloopsconventions.ca%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR2U3HwwV6cfSVmMeQUvV8opE0Jw8JYhFB15mq__SP0nR5S9t9ju-DDgBQA_aem_HPnRt8XpjFaEKCDr55mxfw&h=AT2HRGuAqL5hxjB81qWd42m_z0SEt_aJFM3f7r8M0IGh0cxDE4tkN9lE-q-DXWfPmEaLpHm9phcLEZHGstc_mNcZR3LSfwv1oRI-FdckP9dEVquw80M3_3LI7N6jJmQt8RA
We can’t do this show alone. We want to thank our amazing editors Max Mahaffa and Edwin Nagy for their hard work and keen skills at making us sound awesome!
We also want to thank John Sumrow, for our badass logo. He’s a very talented artist, so please follow him on Facebook, check out his official website, and please consider joining his Patreon account. Links in the show notes.
https://www.facebook.com/johnsumrow
http://www.johnsumrow.com
https://www.patreon.com/JohnSumrow
And finally, we want to thank The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets for generously allowing us to use their song, Gluttony, as our intro and outro music. If you are a fan of Lovecraft’s writing and the Call of Cthulhu RPG, then you need to check out The Darkest of the Hillside Thickets. Please check out their BandCamp site and their official band site. Links in the show notes.
https://thedarkestofthehillsidethickets.bandcamp.com/
http://thickets.net/
And once again, a huge thank you to our sponsor The Great American Dynasty. Remember to hit the link in the show notes and pick that up. Thanks for listening.
