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In episode 59, investigate the scurrying of tiny feet in a new Bestiary, and talk about what makes the Cthulhu Mythos appeal to us so much as a gaming backdrop. — Plus a talking mongoose!

Campus Crier

Chaosium just gave its website a facelift, and it’s looking pretty slick. Alumni Dinner signups will continue until July 21st. Just go to this link for the signup. Age of Cthulhu 8: Starfall Over the Plateau of Leng Kickstarter is complete! Legends of Cthulhu Action Figure Line reveals their next 2 stretch goals… an HP Lovecraft figure, and 12 inch Cthulhu! Badger McInnes, the Prince of Dark Layout Projects and mastermind of Squamous Studios, is in the midst of his Feed the Shoggoth! Card Game Kickstarter. Chad says it’s a damned good game and you want to have it! Our Indiegogo campaign update: The dice will be arriving this week, and some pieces of content are well in progress. If you haven’t seen an e-mail from rewards@mu-podcast.com, check your spam filter, and let Dan know. He also needs to know what name you want us to use on the “thank you” page, and shipping info for Senior level backers who will be getting dice.

Card Catalog

We visit yet another vast research resource this week: the Library of Congress Image Search. Here are just a couple of examples to check out, including Ansel Adams’ archive of WWII Japanese internment camps. And check out the historical stereographs for use as props or inspiration.

History Lecture

And we have another lecture from Dr. Gerard on the topic of: Gef the Talking Mongoose. For more info, Gef got his own episode of Monster Talk. Gef did very well in a “Miss Cryptid” monster pageant on Blurry Photos. Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Results Even the Wall Street Journal has covered the story of Gef. Will Murray makes a strong case in a 1982 article in Crypt of Cthulhu that Gef could have inspired HP Lovecraft’s Brown Jenkin, since media frenzy on this story predates Dreams in the Witch House by only four months.

Cryptocurium Spot

This week, we’re featuring the Cthulhu Cultist Medallion. It’s hand cast in solid resin and is available in two paint finishes: “Arkham Alloy” and “R’lyean Stone.” Each medallion comes attached to a custom black suede cord and is ready to wear or hang. A must have for the true cultist! Medallions measure 4″ inches across $30 each + shipping $50 for set of 2 + shipping

Bestiary

Put out the traps and call the exterminator — we’ve got a Rat-Thing infestation! Aside from Gef the Talking Mongoose, another possible inspiration for the Brown Jenkin: testimony against accused Salem witch, Bridget Bishop. Because of a random tangent, we interrupt these show notes to link a video of the Devil Went Down to Georgia, and also another version by Primus (with claymation!). The conversation also brought up the MV Lyubov Orlova, or as known in the press as the Cannibal Rat Ship! And as he is wont to do, Ken Hite wrote an article about how to apply this wonderfully bizarre story to roleplaying. Here is a comment about the ship from CNN. Chad also mentions Rat Kings, an apparently real event where a group of rats get their tails stuck together so they act as a writhing mass of screeching yuck. By the way, there’s an unsettling Brown Jenkin sculpture available on Cryptocurium at the Silver Membership level of The Inner Sanctum. Joe Broers also has a couple of Brown Jenkin pieces Here is the original one, and his current one.

Main Topic

What is appealing about the Mythos Not mentioned during this show, but we offer in interesting mystery: the term “Mythos” has been on the rise over the last couple of decades. But it also spikes for some reason between about 1830 and 1840. Why? Feminist Yog-Sothoth image gallery. The Hum, is mentioned in episode 40 of Blurry Photos about strange sounds. Dan mentions that phenomenon about sounds you can’t hear as you get older, here is a page on Science Blogs that explains it, and has samples to test your own hearing. Discuss the episode and where your hearing range is on the Campus Forum!]]>