Episode Notes

In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Call of Cthulhu scenario UNLAND written by Scott Dorward, with the author himself! We dissect the creepy amusement park rides and talk about Silent Hill 2 more than a bit, while Scott shares how he runs this scenario very differently than written, as the scenario that made it to print became quite different than he'd originally envisioned it to be!

The scenario is in the Fear's Sharp Little Needles collection, which is available here: ⁠https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/245289/fear-s-sharp-little-needles-26-modern-day-call-of-cthulhu-scenarios

Additionally, our Beating Heart-tier Intern Zander made some awesome custom handouts and gave us permission to share them, available in our Google Drive: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1JT-mFFRhNrfkHJjC5VCVgx2aMi-4z12x?usp=sharing

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8 ⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Episode Notes

In this episode, we meet with Good Friend Matt Sanderson to talk about his favorite Call of Cthulhu scenario The Burning Stars, written by David Conyers for Call of Cthulhu 6th edition. I describe this as "the most Call of Cthulhu-y-est scenario I have ever played" and for the first time, I'll recommend to anyone who has not already read or played this scenario to carefully consider if they want to spoil themselves on it by listening here, as it has a really fantastic twist that needs to come through at the table.

You can purchase a PDF of the Terrors from Beyond collection which contains this scenario from Chaosium here: https://www.chaosium.com/terrors-from-beyond-pdf/

After this recording, we also got permission from Thom Raley of Into the Darkness to share the fantastic updated handouts that he hasmade for this scenario, which you can find in our Google Drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1IRMWBjHWd0ISXjiywCPKcca3fPpdEafP?usp=sharing

All music and sound effects were made using attribution-free creative commons resources.

This podcast is powered by Pinecast.

Episode Notes

In this episode, we bicker about how to handle realism and verisimilitude vs. explosive pulpiness when we run RPGs, and how this can vary depending on system, scenario, and players. (Spoiler: Communication is still key)

Consultations are free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads).

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes

In this episode, we hack apart another game system, Cthork Borg, with its mad scientist creator Richard Kelly. Cthork Borg is a low-prep cosmic horror RPG set in the gloomy jazz age. As it's name suggests, it's an aberrant mutation from the Mork Borg core ruleset with some interesting changes by Richard that help it feel fresh, wriggling, and fun for GMs and players looking to try something a bit lighter than Call of Cthulhu, but still fully capable of delivering horrors at the table. We also talk about a lot of different games & systems in this interview:

• It's Alive! Cthork Borg APs
• Where to find Richard Kelly: https://kumada1.itch.io/cthork-borg ; https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/382082/cthork-borg
• Stygian, a game of Lovecraftian RPG inspiration: https://store.steampowered.com/app/779290/Stygian_Reign_of_the_Old_Ones/
• Free copy of the Mork Borg Bare Bones edition: https://jnohr.itch.io/mrk-borg-free
• Richard's recommended games to check out:
• Behond the fence, Below the grave - https://t-akw.itch.io/beyond-the-fence-below-the-grave
• Mendicant Spell Vixens (not "Menda Can't Spell 'Vixens', as I have now learned) - https://kumada1.itch.io/mendicant-spell-vixens/purchase
• Hollow Halls - https://rotten-shotgun-games.itch.io/hollow-halls-shallow-grave-edition
• T.H.A.W. - https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/477078/thief-healer-arcanist-warrior

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes

In this second Choice Cuts episode, we dissect and reanimate 3 short one-shot scenarios and a card game(?) back-to-back in the following order:

• Lex shares Lights Out, by Joe Trier (starts ~1:19)
• Holly shares Spilsbury #9485 by Adam Gauntlett (starts ~10:22)
• Alex shares The Mummy of Pemberly Grange by Allan Carey & Nic Holland (starts ~25:38)
• And Nathan shares Wreck this Deck, which is definitely not a YuGiOh! RPG (starts ~36:11)

Lights Out and Spilsbury are part of the Fears Sharp Little Needles collection: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/245289/fear-s-sharp-little-needles-26-modern-day-call-of-cthulhu-scenarios Mummy of Pemberly Grange can be found here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/329641/the-mummy-of-pemberley-grange And Wreck this Deck can be found here: https://blackarmada.itch.io/wreck-this-deck

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes

In this episode, we provide our non-expert opinions on using props and handouts in TTRPGs, including both physical and digital versions for in-person or online games.

Consultations are more free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering madness can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads).

Links: Nathan's introduction of Professor Diggleby Invite to our Discord server Our free Patreon Freesound.org for free sound effects

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Episode Notes

In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Delta Green scenario Presence written by Shane Ivey. We give our tips and advice from having read, ran, and played this scenario both as a multi-session investigation, as well as an explosive one-shot! Also, here is the player-friendly map we referenced.

You can find the scenario at: https://shop.arcdream.com/products/delta-green-presence-paperback (Physical) or https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/432077/delta-green-presence-apu8165 (PDF)

And also check out both of our APs to see how different GMs can approach the same content:

• Nathan's 3-session run: https://youtu.be/tvRe-jKxKz4?si=cc5U9ETesof6ubq0
• Alex's explosive one-shot run: https://youtu.be/TrBUoqyxcPE?si=FF9beTgb7wTJtib3

You can chat with other listeners on our Discord ⁠⁠⁠and Reddit, and find more resources and downloadable episodes on our free Patreon.

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

This week, the RPG Reanimators discuss the dreadful game of Bedlam Hall, an RPG where you regrettably play the staff of a manor somewhere between Downton Abbey, the Addams Family, and Lemony Snickett. This in an Aberration where we focus a full system, rather than just a scenario.

Unfortunately, Bedlam Hall was written by David Kizzia and published with Monkeyfun Studios. If you would want to make the terrible decision of purchasing this system for yourself, you can find it secreted away from public view here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/216652/bedlam-hall?src=hottest_filtered

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Kingdoms - Consultation with Sophia Tinney

In this episode, we consult on the Kingdoms system with the author, Sophia Tinney! Sophia discusses the origin of the system, provides some guidance for game masters, and chats about the upcoming game Fever Dream Nexus. We reference our playthough of Kingdoms a fair bit in this episode, and you can find all 4 episodes (plus a session 0) on our It's Alive! AP series on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLkzg78zoNtepyAka8Wu7QePVVYx2XRpWP

You can pick up a copy of Kingdoms at https://dapirate.gumroad.com/ and can also follow the progress of Fever Dream Nexus at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dapirate/fever-dream-nexus

If you'd like to join our Discord for more discussions: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0%E2%81%A0

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we consult on a spreading case of Flash Cthulhu quick one-shot scenarios for Call of Cthulhu with Michael of MJRRPG. Michael shares his arcane knowledge of writing and running short (~1 hour) horror scenarios, and then the rest of the Reanimators discuss the scenario Sell Yourself, which was recently featured in our It's Alive! AP series on YouTube

You can also check out more of Michael's work at mjrrpg.com and by searching "Flash Cthulhu" on drivethrurpg

If you'd like to join our Discord for more discussions: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Pulp Call of Cthulhu scenario Field of Screams with the author Al Smith! The scenario is available at the following link:

PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/378340/field-of-screams

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Delta Green scenario Convergence written by John Tynes and available from Arc Dream Publishing (links below). Holly, Alex, and Nathan run through their combined experiences running this scenario to share their tips and advice while Lex stares at the pretty lights in the sky. We're also sharing some resources we've made and found via our Reanimator google drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FeQ4zrSAcZRsaQ4E_3y-T1T_N94HPAzo?usp=sharing

Reanimation starts around 36:33

Physical: https://shop.arcdream.com/products/delta-green-convergence-paperback

PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/415615/delta-green-convergence

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Delta Green scenario Music from a Darkened Room written by Dennis Detwiller and available as part of the Night at the Opera collection from Arc Dream Publishing (links below). Lex walks through his tips and advice from his "by the book" and reanimated runs of the scenario, and is also sharing the resources used in the last run via this google drive link (featuring art by Colin Richards!): https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1lnPU4vOvy6H9DnXZSti8hj8N9J3PZxks?usp=sharing

Reanimation starts around 35:39

Physical: ⁠https://shop.arcdream.com/collections/role-playing-games/products/delta-green-a-night-at-the-opera-hardback

PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/224323/delta-green-music-from-a-darkened-room

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, the Reanimators and special guest Intern Tyler Hudak dissect and reanimate the Alien RPG scenario Chariot of the Gods, written by Andrew E. C. Gaska and available as part of the Alien RPG Starter Set from Free League Publishing. Now with remastered audio!

Physical: https://freeleaguepublishing.com/shop/alien-rpg-2/starter-set/

Standalone PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/293977/alien-rpg-chariot-of-the-gods-scenario

Reanimation starts around 55:40

Tyler's run of Chariot of the Gods for Into the Darkness: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJQ7JbI3-ZhL7O8EWMgEzCptHKHpBoiSc

If you'd like to join the autopsy discussion on our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we continue our unofficial series on Gateway Scenarios by dissecting and reanimating the Call of Cthulhu scenario The Necropolis written by Leigh Carr and available via the following links as part of the Gateways to Terror collection from Chaosium. Featuring a special guest Jimmy the Intern (RIP...), and now with remastered audio!

Physical: ⁠https://www.chaosium.com/gateways-to-terror/⁠

PDF: ⁠https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/293105/gateways-to-terror⁠

Reanimation starts around 19:54

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

Now with remastered audio! In this episode, we dissect and reanimate the Call of Cthulhu scenario The Dead Boarder written by Todd Gardiner with Mike Mason and available via the following links as part of the Gateways to Terror collection from Chaosium:

Physical: https://www.chaosium.com/gateways-to-terror/

PDF: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/293105/gateways-to-terror

Reanimation starts around 55:40

If you'd like to join our Discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.

In this episode we consult on a serious case of considering Gateway Scenarios to introduce new players to the TTRPG hobby and more experienced players to new systems. We cover some of our favorite examples from across systems as well as what factors we look for when trying to identify new possible gateway scenarios. Now with remastered audio!

Consultations are more free-form topic discussions based on our own GM experiences, preferences, and gaming philosophies. We hope some of this gibbering madness can be helpful to other GMs dealing with, or considering using, these issues at their table (or at least add new and exciting chattering voices inside listener's heads).

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

Listen to a live recording of our panel at Chaosium Con 2024 where we discuss obstacles and ideas to help bring classic 1920s-30s Call of Cthulhu scenarios into modern settings, and Reanimate the classic Call of Cthulhu scenario The Haunting by Sandy Petersen as a case example! We've tried to boost the audio for participant questions as much as possible, but they are a bit quiet.

*This also serves as proof that we are in fact capable of walking among the living for short bursts out of direct sunlight, and anything you've heard to the contrary amounts to lies and slander.

Join us again in the Break Room as we decompress from playing and running games from Chaosium Con 2024 and discuss all the awesome people we had the chance to connect with! Now with remastered audio!

These Break Room discussions are meant to be very casual, and a slight break from our ususal TTRPG-related content so that we can seem more human in order to better blend in among the populace... We originally recorded this session in early January shortly after New Years, but alas release schedules got the better of us, so our resolutions may be slightly out of date. We hope you enjoy our chat and movie/book recommendations!

Here are the links for different folks and organizations we discussed in this ep!

https://www.colinrichardsart.com/

https://surrealsun.com/Scenarios/

https://www.prosperopublishing.com/2024/04/22/chaosium-con-iii-the-extended-cut/

https://mjrrpg.com/chaosium-con-2024/

https://www.patreon.com/voidrealmminis

https://www.inprnt.com/gallery/katrindirimart/

https://www.johnsumrow.com/

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution-free creative commons licensing.

In this episode, we discuss dissection and reanimation of the 1980s Call of Cthulhu analog horror scenario scenario Signal to Noise, written by Colin Richards. Now with remastered audio! You can find it on drivethruRPG at the following link:

https://preview.drivethrurpg.com/en/product/442567/signal-to-noise-a-1980s-analog-horror-scenario

Reanimation starts around 38:55

You can check out more of Colin's work at www.colinrichardsart.com

Our It's Alive! AP of this scenario: https://youtu.be/woGaUzeSrio?si=4AXMhJ9SP2xsYKdV

Some resources including Alex's revised bouts of madness, Lex's updated missing poster, and a list of analog horror media recs mentioned in our Google Drive here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1aRvB3lwLh9zcIfVe4mie5-uBgr_24A3f?usp=drive_link

And if you'd like to join the discussion our Discord: ⁠⁠https://discord.gg/R8Q6aeyVk8⁠⁠

All music and sound effects are sourced under attribution free creative commons licensing.