The Good Friends of Jackson Elias

Episode 148: The Dunwich Horror (part 2)

If you're already a backer, you should have received a couple of emails today, notifying you of something new from the Good Friends. We've set up a new backers-only RSS feed. You should find show 147 there, along with todays release, 148. You should also find another file there, entitled 'It's the Good Friends, but as you've never heard them before' (yeah, I'll work on the titling for future shows). 

Anyhow, this is an opportunity to hear us unedited, the full thing from start to f...

It's The Good Friends, but as you've never them heard before

We recently asked for suggestions on what extras backers would like. One of them was a request for some of the cuttings that lay on the editing room floor. Well, it seemed simplest to release the full studio recording (to be honest there were still a few very minor edits).

So here it is. We're going to try this for a few episodes. This will remain a backer-only exclusive. You can still listen to the regular show through all the normal channels. 

Please let us know what you th...

Ep 147: The Dunwich Horror (Part 1)

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2019/01/08/the-good-friends-investigate-the-dunwich-horror/

As well as being one of the foundational works of the Cthulhu Mythos, The Dunwich Horror set the template for a thousand Call of Cthulhu scenarios. More than any other Lovecraft story, it presents the kind of actions we m...

Episode 146: Heaven and Earth

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/12/25/episode-146-the-good-friends-are-moved-by-heaven-earth/

Heaven & Earth is a strange game, inspired by Twin Peaks, Christian theology, and, we assume, ridiculous quantities of hallucinogens. It is filled with weird Americana, eccentric characters and rich lore. While print editions are hard...

Pickman and ENWorld Nomination

Merry Christmas and seasons greetings everyone! Here's an exclusive treat for all you lovely people who back us on Patreon: Scott reads Pickman's Model, written by H. P. Lovecraft (we covered the story in episode 82).

http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/3/8/c/38cafada93d84cbc/...

Issue 4 Issues

It's been brought to our attention that some tomes have not survived postage. We'd like to apologise for this. If your issue failed to arrive, or was damaged in transit, please contact us and we'll send a replacement in January. And we'll be sure to use sturdier envelopes. 

New backers (those joining after Nov 25th 2018): rest assured your copies of the tome will also be sent out in January.

Thanks again to each and every one of you for backing the show. 

145: Two-Headed Serpent

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/12/11/episode-145-the-good-friends-charm-the-two-headed-serpent/

We’re back and we’re cocking our hats, lighting some torches and wondering where the hell all these snakes came from. Why did it have to be snakes? This is our look at how we developed  2018-12-11 14:46:41 +0000 UTC View Post

Dragonmeet Seminar

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/12/04/special-episode-the-good-friends-versus-the-smart-party-at-dragonmeet-2018/

We’re back and we’re once again locked in battle with our good friends Baz and Gaz from The Smart Party. For the first time since 2015, we managed to ...

Ep144: Cthulhu for Beginners

Looking at our grey hair and wizened features, it’s difficult to imagine that we were ever young. Yet here were are, trying to remember what it was like to start playing Call of Cthulhu. This would be so much easier if we were able to literally cast our minds back through time. Does anyone have a number for the Yithians?

Call of Cthulhu‘s position as one of the most popular tabletop...

Please check your shipping address on Patreon

Thanks for backing the show. In the next few weeks we'll be sending out issue 4 of the Blasphemous Tome and we want to ensure we have your address correct.

You can check by clicking on Your Profile > Edit Profile > Shipping Address

If it is incorrect please do update it. I've already edited address spreadsheets ready for making mailing labels, so it would really help if me if you could let me know of any changes by emailing me direct at paul@blasphemoustomes.com

One more thin...

143: Violence in Call of Cthulhu

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/11/13/episode-143-the-good-friends-tussle-over-the-role-of-violence-in-call-of-cthulhu/

If you’ve spent any time discussing Call of Cthulhu online, you’ve probably had someone tell you that if your investigator so much as enters combat, you’ve lost. This is a game of careful investig...

142: The Thing

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/10/30/episode-142-the-good-friends-are-consumed-by-the-thing/

The Good Friends of Jackson Elias podcast takes a special look at John Carpenter’s horror/science fiction classic, The Thing. As well as discussing the film itself, we talk about how it might inspire our games of Call of Cthulhu and other...

Bonus Episode: Tabletop Gaming Live Seminar

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/10/23/special-episode-tabletop-gaming-live-2018/

This year saw the first Tabletop Gaming Live event at Alexandra Palace, London. While its focus is mainly on board games and war games, there was some RPG presence. Chaosium were in attendance, offering demo games of Call of Cthulhu and Runequest all through the wee...

141: Improvisation

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/10/16/episode-141-the-good-friends-make-up-stuff-about-improvisation-in-rpgs/

Almost every new GM has felt that moment of panic when the players take the game in an unexpected direction. What should you do? Would it be fair to try to force them back towards what you have prepared? Are quick-witted enough to make ...

140: Nyarlathotep

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/10/02/episode-140-the-good-friends-crawl-before-nyarlathotep/

We’re back and we’re learning hideous secrets from Nyarlathotep, Messenger of the Outer Gods, signing his black book and hoping we recognise him next time we meet him. He can be difficult to pick out of a crowd, with the thousand masks and all. Given his reputatio...

Gen Con Unbound

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/09/18/episode-139-the-good-friends-meet-the-stars-of-gen-con-2018/

We’re discussing all the nifty Cthulhu-related stuff that happened at Gen Con 2018 (and one non-Cthulhu thing). Well, I say “we”, but this largely means Paul, as he’s the only one of us who went. To stop this being a monologue, however, he interviewe...

Ep138 Failure!

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/09/04/the-good-friends-of-jackson-elias-embrace-failure/

We’re back and we’re tripping over our feet, dropping our only torch and entirely failing to save the day. This is our look at the role of failure in RPGs. Or at least that’s what it’s supposed to be. I’m sure we’ll find some way to bugger it all up.

It’s ea...

Ep 137: Wild Acre

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/08/21/episode-137-the-good-friends-explore-wild-acre/

This episode is our discussion of Nathan Ballingrud’s short story, Wild Acre. While Wild Acre isn’t Lovecraftian horror, we thought it would make a good follow-up to our recent episode about 2018-08-22 15:16:04 +0000 UTC View Post

136: Insanity in Call of Cthulhu

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/08/07/episode-136-the-good-friends-analyse-insanity-in-call-of-cthulhu/

We’re back and we’re building on last episode‘s discussion of the theme of mental illness in Lovec...

Ep135: Insanity in Lovecraft

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/07/24/episode-135-the-good-friends-wrestle-with-insanity-in-lovecraft/

We start by discussing Lovecraft’s family history and his own experiences with mental illness. These undoubtedly shaped his work, and we offer some thoughts on the matter. Then, we move on to a few examples of insanity from Lovecraft’s work, tryi...

A look behind the Masks (Ep134)

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/07/10/the-good-friends-of-jackson-elias-discuss-masks-of-nyarlathotep-with-spoilers/

Would you like a peek behind the new Masks of Nyarlathotep? After 2018-07-10 11:04:22 +0000 UTC View Post

Ep133: Behind the Masks!

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/06/26/episode-133-the-good-friends-try-on-masks-of-nyarlathotep/

This is our spoiler-free discussion of the new edition of Masks of Nyarlathotep, with all four of the authors of the revision offering their inside views. Next episode, we...

Episode 132: Player Engagement

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/06/12/episode-132-the-good-friends-lock-onto-player-engagement/

We’re back and we’re dangling shiny things in front of our players, making encouraging noises and trying to direct their attention back to the game. This is our discussion of player engagement, specifically what engages us, the things we do to foster it and ho...

Ep131: Subterranean Spaces

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/05/29/episode-131-the-good-friends-delve-into-subterranean-spaces-in-call-of-cthulhu/

We’re back and we’re strapping on our headlamps, checking our harnesses and spelunking like our lives depended upon it. This is our look into subterranean spaces in Call of Cthulhu and Lovecraft. From his wo...

Episode 130: The Ritual

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/05/15/episode-130-the-good-friends-undergo-the-ritual/

We’re back and we’re lost in the woods. There seem to be some familiar landmarks, however. If we look to the left, there’s The Blair Witch Project. Over there on the right is The Wicker Man. And sneaking up behind us is just about every rural horror film mad...

Episode 129: Survival Horror

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/05/01/episode-129-the-good-friends-brave-the-dangers-of-survival-horror/

We’re back and we’re counting our shells, holding our breath and searching for somewhere to hide until dawn. This is our look at the subgenre of survival horror. While we might normally associate survival horror with video games, it certainly...

Episode 128: Cats!

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/04/17/episode-128-the-good-friends-play-with-cats-in-call-of-cthulhu/

We’re back and we’re chasing our tails, trying to lick our nether regions and hissing at anyone who looks at us funny. Meow. This is our look into the role of cats in Call of Cthulhu. Lovecraft was famously fond of cats. He kept them as pets t...

Invitation to online game with Matt Sanderson

Time: Tuesdays, each week, 8pm to 11pm GMT+1 (British Summer Time)

Start Date: 17th April 2018

Likely to run for 12 to 16 sessions. Please only apply to join if you are able to commit to play regularly. We will reserve the right to invite someone to take your place if attendance becomes irregular. 

It is the near future. Coldbrook House in Monmouthshire has been almost a ruin for as long as anyone can remember. It was once the family seat of a wealthy sheep farming family...

Ep127: Comedy in RPGs

http://blasphemoustomes.com/2018/04/03/episode-127-the-good-friends-have-a-laugh-over-comedy-in-rpgs/

We’re back and we’re splitting our sides, busting a gut and otherwise rupturing ourselves in the pursuit of comedy. It’s rare to find a gaming table where no one is laughing, even if the subject of the game is grim or horrible. Whether we like it o...

Good Friends Backer Chat, Tomorrow on Discord

Hey there - we're planning on conducting a 1-hour chat tomorrow, Saturday 24th March 2018, starting at 6pm GMT (a quick Google will convert that to whatever time zone you are in). 

This will be for backers only, and you're all invited. 

If you're not on Discord, you can find out about more with this link:

2018-03-23 15:44:01 +0000 UTC View Post