We’re back and we’re digging through our family tree. Or should that be digging up our family tree? Either way, we dig it. While The Case of Charles Dexter Ward doesn’t precisely advocate for raising the dead, it doesn’t make it look wholly unappealing either. Just remember to store your essential saltes in a waterproof container. Tupperware is perfect. We don’t want to be messing around with ye liveliest awfulness again. It took ages to get the stains out of the carpet last time!

Main Topic: The Case of Charles Dexter Ward part 1

We are beginning our investigation into The Case of Charles Dexter Ward, which will run for five episodes. This is Lovecraft’s longest work, perhaps more deserving of the description “novel” than At the Mountains of Madness or The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath. Despite this, it is arguably the most overlooked of Lovecraft’s major works. A shame, as this represents Lovecraft at his most Gothic, weaving a surprisingly subtle tale of witchcraft, necromancy, and dark family secrets.

As ever, we start out by discussing the origins and influences of the tale, before picking the story itself apart in search of gaming inspiration. We plan to conclude this run of episodes with a look into the various adaptations of The Case of Charles Dexter Ward.

Links

Things we mention in this episode include:

Background and Influences

• At the Mountains of Madness by HP Lovecraft
• The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath by HP Lovecraft
• A Dreamer and a Visionary: HP Lovecraft in His Time by ST Joshi
• I Am Providence: The Life and Times of HP Lovecraft by ST Joshi
• Lord of a Visible World: An Autobiography in Letters by HP Lovecraft, ST Joshi, and David E Schultz
• Lovecraft and a World in Transition by ST Joshi
• The New Annotated HP Lovecraft, edited by Leslie Klinger
• HP Lovecraft Historical Society readings of Lovecraft
• Dark Adventure Radio Theatre
• “The Shadow Over Innsmouth” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar” by Edgar Allan Poe
• The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
• Salem witch trials

• “The Dreams in the Witch House” by HP Lovecraft
• The Return by Walter de la Mare
• “Supernatural Horror in Literature” by HP Lovecraft
• “Count Magnus” by MR James
• The House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne
• Pierre Borel
• Eurotrash
• Cotton Mather
• Magnalia Christi Americana by Cotton Mather
• The New Annotated HP Lovecraft: Beyond Arkham, edited by Leslie Klinger
• The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck by Mark Manson
• Weird Tales
• Beyond the Wall of Sleep by HP Lovecraft
• Collected Fiction, A Variorum Edition by HP Lovecraft

The Story

• “The Thing on the Doorstep” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Call of Cthulhu” by HP Lovecraft
• The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
• The Last Symbol by Dan Brown
• Medieval minuscules
• First Baptist Church in America
• Stampers Hill
• “From Beyond” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Dunwich Horror” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Rats in the Walls” by HP Lovecraft
• Qanoon-e-Islam
• The Necronomicon
• “The Festival” by HP Lovecraft
• “Herbert West–Reanimator” by HP Lovecraft
• “The Terrible Old Man” by HP Lovecraft
• “Shada”
• Dirk Gently
• Horror on the Orient Express board game

News

Full Fathom Five on Into the Darkness

Our good friends at Into the Darkness are having a whale of a time with Paul’s Call of Cthulhu scenario, “Full Fathom Five”. Join the crew, with Stefan as captain Keeper, for some nautical terrors.

October Horror Movie Challenge

October is nearly here, which can only mean one thing: Scott is about to watch a lot of horror films. Specifically, he shall post a review here every day throughout the month as his way of taking part in the October Horror Movie Challenge. If you fancy taking part, or just talking about some of the films you’re watching, why not join the discussion on The Good Friends of Jackson Elias Discord server?

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