HPLHS News & Events Winter 2021

Funds Raised!

• March 2, 2021

Thanks to the humbling generosity of the HPLHS community, we have now met our goal of raising $20,000 to help acquire a collection of original letters from HPL to Frank Belknap Long. The funds have already been donated to Brown University, which will join them with other donations from S.T. Joshi and Derrick Hussey to purchase the collection. Brown will make the purchase of the collection this spring and they're hopeful to add them to their online digital repository by late summer.

Even though we've reached our goal, we're keeping the fundraiser open for another month or so. 100% of the additional funds we receive will be donated to Brown, meaning the HPLHS will contribute a larger share of the overall total price than we originally committed to. We know there are people who would like to participate in this process but haven't been able to yet. Your contribution is important and valued.

Featured Member

• March 1, 2021

Our Member of the Month for March, 2021 is Joshua Willenbring, of Kenosha, Wisconsin.

Joshua says: "In one form or another horror has almost always been a part of my life. Growing up my father was — and still is — a big fan of B-list horror movies. So watching all those overly gory, jump scare style movies you would think I was a huge horror buff. What happened was exactly the opposite; it actually put me off horror. It all felt too samey: scary man kills dumb teenagers, dumb teenagers escape or all die. I eschewed the genre entirely until high-school. It was there I started seriously reading Poe, and found out that I actually did enjoy horror. The difference being that I could put my own imagination to work on what was happening. This only got better as “Cthulhu Fever” hit my school. I had been on the fringes of that fever and didn't really dive into it. I enjoyed the surface knowledge and jokes my friends and I made. It wasn't until a few years ago that I told myself it was time to knuckle down and actually read the mythos stories. My progress has admittedly been slow but I understand more of the jokes now!

I actually found out about the HPLHS because I started running Call of Cthulhu online for some friends. I was looking for The Masks of Nyarlathotep module and found the prop set here. Then found the D.A.R.T. plays, and before I knew it I was planning listening sessions for my gaming group. It's been a lot of fun writing out scenarios for my players, as most of them have no background with Lovecraft's work. So just about anything I throw at them is shocking and new, and I haven't even touched most of the mythos creatures...yet. I do hope one day to properly emulate a mythos story into a session, and achieve the same mind bending horror the story conveys. ​

Overall my admittedly short time in the society has been great. I love the creativity and memorabilia that's sprung up from the group (I absolutely love the Innsmouth Sea Shanties). I really only have two concerns about my continued membership. One, that I find enough shelf space to accommodate my new addiction. Two, that I never see any slightly hunched dark figures emerging from Lake Michigan (I live very close to the shore).”

Hacked?!

• March 1, 2021

On Friday, February 26, the HPLHS Twitter account had over 11,000 followers and a very lengthy timeline full of interesting things.

Early the next morning we got an email alert that some unknown entity in Köln, Germany had logged in to the account, and now our timeline is empty and we had only three followers: Hello Si! Hi Bryan! Thanks Fred!

Multiple attempts to get help from Twitter support have so far yielded only the automated response that they can find no history of our account. We yet hope for a happy resolution to this incident but if you have been a follower of the HPLHS on Twitter please be aware that something very strange is going on there and we have no control of it.

UPDATE: (March 2) Thanks to some very friendly folks at Reddit (thanks Ryan!) we think we have a better idea of what happened. It would seem someone stole the account in the hope of holding it for ransom. We may never be able to recover it (or want to now that it is filling up with bots and spam), but we have begun the process of starting a new one. Once we have exhausted all support options with Twitter itself, we'll post another update. We do apologize if anyone is getting spammed from the old account.

Long Letters

• February 18, 2021

A large trove of letters from HPL to his longtime friend and collaborator Frank Belknap Long, many of them never before published, is being sold by a private collector. We are proud to have joined forces with prominent Lovecraft scholars David E. Schultz and S.T. Joshi, and Hippocampus Press publisher Derrick Hussey, to purchase the collection in order to donate it to the John Hay Library at Brown University, where it will be permanently housed and made available to researchers and fans.

The cost is not inconsiderable, but we are committed to providing our full portion. If you'd like to pitch in, you will be rewarded with a lovely personalized certificate suitable for framing. For a larger donation you can also receive a detailed replica of a wonderful ten-page letter from HPL to Long that is already in the John Hay collection, in which Lovecraft tells of his unbridled joy at returning home to Providence after his stay in New York, and provides a hand-drawn floorplan of his new room in College Street.

If you'd like to contribute to the fund-raising effort, CLICK HERE! Card-carrying members of the HPLHS who contribute on the third tier will receive both rewards plus the bonus stamp shown above!

New Shirt

• February 18, 2021

When we saw this striking linoleum cut portrait of HPL by British artist James Temperley, we thought it would look terrific on a t-shirt. So here it is! Now available in the store HERE!

Pro Jo Replica

• February 18, 2021

We just couldn't help ourselves. We made a detailed typographic replica of the feature article about Lovecrft from Section III, page 6 of the Providence Sunday Journal of December 26, 1943 and had it printed up at full size on real newsprint. We included a back, which is technically page 1 of Section III, but it includes a lot of material more interesting than what was on page 5.

You can get a copy of your own HERE!

A Precious Document

• February 7, 2021

The day after Christmas in 1943, the Providence Sunday Journal ran a lengthy article in its book section about HPL, in conjunction with the release of Arkham House's second volume of his fiction. Written by literary editor W. T. Scott, it is a very nice, and occasionally prescient, profile of Lovecraft and his contributions to literature.

Sean Branney scored a copy of the original, and it is now framed and hanging in the library here at Society HQ! Andrew has made a detailed typographical replica which can be downloaded as a PDF, and he'll send a link to those who ask via e-mail.

Featured Member

• February 1, 2021

Our Member of the Month for February, 2021 is Sue Hill, of Hancock, Michigan. Sue has generously served the society as a science advisor for a number of episodes of Dark Adventure Radio Theatre, and shares a few shelfies with us.

Sue says: "The first story I read was "Dagon", back in the mid-'80s. I was blown away by the surreal imagery of the slimy expanse and monolith. I never got a chance to roleplay, but I read pretty much everything by Lovecraft before finishing grad school. I did physics research abroad and was thrilled to visit some strange locales, like unknowable London (according to Machen), Highgate Cemetery, Stonehenge, Dover Castle, Lliogor-land Wales (Colin Wilson), Paris (could not find the Rue d’Auseil), and Toledo (The Pit and The Pendulum). I dwell in the frozen lands of Ithaqua now, but I hope to visit the motherland Providence some day.

When the internet and Facebook emerged, I joined the HPLHS main Facebook group early on. Later I became a Society member and have enjoyed the sanctuary-like ambience of the weird and august member’s group. I love all the Society productions, especially The Whisperer in Darkness. Participating in the annual Eldritch Elf exchange has revealed the stunning generosity and artistry shown by members across the globe.

The best part of the group is the camaraderie. One can find a balance of quirky supportiveness in the members, against the “new norm” inflicted by current events. I’ve had the privilege of acting as a Science Accomplice on Society projects, such as consulting physicist on the Dark Adventure Radio Theatre production of “Mad Science.” I also like to watch short films and write microfiction, so I hope that the HPLHS, Arkham Bazaar, HPL Film Festival, H. P. Lovecraft Archive, and all such affiliates persist until the Sun cools and we need to escape into other forms.”

A Treasured Relic

• January 31, 2021

About 35 years ago, HPLHS founding member Phil Bell created one of the most remarkable props for a game of Cthulhu Lives!™ yet made: The Disc of Cad Goddeu. Recovering this disc, translating its inscription and using it in a bloody ritual was the focus of the game, and it has been sitting at headquarters, drying, splitting, and gathering a bit of dust ever since. We recently built a proper display case for it and shipped it back to Phil, who is now a respectable professor of education in Seattle. But before we consigned it to the mercy of the parcel service, we snapped a photo or two.

The plaque says: "The Disc of Cad Goddeu. Rowan wood (Sorbus acuparia) 10 in. diameter x 4 in. height. Created, according to legend, during the "Battle of the Trees" c. 200 B.C.E., described in the medieval Welsh poem Cad Goddeu, and claimed to be the oldest surviving example of an ogham inscription in wood. The top of the disc bears carving of an allegorical depiction of a druidic deity, Arawn.

"The poem describes a battle between Gwydion and Arawn, the Lord of Annwn, or the Otherworld. The poem is especially notable for its striking and enigmatic symbolism. Thomas Stephens held the poem to concern 'a Helio-Arkite superstition, the metempsychosis of a Chief Druid, and a symbolical account of the Deluge'. Gerald Massey's monumental work on African origins suggested that the poem reflected Egyptian religion.

"The poem refers to a traditional story in which the legendary enchanter Gwydion animates the trees of the forest to fight as his army. The trees that fought in the battle correspond to the ogham alphabet, in which each character is associated with a particular tree. Each tree had a meaning and significance of its own, and Gwydion won the battle by guessing the name of one of Arawn's men, Bran, because of the alder branch Bran carried. Graves argued that the original poet had concealed druidic secrets about an older matriarchal Celtic religion for fear of censure from Christian authorities.

"Arawn's memory is retained in a traditional saying found in an old Cardigan folktale: Hir yw'r dydd a hir wy'r nos, a hir yw aros Arawn 'Long is the day and long is the night, and long is the waiting of Arawn'."

Happy New Year!

• January 4, 2021

Sometimes we thought it would never end. Sometimes we thought everything was about to end. 2020 was a tough year for everyone, for a lot of reasons. We're glad it's over, and although many challenges remain we look forward to better days ahead.

Featured Member

• January 4, 2021

Our Member of the Month for January, 2021 is Nicholas Corkigian, of Ontario, Canada.

Nicholas says: My very first exposure to the Cthulhu Mythos was back in 1980 with the original Deities and Demigods AD&D manual. The descriptions and artwork caught my attention and imagination, and I sought out those referenced Lovecraft tomes. I bought all of the Ballantine editions, and read through them one after the other. I started noticing ads in Dragon Magazine. First, that Indiana Jones guy for Grenadier miniatures, and then eventually the Chaosium ads for their Call of Cthulhu game. I found a copy of the second edition of the game, and have been hooked on Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos ever since.

I attended the occasional gaming conventions. As comic conventions became more mainstream, I dabbled in cosplay. Steampunk and Doctor Who were my favourites to do. I realized, however, that I got more enjoyment out of gaming, especially LARPs where I can still dress up. Of course, my favourite LARPs are Cthulhu-themed.

Up until recently, I was only a casual visitor to the HPLHS web site. Then I discovered DART audios. And then of course the props. I really like the props. Last year, I thought my lack of membership needed to be remedied.

As a child of media, the Call has wormed its way into all aspects of my life: books, comics, games, movies, clothing, props. With some subtle influence, some of my son’s earliest words have been ‘Cthulhu fhtagn’. Corruption, they say, starts at home. It's not easy having a malevolent shapeless monster like that hanging over your head, but there it is!”

Featured Member

• December 9, 2020

Our Member of the Month for December, 2020 is Brian Overton of Cary, North Carolina.

Brian says: "Hi, I am Brian, a joyful member of HPLHS. The web didn’t extinguish the HPLHS, and I came back at a certain time of the week when a new post would appear. They sold a couple of quirky items, saying they “thought it would be fun,” and I bought them under the fabricated Affliction Reduction Incorporated business as Dr. B.P. Overton. While a real archaeologist, I hold no such honored degree."

HPLHS really nurtured a good, healthy fun with HPL, roleplaying and props. By posting regularly, before visual social media bloomed, they keep me coming back and grew my greater HPL fandom. I met them at NecronomiCon, choosing to spend near a week in Providence R.I. over being with my loving and tolerant wife on her birthday which is one day removed from HPL. I have been honored to be a member and learn more about HPL and his thoughts and times from the recent podcasts, yet another successful endeavor by the Society. I have collected too much Cthulhu stuff – my daughters say the name perfectly. The Facebook group and Eldritch Elf brings a lot of fun into my life – as a Christmas baby, I really look forward to the exchange."

May your CthulhuGram arrive soon, frequently and bursting with stamps."

2021 Member Stamp

• November 27, 2020

The official membership renewal stamp for 2021 is now available. With the rod of Asclepius and a pair of shaking hands, the design is meant to convey a hope for healing and unity in the year ahead. All members who join or renew after today's date will be getting the new stamp on their documents.

Featured Member

• November 3, 2020

Our Member of the Month for November, 2020 is Sean Whittaker of Vancouver, British Columbia.

Sean says: "I first encountered Lovecraft’s fiction as a young reader in the mid-80s at the same time as my close circle of friends were becoming enthusiastic fans of a new hobby, role-playing games! Serendipitously I discovered the existence of Call of Cthulhu a couple of years later which provided the best of both worlds. I have remained a devoted fan of both Lovecraft’s cosmic horror tales and collaborative story-telling ever since.

Given my lifelong affinity for books it should come as no surprise that my bookshelves have, over time, become the repository for Lovecraft’s complete works of fiction, nearly all of the Dark Adventure radio plays, and many items from the catalogues of Chaosium and other publishers of Lovecraftian horror role-playing games. If there is a blessing to be found in this challenging year of 2020 it’s that I’ve found more time with my friends to explore some of Lovecraft’s ideas around both physical and virtual tables. Now if only my group’s enjoyment of the HPLHS’ props for Masks of Nyarlathotep was not so constrained by social distancing . . ."

The Curse of Yig!

• October 31, 2020

"The Curse of Yig" is now complete and downloads are available! The CDs are now in replication and we'll begin shipping physical product as soon as they're done, hopefully within a week or two. Be sure to check out the page for the show!

Ogham Returns

• October 31, 2020

Innsmouth's most popular crooner is back with a new live concert album. Recorded with a live band in front of an audience in Stockholm in 2012, this mix of old favorites and a couple of new tunes has been expertly remixed and mastered. Each download also comes with a link and password to see a Mythoscopic movie of the entire concert. Don't miss it!

Our Library

• August 4, 2020

The catalog of the HPLHS library is now viewable online! It's not complete, and probably never will be, but you can now go take a look at the vast majority of titles the society keeps in its collection. It's the ultimate shelfie!

Our sincere thanks to HPLHS member Kevin Miller, who works at the Huntington Library, for making us aware of Library Thing and for patiently guiding us through the initial stages of setting up our own catalog there.

The HPLHS library is a research collection, amassed over the course of decades. Three of the founding members, Sean Branney, Andrew Leman and Darrell Tutchton have contributed most of the volumes, but we have quite a number of contributions from other members as well. We are proud to include three books that were the personal property of H.P. Lovecraft himself, plus one handwritten Lovecraft letter, as well as Arkham House first editions from the library of Wilum Hopfrog Pugmire and Call of Cthulhu gaming supplements from the library of Larry DiTillio. We have lots of interesting material on Lovecraft, weird fiction and nonfiction, gaming, the history of the 1920s and '30s, and graphic design. We do not lend books at the present time, but society members and the general public are welcome to pay a visit to headquarters and check out the library in person!

We are still adding to the catalog. The society has a collection of emphemera that has only begun to be included, so check again in the months ahead to see the additions!