Lovecraftical metatext, fictional game

[ezraclaverie]

Dear Obsidian fans, and fans of _Wasteland_,

 

I'm posting here to tell you about a fiction project that might interest you, an illustrated book called _The Shadow out of Providence: A Lovecraftical Metatext_. It comprises two stories and a play loosely based on the work of Providence, RI, fantasist H. P. Lovecraft, and deals with--among other things--his influence on tabletop and computer gaming.

 

The longest story in the book, "The Vostok Dossier," is set in the world of HPL's _At the Mountains of Madness_. It presents itself as part of the documentation for a (fictional) video game based on a (fictional) 1970s pencil-and-paper RPG, based in turn on conspiracy theories about aliens under Antarctica. (It confuses even me, sometimes.)

 

Real-life game designer Erol Otus (STAR CONTROL II, DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS) illustrates "The Vostok Dossier," and appears as a character. Real-life game designer Sandy Petersen (DOOM, QUAKE, and CALL OF CTHULHU) also appears as a character. Real-life Petersen calls the book "highly entertaining."

 

We have launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund the design and printing. Learn more about the project and see finished artwork there: http://www.kickstart...craftical-metat

 

Please check out our campaign page and spread the word. We're short of our goal, and we have less than four days left!

 

--Ezra Claverie

ezra@shadowoutofprovidence.com

 

PS: Two examples of Otus's illustrations appear attached.