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I like to maintain a list of resources for running Mythos-heavy games here, for both my own use that for anyone else who finds it handy. This is the latest version, as of 15 December 2011. I hope some of you out there find it useful. Expect an updated thread whenever I feel like there's been sufficient additions to warrant updating it, or whenever I get bored and feel like doing so.
It's vitally important to read Lovecraft himself, I recommend H.P. Lovecraft: The Complete Fiction. It doesn't include his juvenile works or his 'revisions' but it's a very good collection for a great price. While entirely incompatible with the Pathfinder system, Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu RPG [PDF] is also a great resource, along with it's Malleus Monstrorum [PDF] and Dreamlands [PDF] supplements. These are not only great resources for a Mythos Pathfinder game, they form an amazing game themselves!
First, and most important, is the AP volume, Wake of the Watcher. In addition to the bestiary (covered below) it contains the article "Cults of the Dark Tapestry", which gives the most in-depth look so far at the deities of the Mythos. You'll also want to use the GameMastery Guide, specifically the section entitled "Sanity and Madness". These are a vital component of a Mythos-based game. And finally, the cults of the Outer Gods and Great Old Ones are given some more attention in Faiths of Corruption. Now on to everyone's favorite part...
Monsters!
- Bestiary - Ghoul, Shoggoth, Skum (Deep One)
- Bestiary 2 - Denizen of Leng, Gug, Hound of Tindalos, Leng Spider, Serpentfolk, Shantak
- Bestiary 3 - Moon-Beast, Voonith, Yithian, Zoog
- Carrion Hill - Spawn of Yog-Sothoth
- Wake of the Watcher - Colour Out of Space, Dark Young of Shub-Niggurath, Dimensional Shambler, Elder Thing, Gnoph-Keh, Mi-Go, Moit of Shub-Niggurath, Star-Spawn of Cthulhu
- The Brinewall Legacy: Ratling (Rat-Thing)
A few of these have expanded information available in their monster entries for AP volumes.
- Denizen of Leng: Spires of Xin-Shalast
- Gug: Skeletons of Scarwall
- Hound of Tindalos: Fortress of the Stone Giants
Also, a nice big article on ghouls is found in Classic Horrors Revisited.
Adventures
- Carrion Hill - "The Dunwich Horror", only on Golarion.
- Crucible of Chaos - What's left behind when a flying citadel flown by Azathoth cultists crashes? Do you really want to find out?
- From Shore to Sea - It's essentially a fantasy version of "Shadow Over Innsmouth".
- Wake of the Watcher - This one also evokes "Shadow Over Innsmouth", but as part of the larger Carrion Crown AP.
What I'd like to see in the future:
I'd like to see at least three more Mythos "deities" added: Ghatanothoa, Rhan-Tegoth, and Tsathoggua. Also, I'd love it if the list of monsters was expanded to include the following: Byakhee, Dhole, Flying Polyp, Hunting Horror, Shan (Insect from Shaggai), and Nightgaunt.
I've resisted the temptation to add 3PP stuff to the list, because attempting to make ot comprehensive while adding in 3PP stuff would be impossible. But lots of good Mythos stuff is out there in the wilds of 3PP offerings. Anyhow, I hope some of you find this useful. Feel free to add your own suggestions. Maybe I'll even incorporate them into the next update of this thread.
What are the Moon Beast, Voonith and Zoog CR, Abilities, appearance, etc. in the Beastairy 3?
Nice Lovecratian listing Kthulhu.
I suppose one of us who owns the d20 Call of Cthulhu could try to translate some of the creatures not already converted to Pathfinder. I've been meaning to do it, but I'm awful busy lately.
Tsathoggua is in the Tome of Horrors. He's an Earth-bound GOO, so that's probably why he doesn't appear in PF.
The Shan come from Ramsey Campbell and are still under copyright (the author is alive and still writing), as are Glaaki and Y'golonac, two of my favorite deities. The other two - Rhan-Tegoth and Ghatanothoa - are probably out of copyright now, since they originated with Lovecraft's rewrites of clients' work for magazines.
Of course, versions of the copyrighted Mythos creatures did make it into d20 via the d20 Cthulhu rules.
There is a lot of info on Serpentfolk in the Serpent's Skull AP, naturally. Apparently the Denizens of Leng are in Tian Xia according to the new Gazetteer.
There aren't many CoC books that could be ported with minimal work to Golarion, but it's possible to do it with most of the campaigns, though a major undertaking.
Any adventure set primarily in the Dreamlands is a probable easy fit.
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What are the Moon Beast, Voonith and Zoog CR, Abilities, appearance, etc. in the Beastairy 3?
Nice Lovecratian listing Kthulhu.
Moonbeast - CR 11. This creature has a pale, froglike appearance with clawed hands, no eyes, a wide mouth, and a snout ending in pink tentacles. Wisdom Drain
Voonith - CR 4. This brightly colored, long-necked amphibian has six legs, a fanged snout, and numerous finlets running down its spine. Blood-Freezing Howl
Zoog - CR 1. This skittish amalgam of beast parts has luminous eyes, a rat’s tail, simian appendages, and tendrils extending from a mole-like nose. Otherworldly Touch, Spell Sight
Some out of the box useful stuff from Chaosium:
CHA 23112 - "H.P. Lovecraft's Dreamlands," 5th edition, is still in print. It's been criticized for having too much Lumley in it, however. The 3rd edition was pre-Lumley and is closer to Lovecraft, but is out of print. They have several adventures included.
CHA 2368 - "The Dreaming Stone", 1997 by Kevin Ross, is set almost entirely in the Dreamlands.
There's also the d20 Cthulhu rules. Should mostly be compatible, after you calculate CMD for everybody.
In terms of Golarion's analogues to Lovecraft Country, most of the places are in Ustalav.
Arkham = Rozenport
Innsmouth = Illmarsh
Dunwich = more or less Carrion Hill
Kingsport = probably Thrushmoor
The Plateau of Leng has links to the mountains of northern Varisia, of course.
And the Plane of Dreams is possibly identical to Earth's Dreamlands.
Thanks for the info Kthulhu.
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Also, I'd love it if the list of monsters was expanded to include the following: Byakhee, Dhole, Flying Polyp, Hunting Horror, Shan (Insect from Shaggai), and Nightgaunt.
Before he gets on here an crucifies me, I'll tell my side of the story.
James wrote up three of the monsters above for Pathfinder #46: Wake of the Watcher and I cut them. Hold your stones.
It was a choice between cutting six pages out of the adventure, cutting six pages out of his 8 page Old Ones article, or cutting three monsters from an already expanded Bestiary. I decided upon the latter. (And hardly a week passes that I'm not reminded of this decision.)
I stand by my decision, though, as aside from not neutering something else awesome in #46, it means that we've got a strong cornerstone already laid for an upcoming Lovecraft dominated Bestiary in Pathfinder Adventure Path. Just don't expect it shoehorned into something that has nothing to do with Lovecraftian themes. In other words, don't be disappointed when the last Jade Regent doesn't have a hardcore Lovecraft Bestiary (Spoiler: That one has - SHOCK! - a bunch of Japanese monsters).
So worry not! We know where gaps in Lovecraft coverage are and plans have already been laid to fill them. Unspeakable plans. 2012 plans.
Oh, I'll just tell you what they are... but... I hear a noise at the door, as of some immense slippery body lumbering against it. It shall not find me. God, that hand! The window! The window!
Wes's failed sanity roll reminds me of when my CoC group decided to build their safehouse with round rooms only, so as to eliminate the corners in case the Hounds of Tindalos came around again.
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Before he gets on here an crucifies me, I'll tell my side of the story.
James wrote up three of the monsters above for Pathfinder #46: Wake of the Watcher and I cut them. Hold your stones.
No need for stones. It's all cool, I'm not demanding that they appear NOW or anything. I'm just listing my desires for Mythos monsters, and hope that you take them into account for the future.
So worry not! We know where gaps in Lovecraft coverage are and plans have already been laid to fill them. Unspeakable plans. 2012 plans.
Full-on Mythos AP for 2012 CONFIRMED!!!
Or possibly Horrors of the Mythos: Revisited.
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I suppose one of us who owns the d20 Call of Cthulhu could try to translate some of the creatures not already converted to Pathfinder.
I did this (sort of) for my 3.5 RotRL game...
When I ran "Fortress of the Stone Giants", I took the Hound of Tindolas entry from the d20 Call of Cthulhu book and meshed that with the entry from the AP's bestiary to give a "Golarion" feel to it...
I essentially "beefed up" a CR 3 creature (d20 CoC), to a CR 7 creature to match that of the Hound as listed in the AP...
It worked great...
There is a very handy book called 'The Cthulhu Mythos Encyclopaedia' by Daniel Harris. It's a whopping 382 pages of lost sanity points... I mean - reference material.
Also, I'd love it if the list of monsters was expanded to include the following: Byakhee, Dhole, Flying Polyp, Hunting Horror, Shan (Insect from Shaggai), and Nightgaunt.Before he gets on here an crucifies me, I'll tell my side of the story.
James wrote up three of the monsters above for Pathfinder #46: Wake of the Watcher and I cut them. Hold your stones.
It was a choice between cutting six pages out of the adventure, cutting six pages out of his 8 page Old Ones article, or cutting three monsters from an already expanded Bestiary. I decided upon the latter. (And hardly a week passes that I'm not reminded of this decision.)
I stand by my decision, though, as aside from not neutering something else awesome in #46, it means that we've got a strong cornerstone already laid for an upcoming Lovecraft dominated Bestiary in Pathfinder Adventure Path. Just don't expect it shoehorned into something that has nothing to do with Lovecraftian themes. In other words, don't be disappointed when the last Jade Regent doesn't have a hardcore Lovecraft Bestiary (Spoiler: That one has - SHOCK! - a bunch of Japanese monsters).
So worry not! We know where gaps in Lovecraft coverage are and plans have already been laid to fill them. Unspeakable plans. 2012 plans.
Oh, I'll just tell you what they are... but... I hear a noise at the door, as of some immense slippery body lumbering against it. It shall not find me. God, that hand! The window! The window!
Nice Dagon reference.
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Nice Dagon reference.
Oh, I'll just tell you what they are... but... I hear a noise at the door, as of some immense slippery body lumbering against it. It shall not find me. God, that hand! The window! The window!
I just figured James was about to take out his vengeance for cutting three Mythos monsters. :P
I just figured James was about to take out his vengeance for cutting three Mythos monsters. :PNice Dagon reference.
Oh, I'll just tell you what they are... but... I hear a noise at the door, as of some immense slippery body lumbering against it. It shall not find me. God, that hand! The window! The window!
"The end is near. I hear a noise at the door, as of some immense slippery body lumbering against it. It shall not find me. God, that hand! The window! The window!" - Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft
I am writing an article on sanity, which I intend to submit to the Unspeakable Oath, and Dagon is one of the short stories I have been re-reading to help with it. As such I spotted it right away. :D
AH :D
Having not read Bestiary 3 yet, couldn't we put the Zombie variant from Howard in with the mythos?
I'm bookmarking this page!
PS Are Mu Spore Lovecraftian? As in being from the continent of Mu?
Also, there is the Great Race of Yith. We can't forget them... because they are among us...
I am prepping a Mythos-centric adaptation of Age of Worms and will be inserting lots of Mythos beasties so this list is hands down awesome. Plus, I would drop my money on a Mythos book or AP.
I was planning on just using the Pathfinder Conversion Guide to update the creatures listed in Call of Cthulhu d20 but if I don't have to, awesomeness.
Nevermind, I see the Yithians are in Bestiary 3. Failed Perception check FTW!
There's a nice Sanity system in the Player's guide to Freeport.
I am pretty much obliged to dot this.
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Well, one year later, to the day, there's enough stuff to warrant an update to this thread. Of course, the big addition is:
Into the Nightmare Rift. It adds three of the monsters that were on my personal wishlist: the bholes (aka dholes), the flying polyps, and the nightgaunts. It also includes a gazetteer for the demiplane of Leng.
Still a few things I'd love to see at some point:
- Byakhee and Hunting Horror stats
- Gazetteer for the Dimension of Dreams (ie, the Dreamlands)
- Great Old Ones Ghatanothoa, Rhan-Tegoth, and Tsathoggua given the deity treatment...yeah, they're based on Earth, but that doesn't stop Cthulhu from having cults in Golarion
- Bestiary 4 - a full conversion of the entire Malleus Monstrorum (Ha! Just kidding...feel free to leave out Brian Lumley's "good twin" nonsense)
I'd also like to mention that the Wendigo is in both Bestiary 2 and Mythic Monsters Revisited, although Ithaqua, the GOO will likely be more powerful.
Of course, we are currently in the Reign of Winter, so maybe he'll make an appearance?
Mystery Monsters Revisited make a brief mention of Leng in reference to Yeti..portals to leng are what they are guarding basically.
Uh...we don't have a complete list of monsters in Bestiary 4 yet, although we know it includes 3 Great Old Ones (including Cthulhu) and is reprinting Starspawn and Nightgaunts.
Should the list include stuff in the Pathfinders Tales line?
Great for fluff.
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Unless I've missed something, these are the Mythos monsters that appear in Bestiary 4.
Bhole (CR 17)
Colour Out of Space (CR 10)
Demon Lord, Dagon (CR 28)
Elder Thing (CR 5)
Flying Polyp (CR 14)
Great Old One, Bokrug (CR 27)
Great Old One, Cthulhu (CR 30)
Great Old One, Haster (CR 29)
Mi-Go (CR 6)
Nightgaunt (CR 4)
Ratling (CR 2)
Spawn of Yog-Sothoth (CR 10)
Star Spawn of Cthulhu (CR 20)
Some of these appeared previously but at the very least the big bads are new.
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*casts epic thread resurrection*
Bestiary 5 is here and we have Strange Aeons on the horizon so why not return to this thread?
From what I can tell, B5 has only deep ones and ghouls to add to the mix, though I may have missed something. With the next AP being a for real mythos romp I suspect the powers that be are saving the good stuff for this winter.
Didn't see it posted anywhere here but what about aboleths? They seem pretty lovecraftian in design?