325: Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
Release Date: 11/03/2025
332: Religious Horror, with Zach Reeves
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We’re back and we’re trying to muster up some faith. Sure, we understand that the Mythos is utterly indifferent to crucifixes and holy water, but maybe we can still find some comfort in religion. But we’re also worried that the wrong kind of belief could end up doing more harm than good, especially if it all turns a bit fanatical. Maybe religious horror is more complicated than just muttering a few prayers and hoping for the best. We haven’t got a prayer, have we? Main Topic: Religious Horror From vampire hunters wielding crucifixes to Taoist priests battling jiangshi with talismans,...
info_outline
331: Connecting Call of Cthulhu Scenarios, with Zach Reeves
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We’re back and we’re stringy Main Topic: Connecting Scenarios in Call of Cthulhu Call of Cthulhu is famous for its epic published campaigns. We’ve all played elaborate treks around the world, punching eldritch evil in the face. But what about the less formal approach where we string together often unconnected adventures into an ad hoc campaign? How do we adapt scenarios to this approach? What are some of the possible pitfalls? And are there any specific tips we’ve picked up over the years? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Zach Reeves to The Good Friends of Jackson...
info_outline
330: Cryptids and Call of Cthulhu, with Paula Deming
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We’re back and we’re blurry. Sure, your camera phone might have all the pixels, but we remain resolutely out of focus. You don’t get to maintain your status as a cryptid by being discernible. Mothman would never speak to us again. And before you complain, do you really want a clear picture of the Michigan Dogman’s notorious genitals? Actually, on second thoughts, don’t answer that one. Main Topic: Cryptids and Call of Cthulhu Call of Cthulhu is full of strange creatures that live in the dark corners of the world, only occasionally encountered by unlucky humans. But how does...
info_outline
329a: Just One More Thing - sample episode
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
info_outline
329: Cthulhu and Board Games, with Paula Deming
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We’re back and we’re wiping ichor off our meeples. Cthulhu and board games can be a messy combination, but also a popular one. Cynics may tell you that this is because Cthulhu is in the public domain, so anyone can slap his tentacles on a game for a bit of brand recognition. We prefer to think the truth is more insidious than that, however. Every die roll, every card played, every token moved towards its inevitable doom is done in Cthulhu’s most terrible name, the terrible luck of the players and the curses they utter when they lose sustaining him deep beneath the waves. Plus, they’re...
info_outline
328d: The Great God Pan 4
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We are wrapping up our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of ), taking place on . Mike is joined by guest readers , , , , and , and . You can find the first three parts in your podcast feed, or right here on this very server. So invoke the name of Nodens, practice your knots, and dive into Queer Street with us. , arranged by Jon Fylling, is licenced under the . If you would like to read along at home,...
info_outline
328c: The Great God Pan 3
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We are continuing our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of ), taking place on . Mike is joined by guest readers , , , and , and . If you’re reading this shortly after release, you have time to join us for the conclusion at 22:30 GMT on Thursday the 18th of December. So shake the cobwebs loose with a bracing night-time walk, brush up on your Latin, and do try not to dwell on those unsettling illustrations. , arranged by...
info_outline
328b: The Great God Pan 2
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We are continuing our festive ghost story reading of “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of ), taking place on . Mike is joined by guest readers , Brian Murphy, , , , and . If you’re reading this shortly after release, you have time to join us for part 3 at 22:30 GMT on Wednesday the 15th of December. We shall be continuing at the same time on Thursday the 18th. So put down those Chinese boxes, open up a good bottle of chianti, and listen to our tale of...
info_outline
328a: The Great God Pan 1
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
It is time once again for us to all gather around the virtual hearth for another festive ghost story reading. This year, we present “The Great God Pan” by Arthur Machen, a weird tale of mad science, supernatural horror, and very human revenge. This reading has been organised by good friend of the Good Friends, Mike Perceval-Maxwell (host of ), taking place on . Mike is joined by guest readers , , , , , and . If you’re reading this shortly after release, you just have time to join us for part 2 at 22:30 GMT on Tuesday the 16th of December. We shall...
info_outline
328: The Birds, with Ross Bryant
The Good Friends of Jackson Elias
We’re back and we’re watching the skies. You never know when some gannet might decide to kamikaze its way into your skull, or a mob of hawks take exception to your woodwork and peck it to splinters. We’ve decided to turn to two experts for advice, but their approaches don’t really mesh. Daphne du Maurier would have us hunker down and wait for the inevitable, while Alfred Hitchcock favours stalking your love interest, barely even addressing the avian threat. We’re beginning to think these so-called experts are for the birds. Main Topic: The Birds The Birds is one of Alfred...
info_outline
We’re back and we’re acting out.
Main Topic: Using LARP Techniques at the Table
Live action and tabletop roleplaying share common roots and many similarities, but they are also quite separate hobbies. Each has evolved in its own ways, developing a unique variety of forms and tools. So what can the world of tabletop roleplaying, particularly Call of Cthulhu, learn from LARP? What are some of the different types of LARP? Which LARP techniques lend themselves best to tabletop play, and how can they be adapted?
Our Guest Host
We are delighted to welcome Ericka Skirpan as our guest host for this episode! Ericka is a LARP creator, consultant, and facilitator. She writes extensively about LARPs at The Space Between Stories. Currently, Ericka is working with Mooney Bin Entertainment, consulting on their LARPs “Conscience” and “Dresden Files 1923”.
You can find Ericka’s article “LARPing Made me a Stronger Person” in Scientific American. She has also written for 7th Sea, Vampire: The Requiem, and Changeling: The Dreaming.
Links
Things we mention in this episode include:
- Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Roleplaying Games by Lizzie Stark
- Sinking Ship Creations
- The Mortality Machine
- Ain’t Slayed Nobody
- Push the Roll With Ross Bryant
- Harold improv
- “Lord of Lies” by Atropos
- “The Forbidden History” by Atropos
- “Miskatonic University” by Chaos League
- Intercon LARP convention
- Consequences LARP convention
- Gen Con
- Paranoia
- Elder Entertainment
- The Smoke LARP festival
- Chamber LARP
- Boffer LARP
- Drachenfest
- NERO
- Mystic Realms
- Empire LARP
- Treasure Trap
- Chislehurst Caves
- Maelstrom
- Dystopia Rising
- Parlour LARP
- White Wolf LARPs
- Black Box LARP
- Blockbuster LARP
- Conscience LARP
- Tombstone (1994)
- Westworld
- Conscience LARP in Montana
- Project Ascension
- Scapegoat
- ARG
- Darker LARPer
- “Head of the Family” by Jacqueline Bryk
- Tender is the Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica
- Succession
- “La Cena” from Taroticum and Other Tales
- “Jailbreak” from One Shots
- Nordic LARP
- Knudepunkt
- Nordic LARP book
- Secrets and Powers LARP
- Vampire: the Masquerade
- Isles of Darkness
- The Camarilla fan club
- The Dresden Files
- Helicon
- Ten Candles
- Tap out
- Amanda Rose Villarreal
- ConTingency Convention
- Inside Hamlet
- Method acting
- Marathon Man (1976)
- Bleed
- Vampire: the Requiem
- Top drop
- Heaven & Earth
- “Lamp Posts in Bloom”
- Sign by Thorny Games
- Nicaraguan sign language
- Dialect by Thorny Games
- ViewScream
- Pictures in an Exhibition
- Something is Wrong Here
- Twin Peaks
- Psychomanteum
- Holding My Breath by Witchstitches
News
October Horror Movie Challenge
Scott wrapped up his annual October Horror Movie Challenge for 2025. He spent the month posting daily reviews of horror films on this very site, and he has written a post mortem of the best, worst, and weirdest films. You can find the main discussion about this on the Good Friends Discord server or over on Bluesky.
Scott on Pretending to be People
Scott recently recorded another batch of episodes with our good friends at Pretending to be People. Once again, he is voicing Beck Wilder’s mother Kim in the main arc, as season 2 builds to a very weird conclusion.
Matt and Scott at the Miskatonic Repository Convention
Both Matt and Scott appeared on panels at the recent Miskatonic Repository convention. Since we recorded the news segment, we’ve found that the videos are now available on YouTube but have been removed from Twitch. You can watch them both below.
Scott on Symphony Entertainment
The recent livestream Scott did with Bridget Jeffries and Graham Walmsley on Symphony Entertainment’s Twitch channel was also recorded and can be found below. This was a completely improvised freeform game based on audience suggestions, and it was very strange indeed.