The Good Friends of Jackson Elias

The Good Friends of Jackson Elias is a regular podcast devoted to the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game, horror movies, weird fiction and horror gaming in general. It is hosted by Paul Fricker, Matthew Sanderson and Scott Dorward, three writers who have worked on the new edition of Call of Cthulhu and other tabletop roleplaying games. Each episode focuses on a different topic, always related to our love of all things dark and horrifying.

329: Cthulhu and Board Games, with Paula Deming 12/28/2025

329: Cthulhu and Board Games, with Paula Deming 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 a fun way to pass the time until the stars come right. Main Topic: Cthulhu and Board Games Cthulhu’s tentacles have wriggled their way into every aspect of popular culture, and board games are no exception. Lovecraftian horror has been part of board games for as long as Call of Cthulhu has been around, and it’s only grown in popularity. But what are some of the main Cthulhu-tainted board games people should look out for? And what are our own experiences of playing them? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Paula Deming to The Good Friends of Jackson Elias! Paula is an actress and YouTuber making entertainment-focused videos about board games on her channel , and talking about board games on the comedy panel show . She plays tabletop RPGs with the and , and you can find her as a regular cast member on . Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Robert Shea and Robert Anton Wilson by HP Lovecraft (1987) (2005) expansion for Arkham Horror expansion for Arkham Horror expansion for Arkham Horror expansion for Arkham Horror for Arkham Horror board game expansion for Eldritch Horror expansion for Eldritch Horror by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft (1999) by Mary Shelley by Bram Stoker News The Great God Pan You may have noticed in your podcast feed this month. These were the festive ghost story readings of Arthur Machen’s classic weird tale , directed by our good friend Mike Perceval-Maxwell of . These readings took place on , where you can find story readings throughout the year offered by our wonderful listeners. We would like to thank Mike for all his hard work in making this happen, and to thank all the readers who brought it to life: Andy Goodman, Anthony Lee-Dudley, Brian Murphy, Graham Walmsley, Jen Fridy, Sarah Dovey, and Sue Savage. You can also find our previous Christmas ghost stories below. by Charles Dickens by Oscar Wilde by Nikolai Gogol by Jerome K Jerome and by William Hope Hodgson Matt on the Innsmouth Book Club Matt recently joined our good friends Rob Poyton and Tim Mendees over on the podcast, discussing Call of Cthulhu and his own contributions to the game. He also did a reading from Clark Ashton Smith’s for their sister podcast . Blasphemous Tome Issue 14 Issue 14 of will be going out in early January of 2026. This bumper issue includes two new scenarios by Matt and Scott, presenting loose conceptual sequels to “A Social Responsibility” and “Blackwater Creek”. Anyone at the $5 level or higher at the end of December will receive a print copy of the Tome, signed by our own gnarled hands. at the $3 level will receive a voucher for a heavily discounted print-on-demand copy, and every will receive the PDF. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/39547780

328d: The Great God Pan 4 12/19/2025

328c: The Great God Pan 3 12/18/2025

328b: The Great God Pan 2 12/17/2025

328a: The Great God Pan 1 12/16/2025

328: The Birds, with Ross Bryant 12/14/2025

328: The Birds, with Ross Bryant 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 Hitchcock’s best-loved films, and one of his few forays into outright horror. It was also one of three features that he directed based on stories by Daphne du Maurier. But just how much does the film resemble du Maurier’s story? And which version provides better inspiration for Call of Cthulhu? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome back as our guest host for this episode. You may know Ross from , , , or the many Call of Cthulhu games he and Scott have played together on . Most recently, Ross has launched his own podcast, called , where he runs fully improvised games of Call of Cthulhu, based on listener suggestions, for various friends from the worlds of comedy, improv, and tabletop gaming. You can find it wherever you get your podcasts Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Daphne du Maurier (1940) by Daphne du Maurier (1939) by Daphne du Maurier by Daphne du Maurier (1973) by Ryu Murakami (1999) Daphne du Maurier (1960) by Robert Bloch by Frank Baker by Arthur Machen by Rachel Carson (2008) by John Christopher by James Herbert by Shaun Hutson Crabs series by (1978) (1974) (2008) (2013) by Raymond Briggs (1977) from The Simpsons by Richard Laymon (2001) News Christmas Ghost Story Reading Our good friend Mike Perceval-Maxwell of is once again organising our annual Christmas ghost story reading. This year, we are presenting by Arthur Machen, with an exciting cast of guest readers. The readings will take place on over four nights, between the 15th and 18th of December inclusive. Each reading will start at 22:30 GMT and last for 30-40 minutes. As per previous years, we are recording these readings and releasing them on the Good Friends’ podcast feed. The first part will be going out just after this episode. You can find our previous Christmas ghost stories below. by Charles Dickens by Oscar Wilde by Nikolai Gogol by Jerome K Jerome and by William Hope Hodgson Blasphemous Tome Issue 14 Issue 14 of will be going out in early January of 2026. This bumper issue includes two new scenarios by Matt and Scott, presenting loose conceptual sequels to “A Social Responsibility” and “Blackwater Creek”. Anyone at the $5 level or higher at the end of December will receive a print copy of the Tome, signed by our own gnarled hands. at the $3 level will receive a voucher for a heavily discounted print-on-demand copy, and every will receive the PDF. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/39404245

327: Narration in Call of Cthulhu, with Ross Bryant 12/01/2025

327: Narration in Call of Cthulhu, with Ross Bryant We’re back and we’re talking to ourselves. Not everyone has an interior monologue, but apparently exterior ones are ever rarer. Describing your life in real time like the voiceover from some hard-boiled detective movie may raise some eyebrows, but it is damn good practice for narration in Call of Cthulhu. It’s also a good way of drowning out your interior voice. No one wants to listen to that. If they did, podcasts wouldn’t be anywhere near as popular. Main Topic: Narration in Call of Cthulhu Narration lies at the heart of tabletop roleplaying. The worlds we play in are all shared spaces we create in our heads. In traditional RPGs, such as Call of Cthulhu, most of this worldbuilding and description is in the hands of the GM. So how can we, as Keepers, bring the world to life at the gaming table? What are some techniques we’ve picked up over the years? And what approaches have we learned to avoid? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome back as our guest host for this episode. You may know Ross from , , , or the many improvised Call of Cthulhu games he and Scott have played together on . Most recently, he has launched his own podcast, called , where he runs fully improvised games of Call of Cthulhu, based on listener suggestions, for various friends from the worlds of comedy, improv, and tabletop gaming. You can listen to it it wherever you find your podcasts Links Things we mention in this episode include: Blade Runner RPG “Intersections” from World War Cthulhu: Cold War Pulp Cthulhu “Dead Boarder” from Gateways to Darkness Unknown Armies on by HP Lovecraft Blades in the Dark on “The Burning Stars” from Terrors From Beyond (1999) on The Two-Headed Serpent by Robert Ludlum by Desmond Bagley by HG Wells by Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe “Signal to Noise” by Colin Richards Regency Cthulhu News Christmas Ghost Story Reading Our good friend Mike Perceval-Maxwell of is once again organising our annual Christmas ghost story reading. This year, we will be presenting by Arthur Machen, with an exciting cast of guest readers. The readings will take place on over four nights, between the 15th and 18th of December inclusive. Each reading will start at 22:30 GMT and last for 30-40 minutes. As per previous years, we plan to record these readings and release them on the Good Friends’ podcast feed. You can find our previous Christmas ghost stories below. by Charles Dickens by Oscar Wilde by Nikolai Gogol by Jerome K Jerome and by William Hope Hodgson Matt and Scott at Illusion Con Matt and Scott will be on various panels at this year’s over the weekend of the 5th-7th of December. We are still finalising details, but you should be able to find them at . Blasphemous Tome Issue 14 Issue 14 of will be going out in early January of 2026. This bumper issue includes two new scenarios by Matt and Scott, presenting loose conceptual sequels to “A Social Responsibility” and “Blackwater Creek”. Anyone at the $5 level or higher at the end of December will receive a print copy of the Tome, signed by our own gnarled hands. at the $3 level will receive a voucher for a heavily discounted print-on-demand copy, and every will receive the PDF. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/39220455

326: We Are the Horror, with Ericka Skirpan 11/17/2025

325: Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan 11/03/2025

325: Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan 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 . Currently, Ericka is working with , consulting on their LARPs and . You can find Ericka’s article 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: by Lizzie Stark by Atropos by Atropos by Chaos League (1994) by Jacqueline Bryk by Agustina Bazterrica “La Cena” from “Jailbreak” from (1976) by Thorny Games by Thorny Games by Witchstitches News October Horror Movie Challenge Scott wrapped up his annual for 2025. He spent the month posting daily reviews of horror films on this very site, and he has written a of the best, worst, and weirdest films. You can find the main discussion about this on the or over on . Scott on Pretending to be People Scott recently recorded another batch of episodes with our good friends at . 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 . 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 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. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/38887050

324: The White People, with Jared Logan 10/20/2025

324: The White People, with Jared Logan We’re back and we’re enjoying a night out under the hill. While the rest of you are clubbing, we’re trying a different kind of dancing. There’s even a singalong, plus some arts and crafts. Sure, some people might say this is all witchcraft, but we promise you it’s no more sinister than a children’s game. The white people have tried to offer their opinion, but our Aklo is a bit rusty. Maybe the nymphs can help translate, assuming we ever figure out what they actually are. Meanwhile, we’ll just enjoy another goblet of what may be the best wine we’ll ever taste. Main Topic: The White People This episode is an in-depth look at Arthur Machen’s weird tale . While it’s not a Cthulhu Mythos story, both Machen and this tale were big influences on Lovecraft. You will find elements of it, such as the Aklo language and the Voorish sign, dotted throughout Lovecraft’s work. But just what is it that makes “The White People” such an enduring favourite? It’s a much more complex tale than it first appears to be, and not one that lends itself to easy analysis. We dig into its symbolism and hidden meanings, looking for both a better understanding of the story and inspiration for our games of Call of Cthulhu. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Jared Logan back to the Good Friends! Jared is a stand-up comedian and writer who has been involved with a number of major actual play streams and podcasts, including , , and . You can find Jared on tour right now, supporting Kumail Nanjiani. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Arthur Machen by Arthur Machen by Arthur Machen by Arthur Machen by HP Lovecraft by Arthur Machen by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by TED Klein by T Kingfisher by T Kingfisher by Algernon Blackwood by T Kingfisher by Edgar Allan Poe (2006) by Frank Herbert (2016) by James George Frazer by HP Lovecraft by Stephen King by Frank Belknap Long by John Milton by Stephen King by Jennifer Lynch by Chuck Palahniuk News October Horror Movie Challenge Scott is closing in on the end of his annual , posting daily reviews of horror films on this very site. If you’re of a mind to join in, we would love to chat with you about it. You can find the main discussion on the or over on . Scott on Tear Them Apart If you’d rather see Scott talk about horror films than reading reviews, he will be appearing on the , along with our good friends Paul Yellovich and Evan Dorkin. This has become something of an annual tradition where we talk about our month’s viewing and answer questions from the audience. will start at 8 PM EST on the 30th of October, which translates to midnight on the 31st for those of us in the UK, and will go on until we all turn into pumpkins. Scott on Symphony Entertainment And in another annual Halloween tradition, Scott will also be joining Bridget Jeffries and Graham Walmsley for a livestreamed game on . The game will be completely improvised, drawing on viewer suggestions. Going by previous years, it will probably also include seasonal themes and be soul-crushingly dark. will take place on Thursday the 23rd of October, beginning at at 2PM EST/7 PM BST, and run for around an hour. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/38639685

323: The Joy of Gore, with Jared Logan 10/05/2025

323: The Joy of Gore, with Jared Logan We’re back and we’re bloody. Honestly, that’s the least of it. Most of this gore is blood, but we’re sure there are strips of skin, shards of bone, and maybe the occasional kidney mixed in with all this mess. The plastic ponchos were supposed to help, but at this stage they’re more like stencils than protective clothing. No one ever warned us that podcasting could be this wet and sticky. Maybe we should just focus on getting some of these teeth out of our hair for now. Main Topic: The Joy of Gore While not all horror involves gore, it is an essential part of the genre. Whether it’s a genteel smear of blood at the corner of the Count’s mouth or bodies being torn apart like wet piñatas, most horror media involves at least a drop or two of the red stuff. But what is the appeal of something that should, by rights, repel us? Why does it make us laugh even as we gasp in horror? And how can we make use of it in our games without it becoming desensitising? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Jared Logan to the Good Friends! Jared is a stand-up comedian and writer who has been involved with a number of major actual play streams and podcasts, including , , and . You can find Jared on tour right now, supporting Kumail Nanjiani. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Denis Gifford (2023) (2022) (2024) (2008) (1988) (2014) (1992) (2016) (2021) (2000) (1963) (1985) (1978) by John McCarty (1974) (1972) (1988) (1979) (1987) (1933) (1993) (1981) (1979) (1987) (2015) (1981) (1986) (1964) (1970) (1972) (1986) (2011) by Laird Barron on Ain’t Slayed Nobody and How We Roll (2025) (2025) (2022) (2025) by Richard Laymon by James Herbert by James Herbert by Clive Barker by Jay Ramsey/Ramsey Campbell (1975) News October Horror Movie Challenge Scott is in the midst of his annual , posting reviews of horror films on this very site. The first few reviews are out now, with a new one appearing every day. If you’re of a mind to join us, we would love to chat with you about it. You can find the discussion on the or over on . /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/38470700

322: 28 Days Later, with Maverick Hanze 09/21/2025

322: 28 Days Later, with Maverick Hanze We’re back and we’re raging. While this virus plays a part, we’re more angry about the sequels to 28 Days Later. The first follow-up, in particular, is enough to make you chew someone’s face off. Happily, the original film still has as much bite as ever. Now if only we could convince it to let go of our leg. Main Topic: 28 Days Later Following last episode’s look at , we’re delving into a classic of the genre. Sure, the folks behind 28 Days Later have said that it’s not a zombie film, but we’re ignoring that. This has all the hallmarks of a zombie apocalypse, and the various films that have borrowed from it over the years since release haven’t been shy about using the ‘z’ word. But what is it that made 28 Days Later such a strong entry in the zombie canon? How well has it stood up in the not-quite 28 years since its release? And, most importantly, what can we steal for our games? Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Maverick Haenze back to The Good Friends of Jackson Elias! Mav is a prolific actual play performer and scenario author. You can find them as the Head of Mythos Horror on , as a regular cast member on Ain’t Slayed Nobody’s , and in many guest spots on other podcasts, including . Under the name Rina Haenze, they wrote the Mythos slasher romp , the historical LGBTQ+ scenario , and many others on the Miskatonic Repository. They also edited the fairy tale-inspired collection , which is now available on DriveThruRPG. Links Things we mention in this episode include: (2007) (2025) (1996) (2001) from Black Mirror from The Twilight Zone (1984) by James Herbert by Clay McLeod Chapman by Stephen King by Robert McCammon (1985) (1968) (1973) (1977) by James Herbert by James Herbert by Robert W Chambers (2022) “The Murder Shack” from News Matt at the Innsmouth Literary Festival Matt will be attending the in Bedford on the 27th of September. If you do find him there, please respect our catch-and-release policy after getting him to sign your books. The Blasphemous Tome issue 14 Unfortunately, ill health and other life pressures are still getting in the way of completing issue 14 of . Rather than keeping on pushing it back, we’re going to release a bumper issue of the Tome this December with two full Call of Cthulhu scenarios. One is a new modern scenario from Matt, and the other is Scott’s loose sequel to . We will be honouring our pledge to send out print copies to everyone who was at the $5 level or higher end of June, so don’t worry if you’ve dropped yours since then. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/38299030

321: Zombies, with Maverick Haenze 09/08/2025

321: Zombies, with Maverick Haenze We’re back and we’re hungry for brains. Sure, that whole that whole thing about zombies eating brains was made up by Dan O’Bannon in 1985, but that doesn’t make them any less tasty. And just because we’re chowing down on some grey matter doesn’t mean that we’re keen on any of that other new-fangled nonsense. Zombies shouldn’t run around or hold conversations, and they definitely shouldn’t be love interests. Shambling and moaning was good enough for those who came before us, and it’s good enough for us. Main Topic: Zombies Given how prevalent zombies are in horror media and how strongly the undead feature in Lovecraft’s earlier fiction, it’s surprising that it’s taken us 321 episodes to get around to discussing them. But, like the walking dead, we shamble slowly. Our discussion takes in the origins of zombies in Voudon, the various ways they’ve been redefined in horror media, and some ways we might use them in games. And then we feast on the flesh of the living. Once again, with such a big topic, we’ve almost certainly failed to mention some of your zombie favourites. Please do join in the discussion on or to help fill in the gaps. We may catch up with some of them in time before the next episode of Just One More Thing, the monthly companion podcast we put out for our . Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Maverick Haenze to The Good Friends of Jackson Elias! Mav is a prolific actual play performer and scenario author. You can find them as the Head of Mythos Horror on , as a regular cast member on Ain’t Slayed Nobody’s , and in many guest spots on other podcasts, including . Under the name Rina Haenze, they wrote the Mythos slasher romp , the historical LGBTQ+ scenario , and many others on the Miskatonic Repository. They also edited the fairy tale-inspired collection , which is now available on DriveThruRPG. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Wade Davis (1988) by WB Seabrook by August Derleth & Mark Schorer by Robert E Howard by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft (1932) (1936) (1943) (1942) by Charlotte Bronte from (1966) (1966) (1962) (1990) (1978) (1985) (2005) (2008) (2009) (1979) (1981) (1972) (1974) (1983) (1981) (1974) (2004) (2002) (1985) by Richard Matheson (2013) (2013) by Max Brooks by Studs Terkel series from the Imperial War Museum on Ain’t Slayed Nobody (2004) by William Hope Hodgson (1963) by Harry Adam Knight by MR Carey (2016) (1995) by MR Carey (1985) (2025) by Max Brooks (1991) “Walter’s Final Wish” from News New Life on The Glass Cannon Network Our good friends at ran a couple of live Call of Cthulhu games at Gen Con 2025, both written by our own Scott Dorward. One of them, “New Life”, was recorded and is now on YouTube. This is a grotesque tale of a heist gone wrong, run by Troy Lavallee for an all-star cast. The in-character adverts are a particular highlight. Push the Roll, With Ross Bryant There is a new podcast coming soon from , called . This is a series of completely improvised Call of Cthulhu sessions, with Ross Bryant as Keeper, and featuring a number of special guests from the worlds of comedy, improv, and gaming, and especially from . Confirmed guests include Abu Salim, Ashly Burch, Becca Scott, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Paula Deming, Chris Grace, Colton Dunn, Ify Nwadiwe, Matt Young, Matthew Lillard, Mark Meer, Mary Lou, Noura Ibrahim, Rashawn Scott, Rekha Shankar, Rob Kerkovich, Vic Michaelis, and Zach Reino. You will also hear a number of Good Friends hosts, including Jared Logan, Josephine McAdam, Maverick Haenze, Seth Skorkowsky, as well as our own Scott Dorward. The first episodes are due out on the 10th of September. Check out for more details. The Blasphemous Tome issue 14 Unfortunately, ill health and other life pressures are still getting in the way of completing issue 14 of . Rather than keeping on pushing it back, we’re going to release a bumper issue of the Tome this December with two full Call of Cthulhu scenarios. One is a new modern scenario from Matt, and the other is a loose sequel to Blackwater Creek by Scott. We will be honouring our pledge to send out print copies to everyone who was at the $5 level or higher end of June, so don’t worry if you’ve dropped yours since then. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/38129610

320: The Broadsword, with Andy Goodman 08/24/2025

320: The Broadsword, with Andy Goodman We’re back and we’re checking the vents. They’re long overdue a service, but that doesn’t mean they should be talking about eating people’s kidneys. Maybe we could dismiss it as a load of hot air, but they don’t even provide that most days. We would ask the building supervisor to sort them out, but he’s either been eaten by the vents or tumbled through the alien portal in the basement. That portal is a safety hazard, and if it did swallow him that’s his own fault for not slapping some Polyfilla in there sooner. The cosmic nightmares of living at the Broadsword Hotel are bad enough, but it’s the slipshod maintenance that really gets to us. Main Topic: The Broadsword, Laird Barron, and Old Leech We’re following up our discussion about how to with an exploration of Laird Barron’s Old Leech cycle and how it relates to Lovecraft. In particular, we’re focusing on Barron’s story “The Broadsword”, using it as a springboard to discuss the broader themes of his work. We bring in elements from some connected stories, including “The Jaws of Saturn”, “Hand of Glory”, “The Men From Porlock”, and Barron’s novel The Croning. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Andy Goodman back to the Good Friends! Andy is the mastermind behind , an actual play podcast focusing on Call of Cthulhu. It’s impressive enough when a podcast manages to play to completion, but Andy has balanced running that alongside , , and a pulped-up version of , not to mention numerous one-shots and an ad-hoc campaign made up of scenarios from the early days of White Dwarf. Our own Scott Dorward is a regular player in many of these games, as well as the two crossover campaigns with , dubbed The Apocalypse Grizzlies. Andy as depicted by John Sumrow Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Michael Moorcock by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Laird Barron (1956) by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Laird Barron by Nathan Ballingrud by Robert Ludlum by John Tynes by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by Stephen King (1995) (1987) (1979) “Blackwater Creek” from the by Cixin Liu arc from rock opera News Push the Roll, With Ross Bryant There is a new podcast coming soon from , called . This is a series of completely improvised Call of Cthulhu sessions, with Ross Bryant as Keeper, and featuring a number of special guests from the worlds of comedy, improv, and gaming, and especially from . Confirmed guests include Abu Salim, Ashly Burch, Becca Scott, Brennan Lee Mulligan, Josephine McAdam, Paula Deming, Chris Grace, Colton Dunn, Ify Nwadiwe, Matt Young, Matthew Lillard, Mark Meer, Mary Lou, Noura Ibrahim, Rashawn Scott, Rekha Shankar, Rob Kerkovich, Vic Michaelis, and Zach Reino. You will also hear a number of Good Friends guest hosts, including Jared Logan, Mav Haenze, Seth Skorkowsky, and our own Scott Dorward. The first episodes are due out on the 10th of September. Check out for more details. Dark FM Our good friend Hilmar Firestarter has launched his own actual podcast. stands out as being a German-language podcast, as well as a nicely produced one. The main focus is Call of Cthulhu, but Hilmar has run other games including and . A number of the scenarios have been plucked from the pages of , so you may hear some familiar games there. Well worth if you speak German! Scott on the Innsmouth Book Club Scott recently talked to Rob and Tim from the podcast, chatting about everything from Lovecraft and Call of Cthulhu to the history of Milton Keynes and how Nigel Kneale shaped modern horror. This was such a fun discussion, and it’s to be inserted into your ears. Remembering William “Bud” Baird Unfortunately, we had some awful news to wrap up this episode. Our good friend William “Bud” Baird, the voice and hands behind the YouTube channel, died just over two weeks ago. His passing was sudden and unexpected, and has left a hole in the British gaming and online RPG communities that no one else could ever fill. Bud was simply a lovely person — insightful, funny, and generous. He had a gift for building communities, bringing together gamers from across the world and kindling new friendships. A great many people will miss him, including us. Our thoughts go out to his other friends and especially to his family. We shall not see his like again. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37939940

319: Roll Your Own Mythos, with Andy Goodman 08/11/2025

319: Roll Your Own Mythos, with Andy Goodman We’re back and we’re hunting for the biggest cigarette paper known to man. Well, ideally known to the gods too. If we’re going to fit an entire pantheon inside, this thing needs to be truly cyclopean, and maybe even non-Euclidean. An extra dimension or two wouldn’t hurt either. And we haven’t even started working out how to light up the damn thing! Main Topic: Roll Your Own Mythos The Cthulhu Mythos didn’t really start out as a cohesive entity. It has become increasingly codified by generations of fans, starting with August Derleth, but this can be an impediment to creativity. This episode is a loose discussion about how you might bring in ideas from elsewhere, removing some of the canon from the general themes of cosmic horror, and roll your own Mythos. We discuss the difference between Lovecraftian horror and cosmic horror, which authors might have interesting takes on the cosmic, how gods can interact at a human scale, and how we can put all of this together into something that feels new. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Andy Goodman to the Good Friends! Andy is the mastermind behind , an actual play podcast focusing on Call of Cthulhu. It’s impressive enough when a podcast manages to play to completion, but Andy has balanced running that alongside , , and a pulped-up version of , not to mention numerous one-shots and an ad-hoc campaign made up of scenarios from the early days of White Dwarf. Our own Scott Dorward is a regular player in many of these games, as well as the two crossover campaigns with , dubbed The Apocalypse Grizzlies. Andy as depicted by John Sumrow Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Caitlin R Kiernan by Caitlin R Kiernan by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft John Mills in Quatermass by Keris McDonald by Robert W Chambers by Jack Vance by Arthur Machen by HP Lovecraft by Arthur Machen by William Hope Hodgson by William Browning Spencer by John Langan on Grizzly Peaks Radio in The Blasphemous Tome issue 5.5 by M John Harrison by Phil Hine by Alan Moore and Jacen Burrows News Scott on Unconventional GMs and Symphony Entertainment As mentioned in previous episodes, Scott has appeared on a couple of streams recently. He ran for our good friends over at and played in a freeform improv over at to celebrate their anniversary. Both of these streams were recorded and can now be found on YouTube, or by scrolling down a bit. Audio Player /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37761370

318: Metafiction and Horror, with Eleanor Hingley 07/28/2025

318: Metafiction and Horror, with Eleanor Hingley We’re back and we’re discussing metafiction and horror. More importantly, we’re getting the title of the episode in the first paragraph for SEO purposes. Main Topic: Metafiction and Horror Metafiction turns up in every genre from literary fiction to SF, breaking fourth walls, playing with storytelling conventions, and embedding fictional narratives within fictional narratives. Our focus here, however, is on the connection between metafiction and horror, whether this is self-aware slasher films or horror novelists who write about horror novelists. We look at various definitions of metafiction, how they’ve been used in various media, and how all this applies to horror gaming. As ever, we wrap things up with a few ideas about how we might bring all this into our own games. And then we look directly into the camera and wink. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Eleanor Hingley back to the Good Friends, following our recent discussion of . Eleanor is a lifelong horror fan, obsessed with Gothic and horror art since childhood. She has written for a bunch of tabletop roleplaying games, including , , , , , , and many other game lines. She also writes interactive fiction for , and has had IF published in . Eleanor has released her own independent TTRPG zines, which you can find on : Ex Libris, Talking Thunder and Seed of an Idea. You can . Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Robert W Chambers by Heather Miller series by Stephen King by Joe Hill by Joe Hill (1978) by Joe Hill by Kurt Vonnegut by Kurt Vonnegut by Philip K Dick by Grant Morrison from by Clive Barker by L Ron Hubbard (2011) (2007) (2006) (1994) from from Masters of Horror by John Fowles (1981) (2012) (1974) by Mark Z Danielewski by Willow Palecek by Greg Costikyan by Stephen R Donaldson by Grady Hendrix (2015) by Adam Cesare by Adam Cesare (1980) News Blasphemous Tome update Unfortunately, issue 14 of has been delayed by ill health. We’re playing catch-up at the moment, however, and we hope to get it to before the end of August. Thank you for bearing with us! The Two-Headed Serpent returns to How We Roll Regular listeners to will have noticed that our campaign of The Two-Headed Serpent has been on a short hiatus recently. Life has a way of intruding on recording schedules when you least expect it. Happily, we have resumed recording and the first episode of the penultimate chapter should be hitting public podcast feeds within the next week or two. The world is safe once more! /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37571480

317: Small Town Horror, with Eleanor Hingley 07/11/2025

317: Small Town Horror, with Eleanor Hingley We’re back and we’re keeping to ourselves. You really can’t be too careful. The outside world is full of dangerous ideas and strange people. Some of them don’t even play Call of Cthulhu. Sure, they might find our ways odd too, especially if they hear the singing in our early episodes. Still, the real small town horror is always other people. Main Topic: Small Town Horror This is a local episode for local people. We explore small town settings and why they work so well for horror. Isolated, insular communities are a mainstay of horror, usually populated by sinister locals who shun the outside world and treat strangers with suspicion, but there is much more to the subgenre than that. As well as digging into the major tropes of small town horror, we discuss ways to reinvent and subvert them, along with examples from media and our own gaming lives. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Eleanor Hingley to the Good Friends! Eleanor is a lifelong horror fan, obsessed with Gothic and horror art since childhood. She has written for a bunch of tabletop roleplaying games, including , , , , , , and many other game lines. She also writes interactive fiction for , and has had IF published in . Eleanor has released her own independent TTRPG zines, which you can find on : Ex Libris, Talking Thunder and Seed of an Idea. You can . Links Things we mention in this episode include: (1981) (2007) by Truman Capote by Clive Barker (1992) by Ira Levin by Ira Levin from The X-Files by Bari Wood line from Valancourt Books by Jeanette Winterson by Chuck Tingle by Thomas Olde Heuvelt by Joan Samson by Stephen King (1993) by Stephen King by Stephen King by Stephen King by Stephen King by Stephen King by Stephen King by Shirley Jackson by Shirley Jackson (2012) by James Herbert by HP Lovecraft by Ruthanna Emrys on (2019) (2017) (2019) (1973) by Thomas Tryon by Thomas Tryon (2008) (1994) “Blackwater Creek” from the (1973) (1972) from Nameless Horrors “Secret of Castronegro” from the by MR James by HP Lovecraft News Glass Cannon Live at Gen Con If you’re going to be at Gen Con this year, do check out the two run by our good friends at the . Both of this year’s scenarios were written for them by our own Scott Dorward, and will feature Good Friends guest host Ross Bryant. Blasphemous Tome update Unfortunately, issue 14 of has been delayed by ill health. We’re playing catch-up at the moment, however, and we hope to get it to before the end of August. Thank you for bearing with us! Scott on Symphony Entertainment Scott will be joining Bridget Jeffries and his regular gaming group, AKA The Blusterers, for a live game to celebrate the birthday of . Our good friend Nate will be running us through a two-hour improvised game on the , starting at 6 PM UK time on the 19th of July. We hope to see you there! Scott on Unconventional GMs As if that weren’t enough, you can also see Scott on an episode of , running for hosts Gaz Bowerbank and Guy Milner, Tasha from the , and Andrew Kenrick, author of Dead of Night. This largely improvised game was inspired by the discussion of metafiction in the next episode of the Good Friends. This episode of Unconventional GMs is due to go out on the 19th of July. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37374720

316: Art and the Cthulhu Mythos, with Kailas Elmer 06/30/2025

316: Art and the Cthulhu Mythos, with Kailas Elmer We’re back and we’re pushing boundaries. Good taste has never come easily to us, but it’s downright impossible when talking about art that might inspire Call of Cthulhu games. From performance artists who mutilate themselves in inventive ways to photographers who raid the local morgue looking for models, it’s hard for horror writers like us to make this stuff any nastier. But still we try. Main Topic: Art and the Cthulhu Mythos This episode is the conclusion of our two-part look into the relationship between Lovecraft and art. , we looked at the artistic influences that went into the work of Lovecraft and other Mythos writers. Now, we’re following that up with a look at a variety of artists and art movements to see what might inspire us at the gaming table. Be warned that this episode covers a number of transgressive artists, and we discuss self-mutilation, bodily fluids, regurgitation, human remains, and acts of blasphemy. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Kailas Elmer to the Good Friends! Kailas is the publisher of , an international art journal which has featured writings from our own Scott Dorward. There is also , for those who like to experience art with their ears. , titled “Destinations”, is now available at Barnes & Noble, WH Smith, and directly from . Links Things we mention in this episode include: “A Message of Art” from by HP Lovecraft by Laird Barron by by Georges Polti by Brian Catling (1970) Stelarc, with extra ear by Peter Carroll by “The Space Between” from by René Magritte (2009) (2002) (1999) by Tobias Churton by Robert W Chambers Salomé by Aubrey Beardsley House of Stairs by MC Escher by MC Escher by MC Escher by Momus by HP Lovecraft by Joel-Peter Witkin by Andres Serrano by Max Ernst by Pierre Bourdieu by HP Lovecraft Europe After the Rain II by Max Ernst by Damien Hirst by Damien Hirst by Damien Hirst by Jesse Bullington at Tate Modern “The Secret of Marseilles” from “The Art of Madness” from “Silent Screen” from by Ramsey Campbell “The House of Memphis” from “Catland” from /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37225110

315: Lovecraft and Art, with Kailas Elmer 06/16/2025

315: Lovecraft and Art, with Kailas Elmer We’re back and we’re mulling over bas-reliefs again. Once you start looking into the relationship between Lovecraft and art, the damn things are everywhere. We would say that there’s no relief from them, but that would be beneath us. Main Topic: Lovecraft and Art This episode is the first of a two-part look into the relationship between Lovecraft and art, and how this shaped the Cthulhu Mythos and Call of Cthulhu. Next episode, we’ll be flipping things around and looking for inspiration from the world of art, but here we’re examining the influence it had on Lovecraft’s life and fiction. All that said, we do occasionally go off-topic in the latter half of the episode, but it’s all related! Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Kailas Elmer to the Good Friends! Kailas is the publisher of Trebuchet Magazine, an international art journal which has featured writings from our own Scott Dorward. There is also an associated podcast, for those who like to experience art with their ears. Issue 17 of Trebuchet, titled “Destinations”, is now available at Barnes & Noble, WH Smith, and directly from trebuchet.com. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft The statue of Cthulhu, as drawn by Lovecraft himself by HP Lovecraft by Robert W Chambers by Laird Barron by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft (1924) by HP Lovecraft by JMW Turner “The Slave Ship” by JMW Turner from Trebuchet issue 8 (1983) (1981) (1998) Lovecraft’s Nightmare by Michael Whelan by WW Jacobs (1987) (2022) (1989) from by Ramsey Campbell (1987) by Tim Lucas by Mark Z Danielewski by Dan Brown (2007) News A Weekend With Good Friends At the time this episode goes out, the latest Weekend With Good Friends will just have wrapped up. The feedback we’ve had from those who attended has been marvellous, and the bits we attended directly were terrific fun. So, thank you to everyone who made all this happen! What PTroilus, Sue Savage and Mike Perceval-Maxwell did in terms of organisation, coding, and general problem solving was simply amazing. Miranda Adams and Nate Hughes made organising and running the panels look easy, which we know it very much is not, and we heard nothing but positive things from the other panellists. And, WishMoon, Ohio Dave, Mav, Martin, and the moderation team answered questions and generally kept things running smoothly throughout the weekend. Thank you as well to everyone who offered games, took part in panels, and generally added to the energy of the convention. This has been a wonderful weekend and we are profoundly grateful to you all! The Blasphemous Tome issue 14 Issue 14 of will be going to press later this month. This, of course, is the fanzine we publish for of The Good Friends of Jackson Elias. Each issue contains a brand-new, full-length, licensed Call of Cthulhu scenario, plus a variety of articles and artwork from ourselves and listeners. Anyone backing us at the $5 level or higher by the end of June will receive a printed copy, signed by Matt and Scott. Those backing us at the $3 level will receive a voucher for a print-on-demand copy at cost. And anyone backing us at any level will receive a PDF copy, along with access to the full back catalogue of Tomes. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/37026495

314: Analogue Horror, with Holly from RPG Reanimators 05/29/2025

314: Analogue Horror, with Holly from RPG Reanimators We’re back and we’re twiddling the tracking knob. It’s supposed to help clear up the image on this old videocassette, but maybe that’s just missing the point. The static can be the most interesting part, filled with whispers, ghosts, and ancient secrets. Compared to such wonders, the film itself is a bit disappointing. Then again, analogue horror seems to be more of a vibe than a form of storytelling, so maybe we should just let the white noise wash over us. Main Topic: Analogue Horror This episode sees us explore analogue horror, trying to work out what exactly it is and how to bring it to the gaming table. It’s perhaps a harder genre than most to pin down, partly because it is relatively new, but also because it is arguably more of an aesthetic than a series of defining tropes. We ran into similar issues when discussing Gothic horror, however, that that didn’t stop us then! As well as delving into the origins of the genre, we discuss notable media, and some of the RPGs that have drawn upon it all. And, of course, we talk about some of our own ideas for how to let it infect our games. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Holly back to the Good Friends, following last episode’s discussion of ! Holly co-hosts , a podcast focusing on providing resources for GMs and players of horror RPGs. She’s also a regular on , an actual play YouTube channel. In addition to RPGs, she’s an avid board gamer, space nerd, and all-around trivia enthusiast. You can find Holly over on the . Links Things we mention in this episode include: (1999) (1998) (1980) (2018) by Mark Z Danielewski by qntm (2022) by RL Stine by RL Stine (2002) (2003) (1998) by Koji Suzuki by Koji Suzuki (1981) by Todd Keisling by Matthew M Bartlett by Ramsey Campbell from Masters of Horror by Jonathan Carroll by Jonathan Carroll (1994) by Colin Richards (1983) (2008) (2005) (2009) (2023) (2021) (2024) (2014) (2020) for on How We Roll by Stephen King (2017) (2019) by Sutter Cane (2012) on Doctor Who on Ain’t Slayed Nobody News A Weekend With Good Friends Player signups for will close very soon. If you are reading this shortly after the episode goes out, you just have time to sign up, but act quickly! AWWGF is, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the . Key dates are: Player signups: 22nd of May – 5th of June A Weekend With Good Friends: 13th – 15th of June Games and panels will run throughout the weekend. We shall share more details are they become available. Cosmic Dark Kickstarter At the time of posting, the for Graham Walmsley’s new game, , has two weeks left to run. The campaign is fully funded and well into stretch goals. One of the planned goals is a scenario from our own Scott Dorward, a heart-warming piece about cute furry animals, titled “Warm Fuzzies”. If you want to hear Cosmic Dark in action, Graham ran . Scott was one of the players, along with Good Friends guest hosts Cuppycup and Ross Bryant. The full campaign is now out, so it’s the perfect time to catch up with it all. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/36774325

313: Horror in Space, with Holly from RPG Reanimators 05/18/2025

313: Horror in Space, with Holly from RPG Reanimators We’re back and we’re and we’re answering the call of the void. Really, it’s about the scariest call you can receive, regardless of what Cthulhu may tell you. The yawning darkness of infinity shouldn’t be as tempting as it is. For all our talk about horror in space, maybe the real horror was inside us the whole time. Main Topic: Horror in Space This episode heads into the cold and the dark, exploring just what it is that makes space so scary. We talk about some of the real challenges and dangers posed by space travel and how they can amplify horror, then move on to inspirational media and just how all this relates to gaming. While we of course talk about alien life and all sorts of concepts from science fiction, the scariest part of the episode might be the description of just what can go wrong on a space walk. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Holly to the Good Friends! Holly co-hosts RPG Reanimators, a podcast focusing on providing resources for GMs and players of horror RPGs. She’s also a regular on Into the Darkness, an actual play YouTube channel. In addition to RPGs, she’s an avid board gamer, space nerd, and all-around trivia enthusiast. You can find Holly over on the RPG Reanimators discord. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by James SA Corey (1995) (2017) (1979) (1968) (2013) (2005) by Max Brooks (2018) (2023) (2009) NASA 3502421 (2016) (1979) (1983) (2014) (1986) (1992) by Adrian Tchaikovsky (2009) (1987) (2011) from Doctor Who by Michael Crichton by HP Lovecraft (2013) by Stanislaw Lem (2024) (1997) by Frank Herbert by Adrian Tchaikovsky (1987) (2001) (1997) (1996) (1992) (2004) by Damon Knight (1979) (2014) (2007) News A Weekend With Good Friends GM signups for will close very soon! This, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the . Key dates are: GM signups: 23rd of April – 7th of May Player signups: 22nd of May – 5th of June A Weekend With Good Friends: 13th – 15th of June Games and panels will run throughout the weekend. We shall share more details are they become available. Long Cut of the Good Friends As existing backers may already have seen, we release a long cut of every episode of the Good Friends on Patreon. These are almost completely unedited, giving you a chance to hear both the stuff that didn’t make it into the final cut and all the times we mess up and retake bits. Sometimes, the long cuts only contain a few minutes of material, but the two recent episodes with Evan Dorkin — “RPGs and Fiction” and “Comedy Horror” — contain around two hours of additional content. We had such a good time talking to Evan that we lost track of time, and we had to edit out a whole load of fascinating stuff just to get the episodes down to a reasonable length. Please do check them out if you’re a backer. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/36614615

312: Comedy Horror, with Evan Dorkin 05/05/2025

312: Comedy Horror, with Evan Dorkin We’re back and we’re and we’re putting on our ponchos. They look a bit silly, but that works for us here. The important thing is that they’ll keep some of the gore off our clothes. Comedy horror can be a messy business, especially once you bring gardening equipment into play. We’re not sure whether to laugh or cry, so we’ll probably just scream. Main Topic: Comedy Horror This episode sees us delve into the bloody world of comedy horror, trying to pin down what makes the two genres work so well together, looking at some examples from media, and trying to work out how to perform such alchemy ourselves. We take some serious digressions into why so many comedians turn to horror, what fun can be found in terrible films, and whether horror parodies are a form of comedy horror. As you might imagine from such a wide-ranging discussion, our chat went long. listening to the uncut version will find over an hour of extra material there. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome back to the Good Friends of Jackson Elias! Evan is a multi-award-winning comics writer and artist, known for creations like , , , , , and . With his wife, Sarah Dyer, Evan has also worked on TV programmes such as , , , and Along with Paul Yellovich, Evan is co-host of the excellent horror movie podcast, . And if you have any interest in the history of comics or learning how they are made, you should definitely check out , where he posts regular tales from the industry alongside all manner of cool pieces of work. You can also hear Evan in our earlier discussion about the relationship between . Links Things we mention in this episode include: (1940) (1974) (2010) (1984) (1995) (1936) (1945) (1972) (1967) (1965) (1971) (1992) (2010) (1977) (1986) (1990) (1946) (1985) (1992) (1987) (2004) (2010) (2017) (1994) (2010) (2012) (1991) (1981) (1987) (1992) (1985) (1980) (1980) (1982) (1964) (1959) (1959) (2009) (2010) (2003) (2006) (1980) (1978) (1981) (2010) (2012) (2009) (1992) (1982) (1978) (1970) (1933) (1935) (1932) (1940) (1940) (1988) (1978) (1985) (1988) (1960) (1982) by Jerome K Jerome by MR James (1981) by R Chetwynd-Hayes by R Chetwynd-Hayes (2023) (2023) (2013) (1988) (1967) by Bram Stoker (2014) from Inside No. 9 (1979) (1948) (2017) (1951) (1955) (1953) (1949) (1981) (1980) (1987) (1988) (1992) (1991) (1975) (1977) (1987) (1963) (1964) (1983) (1993) News A Weekend With Good Friends GM signups for will close very soon! This, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the . Key dates are: GM signups: 23rd of April – 7th of May Player signups: 22nd of May – 5th of June A Weekend With Good Friends: 13th – 15th of June Games and panels will run throughout the weekend. We shall share more details are they become available. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/36431410

311: RPGs and Fiction, with Evan Dorkin 04/20/2025

310: Something Wicked This Way Comes, with Cuppycup 04/06/2025

309: Theme Parks and Horror, with Cuppycup 03/23/2025

309: Theme Parks and Horror, with Cuppycup We’re back and we’re learning about protein spills. What sounded like an innocent sexual innuendo has turned out to be more scatological than any of us would have liked. The unpleasant realities of theme parks are well hidden behind twee language and cute costumes. Happily, once we strip them away, we can find some good horror inspiration. Although we do wish it all smelled a bit better. Main Topic: Theme Parks and Horror This episode, we visit the topic of theme parks, amusement parks, funfairs and the like, looking for Call of Cthulhu inspiration. As with so many things rooted in childhood joy, theme parks can easily turn into something nightmarish in both our imaginations and in reality. We dip into personal experiences, urban legends, and our own wild ideas, looking for both the roots of these fears and ways of bringing them into our games. There is something of a focus on Disney parks in our discussion, only because our guest host used to work for Disney, as did Matt’s wife, Tiff. This gives us a wealth of personal anecdotes to draw upon. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome back Cuppycup! Cup, of course, has been on the podcast before, discussing with us a few years ago. He is best known as the mastermind behind the award-winning actual play podcast , where you will also find regular appearances by Scott alongside some of our other guest hosts, including Ross Bryant and Josephine McAdam. As well as ASN, Cup is producing a new Call of Cthulhu podcast called Walking Shadows, with Ross Bryant as Keeper, and a cast that includes Becca Scott, Rashawn Scott, and Zach Reino. The first episodes should be out within the next couple of months. And Cup’s first published scenario, “Deadwood on Lane 8”, will be out on the Miskatonic Repository soon. This is a 1990s extravaganza that puts the cosmic firmly into cosmic bowling. If you want to keep up with all these projects, you can follow on or join their . Links Things we mention in this episode include: in St Andrews (now Galactica) at Alton Towers at Alton Towers by Roald Dahl at Alton Towers “UNLAND” from on Ain’t Slayed Nobody (1973) (1993) at Universal Studios at Crystal Palace Recommended Media by Joe R Lansdale by Richard Laymon by Dean R Koontz by Dean R Koontz (1981) (1974) episode of The Twilight Zone episode of Are You Afraid of the Dark (1982) by Erin Morgenstern by William Lindsay Gresham by Ray Bradbury from Doctor Who from The X-Files (1932) (1962) (2013) (1976) by Cory Doctorow by Carl Hiaasen News A Weekend With Good Friends Summer 2025 will see the return of A Weekend With Good Friends! This, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the . Key dates are: GM signups: 23rd of April – 7th of May Player signups: 22nd of May – 5th of June A Weekend With Good Friends: 13th – 15th of June Games and panels will run throughout the weekend. We shall share more details are they become available. Scott on Fear of a Black Dragon Scott recently joined Jason Cordova over on . They discussed the Call of Cthulhu scenario “The Necropolis”, written by Leigh Carr, from the collection. Jason and Scott delved into what makes “The Necropolis” such a perfect introduction to Call of Cthulhu, examining some of the tricks it uses to be tightly focused and accessible to newcomers. If you want more, you can also hear Scott run as a live game for How We Roll at PodUK 2019. Matt and Scott on RPG Reanimators Both Matt and Scott have been recording with , and our respective episodes are now out. Matt discussed “The Burning Stars” by David Conyers, from , offering his personal tips and insights. Scott talked to the crew about his own scenario “UNLAND”, from , revealing things he might change about the scenario and some of the content that never made it into the published version. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/35827095

308: The Appeal of Vampires, With Josephine McAdam 03/10/2025

307: Horror For the Nervous, with Josephine McAdam 02/23/2025

307: Horror For the Nervous, with Josephine McAdam We’re back and we’re hiding behind the sofa. Sure, the monsters, masked killers, and mutants can probably find us back here, but it still feels safer for some reason. Fear is rarely a rational thing, so why should our response to it be? Main Topic: Horror For the Nervous This episode came about when Scott was playing The Between with Josephine McAdam over on and she mentioned that she rarely watches or reads horror media because she finds it upsetting. Given how many horror projects Josephine has been involved with, this seemed like something worth exploring, so we pitched the concept of “horror for the nervous” to her. As we’ve explored in other episodes, horror is about as divisive as genres get. While plenty of us love ghosts, ghouls and gore, there are good reasons why others don’t. We’ve never really explored how you might engage with horror if you find it frightening, as it’s not something we’ve had to deal with much, so Josephine’s insights have been enlightening. Our Guest Host We are delighted to welcome Josephine McAdam to the Good Friends. As well as her many, many actual play appearances on series like and , Josephine is an actor who has appeared in horror films such as and . You can find her streaming regularly on , and on various social media platforms, as JCVIM. You will also be able to find Josephine touring the UK later this year with Chaosium, playing live games of Call of Cthulhu. Links Things we mention in this episode include: (1980) (2000) (1980) (2019) (1984) (1985) (1990) (2008) (2005) by Emily C Hughes (2009) (1999) (2002) (1977) (2009) (1979) (2019) (1993) (1980) News A Weekend With Good Friends There will be another Weekend With Good Friends this summer! This, of course, is the online convention organised by our lovely listeners, taking place on the . Key dates are: GM signups will run between the 23rd of April and the 7th of May Player signups will run between the 22nd of May and the 5th of June The convention itself will take place between the 13th and the 15th of June Games and panels will run throughout the weekend. We shall share more details are they become available. Matt Interviewed For Illusion Horror & Con Matt was recently interviewed by our good friends over at the YouTube channel, discussing his involvement in the . You can find the full video of the interview below. The Meat Trade on Ain’t Slayed Nobody For the last few years, episodes of “The Meat Trade” have been going on to of . This is based on the much briefer scenario of the same name that Scott wrote for the book. The final episode is going out on the 25th of February, so this is the perfect chance to catch up. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/35397785

306: Quatermass and the Pit 02/09/2025

306: Quatermass and the Pit We’re back and we’re digging up the past. Some of this excavation is purely physical, burrowing into the clay under London in search of the usual skulls and spaceships. The rest, however, is more atavistic in nature, uncovering the strange, alien memories buried within our minds. On reflection, we probably shouldn’t have used pickaxes for both jobs. Main Topic: Quatermass and the Pit This episode is our long-overdue exploration of the strange world of Professor Bernard Quatermass, and especially the 1967 film adaptation of Quatermass and the Pit. While we’ve mentioned Nigel Kneale on the podcast before, discussing his TV drama The Stone Tape and horror series Beasts, we’ve never really delved into his most famous creation. While Quatermass and the Pit is our main focus, we begin with a brief summary of the professor’s other appearances. As we mention, the Quatermass TV serials and films were a huge cultural phenomenon in the UK in the 1950s, shaping British science fiction media for generations. This fame did not travel beyond our borders, however, meaning the films have never had more than a cult following in the USA. Consider this episode our small part in trying to rectify this! Our Guest Host We are delighted to have YouTuber, podcaster and author Seth Skorkowsky join us for this episode. Most of our listeners will know Seth from his ENnie-Award winning , as well as the , which he hosts with Jon Hook. Seth is also the author of , spanning urban fantasy, sword and sorcery, and horror. His main focus right now is his ongoing for the campaign, . You can hear Seth’s previous appearances with the Good Friends here: Links Things we mention in this episode include: by Kim Newman by Andy Murray by Mark F Cain by Nigel Kneale (1955) (1957) (1956) (1979) from Doctor Who (1956) (1985) by Colin Wilson by Stephen King (1982) (1987) TV serial (1984) by HP Lovecraft by William Hope Hodgson by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft (1989) (1981) by James P Hogan from Doctor Who (1972) by Seth Skorkowsky /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/35212935

305: How to be an Investigator 01/27/2025

304: Haunted Landscapes 01/13/2025

304: Haunted Landscapes We’re back and we’re digging deep. While you might expect to find ghosts in these haunted landscapes, mostly we’re unearthing history. Oh, and carcinogens. On balance, ghosts seem like the healthier option. Main Topic: Haunted Landscapes Building on last episode’s discussion of Lovecraftian horror and detective fiction explored in Heather Miller’s , we’re delving into another part of the book, which lays out the idea of haunted landscapes. The landscapes in question are haunted by the past rather than ghosts, with layers of history transforming their geography and meaning. We take this concept and see how it might help us add depth to our Call of Cthulhu scenarios. Our Guest Host We are delighted to have Heather Miller join us for this episode. Heather is a Lovecraftian scholar who has presented a number of papers at and has recently published a book for — — which explores the relationship between Lovecraft and True Detective. Heather’s other papers include , which examines the connection between Lovecraft’s investigators and the cosmic horror of Moby-Dick, and . You can find Heather’s blog at , where, amongst other things, she discusses some of the research that went into her book. Links Things we mention in this episode include: by William Faulkner by HP Lovecraft by Richard Misrach and Kate Orff by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft by HP Lovecraft (1965) (1972) (1982) by Bernice M Murphy by Robert W Chambers by HP Lovecraft “An Amaranthine Desire” from “The Secret of Castronegro” from the “Blackwater Creek” from the by HP Lovecraft “Hell in Texas” from “The Necropolis” from News Just One More Thing Often, we find ourselves with more to say than would fit into an episode. This may be because we’ve done a bunch of research that didn’t fit into the flow of the conversation, or simply because something occurred to us later. We’ve decided to try putting some of this to use in the form of bonus episodes for our . The first episode of Just One More Thing will hit the Good Friends early in the New Year. In it, Matt and Scott discuss some of the things they couldn’t quite fit into episodes 301 and 302, exploring a few other historical settings that appeal to us and offering more thoughts about Carnival of Souls. Please let us know what you think of this approach. We’d love to hear your feedback. Matt at ConTingency 2025 Matt is scheduled to attend in less than two short weeks. The convention takes place in Hunstanton, on the east coast of England, and will run from the 27th of January to the 3rd of February. While Matt is planning to carve out some time to play from the , he will be his usual unstoppable GMing machine for the rest of the con. Please say hi if you see him there and make sure he has enough tea to keep functioning. /episode/index/show/goodfriendsofjacksonelias/id/34840075

The Good Friends of Jackson Elias

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