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A special treat for Halloween: a pair of tales by Poe. Edgar Allan Poe was an America’s first master of the macabre. A poet, editor, and literary critic, he is best known for his tales of dark mystery and sinister goings on. Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story, and is generally considered the inventor of the detective fiction genre.

Poe’s influence is felt, even today, in literature throughout the world, as well as in specialized fields, such as cosmology and cryptography. He inspired countless authors to follow (perhaps most notably H. P. Lovecraft) and the Mystery Writers of America present an annual award known as the Edgar Award for distinguished work in the mystery genre. Tonight we discuss two of Poe’s best-known thrillers.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. In this episode (as suggested by Joseph Goodman) we examine two of the works by Proto-Appendix N author Edgar Allen Poe, with The Cask of Amantillado and Masque of the Red Death, with our special guest host, Stephen Newton.

In addition, we have bonus content to bring to your game: creatures, weapons, and so much more…after the jump.

Dark Acquisitions

There is a great deal of new material to bring to the table based on these stories. Below is a list, by category and author, of what has been added to the Dark Acquisitions page, by the Keepers of Mysteries, based on this show. Further contributions, from friends of the library, will also be found there as they arrive.

Character Classes
The Masque – David Baity

Locations
Montresor Crypt – Jen Brinkman

Magic Items
Ebony Clock –  Stephen Newton
Prince Prospero’s Candles – Jen Brinkman

Monsters
Plague Reaper – Stephen Newton
Plague Specter – David Baity
Plague Zombie – David Baity

Patrons
The Chromatic Court – Bob Brinkman
The Red Death – David Baity

The Stacks

Appendix N
The Cask of Amantillado by Edgar Allen Poe (Performed by Vincent Price)
The Cask of Amantillado by Edgar Allen Poe (Performed by Basil Rathbone)
The Cask of Amantillado by Edgar Allen Poe (Performed by Christopher Lee)
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe (Performed by Basil Rathbone)
The Masque of the Red Death by Edgar Allen Poe (Performed by Christopher Lee)

Adventures
Bride of the Black Manse by Harley Stroh
The Chained Coffin by Michael Curtis
The One Who Watches from Below by Jobe Bittman
They Served Brandolyn Red by Stephen Newton

Settings
The Shudder Mountains (of the Chained Coffin) by Michael Curtis
Transylvanian Adventures by S.A. Mathis/Land of Phantoms

Thanks to

The ambient background of the Sanctum Secorum was created using Horror Ambiance from Klankbeeld.
Sanctum Secorum’s theme music was created using Seating Incantation, by Landmark Entertainment.