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The carnelian cube of the title is a small red “dream stone” confiscated by archaeologist Arthur Cleveland Finch from Tiridat Ariminian, one of the workers on the dig he is supervising in Cappadocia. It bears an inscription in Etruscan that appears to identify its original possessor as Apollonius of Tyana, a wandering ascetic/philosopher/wonderworker who lived from 15-100AD. Supposedly, the stone allows the bearer to attain the world of his dreams. Arthur Finch is a man who *thinks* that he knows what he wants… until he has it. Once he has it, the task becomes how to get rid of it.
To sleep, perchance to …. create a new reality!
Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight, the Keepers of Mysteries boldly explore the dream world of The Carnelian Cube by L. Sprague de Camp and Fletcher Pratt.
Dark Acquisitions
COMING SOON
The Stacks
Appendix N
The Carnelian Cube by L. Sprague de Camp & Fletcher Pratt
Adventures
Bride of the Black Manse by Harley Stroh
Elzemon and the Blood Drinking Box by Terry Olson
The Floating Oasis of the Ascended God by Stephen Newton
The Jeweler Who Dealt in Stardust by Harley Stroh
Misguided Menace of Georgetown by Brendan LaSalle
* Brendan LaSalle’s Keynote Speech on creativity
Neon Knights by Brendan LaSalle
Not in Kansas Anymore by Dieter Zimmerman
Peril on the Purple Planet by Harley Stroh
The Phantasmagoria Series (unreleased) by Michael Curtis
Welcome to Pandemonium (Gongfarmers Almanac 2017) by Gongfamer’s Local #282
Conventions
Gary Con
GenghisCon
Music
2023 (album) by Barış Manço
33’üncü (album) by Edip Akbayram
7 Seçilmiş (album) by 80 Kalibre
Akustic Takilmacalar (album) by Dolu Kadehi Ters Tut
Aşık Veysel (album) by Aşık Veysel
The Best of Erkin Koray (album) by Erkin Koray
Binboganin Kizi (song) by Barış Manço
Çanakala (song) performed by Jashar & Idajet Sejdiu
Hasret (album) by Cem Karaca
Isyan (album) by Kırmızı
The Foul (album) by Carnelian Cube
Journey of the Sorcerer (song) by the Eagles
Koymoz (song) by Kaçak
Memories of Caucasus (song) by Yeghish Manukyan
Neşet Ertaş Collection (album) by Neşet Ertaş
Octopus’s Garden (song) by the Beatles
Sakin Almam Lazim (album) by Hayko Cepkin
Sistem Beni Yine Deli Gibi Geriyor (song) by Deja Vu
Trip Fairground (song) by Barış Manço
Turiya and Rmakrishna (song) by Alice Coltrane
Uzun Ince Bir Yoldayim (album) by Aşık Veysel
Road Crew Appearances
* Judges Hoi, Andrew Sternick, Vasili Kaliman, and David Willems @ The Brooklyn Strategist in New York, NY
* M Nicksic @ Tacoma Games in Tacoma, WA (every Saturday)
* Daniel J. Bishop @ Sword & Board in Toronto, ON
* Mike Carlson @ Everybody Reads Books & Stuff in Lansing, Michigan
* Tim Loughrist @ Blank Comics in Florence, AL
* Christian Burd @ The Beer Temple in Chicago, IL.
* Mario Garcia @ Funagain Games in Eugene, OR
* Michael Harrington @ GenghisCon in Aurora, CO
* Mike Carlson @ Everybody Reads Books & Stuff in Lansing, MI
* Chris ‘Tanglebones’ Lauricella @ Bell Book and Comics in Dayton, OH
Settings
Nowhere City Nights from Order of the Quill
The Purple Planet from Goodman Games
DCC X-Crawl (forthcoming) from Goodman Games
Spotify Lists
Çağatay Karahan’s ultimate Spotify list
Thanks to
Sanctum Secorum’s theme music was created using Seating Incantation by Landmark Entertainment
I haven’t even finished listening to the podcast, but I’m far enough in to know you’re not impressed with this book… However, you just said a thing off-handedly which is the exact thing I liked about the book AND the thing that I think you’re supposed to like about this book:
It’s not a story about a guy who’s some kind of hero for you root for — it’s a book of scenes with weird people and places and customs. Finch is bland because he’s not really the focus — he’s the vehicle. All the other stuff in the book that when you talk about it your voices betray that you did like them or found them interesting is exactly the stuff you were supposed to be focusing on.
It’s on Appendix N (IMO) because when you design an adventure, you’re not writing the “hero” of the piece (that’s the players’ job) but you’re writing all the weird and interesting stuff AROUND the hero or heroes.
That is a fair point on adventure design….but it still makes for a fairly unlikable book. The setting is interesting and, as something to mine for a campaign, there is some interesting material…but as a work of fiction? Ouch.
Great show as always!