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Tales from the Sanctum

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Welcome

The Sanctum Secorum podcast plumbs the depths of Appendix N as it applies to DCC RPG. Each show reviews one piece of Appendix N media — be it literature or film — and then discusses how to bring aspects of it to the table for your DCC game. We explore how the selected piece might already easily fit into particular modules and DCC settings, and we highlight one specific DCC module that really ties into the Appendix N material.

Enter the Sanctum Secorum… and be inspired.

News: The Bachwezi

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Sanctum Media, in its partnership with Ugandan game designer, Ashraf Braden, is pleased to announce the third in our line of DCC micro-releases. Issued monthly, these mini-zines cost only $1, and are appropriate for printing and folding.

This month we present the Bachwezi, a tribe of invisible herdsmen who roam the African plains. Descended from the ancient Batembuzi gods, the Bachwezi have strange powers that allow them to remain unseen and to force others to do their bidding. This release brings them to your table as a fully playable character class for your campaign. Also included with your drivethrurpg purchase are pronunciation notes and audio clips by Ashraf himself, providing the Ugandan pronunciation for 4 new terms.

Ashraf has been working on the next few months of releases, and there are other potential projects in the works, beyond the scope of we here at Sanctum Media, that are all quite exciting. So, join us in celebrating new content from a new voice in the RPG community.

All of Sanctum Media’s proceeds from the purchase of this, and future releases created by Ashraf, go directly to the author. You can purchase it here!

Additional Content, Ashraf Braden, Classes, News, Shameless Self-Promotion

Obituary: Chris Carpenter

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I bear the sad tidings that we’ve lost another one of our own. Chris Carpenter was a DCC fan and a personal friend. He fought with Glioblastoma for over two years before it took him. Chris’ passing wasn’t sudden, I suppose it wasn’t even wholly unexpected, but it is still a blow

In our gaming circles, Chris was the guy who always showed up with a friendly smile, a welcoming attitude, and a great story. While we played DCC with him a number of times, attendees of Brinkmanomicon might best know him for bringing Gaslands. His Gaslands games were so popular that we set aside the “perfect” table just for him – even raising it to increase the ease of play.

Spending time with him was… comfortable. We didn’t see one another often, especially once the pandemic hit, but we’d always pick up right where we left off. It was a rare thing.

There are many who knew him better than I, and he leaves behind a grieving family who are suffering from the loss of a husband and father. Things I can’t really wrap my head around.

In the end, Chris Carpenter was a good man, and our community is diminished by his passing. The world is a bit darker for the loss of his smile, and grown quieter for the passing of his voice.

News, Obituary

News: Lukwata

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Sanctum Media, in its partnership with Ugandan game designer, Ashraf Braden, has released the next in our line of DCC micro-releases. Issued monthly, each of these mini-zines is appropriate for printing and folding.

This month we present Lukwata, a lake monster who haunted the waters of Lake Victora. The release also includes write-ups on three weapons, and the most brutal Mighty Deed of Arms you are likely to come across (Dismembering Attack). Also included are pronunciation notes and the drivethrurpg purchase also comes with audio clips by Ashraf himself, providing the Ugandan pronunciation for 11 terms.

Ashraf has been working on the next few months of releases, and there are other potential projects in the works, beyond the scope of we here at Sanctum Media, that are all quite exciting. So, join us in celebrating new content from a new voice in the RPG community.

All of Sanctum Media’s proceeds from the purchase of this, and future releases created by Ashraf, go directly to the author. You can purchase it here!

Additional Content, Ashraf Braden, Mighty Deeds, Monsters, New Releases, News, Shameless Self-Promotion, Weapons, ,

News: The Kakondo

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Sanctum Media is pleased to announce its partnership with Ugandan game designer, Ashraf Braden. The release of the Kakondo, a monster torn from African urban legends and folklore, is the first in what we hope to be a long line of $1 micro-releases. Also included is a short write-up on the yakoma, a Ugandan sickle-sword.

All of Sanctum Media’s proceeds from the purchase of this, and future releases created by Ashraf, go directly to the author. If you want to support a new voice in the RPG gaming sphere, you can purchase it here!

Ashraf Braden, Monsters, New Releases, News, Shameless Self-Promotion, Weapons,

Join the Team of Sanctum Secorum Quarterly

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Hey everyone,

As we previously announced, the Sanctum Secorum Companion ‘zine is transforming into a brand new form, Sanctum Secorum Quarterly. With this, we are broadening our content and opening our pages to adventure reviews, DCC-oriented fiction, regular columns, as well as our traditionally gameable content.

Our first issue will be released in March and each issue will continue to have a section devoted to materials from the show. Even so, other submitted content does not need to follow a particular theme. Have you created a new spell that you really love? Well, rather than wait for us to have a show that may be appropriate, go ahead and send it on in. Recurring features such as Appendix N(ightmares) and the Shrouded Grimoire will be ready to deliver, now monsters, spells, and more, each issue.

Are you a 3PP preparing to launch a kickstarter or a new project? Reach out to us and tell us about it so we can help spread the word.

With all that we want to do, we are hoping to find a few more volunteers to join our creative team. Sanctum Secorum Quarterly, like the Companion ‘zine, is a free PDF publication. So, this is not a paying gig – just a fun one.

Whether you are interested in contributing once or coming aboard the team, drop an email to thehub@sanctum.media with “Submissions” in the subject line.

 

News, Sanctum Secorum Quarterly

Sanctum Secorum Reading Room – Tuesday, Dec 20 at 9pm EST

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The Keepers of Mysteries return to the Goodman Games Twitch channel with an all-new live show on Tuesday, December 20th at 9pm! Join Jen and Bob Brinkman as they take a deep dive into the progenitors and contemporaries of Appendix N.

Burn, Witch, Burn! by Abraham Merritt isn’t specifically listed on Appendix N, but certainly is an important work by this often overlooked author. As a writer, Merritt drew upon the works of earlier authors (such as Gertrude Barrows Bennett) to create dreamlike words and sinister antagonists.

Join us as we close out the 1st Season of the Sanctum Secorum Reading Room, with our trademark discussions plus a number of listener giveaways – including a very special giveaway sponsored by Levi Combs and Planet X Games. Come for the Appendix N, stay for the holiday giveaways!

Enter the Sanctum Secorum… and be inspired.

Contest, News, Podcasts, Shameless Self-Promotion,

And the Winners Are…..

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Wow! What a great response to our contest! Thank you to everyone who submitted their entry. We only wish that we had tons of free books to give away instead of pounds (but that require the Prize Storage Unit of Mystery).

Our domestic/US winner, recipient of a box of over 10 lbs (this killed our mailing scale) of vintage sci-fi/fantasy books is…. Brian Tieman. Brian should have his prize in a few days, in time for the holidays.

As previously announced, the overseas prize was different, due to shipping costs. While we couldn’t send oodles and oodles of paperbacks, we wanted to send out something that was really special. In the end, we think that the prize is pretty cool.

Our overseas winner is David Gallico, who receives a copy of The Shrouded Grimoire (#9 of 10). This is currently the only copy of the book’s limited run to be outside the US! Sorry David, but barring a true miracle, it is going to take a bit longer for your prize to get there. Still, we hope that you’ll find it worth the wait.

Now then, if you didn’t win, never fear! There is more to come on the next episode of the Sanctum Secorum Reading Room – Tuesday Dec 20th. The Prize Closet of Mystery is not yet done with the holiday season!

  • First, we have last month’s giveaway to announce. One lucky winner will be getting Robin Wayne Bailey’s Swords Against the Shadowland and William Hope Hodgeson’s The House on the Borderland.
  • In honor of the current Kickstarter from Planet X Games, An Occurance at Howling Crater, Levi Combs will be joining us to help us give away a (for now) mystery package of Sci-fi/Fantasy novels and comic books to one lucky live viewer.
  • Of course we will be announcing our next giveaway for January.
  • Finally, one second chance entry will be drawn with the recipient receiving a copy of Keeper Bob’s favorite science fiction novel, Armor, by John Steakley. Perfect to provide inspiration for your next Star Crawl session, with plenty of great ideas to draw from, this is the book of which Bob has said “Out-Heinlein’s Heinlein for the Starship Troopers concept” (Bob rereads the book annually, so he may be a smidge biased).

So many giveaways!

Regardless of which holiday(s) you celebrate, best wishes of the season to you from us at the the Sanctum Secorum. We look forward to seeing you in a few short days for more discussions, more giveaways, and more fun!

Contest, News, Shameless Self-Promotion