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Tales from the Sanctum

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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.

Sanctum Secorum #50 – The Tower of the Elephant

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Tonight, in their 50th episode, the Keepers of Mystery are joined by guests Stephen Newton, Francis Roberts, and the Dark Master himself – Joseph Goodman. The Keepers and their guests discuss Joseph Goodman’s favorite Appendix N work, Robert E. Howard’s The Tower of the Elephant.

In the Zamorian city of Arenjun,also known as the “City of Thieves,” a young Conan  is drinking in a rowdy tavern when he overhears a Kothic rogue describe a fabulous jewel known as the “Heart of the Elephant,” which is kept in a tower by an evil sorcerer named Yara, of whom even the King of Zamora is afraid. Conan ventures into Yara’s garden to steal the jewel and encounters Taurus of Nemedia, known as the “Prince of Thieves,” who has the same agenda. Taurus is wily and fat, but amazingly agile. Impressed by Conan’s daring, Taurus agrees to work together.

Also, be sure not to miss the information on how you may win the very last unclaimed copy of the Shadowed Grimoire, #10 of 10.

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The Sanctum Secorum Reading Room: Armor

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Join two of our Keepers of Mysteries as they examine Armor, by John Steakley.

The planet is called Banshee. The air is unbreathable, the water is poisonous. It is home to the most implacable enemies that humanity, in all its interstellar expansion, has ever encountered. Body armor has been devised for the commando forces that are to be dropped on Banshee—the culmination of ten thousand years of the armorers’ craft. A trooper in this armor is a one-man, atomic powered battle fortress. But he will have to fight a nearly endless horde of berserk, hard-shelled monsters—the fighting arm of a species which uses biological technology to design perfect, mindless war minions. Felix is a scout in A-team Two. Highly competent, he is the sole survivor of mission after mission. Yet he is a man consumed by fear and hatred. And he is protected, not only by his custom-fitted body armor, but by an odd being which seems to live within him, a cold killing machine he calls “The Engine.” 

Armor is the story of humanity’s war against an alien race whose foot soldiers are three-meter-tall insects, referred to as “ants”. It is also the story of a research colony on the fringes of human territory which is threatened by pirates. The two plots intertwine and finally join at the end, with each providing answers and insight into events of the other. 

For those wishing to support Ashraf Braden’s RPG releases – click here and here!
Find the Armor II teaser that was released prior to Steakley’s death here.
Plus, tune in for our latest fantasy book give away!

Originally broadcast live on the Goodman Games twitch channel on February 28, 2023.

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Sanctum Secorum Reading Room – Tuesday, Jan 24 at 9pm EST

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The Keepers of Mysteries return to the Goodman Games Twitch channel with an all-new season of The Sanctum Secorum Reading Room! This month, Jen and Bob Brinkman explore and discuss The First Book of Swords, by Fred Saberhagen.

Set in the same universe as the Empire of the East, and taking place over 50,000 years after the events described in those novels, the Books of Swords blends fantasy and science fiction in a way that has delighted readers for 40 years.

So, join us as we begin our second season of the Sanctum Secorum Reading Room, with our trademark discussions and listener giveaways.

Enter the Sanctum Secorum… and be inspired.

 

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Sanctum Secorum #48 – The Dolphin Cross

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Sanctum Secorum Quarterly – COMING SOON!

The story picks up the saga of the two protagonists from the Face in the Frost, Prospero and, to a much lesser extent, Roger Bacon. In this adventure, war has come to the South Kingdoms and Prospero finds himself kidnapped and exiled on an island. While he manages to escape, he finds himself an unwitting captive a second time, with a situation even more dire. Meanwhile, he is unable to completely unravel why he was captured in the first place.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight, the Keepers of Mysteries return from their long hiatus to discuss this unfinished work by John Bellairs.

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The Sanctum Secorum Reading Room: Burn, Witch, Burn!

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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.

Originally broadcast live on the Goodman Games twitch channel on December 20, 2022.

Join us next month as we read The First Book of Swords.

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Sanctum Secorum #47 – The Hills of the Dead

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Get the free Sanctum Secorum #47 Companion COMING SOON

A predecessor to Howard’s Conan the barbarian, Solomon Kane is a somber-looking Puritan who wanders the world with no apparent goal other than to vanquish evil in all its forms. Returning to Africa, Solomon Kane’s old friend N’Longa (the witch doctor from “Red Shadows”) gives the Puritan a magic wooden staff, the Staff of Solomon, which will protect him in his travels. Kane enters the jungle and finds a city of vampires.With his faith in god, the magic of N’Longa, and his wits, Kane must destroy them all.  This is a sequel to the first Solomon Kane story published, Red Shadows.

Welcome to the Sanctum Secorum podcast. Tonight, the Keepers of Mysteries return with a special guest, Judge Eric Young!

 

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The Sanctum Secorum Reading Room: The House on the Borderland

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Join two of our Keepers of Mysteries as they take a look at The House on the Borderland, by William Hope Hodgson – a story praised by both H. P. Lovecraft and Sir Terry Pratchett, as well as being influential for Clark Ashton Smith.

Be sure to check out the music of Electric Wizard and their song The House on the Borderland.

Plus, tune in for our latest fantasy book give away!

Originally broadcast live on the Goodman Games twitch channel on November 15, 2022.

Join us next month as we read Burn, Witch, Burn!

 

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The Sanctum Secorum Reading Room: A Night in the Lonesome October

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In a special Halloween episode, Keepers Jen and Bob dive in to the delightfully spooky seasonal tale, A Night in the Lonesome October, by Roger Zelazny.

Plus, tune in for our latest fantasy book give away! You could win a copy of Jack of Shadows (details in the show).

Originally broadcast live on the Goodman Games twitch channel on Oct 30, 2022.

 

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Sanctum Secorum LIVE: Michael Moorcock

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Join the Keepers of Mystery for a special episode of the Sanctum Secorum, recorded live. Joining us to discuss his new book, The Citadel of Forgotten Myths (as well as his lengthy career and more) is author Michael Moorcock. This special extended cut includes a small amount of material that didn’t make it into the livestream due to technical issues.

Learn more about The Citadel of Forgotten Myths here.

Originally broadcast live on the Goodman Games twitch channel on October 8, 2022.

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