The GROGNARD Files – Episode 66: Cults of Cthulhu (with Mike Mason)

Episode Overview

In this episode of the GROGNARD Files, host Dirk the Dice is joined by special guest Mike Mason, creative director of Call of Cthulhu at Chaosium, at the annual Grogmeet event. The conversation looks back at the history and enduring appeal of Call of Cthulhu, focusing on the recently published Cults of Cthulhu supplement, and explores how the game has evolved, why cults are so intrinsic to the mythos, and how to use them effectively in play. Resident rules lawyer Blithey later joins Dirk for an in-depth discussion of the Cults of Cthulhu book, and they riff on the broader culture of cults in fiction and RPGs.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Lasting Success of Call of Cthulhu

(Main segment begins around 09:00)

• Dirk asks Mike Mason: Why did Call of Cthulhu, out of all the Chaosium games, become such a phenomenon?
• Mike identifies two main factors:
  • First-mover advantage: “It was the first horror role-playing game… often the first market is the one that cements itself in the imagination.” (09:56)
  • Cosmic horror: Lovecraft’s unique brand resonated more than classic horror:
    “Cosmic horror… allows for much more freedom and latitude in terms of the things you can explore. It also chimes much more deeply or resonantly with a modern audience … We do have fears of the unknown… and that chimes with the modern consciousness.” (11:06)
  • The game’s lack of canon means anyone can take the mythos and “mess things around,” making personal and creative takes possible.
• The game owes as much to Lovecraft’s circle and successors (especially August Derleth) as to Lovecraft himself.
• Player approaches range from pulp adventure to grim historical fiction—“your flavor of Call of Cthulhu might be very different to mine, but it’s just as valid…” (16:56)

2. Designing History into Horror

(Segment from 06:44)

• Academic interest in RPGs is on the rise; universities approach tabletop gaming from creative writing, historical and even computer game design perspectives.
• Research is central to Mason’s approach: “Often the majority of [my] research... is looking at old maps or trying to find an old street map.” (07:02)
• Historical authenticity is valued—using period-accurate details to create a richer, more immersive game world.

3. Origins of Mechanics and the Influence of Fandom

(17:40; 33:41 onwards)

• The sanity mechanic in Call of Cthulhu was inspired by a Tunnels & Trolls Lovecraft variant found in Sorcerer’s Apprentice magazine.
• Mike notes the importance of fan publications (like Dagon and the Whisperer) for keeping the game alive during Chaosium’s lean years, likening them to punk: “It isn’t just the reserve of people you’ll never meet… that’s why it’s a very different form of pastime.” (35:44)

4. 40 Years and the Cult of Nostalgia

(19:20–22:03)

• Dirk and Mike unbox the 40th Anniversary Call of Cthulhu boxed set.
• Mike explains Chaosium’s approach to heritage and reprint projects: they’re as much about celebration as about product.
• The game’s ongoing task: balancing nostalgia with new material, and not just producing “greatest hits” reissues.

5. Cults of Cthulhu: The New Supplement

(24:01 – 29:00; Library Use segment from 45:20)

• Mike details the genesis of Cults of Cthulhu:
  • Motivation: “The one thing we’ve never done… is actually write a book on cultists.” (23:49)
  • Focuses on human antagonists: “It’s about the human monsters… the antagonists in scenarios, 90% of the time.” (24:03)
  • Cult dynamics reflect real-world behavior: “All against one… my interpretation is better than your interpretation… that’s the nature of cults.” (25:49)
• The book offers both example cults and a toolbox for GMs to create their own, emphasizing motivations, recruitment methods, and inner/outer circle dynamics.
  • “Chris Lackey did a lot of work on defining the kind of questions you need… when you are kind of designing your big bad cult.” (26:00)
  • Emphasis on day-to-day detail: “Where do they get the money from? Do they have a front?… What do cultists believe?” (26:00)
• The supplement aims to “give you a lot of strong foundations so you can feel confident… in any situation you know what the cult's going to do.” (27:46)

6. Miniatures, Fandom & Gaming Evolution

(29:31 onwards)

• Mike reminisces about Cthulhu miniatures, noting their limited actual use in play—except in big set pieces. (32:26)
• Player-created tournaments and community efforts have been crucial to the game's continuity, especially in the UK.
  • Fanzines such as Dagon and The Whisperer not only filled product gaps, but also fostered creativity: “It was really important to have the official side of the game and the unofficial community side… it got you thinking a bit more widely.” (36:38)

7. Cults Culture: Role in Gameplay and Narrative

(Library segment ~45:11 onwards)

• Dirk and Blithey discuss how cults provide the essential human nemesis in Call of Cthulhu, acting as intermediaries between the investigators and the mythos.
• The importance of unreliable narration and layers in Lovecraftian fiction—game has moved far beyond direct adaptation, with most players learning the mythos via RPG, not stories.
  • “I think… there is a massive gulf between the source material and what Call of Cthulhu has become.” (54:12)
• The Cults of Cthulhu supplement is praised as perhaps the next essential purchase after the main rulebook, due to its scenario hooks and practical tools.
• The framework encourages keepers to develop cults with realistic funding, recruitment, and aims—very different from “evil cult must be stopped” simplicity.

8. Freedom, Canon, and the Enduring Appeal

(61:09; 79:26)

• Unlike Glorantha or other dense “secondary worlds,” the Cthulhu mythos’ lack of canon fosters creativity and removes pressure to “do it right.”
• “If there’s any other game like that, where you can take anything you like—political figures, innovations—and run it through Cthulhu and out pops a bit of a scenario… I don’t think there is.” (78:03)
• The secret to the game’s longevity is this adaptability: “You can just take something, put it through Cthulhu, and out the other end pops an idea.”
• The “stick a shoggoth in it” joke is evidence of its plasticity—only possible because any topic can be reimagined through the mythos.

9. Scenario and Table Usage

(Library: 64:05; “Read No Further!” 68:47)

• Dirk and Blithey review the structure of the Cults supplement:
  • Timeline showing Cthulhu cults through history, each a scenario seed.
  • Five detailed cult write-ups including a modern “Church of Perfect Science” and the Esoteric Order of Dagon.
  • Advice for randomizing and fleshing out original cults with goal/structure/motivation tables: “It’ll just fire your imagination.”
  • Scenarios form a “mini-campaign,” giving players a chance to inhabit different roles across time.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"There’s no canon. Lovecraft had no canon. And anyone who’s tried to impose a canon ultimately fails."
—Mike Mason (15:29)

"The one thing we’ve never done… is actually write a book on cultists… it only took us 40 years to write a book on cultists!"
—Mike Mason (23:49)

"Cults… the humans as intermediaries… that’s the key part, aren’t they?" —Blithey (53:13)

"Is there any other game like that, where you can take anything… and run it through Cthulhu, and out the other end pops an idea?"
—Dirk the Dice (78:03)

"The joke only exists because you can do that with Call of Cthulhu. You can’t do that with other games. That’s why that joke doesn’t exist for other games."
—Blithey (79:52)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Section | Timestamp | Notes | |---|---|---| | Welcome & Grogmeet recap | 00:00–04:04 | Mike Mason joins live from Grogmeet | | Cthulhu’s horror & cosmic mythos | 09:53–14:12 | Why cosmic horror endures, vs. gothic | | No canon/Lovcraft’s circle | 15:00–17:56 | August Derleth, the game's openness | | Cults in the supplement | 24:01–29:00 | Genesis, content, human antagonists | | Miniatures & community zines | 29:31–36:38 | Dagon, The Whisperer, tournament memories | | Blithey joins - Library Use | 45:11 | Deep dive into Cults of Cthulhu book | | Fictional Cults Game | 46:01–52:33 | “Causes” quiz, the fun of pop culture cults | | Cults as game core | 53:13–59:17 | Why cults matter in Lovecraft games | | Creating your own cult | 65:25–67:11 | Using tables & hooks from the book | | Modern tech & the mythos | 76:01–78:07 | AI, Oppenheimer, Cthulhu in the internet age | | Outro & Chatter | 81:38–86:11 | Future plans, Substack, and obsessive GM topics |

Further Resources Mentioned

• Cults of Cthulhu supplement (Chaosium)
• Mason & Fricker’s Eldritch Stories
• Grogpod Substack articles
• Different Worlds magazine #45 (1987)
• “Good Friends of Jackson Elias” podcast (for Shadow Over Innsmouth deep dive)

Final Thoughts

This episode offers a true deep dive into what makes Call of Cthulhu unique: the freedom provided by the mythos’ lack of canon, the focus on human antagonists, the persistent cross-pollination between fandom and publisher, and the enduring power of cults to ground cosmic horror in messy, human drama.

Whether you’re a long-time Keeper or new to the game, the discussions around Cults of Cthulhu provide both inspiration and practical advice for bringing cults and cosmic conspiracies to life at your table.