Your introduction to CoC/Lovecraft?

[CADmonkey]

I did a search, and couldn't find a thread here on this subject, so I thought I'd start one:

Since Call of Cthulhu is pretty popular with RPPR, I thought I'd ask folks how they first "discovered" CoC and/or H.P. Lovecraft's writing?

I actually discovered Lovecraft first.  I was about 11 or 12 and looking for reading material before going on a fishing trip with my folks when I noticed a book with this cover art:



I wasn't really into horror, but the descriptions of the stories on the back cover piqued my interest, so I bought it.  I started reading on the first night at the fishing lodge.  We were staying in an old log cabin on a lake that was only accessible by an old mining/logging road and the place didn't have electricity at the time.  The cabin had bats in the attic, and walls had been compromised by the chipmunks & mice that lived in the surrounding woods, so that night when the gas lamps were turned out, the cabin came alive with the sounds of squeaking and scurrying creatures.  And the first story in that Lovecraft book? The Rats in the Walls.

My introduction to Call of Cthulhu came some years later.  I was playing RPG's regularly and had joined the local RPGA club (the RPGA was TSR's old organized play arm) and at the time the RPGA supported games made by other companies, including CoC.  Unlike most of the other players at the table, I had read some of Lovecraft's work, but I'd never read any of the CoC books.  I was handed a pre-generated character, given a quick run-down of the rules, and we were off on our ill-fated adventure.  I soon discovered that the local RPGA folks approached CoC in much the same way that they approached D&D and Shadowrun: they had all memorized the spell lists & monster stats, and instead of actually describing things, they just barked spell & monster names at each other.  At one point, I had this rather memorable exchange with the keeper:

Keeper: A Byakhee bursts through the window-
Me: A what?
Keeper: [blinks] A Byakhee.
Me: I don't know what that is, could you describe it?
Keeper: [sighs] Could somebody help him?
Another player: [grabs a copy of the Malleus Monstrorum, flips through it, shoves it under my nose] Here!

I have played CoC since, but I will never forget that first game.

So, what were your first experiences with CoC or Lovecraft like?

[Adam_Autist]

I got more into Lovecraft BECAUSE of RPPR actually. First exposure was Yog Sothoth Dot Com's campaigns when I was at university before I even played an RPG.

[CADmonkey]

I got more into Lovecraft BECAUSE of RPPR actually. First exposure was Yog Sothoth Dot Com's campaigns when I was at university before I even played an RPG.

Yeah, most gamers I've met were introduced to CoC first.  Most of those were quite proud to tell me that they had not read any Lovecraft.

[trinite]

My first exposure to Lovecraft was finding a copy of the Call of Cthulhu 5th edition RPG book on a coffee table in my cousin's house when I was about 14 or 15. My parents were religiously opposed to role playing games at that time, so it was like its own forbidden tome for me. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

A couple of years later on, I guess I must have either decided this from seeing that book or else I'd gotten reminded of Lovecraft by something else, but I started looking for Lovecraft books at the library. I found those same Del Rey editions with the lurid cover art. I knew my mom wouldn't be happy with me checking them out, so I'd simply go sit in shelves and read them. It's a good thing that collection led off with The Rats in the Walls, one of the best stories, or otherwise I might have never gotten into him.