{"id":455,"date":"2011-04-12T12:42:23","date_gmt":"2011-04-12T19:42:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/theunspeakableoath.com\/home\/?page_id=455"},"modified":"2018-12-18T09:15:14","modified_gmt":"2018-12-18T15:15:14","slug":"submissions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"http:\/\/theunspeakableoath.com\/home\/submissions\/","title":{"rendered":"Submissions"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Unspeakable Oath <\/em>is a magazine of Cthulhu Mythos gaming. It\u2019s published by gamers who love the Cthulhu Mythos and who love to see Cthulhu Mythos gaming at its best. TheOath<\/em> welcomes writing and art from veterans and newcomers alike, but for both veterans and newcomers its standards are high. Read these guidelines thoroughly.<\/p>\n

If you haven\u2019t read\u00a0The Unspeakable Oath<\/em> before, track down a copy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

We accept submissions for the\u00a0Oath<\/em>.<\/p>\n

scope and subject<\/h2>\n

The\u00a0Oath<\/em> focuses on tabletop roleplaying games. We occasionally run material dealing with other kinds of games, but they\u2019re the exception to the rule. An article about a LARP probably has enough crossover with tabletop roleplaying that it\u2019ll pass muster. An article about a boardgame, a card game, or a videogame needs to be immediately compelling to tabletop roleplayers for us to run it.<\/p>\n

In its original run from 1991 to 2001,\u00a0The Unspeakable Oath <\/em>focused exclusively on Chaosium\u2019s\u00a0Call of Cthulhu <\/em>roleplaying game. Today there are many Cthulhu Mythos RPGs, and we’ll publish material for any of them. We most frequently feature\u00a0Call of Cthulhu<\/em> (under our license with\u00a0Chaosium,\u00a0Call of Cthulhu\u00a0<\/em>submissions must be for their current\u20147th\u2014edition of the game), Pelgrane Press’\u00a0Trail of Cthulhu, <\/em>and\u00a0Arc Dream Publishing’s\u00a0Delta Green.<\/em><\/p>\n

We’ll run material on any era of play. Modern day, classic 1920s or 1930s, 1890s, Dark Ages, Wild West, ancient world, far future, whatever you have. If it’s terrifying\u00a0and terrific, we want it.<\/p>\n

short articles<\/h2>\n

Each issue of the\u00a0Oath<\/em> features many short pieces. These articles need to be punchy and tight. We don\u2019t have room for fluff in the larger articles, of course, but in these short pieces every syllable must guide to reader to sharper, better horror gaming.<\/p>\n

ARCANE ARTIFACTS<\/strong>. Strange relics of wizards and other outre entities crop up regularly in scenarios. An Arcane Artifact is an item with a strange\/occult\/Mythos history and possibly magical powers of some sort. These should be about 500 words. Include the history of the item, a detailed physical description (don’t forget approximate size and weight), where it might be found, what powers it might have, and what role it might play in a scenario.<\/p>\n

MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPTS<\/strong>. Magical and occult tomes are a mainstay of Cthulhu Mythos gaming. A Mysterious Manuscript is an original occult tome of your creation for use in the game. These should be about 600 words, though up to twice that length is acceptable if it includes new spells, new monsters, and the like. Include information on its publishing history (such as different editions and translations), author, the age of the book, spells in the book, descriptions of new spells or new monsters related to the book, game effects such as Sanity cost, etc. Also include an excerpt from the book, written to reflect the flavor of the work. In the body of the piece, describe the book’s history, its contents (especially specific areas of focus in the text–does it address the Dreamlands, or Deep Ones, or what?), the physical appearance of the book, and what unusual effects it might have on its readers.<\/p>\n

TALES OF TERROR<\/strong>. A Tale of Terror is a short scenario idea. These should be about 600 words. The format is to include an enticing and story-like introduction, much as it would be presented (in longer form) to the players. Then, under a heading of “Possibilities,” present 3 different explanations of what is going on. This allows the Keeper to pick and choose, and find ideas for his or her own games. These are fairly simple to write, and depend entirely on your creativity to be effective. Tales of Terror should be short, scary, and to the point.<\/p>\n

THE EYE OF LIGHT & DARKNESS (REVIEWS)<\/strong>. We are always seeking perceptive and engaging reviews of things that will interest Cthulhu gamers. It may not sound like it, but those two criteria can make for a challenging review: Reviews in the\u00a0Oath<\/em> need to be engaging and entertaining, not dry, but they also need to be substantive, not fluffy. And they need to deal with things that the\u00a0Oath’s <\/em>readers\u2014fans of Cthulhu Mythos gaming\u2014will find interesting. Movies, books, and games in the Lovecraft\/horror genre are all appropriate. If you’re interested in reviewing something, contact the editor first. The range of potential review subjects is pretty narrow, and chances are someone else is doing it already\u2014so check and make sure. We do not publish reviews of Arc Dream Publishing or Pagan Publishing products. A review for the Oath<\/em> cannot have been published anywhere else.<\/p>\n