Cultists Descend Upon Arkham

[Mograg]

Cultists Descend Upon Arkham...

Well, not really. But Yog-Sothoth regulars Mograg and Nightshade (Brian and Rob in their civilian identities) decided to meet in person in the old town of Salem, Massachusetts this past Sunday. We picked Salem because it was somewhat central to both our locations, and of course Salem is Arkham's "real life" counterpart, so the town seemed ideal for a real life meeting.

Rob and I met up at the Salem Beerworks, not far from Pickering Wharf (one of the old wharves in the days of the East India trade, now refurbished to house trendy shops, restaurants, and upscale condos). We had an enjoyable lunch, devoting our friendly conversation to learning more about one another and our appreciation of the game that is Call of Cthulhu.

After the restaurant, we spend a few hours walking the old streets of Salem, talking about Lovecraft, the game, this website, role playing games in general, etc. We prowled through Salem's many hobby shops and occult emporiums. For those who don't know, Salem is an odd mix of the genteel and the tawdry. It's the East Coast's haven for Wicca, neo-paganism, metaphysics, and things of that nature. The town has also made itself into something of a cartoon, capitalizing on its horrific past as the site of the Salem Witch Trials and catering to the tourist industry (actually those occured in neighboring Danvers, which was part of Salem in 1692 but later split off into its own town, but that's another story...).

So Salem has a sort of year-round Halloween spirit, and there are all sorts of odd shops and interesting characters around. I'm sure Lovecraft would be bemused at how "Arkham" has capitalized on its history, turning its darkest days into a sort of occult Mardi-Gras, while simultaneously attracting neo-pagan Witches whose earth-based religion has nothing to do with the heresies levelled at the unfortunate "witches" back in the late 1600s. But I digress...

So Rob and I prowled the hobby shops and the occult emporiums, happily chatting about Yog-Sothoth and Cthulhu and the Necronomicon amidst all the weirdness that is Salem. It was a thoroughly fun day and great to meet another Yog-Sothoth poster in person.

Any other New Englanders who post here? Would you like to meet Rob and myself in person? Rob and I are hoping from the humble beginnings of two CoC cultists meeting in person, we might attract other local posters and get something going on here in the New England area.

Do drop a line if you're interested, or if you - like Rob and I - have met other Yog-Sothoth.com worthies in person in your area. I'd love to hear of your experiences.

Best to all,

Brian C.
Lowell, Massachusetts

[tonyfr]

That sounds really enjoyable. I talked to my wife about going there with my daughters in the middle of October (they have a four day weekend). I have never been there. Do you think that it may be a bit much for a 13 yr old and 9 year old?

[Nightshade]

That sounds really enjoyable. I talked to my wife about going there with my daughters in the middle of October (they have a four day weekend). I have never been there. Do you think that it may be a bit much for a 13 yr old and 9 year old?

Not at all. It is *very* well policed and *very* family friendly. There are more than enough things to keep the children occupied and the whole region of Essex County is beautiful. You can take day trips outside of Salem for a change of pace to Newburyport (possibly the model for Innsmouth?), Marlblehead (aka Kingsport) , Gloucster and Rockport.

But I am biased, I love New England..

Rob

[tonyfr]

Is there anything in particular in Salem you would recommend? Thanks for the info. New England in the fall would be beautiful.

[Nightshade]

Is there anything in particular in Salem you would recommend? Thanks for the info. New England in the fall would be beautiful.

I would recommend the Peadoy Essex Museum for a start. One of the largest collections of Asian art in North America and only 2% is on display. (Most was gathered in the 19th century during the China Trade). They also have tours of 18th and 17th century houses that are well worth the time.

http://www.pem.org/homepage/

You should probably take a tour of some of the Salem Witch Museums. I like the Witch Dungeon Museum because they act out a 15 minuete transcript of a trial and that is interesting. Any of them is fine, however.
Your family may also enjoy the Pirate Museum. I did.

There are also many one-time events during the October season such as candellight ghost tours etc. For more info check out.

http://www.salemweb.com/calendar/ahead.shtml#October

If you want more detailed info on places to eat or visit in the region, please feel free to PM me and I will endeavor to get you what you need.

Cheers,
Rob