Lovecraft's Tales

SMPragueSMPrague
in Custom Card Sets
*knock door*
Hi, my name is S. M. Prague, have you a few minute to talk about our lord and destroy-our Cthulhu?
__________
Hi, Some time ago I have been working on a set of cards inspired by the texts of the master Howard Phillips Lovecraft. Especially as a way to find an excuse to reread his work.
So, one day I asked myself: why not use this also as an excuse to spread his work? 
So the idea is this: I put the story in mention, then the cards that I created about it with the explanation of the creative process. 
And of course, in between would come all your criticisms, advice, suggestions, own creations, etc, etc, etc.
For my next comment, I will start with a short biography of the author.
*We see us, when we read us*
P.D: Some of you already know that English is not my main language. So from now on I apologize for the abominations that my proofreader and I may commit (And this is also open to criticism;))

Comments

  • jpastorjpastor
    sweet!
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    Howard Phillips Lovecraft. 
    Born in the city of Providence, New England, the current father of cosmic horror was born into a family of lost ancestry. 
    Because he lost his father when he was very young, he was lovingly raised by his sensitive mother ... too much care. Little Howard grew up locked in his home without much contact with the outside world. An outside world that his relatives drew her as a horrible and alien place.  
    The class difference was instilled in him from a young age and caused a racism and classism from which he could not free himself until almost near the doors of his death.
    During his adulthood his work turned between his writings and the correction of the writings of other authors who little by little were shaping what today is called the "Lovecraft's Circle".
    The legacy of the writer, although in life it was not very important, after his death it spread through all the branches of which art counts to do so.
    Lovecraft's body died at 47... 
    --------
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    Well we start with the master.
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/howard-phillip-lovecraft?list=set&set=63868
    Most of Lovecraft's texts are horror stories, where the protagonist is faced with problems that threaten his already delicate sanity, in some of them the sea has an important importance.
    For this reason I decided to make Lovecraft a blue-black Planeswalker.I would have loved to give it a better two-color frame instead of gold and put its legendary border on it, but - you know - the page won't let us.
    Use a low mana value as his abilities alone are not too powerful and his initial loyalty value is not very high either.
    And speaking of the initial value of loyalty, I decided to keep it as low as possible. Positions to consider that the man used not to be very social and quite reluctant to open up to new people (not to mention his blatant racism and xenophobia).
    For his special abilities I chose three.
    The first, that it gives us two mana of its colors to use. It represents his creativity and the skill with which he left us those monsters that now populate the collective imagination.
    Lovecraft's monsters often come from beyond space and time. That is why he embraces the idea of ​​playing a lot with exile. That's why his second ability helps put creatures there. 
    The ultimate ability is nothing more than the synthesis of the other two and the consummation of your title as the progenitor of monsters.
    Any ideas how to improve it?
    The most observant will notice that it is not the first card I make of him. But it is the original idea. He had changed it because he did not have the colored mana symbols in Planeswalker abilities. Which, obviously, I have already overcome.
    For the next entry we will begin with one of the first stories of which there is a record.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The Little Glass Bottle
    By H. P. Lovecraft

    “Heave to, there’s something floating to the leeward” the speaker was a short stockily built man whose name was William Jones. he was the captain of a small cat boat in which he & a party of men were sailing at the time the story opens.
         “Aye aye sir” answered John Towers & the boat was brought to a stand still Captain Jones reached out his hand for the object which he now discerned to be a glass bottle “Nothing but a rum flask that the men on a passing boat threw over” he said but from an impulse of curiosity he reached out for it. it was a rum flask & he was about to throw it away when he noticed a piece of paper in it. He pulled it out & on it read the following
    Jan 1 1864
    I am John Jones who writes this letter my ship is fast sinking with a treasure on board I am where it is marked * on the enclosed chart
         Captain Jones turned the sheet over & the other side was a chart

    on the edge were written these words dotted lines represent course we took

         “Towers” Said Capt. Jones exitedly “read this” Towers did as he was directed “I think it would pay to go” said Capt. Jones “do you”? “Just as you say” replied Towers. “We’ll charter a schooner this very day” said the exited captain “All right” said Towers so they hired a boat and started off govnd by the dotted lines of they chart in 4 weeks the reached the place where directed & the divers went down and came up with an iron bottle they found in it the following lines scribbled on a piece of brown paper
    Dec 3 1880
    Dear Searcher excuse me for the practical joke I have played on you but it serves you right to find nothing for your foolish act—
         “Well it does” said Capt Jones “go on”
    However I will defray your expenses to & from the place you found your bottle I think it will be $25.0.00 so that amount you will find in an Iron box I know where you found the bottle because I put this bottle here & the iron box & then found a good place to put the second bottle hoping the enclosed money will defray your expenses some I close—Anonymus”
    “I’d like to kick his head off” said Capt Jones “Here diver go & get the $25.0.00 in a minute the diver came up bearing an iron box inside it was found $25.0.00 It defrayed their expenses but I hardly think that they will ever go to a mysterious place as directed by a mysterious bottle.
  • Rayne-LordRayne-Lord
    I would love to see a set centered around the works of Lovecraft. 

    On first thought, things that may go really good in that kind of set:

    Madness-
    Investigate-
    Horror Tribal-
    Exile Matters-

    I’m also wondering what kind of unique abilities or designs could be introduced into such a set. Love to hear more! There was a cardsmith on here who had created at least 50 or so cards that related to Lovecratian Mythos, who might have some insights, but i cant remember who it is anymore, and those cards might have been deleted.

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    Yes, yes, I don't know how that works & definitely yes.
    Well I hope you like it and feel welcome to criticize and suggest everything you want.
    ¿How does the tribal thing work?
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    The Little Glass Bottle By H. P. Lovecraft
    This is the earliest recorded history of Lovecraft, a beautiful fable about why we should not trust messages from strangers on the internet. Well ... Not on the internet, but browsing around.  (In my language Sailing and Browsing are said in the same way)
    I only make two cards for this story. Both blue, of course, since the story takes place entirely in the sea.

    -Gullible Sailors. Obviously inspired by the protagonists and their "rush" to trust and get the treasure.
    Originally it was a blue card, because of all that from the sailors, but @Rayne-Lord made me see that there was nothing blue in the card (along with some typographical errors). So I decided to turn it red, a color more in line with its characteristics.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/gullible-sailors-2
    (You can still find the original card here: 
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/gullible-sailors-1?list=set&set=63868 )
    And the other: Deception in a Bottle: which is nothing more than a treasure, where someone else chooses your prize. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/deception-in-a-bottle?list=set&set=63868
    I will wait a while for your contributions and then we will see the next tale. Ah ... And in case you haven't figured it out yet. There are going to be spoilers on the cards.
  • Rayne-LordRayne-Lord
    That first card, Gullible Sailors should be a red card most certainly. Nothing about its abilities say blue at all. 

    Also, Haste does not need a hard stop (a period), and it shouldn’t be italicized. Its probably an uncommon as well.

    The second card is fine in blue, and the ability itself is fine at that mana value and rarity, but the syntax is a little off. I’m not sure why you’ve specified “target player” as you’d undoubtedly only use this on yourself. 

    “Reveal the top three cards of your library. You may put one of those cards into your hand, and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.”

    I’m familiar with Lovecrafts work, and if I wanted to read his work, (or get spoilers), I just would. What I’m interested in here is how you’ll translate his Mythos into playable magic cards. And how concepts in his work can generate interesting mechanics.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    @Rayne-Lord
    Yeah, About sailors I must agree ... I got carried away by the theme of the sea and all that. But on second thought, who says there can't be red sailors?

    About the second, maybe I misspelled it. The point is that the effect is like a consolation prize, for the end of the story. I mean: you don't get what you wanted but you still get something. So what I did is apply the effect to another player (hence the "Target"), but let the player who threw the card decide which cards to throw to the bottom of the library And which to leave for the opponent to stay.
    Maybe if I had used "target opponent" instead of "target player"?
    And thinking about it more ... What if those other two letters went to the graveyard instead of the back of the library? Maybe that way it would be more interesting to use it on an opponent.
    About the myths ... I am going through the stories in chronological order so there is still a little bit left.
  • Rayne-LordRayne-Lord
    I guess the Gullible Sailors would also probably be a pirate if you’re using current Magic creature types. 

    As far as your explanation for deception in a bottle I just dont think this would be an effective card to use on an opponent. Its a form of card selection, which is something you almost never want to see an opponent have, let alone give them for free. Putting cards into the graveyard isn’t a great reason to do this, as its just a much worse mill card. I could see it being pretty good in a set that wanted self mill (which I think Lovecraft would be the perfect place for.)

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    Oh yes, Deception in a bottle is definitely not a good card XD. 
    The real benefits of the card would be:
    - Look some cards from the library of your opponents
    - Know the name of a card in their hand (which would be useful to do something else with that information later). This is because who chooses the card is who casts the spell, not the opponent who receives it.

    ...Maybe if I keep the "Target" I could also include the benefit of the self mill ... ? ... But it would remove the tone of "consolation prize" from the spell.

    Target opponent reveals the top three cards of his library. You pick one and put it into that opponent's hand. Put the other two at the bottom of their library in any order.
    Or...
    Put the other two in their graveyard.

    I think it is less beneficial to put them in the bottom of the library than in the graveyard.

    -------

    Mmm... The pirate subtype would be more in line with the Magic Lore ... But I prefer to keep the Sailor. More than anything because the type of character is going to be repeated later in the stories and maybe I can do something with that, later.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The Secret Cave (or John Lees adventure)
    By H. P. Lovecraft

    “Now be good children” Said Mrs. Lee “While I am away & dont get into mischief”. Mr. & Mrs. Lee were going off for the day & To leave The Two children John 10 yrs old & Alice 2 yrs old “Yes” replied John
         As Soon as The Elder Lees were away the younger Lees went down cellar & began to rummage among the rubbish little alice leaned against the wall watching John. As John was making a boat of barrel staves the Little girl gave a piercing cry as the bricks behind her crumbled away he rushed up to her & Lifted her out screaming loudly as soon as her screams subsided she said “the wall went away” John went up & saw that there was a passage he said to the little girl “lets come & see what this is” “Yes” she said the entered the place they could stand up it the passage was farther than they could see they John went back upstairs & went to the kitchen drawer & got 2 candles & some matches & then they went back to the cellar passage. the two once more entered there was plastering on the walls ceiling & floor nothing was visible but a box this was for a seat nevertheless they examined it & found it to contain nothing the walked on farther & pretty soon the plastering left off & they were in a cave Little alice was frightened at first but at her brothers assurance that it was “all right” she allayed her fears. soon they came to a small box which John took up & carried within pretty soon they came on a boat in it were two oars he dragged it with difficulty along with him soon they found the passage came to an abrupt stop he pulled the obstacle away & to his dismay water rushed in in torrents John was an expert swimmer & long breathede he had Just taken a breath so he tried to rise but with the box & his sister he found it quite impossible then he caught sight of the boat rising he grasped it. . . .

    The next he knew he was on the surface clinging tightly to the body of his sister & the mysterious box he could not imagine how the water got in but a new peril menaced them if the water continued rising it would rise to the top suddenly a thought presented itself. he could shut off the water he speedily did this & lifting the now lifeless body of his sister into the boat he himself climed in & sailed down the passage it was gruesome & uncanny absolutely dark his candle being put out by the flood & a dead body lying near he did not gaze about him but rowed for his life when he did look up he was floating in his own cellar he quickly rushed up stairs with the body, to find his parents had come home He told them the story

    * * * * * *

         The funeral of alice occupied so much time that John quite forgot about the box—but when they did open it they found it to be a solid gold chunk worth about $10,000 enough to pay for any thing but the death of his sister.

    End     
     
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The second story we have of the boy Lovecraft is about two brothers who are left alone in their house and discover a secret passage under their mansion.The story ends with a moral about the value of gold and other things. Lovecraft once again includes this concept of useless sacrifice in his story. 


    Secret passage Obviously, it represents the front door of the story and its end. Watching it now. That "can" shouldn't it be "may"?

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/secret-passage-12?list=set&set=63868
    Consolation prize, I lihe that. Destroy a creature for the small price of two mana ... With the disadvantage that you put more cards in your opponent's hand. 


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/consolation-prize?list=set&set=63868
    But not everything could be so terrible, right? Fortunately, history does not provide a means to recover what was sacrificed ... By making another sacrifice, of course.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/stranded-boat?list=set&set=63868
    And finally, the main characters. I don't know why he hadn't done them before. But here they are.
    I made them both legendary cards and took a little creative license with John. I had both of them transform to show their character evolution. But on second thought, perhaps Alice instead of transforming would have been better creating a token. No?

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/john-lee?list=user

    And that's it for a few days. The next story is called The Mystery of the Cemetery.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The Mystery of the Grave-Yard
    or “A Dead Man’s Revenge” A Detective Story,
    by H. P. Lovecraft

    Chapter I
    The Burns’s Tomb.
    It was noon in the Little village of Mainville, and a sorrowful group of people were standing around the Burns’s Tomb. Joseph Burns was dead. (when dying, he had given the following strange orders:—“Before you put my body in the tomb, drop this ball onto the floor, at a spot marked “A”.” he then handed a small golden ball to the rector.) The people greatly regretted his death. After The funeral services were finished, Mr Dobson (the rector) said, “My friends, I will now gratify the last wishes of the deceased. So saying, he descended into the tomb. (to lay the ball on the spot marked “A”) Soon the funeral party Began to be impatient, and after a time Mr. Cha’s. Greene (the Lawyer) descended to make a search. Soon he came up with a frightened face, and said, “Mr Dobson is not there”!

    Chapter II
    Mysterious Mr. Bell.
    It was 3.10 o’clock in ye afternoone whenne The door bell of the Dobson mansion rang loudly, and the servant on going to the door, found an elderly man, with black hair, and side whiskers. He asked to see Miss Dobson. Upon arriving in her presence he said, “Miss Dobson, I know where your father is, and for £10,000 I will restore him. My name is Mr. Bell.” “Mr. Bell,” said Miss Dobson, “will you excuse me from the room a moment?” “Certainly”. replied Mr Bell. In a short time she returned, and said, “Mr. Bell, I understand you. You have abducted my father, and hold him for a ransom”

    Chapter III
    At The Police Station.
    It was 3.20 o’clock in the afternoon when the telephone bell at the North End Police Station rang furiously, and Gibson, (the telephone Man) Inquired what was the matter,
         “Have found out about fathers dissapearance”! a womans voice said. “Im Miss Dobson, and father has been abducted, “Send King John”! King John was a famous western detective. Just then a man rushed in, and shouted, “Oh! Terrors! Come To the Graveyard!”

    Chapter IV
    The West window.
    Now let us return to the Dobson Mansion. Mr Bell was rather taken aback by Miss Dobson’s plain speaking, but when he recovered his speech he said, “Don’t put it quite so plain, Miss Dobson, for I—” He was interrupted by the entrance of King John, who with a brace of revolvers in his hands, barred all egress by the doorway. But quicker than thought Bell sprang to a west window,—and jumped.

    Chapter V
    The Secret of The grave.
    Now let us return to the station house. After the exited visitor had calmed somewhat, he could tell his story straighter. He had seen three men in the graveyard shouting “Bell! Bell! where are you old man!?” and acting very suspiciously. He then followed them, and they entered The Burns’s Tomb! He then followed them in and they touched a spring at a point marked “A” and then Dissapeared”. “I wish king John were here”, Said Gibson, “What’s your name,”? “John Spratt”. replied the visitor.

    Chapter VI
    The chase for Bell.
    Now let us return To the Dobson Mansion again:—King John was utterly confounded at the Sudden movement of Bell, but when he recovered from his surprise, his first thought was of chase. Accordingly, he started in pursuit of the abductor. He tracked him down to the R. R. Station and found to his dismay that he had taken the train for Kent, a large city toward the south, and between which and Mainville there existed no telegraph or telephone. The train had Just Started!

    Chapter VII
    The Negro Hackman.
    The Kent train started at 10.35, and about 10.36 an exited, dusty, and tired man1 rushed into the Mainville hack. office and said to a negro hackman who was standing by the door—“If you can take me to Kent in 15 minutes I will give you a dollar”. “I doan’ see how I’m ter git there”, said the negro “I hab’n’t got a decent pair of hosses an’ I hab—” “Two Dollars”! Shouted The Traveller, “all right” said the Hackman.
         1King John.

    Chapter VIII
    Bells Surprise.
    It was 11 o’clock at Kent, all of the stores were closed but one, a dingy, dirty, little shop, down at the west end. It lay between Kent Harbour, & the Kent & Mainville R.R. In the Front room a shabbily dressed person of doubtful age was conversing with a middle aged woman with gray haire, “I have agreed to do the job, Lindy,” he said, “Bell will arrive at 11.30 and the carraige is ready to take him down to the wharf, where a ship for Africa sails to-nighte”.
         “But If King John were to come?” queried “Lindy”
         “Then we’d get nabbed, an’ Bell would be hung” Replied The man.
         Just then a rap sounded at the door “Are you Bell”? inquired Lindy “Yes” was the response, “And I caught the 10.35 and King John got Left, so we are all right”. At 11.40 the party reached The Landing, and saw a ship Loom up in the darkness. “The Kehdive” “of Africa” was painted on the hull, and Just as they were to step on board, a man stepped forward in the darkness and said “John Bell, I arrest you in the Queen’s name”!
         It was King John.

    Chapter IX
    The Trial.
    The daye of The Trial had arrived, and a crowd of people had gathered around the Little grove, (which served for a court house in summer) To hear the trial of John Bell on the charge of kid-napping. “Mr. Bell,” said the judge “what is the secret of the Burns’s tomb”
         “I well tell you this much” said Bell, “If you go into the tomb and touch a certain spot marked “A” you will find out”
         “Now where is Mr Dobson”? queried the judge, “Here”! said a voice behind them, and The figure of Mr Dobson HIMSELF loomed up in the doorway.
         “How did you get here”!&c was chorused. “’Tis a long story,” said Dobson.

    Chapter X
    Dobson’s Story.
    “When I went down into the tomb,” Said Dobson, “Everything was darkness, I could see nothing. but Finally I discerned the letter “A” printed in white on the onyx floor, I dropped the ball on the Letter, and immediately a trap-door opened and a man sprang up. It was this man, here,” (he said (pointing at Bell, who stood Trembling on the prisoner’s docke) “and he pulled me down into a brilliantly lighted, and palatial apartment where I have Lived until to-day. One day a young man rushed in and exclaimed “The secret Is revealed!” and was gone. He did not see me. Once Bell left his key behind, and I took the impression in wax, and the next day was spent in filing keys to fit the Lock. The next day my key fitted. and the next day (which is to-day) I escaped.”

    Chapter XI
    The Mystery unveiled.
    “Why did the late J. Burns, ask you to put the ball there”? (at “A”?) queried the Judge? “To get me into trouble” replied Dobson “He, and Francis Burns, (his brother) have plotted against me for years, and I knew not, in what way they would harm me”. “Sieze Francis Burns”! yelled the Judge.

    Chapter XII
    Conclusion.
    Francis Burns, and John Bell, were sent to prison for life. Mr Dobson was cordially welcomed by his daughter, who, by the way had become Mrs King John. “Lindy” and her accomplice were sent to Newgate for 30 days as aidors and abbettors of a criminal escape.

    The End.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    We continue in the writings of young Lovecraft and our next story is a detective story. 

    The story begins with the eccentric last will of a dead man, which, although we do not know it yet, is nothing more than a plan for a posthumous revenge (posthumous revenge... That is a good name too...).

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dead-mans-revenge-2

    In the story there is a man in the grave waiting for the victim to force him to take his place. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/luxurious-enclosure?list=set&set=63868
    Luxurious enclosure is, therefore, a prison that allows us to exile a card first and then retrieve it and be able to exile perhaps a bigger nuisance.
    Mmmm... Thinking about it now, maybe I should have put something in to recover the creature by destroying the prison... 

    Now The criminal is trying to escape on a boat late at night!

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/night-escape-1?list=set&set=63868
    Here I use my first custom ability for this being: Crime.
    The crimes are abilities of the instants (so far) that do not cost much to be cast, but if they are countered, you lose more than you win, Since both parties, the crime and its target, will be exiled. Crime does not pay, they say .... Unless filling your exile was part of your plan in the beginning.

    So how are we going to catch the criminal before he gets out of hand? We will need someone to take us to him, quickly ... Perhaps for the appropriate encouragement?

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dark-coachman?list=set&set=63868
    Here I found myself again with the dilemma of the colors to use on the card. It is a spirit, so why do I leave it black? But my intention is that it has Haste, should I make it red? Or maybe black but with the Kicker in red?
    I accept suggestions.
    I beg for suggestions.

    Ok then. We have crossed the countryside looking for our criminal, it is time for our hero to appear on the scene.
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/king-jhon-detective-1?list=set&set=63868
    It's King John! See if they can use their night escape now!

    Our next story will be The mysterious ship. And it will be one of the last stories that I am going to upload in full from here. That are already beginning to grow.

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    Our next story is called The mysterious ship.You can read it in the following link. As I had commented, its extension is already starting to get too much for a post.
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/mys.aspx

    Our story begins when a mysterious ship (I would not have imagined it) begins to appear on different coasts. And, place where it docks, place where someone disappears. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ruellos-brig?list=set&set=63868

    Did the missing persons have crewed into the Brig of their own free will? Nooo! What happens is that their captain is nothing more than a pirate and a kidnapper.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/captain-manuel-ruello?list=set&set=63868

    Is time to Issue an search and capture warrant and reload the kidnapped men!

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/search-capture-2

    We finally found the ship, but Ruello has escaped in a submarine!

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/submarine-boat-1?list=user
    Well, no problems, we follow him and finally we recover the men kidnapped by the pirate.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/no-mans-land-18?list=set&set=63868
    Now we can finally rest and wait until the next story.

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    Our next story is titled: The Beast in the Cave.
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/bc.aspx
    In this story our always incognito narrator tells us about the Mammoth Cave, a cavern equipped with an immense and labyrinthine network of caves and tunnels. A cave in which he has been irretrievably lost.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/mammoth-cave-1?list=user
    I admit that the text is excessively dense so if someone can help me to summarize it, I would appreciate it. Of course I could get the flavor text ... 

    But let's go back to the story where our narrator tells us how a stealthy precense haunts him in the dark. We could reveal the monster now ... but we will do like Lovecraft in most of his works and we will save it for last.
    Cornered like this, our unknown protagonist decides to trust luck to free himself from the threat and you know what? He does it.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/random-shot?list=set&set=63868
    Well ... our protagonist alludes to his very fine hearing, but I think it was luck. 
    After defeating his opponent, he tries to leave the cave again only to find a Conscientious Guide who has not stopped looking for him since he noticed his absence in the exploration group.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/conscientious-guide?list=set&set=63868
    Entonces ya está? Y nuestro monstruo? Oh, ellos tampoco se quedarán con la duda y regresarán a verlo. Y entonces por fin descubrirán a la bestia de la cueva.

    And here the story ends.
    What what? The transformation? Oh yeah. 
    At the end of the story I couldn't avoid wondering What if the protagonist had investigated before launching that lucky projectile at his rival? Was the beast really his enemy? We will never know ... But I like to think not.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/the-beast-in-the-cave?list=set&set=63868


    The following card is not mine, but @Jadefire  
    But when I saw it I immediately remembered this story. 


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/creeping-recluse?list=user

    Next Tale: The Alchemist.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The Alquemist by H. P. Lovecraft.
    (Full story here: https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/a.aspx)
    This is the story of Antoine C.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/antoine-earl-of-c?list=set&set=63868
    last descendant of the house of C, heir to the once noble lands of his family. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/downcast-noble-lands?list=set&set=63868
    Having always grown up in the shadow of his faithful but overprotective butler ...

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/overprotective-butler?list=set&set=63868
    Who, literally, prevented him from socializing and sharing with his peers with the excuse of class difference.  But this was not the real reason for Antoine's over-protection and when his butler died he managed to discover the true threat that hung over his life. No member of his family lived beyond the age of 33.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dejected-by-doom?list=set&set=63868
    This revelation clearly plunged Antoine into great distress. But the certainty of his death instead of opening it gave him the strength to investigate all possible and impossible ways to stop his destiny. 
    Thus, investigating, he discovered that everything went back years when an old hermit and his son lived in his lands.


    They both didn't have the best reputations, but they had never been proven to have actually done anything wrong. Then one day, the nobleman's son disappeared and Antoine's ancestor immediately blamed Mauvais.
    Prisoner of rage and pain, the man killed Mauvais, only to realize shortly after that he was wrong and that his son was safe elsewhere.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/abuse-of-power-3
    The son of Mauvais swore revenge and as soon as he had a chance he threw one of his preparations in the face of the murderer killing him, not without first cursing him and his progeny.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/revenge-for-prejudicial-death?list=set&set=63868
    Thus forewarned of his fate, Antoine continued to investigate and discovered a secret passage under his own home.. Where suddenly a sinister silhouette appeared on the threshold of the door. 
    It was Charles le Sorcier! The son of Mauvais who, having discovered the secrets of eternal life, had returned to carry out his revenge, descendant after descendant.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/charles-le-sorcier?list=set&set=63868

    Fortunately our hero had damage first... That and a timely potion of destruction at hand allowed him to finish off his attacker and thus finally end the curse that hung over the house of C.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/explosive-damage-potion-6-2
    The end for now. See you in the Next tale: The tomb.

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    The Tomb by H.P.Lovecraft.
    (Historia completa en https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/t.aspx )
    Our story begins by introducing us to Jervas Dudley, Another heir to a noble family that has been forgotten.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/jervas-dudley-hydes-heir?list=set&set=63868
    Jervas is a sensitive and lonely boy who, like all sensitive and lonely young people, likes to take long walks in the woods at night. Okay... maybe not so lonely.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ghostly-partner-2
    One day our young man came across a gate locked with a padlock amid the moss and grass and behind it a sealed crypt. An old sealed tomb belonging to the ancient Hyde family.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/hydes-tomb-1?list=set&set=63868
    After trying many times without success to force entry, and thanks to a timely revelation, he decided to wait patiently for his time to reveal the secrets of the ancient tomb will come soon.
    Thus one day the voices of the past revealed to him where he could find the key that would allow him to enter the crypt.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dream-key?list=set&set=63868
     From then on, Jervas's comings and goings to the tomb intensified and the people around him began to notice subtle changes in his tone when speaking and in his vocabulary that began to change.
    His personality also began to be affected and one day he amazed them all with a scandalous song that invited the debauchery of today to the detriment of our immortal life.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/last-cheers?list=set&set=63868
    His fear of storms worsened and although they did not bother him before, they now gave him an atrocious panic. So much was the change in his attitude that his parents sent a servant to watch over him. So one morning, coming out of the grave where he had spent the night, he found the family spy hiding in the bushes and feared that his confession would end the freedom he enjoyed.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/indiscreet-maid?list=set&set=63868

    But great was Jervas' surprise when the servant not only did not acknowledge his entrance to the tomb but said that he had seen him sleep all night at the foot of the closed gate. 
    Emboldened by the "invulnerability" of his secret, he came out on a night when the storm was threatening to fall. But this time he felt the call of them dead from the ruins of the old Hyde house. But when he got there there were no more ruins waiting for him.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/spectral-remembrance
    The once destroyed mansion now stood in full former glory. Music, light, and laughter streamed from their windows. Jervas himself was no longer himself, but the incarnation of his namesake Ancestor.
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/complete/full/2021/11/28/1638136810563504.png
    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/jervas-hyde?list=set&set=63868

    The rest of the events happened too fast (as Lovecraft endings usually do), As the rampant and sinful ghostly party continued its course from heaven, lightning struck, like an accusing finger and punishment of fire, and the mansion burst into flames. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/fate-of-the-sinners?list=set&set=63868
    In the midst of the burning of the fire (the fire not the fire of the party) Hyde feared that his body would never occupy the crypt where his name was but would be lost in the wind turned incandescent ashes.
    Right there, in that ghostly repetition of the past, he promised that he would wait if necessary to inhabit the body of his descendants, but that in one way or another he would be buried in that last home that he so well deserved.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/deny-burial?list=set&set=63868
    When Jervas Dudley woke up, he did so struggling against the men of his father who were taking him back to his home to take him later to a mental institution where he would finally spend the rest of his days.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/madhouse-in-the-hill
    ---
    Well. Several new skills came out in this mini set so I wanted to expand on them a bit.



  • SMPragueSMPrague
    edited December 2021
    Aaaand.... I accidentally gave it to publish instead of edit. So I'm still here with the skills present in "The Tomb"

    "N"—Phobia: 
    It is a restrictive type ability. Prevents its holder from blocking cards with "N" in their types. I considered naming her "Fear to" as well. But I don't know which one sounds better in your language.

    Unleashed:
    Permanents with this ability enter with counters that are removed little by little according to various criteria, when all counters are removed the card is "unleashed" and we can use their enhanced abilities.

    "Dwell X" and Building:
    Buildings are a type of land that allows you to activate abilities by inhabiting them with creatures. It would be the equivalent of vehicles for the lands. However, here you do not see the force, but the number of creatures.

    Shadow: 
    Ok, this is not a custom ability, but I wanted to mention it because I like its idea to represent those creatures that can enter the world of dreams or the afterlife.
    See you in the next story: Dagon.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    "I am writing this under an appreciable mental strain, since by tonight I shall be no more"
    We are introduced to our protagonist. A man suffering from great pressure who is about to commit a madness out of desperation.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/depressed-sailor-2
    And I like this beginning so much that I wanted to represent both man and despair.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/farewell-letter?list=set&set=63868

    From his last resting place, man gives us a glimpse of his past and tells us about his addiction to morphine ... And I had make a card for here but I can no longer find it anywhere. So I had to modify it to see if it passes the censorship this time.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/mana-dependent-1

    In short, the protagonist tells us about his addiction and begins to explain how he has reached such extremes.
    He tells us that the story began when they were taken prisoner by a German ship.
    But treated with such deference that it was not difficult for him to flee a few days later.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/fuga-en-bote?list=set&set=63868

    But that escape was far from being somewhat fortunate. After falling asleep at the helm of the escape boat he came to a rotting, fetid, slimy Wave. A place that he thought could be the seabed raised by some unknown natural cause.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/risen-slime-1?list=set&set=63868

    He disembarked and an oppressive feeling forced him to move through those unknown places. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/desolation-by-isolation?list=set&set=63868

    Until he reached what he recognized as an obelisk.
    An ancient stone, full of engravings that suggested a port imaginary. Many representations of humanoid and psisciform creatures But full of creative license when it comes to sizes. One of the creatures even appeared fighting a whale!

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ancient-monolithic?list=set&set=63868

    But while the protagonist observed such inconsistencies, a giant, polyphemic figure jumped out of the water and hugged the pillar, a figure like the one in the engravings, a figure from which the man could do nothing but flee, leaving his sanity behind.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/father-dagon-depths-god

    And so his story ends. With our protagonist on the brink of madness and explaining that now he can no longer be at peace, that he feels at all times that a gloomy precensia follows in his footsteps and ... Wait ... What's that? ... That claw on the door!


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/noise-at-the-door?list=user

    Special thanks on this part to @shadowreign who helped me correct some things and taught me something about how to use frames.

    As a Bonus Track I wanted to include some other Dagons made by other cardmakers.

    By @BlueDeckEnjoyer

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dagon-father-of-the-sea

    Oh @Rayne-Lord You wanted to see some of their myths. Dagon is the first Old-One to appear Personally I wanted to make it more restricted to cast and help him with other cards to give him mana, Like the monolith and Noise in the Door. But the desire to give it a better name won me over and I ended up reducing its cost from four blue mana and four black mana to the one it has now.
  • SMPragueSMPrague
    Ok, With the next two stories we get away from the myths a bit. The first is entitled "A Reminiscense of Dr. Samuel Johnson"
    And I couldn't really get a lot of material out of this writing. The "story" is a "biography" of the life of Doctor Samuel Johnson —British poet and critic— with the small detail that it is told by a character, Lovecraft's alter ego, named Humphrey Littlewit. Who claims to have a life longer, much longer, longer than normal human beings.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/humphrey-littlewit-esq?list=set&set=63868
    The biography begins with a nice phrase about Reminiscence that I wanted to record as well.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/the-privilege-of-reminiscense?list=set&set=63868
    Maybe I should have cut the explanation short, but ... Meh.
    About Dr. Johnson, Lovecraft... sorry... Littlewitt, already extends in his memories. But what Littlewitt does not count is the meme that this remarkable character bequeathed to us. So I made him a two-sided card with those expressions so well known to us.
    (I had to do the first one again because the censorship did not like that I used the official phrase of the meme)


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/what-did-just-i-read?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dr-samuel-johnson-poet-1?list=set&set=63868
    The original story can be found here:
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/rdsj.aspx
    And, although the interaction is not turning out much ?, I reiterate the invitation to comment or contribute. Bye!



  • SMPragueSMPrague
    And with the following story we get further away from the Lovecraft the world tells us about, further away from its tentacles and its fears.
    This story is called Sweet Ermengarde Or, the Heart of a Country Girl and was written under the pseudonym Percy Simple and, if you want, you can read it here:
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/se.aspx
    The story is about Ermengarde, a beautiful peasant woman who, for some very particular reason, is sought out by almost everyone in the town. So I decided to turn this mini-set into a mini-game called "who gets Ermengarde" game.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/sweet-ermengarde-stubb?list=set&set=63868
    Any player can get Ermengarde, as long as they have the necessary resources. If you control Ermengarde from the start of your turn, you can transform her.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/lady-ermengarde-s-van-itty?list=set&set=63868
    And now that we have transformed Ermengarde and that we control her from the start of the turn, we can only count our permanents and win ... Unless someone takes Ermengarde from us again.
    The rest of the cards I made for this story help to move Ermengarde from one place to another in one way or another or to prevent her from being taken away. Obviously inspired by moments and characters from the history.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ambitious-lamdlord?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/moocher-lumberjack?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/engagement-ring-24?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/gold-in-the-property?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/kidnapped-at-birth?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/jealousy-attack?list=set&set=63868

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/long-awaited-reunion?list=set&set=63868
    And you? Do you have any other letters that could serve to retain Ermengarde's love ... Or at least her interest?

  • SMPragueSMPrague
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/p.aspx
    Polaris.
    I just love this story. Its rhythm is sublime.
    The story begins with our protagonist looking at the polar star, with the feeling that there is something more there in that unhealthy glow, our story begins when your memory or your delirium begins to awaken.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/awakening-of-consciousness-1?list=user
    Then, carried by the wings of the ground, our protagonist materializes in the lost city of Olathoe, with each occasion having more control of his actions.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ruins-of-olatho-1?list=user

    There he can listen to his friend Alos, commander of the hosts of the plain and a true patriot.pq
    Alos is haranguing the people of Olathoe to fight the Inutos, demons who, from the North, are rampaging city after city with their civilization.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/the-yellow-demon?list=user
    For that he exhorts the men of Olathoe to honor the heritage of their ancestors and fight as they did when they displaced the cannibals Gnophkehs in the past.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/leadr-of-the-bloody-resistance?list=user
    Quickly our protagonist requested to accompany him in the fight, but to know of his tendency to suffer sudden faints, his physical weakness and his great eyesight, Alos decided it was best located in the Thapnen Watchtower, being the eyes of the army.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/watch-tower-of-thapnen?list=user
    Thus our hero climbed the high tower and prepared to watch the horizon.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/watchman-of-olathoe?list=user
    However, above his head and through the window the old pole star was shining and whispering an old song that caused him a drowsiness that he could not avoid.


    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/polaris-song-1
    In vain do I try to remember something I had read in the Pnakotic Manuscripts that will help keep you awake so that you can be of help to the men of Olathoe!

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/pnakotic-manuscript?list=user
    And the inevitable happened. Our hero fell asleep on his guard.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/asleep-on-guard-1?list=user
     We will never know if the yellow demons rampaged through the city of Olathoe, or if the hot men — under Alos's command — were able to defend its walls.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/soldier-of-olathoe?list=user
    Because the watchman continues to sleep, while he dreams that he is a man, in a mental institution, who looks through the window at a star,
     evil and monstrous, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/back-to-reality-1?list=user
  • SMPragueSMPrague

    Beyond the Wall of Sleep

    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/bws.aspx
    In this story, the narrator begins by making a speech about soils and the possibility that they were not just a product of our imagination but a glimpse into an unknown world located beyond the walls of our ordinary reality.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/dreaming-of-other-worlds?list=user

    The story itself begins when the psychiatric hospital where our narrator works arrives an illiterate and semi-savage Highlander named Joe Slater.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/joe-slater?list=user
    The man had always been strange in the eyes of his companions, He had habitually slept at night beyond the ordinary time, and upon waking would often talk of unknown things in a manner so bizarre as to inspire fear even in the hearts of an unimaginative populace.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/slow-awakening
    It was one of these awakenings after a heavy drunkenness that was responsible for Joe Slater's seclusion. The man was delirious and, when some of his companions tried to stop him, In a fit of rage, he beat one of his comrades to death. 

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/maniacal-fury?list=user
    Ready to do justice for their own hand, a group of mountaineers set out after him. Luckily for Slater, a county sheriff joined the group, which became a search and capture party instead of an extermination group.

    Captured and taken into custody, he was quiet for a few days until after manifesting certain symptoms of restlessness during sleep, he exploded into a frenzy so tremendous that it took four men to put the straitjacket on.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/alienists-team?list=user
    Following these attacks Slater was promptly taken to a mental institution. 

    This is where the narrator meets. Joe Slater and is captivated by the stories that, always limited by his poor language, the rough mountain man describes after his dreams. And for that clever glow that you can sometimes discover behind your eyes.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/the-shine-behind-their-gaze-1. (This card turns into the next card)
    Slater makes him participate in his ravings and tells him how in his dreams he is a cosmic entity that seeks to ascend and travel the cosmos in order to find a certain creature that has wronged it and destroy it to ashes.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/the-agent-beyond-the-dreams?list=user
    The narrator decides to rescue a university project that could allow him to unite his dreams with Slater in order to delve deeper into the man's mind.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/shared-dreams-machine
    The experiment yielded few results at first, and the spark in Joe Slater's life was inexorably fading. Until one day the connection between both minds was achieved.

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/astral-awakening-1
    The agent from beyond the dream wall spoke directly to the narrator and told him that he was doing it only because they were the two astral entities..

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/astral-entity-3
    And that tonight I look for him among the stars because at last he will fulfill his purpose ...
    The conclusion of the story did not contribute much to the creation of more letters. But if you like to read them, feel free to contribute to the topic.
    Byes..



  • SMPragueSMPrague
    Memory is a micro tale that takes place in the ruins of the Valley of Nis meandered by the River Than. In it, the genius that chases the moonlight asks the demon of the Valley how they were the ones who built those ruins...
    https://www.hplovecraft.com/writings/texts/fiction/m.aspx

    https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/ruins-of-the-nis-valley


This discussion has been closed.