Chaosium Renames Classic Lovecraftian Monster

[MGibster]

For their boardgame Call of Cthulhu: Old One Origins, Chaosium has decided to rename Shub-Niggurath to Shub Gorath. I don't really find any fault with the name change, although the Chaosium board game team notes the original name is not at all related to a racial slur, they akcnowledge it sure sounds like one. I know from personal experience it's not a name I was ever comfortable uttering in public because a reasonable person could hear it and get the wrong idea. Another plus here is it's always nice to have an alternative name for old school outer gods. A player who hears Gorath might not immediatly know what he's dealing with, and that's always nice.

I think this is a good move on Chaosium's part and I hope they do the same for their RPG as well.

https://gamefound.com/en/projects/chaosium/call-of-cthulhu-old-ones-origins/updates/13

 

[Autumnal]

That sounds very sensible. I approve.

 

[Fenris-77]

Fenris-77 approves this rebrand. Shub Gorath for state senator.

 

[CandyLaser]

This is a good change, in my estimation. I hope that it filters into future printings of the RPG as well.

 

[SkidAce]

I am kinda proud to have been a decade ahead of the publisher (still, good on them) with this change.

Shub-ziggurat.

It just made things more comfortable.

 

[Bayushi_seikuro]

I agree this is a sensible move, and, as was stated, it's always good to have other names creatures and entities were known as.

I'm reminded of an article in Dragon magazine about a party being hired to take out a white dragon. They didn't do the research - or any research - and just stocked up on fire and cold-resist. They get to the fight... and get flamed.

It was a WIGHT dragon.

Lesson? Especially in CoC - do more than required research

 

[MGibster]

Shub-ziggurat.

My last D&D campaign was ziggurat heavy which helped my players get in touch with their inner Spice Girls. Every time I mentioned the ziggurat I received a chorus of "I wanna really, really, really wanna 'zig-a-zig,' ah!"

 

[Eurohobbes]

I must have read that name a thousand times: in HPL books, in the Arkham Horror board and card games, in CoC. And it had never occured to me that it could be read like that, not for a second.

Kudos for them for changing the name!

 

[Knaves Quill]

I've been accenting that cursed syllable's vowel as "EE" for years, but still. I'm glad for this change and will be adopting it going forward.

 

[bsss]

I know from personal experience it's not a name I was ever comfortable uttering in public because a reasonable person could hear it and get the wrong idea.

Same. It's a good change just to make everyone's lives easier, and it's not like a specific noun for a fictional monster has any particular importance.