Dragon #324 just came in

[Nightfall]

Someone has to explain to me how Fafhrd and Grey Mouser fit into a Lovecraftian setting... Cause I must have missed that book where they fought the Old Ones...or Cthulthu(sp).

 

[Krieg]

Someone has to explain to me how Fafhrd and Grey Mouser fit into a Lovecraftian setting... Cause I must have missed that book where they fought the Old Ones...or Cthulthu(sp).

"That was unwise, as I have many times warned you. Advertise often enough your connection with the Elder Gods and you may be sure that some greedy searcher from the pit . . ."

"But what is our connection with the Elder Gods?" asked the Mouser, eagerly, though not hopefully. . .

"Those are matters best not spoken of," Ningauble ordained. ". . . However, I can tell you this much: the one who has placed the ignoble spell upon you is, insofar as he partakes of humanity, a man. . . and an adept."

The Mouser started. Fafhrd groaned, "Again?"
--- Fritz Leiber, Adept's Gambit

I also suggest that you read Leiber's short story "The Terror from The Depths" from "The Disciples of Cthulhu Anthology" or his article "H. P. Lovecraft Meets Fafhrd and The Gray Mouser" from Marion Zimmer Bradley's Fantasy Magazine.

 

[Nightfall]

Ah see I only got to the first series, Swords against...something. Don't remember the Adept one.

 

[Krieg]

Like Robert E. Howard, Fritz Leiber was a contemporary of and corresponded with Lovecraft. Also as with Howard, Leiber was greatly influenced by Lovecraft.

Leiber's first book (not short story) was published by Arkham house, the small publisher that primarily handles books related to the Cthulhu Mythos.

Legend has it that there were far more references to the "mythos" in Leiber's early stories, but that he removed them under prodding from Lovecraft who felt that Leiber's work deserved to stand fully on it's own.

 

[Nightfall]

I see. Well that's nice. I must try to get some of those earlier works then.

 

[Krieg]

I see. Well that's nice.

LOL

 

[Nightfall]

What?! I mean what else what I supposed to say?

 

[Krieg]

I just had the same feeling you get as a kid when you figure out why the sky is blue or how fractions work and when you try to explain it to your parents they completely fail to share your enthusiams.

No worries, I just had to chuckle at your nonplussed response.

 

[Razz]

A few here seem to be excited about Lupins. What're they? Are they from an older edition? If so, then that's cool. (I'm a sucker for bringing back older edition material)

 

[Cam Banks]

A few here seem to be excited about Lupins. What're they? Are they from an older edition? If so, then that's cool. (I'm a sucker for bringing back older edition material)

They're originally a Mystara/Known World race, introduced in the D&D Creature Catalog (the green softcover book with a cover featuring a number of wary adventurers looking into a cave entrance). It was a book that felt very British, the same kind of tone used in Night's Dark Terror - probably because of the involvement of Bambra and Morris et al.

Lupins were originally wolf-headed humanoids that hated werewolves and hunted them with silver weapons. The Red Steel setting expanded things a lot and gave them their own nation alongside the rakasta and tortles etc. Quite a shift, but not necessarily a bad one. Much more swashbuckling wolf-man action.

Cheers,
Cam