Of course this has nothing at all to do with the actual book.  But I still think you should drop the shtick because it's done incalculable damage to your reputation as a human being.

What's really behind all the showmanship and ridiculous costume show?  That's what I want to see.  Sorry to break it to you but you are not a member of Cradle of Filth.

The showmanship is the important part.  What's behind it is that it's useful and fun.  Who do you need to be to get what you want to done and enjoy the process as much as possible along the way?  I think the RPGPundit asked himself a question very much like that before he started this site.

Quote from: Wave Whelm Razor;869902Of course this has nothing at all to do with the actual book.  But I still think you should drop the shtick because it's done incalculable damage to your reputation as a human being.

What's really behind all the showmanship and ridiculous costume show?  That's what I want to see.  Sorry to break it to you but you are not a member of Cradle of Filth.

I bolded the WTF part of your comment.  WTF?

VS

WTF is right, Venger.  If you don't understand why I use the term, see if you can figure it out.

I don't have anything more to say here and this is not really about your book, which sounds like it would be something I would like and buy if it were not for some of the criticisms that the reviewer made.  I want crunch, and lots of tables.

But I would be very unlikely to buy a book written by a guy who made a religious cult out of Lovecraft's body of work.  I find it exceedingly disrespectful of someone I hold in the highest esteem.

The 80s heavy metal VengerSatanis name and the phrase "like a fucking boss" in the title do make it rather difficult for me to take you or this book seriously.  It may be a good book but if I saw it on a shelf in a bookstore, I would see that name and that title and move on without a second glance.

Quote from: yosemitemike;870000The 80s heavy metal VengerSatanis name and the phrase "like a fucking boss" in the title do make it rather difficult for me to take you or this book seriously.  It may be a good book but if I saw it on a shelf in a bookstore, I would see that name and that title and move on without a second glance.

You're not supposed to take it seriously.  It's for FUN.  Most of my work has a comedic tone and a few books are meant to be all-out humorous.  

If you assumed that I would approach a roleplaying game book with the seriousness of a Presidential biography, then you are mistaken.

VS

Hysterical.  Whelm's problem is not that you write under a pseudonym, or even that the 'character' of that pseudonym is an esoteric cult leader, but instead that the nature of the erstwhile cult is disrespectful to an author he enjoys.  I find that funny.

I'm with Yosemite on this one; the 'character' can be off-putting and/or juvenile, but I don't think Cartoon Satanist is inherently any worse than Edgy Metal-Punk or Angsty Madman or Practiced Transgressive or Victim-cum-Narcissist or Pipe-smoking Conspiracy Theorist or Tortured Self-Described Genius any other framework character under which gaming stuff is written (and they're all pretty damn silly).  In the end it's about the material, not the personality cranking it out.

Quote from: VengerSatanis;869343No worries, I'll see if I can dig mine out of storage and notice any... patterns.

I see what you did there.

Most significant RPG 'personalities' and virtually all writers of esoteric materials have a type of 'image' they project.  I don't particularly blame anyone for that . The western-magick scene is particularly chalk-full of it, everything from the ridiculous bejeweled made-up tent-women of Wicca, to edgy maniac chaos magicians, to the pompous and bombastic golden-dawn crowd, to dangerous-to-know Thelemites (or the slightly less common 'merry-prankster' Thelemites) to black-sabbath-wannabe satanists.

I find some of these acts a lot sillier than others, but ultimately what matters is the content produced.  I know some ridiculously over-the-top magicians who are total shit, and some ridiculously over-the-top magicians who are some of the greatest magicians alive.  Generally speaking, the very best are in some way iconoclastic, they don't quite fit the standard style, but they still fit a role somehow.

Edited to add: you see the same in eastern philosophy, the new age, and christianity (there's definitely an 'image' of the Old Time Baptist Preacher or the hip trendy New-Evangelist).

I think you guys are taking Venger's persona way more seriously than he does. Obviously he is having fun with it. I have no issue with the guy adopting a persona to write with (there are many great writers who find a voice that way and it allows them to go places they might otherwise not). I'll be honest, I haven't picked up his stuff yet, but the over the top heavy metal satanist schtick has certainly put him on my mental radar and made him someone I am likely to check out at some point. At the very least, I know I'll probably get most of his references. It looks like it is meant to be entertaining and funny, which can go a long way to making otherwise dry gaming material a pleasure to read. Don't know if that is the case with his execution or not, but it is definitely something that would make me consider checking his material out.

Frankly I welcome our Elder Overlords and think we should be honored to have a high priest to focus their attentions upon us. I see no need to delay the inevitable.

Also, having interacted with VS over social media and email from the very start, I can personally vouch for his pleasant attitude and enthusiasm.

Many religions across the planet have borrowed ideas and were inspired by other religious works. I highly doubt any malice on VS part. I would instead chock up any mistakes to excitement and wide-eyed enthusiasm. After all, the bible is a collection of various prophets writings. Why can't the Cthulu Cult's bible be a collection of various prophets writings?

He corrected his mistakes and has been open and honest in his apologies.

Look, your religion is wrong. In the light of VS's truth you have witnessed how fragile and incomplete they are. I could see how that might scare you. How you might feel inferior with your Christian god who sparks nothing but confusion. So don't fear my friend! You are inferior and your religion is wrong.

Now embrace your fear and ruin like the good sycophant you are. Look up meekly from your kneeling submission and weep at your stupidity.

There you go. It's going to be ok.

FOOL.

Quotetent-women of Wicca

Brutal

Quote from: RPGPundit;870290... and christianity (there's definitely an 'image' of the Old Time Baptist Preacher or the hip trendy New-Evangelist).

Any tradition that produced Sam Kinison must have a little eccentricity in its DNA.

Quote from: trechriron;870324You are inferior and your religion is wrong.
FOOL.

I'm not sure if that's an "Amen" or "Lol", but I enjoyed it.

VS

Quote from: VengerSatanis;870380I'm not sure if that's an "Amen" or "Lol", but I enjoyed it.

VS

AMENLOL is perfect. :-)