The Good Friends of Jackson Elias

329: Cthulhu and Board Games, with Paula Deming (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

Cthulhu’s tentacles have wriggled their way into every aspect of popular culture, and board games are no exception. Lovecraftian horror has been part of board games for as long as Call of Cthulhu has been around, and it’s ...

329: Cthulhu and Board Games, with Paula Deming (advert free)

Cthulhu’s tentacles have wriggled their way into every aspect of popular culture, and board games are no exception. Lovecraftian horror has been part of board games for as long as Call of Cthulhu has been around, and it’s only grown in popularity. But what are some of the main Cthulh...

Just One More Thing - Episode 14

Welcome back to Just One More Thing! Once again, Matt and Scott are returning to a couple of recent episodes of The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, filling in gaps and offering some second thoughts.

This time, we’re discussing the two episodes we recorded with Ross Bryant — 2025-12-26 00:01:06 +0000 UTC View Post

328: The Birds, with Ross Bryant (advert free)

The Birds is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best-loved films, and one of his few forays into outright horror. It was also one of three features that he directed based on stories by Daphne du Maurier. But just how much does the film resemble du Maurier’s story? And which version provides b...

328: The Birds, with Ross Bryant (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

The Birds is one of Alfred Hitchcock’s best-loved films, and one of his few forays into outright horror. It was also one of three features that he directed based on stories by Daphne du Maurier. But just how much does the fi...

327: Narration in Call of Cthulhu, with Ross Bryant (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

Narration lies at the heart of tabletop roleplaying. The worlds we play in are all shared spaces we create in our heads. In traditional RPGs, such as Call of Cthulhu, most of this worldbuilding and description is in the hands ...

327: Narration in Call of Cthulhu, with Ross Bryant (advert free)

Narration lies at the heart of tabletop roleplaying. The worlds we play in are all shared spaces we create in our heads. In traditional RPGs, such as Call of Cthulhu, most of this worldbuilding and description is in the hands of the GM. So how can we, as Keepers, bring the world to life ...

Just One More Thing - Episode 13

Welcome back to Just One More Thing! Once again, Matt and Scott are returning to a couple of recent episodes of The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, filling in gaps and offering some second thoughts.

This time, we’re discussing the two episodes we recorded with Ericka Skirpan — 2025-11-25 00:01:07 +0000 UTC View Post

326: We Are the Horror, with Ericka Skirpan (advert free)

Most tabletop horror games revolve around the struggle between the player characters and one or more external antagonists. The concept of a “Big Bad Evil Guy” is at the heart of most of our gaming experiences. But what happens when we take all that away? How might games work when the horror c...

326: We Are the Horror, with Ericka Skirpan (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

Most tabletop horror games revolve around the struggle between the player characters and one or more external antagonists. The concept of a “Big Bad Evil Guy” is at the heart of most of our gaming experiences. But what happens when...

325: Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

Live action and tabletop roleplaying share common roots and many similarities, but they have become quite separate hobbies. Each has evolved a unique set of forms and tools. So what can the world of tabletop roleplaying, particularly <...

325: Using LARP Techniques at the Table, with Ericka Skirpan (advert free)

Live action and tabletop roleplaying share common roots and many similarities, but they have become quite separate hobbies. Each has evolved a unique set of forms and tools. So what can the world of tabletop roleplaying, particularly Call of Cthulhu, learn from LARP? Which LARP technique...

Just One More Thing - Episode 12

Welcome back to Just One More Thing! Once again, Matt and Scott are returning to a couple of recent episodes of The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, filling in gaps and offering some second thoughts.

This time, we’re revisiting the two episodes we recorded with Jared Logan — 2025-10-28 00:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post

324: The White People, with Jared Logan (advert free)

This episode is an in-depth look at Arthur Machen's weird tale "The White People". While it's not a Cthulhu Mythos story, both Machen and this tale were big influences on Lovecraft. You will find elements of i...

324: The White People, with Jared Logan (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

This episode is an in-depth look at Arthur Machen's weird tale "The White People". While it's not a Cthulhu Mythos story, both Machen and this tale...

323: The Joy of Gore, with Jared Logan (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

While not all horror involves gore, it is an essential part of the genre. Whether it's a genteel smear of blood at the corner of the Count's mouth or bodies being torn apart like wet piñatas, most horror media involves at least a drop...

323: The Joy of Gore, with Jared Logan (advert free)

While not all horror involves gore, it is an essential part of the genre. Whether it's a genteel smear of blood at the corner of the Count's mouth or bodies being torn apart like wet piñatas, most horror media involves at least a drop or two of the red stuff. But what is the appeal of something ...

Just One More Thing - Episode 11

Welcome back to Just One More Thing! Once again, Matt and Scott are returning to a couple of recent episodes of The Good Friends of Jackson Elias, filling in gaps and offering some second thoughts.

This time, we’re revisiting the two episodes we recorded with Maverick Haenze — 2025-09-29 23:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post

322: 28 Days Later, with Maverick Haenze (advert free)

Following last episode's look at zombies, we're delving into a classic of the genre. Sure, the folks behind 28 Days Later have said that it's not a zombie film, but we're ignorin...

322: 28 Days Later, with Maverick Haenze (long cut)

This is the unedited version for backers only.

Following last episode's look at zombies, we're delving into a classic of the genre. Sure, the folks behind 28 Days Later...