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Choose Cthulhu presents the gamebook collection that adapts stories by the famous writer H. P. Lovecraft into the classic Choose Your Own Adventure book format.

Enjoy the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu Mythos and the nostalgia of the classic gamebooks of the 80s!

Towards the end of the 70s, and mostly during the decade of the 80s, a literary phenomenon that would change how we understood reading took place: the gamebook era.

Simple stories written in the second-person point of view, making the reader the protagonist, offered us the possibility of choosing between different paths and ways of solving problems that emerged from the narrative.

Choose Cthulhu are not new adventures that are "based on Lovecraft's work"... In our books, you’ll come to face the very stories told by Providence’s master! Thus, we have adapted (so far) six of his best stories. Face alien deities that ruled the Earth before man, who conspire to reclaim what was once theirs; horrible monsters lurking in every corner of time; shameful cults… THE ENTIRE MAGNITUDE OF THE COSMIC HORROR!

You can play with us the adventures from:

• THE CALL OF CTHULHU (1926), adapted by Víctor Conde
• THE SHADOW OVER INNSMOUTH (1931), adapted by Giny Valrís
• AT THE MOUNTAINS OF MADNESS (1931), adapted by Edward T. Riker
• THE DUNWICH HORROR (1928), adapted by Víctor Conde
• THE NAMELESS CITY (1921), adapted by Giny Valrís
• THE DREAMS IN THE WITCH HOUSE (1932), adapted by Edward T. Riker

And a very special surprise: a unique book, exclusive to this crowdfunding campaign, where you will not only take the role of the protagonist, but you’ll also get to be part of the story:

• THE ARKHAM MADHOUSE (2017), co-written by Víctor Conde, Giny Valrís and Edward T. Riker. We'll tell you more about it below.

Choose Cthulhu: The Choose Your Own Insanity Gamebooks is a collection of 7 gamebooks in two different formats –vintage and deluxe— that will be available both in English and Spanish. Remember that the seventh book can only be purchased if you buy the entire collection, and that the purchase of the collection entails a discount with which you will get the seventh book almost for free.

VINTAGE EDITION

Trying to bring back the nostalgia that the classic gamebooks from the 80's inspires, the vintage Choose Cthulhu collection is completely faithful to the layout design and dimensions of the ORIGINAL Choose Your Own Adventure.

Some of the most significant features of this format are the font and the lack of intentionally blank pages and flaps, just as they were released back then. We have changed the white paper used in the originals for ivory-colored paper, which recreates that nostalgia better, and which allows higher ink saturation with high opacity.

- Laminated matte cover 250 gsm, smooth
- 80s-inspired cover art
- 100 playable sections + 11 illustrations 
- Dimensions 18 x 11 cm
- 120 pages
- RRP €11

One of the main concerns of the Choose Cthulhu project was that, since the Vintage format was a reproduction of the layout design of the 80s, this would appear oddly simple compared to today’s editions, causing readers unfamiliar with these works to feel uneasy with such a simple edition.

DELUXE EDITION

• HARDCOVER format with a finishing technique applied to the title
• Full-page cover art
• Combination of 7 covers that create a unique, great illustration
• 100 playable sections + 11 illustrations
• Bestiary of creatures and characters
• Dimensions 18 x 12'5 cm
• Acknowledgements section (The Pnakotic Manuscripts) in the 7th book: The Arkham Madhouse
• RRP €15 

Besides, we know that many of our cultists are keen on collecting material about the master H. P. Lovecraft –where high-quality editions are quite pricey. The Deluxe format is meant to be not only played, but also displayed. Hence, we are releasing a HARDCOVER collection.

Therefore, the Deluxe edition presents a bigger format and is more complete, adding a bestiary. Another interesting feature of the DELUXE collection is that, when combined, the seven covers create a unique illustration closely related to the seventh book, exclusive to this crowdfunding campaign: THE ARKHAM MADHOUSE.

INNER ILLUSTRATIONS AND TEXTS

The visual aspect of gamebooks gained importance as more and more collections were being edited. Our visual inspiration for this project was the Fighting Fantasy collection. A series with incredibly well-crafted covers and inner illustrations that could drown the reader in the exciting adventures written by our authors. Choose Cthulhu has 11 full-page illustrations in each volume, and many other smaller illustrations to set the scene and endings.

In Choose Cthulhu we have striven for illustrations that closely resemble H. P. Lovecraft’s original style, following his way of writing to the letter, and trying to recreate that mysterious, sombre and alien aspect of his writing.

But Choose Cthulhu is also interactive, so we have had to adapt many parts of the text to an easier and lighter reading that allows for re-readings to explore all options without it becoming tedious.

That’s why we have chosen the format of 100 playable sections that lead to either the same ending that Lovecraft thought up for his books or a number of alternative endings of our own.

  DOWNLOAD A FULL BETA of THE CALL OF CTHULHU gamebook here:  

Choose Cthulhu is targeted at anyone older than ten, regardless of their familiarity with the works of Providence’s master, since they are an ideal tool to get into reading and, at the same time, to rediscover the classics. Lovecraft’s work, except for short passages, aren’t particularly gruesome, so there was no need for us to tone them down to be suitable for all audiences.

We want to warn you that we have used many terms and expressions of the original texts, so there may be some passages that sound weird and outdated. But we also have removed some words that could be offensive nowadays.

Another aspect that greatly concerns readers is the difficulty of the gamebooks and whether there are puzzles or special abilities.

The answer is YES and NO. We have chosen the classic gamebook format, where there is no dice rolling, nor characters with special abilities; but we have included some simple mechanics in certain volumes in order to make them more entertaining. Some of these are: puzzles you can only resolve by investigating different sections, and the possibility of winning or losing CULTIST POINTS (to end up being the bad guy) as well as SANITY POINTS in THE ARKHAM MADHOUSE.

The Arkham Madhouse

Another strength of this project is the creation of a unique book, exclusive to this crowdfunding campaign: THE ARKHAM MADHOUSE (2017), which is co-written by Víctor Conde, Giny Varlís and Edward T. Riker. This book is much bigger, with over 300 playable pages where you’ll find multiple intertwined plots.

When playing our adventures, a recurring ending is your confinement in cell 77 at the Arkham Madhouse, a terrible psychiatric institution where inexplicable events take place. In this exclusive volume, we reveal to you what happened to all those characters that ended up in the ARKHAM MADHOUSE.

The Great Old Ones Patronage and the Occult Investigator Patronage also include:

• Display collector’s edition boxes for the DELUXE edition
• Bookend: The Great Cthulhu bust (Choose Cthulhu logo)
• Tentacled bookmark to mark more than one page at a time
• Extra set of postcards with illustrations from the books and 2 posters (The call of Cthulhu: Deluxe & Vintage covers)

REWARDS FOR MAIN CONTRIBUTORS

With stores and gaming clubs in mind, we have decided to release a number of packs that you can get at a discount when buying multiple copies.

If you own a store and want to be the first to stock up on our products, including the seventh book–which won’t be released for regular distribution—, don’t hesitate to contact us at [email protected] and ask about the perks we offer and the possibility of including the logo of your organisation in our Pnakotic Manuscripts.

THE EXTRAS

In order to make Choose Cthulhu an even more attractive and appealing project, we have included a number of extras that you can purchase individually, as add-ons, or as a part of our collector’s edition packs.

The add-ons:

• T-shirts with the Choose Cthulhu logo
• Hand-painted phone-cases (for different Samsung and iPhone models)
• Customized straitjackets with the Arkham Madhouse logo, your name and patient number (one size: XL)
• Lovecraft and the great Cthulhu plush-toys 13 cm

In addition, if we manage to exceed our initial funding goal (€10.000), we have designed a series of STRETCH GOALS. Stretch goals are not an official part of the crowdfunding campaign. They will be added as we meet our goals. Fundraising is not subjected to stretch goals.

THE STRETCH GOALS!

We’ve set up two types of STRETCH GOALS for everyone who contributes to Choose Cthulhu with what we think are your favourite rewards:

There are SOCIAL STRETCH GOALS where, with your help, we’ll spread the word about the project to try and make more people hear about Choose Cthulhu and participate.

It’s as easy as this: if we manage to hit a certain number of retweets on THIS TWEET, and of shares on THIS FACEBOOK POST, we’ll unlock the corresponding rewards for free. We just need to persuade our circles to help us out and, the more we are, the easier it’ll be.

FIRST SOCIAL SG ... ACCOMPLISHED

Then we have the classic, TARGET-ORIENTED STRETCH GOALS. Remember that you’ll get these products for free once we raise enough money to produce them (along with everything else) keeping the quality of every item. 

FIRST STRETCH GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!!!      BESTIARY FOR VINTAGE EDITION AND ILLUSTRATED BESTIARY FOR DELUXE EDITION ADDED TO THE BOOKS. 

SECOND STRETCH GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!!!   GREAT OLD ONES ENGRAVING BY ELIEZER MAYOR. 

THIRD STRETCH GOAL ACCOMPLISHED!!!   THE ART OF CHOOSE CTHULHU a illustrated book with sketches, plot lines, unused covers and inner illustrations... and lot of interviews with the writers and illustrators from Choose Cthulhu project! 

NOT FOR SALE. ONLY AVAILABLE WITH THE GREAT OLD ONES PATRONAGE & OCCULT INVESTIGATOR PATRONAGE: INSIDE COLLECTOR'S EDITION BOX 

Design based on an original jacket of the 30s, one size: XL. Includes a removable patch with the logo of the Arkham Sanitarium with your name and patient number.

*Prototype aproved, pending financing

SHIPPING COSTS

In Choose Cthulhu we want our readers and cultists to face no horrors when it comes to shipping costs. Therefore, shipping is included in the price of the books.

Choose Cthulhu buyers will not pay shipping costs since these are included in the price of each volume or pack, but are responsible for other costs, such as local taxes.

For special boxed packs, add-ons and other types of deliveries, shipping costs will be detailed for each country.

The costs of the project

In crowdfunding projects, one of the main concerns for contributors is knowing that the target amount is in accordance with its cost. There’s nothing more counterproductive for an author than to use their followers to obtain benefits that should come after the first financing.

We need 10.000+ euros to finance 14 books (7 deluxe and 7 vintage) in two languages. A number that is not at all unreasonable, even if the content of both editions is similar.

The largest investment will go towards the translation, in which we will spend more than 30% of the total funds raised.

Why a crowdfunding? 

Choose Cthulhu team has been working for two years to reach this point. Everything that was within our reach has been studied and projected carefully and thoroughly, so that when we launched the project to obtain financing, it wouldn’t be a mere theoretical idea.

Absolutely every book of the Choose Cthulhu project is now written, the illustrations are outlined, the covers have been designed, and the elements that will be part of the crowdfunding, have all been agreed upon.

However, our capacity to work without funds has reached its limit. This is the current status of the project, on January 13.

It is crucial for us that the final result of the collection is excellent, and to do so, we won’t hesitate to give it all our time and effort to meet the deadline so you can all hold your books by end of MAY 2018.

Víctor Conde has written over ten gamebooks (some of which have been published in China and different European and Latin American countries), as well as over thirty fantasy novels. He has won most of the greatest awards for fantasy writing in Spain, such as the international Minotauro, the Kelvin and the Ignotus awards.

Giny Valrís is a YA, fantasy and science-fiction author. Alongside Josué Ramos, she coordinated the anothology Chikara: El Poder De La Naturaleza. She also put together Los Cuentos de Vaho, a series of anthologies that pay homage to popular tales and H. P. Lovecraft. Currently, she’s studying to become an infant and primary teacher, while collaborating with the Choose Cthulhu project.

Bachelor in Law. His literary career started at a very young age, when he stood out for his writing of fan-fiction and diverse dissemination articles concerning fantasy and sci-fi, published periodically in different specialized formats and media.

After being awarded a number of literary awards at school and university, he was in charge of the comic strips section of the newspaper El Mundo for its local edition.

Nowadays he works as an editor for Ediciones Idea, where he has been managing collections of fantasy, horror and science-fiction for four years.

His first book was published in 2013 and, since then, he has released La Edad Del Plomo: La Fortaleza al borde del Tiempo, 2.0 Books edition, 2014; La Edad Del Plomo: Invierno Eterno, 2.0 Books edition, 2015; and La Edad Del Plomo: El Reino De Los Dioses Dragón, 2.0 Books edition, 2017.

He found his passion for art from a very young age. Self-taught, he satisfied his artistic curiosity –especially illustration— before attending Fernando Estévez (School of Arts and Crafts in Santa Cruz, Tenerife), where he learned new techniques and specialized in Engraving and Classic Printing. Afterwards, he got his craftsman card in Engraving and Printing, granted by the Island Council of Tenerife. 

After five years studying illustration at C10 Creative Workshops and EDSIP (School of Professional Drawing), his career kicked off by winning multiple awards across different comic and illustration contests. He currently designs and creates book covers and illustrates their pages, and his specialty is art with coffee. Among his published works you can find El Legado De Christie, a zombie story; and En Las Garras De Bába Yagá, a gamebook for youngsters published by Alfasur edition. In 2016, the publishing house Apache Libros releases his art-book titled Juapi, 20 Años De Garabatos, and Retratos Para No Dormir, where some of his most recent works with coffee are compiled. In 2017 he started working for Corner4art, an international art gallery with more than 20 years of professional trajectory.

Graphic artist, designer and illustrator.

She stepped into the world of design and illustration at a young age, attending the Universidad de La Laguna, FX Animation Barcelona School and Lightbox Academy. She specializes in digital art with Photoshop.

Computer technician. He started as a server administrator and then moved onto the development of client-server applications, web design and programming, the development of apps for phone devices, social media and community manager.

She graduated from the Universidad de La Laguna with honors in English Studies and is currently studying an MA in Audiovisual Translation at the prestigious Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona.

She has been awarded many literary prizes, completed an internship at a publishing house, and has worked as a translator from and to English on many occasions.

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