Petersen’s Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors

I bought this book for the artwork, but found that the text was delightful. Written by Sandy Peterson and friends, this tome educates potential and experienced investigators alike on the wonders and dangers of the creatures of the Mythos.

Making frequent references to ‘preternatural creatures’, ‘hyper-dimensional geometry’, and ‘hard metaphysics’ (all of which are clearly made-up terms…or are they?), the book adopts a playful academic tome as it guides the reader through the absurd practice of ‘preternatural fieldwork’, kind of like biological observation and fieldwork for researchers who don’t value their own safety or sanity.

Penned by the incomparable Professor-Emeritus Eliphas Cordvip Fallworth, hailing from the School of medieval Metaphysics at Miskatonic University, the Field Guide to Lovecraftian Horrors takes us through a tour of the most memorable and, dare I say it, fetching, entities the (uncaring, brutal) cosmos has to offer. Filled with useful tips on how best to observe creatures, as well as distinguish a Ghoul from a Ghast without being eaten, this resource will have you observing Mythos creatures in their natural habitat with a minimal risk of death, dismemberment, brain removal, or permanent insanity.

To this end, it describes the appearance, habits, relative size, and type of movement of 53 entities we know and love (or fear, you choose). About half of these are traditional Mythos entities, while the other half is devoted to Dreamlands creatures.

Each entry is given a 2-page spread, consisting of a text section, a large art piece, and numerous illustrations and notes, as befits a field guide-come-notebook written by the most adorably absurd of boffins.

But let’s be clear: this is not an orthodox supplement for the Call of Cthulhu Role-playing game. You won’t find any stat blocks or much in the way of game-related information. It’s a coffee-table book for people who love monsters. Sure, any Keeper worth their salt will filch the art to show to their players at the game table, but this tome’s natural habitat is in the vicinity of a couch, on a rainy day, with the aroma of coffee wafting across from the kitchen. Enjoy.

Get the hardback from Chaosium – remember, buying the hardcover from Chaosium means you get the pdf free of charge

Get the pdf from drivethrurpg

If you prefer your horrors undocumented, you might like Nameless Horrors