Cthulhu is coming back to Dungeons & Dragons.
Those of us of a certain age can remember when Lovecraft's Great Old One (and much of the Mythos) was statted up in the first edition of the Deities & Demigods handbook. For many, TSR's heavily Derlethian write-ups were their introduction to Lovecraft's work. That gateway closed after the second printing, when Chaosium politely pointed out they'd "officially" licensed the Mythos for their Call of Cthulhu TTRPG.
Now, decades later, Cthulhu is returning to the game. WOTC have announced Ravenloft: The Horrors Within, an expansion of the popular setting incorporating new realms and darklords. Cthulhu rules over Innsmouth, an island based on the town that debuted in Lovecraft's The Shadow Over Innsmouth. On the bright side, it's always nice to see the Mythos getting more exposure, but it remains to be seen how effectively it will be incorporated into the wider 5th edition milieu.
That said, there is one thing I'm excited about. Beadle and Grimms, the company that specializes in producing super-deluxe editions of WOTC's campaigns, have announced Strahd's Silver Edition of the Horrors Within. It includes a slew of high-end accessories including maps, gaming aids, handouts, a new Tarroka deck, and...the Cthulhu Mist Talisman.
The cast metal amulet looks pretty cool. The physical prop apparently represents the in-game magical item needed to enter the Innsmouth realm.
