The Voice in the Night, with Jared Logan
Summary
Hosts Scott Darwood, Jared Logan, and Matt Sanderson explore William Hope Hodgson’s influence on Call of Cthulhu, discussing his biography, the Carnacki stories, and novels like The House on the Borderland. The episode centers on an analysis of The Voice in the Night, featuring a reading by Mike Percival Maxwell. The hosts examine the story’s nautical horror elements, the terrifying spread of fungus, and its potential as inspiration for tabletop role-playing game campaigns.
Topics discussed
Introduction and host introductions
Jared Logan's background and recent TTRPG campaigns
Overview of William Hope Hodgson and his weird fiction
Hodgson's influence on Call of Cthulhu and Carnacki
Discussion of Carnacki stories and rational explanations
Publication history and public domain status of works
Analysis of 'The Hog' and occult rituals
Deep dive into 'The House on the Borderland'
Discussion of 'The Night Land' and dying earth genre
Analysis of 'The Boats of the Glen Carrig'
The Sargasso Sea and nautical fiction structures
Hodgson's biography, bodybuilding, and Houdini rivalry
Hodgson as a potential RPG character and story intro
Reading and analysis of 'The Voice in the Night' opening
Personal reactions and the mystery of the stranger
The shipwreck backstory and discovery of mold
Commercial break and transition to fungus discussion
Real-world fungus, ergot, and survival horror themes
The island's landscape, bone sand, and fungal growth
The horror of consumption and the woman's fate
The ending and comparison to the film 'Matango'
Influence on Lovecraft and other fungal horror media
Gaming applications, Migo spores, and survival choices
Outro, Patreon updates, and listener thanks
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