Want to join the cause?
Pagan Publishing is a small-press publisher of role-playing game materials, specializing in Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu game of Lovecraftian horror. For a look at the specific material we're looking at any given time check our Uncle Pagan Wants You page.
FORMAT OF SUBMISSIONS
Although you are welcome to submit your work by post, we now encourage email submissions instead. All submissions should be sent to paganbiz@aol.com. Please be patient; new submission evaluation takes a backseat to producing current projects.
WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS
Works submitted via email should be sent as attached files in RTF (Rich Text Format); this option is available in most word processors, including Microsoft Word. Only attach one RTF file per email; if you have multiple files, use multiple emails. If you're sending more than 1MB of data, please contact us by email first. Works submitted via post should be legibly printed and double-spaced. Your full name, address, and phone number should be on the first page, along with an accurate word count. Send copies only, never your original manuscript.
ART SUBMISSIONS
These should consist of a portfolio of your work. It needn't be elaborate, but include examples of the mediums you are strongest at--color, B&W, airbrush, charcoal, whatever. Send copies only, never your original art. Do not send portfolios by email. You're welcome to email us the URL of an online web site portfolio, but do not directly email us samples (such as JPEGs). The examples you send should if at all possible be horror-themed; illustrations directly related to Call of Cthulhu and/or Lovecraft are a plus, but not required. Published art is always specifically assigned by the art director. Almost anyone can draw monsters--we place a premium on realistic depictions of humans. If you cannot draw well-rendered, realistic hands, faces, etc. of normal people but otherwise draw realistic-looking scenes, don't send us a portfolio. We are willing to look at non-representational portfolios that lack well-rendered human figures, however, such as those of collage artists, symbolic artists, and so on.
WRITING FOR THE UNSPEAKABLE OATH
The Unspeakable Oath is our flagship publication, a magazine for Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu role-playing game. There are several different types of material we are in perpetual need of.
SCENARIOS. Each issue of TUO includes one or more Call of Cthulhu gaming scenarios. These should be between 5,000-15,000 words. We are interested in all time periods of the game - 1890s, 1920s, and 1990s. If possible, scenarios should be adaptable to any of these periods. If not, then make an extra effort to fully utilize the time period and cement your story in the atmosphere and history of the time. Other time periods and settings are also sought, if you wish to write about medieval Germany or ancient Egypt or whatever. Scenario submissions should include maps and standard stats for important NPCs and all creatures. We are particularly interested in strong stories with strong characters--no stereotypical mega-villains, please. The Mythos is at its most potent when it affects the lives of individuals, and those individuals (whether villains or victims) should be real to the Keeper and to the player.
ARCANE ARTIFACTS. Strange relics of wizards and other outre entities crop up regularly in scenarios. An Arcane Artifact is an item with a strange/occult/Mythos history and possibly magical powers of some sort. These should be about 500 words. Include the history of the item, a detailed physical description (don't forget approximate size and weight), where it might be found, what powers it might have, and what role it might play in a scenario.
ARTICLES. We have printed articles on a variety of topics, ranging from 1920s asylums to the Mythos fiction of Lin Carter to weapon proficiencies to starting campaigns and much more. Articles vary in length, detail, and scope but 5,000-15,000 words is a good margin to work in. Article submissions should be thorough, creative, and entertaining. A bibliography, if appropriate, is an excellent addition.
THE EYE OF LIGHT & DARKNESS. We are always seeking perceptive and engaging reviews for this column. These should be between 500-1000 words. We focus on Call of Cthulhu releases and related media items. Movies, books, and games in the Lovecraft/horror genre are all appropriate. If you're interested in reviewing something, contact the editor first. The range of potential review subjects is pretty narrow, and chances are someone else is doing it already--so check and make sure.
FICTION. The only fiction we accept always appears on the last page of the issue, under the heading "Message In A Bottle." Such works should be between 500-1000 words long; nothing longer is accepted. The short-shorts that appear here share a common theme: communication. Communication suggests knowledge, awareness, and discovery, and these are the sorts of things that your story should revolve around. They frequently have a twist ending of some sort, or else simply exude a feeling of discomfort or horror. "Message In A Bottle" is intended to cap off each issue in a disturbing and frightening manner, and is very important to the feel of the magazine. We do not accept short stories other than the regular "Message" feature, and have no plans to use such material. Selection of fiction for this section is at the editor's discretion and is wholly subjective--if it turns the editor's crank in some way, it gets printed.
MYSTERIOUS MANUSCRIPTS. Magical and occult tomes are a mainstay of CoC gaming. A Mysterious Manuscript is an original occult tome of your creation for use in the game. These should be between 600-800 words, though up to twice that length is acceptable if it includes new spells, new monsters, and the like. Include info on publishing history (such as different editions and translations), author, age of the book, SAN, Mythos Points, Spell Multiplier, spells in the book, descriptions of new spells or new monsters related to the book, etc. Also include an excerpt from the book, written to reflect the flavor of the work. In the body of the piece, describe the book's history, its contents (especially specific areas of focus in the text--does it address the Dreamlands, or Deep Ones, or what?), physical appearance of the book, and what unusual effects it might have on its readers.
TALES OF TERROR. A Tale of Terror is a short scenario idea. These should be about 500 words. The format is to include an enticing and story-like introduction, much as it would be presented (in longer form) to the players. Then, under a heading of "Possibilities," present 3 different explanations of what is going on. This allows the Keeper to pick and choose, and find ideas for his or her own games. These are fairly simple to write, and depend entirely on your creativity to be effective. Tales of Terror should be short, scary, and to the point.
MISCELLANEOUS. New skills, new spells, new monsters, one-paragraph scenario ideas, interesting NPCs, rules additions--all of this material is desired. Such things will appear in a 'grab-bag' section in each issue, and are meant to inspire Keepers with tidbits he or she can put into their own games. These should be under 300 words.
RIGHTS
For work that appears in The Unspeakable Oath, we use First North American Serial Rights, which means that after publication ownership of your work reverts back to you. If we wish to reprint your writing or artwork after the initial appearance, a new agreement is needed. Original artwork is returned after publication.
PAYMENT
For writing, three cents per word. For artwork, $25 for a quarter-page, $50 for a half-page, and $100 for a full-page.