Once upon a time on the Shimmering Seas…

…a terrible figure called Gruesome George rose from the depths. In his wake arose untold legions of ravenous zombies, and other strange creatures. But who or what is Gruesome George scouring the oceans for? Who is the Red Widow? Join Smilin’ Jack O’Hurlihan, Esmeralda, and Dr. Theopolis as they attempt to solve this mystery and defeat the Zombie Pirates!

Zombie Pirates is a unique adventure-strategy game in which players sail the Shimmering Seas battling ravenous hordes. Along the way, they gather treasures, unlock new ships and characters, and build fleets to defeat wave after wave of relentless enemies.

Did you know that H.P. Lovecraft was born on August 20th in 1890? We did! In honor of H.P. Lovecraft’s birthday, we’re having a week filled with Cthulhu! Whether you’re a gamer or a horror aficionado, we will have something for everyone.

Cthulhu Week at FlamesRising.com is special in a lot of ways because of Lovecraft’s influence on the horror genre. Over the years, we’ve covered books, movies, games and music that were either directly or indirectly related to the Cthulhu Mythos. Hands down, Cthulhu is definitely your favorite elder god. From our interviews with Kenneth Hite, Joseph Vargo and A. Scott Glancy to our coverage of the Trail of Cthulhu RPG, Unspeakable Words board game, the Beyond the Wall of Sleep review and several other books, comics, movies and games, it’s clear what an influence Lovecraft has had on the horror genre. We have a lot of really great goodies in the pipeline, including a wonderful contribution from Robin D. Laws, who provided the rules design for TRAIL OF CTHULHU!!!

If you don’t want to lose your mind, be sure to stay tuned this week as we travel to the underwater city of Ry’leh to embrace all things Cthulhu! “Ph’nglui mglw’nafh Cthulhu R’lyeh wgah’nagl fhtagn!”

Coming this November, Eden Studios is proud to announce Band of Zombies.

Band of Zombies is the new World War II sourcebook for All Flesh Must Be Eaten, and it is positively packed with new surprises. Inside you will find:

• New Qualities, Drawbacks, Inspired Miracles, and Zombie Aspects
• Detailed Rules for Dogfighting and Naval Combat
• Rules for Shell Shock, Combat Stress, and Madness
• New gear, from guns to aircraft to naval vessels to tanks
• Mass Combat rules
• Advice on running campaigns in World War II, from fire teams to commando squads, to SOE operatives behind enemy lines.
• And more!

So strap on your rucksack, hoist your SMG, keep your socks dry, and for cripes’ sake, Private, don’t forget the call sign! When they come shambling out of the dark, will you stand tall or join the armies of the dead?

The Scarlet Empress returns and, unknown to most, heralds the Yozi Reclamation.

Soon, Creation will be plunged into conflict. Whether they support the Empress’s efforts or oppose her at every turn, the world’s Exalted will be at the heart of the struggle. In the end, as the heavens shake and the Blessed Isle burns, what tales will they tell of your deeds?

Return of the Scarlet Empress is available at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

Eden Studios announces today an agreement with Tim Seeley, creator of the HACK/SLASH™ horror comic book series, for the design, production, and distribution of the HACK/SLASH roleplaying and card games. Currently in development, the HACK/SLASH card game will be released late in 2010.

Eden Studios has a knack for making great games based on survival horror, and HACK/SLASH is a perfect fit for their line-up. Cassie Hack is the lone survivor of an attack by the vicious killer known as the Lunch Lady. HACK/SLASH chronicles the travels of Cassie and her monstrous partner Vlad as they crisscross the country, hunting down and destroying supernatural slashers before the uncanny butchers can claim more victims. The series features a perfect balance of horror and dark humor, and plots that put a fresh spin on the familiar themes and iconic characters of comics, gaming, and, of course, slasher flicks.

While the full moon rarely has a dramatic an effect on most people, there are some who will admit that they can feel the pull of the moon, at least in subtle ways — and crime statistics bear this out year after year. For those rare few for whom the moon activates a profound curse, the world becomes a different place entirely – a world filled with soft, slow creatures to be hunted, attacked and devoured. Give thanks that those with such a curse are still a rarity…

In Curse of the Full Moon, James Lowder has collected 19 tales from an impressive collection of horror luminaries: George R.R. Martin, Ursula LeGuin, Ramsey Campbell, Charles DeLint, Michael Moorcock and Neil Gaiman are just a few of the names any fan of contemporary fiction will recognize, but the list doesn’t end there. Joe R. Lansdale, Nancy A. Collins, Peter S. Beagle, Gene Wolfe and Harlan Ellison also contribute tales to this collection.

Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat, the Flames Rising RPGNow Store is where the discounts are at!

That’s right, Christmas in July is here! Get 25% off of thousands of products by dozens of great publishers! Put the jingle bells on, and keep some jingle in your pocket, too!

Save on titles from White Wolf, Mongoose, Green Ronin, Pinnacle, AEG, Margaret Weis Productions, Crafty Games, Malhavoc Press, Cubicle 7 and more!

Earlier this year, FlamesRising.com announced the release of an e-book by Monica Valentinelli, Shari Hill and Leanne Buckley entitled THE QUEEN OF CROWS. Since its release on DriveThruHorror.com, this $4.99 e-book has gotten rave reviews for its unique design and strong emphasis on the reader.

Today, we are pleased to announce that a promotional trailer has been released for THE QUEEN OF CROWS. The trailer was designed by Monica Valentinelli and employs an aged, historical feel. The music was composed by James Semple, a professional in the entertainment industry. Together, the pair worked on deciding the feel of the music and how it fit with the dark images in the trailer. Once the theme of the music was decided, Semple worked his magic and incorporated sound effects into the dramatic clip.

What would I be, if God wanted me to be something different? I would be whatever God saw fit to make me.

Whatever God sees fit for me, one thing will never change. I will always be a monster.

– Solomon Birch

World of Darkness: Mirrors is available at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

After going through hundreds of entries, the judges have narrowed the field and selected the nominees for each of the 20 categories. On behalf of the judges and the Board of Directors, please allow me to congratulate each publisher for their nomination(s) for the Tenth Annual ENnie Awards. Voting for the ENnies will begin on July 16th. Until then, feel free to view the nominees and offer your own congratulations.

Visit the official announcement page for links to all of the products listed below:

The judges have chosen five products for each category below. The HM products (Honorable Mention) are products that the judges really liked, but fell short of an actual nomination. For more information, click on a product’s name. Winners will be announced on the evening of Friday, August 6th at Gen Con!

A demon is nothing but sin given will and power

A man who makes a deal with a demon is inviting that sin into him. It does more than consume him – it defines him. It wears him. It rots away at the core of his being. Demons can do it to places, too – whole cities, given the chance. They can alter the supernatural landscape.

Here, then, is the result of sin, hubris and impatience, and here is a chance to banish a demon back to Hell and right a great wrong – or to seize power. Which will the characters choose?

Fallen is Babylon is available now at the Flames Rising RPGNow Shop.

FlamesRising.com is pleased to present you with the design notes for THE QUEEN OF CROWS, which is available at DriveThruHorror.com. This unique e-book was designed by Monica Valentinelli. In addition to her work here at FlamesRising.com, Monica is also an author and game designer who specializes in the horror and dark fantasy genres.

For more information about this project, be sure to visit VioletWar.com or Monica’s blog located at www.mlvwrites.com.

With fans eagerly anticipating the debut of Archaia Entertainment and Before the Door’s first joint comic project, the two companies proudly unveiled the final cover to the first issue of LUCID, which will debut in August in comic book shops, with advance copies available at Comic-Con International in San Diego, Calif., July 22-25, 2010.

Lucid is a four-issue miniseries written and illustrated by newcomers Michael McMillian and Anna Wieszczyk, who also drew the cover. McMillian is a longtime comics fan and no stranger to the entertainment industry, having recently appeared on the hit HBO series “True Blood” and as a recurring regular on the Amanda Bynes CW television series, “What I Like About You.” McMillian is the creator of Lucid and this is his first written comic work. Wieszczyk is based in Poland and her short story, “Acid Sunset,” was recently published in Popgun Anthology Vol. 4. She is also currently working on Halo8’s Godkiller motion comic.

Fantasist Enterprises is offering lifetime subscriptions to its line of anthologies and novels in an effort to raise funds for their next anthology, Fantastical Visions V. The fundraiser is taking place from June 15 to July 31 on Kickstarter.com, a web site devoted to helping creative projects, events, and dreams come to life. “We’re offering lifetime subscriptions to the Fantastical Visions series, as well as our main line of fantasy and horror books, in order to publish the anthology, and to generate seed money that will help us grow as a company and work with more authors,” says publisher and editor-in-chief William Horner. “If we raise enough capital, we have several projects in the works that we will be able to complete right away. We’ll then reopen for submissions.”

Sharpen your fangs and lick your ruby red lips! It’s Vampire Week at FlamesRising.com! From now through Saturday, we’re going to introduce a broad range of vampires to you through reviews, articles, essays, and a fun contest, too!

While FlamesRising.com has always been a big fan of the vampire genre, this week is our chance to honor all the great vampire characters that are out there while exploring some new ones. To help you get started, here’s the Top 10 Most Popular Posts about vampires on FlamesRising.com.

DOJ Inc. is proud to announce that they have closed a deal to acquire a majority share of Indie Press Revolution, the industry’s leading direct-sales network of high-quality small press game publishers, and will be taking over administrative operations of the company beginning July 1st, 2010. The minority shareholders have all approved the sale and will be retaining their ownership shares in the company.

“I’m delighted to be taking over a sales organization with the brand strength and reputation for quality that IPR has built over the last several years,” says Darren Watts, President of DOJ Inc. “IPR has a very strong business model and has done an outstanding job representing its client creator-publishers, and we intend to carry forward with the same philosophy in order to bring great new games to the public from the cutting edge of game design.”

JScarred bounty hunter Jonah Hex is charged with tracking and hunting down his oldest enemy who is preparing to unleash Hell.

Catch Jonah Hex in theaters this weekend starring Josh Brolin and Megan Fox!

Check out the Movie Mayhem Sale at DriveThruComics.com!

Save on titles from Top Cow Productions, Archaia Entertainment, Caliber Comics, Moonstone Books, Dangerkett Creative and more!

In Random, Illinois, not much has changed in the last century. Things there move more slowly than they do in the city. At times, history seems to be moving in reverse. That’s how it seems; some folks would say that’s how it is.

For Jason, Frank, Ronnie and Lizzy, there are bits and pieces of the past that won’t go away. Not in the daylight world, and not in their dreams. They shared a secret, a bond of silence and guilt. They shared the memory of an old woman’s dry, crackling voice, the heat and sizzling terror of flames beyond their control, and the mesmerizing image of a handful of bones.

Roll Them Bones is now available in audio format at DriveThruFantasy.com.

Midnight Syndicate Films has announced plans to release a special edition of The Dead Matter DVD that will include two bonus CDs by gothic Halloween music artists Midnight Syndicate. It will be available at all Hot Topic stores nationwide on July 30th. The specially-priced set will include The Dead Matter DVD, the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD by Midnight Syndicate, and a new Midnight Syndicate 13th Anniversary greatest hits CD entitled Halloween Music Collection. Midnight Syndicate Films has also released a new official trailer for The Dead Matter movie which can be viewed at the film’s revamped website, TheDeadMatter.com and YouTube.

CCP, one of the world’s leading independent game developers, today launched EVE Online: Tyrannis, the 13th free expansion for PC Gamer’s 2010 MMO of the year, EVE Online. Tyrannis will usher in new levels of player control as the pilots of EVE have turned their attention to the celestial bodies around them, casting surface inhabitants into the shadows of their powerful ships and exploiting the planets for the materials and profits they need to fuel countless ambitions. EVE Gate, the new web frontend and social networking platform for EVE Online, is a leap forward in extending the universe outside of the client, allowing access to in-game mail and features and bringing the community closer than ever before.