Finally, back on time! Naturally, I'm procastinating from my usual work, but that's life...I'm used to it.
I must say, though, I am utterly excited. This part of the year always stands as the beginning of great things across the board, but particularly in gaming terms.
First off, there's the upcoming gaming. With "Shadows of the Cold War" about to start, and Fred's 4e game in full swing, I'm up to my eyeballs in great gaming. Twice a week, at least? Can't beat it with a stick.
Further, I managed to sneak in a little playtesting of Dungeon Slam! this weekend, as well. While many of the issues that came up have been ones I'm much aware of--relative weakness of spellcasters, need for more Health and Arcana, overall game speed--this game was an utter success, as the players really went for the throat on the PvP. Between the Malevelolent Teleporter uses (which are just a touch overpowered), the Astral Thievery, and the utter wrath with which players went after one another...the game was fantastically played! I was utterly amazed at the virulence with which they went at it! When the Martial Artist got marooned in Skull Sanctum after having used Resist Arcana on several other players, I was laughing my head off! Karma works, children!
What amazed me most about all this was the fact that, with one exception, all of these players were brand new! Within the span of one evening, they caught onto the game faster than even some of the veterans I've had play. With no lies, I've never seen the Swashbuckler played as well as the way he was this past time. The player said it seemed somewhat broken, but I had to break it to him--the way he was rolling was exactly the way I'd intended it! He just stumbled onto some great combinations!
This gives me some real promise for the upcoming revision of DS. I really want to pump out a new revision before WittCon VI, which is coming up in March. Can't wait for that!
Further, the great Con season begins again! February begins with UD Con, over at University of Dayton, followed by WittCon VI in March, and then GloryCon after that...
...can't beat the gaming, particularly at Origins after that! :D
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Thursday, January 22, 2009
In Which The Warlock Fails His Saving Throw vs. Poison...
Apologies on the delay, faithful readers. I realize that when I post late, I usually open with an apology but this time...I have a legitimate excuse: food poisoning.
You see, your friendly-neighborhood Warlock has given up pop--carbonated beverages have been kept at a minimum since October, and I've kept to that pretty well by sticking to Kool-Aid and juice. Unfortunately, it was the latter that caught up with me. By the time that I was 3/4 of the way through the juice bottle...Jules had noted that it was over 3 months expired.
I, consequently, spent the last three days unable to eat anything, and have been pretty much latched to the toilet.
On the plus side, I am much on the mend and am looking forward to a full weekend of geekdom to come. On the downside, though, I missed out on much of last weekend's festivities...which included a portion of a visit from my former roommate, Karl!
However, we did have some time to wedge in a WEGS scenario--based on the D&D Tiny Adventures creation "The Haunted Streets of Agamentar--with some sweet LEGO props! I joined him behind the screen at first, but when a player had to leave early...it was up to Nordling the XIV to take to the fore!
Unfortunately for Nordling and his krew...the odds and gods were not on their sides. In the crypt of a dread lich, they fell quickly and mercilessly beneath no less than 5 consecutive Good Shots by Karl's dice...
Never fear, though! This Saturday brings some more "Dungeon Slam!" and hopefully some karmatic vengeance!
You see, your friendly-neighborhood Warlock has given up pop--carbonated beverages have been kept at a minimum since October, and I've kept to that pretty well by sticking to Kool-Aid and juice. Unfortunately, it was the latter that caught up with me. By the time that I was 3/4 of the way through the juice bottle...Jules had noted that it was over 3 months expired.
I, consequently, spent the last three days unable to eat anything, and have been pretty much latched to the toilet.
On the plus side, I am much on the mend and am looking forward to a full weekend of geekdom to come. On the downside, though, I missed out on much of last weekend's festivities...which included a portion of a visit from my former roommate, Karl!
However, we did have some time to wedge in a WEGS scenario--based on the D&D Tiny Adventures creation "The Haunted Streets of Agamentar--with some sweet LEGO props! I joined him behind the screen at first, but when a player had to leave early...it was up to Nordling the XIV to take to the fore!
Unfortunately for Nordling and his krew...the odds and gods were not on their sides. In the crypt of a dread lich, they fell quickly and mercilessly beneath no less than 5 consecutive Good Shots by Karl's dice...
Never fear, though! This Saturday brings some more "Dungeon Slam!" and hopefully some karmatic vengeance!
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
The Warlock's Review: "Manual of the Planes"
I took a little bit of heat from gaming-buddy Nick, when I didn't update this Sunday, but I wanted to make sure that I had all of my ducks in a row before putting forward this post. Believe it or not, I actually had to do some research for this one.
One of my favorite things regarding the entirety of D&D, since I began playing, has been the cosmological aspect of it. The Great Wheel, in particular, was one of my favorite concepts--the simple idea that there was a verisimilitude within the cosmos, between the various Heavens and Hells out there. Fittingly, one of my favorite campaign settings has been Planescape, with its wacky, Victorian philosophical factions, its plane-hopping nature, and the omnipresent city of Sigil looming overhead.
When 4e came out, I was slightly perturbed that The Great Wheel, a D&D institution since First Edition, went the way of the dodo. In fact, I asked Mike Mearls about this change, last year at Origins, just after 4e's release. While he was not able to give me a whole lot of solace in this regard, I kept an optimistic outlook regarding the new cosmology, and was looking forward to this release greatly.
One of the reasons for my optimism was newness. The Feywild, The Shadowfell, the Elemental Chaos...all of these seemed to reek of the old Modernist adage, "Make it new!" Unfortunately, upon my reading, this seems not to be the case.
Manual of the Planes, in format, is a typical 160 page, full-color, hardcover release from Wizards of the Coast, with all the high quality that comes with it. WotC is the gold standard for book design in the RPG world, and has been since 3e, and nothing has changed here. I could even overlook the reused 3eartwork, if not for a few major sections...
My geek senses kicked off in this regard as I read (ironically enough) the section on Sigil. As I read, I could have sworn that I had read the section before, despite the fact that this was the first read through of 4e's Manual of the Planes that I had done. Then I realized it!
To say the least, I was chagrined. I was promised newness, and this was borderline plagarism. Entire sections of text were copy-pasted, with changes only made to eliminate 3e mechanics. For example, text was copy-pasted on the City of Brass's architecture, but the 4e version is shorter only due to the Planar Handbook's mention of "Continual flame spells"--something that no longer exists in 4e.
Lazy writing aside, I was further surprised by the utterly laziness in design decisions on the creators' choices. The Elemental Chaos was promised to be a "more accessible" elemental plane system, but the only three locations presented therein are ZerthAd'Lun (a githyanki city), the aforementioned City of Brass, and a few Abyssal layers--all of which had seen extensive treatment in prior books, both 3e and 4e. Nothing new.
While I was pleased with the creativity showing in the Feywild section--based around pseudo-Celtic fey courts and the 4 seasons--this pleasure swiftly dimmed in my reading of the following section on the Shadowfell. If you know me at all, you know my games tend towards darker themes (Ravenloft, anyone?), so the idea of the Shadowfell had peaked my interest. However, despite the fact that its chapter is a full page longer than that of the Feywild (16 pages, compared to 15), it includes only 1 locale, and few other stats. Oh, and the Dread Emperor gets a full page...that wonderful throwback to the decidedly mediocre Book of Vile Darkness. Yeech.
There were bright spots in this book, primarily in the new material. The "domain of night", Tytherion, was an intreguing addition, and the inclusion of various fey demesenes were a plus. By and large, though, these areas were hit or miss. Shom, a blinding desert wasteland, is included, but few details are given save that it was once the home of the illumian empire. Were illumians really so popular that they needed a one-page entry? Somehow I doubt it. It would have been nice to see that page, and other wasted space, go towards giving Far Realm (a fan, and personal, favorite) a better treatment--it currently gets 3/4 of a page, with a sidebar on Mak Thuum Ngatha--or, for that matter, a section on Dreamspace or more information on spelljammers, which only get touched on.
Players get a wee bit of material at the end of the book, with a handful of paragon paths based on the planes. However, this chapter feels tacked on, and really brings little to the party in terms of creativity. It feels as if the designers each picked a core class and a plane, then cobbled together a paragon path to combine them. And the Doomguard reference in the fighter entry? It might have been nice had factions actually been discussed in any length in this book, but such was not the case.
All in all, Manual of the Planes is a decidedly mediocre book, made worse by recycled material, a lack of focus, and a dearth of usable campaign hooks and the like. While the Feywild section was strong, it's the lone real jewel in a sea of muddy water. I still love the mechanics of 4e, but right now, the 'fluff' of the system has yet to sell me.
One of my favorite things regarding the entirety of D&D, since I began playing, has been the cosmological aspect of it. The Great Wheel, in particular, was one of my favorite concepts--the simple idea that there was a verisimilitude within the cosmos, between the various Heavens and Hells out there. Fittingly, one of my favorite campaign settings has been Planescape, with its wacky, Victorian philosophical factions, its plane-hopping nature, and the omnipresent city of Sigil looming overhead.
When 4e came out, I was slightly perturbed that The Great Wheel, a D&D institution since First Edition, went the way of the dodo. In fact, I asked Mike Mearls about this change, last year at Origins, just after 4e's release. While he was not able to give me a whole lot of solace in this regard, I kept an optimistic outlook regarding the new cosmology, and was looking forward to this release greatly.
One of the reasons for my optimism was newness. The Feywild, The Shadowfell, the Elemental Chaos...all of these seemed to reek of the old Modernist adage, "Make it new!" Unfortunately, upon my reading, this seems not to be the case.
Manual of the Planes, in format, is a typical 160 page, full-color, hardcover release from Wizards of the Coast, with all the high quality that comes with it. WotC is the gold standard for book design in the RPG world, and has been since 3e, and nothing has changed here. I could even overlook the reused 3eartwork, if not for a few major sections...
My geek senses kicked off in this regard as I read (ironically enough) the section on Sigil. As I read, I could have sworn that I had read the section before, despite the fact that this was the first read through of 4e's Manual of the Planes that I had done. Then I realized it!
the text for Sigil, as well as the City of Brass and several other locations, was taken nearly word for word from 3e's Manual of the Planes and the Planar Handbook
To say the least, I was chagrined. I was promised newness, and this was borderline plagarism. Entire sections of text were copy-pasted, with changes only made to eliminate 3e mechanics. For example, text was copy-pasted on the City of Brass's architecture, but the 4e version is shorter only due to the Planar Handbook's mention of "Continual flame spells"--something that no longer exists in 4e.
Lazy writing aside, I was further surprised by the utterly laziness in design decisions on the creators' choices. The Elemental Chaos was promised to be a "more accessible" elemental plane system, but the only three locations presented therein are ZerthAd'Lun (a githyanki city), the aforementioned City of Brass, and a few Abyssal layers--all of which had seen extensive treatment in prior books, both 3e and 4e. Nothing new.
While I was pleased with the creativity showing in the Feywild section--based around pseudo-Celtic fey courts and the 4 seasons--this pleasure swiftly dimmed in my reading of the following section on the Shadowfell. If you know me at all, you know my games tend towards darker themes (Ravenloft, anyone?), so the idea of the Shadowfell had peaked my interest. However, despite the fact that its chapter is a full page longer than that of the Feywild (16 pages, compared to 15), it includes only 1 locale, and few other stats. Oh, and the Dread Emperor gets a full page...that wonderful throwback to the decidedly mediocre Book of Vile Darkness. Yeech.
There were bright spots in this book, primarily in the new material. The "domain of night", Tytherion, was an intreguing addition, and the inclusion of various fey demesenes were a plus. By and large, though, these areas were hit or miss. Shom, a blinding desert wasteland, is included, but few details are given save that it was once the home of the illumian empire. Were illumians really so popular that they needed a one-page entry? Somehow I doubt it. It would have been nice to see that page, and other wasted space, go towards giving Far Realm (a fan, and personal, favorite) a better treatment--it currently gets 3/4 of a page, with a sidebar on Mak Thuum Ngatha--or, for that matter, a section on Dreamspace or more information on spelljammers, which only get touched on.
Players get a wee bit of material at the end of the book, with a handful of paragon paths based on the planes. However, this chapter feels tacked on, and really brings little to the party in terms of creativity. It feels as if the designers each picked a core class and a plane, then cobbled together a paragon path to combine them. And the Doomguard reference in the fighter entry? It might have been nice had factions actually been discussed in any length in this book, but such was not the case.
All in all, Manual of the Planes is a decidedly mediocre book, made worse by recycled material, a lack of focus, and a dearth of usable campaign hooks and the like. While the Feywild section was strong, it's the lone real jewel in a sea of muddy water. I still love the mechanics of 4e, but right now, the 'fluff' of the system has yet to sell me.
Monday, January 05, 2009
In Which The Warlock Realizes Some Irony...
...immediately after commending myself about my ability to update on time, this update is, of course, late. Oi. *hangs head* It's life.
But, on a more positive spin, things are finally rolling in our Friday night game. Unsere, my tiefling artificer/swordmage, is utterly fed up with getting followed around by everyone in sight, but at least she's finding her way out of Thromstorm! However, I can't help but feel just a touch of frustration, as what I had originally intended to be a more "supporting" character seems to be turning into the plot's lead. *shrug* That's the way of things, some days. Nothing like a 'reluctant hero' archetype!
Further positive, I've set myself on using Heroes Unlimited 2e Revised for my Watchmen/Call of Cthulhu game. Looking onto the rules, they're not quite so clunky as to shy the newbies to Palladium away, and it's definitely the best fit for the setting's feel.
That said, I'm definitely going to pare out some of the "bigger" powers, to fit with the feel of the world. I just can't imagine Nite-Owl or Silk Spectre roaming around with someone with "Alter Physical Structure: Plasma", who can melt through steel walls with his bare hands. I mean, the whole point of Dr. Manhattan was the fact that he was one-of-a-kind. Doesn't make much sense to populate the whole world with Captain Atom!
One of my bigger difficulties comes from the grafting of the Sanity system onto the Palladium stats. While "Mental Endurance" seems to be a great place to start, the character classes that rely on it most heavily--Mystics and Psionics--should be the first ones to go crazy, not the last! I think I may end up using an average of all mental stats, to form the Sanity base, but I'm still undecided.
We shall see, I suppose!
Next post? My 4e Manual of the Planes review!
But, on a more positive spin, things are finally rolling in our Friday night game. Unsere, my tiefling artificer/swordmage, is utterly fed up with getting followed around by everyone in sight, but at least she's finding her way out of Thromstorm! However, I can't help but feel just a touch of frustration, as what I had originally intended to be a more "supporting" character seems to be turning into the plot's lead. *shrug* That's the way of things, some days. Nothing like a 'reluctant hero' archetype!
Further positive, I've set myself on using Heroes Unlimited 2e Revised for my Watchmen/Call of Cthulhu game. Looking onto the rules, they're not quite so clunky as to shy the newbies to Palladium away, and it's definitely the best fit for the setting's feel.
That said, I'm definitely going to pare out some of the "bigger" powers, to fit with the feel of the world. I just can't imagine Nite-Owl or Silk Spectre roaming around with someone with "Alter Physical Structure: Plasma", who can melt through steel walls with his bare hands. I mean, the whole point of Dr. Manhattan was the fact that he was one-of-a-kind. Doesn't make much sense to populate the whole world with Captain Atom!
One of my bigger difficulties comes from the grafting of the Sanity system onto the Palladium stats. While "Mental Endurance" seems to be a great place to start, the character classes that rely on it most heavily--Mystics and Psionics--should be the first ones to go crazy, not the last! I think I may end up using an average of all mental stats, to form the Sanity base, but I'm still undecided.
We shall see, I suppose!
Next post? My 4e Manual of the Planes review!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
In Which The Warlock Celebrates His Centennial!
Well, devoted readers--oh, few of you!--we've reached our first real milestone. This, right here, is my 100th blog entry, and (almost) my 2 year blogging anniversary.
Well, I suppose I can't actually say the latter portion. I held a personal blog during college, which promptly disappeared, as the blog-service that I was using vanished. However, it's nearly the 2 year anniversary of this blog, so it warrants celebration.
To be perfectly honest, I'm somewhat surprised that I've been as on-time and as up-to-date with this blog as I have been. Averaged out, 100 entries over 2 years is almost exactly 1 update per week. Now, you and I both know that's not exactly the case--this past Origins alone had daily posts, which skews the average quite a bit--but still! Success!
I really wasn't sure what to write in this entry, though, to be perfectly honest. But, with it being New Year's Eve...I figured that I might as well go ahead with some New Year's Gaming Resolution:
1. Keep updating on-time! Been doing well so far, but Sunday's the day to shoot for...
2. A stronger focus on writing. Managing game design with Dungeon Slam!, writing up campaigns and WEGS Supers ideas, and doing the whole 'teaching thing' isn't exactly easy, but it's a balance that's gotta be struck. I can't just leave Dungeon Slam! as a summer project! Doesn't work that way...
3. More gaming-based reviews. While the movie reviews this year were a nice change--particularly considering the utterly loaded summer blockbuster season--this is a gaming blog...sort of. Speaking of, I've got some strong opinions on WotC's 4e Manual of the Planes that need to be divulged...to say nothing of some other recent purchases.
4. More insight into design. Some of my favorite entries of the past two years have been the ones based around understanding the principles of game design, as well as observations on the practical application of these. I remember particularly the entry on "how the Warlock changed 3e/4e"...that was glorious.
5. More pictures! Especially with how much the PlatinumChick and I have been painting, it'd be nice to set up a weekly painting progress book!
6. More "tales from the table" With a weekly D&D game once more, and my Watchmen-esque Call of Cthulhu/Heroes Unlimited game coming en route, there'll be plenty of gaming tales to be had. Here's for seeing some of those here!
Cheers, all! Happy New Year! Good gaming to all, and to all...well, something they enjoy, I suppose.
Well, I suppose I can't actually say the latter portion. I held a personal blog during college, which promptly disappeared, as the blog-service that I was using vanished. However, it's nearly the 2 year anniversary of this blog, so it warrants celebration.
To be perfectly honest, I'm somewhat surprised that I've been as on-time and as up-to-date with this blog as I have been. Averaged out, 100 entries over 2 years is almost exactly 1 update per week. Now, you and I both know that's not exactly the case--this past Origins alone had daily posts, which skews the average quite a bit--but still! Success!
I really wasn't sure what to write in this entry, though, to be perfectly honest. But, with it being New Year's Eve...I figured that I might as well go ahead with some New Year's Gaming Resolution:
1. Keep updating on-time! Been doing well so far, but Sunday's the day to shoot for...
2. A stronger focus on writing. Managing game design with Dungeon Slam!, writing up campaigns and WEGS Supers ideas, and doing the whole 'teaching thing' isn't exactly easy, but it's a balance that's gotta be struck. I can't just leave Dungeon Slam! as a summer project! Doesn't work that way...
3. More gaming-based reviews. While the movie reviews this year were a nice change--particularly considering the utterly loaded summer blockbuster season--this is a gaming blog...sort of. Speaking of, I've got some strong opinions on WotC's 4e Manual of the Planes that need to be divulged...to say nothing of some other recent purchases.
4. More insight into design. Some of my favorite entries of the past two years have been the ones based around understanding the principles of game design, as well as observations on the practical application of these. I remember particularly the entry on "how the Warlock changed 3e/4e"...that was glorious.
5. More pictures! Especially with how much the PlatinumChick and I have been painting, it'd be nice to set up a weekly painting progress book!
6. More "tales from the table" With a weekly D&D game once more, and my Watchmen-esque Call of Cthulhu/Heroes Unlimited game coming en route, there'll be plenty of gaming tales to be had. Here's for seeing some of those here!
Cheers, all! Happy New Year! Good gaming to all, and to all...well, something they enjoy, I suppose.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
The Warlock's Review: "Munchkin Quest" by Steve Jackson Games
When Munchkin Quest was announced formally, just about a year or so ago, I had already known about it--there were whisperings of it at Origins 2007, and there was a little bit of available for demo, on the final day of said convention.
This didn't stop me, mind you, but there was a little bit of a niggling doubt in the back of my head as I began work on Dungeon Slam!, asking me "Why are you going to start on a tile-based, backstabbing, dungeon-crawler boardgame when Steve Jackson--a man much more important than you--is about to do the same thing?"
My mental response was, of course, "huh?"
In this case, ignorance was the correct answer. While Munchkin Quest does a good job of putting forward the base Munchkin card game as a board game, it leaves much to be desired as a real dungeon-crawl.
Munchkin Quest begins just as the card game begins, with the characters at level 1, and they're quickly trying to blast their way through a series of monsters on their way to hitting level 10. While I only played the 2 player version of the game, I felt like the quintessential "backstabbing" of Munchkin was almost completely absent. Lionel and I spend most of our time on opposite ends of the dungeon, only staying together long enough to help each other through the lower levels.
While the Munchkin Quest game was a fun little diversion, it loses much of the simplicity of its card game predecessor. In addition to the expandable board--quite colorfully and boldly done in laminated cardboard, the sheer number of pieces and cards becomes almost mind-boggling. Lionel owns a 6 person dining room suite, and we very nearly took up the whole of it with the various pieces, cards and room tiles. That's a feat that Arkham Horror has a hard time doing, even with the 4 expansions it has!
Coupled with the sheer volume comes the complexity of the game itself. There are something along the lines of 5-7 major phases to each person's turn--again, longer than even an Arkham Horror. One of the more needless phases to me seemed to the monster movement--set to a colored die, the movement of each monster is determined by what color entrances and exits are lableled on the room tile that it is on, as well as whether the hallway pieces are "doors", "locked doors" or "secret doors". And this has to be done for each monster! This was a little much for me...
Similarly, each individual turn seems to last an inordinate amount of time. Despite only having 3 movement points, I (as a 3rd-4th level character) fought 5 monsters in one turn, looted 3 different rooms and bought and sold items. This is to say nothing of the massive amount of "Treasure" and "Deus Ex Munchkin" cards that I had gained through this, and consequently had to read and wrangle.
The raw simplicity of Munchkin was just...gone. Sylish, yes, and definitely capturing the feel of the original game, but there's just too much here. Speaking as someone who loves piece-heavy board games--again, AH is one of my favorites--the sheer volume of items, pieces, and tiles here make Munchkin Quest more tedious than anything else.
If you're a fan of the game, you'll definitely enjoy it. I was, once upon a time, and would have reveled in this game, had it come out 4 years ago. But now...it's a bloated, overly complex inflation of Jackson's storied franchise.
...At least I don't have to worry about Dungeon Slam! being too similar!
This didn't stop me, mind you, but there was a little bit of a niggling doubt in the back of my head as I began work on Dungeon Slam!, asking me "Why are you going to start on a tile-based, backstabbing, dungeon-crawler boardgame when Steve Jackson--a man much more important than you--is about to do the same thing?"
My mental response was, of course, "huh?"
In this case, ignorance was the correct answer. While Munchkin Quest does a good job of putting forward the base Munchkin card game as a board game, it leaves much to be desired as a real dungeon-crawl.
Munchkin Quest begins just as the card game begins, with the characters at level 1, and they're quickly trying to blast their way through a series of monsters on their way to hitting level 10. While I only played the 2 player version of the game, I felt like the quintessential "backstabbing" of Munchkin was almost completely absent. Lionel and I spend most of our time on opposite ends of the dungeon, only staying together long enough to help each other through the lower levels.
While the Munchkin Quest game was a fun little diversion, it loses much of the simplicity of its card game predecessor. In addition to the expandable board--quite colorfully and boldly done in laminated cardboard, the sheer number of pieces and cards becomes almost mind-boggling. Lionel owns a 6 person dining room suite, and we very nearly took up the whole of it with the various pieces, cards and room tiles. That's a feat that Arkham Horror has a hard time doing, even with the 4 expansions it has!
Coupled with the sheer volume comes the complexity of the game itself. There are something along the lines of 5-7 major phases to each person's turn--again, longer than even an Arkham Horror. One of the more needless phases to me seemed to the monster movement--set to a colored die, the movement of each monster is determined by what color entrances and exits are lableled on the room tile that it is on, as well as whether the hallway pieces are "doors", "locked doors" or "secret doors". And this has to be done for each monster! This was a little much for me...
Similarly, each individual turn seems to last an inordinate amount of time. Despite only having 3 movement points, I (as a 3rd-4th level character) fought 5 monsters in one turn, looted 3 different rooms and bought and sold items. This is to say nothing of the massive amount of "Treasure" and "Deus Ex Munchkin" cards that I had gained through this, and consequently had to read and wrangle.
The raw simplicity of Munchkin was just...gone. Sylish, yes, and definitely capturing the feel of the original game, but there's just too much here. Speaking as someone who loves piece-heavy board games--again, AH is one of my favorites--the sheer volume of items, pieces, and tiles here make Munchkin Quest more tedious than anything else.
If you're a fan of the game, you'll definitely enjoy it. I was, once upon a time, and would have reveled in this game, had it come out 4 years ago. But now...it's a bloated, overly complex inflation of Jackson's storied franchise.
...At least I don't have to worry about Dungeon Slam! being too similar!
Monday, December 08, 2008
Bonus Post! In Which The Warlock CrossDresses for his New Game...
I figure that I've been running behind on posts, so here's a bonus one. Our Friday night game has a new DM--Fred, who wanted some tweaks to the 4e system to make it more classless, and more RP-oriented. I had originally come up with two ideas--a flail-wielding elf fighter trying to rectify the situation between his estranged elven homeland and his former mercenary company, who was bent on invading said homeland, or an amoral human warlock raised by a thieves' guild and trying desperately to escape the consequences of her pact.
As such, I ended up rolling neither.... Naturally. :D
Below, is my newest character. It's been a while since I've played a female, so this should provide for something interesting...
Name: Unsere Sehkmet-Sabath
Alignment: Good, with slight Neutral Leanings
Age and Gender: 27, Female
Appearance:
Tomboyish, with a green ponytail and wire-rimmed glasses. Slight of build (5’3”, 120lbs.) Often wearing work-gear (overalls and the like), or grease-smudged traveling pants and comfortable shirts. Always wearing a belt full of pouches and various tools. Carries a bastard sword on her back.
Pop Culture Inspirations:
Lucca from Chrono Trigger.
Pepper Potts (Iron Man film)
New Hawkeye (Young Avengers comic book series)
Huntress (DC Comics)
CatchPhrases:
“Let’s go to work…”
“Science H. Logic!”
“A little magic can solve this…”
“Just like back in Applied Alchemy…”
Upbringing:
Born to a family of tieflings outside of Thromstorm, Unsere was very much a city girl. Roaming the streets was commonplace for her, weaving through the foundries of the city, and marveling at the various arcanotechnological devices being wrought around her. Unsere was the only child of Thamuz and his wife Shabriri. When Unsere was 6, her mother—having developed several psychoses that were designated untreatable—was institutionalized. As such, Unsere often was unable to attend school and was treated to ‘on-the-job’ training the in the Calixis forges with her father, who raised her primarily.
Adult Life:
Unsere attended the Great Academy of Thromstorm at 16, where she excelled in their arcanoengineering program. She also excelled as a fencer, preferring a longer bastard-sword to negate her foes’ often-longer reach. Following her graduation, she signed on with the Thar Acquisitions Company, who routinely sought various arcane supplies—mainly mithril ore, adamantine, and deep crystal—from the nearby Underdark mines. Unsere was one of several teams of ‘materials experts’ who were sought not just to procure high quality shipments, but also to defend them against possible incursion. She has made several contacts with the deep dwarves, tieflings, and even drow of the Underdark because of this. As such, she has often come into conflict with rival companies and with human bandits/claimjumpers from Undermine. Because of this, she was asked to take her first life in the line of duty—a human claimjumper.
Following this event, which haunted Unsere dearly, she resigned from Thar Acquisitions, gaining a position as an ArcanoEngineer at Gyrosys Fabrications, which specialized in golem and automaton creation. She was promoted to Lead ArcanoEngineer in her department approximately one year ago. However, Unsere has recently been finding significant errors and re-routed funding within the department she oversees at Gyrosys. These errors, of course, are the result of her supervisor, Kezar Uzarisa, who has been overseeing the creation of a new project—the merging of a stolen soul into a golem-shell…something known as Project Warforged.
Occupation:
Previously—-Acquisitions Expert and Material Procurer, Thar Acquisitions.
Currently—-Arcanoengineer, Gyrosys Fabrications—Engineering Division.
Religion:
Follows: “Science!”
Worship: No particular deity, though has been known to curse Gond Clockmaker at times.
At odds: Racial deities tend to rub the wrong way (Moradin, Corellon, etc.)
Family:
Father: Thamuz—Elemental forger, Calixis Corp.
Mother: Shabriri—Currently institutionalized at Shal-Dei Asylum.
Siblings: None.
Life Events:
Mother’s Institutionalization at age 6.
Graduation from Great Academy of Thromstorm at age 21.
First actual ‘career’, at age 22 (Thar Acquisitions)
First life taken, at age 22—a human claimjumper, from Undermine.
New job, at age 26—Gyrosys Fabrications, Engineering Division.
Promotion, at age 26—Lead ArcanoEngineer, Gyrosys Fabrications.
Discovery of anomalies in Gyrosys records—3 weeks ago (age 27).
Activation of Sheathan—current!
Networking:
Friends in Thar Acquisitions (Dwarves/Tieflings, primarily)
Business contacts among mining purveyors around Tornia.
Former professors at Great Academy of Thromstorm
Best friend/fencing partner, Daria Majestrix.
Enemies:
Near entirety of Gyrosys Fabrications.
Thromstorm militia and guard.
Kezar Uzarisa—Head of ArcanoExperimentation, Gyrosys.
Goals:
--Greater understanding of magics, and they way they work with the world around them.
--Understanding of the fiendish/elemental origins of magic, and the role of the sentient races within that.
--Comprehension of the sentience of Sheathan, as well as Kezar’s role within his creation.
--Discovery of whether Sheathen is, in fact, an actual soul.
--Escape the Thromstorm militia, and the far reach of Gyrosys.
--Find a way to treat Mom.
Social Int.
--Incredibly curious, particularly regarding Arcane magic and Arcanotech.
--Generally optimistic, though growing frustrated with continual lack of fairness.
--Believes in social justice, fairness, generally kind…
--Overly trusting. While nice, she’s not particularly “wise”.
--Easily embarrassed, particularly in risque situations.
--Somewhat tomboyish, and something of a ‘grease-monkey’.
Decisions:
--Can be flustered easily, but very determined once a course of action is chosen.
--Tries to be law abiding, in most things. Will break ‘minor’ laws without thinking.
--Feels for many ‘victims’—hospital victims, orphans (people who have been in her position)
--Absolutely fearful in asylums and the like.
Mannerisms:
Often gets nervous and stammers, if does not know what to do in a given situation.
Does not like bloodshed, if other sentient beings are involved—believes in right to life.
Enjoys cats and other small animals (would have had a familiar, in 3.5e)
Fascinated by any major arcane or arcanotechnological device—will spend hours enjoying them.
As such, I ended up rolling neither.... Naturally. :D
Below, is my newest character. It's been a while since I've played a female, so this should provide for something interesting...
Name: Unsere Sehkmet-Sabath
Alignment: Good, with slight Neutral Leanings
Age and Gender: 27, Female
Appearance:
Tomboyish, with a green ponytail and wire-rimmed glasses. Slight of build (5’3”, 120lbs.) Often wearing work-gear (overalls and the like), or grease-smudged traveling pants and comfortable shirts. Always wearing a belt full of pouches and various tools. Carries a bastard sword on her back.
Pop Culture Inspirations:
Lucca from Chrono Trigger.
Pepper Potts (Iron Man film)
New Hawkeye (Young Avengers comic book series)
Huntress (DC Comics)
CatchPhrases:
“Let’s go to work…”
“Science H. Logic!”
“A little magic can solve this…”
“Just like back in Applied Alchemy…”
Upbringing:
Born to a family of tieflings outside of Thromstorm, Unsere was very much a city girl. Roaming the streets was commonplace for her, weaving through the foundries of the city, and marveling at the various arcanotechnological devices being wrought around her. Unsere was the only child of Thamuz and his wife Shabriri. When Unsere was 6, her mother—having developed several psychoses that were designated untreatable—was institutionalized. As such, Unsere often was unable to attend school and was treated to ‘on-the-job’ training the in the Calixis forges with her father, who raised her primarily.
Adult Life:
Unsere attended the Great Academy of Thromstorm at 16, where she excelled in their arcanoengineering program. She also excelled as a fencer, preferring a longer bastard-sword to negate her foes’ often-longer reach. Following her graduation, she signed on with the Thar Acquisitions Company, who routinely sought various arcane supplies—mainly mithril ore, adamantine, and deep crystal—from the nearby Underdark mines. Unsere was one of several teams of ‘materials experts’ who were sought not just to procure high quality shipments, but also to defend them against possible incursion. She has made several contacts with the deep dwarves, tieflings, and even drow of the Underdark because of this. As such, she has often come into conflict with rival companies and with human bandits/claimjumpers from Undermine. Because of this, she was asked to take her first life in the line of duty—a human claimjumper.
Following this event, which haunted Unsere dearly, she resigned from Thar Acquisitions, gaining a position as an ArcanoEngineer at Gyrosys Fabrications, which specialized in golem and automaton creation. She was promoted to Lead ArcanoEngineer in her department approximately one year ago. However, Unsere has recently been finding significant errors and re-routed funding within the department she oversees at Gyrosys. These errors, of course, are the result of her supervisor, Kezar Uzarisa, who has been overseeing the creation of a new project—the merging of a stolen soul into a golem-shell…something known as Project Warforged.
Occupation:
Previously—-Acquisitions Expert and Material Procurer, Thar Acquisitions.
Currently—-Arcanoengineer, Gyrosys Fabrications—Engineering Division.
Religion:
Follows: “Science!”
Worship: No particular deity, though has been known to curse Gond Clockmaker at times.
At odds: Racial deities tend to rub the wrong way (Moradin, Corellon, etc.)
Family:
Father: Thamuz—Elemental forger, Calixis Corp.
Mother: Shabriri—Currently institutionalized at Shal-Dei Asylum.
Siblings: None.
Life Events:
Mother’s Institutionalization at age 6.
Graduation from Great Academy of Thromstorm at age 21.
First actual ‘career’, at age 22 (Thar Acquisitions)
First life taken, at age 22—a human claimjumper, from Undermine.
New job, at age 26—Gyrosys Fabrications, Engineering Division.
Promotion, at age 26—Lead ArcanoEngineer, Gyrosys Fabrications.
Discovery of anomalies in Gyrosys records—3 weeks ago (age 27).
Activation of Sheathan—current!
Networking:
Friends in Thar Acquisitions (Dwarves/Tieflings, primarily)
Business contacts among mining purveyors around Tornia.
Former professors at Great Academy of Thromstorm
Best friend/fencing partner, Daria Majestrix.
Enemies:
Near entirety of Gyrosys Fabrications.
Thromstorm militia and guard.
Kezar Uzarisa—Head of ArcanoExperimentation, Gyrosys.
Goals:
--Greater understanding of magics, and they way they work with the world around them.
--Understanding of the fiendish/elemental origins of magic, and the role of the sentient races within that.
--Comprehension of the sentience of Sheathan, as well as Kezar’s role within his creation.
--Discovery of whether Sheathen is, in fact, an actual soul.
--Escape the Thromstorm militia, and the far reach of Gyrosys.
--Find a way to treat Mom.
Social Int.
--Incredibly curious, particularly regarding Arcane magic and Arcanotech.
--Generally optimistic, though growing frustrated with continual lack of fairness.
--Believes in social justice, fairness, generally kind…
--Overly trusting. While nice, she’s not particularly “wise”.
--Easily embarrassed, particularly in risque situations.
--Somewhat tomboyish, and something of a ‘grease-monkey’.
Decisions:
--Can be flustered easily, but very determined once a course of action is chosen.
--Tries to be law abiding, in most things. Will break ‘minor’ laws without thinking.
--Feels for many ‘victims’—hospital victims, orphans (people who have been in her position)
--Absolutely fearful in asylums and the like.
Mannerisms:
Often gets nervous and stammers, if does not know what to do in a given situation.
Does not like bloodshed, if other sentient beings are involved—believes in right to life.
Enjoys cats and other small animals (would have had a familiar, in 3.5e)
Fascinated by any major arcane or arcanotechnological device—will spend hours enjoying them.
The Warlock's Holiday Schedule Unfurled...
As the holiday season rolls through, everyone finds things more hectic. Same old thing, here. With grades rolling through, and final projects getting turned in, the teaching life takes up more and more of my time...however, there's always time for gaming, but never enough!
My biggest priority right now, gaming-wise, at least, is to pump out a new revision for "Dungeon Slam!". It's been since last WittCon that I've done a full card revision, which means that it's high past due. Many of my cards are getting so marked up, that it's hard to read them!
What's more, the character cards--probably more than anything else--are getting somewhat beaten up. They're a little too small to read comfortably, and they really could use some more room to be functional on. In addition, I'd like to finally implement the "Health/Arcana" track system that I've been talking about doing. Formatting these in Publisher is difficult, but not impossible--finding the time, though...ugh.
Ideally, I'd like to have this revision done before the Christmas/Festivas/Boxing Day/etc. holiday, as many of the errant Witt-Weggers are rolling back into the Miami Valley. We'll see if this actually happens, but it should be an admirable goal, any way that you look at it.
My premiere notes for the WEGS Superz idea have come to somewhat of a halt, but only for a want of feedback. Definitely, I'd love to work up the Blaster and the Mystic/Psychic before break's end...What a New Years' Present that might be!
So, I guess it's time to take a deep breath and take the plunge. The holidays await, citizens!
My biggest priority right now, gaming-wise, at least, is to pump out a new revision for "Dungeon Slam!". It's been since last WittCon that I've done a full card revision, which means that it's high past due. Many of my cards are getting so marked up, that it's hard to read them!
What's more, the character cards--probably more than anything else--are getting somewhat beaten up. They're a little too small to read comfortably, and they really could use some more room to be functional on. In addition, I'd like to finally implement the "Health/Arcana" track system that I've been talking about doing. Formatting these in Publisher is difficult, but not impossible--finding the time, though...ugh.
Ideally, I'd like to have this revision done before the Christmas/Festivas/Boxing Day/etc. holiday, as many of the errant Witt-Weggers are rolling back into the Miami Valley. We'll see if this actually happens, but it should be an admirable goal, any way that you look at it.
My premiere notes for the WEGS Superz idea have come to somewhat of a halt, but only for a want of feedback. Definitely, I'd love to work up the Blaster and the Mystic/Psychic before break's end...What a New Years' Present that might be!
So, I guess it's time to take a deep breath and take the plunge. The holidays await, citizens!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
In Which The Warlock Can Finally Breathe!
Thanksgiving has always been my favorite holiday--there's no pretenses about it whatsoever. You get together with your friends and family, eat until you can't move, watch football, then take a nap. Life is good, right?!
Well, this Thanksgiving signals the beginning of a definite slowdown in the Platinum-Life, which is much needed at this rate. With my fall slate of IEP meetings in the bag, and Parent-Teacher conferences completed, I can now get focused on some of the stuff that matters--the gaming!
Under a sort-of challenge from El Willy, I took it upon myself to start work on a new project--a total redux of his WEGS 101 system, moving from medieval swords-and-sorcery, to 4 Color, Silver Age, superheroes! So, I've been throwing down my 2d10 and 2d6, writing up skills and new rules for the pre-existing system, turning it into a 60s-styled beat 'em up! What's strange is the fact that this is actually working. It's almost easy, picturing the old-school Avengers as WEGS Arktypes...
Speaking of WEGS, I got the opportunity to throw down a brand new adventure, courtesy of El Willy, with a Thanksgiving twist: Hobgobble's Eve! Tossing down twice last weekend--once for our usual Friday night gaming group, and once more for the Witt-Weggers--the players found themselves in the midst of a HobGobbo feast, as they fought the leather-clad Gobbo Grandma, and the particularly cranky Grampa Umm-Lumm, in pursuit of the ancient Blunderboomer!
Thanksgiving brings with it the chance to actually head home for a while (and, hopefully, grab some wings at Dino's), but also a chance to actually work on "Dungeon Slam!" for once. With a good deal of Witt-Wegger Alumni coming back into town following the Christmas holiday, I'd love to get another printing done for them to sample. That'll take a fair amount of editing, though...but hopefully I'll be up to the task.
For all though, enjoy your day of feasting! Life is good, fellow gamers! Cheers!
Well, this Thanksgiving signals the beginning of a definite slowdown in the Platinum-Life, which is much needed at this rate. With my fall slate of IEP meetings in the bag, and Parent-Teacher conferences completed, I can now get focused on some of the stuff that matters--the gaming!
Under a sort-of challenge from El Willy, I took it upon myself to start work on a new project--a total redux of his WEGS 101 system, moving from medieval swords-and-sorcery, to 4 Color, Silver Age, superheroes! So, I've been throwing down my 2d10 and 2d6, writing up skills and new rules for the pre-existing system, turning it into a 60s-styled beat 'em up! What's strange is the fact that this is actually working. It's almost easy, picturing the old-school Avengers as WEGS Arktypes...
Speaking of WEGS, I got the opportunity to throw down a brand new adventure, courtesy of El Willy, with a Thanksgiving twist: Hobgobble's Eve! Tossing down twice last weekend--once for our usual Friday night gaming group, and once more for the Witt-Weggers--the players found themselves in the midst of a HobGobbo feast, as they fought the leather-clad Gobbo Grandma, and the particularly cranky Grampa Umm-Lumm, in pursuit of the ancient Blunderboomer!
Thanksgiving brings with it the chance to actually head home for a while (and, hopefully, grab some wings at Dino's), but also a chance to actually work on "Dungeon Slam!" for once. With a good deal of Witt-Wegger Alumni coming back into town following the Christmas holiday, I'd love to get another printing done for them to sample. That'll take a fair amount of editing, though...but hopefully I'll be up to the task.
For all though, enjoy your day of feasting! Life is good, fellow gamers! Cheers!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
In Which The Warlock Posts About Tasty, Delicious Nom Nom Noms...
Indulge me for a moment, as I wax poetic about something that's near and dear to my heart: good food.
When I was coming out of high school, I always had--somewhere in the back of my head--the desire to be a chef. It's not something I acted on, which I'm somewhat glad of now, as I'm sure I would not have the sheer physical endurance needed for the culinary world, but I still love to cook and can really appreciate well-made cuisine.
I readily admit: I'm a foodie. I watch Food Network incessantly. I've read all but one of Anthony Bourdain's books, cover to cover. I have a collection of cookbooks on top of my refridgerator. Hell, I've even played the "Iron Chef" drinking game...though I don't recommend it, if you have anything important to do in the near future.
It's kind of odd, as my favorite two cuisines are at almost diametric opposites on the spectrum.
Indian food is one of blending--bringing together a series of spices (a garum) into a blend that's standard for a household, which represents a personal flavor. Full of stewed and curried food, Indian cusine brings elements together into a singular meal, brought together by their commonalities.
Italian food, on the other hand, is one of stark flavors. In a well-made bruschetta, one can taste each individual ingredient for its full freshness and flavor, while simultaneously composing a greater whole of a simple antipasti.
It's because of this that I have a tendency to look for smaller, family-owned restaurants. It's no surprise that Jeet India and Giovanni's--both Fairborn institutions--are among my favorite restaurants.
What's most shocking to me, though, is the fact that I find myself recently enamored of a chain restaurant: Texas Roadhouse, of all places!
Starving and needing some dinner, the PlatinumChick and I headed to the newly opened chain-station earlier this evening, and my expectations were somewhat low. I've had steak and ribs at some of the best places on Earth: prime rib at the Jon-Benet Tavern in Butler, PA; ribs at Bob's Bar-be-que of Ada, OK...and I have rather high standards on both.
While I was expecting a pre-packaged, "Applebee's" steak, I instead got a tender cut of ribeye that parted before my steak knife like the red sea. I expected 'blinged-out' waiters with no knowledge of their menus; instead, I got a knowledgeable, friendly young guy who really knew his way around the kitchen.
Needless to say, I was impressed. For once, a chain got it right--the homestyle appeal, the food quality of a 'real' restaurant, and the love of food so common to fine cuisine. My commendations!
When I was coming out of high school, I always had--somewhere in the back of my head--the desire to be a chef. It's not something I acted on, which I'm somewhat glad of now, as I'm sure I would not have the sheer physical endurance needed for the culinary world, but I still love to cook and can really appreciate well-made cuisine.
I readily admit: I'm a foodie. I watch Food Network incessantly. I've read all but one of Anthony Bourdain's books, cover to cover. I have a collection of cookbooks on top of my refridgerator. Hell, I've even played the "Iron Chef" drinking game...though I don't recommend it, if you have anything important to do in the near future.
It's kind of odd, as my favorite two cuisines are at almost diametric opposites on the spectrum.
Indian food is one of blending--bringing together a series of spices (a garum) into a blend that's standard for a household, which represents a personal flavor. Full of stewed and curried food, Indian cusine brings elements together into a singular meal, brought together by their commonalities.
Italian food, on the other hand, is one of stark flavors. In a well-made bruschetta, one can taste each individual ingredient for its full freshness and flavor, while simultaneously composing a greater whole of a simple antipasti.
It's because of this that I have a tendency to look for smaller, family-owned restaurants. It's no surprise that Jeet India and Giovanni's--both Fairborn institutions--are among my favorite restaurants.
What's most shocking to me, though, is the fact that I find myself recently enamored of a chain restaurant: Texas Roadhouse, of all places!
Starving and needing some dinner, the PlatinumChick and I headed to the newly opened chain-station earlier this evening, and my expectations were somewhat low. I've had steak and ribs at some of the best places on Earth: prime rib at the Jon-Benet Tavern in Butler, PA; ribs at Bob's Bar-be-que of Ada, OK...and I have rather high standards on both.
While I was expecting a pre-packaged, "Applebee's" steak, I instead got a tender cut of ribeye that parted before my steak knife like the red sea. I expected 'blinged-out' waiters with no knowledge of their menus; instead, I got a knowledgeable, friendly young guy who really knew his way around the kitchen.
Needless to say, I was impressed. For once, a chain got it right--the homestyle appeal, the food quality of a 'real' restaurant, and the love of food so common to fine cuisine. My commendations!
Wednesday, November 05, 2008
In Which The Warlock Remembers He Has a Blog!
Sorry for the lack of updates recently--the weeks have been hectic recently, as work has had me hopping on IEP and MFE documentation, to say nothing of my normal workload. As such, it's been a touch rough to focus on gaming during all this time.
That said, I have come up with something of an idea for a game...if I can pull it off.
The premise would be something of a coupling of Alan Moore's seminal Watchmen and some of the more recent Ramsey Campbell Cthulhu Mythos work, with a touch of Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth thrown in for good measure.
Players would take the role of low-powered superheroes--think Punisher, Batman, or Moon Knight instead of Green Lantern or Iron Man--as they investigate psychotic supervillains, vile cultists and serial killers, and the conspiracies behind the banning of global "superheroes".
The biggest problem in this centers on the system to use in this. There's no easy answers here...
I'm tempted to use Mutants and Masterminds, as many people are familiar with the d20 system. However, M&M suffers from the rules bloat of 3.5e D&D, and is really numbers heavy. While I'd always have d20 NPC Wiki to fall back on, I hate to do that on a consistent basis. Plus, it seems like most of the orientation in M&M is towards high-powered, Golden Age superheroes, which isn't exactly the time period in question.
I've heard good things about Silver Age Sentinels and Champions, but I own neither, which is...well, more money for only a singular game. And further, I don't know much about the actual nitty-gritty of either system.
As such, I'm left with my old stand-by: Heroes Unlimited. While I love the quirky little Palladium system, it's not exactly the most elegant thing out there, and many players balk at learning a new system just for one game. However, for low-powered supers, there might not be a better system to catch it.
Suggestions? I'm all ears...
That said, I have come up with something of an idea for a game...if I can pull it off.
The premise would be something of a coupling of Alan Moore's seminal Watchmen and some of the more recent Ramsey Campbell Cthulhu Mythos work, with a touch of Grant Morrison's Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth thrown in for good measure.
Players would take the role of low-powered superheroes--think Punisher, Batman, or Moon Knight instead of Green Lantern or Iron Man--as they investigate psychotic supervillains, vile cultists and serial killers, and the conspiracies behind the banning of global "superheroes".
The biggest problem in this centers on the system to use in this. There's no easy answers here...
I'm tempted to use Mutants and Masterminds, as many people are familiar with the d20 system. However, M&M suffers from the rules bloat of 3.5e D&D, and is really numbers heavy. While I'd always have d20 NPC Wiki to fall back on, I hate to do that on a consistent basis. Plus, it seems like most of the orientation in M&M is towards high-powered, Golden Age superheroes, which isn't exactly the time period in question.
I've heard good things about Silver Age Sentinels and Champions, but I own neither, which is...well, more money for only a singular game. And further, I don't know much about the actual nitty-gritty of either system.
As such, I'm left with my old stand-by: Heroes Unlimited. While I love the quirky little Palladium system, it's not exactly the most elegant thing out there, and many players balk at learning a new system just for one game. However, for low-powered supers, there might not be a better system to catch it.
Suggestions? I'm all ears...
Monday, October 20, 2008
In Which The Warlock Loves Steampunk Sword and Sorcery Politics...
Over on rpg.net, a fellow by the appellation of Old Kentucky Shark has been posting an ongoing serial dealing with the election, but in the style of...well, somewhere between a twisted version of Eberron, the Kull or Conan stories by Robert E. Howard, and an Onion satire article.
It's a fantastic, hilarious read, and worth take a look at regardless of your politics.
So, without futher adieu: Obamadammerung!
It's a fantastic, hilarious read, and worth take a look at regardless of your politics.
So, without futher adieu: Obamadammerung!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
In Which The Warlock Scares the Crap out of the Witt-Kids...
I'd been itching to run a Halloween one-shot for a while, and when some of the players in Ebbs' Tuesday night game showed some interest in Ravenloft, I couldn't pass up the chance.
The thing is, though, we threw down some game on Saturday with a few twists. First off, we used 4e, rather than 3.5e, as Ravenloft was designed for. I was rather surprised to see that the system didn't really matter for us--the horror remained, even in a system that's a lot more player-friendly in that respect.
We also experimented with some new WotC rules--particularly the Artificer and the Barbarian, which are both available on their site as playtest builds. Nick played a warforged barbarian, while Dan took up the mantle of the artificer. The consensus on both was really positive: the artificer kept the party on its feet with temporary hit points, while using artifice and constructs to set up flanks and attacking enemies. The barbarian seemed a touch strong, as it was built around charging, but felt properly Conan-esque, dealing out massive damage with a greataxe.
Our scenario? A classic horror staple--the haunted asylum. So, as a treat to you, I present the true story of Birchcroft Sanitarium for the Mentally Deranged:
The real Birchcroft Sanitarium for the Mentally Deranged was found on the Prime Material, near the city of Port-a-Lucine. Its original director, Marcus Birchcroft IV, was a nobleman, who saw much of his family fall to the perils of mental illness. Hoping to help them, Birchcroft used his family’s considerable wealth to aid them as they fought off what modern psychologists would call Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and other severe psychotic episodes.
Marcus was lucky, in many ways, as he was spared the horrors of the afflictions that so ravaged the rest of his family. His wealth was able to attract some of the greatest psychoanalytic minds from across the world, including two such doctors: Dr. Gregor Illhousen—a 53 year old doctor of Psychiatric Medicine from Nedragaard, and Dr. Roderick Wellsby, a 40 year old doctor of Neurological Surgery.
Serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board, Marcus’s decision-making was incredibly sound, as he let the doctors create their own administration, with his own board overseeing their actions. The doctoral board was elected by the entire medicinal staff, and often chose Dr. Illhousen as their leader, as he was progressive leader, eager to try new “therapeutic” treatments, coupled with low-doses of psychotropics and sedatives. Under his administration, the Sanitarium propered, as he got along particularly well with Marcus.
Wellsby, however, chafed at this sorely. He viewed himself as the equal of Illhousen, as his treatments were just as effective as Illhousens. However, as Wellsby often received the ‘terminal’ cases, upon whom he was able to experiment. Wellsby’s most infamous experiments dealt with a trephination along the top of the brain stem, and the direct injection of heavily psychotropic drugs into the medulla oblongata. The ‘patients’ of Wellsby’s experimentation typically died, screaming.
This continued until Marcus Birchcroft died peaceably, on his 62nd birthday. Speaking with Illhousen and the senior hospital staff, he left the hospital to Illhousen, whom he viewed as a great friend. While placid on the surface, Wellsby raged. In his new position as Chief Physician, he slowly began to subvert the staff into believing that Illhousen was not a fit leader, and that another should replace him. Illhousen and Wellsby argued constantly over methods, as more and more patients received radically invasive surgical treatments.
In the end, it was Wellsby’s surgeries that proved the Sanitarium’s undoing. Hiring some thugs, he captured Illhousen on his way home, and brought him back to the sanitarium…as a patient. Keeping him awake and screaming the whole while, Wellsby induced treatment after treatment, surgery after surgery…until, at last, Illhousen broke the restraints and ran gibbering throughout the asylum. As he ran, releasing the inmates as he went, he knocked over an oil lamp into a fireplace, catching the entire facility on fire.
Everyone inside died that night, some screaming and bound, in straightjackets and manacles.
Birchcroft Sanitarium is situated on an Island of Terror, floating throughout the mists. It occasionally appears to lure others in, and re-create its mass of terror.
The thing is, though, we threw down some game on Saturday with a few twists. First off, we used 4e, rather than 3.5e, as Ravenloft was designed for. I was rather surprised to see that the system didn't really matter for us--the horror remained, even in a system that's a lot more player-friendly in that respect.
We also experimented with some new WotC rules--particularly the Artificer and the Barbarian, which are both available on their site as playtest builds. Nick played a warforged barbarian, while Dan took up the mantle of the artificer. The consensus on both was really positive: the artificer kept the party on its feet with temporary hit points, while using artifice and constructs to set up flanks and attacking enemies. The barbarian seemed a touch strong, as it was built around charging, but felt properly Conan-esque, dealing out massive damage with a greataxe.
Our scenario? A classic horror staple--the haunted asylum. So, as a treat to you, I present the true story of Birchcroft Sanitarium for the Mentally Deranged:
The real Birchcroft Sanitarium for the Mentally Deranged was found on the Prime Material, near the city of Port-a-Lucine. Its original director, Marcus Birchcroft IV, was a nobleman, who saw much of his family fall to the perils of mental illness. Hoping to help them, Birchcroft used his family’s considerable wealth to aid them as they fought off what modern psychologists would call Alzheimer’s disease, schizophrenia, and other severe psychotic episodes.
Marcus was lucky, in many ways, as he was spared the horrors of the afflictions that so ravaged the rest of his family. His wealth was able to attract some of the greatest psychoanalytic minds from across the world, including two such doctors: Dr. Gregor Illhousen—a 53 year old doctor of Psychiatric Medicine from Nedragaard, and Dr. Roderick Wellsby, a 40 year old doctor of Neurological Surgery.
Serving as Chief Financial Officer and Chairman of the Board, Marcus’s decision-making was incredibly sound, as he let the doctors create their own administration, with his own board overseeing their actions. The doctoral board was elected by the entire medicinal staff, and often chose Dr. Illhousen as their leader, as he was progressive leader, eager to try new “therapeutic” treatments, coupled with low-doses of psychotropics and sedatives. Under his administration, the Sanitarium propered, as he got along particularly well with Marcus.
Wellsby, however, chafed at this sorely. He viewed himself as the equal of Illhousen, as his treatments were just as effective as Illhousens. However, as Wellsby often received the ‘terminal’ cases, upon whom he was able to experiment. Wellsby’s most infamous experiments dealt with a trephination along the top of the brain stem, and the direct injection of heavily psychotropic drugs into the medulla oblongata. The ‘patients’ of Wellsby’s experimentation typically died, screaming.
This continued until Marcus Birchcroft died peaceably, on his 62nd birthday. Speaking with Illhousen and the senior hospital staff, he left the hospital to Illhousen, whom he viewed as a great friend. While placid on the surface, Wellsby raged. In his new position as Chief Physician, he slowly began to subvert the staff into believing that Illhousen was not a fit leader, and that another should replace him. Illhousen and Wellsby argued constantly over methods, as more and more patients received radically invasive surgical treatments.
In the end, it was Wellsby’s surgeries that proved the Sanitarium’s undoing. Hiring some thugs, he captured Illhousen on his way home, and brought him back to the sanitarium…as a patient. Keeping him awake and screaming the whole while, Wellsby induced treatment after treatment, surgery after surgery…until, at last, Illhousen broke the restraints and ran gibbering throughout the asylum. As he ran, releasing the inmates as he went, he knocked over an oil lamp into a fireplace, catching the entire facility on fire.
Everyone inside died that night, some screaming and bound, in straightjackets and manacles.
Birchcroft Sanitarium is situated on an Island of Terror, floating throughout the mists. It occasionally appears to lure others in, and re-create its mass of terror.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Girl Hitler, of the Venture Brothers
Sarah Palin, Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate from Wasilla, AlaskaSunday, October 05, 2008
In Which The Warlock Posts Some Character Info...
Well, now that I'm in not one, but two 4e D&D games, I suppose that you might want to hear about them!
I guess I'll start with the Tuesday night game, over at Wittenberg. I'm not hosting the logs here--they'll be hosted at the Wittenberg Role-Playing Game website, here:
The Logs of Gerald Nimbus
As for now, though, here's the background for Gerald Nimbus!
Name: Gerald Nimbus (real last name: Harmattan)
Age: 48
Race: Human
Location: Rawinsonde, a small human hamlet on the eastern continent.
Parents: Garius and Alanna (long since deceased)
Siblings: Cordran (older brother), Maya (younger sister)
Faith: Believer in the ancient spirits (primordials), whom were defeated by the gods. Reveres Ras Shamra (the Great Eye in the Storm), but fears Ithaqua (the Walker of the Frozen Wastes).
Fav. Food: Caraway and Fennel-crusted loin of lamb, served over risotto. Red wine is a must.
Pastimes: Meteorology, rain-making, storm-chasing, oil painting.
Party Role: Crowd control, multi-target damage, ritual usage.
Strengths: High Intelligence, knowledge skills, ability to inflict status effects.
Weaknesses: Middling Defenses, relatively low HP, lack of social skills (cha-based)
Background:
Gerald Harmattan was born in the small town of Rawinsonde, an isolated village that continued to worship the Primordials—beings of great power and might—well after they were defeated by the current pantheon of gods. While several attempts were made by the current churches—most notably the faiths of Corellon and Pelor—the natives drove them out, in favor of their own rites.
Gerald’s arcane abilities came into shape at the hands of Frau Hedda, an ancient crone and hedge witch, who followed the chaotic primordial Ras Shamra, better known as the Great Eye in the Storm. Hedda instilled in Gerald a firm belief that the future could be controlled and manipulated through the pure energy of a natural thunderstorm. As such, she began instructing him in storm magic—how to bring peaceful rain to those who were allied with you, while raining ice, lightning, and blasts of thunder upon those who dared slight you.
After Frau Hedda died, Gerald left Rawinsonde for points unknown. He had attempted to join a mercenary company—the Black Freighter—as a warmage, but his habits of storm-watching and the like earned him the company’s ire, and he left after his first 6 month campaign.
Instead, Gerald teamed up with an adventuring troupe known as the Emerald Eyes of Ekron. They traveled together for nearly 8 years, defeating several menaces, including a hobgoblin horde which Gerald very nearly decimated singlehandedly. However, as the group spent their night and spoils in a roadside inn, a storm brewed up. Gerald immediately went out into it to read the skies. Coming back in minutes later, he announced his retirement from the group, and left without further word. As it turned out, less than 3 days later, the Emerald Eyes were slain to the last man. Gerald then joined up with another group, the Phantom Riders. They too, were slain mysteriously after Gerald left. Again, their deaths came scant days after Gerald retired from the group, following a severe storm.
Gerald has only recently come across this adventuring group, and has been troubled deeply by his joining. Under the advice of one of the Phantom Riders—an elven scout named Caylen, who may be one of the few females Gerald could be said to have loved—he has taken up oil painting. However, the pictures have taken on a disturbing turn—one of great tempests and swirling bodies in the void…as a blizzard-bound behemoth with coal-red eyes looks on. The figure could only be Ithaqua…the long-dead spirit of frost that forever challenges Ras Shamra for the right to the stormy chariot.
Typically, Gerald gets along best with those adventurers who use their brain. Rogues and the like tend to get along with him well, as they use their wits to survive, as do more intelligent fighters and warlords. While not a traditionally “tactical” mind, Gerald’s time in the Black Freighter mercenary company has given him a rudimentary knowledge of squad-level strategy. Concurrently, Gerald typically butts heads with divinely powered warriors—clerics and paladins—believing them to follow false powers into acts of ignorance and zealotry, such as the conversion attempts on Rawinsonde.
As with his prior groups, Gerald has a tendency to freak out his companions with his bizarre behaviors during storms and the like. However, his storm-reveries often lead him towards great insights and prophecies as he “looks into the eye of Ras Shamra for wisdom”. This, coupled with his more-and-more disturbing oil paintings leads many casual observers to believe he’s insane. However, those who actually get to know Gerald—perhaps by sitting down and having a glass of wine with him—will soon learn otherwise.
Gerald often wonders about his former comrades, particularly Caylen. While he knows what the storm-reveries have shown him, he cannot help but hold out hope that she may somewhere be alive.
I guess I'll start with the Tuesday night game, over at Wittenberg. I'm not hosting the logs here--they'll be hosted at the Wittenberg Role-Playing Game website, here:
The Logs of Gerald Nimbus
As for now, though, here's the background for Gerald Nimbus!
Name: Gerald Nimbus (real last name: Harmattan)
Age: 48
Race: Human
Location: Rawinsonde, a small human hamlet on the eastern continent.
Parents: Garius and Alanna (long since deceased)
Siblings: Cordran (older brother), Maya (younger sister)
Faith: Believer in the ancient spirits (primordials), whom were defeated by the gods. Reveres Ras Shamra (the Great Eye in the Storm), but fears Ithaqua (the Walker of the Frozen Wastes).
Fav. Food: Caraway and Fennel-crusted loin of lamb, served over risotto. Red wine is a must.
Pastimes: Meteorology, rain-making, storm-chasing, oil painting.
Party Role: Crowd control, multi-target damage, ritual usage.
Strengths: High Intelligence, knowledge skills, ability to inflict status effects.
Weaknesses: Middling Defenses, relatively low HP, lack of social skills (cha-based)
Background:
Gerald Harmattan was born in the small town of Rawinsonde, an isolated village that continued to worship the Primordials—beings of great power and might—well after they were defeated by the current pantheon of gods. While several attempts were made by the current churches—most notably the faiths of Corellon and Pelor—the natives drove them out, in favor of their own rites.
Gerald’s arcane abilities came into shape at the hands of Frau Hedda, an ancient crone and hedge witch, who followed the chaotic primordial Ras Shamra, better known as the Great Eye in the Storm. Hedda instilled in Gerald a firm belief that the future could be controlled and manipulated through the pure energy of a natural thunderstorm. As such, she began instructing him in storm magic—how to bring peaceful rain to those who were allied with you, while raining ice, lightning, and blasts of thunder upon those who dared slight you.
After Frau Hedda died, Gerald left Rawinsonde for points unknown. He had attempted to join a mercenary company—the Black Freighter—as a warmage, but his habits of storm-watching and the like earned him the company’s ire, and he left after his first 6 month campaign.
Instead, Gerald teamed up with an adventuring troupe known as the Emerald Eyes of Ekron. They traveled together for nearly 8 years, defeating several menaces, including a hobgoblin horde which Gerald very nearly decimated singlehandedly. However, as the group spent their night and spoils in a roadside inn, a storm brewed up. Gerald immediately went out into it to read the skies. Coming back in minutes later, he announced his retirement from the group, and left without further word. As it turned out, less than 3 days later, the Emerald Eyes were slain to the last man. Gerald then joined up with another group, the Phantom Riders. They too, were slain mysteriously after Gerald left. Again, their deaths came scant days after Gerald retired from the group, following a severe storm.
Gerald has only recently come across this adventuring group, and has been troubled deeply by his joining. Under the advice of one of the Phantom Riders—an elven scout named Caylen, who may be one of the few females Gerald could be said to have loved—he has taken up oil painting. However, the pictures have taken on a disturbing turn—one of great tempests and swirling bodies in the void…as a blizzard-bound behemoth with coal-red eyes looks on. The figure could only be Ithaqua…the long-dead spirit of frost that forever challenges Ras Shamra for the right to the stormy chariot.
Typically, Gerald gets along best with those adventurers who use their brain. Rogues and the like tend to get along with him well, as they use their wits to survive, as do more intelligent fighters and warlords. While not a traditionally “tactical” mind, Gerald’s time in the Black Freighter mercenary company has given him a rudimentary knowledge of squad-level strategy. Concurrently, Gerald typically butts heads with divinely powered warriors—clerics and paladins—believing them to follow false powers into acts of ignorance and zealotry, such as the conversion attempts on Rawinsonde.
As with his prior groups, Gerald has a tendency to freak out his companions with his bizarre behaviors during storms and the like. However, his storm-reveries often lead him towards great insights and prophecies as he “looks into the eye of Ras Shamra for wisdom”. This, coupled with his more-and-more disturbing oil paintings leads many casual observers to believe he’s insane. However, those who actually get to know Gerald—perhaps by sitting down and having a glass of wine with him—will soon learn otherwise.
Gerald often wonders about his former comrades, particularly Caylen. While he knows what the storm-reveries have shown him, he cannot help but hold out hope that she may somewhere be alive.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
In Which The Warlock Gains a New Form of Geekdom...
In all my years of gaming--since about 6th grade, all be told--I've never been that high on using miniatures. Truth be told, I never really had the money for it. Out of all the friends that I played table-top D&D with, my family was the poorest. As such, I couldn't exactly just ask my parents to plop down much needed cash for little plastic or lead-based army men.
So, we improvised. We used our imaginations. We fudged things. Who cared if you were 5 feet away, if it meant laying the smackdown on the big nasty?! The focus was on the drama, the action, the combat.
However, I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something. Minis were the unknown territory for me...and while I suppose I feigned disinterest, I've always been intregued by them, whether ogling the massive battle set-ups at Origins or watching the Warhammer 40k battles at WittCon II. And now with 4e out there? It was time to make a switch in perspective.
So, I finally gave in. The PlatinumChick has always liked minis-painting, and I had even gotten her a quality set of paints for her birthday this past August. As such, when this past Wittenberg Game Day arrived, and there were few takers for most of the games, I decided to give the painting gig a go.
Now, mind you, I'm horrible at art. Completely. My stick figures come out lopsided. But, for whatever reason, I was actually able to put together a few satisfactory efforts.
I started with an elven archer--Jathalain, for those of you that read the Saltmarsh Diaries, and then moved onto a massive skeleton, and then rounded out my evening by working on a blackguard fig I had picked up more recently.
Overall, things didn't turn out too badly. Our brushes weren't always cooperative--particularly the fine detail brush, which was bent to at least a 60 degree angle--and the number of times I had to re-do certain sections was incalculable, but the end results were more than satisfactory.
The level of strain and the like, though, is massive, and it makes me all the more impressed with the wargaming-minis crowd, who put together massive armies in no time at all. I got a headache partway through painting the giant skeleton, and decided to stop and play a quick game of Yetisburg (yes, that's spelled right, and don't try to tell me there weren't Yetis and War Mammoths at Pickett's Charge).
Pics will be forthcoming, once the PlatinumChick fixes my now-broken camera. Grrr...
So, we improvised. We used our imaginations. We fudged things. Who cared if you were 5 feet away, if it meant laying the smackdown on the big nasty?! The focus was on the drama, the action, the combat.
However, I couldn't help but feel like I was missing something. Minis were the unknown territory for me...and while I suppose I feigned disinterest, I've always been intregued by them, whether ogling the massive battle set-ups at Origins or watching the Warhammer 40k battles at WittCon II. And now with 4e out there? It was time to make a switch in perspective.
So, I finally gave in. The PlatinumChick has always liked minis-painting, and I had even gotten her a quality set of paints for her birthday this past August. As such, when this past Wittenberg Game Day arrived, and there were few takers for most of the games, I decided to give the painting gig a go.
Now, mind you, I'm horrible at art. Completely. My stick figures come out lopsided. But, for whatever reason, I was actually able to put together a few satisfactory efforts.
I started with an elven archer--Jathalain, for those of you that read the Saltmarsh Diaries, and then moved onto a massive skeleton, and then rounded out my evening by working on a blackguard fig I had picked up more recently.
Overall, things didn't turn out too badly. Our brushes weren't always cooperative--particularly the fine detail brush, which was bent to at least a 60 degree angle--and the number of times I had to re-do certain sections was incalculable, but the end results were more than satisfactory.
The level of strain and the like, though, is massive, and it makes me all the more impressed with the wargaming-minis crowd, who put together massive armies in no time at all. I got a headache partway through painting the giant skeleton, and decided to stop and play a quick game of Yetisburg (yes, that's spelled right, and don't try to tell me there weren't Yetis and War Mammoths at Pickett's Charge).
Pics will be forthcoming, once the PlatinumChick fixes my now-broken camera. Grrr...
Monday, September 15, 2008
In Which The Warlock is Late...
...due to the power outages in the Greater Miami Valley over the weekend, I was unable to get together an update. Expect one later this week, once things are more situated!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
In Which The Warlock Doesn't Geek Out For Once...
This weekend, instead of our usual routine of sitting around Lionel's dining room table and playing Arkham Horror, the PlatinumChick and I headed down for a mini-vacation before she finally begins her Masters' degree program at Wright State. As such, I figured I'd share some of the details here...
We began with something of some hectic errand-running before heading down through Cincinnati towards Newport-on-the-Levee, in Kentucky. I had never been in this region before, aside from a brief field trip to the Reds' Stadium two years prior. I was rather impressed at the set-up to be had down there, as the area felt like an outdoor piazza, complete with street vendors and the like, in amongst the upscale bistros and such.
Jules had been wanting to head to Newport Aquarium for quite a while, so I didn't disappoint--it was our first stop. The aquarium itself, though, was something of a disappointment. A few years ago, when we had spent spring break in Gatlinburg, we had spent an afternoon at the impressive Ripley's Aquarium, which was a pleasant treat--I hadn't expected an exhibition by the infamous "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" to be so well constructed and thought out. However, Newport Aquarium was something of a let-down by comparison. Jules' big thrust for seeing Newport again was their new "Frog Bog" exhibit, which was much vaunted. In reality, though, it was a tiny exhibit aimed mainly at children, with no more actual frogs than your average pet store.
After the aquarium, we walked around the plaza for a while before settling on a Brio Tuscan Grille for dinner. We were not disappointed in any sense. Coming just before the dinner rush, we were seated quickly just off of the main dining room. We began the meal with a pitcher of Mango Bellini--a light, margarita type drink made with prosecco--and an order of Bruschetta Caprese, which was everything one could hope from in a bruschetta: fragrent, delicate, and bursting with flavor.
Jules enjoyed a meal of chicken with a butternut squash risotto, which filled her up nearly to bursting, while I indulged my fetish for pesto. My pasta came in a creamy pesto sauce, coupled with roasted chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh buffalo mozzerella. I often joke that when I've had a good meal--usually at Jeet--I waddle out of the place. I was waddling, coming out of Brio. Stuffed with enough garlic to kill a dozen vampires, we headed north of the city and found ourselves a room.
Today, we slept in at the hotel (in a massive king size bed!), before heading out for two places with a uniqueness all their own: Ikea and Jungle Jim's.
Now, I've been to an Ikea before. When one moved into Moon Township, just outside of Pittsburgh International Airport, my parents jumped on it with both feet. I may not have been able to enjoy it then, but now? My how times have changed.
Jules and I had been searching for a hanging wall-organizer for years, with no luck. Now, we have one, which was apparently dubbed "Luns".
An aside...Ikea amuses me to no end. I'm not sure whether it's a cognate thing or not, but many of their lines of furniture have human-esque names. Billy is a type of bookshelf, while Benno is the accompanying CD/DVD tower--apparently they're friends? However, they don't like Jeff the folding chair, and often talk behind his back to Hermann, the dining room chair.
I wish I was kidding. :D
After roaming around Ikea for the better part of 2-3 hours, we headed to Jungle Jim's to pick up some victuals. Jungle Jim's is like no other supermarket on earth. Specializing in organic foods and world cuisine, we go there to pick up kitchen supplies as well as Indian foodstuffs. This time, in addition to our usual foods, Jules picked up some sashimi grade tuna--looks like she'll be eating well for a while!
So, now we're back home with some new furnishings, quite a bit of relaxation, and some readiness for the coming week. Here's for hoping it'll be a quick one!
We began with something of some hectic errand-running before heading down through Cincinnati towards Newport-on-the-Levee, in Kentucky. I had never been in this region before, aside from a brief field trip to the Reds' Stadium two years prior. I was rather impressed at the set-up to be had down there, as the area felt like an outdoor piazza, complete with street vendors and the like, in amongst the upscale bistros and such.
Jules had been wanting to head to Newport Aquarium for quite a while, so I didn't disappoint--it was our first stop. The aquarium itself, though, was something of a disappointment. A few years ago, when we had spent spring break in Gatlinburg, we had spent an afternoon at the impressive Ripley's Aquarium, which was a pleasant treat--I hadn't expected an exhibition by the infamous "Ripley's Believe it or Not!" to be so well constructed and thought out. However, Newport Aquarium was something of a let-down by comparison. Jules' big thrust for seeing Newport again was their new "Frog Bog" exhibit, which was much vaunted. In reality, though, it was a tiny exhibit aimed mainly at children, with no more actual frogs than your average pet store.
After the aquarium, we walked around the plaza for a while before settling on a Brio Tuscan Grille for dinner. We were not disappointed in any sense. Coming just before the dinner rush, we were seated quickly just off of the main dining room. We began the meal with a pitcher of Mango Bellini--a light, margarita type drink made with prosecco--and an order of Bruschetta Caprese, which was everything one could hope from in a bruschetta: fragrent, delicate, and bursting with flavor.
Jules enjoyed a meal of chicken with a butternut squash risotto, which filled her up nearly to bursting, while I indulged my fetish for pesto. My pasta came in a creamy pesto sauce, coupled with roasted chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh buffalo mozzerella. I often joke that when I've had a good meal--usually at Jeet--I waddle out of the place. I was waddling, coming out of Brio. Stuffed with enough garlic to kill a dozen vampires, we headed north of the city and found ourselves a room.
Today, we slept in at the hotel (in a massive king size bed!), before heading out for two places with a uniqueness all their own: Ikea and Jungle Jim's.
Now, I've been to an Ikea before. When one moved into Moon Township, just outside of Pittsburgh International Airport, my parents jumped on it with both feet. I may not have been able to enjoy it then, but now? My how times have changed.
Jules and I had been searching for a hanging wall-organizer for years, with no luck. Now, we have one, which was apparently dubbed "Luns".
An aside...Ikea amuses me to no end. I'm not sure whether it's a cognate thing or not, but many of their lines of furniture have human-esque names. Billy is a type of bookshelf, while Benno is the accompanying CD/DVD tower--apparently they're friends? However, they don't like Jeff the folding chair, and often talk behind his back to Hermann, the dining room chair.
I wish I was kidding. :D
After roaming around Ikea for the better part of 2-3 hours, we headed to Jungle Jim's to pick up some victuals. Jungle Jim's is like no other supermarket on earth. Specializing in organic foods and world cuisine, we go there to pick up kitchen supplies as well as Indian foodstuffs. This time, in addition to our usual foods, Jules picked up some sashimi grade tuna--looks like she'll be eating well for a while!
So, now we're back home with some new furnishings, quite a bit of relaxation, and some readiness for the coming week. Here's for hoping it'll be a quick one!
Monday, September 01, 2008
In Which The Warlock Fails to Deliver a Climax...
So, our much lauded Dark Heresy game has reached its end. And, if I may say so, it was something of a letdown.
I often joke with my players about my record of PK-ing. To say the least, I have a pretty lethal record in my games. To my credit, prior to Friday, I've only had one "true" TPK--one of my Ravenloft games, during college. Sure, my one-shots typically end out with a higher-than-average body count, but in campaign terms, there's generally a pretty high success rate.
As such, my joking was taken in stride as I set up a massive map of a quarantined morgue that the characters were set to investigate. I had anticipated that, if I was in fact going to kill them that night, it would probably be in there, fighting Daemons. Instead, they died in a car crash.
Let me set the stage for you, O Gentle Reader. Fred's Guardsman, Karn (better known as Karnnold, when he's talking like the svelte Austrian), has all of two actual skills to his credit--Drive Land Vehicle and Survival. So, Fred jumps on any opportunity to use these skills with both feet. Figuring that Drive might be useful here, I ask him for a Drive check, thinking that a success would lead them straight to the morgue without incident, while a massive failure might lead them through ganger territory.
Massive failure ensues. The characters start noticing thugs, armed with miniguns and the like, start to surround their ground transport.
Now, Chris, playing the Imperial Psyker Sigismund, works the same way as Fred...only he has psychic powers. He immediately jumps into action by casting Aura of Fear. He succeeds in high style, forcing a Willpower save from everyone around him--including the party, locked in the transport with him.
At this point, I should note that Nick's Cleric (the leader of the group), has a Willpower score of something close to 60.
Massive failure ensues. While Jule's Scum and Karn succeeds, both Will's Psyker and Nick's Cleric fail. They watch as phantasmal insects and snakes stream out Sigismund's mouth and start covering the floor and walls of the transport. Nick, notably freaked out, attempts to shoulder-block open the back hatch...and succeeds with a critical success.
With Nick's cleric now rolling on the ground, and the door flapping open, I immediately ask for a Drive roll from Fred to keep control of the vehicle.
Massive failure ensues, again. The transport ends up clipping a light pole on the passenger side and another Drive roll is asked for.
Yeah, you guessed it. Massive failure and all that jazz. The transport bounces off of the light pole and swings, ass-end first, into a nearby bar, croweded with patrons. The transport catches on fire, and everyone takes (as I roll) 30 damage.
Let me enlighten something right here. Dark Heresy isn't quite like D&D in terms of hit points. In DH, 8 points is a severe wound, and 12-15 wounds will take you right out of the fight and make you a greasy smear. 30 damage? They're cleaning you up with a sponge and a mop.
As such, it's Game Over. As the players found out, Imperial Planet Scintilla is later destroyed by the Tyrant Star, summoned by their mysterious decohedron.
And now? Well, it seems that my campaign world might just be getting some exercise. Jules has volunteered to start up a 6th level 4e game, using my world, and we spent the rest of the session writing up characters. My Dwarven Rogue is ready to jump into action!
I often joke with my players about my record of PK-ing. To say the least, I have a pretty lethal record in my games. To my credit, prior to Friday, I've only had one "true" TPK--one of my Ravenloft games, during college. Sure, my one-shots typically end out with a higher-than-average body count, but in campaign terms, there's generally a pretty high success rate.
As such, my joking was taken in stride as I set up a massive map of a quarantined morgue that the characters were set to investigate. I had anticipated that, if I was in fact going to kill them that night, it would probably be in there, fighting Daemons. Instead, they died in a car crash.
Let me set the stage for you, O Gentle Reader. Fred's Guardsman, Karn (better known as Karnnold, when he's talking like the svelte Austrian), has all of two actual skills to his credit--Drive Land Vehicle and Survival. So, Fred jumps on any opportunity to use these skills with both feet. Figuring that Drive might be useful here, I ask him for a Drive check, thinking that a success would lead them straight to the morgue without incident, while a massive failure might lead them through ganger territory.
Massive failure ensues. The characters start noticing thugs, armed with miniguns and the like, start to surround their ground transport.
Now, Chris, playing the Imperial Psyker Sigismund, works the same way as Fred...only he has psychic powers. He immediately jumps into action by casting Aura of Fear. He succeeds in high style, forcing a Willpower save from everyone around him--including the party, locked in the transport with him.
At this point, I should note that Nick's Cleric (the leader of the group), has a Willpower score of something close to 60.
Massive failure ensues. While Jule's Scum and Karn succeeds, both Will's Psyker and Nick's Cleric fail. They watch as phantasmal insects and snakes stream out Sigismund's mouth and start covering the floor and walls of the transport. Nick, notably freaked out, attempts to shoulder-block open the back hatch...and succeeds with a critical success.
With Nick's cleric now rolling on the ground, and the door flapping open, I immediately ask for a Drive roll from Fred to keep control of the vehicle.
Massive failure ensues, again. The transport ends up clipping a light pole on the passenger side and another Drive roll is asked for.
Yeah, you guessed it. Massive failure and all that jazz. The transport bounces off of the light pole and swings, ass-end first, into a nearby bar, croweded with patrons. The transport catches on fire, and everyone takes (as I roll) 30 damage.
Let me enlighten something right here. Dark Heresy isn't quite like D&D in terms of hit points. In DH, 8 points is a severe wound, and 12-15 wounds will take you right out of the fight and make you a greasy smear. 30 damage? They're cleaning you up with a sponge and a mop.
As such, it's Game Over. As the players found out, Imperial Planet Scintilla is later destroyed by the Tyrant Star, summoned by their mysterious decohedron.
And now? Well, it seems that my campaign world might just be getting some exercise. Jules has volunteered to start up a 6th level 4e game, using my world, and we spent the rest of the session writing up characters. My Dwarven Rogue is ready to jump into action!
Monday, August 25, 2008
In Which The Warlock Screws Up His Updating Schedule...
Sorry about the delay, oh blog-ly few! With the school year beginning, I haven't had much time to even think, much less put down a blog entry!
However, I did set aside some time for a new project. The PlatinumChick, following our Dark Heresy game, has offered to run some 4e, provided that she has the time/ability. In order to make the prep time easy on her (in addition to 4e's general quickness, especially compared to 3e), we've talked about creating an "open source world" where all of our players help world-build, creating various plot points.
As part of this, I've started work on my own little campaign setting. Nothing's in firm yet, but the feel is going to be something of a blend of Diablo's "Sin Wars", the classic SNES RPG Chrono Trigger, and a touch of Eberron. Imagine a world in which the humans are the invaders, disrupting a perfectly-good century-long war between the fiends of the Underworld and the sentient races.
As such, here's a preview!
Tor Branael
Description: An originally eladrin nation that, long ago, had spread to threaten their nearby neighbors, including the Kharalash dwarves of the northern tundra. Tor Branael was annihilated by a combined force of humans and savage elves, but the remains of the eladrin still live on as a nation of sentient undead. Freed from the necessities of survival—food, drink, and the like—they focus on unearthing eldritch secrets of magic and building their massive war machine.
Architecture: Predominantly green glass, in neo-Gothic style. Mainly in ruins.
Trade: No major trade.
Power Players: The Worm that Walks and the Sons of Kyuss. Archcardinal Tanthelas, Praesidus Mordain
Major Races: Eladrin, elves (mainly as slaves), tieflings
Allies: None
Enemies: Kharalash dwarves, Zeal Eladrin, all elves, Sanctuary humans.
Kharalash
Description: The Kharalash tundra is considered to be a wasteland. However, the dwarves that inhabit it have eked out an existence on the snowy plains for centuries. Decendents of the original dwarven inhabitants, they have been amongst the most staunch warriors and arcanists to walk the earth. Specifically, the Kharalash dwarves are made up of loosely confederated clans that typically compete in economic matters, but unite under the single snow-boar banner in times of war. The Thunderous Boar clan has been in ascendance for several decades, though others, such as the Winter Serpent clan, would raise challenge to that claim.
Architecture: Wood lodge style (Pacific Northwest Indian).
Trade: Furs, gold, silver, game, leather goods.
Power Players: Warchief Durgan Thunderous Boar; FrostMourne (White Dragon); Thorgrim Winter Serpent (popular sub-chief)
Major Races: Dwarves, humans, tieflings, dragonborn.
Allies: Sanctuary Humans
Enemies: Zeal Eladrin, Tor Branael Eladrin.
However, I did set aside some time for a new project. The PlatinumChick, following our Dark Heresy game, has offered to run some 4e, provided that she has the time/ability. In order to make the prep time easy on her (in addition to 4e's general quickness, especially compared to 3e), we've talked about creating an "open source world" where all of our players help world-build, creating various plot points.
As part of this, I've started work on my own little campaign setting. Nothing's in firm yet, but the feel is going to be something of a blend of Diablo's "Sin Wars", the classic SNES RPG Chrono Trigger, and a touch of Eberron. Imagine a world in which the humans are the invaders, disrupting a perfectly-good century-long war between the fiends of the Underworld and the sentient races.
As such, here's a preview!
Tor Branael
Description: An originally eladrin nation that, long ago, had spread to threaten their nearby neighbors, including the Kharalash dwarves of the northern tundra. Tor Branael was annihilated by a combined force of humans and savage elves, but the remains of the eladrin still live on as a nation of sentient undead. Freed from the necessities of survival—food, drink, and the like—they focus on unearthing eldritch secrets of magic and building their massive war machine.
Architecture: Predominantly green glass, in neo-Gothic style. Mainly in ruins.
Trade: No major trade.
Power Players: The Worm that Walks and the Sons of Kyuss. Archcardinal Tanthelas, Praesidus Mordain
Major Races: Eladrin, elves (mainly as slaves), tieflings
Allies: None
Enemies: Kharalash dwarves, Zeal Eladrin, all elves, Sanctuary humans.
Kharalash
Description: The Kharalash tundra is considered to be a wasteland. However, the dwarves that inhabit it have eked out an existence on the snowy plains for centuries. Decendents of the original dwarven inhabitants, they have been amongst the most staunch warriors and arcanists to walk the earth. Specifically, the Kharalash dwarves are made up of loosely confederated clans that typically compete in economic matters, but unite under the single snow-boar banner in times of war. The Thunderous Boar clan has been in ascendance for several decades, though others, such as the Winter Serpent clan, would raise challenge to that claim.
Architecture: Wood lodge style (Pacific Northwest Indian).
Trade: Furs, gold, silver, game, leather goods.
Power Players: Warchief Durgan Thunderous Boar; FrostMourne (White Dragon); Thorgrim Winter Serpent (popular sub-chief)
Major Races: Dwarves, humans, tieflings, dragonborn.
Allies: Sanctuary Humans
Enemies: Zeal Eladrin, Tor Branael Eladrin.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)