tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22153776022094922752024-03-12T16:26:34.516-07:00TEMPLE OF DEMOGORGON
"look out, it's dripping!"Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.comBlogger336125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-88705412555885323512024-03-10T18:34:00.000-07:002024-03-10T18:36:56.426-07:00Thinkin' 'bout Dragonballs<p> </p><p><span style="background-color: #999999;">The death of Dragonball and DragonballZ creator <span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">Akira Toriyama had me thinking about Dragonball. though I don't know that I am really touched by the passing. I have only seen a tiny bit of the actual manga. But I love the series, and I don't really know how involved he was with it. But it would not exist without the guy, so I gotta give props. </span></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">I discovered the show some time in the early or mid 90's. There was no Adult Swim at the time (I think). But it was being shown daily on one of the Los Angeles off channels cartoon blocks. I think I caught the last 30 second of an episode. The characters I would come to love bloviating about some threat or another. I was vaguely aware of its existance before that, but I decided to try and catch a couple of episodes. Like a lot of anime you suddenly discover you have no idea what the fuck is going on. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">I soon saw that they had tapes of these US dubs at my fave video store, so I was able to dive into the first episodes of DragonballZ Goku and his young son visiting what seemed to be old friends on a tiny tropical island. A threat from outer space by guys with similar looks to Goku's. The appearance of Piccolo, who seemed to be an old enemy, though when they showed flashbacks to some previous version of the series where the character looked much older. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">Then I noticed a very small collection of episodes of the original Dragonball, with a young Goku. So I got it; there was a series with Goku as a kid, and Z was a continuation. I was fascinated. then I discovere US dubs that included killing. In the TV dubs I saw when somebody got destroyed, somebody would say something like"wow, you really sent HIM to another dimension!" </span></p><p><span style="background-color: #999999;"><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">I loved the world as persented in it. In Dragonball the world seemed to be like the Judges Guild Wilderlands; vast wilderness punctuated by points of light villages, with cities to follow in the later</span><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"> show. </span></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSybEYQ8VbrEPhzgf9I8GZOPyNNNInB-cMu-C_2YfoXxRKVzbTXJx7Sz0ypdJelzyBUr-HlZ8FgetChyphenhyphenIDref_oR7TpZ_PacSrThCLtFi21rACUHtQ16OsAEK6CE_iyiB3T5QXx-wEtcOV8qHrdKW7X6J60hh8fgtAnbWow9oR0YAb2RkmBP47pFyQHlA/s474/bulma.jpg" style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="474" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghSybEYQ8VbrEPhzgf9I8GZOPyNNNInB-cMu-C_2YfoXxRKVzbTXJx7Sz0ypdJelzyBUr-HlZ8FgetChyphenhyphenIDref_oR7TpZ_PacSrThCLtFi21rACUHtQ16OsAEK6CE_iyiB3T5QXx-wEtcOV8qHrdKW7X6J60hh8fgtAnbWow9oR0YAb2RkmBP47pFyQHlA/s320/bulma.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Young Bulma. Later in life she would go on to have sex with <br />and bear children for an alien who destroyed entire civilizations<br />and sometimes even ate them. Bulma was kind of a ho' </span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /><span style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">Piccolo was my favorite early on. The antihero of the series. But I liked them all really, and had a fond spot for Krillin, Yamcha, and others. And I loved Goku. Such an innocent but powerful good guy. It was so cool that most of his friends started as enemies who became friends, won over by his good nature as much as his power. Gok and others were killed time and again (I think Krillin held the trophy on how many times). They would travel through hell and go visit King Kai who would make them stronger. </span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21CbEH1pdtb4-R2ObSxpY8k6o6OUKrLg-R11gxQ9dm3LRLpULprYnYFEZN1jIy14uDZEQqKgTJlmpWyhkSKifkbakdyTXSEIbIShElGtGnI9OWUyF_914tORlltwMLbgGNjxJE6h7AqhKis7WUn5HUuPeIfXUSXRgPoFu48cGgkgfr3KJjE9C7gDtCgK1/s535/zfighters.jpg" style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="535" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj21CbEH1pdtb4-R2ObSxpY8k6o6OUKrLg-R11gxQ9dm3LRLpULprYnYFEZN1jIy14uDZEQqKgTJlmpWyhkSKifkbakdyTXSEIbIShElGtGnI9OWUyF_914tORlltwMLbgGNjxJE6h7AqhKis7WUn5HUuPeIfXUSXRgPoFu48cGgkgfr3KJjE9C7gDtCgK1/s320/zfighters.jpg" width="284" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">As new arcs and enemies came in, I became more obsessed. I was never emotionally attached to things my friens loved, like Star Wars and Indiana Jones. But my heart was in this series. The Planet Namek saga. The androids. The Cell Games. It just went on and on. </span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAabLYcg1023a0fHl-xJteig04lngkfYkm4IfTXtU_4vi85qfD8YvrDjHkz641ajEevOlOhhSoA7UN_5y9WoSErqJPM6oL88En4lLyhKeBaIZJLg3S4frVGskls07hXkDSwlOH6l7ZRc28Py2MhS35tHJrGAFhpZduaUf1_bhB1fb6iB4ipvICDKWeEoGl/s277/goku.jpg" style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="270" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAabLYcg1023a0fHl-xJteig04lngkfYkm4IfTXtU_4vi85qfD8YvrDjHkz641ajEevOlOhhSoA7UN_5y9WoSErqJPM6oL88En4lLyhKeBaIZJLg3S4frVGskls07hXkDSwlOH6l7ZRc28Py2MhS35tHJrGAFhpZduaUf1_bhB1fb6iB4ipvICDKWeEoGl/s1600/goku.jpg" width="270" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Fuck around and find out</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">Then after years passed I saw Dragonball GT (I think it was called) which did not have any input from Akira and seemed to be a different show, with Goku a kid again and running around with his grandchildren. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">But into the 2000's it got back on track, but by then I was sort of tired of the constant power growth. And those early sagas were so dear to me, they seemed to be enough, like the earlier seasons of Mad Men or The Sopranos. So besides a peek now and again over the years to see what god level dudes they were fighting, I kind of let it go. But this weekend I seriously wanted to get the Crunchyroll free 7 day trial to watch some early eps, but I had a lot to do so might just do it next week. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6xRAhJ-x_j7fSw_nxGV75uAXHJ-QKTRC0kokkEwxWKfch6z-RMYHa01SReClAqFeOaCS4nwqa9L4v7g-p1Mr9XSbvfc1iPEG-wYqanNXIXp-Eegsw3pccK7E_q7Ut4JbwcQDjBXtPhRuSN-lY_zVSptGUPd33NN-xtUdA-lGj3ieU6jHNZl72aGdZIzs/s473/mrsatan.jpg" style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="473" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD6xRAhJ-x_j7fSw_nxGV75uAXHJ-QKTRC0kokkEwxWKfch6z-RMYHa01SReClAqFeOaCS4nwqa9L4v7g-p1Mr9XSbvfc1iPEG-wYqanNXIXp-Eegsw3pccK7E_q7Ut4JbwcQDjBXtPhRuSN-lY_zVSptGUPd33NN-xtUdA-lGj3ieU6jHNZl72aGdZIzs/s320/mrsatan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">the unsung hero of the series</span></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">And also, I never saw as many of the original young Goku eps of Dragonball as I would have liked. I'd like to check out the backgrounds of some of those more mysterious characters, like Yajirobi the fat samurai who will eat anything (including demons and dinosaurs), or Lunch/Launch, a peaceful young girl next door who would turn with a sneeze into a blond femme fatale with a machine gun. I may have to seek those out.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Um0zXk4IqyJNiuY5Mwu0VUATOWbKAf-iDujRJAKE2vw1TPXeBS0uEbZH3COZwZRUzgLVadrk0eoPqjpdtVzZegkLB8-dtOGSBD9wE_8Hfq3USeSIn0Tr4NZ8BXdupPenoypVkOgMSNNwhQzI9XdYz4BjbMEAV6hDDkkkv-CFfZtYABZnWCfLzqZ2RWUs/s1259/lunchlaunch.jpg" style="background-color: #999999; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1259" data-original-width="1065" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0Um0zXk4IqyJNiuY5Mwu0VUATOWbKAf-iDujRJAKE2vw1TPXeBS0uEbZH3COZwZRUzgLVadrk0eoPqjpdtVzZegkLB8-dtOGSBD9wE_8Hfq3USeSIn0Tr4NZ8BXdupPenoypVkOgMSNNwhQzI9XdYz4BjbMEAV6hDDkkkv-CFfZtYABZnWCfLzqZ2RWUs/s320/lunchlaunch.jpg" width="271" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #999999;"><br /><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">But here's to Akira for creating some of my favorite characters of any genre, and an amazing world for them to punch the shit out of each other in. </span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;">Cheers</span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: #999999; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p><p><span face="Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: #111111; font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-76907553223845532042024-02-27T18:58:00.000-08:002024-02-27T19:01:25.329-08:00Call of Cthulhu Wild West - finally living the Dream<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoApcYvO6fV6Ok0MSZA1lmn9iwwf3eAKW8bVIYvVb7YB13iQTn4tPYbVAF0SfptGaxgM3-sO1g1LalnA7uGU9wy1t4ZK8aFc7ZnD7RYKY9N5y_85AzbbN3XXYM2Iqo2YyXM0N-fkxXaLEXM4ft_tarm1jTS9vzHr3VFXsE8jwedeq8N3cpgZwxICyewNgs/s650/apache-spirit-dancers-1887-photo-u1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="395" data-original-width="650" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoApcYvO6fV6Ok0MSZA1lmn9iwwf3eAKW8bVIYvVb7YB13iQTn4tPYbVAF0SfptGaxgM3-sO1g1LalnA7uGU9wy1t4ZK8aFc7ZnD7RYKY9N5y_85AzbbN3XXYM2Iqo2YyXM0N-fkxXaLEXM4ft_tarm1jTS9vzHr3VFXsE8jwedeq8N3cpgZwxICyewNgs/s320/apache-spirit-dancers-1887-photo-u1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I've run three major Call of Cthulhu campaigns Since I was a teen. Two set in 1930's Los Angeles, and two in 1930's New York. Ah, memories. that last one was about 10 years ago for my long running Santa Monica group. I ran a lot of 1st ed over those years, but also managed to get in campaigns (of various lengths) of a bunch of genres. White Box DnD, Metamorphosis Alpha, Runequest, Traveller. But that Cthulhu one, though only maybe a dozen sessions in length, was fun. I called it Fangs of New York, and the first session was set in a Times Square upper story banquet hall at a new years eve party. </p><p>I recall though having fun with that little campaign, but even at that time I was sort of pining to run the system in other time periods. Ancient Rome, Ancient Sumer, maybe even the Old West. I felt like I had my fill of the 20's-30's. </p><p>Up until the recent holiday season I had a decent 5th ed DnD group going. A fun bunch. Everybody was from off the Roll20 forums, and by this time I had learned to vet prospective players. Heavily. There is a lot of chaff to shift through to find the goods. And everybody was very cool. The most fun for me was a young couple, maybe in their early 20's, who were very enthusiastic noobs and I had a lot of laughs with them. But of course if you have a couple in your group, you aren't just getting somebody who might leave the group for whatever reason. You are typically losing TWO. That is the nature of a couple. They usually want to play together. But whatever is going on with them, we have not heard from that besides one chime in last month saying the wanted to play one night, but it has been silent since. The way I figure it, the thing young couples do best is break up. So my assumption is there. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xYgbuaXqu-vjmZQ0FxfQPPfZOBced-HwPkkOXkm6_7RrCGlTr0pEJqSxR3zMGLd4b3KdbpCj6W_Qd45CBC_uBg2v706skEranXn_K5KXbP3O5cGpLBMjz0L4OXyit0kjghFoBnU6MehaTh5JIExofUO5uJjyBv_KN16No88AW8zw8vCF1t-MS-QEXdwl/s551/yig%20statuette.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="551" data-original-width="298" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4xYgbuaXqu-vjmZQ0FxfQPPfZOBced-HwPkkOXkm6_7RrCGlTr0pEJqSxR3zMGLd4b3KdbpCj6W_Qd45CBC_uBg2v706skEranXn_K5KXbP3O5cGpLBMjz0L4OXyit0kjghFoBnU6MehaTh5JIExofUO5uJjyBv_KN16No88AW8zw8vCF1t-MS-QEXdwl/s320/yig%20statuette.jpg" width="173" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>As it was the holidays, I called a few weeks break mid-December. I had not taken vacation time from my job for months, and wanted to use some of it. </p><p>By the time New Years Eve came around, I had gotten the notion to try and get a Western themed Cthulhu thing going. It just popped into my head. Hey, if the DnD campaign is done, I want to jump right into something else. </p><p> I tested the waters with a post in the Roll20 forums, and just like my expectations told me I did not get much reply. I tried a few spots in other places, and eventually was lucky enough to stumble upon a Call of Cthulhu Facebook page with a huge membership. My post there got a huge response. </p><p>I did not vet that hard. This was a niche genre, but plenty of people were interested. I actually had to choose several from a dozen or so inquiries. I had a couple of shortish Discord chats. The only one who did not continue by the night of the first game was a guy who wanted to run a Paleontologist. He had been running Cthulhu for years, but not in the format I wanted to do it. He wanted to play with Zoom, with video, and with theater of the mind. Well, in face to face or online I use battle maps, mini's/tokens, and Discord for voice. And everybody else I chose were into it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqp29anxqu9yohlVDW8f0QvcfckiioSSw2GMhntG_OyJxcqAhtfkucvG-WJOD4v-DMN6yiCeTq45Md2UdMoYaAflvs5tQ1Bs2jRIG8EDvH7mQD5UhaYAWK4YzzwURp7GUt0MzOXHfDAUxCil7wv5EW8M7g50VAM9QW4DvXubpFDmfmfkovKls-qs1eQDd/s3398/brothel%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3398" data-original-width="2416" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcqp29anxqu9yohlVDW8f0QvcfckiioSSw2GMhntG_OyJxcqAhtfkucvG-WJOD4v-DMN6yiCeTq45Md2UdMoYaAflvs5tQ1Bs2jRIG8EDvH7mQD5UhaYAWK4YzzwURp7GUt0MzOXHfDAUxCil7wv5EW8M7g50VAM9QW4DvXubpFDmfmfkovKls-qs1eQDd/s320/brothel%202.jpg" width="228" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Ultimately, I ended up with mostly folk from the FB page who had played CoC, and also some of the remnants from the D&D group. </p><p>So three easy going sessions so far. I mean, this is not DnD, and it has been years since I ran CoC. So I had to get more into a narrative style. Not relying on constant combats. Though I had to look for balance. Unlike my usual old campaigns of CoC, this was a more violent environment, and almost every character had guns. I set this campaign in 1886 Washoe County, that includes Reno, Carson City, and Virginia City. Towards the end of the gold rush in the west, and towards the end of what could be called The Old West in general. I mostly picked the time because most western weapons and tropes were around, and also because it was the year the University of Nevada opened in Reno. </p><p>So far the characters are A female Doctor, a teenage female Chinese carnival trick shooter (both from San Franciso just hours away by train; and of course I'll want some adveturing there eventually), a two-fisted banker (from Virgina City who has survived dozens of robbery attempts), A writer based on Beauchamp from the movie Unforgiven (Duck of Death sez I), and former nun turned entertainer/dancer. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWgtuqxNGxnNbkPVYyC198eFLl7lsD-105kIx6dJS7GRMm8anWGVQpXuEhwVlxaEqDpcca62oEqYsIqZfgyn3X4wVKtBxEWyEie8qIUD9PZcu2-F0x1q3StC8R3CaPm8z8EM5ce2O6R8ckdaghMbAa3h9mx_tQxBK7_eXVT0_6qYICOrLSe2CTiZtzjB8/s256/Chinesetwogun2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkWgtuqxNGxnNbkPVYyC198eFLl7lsD-105kIx6dJS7GRMm8anWGVQpXuEhwVlxaEqDpcca62oEqYsIqZfgyn3X4wVKtBxEWyEie8qIUD9PZcu2-F0x1q3StC8R3CaPm8z8EM5ce2O6R8ckdaghMbAa3h9mx_tQxBK7_eXVT0_6qYICOrLSe2CTiZtzjB8/s1600/Chinesetwogun2.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhP9oaRYSvAM85aiN004fJFFp98694Vzs-EWNrtLS56Ks1P4cTnYmLIQUzlV5qK8cSVs7C2AbshY6RNeujiAtIZox6FPH_nVTMcpNuQbV-YCjv5cesf1La8VgvloY4O6jeowEbzKlYLJGxc2QQXq-XSFXzPski_8MkYWoWwTGzEM4Bz0EiKtq6bfTJyvjJ/s256/drSarahHamilton2.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhP9oaRYSvAM85aiN004fJFFp98694Vzs-EWNrtLS56Ks1P4cTnYmLIQUzlV5qK8cSVs7C2AbshY6RNeujiAtIZox6FPH_nVTMcpNuQbV-YCjv5cesf1La8VgvloY4O6jeowEbzKlYLJGxc2QQXq-XSFXzPski_8MkYWoWwTGzEM4Bz0EiKtq6bfTJyvjJ/s1600/drSarahHamilton2.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtt_ewPox8dwlPTc2nyXGTs0Zirk4_sOnha5rt6GLpnK_PyHEK2p0Y4OjlADLfnj5lVcxbss-mP95BvkKlm6nEdQ2HblOa-QbErPxy46RwWPMZQWWdfBYbge1wOHTIX_Ou_cY2SjkNHAljjr5XNS5i01_zwZTjMleeSW1wKnzToHOHnC0NWf37OBgNMZH/s256/beauchamp%20token%202.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvtt_ewPox8dwlPTc2nyXGTs0Zirk4_sOnha5rt6GLpnK_PyHEK2p0Y4OjlADLfnj5lVcxbss-mP95BvkKlm6nEdQ2HblOa-QbErPxy46RwWPMZQWWdfBYbge1wOHTIX_Ou_cY2SjkNHAljjr5XNS5i01_zwZTjMleeSW1wKnzToHOHnC0NWf37OBgNMZH/s1600/beauchamp%20token%202.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00FRfDZzt3jWa2CE-IKHkrlkXnr9tSN0dHC8-WDSHK7MykABL1uQfShMGY_4F_CXVyPFUWYFcIG_KDm6SnSBf7gYC4fG3gtUnMhq-2M5N7VdC4wh-IL-zxVWFh5vnKeV_JiPocrNxwlw4cC0F7Lser07cxekamNfeK3wgt_JyP0tE6LMLWWGb7eEujtwQ/s256/mimi%20token.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00FRfDZzt3jWa2CE-IKHkrlkXnr9tSN0dHC8-WDSHK7MykABL1uQfShMGY_4F_CXVyPFUWYFcIG_KDm6SnSBf7gYC4fG3gtUnMhq-2M5N7VdC4wh-IL-zxVWFh5vnKeV_JiPocrNxwlw4cC0F7Lser07cxekamNfeK3wgt_JyP0tE6LMLWWGb7eEujtwQ/s1600/mimi%20token.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOh5bpzX5x3GWtke9d3Wu-DAUonukoKSnk8RmP7Wjm34Ic86GFZ6CRpe0ARimbBLVu4IrCREZszvGIcYBVtX5EI6AP-ibNLYXB3OfkcTHa5-KcBgF6s7q7UpgLLUrqhe1rEJUZFQXgmwJVw9ZTHyCVWkFP5Ttu3NKF4Ump34D8OoFxl_nhCr467p3Fz_I7/s256/shofield%20token.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOh5bpzX5x3GWtke9d3Wu-DAUonukoKSnk8RmP7Wjm34Ic86GFZ6CRpe0ARimbBLVu4IrCREZszvGIcYBVtX5EI6AP-ibNLYXB3OfkcTHa5-KcBgF6s7q7UpgLLUrqhe1rEJUZFQXgmwJVw9ZTHyCVWkFP5Ttu3NKF4Ump34D8OoFxl_nhCr467p3Fz_I7/s1600/shofield%20token.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>Jordan, from the DnD campaign, has been on a long Canada trip so has yet to make it. Not even sure what he would run. For both of the guys from the DnD, they were kind of noobish to DnD, so for sure had zero CoC experience. They were not very interested until they heard I would be doing old western theme, and also they saw it was an easy peezy system, so they were in. <div><br /></div><div>So yeah, so far so good. So far just sort of settling into their lives in Reno, and encounters with cultishness related to Yig (losta snakes!), and Yidhra. </div><div><br /></div><div>I was at some game shop many years ago reading through one of the books and saw her entry and was fascinated ever since. She was for sure not a Lovecraft invention.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy6ggTCWvAUm5Suk_3cn_WKuOehTB0rM5pU3YF3Ig3Asm_l1peDoHwtLc29FWLyIOizE-NBkLQe1fK5bGrRLIXWHA29EGzXUXOSUKk2G_kN7NZ0ZtvgqK6F7T3DNu2nG5RkVOZGhEBtAAC1YLrs5hetsWB64xnpgwcK0sESjNSrvdscngLTtYBhB2S788/s474/yidhra.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="391" data-original-width="474" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcy6ggTCWvAUm5Suk_3cn_WKuOehTB0rM5pU3YF3Ig3Asm_l1peDoHwtLc29FWLyIOizE-NBkLQe1fK5bGrRLIXWHA29EGzXUXOSUKk2G_kN7NZ0ZtvgqK6F7T3DNu2nG5RkVOZGhEBtAAC1YLrs5hetsWB64xnpgwcK0sESjNSrvdscngLTtYBhB2S788/s320/yidhra.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"...where Yidhra walks, the hills do not forget"</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><p>So yeah, as a believer in positive visualization I finally get to not just use this Outer God, but in a Western Cthulhu game. Boxes checked! I hope this campaign goes awhile!</p><p>Cheers</p></div>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-58704523646740693042024-01-25T14:52:00.000-08:002024-01-25T14:52:57.733-08:00Describing PC Levels or Weapon with Pluses in-game<p> In-game trying to find a way to describe to somebody a weapon or other item with bonuses, or a character level, was always weird. There were not many ways around it. You just meta-described out of game and that was that. At least it's what I did. </p><p>As far as character levels it seemed easier to describe a magic-users. And I don't mean using the dumb names for levels like prestidigitator and charlatan or whatever. I would just have the mages guild use designations for members such as "Ah yes, Peldifferous is a "mage of the 7th circle" or something like that. Spell ability is a good in-world judging gimmick for MU's. For example the Mages Guild in my main city of Tanmoor restricts even the lowest tiers of membership to 4th level or higher (there can be some exceptions for third level, such as a glowing recommendation from a high-level member). Easy enough to test them by having them show proof of appropriate spell ability. I remember having to do this in a Skyrim quest and it was pretty cool.</p><p>Of course, some old school classes, such as druids and monks, had some non-spell ability level requirements there probably had to be martial tests for at later levels. </p><p>For most other classes; fighters, thief/rogue or whatever, you had to abstract it a bit. How they perform their craft out in the field or what not. Reputation. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg942PKxyHtunBwQ52LjCuqi1BuIGbOIC_WbL_-j99clp8Ok2I-UkXdZJeCPE35eLj8qTCszK6bz7k1d23Eom6N45oZyanBHiAHjjXEoK56YcSeLukw6F4jQ7n8tqxSpeTor04UE6b3x4BYLS9XOUDPVtBQ1-MIaeA3EtzNABUuA0c9P3TJc05elRs-vMhH/s307/mr.%20satan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="307" data-original-width="231" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg942PKxyHtunBwQ52LjCuqi1BuIGbOIC_WbL_-j99clp8Ok2I-UkXdZJeCPE35eLj8qTCszK6bz7k1d23Eom6N45oZyanBHiAHjjXEoK56YcSeLukw6F4jQ7n8tqxSpeTor04UE6b3x4BYLS9XOUDPVtBQ1-MIaeA3EtzNABUuA0c9P3TJc05elRs-vMhH/s1600/mr.%20satan.jpg" width="231" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mr. Satan is an example of how <br />imperfect the system can be.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>But for weapons and items that give pluses I no longer sweat it. I've recently started just letting characters understand what the numbers mean. An amulet of Extra AC that is +1 is almost useless. But a +5 one is certainly something you want to count on in a big battle. A shield with such even more. A plus 1 sword is about the same as an exceptionally crafted one, but a +3 is decent magic. It makes a difference.</p><p>A character only needs experiment a little to understand its magical quality. "Hey, I think this dagger is +2." </p><p>Any other abilites the item may have is another matter. However its done, identify spell or what not, I don't really like to spend a lot of time on more minor items. If they have some kind of meaning beyond a little help in battle, I spend more time on it. But "hey, it seems like it is maybe a +3 axe" and getting on with the game is usually good enough for my players. And a little metagaming sneaking in never hurt anybody. YMMV.</p><p>Cheers</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-29362058476055808392024-01-24T11:08:00.000-08:002024-01-24T11:09:52.269-08:00Gaming Inspiration out in the wild 2 <p> </p><p>Gaming inspiration is where you find it. Last year after a lovely, almost spiritual weekend in the deep Mendocino woodlands <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/08/into-forest-primeval-game-inspiration.html">I posted about the moments</a> where my mind went to games that take place in natural places. </p><p>Now to do it again. After a long year at work in my healthcare related job (mostly hybrid so work from home, hold the applause) and not taking much time off from it, early this month I drove the several hours to Mendocino. Not to the woods, but not far from it. Some of my oldest friends and some of their Bay Area music friends, couple dozen in all, rented an old 1800's farmhouse (in great condition) right near the stunning sea cliffs and coves of Casper, California; pretty much Mendocino.</p><p>I made it an extra-long weekend. Leaving on a Thursday even though we had the house until Monday morn. I spent Thursday night in a small hippy town called Willits ("Gateway to the Redwoods"), in a quiet hotel where both that afternoon and the next morning had the sauna all to myself.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EZ7leYVn8_xvCNLvPYSRN6Ik_XuvRJH0MCa1KiZ0VoODE3CzPTAIbUYvRPkWblDRj2JB0FiKkjEEcn3BktKqCkFYmcn3v9M4pcz05I9To2grjfgyW1oW1tICu4ikEsngQQab6-4APZRmFwokCozGAKBakWZIBeKAZlKQsfS7huY2PjyB2ajNY80MnxlH/s275/9B9DD529-0D1C-4DAF-9891-756F9C6A6570.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="275" data-original-width="183" height="275" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1EZ7leYVn8_xvCNLvPYSRN6Ik_XuvRJH0MCa1KiZ0VoODE3CzPTAIbUYvRPkWblDRj2JB0FiKkjEEcn3BktKqCkFYmcn3v9M4pcz05I9To2grjfgyW1oW1tICu4ikEsngQQab6-4APZRmFwokCozGAKBakWZIBeKAZlKQsfS7huY2PjyB2ajNY80MnxlH/w265-h275/9B9DD529-0D1C-4DAF-9891-756F9C6A6570.jpeg" width="265" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>With the area being cold and misty, the town itself surrounded by woods, it was a great way to relax and prepare for an extended party in a house chock full of musicians.</p><p>I'm so grateful to still be a part of a scene where once a year or so I get invited to these terrific and exclusive weekends. At least once a year. And for this one I got to the property first and got to check out the house.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OCwO6mG2pSWhDU7WJcecjJOkFnGxpsq9gD1vnQqXaZt_JE0-k4qOSiiNCJrK-hZkLIjVzl-_85oDR-1Bc5UMosdzOmNKxh0DlcLzAMm-VbX_v6s7s1hTagrA5Yx4FERCddgDCTgCKmxFHiuBaLjfyT-A1elxY0KAZSO13GHf2eEEE7EqK_vUQ3uxLm7U/s426/6D763417-26F5-477B-9602-BDB314C9544F.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="118" data-original-width="426" height="89" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6OCwO6mG2pSWhDU7WJcecjJOkFnGxpsq9gD1vnQqXaZt_JE0-k4qOSiiNCJrK-hZkLIjVzl-_85oDR-1Bc5UMosdzOmNKxh0DlcLzAMm-VbX_v6s7s1hTagrA5Yx4FERCddgDCTgCKmxFHiuBaLjfyT-A1elxY0KAZSO13GHf2eEEE7EqK_vUQ3uxLm7U/s320/6D763417-26F5-477B-9602-BDB314C9544F.jpeg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">nice Night of the Living Dead vibe</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>There is something very cool about being their first and watching folk roll in and greeting them, beers and other drinks getting handed around (we had to wait a while for the cleaning ladies to get the place ready for us). </p><p>But before long the party was in full swing. Rooms assigned (I got my own little love room), friends hugged, and more drinks. Great conversations and catch ups, big laughs, and eventually full-on music sessions. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxbs5wtmEmBs9OM3LVqO1KBjR940xHVeVdqYRDoExc7u4bvt1kbums-b0fqObZ792aCMiiZN0FdcMX4zaLBtQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>To many little weekend misadventures to be included here, but on Sunday early afternoon I did a little solo walk to the seacliffs. And of course with some alone time and such great views, some gaming ideas came to mind.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP8kbIQXYtNIDwDm3BKZ89ifgN7FKS4Dgws7OP9EUtshoBqbmghyhfZi0bYj15Vw9kz-fwOhFdnuZ1Zs_FSKfQ_7RHyuT42bt_oDm5mwSevz81iyVBjbZkQAgQe_VgrSbkbRODb0vre5rIt8xN3b2SFv1A3fB5wD_i8F25WG1bGuzVssSOzbnoij0zPsn/s2048/6C8646E3-BDCB-4B1E-9A88-C0D512ED6552.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMP8kbIQXYtNIDwDm3BKZ89ifgN7FKS4Dgws7OP9EUtshoBqbmghyhfZi0bYj15Vw9kz-fwOhFdnuZ1Zs_FSKfQ_7RHyuT42bt_oDm5mwSevz81iyVBjbZkQAgQe_VgrSbkbRODb0vre5rIt8xN3b2SFv1A3fB5wD_i8F25WG1bGuzVssSOzbnoij0zPsn/s320/6C8646E3-BDCB-4B1E-9A88-C0D512ED6552.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w_k2ICpO1P0ap-gEtGT2-0GmLNjSlcLtGhlH58Fv2tVJ2k_xQ0zWuIY-1cBuG0zHjzgKVnCaj_OpqCkF4gSWISTZfHhEcVfLPRN0l3RwpNczaGdKn5M3tt4GCmPtBjwWBDULckHrNPflAI_DvcPKKdw-9xhSVzjYBhX1khAPwEFWVS6ayE0yR_ecTOQi/s2048/78B5E415-3643-4C97-AB2D-CD1311F0B38C.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1w_k2ICpO1P0ap-gEtGT2-0GmLNjSlcLtGhlH58Fv2tVJ2k_xQ0zWuIY-1cBuG0zHjzgKVnCaj_OpqCkF4gSWISTZfHhEcVfLPRN0l3RwpNczaGdKn5M3tt4GCmPtBjwWBDULckHrNPflAI_DvcPKKdw-9xhSVzjYBhX1khAPwEFWVS6ayE0yR_ecTOQi/s320/78B5E415-3643-4C97-AB2D-CD1311F0B38C.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOFFnHmSPXZKQIfP3QkQknEjI2mg2RuTqp503QdGG4AZLJ7zae4OFNbRDjuaFwqQEosXfhj8U5KfpbTHFaKEej3WSGDSz2DfJPmFShznwH7mcZGtCdNAgkkOH74OTJ05bOmmTRQOb2B4tkgDttYW3Ap5ibr-WUasBdJmeNHO_2ivEOIIE7Rau554OwbF0/s2048/7499B392-8B12-4665-A94F-51EA20AF9732.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOFFnHmSPXZKQIfP3QkQknEjI2mg2RuTqp503QdGG4AZLJ7zae4OFNbRDjuaFwqQEosXfhj8U5KfpbTHFaKEej3WSGDSz2DfJPmFShznwH7mcZGtCdNAgkkOH74OTJ05bOmmTRQOb2B4tkgDttYW3Ap5ibr-WUasBdJmeNHO_2ivEOIIE7Rau554OwbF0/s320/7499B392-8B12-4665-A94F-51EA20AF9732.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlUfqUlISk-laGZnS-5QE0OItfv9IOWIk3zYeLQ9c1Pv1_HvN-96L0bCry-KyQzl6CE2r1lxiEedaG7Gi9OERtbM8keQ-iyc8JUfLcK00ZsiDXOBgqh8ow6ZweEblcpQWJyPJZoCChBQLIiuRwCXcwLip0FG620NzVzodmSRo33zdf72mcIdeDqJRAOLp/s2048/C8F465E6-FD37-406B-81A5-4D02A3A58028.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTlUfqUlISk-laGZnS-5QE0OItfv9IOWIk3zYeLQ9c1Pv1_HvN-96L0bCry-KyQzl6CE2r1lxiEedaG7Gi9OERtbM8keQ-iyc8JUfLcK00ZsiDXOBgqh8ow6ZweEblcpQWJyPJZoCChBQLIiuRwCXcwLip0FG620NzVzodmSRo33zdf72mcIdeDqJRAOLp/s320/C8F465E6-FD37-406B-81A5-4D02A3A58028.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>What a great location for characters to explore sea caves. I'm even thinking of having the characters in my upcoming western themed Call of Cthulhu campaign, located in the Pacific Northwest, visit this area. Deep Ones no doubt need to be included!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dwOAVJPa1OlHGHg_KR593VoDeZyaU98Z6vWYLpbwiFZJpWWfQYeEG77nvVGdQpp0RnGeozkMzWz7ulyusIXwg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzfQNwn-eMBC24bCwCH5Gh4bEA3fI-Zpph6EELK86x_0qXMnfxOgtm1vAGdaicIothXBY2E49xcZufJT7DAKg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dywDMSbgerx9GNIv0ZFy6A3Pebku1VPczE3Ovry-pBnqR54U6YSly2NZvbhBzrXMdun7lD8HOEkncyLyOJuaA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>But yeah, another great vacation weekend out in nature and filled with friends and music. Something like this seems to becoming a yearly think. I don't want to make time fly by, but cannot wait to find out where we will do it next!</p><p>Cheers!</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-19713922983181129732023-10-30T19:06:00.002-07:002023-10-30T19:06:35.227-07:00Dracula - dead, but not always loving it<p> <b>Obligatory Halloween post</b></p><p><br /></p><p>I've been in a bit of a Dracula frame of mind lately. We all know there are LOT of Drac films out there from over the decades. And of course, some better (and less stupid) than others.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96-PmZ3tLd2qcXFWk-f3hYuHCPdvI_Qov8kjvykEuDA2dyox_yN1Swi45TfPhK_-a7qOtRQND3Iougyafo5KUzFqHKWN1X0uO42yHOxgaM58HgRrauwU9J_kotvBdMD4lk1HRGhKWynzf5ISMM502My50V3XxdCFbRE9gLCg0k5x9eywZuI7J7QC44CkK/s2332/dracsilly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2332" data-original-width="1568" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj96-PmZ3tLd2qcXFWk-f3hYuHCPdvI_Qov8kjvykEuDA2dyox_yN1Swi45TfPhK_-a7qOtRQND3Iougyafo5KUzFqHKWN1X0uO42yHOxgaM58HgRrauwU9J_kotvBdMD4lk1HRGhKWynzf5ISMM502My50V3XxdCFbRE9gLCg0k5x9eywZuI7J7QC44CkK/s320/dracsilly.jpg" width="215" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A stupid one, at least in terms<br />of casting choice</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>This little phase for me started a few weeks ago. I decided to pay for a few months of AMC+ to do my third or fourth rewatch of Mad Men, one of my favorite all time shows. But you also get some Shudder content with that, and I saw that my fave horror host, Joe Bob Brigg, had been doing his thing the last few years with his latest show The Last Drive In. I noticed he had an episode with the original Nosferatu. So I watched it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ0zmEwwNg08iWuFLSq-4MT6-kOduRqTk1Ze7YM3UAioqUszKEQtzVFcPJ_eGMxdNTN9J2FYeYVEigJlV3dzB0EoWgwiaayCVQw0-mTmhMZid6dwONBJ0YuusLRKMDY0ixzSbFnP7Gc2IU_LEhoLdsoQi7wVT_6D1g2CohyGgUJEJccIVF1piDkSQNPqE/s355/nosferatu22.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="355" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWQ0zmEwwNg08iWuFLSq-4MT6-kOduRqTk1Ze7YM3UAioqUszKEQtzVFcPJ_eGMxdNTN9J2FYeYVEigJlV3dzB0EoWgwiaayCVQw0-mTmhMZid6dwONBJ0YuusLRKMDY0ixzSbFnP7Gc2IU_LEhoLdsoQi7wVT_6D1g2CohyGgUJEJccIVF1piDkSQNPqE/s320/nosferatu22.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I probably never saw it before due mostly to it being and old black and white film. Those always seem so hokey. The organ music and what not. But what surprised me was this version had the original orchestral score from its first limited release (it was halted during its original run by Bram Stokers wife, and she nearly caused all copies to be destroyed). That made a HUGE difference. As with all great scores it was a character in itself. It lended so much weight to the now somewhat goofy goings on and helped a lot with the mood of it. And Joe Bob coming in now and again to explain some of the crazy backstory of the film and those involved also added interest. </p><p>I have to say, I found it very spooky. unnerving in a way that more modern stuff just doesn't have. Maybe that dream like quality many old silent films have. </p><p>Not long after, maybe that same week, I watched the Klaus Kinski version from 1979. Creepy in its own way, it had that sort of hyperrealism but also surreal thing that most Herzog films have, such as the great Aguirre the Wrath of God. </p><p>I also rewatched Bram Stokers Dracula last week, but I had seen that many times. I mostly watched it because I heard a humorous podcast about it (and Australian pod called The Weekly Planet, with a youtube channel called Carvan of Garbage).</p><p>And just tonight, for laughs, I watched the Bela Lugosi Drac. I had seen that, but it had been a long time. It was a little over an hour long, so I whipped it through before dinner. I guess it counts as my Halloween movie. </p><p>So without going into a long text about them, I thought I would just share some random thoughts:</p><p>First and foremost, I think 1922 Nosferatu is the most chilling at this point, in some part due to what I said above. But the biggest reason I think is the sheer inhumanity of The Count. He has none of the sympathy you can feel for the Lagosi and Kinski Dracs. No love longings or regret at his fate. This Count is more like an insect man, totally operating out of some almost alien instinct. This makes him extra frightening. Another thing I just love about the 1922 is the war of wills from hundreds of miles away Mina (I think she is Lucy in this) seems to be fighting on the pyschic plane with The Count, and man she never met and knows nothing about. Like so much in his film its way ahead of its time in concept. </p><p>I was not blown away by the 1979 Herzog film. I found Kinski's portrayal almost comical. A several minute focus on him running back and forth across london carrying coffins made me laugh. Also in this version there is an amazing scene towards the end where plague-stricken townsfolk dance and feast in the town square, which historically was apparently a thing. The ending to this also had a twist that many folk, including myself think about at the end of a movie when a human-like monster is killed. Isn't this murder?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc53lWlz2Cft069fgxdikXBtRZ9L-7KyHjr_I3yfoG_xAFkqgbQkkSVUf_GeoxQoOUlImhfNXh4NKDW2H2fmoU9QwJyjUEnNcradEpgLwuNVWumvQgivbh7703ssMdXfyYIJ1hoHe-Bki2wA2DAfSkXD3tWaOl9I1SybXH7gPCcHfYmyH_mtgupGwP2eRN/s473/nosferatukinski.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="473" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc53lWlz2Cft069fgxdikXBtRZ9L-7KyHjr_I3yfoG_xAFkqgbQkkSVUf_GeoxQoOUlImhfNXh4NKDW2H2fmoU9QwJyjUEnNcradEpgLwuNVWumvQgivbh7703ssMdXfyYIJ1hoHe-Bki2wA2DAfSkXD3tWaOl9I1SybXH7gPCcHfYmyH_mtgupGwP2eRN/s320/nosferatukinski.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Not a lot to say about Lugosi Drac. Growing up with cartoons and such that parodies it does not help the mood. Everybody from Bugs Bunny to the Three Stooges have made fun of it. But it's interesting just how small the story is. It was based in large part of a stage play that Lugosi actually appeared in. Very little is explained about Dracs motives other than the usual stuff coming out of Van Helsing. And the ending is anti-climactic to say the least. What I did love was the understated brides of Dracula. When Renfield passes out, they come from behind pillars in a sort of methodical stalking mode, but looking almost like Elvish princesses. They are so focused on the prey. Scary. A moment ahead of its time, and I think more effective than the orgiastic brides from the Coppola film.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlxzttF67v5d5tu7bS0lo9M4JpHBFjxmda1FjVgAm0CjbLAVFiEL0mUh79iFXNEFRhpCI3YTt1klzV0wV7aTlOAa7POZbGLxQzRulkZP-KPX-whJts27bAlH3NJfuTegE2SANONFVBx5UWS1iWd4SBBPDbMgZuXCS0-J88R8n0kXA3LPBFu9vaVOJxbnw/s474/draculabela.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="236" data-original-width="474" height="159" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIlxzttF67v5d5tu7bS0lo9M4JpHBFjxmda1FjVgAm0CjbLAVFiEL0mUh79iFXNEFRhpCI3YTt1klzV0wV7aTlOAa7POZbGLxQzRulkZP-KPX-whJts27bAlH3NJfuTegE2SANONFVBx5UWS1iWd4SBBPDbMgZuXCS0-J88R8n0kXA3LPBFu9vaVOJxbnw/s320/draculabela.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Francis Coppola's Dracula from the 90's is the biggest depiction of the story, adding a ton of origin material, but also maybe the most faithful. Lots of its dialogues are from the book. Its heavy on the love story, and I'm not sure how much I like Dracula being depicted so demonic in forms and powers, but so human at the same time. He bubbles and cries at least a couple times in this. So many schlocky moments. But damn if this had the best depiction of Van Helsing of all time. </p><p>Not sure how soon I'll do it, but I have a hankering to watch some Hammer Dracula at some point, which I have not seen since I was a kid. </p><p>Cheers and happy Halloween!</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-51637647594547714272023-10-04T18:31:00.012-07:002023-10-04T18:37:01.930-07:00Balders Gate 3 and the banging of the Bears<p> If you are even just a mild video game player who pays at least a little attention to the media surrounding Balders Gate 3 and its sexual content, you will know that at least to some extant there is, well, sexual content. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-2akK0h_L2PMR1QLyyjEak_xx9Ucp7XGgCXBP13Kb-JWyTbTbfklG7UZq25T9-15lfpoIuplByFRelRR7JhwZ721iD38OlAAJb90rhSSC3dexMgToRWOHLxCfeP0tv0wX5TqEKQYppSNKsvvzrUXT2BkP1B-CnzBp7dysGZ_wHwMzdQwJeFsbJxDRPv3/s474/bearsex.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG-2akK0h_L2PMR1QLyyjEak_xx9Ucp7XGgCXBP13Kb-JWyTbTbfklG7UZq25T9-15lfpoIuplByFRelRR7JhwZ721iD38OlAAJb90rhSSC3dexMgToRWOHLxCfeP0tv0wX5TqEKQYppSNKsvvzrUXT2BkP1B-CnzBp7dysGZ_wHwMzdQwJeFsbJxDRPv3/s320/bearsex.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Like me maybe a couple months or so ago you saw a trailer for it where a strapping dude and a bear give each other "come hither" looks and seem to be about to do the deed. The short scene cuts to a squirrel in a tree holding a nut. Then he drops the nut. BTW that is not a euphemism. They don't show if the nut busts when it hits the ground. We never see the actual character to character contact, but when they cut away one is still a bear. I think. It's been a while since I saw that bit, because in the following months much more has come out about the game, and it sounds great. The use of current edition D&D mechanics, plus an old school turned base system. </p><p>Anyway, there ya go. A D&D video game with sexual content. And what the hell, some of that has been part of my gaming experience, such as talked about in these more recent posts:</p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2215377602209492275/7023998393019763263">Post: Edit (blogger.com)</a></p><p><a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2215377602209492275/3533620698708816234">Post: Edit (blogger.com)</a></p><p>But outside the sexy stuff yeah, the game sounds good. </p><p>I don't mind a little CGI boffing. And hell, the bear is a human druid, though not sure how much a diff it makes. If it looks like a bear, and smells like a bear, and drools like a bear it probably kisses and knocks boots like a bear. Those things will mess you up. Ever see Revenant? Or Grizzly Man?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaR4Gwkc3j8Q93yyA6wS9Fp3icjRcBSRwX76MxcihSsG5LuA-cWQUm-yXLkvD02dbGlmblrTKexzkyfl-gSPosvMB-Bd2-zaTW1UfuwYyneqr4GkRl94mrUtf2qG5qotiHAultnmtfEhjRjx9gN8ubpdIC-bKRoV2A2Ycbe6ALmQnH3l_vJxi-nwg1zEv/s1403/grizzly%20man.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1292" data-original-width="1403" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsaR4Gwkc3j8Q93yyA6wS9Fp3icjRcBSRwX76MxcihSsG5LuA-cWQUm-yXLkvD02dbGlmblrTKexzkyfl-gSPosvMB-Bd2-zaTW1UfuwYyneqr4GkRl94mrUtf2qG5qotiHAultnmtfEhjRjx9gN8ubpdIC-bKRoV2A2Ycbe6ALmQnH3l_vJxi-nwg1zEv/s320/grizzly%20man.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I am guessing any dating and sexy time cut scenes will be a small percentage of that will probably be hours of long ass cinematics that are popular now. Its turn based, so a lot of that will need to be spaced out to build the story. </p><p>I guess the real "bear in the room" though is the identity politics that seem to be heavy in the game. I mean, OK. My only gripe is that so many things have to "present day" us. It's like fantasy worlds or anything else needs to be a reflection of Los Angeles of San Francisco. Maybe it's just an aging straight white dude thing, but whatever happened to escapism? Creativity should be the main goal, but that has been toppled from the number one spot to inject present dayism. I mean, OK, fine. I still might play it (when it comes to XBOX). Because at least you have a choice as to how deep you want to indulge in the Alphabet Mafia stuff. It's not like Starfield, where you are forced to choose a pronoun in character creation. No choice in it. But it would not be a deal breaker for me. Though I think my next space game might be Outer Worlds, because so many people think its way better. </p><p>Anyway, I do hope I get to play Baldurs Gate 3 eventually. I'm usually 3-5 years behind on my games (and more...I'm still playing GTA % here and there). And I look forward to the sexy time in it. With a humanoid. Probably. I can't predict how I'll feel in 3-5 years. </p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-54993417939054648042023-08-13T13:18:00.004-07:002023-08-13T13:23:28.668-07:00My 4th Campaign on Roll20<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJrShkZho8n_5uj8Nrr7UUdfjFUlKfINhKi6M2MlYymCrDr2MOtnwKdhy3ThMD3aLXrT3cIR2fEDGX6p-VyF1u7UfRaJcpxzNaCr7x3Y2kZxR6fXmXyuat294aZV1tADZoPisowIDKa-6T7QBikhBTTTC12DV9MWFe6iRF0iIKwGvUxLmkwW09I6X9ECh/s1920/lost%20lurk.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1920" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNJrShkZho8n_5uj8Nrr7UUdfjFUlKfINhKi6M2MlYymCrDr2MOtnwKdhy3ThMD3aLXrT3cIR2fEDGX6p-VyF1u7UfRaJcpxzNaCr7x3Y2kZxR6fXmXyuat294aZV1tADZoPisowIDKa-6T7QBikhBTTTC12DV9MWFe6iRF0iIKwGvUxLmkwW09I6X9ECh/s320/lost%20lurk.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>So as of last night my new 5th ed. campaign, The Lost and The Lurking (yep, title totally stolen from a Silver John novel). Well, actually, the first session zero was a couple weeks ago, but out of the four in that (long time player Terry could not make it) only two remain, the eager and adorable noob couple in their 20's who I, as I often do with couples, refer to as "The Twins." One guy seemed promising, but he wanted both a more dark ages setting, and he wanted orcs to be like Warcraft orcs. Well, my setting has progressed (after over 100 years of character continuity) to being sort of post Italian Rennaissance-like, and pre-industrial Britain-like. Strike one. And Strike two was my orcs are nasty, stinky, rape your wife and eat your guts Tolkien orcs. Warcraft? As if. Those are just big humans with tusks. Fucking boring. The worst thing to ever happen to orcs. So he was out. The other was a girl who seemed great, I hit it off with right away, and immediately thought of her as player numero uno. The others were mostly new to the game, so it's always helpful to have a seasoned vet. Especially since I haven't exactly memorized the PHB. </p><p>But then after the session zero, she started being problematic. She was running an Eloquence Bard. I didn't study up on it at first, because she was talking up how she was sort of an acrobat high wire performer. That sounded cool, but I should have seen a red flag when she kept asking about running some sessions featuring her circus family as the NPC's. Hm. That was usually a mistake in the past. OK. Maybe. But then another new guy told me "hey, do you know what you are in for with that class?" </p><p>So I looked it up and was like "wow." This bard by third level will pretty much be successful with every persuasion roll. Its called "Silvertongue" or some such. Plus the character will get the ability to reduce the saving throws of foes, a lot, and will also be able to give almost endless bardic inspirations. So I was a little concerned. I told her so, and though I won't nerf it, we need to be on the same page on how some of this stuff would work. I was being nice about it, but she seemed offended. Accused me of calling her a power gamer (which she was being...she was also asking to start with a powerful 4th level feat). It was getting negative, so I bailed on her. I felt bad about it. Almost sad. I went from being excited she would be involved to in a week not wanting to deal with her. So out out out. </p><p>More humorously, another girl, an 18-year-old, contacted off the forum practically begging to be in the game. I much prefer folk 25 and older, but she said she did art and likes to make images throughout a session. That was enticing. But when I let her into the Discord to talk more, she started demanding written up setting information. Well, I have an "info dump" setting channel for random thoughts on my setting I post, but she was all like "no, if people are going to play in your world you need organized and detailed info on politics, important families, etc etc." Sorry kid, I don't keep piles of notebooks anymore. I've had this setting since I was a kid. It mostly lives in my head. And that she should maybe be more concerned about what happens in the course of the campaign than detailed background durp. Then she started demanding to know what the "story" will be and was name dropping Critical Role. Ah, that makes sense now. I told her that CR is actors pretending to play D&D as a performance and there are plenty of groups doing that out there. So lotsa luck.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG-CyEZ_zIMhF7CHxVBnHPfPKEEg84-reBPGQ2Xdfykg26E-5knWbNG0wmAx6iSXawzWcd-fkN6aR3_BfYCGvhVIdeKAM5kkvTVqXycKjoTcVBy2a2lICz7YaV1_8D4r9P3VIhAS7YXV1FuZuy-kx_L5ZrHuYiu4qNdxT2yJZ_rL0aDANFAsNld-ysTDY/s480/giphy.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="480" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisG-CyEZ_zIMhF7CHxVBnHPfPKEEg84-reBPGQ2Xdfykg26E-5knWbNG0wmAx6iSXawzWcd-fkN6aR3_BfYCGvhVIdeKAM5kkvTVqXycKjoTcVBy2a2lICz7YaV1_8D4r9P3VIhAS7YXV1FuZuy-kx_L5ZrHuYiu4qNdxT2yJZ_rL0aDANFAsNld-ysTDY/s320/giphy.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Ah well. I promised myself I would heavily vet the group, so that was what I was doing. But with a couple more dudes on board, and Terry doing her dwarf from the previous campaign, we were up and running. I used Marge, the major caravan master from the last campaign, as a sort of patron for this one. This would not be a caravan campaign. The NPC is simply taking a couple seasons off to invest in some expeditions. I'm using LOFP's Death Frost Doom as sort of an inspiration. I personally find that adventure to be sort of Unrunnable as is, but there are gems in there, including the Lichway rip-off ending. I love Lichway. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHZBtx1MQKe8SA4AZR-Gsn3E8jvSn2H6G4u4ZfmFmX2kIY_aTno3jDvnZVBT6BcDts8az-07mWugodPVpPwanh8G70QhUi9MhAnENtj8MrsCzRaeW0q_1OGYLJcSQw7pPaoQ2pt5y4tQknhSoM01hpW4zWfgY7KgrIsYVXFJeALQRFPyhTM7C5gMw2B_E/s279/OIP%20(3).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="279" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkHZBtx1MQKe8SA4AZR-Gsn3E8jvSn2H6G4u4ZfmFmX2kIY_aTno3jDvnZVBT6BcDts8az-07mWugodPVpPwanh8G70QhUi9MhAnENtj8MrsCzRaeW0q_1OGYLJcSQw7pPaoQ2pt5y4tQknhSoM01hpW4zWfgY7KgrIsYVXFJeALQRFPyhTM7C5gMw2B_E/s1600/OIP%20(3).jpg" width="279" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>From DFD I'm mainly using the mountain, town below, graveyard, and cabin. I would be using my own, decently smaller, dungeon map for the temple (I will show in a later post). The temple in this case will be a temple of Orcus. Here's is the information Marge will show the party next session (this session was mostly dealing with some town thugs and a kobold cave).</p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">This cult arrived at the pass some 100 years ago (year 1 of the New Age), when there was still a well-trod overland trade route between the West and The Acherian Empire to the northeast. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">At that time in the area it had a force of several Orcus (a foul devil lord who has nothing to do with orcs) clerics, a few dedicated and well-trained guards, and always a dozen or so slaves, and with the fierce power of the cult protector and anti-paladin Atrigan the Deathdealer, they carved a hidden complex on the top of The "Broken Spine," a local mountain with a high peak and a rambling trail that lead up to it. It was what the religion of Orcus called "a material plane undeath garrison", a place where worldly worshippers of the Demon God tortured living humans to drive them chaotic mad, and then murdered them to temporarily lay them to rest, seizing their souls so they could be unleashed to help create an undead army at such time as when Orcus decided he wished to conquer the living world with a great force. The bodies of most of the priests, after they passed away for whatever reason, would also share this fate. Even his worshippers will serve Orcus in death.</i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">Apparently, there are many such temples and "garrisons" across the lands. And perhaps waiting undead armies of a variety of Lords of Hell. The thought is chilling. Perhaps many of the hostile undead encounters in the dark corners of the earth are souls who have awakened early to inhabit their devil-cursed material forms. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">In the 100 years since the creation of the temple at the top of the "The Broken Spine" the dead where never called upon. But over the years the progeny of Atrigan and the other priests continued to slowly accumulate victims from the trade pass and remote villages, and eventually bury their bodies in the dirt consecrated for Orcus. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">Captive non-humans, elves and dwarves, were unwanted as soldiers of the future undead army of Orcus (for Orcus was a devil brought about by human sin), so after proper torture, degradation, and murder, the bodies of any non-humans were burned in a kiln that the Orcus priests trapped a fire elemental within. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">In the year 40 of the new age, 60 years ago, the cult got greedy and instead of the usual furtive and secret capture of a select few unwary folk from year to year, attacked a well-guarded Acherian noble caravan going through the pass, as they had a surplus of living slaves to force into battle. A dozen captives were taken. Among them was Grunhix Maxima, the young niece of the then Acherian Emperor Decemberious Maximus The Third. Grunhix was on a sightseeing tour of the trade roads to the west.</i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">The Emperor back in Acheria met with his royal Oracles,and was told of the cult and what they did with captives. The forces he sent to destroy the cult on the top of the mountain found the trail up The Spine to be treacherous, as both guards, slaves, and landslides were sent down to rain devastation upon them. The troops camped at the bottom of the mountain, and the emperor sent them three high priests of the Acherian Empires cruelest and most powerful gods of the time. A priest of Borias, God of the North Wind and Winter, a priest of Jubilex, lord of slime and corrosion, and the priest of Flambix, Goddess of flames and wartime destruction. The powerful Flambix priest personally killed the Orcus priests and their mad slave defenders, the priest of Jubilex cursed the underground temple with acidic green slime to keep the complex uninhabitable, and the priest of Borias covered the mountain top and its graves of woe with eternal winter. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">Ironically, it was a few handful of years before the Kingdom of Tanmoor ousted Acherian forces from the western kingdom and gained independence, and the great East/West pass became far less travelled. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">Apparently, there is a village at the base of The Broken Spine Peaks that was founded by the last freed slave of the Cult. </i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;">But the temple of Orcus at the top of the spine still sits, quiet and undisturbed. Only fear, and the constant chill of never-ending winter on the mountaintop, keeps the greedy away from any possible wealth there.</i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><i style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /></i></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">So a nice sense of grittiness there. This will be the first several games. I purposefully have no plans yet for the rest of the campaign. I wanted it to be open depending on the characters and hooks they get and so forth. So the characters are:</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">Female dwarf fighter</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJDXTggrFqii5dHQhJbIHRZlk6nJrK9xqCrTtmVn7iqLq-ybfJClgegHsYJfjQWGUG1r8YYGd1mm6IG65zZcxex8OG_PM9VtXyvUsgexdMBD-tNHraFCDTF-5QdTkyXM2f0ke4rx-YK5WYsl45FDYw-MjhSgKMfvY0aSsNUQrqc7Mm3i6aQuJ7l79OQoDA" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="313" data-original-width="217" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJDXTggrFqii5dHQhJbIHRZlk6nJrK9xqCrTtmVn7iqLq-ybfJClgegHsYJfjQWGUG1r8YYGd1mm6IG65zZcxex8OG_PM9VtXyvUsgexdMBD-tNHraFCDTF-5QdTkyXM2f0ke4rx-YK5WYsl45FDYw-MjhSgKMfvY0aSsNUQrqc7Mm3i6aQuJ7l79OQoDA" width="166" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">Female gnome wizard</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKReaNyYtBZ52CtfAC6tj6lQqNjJnnKCKWsZwG4Nsl730kyojHTPAsk7XNQt8TObcrftwrpBn843u0Uimj9x3DkDPYSO8kPQb-h2CfAY_oJEvnae4qwYVIlOROHqdu5Nt_P6CKkH_LrxxzxYnWoDIpegUx24mGhmrZ_JI9xDtbraQUZgSISjIhsyiNNjzS" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhKReaNyYtBZ52CtfAC6tj6lQqNjJnnKCKWsZwG4Nsl730kyojHTPAsk7XNQt8TObcrftwrpBn843u0Uimj9x3DkDPYSO8kPQb-h2CfAY_oJEvnae4qwYVIlOROHqdu5Nt_P6CKkH_LrxxzxYnWoDIpegUx24mGhmrZ_JI9xDtbraQUZgSISjIhsyiNNjzS" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">half elf ranger (grasslands)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEy-dH7zXtSL9EpAVt99g-de0fS19KfHmeCL4A-5ncjCZeGa30Z-7NDWXhhJp8ugfZqvD-67UyfLmAVFCZ5dJjwIufyLF029dgCFjAOtQjQOmDa0Z9gz7mUzrnsSnsBostBrjvKUZWdgiAl02mkJgeLnU1H5YziX3vqqNdSSswLFU4tiMZl9vfg5D6rtgr" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgEy-dH7zXtSL9EpAVt99g-de0fS19KfHmeCL4A-5ncjCZeGa30Z-7NDWXhhJp8ugfZqvD-67UyfLmAVFCZ5dJjwIufyLF029dgCFjAOtQjQOmDa0Z9gz7mUzrnsSnsBostBrjvKUZWdgiAl02mkJgeLnU1H5YziX3vqqNdSSswLFU4tiMZl9vfg5D6rtgr" width="240" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">human fighter (cavalier)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3EXo58QFkZeBGtlEIp-4UPE5NwxxiRPPziAbMni4OEqZJP98-1T9RQ8bExAqw-g532dYA37QL8x_eSw0dClrhhO_hDvr-rydfQklh1GgXIDCdDMlnRRQjmgjU_hnyvHQ8bGcRJIwwEAcsg5VxvYgto7glgJ09mQC68j6PosolDyNEOuW-V1fK3duDlEg7" style="background-color: #cccccc; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="512" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi3EXo58QFkZeBGtlEIp-4UPE5NwxxiRPPziAbMni4OEqZJP98-1T9RQ8bExAqw-g532dYA37QL8x_eSw0dClrhhO_hDvr-rydfQklh1GgXIDCdDMlnRRQjmgjU_hnyvHQ8bGcRJIwwEAcsg5VxvYgto7glgJ09mQC68j6PosolDyNEOuW-V1fK3duDlEg7" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">Half elf warlock</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">(Pic unavailable)</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;"><br /></span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">I think it's an interesting and diverse group. More to come</span></p><p style="box-sizing: content-box; color: #404040; font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 9px;"><span style="background-color: #cccccc;">Cheers</span></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-72991753719617719702023-06-04T00:13:00.001-07:002023-06-04T00:13:11.677-07:001980's D&D Cartoon characters in Honor Among Thieves!<p> (Spoilers, other than the one in the post title, follow)</p><p>I don't really feel like reviewing the new D&D movie. Suffice it to say it exceeded expectations. </p><p>I will say I like the nods to classic monsters (though they seem to be in most cases somewhat altered, though maybe not as much as the character classes), and tropes like leveling up (maybe multiple levels). And it was pretty funny, and sailed along in large part on Chris Pine's "silver fox" charisma. </p><p>The only real signs of woke was that the two straight, white leads were buffoonish dipshits, but I was able to swallow it. And that is pretty much the way of Hollywood now, even in non-woke things. Yeah, whatever. The kind of folk who designed and built most of the world are the enemy, so dipshit-them up. </p><p>The one jaw-dropping thing was the inclusion of the kids from the 80's cartoon. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3f8CMyCZQXL38pwreWLIlv8fg46FY0fbt6PMHGBDTcZjAwJPOvfxQbzzKpvXRmCCOx8nqfFoil3EOETCv9jvrBIylIMP2U_I-QYkXhMrUL14H-dm0rfFfJzsvloRUmkgpv2BR51JRbzvjWzvJBbbO7OBmv4gbHhZRvpn_M0LC08dPdd2wcyaplMMU7w/s650/dndcartoon.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="488" data-original-width="650" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3f8CMyCZQXL38pwreWLIlv8fg46FY0fbt6PMHGBDTcZjAwJPOvfxQbzzKpvXRmCCOx8nqfFoil3EOETCv9jvrBIylIMP2U_I-QYkXhMrUL14H-dm0rfFfJzsvloRUmkgpv2BR51JRbzvjWzvJBbbO7OBmv4gbHhZRvpn_M0LC08dPdd2wcyaplMMU7w/s320/dndcartoon.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I know they are teenagers, but<br />acrobat is pretty damn hot. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I'm lucky I noticed, because you could miss it. They are seen a couple of times in the final acts maze (dungeon I guess) scenes; one of several groups who are trying to make it out of the hellish automated labyrinth. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-bbCIDK4SsX3gWoLbShGOCNfvhZEGxzg_NxVETqoveH-33kkRFmpBy3VHeB1TFyUT6fuTbcDgO6BJU78Q0cIUG48R6O0yY8LnSm5t-uy-HwHysX9L-dAlLhgL9HQQ0WsEyAfpatXBUtcy29M8HjHdbXWkpVPzBrPchDLSkRkODzarLOxBLCCTdNhMQ/s1400/dnd-cartoon-cameo.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="1400" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE-bbCIDK4SsX3gWoLbShGOCNfvhZEGxzg_NxVETqoveH-33kkRFmpBy3VHeB1TFyUT6fuTbcDgO6BJU78Q0cIUG48R6O0yY8LnSm5t-uy-HwHysX9L-dAlLhgL9HQQ0WsEyAfpatXBUtcy29M8HjHdbXWkpVPzBrPchDLSkRkODzarLOxBLCCTdNhMQ/s320/dnd-cartoon-cameo.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9iRK8KPvygL81PzcD507po9HMjMOyEBS1f6tlU8XEUDO9QQt-StOJvQcY5HVHXDQ0nJXZDEeKNx2BfmVgHjmHo5RX8ESsiGYoQWs5nHfE-ja-xgMyOSoTvijoFAW9qJjpfWCCmjHKjmXG8dDZwhaPt3mn3msEdAR2FDxeDGhDv1ZJKLobT2fuDhivg/s1086/2BBF94D4-C5A8-4A09-92DC-00223AE439FE.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /><img border="0" data-original-height="942" data-original-width="1086" height="278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil9iRK8KPvygL81PzcD507po9HMjMOyEBS1f6tlU8XEUDO9QQt-StOJvQcY5HVHXDQ0nJXZDEeKNx2BfmVgHjmHo5RX8ESsiGYoQWs5nHfE-ja-xgMyOSoTvijoFAW9qJjpfWCCmjHKjmXG8dDZwhaPt3mn3msEdAR2FDxeDGhDv1ZJKLobT2fuDhivg/s320/2BBF94D4-C5A8-4A09-92DC-00223AE439FE.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div>Clearly they are older. Did they make it out of D&D world in the cartoon? I did watch it, but don't remember. And how older? They all have that "25 year old playing a teenager" thing going on. Fine, but the youngest one now looks the oldest. </div><div><br /></div><div>The glimpses of them are literally seconds, but even then I thought that cosplay I've seen in the past captured them better.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s4oTAQbDQqgyZOFSESn0wFFopPzhcH_vXZnJP3-uXorvch3sVyrYqAvMz9fmJXcbgcf-t7vGTT3TWJJH6jKZf5UXiPAxbyyXaTaB6lrfV6pk5yxmOOGaWumwBk8DD2dPPPTR_7QyfZirefpn7FHAxh8Oi_GKgkcRXF5Q5SFTlrm4VVb7Yg3lBDf6eQ/s389/cartoon.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="389" height="219" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1s4oTAQbDQqgyZOFSESn0wFFopPzhcH_vXZnJP3-uXorvch3sVyrYqAvMz9fmJXcbgcf-t7vGTT3TWJJH6jKZf5UXiPAxbyyXaTaB6lrfV6pk5yxmOOGaWumwBk8DD2dPPPTR_7QyfZirefpn7FHAxh8Oi_GKgkcRXF5Q5SFTlrm4VVb7Yg3lBDf6eQ/s320/cartoon.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Cavalier dude for sure has that bitchy <br />look that suits him from the cartoon. <br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Based not on the movie version, but the cosplay photo above, I'd kind of like to see a live action version of the cartoon. Maybe its a couple years later and they having been a world devastated by <a href="http://vengersatanis.blogspot.com/">Venger</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'm kind of glad to have not seen the little whiney baby unicorn from the cartoon. I hated that little thing. YMMV.</div><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-17575762600931897662023-05-16T10:57:00.004-07:002023-05-16T22:18:24.935-07:00So Lamentations of the Flame Princess had a PDF Sale<p> I cannot think of a single PDF item related to gaming that I have ever paid money for. I have a small collection of items I found online that cost me nothing. I think over the years most were from The Trove website (does it still exist?) which I suppose can be considered piracy, matey. But most are very old. And mostly Judges Guild items from back in the day that I actually owned at some point in my youth, but are gone for whatever reason. Wilderlands sourcebook, Modron, etc. </p><p>I always preferred to have a physical book on hand, and mostly still do. But in this day of the iPads, I can read a PDF without sitting at a computer. That's big. </p><p>So, I don't have much experience with LOTFP products. Or James Raggi himself. Early in the OSR I remember seeing him post on his website a flyer he was hanging around his town looking for players. It had the image of a female thief at a treasure chest. I thought I saw it recently, but can't find it. But since at the time I was looking for players around 2008 I contacted him to ask about the flyer and if he had luck with it. He gave a friendly reply, and that was the only interaction I had with him. Lately I considered reaching out to ask about the expat experience, since I was considering getting the hell out of this fucked up country. </p><p>It was not long before he had a business, mired in a certain amount of controversy. "Weird Fantasy" products. Cover images of female adventurers losing limbs to ochre jellies and such. But hey, to me all D&D was weird, so I never really looked into his stuff. A lot of the scuttlebutt was about shit monsters and character penis's getting turned into eels, etc. Stuff that was not exactly the call to adventure for me. But I will admit I always had some curiosity. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZdow-Ec2WxQJjcU1A6C3jbZWsg5WoPRc7heSFwEbCCUDP1LCUtrvNSp39JHw1iziOoCBffNCXWpYLEPa7eTW343NZyQExw6vIVArfTPdCAY6TJPFbSJi9VlqzQCMt2z4a0jRaHbBuqg9TfHpDpfB-RfJc-BmYO5CMl4pUIJtGf6zkdHWnYs7FMxBsA/s789/shit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="789" data-original-width="526" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSZdow-Ec2WxQJjcU1A6C3jbZWsg5WoPRc7heSFwEbCCUDP1LCUtrvNSp39JHw1iziOoCBffNCXWpYLEPa7eTW343NZyQExw6vIVArfTPdCAY6TJPFbSJi9VlqzQCMt2z4a0jRaHbBuqg9TfHpDpfB-RfJc-BmYO5CMl4pUIJtGf6zkdHWnYs7FMxBsA/s320/shit.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: left;">I promised myself to spend no more than 15 bucks. Not because I'm broke. That's like 20 minutes pay for me. But because I did not want to get saddled with a bunch of PDF's I mostly won't use. Again, this was about curiosity, though I hope there are things I can use throughout. I went over a bit, and here is what my 16.50 got me.</span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table style="color: #242424; font-family: "Segoe UI", "Segoe UI Web (West European)", "Segoe UI", -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", sans-serif; font-feature-settings: inherit; font-kerning: inherit; font-optical-sizing: inherit; font-size: 15px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-alternates: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; font-variation-settings: inherit; line-height: inherit; width: 500px;"><tbody><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><i><b>Veins of the Earth</b>:</i> I found Deep Carbon to be interesting (though I had to change a lot to make it usable for me. For a Star Wars session no less). So I wanted to check this out. I'll do anything to make the stale old underdark more interesting.</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><i><b>Curse of the Daughterbrides:</b> </i>Sound like a father marrying his daughters. Curiosity killed me on this one. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><i><b>Terror in the Streets:</b> </i>sounds like an urban adventure, so what the heck. Hopefully mine it for bits. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Frostbitten & Mutilated :</i> </b>like other Zak things I got, pure curiosity. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Fish Fuckers:</i> </b>Sounds like humans raping Deep Ones for a change. Pure curiosity. Maybe useful for Cthulhu games?</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>No Rest for the Wicked:</i> </b>heard somewhere it sucks. So spent a buck fitty to find out why.</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>A Red & Pleasant Land:</i> </b>I doubt I will get much use out of a setting about Dracula and Alice in Wonderland, but I just gotta find out what the hype is about. Erik Tenkar calls it Zak's masterpiece. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>World of the Lost:</i></b> the cover sold me. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Vornheim</i>: </b>Again, gotta see the hype. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>The God that Crawls:</i> </b>Heard it was good.</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Tower of the Stargazer:</i> </b>can always use a wizards tower.</td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Isle of the Unknown</i>:</b> heard good things. Heard bad things. But maybe has a lot of things to mine. </td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="5%"></td><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" width="20%"></td><td align="right" style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="10%"></td></tr><tr><td style="border-top-color: rgb(102, 102, 102); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; border-top: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102);" valign="top" width="65%"><b><i>Death Frost Doom:</i> </b>The Lichway from White Dwarf is a fave I have used several times over the decades, and I heard this ripped it off. So gotta have a look. <br /><br />OK, so there were some I knew well of but just decided not to get. There is Carcosa, which seems more or less a complete setting. I could tell over the years that I could not probably mine much ideas from it. But now that I think of it I should have just got it for a read. I think it is still on sale. <br /><br />I may go in and see if there was an item or two I missed and want to add to my new collection. <br /><br />I'll say this. I don't mind supporting Raggi. He does not seem like a bad guy. Not long ago on the Tenkar Discord I made fun of his comments about "<a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/09/are-many-most-rpg-content-creators.html">why bother cleaning the toilet?</a>"and got a chorus of Tenkars apparently high attendance of mentally ill people piping up about picking on those with mental issues. I just thought he might be a slob, not necessarily bonkers. But really, I can respect what he is doing...in gaming, not bathroom hygiene. <br /><br /><br />Cheers<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></div></div>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-49380950679951821172023-05-13T22:50:00.001-07:002023-05-13T22:50:56.512-07:00Clerical Healing is the Best Healing<p> </p><p>So the party is heading to a dungeon (taking several sessions to do so), and they leave Shire's End, the last settlement of the southern portion of the kingdom and head into the Grass Wilderlands of the South. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OsTE5jo-1RS7XSLnzZVO4jn7u6PrNI8rsENTRDMI_o_RxY__fQ0uohuVSJSy7qIJ5BopPNprI8WdClhdezFmuCXbPn0m66KnZd6rZaWs439S7-5ANgtLIzxeTHb3fihOwV70PX8H4c-cMFgjV0I4kSfft-zH5T7J3K_VHvEZduEZKPvHctcKquhotA/s259/grass.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="194" data-original-width="259" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3OsTE5jo-1RS7XSLnzZVO4jn7u6PrNI8rsENTRDMI_o_RxY__fQ0uohuVSJSy7qIJ5BopPNprI8WdClhdezFmuCXbPn0m66KnZd6rZaWs439S7-5ANgtLIzxeTHb3fihOwV70PX8H4c-cMFgjV0I4kSfft-zH5T7J3K_VHvEZduEZKPvHctcKquhotA/s1600/grass.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>NPC (<a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2023/05/overdoing-dm-npc.html">non-precious</a>) teen healing god cleric Evador is down in the dumps a bit, having gotten a bit wine tipsy the night before in <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2023/05/overdoing-dm-npc.html">Montigar Silverglen's tower</a>, and unsuccessfully trying to seduce the almost 300 year old elvish legend. </p><p>Evador grew up a rich girl in Tanmoor (her last name is "Del Tanmoor," and if you have "Tanmoor" in your last name you are from old money), had a year or so at the university studying literature, but discovered the religion of Billick the Healing god and joined the order not long ago. She has chosen to be on the "Blue Heart on the Red Path," which essentially means she is on an adventure quest where she might need to spill blood, maybe her own, to get quick higher status at Billicks great cathedral. Her chosen quest is to investigate the old "Meadowlands Dungeon" south of the kingdom. She is a lovely, tall, but physically awkward (DX 8) 19-year-old (in the last game she missed several attacks in a row on a giant ant).</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1Jz5--f7O6vO0HLXou0bEfjqVM_ZjsZGwj_TTpyWFCJu-7IfDhmxK7nW3w6M5Ogg0OLZiiAXfil1ehtwf0fQN0vrH3VHQbb5Ik827Jf0ODEMX2aEcv9WQwtoA0UGezJJlIosYbM9mn3SpElAteycC2lRSqVFFvCsYuEwclnm6kQaUyo3Nzs4mEvxHw/s256/clericfemale.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx1Jz5--f7O6vO0HLXou0bEfjqVM_ZjsZGwj_TTpyWFCJu-7IfDhmxK7nW3w6M5Ogg0OLZiiAXfil1ehtwf0fQN0vrH3VHQbb5Ik827Jf0ODEMX2aEcv9WQwtoA0UGezJJlIosYbM9mn3SpElAteycC2lRSqVFFvCsYuEwclnm6kQaUyo3Nzs4mEvxHw/s1600/clericfemale.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p>Evador's troubles are very much compounded while on the road to the mining town near the dungeon area, when a Peryton attacks from the blue. It hits her hard, and she is down for the count and immediately going into Death Save mode. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqk-bNnIaT9Uys4cVuWMB0XL7hOij0YqiH7b76_WztXDnL4V8zEeIXxFrPqSCQeWO0H9z5AvKV9PEQ1yyKOQrSsZaaFadzJa8Umh228fG7Hl5uy40_6csY-AMvWf5kMCH0MtnVK3hFxdm2MH1Cvl63v8APGXCgEq3RyYdgHcj9ecvWMXmrrhx5fGvAA/s238/peryton.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="238" data-original-width="211" height="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWqk-bNnIaT9Uys4cVuWMB0XL7hOij0YqiH7b76_WztXDnL4V8zEeIXxFrPqSCQeWO0H9z5AvKV9PEQ1yyKOQrSsZaaFadzJa8Umh228fG7Hl5uy40_6csY-AMvWf5kMCH0MtnVK3hFxdm2MH1Cvl63v8APGXCgEq3RyYdgHcj9ecvWMXmrrhx5fGvAA/w295-h333/peryton.jpg" width="295" /></a></div><p>The party wins the day and destroys the beast, but Evador is badly hurt. She is one failed save away from death, but Ruvan the young sorcerer from the Riverlands, happens to have healing. I decide Evador is still going to be out for a while, but she is at least saved. </p><p>My first little Roll20 campaign about 3 years ago involved T's elvish bard Xanthia, and she remembered the 20-something Billick cleric "Afina of Mercy" who was encountered on her own Red Path to the same mining town near the dungeon to set up a mini-temple to Billick. So, they haul her into the town and to the small temple that is now a wood building among a lot of tent cabins. </p><p>Afina is encountered locking the building and heading out to dinner. When not clericing in the little temple, she likes to dress in the height of current upper class young person Tanmoor fashion (Billick seems to attract young city girls of wealth to the religion), even though the city is almost 200 miles away. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVRD4OgD-o_XhvHjFC-XomNMBZL2gQGW9gU9z8-zcVbMMBlV-4cDWC9V_9GD33z0gQ8J-RWPboiPevJKYjOMw-kbZhB2GRCs8co6pHZMaQckrSAKI-wOuh8pAzTbjLwwaahzB4x-ZaUXIgS9TkLO7iAmD5wdX30kXhxdPycDKgIPNlhp__zdyDiCT5w/s1440/billick1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTVRD4OgD-o_XhvHjFC-XomNMBZL2gQGW9gU9z8-zcVbMMBlV-4cDWC9V_9GD33z0gQ8J-RWPboiPevJKYjOMw-kbZhB2GRCs8co6pHZMaQckrSAKI-wOuh8pAzTbjLwwaahzB4x-ZaUXIgS9TkLO7iAmD5wdX30kXhxdPycDKgIPNlhp__zdyDiCT5w/s320/billick1.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue is the color of healing in my world</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>Afina has been successful in the few months since she last saw Xanthia the Bard. Though there is a small tent cabin temple of the fighter god "Diamonnis", the cleric there will only heal those injured in conflict, so Afina has seen a lot of donations from injured mine workers and town maintenance people. Her Red Path has been completed. She is officially high priestess of her own recognized temple (though she is only like 5th level).</p><p>So Afina inspects Evadors terrible claw/impact wounds. And there is the focus of this post. </p><p>I don't know where it came from, but on the spot I got hit by a bolt from the blue. In my decades of running games, I never differentiated between styles of healing. Healing was healing. But for some reason I improvised some dialogue from the somewhat serious young cleric Afina. </p><p>"These wounds. Who healed them (Ruvan the sorcerer had healed Evador for 9 points)? Certainly not a cleric much less a Billick cleric. So jagged and sloppy." She eyed Ruvan...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEXkAOhinw9xm56lxEbu-ZrpcQ2c54YKC7QadGE1WJtNz7awI5AWJ9h033H-jrks_8knMAS9wQCaIFgIRQYcVxCKEHA3ypKAqUwIpovk5t5c8Gx5uwupJjbkfCpGiWKLSb48HZZTpQ3D9ipTL2NW7KHEY9s31n2m0L6WObZP92sKyxVyXhaz_QH7bdg/s256/billtoken.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdEXkAOhinw9xm56lxEbu-ZrpcQ2c54YKC7QadGE1WJtNz7awI5AWJ9h033H-jrks_8knMAS9wQCaIFgIRQYcVxCKEHA3ypKAqUwIpovk5t5c8Gx5uwupJjbkfCpGiWKLSb48HZZTpQ3D9ipTL2NW7KHEY9s31n2m0L6WObZP92sKyxVyXhaz_QH7bdg/s1600/billtoken.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p>"Was this you?" Afina said. "Are you a sorcerer? </p><p>"What of it?" replied the young caster.</p><p>"Well, I suppose you saved her life. We can be grateful for that. But she could be left with terrible scarring. But she still needs more healing, and I think with the blessing of merciful Billick I can help the scars be a minimum."</p><p>That was it. Out of the blue after a lifetime of the game I decided that there is different types of healing skill. Billick is one of the first gods I created for the setting as a kid, and over the years I often let Billick clerics have anywhere from a +1 to +1-4 to their heals. But now it is part of my world that you can tell by the leftover wounds and scars if somebody focused on heals did the deed. A sorcerer's heal would be just about saving the life. But a Billick cleric, or most clerics, would be about overall healing which would include a reduction of scarring. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-cm4Z0xEqhiATZZtpq_oW0yujOyhdUZ9AaC7up8UDmoCKVFE1HnbQXj37oTBopK-oJyVOLgq9PbQQXijrWcp2epFjvwm7Srd0NLd6IUaWLvfEMUMubPcbt23K_e00zv-wt37ZKLcPI-4FjjzrTFOjWD6Y2RgquTA1EsEHT9gts9bDoBmeSS43_UqQ/s351/OIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="351" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrN-cm4Z0xEqhiATZZtpq_oW0yujOyhdUZ9AaC7up8UDmoCKVFE1HnbQXj37oTBopK-oJyVOLgq9PbQQXijrWcp2epFjvwm7Srd0NLd6IUaWLvfEMUMubPcbt23K_e00zv-wt37ZKLcPI-4FjjzrTFOjWD6Y2RgquTA1EsEHT9gts9bDoBmeSS43_UqQ/s320/OIP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>A very minor thing to be sure, but it's kind of fascinating to me that a DM can just add and alter his world with a whim based on a certain situation long after the world is established. Instant creativity that is unique to rpg's. Man, I love winging it. Even if it's for my own fun.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSGmYZ7M7kQUlMOdnipMH5y-UIiOppYZ2txa1o6eYFaLNh230VFckWYbeIJ_BrHrTuhpnkKcxR5rHyOsX1eGfhqD3Iymh-tEbbgikxtyLnJnq75aPCY6T2qT5SlE5W3WMDJIeyzNjCedlSPN5PajNBtrbdvzX_mLio3un_iJMRFQiNMxSsAlQW6gAnA/s456/OIP%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="301" data-original-width="456" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSGmYZ7M7kQUlMOdnipMH5y-UIiOppYZ2txa1o6eYFaLNh230VFckWYbeIJ_BrHrTuhpnkKcxR5rHyOsX1eGfhqD3Iymh-tEbbgikxtyLnJnq75aPCY6T2qT5SlE5W3WMDJIeyzNjCedlSPN5PajNBtrbdvzX_mLio3un_iJMRFQiNMxSsAlQW6gAnA/s320/OIP%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And at the same time I decided that a cleric of a war god won't heal a non-combat violence wound. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH9mJBzQE1BdTMeEP4zweYkLCEYG8uBF9FayaGs2-zQlmp5PEXyE0_4RIp-mrip3zxMUNNwbABDZcqAREPeQQebOhO6YLblrh5HNDRejddAOn76Kb8Wh5LiODqA2bH5Iw9ngpnw6grsc711ecFxqsSZvYKegV8GMMw0lccS4EdlrATVYuYi6j1zF4gg/s270/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="189" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXH9mJBzQE1BdTMeEP4zweYkLCEYG8uBF9FayaGs2-zQlmp5PEXyE0_4RIp-mrip3zxMUNNwbABDZcqAREPeQQebOhO6YLblrh5HNDRejddAOn76Kb8Wh5LiODqA2bH5Iw9ngpnw6grsc711ecFxqsSZvYKegV8GMMw0lccS4EdlrATVYuYi6j1zF4gg/s1600/download.jpg" width="189" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Of course, clerics of different deities having different affects is nothing new. But for my setting I will be keeping an eye on clerics to seek out little ways to add flavor to them. To differentiate them with the Rule of Cool. </p><p>Cheers.</p><p><br /></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-91122232024640568922023-05-10T22:56:00.000-07:002023-05-10T22:56:32.480-07:00Overdoing the DM NPC<p> </p><p>I had first heard of the term a DM NPC in some forum or another around 11 or 12 years ago. A DM NPC was one of the campaigns NPC's, but usually had a more negative connotation. Not just meek shopkeeps and street sweepers/walkers. But the terms "precious" and "favored" NPC's were thrown about. </p><p>There seemed to be a real thing about this. Many folk clearly had a bad experience with DM's about NPC usage. And I guess I can see that. I remember about 12 years ago going to a Star Wars Saga session at this guys dad's apartment, me and 3 or 4 other full grown adults sitting on the floor playing in the guys Saga game (I only went because I was to run the system and wanted to experience it). I don't remember a lot other than the black dude in his 20's running a game while me and a handful of others in our 40's sitting there on the floor smoking pot. But one thing I remember is his main NPC, a well painted jedi miniature, being all over the little model buildings set up on the floor, doing almost everything while the rest of us kind of just waited our turns. But this kid loved his NPC clearly, and just wanted his favored guy doing most of the work while we watched. An extreme case to be sure. </p><p>I also remember back in the day in my early teens going to the local Jewish community center in Santa Monica a friend invited me to because there was an older (probably around 30) guy running D&D for anybody who wanted to play. The main thing I remember was towards the end our characters were in trouble and were going to get killed by a local gang or something. And older DM dude having our characters having heard of this NPC, clearly his own character from some other campaign, and seeking his help. I remember the NPC confidently walking down the street with us, casting haste on himself and twirling a pair of swords around as we walked. I think that NPC mostly took care of the final fight. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa15A0L5idECObN7YUMPWmoh4yD1ESCGXpcAGvfFDDufy2aMwTE4Dhq-XerkmUUXlr9QC2bl9-1DryIZ6SeUqXVSHI9Pv2JirXHRAOcfUW5MXtr90DQTBCPk1rGkGoRq6hvpsty8_FUvge34QEnU4UpgzG7ZOLRZJlZActV8s67hDuiZ6n9YsCBDOsQ/s263/images%20(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="192" data-original-width="263" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGa15A0L5idECObN7YUMPWmoh4yD1ESCGXpcAGvfFDDufy2aMwTE4Dhq-XerkmUUXlr9QC2bl9-1DryIZ6SeUqXVSHI9Pv2JirXHRAOcfUW5MXtr90DQTBCPk1rGkGoRq6hvpsty8_FUvge34QEnU4UpgzG7ZOLRZJlZActV8s67hDuiZ6n9YsCBDOsQ/s1600/images%20(1).jpg" width="263" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>So yeah, I get it. Both of those are probably extreme examples, but if anybody was in the hobby long enough they probably had similar experiences. But how guilty am I? I suppose its subjective. </p><p>From early on in my DMing my "precious" NPC's would be present. And more often than not they started as my early characters, and I incorporated them in my fledgling game world because, well, I wanted NPC's to be around other than shopkeeps and wenches. So here are two examples of my earliest D&D characters/NPC's (started in the latter 70's).</p><p><b>Arcturus Grimm</b> - A ranger. He was probably among my first couple of characters ever created. I think from the original Greyhawk supplement where ranger was introduced (or maybe an issue of Dragon). There was no 1st ed Players Handbook yet. He was exceptional and though we used 3d6 in order, I rolled nothing lower than 14, and the stats included 3 of them 16 or higher. As I was practically a kid I probably didn't realize how rare that would be. I made him a ranger, a strong 6'5" man (maybe based on one of my older brothers who was that big, and an all city athlete in school). His name was taken from a couple of my fave comic book characters. He was raised by bears in the northern Darkwold Forest. I had Arcturus Grimm be the elvish words for "Archer Bear." He was raised in the deep woods, and was fairly naive. </p><p>When I soon started my own world, and began rarely sitting down as a player, I just injected Arcturus into the new setting (mostly just a tavern and a dungeon.). Over those early years Arcturus was there as the world grew. I expanded his background as being the adopted son of The Woodking Armis, the leader of an ancient order or rangers in the Darkwold known as The Woodlords, which I also added to the world. An early teenage sweetheart playing the game eventually would have a character marry Arcturus (making things awkward setting-wise when we broke up). But as characters, players, and campaigns came and went over the years through the 80's and into the 90's, Arcturus was here and there.</p><p> Not hogging glory or fighting the fights for characters, but he would be around. Cameos as PC's adventured or playing a bigger role as wars and other major world events went down. At one point in my early 20's a girlfriend ran a daughter of Arcturus. New ranger characters might have heard of the Woodlords, and maybe aspired to join at higher levels. And Arcturus would be there. I have him pop up rarely to this day, still mortal but somebody of very high level who dallied with gods and other major spiritual beings. His adopted sister, Sheenara (or Sheen) rose to a minor woods deity status. Over 120 years of game time has gone by in my games, but Arcturus is actually 3rd elf so is not all decrepit yet, but far more mature than the young man I started him as when I was very young. Of all my characters/NPC's I probably had the closest affinity for Arcturus. I lived his ups and downs in the game world along with him. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kRyh_UmXG-i2tJeiIXQ9K5-Yu5mEgYimYvymnPGte0pjQ7ROVwj0T49UKYEtyxfg0p9SVcXp_9uHvvSD5YgZFOV8msBzQuHilNqAK__QpHy43DF0xXSVg1mhcUVWhhN-cSrNx1t1WlzfvNHI0VlzrrkZr-xI-ZM9rPCHyMaZ0FwlFNcW7WNwveBAxA/s259/download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="259" data-original-width="194" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kRyh_UmXG-i2tJeiIXQ9K5-Yu5mEgYimYvymnPGte0pjQ7ROVwj0T49UKYEtyxfg0p9SVcXp_9uHvvSD5YgZFOV8msBzQuHilNqAK__QpHy43DF0xXSVg1mhcUVWhhN-cSrNx1t1WlzfvNHI0VlzrrkZr-xI-ZM9rPCHyMaZ0FwlFNcW7WNwveBAxA/s1600/download.jpg" width="194" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Over the decades I used various miniatures for him. Ones older gamers like me would recognize. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VNVKPfTHvWMHhGL__3KQwg_FrcHObMyVdVX8NNFzaA_BXilp_oGjtOhsZ_G3JfpvLoz3zTB1SVmmkNOegfNYyTe0JBIK3e6ThfP_zDWDnuqY9PROeU-Ke9Tatm6kFLvcRfQIXZySZ880bx2BFaoXC35xZR1wnPbL7rKD-t9ShZsrl5sn4vh13rTyPQ/s1280/arc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9VNVKPfTHvWMHhGL__3KQwg_FrcHObMyVdVX8NNFzaA_BXilp_oGjtOhsZ_G3JfpvLoz3zTB1SVmmkNOegfNYyTe0JBIK3e6ThfP_zDWDnuqY9PROeU-Ke9Tatm6kFLvcRfQIXZySZ880bx2BFaoXC35xZR1wnPbL7rKD-t9ShZsrl5sn4vh13rTyPQ/s320/arc.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p>One of the few minis I still have since the early 80's. Of any mini I used for Arcturus, this one looked the least like him. I suppose it is relative from a distance, but this does not convey the sense of a 6'5" dude. Just a basic ranger figure. Like most of my minis I got it at Aero Hobbies where I played a lot (but not as Arcturus) in my early teens. Owner Gary Switzer offered to paint it, and despite my descriptions proceeded to paint him how he wanted. I already did not like that the mini had a mustache, at a time Arcturus was clean shaven. And he gave him light hair instead of dark brown. But what the hell, it was a mini. Early on as a character Arcturus had a Pseudo Dragon familiar (we levelled up fast when we were kids), so he used epoxy to put it on his shoulder, which was a nice touch. </p><p>But more recently for brief cameos in Roll20 games I used this image:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rNE9hPobPJk0se0PKmp82KliA-CoBtUgIgPRlAFgyWYWwmuq4MdsLvcFZUxWMdhiV1pMo8iz0x_OTkBKjiMp5G4zofK3lUPnUJ5p1-DRBD_NPJuHq75LRdxsWGyWLiZoyONDU5WwYddd61noaSRGy_d-wGFqujRiiT61WO0ZTdai9lz4oNGalOUHPA/s256/arcturus.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1rNE9hPobPJk0se0PKmp82KliA-CoBtUgIgPRlAFgyWYWwmuq4MdsLvcFZUxWMdhiV1pMo8iz0x_OTkBKjiMp5G4zofK3lUPnUJ5p1-DRBD_NPJuHq75LRdxsWGyWLiZoyONDU5WwYddd61noaSRGy_d-wGFqujRiiT61WO0ZTdai9lz4oNGalOUHPA/s1600/arcturus.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p>Also his sister Sheen has made and appearance or two in the matters of druids:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO5ah2reTTbViFzoETW8fXzCElOWex1GzeG96OrJptX5ge2jeCuYpx0BA_3Ix5isc3ReNqB9h0wVywFATRlkN1OVrzJYFxll6vS9oarw5-XdBqrQJRjes7OU98b1sNTlOBas0fifBfZYLAXvcbI5R9o608gm5q7IOFOdwyjwcY5sAn7BCCJPFrRkYCQ/s642/sheen2.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="642" data-original-width="642" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyO5ah2reTTbViFzoETW8fXzCElOWex1GzeG96OrJptX5ge2jeCuYpx0BA_3Ix5isc3ReNqB9h0wVywFATRlkN1OVrzJYFxll6vS9oarw5-XdBqrQJRjes7OU98b1sNTlOBas0fifBfZYLAXvcbI5R9o608gm5q7IOFOdwyjwcY5sAn7BCCJPFrRkYCQ/s320/sheen2.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div>These appearances are more for me than anything else. A brief touch of nostalgia. In most cases the players have no idea of the greater history I have with them. But I have had children of his (he left many of them throughout the lands after the Woodlords disbanded) appear in more recent games, specifically the twins Frend and Frenda, who are rangers encountered working for local caravans and what not. They appeared in the last couple of campaigns but nobody knew their parentage. So another insider bit for myself. <div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><b>Montigar Silverglen</b> - he was an elvish fighter/thief I did up to play maybe a year or so after I created Arcturus. He was a high elf raised among wood elves and was an adventurous spirit who dallied with player characters here and there. He fought primary with two swords, and yeah when he became an NPC in my world I pumped him up a bit. </div><div><br /></div><div>Through the 80's and 90's he popped up here and there, usually meeting new characters in new campaigns. Every time he was encountered he was into something else. He was a dualist, a privateer, a Bon Vivante, a highwayman,a monster hunter, and a hero of two kingdoms, human and elf. I somehow ran him very charismatically; no less than 3 women in my games over the years had characters romantically involved with him. A romantic triangle between him and two other player characters (neither of them were girlfriends of mine, though "T" who I often mention is still one of my players) ended in death for one of them (his former girlfriend character, a fighter, killed a mind-controlled character of T's thief (the players were actually roommates then) who was his current girlfriend. Rather than restrain her, the fighter killed her. It was wild. No ending of friendship with the players, but this was a memorable moment that just became another part of his storied history bards would eventually sing of (which actually happened in recent games. Keep reading). </div><div><br /></div><div>One interesting aspect of Monitigar is his father was Whirligar, a high elf illusionist who was looked upon as a deity by gnome illusionists. Just one of those weird facts you come up with as a kid. </div><div><br /></div><div>I had a teenage sweetheart who ran a wood elf thief named Noradama. She identified with this character the same way I did with Arcturus. She and Montigar hooked up and were a famous power couple in the mostly city games I tended to run in my later teens and early 20's. This was the first time (but not the last) I would experience personal relationship role-playing, and my GF and I spent late nights acting out these characters as if they were in an inn room. Sometimes it can be extra good being the DM. I imagine other people must have experienced this. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DnmIJKl40cOVdnLTNuV3Qjdq64jP84RiPUuBJmWR1TxdOInDVMhP4C9Qo0Tx4RLxGGncMUnPr32t826clHkDZdGE5dvZTtORMX_mbvEgn17GimCAi3jFY_raP9ku3J40Re-jl-tSdkShxEvanWnZ2gEHGWJdCKfiJUIILuAHw7blXv_SBU8BFeVrNA/s640/(m=qJKJPIVbeaAaGwObaaaa)(mh=nb48vN8uhwDSVdqK)0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="360" data-original-width="640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6DnmIJKl40cOVdnLTNuV3Qjdq64jP84RiPUuBJmWR1TxdOInDVMhP4C9Qo0Tx4RLxGGncMUnPr32t826clHkDZdGE5dvZTtORMX_mbvEgn17GimCAi3jFY_raP9ku3J40Re-jl-tSdkShxEvanWnZ2gEHGWJdCKfiJUIILuAHw7blXv_SBU8BFeVrNA/s320/(m=qJKJPIVbeaAaGwObaaaa)(mh=nb48vN8uhwDSVdqK)0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Much later, after the 90's, I had Montigar be a bit of a tragic figure when he appeared, someone who had bards across the lands sing of his many adventures and misadventures. Triumphs and failures. But I thought of him as somebody who was tired of the death and violence and doomed romances. He was a lone soul who never lost a fight but always lost in love. </div><div><br /></div><div>The first of many times I used the old Apple Lane setting for D&D in the early 2000's, I had characters encounter him living out the song Margaritaville there, working for the weapon trainers and drinking day and night, pestered by various would-be legend killers coming to make a name by taking his life. </div><div><br /></div><div>As a kid I got my hands on some Ralph Bakshi LOTR minis, including Legolas. I would eventually use the Legolas mini for Montigar, adding two longswords to the mini. Though Legolas was fairly effeminate looking in the film, the mini was a bit more butch.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV6EQKFYvU_q9lb0Qi7_b__hp-grvW0bbPFAk8FEUyGS4stDIJOMQlxFnskLidRPYm7b4FTFCQSOCUi7PxYRJBLIJXA5vPnFxsga0LtRUBWeW_F80zt64uPaZbu94Dtbxc0inkKyMqDW7t4UE1_jVBzBMWw0IAV1eTwPG7IBrkbj9KfHGcYKNM8d1FQ/s1280/mont.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjV6EQKFYvU_q9lb0Qi7_b__hp-grvW0bbPFAk8FEUyGS4stDIJOMQlxFnskLidRPYm7b4FTFCQSOCUi7PxYRJBLIJXA5vPnFxsga0LtRUBWeW_F80zt64uPaZbu94Dtbxc0inkKyMqDW7t4UE1_jVBzBMWw0IAV1eTwPG7IBrkbj9KfHGcYKNM8d1FQ/s320/mont.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Yep, after many decades I still had this fucker, though with an arm missing. One of my first ever paint jobs, and it shows. But really, now much better was Gary's paint job for the Arcturus mini.</div><div><br /></div><div>Prior to the most recent games I think characters in a couple of campaigns the last two decades ran into him living the more or less quiet life. Probably several years since the last. But recently he appeared in my current Roll20 thing. </div><div><br /></div><div>The characters were on their way to the dungeon just beyond the southern border of the kingdom (taking several games to do so), and when they came to Shire's End, a remote village at the southern frontier of the Halfing Shire, I was brainstorming encounters there. Three families control the place, mining families who have concerns in the mining town a couple hours south near the dungeon out in the Grass Wilderlands. As the place had not much in the way of kingdom security (army outposts), the place had its own force of volunteer halfling frontiersmen, but also I decided this would be Montigars latest hang out place, being a Regulator for the families in return for a nice tower to live in and a modest stipend.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWvlOHxIJu-VIwJOQJen34x6CHzf1V-yR47SJT3k8gSFmh8l8vPWHSMSTXaqV5k5B3LHrQnX0HlDDsdsUAwCy6bQdv3oYDVFXIWU4zgfIiNS_tBaiC8NJkDWPXrgoWaLV0phoYbh4tuddXbZDLFxtszDMQKdonAhHmF5KO1gH-UzaOMlUqLX_-rWPFw/s2100/shiresend.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="1900" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZWvlOHxIJu-VIwJOQJen34x6CHzf1V-yR47SJT3k8gSFmh8l8vPWHSMSTXaqV5k5B3LHrQnX0HlDDsdsUAwCy6bQdv3oYDVFXIWU4zgfIiNS_tBaiC8NJkDWPXrgoWaLV0phoYbh4tuddXbZDLFxtszDMQKdonAhHmF5KO1gH-UzaOMlUqLX_-rWPFw/s320/shiresend.png" width="290" /></a></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div> The characters show up to the area and are chased by a hill giant but make it into the walled village. There they eventually meet Montigar, who is happy to see other than mining material and lumber merchants and invites them up for a party in his well-appointed tower in the merchant family inner compound. Here is the image I used for later in life Montigar, with scars and all.</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCxLzLJqLP9fr0ZorBsvU51m9UnN8im55osQf_-2_iW3Fav1En89gdx8CfdfSgTMxjEmUmqj88cvriD0kFABiGp3OhnC3_jpQGYcd0qLvx51m_EEIBKQXflcOQlN_UNE4xJ1rESgENkHjWzQ8LTewVGXEKwyZfSYHEiUxP7xqsKFJm1U91P7zeMIGvA/s3264/IMG_1543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQCxLzLJqLP9fr0ZorBsvU51m9UnN8im55osQf_-2_iW3Fav1En89gdx8CfdfSgTMxjEmUmqj88cvriD0kFABiGp3OhnC3_jpQGYcd0qLvx51m_EEIBKQXflcOQlN_UNE4xJ1rESgENkHjWzQ8LTewVGXEKwyZfSYHEiUxP7xqsKFJm1U91P7zeMIGvA/s320/IMG_1543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Montigar spent a lot of the time manning his<br />minibar. "One for you, one for me, one for you..."</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>There is an issue with a hill giant, wandered up from the grasslands, menacing folk and stealing sheep. Long and short of it Montigar will deal with it, though he does not want to kill it because he is tired of killing things in his long life. The next day the characters go out to help him (he says maybe with their help he can subdue it over killing it), and it turns out there is a female one as well that was hidden in the copses of trees. With help from the characters Montigar got the giants to submit, and he offered the big dummies the opportunity to stick around to help protect the area and be helpful to the inhabitants in return for regular offerings of sheep, pigs, and bags of potatoes. Montigar asked the characters to stick around for another night of partying. </div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf96GBe_3wjp-B8z7q0gMobNswOvCmgWuTm7UAIKrj6j7dNj0LG0CWN_u4yhlXHpC8UYGOd1NeapnrU2UI0hSWWtMbpBcEVh5AZ7XVs4il6Orny4gIwEYBOGH9ScypY1TT8pQ-vlW_FZK-TV_IcZZmLsMivrM6kUtsG0xRxCWcKQwuWdz3g-ioPI5keQ/s3264/IMG_1541.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf96GBe_3wjp-B8z7q0gMobNswOvCmgWuTm7UAIKrj6j7dNj0LG0CWN_u4yhlXHpC8UYGOd1NeapnrU2UI0hSWWtMbpBcEVh5AZ7XVs4il6Orny4gIwEYBOGH9ScypY1TT8pQ-vlW_FZK-TV_IcZZmLsMivrM6kUtsG0xRxCWcKQwuWdz3g-ioPI5keQ/s320/IMG_1541.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added the minibar to this map!<br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Despite my hopes that the wood elf bard Xanthia of "T" and the wood elf ranger Myrnigan of "L" would hook up at some point, given his history I thought it would be just right for Montigar to get the Xanthia hookup. I mean, she is super-hot. Tall, built like a female volleyball player, platinum locks, and a high charisma bard. Who would not want to experience that?</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0Yp4TYZT8XETaosZVSFqiADrUAOeL1oiIU9u5q2ee-tJ-4FeX4yGFofQgg5dMUz8f7cjG2ULqOLr_c3Bntjp9Hjx6IGf89jBRPJpL7c7xoMwm4tFyr7WW4lJZyUv5okotU__vd8Fk_lC_Bw60zopFdob226lFGX4xko_TTrUJ6EiWdE2ts4RzJKxYQ/s3264/IMG_1540.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir0Yp4TYZT8XETaosZVSFqiADrUAOeL1oiIU9u5q2ee-tJ-4FeX4yGFofQgg5dMUz8f7cjG2ULqOLr_c3Bntjp9Hjx6IGf89jBRPJpL7c7xoMwm4tFyr7WW4lJZyUv5okotU__vd8Fk_lC_Bw60zopFdob226lFGX4xko_TTrUJ6EiWdE2ts4RzJKxYQ/s320/IMG_1540.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Or maybe I just have a thing for a cartoons<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><div>Ultimately, she wasn't having it. That is until Montigar asked her to do a duet of a famous old love ballad from their hometown of New Denaria. Luckily there was something nice in elvish in the jukebox to play and set the mood.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/UQzW86tYJXs" width="320" youtube-src-id="UQzW86tYJXs"></iframe></div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>It won her over, though there was no nookie for ol' Montigar. Not yet, but it was on her mind. We'll see if that hookup comes down the road. The dungeon is only two or three hours away, so...</div><div><br /></div><div>BTW, Evador the young cleric was taken with him, and snuck up later the last night to be with him. Xanthia the bard actually followed her up to the den to see what happened, and was glad to see Montigar nicely turned the Tanmoorian teen down, said she was too drunk and so was he, and sent her back to bed. Xanthia seeing that put her in the "I like Montigar" camp even more. </div><div><br /></div><div>So yeah, that DM NPC appearance was fairly self-indulgent. But what the heck, "T" enjoyed seeing an NPC from the past she knew of, and B and L thought he was cool. "Like a character from a fantasy romance novel" one said. </div><div><br /></div><div>But this is a rare case. I'm coming up with NPC's for games all the time, some regular, some more interesting. But jeez, I've had this game world a long time. It's nice to drag out old NPC's that have been around since my youth out of mothballs now and again. Not all of them are still alive. But why not use them?</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Y6Vi1unV9KdUipvAuvyXiEOEbaGJ5BWVj9GduG3foB8OUm5M3ONPJqtYehvwi6mAD9tg8rg53RFx8SCkMl5F-5NSEvGruWuAydmFe791DDK2R-99SNxwxr6kkWGHkr-J9JpxKJvq_2QGwnYIFUpKXkBggR0pQxJ9KIIAnjF7LHA_JO5ah2WjYLaHg/s300/woke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7Y6Vi1unV9KdUipvAuvyXiEOEbaGJ5BWVj9GduG3foB8OUm5M3ONPJqtYehvwi6mAD9tg8rg53RFx8SCkMl5F-5NSEvGruWuAydmFe791DDK2R-99SNxwxr6kkWGHkr-J9JpxKJvq_2QGwnYIFUpKXkBggR0pQxJ9KIIAnjF7LHA_JO5ah2WjYLaHg/s1600/woke.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above: any Dragonsfoot Grognard who <br />might read this post</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div><br /></div><div>Cheers</div>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-71754965741896955952023-05-02T14:45:00.002-07:002023-05-02T15:39:13.873-07:00"Relics of The Dungeon Age"<p>Note: I'm not going to do session reports on the current ongoing dungeon jobber, though some of this post will seem kind of like its going that direction. As if. But I do want to get into what its about a bit, more or less, to point out some thoughts and ideas in relation to such a campaign. It seems every campaign these days has me getting the privilege of touching upon beloved old school notions, while also exploring new things with the latest edition. Yes, I do believe these things can live together.</p><p>So,</p><p>One of my "things" as a DM of old school persuasion who is doing a dungeon-as- tentpole campaign is to delay the actual dungeon crawling for several games (at least). There are a lot of reasons for that. Sometimes it's to let the characters settle into the campaign, and maybe go up a level or two. An extreme example would be my Night Below campaign for the old ongoing group back in my home city of Los Angeles almost 10 years ago. It was maybe a 30-session campaign of almost a year, with the characters, when all was said and done, were in the neighborhood of 8th or 9th level (traditionally high levels in my post-teenage years). And the first three or four of those were just bumping around the surface towns and villages getting to the point of being strong enough to go into the Night Below (which I believe counts as a dungeon as much as the old Descent into the Depths was). </p><p>So, a little Roll20 campaign with a handful of my besties. A journey to one of the last remnants of the time of dungeons, or the <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2010/07/defining-age-age-of-dungeons.html#comment-form">Dungeon Age</a> as I like to call a time period now mostly past (in my setting and in D&D in general). And I love the title "Relics of The Dungeon Age" because I can kind of see it having multiple meanings. The dungeon itself a relic of a time past. Old relics you actually find in the dungeon. And perhaps the players themselves, wanting to delve into a dungeon, are themselves relics of that age in an analogical sense. </p><p>As a nice change from dealing with often oddball strangers of the Roll20 forums, this is an intimate little campaign with my very closest friends. </p><p> Best friends. Almost family. There is no more comfortable gaming than with people you have known for a long time, or feel close to for whatever reason. Not "D&D" people, but just some people who sometimes play D&D. That was always my sweet spot, especially in the 90's. Private groups filled with people you already know who want to play. </p><p>So yeah, several games of just travelling south to get to the dungeon. So the deal with the delay is: B &L are new to Roll20, so I thought a series of basic overland and town encounters would kill some time till they were up and running with it. But I also wanted them to be a little higher in level than 1st when they entered the dungeon for reals. Why? I mean, a classic dungeon is just made for, you know, 1st level dudes on the first level. 2nd level on the 2nd level. Rinse and repeat. </p><p>But c'mon. Does it have to be that ginned up for fairness in leveling. Was it ever? Back in the day in the Caves of Chaos you would) fight kobolds and goblins at 1st level? 2) orcs and gnolls at 2nd? 3) ogre and Medusa at 3rd-4th?</p><p>OK, CoC really isn't a levelled thing classically. But you know what I mean. </p><p>Naw. I mean, when trying to go full classic every few years with a self-designed magical dungeon, it was fun to go "ok, rats and kobolds on 1st level, the orcish clan on the 2nd, a 3rd level with minor undead, blah blah blah." That is fine for the oldest of old school. But with this edition I think I can stray from the formula. You know, what they consider classic dungeoneering gold on old grognard sites such as Dragonsfoot.</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaBt6tKUEMFClub6sq_o7FBZ3zyZFhtUzRrHsTvF2_7Gw72S58m6H9-ScxAT4-KJ51_0945jbVZYDQ_Nk6ztT0SdOkn63AerordkVNGb_qfiji7SO233k-tyI8PY1Ma8olafAJ4GqEuryq2w1A-R2VKKT2cC0fKN_SSk9Mh6bDKHKQYv1ufyphJNZyw/s300/woke.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiaBt6tKUEMFClub6sq_o7FBZ3zyZFhtUzRrHsTvF2_7Gw72S58m6H9-ScxAT4-KJ51_0945jbVZYDQ_Nk6ztT0SdOkn63AerordkVNGb_qfiji7SO233k-tyI8PY1Ma8olafAJ4GqEuryq2w1A-R2VKKT2cC0fKN_SSk9Mh6bDKHKQYv1ufyphJNZyw/s1600/woke.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"...AND EVERY THIRD ROOM SHOULD BE<br />EMPTY AND FULL OF DUST!"<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>So these guys would eventually enter the dungeon, probably through the entrance that goes to the 1st level, and they shall be around 3rd level when they do. </p><p>So we started the campaign in a rural hillside town in the human shire south of the kingdom proper. Overtown in the shire of Overton. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYjb4YiMOo1aZfxByu3tUbDHHe_xU2BUtcarli5xhvqXgka9By9A_c7GTrgJRomb0ILuEvR3g7lvx-_kLRx7GW3UKHpnZy5vFQ7DeUnVOO0TnXMZgj9O70GoC2QR1MSiSvDwAQRdNU5dVa-ynOCMhyN98GA0ejpap3b4Bh0C1wOX1zV913wDXBOo5Og/s3264/IMG_1539.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifYjb4YiMOo1aZfxByu3tUbDHHe_xU2BUtcarli5xhvqXgka9By9A_c7GTrgJRomb0ILuEvR3g7lvx-_kLRx7GW3UKHpnZy5vFQ7DeUnVOO0TnXMZgj9O70GoC2QR1MSiSvDwAQRdNU5dVa-ynOCMhyN98GA0ejpap3b4Bh0C1wOX1zV913wDXBOo5Og/s320/IMG_1539.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>A location I have used for decades. I love rustic shires as a break from city games or deep wilderness slogs. Out in nature but still in civilization. </p><p>And just to the south the halfling shire of Bundtland. But Overtown was the furthest south human dominated town. The last before things get all hobbity. With B's young sorcerer Ruvan, and L's wood elf ranger Myrnigan (a gal running a male character...grrrr) a team was forming. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQ7g7pB2E3aAOJvFiOqzDtAVlT1wXol80AxWcTjpP0TZnHH1B-jCjkap-Jyf6lS5ozv4vAReAy3JEZUxYF5FCjq8v_rBFA5Q4b2bojM0MteVwE9B_88bERIAhn6n6L3OBoNRNI5xGa6Gjt9IyrOFhgb4UalGcoHWLvuB0iZUIQTJ-fCcolX2YbKalmQ/s512/bill.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="512" data-original-width="396" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQ7g7pB2E3aAOJvFiOqzDtAVlT1wXol80AxWcTjpP0TZnHH1B-jCjkap-Jyf6lS5ozv4vAReAy3JEZUxYF5FCjq8v_rBFA5Q4b2bojM0MteVwE9B_88bERIAhn6n6L3OBoNRNI5xGa6Gjt9IyrOFhgb4UalGcoHWLvuB0iZUIQTJ-fCcolX2YbKalmQ/s320/bill.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruvan the sorcerer. </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtEkBy55qU-xjOSsKeQjJuVJYDcTAmsZUNi39mnXLlEegvQaCMzjdTsX9wHUz9BD2FfTIHBNePmG25XaCi0May5KAJxfcP1px7WVEMGhx0kOOpi9ywp4Fzd1DVcHZIbywXpq_wEnXSraqiGwD8ZxQ4XTB5tAPGHyROeSjFmOxXTzjn0HAnZJYaFOEg/s256/leslietoken.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRtEkBy55qU-xjOSsKeQjJuVJYDcTAmsZUNi39mnXLlEegvQaCMzjdTsX9wHUz9BD2FfTIHBNePmG25XaCi0May5KAJxfcP1px7WVEMGhx0kOOpi9ywp4Fzd1DVcHZIbywXpq_wEnXSraqiGwD8ZxQ4XTB5tAPGHyROeSjFmOxXTzjn0HAnZJYaFOEg/s1600/leslietoken.png" width="256" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Myrnigan the wood elf<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>Ruvan is from the sparsely populated Riverlands just east of the shire, and Myringan from the nearby Blackwood Forest; a far cry from the metropolitan wood elf community/city of New Denaria a few days east of the city Tanmoor. These are areas I wanted to develop for a long time. My setting has been built in large part from character backgrounds and birthplaces, and these are two new towns/villages I can put on the map. </p><p>T was not present for the first session. I wanted to do a little work on getting B and L up and running with characters with the nifty Charactermancer, and some character set up. They were knew to Roll20.</p><p>With an eventual party of 3, I need a 4th. So in comes the DM NPC, Evador, who is a young cleric of the healing god Billick. She is "a Blue Heart on the Red Path," a cleric of Billick who wished to be an active field cleric for the faith. So she chooses a dangerous mission of a personal nature to complete as sort of a thesis to impress the leadership at the Billick cathedral. She hooks up with Ruvan and Myrnigan during a barfight at the tavern they get swept up in. Evador explains her mission, to go and enter one of the worlds last true mythic dungeons. She asks them to accompany her. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuewKXvyib5uJYMKnUdzII8Uhwxw5-Mr9n1marQ3V-FSpCFliwm_S73dq5GxgrEXMCmQfNI281YrCLy5Fnnyv1ygBfRin075sj1wMf4kSqAoBH5vwqUs05RgRLrpVEFv7-4HdYrFSFiB3Cbb4yBijFcs5gBMosrUsZewmFfuMFtOnffjMj8VDLNgVhUQ/s256/clericfemale.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuewKXvyib5uJYMKnUdzII8Uhwxw5-Mr9n1marQ3V-FSpCFliwm_S73dq5GxgrEXMCmQfNI281YrCLy5Fnnyv1ygBfRin075sj1wMf4kSqAoBH5vwqUs05RgRLrpVEFv7-4HdYrFSFiB3Cbb4yBijFcs5gBMosrUsZewmFfuMFtOnffjMj8VDLNgVhUQ/s1600/clericfemale.png" width="256" /></a></div>I have fun with this NPC. She is a former rich party girl from the city, who had a year or two of college then discovered the religion of the healing god Billick. Despite her rich kid rearing, she is taking the religion seriously, but I also have her dealing with physical stats that are not optimal for fighting monsters. I portray her as a tall girl who is a little awkward physically (in the most recent encounter she missed with her mace five times in a row). <br /><p><br /></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">T's (wood elf) character Xanthia, playing tunes as a bard at the tavern, would be there to meet the other characters in the second game. Evador was seeking her out, because Xanthia had been to the dungeon before.</div></blockquote><p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhw2AfJ9rzpUZngkCWxTqLvJdMc46pJt1En_Wv_kcGdV25avZgMXPEKa9pRwpGgU-4Vo5OgzIvhAQPQvd-dLTMBFr1T6nnBwto72z-_U_cTuolfq1hlm48hSsvbdURS9YHBiVpOUWKPjALEY2nUQdvH3JzNOvUf5zizfUa_jE3r9nqsr7NShjl9Io0kQ/s3264/IMG_1540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2448" data-original-width="3264" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhw2AfJ9rzpUZngkCWxTqLvJdMc46pJt1En_Wv_kcGdV25avZgMXPEKa9pRwpGgU-4Vo5OgzIvhAQPQvd-dLTMBFr1T6nnBwto72z-_U_cTuolfq1hlm48hSsvbdURS9YHBiVpOUWKPjALEY2nUQdvH3JzNOvUf5zizfUa_jE3r9nqsr7NShjl9Io0kQ/s320/IMG_1540.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">..and looked fabulous doing it.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p>Yeah, my very first little Roll20 campaign where T first ran Xanthia about 3 years ago was to this very dungeon. They got to the second level, and got to mess with its magical pool room, a staple of my mythic dungeons going back to In Search of The Unknown. I thought it would be fun for her to go to The Meadowlands Dungeon again as the sort of mentor about it to the other characters. In the first game she was still 3rd level while the others were 1st. It was a fun dynamic. Both T and I played with the notion of her coming off as the seasoned vet and Defacto leader. </p><p>Off they went, heading south into the halfling shire of Bundtland. I already posted about their encounter with the halfling witch <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/11/the-encounter-that-what-was-meant-to.html">Emerelda, and their starring in a dating game show at her festival.</a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ASZiKICKimdJi_8ikTuaBYkKIwm6g0eVv0XRIM72z2sL-K9SC0es3Dw1cZdH1YEEBRN2T7GXuWRh6IXZPW89WHWv90JZBfA6RxpsBXyY4g0gsfKuKMcCwzQitcYeX5pJNplnN5NAMBJSLX3vqPyUZNcIKp4DGV8mCmeZp9-tXhYPrVGU15fTnWo_3A/s3264/IMG_1538.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ASZiKICKimdJi_8ikTuaBYkKIwm6g0eVv0XRIM72z2sL-K9SC0es3Dw1cZdH1YEEBRN2T7GXuWRh6IXZPW89WHWv90JZBfA6RxpsBXyY4g0gsfKuKMcCwzQitcYeX5pJNplnN5NAMBJSLX3vqPyUZNcIKp4DGV8mCmeZp9-tXhYPrVGU15fTnWo_3A/s320/IMG_1538.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Fun in the chill halfling shire. Xanthia knew Governess Cymbaline Garlandheels from the previous campaign and ran into her and her entourage at the festival. This time there was to be a party at the estate. After helping out with some giant spider problems in the area, they boogied down (more or less) with local personages and interesting locals. A halfling high society deep dive. Good contacts. And a good way to gain a quick 5 lbs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDxascUrYOz2shYr3py9OQt9I4-_RgbQ7az3FXSgn2gzH1KsUPwEJATOKwL58pO19NhyL2oE1cq-jNNQEyTn8aoDTvsQipMJ3oOuvL1jrN18lk7Z6rzhH6PP0Q7Laxs55aIcHqvBHllFOFXkBHBqfbstEy7bHC8Tqt7AfLs04vqrhJZGbjGSXy2lT_A/s620/hobbit%20hall.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="350" data-original-width="620" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDxascUrYOz2shYr3py9OQt9I4-_RgbQ7az3FXSgn2gzH1KsUPwEJATOKwL58pO19NhyL2oE1cq-jNNQEyTn8aoDTvsQipMJ3oOuvL1jrN18lk7Z6rzhH6PP0Q7Laxs55aIcHqvBHllFOFXkBHBqfbstEy7bHC8Tqt7AfLs04vqrhJZGbjGSXy2lT_A/s320/hobbit%20hall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I'd had Cymbaline as the governess of the shire forever. Tall and more slender, I always referred to her as a "Manling," a rare half hobbit half human mix. Be when all is said and done probably just a "Tallfellow."</p><p>So the party was swell. Xanthia playing tunes with the band. Myrnigan dancing with the young halfling gals with a crush on him. </p><p>It was cool, but there would be more parties before the dungeon was delved. </p><p><br /></p><p>Next: Overdoing it with a DM NPC</p><p><br /></p><p><span> </span></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-62405090016599288912023-04-16T21:25:00.000-07:002023-04-16T21:25:12.897-07:00Getting that dungeon crawl going<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefPOTFxkze4szbXH3LL9WAj4CUZghcms7pKLwu5nmxWg-l5qhopVgpVpyDLzqZgFsi4riOmdBUh2JLHtdMa3bOhkhXXwgKbZeehS0-GYxf-JB_TFMV80NmvXxvHjxsqaMUbV3-eO63sULhkB-wEU6lRZY1Zo-nFszQgXkCnUX5FXNNP1zKHRIT7zdfg/s474/OIP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="213" data-original-width="474" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefPOTFxkze4szbXH3LL9WAj4CUZghcms7pKLwu5nmxWg-l5qhopVgpVpyDLzqZgFsi4riOmdBUh2JLHtdMa3bOhkhXXwgKbZeehS0-GYxf-JB_TFMV80NmvXxvHjxsqaMUbV3-eO63sULhkB-wEU6lRZY1Zo-nFszQgXkCnUX5FXNNP1zKHRIT7zdfg/s320/OIP.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Around the time I posted last, I started a new job in healthcare. Previously my later-in-life health care career transition from a couple of decades of entertainment business management back in LA included a major regional hospital during the height of the pandemic, but the most recent gig is for a healthcare insurance plan company, and it includes some new perks. More money than I ever made since leaving my home city, and the biggest change of all was working from my home office most of the week. </p><p>But despite this being a somewhat demanding position, I have managed to do a lot of gaming. OK, most of that gaming is video games on the weekend. I play Elder Scrolls Online a lot less, as it started to feel too unchallenging. I will pop in for an hour or two with my old pal T, who is still enchanted by the game and plays a lot of it. But I need variety in my games. I still have a Mad Max game and GTA 5 I dabble in on XBOX, plus I recently downloaded an old favorite side scroller, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild remains a favorite, and I also like to play a little Cuphead here and there on Nintendo Switch in handheld mode while taking a little break in the workday. Man, what a hard game!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioADSF6c4OoUzI7rbDOBYQ8ThAcsX77dUHwTQTUtS8OaKr8kBAkP2h4zjmKulmreUYRHIyoWAi77k5Mn3SFxjcLltb8Ef978JSOANgPSKwNDrq6rVWUtCWf0XT1tXTErclGE3MqTqQ-6ip5xh2kTL_tuiPLS65hGxkkpaeoxmKXm9c3bYS5B2_8qNdzA/s300/cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioADSF6c4OoUzI7rbDOBYQ8ThAcsX77dUHwTQTUtS8OaKr8kBAkP2h4zjmKulmreUYRHIyoWAi77k5Mn3SFxjcLltb8Ef978JSOANgPSKwNDrq6rVWUtCWf0XT1tXTErclGE3MqTqQ-6ip5xh2kTL_tuiPLS65hGxkkpaeoxmKXm9c3bYS5B2_8qNdzA/s1600/cup.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>My Roll20? Well, I have mentioned my besties "B&L" (currently on the other side of the country helping L's mom run her bar...I will see them in fall and Winter when they come back to town for a while) and also my Los Angeles homegirl "T" who has played in my games on and off since the early 90's. The three of them make up my current little group, playing every couple of weeks. A classic dungeon crawl campaign. </p><p>This is for sure giving me experience in online dungeon creation. I do have a couple of purchased modular dungeon packs from Roll20 (about 5 bucks a pack). I built the first few levels of a dungeon for me very first little Roll20 campaign that went for about 15 sessions. So pretty much reusing that same dungeon, but will be always tweaking. I built the first 4 levels back then, though the party only got to level 2 back then (just like the current things I had about 7 or 8 session working towards the delve...little adventures on the road). </p><p>As it's not exactly a huge labyrinth, I hope for us to more or less get to level 5 at some point, maybe by late summer? But historically I have always ended up getting fed up with a crawl and found a way for the characters to do other things. So it may not make it that far. </p><p>But this little dungeon has a bit of history in my setting, going back decades. So I think I will talk it up a little more next post. </p><p>Cheers</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-65197263734936120612023-01-08T11:40:00.002-08:002023-01-08T11:40:50.160-08:00Big Fun with Dynamic Lighting in Roll20<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERKH5V1PlC84GHaO754_Az66z48-2jNJ16g8fvqyasIoa8ACu9VlGDscIPJq3TrJ4QOqfgEaM8dC-K3UHFljp4dcM9BB5JakRmDFPpDMLvC2ZSkjU_8JpyczL8R9pAuu6oUZKa80pHbuWqDKgNbcCmq6uMNjxr_foxRvHZEU0UoXolF6kgveWItpRpA/s960/f0kg35ptkbh61.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="801" data-original-width="960" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhERKH5V1PlC84GHaO754_Az66z48-2jNJ16g8fvqyasIoa8ACu9VlGDscIPJq3TrJ4QOqfgEaM8dC-K3UHFljp4dcM9BB5JakRmDFPpDMLvC2ZSkjU_8JpyczL8R9pAuu6oUZKa80pHbuWqDKgNbcCmq6uMNjxr_foxRvHZEU0UoXolF6kgveWItpRpA/s320/f0kg35ptkbh61.webp" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I had been doing stuff on Roll20 for a couple of years now, but only now getting around to using dynamic lighting. I have always had an advanced account (that you need to us DL), but that was mostly so my players would not be pestered by ads. </p><p>In my last campaign I refrained from experimenting with it because I was running for mostly masters of the platform, and I did not want to take time to learn as I went with them. I just used Fog of War, which I found functional enough, and pretty nifty. But now that that campaign is done, for the foreseeable future I am going to be doing a campaign with friends I already had. This is a great time to experiment, as the games will be much easier going. I can fuck around without alienating "experts."</p><p>The gang is more or less noobish, and when I announced that we would be trying DL out, they were jazzed. We got down to it, and when the time came to go in a cave I did the set up.</p><p>I was starting small, just a three or so room complex. As DM your first move is to have the cave walls outlined so vision does not pass through them. You hit all the right buttons in page set up to prepare. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgpXnMUykUg3VZW80NfVe4ZFRbsgOcqX5xBsPpseAFcddZarwt-swzfqa49WS1bu4mFXEFxdFG5xwEaqPuHKyPbHuE6PnsqsiaNbJ7oBEGMkMkJfmK5M5ZpVVfZt_bA2nivqqyxtZDCA_LMe3kao7h1tx0rmRJM-rCZ0cwHc1qkMVmO0k8W0DMCY_aA/s1087/UDL-PageSettings.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpgpXnMUykUg3VZW80NfVe4ZFRbsgOcqX5xBsPpseAFcddZarwt-swzfqa49WS1bu4mFXEFxdFG5xwEaqPuHKyPbHuE6PnsqsiaNbJ7oBEGMkMkJfmK5M5ZpVVfZt_bA2nivqqyxtZDCA_LMe3kao7h1tx0rmRJM-rCZ0cwHc1qkMVmO0k8W0DMCY_aA/s320/UDL-PageSettings.png" width="158" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Then when the characters enter you must go into each characters setting and do up how and what they can see. For those with night vision you enter the distance, along with how much of that distance starts to dim after a certain point. Then you do up torch or lantern users (or light spells) depending on those items capabilities. I like to give firelight a nice yellow glow. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKW7t5ZplS1HRrx-bXHh9l0Ic5iFfVD45cLGDQ0WmTwY8qsYafoJlmemUVBHOczykFER0NpEl1Od5vb9W90LFgX3FFPQsFqdC2soSrLms5YgySEEyR1JCiAWJZGgclmFgpZHUSbBdj7-gEx93hAEoqJPmmNzO-4rpNoDxmdTbOXSmomVbS0ul_2tcbA/s1280/thumbnail_Image%20(1).jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjKW7t5ZplS1HRrx-bXHh9l0Ic5iFfVD45cLGDQ0WmTwY8qsYafoJlmemUVBHOczykFER0NpEl1Od5vb9W90LFgX3FFPQsFqdC2soSrLms5YgySEEyR1JCiAWJZGgclmFgpZHUSbBdj7-gEx93hAEoqJPmmNzO-4rpNoDxmdTbOXSmomVbS0ul_2tcbA/s320/thumbnail_Image%20(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjD5mYYpDkngfPyZ2N-ISbDySkjOMOo9O2slmc3H-NoOrrIWn0C2YhJfUiFxyEjx_OYxi8sFERQljCSSP_7H3l_pOMpfF5lb24i5bj_HJkRzaPuz7aK7-93NSwQha5ldVYraAC4HuHuj95YR8BB4voTcvfBFXMelwAk3H5BMVF5nEpeRWKIA7l9pweYA/s1280/thumbnail_Image.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjD5mYYpDkngfPyZ2N-ISbDySkjOMOo9O2slmc3H-NoOrrIWn0C2YhJfUiFxyEjx_OYxi8sFERQljCSSP_7H3l_pOMpfF5lb24i5bj_HJkRzaPuz7aK7-93NSwQha5ldVYraAC4HuHuj95YR8BB4voTcvfBFXMelwAk3H5BMVF5nEpeRWKIA7l9pweYA/s320/thumbnail_Image.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br />this is all me looking from a player's POV, but<br />I also get to see outlines of the complex</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>This small-scale experiment was good, as I need to work up to the larger dungeon the campaign is heading for. Everybody loved it, but I guess my goal should be for it to eventually become old hat. Second nature. But it really adds a cool element you would be hard pressed to get on a face-to-face tabletop (without thousands of dollars of equipment).</p><p>More experiments to come. But so far so good. </p><p>Cheers</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-51213130162597811022022-12-31T20:56:00.016-08:002022-12-31T21:01:39.017-08:00A GM's interpretation of Grateful Dead's Terrapin Station<p>People find their fantasy world gaming inspiration in lots of places. Obvious choices (fantasy movies and books) of course. </p><p>Some can be odd. Some years ago I remember some inhabitant of the Dragonfoot forums in a discussion about a warehouse hallway fight in the Daredevil TV show excitedly going on about how that scene was "so D&D." Yeah, most dungeons have hallways. But I could not see how a superhero punching thugs in a hallway was a big D&D inspiration. But what the heck. I remember as a teen visiting my oldest brother, a sort of biker tough guy type, in his big house in the mountains and on a lark running a D&D session for him and his wife. They had zero expeirence. It did not last more than a couple hours. Big bro had a fighter in the city who was not long in the tavern before starting fights. He ended up killing a summoned city guardsman and ended up in jail. It was all good laughs. Later we were listening to the Desperado album by The Eagles, and he was like "hey, this is like a game!"</p><p>Sure, the album told a story. A western themed one for sure. But the only resemblance to D&D was his character getting in trouble with the law in the session. </p><p>But I should not judge. For many years I got a lot of Inspiration from a Grateful Dead album.</p><p>In the 90's I was mostly into hip hop and rap. But I went out with a girl from Ren Faire a few months. Heidi was only around 20, but she loved The Grateful Dead, a band that was not on my radar. But on long trips she would jam out to them, and I sort of got into it. I remember going with her and a gal pal of hers to a concert in Oakland, CA. The highlight was them saying we would all take shrooms, but after I took a dose they decided they did not want to so we could drive there. I was flying while they goofed on me. </p><p>My favorite song they did was from Terrapin Station. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3I7CLy70WtI" width="320" youtube-src-id="3I7CLy70WtI"></iframe></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>A great concept story album about a kind of mystical train station full of characters, it would eventually tickle my fancy for gaming inspiration. It's not just about characters interacting, but it's equally (or more so) about the teller of the story. The "DM" if you will. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Here's my breakdown in game terms:</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAC8Z9lpRu4PFaGMaF7Boxbsoj7VHxgVASwfm6ux0DttQYJ0zn_SRzeTfQCwxls_4WU0JxL4Tz8G0h8w-J2hQ4Hqh4_na4Zue_h-FMXsx17P-a0g1IyHL53J08K78X9RKFbC_ENjcyPYSLVEqqdFRm9BQDd916MXbp4et6PpErbO78HcGPKO1HZS4Tw/s626/retro-woman-portrait-beautiful-girl-with-fan-style-20s-30s_186673-1962.webp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="626" data-original-width="417" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHAC8Z9lpRu4PFaGMaF7Boxbsoj7VHxgVASwfm6ux0DttQYJ0zn_SRzeTfQCwxls_4WU0JxL4Tz8G0h8w-J2hQ4Hqh4_na4Zue_h-FMXsx17P-a0g1IyHL53J08K78X9RKFbC_ENjcyPYSLVEqqdFRm9BQDd916MXbp4et6PpErbO78HcGPKO1HZS4Tw/s320/retro-woman-portrait-beautiful-girl-with-fan-style-20s-30s_186673-1962.webp" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Lady with a Fan. She has<br />a challenge for you, good sir...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><i><b><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Let my inspiration flow in token rhyme, suggesting rhythm,<br />That will not forsake you, till my tale is told and done.<br />While the firelight's aglow, strange shadows from the flames will grow,<br />Till things we've never seen will seem familiar.</span></b></i><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Characters in front of a fire, or a fireplace. Clearly, they have travelled, and are in unfamiliar surroundings. Kind of adventurous, right?</span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Shadows of a sailor, forming winds both foul and fair all swarm.<br />Down in Carlisle, he loved a lady many years ago.<br />Here beside him stands a man, a soldier from the looks of him,<br />Who came through many fights, but lost at love.</span></i></b><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Tells you a bit about the characters backgrounds. In old school style, its brief. They will be more defined by their experiences than their past. The sailor once loved a woman. It's important, because its mentioned. The soldier also has had his romantic entanglements, but clearly, they did not work out well. One sympathizes. </span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">While the story teller speaks, a door within the fire creaks;<br />Suddenly flies open, and a girl is standing there.<br />Eyes alight, with glowing hair, all that fancy paints as fair,<br />She takes her fan and throws it, in the lion's den.</span></i></b><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">GM introduces an NPC. Or is it a monster? A spirit? Or just a magic user. I mean, she comes out of the fire. She's hot, and she wants to give herself to a man. She is among men, and her tossing the fan to them is an invitation. </span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Which of you to gain me, tell, will risk uncertain pains of hell?<br />I will not forgive you if you will not take the chance.<br />The sailor gave at least a try, the soldier being much too wise,<br />Strategy was his strength, and not disaster.</span></i></b><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">The soldier is wary of women. Of love? He is a badass, but has been hurt on an emotional level. He is not into the test. The sailor, maybe remembering that love of the past, wants to gain it again. Whatever the test is, he passes it. I like to think its a D&D style puzzle. </span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">The sailor, coming out again, the lady fairly leapt at him.<br />That's how it stands today. You decide if he was wise.<br />The story teller makes no choice. Soon you will not hear his voice.<br />His job is to shed light, and not to master.</span></i></b><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Sailor gets the enthusiastic lady. Happy ending? You make the call. The story teller makes no choice. he's running the game, man. He must be impartial. Is the game coming to an end though?</span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;"><b><i><span style="color: #2b00fe;">Since the end is never told, we pay the teller off in gold,<br />In hopes he will return, but he cannot be bought or sold.</span></i></b><br /></span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">This story has no end. It's D&D. it goes on an on. Even if the campaign ends, unless somebody dies you never get to the end of their tale. And this DM cannot be bribed with Beer or Doritos. </span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #2b00fe;">I<b><i>nspiration, move me brightly. Light the song with sense and color;</i></b></span></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #2b00fe;">Hold away despair, more than this I will not ask.<br />Faced with mysteries dark and vast, statements just seem vain at last.<br />Some rise, some fall, some climb, to get to Terrapin.<br /></span></i></b></div><div class="verse" style="font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><b><i><span style="background-color: #999999; color: #2b00fe;">Counting stars by candlelight, all are dim but one is bright;<br />The spiral light of Venus, rising first and shining best,<br />On, from the northwest corner, of a brand new crescent moon,<br />While crickets and cicadas sing, a rare and different tune,<br />Terrapin Station.</span></i></b><br /></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">And there's some good metaphysical stuff for yah. </span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">Like I said, inspiration comes from different places. Don't judge, and maybe one day I will tell you about how a Michael Jackson song greatly influenced a few games of mine in the 90's. </span></div><div class="verse" style="color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><span style="background-color: #999999;">YMMV. Happy New Year!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdPvzU1p-2PDg0rJQby2RWqzoLMoaxMNEoJFDIqAB4XFCD9JsRQeBzFeY6IeQk1-uVm5AMhc2oq_FK5HJGzNqSRSBvEzfqMHmcQl9P84IrWNfohHdX1y_mzquEDz8KjohDzSvcQXoLjbRODYefgOCsqtDDlw4yJSuBTURdT2QFHFx94BvjLWBI0F_Yg/s225/images.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcdPvzU1p-2PDg0rJQby2RWqzoLMoaxMNEoJFDIqAB4XFCD9JsRQeBzFeY6IeQk1-uVm5AMhc2oq_FK5HJGzNqSRSBvEzfqMHmcQl9P84IrWNfohHdX1y_mzquEDz8KjohDzSvcQXoLjbRODYefgOCsqtDDlw4yJSuBTURdT2QFHFx94BvjLWBI0F_Yg/s1600/images.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0oMinMWYdQDsmVDSIOP6_xRn1Ah76ukvuc2Uq9FROylZk3zqegp7y0Pswnm2uf2-zW9nHcwvLf0-WIsavuUxltOJ2MIXjs2rmL2f32_tKMAJUGJsP9wU-f6nuoh5l5uD4vltseSec-jN6WMMXlIlhD_Z98zqOijkt_PfuRg2ms3gVPmCZHjYWm8B0Q/s713/lady%20with%20a%20fan.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="713" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc0oMinMWYdQDsmVDSIOP6_xRn1Ah76ukvuc2Uq9FROylZk3zqegp7y0Pswnm2uf2-zW9nHcwvLf0-WIsavuUxltOJ2MIXjs2rmL2f32_tKMAJUGJsP9wU-f6nuoh5l5uD4vltseSec-jN6WMMXlIlhD_Z98zqOijkt_PfuRg2ms3gVPmCZHjYWm8B0Q/s320/lady%20with%20a%20fan.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div class="verse" style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding-bottom: 10px;"><br /></div>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-21544132792076752842022-12-25T14:37:00.054-08:002022-12-27T12:19:32.134-08:00"Official" D&D vs "Folk"D&D and the pitfalls of playing with strangers<p><br /></p><p>(this post may qualify as a rant. Take it with a grain of salt)</p><p> I've recently been seeing a bit of this lately, the use of the term "Folk" over the usual "Old School" designation.</p><p>"Official" is of course the rules (more or less) as written, while "Folk" is a name for people who rely less on whatever the current editions and settings are, and "do what thou whilst" hodgepodge gaming. I like the word Folk for this. The term "Old School" is getting, well, a little old. <br /></p><p>As a D&D person myself, this is sort of hypocritical I guess, but I find gamers, D&D players especially to often be an odd lot. I suppose I always considered myself Old School, but maybe less so in recent years. When I got hipped to the OSR (sometimes derogatively referred to as the "blOwSR") around 2009 or so, I got involved a bit. I started this blog not long after starting a 10-year group where I ran a variety of genres, but mostly 1st edition. I'd say about 60% of that experience was great, and the rest, well, often when more or less unfulfilling, and often the drizzling shits. I feel this is because it was gaming mostly with strangers. Sometimes weird ones. And I found this to my experience with the modern crop of players, especially gained on Roll20 forums. Maybe chock full of more oddballs than Grognard places like Dragonsfoot. </p><p>Most of my gaming life since I was a teen was about me running campaigns, of various genres, for friends I already had. People who often had no real D&D experience. They came in fresh, and just wanted to enjoy the play without a bunch of expectations. Open minded. In any genre I ran. And these were my most happy gaming years. Dungeons and Dragons, Champions, Call of Cthulhu, Runequest, Traveller. Kind of a bummer that this was 20 years and more ago. </p><p>As a teen I knew that playing at game shops or cons was not for me. So many of the people turned me off. </p><p>So as far as 1st ed D&D was concerned, there was no arguing over rules or rulings, whereas in the groups of strangers that I ran for years later that was often the order of the day. So much of 1st was open to interpretation, it was an easy in for power gamers and rules lawyers to work their shitty magic. People who if you gave in to, would, like classic bullies, feel they could do more of it until you were worn down. They were so proud of how they viewed how things should be run. It was one reason I treasured doing games like Champions or Call of Cthulhu. The rules were fairly clear. But eventually it would be back to D&D and "D&D People" and their particular peccadillos. It was often hard to feel like these people were friends.</p><p>When I moved to a new state it was a chance to sort of renew. I adopted 5th edition and had a couple of decent face to face campaigns, the first one was me being tapped to DM by my current beloved besties B and L. I was happy to more or less be turning my back on my old school roots. But my experiences going mostly online with Roll20 the other year was also decidedly mixed. It was mostly with strangers. Because of this I decided to hew close to the rules, but still, no matter the experience or age range, D&D players still seemed to have particular expectations, rather than just going with the flow of whatever the DM had in mind. </p><p> So, call them old school or new school, call them official or folk. The only main difference to me is that one wants rules as written, and the other ones want something more creative and distinct. But they still often seem to be odd people (yes, I am very much generalizing) with particular expectations. Such as "I want to run a cyborg minotaur gunslinger!" People under 40 on Roll20 are full of this kind of "hey, look at my cool character!"</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27t2TdP-U11Juw1fpnQ7eW7y-oRu7pXCIpC8jmxYJ8i4FSx9MhPOP8bYPUUO69XKWOmfCtjXuKBIsOVUdNSaVYnkOmf8fCwkPno-YyXoJ6nQGOIkKeJTlKgN8GSO1EQifhvR71YFAl1pgllGYwIu9QH_kiFgO_Zl_nbmB25eB6hD71K4hC9oEP0QQdA/s1200/dnd-virtual-tabletop-gameplay-movement.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="675" data-original-width="1200" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj27t2TdP-U11Juw1fpnQ7eW7y-oRu7pXCIpC8jmxYJ8i4FSx9MhPOP8bYPUUO69XKWOmfCtjXuKBIsOVUdNSaVYnkOmf8fCwkPno-YyXoJ6nQGOIkKeJTlKgN8GSO1EQifhvR71YFAl1pgllGYwIu9QH_kiFgO_Zl_nbmB25eB6hD71K4hC9oEP0QQdA/s320/dnd-virtual-tabletop-gameplay-movement.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>But even if I stick with 5th ed, it will soon be a "folk" edition. One DnD is going to change everything. WOTC recently and very blatantly announced that the players are an untapped resource to be monetized, so part of their plan is microtransactions that themselves are well known as the drizzling shits of the video game industry. To play it is no longer the DM's who will need written material. Players will need to create online minis for their characters, and I can see a couple of dozen microtransactions for every aspect of it. Face, hair, clothing, every weapon or piece of armor. The colors. What the cost of this stuff will be is what interests me the most. In the past you could buy some paints for about 10 bucks, and a mini for about 5. Will your online mini cost you 30 bucks? 50?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cX4tqNxSlC_-ZtKPuD5qewdqGwsr1pGcxeqQf5qQAlTv9Xhh3Cf6-YTKXHjp4ug6FNcWBYGAUfm8scQUpaHqDa9ldMrmgSqIW3hTLilxZhc8ZQ2Wc_LcSYLXBKq9NV2O4mIkQnqdNDBiIpLfynkUWRdHgSjweHmQYQq-mb19FpXxqyDJxRg9LIJJGg/s675/DnD-Digital-Play-04.webp" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="380" data-original-width="675" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cX4tqNxSlC_-ZtKPuD5qewdqGwsr1pGcxeqQf5qQAlTv9Xhh3Cf6-YTKXHjp4ug6FNcWBYGAUfm8scQUpaHqDa9ldMrmgSqIW3hTLilxZhc8ZQ2Wc_LcSYLXBKq9NV2O4mIkQnqdNDBiIpLfynkUWRdHgSjweHmQYQq-mb19FpXxqyDJxRg9LIJJGg/s320/DnD-Digital-Play-04.webp" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>But that is going in a direction that I am not at all interested in otherwise. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOoJkD9-Hc3lx141ICu7fYoTE7T-nMGmH0LNzsL8hlIk9m30kaQOO4DfXZIsVPNrslkEc23hk0WVkZWVtWcfbz6gl3t3r66IQM4fE8p1mbgeW19CIyvxDPh-dPfV7Aczp5M7GtT2ugyAQcQIoh9dV1yPtQhQIAGkBrCGewoip9_mYCfNI100lZ6X5dA/s474/old.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="265" data-original-width="474" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHOoJkD9-Hc3lx141ICu7fYoTE7T-nMGmH0LNzsL8hlIk9m30kaQOO4DfXZIsVPNrslkEc23hk0WVkZWVtWcfbz6gl3t3r66IQM4fE8p1mbgeW19CIyvxDPh-dPfV7Aczp5M7GtT2ugyAQcQIoh9dV1yPtQhQIAGkBrCGewoip9_mYCfNI100lZ6X5dA/s320/old.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>Mostly it turns me off as there will be a lot more work for DM's, and likely a lot more costly for them. They will need to invest a small fortune in DND Beyond, as will the players. And as usual, you will be dealing with fickle players you often do not know along with the cost and time investments. For me, based on my hit or miss Roll20 experiences with the community at large, will it be worth it?</p><p>Nah, I will stick with Roll20 and 5th ed for now. Or maybe just try to get a campaign of Call of Cthulhu or a Superhero thing going. A break from D&D people. I think I am maybe starting to head towards being done doing RPG's with non-friends. I have a campaign of infrequent games I run for my local besties B and L, and my old player Terry, which is just great because it is just like those games of old for my friends. No weird expectations. Just D&D. A D&D game once or twice a month with true friends, with my favorite video games in between (this was a super banner year for video game), is starting to seem just right to me. I'm really kind of fed up dealing with strangers in gaming. </p><p>So yeah, this will now be old school or "folk" gameplay for me. Until WOTC buys up Roll20 and other platforms and it is no longer supported. The time is maybe coming when if you don't want to invest in the official stuff, it will have to go back to face to face tabletop. Somewhere you don't need WOTC or their bullshit. That will be the true Folk RPGing. </p><p>Maybe unfortunate for me, as I still feel I want to be retired from face to face. I have boardgames for that.</p><p>YMMV</p><p>Cheers</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p> much of </p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-46665071379992444312022-12-03T21:02:00.000-08:002022-12-03T21:02:05.649-08:00D&D and the character party Foe Gauntlet<p> </p><p>The "Foe Gauntlet." There is probably a better name for it, but regardless, it's a thing. </p><p>Though I am sure it has appeared in various media in history, I think the first time I saw such a thing was in old Spider-Man comics as a kid, where in at least one instance he had to fight each of the Sinister Six enemies, such as Vulture and Doc Ock, one at a time. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnSrN-HZBXfnUvvrjj_lSJyLAmVIpnAH0v2ld3Pi__RymuGUthVjUSqq8X-nCwCtxNaxCLTWuHjzai7NSnm5Uiza-mAYLnoAHFJBz45yoDIzoDlwskFmP5o27aZiJO6wz_q8a7AFJL6D9OaH4kkbJgyKcXI8N8SfGFQYlTilTI3xkVba48fnedBYu9g/s2695/sinister%20six.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="2695" height="307" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMnSrN-HZBXfnUvvrjj_lSJyLAmVIpnAH0v2ld3Pi__RymuGUthVjUSqq8X-nCwCtxNaxCLTWuHjzai7NSnm5Uiza-mAYLnoAHFJBz45yoDIzoDlwskFmP5o27aZiJO6wz_q8a7AFJL6D9OaH4kkbJgyKcXI8N8SfGFQYlTilTI3xkVba48fnedBYu9g/s320/sinister%20six.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I cannot help but be offended by the derogatory<br />and racist word Spidey throws at Electro</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><p>Then at some point in the Bruce Lee movie Game of Death. The film has a very storied background (look it up), but it inspired the "fight your way through a series of enemies to get to the boss" in video games to be sure. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lK0iH2YourYcWGVhz9PuYJ9_KmQiqwSTktJ37k_FfGlj89S9jxFARYatYrEgt_6RdzTV96HgHyxgw0ahzdjto3XmUbb4f6N7EFS5Lx_DF4EyzcVU43PGnfDP8gCBvau1ZgPqVB2anHZSASOrY6IfPrpw-V3TzN83mj5hmsMN4F65zogKQtNjw_q6dA/s1200/game%20of%20death.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="954" data-original-width="1200" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8lK0iH2YourYcWGVhz9PuYJ9_KmQiqwSTktJ37k_FfGlj89S9jxFARYatYrEgt_6RdzTV96HgHyxgw0ahzdjto3XmUbb4f6N7EFS5Lx_DF4EyzcVU43PGnfDP8gCBvau1ZgPqVB2anHZSASOrY6IfPrpw-V3TzN83mj5hmsMN4F65zogKQtNjw_q6dA/s320/game%20of%20death.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I also believe in the Batman story where Bane breaks his spine Bats had to fight through a series of villains set up by Bane to soften him up for the final fight. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeODyu3c5Oa7oQntavscG1RgIWi22MpOjUUF-PH6SzzfLZDwNj2j3kPbs8tb4_P0RZoHvPua0VDx2mn1yBMLmEmTtfiExnBmENcw7ZoT-Pur0a-LSkmAmvoQ52bR2zXi4MziFRW0MAPlWLOYa8TRw2t_wvJTcSHS5uK8_vmbSBA7pxCX3ABvzPv7OlRQ/s492/bane.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="492" data-original-width="474" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeODyu3c5Oa7oQntavscG1RgIWi22MpOjUUF-PH6SzzfLZDwNj2j3kPbs8tb4_P0RZoHvPua0VDx2mn1yBMLmEmTtfiExnBmENcw7ZoT-Pur0a-LSkmAmvoQ52bR2zXi4MziFRW0MAPlWLOYa8TRw2t_wvJTcSHS5uK8_vmbSBA7pxCX3ABvzPv7OlRQ/s320/bane.jpg" width="308" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">and it went down at ComiCon so <br />nobody really noticed it happened</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>And I remember Hulk Hogan doing something similar in his earlier WCW appearances against the Dungeon of Doom (a good idea with terrible execution). </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHivtXdjiZIiZxG_iCM5I_1Figk1JOcHriXdCStMi21u40qbZbsFEix8Sm71B1R22Aq591TN1K5U5ErvZePlDoFO0Pv4j3aVoWVLBNyBkXZho6ZiOSMLcktOQICEmEfTfnSGUKiIA6TZFTDc8MK0Wnn4cUcT1VSddOSLPrB0EEZNfd41TOEPBrMpPtxw/s407/dungeon%20of%20doom.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="254" data-original-width="407" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHivtXdjiZIiZxG_iCM5I_1Figk1JOcHriXdCStMi21u40qbZbsFEix8Sm71B1R22Aq591TN1K5U5ErvZePlDoFO0Pv4j3aVoWVLBNyBkXZho6ZiOSMLcktOQICEmEfTfnSGUKiIA6TZFTDc8MK0Wnn4cUcT1VSddOSLPrB0EEZNfd41TOEPBrMpPtxw/s320/dungeon%20of%20doom.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pre-Attitude Era wrestling was pretty crappy</td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>One time I did such a thing in a game, that I can remember, was in a solo game I ran in the 90's for one of the players in my Champions game. It was a Bourne Identity type character. He had developed his own little Rogues Gallery of foes over a couple years of campaigns, and for a solo outing a "gauntlet" sounded like an easy thing to game master. His foes were mostly non-powered dudes, like martial artists and a trio of former pro wrestlers who were getting into the mob enforcer business. I remember the character being worn down in several fights throughout the city, ending up fighting the wrestler trio in the foamy surf at the shore in Venice Beach. Then he fought the big bad and barely won the fight. </p><p>So the idea came to me for the DnD characters in my current Roll20 campaign. The night the party arrived with a caravan to "Lemon Tree" (my stand in for Apple Lane), Gengle (my stand in for Gringle) the pawnbroker was negotiating with the Vaishino snake people. The negotiations went bad, and the creatures took out their anger on the surrounding area which included the caravan the party was camping at. That fight went OK for them, and they got thier long rest through the night. But the next morning the long day (which including the pawnshop assault that night), that would last several games, began.</p><p>The caravan left and the party walked down the hill to the village. Therein lay the first fight. Several Vaishino warrior jumped out of tree to attack. No problem. Then the party went to the Tin Inn. Several members of the Biglaugh the Centaur gang (whose gang members in the original material were all Dragonnewts and such, but I had it be just human bandits in mine) came into the tavern for a morning eye opener, and of course got into it with the party. Not a big deadly fight, but still, the party had to use resources for. </p><p>A couple of those bandits were immediately thrown into jail by Dronlon the Sherriff, and by early afternoon Biglaugh and company caused small fires and ruckus' around the village while the prisoners were released, and the characters had to fight them off. </p><p>So by early afternoon the party had three conflicts, and with the pawnshop scenario coming up by night fall, they had no chance for the beloved by 5th ed player's long rest. They had to go into that shop assault fairly depleted. </p><p>I loved the concept, but you can probably count on players NOT to love it. They like to have their resources in a fight. And for the pawnshop those resources were mostly used up. Especially healing. </p><p>It was a harrowing building-based combat that went on for almost 3 sessions. I felt it was all pretty dramatic, and at the end a couple of players had their severely wounded characters lean up against a wall and exhale in relief. But overall it was clear, I loved the concept more than them. But that's players for you, especially the more modern ones. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8zPHLyJfMn8qv8DJPtiP9mgDJosayxPbttbMltP9tJefNYja6bbSkY32cuRfxlL-G-JOmq2a3sM4_r0qvESCFIZyh3HruCyzNu94_J37RngF1ZfC8X5VTOdl4V5zg7gkBKOX4i417mI4HZabOibyf03QV42LuxviMfXnEgl91jKCeVgkF1swvdTe1g/s1280/pawnshop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8zPHLyJfMn8qv8DJPtiP9mgDJosayxPbttbMltP9tJefNYja6bbSkY32cuRfxlL-G-JOmq2a3sM4_r0qvESCFIZyh3HruCyzNu94_J37RngF1ZfC8X5VTOdl4V5zg7gkBKOX4i417mI4HZabOibyf03QV42LuxviMfXnEgl91jKCeVgkF1swvdTe1g/s320/pawnshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>They really feel entitled to a long rest after any kind of fight. </p><p>YMMV. Cheers. </p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-1840288856617280952022-12-03T14:20:00.001-08:002022-12-03T14:20:47.878-08:00The Question of Race in D&D and other Woke issues<p> </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EQN-tCaV13cYSKUj2Ow_MLw_46L8b42dqEnghpTHKxu-AEhsnUT0GRsLAQmWhc1CzG8SUbv5EZVfxGEPPft8mpbDEY_l6O_4pi4Bpz8SEOt9H6dJ-O-n0oLFXnqHxSSP6tNWm8Cejd4aBT9PBVTuXmyO0_mcBYbugH5LkMSJrSJoe77TA9fu-IM5CA/s435/cancel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="435" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5EQN-tCaV13cYSKUj2Ow_MLw_46L8b42dqEnghpTHKxu-AEhsnUT0GRsLAQmWhc1CzG8SUbv5EZVfxGEPPft8mpbDEY_l6O_4pi4Bpz8SEOt9H6dJ-O-n0oLFXnqHxSSP6tNWm8Cejd4aBT9PBVTuXmyO0_mcBYbugH5LkMSJrSJoe77TA9fu-IM5CA/s320/cancel.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So I read yesterday that they will be removing the term "race" from D&D.</p><p>I'm not here to rant on that. You can go to The RPG Pundit's Blog, or Venger Satanis', or any number of more conservative (does it sound logical for a satanist to be conservative? I mean, is "do what thou whilst" conservative?) spots for more passion about it. Me? I get over these things fairly easily. </p><p>I mean, race was never the proper term. And "species" seems more appropriate, though sounds more science-fictiony. I recently had to go through the "no more racial modifiers" thing with my Roll20 material. And you know what? I love those race-based modifiers, but in the grand scheme of things? I just want to run games and make fun for others. So now you get plus 2 to something and plus 1 to something. Big whoop. Let the players decide if a mod is based on what they are. </p><p>The main thing that irks me is how the left wants very badly to instill real world race issues into gaming. They are the ones who decided orcs and drow represent black people. It's kind of tragi-comic how the left seems to actually be the ones with racist thoughts. But whatevs. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyGEWurGyyZivbFhZNU-sX3YJnkrHV0NXJyvi6baW07r8WKHjPH6MsNY9f8ZjD2Eckw7IGo22pvYohlE1Ib070pJYF6LSJv5XL4AaSw__D-mZ6XbC4wjRYRQjfogCCMpt7h2u-D5RF_UhkXTd_ETMcXdxcttfB-vq9UoaM1mGNjxi8cIcPE_xLSUZ8g/s474/woke.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="247" data-original-width="474" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWyGEWurGyyZivbFhZNU-sX3YJnkrHV0NXJyvi6baW07r8WKHjPH6MsNY9f8ZjD2Eckw7IGo22pvYohlE1Ib070pJYF6LSJv5XL4AaSw__D-mZ6XbC4wjRYRQjfogCCMpt7h2u-D5RF_UhkXTd_ETMcXdxcttfB-vq9UoaM1mGNjxi8cIcPE_xLSUZ8g/s320/woke.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><p><br /></p><p>I'm fairly on the left for many social issues. Things I can't believe we still have to talk about in this day and age. Gay marriage. Legalization of marijuana. But I lean more to the center on most other things. Though I believe there is a lot of racism in the country (no worse than most other nations), I think the current wokist ideals at their heart include a lot of racial grift and liberal profiteering. Indoctrination of children into believing they are racists at heart and their reading of way too many Twitter posts on the issues are making them do things they will one day regret. I mean, those dicks don't grow back after you cut them off. </p><p>The regular Roll20 campaign I've been doing for months does not seem to have especially woke players, though I don't try to test them on it. But I have tried a couple of campaigns that were nonstarters that were made up of folk heavy on the pronouns. It's bad enough that in a lot of cases off the Roll20 forums you will get people who want to go by nicknames that are awkward for me to call them, like Morpheus, Goat Cheese, or Sucknuts, but toss in an endless variety of pronouns and it starts to get kind of surreal. I'm open to learning more about people, but for games I just want to call people Mary or Joe as our campaigns roll along. DMing can be stressful enough without worrying that using the terms "He" or "She" might be taken as ignorance. </p><p>Again, whatevs. I'm accepting of le differance. When I left SoCal I had a transgender neighbor, and she was the first person who called me when I moved to a new state to see how I was doing. My friendship there sort of opened my eyes to more acceptance of differences. </p><p>But the long and short of it is I just want to run a game that is fun for all. I don't want all these worries of the real-world intruding. I want orcs to be nasty and evil, and I want everybody to hate them. Even other orcs. </p><p>YMMV. Cheers. </p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-76050591920771768702022-11-13T20:54:00.002-08:002022-11-13T20:54:45.957-08:00Apple Lane Again and Again<p> </p><p>Over the years I have <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2215377602209492275/1083552984222276856">posted </a>about my use of the old Runequest Apple Lane setting. <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2215377602209492275/4535688731467865079">Multiple </a>times. For both its intended Glorantha setting, and my D&D homebrew world. Some names get changed up, and other details (mostly to prevent internet lookups by players), but basically present it as is. I renamed the town "Lemon Tree," for example. </p><p>This is a location in my world that runs on <a href="https://draft.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/2215377602209492275/3435739680479570366">Negative Continuity</a>. In other words, different players have gone there again and again over the decades, and only minor changes will be there, usually left over from the previous campaigns. Like when a female character married a major NPC. But most things just do a soft reboot. The Pawnshop gets assaulted on the full moon again and again. Sometimes by baboons, sometimes by orcs. Or in the recent games. Vaishino, a type of serpent people introduced in Magic the Gathering. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpftkzdtEvHCoa8oujvA09FbuW1X1AV_PJq5FiWaru4ZfvTCnTLmBl4iqFd4_p6m6F5rSxTPmfuqTcumPNYcpdpLXIvnAZtljQGuu7PtTGT2T6gTndDukyrPH4l-7nXr4YRnLfaKedrHOvHl4Fs4en93Wz4SnZ23NF2iJpjVyanHCUw7w_btWKuTQQ_g/s394/serpentblue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpftkzdtEvHCoa8oujvA09FbuW1X1AV_PJq5FiWaru4ZfvTCnTLmBl4iqFd4_p6m6F5rSxTPmfuqTcumPNYcpdpLXIvnAZtljQGuu7PtTGT2T6gTndDukyrPH4l-7nXr4YRnLfaKedrHOvHl4Fs4en93Wz4SnZ23NF2iJpjVyanHCUw7w_btWKuTQQ_g/s320/serpentblue.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0B09q8vOUbikQdxYO3EuFae2609EI8E-FmysdjiXhMWdfePydHELtqR1F5E7M174-JUt5JdbJfA40cGTOciir8mIOYNwHny5NoG-Py41mmucL6FcdsRr8vY_ahagi3t9DxcXkzSR-2XU5YdrqIDTEndvCPe8X6csmylTJPyhSO8iPxs1Fd5_OcQhaTQ/s256/Satass.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0B09q8vOUbikQdxYO3EuFae2609EI8E-FmysdjiXhMWdfePydHELtqR1F5E7M174-JUt5JdbJfA40cGTOciir8mIOYNwHny5NoG-Py41mmucL6FcdsRr8vY_ahagi3t9DxcXkzSR-2XU5YdrqIDTEndvCPe8X6csmylTJPyhSO8iPxs1Fd5_OcQhaTQ/s1600/Satass.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>I was looking for something new to for the Pawnshop Scenario, and stumbled across these fierce reptilians. I imagined them easily being able to scramble up walls and across the roof of the shop.</p><p>I had designed the entire campaign to lead up to the Pawnshop scenario, followed by the Rainbow Mounds. A couple of the characters at chargen came up with an NPC, Billy, a fellow villager they grew up with. They would be going out in the world to look for him, armed with only a few clues. Intending to lead up to the Rainbow Mounds, I would put Billy in there, captured and charmed by Adorra, an Enchantress NPC who got involved with previous characters in another campaign almost 10 years ago and got magically trapped within the mounds. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dMcZIP8CzZx7R8EUM8J4bL542uGbsUloRgXENNNT816EtAarsY_1LalgvE_WFwrxgvrl-UnwPUT5yzrYg5q5c-XrrfxzttuXdvfX_LcEi4s7ipPrLfHqgIPOmn5fkJXlnADu1ESAqJHBs-blCCMdlhdcss4CuWso9s2w1X_bVyz21u8VPJCpHVybiw/s389/Enchantress_(Marvel_Comics)_art_by_Jo_Chen.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dMcZIP8CzZx7R8EUM8J4bL542uGbsUloRgXENNNT816EtAarsY_1LalgvE_WFwrxgvrl-UnwPUT5yzrYg5q5c-XrrfxzttuXdvfX_LcEi4s7ipPrLfHqgIPOmn5fkJXlnADu1ESAqJHBs-blCCMdlhdcss4CuWso9s2w1X_bVyz21u8VPJCpHVybiw/s320/Enchantress_(Marvel_Comics)_art_by_Jo_Chen.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br /><p>Anyway, the campaign, which I called "Trade and Turpitude", was mostly up to this point a caravan guarding series of games, leading up to the characters being dropped off in Apple Lane, uh, I mean Lemon Tree.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R0AF07JGoO-FatLZq3sCpLtmMS-_iUdG04V-08C-AcThLj85_gldS9_SPalfDrDR8qcg6_iZt95LKzAHVhg2HI-3VrZC6KRp_7IAtwhmGiUSBK9AZpn2noyoQky9ywj0RXDoRehNY_4pklIZt2xBnnh4d4AntBu8ytxf96jv2ONdFP_WzeqcTetS9Q/s650/lemon%20grove.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="433" data-original-width="650" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2R0AF07JGoO-FatLZq3sCpLtmMS-_iUdG04V-08C-AcThLj85_gldS9_SPalfDrDR8qcg6_iZt95LKzAHVhg2HI-3VrZC6KRp_7IAtwhmGiUSBK9AZpn2noyoQky9ywj0RXDoRehNY_4pklIZt2xBnnh4d4AntBu8ytxf96jv2ONdFP_WzeqcTetS9Q/s320/lemon%20grove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>With the Pawshop encounter being the showpiece at this point in the campaign, I wanted to work up to it. I placed Lemon Tree in the Eastern Highands of the southern shires (in previous campaigns I was not calling the area highlands yet) and I wanted the area to have a decidedly Glorantha flavor. People almost living in a bronze age, and worshipping older gods not usually associated with the Kingdom. So Issaries, the trade god the pawship owner worships, or the Sheriffs deity Orlanth, are influential in this area. It's part of the kingdom, but no tax collector ever comes to call. </p><p>The Pawnshop encounter went well, I think, though it took 3 sessions to finish. For reasons I think I might explore in my next post, the PC's came into the evening pretty beat up from several encounters that day. Also, the encounter also involved the NPC's <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/07/two-new-subclasses-voor-dwarf-and.html">Relanis and Demul</a> who I have mentioned before. the party is very divided about these NPC's, so as always they added a little extra tension. It was a hard fight, probably the toughest I've done for the pawnshop encounter, over several games, but they won. </p><p>I love that I can go online and find pretty decent maps of the area and the pawnshop. This was my first time doing it electronically. All the others were of course done on grease mats. That was always a lot of work.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiuDWrZkbMOR43XQFuYepY-1ZsQliBVmGp01LKUZHTPj3ZI7e3VfLNuLfpC6QkDDudKQHI2bb3B8Jn-PMGQtJoWOaeac5CasYBHLxuvDzH0ybn0b6wwGMlK-wNh-V0yubrkOP_z3PXbR0IE53BexPHVTDmDY_79mqroevsEOSDyXoe6znfSjkXSSarQ/s1280/pawnshop.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiiuDWrZkbMOR43XQFuYepY-1ZsQliBVmGp01LKUZHTPj3ZI7e3VfLNuLfpC6QkDDudKQHI2bb3B8Jn-PMGQtJoWOaeac5CasYBHLxuvDzH0ybn0b6wwGMlK-wNh-V0yubrkOP_z3PXbR0IE53BexPHVTDmDY_79mqroevsEOSDyXoe6znfSjkXSSarQ/s320/pawnshop.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I added all the numbers...</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH2NOVUPZ_QT4CLvQltsCZUlRiE1TMy5_OcuF4h1uAVyrOEM_OfegJrSBg8IPTumzGJt1Cddlf2lzomlndR3BGwb7P1h2CfGGqQm4QyXztILrf3khF1tK_Q1oY3zl_yQLtWY-zP2yHeZDY7GzjQzHhb90ddMj6nID-EmPuDtOyRUOn9-6ykxLJy70yA/s1280/lemontree.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUH2NOVUPZ_QT4CLvQltsCZUlRiE1TMy5_OcuF4h1uAVyrOEM_OfegJrSBg8IPTumzGJt1Cddlf2lzomlndR3BGwb7P1h2CfGGqQm4QyXztILrf3khF1tK_Q1oY3zl_yQLtWY-zP2yHeZDY7GzjQzHhb90ddMj6nID-EmPuDtOyRUOn9-6ykxLJy70yA/s320/lemontree.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"come visit relaxing Apple La...um, Lemon Tree"<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Cheers<br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-52745208091563509602022-11-06T14:42:00.001-08:002022-11-07T21:39:33.509-08:00The Encounter that what was meant to suck, but Didn't<p> Besides my regular Roll20 campaign, "Trade and Turpitude," I've been doing a little campaign for my besties every few weeks. My old Friend and player "T" back in Los Angeles, and the younger couple who sort of adopted me when I moved to a new state, "B and L." I met them when they were looking for a DM to start a campaign, and when that campaign ended after maybe 15 sessions, I stayed friends with them because in all honesty they were the only players I didn't pretty much hate. Heh. And they were so good to me, I held on to them like grim death. They spend most of the year on the road travelling the country but were recently visiting town for a couple weeks. They took me to a couple of great shows, a showing of Ghostbusters with full orchestra lead by Elmer Bernstein's son, and a local theater doing Evil Dead the Musical. </p><p>But while they are on the road we do some online stuff. Like digital Talisman, and now some Roll20.</p><p>I love B and L, but they are not what you would call outgoing players. They are fairly reserved. At least compared to my regular players in the other campaign. So after a couple of games in the campaign I showed them a "50 character questions" thing my player Mary gave everybody in the other campaign. Just basic things to flesh out a character. I even use it for some NPC's. I thought it would help B and L get a better handle on their characters, allowing them to be more at ease with basic role-playing. </p><p>After a few weeks they hadn't done it. So I decided to "punish" them. Not really, but I thought I might put them through the ringer with a heavy role-playing situation that would test them, and maybe open them up a bit. But like a lot of chances a DM takes, it might well suck. But the point was to get them to come out a bit. I'm not looking for community theater, but its more fun if players can improv a bit with you. </p><p>So I was going to be using a free Roll20 adventure for an easy-going session. It's called The Festival of Emerelda. It comes with a map of a whimsical fairground. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3JgO5bFsTeKVeXf3B5Yj22c1niq3XpmOnSnbVWVLzUtxqzI2SpCkf-dawFOpqf16Vm11qN9IWI0Mk6wg0drDC-sthbeVZTCggZl4G_WKfqPLSZlb4J6KPeuJpeXD6chiVY8s0IvrGiaNZAA8vpGBYeaRkbK56ElDd6MtDY8S7IFX6GXS5LcXZslYcg/s285/festival.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="177" height="390" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC3JgO5bFsTeKVeXf3B5Yj22c1niq3XpmOnSnbVWVLzUtxqzI2SpCkf-dawFOpqf16Vm11qN9IWI0Mk6wg0drDC-sthbeVZTCggZl4G_WKfqPLSZlb4J6KPeuJpeXD6chiVY8s0IvrGiaNZAA8vpGBYeaRkbK56ElDd6MtDY8S7IFX6GXS5LcXZslYcg/w242-h390/festival.jpg" width="242" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOanR7YCsVd4qncthYECYHKVoI31Jwvsp7Wa1ViIoCXrlgyiEsC9n-da215cvHFV2Tr3asjsniguwhrzSbM8XiOJsY39dF5hhgh9diUNxOGx-g6feC0w6wq9IETng3vVszPl7Eatn9_q2YPy2P_ntB_YScwurGpRL61SirqdycjEn2PRTYS03Cjot2Q/s225/Esmerelda%20witch.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAOanR7YCsVd4qncthYECYHKVoI31Jwvsp7Wa1ViIoCXrlgyiEsC9n-da215cvHFV2Tr3asjsniguwhrzSbM8XiOJsY39dF5hhgh9diUNxOGx-g6feC0w6wq9IETng3vVszPl7Eatn9_q2YPy2P_ntB_YScwurGpRL61SirqdycjEn2PRTYS03Cjot2Q/s1600/Esmerelda%20witch.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Not a lot of content is there. The most obvious are some audio tracks featuring the halfling witch Emerelda and some of the festival event barkers, but they don't work great. In one instance uploading the tracks deleted all the other tracks in my Roll20 jukebox. </p><p>As far as the festival, the contests involving drinking, arm wrestling, and other things were not really working for me as far as the rules and presentation of the games. But I mostly made up my own rules that suited me. The map has some things, like an owlbear chained up with a food bowl, and some Griffons in a pen, all things you can wing it to have some fun with. What interested me was a tent with a couples game, A Suitors Claim. The rules didn’t tickle me for this, so I decided to change it up, and at the same time put my reluctant role-players on the spot with it. </p><p>T was running a fairly outgoing bard, but I would make an example of B and L. I would put them into this heavy role-play contest as a trial by fire. I decided to make it like a 70's dating game show. The party was divided up by two males and two females, so it was perfect. They were split into two sides and they would have to ask questions of each other. The audience would be played by me, and my reaction to the questions and answers would dictate the couple that would finally win. </p><p>Each one of them got 5 questions of varying levels of intimacy, and each character would choose 3 of them to ask. Here are some examples of the questions I came up with:</p><p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman"; line-height: normal;"> </span><i><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></span></b></i></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">do you still
have feelings for any of your exes? Tell me about it. </span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What's the worst advice someone else has ever
given you?</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you
think happens when you die?</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Get up and Dance
like your life depends on it for one minute.</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-position: normal; font-variant: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Lick a bar of
soap.</span></b></i></span><o:p></o:p></p><br /><p></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 27pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Describe
the weirdest thing you've ever done while inebriated or impassioned</span><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 27pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What's one
thing in your life you wish you could change?</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 27pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">What's something
you've done that you'd judge someone else for doing?</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p><p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 27pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b><span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;">Put on
womens clothing and walk through the crowd</span><o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p><p>
<span style="background-color: white; background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Eat a teaspoon of mustard</b></i></span></span></p><p><br /></p><p>I found a jazzy lounge type music in the jukebox to go along with the game. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f7D5xpdAyjE" width="320" youtube-src-id="f7D5xpdAyjE"></iframe></div><br /><p>And it was on. So, I figured B and L would hem and haw and have a tough time with the improv. I imagined I would be cutting it off in 10 minutes, B and L having learned that they need to get more in touch with their characters just for the sake of role play. I mean, not so much to interact with me, but at least all the players need to be able to communicate openly with each other in rpgs. I got it going and was prepared for it to bomb. </p><p>Here's the crazy thing. It didn't. OK, B was kind of hesitant. His male sorcerer was teamed up with Evador the female cleric, an outgoing rich girl. Seeing that B's shy sorcerer was having trouble with the questions, she assured him it was alright. She asked him the less embarrassing questions, not worried about winning the 50 GP prize money. This seemed to kind of spark an understanding between the two. Still, B rose to the occasion a bit, nicely answering a question about the most embarrassing thing he did drunk (getting naked on a chilly hunting trip).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYmrJTXb6BXrBMF3mSwZRkB-uGpylSgZGXrUu81K3UvMYKXe6bDjdDJqyZcPj-jWdoNdEEGcV55_1d-pCwYmb91TGBYcaJLRa0ShkarNkPj0AKugqZzXUHQx8_DIudWYnWtRlzoODYZnJgzGVSuiGZiO22XjSI0dBEqI3LQmUqCWOoOxU-xci9zp7vQ/s256/leslietoken.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFYmrJTXb6BXrBMF3mSwZRkB-uGpylSgZGXrUu81K3UvMYKXe6bDjdDJqyZcPj-jWdoNdEEGcV55_1d-pCwYmb91TGBYcaJLRa0ShkarNkPj0AKugqZzXUHQx8_DIudWYnWtRlzoODYZnJgzGVSuiGZiO22XjSI0dBEqI3LQmUqCWOoOxU-xci9zp7vQ/s1600/leslietoken.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSUlK3Lv0oW3uFX8COyx2HM4EGL9W1cNONlm9-13WHoQ3D-uqsBYDhLGxur4e6d48ByQXBGEWZUwobpiMsMMGLrhRkDzZ5XUenGiz5VFDRb9C8beJ8Denvy8ByrvIOSA0EiQmEHuqGTwpww929iFx6m3npPJri4WPQqebEU5hZt08E0BGCTH7niXG7A/s256/clericfemale.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXSUlK3Lv0oW3uFX8COyx2HM4EGL9W1cNONlm9-13WHoQ3D-uqsBYDhLGxur4e6d48ByQXBGEWZUwobpiMsMMGLrhRkDzZ5XUenGiz5VFDRb9C8beJ8Denvy8ByrvIOSA0EiQmEHuqGTwpww929iFx6m3npPJri4WPQqebEU5hZt08E0BGCTH7niXG7A/s1600/clericfemale.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrxPzU30HxF-xLruvxLLkJyS0gXaCLEaYyz79WWzNOXaCcJMIdQGQeS1Nn8qkBznrIBanwRwg80PKSUv4nl64gJRO0BHu3I_QaTzMb9tJpBgDzbWIvVGLZcVL0lwBb-R6IV4XP2IVA2EXhlOlO10T1mPOiTsFy12Yg-IF4rl8spaRtGn-YM7jX2X0lA/s256/billtoken.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKrxPzU30HxF-xLruvxLLkJyS0gXaCLEaYyz79WWzNOXaCcJMIdQGQeS1Nn8qkBznrIBanwRwg80PKSUv4nl64gJRO0BHu3I_QaTzMb9tJpBgDzbWIvVGLZcVL0lwBb-R6IV4XP2IVA2EXhlOlO10T1mPOiTsFy12Yg-IF4rl8spaRtGn-YM7jX2X0lA/s1600/billtoken.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4O0r5jCZhQLLOUhtjg8kchx0nUSMQ1ZMg_nttqKG1v4U0tVn1UYQDWRj1HFDdTCvr6Ropg5OCqCbNSO4GlJ8ShZVeMp0qh6D0cr28qrf4pX3sY1DbWFgu8CK-ErPp9N5rugdqtLucUs24YEqtC66g0gZnb4-Zs8W5v_eiOEwzhL0ecdEidw4UYV94lQ/s256/nicole.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="256" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4O0r5jCZhQLLOUhtjg8kchx0nUSMQ1ZMg_nttqKG1v4U0tVn1UYQDWRj1HFDdTCvr6Ropg5OCqCbNSO4GlJ8ShZVeMp0qh6D0cr28qrf4pX3sY1DbWFgu8CK-ErPp9N5rugdqtLucUs24YEqtC66g0gZnb4-Zs8W5v_eiOEwzhL0ecdEidw4UYV94lQ/s1600/nicole.png" width="256" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>T and L were far more outgoing. T was running her beautiful Elvish bard Xanthia, and L was running her male elf ranger Myrnigan, a character she created as being very dumb but a bit of a womanizer. With those traits I really wanted L to come out of shyness closet with this character, and with the help of Xanthia she did. Myrnigan and Xanthia asked each other the most challenging questions, and asked each other to perform outrageous acts, like duck quacking and dancing around for a minute. "Lick this bar of soap." They had such great fun with this and were highly entertaining. They of course won the prize. </p><p>So what was supposed to be a minor encounter that bombed, this ended up taking most of the three-hour session! I never expected B and L to enjoy a game with almost no action, but they loved it. I tested them and they passed with flying colors despite my expectations. </p><p>I take chances with sessions here and there over the years, doing something that I know has a decent chance of bombing, but it is so satisfying when your fears turn out to be unfounded. And in this case especially, a couple of reserved players came out of their shells a bit. Gotta love it. </p><p>Cheers</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-18088769468048633492022-10-09T21:53:00.002-07:002022-10-09T21:54:33.404-07:00Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild part 2<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOzuT6X1mX6UF1MOIO7Bm0W-wNhr6jNCIQO8tlRBj6U5a82iu0yNPTa48vEpKTJNOmBoLaNykGUtzgd6Ct6UTPI2oM7_2s_ujX2jyiCvKsef5dlhP8FFuGD-tsOGoFJFWiE7hCj63QgB0fmv_FeZeMOaRqT6Q9SLn2HozQ9FUSpXI5u-n5HoTOzTvOQ/s372/zeldaclimb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="372" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgOzuT6X1mX6UF1MOIO7Bm0W-wNhr6jNCIQO8tlRBj6U5a82iu0yNPTa48vEpKTJNOmBoLaNykGUtzgd6Ct6UTPI2oM7_2s_ujX2jyiCvKsef5dlhP8FFuGD-tsOGoFJFWiE7hCj63QgB0fmv_FeZeMOaRqT6Q9SLn2HozQ9FUSpXI5u-n5HoTOzTvOQ/s320/zeldaclimb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/09/nintendo-switch-and-breath-of-wild-part.html">Last post</a> I was talking about pushing the button on buying a Nintendo Switch. And like a lot of people a large part of why I got it was to play Zelda: Breath of the Wild, an exclusive to the portable console. </p><p>Is it worth over 400 bucks (including two games and two years of Geek Squad coverage, because there is a good chance you are going to drop the thing at some point) for Zelda alone? Of course not. I imagine there will be times I will want to play it on the road somewhere, or just lazing in bed playing it in travel mode after getting the coffee brewed. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Rp_goL_sYrdWiphINcr64eBiML98lauRtKJ6xK_hDhUBZdPH3Ks0E7n25GxgUKFK3_PiaxM8zgNGahSViFlaQql03ROouToWA2379NsRaBBmm3MwOD8-N6RSdTMfVM-hKL8l7qZaoLwsZ1Xunz5bSbDj8bWdRMfuQ1uNiEwPLv-a0o8oCAVQHigF0w/s500/satinegif3.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Rp_goL_sYrdWiphINcr64eBiML98lauRtKJ6xK_hDhUBZdPH3Ks0E7n25GxgUKFK3_PiaxM8zgNGahSViFlaQql03ROouToWA2379NsRaBBmm3MwOD8-N6RSdTMfVM-hKL8l7qZaoLwsZ1Xunz5bSbDj8bWdRMfuQ1uNiEwPLv-a0o8oCAVQHigF0w/s320/satinegif3.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>There is a wealth of games you can get on it. But the two games I got was Breath of the Wild and Cuphead. Cuphead is a simple side scroller that is the kind of thing I think works best on this gimmick. </p><p>Breath is another story altogether. It's a huge open world. Lush and vibrant. Well, it's not as bright and colorful as something like Elder Scrolls Online. It's a very little bit washed out in appearance. Almost kind of like the type of cell shading animation in the Borderlands games. But there is a lot to see, up close and on the horizon. A big screen TV helps with the experience. It's a massive open world, and at times kind of empty. Lonely, in a good way. You really want to take it all in, and that is hard on a small screen. When combat gets hectic, or you are working big moving puzzles in the shrines, it just feels kind of tight on the small screen. I think games like Skyrim are available, so this will be a common decision. Should I play this in handheld mode or save it for the TV?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lw1oD18MIVoXWsMog_i71g3gThrTfKzv1UcOJbDTJwcSv0VMMGOhQCoLrj4A3G21LPPLIK2Mb_N4f4IGtzBZeUS2u2vXcy7dbYzs0YpBTnMhbMRBd_8JUZ50BeVEfx5SMGK6jNtAxMhz9yoJt0PBAGB8uRVLkzDljicP1VniOycmsympSb6t4D0jlw/s427/zelda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="427" height="199" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2lw1oD18MIVoXWsMog_i71g3gThrTfKzv1UcOJbDTJwcSv0VMMGOhQCoLrj4A3G21LPPLIK2Mb_N4f4IGtzBZeUS2u2vXcy7dbYzs0YpBTnMhbMRBd_8JUZ50BeVEfx5SMGK6jNtAxMhz9yoJt0PBAGB8uRVLkzDljicP1VniOycmsympSb6t4D0jlw/s320/zelda.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Still, there is plenty that works on the console screen. Resource collecting in an area with uncomplicated enemy types is fine. So lazing in bed on the weekend with the small screen might require a bit of timing. But it would only be a few minutes before something epic is going on and you'll want to be in front of the TV. </p><p>One of the things that really tickles me is all the nods to old Zeldas. I only ever played the original Zelda game (not just in the dark past but there is a copy on my old Wii). But most of the monster types, and sound cues, harken right back to the old days. But of course updated. Such as the Zora. In old Zelda they were basically big ugly demon fish heads that came up out of the water to spit a rock at you. But here they are dolphin people. And they are strangely attractive in some ways (maybe just in my sick mind). At one point they will give you dolphin armor that lets you zip up tall waterfalls. It won't help you from drowning during swimming moments. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJ6t0GEKrOb4NLUc2fMRWlUPSDIK_xj2WDtJF1VccCyWOYLDl4pNipn6x8vtfUbR_IeSrFQOGx9rnVTG71l70ZjjPlNUKyd4dKg1fgMVymg_VcAFkxDoWFHb6AjOnVjQHagtjYQp9XBZEJczddfnWdmQr9gsSkFcZdtr9D8jkZi-q0E-qTYxskR9IdQ/s394/zora.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="279" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvJ6t0GEKrOb4NLUc2fMRWlUPSDIK_xj2WDtJF1VccCyWOYLDl4pNipn6x8vtfUbR_IeSrFQOGx9rnVTG71l70ZjjPlNUKyd4dKg1fgMVymg_VcAFkxDoWFHb6AjOnVjQHagtjYQp9XBZEJczddfnWdmQr9gsSkFcZdtr9D8jkZi-q0E-qTYxskR9IdQ/s320/zora.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So, Link in this game awakes from a 100-year slumber to find himself on a big plateau area. Naked and unarmed, he soon finds at least a shirt and pants, and very early on in this game you will be using branches to fight monsters with. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs0L7dU1CRM70jmHdzKC9emCF7NuLl841sRg-b_y_xJyA4rvu2-Ia8n2RrFX71DZAPYXQGkLS0JDFpF4xq2uKbkqS6-vx-6dWHBSdnjT5HULsdEmGFRoKzJvWA4mjuvhznDh_TFtxu1-9zdPiOp-3OGmhPcRfVGzqt_EQdME91DCgnvvOQmDE3dVjnA/s426/zelda%20plateau.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="426" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZs0L7dU1CRM70jmHdzKC9emCF7NuLl841sRg-b_y_xJyA4rvu2-Ia8n2RrFX71DZAPYXQGkLS0JDFpF4xq2uKbkqS6-vx-6dWHBSdnjT5HULsdEmGFRoKzJvWA4mjuvhznDh_TFtxu1-9zdPiOp-3OGmhPcRfVGzqt_EQdME91DCgnvvOQmDE3dVjnA/s320/zelda%20plateau.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Plateau from afar<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Unable to leave the plateau, even though at points you will see the vast lands below, you wander around getting your adventure legs going. You spend several hours exploring the area. Turns out its the games brilliant way of getting you to practice all the skills you will rely heavily on later. Weapons, combat, running, climbing, foraging, using cooking fires, etc. And this is where you first learn of the shrines. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AtWZL8IHolXG1vnpn5lBfKR56C0-nSbcagCxltxsanDvNeLT4Dd16EGKI03VTKaj0ZBCY3q4G_a8elcgpQ2bsXhXqiCCy7QbSHZtvYVZc4PEm2-Z6yCeNj6MxS7rx2it4mQ55eeZz5keObsC9coPICB0aIR-qyalektRwhTUNGiuoBEJIhOFQKF6ng/s402/zeldashrine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="214" data-original-width="402" height="170" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9AtWZL8IHolXG1vnpn5lBfKR56C0-nSbcagCxltxsanDvNeLT4Dd16EGKI03VTKaj0ZBCY3q4G_a8elcgpQ2bsXhXqiCCy7QbSHZtvYVZc4PEm2-Z6yCeNj6MxS7rx2it4mQ55eeZz5keObsC9coPICB0aIR-qyalektRwhTUNGiuoBEJIhOFQKF6ng/s320/zeldashrine.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>The shrines are one of the most important locations in the game. There is no grinding for XP in this. Instead, Hearts (health/HP) and Stamina are mostly gained through completing shrines. There are around 120 scattered around the lands, and often you can be alerted to one being nearby by the Slate you get early iun the game. It's basically an iPhone that has various functions, including shrine detection. </p><p>Once in a shrine, you will usually have to face some challenge, either an elaborate puzzle, or a fight with mechanical guardians of various power levels. Finish the shrine and you will be awarded a Spirit orb. Get 4 of these and you can gain a heart or a stamina.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNK0qgQh27nbHROzeZyY-XtU0j6ITM-fZEtUI0aM8h2BNorLBWiUhmKeigkNzvdFz-58xZe2MycsPCFMxTKuV_0tU-5v5NxTV1G5zBBrgSzrGXwrdo8dyvkY8O58Qp9SWYg6JWnSCXbaK9n3vp9M3hk_KhJwQNbB6j79Hpn1ritv9M7YD-jqZWZ7fVg/s418/zeldashrineinside.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="418" height="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhNK0qgQh27nbHROzeZyY-XtU0j6ITM-fZEtUI0aM8h2BNorLBWiUhmKeigkNzvdFz-58xZe2MycsPCFMxTKuV_0tU-5v5NxTV1G5zBBrgSzrGXwrdo8dyvkY8O58Qp9SWYg6JWnSCXbaK9n3vp9M3hk_KhJwQNbB6j79Hpn1ritv9M7YD-jqZWZ7fVg/s320/zeldashrineinside.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>It turns out stamina is about as important as hearts. You use stamina to run, swim, and climb. And you will climb A LOT in this game. Cliffs and mountain areas are abundant, and some areas will not be accessible until you have gotten enough stamina to climb them. Items, such as a climb-bonus head rag will assist. </p><p>Towers also have an importance. There are several big land areas, each with a tower more or less centrally located within it. There are times you can look around and see up to 3 or 4 towers in the distance. They are very tall. And much like the shrines, they glow at night, so they are easy to see. In order to reveal a land area on your map, you need to climb one of these towers. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes there are guards or other things to hinder you. It always feels like an accomplishment to get to the top of one of these. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1rpXhWtbYvw7bU0UjiY389SATZ4_PKgb9jjUhdY2kPM-2LBmXuSJxSTfJr3UW1rkX7ee-8LypLQ9U9QM_86rMWe7xOWFXT04fEs1sp1QV4msaI4BP7kyy-NMTF3k88p5vhZoPzZWu5Pm4fK2LJhXJTn_fxDgQ2w-GFlyS4W1aoCPi3_C_7pkju1FHQ/s436/zeldatower2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="436" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja1rpXhWtbYvw7bU0UjiY389SATZ4_PKgb9jjUhdY2kPM-2LBmXuSJxSTfJr3UW1rkX7ee-8LypLQ9U9QM_86rMWe7xOWFXT04fEs1sp1QV4msaI4BP7kyy-NMTF3k88p5vhZoPzZWu5Pm4fK2LJhXJTn_fxDgQ2w-GFlyS4W1aoCPi3_C_7pkju1FHQ/s320/zeldatower2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJQh4_OOHVz2uPoVdcozmi1fZBIQu3HTOEQBNKn56Eus9BtOKzIe6ihfZXCjPKd98HczSOAKbhNugzqowCoRnyNsZ0L_GDCzmYdNkeTWs1l2wPCzz0IZlNAhXFwYxhyMwzLk103I7QQcTFlkUag9OE5GKaYq6_EJXhMo19imS0nsDB2dIEeZk49ngRw/s411/zeldatower.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="411" height="193" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkJQh4_OOHVz2uPoVdcozmi1fZBIQu3HTOEQBNKn56Eus9BtOKzIe6ihfZXCjPKd98HczSOAKbhNugzqowCoRnyNsZ0L_GDCzmYdNkeTWs1l2wPCzz0IZlNAhXFwYxhyMwzLk103I7QQcTFlkUag9OE5GKaYq6_EJXhMo19imS0nsDB2dIEeZk49ngRw/s320/zeldatower.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>One of the most outstanding items in the game is the Glider. You will get this from an old hermit a few short hours into the game on the plateau, and it's how you can finally leave that area. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIqppiOPGCl9PUl4kYNXlggS_UZZGpr4LwTU0LgIBgG0px_cq30OqoODPFF1CcDbRT1rgrg3NI_sfy0O1U8GoWll5hmwBlbdD2crUkOq42biTtRyPcOIZpEAOKLHaVyOy0aw_Nof7ZLNYNIr2XY1eC7FQLNoH3rLvaPe31j2gMCGDuvK0hIRkZl-UjA/s409/zeldaglider.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="409" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOIqppiOPGCl9PUl4kYNXlggS_UZZGpr4LwTU0LgIBgG0px_cq30OqoODPFF1CcDbRT1rgrg3NI_sfy0O1U8GoWll5hmwBlbdD2crUkOq42biTtRyPcOIZpEAOKLHaVyOy0aw_Nof7ZLNYNIr2XY1eC7FQLNoH3rLvaPe31j2gMCGDuvK0hIRkZl-UjA/s320/zeldaglider.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>It's an amzaing experience to use it, and it becomes part of your character. You will be gliding all over the place. You can fly off a tower and soar over the land or get to a high mountain top to sail over to another peak. It has its limits though. It uses stamina, so you need to look for a landing area before too long. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2gIyIBX1lReufH8Qgr7O5C64Xgv4g5wTOAkxWdmofL_SpZsAcQHE10rEbJ3Ptdy57LFCy-lpJnxdWEUYWfn4a2dctMQ5Ft7RwsnQVxYGLmgEUdKEBdhmbGesLLYtDOpSHwR1H4GAcfkzFRwGXtIiU9SIt35aVCfa9qKh8_N3VVP8XszZ9CMgyp0djg/s474/zeldaglide.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="474" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2gIyIBX1lReufH8Qgr7O5C64Xgv4g5wTOAkxWdmofL_SpZsAcQHE10rEbJ3Ptdy57LFCy-lpJnxdWEUYWfn4a2dctMQ5Ft7RwsnQVxYGLmgEUdKEBdhmbGesLLYtDOpSHwR1H4GAcfkzFRwGXtIiU9SIt35aVCfa9qKh8_N3VVP8XszZ9CMgyp0djg/s320/zeldaglide.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I won't get into spoiler territory, but there is a story behind all this, and a main quest. But I'm pretty much still in land exploring mode. After some two dozen hours into this, I'm nowhere near powerful enough to take on main quest challenges. </p><p><br /></p><p>So, off the top of my head here are things I love and hate about the game.</p><p><u>Love</u></p><p>The huge open world. It is fairly sparsely populated. There are villages scattered around the lands, where you can see a merchant or lodge a horse. But most of the land is unpopulated, other than monsters. Hills, meadows, woods, lakes, gulley's. But there are always resources to gather. Fruits, vegetables, wild game. Dozens of ingredients you can combine in a cooking fire to make a variety of restorative meals, often with special protections. The higher mountains are cold and you can freeze to death prior to gaining resistant clothing. But combing peppers with other foods can give you limited resistance. Cooking and discovering new meals are one of the simple joys of the game. Can make you hungry too. I'm usually already doing something while gaming that gives me the munchies but cooking up a hearty meal with things like crab, apple, acorns, and bananas can make you head for the kitchen real fast. </p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrkASsqLnhWeVJFjpenkHHNUU02VhstiHVZlxms7awQaIqaNksUT14bNBSBRw9c5P_c7ykGFozwib0jXYLB-SUrr2Dy_kw0n6kajIOySEH_3AchsqKrMNsQoJrUb0gcNTfrUJKjtmLEi0tAoMNrakPkvG5HQd-GAWAe-xppJpQI6de8KGxGtplY1p8Q/s500/zeldacook.gif" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="500" height="138" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisrkASsqLnhWeVJFjpenkHHNUU02VhstiHVZlxms7awQaIqaNksUT14bNBSBRw9c5P_c7ykGFozwib0jXYLB-SUrr2Dy_kw0n6kajIOySEH_3AchsqKrMNsQoJrUb0gcNTfrUJKjtmLEi0tAoMNrakPkvG5HQd-GAWAe-xppJpQI6de8KGxGtplY1p8Q/s320/zeldacook.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Hunting for shrines. A new shrine is never too far. Sometimes they are hidden behind a hill or on a mountain side, and seeking them out, maybe using your glider, is a total joy. </p><p>The combat. Simple and intuitive. Once you get to the point you can take on multiple foes' things get really good. </p><p>Day and night cycles. Days and nights pass quickly, maybe in about 10 minutes of real time. But they are distinct from each other. At night you can see less in the distance, but things like Shrines and Towers are lit up like Xmas trees. And at night there are more dangers. Things like Skeletons pop out to attack fairly often. If you don't want to waste valuable resources on that, you will try to find a village to lodge in, or to use a fire, to pass the time instantly to early morning. Every few nights this even called Blood Moon happens. It darts across the sky like a red eyeball, and in its wake all the monsters you have cleared out from places will return. Another nice touch, and something to be fearful of. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvWI99eFlvpU2r5HGHojLsZvFslfmNHBc1qrDRdmQMubnXO9tm_bI0DeHFTrFcqoVyu-OjtJZ-rBGV8T8F2jYYL144X4FVtxKPbdBqMid6LqU93CzdrcSzGSsHji39nhMDJYkzqx_mjrKsfvbgedyJQEWWxderCRS0r2sHIQOYYAZcSleXP3s6KihPw/s900/zelda%20blood%20moon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="738" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnvWI99eFlvpU2r5HGHojLsZvFslfmNHBc1qrDRdmQMubnXO9tm_bI0DeHFTrFcqoVyu-OjtJZ-rBGV8T8F2jYYL144X4FVtxKPbdBqMid6LqU93CzdrcSzGSsHji39nhMDJYkzqx_mjrKsfvbgedyJQEWWxderCRS0r2sHIQOYYAZcSleXP3s6KihPw/s320/zelda%20blood%20moon.jpg" width="262" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Powers. Early on in the game you will gain powers from your Slate to help you in various situations. You can use magnetism to bring a chest to you or make ice blocks on top of water to help you cross a river. And the bomb power is just so useful. From scattering enemies to revealing a hidden area behind rocks. It's just plain funso to blow shit up. Especially because those damn Bokoblins (a Zelda staple since the first game) like to store up barrels of explosives in their lairs. Even without the bomb a well places fire arrow will set them off. </p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jp34riZQbbmNwGV9Any3SjrPbhA6wcxRRx61g7nNk6GAC7dl48DGzMDlr51td35J2EOMXNU-_9TmXjzYakW_dKYfl_fHtQi7jLdhSnV6XL-Qdl40737Im3spaY3gXxg-DSYleEF8YAoKJSBwyQWbLFEg7bHiotz0GvOY4EDrNWTIEvgS9el6LO32wA/s700/zeldaslosions.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="394" data-original-width="700" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-Jp34riZQbbmNwGV9Any3SjrPbhA6wcxRRx61g7nNk6GAC7dl48DGzMDlr51td35J2EOMXNU-_9TmXjzYakW_dKYfl_fHtQi7jLdhSnV6XL-Qdl40737Im3spaY3gXxg-DSYleEF8YAoKJSBwyQWbLFEg7bHiotz0GvOY4EDrNWTIEvgS9el6LO32wA/s320/zeldaslosions.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p><br /></p><p>Korok Seeds. Every now and again when you pick up a stone or explore a secluded mountain top, a little Seed creature will pop out of nowhere and give you a Seed. These can be traded in for more inventory space. This really adds another element to the exploring. After a while you will explore a secluded mountain peak or tall treetop because you feel it's a good place for a seed creature to hide. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzQ57NypsBI7Y2GrAPmpwDVVWvL81HPMfK6QJYnErxLlblu_GK5Xqk9mtt7PoIcXkf3ZECXQUMrWRVyGndBlRP_z-n4wMbsj5wlQOE6kbjqvTKvCtsKdNDqKwx4k899Jhk8dhv91HlqCMZq53BOMo8ZnTyYEB3XLf6VtXs_Kk6Qz8brqcRrE-1jSbNw/s411/zeldaseed.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="411" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLzQ57NypsBI7Y2GrAPmpwDVVWvL81HPMfK6QJYnErxLlblu_GK5Xqk9mtt7PoIcXkf3ZECXQUMrWRVyGndBlRP_z-n4wMbsj5wlQOE6kbjqvTKvCtsKdNDqKwx4k899Jhk8dhv91HlqCMZq53BOMo8ZnTyYEB3XLf6VtXs_Kk6Qz8brqcRrE-1jSbNw/s320/zeldaseed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>I very truly love the open-ended nature of everything in this game. A true and fully realized sandbox. After the Plateau (and even during it) you are free to go in any direction. There are hints at first, but you are not at all required to explore any areas in any order. You find you own way. And your Slate powers can come in handy to perform a myriad of tasks. 5 years in and I understand people are still finding new ways to overcome challenges and exploration methods. </p><p><br /></p><p><u>Hate</u></p><p>Swimming. Early on you find that you do not have enough stamina to be in the water for more than a few seconds before you die. At first, I thought I was allergic to water or it was acid or something. Later when you build up your stamina it gets better, but at first, it's ridiculous. Even having gained more stamina a few times, I still drown it less than a minute in water. </p><p>Weapons breaking. You find weapons very often, even if it's just a branch or something. But all weapons are fragile as hell. They break constantly. Even magical seeming ones are good for around 5 hits. So, your weapon inventory will be constantly changing. You get sort of used to it, but I can't help feeling like everything is made of bronze or something. </p><p>The rain. All the fucking rain. It seems to rain about 60% of the time in this world. It adds a great atmosphere, but it really sucks when you are climbing. Rain makes you slip and slide down mountains and boulders. When its not raining you know it will be in a couple minutes. At the worst times, like you are high up on a cliff and a storm comes through and down you tumble. Its more annoying than challenging. You may find yourself on a ledge somewhere waiting 10 minutes in real time for the sun to come out. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6NDmC7xhMncMxfyjqcUESCJD14lukkPBd6CMuOmYGghzG8gqTm6mw-LYf04chFsWonRAgeJ_Vzph_dlkJ_OoZDhsUK-4XrCuNu2RimSIgW-XMtZbYI20enA_AiJD9EQNNHzUhn9hw2BTJHUPKV-utuxEiED43-eGoSb_2CpfeOxxOv_2zvlJiPAxxw/s397/zeldarain.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="266" data-original-width="397" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG6NDmC7xhMncMxfyjqcUESCJD14lukkPBd6CMuOmYGghzG8gqTm6mw-LYf04chFsWonRAgeJ_Vzph_dlkJ_OoZDhsUK-4XrCuNu2RimSIgW-XMtZbYI20enA_AiJD9EQNNHzUhn9hw2BTJHUPKV-utuxEiED43-eGoSb_2CpfeOxxOv_2zvlJiPAxxw/s320/zeldarain.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>There is a sequel coming out, and though I may be a year away from finishing this one, I hope they tighten up some of these annoyances. But despite them, I am fully all in on this. It can be a really relaxing experience, outside of those crazy combat moments. It for sure is going to remain in my top ten all-time favorites for a long time.</p><p>Cheers</p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-72091718165005406712022-09-25T14:39:00.003-07:002022-09-25T14:45:13.668-07:00Nintendo Switch and Breath of the Wild part 1<p> </p><p>A portable console? I never really felt I needed one. My early progression was Nintendo consoles (I had one about when <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2021/06/elder-scrolls-games-and-elder-scrolls.html">Super Mario 3</a> came out in the early 90's), to Genesis, to PlayStation, to PlayStation 2, and on to being an XBOX guy with the 360 and now to the latest XBOX. . </p><p>In recent years when away from home I was happy to play Poker on my iPhone or iPad when the moments were free. For about 10 years I have loved to play Governor of Poker, a great app. I started with 2, and they are on GOP 3 the last few years. In 2 you just played the computer AI, but 3 introduced playing with people from around the world. It actually seems to encourage trash talking and flirting. Fun for quick 10-minute breaks. </p><p>And hell, I don't find the time to play on my consoles as much as I would like. It was the rare game that had me playing more than a couple hours a week. But there were great loves that had me going 6 hours a week or more. Final Fantasy 7. The Resident Evil games. Fallout 3. </p><p>But in recent times I have been watching a lot of G4 and IGN and other video game related channels, content on Pluto TV streaming. Most of the programs are years old (besides G4 which is on a relaunch year, and just laid off most of their office and on camera people, including the odious <a href="https://templeofdemogorgon.blogspot.com/2022/06/g4s-return-sexism-claims-and-d.html">FROSK</a>), but I still like to watch. Nobody talks much about the Nintendo Switch lately, but it did come out half a decade ago. But the content on some of these channels is years old. And this year I have seen a lot of talk about Switch, albeit, again, from a few years ago. And some of these older bits included one of my current favorites, <u>Scott the Woz</u>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wG88GpI2hF0" width="320" youtube-src-id="wG88GpI2hF0"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Scott does pretty funny little video game review and history skits, and I became a fan right away. And Every year since the Switch came out, he does a segment on it based on its existence up to that time. And this went a long way to perk my interest enough to nab my own Switch. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/92F46l6vpRs" width="320" youtube-src-id="92F46l6vpRs"></iframe></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So then came the long road the last several months of getting one. Yeah, I hemmed and hawed with myself. I'm not broke or anything, but with a couple games and a couple years of Best Buy Geek Squad replacement was well or 400 bucks. But I worked hard, at a hospital, during the height of the pandemic when most of my county sat home on their asses collecting fat Biden bonus Unemployment checks, and felt I needed to start rewarding myself.</p><p>Regular versions were around. But I wanted the OLED, which has a bigger screen and couple other nice upgrades. Better speakers and such. But the OLED had to be ordered. It is a popular version, there was a shortage due to pandemic demand and chip shortages (thanks again, Sleepy Joe!), and this was something I needed to impulse buy. I'm not going to wait a week and a half. </p><p>This went on forever. But then it got a little better. Just a three- or four-day delay. I can have it by the weekend? Fuck yeah! I hit "buy." </p><p>I was excited when it showed up. I wish I had done an unboxing video or something. But you can still watch one. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MiPgCvSDblw" width="320" youtube-src-id="MiPgCvSDblw"></iframe></div><br /><p>Yeah, easy as pie. In less than a half hour I had a couple games downloaded. One was a scroller I had admired from afar for a couple years. It was Cuphead, a run and shoot side scroller that featured characters straight out of nightmarish old 1930's toons. It was originally a little indy game but got popular fast and you can find it in places like the XBOX game pass. And of course, in the Switch shop.</p><p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IrZxTS_eXLE" width="320" youtube-src-id="IrZxTS_eXLE"></iframe></div><br /><p>I got Cuphead to have a basic little game that does not need a big screen TV to enjoy (although it looks awesome on my 60 inch). This is what I would most likely play on a park bench or hotel room. But my epic game to enjoy at home would be the game most people buy the Switch to play. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Because I have a lot to say about this open world solo game, I'm going to do a part 2 about that in particular. But just a few words about the fun of the Switch console itself.<br /></p><p>Less than half the size of my iPad, it seems weird to think of it as a console. But that is what it is. Unlike your iPhone or iPad, it is designed purely for gaming. And it seems a powerful little thing. </p><p>The Switch surely gets the name for all the switching up you can do. First and foremost, the big feature is the portability of play, so out in the field you will play with the "joy Con" controller bits attached. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZyT7h6U0aYArKvK3ZFwGNsPSlBm_YktX-FJMYScBNXZE0YgWjQ04KAe755MEALWBu8tNk0ySUTRf8IK5MVMpcGdafpuW-vKUEO93-3Mc7JukrcJh_4F8kApIVQj7E5WzopWHvrirsvXkKXuyOLokf-_OHOf4RXs2Igoy9jEDiM2bBlFucp2GwyGB6g/s475/joycon2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="237" data-original-width="475" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZyT7h6U0aYArKvK3ZFwGNsPSlBm_YktX-FJMYScBNXZE0YgWjQ04KAe755MEALWBu8tNk0ySUTRf8IK5MVMpcGdafpuW-vKUEO93-3Mc7JukrcJh_4F8kApIVQj7E5WzopWHvrirsvXkKXuyOLokf-_OHOf4RXs2Igoy9jEDiM2bBlFucp2GwyGB6g/s320/joycon2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvVm2qf5TRx2P_B0ll8samzkk80EPk1n8663g52CnZZY0VR9rxlFPXyy66LlYr-K9EfRqVCbnWSe7cBTIzBJURx598ARqKvELOZfH2ZH4ViNGEr4zRTNNB5sHzPUjkM5MVOFrV5WEmpv614ZU4-eboXQ0tMiWjeCMRc49sKybJFLgXOYJUVHJULz-wg/s270/switchjoy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="267" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJvVm2qf5TRx2P_B0ll8samzkk80EPk1n8663g52CnZZY0VR9rxlFPXyy66LlYr-K9EfRqVCbnWSe7cBTIzBJURx598ARqKvELOZfH2ZH4ViNGEr4zRTNNB5sHzPUjkM5MVOFrV5WEmpv614ZU4-eboXQ0tMiWjeCMRc49sKybJFLgXOYJUVHJULz-wg/s1600/switchjoy.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><p>When you slide the joy Cons in, you get a satisfying electronic "snap" sound. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijup_vTMWF0R4fZ_pbZK-D5XdknZGIamyEfQDd6IKPbx3ZJ9gJdYTmj1vETtkz5nVIwie9mkgd3OWH_3EsHgqcWBHXXhGIPnEGb5DkNzTs2pqZGqlwVhnurWABx5jryce4N2gvVvllj5FEBJGV0PQDm6tJXxXTKfT6JBCXtr9SIXFeBaVPMQpX2zpw_g/s270/swtichsnap.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="259" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijup_vTMWF0R4fZ_pbZK-D5XdknZGIamyEfQDd6IKPbx3ZJ9gJdYTmj1vETtkz5nVIwie9mkgd3OWH_3EsHgqcWBHXXhGIPnEGb5DkNzTs2pqZGqlwVhnurWABx5jryce4N2gvVvllj5FEBJGV0PQDm6tJXxXTKfT6JBCXtr9SIXFeBaVPMQpX2zpw_g/s1600/swtichsnap.jpg" width="259" /></a></div><br /><p>And when you want to play on the telly, you stick your console into the docking station where the HDMI cable goes to the TV. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fNCee37l0FFWyAZ77AJqS-9o7r7OKStAYLbUFDHaZ14DlmcRCes15KDinxNfGaFvb3kOvMUMLXGVmlXiIzzAHIqyVLLcWXVq5pkyLXXJEknM9l8ji_YqKFVN9vt8kdst3XI4qWzOKlKQlm5y2yhiyt6tj5lN5MRy--rHk4Dy0HXwreR5GT0sgJ-TQ/s435/switchdock.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="289" data-original-width="435" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2fNCee37l0FFWyAZ77AJqS-9o7r7OKStAYLbUFDHaZ14DlmcRCes15KDinxNfGaFvb3kOvMUMLXGVmlXiIzzAHIqyVLLcWXVq5pkyLXXJEknM9l8ji_YqKFVN9vt8kdst3XI4qWzOKlKQlm5y2yhiyt6tj5lN5MRy--rHk4Dy0HXwreR5GT0sgJ-TQ/s320/switchdock.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The dullest color pics I could find</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>When docked you stick your little joy Cons into the "grip, and viola you have a little controller. You can actually do this when not linked to the TV. The Switch unit has a kickstand so you can set it on a table. The joy Con grip combo is fairly sturdy and does the job well, although if you desire the usual controller size that you are used to on other consoles you can actually get a variety of separate controllers. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyzBB_K-vDQPPwb-p3q0jyxznHnyvY0whQm72KYOvzyJzXNgQGFTb4ina4sij1pZGvKeU5CiLTE_VoGHkxAnpS-NTXSPMo5hya0Ka834WKcw43KugyUnPMW9rBXY4gisK9Np8j4nHxWQIHXbAk86Ad81By2EMtcXArEKySWkCpDjM-srt-VISvmtK3w/s270/switchcontrol.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="265" height="270" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoyzBB_K-vDQPPwb-p3q0jyxznHnyvY0whQm72KYOvzyJzXNgQGFTb4ina4sij1pZGvKeU5CiLTE_VoGHkxAnpS-NTXSPMo5hya0Ka834WKcw43KugyUnPMW9rBXY4gisK9Np8j4nHxWQIHXbAk86Ad81By2EMtcXArEKySWkCpDjM-srt-VISvmtK3w/s1600/switchcontrol.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>I may just get a basic controller if for no reason other than I play 90% of the time on my TV so far. I have travelled very little with it. I have used the console on its own usually kicking back on a Sunday to play Cuphead, a game that works well for a small screen. The joy Cons themselves have no battery, but the last a few hours when charged, and when attached to the console they are always charging. The Switch unit itself seems to hold a very good charge. </p><p>Breath of the Wild? Well, it's a big, beautiful world in there. And such works best on a big screen. But I've had some moments with it off the big screen. You can get hundreds of games for Switch, but Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the big monkey in the room when it comes to this console. And I'll talk about my experience with it next post. </p><p>Cheers. </p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-24624767343342002162022-09-16T17:02:00.000-07:002022-09-16T17:02:54.234-07:00Are many (most) RPG content creators struggling with mental illness?<p><span style="font-family: arial;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Since I sort of abandoned older edition D&D in order to actually find players with ease, I don't spend much time looking at forums or old school blogs. The last few months I have invested most of my game related time trying to improve my knowledge and skill with Roll20. And since most of my online group are Roll20 and 5th ed experts who have had patience with my shortcomings, I've probably improved about 3% or so each session. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">But I do look around what still passes for OSR. Sometimes at things that are informative, and sometimes things that are dumpster fires. So I learn little bits of info on some of the OSR's more, um, unique individuals. But a blog I have looked at here and there the last few months is Tenkar's Tavern, run by former New York policeman Erik Tenkar. Unlike a lot of OSR stuff I peek at, Tenkar doesn't interest me in a "here's an oddball to have a larf at" way. He seems to be more about news. And to a large degree, showcasing bad behavior among the ranks of bad actors who are trying to get paydays from the gaming scene. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">My interest in the old school has for sure waned, but I still have some. So, this seems a place where you can get info on that, and maybe even look at videos here and there on the subject. For instance, I think it was the first place I heard about the whole Satine Phoenix/Jamison Stone fiasco. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I'm on the Discord for the blog, and it's a rare case where I interact with gamers who are not my players from time to time. I do my best to not "get into it" with anybody. I'm not doing the act in the OSR I was doing over 10 years ago where I was taking a "Howard Stern" approach to things. But something I wrote that I thought was fairly mild got me into it a bit with a regular there who apparently a content creator and is schizophrenic, in their own words. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Some time ago I saw a bit somewhere that included a blurb by James Raggi, on his Facebook if I recall, where the Lamentations of the Flame Princess creator wondered why anybody would clean their toilet. Sort of "I mean, you shit into it right? Why have it clean?" So I brought it up in the Discord in relation to an upcoming interview with JR, and said he should be questioned about it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I have a couple of friends in Berkley who are roommates, and once when I was staying over one weekend, I went to put some leftover Chinese in the microwave, and it was a sight to behold. Gross is the best word. The debris of a couple dozen exploded bowls of soup and marinara was caked and baked into it. Hanging from the ceiling like stalactites. Long story short, I ate cold Chinese. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Did I say anything about it? You bet. To this day. "You guys have much younger, cute girlfriends. For that alone would you not clean it from time to time?" It's mostly a joke, but also a WTF? And certainly, they could have cleaned the toidy a bit as well. I don't know that any of it is out of mental illness, but they are folk musicians, so..</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I have to admit I have let the john go for a couple weeks, mostly when I knew nobody would be visiting (I don't tolerate drop-bys). I'm not a clean freak by any means, though a little germophobic. So keeping it, or the kitchen sink, or whatevers clean is half my own notion of how I want to live, and half me not wanting anybody to think I'm a fucking slob. On the weekend if I am in town I work the bathroom, the kitchen, and other spots that go to hell very fast. It's just how I want to live. And there weren't always little birdies floating around me like Snow White. I've done it at times I was unhappy as hell. But at some point you just bite the bullet and get off your ass. But in my case, sure, I am probably a little OCD.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kDrfHj3j398" width="320" youtube-src-id="kDrfHj3j398"></iframe></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></div><p><span style="font-family: times;">And that is where my comment came from. I don't just assume everybody has mental illness. Unless being kind of a slob is automatically a form of mental problem. We want to tag things nowadays, and sometimes it makes sense and sometimes it does not. But clearly here, though mocking for sure, I wasn't thinking I was making fun of somebody who had mental illness and had lost all touch with humanity and could not take 3 minutes to avoid having a cesspool in their home. No more than me giving pals shit for their lack of microwave cleanliness. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">But then, suddenly, anger in a comment thread:</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Regular: <i>You're not punching down on the mentally Ill, are you? I turns out people who create imaginary worlds that few people play are likely to have some degree of mental difference.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">So here for the first time I heard somebody say the person I was goofing on a bit was mentally ill. I for sure never thought of it that way. Unless just somebody seeming a bit of a slob and an oddball is to be taken as mental illness. But now I'm not so sure. And even more importantly, most DM's create imaginary worlds that few people play. So, am I mentally ill?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Regular:<span><b> </b><span face="Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: white; font-weight: bold;">Ho</span><span><b>"</b><i>How many books have you published? How many hours to you spend working in isolation</i><b>?"</b></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">OK, he went on to say that he was schizophrenic, and he was clearly upset. In my defense I never heard about situations that were mentioned, such as Raggi laying naked in the snow lamenting his life. But long and short I apologized if I triggered anything (and Tenkar came in to defuse things a bit) and the conversation moved on to Critical Role or some such. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Am I lacking empathy as one comment from the guy had claimed? I don't think so, again mental illness was not on my mind when I joked about the toilet. I for sure have empathy in lots of situations where folk are disabled. Mostly physically so. I have an older brother in a wheelchair over a decade. So for sure I relate to things with empathy. I almost got in fights with pricks who I saw parking in handicap spaces. I run to help open doors or get things off the shelf at the supermarket. When my parents got very old, I suddenly was very sympathetic to the elderly. But these are things I can relate to as it affected my family. Hell, my oldest brother was a raging alcoholic at 13 years old. I spent decades watching him struggle with booze and pills. For me personally there were times in my life I maybe should have had some help. As a teen my breakup with my first sweetheart was devastating. It probably affected my relationships the rest of my life in at least some small ways (I avoided marriage like the plague). And in my life my weight has gone up and down. I've always been very active, and when I have an accident or an injury that keep me immobile and out of the gym and off the mountain bike for a time, I start to pork up. But is that a mental or a physical thing? I guess it's all complicated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">One of my favorite sayings is "there but for the grace of god go I." But an even greater quote is by, I think, Abe Lincoln "many times in life I have been driven to my knees by the overwhelming conviction I had nowhere else to go. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">One of my best local friends was in Afghanistan. I knew that a few months ago when he and my other bestie, his wife, came over for boardgame night and I had Squid Games on. The "Red light Green light" segment, where a big crowd of innocent people are helpless shot at when they move and dozens of heads are shown with bullets blasting through them. He muttered "wow, pretty violent." I asked him if it was bothering him. "Yeah." I shut it right off. I still feel bad about it. I remember the year before going to their place one night and making them watch Kickass, one of my favorite movies. It had dozens of heads and faces being blasted to bits (mostly by a little girl). I never noticed it bothered him then. But now I know. He's not a wimp by any means. But he saw action in a fucked-up place. Saw friends gunned down or blown up. It doesn't matter that he goes hunting every year and blows the shit out of deer and whatnot. It bothers him to see people blown to bits. Now I know. Understanding. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I have empathy. I guess just like me not assuming Raggi's toilet ponderings were just the thoughts of a "weird" dude and not a sign of true trouble, the upset guy with schizophrenia on the Discord just assumed I ran around "punching down" on folk with mental problems. I wasn't, at least not intentionally. Long ago I stopped being in road rage situations. I realized that you never know what somebody is going through. That they might be acting out from a place of desperation. They say depression is anger turned inward. That rings true. That was a long time ago, but it was a great decision. Don't assume. No more fistfights on the roadways. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">I still think joking about somebody not wanting to clean the toilet is fairly mild as far as insults go. A little mockery can be inspirational. Get called fat a lot and you might try to lose weight. I dunno. I can learn new tricks. I was fairly jokey about transgender people most of my life. As a teen I was a Culture Club fan, but then still called Boy George "Thing George." Some years later I saw footage of him publicly fucked up on heroine, and at that point just saw a person in trouble. Perhaps still slightly homophobic (I never wanted anybody to come to harm despite my mild discrimination) later in life, in the couple of years before I left Southern California, I became friends with a transgender neighbor. She was the first person to call me when I moved to a new state to see how I was. It all birthed new perspectives. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Anyway, the cherry on top is that within an hour or two of the postings, Tenkar went on camera and spoke out on it. </span></p><p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FboQ6QggXpA&t=582s"><span style="font-family: times;">Mental Health and the OSR - Just How Prevalent Are Mental Challenges in Our Community? - YouTube</span></a></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">Now, you can't attack the message. He's a sincere guy, and it all has merit. Again, I just thought I was joking about a slobby metal head. I've known a few of them. And punk rock was my teens. I've seen lots of horrible toilets in some domiciles, and I never went to depression or mental illness as the cause. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">But as far as so many RPG creators having real mental issues, I don't have to think too deeply for it to start making sense. I think this hobby, especially the older school inhabitants of it, do tend towards things that I thought of as just "weirdo" and it maybe was much further than that. As Tenkar alludes to at one point, there can be degrees of it. And like most thinking people I have had my bad moments. And months. Maybe even years. Like a lot of people. Most people. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;">So maybe I can be less "jokey." At least among strangers. There are a lot of oddballs in the OSR, but there often may be more to it. Hell, maybe I'm one of them. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-4446214409347933282022-09-04T16:38:00.005-07:002022-09-05T00:47:52.287-07:00Roll20 in-game chat makes me feel like a Twitch streamer<p> </p><p>So, I think we are going on game 15 in my regular Wednesday night 5th ed game in Roll20. I could not be more pleased with how things are going. Despite almost everybody having more 5th ed and Roll20 experience than me, I have yet to lose a single player due to my shortcomings. I'd like to think its my old schoolish style and over 40 years of experience as a DM. But whatever it is I love this group. Good role players, respectful, friendly, funny, patient. It's all there. I may never have a group like this again, and it makes me want to get the most of it. </p><p>One thing that is really awesome to me is the in-game chat box. I did not pay much attention to it for my first few games. But something it has come in really handy for is posting a spell or ability you are using, official text on the particulars. The player simply has to click on it in the digital character sheet and the spell or what not appears in the chat for me to look over. This along with the in-game compendium searcher has made it so I don't really need any books or paperwork at the table. And I use this as a learning tool as well. After a session I have one last beer (or three) and go over the chat box to bone up on the spells and things. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF810SkIrFrJPhnvEW2_IInQQKIvVkMalpxMoYCvGdkVvP-AxHmNTOuwbDGNx7JUV9MfHyXJlY77UqTzffx6NN9lV_WkNolrb8MdhKWD1RjM6BByyEOasXZJ6Dvkc-6-t51p9XaLLYRJIO-UMBMbVrMPTTRHTy7Df6KpstdF1bEqJFBJ85j9osVaFb6w/s1280/ROLL20SPELL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="401" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF810SkIrFrJPhnvEW2_IInQQKIvVkMalpxMoYCvGdkVvP-AxHmNTOuwbDGNx7JUV9MfHyXJlY77UqTzffx6NN9lV_WkNolrb8MdhKWD1RjM6BByyEOasXZJ6Dvkc-6-t51p9XaLLYRJIO-UMBMbVrMPTTRHTy7Df6KpstdF1bEqJFBJ85j9osVaFb6w/w339-h401/ROLL20SPELL.jpg" width="339" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>And once I got in the habit of checking, I discovered something else the players are furtively doing there. They have an ongoing text chat during each session where they comment and discuss or make jokes on the current encounter or occurrence. You see, I'm too busy to always have that chat box open. When somebody makes a dice roll, I look quickly because that is where the modified number shows up. But I'm usually doing 5 things at once. </p><p>But those chat comments. It's a special treat for me to go in after a game and see what the little dickens have been up to there. It's kind of a hoot, and a new thing I am experiencing, and extra pleasure, I never had in face-to-face games.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-53s_9aS2eVbzr3X7X7W5E1O74_TrKwdq8sDYhZdIHzoWN9H9Z9zeWflHXTd0B_kPjBooLcCUKiVhqXy6P9nPnqnbP-RvccZgaUefkNHTyjEK8uMPQoQeJkj6vSoxTM4GXUqkk-mHgtAt5FWmQFUKRhWRi5E3Fsvlf8OqtKcQdSZOO6yYvF7POR7ZA/s1280/ROLL20CHAT2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="357" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY-53s_9aS2eVbzr3X7X7W5E1O74_TrKwdq8sDYhZdIHzoWN9H9Z9zeWflHXTd0B_kPjBooLcCUKiVhqXy6P9nPnqnbP-RvccZgaUefkNHTyjEK8uMPQoQeJkj6vSoxTM4GXUqkk-mHgtAt5FWmQFUKRhWRi5E3Fsvlf8OqtKcQdSZOO6yYvF7POR7ZA/w303-h357/ROLL20CHAT2.jpg" width="303" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kp8j6svMG4d6MrgjCiWFYpSCf9akMPtwi42PEQRHQRLgLxmR_EUqLedqskRfvJDm5JE_PYMn0XzXT3S-OtArit2loWTGgxw2UIWSop9yWGMX4qynG-ScuwCfwvviB4m0vcz3G51MnUVW__upq6GPzpK0LtcbASbb-IrEXGESWJd003fzQEu8C2gSNg/s1280/ROLL20CHAT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="409" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9kp8j6svMG4d6MrgjCiWFYpSCf9akMPtwi42PEQRHQRLgLxmR_EUqLedqskRfvJDm5JE_PYMn0XzXT3S-OtArit2loWTGgxw2UIWSop9yWGMX4qynG-ScuwCfwvviB4m0vcz3G51MnUVW__upq6GPzpK0LtcbASbb-IrEXGESWJd003fzQEu8C2gSNg/w323-h409/ROLL20CHAT.jpg" width="323" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>So, I'm not streaming, but this little feature makes me feel like I am. And it's yet another thing making me feel, more and more, that this is the format for me to DM in for good.</p><p><br /></p>Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215377602209492275.post-78556164485362060012022-08-07T14:46:00.020-07:002022-08-07T15:06:58.100-07:00Into the Forest Primeval - game inspiration out in the wild<p> A little over 3 years ago I moved to the Northwest, where there is a lot of outdoorsy activities you can indulge in, much of it among mountains, trees, rivers, and lakes. Sadly, I don't take as much advantage of it as I should. But I have gone on occasional hikes, bike rides, and even fishing right across the street (I live right next to a beautiful river). </p><p>But this last week I found myself on a four-day weekend in the deepest woodlands of Mendocino, where giant trees block out the sun and bears will straight up scratch your vehicle up if you leave food in it. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u4t_Zu8S9SyuYaiqJEVYvlzgDVenuKgyVUnXrD1BslPjvIxdhhoh-pkirGHiHwwCZN_0fy0450h_S6v-KavzmuoHiYzSUZycazoxCQbcicN9_VzQg6X8INa1o41Y0ihNWtJ--JqP1QQ1no0P0mP9DObfkUHYD2idkVJnTdV5X4-6NvCh5WDAvVZfNg/s300/mendo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9u4t_Zu8S9SyuYaiqJEVYvlzgDVenuKgyVUnXrD1BslPjvIxdhhoh-pkirGHiHwwCZN_0fy0450h_S6v-KavzmuoHiYzSUZycazoxCQbcicN9_VzQg6X8INa1o41Y0ihNWtJ--JqP1QQ1no0P0mP9DObfkUHYD2idkVJnTdV5X4-6NvCh5WDAvVZfNg/s1600/mendo.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DJ7VQPwPfLc6zp22-kyJBIzgWJeAPjKFzawd1v4PiTmlq2q10RUSGybvY0Iyx-8dYawMf7-FjXZErjD3U0HJCYdnsotOfNpx9wuxtwKns5DTEEjVr-VxUYtQ76thCYC4GX_jiGWcHykvwWlbfLOWxKjTXD7fty58q8FrRJOmVVg39Ykuz7J8nJm7ww/s1300/mendocino.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1300" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DJ7VQPwPfLc6zp22-kyJBIzgWJeAPjKFzawd1v4PiTmlq2q10RUSGybvY0Iyx-8dYawMf7-FjXZErjD3U0HJCYdnsotOfNpx9wuxtwKns5DTEEjVr-VxUYtQ76thCYC4GX_jiGWcHykvwWlbfLOWxKjTXD7fty58q8FrRJOmVVg39Ykuz7J8nJm7ww/s320/mendocino.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>Every year a lot of my friends in Northern California attend the weeklong music camp called Lark in the Morning. It's been around forever. After decades of going there and taking workshops, some of my best friends are actually now teachers there. Me? Well, a long weekend in the wilderness is enough for this city boy. And that's what I did. One of the gals in the scene (the same person who turned me on to Digital Talisman on Steam the other year) decided to do a long weekend in one of the camps since Lark was once again cancelled over Covid. So she hand-picked 50 people to attend, and I was one of the lucky campers even though I was NOT a Lark person. </p><p>It was wonderful, because some of my oldest and best friends were there, most of them part of the inner circle fraternity within our long time Ren Faire music troupe along with me. But new friends were there for the making as well.</p><p>So, after a few hours on the road you get to Mendocino, a sleepy coastal town that always seems to have cool air and wispy fog. Most of my drive was in 100-degree weather, but in Mendo it plunged to the mid 60's. Wow. So into the camp, an area that can accommodate over 100 people, so it was roomy. </p><p>Man, the trees. Big looming trees. They blocked out much of the sun. The 4-person tent cabin (that I had to myself) was eternally dark inside. Even at high noon you needed a flashlight to see in it. </p><p>Showed up in the parking area, and some of my besties were tailgating. Hugs all around. Feeling the love. There were world musicians all over the place. There was a small dining hall with a fireplace, and a big kitchen, and besides the showers and bathrooms it was about as luxurious as it gets. Lots of great music and walking down memory lane with my best and closest friends. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ECJdnATIyFFIYQ60NPgTQvHuTqmgP4IqPwzFlTsTQGt6zFttiHwTIY-n1nnEqUIhlh2emTVY7EOsQdYkRS2BNIVICnbrhOu5UZPSxVnjEvWZb5aPupvxTxBYHKheqQ2L75R863m1nHmU5UKxNYPwdbiFjCJYDNta38IKnAW7NxxVWIwChQZe7mVBQ/s1280/julie.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm2ECJdnATIyFFIYQ60NPgTQvHuTqmgP4IqPwzFlTsTQGt6zFttiHwTIY-n1nnEqUIhlh2emTVY7EOsQdYkRS2BNIVICnbrhOu5UZPSxVnjEvWZb5aPupvxTxBYHKheqQ2L75R863m1nHmU5UKxNYPwdbiFjCJYDNta38IKnAW7NxxVWIwChQZe7mVBQ/s320/julie.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In the woods you might just get the<br />chance to cavort with a half elf bard.<br />Bards dig the Run DMC look...<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>As a DnD person I of course immediately started getting inspired by the mountain forest. Just to get to the very secluded camp, you spent about 40 minutes going up a narrow dirt road with a big plunge on one side, going as slow as you need to. Then you go down into deep wilderness. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlfjWKCRyd2omdl60Iw2mxXSe2VbgDarpYnmlyfsYZp3d94fBaNvypX3F-Blxu3fjrMMS1oUZhbUzjwijdmTJMELWXWntYz_8hxPp27qxqG-4-L5NBsdoxRhf_t-m_2aJrq4e_osP_t0H80Ede-xTBIQISw-VQAXV7S9fe8xadFYIhKoExcqTaW1SVQ/s960/campwoods.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzlfjWKCRyd2omdl60Iw2mxXSe2VbgDarpYnmlyfsYZp3d94fBaNvypX3F-Blxu3fjrMMS1oUZhbUzjwijdmTJMELWXWntYz_8hxPp27qxqG-4-L5NBsdoxRhf_t-m_2aJrq4e_osP_t0H80Ede-xTBIQISw-VQAXV7S9fe8xadFYIhKoExcqTaW1SVQ/s320/campwoods.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A lot deeper than it looks. I imagined if my SUV <br />went over the edge, I'd get bounced around like<br />a Pinball machine ball in the way down. <br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>The campground was great, with lots of space. And you park right next to the big honking, sun blocking trees...</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPc52kgjk1d2oHCnX121iGXSRr0mgkJeoWBrhXgUFEljqjsxR5uBN27wFt8bwLe73HqhiPeEkCVesGQ8icCm4btbSxmLABSFcZPqI4DXTJiuoPF2FmsS9IH3p8kmbEaMhhxsf89cxd0MH-v0OEm7wJrORCuqbR-uFFR-3Swrn_MkxOH6tS9ME2TmZhQ/s2048/camptreescars.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDPc52kgjk1d2oHCnX121iGXSRr0mgkJeoWBrhXgUFEljqjsxR5uBN27wFt8bwLe73HqhiPeEkCVesGQ8icCm4btbSxmLABSFcZPqI4DXTJiuoPF2FmsS9IH3p8kmbEaMhhxsf89cxd0MH-v0OEm7wJrORCuqbR-uFFR-3Swrn_MkxOH6tS9ME2TmZhQ/s320/camptreescars.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzovagx9yrcPJtL-OO8431c1LLCujOO5C0pN8bNgqc621WXAIKOl6X5SuQCvdLKYjZnYg9Y-l9179QPhGb7y_iAmXontTbH1ZohxjujqwxOka5iJugQZDB3uf8qigMCkDv9Y2rlNSqVhk6EdRIG55gy6dZlfddhIi5boPl7nGt7JHJIjpn17q25-E56Q/s2048/camptreecars2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzovagx9yrcPJtL-OO8431c1LLCujOO5C0pN8bNgqc621WXAIKOl6X5SuQCvdLKYjZnYg9Y-l9179QPhGb7y_iAmXontTbH1ZohxjujqwxOka5iJugQZDB3uf8qigMCkDv9Y2rlNSqVhk6EdRIG55gy6dZlfddhIi5boPl7nGt7JHJIjpn17q25-E56Q/s320/camptreecars2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p><p>With a fairly small number of folks, I got my own tent cabin, designed to sleep 4 happy campers. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn7a46sWeP6xgOifVTi5j1EZvc9b5aHrWDhPqlgE63kL6hQuGNo28wop0FKHU1O31GAmkAcso0y-tLXuzV_G_M1mIEC7jHgAJ8ZBleIyluDYGSwm48_sFSpjXlqGHcWgCq1gFQugcoq--gSdapQ7VeXN12A17QEJXKE_ZuQJ6dpr7SezqU_u4C7KckA/s2048/camptent.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHn7a46sWeP6xgOifVTi5j1EZvc9b5aHrWDhPqlgE63kL6hQuGNo28wop0FKHU1O31GAmkAcso0y-tLXuzV_G_M1mIEC7jHgAJ8ZBleIyluDYGSwm48_sFSpjXlqGHcWgCq1gFQugcoq--gSdapQ7VeXN12A17QEJXKE_ZuQJ6dpr7SezqU_u4C7KckA/s320/camptent.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Behold "The Love Dart Lounge"<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br />At one point I heard a thump of something bouncing off the tent, and discovered my first ever Banana Slug.<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYk9n-LxAYb_HGTXkhotnxHLneQ4xLJT4m0yrpxt8dH5M-6NPYjQA35a3Y41TngNEocH7l5_S_JKcwWwz3wBfX7Dre24lHC47vENYsg0os6k4ZfUG4deJ6X5xwVFbpMm2QnP18mFeQQL0aK5VrCQRsMUd-MQgTdji5J5IKBvCwW5e_zZzYZKxPpQFvQ/s144/slug.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="144" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYk9n-LxAYb_HGTXkhotnxHLneQ4xLJT4m0yrpxt8dH5M-6NPYjQA35a3Y41TngNEocH7l5_S_JKcwWwz3wBfX7Dre24lHC47vENYsg0os6k4ZfUG4deJ6X5xwVFbpMm2QnP18mFeQQL0aK5VrCQRsMUd-MQgTdji5J5IKBvCwW5e_zZzYZKxPpQFvQ/s1600/slug.jpg" width="144" /></a></div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div>But music was what the weekend was about, and the bardic inspirations did not disappoint...</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzYb_bYnhd1_6n6NpOJQW8HiFAl1hh8gEv0tuw7vwqjTXE6wyuZwZ8ASsvrkCVGug3uNCRsOXHkkbZx_51T4Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div><div><p>So eating, drinking, smoking, and making merry (i.e. hitting on the hippy chicks) was the order of the day (and night).</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMkQ620XTv-7uw4_zTjYMbuAUFptZbW9fRW3dQZ5gIFsBi89fFpQDnNUye1oZPcVbtXOG0zAW-btLn3dn_Hh--zWK0XQnD254FGejKHlprhhtH8NtiqGsk_qROXxloBXSSOrhHJsUSRy-wYEntIFH9pw6r9QstUNrGnRxpvWdW4axZw38-ZH1tLnZQQ/s960/campwindow.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMkQ620XTv-7uw4_zTjYMbuAUFptZbW9fRW3dQZ5gIFsBi89fFpQDnNUye1oZPcVbtXOG0zAW-btLn3dn_Hh--zWK0XQnD254FGejKHlprhhtH8NtiqGsk_qROXxloBXSSOrhHJsUSRy-wYEntIFH9pw6r9QstUNrGnRxpvWdW4axZw38-ZH1tLnZQQ/s320/campwindow.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fA05XIugSkTlF5pv3Tw7gOK6VeBx_9T0GSlcKX9JzpfX3Be8FNa0ufCIlCE1rY11aA7H4WpjMFggVdPyXN3w4n2FjwVJ-UWDL719fAEICrPYfXVX_3V3ri65O8Y1hHAFWNL7xEESQm9fvGVJkOENz7jphd5v_gbVhYu6Ok8j9_nZMmNkmqWr7W7DMA/s720/campmusic.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="720" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8fA05XIugSkTlF5pv3Tw7gOK6VeBx_9T0GSlcKX9JzpfX3Be8FNa0ufCIlCE1rY11aA7H4WpjMFggVdPyXN3w4n2FjwVJ-UWDL719fAEICrPYfXVX_3V3ri65O8Y1hHAFWNL7xEESQm9fvGVJkOENz7jphd5v_gbVhYu6Ok8j9_nZMmNkmqWr7W7DMA/s320/campmusic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WVBDMxDlkBG0-iIz-X4zXJrapRZgGKQEhOc6W0baH3qIDiEAkSxvCpD-TzKbTwDg5MS9dUhSEOprS4kmKNvPMmO808irvUm0_lF1EOVeGOXYy0mbQYODoumn9rGYhICaBKDfhtoK3pAXhuOVuq_GObk9UCQp-WpbNRioFaicsDsxkvPBnqfadUCozA/s2048/camphippies.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7WVBDMxDlkBG0-iIz-X4zXJrapRZgGKQEhOc6W0baH3qIDiEAkSxvCpD-TzKbTwDg5MS9dUhSEOprS4kmKNvPMmO808irvUm0_lF1EOVeGOXYy0mbQYODoumn9rGYhICaBKDfhtoK3pAXhuOVuq_GObk9UCQp-WpbNRioFaicsDsxkvPBnqfadUCozA/s320/camphippies.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p>And the coffee was flowing 24/7 for when you needed a break from beer and wine.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03NtV5XqdO476CL-d5ONAAwkiEFMjpHsDDViVq4r-hcPesacZW1EivZuN7hGMZN6MXqHZIvMdH8dhb9QqA2llv6BD4m2k6GUj2aedg4up0eSj7j2dXJnQ-iSHFGho8DJubgr_01VG81I7oOGq006zqa1FbhXyW7cRJJGJyrn6G0-vyZQINKS0beoAxw/s500/satinegif3.gif" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="500" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj03NtV5XqdO476CL-d5ONAAwkiEFMjpHsDDViVq4r-hcPesacZW1EivZuN7hGMZN6MXqHZIvMdH8dhb9QqA2llv6BD4m2k6GUj2aedg4up0eSj7j2dXJnQ-iSHFGho8DJubgr_01VG81I7oOGq006zqa1FbhXyW7cRJJGJyrn6G0-vyZQINKS0beoAxw/w227-h227/satinegif3.gif" width="227" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That mug I DONT need... </td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p>But again and again, my mind would flash to D&D stuff. What would it be like to travel through a forested mountain wilderness like this? Without the comforts of clearings with tables, a dining hall and kitchen, and showers? </p><p>And really, one of my favorite "encounter in the wilds" image always comes to my mind in such situations.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVLBlZVDbqnG3VvARvSxTnboAfBR8e4bz5NKX0lOt3DzupIs4of10Fixgg9k9NQTT67wBBYcLh5BBEFaT0Q7MGVtQDNmkv1HdbnJNXJ8qQsOA_5qN2vlOU5cW8m-LxcLm_a4nQF4xzxJixLjXJVfxRe87Zt8Ya2bXson6n1AviLuj7duETGHMYrDP1w/s258/mm2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="196" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzVLBlZVDbqnG3VvARvSxTnboAfBR8e4bz5NKX0lOt3DzupIs4of10Fixgg9k9NQTT67wBBYcLh5BBEFaT0Q7MGVtQDNmkv1HdbnJNXJ8qQsOA_5qN2vlOU5cW8m-LxcLm_a4nQF4xzxJixLjXJVfxRe87Zt8Ya2bXson6n1AviLuj7duETGHMYrDP1w/s1600/mm2.jpg" width="196" /></a></div><br /><p>When I'm in the forest, or just driving over the Sierras, I always think of that giant among the trees. It's a spectacular image.</p><p>Really, the nice long weekend was about music and friends, but it doesn't hurt your D&D Heart(tm) to get some of the wilderness inspiration for your games when you are in it. </p></div></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />Kevin Machttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14122665488285424578noreply@blogger.com0