Walking Dead

The Walking Dead trailer looks great, and should be on AMC this fall. I love Zombiepocalypse movies and stuff. Andrew Lincoln plays the lead. For all you nancies, he is the art dealer guy who has the hots for Keira Knightley in Love Actually.

So maybe at least one good series in the fall, unless Thundarr is in the works.

Marvell Announces a CrossGen revamp

Crossgen titles from the defunct company may be making a comeback at Marvel, and scuttlebutt is, if you choose to believe it, that at least one title, my favorite, Meridian, might make it to the silver screen in an animated kinda way. Since Disney now owns Marvel Entertainment, the mouse people would be either making, producing, or distributing said product.

The title was written by Barbara Kesel, and penciled by Joshua Middleton, and or Steve McNiven, et. al., and tells the tale of a princess alone, betrayed by her uncle, a mysterious sigil that allows her certain unusual abilities, airships, sky pirates, floating island-states, high adventure and so on.

It follows a Spidermanesque theme of a youngster with great powers come great responsibilities meme, as she goes through the trials and tribulations of love, growing up, and super powered mayhem.

Joshua Middleton gets a special shout out because his style reminds me Duncan Rouleau, and he is now leaving the comic artist for hire game of ten years to pursue "personal work", which I am hoping is his one shot fairy-tale story Sky Between the Branches. He did lots of covers, including a run of 50 or so on Supergirl.

Cool right? I am hoping I can get my girls hooked on the books if they aren't too scary, and the cast isnt drawn in an overly-sexual way.

Thee Walt Simonson

Mr. Simonson is on Facebook, where I discovered this little gem. He ruled the Thor of my youth as writer and artist, and has contributed so much to the big two, Marvel and DC (among others) that it would take years to list.

He is my favorite, so go ahead and find his page and marvel at his genuis. Nice hat.

Brilliance from Middenmurk

Things Rumoured to Exist in the Fells.

Dead Lord Crethering, Hrulf the Unbegotten, Aelfrick the Weirman, Netherus Cramp, Pentecost the Harbourmaster, The Stork-Woman, Old Braithie, Flendel and Briggs, Webba of Auld Skerrick, Trammel, Gristlebairns, The Alabaster Sow, The Ragged King, The Lang Man of Osterwick, The Hound of Kelmsley, Candlewrack, Uncle Nigh-to-Earth, Father Bracken, Broadbasket Shamwell, Minser Corbie, Eponymous Brock, Irongrin Skoathe, Flinties, The Feculent Dowager, Mill-wights, Privy-wights, The Lost Seneschal, The Seven Sisters of Fyldewocky, Murdoch Hillstrider, The Thicketty Man, The Maid in the Millpond, Mother Mansrot, Auld Rinkrank, Sir Umberton Nunsputter the Thrice-cursed, The Dawn Bear, Rufus Bombastus – Lord of the Eastern Wastes, The Miracle Swine, The Oracle Thrush, Knuckerbrides, Hoary Clooters, Bleakenswick Hares, Drusus the Vain, Asphodel the Blighted One, Maddock and Caddock, Anvilkine, Epiphany Fowl, Gossamer Cockerels, Avatars of Lassitude, Splinterfoxes, Whiskery Concubines, Nefarious Conflagrati, The Beast of Crippswich Hollow, Aunt Ailith, Eadgyth Coppertongue, Wickerboys, Treacle the Catamite, Tarn Shucks.

Walk, no, run, to his site. Just reading it makes my creative wheels start smoking.

Zombies Of Phoo

Zombies, normally a 2 hd creature in the Holmes Edit, are slow but silent, attacking every other round. Zombies of Phoo of the normal variety are indeed slow and silent but have a powerful "meat sense " that allows them to hone on anything meaty whether it be hiding, invisible, or otherwise. Moreover once a zombie wounds and opponent, a blood frenzy insues wherein movement is doubled, especially toward the victim, and attacks are doubled the first round to one a round, and will double again if another wound is caused. So yes, a gaggle of zombies can become extremely dangerous in groups.

Some zombies are the products of some lost dark art, constructed from corpses, and inscribed with arcane runes. Rune Zombies has specific qualities, all determined by their individual etchings. Typical abilities are but not limited to, Circle of Flies, Chill of the Grave, Strength of the Damned, Gaze of Stupefaction, Gibbering Madness and so on. They appear in lesser numbers and are generally twice as powerful.

Ancient Words Of Power

The words of power, from a language predating the Gods themselves, are few. Nine words of power exist. They are in no order, Compel, Invoke, Heal, Seek, Speak, Ward, Conjure, Summon, and Transform. Words are simliar to the 3E spell schools. Each level of spell cost the like in mana.

A typical mishap table would look something like this, either varying for the % of failure possibly:

1) Floor is mud now. Waist deep so plan accordingly
2) Voice becomes God-like, deafens all in 60' radius 2-12.
3) anti-magic shell around caster 3d6 rounds. (shhhh it's a secret)
4) drains 1 item of all magic randomly
5) any shadow in a 30' radius is now a strength draining shadow. Best of luck.
6) Hey Tom Thumb, you are 6 inches tall, maybe permanently.
7) Weakness 30' radius
8) Reverse gravity every third round. Take damage accordingly.
9) Anyone say minor earthquake.
10) Spiders. It's raining spiders. Assorted types.
11) Darkness on caster 30' radius
12) Sex change. D'oh.
13) Random person/creature becomes a Dire Bear
14) Dont harp on harpies. 3D6 appear.
15) Animates all weapons 60'radius. Rounds 2-12.
16) Congradulations you have a GAZE attack. Take a care where you look. Lingers for 1d6.
17) Missles thrown or shot become Giant Wasps. 2-12 rounds
18)Speaker head becomes 3x actual size.
19)Flying Monkeys. A whole slew. 6 + 6d6. Nasty creatures.
20) Fog of Whack. No sound penetrates, and regardless of vision, cant see crap. Good luck. 60'.

Me First And The Gimme Gimmes - Country Roads (Live '09)

Johnny Sokko is on HULU

Lots of episodes for a man of leisure. Who don't dig Giant Robots? Maybe M Night could have looked into doing this one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=At8UUrDptn8

Homebrew: The World of Phoo

In the World of Phoo, everyone respects the ultimate power of magic.

Magic focuses on the use of ancient words of power, where great magics are bent to will, very similar to magic schools of 3e fame.

Each one word known can produce a variety of spell -like results if the speaker can harness the power. Each Speaker has a pool of mana he may drain for each effect. Mana is intelligence modifier + 1 per level. So a first level Speaker who has high intelligence can cast any effect that he has enough mana to perform. With a +3 modifier and 1 at first level, gives a rookie Speaker 4 Mana which could be turned into 4 first level effects, 2 second level effects , or 1 fourth level result. For every level past the Speaker the effect derives, a percentage is added to the chance of magical mishap, either 10 or 15 %. So a rookie can cast fireball to save his party, but his chances of causing the unknown are vast ( either 20% or 30%).

The number of words known is based on Charisma modifier, and the levels to which these words are a combination of Wisdom modifier +1d4. (If only one is known the level is 9 of course).

Magickers are viewed with suspicion in some areas, and are viewed with great awe in others. They also have a great HAT that they are capable of using like a miscellaneous magic item Bag O Tricks at one critter every other level.

The Speaker also constructs a conduit of magical WHIMSY, either a rod, staff, or wand that allows for storage of some mana, and reduces spell failure and or magical mishap. Sample list to follow.

Classic Style

I am returning to my roots, the original, classic OD&D, mostly the Holmes edit version of it. I guess the call has been for a more simplistic "rules light" version of the game, which is familiar to most, and is prone to faster play. Of course there would be tweaks in the project, house rules and such. But this to me anyway, is when the game was new and fun, with set encounters, and enough randomness to make it a downright thrillride for player and DM alike.

With a nod to Jeff and his fabulous game blog (see links), I have rediscovered my love for unexpected events. How cool is it when the guy running the game doesnt even know what is coming?

Long Time No Post

Yes, I am back from hiatus. I would never give up a chance to listen to the sound of my own voice prattle on about nerdy fare and all that. For a quick update, we here still hate Tom Cruise. There are a variety of reasons. But, today ... it's because he is short. Or maybe crazy. Or, crazy AND short. Or because he took Joey Potter (no relation to Harry) off the market, and now she is crazy too.

Freak Angels

Free web comic. Did I mention Warren Ellis is the writer?

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Near, far, in our motor car

Oh what a happy time we'll spend.

Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Our fine four fendered friend.

Bang Bang Chitty Chitty Bang BangOur fine four fendered friend.

Your sleek as a thoroughbred.Your seats are a feather bed.

You'll turn everybody's head today.

We'll glide on our motor trip

With pride in our ownership

The envy of all we survey.

Oh Chitty You ChittyPretty Chitty Bang BangChitty Chitty Bang Bang

We love you.

Robert Helpman still really creeps me out in his role of Child Catcher.

My daughter sings and dances right along with the folks on the tele.

Maybe the wife will see me with the "old bamboo". Here's hoping.

Mother Load of Feats

I stumbled onto this list by accident while looking for gnome only racial feat for my homebrew...

It's got like a gazillion feats at http://www.crystalkeep.com/d20/rules/DnD3.5Index-Feats.pdf

They are all organized and everything... but still looking for more Gnome Feats like Low Blow, or the Hot Foot.

Let me know if you know of any.

Adamant's DM Bundle O Goodness

Adamant entertainment offers a series of helpful books for an easy fix trouble shooting various things, like player drawbacks, fantasy occupations, magic items, adventure generator, and such. Most can be purchased in a DM bundle (10 bones) from RPG Now, or their site.

I think they are offering print and downloadabled now.

The reviews have been kind, so maybe they will do you and or me some good.

New Swag

Score this:

Your adventures are already exciting. Characters explore dungeons, crush monsters, and score loot. But maybe you want your adventures to be more. Maybe you want adventures that are over-the-top, in-your-face, BADASS THRILL RIDES! Maybe you want adventures that are things of LEGEND! Maybe you want adventures that are WICKED SICK! That’s what Wicked Fantasy Factory gives you: axes hacking, spells exploding, and blood spewing.

Don’t just crawl through dungeons — make them sorry they ever met you!

In Throwdown with the Arm-Ripper, the heroes lend a hand to Prince Roberre. The prince is missing an arm, and he hires the heroes to help him regain it. They journey to a magic altar rumored to repair things that are broken. Soon they are face-to-face with the Arm-Ripper himself – a hulking brute who takes pleasure in plucking the limbs off things smaller than him. But if the heroes succeed, they learn that the Arm-Ripper himself was the least of their dangers!

Sweet.

New Star Trek Flick

Simon Pegg aka Sean of the Dead, has been signed on to play Chief Engineer Scotty in the re-invention of the franchise produced by Paramount.

This could save it. I doubts it though.

No news on Nick Frost being cast however.

Set your phasers on stun and warp speed ahead trekkies.

My brother, the Gamer

All of us at one point or another have gamed with a sibling, if one has a sibling anyhow. I have an older brother, a popular guy at the time, one everyone wanted to be in school and such, and he one night bugged us until we would allow him and a buddy to join our group for nerdy mayhem.

We had started a Pallidium fantasy game, as an alternative to the D&D stuff we had been doing. And yes things did bog down during character creation.

He decided on playing a Troll. He had a need to be fearsome he explained, with nasty teeth and such. However, he wanted to be a Mood troll. He wanted his skin to reflect his emovtive state. Red for anger, Blue for calm, Purple for extra special horny, and so on. He had demands for his description to being a troll with a gender idenity crisis, and wanted to wear a woman's dress. Strapless. if possible, he said.

I think his partner in crime, played an Elfy type character, the first of the so called Tuborg the Goldens. He would introduce himself to others with beerish nom de guerres like , Falstaff, Artisian of Hamms and so on. The funny thing was most of it was improved cause their evening out had been cancelled. It was one of our more memorable games, lots of laughing, and sodas coming out your noise kinda night.

I ran that night and cant remember much of anything about the game itself. I do remember he (Phil) had looked at everyone's character sheet for some purpose, since he was a novice, and had

changed the wording of things secretly.

For example all shields carried be them large, viking, small, were replaced with a different descriptor. So no longer did the fighter have a circular shield, but instead hid behind his medium magic PANTY shield. What other properties does a panty shield have he would ask?

I was peeved at first but really began to understand the joy in playing the game, and not to be so serious about GAMING and enjoy the night being with friends playing a game.

On Railroading

Well, I have been railroaded before, and mind you, sometimes it is a necessary evil, but it can be overlooked if it furthers the plot of the campaign.

Now I know of what I speak, because I do in fact work on a railroad, all the live long day, and all rails have divergent tracks. And yes, I have played characters that go "off script" and can occassionally take something away from the game with all the innovation. And I am reminded on occassion as to the focus, and matters at hand as to "the why", the reason why we are doing what we do.

Kill the warlord, rescue the damsel, find the treasure, etc. are all easily remembered goals, and in the field it is usually easy to return to plot, after some "player improvisation".

Plotting that involves mystery of sorts can lend to the meanderings of players. If clues are too simple, players feel insulted if not cheated, and if they are too complicated, frustration can sometimes lead to interesting side plots, or some antipathy between players and GMs alike.

Big city adventures can lead to great nights, usually stemming from PC ideas of "making trouble" and or raising Hell attitudes, and often Players give me great ideas as they speculate as to NPCS, or what is manner of beast is making the grunting noises behind the door. However, some players run amuck and having some idea as to their destination is helpful, but sometime off the cuff kicks ass and all that.

I carrot and stick alot more that railroad. I give em a little, see where they go. I "reintroduce plot" in campaigns to refocus them on moving forward if they are too far off the beaten path with other clues, the shadowing/tailing character who could be friend, foe, or maybe just working for the local thieves guild/mob adding another side plot in need be.

My players hated to be confined, as did I , in fact some prided themselves on being uncontainable, but also whined that they were tired of playing a series of meaningless adventures not connected with a common theme.

"Give em what they want, just not the way they expect it". Bill Goldman said it. It translates to almost everything in life.

Knowing why you are there is great mantra to follow as players, as characters and as GM.