End-of-Week Unknown (3/21/20): Plague Doctor

Howdy folks! Hope you're all well and staying that way. I figure the roleplaying/gaming crowd in general is pretty used to being inside for long periods of time. In other words, social distancing is second nature to us! We're better equipped mentally that many others for long periods of low social contact, right? Stereotypes aside and in all seriousness, may you and yours be well during this surreal time of pandemic!

I already miss the holidays...

Like the "Gingerbread" Princess pictured above, I'm lamenting the passing of the holiday season! But I should not despair, because I got a lot of gaming product goodness over the last couple weeks. Not only did I get a copy of the Lamentations of the Flame Princess Rules & Magic hardcover, but I also received my Chained Coffin box set from Goodman Games! I'm going to make myself feel better by delving into those goodies this week! Stay tuned...oh, and happy new year!

May 2015 Bring All of Us Bountiful Roleplaying!

Portrait of the Blogger as a Young Man

 

I thought I'd write a quick note here on the old roleplaying blog, just to wish you all a very happy and prosperous 2015. Thanks to all of you who have entertained, challenged, inspired, and sometimes aggravated me in 2014 and prior years. You're an opinionated, cantankerous, and creative bunch, and I appreciate your words more than you know.

 

I predict that, for me, 2015 will be a year of limited roleplaying and RPG blogging, as I continue to use my spare time for the development of an ongoing business aspiration. I know I've discussed my endeavors here and there on this blog, but I intend to give more details as time goes on.

 

However, I do want to try to roleplay at least once a month, if just to scratch that eternal itch that has been with me since I was a teen. Those few sessions a month might come in the form of getting my game on at my favorite FLGS, or it might entail getting together with friends in my basement, or it might even be me running adventures for my kids again. But I know I need to feed that particular beast in my life, because I don't do well mentally and emotionally when I deny the roleplayer within.

 

I included the picture of me as a kid because I want to remind myself to not deny the youngster that still dwells inside me somewhere, the one who still has a sense of wonder about what his imagination can do, and marvels at the miracle of being alive in our multifaceted, bustling, and beautiful world. Sometimes it isn't pretty, but those challenges are meant for us to overcome, not to crush us. It all depends on how we choose to view the events around us.

 

So, remember, to choose your own adventure in life, as you do in the roleplaying world. The monsters are there to be slain, and the treasures you reap for conquering them are more precious than gold.

 

Happy New Year, everyone!

Wherefore Art Thou, Oh RPG Blogger?

Well, I've finally gone and done it. I became one of those RPG bloggers who drops off the face of the earth one day, and just stops posting with no explanation.

 

I apologize to one and all...or at least, to those who may actually care!

 

I could make a joke about how everyone's been SO devastated about my absence. But perhaps some of you miss me?

 

Hey, someone emailed me to ask if I can add a print function to my blog! To that emailer I say "please be patient, I'm working on it"!

 

Anyway, without boring you, here's the short story: I've finally reached a critical mass of insanity in life that, as scary as it sounds, I lost complete track of the blogosphere and in particular my own blog. For once, I was totally unable to think about the blog for a few weeks.

 

As I said, scary. It's scary because I don't like the implications. In other words, my life circumstances finally pushed thoughts of roleplaying (which are usually on my mind at some point during the day) to totally subconscious levels.

 

I just don't like that idea.

 

But I've made my life this busy, and I really have no regrets. I'm happy with what I've been doing in life other than roleplaying. But there's still something that pains me about the whole thing.

 

Okay, enough self pity. What's my point, eh? Well, here it is: I'm officially stating that I'm going on an indefinite hiatus. It really sucks to write that, but there you have it.

 

Alright, I've got to run, but for the time being know that I may not be writing here for the time being, but I'm indeed reading what all you wonderful folks are writing.

 

Until we cross paths again, happy gaming to all!

End-of-Week Trampier (3/28/14)

So, I've been reading here and there on the blogosphere that famed old-school D&D artist Dave Trampier has passed away. If this is true, then it's very unfortunate and sad news.

 

It's a hard blow for those of us immersed in the hobby, as the originators pass away. It makes us wonder about what effort we're exerting to help ensure the continued existence of roleplaying, does it not? Well, at least I know it makes me feel that way.

 

Rest in peace, Tramp. May you work for a joyful eternity on heavenly commissions, illustrating the games of the gods!

 

End-of-Week Elmore (3/21/14)

Greetings, fellow roleplayers! I've gone quite silent again, I know. But I'm working on a dream, building a mystery...all that jazz!

 

I'm being purposefully cryptic. Just know that I'm on the path of another type of adventure. I've embarked on a real-life quest to move away from just dreaming about things I've always wanted to do and accomplish.

 

Now, finally, I'm trying to bring some long-time dreams to life. This involves me trying my best to help others find peace, fulfillment, and happiness in life.

 

And I'm definitely incorporating my love of roleplaying into my new endeavors. In a way, I suppose I'm doing my part to bring roleplaying even further into the pop culture spotlight, by show its meaning and value beyond mere escapism.

 

If you're interested in a taste of what I'm doing, visit www.theunboundself.com for more details. Actually, you might want to read this particular blog post first.

 

Until we meet again on the etheric roads of the web, may every day be an adventure!

The Ulfberht: The Masterwork Viking Sword

 

So, for her Christmas present, I got the wife Netflix. Actually, I got the wife a Bluray player with WiFi AND Netflix. I'm a nice husband.

 

Anyway, I of course will benefit from the purchase because, you know, I live with her ;-)

 

Last night I decided to see if the History Channel's Vikings series was available. No dice. Boo!

 

However, my search for the word "vikings" yielded an unexpected result: a Nova special that discusses a rare type of Viking-era sword called the "Ulfberht." This type of sword is renowned for it's very un-Medieval level of craftsmanship, in that the steel that was used for the Ulfberht swords was very free of impurities. So whereas most Viking-era swords would break due to the poor steel, the Ulfberht was infinitely stronger and more flexible.

 

About the name: it's speculated that the name "Ulfberht" might be the name of a smith who created the first such sword.

 

This whole thing made me think of the "masterwork" version of weapons you find in D&D, which invariably cost more and, sometimes, might even grant a bonus to hit due to their quality. I also found it fascinating to think that, according to one comment in the Nova special, a sword that could bend and not break would have seemed magical to the majority of people in that age. Pretty cool.

 

The other cool thing is that the steel the Viking smiths used to make the Ulfberht was probably from the Middle East. That means they made the trek the entire way by river to get the good steel. Even more coolness right there.

 

You can watch the whole Nova special online here. I suggest you take a look!

Me and Roleplaying: 2014 and Beyond...

Hail and well met, fellow adventurers! Here we are, on the threshold of a new year of crisis and opportunity! May we all rise to the blessed challenges that the universe lays before us, for challenges are blessings, and they help make us more than we were before!

I love the RPG blogosphere, the whole cacophonous lot of you! Every single one of your blogs are a light that keeps the flame of roleplaying alive! Whether you have a regular game (be it face-to-face or virtual), or are dreaming of gaming days past or future, you are keeping the spirit alive. And I salute you for your efforts, however humble or grand. Thanks to all of you for your continuing inspiration. For that's what you have been, are, and will be for me.

No, this isn't a farewell post from me. I'm just changing my focus for my free time in 2014. I'm working on a dream, folks. Wish me all the best you can spare. I'm bound and determined to change the career aspect of my life. I'm going to focus all the will, energy, determination, and ambition I have in this body into the effort.

So my available time for the hobby will be limited, but it will burn no less brighter for it. Indeed, I expect the inner fire for roleplaying will only burn hotter. I'm looking forward to my return to roleplaying when the time is right, just as it was right about three years ago. I always have believed that hope springs eternal. It is this faith that has driven me most of my life. Without it, I'm not sure where I'd be today.

At any rate, this is an RPG blog, eh? So, what do I foresee for me in the way of gaming in the new year?

Well, there will be no doubt some evenings where I will actually find myself at the game table once more. I've laid the foundations for several good groups of gamers that have promised to have chairs open for me. Most likely I will be a player, as I probably won't have the time to prep to be a GM.

I see the coming year as a time of much-needed reflection on my roleplaying career. This reflection will include some much-needed delvings into the old rule sets that have been calling out to me. I'm feeling like I have a lot of assumptions when it comes to my gaming past. Assumptions scare me. To me, they reek of hubris. You assume you know all there is to know about something, and that's when bad things happen.

Yes, I need to do some long-overdue exploration of my roleplaying past. Since I jumped head-first back into roleplaying in 2010, I've pretty much never looked back. But that neglect of my RPG past has most likely given birth to this burning desire to read and use some of the old books.

One of the big assumptions I've harbored is that I know all I need to know about the older versions of D&D and AD&D. But I'm really feeling drawn to, of all things, 2nd Edition AD&D at the moment. At the very least, I think I need to do a good read of this version of the game over the next year. If only to exorcise the demanding, nagging feeling that I need to explore it again. But actually, I expect to see that old game with my older man's eyes, and see what I get out of it this time around. That's a reunion I've foolishly avoided. I think it's going to be a good thing, for me to revisit the version of the game that took up much of my early roleplaying life.

Heck, if I have time, I might just go back and revisit St. Gygax's masterwork, 1st Edition AD&D...the version that I played the most back in the day. I expect to be rewarded by that journey as well.

As I do my re-exploration of the above, I hope to have time for posting some musings here.

As I've said before on this blog, I love Castles & Crusades, and it really is my preferred version of AD&D, but nostalgia DEMANDS that I go back and take a look at the real deal again. Whether this becomes good nostalgia or bad, limiting nostalgia is really up to me, and what I do with the feeling.

 

I also hope to do some reviews of new games and such as I read them, and perhaps contribute some gaming material here and there. We'll see. 

 

The X factor of 2014 is the 40th anniversary of D&D and the release of the next iteration. From what I've seen of D&D Next via the playtest materials, I'm not really interested in using those rules. But what a milestone! I'm excited to see what comes...er, next!

So, this is not goodbye. I will be reading all of your words, contributing when I can, and enjoying every minute of it! I wish you all a wonderful new year of roleplaying goodness! Please have much happy gaming, as well as general happiness and prosperity (both of the wallet and the soul!) Until we meet again on the road to adventure, I wish you all the best!

The Call of a New Adventure in 2014

 

Yes, I’m a fool for nostalgia. I just try not to let it drag me down. 

 

So, I’m full of nostalgia when it comes to roleplaying. Overflowing with it, bursting at the seams, etcetera. And over the last few years of my personal roleplaying renaissance, I’ve let my nostalgia fuel a return to the hobby that I thought I’d left behind for good. You see, as the years of my last hiatus rolled by, the urge to game swelled like a rising tide. Until I could deny the urge to roleplay no longer.

So round about 2010, I answered the call to adventure. I went out into the wilds of the internet and then the real world to roleplay once more. And I’ve had a lot of fun in the last few years, met some really cool fellow gamers, and have delved back into roleplaying with abandon.

And I’ve come to a new conclusion in the last week or so: perhaps my current desire to set actual play aside again for the time being is actually a result of the roleplaying I’ve done over the last few years.

Sounds paradoxical, eh? Well, perhaps not. Because there's a new call to adventure that has come over me.

You see, since early in 2013 I’ve felt another urge welling up within: to change my career path forever, to finally find work that is infinitely more fulfilling. I’ve been ramping up in anticipation of massive action in 2014 to change my career.

And I think that my successful return to roleplaying has given me faith that I can delve back into other aspirations I had as a younger man, and give life to them as well. So, this urge to change careers, to do something that helps my fellow human beings more directly rather than just slave to make some executives rich, is a dream from my past that is demanding to be brought forth into fruition. And I aim to unleash it.

I am going to become my own boss. I’m going to become an entrepreneur. I’m not sure yet what form that will take exactly, but I have some plans. All I know is, roleplaying has taught me how to dream again. It has reminded me that I need to let my dreams run free, and to not wallow in the rampant negativity that modern global society worships.

I will definitely not be leaving roleplaying for good this year, the 40^th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons. Hells no! But it just so happens that I can no longer deny another incessant call from deep within me. I’m just going to be focusing a tremendous amount of energy and focus on attaining my new career goal.

This isn’t to say that I’m leaving this blog to sit stagnant either. Rather, I will work to keep it alive, with worthwhile posts. And I am sure I will also get some roleplaying in here and there, but just not on as consistent a basis as I have for the last few years.

Anyway, folks, that’s where I am for now. I’m probably going to post one more time (tomorrow) before the year is over. Until then, please send me positive vibes (as I will be doing for you), and I look forward to continue to participate in our little RPG blogosphere community in 2014! Happy gaming, one and all!

Early-Morning Clarity, Personal Growth, and Roleplaying - Part 2

That horizon looks ever so inviting, does it not?

 

So, following on from my first post in this two-parter...

 

Last post, I spewed some stream-of-consciousness stuff about wanting an RPG for busy adults...didn't really get any advice from the community, so...just wondering if there's any advice out there...

 

Anyway, onto this here current post. I'm ramping things up in my life, folks. I'm increasing my participation in extracurriculars that I hope will open new opportunities for my career as well as me as an individual soul. Suffice to say I'm seeking greater success and peace of mind/soul in my life. I won't get into all the particulars, but I'm increasing my opportunities to educate myself and broaden my opportunities and horizons.

 

So, therefore, something has to give, and unfortunately I think that has to be some aspect of my roleplaying life. I think it means I need to put my very-young, recently-started Dragon Age campaign on hold. I think it means I need to shift back to being a player when I can make it to Wednesday nights at the FLGS. Hey, any roleplaying is good roleplaying, I say!

 

Look, I'm not crying over here. It's my choice to participate in activities in my spare time that take away from my RPG time, especially my ability to be a GM. If I can't GM up to my own standards, I won't do it. I think my group will understand. I miss my fellow gamers very much, I haven't seen them in over a month!

 

Ironically, despite all of my stuff going on, I think I'm going to have time to make this here blog into a "pro-Dragonlance" blog of sorts. You'll see what I mean...stay tuned.

Early-Morning Clarity, Personal Growth, and Roleplaying - Part 1

Have you ever experienced the phenomenon where, in the moments after you wake up in the morning, the first thoughts that come to your mind seem so pure and clear? In addition, do you suspect that those thoughts are manifestations of your truest, deepest desires? In other words, these thoughts may be what you truly want with regard to some aspect of your life, but most of the time they are buried under all of the other thoughts, feelings, and various mental distractions of your daily life.

I believe I woke up on a recent morning with one of those moments of clarity. At least, I think that's what happened. I want to farm this whole thought process out to you, my fellow RPG bloggers in the great virtual hive-mind that is the Internet. I want your thoughts, advice, feedback, ridicule, whatever. This is going to be a bit long, so I'm breaking it up into two posts. Here goes:

For some reason, I just haven't been feeling fully satisfied of late when it comes to the rule systems I've been considering or actually using. OF COURSE, I am entertaining the possibility that this lack of satisfaction with any of the rule systems that I've been reading/using of late is due to some lack of vision on my part, some lack of thought-clarity.

Anyway, I've been feeling that there needs to be an RPG, and specifically a fantasy RPG similar to D&D, for busy adults. Perhaps this theoretical RPG would somehow facilitate play for those who can meet only infrequently, and who can't spend copious amounts of time on session prep.

Now, I do in fact believe that the continuity and cohesion of a particular campaign depends a lot on the GM's attention to detail, and not on the system being used. Does the GM take the right amount of notes during sessions so that he/she creates a firm bridge between sessions? For me, if I can't maintain this session cohesion, I don't feel like I'm doing right by my campaign and, most importantly, my players.
 

Back to this RPG for busy adults concept. Here's what I'm thinking currently, stream-of-consciousness style:

Perhaps the biggest concern I've had of late is the "damage" long breaks between game sessions can inflict upon a campaign. As a busy adult, I've come to believe that the sometimes long absenses from the table-top result in an increase in time needed for players to level up. Is there an RPG with an advancement system that doesn't suffer from long absenses from the campaign? Is there an RPG that will have just the right advancement system that will give satisfying goals for players and allow them to steadily advance despite the potential for long breaks between game sessions?

I don't want to keep track of arrows, torches, sling bullets, rations, etc. And as a matter of fact, I don't want my players to keep track of the usual "consumables." Yes, this is my heretical disdain for resource management. Heck, I want lack of resources to crop up unexpectedly.

I also don't want to keep track of time, miles traveled, etc.

I DO want to deal with plot hooks, player decisions, and subsequent consequences.

I'm a busy adult who believes (perhaps wrongly or rightly) that he doesn't have time to keep track of the resource management, but believes that the tension that stems from said management can still be created using the right system...or perhaps using a system right!

I want to focus on the complex results of the interplay between GM and players. I prefer to focus on fostering the cooperative story that the players and I are creating.

When I talk about a story game, my definition is one that doesn't involve me creating the RPG equivalent of a "novel" through which I will railroad my players. I am not a frustrated novelist. I'm a GM running roleplaying games. Story comes from me presenting a world and events in that world, and giving players knowledge of the events in that world (or at least some of those events). This knowledge will come in a variety of ways: rumors in the tavern, intelligence from thieves, braggadocio of mercenaries, whispers of courtiers, declarations from enemies, scribblings on scrolls and in tomes, and on and on and on. Then, the players will decide which of these sounds appealing to them, and they will head off in search of adventure. And part of the joy of this is that I will have to adapt, as best I can, to their whims. I will do my best to react and give them consequences, both "good" and "bad," that will interest, intrigue, engage, titillate, horrify, bedevil, ensnare, and reward them.

As I said above, I don't want my players to have to do bookkeeping. I know there can be joy in the bookkeeping, but that's a different style of play than I am currently interested in. I was interested in the past, but right now I am not. Why? Well, again, I feel sometimes overwhelmed when dealing in-session with I feel like a nanny when I ask players to "mark off that arrow you just fired" or "reduce your mana for that spell." I don't want to be bothered.

I suppose I can get this from any RPG system if necessary, I just need to change my perception. Or is there a system out there that facilitates the plot focus that I'm seeking, but somehow brings the tension of resource management to the table? Is this system called Torchbearer or Dungeon World?

Ok, I'm not all that happy about how coherent this post is...but I think I got the gist across. I feel like I've had a cronic lack of clarity in my writings of late...but that's for the next post. In the meantime, your comments are welcome.

Gaming Inspiration in the News: Medieval Lead Coffin?

Nope, nothing about this is creepy at all. Not one bit. Where's the crowbar?

 

You know how they found Richard III's remains not too long ago, right? Well, apparently, they discovered another stone coffin at the site, and found a lead coffin inside that outer coffin.

 

The following stuck out for me:

 

"None of us in the team have ever seen a lead coffin within a stone coffin before," archaeologist Mathew Morris, the Grey Friars site director, said in a statement. "We will now need to work out how to open it safely, as we don't want to damage the contents when we are opening the lid."

 

OK, is it just me, or does anyone else out there read that and automatically think: "DO NOT open that lead coffin!! Guys, if none of the experts have ever seen a lead coffin from the Middle Ages before, doesn't that suggest that there's something ODD about the whole thing? Sure, let's crack that sucker open post-haste! Great idea, that.

 

This got me to thinking about how to use this during a campaign. Perhaps the use of lead was vital to keeping SOMETHING contained. Perhaps opening that coffin would release that SOMETHING to plague the world once more. Not the most original idea in the realms of fantasy fiction or fantasy gaming, I suppose, but usually a perennial favorite (and one that, if done sparingly, doesn't get old).

Farewell, Mr. Vance

I wanted to add my voice to the growing chorus of bloggers who are mourning the passing of Jack Vance.

 

Like some of my fellow RPG bloggers, I've come late in life to an appreciation of Vance's fiction and the seminal role they played in many aspects of the D&D game (I won't repeat them here, as you probably know those influences he had on the game). Though, like everyone else who played 1E AD&D, I was exposed to the vaunted Appendix N list, as a youth I didn't really have access to the more obscure tomes it referenced. What was readily available were the D&D novels, in particular the Dragonlance novels. As I've said before, those were my first real foray into fantasy fiction, for better or worse (I'm personally fine with my path to fantasy fiction, but I'm sure some readers are shaking their head in pity right now).

 

But with age comes wisdom, as well as money, the ability to drive to a bookstore, and also the ability to scour the Internet for old editions of books. Yes, over time, I came to discover the books that Gygax set forth in Appendix N, and added many to my personal home library. Sadly, I haven't read all of them as of yet. I'm quite easily distracted, you see, and my library is home to everything from the latest escapist offerings of new authors to the old tales of the founding masters of the genre.

 

But, I'm committed to changing my reading schedule to finally, for good and all, complete my reading of the works of Vance and other members of the old guard (Leiber, Moorcock, Le Guin, etc). It sometimes takes a passing like this to remind one of the need to focus on the priorities, you know? So, I'm starting up again with my reading of The Dying Earth. I've started reading my Science Fiction Book Club edition in the past but stopped due to my short attention span (and not for any lack of enjoyment on my part when it came to Vance's writing).

 

Farewell, Mr. Vance. As you sail into the beyond, I hope the sound of our thoughts and prayers speed your passage into eternity. You showed us the worlds you dreamed, and thus inspired countless other dreams, many of which no doubt manifested themselves in other fictional works as well as a good number of game tables.

A Blessed Yule to All!

It's been a tough year, with plenty more of the same-old "humanity's inhumanity to humanity." Hopefully, you and yours have made it through unscathed. For those who've been touched by dark times this year, my thoughts and prayers go out to you. May the coming year be kinder to us all.

 

I've been becoming more of a pragmatist as I get older, but there's still this stubborn core of daydreaming and hope within me. It's what made me hold out for some sort of miracle shift of consciousness with the ending of the 13th baktun on the Mayan calendar. It's also what never fails to make me disappointed by acts of dickheadedness, no matter how many times I see it or experience it. I never learn my lesson, according to loved ones, when it comes to being surprised by asshole-ish behavior. I guess I just continually hope that people will simply be civil. Well, I'll just keep trying to "be the change" and continue to present a positive face to others.   

 

But enough of gloom! I'm looking forward to Christmas tomorrow, mostly to see the reactions of my children to their gifts. My son in particular, for some time now, has been asking for a castle play set with associated giant ogre and dragon (sold separately of course)! A chip off the old block, perhaps? Anyway, we did get him those "Imaginext" toys, and he should pass out with joy when he opens them. My daughter, alas, is enchanted by My Little Pony, but apparently a lot of older nerds adore the Friendship is Magic cartoon. Just like LARPing, that particular bridge is too far for me.

Again, happy holidays to you and yours! Perhaps we'll all get some gaming goodies this year?

Yes, this is my post about the Mayan calendar and December 21st, 2012

Party like it's 4 ahau 3 kankin!

 

I'm definitely not trying to brag about this (that would be really lame), but I remember a time when I was one of only a handful of people in my personal world who knew (or cared) about the whole "Mayan calendar-2012 apocalypse" thing. 

 

As a much younger man in the late 1990's, I first heard about the "end of the Mayan calendar in 2012" theory and the potential for a related apocalypse. Some close friends and I were watching a History Channel documentary, no doubt. At least, I think that's the case...I can't remember the details of the show, really. What I do remember is a dramatic moment where the narrator's voice became very ominous, and we were shown the grinding wheels of the Mayan calendar spinning rapidly. Then POW! It came to a sudden halt on a date that, we were told, corresponded with December 21st, 2012 on the Gregorian calendar.

 

This was the first time I'd ever heard of the supposed "end" of the Mayan calendar. Up until that point, I'd had a mild interest in Native American/Mesoamerican cultures. But that show really ramped up my fascination with Mesoamerican history in particular. Since then I've enjoyed reading about those cultures, in what was no doubt a way for me to fulfill my childhood dreams of getting into anthropology and/or archaeology (the first movie I can remember seeing in theaters was Raiders of the Lost Ark, if that tells you anything).

 

Anyway, time (of course) marched on and on. I finished college, got into the working world (hooray), got married, had kids...all that American dream stuff. I also lost my connection to roleplaying for a time, unfortunately.

 

Flash forward to today, and I'm sitting here feeling quite underwhelmed by the fact that the long-awaited date is only a few days away. And that makes me somewhat sad. I'm sorta puzzled by this underwhelmed feeling. Perhaps it stems from a notion that nothing spectacular is going to happen on Friday.

Over the years, I've witnessed the obscure notion put forth in that late 90's documentary grow exponentially into the "doomsday craze" it is today. I've watched countless other documentaries discuss the topic and posit theories ranging from apocalypse to some transformative event in human evolution/consciousness.

 

I never believed for a second that the world would end on 12/21/12. Yes, I've been one of those who entertained the thought, irrational or not, that the world would experience some mystical rebirth into...well, a time of greater harmony. Yes, yes, a bunch of hippy-dippy, New Age garbage, right? But a man can dream. If anything, I've enjoyed injecting that more positive possibility into the doomsday talk that usually comes up.

 

So anyway, here I find myself on the cusp of the event itself. It feels strange that the date is almost here. I guess, for me, this is one of those moments when you step back and go "whoa, where did all the time go?" You know, one of those stereotypical things that occurs to old(er) folks.

 

Of course, I know that the Mayan calendar in its entirety is not going to "end." Rather, it's the end of a roughly 400-year period called a "baktun." The 13th baktun is coming to an end, and the 14th baktun is going to begin. The date on the Mayan calendar is 4 ahau 3 kankin. Simple as that. 

 

So, how am I going to celebrate? At the very least, I plan on dancing around intermittently during the day on Friday and singing "Tonight we're gonna party like it's 4 ahau 3 kankin!" to the tune of Prince's "1999." And I'm going to let myself hope, for one more time, that something mystical will happen and humanity will transcend our numerous long-standing psychic afflictions such as hate, greed, etc. 

 

Either that, or our alien overlords will finally return.

Dispatch from Disaster Area New Jersey

Hey all. I'm checking in from Southern New Jersey in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and I have to say that my family and I are pretty fortunate. We never lost power, saw no flooding. We did, however, have a dead tree in our backyard topple onto and crush a part of our fence:

 

I woke up this morning to the sound of a chain saw...a chain saw that was very close to my house. My neighbor was already cutting limbs off of this thing. And of course, here's what I had to say to the hurricane:

 

 

However, we made out a lot better than many other folks across the state. Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost much, much more than us. When I see images like the following, I can't believe what I'm seeing:

 

 

That image, of what amounts to the entire track system of a roller coaster swept out into the ocean, is just a small tasted of the devastation that was inflicted upon the coast of my state. This puts my little tree problem into much-needed perspective. Again, my family and I are very fortunate, and we feel great sadness for those who are much less fortunate.

 

To all my fellow gamers in New Jersey and surrounding states, I hope you are safe and sound. 

Blogus Interruptus

I'm beat, folks. The orcs have stormed the walls. As depicted above, the giant got a good shot on me with the old club. The giant's name? Life. T'is the season for me to get outflanked by, well, everything. It always seems to happen around my birthday (coming up this weekend). I've got a lot of iron in the old forge fire these days, and I've finally reached the breaking point. The anvil has cracked, and I'm searching for a new one. Until I find a new one, things will have to be sacrificed. The first victim, unfortunately, is the blog.

I will post when I can, folks. I can promise no more. I hope you'll stick around. Once the current assault on my free time abates and the smoke clears, I am planning on returning to a more regular posting schedule. I know there's a couple of trolls currently wandering the gaming blogosphere who are giving people grief for not posting as much as they used to. They can piss off. Real life trumps all, if you're a sane adult.

I have to prioritize even more these days. Since I started this blog, I've promised myself that actual gaming would always trump blogging about gaming. With my limited time getting even more, er, limited, I'm transferring all remaining time to the table-top. My prayer is that things won't get even more limited, and therefore cause me to suspend even my gaming activities.

I give you my promise that the blogging fire is still strong, but time is not a luxury right now. So, I'll be focusing on rolling the sacred polyhedrals. Again, if time permits, I'll be posting here and there for the rest of the year. Once things alleviate, I'll pick up the pace. In the meantime, I hope you'll stick around for what is sure to come.

Until then, happy gaming!

Can a fella get a barbarian horde over here?

It's Friday after a busy week in the life of yours truly. And I'm feeling disgusted by our little "civilization" here in the United States. I am tired of the mewling and whining and excuses from mollycoddled weaklings. These weaklings are weak mostly in spirit. Why? Because the culture promotes backstabbing, finger pointing, brown nosing, and the like...all of which are the last resort of those unwilling to do right by their fellow citizen. Because doing right is hard work, and the corpulent and lazy in power can't be bothered with hard work. The lickspittles are in charge. The land is rife with fearmongering.

 

Conan was right to mock civilization. It allows criminals and cowards to take advantage of things by manipulating and corrupting the systems of government, finance, etc. The actions of the snivellers and villains may not often be illegal in the eyes of the law, but they are not moral. Those with a moral compass suffer because they do not seek to gain advantage over others through deception.

 

I so want a horde at my disposal today. I want a tide of furious folk who are untainted by my civilization's corruption to sweep away the old and broken order. And if I can't get that in reality, I sure wish I could get it at a table-top somewhere right now. Either way, I need me some so-called "barbarians."

 

As Walt Whitman might say, "Yawp!"

The first cool breaths of Autumn...

...have blessed the East Coast of America today, my friends! Their soothing caress has even served to alleviate my normal Monday blues, miracle of miracles. Thus begins my favorite season, friends. Though in recent years, due to climate change no doubt, I feel as if the season is getting all too short, with Autumn shifting to the bitterness of winter all too swiftly. Ah, but I am determined to enjoy every Fall day this year, and not squander them as I have in years past.

 

I look forward to the pumpkins (giant ones have already appeared in the local grocery store), my October birthday, Halloween (and I don't even mind the fact that Halloween paraphernalia started appearing in stores during the last days of August...though I've balked in the past at how early Halloween was being pushed by retailers, it's actually cool that the holiday is "celebrated" for about two solid months). I'm going to be reading scary stories to my daughter's first-grade class in late October, and of course there's going to be hikes in the woods, pumpkin picking, and all the other goodness that comes this time of year.

 

Can you tell I feel rejuvenated already? Here's hoping no more heatwaves are in out future, eh? Anyway, hope there's some touches of Autumn already hitting your area, where ever you may dwell!

The Elmore cover art for Dragons of Autumn Twilight

Gone Vacationing

Chillin' like a halfling...

Hello all. Lest you think I've become a monster's meal in some dread dungeon, I wanted to write a quick post to let you know all's well. I've been on vacation for a few days, and hope to return to significant blogging soon. I want to blog about my Castles & Crusades Greyhawk campaign's second session, and perhaps write a few reviews (regarding a film or two, as well as some gaming products). Until then, happy gaming to you all!