A little vacation post to tide everyone over in anticipation of NAP III. Noisms tackles the pernicious plague of Rules-lites with his usual combination of discernment and trepidation (the Yochai Gal hit squads are no doubt chomping at the bit for a piece of him). He argues from sound principles, rivalling my own, but as … More The Rules-Lite Sickness & Gaining Momentum
And so it was that Four of the Six set out for the Valley of Sargoon, taking 2 weeks for Simeon the wizard to brew a potion of giants strength, and pen several scrolls. Brandoch Daha and Lemmikainen were delayed by other errands, but would follow later. For 3 hard weeks they rode, gaining permission … More [Actual Play] Like Unto Gods Pt. VI (2e); Labyrinth of Madness
[Adventure] WGA4 Vecna Lives! (1990)David “Zeb” Cook (TSR)AD&D 2eLvl 12 – 15 This one is horrible and I knew it and I have no one to blame but myself and autism. I was reading through Die! Vecna Die! by Bruce Cordell which I read when I was young and which has a definite non-zero chance … More [Review] Vecna Lives (AD&D 2e); Getting Zebbed
Pt. IPt. IIPt. IIIPt. IVPt. VPt. VIPt. VIIPt. VIIIPt. IX We have departed the crunch area and starting to get into the crystallized setting of Wandering Heroes of Ogre gate and this section opens it in grand style, with 50 pages worth of setting information about Qi Xien, with most of it centered on the … More [Review] Wandering Heroes of Ogre Gate Pt. VI (Core Game); Setting
And so it was that for three days our heroes prepared for their last sally into the Stronghold of Azureax. And using divination, they gleaned yet another command word of the Mirror of Mental Prowess, allowing them to open gateways to other places. And they questioned the mirror in vain, for they knew not how … More [Actual Play] Like Unto Gods Pt. V (2e); Peace Treaty
[Adventure]Fever Swamp (2017)Luke Gearing (Melsonian Arts Council)??? (mid-level) It is at this point pretty clear that me, Artpunk and the rest of the hobby are not going to get along. So why keep doing it? Sheer bloody-mindedness? BDSM? The sweet promise of government heroin? The Will of St. Gary? I enjoy seeing my predictions confirmed. … More [Review] Fever Swamp (Lotfp 3PP); Surface Mimicry
Hopefully the worst issue of Beholder. Instead of delicious Gygaxian building blocks that can be pitched immediately into one’s game the first heralds of the Black Age of Trad gaming are upon us. Sick cover though. Developing Campaign Peoples (Will Stephenson): Well intentioned article that functions as a checklist, giving you a list of attributes … More [Review] The Beholder #20; Worst of the Best
The second volume in the Thieves World: First Blood omnibus is in every way an expansion on the previous volume. The city and its major players have been introduced, now it is time to broaden its horizons. The resulting tales take place in locations both within and beyond Sanctuary, expand on elements briefly hinted at … More [Booktalk] Thieves World – First Blood Pt. II; Tales of the Vulgar Unicorn
[Adventure]CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (1985)Graeme Morris, Jim Bambra & Phil Gallagher (TSR)BECMILvl 17 – 19 A BECMI high level adventure that is close to acceptable. It does everything it can to sabotage itself just before the finish line but somehow at the end of it you have something that is close to good. The all … More [Review] CM6 Where Chaos Reigns (BECMI); Skirting Quality
Age of Dusk 