LTUE: The Hobbit--Film vs. Book Panel Discussion

As I mentioned earlier, I'm spending the next few days at the LTUE: Marion K. "Doc" Smith Symposium on Science Fiction and Fantasy, in beautiful downtown Provo, Utah.

A few tidbits from the first panel discussion, Tolkien's The Hobbit: The Book and the Movies. The panelists involved were Paul Genesse, David Farland, Blake Casselman, and Tracy Hickman, with Paul acting as moderator.

At one point, the topic was raised of "What were your quibbles with the movie?" David Farland leaped in with some minor complaints about the pacing, particularly focusing on the scenes in Bag End. He said that he went into the movie really wanting to love the dwarves...and came away not having fallen in love with them at all. He pointed out that too much time was spent at Bag End. Then he made the mistake of using the word "pacing."

The microphone was passed to Tracy Hickman and the question repeated, "What were your quibbles? What was there about the movie that made you mad?" He smiled and said, "What made me mad was the audience." There was rousing applause to this sentiment. "All the cell phones, the texting, the little lights all over the theater. It made me want to throw popcorn at them all." Again: rousing applause. "This is why the 'free refill Coke' is such a good thing; that way you can dump your drink on them and...." Laughs and applause.

Then Tracy continued: "Seriously, though, my problem with the movie is with people who have a problem with the pacing." At which he and David Farland looked eyes and David laughed. Back to Tracy, with a few tidbits of wisdom from him.

• We are so inured to the Bruce Lee, fast-paced...action-from-a-firehose movies that we have lost the art of enjoying the journey.
• Look at The Maltese Falcon: that one didn't truck along. Casablanca wasn't action-packed or fast-paced.
• As writers, the audience expects us to write our prose cinematically.
• Enjoy the pace--the journey--rather than worry how long it takes to get there.

The microphone was passed back to David Farland who conceded that he didn't really mean "pacing" per se. What he intended to complain about was the fact that the time at Bag End could have been used better by developing the relationship between the dwarves. He wanted to be shown how to differentiate between the dwarves, and that he said, was what he meant by "pacing." Tracy nodded at that and voiced his agreement to that idea.

Blake Casselman made a comment in passing that he really appreciated the whole Moby Dick theme included in the movie, meaning Azog, the White Orc. Unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of time to develop that idea, but it's an idea worthy of a number of essays itself.

Paul Genesse had a good, pithy observation on Radaghast: "Look, I know you like ALL like Radaghast, but when the smoke came out of his ears, I rolled my eyes. Radaghast is my Jar Jar Binks." Even though I really liked the Radaghast character, I had to laugh. I can respect his opinion.

O.K. Off to another panel discussion. More later.

The Answer is '42':LTUE

The answer is, of course, to the question of Life, the Universe, and Everything.

Wow. I just realized I used the same joke last year.

That's where I'm spending my Valentine's Day, and the next two days as well...with my wife at the LTUE writing conference in Provo, Utah. Yup, I'll be rubbing elbows with such writers as Tracy & Laura Hickman, David Farland, Larry Correia, and Paul Genesse. It's a great opportunity to learn about writing, get writing tips--of all sorts--from all sorts of authors, artists, and filmmakers.

I'm starting the day listening to David Farland, Tracy Hickman, Paul Genesse and Blake Casselman discuss The Hobbit: The Film and the Book. Great stuff.

I'll try and remember to add some more information over the next few days.

Painted Lead: Harapan, the Elephant Man

I picked up the brush Sunday for the first time in eleven months. Yes, I said ELEVEN months.

I spent a few hours relieving stress with this guy. And by "a few" I mean "7.5" or so. "This guy" is a limited edition release from Reaper Miniatures: 01411 Harapan, Elephant Man. This was a fig released in January 2005 to raise funds for Red Cross following the Indian Ocean tsunami on December 26, 2004. I picked up a couple of these--partly because of the good cause and partly because, hey, cool miniature! They've been hiding in a box for the last 8 years.

Saturday, I was bored and exhausted. A bit depressed. My personal and professional life(s) had me stressed to the hilt. So I decided to paint. A bit of digging in my lead pile uncovered Harapan, the Elephant Man. My mind started spinning and color schemes started flashing through my brain. My hands itched to hold a paintbrush.

Yeah, I'm serious. Itching.

Don't laugh. You mini-painters out there know exactly what I'm talking about, I'll bet.

I think I'm done with the miniature except for the base/basing...haven't decided out what to do there yet. I haven't decided whether to simply paint the broccoli base, mount it to a new, larger base and do some basic terrain basing, or to build a small diorama around it (rock towers, grass, rocks, etc.) for display. Getting the right base is important, as you know.

Oh, I probably have to hit him with some sealant for a bit of protection.

I would appreciate any honest feedback, etc. from y'all. Please let me know what you think. I have to be honest, it was my first time trying out a few different techniques.

Also, I know the pictures aren't the best, but they were the best and most well-lighted of the four sets I tried.

Again: let me know what you think in the comments. Constructive criticism is more than welcome.

Who's Who: Wedgaer Ironhand [NPC]

Wedgaer Ironhand is an only child who comes from a long line of paladins and clerics. His father, Erfbaer Smallwhisper, is famous among the kingdoms of gnomes for his deeds in battle against the forces of Anaekah, the goddess of Evil and Darkness during the Time of Unrest. Erfbaer is also infamous among the gnomes for his traitorous actions during the Time of Regrowth shortly thereafter.

Both of Wedgaer’s parents are now deceased. His mother, Dalseg, died by her own hand, shamed by the actions of her husband. The revelations of his misdeeds came as a complete surprise, the shock driving her deep into madness and eventually a crudely fashioned noose. His father, Erfbaer, was challenged to a duel by his brother-in-law after Dalseg’s death. Blinded and near-crippled by grief, Erfbaer was not up to the challenge and proved to be a poor match for his late wife’s angered brother.

Needless to say, Wedgaer was and is extremely embarrassed by his parents: his father’s treason and his mother’s madness. After their death, Wedgaer was taken in by one of his father’s comrades-in-arms, a paladin named Flan Wildgold. Flan taught Wedgaer about the Code of the Paladin and began his instruction in the worship of Oridon, the God of Science and Victory. Wedgaer has since grown into a staunch defender of the faith, brooking no insult to his God. He has also made it his life’s goal to stamp out every last worshiper and shrine to Anaekah. Vengeance for his family’s dishonor will, he vows, one day be his.

He has already had several encounters with Anaekah’s followers. One particular skirmish went extraordinarily badly. Although Wedgaer survived the fight, several of his fellow paladins fell to the dark magic wielded by Moglaun, the Warpshroud of Kel-engog. Wedgaer was one of only a handful of survivors; they escaped, but grossly embarrassed Moglaun in the process. The Warpshroad of Kel-engog has pledged to hunt down and destroy all of the survivors of the conflict, including Wedgaer.

Wedgaer is still a young gnome at 52 years of age. He stands 3'5" and is slender. He has piercing blue eyes and flaming red hair; he is considered extremely attractive among gnome-folk, and some human folk as well. His wardrobe is understated–for a gnome. This means, of course, that he still stands out among humans, dwarves, and elves. Early in his combat training under Flan, Wedgaer suffered the loss of two of his fingers on his left hand. Flan contracted with a local dwarven craftsman who fashioned replacement fingers out of metal. The fingers fasten to his hand with a series of straps and are non-functional. Wedgaer took this opportunity to ceremonially sever ties with his family and history by changing his surname from “Smallwhisper” to “Ironhand.”

Pride is his greatest weakness and stems from the embarrassment he feels about his parents’ shortcomings, real or perceived. As such, he is particularly vulnerable to compliments and adoration; it is difficult for him to discern between genuine praise, empty flattery, and malevolent sycophancy. At the same time, he finds no pleasure in expensive but unnecessary things. Frippery does not attract him in any way. His armor and weapons, while of excellent quality, are utilitarian and not gaudy or showy. They are tools–important tools to be sure–but no more than tools. His metal fingers, while seemingly unnecessary, feed into the pride he has in his appearance and are thus necessary to his work.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Wedgaer Ironhand
   CR 4
   Gnome Paladin 4
   NG Small Humanoid
   Init: 0
   Senses: Low-light Vision; Listen +3; Spot +1
   Languages: Common, Gnome
---------------------------------------------------------
   AC 15 touch 11, Flat-footed 15 (Chain Shirt) (+1 size, +4 armor)
   hp 30
   Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +5
----------------------------------------------
   Speed: 20
   Melee: Mace, light +7 (1d4+1) or
   Ranged: Crossbow, light +5 (1d6/19-20 x2) range 80
   Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5ft.
   Base Atk 4; Grp 1
   Combat Gear: Mace, light +1
   Spells Prepared: (CL 1)
       1st — (DC 12) Bless
   Spell-Like Abilities: (CL 0)
       1/day speak with animals (burrowing), 1/day dancing lights, ghost sounds, prestidigitation (DC 13)
----------------------------------------------
   Abilities: Str 12, Dex 11, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 13, Cha 16
   SQ: Aura of Courage, Aura of Good, Detect Evil at will, Divine Grace, Divine Health, +1 Difficulty DC with illusionary spells, +4 dodge AC vs. giant type, +2 save vs. illusion
   Feats: Combat Casting, Heavy Armor Prof., Light Armor Prof., Medium Armor Prof., Shield Prof., Simple Weapon Prof., Weapon Focus (Mace)
   Skills: Concentration 7, Craft 1, Diplomacy 5, Heal 3, Hide 2, Listen 3, Ride 0, Search -1, Sense Motive 3, Spot 1
   Possessions: Combat gear plus Chain shirt +1, Potion of Bless Weapon, Potion of Endure Elements

Kickstart THIS!

Two "new" Kickstarter projects have come to my attention that I want to pass on to the rest of you.

First of all are these Tavern Cards by Hannah Lipsky.

Some of you may know Hannah better as the operator of the random generator site, Chaotic Shiny. Hannah is a friend of mine, one that I've talked about here before. The random generators on her site are terrific and are a great spur for your imagination, gaming, and writing needs. Now she's taken the plunge from digital generators to physical--shall we say "analog"--generators with this Kickstarter.

From the Kickstarter description:

A gorgeous deck of full-color playing cards that you can use to randomly generate a tavern, then win at poker while you're there.

Tavern Cards is a random tavern generator in the form of a fully playable normal card deck....

You can play any normal card game with these cards. Or, you can draw a handful and use those to randomly generate a tavern.

All 54 cards have original full-color art. You can use the pictures as inspiration for your tavern, or just hand them to your players and say, "This is what you see." Many of the cards feature characters which you can use as NPC portraits.

The cards also have some cool features like tarot-style numbering. See the four diamonds on the Burly Bouncers up top? What about the seven clubs in the Gambling Game card? Each card will have some representation of the number and the suit hidden in the art.

Each card also had an adjective on one side and a noun on the other. Combine any adjective with any noun on the cards you draw for a tavern name like the Prancing Pony, Drunken Goblin, Daring Hostler or Crimson Duchess.

As with any Kickstarter, the different support levels offer various perks: multiple card packs, discounts on future card packs, signed art, etc. With nine days left to go, she's about $1,740 away from funding the project. So head on over, find a good support level for your pocketbook and gaming shelf and let's get some of these card packs started shipping out to the gaming community.

This next one happened across my radar purely by accident. I'll let the description speak for itself:

A Gallery of Rogues is a fantasy sourcebook of a criminal guild and its network of operatives. More than just a thieves guild, the provides details on operation, range of influence, adventure hooks, and numerous tools for GMs and Players to get involved right away....

The characters come from all backgrounds, including criminal, civil, and even political. The guild maintains a wide array of members, including at least one wizard and a few politicians — to keep things orderly and all that. Each has a deep background, linked to other members of the guild. This interwoven design promises for a realistic and complex web for your organization. Which in turns means months, if not years of rich game play.

Each character in the book includes game information for old and new editions of the world's favorite fantasy RPG, including Pathfinder, but not 4th.

This one looks pretty cool, if you ask me. Like monsters, I believe one can never have too many NPCs. This one has seven days left and is about $800 away from funding. I'm helping fund and would urge you to do so as well.

So head on over to Kickstarter, throw in a pledge to these two great projects, and then help get the word out!

[From the Mailbag] Dice Dragon

Through the power of Facebook, I found these little critters a few weeks ago and just had one arrive in the mail. These Dice Dragons are, admittedly, cute. Now, some of you macho gamers out there may not hold much truck with "cute," but I think that any of you would be proud to have one of these Dice Dragons on your desk, sitting right under your computer monitor.

Image courtesy of GameHermit

Lisa and Jack Berberette from Richmond, VA make these Dice Dragons and sell them on Etsy under the name of GameHermit. They've got a couple other lines of these handmade polymer cuties, "Baby Dragons" and "OOAK Dragons." They've got a pretty good selection; it was actually kind of hard to choose. There were several that were pretty tempting. They had a cute red dragon, holding a crystal blue d12. They also had an orange one and a pearlized gold dragon, both holding blue d20s. Ultimately, though, I had to go with this one: a black mica dragon with a red scarab d20.

My kids have already started begging for their own Dice Dragons. At $15-$20 each, they're not exactly kid stuff. I justified it as a little bit of gaming art. It may not be a Rodin or a Remington. Nope. It's a Berberette. And it's mine.

One can be yours, too. Pay 'em a visit, won't you?

2012 Totals

2012 is now in the rear-view mirror, and just barely beyond the first hill. It's time to tabulate the year-long game-related accomplishments.

Adventures written: 2
Creatures created: 15
Dice obtained: 26
Games played: 10
Game sessions DM'd: 16
Items created: 9
Maps drawn: 45
Miniatures painted: 2
Miniatures purchased: 121 (+4 metal received as gifts)
NPCs created: 19
Spells scribed: 13
Feats Learned 1
Tables drafted: 1
Terrain constructed: 0

So...how does this compare to 2011? Well:

• I drafted only 6.5% of the adventures this year; I chalk that up to the loss of the Short Adventure September.
• Nearly four times the number of critters was born.
• There was "only" almost 25% of the number of dice obtained. This was either self-control or lack of effort.
• I played in double the amount of games this year, almost one per month. This is, for our group, pretty good. 2011 was a bad year because of some DM issues.
• I managed almost 1.5 times the number of DM sessions, due mainly to the continuation of an PBEM campaign.
• While I managed only two more items created this year, I scribbled out almost four times the number of maps. I'm kinda proud of that number there.
• I doubled my "painted lead" output this past year; I hope to blow that total out of the water this year.
• I increased that miniature horde this year, and barely eked out a total barely over last years total. However, I'm amused by my prediction from one year ago: I was not overly impressed by the Pathfinder miniatures and didn't expect to have a high miniature total in 2012. Hah! Pathfinder managed to increase the quality of the sculpts and paint jobs, as well as issuing some unique and interesting sculpts.
• Again because of that pesky Short Adventure September, only 50% of the NPCs were born.
• My spellbook grew in size with 6.5 times the number of spells scribed versus 2011.
• Only 33% of the number of tables was drafted. (That sounds better than saying "only one.")
• For the second straight year, no terrain was constructed. Sigh. 

I'm going to shoot for some increased blogging; January hasn't been too productive, but I've still got time. 2012 was a year of stress and frustration, both on a personal and professional level. Health issues, family issues, and financial issues all came to bear on me, but again: the hobby and the friends made through the hobby helped make it survivable.

Everyone join me in a toast: raise your dice cups high and keep them d20s dry. Here's to 2013!

2012 RPG Acquisition Inventory -- Final Tally

Below is my total 2012 RPG Acquisition Inventory, in reverse chronological order. If anyone but myself is truly interested.

1. Firefly (Purple) 7-piece dice set, by Crystal Caste
2. Misfit Monsters Redeemed, by Paizo
3. Mystery Monsters Revisited, by Paizo
4. Pathfinder Adventure Path #65: Into the Nightmare Rift (Shattered Star 5 of 6)
5. The Horrendous Heap of Sixteen Cities! by Dylan Hartwell (Print version)
6. Knowledge Illuminates, by Tim Shorts (Print version)
7. Pathfinder Adventure Path #64: Beyond the Doomsday Door (Shattered Star 4 of 6)
8. Elven Mill Paper Terrain, by Lord Zsezse Works (Limited Dark Elf style included)
9. Otuygh print (from Loviatar #8), by Jay Penn
10. The Stone Man original art (from Loviatar #7), by Jay Penn
11. Adventure Quarterly #2, by Rite Publishing (PDF and Softcover Print)
12. Adventure Quarterly #1, by Rite Publishing (PDF and Softcover Print)
13. Rawr! Vol. 1: Fear and Dread, by TPK Games
14. Pathfinder Issue #3 (Comic)
15. Watercolor by Jay Penn
16. Morgan Stringman print, by Jay Penn
17. Pathfinder Adventure Path #63: The Asylum Stone (Shattered Star 3 of 6)
18. Pathfinder Issue #2 (Comic) (x2)
19. Pathfinder Adventure Path #62: Curse of the Lady's Light (Shattered Star 2 of 6)
20. Faceless Stalker, #6 Rise of the Runelords Pathfinder Battles (x2)
21. Pathways: Issue 20, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
22. Pathways: Issue 19, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
23. Pathfinder Battles -- 2012 Promotional Figure: Festering Spirit (x3)
24. #1 With A Bullet Point: 10 Monster Feats, by Super Genius Games
25. #1 With A Bullet Point: 7 Feats for The Undead, by Super Genius Games
26. #1 With A Bullet Point: 8 Barbarian Feats, by Super Genius Games
27. The Genius Guide to the Death Knight, by Super Genius Games
28. Infamous Adversaries: Urizen the Bleak Lord, by TPK Games
29. Advanced Adventures #15: Stonesky Delve, by Expeditious Retreat Press (Free!)
30. The Genius Guide to 110 Spell Variants, by Super Genius Games
31. The Genius Guide to Another 110 Spell Variants, by Super Genius Games
32. The Genius Guide to 100 Spell Variants, Volume 3, by Super Genius Games
33. #30 Variant Dragons, by Rite Publishing
34. 101 Special Materials and Power Components, by Rite Publishing
35. The Genius Guide to Feats of Divine Might, by Super Genius Games
36. The Genius Guide to Feats of Immediate Action, by Super Genius Games
37. The Genius Guide to Feats of Runic Might, by Super Genius Games
38. The Genius Guide to Feats of Runic Might II: Runebinding, by Super Genius Games
39. Pathways: Issue 18, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
40. Frontier Explorer: Issue #1, by Frontier Explorer (Free!)
41. Pathfinder Adventure Path #61: Shards of Sin (Shattered Star 1 of 6)
42. Forgotten Realms Poster Map, originally published in Dragon Magazine issues 287-290
43. Pathfinder Battles -- Rise of the Runelords: Regular Booster (x8)
44. Pathfinder Issue #1 (Comic) (x2)
45. The Forge of Fury, by Richard Baker (WotC 2000)
46. Loviatar #13, by Christian
47. Megadungeon Delver’s Player Options, by Super Genius Games (Free!) 
48. Ancient Worlds–Megalith Circle Paper Terrain, by Lord Zsezse Works (Free!) 
49. Mega Townscapes Sample: Tavern Map, by D20 Cartographer (Free!)
50. Pathways: Issue 17, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
51. A Letter from Los Angeles## 1 and 2, by Christian Walker
52. Wizards Mutants Laser Pistols: Issue #2, by Alexey
53. Delve! #1, by John Bingham
54. Loviatar #12, by Christian
55. Rise of the Runelord: Anniversary Edition, by Paizo
56. Dungeon Master’s Guide, AD&D 2nd Edition
57. Ruins of Undermountain, Campaign Guide to Undermountain & Maps
58. Wayfinder: Issue 7, by Paizo Fans United (Free!)
59. Chessex Sea Speckled Polyhedral 7-die set
60. Chessex Ivory with Black Marble Polyhedral 7-die set
61. The Manor #2, by Tim Shorts
62. Q-Workshop Free RPG Day 2012 Forest Dice (d4, d8, d10, d20, d100) (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
63. Harn Map, by Columbia Games (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
64. Dead in the Eye, by Wizards of the Coast  (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
65. Cosmic Patrol Quickstart, by Catalyst Games  (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
66. Dungeon Crawl Classics Free RPG Day 2012 Module, by Goodman Games  (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
67. Dawn of the Scarlet Sun, by Paizo (Free RPG Day 2012, Courtesy of a friend)
68. Cardboard Heroes: Castles Walls and Towers, by Steve Jackson Games (Courtesy of a friend)
69. d30 DM Companion, by New Big Dragon Games Unlimited
70. Barrowmaze, by Greg Gillespie
71. Missing Magic: Random Treasure Tables for PFRPG, by Asparagus Jumpsuit (Free!)
72. Missing Magic: Potions for PFRPG, by Asparagus Jumpsuit
73. Poisoncraft: The Dark Art, by Blue Devil Games
74. The Cooperative Dungeon Collection ((1) Terror and Blasphemy, (2) Halls of Anarchy, (3) Crypt of Damnation, (4) Tomb of Chaos), all by Creative Mountain Games
75. Oubliette, Issue #8, by Gold Piece Publications
76. Infamous Adversaries: Ischadra, Grandmother of Assassins, by TPK Games 
77. Never Ask Directions, by John Ross Rossomangno
78. Veiled Invocation, by Dylan Hartwell
79. Toys for the Sandbox 21: Great Bridge, by Occult Moon
80. Loviatar #1, 2, 3, 11, by Christian
81. Kickstarter Project: Fractured Phylactery, by Gaming Paper
82. Pathways: Issue 16, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
83. The Rite Review, #1, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
84. The Rite Review, #2, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
85. Kickstarter Project: Nystul’s Infinite Dungeon, by Mike Nystul
86. Loviatar #10, by Christian
87. Wizards Mutants Laser Pistols: Issue #1, by Alexey
88. Back to the Dungeon Zine: Vol. 1, Issue 1, by Eldrad Wolfsbane (Free!)
89. Miniature: Imperial Dragon of the Eleven Celestial Dynasties, by Grenadier (1987)
90. Miniature: Dragons of the Emerald Idol, by Grenadier (1984)
91. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Large Booster (x2)
92. The Manor #1, by Tim Shorts
93. "Old School Gamers" T-shirt, by Eastern Front Studios
94. Pathways: Issue 15, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
95. Loviatar #9, by Christian
96. Kickstarter Project: Dwimmermount: An Old School Fantasy RPG Megadungeon, by James Maliszewski (of Grognardia fame)
97. Kickstarter Project: Adventures Dark and Deep™ A Curious Volume of Forgotten Lore, by Joe Bloch (of Greyhawk Grognard fame)
98. Kickstarter Project: Free RPG Day Pathfinder Adventure, by Gaming Paper
99. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x1)
100. Savage Worlds  -- Wall Crawler (#59018), by Reaper Miniatures
101. The Sinister Secrets of Silvermote, by TPK Games
102. Infamous Adversaries: Temerlyth the Undying, by TPK Games
103. Infamous Adversaries: Raxath'Viz, the Creeping Rot, by TPK Games
104. The Horrendous Heap of Sixteen Cities! by Dylan Hartwell (Free!)
105. Pathways: Issue 14, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
106. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x3)
107. Watch Officer, #9 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
108. Half-elf Cleric, #19 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
109. Dwarf Fighter, #20 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
110. Gnome Fighter, #22 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
111. Dire Rat, #23 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x2)
112. Spectre, #26 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
113. Seelah, Human Paladin, #27 Heroes and Monsters Pathfinder Battles (x1)
114. Toys for the Sandbox XX: Falcon Academy, by Occult Moon (Free!)
115. Lapsus Calumni: Issue 12, by Matt Jackson (Free!)
116. Hippogriff, #26 Dangerous Delves DDM (1)
117. Lifeleech Otyugh, #44 Night Below DDM (1)
118. Golden Wyvern Initiate, #46 Against the Giants  DDM (1)
119. Warape, #22 War of Dragon Queen DDM (5)
120. DDM: Dangerous Delves Booster
121. Pathways: Issue 13, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
122. Toys for the Sandbox 00: The Wizard's Tower, by Occult Moon (Free!)
123. Half-Ogre Barbarian, #18 Underdark DDM (1)
124. Centaur Hero, #15 Deathknell DDM (2)
125. Centaur War Hulk, #15 Blood War DDM (1)
126. Wererat Rogue, #39 War of Dragon Queen DDM (1)
127. Wererat, #40 Dragoneye DDM (2)
128. Ankheg, #30 Underdark DDM (3)
129. Kintan Strider, #32 Masters of the Force, SWM (3)
130. Loviatar #8, by Christian
131. Dungeon Crawl: Issue #1, by Wayne R.
132. Zogorion, Lord of the Hippogriffs, by Jason S.
133. Grave Undertakings: The Tomb of Caragthax the Reaver, by TPK Games
134. Infamous Adversaries: Ichor Humansbane, by TPK Games
135. Infamous Adversaries: Cytheria the Blasphemer, by TPK Games
136. The Genius Guide to Favored Class Options, by Super Genius Games (Free!)
137. Shipwrecked In the Seas Of Space [Space Theme Music], by Fishwife Games (Free!)
138. Audio Preview Galaxy Forgotten [Space Theme Music], by Fishwife Games (Free!)
139. The Genius Guide to Hoof and Horn Racial Options, by Super Genius Games (Free!)
140. The Genius Guide to Wind and Wing Racial Options, by Super Genius Games (Free!)
141. The Lazy GM: Spawn Of Non-Terrifying Beasts of Legend!, by Creative Conclave (Free!)
142. #1 With a Bullet Point: 8 Dragonrider Feats, by Super Genius Games (Free!)
143. Module BL1-2: The Ruined Hamlet/Terror in the Gloaming, by Barrataria Games (Free!)
144. Infamous Adversaries: Slogar the Uncaring, by TPK Games
145. 101 Monster Feats, by Rite Publishing
146. 101 Not So Simple Monster Templates, by Rite Publishing
147. Book of Monster Templates, by Rite Publishing
148. Frozen Wind, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
149. Pathfinder Adventure Path #54: The Empty Throne (Jade Regent 6 of 6)
150. Encounter 'Zine: Issues 1-4
151. Pathways: Issues 11 & 12, by Rite Publishing (Free!)
152. Wayfinder: Issue 6, by Paizo Fans United (Free!)
153. Pathfinder Adventure Path #53: Tide of Honor (Jade Regent 5 of 6)
154. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x5)
155. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x1) (Free!)
156. Loviatar #7, by Christian
157. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x5) 
158. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Medium Booster (x2)
159.  Kobold Quarterly #14 (Free!)
160. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Large Booster (x2)
161. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Regular Booster (x4)
162. DDM: Player's Handbook Heroes -- Series 2 - Divine Characters 2
163. Loviatar #6, by Christian
164. Pathfinder Battles -- Heroes & Monsters: Huge Black Dragon
165. The Blasphemous Brewery of Pilz! by Dylan Hartwell
166. Superstitions by Creative Mountain Games
167. Heroscape: D&D Collection D1 -- Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Heroes of Faerun
168. Heroscape: D&D Collection D1 -- Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Warriors of the Ghostlight Fen
169. Heroscape: D&D Collection D3 -- Moltenclaw's Invasion: Valkrill's Legion
170. Fortress of the Mountain King by Brave Halfling Publishing (Free!)
171. Return of the Mountain King by Brave Halfling Publishing (Free!)
172. Discovery by New Frontier Games (Free!)
173. Death in the Spindlewood Marsh by Headless Hydra Games (Free!)
174. The Village of Harm by Brave Halfling Publishing (Free!)
175. Dolm River by Brave Halfling Publishing (Free!)

[Review] Menagerie of the Ice Lord

I'm excited to announce the release of the Digital Orc's latest offering: Menagerie of the Ice Lord!
(In terms of full disclosure, I will say that I was afforded the opportunity to assist in the editing process on this project. I will not, however, be receiving any compensation for my work or review beyond a copy of the finished product.)

Synopsis: Lord Venator lived in a remote mountain top family estate castle overlooking the snowbound village of Nix. An accomplished and enthusiastic hunter, he bored of stuffed trophies and took to keeping his prey alive in a growing menagerie in his expansive abode. A recent malfunction of the magical cages resulted in widespread escape. The Venator family castle is now overrun with vicious beasts and Lord Venator is thought dead. A brave party of adventurers, suspecting the Ice Lord is dead, hurry to loot the icy abode that resembles the valuable magical crystals with which it may be filled. (from The Menagerie of the Ice Lord)

Short review: This product looks terrific!

Longer review: I can't wait to sit down and run my players through this. Although designed as a one-shot adventure, there are sufficient hooks on which to base a pretty good campaign, including hooks to Dylan's other adventures: The Blasphemous Brewery of Pilz, The Horrendous Heap of Sixteen Cities, and The Veiled Invocation. I've decided that the Menagerie will provide a good gateway for my campaign to include these other great Digital Orc adventures.

As with all of Dylan's works, there are some terrific custom creatures. I'm not sure what twisted part of his psyche some of these come from, but bless that little chunk of grey matter. There are some artifacts and treasures to tempt adventurers as well.

The product is filled with Dylan's own artwork and comes well-mapped. The DM running the Menagerie is provided with a custom character sheet. The Menagerie is compatible with Labyrinth Lord rules, but could quickly and easily be converted to another OSR rule set, as well as 3.x, Pathfinder, and (I suppose, if you really have to, I guess) to 4E.

I'd highly recommend this to all of my readers. At $2.99 for PDF or $3.99 for print, it's a great bargain and a welcome addition to any OSR bookshelf. Grab your copy of the Menagerie of the Ice Lord today!

Obligatory Apology Filler Post

My head seems to be spinning around non-stop lately.

I just realized how long it's been since I've actually posted anything here. And, yes, I know that I post one of these apology posts every so often; but heck, we all do, don't we?

Just to let you know what's been going on, at least, as much as I can at this point:

Work: Everyone here at the firm is soundly convinced that we will be unemployed before Christmas. I've been working and struggling to find some other options that will help me keep my kids fed and my wife's gas tank filled.

Finances: See above. There's a grundle of cool gaming stuff that I really want to shell out for--from dice made from rare, exotic woods to limited edition reprints of books I already have. Unfortunately, the "other options" I'm investigating don't really leave a lot of discretionary income. There's still a bit out there, but not much.

Health: I've been undergoing some really weird health issues. I don't think they're anything too serious, but the chronic nature of them is getting me a bit worried. However, thanks to over-regulation of the insurance industry (as well as a few pre-existing conditions), we had to cancel our family health insurance plan a couple years ago. Even with insurance, we weren't the type to run to the doctor for every sniffle and ache; now it's gotta be really serious to go to that waiting room. And frankly, no...I don't want my government to give me health care and no...health care is NOT going to get any easier around here any time soon. But that's a post for a different blog.

Family: I've got a teenager failing classes; she's a Junior in high school and we're not sure what the problem might be. She's smart--insanely so. I'm proud of her, but feel like we're pulling our hair out to try to help her succeed. I've got a Boy Scout now as well as a Cub Scout; merit badges and pinewood derby cars take a lot of time. I have an aged mother who I'm trying to help finalize the purchase of a headstone for my late father; the problems and follow-up come because the purchase was made from a monument company that now, apparently, is suffering huge financial issues itself, which tends to make me worry that we'll never actually SEE the stone. Add to that a Christmas letter or two that has to be drafted, as well as stuff for our Church....

Church: I won't even go into the time that my position with the Church requires.

Gaming: The group hasn't gotten together for over a month, now. The campaign is in the last chapter, but seems to have stagnated. There's been some odd things happen--weird dynamics and all--with the group that we're still trying to smooth over and put behind us. Nothing serious, but it took its toll. Even the PBEM I've been running with a friend has been on hold since August.

There's more that I could share, but I'm fairly certain I've lost most of my readers at this point to the [NEXT BLOG] button up on the top of the page. Suffice it to say that in my spare time I'm still noodling things out. Maps are still being doodled. NPC backgrounds are still being thunk up. And just this week I've realized that there are still a few things left undone from the 2011 OSR September Challenge--a few NPCs that need stats and I'm working on a template to put together a PDF of the entire month's creations. Again: I just need to find the time to put the stuff on paper. I'll be here and there, posting as time and creativity permits. I'm really hoping that life settles down a bit after the New Year.

Of course, I believe that I think--and say--the same thing EVERY December.

Sigh.

Keep your dice dry, my friends.

Winter is Coming II Blog Carnival: The Frusenspöke

Around these parts, we were taken by surprise by a massive winter storm that changed our climate from a nice temperate Autumn to deep Winter overnight. Record-setting snowfalls, low temperatures...the works.

I don't like winter. At all. While I would much rather be too cold than too hot, I generally dislike the snow, ice, and all that comes with it. How serendipitous it was, then, to stumble across Dicemonkey's proposed RPB Blog Carnival: Winter is Coming II. The premise of the carnival was simply stated in the title: Anything wintry and cold. I thought it was extremely fitting, considering my lousy mood with snow falling outside my window. Unfortunately, the deadline to participate was November 14, so I knew I had to work fast to get something in.

So, without further ado, my "generic" RPG description of a new critter: "The Frusenspöke." I'll be statting this one up for 3.x a bit later and posting it up for general consumption; I just wanted to get the general stats up for inclusion in the Carnival.

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The Frusenspöke

No one is quite sure of the original source of the frusenspöke. Some blame the usual suspects: evil wizards, foul sorcerers, necromancers, and other doers of dark deeds. There are those who blame the restless dead themselves, discontent to simply lie quietly among the never-ending cold and snow. Others blame it on divine retribution. Still others blame organisms within the snow and ice itself, organisms that come from “beyond the outer places” and are older than civilization itself. Whatever their source, however, all who know about the frusenspöke agree upon two things: they are evil and they are deadly. Note: the typical zombie as presented in the ruleset are modified as listed below.

Appearance:
Frusenspöke come in as many varied stages of decomposition as a regular zombie. However, these creatures have several consistent characteristics that set them apart. Their skin is a sky-blue in color and covered with a thin layer of frost and the occasional razor-sharp ice crystals. There are also thick razor-sharp ice crystals in whatever hair or fur the base creature normally has.

Attacks:
Frusenspöke have four separate forms of attacks: slam, bite, crystalline flesh, and a breath weapon.
Slam: as per the typical zombie, plus a slight amount of cold damage on a successful melee attack. (Note: the damage normally taken from flesh-to-flesh contact from the frusenspöke’s crystalline flesh [see below] does not occur with a frusenspöke’s slam attack)
Bite: as per the base creature (or a similarly-sized creature with a low damage bite attack), plus a medium amount of cold damage on a successful bite attack.
Crystalline flesh: any creature coming into flesh-to-flesh contact with a frusenspöke will take a minor amount of slashing damage from the razor-sharp ice crystals that cover the frusenspöke’s skin, hair, and fur. This damage is automatic upon contact regardless of who initiates the contact; it is not considered a separate attack.
Breath weapon: a frusenspöke can emit a cloud of noxious, freezing gas once every four rounds. The cloud is essentially a 10'-radius fog bank that deals a medium-high amount of cold damage to affected creatures who do not successfully avoid the cloud. It may also cause nausea to those enveloped by the cloud.

Those creatures who succumb to the frusenspöke’s bite or breath weapon and die as a result will rise themselves as a frusenspöke within 24 hours. Any high-level magic that cures a majority of damage and ills will prevent the creation of a new frusenspöke from such attacks.

Movement:
Frusenspöke are able to move through ice and snow as if through air. While other creatures are slowed to at least one-half normal speed through snow drifts and across ice, frusenspöke retain their full movement rate.

Perception:
Frusenspöke do not suffer any negative modifiers to perception rolls through snow or ice storms. Frusenspöke likewise do not suffer any negative modifiers to perception rolls due to fog banks. These creatures treat cold-related weather effects as other creatures would treat a beautiful, clear, sunny spring day.

Defenses:
Frusenspöke are immune to any type of cold- or water-related attacks and spells. They take double damage, however, from fire- and fire-related attacks and spells.

Rival Adventuring Party: The Stumble Hollow Trine, Part 3

Alyss Krov

Alyss [pronounced “Ay-liss”] Krov was orphaned at a young age when her parents and five siblings were massacred. The individual responsible was never found, but it has always been rumored to have been the work of a powerful wizard; none know the truth. At the time of the murders, there had been a rash of thefts from the rich and powerful in the town of Byesmore. Ayliss’ father was a wealthy man in town and an outspoken critic of the town guard; when he was killed, he was in the process of bringing in a mercenary force–including wizards–to stop the thefts and track down those responsible. He and the family were killed before he could complete the transaction. Five-year-old Alyss was in the fields behind the family home picking strawberries at the time and was overlooked by the killer or killers.
Alyss has led the last 25 years of her life learning arcane skills in an effort to hunt down those responsible for her family’s death. She is extraordinarily attractive, standing 4 ft. 11 in. and weighing 110 lbs. Brown eyes peer out from a narrow face partially hidden behind long blond bangs, with her braided hair reaching the small of her back. Extensive arcane tattoos cover her face and arms.
Alyss is extremely distrustful of strangers and is only staying a member of the Stumble Hollow Trine until she finds something better; any other adventuring party that promises new places to search for her family’s killer would not have to twist her arm to join.
She carries with her a beautiful longspear, her favorite weapon. This was the weapon that took her father’s life; she found it lodged in his back when she returned from her strawberry-picking excursion. She longs for the day when she can return it, in a sense, to its former owner. She is accompanied everywhere by her weasel familiar named Fakel.

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Alyss Krov
Human
Aristocrat 4 / Wizard 3 (School: Conjuration; Prohibited: Illusion, Necromancy)
HP: 32
Init.: -1
Speed: 30 ft.
AC:11, Touch 9, flat-footed 11 (Leather)
Base Attack: +4
Grapple: +5
Attack: Longspear (+7) 1d8+1 or Crossbow, light +4 (1d8) Crit: 19-20 x2
Full Attack: Longspear (+7) 1d8+1 or Crossbow, light +4 (1d8) Crit: 19-20 x2
Alignment: CN
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +8
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 9, Con 12, Int 16, Wis 12, Chr 14
Skills: Appraise 11, Bluff 5, Concentration 11, Diplomacy 5, Disguise 5, Gather Information 10, Intimidate 2, Knowledge (Arcana) 8, Knowledge (Dungeon) 11, Knowledge (Geography) 11, Listen 1, Ride -1, Spellcraft 9, Spot 3, Survival 8, Swim 3
Feats: Combat Casting; Heavy Armor Proficiency; Light Armor Proficiency; Martial Weapon Proficiency; Medium Armor Proficiency; Shield Proficiency; Simple Weapon Proficiency; Spell Penetration; Weapon Focus (longspear; Weapon Focus, Ranged (crossbow, light)
Languages: Common, Draconic, Abyssal

Spells Known:
Level 0 (4) DC 13
Acid Splash(Conjuration)[Creation Acid ] X 3
Daze(Enchantment)[Compulsion Mind-Affecting ] X 1
Ray of Frost(Evocation)[Cold ] X 1

Level 1 (4) DC 14
Mage Armor(Conjuration)[Creation Force ] X 1
Magic Missile(Evocation)[Force ] X 1
Shocking Grasp(Evocation)[Electricity ] X 1
Summon Monster I(Conjuration)[Summoning ] X 1

Level 2 (3) DC 15
Flaming Sphere(Evocation)[Fire ] X 1
Summon Swarm(Conjuration)[Summoning ] X 1
Web(Conjuration)[Creation ] X 1

CR 6

OTHER ITEMS

Crossbow, Light
Masterwork Longspear
Potion of Cure serious wounds
Potion of Cure moderate wounds
Potion of Darkvision
Potion of Invisibility
Wand Bracer
Wand of Charm person
Wand of Light
Wand of Detect secret doors


**Many thanks to WotC's "PC Portraits" Archive for the image.


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Fakel, Weasel Familiar

Tiny Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8 (16 hp)*
Init.: +2
Speed: 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
AC:16* (+2 size, +2 Dex, +2 natural), Touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack: +4*
Grapple: -12
Attack: Bite (+4) 1d3-4
Full Attack: Bite (+4) 1d3-4
Special Attacks: Attach
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, Familiar Abilities*
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +15, Will +8*
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 15, Con 10, Int 10,* Wis 12, Cha 5
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +11, Move Silently +8, Spot +3
Feats: Weapon Finesse

Combat
Attach (Ex): If a weasel hits with a bite attack, it uses its powerful jaws to latch onto the opponent’s body and automatically deals bite damage each round it remains attached. An attached weasel loses its Dexterity bonus to Armor Class and has an AC of 12.
An attached weasel may be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached weasel through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the creature.
Skills: Weasels have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They use their Dexterity bonus for Climb checks. A weasel can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

Familiar Abilities: Natural armor, Intelligence, Alertness, Improved Evasion, Share Spells, Empathic link, Deliver Touch Spells

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*modified as per Familiar description


**Many thanks to WotC's "PC Portraits" Archive for the image.

Jay Penn For Sale!

No, I don't actually have the rights to sell Jay Penn, although if I did, Dennis Mize's infamous "Slave Auction" comes to mind, which is possibly the most disturbing thought I've had yet today. (Sorry, Jay.)

Those who frequent these pages will, no doubt, remember my ravings from a week ago regarding my acquisition of a couple of pieces of art from artist Jay Penn. Even further back, it was Jay Penn's illustration of an otyugh that prompted me to go crazy and purchase several WotC minis of the critter from the after-market.

Well, shortly thereafter he sent me word--and posted up on his blog--that he was opening up his Loviatar art portfolio for sale. This is your chance to own your very own piece of 'zine and art history!

There's been some fantastic stuff in the pages of Loviatar and some fantastic artistic renderings to go with it. I really can't say enough good about both Jay's art and how great he is to work with, business-wise. I'd urge anyone interested to take a peek at Jay's portfolio and his offerings. Snatch up your favorites while you can!

I'm already putting together a list of my "wants" and hoping no one beats me to them.





Why are you still here reading this? Go. Now. Look at art. Purchase. Before the otyugh is set loose on you. I'm serious.

NaNoWriMo: IT BEGINS!!!!

Or it SHOULD be beginning, anyway.
It ain't happenin' here this year. I'm a little bit bummed out about it but also a little bit relieved. I think I need to step away from the "forced imagination production" for a year to recharge my batteries. I also need to step away for a year because of personal issues that just won't quit. Between my ecclesiastical duties, responsibilities to my family, concerns over my mother's health, concerns over MY health, not to mention financial worries and the looming potential that this attorney may be out of work soon...between all these things, I just can't justify spending the time, sweat, blood, and tears to pound out 1,334 words per day over the next month.

Especially when I fear that most of those 1,334 words would simply end up on the editing room floor anyway, simply because I couldn't be trusted to focus and concentrate on my craft.

It's a little bittersweet; as hard as it can be sometimes, it is still fun to sit side by side with my wife and compete for daily word count, all while helping each other with our respective budding novels.

The creative output can be cathartic, but in this instance I fear it will be a distraction instead.

And now that I read this post, I realize that this is all a bit personal and it's likely that none of my readers really care that I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo this year. On the off chance that one of you out there actually did care...well, I guess this post is for you, to help allay your frustration. For the rest of you, I guess this frees up a bit more time this month for some gaming-related creativity, which The Stronghold typically lacks during the month of October. Expect a few more posts at least this month.

Now...back to the real world for a while.

Happy Hallowe'en!

Just wanted to wish everyone a terrific Hallowe'en!


May it be suitably scary or sweet, depending on your holiday bent.


May you all be well and truly chocolated!


May you all be safe.






And this last is particularly for those on the East Coast of the U.S. May you be protected, cared for, and get back on your feet as soon as possible. May you be blessed in this time of trial. After all, it's a fun holiday, but there are bigger things in this world too.