A Life Full of Adventure

I know the April A-Z blogging is not a new concept, but I have never taken part in it. Every time I read about it I become extremely interested. My free time is not what it once was, and I often find myself lacking time to put up a good gaming post. However, get ready! I have 26 labels from WarHammer Fantasy Roleplay 1st Edition that I want to blog about next month. They are mostly careers, supplemented with some creatures from the bestiary where there are gaps. When there were multiple options available, I tried to choose the one that was the most iconic to WarHammer (in my opinion). The posts aren't necessarily going to be very long, again due to that lack of free time I mentioned. They are not going to be as high quality as people who have been doing this for years. But they are going to get me the experience of the process.  I hope you might find some enjoyment therein.

Last night was the eighth sitting of our WarHammer 2e online campaign. Much has already happened, and much more is planned. My PC Mordrin Skorkinson, Troll Slayer. I've built up a little more backstory for him (which you don't get to know about until he's dead) as well as having his adventuring career to draw from for my roleplaying. He now wields a two handed war-hammer taken from a slain priest of Sigmar. Don't fret; the priest deserved it. He is looking for sheaths for his previous weapons, an orc Choppa and a sword taken from the body of a slain hobgoblin. My companions: A Brettonian Knight Errant A High Elf Scholar A Human Scribe A Wood Elf Wizard Apprentice Encounters and notes The party continues to enjoy the status of heroes for our key involvement in saving the town from purification by fire. We helped put out the fire and helped the town become purified by herbal remedy instead. The night of our celebration, the high elf pulled us aside a...

I know April A-Z posts have been done and done and done, but I have never done it. I need a little kick in the pants in the idea department. My professional life overwhelms my free time, and all my gaming related activities are suffering. If I didn't expect too much from myself...maybe one paragraph at least...from each post, I just might be able to pull off an A-Z month. I hope I can do it. Thinking about it gets me excited.

There are a number of different blogs I try to keep up with, but one I keep up with every day. This is Tenkar's Tavern . I thought about it last night to try to figure out why I always keep up with that one blog out of the many. What it came down to was that the posts are always (relatively) short and they always keep me up to date in my area of interest: role playing games. Blogs like Gnome Stew have a variety of information that is handy for GMs sitting down to plot out their games. However, the posts are not short. I know I want to take the time necessary to read them, so I put off reading them until I feel like I have an extra few minutes. Apparently I very rarely feel that way, because my Gnome Stew queue is growing. Other blogs are specific to some sort of home-brew world they are working on. While those do interest me, they are often not short either because they want to describe how they came up with their rules. Yet other blogs are written well in advance and with n...

Behind a tree is a small cave. An inquisitive dwarf noticed the hole in the ceiling of the cave and came back with rope and a grappling hook. There was a small series of caves up above. He has been working to neaten them up (square them off) and dig a tunnel for a secret exit. In his mind, he's the king.

I was thinking about breaking down Pie Week for the blog here. I got just enough interest in it from here and from Google+ that I decided to go for it. Day 3: Morning: Runs much like the previous day. Most people will probably sleep in a bit, followed by the awakening of those who need to get ready for a busy day. Vendors will set up around the archery site and the arena, mostly selling food, but also other local trinkets. Archery events commence again around 1 PM in the afternoon in a field. Everyone has the morning to themselves. Event 1: Archery - The Moving Shoot: The archer shoots at 3 targets while riding by on a horse. Archers use 6 sharp arrows, 2 arrows per target. All hits score points. All shots are in short range, the only modifier being shooting from a moving horse. If the character doesn't have Ride skill, the must make a Risk test for each arrow to be able to shoot without falling off the horse. Then they use a BS penalty of -20. Points: Body - 2, elsewhere...

My GM recently asked me what the specifics were on my Slayer's dishonorable act that precipitated him taking the oath. It's something I had only barely thought about. I figured if it never gets talked about, I don't really have to come up with a story, right? Wrong. I have a story now. And I'm not sharing it...at least not until the slayer is dead. It's shameful enough that he knows, his family knows, and a few other dwarves know. You don't get to know as well. However, I would like to hear any stories you can share about any slayers you know. What, exactly, happened that caused them to take the Slayer Oath?

Lothar, a semi-retired adventurer, lives on a small lake house in the middle of   Hobbly . When the BloodBowl recruiting began, he jumped on the chance to bring some glory to his hometown in a different way than before. He joined the team as a Blitzer. Armored up, he cruises the field looking to knock out people on the opposing team. LT has been a Blitzer for the team Hobbly's Heroes from its inception. MA  7  ST  3  AG  3  AV  8  Skills  Block, Mighty Blow Stats:  1 casualty, 1 game MVP

There was an interlude between the 6th and the 7th sitting, wherein we were encouraged to narrate how we thought the 6th sitting ended and what our characters did the 48 hours following. My Slayer only had plans for the first day, but his needs are basic and easily met. My PC Mordrin Skorkinson, Troll Slayer. All I really know about him is his name, his weapon, and his job. Except...he's currently jobless and not exactly impressed by the members of his (former?) party. He realizes that he probably needs to stay on their good sides, considering they will probably leave the town as a group again. He now wields a two handed war-hammer taken from a slain priest of Sigmar. Don't fret; the priest deserved it. He is looking for sheaths for his previous weapons, an orc Choppa and a sword taken from the body of a slain hobgoblin. My companions: A Brettonian Knight Errant A High Elf Student A Human Scribe A Wood Elf Wizard Apprentice Encounters and notes The town of Hel...

To spice up your game a little: Dragonet, Faerie Dragon Tiger Squirrel Honey badger Armadillo Monkeybird Brownie Poison Dart Frog Tapir Capybara Talking skull Dragonfly Hedgehog Boa Constrictor Parrot Capuchin Wombat Sloth Porcupine Skunk Foo Dog

For Hobbly Pie Week , it was appropriate to come up with the members of the Hobbly town council. The council is a mixture of business owners, well known personalities, and scholars. One new member was added during Pie Week, an NPC that had traveled with a group of PCs in the capacity of healer. Johann - Mayor Merrick - Owner/Operator of the White Wyvern Inn/Tavern James - Noble, and Retired Mercenary Sherman - Head Priest of Sigmar Richard - Elder College Scholar Lothar - Retired Mercenary (PC) Nassic - Lawyer Danica - Alchemist, Retired adventurer NPC

Narrative interlude to what happened previously . Mordrin fights determined against the undead mob. His girth and recent activity level, however, have left him unable to fight from dusk to dawn, as a proper slayer might. He starts to flag, getting clawed by hungry zombies and stabbed with the arm bones of those he severed. As his strength fails, Morrslieb disappears behind the mountain. The remaining zombies fall, leaving a battered and bleeding dwarf who can scarce lift his weapons. The scene is gruesome. The dwarf is barely distinguishable from the corpses. Luckily the townsfolk are too distracted to see how the dwarf has maimed their dead kin. He shuffles off in search of his companions, more due to exhaustion than a desire to rejoin the party. Mordrin stumbles into the common, seeing the elf, knight, the manling "that knows his letters" standing over the torn bodies of a priest of Sigmar and the insane priestess Mordrin himself nearly dispatched. Seeing the dwarf...

In a house on the corner, close to the tavern and the weapon shop of the  Hobbly  lives the family of Joe the Ratcatcher.  Joe's is named after his career. As such, he used to spend his free time keeping Hobbly free of the rat menace. That was until the BloodBowl recruiting began. It seems that Joe is not only good at catching rats, but is also good a catching a ball. He's the second most accomplished player on the team, Hobbly's Heroes. Joe has been a Catcher for the team Hobbly's Heroes from its inception.  His son, Eddy, has been doing a fine job keeping the town rat-free in his absence. MA  8  ST  3  AG  3  AV  7  Skills  Catch, Dodge, Block, Leader Stats:  1 completion, 9 TDs, 1 game MVP

I read in a comment thread about Slayers seeking death that someone stated, "There was a discussion about this some time ago...He made a sacred vow to [atone] by being on the front line so that people more worthy than him can stay out of harm. He is an individual living a dangerous life to protect his race." Whatever conversation was had prior, I wasn't part of and I haven't read, so I apologize if I'm re-treading well-worn ground, but I believe the Troll Slayer is seeking death, not just to be in the front lines so someone else isn't. (I don't believe that sentiment matches what we've learned in the novels at all, but again, I wasn't part of the original conversation that led to it.) What we learn from the novels is that the Slayer is seeking a glorious death, one that will wipe his shame clean and return the family's honor. The Slayer doesn't want to die to a plague or a building randomly falling on his head. He wants to go out again...

Readers and players need hope. The novels have none.  What is Gotrek and Felix's* hope? For the dwarf to die. It is never going to happen!  What is the hope of the dwarfs? To hold against the onslaught of Chaos. What happens? Their keeps are overrun, one after the other. Dwarfs die.  The hope of the Empire is to beat back Chaos, but the chaos is in them. Cultists are constanding attacking from within and weakening the Empire. There is no hope.  I reject that.  I play in 1e, in a place where there is still hope. Come. Join us. Tell us of your hope-filled Warhammer settings. You can have both Warhammer and hope-filled, but if your balance is off, it will be more like playing a different RPG...a game I might start to read about next...a game with hope: D&D. *I actually think Felix's hope is to survive many more exciting adventures by Gotreks side, not to see Gotrek die.

I have been reading the Warhammer fantasy novels for quite a few years now and playing the WFRP game even longer.  It came to me just recently that I don't ever remember seeing a magic item from the rulebook make it into a novel. The Gotrek and Felix novels probably come the closest. Gotrek has a rune axe and Felix has a magical sword. These weapons, however, don't match the ability options in the first edition book. So, were the magic items in the rule book too lame, or were the authors of the novels too interested in coming up with their own items? Besides wondering about that disconnect, it can be an encouragement for us to get out there and make our own magic items for our own games.

I mean literally. The more of these Black Library books I read, the more cities, towns, and dwarf holds get destroyed. There aren't many dwarf holds left. There is a non-stop flood of chaos pouring south from the Wastes. Remember when the Black Library books used to have insidious cultists and was subtle about the destruction of humanity? I think those days are over. What I can't figure out is if they are trying to destroy the whole Empire/Empire area and they focus on a different area or if they are slowly preparing us for the fantasy setting to turn into the 40K setting. Either way, I'm glad I still have my setting back in the 1E era. There is hope for the Empire...or at least a much longer rate of decay.

For a few weeks I have been tempted by previews of this new Kickstarter for a game called Torn Armor. The game itself didn't necessarily appeal to me, and I still haven't taken the time to watch the video and see how the game works. However, the miniatures are completely original and are what has caught my eye. From mice to yuan-ti to stone golems and armored warriors, these miniatures look amazing. I don't know if I'll have the spending money to join at the level I want to, but I want to help get the word out. These miniatures look GREAT! Oh, and I guess there's a game they come with, too. :) Check it out. Drool. Back it if you can. Their Kickstarter video:

The user holding the bow in their hand is made invisible by the magic of the item. When the string is pulled, the user appears.  When the string is released, the user disappears again. There are also some runes on the bow that add extra powers to the arrows (explosive, lightning, etc.). The user will have to find out how to use them, and the GM will have to decide what the exact powers are. The rune fades after use, and doesn't light again for a period of time determined by the GM and usually based on the power of the rune. The player who received this in my game never figured out the runes, however the bow itself was a major game changer. You really need to be prepared for a character who can be invisible at will.

First up on my X-Men conversions to WarHammer FRP mutants: Wolverine! I crossed part Chaos Beastman, part Warrior of Chaos, and made some Hero level advancements. M 4 WS 71 BS 33 S 4 T 5 W 15 I 45 A 2 Dex 40 Ld 29 Int 30 Cl 89 WP 89 Fel 24 Size :  M (5' tall) Physique:   Wolverine is much as you imagine him from the comics and cartoons: He is short, with disheveled black hair, very muscular, and has bone claws that erupt and retract from the tops of his hands on demand.  These claws are treated as a natural weapon, so he gets no penalties for fighting "hand to hand." Alignment :   Chaotic. He does what he wants when he wants why he wants. Psychological Traits :   Wolverine is immune to  Fear   tests. Special Rules:  Wolverine can regenerate damage. One wound point can be regenerated per round. Skills:  Acrobatics, Concealment, Rural, Consume Alcohol, Dodge Blow, Excellent Smell,...