A Life Full of Adventure

What am I running at SnowCon this year? Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay! (Naturally.) The first game is actually a D&D module that I have adapted and run as a Warhammer module previously at PortCon. I'm altering it again and changing the race of enemy creatures. Here's the blurb I gave my listing: A sickness has come unto the simple mining community of Duvik's Pass, poisoning their wells and blighting their crops. With the pestilence leaving the strongest men of the town's guard a few short days away from death, the burden of descending into the mines and purging the wellspring of whatever Chaos has settled there falls to less obvious heroes. For PC choices I have a Jailer, Rat Catcher, Hunter, Pharmacist, Beggar, and Servant. Luckily, between career skills and starting skills, all the PCs have Immunity to Disease. Still I almost feel pity on this sorry lot. We'll see how they do.

I hope you had a very nerdy/geeky Christmas! Wolverine Comics pack #35-#50 Jim Butcher: Wizard for Hire (Dresden Files 1-3) Jim Butcher: Wizard by Trade (Dresden Files 4-5) Jim Butcher: Wizard at Large (Dresden Files 6-7) Jim Butcher: Wizard Under Fire (Dresden Files 8-9) DC Comics Deck Building Game 12 canister shell fireworks 36 Granite speckled d6s Citadel paints (White, Black, Blue, Red, Yellow, Green, Metal) Captain America Pez dispenser Star Wars Wood Coaster Set (4 pack) Monty Python's Wafer Thin Mints 4 pack of special retro Garbage Pail Kids Dots StarWars Metal Earth Millennium Falcon 3D model StarWars Mad Libs Design socks ( Hobbit feet , shark attack , sneakers, loafers) Jeans Sweater Cash Serenity schematic T-Shirt Speakers (computer. Logitech z506) Personalized pocket watch StarWars Mace Windu light sabre

For a convention (4 hour time slot): PCs: Dual-class fighter characters in a coliseum.  This allows a straight fighter, fighter-thief, fighter-mage, or any other fighter-combo desired to spice up the game. Background: The PCs are gladiators who are about to fight some fantastic monsters in an arena, but there is a twist. Under the coliseum is a "dungeon" of sorts. The rooms are either empty or contain items to make the arena fight more interesting.  The coliseum itself is warded by magic so that the gladiators and monsters cannot leave the arena (or the sky directly above for flying creatures). The stands directly in front of the king/ruler are further guarded. There are armed troops for the first many rows. Then there are troop commanders armed with magical weapons. Then there are powerful mages surrounding the king/ruler's viewbox.  First three hours: Exploring the dungeon below.  The PCs are allowed to recruit 4 of the monsters they find...

Tristan Tarwater's new book Red Moon Rising is now out (on Kindle, at least). This is book #3 set in the Valley of the Ten Crescents. I've really enjoyed the other two books as well as the short story in this series. It almost reads like a novel based on someone's game character, but very well written instead of the little blubs we post on our blogs. I highly suggest checking this series out. From the description: The rise of a deadly cult threatens life in the Valley of Ten Crescents. Alone, betrayed, and on the run from the law, Tavera finds herself charged with rescuing Kella, a priestess with a powerful secret who has been kidnapped by the cult. Tavera finds she can no longer be a little girl lost, but must become a leader and a savior if she is to survive the RED MOON RISING. Somehow, book #1 is still FREE in Kindle format. Born in poverty, a half-elf in a human city, Tavera lives in a world where she doesn't belong -- until the day she meets Derk. Ini...

James Maliszewski of Grognardia has returned to science fiction, admittedly his main love, and released a sourcebook for his Thousand Suns RPG. This is good news for those of us who were concerned that James would be writing or releasing no more.  I have a system I plan on using when I get around to playing sci-fi, but I'm going to give Thousand Suns a read-through since James was kind enough to provide me with a copy.  Who knows, it might draw me in...and not let go. About Five Stars : A Sector on the Frontier. On the far reaches of the Thousand Suns lies the Marches sector of Kvin Steloj. Consisting of twenty worlds, the sector is home to the alien species known as the Chabuli, whose territories the expanding Terrans annexed by force. In the century since, Kvin Steloj has become a vital center of colonization, commerce, and exploration—much to the chagrin of the conquered Chabuli, some of whom think the time is ripe to reclaim their worlds by any means necessa...

Magnus is the pony of the halfling Maximillian Morningglory. Maximillian claims Magnus is most devout and that the pony insists on stopping at each shrine of Sigmar to pay his respects.  Since the pony has nothing to give at the shrines, he leaves the only thing he has: manure. The halfling also claims that the pony's saddle blanket is actually (a section of?) the shroud of Magnus .

In Gygax Magazine #2, Vincent Florio tries to teach people how to play old school style RPGs. His advice consists of 1) "First pick up A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming by Matthew Finch," 2) "Decide if you want to go further," 3) "Preparing Phase," 4) "Its game night, play the game!", and 5) "Remember you are playing the old-school style." I think its easier than this. If people really want to know how we played in the old days, don't send them to a primer or a website. Tell them to buy an RPG, read it, and play it. That's it. That's all we did. If you want to recreate how we played, just pick up the game and play it.

You can't necessarily tell from this gaming blog, but I am a HUGE fan of Knights of the Dinner Table. From issue #1 on, I have been a loyal, drooling fan. The big news, if you haven't heard it already, is that they are doing a live-action webseries Kickstarter. Watch BA, Bob, Dave, Sarah, Brian, Weird Pete, and maybe even Squirrely live! I jumped in at $50 to begin. The more I see, the harder it is to keep uping my pledge...

My Complete Elmore books arrived yesterday from Larry Elmore's Kickstarter campaign! The book is big, with thick pages. It's an artistic autobiography of sorts with his art spread all over the place. And there are copies of prints from his BECMI covers. And there's a BW sketch book. So much goodness!

My PC Maximillian Morningglory , Halfling Agitator Magnus the Pony My companions Udrin Sor-Valdir  - High Elf Wizard Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Absent Players/NPCs Gustav Jaeger  - Human Priest of Verena (Became GMPC) Farnoth  - High Elf NPC From Maximillian's journal: ( Previous update) Our time as guests at the Verenean temple was soon to come to an end. They had wrung from us all the knowledge they thought we were worth (or that we were willing to relinquish), and the temple was excited to lodge some new guests from Bögenhafen. Ludovic and I decided on one last trip to the tavern known as the Bucket for some parting games of chance. We were having a dandy time playing cards and making friends when the cultist scum from our previous tavern (and subsequent back alley) encounter entered with a grim patsy in tow. The two took a seat at the bar and sent their patsy to our table to join our game. It was at this point that I star...

Thwacker is a magic sling that gives a +10% bonus to its wielder's Ballistic Skill. Any stone slung by Thwacker gains +1 to damage, and any creature subject to Instability* must make an immediate check to see if they have become unstable (a 6 on a d6). Instability rules can be found in the WFRP book, page 215 *Undead include Carrion, Skeletons, and Zombies. For more creatures, see Ethereal Undead, Demons, and Elementals.

I have been remiss in not alerting you to the upcoming gaming convention. My school semester should be lightening up, and I hope to be more frequent with my postings. For now, if you're in the area, sign up. Come. Play. Have fun. I hope to see you there! Ugg. Why does that look crooked? From the website: The first SnowCon Gaming Convention was held in 2009, motivated by the BangPop! team’s mutual love of games and gaming. With a crowd of nearly 200 in the first year, it seemed that we were on to something. Our focus is on tabletop games of all types: board games, card games, roleplaying games, LARPs, miniatures, demo games, strategy games; as well as a packed game library, vendors, exhibitors, costume contests and more for gamers of all ages and experience levels. SnowCon is held annually at the Black Bear Inn Conference Center & Suites in Orono, Maine, just north of Bangor near the University of Maine.

My PC Maximillian Morningglory , Halfling Agitator My companions Udrin Sor-Valdir - High Elf Wizard Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Absent Players/NPCs Gustav Jaeger - Human Priest of Verena Ehrwig Hofstetter - Imperial Knight of Sigmar Farnoth - High Elf NPC From Maximillian's journal: ( Previous update) The Verenean priestesses are teaching me how to read and write! Let me tell of the amazing turn my life has taken in the past few days.  The group I had started guiding turned out to be a party of chaos hunters. They had a map and an amulet that overlaid it, showing the locations of pockets of evil. They spoke of these secret plans very openly to me, and I determined to join them in their quest. The elf, Udrin, seemed to be the spiritual adviser of the group, while the knight seemed to be the voice...which is too bad, because he was quite overbearing. It seemed to me that Ludovic would have made a better speaker for the group, but whe...

I'm not sure why I've never posted this on my gaming blog. I wrote it up in 4 parts in 2008. Here's the entirety. Part 1 Lothar drove another replacement post into the ground behind Hobgoblin Wall. This section of the wall was named after the creatures that caused the wall to be built. Fifty years prior, the greenskins had attacked the town from out of the surrounding forest. A short rock wall which used to demark the town’s outer edge was the only thing separating the town’s defenders from the vicious goblinoids. After the attack, Hobbly decided to raise a more permanent barrier around town. Yesterday, though, it was a Chaos band led by a large, black armored warrior that had weakened the section. The post slid deep into the earth and Lothar started replacing the dirt around it. F’lore, a suicidal dwarf recruited for his immense strength, held the post straight while Lothar worked. “Ye should get out and see more of the world, lad. Ye don’t alwae need to hide here be...

Maximillian is a halfling Agitator. He was previously a Fieldwarden...until tragedy struck his houshold. The tranquil lives of the Morningglory family were shattered one day as the restless dead from Sylvania crossed the land on some mysterious task for their undead master. Maximillian was out on patrol and wasn't around as his hometown was raided. When he arrived, he found his home destroyed and both his parents dead. His siblings were all missing. (A little GM fodder.) Maximillian was left with no posessions and nothing to fall back on beside what was on him and his horse, Magnus. He now holds a burning hatred for chaos (he doesn't distinguish between chaos and undead). Maximillian is a halfing male. He is 70 years old, 3'8" tall, 100 lbs with corn-colored hair and dark brown eyes. Starter Profile WS 21% BS 45% S 21% T 17% Ag 45% Int 34% WP 36% Fel 35% A 1 W 8 SB 2 TB 1 M 4 Mag 0 IP 1 FP 2 Skills: Academic Knowledge - Necromancy, Acad...

My PC Mordrin Skorkinson , Giant Slayer. My companions: Udrin Sor-Valdir  - High Elf Wizard Gustav Jaeger  - Human Priest of Verena Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Ehrwig Hofstetter  - Imperial Knight (Griffin?/Panther?) of Sigmar From Mordrin's point of view: ( Previous updates ) Mordrin's Doom Mordrin lit the smoke bomb and once again heard the deep elgi phrases from the other side of the door. He smashed the doors open with his hammer and surveyed the room on the other side. There was a dark elf near the door, shocked at the dwarf's violent entry. The wyvern on the other side of the room held Mordrin's attention. Mordrin ignored the elf, having slain many of them in the past and not finding them worth his time and effort. The creature on the other side of the room was much larger than the last wyvern he encountered. And he was alone to fight it this time. The beast was also surprised at the dwarf's entry and didn't react at all to t...

The Black Ark My PC Mordrin Skorkinson , Giant Slayer. My companions: Udrin Sor-Valdir  - High Elf Wizard Gustav Jaeger  - Human Priest of Verena Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Ehrwig Hofstetter  - Imperial Knight of Sigmar From Mordrin's point of view: ( Previous updates ) Mordrin stepped through the portal into a laboratory of some kind. There were jars and paperwork all around. He scanned the room for any more explosives and, finding none, set his sights on a set of spiral stairs going down. At Udrin's suggesting, Mordrin heads down the stairs with Ehrwig to search for the origin of a loud thumping noise. Standing in a corner at the bottom of the stairs are three robed Elves discussing a book.  The three look to the stair. Wide eyes, mouths drop, save one. Mordrin and Farnoth lock eyes. In the next moments, everything happens in a burst: Farnoth shoves the book into the hands of one of Elf, speaks something arcane and presses the o...

My PC Mordrin Skorkinson , Giant Slayer. My companions: Udrin Sor-Valdir  - High Elf Wizard Gustav Jaeger  - Human Priest of Verena Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Ehrwig Hofstetter  - Imperial Knight (Griffin?/Panther?) of Sigmar From Mordrin's point of view: ( Previous updates ) The Heroes of Helmgart left the city, riding beasts of burden, determined to be sure Groz Zorn was still clear of the influence of Chaos. The wizard and the priest spent much time speaking of all things magic. Mordrin occasionally yelled at his mule for being stubborn. The party reached the stone quarry, and the elf ran off to check on the horse he had left here many, many weeks ago. Mordrin, Gustav, and Ehrwig were distracted by a magic ritual going on in the ruins of a building. Mordrin recognized the mad dwarf, young Ella, even while Ehrwig charged her to stop "her evil spell." Mordrin had no way of knowing if the spell was evil, and he knew the knight didn't eit...

Consuming Fire (Evocation) Priest - Level 5 Sphere: Guardian, Creation Range: Touch Duration: 3 rounds/level Area of Effect: 1 creature Components: V, S Casting Time: 9 Saving Throw: None At the completion of this spell, a roaring flame barrier surround the caster (or someone else he touches). It is uncomfortably hot on the outside, but comfortable on the inside. Any non-magical item trying to pass through the barrier will be melted (solids), evaporated (liquids), or dispelled (gasses). This includes normal weapons and arrows. Magical weapons trying to pass the barrier will suffer the effect of a Heat Metal spell, increasing in effect per round of attack. The person surrounded by the barrier can ignite flammable material by touching it.

I have come across some good business/company/team names during my required research reading this semester. I thought I'd note some down for posterity. Noblit and Hare Polit and Beck Reinhold and Ray The Declaration of (Bogenhafen) The (Marienburg) Code The (Altdorf) Report Zigmund and Snaith Speroff and Nerenz Belin and Dubler Antes and Oxman Grimshaw and Cowman Melnyk and Fineout-Overholt

Background Forged by Regor Nikful, Dwarven Forgemaster, in dwarven centuries long gone, Gorlandor is a sentient blade which awaits a bloodthirsty follower of Tempus to awaken it. The axe’s metal haft has Regor’s personal rune engraved into it. This particular axe was found by Zorr Granitecleaver, a newly appointed Battleguard. When it came time for Zorr to head out into the world to propagate Tempus’s truth, the elders suggested that he take the axe with him.  Unknown to Zorr at the time was the sentience sleeping within the axe. Someday the sentience, Gorlandor, will awake and challenge a certain foe in deadly melee. This sentience, when awakened, also speaks Ancient Dwarf. Zorr was killed by a Flame Strike spell in the Caves of Chaos which melded his spirit into the axe. Unfortunately for Gorlandor, Zorr's willpower is higher than its own and Zorr is the sentience now in control. Now the axe goes by either the name Gorlandor or Zorr. Powers When handled by a non-specia...

Acqusitions Unlimited Retrieves the Crystal of Fire! Last seen around the Lonely Tower, the group reference the map and decided to follow the river south to the "stonz". Before leaving, the eagle-eyed elf and the ever-curious Professor espied a cave entrance in the distance. They decided to check it out before leaving. The cave was smelly, like a farm and abattoir. While they were inside checking the place out, the inhabitants arrived home and attacked the intruders. The party fought two minotaurs. One had molten metal blood, which sprayed the party when he was damaged. The other had elastic arms that could reach around his companion to attack. The dwarf squire took a powerful clubbing to the head, but all survived the encounter. The only items of value found were paraphernalia off a dead elf. The party traveled through a part of the forest known as the Twisted Lands by the locals. They saw mind-boggling sights, like the gigantic river snake that sprang out of the wate...

My PC Mordrin Skorkinson , Giant Slayer. My companions: Udrin Sor-Valdir  - High Elf Wizard Apprentice Gustav Jaeger  - Human Priest of Verena Ludovic Hasselhoff  - Human Entertainer Ehrwig Hofstetter - Imperial Knight (Griffin?/Panther?) of Sigmar From Mordrin's point of view: ( Previous updates ) Play by Post: Mordin asked the Dwarfs of Helmgart about taking over the job of clearing the pass...or finding another worthy clan to do it. He wanted to get this responsibility off his shoulders as soon as possible so he could go about his own business. He wasn't really paying attention to the manling's (the Markgraf) ramblings before he agreed to this charge. On hearing that there was an offer on the table to organize the flood of dwarves seeking riches or rescue in the pass or mountain holds, several dwarves left the room. They soon returned with a wizened dwarf dressed in the finest of tailoring for dwarves. Mordrin immediately recognized this dwarf as Bar...

Here's what I like about post-apocalyptic: I like finding a habitable space and making it safe and sufficient to life. I know debris or radiation may have to be cleaned up (well, if there's radiation, it may not be habitable). I know mutated creatures may have to be cleaned out. But I want to slowly build my safe zone. There have been times when I thought this way about D&D. I wanted to clear out a dungeon and see about making it my own. Then, with the Expert box, I was more interested in finding an old castle/keep to clear out and make my own. It didn't take long to realize that I like the traveling and exploration part of D&D. I want to go somewhere else, find something new. I don't particularly want to settle down. It has been a long time since I made plans for what I'd do with my cleared-out keep. A post-apocalyptic game is different for me. I want to find a safe zone and only travel out when necessary, say to resupply. It's these little differ...

I added this rule to my 1e game: 1) To backstab a creature, you must Sneak up behind it. (Sometimes beside it is appropriate.) 2) The character/creature being backstabbed is treated as being Surprised and may do nothing to the backstabbing character that round, including Dodging, Parrying, or Attacking. 3) The backstabber gets +20% to Weapon Skill. It is not an automatic hit unless the victim is prone. 4) The backstabbing player rolls double dice damage (2d6)+S and other modifiers. 5) [In testing phase] Backstabbing player may use multiple attacks, per current profile.

I'm taking a day of rest here on the blog. Maybe a few. I would love to answer questions, though, if any readers had some. You can email me at qwertyuppyATgmailDOTcom.

I can't say I've had a character so bad that I would never play them again. That even includes my priestess of Loviatar in an all-evil campaign. I would rejoin any of my characters' stories at any point I could remember leaving off. There is one character I will never get to play again, though. He met his doom in the Haunted Halls of Eveningstar, killed by a doppleganger. The DM pretty much just randomly rolled to see which of us would get killed. At least he let me play the doppleganger through to the end. RIP Kryphon . He was a tortured soul who was heading toward a career as an assassin. The doppleganger probably saved Kryphon a lifetime of pain and sorrow. With this post, I am done with the 30 Day D&D Challenge. I skipped a couple days in the middle, and I'm skipping the last two days. I don't think they are very interesting or evocative subjects. I hope there has been something I've posted within the last month that has been of interest to you.

I have many ideas for characters to play in the future. Pretty much all combinations of races and classes are on the table. The characters I want to play the most, however, are characters I started and didn't get to play enough of. I didn't play them through to a satisfactory end. The one I would like to play right now is Ke'lan, my half-orc specialty priest of Tempus who is trying his hardest to earn a paladinship.  Never give up on your goals.

There are a few items I like to always have in my starting backpack. These include rope, chalk, caltrops (if I can), iron spikes, and a small hammer. The last few times I've played, I haven't used these items as much as I did back in the day. I think we're so focused on battle these days that we don't remember there are many good ways to avoid it. Utility-wise, I don't think you can go wrong with a length of rope...though the weight/encumbrance can sometimes hinder you. Get the strong guy to carry it.

(Yes, I skipped day 23 and 24. I didn't have anything to say about those topics. I did post other stuff on those days, though, so it wasn't a complete washout) I have a couple listings for favorite magic item day. The first magic item that I remember having a lot of fun with was a helmet of ramming. I had a dwarf that wore it and charged everything head-down. He wasn't quite right in the head, to use a phrase. The magic item I've had a lot of fun with as a DM is a magic axe I created called Gorlandor . Unfortunately for Gorlandor's wielder, his conscience has been melded into the axe when he was killed by a Flame Strike. Now the axe goes by either the name Gorlandor or Zorr (the character's name). It now also has the power of a Heat Metal spell if someone other than a worthy dwarf hero (or hero-to-be) picks it up. I should really update Gorlandor's listing.

Common Knowledge About Allyssa Height:  5'6"    Weight:  111    Hair:  Silver    Eyes:  Blue As told by townfolk She is an elf who suddenly came into town and bought the house of the resident Herbalist, who nobody knew wanted to move.  She has an elf apprentice and a human apprentice (Razmar). As told by Razmar, early in his apprenticeship before he started going silent when questioned about her: Alyssa, an attractive Elven female, came to his hometown and hired Razmar (she was looking for "a healthy young lad with potential") as an apprentice. She really didn't seem all too interested in Magick, though, only thinking to teach him anything when he reminded her. She more or less just seemed to have wanted a personal helper, though she taught him things that go just beyond house slave. Allyssa was not too bad to work for (though that opinion may change depending on the work she is having him do). She usually just wanted s...

My PC Mordrin Skorkinson , Giant Slayer. My companions: Udrin Sor-Valdir - High Elf Wizard Apprentice Gustav Jaeger - Human Priest of Verena Ludovic Hasselhoff - Human Entertainer From Mordrin's point of view: ( Previous updates ) The Verenean's know the value of a hero. They put us up in their temple overnight, ousting some of their own to make room. The elf states they are using us to add legitimacy to a political power play. Either way I got a decent meal tonight. We were summoned to the estate of the Markgraf, the Imperial Governor of Helmgart. Apparently word finally got to him that we were back in town. He asked me to serve in the town's rebuilding process. He seems to know the value of good dwarven ingenuity, dwarf craftsmanship, and our ability to keep order. He also desires some stupid ambassador work out of me. I'll pawn that off as soon as possible. The hard physical labor of rebuilding and the cracking of human heads to get people in line...

Dragons are my favorite monster overall. I know the name of the game is Dungeons & Dragons, but players don't get to see many dragons in my game. This is because dragons are extremely deadly in my game. I can appreciate those who use various sizes/ages and colors of dragons that allow their players to often slay them, but I like dragons to be large and menacing. Of course, allowing them to find some smaller dragons and get a little cocky fighting them would be a good ploy... Beat that dragon

Throughout my formative years, I would have answered this question with the Gold Dragon. It was the most powerful dragon in the book. And it was Lawful Good, so it was nice. This means that you can't really use it as an enemy against the good party, but it can be used as a powerful, mysterious NPC. These days my favorite dragon is the Weredragon (Song Dragon from the latest edition(s) ). It's my favorite mostly because I was able to play it once as a PC. From there I created an NPC for my Warhammer game. She has been altering my Warhammer world ever since.

As far as humanoid enemies go, I've always liked Ogres. It may stem from having the insidious ogre toy as a child, even before I played D&D. Ogres are large, strong, and may just eat you. Or they can be mercenary and help you out (as they did in my Warhammer game last week). Either way, they are just human enough to think you can understand and just monster enough to turn on you.

What do you know? Yesterday I ended by saying elementals may be my second favorite type of outsider. I like elementals in that I like the embodiment of different elements into a powerful humanoid force. Each elemental is deadly in its own way. My favorite would probably be an earth elemental. It's going to hurt when that heavy fits hits you!

The Reavers' Trail and The Lonely Tower. The party met the halfling merchant and got very little from him but a copy of his map. They were ambushed by some trolls and were in desperate straights until two ogre mercenaries showed up to help out. This encounter is not in the book, but they needed some battle experience and it sets up the ogre caves later in the campaign. They were welcomed into the gypsy camp and spent a lot of money for a 'free' meal and drink. Also, two of the characters left married after being seduced by the young ladies (and men) of the camp. They can crossed the river and explored the tower, finding more clues of the path the orcs took 100 years ago. It is possible for them to have a Doomstone at the end of the next sitting. Oh, and they killed the mama bear at the tower and added her two cubs to the party. One of the PCs has Animal Training. The party now has 14 members, including the bears. Oh, and the prisoner from Crossing the Border . That...

I have mentioned my favorite immortal under the undead post. Again, forgive me, a poor 2e player, while I go look up outsiders. An outsider is made up of the essence of another plane besides the Prime Material plane. The best of the list I read would be Angel, Balor, or Elemental. My favorite would probably be an angel. Now I need to read stats to see if that is a really lame choice or not. Elementals are cool, too.

I think the most popular vermin would be rats. They seem to be everywhere, especially when you are a beginning adventurer. My favorite animal, however, would be a large cat...probably a panther. R.A. Salvatore got lucky with me when he chose a panther as Drizzt's constant companion. I have always been a lover of big cats. I even helped my friend create a class of were-priests in his homebrew D&D game, making a were-panther. I try to incorporate large cats into my game whenever I can. Cats are smart, however, and aren't likely to attack a wandering group of adventurers. Usually the cats stay in the background. Usually.

I got a fate point from the party's dwarf soldier the first night of the Doomstones campaign. It was due to a particularly powerful tail whip from a beastman which resulted in extra damage. I like to make fate points spectacular, but not over the top. Instead of cutting off the dwarf's head (which was the roll on the critical hit chart), the dwarf ducked and the whip cut off the head of the beastman that was fighting by this one's side against the dwarf. The description of the critical hit had the head roll in a random direction 10 feet away. By actual coincidence, there was another beastman in that location who was running away for reinforcements. I had the rolling head take it out at the back of the knees. The beast fell, striking its head in a sickening, bloody mess and dying. I don't think that's over the top. Over the top would be collapsing the whole cave on the head of all 10 beastmen present and the party surviving, miraculously unhurt. What do you t...

I'm a 2e guy. Gives me a minute; I have to see what aberrations are. I'll be right back. Illithid. Let me tell you why. I don't use psionics in my game. I never have. It just hasn't been a thing that me or anyone else ever chose to pursue. However, if I used Illithids, I would attack your mind. There aren't many ways to defend against that. These creatures would definitely be unique. I could see many great ways to use illusion-like abilities. There are so many possibilities. I should use them in my next game. Too bad there aren't insanity points in D&D.

I can't say that I normally use too many undead outside of the skeletons and zombies written into beginning adventures. I have, however, always been a fan of vampires. Hopefully I didn't lose you there. This love of vampires started a long time ago, before Anne Rice, really, though she helped seal the deal. Among other powers they have, vampires are immortal. As they have to do is be smart enough to not get caught and killed. Sounds like it should be easy. It's really the immortality that attracts me. It's not that I fear death, rather I have found life to be so darned fun . So...vampires. Blood sucking, bat and wolf controlling, hypnotizing, seductive, shape changing vampires. Have I mentioned how much I love dragons? If not, I probably will before the week is out. Anyway, a trilogy I recently read had a vampire dragon. That has got to be one of the coolest creatures ever. If you play a ga,e under me, don't be surprised when the vampire dragon shows up.

I almost forgot. Today is the 5th year anniversary of the gaming blog. A lot has happened in my gaming life in the last 5 years. I am no longer part of the weekly d5 gaming group (all of us but 1 are still around, we just never get together). Instead I have been part of an online biweekly  Warhammer 2e campaign for the better part of a year, and I have recently started a biweekly face-to-face Warhammer 1e group, Acquisitions Unlimited . As far as the blog goes, here are a few stats: 23 Members 387 published posts (plus 6 scheduled and 11 drafts) 64,117 Pageviews I wish I knew how many daily readers/RSS subscribers there were. Here's to another 5 years with much, much gaming throughout!

In the Google+ Dungeons and Dragons 2e community we mixed days up a bit in this 30 day challenge. We answered this question on the 9th. Early on in the thread it became a trip down memory lane on some of our favorite characters from Forgotten Realms novels. I chose Danica from the Cleric Quintet. (A lot of us chose characters from the Quintet.) I have met many NPCs as a player over the years. I haven't created too many NPCs of my own in games that I can remember. I'm going to have to go with the cleric in the Caves of Chaos. He was able to kill two PCs, with the help of his undead. Read about it here .

I've never really thought about this question before. When placing traps in homebrewed games, I just rotate through the ones suggested in the DMG.  I suppose a nice poison dart or crossbow bolt or spear trap would be a good choice. You can always coat those points in anything you want. What I really want, though, is a trap that you don't have to reset. Many traps are one-shots, and I don't have a good reason why they weren't set off by the people who explored previously. Or a good reason why the trap hasn't rotted in time. I'm open for suggestions.

The current roster of the Warhammer adventuring team Acquisitions Unlimited now includes: Nick: Primary: Alban MacDuff, Human Bodyguard of Professor Brumbleburr Secondary: Professor Bartholomew Brumbleburr II, Halfling Archaeologist (Tomb Robber) turned Tunnel Fighter. Mark: Primary: Ryan the Human Entertainer (Knife Thrower) Secondary: Ce'fana the Elf Entertainer (Knife Thrower) Mel: Primary: Meliot Took, Halfling Hypnotist Secondary: Greedo Baker, Human Bounty Hunter Kathy: Primary: Revoltac, Dwarf Soldier Secondary: Gundral Anders, Dwarf Squire NPCs: Primary: Jorge the Human Physician Student Secondary: Boris the Human Wizard Apprentice Now if I could only find some decent pictures for the NPCs...