I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters...

[TEKRALH] Round-Up Of The Week...

2012-01-28T15:00:00.019Z

Besides the opening session of our campaign - which seems to have gone over pretty well - there's not much to report on developments in my Tekralh campaign this week.

Of course, there's always the "in-campaign" version of events as well (with more illustrations).

All being well, I can spend more time at the keyboard next week and continue to develop the world in which the Tuesday Knights are adventuring...

28 Days Later - The Rage - Episode Two...

2012-01-28T09:00:00.011Z

Following on from last week's episode. The Rage was shot in Glasgow over four days in 2007 and two days in 2008 and was made on a low-to-no budget. It was the second collaboration between Glasgow-based film makers Colin Ross Smith (Foghhorn Films) and Carter Ferguson (Ickleflix - formerly Icklepix).

Come back next week for the final episode...

Ladies & Gentlemen, Please Excuse The Sniffles...

2012-01-28T06:00:00.025Z

Very much a good news/bad news week. The Tuesday Knights kicked off our new Tekralh campaign on Tuesday, which was great, but then I came down with the worst cold in six or seven years, which confined me to bed for several days... so not much else was done on the blog this week.

Normal service, hopefully, will be resumed next week.

However, the threat of germs has not deterred several new henchmen from signing up for our big adventure this week - so please welcome:

* Chris of Classic RPG Realms (a fine, old school roleplaying site)

* Satyr/Elfheim of Skull Valley (a blog about the Pittsburgh music scene)

Review Round-Up: Ironmaster; Army Of Darkness/Xena, Volume One: Why Not?; Red State

2012-01-27T15:00:00.186Z

Ironmaster (1983): A totally bonkers 80's Italian barbarian flick from prodigious horror movie director Umberto Lenzi, Ironmaster is the story of two feuding brothers in a tribe of cavemen fighting for control of the valley they live in.

Brutish Vood (Luigi Montefiori as George Eastman) is booted out the tribe for killing his father, the chief, and the tribe's wiseman - but then stumbles upon a shaft of iron in the shape of a sword while hiding from a thunder storm in the shadow of a volcano.

With his new weapon - and a smouldering hot chick, Lith (Pamela Field) on his arm - he returns to the tribe, takes over (pointy rod of iron trumps flint-headed axe) and exiles his brother Ela (nude model Sam Pasco in his only non-porn role).

Wandering the lion- and ape-man infested wilderness, Ela teams up with the stunning hotness of Isa (Elvire Audray, star of the infamous cannibal movie Amazonia: The Catherine Miles Story aka White Slave), who takes him to her lakeside village.

This is ruled by a grumpy old pacifist called Mogo (William Berger) - who sulks whenever Ela points out the need for weapons to defend themselves from the free-roaming lions and the threat of Vood's tribe.

Meanwhile, Vood hasn't been just sitting around - as well as creating an iron-forging, sword-producing production line, his tooled-up troops have been gradually subduing all the villages in the area - fuelling Vood growing megalomania so that he is no longer satisfied with taking over the valley, but wants to take over the world instead!

Eventually, Vood's scouts come across the village where Ela is hanging out - but before Vood can attack, Ela invents the bow (no, really!) and the concept of archery and then proceeds to train the village up as archers in the space of 24 hours.

The battlelines are drawn...

After a rather slow start, Ironmaster gathers manic pace until it's almost running away with itself - not bothering with such trivial details as how Vood suddenly knows to make swords or Ela suddenly invents archery.

Throw in some random encounters with ape-men and primitive plague carriers, a splattering of delightfully gruesome effects and an assortment of attractive women (although sadly no nudity), shake well and serve.

With its simplistic storyline, this is not a film to be taken too seriously. Ironmaster is well-loved in certain quarters and while I might not share that passion for this picture, there's no denying that it's a pretty unique barbarian film and is superbly shot, with some truly majestic scenery.

Look out for the brief shot of the plastic elephants near the beginning as well which are, thankfully, not a sign of things to come.

Army Of Darkness/Xena: Volume One - Why Not? Despite my admiration for both the Army Of Darkness movie and Xena: Warrior Princess the TV series, I've little experience with both of their comic book titles for the simple reason that what I have read, frankly, hasn't been that good.

However, how could I resist a crossover whose main joke is the fact that Bruce Campbell plays both Ash in Army Of Darkness and Autolycus, King Of Thieves, in Xena?

A collection of four issues, the first three by John Layman and the fourth by Brandon Jerwa, it tells of how one of the mini-Ashes from Army Of Darkness steals a mini-Necronomicon and heads back to ancient Greece to raise hell.

Ash, as the Chosen One, is dispatched to stop him and naturally ends up meeting Xena and Gabrielle, and mistaken for Autolycus (who they happen to be adventuring with at that time).

Much hijinks ensues that manages to capture the flavour of both franchises - right up until the final pay-off (in Jerwa's issue) when the joke is taken just a step too far and derails the good will the collection has garnered to that point.

To be honest it's a totally redundant - and pointless - two-and-a-half page sequence that has no real connection with the main story and could have been axed without anyone being any the wiser.

Miguel Montenegro's art has a beautiful flow about it, reminiscent of Alan Davies or John Byrne, which certainly makes the illustrations easy on the eye, with good likenesses of the central characters and suitably humourous expressions where appropriate.

Despite the hic-cup towards the end of the book, I'm intrigued to see where Dynamite takes the story in Volume Two: What...Again?

Red State (2011): Kevin Smith wrote and directed one of my all-time favourite films, Chasing Amy, but Red State is about as far as you could get from that charming, geeky, rom-com.

In a nutshell, three horny American teens are lured in by an online honeytrap and instead of the sexual gratification they were hoping for, end up prisoners in the compound of an extreme Christian fundamentalist sect led by the charmingly evil Abin Cooper (Michael Parks).

A rapid chain of events leads to a visit by the ATF, fronted by agent Joseph Keenan (John Goodman), and what could have been a "friendly negotiation" quickly develops into an all-out gun battle (with the ATF totally unaware of the presence of the three boys).

For its first two acts, Red State roars ahead like an out-of-control steam train barrelling from sex comedy to (potential) torture porn and finally into guns-a-blazin' action film, then just as it looks as though it's about to head off into further gonzo territory, the story leaps off the tracks and disappears into a very downbeat, low-key and rather unsatisfying, over-talky, ending.

There are signs of Smith's touch all the way through, from the creative foul-mouthness of the lads and the witty banter of their teacher in one of the openng scenes, through the moments of deadpan comedy and stylish camera work - also showing heavy Tarantino influence - but the movie belongs to the central performers - Michael Parks on one side as the demented Westboro Baptist-inspired preacher and harassed ART officer John Goodman on the other side of the divide (a long way from Dan in Roseanne), given orders he's not entirely comfortable with following.

Red State suffers from its own indecision over who it wants to hold up as its protagonist (given a particularly Hitchcockian twist near its middle), yet at times it's a very strong film when it's letting the characters' actions speak for themselves. However, to then sit down and spell things out at the end totally crashes against the cinematic maxim of "show, don't tell".

In the extras, Smith says that by the conclusion Cooper is a broken man who has realised that everything he believed in was a lie, but I just didn't see that on screen at all. He appears just as deranged as he did when we first met him.

Not To Everyone's Taste...

2012-01-27T09:00:00.000Z

...but I'd book a holiday on Megan Fox Island!

Al Bruno III drew my attention to this language school advert.

[TEKRALH] Actual Play One - Setting The Mood...

2012-01-26T15:00:00.083Z

Left To Right: Konrad, Baine, Maud, Hob, Othwic and Alys

Present:

Alys (Meredith)
Hob (Kevin)
Maud (Clare)
Othwic (Pete)

Absent:

Baine (Steve, unseen in village for weeks)
Jarl (presumed drunk and fallen in a ditch)
Konrad (off with a random serving wench)

The main aim of this first fame session, as much as anything, was to get the players used to the idea of 'operating' in a pseudo-Medieval world.

In their starting location - the town of Coggershall - there were no general stores or places selling "adventuring gear", they had to haggle with the blacksmith to buy one of his two horses (thank heavens for the Hackmaster random horse generation table), the journey to the adventure location was as much part of the adventure as the final destination and when they arrived in the small community of Ducksford there weren't inns or taverns to stay in - they had to sleep on the floor of generous serfs.

Events began the day after the May Day celebrations, which gave us a good excuse to not having everyone turn up, although it was quite amusing to see the faces of the players when - two game days into their journey to the mysterious ruins of Dyr Dwm - they realised that the person who had told them about the ruins, Jarl, and had the best idea of where they were they were actually were... wasn't with them!

After Ducksford the player-character entered Hex 001 from Christian's Loviator magazine, although, of course, I just couldn't resist tinkering and so - after being totally baffled by the 'sloughing tree' on the border of Baron Cenred's lands - they spent most of their time at The Iron Door inn, interacting with the landlord and fellow travellers.

All creatures they were told about were described as various 'faerie', except the dream catoplepas (pictured left), which they sensibly gave a wide berth because of it lethal gaze.

After Maud spotted the "winged cat" - or 'bat-cat' as she called it - the party deduced that it was a witch's familiar and so they were on guard, as there must be one in the area.

The use of random weather, and a calendar, also delivered as on the last game day of the session, while Maud, Hob and Alys were exploring the ruins of the former Iron Door, a random thunderstorm erupted - playing straight to Maud's storm phobia, and sending her scuttling back to the inn for shelter.

All being well, Jarl (Simon) and Konrad (Nick) will join us next month (although it will be Clare's turn to look after Alec, so Maud will probably stay at the Iron Door, freaked out by the storm - even though it only lasted a couple of hours).

And how will Jarl feel about his 'friends' heading off without him, after he'd told them about the possible treasure located at the ruins of Dyr Dwm?

There's an 'in-campaign' write-up of the session over on The Chronicles Of Tekralh, with more details about what was learned and who was interacted with.

I have to admit I wasn't overly impressed with my prep for the game, I seriously underestimated how much the players would be able to cover and how uninterested they would be in dealing with all the shop keepers in Coggershall.

Except for the haggling with Wulfgar, they really wanted to just get on with the 'adventure' and I supposed they only had about two-and-a-half hours of games time after our traditional pizzas (and Meredith brought us a selection of delicious Krispy Kreme donuts!)

AFK Not TPK...

2012-01-26T12:00:00.022Z

The first session of our Tekralh (Crypts & Things) campaign went off reasonably well on Tuesday evening, but then I awoke on Wednesday with a dreadful sore throat, thick head and a heavy dose of man-flu.

This meant all of yesterday was spent curled up on the sofa watching TV and DVDs - and generally feeling sorry for myself - instead of writing up a post-match report on our game. At least no-one died this time round, - in fact no combat dice were rolled at all!

The symptoms have continued for a second day, but I forced myself to sit in front of the computer for a bit early on to get the game-related stuff out the way, while I could still remember it. There is, of course, no guarantee that it won't be all gibberish...

I'll get round to replying to comments eventually, but first I need to collapse!

How Return Of The Jedi Should Have Ended...

2012-01-26T09:00:00.012Z

One of the more amusing How It Should Have Ended videos.

Bill Tells You All You Need To Know...

2012-01-25T09:00:00.004Z

Pertinent to our debates this week about whether silly voices equates to acting in roleplaying games, The Dungeon Bastard, Bill Cavalier, offers these useful DM tips...

Wonder Woman Wednesday...

2012-01-25T06:00:00.001Z

Love At First Sight...

2012-01-24T15:00:00.036Z

I love these little buggers. They're three goblins from the newly released range of Pathfinder prepainted miniatures from Paizo and Wizkids (Paizo once again picking up a market share that Wizards Of The Coast inexplicably dropped - you produce a game system that revolves around miniatures and battle maps and then stop producing miniatures!)

I wasn't even going to use goblins in my swords and sorcery campaign until I saw these guys - they have such a mischievous, fairytale quality about them that I couldn't really say no.

Now I know nothing about Pathfinder - except that it's a tweaked version of the loathsome Third Edition of Dungeons & Dragons (D&D for accountants, lawyers, miscellaneous number crunchers and min-maxing power gamers) - so holds no appeal to me whatsoever, but if this is their non-Tolkien take on goblins then I'm impressed.

There is much more faerie about them than Middle-Earth goblins and that puts them squarely back in my ballpark. I can see myself amassing an army of these critters to take on the pseudo-Arthurian/Robin Hood heroes (or anti-heroes) of Tekralh.

the figures are also well-painted, with good detailing in their faces, eyes and mouths. These I got as singles off of eBay and am awaiting the arrival of my first, small, batch of blind boxes... but so far, so good.

You'll Want This Woman In Your Adventuring Party...

2012-01-24T09:00:00.002Z

Just let her stand at the front... and don't mention Crow (from Hawk The Slayer)!

RPG Inspiration: Derinkuyu Underground City

2012-01-23T21:00:00.004Z

So, I was watching a "well-researched documentary" on the History Channel this afternoon about how aliens came here in ancient times and taught humans lots of 'alien stuff' (hey, they had Erich von Däniken on there, so it must be true).

But between my guffaws at the shoddy journalism and ridiculous claims (one whole segment was based on a quest for an underground library of 'metal books' inspired by a single quote from a random Ecuadorian about 40 or 50 years after he was supposed to have found the 'secret, underwater entrance' to the hidden cave... but I digress), there was an interesting - and factual - piece about the an ancient multi-level underground city in the Derinkuyu district in Nevşehir Province, Turkey.

While unlikely that it was a nuclear bomb shelter for ancient people hiding from an alien war raging overhead (as was suggested, based on lifting a series of out-of-context quotes from ancient texts and applying very liberal, 21st Century interpretations to them), no-one knows who built this fascinating "dungeon complex " (to use my gaming parlance).

Wikipedia tells us: "With its eleven floors extending to a depth of approximately 85 m [almost 300ft], it was large enough to shelter tens of thousands of people together with their livestock and food stores. It is the largest excavated underground city in Turkey and is part of a network of several underground complexes found across Cappadocia.

"It was opened to visitors in 1969 and to date, only ten percent of the underground city is accessible to tourists."

There's a blog entry here with more information about the discovery of the complex, its facilities and contents and pictures.

Now if that's not a real life example of a potential Dungeons & Dragons setting, then I don't know what is!

The Debate Continues: Acting Or Storytelling...

2012-01-23T18:00:00.011Z

It would appear that non-gamers hold the view that roleplaying games are "acting", which is something I've never considered.

This is a view held by my wife and top author Philip Reeve (who was discussing this with Rachel on Twitter after my recent article about the conversation she had with Zak on why she didn't game).

However, on Google+ this morning, my online buddy Chris Freeman - host of late-lamented Grimm Studios gaming podcast - made the interesting analogy that it could be considered acting in the same sense that some people make the brum-brum noise when moving the miniature race car around the Monopoly board or 'act' the role of the banker.

Thinking about it, I do sometimes - when running a game - put on a silly voice when talking as a non-player-character, but that's just the same as I would do if I was telling Rachel one of my awful jokes. And I don't see that as acting, but part of the narrative of the joke.

Conversely, it's not something I do when I'm playing a game and I don't expect my players to do it when I'm running a game. It's just a way of differentiating my "dungeon master" voice from my "NPC" voice.

Not that I would quosh anyone so enthused that they got into their role and adopted an accent, or waved their arms around while talking (I do that in game as well, because I sometimes get carried away, and I also stand up sometimes while DMing, but then I can also be quite laid back), but, again, I don't see that as an essential part of the game.

At its heart - for me - roleplaying games are about creating a shared story and that makes the game 'storytelling' to me. Acting suggests a script and a constant commitment to remaining in character.

I'd be interested to hear more views on this, both from gamers and - if any read this - non-gamers, as I find this perception of our hobby a fascinating topic. I wonder if cracking this perception could be the key to attracting more people to our table?

At least we have gotten beyond the "spotty, devil-worshipping nerds who live in their mum's basement" cliché.

The Lurch...

2012-01-23T12:00:00.000Z

Thanks, as always, to Monster Island News

Welcome To The Year Of The Dragon...

2012-01-23T09:00:00.015Z

Surely this is an auspicious year for Dungeons & Dragons gamers, then?

For more authentic details on what the year ahead may hold, visit this site.

Edition Wars, Huh? What Are They Good For? Absolutely Nothing...

2012-01-22T21:00:00.003Z

Bill Cavalier, aka The Dungeon Bastard, does some straight shooting when he delivers the final word on Edition Wars.

Long live The Bastard!

For Those Not On G+ - Why My Wife Is So Cool...

2012-01-22T15:00:00.088Z

Long-time readers of my blog will probably already be aware of the supportive, awesomeness of my wife, Rachel.

However this week - following Zak's GM Questionnaire which tore across the OSR blogosphere like wildfire - she took to Google+ to chat with Zak about why she didn't play RPGs.

The fascinating conversation went as follows:

[from original survey, re: question as to why your significant other doesn't play]

Rachel wrote:

"There are several reasons; gaming has never particularly interested me and the parts I've overheard don't make me want to try – I see it as acting and quite intimidating. I don't understand a lot of what goes on which makes me feel unintelligent (which I don't think I am!). I also think it's healthy to have separate hobbies and I enjoy the fact that Tim is doing something independently from me."

Zak responded - on Google+ - that this was interesting because, rather than me just saying 'she doesn't get it':

"[Rachel's] response includes some actual ideas (and it was good and let me hasten to add that none of these things are bad things in any way or reflect poorly on you, they're just interesting as data points about a kind of person who, by definition, we RPGers don't hear much about)...

* RPGing is "acting" and that's "intimidating"- which is something I have only heard once before (and it was from a girl) and the idea that acting in front of (friendly) people would be in any way intimidating is understandable but probably new to a lot of RPGers (me included) since a lot of people only get intimidated when there's sex or money on the line or if one of the people is like Stephen Hawking or something.

* You "feel unintelligent" and yet "know" that you are intelligent. Which is a conflict/emotion I've never had or at least never recognized. So that's an interesting idea.

* You say you don't understand what's going on. This is intriguing but since we don't know how much you've heard it isn't as helpful. I mean, nobody would understand the mechanics without having been taught them, but the idea that not understanding them is a reason not to want to play is also interesting."

I stuck my oar in at this point to give a bit of background and explain that:

"[Rachel] comes to wargames shows with me (as opposed to RPG cons) and admits to liking the look of wargames (she furnishes dolls houses as one of her hobbies and has a model railway, so appreciates the scenery and painting aspect of wargames if not the actual content).

"I'm not sure how relevant that is to your discussion, but several years ago she did express a passing interest in maybe trying a 'wargame' at some stage - because it would just be the two of us and a table full of miniatures, I guess."

The following morning, once Rachel was back at her keyboard at work, she replied to Zak's comments:

"Firstly, I think the idea that RPGing is acting is fairly common amongst non-gamers. Perhaps if I was more confident in what a game really involved and how it worked, I wouldn't be intimidated by the idea.

"I also think the fact that the gaming group are primarily Tim's friends has something to do with it - I don't want to embarrass myself or him.

"I believe I'm reasonably intelligent (I have a good job etc) but I think most people, when faced with a subject they know virtually nothing about, feel at least a little out of their depth. This leads me on to the third point...

"I haven't experienced an actual game at all but it does get discussed during the 'pre-match dinner' a little. Because I'm into different things, I don't even understand the settings in which the games are based - words are thrown around that mean nothing to me and I don't feel I can join in because I don't want to have everything painfully explained to me. I overhear some very enthusiastic gaming during the evening (usually from the the next room) but I don't really understand what's going on.

"The fact is, I don't particularly want to know. I'm sure I could learn the mechanics of the game if I wanted to but as I mentioned, I like the fact that Tim has a social circle outside of our relationship.

"Because of his health situation, it's not common for him to socialise without me and I love seeing him after a game and how happy it's made him - I don't need to be involved. It's also the only time that I really get time alone and that's something I very much treasure.

"Finally, as Tim said, I love miniatures (both dollshouses and model trains) and this is a love that we share. If I was going to get into any type of gaming I'm fairly sure it would be wargames, purely for the beautiful scenery."

And that is (just one of the many reasons) why my non-gaming wife is so freakin' awesome!

Life? Don't Talk To Me About Life...

2012-01-22T09:00:00.005Z

Continuing To Impress...

2012-01-21T21:00:00.003Z

Snow White And The Huntsman continues to look all kinds of awesome in this latest one-minute trailer.

[TEKRALH] Making A Date With Destiny...

2012-01-21T15:00:00.064Z

IMAGE: A BRIGHT LIGHT suddenly flares...Frodo squeezes his
eyes shut, gasping.

                    FRODO
              (frightened)
          Where am I?

A FAMILIAR VOICE cuts through the swirl of sound.

                    GANDALF (O.S.)
          You are in the House of Elrond, and it is
          ten o'clock in the morning on October the
          twenty-fourth, if you want to know.

- Lord Of The Rings: Fellowship Of The Ring (film script, 2001)

After a lot of thought, Google-fu and discussion with several G+ intelligentsia, I've decided that I'm simply going to use an ordinary calendar for my game calendar.

Tolkien did it in Lord Of The Rings, and I don't believe it was ever explained why the months of Middle-Earth were January, February, March etc and I believe it will just make things easier in the long-run.

Although there are some fantastic (and free) 'fantasy' calendars out there for gaming purposes (e.g. one for Arduin and one for Matt's NOD), these always require the players to remember the 'new' days of the week and the names of months, whereas everyone knows our calendar and the number of days in month etc

Ultimately, I'm not writing a carefully crafted novel here, but hopefully crafting a games world where the players can come and have some fun. I'd rather their concentration was on developing their characters and interacting with my pseudo-Medieval, fantasy-reworking of 13th Century Britain than trying to figure out what the days of the week were called.

Having settled on a calendar - and purchased a cheap, 'blank' 2012 calendar from WH Smith's (pictured above) - I can now plot out when 'national holidays' and festivities are, chart upcoming weather patterns etc rather than having to wing it at the games table.

You never know we might even get to the stage where the characters have birthdays! Imagine that - an 'in-game' birthday party for one of the characters... possibly while they're trapped underground in the middle of an epic mega-dungeoncrawl!

I know it's a bit lazy, but I think it's a short-cut that could have benefits in the future as it's one less thing for all concerned to be juggling in their heads.

In other campaign developments, this week's Tekralh-themed stories included:

* The Forester - a new character class I'd been toying with, but was prompted to put into action by the backstory of Pete's character, Othwic Of Darkling Wood.

* The Mythraic Creation story - a bit of background fluff that actually ties in with a number of the campaign's major artifacts (as well as introducing the idea of The Temple Knights).

* Jousting And Other Sports - an overview of the major sports of Tekralh, including quick rules systems for jousting and archery tournaments.

Meanwhile over on the campaign blog itself, The Chronicles Of Tekralh, we meet Clare's character, 15-year-old sorceress Maud Balliol.

28 Days Later - The Rage - Episode One...

2012-01-21T09:00:00.012Z

A nine-and-a-half minute fan film, spun off the 28 Days Later rage zombie franchise and brought to my attention by wargames supremo Steve Blease over on Bleaseworld.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Do Come In, Out Of The Cold...

2012-01-21T06:00:00.049Z

Despite the travails of the last week (being without heating during a cold snap isn't fun or conducive to creativity), and the subsequent screwing up of my sleep patterns, I'm delighted to see that my ramblings are still attracting interest - and new sign-ups!

My run of 900+ daily hits took a beating as well this week, which I attribute to the combination of Blogger's unfortunate (and erroneous) suspension of my account for a couple of days (just before the blog's fifth anniversary!) and, of course, the Net-wide blackout in protest to America's ridiculous SOPA bill.

Hopefully things will pick up again now...

In the meantime, please join with me in welcoming our latest batch of enthusiastic recruits:

* Omlet of Underworld Kingdom (a fine old school gaming blog with plenty of links and resources)

* DarkHerald of Greyhawk Adventures 576CY (a blog about gaming in Greyhawk, using a variety of rules systems)

* ClawCarver

* Logan of Fantastic Worlds (a German-language RPG blog with very similar tastes to I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters...)

More Behind-The-Scenes Magic From Game Of Thrones...

2012-01-20T23:00:00.003Z

I'll say it again: where's my "Designing Westeros" book?

Fleamarket Friday: Elric - The Balance Lost

2012-01-20T21:00:00.000Z

Fans of Michael Moorcock's tortured albino sorcerer Elric who haven't been reading the 12-issue mini-series from Boom! Studios - or simply can't get enough of the Multiversal madness - should think about picking up the two volume trade paperback collections of The Balance Lost when they are published.

Volume one is due for release on February 7, while the second volume is scheduled for publication on July 3.

The dizzying combination of Chris Roberson's script and Francesco Biagini's artwork captures the surreal nature of Moorcock's Multiverse, the multiple personalties of the Eternal Champion and the twisted, exotic natures of the sundry paragons of Law and Chaos.

A free, online, prelude can be read here if you are still undecided.

For my money, Elric: The Balance Lost is one of the strongest comic titles around at the moment and I sincerely hope that once the mini-series wraps, Boom! Studios seriously considers brining the team of Roberson and Biagini back for further adventures in Moorcock's Multiverse.

Review Round-Up: The Stone Tape; Man-Thing; In The Name Of The King 2 - Two Worlds

2012-01-20T15:00:00.190Z

The Stone Tape (1972): Broadcast only twice on the BBC, then released on DVD by the BFI (with a commentary by writer Nigel Kneale) which went out of print and has never been re-released, The Stone Tape has become one of those hard-to-track down Holy Grails for genre fans.

Sure you can watch it cut up into segments on YouTube, but that's simply not the same.

An electronics company sequesters its research and development team away in a partially-refurbished old Victorian country house to work on developing a new recording medium (remember this is the early 1970s).

However, they quickly come to believe that the house - and in particular a dank storeroom - is haunted and hit upon the idea of using their technology to attempt to 'record' the ghost (or whatever the phenomena is).

With their boss, Peter Brock (Michael Bryant), pushing them ever harder because of pressures from the company chief as well as problems in his complicated personal life, it looks as though the scientists might have cracked the conundrum... or have they made it worse?

Nigel Kneale, of course, is best known for creating and writing Quatermass, the precursor to Doctor Who, and The Stone Tape stands alongside it as some of his finest work. While the visual effects haven't dated well (and are possibly introduced a bit too early), the high-calibre acting, creepy atmosphere (given that it's all obviously wobbly stage sets) and sound effects stir nerve-jangling memories of the mother-of-all haunted house movies The Haunting (from 1963).

The team's methodical and scientific approach to whatever is going on in the store room offers up a surprisingly plausible explanation for ghostly encounters, but the story goes beyond that - with hinted-at levels of almost Lovecraftian horror of the primeval unknown.

Very much a product of its time, complete with casual sexism and racism that wouldn't have even raised an eyebrow three decades ago, The Stone Tape laid the groundwork for paranormal investigation dramas such The X-Files and Fringe by treating the subject of ghosts as manifestations of scientific processes rather than anything to do with the afterlife or superstitious mumbo-jumbo.

If you manage to snag an affordable second-hand DVD of The Stone Tape (as I luckily did; thank you eBay!) accept that it is very much a 'period piece' compared to modern television and prepare to have your nerves jingled.

Man-Thing (2005): A lesser-known Marvel comics movie that is more monster-horror than eco-avenging superhero (as I believe the character is in the comic books; it's never been a character that registered too strongly with me as it just appeared to be a pale imitation of DC's Swamp Thing, which was addictive reading during Alan Moore's stint at the helm).

Nevertheless as cheap horror trash goes, Man-Thing isn't half-bad and certainly doesn't deserve a lot of the negativity it generally attracts on da Interwebz.

It may lack the '80s yumminess of an Adrienne Barbeau or a Heather Locklear, but Man-Thing is leagues ahead of both of the Swamp Thing movies simply because it plays it straight.

A new sheriff (Matthew Le Nevez - Australia's answer to Michael Shanks) arrives in the small community of Bywater (because it's "by the water") and is immediately drawn into a feud between local activists and an oil company drilling in sacred Indian land in the swamps.

There's also the multiple unsolved missing cases - including the previous sheriff - for him to look into.

Throw in some redneck good ol'boys, mystic Native Americans, legends about a "guardian spirit" in the swamps, a spurious romance and a heap of brooding atmosphere and you've got a solid B-movie base to build on, with a reasonably complex conspiracy at its core.

Director Brett Leonard wisely holds off on revealing too much of the "Man-Thing" until the final act, but still manages to splash a fair amount of gore about with a number of splatacular death scenes. Couple that with casual nudity and harsh language and this simply isn't what the average audience member would expect from a Marvel Comics movie.

But for those of us that love our monster movies, Man-Thing delivers the goods without being stupid, dull or boring.

While comic book fans may not recognise the movie Man-Thing as the one they know from the comics, writer Hans Rodionoff acknowledges his sources by naming several characters after prominent creators from Man-Thing's comic book life (e.g. Steve Gerber, Mike Ploog and Val Mayerik).

In The Name Of The King 2 - Two Worlds (2011): After the gonzo epicness of Uwe Boll's first In The Name Of The King movie (which I still really like), the sequel, Two Worlds, is a strangely low-key affair (presumably for budgetary reasons).

Ex-special forces officer Granger (Dolph Lundgren) is whisked away from our world to the war-torn Kingdom of Ehb (where the original film took place) by the sorceress Elianna (Natalia Guslistaya).

Time has moved on since the first movie, Farmer is dead and a new king sits on the throne, Raven (Lochlyn Munro). He needs Granger to fulfil his role in a prophecy and slay the leader of his enemies, The Dark Ones.

Accompanied by the court physician, Manhatten (Natassia Malthe) and a small detachment of soldiers, Granger heads off into the wilderness to assassinate The Holy Mother (Christina Jastrzembska) - belatedly finding out everything isn't quite what it seems.

Two Worlds is an enjoyable, if not wholly original, romp that doesn't overdo the "fish-out-of-water" shtick (Granger actually adapts to his new situation very quickly, although never makes any effort to blend in with the locals).

Hampered by an unnecessary, and thankfully infrequently used, voice-over from Lundgren, which I mistakenly took at first as the 'audio description track' as it was just telling me what I was seeing on the screen, and odd lines of clunky dialogue, Two Worlds nevertheless reinforces my belief that the fantasy genre is the much maligned Uwe Boll's strongest.

There's also a sad lack of monsters (only one - a CGI dragon - makes an appearance) and The Dark One's costumes are remarkably unremarkable, little more than fancy dress ninja suits.

While the "earth-man saves alien world" aspect works surprisingly well with the clever plot twists sown into the story, and the ending is clearly left open for a sequel (it was very John Carter-esque in that sense), I hope that if Uwe returns to this well for a third time the next In The Name Of The King movie is more akin to the original.

Two Worlds is fun, but reminiscent of so many other low-budget fantasy flicks, while at least the first film had a flair of eccentric exuberance about it.

Fleamarket Friday: Ever Metamorphosis You Didn't Like?

2012-01-20T12:00:00.030Z

The world's first science-fiction roleplaying game is available again to buy. James M Ward's Metamorphosis Alpha can be purchased through Lulu for under £10.

Originally published in 1976 by TSR Rules, this edition makes the classic game available to gamers of all ages again. This 35-page version incorporates all the changes included in the RPGNow version, minus the hex paper on the last page, and is published by Mr Ward himself.

Mine is already ordered and I'm thinking of whether it would sensible or not to somehow weave it into the framework of my Crypts & Things campaign. Maybe save that for a later date...

Every Day Is A Muppet Day...

2012-01-20T09:00:00.000Z

You Can Never Have Too Much Milla Jovovich...

2012-01-19T23:00:00.002Z

This looks like another winner in the guilty pleasure franchise of the Resident Evil zombie flicks.

Pop this bad boy up to 1080p and watch in full screen (thanks to Major Spoilers for the hint).

Some Men Just Want To Watch The World Burn...

2012-01-19T18:00:00.016Z

Tonight's reading material sorted - the latest issue of Knights Of The Dinner Table.

While BA, the master campaign designer, is my hero and inspiration in this title, you have to admire, and appreciate, the seriousness with which Brian (the rules lawyer) treats their Hackmaster campaign.

Zak's GM Questionnaire... [UPDATED]

2012-01-19T15:00:00.003Z

Questions posed by Zak.

1. If you had to pick a single invention in a game you were most proud of what would it be?
I'm very proud of how well I think my house-ruling of the Crypts & Things character creation process worked out. But that's also still a work in process as little issues arise and I tinker further.

2. When was the last time you GMed?
Just before Christmas - it was the character creation session for my new Crypts & Things campaign.

3. When was the last time you played?
November - wrapping up the latest leg of Pete's episodic Top Secret SI campaign.

4. Give us a one-sentence pitch for an adventure you haven't run but would like to.
The player-characters have to rescue an imprisoned colleague from the depths of Hell.

5. What do you do while you wait for players to do things?
Listen in on what the players are saying to see what 'wild speculation' can be twisted into future plot threads or ideas.

6. What, if anything, do you eat while you play?
Sometimes crisps, but we traditionally have pizzas before a game, so are usually full by the time the first die is cast.

7. Do you find GMing physically exhausting?
Actually I find it makes me very hyper. It's usually quite difficult for me to 'come down' after a successful game and actually get to sleep!

8. What was the last interesting (to you, anyway) thing you remember a PC you were running doing?
In Pete's Top Secret game we were trying to liberate a passenger ship from hijackers. I'd gotten caught and disarmed and was walked into the map room to be interrogated, when I burned off a luck point (or whatever they are called in Top Secret), swept the maps off the desk into the faces of my captors and then, in the confusion, launched a surprise attack.

9. Do your players take your serious setting and make it unserious? Vice versa? Neither?
Not always as serious as I'd like, but then perhaps I take it too seriously sometimes. But at other times they really surprise me with insightful and probing questions.

10. What do you do with goblins?
Nothing as yet as my current setting is very swords & sorcery, so I'm still deciding what form 'fairy folk' will appear in. Certainly won't be the traditional D&D goblins, if at all.

11. What was the last non-RPG thing you saw that you converted into game material (background, setting, trap, etc.)?
The Forest Of Weir, from Hawk The Slayer. Hawk The Slayer is considered part of the history of the land where my campaign is set (one of the characters actually lives, as guest, in Hawk's old castle).

12. What's the funniest table moment you can remember right now?
More an on-going visual than a single moment, Steve's character in Pete's Top Secret campaign spent the entire last mission (on the cruise ship) dressed in his pyjamas and dressing gown (he happened to be a passenger on the ship at the time of the hijacking; the rest of us parachuted in later).

13. What was the last game book you looked at -aside from things you referenced in a game - why were you looking at it?
Ghosts Of Albion, from Eden Sudios. Because I adore the Cinematic Unisystem and like to support fellow blogger Tim Brannan who wrote the game.

14. Who's your idea of the perfect RPG illustrator?
There are so many, from old school masters like Erol Otus and Jeff Dee through to Stefan Poag and Rich Longmore (who did the interior art for Carcosa)

15. Does your game ever make your players genuinely afraid?
Not yet. But that won't stop me trying...

16. What was the best time you ever had running an adventure you didn't write? (If ever)
Can't remember running anything I didn't write (or heavily modify).

17. What would be the ideal physical set up to run a game in?
Large, Gothic room, with comfortable seats, a big table with miniatures and terrain, suits of armour in the corners of the room, swords on the walls... you get the picture.

18. If you had to think of the two most disparate games or game products that you like what would they be?
Arduin Grimoire and Pendragon.

19. If you had to think of the most disparate influences overall on your game, what would they be?
The works of HP Lovecraft/Clark Ashton Smith and kid's cartoons (like Thundercats, Thundarr, Dungeons & Dragons etc)

20. As a GM, what kind of player do you want at your table?
Enthusiastic and invested. I want them to be there because they want to be, not because they feel obliged for some reason.

21. What's a real life experience you've translated into game terms?
My years in journalism have helped with superhero campaigns in coming up with some interesting crime and investigation ideas for scenarions.

22. Is there an RPG product that you wish existed but doesn't?
Not these days, I tend to find if I think of something I'd like to explore someone's either already brought it out or is already working on something similar and will be ublishing it soon.

23. Is there anyone you know who you talk about RPGs with who doesn't play? How do those conversations go?
After a games night, my wife likes to know if we "had fun" and if I "enjoyed running the game", but beyond that she isn't interested in the details (she certainly never says: "tell me about your character").

[UPDATE, 5pm] 24. So, to follow up, in her own words: why does your girlfriend/wife not play?
Rachel writes: "There are several reasons; gaming has never particularly interested me and the parts I've overheard don't make me want to try – I see it as acting and quite intimidating. I don't understand a lot of what goes on which makes me feel unintelligent (which I don't think I am!). I also think it's healthy to have separate hobbies and I enjoy the fact that Tim is doing something independently from me."

Yodaphone...

2012-01-19T09:00:00.031Z

My first mobile phone was a Star Wars special edition Vodaphone deal (complete with Vader head phone holder, which still sits by my bed, and a Wookie belt pouch, which I've never used) and so it was immediately dubbed the "Yodaphone".

It also happened to be a flip-top one that made me immediately think of a Star Trek communicator - so two geek passions ticked with a single gadget.

It was these aspects that sold me on the phone rather than any particular use or versatility.

To be honest I'm not a great fan of mobile phones, but Rachel insists I have one "for emergencies" and you can't blame her for that.. given my penchant for passing out in unexpected places.

I've changed phones a couple of times since the original, but I still refer to my current phone as the Yodaphone...

Help Preserve The OSR For Future Generations...

2012-01-18T12:00:00.027Z

A relatively new site has been established with the noble goal of ensuring the best, free material generated by the Old School Renaissance (or however you wish to describe those of us who prefer our Dungeons & Dragons-style games to more closely resemble the games we grew up playing) remains available forever.

The OSR Conservation Process is slowly collating free gaming material from our neck of da Interwebz to preserve it for posterity, and keep the files legally downloadable.

Check it out, download what you need and see if you've created anything that's worth uploading.

Haunted Houses, Spooks And Psychos... Oh My!

2012-01-18T09:00:00.009Z

A wonderful montage of 64 horror movies in five minutes.

Thanks to the Fright Catalog for pointing this out.

Wonder Woman Wednesday...

2012-01-18T06:00:00.001Z

Games Night Postponed Due To Cold Weather...

2012-01-17T21:00:00.022Z

Our boiler has been out of action for almost a week and so our old, Victorian house is like a cold store.

Rachel - who is a lot more sensitive than I to low temperatures - has finally succumbed and spent today in bed with a demon cold, wrapped up under two duvets.

It seemed only right that I postpone games night (the inaugural outing of The Tuesday Knights in my new-look campaign world of Tekralh, under a houseruled version of the Crypts & Things rule system) as I didn't want to inflict our current housing conditions on others.

The cold also eventually saps any enthusiasm or desire to be creative from even the hardiest of humans...

Therefore, the campaign now kicks off next Tuesday instead (providing the boiler is finally fixed and Rachel and I haven't frozen to death in the meantime).

[TEKRALH] New Character Class - Forester

2012-01-17T15:00:00.126Z

Foresters are skilled woodsmen who enforce The Forest Law (for instance only authorised Foresters are allowed to carry hunting weapons within the confines of a forest without the express permission of the local baron or duke).

As well as rousting outlaws and preventing illegal felling of trees and hunting, the Foresters are required to negotiate with merchants and legitimate loggers to ensure the best prices for lumber etc

Every piece of woodland will have at least one Head Forester, who is answerable to the local noble, and he will have under him at least a couple of assistants (known as "under-foresters" or "rangers").

In their own environment, a Forester is generally considered at least the equal of a barbarian in manners of hunting and survival.

In Tekralh, they all tend to pledge their spiritual allegiance to either The Green Man or Arbora (but rarely both) and are generally considered as 'priests' of those gods by the simple, village folk who live near the woods and forests.

This gives a Forester a circumstance bonus for STAT checks involving Charisma - when dealing with villagers or merchants - of at least +1 (up to a temporary bonus of +3 to his CHA if the villagers/merchants are inclined to like him anyway).

Most Foresters are also tied to their jobs and only a rare few get the opportunity to roam the countryside freely because of their special circumstances (such as their Head Forester being brutally murdered by a pack of rabid wolves), but eventually they will be expected to return to their home woods and pledge fealty to the local nobility as befits their calling.

When progressing in levels, their Base Attack Bonus (BAB) rises as per the Barbarian class (as shown in the table below):

Prime Attribute: Strength & Constitution (if both 13+ then 5% experience bonus)
Hit Dice: 1d6+1/level (gains 2HP/level after 9th)
Armour/Shield Permitted: Any except platemail, anything heavier than ring interferes with some of their abilities (as noted).
Weapons Permitted: Any, but prefers sword, axe and bow.

Forester Class Skills:

Weapon Preference: At first level must choose either sword, axe or bow as his signature weapon. He will gain an additional +1 to hit with this at first level, fourth level, seventh level, 11th level, 15th level and 20th level.

Damage Bonus: At sixth level, the Forester must nominate a favoured enemy - a type of creature or race of beings (e.g. giants, wolves, Malte Volke, ogres, bears, Delosians, zombies etc) against which he will receive a +1 bonus to damage inflicted with signature weapon. This increases by one point every other level after that (ie. +2 at 8th, +3 at 10th etc).

Stealth: If wearing ring-mail or lighter, the forester gains +3 on his Saving Throw for attempts to move silently, hide in shadows, conceal himself in dense foliage etc.

Tracking: A Forester can track prey or game in the wilderness (but not in cities or typical dungeon environments) with a +3 bonus on his Saving Throw, taking into account the following modifiers -

Hard Ground -3
Raining Or Snowing -5
Quarry Crosses Water -7
Per day (after first) old tracks are -1

Othwade, (Former) Chief Forester of Darkling Wood

He will be able to follow the tracks for up to five hours before needing to make another check. A success will also allow him to say roughly how many "people" he is following, while a modified die roll of five over his Saving Roll will ascertain general clues towards the disposition or condition of his prey (wounded, exhausted, encumbered etc) and eight over he will be able to identify the make-up of the party he is following (e.g. is there a magician in the group, a priest, a knight etc).

Direction Sense: As long as above ground and outdoors, a Forester is able to ascertain the direction of true North on a successful Saving Throw (with a +3 Bonus).

Sense Danger: Again as long as the Forester is above ground and outdoors, the Dungeon Master can make a flat Saving Throw (no bonus) to see if the character gets a gut feeling about impending trouble (no more specific details than that). This has a range of 20 yards (60ft).

Foraging: If the Forester is free to hunt for at least six hours, he can find enough food (if it is available) in the wilderness to keep a party of up to six people alive and well with a successful Saving Throw at +3 (if he fails, he may spend another six hours hunting and roll again, if the time is available). If he is in a hostile environment (e.g. a desert or polar ice cap) he needs to make a successful Saving Throw at -2 to procure food and shelter to protect 2d3 people for the following day.

Knights Of The Round Table (1953)

2012-01-17T09:00:00.031Z

It may lack the magic and monsters of later cinematic or televisual outings, but for its romantic portrayal of knights and chivalry, 1953's Knights Of The Round Table can't be beaten.

Just check out the manic fight sequence above! And this isn't even at the climax of the film, this scene comes near the beginning of the film - so you know you have great things ahead.

Revel in the sumptuous colours and sweeping scenery.

Even when the action is clearly taking place on a movie set it fails to undermine the rock solid verisimilitude of this marvellous, almost Shakespearean, tale of love, loyalty, deceit and downfall.

If you can (I don't know how the stupid territorial boundaries work with these things) check out the four-minute trailer for the movie download on iTunes.

And you have to love the dig at gimmicky '50s 3D in the poster (below) and in the trailer. See, even almost 60 years ago, it was obvious that the fact you had to wear special glasses to appreciate 3D rather detracted from the 'cleverness' of it!

Fifth Anniversary!!!

2012-01-16T21:00:00.010Z

Just a quick note to point out that this is the FIFTH anniversary of this blog (formerly known as HeroPress).

I dealt with all the statistics the other day, when we had our 500,000th visitor, so won't repeat them here.

Google's inexplicable/accidental/unjustified suspension of my account on Friday 13 was a frightening reminder of The Great Blooger SNAFU last year (also on a Friday 13 - coincidence? Methinks not!) and had me wondering if we would ever reach this anniversary.

But to be fair to Google and Blogger they corrected their error within 48 hours and everything is now back to normal - and backedup - now!

On a slightly techie note (although all I did was press a button) to mark this date I've changed the formats of this blog and The Chronicles of Tekralh campaign blog so that they can be read more easily on mobile devices (what with this being the 21st Century and all).

If any of you regularly read my blogs on a handheld device I'd like to hear what you think of this change.

We've come a long way since HeroPress Reborn on January 16, 2007, and who knows where we'll be in five years' time? But I'm excited to find out... and hope you'll come along on the this big adventure with me.

It's A Trap!

2012-01-16T18:00:00.022Z

There was a post on ENWorld the other day - which you can read here - asking if the good old 10ft-drop-onto-spikes pit trap has had its day?

I, of course, say: "Hellz no!"

What I've been kicking around in my noggin is actually the possibility of a dungeon that is just all traps (obviously many, many variations - not just pit traps).

Think about the start of Raiders of The Lost Ark or the end of Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade - those "dungeons" had no monsters, just a succession of traps, and they worked pretty well.

Has anyone ever tried that?

[TEKRALH] Mythraic Creation Story...

2012-01-16T15:00:00.003Z

3. Into the Void of Eternal Blackness came Mythra, bearing the Seed Of All.

4. The seed he planted in a golden chalice, filled with soil. He watered it with his tears and the seed grew.

It became a tree.

5. And around the roots of that tree formed all the lands of Erph.

But the branches were bare.

6. So Mythra climbed into the tree and cut open his arms so that his blood could feed the tree.

And then blossoms appeared and these became all the creatures of the Erph.

7. Into the sleeping figure of Man did Mythra breathe his own essence.

Thus Man was created part tears, part blood and part breath of the All-Father.

- from The Book Of Mythra, Ch 1, v3-7

A Temple Knight

Priests of the Mythraic religion take a wooden cross as their holy symbol to represent The World Tree and its branches, while the elite Knights Of The Temple of Mythra use a red cross to symbolise the blood their god spilled to create Mankind.

The Temple Knights are the order of fighting monks that guard The Supreme Temple of Mythra located in Vallon's capital city, Thera, and the priest-king known as the Hierophant - Mythra's representative on Erph.

As well as guarding The Supreme Temple, the Temple Knights are also at the forefront of any conflicts where Mythraic nations are fighting against non-believers.

Map-A-Monday: Hyboria

2012-01-16T09:00:00.007Z

So, this is a new feature I'm trying out. Every other Monday a gorgeous, fantasy map for your jollification - starting with Robert E Howard's Hyboria.

Bill Encourages You To Kill Some Monsters...

2012-01-15T21:00:00.002Z

[TEKRALH] Jousting And Other Sports...

2012-01-15T15:00:00.202Z

Jousting: If you were to ask the Teklish what the best thing was that the Valyards had done for their island they would - almost to a man - agree upon the introduction of jousting.

A formal jousting match is the subject of much pageantry, especially when it is part of a larger tournament (as most are), with a pair of knights in plate mail armour, bearing couched lances thundering towards each down the lists, to the cheers of the attendant crowds in the stands.

Should a player-character find himself in a tournament, here are some quick and dirty rules for determining the outcome.

Both participants roll a d20 to hit (adding in their Basic Attack Bonus, of course) and consult the following table -

A lance's standard damage is 2d4+1. A blow to the shield does this amount of damage, to the body one and a half times this, to the head double damage.

To resolve a possible unhorsing the struck knight (having taken 4d4+2 damage from the blow initially) must make a STAT check with his STR. If the attacker's STR is less than his, then he rolls 4d6 vs STR+ LVL, if the attacker's STR is equal to greater than his own, then he rolls 5d6 vs STR+LVL. If the attacker happens to have a STR that is four points greater than his target, then the roll is 6d6 vs STR+LVL.

If the roll is made then there are no further consequences and the attacker is counted as scoring a head hit. If the the roll is failed however the struck knight is unhorsed and takes a further 1d6+1 damage from the fall and must make a STAT check of 2d6 vs DEX+LVL to avoid breaking anything (see rules for Falling Down - and, yes, a Hero Point can be spent to automatically pass this roll). Should the dice come up double sixes, then one of the dice must be rolled again and added to the score.

A knight rendered unconscious from blows sustained in the normal run of exchanges will also topple from his horse - and lose the match.

Tournament lances are designed to break upon impact, so unless a knight misses during his run, he must replace his lance after every tilt.

Therefore it is important that the knight ensures he has enough spare lances (at 6gp each) to last the tournament, and probably a squire to hand him fresh lances and maintain his armour between contests.

Individual jousts are decided on points, with each knight riding off against his opponent until he has accumulated four points (unless one is unhorsed) and each rider scoring as follows:

Shield Strike: One Point
Body Strike: Two Points
Helm Strike: Three Points
Unhorsing: Automatic Win

Remember, between each tilt, both knights can 'catch their breath' and regain 1d6 lost Hit Points.

The winning knight may claim either the armour or horse of his defeated foe (or an item of treasure or weaponry of similar value), although it is generally regarded as bad form to leave a fellow knight totally defenceless.

Sometimes the prize will be waived in lieu of some kind of debt-of-service, that must be agreed between the two knights and the host of the tourney (or his representative).

Campball aka Futeball aka Gameball aka Mob Football: Popular legend has it that this brutal, dangerous and noisy sport began with two groups of villagers kicking around the severed head of a felled bandit - but these days balls ranging from the size of cricket balls up to stitched pigs' bladders filled with dried peas are kicked around.

Beyond this the similarities to modern football (soccer to my American readers) are minimal.

The captains of the two teams decide how many players will participate on each side (ranging from dozens to hundreds, depending on the amount of room available) and then a village maiden will throw out the ball and the chaos begins.

The object is to kick the ball through your opponents' goal (or goals - larger games, usually played in fields covering several miles and with a hundred or more players per side, will have two goals at each end. And there are no designated goal keepers).

There are no other rules. While the use of actual weapons is looked down upon, as every man carries his knife with him most of the time, blade-related injuries (and even deaths) are not unknown.

Mob football matches are played on certain holidays, between villages or towns, on a designated 'camp' (the playing field - which may be within a certain perimeter in a town or in the surrounding fields).

The game, however, has been banned within the walls of Kaerlud since the reign of King Cherin in 794, due to the excessive amount of damage caused and the number of fires that broke out because of upturned braziers.

Handball: Tennis without racquets. A net is slung up between two posts (trees, houses etc), sometimes even across a road and the players hit between each other - scoring a point if it hits the ground on their opponent's side (or goes through a window!).

As with most Teklish sports the match continues until the participants decide to stop, lose interest or are moved on by the authorities.

Animal Sports: Comparatively large sums are wagered by the common folk of Tekralh on a number of pastimes that would be labelled as cruel and inhumane by today's society, such as cockfighting (a pair of trained birds with fitted metal spurs thrown into a cock pit to fight to the death); baiting (setting a number of trained dogs against a larger animal - e.g. bear, bull or badger - in a pit); and dog fighting.

Blood-Games: A variation on the various animal baiting sports, the 'blood-games' sets two human fighters against each other in a pit - often to the death.

Although not banned, this is a hugely frowned upon pastime and is usually the province of slightly decadent Valyard nobles who like to torment Teklish and foreign prisoners (or volunteers) in pit fights, with the promise of freedom or a large purse for victory.

Traditional Sports: Wrestling matches, archery, horseshoes, hammer throwing etc are also common place, especially as part of larger tourney or fair.

The nobility also treat hunting as a sport, while to the lower classes it's a way of putting a rare piece of meat on their table.

Archery: The most popular sport in Tekralh as it is a great leveller; peasants are just as likely to be good shots as nobles - even though competitions that allow different social classes to compete against each other are very rare.

The only people not inclined to take part in archery contests are knights, who prefer the visceral thrill and challenge of jousting to demonstrate their martial skills.

With targets set at 50ft for a shortbow and 75ft for a longbow and then moved further away each round, scoring for participating player-characters is a simple matter of rolling a d20 for each shot (adding in BAB, range modifiers, DEX modifiers etc) and then consulting the following table:

Scoring is 10 points for a bullseye, six for an inner ring and three points for the outer ring. Trick shots (like splitting an opponent's arrow) require both a roll to hit and the expenditure of a Hero Point.

Each contestant is allowed a set number of arrows (usually three per target) and their overall points are tallied at the end of the contest to determine the winner.

In an upper class contest, the prize is often a silver or golden arrow (worth 1d10 x 10gp), while lower class archery tournaments usually offer a simple cash prize of around 3d6 to 4d8gp.

Roleplaying Research Resources:

Relics & Rituals: Excalibur - by Swords & Sorcery for 3.5 Dungeons & Dragons
Throwing Down the Gauntlet - by Stephen Gardner, White Dwarf, issue 81

Don't Have Nightmares...

2012-01-15T09:00:00.003Z

[TEKRALH] Gamesday Is Looming...

2012-01-14T15:00:00.050Z

from Jeff Mejia's excellent Legends of Steel

With the first - proper - gaming session of my Tekralh campaign scheduled for next week (following the pre-Christmas character generation session), I started the week with pre-match jitters and large servings of self-doubt.

However, by Wednesday and with the arrival of Pete's gorgeous character sheet for Othwic of Darkling Wood, I turned that frown upside down and jumped back into the preparation process with all guns blazin'.

It's worth popping over to the home page of the campaign blog, The Chronicles of Tekralh, to see the splendid banner Meredith has designed featuring the mug shots of all the characters detailed so far. Also check out the individual pages for the personalised footers Meredith designed for each character.

Meanwhile, this week's campaign coverage on I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters... included:

Small Gods Of Tekralh - two minor deities that have played a role in Othwic's life.
Foresters, Forest Law And Forests - an introduction to Forest Law and those who enforce it, as well as special look at Tekralh's most mysterious woodland: The Forest Of Weir.

Man Hangs From Plane By His Hair!

2012-01-14T09:00:00.000Z

Another vintage classic of silent era news coverage from the archives of British Pathé. This clip sees 'Chief White Eagle' hang underneath an airborne bi-plane simply by the strength of the hair on his head.

Ladies & Gentlemen, I Was Not Expecting This At All...

2012-01-14T06:00:00.034Z

After last week's tidal wave of new recruits and my lacklustre blogging at the start of this week, I wasn't at all convinced that anyone else would be signing on to join us on our big adventure any time soon (even though the hits - still averaging over 900 a day - keep rolling in).

But I was wrong (just for a change), so please all link arms and swing yourselves around drunkenly singing 'Come On, Eileen' (as we used to do in the nightclubs of Bournemouth) to welcome:

* Lon Varnadore of RPG: Rants and Raves (which does what it says on the tin) and Lon's writing blog (ditto)

* Montyhaul of Montyhaul's models (a miniatures site with details and painting projects involving Games Workshop figures, daleks etc)

Fleamarket Friday: Fezzes Are Cool!

2012-01-13T21:00:00.023Z

Perhaps The Doctor was right?

This stylish little titfer comes from Fez-O-Rama and every Dungeon Master worth his salt should be able to find room for one in his wardrobe.

The D20 Fez will set you back $60 (plus extras, such as the optional black chrome vents, and shipping).

Fleamarket Friday: Ghosts Of Albion

2012-01-13T18:00:00.076Z

The long-awaited new Cinematic Unisystem rulebook for Ghosts Of Albion - based on the novels and BBC webseries of the same name, created by Buffy's Amber Benson and Christopher Golden - has been released.

Although the PDF came out some time ago, the print version of this eagerly awaited book only came out at the end of last year, due to hold-ups by publishers Eden Studios.

Written by blog friend Tim Brannon, the game throws the players into a Victorian England beset by supernatural terrors, armed with sorcery, wits and friendly paranormal companions (players can choose to play ghosts or faeries or vampires as well as humans) to defend the Empire.

Eden's website adds: "Set in London at the dawn of the Victorian age, players join in the fight to keep the ever-present forces of evil at bay. Whether fighting a demon prince or even a band of infant stealing faeries, the battle wages on. Characters can join the fight as normal humans, ghosts, mysterious faeries or even wield the magic of the Protectors themselves. All against a backdrop of Victorian England with a dark supernatural undercurrent."

Through its use of the Cinematic Unisystem, the 256-page Ghosts Of Albion is compatible with RPGs such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer (which Tim also worked on), Angel and Army Of Darkness, but features expanded magical rules for magical combat and battles.

Check out Tim's excellent blog, The Other Side, for supplementary game material (and lots of other highly quality role-playing talk).

The game itself can be ordered POD from DriveThruRPG or you should be able to pick it from your friendly local game store (online or otherwise).

Picture by Tim Brannon.

Fleamarket Friday: Fight On! Special Offers And Freebies...

2012-01-13T15:00:00.072Z

Fight On! Volume 1

For the first time in a year and a half, the Fight On! limited edition hardcovers have been made available again - but only for a limited time.

Available only until next Friday, January 20, and then they are gone forever and will never be released with these covers again.

Priced at $39.99 each (about £26), these are great keepsakes to collect or enjoy at the table. Each volume collects four issues: #1-4, #5-8, and #9-12; if you buy all three and pick up issue #13 in print you'll have the whole run!

Check them out:

#1-4: http://www.lulu.com/product/18797883

#5-8: http://www.lulu.com/product/18799814

#9-12: http://www.lulu.com/product/18807612

For those new to Fight On! or just trying to fill out your collection on the cheap, there are some additional deals on offer - such as Issue 5 being available free as as a PDF as is the Fight On! collection of fantasy fiction, Roll The Bones.

Fight On! Volume 2

In addition, all the regular-sized issues of Fight On! ( i.e.#2, #5, #7, #8, #11, and #12) are on sale for $8.99 down from the the usual price of $9.99.

Finally, lulu.com is offering two coupons right now that will help you save big bucks on your order if you act quickly:

SECONDHALF, good through January 15, is a buy one, get second for 50 per cent off coupon - good enough to save you $20 if you buy two hardbacks.

LULUBOOK305, good through January 31, gets you 25 per cent off your entire order, which is actually as good or better than the previous deal depending on what you order.

Fleamarket Friday: Can Never Have Too Many Steampunk Horror Miniatures...

2012-01-13T12:00:00.001Z

Coming soon from West Wind Productions to scratch that gothic, steampunk, Victoriana, horror itch...

500,000!

2012-01-13T09:00:00.002Z

The National Flag of Luxembourg

In the wee small hours of this morning, I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters... (the blog formerly known as HeroPress) passed the half-a-million mark for unique views. That's 500,000 hits! That's almost the population of Luxembourg (which I have been driven through - once)!

It only took an incredible two months (to the day) to shoot up from 450,000 - and I'm pretty sure it's not just from people coming here to look at scantily clad babes and funny pictures (well, it might be - but I'm in denial).

I'm stunned - especially since Monday is also the blog's fifth anniversary. A double cause for celebration.

I think my decision to concentrate the focus of the blog more on role-playing - and particularly now my Crypts & Things campaign in the fantastical land of Tekralh - has certainly paid off.

Things are looking up in these parts as we're been averaging over 900 hits a day (up from 700 two months ago) and Blogger Followers (since last time) have risen from 209 to 234.

However, Facebook Followers still stands at 102 and the erratic I'd Rather Be Killling Monsters... Tumblr remains at 87 (although my equally erratic Amy Pond-themed Tumblr Pond Life stays at 29 Followers).

The static nature of these last sites, compared to the others, has to be down to the fact that they are sites I put least time into these days.

I enjoy Tumblr as a distraction from my own blogging or reading other people's blogs, but I couldn't imagine myself spending extended periods of time on it - as some users clearly do - while keeping up my normal blogging and other hobbies.

And Facebook? Well, I think Facebook has probably had its day. Several "Face-lifts" too far so it's starting to resemble the social media equivalent of the Bride of Wildenstein.

A Voyage Into The Unknown...

2012-01-12T21:00:00.039Z

Taking advantage of the short window before James had to close the "free shipping on EU orders" deal we all got from Lamentations Of The Flame Princess (always thought it was too good a perk to last) I slipped in an order for Isle Of The Unknown on Monday - and it arrived today.

That's better service than you get from some online stores - and a lot of eBay traders - who are based in this country.

Major kudos to James Raggi for his top customer service and to him and Geoff McKinney for producing another gorgeous looking book.

This, and Carcosa, should be the baseline for game book design going forward.

From just an initial glance I have to say, once again, I'm loving the artwork, especially the fact that every unique creature has its own full-colour illustration (by Amos Orion Steerns) and then towards the back the 'monster index' (by Hit Dice) just shows a small picture of the critter and the hex number it's in.

Couple all this with full-page colour paintings of the island's resident magic-users (by Jason Rainville) and an evocative cover by Cynthia Sheppard (whose artwork for the cover of the core Lamentations box set is all framed and ready to be hung in my gamesroom) and you have another winner in your hands.

[TEKRALH] Foresters, Forest Law And Forests...

2012-01-12T15:00:00.228Z

Othwade, Forester of Darkling Wood (deceased)

Before his tragic death six months ago, Othwade of Darkling Wood (father of Othwic) was generally regarded as one of the fairest foresters in the land for his balanced and even-handed treatment of any caught violating the King's Forest Laws.

His job, and that of other Foresters, was to maintain the forest so it is fit for hunting by the nobility and their knights, co-ordinate the production of timber (as required), catch poachers and lead any posse needed to flush out brigands operating within his forest.

Forest Law covers all woodland owned by the King, and that includes Darkling Wood, The Great Forest of Caddonbury, The Forest of Balor and the Forest Of Weir. All these wooded areas are reserved for hunting by the king, although King Duncan has granted the area of Darkling Wood (known as a "hay") to Baron Tiberius, for which he pays an annual fee.

There are many laws concerning the use of - and access to - the forests, but the main ones that are likely to affect the player-characters are:

Only designated foresters are allowed to carry hunting weapons in a forest (e.g. bows of any kind, arrows, spears etc)
No dogs or hounds are allowed in the forest (without a permit)
No clearing may be made in the forest
No killing or disturbing of deer or boar within the confines of the forest.

Punishments:

Carrying hunting weapons: confiscation of weapon and a 1d8gp fine
Possession of a dog: 1d4gp fine (per dog)
Making a clearing (an assart): 3d10gp fine
Killing deer/boar: Loss of hand or ear
Disturbing deer/boar: Blinding

The foresters are empowered to exact summary justice on poachers, while those caught illegally felling trees, encroaching on the forest etc must be brought to the baron's attention.

The Forest Of Weir

The Forest Of Weir is a special case under Forest Law in that no-one is allowed to enter its dark and foreboding environs without express, written, permission from the King.

This must be produced for inspection by the gang of foresters and under-foresters that patrol its perimeter. Violation of this most-sacred taboo is punishable by death - carried out immediately by the foresters.

The only exception to this edict is those using the north-south or east-west track, both of which are clearly marked with large, stone arches at their entrances and exits.

The arches, and the trees near them (outside of the defined boundary of the forest) are 'decorated' with the corpses of those who have failed to heed the warnings, and have been caught by the foresters.

The Southern Entrance To The Forest of Weir, in the Barony of Tiberius

It is said that the forest is a place of dark magic, that time works differently within its confines and strange creatures "not of Erph" hide in its shadows.

Inside The Forest Of Weir

Whatever the truth of the matter, it is certainly true that journeys - even on the 'safe' tracks, appear to take about six times longer than they should for the distance travelled.

Those brave or fool-hardy enough to travel the roads through Weir will find themselves bathed in a constant, sickly green light and swirling mist while being tormented by the siren-calls of the furry, flesh-eating krites from amongst the twisted, web-enshrouded and skull-adorned trees that push in from both sides, cutting out the natural light from above.

To venture off the track once in the forest is certain death - at least no-one has survived to tell the tale if they have been stupid enough to ignore the warnings.

The Northern Exit From The Forest Of Weir, In The Barony of Cenred

GAME MATERIAL:

A flesh-eating krite

Krite

Small (six inches long at most), furry, bug-eyed, omnivorous, quadrupeds with an insatiable appetite. They usually travel in packs, tracking their prey through the Forest of Weir (the only place on Erph where they are found, leading to speculation that they come from somewhere alien and unknown) with great skill and patience. They are also very cautious and will not attack anyone obviously well-armed or protected. Size isn't an issue though.

Their primary method of attack is swarm out of the trees, attacking the legs of the traveller (or his horse), then rapidly climbing up, gnawing as they go, until they reach the torso or face. Once they start attacking, their innate caution is subsumed by a feeding frenzy and they will not retreat or stop biting until either they or their target are dead.

Their one weakness though is direct sunlight - which you don't get within the Forest Of Weir - which causes them to burn up within a round, so if a traveller is able to run - or ride - to one of the forest exits, before he or horse are eaten alive, they will probably be safe (as long as it's daylight outside the forest, of course).

If a krite somehow finds itself outside the forest (at night), as long as it is not in blood frenzy, it will scuttle back to the safety of the forest by the quickest and most direct route possible (not even attacking any other potential prey until it is back under the cover of the forest canopy).

#ENC: 4d8
Size: Small
HD: 2
AC: 8 [11 - however size and speed raise this to 15]
#ATT: 1d4 (bite)
Move: 24
ST: 16
CL/XP: 2/30

It is thought that somewhere in the Forest Of Weir there may be a central nest of krites, possibly ruled by a larger krite-queen.

RPG Research Resources:

Merrie England - Alephtar Games, published by Cubicle 7 for BRP
Robin Hood: The Role Playing Campaign - published by I.C.E. for Rolemaster, MERP and Fantasy Hero

The Women Of Spartacus...

2012-01-12T12:00:00.004Z

Lucy Lawless (Lucretia), Viva Bianca (Ilithyia), Katrina Law (Mira), and Hanna Mangan Lawrence (Seppia) discuss how the women of Spartacus: Vengeance shape this season.

Spartacus: Vengeance premieres January 27 on STARZ.

Cheap Laughs With Google Translate...

2012-01-12T09:00:00.039Z

A description of Hawk The Slayer, from a Japanese fan site dedicated to Catriona MacColl, who played Hawk's young bride Elaine:

"Hawk the Slayer winner of the Temple of Doom / (V)" (one thousand nine hundred and eighty)

"British-made fantasy action.

"Directed by Terry Marcel is taking the only film directed by debris.

"Start character actor Jack Palance plays a cruel cruel king, Patrick Magee, such as the gorgeous faces are aligned reasonably interesting content will be in trouble at all.

"Cathy has appeared on the scene of the hero dreams and recollections, the role of princess Eriane (with force configuration). Appeared on the scene itself is small, as to protect the hero 's back hit the bow Shot Palance, lonely as long as they are handled quickly by death."

Lonely as long as they are handled quickly by death!

Oh, Honey...

2012-01-11T18:00:00.060Z

The most recent (repeat) episode of How I Met Your Mother was the one with Katy Perry (as trailed above), entitled Oh, Honey.

Having watched that I took to the Internetz, as is my wont on evenings when there's nothing else on, and came across a question on a popular gaming forum that sparked similar sentiments to those expressed by Ted and the gang.

The question boiled down to the simple dilemma: "If my character in the game has 'relationships' with a woman, is that cheating on my wife?"

You could tell by the language actually used on the forum that the person was probably quite religious and I found it a wonderfully sweet and naive question.

When I mentioned it to Rachel (a non-gamer, remember), she was less kind in her assessment of the question and the person who posed it (which I shall not repeat!)

Has anything like this ever arisen in any of your games?

Hi, My Name Is Konrad And I Am A Sex Addict

We have the odd situation in our campaign that Nick's barbarian is a sex addict (randomly generated - not chosen) and his wife, Clare, is another player - who has no connection, at all, with Nick's character yet.

Both of them are taking this flaw in Nick's character's make-up in great humour, while I had instantly thought (when I was reading off the results of the die rolls to Nick) that it might cause problems - or embarrassment, at least.

In fact they were incredibly cool about it - and at least it gives me an obvious in-game excuse, for whenever Nick can't make it to a game, to explain the absence of Konrad The Barbarian.

Have in-game romantic issues ever conflicted with real world ones for you (or vice versa)?

Small Gods Of Tekralh...

2012-01-11T15:00:00.081Z

As already stated in my first article about the gods of Tekralh, the central Mythraic Pantheon is known for its multitudinous gods (both large and small), leaving it open for the players - should they not wish to follow the main gods - to create their own "small gods".

Thanks to the introduction of Pete's Othwic of Darkling Wood, we now have two more deities to detail:

Pendant of Arbora

Arbora: As with many of the Mythraic gods, The Green Man (primary god of nature etc), has a female counterpart - in the form of the forest goddess Arbora. Some say she is The Green Man's sister, others his wife, but all agree she is not a god to be trifled with.

While The Green Man commands respect for all of nature, The Lady Of Trees focusses her attention entirely on looking after the woods and forests of Tekralh and those that live within, and respecting them.

It is a common belief that she has the power to bring the trees to life to strike brutal vengeance against those who needlessly destroy the flora and fauna of her domain.

Lupus: The animistic worship of animal spirits forms the core of the Delosian religion, but a side-effect of the near-constant warfare between the Valyards and their trans-Atliosian neighbours has seen elements of this religion gradually filtering back through Vallon and eventually into Tekralh over the last century.

Lupus Cultist

The cult of Lupus centres around the worship of an idealised version of the mountain wolf (a common predator throughout Vallon and Tekralh, but unknown in the deserts of Delos, so the exact origin of this cult is shrouded in mystery).

Its followers indulge in ritualistic blood-letting, savage animal sacrifices etc all with the aspiration of channelling the wolf spirit of Lupus or even being granted the ability to transform themselves into wolves.

Cult members dress in wolf furs (as pictured left), particularly during their moon-lit rituals or when on the hunt for sacrifices.

It is certainly not a large cult nor a popular one, however, there are thought to be at least a couple of bands of outlaws devoted to the worship of this ruthless demi-god .

Lupus

Grimm's Snow White...

2012-01-11T09:00:00.009Z

Coming March 13, The Asylum rides the current wave of fairy tale movies with its own take: Grimm's Snow White.

I'm quite optimistic about this as The Asylum - in my book - has a great track record with its fantasy fare.

Wonder Woman Wednesday...

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000Z

The Countdown Has Begun...

2012-01-11T05:00:00.003Z

see more Very Demotivational

What Do I Want From 5E?

2012-01-10T18:00:00.080Z

Wizards of The Coast wants to know what I want from Dungeons & Dragons 5E...

(a) Monster stat blocks that can be written in a single line (not half a page)
(b) Ascending armour class (so I don't have to refer to tables during combat)
(c) No Feats (a few class specific powers are fine, but that is all)
(d) Minimal skill list (if necessary at all)
(e) Make the game human-centric again (get rid of superpowered PC races)
(f) Make magic dark, dangerous, mysterious and exciting (not everyday and utilitarian)
(g) Put as much emphasis on exploration and story-building as combat
(h) Character development should be about accumulating experiences, not powers
(i) Simple, fast, exciting, heroic game play
(j) Short, compact, easily digestible rules
(k) A game I can play with just dice, pen and paper
(l) I don't mind cards and geegaws as long as they are optional and non-collectible
(m) Miniatures and terrain would be nice - but I want to see what I'm getting

Basically check the list in the right-hand column of this blog for the old school games and supplements I'm either playing or planning to buy. That's the game I want to play and - surprise, surprise - I already have it.

I'll be interested to see what they eventually conjure up - although I still suspect it will more closely resemble the mathematical-madness of Third Edition (or Pathfinder - which is basically the same game in my eyes) with the dreaded giant stat blocks, reams of superpowers and skills for everyone and everything.

Which isn't to say I won't be picking up some of it (I've got a few 4e supplements that I find very useful for inspiration) - it all depends on what WoTC produce.

I'll be less inclined to buy adventures, but provocative settings and expansions are always worth a look to see if there's a new take on an old idea that can be picked out for use for my Crypts & Things game.

Hopefully, this will be all I have to say on the subject of 5E until some more substantial information comes out. At the moment we are all shooting clouds as no-one really knows - outside of buzzwords and jargon - what to expect.

The one thing that has become clear - as if we didn't all know that already - is that for 100 Dungeons & Dragons players the game is a 100 different things.

There is NO WAY that Wizards will be able to kludge together a system that satisfies everyone, but I wish them luck in trying.

The End Games...

2012-01-10T15:00:00.001Z

This on-again-off-again graphic novel masterpiece that fans have been waiting for for over 20 years is the perfect capstone to my involvement with the Teen Titans.

It was the Marv Wolfman/George Perez run on the title that got me hooked into serious comic book collecting and so it seems right that I mark the end of my long-running love affair with these characters with a last hoorah from the dynamic duo that sold me on the idea of superhero comics.

Games is the Hollywood blockbuster that wraps up a long-running TV series, ending as it does with a dramatic, game-changing finale that rounds out the definitive interpretation of these characters in DC Comics.

Sure, other people have taken these toys since then and played with them, but the Teen Titans were never the same again. I stuck with the Titans out of brand loyalty and the misguided beliefe that one day it might come close to recapturing the magic of the Wolfman/Perez run, but eventually I realised this was never going to happen.

And God alone knows what DC is doing with the characters now, since their Flushpoint reboot of their entire line.

The wait for Games was worth it, the story is breathless in its pacing with the tension of an episode of 24 but turned up to 11 by the presence of a such a diverse and well-developed superpowered characters.

The Titans find themselves pitted against a mysterious terrorist known as The Gamesmaster who - for his own reasons - is determined to wipe New York off the map through a series of strikes, each targeted at a specific member of the Titans.

A thrilling read, combined with Perez's striking artwork, and a wonderful reminder of a golden age of superhero comics.

A LARP Too Far...

2012-01-10T09:00:00.001Z

Walking through Tonbridge with Clare yesterday, taking my godson Alec to the playground, the conversation turned to my Crypts & Things campaign and - as we were passing Tonbridge Castle - I pointed out to Clare that Ravenmoon Castle is based on that castle, while Coggershall itself (the characters' home town) is inspired by Medieval Tonbridge.

As I said: "When you've got the resource on your doorstep, it seems a shame not to use it."

Clare instantly suggested the possibility of adding a LARPing aspect to the campaign. The adventurers could receive a list of quest objects from Lady Rachel and then visit the town's shops to track down the "magical scroll paper" (toilet rolls), "meat shields" (frozen pizza) etc; basically doing the week's shop for Rachel and I and scoring some experience points for themselves!

Somehow, I don't think Rachel will go for this...

The Cat Is Out Of The Bag...

2012-01-09T16:00:00.023Z

Wizards Of The Coast has announced Fifth Edition Dungeons & Dragons.

They seem to be taking the approach of "design by committee", but I seriously doubt the end result will be anything resembling the game I want to play (which is basically Swords & Wizardry with a bit of tinkering for flavour).

However, I'll keep an open mind and watch the impending Internet meltdown with interest.

Our Own Pretty Ways [Cover] - Shayna Gibson & Olivia Hogan

2012-01-09T09:00:00.004Z

[TEKRALH] Why Lame Isn't Lame...

2012-01-08T18:00:00.082Z

Although I haven't spoken to Simon since the character generation session before Christmas, I got to thinking about his character - Jarl The Lame - over the last couple of weeks.

As someone who himself could be labelled as "lame" - I walk with a stick since my stroke - I was initially concerned that Jarl might, somehow, be a bit of a handicap to the party (mechanically the only real effects that this randomly generated drawback has is that his movement is halved and he can't run), but then I was watching the adverts for Sky's version of Treasure Island and it struck me that the most interesting character there not only has just one leg, but also survives to the end of the tale (and has been successfully spun-off into other media).

Long John Silver

Going back to my youth we have both Tiny Tim (from A Christmas Carol) and the anonymous lame boy left behind when the Pied Piper led off the children of Hamlin (I remember him because I played him in a primary school play - and Steve played the Pied Piper).

The boy left behind by the Pied Piper

Tiny Tim

Of course, probably the most famous character in this class these days is one I've never actually seen in action... perhaps I need to correct that?

Dr Gregory House

I think that's quite a fair bit of potentially inspirational material there - and that's even before we start looking at those who have lost the use of their legs completely (e.g. Bran Stark from Game Of Thrones; Professor X of The X-Men; Barbara Gordon from DC Comics; Timmy from South Park and Joe from Family Guy).

Ultimately, of course, Simon will play Jarl how he wants to play him and I can't wait to find out what ideas he has for his character.

Dungeon Bastard Versus The ENnies...

2012-01-08T15:00:00.019Z

According to EN World (and they should know) Tom Lommel aka the 'Dungeon Bastard' aka 'Doug Douglason' will be the host of the 2012 ENnie Awards at Gen Con this year.

You Are Not A Beautiful And Unique Snowflake...

2012-01-08T09:00:00.006Z

[TEKRALH] Letting Others Do The Work For Me...

2012-01-07T18:00:00.053Z

With the Christmas and New Year madness there has been little time to do more for my campaign than work on the first adventure 'path' (the Tuesday Knights had two options from the rumours they garnered during character creation and as they couldn't decide which to pursue I'm sketching both out).

However, I quickly realised that both choices led to a certain setting that Christian had cooked up in issue five of his wonderful RPG zine, Loviatar - and what do you know, just yesterday a new edition of the zine found its way into my hands, having teleported across the Atlantic from the Good Ol' US of A.

Christian's Dungeons & Dragons hex crawl setting continues in this issue and the new hex fits pretty darn well into my Tekralh thinking as well. Obviously there are going to be some modifications needed to make it fit with my campaign background, but most of this is cosmetic and Christian's creative genius should still shine through.

In the meantime on the blog, there have only been a couple of houserule/background articles for the campaign since I last presented one of these round-ups:

All The Small Things - an idea of the typical costs of everyday services from getting a haircut to buying a slave.
The Third Way - a new character creation racial option, allowing for characters of mixed Valyard/Teklish heritage.

So, What Did I Make Of 'New Girl'?

2012-01-07T15:00:00.015Z

Check out my new wallpaper for the answer:

Zooey Deschanel officials rocks it as Jess in New Girl. And given that there was a Lord Of The Rings geeky joke for me and Dirty Dancing jokes for Rachel this could become a new "thing" for us.

Perhaps a bit early to call it after one episode, but it's definitely staying on Sky+ series link for the moment...

Pingu Versus The Thing...

2012-01-07T09:00:00.009Z

All hail claymation auteur Lee Hardcastle for the magnificence of this remake of John Carpenter's The Thing, but with children's animated favourite Pingu. Although I never got to see the recent prequel/remake in the end, from what I hear this version is almost certainly better...

Not for those who treasure their memories of Pingu too fondly.

Ladies & Gentlemen, Happy New Year To You All!!!

2012-01-07T06:00:00.076Z

In a week where I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters... has been racking up an average of over 900 hits a day, we've also had a record number of new signings as well and I reckon I was justified in saying to Rachel, the other day, that I really think this ol'blog o'mine might be going somewhere ("to Hell in a handbasket," I hear Waldorf and Statler heckling from their box).

Even my LinkedWithin widget is working after months of total randomness. This is certainly the dawning of a new era in blogging for me...

A week on Monday marks the FIFTH anniversary of this blog (previously known as HeroPress) and I'd be the first to admit that there have been times when I've wondered 'what the heck am I doing with my time?', but to be honest it's moments like this that make all the more worthwhile.

So, while we're unpacking the party hats and streamers, please join with me in welcoming the new influx of henchmen and hirelings along for our big adventure:

* Nick Peterson of Of Dice And Djinn (a nice crunchy old school roleplayng game blog)

* Digital Orc of Digital Orc (OSR all the way and publisher of The Blasphemous Brewery Of Pilz)

* Master

* Sylvaeon (aka Jeff) of Aeternal Realm Of Sylvaeon (old school fantasy game site), Marooned On Quaoar (old school sci-fi game site), Tau Sagitarii (a philosophy site) and Missives Along The Journey (a religious site)

* MRW

* James Caruso of The Time Of Troubles (a rather wicked looking 'actual play' blog that makes use, as I love to do, of 'real life' photos and film stills to represent characters and places)

* Oublieditor of Oubliette Magazine (that fine British OSR fanzine that everyone should be reading)

Making Game Of Thrones: Season 2 - Renly's Armour

2012-01-07T00:01:00.006Z

A new "making of" featurette for Season Two of Game Of Thrones.

I really hope a well-illustrated, hard-back book is going to be produced about the costumes, weaponry, locations and everything else that has gone into this incredible televisual enterprise.

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers Want Your Cash...

2012-01-06T22:00:00.085Z

Another RPG Kickstarter I have thrown my support behind is Jeff Talanian's fascinating sounding Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea, which has already reached its $6,000 goal with just over a week to run.

However, now the campaign is pushing for the $10,000 mark, and so Jeff, who worked with Gary Gygax on has introduced a new incentive for existing and potential backers: "If we achieve $10,000 or more in pledges, every pledger will (probably by summer 2012) receive a free PDF of our next adventure, Taken From Dunwich. This adventure for character levels 4-7 has been playtested with my home group and also at Carnage Con, Gary Con III, and Total Confusion."

On an inclement night, the Keltic village of Dunwich was assailed by degenerate beast-men wearing strange, glowing headbands. They killed several villagers and abducted several more before returning to their lair sequestered within the soaring peaks of the Spiral Mountain Array. Now, local druids offer land and title for proper resolution to this tragedy.

The game itself, an OSR retro-clone to be published by North Wind Adventures, is inspired by the fantastic literature of Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and Clark Ashton Smith. Other inspirational authors include Edgar Rice Burroughs, Fritz Leiber, Abraham Merritt, Michael Moorcock, and Jack Vance... which plants it squarely in my playing field.

Hyperborea is the default campaign setting for AS&SH, a 'flat earth' realm overlooked by a bloated, dying sun, and hemmed in by the mystical boreas (or “North Wind”). Hyperborea is in a perpetual state of decay, populated by disharmonious men, hostile monsters, and weird, alien beings.

The flat earth aspect immediately makes it gel with my own Tekralh setting, so - as Jeff suggests - I might transplant the game's default setting whole cloth to my campaign as a "lost world" beyond the "north wind". Or I might just cherry pick bits and pieces. Either way is a winner for me.

The book is illustrated by Ian Baggley

What makes this particularly appealing is that the core rules come in a boxed set with manuals, characters sheets, map and dice.

But don't take my word for it, listen to what Jeff has to say:

Review Round-Up: Final Destination 5; The Spiderwick Chronicles; One Million Years B.C.

2012-01-06T15:00:00.119Z

Final Destination 5 (2011): It's no great secret that I have a love for tacky B-movie horrors, especially those that have spawned franchises, and one of my favourite 'guilty pleasures' is the Final Destination run of movies.

Unsurprisingly, Final Destination 5 follows an almost identical formula to previous outings in this "death doesn't like to be cheated" series, yet still manages to bring something new to the table.

A group of co-workers at a paper company are heading off for a corporate retreat when they are saved from death - due to a collapsing suspension bridge - by the prophetic day-dream of one of their number.

Then, one-by-one, those that survived are killed off in deliciously contrived set-piece death scenes designed to make maximum use of the film's original 3D format.

Of course, one of the group becomes rather unbalanced when he discovers that he can cheat death by killing someone "in his place" and things go a bit screwy.

FD5 even harkens back to the original - famously based on an unused X-Files script - by playing up the role of the friendly FBI agent (Courtney B. Vance), but its smartest move is the way it all ties into the plot of the first movie.

While I don't want to spoil any of the domino-effect death scenes, I have to say Final Destination 5 has put me off ever considering laser eye surgery (which I have, half-heartedly, been)! The film also makes great use of a lot of small pointy things (such as screws and pins) in its over-the-top gory sequences, so there was certainly much uncomfortable squirming on my behalf between the chuckles at the darkly humourous moments.

As Final Destination movies go, Final Destination 5 is a great Final Destination movie. It knows what its audience wants and it delivers.

And I must confess, despite my general dislike of gimmicky 3D, I really think this is a film worth hunting down in 3D - especially as the ending includes a sequence of "greatest deaths" from the earlier movies that have presumably also been boosted to the third dimension.

The Spiderwick Chronicles (2008): I'd taped this off the TV knowing very little about it beforehand except that it was a kid's movie with monsters in it, but from the opening I was onboard with where it was going.

After an acrimonious split from her husband, mum Helen Grace (Mary-Louise Parker) relocates her daughter Mallory (Sarah Bolger) and troublesome twin sons, Jared and Simon (both played by Freddie Highmore, although I didn't realise this until I checked the cast list on IMDB), out of New York to their aunt's spooky old house in the country.

Their aunt Lucinda (Joan Plowright) is currently resident in the local asylum after years of claiming that her father was kidnapped by fairies.

However, the Grace children discover that there may be some truth to her story when Jared, the anti-social one, unearths an old book in a hidden room and then befriends its guardian, a brownie called Thimbletack (voiced by Martin Short).

All hell breaks lose as the 'invisible' evil goblins, that have been unable to enter the house for years because of a protective ring of toadstools, realise that the book - which their master, the shapechanging ogre Mulgarath (Nick Nolte) wants - has been found.

The book, the life work of Arthur Spiderwick (David Strathairn), contains all the secrets of the fairy world and Mulgrath believes it is the key to not only taking control of the unseen world, but also eventually our world.

Spooky house? Check. Magical book? Check. Monsters? Check. That's three ticks in the plus column already and while the plot is reasonably simplistic the effects are very good and the film certainly contains a lot of interesting ideas (I'm guessing the bulk, if not all of these, come from the successful series of childrens' novels by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black).

There's a heap of cartoon violence (tomato sauce is like acid to the goblins, so it is unsurprising that the film features a great set-piece where a bunch of goblins break into the house and get melted by an exploding oven full of sauce containers) and the monsters are pure "there's-something-under-the-bed-mommy" fodder.

The charming Sarah Bolger is great to watch throughout, especially as Mallory is a keen fencer and gets to wave a sword around a lot, and my initial reservations about Freddie Highmore wore off as he seemed to settle into his character (even if he isn't the kid who plays Carl Grimes in The Walking Dead, as I thought at the time).

One Million Years B.C. (1966): Primarily remembered for Raquel Welch in her skimpy bikini, an aspect of One Million Years B.C. that is often overlooked is the fact that after the narrator (Vic Perrin) has set the scene, none of the onscreen characters actually speak a word of intelligible dialogue.

This certainly isn't a movie for the Tweeting generation who can't just focus on a film for longer than 30 seconds without resorting to their multiple hand-held communication devices to see what they are missing in the "real world".

Although probably a Creationist's wet dream, One Million Years B.C., with its catalogue model cavemen co-existing with giant animals and stop-motion Harryhausen dinosaurs, is, of course, pure fantasy. But nevertheless it still stands up as a classic example of the 'show-don't-tell' ethos of filmmaking.

Tumak (John Richardson) is driven out of the dark-haired, 'might is right; only the strongest survive' Stone tribe after a dispute over some wild boar meat with his father the tribal chief and goes a-wandering across the brilliantly realised Prehistoric landscape.

Eventually he stumbles across the sea, takes a tumble and is befriended by the primarily blonde-haired Shell people, of whom Raquel Welch's Loana is a member.

The Shell people practice sharing and co-operation, which is totally alien to the way Tumak was raised. They make art and jewellery and have a basic knowledge of farming and fishing. Naturally, Tumak's aggressive tendencies soon see his booted out of that tribe as well, but Loana decides to tag along.

Their wanderings take them back towards Stone tribe territory and while evading a dinosaur-on-dinosaur mega-rumble, Loana falls into the hands of Tumak's brother Sakana (Percy Herbert) who has been making a play for control of the tribe.

Will 'true love' (or lust?) prevail?

I taped this off of Film4 the other day because I hadn't seen it since I was a young whipper-snapper and I was pleasantly surprised by how well it has stood the test of time... and not just because of the hot babes in fur bikinis!

I just can't imagine a film like One Million Years B.C. getting made today and that's a shame because stripped of dialogue more meaningful than grunting the performers have to rely on facial expressions, body language and actual acting to carry the story. Talents sadly lacking in many modern movies.

Handy For Sending Messages To Your Princess Of Helium...

2012-01-06T09:00:00.030Z

As part of its promotion for the upcoming John Carter movie, Disney has included a handy "Martian Translator" on the film's web site. Just type in what you want "translated" into Barsoomian script, hit "translate" and the words will transform before your very eyes.

Sure, it's just a straight letter-for-letter substitution - and can be a bit sensitive about what you write (apparently the word 'killing' is a no-no; 'kill' is okay, but 'killing' merits a "please keep it clean" warning! Well, it is Disney!) - but it's still a rather dandy little device if you want to spice up your dungeons with cryptic, alien messages.

There's also a "decoder", which can be downloaded as a PDF, if you want to try your own hand at writing in Martian!

[TEKRALH] The Third Way...

2012-01-05T15:00:00.063Z

When talking about character creation in my Tekralh campaign, I discussed methods for generating either native Teklish characters or those of the Valyard 'invaders'.

However, given that the Valyard have now occupied the island kingdom for the better part of 150 years there are a large - and increasing - number of people born of "mixed parentage".

These are the Valish, who form a large portion of the island's bustling middle classes (as those of noble rank don't tend to marry outside their own race and those of lower/serf status rarely get the opportunity to 'marry up').

At generation, Valish characters may add +1 to either INT or CHA and +1 to either CON or WIS.

Rolling for social status, the player rolls three 'average' dice (generating a score between 6 and 15). Average Dice are real old school wargames' tools - ordinary six-siders with faces reading 2, 3, 4, 4, 5 - and are available from The Dice Shop and other gaming outlets.

In height, the Valish tend to favour their Valyard genes and so gain an inch during character generation.

For the all-important hair colour roll consult this table:

Socially, the Valish (pro. VAY-lish) are generally regarded as equals by the Teklish, but will still endure the occasional snobbery from Valyards who see them as fellow countrymen who have "gone native".

Step Inside The Big Blue Box...

2012-01-05T09:00:00.043Z

Next week's Big Blue Box is the first (that I know of) dedicated Doctor Who fan convention in Tunbridge Wells and features a stellar line-up of Whoniverse names: Louise 'Leela' Jameson, Susan Jameson (the voice of Mrs Wibbsey in the recent run of Fourth Doctor audio adventures), Big Finish writers John Dorney and Jonathan Morris and Doctor Who author Paul Magrs (creator of Iris Wildthyme), as well as members of Doctor Who Magazine's staff (which, of course, is based in Tunbridge Wells).

Scheduled to commence at 10.30am on Saturday, January 14, the one-day event at the Trinity (the converted church in Church Road, at the heart of Tunbridge Wells) is raising money for the charity Compaid to support its valuable work with the disabled.

The event will include moderated panels, Q&A sessions, book and CD sales and signings, and a selection of special screenings, including a rare big screen outing for the classic film Daleks - Invasion Earth: 2150AD.

The £25 day tickets are available direct from the Trinity box office.

An additional fiver will get you tickets to the evening's sci-fi movie double bill of Galaxy Quest and In Time.

Bring Sonja Home To Meet The Wife...

2012-01-04T21:00:00.003Z

Once more today, I have Bleeding Cool to thank for a tip off (although I don't think Rachel will be thanking them).

This $189.99, 8.5" high statue of Red Sonja, sculpted and painted by Tom and Joy Snyder from the artwork of J. Scott Campbell, would be a perfect fit for my gamesroom (if not my bank balance).

In the meantime, admire...

Open publication - Free publishing - More bleedingcool

Just When I Thought I Had My Pull-List Under Control...

2012-01-04T18:00:00.015Z

Comic book news site Bleeding Cool has just revealed that Dynamite (the company behind the best John Carter of Mars comics out at the moment) is to publish (at least one) comic series based on the Pathfinder roleplaying game.

More news as I hear it...

UPDATE (8pm): There's a bit more info over at Comic Book Resources, but mainly lots of soundbites of people saying how good Pathfinder is, rather than any solid facts about the comic yet.

DVD Of The Week: Rogue (2007)

2012-01-04T15:00:00.106Z

Having been underwhelmed by Wolf Creek, the previous horror outing from writer/director Greg Mclean, I was slightly wary of this tale of a killer croc, but my partner-in-horror Paul insisted it was a winner and even went as far as to get me a copy for Christmas.

And I am so pleased he did. Rogue is - beyond a shadow of a doubt - the finest man-against-wild-predator movie since Jaws, even though comparisons between the two are tenuous at best as their set-ups and antagonists are totally different.

A group of tourists in Australia's stunning Northern Territory embark on an innocent crocodile-watching river cruise, led by guide Kate Ryan (Radha Mitchell) and - barring a brief interruption from Kate's redneck (or the Aussie equivalent) ex-boyfriend Neil (Sam Worthington) - the trip goes without a hitch, until they are about to head back home.

Spotting a flare in the sky, Kate is obliged to investigate, much to the chagrin of several members of the tour group, but soon they find themselves heading deep into sacred Aborigine land looking for whoever sent up the distress flare.

Unfortunately, they sail into the territory of a particularly large, and vicious, salt-water croc who rams their boat, forcing them to beach on a small island in the river. Their troubles deepen when they realise that because the river is tidal, the island will keep getting smaller and smaller until it is totally submerged.

The movie then becomes a race against time for the stranded tourists to figure out how to get to the shore without attracting the attention of the killer croc.

To be honest I was hooked by the opening sweeping shots of the scenery and could happily have watched a 90-minute film simply sailing through this magnificent landscape, but the movie is really about the heroes journey that pampered American travel journalist, Pete McKell (Michael Vartan) makes as his personal Heart Of Darkness journey takes him way out of his comfort zone and eventually into the very lair of the beast itself.

Mclean does a masterful job of spooning out the tension in slowly escalating portions, with the first couple of kills by the giant crocodile being totally gore free - people just simple disappear. One minute they are there. The next they are not.

Yet even when the creature shows it face, this is no rubbery shark as we saw flapping on the deck of the Orca. Part CGI and part animatronic, this is a terrifying beast that you'd be hard-pushed to believe isn't real.

This isn't a film that sets out to answer every little plot thread it throws up (for instance, we never discover the fate of Pete's lost luggage or the identity of who sent up the original flare), but is very single-mindedly determined to tell the best, darned, adventure story it can... and it does.

Unlike the SyFy/Asylum monster movies I adore so much for their over-the-top, gonzo natures, what makes Rogue that much more unnerving is that it is not only inspired by a true story but genuinely feels throughout as though this is something that could happen, and this is how people might behave if they found themselves in that situation.

GAME MATERIAL:

Swords & Wizardry has perfectly feasible stats for a giant crocodile, on page 95 of the core rules (a 3d6 bite is not to be sniffed at), that would work for Rogue. But the film is also an excellent source of inspiration for a DM looking for a slightly quirky encounter or mini-adventure that turns the player-characters into the prey.

The idea of trapping characters in an environment of ever-diminishing size (e.g. a small island or sandbank in a tidal lake/river), while harassing them with a beast that has evolved over millions of years to be the perfect killing machine in this particular setting, is just crying out to be used.

Suddenly it's not just a question of fighting a monster, but of surviving the environment as well.

It also allows the DM to cook up percent chances of the characters alerting the crocodile (for example) whenever they enter the water.

Does one of them feel brave enough to distract the creature while the others escape? What if one or more of the characters can't swim? What if the water spoils the magician's book of spells and he has no tricks to rely on?

Tara Cardinal: Demon Slayer

2012-01-04T09:00:00.011Z

The sword-fighting reel for actress/sword girl (swordstress) Tara Cardinal.

Via Monster Island News, of course!

Wonder Woman Wednesday...

2012-01-04T06:00:00.003Z

The bodacious Erica Durance (late of Smallville) from some show called Harry's Law, which I've never heard of.

It's A Small World After All...

2012-01-03T21:00:00.044Z

There I was thinking that I was the only roleplayer using Ian Mortimer's The Time Traveller's Guide To Medieval England as a primary reference tool when my virtual buddy Jeffrey Osthoff of The Aeternal Realm Of Sylvaeon goes and posts a piece singing the praises of this very book.

I can only echo Jeffrey's recommendation for this book as an aid for gamesmasters looking to run 'traditional' Dungeons & Dragons style campaigns in a pseudo-Medieval Europe.

My copy has been sat beside my computer since I started work on the current iteration of my Tekralh setting and has been consulted often when looking for guidance on "how did they do that", "what power and responsibilities would such-and-such a rank have", "what were the typical forms of entertainment", "how much would an egg cost" type of questions pop into my brain.

I know there's a bit of a craze for "exotic" and "gonzo" settings around the Interwebz these days, and I love to read about them, but when you can only get your group together about once a month for a few hours (and most of your players are too busy in real life to 'read up on' or get their heads around your elaborate setting), then there's something to be said for using the default Dungeons & Dragons setting - especially as we live in a land rich with medieval history (England) and even have a genuine Norman castle in our town!

Also worth keeping an eye on is Getting Medieval, the blog of historical author Jeri Westerson.

Today she has a Top Ten Myths About The Middle Ages article, which can certainly be tapped for some gaming colour and inspiration.

Scorpion King 3 Battles Its Way To DVD...

2012-01-03T18:00:00.011Z

Due out on DVD in the UK in a month's time, Scorpion King 3: Battle For Redemption is a sequel to the first Scorpion King movie (seemingly ignoring Scorpion King 2) and boasts genre favourites Billy Zane and Ron Pearlman amongst its cast.

All this week, Dread Central is running exclusive coverage of the film prior to its US DVD/Blu-ray release next Tuesday.

Christmas Has Been Good To Me...

2012-01-03T15:00:00.003Z

Visitor numbers this week...

As well as a steady influx of new readers (which, of course, will be acknowledged in the usual Saturday morning slot), I was shocked - and delighted - to discover, when checking my blog stats, that since Christmas, I'd Rather Be Killing Monsters... has been averaging well over 900 visitors a day.

All I can say is: thank you, gentle readers. Obviously I'd better crack on and actually generate some worthy material for this year then.

Naturally, if anyone now wants to advertise on my blog - I'm always open to offers!

Return to Pennsic - First Trailer...

2012-01-03T09:00:00.012Z

Twenty years after the release of The Pennsic War: A Video Documentary, Ervald the Optimistic (aka Captain Zorikh) returns to see what has changed and what has stayed the same at the Pennsic War, the largest annual event of the Society for Creative Anachronism.

With him comes "Simply the Best" G.A. West, physical trainer, life coach, and former champion pro wrestler, who has absolutely no experience with anything like this. Together they discover the glory that is...Pennsic!

What's That Coming Over The Hill? It's Some Goblins...

2012-01-02T21:00:00.012Z

As mentioned earlier today, Philip Reeve's Goblins is due out in a few months and, according to the author's blog there's already a sequel in the works about the inhabitants of Clovenstone Keep (you just know I'm gonna swipe that name for a dungeon in my game! The book may well feature some nice illustrations of the keep or even a map???).

Philip also mentioned that this year will see work beginning in earnest on the next Fever Crumb book in his World Of Mortal Engines saga.

Elsewhere on the Interwebz you can find a concise and inspirational interview with Philip about his writing techniques at The Book Base.

The Shape Of Things To Come...

2012-01-02T15:00:00.012Z

Above are pictured the DVDs - from Braveheart on the left through to Tangled on the right - that currently constitute the bulk of my "to be watched and, hopefully, reviewed" pile. Several of the movies I have seen before, but not in a long while and I hope I might be able to extract some gaming goodness from this lot as well.

And let's not forget unwatched seasons of the Supernatural anime, Blake's 7, Thundarr the Barbarian, Star Wars: Clone Wars and the first year of Being Human (the original) - as well as stray Classic Doctor Who tales; not forgetting Dark Shadows, two seasons (shown above - honest) of The Adventures Of Sinbad TV show and my continuing reassessment of the early years of Merlin (to mine for RPG nuggets).

A large part of what passes for "My New Year's Resolutions" for 2012 consists on curbing unnecessary spending. Not only am I already well behind in my DVD watching (and time is also required for the treats constantly being stored on our Sky+ DVR), but I'm also pledging "no new fiction" this year (except Philip Reeve's forthcoming Goblins, naturally).

I've been jiggering about with the bookshelves in the hallway to the gamesroom stairwell and as you can see, from the pictures below, I have plenty of swords and sorcery/fantasy material to keep me going for a good few years (the books are stored two deep).

As well as at least one more volume of A Song Of Ice And Fire (I've just started A Clash Of Kings - hence the gap in the box set that Rachel's parents got me for my birthday), I'm really determined to give Lord Of The Rings another try. This will be about the fifth or sixth time I've tried to read it since I was a pre-teenager and each time I've made less headway into it.

I worry that Peter Jackson's wonderful movies might have forever spoiled it for me - teasing me with Tolkien's world and plot that is buried under all of old JRRT's turgid text. There's no disputing the genius of his world-building and storytelling, I've just previously found the bulk of Lord Of The Rings so heavy and Biblical in the telling of its tale.
When it comes to gaming purchases this year, my decisions will be governed by the simple code of "will it be useful to Tekralh"?

After my nostalgic flirtation with Villains & Vigilantes last year, it's now full-steam ahead with the old school brilliance of Crypts & Things/Swords & Wizardry made manifest through my homebrewed and houseruled campaign world of Tekralh.

I know I can be a contrary and fickle old fart at times, but from this day forward my goal is to be a "one-campaign guy", cleaving to the Tao Of Pete as best as I can - despite my stereotypical gamer ADHD and wandering eye for "the new" and "shiny".

Feel free to pull me up when I stray from the straight and narrow...

The Prequel Menace: Doctor Who Meets Star Wars Episode I...

2012-01-02T09:00:00.019Z

In a parallel dimension, the Whoniverse takes on the Star Wars 'Verse in the ultimate mash-up from YouTuber Kelvington, in the first of a planned series of parodies.

And Now The Good News...

2012-01-01T21:00:00.011Z

Have a safe and happy 2012, readers.
2013 is just around the corner!

Supergirl Sunday: Start As We Mean To Continue...

2012-01-01T12:00:00.043Z

Always a popular feature, so how better to start 2012 than with our irregular salute to the lovely ladies who dress up - for whatever reason - as Supergirl (or a reasonable facsimile), are Photoshopped that way or are simply wearing a T-shirt with an S on!

Always Read The Label...

2012-01-01T06:00:00.004Z

Miss January: Judi Trott

2012-01-01T02:43:00.027Z

Judi Trott (from Robin Of Sherwood)

What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

2011-12-31T21:00:00.003Z

Gorgeous duet from Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

DVD Of The Week: The Whisperer In Darkness (2011)

2011-12-31T15:00:00.137Z

It should be written into American law that if ever a Hollywood suit has the cockamamieidea of trying to do a big budget adaptation of an HP Lovecraft horror story he should be forced (possibly at gunpoint) to first watch the HP Lovecraft Historical Society's Call Of Cthulhu and The Whisperer in Darkness to see how it can be done well and with due respect to the source material.

The Whisperer In Darkness is the latest cinematic enterprise from the foremost producers of Lovecraftian replicas and gaming props, The HP Lovecraft Historical Society, and like its predecessor retains its verisimilitude through the use of black and white film - although unlike Call Of Cthulhu this one is a talkie!

Taking Lovecraft's tale as its base, the movie expands the set-up and adds in an entirely original finale to give the story a classic three act structure, rather than ending on the shock revelation of the short story, it attempts to humanise Lovecraft's protagonist more, give him an emotional investment and throw in a more 'traditional' Hollywood style ending - but still managing to neatly stitch in a suitably Lovecraftian twist.

The Whisperer In Darkness tells of Miskatonic University folklore professor Albert Wilmarth (Matt Foyer) and his sceptical investigations into supposed 'monster' sightings in the most remote hills of Vermont after some particularly violent flooding.

His search for the truth begins with footprints around the property of the isolated home of Henry Akeley (Barry Lynch) and quickly spirals into madness as he unearths more than he was bargaining for and discovers the future of mankind is at stake.

Like their inspiration, film-makers Sean Branney and Andrew Leman rely primarily on suggestion and atmosphere and it's only really when the true face of the central creatures are revealed in the final act that the excellence of the tale wobbles slightly.

Saving both time and (more importantly) money, the team went with CGI animation for the alien Mi-go instead of the costlier and more time-consuming stop motion (which I get the impression a lot of fans would have preferred).

By no means a deal breaker, but there is no escaping the truth right in front of your eyes when you watch the movie that the CGI Mi-go, especially in close-up, really stand apart from the rest of the film (and not in a good way).

We've waited a long time for this movie to appear (more than two years I believe since the original announcements and teasers) and I'd have gladly waited longer, but I totally understand the HPLHS's desire to get the film done and for a decent budget (as it is Sandy Petersen, creator of the Call Of Cthulhu RPG had to step in and help with the funding to get the movie finished).

They also, rather cheekily, added in a new, most 'unLovecraftian' character in the form of a little girl, Hannah (Autumn Wendel), whose life is in jeopardy because of the alien creatures in the hills, and Wilmarth takes her under his wing and attempts to protect her from a possible fate worse than death.

Whether he succeeds is for you to find out when you purchase the movie directly from the HPLHS for a very reasonable $24.50 - plus postage.The two-disc DVD set includes a disc chock full of extra features including a bevy of informative behind-the-scenes documentaries, trailers and deleted scenes.

You won't regret the purchase. This ranks as one of the strongest adaptations of Lovecraft's stories of indescribable monsters and things man was not supposed to know.

Outside of HPLHS's own productions, the only live-action Lovecraftiana that has come close to getting under my skin - as Lovecraft's words have the power to do - are John Carpenter's In the Mouth of Madness and Cigarette Burns (from the TV series Masters Of Horror), even though neither of these are actually Lovecraft stories, and Stuart Gordon's Dagon and Dreams In The Witch-House, also from Masters of Horror.

Thus John Carpenter and Stuart Gordon would be exempt from my proposed law above; everyone else - watch these movies before you dare even contemplate trying to bring Lovecraft to the big, or small, screen yourself.

GAME MATERIAL:

The Mi-go/Fungi From Yuggoth, and their fiendish devices, have already been well covered in various old school gaming products, including:

Carcosa (from Lamentations Of The Flame Princess)
Realms Of Crawling Chaos (from Goblinoid Games, for Labyrinth Lord)
Deities & Demigods (from TSR, original printing, for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons)
Malleus Monstrorum and others (from Chaosium, for Call Of Cthulhu)

The Sailor Moon Movie...

2011-12-31T09:00:00.004Z

As is often the case I have Mashups to thank for drawing this to my attention and while, like the host of that site, I'm no fan of Sailor Moon (pretty sure I've never seen a complete episode) there's no denying that this is a rather impressive 20-minute fan movie and a great way to relax before the fun and frolics of New Year's Eve.

In all honesty I've paid good money to watch DVDs with worst special effects, costumes and acting than this...

Ladies & Gentlemen, It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)...

2011-12-31T06:00:00.046Z

Tomorrow sees the dawning of 2012, "the year the world ends" (according to some liberal interpretations of ancient Mayan whiffle or some such nonsense) - an Apocalypse as plausible as the repeatedly postponed Rapture and every other lunatic fringe, doomsday prophecy!

I guess it must be time to wrap up those long-running campaigns, cancel your magazine subscriptions, settle your debts (and grudges), quit your job, sell all your possessions, move to a shack in the Appalachian Mountains and await the end of all things. Don't forget to turn the lights and the gas off on your way out...

Or you could just carry on like a normal, rational human being who hasn't had brain bypass surgery and ignore all this ridiculous hokem.

But enough of that, let us commence with the welcoming of the latest signings to our joyous expedition into the world of role playing games, genre television, comics and trashy movies:

* Meredith Watson of She Kills Monsters (stalwart member of The Tuesday Knights, she uses her new blog to share her computer gaming wisdom)

* William Dowie of Ramblings of a Great Khan (a rather excellent old school roleplaying blog)

* George of Underworld Cleaning Service (a relatively new, but no less awesome, OSR blog)