Nova Mephista

Hex XXXX

"The frontier city of Nova Mephista gained it's independence less than a decade ago, declaring itself Free of the City State of Python after a long and bloody labor strike. Since that time, the city has thrived under an uneasy alliance of Pfung bosses and Aether Barons, and has become a symbol of hope for Free Men, and for those who would be Free.

However, the Dark Yogis have eyes unblinking, and many fear it is only a matter of time before the coils of Python again engulf the city. Rumors haunt the night, strange tales of serpents who walk as men, of Bone Men hiding in plain sight, and of the Moustacchio Demoniac restored (though this last only in whispers, for Asmodeus has jealous ears).

Evil gossip is part and parcel to the adventurer's trade, and Nova Mephista is short on neither. New faces pass through the city every day, skin burnt by the Radium Desert, or frostbitten by the cruel winds of the Hammers of Hastur, eyes forever changed by The Weirding. They ride through the East Gate at dawn, only to be carried in a coffin through the West Gate at dusk."

-from An Enumeration of Acheron by Trep LeFletch,

Pennanggalan Press (publication date unknown)

Gamma the Gathering

WotC announced today (via Twitter) that October 2010 would see the release of a new Gamma World rule book and box set (the box set is even called Famine in Fargo). I'm man enough to admit that, despite my better sense, I was pretty excited by the announcement. Then I thought to myself "I wonder how long it will take them to completely destroy my other favorite game".

It took less than an hour. At least that's how long it took me to learn of the new game's randomized, collectible card aspect. Huh? Really? Is WFRP3 really selling that well?

I'm impressed, Wizards. That's a new record for dream-smashing, even for you guys.

You dicks.

iPad in Traveller Terms

I'm thinking that the iPad's specs place it firmly in TL8. That puts us one step closer to TL9 and all the gravity we can manipulate!

D&D 1, Cancer 0.

In April of 2008 I was diagnosed with colon cancer. Needless to say, the news was crushing. I've talked about this a bit on my (largely dormant) other blog, but haven't said much about it here. Mostly that's because it's a bummer to write about. It should suffice to say that the last two years of my life would quite literally have killed me had it not been for the love and support of my wife, my family, and the truly amazing group of friends I surround myself with.

One of the more interesting things about my cancer experience, at least as far as this blog is concerned, is the role that gaming played in my recovery. The entire time I was sick (give or take maybe three months where things got really bad), I was running a weekly D&D game. Granted, there were times when "running a game" simply meant sitting around the table with my group and talking about nerdly pursuits, but all in all I am quite proud of what we were able to accomplish, especially given the situation I was in.

A lot of people who go through extended medical torture find that they benefit immensely from the kind of simple mental exercise we usually take for granted. The poisons that debilitate the body also enervate the mind, and Chemotherapy is like an Intellect Devourer. That's why you see so many people doing crossword puzzles and Sudoku at the Oncologist's office. For me, gaming provided a kind of active mental engagement that kept my mind tethered to my body, like a silver cord on the Astral Plane. I honestly believe that every hospital and nursing home in the world should have an RPG club.

The reason I'm bringing all this up is because of this post by Randall at RetroRoleplaying. Randall's wife is in recovery from oral cancer and they are one of the MILLIONS of families in the United States without health insurance. Cancer is not cheap. I do have health insurance and I am still waaaay over my head in hospital bills. Anyway, Randall has set up a fund to help pay some of their bills. Anyone who donates to this fund receives pdf copies of two issues of The Grimoire (a D&D fanzine published in the late 70's), the awesomely-named "Second Grimoire of Pharesm the Bright-Eyed" (a house rules document from one of Randall's BECMI game in the 80's), and a special edition version of Microlite74.

But wait. You may want to put on a hat because your brain is about to explode. Some truly wonderful person has donated a grognard's wet dream, an Olde Schoole treasure trove worthy of Acererak himself. Check this shit out:

Yeah, that's the Brown Box. The BROWN one. And yeah, those are all the supplements. And hey, that looks like the Arduin Grimoire on there too. Chainmail? Check. And... wait a second. Is that? Naw... it couldn't be. Could it? I'm sure it's probab-OH MY GOD THAT'S BOOTY AND THE BEAST!!! EROL OTUS!!! EROL OTUS!!! HOLY CRAP!!!

Wow. I actually pooped my pants a little when I saw all this stuff. Whosoever makes the highest donation by February 5th, 2010 shall receive this fabled hoard. That's pretty cool. Even cooler is that they're keeping the donations on a strictly personal basis, meaning that some foundation or whatever isn't going to donate five grand and scoop you on this stuff. Actual human gamers have a very good chance of being the highest bidder!

I know that someday the real world will have a Clerical spell list that includes a "Cure Cancer" spell. In the mean time, maybe you can help out someone who could use it. It's a tough time to give, and there's a lot of people in the world right now who need help, but if you have something you can spare then, well, every little bit helps. I know this from personal experience.

And if you're one of those lucky people who has a little more to spare, then you might just find yourself the proud owner of some amazing D&D relics. I know I'd be proud, anyway. But don't let me catch you selling it on ebay. I'll kill you if you sell this stuff. Play it until the day you die.

Oh yeah. If you DO end up winning, maybe you could kick ol' Booberry that copy of Booty and the Beast. It's dangerous for one person to have all that awesomeness.

Understating the Obvious

Thanks to Nick for pointing this out.

Vaguely entertaining read at the WotC blog in which a staffer admits that 4e's take on magic items is actually pretty, well, non-magical. I'm honestly a bit surprised that the Master Control Program allowed this post to escape into the wilds of the internet.

The overall gist is "You can't have certain items because they work outside our design principles and game mathematics". This gem in particular makes my head hurt and my heart ache: "[PCs need] a minimum number of magic items (three) to remain effective, and the PC can be expected to possess double this number or more* magic items all usable at the same time. These two decisions lead to the conclusion that magic item powers must be small and preferably infrequent, mostly daily powers with moderate to minor effects, or encounter powers or properties with minor effects."

I've played 4e and found it to be kinda fun (for what it is), and I don't share the utter vitriol that many grognards seem to have toward it. This is probably because I have let go of the notion that 4e is in any way, shape, or form a "legitimate edition of D&D". This was likely a survival mechanism my brain created to prevent me from walking around punching game designers in the face out of frustration and rage. Regardless, I'm really happy to be playing a game in which magic works because I say it does, not because it agrees with my calculator.

*That's more magic items than Cugel, Rhialto, or even frikkin' Harry Potter carry, by the way.

Emanations from the Mythic Underworld

Tonight I discovered the following passage in Jeff Vandermeer's excellent City of Saints and Madmen:

"We wonder now if there ever were such a dream as above ground, or if this place has always been the reality and we simply deluding ourselves. We shamble through this darkness, through the foul emanations of the fungus, like lost souls in the Nether World... Today, we beseech them to end it, for we could hear their laughter all around us, could glimpse the shadows of their passage, and we are past fear. End it, do not toy with us. It is clear now that here, on their territory, they are our Masters. I looked over my notes last night and giggled at my innocence. "Degenerate traces of a once-great civilization" indeed. We have passed through so many queer and ominous chambers, filled with otherworldly buildings, otherworldly sights- the wonders I have seen! Luminous purple mushrooms pulsing in the darkness. Creatures that can only be seen while they smile, for their skin reflects their surroundings. Eyeless, pulsating, blind salamanders that slowly ponder the dead darkness through other senses. Winged animals that speak in voices. Headless things that whisper our names..."

I'm going to transcribe this passage onto a sheet of paper, along with a crudely-scrawled map on the other side, and tuck it into my campaign binder. The next time my players discover some musty old book that I've neglected to detail (a not-uncommon occurrence), it is very likely that said book will have only a single page that has proven resistant to the ravages of time, and this will be that page.

No Exceptions, No Whining.

Today I told my players that 2010 may as well be 1980 for all I care, and that they'd be requiring their AD&D 1e Player's Handbooks for the foreseeable future. 3D6 down the line, no exceptions, no whining.

My gaming resolutions for 2010 are as follows: to keep it loose, to define nothing until I have to, to say yes to every good and bad idea my players throw at me, ...AND TO INCLUDE CHIMPANZEES AS A PLAYABLE CHARACTER RACE!!!

1980 is gonna be a good year. I can just tell.