Month: November 2004

Meme of Choice

So, time for a goofy meme-thing. No, I’m not going to participate in the whole “tell me how cool I am” thing, because, bluntly, I don’t want to find out that people think I’m less cool than I *think* that they think I am. I need my illusions, damn it. :)

So, instead we have the RPG meme, taken from Theron:

1. What is the first RPG you ever played?

Oddly enough, it wasn’t D&D. I actually got the original version of TSR’s TOP SECRET 6 months before I got D&D (I’ve always been a James Bond nut, and it was a birthday present from my best friend).

2. What RPG do you currently play most often?

Unless you count immersing myself on a day-to-day basis in D20 rules as part of my job, I suppose the answer would be LORD OF THE RINGS.

3. What is the best system you’ve played?

I’ve always been a big fan of playing D&D in all of it’s incarnations. I haven’t done a lot of playing 3rd edition, so I guess I’ll say 2nd ed. has been my best playing experience.

4. What is the best system you’ve run?

Victory Games’ JAMES BOND 007 RPG from the early 80s. I’ve yet to see it topped.

5. Would you consider yourself an: Elitist/ Min-Maxer/ Rules Lawyer?

Not sure what is meant by “Elitist”, but I’m not a Min-Maxer or a Rules Lawyer, either.

6. If you could recommend a new RPG which would you recommend? Why?

From what I’ve heard from folks, WEAPONS OF THE GODS from Eos looks like it’s gonna rock on toast.

7. How often do you play?

Weekly, as of late. (Yay! Thank you to my LOTR group!)

8. What sort of characters do you play? Leader? Follower? Comic Relief? Roll-Player/ Role-Player?

Role-player. I get into my character, and do shit that makes sense for the character, even if I know I’m gonna get screwed in the process.

9. What is your favorite Genre for RPGs?

Fantasy. I enjoy the sense of wonder. Doesn’t matter if it’s swords-and-sorcery, historical fantasy, space fantasy, whatever.

10. What Genres have you played in?

All of them. :)

11. Do you prefer to play or GM? Do you do both?

I love both, but I seem to GM more than anything else.

12. Do you like religion in your games?

Kind of a stupid question….if it makes sense for the setting, sure. If it’s part of the story, sure. Otherwise, who cares?

13. Do you have taboo subjects in your games or is everything “fair game”?

Depends on the folks I’m playing with…I try to respect other people’s boundaries.

14. Have you developed your own RPG before?

Some of you have bought them, so the answer here is yes.

15. Have you ever been published in the Gaming Industry? If so…what?

Haven’t done a complete list in a while, so here goes:

• PERIPHERY: Science Fiction Roleplaying on the Edge, Epitaph Studios, 1994
  

• AGE OF EMPIRE: A Roleplaying Game of Mad Victorian Fantasy, Epitaph Studios 1996
  

• HONG KONG ACTION THEATRE! Cinematic Action RPG, Event Horizon Productions, 1996
  

• IMMORTAL: SERENADES, Precedence Publishing, 1996
  

• HKAT! FILM FESTIVAL #1, Event Horizon Productions, 1997
  

• TO LIVE AND DIE IN HK, Event Horizon Productions, 1997
  

• THE TRIAD SOURCEBOOK, Event Horizon Productions 1998
  

• STAR TREK: THE WAY OF KOLINAHR, Last Unicorn, 1999
  

• GURPS TRAVELLER: STARPORTS, Steve Jackson Games, 1999
  

• UNDERWORLD: THE ADVENTURE GAME OF SUBTERRANEAN FANTASY, Synister Creative Systems, 2000
  

• DEADLANDS: HELL ON EARTH–THE SHATTERED COAST, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, 2000
  

• UNKNOWN ARMIES: HUSH HUSH–THE SLEEPERS SOURCEBOOK, Atlas Games, 2000
  

• WEIRD WAR II: HELL IN THE HEDGEROWS, Pinnacle Entertainment Group, 2001
  

• THE LEGACY OF ZORRO, Gold Rush Games, 2001
  

• FVLMINATA: ARMED WITH LIGHTNING, Thyrsus Games, 2002
  

• BLUE DRAGON, WHITE TIGER, Guardians of Order, 2002
  

• SKULL & BONES, Green Ronin/Adamant Entertainment, 2003
  

• BUCCANEERS & BOKOR (PDF support zine for SKULL & BONES–3 issues so far), Adamant Entertainment 2003-2004
  

• WYRD IS BOND, Key20, 2004
  

• CORSAIR: THE DEFINITIVE D20 GUIDE TO SHIPS, (PDF) Adamant Entertainment 2004
  

I’ve also got of bunch of stuff that I’ve already completed and have been paid for, but which haven’t been released yet–but I won’t list those because the question says “published” (past tense).

There ya have it. More than you needed to know, I’m sure.

Summary of Saturday’s Game

The Third Shadow, Chapter Two

Summary of Saturday’s Game

The companions set forth from Annúminas, heading east towards the Ettenmoors, the journey expected to take two weeks. Braving the unseasonable cold, they rode along the ancient road between Annúminas and the ruined city of Fornost, which the local folk know called “Deadman Dell”. Wisely, the companions chose to avoid the city, deciding that they would leave the road when it crossed the Brandywine river, and travel towards the northeast, avoiding the ruins.

On the fourth day of the journey, the elves smelled campfires in the distance. That night, they (keeping watch as they needed no sleep) spotted the distant fires with elf-sight. They woke Zaka the Dwarf to keep watch over the remaining companions, and crept silently through the hills northward to investigate. The Dwarf immediately went back to sleep.

The elves spotted an encampment of perhaps a dozen orcs, travelling with what appeared to be two Black Trolls of Mordor. The squad slept beneath a banner bearing an unknown sigl: a snow-white cloth with a single blood-red drop shape. As they moved closer to perceive more details, the Troll on watch appeared to catch their scent, and the elves were forced to retreat back to their own camp. As morning came, they told everyone what they had seen. Kaine, well-versed in military matters, opined that the force was a scouting party from a vastly larger group, and if they were moving south, word needed to be sent back to the Prince at Annúminas. The elves spoke to a kindly hawk, who agreed to carry the message for them.

The companions’ journey bore them northeasterly, into the North Downs, as a cold soaking rainstorm hit. Fearing what might lurk among the Barrows and Downs, the party decided to ride through the night, led by the elves, with horses tethered together. However, midway through the night, they discovered that Beornia of Rohan was missing from her saddle. Investigation revealed what looked to be webbing on the saddle-horn, and so the companions set forth into the pouring tempest to save the Rohirrim maiden.

Their investigations led them to a barrow with an open, ragged hole leading into it. As they approached, they were set upon by a clutch of vile spiders. Battle raged, and when it was over, the companions had slain five of the dark creatures, and rescued Beornia, who was poisoned and wrapped tight in webbing. Malinear used some Athelas to revive her, and the companions searched through the ancient barrow which served as the spiders’ lair. Among the bones of countless past victims, they found many coins (which Zaka and Murk Proudfoot gladly kept), and several items of power: Kaine took a midnight-blue cuirass of mithril plate, emblazoned with the crown-and-stars sigil of the Royal Family of Arnor of the Second Age. Zaka laid claim to Torogrist (“Troll-hammer”), the legendary Troll-bane hammer of Dáin. Malinear took the sword Anarmacil (“Sun-sword”), a flaming blade of the heroes of the Second Age. Lastly, Aerlaer found Elenya, one of the lesser Rings of the Elves…but, given her knowledge that the Dark Lord, in the days when he posed as Annatar, Lord of Gifts, had a hand in the ring’s creation, she placed the ring upon a cord and held it for safekeeping, rather than letting any wear the ring in these uncertain times.

The journey through the North Downs continued, again with the companions resting their horses during the day, and travelling as often as possible, by day and night. On the night of the 6th day of the journey, they were attacked by an Etten, a two-headed variety of Troll, from whom the Ettenmoors are named. The companions felled the creature, the flaming sword and the glowing Troll-bane hammer contributing much to the swiftness of the victory.

Half of the journey has passed. Ahead of the companions lay the plains of Arnor, and beyond them, the Ettenmoors, and the hidden city of Zarak-dum: the lair of Scorba the Wyrm.

…and that’s what Brooke gets for missing a session. :)