Friday, June 29, 2007

Thrilling Places




Thrilling Places
Rob Hudson

Thrilling places is a supplement for the Pulp Hero line from Hero games.
I’ve played Hero System games in the past and I acknowledge the company as one of the pillars of the RPG hobby but the system was never a favorite of mine. That said, The Pulp Hero line offers a lot to any fan of Pulp era gaming. Thrilling Places is the latest, and quite possibly the best product from this line.
Written by Rob Hudson, Thrilling places offers over a dozen separate globe-spanning locations for Pulp era adventures, everything from a decrepit plantation in the Bayous of Louisiana, to a mysterious island home of a monstrous ape-god hidden in the South Pacific. Thrilling Places offers fleshed out locations, environments, characters and adventure ideas. A few months ago I made mention on the Pulp Hero boards that I thought the PDF price was a bit steep for a product that contained only 154 pages. I was wrong. I should have worried less about page count, and considered the quality of what was contained in those pages. Thrilling place is a treasure trove of ideas. Dozens of adventures can be launched from the locales offered in this book. My favorite location is the Grant building, a once grand, ten story office building that serves a variety of businesses such as a private detective agency, a pulp magazine publisher, an insurance company, and of course, “Joe’s Diner” a ground floor restaurant which is a favorite dessert stop for a local mobster. Just reading through the various descriptions, a dozen adventures popped in my head. And it’s the same with just about every entry. All the pulp genres are covered in Thrilling Places- detective, crime fighter, weird science, lost world, exotic adventure, and more. Thrilling Places give the necessary Hero System stat blocks for all the major characters, but this supplement is invaluable no matter what adventure RPG system you choose. Thrilling Tales is definitely worth the price. Two thumbs Way Up!

Thursday, June 28, 2007

Is it true?

Not sure but it sure looks cool!
I'd definitely buy the poster...

Tuesday, June 26, 2007

New KFG Joes!

Coming this August to a Walmart near you!

Monday, June 25, 2007

Motivational Monday


Thanks to Midnights Lair

Thursday, June 21, 2007

I'm off to Hollywood!

Just kidding- But what if huh?
It would look a little like this...



My thanks to J.R. over at Midnight's Lair for the link to this cool tool!


Ha! I just found a card maker click on them to see a larger image...


Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Great minds think alike


I just ran into this little blurb from Rattrap Productions over at the Gaming Report:

After the release of Super Science Tales, I'll also begin work for an early 2008 release of Broadsword Adventures: Savage Tales of Fantasy. Forget all those Tolkien clone games, we get back to some serious Conan-style excitement!

A day late and a dollar short baby... by the way did I mention that Broadsword is #4 on the hot sellers list at RPGNow? Oops! I guess I just did...

Anyway, Go give the guys at Rattrap a look, they have some cool stuff. But if you want "some serious Conan-style excitement" Pick up a copy of Broadsword. And get one for your mother too, nothing says love like a Sword & Sorcery RPG.

Monday, June 18, 2007

Motivational Monday


Thanks to Midnights Lair

Thursday, June 14, 2007

HeroMachine Update


If you read this blog regularly you know I love HeroMachine. I think it's simply one of the most fun and creative toys ever designed for the internet. You can spend hours creating new figures with the templates available. Now Jeff Hebert is feverishly working on a 2.1 version, and I can't wait to play with it. Where are the Beta tester sign-ups Jeff?

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

I’m not a snob, I’m just better than you.


It’s human nature to be a snob. That’s my conclusion based on what I see all around me on this here internet. I have several hobbies that I follow with moderate interest-comics, gaming, action figures, and pulp writing. I belong to forums and message boards that are dedicated to each hobby in general and a few specialized subsets. For instance, for pulp writing I belong to a group that specifically discusses the comic book adaptations of Robert E, Howard’s pulp stories.
On just about every single one of these different forums I find snobs. These snobs are people who feel their manner of fandom is the one true path, and everyone else is either woefully ignorant or just damn stubborn. The message boards start out with the best of intentions-they try to gather together as many people with similar interests as they can to network and gush about their favorite pastime whether it’s collecting vintage GI Joe’s or playing 2nd edition Dungeons and Dragons. But after awhile these small groups start to grow and eventually they run out of positive things to talk about and the bashing begins- the GI Joe guys start bitching that the market has changed and no one under the age of 35 knows or cares about the 12 inch GI Joe. The R.E. Howard fans start bitching that other writers have taken Howard’s Hyborian age and have trampled it underfoot with substandard “Pastiche” works. The gaming guys are some of the worst; they argue and complain so much it begins to look like self loathing.
I really started to notice it this week. I’ve been sick the last few days and really haven’t had the energy to post much online. So I just sat back, watched and read. The amount of negativity on some of these boards is surprising. A new action figure product comes out- it’s bashed. A new gaming system comes out-and is quickly trashed. A new creative effort is released-it’s reviled. Flame wars erupt. People quit the group in a huff vowing never to return (they still do though), and hurtful and hateful comments are slung about in a way that would never happen if we were all in the same room face to face.
I was watching the news with my son last night, the big story was the sectarian violence in the Middle East and I was explaining to him that the Sunni and Shiite’s were different factions of the same religion, despite the fact that some of them spend as much time blowing the shit out of each other as they do praying to God, which has been the way man, unfortunately, has handled religious differences throughout history. My way of worshipping is THE way and you are either to stubborn or stupid to understand that.
That’s basically what they are saying. And that’s basically what I’ve noticed is said on many of these hobby boards.

Monday, June 11, 2007

Motivational Monday


Thanks to RPGNet.

Friday, June 08, 2007

"The things you find when you put in an old data CD-R"


A long time ago, on an island far away,I was once a member of an ancient order now long forgotten- An RPGA ranked Dungeon Master. I had a membership card and everything (member ID#141888). I ran Living City, Living Jungle, and Even Living Death tournaments. I enjoyed the hell out of Living Death. I even submitted an article for Polyhedron. I never heard back from them. Here it is for your viewing pleasure.

THE BROTHERHOOD OF ST. GEORGE
A secret organization for use with the AD&D Ravenloft “Masque of the Red Death” Gothic Horror Campaign

"Brother Santiago heard muffled voices coming from the double doors ahead as he moved silently down the mansions dark hallway. as he signaled his team to halt he adjusted the scabbard hanging on his back. He could feel cold sweat on his brow and a knot of fear growing in his stomach. Drawing in a short breath, he whispered a brief prayer in Latin, the fear disappeared, replaced with grim resolution. He was an instrument of the lord’s vengeance, a weapon trained to strike a killing blow against the minions of the Abyss.
These creatures were responsible for the death of several innocent children whose blood they collected to call forth the demons that they served. Even now he could hear the ritual chanting, the invoking of ancient forbidden names of purest evil. He had been told that agents of the church had just recently discovered the existence of this coven, and now he and his fellow members of the brotherhood would see to its destruction.
He signaled to Brother Marcus who then recited a prayer to determine whether the door was trapped or magically warded. As the prayer ended, Brother Marcus gave the “all clear” sign.
Drawing his saber and pistol, Brother Santiago gave the order for the assault. Brother Tobias rushed the doors and with one mighty swing of his sledgehammer smashed them to pieces..."


History
In 1199 AD Pope Innocent III convened a secret meeting of his most trusted Cardinals to discuss how best to combat the growing threat of the Red Death. The Catholic Church had been suffering greatly against the plots of the Red Death, and the brutality with which such plots were carried out. One of the primary reasons for the Red Death’s success lay in the fact that they made frequent use of sorcery, whereas the Church had forbidden the practice of magic on pain of excommunication.
After much discussion and debate the Pope decided that a small, dedicated group of Priests be organized and trained for the sole purpose of dealing with supernatural threats to the church. These young men would be extensively trained in the scholarly, martial and mystic arts. Including the extremely regulated use of magic, for which they were granted special dispensation by the Holy See. The existence of this organization was to be kept secret from all but a handful of the highest church officials.

The first recruits were summoned from all parts of the Catholic world, for the most part they belonged to Monastic orders such as the Jesuits and Michaelites. The candidates were chosen for their intelligence, physical condition and most importantly their unshakable belief in God and his Church. These recruits were taken to a remote monastery in the mountains of Spain where they were subjected to strict physical and mental discipline. Those who successfully met the stringent requirements were given intensive instruction in areas such as theology, Demonology and magical theory as well as swordsmanship and other forms of self-defense.
Using the virtually limitless resources of the church they were given access to an unparalleled library of occult works, mystic tomes, and ancient spell books.
This organization was named the Brotherhood of St. George (after the Cappadocian knight St. George the Dragon Slayer) but is known in cabalistic circles simply as “The Brotherhood.”

Organization
The Brotherhood operates out of a variety of church owned “sanctuaries” throughout the world, a hospital in Bombay, a seminary in California, a dockside warehouse in Shanghai, and a castle in northern England to mention just a few. These sanctuaries are well stocked with the most advanced equipment and weapons available. It’s even rumored that some of these sanctuaries may hold holy relics and items of mystic nature for use in the war against the Red Death.
Once accepted as a member of the Brotherhood the agents are exempted from the day to day duties of average church functionaries. They have no official parish nor do they report to a regular Bishop. They do of course retain all the privileges of the Priesthood (celebrating Mass, performing Baptisms, Marriages and Last Rites etc.) Their time is spent in training, research and information gathering. The Brotherhood is organized in cells of approximately four to six agents. Each cell has a Senior Brother who reports to a special Cardinal at the Vatican, who in turn reports solely to the Pope.
Members bear the mark of the Brotherhood branded on the upper right side of their chest (a serpentine dragon pierced by a cruciform lance) and all clergy regardless of their station are ordered by Papal Edict to give them any and all assistance without question.
Although the Brotherhood is a very secretive organization, there have been times where they have briefly allied with certain other cabals in order to defeat a common foe. They have assisted the Watchers to rid the Russian Royal Court of Doppelgangers and aided the Order of the Crimson Chalice destroy the Cult of Bhaal in Persia. There are also instances where members of the Brotherhood are “seconded” to other groups. And in some cases, leading members in other organizations such as the White Rose are actually Brotherhood agents who secretly monitor the efforts of said organizations to insure that their dedication to the fight against evil remains uncorrupted.




Mystic Kit

Agent of the Brotherhood

Class: Mystic
Ability Requisites: Wisdom 14, Constitution 12, Intelligence 12
Prime Requisite: Wisdom
Hit Die: D8
Attack as: Soldier
Save as: Mystic
Advance as: Mystic
Exceptional Strength No
Spell Ability? Yes
Exceptional Constitution No
Starting Cash: 2d6

Proficiencies
Weapon Slots: 2
Additional Slot: 5
Nonproficiency Penalty: -4
Nonweapon Slots: 5
Additional Slots: 3
Available Categories: General, Arcane, Rogue
Bonus Proficiencies: Religion, Language (Latin)
Recommended proficiencies: Forbidden Lore, Ancient Religion

Description: a member of the Brotherhood is an extremely devoted priest whose sole mission is to protect the Church and it’s members from all supernatural threats. He is trained to take the battle to the enemy and to destroy the minions of the Red Death.

Role-Playing: As the existence of their order is not common knowledge, they will tend to adopt the role of a regular priest or even an average civilian in day to day dealings with others. But no matter how non-descript their appearance or demeanor, they display an unwavering devotion to their calling so that even when “undercover” they will conduct themselves within the tenets of their faith. Brotherhood agents are highly intelligent and resourceful. Because of the nature of their academic training they tend to first analyze a situation rather than rush in with guns blazing, yet they are capable of decisive action when the situation warrants.

Special Benefits: as a result of their martial training Brotherhood agents fight as soldiers of the same level. They are also able to request aid and sanctuary from any members of the Catholic clergy. Note: because the order is a secret one the Brotherhood frowns on agents using this benefit for mundane reasons (a free place to crash while in town or using altar boys as cannon fodder.)

Special Hindrances: Agents of the Brotherhood must be of Lawful good alignment.
As stated earlier the Brotherhood of St. George has been granted special dispensation when it comes to spell use (which is invoked in the form of a prayer), but they are limited in the spheres that are available to them. Only spells from the following spheres; All, Combat, Divination, Healing, Protection, and Sun can be used. Any deviation from this rule may cause a member to be expelled from the order and possibly even excommunicated.
And finally, as a member of the church the agent is always held to their priestly vows especially that of obedience, and as such the church from time to time will make demands upon the agents and they in turn are expected to comply without question.

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Broadsword-Sword & Planet expansion


The last time I checked Broadsword was at #7 on the hot sellers list over at RPGNow, which has me more than a little jazzed. So jazzed in fact, that I’m working on a follow-up to it that would expand Broadsword to include Sword & Planet rules and a campaign world useable not only for Sword & Planet adventures but also for a “Lost World” pulp campaign using Dime Heroes or any other type of pulp system. I’m basing much of it on my Swords of Skartaris PBEM. Rather than use Mars or Venus as a backdrop I decided to make the world exist in an alternate dimension. By doing so it would free me up to use many of the aspects of the Skartaris game, yet still have it alien enough to reflect the feel of another planet. I’m going to give myself an August 1st deadline. Let’s see what happens…

And for our Spanish readers:
La vez última que comprobé Broadsword estaba en #7 en los vendedores calientes enumera encima en RPGNow, que me tiene más que un poco jazzed. Jazzed tan de hecho, eso que estoy trabajando en una carta recordativa a él que ampliaría Broadsword para incluir reglas de la espada y del planeta y un mundo de la campaña usable no sólo para las aventuras de la espada y del planeta pero también para una campaña de la pulpa del “mundo perdido” usando héroes de la moneda de “Dime Heroes” o cualquier otro tipo de sistema de la pulpa. Estoy basando mucho de él en mis espadas de Skartaris PBEM. Más bien que uso Marte o Venus como contexto que decidía hacer que el mundo existe en una dimensión alterna. Haciendo tan me liberaría hasta uso muchos de los aspectos del juego de Skartaris, con todo todavía lo tendría extranjero bastante para reflejar la sensación de otro planeta. Voy a darme un plazo del 1 de agosto. Veamos qué sucede…

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Broadsword at RPGNow


Broadsword is selling. How cool is that? Now we are talking about a Sword & Planet expansion for the system. Since the release, the Deep7 forums have come alive and people are talking about new titles and settings, both fan-based and published ones.
And most importantly Broadsword is now available at RPGNow.

Monday, June 04, 2007

Motivational Monday


Thanks to RPGNet

Saturday, June 02, 2007

Weekend Matinees at the Lair


A couple of weeks ago I was reading an article on movie memories from the 80’s and I got to thinking that my boys have a serious lack of “the classics” –Kid classics to be more precise, the types of movies that made me “Ooo and Aww” when I was growing up. Here at the Lair we have a healthy and robust DVD library but I noticed a lack of movies like Ghostbusters, E.T., and Star Wars (the real Star Wars- not that Jar Jar Binks, baby Darth Vader crap).
Last Saturday we watched “The Secret of Nimh” this Sunday we have “Raiders of the lost Ark” on tap.
Popcorn, S’mores, and the rare treat of soda round out the experience.
Next week- Star Wars.