Dead AGE with the kids

So, while my wife hung out with some moms in the neighborhood I ran my 2 youngest and two of their friends through the League of Shadows attack on Starling, MA (the Miskatonic runs along side it.

I uses a mix Vampire 3ed ED  + Cinematic Unisystem (for Hit Points and Damage).

Worked great!

Resurrecting Dead AGE

I really miss running my mash-up of Resident Evil, Nolan's Batman Trilogy, and Fu Manchu with a hint of League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, known currently as Dead AGE.  I'd like to find time to bring it back.  Although I'm contemplating using White Wolf's Adventure or a hybrid of Storyteller and Cinematic Unisystem.

Hopefully, something will work out.

Closing Out June

Well my output hasn't been as strong this month, but summer is busy and on a family level we've had quite a bit going on.

I think part of the reduced output is a malaise that's crept in and frankly, I'm extra grumpy in the summer (I guess it's the heat and humidity).

One positive this months is getting the chance to play some board games on fridays.  I've learned how to play Elder Sign, King of Tokyo, & Castle Panic.  John W.'s friday group spent several weeks overflowing with players which forced several people off the table.  It was hard because two of those players were my kids and one was another young man around their age.  But the board games have proved a great addition to the gamescape.

It also has forced me, as a shop manager, to begin working out a system to allow space for everyone even if it requires more game masters.  My son, probably doesn't want to me to reveal this, but not having a spot at the friday game has been hard on him.  And I'll admit here, he seems to have been forgotten about by some of the people he's played with over the past year.  I know its not malicious on the GM's part, he's a young guy who doesn't have kids and not a lot of experience at running games.
Another reason I'm glad the board game option presented itself is because while it's my job to make sure the games run smoothly (meaning I'll step away from a game to make room for someone else), losing my spot made me feel like an outsider at my own store.  Thats something I don't want any of my customers or my kids to go through again.

The Jarlsburg game is going strong, but it looks like I'll lose two players for a period of time.  Fortunately or unfortunately, I have a surplus of players so I don't think it will impact our schedule.

Sadly, I've missed out on joining two Roll20 games.  One of them was, at least on an ancillary level, inspired by the Jarlsburg game.  I hope at some point to explore Roll20 more.


See you next month.

Jarlsburg: The Shamamalan Family

The Shamamalan family has been prominent in the academic and arcane circles of Jarlsburg for well over a century.

Dug Shamamalan was, until his untimely death last year, one of the most respected cartographers and treasure hunter on the entire continent.  He was a forward thinker and loved his wife and daughter deeply.  In some ways neither of them have fully recovered from his loss.  He was, however, uncertain of Grover and always kept his son-in-law at arm's length.

Rachel Shamamalan, oldest of the renowned Geff sisters, is a powerful sorceress and brilliant business maven.  While her husband was "out in the field", she made a business out of his discoveries which kept them well-funded for whatever distraction her husband wanted to pursue.  While she loved her husband desperately, she has a weakness for halfling men and strayed often during this long expeditions.  She was very distraught that many of her longtime friends within the city turned a blind eye to Dug's murder.  The group of Ironcloaks who helped solve his murder has garnered her support and she has become a frequent ally for them.

Phoebe Shamamalan-Drune had the misfortune of losing her husband, Grover, and her father within the last several years.  As a young woman, Phoebe chose to study at the Hexenschule and is a very adept Wizard.  She met Grover, who was copying illuminated manuscripts in exchange for doing research at the Hexenschule.  After they married, they split their time between Jarlsburg and the Duchy of St. Cuthbert.  The couple never truly recovered from the disappearance of their daughter, Shay, within the Wraithwood.  This tragedy led them to stay permanently in Jarlsburg and Grover took ill a few years later.  Phoebe spent many years caring for him and still grieves for Shay.  After becoming a widow, Phoebe moved back in with her parents and has turned her attention back to her magical pursuits, but has attempted to move on from her past and has developed a reputation for being lascivious.

Grover Drune was the son of a smith and the seventh son of a seventh son.  He had a passion for legends and lore and was a talented artist and musician.  He chose to run away from home at thirteen to seek the answers to the many legends his mother read to him as a boy. He found work illuminating manuscripts in exchange for access to the Hexenschule's library, where he met his wife.  He was unaware that the Head Librarian Stanis Clurk, was tracking his research and that there was growing concern about what his true motives were.  However, before the school decided to take action, his daughter disappeared and the couple moved away.  When Grover took ill, many wise and powerful magic users were contacted to aid his malady, but all were baffled by his condition.  The last person to visit him, three days before his death, was High Inquisitor Lot.

Dragon Kings

Timothy Brown, one of the original developers of Dark Sun is developing Dragon Kings as a "spirtiual successor" and is even reteaming with Brom to do it.

I was a hug Dark Sun fan and hope this works out.  In my wildest dreams it was use the Archmage Engine that drives 13th Age.

Check it out.

Things Have Been Quiet. Too Quiet.

Sorry, for the slow down in posting.  Work has been crazier as I have reengineered how we approach internet sales.

We had a milestone session in my Jarlsburg game and closed down one chapter and will be starting on another.  If memory serves me, we're getting closer to the game being one year old.  I'm not sure of the exact date, but it's coming up eventually.

It was wonderful to see a few of my players dress up for the session and also provide food and beverages.  I've got great players ranging from 9 to well, older than 29.

Tony W.'s DnD game is something unlike anything I've ever played in...we're are the craziest, most incompetent group of Murder Hobos I've ever seen.  Last night an NPC was abducted and urinated on because he....left an Inn.  I'm sure we'll star in an RPG.NET thread someday.  But it's fun as heck.

I'll try to get things back on track this week.

Oh, one more thing, my son, youngest daughter, wife and I got our Yellow Belts in Tae Kwon Do.  I can't recommend this family activity enough.

Final Judgement (+3 Vorpal Battle Axe)

Final Judgement

Legendary Dwarven Battle Axe

Wielded; Weight 6 lbs.

Beacon: On command, this item sheds bright light in a 10-foot-radius sphere. Darkness within 10 feet of the sphere of bright light becomes dim light. Speaking the command word again douses the light.

Painful: The bearer experiences a lingering ache while wielding the item or has a flash of pain when activating one or more of its properties. The pain has no other adverse effects.  
Property: You gain a +1 bonus to the attack rolls and the damage rolls you make with this battle axe.

Property (Attuned): The sword’s bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls increases to +3. Attacks you make using this weapon ignore slashing resistance.
     Whenever you score a critical hit with this weapon, make another attack roll against the same target. If you hit again, the target takes 6d8 extra damage. If this second attack is a critical hit and the target has 150 hit points or fewer, you lop off its head, killing it instantly. If the creature doesn’t have a head, you instead chop the creature in half, with the same lethal result.   

Rarity: Legendary.