Cartographer's Corner: Tytherian Peninsula

I haven't worked on a map in a while so last night I decided to sit down and do a map of the Tytherian Peninsula.  The map is a fusion of a few different styles and is pretty basic.  I put a second version of the map with a weather and deteriorated effect on it.  Doesn't look too bad. 

Let me know what you guys think.

Let the Dice Fall Where They May?

"Let the Dice Fall Where They May" is a popular saying among some gamers.  It is often said by characters in Knight's of the Dinner Table and can also be found numerous times in the 4th edition Hackmaster books.

But I ask you, should we let the dice fall where they may?

What if it means the life of a beloved character?  Two characters?  The whole party?  The Whole campaign?  Is there a line, and if so where is it?  I don't consider any of these easy questions to answer and I don't know that there is any one answer.

Making Weapons Stand Out

                                  

Of the reward that characters receive during the course of their adventuring days few save a level can compare with getting their hands on a great new weapon.   Yet the weapon is only as great as it is special.  A fighter wielding a battle axe won't be impressed by simply giving him another.  Unless his first one breaks what would be the point?  But if the second axe were special in some way then that would be a different story.

There are many ways for a weapon to be special.  Let's examine some of the more common ones...

A Game of Thrones is a Wrap!

The Game of Thrones pilot has concluded their principal filming!  Obviously there will be plenty of post production work to do, but according to imdb you can expect to see the finished product sometime in 2010. 

Can't wait for the first trailer!  

JourneyQuest!

Dead Gentlemen, along with a new production company formed by some of its members, Zombie Orpheua Entertainment (ZOE), have announced a new web based series, JouneyQuest! 

I am very excited about this new series and expect it to follow in the tradition of some other high quality web based shows such as GOLD and Doctor Horrible.  I'll be updating as more information comes available!

Gamer Lit: The Hobbit

I love Tolkien's work.  The older I get the more I appreciate the amazing things he did while designing his world all those years ago.   What I'm about to say may shock you but... I always like the Hobbit more than the Lord of the Rings.

It's difficult to articulate why.  I love epic stories so one would think I would favor the epic trilogy over the smaller more silly hearted adventure story, but that just isn't the case.  One possibility was my age when I read the books.  I was in Junior High when I first read them, and the last time I read the Hobbit was as an assignment for English class my sophomore year of high school. That is, until recently.

For whatever reason my desire to join the Hobbit Bilbo took over and I busted out my copy of the The Hobbit.  I should admit to you that I was more than a little concerned.  Over the last year I have re-read many books I loved when I was younger only to find them lacking in one way or another.  Principal among these were the Dragonlance Chronicles which at one time were my very favorite books.  When I re-read them I barely finished, and did so only grudgingly.  Thus was I more than a little trepid as I cracked the cover and began reading.

Gamemaster's Corner: When to Flash Forward

As a GM one often encounters situations where a decision must be made whether to play out an event or to simply skip it and describe what transpires.  One of the most common situations that necessitates such a decision is when the PCs no longer have direct influence over the events.  This can be for a number of reasons but perhaps the most common is that all the PCs have been killed or incapacitated.  That very situation came up recently in my group's Pathfinder game, and though I am not running the game, it struck me as an interesting decision and one that is certainly worth some thought and discussion.

The decision essentially comes down to three basic options which I will discuss below.