Game Review: Bang!

We tried the Bang! game last night with the group, minus one.  This is a fun game!  But I think I was most happy just to have another 7 player option that I didn't have to buy regardless if the game sucked or not.  But this is a fun one so double bonus.

Everyone is playing a role from the sheriff, deputy, outlaw and finally the renegade.  Each of the roles change what is required for a win and only the sheriff is known.  The rest play with their roll down and are hidden and require you to figure out who is playing each role.

You are then playing various actions that function as attacks.  These can be shooting someone with a "Bang" card or other weird things that force discarding a card or getting rid of an object in play.  The other players usually have defense cards that allow them to be missed or get out of the way.

So it sort of works that you are trying to figure out who is playing each roll then move on with killing folks.  When the Sherif is killed the game ends which is good for the outlaws.  The sheriff wants to kill all those dry outlaws as does the debuty.  The renegade wants to kill all the outlaws then the deputy and finally the sheriff for a win.

It was pretty fun for our group not one complained and I would say everyone had a good time.  I liked it.  It would be pretty fun with a few more cards was my only complaint.  Just to have more variety in the character cards.  This can easily be fixed by buying the Bullet edition instead of the basic edition.  The bullet seems to be pretty cheap on ebay if you get the right deal.

Campaign Seeds: Torg morning in America

Torg was an interesting game that I really never got a chance to check out.  There was just so much to it that you would go broke trying to collect it all.  The idea was to react a multi-genre system, very popular at the time, were all the different areas of earth were transformed by a Reality War.  Each section was under control by a particular Dark Lord and was reworked to fit their vision of a perfect world.  That is a bit of a stretch but there was a fantasy setting in England and a cyber setting in France, in any event. 

Through a series of plot line advancing modules they resolved the game with the characters winning the Reality War and earth being returned to it original state.  Which is all cool and wrapped up but it  doesn't allow for a lot of further role play.

What would excite me and provide for some further role playing, is taking the idea and warping it a bit.  Perhaps the players did win but not for themselves, rather they just put another dark lord in power.  This one with a vision of the present Earth as his domain.  The thing being that our history post 1994 or 95 has all been on hold, as the dark lord maintains his grip.

This give the character a new dark lord to fight with people who have no idea about the Reality Wars.  They assume the heroes are dangerous insane folks that should be locked up.  The Soviet union could be still in place with a lingering cold war.  It would allow for turning the 80's cold war US into a setting of its own.  Which creates for some rather nostalgic gaming.  

I am unsure of whom I would suggest as the Dark Lord, perhaps Bush the elder or some figure behind the scenes wanting the status quo to remain.  I am sure the next question is why the time frame?  Mainly because that is when Torg was all washed up.

The players would have no internet or a most a very difficult to access one.  Bulletin Board Systems would be all the rage along with party lines.   Guns and equipment would be limited to those in the basic boxed setting for the non effected earth.  If you really wanted to get weird let the history advance to modern 2013 tech and then have this 80's revision of the world start intruding that is cool too.  Things that are happening in the news could be modified to be ushering the change.  PRISM and the conflict in Afghanistan could be working their way back to the 80's.  A massive cyber attack could bring down the internet such that though it is up it is constantly being hit by a global denial of service attack.

Characters for campaigns

The jester is a character inspired by A Game of Thrones on tv.  He serves as a sort of an inverse to a character like Tyrion  In fantasy games he would be a large brutish race, half orc, but could be a large brutish human in more historic low fantasy games.  He has been captured and as a survivor moved into the service of a noble as a humiliated court jester, something like Dontas.  He is meant to be a character with a hidden skill set that can function as an operative for hire.

His training is as a ranger and has developed his skills to fit the city.  His fighting style is skirmish fighting using improvised weapons and ambush attacks.   He is often ignored in the city or mocked but he uses this to track his targets.  Ambushing from cover and dealing with them in a secluded spot.

This is a good character to harass a party with even if he does not serve as a combatant.  He could be tracking an spying on the party for some noble, only to alert guards later on.  If discovered he could turn the pursuit into an elaborate game.  Continuing the jest while he batters the party with jugs or wine bottles for comedic effect.

The jester can also serve as a good bridge between the underbelly of crime and the upper echelons of society.  Making him a Mr. Johnson stand in for the fantasy setting.

A Look at the Flint and Steel kickstarter

I really want to invite you folks to take a look at the flint and Steel kickstarter project that can be found at

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/289627918/flintandsteel-rpg?ref=live

These small or first time publisher projects are the ones that appeal the most to me.  It seems like you can get really make their dream projects come true through kickstarter.  This one is a heavily modified version of D20 with a campaign setting, all meant to provide a gritty low fantasy version game experience.

It seems they have stripped D20 into a classless and levelless system that allows for characters to grow into most any concept.  I am interested in this growing your character as you choose idea, that sounds weird and overpowered but interesting.  Anything that can make the players feel integrated into the story instead of the character is good.

There is a sweet spot funding level at 20 GBP that gets you the books in digital form and some modules that looks like the best investment, on the cheap.  60 GBP will get you the books in printed form but that is over 70$ US and probably wife enraging for me. 

I have one question about the books and that is based off the image above.  Its great and all but i don't understand it.  If the setting is very low fantasy this ghoul king seems out of place.  All in all they seem like a good set of folks to back.  I am really considering the 20 pounds sterling level.

My response to San Jose Fireworks

I have seen a fair amount of news reports after the 4th saying San Jose as a city has complete disregard for the ban on fireworks.  First off let me say, great work san jose residents I enjoyed your fireworks and your disregard for this law. But I also have a novel solution for the Mayor and board to solve this problem.

My solution is to just flood the streets with fireworks!  Weird I know but please read on.  Our state allows class C "Safe and Sane" fireworks.  These were the sort legally allowed in San Jose pre ban and are legal in many other spots in the state. These are not the bottle rockets that worried people so much in days gone by nor are they the mortar fireworks currently being used by so many of my fellow residents.

What you banned so many years ago were a few ground level fireworks that did not explode.  You banned fountains that shot perhaps 9 feet into the the air.  Along with black snakes smoke bombs and flowers.  These were never of concern.  I am going to confess to past crimes here but as a teenager I loved to get fireworks from Newark and use them on the fourth.  I was breaking the law and didn't care, if one has access to the better fireworks and lights them off, they are breaking the same ordinance.

The fireworks I hear and see from my window are easily available in places like Indian reservations or Washington state.  Seriously In Washington it's wonderful fireworks everywhere, there is no need for a city or county fireworks show.  The point is now I know where to get them and so does most everyone else and my sparklers are the same crime as lighting off a bad ass mortar.

So I suggest just reversing the ban.  Make those same small safe and sane fireworks legal and give people an outlet.  Tax the sale of fireworks and make some cash for our city, maybe even pay for Christmas in the park.  Let charity groups make some profit selling the them.  Most of all let people have a since of community and unity.  Back in the 70's the 4th was a block party on every street, we need that again.

So why do I think this will work?  It allows folks an easy source of fireworks, they can drive to any strip mall and get a box of fireworks.  No 3 hour drive is needed.  They are legal so you have no worry about using them, gives you another reason not to buy larger more dangerous fireworks.   You can support a charity you like, if your kids softball team has a stand you can buy from there and support them.  Most of all the legality of fireworks would allow people to use them in a safer fashion.  The middle of the street or a school's blacktop are actually pretty ideal.  Some place away from houses or vegetation.  People hiding fireworks in their back yard lights up trees and dry grass or houses.  Almost every fireworks related fire I have heard of was someone trying to hide using the fireworks and using them inappropriately.  Also in our political climate folks are feeling the hand of government control they want to disobedient, allow them some small freedom and they may not feel the need to express their displeasure.

To the city, you will gain taxes, need less police on the 4th, have a greater since of community and will have repelled an unjust law.

Dungeons and Dragons online tips

Well I am back doing the low levels again after TRing my ranger live into a barbarian.  While I expect most of this is old news to folks I often see people not taking advantage of these tricks.   So I am just going to throw them out so you can take advantage or disregard.

1. Don't always kill the Boss first:  You can get conquest in a few quests by ignoring the boss and killing everyone else first.  This is true for The Conspirator, The Missing Party and Kobolds New Ringleader.  Just kill the trash first and then drop the boss and you will see you now have conquest.  If you are not killing everything this is a tip to ignore and is only useful if you are very close to conquest already.
2. Sometimes you want to break boxes and spawn mobs for conquest.  There are a couple of quests in catacombs or the ruined halls were you this is what you need to do if you want conquest.
3. In Durk's Got a Secret go to the brother with the shrine first:  This is the one with the fire trap on the way.  The reason is you can get more boxes and kills going to that side.  Also that brother is very aggressive the other one stays put and allows you to control when you are ready to end the quest.  This is the best way to get ransack and conquest.
4. Let Sentry's ring the bells:  In quests like Garrisons pack the only way to get conquest is to let the sentries ring the bells to spawn mobs.  I usually walk in and stand there until he rings then kill everything.  Also if you are doing Stealthy Repossession letting the last kobold prophet ring the bell opens the door into the final area making it easy for you to grab that gem.
5. In splinterskull and cant do traps, shoot from below.  If you shoot the guys after the traps in splinter skull they will run to you.  You just need to range them from the loop below 
6. In the Delera's chain you will encounter ghostly skeletons.  You just need holy, pure good or righteousness weapons to hit them.  They don't need ghost touch and oddly enough they are not actually skeletons as they do not have the DR for piercing and slashing weapons. 
7. Just Avoid some people:  If you see someone that pisses you off don't group with them.  Don't make exceptions!  The people they group with are probably worse.
8. In Delera's part 2 there is a trick to make the door open more quickly.  You need to get all the ghost skeletons that spawn into the previous room into the room with the gate along with your entire party.  Then you have go get that room to spawn so you have a big mess of dudes.  Then kill them all. 
9. Sometimes its best no to break stuff:  In quests like The Snitch, Kobolds New Ring Leader and some of the catacombs quests, breakables are there to provide you with an easy jump.  Breaking everything can prevent someone from avoiding traps.

Probably not new but there it is.

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 14

I have done a fair amount of small story point ideas and I think if anyone is using them they have enough for a few weeks of play.  I wanted to talk about this goofy idea of Threat rating mentioned in the story points.  While it is a means of controlling events to occur when the story if ready to support them it is a bit more.  My original vision was to allow for extra things to be granted via a chart based on the threat rating, these would be both good and bad.

Now I am thinking it may be easier to scale back that idea and instead use the threat rating as a one for one measure of the goblin hordes size.  So each point of threat yields more goblins to the horde, be it in the form of attracted allies, conquered tribes or birth.  Of your goblins 1/3 are going to be warriors with the rest representing non combatant goblins, the chief and his guard.

There is going to a need to house these goblins too.  I am going to work on the locations I have mentioned in the story points and come up with a maximum occupancy number for each.  The warren at the tree will only old 75 goblins but the old Dwarven hold may allow 150, for example.   There may be a need to split the tribe at times perhaps deploying goblins to hold locations or having specially trained goblins make a colony at various locations.  There is going to be a mechanism for creating specialized troops of goblins.

My plan is to use the stealth, archery and combat ratings granted in story points to allow the players to unlock different types of goblin units.  So if the Horde has a high magic rating they will have access to casters or shamans.   Stealth could allow for the training of sneaks and assassins.  These units will come into play when larger conflicts come to the horde and a more Battle System like combat is used. 

Still I have not completely disregarded the chart idea.  I am thinking there should be some events that are triggered by the horde size reaching a certain point.  I know at 300 I want to have a group of stone giants offer to build or expand some of the goblins structures.  Later on they will try to kick out the goblins and take the structure for themselves using hidden passages, but that is another story point.

Dear Sony

Hey Sony

How is it going?  Long time Xbox owner here.  As you expect I am pretty scared about this xbox next, it just doesn't seem like my sort of thing.  I like my console as an offline gaming experience and just buy my games to play them on my own.  I just recently tried some Downloadable content for the first time, it felt weird not sure I liked it. 

Oh just some stuff for my Rocksmith game, Blue Oyster Cult stuff like that you know.  I play with the bass!  It was sort of goofy how my xbox life account created its own user on my xbox.  I don't know if that was cool as my wife and I use different log ins on that game because we are at different levels on the guitar.  Also Her Dean has different headstock than my Gibson. I am still not sure the new songs are added to all accounts, which worries me.

I am rambling i know.  So I am thinking of moving on to your PS4 as the stuff described in the xbox next I just don't like.  But there is one thing, I am new to your titles and have heard there are a few games I should try out as PS fan boy, I am supposed to be a PS fan boy now right?  Anyway God of War sounds like something I would like to give a try.  But I hear you are not going  to do the backwards compatibility thing.  That sort of sucks, I want to try out all your old PS only games I have been missing out on.  What is it uncharted?  I think someone said that was good.  Can you please give me some option to play these Sony only games?  Xbox gave you the Ninja Gaiden games eventually, maybe not number 3 which sucked anyway.

Well Thanks
;

Monday Begs Murder

I feel sugared decay, like
the honey of a hive
dripping down the walls
from a southern heat

Like the house left
all alone except for insects
with the damage
vagrants and kids wrought

Busted out worries
wise ones say to avoid
littered burned inscribed
but I am wonder

Memory of the first made
fighting stagnant decayed
tangled up bones
with fitful throws

tear me down friend
spark the match
Plow me under
re-dream this land

Let me sleep, memory.
Let me wonder. no more.

Looking at the Kaosball kickstarter.

Kaosball is one i have been on the fence about.  I am not a big fan of stuff like blood bowl.  But some of the things going on in the kickstarter I really like.  They are basically doing one price point for the basic product with add on teams costing extra.  That means you just get the stretch goals as there is one price level, that seems pretty nice.  Also there is no confusion over buying a tshirt or sticker for the game at the lower levels.  Check it out here.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/coolminiornot/kaosball?ref=live

The game itself looks cool as there are cards that come into play and make it seem pretty cool.  Not just figure movement which would be weak on such a small board.   I am not sure if dice are used or not.

The teams seem cool with the expansion teams seeming a bit cooler.  They have pirates and cowboys and all sorts of neat stuff.   It looks like you are getting four teams in the base set along with goblins, undead and perhaps heavy metal barbarians.  There are a fair amount of extra star players that have been added already, even the guys from penny-arcade.  If you add more teams it looks like you can add extra ringers as well.  There seems to a version of megaman, hulk hogan and some weird pokemon looking guys you can get in that fashion.

If they hit their 1500 backers and I can get those metal guys I think I will jump in.  Still its a heck of a deal already.  If you have a few folks going in on it you could probably have an army each and the base game for a low investment.  I

 

thorns for thursday

It's hard getting up these days, facing the morning.  I have grown dark on the future and cooled to my friends.  I think its gone away and i am sickened then its back and I am broken.  I feel like there is no surface to breath at just drowning or I'm rescued and leave you in the waves.  Come back to me my lost so I can cough back this pain and live.  I feel undone and raveling out by the inch trying to hold back everything to not lose it.  Even the anger reels away and I gap open hollow.

Movie Review: Electric Purgatory

Hey everyone I checked out a movie called Electric Purgatory:  The fate of the black rocker.  I wanted to share some thoughts.   The movie is good on what it covers but it seems to leave a bit out.  You get a bunch of folks interviewed form Fishbone, to Vernon Reid and on to Doug Pinnick.  Which is all well and good but the biggest and most well respected name in black metal is completely omitted.  Also Some of the newer black artists in the metal genre are not represented either. 

I am of course talking about Phil Lynott when I talk about black folks in metal.  Even Hendrix does not hold the importance of Phil in metal.  I was listening to Jail Break and Don't Break the Oath last night.  Its amazing how much of the guitar work and song structure is carried through into Mercyful Fate.  The list of metal acts who have covered Lizzy is endless and they had a fair amount of success during their own time.  It seems odd to not even mention them. 

Some folks I think should have also been on the video are Howard Jones, Katon De Pena and William DuVall.   Katon has been around but the others are new folks having some success in metal and hard rock.  I think they represent perhaps a change.  I guess it could be said that those artist are the only person of color in a white band, which is also true of Doug Pinnick and Rocky George.

Pathfinder battle - Builder Series: We be Goblins

This is a great little product line from pathfinder especially if you have been working on a series of goblin focused adventures, like me.  They are giving you goblins at three bucks a pop and dramatically expanding the line at once.  This seems pretty close to the big pack of goblins or skeletons I was asking for when the pathfinder miniatures first came out. 

You can check out and order them from the pathfinder web site at  http://paizo.com/products/btpy8ww8

The minis are in the style of goblin paizo is now known for.  I think they are good, thought I am not sure why the archer in the picture above is in a wedding dress and veil.  I got this one and a wizard type goblin along with a couple of goblin dogs.  I wish the goblin warchanter had an instrument but that is a quibble.

If you are doing anything with my goblins of parra plot seeds these seem like a slam dunk for you.  A bit of a san jose warning, I bought up the last they had at the airport game kastle.

Movie review: SciFi boys

I checked out a movie called Scifi boys last night.  It is well worth your time if you are a fan of the genre.  It tackles much of the early sources of sci fi fandom.  Taking focus on folks like harryhausen, Forrest J Ackerman and Castle.

It does a good job at getting the idea across that these were they guys that inspired the modern masters to get their start. It also give a little bit of what the modern guys did in their youth after exposure to these masters.

This is really going to be a great introduction to you folks to the early side of the genre and if you pair it with American Scary you have an excellent double feature.  I think both are on Netflix streaming so you have your friday night all set.  This film seems to focus on the 50's and 60's era with American Scary taking you into the 70's. 

My one regret here is it doesn't focus enough on the fans themselves.  If you read through old Famous Monsters, Eeire or Creepy you start to realize how underground the genre once was.  I think pointing the camera at the fans would be a great companion piece to this one.

I hate

I hate coming home and you not being at the door.  The first thing I should see is your black snoot poking through and that one white whisker on your right side.  You should wag your butt without reason and I should bend down and give you a hug.

I hate picking up crackers on the floor.  I should give a whistle and you should come eat them up and clean up every kernel.  Then be up on the bed and demand rubs and pats.

I hate only clean up a few of Evi's shits outside.  The back yard should be full of your turds that reek and make me gag.  It should be a chore and I would do it every day gladly if you were back with me.

I hate being without you Jasper! I hate the quiet of no barks with the door bell.  I hate the missing note you sang when Evi howls.  I hate eating all my foot without having to hand over your little tax.  I hate how much I hate..

For my friend

This is too hard without you
I am just too weak
Everything seems meaningless
life just to bleak

I was broken before you
You're a missing piece
I'm aimless without you
come back please

Scare the mailmain
terrorize the cat
Be there when I come home
waiting on the door mat

Wag your mighty tail
crashing on the wall
Give me an hour or day
before you fall

But the hour is gone
and you run greener paths
peeing all over heaven
and not more need for baths
 

Let this stand

This shit is beyond my capacity!  I have lost my dog!  That is perhaps meaningless to some of you but not to me.  He was my comfort when anything was wrong, lapping me in the face when I was faltering.  He was my friend and silent agreement on long rides on dark nights. but he was more! 

I am broken in serious crippling ways, yet he fixed me.  He made me less obtuse he was a surrogate that allowed me to be a regular person.  The jagged ugly thoughts I have in me were rounded off and I was almost a caring person.

Now he is gone.  The folks at the vet that did this have financially crippled my family and taken my dog.  This is the part I can't let stand why should I pay for negligence that took my best friend.  The cost of this was so devastating I am going to need my money back if I am going to try to adopt another dog in the next year. 

What kid of man am I if I let this stand

Jasper Rickel

Byron's words were right.  My dog my baby boy has left me and words are at a loss for what to say.  They are all for the outward and other.  They can't say anything but loss, which isn't what I need to say.  There is a missing abscess in me that feels like the unpleasant cavity in an over big strawberry.  Which seems meaningless but is just what I feel.

Before my friend I was broken and he fixed me a little so I was nearer to right.  And now I am left with being less again.  No uncaring golden joy abounds making things right.  No slow wagging tail thudding on the couch in the morning.  No love given without holding back for fearing pain.  I have lost the one thing keeping the broken together.   Now I am all oxidized muselet and muzzle breaks.

Movie Review: John Die at the End

I watched John dies at the end and wow that was weird.  I enjoyed it it was goofy and fun the way Bubbu Hotep was. I think you are going to enjoy this one if you liked the tv shows Reaper or GvsE.  It has that same horror comedy thing going.  I hope this becomes a cult classic as it could use a sequel, if just to explain what went on.  It has some very strange elements that I am not sure if they were supposed to be related or not.  I have no idea if the spiders were the source of the "Soy Sauce" and they kept it around to Milk.for the drug or what.  So there are a bunch of questions that pop up here, I think because the story has been changed in party from the book version.  I think if you are a fan of goofy horror then you will be happy to check it out, its free on netflix anyway.  There is a twist ending so watch out.

Campaign seed: The goblins of parra part 13

Another set of story points for you.  I hope someone takes a few of them and adds them to a campaign or even runs this as its own campaign



Title: Glum Dark Ogres seek an alliance
Minimum Threat: 175
Story: The Glum Dark Ogres have come seeking an alliance with the tribe.  They are recent immigrants to the Parra mountains having recently won their freedom from an alliance of trolls and evil humans.  They are looking to shore up their position by creating an alliance. 

The actual winning of their freedom was with the help of a group of human adventures and a small naval force.  They remain loyal to the humans who have provided resources for their clan.  To this end they have been directed by their allies to assassinate Guirrzek who is a rising star.  The human direction should not become known until the next story point

This mission will need to happen when the party is in good favor with Guirrzek and are allowed to sit around the fire during the peace talks.  The Ogres will try to kill Guirrzek there, the party will need to fight them off and save Guirrzek
Battle Success: Magical heavy maul and great axe are added to the treasury, goblin bane items.  These are held for now but will be given out to the party should they need to go against another goblin horde.
Failure: Guirrzek's death complicates things.  The party will have some influence by the game master should decide what course of action is taken.  If one of the party takes on the role of Chief this will change the nature of the game and may be best to more the character to an NPC and have the player make a new character.  Should Ruusjali serve as regent for her children this may be a better option.  You will need to have some change in the tactics of the clans actions to make this feel correct.  Where Guirrzek waited and judged situations, Ruusjali may be more vengeful and bloodthirsty.



Title: Glum Dark Wars
Minimum Threat: 175
Story: The Glum Dark Ogres made and attempt on Guirrzek's life.  If this is coming from Guirrzek or Ruusjali the party are directed to hunt down the Glum Dark clan and give the clan some sign where they can be found, Goblins usually use fire as a sign.

Party must track down the clan to their mountainous home and give some sign where they can be found.  Or just kill them all.  This may be too much even for a well prepared party so they will be met by more warriors
Tracking Success: The party are joined by the two other goblin raid parties and twenty warriors.
Battle Success: Glum Darks are destroyed adding 10,000 gp to the horde treasury.  Party gains 4000gp in goods from treasury. Party are able to determine humans were involved in ordering this assassination attempt.  Threat increased by 25
Failure: Party are recalled by another groups smoke signal.  The party are able to determine the humans involvement and the treasury will gain the 6,000 but there is no pay out to the party.


Title: Their Human Allies
Minimum Threat: 175
Story: The Glum Darks slain the party better find some information on these humans whom have directed the attack.  They begin back tracking toward the civilized lands and are able to find a camp some days away from the ogre.  This party has representatives from the human kingdom Verin present.  
Stealth Success: Should the party get the information using stealth, increase the clans stealth.  Party are directed to Retribution story point.
Battle Success: Party kill off the humans and gain 5,000 worth of high quality goods and single use magic items.  this is added to the treasury but the party is resupplied. Move on to Retribution story point. Threat increased by 5.
Failure:Party are held in contempt by goblin leadership.  Next treasure award decreased by 1,000 gp.



Title: Their Human Allies
Minimum Threat: 180
Story: The party are directed to raid a human city that hangs on the boarder of the Verin's lands.  This is meant to be a lesson but will start larger conflicts.  This is meant to let the party do their worst to the city as sort of reveling in goblin evil.
Battle Success: 2,000 worth of goods are added to the treasury.  Threat increased by 35.  Clan Battle rating increased
Failure:Should the raiding party be pushed back fire arrows will rain down on the town and burn it to bits.

Campaign Seed : The goblins of Parra part 12

These are meant to be a non consecutive story arc that is interspersed in the campaign.  The idea is to have a mysterious foe threat that avoids direct conflict or fights and runs.   This should not be a constant pressing worry for the party at this point.  More a side plot to surface later.





Title: The Grand Swine (pirates arc)
Minimum Threat: 55
Story: Guirrzek has decided the party are to hunt a giant boar that makes his home near buy.  The horde are to hold a feast for their recent founding and finding a home.  This is going to be the center point of the celebration.

The Party are to hunt down the creature which will require some skill.  Then attack and kill the beast bringing the remains to the feast.  The party will track the boar down at night for the conflict, but the boar will be found with some arrows in it.  During the battle the boar will be killed via arrows from the sky.  The party are then confronted by descending roped and air pirates coming from an unseen air ship.  This begins a conflict with the pirate who claim the kill as their own.  
Diplomacy Success: Pirates leave in disgust.
Failure: Guirrzek's next treasure award to party reduced by 500gp.  Another group is sent out to steal babies and party are made to eat from small table.



Title: Investigating the raid (pirates arc)
Minimum Threat: 105
Story: The pirates have returned and are preying on goblins and humans alike. Guirrzek wants them found and stopped.  This is not going to happen as they have already fled the area.  Investigation into the pirates is the only thing that can be done.

There should be a required 3 of 5 clues that will need to be found the more the party find the better the results.

1.  A hermit that lives on one of the tall peaks saw their captain at the helm as they entered. It was a being of air and light wrapped in pirates clothes.
2. A village was able to kill one of the pirates and have the corpse in a grave.  It is a dwarf pirate with little specific information thought his boots are full of sand.
3. Many villages report of the raids being lead by a strange minotaur with heavy fur and small horns.  This is Bull the minotaur first mate who is born of a bison-minotaur tribe.
4. An orc ranger who hunts in the mountains will trade information for quality food and drink.  He saw the ship and made not of its markings this will be passed on, along with a dinner invite.  If they party are pleasant he will offer them further work making runs to the human lands to a butcher he knows.
5. The ship left to the south almost all can agree on.

Investigation Success: Guirrzek is accepting of the information if displeased the party did not deal with them.  The party are called bunglers and are ignored for a session

Failure: The party are called bunglers and are ignored for a session, give party enough free time to know they are being ignored. Deduct 500gp from the next treasure award the party receive.

Title: The Grand Swine (pirates arc)
Minimum Threat: 55
Story: Guirrzek has decided the party are to hunt a giant boar that makes his home near buy.  The horde are to hold a feast for their recent founding and finding a home.  This is going to be the center point of the celebration.

The Party are to hunt down the creature which will require some skill.  Then attack and kill the beast bringing the remains to the feast.  The party will track the boar down at night for the conflict, but the boar will be found with some arrows in it.  During the battle the boar will be killed via arrows from the sky.  The party are then confronted by descending roped and air pirates coming from an unseen air ship.  This begins a conflict with the pirate who claim the kill as their own.  
Diplomacy Success: Pirates leave in disgust.
Failure: Guirrzek's next treasure award to party reduced by 500gp.  Another group is sent out to steal babies and party are made to eat from small table.

Title: The necromancers tower (pirates arc)
Minimum Threat: 155
Story: Pirates return and are known to be sacking the old necromancers tower.  Party are sent to deal with them as Guirrzek sees them as an affront to his power.  Upon arriving the party are confronted by Bull.  The pirate leader makes his escape with a scroll or map.  Party see this but are detained by Bull and company
Battle Success: Treasury increased by 7500gp.  Party are given a reward of 2000gp in magic weapons and items.  The surviving goblins in the area will report they were made to look for a map digging up the tower.
Failure: Guirrzek's next treasure award to party reduced by 2000gp. 

Title: Sausages (orc ranger story point)
Minimum Threat: 155
Story: The orc ranger Siledge offers the party some some equipment for a raid on the human village.  The party must rob the butcher of his famous Fire Sausage.  The orc has a code of honor and requires payment so he directs the party to leave a large boar kill he made that morning as payment.  He instructs them not in kill anyone especially Dittmer the butcher.
Stealth Success: Party are given a couple of high quality bows Siledge has crafted.
Battle Success: Killing the guards will annoy Siledge so that only one of the above bows is awarded. Killing the butcher will earn the orcs wrath, but he will not attack directly.  he will create a situation where he has an advantage.
Failure: Siledge makes the party hunt down another boar for him.

Looking at the Call of Cthulhu 7th edtion Kickstarter

Well Chaosium is getting into the Kickstarter market with their 7th ed of the venerable Call of Cthulhu Roleplaying game.  Normally I am a little skeptical when I  see big companies going the Kick Starter route, but they seem to be doing it right.  There is a certain fantasy RPG going through kick starter that seems to be have stretch goals that reward the developers rather than the fans, not the case here.

You can check out the project here: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/448333182/call-of-cthulhu-7th-edition?ref=live

The stretch goals are a little hard to understand on this one but they seem to be all aimed ad adding to the end products.  They are adding things like art and hand outs for the players with bonuses.  The one thing that is weird is the bonuses seem to be applied to products which the kick starter is set up to create.  If you are just getting the investigators book it does not seem like you get all the stuff that is added with the Keeper book or screen.  They really need a chart to keep this straight for us.   I guess the best advice is to get as many of the books you are going to need to run the game at once.  So get in with the Malevolent Mi-go level at $70 seems to be the sweet spot.  Or go digital and save cash.

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 11

Another story arc of the goblin campaign



Title: The goblin Queen (Test of Hunting)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: The horde growing established Guirrzek is courting a queen for his new clan.  This is political in nature forming an alliance with the Sand Snake tribe who control land on the other side of the mountains, past the Parra valley.  The clan chief of the desert tribe has offered up his niece Ruusjali to would be suitors.

The party with Guirrzek and he personal guard will arrive to find there are three other potential suitors.  This number has required the establishment of challenges to separate the suitors.  The first challenge is a hunting challenge looking for "Meine" a giant scorpion that has plagued the desert for many years, often killing unsuspecting sand snakes.  The other suitors are given other challenges

This should involve some tracking and one battle.  Tracking can be done without skill rolls and should be able to be completed without actual skill, just players brains.  The party are given a general direction the animal is encountered and then can follow its trail of carnage to its den.  The party is accompanied by two watchers who make sure the battle is lead by Guirrzek.
Battle Success: The battle should function with Guirrzek fighting with a spear and his hobgoblin guard functioning as his shield man. The party can cast spells to help the pair as they feel fit.  The party must give Guirrzek first and last blows to win this.  Party should defend Guirrzek above all else.  Clan battle rating is increased.  Threat increased by 20. Two other parties have returned the last was devoured by hyenas.
Failure: If Guirrzek dies without an error there is going to be a power struggle in the clan and much of it will break.  If Guirrzek is hurt and fails to kill Meine the chances with the Sand Snakes is lost.  They will eventually be used by another clan against the Horde.




Title: The goblin Queen (Test of Hunting)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: The horde growing established Guirrzek is courting a queen for his new clan.  This is political in nature forming an alliance with the Sand Snake tribe who control land on the other side of the mountains, past the Parra valley.  The clan chief of the desert tribe has offered up his niece Ruusjali to would be suitors.

The party with Guirrzek and he personal guard will arrive to find there are three other potential suitors.  This number has required the establishment of challenges to separate the suitors.  The first challenge is a hunting challenge looking for "Meine" a giant scorpion that has plagued the desert for many years, often killing unsuspecting sand snakes.  The other suitors are given other challenges

This should involve some tracking and one battle.  Tracking can be done without skill rolls and should be able to be completed without actual skill, just players brains.  The party are given a general direction the animal is encountered and then can follow its trail of carnage to its den.  The party is accompanied by two watchers who make sure the battle is lead by Guirrzek.
Battle Success: The battle should function with Guirrzek fighting with a spear and his hobgoblin guard functioning as his shield man. The party can cast spells to help the pair as they feel fit.  The party must give Guirrzek first and last blows to win this.  Party should defend Guirrzek above all else.  Clan battle rating is increased.  Threat increased by 20. Two other parties have returned the last was devoured by hyenas.
Failure: If Guirrzek dies without an heir there is going to be a power struggle in the clan and much of it will break.  If Guirrzek is hurt and fails to kill Meine the chance with the Sand Snakes is lost.  They will eventually be used by another clan against the Horde.



Title: The goblin Queen (Test of Finding)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: The Party have survived the first test and are now on to the second.  They are lead blindfolded ito the desert and must find their way back to the Sand Snake clan.  The remaining two other clans are also let away with similar tests.

This is a race to see if they return.  They should have some skill checks but if good roleplaying takes care of it, great.  I would have a few opportunity predators attack the group when they are down, just to keep it interesting.
Skill Success: The party will return at the same time as the Gore Tusk clan leader and his party.  Move onto There can be only one!
Failure:The chance with the Sand Snakes is lost.  They will eventually be used by another clan against the Horde. 



Title: The goblin Queen (There can be only one)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: Just as the two parties return the Sand Snake Leader says there can be only one and the party is attacked by the Gore Tusks.  This should be a party on party battle.
Skill Success: The Guirrzek wins the had of fair Ruusjali.  Before the pair are escorted home ,scouts return telling of the Gore Tusk clan advancing and seeming to be prepared for war.  Move onto The Gore Tusk Revenge.
Failure:If Guirrzek dies without an heir there is going to be a power struggle in the clan and much of it will break.  If Guirrzek is hurt and fails to kill the Gore tusks the Sand Snakes view him as a coward.  They will eventually be used by another clan against the Horde.



Title: The goblin Queen (The Gore Tusk Revenge)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: Just as the binding ceremony has completed the scouts warn of the approaching Gore Tusks.  The Clan leader says if the two clans are joined then fight with them.

This should be conducted as a war versus the gore tusks and the sand snakes with help from the party.  They should be used on several stabbing attacks with specific targets.
Battle Success: Gore Tusks are broken and Sand Snakes take their land.  5000 gp is added to the clan treasury.  Two increases to battle rating for the clan.  The party are awarded unique magical treasure awards specific to each of their characters.
Failure:If Guirrzek dies without an heir there is going to be a power struggle in the clan and much of it will break.  If the battle goes poorly the Sand Snakes will be broken, but return back with the Horde.  Increase 20 warriors and 50 non combat goblins.  There will be issues of resentment and conflict in the clan with these goblins.  Some insurrection event will follow in 3 seasons.  If Guirrzek is convinced to not help the Sand Snakes they will be broken but enough will live to plot an assassination on Guirrzek.

Sarah Murnaghan Deserves better than Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius

I know about waiting on a transplant, it's bullshit!  But you wait on a list and then the law screws you over when you 10 and dying.  Sarah Murnaghan is waiting at the top of the list to get a lung transplant, and because of an arbitrary law, she is prevented from taking an adult lung.  That's a fucked up story that needs to be changed!  Worse Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius has said her hands are tied on the issue.  WTF!  How is this how our country operates?  This is everything I speak of when I say laws are the opposite of justice.

First off, why the hell is there a law separating adult and children's recipient lists?  If its a matching organ that fits into the body without rejection risk i doesn't matter.  This is something the doctors should worry about not fucking legality.  Those of us needing transplants don't really make laws, we don't have a lobby.  This issue should never have been weighed on by non transplant people.  You have so little knowledge on the subject its offensive to even hear you speak.  You remember the southpark about the N word and how you don't get it?  Well you don't fucking get it!  I am an O negative blood type the worst list to wait on, why the hell would you divide that list to make it worse?  Why would you make it worse specifically for Kids, it's not like adults can really even take an organ from a kid.

Kathleen Sebelius you are a coward!  if you don't have power you cancel everything for the day, week or month and go talk to people.  Figure out how to resolve this issue, who to talk to, whatever.  You help this little girl.  If blows my mind you would suggest someone of your title does not have power to effect change.  It blows my mind even more that you will not start making phone calls until you get someone who does?

Here is the deal, screw politics, help the girl.  You are failing at what makes us Americans great, helping each other.  One person doing what they can for other is beyond politics, and a girl with failing organs needs help?  Moral and just people help!  I am a callous malicious bastard but I want to look myself in the mirror and not be disgusted, how are you going to?  I would go into work late if I saw a someone hurt on the road and I was the only person there to help.  That is all i am asking, call Obama this will fix his image with the IRS crap.  Just get her help.

Right now it seems the only solution seems to get all the adult lung transplant list to pass on the next compatible organ.  That is pretty hard for a lung, us kidney folks had dialysis they have death.  If even one of those people waiting takes a pass they would be risking their own life,  Kathleen Sebelius what have you risked?

Campaign seed: The goblins of Parra part 10

A few more story points for this campaign seed.  let me know if you use any of em.


Title: The goblin market
Minimum Threat: 75
Story: The horde is pressed into holding the next goblin market in their territory.  Guirrzek has placed the team as security of sorts for the many markets.  Things are going as well as could be expected when a goblin steels an artifact of unimaginable evil.  The party mus track him down inside the sprawling area of the market.
Skill Success: The party tracks the goblin theif back to a dark area of the market where he meets a dark elf and passes the item over.  The party watches helpless as the dark elf murders the goblin and uses magic to escape.  Move directly on to "The Portal" story point
Failure: Party are unable to track the item or unwilling, though its location quickly becomes known.  A blast is heard from a pass above that is the location of an ancient dwarven dam.  The Elf seems to be using the artifact to take down the damn.  Move on to "The Dam"



Title: The Portal
Minimum Threat: 75
Story: With the assistance of the Druid met in previous session the party are able to determine the location the portal connected to.   This should be done with the druid stepping the party through their senses and asking question of smell, sight and sound, along with his magic.  Use the party to get half way there then confirm with his magic.

The party are sent to an old dwarven holdfast.  This could have been cleared in the warriors arc, making it easy.  The party must do that story point if they have not already.  The party then moves through the caverns to the underground.
Skill Success: The party finds tracks but determines they double back.  The party is able to work their way but to see a secret meeting with Guirrzek and the elf.  Move on to The Coverup
Failure: Party will probably continue in the underground areas of the mountain.  I will be working on more story points for this later on, for now work some out yourself.



Title: The cover up
Minimum Threat: 75
Story:The party finds they have been duped by their clan lord.  They are instructed to continue the cover up so the clan can steal the artifact without anyone knowing.   Party are told to take charges back to the underground and blow after planting further evidence  
Skill Success: The party are a awarded 1000gp of magical items from the treasury from Guirrzek. Stealth of clan is increased.
Failure: Scheme is discovered and clan is attacked by minotaur clan that owned the artifact.  Full scale battle ensues.  If battle is won clan worth is restored with additional 30 threat, if not Guirrzek is seriously wounded many goblins are killed at least 20.  Clan potentially displayed.


Title: The Damn
Minimum Threat: 75
Story: The party investigates the blasts at the dam and find the dark elf is using the artifact to bring it down.  The elf seems determined to cover his get away with the artifact.
Battle Success: 2000gp of gold and equipment added to the treasury, leather magical light weapons.  Threat increased by 5.
Failure: The dam is not fully brought down but a torrent of water rushes through the valley causing problems.  Redraw valley map, goblins are potentially displaced.  Full clan boundaries redrawn.

Playtest 1.e

Well we actually ran a round of combat and wow big changes are needed.  I understand I set up two uneven forces but wow players executed the opposing force in a round pretty much.  I am going to have to really tone down gun successes and really think more about setting up cover.  The following are comments I got from the plays, paraphrased.

• It felt like we were soldiers killing off civilians.
• A shooting success is very powerful you basically always hit with it.
• You should combine the damage successes and shooting roll into a single one
• I don't understand how damage and wounds are connected.
• Crescent Star you are a bad person and smell.

I am listing them so its clear what came out of the game session.  Some I agree with, some i have even called out before.  Some I agree with but  wont change and  I don't think I am a bad person.  Here are some of the problems and action items I personally noticed in play.

1. My chart for size is reversed so its easier to hit smaller targets, that is just wrong.
2. Gun damage was way too high. A damage s1 for a firearm is around where it needs to be.  The S4 sniper rifle I had in play was insane and should have been reserved for heavy ordinance.   
3. Range was too long on weapons.  I think hexes are troublesome too.  I may go to inches and use a yard stick.
4. Cover train must be used by combatants and needs to be thought out before hand by the GM not just thrown out there.
5. The players didn't seems to think much of the idea of using damage successes for extra damage.  

Quotes heard from a D&D game.

I'm not into racism or sexism, I have found my hate for an individual is exquisitely  more delightful.

Not having your order ready in the drive thru is like a racial slur to us fat people.

Have them dig one less grave, that way they will think one of them can get out of it, if they tell us what we want.

Make him look it up

You can suck a rainbow of dicks my friend.  That is where you line them up by skin tone, its more orderly.

Dagon can sleep with the fishes! Dude I don't think you get Dagon.

Stop playing Dungeons and Dragons, 40K will make a man out of you

I just don't get these new Ca gun laws

With the recent news of California senate passing sweeping changes to the gun laws of this state I have seriously begun to question the future of this state. I almost see a future where guns need to be smuggled out of the state like they are escaping Nazi Germany.  Then there is this issue where we are supposed to maintain tracking on ammunition purchases, which begs the question how many times a year will folks be making a run to Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.

What I am beginning to see is a gun underground railroad combined with firearms tourism.  I see some sort of high security rental storage location in a gun supportive state holding our guns for us, should we not want to risk confiscation for owning a Ruger 10/22. They would need to function something like the old speak easy places so that makes the mob probably the best folks to run them, Vegas is local too.

I have a confession in truth I have no guns that would be effected by these laws, I'm into airsoft.  But that will still have my dad registering and putting my grandfathers Sears and Robuck 22 and my great grandfathers 1903 at risk.  These are guns that have come down through the family and are the only heirlooms we have, they have been passed down through inheritance.  Putting either of those at risk puts a bad task in my mouth.  If either was put into harms way i would get them out of state and into the hands of family members that would protect them, even if that meant breaking the law.  I understand the laws do not currently challenge those two models.  But laws change and I may not just be speaking for myself here but others in similar situations.

Generally speaking I do not even understand the current national firearms debate right now.  Whats with all this hate for magazines with over ten shot capacity.  If you look at a 1911 it holds 7, why because that was how big it was.  The Glock 21 holds 13 because that is how many fit in it as its double stacked unlike the 1911.  These are not high capacity they are just what fits in the gun.  The FN 5.7 holds 20, why small bullets so it fits more.  Limiting just seems arbitrary and desires to drive us back 100 years of mechanical innovation.

Rifle pistol grips confound me too.  I have done some fencing so here check this out, its an orthopedic grip for when your hand is messed up.  Its pretty much what Christopher Lee used in Star Wars, because your wrist goes with fencing, its like our tennis elbow.  You need something better designed for your hands natural grip, viola the pistol err orthopedic grip.  It makes holding the thing much easier.  Same for a rifle, I am old and have drawn too much over my life i need an orthopedic rifle grip or something.

If we want to have a real debate on the issue, lets.  Will limiting guns have an effect on violence in this country? No, not unless you are talking the wholesale disarmament of our nation.  If your argument is correct that guns available to the public is correct we have to assume that if any firearm are available to the public there will be a path into the hands of criminals and psychopaths. It only stands that a 90% or higher reduction in firearms will be required to cull gun violence to desirable numbers.  But should this be attempted there would be insurrection at the hands of certain gun owners.  If you are really going to push for one you are effectively calling for the other to occur.  This I don't get.

Campaign Seed: The goblins of Parra part 9

A few more story points for The Warriors story arc.  Yes this is 100% referring to the 1979 movie of the same name.  I just through it would be a fun challenge to be battling their way home through enemy lines.



Title: The Warriors (The forest oracle)
Minimum Threat: 80
Story: The party still on the run stumbles upon a meeting of two clan leaders and a mysterious woman.  This takes place under a tree that is filled with the bodies of hung men, elves and monstrous humanoids.  The two clan champions immediately attack the party.  The woman does not.
Battle Success: 100 gold is added to the treasury.  Threat increased by 5. Thigpen the dryad offers the party advice on how to escape and who may be behind the attack.  She sees members of the Cloven Helm goblin horde being involved
Stealth Success: Thigpen the dryad offers the party advice on how to escape and who may be behind the attack.  She sees members of the Cloven Helm goblin horde being involved
Failure: One of the captains blows his horn and calls for more to come to the area.  The Dryad urges the party to run and vaguely points to a high range of hills to the east.


Title: The Warriors (The Dwarven Holdfast)
Minimum Threat: 80
Story: Directed to run by Thigpen the party has taken an eastward turn to an area of the mountains the goblins usually avoid.  The area is the site of an old dwarven hold that is perhaps haunted.  Those who venture to close do not return.

The party will not be followed in this area but if they venture into the hold they will be attacked.  The Dwarves there are highly defensive of their hold.  Perhaps there is more here to deal with and a means of strengthening the goblins.  A path to the drow lands?  An artifact?
Battle Success: 450 worth of goods are here, crossbows, axes and armor all of high quality. Resupply consumables.
Failure: Party remains on the run and continue without resupply.  Fight off the party but don't have them too hurt on this fight. 



Title: The Warriors (King of the unbroken oath)
Minimum Threat: 80
Story: The party still on the run are met by the Unbroken Oath clan of hobgoblins at the foot of the mountain.  This will be one of the two final battles in this arc.  This fight is meant to have a break point in it.  The fight will either end with a withdrawal on the Hobgoblins part or delayed combat until after dealing with the assassins.
Battle Success: 1000 gold is added to the treasury in jewelery and significant magic weapon .  Threat increased by 20.  Clan Battle rating increased
Diplomacy Success: Party delays combat with Unbroken Oath clan until Cloven Helms are confronted.  Clan diplomacy increase.
Failure: This arc should be played to party wipe, players are expected to leave comrades that have fallen.  This is on the the dramatic high points of the campaign so killing off players is fine.


Title: The Warriors (Clove helms come out to play_ay)
Minimum Threat: 80
Story: The Party have delayed combat with the Unbroken Oath clan or killed them.  They are now marching on the Cloven Helms.  They have a known location and the Party joined by other horde warriors come to battle.  This should be a full clan on clan fight.  Party are able to directly confront clan leaders while others deal with the warriors of the clan.  If party wishes to participate in full scale clan war let them. 

When Cloven Helm leaders are confronted they should be a party of mixed goblinoids.  These must be wiped out for the arc to be complete.
Battle Success: Clan leaders are magically disguised humans and demi humans.  It seems to be the humans are working to sew conflict between the tribes.  5000 gold is added to the treasury.  Threat increased by 25.  Clan Battle rating increase.  Cloven helms collapse and land is lost you gain 20 further warriors and 50 noncombatant goblinoids.  The Unbroken Oath become allies and work to call of the hunt.
Failure: This arc should be played to party wipe, players are expected to leave comrades that have fallen.  This is on the the dramatic high points of the campaign so killing off players is fine.

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 8

These series is meant to introduce a story arc involving another goblin tribe called the Night Fangs.  They live deeper in the Parra region of the mountains and have less outside contact.  They are less combat focused and have increased their magical abilities beyond that of Guirrzek's tribe.


Title: The Gypsies
Minimum Threat: 80
Story: A group of traveling humans have set up their camp near the goblin territory.  Guirrzek sends the part out of raid them.  The camp is made up of wagons with a few defenders and is generally meant to be easy meat for the goblins.
Battle Success: 100 gold is added to the treasury.  Threat increased by 5.  Treasure is non combative in nature mainly items of comfort. Move Directly onto The Curse story point.
Failure: Gypsies maintain camp and goblin tribe is ridiculed by other monstrous humaniods.  Threat decreases 10 per season the gypsies remain.  If they remain a year unlock " The Assassin" and run that story point where Guirrzek has an attempt on his life.


Title: The Curse
Minimum Threat: 80
Story:  Someone the goblins have raided has revenge on their mind.  They are approached by a woman in rags who commands powerful magic.  She is able to walk into the camp unmolested and place a Curse on the tribe.  60 goblins must die, four per man, for the curse to be lifted. 

Guirrzek sends the party to deal with the Night Fangs to search for a way to break the curse. 
Diplomacy Success: Goblins shaman will accompany the party back to their home.  Tribe Diplomacy increased.   After success the Night fang cheif is killed and the party fingered for it.  Move on to "the Warriors" story point
Murder and Kidnap Success: Goblins fight off a few of the night fangs and make off with a shaman tied up.  Threat increased by 10.  Move onto "The Warriors" story point.
Failure: The Night Fang chief is killed and the party is fingered move onto "the Warriors"


Title: The Warriors (night fangs)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: After the problems dealing with the night fangs the party is on the run in foreign territory.  runners have been sent across the valley fingering the party for the murder and a price is on their heads.  Various war clans are formed to hunt down the party.  The first of the encounters is a group of night fangs tracking down the party.
Battle Success: 25gp of treasure added to the treasury.  Healing potions and invisibility potions are available for party use, consider them restocked on arrows and other goods.  Threat increased by 5.  Move onto The Warriors (The Orphans).
Failure:This arc should be played to party wipe, players are expected to leave comrades that have fallen.  This is on the the dramatic high points of the campaign so killing off players is fine.


Title: The Warriors (orphans)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: Still on the run the party encounter a tribe called orphans, the exiles of other tribes.  These goblins are not willing to fight at first.  The party can talk their way through but its up to the game master to decide if exiles from the parties own clan complicate the issue forcing a battle.
Diplomacy Success: Clan diplomacy increased.  Move onto The Warriors (The Bulls).
Battle Success: 75gp of treasure added to the treasury.  Healing potions are available for party use, consider them restocked on arrows and other goods.  Threat increased by 5.  Move onto The Warriors (The Bulls).
Failure:This arc should be played to party wipe, players are expected to leave comrades that have fallen.  This is on the the dramatic high points of the campaign so killing off players is fine.


Title: The Warriors (The Bulls)
Minimum Threat: 85
Story: Still on the run the party a group of minotaurs are now looking to collect the price on the parties heads.  They are able to track and attack the party at a clearing.  Good stealth on the parties part could reverse this so the party can attack first.
Battle Success: 275gp of treasure added to the treasury.  Party acquire a great axe of considerable power from the party leader.  Healing potions are available for party use, consider them restocked on arrows and other goods.  Threat increased by 15.  Move onto The Warriors (?).
Failure:This arc should be played to party wipe, players are expected to leave comrades that have fallen.  This is on the the dramatic high points of the campaign so killing off players is fine.

It's you I like

I am for you my friend.  You just you!  The individual that can sit down and tell me whats wrong.  I don't understand when you become a word or a dissolve away into a bigger whole.  I don't want to be a part of a crowd that washes over us and makes us conform.  I don't! I will retreat and fade away if I am to change and rename my thoughts, I will be my own alone. Some of you have marched slow on the ideas that all must hold or they are evil.  Where has it got?  You seem more a commodity to be sold or bought.  And you deem my side is the reason, I have no side I am only me.  Some may sound the same, be we haven't talked to see if we agree, we are all alone in wanting to be genuine to ourselves.  No one wants our flawed ideas to take root and sicken your shallow little family.  But you I believe in, just you as the uncategorized chaos you can be, that I confidence in.  Be the wild chances and conviction for idea great that the self.  Well not greater than the perceiving self, but the dimmed diminished self that walks through the halls and agrees for fear of sit out obtuse and wrong.  The one in the crowd that shouts down anyone who seems wrong.  It is you I like.

Campaign Seed: The goblins of Parra part 7

A few more story points for the goblins of parra


Title: The lost Sheep
Minimum Threat: 70
Story: Sheep are turning up all over the hill side. At first they were a tasty treat but then their were more.  So many they have begun to worry Guirrzek.  A few sheep are lost all the time are farmers planning on making this their pasture land?  Is this the precursor to greater conflicts with the humans?  Guirrzek tells the party to find a few shepherds in the area and bring them back for torture and questioning.
Battle Success: 10 gold is added to the treasury.  Sheep continue to mill around the area, trolls are drawn to the area unlocking "into the fire. Threat increased by 1
Failure: Guirzzeks fears are realized with a party of adventures operating in the area unlocking "out of the frying pan."


Title: Into the fire
Minimum Threat: 70
Story: Sheep are attacking trolls to the area,  a band of perhaps four of the brutes is now operating in the area.  They are challenging the goblins directly trying to gain control of their assets, even their home.  The trolls must be hunted down and murdered.  When found the trolls are fighting a trio of bugbears. 
Battle Success: 350 gold is added to the treasury. Threat is increased by 30.  Map is found that points the players back to their lair. remaining bugbears join the Horde.
Failure: Trolls begin eating goblins!  Every week a goblin is lost until the threat is dealt with Guirrzek exiles the party if they don't deal with it in a month


Title: Out of the frying pan
Minimum Threat: 70
Story: An adventuring party of leave near the groups is operating in the area.  They are killing demi humans as they encounter them.  Not always directly goblins but enough to worry Guirrzek and send the party to kill them in their sleep.
Stealth Success: 550 gold is added to the treasury in the form of minor magic weapons and armor. stealth rating for clan increases. Threat increases 5
Battle Success: 550 gold is added to the treasury in the form of minor magic weapons and armor. Battle rating for clan increases. Threat increases 10
Failure: 1-4 Goblins are killed per season as are other monstrous humanoids.  A gathering is called to deal with the external threat.  Unlock "A price on their heads"

Title: A Price on their heads
Minimum Threat: 70
Story: Goblin party must race to kill and bring back the heads of the adventuring party.  Other monsters have their own parties hunting.  Depending how this goes the meat of the plot point is fighting over the heads.  The party can kill the adventures or someone else.  Who ever had the heads should be attacked constantly to get the bag of heads. 
Battle Success with party: 550 gold is added to the treasury in the form of minor magic weapons and armor. Battle rating for clan increases. Threat increases 10
Success returning with the heads: Clan gains a position of mouth piece for the area. Unlock the Parra valley story points.
Failure: The clan is often in a position where they are dictated to and taxed.  

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 6

Here is another round of story points for the Goblins of Parra


Title: Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires
Minimum Threat: 65
Story: The hordes strength continues to grow having faced outside threats but now a less concrete threat is approaching the goblins home.  A forest fire seems to have sprung up out of nowhere and is threatening the entire valley and hillside. Guirrzek has plans to hold out in the creek to the south but it is a days march to a point that can contain the horde safely.

The party are to serve as a vanguard and deal with any threats ahead of the main column of goblins.  There will be at least on encounter with orcs trying to escape the fire.  This can be dealt with in combat or diplomacy.  Animals are less likely to attack but large spiders remain aggressive and will attack the party
Non Combat Success with Orcs:  No threat or treasure, orc are aware of goblin horde now but will remain away for at least four seasons. They have a 25% chance of attacking thereafter, this is increased by 5% per season.
Battle Success with Orcs: 65 gold is added to the treasury and armor and equipment. 
Battle Success with Spiders: no result
Failure with dealing with Orcs: Horde and orcs hold up in fire.  Goblins become better regarded by orc's on dealing with fire.  5 Goblins are lost through.
Failure with dealing with Spiders: Horde end up with 1 death and one incapacitated after pushing through spiders.



Title: Burnt Offerings
Minimum Threat: 65
Story:Follows the forest fire story point.  As the clan clean up after the fire they are attacked by burnt undead in the form of woodland animals and monstrous humanoids lost in the fire.  Party is sent do deal with these and investigate the source.  Many other groups report the same attacks as those the goblins faced.  They seem to be directed.  Finally it is determined there is a necromancer working in the area as signs in the forest indicated dark magic.
Noncombat Success: Party gain 5% to the next loot award.
Battle Success with Orcs: 65 gold is added to the treasury and armor and equipment. 
Failure: Attacks continue, after a season of attacks a gathering of the tribes in held to deal with this threat.



Title: The Necromancer
Minimum Threat: 65
Story: Either through the Burnt Offerings story point or other means party determines location of  the necromancer.  They are tasked with bringing his head back.
Battle Success with Orcs: 1,200 gold is added to the treasury and armor and equipment. Much of this magical.  Clan's magic rating is increased.  Threat increased by 15.
Failure: Attacks continue, If the necromancer flees he will find another base of operation and continue attacks from afar.  


Title: The Exiles
Minimum Threat: 75
Story: A group of goblins have petitioned Guirrzek to allow them to set up a far watch point on the grounds of a tower that was once held by a necromancer.  Word had come that they group has taken to the dark arts.  Guirrzek does not allow this and demands them cast out, the party is sent.
Success: Goblins are driven out without significant killing.  Party gains 200gp from treasury
Failure: Guirrzek sends another party to deal with the problem in disgust demanding 50gp of treasure returned by each member of the party.

A look at the Mekton Kickstarter!

Ok even last week I thought Mike Pondsmith needs to get back in the game and needs to do something with Cyberpunk.  I guess I was on to something as here he comes walking down the street with Mekton in kickstarter form.  I think this is the best way to rebuild R. Talisoran games! I am fantastically enthusiastic to say here fucking support this one.

Go for the $25 level at the minimum.  

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1888572386/mekton-zero?ref=category

I think this is the best way to support a gaming legend and get him back into the game space.  I want to succeed in a way that gets the company started again and rolling enough to say screw it Cyberpunk gets a new revision of the rules in fusion.

I want to see some stretch goals get forced on Uncle Mikey because this goes viral!  I don't know if its just me but there is a kickstarter for a big game going into revisions. The stretch rewards just don't seem right for a game that is well supported and up on the shelves right now.  Getting R. Talisoran back on its feet seems like a reward in itself.  This just seems more sincere an effort.

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 5

Another post for the Goblin's of Parra campaign seed idea for you. Some of these occur after a home has been established


Title: Elven Hunting party
Minimum Threat: 30
Story: The Clan has established a homeland and are growing.  A major outside threat has encroached on their lands with a hunting party of elves killing goblinoids in the area.  Guirrzek send the party to track and murder the party at night.

This should be a small group of perhaps two green warriors and one tracker leader.  They should be equipped with elven armor, short swords, dagger and bows.  They will have 120 arrows between them.
Stealth and Murder success: 65 gold is added to the treasury as are the armor and weapons above.  Clan is upgraded in stealth.  Threat increased but 15
Battle Success: 65 gold is added to the treasury and armor and equipment.  Threat increased by 15 and the clan is upgraded in battle.
Failure without attacking: Elves go on attacking goblinoids.  There is a 25% this will trigger the Gathering of the Tribes plot point with the elves being the major point of conversation.  There is a 10% Elves will attack the goblin home with expanded force.
Failure to murder: 20 gold  per victim is added to treasury as is a portion of armor and weapons.  The Elves flee and the area is quiet until next, non winter, season.  Elves then return with stronger force 20% chance elves attack goblin home.



Title: Goblin Hood
Minimum Threat: 1
Story: A goblin in the clan is noted for his skill with rocks and slings.  If party pass along a bow
Skill Success:  Clan archery skill is upgraded, twice if elven bow.
Failure: No change






Title: A Gathering of the tribes
Minimum Threat: 35
Story: Guirrzek and clan representatives are summoned to a gathering of local monstrous leaders.  The is a roleplaying session with heavy use of intimidation, bluffing and wits.  There is no battle option as players are meant to be part of mixed guard retinue.
Skill Success:  Clan is left alone by other humaniod groups for a year as their respect is earned.  Goblin Market opened to clan.
Failure: Clan is required to deal with an external threat without further resources.  Goblin market is opened to clan after they successfully deal with threat.






Title: The logging camp
Minimum Threat:50
Story: Bumbling loggers Marty and Sherman are captured when they try to cut down trees in the Goblin's Territory.  Guirzzek is concerned that more with come either looking for the pair or intruding on the goblins area.  The party is to take the pair back to the logging camp and barter for their return.
Skill Success:  Clan is left alone, threat is decreased by 10, and clan increases diplomatic value.
Battle Success: The mill and logging camp i s going to be a real challenge.  There will be at least ten men armed with axes to defend the camp and mill.  The camp has a cache of axes and digging equipment along with a sum of 400 gold that is added to the goblin treasury if captured.  Threat increased but 10.  Clans battle rating is increased.
Failure without attacking: A search party is sent out who will attack the goblin home.  If this is defeated increase threat by 5 and another more battle hardened party attacks the goblin home.  This continues until the logging camp is dealt with
Failure to murder: Some of the loggers flea and word gets back to the logging companies investors.  They send out a full party of adventures to deal with the area.  They will have a 25% per season of attacking goblin home.  If killed threat is increased by 20 and a second party is sent, they are of seasoned adventures.  If they are dealt with add 10 threat, but the attacks stop.

Thoughts on justice

Karma isn't real, justice doesn't just happen.  Justice doesn't exist as a universal force, outside the minds of men.  Justice is enacted by a determined person whom takes up its cause or is taken up by it them self.  Justice isn't wanted, but rather hated as are it's agents. 

Faith says turn the cheek or not cast the first stone.  Society demands the impotence of the individual for some consensus that makes a mockery of the just.  Legality feels in direct opposition to justice.  And all claim the one main is a fool who speaks for the just.

In this we have made those guilty brazen with no fear of the just as we leash them like a dog.  The wide average seem to fear this man to rebuffs the comfortable deindividuation everyone seems so desperate to find.  The unpresent drunk existing inside a crowd.  Those on high had the man who does not bow down, and cuts a path that does not conform to the powerless they demand of him.

I do not understand the sickened words of who are you to judge, the wronged most of all are.  How are you so blind not to see.  Where is the rehabilitation in your justice, so often said.  Where is the retribution in yours I ask.  What evils have become now that we shy away, what a bitter bloom.  

Campaign Seed: The Goblins of Parra part 4

A few more dealing with the early stages of the Hordes growth.


Title: Horseflesh
Story: After the establishment of a home,Guirrzek has tasked the group with gathering food for the tribe.  The party know of some wild horses in the area and head their way to gather some horse meat.  Upon arrival they encounter a group of Kobolds with similar ideas.  This is not meant as a seriously scene of conflict but more a comedic one where both group prove rather inept.  The skill checks should be difficult for the party and some wild planning required.
Skill Success:  The team gain 10 gold of treasure from the Hordes current treasure.  The Clan eats well and are Guirrzek remains in high regard.
Battle Success with acquire of Horse meat: As above but the company also gain a map of the area and location of the Kobold Lair.  Kobold attack becomes possible.
Failure: The clan goes hungry and 1 warrior is removed from the total horde strength.


Title: Goblins stole my baby
Story: After the success with the horses Guirzzek requests his favorite meat human baby!  The farm house you visited early on in the quest was heard to have a crying child and the party are directed there
Stealth Success:  The team gain 20 gold of treasure from the Hordes current treasure.  Tribe stealth increase again
Battle Success with acquire of baby: Party is awarded a 5 gold item but warned of their actions.  Threat increased by 10 , but tribe battle skill is increased
Failure: Next treasure pay out reduced by 5 gp.


Title: Cross Town Rivals
Story: Kobold lair is located and Guirrzek decides to deal with competition.   The party are tasked with rooting out the clan.  Two light combatant goblins aid the party in this goal.
Battle Success: The party deal with enough of the Kobolds to send the rest fleeing.  They are able to claim 75 gold of treasure from the Kobold's treasure that is now the goblin hordes.  This warren can be used by the clan as a well defended structure.  Threat increases by 10 in a season when word reaches other factions.
Failure: The kobold's have a 10% chance per season of being overtaken.  Since most monsters do not value the warren there are few who care to deal with them.. Dwarves would kill them outright and leave the warren for subterranean creatures to over take.  Similarly a dragon may take the kobold's on as minions and the warren would be left.  Finally exiles from the Goblin Horde could also be found here.


Title: Watchtower
Story: This can play anywhere into the story. Dwarves have taken over an old watch tower on a hillside.  They seems to be sending out parties to explore and map the area.  Guirrzek worries this is a forerunner of expansion and wants them taken out.
Battle Success: The dwarves are defeated and 500 gp of items are added to the horde.  Many are adventuring items but there are several high quality axes and a high quality crossbow.  Threat increase by 15.  This structure can be used as a home that is highly defensible.
Failure: The dwarves are probably not going anywhere, but there is a 5% chance they will be overtaken and turned into undead by a necromancer.  Defeating them undead or alive has similar rewards to the battle success

Kickstarter thoughts and a look at the Deadzone kickstarter

Roleplaying game Kickstarters we have a problem.  You guys want to much cash for your efforts and it's hurting our branch of the hobby.  I hope you folks don't take this personal, like I am coming down on you I am just commenting on a difference I have noticed.  Miniatures are succeeding in a big way on kick start and role playing games are stumbling through the finish line.

I have an idea about this.  I think the minis product lines are taking this less as a source of funding for development but rather solely for production.  If you look at the recent Robotech it had a funding goal of 70,0000 and a similar minis game called dead zone is at 50,000.   They have hit so many stretch goals its not funny.  Then you have something like Exalted that wanted 60,000 for a book that was a new edition to a product link with a mountain of support. Holdfast is struggling to hit its 20,000, I hope it does and think it will but not sure.

Then you have witch hunter which which did well with at 10,000 goal that it nearly doubled.  Fate Core though is the best example having only a 3,000 goal and breaks all barriers known to man.  I think this shows RPG projects need to be very complete before hitting the kickstarter gravy train.  It appears a completed product with a goal of covering printing and shipping of a few physical books should be a goal to start with. 

The markets are just very different but its very hard to compete with someone offering miniatures at a dollar a pop.  These products end up reinventing the packaging of miniatures games in general and changing their markets.  How are we going to offer a book or two and really seem like a compatible value.

As I mentioned i wanted to throw some love to Deadzone.  If you look at this game its going crazy and still has enough time on the books to do much more.  Even at the $40 scout edition of the game you get a starter with thirteen minis, which seems a pretty good amount per force size.  At $100 you get two of the factions scenery and extras. This is around the price point role playing game drop a printed book or two.  This has got to be kicking Games Workshop in the balls as you can see these folks are proving their pricing is bullshit.

The question I ask is what do we do to offer a product that challenges these games.  Do game kickstarters need to start covering massive full game in a book tomes?  Dice and counters included in the package like the old Torg book.   How about 3-d printed miniatures support of the product line?

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1744629938/deadzone-the-sci-fi-miniatures-board-game?ref=live