Day 28
A purple sparkly d12.
Monday, October 28, 2024
Sunday, October 27, 2024
October Horror Movie Challenge: Ghostbusters
Got a chance to check out the two new(er) Ghostbusters movies and I had a blast with them. The two questions that come up here are "Are they horror?" and "What do they have to do with D&D?" The first is "who cares, they have the trappings of horror" and the second, "yeah, for me they do."
Given that the two movies have the same cast and are continuations of the original Ghostsbusters (1984, 1989) I will talk about them together.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
This series follows up on the original 1980s with the estranged family (daughter and grandkids) of Egon Spengler (the late Harold Ramis). They move out to Oklahoma, where Egon had been hiding. There is a prophecy about the return of Gozer. The plot is a bit silly to be honest, but the story is a lot of fun.
What really sets this movie apart is the cast. Yes, we get Ray, Peter, Winston, and Janine back, all played by their original actors. Even a bit of CGI and Ivan Reitman playing Harold Ramis as the the now dead Egon. But the real stand outs are the new cast, especially McKenna Gract as Phoebe, the granddaughter of Egon. I have seen her in a lot of movies since Gifted (2017), where she played a seven-year-old math genius. Here she is not far from that. She is a genius and the spitting image of Egon.
We also get Finn Wolfhard as her older brother Trevor. He is sorta the comic relief here and that works. Paul Rudd is here playing seismologist turned science teacher. Carrie Coon plays mother (and Egon's daughter) Callie Spengler. New characters include the entertaining Podcast (Logan Kim) and Lucky (Celeste O'Connor).
They have to battle Gozer again, but that is fine. Gozzer this time is played by Olivia Wilde and her voice is done by Shohreh Aghdashloo. I mean, what a combination.
The most fun of this movie is watching all the references to the first two movies and other horror movies/shows, including Stranger Things. Lots of cameos; stick around for Sigourney Weaver. And special cameo/casting of J. K. Simmons plays Ivo Shandor, looking and sounding just like Ketheric Thorm.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
This one is not quite as good, but it has some fun moments. This one expands on the Ghostbuster myths and makes the case for more sequels. Winston Zeddemore, now an entrepreneur, funds all sorts of Ghostbuster related technology and keeps the whole place funded.
The cast is the same with the additions of Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. We even get the return of William Atherton as Mayor Walter Peck. For the record I have heard from people I know that William Atherton is actually one of the nicest guys you can ever meet.
There are good moments, the battle at the end is a lot of fun. The big bad, Gahraka is rally scary looking and that is great. Nice to see Dan Ackroyd is still crazy.
Confession, I thought it was great that McKenna Grace's Phoebe was the hero of both movies.
The first movie was dedicated to Harold Ramis and this one was dedicated to Ivan Reitman.
Featured Monster: Ghosts and Ghostbusters
These movies, even the originals, had no influence on the D&D books, but they had a huge effect on my games. I loved playing undead hunting clerics and even created special gens to fight and trap ghosts. Yeah, they're not original, but hey, I was 14.
There are lot of ideas here for a game. Maybe a "Ghost Hunting" game for NIGHT SHIFT!
October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
Viewed: 39
First Time Views: 19
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 27 October; Doctor Seward's Diary
More updates from Seward about Mina.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
27 October, Noon.—Most strange; no news yet of the ship we wait for. Mrs. Harker reported last night and this morning as usual: “lapping waves and rushing water,” though she added that “the waves were very faint.” The telegrams from London have been the same: “no further report.” Van Helsing is terribly anxious, and told me just now that he fears the Count is escaping us. He added significantly:—
“I did not like that lethargy of Madam Mina’s. Souls and memories can do strange things during trance.” I was about to ask him more, but Harker just then came in, and he held up a warning hand. We must try to-night at sunset to make her speak more fully when in her hypnotic state.
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Mina reports nothing new. I have wondered whether or not the Count could lie to Mina about what he sees and hears. She is getting this information as if it were from a mis-wired wireless set; something used to receive instead of transmit or something like that.
Obviously our hunters should have seen sight of the ship by now.
Horror Movies will resume...
Slept through the night last night.
Yesterday I got up after only a couple of hours of sleep. Voted and my wife said "Hey it is beautiful outside, lets go on a hike."
So six miles later I crashed.
Slept now, will resume tonight.
Saturday, October 26, 2024
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 26 October; Doctor Seward's Diary
Seward gives some more updates.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
26 October.—Another day and no tidings of the Czarina Catherine. She ought to be here by now. That she is still journeying somewhere is apparent, for Mrs. Harker’s hypnotic report at sunrise was still the same. It is possible that the vessel may be lying by, at times, for fog; some of the steamers which came in last evening reported patches of fog both to north and south of the port. We must continue our watching, as the ship may now be signalled any moment.
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Not much here. More examples of the Count controlling the weather.
Interesting how he was such a presence in the first part of the book and now he has no lines to speak of.
Friday, October 25, 2024
October Horror Movie Challenge: Land of the Minotaur (1976)
So today I was weeding through some of my boxed sets of questionable horror DVDs when I found it. Donald Pleasance even has top billing on the cover. Sadly the movie itself doesn't hold up the search I have been on for it.
Land of the Minotaur (1976)
I mentioned it is also The Devil's Men, was a Greek/British production starring Donald Pleasence and Peter Cushing. In a turn around, Pleasance plays the good guy Father Roche and Peter Cushing plays our bad guy, cultist Baron Corofax.
The movie centers around the idea that a Minotaur is still somehow alive and worshipped as a god. OR it is really demon. OR it is just a statue what has jets of fire coming out of it's nose. Hard to say really.
A group of Archeology student go missing and Father Roche calls up his friend private detective Milo Kaye (Kostas Karagiorgis) to help him and survivor Laurie Gordon (Luan Peters) investigate.
They discover a cult lead by Cushing who sacrifices outsiders to the minotaur.
Standard cult fare really. There is confusion as to whether or not this minotaur is a minotaur or some manifestation of the Devil. Father Roche is able to keep the cultists (most of the village) at bay with a cross. Note: Father Roche is an Irish Catholic priest, but uses what looks like an Eastern Orthodox cross.
They find the cult, and Father Roche blows up the minotaur (stone on the outside, soft squishy guts on the inside) using holy water.
Yeah it is not great, but not a bad little cult movie. The American version is 8 minutes shorter than the European version, as can be expected really. There is a whole scene I guess where Milo and Laurie have sex that is not on my DVD.
Featured Monster: Minotaur
The Minotaur of Greek myth was a unique creature. Thus it had certain gravitas or even a god-like quality about it. It was the monster in the labyrinth, whom sacrifices had to be made. Multiple minotaurs in a game make them just ogres with bull horns.
BUT the thing this movie does do well is show how terrifying a single minotaur can be to a group 0-level Humans. The factor in the whole Minotaur as a god thing and getting damaged by holy water, just make him into Baphomet. Now suddenly the movie makes much more sense.
October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
Viewed: 37
First Time Views: 17
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 25 October; Doctor Seward's Diary
Seward gives us some updates and laments doing it all by hand.
Dr. Seward’s Diary.
25 October.—How I miss my phonograph! To write diary with a pen is irksome to me; but Van Helsing says I must. We were all wild with excitement yesterday when Godalming got his telegram from Lloyd’s. I know now what men feel in battle when the call to action is heard. Mrs. Harker, alone of our party, did not show any signs of emotion. After all, it is not strange that she did not; for we took special care not to let her know anything about it, and we all tried not to show any excitement when we were in her presence. In old days she would, I am sure, have noticed, no matter how we might have tried to conceal it; but in this way she is greatly changed during the past three weeks. The lethargy grows upon her, and though she seems strong and well, and is getting back some of her colour, Van Helsing and I are not satisfied. We talk of her often; we have not, however, said a word to the others. It would break poor Harker’s heart—certainly his nerve—if he knew that we had even a suspicion on the subject. Van Helsing examines, he tells me, her teeth very carefully, whilst she is in the hypnotic condition, for he says that so long as they do not begin to sharpen there is no active danger of a change in her. If this change should come, it would be necessary to take steps!... We both know what those steps would have to be, though we do not mention our thoughts to each other. We should neither of us shrink from the task—awful though it be to contemplate. “Euthanasia” is an excellent and a comforting word! I am grateful to whoever invented it.
It is only about 24 hours’ sail from the Dardanelles to here, at the rate the Czarina Catherine has come from London. She should therefore arrive some time in the morning; but as she cannot possibly get in before then, we are all about to retire early. We shall get up at one o’clock, so as to be ready.
25 October, Noon.—No news yet of the ship’s arrival. Mrs. Harker’s hypnotic report this morning was the same as usual, so it is possible that we may get news at any moment. We men are all in a fever of excitement, except Harker, who is calm; his hands are cold as ice, and an hour ago I found him whetting the edge of the great Ghoorka knife which he now always carries with him. It will be a bad lookout for the Count if the edge of that “Kukri” ever touches his throat, driven by that stern, ice-cold hand!
Van Helsing and I were a little alarmed about Mrs. Harker to-day. About noon she got into a sort of lethargy which we did not like; although we kept silence to the others, we were neither of us happy about it. She had been restless all the morning, so that we were at first glad to know that she was sleeping. When, however, her husband mentioned casually that she was sleeping so soundly that he could not wake her, we went to her room to see for ourselves. She was breathing naturally and looked so well and peaceful that we agreed that the sleep was better for her than anything else. Poor girl, she has so much to forget that it is no wonder that sleep, if it brings oblivion to her, does her good.
Later.—Our opinion was justified, for when after a refreshing sleep of some hours she woke up, she seemed brighter and better than she had been for days. At sunset she made the usual hypnotic report. Wherever he may be in the Black Sea, the Count is hurrying to his destination. To his doom, I trust!
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Seward has to write out his diary instead of recording. Ah the inconveniences of modern life.
They are tracking the Count, but it seems as they get closer and closer Mina is more and more affected. So much so that Seward is already thinking what will need to be done if she turns.
Pop Yourself! Larina
I am not a big collector of Funko-Pops. I have a few but not what I consider a lot. But recently I saw they had a Halloween (now over) promotion to get a Funko Pop figure of yourself. Well that is fine and all, but do I really need one of me? A blonde (er now gray) guy with glasses? I am not even sure I can get one with glasses and a goatee. (I just checked, I can). But since one of the choices was a witch, well I knew what I needed to do!
And since today is what I consider to be Larina's birthday, I thought I would share the Funko Pop I had made of her.
I did a re-paint on her hair, and yo see I messed up her eyebrows a bit. Still, I am happy with the hair. I opted not to repaint the rest of her. I am not really that good to be honest.
Here is the original.
Obsessive? Yeah maybe. But I always buy something for myself on Halloween. This was what I got for myself this year.
By the way, I did go back and see what a Funko Pop version of me would look like.
Not bad. Not sure I need it though.
Review: Van Richten's Arsenal, Vol 1
As you can see with the cover to the right, the scan is not very good. Though my order number confirms it was purchased from DriveThruRPG (or maybe RPGNow).
Van Richten's Arsenal, Vol 1
2002. By Andrew Cermak, John W. Mangrum, Ryan Naylor, Chris Nichols, Andrew Wyatt. Art by Jeff Holt, Brian LeBlanc and Talon Dunning. Softcover/PDF. 160 pages.
Of note, John W. Mangrum was very active in Ravenloft fandom during the 2e days. He was one of the main authors for the various Books of S___ produced by the Kargatane. Looking him up now I see he ended up with a few more official Ravenloft books under his belt. Happy to see that.
Ok. So why this book? Well it has a witch prestige class in it, so I had to buy it.
Introduction: Like many of the "Van Richten guides..." this one works under the conceit of have been started by the eponymous hunter of evil and completed by his various protégés.
Chapter One: Stake and Silver. This chapter deals with variou mundane tools used to hunt the supernatural creatures of Ravenloft.
Chapter Two: Faith and Fury. This covers new arcane and divine spells. There are quite a few good ones here too. Makes me wish this was an OGC book and not a licensed one. Spells are divided into offensive and defensive.
Chapter Three: Instruments of power. These are new magic items and other ways to enhance weapons.
Chapter Four: Bottled Lightning. Introduces alchemical devices and feats. It essentially gives us an alchemist class, or more to the point a way to build and alchemist out of any other class.
Chapter Five: Perilous Pursuit. These are our Prestige classes. They include Alchemical Philosopher, Anchorite of the Mists, Avenger, Crypt Raider, Dirgist, Guardian Seeker, Hallowed Witch, Knight of the Shadows, Pistoleer, and the Stygian Attendant. The Hallowed Witch was why I bought the book but these all were very fun. In some ways I miss Prestige Classes. I did have a Dirgist at one point as an NPC.
I should point out that this witch is again different than the witches that appeared in the AD&D 2nd Edition VanRichtens Guide to Witches. This witch for example HAS to be a spell caster first, and have both divine and arcane spellcasting. In 2nd ed the witch had to be anything but a spellcaster first.
This witch does have coven casting abilities too.
Chapter Six: Tricks and Tactics. This covers how to plan investigation and battles with the supernatural, and extra-normal elements of the demi-plane. This includes dealing with the Vistani, and how to research. Some details on various monster types are also covered. Such as vampires, liches and lycanthropes.
DM’s appendix: NPC stat sheet and detailed background for Gennifer and Laurie Weathermay-Foxgrove (The Weathermay Twins), George Weathermay, Perseyus Lathenna, Lord Balfour de Casteelle, Agatha Clairmont, Toret Johann Severin, and Jameld of Hroth. Each comes with a background, 3e stat blocks and "Dread Possibilities" on how these good hunters of evil may have become corrupted. No witches though. Maybe I should stat up Goodwife B of Kartakass above. I am not sure if I remember HOW to do a 3rd Edition character. I would give her the minimums of cleric or druid for her divine spell casting and the minimum levels of sorcerer. She feels more clerical to me than druid to be honest.
I do still like this book, though I lament that it is no longer available on DriveThruRPG and print copies are more than I want to pay for just for a casual stroll down memory lane.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
October Horror Movie Challenge: Living Dead Night
I can't say for sure that the zombies in the Monster Manual are based on the zombies from Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," but so many of modern zombie lore is based on them it would be very difficult to tease apart what was Romero and what is say voodoo myths. So tonight I am doing the original Romero classic and the new unofficial sequel.
Night of the Living Dead (1968)
I have lost track how many times I have seen this movie. I mean, let's be honest there would be no "Walking Dead," no "Evil Dead," and certainly no "All Flesh Must Be Eaten" without this movie.
I don't think I really appreciated how much this movie had an impact. This is not even mentioning the casting of Duane Jones as Ben. You can see the DNA of this movie in nearly every single zombie/living dead movie made since.
The acting could be better, but it works.
Festival of the Living Dead (2024)
This one is billed as a sequel and an homage to the 1968 movie. It attracted me for a few reasons. First, it is a Tubi exclusive, so that is great. I love Tubi, and it has been great for me. Second, it was directed by the Soska sisters (who also make a cameo), and that is always a plus in my book. And it stars Camren Bicondova, who played Selena Kyle in the series Gotham.
This movie takes place 55 years after a huge zombie outbreak (that goes nameless). It is Ash's (Ashley Moore) birthday (and she seems related to Ben), and she wants to go to the Festival of the Living Dead with her boyfriend but has to stay home to babysit her little brother Luke (Shiloh O'Reilly). Her best friend Iris (Camren Bicondova) agrees to watch him. Ash goes to the festival with her boyfriend Kevin (Gage Marsh), his friend Ty (Andre Anthony), and twins Lindsey and Destini (Maia Jae and Keana Lyn Bastidas). Interesting that the Soska twins also hired another set of twins for this film.
Kevin drives but is doing drugs while the girls watch a livestream video of the festival where people are snorting metro dust. They nearly hit someone in the road, a zombie, it turns out, and they crash the car, and Linsey breaks her leg.
Back at home Iris's friend Blaze comes over to get high and they decide to go the festival and use Balze's delivery truck to sneak in.
Ash, Kevin, and Ty go to the festival to find help, but soon, it becomes obvious that there are more zombies. Some scenes are obviously inspired by the Romero movie, and even a couple that I swear was inspired by Stranger Things.
Iris, Blaze, and Luke find Destini walking on the road, and it is revealed that the zombie got Lindsey and bit her as well.
Zombies run rampant throughout the festival. Iris manages to find and rescue Ash. They all regroup in the medical building.
Luke starts panicking and we find out he has lost his insulin, prompting Ash to go out to find some in an ambulance they saw on the way in. Iris joins her.
Ty freaks out wants to kill Luke. Zombie Destiny attacks Kevin and Ty shoots him instead of her. Ty runs off and finds the glowing meteor. Zombies seem to avoid. Blaze grabs Luke and heads out. They are covered in zombie blood, so the zombies ignore them.
More zombie craziness. Ash distracts the zombies so Luke, Blaze and an infected Ty can get to a and including Iris, leading all the zombies to the large burning man-like structure. Well. Buring Woman really. Ash saves Iris.
Daylight comes and Luke, Ty, and Blaze manage to find the car, and zombie Lindsey. She attacks Blaze and Ty runs off with Luke. Ty drives off, but Luke grabs the gun and shoots Ty. Lindsey bites Blaze, so he distracts the zombies so Ash and Iris can run away.
The army flies drones in to blow everything up.
Ash, Iris, and Luke drive home.
Okay, this was a fun flick. I wanted to see it because of Camren Bicondova, but Ashley Moore's standout performance was worthy of being Ben's granddaughter.
Featured Monster: Zombies
Zombies in the Monster Manual are not as scary as the ones here. However, they are more akin to those in Night of the Living Dead, moving slowly.
The "living dead" of both movies and the ones in most movies are typically the "hungry dead" and more akin to ghouls.
October Horror Movie Challenge 2024
Viewed: 36
First Time Views: 16
Dracula, The Hunters' Journals: 24 October; Jonathan Harker’s Journal (cont)
Updates from Harker and by telegram.
Jonathan Harker’s Journal (cont).
24 October.—A whole week of waiting. Daily telegrams to Godalming, but only the same story: “Not yet reported.” Mina’s morning and evening hypnotic answer is unvaried: lapping waves, rushing water, and creaking masts.
Telegram, October 24th.
Rufus Smith, Lloyd’s, London, to Lord Godalming, care of H. B. M.
Vice-Consul, Varna.
“Czarina Catherine reported this morning from Dardanelles.”
Notes: Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent
Harker letting us know that nothing new has happened in a week. A telegram lets us know the Czarina Catherine has been spotted.
Review: Ravenloft Masque of the Red Death d20
Ravenloft Masque of the Red Death d20
2004. by Jackie Cassada, Claire Hoffman, Carla Hollar, Harold Johnson, Rucht Lilavivat, Nicky Rea, Andrew Scott, and Peter Woodworth. Art by Talon Dunning, Jeff Holt, Marcio, Fiorito, Brian LeBlanc, Jeremy McHugh, Claudio Pozas, and Beth Trott. Cover art by Ron Thompson. 288 pages. Hardcover.
There is no PDF option for this title at DriveThruRPG. So, for this review, I considering only my hardbound copy.
I LOVED Gothic Earth for Ravenloft AD&D 2nd Edition. To me, it felt like a bold attempt to try something brand new. Plus, I love Victorian Gothic Horror, so it was an easy win. But despite all of that, some of the things in Masque of the Red Death for 2ne Ed just really didn't work. The "new" Masque of the Red Death for the d20 rules fixes some of those problems. But does it measure up?
The background is largely the same, or at least I didn't see anything jump out at me as very different.
Chapter One: A History of Gothic Earth
This all feels very similar to the AD&D 2nd Ed version. I can't find anything here wildly different.
Like the original, there are sections of "Forbidden Lore" spread throughout the book.
Chapter Two: An Atlas of Gothic Earth
This chapter covers all the continents in a very brief manner. There is more here than the AD&D set, or at least it is presented with some more information. They still use a "Western" or even "British Empire" point of view here. I feel that this is the right way to do this. Why? The British Empire was at its zenith now, and this was the time when "the sun never sat on the British flag" so coming from this point of view works here. Plus why not add in the horrors of colonialism to it all as well.
I feel more lip service is paid to the Domains of Ravenloft here, but I am not able to quantify it in any meaningful way.
Chapter Three: Character Creation
This naturally has the most changes over its predecessor. It also has some changes over the D&D 3.x/d20 Modern rules. The six core classes are Adept, Athlete, Intellectual, Mystic, Sleuth, and Tradesman. For me this is the biggest improvement in these rules. The classes have be redesigned with an Earth-like world in mind. This is much better than trying to fit the AD&D classes into an Earth-shaped hole.
Each class also has a few sub-classes or specializations. I would recommend keeping a tighter hold on the subclasses. Most can be accomplished with the parent class and some roleplaying. But that is up to individual game masters, really. In truth, all the classes are good fits, and there is plenty of choices here.
Skills are expanded/shifted to cover a 19th-Century Earth environment. Same with the Feats.
Chapter Four: Money and Equipment
Re-read Dracula, esp. the last third of the book to see how important this is for a Victorian game. This is not a long chapter but it is an important one.
Chapter Five: The Magic of Gothic Earth
Magic on Gothic Earth is different. It is less powerful and more dangerous to the practitioner than it is in other D&D/d20 worlds. A bit of history is given, providing the background on why magic works and what is happening when the caster calls on these powers.
Spells from the D&D 3.x and the Ravenloft Player's Handbook 3.5 are listed for the new classes and some new spells are also detailed.
Gothic Earth is a magic-seeped world, but that doesn't mean mortals can or even should control it. There are no arch-mages here. Not anymore.
Chapter Six: Combat
Covers the sorts of combat that the PCs are likely to get into. Most importantly this covers the guns of the time.
Chapter Seven: Madness and Mystery
This chapter covers how the supernatural effects everything in the world of Gothic Earth, in particular magic and how people deal with the supernatural. This includes "insanity" rules. Now, I typically have a lot of issues with how games deal with sanity, madness, and psychological trauma. One nitpick here, they use "insanity" instead of madness. I typically prefer madness or even lunacy when doing Victorian-era games since that was the more common term. Thankfully we do not get a long list of mental illnesses here. I would rather see none than horribly wrong lists.
Fear, Horror, and Madness are all dealt with as a subset of the Will Save. Which actually works well for me.
Chapter Eight: A Practical Guide to the 19th Century
This is a great guide for any Victorian-era game. While Gothic Earth is mentioned, this is fairly system—and setting-free. The timeline of inventions (real) and popular books and music of the 1890s is quite fantastic.
We get into some "setting" details with the section on Clubs and Cabals. Some are real, and some are invented for this setting.
The "Language of Flowers" section is great addition. If you know your Victorian-era then you know how important this actually is.
Appendix I: The Villains of Gothic Earth
Ahh...The Usual Suspects! This is the crunchiest part of the book so far and that is expected. Featured here are Dracula, Imhotep, Frankenstein's Monster, Professor Moriarty (still a Rakshasa, not my favorite choice), Xavier Von Tuerin, Madame Delphine LaLaurie, and Sarah Winchester (of the Winchester Mansion).
Appendix II: Monsters in the World
A brief monster section on creatures unique to Gothic Earth.
Appendix III: Lairs of Evil
Covers what I would call "Sinkholes of Evil" and their effects. Some specific examples are given.
Appendix IV: Adventures in Gothic Earth
Covers how to run adventures in Gothic Earth and what makes them different. Several adventure ideas and seeds are given. One of my favorites is the "Ghosts of Salem."
There is a good index in the back to wrap it all up.
Comparing the Two Masques
Both editions of Masque of the Red Death are wonderful to have. There is a lot more detail for AD&D Second Edition (a boxed set and two more books) compared to the single book for 3.x/d20.
The 3.x/d20 edition "feels" like a better fit for the world.
What I can't tell is this. Do I like the AD&D 2nd Edition version because of the impact it made on me when I bought it and the 3.x/d20 version pales in comparison to that? Or is the 3.x/d20 quantifiably lacking in something?
I don't think it is, especially considering that I can use the additional AD&D 2nd ed Gothic Earth books with the 3.x/d20 version. I can also use other supplements like d20 Past, Gaslight, and many other Victorian OGL titles. Not to mention all the Victorian games I already have.
I really need to come back to this world sometime.
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