Currently available as a PDF from DriveThruRPG with the Print copy on the way.
Grab my latest project!
Compatible with most "Basic Era" games.
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Something Wicked this way comes!
I am proud and excited to finally say my Old School source book The Witch is finally out!!
Grab my latest project!
Grab my latest project!
Zatannurday: More Art
No theme, just some great art.
Zatanna by *Protokitty on deviantART
Zatanna Print by ~OzWonderland on deviantART
Zatanna 2_ Commission by *tombancroft on deviantART
Pooof by =MrLively on deviantART
Baltimore Zatanna Sketch by *RandyGreen on deviantART
Zatanna by *RandyGreen on deviantART
Zatanna by ~jadecks on deviantART
Zatanna Commission by *calslayton on deviantART
ZATANNA by *Vinz-el-Tabanas on deviantART
Zatanna by ~iurypadilha on deviantART
Zatanna by ~arielmedel on deviantART
sdrawkcaB eltiT by *Dangerous-Beauty778 on deviantART
Zatanna by ~digiland on deviantART
Zatanna and the Justice Bunnies by ~13wishes on deviantART
Zatanna, sweet sweet Zatanna ! by ~El-Jerko on deviantART
Zatanna Color by ~Youngjusticeaddict on deviantART
Enjoy!
Friday, October 19, 2012
October Challenge: The Raven (2012)
The Raven (2012)
John Cusack stars as Edgar Allen Poe in the last few days of his life in the murder mystery with horror elements. It's not exactly horror, but it has it's moments.
Of course this is a completely fictionalized account of Poe's last days and a murderer that is using his poems and stories to act out some grisly murders. There are some issues with the movie from a historical perspective; the first that jumped out at me was a newspaper talking about a "Serial Killer" a term that was still 130 years away from being invented.
There are twists and turns and Cusack is great. The movie did feel slow in some spots, but overall I rather enjoyed it. I am not 100% sure it was horror though.
Tally: Watched 22, New 17
What are you watching?
Of course this is a completely fictionalized account of Poe's last days and a murderer that is using his poems and stories to act out some grisly murders. There are some issues with the movie from a historical perspective; the first that jumped out at me was a newspaper talking about a "Serial Killer" a term that was still 130 years away from being invented.
There are twists and turns and Cusack is great. The movie did feel slow in some spots, but overall I rather enjoyed it. I am not 100% sure it was horror though.
Tally: Watched 22, New 17
What are you watching?
Binders full of Women?
Yeah have that too.
And men, elves, dwarves, halflings, superheroes....but still mostly witches.
And men, elves, dwarves, halflings, superheroes....but still mostly witches.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
October Challenge: Children of the Corn (2009)
Children of the Corn (2009)
Caught this on the Sci-Fi channel recently. I have not watched the Sci-Fi (or SyFy) is years, but I'll get to that.
This is a remake of the original 1984 film (which I enjoyed) and the Stephen King short story (which I also enjoyed). If anything this movie does cleave closer to the original story than the 84 movie did. There are no overt demons and in some ways that almost makes the movie creepier.
This movie though has it's own problems. Despite the issues with the first movie this one will always come up short compared to it. There is no "He's waiting for you Malachi!" moment here.
The other is that our protagonists are completely unlikable. Don't get me wrong, Kandyse McClure is very easy on the eyes, but her character is so annoying. In fact the only character you can related to in this is Malachi's pregnant girlfriend.
I give it a plus for adhering better to the source material but many minuses for poor execution. My wife, who grew up in the country, though has a deeper issue with it. She loved the first, but wants to know why city people are so afraid of the country. I didn't have a good answer for her.
In other concerns, WYF happened to the SciFi Channel??
Once upon time you catch a decent enough movie (to be fair CotC was not bad, just not great) and some good sci-fi or horror related TV shows. Now it is all "reality" based ghost hunters, terrible movies and Wrestling??
Tally: Watched 21, New 16
What are you watching?
This is a remake of the original 1984 film (which I enjoyed) and the Stephen King short story (which I also enjoyed). If anything this movie does cleave closer to the original story than the 84 movie did. There are no overt demons and in some ways that almost makes the movie creepier.
This movie though has it's own problems. Despite the issues with the first movie this one will always come up short compared to it. There is no "He's waiting for you Malachi!" moment here.
The other is that our protagonists are completely unlikable. Don't get me wrong, Kandyse McClure is very easy on the eyes, but her character is so annoying. In fact the only character you can related to in this is Malachi's pregnant girlfriend.
I give it a plus for adhering better to the source material but many minuses for poor execution. My wife, who grew up in the country, though has a deeper issue with it. She loved the first, but wants to know why city people are so afraid of the country. I didn't have a good answer for her.
In other concerns, WYF happened to the SciFi Channel??
Once upon time you catch a decent enough movie (to be fair CotC was not bad, just not great) and some good sci-fi or horror related TV shows. Now it is all "reality" based ghost hunters, terrible movies and Wrestling??
Tally: Watched 21, New 16
What are you watching?
Getting Ready for the Witch
I just sent my final copy of The Witch back to the publisher to get uploaded to DriveThruRPG soon.
I honestly can't wait to get this out to you all. It seems like I have been working on it forever. I started this blog in fact as a design blog to talk about the development of Eldritch Witchery and The Witch.
A number of the monsters, magic items and spells that appear in the book I have posted here.
My desire to do this book for "Basic Era" games was partially due to my involvment in the old-school game movement, but also because I had been going back to my copy of Moldvay's Basic Book and some of his ideas on what a witch should be. I also wanted this book to capture what I felt were some of the best books on witches from the early days of the game.
My goals were simple.
All with years of playtesting.
I am hoping to get a preview up for you all here soon.
I honestly can't wait to get this out to you all. It seems like I have been working on it forever. I started this blog in fact as a design blog to talk about the development of Eldritch Witchery and The Witch.
A number of the monsters, magic items and spells that appear in the book I have posted here.
My desire to do this book for "Basic Era" games was partially due to my involvment in the old-school game movement, but also because I had been going back to my copy of Moldvay's Basic Book and some of his ideas on what a witch should be. I also wanted this book to capture what I felt were some of the best books on witches from the early days of the game.
My goals were simple.
- Make the book feel like something I would have wanted to buy in 1982/83.
- Make the witch more than just another type of magic-user, but still allow her to be easily added to a game.
- Keep what was best of the old school, but still keep in mind all the developments of the last 30 years.
- Elmore art. I might get grief for this, but ever since Dragon #114 came out I wanted a witch book with art from Larry Elmore in it. I am in a position to do that now. It's not the entire book, but there are some choice pieces in the 120 pages.
So what do you get in The Witch?
Well I was reading that selling points that do nothing but list a bunch of numbers turn people off. On the other hand I have had some people ask me what they are getting.
- The Witch class
- Five traditions of Witchcraft with Occult Powers
- Rules for Familiars for Witches and Magic-Users
- New rules for Cantrips for your Basic game
- Over 300 spells
- Witch Ritual magic and spells
- Rules for Covens, Covensteads and example covens.
- New witch related monsters
- Magic items and artifacts
- Plus appendices on
- Using the Witch in your Advanced game
- Demi-human witches for games that have class and race seperate
- The Wizard, a magic-user class that is different from the Witch
I am hoping to get a preview up for you all here soon.
Blogwatch: Psychosexual Ravenloft
Back in the 2nd Ed days my game world of choice was Ravenloft.
I loved all the gothic trappings mixed with heroic horror. So even though I was a poor college student most of the time, I tried to get everything I could for this game.
Including all the novels.
Jack over at Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque is doing a series of reviews on the Ravenloft novels. So I have been reading them. The reviews that is.
I can remember reading Ravenloft novels while in my apartment I shared with three other guys, I remember reading them while giving exams when I was a TA, I remember reading them and feeling guilty about it when I wasn't working on my dissertation.
I don't remember them being quite this bad though.
Oh, I remember that many were not very good. I remember that in the cases of authors that would later go on to do bigger things (like Laurel K. Hamilton, P. N. Elrod and Christie Golden among others) that they read like, well, young but inexperienced authors.
TotGaD though is not doing your typical review, he is looking at the psychosexual mess that underlies each book.
http://talesofthegrotesqueanddungeonesque.blogspot.com/search/label/psycho-sexual%20ravenloft
If you have read these books then you owe it to yourself to read these reviews.
I am enjoying every entry so far and many times I have wished I still had those books laying around.
For myself, I always felt that the Ravenloft books were more akin to a Hammer film; scholcky, over the top, with an abundance of flesh and blood but not a lot of plot. So I am inclined to see these books more favorably than others might. That all being said a lot of good points are raised in these reviews that I must have just glossed over.
Honestly though I am waiting for him to get around to Tapestry of Dark Souls. That thing is train wreck.
Including all the novels.
Jack over at Tales of the Grotesque and Dungeonesque is doing a series of reviews on the Ravenloft novels. So I have been reading them. The reviews that is.
I can remember reading Ravenloft novels while in my apartment I shared with three other guys, I remember reading them while giving exams when I was a TA, I remember reading them and feeling guilty about it when I wasn't working on my dissertation.
I don't remember them being quite this bad though.
Oh, I remember that many were not very good. I remember that in the cases of authors that would later go on to do bigger things (like Laurel K. Hamilton, P. N. Elrod and Christie Golden among others) that they read like, well, young but inexperienced authors.
TotGaD though is not doing your typical review, he is looking at the psychosexual mess that underlies each book.
http://talesofthegrotesqueanddungeonesque.blogspot.com/search/label/psycho-sexual%20ravenloft
If you have read these books then you owe it to yourself to read these reviews.
I am enjoying every entry so far and many times I have wished I still had those books laying around.
For myself, I always felt that the Ravenloft books were more akin to a Hammer film; scholcky, over the top, with an abundance of flesh and blood but not a lot of plot. So I am inclined to see these books more favorably than others might. That all being said a lot of good points are raised in these reviews that I must have just glossed over.
Honestly though I am waiting for him to get around to Tapestry of Dark Souls. That thing is train wreck.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
October Challenge: Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages (1922)
This is one of my favorite movies about Witchcraft.
Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
Instead of talking about it, here it is.
I wanted to rewatch this one because, well I like it and to get me geared up for the release of my Witch books.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A4xan
Tally: Watched 20, New 15
What are you watching?
Häxan: Witchcraft Through the Ages
Instead of talking about it, here it is.
I wanted to rewatch this one because, well I like it and to get me geared up for the release of my Witch books.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A4xan
Tally: Watched 20, New 15
What are you watching?
Witches: Hex from Skylanders
It is no secret that I am a fan of the game Skylanders. I even got caught up in all of the hype about collecting the figures and everything. I am embarrassed (a little) to discuss the lengths I went too to get some of these figures. There were other parents right there next to me, so I figured I was in good company.
Well just when we all thought the madness was dying down, Activision is releasing the new Skylanders Giants this weekend. New game, new figures, and your old figures can now go to level 15 (previously only 10). Here we go again.
I don’t think it is a stretch to guess that my favorite character in the game is Hex, the dark elf witch of the “undead” element. Early this year I stated her up for Dungeons & Dragons 4e and Pathfinder using their respective witch classes.
Given there is a new Skylanders game AND my new books are on the way I thought I Would stat her up once again for The Witch and Eldritch Witchery.
Here she is as for The Witch. I picked this one since her background is about serving some "other world power".
Hex, 13th Level (Maleficia Tradition)
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 9
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 18
Charisma: 15
Hit Points: 30
Alignment: Neutral (maybe a little Chaotic)
AC: 6 (talisman of protection)
Occult Powers
Familiar: Floating Skull
7th level: Evil's Touch
13th level: Devil's Tongue
Spells
Cantrips: Chill, Daze, Detect Curse, Object Reading, Open, Spark
First: Cause Fear, Ghostly Slashing, Minor Fighting Prowess, Sleep, Spirit Dart
Second: Agony, Blast Sheild, Death Armor, Phantasmal Spirit
Third: Feral Spirit, Ghost Ward, Speak with Dead
Fourth: 3 Dance Macabre, Phantom Lacerations, Spiritual Dagger
Fifth: 2 Death Curse, Dreadful Bloodletting
Sixth: 2 Death Blade, Wall of Bones
Seventh: Wave of Mutilation
All in all, I like it. She might be a better Necromancer to be honest, but this works well.
Want to see how she would look for my other book "Eldritch Witchery"?
Head over to the Elf Lair Games blog and see, http://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2012/10/witches-hex-from-skylanders.html
Well just when we all thought the madness was dying down, Activision is releasing the new Skylanders Giants this weekend. New game, new figures, and your old figures can now go to level 15 (previously only 10). Here we go again.
I don’t think it is a stretch to guess that my favorite character in the game is Hex, the dark elf witch of the “undead” element. Early this year I stated her up for Dungeons & Dragons 4e and Pathfinder using their respective witch classes.
Given there is a new Skylanders game AND my new books are on the way I thought I Would stat her up once again for The Witch and Eldritch Witchery.
Here she is as for The Witch. I picked this one since her background is about serving some "other world power".
Hex, 13th Level (Maleficia Tradition)
Strength: 10
Dexterity: 9
Constitution: 10
Intelligence: 13
Wisdom: 18
Charisma: 15
Hit Points: 30
Alignment: Neutral (maybe a little Chaotic)
AC: 6 (talisman of protection)
Occult Powers
Familiar: Floating Skull
7th level: Evil's Touch
13th level: Devil's Tongue
Spells
Cantrips: Chill, Daze, Detect Curse, Object Reading, Open, Spark
First: Cause Fear, Ghostly Slashing, Minor Fighting Prowess, Sleep, Spirit Dart
Second: Agony, Blast Sheild, Death Armor, Phantasmal Spirit
Third: Feral Spirit, Ghost Ward, Speak with Dead
Fourth: 3 Dance Macabre, Phantom Lacerations, Spiritual Dagger
Fifth: 2 Death Curse, Dreadful Bloodletting
Sixth: 2 Death Blade, Wall of Bones
Seventh: Wave of Mutilation
All in all, I like it. She might be a better Necromancer to be honest, but this works well.
Want to see how she would look for my other book "Eldritch Witchery"?
Head over to the Elf Lair Games blog and see, http://elflairgames.blogspot.com/2012/10/witches-hex-from-skylanders.html
White Dwarf Wednesday #36
Jumping ahead, Ian Livingstone introduces us to the new game in the editorial. He also mentions that we will see more RPG material in 1983.
The article on Dredd talks about the design of the game. Or rather an introduction to Judge Dredd and what process the author and designer, Ian Livingstone (ah..see how that worked out) went through to make the game. The process is actually not all that different than what we still do, or even what I did when working on Buffy and Ghosts of Albion. I would have to say the game was a success since a.) it introduced me to Judge Dredd, b.) I remember people being very, very excited about it back then, and c.) I still catch people talking about it today.
What else does this issue feature? We have an odd ad of the magazine "Pssst!", which only lived for less than a year I think. So odd that I didn't even know what it was for till I found the name off in the corner.
Fiend Factory is up, but only has one monster, the Loculi. It is like an 8-legged, sword wielding ankylosaurus. It's stats improve with age (like a dragon) and there is a lot things you can play around with with this creature. Unlike the dragon though I don't find it interesting enough to want to use it.
Andy Slack is up with an Introduction to Traveller. Part 1 is about players and characters. I have mentioned that this about the time of my decline in interest in Traveller. I still enjoyed reading about it, but I never did much more than that.
Letters is a fun bunch this time with people coming to Ken St. Andre's defense over Don Turnbull's letter in #34. I didn't post anything about that here, but I really should have. Turnbull felt that T&T was nothing more than a rip off of D&D. People this month choose to disagree. Next month also promises to be good.
Microview is back and in this month Mike Costello has two BASIC Traveller programs. He also mentions how greaat it would be to have a character creator software for RuneQuest or D&D. The programs are simple, but you have to type them out. I remember typing in EVERY program I saw in a magazine just so I had the practice of doing it. I don't recall if I ever did these on my trusty TRS-80 Color Computer 2, but I am sure I tried them out on my Jr High's TRS-80 Model 3s. These programs would have worked on the built in BASIC of the Model 3 (or was it Model III), since it had a Zilog 80 chip.
Our AD&D contribution is The Druid's Duel by Mark Byng. I remember being quite excited about this since I was playing a druid at the time and gave this to my DM at the time and told him he now had something for my duel before I can advance in level. Never went through it though.
Open Box has some reviews of classic products. Nicholas J R Dougan gives The Warlock of Firetop Mountain a 10/10. Up next is a product I really wanted back in the day and should see if I can find it. Tollpak was all about playing Trolls in RuneQuest, but honestly you could port the ideas over to any game that has trolls. It was one of the first "revisionist" books (and I say that with a bit a hesitance, "revisionist" has such negative connotations and I don't mean that here.) We would see something similar for Orc/Orks in Orkwrold and eventually even goblins and kobolds. But this was the first. Tim Moyse gives it a 9/10. We also have Pirates of Plunder (10/10) and some long out of print Traveller books from FASA; Merchant Class Ships (8 or 7/10), Aslan Mercenary Cruisers (6 or 8/10), and The FCI Consumer Guide (9 or 8/10) ranked for Novices and Experts.
Simon Early has some Rules Additions for RuneQuest as this month's RuneRites. Mostly realted to SIZ and climbing.
Lew Pulsipher wraps up his A Guide to Dungeon Mastering with Part III: Some Conclusions. Mostly this is advice on how to deal with high level characters. Not to beat a dead horse here, but this material still works today. This is another one of my choices for my own "Best Of White Dwarf".
Treasure Chest has More Necromantic Abilities for the Necromancer of the last issue.
A couple of pages of ads. Nothing interesting in the classifieds.
As an aside: Did anyone use classifieds in a magazine to find other gamers? Did it work? Have any good stories?
A contest to win your very own Mattel Intellivision Advanced Dungeons & Dragons video game cartridge. The first six correct entries to their quick quiz will win. Deadline December 15, 1982.
A few more pages of ads and finally another ad for Star Frontiers. Described by the ad as "the 'playable' one. Certainly a dig at Traveller.
Remember when the future was silver lamé and hot pants? Well now it is big sunglasses/goggles.
If you are interested in how White Dwarf is doing in good old 2012, check out Lasgunpacker's post last night about the newest issue, http://lasgunpacker.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-style-white-dwarf-review.html
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
October Challenge: Le Frisson des Vampires (1971)
Le Frisson des Vampires (1971)
Oh. Jean Rollin, you tempt me so. I enjoyed Fascination and was hoping for something similar here.
I did get something similar here, but this one was not quite as good as Fascination.
Also known as "The Shiver of the Vampires" or "Thrill of the Vampire" this movie features plenty of blood, nudity, lesbian overtones and implied incest. So everything you would expect from a Jean Rollin film.
The film follows the familiar ground of two young lovers coming upon a castle, in this case the castle of the young bride's cousins. They hear the cousins are dead but go up to the castle anyway. Here they encounter two servant girls that tell them their Masters will be along soon. The cousins appear and oddly no one seems shocked. But then again no one was shocked either at the supposed human sacrifice either.
Isla, the bride, is targeted by a vampire, Isolde that must have been the one that also converted her cousins (who were also former Vampire hunters). The two servant girls spend most of their time naked or nearly so, oh and they are also lovers.
The movie itself has a lot of issues. Consitent plot is only the minor one. Frankly I found myself not really caring for these characters really at all. Plus the story was a bit dull to be honest. The cinematography was odd with the constant spinning around, but the sets were very cool. Together it did give you the feeling of being somewhere else or even somewhen else.
Plus I was distracted on how much Sandra Julien (Isla) looks like Lily Cole.
Still though. I do enjoy a vampire flick.
You can see scenes from the movie over at this Jean Rollin blog.
http://requiemforjeanrollin.blogspot.com/2009/12/jean-rollin-thrill-of-vampires.html
Tally: Watched 19, New 15
What are you watching?
I did get something similar here, but this one was not quite as good as Fascination.
Also known as "The Shiver of the Vampires" or "Thrill of the Vampire" this movie features plenty of blood, nudity, lesbian overtones and implied incest. So everything you would expect from a Jean Rollin film.
The film follows the familiar ground of two young lovers coming upon a castle, in this case the castle of the young bride's cousins. They hear the cousins are dead but go up to the castle anyway. Here they encounter two servant girls that tell them their Masters will be along soon. The cousins appear and oddly no one seems shocked. But then again no one was shocked either at the supposed human sacrifice either.
Isla, the bride, is targeted by a vampire, Isolde that must have been the one that also converted her cousins (who were also former Vampire hunters). The two servant girls spend most of their time naked or nearly so, oh and they are also lovers.
The movie itself has a lot of issues. Consitent plot is only the minor one. Frankly I found myself not really caring for these characters really at all. Plus the story was a bit dull to be honest. The cinematography was odd with the constant spinning around, but the sets were very cool. Together it did give you the feeling of being somewhere else or even somewhen else.
Plus I was distracted on how much Sandra Julien (Isla) looks like Lily Cole.
You can see scenes from the movie over at this Jean Rollin blog.
http://requiemforjeanrollin.blogspot.com/2009/12/jean-rollin-thrill-of-vampires.html
Tally: Watched 19, New 15
What are you watching?
Monstrous Monday Roundup #3
Here are some more monsters for Monstrous Monday. We are at the half-way mark of October and the big day is just two-weeks away. By that I mean MONSTROUS MONDAY!
From last week at Hit Adjacent Ally, http://hitadjacentally.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-addendum-wax-mockery.html and http://hitadjacentally.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-addendum-charnel-ape.html
We also have,
From last week at Hit Adjacent Ally, http://hitadjacentally.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-addendum-wax-mockery.html and http://hitadjacentally.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-addendum-charnel-ape.html
We also have,
- Over at my other blog we have Invisible Pink Unicorns, http://freedomofnonbelief.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-mondays-invisible-pink-unicorn.html
- Super Parasites for the DC Adventures RPG, http://punverse.blogspot.com/2012/10/mastermind-monday-dcs-bloodlines.html
- Armor plated elephant thing that "teleports", http://www.savageafterworld.com/2012/10/savage-menagerie-ankylophant.html
- Japanese ghost heads, http://dreamsinthelichhouse.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-nukekubi.html
- Creepy one-eyed snakes, http://towerofthearchmage.blogspot.com/2012/10/new-monster-one-eyed-snake.html
- Cold men, http://sorcerersskull.blogspot.com/2012/10/cold-hands-cold-heart.html
- More Stick-men, this time the Terrible Two-Headed stick man, http://gothridgemanor.blogspot.com/2012/10/monsteorus-monday-savage-two-headed.html
- Tomb Harvesters for WaRP, http://madavid13.blogspot.com/2012/10/monster-monday-tomb-harvesters-for-warp.html
- Headhunter worm, http://talesofthegrotesqueanddungeonesque.blogspot.com/2012/10/monster-monday-headhunter-worm.html?zx=34f53957d54aa967
- Not sure if he is participating, but Zak has a great monster, http://dndwithpornstars.blogspot.com/2012/10/warning-possible-outgrabe.html?zx=67eda53626bdedbf
- and one of my faves, the Succubus, http://daddygrognard.blogspot.com/2012/10/an-adventure-for-every-monster-succubus.html
- Jenny Haniver, Sea Clergy, and Morkoths, http://rolesrules.blogspot.fr/2012/10/monster-monday-jenny-haniver-sea-clergy.html
- Dragonette Swarm, http://thedwarvenstronghold.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstrous-monday-dragonette-swarm.html
- Zombie Cow! http://silverdivinityrpg.blogspot.com/2012/10/monstorous-monday-zombie-cow.html
Monday, October 15, 2012
October Challenge: Red Lights (2012)
Red Lights (2012)
This one is a bit hard to classify. It is certainly a thriller and has horror elements. Plus just when you think it is all figured out, it gets turned on it's head.
I will say this though. It was a good flick and kept me interested till very end. The cast is great, Cillian Murphy is fantastic and Sigourney Weaver and Robert De Niro are equally good as opponents. My surprise was Elizabeth Olsen, the "other" Olsen sister. She is quite good as well. Though I'll admit I didn't quite buy relationship between Murphy's character and hers. Oh well.
The movie itself deals with a couple of paranormal investigators (Murphy and Weaver) and their attempts to disprove various claims of the supernatural. This eventually leads them into a confrontation with DeNiro's character a Yuri Gellar type coming out of retirement for another show.
I don't want to ruin the movie for you, except to say that it starts out as a paranormal movie (ala Paranormal Activity) turns into something else, and then again.
The question here is not is this a good movie (it is) it's whether or not it can be classified as horror. I was ready to say no till I got to the very end and then changed my mind. Your mileage may vary of course.
I think that since I am couple of movies ahead right now I will call it horror and pick up a couple of extra ones. There has to be something from the 70s I haven't seen yet.
Tally: Watched 18, New 14
What are you watching?
I will say this though. It was a good flick and kept me interested till very end. The cast is great, Cillian Murphy is fantastic and Sigourney Weaver and Robert De Niro are equally good as opponents. My surprise was Elizabeth Olsen, the "other" Olsen sister. She is quite good as well. Though I'll admit I didn't quite buy relationship between Murphy's character and hers. Oh well.
The movie itself deals with a couple of paranormal investigators (Murphy and Weaver) and their attempts to disprove various claims of the supernatural. This eventually leads them into a confrontation with DeNiro's character a Yuri Gellar type coming out of retirement for another show.
I don't want to ruin the movie for you, except to say that it starts out as a paranormal movie (ala Paranormal Activity) turns into something else, and then again.
The question here is not is this a good movie (it is) it's whether or not it can be classified as horror. I was ready to say no till I got to the very end and then changed my mind. Your mileage may vary of course.
I think that since I am couple of movies ahead right now I will call it horror and pick up a couple of extra ones. There has to be something from the 70s I haven't seen yet.
Tally: Watched 18, New 14
What are you watching?
The Awakened Golem
The word Golem and the Clay Golem monster have their roots in Jewish folklore, horror and film. The Flesh Golem is an homage to Frankenstein and his monster.
Other Golems come from a variety of places. The Iron and Stone Golems seem to have basis in tales, but the most likely origin seems to be the films featuring the Ray Harryhausen monsters, in particular the giant statue from Jason and the Argonauts (whose fertile ground also gave us Skeletons).
The one thing that many of these stories have that the RPG monster does not though is the semblance of true life. After all. A Golem with no life that does it's business is no big deal. But give it a spark of true life and suddenly you have horror.
The Awakened Golem then is a Golem that has been "Awakened", it has a spark of true life. This is either by accident such as a word or letter is mis-coded in a Clay Golem, or the personality of the original body lives on in the Flesh Golem, or the animating spirit in the Druther overrides the witch's control, or even the golem becomes the vessel of some spirit of vengeance. What ever the cause a living soul is now in procession of a body that it can only see as an abomination.
Different types of Golems have different chance of Awakening. This percent is rolled when the golem is made or under special circumstance; such as a nearby tragic death, or a bolt of eldritch lighting hits it.
(These Golems have appeared in various editions of the game)
Statue (any golem made to be a statue): 2%
Iron, Stone, Amber, Silver, Mud (any non-living mater): 5%
Clay, Wood, Druther, Bone (formerly living matter): 10%
Flesh, Corpse (formerly a sentient being): 15% +5% if body parts come a wrongly convicted murderer.
Plush (special Ravenloft golem): Plush golems and stuffed toys are better handled as an Imaginary Friend or a Boogey.
In most cases the Awakened Golem will be Chaotic, or at best Neutral. Some rare cases will occur when the awakened Golem will be Lawful.
The changes to the monster will be a greater intelligence (at least Average, often more) and a blinding hate for whomever created it. The Awakened Golem, even Lawful ones, will be driven to write some percieved wrong. An Awakened Golem might want to kill their creator, or kill everyone. Or it might want to discover the killer of some innocent. What ever the motivation it should be tied directly to their origin story.
The Awakend Golem gains HD over their non-awakened counterparts. Better AC and attacks.
Despite their origin and/or appearance, Awakened Golmes are not undead. They are still immune to the effects of mind affecting spells, sleep, charm and hold. They do not need to eat (but might do it out of habit) and can not be healed. Awakended Golems regenerate 2 hp per round, even if reduced below 0hp. Only fire can completely destroy them since they do not regenerate after fire damage.
Awakened Golem (Flesh Golem)
Hit Dice: 10d8+15* (60 hp)
No. of Attacks: 2 (fistsl)
Damage: 2d8/2d18
Special: immunities, regeneration
Movement: 30’ (90')
No. Appearing: 1
Saves As: Fighter 12
Morale: 12
Treasure: None
Alignment: Chaotic
XP: 2800
The Creature (as he is know) is an Awakened Flesh golem. He stands over 7 feet tall and has greenish cadaverous skin. Despising what he sees himself to be he killed his creator and terrified a nearby village. He currently lives in a cave where he prefers to stay in peace, reading books on philosophy.
If he is disturbed though he will fly into a violent rage and kill anyone that disturbs him. He will not though attack children.
The Creature has been killed many times, only regenerate from the smallest scraps.
OGL Section 15 The Awakened Copyright 2012 Timothy S. Brannan.
All text is Open under the terms of the OGL.
Links are not considered part of this entry and are not under the OGL.
How I learned to stop worrying...
and like the Realms.
(I don't quite love them yet)
I have always been a Greyhawk fan. Some of my very first games were looking for ancient Suel mysteries or exploring the dirty streets of the Free City of Greyhawk. While I ran my adventures in the Known World of Mystara, I played in Oerth and Greyhawk.
For years I even combined the two into one world, and that worked out pretty well.
I remember reading about the Realms in Dragon Mag and I was never impressed. The increased fetishization of the Drow and Drizzt worship turned me off as well. I can't tell you how much I despised "Lloth", it's LOLTH goddamn it. Any way. I saw the Realms as an upstart to Greyhawk and not even a good one to be honest. This oddly enough was right around the same time I played my first game of OD&D set in Greyhawk. To me Realms fans were snotty little kids with delusions of adequacy.
My opinions have softened since then.
This weekend before last I was at the Games Plus game auction. I was able to pick up the Forgotten Realms books for 1st and 2nd Ed. AD&D. I picked up the 3rd ed stuff a while back and had the 4e stuff from Half-Price books. All in all I was able to get all these books for under 50 bucks total.
The 1st Ed box is in fantastic shape, minus some shelf wear. The 3 and 4e books are in mint condition.
I have been using the Realms for the 4e game I am running and I have been enjoying it.
Sure, I am still using elements from the Points of Light campaign that 4e is built around, but all of it is in the new version of the Realms. There are lot of things that came together nicely for this for me really. In the 4e game I am running the kids are going to go after Orcus. Much the same way as the old H1-4 Bloodstone series a while back. That was set in the Realms, so it is kind of fitting really. Plus it would help me flesh out some of the 4e Orcus arc (HPE series). Not sure how I'll fit Hell into it all, but I might not have to worry about it.
I love the gonzo feeling of two worlds mystically crashing into each other. I like that the place has some history to it. Plus I really liked the 3e Realms book. This might irritate some long time Realms fans, but I think the Realms fits better with 3e and 4e. Greyhawk is better for 1st ed and the like. At least in my mind.
So maybe it's my age or something, but I feel I can finally sit back and appreciate what the Realms really are and not what I think or thought they were. I have the main books/sets (for the most part) for all four editions of the game. Honestly I think that is enough. People have done far more with less.
Here are my other thoughts in my introduction and use of the Realms.
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/12/could-my-answer-be-in-realms.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/03/drow-should-be-lawful-evil-among-other.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-game-new-world.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/07/gods-of-new-game.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/01/church-of-lolth-ascendant.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/07/nothing-like-sun.html
(I don't quite love them yet)
I have always been a Greyhawk fan. Some of my very first games were looking for ancient Suel mysteries or exploring the dirty streets of the Free City of Greyhawk. While I ran my adventures in the Known World of Mystara, I played in Oerth and Greyhawk.
For years I even combined the two into one world, and that worked out pretty well.
I remember reading about the Realms in Dragon Mag and I was never impressed. The increased fetishization of the Drow and Drizzt worship turned me off as well. I can't tell you how much I despised "Lloth", it's LOLTH goddamn it. Any way. I saw the Realms as an upstart to Greyhawk and not even a good one to be honest. This oddly enough was right around the same time I played my first game of OD&D set in Greyhawk. To me Realms fans were snotty little kids with delusions of adequacy.
My opinions have softened since then.
This weekend before last I was at the Games Plus game auction. I was able to pick up the Forgotten Realms books for 1st and 2nd Ed. AD&D. I picked up the 3rd ed stuff a while back and had the 4e stuff from Half-Price books. All in all I was able to get all these books for under 50 bucks total.
The 1st Ed box is in fantastic shape, minus some shelf wear. The 3 and 4e books are in mint condition.
I have been using the Realms for the 4e game I am running and I have been enjoying it.
Sure, I am still using elements from the Points of Light campaign that 4e is built around, but all of it is in the new version of the Realms. There are lot of things that came together nicely for this for me really. In the 4e game I am running the kids are going to go after Orcus. Much the same way as the old H1-4 Bloodstone series a while back. That was set in the Realms, so it is kind of fitting really. Plus it would help me flesh out some of the 4e Orcus arc (HPE series). Not sure how I'll fit Hell into it all, but I might not have to worry about it.
I love the gonzo feeling of two worlds mystically crashing into each other. I like that the place has some history to it. Plus I really liked the 3e Realms book. This might irritate some long time Realms fans, but I think the Realms fits better with 3e and 4e. Greyhawk is better for 1st ed and the like. At least in my mind.
So maybe it's my age or something, but I feel I can finally sit back and appreciate what the Realms really are and not what I think or thought they were. I have the main books/sets (for the most part) for all four editions of the game. Honestly I think that is enough. People have done far more with less.
Here are my other thoughts in my introduction and use of the Realms.
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/12/could-my-answer-be-in-realms.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/03/drow-should-be-lawful-evil-among-other.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/06/new-game-new-world.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/07/gods-of-new-game.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2010/01/church-of-lolth-ascendant.html
http://timbrannan.blogspot.com/2012/07/nothing-like-sun.html
Sunday, October 14, 2012
October Challenge: Twins of Evil (1971)
Twins of Evil (1971)
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My love for Hammer films is well known and well documented. I am also a huge fan of the Carmilla story. So it really seems like a no-brainier that I had already seen all the movies in the Karnstien Trilogy. Except that I haven't.
This movie works a little a prequel to The Vampire Lovers. This time we have a Count Karnstein. I like the story itself is not a bad one. Afterall the Karnsteins were supposed to be a family of evil, this current Count helps fill in some of those gaps. We get a guest appearance from Mircalla who turns our count into a monster. There are other call backs to the first movie in how the vampires can still move about during the day, but their shrouds they need in death are now gone.
Let's be honest here. There was really only one (er..two) reasons why this movie was made. Mary and Madeleine Collinson. The former Playmates, and the first twins to appear in Playboy, where here not for their acting ability (they were over dubbed in fact) but for their ability to appear in the movie nude. Mind you this is usually a good enough reason for me, but I did want some more.
Peter Cushing is back, but not as the same or related character, but as a witch-hunting zealot and uncle of the twins. In fact he plays a rather unlikable character. In truth his character kills more people than the Count does either before or after his vampiric transformation.
The plot seemed a bit confused and it isn't due to my lack of sleep here. I think some bits were cut out of the version I saw on TV via some channel/cable service called Impact. Pity really. I had great hopes for this one.
This one put my wife into a deep sleep and she is just about ready to ban me from watching anymore Hammer films. I did point out that the Woman in Black was also Hammer.
Tally: Watched 17, New 13
What are you watching?
.jpg)
This movie works a little a prequel to The Vampire Lovers. This time we have a Count Karnstein. I like the story itself is not a bad one. Afterall the Karnsteins were supposed to be a family of evil, this current Count helps fill in some of those gaps. We get a guest appearance from Mircalla who turns our count into a monster. There are other call backs to the first movie in how the vampires can still move about during the day, but their shrouds they need in death are now gone.
Let's be honest here. There was really only one (er..two) reasons why this movie was made. Mary and Madeleine Collinson. The former Playmates, and the first twins to appear in Playboy, where here not for their acting ability (they were over dubbed in fact) but for their ability to appear in the movie nude. Mind you this is usually a good enough reason for me, but I did want some more.
Peter Cushing is back, but not as the same or related character, but as a witch-hunting zealot and uncle of the twins. In fact he plays a rather unlikable character. In truth his character kills more people than the Count does either before or after his vampiric transformation.
The plot seemed a bit confused and it isn't due to my lack of sleep here. I think some bits were cut out of the version I saw on TV via some channel/cable service called Impact. Pity really. I had great hopes for this one.
This one put my wife into a deep sleep and she is just about ready to ban me from watching anymore Hammer films. I did point out that the Woman in Black was also Hammer.
Tally: Watched 17, New 13
What are you watching?
Saturday, October 13, 2012
October Challenge: I am Legend
I am Legend
One of the things that I love doing (but irritates my wife) is watching multiple versions of the same movie. This year I choose the various incarnations of Richard Matheson's "I am Legend". I had read the book years ago back in grad school and I recalled seeing "The Omega Man" (which I ad always thought the Police song was based on). Well the new I Am Legend was on so I figured what the heck.
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
Vincent Price stars as the Robert Neville character, Robert Morgan. The interesting thing about this movie is that Matheson worked on the script, but decided that he didn't like it. The vampires in this version are more of the classical, "Hammer" vampires. Affected by mirrors, sunlight and garlic. This premise though is the same as in the book. Neville/Morgan spending his day killing vampires. As far as the movie adaptions go, this one is the closest to the book, though there are still some differences. The name it the first obvious one. Plus while the vampires are closer to the book, they are more like zombies here in the movie. They are fast and more vampire like in the book. The feel of the movie is closer to the book as well.
Vincent Price of course is always a joy to see in the movies and frankly it would not be Halloween without him.
This movie was also an influence on George Romero for his zombie movie Night of the Living Dead.
The Omega Man (1971)
I remember seeing this one years ago. At the time I thought it was a little stupid and slow. It took a lot a liberties with the book and the vampires now were suddenly a thinly disguised racial tension metaphor.
Rewatching it now a lot fo that still holds true, but it is also a fun horror/action movie.
So what was going on in the 70s? Cause there is a lot of fear in this movie. Not horror movie fear, but fear of the world written into the movie. Chemical waefare, race riots, all sorts of things to scare you.
Now I like Heston in this, even if his Robert Neville is getting further away from the book.
The movie has a similar ending to the book, but not really the same impact.
This movie is notable for one of the first interracial kisses between Charleston Heston and Rosalind Cash.
I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith is now Dr. Robert Neville in this version that tries to use more science. In this case the vampires are altered humans from a genetically re-engineered measles virus. In this movie Neville is the last man here, but maybe not the last man anywhere
It is a passable version. Will Smith is fun actor and he is good in this role. The movie though in the translation seems to have lost something since the 60s and 70s.
I Am Omega (2007)
I am not even sure what to say about this one. I will be honest, I like The Asylum. Their "Mockbusters" are often a lot of fun But this one fell far from the mark. It only shares surface similarities with the other movies and book; only enough to make it any generic Post Apocalypse movie really. I suppose you can admire their cheek of it all.
This Tally: Watched 4, New 2. Best: Last Man on Earth
Tally: Watched 16, New 12
What are you watching?
The Last Man on Earth (1964)
Vincent Price stars as the Robert Neville character, Robert Morgan. The interesting thing about this movie is that Matheson worked on the script, but decided that he didn't like it. The vampires in this version are more of the classical, "Hammer" vampires. Affected by mirrors, sunlight and garlic. This premise though is the same as in the book. Neville/Morgan spending his day killing vampires. As far as the movie adaptions go, this one is the closest to the book, though there are still some differences. The name it the first obvious one. Plus while the vampires are closer to the book, they are more like zombies here in the movie. They are fast and more vampire like in the book. The feel of the movie is closer to the book as well.
Vincent Price of course is always a joy to see in the movies and frankly it would not be Halloween without him.
This movie was also an influence on George Romero for his zombie movie Night of the Living Dead.
The Omega Man (1971)
I remember seeing this one years ago. At the time I thought it was a little stupid and slow. It took a lot a liberties with the book and the vampires now were suddenly a thinly disguised racial tension metaphor.
Rewatching it now a lot fo that still holds true, but it is also a fun horror/action movie.
So what was going on in the 70s? Cause there is a lot of fear in this movie. Not horror movie fear, but fear of the world written into the movie. Chemical waefare, race riots, all sorts of things to scare you.
Now I like Heston in this, even if his Robert Neville is getting further away from the book.
The movie has a similar ending to the book, but not really the same impact.
This movie is notable for one of the first interracial kisses between Charleston Heston and Rosalind Cash.
I Am Legend (2007)
Will Smith is now Dr. Robert Neville in this version that tries to use more science. In this case the vampires are altered humans from a genetically re-engineered measles virus. In this movie Neville is the last man here, but maybe not the last man anywhere
It is a passable version. Will Smith is fun actor and he is good in this role. The movie though in the translation seems to have lost something since the 60s and 70s.
I Am Omega (2007)
I am not even sure what to say about this one. I will be honest, I like The Asylum. Their "Mockbusters" are often a lot of fun But this one fell far from the mark. It only shares surface similarities with the other movies and book; only enough to make it any generic Post Apocalypse movie really. I suppose you can admire their cheek of it all.
This Tally: Watched 4, New 2. Best: Last Man on Earth
Tally: Watched 16, New 12
What are you watching?
Zatannurday: Alouette Cosplay
Well I finally tracked down that Cosplayer, Alouette Cosplay, and she has done some more.
Here are some of her DC Heroes. First up, Zatanna
:DC: Sorcery Savant by ~AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
:DC: A League of Their Own by ~AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
And as Black Canary, with an unknown Zatanna
:DC: Fishnet Heroines by *AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
As Catwoman with Poison Ivy,
:DC: Double Team by *AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
As Catwoman again with Harley, Ivy and the Bat.
:DC: The Sirens and The Bat by ~AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
Batwoman (love this one)
:DC: Twice Named by ~AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
And finally Black Canary
:BC: Little Bird by *AlouetteCosplay on deviantART
You can find her on DeviantArt and Facebook.
Friday, October 12, 2012
October Challenge: Dark Shadows (2012)
Dark Shadows (2012)
I was eagerly anticipating the new Dark Shadows from Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Well tonight, thanks once again to the magic of OnDemand I was finally able to catch it.
Well. I liked it, but not as much as I wanted to to like it. Depp is brilliant as always and Helena Bonham Carter is there too, this time with an American accent (loved it). Chloë Grace Moretz is here as well and way under used. Same as Michelle Michelle Pfeiffer.
If you don't know the background to Dark Shadows, over watched the old show, then there are some things that will be lost on you, but the film was still fun. Eva Green was surprisingly good as Angelique. But the movie lacked a real conflict and climax. I felt like they were trying to cram as much from the series as they could into a two hour movie.
The movie was fun, but it is really stretching the definition of horror for this. I am including it because I was such a fan of the original series.
Tally: Watched 12, New 10
What are you watching?
Well. I liked it, but not as much as I wanted to to like it. Depp is brilliant as always and Helena Bonham Carter is there too, this time with an American accent (loved it). Chloë Grace Moretz is here as well and way under used. Same as Michelle Michelle Pfeiffer.
If you don't know the background to Dark Shadows, over watched the old show, then there are some things that will be lost on you, but the film was still fun. Eva Green was surprisingly good as Angelique. But the movie lacked a real conflict and climax. I felt like they were trying to cram as much from the series as they could into a two hour movie.
The movie was fun, but it is really stretching the definition of horror for this. I am including it because I was such a fan of the original series.
Tally: Watched 12, New 10
What are you watching?
Willow & Tara: Slasher Flick
Willow & Tara for Slasher Flick
It's been a been a while since I stated up my favorite witches for a game. While reading through Slasher Flick yesterday I could not help but think how well these two would work in a slasher flick like movie or game.
So I am going outside of the the Dragon and the Phoenix canon here and going back to when the girls where young. Given the universe they don't have a lot of magic. So this is a geekier, computer expert Willow and a quiet, but has a scary power Tara. They end up being the Last Girls because our slasher is out cutting up all the male/female couples having sex, but doesn't know what to do about these two. If Buffy is a slasher flick turned on it's head, then I am turning Buffy on it's head.
Or something like that.
Anyway here are my girls. Just in time for Halloween. And look it's Friday the 12th. So, not at all like Friday the 13th.
Willow
Primary Character
Stereotype: Geek Girl/Computer Nerd
Brawn: Poor
Learned Fighter: Positive
Finesse: Normal
Brains: Good
Analyze Info: Positive
Computers: Positive
Occultism: Positive
Science: Positive
Spirit: Good
Attractive: Positive
Brave: Positive
Impatient: Negative
Prone to Anger: Negative
Special Ability: Versatile (Computers, Science)
Tidbits: In love with Tara
Items: Flashlight, Laptop
Tara
Primary Character
Stereotype: Quiet-Shy Girl/Psychic
Brawn: Normal
Finesse: Poor
Learned Fighter: Horse Riding
Brains: Good
Occultism: Positive
Perceptive: Positive
Psychology: Positive
Telekinesis: Positive
Spirit: Good
Attractive: Positive
Socially Awkward: Negative
Willpower: Positive
Special Ability: Psychic Power
Tidbits: In love with Willow
Items: book of magic lore
So they are last ones to survive the film. They build some sort of trap with Willow's skill and they try to lead our killer into it. Of course he comes in the wrong way and it looks like he has the girls cornered, till Tara pushes him into the trap with her TK. He dies a horrible death.....or does he!!?!?
My numbers are a little high in the above builds, but that is ok really.
It's been a been a while since I stated up my favorite witches for a game. While reading through Slasher Flick yesterday I could not help but think how well these two would work in a slasher flick like movie or game.
So I am going outside of the the Dragon and the Phoenix canon here and going back to when the girls where young. Given the universe they don't have a lot of magic. So this is a geekier, computer expert Willow and a quiet, but has a scary power Tara. They end up being the Last Girls because our slasher is out cutting up all the male/female couples having sex, but doesn't know what to do about these two. If Buffy is a slasher flick turned on it's head, then I am turning Buffy on it's head.
Or something like that.
Anyway here are my girls. Just in time for Halloween. And look it's Friday the 12th. So, not at all like Friday the 13th.
Willow
Stereotype: Geek Girl/Computer Nerd
Brawn: Poor
Learned Fighter: Positive
Finesse: Normal
Brains: Good
Analyze Info: Positive
Computers: Positive
Occultism: Positive
Science: Positive
Spirit: Good
Attractive: Positive
Brave: Positive
Impatient: Negative
Prone to Anger: Negative
Special Ability: Versatile (Computers, Science)
Tidbits: In love with Tara
Items: Flashlight, Laptop
Tara
Stereotype: Quiet-Shy Girl/Psychic
Brawn: Normal
Finesse: Poor
Learned Fighter: Horse Riding
Brains: Good
Occultism: Positive
Perceptive: Positive
Psychology: Positive
Telekinesis: Positive
Spirit: Good
Attractive: Positive
Socially Awkward: Negative
Willpower: Positive
Special Ability: Psychic Power
Tidbits: In love with Willow
Items: book of magic lore
So they are last ones to survive the film. They build some sort of trap with Willow's skill and they try to lead our killer into it. Of course he comes in the wrong way and it looks like he has the girls cornered, till Tara pushes him into the trap with her TK. He dies a horrible death.....or does he!!?!?
My numbers are a little high in the above builds, but that is ok really.
This Week in the OSR: Megadungeons
So this latest issue in the OSR seems to be about and around the Mega-dungeon.
There are a lot of reasons for this but they are better explained elsewhere.
http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=24039
http://aldeboran.blogspot.com/2012/10/schroedingers-room-and-fuck-diddles.html
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/in-defense-of-the-megadungeon/
http://wondrousimaginings.blogspot.com/2012/10/played-dwimmermount-last-night-sucked.html
http://warlockshomebrew.blogspot.com/2012/10/empty-room-syndrome.html
http://dreamsinthelichhouse.blogspot.com/2012/10/lessons-from-running-mega-dungeons.html
Me? I am not trying to stir up any shit. Here are my points of view.
There are a lot of reasons for this but they are better explained elsewhere.
http://www.therpgsite.com/showthread.php?t=24039
http://aldeboran.blogspot.com/2012/10/schroedingers-room-and-fuck-diddles.html
http://muleabides.wordpress.com/2012/10/09/in-defense-of-the-megadungeon/
http://wondrousimaginings.blogspot.com/2012/10/played-dwimmermount-last-night-sucked.html
http://warlockshomebrew.blogspot.com/2012/10/empty-room-syndrome.html
http://dreamsinthelichhouse.blogspot.com/2012/10/lessons-from-running-mega-dungeons.html
Me? I am not trying to stir up any shit. Here are my points of view.
- James is good guy. We don't see eye to eye on most things, but I enjoy his blog still. He will get done when he gets done.
- That being said, I hate to see the Kickstarter well poisoned or tainted. Delays are happening in about half of the kickstarters I have funded, while I am not mad or even irritated, I am getting a little anxious.
- Mega-dungeons are not my thing. Sure I get the appeal, but give me the outside or the city or the planes. One could argue that those are just different kinds of mega dungeons. One might be right.
So it's Friday and typically slow around here. So I wanted to capture your thoughts on this.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
October Challenge: Fascination (1979)
Fascination (1979)
You can't blog about horror movies and not do a Jean Rollin movie. I am likely to do more than 1 thanks to the combined magic of the new Redemption collection on Blu-Ray and Amazon Instant Video.
So what do we have here. Well We have some high society types drinking ox blood in a butchery. This shifts to a scene of a bunch of thieves and their double cross. Long story short our double crosser escapes to a house where two servant girls, Franca Maï (Elizabeth) and Rollin mainstay Brigitte Lahaie (Eva). They toy with the thief (Mark) a bit. Mess around with each other some, and generally and alternately try to keep him or send him away.
Soon more women show up and it obvious that they are toying with this man and they plan to drink his blood or have sex with him. Maybe in that order.
The film is very visually appealing and has that dream-like quality I always see in Euro-sleeze/erotics/horror. There is plenty of exposed female flesh and plenty of blood and a lot of death.
The scene with Lahaie and the scythe is a classic one.
I don't want to ruin the ending of this in case there is anyone out there reading this blog who hasn't seen this (I am guess there is one or two). But it is an unexpected twist.
The script is somewhat weak and the movie won't win any awards, but the cinematography is great. Again, very languid, almost surreal really.
I am planning on checking out some more.
Tally: Watched 11, New 9
What are you watching?
So what do we have here. Well We have some high society types drinking ox blood in a butchery. This shifts to a scene of a bunch of thieves and their double cross. Long story short our double crosser escapes to a house where two servant girls, Franca Maï (Elizabeth) and Rollin mainstay Brigitte Lahaie (Eva). They toy with the thief (Mark) a bit. Mess around with each other some, and generally and alternately try to keep him or send him away.
Soon more women show up and it obvious that they are toying with this man and they plan to drink his blood or have sex with him. Maybe in that order.
The film is very visually appealing and has that dream-like quality I always see in Euro-sleeze/erotics/horror. There is plenty of exposed female flesh and plenty of blood and a lot of death.
The scene with Lahaie and the scythe is a classic one.
I don't want to ruin the ending of this in case there is anyone out there reading this blog who hasn't seen this (I am guess there is one or two). But it is an unexpected twist.
The script is somewhat weak and the movie won't win any awards, but the cinematography is great. Again, very languid, almost surreal really.
I am planning on checking out some more.
Tally: Watched 11, New 9
What are you watching?
Review: Slasher Flick Director's Cut (2010)
As examples I will point to the reviews I did of Cartoon Action Hour and Capes, Cowls and Villains Foul. Given that it is the month of Halloween and I am all about horror movies, I think a review of Slasher Flick is appropriate.
I am actually going to review the Director's Cut which came out a while back. I know, I am quite remiss at reviewing this. There is also a regular version, Slasher Flick, which I have, but have not looked at in a while.
What is Slasher Flick: Director's Cut? Well simply put, it is an RPG where you play characters (emphasis on the plural) in a slasher film. You need to survive, but are expected to die.
Chapter 1 is our Introduction. It covers what is role-playing, what is fear, and what is a slasher flick and why you should play this game.
Chapter 2 covers the basics of Slasher Films. If you have ever read onr of Spectrum Games books before you know what you are getting here. In this book we cover the Killer, who is not really an NPC, but a plot device. I refer to these types of characters as "fists of the game master", they are here to punish the behavior of the characters in the most horrific way possible. The more horrific the better. There is a listing of a bunch of slasher film cliches as well. In this game you don't subvert the cliche (which is by the way cliche itself now) but instead you embrace them. That noise you hear was just a cat, THEN the killer jumps out. That sort of thing.
We wrap up with one of my favorite parts of all the Spectrum Games books. Cynthia's Guide to...this time it is here thoughts on various Slasher Flicks. All sorts are listed here and what she thought about them. Frankly this gold if you love horror movies like I do. Between this, CAH and CCVF I would love to see Cynthia Celeste Miller's video collection!
Chapter 3 is the rules. There are a couple of really cool features here. First are characters. You get to play a Primary Character, aka the starts of the "Flick" (an adventure) and some Secondary Characters. These characters can either be played by a particular player OR (and this is nice) they can be shared. So I can have my Primary character and then play what Secondary character I need.
Secondary Characters are here to get killed. They are the victims of our Slasher. Primary Characters might get killed too. But if they do it won't be till near the end. So don't get too attached to characters!
The characters have 4 basic stats. from the book:
Brawn: The character’s physical strength, resilience, toughness and
stamina.
Finesse: The character’s agility, coordination, balance and reflexes.
Brains: The character’s intelligence, perception and knowledge.
Spirit: The character’s willpower, charisma, leadership and luck.
These define what you can do in most cases. They are all rated Poor, Normal or Good. Remember, you are playing teens and college age people here. Each of these are given a die type d10, d8 and d6 respectively. You roll two die per stat being tested (the director decides which two). You want pairs. so on two d6s (representing Good on a stat) you need (1,1)(2,2)(3,3)(4,4)(5,5) or (6,6) or 6 results out of a total of 36, or 1 in 6. Roll a (6,6) on a d6 is the same as doing it on a d8 or d10, but some scenes in the Flick might require something special and rolling a "Topper" will be better.
You also have various qualities (positive or negative) you can add to these, like “scrappy fighter” (Brawn) or "great with gadgets (Brains)". These can add (or subtract) die from your rolls. You still only need two matches to get a success.
Special situations such as "Freak Outs" and "Kill Scenes" are detailed. Note, not much really on combat or other skills. This because the characters are expected to run when confronted with the Killer/Slasher.
Chapter 4 Covers Creating Characters. Characters are built using stereotypes. This is a Slasher Flick after all. You are not playing Biff, the guy with a d6 in Brawn and a d10 in Brains, you are Biff, the Dumb Jock. Now lots of stereotypes are presented and a lot of Qualities. But you are free to make up your own. There are also some "Alterations" such as special abilities that can cost Genre Points. Like the girl with psychic powers (cost) or the Scream Queen which gives you points when you scream and the Slasher could hear it.
Chapter 5 is aimed at the Players. This includes advice on how to best play the game and acting like a character in a horror movie. Things like "Interact!", "Play Dumb!", "Accept Death!". There is also advice on how to play the secondary characters aka victims in the game.
Chapter 6 is for the Director. This details running the game; Preparing the Flick and making your Killer. There are sample Killers here and lots and lots of advice on how to cover a variety of scenes. In fact this chapter alone is great for it's utlity for other horror-themed games.
Chapter 7 is Quick Flicks, a bunch of Plot ideas to build a full Flick around.
Chapter 8 is The Vault, a full Flick to run.
In truth both chapters could be ported over to nearly any other horror game. Turn the killer into a Villain and it could be a plot for a Supers game.
The Appendix is nearly 55 pages of nothing but character Archetypes. Usually 2 per page. If you want to play right away you can take one of these out and use them. They work for Secondary Characters too.
All in all, this is a ridiculously fun game. It has the right amount of horror, camp and humor to be a perfect slasher flick emulation. While reading I kept thinking back to all the slasher flicks I have seen over the years and frankly I could not think of a one that I couldn't do with these rules.
Actually my thought also was that take the Slasher, make him more mundane and a Tertiary Character and you have a perfect Alfred Hitchcock or Agatha Christie like game.
My hat is off to Cynthia Celeste Miller and Spectrum Games once again.
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