Lost Dispatches of Feraso #25 - The Totenlinden of Amberstoll

WEISSMACH LETTER #6

Amberstoll Citadel, Barony of Amberstoll, Duchy of Sandomir, The Weissmach

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

My Lord, do you know how many bones are in the hand? I have a long-term reminder of this trivia with 54 marks on my necks from Balfas' skeletal fingers strangling me!

The answer is twenty-seven.

Upon our destruction of General Balfas and the death of our friend Rogrim, we discovered the logistical issue with our heroic actions.

Celeste pulled out a pouch and handed a mismatched collection of silverware, gems, costume jewelry, and a smattering of coins to one of the villagers.

“This is what I found on the character in the Balfas’ tombs. I assume it belongs to the village.”

We were on the outskirts of the Duchy of Sandomir, so it was appropriate to escort the villagers home. But we also had thirteen bodies to transport back to Krigsgrave: Balfas and his eight warriors, Rolgrim, and three villagers.

It was slow going, travelling with exhausted villagers and a baker’s dozen of bodies, but we arrived in Krigsgrave after two days. We stripped Balfas and his men of their possessions and buried them in individual graves in the village cemetery. We bestowed the armor and weapons to the village smith to either fix and use in some other project.

We did bury Rolgrim in the old barrow that previously housed Balfas.  Between Celeste and Alwin, I assume the ground was consecrated to prevent the same fate from befalling him, and the doors sealed and chained to deter future aspiring tomb robbers.

Upon reviewing the spoils of war, I still held possession of Balfas’ longsword Betrayer, Celeste had claimed “dibs” on the gold embossed chain mail, while Murag grabbed the similarly decorated shield.  Morya grabbed the ceremonial shortsword with a gold hilt, along with gold bracers and the General’s ring. Celeste also snared his open face helm, decorated with aquamarines… and a large dent to the back of it from her mace.

After two days, I considered it right and proper that we alert the authorities.  The closest of the Citadels was Amberstoll, so we hired the services of Bartel to guide (and allow us access) and left.

We arrived at Amberstoll unscathed and Bartel allowed us access... and an immediate reunion with a young man named Maruch, the only villager to successfully flee Krigsgrave when Balfas took over .  The authorities laughed at him when he made his claims.

We hoped four certified statements (Alwin and Celeste, as members of the clergy, Bartel and Maruch) would sway the leaders of the citade.

We went to the magistrate's office to report what had happened, and despite the witnesses, this Bartholomew Brightswallow, scoffed at our credentials, and threw us in the jail for being tomb raiders.

Luckily, the captain the baronial guard, one Boris Smutney, was passing near the magistrate's office and overheard the tale.

He immediately told Baron Remo of our tall tale, and the Baron demanded an audience with us.

I must admit that I impressed the Baron quite a bit without sounding too pompous.  Not only did he free us permanently, but he called for the arrest of Magistrate Brightswallow, for eschewing his judiciary duties.  And then the Baron asked us for a favor.

He explained that the magistrate was an unwilling Duchal appointee.  Most baronies in The Weissmach relied on a group of peacekeepers known as the Freigraffs.  I was confused as to why a Freigraff, a rare noble title in Ras-Prythax was used essentially as a roving knight who dispenses justice, but since our first steps in the territory, nothing completely surprises me in The Weissmach.

Freigraffs would traditionally hold court under a linden tree, and it just happened that Amberstoll's Totenlinden was just outside the Baron's residence.

He decreed that The Order and Celeste would collectively act as judge.  We were touched by Baron Remo's foresight, but rather than punish the obnoxious man, we felt it better that the Baron appoint him to new duties for the barony, but still on the Duke's payroll.  Remo gave him some duties of... a middling scribe... and then granted all of us, including the dwarf, as Freigraffs of the Totenlinden of Amberstoll.

Upon further review of the paperwork received (a copies have been to Feraso City and to you to provide proof of this foreign title), I discovered that a bona fide Freigraff can wield his power anywhere across The Weissmach.

The Baron also offered a permanent paid position of Freigraff of the barony to one of us.  We asked for some time to discuss this, and over drinks, it was determined that Celeste should accept the offer.

However, upon waking up the following morning, we could not find Celeste anywhere.  We ventured back to the Baron, only to find her with him.  The Baron withdrew his open offer and asked our cleric Alwin for the position directly.  Celeste explained (and we all knew deep in our hearts) that Alwin wasn't the adventuring type, and a simple government position for a Priest of the God of Law and Order was perfect.   Alwin accepted immediately.

After some congratulatory handshakes and glad tidings, Celeste strolled up to us, "So, I hear you guys need a cleric... and I might know where Talanth Blackash and his cronies might be."

I agreed, as spokesman for the party, under one condition:  She needed to tell her tales of the Blackash Crew to us, as well as a formal letters to you, My Lord, as well as Krugraf Mykul.

She has agreed.

Yours in Service,

Elsderth Greyhawk
Sage of the The Order of Merit, Former Sellsword - Extraordinaire
Wielder of the Legendary Betrayer.
Freigraff of the Totenlinden of Amberstoll

DM Notes: Everything I've read about the adventure, Necropolis, is that it was filler with some potential.

I could have have made this a very sad story, with the Order finding a distraught Celeste with empty barrows and an empty village with no hope of recovering the villages. However, it makes more sense to join the group and give Alwin an out.  Freigraff Warmark is not a dispenser of justice I want to deal with.  

Next: #26 - A Letter from Celeste

ViscountEric and the Quest for Beer

Holey Moley, if this is the way my 46th year on the planet is starting, I might survive.

First off, my birthday celebration was noticeably lacking in gaming but was fun nevertheless.

From the family, I got their go-to gift, beer.  An assorted selection of two dozen random microbrews in cans and bottles, but unlike other years, they couldn't make it that easy.

With Easter the following day, and me finishing up the spring cleaning of the yard just minutes before, I was banished inside the house, and when I was called out, all twenty-four beers were hidden throughout the yard.

A birthday Easter-beer hunt, if you will.

A solid weekend of food, cake, and celebration... my only other gift of note was a copy of NHL19 from my sister (yeah 25-year franchise mode!)

Otherwise, the past two weeks have been pleasantly busy.   I've had the good fortune to get another promotion, effective the day we return from our cruise, but now is the time to get clean up everything so I can properly delegate tasks to my new staff.

Between that chaos, getting the yard ready for Spring, and packing for the cruise, I've still managed to spend some time on the painting bench. Within these past two weeks, I've managed to get two orders delivered: my Reaper Bones 4 Kickstarter swag, and a back-order I paid Brigade Games for at Cold Wars that finally arrive.  Now the already cluttered bench is covered in giants, Confederate gnomes, and the quart of mdf bases I bought, which spilled out ontop of everything.

This week,I'm hoping to actually produce something from the bench, get at least one more Lost Dispatches into the queue, and flesh out the posts that will appear while I'm away.  Through the May 15th, I have 10 out of 17 days already scheduled to post.

Time to grab some sleep and prep a reading and gaming list for the cruise.  

Apathy of the New Releases (May '19)

Issue #231 of Game Trade Magazine is available in PDF format here, and hard copies can be found at your FLGS.

ViscountEric's Want List
Evil Hat Productions
For the Queen ................................................. $19.99
A fun storytelling game that I heard over a few episodes of the One Shot Podcast. Great concept, fantastic price point.

ViscountEric's Money-Is-No-Object Want List

The Imaginary Store (The Pegleg Gnome) List
Alderac Entertainment Group
Atelier: The Painter's Studio ......................................... $39.99

Asmodee Editions
Bahamas ......................................................... $19.99
Jaipur (New Edition) ........................................ $24.99
Narwhal Free for All ......................................... $19.99

Atlas Games
Over the Edge Dice Set ................................... $12.00

Avalanche Press
Great War at Sea:  Prizes of War ..................... $29.99

Catalyst Game Labs
SHADOWRUN RPG: NEO-ANARCHIST’S STREETPEDIA  ..... $34.99
SHADOWRUN RPG: NO FUTURE .................. $49.99

CMON
Zombicide: Invader ........................................... $99.99

Cubicle 7
Age of Sigmar RPG Rulebook ......................... $59.99
Age of Sigmar RPG Starter Set ....................... PI

Fantasy Flight Games
Legend of the Five Rings RPG:  Courts of Stone HC .... $39.95
Legend of the Five Rings RPG:  Winter's Embrace ....... $19.95
Star Wars Legion: Tauntaun Unit ................................... $24.95
Star Wars Legion: Rebel Veterans ................................. $29.95
Star Wars RPG: Collapse of the Republic HC ............... $39.95

Green Ronin Publishing
Fantasy Age Campaign Builders Guide ......................... $32.95
Mutants and Masterminds Superteam HB ..................... $34.95

Hasbro
Dungeon & Dragons Stranger Things Starter Set ......... $24.95
This is one of those things that store owners either rode to profitable glory, or it sat in the bargain basement bin for the next few years.  A rather short adventure from Mike's game to get people into D&D and two plastic demogorgon minis, for about seven bucks more than the actual D&D Starter Set.

Konami Digital Entertainment
Yu-gi-oh! TCG Speed Duel - Attack from the Deep Boosters

Looney Labs
Chrono Trek .............................................................. $25.00
Jumanji Fluxx ...........................................................  $20.00
Marvel Fluxx .............................................................  $20.00
Doctor Who Fluxx 13th Doctor Expansion ...............  $ 5.00

Metal Dice Company
This company is soliciting a wide range of items, largely $40 metal dice sets, $5 mini-polyhedral dice sets, velvet folding dice trays for $16, and a oddly inexpensive velvet dice bags in the $4-6 range.

Modiphius
Kult: Divinity Lost Dice Set .................................... $13.00
Kult: Divinity Lost GM Screen ............................... $21.00
Space 1889: Mars Sourcebook ............................. $34.99
Star Trek Adventures RPG: Science Division ....... $32.99

Monte Cook Games
No Thank You Evil! RPG - It's Raining Cats and Dinosaurs ... $24.99

Paizo Publishing
Pathfinder RPG: AP Age of Ashes Pt 1 - Hellknight Hill .... $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Adventure - FAll of Plaguestone ............. $22.99
Pathfinder RPG: Bestiary HC ............................................ $49.99
Special Edition of the Bestiary is $69.99
Pathfinder RPG: Combat Pad ........................................... $24.99
Pathfinder RPG: Character Sheet Pack ............................ $14.99
Pathfinder RPG: Condition Card Deck .............................. $22.99
Pathfinder RPG: Flip Mat The Fall of Plaguestone ........... $14.99
Pathfinder RPG: Core Rulebook HC ................................. $59.99
Special Edition of the Rulebook is $79.99
Pathfinder RPG: GM Screen ............................................. $19.99
Pathfinder RPG: Lost Omens World Guide HC ................  $36.99

Q-Workshop
Starfinder Dice Set ....................................................... $13.00

Rio Grand Games
Caravan ............................................... $49.95
Nevada City ......................................... $69.95

Solarflare Games
Robotech: Crisis Point .......................... $29.99
Robotech: Grand Cannon Expansion ... PI

Steve Jackson Games
Cthulhu Dice: Purple/Green .................. $6.95
The Fanasy Trip:  In the Labyrinth ........ $34.95
Munchkin: Pathfinder Deluxe ................ $29.95
Munchkin: Warhammer Savagery and Sorcery ... $19.95
Munchkin: Warhammer 40K Faith and Firepower ... $19.95

Stonemaier Games
Euphoria: Ignorance is Bliss ................. $25.00

Vallejo
There's a mouth-drooling solicitation for Vallejo's Scenics line, but buyer beware.  According to their website, they are designed to add character for your 1/35th scale model dioramas, a bit larger than our usual 25-30mm players.

Wizards of the Coast
D&D - Ghosts of Saltmarsh HC ........................ $49.95
Magic the Gathering 2019 Commander
Magic the Gathering 2020 Core Set
Magic the Gathering Modern Horizons

The Historicon 2019 PEL is Up!!!

The Preliminary Event Listing (PEL) for Historicon 2019 in Lancaster is now available.

As usual, I'll simply list the events that catch my eye (and there are a bunch).

For the Gnome Wars fans,  Friday at 7, Jim will be running a traditional game on the MBA Castle board,  Saturday 2pm, HMGS Award-Winning Gamemaster Mike Lung will run a Gnomish Western game, and I, the ever-lovable ViscountEric, has the great pleasure in hosting the Gnomish Joust at 7pm Saturday night.

Note:  Many of these games are run multiple times during the weekend.  Feel free to look through the PEL, here to look for alternative times (it is a searchable pdf!)

T09:557 Bombardment of Ancona
Thursday, 9:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-42 GM: Brian Dewitt & NOVAG Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: World War I, Scale: 1/3000th, Rules: When Dreadnoughts Ruled the Seas
Description: On May 24, 1915 the bulk of the Austro-Hungarian navy sailed for the Italian Adriatic to bombard in response to Italy declaring war on Austria-Hungary the day before. This scenario assumed the Italian fleet sails in response. Historically, the Austro-Hungarian fleet bombarded
several cities around the Province of Ancona, especially damaging the port town of Ancona while the Italian fleet stayed in port.

T10:532 Archaeology Bites
Thursday, 10:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-25 GM: Jim McWee & MBA
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Modern-sort of, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Dino Wars!
Description: Something strange is happening on the jungle island of Isla Nublar days after an archaeological team discovered an ancient circle. Soon afterward livestock started vanishing then farmers were reported missing. Villagers fled to the port with stories of creatures attacking and dragging victims off into the jungle never to be seen again. Fortunately, your team of mercenaries are in port investigating the disappearance of the Ingen team, can you determine what is happening and put a stop to it? Must be 12 or older to play.

T10:540 Assault On Dracula's Castle — Theme
Thursday, 10:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-25 GM: Peter Panzeri & MBA Sponsor: Miniature Building Authority, Prize: MBA Prizes Period: Victorian Sci-Fi, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Wicked Witch Rules
Description: Just when Count Dracula and his minions all felt it was safe enough to depart from his fortress and prey upon the population... The teams of slayers (including van Helsing, Holmes, Lincoln and Buffy) All converge on the Castle Dracula For a Battle Royale of Skills, special weapons and courage vs. cunning plans, Evil tricks & Supernatural Powers.. A bloody fast-paced game of Random events, hats, songs, cheers, funny accents, and mayhem. What's not to love?

T14:539 Gnome Wars: In the Shadow of the Castle Elmore
Thursday, 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-24 GM: Jim Stanton & MBA Sponsor: Miniature Building Authority, Prize: YES! Period: GNOMES!, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
Description: As dawn breaks upon Elmore's Castle, the allies awake to a strange stillness in the village outside the walls. Shadows dart in between the buildings in silence. The sudden appearance of figures materializing out of the morning mist causes the hair on the back of Havildar Ishar Singh neck to stand up. Singh and the 36th Sikhs are in for a wild morning. Again the call rigs out in Castle Elmore, "To the walls gnomes, to the walls!" Any player Bringing a painted 320 point unit from Brigade Games Gnomes at War line do not need to pre-register. No one under 12 without a playing adult with Parent/child teams encouraged.

T16:586 The Last Kids on Earth
Thursday, 4:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-65 GM: James Reynolds & ODGWSponsor: Old Dominion GameWorks, Prize: snacks Period: Post-Apocalyptic, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Mein Zombie
Description: Life after the zombie apocalypse is pretty good for 13-year-old Jack Sullivan: he lives in a mind-clobberingly cool tree fort with his best friends, speeds through town playing Real-Life Mario Kart, has a crew of monster buddies, battles zombies on the regular, and generally treats life like it s a videogame! Of Course, even a master of the apocalypse needs some grub, and a run for snacks is not a walk in the park when you have to deal with zombies and weird monsters. Rules Taught / Beginners Welcomed! Kids game

T19:477 The Great Idontnorod Glacier Race
Thursday, 7:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-74 GM: David Cook & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Pulp, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Future Race
Description: It's snowing in July! Sign up for that great test of skill, courage, and improbable luck -- the Idontnorod Glacier race. Take command of a fine-tuned and completely unsuitable racing machine in the annual dash across the perilously melting Muttley Glacier. Use speed and evil cunning to be first across the finish line or the last racer standing, whichever comes first. There might even be trophies! Young children with adult okay. Rules will be taught.


F09:456 Philippines 1941
Friday, 9:00 AM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-62 GM: Buck Surdu & HAWKS
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: World War II, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Combat Patrol (TM): WWII
Description: Japanese advance relentlessly toward Bataan. American infantry are desperate to hold until relief arrives, but that is looking less and less likely. Supplies and ammunition are low, but the Americans are determined to stop the Japanese at a small creek. Off in the distance, the Americans can hear the sound of engines. Do the Japanese have tanks? The game features the unique, streamlined mechanics of Combat Patrol(TM): WWII. Younger players welcome with a participating adult. No booze, please.

F09:213 The Seven Deadly Samurai Sisters
Friday, 9:00 AM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Heritage: HR-42 GM: Kalissa Skibicki Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Medieval, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Ronin
Description: A local Tokugawa Shogunate wants to take out the rebellious Takeko sisters, Onna Musha, who have offended him greatly. The punishment is death. The Shogunate has sent out a warrant for their arrest with a high bounty. Local and foreign bounty hunters search for them at their last seen local. Whether all parties work together is another thing. Test out your skills in 1600's Japan with a game of Ronin.
F10:542 Indiana Jones In Cairo 1939 — Theme
Friday, 10:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 16, Location: Commonwealth: CW-25 GM: Peter Panzeri & MBA
Sponsor: Miniature Building Authority, Prize: MBA PRIZES Period: World War II, Scale: 28mm, Rules: RANGER RULES!
Description: Based on the famous pre-WW2 era film. Can Jones navigate many forces out to help him or kill him (some both) and keep the secrets of the lost ark from being stolen. A million things may go wrong. A bloody fast-paced game of Random events and double-crossing mayhem. What's not to love?

F10:228 Test of Honour - Battle for the Shogunate
Friday, 10:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-44, 54GM: David Hill Sponsor: Your Hobby Place Ltd., Prize: None Period: Samurai, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Test of Honour
Description: Test of Honour is a fun, fast paced 28mm miniature samurai skirmish game. Ninjas, monks, peasants, ronin and, of course, honourable samurai! Do you have what it takes to lead your clan to victory? Easy to play, rules will be taught, kids welcome with accompanying adult and all miniatures/materials supplied.

F11:485 Not Another Water Stop
Friday, 11:00 AM, 2 hrs, Players: 10, Location: Commonwealth: CW-61 GM: James Nickle & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Western, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Blood and Swash
Description: A train in wild west must make a stop for wood and water. All aboard know this is a dangerous time as so many bandits and never do wells often lurk about. Bullets and fists will fly in the swirling melee that is to come.

F14:480 In the Deepest Congo — Theme
Friday, 2:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-75 GM: Don Hogge & HAWKS
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Colonial, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Congo
Description: Africa, the dark and mysterious continent; what adventures await those bold enough to venture into its vast jungle? Conflicting claims on the riches of the dark continent set the stage for great adventure. Who will win fame and fortune and who will return home in disgrace? Europeans, Arabs, and natives all compete against each other. Come and lead a column in search of fame and fortune, or to defend your homeland from bumbling European explorers. Gamers under the age of 14 are welcome with an adult.

F14:192 Seize the fuel station!
Friday, 2:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 4, Location: Heritage: HR-62 GM: William Stec Sponsor: None, Prize: Ship miniature  Period: SciFi, Scale: Other, Rules: Full Thrust Lite
Description: The ESU is preparing an assault on the strategic system of Chi Draconis, which is an NAC stronghold. To facilitate this, the ESU needs to capture a nearby fuel refinery station. Unfortunately, there are NAC forces in the area. Can the ESU destroy or drive off the NAC defenders, or will NAC forces prevail and save the station? This is an introductory level game of Full Thrust, using the Full Thrust Lite rules. Beginners to veterans are welcome. Children 10 years or older are welcome with an accompanying adult.

F15:303 Picnic Panic Walk Up Demo (Kid Friendly)
Friday, 3:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-53 GM: Ben Rubin
Sponsor: Stonegate Forge, Prize: None Period: Fantasy, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Picnic Panic
Description: Come try Picnic Panic, the game of ant warfare. Command a tribe of ants, each with its own unique abilities and advantages, as you wage war over a treasure trove of candy left by careless humans. Play as the noble firstborn, the strong horned ants, the undead black ants, or the hard fighting, hard partying nomants. Eat the candy you capture. Fast-play, easy to learn introduction to the hobby. Adults welcome with playing child. No ticket required.

F18:261 Ordeal at Owikokorero (German South-West Africa, 1904)
Friday, 6:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-15 GM: Roy Jones  Sponsor: Recreational Conflict, Prize: German Southwest-Africa Miniatures Period: Colonial, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Sword and the Flame (Modified)
Description: It's a reconnaissance mission, but the Schutztruppen, machine gunners and Marines of the Recon Detachment are looking for a fight. So are Herero riflemen, expertly concealed in the bush. Can the Germans get in close, get their intel and get out alive, or will the Heroes annihilate the Recon Detachment? From the scenario book "The Herero War". More at: www.hererowars.com.

F19:606 A Hot Day of Death in the Cavaliere de Strada: A Mad Maximillian 1934 Adventure
Friday, 7:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 12, Location: Heritage: HR-23 GM: Walt O'Hara & Second Saturday Scrum Club Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Pulp, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Mad Maximillian 1934 (Grande Tour Expansion)
Description: Inspired by the chariot races of ancient Rome, the modern Autodrome excites the same passions from its audience with death-defying feats from its modern-day charioteers, the Cavaliere de Strada! Come test your mettle and your metal in Il Duce's Grand Arena of Death! This is the first scenario of the Grand Tour Supplement for Mad Maximillian 1934, which should be released later this year. There will be linked follow up games in the campaign at future events

F19:457 Epic Hoth Extravaganza
Friday, 7:00 PM, 5 hrs, Players: 14, Location: Commonwealth: CW-61, 62, 63
GM: Buck Surdu & HAWKS  Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: SciFi, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Combat Patrol (TM): WWII
Description: The Empire has located the rebel base on Hoth. This 14-player extravaganza uses the Star Wars supplement to Combat Patrol(TM): WWII. Take on the role of attacking Snowtroopers, AT-ATs, and AT-STs fighting through several lines of trenches to blow up the power generator and capture the rebels inside the hangar complex before the heroes of the rebellion escape. Or take on the role of defending rebels fighting trench-by-trench and room-by-room within the caverns and tunnels under the hangar. Younger players welcome with a participating adult. No booze, please.

F19:604 For the Love of Plunder — Theme
Friday, 7:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 4, Location: Heritage: HR-36 GM: Tim Reiners & Rogues
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Age of Piracy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Blood and Plunder
Description: The treasure is out there somewhere but it won't be that easy. Your oppenents also are looking for the treasure and will do anything to get it. Can you get their first and take them out in the process? Enjoy a casual Blood and Plunder land and water game for everyone to learn and enjoy.

F19:538 Gnome Wars: In the Shadow of the Castle Elmore
Friday, 7:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-24 GM: James Stanton & MBA
Sponsor: Miniature Building Authority, Prize: YES!  Period: GNOMES!, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars
Description: As dawn breaks upon Elmore's Castle, the allies awake to a strange stillness in the village outside the walls. Shadows dart in between the buildings in silence. The sudden appearance of figures materializing out of the morning mist causes the hair on the back of Havildar Ishar Singh neck to stand up. Singh and the 36th Sikhs are in for a wild morning. Again the call rigs out in Castle Elmore, "To the walls gnomes, to the walls!" Any player Bringing a painted 320 point unit from Brigade Games Gnomes at War line do not need to pre-register. No one under 12 without a playing adult with Parent/child teams encouraged.

F19:133 Let It Go, Rasputin: Frozen and Anastasia the Wargame
Friday, 7:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 12, Location: Commonwealth: CW-55 GM: Nick Wasileski
Sponsor: Brigade Games & Cigar Box Battle Mats, Prize: The Wazzi Award & Discounts
Period: Fantasy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Astounding Tales
Description: The 7th Annual Historicon Musical Wargame! A mash-up of two ice-bound musicals. In the frozen north, adorkable Ana teams up with her sister Elsa, a merchant, a hot guy, and a snow man to take on villains such as & her sister Elsa, a merchant, a hot guy, and a snow man. Meanwhile, can the Czar's only heir find happiness and avoid the true cause of the Russian Revolution: an undead sorcerer and his talking bat? Strong element of role-playing. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.

F19:137 Those who are about to die salute you
Friday, 7:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-53 GM: Marc Garrett
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Ancients, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Sons of Mars
Description: Join a ludus, train your gladiator, and fight for your life in a Roman arena in Sons of Mars, quick-play gladiator skirmish rules. Rumor has it a war elephant will enter the fray. We had a waiting list at Cold Wars, so sign up early! "Are you not entertained? Is this not why you are here?"

S09:170 Escape the Death Star
Saturday, 9:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Heritage: HR-56 GM: Jeffrey Hoffman Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: SciFi, Scale: 30mm, Rules: Star Wars Minatures
Description: A crazy old wizard, scruffy nerf herder, walking carpet, cocky kid and two loyal droids find themselves trapped inside the greatest weapon ever devised by the Empire. Can this rag-tag, but spirited bunch of adventurers rescue a princess and escape the Death Star? Not if Jeff Vader and Mr. Stevens, head of catering, have anything to say about it. That kind of thing only happens in the movies. Children under 10 years welcome with adult.

S09:488 Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Blue Carbuncle
Saturday, 9:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-72 GM: Sam Fuson & HAWKS
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Early 20th Century, Scale: 28mm, Rules: GASLIGHT
Description: A classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Sherlock Holmes mystery is brought to you in miniature. Sherlock Holmes and his allies must figure out who stole the Blue Carbuncle and who assisted the thieves. Lots of questions which the players figure out as they gather clues that help their team achieve group objectives. Lots of twists and turns for all. Easy to play, not so easy to figure out. Players under 13 welcome with a playing adult.

S09:470 The First Boer War: Will the mail get through?
Saturday, 9:00 AM, 3 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-73 GM: David Wood & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: 19th Century, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Combat Patrol (TM) - British Colonial Variant
Description: A mail escort on its way to Newcastle had been attacked by the Boers. Will the British hold the field? Or the Boers overwhelm them? Players control sections of infantry in this short, sharp engagement. Combat Patrol uses cards to resolve not only activation but combat. This is a very fast, dice-less, and chartless, but not simplistic, system.

S10:143 Have Gun Will Travel - Kid's and Parents Game
Saturday, 10:00 AM, 4 hrs, Players: 2 , Location: Commonwealth: CW-52 GM: Marie Hubley
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Western, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Rules with No Name
Description: Have Gun Will Travel Kid's Game - Play real old west bounty hunters, detectives, marshals and rangers (such as Bass Reeves, Tom Horn and Charlie Siringo) while they travel the 1950's "Have Gun Will Travel" game board to your outlaw's town. This is a town where anything and everything can happen to a body in the west, and you just got into town. If you like the passion and heat of the west then disembark at the stagecoach station in pursuit of your outlaws on a sprawling western game board set amongst the gold rush. Fast lively action, fun and a spectacular western game board guaranteed for all! Children and Parents welcome.

S12:281 A Very British Civil War: Hadrian's Wall 1938
Saturday, 12:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-51 GM: John Kerstetter Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Inter-War, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Trench Wars (Modified)
Description: Late 1938 Sir Oswald Mosley's British Union of Fascists lead a punitive expedition against the Breakaway Republic of Scotland. The Scots defend their boarder with a defensive line near the ancient ruins of Hadrian's Wall.

S13:463 Skirmish at Schlegel's Farm (Kid's Game)
Saturday, 1:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-75 GM: Eric Schlegel & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: American Civil War, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Home
Description: The Yanks and Rebs are hungry and Schlegel's Farm has abundant livestock. Who will control the farm and feast tonight and who will go to bed with an empty belly? Game is designed for kids, but adults welcome with a playing child.

S13:134 The Creatures of Croatoan: A School of Night Adventure, Virginia 1590
Saturday, 1:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 10, Location: Heritage: HR-33  GM: Jeffrey Wasileski Sponsor: Brigade Games & Cigar Box Battle Mats, Prize: Discounts Period: Fantasy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Frostgrave/Ghost Archipelago modified
Description: In an Elizabethan world in which magic is real, in 1587, a secret society, the School of Night, planted a colony on Roanoke Island for its own dark purposes. Governor John White, sent to England to gain aid for the failing colony, returned after three years to find the colony had vanished and only the word Croatoan carved in a nearby tree. Factions in the secret arcane war now are now searching the mysterious islands of the Outer Banks to discover the fate of the Lost Colony. Strong element of role-playing.

S14:226 Colonial Marines vs. Aliens vs. Predator — Theme
Saturday, 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Heritage: HR-24 GM: Brendan Watts Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: SciFi, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Beer and Pretzels Space Marines
Description: Colonial Marines attempt a jungle rescue only to find interference from Xenomorphs and Weyland Yutani mercenaries with all being stalked by an alien Predator.

S14:201 BREW UP IN BENZHEEN! 28mm GIJOE GAME
Saturday, 2:00 PM, 5 hrs, Players: 4, Location: Heritage: HR-56 GM: Jayson Gardner  Sponsor: AOH, Prize: Prizes will be awarded! Period: Pulp, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Modified Where Heroes Dare!
Description: The Emir of Benzheen has sought military intervention to quell a rebellion in his oil rich land. The Joe team, October Guard, Iron Grenadiers and Cobra all supply armored forces unaware that the Emir is pitting them against each other to determine who will receive his military contract! No players under 16, players wishing to bring their own forces please contact me at doctormerkury@yahoo.com before the game. Rules will be taught, no experts needed!

S14:272 Island Towers of the Terror Folk — Theme
Saturday, 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Vine: VN-3 GM: Paul Duggan Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Fantasy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Frostgrave: Ghost Archipelago
Description: Journey to the towering jungle-covered islands of the Terror Folk in search of lost treasure. Who are the mysterious Terror Folk? Not the human tribesmen, and not the snake people, and not the explorers from far away: they have all come in search of something special, hidden high atop the mountainous jungle-covered Islands of the Ghost Archipelago. It will take a while to climb so high: if only you could fly...

S14:273 Showdown at Hogswallow Creek
Saturday, 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Heritage: HR-13
GM: Award-Winning HMGS GM Michael Lung
Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Western, Scale: 28mm, Rules: How the West Was Gnomed (a Gnome Wars variant)
Description: The Razorback Gang is back in town and fixin' to stir up some trouble. Help Sherriff Chuck E. Cheese, Deputy Dog and the citizens of Hogswallow Creek show those rascals who is boss in this town.

S14:461 War and Peace...and Zombies
Saturday, 2:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-71
GM: Gregory Priebe & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None  Period: Napoleonic - Horror, Scale: 28mm, Rules: GASLIGHT
Description: The year is 1812 and Napoleon's once great army is now in retreat following the invasion of Russia. Can you guide your ragged band of French stragglers to safety in the face of Russian patrols, freezing temperatures and your own fallen comrades raised from the dead by the curse of a vengeful Haitian priestess? Rules will be taught. Young gamers are welcome with a playing adult.

S15:491 Dungeon Hack: Caverns of Tegel Manor
Saturday, 3:00 PM, 4 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-61
GM: Noah Guilbault & HAWKS
Sponsor: None, Prize: None
Period: Fantasy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Dungeon Hack+
Description: A mysterious manor-fortress, apparently unaffected by the ravages of time, has recently appeared where once stood ruins. Its approach is treacherous, but the caverns beneath it seem more accessible. Players control their own adventuring parties (and their opponent's monsters) that seek to cut path to the manor and the untold riches within. Get powered-up with magical loot, battle monstrous beasts, thwart rival groups, and discover the secrets that lurk below Tegel Manor. Ages 12+ welcome.

S15:474 Plastic Pirates Prance through Palms — Theme
Saturday, 3:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-62
GM: Geoff Graff & HAWKS Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Age of Piracy, Scale: 40mm, Rules: Plastic Pirates
Description: The Islander Princess has been found (captured) by the townspeople, and they are willing to return her, for a reward. The Pirates have heard about this trade, and want their share, which is really all shares. Once again there is martial mayhem in the Caribbean.

S19:202 Gnome Jousting Tournament
Saturday, 7:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 36, Location: Heritage: HR-41
GM: Eric Jacobson
Sponsor: Brigade Games, Prize: GNOMES!
Period: Fantasy, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Gnome Wars, Gnome Jousting
Description: Hear ye, hear ye! All are invited to participate in the grand return of the Gnome Joust to Historicon! Rules taught, quick, easy, FUN! PRIZES!!. No one under 10 without a playing adult.

S19:495 HAWKs Armies for Kids Game - Medieval
Saturday, 7:00 PM, 2 hrs, Players: 6, Location: Commonwealth: CW-76
GM: Chris Johnson & HAWKS  Sponsor: None, Prize: None Period: Medieval, Scale: 25mm, Rules: Milk and Cookies Rules for Battles
Description: The HAWKs annual Historicon Armies for Kids giveaway game, this time it's Medieval Warfare. After playing this game, all the kids in the game take home two armies and some extra goodies to play with their friends. Gamers 10 and under only. The HAWKs wish to thank the gamers whose donations made this game possible.

S20:625 BLACK HAWK DOWN! MOGADISHU with Danny McKnight
Saturday, 8:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 24, Location: Commonwealth: CW-25
GM: Peter Panzeri Sponsor: Miniature Building Authority, Prize: From MBA Period: Modern, Scale: 28mm, Rules: RANGER RULES! by Pete Panzeri
Description: Join "RANGER SIX" COL (Rtd) Danny McKnight for MBA's "MOGADISHU DOWN." TASK FORCE RANGER vs. Somali fighters. THIS EVENT is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Starting with a toast and tribute to the fallen warriors and commencing with a fast-paced simulation of unpredictable Random events and unprecedented historical commentary. Exciting for both spectators and participants alike.

S20:219 Presidential Race 2020
Saturday, 8:00 PM, 3 hrs, Players: 8, Location: Commonwealth: CW-11
GM: John Currin Sponsor: None, Prize: Miniatures  Period: Modern, Scale: 28mm, Rules: Zombie Apocalypse
Description: The country has fractured into red states and blue states. Amidst the chaos a zombie apocalypse has broken out. Presidents Trump of the Red States of America and Clinton of the Blue States of America both realize their best chance for survival is to flee to the second White House. Who will win the race? Come play in our fast, fun game with over 1000 zombies on the table. This game is a cooperative competitive game with lots of opportunities to help or harm your fellow survivors. No players below 13 due to slight adult humor.

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #24 - Against General Balfas

WEISSMACH LETTER #5

Village of Krigsgrave, Duchy of Sandomir, The Weissmach

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

Finally!  After weeks of travelling through The Weissmach, the Order of Merit has found..... adventure!

• Akana Priest, Alwin Warmark
• Wyrmnalian Battlemistress, Morya Silverbough
• Dwarf, Murag Mountainhammer
• Con-Man, Rolgrim Snakecloud
• Sword-Sage Elsderth Greyhawk

have joined forces with another acolyte of Akana, Celeste Sonnage de la Souer.  It might sound more insane than our other encounter with rabbit-men, but Celeste convinced the others to pursue an undead ghost general, Balfas "The Betrayer," and his elite skeleton warrior guard, who have conscripted the entire village of Krisgrave for some deranged ancient purpose.  

Of course, the revelation that Celeste had encountered the infernal Talanth Blackash and his crew, have made us a bit unsteady.  

It took a full day's ride to find the first casualties of Balfas, a group of elderly villagers, close to succumbing to an apparent forced march out towards Galmar.  They were not permitted to expire naturally, as someone ran them through with a rather large sword.  

By the following mid-day, we could spot a group of a few dozen people, walking alongside the relentless steps of the undead.   The villagers were armed with simple farming tools, while the skeleton warriors were fully armed and armored.  Within their ranks stood Balfas, his inhuman husk in glistening golden armor.

None of us having any military experience of any quality, we haphazardly charged the undead.  We were so noisy and obvious that the peaceful dead would be awoken, much less the martial undead, yet they simply stopped where they were and went into a defensive posture.   We met the skeletons with a half-hearted attack, followed by their equally mediocre counter attack.

I saw Celeste smack General Balfas in the head with her mace, proving he was not invincible, but when he upended her horse, sending her flying, it confirmed what I already suspected: We had never had a run-in of creatures of this strength and power.

Rolgrim Snakecloud, our rogue and underworld diplomat, tried valiantly to keep the skeleton warriors at bay, only to have Balfas grab him off the back of his horse and ran him through with his sword.

In hindsight, I'm not ashamed to admit that after the initial shock of watching my friend die, my second concern was if Balfas had the power to bring him back from the dead.  Thankfully, Balfas just retained his toughness and swordplay from his previous life, as well as his cadre of guards.

With the Balfas distracted by us, the guards futilely tried to rally their conscripted villagers, but the words of a seriously wounded Celeste seemed to rally some of the villagers from a cowering stance... to a defensive stance, to some of the stronger folk attempting (and landing) a few blows.

I noticed Balfas catch sight of this treachery by "his" troops and ignored our glancing blows to deal with Celeste.   With Morya the Viking and Murag the Dwarf showing ability to destroy the skeleton warriors, I rode around the combat and foolishly dove onto the back of Balfas before he reached Celeste.

I cannot provide a detail of the rest of the battle, for within seconds I was wrestling this restless spirit on the ground.  His sword knocked away from my flying attack, soon, his bony fingers were wrapped around my neck, choking the life out of me. I tried in vain to grab one his arms with one hand while hitting his mummified skull with a rock that I found within reach.  I couldn't see anything beyond his empty eye sockets staring back at me.

The next thing I can recall is a glistening mace of goodness and light smashing open the back of Balfas' skull.  Celeste stood above me, with a content smirk.  She dropped the longsword that Balfas had been wielding, next to my head.

"A sword works better against these guys.  Try this one next time.  I've got dibs on the armor."

.... and that is how I've come to wield "The Betrayer."

Your Faithful Servant,

Elsderth Greyhawk
Sage of the The Order of Merit, Former Sellsword - Extraordinaire
Wielder of the Legendary Betrayer.

DM Notes:  As I mentioned last week "Necropolis" out of Dungeon Magazine was one of the adventures my original high school group passed on in my early days of DMing.  It is only right and just that my little sister's (1st) character at the time would come back and try to right the wrongs of a non-heroic group by using Elsderth's Order of Merit.  

I'm almost tempted to chalk up this write-up as a solo D&D game.  Most of the previous encounters I've used logic and DM fiat to figure out the fate of the Order and let the story progress.  For the first time since I resolved the combat off-table since I figured out the chaos of the Saltmarsh tragedy in my Journey of Mutumbo Hackmaster game.  Details didn't come out until a surviving player from that campaign moved over to the Burning Trogs Rule! follow-up.

I legitimately rolled for both sides (using a phone app), and it was ugly.  Rolgrim was dead by round 2 and Celeste and Alwin were in single digits the following round.  Luckily the viking and dwarf are the poster children for the modern usage of "tank," and Elsderth tried to engage in run-of-the-mill player shenanigans.  

In the round Celeste finally laid the killing blow to Balfas, the main characters were:

• Balfas 3hp
• Alwin 2 hp
• Celeste 1hp
• Elsderth 2hp
• Morya 29 hp
• Murag 31 hp 

Like I said, those two were tanks.

I had envisioned this to be a simple one post story, but with trying to figure out the logic (or illogic) of the encounter, it looks like we'll need a third to wrap this up and send The Order of Merit north, in casual pursuit of evil, immorality, and a very annoying elf and his friends.

There's still the spoils of valor to split, but "The Betrayer" is nothing more than a Longsword +1.  The golden armor is nothing more than gold embossed plate, but in a magical one-size-fits-all world, that just made Celeste into Tank #3.

RIP: Rolgrim Snakecloud (1095 - 1021)

Next: #25 The Totenlinden of Amberstoll

Happy Easter 2019!

It's Viscount Day! 2019

Today begins the 45th year of ViscountEric's existence in this current mortal coil. 

With the kids' basketball tournament cancelled this weekend, I see some yardwork, some Easter Bunny duties, and hopefully a game or two in my future.

(Kickstarter) Terror at Weihnachten (TCK1) by Tim Krause

Tim Krause of Tomorrow River Publishing has launched a Kickstarter for Terror at Weihnachten, a 5e D&D Campaign for characters level 7 and higher. 

It's a holiday-themed monster campaign that's scheduled to be delivered well before Christmas. 

Ten bucks (plus $3 US Shipping) is a good deal for any module a decade ago, much less now.  Pledge levels allow for upgrades to hardcover for the book, or grabbing other Tomorrow River books, and the stretch goals are very modest improvements.  

(Kickstarter) Cats and Catacombs

What's better than puppies in fantasy adventurer garb?  How about motivated cats in the Animal Adventures: Cats and Catacombs Kickstarter?

Thirty-five bucks for 13 minis (plus S&H from the UK) isn't a bad deal.

(Kickstarter) Savage Rifts North America Collection

My love for Savage Worlds and Rifts might have waned, but it is excitement for three new books now on Kickstarter: Rifts for Savage Worlds: American Armageddon

• Arcana & Mysticism: Explores the Federation of Magic, Psyscape, and Techno-Wizard enclaves throughout North America, and the dire threats hiding within. 
• Blood & Banes: Details the struggle of dark heroes against the alien Xiticix Hivelands, encroaching Vampire Kingdoms, mysterious Dinosaur Swamp, and insanity of Madhaven. 
• Empires of Humanity: Brings to life the wonders of human civilization from the Coalition States to the New West, and uncovers the secrets of the east coast.

All three books are 192 pages, hardback, and full-color throughout!

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #23 - The Necropolis of Krigsgrave

WEISSMACH LETTER #4

Village of Krigsgrave, Duchy of Sandomir, The Weissmach

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

After our crazed state that may or may not have involved some unexpected ointment, tincture, or alchemical mixture, our travels through The Weissmach were much more sedate.  The subjects of each dominion are all hearty, friendly folk, but I beg my Lord, if you were to speak with these people, do NOT bring up the prospect of becoming a subject of our illustrious Krugraf Mykul.  The simple drink-buying folk turn near-homicidal with rage of that scenario.

We traveled into the Duchy of Sandomir, famed for its Ten Citadels... and not much else.

The capital of each of the ten small baronies within the duchy are entirely  encapsulated in these stone fortresses.  Markets, businesses, and tradespeople all live within the walls, and most farms surrounding the citadel are laid out so each farmhouse is closest to the citadel, so even the farmers' families and hired hand have a chance to dash for the security of the capital.

Unfortunately, this rampant safety has cultivated a severe sense of paranoia from outsiders.  Our simple request for shelter and a meal, paid with our own coin, was met with a hostility better suited for an goblin warband, or advance scouts for a Galmar Barbarian horde.

Luckily, there are other villages that dot the landscape that are not so worrisome of outsiders.  It may have cost a bit more in coin and time, but we could get our bare necessities attended to, including new shoes on some of the horses.

This process seemed to work fine until we reach the ghost town that was Krigsgrave.   Not a soul remained in the town, but there obvious signs of somewhat recent activity.  Cold, but relatively recent ashes in the fireplaces, buildings in good repair.  Just not a living soul around.

... and a giant collection of burial burrows (barrows?) just outside of town.

Expecting the worst, we ventured over to the storehouse of the dead... and a lone horse poorly tethered to some shrubs or overgrowth surrounding the barrows.  Most of the barrows were large, but so old that nature had taken over and hidden most of their sinister purposes.

But one barrow stood out.  One that was twenty-five foot tall than the rest.  One that had a metal door installed at its base.  One whose door was already ajar.

Inside, the secondary burial chambers were completely bare, save a recently deceased body.  His cause of death was a horrendously powerful cleave from a sword, but his still decomposing head had been recently smashed by something blunt.

There was one already opened interior door left to look, and our streetwise Rolgrim Snakecloud could make out the sounds of sobbing on the otherside.

I risked the group's safety and simply inquired, "Hello?"

A female voice demanded my name and station and I risked my own safety to stick my head through to show manners while giving introduction.

Inside the room was a lone raven-haired woman, leaning up against a black basalt bier with her elbows, hands covering most of her face.  The stone appeared to have had an previously dead occupant on it not too long ago.

Simply explaining our arrival in town and our concern for the missing villagers lowered tensions.  The woman stood up, grabbed a mace and her shield and formally introduced herself as  Celeste Sonnage de la Souer, traveling priestess of Akana.

She explained many weeks ago, she had arrived in town alone, and had been given a task by the village elders.  The burial mounds were a mixture of Galmar Barbarians and heroic Ferasean defenders from the First Barbarian Incursion, but the larger grave was of the great General Balfas.  Signs of evil goings-on, sacrificed animals, damaged property, and general chaos had recently started, with an eventual note stating that General Balfas demanded wealth from the living.  Their limited coffers were basically run dry, so the elders asked her to help solve their problem.

But soon after that was agreed upon, a group of adventurers arrived in town.  They not only seemed unconcerned by the village's plight, they caroused so much that Celeste found herself traveling with them the following morning, avoiding the quest altogether, and becoming their cleric.

After weeks of travel, the group had a falling out, and she journeyed back to Krigsgrave to discover the village empty.

The few clues she discovered direct the villagers to a horrible fate.   The lone body in the burrow was a common thug, extorting money from the villagers until the pretense of a risen General Balfas.  That worked well, until General Balfas somehow did return from the dead and slew the impostor.  The side chambers should have had his elite guard to protect him in the afterlife and, with the General, the guard, and the townsfolk missing, she could only surmise one reason.

Balfas was raising an army to travel west and counter-attack the barbarians... a few hundred years late.

With our own cleric of Akana, Alwin Warmark, vetting her status with the church and her story, we agreed to assist Celeste find the missing villagers....

It wasn't until we rode off at daybreak that the true surprise was revealed.

The "heroes" who convinced this distraught women to forgo her promised duties for a life of luxury and combat was none other than Talanth Blackash and his crew....

Your Servant

Elsderth Greyhawk

DM Notes: I believe that Necropolis by Nigel Finley in Dungeon Magazine #16, was another adventure that our group never finished.  I may have allowed them to capture/kill the imposter, and give back the villages meager possessions, but they wanted nothing to do with other issues, so they traveled on.  

Celeste is my younger sister Mary's first D&D character.  Of course, we got her to roll up a cleric.  She did survive a few sessions, leveled up once or twice, and went on her merry way.  Hopefully, we'll get a few more details in the coming weeks.

Next: #24 The Stranglehold of Genral Balfas

No Matter How Big Your Tax Return Is Going to Be...

Mepacon, Marie Konda, and ViscountEric's Roundabout Way Home

This weekend was Mepacon up in Scranton.  Numerous functions were going to keep me from the con on Saturday, and with my wife and girls away on Friday, I was coerced into dogsitting my own house, before I departed Saturday morning to help my friend Nate (as in Dr Nathaniel Millheim, Parapsychologist from the Call of Cthulhu 1920's campaign) move.

But a small Asian woman intervened, for a bit.

Marie Kondo is a Japanese author and organizing consultant.  I fell into watching Tidying Up with Marie Kondo after my family was enraptured by it.   A lot of her ideas about keeping what brings you joy matches up with gaming pretty well, but.... I was due for a mini-purge.

So, after work, I fought traffic up to Scranton and dropped off a giant box of books, accessories, binders, board games, etc, for the convention to auction off for their charity, for the convention itself, for giveaways, whatever they think they can benefit from it.

I now have one empty drawer and half a shelf and a few tweaks from my long term plans. 

Anything Star Wars will now go back to Star Wars d6.  I love the funky dice of FFG's Edge of the Empire game, but for my time and story use, d6 is just more convenient. 

Rifts is dead.  Long live Rifts!   That small collection of Palladium books I've been acquiring inexpensively over the years, with the pipe dream of running a campaign in Savage World Rifts, is now gone.   It was an enjoyable read for research and fluff, but I'm thinking about going in a different direction.  In celebration of that breakthrough, I simply combined all the story ideas post for Savage Rifts into one big post.  Thanks to that, I've solidly broken under the 440 scheduled/draft posts that I've been stuck at all this year. 

With that, I departed Scranton, avoiding the interstates, in search of a new rumored shop in Pittston.

I did a drive-by of Dragon Knight Games, thanks to traffic, a lack of on-street parking, and impending weather conditions. 

Directly from their Facebook page.

The storefront seemed well-lit, clean, but just a bunch of tables.  I'll give them a few weeks before I make a real appearance and write a review.

I also stopped at Tactical Advantage and was pleasantly surprised to see bunch of people gaming, plus inventory on the shelves!  I was so impressed by things that piqued my interest, that I picked a used, but immaculate 2nd Edition PHB and a pack the WizKids pre-primed wild boars.

Finally, I stopped by R-Bar for some crispy Maple and Bacon wings to take home and hang out with the dogs for night.

Onto moving day for Nate!

The Mike Lung Gallery #61 - A Return to Chicka ZulU

Pizza Party?

Last year, our local shopping district was beset upon by a tornado.  Only a few minor injuries were involved but a number of buildings saw catastrophic damage.  

Our local Barnes & Noble caught mid-range damage and was forced to relocate for the holiday season while they remodeled.   We finally managed to get over there since they've reopened, and it's turned into their new Nerd-vanna.  CDs, DVDs, and Vinyl no longer dominated the back of the store.  Now it's board games, party games, Funko Figures, and every other geek trope that makes money.  

Nothing demanded an impulse purchase (the RPG books are not in this section?  Peculiar...), but this caught my eye: Pizza Party.

Back in the day, one of the greatest $2 impulse buys for any store that knew about them where Flying Buffalo's Pizza Dice.  Two six-sided dice with pizza toppings on each side.  One was meats, the other veggies.  Great gimmick, great addition to anyone's dice bags, and recently retooled via a Kickstarter.

The game looks rather simple, but for ten bucks retail, the dice alone are a bargain. 

The Dramedy of an AAU Basketball Weekend

Alright, so this happened over the weekend:

Maja's AAU team had their first "away" tournament, and many of the players, and a LOT of the parents finally discovered that sports aren't fair.  

There are not a lot of 3rd/4th grade divisions in local tournaments.  Most tournaments (hence most programs) start with a 5th grade division cut-off, so we were badly underpowered for our visit to Scranton.  Throw in a few parents of the better players who, despite getting schedules with dates and locations, thought every tournament for the team was in the "red gym" of our home base CYC, so their kids missed the first game and a half of the weekend.

And in that first full game they missed, our little club had an unfortunate rematch against the Lady Storm, the same team that thumped them 27-4 in their first game ever.  

With six players, four of them tiny third graders, it was a slaughter.  

Dad's Silver Lining:  Maja scored two of the three points in that game and the ignominious fact that she scored six of seven against them in the two games.  

Maja's Silver Lining: She got to play the opening jump ball and WON.

Maja vs the 4th tallest kid on the opposing team.

The rest of the weekend went better, with more size appropriate teams, and just thorough trouncings instead of the original blowout.  

The best trait about my daughter is that she's played on teams against larger and older players so much that she's like a duck.  Get her a drink, a snack, and a place to sit and rest, and her problems roll off her back and she's ready for another go at it. 

When Maja was asked to play on the AAU team, I firmly said no in my best patriarchal voice of the family... and my wife promptly cut a check and dropped her off at practice anyway.  From what I read she still had another year before most teams in the area wanted anyone to even think about trying out.  We could take those registration fees and put it towards basketball camps, her birthday, household bills, but better yet, we would avoid the worst plague that seeps out of AAU:  Parents. 

Parents are the bane of every kid's enjoyment in sports.  They tend to focus entirely on their child getting the most playing time possible when they have a hint of talent, and when the kids are benchwarmers  they scream to take away talented kids' time in the name of "fairness."

Unfortunately, about half of the kids' parents had no clue that AAU was competitive basketball, not a pure developmental community league.  Equal time is not mandatory, heck a few teams that mention it only say that each player should be playing at least six minutes in a 28 or 32 minute game ON AVERAGE.  

I don't get a sense of entitlement some parents have (and subsequently trickling down to their kids), especially since it was broadcast before out first practice that we would be horribly overmatched in "away" tourneys.  

Little Millie caught Tournament Crud (just as bad as Con Crud) and fell ill Monday night, so I couldn't attend Maja's practice.  Of course, an EMERGENCY PARENTS MEETING was called and in the end, the annoying parents are still indignant, and our poor coach and the program managers were relieved that my wife (and me by proxy) and three or four other parents had their backs. 

Again, it's not any player's talent that gave me reservations about Maja playing AAU, it was entirely the soap opera drama of the parents turned up to eleven.  

The best part of the weekend?  After numerous games, drama, and road closures for the Scranton half-marathon, we grabbed lunch on Sunday and went home, only to have the girls request a trip to the park to play more basketball for two hours... 

.... and yeah, we worked on some positioning drills in that that time to help correct the 10+ shots in a row that she missed at one point.  I could go into a variety of excuses for why that happened, or become defensive and start bad-mouthing the other players like the obnoxious parents, but it was far more rewarding to spend some time with my daughter on a beautiful afternoon, and help her get better, all the while passing the basketball back and forth.  

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #22 - Death March of the Tin Golems

WEISSMACH LETTER #3

The Dimension of Taux On-Er the Observator, Accessible through The Weissmach

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

I apologize for the sudden break in my previous letter.  I was feeling uneasy reliving the events of that story, and felt best to send off the letter as-is and spend some time in recovery.

As I left my previous letter, we had followed some walking, talking, axed wielding rabbit creatures, fell down a pit, wandered around a strange new land, and had just emerged from a cave onto a green hillside full of sheep.

There were no signs of the crazed berserker rabbits, but we also failed to notice the simple, passive sheep on the hill, who, when we weren't looking, surrounded us. and bared some of the sharpest, razor-like teeth I've ever imagined.   It took the fleet feet of a fat man name Utte to stop them from ripping us to shreds.

Utte the Shepherd was obviously the shepherd to these magical "Death Sheep."  He wore magical gloves to protect him from the viciousness of his creatures.

Utte was the first kind thing we encountered in this strange pocket dimension.  He seemed like a normal man, albeit fat and bald, with a love for killer sheep.  We had two things in common with the man: he too had seen the crazed rabbits "Were-Hares of Doom we call them." he explained.  Better to consider these creatures uncivilized barbarians with a healthy bloodlust than any useful race.

The second thing could only make me chuckle:  He had encountered Talanth Blackash and his cronies.  They killed a number of his sheep for no good reason and he was ready to take his flock and hunt these hooligans down like the dogs they were.   We felt his pain and asked him to join us... although we asked his Death Sheep be kept at a distance.

I had read encounters with dragons, but I could not guess that my first sighting of one would be bright pink!.

Descending into the valley, we thought the area was recently subject to flooding, but as we got closer, the puddles smelled sweet and the all the objects were covered in a sticky substance.  Along the main road the Pink Dragon was sitting there, emitting a pink opaque substance from its mouth to trap the odd materials collecting around the area.

Pink Dragon only had a tale of woe for Utte.  The great wizard Pe'Psi who ruled the realm (we certainly didn't learn the name of this place) had been waylayed by and elf and his bandit friends.  In an attempt to defeat these ne'er do wells, he had cast one of his most powerful spells, Razen Sirop Mais.  He was now feared dead and some of the greatest artifacts in all the land were missing.  Pe'Psi's Robe, and Obviously the greatest magic sword in all the land.

We bid Pink Dragon farewell, and continued to pursue theses cads, but before I knew it, we ran into a cow with a Unicorn's horn and a nasty disposition.  Utte explained that the Unicow (I kid you not), was in the Wizard's menagerie and must have escaped.   It was almost equal to the power of the wizard, and managed to scare this tyrannical elf away, but not before a great loss.

As they entered an abandoned village, the town square was covered with bodies. Bodies of thinly pressed metal, forged as warriors layed broken and dented everywhere.

"With the wizard gone, the next strongest is Taux On-Er, the Observator.  We need to report this to him and pray he doesn't annihilate us."

I didn't like our chances, but a powerful mage had a better chance of getting us home than a Shepherd of Death Sheep.

After a very long walk, we arrived in a strange hall of mirrors.  Utte begged the tin golem guards for an audience with their master and they oblige.

Two things about Taux On-Er the Observator.

He was a beholder.

And he was definitely a she.

But even more surprising was her and Utte's reactions to one another.  Any false pretenses fell away, and the two seemed smitten with one another.  They seemed to instantly fall in love.

Utte is in the eye of the beholder.

While I'm quite certain of the were-hares, falling down the hole, and talking to a Pink Dragon, I don't recall the rest of that day.  The others could only recall bits of a wedding, a great feast, and something involving high grade fireworks.

We awoke the next morning back on the side of the road, our horses still gently tethered to some low hanging branches, and our pouches filled with rare gemstones.

Your Faithful Servant,

Elsderth Greyhawk
Sage of the The Order of Merit, Retired Sell-sword, and Third Bridesmaid to Taux On-Er the Observator's Wedding Party (Please don't ask.)

DM Notes: Sometime 29 or so years ago, I ran a comedy game for my D&D group using primarily Dragon #165, The April Fool's Issue. It was way too railroady for even our unrefined tastes, but it involved Ware-Hares, Death Sheep, Pink Dragons, Tin Golems, and Jell-o Monsters.

The original group easily defeated most of the things they encountered, fought a Giant Pepsi Wave (it was a TV ad campaign that stuck in our teenage craws) and some how escaped, but not before getting two absurd items:

Thendara, the Busty Mage, acquired the wizard's Robe of Useless Items.

Odmusson, the Drunken Warrior, got hold of the +1 Sword of Obviousness. Not an item from the "Outrages from the Mages" like the +3 Hammer (Dwarf Thrower), rather a Dragon cartoon where the magic sword is a giant number one with a plus sign floating mid-air.

The Order of Merit got some nice gems and a return trip home for celebrating the happy couple's true love with them.
Next: #23 The Necropolis of Krigsgrave

Legions of Steel.... Kickstarter?

 It's been pretty quiet on the Legions of Steel front for awhile.  There was the launch of of mobile game , but since then nothing.

Until this past weekend.

All of a sudden, a Legions of Steel Instagram account was opened by one of the game's creators, Marco Pecota.  There wasn't much, except some older photos and concept art, but among the comments were the words... "news coming soon," and then a mention or two of "Kickstarter" with some old artist and a revised logo.

I'm going to have to Marie Konda the gaming collection to make room for this....

It's also nice to see a resurgence over at the official LoS Message Boards

French Slug Cavalry for Gnome Wars

One thing that completely left my mind after an enjoyable weekend at Cold Wars was actual Gnome Wars news!

On Friday, Lon Weiss of Brigade Games was showing everyone the pictures on his phone of sculpts of the upcoming French Slug Cavalry figures that weren't quite ready yet. 

I'm quite certain they'll be ready between now and Historicon.  I'd check the website religiously, or sign up for Brigade's comprehensive e-mail updates.   

And I can confirm that they'll look nothing like the picture below.  

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #21 - Marauding Lagomorphs

8th of the Month of OctDec in the Imperial Year of 1021, the Reign of Krugraf Mykul I of Ras-Prythax

WEISSMACH LETTER #2

Village of Oshpenchin, Gran Duchy of Oppollo, The Weissmach

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

After my last letter reviewed a simple geography lesson of the region, I must warn My Lord that our first tale is simply outrageous, yet I will affirm to any court or any god of any land that this was completely true.

We quickly traversed the poorly named Duchies of Oświęcim, Zator and Toszek.  There are lands owned by common gentlemen in Verbobonc which reach further than these so-called "Duchies."

Most of the other traffic on the road did not seem too helpful.  The most gracious gave us a knowing nod and continued on their way, the worst were a band of hobgoblins that completely underestimated the rags covering up our armor.

With the Gran Duchy of Oppollo less than a half day's ride, we took a quick break on the side of the road.   A few moments of respite later, we were invaded by a group of... talking rabbits.  I'm quite sure our food and drink were not tainted in the least, as a rabbit wearing a vest and holding a number of ledgers in its front paws (arms?) was running on its hind legs.  Pursuing it were four other rabbits, each three foot tall, this quartet covered in plate armor and maniacally wielding battle axes.   With such a peculiar event, we only felt obliged to follow suit.  We made it through a number of hedgerows until falling through a hole engulfing an old tree stump.

Doom Bunnies?

After a fall through a dark hole which felt like it lasted an eternity, we saw a light at the bottom and slowly floated down to a forest.  The four weaponized rabbits were on the opposite side of the clearing although, as they spotted us, we realized they were nearly 30 foot tall (or we had shrunk to mere inches perhaps).  We scurried through the woods, desperately searching for a hiding spot.    As the rabbit warriors ripped apart the woods, we uncovered a small glade with a pedestal.  Upon the pedestal was a finely crafted dwaven warhammer with a simple sign that read "Throw Me. "   Murag Mountainhammer, our dwarven companion, couldn't say no to such a concise request, yet as he gasped the handle, the hammer seemed to launched him into the air and smacked one of the rabbits in the back of the head, knocking it out,  before falling through the forest canopy.

With the giant rabbits searching in a different directions, we managed to recover our friend and get into a cave along the edge of the woods.

The cave seemed to be usually clean and we barely escaped with the knowledge of its occupant.  Again, we saw a light after a long walk by torchlight.  This time, the closer we got to the light the redder it's hue.  Near this apparent exit, our cleric Alwin noticed a broadsword floating in the middle of the tunnel, but we gasped in horror that it was floating in something and that something was moving towards us!

Murag dragged us into a natural alcove, then stole my dagger and hard tack and chucked them out into the middle of the tunnel.   This odd entity, filling the full portion of the tunnel, slogged its way toward the dagger and ration.  The hard tack dissolved in its gelatinous (is that a word?) consistency much faster than any of us during our rest breaks, and the dagger joined the sword and a scattering of coins.

We ultimately escaped the cave and emerged at the top of some green, luscious, rolling hills.... and obnoxiously PINK trees.

I was out of my element, but I knew we weren't in Weissmach anymore...

Yours in Service

Elsderth Greyhawk
Sage of the Order of Merit, Former Sellsword - Extraordinaire

GM Notes: Elsderth and the Order of Merit are still on the trail of one Talanth Blackash and his cohort of chaos, but WHERE that is might be the more important question.

We'll find out with next week's exciting conclusion...

Next: #22 Death March of the Tin Golems