(Kickstarter) Gnome and Halfling Children by Midlam Miniatures

 Midlam Miniatures has created 35 successful Kickstarter campaign.  Their 36th covers one area I'm shocked they have not already covered the market on, Gnome and Halfling Children in 28mm.

I've been able to keep my self-imposed ban on UK-based Kickstarters (Shipping costs), thanks largely in part to fewer UK-based Kickstarters that tickled my fancy.  But this one I have less than two weeks to pull the trigger for those Gnome Kids.  Even if they are ridiculously small for gnome wars, I'm in search for more gnome civilians of all shapes and sizes.

(Twilight: 2000) Specialist Seth Hudson, Signal Corps - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 31

The high point of this month hasn't been participating in the #charactercreationchallenge, it's not completing some awesome project, or even how well my kids are doing in basketball.  I got an updated prescription for the glasses and reading is a pleasure again.  A small part of that pleasure is I got a chance to sit down and read the physical copy of the Twilight:2000 boxed set I got from Free League's Kickstarter.

I end this challenge, with a hastily made character for the game:

Specialist Seth Hudson, Signal Corps
The smartest thing for someone who wants to serve your country and avoid getting shot?  Being able to avoid combat arms MOS is a start.  Plenty of Chair-borne positions, and technical jobs where most of the work is safely behind enemy lines. 

In peacetime, that's a slam dunk option, but when the war gets hot, anyone who's qualified with a weapon in Basic is getting moved, especially when the shit hits the fan.

Seth Hudson figured the Army was the easiest way to get out of Alabama, learn some technical skills, and possibly see the world.  Computer, communications, and other Signal Corps jobs kept you out of harm's way for two terms, until he caught up in the shit-show in Europe.  He was finally pulled from his depot and assigned to the last group of reinforcements before everything went dark.     There's probably nothing left of the depot, so alive and lost in Poland is still a better option... for now.

Name: Seth Hudson

Nationality: American

Branch: Army 

Appearance:  Short, male pattern baldness.

Military Rank:  Specialist (E-4)

Moral Code:  Help/Spare innocent civilians caught up in this mess.  

Big Dream:  Find a secure location with electricity with a Playstation... heck an NES or Atari would work right now. 

Buddy - TBD

How you met the group - Final group of reinforcements before things went dark.

Attributes and Skills

• Strength=C
• Agility= C
• Driving = D
• Ranged Combat = C
• Intelligence = A
• Tech = B
• Empathy = B

Specialties: Communication, Computers, Electrician, and Improvised Munitions

Combat

Hit Capacity = 4

Stress Capacity = 6

Coolness Under Fire  =8

Unit Morale = TBD

Radiation

Permanent : 3

Gear

Assault Rifle

d4 Reloads

Flak Jacket and Helmet

Knife 

Personal medkit

Basic Tools

Electrical tools

Backpack.

Mandatory Basketball Rant 2021-22 Week 8

It's amusing.  I pine away for my kids games when they're cancelled/rescheduled/shut down due to COVID, but holy moley does it seem like pure insanity.

A quick rundown from 1/21 - 1/27.

The Local Rec League is 700 parents who are content with the way things are, and about 30 that are just giant pains in the butt.  Compared to other things, it's a tolerable number, but week-after-week, it wears one done.  Throw in a board who half don't want to do anything, a quarter want to quit, and a President who tries to make everyone happy without looking at the facts, and I'm half-tempted to drop everything at his doorstep.

... but I have plans, so I'll abide... for now.

For Millie's team rec league, it continues to be miserable inevitability.  The other guard on the team gets wilder with each game, some of the girls are now running away from the ball when it's passed in their direction, and Millie's only steady target is now literally turning it off halfway through the game.  It was sheer will, and great ball handling on Millie's part, that they got within 4 of the best team in the league, and only lost by 6.  The playoffs are coming fast, and things are going to be ugly.  

Maja's Freshman team came off of their COVID break with huge victory against their only loss of the season, 44-38.  The addition of one of the 8th grade guards and our usual 7th grade center was a 30+ swing in margin of victory.  They then proceeded to give a thorough thrashing to Pittston, and ended the week with a 41-3 victory over Tunkhannock.  

Yep, that's right.  Tunkhannock.  It's a real place, like the town inside a snow globe.

Maja is literally averaging 1.5 points a game, with over 1 in every other category.  She's literally either making one foul shot, two foul shots, or a two-point field goal, every game.  I'm more than satisfied with the ton of playing time she's getting.

Her 7th grade team is just trying to get on the court.  Weekend games keep getting postponed, so it feels they'll be playing Saturday and Sunday until April just to catch up.  

The 7th Graders had only lost a player a week to COVID, then during the Freshmen game, one of them finally went down for good... with a dislocated butt.  It's a lower back dislocation, very close to the tailbone, but I stick with dislocated butt for the injury.    

The same player was one of the recent COVID cases, so didn't even have a chance to play a flurry of games this past weekend.  We split forces, me going to Maja's game and my wife going to Millie's West Hazleton League. 

Maja's game was a healthy 39-19 rout, while Millie encountered 7th grade boys of actual height. 

Her team lost, but she put up her regular fight.  

Sunday, we switched, my wife going to see Maja, and me taking Millie to a much needed lesson.

With her lesson done (and learning Maja's team wiped the floor with the other team 46-8), we raced down to catch Maja's 8th grade team still playing on site, only to be confused to see Maja still playing, twenty minutes into the 8th grade scheduled slot.  

Comes to be, the 8th graders showed up with five players, so the coached tacked the 7th graders onto the roster (which is permissible).  Funny thing, the fact that the 8th graders would have lost without the 7th graders, but Maja did get to play against one of her dear AAU friends, so that was fun.

For the final game of the weekend, Millie's travel team had an "exhibition" game against the number tournament seed, Freeland.  These two teams had earned byes in the playoffs, so they played a fun little game with no impact to the standings.  

No one around the court thought that at all.  It was a tremendous slugfest that came down to the 3-point attempt in the closing seconds.  

Mountain Top 22  Freeland 19.  

It can't be a rivalry until both teams win, so now it will be a "fun" rivalry for the next 6-7 years.   Both teams get a reprieve, with quite probable playoff wins against teams they've torched before, but they should be back on February 5, 2021, championship Sunday.

Of course the announcements for AAU tryouts are coming hot and heavy, so there will be nary a day of rest 

(GURPS IOU) Fluffernutter MacQuinn - Squirrel Pilot - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 30

On the tail end of the #CharacterCreationChallenge, I intentionally placed a few crunchier character creation systems.  A number fell-by the wayside, but I made sure at least one Illuminati University student made it onto the challenge, with actual GURPS stats. 

Meet Fluffernutter MacQuinn, IOU Freshthing, majoring in Aviation.

Fluffernutter MacQuinn - Aviation Major - 100 points

ST:   11  (10)

DX:  14  (45)

IQ:   11 (10)

HT:  10  (0)

Of course there's an Aviation major at IOU.

Advantages:  Ambidexterity (10), Acute Vision +3 (6), Acute Taste and Smell +3 (6), Reputation +3 (15)

Disadvantages:  Glory Hound (-15), Lives on Campus (-5), On the Edge (-15)

Skills: 

Brawling (P/E)                  2           15   

Carousing (P/A)                2           10

Dancing:  (P/A)                 2           14

Electronics Operation (M/A)   2    11

Guns - Pistol: (P/E)                  2    15

Gunner - Machine Gun (P/A)  4     15

Jumping:  (P/E)                       8      17

Mechanic: Gasoline Engine (M/A)   2    11

Navigation (M/H)                    2       10 

Piloting: Single Engine Prop   3       11

Piloting: Multi-Engine Prop    1       13

Piloting: Small Helicopter       1       13

Survival: Woodlands               2        11

Three takeaways from Fluffernutter. (1) I never moved on to 4th Edition  (2) I sort of miss the small library of GURPS books I had eons ago.  I bet things like claws are right in the 4th Edition player's book, but I simply didn't have time to look them up online for a point cost.  For minimal damage, it's probably only a few point.  (3) Outside of maintaining my Dream Avatar for fun, I think I'm GURPS-ed out, at least creating stats.  The rules system is quite simple, albeit modifier heavy, but I just don't sense the appeal of building out the characters. 

(Merovingian Hack) Ragnetrude, Austrasian Shieldmaiden #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 29

With two more days left to the #CharacterCreationChallenge, I'm on day 29 and beyond running on fumes.  I have great concepts for characters, but I simply can't get to breaking out the systems I want to use to make them.  Lucikly, I've partaken in #zinequest enough times on Kickstarter than I have a few random options to work with.  

The Merovigian Hack is an RPG set in the time of Charlemagne, the Frankish Kingdoms, etc.  

Ragnetrude, Austrasian Shieldmaiden

Age: 17
Father - Fisher
Mother - Alchemist
First Born

Agility:   0

Majesty  +2

Might    +1

Perception   -1

Resolve   +1

Speed     -1

Vitality:  Blood 14   Bone 21

Skills:

Carousing +1

Commerce +1

Medicine +1

Spear   +1

Witchcraft +1

NOT Literate

Experience:

Equipment, Helmet and Shield, Spear and Seax

(DAGGER) Leif Erikson, Dwarf Viking - #charactercreationchallenge - Day 28

On these waning days of the #charactercreationchallenge , I'm honestly fading fast.  I have multiple concepts I'd like to create, but I just don't have the time or energy to do them in the appropriate system.  

So with today's character, I'm going super-basic, Dagger is an RPG toolkit for Gaming with Kids and it's characters are tres basic!

Here's Leif Erikson, Dwarf Viking

Move: 5 Squares (25 ft)

Hit Points:  15 

Saving Throw: 8

Special Ability: A Dwarf automatically finds hidden treasure when searching.  They also have advantage on Saving Throws versus Magic or Poison.  

Equipment:  Chain Armor, Axe and Crossbow

That's about as simple as one can get!  

(Starfinder) Flytch Squik - Ysoki Soldier #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 27

 For today's #CharacterCreationChallenge, I'm dusting off and cracking open, for the first time, my copy Pocket Edition of the Starfinder RPG.  I had picked up the physically smaller and cheaper book after snagging Skitter Shot for #FreeRPGDay, but I never got around to looking at the rules.   It's kitchen sink sci-fi using the old 3rd Edition/Pathfinder rules, and it looks like it would work. 

The only thing that got me a  bit confused was starting equipment, which appears to be more GM Fiat, than roll and purchase.  Makes sense, as what were expensive magic items in fantasy are now simply advanced tech.

Flytch Squik is a Ysoki, a rat/mouse race.  For a quick character generation, I pictured more of a potential mech jock in the making than ship pilot that stats initially scream for.

Flytch Squik 
Race: Ysoki Mercenary Soldier
3"3"  72lbs  12 years old

Strength:        9    -1

Dexterity:     17   +3

Constitution: 12   +1

Intelligence:  14   +2

Wisdom:        10

Charisma:      11

Mercenary Knowledge: Reduce difficulty check on Culture and Profession: Mercenary by 5, +1 Bonus to Athletics checks

Hit Points: 9

Stamina Points: 8

Class Skills: 

Athletics (STR)       +1

Engineering (INT)  +3

Medicine (INT)      +3

Piloting (DEX)       +4

Profession - Lab Tech (INT)   +3

Survival (WIS)       +1

Armor Proficiency:  Light Armor and Heavy Armor

Weapon Proficiency: Basic and Advanced Melee Weapons, Small Arms, Long Arms, Heavy Weapons, Sniper Weapons, and Grenades

Fighting Style: Armor Storm (Hammer Fist)

Feats: Nimble Moves, Standstill

(RISUS) Loren Stutts, Protector of Freedom and Community Standards

Early on during the pandemic, I ran some connected one-shots online: Bigg Melons in the Time of COVID and The Great Hall of COVIDiots, again using Risus for mechanics and Coffee Shop by James d'Amato for set-up.

I already used this photo multiple times for posts, but it warrants some stats. 

Loren Stutts, Protector of Freedom and Community Standards

Retired Navy Vet (Brown Water Vietnam) with a lot of free time on his hands (4)

State-Renowned Model Ship in a Bottle Hobbyist (3) 

Fledgling Internet Scholar (2)

Fervent protector and legal interpreter of individual freedom, personal rights, and medical research (1)

Loren's a good guy.  Always has been.  Church some Sundays, Salvation Army kettle every Christmas, and he participated in the Toys for Tots motorcycle run until his hip replacement failed and he was forced to sell his Harley.  

When COVID first hit, he tried to follow all the guidelines, but the were getting complicated.  However, the man simply could not stay at home and with help of a friend on an internet message board who believed in God, Firearms, and the links to the Gnomes of Zurich to financial institutions and barber shops all through Idaho, he was gifted an ingenious item.  A hat made out of the pool noodles gave him enough space to go down the aisles of local stores without everyone giving him dirty looks for not wearing a masks.  Strange looks, yes, but not dirty one.  

As the months wore on, Loren has attracted a new group of friends.  A bit rougher around the edges than his buddies he sees at the VA, but they drink the right beer, like the same music, and seem to agree with every word he says about the government's ridiculous response to the pandemic.

In truth, a sorcerer of chaos who happened upon Loren's posts on the internet, gifted him a Helm of Covfefe,  masked as a crazy mass of pool noodles.  The Helm slowly influences, then all-out mind controls people around the controller.   Loren has made mention about wishing some local government leaders and loudmouths would simply disappear.  He's yet to connect the dots and realize his new friends are fervent worshippers of him and have kidnapped, tortured, and even sacrificed some of the mentioned people to the Chaos Gods, and possibly the newest Chaos God, Loren himself. 

(RISUS) Barney Viglione, Necromancer/Loan Shark #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 25

Barney Viglione

Necromancer with a Penchant for Wights (4)

Loan Shark with Deep Mob Ties (3)

Straight Laced Daytime Banker with Real Skeletons in His Closet (2)

Winger Cover Band Bass Player (1)

Barney doesn't LOOK like a necromancer.  Or maybe  his Wall Street fashion sense with slicked back hair and a gaunt look is too obvious for the casual observer to see. 

He runs one of the cookie cutter banks that clutter Main St.   He runs the regular spectrum of services, from savings accounts for the kids, to financial planning, the normal run of mortgages and loans.  He's always on the hot seat for his low volume of loans, but he is known that the loans and mortgages he writes NEVER default.  He's quite particular with whom he approves.  

For those who don't meet his strictest criteria, they immediately get offered his side gig, as Kip Malphetor, a wild-haired loan shark with mob connections.  As particular as he was providing legitimate loans, he would take any down and out soul (and a few defaulting on the real loans).  He and his loyal group of mob henchman were diligent in collecting payment, yet few folks were "roughed up" in the classical sense.  Kip would usually make a personal visit, and if the debt could not be paid in a satisfactory manner, he and the goons would kidnap the person, torture them mercilessly, and discard the body maliciously in a hidden spot only known to them.  

What the mob goons don't completely understand is that Barney/Kip is a necromancer of some power and import.  He purposely tortures the people within the guidelines of particular rituals, so when the bodies are carelessly discarded, they turn into wights.  He then uses his powers to retrieve them and force them under his command.  

He has dozens of these creatures under his command, and uses them to guard a secret vault underneath his bank's vault.  There, he cares for his own growing fortune, as well as a safe spot to store the mob's plentiful reserves (for a small fee, which further feeds his loan shark enterprise, or safely pays off the proper loans gone wrong, thus keeping his line of perfection intact.

Although he could easily create a giant army of skeletons and zombies, Barney/Kip is infatuated with wights and will do whatever is necessary to ensure that a corpse turns into a wight.

You could say he's a.... wight supremacist. 

Seriously though, I found this necromancer wight supremacist joke concept online with the last few years and threw it in drafts behind the scene for the blog. I may still run with the concept, either for IOU or a Canadian Cthulhu game.    It might actually have some legs.

(Star Wars d6) Bo'non'as and Oopsa #4 - Against the Horde of the Lightning God

The Lightning God is no more!!!

Armed only with their wits, a lone power pack, 

and a profound knowledge in tuber-based recipes 

Yellowback Kurabanda heroes Bo'Non'as and Uha'ul 

Were able to slay the "Lightning God" of the north. 

Fresh off that victory, they have succeeded in  

Pissing off the remainder of the Lightning God's followers

and they are in the process of chasing down our heroes to

the front grate of the Yellowback village.

For Bo'Non'as and Uha'ul, trekking up to the northern lands of the Lightning God.  They had slain the Lightning God and had angered his followers.  Our heroes, Bo'Non'as and Uha'ul, high-tailed it out of town.

Uha'ul just wnated to help Bo'Non'as, and things went horribly well and horribly bad at the same time. A half-step behind the former Warlord of the Kurabanda, and nothing to trip, Uha'ul had to trip him up mentally.

"Look, an Indulgent-class Luxury Liner!" he exclaimed, pointing at the sky.  Bo'Non'as stopped short to turn around and look and took a tumble.  He managed to right himself quickly, but the fabled Ladle of Command, the kitchen implement that slew the Lightning God, was bouncing right into the hands of Uha'ul!

The Ladle of God-Slaying

Oopsa, the advisor to the Chosen One, still stood above a platform a good 15 foot above the chaos, sipping on a cup of warm Potass.  Something needed to be done. 

The only thing he could do was run over to the Organ Grinder of Unity, the tusks of the large mammal roaming the plains of razor grass.

***WA-oooo-AAAUUUGH***  (with the sound of an English Horn)

Some of the guards had obviously seen the angry horde chasing the Yellowback heroes, but the sound of the Organ Grinder reminded them their primary mission was to defend the platform from the attack.

The guards were hastily assembled by the entrance on the platform to the village.  Uha'ul dashed by with some healthy advice. 

"Get ready, get ready, close ranks, close ranks!!!"  

With that he slid between two of the guards right before they closed ranks and set spears, leaving a trailing Bo'Non'as in front of the spear tips.  He wisely performed front flip with a backspring and flew over the guards, seconds before the charging horde impacted the spearmen.

Picking up his warm cup of potass, Oopsa climbed above the Temple of the Wise to a long-forgotten sentry post.  There, he sipped his cup and observed.  

Using the Ladle, Uha'ul rallied the women, children, and infirm to take up arms to fight against the onslaught of the Red Kurabanda.

Bo'Non'as had had enough of Uha'ul showing him up and tried to kick the Kurabanda in the nuts, but in the ensuing melee, the Ladle cracked down the middle, each of them holding a half!  Uha'ul was pissed and punched Bo'Non'as in the face!  Bo'Non'as countered with Kurabanda Martial Arts and the effective double-eye-poke.

High above in the guard turret, Oopsa barked encouragement to the defending guards below.

"You, to the right!  You, help him!  No, the other way!"

Bo'Non'as lept upon the blind Uha'ul, but fell into a a headlock.  Both could look to see the line of spearmen bowing into the village, but barely holding.  Many of the Red Kurabanda turned around and ran.  Others jumped from the platform having enough of the fight.  

Oopsa must of absorbed the magicks from the broken Ladle, and rallied the spearmen to hold fast.  

Bo'Non'as lifted Uhu'al into a suplex and both came crashing to the ground.  Bo'Non'as took the broken pieces of the Ladle relic, tossed the pieces on Uha'ul's chest, and walked away.  

Bo'Non'as searched for Oopsa, finally scaling up to his level to find the advisor finally finishing his cup of potass.

"Um, you need something?"

Bo'Non'as smacked the empty cup out of his hand, tumbling to the forest floor.  

"Thanks for no help against the Reds... or that treacherous Uha'ul."

"I was leading the guards!  They were doing good!  I can't see how this could possibly go any better."

Bo'Non'as tried to bellow orders to the troops down below, but the wrestling knocked too much out of him, and he could barely utter a low speaking voice.  

For Uha'ul, he used potass paste to recombine the two pieces of the ladle. Wrapped now in decorative vine, the magicks may have disappeared the it was still a symbolic relic.   However, with the Ladle in one hand, and a spear in the other, Uha'ul rallied the guards further until the Reds simply gave up. 

"Go back to your homes, leave us," Oopsa hollared.

"We need the manpower to help the village," Bo'Non'as low talked.

"OR STAY IF YOU WANT TO!"

The remaining Red Tribe was welcomed back with open arms.  Over a hundred villagers returned, at least to Uha'ul's poor counting. 

Dipsa, the Chosen One, all four-years of her, finally woke up and was apprised by Oopsa of the situation.  Afterwards, Oopsa organized a great feast to celebrate full of stale plantain chips and vegan sushi. 

An subsequent search party traveled back the Red Village and scored some hard containers that were of hairless mammal creations, and only the jacket of the Lightning God.  His body was missing!!!

The up-front rallying of the Kurabanda, and the Ladle of God Slaying earned Uha'ul a full name:

Uha'ul of Lad-El.

For now, it was another journey to the south for more water... and ancestral ghosts.  Once healed up, Bo'Non'as volunteered to lead the mission.

Next: Bo'Non'as and Oopsa #5 - To the Southlands

(Pew-Pew) Low-Light, Bounty Hunter Out of Sorts #CharacterCreationChallenge #24

It's always exciting to get delivery on a Kickstarter, especially when it's a new RPG during the #CharacterCreationChallenge .

Pew-Pew: A Complicated Profession is a rules-light system meant for amusing one-shots, somewhere between the themes of Guardians of the Galaxy and playing with action figures and telling stories in the backyard from days gone by.  

A few lines about skills harken back to the idea of playing with action figures, so I figured I'd resurrect one of my favorite GI Joe figures, Low-Light. 

Low-Light, Bounty Hunter Out of Sorts

Low-Light was a member of an elite military organization, fighting all threats, foreign, domestic, and inter-dimensional.  His task force was assigned to a recently discovered races of robots that could transfigure themselves into a variety of shapes and devices.  During a battle with a "evil" race associated with these robots, a portal was open, and Low-Light himself was transported to a far-off alien world.  

With now way home, he was forced to take up bounty hunting to survive, and a new, if redundant name - Dark Umbra.  It's no surprise that he's good at it, but it was surprising how space lasers were far more deadly than the military issued ones he used back home. 

Drives:

  To get back home

  To upgrade all his equipment to "space tech"

Skills:

Shooting

Infiltration

Tracking

Technology

Equipment:

Pocket Spy Drone

Blaster

Disintegrator Rifle

Binoculars

Vehicle:

Name: Bird of Prey

Equipment:  Blasters - Camouflage Field

(AD&D 2nd Edition) Donavin Hellavic, Thief #CharacterCreationChallenge

I still have a host of books, pdfs, and character sheets around my office, trying desperately to keep a healthy variety of PCs for this #CharacterCreationChallenge, but they don't call it a challenge if it's easy (unless it's on TikTok).  

I've tried to produce new material for most days, but then I realized I still have unviewed PCs for a game long lost.  

My buddy Hoyce moved back into the area from Boston and wanted to set up a group for a new AD&D game.  It would be one super-session per month on the weekends, and at best I (and the Mrs) were 50/50 on me travelling an extra hour to game.  Still, I cobbled together a 1st level character and half the background.  

I never made it to a session, and Hoyce eventually moved back to Boston.  We now game together in our weekly Star Wars d6 Campaign.

DONAVIN HELLAVIC. 1st Level Human Thief

STR   12
INT      9
WIS   12
DEX   17   +2,  +2,  MINUS 3
CON   16   +2
CHA   10  

HIT POINTS   7
ARMOR CLASS 3

SKILLS
COMMON
COMMON  R/W
APPRAISING  9
TUMBLING   17
INTIMIDATION   11

WP   THROWING DAGGER,SHORTSWORD

STUDDED LEATHER
4 THROWING DAGGERS
BELT/2 BELT POUCHES
BOOTS
CLOAK
GLOVES
BREECHES
TUNIC

47GP


THIEVES SKILLS
PP  20
OL  25
F/RT  25
MS  15
HS  10
DN  25
CW  60
RL  25
BACKSTAB X2

1. AGE 19
2. Both parents are loving, alive, and well.  Father middle class assistant to a merchant.  Mother passed awa 12 ears ago and father remarried, new step sister
3. sister 25, brother 21, sister, 9
4. What do your siblings do?
5. single  
6. famil  lmc,  he is ulc
7. middle class kid mixed up with gang and criminal elements.    Fence 
8. religious  mc god

1. Does your character have children?
2. What social class is your character from?
3. How has their upbringing affected their world view?
4. How did your character get started in their chosen class?
5. Does your character have any heroes or inspirational figures?
6. Does your character have any significant personal items?
7. Is your character religious?
8. Is your character guided by a prophecy?
9. What is your character’s view on magic?
10. Has your character ever served in the military?
11. Has your character ever been arrested? What for?
12. How did your character meet his current adventuring companions?
13. Has your character ever crossed anyone?
14. Does your character have any enemies?
15. What are your character’s goals in life?
16. How important is the accumulation of wealth?
17. If your character died tomorrow what would they be remembered for?
18. Where did your character learn or train their skills?
    
    
    

Isandlwana is Not the Name of an Elder God....

(Top Secret) Sporty Spice, Counter Espionage Agent- #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 22

Way back in October, I set goals for my "gaming year" which runs, October through September.  Most involve painting (and playing with) more gnomes of some sort or at least getting the kids back at the table, chucking dice, playing cards, and moving minis.  I've still got time to get those projects moving forward a bit more, but the final one caught some readers off guard.

Top Secret: Spice Girls

And not the more user friendly, more cinematic Top Secret/SI.  No, I own a copy of the original rules, with all the chart-strewn goodness. 

With a deep, gravely voice, Wannabe is one of my go-to Karaoke songs, so I have a friendly knowledge of the 90's mega-group.  But I will barely admit to watching four different music videos and a whole twelve minutes to get an idea of what Sporty Spice is all about, much less moving to stat out all of the girls.  

Like an obtuse GDW product, Top Secret is poorly written and even more poorly organized, but with a good reference sheet, the game could be a lot of fun to those who love crunch.

Secret Agent Sporty Spice (aka Melanie, aka Mel C), Counter Espionage Agent
Height 5'6"   132 lbs

Primary Personal Traits

Physical Strength  76
Charm                  42
Willpower            83
Courage               74
Knowledge          56    Languages, English, Japanese, and Chinese.
Co-ordination      93

Secondary Personal Traits: 
Offense:              83
Deception:          58
Evasion:              67
Deactivation:        74
Life Level:          10
Movement Value: 252

Tertiary Personal Traits
Hand to Hand Combat Value  143 
Surprise                                   125 

Areas of Knowledge  Ecology/Earth Sciences   86%, Physical Education  86%,  Computer Science 86%, Geography 86%,  Education: Construction 86%.  Language: English (Native) 89%,  Chinese 49%, Japanese 40%

(Planet 28) Donnie Riddlebottom - Galactic Retiree #charactercreationchallenge - Day 21

The big problem with the #charactercreationchallenge ?  Thirty-one different characters.  And as I'm already running on fumes with the home stretch barely in sight, I'll recycle a character I set up for the Planet 28 skirmish rules, good ol' Donnie Riddlebottom.

Donnie Riddlebottom -  Retiree (213)

Fighting: 6

Shooting: 7

Agility: 4

Speed: 10cm

Hit Points:  20

Traits/Abilities: Brawler, Loot

Equipment:  Explosive Laser Pistol (1d8, Range 20, Characters within 5cm of any character hit by weapons takes d6 damage), Light Armor (Royal Order of Space Winnebagos Vest)

Retired Galactic Welder, and Sergeant Major of the Royal Order of Space Winnebagos. He spends his retirement flying around with his wife, in a Space Winnebago, and is the honorary head of this fraternity of galactic motor homes. Doesn't stop him from knocking off a bank or two with his modified flare gun/laser pistol.

Mandatory Basketball Rant 2021-22 Week 7

COVID finally got us.

Don't worry, everyone is okay, but the Maja's school team was struck by a nefarious combination of worrisome parents and incompetent administration to mothball the team for the weekend. 

One positive home test and an Athletic Director incommunicado on vacation completely shut down the program Thursday-Tuesday for all Girl's teams 7th-Varsity.    I am still one for general safety, masking, and potential quarantining, but to make the call FIVE MINUTES BEFORE TIP-OFF with the other team already on site.

That effectively eliminated Maja's entire basketball weekend.  No Friday Freshman Game, no Saturday 7th Grade, no Sunday 7th Grade, and no Freshman Game Monday.

What this did allow was Maja to appear for the West Hazleton 5th-7th Grade Boys League, alongside Millie. 

None of these boys are on an active Jr High roster, so Maja waltzed in and dominated.  She sat the last two minutes of 3rd quarter and the entire 4th with 10 points, 10 rebounds, and 8 assists.  Two assists short of her triple double is disappointing. 

Her sister wasn't too shabby either.  Millie scored 5 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists.  

For Millie, it was the start of a whirlwind Saturday.  After the game, we had a quick breakfast at IHOP and raced a half hour north to the CYC for AAU winter league.  She got to play less than a half before we raced 15 minutes to her local rec league game, where she was still late, and two minutes into the game they were already down 6-0.  

The AAU winter league and local rec league teams are each a mess, so she does her part and with continue to focus on the travel team.  Sunday was a rematch against one of their earlier victories.  That team improved, but score and margin of victory were much larger. 

One odd fact that boggles my mind, both girls would have 50+ assists in their primary leagues if their teammates could make 80% of their open look lay-ups.  

Regardless of any COVID issue, snow would have wiped out all Monday and Tuesday activities this week.    

I'm already grumpy, so I'll avoid playoff drama, parent issues, and the general lack of social decorum plaguing every league for at least another week.  This upcoming one is chock full of good games which will hopefully distract me from this week's negative vibes. 

(Tales from the Loop) - Deidre the Weirdo - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 20

Name:  Deidre        

Type:  Weirdo

Age:   13 

Luck Points: 2
Drive:  Drawn to Anything Weird

Anchor:   Old Neighbor Down the Street

Problem  I get bullied

Pride:  Secret Know-It-All

Description:  Penchant for Men's 40's and earlier fashion.  

Favorite Song:  

Attributes:

Body  3 

Tech   4

Heart  2
Mind   4

Conditions

Upset

Scared 

Exhausted

Injured 

Broker

Skills:

Sneak(Body)  2

Force(Body)

Move(Body)

Tinker(Tech)

Program(Tech)

Calculate (Tech)

Contact (Heart)

Charm (Heart)

Lead (Heart)            1

Investigate (Mind)   2

Comprehend (Mind) 1 

Empathize (Mind)     3    

I Can Worship Gnomes for a Fortnite

 My daughter, Maja, got an X-Box for Christmas two years ago.  She'll spend an afternoon playing Minecraft here and there, but it's good ol' Dad relaxing on the couch, either blowing up guys in Fortnite, or blowing up guys crossing the blue line in NHL '19 (more on the second one later).

The game had a big conclusion of a storyline recent. This has cause a complete change in the map of the island the game is played on, and has force me to explore every inch, trying to figure out what to do, where to go, what spots are my speed, what spots are kill zones, etc.

I came across this awhile back, and figured it's the largest gnome I've seen in the game.  Hopefully they make a cult out of it, or something.

When I'm not getting 2nd or 3rd place in Fornite, I'm plodding through Season 4 of NHL '19 in Franchise Mode.  I'm in a happy place at mid-difficulty, hitting the opponents, getting goals and occasionally auto-playing the Seattle Dragons and their AHL farm team, the Boise Ice Drakes.

Since i made Seattle as part of an expansion team (still cooler than Kraken), I went through the expansion draft... but I needed to flesh out the NHL/AHL squad with free agents.  First on the list was my wife's favorite active player, Defenseman Tim Erixon. 

Season 4 has been going quite well.  I've been drafting and developing a stable of young D-Men.  The group is so strong that I was able to trade away my two top Defensemen for more top draft picks, and Tim has made his way to the first line.  

To top that,  I've taken advantage of his slap shot and he managed to score his 50th NHL goal this season (Even if it was Buffalo, it still counts).

(Talislanta: The Savage Land) - Neborrock, Warlok #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 28

Neborrock, Warlok

STR +1

INT +2

DEX +5

WIL +2

CON +1

PER +2

SPD +4

CHA -3

Special: Magic Resistance, See Magic 20'

Skills: Appraise Archaen Artifacts 2, Diplomacy 2, Escape 6, Healing 3, Hunting 5, Knives 6, Language (Primal) 1, Primitive Traps 3, Sneak-Thief 5, Spoken Old Archaen 5, Stealth 6, Survival (no natural habitat) 6, Sword 7, Written Old Archaen 5, no Tribal Lore

Gear: Leather Vest, Breeches, and Boots, linen cloak, silver bladed sword (d10), two iron knives (d6)

(Star Wars d6) Bo'non'as and Oopsa #3 - Against the Lightning God

Bo'Non'as is dead. 

Long live the wandering Bo'Non'as

Stripped of his tile as Warlord of the Kurabanda, 

Bo'Non'as as vowed vengeance upon the upstart 

"Space Gods" Who have ruined the villages.  

Accompanied by former Water Bearer, Uha'ul, Space Gods, 

Bo'Non'as has out to spy upon, infiltrate, and 

ultimately destroy, the "Lightning God".

For Bo'Non'as and Uha'ul, trekking up to the northern lands of the Lightning God.  They had packed light, a lone throwing spear, slingshots, and their long travel water kit, which filtered Kurabanda urine into clean drinking water.  

Back in the Yellowback Village, Oopsa was still the advisor of the Chosen One, Dipsa.   Many were worried about the disappearance of the disgraced Warlord. Most anticipated he would seek revenge on those that dishonored the tribe, but a lingering rumor that he had refused the fabled Speak of Destiny on his mission lowered the hopes of most villagers.

In reality the spear in question was simply gifted to Bo'Non'as by Dez-tiny, the sister of Weather Dancer Mida'Wap, and new-sister-in-law of Oopsa.  If Oopsa and Mida'Wap's wedding had not been a disaster, there appeared a chance that Dez-tiny and Bo'Non'as could court, but the bloody attack during the wedding reception and the death of the Mida'Wap and Dez-tiny's father during it made things far more dour.

The trip on the Kurabanda platforms to the north had few issues.  There were not barricades, no guards, only the call of the lonely Tukano and it's multi-colored bill, created an ominous feeling for the travelers.

"The Tukano represents death and problems that linger on for generations, it's a bad omen," Bo'Non'as said.

"The Toukani has little meat and has a poor taste to it.  Otherwise, I would have shot and killed it for lunch by now,"  Uha'ul responded.

Further down, the fell about a loud team of four rival Kurabanda.  The were badly balance and wooden contraption that the common human might call a sedan chair.  No matter what they attempted, it could be held aloft for a few moments, only to have one or more corners come crashing down. 

The group devolved into arguing, then pushing and shoving, which was only stopped by Uha'ul chucking a rock over their heads.  The ensuing noise scared the wits out of the rival tribesmen.  One simply ran away in fear of its life, one stood its ground to investigate the noise, the final two backed-up so far in sheer shock, that they tumbled off the platform to a lower platform, both knocked out cold.

Uha'ul walked over, punched both in the head for good measure,  and started dressing in their uniforms.

Uha'ul and Bo'Non'as climbed back up the platform.  Arnuld, the bravest of the four, was still looking for the origin of the noise, when he finally notice the pair.

"Where are those guys... Oh, Flapjack... Mo... where have you guys been?  C'mon we have an important job to finish"

Bo'Non'as, hoping he was reprising the role of Flapjack, "What's our job again?"

"Oh Flapjack, you're so dumb.  We need to complete this lift for the Lightning God, so as the leader of the Kurabanda, his feet may never touch the ground to stand again."

"Where's the Lightning God?" 

"Back at the Lightning Palace at the village.  C'mon, I have no idea where Guac dashed to, how are we supposed to carry the Lightning God with only three guys?" 

"Mo, why are you so quiet."

Mo/Uha'ul pondered the situation, made some calculations in his head, and quickly set up a 2-1 arrangement, with Mo taking the weight in the back all alone.  He still wasn't quite sure what Mo's job in the new village was, but Uha'ul had carried water for enough years to brunt the burden, especially one he was probably never going to bear.

"That hit in the head got you smarter.  Let's bring it back to the  Lightning Village.   Flapjack it's your turn to cook for the village?   Whadyou cook before."

In his best deadpan, Flapjack/Bo'Non'as eeked out, "Crepes."

"Sounds weird.  Can't wait to try them."

The Lightning Village was a hastily assembled series of platforms and buildings that was far safer that it led out.  No one could see the the previously mentioned Lightning Palace, but the most dominant feature was a giant barracks.  The North was prepared for war.

At the Yellowback Village, Oopsa finally had a moment of rest, the Chosen One, Dipsa, all four years old of her, had finally gone down for a much needed nap. The world was quiet... for once.  Sleeping on the Chosen One throne, legs over the armrests, he heard a frightening scream..

"You're the worst son-in-law ever!"

There, in the middle of the throne room, was Mida-Wap's father... his father-in-law, with two major changes.   He was glowing red... and he had died yesterday during the wedding.  

"You disgust me, you couldn't even keep us safe... this, on my daughter's wedding day."

"I'm not that bad...."

"I will curse and haunt you forever, if not longer.  I will ruin every other thing that makes you happy."

"Like what?"

"Well....What does make you happy?"

"Besides the love and affection of your daughter?  My vintage collection of oak bark."

And after that odd exchange, the ghost of Oopsa's recently deceased father-in-law dissipated.

Back at the Lightning Village, Flapjack and Mo entered the barracks.  The building was huge for the small Kurabanda, with the ceiling almost three kurabanda tall (3 meters).   They found the kitchen, and Bo'/Flapjack went to work on making dinner.  

Meanwhile, Mo'/Uha'ul searched for some God-Tech in the storage area... and found something.  While Flapjack cooked, he assembled a power source using a long red rectangular box with two electrodes "wire thingies" sticking out of the unit.   He hooked it up to two solanum, tuber vegetables, that grew around the base of the giant trees the Kurabanda called home.  

... and also the key ingredient in Flapjack's Crepes, more of Solanum Chowder.  The accompaniment was quick-fermented solanum into a "tuber wine" of sorts.  

As the rival Kurabanda assembled to eat dinner, Flapjack put the finishing touches on his meal/drink, and Mo' finished created a makeshift vest for his power supply, and at least a dozen solanum sewed one, all attached by wires.

Everyone paused at the ochre-colored soup (and wine), but everyone appreciated the taste (and buzz) of their meal.

A crackle ripped through the in the sky outside.  The Lightning God had arrived for dinner.  He was much larger than the Kurabanda, with reflective goggles and Space God appropriate clothing and gear.  He entered the barracks, hovering three foot up, with lightning shooting out of his hands.  

The other villagers erupted in adoration.  

He responded with thumbs up and finger guns to his loyal subjects

Uha'ul whispered to Bo'Non'as, "He's here, now what do we do?"

"I don't know! You're the one that made a Tuber Vest.  I'm not much help right now, "I've been drinking solamun wine cooking dinner, I can't feel my face..."

Uha'ul carried a goblet of  solamun wine right up to the Lightning God. 

"Great Lightning God..."

"That's me!"

"Here is the labor of our late afternoon, I hope you approve."

The Lightning God to a hard swig.

"I've had stronger stuff up in Space Heaven, but this is pretty good. Is there a second goblet for the Lightning God."

Uha'ul quickly fetched another goblet, and the Lightning God downed it even faster.

"You guys know how to party, what's your name again?

"Uha'ul"

Bo'Non'as life flashed before his eyes.  

The Lightning God announced to his people, "With this drink, we will be immortal forever.  We can defeat the other Space Gods and the mortal Kurabanda.  The planet shall be ours!"

"But first, let's all do shots of tuber wine together!"

"To JackFlap and Haulyo'ass!"

Most of the villagers finished their meals and escaped the confines of the barracks.... 

After an hour of drinking, the Lightning God finally appeared to be under the effects of the liquor.

"Lightning Gods usually don't get this sort of hospitality.  Did I ever tell you about The Thunder?"

The remaining villagers groaned but nodded.  Uha'ul inquired as to details.

"Thunder is my brother.  He's evil, but in a good way,  not the bad lady leaving the Space Gods alone at the palace evil.   I lead, thunder cleans up the mess.  That's why it's so sad that his armies will be conquered after we conquer the mortal Kurabanda for all the potass. " 

Uha'ul needed to strike at that moment,  He took his wires and stabbed them into the Lightning God's hands, which are fingerless gloves... attached to other wires leading other his clothing.

The two felt a tingling sensation, but feared to move.  Kurabanda around them saw a faint yellow glow around them, until a Kurabanda much too curious touched the locked pair.  A loud pop and the smell of singed hair was all that was left of the creature.  

The Lightning God eyed "Uha'ul"

"Uha'ul what's your real name?"

"Whaty'da mean, uh... Sir?" 

"Obviously, your a spy for the mortals.  What did you think you could accomplish by getting drunk me."

Another cup of wine offered, and he accepted the goblet, put also grabbed Flajck/Bo by the arm.  

"You're spying is going to hurt a bunch of innocent Kurabanda, starting with Flapjack here.  The battery pack you dug up is fried, and mine still working,  Uha'ul.  Another moment of "symetry" will not go as well for you.   As the Lightning God, I can just kill everyone here and move onto the next village."

Bo'Non'as reached for the pot of solanum soup, and dumped the semi-warm contents into the Lightning God's groin.  

The combat quickly devolved into tuber-chucking, pot-swinging, shock-glove short-circuiting chaos.  

Uha'ul, armed with a tuber and knowledge, like an Irish scientist, chucked it right at the Lightning God's head, mashing his face.  

Bo'Non'as grabbed a gourd holding a candle and tried to bash it over the Lightning God's head.  The free shock-glove swung up and caught the gourd.  Electricity disentigrated the gourd and sent Uha'ul flying back.

Uha'ul grabbed a grass woven tablecloth and wrapped up one of the Lightning God's shock glove up.  

 

"Why won't you stupid monkey-creatures just die so I can conquer the other Gods?"

Uha'ul asked quizzically, "What's a monkey?" and wrapped the other end of the tablecloth around the Lightning God's head.  

The God lost his balance, and he fell atop of Uhu'al.  The free shock glove hit the two of them, paralyzing both. 

A recovered Bo'Non'as, grabbed the closest object he could reach, a wooden soup ladle, and beat the Lightning God to death.

"You got served!"

The crowd of villagers outside erupted in chants for their new warlord,

"Flapjack!  Flapjack!"

Back of the Village of the Yellowbacks, Oopsa was relaxing with his cup of hot potass, when a guard ran up to him.  

"Great Oopsa, Bo'Non'as has arrived with members of the northern tribe."

"Great, how many did he convert?"

"The guard spied down the platform from the north, it doesn't look like any sir, but they all followed him back.  

Oopsa spied out past the village.  Both Bo'Non'as and Uha'ul were both hauling ass down the main platform from the north.  Behind him appeared to be the entire norther tribe, in face paint.  

Something went wrong.

GM Notes: As the final fight with the Lightning God commenced, I was accused of mixing too much of my Illuminati University game into my Star Wars game.  Truth be told, Bo'Non'as and Oopsa was meant to be a one-time scene-filler, not an ever evolving-game of a planet the regular PCs have long forgotten.  

NEXT: Episode #4 Against the Horde of the Lightning God

(D&D 5e) Pepe the Bandit - 3rd Level Muppetborn Ranger- #charactercreationchallenge - Day 23

Pepe, 3rd Level Muppetborn Ranger 

"The Happy, Happy, Happy Blade"

Three Foot Tall,   Sixteen Pounds
Strength         9   (-1)

Dexterity       10  (0)

Constitution  14  (+2)

Intelligence   11  (0)

Wisdom        12  (+1)

Charisma      11  (0)

Subrace: Hand of the Monster

Favored Enemy (Humans)

Natural Explorer

Fighting Style: Duelist (+2 to weapon damage rolls if only fighting with one weapon)

Hunter Archetype: Giant Killer

Skills: Insight (+3), Perception (+3) , Survival (+3)

Hit Points: 34

Armor Class: 13

Equipment: Padded Armor, Rapier (1d8 piercing)

(Scavengers) Thyme DeLay, Efficiency Consultant - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 17

 
Character Name:  Thyme DeLay 
Position:  Efficiency Consultant

Appearance:  Neat, organized braids, clean jumps suit, bulging folio full of efficiency plans and corrective actions.

Contact: Standby, the station's space traffic controller

Rival - Efficiency Consultant Mobius; always moving from one crew to the next, and always bragging about the crews he turned around.

Danger Points: 0

Skills:

Combat -     3

Fitness -      3

Diplomacy -  4

Insight -       3

Science -      2 

Technology - 2

Space Operations - 5

Relief - 2

Talents:

Management Author: Whenever your crew suffer a crew failure, you get 2 credits as personal acquisition.

(Beach Patrol) Bethany, Veteran Lifeguard - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 16

I've managed to pick up a ton of small, silly games, thanks to Kickstarter.  The February #zinequest promotion has netted me a ton of items for just a few bucks, and even the most disappointing one was worth the money I paid. 

Beach Patrol is definitely not among those on the bottom rungs.  Based on the TinyD6, Beach Patrol is the RPG of Surf, Sun, and Safety (with a few slow-mo shots of folks running on the beach).  

Bethany, Veteran Lifeguard
Archetype:  Experienced Lifeguard

Stamina: 6 

"Focused Training" - Experienced Lifeguards gain an extra trait (start with 4)

Traits:  

Charismatic: When I run, people watch!

Fleet of Foot: Running away is always a valid option.

Resolute:  I will not be a casualty of fear.  

Medic: I'm a lifeguard, not a doctor, Jim!  

Tagline:  Sunburn isn't the only problem I see today....

(Call of Cthulhu - Special) Granger Pecos - Texas Fried Bass Player - #CharacterCreationChallenge - Day 15

Day 15 of the #Character Creation Challenge and I present the third and final Call of Cthulhu character:  One created for the "Electric Hoe-Down of the Atomic Reptile Bikini Women.... in 3-D!!!" originally published in Worlds of Cthulhu #4

"Reptile Bikini Women" is a Blood Brothers-inspired scenario, where all the characters are clueless members of a Texas Fried Rock Band fighting against, well... you know.  It's great fun, and the last page of the scenario comes with the character creation rules, including a randomly rolled mad-libs-styled background, where the results affect your stats and can add or subtract from your skills. 

Granger Pecos - Texas Fried Bass Player
STR   14
POW  11
DEX  11
APP   14
SIZ    15
INT     3
EDU 12
CON  10

Luck - 55

Idea -  15

Know - 60

HIT POINTS: 13

Sanity: 55

+1D6 Damage Bonus

Skills: Art: Singing 03%, Art: Bass 56%, Bargain 20%, Dodge 67%, Drive Auto 35%, Explosives 21%, Fast Talk 40%, Listen 40%, Sneak 15% ,  Fist 55%, Grapple 30%, Head Butt 15%, Kick 45%, Improvised Weapon (Bass) 33%,  Handgun 75% 

Background: Granger was born in Big Tuna, Texas, the child of Fundamentalists waiting for the end times in a shotgun shack.  They said he would never amount to much, and after he done burned down the feed store at the age of 13, they considered themselves right and threw that brat child out into the cold.   After that he shouted the word of Jesus out loud in city parks in Lubbock, Texas for a few years, falling into a life of mindless violence.  Out of sheer luck, he met the other members of the band, Tailgate Rotisserie, in Beeville, Texas, and have been with them ever since,  Heee-YAW! 

Money: Currently none.