Happy Halloween 2025!

 

(Painting) The Nā Koa Pohaku of the Pacific Islander Gnomes from Brigade Games

The big Gnome Wars release was what I was told was "Hawaiian" Gnomes.  Since then there is great debate over the masks and dress whether they're Polynesian, Tiki, Hawaiian, and even a healthy dose of Rapa Nui (Easter Island).  

I've decided for my first unit to have some diversity, so here are the Rapa Nui-inspired Hawaiian Nā Koa Pohaku:  The Stone Warriors

Perhaps I don't understand Gnome physiology, but it's unclear is the figures have decorative garb completely around their necks (painted green), or if they just have very odd shoulder blades.   I'm assuming in most cases, you won't see their shoulder blades... although if you're properly terrified the Island Gnomes might see yours running away.

There's also a unsubstantiated rumor that the Gnomes should be completely stone Rapa Nui, from head to toes.  Does that mean the loincloth is stone too? 

(Edit: I did complete the rest of the Island Gnomes, in Tiki-related style.  They can be found here.

In the Queue: More Gnomes, Star Wars, and some Pulp trickling onto the bench.

Project: 350 -  I'm adding just as much as I'm finishing... almost.  481 posts "in production" (287/194) from 479 (285/194) .  

(Kickstarter) Space Dwarves Predators 'Hunter And Hunted

Macrocosm is at it again with another wave of Space Dwarves, paying homage to to a fantastic 80's movie with Space Dwarves Predators 'Hunter And Hunted

For us American folks, early bird pledges for the whole set are $54, and $60 when those are filled.  Of all the British companies I frequent, I've never had a issue with delivery, be it product or physical shipping from the UK, so I can heartily recommend these...

(Fistful of Gnomes) Attack of the Inflatable Mummies

I actually had the girls come down this weekend, and despite assuming my Uber-Dad persona, transporting them to sleepovers and early Halloween parties, we actually got some gaming and painting done!  

But we did get our Halloween game in, finally bringing the oversized Dollar General Mummies onto the table, a sequel to the Attack of the Inflatable Zombie Pirates.

After the Attack of the Inflatable Zombie Pirates, and the snowball fights getting out of hand last winter, Holidaytown is having more than just its seasonal identity crisis.   The permanent vendor structures were built on the village green for all the festivals, painted in a Christmas and MayDay Red.  In response, the Halloween committee blew their budget on inflatable lawn decorations, to overwhelm the vendor buildings... and the gingerbread building all decked out in October. 

A few of the more nefarious committee members wanted revenge on the town, and enchanting the generator and the new inflatable mummies in the middle of the festival was the fastest solution...

Lucky for the rest, there were six brave souls willing to fight back...

Our B-Team (Gnome, Vampire, and Sausage King) getting their picture taken, moments before it came to life.

The B and C Team (Nun, Ninja, Leprechaun)

The Mummies

Objective: Destroy!

d10 Melee

Only one wound

Can only move 6" per turn (the curse requires the generator to operate, but they may move anywhere, even if they pull their plug out.)

Soulless (Shaken results are ignored)

At the end of each round, so long as the generator is operational, roll for reinforcements.

1-2:  One Mummy

3:  Two Mummies

4: One Inflatable Pirate

5: Two Inflatable Pirate

6: Special (further results are Inflatable Pirates).

Our Heroes (Regardless of Costume)

Objective: Save the other townsfolk, stop the attack.  The Heroes must be in base to base contact with the generator and make two basic (4+) task rolls to disconnect the generator and deflate their enemies chance of winning. 

d10 Melee  (d10 Shooting if they have something they can throw)

No penalties for weaponless attacks, No bonuses for blunt force attacks. 

May make a double move. 

May take an action to yell at civilians to make them leave.  No roll necessary.  Civilians move an extra 6" towards a table edge. 

Civilians

Objective: No die and maybe escape.

d8 Melee 

No penalties for weaponless attacks, No bonuses for blunt force attacks. 

Will move 6" like a headless chicken (In a random direction) when the Civilian card is drawn.  They will not run directly at the Inflatables, but will attempt to "just get by them" no closer the 2" from them. 

The Cursed Generator is next to the church (upper left)

Turn One: 

Once the Roman Legionnaire snapped the picture of the three friends, the mummies came to life, two of them first thought it was some cool new decoration, but the Gnome noticed it wasn't plugged in anymore.   The Gnome hopped the fence, and impaled the monster with his pickaxe, deflating it. 

"We're in trouble, but they can be killed!"

The Sausage King rushed over and tells his Centurion friend to get out of Dodge.  The vampire,  seeing another mummy comes to life, runs over it and gets smacked around  and locked in the combat.  

Across the rest of the village green, screams erupted from the civilians as the mummies came to life. 

The mummies did not discriminate against the heroes or the civilians. It didn't matter if they were a ninja, Santa Claus, the Eldar cosplay, the guy running the pizza stand, or even the dude in the Inflatable Godzilla costume, whoever was closest would be targeted. 

Of course, the dude dressed as a Ninja thought they were the best, and charged one of the mummies, getting wounded in the process.  Lucky for them, the Nun was a paramedic and got the Ninja up and running, the Nuns target was the strange glowing generator by the church.  

At the end of the turn, a roar came from the church, a Giant Skeletal Dragon was climbing on top of the church roof...  like a guardian for the cursed generator. 

"I told you these giant skeletons were getting out of hand!"

Turn Two:
The Nun snuck around the statue, under the eyeless gaze of the skeletal dragon, inching closer to the generator.   It still gave the Nun a front row view as the Skeletal Dragon leapt from the roof and devoured the poor civilian dressed as Stargirl (Next time I am adding horror rolls.)

The Ninja dispatched his mummy and froze, trying to find another target.

The mummies advanced, although some villagers showed quite some resilience.  The Eldar cosplayer couldn't pop her mummy, but she did push it back.  She realized the sword was probably more effective without the protective foam around it, and once corrected, the mummy fell to the ground. 

The Gnome tried to run over and help his Vampire buddy, but even with the 2-on-1, that mummy knocked him out with ease.  

At the end of the turn, two inflatable zombie pirates entered the village green, one of them directly behind the Nun

"Not these guys again!!!"

Turn Three:

It looked like it was curtains for the Nun, but the Ninja strengthened by his previous victory dashed over the mailbox and deflated the zombie pirate!  That allowed the Nun to reach the generator and begin turning it off! 

A few more civilians staggered off the board, much thanks to the poor Leprechaun.  His shillelagh was completely ineffective against and evil pillow of air, and throughout the entire battle, he just kept getting battered by his mummy.  Finally getting a glancing hit in, he tossed himself over a fence for a little separation. 

The civilians were a bit more valiant than originally planned.

The Skeleton Dragon turns around and just scarfs  up the nearby Santa Claus that was trying to sneaker under its tail.   The remaining civilians were dropping like flies, a few taking the Sausage King's warnings at first, but completely wandering off the second his back was turned. 

Two more Inflatable Zombie Pirates appeared at the end of the turn.

Turn Four: 
The Nun stared down the Skeletal Dragon as she flipped the second switch, and the generator stops glowing and goes quiet.

The mummies do not deflate... 

It makes weird cinematic sense that the mummy fighting the Vampire, the one furthest away from the generator, was the next to fall.

Unsure of its own fate, the Skeletal Dragon ate the Nun in a sense of ornamental undead revenge.  No more that a few second later, the Ninja leapt upon the creature's back in a slew it with one hit!  

With the generator off, the reinforcements finally stop. 

Turn Five: 
One of the small children had turned  from safety and ran back into the arms of her mother.  The woman could only tell the child to ran as fast as they can... and they obeyed, not looking back to see her trip on a root and get pounced on by a deflating, but still very deadly, mummy.  

The Ninja, who certainly earned the right to wear his badass costume, killed a zombie pirate with a throwing star, and surveyed the damage.  He could only stand atop the ruins of the Skeletal Dragon, unable to stop the unfortunate demise of the Leprechaun and the dude in the Godzilla costume in the final moments before all the remaining deflatables went flat. 

Godzilla was a civilian, so that red wound token should have dropped him.

We weren't really keeping track of points, but the Heroes did stop the attack, with significant losses.

Seven civilians escaped.  

Seven perished.

Three Heroes survived,

Three perished. 

(Gamma World) Not a Test #95 - The Charcuterie Toll

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  have had a triumphant stay in Fair-Town,  Lathar has repeated as jousting champion, Sonny has acquired a "glow suit", and Squiggles has gleefully endured extended sessions of vermiculture.  

They now only wait on the completion of Pete's feather cloak, a dream of his since their early days, for the group to return to Riverbend and perhaps, their secret "Pool Room" 

================= 

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  He may be pregnant... again!

Thunnelda Haycock:  A peculiar local woman, who has a penchant for wandering the surrounding territories for particular oddities, but has become the fiancé of Lathar.  She just finished second to Lathar in the joust, yet there is an underlying current.  

================================================================

Leaving Fair-Town

The last day in Fair-Town was finally here for the explorers, as Sneaky Pete was finally able to go to Mistral Stitchweaver's shop to pick up his cloak of red piranha feathers. 

They traveled upriver, and encounter a fair share of travel both ways.    

Two-thirds of the way back home, they encountered a new sign to the side of the road, in  paint, "Pay the invisible toll or else!

Sonny flicks an "invisible domar" near the sign, and a pile of small stones hit his roots. 

Sonny couldn't find a source of the thrown rocks, but he and everyone else could hear a disembodied voice snarling, "No freebies!  Pay up or face the wrath of the Air Lords."

Pete powered up his telepathy and could feel at least two entities thinking.

"If they can't see us, do we really exist?"

Sonny and Pete had a lengthy conversation with these so-called "Air Lords"  outside of Pete's telepathy, no one could detect anything. Even Pete and Squiggles using their scout abilities couldn't find tracks in the area.

The conversations grew louder among their invisible group."How much do we collect for the toll?  We should have written it down..."

"We're invisible air lords, how would we be able to read it?  Heck, where are half of us?  Where's Greg???"

Lathar whispered something into Thunnelda's ear, and she quickly  dashed over to the sign.

"Do you have cheese for a toll??  Wait!  Do we like cheese?  Why won't they pay a toll"

Sonny and Pete counted marching down the road, the recipient of many vocal curses from these invisible "Air Lords."

Meanwhile, Lathar and Squiggles conferred away from the sign and decide to make an offering for the toll.  Taking a shovel, they placed some hard tack atop the shovel blade laid it near the sign.  

Lathar:  "If we did have some cheese, this could be a charcutier board"   Like magic, the shovel and food seemed to vanish.  

"You may pass, as well as the one poking around our sign, a boon upon your families!!!!  Now, somebody find Greg"

Returning back to Riverbend                                                                                     

Lathar received a hero's welcome in Riverbend.  For now, Thunnelda returns to her brother's home, as Lathar fights with his mother to let his fiancée  to live in their home.  The discussion advances to Lathar either showing up or shutting up.  The wedding should be planned within the next two months, before the harvests begin.  

The Explorers restock their supplies and trek out to the old Toard Jakey research facility that they've renamed, "The Pool House"                                                                                                                                                                                    

The Pool House 

The Explorers restock their supplies and trek out to the old Toard Jakey research facility that they've renamed, "The Pool House"  

Both Squiggles and Pete trip the ambush senses not once, but twice on their journey to the Pool House. Despite an extensive search, they could find nothing, nor were they eventually ambushed. 

The Pool House appeared to be the same as they left things.  Bedecked in the glowsuit, Lathar uses leverage and brute strength to drag the statue out of the pool room and out of the facility.  

Realizing the best course of action was burying the odd statue, Lathar laughed: 

"I really could have used that shovel right now...."

Squiggles refuses to be anywhere near the bird statue, but agrees to dig a hold deep enough for the statue to drop in.    With the statue buried, Sonny and Pete when back into the control room, cleaning up a number of large black feathers on the floor.  

"What are we going to do with these feathers?"  Pete asked.

"Discard them, or we can give them to Greg at that invisible toll booth next time we go downriver," Sonny responded.

GM: I have provided Lather's player with a quest:  Set up a bridal registry for Lathar and Thunnelda.  I can't wait until it goes live, and I award extra xp.

Next:  #96 - Currying the Favor of Inanimate Objects

"The Ballad of the Mighty Leek"

 "The Ballad of the Mighty Leek"

(A haunting tune sung in dimly lit wasteland taverns, where mutants sip questionable moonshine and remember fallen heroes.)

(Slow, eerie strumming on a cracked-up acoustic guitar, with the occasional melancholic howl from a mutant wind in the background.)

---

[Verse 1]

Gather 'round, you mutants bold,
Hear a tale both dark and cold,
Of a hero tall and green,
A warrior lost to the cookfire’s steam.

[Chorus]

Oh, Mighty Leek, you fought so well,
Struck down by a dinner bell!
Blades and lasers could not fell,
But hunger rang your final knell…

(Low whistle solo, followed by the distant clang of a rusted pot lid.)

[Verse 2]

He led the charge with sharpened leaves,
Carved through foes like autumn sheaves,
Stood his ground in battle’s heat,
Till fate betrayed him to boiling defeat.

[Chorus – Soft, then rising]

Oh, Mighty Leek, you fought so well,
Struck down by a dinner bell!
Blades and lasers could not fell,
But hunger rang your final knell…

(Distant sound of a ladle stirring… the wind howls mournfully.)

[Bridge]

No grave remains, no stone to mark,
Just whispers carried through the dark,
They say his soul still stirs the pot,
A warrior’s spirit, forever hot.

[Final Chorus – Slow, fading]

Oh, Mighty Leek, you fought so well,
Struck down by a dinner bell…
Blades and lasers could not fell…
But hunger rang your final knell…

(Song ends with a single, eerie slurp sound… then silence.)

Bill Making Stuff

First off a shout out to Quantrill's Toy Soldiers for posting the link to Bill Making Stuff  and sending me down this rabbit hole. 

Bill Making Stuff is a YouTube channel dedicated to him downplaying his clever genius with spare parts, trash, and a host of Dollar/Pound Store or thrift store toy finds.  I've been working through his videos backwards and absolutely adore his creations, and tying them into his personal world, the Gutterlands, a new source of inspiration for my own Death Planet Iota.

(Painting) Some Women of Pulp

Yesterday I noted a bunch of new figures that magically appeared onto my painting bench.  To further insult the poor figures that are eternally in the queue, only to be pushed back, I got two more of the new ones finished.  

Our eye-patch clad gal is actually a villain, Minvera, from the Pulp Alley line.  The figure is also included in the Pulp Alley Starter Set, which I had happened to pick up through the Kickstarter.  

The other figure, if she was sold individually, would normally go by "Elina."  She's part of the Female Armed Civilians 1 pack from Brigade Games' WW2 line.   I do have all six from both packs, patterned after a certain popular Finnish war movie. This one just happened to be ready for wash and detailing first.  

(Painting) Evil Hooded Minions 2 by Pulp Figures

Is it karma? Is it Kismet?  Is it Serendipity when you're cleaning up the containers and cases in the office, a bin of minis fall over and spill, and the first pack isn't just what you'll need for the weekend, but easy to paint as well? 

That's the uninspiring explanation for a pack of Evil Hooded Minions 2 from Pulp Figures jumping the painting queue.  Great figures to paint up, great spots for shading and highlighting, and a perfect foil, whether it's the Cult of the Hayride God, or a certain group can't wear white after Labor Day. 

This moves my armed cultists up to 15. The only differences between these and my first 10?  I gave the first batch comic-book style white eyeslits for their hoods, and these are heavier shaded with fewer highlights. 

And the best part?  I found another pack of Evil Hooded Minions 1 to paint up last night.  

In the Queue:  I though I had a set list to work on, but cleaning the office activate lead-pile hyperactivity.  I knew I got 146 Star Wars figures from the Fall-In 2024 flea market,  In my cleaning I finally found all the Star Wars blisters I got at the Fall-In 2023 flea market.  Almost everything got reorganized back in the totes, but "somehow" 10 figures for my Soviet Cthulhu game 5 of the Evil Hooded Minions 1,  5 oversized Shaolin Monks, and a few Star Wars core character minis may have filled the space created from the minis I just finished this past month!  Still in the queue from before: The Tiki Islander Gnomes is a mad science experiment in painting and styles.   Rebel Commandos are still right there, so the mounted OG Mouslings may not see the light of day for while longer.

Project: 350 -  We're the same at 479 (285/194) from last week 479 (284 draft/195 scheduled).  I am clearing stuff off the back end of the blog, but.... I'm adding stuff on just as fast.  

The Benchie?

 So, taking a picture of yourself is a selfie.  Taking a picture of your books is a shelfie.

If I'm taking pictures of my painting bench, does that make it a benchie? 

Here's the corner of the office with my painting domain.  I just cleaned up the area out of necessity.   

A couple little notes:

• Yes, I'm using a standing desk and a stool for painting.  My office area is actually just a folding table.  #priorities 

• The lamps were $10 Wal-Mart finds.  

• The base of each lamp is just full of finished figures on one, and junk pieces on the other.  Organizing my junk into sorted containers might start before the holidays. 

• As much as I love my yellow bins for sorting, two of them stacked together is the perfect height for proper lighting. 

• The paints sit on two Spicy Shelfs.  A decade ago, in another life, my wife got me the first one for a whopping ten bucks.   I expanded to two, and did procure new ones when I moved into the apartment three years ago.  They're holding up nicely.  

• I do have a organizational system by color, but I have been a little more obsessive recently, tracking what paints I have been using (paint I've used has a "25" on the cap, January 1st I'm placing "26" stickers over them), and well as a notepad with how many times I use a particular color.  Obviously it's based on what type of figures I'm painting, but trying to reorganize into something more efficient, ergonomic, and less liking to send kamikaze is a goal that's getting closer.  

• There's so many duplicate bottles of paint and containers of flock.   I'm afraid of storing the extra somewhere else, less I make another duplicate impulse purchase. 

• I block off the surface with painters tape so I only replace a section of the newspaper.  Have you seen how much a daily newspaper is, much less the Sunday edition?  

• The items hanging in the corner are a framed airbrushed t-shirt of an Assault Fiend from Legions of Steel and a silly award listing everything I lettered in high school.   The actual letter is a trunk in the living room. 

• The bulletin board: It really is a destination for any stickers I've acquired, as well as con-related gear (badge holder, utility bags, HMGS Judge hat that I sweated through at Historicon '24).  I do have the organizational chart for a Gnomish Space Marine Assault Group, but nothing further.  

• The little three drawer unit in the lower right has a glue gun and way too many glue sticks (bottom) and various hobby sticks .  The top drawer is a variety of grass tufts and flowers (some Army Painter, but mostly Huge Minis) and spare, unopened brushes. 

• Hiding just out of sight, next to the drawers, are two gallon jugs: one for clean water and one for waste. 

The high point of the cleaning, besides just the joy of being organized for the day?  I did uncover the missing Brigade Games goblin, so he can join his painted brethren.

RAFM Finds a Home

Back in May I reported that RAFM Miniatures had shuttered operations.

Now reports have come out that the RAFM molds are being moved to the Delaware, Ohio location of Ral Partha Legacy (not to be confused with Ral Partha Europe, or the old Partha figures still being produced by Iron Wind.)

They're still in the process of setting up storage and running test casts, but this is great news, and a perfect example for the layman just how much space the individual molds take up, much less actual figure inventory.  

(Gamma World) Not a Test #94 - Old Man Sprig

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  have had a triumphant stay in Fair-Town,  Lathar has repeated as jousting champion, Sonny has acquired a "glow suit", and Squiggles has gleefully endured extended sessions of vermiculture.  

They now only wait on the completion of Pete's feather cloak, a dream of his since their early days, for the group to return to Riverbend and perhaps, their secret "Pool Room" 

================= 

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  He may be pregnant... again!

Thunnelda Haycock:  A peculiar local woman, who has a penchant for wandering the surrounding territories for particular oddities, but has become the fiancé of Lathar.  She just finished second to Lathar in the joust, yet there is an underlying current.  

================================================================

Lathar wandered back from the Kirothian's neighborhood, a host of doom and gloom clouding his future, at least according to the blue-skinned old lady.  It was disconcerting enough that he wasn't perseverating over the fact that his ex, Elona had clearly stated he had no choice with her. 

Lathar found Sonny wandering the streets after hours, and not reading or searching the merchants for some old ancient technology he and he alone understood why the Explorers needed it.  Even the oblivious sunflower noticed the barbarian was unsettled.

Lathar:  Hey Sonny, you know when I'm alone, I go off and do something stupid.

Sonny:  Proceed.....

Lathar recounted Elona's visit, a reading with the "Kirothian witch," the visions...

Sonny:  Her powers could be real.  Pete likes to do mind tricks, if it's not the future, it might be the future she wants you to think about.

Back at the Clockwork Carnival, Sonny offered to write down Lathar's prophecy for future reference. 

Lathar:  And here I was more worried if Squiggle's  new batch of offspring would stay in Riverbend or go across the river to Bon-Parr.

The next morning, Lathar stopped by the town hall and got a little information regrading the town council.  It appeared he would be in charge of organizing the joust for next year.

Just about everything they planned had been accomplished, except for Sneaky Pete waiting on his feather cloak in three days.  Squiggles had a swollen belly... his activities in the basements of Fair-Town were confirmed with pregnancy.  

The Explorers began getting bored and when Sonny left for the afternoon, they followed him... to the mutant plant bar, The Wrong Celery.  

Lathar: The great thing about the Wrong Celery is the ambience always changes, since there are so many plants.  

There was a new giant pumpkinhead seated, guarding the door.

Pete:  What's your name, new guy?

Pumpkinhead:  Gord.

With that encounter passed to the bouncer's guidance, they hit the smell of mulch through the door and headed to the bar. 

There was a large assortment of plants in the Wrong Celery, but everyone preferred to be quiet.  The only things Sonny had picked up:

1. The plant community ran their own gambling operations in lieu of the mole rats. 
2. The gambling ring had nicknamed Thunnelda "The Rage Cow."
3. The lettuce farmers (humans tending lettuce crops) pooled their money and lost big on betting on Sir Carrion.
4. Each night there was a plant choir that practiced late at night.  They were practicing singing "The Ballad of the Mighty Leek, a haunting tune of a tragic mutant vegetable that had been turned into stew.
5. Sonny also was second for the week in the newest bar game, the radish toss. 

The target of the radish toss, was a goblet hanging high above the floor.  One customer was in first with five out of five tosses, slated to win the mystery prize, a burlap sack behind the bar, with the sign "Definitely Not Haunted."

They eschewed the hand-picked coffee beans and focused on the radish toss. Lathar was the most respectable of the "naked animals" with his throws, but it was Pete who discovered the leader in the competition and challenged him to a friendly wager.  Sitting in the corner, in his own pot of soil, was an parsley plant named Old Man Sprig.  Calling him out, Pete had a few second thoughts as the planet emerged from his pot with a red glowing cybernetic arm, cyber hands.  

Lathar bought a round for the bar, raising the spirits and attention of the patrons.

Sprig took the advantage early and maintained superior stats to Pete.  Pete pushed through, even after rumors of Sprig being trained since birth my a monastery of broccoli monks. 

Old Man Sprig wins 8-56 to Pete's 7-63.

Getting his winnings, Old Man Sprig motions to the bartender, and he sends a runner outside.  

Fair-Town was full of animal drawn carts and wagons, so to hear the sounds of a vehicle of the ancients brought eyes looking out the windows.  

Outside was a ferret in a derby and a vest, driving a floating tricycle.  "Alright, who's Old Spring?  Three-armed Benny is here to take you wherever."

Three-Armed Benny

The other patrons take him outside and place him in the side-car.  The trike peals out,  the sound of burning, a mixture of melting plastic and bad decisions. Music blasting is out the machine, "Radish and Run."

Pete tried to read Old Man Sprig's mind, and was (a) surprised he could do it and (b) one sentence from Sprig took him aback, "If I was still human I'd kick all your asses."

Next: #95 - The Charcuterie Toll

No Kings, Lots of Gnomes

 

(Kickstarter) Battlelords: The Shipping Kickstarter

Early on for Kickstarter, I saw a lot more non-preorder gaming crowdfunding.  Whether it was a coffee shop/gaming hangout in Durango, or some money for a chess club in Rochester to travel to a tournament, Kickstarter can be more than just getting new products out the door.  

While I originally looked at this one with furrowed brow, Battlelords; The Shipping Kickstarter hits all the heartstrings that I'm talking about. 

Good News: 23rd Century Productions is out of Battlelords of the 23rd Century books in North America! 

Bad News:  The next printing would be so expensive, they'll need to split it up into three books. 

Short-Term Good News: Their warehouse in the UK has a boatload of product.  

Short-Term Bad News:  Have you tried to ship anything from the UK recently?  Have you tried to receive anything international to the US in the last few months?  

So they're offering a few books, such as the Battelords Core Rules, Uncle Ernie's, and even an Everything option, and you will receive the Fully Armored book (a $50 value) absolutely free. 

Due to quantity, this Kickstarter is restricted to the first 150 pledges.

And... considering it's a Kickstarter to pay for bulk shipping, it's a good time to add that shipping will be calculated at the end of the Kickstarter and added to your pledge.

Delta Pink

 It's been a pretty sparse time for me podcast-wise.  A lot of what I've listened to over the years has either wrapped up for morphed into a different model or entity that just doesn't hit my demographic anymore.  Even my longtime stalwarts, the Miskantonic Univeristy Podcast, and even Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff are running 20-25% longer, and even at 1.25x speed it's been a tough to get through certain episodes.  

Then the fellas at Pink Fohawk wrap up their season and deliver with the delectable Delta Pink.  

Pink Fohawk is a Shadowrun Actual Play podcast suggested for mature audiences, and sometimes, immature minds. It's phenomenal.  I've stolen plot hooks and staging for my own home campaigns.  

After finishing up season 2, they've know launched Delta Pink, a Delta Green Actual Play.  Five episodes total (including session 0 linked to Youtube above), and I personally think it's gold.  I had Episode 3 going through my earpods in a medical facility, and couldn't stop audibly snorting for a bit, before the group went back into the proper paranoia and conspiracy fueled decision making.  

(Painting) Two More Purple Prussian Lifeguard for Gnome Wars

I'm continuing to clean up, refurb, and finish up miscellaneous figures as they come.   

I found two random German Gnome Wars figures, so it was only proper to add them to the Purple Prussian Lifeguard 

(Kickstarter) Gone Scarin' for 5e from Betta Games

 I will say this, I'd rather pay a dollar every other week for another small installment from Betta Games than some full sized product.  

Betta Games is at it again with another Kickstarter, this time for Gone Scarin'  for 5e

From the Kickstarter:

Our cozy one-shots are designed to help adventurers find low/no-combat ways to enjoy Dungeons and Dragons with an emphasis on interesting mechanics and immersive roleplay!

Various Festive Activities: Rules and charts for Apple Bobbing, Cornhole, Pumpkin Chuckin', Pumpkin Roll, & Pumpkin Carving.

Tricks & Treats: Choose from a variety of food and drink from food stalls at the festival. But, keep an eye out for the local youths, they're out for treats and have methods of enacting revenge upon those who refuse to indulge them.

Maps: Detailed maps of the festival area as well as the House of Horrors.

Awesome Art!

Game Time 2-4hrs: Play time will vary from table to table and will be naturally extended by your number of players.

(Painting) Modern Accessories by Reaper Bones Black

 In a recent poll on The Miniatures Page (TMP), in relation to non-GM attendees, they asked:

"If you are just there to attend and/or play some, how far out do you prepare for the con?"

That's like a wargaming therapy onion question, unleashing decades and layers of issues from beyond.  

To answer the actual question, just attending Mepacon as an attendee on a Sunday in November, has involved me coordinating with friends since August.  

To go even further, after announcing my projects for the year, a week and a half later, I announced our plans for Historicon 2026 last weekend.  

So is it any surprise that my painting bench is a anomalous timey-whimey mess, with some figures I purchased more than a decade ago, a pile of Historicon purchases from the summer, yet one of the more recent acquisitions getting completed first? 

The Modern Accessories pack from Reaper was one of the participation prizes given out during Sword in the Stone Games' belated #FreeRPGDay celebration in August.  Six road cones and six jerrycans to flesh out a modern board, all in the better Bones Black material.  They are small pieces, and there already is a road cone hiding somewhere in the game room... or right on the painting bench itself. 

The Gnomish Engineers have a little more safety equipment to work with...

I already painted up a ton of cans bright orange for Death Planet Iota.  These are actually painted up more realistically for civilian use.

Red: Gasoline

Yellow: Diesel

Blue: Kerosene

In a world where even the Bones prices seem out of control, the accessory pack for $3.99 seems reasonable. 

In the Queue:  Some Pulp stuff may have jumped the line, but bore Rebel Commandos and  Tiki Island Gnomes are still on the bench,  and the mounted OG Mouslings have reared their heads out of the lead pile once again. 

Project: 350 -  An expected decline to 479 (284 draft/195 scheduled) from 482 (286/196).  I've got a lull in scheduled posts in the 2nd half of October, so hopefully I can get some games in.  

Reviewing the Lost Dispatches of Feraso

In some reflective time this week, I crunched some numbers, and about 9% are Actual Plays of TTRPGs.  Most are fantasy, but I'd like to think, between my players journals, and session recordings, most of the episodes are accurate and enjoyable.

With last weekend's rain deluge, I was stuck inside the apartment, and while I got a number of things done, I did want to start tackling the backlog of posts I have to finish.   One of those items was the Georic Gazetteer entry for the Kingdom of Ras-Prythax, and I accomplished the exact opposite of what I set out to do. 

Even before I transplanted my campaign into an Earth-centric model, nearly 20 years ago, Ras-Prythax was my Holy Roman Empire with more clout: The large remnant of an ancient empire, power collapsing as its domains get a foothold towards independence.   It is a massive and vast land (furthest points is about 1,000 miles... not in a straight line).  and despite it being the country I started building in the 8th grade, when I finally was cobbling together a map and the gazetteer entry, I realized how many empty spaces were still there. 

It was decided early that I would need to break out the Kingdom into a general entry, as well as three regional entries, covering Eastern, Western, and Central Ras-Prythax.  

So much for clearing another backlog post off my list... now I have three more, and the overview post isn't complete yet.  

There's a bunch I need to develop, so I reviewed everything I had, so I could see where the obvious hole I could fill quickly were.  

Since most of the campaign was set in Ras-Prythax, I focused on re-reading the Lost Dispatches of Feraso, starting with Epiosde 1.   

I spent a good portion of the morning reading all 100 entries.  I wrote these between 2018 and 2020, and after going over them again, I have to say that they are the best writing, storytelling, and logistical storytelling I've ever done.  

I essentially tied the first decade of my fantasy role-playing, into a coherent storytelling device, much of which was never written down, and in many cases largely forgotten.  

For purposes of the gazetteer, I added a few towns, some local color, and most importantly, realized the far eastern Gran Duchy of Vrianios is essentially the Hungary to a real-world Austria-Hungary.  

I don't want to toot my own horn too much, but the way I tied many things together, even if it's just providing a different perspective of events from other Actual Play campaigns.  I am biased, but I do recommended starting with episode 1 linked above and working through the story, plus the recommended side treks. 

For a Fistful More #3 - The Night the Blue Men Came

Death Planet Iota is a vicious world.  A nexus point of multiple wormholes. an interdimensional dumping point, where only the strongest, ne luckiest,  survive.  

However, the Death Planet is vast, and if you're not near the jungles of death, poisonous atmospheres, and legions of chaos... you could find a small corner and live peacefully. 

That's what the Revwien couple, Murthul and Kethal, thought when they evaded the death and destruction, and set up a homestead far from the city of Carf, away from the raiders and scavengers.  They had even taken two bear-like creatures with them, under the pretense of adopting these child-like beings.  Instead, they used them as manual labor, a protocol droid reprogrammed to operate the homestead, and keep the Ewoks in line... 

Murthul, Kethal, their protocol droid PR-3M, and Pipbit and Mura-Mura, their "Saplings"

The dark and unsteady, things were they way they were....

Until the Blue Men came near.  

Blue Martians were what they were called by others.  This group kept surviving, but pushed further and further into the wilderness.  Raiding this homestead for supplies looked simple enough.  

The homestead...

The appearance of a few familiar races gave the homesteaders joy... and confusion.

Kethal: "Are you Rebellion?" 

Captain Jalen Varr bearded commando laughed, "Rebellion?  No, we're New Republic commandos.  The Empire fell ten years ago.... How long have you been on this world?"

Murthull: "We arrived six months ago...  I don't know about the little ones we adopted.  Possibly longer."

Timey-Whimey indeed.

The sensors picked up the blue men moving in the surrounding woods.  With four armed commandos, and PR-3M protecting the "children" who refused to go inside, they thought they had a chance. 

Turn One -  The Homesteaders could only remember the blood-curdling screams as the blue men charged the wall, their swords and primitive black-powder weapons in the air.  

Lira Dane, the blonde female, dashed to that side to support the attack, and managed to wound one, but she missed the critical moment in the entire battle.  

Huddled on the other side, Grussk N'taal, the Rodian heavy weapons trooper, was protecting the ewoks and the protocol droid.  The screaming from the opposite side drowned out the sound of arrows being let loose.   As Lira ran to the other side, a single arrow pierced the Rodian through the heart (10 on the to hit, 10 on the wound result, no chance).   The volley also wounded Mura-Mura, leaving PR-3M in a tizzy.

RIP: Grussk

To make matters worse,  Captain Varr fired a few shots off his blaster, only for the weapon to go completely dead. 

TURN TWO: The Blue Martians reached the wall, but not without casualties.  The blue-skinned New Republic trooper Tareen Voss badly wounded one coming over the wall, and Lira scared off another (shock token)

Down the wall, things were going to bad to worse.  Murthull quickly ran out of ammo, and the Martians captured Kethal...  

On the other side, Mura-Mura scrambled up and ran behind the homestead, leaving Pipbit and PR-3M to deal with the charging archers.  Pipbit was easily captured, but the protocol droid manhandled its attacker, sending it flying back over the wall! 

TURN THREE-FOUR: A point-blank shot with a primitive firearm was enough to send Captain Varr reeling towards the homestead, and allow the Blue Martians to grab Kethal, but not without a fight. 

Tareen put down the wounded the Blue Martian near him, but not before getting wounded... then failing the recovery. 

TURN FIVE:   Captain Varr was shuddering inside the homestead, unable to recover.  The Martians started hauling their prisoners away.

The only one left with any bravery?  Mura-Mura the Ewok... who thought it best to run over the wall and tried to beat the wounded Martian with a stick.   "Boomtail", still stronger than the Ewok... pistol whipped the critter until it surrendered.  

I did run another turn, which allowed Lira to find Captain Varr (for all the good he was...) and escape.  The rest, save the Rodian, were captured...   Rolling for post-game results, it is confirmed that the Rodian wasn't faking it...  but the rest were all alive... save Mura-Mura, who might have been eaten??? 

News of the blue men attack would reach Carf.  The Blue Martians were growing in strength.

The New Republic Commandos?  They made it out alive, and will probably need to ally with some like-minded individuals.  Thankfully, I painted up more of them. 

This originally was scenario three "A Little Farmstead on the Prairie" from For a Fistful More by Wiley Games

(Gamma World) Not a Test #93 - The Azure Oracle

Our heroes, the De Facto Explorers,  have arrived for the Queen's Joust in Fair-Town.  Lathar has just won his second straight joust, but every member still has an agenda....

================= 

Lathar Bracken: A pure-strain human from River Bend.  He's got the muscle, the face, and a mount for most encounters.  Lathar's trusty beast of burden, No Name, travels wherever he does.   Looking for trouble in all the right places. The two-time champion of the Fair-Town Queen's Joust.

Sneaky Pete: A mutated weasel scout.  Pete's telepathy and night vision take a backseat when he whips out his electrical powers.  Apparently addicted to his newly uncovered yellow powder found at "The Pool House"

Sonny Helianthus: a nearly 10' tall sentient sunflower artifact examiner with trusted Restorationist ties. Knowledgeable,  but not a good one with device repairs or upgrades. 

Slitheran Wurmtail (aka Squiggles): a mutated earthworm scout, in impromptu power armor, looking for trouble in all the wrong places,  and finding it often.   He  has been subject to genetic testing and developed super-human strength, a more human body, and a thick coat of shaggy white hair.  He may be pregnant... again!

Thunnelda Haycock:  A peculiar local woman, who has a penchant for wandering the surrounding territories for particular oddities, but has become the fiancé of Lathar.  She just finished second to Lathar in the joust, yet there is an underlying current.  

================================================================

There was a great celebration at the Clockwork Carnival, celebrating the great jousting champion, Lathar Bracken of Riverbend.  Lathar was a bit off, however, as his fiancée, and runner-up of the joust, Thunnelda, was nowhere to be seen.

The following morning, Sonny met up with Lathar, Pete, and Squiggles back at the Carnival. 

Sonny had completed avoided all of the joust, taking advantage of the smaller crowds to dig though some vendor booths and the Bug-Mart.  He finally found his first item of the quest, a "Glow Suit" to protect someone when they moved the Golden Bird.  Three-thousand domars was a bit steep for the sunflower,  but Lathar seemed to have the funds... even before his joust win.  

Through the day, Lathar resided in the tavern at the Clockwork Carnival, enjoying the gifts of free food and drinks given to him, thanks to his fame.  Expecting another free drink, he was shocked to see a blue-skinned female slides into the seat behind him.

"Hey Lathar..."

It was Elona, the Chief of the Kirothians, and Lathar ex-girlfriend.

"Hello..."

"Congrats on the joust.  It's good to see the only thing you're still good at is holding your own lance..."

"Behave Elona... what do I owe this pleasure..."

"My medicine woman, Valeria, is dreaming of you at night.  Cloudy dreams with vivid details of you, and a giant sunflower.  She does these... readings.  And she would probably clear her head if you come and sit with her for a bit....

Lathar, thinking to himself:  I don't make a lot of good decisions when I'm alone at a bar.

He looked up towards Elona, "I'll do it!"

Elona led him down the streets of Fair-Town, to the Azure Sanctum, an old storehouse that they've converted into a temple.  

A blue-skinned woman in flowing indigo robes appears in the corner of the room.   Her piercing white eyes lock onto him, and despite the chaos around them, Lathar can hear her voice directly in his mind:  Come, sit with me....

The Azure Oracle

She took both of his hands... 

Images of Lathar's childhood flood through his mind, running through the dirt streets of Riverbend.

He could hear her voice inside his mind, "Lathar Bracken, child of the Riverbend, you stand upon the path of warriors… but it is a road built on bones. Will you heed a warning from the veil of the unseen?"

Yes...

You seek the secrets of the past, but they seek you as well. Something long buried is stirring, and it knows your name. Whether it calls you as a savior or a sacrifice, I cannot yet say.

The mystic’s voice grows urgent.

Listen well, knight of Riverbend! The ruins beneath the river are awakening. The war-beast of the Deep Mire is only the first. There is something older—greater—waiting beneath the waters.

She leans forward, her glowing white eyes filled with desperation.

And when it rises, it will seek the blood of warriors to fuel its rebirth. I see fire upon the water, steel clashing in a battle unseen for generations. I see… you!

When the river runs red, this will lead you to what you seek…  He who you seek...

He opens his eyes, but before he can focus, the old lady is gone...

Outside, the revelry of the Queen’s Joust continues, but for Lathar Bracken of Riverbend, the celebration is over.

GM Notes:  A lot of bookkeeping, including a d22,000 roll to determine which species of worm Squiggles successfully bred with....

Next: #94 - Old Man Sprig

How Many Hit Dice Does the Gilmore Girls Gazebo Have?

The air is getting colder, the leaves are falling, and most of the Halloween candy is starting to go on discount finally.

I certainly wouldn't disparage anyone announcing Christmas products this time of year, but I surprise myself promoting an item that has the words Hallmark and Gilmore Girls in it.  

The Hallmark 2025 Keepsake Ornament for the Gilmore Girls is a... gazebo? 

I don't know the show reference for the Gilmore Girls Star Hallow Gazebo Musical Ornament, and it is $30.99, but it's also 3.5"x 3.5"x 4.5" which is a pretty decent sized gazebo for your fantasy game.  

Of course, for the uninitiated, the gazebo is a formidable monster of unofficial D&D lore, credited largely to the story "Eric and the Gazebo" by Richard Aronson.  My personal favorite version of that is "Lair of the Gazebo" from Knights of the Dinner Table. 

Three more little tidbits, to make the post worth reading:

1) When Hackmaster 4th Edition was created, they included a house-sized doppleganger/mimic which I immediately turned into a Gazebo a few weeks into our first Hackmaster campaign.  (AKA "Purple Cephalopod)

2) Knights of the Dinner Table #1 is available online by Kenzer & Co for free.

3) Weird Pete Ashton in the comics is set five years younger than I am today.  Need to find me a monkey and a game store!