2019 ENnie Nominations!

The 2019 ENnie Nominations were announced earlier this week.

Directly off of http://www.ennie-awards.com:
Voting for the ENnies Awards, 2019 Fan Favorite Publisher, and 2020 Judges will be open from July 10, 2018- July 21, 2018 at 11:59pm EDT!

Winners will be announced on August 2nd at 8 P.M. EST at Union Station during Gen Con in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can also watch the awards live via streaming via our YouTube channel.

Judges’ Spotlight Winners
Benjamin Adelman: The Stygian Library, Dying Stylishly Games, Author: Emmy Allen
Christopher Gath: Archives of the Sky, Aaron A. Reed, Author: Aaron A Reed
Alexander Holley: SIGMATA: This Signal Kills Fascists, Land of NOP LLC, Author: Chad Walker
Brent Jans: plot ARMOR, Mostly Harmless Games, Author: DC
Brian Nowak: The Elephant & Macaw Banner: Player’s Guide, Porcupine Publishing Author: Christopher Kastensmidt

FYI, my personal choices for voting will be marked in red with a few asterisks.

Best Adventure
Masks of Nyarlathotep, Chaosium Inc.
Mothership: Dead Planet, Tuesday Knight Games
Slaves of the Machine God, Monte Cook Games
***The Persephone Extraction, Pelgrane Press
Winter’s Daughter, Necrotic Gnome

Best Aid/Accessory – Digital
DunGen: High Resolution Dungeon Generator for Discord, Dungeon Channel
DUNGEONFOG – Premium | Online Map Maker & Authoring Tool, DUNGEONFOG KG
Magwa’s Magic Item Compendium Mobile App, KNights of Vasteel
Paper Blossoms – An Unofficial Character Generation for L5R (FFG), Paper Blossoms
World Anvil Grandmaster Tier Worldbuilding & Campaign Management Platform, World Anvil

Best Aid/Accessory – Non-Digital
Champions Character Creation Cards, High Rock Press
***Dwarven Forge’s Dungeon of Doom Modular Terrain, Dwarven Forge
Masks of Nyarlathotep Gamer Prop Set, The H. P.Lovecraft Historical Society Inc.
Numenera Ruin Deck, Monte Cook Games
The Big Book of Sci-Fi Battle Mats, Loke BattleMats

Best Art, Cover
Bluebeard’s Bride: Book of Mirrors, Magpie Games
Call of Cthulhu – Terror Australis 2nd Edition, Chaosium Inc.
Coriolis – Emissary Lost, Free League Publishing
***KULT: Divinity Lost, 4th Edition of KULT – Core Rules, Helmgast AB
Winter’s Daughter, Necrotic Gnome
What is wrong in the gaming community that Kult still has superior artwork after all these years?

Best Art, Interior
Invisible Sun, Monte Cook Games
***KULT: Divinity Lost, 4th Edition of KULT – Core Rules, Helmgast AB
Legacy: Life Among the Ruins 2nd Edition, UFO Press Limited
RuneQuest: Roleplaying in Glorantha Slipcase Set, Chaosium Inc.
Symbaroum Monster Codex, Järnringen / Free League Publishing

Best Cartography
***A New Map of Hot Springs Island, Swordfish Islands
Forbidden Lands – Retro Open-World Survival Fantasy RPG, Free League Publishing
Lamp’s Light Sanitarium: A Horror Campaign for 5e, Saturday Morning Scenarios
Silent Titans, Swordfish Islands
The Midderlands Expanded, MonkeyBlood Design & Publishing

Best Electronic Book
***Dinosaur Princesses, Ardens Ludere
Fear’s Sharp Little Needles, Stygian Fox Publishing
Ironsworn, Shawn Tomkin
Sly Flourish’s Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master, Last Word Audio
Uncaged Volume 1, Ashley Warren Writes

Best Family Game / Product
Dinosaur Princesses, Ardens Ludere
***The Hidden Halls of Hazakor, Insane Angel Studios
Kids on Bikes, Renegade Game Studios/Hunters Entertainment
Power Outage: Core Guide Book, Go Nerdy LLC
The Tragedies of Middle School, 9th Level Games

Best Free Game / Product
Die Laughing, Sliced Up, NerdBurger Games
Ironsworn, Shawn Tomkin
The Executioner’s Daughter, Ashley Warren Writes
The Ultraviolet Grasslands – Free Introduction, Hydra Cooperative
Wayfinder #18: Fey and the First World, Paizo Fans United

Best Game
Companions’ Tale, Sweet Potato Press
Dialect: A Game about Language and How it Dies, Thorny Games
Dream Askew/Dream Apart, Buried Without Ceremony Games
Mothership: Player’s Survival Guide, Tuesday Knight Games

Best Layout and Design
Bluebeard’s Bride: Book of Mirrors, Magpie Games – Miguel Angel Espinoza
Mini-Dungeon Tome, AAW Games – Justin Andrew Mason and Thomas Baumbach
Secrets of Silent Streets, Monte Cook Games – Bear Weiter
Symbaroum Monster Codex, Järnringen / Free League Publishing – Johan Nohr
The Black Hack 2nd Edition, Squarehex – David Black

Best Monster/Adversary
Creature Codex for 5th Edition, Kobold Press
Hideous Creatures: A Bestiary of the Cthulhu Mythos, Pelgrane Press
***Sandy Petersen’s Cthulhu Mythos for 5e, Petersen Games
Symbaroum Monster Codex, Järnringen / Free League Publishing
Tyrants & Hellions, 2CGaming, LLC

Best Online Content
Cannibal Halfling Gaming, Cannibal Halfling Gaming
***Molten Sulfur Blog, Molten Sulfur PressSeth Skorkowsky, Seth Skorkowsky
The Alexandrian, The Alexandrian
Questing Beast Podcast, Questing Beast

Best Organized Play
Cypher Play Numenera Season 18-2: Building Amber Keep, Monte Cook Games –
Heir of Orcus Verses I & II, Anthony Joyce

Minsc and Boo’s Guide to Stuff and Things, Adventure League Admins and Rich Lescouflair
Ooze There?, Neo Tokyo Project – Darryl Ho and Jason Koh
Vacant, Ma’at Crook

Best Podcast
Asians Represent!
***Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff
Plot Points
Red Moon Roleplaying
She’s a Super Geek

Best Production Values
Faerie Fire, a 5e Supplemental, Astrolago Press
Forbidden Lands – Retro Open-World Survival Fantasy RPG, Free League Publishing
Invisible Sun Black Cube, Monte Cook Games
Numenera 2: Discover and Destiny Slipcase Set, Monte Cook Games
Silent Titans, Swordfish Islands

Best RPG Related Product
Bluebeard’s Bride: Book of Lore, Magpie Games
Dark Adventure Radio Theatre: Masks of Nyarlathotep, The H. P. Lovecraft Historical Society Inc.
Deven Rue Map Weights Set, Campaign Coins
***Miskatonic University: The Restricted Collection, Chaosium Inc.

Best Rules
***Call of Cthulhu Starter Set, Chaosium Inc.
Forbidden Lands – Retro Open-World Survival Fantasy RPG, Free League Publishing
Legacy: Life Among the Ruins 2nd Edition, UFO Press Limited
Mothership: Player’s Survival Guide, Tuesday Knight Games
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Core Rulebook, Cubicle Seven Entertainment Ltd.

Best Setting
Call of Cthulhu – Terror Australis 2nd Edition, Chaosium Inc.
Dream Askew/Dream Apart, Buried Without Ceremony Games
Forbidden Lands – Retro Open-World Survival Fantasy RPG, Free League Publishing
Invisible Sun, Monte Cook Games
***The Fall of DELTA GREEN, Pelgrane Press

Best Supplement
Faerie Fire, a 5e Supplemental, Astrolago Press
Star Trek Adventures: The Sciences Division Supplemental Rulebook, Modiphius Entertainment
***The 7th Edition Guide to Cthulhu Invictus, Golden Goblin Press
The Book of Ages, Pelgrane Press
The Glorantha Sourcebook, Chaosium Inc.

Best Writing
KULT: Divinity Lost, 4th Edition of KULT – Core Rules, Helmgast AB
Liminal, Wordplay Games
Silent Titans, Swordfish Islands
Troika! Numinous Edition, Melsonian Arts Council
Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay Core Rulebook, Cubicle Seven Entertainment Ltd.

Product of the Year
Companions’ Tale, Sweet Potato Press
Dialect: A Game about Language and How it Dies, Thorny Games
Dinosaur Princesses, Ardens Ludere
Dream Askew/Dream Apart, Buried Without Ceremony Games
Forbidden Lands – Retro Open-World Survival Fantasy RPG, Free League Publishing
Invisible Sun, Monte Cook Games
Liminal, Wordplay Games
Masks of Nyarlathotep Gamer Prop Set, The H. P.Lovecraft Historical Society Inc.
Mothership: Player’s Survival Guide, Tuesday Knight Games
Silent Titans, Swordfish Islands

(Painting) New Middle Eastern Building

Sorry for all the weird weather across the globe, but apparently me actually finally painting something caused a disturbance in the upper atmosphere. 

Here's a two-story resin Middle Eastern building I picked up at Cold Wars 2019... and it's done!

A few 25mm sailors (Foundry) for scale.  

The fellow was sharing space with Evil Bob's Miniature Service.  It fit all my criteria: two-story, steps, a ladder, and reasonably priced.  

Not only is this the first thing I've painted since Fall-In! last year, it's the first part of a longer project for "Season 4" of my Pulp game.  Yes, I've still got a few more games to finish Season 3, but there are a couple larger items that need to get done, and this is the first one.

Next Up:  Back to sorting and cleaning the painting bench in the Kriget Rum.  Trying to finish up the Nauvoo Legion for a Gnome Wars game at Historicon and possibly some of the Bones 4 minis.  

Happy Independence Day!

The Questions for #RPGaDay2019 are Up

It's the 6th year for #RPGaDay, the month-long celebration of role-playing games conducted in August.

Worried about repeating the same old questions "What's your favorite Sci-Fi RPG," they've decided to change the format a bit.

Each day will be single word, open to individual interpretation, so long as the topic stays positive.

This list above was provided so the bloggers/vloggers/podcasters could get some minimal prep in before August.  I know as a measly blogger, that just prepping the thirty drafts is some tedious work before I even start thinking about the topics.

The proper graphic will be available later in the month, as well as alternate questions/topics, just in case "Examine" is too broad or specific for your tastes.

Lost Dispatches of Feraso #34 - Vesikant

WEISSMACH LETTER #12

Outside the Free City of Nauzlanti, Gran Duchy of Regan

To His Lordship, the Viscount Wilfrick of Verbobonc,

Despite a Dragon Temple and an actual dragon controlling this town, Nauzantil had its fair share of people willing to spout all sorts of nonsense in support of, or in defiance of, the green dragon, Vesikant.  Most were fools, but Sir Erilec was the biggest fool of all.

One of the cowardly Knights of Talmark, Erilec made killing dragons into some noble sport, like hunting stags.  He had admitted seeing the location of green dragon's lair, if not specific details.  So, with limited time, we offered our services to the knight, even if our Andrei was certain he was infamous for sacrificing hundreds of men in order to hunt wyvern and other creatures that commoners though were dragons, but were different beasts entirely.

For two days, we traveled south along the coast to the dragon's lair.  Erilec demanded we travel on foot, for the way was treacherous... and he had lost his horse.  With nary a quality steed in the city, he denied us the opportunity for any animal, and whined of his predicament the entire time.

We reached the huge mesa at the waters edge and barged through a series of defenses at the base of it with Gnoll guards to gain access.  Inside was a small lake and a huge, naturally carved tube extending up into the sky.  There was no sign of the dragon, but halfway up this tube, nearly 200 foot high, was a large opening, which might fit the dragon perfectly. 

With no climbing gear, and only a large raft on the edge of the lake as a clue, the Order unanimously decided that it was far better to leave and re-equip ourselves with the necessary tools, but Erilec would have none of that.   Enraged that his quarry was so close but unattainable, he went into a obscenity-filled tirade that made our Dwarf blush.  This was not attention we wanted, so most of us left back through the gnoll lair.   I took it upon myself to distract the knight.  In his yelling and pacing, he walked onto the raft, barely tethered to a rock.  I followed him onto the raft, deftly cut the tether and gave the craft a good push with a long paddle.

I had it in my mind to use the paddle to vault back over to the shore, stranding the Knight and his heavy armor... if he was paying attention to me at all.  One small issue:  the lake inside the mesa was bottomless and I splashed into the water.  It took some effort, but I barely pulled myself out of the water.   This action incensed the Erilec who directed his curses at me.  I met up with my compatriots near the Gnoll's entrance and asked them to wait a moment.  After a few minutes of yelling at everything, Erilec got his just rewards, a green cloud could be seen engulfing the lake.  The green fog must have not killed the Knight, for other terrifying sounds came that area, and the sound of large wings swooping could be heard.

The others wanted to run, but I did not feel like hiking up the cliffside and traveling the wide open countryside on foot with an ancient, probably very intelligent, definitely very angry dragon looking for the knight's allies.  Camping out at the Gnoll's entrance for the short term, and possibly leaving under cover of darkness would at least give us a fleeting chance.

Murag, our Dwarf, could only muse, "If the beast doesn't just fly down here right now and peel us out of the broken door like tapping raisins out of our iron rations."

A few hours after dark, we left our draconic sanctuary and stumbled up the hill, to a location a few miles further south of Vesikant's lair.   By mid-morning, we were greeted by a familiar monkey, who led us to a rocky outcropping.  There sat the merchant, Angalm Zhule and two of his trusted guards.

Between the time we made the agreement with Sir Erilec to travel her, and the time we actually departed, I made a sizable payment to the merchant to ensure he followed us, with our beloved steeds in tow.  Even if Erilec proved us wrong and the dragon was slain, how exactly were we to leave with the spoils of his treasure pile?

Angalm had sent his trusted guard Watty, to follow us from afar and meet back up with him when we arrived at the lair.  The merchant did admit that something large was moving through the clouds, but he managed to keep all the horses camouflaged among the rocks before moving to the first safe spot further south, and using the Banaani the monkey as a scout.

In all, the plan worked far better than it should.  Anglam and his other guard, Hammork, got a late start out of the city, and were only an hour or so ahead of a large contingent of mixed races waiting to hunt down the defiler of the Dragon Temple. 

With that, we mounted our horses and worked away from the sea, and the dragon's familiar territory.

Once reaching Nevskia, we split ways with Angalm and his men.  The merchant wisely converted much of his merchandise and coin into gems for easier travel.  In the mud of Nevskia, he thought it better to perhaps set up something known as an import/export business?

"There is profit to be had!"

To help him start an inventory, we happily traded Jan's scimitar and Sost's magical scimitar for a collection of gems.   In the end, the deal was less than we deserved but equally fair, since the scale mail armor for a dead priest of Tiamat much raise some eyebrows.  I know after my near-death experience, I'll stick with lighter armor, even if it's non-magical.

We meandered back through the mud of Nevskia and the eclectic dominions of Weissmach before arriving again in the Gran Duchy of Oppollo.

My Lorship, this completes my final letter related to The Weissmach.  My intention is to return to Ras-Prythax, report to the Krugraf's ministers, and ultimately return to the Viscount of Verbobonc for an indeterminate amount of time.  There is more to learn about the surrounding lands around us, and that elf Talanth Blackash, is still at large.

Yours in Service,

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

DM Notes: Herein ends the first adventures for the Order or Merit.  Created solely to follow around the PCs from my high school campaign, they've done admirably reporting what they could ascertain, and finishing some adventures Talanth Blackash left behind.  

There are a few more adventures regarding Blackash & Company, but like a proper DM, I need to figure out what's going to occur with the Order.  After all their shared experiences, they could stay together, but they very well could break up entirely.   Elsderth's letters will be the medium for all future stories.  I just need to figure out who will continue to follow him around/get him out of trouble. 

Next: #35- Bungi the Wonder Dog

Bast: 1 Cthulhu: 0

Outside of laying on fresh laundry, or getting locked in a room and pulling up the carpet trying to escape, our cats are pretty decent.

So, I guess they're demanding fresh litter after assaulting my Cthulhu coffee mug this morning.

Bones.... Five?

Well, this got posted last week:

Scheduled kick-off of the Kickstarter is 9/5/2019.   Based on previous campaigns, these minis should start arriving in April of 2021.