After Twenty Years- A Brief Bio

 I am an ancient roleplayer, forged in the fires of D&D Red Box. A true believer of the great Norn tool known as THAC0.

Ever since 1983, with Moldvay's Red Box, I have been role-playing in one form or the other. Either at the table-top, the screen or at work (where I roleplay being competent for the job in question.

Since 1992, I have happily lived in New Orleans. Here my tabletop play has plummeted to zero. I try to launch something but this modern angry world decides it is not to be. It is a shame because I have a great carport, surrounded by banana trees, for a gaming session. Alas, here in the Big Easy, we New Orleanians don't rp at a damn table- we do it in the streets! With costumes, parades and second line we play our roles for all to see- with days off from work!

But I still miss, THAC0- so here I am.

Risus Solo Experiment 1:The Adventures of Codrin the Just Goblin Rogue

I decided to put newly-discovered Risus through some solo sea trials and see what came up. I use the Lair of the Dread Kalypso for the scenario...

The Lair of Dread Kalypso, Liche-Queen of the Fens

 

And drew up a random-ish character using the Risus Character Generator over at Perchance

Codrin 

Just Goblin Rogue (4) 

Supercilious Oracle (3) 

Persevering Swashbuckler (2)

Pretty Vampire Hunter (1)

Hooks and Tales

You were threatened by shadows at night, then exposed to the light

You can wiggle your eyebrows independently

You were forced, repeatedly, to eat a vegetable you didn't like

Then I played, dammit (any solo experiment that gets to writing stage is a good one)

Codrin was not your average goblin, he was a goblin runt. Born in the deep bowels of an abandoned mine, he was ignored by his brethren. Until the bowels turned to crumbs and  discovered the lair of the dreaden Kalypso. 

Greeted by a noxious pit, up to his armpits in the rubbish and disease it was almst like the refuse, filth and just let me say shit of the whole fenagle of the elder goblins came into being. Luckily he trained himself as a Just goblin rogue so he tried to move through the pit. 

He moved through it, cautious, supressing his swashbucker tendencies and trying to be see that future out there. He sees the future, it says that he will make it and let us see if it true. 

Succeeding in the roll of the fates, Codrin (and even his name appeared to be not of the usual Col, Praz and Churm, things like Flag, Stir, or Grimm stood out in the remains of the mine- who cares what you say as long as it is a damn writing that is all that matters besides the puppy's licks on the cornerstone of leather) churned his way, like a boiled potato past the pit with minimum harm. 

Then he encountered the river of goo, surely it was the urine of all the goblins and their minions that turned into this green (ala You cant do that on television's green goo from the ceiling- splash and crash). A perilous bridge hung with a decrepit wood holding it together with old tendons and pieces-parts of minions. 

Coldrin crossed, using his righteous goblin rogue instincts that served him so well against his jealous or furious brethren in avoiding a swath or backhand. 

He tripped and burned in the noxious goo, slipping through a gap in the wood paneling. 

Grabbing a hand on a surprisingly strong rope, Coldrin did a mighty man pull up and tried to throw a leg onto a leaning plank. Throws it on there, vaulting halfway through, he noticed the edge of the other end. He was almost over this damn cliche. 

Slip and another ouch, running his good toe across the piss smelling goo, he tripped up again, growing a bit weaker in the rogue-ness. 

Gripping, Indiana style, he launched a gloved (?) hand onto another rope. It looked easy enough but alas was not. 

He tried one final leap, one final brush with doom (though the goo did throw a lovely green glow to the room, a wonderful cozy place if not for the poisonous air and all that.

So he wasn't the most just rogue, but he was still a goblin, though not as sneaky. He made it. After two scary attempts that left him tired of being undetectable he made it to the other side. 

This anxiety caused him to try and see a desperate future, try to look to see what is beyond the 

Energy-draining Trapped Passageway [3]

He saw it, saw the Energy-draining Trapped Passageway just beyond. To see the future is to change it. To know it is to make it easier, so the Energy-draining Trapped Passageway [3] was not as threatening so its very existence went down to a [2]. 

Thus he knew, Coldrin knew, that he had to rest, had to take it easy for a bit and regain his rogueish qualities. He did rest and picked up another. But to pick up a third he would have to test his injuries. [Rolling again 15, can't roll that again with an 8. He will stay at 3]

But how will Coldrin get passed the passageway. It is going to have to be this way. The oracle power told him how to get through, and awesome without any real danger. 

The curtains of fate clouded the future, he could not only not see into the future but it became occluded and murkier, as if rapidly sinking into a muddy river- which is what fate was...

In a desperation, knowing his goo burns could not heal too well, he decided to go enter anyway...

It vs him, and Codrin saw into the trap, knowing that the red wire would zap his energy he tugged at it. Knowledge is power thus it became easier to read. 

He tried again, the box-like, crystal ball, trappidy trap menaced him. But he preserved. There feeling very rogue-like at a [3]

It drained, it drained his roguish abilities into its own, appearing to disappear into a great white decay. 

He closed his eyes, something he did many times, and seemingly blended into the energy-draining passageway, he would try to look again into the future, until he felt good enough as a swashbuckler to do anything of that sort. 

The great It-Him battle proved in his favor. The trapped object looked passed him, perhaps at a passing squirrel and ignored the goblin rogue. He looked into the future and it looked better, and squinting with his oracle-nature he looked again into the veil, before the veil could look into him. 

Disarmed the trap Codrin looked again and looked better, a brighter future. As if he were wearing some short of bright pink sunglasses. 

Does he find a pair of bright pink sunglasses. Let us ask the tough .

Risus GME

Describes the scene with dangers (4)

Resolves Combat grimly (3)

Is stingy with the PC reward (1)

Throws out randomness (1)

No he has no real sunglasses (which would give him a +1) it is a temporary thing. Fortunately, with the GM he doesn't lose any dice in-game. 

Scry, Codrin, scry to get some sort of healing wonderment, something positive. That will give him an advantage in the Zombie Infested Crypt of Fallen Foes [4]?

But his oracle is down down to 2. 

Nor does it matter. For just before entering the Zombie Infested Crypt of Fallen Foes [4] he finds a trope (is that another word for cliche?) healing potion. Nice and round and shiny, its cherry red good sure to heal his rogue qualities. 

Writing with Dice 2

  Why am I writing this? 

Who am I? 

Are those cyborg beavers damming up my brain? 

Just a small example of the freedom and just outright joy that Bitter Birds Baking Brittle Bread bakes for both the writer who likes to play with dice. Or is it the role-player that likes to write? I get those two confused. 

5B's is a wonderful romp through surreal and post-modern (post-structure) writing and role-playing. In it, the player is set loose on a wide and open pasture of possibilities. Thanks to this 17 page manifesto I felt the same joy when I got an electric typewriter for Xmas. Anything and everything was (and now is!) possible. But this time I have dice too!

Not to be repetitive, but 5'B's is for the writer who likes to occasionally roll with dice (didn't Gygax himself say that dice were on the table just for the noise they made, or for the Dungeon master to do something while the players decide?)

I read over this document and honestly cannot decide if it is speaking to the role-player or the writer in me. Just look at this quote and tell me which one...

"What feels right? Where does your random stream of

consciousness go? What symbolic associations jump to

mind without thinking about it? What rings true to happen

next in the song of the theme and lyrical story?"

Can't tell can you? So for all those that are bipolar over role-player/writer, just pick up this pamphlet of (no) rules and feel the freedom. 

Writing with Dice Again

         I cannot believe it has been almost five years since I wrote in this blog. But then again I wonder how many times that happens with any given blog. Some just write for income, I write for it all to be know. 

Now for an update of things, and things to come. 

I finally got tired of the play by post scene. Where once I turned to it because people here in New Orleans role-play on the streets, be it parade, funerals, festivals or just rolling out of a bar at sunrise; it no longer satisfies as it once did. 

I write and no one responds. Or perhaps my thoughts are simply to scattered, too mundane, too weird to be captured by the likes of mortal men. 

For this reason, and others that I will explore at another time in this Dungeon Book, I am going to be writing/playing solo. In other terms it would be called writing with dice. I plan on posting it here, the adventures of I don't know who, adventuring I don't know where. 

A complete unknown, doesn't it sound wonderful?

Thus far I have gotten into the ironsworn/ powered by the apocalypse trip, but the freedom and expression that Motif and its incredible 5B's (more to come in my next review) is more like writing with dice. 

Its where I plan to go and let us begin with some sort of muse. 

Or is this a complete waste of time?

Very short review for a very impressive game- IRONSWORN RPG

Some games comfort you in wonderful fancies of nostalgia, others stick with you after you have played, a rare few dare to keep you up at night whispering to you when will you play again.

I can say with complete certainty, that for me, Ironsworn covers all three of these categories.

It is a hauntful company of game-moves similar to PbtA or Dungeon World, but Ironsworn moves are much more personal, its resolution much more temperamental.

After all, you are the Ironsworn, a solemn hero pledging your sword and life for one purpose, in a inhospitable world after a massive medieval apocalypse. No surprise that the elements, the horrors, the dice test your mettle and your iron vow.

Shawn Tomkin has created an alternate reality and a game-system that completely beckons and transports you. With its solo, coop and group play options, short and extended play, Ironsworn can grab you out of your life from just about anywhere.

Don't be late for work!
 

Latest Fad- Bananas!?!

This blog is not only an rpg blog or chronicle of solo playing, its also my chronicle of my fads. I have a lot of them. They usually last about three weeks. Many of them (divination, chess, sourdough baking) still hang around me like old friends.

My latest one is kind of crazy. I am into finding and growing something called a Blue Java/ice cream banana. On Things I Learned on reddit that something called a Blue Java banana tastes just like vanilla ice cream.

Am I gullible? Well probably, but something just clicked in my head. Now while I have a backyard of banana trees (thanks negligible neighbor) so I need to be careful. My father calls banana trees "communists- you cut one down and a hundred spring up!", so I have to be careful, damn careful. I hope to do it all in pots.

But if anyone is also into bananas let me know

Cyclopedia Resurrected?

I am taking this news with a pillar of salt. It has come to my attention that the Rules Cyclopedia, the book that was my bible for a good part of my D&D playing is available as a Print on Demand. About a year ago I repurchased that same book, so I wonder if I should buy it again.

Being the father of a two year old, happy and healthy warp core son, I wonder if a working copy will help initiate him in my strongest hobby. There is no doubt that I would want to do it with this edition of D&D (a forthcoming rant on the subject of textbook-rulebooks is in the works).

I have no doubt that the entire old-school world is either extatic over this announcement or waiting to see the quality of the re-issue. Like pre-ording a game or early access be wary of this greatly. I have no doubt that Tenkar's Tavern will be roaring with this news in tonight's chat

One thing I felt good about is the price. At about thirty dollars it didn't seem that different from its original price of 24.95.

Seems like old times, but I will wait for the reviews, muchas gracias.

Review: Quill White Box

I think the word "Box" preceded by a color (white, red, blue or black) should be used in the role-playing world in the same way a dark mischievous and omnipotent demi-god's name should be used within his realm. That two-word combination, dangerously weighed down with hundreds of nostalgia coins, instantly transports us old-school gamers somewhere between the late 70's and the early 80's.

In short if you name your game "'White, Red, Blue,  or Black' Box" you better be ready and willing to back it up- like pulling a sword from a stone.

While many many old school systems fall far from this responsibility, "Quill White Box" by Scott Malthouse has not. While Quill took first person writing to the realm of medieval courtesy and etiquette, "Quill White box" supplements these rules for full fantasy gaming. In Quill you earn points for using words from a list called the ink pot, hopefully scoring points at the end of each paragraph.

In Quill, various medieval scenarios are given as well as characters (like the monk and the courtesan) with class points in penmanship (how well your letter is perceived), language (how the character uses the words) and heart (the emotion the writer has placed in the letter). Going over the rules I couldn't wait to start writing a letter. I started by writing a letter to a grieving father about their son's body being found on or about my recedences and barely scored seven points, a neutral reception to my letter. Since then I have not dared try out the scenario where one writes to the King.

Quill White Box takes these basic rules and trebuchets them into the realm of old-school fantasy. For those that have written under the hand of Quill rules, White Box is a true blessing, introducing gold rewards with marketplaces to spend your gold. Items in the marketplace such as King's Parchment, magic ingredients and holy water propel your letters to gracious reception by its fictional recipients.

The key to Quill and its White Box is immersion. Almost like LARPing, the letter writing takes you as far as you take it. As an example, below are two pictures. One is a letter I "Quilled" while looking after my two year old nuclear boy, the other is by +George Gillam, incorporating his love for calligraphy and rpgs. Any parent could tell which one is mine. Any parent could tell which one is mine.

Being a die-hard dungeon crawler, I confess I crave a way of having a good old-fashioned dungeon-romp. But, since Quill and Quill White Box are heavily supported by its community on Google+, with members posting created scenarios, it's just a matter of time before someone creates a dungeon-crawl scenario to "play-write". When that happens, no doubt I will either post them here, or retreat into my cloisters, a reclusive monk writing letters to the imaginary characters. I can't say right now which one I would prefer.

Conclusion: "Quill White Box" is an old school supplement to the very successful solo writing rpg "Quill". With it, writer/players will take their letters from humble medieval beginnings to the darkest lands of sorcery, swords and magical items. Its simplicity relies on its rules while its depth relies on the player- thus it deserves the title of 'White Box'.

PWYW Goodness

To advance my efforts in thwarting thick high-priced games books, a quixotic attempt to resurrect those thrilling days when all you needed was a thin workbook-like set of rules and a thirteen year old brain, I want to mention a Drivethrurpg.com Play-What-You-Want link and recommendations that Martin Ralya posted on his blog- Yore.

While I'm not sure if a blog should send you to another blog (this is all new to me), in the days where way too many games have turned into something like an organic chemistry text-book of rules, I think it is a welcome mention.

Thanks Martin!

Review: MiSO RPG

I confess I have an "envy" book, a book I wish I had written. The book is 'American Gods' by Neil Gaiman The moment I read through its pages, the moment I experienced the caress of pantheons of gods joining me here on earth, I felt a literary tear in my eye.

I am here to also confess that I have an envy role-playing game. The game is Minimal Solo RPG (MiSO) by Sophia Brandt and it is quite brilliant in its simplicity- serious "why hadn't I thought of that before!".

Inspired by Bivius RPG by Riccardo Fregi's strict binary choices, MiSO assigns a die of differing faces to one of two choices. Like reaching a fork in the road and assigning the high sunny road a (d20) and the low dark road a (d4) (I mean wouldn't you?) and rolling. The winning fork continues the journey that is the story/ game.

As many of you know that are still reading this blog or follow me on G+, I am always looking for a system, or a machine, that fuels both my fantasy writing and my solo gaming. That fusion is what most of my fiction (sparse that it is) stems from. MiSO is the perfect choice for anyone with gamer's/writer's block. Nearly an oracle, I have even given MiSO some real world choices:

                -watch another episode of Star Trek (d12) 

                 -vacuum the living room (d6) 

                 (wouldn't you believe that I vacuumed!) 

Expanding (or branching) on it, I have assigned characters, enemies, or things, a heavier die based on their skills or experience; much like The Window RPG. In the future I will be writing up a session where I use MiSO to knock out one of my fatal writer's blocks.

Conclusion: The rules are straightforward and clearly written for the storyteller-gamer in mind. The examples given are all about branching the story, and thus the creation of other sub-stories. So I would definitely recommend it. In fact, every time I read through it, I feel that tear on my cheek. A happy muse that something great was lying right there on the road less traveled (d4).