31 October 2016

t'other half

In a brief moment of calm (real life having become disconcertingly Real over the last few days), I came up with the spell book that will be the back of the Magic User sheet for my BFRPG games. I'm also part way through the Thief-specific and generic backsheets and will post them all here for anyone to download and use as they please once they're complete. Oh, and I need to fiddle around to make the backpack smaller for the halfling front sheet.


28 October 2016

Half a character sheet

Inspired as so often by Dyson Logos, and the fabulously illustrated sheets from the Doomslakers pages, and trying to get a handle on my encumbrance issues that I discussed recently, I've come up with the front of a planned two-sided character sheet for humans, elves and dwarves in BFRPG. I might redraw the backpack with one row fewer boxes for halflings.

Still to come is the reverse side with spell-book, thief skills and space for notes.


Feedback and suggestions welcome.
Rab

27 October 2016

Polyhedrals and Parenting

Because they're not at school this week, today I did the following with my boys - some maths, handwriting, reading aloud, basic economics, problem-solving, use of adjectives, probability, imaginative writing, spelling new words through phonics knowledge, science (wild animals, habitats and behaviour), and geography.

That's right, I introduced them to D&D, and it was awesome.




24 October 2016

The burden of encumbrance

If you were going to explore an underground cavern, what kit would you take with you? How about if you had to go on a long hike? Or doing some wild camping? Or going shopping in a new city where you don't really speak the language? Or fighting in a medieval tournament? Or undertaking a religious pilgrimage?

Different kit for different tasks, yes? Heck, I carry different stuff if I'm going to work or to the pub, never mind something more strenuous.

Random image search picture showing more or less what I normally have in my pockets

22 October 2016

Averaigne campaign - session 25



[The story so far]

Session 25 - The tomb of the iron god (v)
NB - this uses Matt Finch's excellent Tomb of the Iron God module and may contain spoilers

Ghouls defeated (slain or driven off), the party decided they'd head North, away from the direction the surviving corpse-eater had fled in. Several of them are in a bit of a bad way; Nausicaa the elf was partcularly keen to get some rest and the clerics and magician neede time to read or meditate before they'd be able to draw on the powers at their command.

16 October 2016

Averaigne campaign - session 24



[The story so far]

Session 24 - The tomb of the iron god (iv)
NB - this uses Matt Finch's excellent Tomb of the Iron God module and may contain spoilers

Roundly cursing the impetuous advice of the ex-guardsman Jean that had nearly got them blown up in a fiery maelstrom of acidic goo, and brought them all through the archway with its warning despite a lack of sufficient robes to cover their heads (and was that the right covering anyway?), the party decided they might as well carry on down into the catacombs.

15 October 2016

Averaigne campaign - session 23



[The story so far]

Session 23 - The tomb of the iron god (iii)
NB - this uses Matt Finch's excellent Tomb of the Iron God module and may contain spoilers

Worried that the echoing metallic banging caused by the animated statue now confined in the pit trap could attract unwelcome attention, the party decided to quickly search his now vacated room and then put some distance between them and the noise.

10 October 2016

A generous man

Today I received a box sent to me by what many outside the online geekery circles would call a stranger. There is a better word from the Winnie the Pooh tales, however, and that is an unmet friend.

Here is the box:


What is in the box? Well, in local lad John Bunyan's allegorical tale, A Pilgrim's Progress, the hero Christian asks for a box of truth at Vanity Fair; there wasn't one to be had. This isn't a box of truth either, but it is a box of generosity. Look!


A softback copy of Basic Fantasy Roleplaying for each of my school gaming group, a bestiary, and three adventure/sourcebooks. There's even a hardback of the rules still in the post for yours truly. And all this as an unsolicited gift from a man on the other side of a lot of water who I doubt I'll ever meet in person. Extraordinary.

He has asked to stay anonymous, and I shall respect his wish, but wanted to support the promotion of gaming with youngsters and isn't in a position to do so himself (I often forget that for those outside education, mingling semi-informally with teenagers is pretty rare and the desire to do so is often considered suspect) having been supported in his own geekery by a teacher when he was a boy.

After the political turmoil of the last couple of months all across the globe, my faith in the general goodness of others was in serious need of a boost. This has given me that boost; I doff my cap to you, sir. Thank you.

Rab

9 October 2016

[GS review] - September 2016


September; back to the chalk-face, oodles to do, the first hints of Autumn darkening the evenings... and the restart of my S&W group along with the renewed attraction of "indoor" hobbies. I even painted.

The overview:



The pictures:

3 October 2016

[Catacombs] Into the dark

At first it sounded like the petty request of a petty noble with a whiff of undead threat tacked on to get the attention of knight's errant like Sirs Pellas and Owain with their experienced retainers - "I've lost my gemstone and I think the nasty skeletons have taken it!" - but when they realised that the "gemstone" was imbued with scrying power, they knew it had to be retrieved from the crumbling passageways and sprawling ossory beneath the long abandoned summer residence in the Gaddifer hills on Sir Hubert's vast estates.

Initial exploration gave them a good idea of the layout of the passageways:


2 October 2016

Averaigne campaign - Session 22



[The story so far]

Session 22 - The tomb of the iron god (ii)
NB - this uses Matt Finch's excellent Tomb of the Iron God module and may contain spoilers

Taking stock of their surroundings in the underground complex beneath the temple of Ferus, the party pondered their next move. Aurelius and Tybalt had wounded ankles so their pace would be lower, and now the dwarf's stomach was rumbling. Time for lunch!