Is this story set in future times or our distant
past? One of Bigby and Snow’s cubs recounts a misadventure between a
certain Wolf Lord, a swindled sorcerer and a beautiful, green-skinned
lady named Lake. Plus: Bufkin and Lily’s adventures continue!
Saga of Old City/ Greyhawk Adventures #1
I read this book many years ago growing up, and I recently decided to
read it again to see if it was as good as I remembered, and let me tell
you it was a pleasure to read it once again! If this tells you
anything, I was reading a Stephen King book (The Gunslinger)
simultaneously with Saga of Old City, and I found myself more engaged
in Gary Gygax's classic book. It's action, passion, and above all
OUTSTANDING character development, the journey and growth of Gord is so
fun to read about. You witness a scrawny street kid grow into a
formidable theif in the theives guild, and eventually become a powerful
warrior who can overcome incredible challenges!
Against The Giants: The Liberation Of Geoff
I've always been a fan of Sean Reynolds work -- especially on the Star Cairns adventure and the Scarlet Brotherhood supplement -- and he does a good job here as well.
He's hamstrung by the reprinting -- verbatium -- of the original adventure. It's the only module of the 'silver' editions that's reprinted like this, and I found that annoying. Why not spend the time to update the text to be better linked with the second (and much more useful) part of the book?
Greyhawk fans, especially those with campaigns set in the southeastern Flanaess, should definitely pick up this book for its detailing of the lost kingdom of Geoff.
For those who don't know, Geoff was overrun by giant forces during the Greyhawk Wars; the second half of this book is dedicated to kicking the brutes out of the realm.
The book details more than a dozen locations in Geoff, and plants plenty of good adventure ideas. I would have prefered to see some more information on the Grand Duke of Geoff, but hey, I can do that myself.
The biggest flaws I see in this book are the lack on integration with the original adventure, and the pathetic, somewhat inaccurate insert map. This book is crying out for a nice color wall map, even a small one, and I would gladly have shelled out a few more books to have one.
I'm running it in my campaign now, and it provides a nice distraction from the ongoing intrigues of the group's home city (and provides a good place for them to run to when their enemies and/or the authorities start looking for them)
If you're a DM who likes to add flesh to the skeleton of an adventure, then this is a great campaign supplement (and that's what it is -- a supplement, not a module). If you're looking to be spoonfed, or want to run something off-the-shelf, then its a lot less useful (esp. if you've run through the original).
Dragon Wing - The Death Gate Cycle T1
I am totally addicted to fantasy. I simply can't get enough of it, with the unfortunate result that nothing's really original anymore. You'll find a trace of Tolkien in practically every story and since I find it unlikely that Tolkien will be surpassed, other fantasy simply doesn't match up. Well, that's what I thought before I read Death Gate Cycle. This series is original in every aspect! The setting, the characters, the plot, even the races. Weis and Hickman don't stop at humans, dwarves and elves... The thing I like the most about this series is the convincing characters. They are so real and diverse and 'colourful' that they really pull you into the story. They will keep on amazing with unexpected behaviour.
Another point to note is the lenght of the books. I can appreciate a long book (because I love reading!) but I know there are those who would prefer something shorter. All seven books are of a decent lenght, not too long but long enough to hold a complicated story. I don't feel that the authors left anything out to keep it short -there's nothing worse than a crammed in story- but I personally could do with even more. I'm currently in the sixth book and it is a sad thought that it will have to end soon.
I recommend this series to all fantasy fans, especially if you're looking for something fresh and stimulating.
The Lost Chronicles, T3: Dragons of the Hourglass Mage
The definitive volume to the Lost Chronicles Trilogy was probably also the most anticipated. Long time Dragonlance fans have been salivating at the prospect of what could be the last hurrah by the team that gave birth to the world of Dragonlance. To top it all off, this book would finally tell the events behind the scenes in Dragons of Spring Dawning from the perspective of one of the most beloved (and intriguing) Dragonlance characters: Raistlin.
This 300 some odd page book details the mage's rise to power as well as his machinations and schemes. Many of the characters we are all familiar with appears in cameos as well as lead roles: Kitiara, Lord Soth, the Innfellows, Par-Salian, LaDonna, Justarius, etc. In fact some of the characters that first appeared in Highlord Skies return - most prominently, the witch Iolanthe. I was pleasantly surprised by the narrative in this book because the first half of it felt like the sequel to Highlord Skies. Kudos to Weis and Hickman for maintaining a sense of continuity.
Much of the story weaves in and out of Spring Dawning. No doubt many fans will want to revisit Spring Dawning just to remember what went on where and when. It isn't essential but it was jolly good reminiscing and reflecting on events in Spring Dawning and tying it to Raistlin's story in Hourglass Mage. The first two entries in the Lost Chronicles saga were basically the untold tales that happened in Dragons of Autumn Twilight and Winter Night but Hourglass Mage is the only book that can be called a companion book to the original Chronicles. This book provided many answers to questions readers had in Spring Dawning. The authors managed to tie MANY plotlines in MANY books neatly into the narrative and that is no easy feat. The writing was crisp and the characters were imagined and reimagined brilliantly. Barring Tasslehoff and Palin Majere, Raistlin is probably the most well thought out character by Weis and Hickman. And in this book, they have fleshed him out extremely well. What a way to end it all.
There are a few misgivings as I read Hourglass Mage. First, it seems the writers were weighed down by continuity and seemingly disregarded some of the events in the Legends trilogy, particularly Raistlin's relationship with Fistandantilus. Weis and Hickman delved into some parts of this twisted relationship but they seem to have glossed over it and kinda tied it up (confusingly) in a rush at the end while focusing more on Raistlin's part in the end of Spring Dawning. I was disappointed that the writers did not straighten out one of the most important plotline involving Raistlin's ascent to power. The ending also seemed rushed and the book just felt too short. I'd venture to say Hourglass mage almost read like it was incomplete.
Overall, Hourglass Mage is a must-read book for any Dragonlance fan. Enjoy it while you can because over the past few months, the outlook of Dragonlance has not been favorable; comic lines halted, licensing not renewed, Wizards' non-committal attitude, etc. Maybe this is the end but then again, maybe it's just the end of a chapter...
Complete Book of Humanoids
A good way to spice up your D&D gaming sessions. The selected races available as potential PC's are diverse and believeable, from Pixies to Orcs. The book contains good role-playing notes on racial backgrounds/tendencies and how to bring humanoid races into a campaign. It certainly is interesting and well-written. However, the sections on superstitions and monstrous traits seem grossly inappropriate for some character types.
Still, at heart I think the complete book of humanoids was a great idea. I just started running an ogre mage in a Forgotten Realms campaign and he is definitely one of the most interesting characters I have ever played. It's a fun, unique challenge to play a character with such a radically different perspective from the typical human/demihuman. I do think you need a skilled, experienced dungeon master for humanoid characters to work successfully.
Novice DM's should not include this book in their campaign-- handling the racial details isn't easy, and some of the more powerful humanoid races could get out of control without a good DM to keep 'em in line
Hey girl...
I love you so much! You know that, and I try to prove it everyday, but even if my bad bad bad temper can appear between us, it's true, and the most important, I really love you!
Fireborn
In Fireborn, the PCs are scions, the human reincarnations of dragons. Set about 10 years in the future, the central location is London, where there are quite a bit of strange shenanigans going on. While magic has been around for a while, it only has come out to the public within the past year or so. This boils down to not having to sneak around and be subtle like the WoD, but still having grand displays discouraged by the cops, government, and what have you. While this sounds like “Dragon: The Barbecuing”, there is a twist to the game play. During game, the GM runs flashback sequences to when the PCs were big and scaly back during the mythic age. Dragons are the big kids on the block. The mechanic allows the players to flirt with high-level, experienced characters right off the block.
The modern setting comes off in a different enough way to feel different that the dozens of other ‘World o’Angst’ games in the market. Magic is on the rise like any upstart technology, there are people trying to master it. The PCs are bound together as broodmates, having been a family in the mythic era. The mythic era provides its own challenges, allowing both players and GMs a chance to ratchet up the epic level gaming. Dragon PCs are as powerful as they sound and it can be challenging to come up with opponents and situations that challenge those PCs. The game feels like driving a fast car in city streets during the modern era, but really throwing her into gear during the flashbacks. Players may also get a kick of playing two different characters as their modern character may be a saint and their dragon may be a bloodthirsty savage.
The bottom line You’ve probably noticed a lot of comparisons to Shadowrun in this review. That’s no accident. Fireborn feels like a prequel to Shadowrun in many ways, in world, system, and feel. It is a unique game that continues FFG’s interesting selection of settings. I hope FFG realizes that its RPG division has some legs and gives it the respect that it deserves. The game isn’t without flaws. The first edition is riddled with errors. Some players may be turned off by a game that isn’t able to be picked up on the first read-through. Some players may be frustrated by the divide between the dragon and the modern characters. Those people shouldn’t pick up this book. For the rest, give Fireborn a try.
Player's Handbook 3... uuuh...
The book is misleadingly named, as only one new class is introduced for the Divine and Primal power source each. Instead, the focus is clearly on the Psionic power source, which introduces four new classes to the table: The Ardent, a leader who uses psionic magic to psychically influence the tide of battle; the Battlemind, whose psionics allow him to gain the tactical advantage that a defender requires; the Monk, a striker who uses harnesses psionic power to achieve total mobility and the Psion, a controller who brings down her foes through telekinetic assaults or psychic attacks.
The first thing you should know about the Psionic classes is that they introduce several new mechanics. The Psion, Ardent and Battlemind make use of power points – the quantity of which depends on a character’s level and is replenished after a short or extended rest – to augment their psionic powers, and have no encounter powers to speak of, save for some utility powers. Instead, they have a host of at-wills that can be boosted by these power points. For example, a Level 7 at-will called Ego Crush, allows a Battlemind to deal 1[W] + Constitution damage, and denies his target the ability to gain combat advantage until the end of his next turn. When boosted, it can be used as an opportunity attack or when maxed out, deals double damage against each enemy within a close burst.
All in all, the Psionic classes are exciting new choices for players. My only real misgiving is that it continues the trend in 4th Edition towards more book keeping. Between healing surges, daily item powers, encounter powers and daily powers and class features, there are already plenty of exhaustible resources to track without adding power points into the mix. Granted, previous editions had a disproportionate balance of resource tracking: fighters worried about little more than their next attack while wizards fumbled through reams of paper and post-it marked rulebooks to track casting times and mark spells to learn and memorize. Still, the Psionic classes are probably recommended for more experienced players. Thankfully, they aren’t just designed to be exotic for the sake of it, and are great additions to the game.
Xi in light !
This is Xi... Uuuh how I said that... This is my sweetheart, my girlfriend I love, this is my rainbow, my sun and also, my fabulous cooker!!! I love you my girl, you're the best thing who came in my life! Pikachu ... Uuuh... Pikachu ?
In fact it's not the true Pikachu, it's just a weirdy steaming machine... Very strange!
Third poker night
Three nights playin' poker with this two charming and very dangerous girls! I won only one time, even I'm a good poker player, but in front of disarming smiles and sweet sady voices, I never had a chance!
The Tourist
I'm very pleased to retrieve you in this crowd little funny boy! Your accent is awful but I'm happy to see that you try! Next time, we play together! Goodbye cowboy!
CTHULHU TECH RPG
he first thing I notice with any product is the artwork, and I have to say that the graphic design and art in CthulhuTech really hits home for the setting. Much of the artwork is rather simple, but extremely evocative of the moods and feelings this kind of game wants the players to experience. I’m already scared out of my wits at the thought of giant alien robots scouring through ruined cities, seeking out the flesh of my would-be hero everyman. These two genres speak to me in similar ways, as my favorite giant-mecha anime is Neon Genesis Evangelion which features normal people thrust into bizarre and otherworld circumstances and that seems to mesh pretty damn well with the concepts underlying the Cthulhu mythos as well. It just has a little more badass sprinkled in, is all!
The second thing I noticed after spending some time with the material is that it’s not just two genres slapped together, a lot of work has gone into developing a rich history and backstory for the horrifying world of the future. If there’s one thing I love in a new RPG resource, it’s lots of history and backstory that can be used or at least inspires ideas for game masters and players alike. I was thrilled when the Call of Cthulhu system was revamped for the d20 system after 3rd Edition D&D was released, but now that 4th Edition has been out for several months I think the market is ripe for all of the new horror content that is being released.
This really is a rich book packed full of awesome content, and seeing that it is now under the helm of Catalyst Game Labs who I trust implicitly because of their efforts on Battletech, I think there will be many more supplements released for this that will provide months of excellent gameplay and developing storylines. There are already two supplements released, though I did not get a chance to read through them yet. Vade Mecum provides more options for your character (races and professions), new rules for para-psychics, more monsters, more mecha, and lots more! Dark Passions is another supplement which further details the smaller factions / cults which are at work in the universe, providing a good counterpoint to the main book’s development of the major players.
Happy new year!!!
Three beautiful girls and a bottle of champagne after!!! It was very nice, a good moment with you three my friends so sexy!!! Thank you!!!
Hey! A nicy Blonde european girl in my home with my bro'!!! It's my best friend Linda, from Luxembourg, and for now in Australia with her boyfriend, the very very coolest man on earth, Soren (aka the man with the elephant trump!!!). Bro', you're a good friend for this blondish beauty, and you help her when she gone in bad mood. Nice.
Here, my beloved friend Ngoc (with the tongue) and the fingery Mê!!! I love you girls, and you Nagar, I love you to, but it's not the same!!!
Here... There is nice shots!!! lol
I'm a professional photographer!!! lol!!!
All the people wants to be shoot by me!!!
Yeah right!!!
Some flowers for a beautiful and talentuous girl from belgium, her name: FLORE, and it's becoming a tradition for our friends to offering some flowers to this girl!!! So I do the same!!!
Maria J. William
I want to talk about a very great new yorker artist, her name: Maria J. William. I love her stylish painting and drawing, her women are always very strong in first look, but full of sensibility behind the steel and the leather. I like details on her illustrations, like this one, called Closure. Look on this website, it's very very cool!!!
This is Lo!!!
This is my young and beautiful sister, Loren, the daughter of my american father. She lives in NYC, as a photographer and as an artist. I love this girl, her soul is deeply good and her kindness is sometime very impressive... I love you, sis'
Lo is HERE
Origin of the vietnamese people
According to ancient myth the Vietnamese are descended from dragons and fairies. When the Dragon Lord of the Lac fathered a hundred children by a mountain princess of fairy blood named Au Co, he returned to the sea with half their offspring while she settled in the midlands of the Red River with the other half. One of these children became the first king of the Vietnamese people, the first of the eighteen Hung kings featured in so many myths and legends and venerated in village shrines into the twentieth century. The last Hung king is said to have committed suicide in 257 BCE after being defeated by a neighboring chieftain to the north; this led to the creation of the new kingdom of Au Lac. With the aid of a Golden Turtle spirit, the new king, An Duong, built a magnificent citadel at Co Loa, near present-day Hanoi. (Jamieson, pg.7)
The Dragon Lord of the Lac served as protector of the kingdom under the Hung kings, as the Golden Turtle spirit guarded the realm of Au Lac. As the potent kings of the early kingdom and other cultural heroes joined the spirit world after death, they too became powerful spirits whose aid and sympathy could be evoked by subsequent generations in time of need. The historical memory of the Hung kings and King An Duong was transmitted over centuries not only in myth and legend but through the physical presence of hundreds of village shrines and altars. Before these visible emblems of ancient glory, rituals periodically bound the people to their shared past and to each other.
The Dragon Lord of the Lac served as protector of the kingdom under the Hung kings, as the Golden Turtle spirit guarded the realm of Au Lac. As the potent kings of the early kingdom and other cultural heroes joined the spirit world after death, they too became powerful spirits whose aid and sympathy could be evoked by subsequent generations in time of need. The historical memory of the Hung kings and King An Duong was transmitted over centuries not only in myth and legend but through the physical presence of hundreds of village shrines and altars. Before these visible emblems of ancient glory, rituals periodically bound the people to their shared past and to each other.
The Sovereign Stone
The Sovereign Stone series is a trilogy of novels as well as a roleplaying game set in the same universe. Both the books and the game were primarily written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
The first book was set during the reign of King Tamaros of Vinnegael, the most powerful Human kingdom and the father of Prince Helmos and his younger half brother, Prince Dagnarus. The next two were set approximately two hundred years later and followed Dagnarus in his bid to take over the world as well as the story of his allies and those who would try to stop him.
There are four races on the main continent, Loerem, with fifth and sixth races that appear in the second and third book, one from a distant continent or world. The main four races are each primarily dedicated to one of the four elements. The Humans are associated with earth/stone, the Elves with air/wind, the Orks with Water/the Sea, the Dwarves with fire. The fifth race, the Taan, are associated with the void. The sixth race, the Pecwae, apparently rely on earth magic drawn from stones such as turquoise. Each race's magic-users are able to draw power from their element, as well as outside their racial element. However the vast majority stick to their primary element.
The races each have their own god or gods. The Humans worship a pantheon always referred to as a group "the gods" not as individual gods. The Orks worship the gods who live in their holy mountain and pay special attention to signs read by their shamans. The Elves worship the Father and Mother, and the Dwarves worship the Wolf. The Taan also have a pantheon of gods, however, unlike the other races, they seem to separate them as individuals representing or having power over various events. The Pecwae are never really discussed, but frequently refer to simply the gods, similar to humans. It is not made clear in the books if all the gods are one group or separate groups. However, since the gods gave the Sovereign Stone to all the races through the King of Vinnegael it is likely that there is one pantheon perceived differently by the different races.
The gods had originally rewarded King Tamaros for his faith by giving him the power to create Dominion Lords, a group of holy warriors who were to promote peace and understanding among the four main races. As strife continued, the King went to the gods and asked them for something to help with peace among the races. They gave him the Sovereign Stone which could be split into four portions each representing one of the four elements. The King took this gift and gave one portion to each of the races so that they could create their own Dominion Lords. A fifth portion of the Stone that was unseen, save by the young Prince, Dagnarus, was the Dagger of the Vrykyl, representing the void in the center.
Humans: In this world Humans are in tune with the magic of earth. This power is controlled through the church. While once having been a largely unified race in the nation of Vinnengael, war and time have split them apart into varying nations and ethnic groups, such as the Nimoreans.
Orks: In this world Orks are excellent seafarers in touch with the magic of the water. They are master engineers and are dedicated to the reading of omens. The authors specifically stated that they wanted the Orks in this world to be more then the "usual cannon-fodder", and thus made several changes to the average fantasy orc.
Dwarves: In this world the Dwarves are associated with the element of fire. They are master horsemen, living as nomads on the great plains. Any dwarf who is unable to ride with the tribe or is convicted of a crime is sentenced to be "the Unhorsed" and cast off in one of the three "Cities of the Unhorsed". The dwarf god is "the Wolf" and they believe that if they lead a good life their soul is reborn in the body of a wolf, so they can run in the pack of their god.
Elves: In this world, Elves segregate themselves from the rest of the world. They are ruled by the Divine, the religious authority, who is aided by the Shield of the Divine in all matters relating to military. Power struggles between the Shield and the Divine are frequent. There are Twelve noble houses of elves of which everyone is either a member or a follower of, as well as an exiled house that appears in the second and third books. The Elves live in very dense family homes where generations of elves will live in one home. Elves practice a form of ancestor worship, and seem to have a faintly Asian feel to their culture.
SUTHEIRA... Dangerous aussie wizardess!!!
She's wife of John Belt, and a really good friend, with huge heart and baby in the womb! Cassy, a nicy aussie friend with her beautiful blog, full of wonderful pictures and gentle words for those she love. This is the OCEAN OF JOYThe Lost Room
This is an amazing history!!! In three parts only, but I hope they are a true and big season after that! Really original, with many known actors and actress (like Juliana Margulie!!!). Great moment!
Heavy Gear Rpg...
John Belt, the australian DM for the athasian campaign of Time, is also GM on many canadian games like Tribe 8, Jovian Chronicles or... Heavy Gear! I'm very interested by this one, and with many tips of this excellent game master, I planned a small adventure for my players.
The Heavy Gear action is in a far future, on a planet called Terra Nova. For short, it's a fight between colonist and earth fleets who try to dominate the old colony... Very good game, with strong potential... I speak about again!
Necromancers in the D&D worlds...
In a band, it's hard to play a necromancer, no matter the kind of this. I like to play wizard with power over the undead and more particulary over the spectre and other ethereal ones. The alignement of my characters is usually Neutral Evil, but it's very rare that I splint off from my band, my magical powers are more often interesting for a bunch of warriors and rogues than an another source of treats. I like Necromancers!!! Beware Ha Noian players, Perran the lord of undead is here! LOL
The Ghostwalk campaign...
Yiiiish!!! Begining of the Ghostwalk campaing with my bunch of terrific (and very handsome) players; My beloved Càm, her girlfriend Naïma, Nicy Ngoc and Hê, the chinese sorceress!!! Dungeon Master: Stephen!The campaign is an urban one, in the city of Manifest, where living and unliving meet in many ways, with strange dark gods and necromancers at every corner!!! Very dark, very gloomy, I like this D&D campaign, it seems like call of Cthulhu, but without dynamite for kill the bad guys!!!
THUA THIEN-HUE
Thirty-one burial urns more than 2,000 years old have been unearthed at an excavation site in Thua Thien-Hue Province.
Archeologists from the Viet Nam History Museum and Thua Thien-Hue History and Revolution Museum also found more than 100 stone, glass and iron objects at the 156sq.m excavation site in the past three months.
They said the objects in Huong Chu Commune in Huong Tra District, which belong to the Sa Huynh culture (1000BC-AD200), could help identify the people residing in the central region at that time.
The Sa Huynh culture, situated in central and southern Viet Nam, were most likely the predecessors of the Cham people, the founders of the kingdom of Champa.
The site at Sa Huynh was discovered in 1909, and was found to be rich in locally worked iron artefacts, typified by axes, swords, spearheads, knives and sickles.
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