More LoS stuff

Along with the rules set for LoS, I'm working on other projects to round the game out. Yesterday I posted some thoughts on taverns. I'm planning to add a section on Taverns and other dens of ill repute. I have also been working on a campaign world, actually revamping my own “Homebrew” world of Erisa by removing much of the high fantasy elements and restructuring it more in line with a classic Sword & Sorcery type of world (you could say getting rid of much the Elmore and adding more Frazetta). That way, there will be a ready-made S&S world in which to play.
Up above is a map I did back in 1995 using MS paint. Today, I finalized plans to have the map reworked and done Professionally. In addition to the map and World book, I’ll probably add a short adventure or two to try and set the tone. If anyone can think of an element they would like to see addressed in Legends of Steel please feel free to comment.

LoS update: "Ale & Whores"

I've been thinking that you can't have a decent Sword & Sorcery game without addressing the subject of the Tavern. The Silver Eel, The Golden Lamprey and the Vulgar Unicorn - all classic taverns in S&S fiction. When Conan wasn't splitting skulls he could always be found at the nearest tavern or brothel. With that said I'm exploring different ways to have the tavern play a part in the LoS game. I'm trying to come up with something a bit more alive than the watered down taverns usually found in fantasy RPG's. Any suggestions out there? Hey, I ain't too proud.

Super Blog!

I havent posted a link to a favorite site in awhile, heres one thats been capturing my attention. Chris's Invincible Super Blog!

DM Down

Things have been mighty slow round theses here parts, mostly cause yours truly has been down with Pneumonia. Trying to get over this in the summer heat has been a drag. But it looks like the worst is over.

Old School M&M

One of the guys over at the TSR games group posted this link to a cool site. Imagine if D&D was written buy some guys who were into classical Greek mythology rather than Steeped in western European influences. You would have Mazes and Minotaurs. I haven’t had the chance to play it yet but it’s a fun read. They even have several downloads of support and adventures, and a Yahoo group for discussion. Oh, and best of all it’s free!

Catspaw

I’m always on the look out for Sword & Sorcery stuff. I ran across a great little gem over at The Sword & Sorcery site. It’s a graphic tale called “Catspaw”. The story is written by John C. Hocking and illustrated by Storn Cook. The tale is given in serial form and every few days’ new panels are added. Be sure to drop by and check it out!

Rolling the dice

I just read some sad news; WizKids-the company that came up with the HeroClix and Pirates games is having a hard time of it, and subsequently will be laying folks off. The gaming industry has never been the most secure career path one could take, I admire the folks who try and make a go of making a living doing something they love. For the full story go to the Gaming Report.

Legends come alive!

Bud light has this cool little program that is able to animate just about any headshot allowing you to create custom greetings, It's called Veepers and it's very addictive. I used it quite a bit last year to voice-animate some of my action figures (yeah, I know "What a nerd"). Anyway,I figured I'd give it a shot with some of the illustrations I have for the Legends of Steel game. so here are some links to a few of the characters inhabiting my Legends of Steel campaign, just click on the name. unfortunately, they only stay up for about 14 days, so enjoy them while you can!

De Silva


Talena


Risa


Anteus

Too damn funny!

Star Trek Cribs - The Director's Cut

Great animation

Cool Website Alert!

Today I ran across the coolest RPG campaign site I've seen in a long time. It's called The Savage Earth. It's the world's of Thundarr, Conan, The Warlord, and Killraven all combined to make one kickass campaign. The site has original art, maps, character races and cultures. I could spend a day just wandering through and reading all the info (and I will). If your a lover of Sword & Sorcery, Lost Worlds, or just High adventure- this site has to be seen to be believed. What are you waiting for go check it out!

World cup update

Despite several attempts by France to surrender before taking the field, it looks like they will still be forced to play Sweden today at noon ET.

Chess

I just made a shocking discovery. I was having a father / son talk with Anthony when I mentioned to him that he needs to try to stay a move or two ahead, like in Chess…He looked at me quizzically and said “But Dad, I don’t know how to play chess”.
The color drained from my face as I realized he was right. I hadn’t taught the boy how to play chess yet. Here he was 14 years old, in many cultures almost a man, and no training whatsoever in the classical game of strategy. After dinner I went to the store and bought a wooden set, just a starter set to get warmed up with, later I’ll get a fancy one for the family. I can’t believe that one almost slipped by me. So attention all dads out there: If you haven’t taught your kids the game of chess use this coming Father’s day as an opportunity to open a whole new world of thinking for your kids. Pick up a chess set and teach your children. Chess develops strategy skills, planning, critical thinking, imagination, and its fun!

Male bonding

One Sunday every month my local GI Joe collectors group gets together. It’s a group of about 10-15 guys, whose ages range from 35 to “60 something” who collect GI Joes and other action figures. We pick a different guys house each month and go have some lunch and kick back for a few hours. We do a bit of trading, showing off our latest finds and customs, and just hang out and be guys. I spend my workweek surrounded by women and my weekends with my wife and kids, so believe me when I tell you how necessary to get in some male bonding time.

Molly Hatchet

I’ve been spending much of this morning working on LoS and listening to Molly Hatchet. Man, they bring back some great memories. I hit High school just as they were hitting the charts. A quick look on the Net shows they are still out there Rocking (Tonight they’re playing a festival in Sweden, not too shabby). Sad thing is the original lead singer-Danny Joe Brown passed away last year.

Bring on the bad guys

Continuing with the theme of having something to fill my Blog with, I'm including another draft section dealing with adversaries in my Sword & Sorcery RPG "Legends of Steel"

Who are the bad guys?
Bad guys are generally any human opponents your character encounters in LoS. There are several different levels of Bad guys, each one progressively more difficult to deal with.

Fodder-These guys are the nameless hordes of baddies-generic temple guards, street gangs, a city watch patrol and such. They posses only the most basic of training and they have no real special abilities to speak of. Their main strength comes from their numbers. Just remember, even the mightiest barbarian warrior can be felled by a goober who rolls a critical hit. The “Ignore Chumps” advantage applies to fodder.

Henchmen- These boys are a bit more deadly than the scrubby fodder guys. They might be elite temple guards, the king’s personal bodyguard, or a team of professional bounty hunters. However, the “Ignore Chumps” advantage applies to Henchmen as well.

Lieutenants- Lieutenants are the top trusted henchmen of your characters major foe. They are quite formidable in their own right in some cases they may be equal in skill to your character. They will posses the best equipment available.

Specialists- These guys are the “wildcards” they are often outside of the bad guys hierarchy, they are brought in to take care of a specific problem (and that problem is usually your character). Specialists are usually Blade masters, Sorcerers, Assassins, Etc. they are exceptional in their specific field and are usually equipped with the finest weapons and equipment including specially made customized gear.


Leaders- When it’s all said and done and we have reached the climax of the adventure, the Leader is the foe that must ultimately be vanquished. Normally the leader is the most dangerous of all the baddies. They posses the skills and resources to equip themselves with the best, in many cases this means weapons and items of magical power. They may also have contingency plans to employ should any encounter threaten them (they didn’t get to be leader by not being prepared). Don’t hesitate to allow your supreme baddie the chance for a quick getaway if it’s in any way feasible, so that he may continue to thwart your players in future adventures. On the other hand, don’t rob your players of their victory by having the supreme leader get away just because the Players have ruined your intricate scenario. Remember no adventure survives first contact with the player characters.

“You killed my father: Prepare to die.” Motives…

I'm working on a section on character motivation for the LoS game. here's a draft of what I have so far...

Why does your character do what he does? Why doesn’t he just settle down and work as a clerk in a dry goods store (hey, it’s honest work)? Why does he feel the need to explore ruins and kill strangers? What motivates the adventurer?

When creating your character be sure to give some thought to their motivation. The following are some classic examples used in countless tales.


Vengeance –
o Bandits raided you village and killed everyone while you were away hunting. Now you are hunting them down, one by one.
o The local lord lusted after your girlfriend, she spurned his sweaty advances and in a fit of rage he killed her.
o The ______clan has been your clan’s sworn enemy for years. At a meeting meant to end the feud your clan was ambushed. Somehow you survived. Now it’s payback time.

To win or win back a kingdom-
• You were prophesized to one day wear a crown and tread a despot beneath your sandaled feet.
• Your father was many things, a good general wasn’t one of them. He lost the battle, the war, and his kingdom. You pledged to him on his deathbed to return from exile and reclaim your rightful place as king.

Soldier of fortune-
• You live by your sword. It’s all you’ve ever known. Going from one job to another. Sometimes you believe what your fighting for, other times you just want enough to keep you in wine and whores till a better job comes along.

Kings agent-
• You are a patriot and loyal subject of your liege. You serve at his beck and call, and from time to time he has need of your special skills.

Freedom fighter-
• Your land has been overrun by an usurper and it has fallen to you and your comrades to free the people from the invader!

Remove a curse-
• The love of your life has been cursed by an unknown evil. She rests now, safe, but incurable. You have vowed to find a cure, lift the curse, or die trying.

Protect the child-
• It was written in the holy texts that a child of light shall be born, a child to bring peace to the age of man. It is your duty to protect this child from the evils of the world until she is ready to fulfill the prophecies

Get home-
• You haven’t seen you wife in five long years, your sons are becoming men without you, but now the wars are over and all you want to do now is get home. It’s going to be a long journey, we best get started.

Bored on the farm-
• Your father is a farmer, his father was a farmer, and your brothers are farmers. Your uncle, “the rebel” of the family is a baker. You have GOT to get out of this town.


Hero out of time-
• You are from another time or another world. You may be desperately trying to find a way back home or you might feel that your knowledge and skills will be enough to carve out a kingdom amongst these primitives.

My son Nick would try this

Kingdom of Heaven revisited

Back in April I posted that Kingdom of Heaven will be re-released as an expanded directors cut with tons of additional footage. I saw it the other day, and believe me it’s like watching a whole other movie. So much was explained and made clear, there were whole story arcs that were abandoned by the studio that Ridley Scott felt were necessary to the story (and they were) the story is richer for all the added material. Just to give you a glimpse: I just couldn’t get my head around the fact that this village blacksmith could arrive in Jerusalem and suddenly know how to build trebuchets and fight off a siege. Well in the extended version we find out that Balian the blacksmith is not only an accomplished smith but also a veteran soldier who served as an engineer and sapper. That little nugget of info took like 5 seconds to convey but was left out of the theatrical version- talk about missing important plot points! If you are a fan of epic motion pictures you really owe it to yourself to see the extended cut of this movie. It’s a definite must have!

Free GI Spy

GI Spy was a comic I really hoped would take off. Unfortunately it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen. But I did find a copy of the one and only issue available as a free PDF download. Go to the bottom of the page and look for the download link (it’s small but it’s there. Give it a look-over- it was a fun premise and there are definitely ideas to be mined for a cool pulp RPG campaign.

This never happened with my Aptiva...

We had a big meltdown over Memorial Day weekend my relatively new dell computer decided to give me blue screen hell. It took 5 years for me to suffer a major crash on my Aptiva and less than six months for it to happen on the Dell. And you sure in hell can tell the difference between the sales department and the tech support department. Sales is full of sunshine and promises while tech support can barely speak English (and their tech support is in the U.S., they wouldn’t give me a specific state “for security reasons” Feh.). so needless to say not only did I have to stay on hold for hour long stretches of time, but when I did get to the support, their answer was to wipe my drive clean and start all over. After all is said and done I guess all I can do is keep making backup discs every month. Not a happy Dell customer right now.

Gamer Dad to the rescue!

For some reason today my wife decided to have a chick flick marathon: Bridget Jones Diary, Serendipity, Sleepless in Seattle, Fools rush in, Etc. My boys were sitting there with their eyes glazed over watching Meg Ryan whine about men. I was forced to do what any self respecting Gamer Dad would do. I dragged the boys into the bedroom, set them up in front of our TV and slid in The Golden Voyage of Sinbad. My little ones are 6 and 5 so this was their first exposure to a Harryhausen film. The results would make any Gamer-Dad proud; my boys were in awe of all the cool monsters. After the Golden Voyage I popped in the 7th voyage of Sinbad. The indoctrination has begun.

Jack's Back!

For some reason I’ve always been a fan of the super heroes on the lower side of the superpower spectrum. Rather than Superman, Thor, Wonder Woman, or the Silver Surfer, I’ve preferred heroes like Wildcat, Red Wolf, The Black Panther, and Union Jack. To me these guys have a tougher haul in the super hero world, they can’t leap over buildings or wield Power Cosmic, but at the end of the day they get the job done. I just found out that Union Jack will be getting a mini series in September, which is great news to me; I’ve been a fan of Union Jack since the original Invaders days. Check out the link for the whole story.

Legends of Steel update

I'm still chugging along with Legends of Steel (LoS) the rules and mechanics are 90% done (still working on the Bestiary). In the “Game masters” section I’ve been adding some articles on the genre and advice on running a Sword & Sorcery game. Below is a part of an article for the movies section of the game book.


Appreciating Sword & Sorcery Movies


What can be said about Sword and Sorcery movies? To mainstream moviegoers the genre of Sword & Sorcery is a joke. Low budget sets, low budget actors, and low budget production values. But for lovers of the genre these are some of the very things that we treasure about them. I remember watching The Scorpion King and thinking “Ehh, it’s ok.” But then I watched the movie again while listening to the director’s commentaries and it made me re-evaluate the entire movie. Listening to the director speak about the details that the set designers added, the training the actors went through to get the sword fighting scenes down right, and countless other little touches that the cast and crew contributed to the film. I then began to realize that the guy was really proud of this movie and that a lot of folks put all their professional talent into the production. When I watch some of these movies now I tend to appreciate the efforts of the cast and crew so much more. Sword & Sorcery movies by their very nature are the most physically demanding movies some of these actors ever make. In “The Beastmaster”, Marc Singer was running around the desert in a loincloth, wrestling with tigers and ferrets, while his co-star Tanya Roberts had to swim partially nude in freezing water (Thank you Movie Gods for that scene). There are movies where it’s apparent that the actors are having a great time hamming it up for the camera (Jack Palance in “Hawk the Slayer” immediately comes to mind) and other movies where the actors are just going through the motions so they can pick up a paycheck.
If you’re a gamer chances are you’ve seen many of these movies. In fact some of the characters in your games may have been modeled after some of the characters in these movies right? Come on, admit it, what self-respecting gamer wouldn’t want to play a badass warrior like Captain Navarre in “Ladyhawke”?

Truman's Conan

I've been with the DH Conan since day one, and while the ride has never been a bad one, it really seemed uninspired art-wise at times. Thank goodness for Tim Truman. Tim brings the big barbarian alive for me. I'm a bit biased being a Truman fan since Scout back in the 80's. I no longer buy Conan just because it's Conan, I buy it to enjoy the adventures AND the art!
And incidently, "The Spear" was a great story and a real "Free comic day" treat.

I just failed my saving throw

A few years ago I had a buddy who sank close to $8000.00 on Magic: the Gathering cards. Another friend paid around $300.00 for a magical axe, a virtual magic axe for use in an online game, I think he got a ticket or password to use the axe in the game. The only real thing about that whole deal was the $300 bucks. Up until now I’ve managed to avoid the “collectable” arm of gaming. I have a few Mageknight figures, a shoe box of Heroclix figures, and I must say the D&D miniatures get better with every release, those I buy from time to time, but usually just what I can use as dungeon fodder.
I suspect that’s all about to change, because I just found out that a Conan Collectable card game (CCG) is on the horizon. And I loves me some Conan. I'm thrilled and scared all at the same time- thrilled cause the game looks cool and I like what I’ve seen so far art wise, scared because I can see myself getting all freaky and hunting down every last card in the series, including promo cards and those damn “convention specials”.

Get it Right

Just an FYI to everyone out there celebrating Cinco de Mayo- Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence day (That’s September 16th). May 5th is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla. Where a combined force of Mexican Cavalry, and militia defeated a much better equipped force of French Dragoons outside the town of Puebla in Mexico.
The battle did not decide the war; in fact the French reinforced and later occupied the country. However, the victory of the Mexican forces was crucial for the nations morale and served as an example of how determined patriots could defeat a more experienced and better-equipped force. In time the French were in fact driven from Mexico.

Flashing Swords

Flashing Swords is a wonderful e-zine of Sword & Sorcery tales. They are on their 6th issue and show no signs of slowing down. There is plenty of new fiction and even a few tales by some of the old masters like Harold Lamb. They also have a cafe press storefront where you can buy some nifty Flashing Swords gear. The E-zine is free but don't be shy about tossing a few bucks their way to show your support for the effort, projects like these are labors of love, your support will keep the site up and help pay for the stories.

Free Comic Book Day May 6th!

What a cool idea. Free comic book day is in it's 5th year. The idea is simple - comic stores around the country give out special editions of comic books out for free. everyone wins- the stores get increased foot traffic, kids get free comic books. whats not to love? so head out to the local comic store this coming saturday and bring the kids.

From the Blog of J. Steven York

I have the small distinction of being able to say that I am a published writer. I have had several gaming articles published in a real (not online) magazine. However, I do not consider myself an Author by any means. One fellow who is an author and makes his living by the word is J. Steven York. Steven is an online friend of mine; I was looking over his Blog the other day and came across this gem on aspiring writers.

Dave the Barbarian

Usually I'm too busy rushing around in the morning to do more than hear the headlines and weather. This morning however, I had a few extra minutes and found myself watching cartoons with my kids they were watching a show on the Disney channel called Dave the Barbarian. Being the Sword & Sorcery fan boy that I am I got quite a kick out of it. The show had the type of humor that was reminiscent of the old underdog series, many of the gags worked more for adults than for the kids. I think I just found something new to fit in during my morning regimen, plus I get a few more minutes with my boys so it’s all good.

I love this picture

I forgot I had this.
A player once had the audacity to question one of my rulings. Feh.

Thank Heaven

Being the gamer geek that I am, I enjoyed the hell out of Kingdom of Heaven. I’ve always had a n affection for period pieces, especially lavish ones, and KoH is truly lavish. Like many other fans I wish it would have done better at the box office, but the truth is that epics like this rarely do. The wonderful news is that KoH is scheduled to be released again on DVD in a “director’s cut” edition with over 45 minutes of unseen footage which goes a long way towards clearing up some of the movies more ambiguous scenes. Additionally there is a ton of bonus material and features including a much needed directors commentary. Read about it here.

Airfix memories

A few days ago I mentioned that my Grandfather would usually buy me a toy after Sunday mass over at the Payless drugstore. The toys I chose were usually either Mego action figures or Airfix HO soldiers. I knew nothing about war gaming or the miniature battles that these were created for, all I knew was that these figures kicked ass over the little green and tan soldiers everyone else had. There was no way I was going to settle for a plastic bag of 20 green soldiers and an out of scale tank when I could get Romans, Ghurkas, Hussars, paratroops, and commandos. And for a few dollars more ($8.00 back then I believe) you could get frontier forts, foreign legion outposts, and Sherwood Castle.
It really was a cool time to be a boy.

59 things a man should never do past 30

1. Coin his own nickname.
2. Use a wallet that is fastened with Velcro.
3. Rank his friends in order of best, second best, and so on.
4. Hacky sack.
5. Name his penis his name plus junior.
6. Hang art with tape.
7. Hang The Scream, unless he stole it from the Munch museum in Oslo.
8. Ask a policeman, "You ever shoot anybody with that thing?"
9. Ask a woman, "Hey, you got a license for that ass?"
10. Skip.
11. Take a camera to a nude beach.
12. Let his father do his taxes.
13. Tap on the glass.
14. Shout out a response to "Are you ready to rock?"
15. Use the word collated on his resume.
16. Hold a weekly house meeting with roommates.
17. Name pets after Middle Earth characters.
18. Jokingly flash gang signs while posing for wedding photos.
19. Give shout-outs.
20. Use numbers in place of words or locations, such as "the 411" for information, or "the 313" for Detroit.
21. Hug amusement-park characters.
22. Wear Disney-themed neckties.
23. Wake up to a "morning zoo."
24. Compare the trajectory of his life with those of the characters in Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant."
25. Request extra sprinkles.
26. Air drum.
27. Choose 69 as his jersey number.
28. Eat Oreo cookies in stages.
29. Volunteer to be a magician's assistant.
30. Sleep on a bare mattress.
31. End a conversation with "later skater."
32. Hold his lighter up at a concert.
33. Publicly greet friends by shouting, "What's up, you whore?"
34. Wear Converse All Stars with a tuxedo.
35. Propose via stadium Jumbotron.
36. Decide anything based on the ruminations of Howard Stern.
37. Call "shotgun" before getting in a car.
38. Dispute someone else's call of "shotgun."
39. Whine.
40. Mist up during Aerosmith's "Dream On."
41. Purchase fireworks.
42. Google the word vagina.
43. Ride a pony.
44. Sport an ironic moustache.
45. Hit 13 against a 6.
46. Organize a party bus.
47. Say "two points" every time he throws something in the trash.
48. Buy a novelty postcard in another country of topless women on a beach and write, "Wish you were here" on it.
49. Keg stands.
50. Purchase home-brewing paraphernalia.
51. The John Travolta point-to-the-ceiling-point-to-the-floor dance move; also that one from Pulp Fiction.
52. Put less than ten dollars' worth of gas in the tank.
53. Keep a minuscule amount of marijuana extremely well hidden.
54. Read The Fountainhead.
55. Watch the Pink Floyd laser light show at a planetarium.
56. Refer to his girlfriend's breasts as "the twins."
57. Own a vanity plate.
58. Whippits.
59. Say goodbye to anyone by tapping his chest and even so much as whispering, "Peace out."

**just a quick note: This aint my brainchild. In true Blogger fashion I stole it from the net...I can't even remember where.

There is a God

I’m not much into the celebrity gossip thing but when I heard that David Spade has been dating Heather Locklear, I just felt it was proof positive that every average Joe fan boy out there has a shot. I mean jeez, “Joe Dirt” is nailing “Sammy Jo”? How cool is that?
Growing up in the 80’s, if you didn’t spank it to Heather Locklear at least once through puberty you were either Gay or a Communist- probably both. Now Dave has also nailed Lara Flynn Bole and Kristy Swanson-which is nothing to sneeze at, but scoring with Heather is like finding the frickin’ Holy Grail. This chick is apple pie personified (crazy fact: Heather Locklear didn’t make the cut during cheerleader tryouts at her high school, WTF??).

David, well played-you could die tomorrow a winner in the game of life.
Nailed Heather Locklear…does he even play a guitar??

Rome on HBO

I spent Friday evening and the majority of Saturday enjoying a Rome marathon. Rome is a series on HBO there are 12 episodes in this first season. The series is some of the best television I have ever seen, not surprising since it’s made in collaboration with the BBC and the last time I sat through a Roman marathon was the BBC series “I, Claudius”. The intrigue, the characterizations, the action, the sex – simply great. The story is as follows from the Rome website:

The series begins in 52 BC, as Gaius Julius Caesar completes his conquest of Gaul after eight years of war, and prepares to return with his army to Rome. While Caesar's self-interested niece Atia and long-lost paramour Servilia anxiously await the general's return, ruling patricians despair that Caesar's homecoming will disrupt the status quo, and threaten the extravagant prosperity they've enjoyed at the expense of the lower class. In the Senate, old-guard leaders plot to undermine Caesar's influence by convincing his old friend, Pompey Magnus, that the general is a threat. Back at the front, two mismatched soldiers, Lucius Vorenus and Titus Pullo, see their fortunes rise following several serendipitous missions. As Caesars legions move closer to Rome, allegiances are put to the test for soldiers and civilians - and the escalating tensions climax with a full-scale conflict destined to change history.

What really sold me on this show was the authenticity that went into the writing. While there are good and evil characters, most of the Judeo-Christian ethics that we seem to naturally feel are the basis of a functioning society are non existent. The Romans have their own codes of ethics and honor and from our modern day standpoint they might as well be from Mars- there are universal themes such as honor and duty to family, but the way they approach these are completely alien. And as to your morals, well hang them at the door because Rome is a wild ride in a culture at the height of their hedonism. And lest we forget who we are, I have to say the fight scenes ROCK! Forget “Gladiator” Rome has one of the coolest, most brutal Gladiatorial battles you’ve ever seen. Titus Pullo (my favorite character in the series) kicks some major ass! I just checked Amazon dot com and the Rome series DVD isn’t out yet but once it hits the shelves I heartily recommend it.

Friday was a good day

Part of my Sunday ritual growing up was the visit to Payless and Woolworths after Mass. I would go there with my Grandparents and they would stock up on all of life’s necessities: Kleenex, sardines, Tang, Ben Gay, diet 7up, 1lb bars of Hershey’s chocolate, etc. One thing I could always count on is my grandfather buying me a toy at Payless. My two favorites at the time were the Airfix HO scale soldiers and the Mego action figures. Both cost around $2.50 which was low enough for my grandpa not to have to give it a lot of thought. One particular Sunday I made my way to the toy section at Payless and lo and behold, were the coolest figures I had ever seen. The Knights of the Round Table -Ivanhoe, Galahad, Lancelot, the Black Knight, and King Arthur, sitting on the shelf in all their glory. My grandfather must have seen the look of awe on my 10 year old face cause he bought me all five that same day.
Years have passed, and so have my grandparents. My childhood toys have long been lost to that place where toys go when boys stop thinking about Hotwheels and start thinking about girls. But on Friday I was at a thrift store with my wife, when lo and behold, I again found the coolest figures I had ever seen. They were all still in the box with the original price tags on them (Toys R Us- $2.96). They cost a little bit more than they did back then ($15.00 each), but I still had the same smile on my face from 1974 when I took them to the check stand. Friday was a good day.

Cerebus - AKA "Joey"

Behold the guardian which now defends the gates to the lair of the Evil DM!
Tremble mortals beneath his steely gaze and know fear! All hail the new puppy!

We finally played Heroscape!

And it was a blast! My son and I were one team. Fred and his son were on the other team. We lost but we took a lot of them with us. My forces consisted of a Sgt. Rock kinda guy, an angel and a bunch of airborne troops. My son had an elven archer, a horde of Vikings and a dragon. The other team had a combination of battlemechs, men in black, samurai, and slime monster guys. I blame my troops for the loss- the cool thing about the airborne troops is that they can land anywhere. The bad thing is they need a 14 or better roll on a D20 to get into the game- I kept rolling low- It was like Operation Market garden all over, and I was the Polish regiment grounded by fog. By the time I got my boys in play all their support had been eliminated. And we all know what happens to airborne troops without support…