d∞ (d-Infinity) Online

Cthulhu Live/Call of Cthulhu Conversion Rules

2012-02-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

Throughout the scenario "One Starry Night" published in d-Infinity Vol. #3 are references to Skill Tests and Sanity Tests. These tests assume the Keeper is running “One Starr Night” as a live action role playing scenario with the Cthulhu Live 3^rd Edition rules. However, for Keepers running the scenario under Chaosium’s Call of Cthulhu rules, some conversion between the two systems is necessary. With that in mind, the editors of d-Infinity are proud to present these basic Cthulhu Live/Call of Cthulhu conversion rules.

Skill Tests

Cthulhu Live makes use of many of the same skills as Call of Cthulhu. Whenever "One Starry Night" calls for a skill test using a skill witch exists in both systems (Library Use, Occult, Psychology, etc.) simply resolve the test as normal. The same goes for skills with obvious equivalents, such as Fine Arts and Art. However, where no clear equivalent skill exists use the chart below as a guide.

Cthulhu Live <-------------------> Call of Cthulhu

Chemistry of Medicine <-----------> Pharmacy

Cthulhu Mythos <------------------> Cthulhu Mythos

Biology <----------------------------> Natural History

Brawling <--------------------------> Fist, Grappler, or Kick

Electrical Engineering <-----------> Electrical Repair or Electronics

Evade <------------------------------> Dodge

Long Gun <-------------------------> Machine Gun, Rifle or Shotgun

Police Procedures or Forensics <-> Spot Hidden

Psychology or Networking <------> Fast Talk or Persuade

Sleight of Hand <------------------> Conceal

Certain CoC skills (Disguise, Hide, Jump, etc.) have no counterparts in Cthulhu Live. This is intentional and a direct result of the differences between LARP and tabletop play. When there is no clear equivalent between a Cthulhu Live skill or ability and those found in CoC, default to an Idea, Know, or Luck roll.

Sanity Tests

Cthulhu Live 3^rd Edition makes use of a color-coded sanity system, hence the repeated references to Shades of Terror in "One Starry Night". When running “One Starry Night” as a tabletop scenario, use the following chart to convert Cthulhu Live Sanity Tests to Sanity Loss for CoC.

Shade of Terror <---> Sanity Loss

Green <-----------------> 0/1D4

Blue <-------------------> 1/1D6

Yellow <----------------> 1d4/1D8

Orange <---------------> 1d6/1D10

Red <-------------------> 1D10/1D20

With a minimum of effort the tables above can be used to convert other Cthulhu Live scripts into Call of Cthulhu scenarios. So if you're a Keeper with a hankering to run The Island or Muerte al Chupacabras! for your tabletop roleplaying group, why not give it a try?

Things That Go Bump in the Spaceship: Dawson's Stobor

2012-02-18T12:24:00.001-08:00

Following is "Dawson’s Stobor," a monster that ties in with Ken Spencer's Pathfinder system article "Things That Go Bump in the Spaceship" in d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night. It was written specifically for the Interplanetary game system currently in development by d-Infinity co-publisher Skirmisher Publishing LLC and scheduled for release this year.

Dawson’s Stobor
Dawson’s World is one of the older American colonies but is still as rugged and wild of a place as the Frontier worlds. One reason for this is that the planet possesses a very inhospitable climate and only one viable resource, timber. Few people are willing to risk their lives cutting wood in hundred-degree heat on a planet renowned for possessing dangerous fauna and predatory flora. A few years in the American timber camps, however, can earn a person enough wealth to set up a farmstead on the frontier, and thus every year a new batch of loggers arrive on this hot and humid world. That few of them ever manage to save enough money before a crippling logging accident or the planet itself claims them does not deter another set of hopefuls at the start of the next logging season.

One of the most feared, yet also most beloved, lifeforms native to Dawson’s World is the Stobor, named after an alien that appeared in Robert A. Heinlien’s Tunnel in the Sky, a classic of mid-20th century science fiction. In the novel, the Stobor was an alien that made a loud barking noise and was generally tame, until during certain seasons when it would rampage across the world in a great migration. Dawson’s Stobor is not nearly so blatantly dangerous, but is dangerous nonetheless.

A Stobor is a small furred arboreal xeno-primate that feeds on insects, fruit, and nectar. It possess four limbs, a gliding membrane stretched between its upper and lower limbs, a long prehensile tail, and a face like a teddy bear. They are known to be affectionate and loyal, serve as excellent guard animals (they bark very loudly when threatened), and make great pets. They also should never, ever be taken off planet.

A trip into orbit makes the little animals irritable, but they can recover and regain their normal docile and loving temperament. Stobor can often be found on Big Tree Station, Dawson’s World’s primary orbital dock. When exposed to an interstellar jump, the little buggers go completely crazy. They become unreasonably aggressive, extremely predatory, and attack any non-Stobor they encounter. While their claws and fangs can cause nasty injuries, it is their natural defense mechanism, a poisonous spit that can projected up to 20 feet and incapacitate a grown man, that proves the most deadly. Wild Stobor defend themselves using their toxin, communal watching, and agile movements. Most Stobor kept as pets have their poison sacks surgically removed, however this is not always the case.

Today it is illegal to take a Stobor out of its native system. Before the effects of jump travel were fully understood, however, several Stobor managed to not be killed by their surprised owners and make it off ship. Some of the inner colonies, and a few of the frontier colonies, host a small population of these aggressive, poisonous, and fecund little aliens. A Stobor infestation is not as dangerous as a Balthusian Bilge Rat infestation (see "Things That Go Bump in the Spaceship" in d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night), but can wreak havoc on the local environment and pose a danger to colonists and explorers.

Dawson’s Stobor
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d4+1 (3 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 15 ft., Climb 20 ft., Fly (glide) 20 ft.
AC: 17 (+1 size, +3 dex, defensive bonus +3), Flat Footed: 10, Touch: 17
Armor DR: 0
Attacks: bite +0, claw +0, poison spit +3
Damage: bite 1d4 -1, claw 1d4-1, poison spit 1d4 Con damage (DC 12)
Face/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Poison Spit
Special Qualities: low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 8, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Athletics +10, Perception +4, Stealth +5
Feats: Improved Initiative
Climate/Terrain: Tropical Forest, any human habitat
Organization: Solitary or Troop (6-16)
Challenge Rating: 1/2
Motivation: defensive, aggressive if jump mad
Advancement: none

A Stobor normally makes an excellent pet or guard animal, and those kept as pets may be trained to do tricks, but the jump-maddened Stobor is a threat (and may or may not have poison sacs, which may have been removed for those intended as pets).

COMBAT
Under normal conditions, domesticated Stobors will avoid combat, unless cornered or defending loved ones (e.g., mate, troop member, child, master). Jump-maddened Stobor are extremely aggressive and will attack non-Stobors on sight and fight to the death.

Special Attacks or Qualities
Poison Spit: Stobors possess dangerous poisonous spittle that causes vascular damage. The spittle has a range of 20 ft., causes 1d4 Con (DC 12) primary damage, and 1d4 Con (DC 12) secondary damage a minute later. On a critical hit the spittle has struck the target's eyes, causing blindness until the Con damage is healed.

Skirmisher Releases ‘Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #3: High-Tech Weapons’

2012-02-18T02:11:00.000-08:00

d-Infinity co-publisher Skirmisher Publishing LLC has announced the release of its Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #3: High-Tech Weapons! This weekly publication is written by Derek Holland and Chris Van Deelen, authors of multiple multiple Mutant Future supplements, and is available through online venues that include DriveThruRPG.

Like magical weapons in fantasy games, high-technology firearms are treasures that adventurers seek out with great eagerness in the post-apocalyptic world. No matter how cool a weapon is, however, players will always be looking for something better to use against the many hazards that populate the science fantasy post-apocalyptic wastes, and this third issue of Wisdom from the Wastelands is devoted to new toys that Game Masters can use to reward — or punish — their players. Several of the new weapons presented in this issue have the option of different types of ammunition, adding even more variety to a game.

This publication is dedicated to providing useful information, game content, and ideas to players of modern, science fiction, and post-apocalyptic table-top and role-playing games in general and to fans of Goblinoid Games’ Mutant Future RPG in particular. The rules contained herein are compatible with it and any others that use the “Basic” system introduced in the most popular role-playing games of the early 1970s and are easily adaptable to many other games (especially successor systems, to include those covered by the Open Game License).

Our goal is to release a new thematic issue of this publication just about every week and to have it contain a variety of useful and earnest information that will inspire Game Masters and players alike and provide them with things that they can immediately plug into their games. We very much hope you will find this and subsequent issues of the Wisdom from the Wastelands to be useful and enjoyable!

Cthulhu Live Bonus Content

2012-02-08T08:50:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the hardest part of preparing for a Cthulhu Live scenario is creating exactly the kind of Investigator you want to subject to the sepulchral horrors of the Mythos. Finding that perfect balance between fight vs. flight and blissful ignorance vs. tainted knowledge can bog down even the most resourceful Keeper. Thankfully, we here at d-Infinity have done the work for you. Presented below are three ready-made Investigators specially designed for use with the Cthulhu Live/Call of Cthulhu scenario "One Starry Night" from d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of The Night.

Professor Diana Rosenthal
(Professor of Renaissance Art History)

DEX: 8 CON: 8 EDU: 15 POW: 13

Wounds: 8 Magic Points: 13 Luck: 3

Shade of Terror: Yellow Starting Sanity Level: Solid

Skills: Anthropology 2, Archeology 2, Fine Arts (Antiquities) 4, History (Renaissance) 4, Library Use 3, Latin 3, Occult 1, Photography 2, Psychology 2, Theology 2, Brawling 2, Evade 2, Small Melee Weapon 2

Michael Turnhout

(Student of the sciences)

DEX: 11 CON: 10 EDU: 13 POW: 11

Wounds: 10 Magic Points: 11 Luck: 2

Shade of Terror: Blue Starting Sanity Level: Solid

Skills: Astronomy 3, Chemistry 3, Computers 3, Electrical Engineering 2, Gambling 2, Library Use (Research) 3, Mathematics (Geometry) 3, Mechanical Engineering 2, Physics 3, Streetwise 1, Brawling 3, Evade 3, Martial Arts (Disarm, Lightning Strike) 2

Alex Tipton

(Coach of the Miskatonic University rowing team)

DEX: 14 CON: 12 EDU: 11 POW: 8

Wounds: 12 Magic Points: 8 Luck: 2

Shade of Terror: Green Starting Sanity Level: Solid

Skills: First Aid (Sports Injuries) 3, Law 2, Medicine 1, Pilot Boat 3, Psychology (Motivation) 3, Sports (Rowing) 4, Streetwise 2, Brawling 4, Evade 4, Large Melee Weapon 3

While the three Investigators presented above were created with skills and abilities specifically geared towards the challenges presented in "One Starry Night" they are appropriate for any scenario set in Miskatonic University and the surrounding environs. Now crack open that scenario and get ready to bring the horrors of the Cthulhu Mythos to life!

Skirmisher Releases ‘Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #2: Monsters That Improve with Age’

2012-02-07T23:24:00.001-08:00

Skirmisher Publishing LLC is proud to announce the release of Wisdom from the Wastelands Issue #2: Monsters That Improve with Age! It is written by Derek Holland and Chris Van Deelen, authors of multiple multiple Mutant Future supplements, and is available through online venues that include DriveThruRPG.

Like a fine wine, some monsters improve with age, and it is to them that this second thematic issue of Wisdom from the Wastelands is devoted. An age chart can be a wonderful tool for Game Masters who want to scale monster encounters so that they are commensurate with the powers and artifacts possessed by the player characters. A chart of this sort is made up of three columns, one each for the age of a creature, its hit dice, and notes. Notes include damage, mutations, drawbacks, and anything else that affects the creature in or out of combat.

This publication is dedicated to providing useful information, game content, and ideas to players of modern, science fiction, and post-apocalyptic table-top and role-playing games in general and to fans of Goblinoid Games’ Mutant Future RPG in particular. The rules contained herein are compatible with it and any others that use the “Basic” system introduced in the most popular role-playing games of the early 1970s and are easily adaptable to many other games (especially successor systems, to include those covered by the Open Game License).

Our goal is to release a new thematic issue of this publication just about every week and to have it contain a variety of useful and earnest information that will inspire Game Masters and players alike and provide them with things that they can immediately plug into their games. We very much hope you will find this and subsequent issues of the Wisdom from the Wastelands to be useful and enjoyable!

Illustrating d-Infinity

2012-02-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

Readers of d-Infinity are no doubt familiar with my writing, but I want to take a moment to discuss illustrating our quarterly multi-platform game supplement. I've been creating illustrations for d-infinity since Volume #0, and in that time I've worked with a variety of styles. However, the upcoming Volume #4 at last gives me license to work in my favorite style. At heart, I am cartoonist, and I could think of no better way to illustrate the humorously slanted article "A Flawed Tomorrow", a guide to science fictions character Defects. As is usually the case, the illustration begins with an idea. In this case the idea was Paradox Prone, a Defect for robots, androids, and AIs rendering them vulnerable to logical paradoxes and aggressive nonsense. I knew immediately that I wanted the illustration to feature a plucky young scifi heroine using a simple and easily recognizable visual paradox to defeat a spike-covered warbot. With that idea in mind, I created the following loose sketch.

I find it useful to begin with a loose sketch because at this stage in the process flexibility is important. No matter how clearly I may be able to envision the finished illustration in my head, it only really matters how it looks on paper. From the sketch I can see what works and what doesn't, play with the composition, and erase and redraw with impunity until the sketch is suitable for inking.

As you can see from the above early inked version, changes have been made. Specifically, the breast pockets have been changed from two bulky pockets to a one streamline zip pocket. I felt the original two pocket design was distracting and overcomplicated. When cartooning, simplicity is king. If you can indicate something with fewer lines, use fewer lines. Speaking of lines . . .

There are two stages to the inking of my work. The first inks are done to turn the soft pencil sketch into hard line. The second stage, done with a much thicker pen, is done to block out the overall shape of the character and significant props, as well as provide the illusion of depth. As you can see, the paper held by our hero "pops" into the foreground of the image due to its increased line weight.

From this point, there is nothing left to do but scan the inked image and color it in photoshop. This is the most boring part of the process and the only one involving a computer. However, it does enable one of the most important parts of the creative process: cheating!

Yes, I'm serious. You see, I wasn't satisfied with the warbot I had drawn to confront our heroine. I much preferred the warbot I'd drawn in a much earlier and ultimately abandoned version of the illustration. Rather than try to redo the drawing from scratching to combine my two favorite elements, I inked and scanned the warbot from the unfinished version, then pasted it over the lackluster bot. The result is the image you see above. The pixelation is intentional. If you want to see what visual paradox is sending our warbot into paroxysms of self-destructive confusion you'll have to check out "A Flawed Tomorrow" in d-Infinity Volume #4.

Skirmisher Releases ‘Wisdom from the Wastelands’

2012-02-01T13:43:00.000-08:00

d-Infinity co-publisher Skirmisher Publishing LLC has announced the release of Wisdom from the Wastelands, a publication dedicated to providing useful information, game content, and ideas for modern, science fiction, and post-apocalyptic table-top and role-playing games in general and Goblinoid Games’ Mutant Future RPG in particular (5 pages, $0.99). The rules it contains are compatible with this game and with any others that use the “Basic” system introduced in the most popular role-playing games of the early 1970s and are easily adaptable to many other games, especially those covered by the Open Game License. It is written by Derek Holland and Chris Van Deelen, authors of multiple Mutant Future supplements, and is available through online venues that include DriveThruRPG.

One of the most entertaining aspects of a post-apocalyptic RPG is the many sorts of artifacts. Mutant Future and other popular post-apocalyptic role-playing game rules have decent rules for figuring out and repairing artifacts. The first issue of Wisdom from the Wastelands covers several new rules related to this, from optional bonuses on figuring out artifacts, to manuals and toolkits. There are also rules that cover saving throws for artifacts and how much damage they can sustain before being damaged or destroyed.

Our goal is to release a new thematic issue of this publication nearly every week and to have it contain a variety of useful and earnest information that will inspire Game Masters and players alike and provide them with things that they can immediately plug into their games. We very much hope you will find this and subsequent issues of the Wisdom from the Wastelands to be useful and enjoyable!

Monstrous Hybrids: The Dhampir

2012-01-28T23:58:00.000-08:00

Following is the Dhampir, a hybrid race of half-vampire creature that ties in with William T. Thrasher's article "Monstrous Hybrids" in d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night. Creatures in that article include the Beast-Kin, Half-Ghoul, and the shape-shifting Vardoger (which also appears as bonus content on this site). Another sort of monstrous hybrid, the Half-Hag, appears exclusively on d-Infinity Online.

Dhampir
Dhampirs are half-undead beings, their births the result of vampiric perversion and seduction. For every dhampir sired by a seductive vampire count working his whiles upon a buxom village maiden, there is another conceived in the red horror of a rapacious vampire’s lust. Objects of embarrassment at best and outright hatred at worst, Dhampirs are perpetual outcasts within their families and communities, having little place among humans and less among the ranks of the undead.
___Physical Description: Dhampirs range in height, as do humans, although their slender builds tend to make them appear taller than then actually are. A Dhampir’s skin is pale, often ashen or alabaster. All Dhampirs possess at least one physical trait in common with their undead parent, such as pronounced canines, red-rimmed eyes, elongated yellow nails, or a suggestively bestial countenance. Despite their unusual appearance, dhampirs can easily pass for human.
___Society: Generally speaking, Dhampirs have no society of their own, typically living on the fringes or margins of the human society in which they were born. In the harsh and shadowed climes where vampires rule with absolute authority, entire villages of Dhampirs are rumored to exist. It is from these isolated communities that vampire lords frequently select favored lieutenants and enforcers.
___Relations: Dhampirs are regarded with a mixture of shame, pity, and fear by their human relatives. As the black ¬— or, in this case, pale — sheep of the family, Dhampirs have tumultuous relationships with their human parent and other immediate family members. However, where a dhampir can expect derision from her human parent, from her vampiric parent she can expect nothing more than cold indifference. As a byproduct of a vampire’s rampant lusts and perverse hungers, Dhampirs are viewed as little more than the disposable byproducts of a casual tryst. The few Dhampirs that have been taken in and raised by their vampiric parent receive little in the way of familial love, being regarded as amusing pets, cherished toys, or expendable resources.
___Alignment and Religion: Dhampirs have tepid relationships with religion at best. Only the foulest deities of death and magic suffer the existence of vampires. However, Dhampirs can sometimes be found in service to gods of honor and mercy, who can see beyond their state of half-undeath into the core of a worthy soul. Unfortunately, most Dhampirs never make it that far, all too often repelled from hallowed ground like their undead parents. A Dhampir who does become a cleric or paladin fights with all the fervor of the staunchest convert. Dhampir druids, if they ever existed at all, are currently unknown; aligned as there are to undeath, the forces of the natural world have no truck with dhampirs.
___Adventurers: Dhampirs engage in lives of adventure for all the typical reasons, including power, fame, idealism, and wealth, but all too often their motivation is revenge, seeking out the means to destroy their vampire parents. Still others go on to careers as powerful wizards and sorcerers, blessed with an elongated lifespan to dedicate to esoteric studies.
___Male Names: Boian, Crnobog, Dimitri, Dragomir, Vladimir, Volos.
___Female Names: Borisslava, Danika, Dragana, Katarina, Magda, Morana, Nika, Zaria.

DHAMPIR RACIAL TRAITS
___+2 to One Ability Score: Dhampirs get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
Medium: Dhampirs are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
___Normal Speed: Dhampirs have a base speed of 30 feet.
___Darkvision: Dhampirs can see in the dark up to 60ft.
___Thing of Darkness: Dhampir’s are detectable by spells and effects such as detect evil regardless of their actual alignment. Furthermore, Dhampirs suffer a -2 penalty on all rolls while on consecrated ground or any area aligned with or consecrated to a Good aligned deity or power.
___Vampire Blood: Dhampir count as both humans and undead for any effect related to race or creature type. 1/day a dhampir may cast vampiric touch as a spell-like ability with a melee bite attack. This power cannot be used on constructs, elementals, or other creatures without blood.
___Undead Immunities: Dhampirs get a +2 racial saving throw bonus against enchantment spells and effects, death effects, paralysis, poison, sleep, stun, disease, and any effect that requires a Fortitude save (unless the effect also works on objects, or is harmless).
___Languages: Dhampirs begin play speaking Common. Dhampirs with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Infernal.

Monstrous Hybrids: The Half-Hag

2012-01-27T21:21:00.000-08:00

Following is the Hag-Born, a dark character race that ties in with William T. Thrasher's article "Monstrous Hybrids" in d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night. Creatures in that article include the Beast-Kin, Half-Ghoul, and the shape-shifting Vardoger (which also appears as bonus content on this site). A fifth sort of monstrous hybrid, the Dhampir, appears exclusively on d-Infinity Online.

Hag-Born
Every society tells tales of strange children born with innate magical talent and awareness of the supernatural. Other tales exist of children born because of an act of magic itself. The childless cobbler and his wife who bargain with an old crone for a child, fairy children left on the doorstep, or unfortunate babes chosen as successors of magicians of terrible power and reputation. In the case of the hag-born, those unfortunates descended from the twisted hags themselves, many of these stories are true.
___Physical Description: The hag-born all bare some mark of hag blood, be it stringy hair, skeletal frame, twisted nose, or prematurely rheumy eyes. Typically of slight build and stooped posture, hag-born are otherwise indistinguishable from human stock, though those with supernatural insights are quick to spot the difference.
___Society: The hag-born are simultaneously the most reviled and most revered of the monstrous demi-races. For every hag-born slain in her youth for suspected witchcraft, there is another who grows into a respected member of her community, often as a healer or sage. Their natural magical aptitude circumscribes the roles they are likely to have within human society.
___Relations: Hag-born are often born into open arms, the miraculous child born to the barren couple, the babe left on the doorstep. For their part, hag’s care nothing for their children until such time as they can be apprenticed and brought into the wicked ways of hag-kind. It is for this reason that hags are so eager to visit their hybrid progeny upon mankind. It ensures a steady supply of potential hags, each one capable of furthering the cause of misery and manipulation.
___Alignment and Religion: Hag-born are most comfortable worshiping the natural world, the old gods, and the darker forces of life and death. Natural druids, the hag-born’s emotions are powerful and cryptic things. A Neutral hag-born is a rarity. A select few hag-born, fearful of the legacy of their monstrous parent, dedicate themselves to the worship of Good deities in the hopes that a life of virtue will protect them from the legacy of their inhuman ancestry.
___Adventurers: Hag-born are most often seekers of knowledge and mystical power. Drawn to and at one with the supernatural, they swell the ranks of druids and sorcerers. Practicing magic on an instinctual level, hag-born wizards are rare.
___Male Names: Adair, Bram, Garnock, Iver, Lorne, Nathair, Seumas, Trahern.
___Female Names: Cameron, Coira, Fia, Inghean, Kerensa, Laren, Maira, Nathaira, Owena, Rhiannon.

HAG-BORN RACIAL TRAITS
___+1 Strength, +1Dexterity, +1 Constitution, -1 Charisma: The Hag-Born share the rugged characteristics of their monstrous parent, but are marked from birth as being something “other”.
___Medium: Hag-Born are Medium creatures and have no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
___Normal Speed: Hag-Born have a base speed of 30 feet.
___Darkvision: Hag-Born can see in the dark up to 60ft.
___Hag Magic: Hag-Born receive a +1 racial bonus on caster level checks made to overcome spell resistance. Hag-Born with a Wisdom of 11 or higher also gain the following spell-like abilities: 1/day pass without trace, water breathing, ghost sound, and whispering wind.
___Languages: Hag-Born begin play speaking Common. Hag-Born with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following: Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Giant, Goblin.

Monstrous Hybrids: The Vardoger

2012-01-24T01:08:00.000-08:00

Following is the Vardoger, a hybrid race of shape-shfting creature that appears in d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night, along with two other half-monstrous hybrids, the Beast-Kin and Half-Ghoul, in William T. Thrasher's article "Monstrous Hybrids." Two other sorts of monstrous hybrid, the Dhampir and the Hag-Born, appear exclusively on d-Infinity Online.

VARDOGER
Though most are blessedly ignorant of this fact, human societies are all too often infiltrated and manipulated from within by the monstrous race of shape-shifting humanoids known as Doppelgangers. As these amorphous entities exploit those around them, indulging in the strange depravities and excesses that give their lives meaning, the creation of hybrid progeny is inevitable. From these unions the Vardoger are born, a hybrid race of lesser shape-shifters rarely accepted by either race and fated to live among both.
___Physical Description: Vardoger look essentially human, albeit with little-to-no hair on the head and body, and dull to rheumy eyes. As such, vardoger are capable of passing for human even without employing their shape changing abilities. A vardoger’s skin is uniformly smooth and resistant to the ravages of age, staying mostly wrinkle-free despite advancing years.
___Society: Vardoger find a place in human society easily enough, often living as performers, con artists, and thieves, as suits their supernatural talents. Others make successful careers in politics as ambassadors or spies. So successful are most vardoger with blending into whatever community they find themselves in that rumors persist of entire cities of vardoger, each one unaware of the true nature of its neighbors.
___Relations: All too often vardoger are unaware of their parentage, sired as they are as a byproduct of some doppelganger manipulation or tryst. Vardoger get along well with most other humanoid races, if only because a minimum of effort allows them to blend in with any they might encounter.
___Alignment and Religion: Vardoger of every alignment are known to exist, though most tend toward the Chaotic. A lifetime of easy deceptions makes the life of the lawful or good difficult for most vardoger, though some do attempt it. As far as religion is concerned, for every devout vardoger dedicated to the cause of her faith, there is another impersonating a hierophant, eager to bilk the faithful out of their money and pride. The gods take a dim view of the latter, and rarely align themselves with vardoger as a result. The gods of chaos and trickery find many followers among the vardoger.
___Adventurers: Vardoger take up lives of adventure because it suits them. For every would-be thief there is an ever-changing being unsatisfied with the world that she fits into, but only because of the same talents that set her apart. For some, it is an opportunity to create a new identity, one of their own choosing, which shall be remembered in story and song for generations to come.
___Male Names: Audun, Eirik, Peder, Roald, Stian, Vidar.
___Female Names: Abigael, Asta,Bergit, Heidrun, Rebekka, Vendela.

VARDOGER RACIAL TRAITS
___+2 to One Ability Score: Vardoger get a +2 bonus to one ability score of their choice at creation to represent their varied nature.
___Medium: Vardoger are size Medium creatures and have
no bonuses or penalties due to their size.
___Normal Speed: Vardoger have a base speed of 30 feet.
___Darkvision: Vardoger can see in the dark up to 60feet.
___Doppelganger Immunities: Vardoger receive a +2 racial bonus to saving throws to resist charm and sleep effects.
___Mimicry: Vardoger gain a +4 racial bonus to all Disguise and Use Magic Device checks. Vardoger can make Use Magic Device checks untrained.
___Quick Study: Once per day a vardoger is able to designate a given type of armor, weapon, and shield with which it is proficient. This designation requires 10 minutes of continuous use, and once made cannot be changed. This proficiency lasts until the vardoger next sleeps, at which point it is lost until it chooses to designate another type of armor, weapon, and shield.
___Languages: Vardoger begin play speaking Common. Vardoger with high Intelligence scores can choose from the following bonus languages: Aklo, Draconic, Dwarven, Elven, Goblin, Gnoll, Orc.

Behind the Curtain: 'Castle Builder Volume 2: Manor Houses'

2012-01-21T14:51:00.000-08:00

By Richard T. Balsley

Now that Castle Builder Volume 2: Manor Houses has been released, I thought I'd share some supplemental material to whet your appetite and give you some insight into how I viewed the subject of manor houses. Below is the resulting peek behind the curtain.

Buildings are expensive. They are also time consuming. Over the course of writing this installment, it became clear just how much of an investment even a stronghold of moderate means is. The manor house is nothing to sneeze at despite being the most common building type characters encounter. It is not just the common inn, tavern, or estate, and this class of building includes practically every large-scale nonmilitary building in the fantasy genre.

Manor-house-sized storage and utility spaces in the warehouse districts of large towns, apartment complexes, and family-owned businesses such as dry goods stores, tailor shops, and so forth are also manor houses in a technical sense. This is because they are all sufficiently large structures that share the same wall thickness and sturdiness as the manor owned by a town’s mayor or city-dwelling aristocrats. None of the people who would own such buildings would consider their property as either just a status symbol or a casual expenditure. Why should player characters think otherwise? The pricing of the buildings at the end of this volume demonstrates just how much time, effort, and expenditure goes into a stronghold and why -- despite being numbers, lines, and words on paper -- players and gamemasters alike should think about the investment a stronghold represents as something with significant meaning for anyone willing to have one built.

Like a business, a manor house requires its owner to invest time and resources into it. This is not just in terms of upkeep costs required to prevent the structure from falling into disrepair, but also those intangible aspects that define the building as a home, a place of business, a hideout, a military redoubt, or any combination therein. It is the unseen and unaccountable elements that define the true reasons why someone would want to own a manor house. The two example structures in Castle Builder Volume 2 are designed to show how these reasons go a long way in developing not just the personality of the stronghold, but also how important the manor houses are to their respective owners.

The first example, the Hart and Vine, was created as an upscale version of the run-of-the mill inn. Rather than rehashing "Ye Olde Typical Tavern," this establishment takes advantage of the entrepreneurial spirit found in fantasy literature and films and gives it a twist and the potential to be either a light-hearted setting or a potentially dark and sinister entity biding its time before striking against the neighboring keep.

In the opposite direction is the Estate of Ellingsworth. The size of this building stretches the credibility of the fantasy genre and verges on the farcical. Some might consider the structure to be their dream house for their characters. For others, it is as anachronistic with its Colonial/Victorian inspiration as it is humorous. Given its prodigious size, it is little wonder that anyone would either want to own it or scoff at it. But the estate has multiple purposes in comparison with the inn. So, while it is a fantasy house for the fantasy genre, it is multiple things to multiple people whereas the Hart and Vine is a business -– albeit one where the owner lives on the premises.

In either case, what should stand out is that, in the case of the characters in the setting, there are several investments involved: monetary, societal image, and personal comfort. This is of greater importance as, of all the strongholds available, this sort is the most mutable and customizable.

Castle Builder Volume 2: Manor Houses is available from a number of online sales venues, including DriveThruRPG.com.

Children of Cthulhu: a d∞ Review

2012-01-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

The literary world of the Cthulhu Mythos continues to grow with The Children of Cthulhu, a 2002 short story compilation edited by John Pelan and Benjamin Adams with cover illustration by Dave McKean and published by Ballantine Books. The anthology features a number of well regarded contemporary authors of horror fiction, including Alan Dean Foster and Poppy z, Brite. But are their contributions worthy additions to the body of mythos fiction or unnecessary expansions on the already voluminous glut of mythos lore?

On the whole, The Children of Cthulhu is a well done compilation. With a small handful of exceptions, the stories within are set in the contemporary world and work the surreal cosmic horror of H.P. Lovecraft into times and settings more familiar to the modern reader. While most of these stories are of good quality, a few stand out, either due to exceptional caliber or exceptional limitation.

"Meet Me on The Other Side", by Yvonne Navarro is the story of two extreme sports and spelunking enthusiasts and their hunt for the lost city of Bethmoora, a mystic local created by Lord Dunsany in his short story of the same name and mentioned by Lovecraft in "The Whisperer in Darkness". The presence of these two unconventional protagonists hooks the reader from the start, but quickly disappoints. What progress they make in their investigation comes from a series of increasingly magical coincidences and not from their own ambitions or abilities. The fit and physically active protagonists also lend themselves to a more high action story, but they spend most of their time hiking. "Meet Me on The Other Side" holds two unique distinctions within mythos fiction. First, it is likely the only mythos story wherein the central tome, The Encyclopedia Cthulhiana, is a book published by Chaosium, publishers of the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game. Second, the main characters’ response to their ultimate and inevitable fate when confronted by the mind-shattering terror of the mythos boils down to “oh, that sounds like it’ll be an adventure.” As a result, Yvonne Navarro’s contribution to the anthology is rendered anticlimactic and somewhat dull.

The two contributions that truly stand out are "The Invisible Empire" by James Van Pelt and "Long Meg and Her Daughters" by Paul Finch. "The Invisible Empire" is of particular interest to players and Keepers of the Call of Cthulhu RPG as it could serve as the starting point of an excellent campaign. The story, written in the first person perspective of a mulatto geologist working in the Colorado Territory several years after the Civil War, has the feel of a protracted player’s handout such as an uncovered journal or autobiography that prompts the investigators to explore the old mine shafts of that region. Regardless of its applications for mythos gaming, James Van Pelt’s contribution is a work of atmospheric storytelling that pays loving tribute to the prose of Lovecraft without aping the old master’s style.

"Long Meg and Her Daughters" does the unthinkable, merging cosmic horror with car chases, police shootouts, and high explosives. However, it does this successfully, creating a detective story that flows into a horror story that flows into action/adventure and then back into horror for a literally explosive climax. Finch demonstrates that academics are not the only protagonists fit to grace the pages of mythos fiction, and he does so without falling into the superheroics typified by the mythos adventures of Brian Lumley.

There are a number of other contributions that are worthy of note. Brian Hodge’s "Firebrand Symphony" and "Red Clay" by Michael Reaves are both atmospheric portrayals of the mythos and its influence on artists and the art they create. Mark Chadbourn’s "Sour Places" executes a cunning reversal, spinning a horror yarn with a terror all too human while using the mythos as a backdrop.

Despite a pair of lackluster contributions, The Children of Cthulhu is an anthology worth reading. On the whole the stories within are excellent contributions to the Cthulhu Mythos and can serve as inspiration for hours worth gaming within Lovecraft's literary universe.

d-Infinity Releases 'Vol. #3: Children of the Night'

2012-01-07T13:33:00.001-08:00

Zombies, Bigfoot, and all sorts of other “Children of the Night” can be found in the just-released d-Infinity Volume #3, the latest edition of Skirmisher Publishing LLC’s popular multi-platform game supplement! This PDF publication is available through a number of online sales venues, including DriveThruRPG. Contents of d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night (82 pages, $7.99, SKP E 1201) include:

Editorial: “Children of the Night”
“The Search for Bigfoot” (Twisted Tile Matching Game)
Interview: “Artist, Author, and Impressario Andy Hopp”
“‘Code Z’ Field Survival Guide”
Digital Dice: Mapping Programs
Cthulhu Live/Call of Cthulhu: “One Starry Night”
The Prop Room: “Putting a Little Bite into Your Game”
City Builder/The City and Island of Kos: “The Guild of Beggars, Guides, Locksmiths, and Exterminators”
Basic System: “Xenogenesis in Fantasy Settings”
Basic System: “Mutation Artifacts”
Basic System: “Six Orc Spells”
OGL System: “Cooper’s Corrected Summon Monster VII”
Character Caricatures: “Twelve Children of the Night”
OGL System: “Insults & Injuries (Plague and Rabies)”
OGL System/Interplanetary: “Things that Go ‘Bump’ in the Spaceship”
Pathfinder System: “Monstrous Hybrids (Three Halfbreed Races)”
Pathfinder System/Lance & Laser: “Three Alien Vegetable Monstrosities”
4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons: “Mastering a Challenge”
Reader Survey
Pass in Review
Sample Cardstock CharactersTM

d∞ (“d-Infinity”) is a multi-platform gaming supplement that covers a wide variety of rules systems and includes content that can be universally applied to many different sorts of table-top, live-action, and role-playing games. It includes both material that can be applied to all or many sorts of games and items that are self-standing and which can be played on their own.

Writers who contributed to d-Infinity Volume #3: Children of the Night include Brendan Cass, Jim Clunie, John Cooper, Robert Gruver, Derek Holland, Eric Lis, Enrico Nardini, Matt Owen, Ken Spencer, William T. Thrasher, Chris Van Deelen, and Michael O. Varhola. Artists who illustrated it include Andy Hopp (who provided the cover image), Brendan Cass, Carter Dippold, Margaret Galicia, Amanda Kahl, Bradley K. McDevitt, Richard Alan Poppe, Clint Staples, and William T. Thrasher.

Features of each thematic volume of d-Infinity include a self-standing game; new rules, stats, and bonus content tying in with several different game systems; character portraits; paper miniatures; and interviews. Rules systems supported include Pathfinder, OGL v.3.5, 4th Edition Dungeons & Dragons, “Basic” system, Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, Call of Cthulhu, and Cthulhu Live. It is jointly published by Armorcast, Dagon Industries Inc., Dark Threads, Flying Buffalo Inc., Mindgame Productions, OffWorld Designs Inc., Skirmisher Publishing LLC, and the United States Marine Space Corps.

“We believe that the most enjoyable gaming periodicals are not just devoted to single games or even the products of a single company, but also include content that makes a reader interested in other games, material that can be applied to all or many sorts of games, and items that are self-standing and which can be played on their own,” said d-Infinity editor-in-chief Michael O. Varhola. “For that reason, this publication includes many voices and exclusive material compatible with many rules systems and the products of many different companies.”

Time Machine: Thoughts on How to Store Miniatures

2012-01-05T23:05:00.000-08:00

The following article originally appeared 39 years ago, in the January 1973 issue of wargaming publication “Battle Flag: The Magazine of Encounter.” It was not credited to a particular author and was therefore probably written by publication editor and publisher Don Adcock. It was also not accompanied by any illustrations.

There have been several articles in issues of the COURIER on storing miniatures between battles. One person recommended trays (actually removable shelves) that would fit on special racks. Probably the most common storage facility is the ubiquitous cardboard box which, if possessing no other virtues, is fairly durable and easy to acquire.

The members of the miniatures “group” at Mississippi State University have come across what we think is a very good way to store our troops. We use “plastic shoeboxes,” which are sold at [five-and-dime] stores and some discount houses. Most of these are 6 x 12 (inches) in size. They are made of clear plastic with a lid of colored plastic.

To use these boxes we invert them. What was the lid is now our troop tray. After the soldiers have been arranged in order on the lid, the clear plastic top (originally the bottom) now fits into a recess around the edge of the troops covering the miniatures. A sturdy rubber band is stretched across the whole, and the troops are securely protected from dust and inquisitive fingers. They can be easily seen and displayed, yet the boxes stack on shelves or on the back seat of a car for transportation. They pack into cardboard boxes for longer transportation.

These plastic shoeboxes are quite economical, ranging from two for $1 in some stores to a low (that we have found) of four for $1. The prices generally run about 30-37¢ each. One box will hold and display three battalions of infantry organized a la Vietmeyer or a French cavalry regiment and command stand.

Since the lids come in different colors, it is a simple matter to choose one color for each players, thus keeping track of whose boxes are whose. They can be set out near the battlefield, ready to receive the casualties, and since there are color-coded, no one’s troops wind up in someone else’s box (at least in theory).

Although our troops are 25 mm, the boxes are slightly less than four inches tall. This would be enough room for 30 mm infantry and most 30 mm cavalry, although lancers with lances erect might present something of a problem. 52 mm infantry will fit into the boxes even at present arms, unless the bayonets are fixed, which will make them a bit too tall. All the Minitanks are able to fit well, as do 1/48 scale armored vehicles.

For the person who collects larger miniatures, I understand that some variety of different-sized boxes are available (at different-sized prices). The only one that I have actually seen is a plastic hatbox. This is the size that a good hatbox should be and about seven to eight inches in height. This might be good for the 52 mm or similar-sized diorama builder. Again, the box would be inverted and the diorama build onto the base. Then, the lid could be placed or glued down on top of it to protect it. Practically anything but a King Tiger would seem to be able to fit in these.

Do not scorn the idea of these boxes. We find that they give protection to the miniatures while looking quite neat and tidy. They allow inspection of the troops by interested visitors without the expense of custom-made boxes, yet they keep the dust off, which open shelves cannot do!

Happy New Year from d-Infinity!

2012-01-01T13:42:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year from d-Infinity! We very much hope you have enjoyed our publication and its online supplement so far and are looking forward to making both even better as we move ahead into 2012.

Latest News from DarkThreads

2012-01-01T10:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

This is what you can expect from DarkThreads in 2012:

Stefan Rice and Michael McDevitt will be representing d-Infinity co-publisher DarkThreads at the SHOT Show, Las Vegas, Jan. 17-20, where they will be rubbing elbows with all the big names in the shooting sports industry, and scoping out all the new products for 2012.
We will be vending at local gun shows and attending other events this year in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, and elsewhere. The mobile DarkThreads store carries lots of hot new products that you won't find listed in our web store, like all the latest morale patches and t-shirts from the Milspec Monkey, and the hottest knives and tools from CRKT. So be sure to check us out if you're in the neighborhood! Next gun show is Feb. 4-5, 2012 in Monroeville, PA.

Milspec Monkey t-shirts, and "Cool Guy Hat DLUX"

CRKT Eat-n-Tool, and M16 E.R Series

A-TACS - the latest in camo technology - is now available! We have the Propper ACU coat, trouser, and boonie in stock, and will be adding more A-TACS products in the coming weeks.

We now offer custom embroidery of select products - any of our polo shirts, name tapes, and patches to name a few! Contact sales@darkthreads.com for more info.

Is it time for a new pair of specs? As always, we offer free shipping on Wiley X and Revision eyewear. Many styles can be fitted with your prescription. Contact sales@darkthreads.com for more info.

$3.00 for each Lacey sold will be donated to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®

Recently added: the AE mini might light - a 120 lumen backup light that we chose for it's sweet combination of power and longevity, in a compact size - perfect for tucking into a pocket, or your bug-out bag.

AE Mini Might

Speaking of bug-out bags - we highly recommend them! We've got lots of great options, including backpacks from Pantac USA, and the innovative Go bags from Paladin by S.O.Tech.

Pantac USA MOLLE Assault Pack, and BBP-MS Backpack

What are your hopes and aspirations for 2012?

d-Infinity Co-Publishers

2011-12-31T09:19:00.000-08:00

d-Infinity is a cooperative, quarterly, multi-platform game supplement that is jointly published by several companies. Because of this, the publication has many voices and many game systems represented in it and is thus not a house organ for a single company or game. Companies who currently co-publish d-Infinity include:

* Armorcast

* Dagon Industries, Inc.

* Dark Threads

* Flying Buffalo Inc.

* MindGame Productions

* Offworld Designs

* Skirmisher Publishing LLC

* The United States Marine Space Corps

Practical Modeling: Holiday Terrain Features

2011-12-26T17:13:00.000-08:00

By Michael O. Varhola

A source for gaming models and accessories that gamers should be aware of is craft stores in general-and craft stores during post-holiday sales in particular. In the days following Christmas, such stores are eager to dump seasonal stock to make room on their shelves for incoming product, and gamers can benefit as a result.

Over the years, I have picked up lots of such models, and some of my most prized acquistions have included bags of 25mm/30mm snow-covered pine trees, buildings of various sorts, and other useful terrain features, all at a fraction of their regular prices. Venues we have gotten good deals at include Michaels craft stores, Hobby Lobby, and even Kmart.

One of the best deals we have gotten was on a purchase of four ceramic buildings at a Michaels craft store from its own "Bethlehem Village" collection (alternately referred to as "Fig Village" pieces on their packaging). These normally retail for $9.99 apiece, but we managed to pick them for just $2.99 apiece! A mere $12 for four models that can serve, alone or with other models, as the basis of a village, ruined fortress, or any number of other things is a deal we were unable to pass up. (Details on the Fig Village House with Stairs, shown here, include usefulness as a multi-level gaming prop and a fountain with a lion-faced spout. It is shown here with some of our own Orcs of the Triple Death for perspective.)

These models are eminently suitable for use as generic village buildings, especially those that might be found in a desert environment or as part of a ruin, for a wide variety of roleplaying or tabletop miniatures gaming. My own preference is for the d20/Dungeons & Dragons system, and an examination of these models evoked all sorts of ideas for Hide, Search, Spot, Knowledge, and other skill checks that can be used in conjunction with them during the course of a gaming session. Indeed, lots of nice little details make them especially suitable for fantasy role-playing games, including baskets of fruit, jugs in a variety of sizes, windows with pulled-back curtains, plants, baskets, rugs, trees, broken-out and intact windows, and bas relief trim on some of the walls. There are even holes and a skylight in the roof of the one of the buildings. (Pictured here is the Fig Village House with Breezeway. It is shown on a Chessex Megamat with 1-inch squares.)

Just as importantly as these models nice features is that they do not have any of the holiday details-such as wreaths, candy-canes, snow, or the like-that would make them unsuitable as general gaming props.

Also, three of buildings appear to have been constructed around the remains of 15-foot-square towers, making them ideal for use as the remains of a small, four-towered keep. One of them even has a gate attached to it that can be assumed to have bee the original entrance to such a fortification. (The Fig Village House with Large Tree can serve as an ideal dwelling for an alchemist, healer, or other spellcaster. It is occupied at present, however, by some of our Orcs of the Triple Death.)

Naturally, these buildings can also perform double duty as part of Christmas or Easter displays, in accordance with their original intent. (This Fig Village Inn with Archway, shown at right, is one of the nicest pieces in the collection and can serve as a versatile gaming prop.)

A potential downside of these buildings is their ceramic construction, which makes them a bit more delicate than many gaming props. I discovered the hard way that picking them up by any of their thinner pieces is likely to break them. I also learned, however, that they are easily repaired with a bit of household glue.

I was not able to find any of these items on the Michaels website, presumably because of their seasonal nature, and so do not know if there are actually more than four in the series. If there are, however, you can be sure I will pick them up-either once they are re-released for the holiday season or after they go on sale following it. And they are just one example of the great gaming props you can find at craft stores and get good deals on at the end of the holiday season!

(Three of these buildings appear to have been constructed around the remains of 15-foot-square towers, making them ideal for use as the remains of a small, four-towered keep. They are shown here on a Chessex Megamat with 1-inch squares for scale.)

Random Gods and Their Holidays

2011-12-18T14:14:00.000-08:00

By William T. Thrasher

In honor of the holiday season, following is a list of random deities that appears in the Skirmisher Publishing LLC book Nuisances: Director's Cut and which have been freely bastardized from Wizards of the Coast’s “official” D&D gods. They are followed by a dozen festive holidays, one associated with each of these divine personages, and which game masters are welcome to incorporate into their own campaign settings.

Random Deities (d12)
1 – Bord the Sturdy
2 – Fairlane the Traveler
3 – Haughtiness the Self Righteous
4 – Hektor the Incensed
5 – Hewjass the Bitch Goddess
6 – Kornkob the Indifferent
7 – Necrull the Decayer
8 – Oilydimmara the Slippery
9 – O-man-im-hi the Stoned
10 – Peckor the Well-Shined
11 – Vespa the Masochistic
12 – Yolanda, Queen of the Little People

Light of Our Father Who is Stiff as Bord (Bord): Celebrated by followers of Bord, this observance is carried out shortly after the death of the Patriarchimandrive of the Cult of Bord. In a series of trials often mistaken for a sportsman's tournament, priests and clerics of Bord compete to determine who shall become the new head of the cult. Trials include the Tossing of the Caber (Bord's favored weapon) and competitive displays of Bord's sacred meditative art of Planking.

Day of The First Step (Fairlane): Used by followers of Fairlane to mark the start of the new year, this holiday begins with a prayer to Fairlane, followed by the naming of a place the follower has never visited. The devout then prepares a sacred fetish bag from a square of cloth and fills it with sacrifices pleasing to Fairlane, such as travel-ready food and small bottles of alcoholic beverages. Once the fetish bag is completed and consecrated to Fairlane, it is considered vulgar to allow it to be touched by mortal hands. As a result, the followers of Fairlane typically attach the fetish bag to the end of a sturdy stick so that it cannot be desecrated when being transported. At the coming of the dawn, the devout takes a number of symbolic steps in the direction of the location declared at the beginning of the celebration. Many cultists take a step for every year they have lived or one for every year they have devoted their lives to Fairlane. Still others take just the first step, reasoning that it is the thought that counts and that Fairlane appreciates the effort. Truly devout followers make a point of visiting the nominated location at least once before the end of the year and those who do leave the fetish bag at the end of the long road in the hope that Fairlane will saunter down the path and personally accept it.

Feast of Condescension (Haughtiness): Celebrated by followers of Haughtiness, this feast day consists of little actual feasting on behalf of the followers of the god of self-righteousness. Instead, followers of Haughtiness pour out into the streets, handing our slices of a sacred but tasteless Humble Pie and admonishing the populace for all the sins they have committed — which the cultists clearly have not — and all the virtues they could exemplify if they would only just grow up and follow the worthwhile god ("Like we did, and look how well it's worked for us?"). This day also marks the anniversary of the many holy wars which began in past Feasts of Condescension.

Ranklemas (Hektor): The most sacred day for followers of Hektor, Ranklemas is the day when followers of the Incensed give what they consider the greatest gift of all: the brutal, bitter, and unremitting Truth. Followers seek out individuals who get their dander up — or who symbolizes the type of people that get their dander up — and tells those people exactly what they think of them! Followers of Hektor hope this will drive the targets of their invectives to violence and the resulting "wounds of Hektor" are worn as badges of honor by followers of the Incensed One.

Smothersday (Hewjass): A holiday feared the realm over, this is the day that followers of Hewjass emerge from their temples and make sacrifices to the Bitch Goddess. Offerings of food are sat upon and reduced to pulp before being smeared over her idols. Far more grim are the human sacrifices, who suffocate beneath the cheeks of the faithful. Smothersboys, pilgrims who journey to the great temples of Hewjass, are rare and willing sacrifices who greet such an end with anticipation and die in a moment of religious ecstasy.

Gray Monday (Kornkob): Celebrated by followers of Kornkob, this festival is little-known outside of the Indifferent One's cult. This holiday marks the day Kornkob returned from the realm of Anywhere after attaining true indifference. Cultists commemorate this event by engaging in orgies of sex, blood, food, and excess of all kinds. Calves, goats, and virgins are slain, their blood mingling in the streets and becoming a red mandala to the utter complacency of Kornkob. Kings are slain and villages are burned as Kornkob's mad celebrants run rampant over the world, laying waste to the works of god and man in their revelatory excess. Or not. They can go either way.

Stanksgiving (Necrull): Those rare few who worship Necrull the Decayer commemorate the end of winter with a month-long festival of thanks and putrescence known as Stanksgiving. On the first day of Stanksgiving, a high priest creates a circle of consecrated filth traditionally referred to as Necrull's Cornucopia. Over the course of the month, the circle is piled high with old food, particularly grains, dried fruit, pickles, and preserves that did not keep over the long winter. Other appropriate offerings include moth-eaten clothing, old socks, rotted wood and thatch, and knackered livestock that did not survive the period of cold weather. Towards the end of the month, even unspoiled food may be added, either in anticipation of the coming bounty of spring or to placate Necrull with food to spoil so he does not turn his attention to the remaining unspoiled food stocks. By month's end, the Cornucopia is a stinking, steaming, mound of rotting food and other filth that smells from miles around. At the festival's close, the priests of Necrull send the offering of waste up to their god in flames. Due the composition of the Cornucopia, the bonfire typically burns several different colors and billows a great cloud of green-tinged smoke into the air. Once the smoke and stench have cleared, Stanksgiving comes to a close. Those outside the priesthood of Necrull mark this day with a holiday of their own, celebrating the end of the month-long stink of Stanksgiving.

Lubesday (Oilydimmara): The holiday of Lubesday marks the day the great god Oilydimmara came down from the celestial abode of the divine and gifted mankind with lubrication, which up until that point had been a secret possessed by the gods alone. Celebrants anoint their bodies with scented oils and recreate Oilydimmara's descent from the celestial plane by running and sliding down lengthy slippery shrouds. Those whose well-oiled bodies slide all the way down the shroud and through the surprisingly small hoop at the end are said to be favored by Oilydimmara and blessed with smooth, supple skin and protection from inconvenient friction … if you know what I mean.

Holi-Rol-Yur-Oun (O-man-im-hi): OK, this is ... check it out. We're venerating O-man-im-hi and ... wait ... did you guys get it? I mean, our god's name is like (throaty giggling) OK, OK, OK! I'm totally serious right now! What we got to do is, right, get a whole bunch of colored stuff ... I'm hungry ... colored food, and we like, throw it around, it looks awesome, but then you eat all the crazy colored food because you're totally hungry. Man, I'm hungry. Can one of you guys drive me to the White Temple?

Saint Filatrix's Day (Peckor): This holiday marks the anniversary of the raising of the first temple to Peckor the Well-Shined by the prophet and saint Filatrix. To show their veneration to Peckor and his temples, followers gather to polish the knob of the temple doors before entering to attend services.

Groundheel Day (Vespa): Theologians currently debate if this holiday is meant to venerate of desecrate Vespa the Masochistic. On this day, clerics remove idols of Vespa from the temples and place them in the town square, where the idols are publicly beaten, jabbed, spanked, dribbled with hot wax, have their eyes gouged out and hands removed, and are subjected to other physical humiliations. Passersby are also encouraged to participate and are often handed simple ritual flails with which to castigate the idol. The holiday concludes with the clerics donning sacramental ballet boots with seven-inch heels and grinding the idol beneath their heels.

Yolanda-thon (Yolanda): Celebrated throughout the Prime Material plane by “Little People” (e.g., Dwarves, Gnomes, Goblins, Halflings, Pygmies), Yolonda-thon is the day the faithful show their devotion to their goddess by making offerings of gold, precious stones, and other riches. Within each community, a strapping young Little Person — an effigy in civilized communities and an actual person in more savage ones — is chosen and anointed to deliver the offerings to Yolanda. Throughout the day, priests entreat their congregations to make offerings, which the anointed one is expected to consume. When the anointed one's belly is full to bursting with gold and jewels, the priests of Yolanda sacrifice him in a bonfire. It is said that the spirit of the sacrifice carries the offering to Yolanda. When the goddess is in need of the offered riches, she is said to shatter the Pygmy Bank with a golden hammer.

Event Report: Con on the Cob

2011-10-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

HUDSON, OHIO -- Speaking as someone who has attended Gen Con for the past 10 years, up until today I had almost forgotten that game conventions could be be actually be fun and relaxing and am grateful to Con on the Cob organizer Andy Hopp for reminding me of that.

Suffice it to say, I am very pleased to be here as the Gaming Guest of Honor and that I have made it to the seventh incarantion of this terrific event. Andy has hit his stride with Con on the Cob and it would be safe to say that it has greater diversity of events than just about any regional con I have ever been to.

Part of what has made this such a fun con for me up to this point, of course, is the opportunity to see so many good friends, including wartime consignlieri Jon Reichman, Stefan Rice of DarkThreads, and Will Thrasher of Kettle of Fish Productions, all of whom are hanging out and chatting with me over a beer in my room as I write this. It has also been fun to chat and get caught up with some of the people I have been hanging out with at cons over the past decade, including Larry Elmore (who I first met more than 11 years ago, at the short-lived Alti-Egos Con in Virginia Beach), hell-raising Sean Patrick Fannon (who I first tied one on with at the release party for Skirmisher's Cthulhu Live 3rd Edition), and Mike Olenik of Armorcast.

I have also had the opportunity to meet some terrific new friends at this convention, including artist Arnie Swekel, whose work I have long admired in some of my favorite games, both pen-and-paper and video. Another high point was chatting with and being interviewed by Matt Lemke of the Through Gamer Goggles blog and podcat.

If the next three days are half as good as this one, it will be a successful convention! But, between the seminars I will be giving and all the other great events Andy has got planned, I bet each one will be better than the last.

An early highlight for me and Will Thrasher was running our "Meet d-Infinity Magazine" seminar where we told attendees about how we are fulfilling our vision for a multi-platform, multi-publisher game publication. We spent a big part of the rest of the day, off and on, chatting with people at the d-Infinity booth and rep'ing its various co-publishers, including Armorcast, Dagon Industries, Inc., Dark Threads, Flying Buffalo Inc., MindGame Productions, Offworld Designs, Skirmisher Publishing LLC, and the United States Marine Space Corps.

In the evening we attended a cool party thrown by An Con, the sister convention to Con on the Cob, and spent a great evening chatting with all sorts of interesting people. I especially enjoyed the time I spent talking with Heather Hopp, wife of con organizer Andy Hopp, and with a new friend, Jason, who just happened to be up at this con from New Braunfels, Texas, just 25 miles from where I live!

Can't make it too late of a night tonight because we have got two seminars tomorrow, want to spend some time making ourselves available at the booth, and have got a full three parties tomorrow night!

Skirmisher/Yellow Dragon Studio Make Comicpalooza Retail Agreement

2011-09-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

HOUSTON, TEXAS -- d-Infinity co-publisher Skirmisher Publishing LLC and Yellow Dragon Studio have finalized an agreement in which the latter company will manage all of Skirmisher's booth-based retail operations at Comicpalooza 2012, to include sales of the magazine. Yellow Dragon Studio is a retailer of games, art, and related products and has extensive experience with convention sales, particularly at events in the Houston area.

d-Infinity and Skirmisher will have a major presence in 2012 at Comicplaooza, which has quickly become one of the largest and most exciting conventions in the Southwest (see “'Amazing' Comicpalooza 2011 a Hit with Fans” and "Skirmisher Attending Comicpalooza 2012"). This major pop culture convention will be held May 25-27 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Among other things, Skirmisher has signed on to be a sponsor of the convention, will be running a dozen events at it, and will be running a booth in its exhibit hall.

"Having Yellow Dragon Studio manage this end of our operations will make it that much easier to concentrate on everything else we will be doing at the convention," said Skirmisher publisher Michael O. Varhola. “I have worked with its owner Robert Gruver don't know of anyone better qualified to handle this for us."

Skirmisher will have its full product line available at its Comicpalooza booth, which at this point will include a number of major publications it is planning to release at Comicpalooza 2012, including its Six Gun Horror weird West supplement for Cthulhu Live and the self-standing Interplanetary RPG.

d∞ to Attend Comicpalooza 2012!

2011-09-10T01:07:00.000-07:00

d∞ (“d-Infinity”) is pleased to announce that it will attending Comicpalooza 2012 and both exhibiting on behalf of itself and its co-publishers and running a number of events! This major pop culture convention will be held May 25-27 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston, Texas, and has quickly become one of the largest and most exciting conventions in the Southwest (see “’Amazing’ Comicpalooza 2011 a Hit with Fans”).

As part of its presence at Comicpalooza, d∞ will be helping to advertise and get out the word about the convention, publishing a “Comicpalooza Special Edition” of the publication that includes a feature-length interview with Comicpalooza organizer John Simons, and doing live daily coverage of the show and a series of feature articles about it.

“This is a terrific con and we were very impressed with it when we attended in May 2011,” said d∞ editor-in-chief Michael O. Varhola. “There is no where we would rather be represented in 2012.”

d∞ is a multi-platform gaming supplement that covers a wide variety of rules systems and includes content that can be universally applied to many different sorts of table-top, live-action, and role-playing games. Each volume has a theme that unites its material. Features of each volume include a self-standing game; new rules, stats, and bonus content tying in with several different game systems new rules; paper miniatures; interviews; and more! Rules systems supported include 4th Edition D&D, Pathfinder, OGL v.3.5, “Basic” system, Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, Tunnels and Trolls, and Cthulhu Live.

d∞ is jointly published by Armorcast, Dagon Industries Inc., Dark Threads, Flying Buffalo Inc., MindGame Productions, OffWorld Designs Inc., Skirmisher Publishing LLC, and the United States Marine Space Corps.

Digital Dice: Electronic Game Boards

2011-08-28T01:08:00.000-07:00

"Digital Dice" is one of the regular departments that appears in the print edition of d-Infinity and is authored by computer programmer Brendan Cass. The following entry, on Electronic Game Boards, appears in Volume #1: The Adventure Begins.

Video games bring the convenience of on-the-spot game play coupled with sexy visual effects and preparation-free automation. Wouldn’t it be great if tabletop games could be just as sexy and convenient? (Pictured on the author’s own electronic gameboard is Peeslag the obese Antipaladin,
from Armorcast’s line of Nuisances miniatures, as painted by Enrico Nardini.)

The Digitally Integrated Tabletop project (Digital Tabletop for short) aims to do just that. The project, currently in development by this author, is being designed to deliver a tabletop gaming experience that is both more visually appealing and more convenient. I hope to make tabletop gaming a more accessible and enjoyable experience for all varieties of players, without hindering the creativity that is at the heart of tabletop
gaming’s greatness.

Now, there are already a whole slew of applications out there whose entire purpose is to streamline and manage some of the more cumbersome aspects of tabletop gaming. The problem I have always had with them as a GM is that it is very easy to get lost in all of your trackers and generators to the point where you are spending more time staring at a computer screen than interacting with your players.

The Digital Tabletop differs in that it is designed to be just as convenient and useful to players as it is to GMs. The Digital Tabletop will track the location of miniatures and place status information such as health points, spell effects, or temporary bonuses next to a miniature so that GM and players alike know exactly what is going on. Game mechanics with an area-of-effect will be visually represented so that everyone knows exactly what is going to be affected. Lingering spell effects will show up as visual effects, so when your player casts that Wall of Fire spell you do not have to break out that red pencil to represent it, you can represent it with an honest-to-goodness wall of fire!

And when miniatures are moved, their paths will be shown on the map and information on how far they can be moved will be displayed. No more breaking out rulers or counting grid squares!

So enough about what the Digital Tabletop does and more about how it is going to do it. If you are thinking that with a name like “Digital Tabletop” the project must involve some expensive and obscure hardware, you are in for a pleasant surprise. The Digitally Integrated Tabletop project will only use hardware that you probably already have! All you will need to get it going is a computer running the windows operating system, an USB webcam, and a computer monitor.

The original plan for the Digital Tabletop has the monitor lying on its back on the table and the miniatures sitting on top of the screen, with the webcam positioned so that it can watch the monitor and miniatures from above. If you are concerned that the miniatures will scratch up your screen, a piece of Plexiglas can be placed over it to protect it, and should not hinder the functionality at all.

If you have not guessed already, the Digital Tabletop functions by tracking pieces via the webcam, and the effects and automations are handled by an intuitive map program. The program keeps track of the locations of all your miniatures in terms of coordinate points, because each miniature has an unique set of coordinates the program is able to tell the difference between miniatures. When it notices a miniature is missing from its original spot, it knows it must have been moved, it then locates the errant miniature and assigns it a new unique coordinate point. The project is written in Python and is completely open source.

If you are a programmer and would like to contribute to this project or just want a copy of the code, feel free to email the author or to look for him on the Skirmisher Publishing LLC Forum.

The Prop Room: Mask Making

2011-08-19T22:25:00.000-07:00

The following mask-making tutorial was written by Emily Marie Harris of AviannaCosplay.com. It uses the "Mommy Fortuna" character from The Last Unicorn as an example and other techniques for painting and eye making will be covered in future articles.

Materials Needed
* Paperclay (available online and from hobby stores)
* Newspaper (I stole a bunch of nickle ad papers from Wal-Mart)
* Bowl
* Flour
* Something to mix the flour and water to make the paste
* A model base (I used a plastic mask I had, but you can have a friend help you and use your own face)
* Clear sealant spray in glossy, matte, or satin
* Model magic
* Sandpaper in a very fine grain
* Face mask
* Any little flares or touches you would like to add
* Paint brush for detail work

Step One: Paper Mache Base
First I used a plastic plain mask to make a base for my mask to start on. If you have a friend they can help make the base via using your own face so that it fits perfectly to you. You start via wetting strips of news paper down with a mix of flour and water. I’ve heard you can use some sugar as well, but I didn’t want to do this cause I didn’t want it to get to sticky. You want to cover the entire face leaving obvious room for your eyes, mouth and nose. A few layers of strips going horizontal, then vertical then horizontal again should make a strong base. Let this dry.

Step Two: Adding Features

Once the base is dry, you’ll want to start shaping the face to suit the character. For Mommy Fortuna, I needed to add more to the eyebrows, widen the face a bit, add cheeks and a strong base for the nose. I also added a bit to the chin. To do this, I layered tons of newspaper to these areas. Sometimes I would use some super absorbent paper towels that were soaked in the paste and rung out to help speed the layering. You have to added newspaper over them however to keep them in place and you need to add quite a few layers to keep it secure.

Also, for Mommy Fortuna I put straws in the nose leading down to where my mouth would be for air because I knew the nose would be to big to breath through. You may want to play with this just in case your character’s facial structure is a bit off of your own.

With the areas I couldn’t completely make perfect in shape I added model magic after the paper mache had dried. I put balls on the cheeks, added more to the eyebrows and made most of the ball of the nose. You then wait for all this to dry.

After all this is dry you may want to add in your eyes. For Mommy Fortuna, I made my eyes out of one Styrofoam ball with model magic over the rounded surface. I then used a straw to put holes through the ball where the iris was so I could see. Later, when I painted it the black make the hole almost invisible. Remember thou, you don’t have to make eyes, you can always used your own :)

Step Three: Surface and Detailing

Once all this is dry you can take out your Paperclay. Dip it in some water and smooth it out over your surface. If you keep it all a little wet you can cover your entire surface with it and still have it ‘sticky’ enough to add more paper clay where it is needed for details.

With Mommy Fortuna I added the entire surface and went back through with the opposite end of a small paint brush to get all the wrinkles and the nose holes in the nose. I also found that is you stretch a bit of thin plastic, like a plastic bag, really tight over a surface and press down it can make some pretty realistic wrinkles.

With Mommy Fortuna, I stopped here because I felt a semi lumpy surface would add to an aging character’s face. However, when working on my Neofio costume I moved on to the next step to make the surface smooth.

Step Four: Sanding
For this I recommend you put on a face mask because sanding the dried paperclay can make quite a bit of dust. I would also recommend doing this outside if possible. Using the sand paper you can smooth out the surface of the mask. As JiaJem states in her armor tutorial you can also use a sander if you feel it would be faster, however, I found that for a mask, in order to make all the details, cracks and bumps, you may need to do this with your hands. Smooth out the surfaces as best you can. The beauty of paper clay is if there is a crack or a lump you wish to fix, just wet the surface around the crack a bit and add more paper clay to dry. When its dry just sand it again and it shouldn’t be there. You can do this as many times as you like, which isn’t always the case with fiberglassing.

Step Five: Painting and Finish

Now would be the time to paint the mask (A Future Tutorial will explain some awesome painting techniques), perhaps add eyelashes to your eyes, hair, earrings, ect ect. Make sure to finish off the mask with a clear coat of paint to seal it all in, and voila! Mask!

Step Six: Attaching it to Your Head (Optional)
I’ve found that the best way to attach anything to your face without completely making the tops of your ears blister is with a tight fitting stocking cap. You can buy these in the winter pretty much anywhere in any style. Non-Knitted ones have a stronger backing for denser masks. For Mommy Fortuna I bought a fleece, but lined stocking cap from Wal-Mart for $5. Using upholstery thread and some interfacing I would pull the needle through the cap, mask, then interfacing to give it a strong backing. I used thicker interfacing. Infact, I used scraps.I did this in a line on the rim of the cap. This made the mask easy to lift to talk and also easy to adjust.

'Castle Builder' Introduction

2011-07-12T23:12:00.000-07:00

Skirmisher Publishing LLC has released Castle Builder Volume 1: Strongholds, the first installment in a 10-part series of universal sourcebooks designed to help Game Masters and players plan their ideal fortifications in a step-by-step format from the ground up. It is written by Richard T. Balsley, author of Gary Gygax’s Cosmos Builder, and follows Skirmisher’s popular City Builder series of guides to designing complete communities.

“It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls.” — Aristophanes

Traveling far and wide, our heroes venture forth to new and exotic locations. Despite where they go, they always have a desire to return to a place where their exploits will be met with fanfare and awe. This place is home.

One of the unique features of the roleplaying game is the fulfillment of the rags-to-riches story. The heroes we play usually come from humble beginnings. It is part of the allure of the game to venture forth on extravagant journeys of derring-do and come home to tell the tale. But perhaps more deeply seated is the desire to rise from the ranks of the common man and become a member of the recognized elite. This book is predicated, in part, on this aspect of the fantasy setting.

Castle Builder covers construction of the buildings that serve as the most prominent feature of the genre’s background and both the defense of and seigecraft against these indelible icons of the fantasy landscape. These buildings serve as the homes of the wealthy as well as the infrastructure of a nation’s defenses. Within these pages, you’ll find the tools to give the players a reason to care about buildings, give them a sense of purpose beyond a plot device, and work towards achieving a suspension of disbelief that can take your gaming to a higher level. In a sense, this book is meant to give you the tools to not only lay out and understand these structures but to also do what authors of fiction have done for years to their readers.

The intention is to not only cover the basic types of items typically found in any sort of defensive structure or what comforts the nobility may enjoy, but to provide you with a better foundation of how the buildings are used. From the workhorse of the genre, the manor house, to the massive triple-walled castle, the fortifications this book addresses all have a specific function, feel, and their own unique set of strengths and weaknesses. When you or the players set out to design one of these structures, knowing the hows and whys behind the choices for a building type and location will help enrich the details of the fantasy world.

Is there a reason for the manor house that serves as the town inn to be classified any differently than the local lord’s manor down the street? As the saying goes, “the devil is in the details.” The true separation between any given building is what is inside. You have to know what you want from the outset in order for it to work. To aid you, this book presents a large number of choices in the first chapter with the following seven chapters devoted to an examination of different types of strongholds.

The stronghold is as much the site of adventure and intrigue as it is the center of the player’s game world. To that end, it must have some meaning vested in it beyond simply being a “home.” This is doubly true when you consider that a character’s enemies may eventually find his home and there attempt to do him harm. To prevent himself from falling victim to his rivals, the hero of an adventure tale must either go homeless or have a defensible position that allows him to protect himself and his loved ones.

The question, then, becomes which type of stronghold is the right one for the character. That is where this book comes in. There are numerous styles of strongholds to choose from. Chances are that by the time you have skimmed through this text, you will find the stronghold that best suits the needs of the character. It is also just as likely that you will find the example strongholds lacking elements you feel are necessary for that character’s situation. Here too, this book will help you design the stronghold the character would need to meet expectations.

This book is not meant to be precise in an architectural sense; however, rather than focus on the details of construction techniques, this work focuses on the importance of the stronghold in all of its forms. The tactical and strategic importance of each type of stronghold is discussed in detail to allow you to choose the structure or elements that most accurately reflect your vision of a stronghold’s function. Thus, you can create a personalized structure by quickly filling in the basic reasons for its existence, costs (to build and maintain), and staffing requirements. This should be especially handy to gamemasters needing to whip up a stronghold on short notice.

Chapters 2-8 follow an identical format for layout and progress from weakest to strongest fortification. Common features from previous chapters, however, are eliminated to give maximum detail without repetition of material.

The more fantastic elements of the fantasy setting are included, but their role has been limited in the scope of this work. This is not to say that they are of any less importance. However, in the context of strongholds, these elements do not affect the mundane qualities that truly distinguish a stronghold from other buildings in a physical way. Any of the elements described in this work can be strengthened (or weakened) through the use of magic with little difficulty and are best handled via the rules of your favored system.

With that in, mind note that the majority of the structures in this book rely chiefly on European strongholds given their prominence in fantasy literature. With a few adjustments, many of the elements described in this book can be used to create anything from a curtain wall the size of the Great Wall of China to the stepped pyramids of Mesoamerica and beyond. While the architectural elements of such structures may differ, the concepts behind the room types are the same. The veneer we dress the walls with has no bearing on the spaces themselves, only on how we look at them.

About This Series
The 10 volumes in this series cover a variety of topics from building a stronghold, benefits and drawbacks of various classifications of fortifications, and how to assault or defend them. A brief description of the volumes appears below.

Volume 1: Strongholds provides the rules for creating buildings of all kinds. Also included are guidelines for fleshing out the reason for the stronghold’s existence and placement.

Volume 2: Manor Houses focuses on the iconic building that serves more in the capacity as inns, aristocratic homes, and even farmsteads.

Volume 3: Moat House and Pillboxes adds walls, moats and guard posts to the defensive perimeter of any structure needing protection, especially the manor house.

Volume 4: Towers covers the iconic home of wizards and lookout posts and how they’re best used on plains and the highest elevations available.

Volume 5: Keeps looks at the border structure and way station that serves as the first-line defenses of a realm.

Volume 6: Motte-and-Bailey examines the reasons for and against using sculpted and artificial hills as the basis for a stronghold.

Volume 7: Lithic Structures shows how pyramids, ziggurats, and even Vaubaun fortifications can be used in a fantasy setting as last-ditch defenses and shields against some of the largest beings in the milieu.

Volume 8: Castles is the chapter that looks at how the seat of government power can serve not only in the role of ruling, but for controlling the realm as a whole.

Volume 9: Offensive Warfare details the campaign from planning and logistics to the various stages of advancement until the capital itself is placed under siege.

Volume 10: Defensive Warfare works in reverse and examines the tactics available for a nation on the losing side of an offensive advance.