Random Diversions

Mini-Review: Sennheiser MX 365 Earphones

2019-01-22T12:21:00.001-05:00

No, you're not misreading that title. This is not gaming related. I've been shopping for replacement earbuds for my SanDisk Clip Sport Plus. It came with earbuds that fit inside your ear canal, which I can't stand. I spent some time poking around Amazon and discovered there are approximately 8 billion headsets for mobile devices and cell phones available. However, most of these have the same design and features I don't want (namely, microphones). I went looking for what I guess I'd call classic earbuds and ended up with the Sennheiser MX 365, which currently lists for $13-15 US on Amazon. I've been using them for the last couple days and here are the highlights:

Extra-long, symmetrical cord. I measured it at a hair under 50 inches from the top of the earbud to the audio jack. As a really tall dude, I appreciate being able to stick my music player in my pants pocket without stooping to accommodate a short cord.
Right-angle 1/8"/3.5mm audio jack. This is personal preference, but I always find straight jacks catch on clothing.
Foam earbud covers. These fit over the speaker side of each earbud and provide a little cushioning and a better grip than the smooth plastic shell. They were a tight fit and a little hard to get on, so I don't think they'll be coming off.
Minor concern: the cord is pretty thin so durability may be an issue. For a product costing about $15, I can live with that.

The earbuds themselves are a bit larger than original Apple earbuds. They fit my ears well snugly but might be a little big for some people. I measured one of mine with the foam pad on and it is approximately 11/16"/17.5mm. Note that these headphones do not have a mic or integrated volume control. They are just earbuds.

For lightweight earbuds, the sound quality pretty darn good. I listen to classic rock, metal, folk, electronica, and ambient music. This headset delivers plenty of volume and solid bass without losing the details of the music. I'd call the overall sound warm, accurate, and well-rounded. Available tech specs are limited:

20-20,000 Hz frequency response
110 dB sound pressure level (1 kHz/1 Vrms)
32 ohm impedance

Bottom line: Thumbs up. I'm pleased with this purchase and, barring sudden failures, would buy Sennheiser's MX 365 earphones again. I chose the white option (easy to spot in a bag), but there are other color options available (the manufacturer's page says six colors, but I've only seen blue, red, and white). These earphones have a 2-year manufacturer's warranty.

Full disclosure: This post uses Amazon affiliate links.

PBE Games - Belated New Year's Update

2019-01-10T11:05:00.001-05:00

Well, I've finally gotten around to providing a year-end wrapup of PBE Games releases. I think this listing covers everything released since the last post I did in December.

I'll start things off with Hexed Places - Dead Rock Spires, which takes its name from the natural pillars and buttes that rise above its barren wastes. Ancient stone piles atop many of these prominences mark the neolithic barrows of an unknown race. Sour Creek, the only water source in this rocky desert, carries a poisonous stew of chemicals that coats the rocks along its banks with black and orange crystalline deposits. Hexed Places include GM and player maps for a 6-mile campaign hex along with descriptions of interesting locales and encounters, extra odds and ends, and a random encounter table. The simple stat blocks provided are easy to adapt to most OSR games.

Next up are three triple packs of Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. Miscellany #1, Miscellany #2, and Miscellany #3 each contain 16 quarter-size tiles, each featuring dead ends, edges, corridor style transitions, or elevation changes. They simplify connections between disparate geomorph types. All three sets are available as part of a discount bundle.

Miscellany #1 Preview

Small Dungeons and Complexes work as standalone maps or as part of a larger geomorph style dungeon. Both include player and GM versions of each style of map. Here's a summary of the six new maps that fall into these categories:

Small Dungeons #28 shows a cave complex that hides a small lake. Cages and statues hint at this locale's dark purpose.
Small Dungeons #29 is a small mine with twisting passages and a few small, rough-hewn chambers.
Small Dungeons #30 shows a traditional dungeon complex divided in two by a deep chasm.
Complexes #28 depicts a tunnel or chasm that passed between two sheer cliffs. Rooms and chambers are cut into each cliff face.
Complexes #29 is a traditional dungeon with a large central hall, outer fortifications, and many side rooms.
Complexes #30 shows a large cavern with several water features. Smaller tombs are carved into the cave's walls.

Small Dungeons Map Pack #10 and Complexes Triple Pack #10 offer the usual discount on the items above. Finally, Small Dungeons Complete pulls all 30 Small Dungeons maps into a single discount bundle.

So there you have it, the end of 2018 wrapped up with a nice bow on top. Except, you know, no wrapping paper. Or bow. Thanks as always for reading. I hope you find something useful here. Happy gaming.

Complexes 29 Preview

PBE Games - Almost Year-End Update

2018-12-13T12:00:00.000-05:00

As we wind our way to the end of the year, here's a quick update on new PBE Games releases. The first item on the list is Animal Companions, an OSR-friendly system for leveling mundane creatures such as dogs, mules, or horses. In addition to outlining rules for companion training and care, Animal Companions includes the Beastmaster, a character class that can tame powerful animal allies. You can check out an early/rough version of the material in Animal Companions right here.

Next up are about a dozen Dungeons in Blue Complexes and Small Dungeons. Both types of products feature standalone and geomorph ready versions of VTT maps drawn in the classic blue style. Here's the full list:

Complexes #22 is a traditional dungeon with a section that's under construction.
Complexes #23 depicts a good-size tomb complex with several outdoor crypts.
Complexes #24 shows a large, watery cavern surrounded by smaller caves.
Complexes Triple Pack #8 contains Complexes #22-24.
Complexes #25 depicts a sizeable central passage flanked by several smaller rooms.
Complexes #26 is a traditional dungeon containing multiple shrines and a small tomb.
Complexes #27 shows a stream-fed, underground lake in a huge cavern.
Complexes Triple Pack #9 contains Complexes #25-27.
Small Dungeons #25 shows a sewer system that dumps waste into an underground stream.
Small Dungeons #26 is a simple dungeon. Many of its rooms feature circular, perhaps magical, pools.
Small Dungeons #27 depicts a cave complex that hides a small pond.
Small Dungeons Map Pack #9 contains Small Dungeons #25-27.

Complexes #23 Preview

As usual, bundle deals offer access to multiple products at a discount.

Looking ahead, I have three Complexes, three Small Dungeons, and three sets of assorted Dungeons in Blue geomorphs in the queue for 2018. There's also one more Hexed Places waiting in the wings. Early in the new year, I'll update the Dungeons in Blue Master List to include all products released this year.

Here's a special offer for those willing to read this far: Pick up Animal Companions for a buck off using this link. This offer is good now through Christmas 2018.

Thanks, as always, for reading this update. I hope the holidays treat you well.

Staying in Touch

2018-12-07T09:29:00.002-05:00

With G+ on the way out, I've been looking at alternative channels for communication. My findings thus far are... disappointing. I joined MeWe to see what it offered and discovered it's more closely attuned to Facebook than G+. The lack of circles and group organization tools, plus the friend-approval process make it a much less useful platform for passively following people you're interested in. I've thought about digging into some of the RPG-focused Discord servers, but I'm less interested in chat than I am in thoughtful posts. I guess I need to update my RSS feeds.

My ulterior motive for this post is to create a repository for methods people can use to get in touch with me or find out what's up with PBE Games product releases. So, here's my current contact information on many platforms and how I intend to use it:

This blog is still a good place to keep up with my gaming thoughts (woefully lacking lately) and PBE Games releases. I try to post an update on new products every month or so.
I'm on MeWe and I'll be posting new PBE Games releases there as they happen. I'll also be posting updates on my YouTube channel (more on that below).
You can find me on Twitter, which I also use to announce product releases. I sometimes post random humor and IT security news from time to time, and I'll be posting YouTube updates here too.
I'm still on G+ and will be until the end.
You can also use the PBE Games contact form to hit me up via email.
PBE Games on DriveThruRPG is right here.

Finally, I've just started a YouTube channel that's going to feature me playing a variety of video games. I soft-launched this a week or so back, and I'm still working out some of the tech details, but, if you're interested in video games, I hope you'll take a peek. The first series I'm doing is a let's play of Minecraft Stoneblock, but I'm starting a let's play Path of Exile series when the Betrayal league launches.

So, I think that covers the bases. I'll keep this post pinned to my G+ profile and update it when/if things change.

Edit: See my Where to Find Me profile here: https://wheretofind.me/@mthomas768

PBE Games - Product Update

2018-11-09T10:58:00.001-05:00

Here's a quick update on PBE Games titles released in September, October, and early November, starting with a new Hexed Places:

Sangha Jungle lies at the heart of an extensive tropical wilderness. The isolated location holds a variety of unusual creatures from an older era, as well as modern interlopers. A swamp, the Sucking Mire, stretches across the northwest portion of the region, making travel a slow and hazardous process. Southeast of the Mire, the ruin of the Shrine of Flowing Flame stands atop a lonely hill and offers visitors a view of the smoking peak of Ratnak, an active volcano. Who or what destroyed the shrine remains a mystery. Beyond Ratnak lies the Burned Land, a scorched waste of lava flows, blackened and dead trees, and soot-stained rock.

Complexes #20 Preview

New Dungeons in Blue products include six new Complexes and their associated Triple Packs:

Complexes #16 shows a traditional dungeon with many large pillar-lined rooms. An outdoor altar graces the dungeon entrance.
Complexes #17 is a network of large caverns surrounding an underground lake.
Complexes #18 shows a traditional dungeon complex with a large throne room and many narrow side corridors.
Complexes #19 depicts a lava-filled cave with many crystalline growths and steamy geysers.
Complexes #20 shows an underground arena surrounded by bleachers and a network of cage-filled rooms for beasts or gladiators.
Complexes #21 depicts a network of oddly regular, circular caves. Some contain pools of water; others hold strange objects.
Complexes Triple Pack #6 contains Complexes #16, #17 and #18.
Complexes Triple Pack #7 contains Complexes #19, #20 and #21.

I've also published three new Small Dungeons:

Dungeons in Blue - Small Dungeons #22 depicts a simple cave complex with a few hidden secrets.
Dungeons in Blue - Small Dungeons #23 shows an outdoor space that passes between two cliffs. Fortifications guard this choke

point.
Dungeons in Blue - Small Dungeons #24 is an underground complex with several large interconnected chambers adorned with statues and strange objects.
Small Dungeons Map Pack #8 contains Small Dungeons #22, #23 and #24.

Finally, I've published a few one-off add-ons for Dungeons in Blue. Floor Grid is a single image of the floor pattern I use for all geomorphs. Dungeon builders can use it to cover unwanted features or carve out new rooms in existing tiles. Rock Formations contains close to 400 boulders, stones, crystals, and stalagmites plus a number of rock clusters and rough stone walls, all laid out in a single PNG image with a transparent background. Customize your Dungeons in Blue creations by cutting and pasting individual components into your geomorphic maps. Note that a handful of boulders and stalagmites from this set have appeared in previous Dungeons in Blue releases (notably Icon Packs One and Two), but there are still over 350 unique items in this product.

Small Dungeons #23 Preview

Looking ahead, the remainder of November and December should see the release of nine more Complexes, six additional Small Dungeons, and a set of miscellaneous tiles for Dungeons in Blue. I'll also be publishing another Hexed Places, Dead Rock Spires, and Animal Companions, a supplement for OSR games that adds leveling to party pets and beasts of burden, expanding upon ideas I wrote about here. It also includes the Beastmaster, a class inspired by a certain fantasy movie...

That's it for now. As always, thanks for reading and happy gaming!

Tile of the Week #116 + Product Update

2018-08-17T11:51:00.003-04:00

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry plus some information on a few new PBE Games releases. This tile is a half-size sewer geomorph with several connected rooms and corridors.

Tile 116 - Player Version

All Tile of the Week images are free for private use. You can download the images above using right-click/save as. Each tile is a 100px per five-foot square image, sized for compatibility with Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. The entire Tile of the Week Collection is also available as a pay what you want bundle if you're feeling lazy, and I'll be updating this soonish to include the last eight or ten tiles posted here.

I've also published a handful (a big handful, actually) of new Mega Tiles and Complexes. For those unfamiliar, Mega Tiles are single quad-size tiles that are compatible with other Dungeons in Blue geomorphs. Complexes are dual-purpose, quad-size tiles. They include both a standalone version you can use as a one-shot dungeon and a geomorph-ready version you can add to a larger creation.

Mega Tile 38 Preview

Here's the brief summary of all the new products, along with a couple of product previews:

Complexes #13 shows a system of large caves that contain a small lake. The area is only reachable via holes in the ceiling.
Complexes #14 depicts a traditional dungeon with large, pillar-filled halls and chambers, two shrines, and a room with a huge, empty dais in the center.
Complexes #15 shows a large chasm or tunnel with two outdoor entrances. Various rooms and tunnels are carved into its sides.
Complexes Triple Pack #5 is a discount bundle containing all three of these products.
Mega Tile #36 depicts an enormous underground chamber surrounded by smaller rooms and four shrines.
Mega Tile #37 is a cave complex with many statues scattered throughout. An underground river, crossed by a bridge, cuts across one corner.
Mega Tile #38 features a traditional dungeon complex with several prominent features and new construction along one side.
Mega Tile #39 shows a cavern complex divided by a cliff face. Traditional dungeon corridors and rooms fill one corner of the geomorph.
Mega Tile #40 shows a single huge chamber containing many smaller rooms. A river featuring docks and bridges divides the space.
Mega Tile Five Pack #8 bundles all five new Mega Tiles into a single package at a discounted price.
Mega Tile Big Deal #2 offers a larger discount on Mega Tiles 21 to 40.

Complexes 14 Preview

With that, I believe I'm caught up with new releases. Thanks for reading and happy gaming!

Tile of the Week #115

2018-07-20T10:57:00.000-04:00

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. It's a full-size tile that shows a section of sewer tunnel with several connected rooms and corridor nearby.

Player Version

Tile of the Week #114

2018-07-06T12:20:00.000-04:00

I haven't done a Tile of the Week entry in a while, so... here you go. This is a standard-size geomorph that depicts an underground river that feeds a lake. Someone or something has built a bridge over the river and carved out a chamber nearby. Underground rivers and lakes are also the theme of the recently released Dungeons in Blue - Waterways Pack, which contains 27 full-size geomorphs, each with a water feature. You can see a preview of one of the included tile sets at the end of this post.

Tile 114 - Player Version

Waterways One Preview

PBE Games - New (and Not So New) Releases

2018-05-25T12:02:00.003-04:00

It looks like the last PBE Games update I did was sometime in March, so I guess I'd better catch things up. I've released a dozen new products since my last post on the subject, so without further ado...

The High Density Bundle contains three new Dungeons in Blue geomorph sets that feature dense room layouts with lots of twisty corridors and confusing connections. Each of the sets is also available individually.

High Density One Preview

Three new Dungeons in Blue Complexes are standalone maps suitable for a one-shot adventure that also include geomorph-ready versions you can use to create a more elaborate dungeon or cavern complex.

Complexes #10 is a gauntlet of rooms and corridors filled with tricks and traps. It's the perfect challenge for a group of McGuffin seekers.
Complexes #11 depicts a maze of sewer tunnels. Place this dungeon beneath a town and populate it with your favorite filthy foes.
Complexes #12 shows a natural cavern complex with water features. Someone has excavated a tomb complex along the north side of these caves.
Complexes Triple Pack #4 is a discount bundle containing all three of the listed Complexes.

Complexes Eleven Preview

I've also finished off four new One Page tables. They're listed below, and they, along with the previously released One Page #26: Crafting Components are available in the One Page Pack #6 discount bundle.

One Page #27 Town Folk lists twenty villagers and city dwellers, each with his or her own problem. Use them to populate any fantasy town or hamlet.
One Page #28 Dungeon Features provides strange objects and odd terrain for your underground environment, each with its own trick or twist.
One Page #29 Minor Magic contains twenty magic items you can add to any fantasy role-playing game. Most have a single minor but useful power, but a few also temper benefits with consequences.
One Page #30 Trail Travails offers twenty minor obstacles and encounters that are ready to add to any cross-country trip.

I think that brings things up to date. Upcoming titles include two new Hexed Places, a dozen or so additional Complexes, new Mega Tiles, and a few random Dungeons in Blue tile sets.

Thanks, as always, for reading. Happy gaming!

The Campaign TiddlyWiki - Now Available

2018-04-22T09:33:00.000-04:00

I've put some polish on my blank campaign organizer TiddlyWiki and I think it's now in a state where sharing it isn't totally embarrassing. It's still a bit rough around the edges, and I'll try to keep the file updated as I make changes and enhancements. You can find the TiddlyWiki file here:

The GM TiddlyWiki

You can check out the content live on the web or right-click/save as to create a local copy you can edit and use for your own game. The TiddlyWiki includes some introductory material on how to use it but assumes some basic knowledge of what TiddlyWiki is. Of course, the file is set up to match my GMing style so it may not meet your needs, but, at the very least, it demonstrates some of the techniques I've talked about here on the blog.

Enjoy!

The Campaign TiddlyWiki: Tags

2018-03-16T09:47:00.000-04:00

Last time I wrote about TiddlyWiki, I focused on overall organization and various tricks and methods for structuring tables of contents and lists of tagged tiddlers. Today I'm going to dive into some actual applications for these techniques.

Read more »

PBE Games - A Very Minor Update

2018-03-15T14:05:00.001-04:00

PBE Games hasn't published much since the last update I did as part of a Tile of the Week post, but here's a brief note about the most recent Dungeons in Blue releases.

Elevations - 16 geomorphs all depict staircases and level changes. While plenty of tiles have stairs leading to other levels, these add variations within a single level.
Base and Expansion A to Z Pack - This discount bundle includes all standard and expansion tile sets (Set A to Z and Expansion Set A to Z).
Special Tiles Pack - Another big bundle that includes all the oddball geomorph sets plus the various icon and room packs. Like the Base and Expansion pack, this bundle features a hefty discount.

I do have several sets in the pipe, including two more Complexes bundles, and a triple pack of high-density geomorphs (you can see a preview from one high density set here). I also have two more One Page products and another Hexed Places ready to roll.

So, like the title says, a very minor update. Thanks, as always, for checking things out.

Organizing an RPG Campaign with TiddlyWiki

2018-03-01T15:42:00.003-05:00

This is rambly because I touch on several different topics related to TiddlyWiki (TW5). As I mentioned in my last post about using this software, I'm doing a sort of in-house review of how I've used it in the past to keep track of game-related notes. The first thing I want to touch on today is the good and bad of using TiddlyWiki.

It's simple to record textual information and apply basic formatting like headers or bullets. If you can remember a half-dozen bits of markup, you can probably create an easy-to-read wiki.
It's less easy to apply more complex formatting, like tables. While there's markup to support advanced HTML and apply CSS, unless you have some understanding of these subjects, it's a little time-consuming.
TiddlyWiki is great at linking up disparate bits of information, and tags are awesome tools for structuring your data. In fact, I'm going to talk a little bit more about tag organization in a bit.
Updating information at the gaming table can be challenging. Switching between view and edit mode for individual tiddlers, especially if you use transclusion, can be a big distraction.

So, where does that leave me in my thinking? First, all background material for my campaigns is going into TiddlyWiki. For me, it's the ideal repository for historic, governmental, NPC, religion, regional, and city data, as well as other general documents. I'll also use it for rules notes and system information that I need to keep handy. When it comes to specific encounter and session planning, things get a little fuzzier. I've done sessions where literally everything is stored in TiddlyWiki, and it just doesn't work in all cases. Scrolling back and forth to find specific information on a creature for an encounter or notes on a room in a dungeon is more of a distraction than a boon. I think the breakdown for me is something like this:

The session outline/summary goes into TiddlyWiki.
Locale descriptions get wikied.
Encounter details and stat blocks get committed to paper.

Managing an encounter or combat is so much simpler when you can scribble down hit point updates, changes to the environment, or conditions without worrying about which tiddler you need to edit and how stuff needs to be formatted. If data does need to be updated in TiddlyWiki, I think a journal summary of the changes (which can double as a session log), is the way to go.

Now that I have a general idea what I want to store, I can think a bit about how to do it more effectively. I've been toying with my blank campaign wiki a bit over the last few days. Specifically, I've been tweaking tags and sidebars. Tags are labels you can apply to any tiddler, and they can also be tiddlers themselves. Sidebars are navigation panels to the right side of the story area (where open tiddlers are displayed). By default, TiddlyWiki has four sidebars:

Open displays a list of tiddlers that are currently open.
Recent shows a historic list of tiddler activity.
The Tools panel gives you access to a bunch of TiddlyWiki functionality.
The More sidebar lists specific tiddler categories: tags, missing, recent, orphans, etc.

The real power here is you can add custom sidebars, and I'm going to use them to add three tables of contents to my notes. Based on past games and the thinking above, the data I store falls into three broad categories: Campaign notes about the game world, System documents for house rules and mechanics, and Wiki parts like templates and blank sample tiddlers. So, step one is to create three tiddlers called Campaign, System, and Wiki, and tag each one with $:/tags/SideBar, which automatically turns them into sidebars. I'm also going to use system fields in each to put them in the order I want. The list-before field tells TiddlyWiki to show the current tiddler before the one listed in the field; list-after means list it after (duh). The image to the left shows my new custom sidebar layout with my three tiddlers front and center. One side note: I also tag each of these tiddlers with contents, which is not the same as the Contents tiddler. I'll talk about this in a bit.

So, what goes into these three tiddlers? As you might guess, a table of contents (TOC) of everything tagged with campaign, system, or wiki. Creating an expandable TOC is simple:

     {{||H3}}
     <div class="tc-table-of-contents">
         <<toc-selective-expandable "campaign" "sort[title]">>
     </div>

     {{contents}}

This bit of markup has a template that shows a header, uses a built-in macro to create the campaign TOC, sorted by title, and, finally, transcludes the contents tiddler (which, if you remember, tags all three of the sidebar tiddlers).

Confused yet? The reason for this bit of trickery is to avoid tagging a sidebar with any tag that might show up in its TOC. That creates a recursive loop that causes Bad Things (TM) to happen. Using this method, I can quickly access the sidebar tiddlers. The Contents tiddler I mentioned earlier contains TOC listings for the campaign, system, and wiki tags and serves as the default TiddlyWiki homepage.

The final step in all this is creating tiddlers for the top level tags in each category. If you look at the sidebar image above, you can see some of the tags I've created, and how the toc-selective-expandable macro works. Briefly, each entry, bestiary, for example, is a tiddler tagged with campaign that contains a {{||DLIST}} template. Anything tagged with bestiary is automatically categorized under the appropriate tag, as you can see in the expanded npc entry, which shows Agent Blue both as an NPC, and as a gvtnpc, my shorthand for government NPC.

Now, this is not *exactly* the behavior I want. If I have 200 NPCs, the underlying tags are going to get lost in the shuffle. I may end up adding a layer here and only tag NPC tiddlers with the appropriate sub-tag.

OK, so this is longer than I expected, but I hope it's shown you some of the power of TiddlyWiki (or offered some useful advise if you're already a convert).

TiddlyWiki - Templates

2018-02-25T13:01:00.000-05:00

I recently finished running two campaigns: Daruna, which ended in an epic battle that brought things to a satisfying conclusion, and the Colony, which was... less good. As part of my post-campaign shutdown process, I take a look at the TiddlyWiki for each campaign to see if I can improve my GM notes and recordkeeping. As usual, I find some new features and tricks that I roll back into my customized empty GM wiki. Today, I'm going to talk a bit about templates for TiddlyWiki.

Read more »

Tile of the Week #113

2018-02-23T11:16:00.000-05:00

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. This is the fourth of four tiles that use a high-density room/corridor style. I have a full set of similar tiles in the pipeline.

Tile of the Week 113 - Player

The Colony - Down for the Count

2018-02-22T07:40:00.002-05:00

Sadly, it looks like this game is done. We've been experiencing some significant player ennui over the last month or so, and I feel like I'm paddling against the current to keep the campaign running. I'm going to have a talk with the remaining players to see if we can find a path forward, but I think we're probably below critical mass. For now, I'm going to forget about it and play some Path of Exile.

TiddlyWiki - Lists and Fields

2018-02-20T08:59:00.000-05:00

I've written a few posts about using TiddlyWiki 5 (TW5) to manage campaign notes. Recently, I've been playing around with lists and tags in hopes of better organizing some categories of information, specifically, NPCs.

A quick summary of the TW5 features I'll talk about today for those who are unfamiliar:

TW5 is a single-file wiki you can keep on your computer.
It stores chunks of information, called tiddlers, you can link together.
A markup language makes it simple to format (most) content.
You can tag tiddlers with labels that are also tiddlers.

The Colony - A Speedy Advance to Failure

2018-02-19T12:55:00.003-05:00

Crossbow bolts from the dark tunnels ahead put the party on high alert. They've been here before, and know they're at a disadvantage against foes that can see in the dark.

Read more »

Tile of the Week #112

2018-02-16T11:13:00.000-05:00

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. This is the third of four tiles that use a high-density room/corridor style. I have a full set of similar tiles in the pipeline.

Tile of the Week 113 - Player

The Colony - Rescue Efforts

2018-02-15T08:48:00.000-05:00

After Rennard falls into some sort of trap or illusion, the group starts immediate rescue efforts. This is a relatively brief update because the party wasn't really sure what they were dealing with.

Start Date: August 25th, morning
Start Status: Paladin Dive Competition
Start Location: ???

Adventuring: Rennard, Jinx, Brigg, Smoke, Zenobe
At the Tulip: Castor, Hagan, Xon, Aaron

Read more »

The Colony - I Just Do Eyes

2018-02-13T13:25:00.002-05:00

Back in the depths, the party decides to secure the gem eyes from the frog-thing statue. There are mutterings about statues coming to life, but we know that can't happen, right?

Start Date: August 25th, morning
Start Status: Swimming Hole
Start Location: ???

Adventuring: Rennard, Jinx, Brigg, Smoke, Zenobe
At the Tulip: Castor, Hagan, Xon, Aaron

The Turn

The initial survey of the area around the portal reveals no immediate threat, so the group members turn their collective attention to... loot. Specifically the fire opals in the frog-like statue in the center of the murky pool. Smoke takes the lead on recovering the gems, which are just out of reach from the edge of the former fountain. Before beginning she makes another circuit of the area, including the alcove/hall to the north, listening at each door. Silence. Next, she heads to the pool. "I don't like the look of this water, but I guess there's not much choice."

Read more »

The Colony - Home and Hearth

2018-02-11T08:19:00.000-05:00

Start Date: August 24th
Start Status: On the Road Again...
Start Location: The White Tulip

Adventuring: Rennard, Jinx, Brigg, Smoke, Zenobe
At the Tulip: Castor, Hagan, Xon, Aaron

The Turn

[August 23rd]

When they returned to the Tulip, the party sent a letter to the Vine mansion in New Kavlin, outlining their progress and requesting any information on the golem roaming the upper mine.

Several hours after the party delivers the note to the Vine mansion in New Kavlin, Dunvel Woring (captain of the Vine mercenary force arrives at the White Tulip along with two of his cohort. He asks to speak to whoever is returning to the Silverstream Mine so he can coordinate taking two squads of his men, supported by a squad of city soldiers, out to blockade the road and protect the surrounding area from any intrusions. He also brings a small package and a letter from Jinel Vine herself.

The package contains five certificates of credit (*), each worth 100 GP, drawn on house Vine. The letter, written in Jinel Vine's own hand, congratulates the party on their efforts thus far and indicates the cash is a bonus for pressing the investigation so quickly and diligently. She says the golem is part of the mine's equipment (and that she's surprised it's still operational). She shares the golem's name "Pickhand" and suggests the party tries to shut it down to prevent it from causing damage using the command phrase "Pickhand, cease digging."

She indicates she's contacted Mayor Tiern concerning the potential threat from the depths, and she, in turn, has authorized the use of city forces to protect the region. She also says this does not change her agreement with the party. The group is still in charge of delving into the mine and the depths beyond. As she understands it, the military forces are setting a perimeter half a mile down the road and alerting local inhabitants to the potential threat. She brings the letter to a close with another word of thanks.

(*) Certificates of credit are used to exchange larger amounts of currency. They're basically paper money backed by a particular organization or family. You can redeem them for cash with the issuing group. Most money lenders or other prominent organizations/merchant houses will also accept them, but they may not redeem them for face value.

[August 24th]

Various party members spend the day cleaning and repairing equipment, shopping for supplies and relaxing after their extended delve. They also take care of a few administrative details.

They pay another month's rent (180 GP) to Mosk, using two of the certificates received from Lady Vine. He gives them 10 GP + 100 SP as change.

Castor, Aaron, and Xon visit the Vine mansion in New Kavlin to exchange the remaining three certificates for coin, which takes about an hour. The receive 40 GP and 2600 SP in exchange, which makes the walk back to the White Tulip hauling several sacks of coins a bit nerve-wracking (that's ~70 pounds of coins). Once back, they split the currency among the party members, and store some against future group needs.

Smoke continues her herbalism brewing in the kitchen that evening and seems moderately pleased with the results.

[Someone allocate cash so everyone can update character sheets and Joe can update the group treasure sheet.]

[August 25th]

Brigg is first up and wakes everyone else before dawn. "Let's get moving! I don't want to waste daylight!" The others respond with various levels of grousing and grumbling, but the party is on the road in short order. By the time they reach the gate, the sun is up and it looks like they have a nice day for a walk.

The party heads for the farmhouse near the Silverstream and are surprised to find it occupied. The commander of the army squad has established his headquarters there. There are a few tense moments when the sentries order the party to halt, but everyone relaxes once the group identifies itself. Lieutenant Sharz tells them that he and Dunvel Woring have established several camps around the mine entrance at a distance of half a mile and placed a checkpoint on the road. He has a rough map showing the area and emplacements. Seeing matters are well in hand, the group takes their leave, passes through the checkpoint back on the road and heads to the mine proper.

They make a slow approach to the outbuildings and tunnel, but nothing seems disturbed. The driving rain the other day wiped out any tracks around the entrance, and the area appears undisturbed. They spend an hour watching before advancing and checking the buildings. The uncovered corpse (the blanket is tangled in nearby undergrowth) lies near the entrance, creating quite a stink.

Inside the mine, Brigg takes the lead as the group sweeps the upper level for intruders. The only thing they find is the mining golem, still at work in the southeast chamber. "Time to try out Lady Vine's command." says Zenobe, who steps forward and says, "Pickhand, cease digging!" in a loud voice. The golem stops hammering the rock, turns, faces Zenobe, and goes still.

"Guess she'll be happy about that," says Jinx. Now that the golem is still, it's easy to see the damage it's suffered. Its pick-like hands are bent and twisted from constant hammering, and the compartment in its chest is missing half the panels that hold the ore in place.

"If they can repair it, this place will be productive in no time," says Smoke.

"Only if we do our job," answers Rennard. "Let's go."

The group completes its sweep of the first level and finds no surprises. They descend the ladder and perform the same sweep of the lower level. [They also search a very specific location because they meta-game a GM mapping error and find a secret chamber that contains nothing.] Everything is quiet, so they go to the portal room, also empty.

"Everyone ready?" asks Smoke. The others nod, so she puts her hand on the sphere. The usual light show occurs. The room at the other end of the trip is empty and still. "Lights out," whispers Rennard. "We wait until we're sure we can escape."

The group members wait ten minutes (they think) before heading up the stairs. The hall is also quiet. This time they have a plan for exploration. They check the double doors across the corridor from the stairway and find they really are rusted shut. Brigg listens but hears nothing. Next, they check the doors north of the frog-thing statue and pool. These are now ajar and open into a short north-south corridor that ends in another set of closed double doors. The south doors in the frog-pool room wiggle a bit when Rennard tests them; Brigg hears nothing when he listens. Ditto for the other set of doors in the east-west hall.

"OK, it seems like everything is quiet here. What now?" asks Smoke.

End Date: August 25th, morning
End Status: Back in Blackness
End Location: ???

Tile of the Week #111

2018-02-09T11:09:00.000-05:00

Here is another Tile of the Week entry. This is the second of four tiles that use a high-density room/corridor style. I have a full set of similar tiles in the pipeline.

Tile of the Week 111 - Player

The Colony - Bait and Switch

2018-02-03T15:10:00.002-05:00

The teleporter recharge cycle gives a few minutes respite, and the party uses the time to set an ambush. Rennard trots up the stairs to ensure the exit path is clear while those with ranged weapons take position near the bottom of the long staircase. Brigg and Zenobe place torches where they'll light the portal circle and Zenobe prepares an oil flask for throwing.

Rennard reports the passages above are clear, at least to the statue room and he, along with everyone else, settles in to wait. Time passes and Brigg says, "That should be long enough for the teleporter to recharge. Be ready!"

More time passes. After another 10 or 15 minutes, Smoke starts getting twitchy. "I don't think they're coming. I told you they were moving down the tunnel to the west. I think we scared them off. Should we go back for those gems?"

"No. They may be setting a trap of their own, and we're pretty beat up," answers Jinx. "I say we head to town to rest and recover. We can fill in the others and see if there's any news."

A few more minutes pass, and finally, Zenobe says, "Right, let's go!" Brigg trots around the platform and grabs the extra torch while the others cover him, then everyone heads upstairs. "Give me a minute," says Brigg. He pulls out a spike and drives it under the edge of the door leading to the stairs. It's a tight fit and may or may not hold. "At least we'll know if something comes through."

The party resumes their usual marching order and heads back through the statue room, setting off the disembodied voice once again. North, through the passages, then east and south through the mine tunnels to the shaft leading up. After climbing the ladder, they head south and out into an intense storm. Gusty winds shake the trees and the heavy rain turns the open area around the mine entrance into a muddy mess. "Great," mutters Smoke. "Soaking wet again."

The party starts marching and makes reasonable time. They arrive at the gates of New Kavlin shortly after noon and are at the White Tulip 20 minutes later. As the adventurers dry off, clean up and eat a hot meal, Castor and Zenobe tend wounds and Brigg, Jinx and Smoke update the others on the events of the expedition. Castor shares his story and updates the travelers on recent departures (Mendel and Adrienne). Hagan mentions Chance and her interest in getting involved with the group's adventures.

End Date: August 23rd, early afternoon
End Status: Home
End Location: The White Tulip, New Kavlin

As a brief follow up, each member of the party earned 540 XP for this trip. A rather paltry amount, but they recovered no treasure and only recorded a few kills -- possessed miners, a possessed ogre, and a couple rocktopuses. Sometimes they should listen more closely to Smoke's advice, I think. Those fire opals... nothing could go wrong from taking those, could it?

Tile of the Week #110

2018-02-02T11:06:00.000-05:00

Here is today's Tile of the Week entry. This is the first of four tiles that use a high-density room/corridor style. I have a full set of similar tiles in the pipeline.

Tile of the Week 110 - Player

Terminations Two - A set of 16 quarter-sized tiles, each with three or more dead ends. Using these tiles, you can bring a variety of corridor styles to a finished-looking end.
Odds and Ends - A discount bundle that includes six sets of geomorphs: Transitions Two, Border Bits, Labyrinths, Entries and Exits Revisited, Terminations, and Terminations Two.
Mega Tile Five Pack #7 - Another discount bundle that includes the five most recent Mega Tiles (numbers 31 to 35). Individual tiles are also available separately, of course.

Here is a pair of previews of the items above.

Terminations Two Preview

Mega Tile Thirty Five Preview