Getting Back Into Magic After a Brief (30 Year) Hiatus

Sorry about the lack of updates, y'all. The gambling addiction that menaced my youth has resurfaced to threaten the sanity and finances of my current self. I speak, of course, of Magic the Gathering (MtG). And I have my own flesh and blood to blame!

Let's back up a bit.

The first boosters I bought since Homelands. Photo taken back in February.

"A planes walking wizard! Prepare to duel!"
"Stay thy hand! I wish only to parley."
"Okay. Sure. What do you want to talk about?"
"Where am I? I awakened to find myself in this strange, yet familiar place."
"What's the last thing you remember?"
"The Dark. The fall of empires. An age of ice. Homelands. I ended up frozen in a glacier."
"Wow. You've been out of the game for a long time. At least thirty years."
"WHAT?!"

I'm coming back to MtG after a thirty year gap. And processing the past three decades of the game's developments - it's a lot.

I lay the blame on two of my children and my wife. One of my sons expressed interest in the Final Fantasy expansion. My daughter bought him a Final Fantasy starter set for Christmas. I pulled my thirty year old collection out of storage to show it to him. Then I looked into what was out there for MtG and made the mistake of mentioning the existence of the Doctor Who expansion to my wife.

My wife is a lifelong Doctor Who fan.

And then the buying frenzy started. We've sent way too much money to Wizards of the Coast (WotC) and stores that sell their products.

Of course, I'm overstating things for comedic effect. I take full responsibility for my part in our family's MtG antics. I'm just not taking all the blame.

We've implemented a budget to keep the MtG spending under control. One thing I've done personally is curb the number of boosters I've been buying. Boosters are fine if the goal is to bulk out a collection, but they're a gamble if the goal is getting a specific card. Buying the particular card needed for a deck gets to the point much more efficiently. Something else I'm doing is looking for deals on booster bundles and pre-release packs. It's still a gamble, but it's cheaper than buying the boosters individually.


"Help me get my bearings. What's the latest expansion?"
"In universe, that would be Secrets of Strixhaven. The current one is a Universes Beyond product."
"Universes Beyond?"
"WotC started releasing products not set in Dominaria or any other in-setting plane awhile back."
"You mean like Arabian Nights?"
"More like licensed properties."
"Licenses carefully curated to fit into the existing Magic setting?"
"No."
"Can you give me an example?"
"The current Universes Beyond product is Marvel Superheroes."
"Like Marvel Comics?"
"Yes, although there are movies now."
"..."
"It's set in New York City."
"Okay. What about the one before that?
"Teenaged Mutant Ninja Turtles."
"Are you fucking serious?"
"Also set in New York City."
"TMNT's still around? They were overexposed thirty years ago!"
"What can I say? What goes around, comes around?"

I'm not a fan of every IP featured in Universe Beyond (UB). There are some I like and others I have no interest in, but I don't begrudge others the joy they feel when they see their favorites on cardboard. I feel the same joy when I see my favorites on MtG cards.

And, let's face it, UB isn't going anywhere as long as it makes Hasbro's investors money.


"Walk with me, my Commander pod is meeting up in the next town."
"Commander? Is that another game like Magic?"
"Oh, yeah. I should explain formats."

There's a bunch of different ways to play MtG these days. I'm not going through a complete list, because it's a long one. Let's focus on the ones I've actually played.

My main focus is Commander due to its social aspect. Basically it's casual multiplayer MtG with some modified rules. Commander started off as Elder Dragon Highlander, a game developed to kill time in between tournament rounds. WotC made it an official format awhile back and now it can't be put back in the bottle. The feel is similar to a board game. Perfect for a beer and pretzels night when a TTRPG session gets cancelled.

We've also played Draft as a way to justify all the boosters we've been buying. Everybody shows up with three booster packs, opens them, passes them around picking cards, tries to make a functioning deck with the resulting pile of cardboard (adding basic lands as necessary), pairs off, and plays. Dueling like this is closer to my old MtG days. My son is far better at it than I am.

Limited is also fun. It uses Jumpstart booster packs made for purpose. Each player buys two Jumpstart packs, opens them, shuffles them together, pairs off, and plays. Quick and easy. All it takes is money, but Jumpstart boosters offer more cardboard for fewer dollars.


"What happened to all the flavor text on the cards?"
"Officially, the Magic's increasing complexity demands that explaining what the card does gets priority over presenting lore."
"That seems reasonable."
"Personally, I think it's because worldbuilding doesn't make money."

Buckle up! It's rant time!

Not putting flavor text on cards does more damage to Magic's story than anything else, including UB. A player can easily go through an expansion with little idea of what happened in universe. Most of the story is told on the MtG site. Secrets of Strixhaven was the first set in years to be featured in a novel. Other than that, fans are left to hunt down the story.

Mark Rosewater's explanation that the space is needed for rules text is reasonable for mechanically complex pieces. But the nth reprint of a straightforward card? A quote, a short description, or tiny vignette sheds a ray of light into what's happening in a set.

The decades-long move away from flavor text puts much of the burden on the art. Returning characters are easily recognizable thanks to the work of the artists, but new ones need to be important enough to warrant their own cards for us to learn their names. The art alone can't provide the context needed to justify an Old West setting. The artists did a beautiful job with Aetherdrift, but players were left bewildered at the presence of car races in their fantasy setting. And players might not realize why the set symbol for Edge of Eternities is a black hole without knowing the lore.

With flavor text, reading the card explains the setting. It's not a substitute for longer texts that offer more detail, but it plays its own small role in conveying the story.


"Black Lotus still unbelievably expensive?"
"Oh, yeah."

It's somehow comforting to know that the Power Nine will always be out of reach of the vast majority of us.


"WotC spent awhile kicking itself in the tender bits and otherwise self-sabotaging the image it presents to its own customer base. Much of it involved D&D, but there have been plenty of mishaps involving Magic. More misprints. Delays in shipping exclusive products like Secret Lair."
"Secret Lair?"
"Limited availability cardboard. Exclusive to the MtG site. People get up early just to get a place in the virtual line. WotC typically runs out of stock while folks are still waiting to check out with one in their cart."
"Fucking late stage capitalism."
"Yeah. There was also the Pinkerton thing awhile back. That really stood out."
"The Pinkertons? Those union busting thugs who commit thuggery for corporate money and never meet a civil right they wouldn't trample? Those Pinkertons?"
"The very same. Oh, and speaking of union busting..."
"SON OF A..."

WotC can't seem to resist stepping on rakes. There seems to be a PR incident ranging from "black eye" to "disaster" once a quarter, at least.

I've spent years despising WotC over Dungeons & Dragons. Now I get to sneer with contempt at them for a completely different set of reasons.


"Oh, they have spacecraft now."
"Like in Star Trek?"
"Oh, that doesn't come out until November."

Edge of Eternities is one of my favorite sets and I'm looking forward to the Star Trek expansion. Yes, spacecraft don't fit the fantasy vibe. Don't care.

2026 Character Creation Challenge Speed Run: Another NPC Adventuring Party for OSE

Entries for January 13-18.

This is another rival, but not necessarily evil, party of NPC adventurers for use in our ongoing OSE Advanced Fantasy campaign. The previous bunch were made up of traditional character classes and backgrounds. This one experiments with some of the new stuff introduced in various issues of Carcass Crawler. I used Necrotic Gnome's NPC generator to create the initial stats and modified them to fit, since it doesn't offer the full range of options I was trying out. I also used Fantasy Name Generators to inspire the names. As before, all alignments are listed as to be determined (TBD).

This was the only photo with my copies of Carcass Crawler that I had handy.

Cleeg, Goblin Assassin

Level 3 Assassin (NPC)
Armour Class 7 [12] (leather armour + shield)
Hit Points 7
Attacks 1 × dagger (1d4)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 90' (30')
Saves D11 W12 P11 B16 S13
Alignment TBD
STR 10 INT 9 WIS 7
DEX 9 CON 9 CHA 10
Items None

Cleeg is underwhelming as an assassin, but the talents from his goblin heritage go some way to making up for that. He mainly serves as a scout while looking for a chance to strike from the shadows. Cleeg's biggest worry is that somebody will discover that he owes his training not to the Assassin's Guild, but to a secret cabal of goblins who operate in competition to them.


Vester Costigan, Mutoid Thief

Level 3 Thief (NPC)
Armour Class 2 [17] (leather armour)
Hit Points 8
Attacks 1 × two-handed sword (1d10+1) or sling (1d4+1)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 90' (30')
Saves D13 W14 P13 B16 S15
Alignment TBD
STR 12 INT 9 WIS 11
DEX 18 CON 9 CHA 12
Items Two-handed sword +1, Sling +1
Special Scales

Vester is descended from a noble family that was on the losing side of a secession dispute. They ended up being imprisoned and experimented on by the new court wizard. Another regime change resulted in them being released. With nowhere else to turn, the surviving Costigans came to live in the hidden spaces of the capitol. Vester dreamed of becoming a great warrior, but found himself employed as an enforcer by the Thieves' Guild. He finds the life of an adventurer to be more to his liking.


"Crown of Thorns" Mycelian Cleric

Level 3 Cleric (NPC)
Armour Class 4 [15] (chainmail + shield)
Hit Points 9
Attacks 1 × mace (1d6+2) or 1 × spell
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D11 W12 P14 B16 S15
Alignment TBD
STR 16 INT 11 WIS 15
DEX 9 CON 12 CHA 11
Spells cure light wounds (cause light wounds), light (darkness)
Items Chainmail + 1

"Crown of Thorns" isn't their name, but simply what others call them. Exactly how Crown joined a major church and rose up to be an adventuring warrior-priest is something that they are keeping to themselves. However, his status is accepted without question by members of his church. Crown normally casts the reversed form of light to counter their sensitivity to bright light. They are also seeking leads on something called an "umbrella" to help with sunlight exposure.


Ornella, Tiefling Bard

Level 3 Bard (NPC)
Armour Class 2 [17] (chainmail)
Hit Points 15
Attacks 1 × sword (1d8+2)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D13 W14 P13 B16 S15
Alignment TBD
STR 10 INT 10 WIS 9
DEX 16 CON 11 CHA 14
Spells entangle, speak with animals [See Advanced Fantasy]
Items Sword +2 (Venger) [See Advanced Fantasy]

Ornella sees herself as a warrior poet. She's not far off with her swift movements and prized magical sword. That stated, she's still a hit whenever she performs with her lyra.


Caeda Varajor, Wood Elf Ranger

Level 3 Ranger (NPC)
Armour Class 6 [13] (leather armour)
Hit Points 12
Attacks 1 × two-handed sword (1d10+3) or spear (1d6+3)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 90' (30')
Saves D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
Alignment TBD
STR 16 INT 9 WIS 14
DEX 15 CON 10 CHA 14
Items Ring of Spell Turning, Two-handed sword +1 (+3 vs Regenerating Creatures), Spear +1

Caeda has used a bow since childhood, but prefers the heft of a greatsword in battle and the solid feel of a spear while hunting. The forest is home to her, but the dungeon is a relatively new experience. Her only failing is that she sometimes gets in over her head.


Ashlee, Dragonborn Fighter

Level 3 Fighter (NPC)
Armour Class 2 [17] (plate mail + shield)
Hit Points 17
Attacks 1 × Rod of Lordly Might as mace (1d6+2)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
Alignment TBD
STR 16 INT 11 WIS 9
DEX 10 CON 12 CHA 12
Items Rod of Lordly Might [See Advanced Fantasy]

Ashlee is a proud and brave warrior who seeks glory and wealth as an adventurer. Unfortunately, her family are a line of professional soldiers. There's no overt pressure for her to conform - the real black sheep are the ones who turned to mercenary work - but the support Ashlee receives from her family is less than enthusiastic. This bothers her, but not enough to turn her away from what she sees as her calling.


Another six characters done, thirteen remaining!

2026 Character Creation Challenge Speed Run: NPC Adventuring Party for OSE

Entries for January 7-12.

Sometimes a GM needs a NPC adventuring party handy. They could be rivals, allies, enemies, or just passing through. These are for use in our on-and-off-again Old School Essentials Advanced Fantasy Nostalgia Tour campaign. Note that all alignments are listed as to be determined (TBD) since I won't necessarily know what role they'll be playing until I drop them into the campaign.

Full disclosure - the stats for these characters were produced using the NPC generator on the Necrotic Gnome website. Some were modified afterward to better suit what I had in mind. Others stuck with whatever was determined by the generator, even if it's counter intuitive. That's especially true of some of the weapon selections. I usually prefer to create characters by hand, but I've been wanting to test out the Necrotic Gnome generators. I also used an online name generator, either using names as is or as inspiration. All of the narrative backgrounds are my own creation.

OSE Generators (Necrotic Gnome website)

Fantasy Name Generators

Zath, Half-Orc Barbarian

Level 3 Barbarian (NPC)
Armour Class 4 [15] (chainmail + shield)
Hit Points 17
Attacks 1 × hand axe (1d6)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D10 W13 P12 B15 S16
Alignment TBD
STR 15 INT 9 WIS 12
DEX 9 CON 14 CHA 6
Items None

Zath is not the most charming, graceful, or intellectual sort, but he's robust and has the cunning to know that strength lies in numbers. Unfortunately, this particular party has fallen on hard times. His trusty sword broke awhile back, forcing him to rely on his hand axe. Gethwine's magical greatsword is a tempting replacement, but Zath doesn't like his odds against her. If somebody offered him a deal that looks better than the what he has going on right now, he'd seriously consider it.


Edraele Rosatra, Elf Magic User

Level 3 Magic-User (NPC)
Armour Class 12 [7] (unarmoured)
Hit Points 5
Attacks 1 × dagger (1d4) or 1 × spell
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 120' (40')
Saves D13 W14 P13 B16 S15
Alignment TBD
STR 11 INT 15 WIS 13
DEX 3 CON 12 CHA 13
Spells light (darkness), magic missile, phantasmal force
Items None

Edraele's arcane talents are limited by her complete lack of the litheness associated with her people. She is able to carry out the movements necessary for spell casting. Her stiff gait is distinctive and her clumsy nature got her kicked out of magic academy. Edraele's family connects could get her a position as an academic, but she is determined to prove herself on her own merits.


Reinhold, Human Cleric

Level 3 Cleric (NPC)
Armour Class 5 [14] (chainmail + shield)
Hit Points 10
Attacks 1 × mace (1d6+1) or 1 × spell
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D11 W12 P14 B16 S15
Alignment TBD
STR 10 INT 10 WIS 13
DEX 7 CON 8 CHA 6
Spells light (darkness), remove fear (cause fear)
Items Mace +1

Reinhold had his heart set on becoming a warrior priest. Although he's not the quickest or most hardy, he passed the tests and received training in the arts of fighting. His superiors had one piece of advice for him, though - don't try evangelizing. He doesn't have the personality for it.


Meldris Doriana, Half-Elf Ranger

Level 3 Ranger (NPC)
Armour Class 6 [13] (leather armour)
Hit Points 12
Attacks 1 × long bow (1d6)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 90' (30')
Saves D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
Alignment TBD
STR 11 INT 8 WIS 9
DEX 15 CON 9 CHA 10
Items None

Meldris' passion for archery is her defining trait. Drawing and releasing an arrow is a mediative experience for her. However, this party isn't what she was hoping for - most of her share of the loot is going to spent on replacing her arrows. Cutting her losses and looking into alternatives is awfully tempting.


Sir Michael Gerard, Knight

Level 3 Knight (NPC)
Armour Class 2 [17] (plate mail + shield)
Hit Points 17
Attacks 1 × dagger (1d4+2)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
Alignment Chaotic
STR 17 INT 9 WIS 9
DEX 9 CON 15 CHA 12
Items Dagger +2 (+3 vs orcs, goblins and kobolds)

Michael's sword fell down a bottomless chasm. That leaves him with nothing but his trusty poniard, much to his irritation. The idea of taking Gethwine's magical greatsword sorely tempts him, but Michael knows such an act would be dishonorable. Being hungry, tired, lost, and looking at a payout of a few coins isn't the glorious campaign he was looking for.


Gethwine of Kinkirk, Fighter

Level 3 Fighter (NPC)
Armour Class 5 [14] (chainmail)
Hit Points 18
Attacks 1 × two-handed sword (1d10+1)
THAC0 19 [0]
Movement Rate 60' (20')
Saves D12 W13 P14 B15 S16
Alignment Neutral
STR 11 INT 13 WIS 12
DEX 10 CON 10 CHA 10
Items Two-handed sword +1 (Flaming)

Hailing from the north, Gethwine is barbaric in appearance and temperament. Striking out to see the lands beyond her home seemed like a good idea at the time. Now she's having doubts. Zath and Michael covet her magical greatsword. And this party's ill fortunes are waring her down. There has to be a better way to make a living.

Six more down, nineteen to go!

2026 Character Creation Challenge Speed Run: Starfleet Task Force 777

Entries for January 3-6.

Are ships characters? I pulled this stunt last year, more than once, and nobody showed up to stop me.

All ships are stated out for Star Trek Adventures 1e.


Historical Brief

Records of Task Force 777 date back to the United Earth Starfleet and continue to its current incarnation. The first Task Force 777 was a relief force formed in the aftermath of the Earth-Romulan War. The designation was deliberately outside the format used during the war to avoid confusion with combat formations. Ships rotated through Task Force 777 as they became available or were needed elsewhere. It was disbanded as larger scale rebuilding efforts came online with the formation of the United Federation of Planets.

At least three different Task Forces 777 operated during the 23rd century. One was formed in the 2340s to respond to various emergencies emerging on the Federation's outlying settlements and outposts. Another operated during the Federation-Klingon War (2256-57) as a reserve and rear area security force, but is known to have seen front line combat. The third was created in 2393 to assist in repairing the damage caused by the Praxis disaster.

A Task Force 777 existed during the Federation border conflicts of the 2340s-60s. It mainly operated to provide security to vulnerable settlements and installations. It also provided emergency relief to stricken colonies and engaged in combat on occasion.


Task Force 777 (2380s)

Starfleet's current Task Force 777 was formed during the Dominion War (2373-2375) as a reserve and rear area security force. Task Force 777 was often called to respond to emergencies far from the front lines as it was the only substantial Federation Alliance force available. This sometimes resulted in facing grim odds against Jem'Hadar or Breen raiders. Happily, it also led to two first contact scenarios as Task Force 777 was called in to investigate odd sensor readings.

The mission and composition of Task Force 777 was changed after the Dominion War to assist in rebuilding. Its mandate was broadened to include relief and emergency efforts of all kinds as the years went on. This mission continues in the 2380s.

Task Force 777 is mainly deployed in situations that would overwhelm a single starship. Additional ships are rotated through Task Force 777 as needed. Only the ships permanently assigned to Task Force 777 are described below. These ships are intended to provide a wide variety of capabilities.

USS Vasquez

USS Vasquez, Galaxy class, NCC-71874

USS Vasquez is an example of Dominion War emergency construction. None of the things that define the Galaxy class were part of its original construction - no carpets, no wood paneling, none of the luxuries intended to support years-long deep space exploration missions. The ship was all gunmetal interiors, additional fusion powerplants, extra phaser arrays, and rough edges. After the Dominion War, the ship was refitted to peacetime standards, but the rough edges were never really buffed out.

USS Vasquez is the command ship of Task Force 777. It provides plenty of capability on its own and coordinates the efforts of the other ships.

I named this ship in honor of Vasquez Rocks - a location long a part of Star Trek.

USS Edmonton

USS Edmonton, Parliament class, NCC-70419

A support ship is required for Task Force 777's current mission. A California class was considered, but all ships of that class are fully committed to second contact missions. USS Edmonton provides additional support for relief and emergency missions.

Edmonton was the first name of a Canadian population center that caught my eye.

USS Katherine Johnson

USS Katherine Johnson, Nova class, NCC-73216

USS Johnson is Task Force 777's dedicated science ship. It provided analysis and research facilities when needed. Otherwise, the ship is detached to perform long term observation of phenomena along Task Force 777's patrol route.

Katherine Johnson was one of the first African-American women to work at NASA. Her calculations - often manual - were essential for Projects Mercury, Apollo, and the Space Shuttle program. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Silver Snoopy Award, a NASA Group Achievement Award, the Congressional Gold Medal, and was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame (posthumously) in recognition of her accomplishments.

USS Jeanne de Clisson

USS Jeanne de Clisson, Defiant class, NCC-74300

USS de Clisson is Task Force 777's dedicated combat ship. It provides area security, carries out patrols, and escorts any transport convoys supporting Task Force 777. This results in a surprising number of hostile encounters due to the value of relief and medical supplies. Fortunately, the reputation of the Defiant class often acts as a deterrent.

Jeanne de Clisson, also known as the Lioness of Brittany, was a French/Breton noblewomen who turned privateer after her husband was executed by King Philip VI of France. She led her three ships from her flagship My Revenge in a campaign of commerce raiding against the French. She regularly killed off almost the whole crew of the French ships she targeted. It was her practice to leave at least one sailor alive to carry word to King Philip VI.

Would Starfleet name a ship after somebody like Jeanne de Clisson? I can see the arguments against it, but this is a Defiant class starship.


Four more down, twenty five to go!

2026 Character Creation Challenge Speed Run: Gamma World Goodness

Entries for January 1-2

It's the middle of the last week of January. Is it too late to catch up? Let's find out!

Gamma World 1e box cover art.

Gamma World 1e is an early TSR product that didn't fall far from the D&D tree. It's a sci-fi dungeon crawl set generations after the Shadow Wars. The post-apocalyptic setting explains where all the high-tech ruins come from. Mutants and robots replace fantasy monsters. Mutant powers replace magic. Technological artifacts replace magic items. It borrows heavily from James M. Wards' earlier work in Metamorphosis Alpha.

I might run it down the road. It will likely hit the table as the X-Men meet Mad Max with a dash of Gene Roddenberry's Genesis II mixed in. My usual approach of familiarizing myself with a game involves reading the rulebook and generating a character or two.

The Gamma World 1e rulebook is as poorly organized and incomplete as I've come to expect from products of its era. What equipment do starting player characters have access to? How much starting funds do they have? The book doesn't say.

Let's take armor as a specific example. The Gamma World 1e book only lists a single price for armor, but the armor class table describes various types. Even if technological artifacts are eliminated, that still leaves a range of armors available. Are furs and skins, cured hide, plant fiber, and piece metal armors all the same price? Even if they are, those accustomed to D&D may assume that more protective armors come with offsetting factors like weight. Surprise! Gamma World 1e doesn't seem to have encumbrance rules.

It's going to take some work to get this game table ready. The designers seem to assume that the GM already owns D&D or AD&D and will pull any rules not covered in the Gamma World 1e book from them. I'll likely look to OSE as an additional source.

For these reasons, the following characters don't have equipment listed.


Tom "Spacewalker" Christian

Pure Strain Human is the problematic term for humans genetically identical to those from before the fall of civilization. They don't get cool mutant powers. They do get a charisma bonus, some familiarity with advanced technology, and a better chance of passing as authorized personnel to automated checks when possessing the correct (stolen) credentials. I guess future AI is sometimes smart enough to question why the person with the identification of a high ranking scientist or military officer has too many arms of green, photosynthetic skin. On the other hand, those same AI don't seem concerned that the person in front of them don't match their identification, so maybe they're not that smart.

Mental Strength 11
Intelligence 10
Dexterity 13
Physical Strength 13
Charisma 18
Constitution 13

Hit Points 45

No mutations.

The stats are fairly straightforward to anybody familiar with any version of D&D. Mental Strength is used with attacking or defending against what D&D would refer to as psionics. Hit points are determined by rolling a d6 for each point of Constitution.

Tom Christian was born in village established within the security perimeter of an automated farm. He grew up tending crops and tinkering with agricultural machinery. The elders told stories of how one of Tom's ancestors walked the void above the skies (she was an orbital construction worker). Tom took the name Spacewalker when he came of age and left the village to seek his destiny. Nobody actually calls him that.


Bartholomew "Bart" Allen

Humanoids are what Gamma World 1e calls mutated humans. Since the game runs on 1960s-70s sci-fi tropes, mutations are more likely to result in strange powers than debilitating conditions. Although debilitating conditions are still possible. I used the rules that allow for choosing mutations rather than randomly determining them. However, the number of mutations is always random.

Mental Strength 14
Intelligence 14
Dexterity 17
Physical Strength 11
Charisma 13
Constitution 14

Hit Points 56

Physical Mutations
Increased Speed
Regeneration

Mental Mutations
Molecular Understanding
Planar Travel
Teleportation

Defects
Increased Metabolism (D)

This is an attempt to model a superhero speedster using the Gamma World 1e rules. Increased Speed is an obvious choice. Teleportation and Planar Travel simulate extreme speed and access to other realms unlocked by that speed. Molecular Understanding models a speedster "vibrating" to do more damage.

Regeneration allows for faster healing, but the amount of healing is based on the character's weight in kilograms. I couldn't find rules to determine such a thing in the book. Porting rules from AD&D doesn't work without conversion, since those are in pounds.

Increased Metabolism (D) requires a character to stop every fifth combat turn to eat. There are also comments about having to carry around more food. While the cost of a week's travel rations is given, I couldn't find out how much they weigh. And, again, there don't seem to be encumbrance rules in the game anyway. Also, the prices of other sources of food - a meal in town, for example - are not presented.

Bartholomew "Bart" Allen was born to a modest trading community. His powers made him a useful messenger and scout, although his enormous appetite was a concern during lean years. In time, Bart decided to strike out on his own. At speed.


Two characters down out of thirty one. More to come!

2026 Character Creation Challenge - A Late Start and New Plan

There's been a dearth of 2026 Character Creation Challenge entries on this blog. I have a plan to fix that. Is it a good plan? Ask me in February.

I'm mostly recovered from an illness that put me down for the last days of 2025 and much of 2026 so far. And by "illness" I don't mean "had the sniffles" or was a little tired. I was either sick in bed or indulging in prayer while on the toilet. I didn't test positive for either the flu or the infamous thing with the number in it. Plans for New Year's were abandoned and I'm behind on everything.

Regarding the 2026 Character Creation Challenge, I reviewed the rules and I have developed a plan. The only relevant requirement is 31 characters - one for each day of January. So I'm going to churn out and post multiple characters per day until I make the target number.

That means two things - simpler systems and groups of characters. Simpler games that I'm already familiar with makes character creation easier. Making multiple characters based on a theme - an adventuring party or spaceship crew, for example - also speeds things up.

That's the plan. Let's see how long it survives contact with reality.

How Did My 2025 Tabletop Gaming Plans Go?

The results were mixed, as usual. Here's the post where I presented the year's plans: My 2025 Tabletop Gaming Plan. Let's go through it, point by point.

Get more of my collection off the shelves and onto the tabletop.

Success! Five Parsecs From Home never made it to the table. But our group got to a good point to pause X1 The Isle of Dread and gave Tachyon Squadron a go. Lancer will have to wait until 2026.


Do something with the games I've Kickstarted or preordered as they come in.

I lied when I stated that no Kickstarter loot was coming my way in 2025. My backing An Infinity of Ships completely slipped my mind. I did read it as soon as it arrived, so that counts as doing something with it.


Presenting more of my tabletop gaming thoughts online.

I've been posted on Mastodon, Bluesky, and this blog on such an irregular basis that I can't call it a schedule. However, I have been posted. That's more than I can say for my neglected YouTube channel.


Make a dent in my pile of unread books (and not just TTRPG books).

Here's the books I recall reading this year. There might be one or two I'm overlooking. For example, I may have read Tachyon Squadron in 2025, but I can't remember the timing. It's been that kind of year.

Play Nice by Jason Schreier
I shared my thoughts about this book in this imaginatively titled post: Book Review: Play Nice by Jason Schreier.

An Infinity of Ships from STATIONS
A toolkit for building spaceships. Tables and tables of tables and tables broken up by Rob Turpin's wonderful illustrations. Originally conceived as a Mothership supplement, it carries that zany, irreverent flavor forward to the finished product.

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder
A delightfully subversive little book, especially for the times we are living in.

Lancer from Massif
I'm almost done with this chunky core book. Things are easier now that I'm in the setting section and don't have to process unfamiliar game mechanics. Hopefully, I'll have the time and focus to finish reading it before the end of the year. I'll certainly find a time to run it in 2026.


Make a dent in my pile of shame (miniatures and terrain).

Hard fail as projects ran into issues. I got very little done as far as actually putting paint on things, but did accomplish some preparations.


New year, new plan?

Not really. I'll likely either wing it or repeat the above plan because I can't come up with something better. Let's see what the new year brings!

Lost World Island Life, Part 2 - Remodeling X1 The Isle of Dread

Our break from playing X1 The Isle of Dread has been extended by the holiday doldrums. That's my term for the part of the year where gaming plans are disrupted by late year holidays and associated family obligations. But there is a bright side - this extended break gives me more time to prepare for next year's games.

The first post in this series features commentary on converting the module to Old School Essentials Advanced Fantasy and an overview of the sessions we're played thus far: Lost World Island Life, Part 1 - Running (Some of) X1 The Isle of Dread in OSE.

This post covers the ongoing process of addressing the issues I found while running the module. Or, to put it another way, changing the stuff that didn't land well with me or our group.

Gaps in the Module

There aren't many ruins on the Isle. Given its long history and the lost world vibe of the module, I feel that there should be more signs of prior habitation littering the place.

The "Lair of the Lizard Men" (encounter key #11) seems small for a self-sustaining community. The lair in question has 14 inhabitants. This makes the number that can be encountered randomly (2-8) represents a significant portion of the Isle's lizardfolk population. I've decided to expand this encounter and place it within a set of overgrown ruins.

Black, green, and red dragons are all listed on the random encounter tables. No detailed information about their lairs is presented in the module. Any adventuring party encountering a dragon would take a keen interest in tracking down its lair to loot its hoard. I'm making a set of simple dragon lairs appropriate to each type's preferred terrain. Along with that, I'm also rolling up a treasure for each dragon encounter ahead of time.

Indigenous humans and zombies can be encountered randomly on the Isle. The southern villages are explicitly described as isolated from and unaware of happenings on the rest of the Isle. This suggests the existence of other tribes with their own zombie masters in the wild central and northern areas of the Isle.

Finally, the boss monsters of the module - the Kopru - come out of nowhere from the players perspective. In fact, the module instructs the GM: "the players should not be told who or what the Kopru were; this is part of the taboo - for more details, see page 20" (X1 The Isle of Dread, page 23). Page 20, by the way, is a map of the Phanaton Platforms. Not very useful for details on why the GM should keep the Kopru a secret from the players. This may result in the Kopru being nothing more than a weird monster encounter at the bottom of the Isle's one dungeon as published. I've decided to go against the module's advice and drop hints of the Kopru throughout the Isle's ruins.


Examining Other D&D Material for Inspiration

C1 The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan

I briefly pondered dropping The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan somewhere on the Isle, but decided that it would be overkill. Using the Shrine would certainly solve the whole lack of ruins issue. Unfortunately, it would also put an extensive dungeon complex in a hexcrawl that's already dragging for our group. This kind of adventure module inception is the kind of thing that kills off campaigns. Besides, we previously played through B4 The Lost City and I don't want to do another pyramid/ziggurat adventure so soon. Best to let The Hidden Shrine of Tamoachan breathe on its own by running it some other time.

Manual of the Planes (2008, 4e)

This version of the Manual of the Planes presents the ideas that the Isle of Dread originates from the Feywild and moves across worlds and planes from time to time. Of particular interest is the stirring description of the place:

"The Isle of Dread is a vast tropical island of volcanic origin set amid stormy seas. Jagged reefs guard the approach to black sand beaches. If a boat does somehow make it to the shore in one piece, its passengers then face a solid, lush green wall of tropical vines and trees. Great knifelike peaks of obsidian rise beyond the treeline. Travelers venture into that jungle at their peril. Of all the savage and secret places of the Feywild, the Isle of Dread is the most mysterious."

So I'll be stealing bit of that description. Moving on:

"The entire Isle of Dread worldfalls constantly and unpredictably from the Feywild to the mortal realm - and it shifts to even stranger planes at times. Some sages argue it is everywhere at once, and some argue it is nowhere at all times. As a result of its constant travel, the Isle is populated by all manner of savage beasts.

This does explain where some of the weirder folks and critters came from.

"It also hosts several tiny camps of shipwrecked sentient beings."

Oh, I'll be making use of this.

"The Isle is steaming hot. Reptilian beings fare better at exploring its secrets due to the climate."

The one Dragonborn in the party: "I don't know why the rest of y'all keep complaining. I love the climate here."

The description varies from the module here:

"Those secrets appear to be endless. An ancient yuan-ti temple is at the center of the jungle. North of the temple, several primitive races live in splendid stone ziggurats of unknown origin. Eagle-eyed explorers can just barely make out a thin tower, a needle of phosphorescent crystal, rising from the peak of one of the central mountains. On the southern coast several bands of stranded mortals have found each other - and discovered, to their shock, they all originate from wildly different moments in history. Some have reported sighting giant, terrible lizards racing on two legs through the jungle."

As previously stated, our group ran through B4 The Lost City. I'm not eager to wander back into another ziggurat. I'm also not shoving yuan-ti onto the Isle. While they are thematic to the lost world jungle island theme, the Isle doesn't lack for monsters calling the place home.

The crystal tower has possibilities, though.


The Isle's History - A Working Model

Ancient Lore

The Isle is not a natural part of the Prime Material Plane, but a piece of the Feywild that has become detached from time and space. The Isle appears on multiple worlds and planes at once. It also returns to the Feywild on occasion. Any pattern to its movements and how it began its journeys is unknown to any but the gods.

Rise of Civilization on the Isle

An indigenous human culture came to dominate much of the Isle before falling into stasis. Much of their history is preserved only in carvings. They had a wide range of accomplishments, including advanced necromancy and the creation of living statues.

Conquest

The Kopru arrive and use mind control to take over the human leaders. Much of human civilization is altered or destroyed to suit the Kopru. Human come to worship the Kopru and follow dark practices at their command. The Kopru and their human slaves chronicle their achievements in stone. These statues and carvings also extend the range of Kopru mind control powers.

Revolution

Humans rebels use a combination of living statues and zombies - both immune to mind control - to destroy most of the Kopru statues and carvings. With Kopru mind control over most of the Isle broken, much of the human population rises up in revolt.

Most Kopru flee the Isle as the capitol - now transformed into something more suitable for the Kopru - burns. Some use portals to escape to alien realms. Others simply hurled themselves into the sea. The capitol on the central plateau is completely razed except for a hidden temple. The last of Kopru on the Isle shelter there with the last of their human worshippers and slaves.

Rebuilding and Retreat

Human civilization flowers again after a period of rebuilding, but much knowledge has been lost. Wildlife and intruders push the indigenous humans south. They leave their cities and towns behind. Their last great project is the construction of the wall separating the southern peninsula from the rest of the Isle. Protected by the wall, the surviving humans settle into a tribal existence sustained by the lands they still control.

Human settlements survive in the north and central areas of the Isle. Some are indigenous in origin. These are reliant on their zombie masters to maintain a defense against the dangers of the Isle. Others are shipwreck survivors or lost explorers.


Isle Politics

Aranea
A handful of explorers searching the Isle's ruins for arcane knowledge. Their current lair is directly over the remains of an indigenous human city once ruled by the Kopru.

Indigenous Humans - Northern and Central Isle
A few villages in defensible positions are scattered throughout the Isle. They have their own matriarchal governments and zombie masters, but each has diverged compared with the southern villages in various ways. Their reactions to outsiders range from wary to hostile.

Indigenous Humans - Seven Southern Villages
Long isolated by the great wall built by their ancestors, their only contact with the rest of the Isle are their forays to the tar pits. They seek trade with the mainland and are friendly to outsiders.

Indigenous Humans - Taboo Island
The last remaining worshippers of the Kopru on the Isle. Their main concerns are survival and expanding their numbers. They occasionally conduct raids on the Village of Mantru.

Indigenous Humans - Village of Mantru
Descended from survivors of the capitol's destruction. Long isolated from the rest of the Isle, their culture has diverged from the other indigenous humans. Their primary concern is defending themselves against the Kopru worshippers.

Kopru
The last survivors of the fall of their civilization on the Isle. Currently hiding in their final redoubt with their few human worshippers. They dream of summoning more of their kind and reconquering the Isle, but that is far beyond their current capabilities. At present, they seek to expand the number of humans under their control. Once they command a significant human population, they plan to send them to recover lost Kopru artifacts and knowledge scatter around the Isle.

Lizardfolk
A small self-supporting population of hunter-gatherers. They are isolationist except for small parties that wander the Isle in search of prey. They are not inclined to provoke groups large or powerful enough to pose an existential threat.

Non-Indigenous Individuals and Parties
These range from shipwreck survivors to rival adventuring parties who are exploring the Isle for their own reasons.

Phanaton
Originally a small party sent to hunt the Aranea. Since expanded into a self-sufficient population due to mission creep. They have an interest in finding allies and trade partners.

Rakasta
A small party of warriors and their retinue seeking glory and trade opportunities. Sort of like a Viking expedition, but with more fur and a Middle Eastern flair. They raid weaker groups for loot while offering to trade with stronger or wealthier groups.


Gap Filling Plans and Customized Encounters

Base more encounters, including random encounters, in and around overgrown ruins with hints of the Isle's history. In some cases, this will simply be an effort maintain the module's lost world flavor. "You encounter (random monster) in some overgrown ruins."

To present hints about the Isle, the party can find the corpse (maybe zombified) of an explorer. Examination of the body reveals several documents protected from the elements. The explorer's journal chronicles the events of their expedition and records the locations of nearby ruins. The other documents are notes on the Isle's history from various scholarly sources.

Add a ruin infested by reptiles and dinosaurs for more a lost world vibe. This area hosts significant clues to the Isle's history. The ruins are partly overgrown by jungle and partly sinking into a swamp.

Expand the lizardfolk settlement and detail the randomly encountered dragon's lairs.

Place indigenous human villages in the northern and central Isle.

Add the tower described in the Manual of the Planes to a mountain on the northern-central part of the Isle. It can serve as an additional challenge after dealing with the Kopru.

Add a castaway camp near a shore location.

Add a group of Cynidiceans from the Lost City. They belong to the Cult of Zargon and were sent to prevent the destruction of his horn. Since they already failed that mission, they now seek the destruction of the player characters. They may end up running afoul of one of the many other groups on the Isle.

Add a rival adventuring party. They're led by a necromancer after the arcane secrets held by the zombie masters and in the Isle's ruins. This group was hired by the Cult of Zargon, but that agreement didn't survive the storm that swamped the ship they were all sailing on and resulting struggle to survive. The two groups split apart and are now hostile to each other.

2026 Character Creation Challenge - Introduction

I've decided to take part in next year's Character Creation Challenge. The previous one was fun, but it was type 2 fun. Better in retrospect than when I was actually stuck in the middle of it. I go into why it was that particular kind of fun in this post: 2025 Character Creation Challenge - After Action Review.

What's the Character Creation Challenge? Here's where I introduced the last round: The 2025 Character Creation Challenge, Introduction.

The up to date post from TardisCaptain about the 2026 Character Creation Challenge is on the far end of this link: 2026 Character Creation Challenge.

My planning for the challenge has progressed from "better than nothing" and "concepts of a plan" to the "half-baked harebrained scheme" phase. I have a provisional list of games, ideas for some characters, and a few ideas from the last time that I'm repurposing for next year's go around.

Provisional List of Games:

13th Age (1e)
Ashen Stars
Conan
D&D 4e
Deep Dark Blue (Fate Core)
Five Parsecs From Home
Gamma World (1e)
Ghost Worlds (Fate Core)
Infinity of Ships
Lancer
Mothership
Night's Black Agents
OSE Advanced
Star Trek Adventures (1e)
Star Wars (West End Games)
Tachyon Squadron
Timewatch

This list is "provisional" because I may add or subject games depending on how things are going and whatever whim I'm following at the moment.

As an example of a new take on a slightly used idea, "create a starship crew" worked great for Star Trek Adventures last time. But I don't want to do it again for the Star Trek setting. So I'm thinking of extending the idea to Ashen Stars, Five Parsecs From Home, and West End Games' Star Wars RPG.

As with the previous time around, I'll be posting each character here on this blog, on the RPG.net forum thread dedicated to the challenge, on Bluesky, and on Mastodon.

For anybody contemplating taking part in this madness, here's a couple of handy links.

TardisCaptain's FAQ on the challenge: Character Creation Challenge.

My lessons learned post regarding the last round: 6 Lessons I Learned from the 2025 Character Creation Challenge.

Let's see where this goes next month.

Why I Cancelled My Orctober

October 2025 was a hell of a month for me.

It was not the time for me to launch myself into something like Orctober. I was fighting schedule conflicts and a lack of executive function for most of it. Then the news that my mother-in-law passed away arrived. I accompanied my wife to her mother's out of state funeral service. That involved a long road trip that did my back no favors.

Lessons learned:

• Don't launch a project this ambitious after a painting drought.
• Have an alternative to or scaled back version of the project planned out in case a particular month turns out to be not the one for an ambitious project.

Moving forward:

• I'll be painting orcs at a sane pace. At least I got the plastic straightened out.
• Other projects are going on the schedule to break things up.

Orcpocalyse Orctober Spa Treatment

October is half over and I'm way behind on this project. I get the feeling that I'll still be painting Orcs around Xmas time. On the other hand, I'm way ahead of where I was when these miniatures were still in their packaging. I'll take some progress over no progress.

The Problem

Early Reaper Bones miniatures are made of a white, vinyl-like plastic that's infamously finicky to work with. It repels water, including acrylic paints. It reacts badly to rattlecan primers and paints, even those specifically formulated for use on plastics. It stubbornly resists attempts to straighten out bends. And it almost always arrives bent or bends in storage. Fortunately, Reaper Miniatures has moved away from this particular material over time.

Unfortunately, these orcs are all from the Reaper Miniatures Bones: An Evolution of Gaming Miniatures Kickstarter. That's Reaper Miniatures' very first Kickstarters and the one that launched the Bones line. All of these orcs are made of early Bones plastic by default.

Straightening out bent parts and preparing the surfaces to accept paint requires planning and work. And it took longer than I was planning due to personal stuff delaying things. That's the nature of a hobby - it's on the bottom of any reasonable priority list.

Orc spears before heat treatment.

Orc Steam Bath and Cold Plunge

The tried and true method of unbending Bones plastic requires the application of heat. Some plunge their Bones miniatures into a jacuzzi of boiling water. I improvised a steamer with a pot and a basket, avoiding the issue of fishing out miniatures from scalding water. I don't recommend either approach due to the mess and hazards involved. A heat gun is going on my wish list for the next time I tackle a project like this.

Regardless of the heat source, the idea is to use heat to soften the plastic and make it malleable. In some cases, the plastic will "spring back" to its original shape just from being heated. Otherwise, the softened plastic is easy to reform into its correct shape.

Getting the plastic to stay in its unbent form calls for rapid cooling. The easiest method is a cold plunge. Dunking the plastic in cold water hardens it in its unbent state. Quick cooling seems to be the key. A container of ice water is my preferred choice.

Even after all that, the process is not perfect. "Good enough for tabletop" is the goal here. A slightly bent sword or spear is better than one that's twisted into a pretzel shape.

Finally, Reaper Bones miniatures are glued together. The hot/cold treatment could weaken those bonds. There might be an audible cracking sound when the miniatures go into the cold plunge. That's the glue letting go. Check the water for any parts that may have fallen off.

Orc spears after heating, reforming, and cooling.

Orcs Like the High Proof Stuff

With the orcs as unbent as they're going to be, the cleaning process could begin. I sprayed down all the orc miniatures with isopropyl alcohol. Full immersion would've been better, but I didn't have that much of the stuff around at the time. The purpose of using isopropyl alcohol is to begin breaking down any residue from the manufacturing process still on the surface of the miniatures.


Bath Time for the Warband

Cleaning finishes up with an old fashioned scrubbing with warm soap and water. A sturdy toothbrush with firm bristles works well to get into all those orc nooks and crannies. A soak and a rinse in cold water should get rid of anything left on the surfaces. Check the wash and rinse waters for any loose parts.


Next: It's all about those bases.

Orcpocalyse Orctober

"Orctober" is around the corner and it's time to consider the possibilities. Actually, I should be well into the planning phase at this point. But what's the fun in that?

A box of plastic orcs, not quite ready to be painted.

To fit the theme of this orc-based October project, I am tackling the over two dozen orc miniatures I got from the Reaper Miniatures Bones: An Evolution Of Gaming Miniatures Kickstarter. Yes, that was roughly forever ago. Reaper's first Kickstarter is truly the gift that keeps on giving for me.

The "Orcpocalypse!" option of that Kickstarter added 20 Orcs to the 5 Orcs and Warboss already available as part of the "Vampire" pledge level. Here's the break down:

• 77042 Orc Marauder (Sword and Shield) - Plate armored orc armed with a sword and shield. x5
• 77045 Orc Hunter (Spear) - Plate armored orc armed with a spear. x5
• 77051 Orc Stalker (Two Weapons) - Plate armored orc armed with dual swords. x5
• 77056 Orc Sniper (Archer) - Mail armored orc armed with bow and dagger. x5
• 77059 Orc Berserker (Two Handed Sword) - Plate armored orc armed with a great sword. x5
• 77064 Kavorgh, Orc Warboss - Big plate armored orc leader armed with an axe and shield. x1

That's 26 orc models made of the white, vinyl-like plastic used in early Reaper Bones miniatures. I'll have to straighten bent spears and clean up the surfaces before I even think about putting paint on them. And I'm still mulling over paint schemes because I don't want to spend all October painting green.

Maybe this is a good time to learn how to use an air brush?

XL-07 Out of Mothballs and Into a Ditch

The time to drag this unfinished project out of storage has come! It's based on modifying and repainting a "Lightyear Hyperspeed XL-07" - a toy tie-in to Lightyear (2022). That's the Buzz Lightyear movie with Chris Evans and the talking robot kitty. The Lightyear movie didn't seem successful, but it did spawn some toys that work pretty well next to 28mm miniatures. This project smoothly went through customization, priming, and masking phases until I hit a snag with the first coat of paint. It was banished into storage in 2022.

The moment when I found out how good of a masking job I did.

Previous Project Posts:

Lightyear Hyperspeed XL-07 Pre-Conversion
A post about the toy, it's features, and how it scales with 28mm miniatures (answer: quite well).

Lightyear Hyperspeed XL-07 Modest Modifications
Posting about the small details I added to the toy.


Zenithal Priming

I chose three spray primers with an eye towards the colors that would eventually go over them.

Krylon Fusion All-In-One Paint+Primer Matte Black
This went all over the toy as a base coat. Bonded to the plastic nicely.

Krylon Fusion All-In-One Paint+Primer Matte Coffee Bean
A dark brown that I sprayed over the top of the toy. My original intention was to paint the red directly over this, but it turned out too dark. However, it still provides a good undercoat for certain areas such as the cockpit.

Tamiya Fine Surface Primer (L) White
A highlight layer sprayed over the top of the toy. This resulted in a zenithal prime simulating light shining down on it. This stuff is the only reason I'm reluctant to take up an air brush for priming.

Not bad. I've done worse.

Masking and Painting

I next masked off sections of the engines and the canopy. Both are getting metallic coats and I didn't want multiple coats filling in the details. I have enough experience with masking off sections of a model to know how little I know about it. This was good practice as the masked off sections were mostly straight shapes.

Krylon ColorMaster Paint+Primer Matte Poppy Red
This paint delivered good news and bad news. The dark and light underlayers show through the red paint. This makes the bottom noticeably darker than the top with a nice gradation in between. On the other hand, the paint was tacky in spots. I suspect the issue is with the different kinds of plastic used throughout the toy.

This illustrates something about our hobby - the only way to find out how two materials interact is to give it a try. No amount of internet searches, questions posed to online communities, or small scale experimentation will reveal every problem. These steps help, but it ultimately comes down to doing the thing and seeing how it works out.

I monitored the situation for awhile. The stickiness slowly improved, but not to the point where I felt comfortable painting over it. The project went into storage to give the paint more time to cure. That was back in 2022.

The green arrow indicates areas of paint removed with my thumbnail. The blue arrow points to where I gently scratched the paint off with a screwdriver. Note that the primer underneath doesn't seem to be damaged.

Updates

One of my hobby goals for this year is to get back into miniatures painting. With only a few months left in the year, I went digging around for projects to tackle. The red paint finally seemed to have cured which I checked on it. That sent this project back to my dusty work table.

Removing the masking tape revealed some clean work at protecting the sections I didn't want painted red. It's not a perfect job, but it's better than some of my prior attempts at masking. I'll want some more practice before taking on something that requires masking irregular shapes.

I brought out the paint brushes for the next step - the canopy's first coat of metallic color. I chose a new-to-me paint - Vallejo Game Color Metallic Tinny Tin. Basically, it's the replacement for my long dried up pot of Tin Bitz and does a wonderful job. It pops over the undercoat of Krylon Coffee Bean. I'm planning to add gold highlights over it to simulate sheen, but that's for later.

Then I made a mistake. Rather than use a miniature paint for the engine sections, I decided to test out a craft paint over one section - FolkArt Treasure Gold in Antique Silver. It went on thick. The brush marks were obvious and I worried about the details being filled in. I discovered the real problem after it dried. It did not adhere to the surface at all. I was able to remove it with my thumbnail.

At this point, I'll have to remove the FolkArt paint before moving on. Fortunately, I only painted one section with it as a test. I suspect that the FolkArt paint would do better on a more porous surface. I'll test it again when I have a project using MDF, cardstock, or something similar. For now, I have some scraping to do before I resume this project.

Citadel SKULLS First Impressions

DISCLAIMER: I bought this box of Citadel SKULLS with my own money. I have no connection to Games Workshop except as a customer. The opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own brand of snarky nonsense.

Surprise! It's a box of skulls.

This product is exactly what I expected - a box containing four sprues of 28mm scale plastic skulls. It's from our hobby's leading authority on molding skulls on models - Games Workshop. The Imperium of Man in 40K is a prime example. Just look at the sheer number of skulls they slap on everything that can't run away fast enough. Armor? Gear? Vehicles? Industrial machinery? Buildings? Skulls, skulls, skulls, skulls, and skulls. No need to ask if they're the baddies! They are.

The back of the box claims there are 340 skulls contained therein. Closer inspection reveals that 20 of the models are, in fact, jawbones. However, I don't think that the jawbones are included in the 340 skull count. Even if they are, that's still over 300 skulls. That's plenty of skulls for all but the most ambitious projects.

Four plastic sprues of skulls. All kinds of skulls.

Variety is pretty good in this product. Roughly half the models appear to be based on human skulls. The larger models are skulls of various non-humans. A fair number of the skull models are specific to Games Workshop properties. The Kroot skull models are pretty distinctive and may need modification to fit another setting. On the other hand, few are going to quibble about using "Ork" (40K, sci-fi) skulls as "orc" (fantasy) skulls.

This is the kind of product that most will slowly use up over several years. One or three skulls dressing up a miniature's base gets the point across. Even a pile of skulls to dramatically pose a miniature on will only use a dozen or so. I don't foresee the need to buy another box for myself coming for awhile. Unless I get an idea for some project that needs hundreds of 28mm scale skull models. Like a wall of skulls or something.

Okay. I need to leave that train of thought behind before it gets me into trouble.

Price? It's Games Workshop, a company that takes exceptional pride in their products and only lets others play with them if they part with substantial amounts of money. If there are more cost effective products that serve the same purpose, please let me know. I don't know how much products from the UK are going to end up costing here in the US over the next few years.

TL;DR: This is a good option for folks who need a few hundred 28mm scale plastic skull models, but check around for less pricy alternatives first.

RPGaDay 2025 Final Week Roundup

The RPGaDay 2025 challenge is over until next year. Here's one more compilation with extra remarks. Additional commentary is in italics. For background information on RPGaDay, see this introductory post. Here are links to the week one, week two, week three, and week four roundups.

Day 25: Challenge

A challenge can be a duel, a contest of wits, a wager, a tournament, et cetera. Whatever the form, it should give participants chances to shine and moments where they're stumped. Challenges best reflect the character of those taking them on.

The biggest challenge in doing RPGaDay is coming up with something to fit the daily prompt. It's easy enough early on, but inspiration doesn't come so quickly after the halfway point. My workaround was to look up the definition of the word used as the prompt. It was just enough to get the creative juices going.


Day 26: Nemesis

The Nemesis System gives NPCs in "Shadows of Mordor" personality. They recall past encounters, hold grudges, gain new traits, etc. Warner Bros owns the patient, but it appears to only cover video games. Will TTRPG space roll those dice? Dunno.

A good break down of the Nemesis System as it's used in "Shadows of Mordor" can be found here: The Nemesis System (link to IGN).

It could be argued that this could all be accomplished by GM fiat. While true, such an argument ignores the long tradition of random tables and rules that govern what happens in game. A system helps to ensure impartiality and allows players to see patterns in the system. GM fiat can be a little too random and arbitrary for players to feel that they have an effect on things.

I really need to get around to writing a post about the Nemesis System and TTRPGs at some point. Any interest?


Day 27: Tactic

A tactic is a means for achieving a goal. Tactics rarely survive contact with the table on both sides of the screen. It's not a bug, it's an intended feature. Keeps everybody on their toes.

GM plans fall apart due to the players. Player plans fall apart due to the GM. I figure that it's fair all the way around.


Day 28: Suspense

"It's the suspense that gets me" - Bugs Bunny, "Easter Yeggs" (1947). Generating suspense takes disciplined play. The reward is tantalizing uncertainty. The sense that something is about to happen, but not knowing what.

Suspense is the feeling that keeps players on their toes. Like the atmosphere in horror games, it takes focus to establish and maintain.


Day 29: Connect

More of this hobby takes place over an internet connection than ever. My introverted, possibly neurodivergent self welcomes it. On the other hand, TTRPGs are an activity where I'm willing to come into close proximity to other people. I'm conflicted.

Gaming over an internet connection is still personal interaction. In person gaming has more fidelity - expressions, gestures, and tone of voice are easier to perceive. It also lacks the convenience of using a device in the comfort of one's home. Which one gets used by a particular group often comes down to circumstances and personal preference.


Day 30: Experience

My first TTRPG experience involved a GM who carried his gaming stuff around in a hand-me-down white Samsonite hard shell briefcase. His D&D/AD&D campaign featured a Learjet and a red convertible. I think it was a Cadillac.

Yeah, the first campaign I played in was gonzo. In the defense of everybody involved, we were all still in grade school.

I sometimes consider getting a white Samsonite hard shell briefcase out of nostalgia. Those things are awkward and heavy, though.


Day 31: Reward

The true reward is the friends we made along the way. And the tales we get to share. Plus the loot our characters found. And the levels they gained. But mostly the friendship thing. And the stories.

The real, true reward is getting to the end of this challenge. It's fun and gets me back into the habit of writing, but the end of it frees up time and attention.

RPGaDay 2025 Week 4 Roundup

Welcome to the week four compilation with extra remarks for the RPGaDay 2025 challenge! Additional commentary is in italics. For background information on RPGaDay, see this introductory post. To see my responses to the daily prompts as I post them, please see the dedicated RPG.net forum thread, Mastodon, and Bluesky.

Day 18: Sign

Signs advertise the local tavern or smithy. Modern & sci-fi facilities use signs to guide folks. Warning signs in unfamiliar languages could be counterproductive. Skulls decorating the "stay off the bad guy's lawn" sign get the point across.

To elaborate on these points and an extra:
The colored animal tavern or inn sign is practically a trope for fantasy TTRPGs at this point.
Most large, modern spaces have signage so people aren't milling around and bothering folks for directions.
Figuring out how to discourage people in the far future from poking around places like nuclear waste disposal sites is a tricky problem. Future folks might see the warnings and come to the conclusion that something valuable is buried in those places. Which defeats the whole point.
Decorating things with skulls should be a cause for reflection.
Signage in secure installations could be designed to be altered quickly to confuse intruders, directing hostile personnel straight into ambushes. Digital signs with wireless access would be really handy for this. On the other hand, they could also be hacked.


Day 19: Destiny

No destiny survives contact with the tabletop. The Chosen One dies in a random encounter. The prophesy flies apart on takeoff.

Twist things around to fit. Another Child of Destiny. The oracle spoke metaphorically. Edit to keep the game going

Folks like to complain about things like "player agency" when I make posts like this. I'm convinced that "player agency" is the new "railroading" - a vaguely defined term that people can throw at things they don't like, but can't really articulate an argument against. Just like railroading, I say that most players prefer riding the train for awhile to wandering the desert without direction.


Day 20: Enter

How things enter a game say much about that thing. Quietly? Openly, though the front door? Violently? Or surgically, precisely? A big guy doesn't have to kick the door in, but it helps establish them as the opposition.

This is a distant cousin to the "when in doubt, have a man come through the door with a gun in his hand" quote attributed to Raymond Chandler. His advice has to do with spicing up detective fiction. This has to do with the player's first impression of an NPC.


Day 21: Unexpected

The novelty of the unexpected is overrated. Betrayal? Inevitable. Plot twist? Wears thin. Enjoy the unexpected when it works, but don't rely on it. Focus on core elements - strong characterization, compelling narratives, and engaging the players.

Mister Johnson - the shifty corpo that nobody trusted at all - sells out the player characters! Why are the players yawning?

Surprise is difficult to pull off. It can be done, but it needs foreshadowing. Unfortunately, dropping those hints could tip the gamemaster's hand.

There's also the issue of overuse. Too many unexpected twists may lead players to start looking for them. The surprise wears off in the face of weariness.


Day 22: Ally

I'm coming around to running NPC allies mechanically. I blame Ken Hite and the Network system in Night's Black Agents. Players invest points in an NPC ally, who provides useful services to the PC.

Here's a link to the Pelgrane Press site that goes into more detail on Network.

I really need to circle back to GUMSHOE at some point.


Day 23: Recent

Recent games: Our group is dipping our toes into Tachyon Squadron for Fate Core. We're taking a break from "Nostalgia Tour" - an Old School Essentials campaign that's all classic D&D/AD&D modules. What's next? Still in the idea stage.

We deliberately take breaks from the Nostalgia Tour. Long campaigns tend to wear folks down. It also gives us the chance to try other games.


Day 24: Reveal

Slowly reveal the big bad with rumors and conflicts with their minions. Minimize contact with the PCs to delay proactive actions like attacking the big bad as soon as they show up. Their gloating speeches can be done remotely.

Trotting out the big bad within attack range of the player characters is asking for combat to start. Use encounters with their minions and officers to offer up challenges before such a confrontation. The big bad can write messages to threaten and provoke. Or call in a setting that supports long range communications. Just keep them out of reach until the finale.