Tabletop RPG Podcast and Roleplaying Resources

Author: Robert Miklos (Page 3 of 6)

Founded

1600jfortBeric’s Blessing and Baron’s Revenge headed south from Constantine’s Land, in search of better weather and a larger land mass.  (Also putting some distance from the clockwork Automoton). A sheltered Bay revealed a small river delta, with a deep water estuary.  The two carracks sailed upriver for an hour, until they came upon a point where the delta forks met up to become one river.  In the distance to the east lay a vast forest, while at the river fork point, flat, solid ground stretched as far as the eye both to the north and south.  The party decided that providence had brought them to the right spot, and the colony was founded on October 10, 1115 (YOTE).

Soon, lumber parties went into the forest to fell the resources needed, while tenements and a palisade were quickly raised.  A chill hit the air the next week, and the workers redoubled their efforts to house the settlers. Captain Rannic of the Baron’s Revenge asked to take his leave, but put off his journey when convinced his departure would be futile. His deferral was timely, as activity and arrow flight was spotted in the forest.  The party was dispatched, until confronted by a party of green scaled lizard like short creatures, armed with spear and cross bow.  Attempts to parlay were for naught, and battle ensued.  the party was victorious, but not before the “Dragon Kin” leader spoke threats to the party in broken Gothic.  Odd.

The next week brought the first snowfall, and the dispatching of the ships to the Bay.  Two days later, Beric’s Blessing returned, and announced that Baron’s revenge had departed early, back to the Old World.  A second encounter with the Dragon Kin was more successful, and ended in a stand off.  Later that week, the entire settlement was surprised by a large floating object coming towards the Settlement. An Airship of some kind perched just above the entrance to the Settlement, and three “Lizardmen” repelled down ropes.  led by a fine speaking Aristophenes, the Party learned that the Lizard Empire had been in contact with the Gothic Empire for some 200 years, and had invited the Gothic Empire to settle the new world in a fulfilment of an alliance. The party, perplexed by the lack of intelligence provided to them by their own government, pondered their next moves, in an ever more hostile land.

Land Ho!

voyage-to-virginiaThey volunteered for their own reasons.  As word spread throughout the Gothic Empire of the discovery of a vast and new land, the Emperor’s aides quickly assembled the first year of cadets in the Imperial War Academy.  For various reasons, the party volunteered to leave hearth and home, maybe to never return to the shores of the Gothic Empire, to family, to all they knew. But volunteer they did.

The party journeyed on a thirty day coach trip to Krugersport, in the Western March, and met with Baron Manfred von Kruger (thirteenth of his line).  There, the party took the generous offerings of the Baron and the Emperor, and outfitted their Carrack, the Baron’s Revenge.  They also purchased a second Carrack, and named it Beric’s Blessing (after the prophet Berric).  The party screened settlers, and stocked the ship with provisions, livestock, and settlers.

Finally, before departure, the party tracked down one of the few survivors of the discovery voyage.  Rustig Tannor was laying in bed, sick with the Bloody Pox, a disease he claimed came from touching a new type of bird in the New World.  They didn’t find out much from Rustig, except that the passage was arduous and stormy, and that they had only stayed on shore for a few hours before rushing back to the Empire and safety.

Finally stocked and ready, the two Carracks sailed out of Krugersport to a ticker tape departure, with thousands cheering the two intrepid ships.  May 25, TYOTE (the year of the empire) 1149. From information gathered, the party estimated a three month journey to the new lands. At first, the seas were calm, and the ships made good time (150 miles a day).  Then a bracket of small storms slowed the two ships down.  On August 15, the skies on the south, west, and north turned dark and tumultuous.  The first band of storms hit the two ships that evening, with 120 mph winds.  One mast of Berric’s Blessing snapped even as the sails had been taken down.  As the first band passed, the crew prayed to the One God through Beric that they were through the worst part.  Beric could not hear.  The next wave hit the ships, with 150 mph winds, and lasted almost a day.  Several passengers died from the unheard of tossing and cresting of the ships.  Then, an unnatural calm.  The ships had sailed into the eye of the cyclone.  For hours, the crew tended to the wounded, and butressed the masts. Then the eye passed, and the storm, with a growl, hit the two ships again, with the back side of the eye of the storm.  For another day, the ships were hit by a maximum of 188 mph winds.  Two more masts of Beric’s Blessing were snapped, as were two of the Baron’s Revenge. Three more passengers died, including Doctor Paltos.  With Beric’s Blessing down to one mast, and the Baron’s Revenge down to two, the ships made much slower goings.

On September 15, the crew spotted seagulls and shoals.  On September 18th, the crew spotted a small reef island, and named it Constantine’s Concern.  Finally, on September 26, 1149, the crew spotted a distant shore, with mountain peaks and forests.  Land Ho! was cried, and excitement rippled through the weary passengers and crew. A New World.

Colonel Archibald Jefferson Johnston IV (CSA Ret.) musings on infantry combat

mosbyExcerpt from Musings on Infantry Combat by Col. Johnston.

 

“Fear of fixed fortifications and an entrenched enemy is highly overrated.  A direct assault on a fixed location only puts 40-70% of your men in jeopardy of a fatal wound during the first wave.  With fixed bayonets, and a lightened load by leaving ammunition behind, a company of men can cross a field of rifle fire with some semblance of order left once the battlements are reached (see in point Gettysburg Little Round Top or the wall at Fredricksburg as examples). Then once the battlements are reached, who knows what will happen? Although exhausted, out of ammunition, and with only two or three out of the ten men you started with, engaging with an enemy after such carnage should terrify them.  After all, if you are willing to sacrifice so many men so easily, what do you know that your enemy doesn’t.  What trick do you have up your sleeve, so to speak? Although after twenty-two engagements it hasn’t yet worked, I am convinced that the next engagement will prove me right.  On to Appomatox!”

Fr. Rodrigo’s fevered dream

concepting_a_medieval_street_by_gycinn-d7jzbtfAs Torquemada’s minions battered me into unconsciousness, I found myself drifting, in a timeless float towards a familiar place.  Old Valencia, and the Via Pared d’Azul (Blue Wall Street).  When I was a child, I knew every corner, every shoemaker’s stall, every flower vendor, every fishmonger’s bucket.  As I grew up, I would return to visit.  The old smells of the street would instantly transport me back to a time of comfort, of safety and innocence.  But this time, when I returned, things were different.  My old street, always so full of life, was dark.  Instead of fresh flowers, I smelled death and decay. No vendors opening their stalls.  No fishmongers yelling out that day’s catch from the Mediterranean. Only decay and darkness.  I walked the street, and in the distance a cowering figure walked slowly in the distance.  I quickly approached, desperate to inquire as to what had befallen my street.  Plague? The Moors? The French on a sea raid?

I caught up to the figure, grasping its shoulder, and spun it around.  Of course it was My grandmother, Mi Abuela.  At first I exulted.  She was free from that Inquisition prison cell! She frowned, turned back walking.  I was confused.  I called out to her. She kept on walking.  I rushed in front of her and stopped her in the street.  I grasped her shoulders and pleaded for her to explain.  She pointed her old, boney figure at me, and nearly spat in response, “You are not allowed on the blue street yet. You are not finished. El Mundo Agua necessitate. Yo espera hasta se regrese.” With that, she faded.  I saw the bars of her cell once again.  I knew she had talked to me from her cell, although I did not know how. Then light began to fill the street.  Vendors began to open their shops.  The smell of death started to fade.  At that, I knew the street and my body were the same.  As the street healed, so did I.

GenCon 2016 Review

GClogo-header-2016-91a751cab7b3dc33dd0ac3b3b95595ac9c4e1b4bc5f42b6388531396cb8729beDisclaimer; I will only comment on what I experienced.

This convention was jammed packed with people.  I wonder how long Indianapolis will be able to hold it.  People everywhere. But as always, there are still a lot to experience and wring out of the Convention.

  1. The Dealer’s hall.  It was bigger and better than ever.  You can really endanger your mortgage payment in there.  So much to buy.  I especially liked DCC, Troll Lord’s, and Hirst Arts.  Dwarven Forge got waaaaay too much of my money.
  2. Baldman games had a good recovery from last year.  The DnD experience was very good, and they had the mustering under control.  It was a good story line.  But still no swag.  Not that I am overly fussy, but come on guys.  Maybe an advanced copy of the Storm Giant book?  Give me a little extra for my $150 please.
  3. Star Wars Edge of Empire continues to be a highlight.  But you wonder why FFG doesn’t support it more.  I think this system could conquer the earth if given more support.  And Emory loves to play the Wookie and tear arms off NPCs. Good Times.
  4. Support for RPGs is at an all time high.  From coins, to Syrinscape, to terrain pieces and models, we are in the golden age of RPG support products.
  5. People still bring their babies in strollers.  You see this on the weekends, and I guess Midwesterners don’t trust or can’t get babysitters.  I’m not sure why you would drag your six-month old to a jam packed convention full of BO and sleepy gamers.  Its like a powder keg waiting to go off. “Hey, Cole (Insert stupid millennial name here), stop the baby from swallowing that d20!”
  6. Greyhawk Reborn will be skipped from now on.  Evidently there are rules, rules that cannot be broken.  Sorry, playing a first level character amongst fourth level characters may feed your ego, but being a sideline character es no Bueno.  Take these rules and shove it, I ain’t gaming here no more.
  7. Southwest has a non-stop from Dallas to Indianapolis.  1h 50m.  You have no excuses.
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