The Old Gaming Group

Here's the GM setup I had when I ran Pathfinder this last Winter. The game ran from some time in late November of 2012 to the middle of January of 2013. If you look closely you can see the mechanical pencil I've used every time I've run a game since my first time. Also, I had a copy of The Hobbit available because the excitement was rising before the film's release and...why not?

Here also is our group, such as they were. I apologize to anyone who beholds the ugly mugs of this lot.

Gygax Magazine #1 - Like the Return of the Kings of Old to a Lost Kingdom

There are few events which truly deserve a dramatic report from the mouths, or keyboards, of the few, faithful, and passionate. Recently one such event has occurred. Like the line of Eärendil reclaiming the throne of Gondor or the King Under the Mountain returning to Erebor, the "Lords of Gaming" have returned to periodicals. Can I get a,"Huzzah?"

What I'm referring to in such an extravagant manner is the publication of Gygax Magazine. Assembled by gamers who have been with the hobby for ages and penned by those who brought about the game of Dungeons and Dragons alongside Gary the Great himself, this magazine marks a return to an older style of gaming and the days of rallying around a publication which represents the essence of the hobby. To the relief of many, I'm sure, it appears to be a non-denominational publication. That should be perfect for those still fiercely battling upon the bloody fields of the Edition Wars or those who prefer to center their gaming on systems apart from the widely agreed upon standard. Basically, it has something for everyone.

From the cover title, in its all too familiar font, to the cover illustration of a couple of surprised adventurers and a supremely miffed Ettin to the fantastic page count, the incredible content, the relevant ads, and the comics, this gaming periodical has everything and maybe even 12d12 kitchen sinks (maybe?). Flipping through, one can clearly see that just about everyone who matters in gaming showed up for this splendid print party. One can read articles written by people named Gygax (for quality in a name, look no further), a great "Cosmology of Role-Playing Games" by James Carpio which features a cosmological poster every gamer who cares about the hobby should have plastered to their game room wall, words of reminiscing by "The Mighty" Tim Kask, a fantastic article on DMing for the younglings by the brilliant Cory Doctorow, and so much more. There are ads for everything from old style RPGs to miniatures to board games to other useful tabletop gaming accessories. Heck, there are even classic gaming comics returning for fans old and new, like "Marvin the Mage" and "Phil and Dixie." Let's not forget the charming Erol Otus-like illustrations of Peter Mullen on pages forty four and forty seven in the so-useful-it-makes-me-giddy section on the swamp village of Gnatdamp.

If you're a gamer who is looking for a quarterly read which will inspire you to greater heights in your gaming projects, amuse you, and make you feel like you're part of the greater world of gaming then you should be subscribing to Gygax Magazine. The hobby has had its divisions, many occurring within the last several years as gaming publications have faded from existence as new editions of old games along with new titles have swollen the market. This magazine, I feel, can unite us and offer many a banner to rally around. Here's to the healthy future and development of Gygax Magazine. It's staff and its contributors have this gamer's eternal gratitude.

*Later Addition: Also, let me add that I love the feel of the magazine. Just holding and flipping through the book takes me back to the Dragon Magazines of the 90s when Second Edition was the law of the land and THAC0 held sway. Nothing like nostalgia to enrich the feeling of love I have for the hobby. Now, back to your regularly scheduled blog post ending.

Ages Away from the Gaming Table

I've strayed. For a time, due to frustration and exhaustion, I called it quits with gaming and retreated into other interests. I assume that this happens to most of the folks who involve themselves in the hobby. Perhaps I'm alone and my gamer's resolve is weak.

Though, as Spring rolls in I find myself digging out my dice, old notes, and several rule books. The smoke is rising from my growing fire of inspiration and desire to escape into a fantastical game world. I'm crafting away little by little and sliding back into a mood more conducive to rolling dice and battling the varied forces of an imagined supreme evil. That's the beauty of this blessed hobby, isn't it?

One can sit at the table, roll the die, and play themselves into an ecstatic state of gamer bliss. Then one can lose their interest and break for a while to move about in other circles. In the end we all come back. It's inevitable. As inevitable as the next edition of our favorite game. I'd wager that a gamer's gaming, leave taking, and eventual return are all part of a universal hobbyist's rhythm.

For my part, I'm syncing with the cycle once again. I wonder how many out there are experiencing the same. Maybe I'm not alone after all.

Here's hoping that this return is as enjoyable as my sentimental past with the books, the notes, and the various accoutrements. Here's to gaming once again.

Gaming in the Sun and Sand

As things take a dive towards the icy heart of Winter here in Michigan, our adventuring group has started play in a scorching desert campaign setting. Using the Pathfinder rules I've created a searing, sandy midsection to my project continent, on which I've run two other staled or ill-fated campaigns. Obviously I'm hoping for better luck this time around.

The adventurers are, for the most part, new to gaming. They rolled up their first characters two weeks ago, and as of last week they were fully fitted for play. Some of them don't quite understand how to operate within the parameters of their character classes, and some of them just seem to be present for the social interaction. All in all, it's a light play group, which isn't what I prepared for at all. No problem, though.

I've spent my preparation time drawing detailed maps, writing up NPC personalities, and fleshing out the areas of my world in which the action has been set to go down. When gathering my creative energies and assembling gaming material I tend to go the distance and let my inner perfectionist take over. This tends to be an issue as I often spend hours working out aspects that rarely affect the majority of what occurs around the game table. It's all a lesson and I'm forever learning.

Anyway, I'll try to chronicle the activities of this group as often as I can. Now to finish prep for tonight's game. Wish me luck.

Back to the Table

My wife and I recently held a game night at our house. We had a decent set of games for our guests including several versions of Steve Jackson Games' Munchkin, Atlas Games' Once Upon a Time, Twilight Creation's Zombies, and Kenzerco's Tech Support. The thing is that none of the above went over all that well. In fact, after a lukewarm game of Munchkin Cthulhu there went up a sudden and unanimous cry of "Let's play D&D!"

I was flabbergasted. The folks we invited over weren't the D&D-playing type, or so I thought. The last thing I expected from them was a request to play good old Dungeons and Dragons (Pathfinder, actually). It was strange timing because I had just recently declared to my wife that I was burnt out on the game and had no desire to DM again for a long time. Funny how things work out.

So I'm back at the drawing table creating worlds and the peoples of those worlds. I might have dreaded the experience before the group requested this. Now that I'm actively doing DM work again I find that I'm loving it, and for completely new reasons, too. In one day I worked up a city map, an outline of its functions, and even some of its history. Talk about productivity.

This Saturday is game night once again. This time I'll be meeting a six person party of fresh gamers. Will they find my city interesting? Will the game be entertaining? Will I miscalculate and ruin their nights with an incredibly difficult adventure? I guess I'll have to wait till Saturday to find out. Now, back to my notes and books. The world still needs find tuning.

My Geek Library is Ready!

Recently my wife and I moved into a new apartment. We have been overjoyed to find that we now have plenty of space for everything. That means, thankfully, there is now a dedicated area for all of the geeky things I brought to our marriage but have been unable to unpack or display since we first started living together. Freedom at last! 

One corner of the Geek Library

As you can see in the images I've posted here the room is decently sized and offers not only exceptional floor space but adequate shelving as well. There's a place for all of our books, all of my collectibles, and tons of wall space dedicated solely to my maps and posters. There's nothing like walking in one morning to sort through some rulebooks and looking up to see the wonder that is Skyrim or the faces of the Justice League beaming down at you. This coupled with the fact that I was able to pick up a folding card table for gaming means that I am now able to shape my own version of heaven on Earth.

The game corner of the Geek Library

The gaming portion is, of course, the true focus here. It's great that there's space for collectibles and comics, but now I have a room that is large enough for a whole game group to gather, sit down, and launch into adventures over a dedicated gaming table. Finally, I can leave my gridded battle mat unrolled upon the table, waiting for the marks which will define the areas of combat or the halls of a new dungeon. I can leave my dice lying around without fearing the meddlesome whims of our cats. I can even escape into the room, leaving my wife plenty of space to play her ukulele or watch movies, and pour over my rulebooks while sitting at the gaming table. I can't possibly express in words how great this really is, and I still find myself looking around the walls of the room at night wondering how I can feel so happy and be so fortunate. To put it simply, it's just really cool.

The Gaming Table which bears the playtest rules for 

D&D Next and some old issues of Dragon

There is proof that all of this was meant to be and is going to be awesome. After I set up the gaming table and unfurled the battle mat I tossed a large d20 down just to have it there. It came up 20! Now I know that many gamers use gaming superstitions and rituals for humour, but I feel that by rolling a 20 on my d20 after first setting up my table that there will be a great gaming future for my geek space. 

I was so excited I took a picture - First roll of a die in 

the Geek Library (seriously!)

Anyway, I'm giddy, as if that's not obvious. Next time I'll go into my impressions of the D&D Next playtest. My group and I will be diving into a quick adventure in the next week before the first stage survey is due. I'm hoping to become familiar with the initial rule documents and gather some valuable feedback for the developers. Hopefully our opinions and feedback will count. If not, there's always Pathfinder (which is our beloved default game anyway). 

From the Depths of Gaming Mountain...

I write to you an infrequent poster, yet I bear happy tidings. I'm currently working on a new version of my previous campaign.

It was a long and happy series of random days when my group and I would gather for dice rolling and delving into the brightest and darkest spots of our collective imagination. We discovered an ancient elven tomb, curiously designed and crafted by dwarf-kind. Together we met a cast of strange NPCs while working our way into the disfavour of a local barony. The group made contact with a rogue people, surprisingly the elven-kind of that specific part of the world. There was slaughter, there was intrigue, and there were silly-happy times all around.

We dead-ended at the beginning of what promised to be the revelation of answers to a great deal of the mystery the group had thus far encountered. Who were the baron's people? Why were the elves really hiding in their fortified, ever-shrinking part of the greater wood? Why were the non-human authorities actively seeking to undermine the Baron Kirkfall? For whom did the Baron actually work?

Many questions were left unanswered and many mysteries remained. This time, though, I'm building up my NPC cast, greasing my GM die, bulking up my geographical design knowledge, and preparing to thrust the willing and available members of my old group back into a world wholly new yet incredibly familiar. Stay tuned for our tales as we continue to revel in our Tabletop Epics!