Trek

https://facebook.com/BlogHQFan/videos/1549510828429634/

Earthsea Lives!

“For a word to be spoken, there must be silence. Before, and after.” 
― Ursula K. Le Guin, A Wizard of Earthsea

Ursula K. Le Guin R.I.P.

Life rises out of death, death rises out of life; in being opposite they yearn to each other, they give birth to each other and are forever reborn. And with them, all is reborn, the flower of the apple tree, the light of the stars. In life is death. In death is rebirth.”

-Ursula K. Le Guin, The Farthest Shore

A friend pointed out to me that she actually died in December....grief is fresh for me.

Free Scooby Snack for F.A.T.E.

https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/251127/Weird-World-News-o-A-World-of-Adventure-for-Fate-Core

Peterson on Horror Module Creation

Redshirts

Dungeon World Classic Conversion Notes for Tannoch: Rest of Kings

Tannoch: Rest of Kings is another one of Michael Prescott's excellent adventure sites I like to pull out of my bag for Dungeon World. Most of my conversions are based on posts on the Dungeon World Tavern by Mark Chance. He ran this adventure site for his son as a single person Dungeon World Adventure a few years back, I was careful to collect his posts and add them to my notes.

Here is a the link to Prescott's free module: http://www.trilemma.com/blog/adventures/06%20Tannoch.pdf

The Dungeon World conversion notes:
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tuIDbqskDFP8GfuzzYmaXp_A_Y2_ZIsP

"It’s Still Sparta" Monster-of-the-Week Mystery Review

Marek Golonka seems like a very nice person. Many Tabletop Role Playing pundits will not publish even mildly negative reviews. They make you enemies, they discourage authors from sending you free stuff and they depress fellow hobbyists who are generally doing something creative for love while forced like most of us to still work dull jobs to pay the rent. Marek Golonka is the first person I know of to go forward and publish professional mysteries for Monster-of-the-Week besides Michael Sands and she submitted them to me for my “expert” approval. I should have made excuses and written up a review praising Gardens of Ynn like everybody else and simply noted her chutzpah. I didn’t. I published lukewarm reviews of her first two Monsters of Europe mysteries.

I found her first two mysteries were professional but uninspired. A European write-up of their version of the Bell Witch incident (The Haunted Case of Eleonore Zugun) is simply not terribly meaningful for Americans. It was followed by Blood in Budapest; a valentine of sorts to that city. I wondered why did she use tired Romanian inspired vampires instead of something from Hungary’s own rich mythology instead? Both mysteries also suffered from the fact that they were long and overstuffed with material the writer dearly loved but foreign to the lean and mean appeal of Monster-of-the-Week’s usual two to five page mystery format. I felt like I should have received at least a small mystery arc or thematic mystery collection for this length and price. My general reaction was guilty indifference.

Marek Golonka bravely sent me her third mystery for review.

I am happy to say indifference was not my reaction.

It appears that the third time is the charm.

Most of her basic problems are now solved. Marek Golonka’s third mystery is a wildly creative adventure sending the hunters on a quest into classical myth. It is sort of like a Supernatural episode where Sam and Dean travel back in time to the Old West or an alternate reality. The length of the mystery and additional material is justified by the strangeness of the setting: the players are not in Kansas anymore!

If you want to send your hunters into the world of greek mythology this is your ticket to ride. I still think she would be better served in the future by writing mystery arcs in a more compact format and adding additional game material like a new playbook with each mystery; the crushing reality of Tabletop RPG PDF supplements is the current price point is still arguably too high. Very few authors make any real money in this market. A Patreon or Kickstarter publishing model for a bigger product "might" serve the author better. My review copy also had no art; I don’t know if this is the case in the finished product. 

However, anything with content this wildly creative deserves “kudos” and is inspiring. Maybe my desire to send my hunters the Planet of the Apes is doable after all!

You can find copies of Its Still Sparta here: https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/250707/Its-still-Sparta

Stellarium of Vinteralf Classic Dungeon World Conversion Revised

I ran this as a one-shot again recently which produced these new and hopefully improved conversion notes....

https://drive.google.com/open?id=17eWCTt1RrHao8PyUceJP6Y5KilUzYD46

Orginal Module Link: http://www.trilemma.com/blog/adventures/Stellarium%20of%20the%20Vinteralf.pdf

Monster-of-the-Week Playbook Revised: The Operative

This revised version seems to be play testing well...many thanks to Michael Sands and Felix Girke for their insightful comments and helpful advice.

Any additional feedback very much appreciated!

if anyone is willing to play test this in a group and report back I will try to write a small "thank you" reward for you your group.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=109IuXQlPIkB04I4galcNbsDbcH_bMvIe

New Monster of the Week Mystery: Terror at 30,000 Feet

Playing around with formats for a MotW mystery...IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE!

(When in need for a sudden single player mystery steal from the best!)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1jkALItkx8LX8qiwIvOlHcK0ZiSROBYSk

Troll Hunt (An Adventure for Jason Lutes’ Funnel World Dungeon World Expansion)

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1tQdMkTJPumbgaF6yK2c9SbZjofPt9STb

"Your father was a rare thing in your village…a man that could read. And read he did; trying to find life’s true meaning. The world is ever full of “wonders and signs” your poor father used to say before he succumbed to the bleeding ache (or was it the aching dropsy?) He found the stars a wonder, a leering leper a sign and his own hideous demise a prophecy of….he never said; probably because he was too busy dying hideously. He certainly would have found the crushed hovels and disappearances of local village families to be spiritually meaningful. You and your friends are more practical; something has to be done before your entire village is slowly removed from the map and you with it!"

Dr. Seuss' Call of Cthulhu

Happy Birthday, Mr. Lovecraft!

Check out a great gnole story!

https://d-infinity.net/fiction/man-who-sold-rope-gnoles

Gnoles and Gebbelins

These monster conversions were inspired by DCC Module Gnole House (in the DCC Quickstart Rules) which could act as as a neat prequel to my own Gibbelin Job Starter... 

(https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/194173/20-Dungeon-Starters)

Lesser Gnole
Group, Organized, Hoarder
Brutal Weapon (d8 damage) 6 HP 0 armor
Close
Special Qualities: Cannibal, Evil Merchants
Gnoles go through two distinct life phases and lesser gnoles are the first stage. Lesser gnoles are man-sized, hulking creatures with a physique reminiscent of an ape. They have rubbery flesh covered with coarse, dark hair, and beady, piggish eyes of bright red. Lesser gnoles don’t typically wear clothing, but enjoy accessories such as hats, scarves, sashes, and oversized boots when they can find them. Their tongues are long and ribbon-like, and they can understand but not speak the Common tongue, communicating with one another in a complex language of purrs, whines, whistles, trills, and grunts. All gnoles live in family groups that mimic human society to the point of parody. They fight with clubs, axes, spears, and other brutal but simple weapons.
Instinct: Devour Humans!

Collects items
Summon other gnoles with whistle
Inspired by the DCC Module Gnole House

Greater Gnole
Solitary, Large
Tentacles (d10 damage) 16 HP 1 armor
Special Qualities: Gem Eyes, Tribal Gnole Leader
If a gnole is lucky enough to survive a century or more, it undergoes a metamorphosis, transforming into a greater gnole. Greater gnoles typically stand 7’ tall, but can grow up to twice that size. Their bodies are oval in shape, with nodules of rubbery flesh protruding from their torsos and abdomens. Greater gnoles lose their coarse fur, revealing its naked, slate gray skin. Their arms become tentacles and their ears are grown over with folds of flesh, rendering them largely deaf. Even stranger, the eyes of a greater gnole transform into faceted gemstones and can be removed from their sockets. These gemstones are often magical and a Greater Gnole will regrow new eyes if his old eyes are lost and will often keep spare sets of "eyes". If these are stolen the Greater Gnole will hunt down the thief with his or her tribe to capture and devour all of the thief and all of his or her comrades.
Instinct: Protect gem eyes

Devour Humans
Produce and protect gemstone eyes
Lead a lesser gnole tribe
Inspired by the DCC Module Gnole House

Gibbelin
Group, Small, Intelligent, Hoarder
Weapon (d6 damage) 3 HP 0 armor
Close
Special Qualities: Cannibal, Wealthly in gems, Collecter
Short, ochre-colored humanoids with broad noses, catlike ears, and four-fingered hands. Gibbelins are a race of short humanoids said to be related to evil gnomes. Gibbelins dwell in the darkest of forests andin shallow caves under hills. They are intrigued by all manner of tools, weapons, and fancy clothing. The gnoles accumulate all these items from their victims and trade regularly with the gibbelins to acquire the green crystals they admire.
Instinct: Devours humans

Mines gems
Collects human items
Trades with gnoles
Inspired by the DCC Module Gnole House

LA LA LAND ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Roll For Initiative - A Short Documentary (2015)

“Furnace Room Lullaby” by Neko Case

Cage The Elephant - Ain't No Rest For The Wicked

Monster of the Week Playbook:The Operative

This is my second serious attempt at a new Monster-of-the-Week play book "The Operative" a former covert monster hunting operative burned by his Bureau for mysterious reasons and hoping for payback. I would very much like the Roadhouse to review and would love play test feedback. I can tell you the feedback on my Gumshoe and play testing was the reason the revised version will hopefully be in the rules expansion. Play testing is really key to playbooks. I'm willing to write a short mystery for the Roadhouse dedicated and inspired by the gaming group with the best play test report or some other reward as per their desire.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=109IuXQlPIkB04I4galcNbsDbcH_bMvIe

"Jeweler That Dealt In Stardust" Conversion Notes

The classic Harley Stroh DCC Module "Jeweler That Dealt In Stardust" Conversion Notes for the Dungeon World RPG by Logan Howard and myself. We were inspired by Wayne Peacock's fine DCC conversion work. Feedback Welcome!

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1zBH_-2Auuy_LujvUltcxlQyUzbdzo30z

All Of Our Yesterdays

Whenever I need to chill out I beam up...

This time it was....STAR TREK (TOS): ALL OF OUR YESTERDAYS

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/All_Our_Yesterdays_(episode)

Kirk, Spock, and McCoy are trapped in a planet's distant pasts, where Spock finds "love" with an exiled woman.

"I heard the spirit talk to him. He answered...and did call it "Bones"!"

- Constable, relating Kirk calling out to McCoy

"Witch!! Witch!! They'll burn ya!"

- Mort, in her cell

"Captain's log, stardate 5943.9, subjective time. People of this time believe in witches, and witchcraft is what I've been accused of. Five witnesses heard McCoy's voice speak to me and thought it was an evil spirit. From what I know of witchcraft trials, I don't have much chance unless I can get to the prosecutor."