Just Arrived: Magic Realm!

It's here! I'd won a copy of Magic Realm on ebay a couple of weeks ago and it finally arrived today. I'd first heard about it on Paladin's blog and after doing some research I considered this a good candidate for helping me convert my board gaming pals to RPGs. I've yet to perform an inventory check, but the ebay listing said it was a "complete" game with all pieces accounted for. I'm actually skeptical of this, because, as you can see, it was not shipped in a box to protect the game, but in brown shipping paper (a big no-no anytime you send collectibles, duh!). Anyway, I'm glad I didn't pay too much for this copy, but it bugs me that the seller was so cavalier/cheap.

I haven't yet decided exactly how to use it: as is or to use the rules and basically create a new setting (like the umpteen that I've been working on already!). I've been chatting with a few veterans on Board Game Geek and I think I'll be using the revised rules, which aren't so much different as much as they explain game play better than the ones that come in the box (so I've been told).

So it's finally here, yay!

Creative Ebullience: Odds and Ends

Just a quick post while I'm getting caught up with blogging and setting material--I've stumbled upon several kernels of fun/creativity I thought I'd share. It's always good to have some go-to resources to get the gears turning again:

Jeff Rients has an eye for supplemental material, including this 19th Century "Encyclopedia of Useful Facts" to help round out your wild west/steampunk adventures.

While your checking out that free cowpoke book on Project Gutenberg, have a looksee at the Top 100 Books and Top 10 Authors. Everything on the Gutenberg is provided at no cost, but donations are appreciated.

Need template for a pre-historic people for your next campaign? Try the Aurignacians they look ripe for embellishment.

A list of unusual words via Boing Boing. Not meaning to cancatervate links of an inaniloquent nature, but this will help support my own philosophunculist tendencies. Here's hoping that your own ideas dehisce onto the blogpage, as it were.

Also plucked from BB is this Visual Study Guide of Cognitive Biases. Think of it as a manual for designing NPCs, angry mobs, and plot twists.

Okay, many of you already know about Monster Brains, just about the coolest blog anywhere. It's basically a monster manual begging to rolled up with stats. Helpful if you need a to fill a few spawning pools for your creeping hordes.

And finally, this is real dedication: a d1000 random table on spell effects. Don't let the fact that it was written for 4E fool you, there's some good stuff here. It's by in large rules-neutral anyway.

Carry on.

Frank Frazetta is gone

Famed fantasy illustrator Frank Frazetta has passed away. Here is a small selection of my favorite Frazetta pieces. Show one of yours on a post today in honor of one of the great ones.

We'll miss you Frank.