* = "I'm an IDEAS Man Michael, remember FUCK Mountain?!"
The other night I basically begged, borrowed, & stole my way into getting a CD with the first four songs of the next Fairly Secret Army, “We Miss The Cold War”, from Dave. I love the first album. It gets HEAVY rotation in my music listening. The new album has the potential, based upon the first four tracks, to eclipse the first album. The title track has BURNED it’s way into my brain to such a degree that it’s with me 24 hours a day now.
It’s just about as perfect a post-punk pop song can be. In addition I dig ‘Worms Of The Earth’, and not because I wrote the lyrics, but because Dave & Greg went EPIC in scale musically. It’s ‘Maiden-esque’ in it’s production, and that musical opulence not only giving the original Howard story it’s due, but wallows in that overwhelming sense of dread. Last, but not least in this musical love fest is the ‘Return Of The Smooth Operator’, which if you have or have listened to the first album, “Keep It Secret, Keep It Safe”, you’ll know that ‘The Smooth Operator’ is FANTASTIC. Dave & Gregg have added a sequel to the on-going musical tale of Mighty Mike’s ‘talents’ that Empire Strikes Back in it’s level of success. Thank you Dave & Gregg. Thank you for giving me something to listen to, to hum, to badly sing, and something to survive the gawd awful commutes Monday through Friday.
Wow, that was a lot of love there. Almost ‘Man Crush’ in severity. How ‘bout we bring that fabled sexual tension back down with a huge dose of….
TEN RANDOM RPG IDEAS & PROJECTS RATTLING AROUND IN MY BRAIN!
10) Domains Of Dread: Lamordia – While technically not an RPG, this is what has been slowly evolving using the D&D Adventure Board Game System. The reality is I need a partner here on multiple fronts. I need an editor, I need Photoshop skill(z), and someone to do a bit of play testing. If you’re reading this, and according to your last comment, YOU ARE…Ant I NEED YOUR HELP!
9) Marvel SAGA Monsters – Back in the day J.B. ran Hellboy & it was a hoot. If we restart Marvel or whatever I’d possibly build it around the idea of a Marvel version of the B.P.R.D. that deals with all those old Kirby monsters that really are harbingers of something far more dangerous. Oh and you could use the Deviants, the Eternals, the Celestials, Bloodstone, IT the Living Colossus, etc. Hmmm, something to contemplate further.
8) West End Star Wars – So I’ve been thinking a bit more about this. I think if I were to do this I’d have to shift the campaign theme, but use ideas like Spaghetti Westerns as adventure themes. I’m thinking now I’d move the timeline to well before the fall of the Republic. I’d utilize Sith Cults, the Mandolorians, the Hutts, a movement of ‘self-aware’ & malevolent Droids, & corrupt politicians as the main antagonists to begin with. Starship combat would be fast & dirty, I’d streamline ‘The Force’ so it’s not so nasty, and otherwise just play up the Space Opera aspects.
7) Zombie Apocalypse Using The B.R.S. – This would be three session maximum ‘seasons’. If you character lived then they could move on, if not, ROLL UP A NEW ONE! I’d still start in the Twin Cities during the dead of winter two months into the Zombie Apocalypse. I’m thinking that using some type of novel approach to Zombies & infection, like the Sons Of Kyuss in D&D or the movies Night Of The Creeps (**** out of 5) or Slither (**** ½ out of 5), might make it a bit more fun.
6) D&D Mega-Crawl – Deep in the heart of the Astral Sea a Dead God floats in endless decay. 10,000 years ago an intrepid band of Dwarves decided to ‘mine’ it for residium. In the process they built a vast fortress. This attracted the attention of an un-named fiend. A great battle took place with the fiend being trapped in the ‘Heart’ of the Dead God. Unfortunately, even in their victory the Dwarves found defeat. The fiend drove them mad. The devolved into Derro, and those that didn’t made infernal pacts with the un-namable fiend’s enemies and became Duergar. They continued to build, and build, and build until a vast sphere of ‘floating dungeon’ now has been built to house the body of the Dead God. Since Githyanki Pirates have frequently raided this Duergar stronghold, a mighty Red Dragon and her Kobold, Lizardfolk, & Dragonborn forces have unsuccessfully attempted invasion, & the Derro have called across the space and time to things man was not meant to know from the Far Realm freeing them deep within some of the long forgotten recesses of The Heart Of The Dead God. Thoughts?
5) Expedition To The Barrier Peaks – I’m thinking of doing this in D&D Adventure Board Game System style, since the chances of me actually getting to play this module have shrunk considerably. Again I’d need to call out for help though.
4) Gamma World – Moehb The Mighty, a WIZARD, has taken over the fabled Windy City on the shore of the toxic lake. He’s demanding tribute from all of the local tribes in order to protect them from the power of his Terror Cannon. Slavery, lost civilization, WIZARD killin’, and talking monkeys all await those who sojourn to the Shattered Towers Of Moehb The Mighty. Make sure when you read this to read the word ‘WIZARD’ aloud in your best Thundarr The Barbarian voice.
3) Marvel SAGA – If this picks up where it left off, regardless of who plays, I vow to touch upon the following;
- Arcade & his Polyhedron Prison!
- Who is the fastest being on Earth?
- GANG WAR!
- Can you trust someone called The Son Of Satan?
- Titania NEEDS A MAN!
- Who Leads The Leader?
- Invasion From Beyond The Stars!
- Who is the girl with the Gamma tattoo?
- DEATH to the Captain Americas?!
- What ever happened to The Rangers?
- & FINAL CRISIS!
2) D&D Sci-Fi – The well in the Vault Of Pelor is actually a portal to the Darkside of the Second Moon. Why are the Drow there? What are the up to? And what is that large thing hurtling towards our planet? The idea would be to take some of the basic sci-fi tropes of strange visitors, mix in a heavy dash of scheming, ambitious baddies, & add just a pinch of Weird. Hell this may turn up in our current campaign, one never knows.
1) WRASSLIN’! – So I picked up a SUPER cheap copy of the D20 WWE “Know Your Role” RPG. I know, I know before you start to laugh yourself into a stupor I’ve done my research first. This game gets pretty good marks for originality, system use, and inventive ways to push Role Playing. I’ve always had a soft spot for Wrestling. It’s a Poor Man's Opera.
So I figured a bunch of games, built into a VERY loose narrative with a Mandate for INSANITY would be a riot. Each player would make like 4 characters, they would then be ‘Drafted’ by the players as a group. So you may not get the character you made. Then I would really turn up the wrestling insanity with Cage matches, betrayals most foul, tag team wars, hair Vs. mask matches, & every other thing I can think of. It would a lot of role-playing promos and interaction, light on dice, quick on combat and effects, and BIG on ambiance. I’m talking people at the table wearing fake moustaches, lucha masks, sunglasses, & the cutting of off the charts promos. The potential for outrageous fun would be fantastic. Not to mention who doesn’t want to whack Ric Flair with a chair? WHO I ASK YOU?
That was a lot of nerd right there…
RANDOM CRAP!
- I finished Viperhand (** ½ out of 5) the other day.
It’s book two of three so I don’t really know how the story started, although it wasn’t to hard to figure out, and I have no idea how the larger narrative ends. That being said this was an enjoyable romp through the Forgotten Realms setting of Maztica. Maybe since it was the middle book in a trilogy that’s why I just wasn’t that invested in any of the characters. The book seemed more built around a plot/adventure with very little about the actual characters in said adventure. It was definitely worth the buck I bought it for.
- I love you Half-Priced Books.
- Nazi dogs bred to talk and write? The Russians were the real force behind the aliens ‘found’ at Area 51? You gotta love ‘reality’, it’s great fodder for fiction.
- Gah, I need to mail stuff out to my sister…
- Last night I put together my ‘bucket O minis’ to paint over the next few days. Will I get them all painted? Not a chance in hell. Do I have some crazy cool stuff to try and get done? YUP! I’m actually looking forward to a rainy, quiet, three-day weekend with my wife and my painting.
- I’m bloggin’ like crazy lately.
- James M. @ the Grognardia blog was touching upon the use of religion in D&D the other day. As always he has me thinking long and hard about how I’m going to go forward in my own games using large religious groups. I think I need to re-look how pervasive they are and can be, not only that but how one Gods aspects can be ‘tweaked’ to serve the needs of cleric or priest. There is a reason these Gods have multiple aspects it’s high time I utilized them. As always good stuff over there.
- Weather permitting I’m going to smoke some chicken this weekend.
The day is flying by, which is a good thing.
“We miss the Cold War
Oh that’s for Damn sure
We miss the Cold, Cold War…”
* = THIS is the insanity I'm talkin' 'bout!
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