Behind The Mask Vs. Sleep Away Camp

* = This is why I'm not allowed to carry firearms or matches. Or run with scissors...

In my never-ending effort to stave off both sleep and crushing boredom I’m here again, blogging. It’s sort of amazing that what generally is an open forum to let the stream of consciousness flow out unfettered has sometimes become a ‘nookie/blankie’ to help me simply survive a very droll day. Don’t get me wrong my weekday time isn’t overly easy, it isn’t always boring, but there are times where I’ve found my own penchant for efficiency has become more bane than boon.

Coupled with a lack of ‘good’ sleep, this leaves me unable to focus my imagination enough to even really daydream effectively. When that is taken away spending eight hours behind a desk praying for 3:30pm becomes virtually unbearable. Having this mental sanctuary that affords me the opportunity to simply think really is all I have left at 10am in the morning.

Last night I discovered that my Old School Doctor Who run was going to have a bump in it as my disc of ‘The Web Planet’ is not working. So instead I moved on to ‘The Crusades’ (*** out of 5).

I’ll say this for the writer he certainly stripped away any of the romantic notions of Saladin’s relationship with Richard the Lionheart. In fact overall there is a very sinister air around the Muslims in the holy land. Its only saving grace is that Saladin is portrayed as compassionate, intelligent, pragmatic, but also somewhat of a realist regarding the Crusaders. All the while Richard is shown as hotheaded, volatile, petulant, & slightly unpredictable. His saving grace is his want for peace so he can return home. Whereas The Doctor and Vicki ran roughshod through Nero’s Rome, they succumb to court intrigue in this serial, and almost are killed because of it. We again get Barbara as the captive, first a ‘guest’ of Saladin, then as a kidnapped addition to El Akir’s harem, and finally as the potential victim to El Akir’s rage. Ian gets knighted. Oh and then he falls asleep and is almost eaten by ants. Really this episode gave the group an overall air of ineptitude that was missing the last two serials. I love the premise of this serial, but it’s execution is just ‘meh’.

Now I just need to figure out this ‘The Web Planet’ issue.

Last evening I had two packages that I had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived. The first contained miniatures by the Russian company Zvezda for their Ring Of Rule game. It was 21-troop regiment of Orcs. They are multi-part minis; I’m going to begin assembling them soon.

My reasoning for their purchase was, well first of all they were insanely cheap, but secondly they make a good transition in size and shape between Games Workshop Orks and the D&D Orc, and since I have tons of both and plan on using them for my D&D Campaigns future and present it doesn’t hurt to have options. Not to mention there is a Female Orc Warrior, who will be a decent stand-in for an Elspeth style NPC. I also received two small boxes of miniatures from Caesar Miniatures, their Orc Pack & Hero Pack. Now I picked these up, again because of them being really cheap, but also on the premise that they were 28 mm. They are not. In fact they are really pretty damn small.

The nice thing is, well the only nice thing, is that they are perfect for Halflings & Goblins. So the Heroes in the Hero Pack will be a nice diverse group to draw upon for any of the Halfling players, as well as giving me some Halfling NPC options. The Orcs are just going to have to be a tribe of Goblins. I think I can make it work. Now I just need to get them based, prime them, and then paint them. As always, easier said than done.

With D&D coming up in two weekends we’re headed towards the part two of the initial ‘trilogy’; first three levels. A lot of it will depend on the speed of play and the decisions made, but I’m figuring after this and the next session that the party will be looking at some new ‘goals’. So the onus is on me to be able to balance the next two sessions with good Role Playing opportunities and inventive combat. I have some ideas on how to do this, although the order I’m going to be doing this in is left up to circumstance. In addition I’m hoping to add some moral quandary to the equation to make it more difficult for the players rather than just letting them go on a kill crazy rampage.

I do have to remember though that a lot of players love(s) them some ‘kill crazy rampages’…



RANDOM CRAP!

- The amazing thing is once I get my hands on Terraclips

the games will only get more crazy, I’ve now had to invent a city to use them in. The idea of a multi-level city full of intrigue & potential fame & fortune has my imagination burning.
- The upstairs toilet is not working correctly currently. This gives me the ‘sad panda’ face.
- On the way today someone stated that if you hadn’t heard about the Casey Anthony trial until this week then you’ve been living under a rock. I didn’t realize that under my rock would be so comfortable and financially secure. When did the following of gruesome murder become such an obsessive national past time? My sister was completely enthralled with this thing, and really that’s the only reason I know about it. What sort of society finds the death of a little girl so enthralling that it becomes a focal point in our society? Truly we are Rome in the final days.
- Brisk Peach Tea, Old Dutch Jalapeno Puffcorn, & a Three Muskateer’s Bar, TRULY these are the food of the Gawds.
- I really hope to get a game of Conquest Of Nerath in on Friday, even if it is just Dark Dave and myself at the table. The game is just SCREAMING “Play ME”! Who am I to deny that?
- The fact that there is a Teen Wolf series on MTV is just further proof that there are NO good creative ideas left. Anyone who subjects himself or herself to this, or any other drivel on that shite channel, is just begging for a full frontal lobotomy.
- After spending time with my mother and sister it just reinforced the fact that I miss my father.
- I’m over half way through the Shadowfell box set. Thus far it is reinforcing my want to include this setting heavily into my current D&D Campaign. There are just so many interesting options, a bit of a mix of Ravenloft and some things that seem to be directly ripped from the old Planescape setting. In fact it’s so enticing I’m moving my timetable up a smidge.
- I’m thinking about getting that $10 bucket of KFC on Sunday.

- Continuing the theme of me rambling about my D&D game, I’m including Fortune Cards this next session. I’m going to use them as a Treasure Option. The players will acquire them instead of loot at times and be able to use them. A player will not be able to have more than six in their ‘hand’ and they cannot be given or traded away. I figure it’s a good way to use what mechanically is interesting, but in play, as designed, leaves a lot to be desired.

I want to go home now, thank you…

“Wake up you sleepy head
Put on some clothes, shake up your bed
Put another log on the fire for me
I've made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window and what do I see
A crack in the sky and a hand reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

What are we coming to
No room for me, no fun for you
I think about a world to come
Where the books were found by the Golden ones
Written in pain, written in awe
By a puzzled man who questioned
What we were here for
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh You Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Oh You Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior

Look at your children
See their faces in golden rays
Don't kid yourself they belong to you
They're the start of a coming race
The earth is a bitch
We've finished our news
Homo Sapiens have outgrown their use
All the strangers came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

Oh You Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Oh You Pretty Things
Don't you know you're driving your
Mamas and Papas insane
Let me make it plain
You gotta make way for the Homo Superior”


* = I love the oppressive vibe this sojourn into the Shadowfell imparts...