The Room Vs. Abraxas

* = Nothing like drama to kick start your Apathy.

Let me get this out of the way since it’s later than I wanted, and somewhat irrelevant. My PICK BOUND TO GO HORRIBLY WRONG for the NFL is simple this year; New England Patriots 37, Green Bay Packers 30. I have to be honest; the NFL isn’t exciting me that much right now. In fact I found myself NOT enjoying it at all this weekend. Don’t get me wrong it’s not that I dislike Football, far from it. The College Football season has been nothing short of amazing, I just sort of feel like I have a lockout hangover. Maybe it was the two games I was really psyched about this weekend; Ravens Vs. Steelers & Lions Vs. Bucs either were blow outs or weren’t on television. So I’m not going to ‘stretch’ this year for the NFL. Instead I’m going to try and get my pro football ‘groove’ back and learn to love ‘The League’ again.

Last night I watched Dorian Gray (**** out of 5), the 2009 version.

It was very solid. In fact it eclipsed solid mainly on the back of Colin Firth’s role as Henry Wotten. The film really captures the Dorian’s descent from honest, naïve man to bitter and outright evil antagonist. The last fourth really is a grasp at redemption that you know as the viewer will end poorly. I’m thinking of taking from both the story and this adaption and using it in D&D.

Speaking of D&D, the ‘Old School’ group met Saturday night. It took some time to get rolling, so to speak, as people showed up late, and the prep work, totally my fault, wasn’t completed to my liking. All that being said, once we dug in, WE DUG IN! I started the group off as slaves in a caravan being delivered to the outer districts of a border city. In the process there was a massive ambush. During the battle the PC’s had to escape being chained to carts being pulled by giant slugs, convince their slave masters to arm them, and then survive the onslaught. This was the scene of the first ‘HOLY CRAP’ moment as Mighty Mike’s Drow Assassin, Unger got his chained hands around the lead slave master, the only solo elite in the encounter, and basically strangled him to death in a cloud of darkness for five rounds. The group sided eventually with the attackers, and found out that they were attempting to kill another slave, Lily. Lily had claimed to be a whore from another town who had been impregnated by a priest of Erathis.

Turned out she was a succubus. This was the second ‘HOLY CRAP’ moment, as the PC’s didn’t realize it till she burst from the burned remains of ‘Lily’ and flew away cackling. The next big moment was after agreeing to go with the surviving two attackers. Once they arrived to safety Cassandra’s character, Fie, changed shape. She revealed that she was a Changling, something that none of the other group had a clue about until that moment. Eventually Dave’s ‘Shade’ character, still harboring a ‘terrible secret’, Joe’s Firesoul Genasi Swordmage, Adler, and Mike & Cassandra’s character sign a book and join The Severed Coin. The next ‘HOLY CRAP’ moment was finding out that Mike’s character has taken a vow of silence. This made his role-playing incredibly interesting. Eventually the PC’s undertook their first ‘mission’. They need to acquire repair parts for their now ally a Warforged named Rath whom they damaged heavily in the initial slave caravan encounter. Deep beneath their new home base city of Fallenspire lays a dormant Creation Forge. The group’s new benefactor has heard rumor that a group of Drahjar, Underdark dwelling Lloth worshipping humans, are currently occupying the facility. It was a bloody affair with the PC’s showing their devastating powers in the first level, clearing it somewhat easily. However when getting to the lower level they found themselves in a true fight. Cassandra dropped early in the fight, and soon after Mighty Mike’s character also was dropped. Eventually though Dave & Joe were able to pin the Drajhar caster down and decimate him. Mission accomplished. It seemed like everyone had a good time. Once we got going the pace was fast, there was good balance in play, and we went WAY later than I had planned or even wanted to. Now we’ll have to see once we pick our next date if we can keep that short mission hectic momentum.

How ‘bout some…

RANDOM CRAP!

- The uncanny J.B. completed the 2011 Geek Cred Test. He scored 155 out of 200, currently giving him the top showing. 173 – 133 = You are above the ‘Common Geek’. Bask in your superiority; push an old person down a flight of stairs, take candy from babies, and shine up that pocket protector. YOU are one of US!
- Joe K. on the other hand hit a 97 out of 200. Not bad for a blossoming closet geek. But it’s not that good either. 132 – 89 = Respectable. You are showing that you haven’t lived under a rock your whole life. Even though rocks are cool and comfortable. Dammit, now I want to sleep under a rock.
- The Homemade Hot Giardiniera still has not come to fruition yet, but it’s on the horizon.
- Is there a worse tackler than Erin Henderson on the Vikings?

I’ve never seen a guy blow so many tackles in the open field.
- I’ve started Boneshaker by Cherrie Priest, and thus far I’m captivated.
- SPOILERS! Stephan Moffat must take a perverse joy in taking the character of Rory on Doctor Who and torturing him. I really thought we'd established just how much Rory loves Amy last season when he waited for her as a robotic Roman Legionnare for 2,000 years keeping guard over the Pandorica. This weeks's 'The Girl Who Waited', was even more heart wrenching as Rory had to choose between 'current' Amy and an 'aged 36 years' Amy. Knowing that one would cease to exist, i.e. die. So he basically had to kill his wife. All the while The Doctor was somewhat helpless, and complicit in this moral quandry. It was heart breaking to watch, which is a testament to just how good Karen Gillian & Arthur Darvill in their roles.

I know I've said it before, but Rory has become my favorite Doctor Who companion, as he's the one that has grown, changed, and given the most. The thing is he's never done it for The Doctor, always for Amy. It's an interesting dynamic. This episode underlined something The Doctor said not to long ago as more true than I had thought, "Rule Number One is The Doctor Lies." Ominious.
- Is there anything out there better than chocolate pudding?
- Somehow, someway I got my grubby mitts on a copy of Anthrax’s ‘Worship Music’ this weekend.

I’m digesting it right now. Currently I’m torn, especially since I’m an avid Jon Bush fan, and this is the return of long time front man Joey Belladonna. It’s currently not blowing me away. It’s good, it’s solid, it’s just I’m waiting for magic.
- The Terraclips worked spectacularly this last Saturday. In fact we had so much fun just building we didn’t get started as early as we could have. It’s just so damn addictive to be able to build.

Another day of ‘meh’…

“City authorities in your area
Have reported that the bodies of the dead
Are rising from the graves
And attacking the living

When did this begin?
This curse as old as sin
Reality is bleeding at the core
Brilliant savagery
Decapitate and bleed
Off the spoiled seed until it's pure

The darkest devil nightmare blacker than their evil souls
You gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
God save us prayers fall on deaf ears so put your faith in force
You gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
The murder in your eyes is just the will to stay alive
You gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
'Cause there's no humanity when the dead come back to feed
You gotta fight 'em
Fight 'em

In the end of everything
Dead will rise and sing
Fight ‘em ‘til you can’t fight no more
The world is only blood
When rage becomes your love
Fight ‘em ‘til you can’t fight no more

I will end you
Kill and kill the thing
It’s mind-shattering
When murder is the only cure
Brilliant savagery
Decapitate and bleed
Off the spoiled seed until it's pure

The darkest devil nightmare blacker than their evil souls you gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
God save us prayers fall on deaf ears so put your faith in force you gotta fight 'em;
I'll end you
The murder in your eyes is just the will to stay alive you gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
'Cause there's no humanity when the dead come back to feed you gotta fight 'em
Fight 'em

In the end of everything
The dead will rise and sing
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more
The world is only blood
Rage becomes your love
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more

The darkest devil nightmare blacker than their evil souls you gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
God save us prayers fall on deaf ears so put your faith in force you gotta fight 'em;
I'll end you
The murder in your eyes is just the will to stay alive you gotta fight 'em
I'll end you
'Cause there's no humanity when the dead come back to feed you gotta fight 'em
Fight 'em

In the end of everything
The dead will rise and sing
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more
The world is only blood
Rage becomes your love
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more

In the end of everything
The dead will rise and sing
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more
The world is only blood
Rage becomes your love
Fight 'em 'til you can't fight no more
No more
No more
No more”


* = Anytime Notre Dame is 0 & 2, and one of those losses is to Michigan, life is good.