Future Hunters Vs. Robo-Vampire

* = I'd vote for Skeletor.  He's consistent.

I wasn’t even supposed to be in my office today. I was scheduled to be on the road teachin’ fools about Serious Persistant Mental Illness, but alas it was NOT meant to be and find myself with a chance to blog. The thing is I don’t have a whole lot to write about, and I’m in sort of a mental haze, so how about I just throw out some…

RANDOM CRAP!

- The Venture Brothers Season 5 started. My lord it is full of WIN! If you watch and are an episode behind then avoid this little spot, because there be SPOILERS here.

WTF! Molotov isn’t dead? Dean has a new look, attitude, and “you guys” a possible love interest! Nikki is after another piece of the old Hankanator? Sgt. Hatred has tits! Gary is now the Sphinx Controller? August St. Cloud Vs. Billy Quiz Boy! My lord, that show is the ONE thing on television that NEVER lets me down. All the references to Charlton Heston’s 70’s Sci-Fi flicks, slavery, and Return Of The Jedi were absolutely masterful. My one complaint and it is a small one would be the lack of Brock. Because let's be honest you can never have too much of the Swedish Murder Machine wracking up a insane body count on my television.  However the AWESOMENESS that is the former Henchman 21, aka Gary, really filled in that gap. If I had to wait that long for a one hour episode that good then I’ll be happy to wait. I’m so glad the show is back and that we’ll be getting a Season 6 as well. ALL HAIL THE VENTURE BROTHERS!

- I took a pork loin Sunday, sliced it, seasoned it, grilled it, and then glazed it. They were amazing. Seriously, one of the best things I’ve grilled in a REALLY long time. That and the burgers were crazy good.

- Another week another Skull & Shackles preview.

First up is the Master Of Gales. This is a rock solid looking miniature. A human caster of some type, because honestly you could use him in a Pirate campaign, or as a war wizard, or even as a druid. He has an iconic look. I dig the sculpt because it has a power to it. It’s as if he’s calling down the thunder from the heavens. I like the dull, drab coloring of off white and dark browns as well. I think that if this mini is an Uncommon I might try to pick it up, if it’s a Rare I will mostly like pass on it. So if I have the funds it’s a MUST BUY.

Our only other preview this week was Whalebone Pilk. This bad boy is a Rare. This is a good example of what Wizkids has been able to do so well with their Pathfinder minis, the mixing of translucent effects with well painted miniatures. This gives you a very solid sense of this miniature as a serious undead menace. It looks like it is either forming and congealing out of ectoplasm or retreating into some sort of ghostly miasma. The paint is solid, and fits the miniature’s character perfectly. Believe it or not I also dig the sculpt, again like the Master Of Gales it is a bit understated, but it just exudes power. Now I know this one is a Rare and most likely will be pricey, but I think the fact that you are getting a rock star undead pirate makes it worthwhile and therefor a MUST BUY!

- Thank you Cassandra for mowing, I’m not sure you’ll ever know how much I appreciate it.

- The 3rd D&D Group met last week. I had a hoot running this hex crawl style group of all Evil characters. I kept it fast and loose encounter building wise, instead relying on some random monster tables I threw together.

I also tried to make sure these initial encounters were a bit easy just to give everyone a taste of how combat works since only one of the PC’s has played 4E before. I instead concentrated on interaction with NPC’s and the environment. We had a wonderful NPC moment prior to getting into the Underdark with a greedy Merchant. I thought it set the tone for the PC’s and they took the opportunity and RAN with it. I also used a number of random effects and rooms in the environment to give them some interesting things to explore. The scene in the abandoned shrine of Torog worked out PERFECTLY, as Karl, the Mul Cleric of The King That Crawls, really had a chance to shine. Mike’s random effects and deliberate pace of things in exploration were a perfect counterbalance to such a chaotic group. The thing that really surprised me was who stepped up and took charge and who didn’t. I’ll be intrigued to see how that plays out over our next sessions. It also was pretty amazing to run a group with a 4 to 2 testosterone to estrogen dynamic and yet the women clearly DOMINATED the play. Keddrin and Mick were the driving forces in combat and in role playing. Both were outstanding and had an incredibly fun and potentially disastrous stand-off with one another over a Kobold. It was fantastic. The group is VERY intriguing, fun, and interesting. The players themselves are a joy to run for. I greatly look forward to next week and Session 2!

- Speaking of D&D I am on the other side of the DM’s Screen this Saturday as Zack Attack has the reigns of the campaign for a few sessions. I am incredibly excited to play, and to see where it takes the group.

- Dungeon Crawl Miniatures has release photos of two new miniatures that should be released, I think the set is going to be called Forest Of Fear, sometime in the near future and that were NOT part of their Kickstarter.

First up is the massive Animated Tree! First off this damn thing could just be used as a tree, the sculpt has that much detail and subtlety in it. Secondly this is a VERY useful miniatures, which is what DCM prides itself on. You can use it as a Treant, as an animated object, or like I said before just a spooky looking tree. I like the coloration, although would have liked to see just a bit more blending done in the trunk. It looks like there are even some tiny mushrooms growing out of the trunk. Rock solid miniature that will most likely be a MUST BUY miniature for me, and most likely in multiples.

The other one is even better, it is the Standing Stone! The beauty of this is it can is actually modular. You can use it as an obelisk type block or in a very stone henge-y was as a passage or entrance. The runes carved in are fantastic, and dig the slight bits of color that have been effectively added into the recessed carvings. Just like the Animated Tree this thing looks to be MASSIVE, possibly Large in size. This thing will give me a TON of options in all three of the D&D groups. It is also a MUST BUY, and possibly in multiples.




- I wish this flu would just DIE already!

- The Deadzone Kickstarter is over.

They hit over a million dollars and honestly that last 24 hours was crazy, rivaling the Reaper Bones Kickstarter for insanity. I have yet to sit down with Mighty Mike and figure out what exactly what we will be using our copious pledge to acquire. We went with the Strike Team level pledge which was the ‘Sweet Spot’ money to miniatures. Having read the Beta Rules, and watched the play video I for one cannot wait to finally get stuck in with this game. I’m sure we have a long summer of killing one another in front of us.

- Speaking of killing things and Mighty Mike, the Movie-A-Thon of Friday was SPECTACULAR!

Future Hunter, starring Robert Patrick was pure insane bliss. C’mon it had Nazi’s, Amazons, pygmies, and Monguls! FRIGGIN’ MONGULS! This movie was bad in that glorious way were you you couldn’t stop riffing on it or laughing. It is one of the single best bad movies I’ve ever watched and that’s saying a lot. On the other hand, Robo Vampire was like watching an eight year old’s fever dream. It was like three movies all going on at once, and all bad.The turnout was tiny; Cassandra, Mike, Julie, Lady Christy, & Zack Attack. It was perfect. Everyone had a great time and that movie pack that Mike pulled those two flicks out of is PURE GOLD!

- I really need to get some painting done.

- Wink Vavasseur the diabolical Director Of Fun for Chikara has shut their doors. In fact at the iPPV, "Never Compromise", Sunday night during the Main Event of Icarus Vs. Eddie Kingston for the Chikara Grand Championship Vavasseur had his personal security force not only clear the ring, but the WHOLE damn arena.

The fans were livid and confused. The thing is it is a work. It’s part of the long form storytelling that sets Chikara apart. This season’s theme is Watchmen. There has been a distinct feel of ‘deconstructionism’ in the product since the end of the B.D.K. mega-invasion story. We’ve seen the ‘dark side’ of Chikara. You have to understand that this is a company that has time travel, evil Mexican Ice Cream, altered timelines, and Eye Of Tyr! It is giant comic book style storytelling with wrestling. It is a beautiful thing. However I think the Golden Age is over. We’re in a Dark Age in Chikara. It looks as if Kingston has gone rudo again, a lot of our ‘heroes’ like Quackenbush and Solider Ant aren’t on the roster anymore (Story wise), and now the doors are shut and the future shows are cancelled. Kudos to you Chikara for pushing the story telling envelope. Just as long as you are still in Minnesota during the summer.

I think that this is all I got today.

“Yeah

All I've ever wanted was destiny to be fulfilled
It is in my hands, I must not fail, I must not fail

Even through the darkest days
This fire burns always
This fire burns always

This is the proving ground
Misery begins to rise
Turn away from yesterday
Tomorrow's in my eyes (Oh!)

Nevermore to be held down
By the waves against me
Nevermore to be cast aside
This day is mine

Even through the darkest days
This fire burns always
This fire burns always

I will not be denied in this final hour
I will not be denied, this day is mine
This passion inside me is burning (Is burning)
This passion inside me is burning (Is burning)

Even through the darkest days
This fire burns always (always)
This fire burns (fire burns) always
Always (always)”

* = Just another in a long list of reasons I don't own a cat...