Splinterdemon

Feeling good

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 15:45:49 GMT

After you've finished a gaming session, have you ever felt like all the pieces for your greater story line were falling into place.
Last night after our L5R session, I came away with this feeling like the story will pan out as i have planned. A while back i outlined the adventure and have a definative end to the this chapter/story. There is a nice climax that will lead to hopefully a satisfying conclusion. And it seems like we are right on track.

Now on to Call of Cthulhu, on Wed the 22nd I'm sending my players to Dunwich, It seems like the Wizard Whately has been up to something shady, and a strange telegram was received from Father O'Malley for everyone to meet in Dunwich, MA. But wasn't Father O'Malley sucked into Oblivion when they banished the Thing from the Attic. So how did he send this telegram?....

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 15:06:10 GMT

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

7th Seas Moment

Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:37:11 GMT

Monty sank the Avalon flagged Discovery! Scratch that I blew that puppy up... It was either that or die horribly at the hands of the vicious automaton! A thrown lantern into the powder room during the epic battle in the belly of the ship. Monty almost made it all the way out with Einhardt on his shoulder, we go to the gun deck. I got a canon door open and was about to jump out when the lantern ignited all those nicely enclosed barrels and KAAAAA BOOOOM!!!!
I'm pleased w/ myself. When the captain asked what happened to the ship, he survived on some driftwood., Monty dutifully explained that the monster knocked over the lantern after it tore off the powder room door. I felt it would be better than me telling him, I tossed the lantern after we primed a barrel.

OMFG

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 01:25:24 GMT

Well I can't show you a picture of my House book.. But i got it today. And it is beautiful....sooooo purty....

I still dream of Jiu Jitsu

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:30:26 GMT

Last night was the first time in a long time that I remembered my dreams. When i was training in Gracie Jiu Jitsu, would get lost in new ways to throw an armbar, different transitions to knee on belly, new turtle defenses. These techniques would seep into my dreams. Some actually worked, others were strickly imagination. Last night, I dreamt of a new takedown, a new gi choke, a new way to isolate an arm to set an straight armbar or a kimura.

I must get back into training. now to find a school I can afford thats nearby that i like....

So I woke up this morning,

Wed, 10 Sep 2008 13:56:36 GMT

I woke up this morning and the world was still here. CERN has yet to blow up the world. Though last night before i went to bed, like everynight. I told shannon I loved her and thought about the people special to me. No big bang under the Swiss/France border, no black hole that will eat the world, and no hordes of demons spilling into our little slice of the universe.
"I didn't even have to use my AK,damn right it was a good day"

warning politics and geekery ahead....

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:12:49 GMT

So last week a Mccain staffer inferred that the dungeons and dragons crowd does not support our armed forces...~~What a jackass~~, or should i say its elephant shit. This causes a minor backlash in the gaming community. It was just a dumb comment all around, either grouping gamers w/ the pro-Obama group, slamming the current servicemen and women that game regularly, or those that support our citizens that do truelly look at those serving as real heroes that are emulated in games that are played regularly. This post is not about that stupidity of the staffer, but the uncanny coincidence in the choice of Vice President nominee for the Republican party. Sarah Palin. PALIN... did McCain hope to grab the geek vote again by nominating someone that shares a name with a prominent character in a Dungeons and Dragons setting? Tom Ridge was passed over, Mike Huckabee didnt get the nod, Mitt Romney didnt catch the straight talk train. .... Sarah Palin. Former Beauty Pageant contestant the preaches family values and has a pregnant teenage daughter. I dont care that her 17 year old is pregnant, I just find the hypocrisy of "traditional family values" stances crumbling to be hilarious.
There is too much of a coincidence w/ the goldfarb comment and the vp 's name....

Dining in San Diego

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 21:58:10 GMT

ok West Coast friends, I pose a question to you.
Over the Labor Day holiday, Shannon and I will be heading to San Diego for a little vacation.

I need some ideas for good food. Chain restaurants are out of the question this trip.
A work collegue mentioned either of the Donovan's Steak houses and Baci Restaurante was also mentioned.
I'm not worried about price points just good food.

I feel Violated

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 01:02:54 GMT

So shan and I go to frys to get some last minute things before our little get together tonight for the UFC fight. Shan decided she wanted an adult beverage, one of the smirnoff ice things. So i go to the register w/ the rest of my groceries, they scan my little frys coupon card. and then like normal the cashier asks me for my id. OK no problem I take that as a minor complement that at 30 I'm being carded. She then pulls out a little booklet and begins to copy down my info. It took me a few minutes and I asked she was doing. She said she had to log all alcohol purchases to someone that looks younger than 27. And then she asked me to sign it. WTF!!!!
Not only did i not sign the log I drew a line through all of my information trying to make it illegilble. I'm still somewhat pissed. Fry's just lost a customer. Shame too, because i liked fry's.

board games

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 19:31:53 GMT

So after seeing JD's think about Arkham horror(which I'm definately going to get in the near future), was inspired to find a Board/Wargame set in a midieval or fantasy setting. I would love to get Tides of Iron, or any of the Axis and Allies games. But my buddy that will be playing really only play fantasy or Midieval setting games.
Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

ooooh the insanity!!!

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 18:59:01 GMT

Yesterday , I purchased The Call of Cthulhu DVD at fry's electronics.
Last night i sat glued to the coach watching this silent movie. It definatley captured the feeling of the movie better than any other version of lovecrafts work on the screen to date.
Even though I've read Call of Cthulhu many many times there was still suspense sing it brought to life. AND ITS A SILENT MOVIE!!!! Plackards of dialogue cut between scene!!!

All i can say is that my gaming group tried Call of Cthulhu the other week and they really enjoyed it, well they are dooooooooooooomed!!!! that is when we play CoC :)

I highly reccommend purchasing this great dvd from these folks http://www.cthulhulives.org/TOC.html

War

Thu, 10 Jul 2008 17:10:15 GMT

This morning like everyother morning, I read the news from various sources. I do keep track of whats going on back east in PA. I came across a headline this morning "Soldier with local ties killed in Afghaninstan. " I always try to read these stories since I have 2 friends in the military and know many more that served or are serving. I did not expect to see that soldier that died was my friend Doug Bull. I havent seen Dougie in like 2 years. He had transfered to Fort Hood in Texas and he was married and had 2 great little kids. We hooked up over Christmas 2 years ago. Like always he was all smiles. He had a goofy smile that just made you feel good. He had a disarming charm that made you feel like he was a true friend and was really concerned for people. When we talked, he kept showing of pictures of his family. He would talk about how his little boy was going to be another little dougie. You could see the same goofiness and joy in the pictures. He was a proud dad. Brandon, one of my best friends, and Doug were tight since they both were in the army, and both were in Iraq around the same time though they had different Occupations.
When I saw the news this morning, I made sure i followed it up with another source, yup, there it is on the newspaper site. I rang Brandon left him a quick message, then i texted him. He was quiet as i recalled to him what i read about Dougie. I hate giving people this kind of news.
I drove to work this morning in silence, just thinking of my friends. When Hans died a few years back, I took it really hard. Hans heart just failed while at a hardcore show. He had that same goofy charm. I suggest anyone too google Hans Nothen or hondahans and read the story he wrote a few days before he died. One of the final lines is " Life is too short for grudges and bullshit". I might write more when i get more time. I just hope that if any one googles Douglas Bull Wilkes-Barre they will find the words "great guy", Funny, Goofy Bastard, and Proud Dad.

Houses of the Blooded musings

Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:36:39 GMT

So I giggled for a quite abit over a common questions portion of the Seasons chapter. The question was about upgrading art. The answer is priceless. For those that have the book its on p280. Classic!

ConGame thoughts

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 22:15:21 GMT

thought number 1
I am not alone. yeah last year was cool I met some people played some games but didnt really talk to anyone, except for luther, thank goodness b/c that meant i have a current gaming group. This year, i actually hung out with some people. It sounds hokey but from not knowing anyone last year and having people say "how you doing I havent seen you since last year" made me feel good.

thought number 2
the rpga folks seemed as though they were in mourning. Yes Greyhawk is over, and those 8 years of gaming are ending. What did you expect? and yes i did enjoy my time playing RPGA, its not my favorite form of roleplaying, but its still gaming and I dig the social interaction. Smile people Forgotten Realms is right around the corner and you'll be "greyhawking" the lewt in no time.

thought number 3
The wrecking crew folks are loud and obnoxious, and i love em. It seems like there is a definative divide on the wrecking crew fellas, either you love em or you hate em. In the game i played there was more character development and energy than 9 out of 10 games i saw played at the con. Yes con characters are throw away characters and who cares what happens but they made you actually want to be that character other than a name and a few numbers.

thought number 4
houses of the blooded better be a smash hit. I hope John gets all the marketing needed for this game because it is so much fun. All kinds of geekery will enjoy the game, whether you are an improv drama club type, to i want to be conan stomp shit type, to renn faire geeks, to those gothy types where gender indentification is indeterminate.
I love the system and think that it can be used in any setting not just the world of Shan ri. Wick, you are holding onto the next big thing, dont drop it!!!!

thought number 5
the setup/layout of the con wasn't so great. too spread out, though i did like that the 24hr gaming room was off by itself and nice and quiet

thought number 6
I shouldnt be afraid to run a game at the con. I watched games with gms that were not engaging, i saw gms that had no table control, but i did see some amazing gms who I would hop into games with just because they were running it. I can do that. hell all i did in PA was GM except on very rare occasion. just what to play....

thought number 7
Friday was FRIDAY the 13th WTF were the horror games? I mean comeon its a prepackaged spooky feeling. Where were the slaughterfest, erase the name 20 times b/c the hatchet man slaughtered the characters again? The GMs missed a golden opportunity for a "killer breakfast" type of game.

thought number 8
There were a lot of rpgs played but i dont think there was enough variety. There are soooo many games sitting on the shelfs of game stores but i only saw a few being played. I really liked the savage worlds games i played in but where were the others. Next year I think I'm going to run at least one late night Call of Cthulhu game, an L5R rpg, a ninja burger RPG game, tales of the floating vagabond, maybe even a star wars rpg. shit come to think about it the only starwars was the mini game. thats just not right!

thought number 9
I'm bring Hack! next year to play as a pickup game. its a great game that no one remembers or knows about...they should

finally thought 10
I loved it. I want to do it again. I'm nit picking b/c i want to make it better.

Thanks to everyone that said hi,
thanks to everyone that invited me into their gaming groups (it happened more than i would ever imagine)
I also have to thank shannon for letting me disappear for 4 days. I love you babe.

ZOMG!!!!

Fri, 09 May 2008 20:42:15 GMT

The Metal Masters tour will be in AZ on 08/28/2008

JUDAS PRIEST
HEAVEN AND HELL
MOTORHEAD
TESTAMENT

my neck is going to be SO sore from headbanging!!!!

Gay Rights

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:28:04 GMT

Why is that, as a culture, we are more comfortable seeing two men holding guns than holding hands?" -Ernest Gaines

We would like to know who really believes in gay rights on livejournal. There is no bribe of a miracle or anything like that. If you truly believe in gay rights, then repost this and title the post as "Gay Rights." If you don't believe in gay rights, then just ignore this. Thanks.

Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.

WTF!!!!

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:01:07 GMT

I swear the end is near, I read this and nearly fell out of my chair.
and this was a tiny blurb on the side of the website WTF!

Plan targets anti-Western lessons

Some fear loss of diversity in lawmaker's education proposal

by Matthew Benson - Apr. 17, 2008 12:00 AM
The Arizona Republic

Arizona public schools would be barred from any teachings considered counter to democracy or Western civilization under a proposal endorsed Wednesday by a legislative panel.

Additionally, the measure would prohibit students of the state's universities and community colleges from forming groups based in whole or part on the race of their members, such as the Black Business Students Association at Arizona State University or Native Americans United at Northern Arizona University. Those groups would be forbidden from operating on campus.

The brainchild of Rep. Russell Pearce, the measure appeared as an amendment to Senate Bill 1108, which originally would have made minor changes to the state's Homeland Security advisory councils. The House Appropriations Committee approved the new proposal on a 9-6 vote.

Pearce, a Mesa Republican, said his target isn't diversity instruction, but schools that use taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate students in what he characterized as anti-American or seditious thinking. The measure is at least partially a response to a controversy surrounding an ethnic-studies program in the Tucson Unified School District, which critics have said is unpatriotic and teaches revolution.

SB 1108 states, "A primary purpose of public education is to inculcate values of American citizenship. Public tax dollars used in public schools should not be used to denigrate American values and the teachings of Western civilization."

For schools that violate the anti-Western-teachings provision, the bill provides the state superintendent of public instruction with the authority to withhold a portion of state funding.

Rep. John Kavanagh, a member of the Appropriations Committee, said he hopes the measure helps return cultural studies in the state's schools to a "melting pot" model.

"This bill basically says, 'You're here. Adopt American values,' " said Kavanagh, a Fountain Hills Republican. "If you want a different culture, then fine, go back to that culture."

But Democratic committee members complained that the measure is overly vague, failing to define what constitutes teachings that "disparage or overtly encourage dissent from the values of democracy and Western civilization."

The result, said Rep. Pete Rios, would likely be a chilling effect on public instruction regarding diversity and other cultures.

"There's nothing wrong with being bilingual, bicultural," said Rios, a Hayden Democrat. "I like Mexican music. I like Elvis Presley. I'm bicultural. What's wrong with that? I think kids, students, need to learn about their culture."

Ripped from Wizards.com

Tue, 01 Apr 2008 06:47:08 GMT

this question made me giggle for a few minutes, just the mental image alone.

28. Nick asks, Our party’s fighter had pinned an enemy to the ground and wanted to know what he was able to do. We found the page in the PHB (p156) and started looking at options. One of the options was to use the enemy’s weapon against himself. Since both characters were unarmed, the DM jokingly grabbed the fighter’s arm and made him slap himself, saying, “Stop hitting yourself! Stop hitting yourself!” The scout then asked the question. Let’s say somebody pinned a level 12 monk, then made said monk start punching himself… would the monk’s fist do the full 2d6 damage to himself, or would it be treated as if it was an ordinary unarmed attack?

juvenile update

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 21:34:21 GMT

I know its juvenile but still funny. I'm not a baseball fan by any means. I try to like it I really do. It just doesnt click with me. And yes i understand the strategy and I enjoy that part, I just cant dig my teeth into it. but my post is about this...
I want this jersey!!!

Media Rant

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:45:27 GMT

Yesterday it was announced that Fidel Castro was stepping down from his presidency of Cuba.
This is HUGE news . Cuba has been the last bastion of Soviet Communism. They are one of the closest nations to the US. Only 50 Miles away via a small strait of water. We have been silently hostile toward them for close to 50 years now. 30-40 years ago it was concievable that they would fire nuclear missiles into our back yard and in turn we would make the clear the island into radioactive waterfront property.

On the front page and current news sections of the major news groups, this was the leading story as it should be. Also in the breaking news is a bit about lindsey lohan posing nude like marilyn monroe and a priest challenging couples to copulate everyday for a month straight. This is news?!

Today, 1 day after the last remnants of Cold War shuffled off opening up new possible relations bewteen Cuba and the US. There is absolutely NOTHING on any major new network front page concerning this. But the note about Lohan posing nude and the Priest preaching procreation is still in the same slots in the other news sections

WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH US?!?!?!
Who cares if that bimbo is flashing her shit all over the place anymore,shes a cokehead trainwreck. And the piece about the priest is a cute piece but isn't there more important things going on!?

10 years ago, the candidates would be debating how they would try to reestablish relationships with Cuba. There would retrospectives about the Fidel's reign and the importance of the Embargo. There would Dossiers released about "WHO IS RAUL CASTRO?" and what will happen next?

Yes I'm a Moderate democratic leaning more left than right. So i went to unholiest of websites to see if they too had forsaken important world changing news. FOXNEWS a big fat nothing on the front page. but they did have a funny article about a woman stabbing someone that called her ugly. That was the big splash story.

I want to shut myself in, tear out my ethernet connection, build a small subsistance garden in my yard and become a hermit... but if i did that i wouldnt be able to see those nudie pics of miss lohan.

Awesome Mini.

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 23:12:53 GMT

Evel has passed

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 22:17:06 GMT

Evel Knevel died today.
The snake river canyon didn't beat him. Ceasars Concrete didn't beat him. Pride Mobility products didn't beat him. Father time did. He was 69.

I remember less than 10 years ago cruising around the pride mobility building in his Jazzy Wheel chair doing stupd shit with the R&D guys with the chair. I was in awe.
Today we lost the man that created the X-games. He was the creator of Extreme Sports.
He jumped the rainbow bridge and made it.

Ride on you crazy bastard!

Game Development.

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 17:34:54 GMT

Yay, I'll be heading back east for xmas. I get to game with my old gaming group. I've been prepping a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay game for them, instead of the usual d&d. I get to keep the fantasy aspect yet toss in a new game. I really like the system. Since I'm a big fan of the cthulu system this works out beautifully!

On another note, Due to a flash of inspiration from wickedthought 's lj entry about the Children of the mirror. I've come up with a game mechanic using 2 standard decks of cards. I'm still hashing it out but the game setting probably would be a wild west game with a poker theme. I'm a bit worried that it would cross to much with the deadlands ideas. I've drawn inspiration from Houses of the Blooded, the Saga System by TSR for Dragonlance, Deadlands, 7th Sea, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, and Poker.
My question is how do i market it to game companies or get it into production if it does work out?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Revenant

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 19:02:07 GMT

To all those that are in the greater phoenix valley

Check out the Revenant Haunted attraction. IT IS THE BEST HAUNTED HOUSE I HAVE EVER I MEAN EVER EXPERIENCED! its not your traditional spook house. There is a lot of interaction and very good scares.

It looks small on the outside and its not a corn maze but it is well worth the $$$

This is going to get some books burnt!

Sat, 20 Oct 2007 16:50:37 GMT

http://www.cnn.com/2007/SHOWBIZ/books/10/20/harry.potter.ap/index.html

Dumbledore is gay, 'Harry Potter' author reveals

NEW YORK (AP) -- Harry Potter fans, the rumors are true: Albus Dumbledore, master wizard and Headmaster of Hogwarts, is gay.

Dumbledore, played by Michael Gambon, was in love with his male rival, the author of Harry Potter books says.
J.K. Rowling, author of the mega-selling fantasy series that ended last summer, outed the beloved character Friday night while appearing before a full house at Carnegie Hall. After reading briefly from the final book, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," she took questions from audience members.
She was asked by one young fan whether Dumbledore finds "true love."
"Dumbledore is gay," the author responded to gasps and applause.
She then explained that Dumbledore was smitten with rival Gellert Grindelwald, whom he defeated long ago in a battle between good and bad wizards. "Falling in love can blind us to an extent," Rowling said of Dumbledore's feelings, adding that Dumbledore was "horribly, terribly let down."
Dumbledore's love, she observed, was his "great tragedy."
"Oh, my god," Rowling concluded with a laugh, "the fan fiction."
Potter readers on fan sites and elsewhere on the Internet have speculated on the sexuality of Dumbledore, noting that he has no close relationship with women and a mysterious, troubled past. And explicit scenes with Dumbledore already have appeared in fan fiction.
Rowling told the audience that while working on the planned sixth Potter film, "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," she spotted a reference in the script to a girl who once was of interest to Dumbledore. A note was duly passed to director David Yates, revealing the truth about her character.
Rowling, finishing a brief "Open Book Tour" of the United States, her first tour here since 2000, also said that she regarded her Potter books as a "prolonged argument for tolerance" and urged her fans to "question authority."
Not everyone likes her work, Rowling said, likely referring to Christian groups that have alleged the books promote witchcraft. Her news about Dumbledore, she said, will give them one more reason.