Jeff Dee's Kickstart Poster! Update

So Jeff Dee the famous artist from way back in the halycon days of  TSR has had this this kick start project on going! Old news by now in the OSR circles to be sure but . He's got something new up his sleeve! Anyhow look at the video to see what he's doing. I'll wait
See Here
He received permission from Wizards of The Coast to do this!
The new art work is fantastic

Jeff Dee copy right 

However should Jeff reach 6000 he's going to create a poster!
From Facebook  from Jeff himself :
Great idea! Tell you what: if my Kickstarter funding reaches 6000, I'll make a color poster-sized print of Horus available through DeviantArt :)
Another suggestion came from Mick Leach : Mick Leach  another thought might be to do a collage of all the new Egyptian stuff the poster looking like papyrus would be excellent and bright colors like tomb wall deco or living colors..either way would be excellent.

You need to check out his new Horus The Avenger its an amazing looking piece!
Here

All images are subject to their respective copyright holders especially Wizards of  The Coast, Jeff Dee  & Deviant Art 

The Lord Inquisitor Trailer [HD]

This is a fan made trailer & its pretty awesome my love for the original Rogue Trader & The Realms of Chaos books is well known in certain circles. I thought I'd share.
Enjoy 

The Alphex Whirl Blade Sai

A product of the insect like Zel'lu'shree whose world drifts in and out of weird astral shoals of hyper & astral space. The Zel'lu'shree fish the deadly native behemoths that come to the methane shores of their planet. The whirly blade is a deadly combination of crystal matrix lattice, & metal. The lattice are often found washed up on the shores of  Saigona 7 after it has completed its orbital cycle. 

These weapons or tools are cold forged in the flames of their native planet. The natives use them to subdue the tentacles of the methane breathing behemoths. It is said that the first explorer upon seeing this at work uttered the famous poem  from 1830 Alfred Tennyson published the irregular sonnet The Kraken,^[18] which described a massive creature that dwelled at the bottom of the sea:

Below the thunders of the upper deep;
Far far beneath in the abysmal sea,
His ancient, dreamless, uninvaded sleep
The Kraken sleepeth: faintest sunlights flee
About his shadowy sides; above him swell
Huge sponges of millennial growth and height;
And far away into the sickly light,
From many a wondrous grot and secret cell
Unnumber'd and enormous polypi
Winnow with giant arms the slumbering green.
There hath he lain for ages, and will lie
Battening upon huge seaworms in his sleep,
Until the latter fire shall heat the deep;
Then once by man and angels to be seen,
In roaring he shall rise and on the surface die.

The sais are used  in quads by the triple armed insectoids to block the native monsters whirling tentacle blades of death. The blades do 1d10 points of damage normally but when broken at the the hilt the blades are called kernal'u (baby human blade weapons).
Interestingly the crystal matrices which run down the the center of the tool can be used to parry some super science blades! The whirl blade must be bonded with its own in a super science ritual by native scientists. The ritual lasts for 2 hours. The user gains +2 for all attacks though! 

Excalibur Tuesday

Ran Across this & thought why not make it an Excalibur Tuesday !

Blood, Guts, Gore, & More you've been warned!

If you've never seen Excalibur

Hero Games Gets Hit By The Economy

Hero Games has been around for 30 years with ups and downs. The economy's been pretty rough lately, as has the gaming market. With declining sales and fewer releases, Hero has reached the point where it's no longer possible to maintain a full time staff of three, so it's scaling back.

Darren and Steve will be departing December 2nd, with our thanks for a decade of hard work that gave us 108 books, and best wishes for their future endeavors, which may include producing new books under a Hero System license. We'll keep you posted on that.

Jason will remain to continue shipping books and handling day-to-day matters. Existing books will continue to be available for purchase, and the company will continue in business, just a bit more slowly. The online store remains open. Steve will continue to answer rules questions on the Hero boards as "the guy who wrote the rulebook."

We're looking into doing a Kickstarter to print Book of the Empress, since it's complete and ready to go.

For the near future Hero would appreciate your kind thoughts and your patience. Transition periods of this sort take time, and Jason has a lot of work cut out for him, so the support of our fans is much appreciated.

—Jason Walters
General Manager

Well lately the number of companies going under is staggering. First White Wolf & now this. Very disturbing indeed. It looks like role players are going to be doing much in the deciding process of what is going to happen with new books coming out. Wow 

Oactusrilla - The Terror of Alphtronica 9

Oactusrilla - The Terror of Alphtronica 9 
No. Enc.: 1
Alignment: Inimical
Move: 120'(40’)
Armor Class: 5
Hit Dice: 8 
Attacks: 3 
Damage: 2  1d8 claw attacks, acidic vomit attack 1d6 per round 
Morale: 7


There are some places wasn't meant to go & Alphtronica is one of them. The world is dotted with the remains of buildings & strange twisted little burned out wreckage. As much as can be pieced together atomic weapons were responsible for the destruction. The creators didn't die without leaving strange twisted life forms that had been fused within their warped imagination. The Oactusrillas are 15 foot tall living relics of their creators imagination. What their original purpose was is unknown. 
They attack anything that comes within their turf  & they are relentless . The creatures live off of a wide variety of lifeforms & since they have a primitive triple stomach system they can in fact live off for a while at least the silicate rocks & shrubs found on the planet's surface.
For some unknown reason the creatures are drawn to the twisted ruins of the planet. They nest along the underground tunnels & byways. There have been suggestions that these creatures are all that remains of the planet's original inhabitants. These twisted mockeries are the descendants of those poor fools. Many dismiss this as spacer's dreams & spin whistle. 
The monsters attack with powerful claws capable of ripping apart most hulls on space craft. They attack with those wicked claws - 2  1d8 claw attacks are blindingly whipped at their target. This is followed by an acidic stomach attack from 1 of  their stomachs. The acid begins to break down the flesh & inorganic parts of the prey. The creature's powerful beak finishes the job as any remaining bones are cracked open & the contents swallowed.
 The monsters seem to have the remains of a tool using instinct & will rip limbs from native trees to use as clubs. They are deadly cunning when chasing down prey & using problem solving tools to build bridges & enclosures. 
Oddly they smash any remaining artifact technology that they find. The creatures come together only to mate 4 times a year. The mother gives live birth to the  baby which matures within 4 months. Many of the monsters have been used in various galactic games. They make fearsome  gladiatorial  monsters & have become a crowd favorite. These monsters use an unusual tactic within the arena. They mimic the words uttered by their prey in a strange sing song manner. The creatures continue to do this even as they hunt & kill their prey. The effect makes those facing them have  a -2 penalty on combat rolls. This behavior has never been seen in the wild.  
The brutes fetch about 400 credits for the juniors & adults just entering sub prime age about 200 credits. The training of these creatures is expensive but the crowds love them. 

Captain America Movie Review & Thoughts

 

The film follows the classic Marvel & Ultimate universe closely plot wise but in a loose sort of  pulpy writing style. The film actually gives us a good look at Steve Rogers the man who would be captain. They actually make the characters likable & personable in the film. The CGI work is secondary to the actors work here as it should be.

Its not Hamlet but its a much more of an action/adventure/ pulp ensemble here. The story weaves itself with the strands of the other Marvel properties without casting a huge spot light on the other movies throughout. We get to see more of this Marvel universe & its pulpy background  as they are featured through out the film. The action sequences never overwhelm the picture. It moves along at a good clip.

Huge Weaving is fun & his scenes in the film drip with menace & old fashioned evil. The red skull is a scene stealing entity who seems to drip off of the screen.

The film might as well be a love letter to war films & the old Republican serials of the past. This is an adventure film make no mistake about it! There's a quick nod to Raiders in there as well.

 Each of the elements of the film evolves itself into an organic whole. I can't really give too much about the technology away without major spoilers. The designs & concepts found within the movie are major set pieces & elements could be used easily with a couple of White Wolf Games such as Mage The Ascension, Adventure, or any of the Trinity line. Other games games could be the original Marvel Super Heroes by TSR, Top Secret or even James Bond by Mayfair games. There are three things that can be used right off the bat : 

1. Elements that build within adventures plot wise.Small things play major parts within next week's installment errm adventure 
2. NPCs should die within the framing of the super hero adventure so that it causes maximum "emotional impact" to the PCs not the players 
3. Pulp adventure & super heroes go together like peanut & jelly. Not only can this genre still hold interest but its the glue that sucks the players into the world.
   The villain in Captain America is a world wide threat, period. He wants all of the apples & is willing to throw whomever into the thresher to meet his goals but he's brilliantly sadistic as well. 

 

Captain America pushes all of the right buttons without being snarky or condescending to its audience. The CGI work here isn't eye searing but more tasteful with a hint of pop bang! You get a good solid film with some excellent moments in it.
See the film all of the way through to the credits to the very end both on this film & Thor. They both dovetail nicely into a quick piece that paves the way for Avengers to come!
41/2 out of 5

Thor Movie Review & Thoughts

I need to get something out of the way before we begin. Alright? Thor the comic book character  first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 (Aug. 1962) and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby. These movies aren't the comic book & CGI can't ever match the human imagination for sheer. 

Are you still reading? Thor takes the classic Marvel character & updates it into an alternative universe set "now" within the same Marvel universe as Iron Man, & the rest.  There are comedic moments within Thor but the movie actually seemed well "operatic" The acting was up to par for a Marvel movie as a comic book come to life.

 

 The range of tie ins with the Marvel universe in Captain America was staggering. The ideas that threaded throughout the movies were: 

1. The gods of Asgard were alien beings from another planet whose technology & life extension treatments caused them to be worshiped as gods by humans. Clarke's law gets hamfisted throughout the movie 
2. The frost giants were alien beings whose powers of elemental control were beyond compare. Each of the nine worlds is actually an alien planet with conditions inspired by legend. As a plot element for an rpg campaign this is rather good. 
3. There were enough items within Odin's treasure vault that could be used for at least three different campaigns on their own Here

The CGI work of Thor was excellent & yet way,way over the top in a candy floss sort of way. There was a huge amount of craftsmanship with the sets & the visuals were well done. The costumes for the movie were breath taking. They were up to Iron Man standards. 

 

The movie was well done & up to snuff for a Marvel movie. Good Things

• The movie had a ton of action & comic book moments. There was enough to make 4 sequels there. 
• The range of tie ins with the Marvel universe in Captain America was staggering.Captain America manages to tie both the Red Skull and Iron Man's technology with Thor's Asgard in a way that I don't think the comics ever have, yet in a way that makes perfect sense
• There was enough action to keep people's attention. Its weird enough for there to be a massive draw for a second movie. 
• My criteria for this type of a movie is actually wanting to game within that universe's realm. There are bits & pieces I'd steal but not a lot here to make me want to actually run a game set within this universe. Asgard is already set within my mind's eye.
  4 out of 5
• Captain America Next   

Marvel Tag Team Movies Thor & Captain America

So the day went to well. Larry cancelled because the kids still have the stomach bug so skip Stormbringer tonight. Instead watching Captain America & Thor with my regular players instead!

Reviews to follow!

The Spider Minds of Ethald

The Spider Minds of Ethald

No. Enc.: 1-6
Alignment: Inimical
Move: 120'(40’)
Armor Class: 6
Hit Dice: 7
Attacks: 3
Damage: 1d8, 1d10 
Morale: 7

The Spider Minds of Ethald are all that remains of an elder civilization that almost ascended to god hood 12 billion years ago. Records are sketchy at best but the creatures used their immense hive mind to challenge certain ancient gods. The gods struck them down & now they wander the space ways haunting their old homes & places. They may be encountered anywhere merely planar zombies going through the motions of living. They seem to be searching but for what is unknown. These beings have a hatred of all intelligent beings & will attack them on sight. As if the very sight of another reminds them of their conditions!
The creatures attack with a set of stinging tentacles for 1d8 points of damage per round. The Spiderminds also attack with a super science power of a mind blast for 1d10 points of damage. A combination of rage, hatred, & telekinesis! 

They may be driven off with the elder sign & there has been brief instances of communication with scientists but they have been very brief indeed!  The Spider Minds of Ethald  remain an aggressive  puzzle that  few wish to solve! 

C299,792 A Hard Science Fiction Kickstart That's Just Cool!

 This is the kind of Kickstart that I can get behind. This looks more inspired by 2001 then Star Wars. Yeah I love Star Wars really I do but there are times when hard science fiction needs to be made. This is it! 

C is 299,792 kilometers per second.

C is the speed of light.

C is about the human drive to explore, to break boundaries, to survive.

C is a new way to experience science fiction, forgoing CGI and greenscreen in favor of homemade optical effects.

C is a longtime dream of ours that we are finally making a reality.

Oh look a project that isn't a remake, uses no CGI, has an intelligent female lead, & has a hard science fiction backing with intelligence! Oh My


The ships designs rock. They have an interesting look about them. Not something designed by Marvel but something that might actually work

Proposed Ship Design

Weapon Design

The weapons also have a look similar to something seen in Bladerunner rather then on the W.B. 

Warehouse and Set Designs

Ship Prints Mockup

   The Star Ship is a thing of beauty & simplicity! The type of ship seen again in something like Silent Running or 2001. 

Home Page for this Here

You can find the KickStart page for this project right Here

Face Book Fan page Here

Black Market Black Friday Items

Random Items From The Intergalactic Underground For Human Space Empire  Roll 1d10 

1. Hold Out DISINTEGRATOR-  9 shot 1d10 damage 600 foot range. This hand held weapon uses a micro particle reaction on a infinitely small planar level held within a suspension field. The device only lasts 1d3 years though as the energy eats its way through the device. 750 credits 
2. Appliance/Assassin Droid -This transforming droid takes on the appearance of any intergalactic house hold appliance up to the size of a house hold disintegrator (refrigerator). The droid is armed with 1d4 random weapons listed in the Human Space Rule book. The droid will function as the appliance until it can remove the target & any witnesses!  2000 credits per rental 
3. I Robber Droid - A planar technology touch screen tablet 5 inches long by 2 inches wide. This device has a malicious planar demon bound into it & installed. This creature grants +3 to all engineering checks connected with piracy, robbery, breaking & entering etc. The demon whispers capers & dark deeds to the owner at night. 890 credits 
4. Star Ship Tools & Bypass kit - A regular set of star ship tools with a difference! A set of electronic trips & bypasses is has been built into each tool granting +2 repair & star ship engineering rolls. 500 credits 
5. 15by15 Set Of Instant Star Ship Fuel - Universal mounted cans  of Instant Star Ship Fuel for emergencies. 12 cans 600 credits 
6. Alphatorian Gun Locker - This locker contains 1d10 random weapons from the Human Space Rule book! 9000 credits. They will good weapons but random
7. Hand Held Plasma Blade -An alien relic designed plasma blade that has been mass produced. Instant White hot cutting death at your finger tips doing 1d10 damage for 24 minutes of operation. Rechargeable with any ship's drive!  950 credits 
8. Unself sealing stem bolts - These stem bolts look exactly like the regular variety except that they will unseal with the proper radio signal. Star Ship panels & the like "mysteriously" unseal. 300 credits per 100 pounds of these plus 110 for the remote. 
9. Disassembler Missiles - Come as a set of 4 with mountings & launcher. These missiles do 1d10 damage per strike & do an additional 1d6 points per round as the nanites do their work! Each missile is fitted with a 1 light year drive system & a micro planar dot reactor.. These missiles break down everything including organic & inorganic material. They work a bit too well& on a roll of 1 they work normally but take apart their target as a grey goo. They will not work on planetary targets. 
10. Union  Planetary Buzz Saw - A  three man 9000 foot high vechile that acts as a siege weapon. Armed with a quantum plasma neutro Blade system this weapon does 1d20 points of damage per round. The weapon is further armed with 2 anti personal terra watt planar spot lights which do 1d10 damage with in a 2000  yd range. The planetary buzz saw has a 100 point force shield that allows the spot lights through it.
    There is flying floater version of this weapon as well that uses a contra gravitic drive system. It moves at 170 mph & is armed with standard laser cannons.
    The entire set up is powered by a Riggs & Stanton mini fusion reactor. The cost for renting the buzz saws is 4 million per cycle & 12 million for the floater/flyer version