Hippogriffs: Egg Layers or Livebearers?

I was working on a post, and I was trying to decide if Hippogriffs laid eggs or gave birth to their young live?  Hhhmmm...

I checked my old AD&D Monster Manual, and according to the description of the Hippogriff, and the Griffon, they both lay eggs.  In the RMSS ( Rolemaster Standard System ) Creatures & Monsters no mention of either species being egg layers is made.

However, Griffin/Gryphon females are described as  giving birth to cubs, so that would seem to contraindicate them being egg layers.  Also, Hippogriff offspring are described as foals.  Again with the rear end of a horse that would seem to preclude the laying of eggs?

Now, I know I don't have to follow ANY description of Hippogriff's.  I can decide if they're egg layers, livebearers, or something else.  I've actually reached a decision, and it's kind of fun.  I always like to twist memes inside out, and change them to suit my warped imagination.

Doing my research I also found these terms...

Parturition is the act or process of giving birth to offspring. The terms used to describe parturition vary with the species of animal it is being used to describe. The following are examples of parturition terminology:


A dog whelps and gives birth to puppies
A cow calves and give birth to a calf
A sow farrows and gives birth to piglets
A ewe lambs and give birth to lambs
A horse foals and give birth to a foal

Parturition

So I guess a Hippogriff would foal? What's the term for Griffin's giving birth?

Ideas? Suggestions? Requests? Insults?

I've been giving a lot of thought to running an online game.  I used to use a Yahoo group to run a free-form rpg, but that was years ago, and fizzled out.  I really would like to do something on Google+, however my Internet connection/bandwidth is not good at all.  In fact it's horrible.  So instead of throwing my hands up, giving up, and going "MEH!", I will live by one of my motto's.  Do what you can, with what you have, until you get something better.  ( The second part of the motto is: Work on getting something better. )

So I want to run a game, or more precisely a RPG.  I'm just not sure the best way to go about it?  A blog with play-by-posts?  Another Yahoo group?  A forum?  Play-by-email? A combination of these options?  The second decision would have to be genre, and then rule-set.  The genre would of course influence what rule-set I would use.  I wouldn't use AD&D to run a superhero campaign, or would I?  Heh... nooooooo.  I know I don't want to go the free-form route again.  There need to be rules.

So that's what I'm asking my esteemed readership.  What would you want to play and in what format?  Here are some of the things I was thinking about...

• AD&D 1E
• Mutant Future
• Labyrinth Lord/OSRIC/ or???
• GURPS 3E ( Probably not... I've only got the main rulebook right now. )
• Traveller

I was also seriously considering a game set in the town of Kinship and environs.  I just haven't decided what rule-set to use.

All that being considered, this wouldn't be one of those things were you HAVE TO POST every hour/day/week or whatever.  I want this to be a flexible game.  However, if you end up being absent quite a bit, don't be upset when you miss out on things.

Anyway, I'm open to suggestions.  A fantasy sandbox, or Mutant Future would be fun, but now that I think about it, a weird western would be fun as well.  So speak up, and let me know.  If you reply I want to know the following:

• If you're interested in playing in an online campaign.
• The format you would be most interested in playing in, i.e. play-by-post, etc.
• The genre and rule-set you are most interested in.
• What you want out of the game!  Combat, role-playing, exploration, everything?

Okay, I'm all ears!

The End of the Year As We Know It...

Well, there's only two days left, give or take a couple of hours I guess, before this year is over, and in a way I'm glad.  It's been a rough year, and I'm more than ready for the new one.  It's funny how we think in terms of the calender designating the passage of time.

I've really gone off the tracks when it comes to post topics these past couple of weeks, but next year I'll get back on track.  As part of the plan I've done a bit of brainstorming, and made copious notes for blog topics.  Also, the character's in Kinship have been screaming at me to let them out.  I want to continue the last story I posted, and continue on with others.

I believe I mentioned in a previous post that I started yet another blog, and it's called: The Mayhem of Miniatures.  It's more of a place to track things, a project log of sorts.  A way to quantify what I get accomplished in the realm of miniatures.

I finally acquired the AD&D 1st Edition Player's Handbook.  It's one of the orange spine editions, but I don't care.  I wanted the material inside, the cover didn't matter to me.  I received it in trade for some Mage Knight miniatures.  I'm considering writing something I can run at one of the local conventions, but it's been years since I've run 1st edition!

I was hoping to hit the 200 post mark before the end of the year, but that's probably not going to happen.  Oh well, next year for sure.  Of course I haven't made any New Year's Resolutions yet, and probably won't make any at all.  Goals are something else entirely, and I need to come up with some.  One of them will be to get some gaming accomplished...

So it's the end of the year as we know it, and I feel fine.

Random Thoughts on the 110th Post

Last month I broke my posting streak because I was sick.  I'm sick again today, and just because I can be stubborn I decided to write a quick post.  I deny the sickness!

As I sat here thinking I should get back in bed, and not post, I wondered how many DMs actually use mundane sicknesses in there campaign?   I can't recall if there is a chart in the AD&D 1E for mundane illnesses?  Would it even be a good idea?  Sorry, you're at a ( insert appropriate modifier ) to hit, because you have the flu.  Jakron the Crazed Dwarf can't go into the dungeon because he has the beard flu?   Probably wouldn't go over so well with the players.

Then again in a fantasy campaign you have certain resources that will nip most diseases in the bud.  I can imagine that the Cure Disease spell, or a lesser form of it, was created for these situations.  Cold and flu, etc. being more common than mummy rot.  Then there are always herbal cures.

Anyway, enough for now.  Back to bed for me.  I think my OTC pain medicine is kicking in.  No dungeon delving, errr... dungeon creating for me tonight.

Ooooooo... space monkeys.

The Strong Points of Rolemaster

Yes, I've got Rolemaster on my mind.  What can I say?  I like the rules, I like the overall system.  What's good about it?  Well, this is something me and my friends discussed when we first started playing.

First of all, RM came out back when there mainly only AD&D 1E, then the second edition, and other early fantasy role playing games.  For the most part a character, like a fighter, seemed like any other fighter.  There were very few differences, especially in the first few levels.  That can't be said of a Rolemaster character.  You might create a fighter, but with all the options and skills he's going to be unlike someone else's fighter.  The fighter will be unique.  Especially in the Rolemaster Standard System, and the next edition Rolemaster Fantasy Role Playing.

You aren't limited in the skills you can learn.  If a fighter wants to learn to pick locks he can.  It's going to cost him more development points ( skill points ), and he won't be able to learn as fast as a thief or rogue, but he isn't prevented from learning the skill.  A fighter could also learn certain spell lists if he wanted.  Again, it's going to be difficult, but it's possible.

Add in talents, flaws, background options, etc. you can really customise a unique character.

Combat is always unique as well.  No two combats will seem the same.  I think that's a real strong point of the system.  Combat has many options, it's not just a swing and hit or miss.  You can remain in a strictly defensive mode, or go all out on offense.  Or mix and match as you see fit.  Want to try something different, an unusual maneuver to surprise your foe?  Go right ahead,  it's covered in the rules.

I don't want to go into a lot of detail but there is a rich variety of spells.  There are plenty to choose from.

As your character gains experience he can buy new skills, get better with his weapons, and can even have his characteristics ( stats ) get better, or even worse!  Leveling up can be an adventure all on it's own.

Speaking of experience it's handled in a fairly unique manner.  The first time you fight a monster you get more experience points for defeating it, than subsequent fights with the same monster type.  After fighting dozens of orcs you don't get the same amount of experience as you did when you first fought one.  You also get experience points for good ideas.

Creating a character for RM can be a slow process, but I think the results are worth it.

Only three days left...

Since there are only three days left in this year,  I've decided to finish out the year blogging in a carefree kind of way.  I'm not going to worry about content too much over the next couple of days.  There's plenty of time for serious posts and great gaming content next year.  The Reader's Choice Challenge kind of burnt me out to tell you the truth.  I enjoyed it, but it was difficult at times.

I picked up a copy of the Rolemaster Standard Rules from the used book store the other day with some of my sparse Christmas cash, they were having a 20 percent off sale, so I got it for less than nine dollars.  It's in good shape, the cover is kind of wonky, but that doesn't matter.  The interior is almost pristine, and I'm going to de-spine it anyway to put in a three ring binder, and tab it for easy reference.  Now all I need are Arms Law, Spell Law, and Creatures & Treasures, and I can get started on my new RM sandbox campaign.  I know many people don't like RM, but I do.  And you know what?  That's what matters.  Plus, if I can get my old gaming group together they like also like RM, and even if it's only once a month that would be good.

Does this mean I wouldn't play somethig old school?  No, I just have a hankering for some RM, and since I'm probably going to have to run the game, it might as well be something I'm used to running.  I'm probably going to prep some stuff for AD&D 1E or LL, just in case, but it won't be a priority.  I know I won't be running any D&D 4E.  I would like to run the new Gamma World, and maybe the old Gamma World, but that's not a priority either.  Oh yeah, the used book store has some of the new WoD books as well, and for decent prices.  Although I imagine by the time I can get them they will be gone.  The Dr. Who RPG is still there, but I feel it's priced waaaaaay too high, as well as one of the modules.  $55 for a module???  Sheeesh.

So as 2010 takes it's last breaths, I look forward to 2011!

D20 Is Ruining Role Playing?

Today is day number two of the Reader's Choice Challenge.  Last week I asked people to make topic suggestions that I would use this week, Monday through Friday.  Yesterday, I covered Cthulhu, which isn't a strong suit of mine, and it shows.  MEH!

Dave G of the N++ blog, a great blog by the way, even though I don't know what N++ means?  Heh... I'm losing more geek points!  Anyway, Dave gave me a few suggestions,  this one however is the easiest, and with me getting a little burnt out, I'm going to use it.  He wrote:

- Why D20 is ruining roleplaying. (aka, Remember when D&D was about building interesting characters instead of uber multiclass-feat-skill-other weird skill stuff-other weird stuff combos to turn characters into super heros?)

No, I don't think it is.  There, that was easy.  Time for a nap.

Heh... there I go kidding around again, but really, I don't think D20 is ruining any aspect of the gaming hobby much less role playing.  I'm sure there are many people who would argue otherwise, but do they have evidence?  Of course what I write here is just an opinion.

Sure, maybe there isn't much role playing going on, but the level of role playing ( from what I've noticed ) varies from group to group, and game system to game system.

If anything it seems to be keeping the hobby alive?  To be perfectly honest I haven't played any of the current incarnations of the game.  Nothing past AD&D 1st Edition.  That doesn't mean I wouldn't try any other editions, I just haven't had the chance to try them out.  I probably won't get into the current edition of D&D for a lot of reasons, but I would like to at least try it.  How can I form a valid opinion without experiencing it myself?  If people enjoy D20 then I say more power to them!  Whether it's D&D 4th Edition or Pathfinder everyone is free to game the way they want to game.  That's my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.

Actually, the whole "uber multiclass-feat-skill-other weird skill stuff-other weird stuff combos to turn characters into super heros." sounds kind of interesting.  Then again I also enjoy playing a character who has trouble hacking his way through a horde of orcs, and keeping his plate mail pants on. That actually happened to me in Ultima Online, but it was actually a bunch of dragons, or something, good times... but I digress...

Now, the new Gamma World seems like a rocking good time.  I am buying it as soon as I can.  The same goes for Pathfinder, those seem like big, fun, crunchy books.  However, neither is a big purchasing priority.

And thus, the scribe finishes day two of the challenge.  What will day three bring?

Blog of Useful Items Part Two

Okay, apologies for the delay, but I finally got the chance to get this written.  I've had a flu bug or something the past few days, and didn't have the energy to do any sort of cohesive thinking that writing a blog requires.  ( Although, now that I think about it; some bloggers don't seem to think at all when they write their blogs.... )

Anyway, where was I?  Oh yeah, I started this when I was reading some of the magic item descriptions in AD&D DMG 1E.  (  Here's part one.  ) I came across the Robe of Useful Items, and started thinking about some of the odd things that are on it, and really started thinking about what kind of spell is required to turn some of these things into a cloth patch!  As far as I can tell, there is no corresponding spell in the lists that would create these patches, but at some time in the past wouldn't there have to be a spell?  Perhaps it's still out there somewhere?

It would have to be a very powerful spell, and it does either one of two things.  It either transforms the target into a cloth patch ( and attach it to the robe ), or it transfers the item into another dimension, where it's stored in stasis until "summoned" ( by pulling off the patch ).  The patch is merely a "link".

Some of the items on the robe are very complex.  Several living creatures are listed, war dogs, a mule, giant owl, and on the Appendix P listing there's a wasp nest, which is described as normal, with 200 wasps.  Now, I don't claim to be an expert on wasps or their nests, but 200?  That's a lot of wasps...

I find one of the oddest items to be the 10 cubic foot open pit.  Does the wizard have the pit dug, and then cast the spell?  Does it include the sides of the pit, or just the empty space?  Also, when you use that particular patch, assuming your using on the ground or in a dungeon, what happens to what was there before?  Hhhmmmm...

On the matter of the spell, is it just too powerful to let a player character learn?  It would be a very useful spell, in so many different ways.  Carrying large items out of dungeons, smuggling contraband,  a dead party members body, etc...

Also, consider that whatever gets turned into a patch does not age, decay, or deteriorate in any way!  Need to provision your party for an extended megadungeon crawl?  Load up the Robe of Useful Items!

There are two things you would never want to turn into a patch.  One is a Portable Hole, the other a Bag of Holding, trying to turn either into a patch would probably result in a nasty dimensional vortex that sucks everything around into it.  Of course the players wouldn't know this unless they did a lot of research.  There could also be other disastrous results for trying to turn powerful magic items into patches.   At the very least the items should get savings throw versus magic, especially if said items are intelligent.  The same goes for intelligent races and monsters.  Of course if you succeed, heh, having a red dragon patch would be awesome.

Of course I believe this would be a fairly high level spell, and would be expensive to cast, i.e. very costly material components.  Also if it is a known spell, I can imagine that most magic users would closely guard it, and try to keep it secret at all costs.

Then again, maybe the spell is lost to the ages, and would require years of research, and who knows how much gold to replicate?  If the ROUI is rare then eventually, they will all be used up.  So I started thinking that perhaps to make the robe even more useful that there's a chance the robe comes with a wand that can turn items, creatures, things, or whatever, into patches.  It wouldn't have a tremendous range, and a large area of affect would drain more charges.  I also think that magic users are the only ones that should be able to use the wand.  Perhaps one day I will write the wand descriptions in more detail, but I'm really torn as to what to call it?  Wand of Patch Making?

Well, I feel that I've rambled on enough about the Robe of Useful Items.  It really is one of the oddest magic items in the AD&D DMG 1E.  Before I started writing this, I did a google search, but didn't find too much about it.  Then again it was a quick scan.  I've been wondering if there ever was an article in Dragon Magazine about the ROUI?  Anyone out in the blogosphere know?

Maybe next time I will write about the ubiquitous iron spike, the dungeon delvers friend, in all it's various permutations.  It is after all a much more simple thing than the puzzling, mind boggling, and mysterious Robe of Useful Items.

Lamentations of a Frustrated Gamer

No, I'm not poking fun at James Raggi.  The name of his game inspired the title of this post.  That's all...

I live in a fair sized city, a suburb of Dallas, and what really irks me is that there is not one FLGS, not even a comic shop here! At least that I know of...  maybe one has opened, and I just don't know it.  We used to have a Lone Star Comics, but it closed a few years ago due to the failing economy I guess. Other stores in the chain are still open, but I want one here in this city. Sure the Barnes & Noble at the local mall carry some games, but certainly not any of the esoteric board or miniature games! And it certainly doesn't carry a wide variety of role playing games!

Sure, I could order online, but there's nothing like going to the local gaming store, and browsing the shelves, looking at miniatures, and if the store has a gaming area, watching people play, or even getting into a game. Ahh... I miss the good old days.

If I had the resources I would open a proper game store, but that's not likely to happen anytime soon, unless I happen to hit the Lotto. However, there's a greater chance of Taimat flying out of the sky and landing in the front yard, than me striking it rich through the lottery.

I had lunch with an old friend last week, and I mentioned that I was getting the gaming bug again. He perked up, and asked what I would run, and I mentioned AD&D 1E. ( Of course I'm also considering Labyrinth Lord. )  He said that might be interesting. So I have at least one player, two if his son is interested in playing. The only drawback is that he lives about an hour or so away on the other side of Dallas, and due to financial constraints I sold my truck. I'm shooting to start this campaign next spring.

Of course I would really like to PLAY in a RPG campaign.  Sometime, somewhere...  Have dice, will travel!

The Book Quest continues...

Back in May, I wrote a post about buying gaming books off eBay. Well, the AD&D 1E DMG I bought was in really sorry shape. I think I can clean it up some, but I think I'll just keep looking for one at the Half Priced Books for a better copy. I'm really leery of eBay now, but I'll probably still use it some.

Filling the Sandbox

I was up early this morning, and decided to start on my new fantasy sandbox. I wasn't really feeling that inspired so I just decided to start mapping an abandoned dwarven outpost. One that was still in the early stages of construction when it was abandoned. Fairly simple, just a couple of caverns, and a few rooms the dwarves have carved out. A lot of unfinished tunnels, and dead ends.  There's also a "bottomless pit"...

Why was it abandoned? Frak... I have no idea. I'm still working on the map, but I imagine it was probably abandoned due to a number of reasons. The major one being that it just wasn't a rich mining spot, sure there was plenty of stone and rock, but no precious metals or gems. The two things dwarves covet the most.

Mainly, this is a project to get me started and to get the creative juices flowing once again. After I finish Stonethorn Outpost, I'll take a more structured approach to creating this new fantasy sandbox. If I get tired of working on it, I can always design a module for another game. Switching genres always seem to help when the creative well runs dry.

All for now... keep those swords sharp, and your mind sharper.

Weird Wednesday

Today I made an editorial decision, and decided that every fourth Wednesday of the month, the theme is weird.  Weird Wednesday.  So while today's post may not have anything that weird, I have an entire month to come up with something weird, for the next Weird Wednesday.  I want HDWT to have a some kind of "structure", which in turn helps me be more organized and come up with topics.

NTRPG Con 2010

Late last night I discovered a new convention.  NTRPG Con 2010 is being held in Irving, Texas on June 3 thru June 6, 2010.  I've put a link on the sidebar so go check it out!  This con concentrates on the old school games, and mainly focuses on D&D, AD&D, and a few others.  There are a lot of great confirmed guests from the 'old school' generation,  Rob Kuntz, Tim Kask, Paul Jaquays, Dennis Sustare, Steve Winter, Jim Ward, Jason Braun, and Kyrinn Eis.  Plus other notables in the RPG industry.  Slots in the gaming sessions are limited so if you want to particpate you should head over, register, and sign up ASAP!

A Few Weird Adventure Ideas & Hooks ( Or maybe not so weird... )

1. The characters are hired by a king to harvest some young 'flail' snails.  He developed a taste for them after being trapped underground, ( during his adventuring days ), and had to survive on them.  He wants them brought back alive, "They need to be FRESH!".  He will pay a good price for them, but he needs them in a hurry.  He wants them for a yearly feast or festival.
2. One of the characters has a cousin that owns a 'magic shoppe', and needs to travel to a distant, large city to make a delivery, and take care of other business as well.  The characters are hired to run the shop, and guard it at night.
3. One day a large, floating, black inky cloud starts following the adventuring party.  If the party splits up, so does the cloud.  No one else can see the cloud.  A detect magic spell, may detect it, but it gets a savings throw to avoid detection.  One day the cloud teleports the party to ______?
4. The party is staying at a tavern, located in a small town.  They wake up in the morning to find EVERYONE in the town, and all the animals turned to stone, even insects.  Whatever happened, plants were not affected.  What do the players do?
5. Traveling down a road, the characters discover a single line of men(?)wearing hooded red robes walking in the opposite direction they are headed.  The line goes on for miles.  They carry no packs or weapons.  Who are they and where are they going?

Well, I hope you have enjoyed Weird Wednesday.  Next time it may even be a Wacky Weird Wednessday!  Until then, keep rolling your dice!