My Dungeons & Dragons Miniature Journey Starts Again!!

I've FINALLY started painting some Miniatures for D&D to replace those lost years ago in an electrical fire, I finally got sick of running games and using the Steve Jackson Cardboard Heroes - even though they are great, I just prefer painted metal miniatures.

First Up - "Anshar the Magic-User". Descendant of the Great Ishtar, Anshar wanders Aerth in search of adventure (and busty wenches) - prematurely grey (because of an unfortunate encounter with a Cleric of Orcus) he looks older than his years, a fact he regularly uses to his advantage.

Back Detail -

You may notice I've also started some Dungeon Decor as well, and like the Magic User I've panted they are from Otherworld Miniatures.

More to Come!

Maps and Map Making

I was thinking today about Maps and Mapmaking, and whats better drawing by hand or using Software to create your Maps.

For Dungeons, personally I prefer drawing them by hand - even if its just line and numbers mapping (like the Drummer in my Band used to do, on the rare occasion he turned his hand to DM'ing) or full-blown map drawing using gridded paper - I find as I am referring back and forth to books whilst I draw my Map that Ideas occur to me that might not when I'm simply tapping away at a keyboard or dragging a computer-mouse whilst looking at a PC Monitor.

I even know of one DM who draws things by hand, then scans them and finishes them off in Photoshop - but even going that extra mile for his Maps, he's still taken the time to at least start them by hand - something I think is admirable.

The same goes for Maps of Towns and Wilderness Maps - I "rough" them out using pen and Pencil, and then do a "tidy" map using the PC (I still love using software from the 2nd Edition "AD&D Core Rules" suite of programs for my overland maps) - giving me something quite professional to show my Players.

Whatever your take on Map Making, or your "process" - even though they are a very important part of the planning and the gaming experience, creating them should also be practical and fun - and I think at least some hand drawing is not only fun, but essential - especially in this sterile technological age.

A New Day Dawns

Well, a new Day dawns - and I'm feeling a little more optimistic again today. I did a little more painting last night, and progressed on (slightly) with two Otherworld Adventurers.

A Magic User and a Converted (with Scimitar) Fighter.

In the painting que at the moment are some more Player Characters (all Otherworld) -  a Human Lady Magic User (I don't think she's out yet), another (converted) Human Fighter, a Hafling Thief, a Half Orc Assassin, and a Ranger, and I want to get an Otherworld Cleric at some point.

Then (all being well) some Hobgoblins - Otherworld sculpts of these Classic Monsters and maybe then a Minotaur.

The Otherworld Stirges keep calling to me as well LoL.

I'm also TRYING to plan a 3D Dungeon Layout at the moment - four 1' x 1' squares with the entrances/exits at the same point on 2-3 of the sides, allowing me to re-position/change the layout between sessions/games - which will leave Doors that lead no-where sometimes, my logic being that the other side can be a secret door if desired/required

I recently got asked what my "process" was when Painting Miniatures - what I tend to do is focus on one specific element on a model - in the case of the Magic-User the Robe, in the case of the Fighter the brassy/bronze Armour I wanted on him. As that first element takes "shape" on the miniature, I start seeing the big picture of how the character or monster is going to look in my head - and find it much easier (OK, with my crappy hands its never that easy) to paint something.

LOADS of "real world" stuff to do today, can't wait to carry on tonight . . . . .

Sorry

Sorry about the total lack of effort, had some bad health issues - had to have a biopsy, waiting for results etc, etc

So my enthusiasm "waned"  quite badly, but thanks to chatting to Simon (check out his Blog Here - Brummie's Wargaming Blog ) my "drive" and imagination is returning now.

I've started working on some World/Scenario Ideas again, and  started on some new Miniatures for gaming with.

These are my new Dungeon Bases I sculpted and cast up - I'm planning on painting them as a Mix of Both Grey-Stone and Sand-Stone (like the old GW Cardboard Floorplans)

So much to do!

The 30 Day Challenge - Days Six, Seven, and Eight!

Sorry for the lack of posts about this, but I’ve been really ill the last couple of days with zero motivation for anything.

Still – it means I get to write more today, (trying to take away the positive here) – so here are Days Six, Seven, and Eight!

Favourite Deity – Mythological, it has to be Egyptian – so I’m going to go with RA – the “Pharaoh to the Gods”.  But, as a my heart belongs to Lovecraft, and as a proud owner of the original Deities and Demigods – I have to go with Cthulhu!

Favourite Edition – 1^st Edition AD&D of course, it’s no secret how much I love it. 2^nd is a close follower though, I won’t pretend its not.

Favourite Character I have Played – The Second Character I created was for original Basic D&D in my friend Philips  campaign – “Ishtar DeSade” a Magic-User, who carried on into 1^st Edition AD&D and has gone through many different incarnations in many different games. I’m even using his descendant Anshar DeSade in a solo campaign I’ve been playing (I find solo games a great way of trying out new ideas before inflicting them on players).

Back to Normal Tomorrow! (Hopefully)

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Five “Favourite Set of Dice/Individual Die”

Day Five “Favourite Set of Dice/Individual Die”

I assume this means “that I’ve owned” – one of each really, I loved (and still do love) my TORG D20 it’s always rolled really well for me, so much so that my players took a Vote once and unanimously wanted me to stop using it (which I did, because I’m Nice).

Favourite “Set” is a Q-Workshop set I was given by a friend (sadly no longer with us), it’s Purple with golden yellow “inking” and is (so I’m told) limited edition in those colours.

I love them so much, I’ve even used the D20 as my Profile Picture on Facebook.

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Four “Favourite Game World”

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Four “Favourite Game World”

Obviously the tendency is to say “my own” I’ve run more Games there than any other Fantastic Setting. 

I’ve even played characters there who weren’t NPC’s there thanks to my Friend Christopher Murphy creating his own Island setting “Lemoy” which is not far from the Coast of Lamaria.

OK - back on point - I have two favourite Settings, Greyhawk and Dragonlance.

I’ve enjoyed Greyhawk since the beginning (and who doesn’t love Greyhawk) and Krynn – I fell in love with the Dragonlance Setting from the very first Scenario I read, and ran.

ONLY Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition

David Hill and I have started a new Group JUST for AD&D 1st Edition chatter - "ONLY Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition" - User warning, its going to be much stricter than other Groups. It is ONLY for AD&D 1st Edition.

It's also intended to be a "safe space" - so Trolls will be clamped down on, and No Edition Wars either!

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Three "Favourite Playable Class"

 The 30 Day Challenge - Day Three "Favourite Playable Class"

Anyone (and EVERYONE) who knows me, is aware that I am the Magic-User Man (it’s where the Warlock part of my net name came from, and why I called my primary Shadowrun character Warlock as well) – I LOVE playing Magic Users when I get to play, in fact out of the three Demi-Human Characters I have played (Harlequin a High Elf Fighter/Magic-User, Grimtook a Gnome Assassin/Illusionist, and Alryk Di-Grizz a Half Orc Fighter) two were Multi-Classed Spell Casters.

As I mentioned in previous posts, I’ve been more of a DM than a Player much of my gaming “life” – but when I do play, I prefer spell casters – and in particular the ADnD Magic User class (The only exception to that rule was "Crowman the Barbarian")

Just ask Ishtar . . . .

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Two "Favourite Playable Race"

The 30 Day Challenge - Day Two "Favourite Playable Race"

I've been more of a DM all my "Gaming Life" than a Player, so I haven't actually had that many Characters compared to most players.

But the majority of my own Characters have been Humans (boring to most I know) - as a DM, I've always had a soft spot for Dwarves, although I've not had the privilege of Dungeon Mastering for many.

The 30 Day Challenge

"The 30 Day Challenge", not not a weight loss thing - but a challenge to talk about D&D for 30 days, full of memories and (hopefully) a little fun.

Day 1 - "How did I Start".

It was the day before my Birthday in 1976, my Nan (Maud, my Fathers Mum) had not long returned from visiting relatives in the US and gave me a small White Box with some booklets inside. "You like rubbish like this" she muttered (Maud was a grumpy old cus at best).

I read it, and did some "one on one" games with my Friend Philip Berryman (sadly now, no longer with us) but no other friends were interested. So it got put away (as these things do).

Skip ahead a couple of years, 1979 - I was reading Starburst Magazine (a UK Sci Fi Mag) and there was an Advertisement for Dungeons and Dragons - I almost jumped out of my seat, I was in a Band by then and they guys seemed really interested, and so we started gaming together - and the rest, as they say, is History.

DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS IS EVIL!

No, I don't REALLY believe that - I just wanted to get your attention.

The irony is more Evil has been done throughout History in the name of Religion than an other "cult" thing. Obsession, Evil, and addiction can be for anything - Gambling, Religion, Shopping, Sex, etc - it really makes me smile when they pick on a Hobby that improves Social skills, Basic Math, and Literacy.

And yet, people keep Spouting Crap like this - 

http://notthesingularity.com/4900/dungeons-and-dragons-once-again-attacked-as-demonic/

It's almost like they don't want you to think for yourself, isn't it . . . . .

Solo AD&D, Bad Moods, and the Quest for the Blood Diamond . . . . . .

Anyone who knows me is aware that I adore my AD&D 1st Edition, and can’t get enough of it so I’ve been playing “Solo” in my “down time” - basically a central character and the rest are treated as hirelings.

The main Character is Anshar DeSade – who adventures alongside with two human Fighters (Garth Valdemar, and Atoni Prax), a Human Ranger (Tyrian Silverbow – who takes his name from the “silvered” Long Bow which is a family heirloom), and a Half Elven (on her Mother’s side) Cleric of Demeter (she's from the Western provinces of Lemuria where the Ancient Greek Gods of flipside Earth are Worshipped) called Melina. Anshar has now reached the lofty heights of 4th Level (a little under halfway to 5th) – and I have to admit it has been a VERY slow progression compared to how often I play Solo, as I am taking XP exact at Base for what he achieves during play, plus Treasure XP (which is a LOT less than I give to players for roleplaying personally), Garth is 7th Level (don't you envy Fighters XP Charts), Atoni 6th, Tyrian 4th, and Melina 6th.
I’ve been REALLY enjoying it – I find it great “take your mind of stuff” fun, and it passes a few hours when I'm particularly fed up (which admittedly has been most of the time recently what with the passing of my Father, and tons of other "real-world" crap to deal with).

Last night I got a good few hours in – as my Son was out and Linda (the Mrs) wasn't well and went to bet early after a bath - so I thought I would Carry on, the Dungeons have been randomly generated - and XP has been awarded for specific actions and treasure (no Roleplaying awards for obvious reasons).

Don’t you just hate Random Monster charts sometimes, more often than not they add spice to a game – but this time – not so much.

My Wandering Monster Tables threw up a S**T Load of Zombies, 35 to be precise (I had to bring in Modern Zombies to have enough on the Table) – then (as per my Tables) I rolled for a “Master” Monster, that was controlling them – half expecting an Evil Wizard or Necromancer, I got a fracking Wraith. Rolled for how it came into the fray, the result – from behind – and (of course) the Cleric was at the back – No More Melinda . . . . . . .

(Before anyone asks – yes, I am way tougher on myself than any of my Players – I have to be, it keeps me interested).

FORTUNATELY, we managed to finish the Wraith off without too much hassle – but both Garth and Antoni lost a Level. FORTUNATELY he party has enough healing Potions to finish the Dungeon (I hope) – so the quest for the Blood Diamond will continue!!

The Resurrection

When I'm talking (writing) about "the Resurrection" - I'm not talking about anything religious, or even the 7th Level Clerical Spell - but rather AD&D 1st Edition.

Earlier this year saw the release of the Premium Hardbacks - the Players Handbook, the Dungeon Masters Guide, and the Monster Manual - gorgeous books all, and I've noticed real-world "chatter" of late about 1st Edition Advanced Dungeons and Dragons (or "Classic" AD&D - a term I've heard bandied about) I was in Forbidden Planet last week, buying some Comics (DC New 52 if you're at all interested) and two guys were talking about the AD&D 1st Edition Premium Hardbacks and how they have started playing 1st Edition and loving it! (and they aren't the first I've overheard either).

People aren't just buying the Premium Hardbacks as collectors items, they are using them for what they were originally intended for - Gaming! (It warms my heart it really does).

Now with the creation of "TSR the Next Generation" (LoL) and Gygax magazine, I can't help getting a new "flutter of hope" in my heart about my beloved AD&D 1st Edition!

It harkens me back to when I first got my hands on the 1st Edition AD&D Players Handbook, great days and a great feeling - I hope it lasts . . . . .

Gygax Magazine

By now, most of you will know about the Return of TSR as a Gaming Company (albeit a new one with an old name) and the impending release of Gygax Magazine.

At Gen Con last year there was a rumor that TSR was reforming.

To a lot of people this meant that the fate of Dungeons & Dragons was somehow "hanging" in the balance (don't forget this was sometime before 5th Edition was announced) and the future all things D&D was a little uncertain.

Their first Publication, is to be the wonderfully entitled "Gygax Magazine" -  Editor Jayson Elliot let a few tantalizing tidbits out on ENWorld forum -

Hi guys, this is Jayson. I'm the editor for Gygax Magazine.

Gygax Magazine is myself, Ernie Gygax, Luke Gygax, Tim Kask, James Carpio, and Jim Wampler. Our first issue is out in December; since it's not finished yet, we've been pretty quiet about things until it's ready.

Just to address some of the questions, I thought it was best that I leave a reply. We do own the trademark for TSR, and have since December of 2011. We are a new company, not the old TSR, as they were purchased by Wizards in the '90s. The trademark was abandoned about nine years ago, and we registered it in 2011.

We decided the best thing to release first as TSR was a gaming magazine, because we wanted a way to bridge the traditions of the old guard with the awesome new games that are out today.

As Gary's sons Ernie and Luke Gygax are "on board", the new company is free to use the Gygax name for the new magazine!

Luke Gygax goes into some detail about things here.

Tim Krask has a Q&A Thread over at Dragonsfoot here.

I (for one, although I am sure I am not alone in this) am VERY excited!!!

The Dungeon Master

It's an odd "feeling" seeing 1st Edition "supported" (kinda) again, with the release of the Premium Hardback Players Handbook, Dungeon Masters Guide, and Monster Manual.

I was even more "taken aback" with the impending () release of Unearthed Arcana as a "premium reprint) - I've spent so long feeling like I am "in limbo" when it comes to AD&D 1e, I'm a little unsure how to react?

Part of me is thinking why now - is the new Edition of D&D going to be so bad they need to "soften the blow" - or is it genuine homage to the original Master of the Game, Gary himself.

Whatever the reason, the books themselves are gorgeous - and it's a giant leap forward.

Terrain Pieces

I don't know if many people on here use Miniatures and Terrain, but Ainsty Castings are doing some stonking new accessories atm (they also do some gorgeous resin Dungeons as well).

Got some new bits through today, pots and pans, fantasy crates and treasure chests, and some cracking tables and chairs.

Ainsty Castings  

Fantastic!

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons 1st Edition

OK, Reading - I've done a LOT of Reading of late (and not just the Historical Research of I've been doing recently either).

I was re-reading my AD&D books last night, looking to planning some new games and I've come to a conclusion - I really REALLY don't think I am ever actually going to "buy into" D&D Next.

Don't get me wrong, for the most part I've really enjoyed what I've seen . . . . .

BUT (there's always a big BUT in these sort of Blog Posts don't you think) I adore AD&D 1st Ed to an almost irrational degree, and as a consequence I am more than happy with the way it plays/runs/feels.

I am actually in love with running AD&D (call me sad if you want, tbh I don't give a crap) - and (naturally) my players are happy when I'm happy (well, happy when they don't screw up during a Dungeon LoL).

So - nope, I'm not going to change ever I don't think. I'll still run Castles & Crusades - its a brilliant game, perfect for newbies and those who prefer a "rules lite" RPG experience. But my Heart will ALWAYS belong to AD&D 1st Edition.

This isn't just borne out of growing suspicions over D&D next (HOWEVER after reading and re-reading it there's actually a lot of 4E "badness" in the document that has (unfortunately) simply been re-tooled and/or re-named, but if you read it again and pay close enough attention to the wording (I.E. the way these rules work) these "things" are still in there (a Bonus of 1,000 XP to those people who've spotted them too).

D&D Next Playtest

As I agreed to Wizards NDA I cannot give specifics regarding the most recent D&D Next playtest notes - but an NDA doesn't cover my "feelings" about what I've seen so far.

So, without "letting the Cat out of the Bag" here goes -

All in all, I've been left feeling quite optimistic.

So far I am pretty impressed with what I see. Everyone who knows me is aware I wasn't the biggest fan of 3.X in the world - and even though it's SIMILAR in places, but also a lot more in depth and less arbitrary that 3.X was.

I was also really quite impressed at how little of 4E is present within this playtest "sample" - and the whole feel of the way it's presented is very much like a "Classic" Fantasy Roleplaying Game.

There are advantages and disadvantages to everything I've read so far (including one would imagine character generation - though there are only pre-created character examples) but I've tried to focus on the best aspects of what I have read so far.

Although I am still not 100% convinced, it was quite a pleasant surprise!

Lord of the Nerds

Gary Gygax has been a big influence on me growing up, from an early aged Teen receivng a White Box copy of Dungeons and Dragons to reading his fiction - Gary's legacy has always been important to me.

I was delighted when his daughter Heidi mentioned on Facebook that she had a relatively unknown article about her Dad entitled "Lord of the Nerds" as a scan saved to PDF!

I asked Heidi if it would be OK to host the article on my D&D Blog, and she graciously agreed.

Actually, its a little better than she first inferred - it's even got some hand written notes by her mother too.

So, enjoy!

Lord of the Nerds