How I Learnt to Stop Worrying and Love Gunpowder

Or, why I feel sorry for our gm. So, we're playing WFRP, and had just started the Shadows Over Bogenhafen, and had the whole bit with the secret temple. Our plan? Buy/steal as much gunpowder as possible, and then blow up the temple as we ride away...

ANZAC Day

Lest we forget and all that.

Wow.

The post I did on Mesopotamian weapons and armour is getting a lot of hits........


Anyway, does anyone know what happened to that Fight On! book of random tables thing?

New Death Again

Just quickly. I realized what the New Death reminded me of: the writings of Lord Dunsany.

Just thought I should put it up so I could remember.....

Magic?

Just a quick thought...

I've recently been playing the video game Powerslave, which is just an awesome 90s shooter. But it has one thing which has sort of stuck in my mind: When you pick up items, they have one use of each, though you can have several of them. However, using an item uses a certain amount of magic (yes, you have a limited amount) depending on the item. For instance, Full Health uses roughly half, Increased Weapon Power about a quarter, and Invincibility all of it.

So, I was thinking of introducing magic points into my rpgs, with items using a certain amount. Players could roll something like 3d6. If you wanted, this could lead to magic points instead of fire-and-forget, but I probably would not do that.

You could have, as well, items which have multiple, or even infinite, uses, but use a lot of magic. Which could be fun. Especially if you made them only useable by one PC.....

So, yeah, anyone got any thoughts on this?

Art & Rolemaster

Just a quick thing, but I've always preferred the art in Rolemaster to D&D. I mean, yeah, D&D, T&T, and WFRP all have cool art, and I find them all to be inspiring. But the illustrations in MERP and RM!

I mean, just look at the cover for Rolemaster in the 90s:

I mean, to me, that just yells for me to roll up some characters and go adventuring. It has danger, non-combat awesomeness, the citadel in the distance, the griffon/hippogriff/I can't remember the difference flying in the background.

Man, I think I should change my new setting to Rolemaster.... Does anyone know a good character generator? That's always been my big problem with the game...

The King in Yellow: The Great Joke of Ur-Nannu

Centuries ago, when a great war was waged between Law and Chaos, the Sorcerer Ur-Nannu, renowned for his power, went with his armies to fight the King in Yellow. After many victorious battles, Ur-Nannu's forces were finally overrun in the Skaldian Pass. Ur-Nannu was taken to the King in Yellow's fortress, were he was tortured for many years for the devastation he had unleashed upon Chaos.

Ur-Nannu eventually escaped, and swore that, in revenge for his torture, he would make a mockery of the King.

And so it was that he wrote the play, The King in Yellow, which drove all who read the second act to insanity and despair, and placed them under the power of the King in Yellow. It is considered the greatest of the King's tools.

Yet the King despises it, for it mocks him. It is a work of art, admittedly, despite it's evil, and it is a work of culture and civilisation. For this, the King in Yellow hates it.

For this, though few realise, Ur-Nannu has his revenge. Through this, he has made a mockery of the King.