Playing Online

     So things still remain hectic in my life, hence the gap between my last post and this one. I am curious about running games online using Google hangouts, does anyone have any tips? Thinking of using the video/voice chat and having everyone use an instant messenger for player notes. So please leave comments and I'll do a follow up soon. Take care guys!!

Old School D&D

     I am going to try and sum up Labyrinth Lord's, as well as original D&D's, appeal to me. The characters are created easily enough since they are rolled up randomly. It is a bit like meeting a person for the first time and you are getting to know them. Also they can be such fragile things, sometimes you end up running your but out of danger. Another appeal for me is the way adventures and monsters were written, sometimes a room is just a room and a creature is just a creature. There just happens to be an ornate statue in the middle of the room or there is a strange looking cow munching on the moss in some subterranean cavern. If the DM wants to, he can make it sinister or just look sinister.

     In the very early 80's, we were visiting relatives in Eastern Ohio and an older cousin had some weird books called "Dungeons and Dragons". Of course I wanted to look at them, I was into science fiction and fantasy, but I really fell for this game. I could do whatever I wanted, be bad or good, make mistakes, and yes, even help people. It really put my love of fiction into overdrive and gave my something to look forward to when visiting family out here. I owe a debt to my cousin, who I have not seen in over twenty years. I wonder if he still plays.

     So maybe a portion of the games appeal is it's reminder of times long ago. Along with the ability to pretend, to do things I cannot normally do, like face down giant rats under a mill or saving a someone from some horrible fate. Well, that's all for now, take care guys.

Labyrinth Lord!!

     So, a few weeks ago I played in a game of Labyrinth Lord that a friend of mine ran at a local game store. It was my first time playing it, but I knew what to expect with it being a retro clone. I knew most of the people there and everyone just turned up the fun factor, even when the dice were not going our way. Now I have this overwhelming desire to play/run this game. Then the next weekend, my friend showed me a kick starter for Dwimmermount, a mega dungeon written for Labyrinth Lord and the ACKs system. James Maliszewski is the man behind it and it looks amazing, bringing me back to when I first got into Dungeons and Dragons. Which should not be a surprise as he has a blog all about gaming from that era, check out  Grognardia here http://grognardia.blogspot.com .Also the Dwimmermount link is here http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142014231/dwimmermount?ref=card . Check this stuff out and please let me know what you think.Take care everyone!

Deadlands Game part 2

     So we last left our posse of grizzled hombres in the the town of Avarice sitting in the guest cottage of their friend, wondering what was really going on. The Professor brushed them off and said she had to go out to check on some research. She gave them a basket of bread, meat, and cheese for their dinner and was then on her way. After talking it out a bit, the guys decide to check her research in the main house, which involves opening a locked door. If it's your friend's house, is still considered breaking in?

     They locate her study, open her desk, and begin examining Ms. Chamber's notes. Everything seems harmless enough, maybe they are not needed after all. Oh look, someone has recently put a lock on one of the desk drawers. One picked lock later and they are looking at the Professor's original notes. Certain words have been scratched out but with a bit of work they can make it out- skinwalker! This ominous piece of information sends our group in search of Ms. Chambers.

     It is now evening in Avarice as they move through town, looking for their friend. There is a light on at the stables, so they sneak a peek inside. The Professor is speaking to four hooded individuals and gesturing to the stable boy, who laying tied up and gagged in the corner. So the Preacher kicks the door open and starts shooting as the menacing hooded figures advance upon them. Three of them attack with knives while the last one has a set of nasty red claws, and they soon find out why when his (?) hood falls back to reveal a hideous mass of muscle and bone, but no skin!! Our guys manage to keep it together and take these guys out, but Ms. Chambers has escaped out the back.

     That is how we ended our last session, unfortunately we are having trouble setting up a new game. When we do I will let you all know how it goes. Take care and please leave me a comment.