Reverend Evil

My Gen Con schedule is starting to fill up. Any friends out there that want to hang out/dine/drink/whatever shoot me an email at robert [dot] schwalb [at] mindspring [dot] com

It was pretty neat to see D&D in the final episode. Umber hulks, mind flayers, and even the 4E DM screen. Awesome.

It seems 2009 will be no easier for us gamers.

Farewell Mr. Arneson, you will be missed. And thank you for your part in creating the industry in which I work.

Nasty storms blew through today. Especially intense this evening. Lots of rain, wind, power went out at seven and stayed out. By eight, I was pretty damn hungry, so I set out to find food, thinking the blackout was on our street. Much to my surprise, it was everywhere. I took back roads to avoid the crazy intersections, finally winding up on one of the busier streets (Broad if you're familiar with the 'boro). It too was dark. I wasn't until I got across town that I started seeing lights again, but not before I passed siding/metal sheeting? wrapped around a telephone pole and a knot of cops and ambulances by the old movie theater across the street. I made my way home (about 40 minutes from the time I left) and was nearly at my house when I drove by the gas station and a car wash place--both were pretty beat up.

You can draw a line from the gas station to the movie theater. No one saw the funnel cloud, but I've been through a couple of tornados and the damage was pretty impressive. Especially since the gas station isn't all that far from my house at all.

I'll be investigating tomorrow.

A little over a week ago, my comps for A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying landed on my door. Today, PH2 arrived. For as hard as it can sometimes be, it is all worth it when I get to hold my congealed bits of metalabor in my hands. Man oh man.

Friday I received comps for A Song of Ice and Fire Roleplaying and I am happy to say it looks awesome. As one of the last projects I worked on at Green Ronin, I think I went out on a high note. The book wouldn't be half as awesome without the incredible work by Jesse Scoble, Kara Hamilton, Steve Kenson, Hal Mangold, George R.R. Martin, all the artists, and of course my friends at GR who worked so hard to make this book happen. I'm very excited, can you tell? The PDF releases today, so be sure to check it out!

Continues.

Busy as ever. Anyone watch Oliver Twist on NPT over the last few weeks? Excellent production. NPT rarely disappoints, but then I'm a big nerd.

DDI stuff continues to flow through my fingertips, appearing each month on the D&D page. This month we have an adventure, a fat article on death and killing, and some other stuff.

Also, this month sees PH2. I wrote a modest chunk and I'm very excited to see it in the flesh.

Song of Ice and Fire lands soon too, another book I'm dying to see. I handed over my text and barely saw it again. I wonder what it'll look like all growed up?

I'll be in Seattle at the end of April for my usual rounds of hookers and blow. Well, not really. I am banking on the eggplant though.

As of right now, Origins is looking unlikely, but who knows?

And, I've finally gotten around to reading Good Omens. I'm nearly done and loving it.

That's all tonight. Interesting reading as always.

Since the cool kids are doing it...

Here are my ten (and not in order).

1) D&D (all editions)
2) Magic the Gathering
3) Civilization (1, 2)
4) Shadowrun (1st, 2nd)
5) Battletech
6) Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (1st/2nd)
7) MERP/Rolemaster
8) Marvel Super Heroes (Basic/Advanced)
9) Twilight 2k (1st/2nd)
10) Cyberpunk (1st)

Thanks for the link Chris!

The Wednesday night game I run is a 4e adaptation of the Freeport trilogy, which I've converted for home use in between schmoozing the ladies, going on book tours, and flying on fancy jets. I was dubious at first, but we've had a lot of fun so far. We're near the end of Death, but one thing I would have changed about my conversion had I thought about it would have been to make the whole investigation phase a skill challenge that would run in the background. Alas, too late. Instead, we have lots of little skill challenges. Fans of Terror's rock crusher trap will be pleased to know that it's a solo trap and fun, but not auto-kill.  

Here's my degenerate serpent person.

Degenerate Serpent Warrior Level 4 Brute
Medium aberrant humanoid (reptile) XP 175
Initiative +4 Senses Perception +1; darkvision
HP 67; Bloodied 33
AC 16; Fortitude 17, Reflex 16, Will 13
Resist 10 poison
Speed 6, swim 4

M Spear (standard; at-will) ö Weapon

+7 vs. AC; 1d8 + 4 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). While grabbing a target in this way, the degenerate cannot make spear attacks. Whenever a creature starts its turn grabbed by this attack, it takes 5 damage.

M Bite (standard; at-will) ö Poison

Grabbed targets only; +5 vs. Reflex ; 1d6 + 4 damage, and the target is dazed and takes ongoing 5 poison damage (save ends both).

c Poison Spray (standard; encounter) ö Poison

Close blast 3; +5 vs. Fortitude; 1d6 + 4 poison damage, and the target is blinded (save ends). Miss: Half damage, and the target is not blinded.

Sly Combatant (immediate reaction, when missed by a melee attack; at-will)

The serpent person warrior shifts 1 square, and gains combat advantage against the triggering attacker until the end of its next turn.

Alignment Chaotic evil Languages Draconic
Str 19 (+6) Dex 14 (+4) Wis 9 (+1)
Con 17 (+5) Int 6 (+0) Cha 6 (+0)

Equipment spear