My Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor often says, "The mat doesn't lie." What he means is that in BJJ, you can't fake it. The practitioner who comes to class, drills during open mat, and seeks out challenging partners to roll with are going to be better than those who don't put in the time. If you have …
Category: inspiration
Glen Cook’s _Black Company_
One of my favorite fantasy writers is Glen Cook. I will do later posts about some of his other, lesser known works and focus this post on The Black Company novels. They follow the exploits of the "last of the free companies of Khatovar", a mercenary company perpetually in an ugly dilemma. The first …
If You are a Game Master, Read Steven Pressfield’s Blog
It is a bit of a paradox. In order for an RPG to be a good to great experience, must be treated like a game. There are situations, you present them to the players, the players make choices, you roll dice, consequences happen and you present the next situation. However, utilizing the tools of story …
Continue reading If You are a Game Master, Read Steven Pressfield’s Blog
Inspirational Reading: Joe Abercrombie
In the 1st Edition, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Dungeon Masters Guide is the famous "Appendix: N." As much as I like many of the works on that list, there several writers, novels, films and TV shows which came after and are worth mentioning as some of the more immediate influences on my gaming. This time out, I …
Monsters
In European myth and folklore, monsters serve a very important function. They are a warning. The etymological root of the word is the latin monstrum. Monstrum was a sign or portent which disrupts the natural order due to divine displeasure. This is seen throughout myth and folklore. Do bad things and the Krampus will come …
Grumpy Wizard 