Robin D. Laws's Blog, page 24
January 27, 2017
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Yig is More of a Moundsville Ohio Guy
In the latest episode of our chert-monopolizing podcast, Ken and I talk Dreamhounds One-2-One, tradecraft in the news, how Robin runs games and Cahokia.
January 25, 2017
The Archer and the Beaver: A 15th Century Mugging
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As you can tell just from looking at it, the above image from an early 15th century bestiary shows a beaver being held up by a hunter.
As the beaver well knows, the hunter wants only one part of him—his testicles. They contain castoreum, a precious oil.
Seeking to spare his life, the understandably miffed beaver has bitten off his testicles and flung them toward the hunter. These can be seen in the illustration, flying through the air between hunter and beaver, just below the former’s threatening arrowhead.
We can’t tell from the hunter’s grim expression whether he intends to keep his part of the bargain, or is concerned about his victim’s +9 (2d6+6) bite attack. If his veins pulse with the credo of the murder hobo, he may still fire that arrow, giving new meaning to the term “killing them and taking their stuff.”
Which is to say that in an F20 world, where dragons fly the skies and intelligent mushrooms may jump you when you go spelunking, it is important to depict the natural world in accord with all the latest natural history.
Latest as of, say, 1400.
This serious article is in no way to blame for the above.
January 20, 2017
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Just Make Up a Bunch of Dwarves
In the latest episode of our impeccably shelved podcast, Ken and I talk improv GUMSHOE, Ken’s London book haul, our libraries and Ralstonism.
January 13, 2017
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Without Checking, Because That Spoils the Fun
In the latest episode of our entirely accurate podcast, Ken and I talk historical license, Tim Powers, research and Tom Slick.
January 6, 2017
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: There's No Blood in a JPEG
Ken and I emerge from our time machine into the pre-apocalyptic wasteland of 2017 to talk Cthulhu mythos secrets in the information age, opting out of uncomfortable gaming content, Luke Crane, and Eliphas Levi.
December 23, 2016
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Suddenly You’re Eating Mustard Lettuce
In our festive final episode of 2016, Ken and I talk GUMSHOE One-2-One, Chris Spivey, lions of Tsavo, and how to make a damn sandwich.
December 15, 2016
December 9, 2016
Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff: Bear With Us, Everyone Else
In the latest episode of our entirely aboveboard podcast, Ken and I talk how Ken runs games, Toronto music, emoluments, and Juan Peron’s hands.
