Brian N. Young's Blog, page 10
October 10, 2012
Ynys Cedyrn (Island of the Mighty)
My modules (and soon-to-be published novels) all take place in the Britain following Rome's departure and collapse, and the oncoming invasions of the Saxons from Germany, the 5th and 6th centuries. This was a short-lived golden age in which the native Celts were reclaiming their lands after the four hundred years of Roman occupation, it is also the era of my academic specialty and studies. Britain was a completely different place then.
There was no England, Wales, Cornwall and Scotland. It was a hodgepodge of kingdoms and tribes that all spoke roughly Welsh or Cornish, or the early stages of it. For a better word they spoke Neo-Brittonic or Old Brythonic, a language that will gradually evolve into Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Cumbrian in time as their populations become disjointed and forced to move west by the advance of Saxons, Frisians, Angles and Jutes.
This was the 'Age' of Arthur and other numerous warlords that fought and opposed the invasions from all sides, and it is one that I identify with strongly for reason unknown. The shift in language occurred going from a Synthetic one (Latin for example) to an Inflective form (modern European languages) and culturally much was carried with it from the old world when the Celts once populated nearly ALL of Europe. It was also a period in which the ancient people reinvented themselves too, they had to, or they would perish like the Celts of the Continent (Gauls, Galatians and the rest).
Sadly the majority of the places, kingdoms and locations (from a native Celtic perspective) have been lost in time, swept aside by the Germanic invaders and their language (the one you are reading). My Welsh and Cornish isn't as good as it should be, but then again I am in a part of the country where 'Celtic' is assumed to be either Irish or Scottish only and no one speaks any of them. So I have little chance to communicate in these wonderful languages.
If I am anything, I am a gwlatgar (patriot) for the Britons, the native Celts of Britain, and have a genetic link to them through my dad's side. I have been drawn to my ancestry, in this strain, for as long as I have been into gaming. When I return to university to earn my PhD in Celtic Studies it will be to further more in Brythonic studies in some way. But until then, my gaming books will suffice and give small glimpses of that world through a magical lens...
There was no England, Wales, Cornwall and Scotland. It was a hodgepodge of kingdoms and tribes that all spoke roughly Welsh or Cornish, or the early stages of it. For a better word they spoke Neo-Brittonic or Old Brythonic, a language that will gradually evolve into Welsh, Cornish, Breton and Cumbrian in time as their populations become disjointed and forced to move west by the advance of Saxons, Frisians, Angles and Jutes.
This was the 'Age' of Arthur and other numerous warlords that fought and opposed the invasions from all sides, and it is one that I identify with strongly for reason unknown. The shift in language occurred going from a Synthetic one (Latin for example) to an Inflective form (modern European languages) and culturally much was carried with it from the old world when the Celts once populated nearly ALL of Europe. It was also a period in which the ancient people reinvented themselves too, they had to, or they would perish like the Celts of the Continent (Gauls, Galatians and the rest).
Sadly the majority of the places, kingdoms and locations (from a native Celtic perspective) have been lost in time, swept aside by the Germanic invaders and their language (the one you are reading). My Welsh and Cornish isn't as good as it should be, but then again I am in a part of the country where 'Celtic' is assumed to be either Irish or Scottish only and no one speaks any of them. So I have little chance to communicate in these wonderful languages.
If I am anything, I am a gwlatgar (patriot) for the Britons, the native Celts of Britain, and have a genetic link to them through my dad's side. I have been drawn to my ancestry, in this strain, for as long as I have been into gaming. When I return to university to earn my PhD in Celtic Studies it will be to further more in Brythonic studies in some way. But until then, my gaming books will suffice and give small glimpses of that world through a magical lens...
Forthcoming Modules in the Series
Some of the reviews on my first two modules say such positive things as this:
"The adventure does claim it can be dropped into any fantasy setting with ease, but considering just how Celt-oriented this is, I beg to differ. That said, the adventure is very well written and a lot of fun. I found it to be the best Castles & Crusades adventure in a very long time and anyone using the system will definitely be able to make a campaign out of this and have fun doing so."
"Now with that paragraph of negativity out of the way, let me reinforce that this is one of the better Castles & Crusades published adventures out there. You have a wide range of enemies, a nice high fantasy storyline, and bits where the players have to think things through instead of charge in with spells and weapons going every which way. As well, there is a positive to many of the enemies being far too powerful for the suggested character level, and that’s the PCs will have to learn that discretion is sometimes the better part of valor – almost like encountering something in a Call of Cthulhu adventure. Playing through The Goblins of Mount Shadow should take multiple sessions just because of all the combat, making this a great value for the amount you purchase it for. By the time the adventure comes to a close, you and your friends with have dispatched one of the more memorable enemies to come out of Castles & Crusades and yet somehow….this is just the beginning." The review is here.
"You’ve got to placate the warring tribes, deal with the Gwiddonod, try and make friends with some of the light fey so you don’t have even more enemies coming after the party and more. There are a lot of difference ways the adventure can turn out (admittedly, most are bad for the PCs), but if the PCs can get through it, it’ll be an adventure that they will be talking about for a long time to come. Even better, this adventure sets up so many potential other plot hooks, than an enterprising Keeper will be able to come up with his own adventures based on them. Unlike The Goblins of Mount Shadow , there wasn’t any hints of further adventures for this path to be forthcoming, which is a shame as this is one of the best series Troll Lord has put out for Castles & Crusades is some time."
"All in all this new quasi-Celtic setting has been a great move for Castles & Crusades and really seems to have revitalized the system. Troll Lord has now put out two excellent adventures and I hope the streak of high quality continues for some time to come. Will there be more? Only time will tell, but I truly hope so." The review is here.
Now that the first two modules are out and the reviews are brilliant, the third one 'The Giant's Wrath' is nearing completion and about to be out very soon. But this is nowhere near the end of my run with these adventures, in fact, I have reached a plateau in the level of design now that I believe will bring about some classic modules. These are next in line too, they are so named:To Kill a KingNight of the SpiritsA Shattered NightThe Idle WizardTwo of this set are done and the rest will be in a few weeks, but this is only at the halfway point of the whole set planned in my Celtic Fantasy series, there are roughly thirteen in the series. But I have forty more adventures, yes that many, that are bubbling in my mind and wanting to be written properly from my recent two Arthurian campaigns (2010-11) that will definitely provide GMs with a few years of gaming in the Mortal world and Faery, all of it original and all of it different from the usual gaming style adventures (dungeon crawls, etc).
Everything in these modules fits in with the Codex Druidum and the two are interchangable, and in some cases with the Codex Germania too regarding the Anglo-Saxons and early Germanic monsters, myths and more. Obviously I come from a background of gaming historical and mythical based sources primarily and not pure fantasy, but that is because I believe that for gaming to be good, one has to have to grasp of reality first. Fantasy implies that the normal mundane world is avoided and it is an alternate version, and what I am presently writing is to what I called 'Celtic Fantasy', a setting that revolves around myths and tales and the ancient Celtic world-view where the fantastic and realistic blur.
"The adventure does claim it can be dropped into any fantasy setting with ease, but considering just how Celt-oriented this is, I beg to differ. That said, the adventure is very well written and a lot of fun. I found it to be the best Castles & Crusades adventure in a very long time and anyone using the system will definitely be able to make a campaign out of this and have fun doing so."
"Now with that paragraph of negativity out of the way, let me reinforce that this is one of the better Castles & Crusades published adventures out there. You have a wide range of enemies, a nice high fantasy storyline, and bits where the players have to think things through instead of charge in with spells and weapons going every which way. As well, there is a positive to many of the enemies being far too powerful for the suggested character level, and that’s the PCs will have to learn that discretion is sometimes the better part of valor – almost like encountering something in a Call of Cthulhu adventure. Playing through The Goblins of Mount Shadow should take multiple sessions just because of all the combat, making this a great value for the amount you purchase it for. By the time the adventure comes to a close, you and your friends with have dispatched one of the more memorable enemies to come out of Castles & Crusades and yet somehow….this is just the beginning." The review is here.
"You’ve got to placate the warring tribes, deal with the Gwiddonod, try and make friends with some of the light fey so you don’t have even more enemies coming after the party and more. There are a lot of difference ways the adventure can turn out (admittedly, most are bad for the PCs), but if the PCs can get through it, it’ll be an adventure that they will be talking about for a long time to come. Even better, this adventure sets up so many potential other plot hooks, than an enterprising Keeper will be able to come up with his own adventures based on them. Unlike The Goblins of Mount Shadow , there wasn’t any hints of further adventures for this path to be forthcoming, which is a shame as this is one of the best series Troll Lord has put out for Castles & Crusades is some time."
"All in all this new quasi-Celtic setting has been a great move for Castles & Crusades and really seems to have revitalized the system. Troll Lord has now put out two excellent adventures and I hope the streak of high quality continues for some time to come. Will there be more? Only time will tell, but I truly hope so." The review is here.
Now that the first two modules are out and the reviews are brilliant, the third one 'The Giant's Wrath' is nearing completion and about to be out very soon. But this is nowhere near the end of my run with these adventures, in fact, I have reached a plateau in the level of design now that I believe will bring about some classic modules. These are next in line too, they are so named:To Kill a KingNight of the SpiritsA Shattered NightThe Idle WizardTwo of this set are done and the rest will be in a few weeks, but this is only at the halfway point of the whole set planned in my Celtic Fantasy series, there are roughly thirteen in the series. But I have forty more adventures, yes that many, that are bubbling in my mind and wanting to be written properly from my recent two Arthurian campaigns (2010-11) that will definitely provide GMs with a few years of gaming in the Mortal world and Faery, all of it original and all of it different from the usual gaming style adventures (dungeon crawls, etc).
Everything in these modules fits in with the Codex Druidum and the two are interchangable, and in some cases with the Codex Germania too regarding the Anglo-Saxons and early Germanic monsters, myths and more. Obviously I come from a background of gaming historical and mythical based sources primarily and not pure fantasy, but that is because I believe that for gaming to be good, one has to have to grasp of reality first. Fantasy implies that the normal mundane world is avoided and it is an alternate version, and what I am presently writing is to what I called 'Celtic Fantasy', a setting that revolves around myths and tales and the ancient Celtic world-view where the fantastic and realistic blur.
October 8, 2012
Sherlock Meets the Elder Gods in Airships...
I made a vow at Octopodicon to two panels, 'Holmes Steampunk' and 'Cthulhu Steam', that because there is a lack of a novel that melds both milieu of writing - Sherlock Holmes & Lovecraft Mythos, in Steampunk, that I would do it. By next year I will write and publish and see in print by Octopodicon 2, and it will be a 'mash-up' of Steampunk, Sherlock Holmes and Lovecraftian Mythos.
The basic story idea has already filled my mind and it is wondrous. Now I have to write detailed outlines and get it prepared to compose by the new year. It will be faithful to all three genres, I can guarantee it. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle is a relation of mine (no lie), on my dad's side and linked to his mother by blood, they were cousins. So I have that heritage already on my side in this project.
I wish I could say more about, but I would give it away before its time, and that isn't good...
October 4, 2012
Octopodicon is this Weekend in OKC! Be There!
This weekend is the first Octopodicon, a Steampunk themed convention and I will be there! With my novels on hand and able to sign them and the Troll Lord Games adventure modules too. Peter Bradley will be there, his booth in the art room with prints and Castles & Crusades books on hand. So between us you can purchase either my novels (from me directly) or my recently published adventure modules (' Goblins of Mount Shadow ' and ' The Crimson Pact ') from Peter.
My schedule for this weekend is thus: (When I am not at a panel I am at my booth, however if I am not at my booth either Mr. Grimly (from my Horror show) or Candice will be in my place)
FRIDAY 10/5/12
2 PM - Panel 'Steampunk & Its Relation to History' (Kipling Room)4 PM - Panel 'Activating Your Inner Steampunk' (Kipling Room)/Reading & Signing (Scriptorium Room)5 PM - Panel 'Steampunk What-Ifs' (Tesla Room)8 PM - Pods Meeting, I am in charge of the Cephalopod. (This is to organize the plans for the weekend for the members of my Pod. They will have assignments and panels they must attend to earn credits for their honorary Steampunk degrees by Sunday) LaborotoriumSATURDAY 10/6/12
12 Noon - Panel 'Lost Continents, New Worlds' (Tesla Room)2 PM - Panel 'Unhistory' (Luminere Room)4 PM - Panel 'Steam Holmes' (Tesla Room)5 PM - Panel 'Steam Cthulhu (Kipling Room)SUNDAY 10/7/12
Schedule is free and I will be at my booth all day non-stop! Come by please and say hi! I will be available to talk about my upcoming books, modules and Codices if asked. The info for Octopodicon that you need is here at Octopodicon.org.
This will be a fun weekend of cogs, top-hats, steam, mad science, music, art and so much more! The arts are alive again and you can be a part, just show up in garb or not, and join the Victorian-esque fun. My booth will be in the Visiting Professors' section, just look for my displays of my two present books and the forthcoming Steampunk Horror novel in December. I will have stacks of books on hand, bookmarks and more! Please join us!
My Induction into the Troll Lords by Steve Himself!
Just before the Grand Exhibit we signed a new writer, Brian Young. Brian has proven to be a prolific writer and a good one at that, in the last month turning over 4 adventures and the Codex Druidum and I'm told by Brian, as of this writing the Codex Germania as well. This is welcome news to the normally slow moving trolls. Two of his adventures, Crimson Pact and Goblins of Mount Shadow are available already, in both print and pdf. The 3rd, The Giant's Wrath is back from editing. Codex Druidum is ready for editing. See more on that and Brian below.
Enter the Codexi (Codices)
Years and years ago, shortly after launching TLG in 1999, I put forward the concept of a series of mythology books, the Codexi. The inspiration for these books came from the old AD&D Deities and Demigods, a book that tackled the gods of over a dozen myths. Before each chapter stood a short section describing the world view of the various mythologies. This had always been my favorite part of the book, I enjoyed the crash course into history and world view the short few paragraphs offered.
Thus, the idea for Codexi came to me.
Laid out for the d20 system and set to release in conjunction with the Codex of Erde that I was writing and Gary Gygax's Canting Crew and World Builder, the Codexi would bring in a mountain of material for the game master as well as the player. The focus would be the mythology, but the text would draw out of each mythology spells, combat techniques and similar cultural features peculiar to that mythology; for the GM the focus would be on new monsters, gods, powers, etc. also drawn from the mythology. All that material, folded nicely into the mythology, offered to bring everyone at the table a mountain of usable material. The books would contain the Codex Germania, Codex Celtae, etc. The Codex of Erde, as its title suggests was part of the series, only being the mythology of Erde/Airhde. It was to launch the whole series; true to form it contained magic items, monsters, spells, equipment, etc.
The Codex of Erde launched TLG into the game, our first release in hardback and contained material by Gary Gygax. His own Canting Crew and World Building followed in short order. But for a variety of reasons the Codexi never made it out. The Codex of Erde sold very well and quickly became a stand alone product. Our own attention focused on the plethora of Gygax material and we tooled TLG in that direction. By 2004 we added Castles & Crusades to the mix and the Codexi had long been set aside, joining the litany of good ideas time discarded.
Enter Brian Young. When TLG put a call out for new writers in July, Peter Bradley, our art Lord, put me in touch with Brian Young. Brian was ready to hit the ground running with a series of adventures he had in mind. We looked over what he had, liked it, approved it and in short order (literally short order) he was sending us material, the first book Goblins of Mount Shadow landed on my desk within a few weeks. Shortly after that I mentioned greater needs beyond adventure, he pitched an idea he had been working on for some years, a book that explored the mythology of the Celts, with deities, monsters, powers, etc. I remarked that sounded like a series we had set aside over a decade ago.
One conversation led to another and the Codexi rose from the bin of time's discards like the proverbial Phoenix. and before August was over a completed manuscript landed on my desk. We wrestled with the title for a bit, discarded Codex Celtae and adopted Codex Druidum but it did not matter. The Codexi was back. Before that was fully digested Brian began work on the Codex Germania, the next in the series.
So these past few months have seen the birth of a new Troll, Mr. Brian Young. You can read more about him here and check his blog out here. He is a Troll for certain, working every bit as hard as the rest of us do . . . maybe even matching Peter's tireless labor! When asked to make a comment for this article he said only this "Until I joined the Troll Lords, I didn't know that gaming and drinking were symbiotic!"
So without any more babble, Welcome to the Dens Mr. Young. May you resist its incessant tyranny! But if you can't, first round's on me!
This article first appeared in the Troll's Tusk, the TLG Newsletter. To get your free subscription, click here: Troll's Tusk
Posted by Stephen Chenault at 11:28 PM
Enter the Codexi (Codices)
Years and years ago, shortly after launching TLG in 1999, I put forward the concept of a series of mythology books, the Codexi. The inspiration for these books came from the old AD&D Deities and Demigods, a book that tackled the gods of over a dozen myths. Before each chapter stood a short section describing the world view of the various mythologies. This had always been my favorite part of the book, I enjoyed the crash course into history and world view the short few paragraphs offered.
Thus, the idea for Codexi came to me.
Laid out for the d20 system and set to release in conjunction with the Codex of Erde that I was writing and Gary Gygax's Canting Crew and World Builder, the Codexi would bring in a mountain of material for the game master as well as the player. The focus would be the mythology, but the text would draw out of each mythology spells, combat techniques and similar cultural features peculiar to that mythology; for the GM the focus would be on new monsters, gods, powers, etc. also drawn from the mythology. All that material, folded nicely into the mythology, offered to bring everyone at the table a mountain of usable material. The books would contain the Codex Germania, Codex Celtae, etc. The Codex of Erde, as its title suggests was part of the series, only being the mythology of Erde/Airhde. It was to launch the whole series; true to form it contained magic items, monsters, spells, equipment, etc.
The Codex of Erde launched TLG into the game, our first release in hardback and contained material by Gary Gygax. His own Canting Crew and World Building followed in short order. But for a variety of reasons the Codexi never made it out. The Codex of Erde sold very well and quickly became a stand alone product. Our own attention focused on the plethora of Gygax material and we tooled TLG in that direction. By 2004 we added Castles & Crusades to the mix and the Codexi had long been set aside, joining the litany of good ideas time discarded.
Enter Brian Young. When TLG put a call out for new writers in July, Peter Bradley, our art Lord, put me in touch with Brian Young. Brian was ready to hit the ground running with a series of adventures he had in mind. We looked over what he had, liked it, approved it and in short order (literally short order) he was sending us material, the first book Goblins of Mount Shadow landed on my desk within a few weeks. Shortly after that I mentioned greater needs beyond adventure, he pitched an idea he had been working on for some years, a book that explored the mythology of the Celts, with deities, monsters, powers, etc. I remarked that sounded like a series we had set aside over a decade ago.
One conversation led to another and the Codexi rose from the bin of time's discards like the proverbial Phoenix. and before August was over a completed manuscript landed on my desk. We wrestled with the title for a bit, discarded Codex Celtae and adopted Codex Druidum but it did not matter. The Codexi was back. Before that was fully digested Brian began work on the Codex Germania, the next in the series.
So these past few months have seen the birth of a new Troll, Mr. Brian Young. You can read more about him here and check his blog out here. He is a Troll for certain, working every bit as hard as the rest of us do . . . maybe even matching Peter's tireless labor! When asked to make a comment for this article he said only this "Until I joined the Troll Lords, I didn't know that gaming and drinking were symbiotic!"
So without any more babble, Welcome to the Dens Mr. Young. May you resist its incessant tyranny! But if you can't, first round's on me!
This article first appeared in the Troll's Tusk, the TLG Newsletter. To get your free subscription, click here: Troll's Tusk
Posted by Stephen Chenault at 11:28 PM
October 3, 2012
The Giant's Wrath is About to be Ready Soon.
My third module in the Celtic Britain fantasy series, ' The Giant's Wrath ' is now about 98% ready to be put together for release very soon this month and that is exciting. The story is very good, better than even the first two in the series by far, and that is just warming things up.
The fourth module, ' To Kill a King ' is next in line to go, and it is an epic situation revolving around assassinating a king and what happens if the deed is done, or if it is not. A complex ensemble of NPCs is in the cast of characters and an array of options if things go wrong (or right). The GM will need to be at their best in running this module, and the players will be out of breath and wits by its end - if they are still alive.
Currently I am mid-way through writing on the fifth module, ' Spirit Night ' involving Halloween, the Wild Hunt, a Dark Druid, Pictish warriors and a complex plot centering around strange abductions in several villages near the sacred and haunted forest of Coed Celyddon in the North of Britain by Hadrian's Wall. The critics have spoken and say they want more role-playing and not roll-playing in these kind of modules, and so I am giving them that, and maybe will have a classic module or two when it is all said and done.
I have outlined the next two modules in line and they are all very unique and still consistent in their feel and atmosphere. Once I get the ad copy for 'The Giant's Wrath' I will post it on here as with the rest, good gaming!
October 2, 2012
The Music that Compelled Me (and still does)!
My creativity has always been guided by music, certain themes, tones and colors, it is what inspires me. I see the music as shapes in my mind, and when they hit a certain spot I become inspired like a fireworks show with ideas. They run rampant in my head and I must be able to put them into form, either by illustrating, writing or gaming them all out, it has always been that way. The music about 99% of the time fits exactly what I am creating.
What started this truly was when I first saw the initial Richie Blackmore's Rainbow cassette tape in a local tape store. The castle fused into a guitar and with a rainbow caught my attention in passing.
I looked at the songs' names and noticed they were all medieval themed mostly and knew I had to have it. This might be my grail so to speak. I listened to it and it blew my mind. Finally, at the age of eight, I was hitting upon what and who I should be so early in life. It was in this time that I was buying gaming figures from a local hobby shop to paint unaware that they held another purpose entirely. I was enchanted by them all in the showcase. I could see the wizards, warriors, dragons and the rest and had to have them all!
This came with me buying the next Rainbow album, 'Rising' and it brought my young imagination to a place that was simply spiritual. I was now ready to jump into all things fantasy, I just didn't know how then or that there was a hobby called role-playing games. This was in 1980.
Then by chance I was able to get the original Monster Manuals and Deities & Demi-Gods books and loved the info and art inside. I just didn't put that together with the figures yet. I didn't know that Rainbow was changing in that time and that they were now doing 'popular' music and sold out their medieval/fantasy themed brilliance. But then I bought their third album, 'Long Live Rock & Roll' that to me was the sum of what good and perfect music should be! It blew my mind more than the other two.
The song that pivoted me towards my scholarly expertise was 'Lady of the Lake', it and the movie 'Excalibur' set my course towards what later became my academic specialty and my Masters from the University of Wales Lampeter in Arthurian Studies.
Please play these full albums, blast them, to get your gaming vibes going. They always do mine. I play them at least every day or so since 1980.
What started this truly was when I first saw the initial Richie Blackmore's Rainbow cassette tape in a local tape store. The castle fused into a guitar and with a rainbow caught my attention in passing.
I looked at the songs' names and noticed they were all medieval themed mostly and knew I had to have it. This might be my grail so to speak. I listened to it and it blew my mind. Finally, at the age of eight, I was hitting upon what and who I should be so early in life. It was in this time that I was buying gaming figures from a local hobby shop to paint unaware that they held another purpose entirely. I was enchanted by them all in the showcase. I could see the wizards, warriors, dragons and the rest and had to have them all!
This came with me buying the next Rainbow album, 'Rising' and it brought my young imagination to a place that was simply spiritual. I was now ready to jump into all things fantasy, I just didn't know how then or that there was a hobby called role-playing games. This was in 1980.
Then by chance I was able to get the original Monster Manuals and Deities & Demi-Gods books and loved the info and art inside. I just didn't put that together with the figures yet. I didn't know that Rainbow was changing in that time and that they were now doing 'popular' music and sold out their medieval/fantasy themed brilliance. But then I bought their third album, 'Long Live Rock & Roll' that to me was the sum of what good and perfect music should be! It blew my mind more than the other two.
The song that pivoted me towards my scholarly expertise was 'Lady of the Lake', it and the movie 'Excalibur' set my course towards what later became my academic specialty and my Masters from the University of Wales Lampeter in Arthurian Studies.
Please play these full albums, blast them, to get your gaming vibes going. They always do mine. I play them at least every day or so since 1980.
October 1, 2012
'The Giant's Wrath' Module #3's Cover is Done.
'The Giant's Wrath' Module Cover is done! Be ready for this adventure soon! I will post up the ad copy once I get it.
September 29, 2012
Neon Knights - RPG Metal Music
When Dio wrote this song for Black Sabbath he did it to pay homage to the rise of fantasy role-playing that was now common in the late 70's/early 80's (before the Fundamentalist backlash). Tolkien's books had found a resurgence of popularity again with the slightly terrible and grating animated movies of the Hobbit & Lord of the Rings, art and obviously the games themselves.
He realized then that gaming was a safe retreat from the dangers of the street with drugs, gangs, etc and it was a healthy hobby. Ideally, it was something that would inspire its participants to seek a more heroic lifestyle and achieve better in life. Gaming brought back the old notions of quests, adventure, monsters, and more and presented people with those lost heroic ideas again.
From his time in Rainbow, his music was going towards this end with medieval-fantasy themes and imaginative concepts that only a few others groups of the time shared in (Rush, Uriah Heep, etc). This song I can bet was something he was working on while in Rainbow before his abrupt departure in 1979. When I think of the glory days of gaming and when this hobby was rising, I think of this song. It symbolizes the fusion of gaming, art and music in one. Those days are returning I believe, a little at a time. Maybe it just from my perspective being inside of it now and seeing the reaction of gamers to my ideas and how it is changing the flow to a new direction, but in any case it is a grand thing to see occur.
Oh no, here it comes again
Can't remember when we came so close to love before
Hold on, good things never last
Nothing's in the past, it always seems to come again
Again and again and again ooh again oh
Cry out to legions of the brave
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street
Ride out, protectors of the realm
Captains at the helm, sail across the sea of lights
Circles and rings, dragons and kings
Weaving a charm and a spell
Blessed by the night, holy and bright
Called by the toll of the bell
Bloodied angels fast descending
Moving on a never-bending light
Phantom figures free forever
Out of shadows, shining ever-bright
Neon Knights!
Neon Knights! all right!
Cry out to legions of the brave
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street
Ride out, protectors of the realm
Captains at the helm, sail across the sea of lights
Again and again, again and again and again
Neon Knights!
Neon Knights!
Neon knights!
All rise
He realized then that gaming was a safe retreat from the dangers of the street with drugs, gangs, etc and it was a healthy hobby. Ideally, it was something that would inspire its participants to seek a more heroic lifestyle and achieve better in life. Gaming brought back the old notions of quests, adventure, monsters, and more and presented people with those lost heroic ideas again.
From his time in Rainbow, his music was going towards this end with medieval-fantasy themes and imaginative concepts that only a few others groups of the time shared in (Rush, Uriah Heep, etc). This song I can bet was something he was working on while in Rainbow before his abrupt departure in 1979. When I think of the glory days of gaming and when this hobby was rising, I think of this song. It symbolizes the fusion of gaming, art and music in one. Those days are returning I believe, a little at a time. Maybe it just from my perspective being inside of it now and seeing the reaction of gamers to my ideas and how it is changing the flow to a new direction, but in any case it is a grand thing to see occur.
Oh no, here it comes again
Can't remember when we came so close to love before
Hold on, good things never last
Nothing's in the past, it always seems to come again
Again and again and again ooh again oh
Cry out to legions of the brave
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street
Ride out, protectors of the realm
Captains at the helm, sail across the sea of lights
Circles and rings, dragons and kings
Weaving a charm and a spell
Blessed by the night, holy and bright
Called by the toll of the bell
Bloodied angels fast descending
Moving on a never-bending light
Phantom figures free forever
Out of shadows, shining ever-bright
Neon Knights!
Neon Knights! all right!
Cry out to legions of the brave
Time again to save us from the jackals of the street
Ride out, protectors of the realm
Captains at the helm, sail across the sea of lights
Again and again, again and again and again
Neon Knights!
Neon Knights!
Neon knights!
All rise
The Codex Druidum Has Gone to Editing!
My OLD gaming project is officially entering into the next phase towards true publication after 22+ years! The ' Otherworld ' or ' Tir nAille ' game designing work of mine is now at the editor and the cover art is beginning to turn into something real. The interior art is being made as well on this and the maps are already prepped and ready to go.
It is becoming real!
Gamers are excited and the word is spread, online and at GenCon, and the interest is building. And I think rightfully so since it introduces an entire new plethora of Faery powers, races and concepts to gaming never ever had before, and this is guaranteed. They have all been carefully thought out, play-tested and have their loyal advocates. My gamers who have all been involved in the play-testing since 1991 on have all endless memories and stories to tell about it all. They are as dear and personal as those with mundane life events and experiences.
It will take a few weeks or so before the editing is at a point and I do the final edits and changes, but by then it should be close to Halloween, and that is appropriate since it is a Celtic holiday. The timing is right!
With plenty of supporting modules and the upcoming novels, there will be a new revolution in gaming and all things Celtic, it might be a meek one or a grand one. Either way, it will be a revolution of my doing.
On a related note, the third module of mine, 'The Giant's Wrath' is now fully edited, the maps are done and the only thing that is left is the cover art! So it should be done very soon! Be ready for the updates.
It is a good time to be a gamer!
