C.M. Simpson's Blog, page 194
December 28, 2013
Books Read in December 2013
Here are the books I've read this month. It's a bit of an eclectic collection but variety is the spice of life, right?
December 27, 2013
Blogs that made me Stop in December 2013
These are the blogs that made me stop and read all the way to the end, in December 2013. Enjoy! Writery Bits Here are some sites likely to interest writers:
http://conflux.org.au/conflux-writers-day-2/: About a writers' day in Canberra, ACT, Australia;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amie-kaufman/why-everyone-should-read-_b_4414521.html?utm_hp_ref=tw: About why reading science fiction is important;
http://www.indierecon.org/2013/09/mark-your-calendars-indierecon-2014.html: an on-line writers' event;
http://jwmanus.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/calibre-word-and-mobi-a-tale-of-three-programs/: advice on converting to different publishing formats;
http://www.writersofthefuture.com/node/773: Winners of the Writers of the Future 4th quarter;
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/04/the-business-rusch-the-fierce-urgency-of-now-discoverability-part-3/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=11059: exploding writing myths about misunderstood aspects of writing
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/11/the-business-rusch-the-old-ways-discoverability-part-4/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/18/the-business-rusch-the-old-ways-part-2-or-discoverability-part-4-continued/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/where-are-we-now-in-publishing-booksellers-wary-about-holiday-sales/: more advice on the nature of the writing business;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/worldbuilding-101.html: advice on writing craft and links to more advice;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/why-authors-should-use-facebook-page.html: advice on promotional tools;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/another-reason-why-authors-should-use.html: advice on promotional tools;
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/12/18/using-lulu-for-print-books/: advice on formatting books for print via Lulu.
http://airlockalpha.com/node/9861/how-to-write-sci-fi-for-the-cw.html: on how to write science fiction for CW.
http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/: an excellent article for self-published authors. Go check it out.
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/25/the-business-rusch-a-paradigm-shift-discoverability-kinda/: and this latest one from Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Idea Bits And here are a few articles that could be used as a springboard for stories:
http://qz.com/152384/japans-plan-to-supply-all-the-worlds-energy-from-a-giant-solar-power-plant-on-the-moon/
http://io9.com/a-map-of-the-united-states-mythical-lake-monsters-1473817241
http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/survival-case-study-lost-in-the-mountains/
Just-Because BitsFinally, for your entertainment, enlightment and just because these posts made me care:
http://themetapicture.com/what-happens-when-you-give-a-bored-dad-post-it-notes/
http://www.viralnova.com/protective-bikers/
http://conflux.org.au/2013/11/30/anti-harassment-policy/
https://medium.com/human-parts/bf5111e68cc1
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/12/21/its-as-though-were-all-little-red-engines/
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75484.html
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75687.html
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75884.html
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/11/23/dawn-at-the-beach-photo/
http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/because-frockalicious-is-cool/
http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2013/12/18/one-weird-old-trick/
http://conflux.org.au/conflux-writers-day-2/: About a writers' day in Canberra, ACT, Australia;
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amie-kaufman/why-everyone-should-read-_b_4414521.html?utm_hp_ref=tw: About why reading science fiction is important;
http://www.indierecon.org/2013/09/mark-your-calendars-indierecon-2014.html: an on-line writers' event;
http://jwmanus.wordpress.com/2013/12/19/calibre-word-and-mobi-a-tale-of-three-programs/: advice on converting to different publishing formats;
http://www.writersofthefuture.com/node/773: Winners of the Writers of the Future 4th quarter;
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/04/the-business-rusch-the-fierce-urgency-of-now-discoverability-part-3/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://www.deanwesleysmith.com/?p=11059: exploding writing myths about misunderstood aspects of writing
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/11/the-business-rusch-the-old-ways-discoverability-part-4/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/18/the-business-rusch-the-old-ways-part-2-or-discoverability-part-4-continued/: Advice on the business of writing;
http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2013/12/17/where-are-we-now-in-publishing-booksellers-wary-about-holiday-sales/: more advice on the nature of the writing business;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/worldbuilding-101.html: advice on writing craft and links to more advice;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/10/why-authors-should-use-facebook-page.html: advice on promotional tools;
http://writeyourassoff.blogspot.com.au/2013/11/another-reason-why-authors-should-use.html: advice on promotional tools;
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/12/18/using-lulu-for-print-books/: advice on formatting books for print via Lulu.
http://airlockalpha.com/node/9861/how-to-write-sci-fi-for-the-cw.html: on how to write science fiction for CW.
http://warriorwriters.wordpress.com/: an excellent article for self-published authors. Go check it out.
http://kriswrites.com/2013/12/25/the-business-rusch-a-paradigm-shift-discoverability-kinda/: and this latest one from Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Idea Bits And here are a few articles that could be used as a springboard for stories:
http://qz.com/152384/japans-plan-to-supply-all-the-worlds-energy-from-a-giant-solar-power-plant-on-the-moon/
http://io9.com/a-map-of-the-united-states-mythical-lake-monsters-1473817241
http://writeitforward.wordpress.com/2013/12/20/survival-case-study-lost-in-the-mountains/
Just-Because BitsFinally, for your entertainment, enlightment and just because these posts made me care:
http://themetapicture.com/what-happens-when-you-give-a-bored-dad-post-it-notes/
http://www.viralnova.com/protective-bikers/
http://conflux.org.au/2013/11/30/anti-harassment-policy/
https://medium.com/human-parts/bf5111e68cc1
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/12/21/its-as-though-were-all-little-red-engines/
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75484.html
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75687.html
http://rleebyers.livejournal.com/75884.html
http://gretavanderrol.net/2013/11/23/dawn-at-the-beach-photo/
http://www.dianapeterfreund.com/because-frockalicious-is-cool/
http://www.lastwordonnothing.com/2013/12/18/one-weird-old-trick/
December 26, 2013
Adventure Edition: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4C
You can find the links to each of the preceding episodes of the
Babes in London
adventure sequence HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE 4C – MUSEUM INVESTIGATION It was surprisingly easy to gain an interview with Professor Angelina McKay. She was ‘between projects, you know’. Her office is warmly lit and has butter yellow walls, where they can be seen behind bookcases and display cabinets of curious artifacts. “Come in!” she says, although you think her voice invited half the museum in with you. “You want something explained? Let me see if I can help you.” Give the PCs time to explain what they want, then read, or paraphrase, the following when they show her the disc: Holding the disc, the professor is surprisingly quiet. She turns it this way and that, before opening her drawer and taking out what looks like the sort of monocle jewelers use to have a closer look at gems. “Curious,” she murmurs. “I wonder where you came from.” Taking the monocle off and putting it to one side, she walks over to a series of shelves and takes down a particularly decrepit-looking tome. “This is the one,” she says, coming back to her desk. Silently, but with many glances at the disc, she turns pages until she reaches one that shows a drawing of the same symbol displayed on the disc. “Here,” she says, turning the book towards you. At this point a successful Earth (Senses TH2) test allows the PCs to notice that the disc on the desk next to the book is glowing a strange reddish-orange. If successful, PCs are able to take one action before the following occurs: Before you can do anything else, a light too bright to see through flares around the disc. It is followed by a thunderous roar shakes the book shelves and Angelina snatches up the book and takes two steps away from the desk, her face full of alarm. Have players roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following: When the light fades you find yourself staring at a creature that looks like some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion. Across the top of the creature you hear Angelina whisper: “Oh my, a beby…” PCs may make a Mental (Knowledge: Ancient Cultures/Mythology – Egypt, TH2) test to remember that a beby is the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: This room is quite large for an office, but it doubles as Angelina’s work and display space as well. It is about 30 feet long and 15 feet across and, as described before is lined with book cases and display cases. There are also a few display cases scattered about the center of the room. PCs can draw the creature out of the room to the museum grounds if they wish or they can fight it here. Either way, the noise (and possibly sight) of the battle will cause museum staff and patrons to hide from the beby and to call the London Metropolitan Police – who will then call LN7. LN7 will not arrive before the battle is over and the beby has disappeared. Whether they are in time to note the PCs involvement is up to the GM.)BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes Professor McKay, who will be most grateful if PCs save her life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Professor Angelina McKay.When the battle is over, read, or paraphrase (especially if the professor is dead), the following: “I think I need to sit down,” says a slightly croaky voice from somewhere nearby. Doctor McKay is standing to one side, looking at the space from where the steaming remnants of the beby have disappeared. She has the book tucked against her chest and the medallion clenched tightly in one fist. Once you have found her a chair, she takes a deep breath and looks up at you: “Do I want to know what this is all about?” she asks. The PCs have a chance to tell someone outside their circle what is really going on. Let them decide what to say. Angelina will appear to take everything in her stride, but her research will take a decidedly mythic twist as she begins to secretly probe beyond the known ancient world in an attempt to find the mythic one.If PCs decide not to let her in on the secret, she will still begin her search for the truth, but will take longer to find it. She still tells the PCs what the book says about the Setites.If Dr. McKay has died during the encounter, PCs will have to explain her death. The injuries dealt by the beby will direct suspicions away from the PCs. In this case, they are able to attempt to smuggle the book out (Air – Trickery TH2; people are very distracted by Dr. McKay’s death). If Dr. McKay does not die during the encounter, PCs can still try to smuggle the book out but the test will be TH6. (Dr. McKay may be a little distracted by the appearance and disappearance of the beby; but she isholding the book and her hand never leaves it.)To cut a long story short, the book reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the library, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left the area Professor McKay calls an office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and in your hand, you hold a small metal dis, which could come in handy if you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE.Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4D, Final Battle.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE 4C – MUSEUM INVESTIGATION It was surprisingly easy to gain an interview with Professor Angelina McKay. She was ‘between projects, you know’. Her office is warmly lit and has butter yellow walls, where they can be seen behind bookcases and display cabinets of curious artifacts. “Come in!” she says, although you think her voice invited half the museum in with you. “You want something explained? Let me see if I can help you.” Give the PCs time to explain what they want, then read, or paraphrase, the following when they show her the disc: Holding the disc, the professor is surprisingly quiet. She turns it this way and that, before opening her drawer and taking out what looks like the sort of monocle jewelers use to have a closer look at gems. “Curious,” she murmurs. “I wonder where you came from.” Taking the monocle off and putting it to one side, she walks over to a series of shelves and takes down a particularly decrepit-looking tome. “This is the one,” she says, coming back to her desk. Silently, but with many glances at the disc, she turns pages until she reaches one that shows a drawing of the same symbol displayed on the disc. “Here,” she says, turning the book towards you. At this point a successful Earth (Senses TH2) test allows the PCs to notice that the disc on the desk next to the book is glowing a strange reddish-orange. If successful, PCs are able to take one action before the following occurs: Before you can do anything else, a light too bright to see through flares around the disc. It is followed by a thunderous roar shakes the book shelves and Angelina snatches up the book and takes two steps away from the desk, her face full of alarm. Have players roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following: When the light fades you find yourself staring at a creature that looks like some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion. Across the top of the creature you hear Angelina whisper: “Oh my, a beby…” PCs may make a Mental (Knowledge: Ancient Cultures/Mythology – Egypt, TH2) test to remember that a beby is the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: This room is quite large for an office, but it doubles as Angelina’s work and display space as well. It is about 30 feet long and 15 feet across and, as described before is lined with book cases and display cases. There are also a few display cases scattered about the center of the room. PCs can draw the creature out of the room to the museum grounds if they wish or they can fight it here. Either way, the noise (and possibly sight) of the battle will cause museum staff and patrons to hide from the beby and to call the London Metropolitan Police – who will then call LN7. LN7 will not arrive before the battle is over and the beby has disappeared. Whether they are in time to note the PCs involvement is up to the GM.)BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes Professor McKay, who will be most grateful if PCs save her life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Professor Angelina McKay.When the battle is over, read, or paraphrase (especially if the professor is dead), the following: “I think I need to sit down,” says a slightly croaky voice from somewhere nearby. Doctor McKay is standing to one side, looking at the space from where the steaming remnants of the beby have disappeared. She has the book tucked against her chest and the medallion clenched tightly in one fist. Once you have found her a chair, she takes a deep breath and looks up at you: “Do I want to know what this is all about?” she asks. The PCs have a chance to tell someone outside their circle what is really going on. Let them decide what to say. Angelina will appear to take everything in her stride, but her research will take a decidedly mythic twist as she begins to secretly probe beyond the known ancient world in an attempt to find the mythic one.If PCs decide not to let her in on the secret, she will still begin her search for the truth, but will take longer to find it. She still tells the PCs what the book says about the Setites.If Dr. McKay has died during the encounter, PCs will have to explain her death. The injuries dealt by the beby will direct suspicions away from the PCs. In this case, they are able to attempt to smuggle the book out (Air – Trickery TH2; people are very distracted by Dr. McKay’s death). If Dr. McKay does not die during the encounter, PCs can still try to smuggle the book out but the test will be TH6. (Dr. McKay may be a little distracted by the appearance and disappearance of the beby; but she isholding the book and her hand never leaves it.)To cut a long story short, the book reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the library, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left the area Professor McKay calls an office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and in your hand, you hold a small metal dis, which could come in handy if you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE.Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4D, Final Battle.
December 22, 2013
New Cover, New Title: The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon (formerly Fisherpriest)
After repeated customer feedback, indicating there was a large proportion of customers who would not buy
Fisherpriest
because it might belong the the Christian fantasy genre, I decided to change the title. I was also unhappy with my original cover, and decided now was the best time to change that, too.
So, please welcome The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon , with its new cover.
If you have already purchased Fisherpriest , you do not need to purchase The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon as well. The content, apart from the title page an explanation in the Author's Notes and an updated Other Works by this Author page, remain the same. The story is unchanged.
When the two halves of her soul rejoin, Linna finds herself in a city she does not recognize on a world she thought existed only in her imagination. To make matters worse, the god she serves has rejected her, and she is captured and sold to four princes from a distant land, who require a priest of the sea. What starts out as a journey to regain her deity’s approval, soon becomes a flight for her life. With one prince at her side, and unspeakable evil at her back, Linna embarks on a journey where she must survive pursuit by the purist Silver Mountains tribeselves, and captivity by the cave spider clan in order to find her place in the world.
The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon (originally titled Fisherpriest ) is the first novel in the Tales of the Five Kingdomsseries, set in dark fantasy world of Tzamesch, at the same time as the Shadow Series.
WARNING: The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon contains slavery, a sex scene, and refers to slave breeding. You must be an Adult to purchase and read this work.
So, please welcome The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon , with its new cover.
If you have already purchased Fisherpriest , you do not need to purchase The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon as well. The content, apart from the title page an explanation in the Author's Notes and an updated Other Works by this Author page, remain the same. The story is unchanged.
When the two halves of her soul rejoin, Linna finds herself in a city she does not recognize on a world she thought existed only in her imagination. To make matters worse, the god she serves has rejected her, and she is captured and sold to four princes from a distant land, who require a priest of the sea. What starts out as a journey to regain her deity’s approval, soon becomes a flight for her life. With one prince at her side, and unspeakable evil at her back, Linna embarks on a journey where she must survive pursuit by the purist Silver Mountains tribeselves, and captivity by the cave spider clan in order to find her place in the world.
The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon (originally titled Fisherpriest ) is the first novel in the Tales of the Five Kingdomsseries, set in dark fantasy world of Tzamesch, at the same time as the Shadow Series.
WARNING: The Priestess, the Prince and the Dragon contains slavery, a sex scene, and refers to slave breeding. You must be an Adult to purchase and read this work.
December 21, 2013
Progress Report: Week 3 December 2013
A busy week, as all pre-Christmas weeks can be. One more day of work to do, and then we have some time off. I’m thinking a little bit more writing might get done, but there is also a lot of study vying for attention—and family. It will be nice to spend some time with family, too.OverviewNew words produced: 3,376Old words revised: 1,541Works completed: 14 (14 short works to be included in 2 longer works)Works revised: 11 (11 short works to be included in 2 longer works)Covers created: 1 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
Annual13: added 1,750 wordsAnnual14: added 3,167words
Extra Tasks
Anthology32: added 2,000 words.Anthology46: added 2,000 words.
Publishing Tasks
Created 2 blog posts for this blog;
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
Anthology46: collection of urban fantasy noir (but not romantic) pieces of short fiction and poetry.Poem55—The Clan-Son’s Bride: assigned an earlier number due to a duplication, this poem explores a clash of culture and expectations on a far-flung colony around a distant star.Poem248—Christmas, Snow and Candy Wrappers: about aspects of Christmas;Poem249—Thief’s Lament: when a robbery goes very wrong;Poem250—Blood Keys and Memories: about genetic inheritance;Poem251—A Not so Merry Christmas: the festive season with zombies;Poem252—She has Seen the Stars: about a returned veteran;Poem253—Christmas Wishes): Christmas wishes for family;ShortStory158—Troll-Gate Guardian: flash urban fantasy fiction about a gate guardian’s costly error and the vagaries of working with the fey;ShortStory159—Pixies in the Snow:about pixies in winter and their predators and protectors.ShortStory160—Anubis and the Sleepwalker’s Friend: about a meeting with Anubis.ShortStory161—New Colony, Old Threat: sometimes the ancient is not always just a legend.ShortStory162—The Christmas-Party Pixie: about a pixie in a really bad place to be;ShortStory163—Appleton’s Fate: about a pixie, mermaids and addiction;ShortStory164—The Sky Vortex and Exploding Jelly: a piece of flash urban fantasy fiction to do with a sky vortex, exploding jelly and magic.
Older works that were revised and given a number were as follows:
Poem3—War’s End: about one way to end a war.Poem14—Totems: about totemic symbols.Poem25—Twas the Day After Christmas: About the day after Christmas.Poem160—The Sky Weeps: a haiku about wet weatherPoem242—Respect the Grey Hairs: about the value of the elderly.Poem243—A Belated Christmas Poem: about some concerns at Christmas.Poem244—Through Sun-Rent Trees: about someone who is hiding.Poem245—Mandalay Bottle: about a bottle left in Mandalay.Poem246—A Dragons Baggins Pastiche: about Tolkein’s novel, The HobbitPoem247—The North Wind and War: about the adjustment from soldier to farmer after war.ShortStory158—In the Silence: an old man’s past catches up with him.
Progress Report: Week 2 December 2013
Long week, last week, with the day job interfering with the rest of the day, but stuff got done… kinda. Tomorrow, I will post this week's progress.OverviewNew words produced: 3,678Old words revised: 6,766Works completed: 13 (for inclusion in 2 much larger works)Works revised: 0Covers created: 0 (1-3 variations)Works published: 0 (2-3 release platforms)Works submitted: 0Competitions Entered: 0Tier 1 Tasks
SciFiNovel1A—Freeman’s Choice: Edited chapters 36-38.
I have changed the status of the following two annuals from Extra Tasks to Tier 1 Tasks because they now have release dates in September and November of next year.
Annual13: Added 1,000 wordsAnnual14: Added 1,500 words
Publishing Tasks
Created 1 blog posts for this blog;
New ArrivalsThe following ideas arrived this week:
Poem236—The Horsemen for the Good of Man: about some mythical horsemenPoem237—Delivering Christmas Cheer: about one of the stressors of ChristmasPoem238—Honz: Seen and Secret: more about barbarian elf HonzPoem239—Traffic Lullaby: one of the lullabies found in the urban world.Poem240—Living Requires Much More: a poem exploring a fact of lifePoem241—Nebulous Dreams: a poem about building dreams.ShortStory151—A Ruined Ambush in the Pixie-Dust Bust: flash urban fantasy fiction about an assassination attemptShortStory152—A Victim of the Storm: a flash urban fantasy fiction about a storm victimShortStory153—The Holevnek Evacuation: a flash science fiction story about storm victimsShortStory154—Dragon-Bound Secret: a flash science-fiction fantasy tale about dragons, sirens and settlements.ShortStory155—She Who Wields a Fairy’s Blade: a flash urban fantasy tale about trolls, fairies and a hapless human caught in between.ShortStory156—Hunters in the Playhouse of Our Time: a flash science fiction story about interstellar hazards and those who oppose them.ShortStory157—Biohazardous Duty: a flash science fiction story about the hazards of colonising other worlds.
December 19, 2013
Adventure Edition: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4B
You can find the links to each of the preceding episodes of the
Babes in London
adventure sequence HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE 4B – UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATION When you arrive at the university, it seems to take a moment for the receptionist at Administration to understand your request, and then it takes a good few moments more (approximately a half an hour, to be exact) before she recommends someone. When she does and you ask to see them, the receptionist looks affronted. “That,” she says, “will require an appointment.” Arrangements for the appointment takes more moments – another three quarters of an hour and by now, the receptionist has noticed you becoming slightly fidgety. “The professor can fit you in Tuesday next month,” she says, “or, if you really must, she says she will see you now – but she can only spare you a quarter hour; she has an appointment.” Give the PCs a chance to respond and then read, or paraphrase, the following: You get lost on the way, but stopping students or other professors and asking you directions soon sees you standing in front of a door bearing the name plate: Kate Wyman. There’s a bunch of letters after the name but what is most intriguing is the fact that the door is firmly closed and, upon closer inspection, locked. Before you can turn away, however, a trim-figured, petite, dark-haired woman in what could be her mid-forties arrives with a cup of coffee and a large paper bag from the canteen in one hand, and a bundle of keys in the other: “You’re later than I’d like,” she says, looking you up and down. Her gaze sweeps over you like a searchlight and you almost begin to sympathize with her students. “Never mind,” she says before any of you can speak. “Come in and explain what you need. Reception was vague.” Her office consists of a large desk and chair curving out of one corner and every available piece of wall space except for three five-drawer filing cabinets is lined by bookshelves. There are even shelves behind the desk and under the large window that looks into a hidden quadrangle several floors down. When Kate Wyman has seated herself behind the desk, coffee and lunch bag placed to one side, she gestures for you to take a seat in one of the four seats in front of the desk: “How can I help you?” she asks.
Allow the PCs to explain what they want, then read, or paraphrase, the following once they show the professor the disc.
The professor is fascinated by the disc and turns it over several times in her hand. “I think I’ve seen this somewhere before.” Reaching behind her, she half turns and runs her fingers along the spines of the books. Stopping at a particularly ancient-looking tome, her hand curls around the spine and she carefully lifts it down to the desk. Placing the disc on the table in front of her, she begins leafing through the pages. “Set,” she mutters. “L, M, R… Ah, now here we go.” She turns the book around so that the chosen page is the right way up for you to read. There, on the page before you is the same symbol engraved on the disc but, as you lean forward to read the curling script beneath it, there is a sudden flare of light. For an instant, the light is too bright to see through and, then a thunderous roar shakes the office and Kate lets out a gasp of surprise before disappearing beneath her desk. Give the PCs time to react and roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following: You’re not sure that under the desk is the safest place to be but right now it seems a better place than where you’re standing. The creature that has appeared on its surface before you seems to be some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion – and its attention is squarely focused on you. There is no sound at all from where the professor has disappeared. A successful Earth (Senses) test (TH6) allows the PCs to see the professor’s hands reach up and slide the book off the desk from behind the creature’s forepaws. (It’s standing on her lunch bag and has crushed her coffee cup beneath one of its powerful hind claws.)Any PC may make a Mental (Knowledge: Ancient Cultures or Mythology: Egypt) test (TH4) to recognize the creature as a ‘beby’, the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: It is possible to lead the beby to a more open space (such as the quadrangle outside) so that PCs can battle it in their draconic forms (University students and professors alike will scatter out of its path and hide for a good while, although someone will call the police who will call LN7. By the time LN7 arrive, the battle will be over and the creature will have disappeared.)BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes the professor, who will be most grateful if PCs save her life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Professor Kate Wyman.When the battle is over, read or paraphrase the following: In the silence that follows the battle, the body of the creature slowly begins to steam. With each curling wisp that rises above it, the body slowly evaporates until nothing is left. The same happens to all the blood and gore that came from it. IF PCS ARE IN THE QUADRANGLE: When you look around, you see no-one and nothing, until your gaze reaches the fifth floor, where Professor Wyman’s can be seen gazing down at you from the window, her book clutched tightly in her hands.IF PCS ARE IN THE OFFICE: In the midst of the piles of books scattered about the floor, the desk stands unscathed – and behind it Professor Wyman is standing as well, looking slightly shaken and clutching her book tightly to her chest. For a long moment there is silence.TALKING TO PROFESSOR WYMAN AFTER THE BATTLE:“That,” Professor Wyman says, when she notices you all looking at her across the desk. “That was a beby.” She pauses. “That was, I suppose, guarding the meaning of the symbol. I suppose, that only appeared because of the disc. And, I suppose you’d like to know exactly who it is that owns the disc.” She sits down and absent-mindedly gathers the shards of her coffee mug into a neat pile: “My grandmother gave me that.”To cut a long story short, finding the professor, and the book, reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the university, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left Kate Wyman’s office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and, for some reason, have pulled the cowl as far forward as you can so that your face is hidden by shadow. In your hand, you hold a small metal disk in case you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE. Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4B, Museum Investigation.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE 4B – UNIVERSITY INVESTIGATION When you arrive at the university, it seems to take a moment for the receptionist at Administration to understand your request, and then it takes a good few moments more (approximately a half an hour, to be exact) before she recommends someone. When she does and you ask to see them, the receptionist looks affronted. “That,” she says, “will require an appointment.” Arrangements for the appointment takes more moments – another three quarters of an hour and by now, the receptionist has noticed you becoming slightly fidgety. “The professor can fit you in Tuesday next month,” she says, “or, if you really must, she says she will see you now – but she can only spare you a quarter hour; she has an appointment.” Give the PCs a chance to respond and then read, or paraphrase, the following: You get lost on the way, but stopping students or other professors and asking you directions soon sees you standing in front of a door bearing the name plate: Kate Wyman. There’s a bunch of letters after the name but what is most intriguing is the fact that the door is firmly closed and, upon closer inspection, locked. Before you can turn away, however, a trim-figured, petite, dark-haired woman in what could be her mid-forties arrives with a cup of coffee and a large paper bag from the canteen in one hand, and a bundle of keys in the other: “You’re later than I’d like,” she says, looking you up and down. Her gaze sweeps over you like a searchlight and you almost begin to sympathize with her students. “Never mind,” she says before any of you can speak. “Come in and explain what you need. Reception was vague.” Her office consists of a large desk and chair curving out of one corner and every available piece of wall space except for three five-drawer filing cabinets is lined by bookshelves. There are even shelves behind the desk and under the large window that looks into a hidden quadrangle several floors down. When Kate Wyman has seated herself behind the desk, coffee and lunch bag placed to one side, she gestures for you to take a seat in one of the four seats in front of the desk: “How can I help you?” she asks.
Allow the PCs to explain what they want, then read, or paraphrase, the following once they show the professor the disc.
The professor is fascinated by the disc and turns it over several times in her hand. “I think I’ve seen this somewhere before.” Reaching behind her, she half turns and runs her fingers along the spines of the books. Stopping at a particularly ancient-looking tome, her hand curls around the spine and she carefully lifts it down to the desk. Placing the disc on the table in front of her, she begins leafing through the pages. “Set,” she mutters. “L, M, R… Ah, now here we go.” She turns the book around so that the chosen page is the right way up for you to read. There, on the page before you is the same symbol engraved on the disc but, as you lean forward to read the curling script beneath it, there is a sudden flare of light. For an instant, the light is too bright to see through and, then a thunderous roar shakes the office and Kate lets out a gasp of surprise before disappearing beneath her desk. Give the PCs time to react and roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following: You’re not sure that under the desk is the safest place to be but right now it seems a better place than where you’re standing. The creature that has appeared on its surface before you seems to be some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion – and its attention is squarely focused on you. There is no sound at all from where the professor has disappeared. A successful Earth (Senses) test (TH6) allows the PCs to see the professor’s hands reach up and slide the book off the desk from behind the creature’s forepaws. (It’s standing on her lunch bag and has crushed her coffee cup beneath one of its powerful hind claws.)Any PC may make a Mental (Knowledge: Ancient Cultures or Mythology: Egypt) test (TH4) to recognize the creature as a ‘beby’, the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: It is possible to lead the beby to a more open space (such as the quadrangle outside) so that PCs can battle it in their draconic forms (University students and professors alike will scatter out of its path and hide for a good while, although someone will call the police who will call LN7. By the time LN7 arrive, the battle will be over and the creature will have disappeared.)BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes the professor, who will be most grateful if PCs save her life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Professor Kate Wyman.When the battle is over, read or paraphrase the following: In the silence that follows the battle, the body of the creature slowly begins to steam. With each curling wisp that rises above it, the body slowly evaporates until nothing is left. The same happens to all the blood and gore that came from it. IF PCS ARE IN THE QUADRANGLE: When you look around, you see no-one and nothing, until your gaze reaches the fifth floor, where Professor Wyman’s can be seen gazing down at you from the window, her book clutched tightly in her hands.IF PCS ARE IN THE OFFICE: In the midst of the piles of books scattered about the floor, the desk stands unscathed – and behind it Professor Wyman is standing as well, looking slightly shaken and clutching her book tightly to her chest. For a long moment there is silence.TALKING TO PROFESSOR WYMAN AFTER THE BATTLE:“That,” Professor Wyman says, when she notices you all looking at her across the desk. “That was a beby.” She pauses. “That was, I suppose, guarding the meaning of the symbol. I suppose, that only appeared because of the disc. And, I suppose you’d like to know exactly who it is that owns the disc.” She sits down and absent-mindedly gathers the shards of her coffee mug into a neat pile: “My grandmother gave me that.”To cut a long story short, finding the professor, and the book, reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the university, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left Kate Wyman’s office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and, for some reason, have pulled the cowl as far forward as you can so that your face is hidden by shadow. In your hand, you hold a small metal disk in case you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE. Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4B, Museum Investigation.
December 12, 2013
Adventure Edition: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4A
You can find the links to each of the preceding episodes of the
Babes in London
adventure sequence HERE.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE4A – LIBRARY INVESTIGATION Your path has led you to the National Library in London, and then your inquiries led to you this man – Sir Thomas Jamieson, an expert in Egyptian mythology and artifacts. He appears to be 50, and is of a slender, wiry build. You can see interest and intelligence in his bright blue eyes and there is a strength to his grip as he greets you: “Glad to meet you,” he says, reaching out to shake your hand. “The front desk said you had something rather interesting to show me.” The front desk has said nothing of the kind to you, greeting you with poker-faced formality and retiring to an office to contact the professor. Sir Thomas wants to see the disc and is so excited when he does that his fingers tremble slightly.
Sir Thomas handles the piece carefully, turning it over twice before fitting a magnifying monocle to his eye to inspect the inscription. “Ah, yes,” he says. “Egyptian, by the looks. Now I seem to remember….” He breaks off, taking the monocle out of his eye and looking thoughtful, then rises from his seat. “If you follow me, I think we can find it somewhere in Stack Four.” He leads you from his office and down a set of stairs. “Now, we don’t usually allow this,” he says, “but as I don’t quite know the reference and guess you would be reluctant to let the disc out of your sight… and seeing as Stack Four is under my jurisdiction anyway…” After descending another two flights of stairs, Sir Thomas stops as a non-descript reddish-brown door. “Here we are,” he says. “Now, follow me quietly if you please. No talking.” He opens the door to reveal rows and rows of book shelves. He navigates these as though he has sought out this book thousands of times before, finally stopping before one particular shelf. He hands you back the disc and runs his fingers along the spines of the books, he selects one titled “Ye Symbolls of the Anciente Worlde” and draws it out. “This should be the one,” he murmurs, flicking pages. “Ah, yes,” he says, opening it to a page where a diagram of the symbol on the disc has been drawn. “ We’ll take a closer look at it back in my office, shall we?” Before you can reply, the disc in your hand grows warm, emitting a reddish glow. For an instant, there is a searing pain against your flesh and a light too bright to see through, then a thunderous roar shakes the book shelves and Sir Thomas takes an involuntary step back towards you. “Oh dear,” he says.
Give the PCs time to react and roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following:
Oh dear, indeed. The creature before you seems to be some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion. Behind you, you hear Sir Thomas whisper: “Oh my, a beby…”
Any PC with Knowledge (Ancient Cultures – Egypt) may roll (TH2) to see if they know that a beby is the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: It is possible to battle the beby in this space as the library stacks are ten feet tall and the PCs will be able to battle it in their draconic forms (Librarians will scatter out of the path of the battle and hide for a good while, although someone will call the police who will call LN7. By the time LN7 arrive, the battle will be over and the creature will have disappeared.)
BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes Sir Thomas, who will be most grateful if PCs save his life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Sir Thomas Jamieson.When the battle is over, read, or (if Sir Thomas is dead) paraphrase the following: The creature’s body lies on the library floor. “Well, I never,” Sir Thomas mutters. “Well, I never… Well, I …” He seems a little overwhelmed. Even more so when the creature’s body vanishes, leaving unexplained bits of gore to slowly dissipate from the bookshelves. It’s a bit like watching the steam rising from an abandoned cup of coffee. “Well, then,” Sir Thomas says, his voice a little shaky. “Well, then, I’ll just get someone to clean this up and we’ll go back to the office and look at what we’ve found, shall we?” If Sir Thomas has died during the encounter, PCs will have to explain his death. The injuries dealt by the beby will direct suspicions away from the PCs. In this case, they are able to attempt to smuggle the book out (Air – Trickery TH2; people are very distracted by Sir Thomas’s death). If Sir Thomas does not die during the encounter, PCs can still try to smuggle the book out but the test will be TH4. (Sir Thomas may be a little distracted by the appearance and disappearance of the beby; but he is very protective of his books.)To cut a long story short, finding the book reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the library, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left Sir Thomas’s office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and, for some reason, have pulled the cowl as far forward as you can so that your face is hidden by shadow. In your hand, you hold a small metal disk in case you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE.
Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4B, University Investigation.
To play or run this game you will need the following:
PLAYERS: Fireborn Player's Handbook ;
GAME MASTERS: Fireborn Gamemaster's Handbook ;
This is a piece of fan fiction. It is NOT endorsed or acknowledged by Fantasy Flight Games; it is IN NO WAY official; it DOES NOT indicate any form of relationship between myself and Fantasy Flight Games; and I DO NOT CLAIM any of the setting specific material or setting specific concepts as my own.
Warning: Due to a lack of playtesters, this section has yet to be tested. GMs may need to adjust opponents to suit the level of your PCs.
PLAYERS SHOULD NOT READ BEYOND THIS POINT
SCENE4A – LIBRARY INVESTIGATION Your path has led you to the National Library in London, and then your inquiries led to you this man – Sir Thomas Jamieson, an expert in Egyptian mythology and artifacts. He appears to be 50, and is of a slender, wiry build. You can see interest and intelligence in his bright blue eyes and there is a strength to his grip as he greets you: “Glad to meet you,” he says, reaching out to shake your hand. “The front desk said you had something rather interesting to show me.” The front desk has said nothing of the kind to you, greeting you with poker-faced formality and retiring to an office to contact the professor. Sir Thomas wants to see the disc and is so excited when he does that his fingers tremble slightly.
Sir Thomas handles the piece carefully, turning it over twice before fitting a magnifying monocle to his eye to inspect the inscription. “Ah, yes,” he says. “Egyptian, by the looks. Now I seem to remember….” He breaks off, taking the monocle out of his eye and looking thoughtful, then rises from his seat. “If you follow me, I think we can find it somewhere in Stack Four.” He leads you from his office and down a set of stairs. “Now, we don’t usually allow this,” he says, “but as I don’t quite know the reference and guess you would be reluctant to let the disc out of your sight… and seeing as Stack Four is under my jurisdiction anyway…” After descending another two flights of stairs, Sir Thomas stops as a non-descript reddish-brown door. “Here we are,” he says. “Now, follow me quietly if you please. No talking.” He opens the door to reveal rows and rows of book shelves. He navigates these as though he has sought out this book thousands of times before, finally stopping before one particular shelf. He hands you back the disc and runs his fingers along the spines of the books, he selects one titled “Ye Symbolls of the Anciente Worlde” and draws it out. “This should be the one,” he murmurs, flicking pages. “Ah, yes,” he says, opening it to a page where a diagram of the symbol on the disc has been drawn. “ We’ll take a closer look at it back in my office, shall we?” Before you can reply, the disc in your hand grows warm, emitting a reddish glow. For an instant, there is a searing pain against your flesh and a light too bright to see through, then a thunderous roar shakes the book shelves and Sir Thomas takes an involuntary step back towards you. “Oh dear,” he says.
Give the PCs time to react and roll initiative, then read, or paraphrase the following:
Oh dear, indeed. The creature before you seems to be some horrendous cross between a hippopotamus, crocodile and lion. Behind you, you hear Sir Thomas whisper: “Oh my, a beby…”
Any PC with Knowledge (Ancient Cultures – Egypt) may roll (TH2) to see if they know that a beby is the creature that eats the hearts of those whose hearts fail when judged for entry into the Egyptian afterlife. What they won’t realize is that the devouring god had animal counterparts in earlier mythic ages.At this point, the beby that has been summoned to protect the disc and prevent anyone from discovering the identity of the group behind it, attacks.NOTE: It is possible to battle the beby in this space as the library stacks are ten feet tall and the PCs will be able to battle it in their draconic forms (Librarians will scatter out of the path of the battle and hide for a good while, although someone will call the police who will call LN7. By the time LN7 arrive, the battle will be over and the creature will have disappeared.)
BebyEra: MythicRace: Supernatural AnimalAPL: 4Aspects: Fire 6 (4), Water 5 (4), Air 2, Earth 2 Initiative: 8Health: km; <5 / 10+ / 15+ / 20+ / 25+ / 30+ / 35+ Size/Reach: 1 / 5 ftArmor: 6Taint: 10Stride: 30 ftWeapons: —Bite: 18H—Foreclaw (2): 8M—Hindclaw (2): 12M (Grab ready requirement)—Tail: 8MSequences: RavagerAgg—F9/W6/A0/E2—Power + Power + L Foreclaw Strike + Power +R Foreclaw Strike Skills: Athletics 9, Interaction 2, Melee 7, Stamina 7, Quickness 6, Senses 8, Stealth 4, Will 4Edges: Action Junkie, Aggressive, Brutal, DauntingPowers: UndeterredTraits: TaintedTactics: The beby has only one mission: to destroy all those present when the description of the symbol on the disc was found. This includes Sir Thomas, who will be most grateful if PCs save his life. If successful, the PCs will earn the reward Friend of Sir Thomas Jamieson.When the battle is over, read, or (if Sir Thomas is dead) paraphrase the following: The creature’s body lies on the library floor. “Well, I never,” Sir Thomas mutters. “Well, I never… Well, I …” He seems a little overwhelmed. Even more so when the creature’s body vanishes, leaving unexplained bits of gore to slowly dissipate from the bookshelves. It’s a bit like watching the steam rising from an abandoned cup of coffee. “Well, then,” Sir Thomas says, his voice a little shaky. “Well, then, I’ll just get someone to clean this up and we’ll go back to the office and look at what we’ve found, shall we?” If Sir Thomas has died during the encounter, PCs will have to explain his death. The injuries dealt by the beby will direct suspicions away from the PCs. In this case, they are able to attempt to smuggle the book out (Air – Trickery TH2; people are very distracted by Sir Thomas’s death). If Sir Thomas does not die during the encounter, PCs can still try to smuggle the book out but the test will be TH4. (Sir Thomas may be a little distracted by the appearance and disappearance of the beby; but he is very protective of his books.)To cut a long story short, finding the book reveals the following information: The Cult of Set was a group of people dedicated to serving the god Set and to bringing about his return to the world at large once he had seemed to have left it. In the mythology related to the symbol, the god Set was a renegade god because of his attempt to overthrow Osiris and claim Isis as his queen; he disappeared beneath the desert sands in an attempt to hide after his defeat at the hands of Horus. It proved to be a very effective tactic; Set was never seen again, although his followers do not believe he is dead and will return one day. As PCs make their way out of the library, read or paraphrase the following: You have just left Sir Thomas’s office, and are walking down the corridor, when the world ‘shimmers’. The overhead lights dim to nothing and you find yourselves making your way through a darkness lit only by lamps set in wall sconces. You are wearing cloaks and, for some reason, have pulled the cowl as far forward as you can so that your face is hidden by shadow. In your hand, you hold a small metal disk in case you are challenged.
GO TO ACT III SCENE 4D: FINAL BATTLE.
Next Week: Babes in London, Act 3 - Little Girls Found, Scene 4B, University Investigation.
December 10, 2013
Australian Insects: Butterfly?
I looked out the window above my desk and saw this little one settling down for the night. I have no idea what kind of butterfly it is, but it was pretty and brightened my day.
See what I mean?
Beautiful!
See what I mean?Beautiful!
December 8, 2013
Review for Agravaine's Rest
A little while back, I wrote a piece for Raging Swan Press's Village Backdrop series. Last week, Endzeitgeist released a 4.5 star review of Agravaine's Rest. You can find it here. You can also find Agravaine's Rest here and Raging Swan Press here.
