June 2, 2025: Fictional Worlds, Factual Skills

I imagine the Venn diagram of "fans of Steve Jackson Games" and "avid readers" is – if not a single circle – a squishy thing with a lot of overlap. Realizing this got me to thinking: Are there any facts, skills, or how-tos that you've specifically learned from reading (especially geek-related fare)?

At the risk of repeating myself from almost a year ago, but I know how to fold an origami boat thanks to the Grailquest series. As another example, I vividly remember from Mike Carr's Robbers and Robots book from the TSR Endless Quest gamebook that head injuries bleed a lot but otherwise might not be a terribly serious injury. While this is not a piece of information I use more than a few times a week, it's one that comes up a fair bit in other media, and I always appreciate remembering it.

When I asked Editor and Production Artist extraordinaire Nikki Vrtis if she had any memories of that sort, she got contemplative and then lit up with her own memory: learning from L. Ron Hubbard's Battlefield Earth how to enter a room with authority – eyes forward, feet first, shoulders back. She said that insight has helped her navigate conventions (like the forthcoming Gen Con) with composure and confidence.

If any of my cohorts in the company read this and come up with their own fiction-forged memories, I'd love to read about them in a future Daily Illuminator (hint, hint). And if I've sparked any recollection of your own skills formed as a reader, please feel free to drop me a line privately or tell the world on our forums.

– Steven Marsh

Warehouse 23 News: The City Never Sleeps Because Of All The Action

There are a million stories in the city, and they're all exciting! GURPS Action 9: The City shows how you can add GURPS City Stats to your GURPS Action campaigns. It also features six sample cities to use with your own action-packed adventures. Download it today from Warehouse 23!