Other: Kukeri

Most American holidays are, with the possible exception of Thanksgiving, often simply an excuse for drinking and carousing. The kukeri festival is similar, in so far as a lot of drinking and carousing goes on, but it also dates from pagan times when southern Bulgaria was Thrace. As part of Bulgaria’s efforts to reinvent itself following the collapse of communism, Pernik has been home to an annual international kukeri festival for 20 years. These photos are from the 2011 festival in Pernik.

Game Content: Clockwork Brain Crabs

Your character awakens in the night to feel something small crawling on his head and a metallic whirring sound…

Goofy and menacing at the same time, clockwork brain crabs are vile little constructs from another dimension, which drill into a person's head, turning him into a slave for some far-off and hidden master. These minions, about the size of a man's thumb, resemble hermit crabs made of polished brass.

Grumpy RPG Reviews: Old Scool Mod. v. New School Mod.

Other: Valkyrie is German for "Bad Ass Woman"

I found this image several years ago and for the life of me I cannot find the source or artist. I believe it came from a German computer RPG site, which had a page up showcasing sample art and i found it in the first place doing a search for "valkyrie." If someone can point me to the artist, I would appreciate it. In any event, even though you can see a breast in this art, these women look bad ass and like they only show up to kill someone.

Game Content: A Sinister Little Plot, Gravesites I

This is the first of a series of articles about graveyards, interment, crypts, coffins and similar issues, for role-playing games. It employs 4E Dungeons and Dragons rules.

Encounter Level 4

Undead recently overran this small church cemetery. The adventurers’ challenge is to destroy the monsters and save the lives of the monster’s intended victims.

Grumpy RPG Journal: January 16, 1911

Other: It made me laugh

I know I said new posts would appear on Tuesdays and Thursday, but this just made me laugh.

Game Content: Gunplay III

This is the third of three articles about including firearms in a fantasy role-playing game. This article covers a shop selling firearms and seven separate firearms using the 4E Dungeons and Dragons rules system. The first article discussed including firearms in terms of game balance, tone, and philosophy. The second article None of these articles are intended to be comprehensive but tools for a better game.

All these articles first appeared at Nevermet Press.

Game Content: Gunplay II

This is the second of what should have been a three part series about including firearms in a fantasy role-playing game. This article covers the design plan that went into the development of firearm rules for 4E Dungeons and Dragons rule system. The first article discussed including firearms in terms of game balance, tone and philosophy. The next and last will cover a shop selling firearms and seven separate firearms. None of these articles are intended to be comprehensive, or definitive, but to provide tools for a better game.

Grumpy RPG Column: Firearms in a Role-Playing Game

Other: Greetings from January 4th, 1911

It is time for an introduction.

An unfortunate accident involving a time machine and a sledgehammer stranded me in 1920. Now (my now-now, not my going to be/was now) I am stuck playing -2 Edition. Humans have not really been fleshed out as a PC race, wizards explode if they botch a spell and tossing hog knuckles in a bowl is used to determine the outcome of battles.

Grumpy RPG Column: Leave a Bad Group