Tron (enough said)

This guy sure loves TRON.

New Dust Tactics Expansions

Tons of new stuff for Dust Tactics coming in March.

Click here for the entire article.

Attention Everyone

I've added our gaming schedule to the right.

How do you like it?

What do You Want for Christmas, Gamer?

It's the holiday season. As a gamer, what do you put on your Christmas list? Answer? Games, geek swag, sci-fi/fan DVDs and comic books.

What's on the Keystone Gaming Society wishlist this Christmas? (Hint for those we love - all of this stuff is available at Comic Store West!)

** Scott **

Gaming Box 4-Way Rubber Bands

Settlers of Catan: Trails to Rails

Carcassonne - Bridges, Castles & Bazaar

Stephen King's Dark Tower and Stand comics

Lone Wolf RPG books AND the reissuing of the first solo adventure book.

** Dave **

Any of the Dungeons and Dragons Tile sets

Dungeonmaster Kit

Talisman

Space 1889

Ablaze

** Sam **

...Is hoping for ANY game because he just wants to know somebody cares about him.

** Old Brian **

Dust Tactics (which it looks like he could not wait for, so he bought it Friday)

Judge Dread RPG

Hollow Earth Source Books

The rest of the Walking Dead trades that I need

** Young Bryan **

...Is just hoping he dad doesn't get him ANOTHER copy of Candy Land or Chutes and Ladders. I mean, Lord of the Rings Candy Land last year was a bit over the top.

The Keystone Gaming Society wishes that your holiday season is a critical hit and that you get a lot of great swag to keep you gaming.

D&D Essentials, Sessions 4 and 5

After the last hard fight, the players decide to retreat out of the dungeon, and camp in the cave outside the doors. On their way out, they notice that the kobolds they killed have been placed ceremoniously in one of the alcoves, and kobold footsteps can be seen leaving the dungeon. The kobolds have had enough, what with both the dragon and their priest dead, and decided this place was no longer sage and hoofed it.

After checking on the horse (safe as houses), they cold camp for the night. Nothing too strange, although Dayereth thinks he sees a shadow figure fly through the cave but decides not to investigate.

The next morning, the adventurers head back in to the complex, checking through a couple rooms once occupied by the kobolds. They hear scratching at a door and open it. A guard drake, left behind, jumps out and attacks. Bang! Pow! One very dispatched guard drake.

Harlok, in a bit of a hurry, runs through the dungeon, and the rest of the party try to keep up. They come to a room set up in a chessboard-like grid, complete with very large chess piece statues of three pawns, a rook, a knight, and a queen. It's wizard's chess, Harry! The players quickly learn that if you don't move like chess piece, you are badly shocked and move back to the square you started. They also learn that NOT moving like a chess piece greatly upsets the very large statues, who come to life and attack our fearless heroes.

The PCs quickly adapt to their odd situation, using the strange magic of the room to their advantage by forcing the chess pieces to magically move in Non-chess style. Ouch! They don't like that! After several intense moments of gritty combat, there's a lot of shattered statuary in the room, and the players move, chess-style, to the door on the opposite wall.

Harlok is about to open the door when a mouth and eyes appear. Malareth's voice is heard.
"Fools! I don't know what you thought to accomplish by killing the dragon and running off my kobolds, but you won't stop me. Not when I'm so close! After months of preparation, the gate to the Shadowfell will open and the world will bow at my feet. The world of the dead and the world of the living will now be one, with me as its ruler! (With a little help from Orcus). Mwahahahaha!"
The PCs attempt, badly, to parlay with Malareth, but finally Harlok breaks in the door. Inside are several zombies, including one that looks like it was once an ogre.
"Zombies, attack! Kill the intruders, then bring the corpses to me, so that I may reanimate them to do my bidding. That calls for a second Mwahahahaha! Now, how do I turn this off? Let's see, press Star, Pound, Enter, Close meeting. Aah, there we are." Click.

Mr Grimes, taking a page from the Harlok fighting handbook, charges in and attacks the hulking zombie, barely scratching it. A ham-fisted smash from the hulk sends Grimes reeling backward. Falin also charges in, and calls forth a magical blast that knocks the zombie into the back wall. He is then quickly surrounded and grabbed by the zombies, who start chewing on him. Dayereth blasts one zombie with magic, and the great axe of Harlok begins its deadly work. Falin escapes the zombie's grasp and, calling on the power of his god, sends one of the dreaded undead back to the Shadowfell. Soon all the zombies are dead (again)!

They now hear strange chanting coming from the next room. A chill wind whips through the room and the adventurers realize that the spell to open a door to the Shadowfell is being cast. They race toward the next room and see Malareth's laboratory, complete with all the accessories a working necromancer needs: chemicals, beakers, bones, rotting flesh, Necronomicon, and a wraith and three skeletons. The necromancer's chanting is working, because a circular void is coalescing, forming a door to the netherworld.

But the PCs are fearless. Grimes launches himself toward Malareth, tumbling acrobat-style and stabbing Malareth in the back. "Aargh, my spell is ruined. Ooh, you're gonna get it, mister!" He shoots a blast of necrotic energy at the PCs, causing much damage. Meanwhile, the wraith has gotten out it's soul-sucking straw and is slowly draining the energy out of Falin. But Dayereth's and Falin's magic and the chopping of Harlok's axe prove too powerful, and the wraith is destroyed, along with the minion skeletons. Grimes shoves his longsword through Malareth.
"NO!" he screams. "Orcus, avenge me!" But Orcus is kinda busy and misses the call.

The players have won again. They immediately decide to loot the bodies, take all the crap out of the abandoned temple that they find, and sell everything they find that ain't worth keeping.
The end, for now.

Dungeons and Dragons Essentials, Session 3

The players meet the Dragon, a white Ozark Frost Dragon named Curly. They try to parley with the dragon, who is convinced they are assassins hired by the necromancer Malareth to kill the young dragon. Curly's kobolds were helping Malareth rob merchants for certain valuable materials, and Curly got the gold and any magic items the merchants may have had. No amount of talking convinces Curly of their innocence, and a fight commences. Curly breathes ice breath twice during the battle, nearly killing Mr Grimes. However, the combined might of the PCs proves too much for the dragon. Dayareth, with some direction from the other players, cuts the heart out of the dragon for his teacher, the Arch mage, who needs it for a very powerful spell. The heart is ice cold and remains so. Much treasure is found, which the players quickly divide amongst themselves, including some minor magic items

After a short rest, the players move down the hallway. "Who goes there?" someone shouts from the end of the hall.
"Umm, a bunch of us kobolds. We're here to relieve you guys over there."
"No, you're not! You're a bunch of thieves who can't make a decent bluff roll. Prepare to die!"

A huge bugbear flanked by two large kobolds charges the PC. Harlok and Falin respond with a counter charge. It's a quick battle, with the end result being dead bugbear and kobolds, and a shiny new magic axe for Harlok.

The next room contains a fancy rug and a distinctly unfancy dire rat wearing a collar (one of the bugbear's pets). Harlok charges, only to run headlong into a pit concealed by the rug. The less impulsive members of the party go around the pit and dispatch the rat, who's a little tougher than the first thought. The rat squeals a warning to his pals in the next room.

Fat lot of good that does. Though the party members are down significantly on healing surges after four big battles, a couple dire rats aren't enough to stop them. In the room is a giant minotaur statue with a strange message in dwarven lettering. The players aren't sure what it means.

But where is Malareth? Where's all the stuff robbed from the merchants? Another door leads further into the complex . . .

So, What Does the Rating System Mean, Anyway?

We at The KGS are serious about games. Seriously. And we've been asked, "KGS, what's all them fancy numbers youz always talkin' 'bout be saying, anyway, KGS?" So, below we've decided to inform our many thousands of fans about our rating system and what the numbers mean.

6 - Outstanding game in nearly every aspect. Any flaws in this game are very, very minor. This game comes with my highest recommendation and everyone should try it. The reviewer would gladly purchase this game.

5 - Very good game with some minor problems. The few flaws this game has may be small and generally do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the game. This game is highly recommended. The reviewer would strongly consider purchasing this game.

4 - Good game with a few flaws that moderately reduce the enjoyment of playing the game. It is recommended that you check out this game. The reviewer may consider purchasing this game.

3 - Okay game with several serious flaws that limit the enjoyment of playing the game. There are more negatives than positives in this game and the reviewer does not recommend this game. The reviewer most likely will not purchase this game.

2 - Bad game with major flaws although there may be a few redeeming characteristics. This game is not enjoyable to play and the reviewer recommends that you avoid playing or purchasing this game.

1 - Horrible game with severe flaws. This game is absolutely no fun at all. Laugh at anyone who actually spends time or money on this game.

D&D Essentials, Session 2

Using a combination of Dayereth's Freezing Blast and Phantom Chasm spells, Falin's Stormhammer assaults, Mr. Grimes' backstabs, and Harlok's whirling axe of extreme vengeance, the bandits come down with a very bad case of death.

A moan from a wounded merchant near one of the carts momentarily halts the adventurers from looting. Falin heals the merchant of his wounds and, grateful for the help, the merchant proves helpful. His says his name is Kavras, and that he is a spice merchant traveling south from Whartston Hall. He and his fellow merchant were attacked by bandits. Kavras was wounded and left for dead. He saw some of the bandits carrying his spice crates through the woods to the east. Then he lost consciousness and woke up to the sounds of fighting. He offers to reward the PCs with 50 gold if they can return his spices to him. He will be staying at the Inn of the Three-Legged Unicorn for the next few days before returning to Threshold. The PCs promise to find the spices for him.

The adventurers track the bandits through the woods, which eventually open up in a clearing with a small stream running through it. On the other side of the stream is a cave entrance guarded by four kobolds.
"Are they wizards?" asks Harlok.
"Yes," says Falin.
"Then they must die!" bellows the dwarf. Hefting his trusty battleaxe, he charges through the stream to attack the kobolds. He is quickly outnumbered, and the feisty lizards dart around him, wounding him.
A Freezing Blast from the eladrin, and a well-placed firepot slung by Mr. Grimes, turn the battle in the adventurers' favor. The last kobold flees but is cut down by the merciless crew.

After looting the bodies, the adventurers explore the cave. They find two heavy doors on opposite sides of the cave. Harlok, "helped" by Falin, block one door so it can't be opened, and enter the dungeon through the other door.

Inside were a number of rooms, partitioned by doors and red velvet curtains. A blast of cold air and some very angry kobolds greet them. A kobold wyrmpriest appears at the end of a long hall, and casts a spell. A ray of sickly green energy shoots out, splattering Dayereth with acid. Mr. Grimes moved quickly down the hall to get behind the wyrmpriest. This he does, though he pays the price with a stabbing wound from the priest's spear. Grimes is then attacked by more kobolds who appear from another entrance.

Falin and Harlok move toward the priest with readied weapons. Suddenly, the priest inhales deeply and breathes a gout of acid at them. Harlok sout of the way but Falin is not so lucky, taking an acid blast to the chest.

Dayereth casts a Fear Cage spell at the priest, wounding him and rooting him to the spot. The frontal attacks by Falin and Harlok, combined with the flanking backstab of Mr. Grimes, is too much for the priest, who slumps over in a pool of his own green blood. The remaining kobolds are quickly crushed.

After this, the adventurers rest (with occasional looting) for several minutes. Mr. Grimes listens at the large door at the end of the corridor. Loud breathing from some kind of large creature can be heard. The eladrin checks his compass. The needle points toward the door and glows bright red.

Will the adventurers open the door? Does sudden, untimely death await our heroes? Will they turn around and head home to live quiet lives of peace and comfort? Find out next week . . .

D&D Essentials, Session 1

Half the session was taken with the players rolling up characters. Bryan is playing an eladrin wizard named Dayereth Dawnfire, Sam a dwarf knight named Harlok Shieldbearer, Brian a dwarf stormpriest named Falin Thrall, and Scott a human rogue named Mr. Grimes.

The story begins as they so often do at the Sturdy Mug Tavern, a famed dwarf ale-house in the town of Threshold, along the Northern border of the Kingdom of Karameikos. Harlok, Thalen, and Mr. Grimes are seated at a table drinking fine brew, eyeing the Dwarf wench Clover Peaches, and ignoring the “Weezer and Ned Experience,” two local watchmen who moonlight as troubadours at the tavern.

While relaxing, they are approached to take on two seemingly separate missions. Thalen Thrall’s immediate superior in the church, the High Priest Throngil Cloudgatherer, asks Thalen and his friends to stop bandit attacks along the King’s Road between Threshold and Whartston Hall, a walled village 25 miles to the north. He also asks Thalen to investigate possible Shadowfell activity in the area. He mentions that the heroes should talk to Baron Padraig in Whartston Hall, who may have more to offer as to information concerning the bandits. The eladrin Dayereth offers to join the party as they are heading north. He states that his teacher, the archmage Andarriel, is working on a spell to close gates to the shadowfell, but he needs certain components to accomplish this. The first component is the heart of a white dragon. He shows the others a magic compass that points to the heart of the nearest white dragon. Substantial rewards are offered and money changes hands. Mr. Grimes purchases a horse at Muleskinner Joe’s Mystical Mules! (and horses), and the heroes leave town.

After an uneventful afternoon and evening on the King’s Road, the heroes stop at the Three-legged Unicorn, a fortified inn, where they hear more stories of attacks on merchants to the north. Especially talkative is a Halfling cloth merchant named Julius Winterbottom, who was not attacked but knew several merchants who were. He and Mr. Grimes spent much of the evening discussing cloth, and Julius sold a bolt of red velvet to Dayereth, who immediately changed it to green velvet.

The next morning, the heroes continue on their way to Whartston Hall. A couple hours into their journey, they hear the sounds of battle on the road ahead. Mr. Grimes spurs his horse to investigate. Reaching the crest of the hill, he sees two carts on the road, with several people laying face down by them. Off to the right he hears several whistles and badly imitated animal noises. Leaving the road, he gets off his horse and sneaks through the woods to discover where the noise is coming from.

Meanwhile, the rest of the group, seeing the scene below, rush down the hill to investigate, weapons drawn. One person by a cart begins to slowly rise. Harlok asks, “What’s going on here?”

The man slowly rises. “Only,” he says, drawing a longsword, “your deaths! Attack!” The man hits Harlok with a savage blow, but Harlok returns the favor and wounds the man with his great axe. The man’s visage changes into a creature none of the characters recognize.

Suddenly, several kobolds rush out behind boulders along the road and attack the heroes. One hits Harlok from behind and another engages Thalen in combat. A kobold slinger hits Dayereth with a bullet. The eladrin retaliates with a freezing blast that obliterates two kobolds.

Meanwhile, a larger kobold emerges from the wood near Mr. Grimes hiding place. He barks an order at the kobolds.

What will happen next? . . .

Living Traveller Campaign

Check this out:

http://www.mongoosepublishing.com/living-traveller.php

Basically our characters could be part of 'the world' of traveller, very cool....

Total Page Views

Because you asked for it I've added a hit counter to the lower right section of the blog.

Need a Healing Potion?

Ever needed a healing potion in real life? Well, now thanks to the folks at Jones Pure Cane Soda, you can carry one on you at all times! Check out these limited edition Dungeons and Dragons inspired sodas:

http://www.myjones.com/limited/wizards

I couple of the names seem weak... Sneak Attack? That's the best you can do? Really? And I'm majorly bummed that the Dwarven Draught is non-alcoholic. But overall, they are very cool and the themes are very appealing. How cool would it be to whip out a healing potion and gulp it down at the gaming table the next time your character drinks one? Lets see you do it in a round six seconds while moving thirty feet like you expected your torchbearer to do in your last gaming session! Chug, boy, chug!

Colonial Gothic Episode 3

Episode 3, October 6, 2010

As the Heroes slept a fire raged in the Tavern. The Preacher awoke first to a heavy smoke filling the room. Waking his friend they then woke Erich and the Doctor. The Doctor went downstairs to find the common room in flames and no way to make it to the front door while the rest of the Hero's broke open the other rooms to save the other guests. Finding all the room empty the Hero's then made their escape out various windows.

In front of the tavern they were met with several of the towns people that were making a wasted effort of getting water out of a well to bucket it onto the inferno. In a few hours it had burned itself down to being contained in the stone Tavern walls. It was then that the Minister Jacob arrived. The owner of the tavern went right to him and was saying some hasty words in Germany as rest of the town stood listening. The Doctor made out that they believed that the strangers had brought demons upon the Tavern and they were responsible for the building burning down. The Doctor was quick to interject and say that they didn't do it but the Minister then told him and the crowd that the Heroes did indeed have satanic papers, as admitted to himself by the Preacher himself. And that those very same papers that they brought into a good Christan home were the most likely cause of the fire. It was here that the Heroes realized that they were encircled by angry townspeople. The Preacher offered to burn the document but instead he was grab by two men as a third ran up with a barrel of tar. The Preacher prayed for God to deliver him from the trial of being tared and feathered. At this Erich clubbed one of the townsmen that was holding the Preacher while Brian punched the other. This was all as the Doctor put his pistol to Minister Jacobs head and demanded that everyone stop.

The tar bucket was put down and the ladies with feather pillows dropped them to the ground. The Doctor explained that they did indeed have a paper like the Minister said but that they were there to root out evil and punish it. They then burnt the paper they had found with Jeremiah Knots belongings. The townspeople then cleared them a path out of town and the doctor apologized to the Minister for holding a gun to him and told him it was not loaded anyway. With that the Hero's ran out of town.

Once they got out of sight of the crowd they cut into the woods and made their way back to the church. Getting the keys and a candle with holder from the shack that was the parsonage they entered the church. The light of pre-dawn made the cut glass window behind the altar glow. This window was of an angel and devil intertwined in battle. Searching the church they found a trapdoor in the isle. Taking candles from the altar they climbed down into the cellar.

The ladder lead to a small room with a packed dirt floor they lit their candles and opened the only door in the room. Within was a dead man on one of the two operating tables that were in the laboratory. The man had been dead for some days because his skin had started to turn dark green. Looking around by candle light they found a model skeleton in the corner along with many types of medications, most being for the preservation of flesh. Finding a book on a counter brought the skeleton in the corner to life and Brian stood amazed as it reached for Erich shoulder. After quite a long scuffle they killed the skeleton.

Hearing footsteps above them the Preacher put his ear to the trap door and heard Minister Jacob talking. "Search the place. Who knows what they've done to our sanctuary or how long they've been among us. Check under the runner, there in the isle!" With that the Preacher grabbed the door ring to keep it from being open while all the rest of the Heroes hung onto him to help. The ring on the trapdoor finally broke and the townspeople started to pry it open. Trapped in the cellar Brian spent a Faith Point and found a escape tunnel leading to the parsonage.

Outside the parsonage, strange book in hand, they could see townspeople milling around the church. They then decided they needed a distraction so they could burn down the church to cleanse the evil below it. With that they went through the woods back to the empty town. They then started several of the homes on fire and escaped back into the woods to head for the church.

The townspeople had left the church to save their home and the Heroes set to starting the church on fire. As they worked Minister Jacob arrived on his horse. From a distance he cursed them and wove his hands in the air as the Doctor and Erich loaded their rifles. Brian drew his saber and charged after the villain. Once the Heroes rifles had been loaded they couldn't get a shot of because the villain and Brian were in melee. As this transpired the Preacher kept attending the fire as a hand broke out of a grave behind him. As the villain tried to escape his horse tripped throwing him from the saddle (Erich spent a Faith Point) and Brian engaged him again. Striking the villain down the zombie fell dead into the Preachers fire. In the pockets of the Minister they found several Pennsylvania notes and a cross used in Satanic rituals. Tossing the Ministers body onto the burning church fire they took to walking back to Yorktowne.

In Yorktowne the Heroes were welcomed by the Proprietress of the White Hall Inn. After a restful night sleep they were met by the minister of the Moravian church who asked them to join him at his church, if they would. At the church he blessed them and offered communion and told them that he was following what had become of the Knots boy and wanted to know what happened in Franklintown. they described the basics and told him that there were some fires and he got them to tell him about the villain and the laboratory below the church. The minister then told them that they should take the book to Mr. Franklin, in Philadelphia for him to review and then he told the hero's that he himself knew of and used magic for the good of God and if they wished he would train them as they wish.

Here we ended for the evening.

Colonial Gothic Episode 2

Episode 2, Sept 27th, 2010

Questioning the printer the Heroes found that Jeremiah Knots mother had died the year before and that he spoke of missing her all the time. Asking about the printed paper the printer says he remembers it. Just a few days ago a minister named Mathew Smith from Franklintown came in and wanted 5 copies of a page as quick as possible. He was quite busy so he allowed Jeremiah to do the work. After that he never came to work again.

As dusk came the Heroes searched the area around the White Hall Inn expecting the mad man to come back there that night. Drawn to the back of the Inn by a franticly barking dog the Hero's found that the dog cornered what looked like dead bird. The bird was missing a wing and much of its flesh and feathers but was flapping and making hissing sounds while its eyes glowed bright red. At this the Preacher (Scott) bared his bible at the bird. He then declared it an abomination in the eye of the Lord and smashed it with his silver cross. As he struck it is died instantly steaming and burning where the cross touched it. The Doctor then ran into the Inn and got a mason jar and put the dead bird into it. The doctor then dissected the bird, in his room, and found that he he believed it to have been dead for quite a few days. Most likely it died from a attack from a cat other such animal day before Jeremiah copied the page for the minister. Believing that the bird was not possessed by any type of demon the Preacher and he brunt the dead bird.

That night they took shifts watching for the mad Jeremiah. Finding he got away and those awake went and got the rest of the Hero's to help corner Jeremiah. They saw him at the door to the First Presbytrian Church doing something to the sign on the church. The Preacher told Erich to shoot him if anything happened. As the doctor ran to catch him Jeremiah bolted and Erich took a shot hitting him in the arm as he ran away. Chasing him down they managed to knock him out. Carrying him back to the Inn they were confronted by townspeople that wanted to know what the ruckus was and why there was shooting in the night. Getting away from them they made it back to the Inn and went past the proprietress and a patron as they went through the common room. Up in the room they treated him and found that all he would do is repeat 'Oh God" and 'Mother, mother, oh God'.

A hard knock came at the door and the militia had come to take away the mad person. The Hero's were told that Jeremiah would be held over night, tomorrow there would be a trial at noon and the next day he would be sentenced and they should be there.

The next day at the trial the Printer was there and translated all that was said. The court was headed by two lawyers in powdered wig and 2 common people, to protect the interest of those that didn't know law. Th court heard the Hero's account and then the priest of the First Presbyterian asked that he be burnt as a witch for he spread deification all over the sign of the church. The printer also told of the boy life and what he knew of his past. The following day here were more people there and many were calling for the boy to be burnt. The court decided that the boy would be taken to Virgina to the Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds. since the Hospital is in Virgina and most people there speak English the court charged the Hero's to escort Jeremiah to the hospital. They would be paid for their time and they would be allowed a week or 2 to prepare for their trip if they so desired. Seeing no way out of it they accepted and said that they would do it in 2 weeks.

The Heroes then headed to Franklintown to find the minister that had the paper copied. In Franklintowns the first church they came to had two newly filled graves. Looking them over they saw that both of the grave makers had a old Hebrew symbol on them that was meant to be used on people that were buried without knowledge of their names in order to keep them from rising from their graves. It was also a symbol know in the catholic church too but rarely know in this modern age of reason. As there looked over the graves a Minister came out of the church and introduced himself as Jacob Helisin a minister from a church down the road. When asked about Father Mathew Smith he said that he was away for a few weeks and he was tending his flock while he was away.

The Preacher stayed and quested Jacob Helisin while the rest of the Heroes walked to the tavern and found a room. Jacob told the Preacher that Smith usually lives in the small shack behind the church and he would be welcome to look over the place and even stay there if he needed to. With that Jacob bid him goodnight and walked away. Looking throw the shack the Preacher found the shack was well ordered with only a bible and four books on middle eastern bible treaties that would belong to a well educated minister. Hidden in the bed he also found the keys to the church.

Here's where we stopped for the night.

Atomic Highway RPG Open Game - 10/23

Comic Store West will be hosting a RPG day on October 23 to celebrate the release of GAMMA WORLD. The Keystone Gaming Society will be holding a gaming session of ATOMIC HIGHWAY on this day. Sign-up at the store today before all of the available spots fill up.

Colonial Gothic Episode 1

Episode 1

Staying for a few days at the Tavern with the rampant red lion on its sign (one day to become the name sake of Red Lion, PA.) the Heroes have grown to be familiar with each other and call each other friends. While breaking fast they overhear a local talking about the fact that theres a person running crazy around Yorktowne (one day to become York, PA.). They immediately start questioning him and he says that he's heard that the lunatic has been running loose ever night and disturbing the town something horrible.

The heros then gathered their truck and headed to Yorktowne. After a short time along the road they saw 2 anger hunting dogs running across a field at them. Knowing about dogs Erich Hauptman (Brian B.) tried to calm them down before they got to close. When that didn't work Doctor Sullivan Rane (Dave) killed one of the dogs with his pistol while Erich took the other with his rifle. After reloading they walked up to look at the dog. Across the field they could see a farmhouse and a farmer looking out the window at them. Seeing them he closed the window quick like he was going to get his rifle and come after the Heroes.

Coming into Yorktowne in the late afternoon the Heroes made their way right to to courthouse in the center of town. Within two militia men guarded the door while court was being held. At the head table two judges in robes and powdered wigs sat next two well dressed gentlemen. In front of them a local seemed to be explaining something with much vigor.

Quietly the Doctor asked the guard about lunatic that was running wild telling him that they where there to find him. Not knowing much about it he told them he had been staying at the White Hall Inn before the moon made him mad. Finding out that the White Hall Inn was on the corner of High Street and Beaver Street, just outside behind the open market attached to the Courthouse.

Entering the White Hall Inn the Heroes made their way to the bar there and tried to talk to the lady proprietor only to find that she only spoke German. They then noticed that everyone around them where speaking in German After a drink they tried again to talk to her about the lunatic, the doctors little bit of German enough to make her understand them.

The proprietress then led them to a small corner room upstairs. Through hand signs and German she told that that they found the room in a shambles, the windows and shutters thrown open and broken and the cross she had on the wall was missing. and that the Lunitic escaped by going out the window and down the shed roof, into the back yard. Examining the room Ian Ferguson (Brian W.) found scratches on the floor that lead him to notice there were clean areas where the scratches where. Both the Doctor and Ian noticed the clean spots had the shape of occult ritual symbols.

They then noticed that there was a new candle in the room. Asking about it the lady made them understand that when she came into the room there was wax all over the floor and she had to use a knife to scrape it off her floors.

Erich searched the back yard looking for track of the lunatic but all he found was the broken cross from the room above. While they were out there the proprietress ran out with a small sack in her hand and gave it to them pointing to the room of the Lunatic. In the bag they found some basic belongings along with 2 Pennsylvania notes, a knife and the remains of a burnt paper with some block printed writing still decipherable.

Reading what remained on the paper they found the first part to be a warning to never evoke the name of God when reading the rest of the paper. The paper lead them to look for a person that cold do such basic printing here in Yorktowne. A few blocks away on Queen street between King and Princess Street's they found a shop that did small printing like the remains of the page they were given.

As the Doctor started to talk to the Printer in German the Printer offered to speak English since his is better then the Doctor's German. They found that there was a young man that was working for him and he was named Jeremiah Knotts. He was from Shermantown far to the north and had come to Yorktowne to make his fortune and had not come into work for several days.

Its here that we stopped for the night.

Atomic Highway 5 to the end

Heading down the highways they had to take a off-ramp to keep following the road to the Race Strip. There they ran into a group of raider that they had it out with. It ended with Roach jumping from the hood of the Hauler onto Gorbo's Gunny-Car as the Hauler veered off the highway and exploded in a ball of flame. This was after Roach had killed its crew with repetitive shotgun blasts through the window slits.

Billy J Syths race strip was a paved runway back before the big death. Now for 5 gallons of gas a car load of anybody can come in to watch the race. The old air strip now has 10 foot high metal plating 8 feet off each side of pavement for the length of the strip. Above both side of that a scaffolding holds rows and rows of bleachers with Syths own viewing stand above and centered on the north side of the track. Any driver can put his vehicle into the pool to be called to race. Racing involves both cars facing off and flying down the airstrip at each other with guns blazing. At anytime a driver can give up and drive out of one of the ends of the strip but then he lost. what do you get? Nothing. what do you get if you win? Usually nothing, unless you kill the other drivers crew then you get salvage rights on his vehicle. So why would people race for nothing? Thats were Mr Syths's real money maker comes in. Gambling.

Any salvaged items you want are collected and given a value. Their then traded in for chits that can be used to bet on the races with. Winning are then claimed from collected salvages. Trading in their salvage Rambler and Hank started placing bets on the races. After a short time Rambler had won over and over and found himself with a load of chits while Hank found himself over his head in dept to the track. Telling the Sec men he owned a car they put him and Gunny car into the pool of drivers.

Rambler found himself taken up to the private booth of Mr Sythe, the man he was sent to look for. Talking for a short time Billy Sythe seemed to like Rambler. It was that Rambler saw Hank and Gunnycar being taken out to the track as the announcer said that he was driving to pay off dept to the track. Rambler then convinced Billy Sythe that Hank was to good a battlecar warrior for a regular race. Billy Sythe called of the race and put Hank back into the pool to run during the mixed class.

Rambler then told Billy what had happened in Big Springs and how Solar Tower 3 had sprung a leak and that the city wanted more molten salt to resupply the tower. Billy said that north west of New Platte there a storage area that had a tank of molten salt from before the Big Death. They would have to find it, heat the tank up so it becomes liquid and get a transport to get it out of town, and no they wouldn't get any help from him. But the information was free.

Roach then striped Jesus's car, Lady, for part for Gunnycar. Loading it out with an extra machine gun a grenade launcher and ram and solid tires they were done in time for their race. The mixed class put Gunnycar up against a huge armored pickup with a heavy machine gun in the back bed.

As the match went on Hank was able to get the upper hand by tear gassing the rear gunner. The race ended with Gunnycar all but destroyed and the pickup a smoldering hulk. Talking their winnings the group then paid to get both cars fixed up.

They then drove north to Chappell and spend the night in the walled city that made its money from selling fuel. The next morning they saw a tanker truck leave town escorted by a armored pickup and 4 battlecars. The party talked about attacking the convoy to get the truck and then decided that it be easier to get jobs as battlecar escorts and then they would only have the pickup and 2 battle cars to deal with.

Finding the convoy boss they asked for a job and were told they have to interview with the big boss first. Going in the towns tavern they were taken upstairs and into a large office with lots of Sec men around. Behind the desk was Billy G Ray Sythe who knew immediately what they were up to. he told them to get the hell out of their town and if he ever found them causing him any problems he would have them maimed and left for raiders along I80. As they were being escorted out of the room he told Rambler to stay. He poured Rambler a drink and told him that he'd have tried the same think in his youth. Laughing and talking for awhile he them left him go.

Heading east to New Platte they didn't find any real problems. At one rest stop they came across some nomads who they traded for a big cowboy hat for Gorbo and a huge #8 NASCAR belt buckle for Rambler.

At the exit to New Platte they found allot of activity. One quarter of the exit seemed to be a lite up memorial in front of a Inn turned into a church hospital. Heading North off the exit they passed a huge wooded fortress with the words Trading Post across it. Entering the ruined city Rambler noticed gang symbols right before they were forced stop when they noticed mines in the street in front of them. They then were shot at from a hotel to their right and from the second story of an office building to their left. With Gunnycar being shot Gorbo got out and ran at the hotel room with his hammer as Ramblertook the drivers seat of Gunnycar. Gorbo broke into the hotel room and started hammering on raiders as Rambler opened fire on the side of the hotel somehow missing Grobo and killing the raiders that gorbo hadn't gotten to.

Hank and Roach killed several of the raiders in the office building and they last one disappeared into the building. From behind the building there was a roar of engine and a Humvee took off across the parking lot. Behind them Rambler followed once Gorbo got into the car. Roach gave chase and as they got near he told hank to take the wheel as he climbed out the window and jumped onto the Humvee. The Humvee then sideswiped Lady making Hank loose control of her and crashing nose first into a ditch. Rambler continued to give chase until Gunnycar ran out of gas. Gorbo quickly got out and continued to chase the Humvee on foot. Hank climbing out of Lady finding himself surrounded by ganger's of another gang.

On the Humvee the driver made a sharp turn as he came to the barrier at the edge of his gang territory. Hanging on Roach shattered the windshield and then reached in and yanked the steering wheel as hard as he could sending the Humvee up and over the barricade in a flying barrel roll. Waking up Roach found himself, Gorbo and Hank all tied to crosses surrounded by 20 flesh loving cannibals.

Rambler found himself surrounded with ganger's and dropped a grenade out his window. Using one of his points, he found that his car hadn't ran out of gas and the grenade explosion was enough to restart the car. Rambler then took off to follow the trail of the cannibals.

Rambler managed to find the clearing and his friends tied up. Reeving up his engine Rambler flew into he middle of the clearing opening up with the cars weapons while running over others. At the same time the tied up member managed to break loose and join the fight. left with only the leader who had a gun to Hanks head there was a shot fired from outside the clearing and the leader slumped to the group with a bullet through his brain. In the distance, on a horse was a bearded man who introduced himself as Buffalo Bill.

Buffalo Bill lead them back to his ranch that was just across the rail lines to the North. The Cody ranch was nice and they starting point from where the Codys were bringing order to Norther Platte.

Over dinner the group told what their plans were and the next day Buffalo Bill had his men take the group to the tower of molten salt and took them o get a hauler with a tanker trailer. Roach then started the heaters on the storage tower. The group noticed that there was a rail line behind the storage area and lines that connected large special tanker train car to the salt storage tower. Gorbo then, while no one was around, hooked up the tank to the tanker trailer and started to transfer molten salt into the tanker. Roach was able to turn off the flow when he noticed that the molten salt was melting the tanker trailer.

The group then decided to get a diesel engine from the rail yards. They also hooked up a car transport train car for Gunnycar and a flatbed train car for the hauler. After some talk about getting a caboose the idea was forgotten and the group headed to Big Springs.

The train consisted of the engine with Rambler and Hank driving, then the car carrier with Gorbo in Gunnycar. The molten salt car and then flatbed with the hauler tractor and Roach on it. On the rails some raiders along route 30 decided to try to attack the train. As the 3 raiders vehicles caught up to the train Roach started shooting at them aiming for their tires managing to shoot out 2 of the pickups tires it gave up the chase. Hank sped up the train getting up to about 70mph. As the cars passed the train Gorbo jumped onto the lead car. As he fought for his footing the car passed the engine and the passenger started shooting out at the trains fuel tanks from across the roof of the car. Rambler shot the passenger and the shot the driver sending the car out of control. The car severed onto the tracks in front of the train. Hank gave the train more speed as it collided with the car smashing it to pieces. As the car crumbled Gorbo jumped from the top of the car onto the speeding train. At the same time Roach made a called shot on the driver of the last raider killing him. The last raider car careened off the road and under roaches flat bed train car. As the train cars rear wheels drove over the wreckage of the battle car Roach spent adventure points to make sure that the train cars rear wheels landed right back onto the tracks safely.

Back at Big Springs the group was hailed as hero's and paid well for their adventure.

This is where we stopped playing Atomic Highway.

Sam

WTF, D&D!

Please check out this blog, which brilliantly sends up bad RPG game art over the past 36 years. It's well-deserved and a long time coming. Be sure to check out their section on the Original D&D rule book from 1974. The art is truly criminal, but is great comedy fodder.
http://www.somethingawful.com/d/dungeons-and-dragons/

Playing Castle Ravenloft

Tonight the Gaming Syndicate or whatever our name is will be playing Castle Ravenloft at Comic Store West. I think our plan is to play 2 different adventures and then do a PODCAST review of the game.

Check back later for more info.

The Great Debate: Do Gamers REALLY Want Cinematic Gaming?

I've heard it said lately by some gamers that they want a "cinematic" experience in a RPG. First off, why does everything have to be like the movies? Comic books want to be more "cinematic," whatever that means. Our TV screens are now the size of a movie screen. Books are written with the movie (to be produced later) in mind. And now RPGs are suppose to be cinematic? REALLY? I don't think so.

At least, not if, by "cinematic" you mean, "like the movies." Cause I gotta tell you... I don't think you would enjoy playing the main character(s) from most movies.

Action movie characters often face overwhelming odds, split up the party, have little control over what happens to them, get few rewards from their battles, and often win based on sheer luck or the actions of "NPC" characters. Let's look at some examples from some movies I recently watched.

In "Live Free or Die Hard" or any of the Die Hard movies, John McClain is outmanned, outgunned, and gets the crap kicked out of him. Do you know how many times players would be crying "fowl" if their GM treated them like the moviemakers treat McClain? Even when he "wins" his life just gets worse and worse.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone? Harry's "victory" is through sheer luck.

Any Terminator film? You're hopelessly overpowered by a superior force that you can't even damage. In gaming terms? Attack - fail, attack - fail, attack - fail... repeat 500 times. Sounds like fun!

Indiana Jones? Always gets captured and he wins by keeping his eyes closed, invoking the name of Shiva, running away from an earthquake, and a alien ship taking off. Those don't sound like satisfying RPG wins.

Even movie franchises with RPGs based on them such as Star Wars wouldn't be nearly as fun if you ran them like the movies they are based on. "Wait, I'm a JEDI! How was I beat by a wampa in a single round?" "Okay, so you're entering an asteroid field... you need to roll a "1" and a d3,720 to survive."

I Am Legend? 30 Days of Night? 3:10 to Yuma? All feature main characters hopelessly outmatched. Not much fun at the gaming table. But see, that's what movies do. Movies put the character in the darkest, most hopeless place possible before saving the character from inevitable doom.

I like all of the movies I listed above - as movies, not as a model for my RPG gaming experiences. Bottom line - I don't wall out of many movies thinking, "Boy, I wish my RPG experiences were more like that!" So why do some players insist they want their gaming experiences to be like the movies?

That's my opinion. Agree? Disagree? Feel I cherrypicked my movie examples? Post a comment with your thoughts!

What's in a name?

Gaming Syndicate? What does that even mean? I ran a focus group and it didn't test favorable. Not to mention how it was implemented. Plot hammer anyone?

I liked "Local Gaming Group"... It was inviting and universal. Kinda like "Friendly Local Game Store" is in The Knights of the Dinner Table. Everyone has a LGG and can relate to that. Everyone has sat around with friends and shared their thoughts on games. A cool motto would be "Pull up a chair." Syndicate? What are we, the mob? Sounds tough which we definately are not.

Let me make a third name suggestion.... it fits with our "review on a six sided die" motif, which is pretty cool. My suggestion...

5D6 Gamer Blog

D6 is our review style. There are five of us. Brian, don't make me spell it out for you.

Debate? Post your comments, contributors and *ahem* fans alike...

Of course, I was also a big proponent of "Critical Blog!" See, we're being critical by reviewing games and "critical" is also a gamer term for an outstanding success so... never mind.

CR Test

Bryan B's Gaming Bio

I'm mostly a video game kind of gamer. On my computer I play Civ City Rome, Rome Total War (and expansion pack), panzer general 2, pirates, Civilization 3, and Blitzkrieg 2. On my old PS2 I usualy play Star Wars Battlefront 1 and 2. On my 360 I play Red Dead Redemption and Civilization Revolution. As far as roleplaying, I've played DnD 2nd, 3rd, and 4th editions, Judge Dread, Traveler, Warhammer, Aces and Eights, and Atomic Highway (obviously). I also have a group of my friends that play DnD 2nd edition at my house that I GM, which will most likely be the only game I ever GM. I got started playing when I was a little kid and my dad took me to his games on Mondays with historical and wargames (The Susqeuhannah Historical Gamers), and this is also how I became a history buff. Panzer General 2 got me interested when I was 5 and rolling over the Allies as the Wehrmacht. I love gaming and am open to just about any game.

Castle Ravenloft

I am very interested in this game. Looks like it comes out this Tuesday.

Atomic Highway Session 4b

4b because once the party got back to town and sold the scavenged bitz they wanted to sell I started my adventure.

The party went to see one of the consul members as the weird woman told them to. He was a little taken aback that they came to him when he was just going to seek them out but he told them his problem. Most the people of Big Springs work on Solar Tower 3 or work protecting it. Solar Tower 3 was made right before the Big Death to subsidize the power from the local dam North of Big City, what use to be called Ogallala. Last week one of the feed lines on Solar Tower 3 cracked, and about 6000 gallons of molten salt poured bout before they could get the system shut down. Lucky for the town, buried deep under the Tower complex is a holding tank that was about full when the Big Death hit. The latest spill has drained most of the remaining surplus of molten salt.

The guy named Billy Syth has said he knew where a old storage vat of Molten salt is and the town needs the party to go talk to him and bring back a load of molten salt for the tower. Tomorrow night is race night at the strip, Billy will be there. The party just needed to follow old Interstate 80 West about 40 minutes till they see the race.

going to a race the party decided that they'd be best to take both their battle car. Knowing the Jesus Billy Throttle would never allow his Lady to go without him they stole it with plans of returning it unharmed.

Coming up on the overpass for Rd 203 they could see that under the bridge the East bound lane was filled with burned out wreckage from the Big Death times. 203's overpass had junk piled high over the side of its concrete. Coming at the Bridge at about 65mph Rambler and Book, in front with Lady, noticed a raider with a machine gun right as he opened into them from the bridge above. Surprised, Book lost control of the car and went into a spin as he slid under the overpass. Regaining control (he rolled something like 6 successes!!) he stopped his spin with 4 startled raiders in his gun sight. Lady's machine gun took out 3 of them as Rambler leaned out the passenger side window and killed the last with his pistol. Then he noticed the Machine gun raider had ran across the bridge to open up on then again. With a single shot to the head the guy was down. As the party started to scavenge from the dead on I80 they heard a motorcycle start up and head south. Finding the machine gun and a grenade launcher on the over pass the party felt they had done pretty well and moved on.

Stay tuned for the next daring adventures in the wastes of Nevada!

Normally i'd not have given allot of exp for the adventure since they made out with pretty good loot with almost no injury's but since we don;t know how long it is till we move onto the new game we want to see how character advancement works. So I gave everyone 6points to do advancements with.

-Sam

Dave B's Gaming Bio

I'll keep this brief.

I've played a lot of games.

OK, maybe that's too brief. I got into the hobby in 1979 when I bought Panzerblitz and a little bit later bought Divine Right. This led within a few months to buying the Dungeons & Dragons basic set (in the cool blue box). It only covered characters from 1st to 3rd level, but it had an adventure in it and was capably written (an uncommon trait in the early days). I "DM'd" the adventure with some neighbor friends and we were soon hooked. We all bought the AD&D books when the came out and were soon running campaigns and arguing about rules and grudge killing characters and "Monty Hauling" through ridiculous dungeons full of monsters and traps.
Other board games and RPGs followed. I won't name them all. In fact, I won't name any of them. But I'm pretty sure I played or read most of what was available back then, except for some of those super-complex giant SPI games like Drag Nacht Osten.
I stayed with the hobby in college with a great group of friends, and started getting into miniatures games, too. Inevitable, considering how miniatures driven games like D&D tend to be.
After college, I played with several different gaming groups, including one at Comic Store West, back when it was at the North Mall (you guys want anything from Orange Julius?). A lot of D&D, but plenty of other games, too. Eventually I got married to Carolyn, we had Bryan, and I slowed down on gaming for a few years. When I got back into it, I played mostly miniatures games (Warhammer, Chipco, DH, and numerous historical rules sets). I wanted to get back into RPGs, but didn't have the time.
Over a year ago, Brett invited Bryan and I to be in his D&D group. I'd never played 3.5, so I was happy to play. I've had fun ever since!
Why do I still play after 30 years? The simple answer is: Because it's fun! Beyond that, I love RPGs because they promote cooperative game play and working with a team. To be good at pen and paper RPGs, you have to learn how to work and interact with people face to face. And miniature and boardgames are fun because they are competitive and allow you to see how people think, both strategically and tactically. Most of the people I've gamed with I consider friends and I really like hanging out and talking about other stuff beyond gaming. It's one way I stay connected to people outside of family, work, neighbors, and church. I will always find time to game because I've never considered it a waste of time.

Atomic Highway Map

Here is the map of the area we are currently located for the Atomic Highway game.

MAP

Eclipse Phase

Brett pointed me at this Friday at the store. I spent an hour drooling over the artwork and looking at the background. Check it out. and if one of you in the group doesn't get it in the next few weeks I am!


http://www.eclipsephase.com/

Eclipse Phase is a pen & paper roleplaying game of post-apocalyptic transhuman conspiracy and horror.

An "eclipse phase" is the period between when a cell is infected by a virus and when the virus appears within the cell and transforms it. During this period, the cell does not appear to be infected, but it is.

Players take part in a cross-faction secret network dubbed Firewall that is dedicated to counteracting "existential risks" — threats to the existence of transhumanity, whether they be biowar plagues, self-replicating nanoswarms,

Sam C Gaming Bio

My first gaming experience was in Elementary school, probably 6th grade with the kids of some friends of my mothers. Ideas for dungeons were all I could think about for months afterwards. That Christmas my Aunt got me the D&D box sets. But didn't know anyone that was interested in playing.

In junior high I played Risk all the time until new neighbors moved in down the street. Then we played AD&D at the bus stop, on the bus, in home room before school, at lunch and in the evenings. Summertime was for bike riding, sword fighting with broom sticksand metal trash can lids and AD&D in a basement for hours and hours, days and days on end. High school brought more of the same and the spreading into MSPE(Mercenaries Spies and Private Eyes), Paranoia, Star Frontiers, Traveller, Gamma World and Star Trek RPG's (Mind you, most of these got a back seat to AD&D which was most of our gaming time). HS also brought Axis and Allies which we played. Oh and Dawn Patrol which I use to beg my friends to play since I was the only one in love with WWI stuff.

In the Marine Corps I started converting Battletech role play into my own idea of space opera. Once I found enough people that wanted to roleplay they asked me to run AD&D and the sci-fi ideas faded (Thanks Mike, Ben, Dan and Lulu). In my spare time I designed my own lands with sketches of landmarks and places of renown. Its also where I spent days drawing up the perfect maze that would fill up a whole session of gaming with them roaming around. What happened was they turned left 3 times and walked right through the maze without even knowing they were in one! It was the last maze I ever used in RPG's!!! Mikey ran a Call of Cthulhu that was so good that a knock on a desk made me jump back and fire my finger at a door. If I remember correctly it was a ghost and the bullet through the door did nothing to stop it.

In 1989+/-, living in Mechanicsburg PA I found the Comic Store West in York PA and soon after started playing AD&D and running WHFRP (Warhammer Fantasy role Play). This is when Dave B and I first started playing together, way back then. It was then that we we're invited to play in Brett's (Of CSW) Shadowrun game.

Other games of the time: Adeptus Mechanicus, Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Warhammer 40k, HOL (Human Occupied Landfill), Ares Magica, Vampire the Masquerade, Werewolf, Mummy, Mage, Rolemaster, WEG Star Wars, WEG Star Wars Miniatures Battles, RoboRally, Necromunda, Silent Death, GO, Advanced Hero Quest, Chaos Warrior, Space Hulk, Gorkamorka, Magic(that was back before The Dark!) and about 20 games that elude my memory right now.

Moving to France killed my roleplaying but I played allot of table top game and board games. Confrontation, Primordial Soup, Guillotine, Grand Prix, Gang of Four and again a bunch of game that I can't remember right now.

Moving back to Harrisburg I started playing with a bunch of people I knew from years before. RMFRP (Rolemaster Fantasy Roleplay) we played more often then anything. We also played WHFRP, Spacemaster, Deadlands, CoC, ROTG (Run out the Guns), Traveller (from Mongoose Publishing), Judge Dread(MGP), Hammers Slammers (MGP), Connan(MGP), Serenity, Seventh Sea, Dark Heresy and Rogue Trader. In the boardgame/table top arena I played more WFB and 40k, BFG (Battlefleet Gothic),BBB(Blunderbuss's, Broadside and Boarding Parties), Settlers of Catan, SternenfahreR (Spacefare's of Catan). Flames of War, Chipco, Close Action, Victory at Sea Age of Dreadnoughts, Circus Maximus, Race Day, Tiki Mountain, Small World, Catan Card Game, Starship Catan, Hey thats My Fish. Wings of War, Cosmic Encounters (AH), ASL, and one of my favorates J.U.M.P. into the Unknown (Justified Use of Military Power). I'm sure I missed some but all this is while getting into 1/32 scale slot cars.

Sometime in 2010 my schedule opened to allow me to finally join Brett's D&D game though it wasn't long before he stopped running to run the promotional D&D game at the store. let to our own devices the group brought in 15 or so of our favorite games and voted on which ones we wanted to play.

The most recent games I've gotten or are soon to get are Atomic Highway, Colonial Gothic and Eclipse Phase. AH I'm running and playing now and its only a matter of time till we get to CG and EP!

Castle Ravenloft

Hey guys I am getting a copy of the new D&D Ravenloft board game so maybe that can be the first board game we try. What do you think?

Check out the game if you have not yet seen it? link

If you want your own copy, talk to Brett about pre-ordering this game. It looks like it's gonna be awesome.

Brian W's Gaming Bio

Started playing D&D back in 1982.
Played religiously for nearly 10 years, took a break for about 15 years and am back playing everything I can (or at least reading everything I can.)

Have played and (probably still own):

Role Playing Games:

Aces & Eights
Babylon 5
Battletech (all versions)
Boot Hill
Brave New World
Car Wars
Champions
D&D (ver 1, 3, 3.5 and hopefully very soon 4)
Dawn Patrol
DC RPG (version 1)
Dr Who
Gamma World
Gangbusters
James Bond
Living Steel
Marvel RPG (all versions)
Merc
Mutants and Masterminds
Paranoia
Pathfinder
Robotech
Star Fleet Battles
Star Frontiers
Star Trek (Decipher)
Star Trek III Star Ship Combat
Star Wars (all versions)
Talisman
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Toon
Top Secret
Traveler 2300
Twilight 2000
Villains and Vigilantes
Warhammer Fantasty RPG
World of Darkness

Collectible Miniature Games:

HeroClix
MechWarrior
HorrorClix
Halo ActionClix
Lord of the Rings Minis
AT-43
MageKnight
Pokemon
Star Wars
D&D

Scott S: A Gamer's Biography

I am in my mid-thirties and have been gaming since I was in the 6th grade. In Middle school, I began gaming with DnD 2nd Edition. I gamed with friends on weekends and after school. I also gamed with the Boy Scouts on many weekend trips. I remember going backpacking (where every pound counts!) and taking a Player's Handbook, dice, pencils, and character sheets with me. I was also fortunate enough to have a teacher, Mrs. Lloyd (the Latin teacher), who ran an after-school Role playing club. Mrs. Lloyd had EVERY DnD book ever published and she really mentored us as role players. During this time, I learned just how annoying some gamers can be (I met my first arch nemesis at this time who I absolutely hated).

It was around the 9th grade when I started spreading my wings as a gamer and played different gaming systems. I have fond memories of TMNT, Marvel D100, Star Wars, Battletech, Gurps, and others. I also found myself gaming with several stable ongoing gaming groups. I ran a Marvel game for several years that grew until it had about a dozen people playing. I also spent quite a bit of time in the DnD world of Ravenloft. I still have a strong affinity for that world today. Toward the end of high school I also started experimenting with other forms of gaming such as collectible card games. I had quite a Magic: The Gathering collection from early on that I sold in college. Argh!

When I went to Harrisburg Area Community College, my gaming friends all moved away to college or joined the military. I worked in my first comic book store at this time (Wolfhead Comics). I played Magic still and gamed occasionally but nothing steady.

After HACC, I worked at Comix Connection, the second comic book store to employee me. While working there, I rebuilt my Magic collection and fell into a weekly 5 or 6 player Magic game. We had quite the time, playing for hours on end. I even went to some Magic tourneys. DnD 3rd edition was released which sparked our Magic group to morph into a role playing group. We started a long standing campaign. When I moved to Millersville to attend college, I still gamed with this group, driving an hour one way to get to the game each week.

Alas, it wasn't to last. I flamed out on the group when group tensions were brought to a boil due to a boyfriend-girlfriend relationship between two gaming group members. I quickly fell into another group but it was odd because the group had been gaming together for 20 years and I was the "replacement" for a group member that had moved away. I found myself constantly unknowingly breaking previously-established group protocol. I quit this group when I moved to North Carolina.

In NC, it took me awhile to find a gaming group. During this "down time," I got hooked on strategy board games including Settlers of Catan, Puerto Rico, Ticket to Ride, and Colosseum. Eventually, through the internet, I found CharlotteRPG. At CRPG, I was exposed to a host of games that I had never played before, such as Shadowrun, World of Darkness: Vampire, Werewolf, and Mage, Seven Seas, Sengoku, Star Wars D20, and Macho Women With Guns. We pretty much played it all. I also met my second arch nemesis, Doris the Austrian Au Pair. We would routinely lock horns both in and out of the game. As a group, we would throw in some card games, video games, and board games for variety. The Vampire board game was cool, as was the collectible GI JOE card game and Cosmic Encounter. We also had an ongoing DnD campaign. Unfortunately, I moved back to PA and away from this gaming group.

Upon arrival back in PA, I randomly met an old gaming buddy in Walmart and we formed a new gaming group with some folks we used to game with back in high school. We had an ongoing Ptolus DnD campaign that took us from 1st to 12th level (a rare treat to truly develop a character). I was very sad when the GM just gave up the campaign and let us all hang. I left the group shortly thereafter.

And that is how I found myself available when Brett Stoner, owner of Comic Store West, asked me to join his gaming group on Wednesday nights. We started with DnD 3rd edition but didn't get very far when Brett had to leave the group. The group continued, however, and we have continued to play a variety of games including Aces and Eights, Atomic Highway, Traveler, and Warhammer Fantasy.

In the future, I look forward to playing a variety of new RPG games but I also look forward to getting into another long standing campaign where I can develop and advance a character through the levels.

Atomic Highway Session 3

Atomic Highway Session 3

Picked up the new creature source book - 'Irradiated Freaks' from the store before the game (but I won't need it tonight).

ok, not much action last session but I promised there would be more in this session. I spent the last two days of my vacation designing the prison and then I found a better prison floor plan on-line (http://www.mysterylist.com/hag.htm).

Our band of brothers first decided to check the cars in the lot for good batteries. They lucked out and found one with a decent charge which allowed them to use Rambler's deer spotting light. The group then decided to check for a generator
and found it in an exterior building, along with a good amount of gasoline (in an aux tank). They got the generator up and running and got the prison lit up. The group journeyed into the prison through the destroyed east wing which went
directly through the Warden's quarters. A few useful items were found in the warden's quarters expecially after Gorbo ripped the door off of the hidden safe.

Continuing to the warden's balcony our group spotted their first two zombies (yes kids you heard right zombies). Our group of Einsteins started shooting at them which caused more zombies to spawn because of the noise. The first zombies to appear
were ex-prison guards and prisoners (these were called Lurchers). Then the higher ranking guards (called Moaners) came finally followed by our first female prisoner (a screamer). Check back soon for full zombie specs. It took a while for the group
to realize everytime they used a gun (or chainsaw) the noise was attracting more and more zombies. There was 1 point where I was actually running out of minis to throw at the party.

The following characters got bitten: Hank and Rambler. Gorbo received a nasty claw scratch from the Screamer and I think all of the party received some damage from the screamer's scream. Only time will tell if Hank and Rambler turn into zombies because of the bite damage.

Anyway most of the party switch to quiet melee weapons and the zombies were destroyed.

Gorbo rolled two critical misses and once with the hammer (hitting the door frame instead of a zombie) and once with the chainsaw (getting the blade lodged in a zombie's spinal cord). Rambler
also ran out of bullets in his pistol and was forced to switch to his rife.

Who are you, gamer?

I encourage Dave, Brian, Sam, and Young Brian to post a "gamer biography." Who are you as a gamer. What games have you played or do you enjoy playing? How long have you been gaming? What gaming groups have you been a part of?

I look forward to hearing what you have to say!

Atomic Highway Character - Gorbo Smashskull

Atomic Highway Character - Eddy Throttle

Atomic Highway Character - Hank Hill

Atomic Highway Character - Rambler

Here's my Atomic Highway character, a remnant sentinel named Rambler, who drives a small Winnebago through the wastelands in a constant search to salvage parts, technology, and knowledge from the past for a better tomorrow. And for some fat cash.

Atomic Highway Session 2

Atomic Highway Session 2

We started off with some quick character creation for Bryan and Dave since they missed the prior week. But then within about 30 minutes we were off.
So Gorbo, Roach and Eddie were off still trying to deliver the magazines/books from session 1 when they came across a broken down Winnebago owned by Rambler and
his friend Hank Hill. They managed to tow the Winnebago back to Little Town after killing a few Rat-Dogs (stats on Rat Dogs coming soon).

Once at Little Town we discovered that Rambler and Hank have been looking for this old detention center that was rumored to be in the area but had never been found. With the help from our
in-house history book Roach was able to figure out the aproximate location of the detention center.

Gorbo, Eddie and Rambler rode in the '58 Chevy and Hank took his motorcycle up The One (Rte 80) and finally found the overgrown rode. The vehicles were unable to continue through the overgrown rode so our heroes
made the last trek of the journey on foot.

Meanwhile Roach stayed behind in Little town to Tweak Lady (Eddie's car) and Rambler's Winnebago. Little did our heroes know Roach has a 'chem' problem (rules on chem coming soon) and probably should not have been left alone.

Our group of heroes found the lost prison, which because of tectonic shift was at the bottom of a steep cliff. The outer fence was wrecked it many area so after checking if it was electrified our heroes journeyed to the outer walls of the prison.

Experience for the session was given. All characters got 2pts. Gorbo was MVP so he received an additional point.


To be continued in session 3...

suggestions for games....

Just wanted to get a compiled list of games that people would like us to try. Mind you there's going to be very few, right now, that we're going to be willing to run out and buy just to review but we'll still take any and all into consideration.

Wait, what? you want to send us one to try? Sure, sounds great! Just send it to the store, attention to US. Oh and don;t send us anything you want back and just cause you sent it doesn't absolutely mean we'll play it. Just a warning =)

Sam

Atomic Highway Character - Roach

Atomic Highway - Session 1

Character Creation

Brian ran character creation for Scott and Sam. Brian chose a Remnant, LoreKeeper for his character - ROACH. Sam chose a 'Steader, Road Warrior character, and Scott went with a Feral, Pit Fighter character.

Since Dave and Bryan were absent we just did a short car battle adventure.

Brian and Sam are both going to run some in this game system.

Character stats to follow.

The following equipment was acquired:

wet/dry vac
2 sets of jumper cables
trailer hitch
2 bootles of fuel additive
portable battery charger
4 bottles of car wax

Scott acquired:
1958 Chevy
Medium machine gun on the hood
Medium armor (11)
Protection of 75 (8 damage taken so far)

Aces & Eights Character - John Garcia

Aces & Eights

We completed our 4 week session of Aces & Eights with mixed reviews.