April begins on the morrow. The origin of the name of the Roman month Aprilis is uncertain, it may refer to the opening (aperire) of buds and flowers as spring arrives or to the goddess Venus, to whom it is a sacred month. So, what themes shall we explore this month? Spring? Romance? Opening? Your thoughts, dear readers?
At the end of each month, I have decided to do a review of what was published here over that month. March, was devoted to war and things martial and saw the following articles:
The medals awarded to the survivors of the battle of Kass were struck at their Colonel’s own expense. Those who wore them swore that the medallions kept them alive from then on, their loyalty to their Colonel became unshakable and the medallions were passed down from father to son in service.
Survivor’s Medallion
These medallions are often worn to the point of illegibility from the constant handling of the wearer and often nicked or damaged by close blows. If they can be read, they are usually prayers to warrior-saints, war medals or simply charms of protection.
Annika the Landsknechtin surveyed the battlefield, covered in blood and broken bodies, the Three Swords Band had fulfilled their contract and held the line but at what cost. She did not regret surviving but she did feel a momentary twinge of pity for those who did not. Hoisting her halberd, she moved out onto the field, who knew what might be salvaged from the wreckage.
War Child (Battlefield Survivor)
“War hasn’t killed me yet.”
War is a dirty business, but a necessary one for many. Many long term soldiers, especially mercenaries, focus their talents on being able to survive both on and off the battlefield. Those who have been soldiers since a young age, the War Children, often are especially adept at such tricks of survival. They may not be the winners of every battle but they will be the ones who live to walk (or crawl) off the battlefield.
The Genius Guide to: Feats of Metamagic is a 9-page PDF (8 pages if you remove the credits/OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Owen K. C. Stephens and published by Super Genius Games. This is part of Super Genius Games’ Genius Guide line.
Leaving Cold Wind City, once again in the company of the Monk Oda, our heroes are aboard the Crane ship Silver Heron sailing to Kyuden Otomo. As a spring storm approaches, the ship takes shelter in a cove. The storm soon passes leaving a dark night as high cloud obscure the stars and the moon.
This was a prestige class built for my Ancient Greece-inspired game and is an evolution of the Pankraton feat. It is a combatant that relies on their own skill alone to defeat his opponents:
Pankraton Master
“Let us fight like real men, with just our hands.”
Pankraton Masters are those warriors who have mastered the physically demanding martial art of Pankraton (“all-powerful”). In unarmed combat, the Pankration Master is devastating, outside of that arena he remains a competent warrior.
Undefeatable 14: Dragon Disciple is a 6-page PDF (5 pages if you remove the OGL page) for the OGL/ Pathfinder RPG written by Michael R. Kimmel and published by Louis Porter Jr. Design, Inc. This product is part of Louis Porter Jr. Design’s Undefeatable line.
The Genius Guide to: Feats of Battle is a 10-page PDF (9 pages if you remove the credits/OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Owen C. K. Stephens and published by Super Genius Game. This is part of Super Genius Games’ Genius Guide line.
Ada Lovelace Day celebrates the achievement of women in the fields of science and technology.
As I see the origin of the field of science (and thus technology) in philosophy, here are some interesting philosophers from the Ancient world:
Aesara of Lucania, a Pythagorean philosopher, of whom only a page of her work survives (referenced by a Roman writer). In that she wrote: Human nature seems to me to provide a standard of law and justice both for the home and for the city. Which seems a very good starting point for me as well.
Hipparchia of Maroneia, a Cynic philosopher, who fully embraced the lifestyle of the Cynic school, denying the need for material comforts and living in the streets to elevate the life of the mind.
And go take a look at 2D Goggles for fun with a steampunk adventuress version of Ada Lovelace.
Hat tip to the Fame & Fortune blog for letting me know.
Today we have a couple of support items for the Imperial Kommissar:
Disciplinarian’s Baton
These items are as much symbols of authority as weapons, they range in design from a simple vinewood canes to a tanned elephant’s pizzle to an ornately decorated rod of steel as is appropriate to the culture that created it.
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