Tomorrow, we move into March and toward the Equinox and Spring. March gains its name from the Roman month Martius which is -in turn- named after Mars, the Roman god of war (and much less of a bully than his Greek counterpart Ares).
So, the theme for March will be the military and things martial.
While in February, this journal saw the following posts:
“What is wrong with the judge?” whispered the maid.
“I do not know,” answered his valet. “I am used to him brooding but not being distracted.”
“And he looks so haunted. I am sure he has lost weight. He hardly touches his meals.”
“Stop gossiping about your betters and get back to work,” ordered the butler, but he too was worried about the dark turn their master had taken.
Prison of the Mind Curse
This vengeance curse is used by those who have been imprisoned for years to punish those that forced them there. Read the rest of this entry ?
If the idea of a weapon that grows in power with a character appeals to you, and fits within your campaign, this book is for you. Even if you are unsure on the weapon evolution mechanic, they are interesting and inspirational magic weapons for a campaign.
Legendary Weapons (a sequel to Legendary Blades) is a 25-page PDF (23-pages if you remove the credits/OGL page) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Mark Gedak and Stefen Styrsky and published by Purple Duck Games.
A few places I have found of interest in my travels around the web:
A swordsman against shadow demons, a brilliantly staged fight, great inspiration especially for samurai games.
Hang Son Doong (“mountain river cave”) in Vietnam, a massive set of natural caverns, what great inspiration for a dungeon.
Albert Khan and the Decline of Detroit, looks at the history of Detroit and the current state of the city. Some fascinating photos of the city. While Abandon Communities explores the lost settlements of England.
Paleofuture, looking at the future through the eyes of the past and in a similar vein How to be a Retronaut.
Enjoy all.
The tarnished silver key sat in the middle of the cell among discarded shackles and gags which until a brief moment ago had held the master sorcerer-thief, the Shadow of Mar.
“But we had searched him and shackled his hands and feet,” said the Guard, “he was blindfolded and gagged.”
“The cell was warded against transit magic,” said the Priest of the Law.
“I sealed the door with arcane locks,” said the Court Mage.
“Yet, he is gone,” said the Prince.
Escape Key
These potent items are favored by thieves, assassins and political radicals. They are simple bright silver keys with ornate and complex patterns inscribed.
It is said the staff was found in the charred ruins of the forest of Vaisk, amid the smoking ruins of a druidic circle. The man who carried it from the forest entered the ashed wastes of the forest as a humble acolyte of the faith of nature but he emerged as a force of darkness and ruin.
He gather to him other who had been displaced, scarred and terrorized by the destruction of the forest. His singular will forged them into a tight cadre of vicious killers motivated only by vengeance. They were last seen alive in the city square of the capital of Havve , the kingdom they blamed for the destruction of their forest.
It is said that a child of that ruined city spirited the staff from the rubble . . .
Staff of Black Leaves
This staff of dull black wood has a crown of branches tipped with skeletal black leaves that chime softly against each other as if made of stone or metal. The staff molds itself to its users hand and very slowly shifts its bend and shape, never looking quite the same.
Algorian the Tall, farmer of the North March, was a loyal king’s man, until the battle of Tanval. There he acquired a spear and his found his eyes opened to the abuses of power his people suffered under. He watched and learned, studied the nobles and how they twisted the laws to their own ends. He started talking with those other levies he had served with, began training with the militia.
When the Marchers rose in rebellion against their Earl, Algorian the Tall held the line against the knights. His spearmen were the rock that saved the rebellion.
Rebel’s Right Hand
This simple long spear is decorated with a plain tie of cloth, its blade and shaft show that it has been hard used, a variety of nicks, cuts and stains decorate it. While the spear seems exceedingly normal, it has proved impossible to destroy.
L.A. STARS Volume 2, Issue 2 (Mar, 1967)
Assault of the AfriApes!
Cover: The four heroes in a line facing a row of apes wearing fatigues and holding assault rifles. In a star in the lower left hand corner, a picture of Rebel flashing a thumbs up and the caption “Guest Starring Rebel!”
Our Heroes: Bald Eagle, embodiment of American patriotism and agent of OLIVE.
Hi-Q, size-shifting scientific genius.
The Indestructible Man, who is indestructible.
Legionnaire, cyborg super-soldier created as part of a secret US Army project.
Appearing in this issue: Heroes: Rebel and Reggie the Talking Gorilla
Villains: The AfriApes, their Warlord, and Sifu Simian.
Supporting Cast: Dr. M Black, UCLA Professor of Chemistry, Max Million, government liaison, and Cinnamon Washington, community activist.
Opening page: The team on the Rebel Show’s interview set with Eagle, I-Man and Legionnaire on the couch, Hi-Q shrunk down to doll size sitting on Rebel’s desk and Rebel behind his desk.
The opening splash page is a view of the entire Rebel Show studio. Seven gorillas, six armed with AK-47s, have stormed in. Two of the apes firing bursts into the ceiling to get everyone’s attention. The largest proclaims “You are all hostages of the AfriApes! Cooperate and no one gets hurt.” Our heroes look shocked.
While obviously a must have resource if one is playing in the Neo-Exodus setting, the Races of Neo-Exodus does provide examples of truly unusual races and shows how the Pathfinder system can be stretched to accommodate so quite strange beings as player races.
Neo-Exodus Chronicles: Races of Neo-Exodus is a 23-page PDF (21-pages if you remove the cover/credits and OGL pages) for the Pathfinder RPG written by Joshua Cole and Thomas Baumbach with Louis Porter Jr. and published by LJP Design.
It is an irony not lost on the Quiet Order of the White Hills that their wines are sought after by thieves, scouts and others with nefarious purposes in mind. Some say that their very best customers are people carrying on illicit love affairs, which the Quiet Order oddly does not seem to object to, though for what reason it is unknown.
Whisper Wine
This white wine is a crafted by an order of silent monks and aged in casks of white oak among the quiet cellars of the order. The bottle it is stored in is usually brown glass and sealed with white wax marked with the symbol of the order.
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