Last of August, September arrives

Now we move into September (and hopefully some cooler weather here in Georgia, USA), the seventh month of the Roman calendar.  September does not seem to have any particular ties to myth or tradition among the Romans, however, as Seven is usually viewed as a magical number, magic and spells will be our theme for this month.   Please let me know if there is anything you would like to see.

At the start of the month I will be in Washington, DC, area visiting family and museums.  My plan is to set the journal to update during that time but I will slow to approve comments from new people but I will do so as soon as I can.  I shall return with new and inspired ideas and photographs of the wonders of the Smithsonian and other museums and historical places.

August, 2018, saw the following posts here:

Review – Shadowrun: Street Lethal

Shadowrun: Street Lethal bills itself as the Advanced Combat Sourcebook for Shadowrun but it is not that, there are new toys, some crazy bleeding edge technology, and some excellent information on corporate security along with updates on mercenaries, pirates and militias in the Sixth World. But apart from one rule section with very narrow applicability, there is not really much to make it an “advanced combat sourcebook,” it is however a very useful sourcebook, especially for a Shadowrun GM, but it could have used a more accurate subtitle.

Shadowrun: Street Lethal, the Advanced Combat Sourcebook of the 5th edition of Shadowrun, while it does not actually add that much in the way of rules it provides new weaponry, for player characters and NPCs, information on how Corporation Security works, and studies the role of mercenaries, pirates and militia in the Sixth World.

Tuesday Magic Item – Alamarian Dulcimer’s Ring

Voddick sipped at his spiced ale.  “I hear that Evard’s Black Orchastra is playing tomorrow.”

“That is the band of Alamarian Dulicmer’s children, yes?” asked Gollaon.

“Yes,” nodded Voddick, “they are all adults, it is no children’s chorus.”

“I met Dulcimer’s once.”

“Yes?  I would think you would get along.”

“Well, he had even more of a roving heart than me,” replied Voddick with a grin.  “It was a pleasure to watch a master at work.”

Alamarian Dulcimer’s Ring

These rings are silver and decorated with musical symbology, dropped on a hard surface, it chimes musically (and for much longer than it should).  Some, many, have dedications as they were given as gifts.

PinkCat: Running in the Shade “Great Rasputin’s Ghost! ” (A different sort of SR campaign report)

To understand what is going on here, you had best read the first PinkCat: Running in the Shade post, but short summary, this is a campaign report for our Shadowrun campaign set in NorCal through the filter of a cartoon made by one of the team members.

Episode Thirty-Eight: Great Rasputin’s Ghost!

Guest Starring: Clawz, DD, DoubleUp and Rani.  And introducing:

• Bobin, hyperactive ex-corporate Chihuahua multi-tasker who is always trying to catch up.  (Stand in for Tobin, ex-Horizon corporate shrink who plays in my Seattle game and was “guest starring” in the NorCal game this week.  Played by M.)

The class is on a field trip to the Museum of Old and Not at All Boring Art, where Bobin is taking in the art, when all of the doors and windows close and lock.  From the Treasures of the Czars exhibit, a ghostly voice announces, “I return!” in a comic Russian accent.  Light flicker and eerie music plays.  Poking their head around the corner, they see, well, a wolf version of Rasputin standing among the various Czarist treasures.

He laughs maniacally and rants about forging a new Ruzzian Empire once he finds a new Czar to lead it.  Clawz choose this moment to lean to far forward and falls, attracting Rasputin’s attention.  Rasputin uses hypnotic powers to convince Clawz to be the new Czar and instantly Clawz is wearing a Ruzzian Imperial Uniform and giving commands in a Russian accent.

The rest of the episode is the rest of the team dodging Rasputin and Clawz as they convert people into Russians while trying to figure out how to trap the returned Rasputin.  Lots of good chases ala Scooby Doo before they team works out how to use a Faberge Egg as a spirit trap and tricks the ghost of Rasputin into opening it, setting off the trap; thus freeing everyone from his influence and saving the day.

What really happened:

Tuesday Magic Item – Mosquito Blowgun

“Thrice damned bloodsuckers,” cursed Voddick slapping at a bug as he waded through the swamp.  “How did we end up here any way?”

“We needed to get out of Glost quickly and this was the only contract leaving directly,” replied Gollaon, scanning the undergrowth.

“Well, those two nights in the palace were worth it,” sighed Voddick.  “Do you have any more of the alchemical paste?  The one to keep the bugs away?”

Gollaon reached forward and plucked a small dark from Voddick’s armor.  “It is not bugs that are trying to bite you my friend.”  He shouted, “Be alert, we have hidden enemies with darts around!”

Mosquito Blowgun

These blowguns are usually made of wood or reed and decorated with carvings and inlays dedicated to mosquito.  They will buzz lightly in the hand when they have not been used in a long time to indicate their hunger.

PinkCat: Running in the Shade “Art Attack” (A different sort of SR campaign report)

To understand what is going on here, you had best read the first PinkCat: Running in the Shade post, but short summary, this is a campaign report for our Shadowrun campaign set in NorCal through the filter of a cartoon made by one of the team members.

Episode Thirty-Seven: Art Attack

Guest Starring: DD, DoubleUp and Rani.

The school has been invited to participate in a showing at the Museum of Pretentious Art where they are given room in the Rundown Wing for New and Poor Artists.  As the student artist are setting up, they are mostly ignored as the museum security (where Officer Bloodhound is moonlighting) is trying to figure out how various work of art are disappearing.

Of course Pink and friends decide that they need to find out who is behind such dastardly crimes.  They investigate as they can, around the security force, and hide cameras in the artwork.  It turns out a team of mice and bats are hiding in one of the artworks and coming out to steal at night, they have hacked the museum’s security.  So the team sets up a new installation (“Arratoi Tranpa”) and lure the thieves into the middle of it, trigger it, and it works just like the old mouse trap game and traps the thieves so that Officer Bloodhound can arrest them.  Of course Pink and crew get no credit, but they know it is a job well done.

What really happened:

Tuesday Magic Item – Virtue Mask

Voddick fumbled for his purse and dug out several coins and dropped them in the bowl held by the masked figure who, it must be said, presented more as a warrior than a mendicant.  Gollaon fished a coin out from somewhere and dropped it in the bowl.

Once they were safely out of earshot Voddick said, “I respect and pity those who have chosen that past.  it is not the nature of my people to turn their backs on the past.”

“Even for a good cause?” asked Gollaon.

“Especially for a good cause.  How could it be good if your family and ancestors did not approve?”

Virtue Mask

These masks are of simple construction, usually painted wood with eye holes, the front of the mask is painted white (or rarely another pale color) and marked with a rune, sigil or word indicating the virtue it embodies.  The interior of the mask is often scribed with advice or prayers that no one other the wearer would see and then only before donning the mask.  One does not don a virtue mask lightly, to do so is to accept the demands of the virtue inscribed over one’s own desires and drives.

New Magic Item – Conjure Cat Ring

Voddick and Gollaon chased after the masked thief and for a moment, they seemed to be cornered but then, with a wink and a grin, the thief threw open the window and leapt out.

“It is over eighty feet to the ground!” shouted Voddick running to the window.

“They have tricks,” said Gollaon a split second behind, looking down to see the thief running across the courtyard.  Gollaon sighed and waved.  “We will not catch them now.”

“Truth.”

“Now how to convince the Doge that the thief escaping was not our fault.”

Conjure Cat Ring

These rings are usually broad and decorated with nine cats, sometimes the cats are obvious, in other designs they are hidden and yet others mix the two styles.