Welcome February

January is almost over and with it, the first thirty-one entries for Petrichor 365!  Now we move in February which gets its name from the Latin term februum, which means purification, via the purification ritual Februa performed at this time of year.  Note that the Romans considered February an ill-omened month which is why it is only twenty-eight days long (and also my birth month, take that as you will). 

Normally, I use the theme of curses for February but that may be subsumed into the whole Petrichor 365 thing, we will see.

What was published in the journal in January 2023, which due to Perrichor 365 has quite a lot, was the following:

Jan ’23 Shadowrun Campaign News and a new Seattle Scream Prop (#82)

Welcome to the future!  Hope that 2023 is going well for everyone so far.  With the ticking over of the year, my Shadowrun campaign moves in 2080.

If you are in the North Georgia (US) area join us for a live game at Tyche’s Games this coming Saturday (7 Jan)!  Come and join in, new players welcome.

Did get some Shadowrun in since the last report, the live game going off well (see what Gina A thought of the event).  And played in a New Year’s themed game in NorCal, where corporate misdeeds were punished!

More news from Seattle and beyond in the Seattle Scream (#82)!   Continuing some stories for the last Scream and, maybe, setting up some adventures.

Finally finished that review of Hack & Slash, the new Shadowrun Matrix book.

Notes: Photo is in the Public Domain.

Review – Shadowrun: Hack & Slash

Shadowrun: Hack & Slash is a sourcebook, specifically a “Core Matrix Rulebook” for the Sixth World Edition of Shadowrun covering, well, the Matrix and computer system in general as well as how to mess with them. It contains much useful information and the Matrix and those who use it and some of those who try and defend it from hackers. Players of hackers and, especially, technomancers will want this book and GM should have it on their to acquire at some point list as well.

Shadowrun: Hack & Slash, is the Core Matrix Rulebook for Shadowrun, Sixth World Edition, providing a look at the wonderful world of computers, telecommunications and hacking, as well as the more mystical parts of the Matrix for technomancers and their friends.

December draws to a close, farewell MMXXII

Another year has gone by! It seems like just the other moment it was the start of Summer and here we are at the end of the year.

January is, supernaturally, named after the Roman god of doorways, Janus (Ianuarius), who as fits his portfolio is often portrayed as looking both forward and back, in and out.   So in January, we will return to the themes of doorways, transport and travel to open new possibilities for the New Year.  As usual, if there is something on this theme, or another, you would like to see, let me know.

There has been a lot of talk of #Dungeon23 going around which seems like a fun idea.  But as MegaDungeons are not really my thing but it seems like a neat exercise so trying to do a piece to expand Port Imperial in Petrichor everyday might be a useful exercise and indeed that is what I am going to do with Petrichor 365.

Looking back over December, 2022, we find a month with quite a few campaign reports and more:

Queen Magic, A Supervillain of the 1960s

Ron Randall is an experienced comic book artist who I first met back in Portland (OR) at the occasional Portland comic book shows which I used to haunt when I lived in the Pacific Northwest.  He is a skilled artist who has worked across the spectrum of comic books including Justice League International, Star Trek and more.  But he is (perhaps) most well known as the creator of Trekker, the story of Mercy StClair a trekker (a sanctioned bounty hunter) in the future which he is still creating (and you can support via his Patreon).

When I knew him, Randall was consistently willing to pass on his hard won experience in the industry in the form of advice to new artists.  I am glad to know that he is still doing well and creating things that he loves.

He did a piece of art for me, many years ago, of my Shadowrun character Rebel Belle, which is now included with this post.  More recently, he did one of the Empress for me.

Dateline – Seattle, December 2079 – The Giving Gala

So, the following is some long-form in-game writing set in my Shadowrun campaign verse.  It ties into a game I ran at Tyche’s Games and a news story in the Seattle Scream (more information on both can be found here).  There are maybe five or six people in the world who are likely to appreciate it (but feel free to prove me wrong).

Dateline – Seattle

The Giving Gala is always a good show, last year I was here as a VIP, being courted by Rebel Entertainment, this year, I refused the invite and just purchased my own ticket.  Like any other Jill SixPack, this year, I wanted to see the event from the floor, among the people who were here for the music and the scene.

Superheroes – Once upon a Time in 1968 – Issue 15, B-Story – Shopping

A B-Story is a short filler story to complete a comic, this is the one in the back of Issue 15 and follows some undisclosed amount of time after that story.

Opening page:  The team in civilian clothes, Roboto thoroughly wrapped up with scarf and hat, wandering through an international Christmas market in New York City as snow falls and there is an additional person with them, Vulpix’ slightly younger cousin!  “How did we get here, turn the page to find out, dear reader.”

December Shadowrun Campaign News and a new Seattle Scream Prop (#81)

Ah, Shadowrun sadly another slow month, the holiday season tends to do that though.  But another live game is coming up at Tyche’s Games this coming Saturday (3 Dec)!  Come and join in if you are in the local area.

Also, hopefully, playing some Shadowrun tonight in my friend’s NorCal based campaign which will be fun.

More news from Seattle and beyond in the Seattle Scream (#81)!  Again, just general background though some may be setting up Saturday’s adventure, we will see.

Still working on my review of Hack & Slash, the new Shadowrun Matrix book, and hope to have that up soon.

Notes: Photo by nikosey found on pxhere and used under a CC0 Public Domain license.  It has a good cyberpunk look to it I think.

Welcome to December, au revoir November

A storm blew through this morning and it is supposed to drop below freezing tonight, a good start for December.  Appropriately, the first of December is the meteorological start of Winter and it certainly seems that way here.  December was, unsurprisingly, the tenth month of the Roman calendar and it is a month filled with holidays for us moderns.

So, the themes for this month on the Sea of Stars design journal will be Winter, festivals and gifts: cursed gifts, divine gifts, magical gifts or whatever else we can think up.

If there is a particular idea that any of those themes inspire, let me know and I will try to realize it.

Looking back over November 2022, we saw the following posts here:

Superheroes – Once upon a Time in 1968 – Issue 15 – Double Feature

Sometime after Issue 14, maybe a few weeks, maybe a few months, time is strange in the comics.

Cover:  A man in a tacky suit with a bow tie and a woman in a formal black dress pulling back the curtains on a movie screen showing our heroes scattered and unconscious. “Welcome to your defeat, heroes!” they say in unison.

Opening page:  Vulpix and Shadowfist in considerably fancier clothes than normal in front of a mirror.  “I am not sure if this jive is my scene,” says Shadowfist.  “It’s not mine either but if it keeps my uncle off my back for the next few weeks it is worth it, yes?” replies Vulpix.