Come on out, River. The nice man wants to kidnap you.

Simon ,'Objects In Space'


Gaming 1: You are likely to be eaten by a grue

A thread for the discussion of games: board, LARP, MMORPG, video, tabletop RPG, game theory etc. etc. and all attendant news, developments and ancillary subjects thereof, as well as coordinating/scheduling games either online or IRL. All are welcome to chime in, talk about their favorite games or learn about gaming of any sort.

PLEASE TO WHITEFONT SPOILERS for video games, RPG modules or anything for which foreknowledge of events might lessen one's enjoyment of whatever gaming experience.


Fred Pete - May 29, 2008 4:55:33 am PDT #776 of 26132
Ann, that's a ferret.

As many cheapo horror B movies as there are about giant bugs, insectile is always a good way to bring out the squeamish in people.

Me, I don't get too grossed out by bugs unless they're swarming. (I even creep out Hubs sometimes because I tend to trap some bugs -- especially crickets and spiders -- that wander into the house, and release them outdoors.) But, to bring the conversation full circle, cephalopods are the stuff of my nightmares.


Miracleman - May 29, 2008 5:00:32 am PDT #777 of 26132
No, I don't think I will - me, quoting Captain Steve Rogers, to all of 2020

Okay, I had to do a little research to figure out your terminology (never heard of Eberron), but...

4. Harlyn d'Orien. Human male warmage. Dragonmarked, but relations with House Orien are a little strained. Enlisted with the Aundairian forces in the Last War, set to guarding a research facility. Released to House duties on Orien's request. Subsequently learned that the facility was destroyed, and his company missing, presumed dead. Self-described poncy character. Frequently starts encounters by either offering or seeking fine liquor.

Is back amongst his (missing, presumed dead) company. They are not dead! They are happy to see him! They are celebrating in a tavern!

Then they all start to die, horrifically. I don't know what kind of "research facility" they were guarding, but I imagine something along the lines of them all dying of Cap'n Trips from Stephen King's "The Stand". Horrible, slow, agonizing deaths as they all sit in the pub, tankards clasped in their hands. Pustules, choking on mucus, hemorrhagic fever symptoms (bleeding from eyes and mouth and similar). They are moaning and screaming, dying...and they plead with him to get the cure. He knows where it is. He can reach it easily. He stands...and is too drunk to walk. He stumbles forward but can never reach the door, he keeps going the wrong way, dizzy and confused. As the last of his mates expires, clutching at him with bloody fingers, the man (or woman, who knows?) gasps "Harlyn...it's your fault..."

And then he wakes up.

5. Seraphina Jorasco, halfling female healer. Favoured in House, not yet dragonmarked. (The player plans a Siberys mark.) Spent time in the Eldeen Reaches learning herbal rememdies from the druids there. Developed a hatred for aberrations from the Gatekeepers.

A simple thought. She has received her dragonmark. Hooray! She is proud and flushed with newfound power. Then someone points at it. She looks again.

It is wrong. It's different. It's aberrant.

Her power erupts forth (whatever that might mean) destroying all she loves. She is a monster...

And then she wakes up.

3. Ardente d'Lyrandar. Male half-elven bard. Dragonmarked, favoured in house. Works on airships, dreams of captaining one. Friends with Harlyn dÓrien.

Hindenburg. IJS.

6. Sil, changeling female rogue. Likes the 'thousand faces'lifestyle. Native of Sharn, did some freelance work for Breland during the Last War, engaged in less legal activities on her own behalf too. The player is interested in a future with either the Brelish intelligence or the Cabinet of Faces. (Or both.)

This is a good candidate for the "can't control the change" nightmare mentioned earlier. She's having a blast, wearing any face she wants. But then she can't wear any face she wants, she wears any face she sees without control. Then her features flow and shift randomly, making her a hideous monstrosity. Then her skin and muscles slough from her bones...she can feel the cool evening air on her heart, her lungs, her viscera and they begin to melt and run too...

Alternately, she's having a blast changing faces and then she can't. She can't change from the last face she wore. She can't change her *expression*. She can't move as well as she did. She is turning to stone, forever immortalized as *someone else*...

I'll give some more thought when I have a tad more time to the others.


billytea - May 29, 2008 5:19:30 am PDT #778 of 26132
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.

Then they all start to die, horrifically. I don't know what kind of "research facility" they were guarding, but I imagine something along the lines of them all dying of Cap'n Trips from Stephen King's "The Stand". Horrible, slow, agonizing deaths as they all sit in the pub, tankards clasped in their hands. Pustules, choking on mucus, hemorrhagic fever symptoms (bleeding from eyes and mouth and similar). They are moaning and screaming, dying...and they plead with him to get the cure. He knows where it is. He can reach it easily. He stands...and is too drunk to walk. He stumbles forward but can never reach the door, he keeps going the wrong way, dizzy and confused. As the last of his mates expires, clutching at him with bloody fingers, the man (or woman, who knows?) gasps "Harlyn...it's your fault..."

Ooh, I like this. I'll use it. One alteration, I think I'll leave his colleagues acting as though nothing was happening. Harlyn is in an icy panic, trying to reach the cure, while his rapidly decomposing band watch his efforts with detached interest. Until the end...

A simple thought. She has received her dragonmark. Hooray! She is proud and flushed with newfound power. Then someone points at it. She looks again. It is wrong. It's different. It's aberrant. Her power erupts forth (whatever that might mean) destroying all she loves. She is a monster...

Excellent, just what I want. The perversion of her healing power will work nicely.

Thanks MM, these are great.


billytea - May 29, 2008 5:21:43 am PDT #779 of 26132
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.

Oh, while I'm at it, I am a robot god. Just played RoboRally, seven computer opponents, Factory Rejects scenario. I won, by killing. Them. All.

So very sweet.


Tom Scola - May 29, 2008 6:52:09 am PDT #780 of 26132
Mr. Scola’s wardrobe by Botany 500

Preview of Strong Bad's Cool Game for Attractive People


NoiseDesign - May 29, 2008 11:09:55 am PDT #781 of 26132
Our wings are not tired

So on the FG side of things, if we want to have a video chat line going while we are gaming we have to run a separate client. Anyone have prefs for Windows based video chat client?


Volans - May 29, 2008 12:12:44 pm PDT #782 of 26132
move out and draw fire

Back to bugs, and nightmares (mine):

I'm sure billytea knows about the fungus that attacks insects and makes them go crazy, then spores out of their bodies? So you get insect corpses with tentacle-y fungus spores growing out of them. VERY Cthulian.

Oddly, it's a different type of fungus for each type of insect.


billytea - May 29, 2008 2:00:33 pm PDT #783 of 26132
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.

I'm sure billytea knows about the fungus that attacks insects and makes them go crazy, then spores out of their bodies? So you get insect corpses with tentacle-y fungus spores growing out of them. VERY Cthulian.

Oh yes. That'd be neat for minions of Zuggtmoy, for instance.


Pix - May 29, 2008 7:28:42 pm PDT #784 of 26132
We're all getting played with, babe. -Weird Barbie

We had a very billytea game night with megan. We played Settlers (with Knights and Cities explansion for six people), Zombie Fluxx, and Acquire (this cool old game megan brought). So much fun!


megan walker - May 29, 2008 8:19:25 pm PDT #785 of 26132
"What kind of magical sunshine and lollipop world do you live in? Because you need to be medicated."-SFist

Don't forget "What's It to Ya?"!