Manners Maketh Man: A Kingsman Review

Movie Sign! A Review of Kingsman: the Secret Service

Kingsman: The Secret Service (Kingsman, hereafter) had it’s opening last weekend against the cinematic juggernaut 50 Shades of Grey. I’m happy to report that Mrs. Sith and I saw the former film. OnTheDie doesn't do many movie reviews, because there are very few films that interest me enough to write one. Kingsman is such a film, and so here we are.

Whither Dungeons and Dragons?

...Or Where is the Game Heading?

If you’re reading this blog and you haven’t been living under a very sturdy rock, you know that Dungeons and Dragons has released a new edition.

D&D is the flagship of role-playing games, and when a new edition is in the works it is one of the few games in the hobby that makes the news. A reboot of an edition is a great opportunity: people who've only heard about the game or who last played it many years ago are reminded that it still exists, and as it launches, they have an opportunity to get into it in an easy way.

All of that makes the recent launch the most excitement that fans of the game have seen since, well, the last launch. The launch is over now, and so the question I’d like to raise is: “where do we go from here?”

Well to answer that, we have to talk about where “here” is, and how we got there. Buckle up, it's going to get bumpy.

13th Age Campaign Session V: That is not Dead Which can Eternal lie

13 Age Campaign Session V -- That is not Dead Which can Eternal lie

When we last left our heroes, a priest of Dagon had just plunged his ensorcelled blade deep into his chest.

You fools! Dagon will not be denied this night! She will not be denied!

Something was coming.

Nerd Things I'm Thankful for Today

It’s Thanksgiving, and that’s a day that even the Sith pause for a moment to reflect on what they’re thankful for. So come along with me and explore that (nerdish) things that I’m thankful for on this day.

Here is my first annual White Hot Top 5 of Thanksgiving thanks for 2014.

Toolkit: The Montage

This is part one of a new series over at ‘OnTheDie, items you can use as part of your toolkit when you run a role-playing game.

Last time in my 13th Age campaign summary, I mentioned that I used a montage mechanic for how the group found one of the bad guys. As promised, let’s talk about the montage and what it can do for you.

13th Age Campaign Session IV: Shadows Over Eldolan

13 Age Campaign Session IV -- Shadows Over Eldolan

Editor's Note: Many of you have noted the use of puns in the session titles. Even though it may not look like it, this one is a pun as well. Take ye heed!

Last session the group had defeated the Dream Master. This session began with the spoils of that victory. In other words, there was loot.

The group pored over what they presumed was the Dream Master’s workshop. They found a ledger  that went back just over two months. About a month ago, new line items for bodies both live and dead started to show up.

There were two names associated with it who were taking the supplies: Landon, with a notation about the Dead Vaults, and Aerto, a “broker” in the docks.

The group additionally found a large amount of coins (the Dream Master’s ill-gotten gains) and quite a bit of Dream Leaf. They quickly put everything together and left, planning a discussion on what to do next for tomorrow. The Dream Master had taxed them to their limits, and the only thing to do was get a night’s sleep.

As they left the building they were met by Kalia, the girl they had spoken with earlier in the day, and who had told them how to find the theater.

“Wicked! That was absolutely incredible, what did you do there?”

Quickfire: Bundle of Holding

While I'm working on my update from the 13th Age campaign (note to self: don't tell people you're back when you have two 3000 word posts to write...) I wanted to do a quick update that a lot of you might actually use about the Bundle of Holding.

I'm sure all of you have heard about the Humble Bundle: a program where you can get loads of great software for a pay-what-you-want price, and the proceeds to go charity. If you haven't heard of it, time to click on that link above and also fine yourself 10 Quatloos.

What you likely haven't heard about is the Bundle of Holding. a similar project for role-playing games. Bundle of Holding offers bundles of PDF versions of different RPGs, with the proceeds again going either to the authors or to charity, as you prefer.

The current bundle is games for the Fate RPG system. I really like Fate, and moreover, the people who create it are great people. If you've never ventured outside of games like Dungeons and Dragons, Fate will come as a shock to your senses. While it's still a traditional game with a GM, players and Mountain Dew, it allows the players to work with the GM to tell the story of the game much more collaboratively.

If you've never heard of it, it's a great time to get pretty much everything for the game. I think you'll have a great time reading it and it will make you think about gaming in an entirely different light.

The bundle comes with the following:

• Fate Core rules
• Day After Ragnarok -- WW2 Post Apocalyptic role-playing where the Germans woke up the Midgard Serpant.
• Iron Edda -- a Norse giant mecha game where the mecha are made from the bones of giants.
• The Ministry Initiative -- Victorian Steampunk
• Base Raiders -- explore superhero bases in a world where all the heroes and villains just up and disappeared one day.
• Jadepunk -- a Martial Arts Wuxia game where you're rebels against an evil government.
• The Pirates Guide to Freeport -- the Freeport campaign setting for Fate.
• Tianxia: Blood, Silk, & Jade -- a full-on martial-arts game set in a fantasy ancient China.

Wow. That's a crazy amount of stuff you can get, and the games are fun to read even if it turns out you're not going to play Fate.

So check out the bundle and hold on just a bit ... large article coming shortly. Until then, Make Mine 20!