Interesting Place

In the Mattress, Under the Floor, In the Shoe

Apparently during the 80 Years War, or the Dutch War of Independence, a fellow found it irksome to give one side or the other his money. To avoid such a travesity he stuffed his worldly wealth in a shoe and buried it behind the wall of the Town Hall in Rotterdam.

Archeologists, whilst poking around as they are want to do, discovered the shoe stuff with 477 silver coins all with dates corresponding to the 80 Years War. Read Dutch News International.

The 80 Years War was sparked by heavy taxation upon the Dutch in the "17 provinces" by the Habsburg ruler of Spain, Philip II. The war ground on for many decades eventually dragging almost every one in and around the provinces into the rather bloody fracas (the town of Breda exchanged hand at least 4 times).

A Certain Beauty

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Gossamer of Dreams

When gods walk the minds of men they leave the echo of their presence. That echo escapes into dreams and those so blessed often wake with the gossamer of dreams about them. The gossamer is thin, almost translucent, and utterly weightless. The strands are impossible to break, magical and are used by learned for a great many tasks. 

If laid upon a blade or weapon, the gossamer merges with the steel, honing the edge, or strengthening the head in such weapons like a mace. The gossamer grants the weapon a +1 to hit and damage for the next five swings (hit or miss). If placed in torn armor they grant that armor a +1 to AC for the next five strikes. They can bind clothing, backpacks, or any normal gear to permanently fix them. The gossamer can heal as well, if laced into a wound it merges with the wound and instantly heals 1d4 points of damage. The gossamer can capture the minds of men as well, if laced into a standard or scroll works any who view them gain a +1 to all morale checks or charisma saves. This affect only works once.

Value: They cannot be Sold Exp: 200 each

Text Copyright Troll Lord Games, 2013. All Rights Reserved.

Armor Up

Pegaso Models

Looper (Movie Review)

I had a chance to watch Looper last night, the sic-fi time travel flick with Bruce Willis. I was reluctant to watch the movie as it did not seem to have any of the dystopian elements I so enjoy in science fiction . . . Bladerunner. But Davis told me to watch it as I would be surprised.

I was very surprised!

The movie unfolds in a not distant future, 2044 where the only real technological change we've seen is solar panels on old cars. There is a wild west feel to it as clearly society has broken down to some degree, at one point a man guns down another in the street, but we are given nothing about that, which is refreshing.

The main character is a Looper. He isn't a time traveler at all. He waits for a contact time, when he gets it, he shows up with his gun and waits. Suddenly a man appears in front of him and he shoots. Killing the man, he can now dispose the body. That's the gist of the time travel. Criminals in the future can't get rid of bodies very easily so they send them into the past to be disposes of. The target/body shows up with silver cased on his back, he's killed an the silver is the payment.

The rub is the looping. Whenever a crime lord wants to close a loop, he sends the future self of the Looper back to be killed. The Looper knows his loop is closed when there is gold on the body. He's been retired, he can enjoy the next 30 years until his loop is closed and he too is sent back.

This is where it gets complicated and becomes a much see movie. Joe, the main character, gets outsmarted by Old Joe, who doesn't want to die. He doesn't want to die because he fears death, he doesn't want to die because he wants vengeance.

From there the movie takes a few nice turns, but some really great turns in the end.

I strongly recommend this movie. This is great science fiction without all the Hollywood bullshit, claptrap, thunderpows, etc.

Barsoom at its Finest

I grew up reading the paper back versions of Edgar Rice Burrough's John Carter series. The cover art that adorned those books was astounding and never let me down. The pieces in question were done by Michael Whelan.

Here are some of my favorites (You can get all these on his website).

Logan's Going to Run

Word of the Day -- Fugacious

I suppose a phantasm could be considered this, at least sometimes?
 
Fugacious means lasting a short time : evanescent.  It is often used to describe immaterial things like emotions, but not always. Botanists, for example, use it to describe plant parts that wither or fall off before the usual time. Things that are fugacious are fleeting, and etymologically they can also be said to be fleeing. "Fugacious" derives from the Latin verb "fugere," which means "to flee." Other descendants of "fugere" include "fugitive," "refuge," and "subterfuge."

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