tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41263225302012593952024-03-14T01:36:28.722-07:00Stuart WritesI'm an Australian writer, podcaster, and RPG designer. I write mind bending dangerous adventures, with a touch of the apocalypse.Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-42117051063550617752022-12-04T20:34:00.003-08:002022-12-04T20:34:49.101-08:00Bibliotecs 01: First playtest<p style="text-align: center;"><i> This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.</i></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content then check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>--------------------------------------------------------</i></div><p> <span style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; white-space: pre-line;">Last week I playtested Bibliotecs for the first time. </span></p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">It worked!</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">It's a game that can be played. It was also enjoyed by those that played it. These were all good things. But most importantly it felt like I was onto something. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">The game uses a mixture of rules from Year Zero Mini, Cairn, and Troika. It's a dice pool system that uses gear, mutations, and stimulants to define character. The game is about exploring ruins to find relics of the past. Which are often pop-culture memorabilia and collectables. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">The big thing I want for this game is for it to be solo, co-op, and guided, and I want all three of those things to work in tandem. So that players can all play in a shared world but then meet up to face more demanding challenges. This might be done as a co-op exploration using the oracles or one person might take the role of GM. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">That, at the moment, is the thing I am most excited about and our next playtest will be exactly that. I will do a separate post about preparing for that adventure. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">During this first playtest we made a map and started populating it using the oracles. I have a range of oracles used to generate locations, regions, and inhabitants. We were playing co-op, and everyone gelled really well with the oracle's style of ideation. So far, the entries on the tables all complimented each other and we were able to string together some really cool stories based on the rolls and locations. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">We set our game in our local area which was cool. We were able to include all sorts of info we knew and talk about what that place would actually look like after 80 years. We also may or may not have based NPCs on some people we know. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Combat is where it fell down a little for me. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Dice pools weren't big enough to guarantee successes on a regular basis so there were lots of missed shots and not really any consequence. When a weapon hits it has a scaled degree of damage and impact, so a hit will kill or get close to killing. However, hits were difficult.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Anyway, in future posts, I will include images too. I might do a Patron-only video soon too. </p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Things I am working on after Playtest 1:</p><ul style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin: 0px; white-space: pre-line;"><li>Wild dice mechanic that might use grit points</li><li>Tinkering with ability stores</li><li>Creating an adventure seed oracle</li><li>Creating a few more generic oracle</li><li>Possible deck of cards for thematic oracle input</li><li>More weapons</li><li>More creatures to fight</li></ul><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">That's all for now.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Long days and pleasant nights.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Here's a crappy character sheet I made for it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM21ncUg5C7BXWwGKu0haWKwiLsOVLGqYdebmDjQb8tqF1WruOKL9ugmkSqhSj03xy9JIQ4FmdjBApiC-eMFziTElTEXpFTrl-nV6HHd4ud21t23-PzxK10ytWboKpLGfufr_ezCrUqdLxrQ7K8wtfsU8_rsM7udjC_Vqpi8wmpPb-m-quYXoR8clG/s1920/Character%20Sheet%20image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1920" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM21ncUg5C7BXWwGKu0haWKwiLsOVLGqYdebmDjQb8tqF1WruOKL9ugmkSqhSj03xy9JIQ4FmdjBApiC-eMFziTElTEXpFTrl-nV6HHd4ud21t23-PzxK10ytWboKpLGfufr_ezCrUqdLxrQ7K8wtfsU8_rsM7udjC_Vqpi8wmpPb-m-quYXoR8clG/w640-h360/Character%20Sheet%20image.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Long days & pleasant nights.</p><p style="background-color: white; color: #241e12; font-family: system-ui, Roboto, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 1.5; margin: 10px 0px !important; white-space: pre-line;">Stuart.</p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-18992677318408998022022-11-27T18:22:00.002-08:002022-11-27T18:23:10.041-08:00Ni-Halood, Creation's Summoner<p>The creation god does not instil creativity in those that wish it. They come to those who work. They appear when the artist is in the deepest depths of their work and draw connections. They pull on strings that were never seen before. They reward those that do the work.</p><div>Do not expect them.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD93MMRLgfKY9evOMINmZnHEoU5JE0r8Acm0Xdf9_qk58ht9YiJ4DPVq515GbuKi-BtAeRRkhMU4IZmshR0W7BgDF2-jq0YGmjBxvNosQyZC6YzWfTZ2iZZtsffR8PqgT1-kMx-P-8fLlhg5DctQPU1CQffJ9PHll9ExwcvyVOl8iX8hDVoogHN1X/s1024/Nihalood%20symbol.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggD93MMRLgfKY9evOMINmZnHEoU5JE0r8Acm0Xdf9_qk58ht9YiJ4DPVq515GbuKi-BtAeRRkhMU4IZmshR0W7BgDF2-jq0YGmjBxvNosQyZC6YzWfTZ2iZZtsffR8PqgT1-kMx-P-8fLlhg5DctQPU1CQffJ9PHll9ExwcvyVOl8iX8hDVoogHN1X/w400-h400/Nihalood%20symbol.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ni-Halood's symbol</td></tr></tbody></table><h2 style="text-align: left;">Gaining concordance with Ni-Halood</h2><div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Consume creative works:</b> Read, watch, listen, and play. These are ways to invite Them to your world.</li><li><b>Write honest words:</b> They care only for the work that is true to the worker's values. They do not care for work that doesn't come from the soul.</li><li><b>Show creativity to the world:</b> The work is for the worker but should be shared to inspire creativity from others. </li></ul></div><h2 style="text-align: left;">Ni-Halood's Calling</h2><div>It’s in the mornings.</div><div>That’s when it happens.</div><div>When The Sun is fighting back The Night.</div><div>They come.</div><div><br /></div><div>They swirl in like leaves on the wind</div><div>spinning and rolling around everything else</div><div>before changing, turning, and taking hold.</div><div>They become my only thoughts.</div><div><br /></div><div>They enter the mind and march all over it,</div><div>their boots stomping down on the grey matter. </div><div>They are making themselves known,</div><div>until they dance in the Mind’s Eye.</div><div><br /></div><div>There was a time when I thought they came to everyone,</div><div>that everyone woke before The Sun,</div><div>before the world was warmed,</div><div>and basked in the languid stillness of morning with these visitors. </div><div><br /></div><div>But for many, the morning is a time of stress,</div><div>a time of frustration.</div><div>They wish The Night would win out over day</div><div>and that they could stay wrapped up forever. </div><div><br /></div><div>Oh, what they miss.</div><div><br /></div><div>It took me so long to realise what they are</div><div>not just thoughts,</div><div>not just ideas.</div><div>They are gifts.</div><div><br /></div><div>I’m not sure who they’re from.</div><div>Some will say from God,</div><div>some will say my Muse,</div><div>some might say a Devil.</div><div><br /></div><div>But I know that they come from beyond</div><div>my conscience thought,</div><div>from beyond</div><div>what I see.</div><div><br /></div><div>The gifts they bring shepherd me,</div><div>push me forward and when they are ignored</div><div>everything is wrong and I work against myself.</div><div>To refuse their gifts is to refuse being.</div><div><br /></div><div>I rise with The Sun</div><div>and use the gifts given to me.</div><div>It is through the writing of words,</div><div>I connect to my soul.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbmb8x6I_vNsyzHx6uhg4Ty3P7DxOVmY7LUfH1wgbxYir652o30E7_z9z8WgfSX74QoIWbi94akFjeMtHT8L4zmXTk0HyANs-lbu6Okj9SGZYliqktY1oaVIcudXVZ0G-LAJ_Op4TFYUixyAGSNmijTGheaOGQOaNQMF0NSVtgAsYworrdkNBayQX/s1024/Ni%20Halood%20Art.png" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="1024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRbmb8x6I_vNsyzHx6uhg4Ty3P7DxOVmY7LUfH1wgbxYir652o30E7_z9z8WgfSX74QoIWbi94akFjeMtHT8L4zmXTk0HyANs-lbu6Okj9SGZYliqktY1oaVIcudXVZ0G-LAJ_Op4TFYUixyAGSNmijTGheaOGQOaNQMF0NSVtgAsYworrdkNBayQX/w640-h640/Ni%20Halood%20Art.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An artists depiction.</td></tr></tbody></table><div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This is part of weird little series where create my own gods to guide me. Gods that will help me on a well-being journey. </div><div><br /></div><div>It started here, this is a weird blog I wrote while I was sick; <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2022/09/choosing-gods.html" target="_blank">Choosing god(s)</a></div><div>Then here, <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2022/10/wellbeing-pantheon.html" target="_blank">Wellbeing Pantheon</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div>Stuart</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; clear: left; color: #18ffff; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px;" /></div></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-38109865426070991612022-10-25T13:15:00.000-07:002022-10-25T13:15:09.472-07:00#AdventureJam2: The Troll Priest of the Swamp Ruins (WIP)<p> <i style="text-align: center;">This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication. Patreons also receive this as an a5. </i></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content then check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>--------------------------------------------------------</i></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span lang="EN-US"><b>This is not a complete adventure, more to come.</b></span></p><h2><span lang="EN-US">The Troll Priest of the Swamp Ruins<o:p></o:p></span></h2>
<h3><a name="introduction"><span lang="EN-US">Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3>
<p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Hidden by time and dis you will find the remains of a lost city.
What was once a sprawling expanse of magical innovation is now a few scattered
buildings covered in muck. The magic these ancient folk wielded can still be
found throughout, it weaves through everything in this forsaken stinking bog.<br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><h3><a name="what-is-this"><span lang="EN-US">What is this?<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Swamp city is a system-agnostic hexcrawl adventure. It could be used in any system or setting as, while it has fantastic themes, it exists in isolation to the known world. It might be on a new planet, or in the last marshes of a post apocalyptic world, or perhaps in Old Forests of the Kingdom. It doesn’t matter your game, you can use this in it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">The adventure does not connect directly to a particular system but it does supply suggestions for the difficulty of encounters. NPCs and Monsters have very simple descriptions that give motivations, reactions, and an indication of how they might approach combat.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Each location has a loose description that is used to guide play. They are not rules, they are not set in stone. They guide play. Describe the location as it best fits your game and let the players, and their characters, interact.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3><a name="preparing"><span lang="EN-US">Preparing<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Read through the adventure. You might like to print out the text only a4 pages and makes notes on them as you go.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Each location in the swamp can be put into any hex on the hexmap provided (feel free to use any hexmap you like too). If you would like a random element, Roll 10d6 onto to the map. Each location the dice falls is the location of a room. The number on the dice represents the number of Explorers at the location, a result of 5 and 6 means there are no Explorers. Any explorers or any other NPCs or monsters in the description of the location.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Gamemasters, you do not need to go overboard with your preparation. Let the table, the dice, and the characters tell the story.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h3><a name="the-swamp"><span lang="EN-US">The Swamp<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3><p class="MsoBlockText"><i><span lang="EN-US">It smells. This water is stagnant. Mosquitoes buzz and bite, the air does not move, and there are things moving in the water. There are rocky mounds with the carved entrances scattered throughout and you’ve seen the flicker of torches in some of them. Then it starts to rain.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US"> </span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Table" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><thead><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">d6<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">What brings you here?<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">1<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">The allure of magic.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">In search of a lost amulet.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">3<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">This place is the X on your map.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">4<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">You’ve lost your way.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">5<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A healer lives here, they can cure the plague.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">6<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">The Troll Priest can extend life.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h4><a name="moving-through-the-swamp"><span lang="EN-US">Moving through the swamp<o:p></o:p></span></a></h4><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Each hex takes 4 hours to move through. Whenever the party moves into a new hex roll of the table below. This table can be rolled on when a complication arises too.<o:p></o:p></span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Table" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 100%px;"><thead><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">d20<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Complication<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">1<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A huge swarm of mosquitoes engulf on of the party.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A dead explorer covered in leeches.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">3<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A crocodile. Looks like it’s sleeping.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">4<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Three frogs sitting on lilly pads. They’re talking to each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">5<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">An explorer violently swinging a sword in the air screaming “I see you!”<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">6<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">1d6 explorers resting at their camp.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">7<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A quivering pile of rotten vegetation.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">8<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">The water at your feet begins to bubble and steam. It is boiling!<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">9<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A small sting on your leg. It’s a leech. It is many leeches<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">10<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Roll Twice<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><h4><a name="the-explorers"><span lang="EN-US">The Explorers<o:p></o:p></span></a></h4><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Folks have travelled far to explore these ruins. There are always folks moving through the swamp in search of magic, treasure, and secrets. The term explorer is used loosely. They can be anything that suits your setting; bandits seeking gold, cultists in search of artefacts, or cyborg scavengers collecting relics of the past. They all work.</span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Use this table to whenever an explorer's reaction would be unclear.<o:p></o:p></span></p><h5><a name="generic-reaction-table"><span lang="EN-US">Generic Reaction Table<o:p></o:p></span></a></h5><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Table" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><thead><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">d6<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Reaction<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Hostile, they attack immediately.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">3-5<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Aggressive, slightest wrong move they will attack.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">6-8<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Wary, they keep their distance.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">9-11<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Curious, they want to know more.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">12<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Thankful & positive, they want to be your friends.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Roll of this loot table whenever an explorer is being searched, dead or alive.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="Table" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><thead><tr><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">d12<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="border-bottom: 1pt solid windowtext; border-image: initial; border-left: none; border-right: none; border-top: none; padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="bottom"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Item<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">1<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">One quarter of a mouldy map of the swamp.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">2<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Finely crafted lockpicks.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">3<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A bundle of five torches.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">4<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A handwritten dictionary of the hieroglyphics used in the city.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">5<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">Well made but well used leather gloves.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">6<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A pair of compasses that point towards each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">7<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">An expertly crafted dagger.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">8<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A torch dipped in citronella oil.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">9<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">1d4 six sided dice carved from red bone.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">10<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A battered but serviceable nasal helmet.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">11<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">The street address of a location in the nearest city.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr><tr><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">12<o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td style="padding: 0cm 5.4pt;" valign="top"><p class="Compact"><span lang="EN-US">A key carved from purple stone.<o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US"></span></p><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p><p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US"><br /></span></p>
Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-27949477113483648382022-10-18T12:39:00.004-07:002022-10-18T12:39:00.189-07:00Wargamers Wanna Win<p style="text-align: center;"><i> This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.</i></p><div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content then check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</i></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>--------------------------------------------------------</i></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheO4aGEhO2olE7XaQ-U8tquNCadbSGHu0n6CQva_1r75iKl8pDZdqV1VxbKrVi4gQe8dy_xnYNgS_LZawEH3hrN8oGbkVhG-I8uVBqfiteN4_EKBe9dyuD0Spq3Wg8Z7MVKJJ-9cNAmgkRNRkjUye_6qrtmxaIDtf84aJyOt9EymufO4mQABzbm0vi" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="641" data-original-width="960" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEheO4aGEhO2olE7XaQ-U8tquNCadbSGHu0n6CQva_1r75iKl8pDZdqV1VxbKrVi4gQe8dy_xnYNgS_LZawEH3hrN8oGbkVhG-I8uVBqfiteN4_EKBe9dyuD0Spq3Wg8Z7MVKJJ-9cNAmgkRNRkjUye_6qrtmxaIDtf84aJyOt9EymufO4mQABzbm0vi" width="320" /></a></div><br />I have been playing a range of war games lately. Something I haven't done before. I like them. </div><p>I like them far more than I thought I would. </p><p>To address the Space Marine in the room, I didn't really like 40k. I have a number of friends who are very keen on it but I personally did not vibe with it. Too long, too many minis, too many tiny obscure rules, and the icing on the cake was some dickbag with a miniature called 'Varg'. Yeah, named after THAT Varg. </p><p>It is Lord of the Rings: Battle Companies that has brought me into the fold. I like the skirmish style and the RP element. I like that my little guys can be levelling up. We have about 8 people playing regularly now and it's good.</p><p>But I noticed something.</p><p>The wargames, the ones that have done a lot of war gaming, want to win. They want to win more than others. They don't have any interest in (well not much interest in) the narrative. They play to win and often won't engage in combat if they know they cannot win.</p><p>One player was baffled by my choice to engage in another combat with the same army that just beat me. I said, 'They killed my leader, they want revenge.' Which they did. And they lost. Again. In fact, the company was disbanded after that. </p><p>I don't have much else to say really. </p><p>It was just an interesting observation I had this week. They really wanna win. </p><p>Battle Companies has a mapped campaign option. I think this will lead to greater RP. I will report back once I have converted all wargames to rpgs.</p><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-90924685369746513882022-10-04T23:30:00.001-07:002022-10-04T23:30:00.180-07:00Hey, look! It's a reaction table!<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5XqLJAnCZwlu11m8kQiWtTDaQ2KaHd0-TA1GLwfMoI8TwuyJqjBkNWZyZZDADStlUmAwqKdGuwj_iBkWvOLPHH131giuZSj4ubAQEjoKvi1YByO0Z1YbnaUcR1xz9mERWB83bd1ApFK37BNmBO0AjPWE1XiZ0VXoXHtAPvjT9jeaEiW8a9s4aTL20" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="679" data-original-width="500" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEg5XqLJAnCZwlu11m8kQiWtTDaQ2KaHd0-TA1GLwfMoI8TwuyJqjBkNWZyZZDADStlUmAwqKdGuwj_iBkWvOLPHH131giuZSj4ubAQEjoKvi1YByO0Z1YbnaUcR1xz9mERWB83bd1ApFK37BNmBO0AjPWE1XiZ0VXoXHtAPvjT9jeaEiW8a9s4aTL20=w472-h640" width="472" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rolled a 4.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I wanted to make my own reaction table. I like them. I spent half an hour looking at reaction tables and then the next morning made my own without looking at them again. I didn't want to reinvent the wheel but also wanted to make my own. It's a 2d6 table cause bell curves are cool.</p><p>Here it is.</p><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" data-en-clipboard="true" data-pm-slice="1 1 []" style="border-collapse: collapse; width: 422.5pxpx;"><colgroup><col style="width: 51px;"></col><col style="width: 371.5px;"></col></colgroup><tbody><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px; text-align: right;"><b>2d6</b></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><b>Reaction</b></td></tr><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; text-align: right;"><b>2</b></div></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px;">Hostile, they attack immediately.</div></td></tr><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; text-align: right;"><b>3-5</b></div></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px;">Aggressive, slightest wrong move they will attack.</div></td></tr><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; text-align: right;"><b>6-8</b></div></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px;">Wary, they keep their distance.</div></td></tr><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; text-align: right;"><b>9-11</b></div></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px;">Curious, they want to know more.</div></td></tr><tr><td data-colwidth="51" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px; text-align: right;"><b>12</b></div></td><td data-colwidth="371.5" style="border-color: #ccc; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; padding: 10px;"><div marginbottom="2" margintop="2" style="margin-bottom: 2px; margin-top: 2px;">Thankful & positive, they want to be your friend.</div></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">I think it's pretty neat. Feel free to share it around and use it in your games!</p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Long days & pleasant nights.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Stuart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; clear: left; color: #18ffff; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /></a></span></p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-77327904520352964962022-10-03T11:30:00.003-07:002022-10-03T11:30:00.173-07:00Wellbeing Pantheon<p style="text-align: left;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe-uuoDWolDxyxyqHYGk7khkzc5Sbq9G822TMd-5grG8OaMO2k13oAJL1w0oPWRtBvLL8ooDpZXGZOVuip7a65I-s7aQFBhJkXcBX4mCLYM7xzOxKG_kn0ImOo0Igk3SsJTFVw-wf4_bZSHvfXY2MUYIJpLGFp9JYjo5fJN0WK8fXz5fmVv_mC4WB/s1920/fantasy-gc40156278_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1920" height="362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwe-uuoDWolDxyxyqHYGk7khkzc5Sbq9G822TMd-5grG8OaMO2k13oAJL1w0oPWRtBvLL8ooDpZXGZOVuip7a65I-s7aQFBhJkXcBX4mCLYM7xzOxKG_kn0ImOo0Igk3SsJTFVw-wf4_bZSHvfXY2MUYIJpLGFp9JYjo5fJN0WK8fXz5fmVv_mC4WB/w640-h362/fantasy-gc40156278_1920.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All the parts of my brain marching off to solve my problems.</td></tr></tbody></table></p><p></p><p style="text-align: left;">My last blog had me rambling almost incoherently. Reading back over
it I can see some issues. Some problems. With where my head is at the moment.</p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">However, I do not wish to air my mental ill health here. What I do
want to do is make some gods out of my misfortune. Some gods that I can look to
for guidance and as a motivator for self-improvement. This all seems very
strange. But, I’m intrigued with where this will go as (a) a worldbuilding
exercise and (b) a wellbeing experiment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">There are many many self-improvement methodologies that point
toward God (the capital G God) for answers and guidance. There is nothing that
has ever made me feel like they are a thing that exists so I cannot access any of
that.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">But making my own little god-dudes, that’s a different story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3><a name="some-years-ago"><span lang="EN-US">Some years ago…<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3>
<p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">I discovered Dungeons
& Dragons. I had known about it since I was small, I have an older brother
who was right into it, but I didn’t pick it up until I was over 30<i>. </i>I was
instantly hooked. I read a lot and watched a lot and in the end,<i> </i>it was clear
that I needed to run games. Matt Colville’s <i>Running the Game</i> series was
particularly influential and I owe most of my formative understanding of GMing
and tabletop game design to his videos.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">In the lead-up to The
Chain of Acheron stream, Matt was doing a range of live streams showing his
campaign prep and worldbuilding. One of these streams was about Gods and
Culture, where he outlined his process for creating gods and I liked it. I
liked it a lot.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBlockText"><i><span lang="EN-US">My process for building
God’s is, first build the culture because the gods represent the things that
the people in the culture believe in. Decide, what do these people believe,
what’s important to them, and then I create gods that embody them.</span></i><span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Ultimately, the gods in
his world are born out of the culture the people in it develop. I have used this
process before when creating campaign worlds for RPGs but I am going to turn
this process to my own life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3><a name="my-personal-culture"><span lang="EN-US">My personal culture<o:p></o:p></span></a></h3>
<p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">Over time, we all
develop a personal culture. A way we live, the things we find important, and
aspects of life we focus on. Some of that culture is positive and improves our
lives, and some of it is a hindrance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">A block to our
development.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">The start of this
little project is highlighting and diving into the various aspects of my
personal culture. With the aim of identifying elements of my life that have a
positive impact, those that have a negative impact, and elements that aren’t
there yet but I would like to have.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">I believe that these
elements of my life do not have a binary impact. I am quite sure that even
those with positive impacts can, will, and do have negative impacts too. But
that’s all part of the discovery.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3><a name="four-things-i-know-already"><span lang="EN-US">Four things I know already</span></a></h3><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Family:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> I have recently started my own family and my wife and I are
building our own family culture.</span></li><li><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Health:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> I have been overweight most of my life and I hate it. It is a
constant struggle and I think that it is often a result of how I treat my body
and how I don’t listen to it. But, I can lift heavy shit.</span></li><li><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Knowledge:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> I shunned knowledge as a teenager but soon learned the errors of my
ways. I now soak up everything that I can.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></li><li><b style="text-indent: -24pt;"><span lang="EN-US">Creativity:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="text-indent: -24pt;"> This is my shining beacon of happiness, inventiveness, and
achievement. It is what I dream of doing. To spend my days in a creative space
is my goal.</span></li></ul><p></p>
<p class="FirstParagraph"><span lang="EN-US">I know that
these four elements will comprise a vast majority of my personal culture. I
know that I am not doing the best I can in these areas. I know that some of
them get far more attention than others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">I’m keen to
see where this goes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Long days
& pleasant nights.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US">Stuart.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoBodyText"><span lang="EN-US"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; clear: left; color: #18ffff; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /></a></span></p>
<p>*Well, I
actually played a heap of Vampire the Masquerade when I was 18. But I’ll talk
about that another day. </p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-73674044674931934092022-09-28T23:34:00.004-07:002022-09-28T23:34:21.403-07:00Choosing god(s)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVa3dPu6xrss3FktRak3tc_dGSBHzB5NjLAQah-1GEP-vyZ9ZaxU_Za5kosTIiw4rZjPbDB2DrqW9EyInfMuR0uczqL7isKsQ4Lu6UohTmTe5p4tnzhbqJyIeqFxrp3KewH02G4yf-lioDWes7gRmy09G4Ia3571LS6AzsdxxT3I-606b1kySLCd0/s1920/fantasy-g1fd352412_1920.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1087" data-original-width="1920" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggVa3dPu6xrss3FktRak3tc_dGSBHzB5NjLAQah-1GEP-vyZ9ZaxU_Za5kosTIiw4rZjPbDB2DrqW9EyInfMuR0uczqL7isKsQ4Lu6UohTmTe5p4tnzhbqJyIeqFxrp3KewH02G4yf-lioDWes7gRmy09G4Ia3571LS6AzsdxxT3I-606b1kySLCd0/w400-h226/fantasy-g1fd352412_1920.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><blockquote><p>I always play a cleric. </p><p>They are, to me, the best class. </p><p>I am also an atheist.</p><p><br /></p><p>Is it my ultimate fantasy to believe in a god?</p></blockquote><p></p><p><br /></p><p>I am quite unwell today. It has been a few days now of a foggy brain, sore muscles, and an inability to do the things I wish. Which often leads me into a rather spaced out, morose, and inquisitive mood. Often questioning the big things. The wants and the needs and the dreams about life.</p><p>Then my games have gods.</p><p>Gods that listen and act on the concordance of their devotees. Gods that will appear before you and give you a quest. Will tell you exactly what you have to do and how to devote your life. They give you powers to achieve that goal too. Lots of it.</p><p>The gods of our world don’t do that. People say they do. But… like… They don’t do they. If I went to work tomorrow and told my boss that God gave me a quest and I have to quit my job to do that he wouldn’t believe me. I might even be asked to speak to a specialist. </p><p>But I think I want that.</p><p>Is it just a sign of my weakness to make bold decisions? </p><p>Must I create a small god out of my own strong belief in it in order to decide what I must do? </p><p>Probably not. </p><p>I think these drugs are affecting my thoughts. </p><p>Sakhr Stormthorn was my second D&D character. A half-elf pirate turned Cleric of Umberlee the Bitch Queen of the Sea. Sakhr was supposed to die. His boat sank and everyone except for him drowned. Umberlee spared him and made him an offer of power in return for service. Sakhr took trident in hand (yes, I know garishly thematic) and set off into the world on quest for Umberlee! </p><p>It works because it makes sense, it’s simple, and Sakhr can be solely dedicated.</p><p>So, what the fuck am I talking about? I think I am developing my own god to include in my games and give me quests in real life. </p><p>Or perhaps I just need to sleep.</p><div><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; clear: left; color: #18ffff; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" style="border: 0px; height: inherit; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br style="background-color: black; color: white; font-family: Georgia, Utopia, "Palatino Linotype", Palatino, serif; font-size: 16px;" /></div></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-2331592662173668372022-09-20T21:35:00.006-07:002022-09-20T21:44:52.222-07:00Mindset shift: Intentional break from creativity<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2o-nDy1PKjfOWV-dvPMF2aqwdyLOQ0ZPN-e7LVaQ6brsFESSknwRLkovI_rgCmOAuF3Rf9InWeONpuvzzX8fiqTCuakCvp09Hnbh_ZKIF4xx_HwZ9rW7EBHWKp8OHOgJCQbY7ZLe5tIPwEFidCprSBHkG8dmFW4G-ma0OR_s-DX6g4DTlk-f-zwSo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img data-original-height="796" data-original-width="1920" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2o-nDy1PKjfOWV-dvPMF2aqwdyLOQ0ZPN-e7LVaQ6brsFESSknwRLkovI_rgCmOAuF3Rf9InWeONpuvzzX8fiqTCuakCvp09Hnbh_ZKIF4xx_HwZ9rW7EBHWKp8OHOgJCQbY7ZLe5tIPwEFidCprSBHkG8dmFW4G-ma0OR_s-DX6g4DTlk-f-zwSo=w640-h266" width="640" /></a></div><br /> I took a new job this
semester. It’s a leadership role in a school and it’s intense. Lots of new
learning for me, more responsibilities, and time spent at school. Obviously, I
have not had the time to be creative that I have had in the past and it is
getting me down.<p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">There is always a
constant longing to create. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">It has, at times,
become quite a problem in my life causing my mental well-being to suffer. I
really don’t want this. So, a mindset shift is needed. For me, that means
deciding not to be creative. Intentionally deciding that I am going to consume
rather than create. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">However, I am going to
consume all the things that will directly relate to the projects I want to work
on but limit myself to handwritten notes and Evernote clippings. I have a long
list of books, films, and games I have wanted to explore over the last few
years but haven’t because I haven’t guilty, I am not writing or working. The
brain is weird, huh? <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I think just writing this
highlight some of the pressures I put on myself, sigh. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">ANYWAY.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">I’m actually very
excited about just consuming a bunch of stuff over the next few months. I know
I’ll blog and tweet about them, so be sure to keep on them.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">What am I gonna eat
up? Well, here’s the list so far.</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Books</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">LOTR (again)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Liveship Traders
Trilogy (again)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Pushing Ice<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Uncanny X-Men graphic
novels<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Farnham’s Freehold<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">On the Beach<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A Canticle for Leibowitz</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Games</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Elden Ring (again)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Cyberpunk 2077<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Fallout 2 (again)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Mutant Year Zero</p>
<h3 style="text-align: left;">Films</h3><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Righto... <a href="https://pulsestore.net/produit/after-the-world-ends/?lang=en" target="_blank">So, I havethis book.</a> And I am going to work my way through as many of them as I can.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Plus whatever my wife
and I decide on.<o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">Expect weird blog posts.</p><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-84100350646064757322022-09-11T03:49:00.004-07:002022-09-11T03:49:57.435-07:00Ex Nihilo: Worldbuilding Workshop Bibliography<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirr38_OdmOJmkDpsOCgb_X7ZTGsf7JUFsilY5BqmImcIj6HK2wXdJbTz1qMaRUOczTgJzT1UB5CVJyAT11rQDBVLNHxAjdaWCfYKjqGyKleEwgzmQJzK1H8gEqUejUhBzJLlp6VwEJmqDZUau-m1w53e3glg-WLevPtLT9OdIVS6o_BT-okTDaS9Us" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="1640" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEirr38_OdmOJmkDpsOCgb_X7ZTGsf7JUFsilY5BqmImcIj6HK2wXdJbTz1qMaRUOczTgJzT1UB5CVJyAT11rQDBVLNHxAjdaWCfYKjqGyKleEwgzmQJzK1H8gEqUejUhBzJLlp6VwEJmqDZUau-m1w53e3glg-WLevPtLT9OdIVS6o_BT-okTDaS9Us" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p><p>Here is a list of resources used for the Ex Nihilo worldbuilding workshop I ran at the Portal Fantasy Writing Workshop hosted by Writers SA.</p><p><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">A Complete Illustrated History of the Crusades
and The Crusader Knights by Charles Phillips<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Artefact by Mousehole Press<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Bucket of Bolts by Mousehole Press<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Faeries by Brian Frond & Alan Lee<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Fiend Folio by TSR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Guide to Tolkien’s World: A Bestiary by
David Day<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Have You Heard About the Beast by Matt
Sanders <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Ironsworn by Shawn Tomkin<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Mad Max: Fury Road by Vertigo<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Monster Manual 1<sup>st</sup> edition by
TSR<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Monster Manual 4<sup>th</sup> Edition by
Wizards of the Coast<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Monster Manual 5<sup>th</sup> Edition by
Wizards of the Coast<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Table Fables by Madeline Hale <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Table Fables II by Madeline Hale<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Tales from the Arabian Nights by James
Riordan<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The Art of Mad Max by Abbie Bernstein<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The Atlas of Legendary Lands by Judith A.
McLeod<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The Magical World of Peru by Javier Zapata
Innocenzi<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The Ultimate Encyclopaedia of Mythology by
Arthur Cotterell & Rachel Storm<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">The World of Kong: A Natural History of
Skull Island by Weta Workshop<o:p></o:p></span></p><p>
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Tome of Adventure Design by Frog God Games<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal">Long Days & Pleasant Nights.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Stuart.</p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-41490778951493870022022-06-28T04:17:00.003-07:002022-06-28T04:22:03.592-07:00Another Condescending D&D Blog Post<p> Ya know, I write some pretty cool shit. </p><p>I have spelling mistakes, sure. But fuck, man. I don't drink enough water and have Tiny Human who yells at me in the night so that's what's going to happen.</p><p>Didn't write about D&D this month so my blog stats are way down. </p><p>This is what the world has come to. <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2022/03/we-start-in-tavern.html" target="_blank">I write badass little short stories</a>, like the ones you'd get in an old-school magazine. Zip. But talk about initiative orders and all of a sudden, the numbers are through the roof (this is a thing that happened, that <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2022/01/d-is-terrible-beginners-rpg.html" target="_blank">D&D is terrible for beginners</a> post rustled some feathers). </p><p>So, here it is. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;">D&D5E initiative is shit.</h3><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZYiF3aCXk8hFNeRhXJGoRHBuX9YTGODr14dcRnZeUrW0zn43vd-5QnbGiy4y5tJO-qiCY4MmuCXVO7rFyUUb5UhUCFmbz7BCLgke1Q4ppQniSoiZgw1H2nAssbFkUMsdoLVw2sSxQWXkZ_2bAOkQ1KjymvoCD94erCRbAiUFyBYvd16KNZGXgzh_l" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1134" data-original-width="1600" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgZYiF3aCXk8hFNeRhXJGoRHBuX9YTGODr14dcRnZeUrW0zn43vd-5QnbGiy4y5tJO-qiCY4MmuCXVO7rFyUUb5UhUCFmbz7BCLgke1Q4ppQniSoiZgw1H2nAssbFkUMsdoLVw2sSxQWXkZ_2bAOkQ1KjymvoCD94erCRbAiUFyBYvd16KNZGXgzh_l=w640-h454" width="640" /></a></div></div><p></p><p>Have you ever been in a fight? </p><p>Like a pub brawl or street fight? A real one? </p><p>They're scary. </p><p>Most of the time folks are drunk and/or on drugs and everything is elevated. Everything. A heightened state of agitation and anger fueled by survival instincts, brain chemical secretions, and sometimes even training makes for one fearsome rucus. </p><p>I have been in a lot of fights. It's not a thing I am proud of or a thing I condone anymore, but there was a time in my life when I thought (and still think) it was necessary. I live in a different place now and am surrounded by different people, and fighting no longer seems like a logical answer to much. You just end up hurting.</p><p>Anyway, I'll give you one example. It was a Friday night at a seaside nightclub. One with a balcony overlooking the ocean. It must have been summer because I was out there in a t-shirt and there were a lot of other people too. This was not a classy place. It was the place that only locals went to on a Friday night and everyone got absolutely written off. No one travelled too far to get there. </p><p>On this particular night, there were three different groups of people. Three overlapping friendship groups. Everyone knew a few people from each group but no one knew everyone. They were all men.</p><p>I was talking to Hayden (the names have been changed to conceal the guilty), an old friend, and the Other Guy, whose name I can't remember, so clearly wasn't an old friend. Three of us chatted about whatever bullshit you chat about when Hayden is bumped and spills his drink on the Other Guy. </p><p>This is the catalyst. What I am about to describe all happened in about 12 seconds. </p><p>Other Guy pushes Hayden.</p><p>Hayden punches Other Guy.</p><p>I step in between Other Guy and Hayden.</p><p>Some Other Guy punches me from the side, in the head, knocking me into the wall and dazing me. </p><p>Other Guy takes the advantage and starts laying into me.</p><p>Shane (and old friend) absolute pulverises Some Other Guy with one punch, and he sprawls onto the floor. Shane is tall and lanky and can fight very well. Watch the lanky guys.</p><p>The balcony erupts into chaos. At least six other people are involved.</p><p>I come out of my daze, stand up, get my bearings, put one hand up as a guard and punch Other Guy with the other, dropping him to the ground.</p><p>Coincidently, this happened as the fight ended. Bouncers arrived and kicked out a few people. </p><p>12 seconds of mayhem. That's two rounds in Common. And I only had one turn.</p><p>No one waited for their turn. No one had time to plan. Everyone just acted. Some people were able to act many times before others could act once. Some people froze. It felt random and chaotic in a way that 5E combat does not. No fight I have seen or been in, with more than two people, has had any perceived order.</p><p>So, what is the solution? </p><p>Well, fucko. It's something I didn't even make. This isn't some secret. Some bullshit homebrew that I want laud over you and show how much cooler my table is. Nope. It's just a cool mechanic from another game.</p><p>It's from <a href="https://www.troikarpg.com/" target="_blank">Troika!</a></p><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h3 style="text-align: left;">5. Initiative</h3></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><h4 style="text-align: left;">5.1 Assemble the Stack</h4></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>During combat or at other times where it is important to know who goes first you will need to assemble the Initiative Stack. To do this get a container and a selection of coloured dice or other convenient markers (consider cards, poker chips, and so on). </p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>5.1.1 Assign each character 2 Tokens of a single color.</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>5.1.2 Add Tokens to the Stack for the enemies equal to their total combined Initiative (if you have 8 Lizard-Men (Initiative 2) you would add 16 tokens to the Stack).</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>5.1.3 Add 1 Token of a distinct colour to the Stack. This Token signifies the End of the Round.</p></blockquote><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><p>5.1.4 OPTIONAL: Enemy Initiative Limit. It is very likely that sometimes the characters’ enemies will grossly outnumber them and make it very hard for them to act. The GM may optionally limit the number of Enemy Initiative Tokens placed in the Stack to double that which the characters contribute. So if a party of 5 (10 Initiative Tokens in total) is attacked by fifty goblins (50 Initiative Tokens) the goblins will only contribute 20 Tokens to the Stack. Bear in mind that the GM should feel free to balance Initiative Stacks as it seems appropriate.</p></blockquote></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">It's simple. It's random. It's chaotic. It's easy to learn. There is no time to plan because the tides of battle are constantly changing. You must act fast.</p><p style="text-align: left;">That's all I wanted to say.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Shove this initiative order up your 5E. Or just play Troika!</p><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-63504131312585744202022-06-26T18:40:00.003-07:002022-06-26T22:15:59.650-07:00A Negotiation<span id="docs-internal-guid-a06f34ed-7fff-b0c6-0898-8fb5124f1052"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx0fQjVqSDAwFNFyg834q0OFwFXsN6Cc_ppFgQaqU8Cfy5QAw4QpaO3h8sa-oQoAjNGCGVVl41ruPWEDhlQedUi3_yUg9H4q4E3bk1bqwNgMxpWm4LHMfyIhraWhGBo80KaXH3zlEBOuLGCevn8vwwKlpGUGR4NQeGdYa-txTVkIEbxzMqXbHp2vC/s1200/ammaryn%20tales%20banner.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="1200" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDx0fQjVqSDAwFNFyg834q0OFwFXsN6Cc_ppFgQaqU8Cfy5QAw4QpaO3h8sa-oQoAjNGCGVVl41ruPWEDhlQedUi3_yUg9H4q4E3bk1bqwNgMxpWm4LHMfyIhraWhGBo80KaXH3zlEBOuLGCevn8vwwKlpGUGR4NQeGdYa-txTVkIEbxzMqXbHp2vC/w640-h128/ammaryn%20tales%20banner.png" width="640" /></a></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><br /></i></span></p><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"><div><i>This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.</i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div><i>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content, check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</i></div></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;"><i>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet Lutx sat in his favourite chair. It had a tall back, fine and detailed embroidery, and hard wooden arms carved into wolf heads. It made him feel powerful. Like he was in control and could do or say anything to anyone. That he could speak to people in whatever way he wanted. While sitting in this chair he could convince anyone to do what he wanted them to do.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And that’s exactly what he would do this morning.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He had the kitchen prepare coffee from the fields south of Renidar. The finest that could be found this time of year. There were also spiced muffins with large chunks of stewed apple. He knew that was the Committee member’s favourite.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The coffee would be freshly brewed and its aroma would permeate the room. The spiced apple muffins would be displayed and offered, even though at least 50 had been made there would only be a small number on the table. Hemmet did not want the Committee member to think he was a glutton.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No music today. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There will be no distractions. He wanted this to be just the two of them. Should anyone else catch wind of what he had planned it could be disastrous. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He would open the window shutters. While it was still winter, the sun was out this morning and quite warm. From the third storey, one could see the docks as well as the central markets. The life of the city could be heard below making this room feel connected to the common folk while still giving of sense of power. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet loved this room. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He stood and walked over to the window as if to affirm his original stance about it. And he was right. A fine spot to look down on the commoners while feeling a little like you’re with them. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He straighten his tunic and walked to the coat hanger and took his jacket from it and put it over his shoulders. He considered whether he should be seated or looking out over the city when the Committee member arrived. Decisions, decisions. This was an important choice. He could look very thoughtful, and contemplative should he decide to be at the window. However, on the chair, his wolf-armed chair, he would look strong, but relaxed. Carefree but in control. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A knock at the door and a maid came in, ‘Committee Member Simond has arrived, sir.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Excellent, bring the coffee and cakes in now. Then let him up after they are ready. And I do mean after. It’s very important. Is that clear?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Yes, sir,’ the maid disappeared silently. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Right, the window. The window is the best choice,’ he said to himself. He straightened his jacket and strode from one side of the room to the other and back again. Then went to the window. He looked out at the ocean, then to the docks, and then to the markets and streets below. All those people working so hard. They think they are the ones that make society move. But it’s people like him. Making business deals. Creating work and ensuring progress. It’s important meetings like this one that makes all difference in the world. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not haggling over a dead fish.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet scoffed. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There’s no way they will knock back this opportunity. It’s too important. There’s too much going on. They will be foolish, indeed. Foolish.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The maid entered again and placed the coffee and muffins on the table, ‘Will you require anything else? Or shall I let him in?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet looked around the room, making sure everything was just right, then back to the maid, ‘Let him in.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">He took his place at the window and looked out over the city. He breathed deep and sighed putting his best contemplative face on. Before long he heard the footsteps coming down the hall. The door opened and the maid entered followed by a man dressed in well-made, but plain clothing. That of the working class as opposed to nobility. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Sir, Committee Member Simond,’ the maid said with a curtsy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Easy prey.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFeJMEA5yjIhZIfcxK0N6k9uZ8aBzIqT47EtLUgHkPcaTBZjoPTAX_UM8wRFrXuYU5H-R663dCr2_N_YaYNSW9n63s9whESOf-E7K1uZru8FRjoeiNTd72ZSbPoQrdbgU4-7EAJVizCKykT47y5QctFBgz3M7U17MewnhRMYvFFkuZPIb43yRFC5j/s320/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="320" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFeJMEA5yjIhZIfcxK0N6k9uZ8aBzIqT47EtLUgHkPcaTBZjoPTAX_UM8wRFrXuYU5H-R663dCr2_N_YaYNSW9n63s9whESOf-E7K1uZru8FRjoeiNTd72ZSbPoQrdbgU4-7EAJVizCKykT47y5QctFBgz3M7U17MewnhRMYvFFkuZPIb43yRFC5j/s1600/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">As the door opened Simond almost had to catch his breath. The room was filled with the scent of burned coffee and overly spiced baked goods. His eyes were assaulted next. Standing by the window looking out over the city was a slight man, with an extravagant pomp of hair, a ridiculous jacket and an expression of attempted thoughtfulness.</span><p></p></span></span><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Sir, Committee Member Simond,’ the mad said with a curtsy.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’ll be over soon.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Welcome, Committee Member Simond,’ Hemmet Lutx said, ‘So happy to have you join me today.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Simond, please. There is no need for such formalities,’ Simond strode forward and took his hand. He shook it, firmly, and saw that Hemmet’s whole body shook. Simond looked out over the city. Where all his people worked. Today was good. There was trade and sunshine, and the rains had been good.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You know, it’s them down there that make all this worthwhile,’ Hemmet said looking down at the street,</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘All this?’ Simond raised an eyebrow.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘These meetings. Discussions. Deals. Trades. All the things that we do to make society work.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond looked around the room, ‘Of course.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Please, take a seat. We’ve much to discuss’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond took a seat on the small couch and watched as Hemmet gracefully hung his jacket on the coat hanger and then dropped into the ridiculous armchair. With wolves on the arms. He doubted that Hemmet had ever seen a wolf. Simond assumed it made him feel assertive or some such. Silly.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Coffee? Cake?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond agreed, even though they did not seem appealing. He sipped the bitter coffee and took a bite from the cake. He reminded him of how far he was from home. Spiced apple muffins were a staple in Oatsmill. There was vicious rivalry and competition to make the best ones. Families guard their recipes and siblings have stopped talking to each other after arguments about ingredients and methods. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond thought that, perhaps, no one argued over the ingredients of this apple cake. No one at all. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet sipped delicately at his coffee, took a very small bite of his muffin, and chewed quietly for a time. Eventually, he wiped his mouth in preparation to speak.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I know why you’ve invited me here this morning, Hemmet.’ Simond said this flatly. Not wanting to sound rude, not wanting to sound interested.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Oh,’ Hemmet said. ‘And why have I invited you here today?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You want me to lift the ban on mining in the Renidar Ranges.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet looked at him. And then out of the window. He was thrown off guard. Who had let it slip? Who had told him already? He would find out. There were only a handful of people that knew what he was attempting. It was probably one of the dwarves. He never trusted them. They wanted everything to themselves because they thought that they were entitled to everything under the surface. Ridiculous.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Well, that’s not entirely true,’ Hemmet said.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘The agreement has been set and has been in place for a long time. The dwarves of Renidar get full rights to all mining and excavation in those mountains.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘What I am proposing does not mean we remove that. I just want to implement a permit system. It would be-’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘To what end?’ Simond cut him off and put the bitter tasting coffee down, ‘The system is in place and it works well. They mine, they excavate, they cover all the costs. We just get the benefits of the minerals and materials they find and create. It’s a good trade system. Oatsmill grows more than enough food. Food they can’t grow down there. It works, there won’t be any change.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You haven’t even heard my proposal?’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I don’t need to.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Committee Member Simond,’ Hemmet was trying hard not to clench his teeth, ‘You must listen. This operation could be extremely beneficial to all that are involved. It is much too important to leave in the hands of the Renidarians.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond sighed, and glanced at the sad looking muffins, ‘Okay, tell me what you want to do. However, I do not think this will help.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet stood and walked carefully placing one foot in front of the other. A look a serious concern, or possibly, contemplation on his face. At least an attempted look.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘I look out at the people of Penkarth, the people Ammaryn, every day. I see them working. They work tirelessly.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You can tell that from up here I’m sure.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Of course,’ Hemmet attempted to ignore the slight. This was not the sort of encounter he had been expecting. The was under the assumption the Committee members were civilised noble types. ‘It’s my goal in life to make living better for those that come after me. That’s why I want to work in the Renidar mountains.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You still haven’t told me what you want to do there. My time is limited, so, do not take my directness as rudeness. Just tell me what you want to do.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Very well,’ Hemmet needed to change tactics, ‘My researchers and surveyors have good reason to believe that under the mountains between The Weeping Keep and Crow’s Bay is a powerful artifact.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘From my understanding, the entire mountain range is littered with magic artifacts. This is not news, Hemmet.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘This is believed to be able to control the weather. Bring rains. Stop rains. Part the clouds, Simond! This sort of artifact could change the way we manage farmlands. Ensure safe passage into our ports. Stop famine from ever being an issue again.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Famine has not been an issue in Ammaryn in 400 years. Our farming practices have been modified and developed using ancient methods learned from the elves. We trade with the north and the south. This is not an issue. As for safe passage into our ports. The ocean has it’s own gods, regardless of what Verd’s clerics say on the matter. So, we have no control over that.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond bit his tongue. He shouldn’t have spoken so openly about Verd. Not in that way. Hemmet surely believes all Committee Members to be devout believers in Verd and The Founding Five. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘By the five, Simond! Have you no care for the safety of your people!’ Hemmet was angry. It looked legitimate to Simond as well, however, Simond would not tolerate that.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘You speak out of turn, Hemmet’ Simond spoke calmly. Never meet anger with anger. ‘All I care for is the safety of the Ammari people. What you propose is an excavation into a mountain range. This is a dangerous task even for the dwarves. The dwarves have lived there for centuries, even they do not go into new areas without careful planning, discussion, and advice. And what of our trade agreements? It would be a serious affront to them and cause unnecessary stress on that alliance. It could lead to open war.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet opened his mouth to speak, but Simond was relentless.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Do you know what beasts and monstrosities lurk in those ranges? I do not know what artifact you speak of, but from what you describe it must be old. Old and powerful. That sort of magic always comes with a price. There are reasons those things are trapped beneath the earth. Whoever put it there put it there for good reason. Whether it was done by the elves, or by whatever civilisation was around before them, it does not matter. They put it there so that people could not get their hands on it.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">An uneasy silence filled the room. Hemmet sniffed. Cleared his throat. And walked stiffly to look out over the window again, ‘What you say is speculation.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond remained silent. He knew what was coming.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘No one knows why these artefacts are left underground. No one knows why the old civilisations disappeared. But they have gone. They did not destroy these things. Even when it is clear that they could. They most definitely could. It is short sighted to leave them. To not find them, and use them to aid us.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Use is the wrong word,’ Simond said as he stood, ‘The word you are looking for exploits.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The two men stared at each other.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">‘Thank you for inviting me here,’ Simond continued, ‘I will take this to the Committee Meeting today. But there will be no change in our stance.’</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Simond nodded, turned, and walked out of the room.</span></p></span><span><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFeJMEA5yjIhZIfcxK0N6k9uZ8aBzIqT47EtLUgHkPcaTBZjoPTAX_UM8wRFrXuYU5H-R663dCr2_N_YaYNSW9n63s9whESOf-E7K1uZru8FRjoeiNTd72ZSbPoQrdbgU4-7EAJVizCKykT47y5QctFBgz3M7U17MewnhRMYvFFkuZPIb43yRFC5j/s320/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="320" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFeJMEA5yjIhZIfcxK0N6k9uZ8aBzIqT47EtLUgHkPcaTBZjoPTAX_UM8wRFrXuYU5H-R663dCr2_N_YaYNSW9n63s9whESOf-E7K1uZru8FRjoeiNTd72ZSbPoQrdbgU4-7EAJVizCKykT47y5QctFBgz3M7U17MewnhRMYvFFkuZPIb43yRFC5j/s1600/image.png" width="320" /></a><br /></div><p></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hemmet could not believe it. This so-called leader of Ammaryn was a short sighted fool. He had no idea what sort of opportunity he had just thrown away. And thrown it away he had. There would be no deal done with the committee now.</span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No, now he would need to get this done but by his own means. A means that would justify the ends. There were people in the world that would see eye to you with him. They would understand the importance of this. </span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Some stones must not be left unturned.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8IpgxQNV_5HZlLDI1mVJwH45kjtlx2xTSAS2VpYkMf0I5g1J-jZyGunQn7arQadeUibPsmvyX0MFLFOYSDRN7cHRaUGkkK9bwdsHvufOQ_3BKLqiKGNXLdwg33fVzPmgcJ9xPumjP9Dh14aAEmSc4MpDJFR3PiBiNJWRrmzrrTb5KQB4b5C429l_4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="320" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8IpgxQNV_5HZlLDI1mVJwH45kjtlx2xTSAS2VpYkMf0I5g1J-jZyGunQn7arQadeUibPsmvyX0MFLFOYSDRN7cHRaUGkkK9bwdsHvufOQ_3BKLqiKGNXLdwg33fVzPmgcJ9xPumjP9Dh14aAEmSc4MpDJFR3PiBiNJWRrmzrrTb5KQB4b5C429l_4" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">This is a series of short stories. They're all loosely connected and I have seen that there are some storylines that may go longer. For the most part, though, they are bite-sized stories of action, adventure, and weirdness set in a fantasy world.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/search/label/tales%20from%20ammaryn" target="_blank">You can click here and find them all.</a></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Long days and pleasant nights. </p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Times New Roman"; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-8071788133732349102022-06-18T15:34:00.001-07:002022-06-18T15:34:32.682-07:00Writing Retreat Thoughts: Three<p> I woke with power this morning. It is still bitterly cold. But the fire is lit and the heater in the writing room is cranked to full noise. I have a beanie with a pompom on the top that is often too warm and a pair of fingerless thermal gloves. </p><p>I will survive this cold.</p><p>Went to bed last night and my mind was fixated on this story. I consider this a good thing. I was fully intending on having a fever dream that would unlock the greatest story ever told (tribute) but alas, I slept a dreamless sleep. I woke up fresh, clear-minded, and ready for the new day. </p><p>I should make it clear that this is not a thing that happens often. With a Tiny Human in the house, sleep is constantly disrupted and it is not lost on me that while I sleep well my wife does not. She is doing the hard work so that I can do this. </p><p>The louvred window of this room lets cold air seep into the room and I can feel outside chill on my fingertips. This is a cute house, but it's freezing. I would return here I think, it was a long drive and perhaps I would return for a longer stay to warrant the drive. But, with Tiny Human being so tiny I don't think that's a thing I want to do.</p><p>The RPG books have not been touched. This is a thing I do. Bring a lot of stuff 'just in case.' perhaps that is just a form of distraction or procrastination or resistance. Resistance to The Work. I will think on this on the long drive home. </p><p>Anyway, I have a new structure and direction for this novel. I have about 18k words mildly polished and have written about 5k more over the last two days. The retreat is working. Could I have done this at home? Maybe... But I have lawns to mow, gutters to clean, nappies to change, mouths to feed, and an almost endless list of distractions there. </p><p>No, I think that this sort of thing is particularly important to creatives. Dedicated time to immerse yourself in The Work. When it can be done, that is. </p><p>Creating an Island of Creative Solitude.</p><p>Long days and pleasant nights.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUG0Mi3yDjGiEz-6-JwWSHoMvmMOMrVcs2dzDsRVmT1VXtTUvkGQ4w3ff-YmPkvaUcIfqDcck2O4XIJLIviyhDaRXUVkjd9du2hGYUR28cRuTLXqp0ajoQBNNX_u4-GyfsYG4XEkcq-a8nqDF-C35NiVvsSwlkhkGIB2FDkrg6-76VpnbKXMfnrhrC/s4032/PXL_20220618_222821024-01.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2268" data-original-width="4032" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUG0Mi3yDjGiEz-6-JwWSHoMvmMOMrVcs2dzDsRVmT1VXtTUvkGQ4w3ff-YmPkvaUcIfqDcck2O4XIJLIviyhDaRXUVkjd9du2hGYUR28cRuTLXqp0ajoQBNNX_u4-GyfsYG4XEkcq-a8nqDF-C35NiVvsSwlkhkGIB2FDkrg6-76VpnbKXMfnrhrC/w640-h360/PXL_20220618_222821024-01.jpeg" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Island of Solitude</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p><br /></p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-59230705623516591682022-06-17T19:42:00.000-07:002022-06-17T19:42:13.446-07:00Writing Retreat Thoughts: Two<p> I woke this morning and there was no power. </p><p>There was no warmth outside the bed which was heated by me and the portable water bottle, Kevin (the dachshund). My mind raced thinking that perhaps I had done something, left something overnight, that had caused the power to trip. </p><p>I looked out of the winder and was greeted by fog, thick and unmoving. For a brief moment, I considered the possibility that this was it. This was the end of life as I had known it and the end apocalypse had begun. But no. The power was just out. And I am one of those 'adults' now. So, I lit the fire, placed a torch sitting upright to illuminate the room, and boiled some water on the stove. </p><p>All that was needed was some warm clothes, caffeine, and a stretch and I could get back to The Work. </p><p>And to The Work, I went.</p><p>A note on calling it The Work. I like this phrase. I like that it is a proper noun. It gives it weight and makes it something of importance. Not just something I am doing but something that I have to do, something that must be done. </p><p>I have now done the initial edits of The Novel. I have some solid gems in there and I like this story. I also like that it is the sort of genre I have never read before. It is not a new genre, there are heaps of books in this genre, and it has never crossed my mind to write it. But here it is, me writing in a genre I don't really know. I feel comfortable with this and I'm unsure if I will dive in and research it to 'know' what is 'supposed' to be in there. Or perhaps I will just focus on the story and structure and see how it turns out. </p><p>But I have achieved. I am happy with the progress so far. I still have 24 hours here. I will still not give myself a word count. I might share what that is when I am done. I will be taking a break from the laptop to read and walk and then this afternoon I will write. </p><p>This wonky little house is doing good things. </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WFSMzLIt-lMALODyFjvqvWk0X4mDJ5-FYgHAOMVAuZ2_47GeceGeBSwsedftkJzhF_aOZPwLLjxEnyPnYO9iabrT_0Wrh5iul03DY9YsJ88rcpVLaaH36UPp0akR5KnyxyFh7NYIWrZOj5UyeSKzVzaVyiH3O_QF4Y_joTzpwLLJbqddZLtCjbtA/s1438/received_1274845419588879~3.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1438" data-original-width="959" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8WFSMzLIt-lMALODyFjvqvWk0X4mDJ5-FYgHAOMVAuZ2_47GeceGeBSwsedftkJzhF_aOZPwLLjxEnyPnYO9iabrT_0Wrh5iul03DY9YsJ88rcpVLaaH36UPp0akR5KnyxyFh7NYIWrZOj5UyeSKzVzaVyiH3O_QF4Y_joTzpwLLJbqddZLtCjbtA/w266-h400/received_1274845419588879~3.jpeg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The wonky corridor that leads to The Work.</td></tr></tbody></table><p>Long days and pleasant nights.</p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-32708071631462406542022-06-16T23:57:00.000-07:002022-06-16T23:57:22.101-07:00Writing Retreat Thoughts: One<p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BosQK0Wf0v5ff5nin9BsvUANkiDdl7h0ALFBwM4JUjdtsX-n6ZrjXP5_R_vnJb_73pcIG2al62eaUT3GPeDQ6DLlrBXX_UrWL69orQQ_kh5b4xUMelUpIdYeEzlAj0ln-APrTnyhujDd_fZMj3JjrW7iv5xrUbM6WAdoVHQNtQ2zCs5sRNXFAi88/s4032/PXL_20220617_051933244.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3BosQK0Wf0v5ff5nin9BsvUANkiDdl7h0ALFBwM4JUjdtsX-n6ZrjXP5_R_vnJb_73pcIG2al62eaUT3GPeDQ6DLlrBXX_UrWL69orQQ_kh5b4xUMelUpIdYeEzlAj0ln-APrTnyhujDd_fZMj3JjrW7iv5xrUbM6WAdoVHQNtQ2zCs5sRNXFAi88/w400-h300/PXL_20220617_051933244.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kevin, Ghostwriter</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> I did it. </p><p>I did something that makes this writing thing cost money. As well as time. </p><p>For the next three days, I am staying in a little house in the middle of nowhere that has a kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and a tiny art studio (there is a lounge with a TV too, but I am not going to use that). I here to write. Edit, too. Be creative and intentional in a wordy way.</p><p>These are the first words I am writing. A bit of a warm-up. Something to loosen the fingers and the thoughts so that I don't sit about 'waiting for the muse.' </p><p>The Muse comes once the work has started.</p><p>I do have some goals. But they are not word count based. They're story progress based. I don't want to tie myself to a word count because word counts have two effects. Firstly, they show the mountain that looks too high to climb from the bottom. Secondly, they show you where the mountain's peak should be, even though more often than not it is not there. I don't like either of these things. </p><p>By the end of this weekend, I will know,(mostly) where my Novel is going which will give me the foundation to start hammering and chiselling out of my brain. </p><p>I (might) also have some sort of frame of a game. But that is a secondary goal. Something to do when I need a break. We'll see.</p><p>The primary task here writing weird fiction set in the place I grew up. </p><p>Enough of what I will do. From now on these little updates will be about what I have done. I am away from my family and spending my money to productive and professional. Not to dream and waste this privileged opportunity. </p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-19143687173006407592022-06-05T12:30:00.004-07:002022-06-05T12:30:00.179-07:00On being a player.<p> This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.</p><div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content then check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>--------------------------------------------------------</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAr7Y2xhl7ib0nBE8zrci7ZXvxoWRYhWcgIKI10Kr6mdhLGn_mDC_yIqa2Jwuyb3jsZ3Hnmpj-1HOlzHEmeIZ-QCF8gV-KXw6VrXXqXpryL-JseNiPEnB6AEryTItJ2XwchS8Lf7PgKo1WEfYpzSb9CfoencIuh69hPTT6Ll3OzNJb_FuTpKWelWm/s4592/pexels-stephen-hardy-7394684.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3448" data-original-width="4592" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZAr7Y2xhl7ib0nBE8zrci7ZXvxoWRYhWcgIKI10Kr6mdhLGn_mDC_yIqa2Jwuyb3jsZ3Hnmpj-1HOlzHEmeIZ-QCF8gV-KXw6VrXXqXpryL-JseNiPEnB6AEryTItJ2XwchS8Lf7PgKo1WEfYpzSb9CfoencIuh69hPTT6Ll3OzNJb_FuTpKWelWm/s320/pexels-stephen-hardy-7394684.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>For the first time in a long time, I have been playing instead of running RPGs. I hate the term forever GM, but it has been the case for me for a very long time. It is mostly my own doing. I am running my own games, and Adventurer’s League, and at the school club, and for whoever wanted to play. But that has taken the back burner a little in the last few months as work and life consumed a lot of my time. </div><div><br /></div><div>However, in the last few weeks, I have been able to play games. Make characters and play the game. Not run it. </div><div><br /></div><div>During these sessions, I couldn’t help but make some notes on the things I liked, and sometimes disliked, about how the other players, and me, engaged with the game. I guess you could call this my primer for players. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Be prepared.</h4><div>When you get to the table. Have your stuff ready. Have your character sheet and your dice and a notepad and pencil. Did the GM send you something to read? Did you read it? You should have. The GM had that written up before you arrived. They’ve also got an adventure ready to go too, so you best had read the little primer. These little things will all help to make the game start sooner and smoother. </div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">You are not the main character. </h4><div>There are more than just you in this group of adventurers or space cowboys or mutants. Your character does not need to be involved in every interaction. Let the others think, breathe, and choose what actions they will take. Thinking time is not wasted time. If you have led every encounter or interaction in the last 20 minutes it's time to ease up. Yes, even if ‘it’s what your character would do.’ Each person at the table has a voice and they have the right to use it. You are just one cog in the machine so slow down. The spotlight does not need to be on you all the time, but definitely can sometimes and relish it when it is.</div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Remove distraction.</h4><div>You will get distracted by your phone. You will get distracted by having a TV on in the background. You will, probably, get distracted by your laptop. I know there are exceptions to all this, that’s cool. But for the most part, only have in front of you what you need to play. It can be very easy to miss important details and when you do that can lead a game to grind to a halt. Note-taking is an excellent way to ensure you’re paying attention to details and getting the information needed for the session. When the story is not focused on you, this is a perfect time to focus your attention on what the others are doing. It will help you understand the other characters and the players controlling them. </div><div><br /></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Set boundaries </h4><div>This probably should have been first. But something I have noticed missing from quite a few games are safety tools. <a href="https://i.4pcdn.org/tg/1583202183294.pdf" target="_blank">If you don’t know what they are you can read about them here.</a> Too often it is assumed that everyone will be fine with whatever content comes up at the table. The GM should be giving a bit of a, hopefully spoiler-free, content warning and it would excellent if they presented everyone with some safety options. If they don’t, you should bring it up. ‘Hey, are we using Lines & Veils? Cause there’s some time I want to avoid.’ Perhaps it’s your first time playing with the group and speaking up like that is a little too daunting. Write a small note and pass it to the GM. It might encourage them to go through some safety tools with everyone or at the very least they’ll know what you’re comfortable with. You know what’s good for you, set those boundaries, and if they aren’t respected then that table’s not for you. </div><div><br /></div><div>These we just a few thoughts I had tonight. My tired teacher brain sometimes kicks into overdrive and I wrote an ad hoc little article. </div><div><br /></div><div>Stay tuned. Next month is going to be a big one. Some cool announcements coming! </div><div><br /></div><div>Long days and pleasant nights.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="font-style: italic;"><br /></div></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-60087367161321518302022-04-20T21:05:00.005-07:002022-04-20T21:05:00.173-07:00Writing: Routines<div><div>This post was originally sent as a reward to all Patreon supporters, and is released freely on this site a week after its original publication.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you want to support my blog, games, and video content then check out <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">my Patreon</a>.</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</i></div><i>I wake up at 4:44 am every morning. I stretch, drink 1 litre of hydroperfected water, and then meditate for 10 minutes. I then move to my Sanctuary to begin writing. The words come easy. They flow out of my brain, down my arms, and splatter the keyboard with my creativity. I write until the inspiration begins to slow, about three hours. Although it feels as if no time has passed at all. Then I sit and meditate on what I have just conjured into existence, imagining the characters living their lives as I have written them. Then, I am I done. The work is complete. This is how I write.</i><div><br />Well…<br /><br />It’s not. It’s nothing like that at all. I have a small child in my house. A tiny dog that whimpers when left out of the room. And it’s cold in winter and too hot in summer. And sometimes it’s harvest season so the farmers have been working all night across the road and next door, so I haven’t slept. Sometimes the water doesn’t work, and I must go out into the dark and do maintenance on the pump.<br /><br />There are never four hours of complete quiet and solitude in my house. There used to be. And I squandered it. I wasted my time. The only try currency we have that we can never get back. Scrolled and YouTube vortexed it away with reckless aplomb.<br /><br />And now I have no time and nowhere near the words written that I wanted to.<br /><br />In the past year, I have been working hard to use my time effectively and write the words I want to when I can. To understand, hone, and ultimately master my creative time when I get it. It has not been an easy process. <a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Stolen-Focus-Why-Cant-Attention/dp/1526620162/ref=asc_df_1526620162/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=463938214949&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1085118110765084284&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9070867&hvtargid=pla-1461249888914&psc=1">My attention has been stolen.</a> But I have been working to change that to ensure I can get myself into a creative state whenever the opportunity arises.<br /><br />The following are some steps to do this and some resources you might find helpful in this overly stimulated world we live in. This is not law, it’s just what works for me.<br /><br /><b>Not when but how.<br /></b>I spent a long time thinking that in order to build a solid writing routine I needed to sit down to write at the same time every day. I needed to be consistent with when I am sitting down to work and that would lead to productivity. This can work, and I’m sure it does when you do have time for it. But I don’t. I need to take the moments when I get them. In fact, I am writing this in a shitty motel in the early morning before a day of business meetings in the city. The ‘when’ in routines should be whenever you can. Not at a certain time. The trick is to know your cues to drop into a state of flow.<br /><br /><b>A state of flow.</b><br />Getting the zone. It’s not random and it’s not luck and it’s just for gamers and sportspeople. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mihaly_Csikszentmihalyi">Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi</a> dedicated a large portion of his life to studying flow and how you can get into it.<br /><br />The 8 Characteristics of Flow (<a href="https://positivepsychology.com/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-father-of-flow/">Positive Psychology</a>)<br /><br />Csikszentmihalyi describes eight characteristics of flow:<br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>1. Complete concentration on the task;</div><div>2. Clarity of goals and reward in mind and immediate feedback;</div><div>3. Transformation of time (speeding up/slowing down);</div><div>4. The experience is intrinsically rewarding;</div><div>5. Effortlessness and ease;</div><div>6. There is a balance between challenge and skills;</div><div>7. Actions and awareness are merged, losing self-conscious rumination;</div><div>8. There is a feeling of control over the task.</div></blockquote><div><br />That seems like a lot to consider, but if we were to translate this into a Writers Checklist to achieve a flow state it might look something like this.<br /></div><blockquote style="border: none; margin: 0px 0px 0px 40px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><div>1. Just write, if you need to research do it at another time.</div><div>2. Set a timer or a word count and stick to it.</div><div>3. Once you start to work time will change, you might lose track of it.</div><div>4. Remember you’re writing because you want to and you have been blessed with time to do it, right now.</div><div>5. Just let the words come, don’t stress if they’re right.</div><div>6. Your research is done, you know what you want to write.</div><div>7. You’re not thinking about how it will be received; your focus is on the words going down on to the page.</div><div>8. This is your work and you're getting it done.</div></blockquote><div><br />The best part is that states of flow are scientifically proven to generate experiences of positive emotions. Do the thing you love and you’ll be happy about it, whodda thunk it?<br /><br /><b>Be prepared.</b><br />If you’re a planner, you know this. If you’re a pantser you know something about what you’re going to write even if all you know is that your main character is going to punch the cop. The reason it is important to be prepared is that research is messy and muddy business. You can get bogged down in information. Wading through websites, books, videos, and forums and come out with nothing but the knowledge you haven’t learned anything. So, if you’re sitting down to write, be prepared to write. You can also block out time for research too. But this is a series on writing.<br /><br /><b>Blocking out time.</b><br />To have complete concentration on the task, you must have time allocated for it. It doesn’t need to be at a regular time, but it does need to be long enough to do something. For me, that is a minimum of 25 minutes. Why 25 minutes? Because I use the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomodoro_Technique">Pomodoro Technique</a> to get help me focus. The Pomodoro Technique is essentially 25 minutes of work and then 5 minutes of break time repeated until your allocated time is finished. I have a Pomodoro app on my phone (if I have my phone on me), a Google Chrome plug-in, and an app installed on Windows. I have Pomodoro’s ready and waiting for whenever they need to be called into action. So, I have at least 25 minutes blocked out for writing and only writing. The other cool thing about this method is that I can then block out time in 30 minute chunks. Sometimes I will have an hour, that’s two Pomodoro’s!<br /><br /><b>Musical cues for a flow state.</b><br />I listen to the same music every time I write. When I hear it, I know it’s time for me to work. To write. To get the words down and out and feel fucking good about it. Taste in music is subjective and there is no specific type that works best for everyone, so this will take some trial and error for you. That’s ok, there’s no quick fix for concentration and productivity. For my first Pomodoro, at least, I listen to either <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3WMWucC8gr50SA755AVwMf?si=e1dd0be357d947ca">this</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1pbf0MXA7pw3oknZ1tSOK0?si=_jF5xuM2Q4m-pmqyrYrIiA">this</a>. They’re both fast-paced and have little to no words. I know them back to front and there is nothing in them that surprises me, but they also put me in a positive mood. However, they can become a little too chaotic after a while and I will usually move to some <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DX7EF8wVxBVhG?si=41084fc1830844ba">binaural beats</a> or <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2T1XW28JLFjppAzHSsGHgT">orchestral music</a>. <a href="https://youtu.be/5LHLAcd14b4">These</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5sBoFwRVpMtTpk8pCDqDrX?si=676378dbbe2f4cc3">are</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/7JhU4k2Cq7Q">some</a> <a href="https://youtu.be/nHeuZ8EIbSU">of</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2v5Iv8VzQj6tZGDiTwngmW?si=d2db8bd01b854c0b">my</a> <a href="https://soundcloud.com/matt-colville">favourites.</a> <br /><br /><b>Hiding my phone.</b><br />If I can, I hide my phone. I put it in another room or in my bag. Phones are a fucking curse that I can’t remedy. But until there is a major change in tech law, I will have to live with them. You can get <a href="https://www.thekitchensafe.com/">K-Safe,</a> but they’re expensive. So, the cheaper option is to turn it off and get it out of sight. But do whatever you need to remove the distraction, cause if you’re looking at your phone you don’t <b>have complete concentration on your task.</b><br /><br /><b>Turning off the internet.</b><br /><i>What the fuck, Stuart?</i><br /><br />Yep, turn it off. Now, you can do it literally by flicking the modem off or you can use software or applications to do this. I am using <a href="https://freedom.to/">Freedom</a>. I paid 30 bucks for the year. I can block all the sites I want to, and I can leave exceptions, sites that I need in order to work. I am new to Freedom and it’s something I have chosen to invest the cash in. However, there are plenty of free options. I used <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/blocksite-block-websites/eiimnmioipafcokbfikbljfdeojpcgbh">BlockSite</a> for years before freedom. Why turn it off? Because the internet will stop you from<b> having complete concentration on your task.</b><br /><br /><b>Start with some editing.</b><br />Now, this is about finding something that is challenging and at your skill level. I find that reading through and making minor edits to my work helps to drop me down into a state of flow. It also gets my mind into the place and space I was before I stopped writing. It’s not so challenging you can’t proceed but it is enough to keep you interested and thinking about what makes good writing.<br /><br />Obviously, if you’re starting a new piece of writing then just get words down. It doesn’t matter you can just delete the shit you wrote that’s shit and boring and yuck. It doesn’t matter because we live in the future with magic on our side that makes editing and rewriting a simpler process (I mean, the thinking side of it is not any simpler.)<br /><br /><b>Write because you want to.</b><br />You want to be a writer, yeah? Well, this is your chance to sit down and crush your word counts, create your worlds, and live in your fantasy lands. It needs to be intrinsically rewarding. You need to be doing it because you want to.<br /><br />Now, sometimes we must write something we don’t really want to. I have been working for the last three months as a curriculum writer for the state government, which has been an excellent experience and I loved it, but they weren’t the words I wanted to write. So, when faced with this sort of conundrum a minor pivot in your approach to the task is required. For me, I decided that I would treat the work as training. I worked on my sentence structure and find my ideal writing routine (hence this blog post). Find out what you, a writer, can learn or gain from working on a project that isn’t exactly what you want to do.<br /><br />So, they're my thoughts on routines. It’s not about when but how you write when you get the time. Feel free to drop a comment below on and tell me about your writing routines, tips, and tricks.<br /><br />The following are great resources if you want to learn from actual professionals.<br /><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com/War-Art-Through-Creative-Battles/dp/1936891026/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5X1F0IJVAKIN&keywords=war+of+art&qid=1649907377&sprefix=war%2Caps%2C762&sr=8-1">The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Finding-Flow-Psychology-Engagement-Everyday/dp/0465024114/ref=asc_df_0465024114/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=347664591317&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=4830390925364839209&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9070867&hvtargid=pla-466233959265&psc=1">Finding Flow: The Psychology Of Engagement With Everyday Life by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi </a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Writing-Memoir-Craft-Stephen-King/dp/0684853523/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=on+writing&qid=1649908981&s=books&sr=1-3">On Writing by Stephen King</a></li><li><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Stolen-Focus-Why-Cant-Attention/dp/1526620162/ref=asc_df_1526620162/?tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=463938214949&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18442453304585452561&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9070867&hvtargid=pla-1461249888914&psc=1">Stolen Attention:: why you can't pay attention by Johann Hari</a> (please, everyone read this)</li></ul><br />Long days and pleasant nights.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-59456682359425425252022-03-13T17:10:00.005-07:002022-03-13T17:15:26.417-07:00No more, Twitter.<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.deviantart.com/kerembeyit/art/Stone-of-Farewell-Cover-178545977?q=gallery%3Akerembeyit%2F463379&qo=102" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img data-original-height="1116" data-original-width="700" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCEJNx8nLJLJ2_-8mUs39Xk9uUtfLLtsBr9Qw7GcGjQrRMPVTeTHvsjBi7tKgUro328FSmxeT55mQ3Xod3i_j4y9l47kBInjBh_or5UjMNmnddzI4oCqxf44iEAhP-M5-m4p7Ia0f8lI5I9T4xfGa7Ha_KWakuuMB3aK1ZCGBZ_W2NTczdMl98TRxu=w251-h400" title="Stone of Farewell Cover by kerembeyit" width="251" /></a></div> I thought about and agonised over this for months. <p></p><p>Even writing this seems strange. Why do I feel the need to justify my reasons for leaving, or at least automating and reducing, my engagement with a social media platform? </p><p>But I will. </p><p>I have felt a growing feeling that my life is becoming over complicated. That there are worries in my life that appear to be pressing, urgent, and important. And then when I talk with anyone who is not connected to my life on Twitter they do not understand my concern. They haven't even heard of the issues that are pressing on me. </p><p>The Feed shows me all the outrage. The terrible takes. All the worst possible reads of someone's thoughts and it all just soaks in.</p><p>It stays with me.</p><p>Perhaps this is my mental health struggling to come to terms with it all. And that's fine if it is. But that does not seem to be any reason to stay. </p><p>The constant barrage of negativity and anger is not good for me, or anyone I would argue, and I need to step away from it. There is a constant seeking out of the worst possible ideas and sharing them. There is a relentless 'fight' that just wears on me. I can't see a future where I continue to engage with it. Following over one thousand people and almost two thousand people following me, I feel alone. It is not a sense of community I have there. It is a sense of anxiety and fear. Like I'm the only leaf still clinging to the tree in the middle of autumn. Like I'm in high school again and I still don't have the cool shoes. </p><p>So, fuck that.</p><p>Really, the only thing that keeps me there is the people. A small selection of excellent folk whose creativity and kindness are a beautiful thing to behold. Over the last few years, I have fostered some excellent friendships, or perhaps creative relationships is a better term? (I don't know, the platform makes it difficult to tell) They have been a great source of creative inspiration, connection on a deep nerdy level, and laughter on the topics that I finally found others are interested in. I hope that leaving Twitter doesn't mean I lose them too. </p><p>There is too much parenting to do, words to write, films to watch, and books to read to be carrying the weight of the world as well. </p><p></p><blockquote><p>“What should young people do with their lives today? Many things, obviously. But the most daring thing is to create stable communities in which the terrible disease of loneliness can be cured.”</p><p>― Kurt Vonnegut</p></blockquote><p> While researching loneliness and community, I came across this quote. My attraction to it is probably biased based on my enjoyment of the author's work and my deluded idea that I am still young, but it still hit home. There is no community on social media. There are only bad takes and algorithmic anxiety.</p><p>I will be leaving Twitter, yes, but not entirely. My trusty WatBot will be posting regularly and I will have automatic posts sent there from other sites. I will be leaving Twitter, yes, but not the internet.</p><p>If you would like to chat with me and other like-minded folks, share your work and find some shelter from the constant bombardment of socials you're welcome to join this Discord server: <a href="https://discord.gg/5nFSBffW9f" target="_blank">Largshire Tavern.</a> It seems rather cliché to be making and sharing this, but Discord doesn't weigh me down the way other platforms do. And it can be what I want it to be. Not what some machine thinks I want. So, please come along and say hello. </p><p>If Discord isn't your thing, sign up for this newsletter: <a href="https://mailchi.mp/072e02256f47/the-watkinson-post" target="_blank">The Watkinson Post</a>. These newsletters share my work, and a collection of cool stuff I find on the internet once or twice a month.</p><p>Take care of yourselves, long days and pleasant nights.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-89443703994391558442022-03-09T05:30:00.058-08:002022-03-13T17:58:59.646-07:00Writing: Sometimes, you just have to put the piano in the water.<p> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWpyrPy8j8jppH1rOoMmhI44P-D9b5eQlqmgp5rnROzvZwXvtCQvPONgCgCpi3qIGdbuKywxNkz_NN7FQ7PqZv8eXUmeEff41SM-zU0gnq6Arx1fwv4pU7RHgAqu_NDuFIR8uC5uTlkTC3uFKf5yPMI6eYObUwdf_0Cljl21UFwX1XX5iMgSSyg5AF=s1332" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="850" data-original-width="1332" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgWpyrPy8j8jppH1rOoMmhI44P-D9b5eQlqmgp5rnROzvZwXvtCQvPONgCgCpi3qIGdbuKywxNkz_NN7FQ7PqZv8eXUmeEff41SM-zU0gnq6Arx1fwv4pU7RHgAqu_NDuFIR8uC5uTlkTC3uFKf5yPMI6eYObUwdf_0Cljl21UFwX1XX5iMgSSyg5AF=w400-h255" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A piano in the water.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div>When my wife and I first met we lived in different cities. During the week we would be in constant contact through Messenger and Instagram. A lot of tagging on Instagram. We'd share funny things we'd seen or things that connected to our lives. Ya know, like everyone on the planet. <p></p></div><p style="text-align: left;">But, we were both working and studying so there were a lot of days where we just had had to do the job that had to be done and it sucked. We found ourselves searching for the most ridiculous motivational posts we could find.</p><p style="text-align: left;">And then we came across the above image.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I actually can't remember the text that was crudely placed over the top of it in Canva. But it was something along the lines of following your dreams or doing the hard work or some other clichéd motivational troupe. We quickly adapted whatever was there and that saying became our little push in the right direction whenever we needed it. Our newly created saying was;</p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">Sometimes, you just have to put the piano in the water.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">Which, really, is nonsense. </p><p style="text-align: left;">But served as our motto when it came to doing the work. It meant that regardless of what was happening the work had to get done. The assignment needed to be written. The late shift had to be worked. The cat had to be put down (fucking gutted me and fuck that noise, but it was the thing that had to happen). The online meeting had to happen. The family dinner had to be eaten. The rubbish needed to go out. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Whatever the task was, you just had to do it in order to reach the goal you had set.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Why the fuck am I talking about putting pianos in the water?</p><p style="text-align: left;">Because you cannot edit a blank page. You need words down. You need to dump it all out of your head and put it on the page so that you can play with it. And you need to do it even when you don't want to.</p><p style="text-align: left;">You need to do it when you're tired. Or when you're angry. Or when you're not in the mood, 'mood's a thing for cattle and loveplay'. You need to put the fucking piano in the fucking water.</p><p style="text-align: left;">So, that's my big tip. </p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">Write words, every day.</p></blockquote><p style="text-align: left;">It doesn't matter how many, or how good they are. Just get some words down. Set yourself a timer and write whatever comes to mind. It doesn't cost you anything. Even if delete it all bar one word, you're still one word closer to your goal and you've taught yourself exactly what you don't want.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Muse won't come and fill your page. You have to do that. Then they might come and push you in the right direction.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-46513466252682772342022-03-06T16:13:00.001-08:002022-03-06T16:13:26.512-08:00We Start in a tavern<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaBxwQzpkAVrm8mpeqoBtxAXtRBzvYlCvq1Em6j1hXtRUkoUuKq23RrfDQF0-dyj635ENCaGMQxk6SM4ilAAvaYwfc9mQglx4koKhdWy6M5UF-imk3Vea_I5cGXOuXK3UHhWL9-Tt3eJKuppATMDq7KAr8S5nF50A1VOEzrBrW-w1WHw9W24CajtJH" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="240" data-original-width="1200" height="128" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhaBxwQzpkAVrm8mpeqoBtxAXtRBzvYlCvq1Em6j1hXtRUkoUuKq23RrfDQF0-dyj635ENCaGMQxk6SM4ilAAvaYwfc9mQglx4koKhdWy6M5UF-imk3Vea_I5cGXOuXK3UHhWL9-Tt3eJKuppATMDq7KAr8S5nF50A1VOEzrBrW-w1WHw9W24CajtJH=w640-h128" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tales from Ammaryn: bite-sized stories of action, adventure, and weirdness set in a fantasy world.</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p>A dwarf and an elf sit hunched at the round table. Eyes moving between each other, the cards in their hands, and the cards on the table. They don’t look anywhere else. It’s game time. What happens around them does not register.</p><p><span> </span>Some of the other patrons in The Dusty Tankard occasionally look over to watch the game too. But mostly, they focus on their ale. The Dusty Tankard is not a lively place, quite the opposite. People come here to drink. Sometimes they come to talk, but that is done quietly, and usually with a sense of secrecy. Or conspiracy. </p><p><span> </span>The dwarf stares at her cards, she only needs one more pair to win. But the elf… the elf is already too steps ahead. The dwarf runs one broad hand over her long black hair.</p><p><span> </span>‘Make your move, Aleece,’ the elf said with a cruel grin.</p><p><span> </span>‘Fendas, quiet,’ Aleece doesn’t look up from her hand.</p><p><span> </span>‘Don’t get testy, oh broad one. You know, in some parts of the city they play this game with a timepiece?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Is that so?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Why yes, they even say that it is a part of the rules. That if you take too long to play a hand you forfeit your turn. I feel like that is something we should adopt.’</p><p><span> </span>‘You would have no one to play with,’ Aleece said placing three more cards down. ‘Or show you how to play.’</p><p><span> </span>Fendas’ eyes moved from the dwarves face to the cards on the table, back to the dwarf, then to his own cards, and back to the dwarf, ‘Hmm, a fine play. A fine play indeed.’</p><p><span> </span>Had they not been so engrossed in their game they would have noticed a large figure clad in hard, black leather and covered by a heavy brown cloak enter the tavern. Had the tavern not already been quiet there would have been a noticeable hushed silence. Had this been anywhere else in Penkarth the figure would have been seen, recognised, and avoided. </p><p><span> </span>However, this was The Dusty Tankard and no one batted an eyelid.</p><p><span> </span>Daffid, in the inn keep, didn’t look phased when they took their hood off revealing a heavily scarred face, heavily pierced ears, and black eyes. Nor was he surprised he the man asked for a bottle of whisky and two glasses. </p><p><span> </span>The large scared man moved to a booth at the far end of the room and sat down. Poured two glasses of whisky and drank from one of them. He then removed a pouch of smoke, rolling papers, and matches. He rolled four and lit one. Downed his drink and poured himself another. The other glass remained on the other side of the table untouched.</p><p><span> </span>‘You won’t win,’ Fendas said, ‘You know this, right?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Quiet elf,’ Aleece grunted and watched as Fendas lay down a range of cards. Strong cards, an excellent hand in fact. Aleece cursed under her breath.</p><p><span> </span>‘What was that?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Shut up, young man. Focus on your own hand.’</p><p><span> </span>‘I'm at least 30 years older than you.’</p><p><span> </span>‘And yet, you look and act like an adolescent.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Don’t be offended by my youth!’</p><p><span> </span>‘Not offended,’ Aleece put down two cards, ‘We’ll call that a game I think.’</p><p><span> </span>‘What?’ Fendas stared at the arrangement of cards on the table. ‘Unbelievable! You know, for a miner with a head filled with rocks. You certainly know how to bluff.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Watch it,’ Aleece glared at the elf for a moment. But then a smile spread across her face. ‘If you’d ever been to a Miners Union meet you’d understand why that is.’</p><p><span> </span>Fendas stared for a moment, clearly confused, ‘I’ll get some drinks.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Sit down,’ the dwarf said hopping off her seat, ‘Shuffle the deck. I’ll get the drinks.’</p><p><span> </span>Aleece was almost as broad as she was tall. The bar came up to her neck and Daffid had to lean over the bar to be able to see her.</p><p><span> </span>‘Wine and ale, Daffid.’</p><p><span> </span>Daffid smiled, nodded, and went about preparing the drinks. Daffid enjoy the fact that his bar was quiet. He didn’t speak when he didn’t have to and he liked that most of his patrons felt the same way. That he didn’t did feel the need to speak had one unusual side effect. His bar attracted some strange folk. Like the one in the back corner. On his third glass of straight whisky. But, they were usually quiet. And pay well.</p><p><span> </span>As Daffid placed the drinks on the counter the door swung open again. </p><p><span> </span>The new customer was short. Shorter than Aleece. They removed their hood when they entered revealing a wide head of green skin, a mouth of rigid sharp teeth, pointed ears, and yellow eyes. A goblin. There was a time when a goblin would have been killed on the spot. Monsters they were called. However, in recent times things have changed. There was some sort of war out in the wastelands to the west and the goblins came in huge numbers seeking refuge. They were given it. Much to the chagrin of the people at the time. But, as with everything, time smoothed out the unease that new peoples bring to simple-minded folks. They took up work, started their own villages, and blended into life here. </p><p><span> </span>Daffid nodded at the goblin who nodded back. The goblin scanned the room. Found the scared man in the back and walked towards him. He sat down, picked up a smoke from the table, lit it, and drained the glass of whisky that had been sitting untouched. He poured himself another.</p><p><span> </span>Fendas had been shuffling the cards and watching the scarred man through the corner of his eye. He recognised him. He knew the face. Knew the black leather. Knew something… well he thought he did. The coin had dropped when the goblin walked in.</p><p><span> </span>Aleece instantly noticed that Fendas looked uncomfortable. Possibly even afraid. In a guess at what was concerning her elven friend she said, ‘I know it’s still strange. But there was a time when dwarves and elves fought on sight too. Things change with time.’</p><p><span> </span>Fendas glared at her and whispered, ‘It’s not that, rock brains.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Oh, right. Back to insults. You know, I could say something about your profession too. Seamstress!’</p><p><span> </span>‘I’m a tailor, you dolt. Too much time down in those mines as a pup, I’d say.’</p><p><span> </span>Fendas began dealing the cards but could not stop looking at the scared man and the goblin in the booth in the corner of the room. Whisky slowly disappeared from the bottle as the smoke obscured their faces.</p><p><span> </span>‘Do you know who that is?’ Fendas asked.</p><p><span> </span>‘Don’t know, don’t care,’ Aleece said, ‘Deal the cards.’</p><p><span> </span>‘You will care,’ Fendas whispered.</p><p><span> </span>‘Why are you whispering?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Ian ‘The Iron’ Knowles. Ring any bells?’</p><p><span> </span>Aleece took a drink of her ale and looked over her tankard to the corner booth, ‘He’s in the Penkarth dungeons, ey?’</p><p><span> </span>‘No, he’s sitting in that booth over there and that is Berj ‘The Bastard’ that just came in,’ Fendas whispered while dealing the cards a little frantically. </p><p><span> </span>Fendas and Aleece took their cards in their hands and held them. Pretended, quite effectively, to organise them and watched as the two in the corner smoked and drank.</p><p><span> </span>Then Aleece, realising how silly they looked, placed two cards on the table without looking at them, ‘Your turn.’</p><p><span> </span>Fendas picked up on the rouse and placed another two cards down and responded stiffly with, ‘Well played.’</p><p><span> </span>During their fake game Iron Knowles and Berj the Bastard started talking. In Ammari at first, simple pleasantries, but soon it turned into the low screeches and guttural rumblings of goblin. The goblin language is famously challenging to master. There is no written script. And each tribal or family group has a slightly different dialect. Non-goblins usually need to be speaking or at least hearing it from a very young age. As a result of that, not many know it. It is quite unnerving to hear anyone other than a goblin speak it.</p><p><span> </span>But these two seemed to speak it fluently.</p><p><span> </span>Aleece pronounced Fendas the winner of the round without really looking at what was placed on the table. Then collected the cards and started to shuffle them again. Fendas walked to the bar and ordered another round of drinks even though they had not finished their last. When he sat down again they continued their ruse. Aleece drained off her first ale. </p><p><span> </span>The door opened.</p><p><span> </span>Two more figures entered. </p><p><span> </span>Iron Knowles and Berj the Bastard stopped talking. Iron Knowles glared.</p><p><span> </span>The two newcomers, men, a human and one of elven heritage, wore khaki coloured cloaks over chain mail, swords hung in scabbards at their hips, heavy metal boots, and faces as hard as steel.</p><p><span> </span>They were Sand Cranes.</p><p><span> </span>‘They’re Sand Cranes,’ Fendas said visibly shaking.</p><p><span> </span>Aleece turned and looked over at her shoulder at the two Sand Cranes standing at the bar and ordering drinks. Daffid’s face had changed from pleasant and welcoming to serious and concerned. He poured their ales and went to clear some tables. Most of the patrons were not paying attention to the people in the room, their quiet chatter continued.</p><p><span> </span>‘Iron Knowles was a Sand Crane,’ Fendas whispered again. <span> </span></p><p><span> </span>‘How in the hells do you know anything about this?’ Aleece whispered back.</p><p><span> </span>‘I do repairs on town guard uniforms, they talk, they talk a lot. They come in ten at a time for measurements. Oh, no. This is not good. Should we leave?’</p><p><span> </span>‘You mean run out? No.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Why?’</p><p><span> </span>‘Nothing will happen, surely,’ Aleece said clearly unsure of her own statement. </p><p><span> </span>‘You see,’ the human Sand Crane spoke, loudly, ‘The problem with the law these days is that it's too soft.’</p><p><span> </span>‘They never lock anyone away long enough these days,’ the half-elf responded, just as loud. Both men stood facing the bar. Their backs to the rest of the tavern.</p><p><span> </span>‘That’s right. We have all sorts just walking the streets. Don’t we Daffid?’</p><p><span> </span>Daffid froze. He was bent over a table wiping it down. Slowly he turned and looked towards the Sand Cranes, ‘I wouldn’t say that, now. The Guard do a quite a good job of keeping us safe.’</p><p><span> </span>Daffid instantly regretted his words.</p><p><span> </span>‘So, you disagree with me then?’ The human said putting his tankard on the bar and turning his head.</p><p><span> </span>‘Er, well, no, I just. Think.’ Daffid moved quickly behind the bar, ‘I think that it’s all fine usually. That’s all.’</p><p><span> </span>‘It’s all fine is it, right, right. You think it’s fine that turncoat liars get to walk free, yeah?’</p><p><span> </span>Daffid's eyes widened.</p><p><span> </span>‘No need to fear, Daffid,’ said the half-elf, ‘We’re just voicing our concerns. Our opinions.’</p><p><span> </span>‘Yeah, that’s all.’ The human said.</p><p><span> </span>Iron Knowles stood up from the booth, smoke stuck to his lip. He walked over to the bar and positioned himself a few metres from the Sand Cranes, ‘Two ales, Daffid.’</p><p><span> </span>It was a struggle but Daffid unlocked his limbs and poured two ales. By now the whole place was silently watching the three men at the bar and Daffid, who was barely holding it together. There is a feeling that settles in on a room while tension is building. While everyone's emotions stir and those at the center of it think through what they are doing. Trying to outmaneuver those they contest. It’s a silence that is impossible to reproduce in any other way.</p><p><span> </span>The silence was painful.</p><p><span> </span>Daffid put the drinks on the counter and the sound of them touching the counter was ear-piercing compared with deathly quiet in the room. </p><p><span> </span>Iron Knowles picked up one of the tankards and drained it in one mouthful. He turned to the two Sand Cranes, ‘That’s the thing with society I suppose. Everyone’s entitled to their opinion. Regardless of their expertise.’ </p><p><span> </span>He spat the last word out as if he had bitten into a piece of rotten flesh. He picked up the second tankard and downed that one as well. Iron Knowles belched, a harsh sound like something from the belly of an animal. </p><p><span> </span>Fendas sat with his eyes locked on the three men at the bar. He could barely move. The two Sand Cranes shook their heads and both took another swig of their ales. These people are dangerous he thought. I could get seriously hurt tonight. If they started to fight. They’re probably going to fight. Right here, I'm going to see some get killed. On that thought, he remembered Berj.</p><p><span> </span>Looking over to Berj he discovered Berj was not there. </p><p><span> </span>The booth was empty.</p><p><span> </span>Fendas scanned the room. He couldn’t see him. He was gone. Vanished. He had heard that goblins were agile and could move silently but not that they could disappear. </p><p><span> </span>‘It’s also the problem with society,’ Iron Knowles continued, ‘All those opinions and no experts. I’m an expert at something though.’</p><p><span> </span>The half-elf started to choke and then a gurgling sound erupted from his throat. Just as the human turned to look at him Iron Knowles stepped forward and with one smooth motion pulled a knife from under his cloak, and the blade into the man's armpit and punctured his heart. Both Sand Cranes slumped to the ground, piled on top of one another.</p><p><span> </span>Berj stepped out from in front of the falling half-elf, dagger in hand. He and Iron Knowles stood and watched the two heavily armoured men die. When their bodies had stopped convulsing the murderers wiped their blades on the khaki cloaks of the Sand Cranes, leaving dark red stains. Berj slid his dagger into a sheath on the back of his belt, slipped his hood on, and stepped out into the night. Iron Knowles looked around the room, knife still in hand, ‘You do not know my face and you didn’t see me here. I know your faces and have friends that will tell me who talks.’</p><p><span> </span>He unclipped a small coin purse from his belt and dropped it on the counter with a deafening clank. The room was silent again.</p><p><span> </span>‘There, enough in there for one each and the rest goes to Daffid. Take it if you wish. You are not obliged. The only thing you are to do is forget me.’<span> </span></p><p><span> </span>With that, he walked out of The Dusty Tankard.</p><p><span> </span>Aleece got up from her chair moved slowly over to the pile of dead Sand Cranes. She pushed one with her foot. Nothing happened. Nothing at all. ‘They’re dead,’ she said.</p><span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8IpgxQNV_5HZlLDI1mVJwH45kjtlx2xTSAS2VpYkMf0I5g1J-jZyGunQn7arQadeUibPsmvyX0MFLFOYSDRN7cHRaUGkkK9bwdsHvufOQ_3BKLqiKGNXLdwg33fVzPmgcJ9xPumjP9Dh14aAEmSc4MpDJFR3PiBiNJWRrmzrrTb5KQB4b5C429l_4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="74" data-original-width="320" height="74" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEj8IpgxQNV_5HZlLDI1mVJwH45kjtlx2xTSAS2VpYkMf0I5g1J-jZyGunQn7arQadeUibPsmvyX0MFLFOYSDRN7cHRaUGkkK9bwdsHvufOQ_3BKLqiKGNXLdwg33fVzPmgcJ9xPumjP9Dh14aAEmSc4MpDJFR3PiBiNJWRrmzrrTb5KQB4b5C429l_4" width="320" /></a></div></span><p>This is a series of short stories. They're all loosely connected and I have seen that there are some storylines that may go longer. For the most part, though, they are bite-sized stories of action, adventure, and weirdness set in a fantasy world.</p><p><a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/search/label/tales%20from%20ammaryn" target="_blank">You can click here and find them all.</a></p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-86593970463563973032022-03-06T14:40:00.006-08:002022-03-06T14:52:14.218-08:00Welcome to Ammaryn: A collection of short stories<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwW5C4LTmzbSajDbDJyxpLnlwocUPdl7IZyyqtFm-UlRfC3e3rNgBztO4OnV1bh5z-vJH_IjfHtmTlFImU1PIBjvhTtU4la-SfAb5OnUJae4CQNosDxb7hO1ASKVqf8vOR-xSmS6HUuQSU68Cd6bPZ3cdT1I-7ux7IrfTTbFdOamsozcZ04W1zMyuw" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgwW5C4LTmzbSajDbDJyxpLnlwocUPdl7IZyyqtFm-UlRfC3e3rNgBztO4OnV1bh5z-vJH_IjfHtmTlFImU1PIBjvhTtU4la-SfAb5OnUJae4CQNosDxb7hO1ASKVqf8vOR-xSmS6HUuQSU68Cd6bPZ3cdT1I-7ux7IrfTTbFdOamsozcZ04W1zMyuw=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A map of Ammaryn</td></tr></tbody></table><br /> Six years ago I started Dungeons & Dragons campaign and podcast. The following was the text I used to set the scene.<p></p><p></p><blockquote><p>On the vast continent of Pasi Verden, nestled between the Odim and Renidarian mountains lies Ammaryn. A relatively peaceful nation. The Ammari people have been here for over 1000 years and built a strong culture around exploration, trade, and adventuring. Lush, green, and naturally sheltered they had not experienced any major conflicts with surrounding civilizations. This gave the perfect environment for prosperity and growth. And grow the nation did. With settlements large and small spanning the valley, easy access to food, and an abundance of ancient ruins it became a haven for adventuring. A national pastime in some respects.</p><p>With all this adventuring to be had, it did not take long for Ammaryn's governors, The Committee, to set up an adventuring guild. The Committee Guild, as it was originally titled, is a government-sanctioned adventuring conglomerate. They have the largest resources, they get the most jobs, and they fill your pockets quicker. It also meant that they were the hardest to get accepted into. With rigorous training and expectations. However, recently this has changed.</p><p>Two weeks ago The Tawny Towers, two monstrous fortified towers at the entrance of the Ammari valley, have been taken. The forest around them burned, the towers seized and under the control of this new enemy. No one knows who has done it. Who these invaders are. Any attempts at parlay have been met with silence or violence. No one who has entered has returned and all spy reports come back the same. An army amasses and lies in wait on the border. Many of the beasts that fill it leave those that witness them shaking in terror.</p></blockquote><p></p><p>I soon found that while I possessed a keen interest in the lore of my world, players did not have the same drive to explore it. That is fine. I have learned a lot about running TTRPGs since then and no longer wish to spoon feed (or perhaps force feed) the players at my table lore. </p><p><!--wp:paragraph-->
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<!--/wp:paragraph--></p><p>However, I did like this little world I created and started a series of short stories set there. They're all loosely connected and I have seen that there are some storylines that will go longer. For the most part, though, they are bite-sized stories of action, adventure, and weirdness set in a fantasy world. </p><p><a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/search/label/tales%20from%20ammaryn" target="_blank">You can click here and find them all.</a></p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-85407481581389831472022-02-10T20:51:00.003-08:002022-02-10T20:51:50.452-08:00What is Largshire and Other things on Sale... <p style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.itch.io/largshire" target="_blank">So, I launched an itch funding campaign last week. </a>I had zero plans to do this. It was an interaction with an NFT dickhead on Twitter that spur me into action and got the ball rolling. I am funding this project now. Out of spite. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Probably not my wisest move. Nonetheless, I press forward with this idea.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Largshire is a mixture of my ideas of fantasy villages and the area that I grew up in. For a long time, it was the starting location for any fantasy campaign I ran. I tried to make it a living place that everyone who interacted with it had an impact on it. There was one session where the Pier Tavern was almost burned down. And another where a particularly thievy halfling that tried to steal a flying machine from an inventor. There wasn't a flying machine in their workshop at the start of the session. But now there is and always will be. Unless stolen by a particularly thievy halfling, of course.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Largshire has a lot of history. It has featured heavily in <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1s0refoH2MRLR2jlbUmaVj" target="_blank">Committee Quest</a>, my D&D5E actual play podcast that is on extended hiatus, and was built through some interaction in that show. It was influenced by the early adventures we ran on it too, though the names have been changed to protect the innocent. It has been released before, on DriveThruRPG, but it was quite rough and I knew nothing about the copyright rules at the time. So, that's a bit of a nightmare. </p><p style="text-align: left;">But here it is, back and read for some sweet art, a fresh layout, and removal of all things system. There's the map. It's fucking good. Ben, a good friend and Committee Quest cast member, drew this. It blew me away. So, this is the only art that is staying cause it's fucking amazing. </p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></p><p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYCyOGQPYuXJP53GjF-TODcIwacU-wp6kY3bwhZ80Sp7iq2_85lOmxfS5Md54DWrQpQhp-4h6ryEPo3kPIOrGz2j1G2aQV625hv5R3UBXJRUFjjeKPOodrnh9VQD7vhW0IeSHVXmVAnYNUnaLIdeQT5gl4TqyzxOKtZa5cqN70XyxliVmIRVQhToG=s2352" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2352" data-original-width="1818" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhxYCyOGQPYuXJP53GjF-TODcIwacU-wp6kY3bwhZ80Sp7iq2_85lOmxfS5Md54DWrQpQhp-4h6ryEPo3kPIOrGz2j1G2aQV625hv5R3UBXJRUFjjeKPOodrnh9VQD7vhW0IeSHVXmVAnYNUnaLIdeQT5gl4TqyzxOKtZa5cqN70XyxliVmIRVQhToG=w309-h400" width="309" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Largshire map by Ben</td></tr></tbody></table></p><br /><h4 style="text-align: left;">What's all this funding going to do?</h4><b>Sweet art.</b> <br />I want to get a colour cover and some interior art for this by a local artist, Sam Wannan. He has a great style that I really dig and I am keen to see what he can come up with. While I would love to fill this book completely with his art, I cannot guarantee that happening, a little will go a long way I think.<p></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Layout.</b> <br />The initial release of Largshire was done in word and it was the first time I had attempted anything like this. I have learned a lot about layout and composition over the years and now have access to InDesign and a few years of experience under my belt. I am keen to give this a refresh.</p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>System-agnostic.</b><br />It was originally designed specifically for D&D5E with some stat blocks, magic items, and some new mechanics. But I have moved away from that idea with adventures and settings. I feel like these sorts of supplements do not need to be specific for any system and can in fact be more robust and immersive without the bloat of system jargon. What does this have to do with the funding? Well, it is being edited by Melody Watson. Another fellow South Australian and editor of tabletop RPGs. She has already done the initial edits and I am working through her suggestions and comments already. </p><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What can you do to support?</h4><p style="text-align: left;">Firstly, you can head over to the Largshire page on itch! If you're interested in a print scroll down to the bottom of the page for the Physical Copy button. <a href="https://stuartwatkinson.itch.io/largshire" target="_blank">https://stuartwatkinson.itch.io/largshire</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Secondly, you can get all my games from itch at a huge discount. All the money from this sale is going to buying more art: <a href="https://itch.io/s/66572/art-money-baby-zimo2022" target="_blank">https://itch.io/s/66572/art-money-baby-zimo2022</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">Thirdly, I have a Patreon that is currently on hiatus but will be coming back online next month. The latest post there is all about what folks want out of the Patreon in the future, so now is a great time to sign up: <a href="https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites" target="_blank">https://www.patreon.com/stuartwrites</a></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thanks for reading folks!</p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-39666088387558176692022-02-05T16:28:00.006-08:002022-02-05T16:28:51.073-08:00Writing: Why I Write<p>After reading through a Twitter thread of folks discussing old blogs and writing they revisited, and mostly cringed at, I decided I would do the same.</p><p>This was not ideal. </p><p>Fortunately (sort of), my old writing blog had been deemed inactive for too long and shut down. But there were some remnants of it. I was involved in an online writing group about 10 years ago. It was called The Friday Challenge and was run by Bruce Bethke (coined the term cyberpunk I believe) and a number of other science fiction writers. Pretty simple setup; each week there was a new prompt and a new winner of the last week's challenge, all entries got feedback from the group, and the winner/s got a prize. A book! I won a couple and got a few books. Mostly based on self-editing (I think they were hinting at something). </p><p>Anyway, they would post the winners on their blog and that blog is still active.</p><p>On Sunday, December 26, 2010, a piece of writing by me was posted; Why We Write. I'm not going to link it. You can go searching if you must. It was difficult to read. To go back see my thoughts and ideas and world views from 10 years ago was eye-opening and made my face red a number of times. However, there were a few things that still resonate with me today. </p><p>I want to go through some of them, or at least list them.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">1. I write because I can’t draw.</h4><p><span>That's the opening line. And boy is it spot on still today. I just don't have that in me. I get it... It's not just about natural talent. But I spent many years in art classes, outside of school, trying to hone the skills. But it never happened. Writing though. Writing sits well with me and I can see the improvement over time.</span></p><p><span>I write because I can't draw.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span>2. R</span>eal-life experiences that I had whilst hanging out with a few unfavourable types sparked an interest in writing.</h4><p>I have lived a fairly interesting life so far and I like writing about it. Slowly those experiences are coming into my writing. My constant obsession with writing about underworld figures and crime and drugs is pretty telling. I have two books banked away set in my hometown that will come to light one day. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">3. Local writing groups suck.</h4><p>I do not actually believe this one so much anymore. While the original post is quite damning, I still think some of it rings true. I attended quite a few writing groups at the time. I would walk about those meetings annoyed, angry even. I was writing pulpy trash about drugs, violence, and spaceships and was looked down upon. I would go home write more knowing that I liked it. Spiteful science fiction, nice. Anyway, I have never had very positive experiences with writing groups (except the Friday Challenge). I would like to though. I would very much like to find a small group of writers who I like and who like the same things as me to share and discuss writing with. That will come. One day.</p><h4 style="text-align: left;">4. Roleplaying.</h4><p>Vampire the Masquerade gets a mention. The creativity that comes out of telling stories and rolling dice with friends is a precious treasure. Something personal. Something free. Something to hold on to. I think I will always turn to RPGs for inspiration. </p><h4 style="text-align: left;">5. In short, I write because I have stories I want to share. </h4><div>And I like it. I think that has to be the most important thing. Doing a thing that you like because you like it and no other reason. While I make some money from this it's not much. But I still love it. I want to tell the stories I have lived and those that I have imagined. If the line between them is blurred then so be it.</div><div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/wp-content/high-res/1844/fatality-1600.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A monk who was sitting at his desk in his study rises from his chair to write with a pair of compasses the Greek word ἀνάγκη on the wall facing him. Ἀνάγκη is often used as an equivalent of the Latin word fatum, meaning fate, or destiny, with a dismal hint. This picture is the opening illustration to Book 7." border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="589" height="400" src="https://www.oldbookillustrations.com/wp-content/high-res/1844/fatality-1600.jpg" width="295" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fatum by Louis-Henri de Rudder</td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">After reading this it dawned on me. I have been writing on and off for over 15 years. I have dedicated time every day or week to writing for over 15 years and I have learned quite a bit about the craft. I am going to share some of my thoughts, my experiences, and the wisdom of others in this little series.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I do not believe I am a master. The information that comes over the next few weeks will be what I have tried and failed with.</p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-59694760840879096662022-01-12T21:48:00.004-08:002022-01-12T21:48:50.396-08:00The Luck Roll has Changed the Game<p></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWsqR9rHYddH9v7ktPUqmu94Q4IZ-igQd8JNBNTfkR9L3zbRxzI5hw1el_8OQi-Ba-6AkmR4UZK5ARTP4T5jk7lLuWy9VJ9BEUJzn90OxDfeg0G0XEFdwWIiLQyrrqYC6swjFC1FYnYQ/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="916" data-original-width="1289" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfWsqR9rHYddH9v7ktPUqmu94Q4IZ-igQd8JNBNTfkR9L3zbRxzI5hw1el_8OQi-Ba-6AkmR4UZK5ARTP4T5jk7lLuWy9VJ9BEUJzn90OxDfeg0G0XEFdwWIiLQyrrqYC6swjFC1FYnYQ/w640-h454/image.png" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From the cover of Mausritter.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />... well, my game at least. <p></p><p>I've been staying at a holiday home on the coast this week. My little family and another little family. Four adults and two little people. It is probably unsurprising that with two babies who don't love sleeping in the house we didn't have a lot of spare time for gaming. Which is what the four adults used to do all the time when we got together. But, we managed to steal 50 mins here and 40 mins there to play some Mausritter. This is a not review or detailed look at the game, just an aspect of it. If you want more details about the game you can grab it <a href="https://mausritter.com/" target="_blank">here</a> or read <a href="https://loottheroom.uk/the-long-read-mausritter" target="_blank">this read-through by Chris Bissette</a>. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCrIEgBx9NGAm4T_PRqDg33QrGSHtZ_k4ZiONn8e2BQ0PDI9nVdpgPYmlKJQhTYeJuYzLW-XjtH00hwa8VYcNhcRqI2T9rbv8qB50hjne2haAFeRtm41RQAnhGDstxVEw14HL67VZ1oo/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Luck rolls are for events that have an unpredictable outcome is outside the remit of a STR, DEX or WIL Save. Assign an ‘X-in-6’ chance to the outcome occurring (low for unlikely, high for likely), then roll a d6. If the result is equal to or less than the chance, it happens." data-original-height="267" data-original-width="594" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkCrIEgBx9NGAm4T_PRqDg33QrGSHtZ_k4ZiONn8e2BQ0PDI9nVdpgPYmlKJQhTYeJuYzLW-XjtH00hwa8VYcNhcRqI2T9rbv8qB50hjne2haAFeRtm41RQAnhGDstxVEw14HL67VZ1oo/w320-h144/image.png" width="320" /></a></div><p></p><p>That is the Luck Roll rule from Mausritter. It replaces knowledge rolls, skill rolls, and anything else that isn't connected to the key stats and it fucks. It is elegant, streamlined, and transparent. The moment I introduced it to the table they were on to it. 'So, I can just ask if something is there and if it rolls well it's there?' </p><p>Yes (I mean, it says 'it happens' so that is how I understand the rule).</p><p>This little group has only played D&D before. They have never played another ttrpg. D&D is quite structured and it is expected to have quite a bit of planning done. There are highly detailed adventures and extensive rules that support that and most of the time there is something written down that explains what is there and why it is there. </p><p>The Luck Roll throws all that out of the window. </p><p>All of the players started to think in terms of what would work narratively in the scene to help push the story forward. They changed from asking, "Can I do a history check to see I know something about this place?" to "Did this place used to be a sacred shrine of the bat gods?" They took ownership of the world and started to think in terms of what they could uncover and imagine as opposed to trying to pry information from the GM. </p><p>Here are things that were not a thing but became a thing because of the Luck Roll.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>The bat cultist's lair opened when a particular, and very weird-looking, dance was performed.</li><li>There was a hidden creek off the river that let the mice escape.</li><li>An old mouse lived alone in the Doc Martins boot and she liked cooking ginger cakes.</li><li>There was mist but it wasn't mystical.</li></ul><p>The Luck Roll opens the conversation about the world and invites players to take part in the building of it. <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2021/11/warlock-01-micro-campaign.html" target="_blank">I've shared my thoughts on worldbuilding before</a> and this works hand in hand with those ideas. I as GM do not need to be the holder of all knowledge and I do not need to spend hours (days even) world-building. But it adds something else as well. Simplicity to the mechanics of the character.</p><p>This roll removes the need for skills. Skills and skill checks are tedious things. They do not, in my opinion, add to the narrative and verisimilitude of the world the characters are exploring. The butcher knows how to cut meat, the wizard knows about magic, and the scholar can read books. And failing a roll that goes against those truths is damaging to the story. </p><p>It also makes for smooth storytelling and gaming. This is sleek streamlined design in my opinion. It takes seconds to roll and come up with a response. It removes any need to create complex details about dungeons or even know how traps or puzzles might be solved. But there is a trap there and they'll figure out how to do it. They will. Those crafty players always come up with some sort of plan and the very worst thing is having to shut down their imaginative ideas. It doesn't mean you shouldn't have those things, or you need to stop doing them. But if they come up with better ideas, wild ideas, the Luck Roll can make it happen.</p><p>However, sometimes the Luck Roll doesn't go in their favour. At first, we played it as if it were binary; it happens or it doesn't. <a href="https://stuartwrites.blogspot.com/2021/08/nothing-is-binary.html" target="_blank">But we all know binary is bullshit.</a> So, enter the spectrum. Something might have a 2 in 6 chance of happening but I roll a 3 though, bummer. However, it's just 1 off being a truth, so let's make it a half-truth, "Yes, there is mist but it isn't mystical". If they had rolled a 6 that would have been very unlucky indeed, "No, there is no mist and this creek leads to the Water Rats hideout". </p><p>Fast and effective storytelling that reduces rules bloat and encourages player creativity. Is that not the dream?</p><p>Long days and pleasant nights. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-6324827736582766632022-01-06T06:30:00.007-08:002022-02-05T16:43:33.661-08:00D&D is a terrible beginners RPG<p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH9A9wAOyvaft1FUIs9SBeGb86UD-rDGj4Po3ygXSFIx4Hqr1GmrKCeNQXJjjPMGYAl49_BTLFWI2ijbq1fILtfwlM4rryfW4QUD1ajrJfW1_KNbx9Ck8skrkjF7BSvUAUfjeI2LcrgoN5SO1HZ8TBCMieLl8sG4-c3Xr7VvLZbXjBgJpspL4NkVCT=s720" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="354" data-original-width="720" height="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgH9A9wAOyvaft1FUIs9SBeGb86UD-rDGj4Po3ygXSFIx4Hqr1GmrKCeNQXJjjPMGYAl49_BTLFWI2ijbq1fILtfwlM4rryfW4QUD1ajrJfW1_KNbx9Ck8skrkjF7BSvUAUfjeI2LcrgoN5SO1HZ8TBCMieLl8sG4-c3Xr7VvLZbXjBgJpspL4NkVCT=w400-h196" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><blockquote><p><i>'Roll initiative.'</i></p><p><i>'Which dice?'</i></p><p><i>'The d20. You roll d20 for everything except damage. Mostly.'</i></p><p><i>'Where is it?'</i></p><p><i>'It's the biggest dice you have.'</i></p><p><i>'No, where on the page?'</i></p><p><i>'Under the Armor Class, at the top of the page.'</i></p><p><i>'It's not there on mine. I don't have initiative as a skill.'</i></p><p><i>'It's not a skill.'</i></p><p><i>'Well, I don't have on my sheet.'</i></p><p><i>'Give me your sheet.' </i><i>*looks at sheet* </i><i>'Oh, you're using a different sheet. It's here.' </i></p></blockquote><p><i></i></p><p>This is a pretty common interaction at the D&D club I run at my school. Vast amounts of time are chewed up with the same questions. D&D is a game that requires the players to know the rules connected to their character, which are numerous, in order for gameplay to flow smoothly. It is exceptionally difficult to run this game with the kids that come. I have found it increasingly difficult and more and more I work around rules or ignore them completely.</p><p>So, why bother with three hardbacks of rules anyway?</p><p>Excellent question.</p><p>Next year D&D will be the game that students can choose to run for their friends but no longer the introductory game used.</p><p>The following games are rules-light, simple to pick up and play, and set at more suitable price points for schools to adopt them. I have based this selection on complexity, familiarity, and accessibility. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://d1vzi28wh99zvq.cloudfront.net/images/10312/197158.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="618" height="400" src="https://d1vzi28wh99zvq.cloudfront.net/images/10312/197158.png" width="309" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/197158/Maze-Rats" target="_blank">Maze Rats by Questing Beast Games</a></h3><p>This is the go-to for your 'adventurer's going on adventures for loot' style of game that the younger kids love. It was written and designed by Ben Milton who is a teacher and has used this game for the exact purpose of introducing young people to tabletop games. Character creation is quick and simple. The game also just use d6s which cuts down the confusion that can come up at the table. It has a lot of player-driven choices, simple character creation, and a stack of d66 tables for the GM and players to roll on. These tables introduce students to the concept of adventure design by supplying themes, locations, descriptions and help fill their adventurers with content. If you were to pick one game to play with young people, I'd go with this. </p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://cannibalhalflinggaming.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/image-asset-e1594763741266.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="336" data-original-width="800" height="269" src="https://cannibalhalflinggaming.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/image-asset-e1594763741266.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.adventure.game/" target="_blank">Quest by The Adventure Guild</a></h3><p>Quest takes the major elements of a roleplay-heavy game of D&D and strips it right back. It has classes but what your character looks and how they behave is completely up to the player. It uses a d20 and only a d20 which streams lines a lot of the combat. This is game is designed to sit down and start playing with your friends. There's even a collaborative world-building section. My only nitpick with this game is that getting it in Australia is expensive, however, you can access the rules on their website and the PDF layout works really well on a large screen. Pick this game if you want the DND5E feel with a lot less bloat. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvNTE4NzY1LzQ1Nzc3NzEuanBn/original/kNVeTo.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="650" data-original-width="800" height="325" src="https://img.itch.zone/aW1hZ2UvNTE4NzY1LzQ1Nzc3NzEuanBn/original/kNVeTo.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://mausritter.com/" target="_blank">Mausritter by Losing Games</a></h3><p>This game is simple to pick up and play and it gives the old school style gaming with a fun mousy-themed world. This is also available for free in the PDF version. It makes for a fun, light-hearted game (I mean you can make it darker if you want). It uses the Mark of the Odd engine focuses on fast and loose gameplay, lots of cool tables to roll, and exploring the mundane world from the perspective of a tiny mouse. When I run this with the kids at the club I will set our game at the school. I am very excited to see how they perceive the school when playing little micefolk. This is bound to be a winner with your anime kids, your younger kids, and those with big imaginations.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.onesevendesign.com/" target="_blank">Lasers and Feelings by One.Seven Design</a></h3><p>Easy setup, easy rules to teach, and easy to modify. It's the only sci-fi-specific game on the list and they get to make a ship! This game is great for kids that are interested in starting to make their own games. There are tonnes of clones out there too which are well worth checking out and showing kids how diverse simple rule sets can be.</p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /><p></p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/270948/Year-Zero-Mini-FREE">Year Zero Mini by 3 Skulls Publishing</a></h3><p>This is essentially an SRD but it has enough to have students telling stories in any setting. This is a simplified version of the Year Zero Engine by Fria Ligan, much more streamlined. Essentially, if kids want to tell stories in any setting this is your go-to. They can easily come up with characters and use flavour instead of rules to make it fit their worlds. Have found this particularly handy for kids that want to play in their favourite games or comics. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiflg0Xy8gbpPbSeqtAFS6yBFNWp0a3r7BxreBi4P63Mpx5f1HOcspV9oXFFRHMwKtx6LmhE-9o9av73TSBu3fXbpcLgtMJ9SOWs1AtEI5K5MrNL8p1hxA4qaBkVQxgGTbjflXZ3zEFdyfsDQ4y-CquIcqKSQ36GVBJG4kn2k2rs0PiI08z0m8TkaNy=s320" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="80" data-original-width="320" height="80" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiflg0Xy8gbpPbSeqtAFS6yBFNWp0a3r7BxreBi4P63Mpx5f1HOcspV9oXFFRHMwKtx6LmhE-9o9av73TSBu3fXbpcLgtMJ9SOWs1AtEI5K5MrNL8p1hxA4qaBkVQxgGTbjflXZ3zEFdyfsDQ4y-CquIcqKSQ36GVBJG4kn2k2rs0PiI08z0m8TkaNy" width="320" /></a></div><p>These are the five I will be using this year. I know I'll have a bit of pushback from the senior kids, but I think getting the newbies started with a more diverse range of games will be beneficial. I am hoping to demystify gamemastering and break down the barrier that stops people from trying it out. I also hope that some simpler games and games that have a lot of variants will encourage game design. But that will be later down the track. </p><p>I put a call out to the <a href="https://mobile.twitter.com/StuartWrites/status/1475222044228784129" target="_blank">Twitterverse and got a lot of responses</a>. Too many to add to this list however, I will create another post like this one to highlight some of the other gems. Because to check that tweet out though because there really were a heap of awesome suggestions. </p><p>Keep your eyes peeled for a follow-up on this post. I'll do some reflection on which games worked and which didn't.</p><p class="MsoNormal">Long days and pleasant nights. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4126322530201259395.post-25775689153515665902022-01-02T21:07:00.000-08:002022-01-02T21:07:09.031-08:00January Thoughts<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGYcGg08TRxkie4Stplt7a6p_lRqTB5poykdA1wxNUkcQraxDn5CvqiTXoT9hHBsmfTsPVGtrIVAKpq1DEnGIjTMHSOYXwTiFj85JOmhf9gPs_bo5LKUEICfG0P94zOF0y5zlkuhG0BRxU990yoeaH8efozGLkcA-lYRc4LbO48x08foTWikj6Z1Aw=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGYcGg08TRxkie4Stplt7a6p_lRqTB5poykdA1wxNUkcQraxDn5CvqiTXoT9hHBsmfTsPVGtrIVAKpq1DEnGIjTMHSOYXwTiFj85JOmhf9gPs_bo5LKUEICfG0P94zOF0y5zlkuhG0BRxU990yoeaH8efozGLkcA-lYRc4LbO48x08foTWikj6Z1Aw=w400-h300" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>My amazing productivity idea that I soon abandoned due to lack of productivity.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><p>I like the idea of New Years Resolutions. I like that I can think of all the possibilities of the future and world that is waiting for us there. I like to think back on the year that had been and where I am now, what I expected and what happened. I've often reflected on the year negatively because I didn't do what I set out to do but what I set out to do was often not achievable. At least not with the parameters that I set myself.</p><p>This year will be slightly different.</p><p>I don't particularly want to think about what I wanted to do and compare them to what I actually did. My understanding of what my reality would be in 2021 was lacking. What I do want to think about are some of the major highlights from 2021.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">What was 2021 about?</h3><p>Firstly, my baby daughter. Affectionately referred to as Tiny Human. She has been the most challenging and rewarding thing to have entered my life. Nothing has ever completely changed my world like she has. I'm tired and time no longer exists in the same way. But it's great. Here she is 'helping'.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ocwo_GLMLzL0Y5hr65DSJLU_IxTHIZaZR4wtay0S4mqNCNgPEFrlCpTDkDazZon9QpAcSTubzZwEH8-8lHRZ-P3gOxs4HvbQCIwHmytuAKGVt753wpcDipw1nZw1WxjwE7mIv_6XUqSRfbIUFd6ePphV6vPp67UVEC7QlDhcfKTyRu5CBwN4HjEJ=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh_ocwo_GLMLzL0Y5hr65DSJLU_IxTHIZaZR4wtay0S4mqNCNgPEFrlCpTDkDazZon9QpAcSTubzZwEH8-8lHRZ-P3gOxs4HvbQCIwHmytuAKGVt753wpcDipw1nZw1WxjwE7mIv_6XUqSRfbIUFd6ePphV6vPp67UVEC7QlDhcfKTyRu5CBwN4HjEJ=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Tiny Human helping.</i></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div><br /></div><p style="text-align: left;">Unsurprising to everyone except me, my time evaporated this year. I refused to believe that raising a child would actually take up a lot of time. How I laugh at my past self. But for the first half of the year, I still managed to produce a weekly podcast and work on a number of TTRPG projects. For a while at least.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The podcast was the first to go. I felt I had grown apart from it and it gave me the least amount of positive emotion from completing it. It also consumed the most time of all my projects. I could either do the podcast or write. And writing will always win. The podcast was handed over to two very keen, capable, and excited new hosts who have done an excellent job since hand over.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Writing took on a strange shape for me. For the first time in my life, I really understood what it meant to have limited time. Like, to really have limited time. Not the limited time I thought I had as a full-time worker. Time. What a weird abstract concept. It can literally be impacted by your state of mind but is also a truly finite resource. One of my 2022 goals connects directly to this. I digress.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Yes, writing took on a strange shape, I had to plan my creative time and set more rigid goals. I also had to decide what exactly I wanted to work on. Time was thin. So, Pomodoro entered my life. 25 mins of writing. No distractions. No other tabs are open. Nothing but the words and the music and the thoughts constantly outrunning my fingers. This was the single most powerful tool I learned to use in 2021.</p><p style="text-align: left;">With my new sidekick fighting away distraction I wrote words. Not as many as I dreamed. But enough to satiate my thirst for words. I wrote 20k for a novel that has been bubbling away in my mind for years. I created two games; <a href="https://stuartwatkinson.itch.io/skullduggery" target="_blank">Skullduggery</a>, a micro TTRPG on a bookmark about doing crime, and <a href="https://stuartwatkinson.itch.io/rotten-zombies" target="_blank">What's so Rotten about Zombies Defending an Ancient Temple.</a></p><p style="text-align: left;">I fucking love Rotten Zombies. I did all the layout and writing myself. I like playing it. Sometimes I just roll up a temple and god and some zombies and then that's the adventure my players are going on. It's good. And I'm proud of it. It's even available in print with <a href="https://www.exaltedfuneral.com/products/whats-so-rotten-about-zombies-defending-an-ancient-temple-pdf?_pos=3&_sid=261bfc615&_ss=r" target="_blank">Exalted funeral</a>. That's a fucking win in my opinion. Look at that motherfucker.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLo4YpkaExmflaMQOoQ2Pz9EfrZ_aHZiEbjiejiEUK71UqppgF1t9ccsxbTDreenQ-J8ACNii8NA-6awPZAsHmFq0hAVZDmnsqtlqPfLW1_brRShvu5bqbXpG8cfAWjEgcsKHQKNDUfaoUtJmLVGA5PeevI87CCQiShQZlELc4LcG2NHtBUseEtB70=s4032" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhLo4YpkaExmflaMQOoQ2Pz9EfrZ_aHZiEbjiejiEUK71UqppgF1t9ccsxbTDreenQ-J8ACNii8NA-6awPZAsHmFq0hAVZDmnsqtlqPfLW1_brRShvu5bqbXpG8cfAWjEgcsKHQKNDUfaoUtJmLVGA5PeevI87CCQiShQZlELc4LcG2NHtBUseEtB70=w300-h400" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">A printed version of Rotten Zombies</span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p style="text-align: left;">I also worked on a few larger projects for the DMs Guild. I always feel like I'm selling out a bit when I work them. But they're cool. And they make a bit of money. I've only picked projects that I have an interest in and know I can write something rad for. I'll see how that goes next year. I have other things I want to create. However, the income from DMs Guild stuff almost always goes to buying indie games or paying artists and editors. As I wrote that sentence I realised that one day of teaching work would earn more than a month DMs guild income. So, that's something to consider, Stuart.</p><p style="text-align: left;">2021 was a good year. My daughter is growing strong and healthy. My house did not fall down. I wrote some words and put them in pretty good order. I learned a few tricks. It has ended rather sourly in Australia (and the world) with the rise of the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJRfABxL4R8" target="_blank">omicron </a>variant but we must continue to move forward. </p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">What will 2022 bring?</h3><p style="text-align: left;">I guess the major shift in my approach to setting goals this year has been connected to what the outcome needs to be and also ensuring that they have a shelf life. I wanted to create a set of goals to focus on that did not require that I reschedule my life or give my wife reason to worry (which she does when I tell her many of my ideas). I guess it is my perception of what success means to me that has had to change. A goal that I can't achieve on my own is pointless. for example. Get published by April 2022. That's a shitty goal. I can't guarantee that. I will most likely not achieve that, regardless of how much effort I put in. Another, Have over 10k followers by Jan 2023. Again, I have very little control over that. I have some, sure, but I can't make people follow me. </p><p style="text-align: left;">So, the aim was to think of goals that are based on my input entirely. Some things that I can work on regardless of situation, location, emotions, and all the other aspects of life that impact how successful one is with their goals. Below are my goals and the time frame for them.</p><p style="text-align: left;"></p><blockquote><p style="text-align: left;"></p>To be worked on or completed by 31st March 2022.<br /><p style="text-align: left;"></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Write every day: </b>No set word or time counts. Words must be written every day and a record posted to the <a href="https://twitter.com/StuartWrites/status/1477596427849064450" target="_blank">Writing Account Ability tweet</a> (yes... that's a typo. And it's on the tweet I'll be using all year).</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Count Calories:</b> I want to lose weight but I eat too much. My goal is not to lose kilograms but instead to just track, every day, what I eat. Let's see what happens.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Automate Promotional stuff:</b> I need to automate my social media promotional stuff. It takes too much time and I want it to be happening on the regular. Some coding and learning is on the cards for me.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Implement Four Making Time Principles:</b> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Make-Time-Jake-Knapp/9780593079584?redirected=true&selectCurrency=AUD&w=AF45AU9SQBBH0DA8V38U&gclid=Cj0KCQiAt8WOBhDbARIsANQLp95DE1wSoZMjAvAsfXzdAf4Lyy5Acm6D_dH_jLnZ0uRjPb4Upe5RHEUaAgmvEALw_wcB" target="_blank">Making Time</a> is an excellent book for creatives as it outlines a heap of ways to stop distractions. I've read it a few times but have not really done much with it. I will though, in fact, I set up the Stay Focused extension today to get this written.</li></ul><p></p><p></p></blockquote><p>Four goals. All of which I can work on myself. All very achievable. And if I stick with them, then the byproduct of them should be a healthier body and focused time spent writing. Ah, but Stuart, what will you be writing? </p><p>Well, dear friends, there are a few projects in mind. A solo RPG that has the option to team up for co-op or skirmishes, revisiting Largshire, something about shitty 80s films, kung-fu, and bands, another small adventure collaboration, The Novel, and of course more blog posts about games. So much to write.</p><h3 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h3><h3 style="text-align: left;">Some Writing Tunes</h3><p>I thought I leave you with a list of some of my favourite writing albums from this year. They're all linked to Spotify, but I think you'll find them on YouTube too. </p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/1OtLLvXpHA6vbZ6h9W36GE?si=BIzZZohRTbKkPJJhzR759g" target="_blank">Mainframe by Waveshaper</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2kio0WkIIyWtjZIM5LpoQj?si=SNrd1woWSxGE15nDSzplag" target="_blank">Winterstead by Jason Shook & Guild of Lore</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/2ssI41m1Qfm8GwZG1aJLpm?si=9blZ5RXBSHSQ_RddSZxFvQ" target="_blank">Wasteland 2 Soundtrack by Mark Morgan</a></li><li><a href="https://open.spotify.com/album/289PVyMC6ymvK2untZ6EDC?si=cO1C01IiQtyRdKDTgwWbjw" target="_blank">Night Voyage by Star Hopper</a></li></ul><p></p><p class="MsoNormal">Long days and pleasant nights. <o:p></o:p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://stuartwatkinson.com/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="1024" data-original-width="3072" height="134" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMbts2OEE3a-tx7ifrD5qxhEqA_R5_N95pxJC3EIvdxGpW7Y5h3DFbxxSGjz5tGcwZreZdQIsx-tlIFWQd_eNrHeeOKATuBQW9aqIqDD4V_ZBxvTkSIAggR0GCd0_oUYRrwzHWyi0ogyQ/w400-h134/website+banner.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Stuart Watkinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17323946940741432185noreply@blogger.com1