Saturday, April 20, 2024
The Cat Report
Thursday, April 18, 2024
My Newest Publication: DARK TOWER
So,
So, one of the things I saw at GaryCon that interested me greatly was the new expanded edition of DARK TOWER, by the late great Jennnell Jaquays. Not only is this one of the great modules from the early days of D&D, but I'd contributed a short note of appreciation to this new edition. I won't repeat here what I said there, so I'll just reprint the Table of Contents to give an idea of what the frontmatter is like.
I got to look at it briefly at the Dealers' Room at GaryCon and am looking forward to the arrival of my contributor's copy for a longer look. About a year or so ago I had the opportunity to run the original as a short campaign for our regular Saturday night gaming group, who indulged me by letting me run it under the original 1st edition rules. I was quite an experience slipping back into the 1st edition AD&D mindset, and reminded me of just what I liked so much about that version of the game.
We didn't quite finish it, and I suspect our stopping point where we abandoned the adventure is the same as many another group: right at the time the lich became aware of our presence and made it clear it was about to enjoy having a new batch of adventurers to let loose his powers and his minions upon.
So thanks for that moment, Jennell, and thanks for all the quirky NPCs and vivid villains.
And for those who have never played it, give it a go sometime and get a taste of one of the expressions of oldstyle D&D at its best.
--John R.
Monday, April 15, 2024
This Cat Likes Catnip
So, some cats like catnip and some don't. Some really, really like it and some can take it or leave it. And then there's some who will abandon all dignity for the chance to really let go.
Witness Boop (Betty Boop), a senior cat currently looking for a new person.
Friday, April 12, 2024
Writing to Inklings
So, thanks to the Tolkien Society (thanks, Asli), I now have the link to my Oxonmoot paper, recounting my meetings and correspondence with a half dozen or so Inklings or what we may call Inklings-adjacent figures. Included are Humphrey Havard, Owen Barfield, David Cecil, Mrs. Tangye Lean, J. I. M. Stewart, and Christopher Wiseman.
Also, revealed at last is the history behind the notorious 'Nerd Nyren'.
Included are slides of some previously unpublished photos. Enjoy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQeQ5Hmq9mo
--John R
current reading: uncollected and unfinished ghost stories by M. R. James (re-reading)