Newbie Blogger Award Winner 5-31-12

I had to dust this award off.  Somewhere in the mix it got shoved back into a closet.  I thought it was time to give another Newbie Blogger Award away.

I've been reading this blog for a short time on a regular basis and have enjoyed.  He's developing his own RPG, Phoenix (a dangerous virus that strikes many of us), and has several posts about the process.  He's got some very entertaining takes on some gaming rules, one of my favorites is Don't Be a Dick.  And not least of which he's got spectacular taste in nurses.

Without further ado please welcome and go visit The Cobalt Kobold.  Go to his blog and follow him and give him some OSR support.  Mr. Blue is a great addition to the blogosphere.  Congrats Mr. Blue!

Editing Gaming Products Part 5

I was reading through my editing gaming posts because Guy Fullerton at his Chaotic Henchmen blog has written a series of posts on the subject.  But as I was rereading mine there were two very important points I left out.

The At'ta Boy
The importance of telling the writer what you liked in the manuscript.  With all those mark ups and psychotic slashing edits, its good to have a "This is great!", "This part made me laugh." or just a smiley face mixed in.

When looking a manuscript after an edit, depending on the writer, they may be disheartened.  While its important to point out how to tighten up the verse and point out weak points, its also a good habit to point out the good stuff.  Otherwise the writer is just battered with things they should change. 

 Would You Like Fries with That?
Another thing a editor should ask the writer is what they want done.  Some just want you to read it and do basic comments on what you liked and didn't.  Some want you to read it line by line and point out every flaw.  And of course the many layers in between.  This would apply, if the relationship is a casual situation where the writer is asking a favor.  Since I am coming from our old school state of mind where we pool our resources and help one another its good to ask what degree the writer wants their manuscript picked over.

I once edited a short manuscript and it needed some moderate changes.  Nothing big, but when I sent it back I think he was insulted that I had marked up his script.  I guess he expected me just to tell him I liked it.  Which I did, I just made suggestions on how to make it tighter.  It was all cool when it was done.  He was just surprised at all the changes I suggested.  When we went over them he saw what I did and thought most were appropriate.

So Dear Editors of the OSR, it's always good to ask what the writing is looking for in a critique.  And Ivy says don't forget to add a few smile faces to the manuscript.  That's what she does for me, as she mixes them with the editorial slashes and comments like ...

... "this part works, just get rid of the crappy parts, and you'll be fine."

Projects and Still Breaking Stuff

Over the weekend I was reading through a project written by Dylan Hartwell (Digital Orc) and received a rough draft of Johnathan Bingham's, Delve! zine.  On top of that Matt Jackson sent me some excellent maps for the upcoming issue of The Manor.  So it's been good busy.

My destruction of electronics and machines continues.  Over the weekend I was not only able to blue screen my computer a half dozen times, but I also had the fun of blowing out a fuse if I put the light on in the bathroom because our air conditioner is running full tilt.  I guess it's aim for the best and listen for the splashing water.

I busted my pencil sharpener of 20+ years.  I loved that sharpener.  Those who know me well, know that when I use pencils they much be deadly sharp.  I bought a new one at Staples and its so weak.  My old one attacked pencils.  It hated them.  It would have destroyed them all if given the chance.  "I hate you pencils!" it would scream as it ate a inch off in a second.  The new one introduces itself, asks if the pencil would like a something to drink and then apologizes if it shaves off too much.  I like mean pencil sharpeners.

Oh, and I broke the bluetooth ear thingy.  Ivy said 'Your big, fat ear broke it."  My ear is not fat. 

Because of all the computer problems I ordered a new one.  Should be shipped out the first week of June.  I was also going to get MS Office Professional, but they said a new version would be out this fall.  Here's the kicker.  At the store the program is $500.  However, if I was a student or a teacher I can get it for $100.   I'm still paying student loans that should count.  So I may have to find a willing dupe at work with a college account and no motivation to improve themselves.  Shouldn't be hard to find.

Holiday weekend is over.  Time for work.  Time to go.

Lost in PA

Sometimes I don't understand people.  I was walking through the office on Thursday and I saw my boss lady putting a bunch of items in a box.  She has several Simpson characters and little toys from various things she has collected or been given.  The perverted stuff stays in her desk.  She has a lot of perverted stuff.  I pointed at what caught my eye, "What are you doing with that?"

"Throwing it out."

"What?!"  I grabbed it out of the box.  "I'll take it."  She called me weird.  This coming from a woman who has two blow up dolls in her desk drawer.

Anyway this is what I found.

It works.  "Danger Will Robinson.  Danger."

Yeah, I'm weird.  I wouldn't have it any other way.

Putting a Jigsaw Puzzle Together in Water

Weird title. I like it. It was something I said to Ivy when we were talking about putting together a zine in MS Word. When I add one element into the mix the other parts disperse, and I have to spend time gathering them and putting them together...again.

 I'm not the most technologically up to date person. I never joined My Space when it mattered, don't tweet or Facebook. Not because I'm a curmudgeon, it just serves no purpose for me. This blog does what I like. Hell I even joined Google+ despite my initial urge to resist it. One of the things that irks me is when you have a perfectly functioning program (like Blogger) and they feel the need to fuck it up (like Blogger) because a 12 year-old had an idea during a wet dream. When I updated Skype recently it screwed up a lot.

Wait. I do have a point here. Somewhere. Oh, the jigsaw and water. I've recently DLed a trial version of MS Publisher. A program I last had in '95 I believe. I used it a lot back then. So I thought I would give it a try. Wow. Does it make putting together the zine much easier. I'm no longer in the kiddy pool, but over by the slide in the sandbox moving pieces around. One change does not make the other parts go bonkers.

I'm sure everyone out there knew this, but me.

 I did try the free programs out there, but didn't like them. I tried to do the newsletter in my fancy program, but didn't like it. Could never figure out the scale. Anyways, using MS Publisher should help cut down on my time producing my zine. I can spend more time coming up with ideas and polishing writing and pandering for artwork.

 It's my new toy to play with this weekend.

How Long Would You Live?

Gamquistu - Games, Quizzes and Stuff.

Found this test over at The Ramblings of a Great Khan. Apparently I took the wrong test first and discovered I could also beat up 42 girl scouts. Good to know.

Failures in Gaming this Week

I'm not talking about the public D&D playtest.  My group had a chance to play it in the first round and we had a good time, but that had more to do with the group than system.  The name they throw around is D&D Next.  I think a more apt name should be D&D Here We Go Again.  I haven't been keeping up on all the details of who said what, who left, who stayed and why.  Frankly, I don't care.  The system is no mystery.  Another version of itself.  My point of interest is more aimed at their (WotC, Hasboro) attitude toward their clientele.  If its something akin to the past few years I won't bother with the system.  I hope they're friendlier to 3rd party publishers in short.  Until then, I'll sit back and watch it unfold.  The system itself won't determine if I get involved, but the SRD. 

The failures I am talking about is my own gaming.  My god, I've been slammed with glitches these past couple weeks.  This weekend, Secret World apparently has too big of balls for my computer.  I can play for 20 minutes then boom, blue screen.  My 360, thought I would play some MW3, after 20 minutes BOOM! it shuts down with two red lights.  Something I need to find out what it means.  Monday night game is cancelled because one guy has to wine and dine his boss another had electrical surges through his house.  Wednesday night that hasn't even happened yet was cancelled due to one going to a convention and another is recovering from a cold.  Apparently I was not mean to game.  The conscious ether is telling me to work on Issue #2.  Which I did and lost all my edits in one of the blue screen crashes.  Now I have it saved on a flash drive.

I believe I rolled a 1 for gaming this week.

Manor #1 Numbers

Slogging away on Issue #2 I saw another sales notification come in from RPGNow.  The first issue of The Manor has sold 80.  The breakdown is 42 print and 38 PDF.  I'm very glad I went for the PDF because it seems to be a popular option.  I would love them to all be print because I love putting the zine together.  The physical act of lining up the papers, getting the cover just so, using the long arm stapler, putting each into a envelope and putting the creepy butterfly stamp on it.  The whole act is cool.  Of course I've only did a few dozen.

Christian over at Loviatar just sent out his 1000th copy.  WOW!  Congrats Christian I would love to hit that goal. 

Sleestak Sunday...Lurker's Revenge

This fantastic piece by Bactate must have been inspired by Angry Lurker's hatred for the sleestak.  But I want to remind Lurker.  Even though the head is not attached, its eyes can still see you. 

Check out Bactate's other drawings.  I love "They call him Mr. Touchdown".

I'm doing some work on The Manor #2 today.  I plan on getting the feature piece completely edited.  And yesterday Matt Jackson added a fantastic map to the mix.  Oh, there is something going on in that ruin.  At night you can hear the ground rumbling.  It's as if the world itself is angry at something. 

And a little something on the way out.  It's not easy doing Sleestak Sunday and sometimes you need to make hard decisions.

Map Time!

Another map while watching another movie.  The scanner didn't to a good job of picking up the colors, but something I will try to work out.  I tried something a little different this time.  Instead of using one line for elevations change I used two.

Have a great Saturday Night. 

Neoclassical Geek Revival, a True Old School System

Just bought Zzarchov Kowolski Neoclassical Geek Revival on PDF over at RPG Drivethru. I believe Zz has been running games using his system on Google+ for a while. It's a great home-brew system with a lot of cool additions. To me, Zzarchov's system is what building your own old school system is all about.  If you get a chance pick it up. 

Here's the link, Neoclassical Geek Revival.  It will ask you to allow Adult Content so you can look at the naughty bits.

Listen to the Guy with the Shotgun

Sometimes when your sitting in a room where its contents are more expensive than you'll ever make in a lifetime, you get a little pissy.  Sure lady the steak was good, the expensive wine tasted like wine and the big guy at the door I imagine doesn't look all that big when he's lying on the floor with two broken legs.  Then Mama V. flaunted her checkbook.  A salve to savage temperament.  "Bring Vivian to justice and I'll write you a check for any amount as long as its not ridiculous." 

Creskin and Don were smoothing her over.  I think she would eat them both alive and spit out their shiny shoes, but it is amusing to listen to them.
  
We caught the boat men with some necromancer who needed a bath.  He said the body was John V.  Kept saying darling.  Greasy necromancer said he was betrayed by someone he loved.  I imagine that is not an uncommon experience with these rich folk.  After all was said and done, necromancer was helpful.  I liked that.  Mental noted.

Bliss was next on our visits.  After a big steak and wine I usually like to nap, not meet up with extraterrestrials in a city being consumed by another dimension.  But Boris is flexible.  I'll nap later.  Bliss came he wanted the glow ball Creskein had.  Lots of talking.  Lots of bargaining.  Bliss admitted it was Vivian who sent the gargoyles after us.  This is a theory Boris put out to the group.  They say, Boris go clean your shotgun.  Sometimes the shiny suits do as my mother used to say, "You can't put square thinking into round problem."  They think square.  Boris think all shapes until evidence forms shape. 

Now we plan on confronting Vivian.  Don and Creskin talked about shooting her.  I've seen them shoot.  She should be fine.  Now Ivanka and I may take a turn, but its the gargoyles.  The gargoyles are the problem.  Where I am sure there is going to be surprises from the lady, I know the gargoyles can take a shotgun blast and barely flinch.  This does not fill one with confidence.

Last mission note.  Don keeps calling up Team Victory.  Making 'V' signs with his fingers.  I like this.  Makes me laugh. 

Click Here to See What Rocks

Loviatar's 9th issue does!

So somewhere in the shuffle of stuff I did not post my thoughts on the latest issue of Loviatar.  To you not so smart people who have not subscribed to it, get an automatic +1 boost in Intelligence for doing so.  And there is a cumulative 10% of each issue read your Wisdom will increase. 

I reread it recently and think its Christian's strongest offering.  The entire issue is dedicated to another hex.  Hex 005 to be exact.  It is a very, very cool hex.  As a GM you have a lot to play around with, a lot of intricate relationships going on coupled with some great detailed locations.  I won't go into too much detail because I'd rather you experience it in Christian's words.

The best part.  There is a sequence in the Knockers tunnels that fucking rocks.  It is seriously good stuff.

I would be a bad person if I didn't mention the incredible artwork of Jay Penn.  He's done all the artwork for the issues, but he really out did himself in this issue.  Look at that cover if you don't believe me.  Tell me Morgan Stringman doesn't look like he couldn't shoot the pucker out of a gnat.  I dare you.  Jay also has a handful of excellent interior art pieces that elevates the already great setting.

Yeah, I know sounds like a lovefest.  I don't care.  It's a great issue.  Probably my favorite.  Great job Christian.  Looking forward to the Cthulhu stuff.

The Cover of Issue #2

I took off some time this weekend to play Secret World (MMO) and think its good.  It'll be released in June.  Also during the weekend I was fill out some orders for the first issue of The Manor and talking to a couple people about the second.  And jotting down ideas for future issues.  I've got a mock cover made for the second issue made and more than half of the second issue is written I just need to edit it.  Boy does it need it. 

This charming guy was drawn by Emily.  Someone I work with.  During a boring training she started doodling portraits of the bored people around us.  Afterward I asked if she would like to help out.  She was part of my newbie group and jumped at the idea.  

A few post ago I did one on map comparisons featuring Hugo's Healing Potions.  Well, meet the lovely face of Hugo.  In the second issue you will get a fully developed specialty healing shop you can plop into any fantasy type campaigns.  Includes the map, personalities involved, shop description and adventure hooks.  And probably my favorite feature of it is my Random Customer table.  So when the players walk into the shop, it has a life going on.

Those of you who received the first issue and like Oren's Boots should really like this entry.  Both are version of the way the old CityBooks from Flying Buffalo used to make.  I've always been a huge fan that series.  So Hugo's Healing Potions and Oren's Boots are my tip of the hat to them. 

First Dungeons and a Thank You to Mom

First dungeons.  The discovery that got me started in developing dungeons was a graph paper tablet I found in my mother's supply closet at her office.  I'd never seen one before.  Didn't know they existed.  Holy crap, I just found gold.  I asked if I could have it and she said of course.  Armed with a ruler and pencil I drew dungeon map after dungeon map. 

After I finished a few dozen maps I chose the maps with the best personality and started room descriptions.  There was no logic or theme to the dungeons, just rooms with monsters and loot.  Blink dogs next to a room of ogres next to a hallway of Type 2 demons with an alcove where Beelzebub lounged.  Didn’t matter how ridiculous it was, it was cool.  I was doing it.  I was making dungeons.

With map mapped, descriptions described, I thought I was ready but it didn’t feel right.  Back into my mother’s supply closet I went.  Good god all mighty, a box of manila folders.  She said take them.  So I borrowed her stapler and stapled my map to the inside of the folder.  There was room on the other side.  So I made up a wandering monster table on her electric typewriter and stapled it there. I set the folder on its side and wa-la, I had a cardboard screen just like those TSR modules.

I walked the school halls with my homemade modules waiting for a study hall to break them out.  I had one dungeon called the Taps Six Dungeon.  It got kinda famous in my school.  Everyone wanted to go through it.  They wanted to know what the name meant.  I just smiled and said there is only one way to find out.  Actually, it didn’t mean a damn thing. I just thought it was a cool name.

So thanks to the supply closet at my mom’s office, my career in developing dungeons then eventually world building started.  And being that it's Mother’s Day, I want to give a huge thanks to you mom, for allowing me to raid your office closet, and understanding and allowing me to indulge in this weird hobby I really love.

Breaking My Stuff Again and Subscription?

It is Saturday and my string of things not working continue.  For what ever reason Skype has decided it is not going to work.  Won't connect to the net.  It stopped working after it insisted I upgrade.  How many folks are sick of 'upgrades' that completely screw up a perfectly fine program?  And my graphics on my computer are wonky.

Where I live I need to drive 35 to 40 minutes to a store that sells a graphics card.  The Staples nearby has two, but they are low end cards that have less umph than the one I bought five years ago that just croaked.  So its Best Buy bound I go or just do Amazon.  I'm too impatient though and will probably brave the Mother's Day weekend traffic in Erie. 

Gaming stuff has been going superb.  Many are grabbing a copy of The Manor and writing posts.  I've got most of them linked on my THE MANOR page above.  If you wrote a review of it and I missed it please just put the link in the comment section.  Even if thought it was a steaming pile of crap I'll still link to it.  Sales continue to be steady.

THE MANOR ERRATA

• There was one embarrassing typo, I misspelled  Trey Causey's last name in the credits.  So if you will please get out a fine marker and put in the 'u'.  All copies have the correction.
• Another slight change that has been made is the original title font has returned.  The font matches the title of my blog. 

Second issue is progressing.  I am considering doing a subscription, but it would be issue based and not monthly.  Where as I can promise you 4 or 6 issues, I can't promise they would be monthly.  Two may come out the same month and there might be 6 or 8 week in between.    

I have some fun ideas coming up for future issues.  Just me having fun with the whole zine thing.  I saw something last night that got me excited for a future issue.  Within the next week or so I should have some stuff to show for the next issue and news about possible subscription.  As always I will toss it out there to of you would you like to have a subscription be available as an option?

Have a great Saturday.  Oh, and a special thanks to Ray B. for being my first Canadian print customer.  I'm headed to the post office now.

The Manor Hits 50

Just got a few more sales in today and as of this moment I've sold 50 issues of The Manor.  Thanks to everyone who has bought an issue.  I appreciate the support and look forward to putting out the second issue.

As it stands I've sold 25 print copies and 25 PDFs.  This surprises me a little I figured the print would outsell the PDF by a good margin, but it seems that many people prefer the electronic version.  I'm glad I made the choice to offer it in PDF.

Everyone who has ordered a print copy, all been sent in the mail.  Even those who have just ordered.  I like any kind of sale, but I get a bit of a rush printing a copy, constructing the zine, putting it in the envelop and putting a creepy butterfly stamp on it.  Feels good and with each issue I send a batch of good mojo.  No charge.

Game Night Recap or Three Woodies and Chest of Silver

Game night went well on Monday.  Had the full crew for half the session.  Actually the bard came in right when the players discovered 2.6 million silver.  But I get ahead of myself.

Boog sees Boog.

Bad Boog is leading chant of chanters.

Weird circle in the middle.

Party says 'this is crap' and attacks.

Battle, battle.

Wound.  Blood.

Ah oh!  Players are being absorbed into monster that look like them.

Ewww.

Boog fails.

Corum fails.

Boog sucked inside bad Boog can't get out.

Corum's holy necklace blows up.  Bad Corum goes away.

Grim smart.  Knocks over font. 

Boom.

Wipes out all bad versions of the party.

Except bad Boog.

Boog fail save for third time.

Boog now looks like bad Boog.

Instead of half-orc, Boog is full orc.

Boog mad, but then gets scared.

Boog never gets scared, but scared now..

Death god says Boog is paladin.  Lump it orc.

Boog not happy.

Death god don't care.

Fast forward through boring talking part.

Find 2.6 million in silver.

Grim pops a woody.

Boog pops a woody.

Corum tries not to pop a woody, but fails.

Try to leave, but party outside cast fireball.

Retreat!

Go the other way.

Weird room with numbers and a dead dwarf.

Room worries party.

Goes to leave.

Party sees three War Wights stalking toward them.

GM end game.

Boog, Grim and Corum loose their woodies.  

Random Ramblings on a Rainy Monday Morning

After a day of breaking everything I touched, computer, ipod, xbox, mower and weedwacker I'm hoping all that bad mojo has left me.  At least I got everything back up and running again. Game night is tonight and by god we got the whole group back or so I hope.  The crew is in the middle of the Burrowmaze, with adjustments of mine.  The encounter we left off at should be very interesting to pick up from.  I can't write too much or prying eyes will search for spoilers.

Everyone is singing the praises about the Avengers and I'm hoping to see it soon.  I'll wait for the hysteria to die down a bit before I go.  I'm sure this goes without saying, I really hate going to movies these days because people still feel the need to talk or text on their fucking phones.  I think bad thoughts when I'm watching a cool scene and the next thing I see from below or to the side some guy flipped open his phone and some god awful music starts playing as a ringtone.

I've been researching a new MMO that looks awesome, Secret World.  If you are so inclined, Google it and watch the videos.  I've been looking for a modern day setting world I could get into and this one seems to fit the bill perfectly.  Now I have to get a new video card or computer.  Two blue screens in one week...not good.

I'm working on the second issue of The Manor.  Sale of the first one went well this weekend.  I was hoping to get a few more, but I'm hoping once these red covered beauties start landing in mailboxes a few more will go out.  I'm doing a different layout for the second issue.  I'm working out the bugs.  I don't know why I have such problems with page numbers.  They hate me.

Off to work.  Game night tonight.  Looking forward to it.

Stoned Sleestak Sunday

 

This is what a sleestak would look like if it got a peek at a medusa.  Brought to you by the excellence of Spanglerart. I need to find some cool sleestak paraphernalia around my desk.  A cool statue would do the trick.

The Manor is chugging along.  Hit #5 on RPGNow and will send out a 3rd batch of zines tomorrow morning.  I'm already working on the second issue.  Although when I did I got another blue screen fatal error on my computer.  It spent some time repairing.  No idea.  I think I need to look at a new computer. 

Have a great Sleestak Sunday.  It's actually nice here so I need to mow.  I want to invent grass that only grows two inches tall.

The Creepy Butterfly

Headed to the post office to drop off a batch of issues.  Through the assistance of Christian and my main man at post office I discovered 2oz seems to be the gold weight to be under.  The Manor at 24 pages with cover and envelope weigh in at 1.7oz.  This allows me to ship to the 'all over the place' without having to fill out customs papers.  In the US its 65 cents.  I bought these cool stamps.  Creepy butterfly stamps.  I never knew they had 65 cent stamps.  I'm glad they do and I'm glad they are creepy.  They remind me of the mothman.  Sending The Manor out to the rest of the world is a little under two bucks give or take a cent.  I don't know what it costs to ship to Canada yet because none of them have order one *looking north and giving it the stink eye*.

This whole thing has been a great learning experience.  For me and Ivy.  I think helping me last night got her to thinking about doing a self-published cookbook.

I see The Manor is already #12 on RPGNow which is always great to see.  I have no idea how they figure that out.  For some reason I don't think it's based on number of sales, but how much money was made.

Anyway, I'm in need to get to the office of the post.  To those who ordered a print copy, keep en eye out for the creepy butterfly.

Issue 1 of The Manor is Available on PDF

I was able to get it uploaded without too many problems this morning.  One question that popped up is when the PDF is DLed why is it regular sized instead of booklet.  I use a booklet printing feature on my printer.  You can find the PDF version of The Manor here.

For the PDF I broke it down into two files.  One for the guts and one file for the cover.  I found this worked best because when I tried to combine the two files too many weird things happened. 

MAILING SCHEDULE
For those who ordered a print copy, those will be going out tomorrow. 

KNOWLEDGE ILLUMINATES UPDATE
While I was on RPGNow playing around with my account I saw Knowledge Illuminates reached Silver Medal status. 

WEEKEND UPDATE
I am so glad I have the next two days off! 

The Manor Issue 1 on Sale

It's done.  The print version is available and I'll get the PDF ready by tonight.  I lot of work went into this project with help from some very good people. I can't count how many times I tweaked it trying to get it right.  I think I'm done.  If you are so inclined, please take a look and I hope its useful or more importantly fun to read.  I'm excited about releasing the first issue.

You can buy the print copy only on this blog.  You can click the cover in the upper left hand corner or go to THE MANOR page under the banner.

The PDFs will be available at RPGNow later today.  And possibly Lulu.

Have a great day everyone and I hope you enjoy The Manor.

The Dimension that Jack Built

Or I should say Trey built.

Last night, the full Weird Adventures crew gathered together after a few weeks of spotty attendance.  We continued our search for John Vandemaur.  We are trying to recover his body, but in truth we have no idea if he is even dead.  Boris has some thoughts...

Our investigation picked up with a visit to the Magic Library.  Creskin and Don looked through a book I couldn't read.  Looking at those two you would think they were a couple Nancy boys who would be terrified to piss in public.  But they got an edge.  Creskin tore out a page from a book.  Wild man.  That page ended up being some sort of door into a some sort of secret realm of Indrid Bliss. 

We went in and there were holes in the floor with nothing but night sky filling them.  A floating giant head that mumbled and spit acid at Creskin.  It popped when I planted a bullet between its eyes.  Don was fascinated by the doors.  He was looking through one door and could see the back of us.  He kept doing it.  Never seen a man so interested in looking at his own ass before.  

There was a door in the ceiling.   For them being mages they never seem to have a spell that helps.  I got a ladder from the hardware store nearby.  I forgot what happened next.  But we all got up there eventually into this other room.  Indrid's place.  We looked around.  Found some financial papers, a picture and another glowing orb.  I've grown fond of those orbs.  They keep the gargoyles away.

When we tried to leave.  Indrid was there.  He was pissed, but backed off when Creskin threatened to destroy it.  He keeps saying stuff that worries me.  Like before he vanished he said we might not be able to handle his beacon.  I'm guessing not.  He did tell us that body we found is a botched sacrifice.  Amateur hour he said.  Another dead end.  For being dead, Johnny V is one slippery SOB.

Now Urania Vandamaur, the reining queen of the wealth family, wishes to speak with us.  I've been clubbed by ghouls, attacked by gargoyles, bitten by hellish imps and traveled in a dimension of confusion, but now I got to do the hardest thing I've had to do since this investigation started...buy a tie.

Map Time! Comparisons

A while back I wrote a couple of projects around shops.  I developed shops, populated them and then added adventure hooks.  A direct rip off of the CityBooks.  Those were always one of my favorite gaming series.  Anyway, the first one in the series is called Hugo's Healing Potions.  I'll give you three guesses what he sells.  Anyway I created a map then had Rob redo it.  I did mine in Paint again.  Just the simple draw a line and spray can modes.  And Rob did his in Corel Draw something.

This one is mine.  The color pallet was limited so that's why all the weird hospital green.  I only see that color in hospital scrubs.  All that pinkish stuff is the work room with the alchemist in a rush there is not much time for cleaning.

Here's the one Rob did.  Nice lines, but the scale is a bit wonky I just noticed.  It would make those bets 7.5' long.

Hugo will be in the 2nd issue of The Manor.  Yes, I am already working on the second issue. I just saw them side by side in my folder and thought is would be cool to post them together.  Cheers.

Issue #1 of the Manor at the Proof Readers

Despite having a stupid ass head cold, again, I managed to get through my last go through with the text and layout last night.  Game night was cancelled due to lack of players so it worked out for me and gave me the extra time I needed. 

One of the weird problems I ran into was I had an invisible page two.  It was there, but didn't show up.  It was screwing up my page count.  I wanted to get to 24 pages and it kept saying I had 25.  If I had any hair I would have pulled and pulled, but instead when I am about to recycle my computer I give Rob a call and he figured it out quick enough.  Whew.  I have no idea how to find an invisible page.  I think that was my first encounter with one.  So I earned some much needed Word experience points.  I don't think I leveled, but I'm close.  I could use some extra hit points.

I tweaked the text for rural PA.  I wrestled with that piece more than the others.  But I've got it now I think.   Overall, I am very happy with the result.  Now I have to be patient and wait for proofreaders to tell me my screw ups.  I would tell them to forgo any family time, skip doctor appointments and even hold it for bathroom time so they can get through it quicker, but I can't.  Can't I?  Okay maybe just skip Aunt Regina's funeral.  You didn't much like her any way.

As soon as they finish with the proof and I fix my screw ups I'll be figuring out how to sell this thing.  Here's my plan again.  I plan to sell the print copy directly from my blog and PDFs from RPGNow and Lulu.  My prices will be as follows:
Print: $3.50 in USA
         $4 Canada
         $4.50 for the rest of the world
PDFs will be $2.50. 

I thought about doing a delayed PDF, but I really don't see the point right now.  If I can get everything to work (and that is the key) they will be released at the same day.  I encourage people to buy the print copy.  If for no other reason to justify me buying a beautiful new printer I call Hugo.  Plus I'm looking forward to using my long stapler and playing with the envelopes and card stock and...  Sorry, just geek out for a moment. 

Timeline for the release you ask.  I am hoping this weekend.  Saturday is what I'm shooting for.  I'm stoked.