...the fool is obvious as a coal pile in a ballroom.

I like to drag my 1st edition, Dungeon Masters Guide (1979) off the shelf and randomly open it (it always opens to the pages 74-75 because those who know, know) and read.

This time I found myself on page 19. I was reading the THIEF ABILITIES. Hide in Shadows has a paragraph double the length of the others. I thought this was weird. I read it and started laughing. Gary G. cracks me up. Here is what I found.

Hide in Shadows: As is stated in PLAYERS HANDBOOK, this is NEVER possible under direct (or even indirect) observation. If the thief insists on trying, allow the attempt and throw the dice, don't bother to read them, as the fool is as obvious as a coal pile in a ballroom.

BAM! You go Gary. The paragraph goes on, but nothing else compares to the above tidbit. I love that he wants the DM to throw the dice, but don't read them. And basically he's calling the player/character a fool. Seems like Gary must have gotten into an argument about this subject right before he wrote it. I don't know about you guys, but I can lose my keys I was carrying and the aren't hiding in the shadows.

Other interesting takes I discovered when reading the descriptions. And I ALWAYS find new stuff in this book even after having it since '79.

Pick Pockets: Failure allows additional attempts. Up to two attempts at picking a pocket can be made during a round.

Picking pockets was one of those skills that rarely was used. It seemed like you always got caught and then there was the inevitable Benny Hill chase scene.

Climbing Walls: Gary goes into some detail about movement rates. He states it is probably the most abused thief function. He doesn't go into detail other than it requires training and practice. I've never been in a game where climbing movement rate has been calculated...well, in a GURPS game a few times.

When Glory Holes and Gaming Meet

Last night was game night.  We picked up where we left off.  In the middle of a brambles that was once the barrier for an elven taig (an ancient tree that is very bossy).  But has since become a layer to a dragon.  A green dragon.  A small green dragon. 

I'm not really sure how it happened, but I blame +Douglas Cole.  All of a sudden he shared this:

And nothing good followed. 

What To Do With All These Dice

Look at all these dice all over my table.  I sure wish I had something to put them.

I wonder is I look around the house if I can find a home for my dice.

Hmm, I have a paper bag, but what if it rains.  It will tear and my dice will fall out into the mud.

 

I have a plastic bag so that would stop the rain, but it could tear and all my dice would be lost.

I have a tea bag, but that is just weird.  And I don;t think Ivy would like me tea bagging my dice.

I have a classic Crown Royal bag, but its way to small.  I wonder what I can do to find to the perfect home for my dice....

I know.  I'll contact Michael who runs Greyed Out on Etsy.  He makes some great dice bags.  I know he has a Bad Moon orc dice bag I've been looking at for a while.  I'll go order one now.
*Click*

{4 days pass}

Look what came in the mail today.  My brand new Bad Moon orc dice bag from Greyed Out.  Even all my dice love it.  They are surrounding it ready to move in.

My dice can't wait.  They are jumping in as fast as they can.

It got a little violent.  The d6s started ganging up against the d12s.  The d30 had to start policing the move.  

Everybody is moved in and there is plenty of room to spare.  My dice are very happy and so am I.

So end the quest to find a home for my dice.  Greyed Out has a lot of cool designs and Michael will do custom orders.  I wanted my Bad moon Orc to be free standing and wa la, Michael made it happen.  I'm very happy with the finished product.  The dice bags prices range from $16 to $24, but most are at the lower end.  Thank you Michael for doing a great job.  I'll be back for more.

Favorite Question of the Day

Tomorrow is the newbie game and two of them approached me looking worried and asked.

"Between both of us we have four 20-sided dice.  Is that enough?"

Brisco's Eleven-Foot Pole

Howdy mighty adventurer, have I got the latest and greatest dungeon delving tool for you, Brisco's Eleven-Foot Pole.  You might be asking why our eleven-foot pole is different from the other ten-foot poles.  Simple, our pole goes to eleven.

Brisco's Eleven-Foot Pole can collapse into a one-foot rod making transportation easier and can double as a club.  When crawling through narrow caverns or passages the last thing an adventurer needs is to have his tools hinder as will normal ten-foot poles will do.  With an easy pull of a lever the pole shrinks into a one-foot pole in an instant.  The lever has a lock down recess that will keep unwanted shrinkage from happening.    

Brisko's Eleven-Foot can also be used as a ladder.  Small pegs hidden within the pole can be extracted to provide footholds.  No more waiting at the bottom of a pit while being heckled by party members to lower a rope. 

A pair of new features recently developed and provided for no additional charge is a continual light spell at the end of Brisco's Eleven-Foot Pole, that can be covered by an assortment of several decorative caps.   Each cap can also be used at a projectile by simply shrinking the Brisco Pole to its one-foot section then expanding the pole causing to cap to launch itself at your intended target. 

With Brisko's Eleven-Foot Pole you get the convenience of it collapsing into a one-foot club, the ability to turn into a ladder, a continual light spell, and three decorative caps that can be used as missiles.  Brisco's Eleven-Foot Pole can be yours for only 100gp or in four easy installments of 25gp.  Now if that weren't enough, Brisko has added four of his Brisko's All-Purpose Iron Spikes.  These spikes were given the Adventurer's Reliability Award four years running.  Order now while supplies last.

Customer Reviews

 101 out of 103 adventurers found this review helpful

** Frozen Lever and Tacky Caps by Amork "Stoner" Stonehill
While traveling through the frozen Fortuary Pass our party came across a tribe of snow trolls I tried to use the 'projectile cap' option but the cold weather had froze the lever.  It wouldn't budge.  Although I like the convenience of its size and weight, the continual light spell is more of a nuisance spoiling my dark vision and the decorative caps are embarrassingly tacky.  I had one of my buddies whip up a pair of caps that looks better and are more accurate.   Although I am not impressed with the eleven-foot pole it is useful, but combine it with a set of Brisko's Iron Spikes (they rule!) the 100gp price is a bit high, but worth it.

91 out of 96 adventurers found this review helpful
*****I wish I had bought Brisko's Eleven-Foot Pole a hundred years ago by Ephemeral Lightleaf
Eleven is better.  I use this at home, at work and on weekends when my friends and I decide to go south and have a go at the Caves of Chaos.  I've got most of Brisko's products and have never been disappointed.

0 out of 323 adventurers found this review helpful
No Starz by GruGunk
Brisco sukz.  I got yur 11 foot pole rite here.

"I Got About 10 Points of I Wanna Beat You with a Stick Left"

Get a good laugh here...

Again I can't figure out how to add a video, but this one is funny as hell.  Too bad his boots of his escaping didn't work better.  Anyway, thought it would be a good laugh before the frantic cooking of Thanksgiving begins.