Hello everyone!

Well, on the good side, the kidney infection I had that started last Saturday has cleared up. That had really gotten in the way of things, but now I can hopefully dive into things with more gusto.

This should be a shortish blog post because of that, but I have got a fair amount done, despite that.

First off, straight into writing news, I left last week with having completed all the background and notes for a swashbuckling fantasy background that I'd like to write several stories in. I'd got the setting and characters done and also had laid out synopses and chapter plans for a short story and a novella. This, by the way, is the setting that I'd researched a lot into the history of the Anglo-Scottish borders between the Norman Conquest and the end of the Elizabethan period. I still intend to delve into that and things are ready for when I do.

What I did do, instead of knuckling down and concentrating on those two stories, was... to plan a Gwaeloch Irisgarth story - the setting that I have several first drafts in about an elven barbarian. I've the plans down for that now. I wanted to do something that was like a dungeon delve, with a party of heroes sent to defeat an ancient subterranean terror. I know its based on a cliche, but I really wanted to give that cliche a twist. So, I wanted all the heroes to have turned on each other by the end, for greed or their own personal agendas to have screwed the party over by the end. I though twisting a cliche would be a really fun concept.

So, I was going to knuckle down and get that story down as a first draft, but got distracted again.

On Twitter - I still use it a lot and has still found it to be a very useful tool despite a certain owner's tampering - I seem to have fallen in with a few Splatterpunk authors to some degree. One of the author's I've done a review on some of her work. the review you can read here. Anyway, I wanted to try my hand at a Fantasy Splatterpunk story, doing a Grindhouse style story, something in the veins of Dirty Harry or Death Wish, but in a fantasy setting. I'm currently in the process of planning that out. I also wanted to turn the Sword and Sorcery concept on its head a little where instead of some burly barbarian going up a wizard and his retinue, an apprentice goes up against gangster and outlaws, mundane troubles in search of getting revenge for his master's death, whether I make this a single novella or a series of short stories, I'm unsure at the moment. I think it could be fun. I'm going to try and not channel some of Kim Newman's Filthy Harald stories while doing it.

By next week, I should have knuckled down to actually write one of these stories. I may even have returned to that extra long novella I started a few months ago, but I think I still need a break from that and will get some other projects done.

One thing I really want is to have two or three novellas ready to release as soon as I can. I'm not sure why I'm having difficulty getting that aim completed. I have a few thoughts that I have some anxiety about it to the point that its a bit problematic. I sort of want to rush these and bust through a set of first drafts, but getting an adequate set finished seems to not be on the cards yet. I think I'm pressurizing myself too much about it, which gets in the way.

Anyway, that's the writing updates over.

Now onto a bit of gaming. This week I managed to get my copy of Crypt of the Devil Lich by Goodman Games. It's a Kichstarter that I backed about two years ago, and after a bit of a kerfuffle trying to organise the courier properly, I finally got my grubby mits on it.

If you'll excuse the quality of some of the photo's, I don't have the best of phones to take photos with. I hope to do an actual review on it and I'll have better photos up for that. This is basically a sort of unboxing. So, here's what I got:

Crypt of the Devil Lich,
by Goodman Games,
entire Kickstarter pledge
with stretch goals

Crypt of the Devil Lich DnD 5E cover

Stretch goal pack
for Crypt of the Devil Lich

Goodman Games Gazeteer with
Crypt of the Devil Lich postcard

Designer Diaries for
Crypt of the Devil Lich

The Lost Level for
Crypt of the Devil Lich
DCC edition,
Doug Kovaks cover

Player Handout Booklet for
Crypt of the Devil Lich,
for DCC and DnD 5e,
Doug Kovaks Cover

I got wasted by the Devil Lich poster,
New Doug Kocaks edition

I got wasted by the Devil Lich poster,
original version

What I had done originally was to back both the Dungeon Crawl Classics version of the scenario, and also the 5E DnD edition too. I'm really pleased with what came with it all. It was a really big Kickstarter and many of the stretch goals were reached, including a couple of posters of the modern cover and the original. There were a couple of options for covers too, with a holographic option, a Sanjulian cover and one by Doug Kovacs. there was a lost level in its own booklet, and handout likewise printed, and also pre-generated characters in their own booklet too. there was even a designers notes booklet too. I'm quite impressed by what is included. Though it took two years to arrive, and there was a couple of bits of drama along the way, I do appreciate the amount of extra effort that went into their production.

If you would like to get a copy, they are currently at the time of writing, able to be pre-ordered. If you would like the DnD 5E edition you can get it here. If you would like the DCC edition you can get it here. I'm unsure if much of the Kickstarter stuff will be included in the pre-order volumes, but you can always get in touch with Goodman games and ask.

I have the Dungeon Crawl Classics rules system and it's sci-fi Mutant Crawl Classics version, but wanted to get a couple of scenarios in before investing in the DnD rules set. But to be honest, because of all the drama surrounding Wizards of the Coast, I'm currently reluctant in investing in the 5E DnD rules set just yet. Regardless, DCC is a great game, really fun, based in the OSR and has some quirky stuff to do with magic and the dice used and has a real pulp feel to them. I'm probably going to have a lot more fun running that than I would DnD 5E to be honest.

I should eventually do a review on DCC at some point, or some game play blog posts or videos.

That is pretty much it for this week. All that I'm left with to say is that for those that have read to the end and quite enjoy this section, while I've been writing this post, I've had a couple of mugs of lovely builder's tea and I've been watching an MWG Table Top Games battle report of Warhammer Fantasy Armies Project where Lizardmen battled against the Vampire Counts.

All the best for the coming week and I hope to see you all soon.

 Hello everyone,

Just a quick update. I've wanted to keep this up as a regular thing and this week, I'm finding it hard to think of much to say, I'm afraid.

Something happened during the week that shook me up a little and I feel almost embarrassed that it shocked me and threw me so badly as it isn't necessarily life changing, but it had made be have flashbacks to a time when something similar happened and I was almost made homeless. But I relly do doubt that it'll get that bad. But much of my writing this last week has taken a back seat and I'm having a little difficulty starting up the routine again.

Anyway, I am still trucking through my copy of the WFRP 4th Edition source book: Altdorf, The Crown of the Empire.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4th edition,
Altdorf: Crown of the Empire

I have also decided to revisit a book I finished about 20 years ago when I was in my teens called Puckoon by Spike Milligan. Its hilarious! Its one of the few books that I think everyone should read.

Puckoon, Spike Milligan

Beyond that, I'm also still reading one of Christopher Fowler's Bryant and May novels called The Lonely Hour. Its going slowly but I'm progressing alright.

The Lonely Hour, Bryant and May,
Christopher Fowler,

I have also backed a few Kickstarters, all of which are supplements for RPGs. I have a couple on order for Dungeon Crawl Classics and a couple for Old School Essentials. Both are fun games and I love the Dolmenwood setting for Old School Essentials.

One of the books is for an Old School Essentials setting book based around the artwork of Arthur Rackham which is wonderful. The Kickstarter for which you can visit here.

Rackham Vale for
Old School Essentials

Hello everyone!

I'm just writing this before a writing session. But a couple of things have happened during the week that I can update everyone on.

The first bit is that Dan Coghlan is making headway on a novella that he's been meaning to have finished for a while. It involves his elf barbarian - Gwaeloch Irisgarth - going on the hunt for a Master Wizard with their apprentice in tow and getting themselves involved with a city ruin and necropolis system filled with ancient elven undead, including a mummified elite. There are also evil satyrs and rotten dryads to contend with along the way.

He reckons that he could very well be about two fifths of the way through. It's taken a week to get those seven and a half thousand words done, but progress is being made each day. He'd like to get more done each day but has been having trouble with some dastardly migraine headaches.

Thankfully, Dan Coghlan also has a couple of other short stories including the same character under his belt in first draft form and hopes to get them sorted in short order. Those he hopes to send out to some magazines or anthologies when they're done.

After this, he also has another novella planned including a clan of Fimir, another story that may become a novella involving a cannibal hold of dwarves. There will be a short story including a pyramid complex under a city that holds an ancient evil, and another involving a wizard duel after a long night out.

On another note, I wanted to share something that was of inspiration to Dan.

Earlier this week, he received a copy of a Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay book for the forth edition based around the Empire city of Altdorf.

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4e,
Altdorf: Crown of the Empire

He's a big fan of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and is loving this book. He has the Middenheim book in the same series and is finding  this one much more interesting, even though the Middenheim book is a very suitable book for anyone involved with that edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. He likes how its jammed packed with cults and spy rings, location showcases and NPCs. He says it really does paint a picture of a vast fantasy city.

Anyway, with that all covered, I hope you all are well and enjoy your week.