Decos' Wretched Plight (Session 4)

These notes are originally from 12.09.2014.

A More Aggressive Incursion

As the party returned to the tunnels, they encounter some kobolds attacking from the shadows. The Men from The North are not surprised, quickly cutting the scaly lil' beast down.  Pushing forward, the party finds a fierce orc hacking away at a group of giant rats.  The party charges the rats, slaying a few and scaring the remainder down the hallway to the East.

The orc is wary, but he makes no move to attack the party.  Fnu boldly acknowledges the orc, asking of him the essential questions; why are you here, has he seen a book here in the tunnels, and of course, what is your name?

Conveniently enough, the Orc speaks some decent common, answering the questions, but still wary of what the adventurers plan to do.  Ru'gash, as he introduced himself, is quite taken by surprise at a generous offer from Fnu.  As payment of hiring him under his service, Fnu gives the orc a valuable gem and promises more if he performs well.  Ru'gash accepts this offer, feeling less threatened by his uneven odds.

Rats come running down corridor to the east squealing in fear.  The straggler is struck by a magical missile launched by the Grumpy Goblin Shaman Schwee.  Fnu shouts out at the critter in it's own language, which catches his attention, but only long enough for him to grumble and just walk off down the corridor to the south of the intersection he had stood in.  The party spies a book and pursues the goblin to a door, that appears to be locked, and he turns and faces the party, obviously very uncomfortable with being within a hairsbreadth away from the Fearsome Northerners.

Fnu has the goblin roughed up a bit, and threatened furiously when he chooses to be uncooperative and answers the party's questions vaguely and without much enthusiasm.  Growing tired of his shriveling lil' captive, Fnu forces the desired information out of the goblin.  Further, the canny magic-user forces the goblin to swear servitude to him for 101 days.  On pain of death.  The goblin Schwee does as he is bid, and finds that it might not be so bad as Fnu offers up a softer side and rewards his minion with a secret gift.

Thus unified, the group continues into the depths of the dungeon...searching for a potentially disastrous magical Staff of Pestilence.

Scatter Bases: Seasonal Trees

"Nock those arrows but quick, knaves - or the gobs will have our wenches for their pleasures!"

I really enjoy "area terrain".  By that, I mean I like to base terrain abstractly on a base sometimes.  Less clutter to fiddle with.  "True" line-of-sight is neat and is the norm for drawing LoS on the table, but I think that area terrain still has a place in today's world of "true" LoS.

We have a lot of large area pieces.  A lot of them are forests.  So, when our buddy Buff Bagworm showed up with some awesome Hobby Lobby trees, we knew a good way to set about using them that would set them apart from our other wooded terrain features - both in functionality on the table and general aesthetics.

"I say, is it getting dark in here or is it just your rakish photography!?  Philistine!"

The autumn set here was one package Buff brought forth to the club.  We put them on round 50mm bases, which we flocked with a mix of different tones to make an earthy fall basing.  Add a few rocks and some clump foliage from Gale Force 9 and you've got some nice scatter bases.  These are small, but add a lot of flavor.  As these are area terrain pieces, the placement of one of these can dramatically change lines of sight.

It's the host of Between Two Trees, Zacharias Gallifreynovakus.

A veritable autumn forest.  Big thanks to Buff Bagworm and his missus!  They are always looking out for us in their travels, and we really appreciate it.

Obvious Troll is Obvious.

Buff brought us another pack of trees from a local...Dollar Tree?  I think so...it's a thrift mart, but sometimes there are treasures within.  Good looking out, Mr. Bagworm!

These bases were treated a bit differently - we added summer clump foliage instead!  These were some sort of seasonal holiday item, and had "snow" sprayed on the boughs.  A little Krylon Camouflage spray and we're good.  Green foliage and BOOM - summer time scatter bases.

"Steady, Hans...they'll never see us out here!"

I am not sure where these two trees came from.  It was a long time ago, and when I was doing this project I saw them in our bin.  So...pine tree scatter bases!

It's a whole new forest terrain selection for the club, for just a few bucks and very little effort.  Big thanks to Buff Bagworm & Co. (and whoever donated the pine trees) - we really dig you guys.  See you on Game Day!

The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 6)

These notes are originally from 11.30.2014.

After an epic battle, accompanied by the blue dragon Magarastu, the group releases the Warlock Charlie Sheen's friend - a lich.  Upon being released, the undead sorcerer pulls a glowing orb from his cloak and shoves it into the Warlock's chest.



Soon the party is attacked by the black wizard Caiustaius' minions, who appear behind the party before they can react.  Utho begins to fire arrows at the magic-users, but the Warlock yells "STOP!!"

The dragon stoped in mid flight, and the group realized that all time had stopped.  Spells were cast in succession.  The Warlock Charlie Sheen waved his hand, and time resumed.  The black wizard fled, and his minions were defeated (Vortex Savants, Magarastu called them).

The group made it back to the ship, and a magical, shimmering portal was open above it.

"My friends," said the Warlock Charlie Sheen, "thank you for your help."  He turned to Acwellan the Lich, and continued.  "If not for my friends here, I would not have been able to rescue you."

"Thank...You..." the lich replied.

"I'm afraid this is where we part ways."  the Warlock continued.

Some time passed as the magic-users prepared the necessary spells.  The group took this opportunity to get to know the undead sorcerer and his companion - for Charlie Sheen seemed different now that he had obtained his power again.

Todd Decos was brave enough to engage the lich in conversation first.

"How long have you been a...lich?"

"Perhaps...For A Thousand Years."

"Were you human...before?"  Todd ventured.

"Once."

Charlie Sheen cast a spell, and a fully cooked and prepared meal appeared with a table out of thin air.  The Warlock immediately began eating.

The lich looked over the party, and stated "I...Will Take You...Where Ever...You Wish...To Go."

Wickwar inquired of the dragon, "Where will you go?"

The dragon seemed bemused.  "I am already home."

Wickwar was undaunted.  "Where are you trying to run off to?"

Magarastu answered, "Caiustaius held me captive for many years.  I will retake his castle."

Acwellan gave Oliver Duncan a key on a silver chain before wordlessly boarding the boat.

---

The party awakens the next day back in the inn.  The innkeeper informed Oliver that he had a large package waiting for him.  Upon opening the chest that was delivered earlier that day, the voice of the Warlock Charlie Sheen could be heard.

"Thank you my friends.  I thought I would leave this here for you.  You can use it much better than I."

Inside the chest was a trove of valuable treasures, and better still...magical equipment.

The group settles in...wondering if they will ever see the Warlock Charlie Sheen or his undying companion ever again.

"I've spent close to the last decade effortlessly and magically turning your tin cans into pure gold." - The Warlock Charlie Sheen.

Krampustag 2014!!

Well, much like the last few years, the Wargate's Feast of Krampus occurred once again this year!  The 4th Annual Krampusfest went over so awesome...we totally forgot to take pictures!!  Who's responsible for this??  They shall be flogged!!

Wait a minute...oh yeah...it was me.

I charged the camcorder, and even put it in a place that I "wouldn't forget it".  I guess I'll be getting flogged this year for sure.  Woe is me!

Yet, there was plenty of merriment that accounts for that lapse in judgement!  We got to see some of our parental units, who stopped by for various bits of awesome.  We sent food home with everyone we could, because try as we might - there's just no eating that much food.

We had Hungarian Chili, Spinach and Rice Pie, Bake Cauliflower for entrees.  For dessert, Wendi made German Chocolate cupcakes and apple struesels - of which I appropriated as many as I could to stuff down my gullet later in the evening!  (Hint:  all of it is gone.)

Big thanks to the girls for the awesome spread!  I'm pretty sure they even told me once that I hadn't taken pictures of anything yet, eager to preserve their handiwork on film.  I deserve the flogging that Krampus will give me for not giving the day the proper due!

Next year we'll be back on the proper hype, pomp and glam we normally have for the Feast of Krampus!  I can't believe I forgot pictures ALL DAY LONG...but if you think that;s bad...we forgot to game as well!  All in all, this was a Krampusfest to remember, and I'm so very happy everyone turned out to make it as cool as it was.

Thank you for becoming part of our Yuletide tradition!

Mercenary Archer Regiment

Our Introduction to Miniature Painting class has shown some nice results!  During Lessons 1 & 2, we learned the basics of putting brush to paint to model - and already the proof is in the...arrow quivers?  This entire regiment of Mercenary Archers for our Sword & Sorcery games was painted by the class during those lessons, and if I may say so they look absolutely gorgeous.

"Let's give 'em a volley, lads!"

Once the regiment had been painted after Lesson 2, I had the pleasure of using Army Painter QuickShade (Strong Tone) on the unit.  After dipping all 20 of them, I applied Anti-Shine to get rid of the glossy residue left by the QuickShade once it dries.  The process worked out quite well on these models - perhaps it's their 1-piece simplicity.

The basing material was a mix of some ruddy, Dark Brown flock I had leftover from other projects mixed with some other hues.  Army Painter's Grass Green Flock provides a lovely light green accent, while Gale Force 9's Grass flock mixes it's dark green with the dark brown to make a nice Autumn look.

These mercenaries make good skirmishers, as well.

These warriors will likely see battle many times in many fashions.  Whether conscripted into your Baronial Army as you carve out a domain in Mystara, or raining arrows on the minions of the Dragon Queen on Toril, these are some of the best equipped light troops you can obtain.  This regiment is one of the main missile units for our human armies, and the troops you recruit can be deployed anywhere in your forces / domain.

Paint Guide

1. Krylon Ultra-Flat Camouflage Brown Spray  (Basecoat)
2. Elf Flesh  (Flesh)
3. Bubonic Brown  (Leggings)
4. Catachan Green  (Coif / Beltpouch)
5. Vermin Brown  (Wood on Bows & Arrows)
6. Blood Red  (Arrow Fletching)
7. Vomit Brown  (Belts)
8. Black  (Dagger Sheath / Draw Guard)
9. Army Painter Desert Yellow  (Dagger Hilt)
10. Boltgun Metal  (Helmet / Arrowheads)
11. Army Painter QuickShade Strong Tone
12. Army Painter Anti-Gloss
13. Mix of a Dark Brown, Army Painter Grass Green and Gale Force 9 Grass Flocks  (Base Cover)

We're going to have a ton of project logs based on our upcoming class lessons.  When the Introduction is over after ten classes, we're not quite ready to stop.  We've got some good ideas for some advanced techniques we're going to teach our class about that will really spur creativity.  Best of all, we'll have more painted stuff for the club to game with!

The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 5)

These notes are originally from 11.16.2014.

From the Journal of Alexandra Postoak

5:45

The group passes through the gate and continues on.  The golem still stands on the other side of the fire waiting to come after us.  Blanith cast Magic Missile at it to try and rid us of his presence.

We come upon a room that is filled with skeletons that wield swords.  As we move into the room all of the skeletons move toward us.  We take quite a beating from the skeletons but we manage to smash all of them.

6:26

We all discuss our next move.  Blanith casts Detect Magic on the room and the only thing that seems to glow, aside from us, is the door.  We all want to rest but the Warlock tells us that we don't have time.

6:33

Warwick sneaks through the door to look at what else there might be.  The rest of the group hears a voice saying "Intruders!  And I didn't even order a meal delivered!"

When Warwick comes back and tells us he saw a man in a parlor with an Alphatian slave, we continue into the chamber and talk with the odd-looking man.

We end up buying the slave girl for 300 gold.  She seems to be having trouble walking from the zzonga, so Blanith helps her along while we continue down the hall to the next door.

6:52

Behind the door we find a man behind a fire pit, standing in a magic circle.  There are three magical items on the outside of the circle, and each of them together reads:

"Unravel to Travel,

Be Swift and Be Gone;

With Arcane Words,
A Dweomer Unravels;

The Absence of Dark,

A Power that Travels."

The wizards manage to free the man in the circle by casting spells on the stones.  He says the last place he remembers was being in Waterdeep.  he decides to come with our group.  All of us continue to the next door.  Blanith peeks in and spots two ghouls, then quickly shuts the door.  Warwick decides to go in and look around.

He sees five ghouls in one room and a dragon in the other.  he comes back and tells us that he saw the ghouls and a blue dragon.

We go in to fight the ghouls.  Several of us are paralyzed quickly, but the group manages to destroy the ghouls.  Everyone waits until the paralysis wears off.

7:48

We head down the hallway toward the dragon.  We talk with him and he tells us that we should not enter the room without the key to open his manacles.  He tells us that he is guarding the tower of Caiustaius, which is linked to the tower bridgeway.

7:54

He tells us that the vampire we are looking for is Mandros, the odd-looking man we saw earlier.  We go back to look in the ghoul pit.  Blanith goes in and finds quite a bit of platinum, gold and copper.

8:20

Warwick wanders off again back down the hallways to look for the vampires.  He sees a cloud of smoke behind him then yells to us "It's a trap!"  He sees the vampires and skeletons.  He pours oil on the chair in the parlor and climbs up on top of a bookcase just in time to see a large pack of wolves.

Borion of Waterdeep destroys all of the skeletons, the majority of the wolves and the weaker vampire with a Fire Ball but the spell bounces back and maims the party.

The remaining vampire manages to cast Charm on me, and I turn and kill Rahanu.  I then attack the wizard Borion.

8:46

The vampire vanishes into a cloud of smoke and Blanith Webs me.

The wizards Dispel the Charm on me, and Blanith binds the wounds on Eventree and Rahanu.

Meanwhile...

Todd decides to go be ignorant and shoot at the dragon, then run away.  Todd then comes back as we all decide to go after the vampire.  He receives a very unfriendly welcome back.

We go to look in the vampire's study, but don't see anyone there.  Inside the room we find an evil-looking magic skull and a key in a box (that poisoned Blanith).  Blanith searches more and finds a secret door.

Inside we find a coffin and two treasure chests.  We go in and slay the vampire.  We find a magical sword, and a lot of coins.

9:17

We find several interesting books and a map in the study.

9:23

We give the key to Warwick, and he goes to free the dragon.  The dragon introduces himself as Magarastu, and says he wants to join us.  Then we continue on.

9:35

Our party (dragon and all) continues deeper into the dungeon.  A group of skeletons and powerful looking guy wait for us. 

Magarastu crushes a large number of the skeletons and the ominous looking man.  I am killed by a lightning bolt from one of the wizards.

The group destroys the rest of the wizards, and Rahanu Raises me from the dead.

10:15

We continue on.  Soon we come upon a room full of wizards.  While fighting the wizards, I'm Charmed once again.  I'm told to stop the dragon.  While I continue to try and stop the dragon from going, the others fight the wizards.  They manage to defeat them.  We collect all the magical items from the wizards.

10:49

We enter a room to find what the Warlock tells us is the Configuration Machine to the Vortex below.  He seems very interested in the machine and asks if his friend is inside.  A shadow came out that Sheen says is "part of his friend".

10:54

The dragon tells us there are three activations of the machine.  We can use the Rod to reset the thing.

From in the room behind us we hear "Wand of Lightning!"

Rulebook Ruminations: Dungeons & Dragons Expert

We're five months into our Dungeons & Dragons Basic / Expert campaign, and it has been a blast.  With 92 hours logged so far, we've managed to creep up the experience scale to right about 6th level.  We've enjoyed how simple the game is, but that only lasted so long.  Now, our players are hungry for those forgotten bits of complexity that gives Advanced and later versions their staying power and are beginning to branch out in ways they haven't before.

At 4th level, I allowed the Expert book to be used freely by the players.  It starts out with a treatise on higher level characters, up to 14th level.  However, the gains characters make each level are dispersed across the levels.  This results in massive boosts to certain classes at certain levels, while other levels don't do anything but give you a Hit Die.

More equipment is added, most notably sailing vessels.  This has been a focal point of our campaign so far, as it's based around the Sea of Dread.  Some other basic land transport information is given, but it's all "basic" stuff here.

Of course, more spells.  There aren't very many spells per level, which is great for new players or players using spellcasters for the first time.  It's easy to wrap your head around things and get the hang of the most basic of spells you may encounter in your adventuring career.

Basically, everything in the game is fleshed out to a higher degree.  There are more spells, monsters and treasures.  There is more info on combat, and how you can engage in combat.  Notable additions there are mounted, naval and aerial combat rules.

However, it's the wilderness rules that are the star of the show.  Not really much here in the way of text, but the way it opens the game up from just the basic rulebook is felt by all involved immediately.  Now you can travel from town to town, from town to dungeon, from dungeon to dungeon or whatever.  And also...ships.

Non-player characters are given more attention as well...especially the different kinds of specialist PC's can hire.  You'll need sailors for your ships' crews, and you'll probably need an alchemist or sage at some point.  Not to mention the brutal mercenary army you always wanted.

There's a bit of Mystara information in the very back as well, all centered on Karameikos.  It's very basic, but this publication was the seed from which the Known World was grown.  As it is, it shows the Dungeon Master how to set up an outdoor campaign setting in a traditional hex map.  This is nice, since everyone knows Karameikos is full of fun times.

In conclusion, the Expert rulebook is essential to a Dungeons & Dragons game that wants to expand from Basic.  However, all these rules are included in the Rules Cyclopedia.  None of this is still in print, but if you fancy giving it a go it and it's Basic and Companion cohorts can be had pretty cheap secondhand.

The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 4)

This update is lagging behind.  These Game Session notes were originally from 11.09.2014.

From the Journal of Alexandria Postoak

The group tended to all the bodies on the ships.  Oliver Blessed each of the bodies and we took all items of worth from them before we threw the corpses overboard.


6:08

The group agreed that the newly captured ship would be a great thing to use to begin a new adventuring company.

6:12

Back in town, the group takes the magical items to get them appraised for 1000 gold.  We split up magical items and try to find some place to get new sails and banners for the ship.  While we try and find new sails we discuss what we are going to do with the treasure.

6:30

The next morning we all woke up feeling very nervous.

6:48

Blanith went out to hang fliers looking for a new first mate.  He seemed to be very nervous the entire time.

6:50

Utho commissioned a new excellent figurehead for the new ship.

7:00

We were at the inn having dinner and a strange man was staring at me.  He made it over to our table before I could even stand.  I can't seem to remember who this guy is.  The strange man gave us all something very odd to smoke (like tobacco), which drugged us all.

The man beckons us to follow him to a pier that was empty except fora  small, terribly dirty 13ft boat that looks like it came directly from the ocean floor.

The strange man put on a battered helmet from the boat and we all climbed on board.  The boat heads out to sea quickly.

Hearing splashing around us we looked out and saw a tentacle that is in chains.  It hands Utho a box.  The warlock opened the box and told us all to take a vial.  We all drank one and realized it had the taste of fresh blood.

We see what looks like the night sky around us after the man asks us if we have ever been to space.

The boat splashes down (into warm, loose sand) and we all jumped out.  We step away to avoid the tentacles we thought we saw earlier.

We spotted a large castle in the middle of a desert.  The warlock spent some time yelling at the castle and telling us that his "friend" was in the castle - and the builder of the castle is a "bastard for building it out here."

7:23

We all enter and the door seems to vanish behind us.  There is a portal behind us that the Warlock tells us that is not the way out, but goes back to where we came from.

We start down a corridor with the fighters in the lead.  We explore the corridors and its not long until we find a glowing circle in the floor.  Blanith tries to examine the runes but it seems to make him ill, so he steps back.

7:53

We venture to another room.  We see statues lining the room.  There are two gargoyles at the end of the room by a door.  We get an odd feeling but we try to open the door anyway.  When I try and open the door, one of the statures reaches out to grab me.

We manage to fight off the gargoyles and regain our composure.  The necklace (with a large gem in it) that was on one of the statues seems to be gone now.  Todd proceeds to try and pull over a statue.

We go through the door to see an elf fighting with two demons.  We kill one of the gargoyles and Blanith leaves one of them Webbed.

We speak with the elf, Eventree.  We ask him how he got there and are told that he went through a portal he should not have.  He says he is from Sigil.  He has an odd quality to him.

The Warlock starts telling the elf that he is trying to get to Sigil.

8:46

Eventree tells us the way out is through the seal on the floor.  A giant, shiny black monster comes from the hole in the floor and attacks Blanith.  Utho manages to fall down the stairs.  So we all try and follow...I jump after Blanith.

9:00

At the bottom of the stairs, after a very ominous warning of "It is very foolish to think I cannot come after you." we all continue.

9:20

Not far from the landing we find a doorway and go through to find a group of three ogres.  We tell them that "Dave sent us."  They let us in and then begin to yell at the shiny black monster, telling him that he "cannot bring the gargoyles down here."  While theya re bickering we makea  run through a set of doors to find five more ogres eating.

9:31

We make a run past the table, and down a corridor.  All we can find is a couple of giant ogres cheering on a lone ogre with a giant stick weapon that is fighting with a man that holds a flaming sword.

With so many ogres chasing us, we try and run down the otehr hall towards teh ogre and the man with the flaming sword.  The Warlock sets fire to teh hallway, blocking the pathway so the golem and the other ogres could not pass.

Blanith Webs one fo the ogres and puts the other two to Sleep.  The man with the flaming sword yells something, then the webbed ogre burst into flames.

10:25

The warrior introduces himself as Rahanu, then prays to his god Tempus to help us through the gate.

Decos' Wretched Plight (Session 3)

Ain't Nothin' But Kobold Thang

The Northerners accept Decos' job, and immediately set out to rid the new tunnels of these troublesome pest.  The party quickly arrives at the tunnel entrance and proceed into the strangely bricked hallways that form the ancient tunnels.  Proceeding inside, the party is attacked by and dispatches the welcoming party of kobolds.  They manage to capture three of these, slaying half and capturing the rest.

The Northerners return to town and sell their prisoners.  After talking to the town wizard the party returns to the ancient tunnels.  Moving through the rooms they encounter 4 crazed giant rats!  They quickly dispatch the weak foes, but only to be attacked by the group of 7 kobolds hiding in the next room.  The fight is short, but a great tragedy occurred.  Herek Uthbar had been slain by a kobold's sword!

The party swiftly subdues the remaining foes with a single spell.  The survivors then return their dead companion to Arbora to give him his funeral rites.  Onward to Valhalla, servant of Odin.

The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 3)

From the Journal of Alexandria Postoak

5:24

The group goes to the Minrothad Guildhouse to try and hire a navigator.




5:28

The guild tells the party that it would be 2000 gold coins to buy a charter and that it would be several months.  Blanith asks the small guild man if there is any way they can expidite the process.  The man's name is Gordo.  He seemed rather interested in the fact that the group is going after the bounty on the captain.

The man tells Blanith that it would be 500 gold extra to expedite the charter, but when Blanith signs the receipt the additional 500 is not on it.  He says he will send the pilot to the group later that night.

5:43

Blanith goes back to his inn and starts to write scrolls, and later Gordon the one legged dwarf pirate shows up and introduces himself as the pilot.

6:22

The group leaves Thyatis to find the captain.  Blanith works closely with Captain Barlowe so he can learn more about sailing.

The wind picks up and pushes back against the ship for a day, which slows the movement.

The ship makes it to the cove to wait for the pirates to arrive.  They must take a lifeboat to research the cove and tells the captain to take the boat out to be less obvious.

6:55

The group decides to wait on the ship and watch for the other ship.  Captain Barlowe advises that he sees the other ship sailing toward The Drake.

7:05

The ship that we see is larger.  The other ship is at least twice as large as ours.  There is a call from the crow's nest, "They have a ram!".  Oliver casts Bless on the party and it is quickly followed by Blanith casting Haste.  We all then ready our weapoins and hope for the best.

7:21

Something flies towards us from the enemy ship, and there is a cry on-deck of "Catapult!".  The order to fire at will is given, and our ballistae hit the enemy ship.  The ships meet and we begin to grapple each other.  The ship is bedecked in Alphatian gear.

7:40

The crews begin to fight.  Blanith puts part of the enemy crew to Sleep.  One of the pirates is killed by Alexandra, and Oliver cast Hold Person on some of their other crew.  Nine enemy pirates board our ship and one guy jumps with superhuman skill all the way to the center of our deck to attack Methra.  She is unlucky on the second hit and dies.  Her body falls into the ocean, and is lost.

8:17

Most of the other crew is in a Web or put to Sleep.  Warwick, Alexandra, Utho, Blanith and Todd have boarded the enemy ship.

8:36

The ones that boarded the ship defeat the remaining pirates on the Sea Heifer.  We tie up the crew that is still under a Sleep spell.  Barlowe uses a stick and makes the webbed fighter to surrender.  Our crew goes through the Sea Heifer finds a fair amount of treasure and the box with a silver marking.

We decide to sail the Sea Heifer and tow our boat behind.  We tie the pirates up and watch them in the hold.  We try and question the pirate captain...

...but the interrogation fails, and Todd broke his leg - an injury which led to Kronk's death.

Introduction to Miniature Painting, Lesson 3

Our 10-part introduction to miniature painting continues this week with our last session.  Our students are starting to churn out some really nice stuff for the club!  By the time this is over, they will have lots of practice under their belts - enough to get some of those nice Wargate commissions!

Lesson 3 - Ink Washes

An ink is a heavy pigment in a thin medium that has the consistency of water.  Since ink contains heavy pigment, it tends to gather in the recesses of the model, shading it (making it darker). There are numerous techniques to using inks, but today we're just going to introduce them into our repertoire by examining a very basic technique:  washing.

Are those dogs?

To perform an ink wash on a model, simply brush the ink over the entire model.  It will shade the figure, as well as provide a color hue.  Even though ink gathers in the recessed portions of the model, a color tint can will left on the raised portions as well depending on how many coats of ink were applied.  You can also apply ink to only certain portions of a model, shading it and changing the hue as needed.

On one set of models, we used a light ink over the entire model, followed by a darker ink over the main body.  This produced a nice, natural transition in tone for the simple models we were using.  By leaving the face, paws and tail alone during the application of the dark coat we see an instant and very fetching effect occur.

You can darken an ink by applying it in multiple layers.  Like all paints, make sure the first layer is dry before applying the second.  The lighter rats below were simply inked a second time, leaving the face, paws and tail alone as before.  The natural looking gradient is very easy to achieve, and with time and practice this will become second nature.

No such luck.  Those are giant rats - because of course they are.

Like all the models we're painting during this class, we'll be showing the completed project off in our Gallery section ASAP.  Lots of great stuff coming up for the galleries, for all categories.  We've got a lot to show off, so our next photo session is going to be swamped!

One last thing:  this is the Wargate's three-hundredth post!  March 13th, 2010 we launched this new blog, and it's been an absolute pleasure to have been with  you this long.  In just a few months, we'll be a full five years old at this location, with this name.  I want to send a huge, heartfelt thank you to all our Gatekeepers for all for your hard work and support for the last four and a half years.

It looks like we'll be around for quite some time, barring any incidents involving monsters or swords (or other implements of destruction).  With so many things coming up, we're not going to just evaporate - the Wargate is only growing stronger.  So, with that I'll just say one more thing:  it's good to feel loved!

Articulations from Arthur - Alignment Change

King Arthur returns from all sorts of misadventure across Mystara, as both a DM and a player.  He wanted to share this with everyone, after some of those hijinks nearly introduced him to the TPK.  As his discovery of gaming in general is really just beginning, it will be interesting to see what he has to say from time to time - to give us old, crotchety folk a fresh perspective that is unburdened with expectation or nostalgia.

In my budding experience, I have encountered an alignment change.  This particular change of heart was forced upon me, for allowing entangled and sleeping enemies to be effortlessly dispatched by a fellow member of my adventuring party.  How wrong of me……

Now then!  Being chaotic is awesome!  All these nitty witty do-gooders and their lawful ways are just such a tedious bunch to fit in with.  Experiencing the change in my alignment, I did take it upon myself to fully enjoy a change to more diabolic demeanor.  The party, who has yet to accept my character anyhow, is now composed of only my targets!

At least, they would have been had they not led me to suffer heavy damage and initially instill a raving insanity within me.  This in turn gave me the perfect excuse to stab a fellow through his heart and take his potion.  Then to make my lil’ devilish plot all the better, the potion made me fly!   I took my leave of these doomed adventurers and flew all the way back home!

You should never trust an evil thief, you silly adventuring companions!  I do give you my thanks though, for the short lived, but highly enjoyable, Dungeons and Dragons session.

King Arthur,

The Jubilant and Carefree

Update: Decos' Wretched Plight (Session 2)

In Through the Out Door

The inner door erupts as the looters run out of the burning, collapsing outpost.  A flurry of missed blows later, several of the party are incapacitated - but the roof crushes in on the party's foes, finishing them off and preventing pursuit.



The party staggers out to the horse and cart, and begin to collect themselves.  They stand guard through the night, and in the morning examine the burnt-out ruin.  Satisfied with what little they could scrounge from the looter's hideout, they take their three living prisoners back to Arbora.

Tabotaku the Wizard offers to examine the trinkets brought back from the tower, and Decos is happy to have a certain sword back.  The party convalesces for a week, before agreeing to meet with Decos once again to discuss the terms for the northmen's continued employment.

It seems that getting rid of the looters was only the first step of a larger design on the part of the old boy.  Oh, it was all for the public good or whatever - but the townsfolk immediately sent miners into the old ruin and started excavating beneath it.  A network of tunnels exists under the old Thyatian watchtower...and Decos is very interested in getting into it.

The northmen are impassive.  They will destroy the enemies of these folk.  They will show them the ways of Odin.

Update: The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 2)

From Left to Right

The party, faced with the jaws of so many dragons on the Isle of Dread, elect to seek brighter fortunes elsewhere.  The Drake sets sail for Thyatis City, where they arrive in 15 days with no misfortune.  Everyone is surprised.




Over the next several days, each member of the party searches their soul for the strength to fight the existential dread.  They seek a new job, as they believe their group is powerful enough to brave new perils.  Yet what night brings is much more bizarre...

An entity calling himself The Warlock Charlie Sheen appeared in their dreams, and showed them a vision of what might be the future.  The heroes all stood in the mightiest of positions, and great power for change was theirs.  War seemed to be coming...war in the north.

After all having the same dream, they agree it's pretty weird.  Some of the party was able to figure out the nature of the spell, but not of it's creator...who only seemed human.  The companions begin to suss out a real plan, emboldened by the surety and reality of their shared vision.

Grus Tokerfield is a wealthy landowner in Thyatis City.  He has contracted the party and their ship to hunt down Captain Kronk and his pirate vessel, The Sea Heifer.  Aboard that blighted ship, Tokerfield claims, the party will find a silver, rune engraved box.  They are to return to box to Tokerfield clandestinely at his estate, whereupon 2000gp in gems will be paid to the party.  In addition, the Thyatians want Kronk...and have placed a 700gp bounty on his head.

Dead or alive.

Tokerfield divulges information on Kronk's next port-of-call:  North Island, in Minrothad.  The Sea Heifer and her crew of scum will be there in four to five days.  If they can make it, taking the pirate vessel at their secret base could be a powerful coup for the party's prosperity.  However, pirates are the least of their concern near the islands of Minrothad...

Update: Decos' Wretched Plight (Session 1)

Obligatory Exposition

From the land of the ice and snow, the rugged northlands, come our heroic adventurers.  The group of six have made their way here to the southlands to aid the soft folk of this land by crushing skulls and invoking the Immortals of the north.  Consisting mostly of native Vestlanders, the group also has a few strange foreign wizards in it's midst.


Now, in Kerendas, the party is hired by the small town of Arbora to deal with some pesky looters that have taken up residence in an abandoned Thyatian outpost nearby.  Unconcerned with the specifics on the 'whys', Herek Uthbar asks about the 'hows' - specifically, how the town would prefer delivery of proof of death or capture.  Heads?  Ears?  Corpses?  Taken aback at the sheer confidence displayed by the northmen, the townsfolk don't ask for heads.

Calmly explaining they would need a horse and cart, some leather and hay, the warriors wasted no time in taking the fight to their quarry's  home. A short time later, they had cut cords of the leather and bound bundles of hay.  The purpose?  Arson, of course.

A few burning men, prisoners taken and skulls crushed later, the party's fire has been doused.  They have entered the ruined keep, making a mess of the guards in the entryway.  Now, they stand ready to breach the inner door and find the rest of the looters...

Update: The Face of Mystara, Part II (Session 1)

From the Journal of Methra the Magus:

After the ship was destroyed by the Kraken, the survivors crammed into the only remaining dinghy.  The last remaining lifeboat had sprung a leak, and Todd the Fighter swiftly began to bail the water out.  The situation appears rather bleak.




Elsewhere:

The halfling Wickwar Davis and the Magic-User Blanith for the Mind were sailing for the mainland.  Landing in Specularum to sell some spices, art work and other items they had managed to hold on to from the Isle of Dread.  They trusted these sales to Captain Barlowe's discretion, and took two weeks to rest at the Serpent's Tongue Inn.  Remembering the specialists they left behind on the Isle, they took to posting "Help Wanted" signs to recruit adventurers to help rescue them.

Back in the Ocean:

The survivors of the shipwreck were picked up by Thyatian sailors.  Utho the Fighter gratefully tipped the sailors ten gold coins.  The Thyatians took the small party to the nearest port, Specularum.  Seeing the "Help Wanted" signs on the local inn (The Serpent's Tongue) the small party inquires about the job.  The promise of a sign-on bonus caught the attention of Utho the Lawful.  The new party listened to the halfling's and Blanith's story about their old party group and the specialists they had brought to help colonize the isle.

A village to rescue and the promise of deep pockets made the newcomers eager to ship off with Blanith and Wickwar.  The halfling and mage gave the new group sixty gold each for agreeing to their adventure.  The two week trip to the island involved one big storm.  As they approached the island, an ominous ash cloud hung over the volcano.

Approaching the place where the village of Tanaroa used to stand, the adventurers could see nothing but ash.  The party decided to explore more of the island to try to find the villagers, and something stirred beneath the ash before they were able to leave.  Charred zombies circled the village, stirred by the noise of the party or a thirst for blood.  The adventurers did not stick around to find out.

In Mora, the villagers came to greet the party.  They told of a serpent who spit fire and destroyed villages, people and the island.  They said the serpent was a warning to not go north beyond Tanaroa's wall.  

Going back to the burned village, they saw several marks in the ash blanket where the zombies emerged.  In the wreckage of the half-built boathouse, they found a burned guild insignia.  The party suspects the worst...

From the Journal of Alexandria Postoak:

Blanith and Wickwar go to Specularum.  They decide to stay for two weeks in the Serpent's Tongue Inn.  They have paid the captain to sell all the stuff the got from the island of Dread.

Wickwar has decided to look for maps, and Blanith spends all his time in the inn waiting and listening to rumors.  They have decided to put out flyers to find people to adventure with them.

The group talks to decide whether or not they want to go on this adventure.  Blanith and Wickwar decide that they are going to give each person in the party a full share of the treasure found.  Wickwar says that he wants to save the people that are on the island.

Meanwhile...

A group of four fighters, a cleric and a magic-user paddle a small life boat through the ocean, bailing water as they go.  They are picked up by a Thyatian vessel and then dropped off at the nearest port.  Utho is looking for bounties and happens to notice the flyer and brings it to the group.  The group finds Blanith and Wickwar to accept the offer and apply for the job.

8:10

The boat arrives at the island after two weeks at sea in storms.  The island is dark with clouds of smoke from the volcano.  Blanith and Wickwar are surprised to find that the village of Tanaroa is burned and nothing but ash.  The group decides to leave the village, then zombies start to rise up out of the ash.

8:14

The group reboards the ship and goes to Mora.  The people of Mora say that a lizard came to burn the village asa  warning to not come to the north.  The village says the the sky serpents fly over normally, but the red dragon is the only one that has ever threatened them.

8:46

The group gets back on the ship and goes back to Tanaroa.  There are a lot of places where you can tell that zombies rose up from the ashes, but the zombies are gone.  

8:48

The group searches for the guild people, but all the find is a badly burned guilder insignia.  Blanith and Wickwar decide to give up the search for the people they came to look for.  Oliver prays for the dead.  They can see the grave pyramid is the only that that is not charred, so they go to investigate.

8:58

The group deates the next plan.  They go north to look for survivors.

Dungeons & Dragons: The Face of Mystara Campaign Log, Part I

The first part of our Dungeons & Dragons Basic/Expert campaign has concluded.  Now, the player party has other designs and far grander plans than any that have come before.  With ships and soldiers, they intend to make their mark on the Sea of Dread!

This log covers June to early October, 2014.  Since we've had major format changes this week, we decided to experiment with a new template for campaign logs and updates.  Stay tuned, and check out Part II's campaign log as well!

The Grand Duchy of Karameikos, 1000 A.C.

In the lands of the Known World, peace is never known for long.  Furtive whispers of gathering darkness drift across the realm like the shadows of darkened stormclouds.  A sellsword's steel is good currency here, and indeed all across Thyatis.  Where strife holds sway, our adventurers always tread.

Our heroes are chance companions met upon the road, yet it seems all share one common goal:  to seek out adventure!  The road is rife with tales of strange and haunted places, guarded by things outside of civilization.  Everywhere treasure and magic are to be had, if only one possessed the means.

In pursuit of this glory, our adventurers will risk all.  Can they brave the gauntlet of the Known World and arrive at their proper destinies?  Or will the gibbering insanities of Mystara break their wills, casting them into obscurity forever?

---

The Face of Mystara is a Dungeons & Dragons Basic/Expert campaign that will progress through the various levels of the 1980's era basic sets as the players rise in level. In addition, we'll be using most of the printed modules for Basic/Expert D&D from the same time period, in an effort to recreate the zeitgeist of a bygone era of adventuring.

At times, players may control more than 1 player character. In these instances, players are limited to one demihuman class among the allowed total. All a player's characters gain the same amount of XP. As characters level up, they will access more and more of the rules until finally the Rules Cyclopedia is made available.

---

Current Player Characters
Total Party Levels: 8

• Wickwar Davis - Halfling: 4 (L) 
• Blaneth Grigix of the Light - Magic-User: 4 (C) 

Warband
Total Party Levels: 2 (+10 Normal Men)

• Captain Ioran Barlowe - Fighter: 2 (L)
• The Drake (Small Sailing Ship) 
• 10 Sailors - Normal Men 

---

Disbanded Player Characters

• Modai Valius - Elf: 2 (L) 

Deceased Player Characters

• The Red Fox - Thief: 1 (N)
• Lucian Talbot - Fighter: 1 (L)
• Spiel Von Hechtinburg - Thief: 3 (N)
• Xan-Dar - Fighter: 2 (N)
• Vorenus - Fighter: 1 (N)
• Bastian Schweinwächter - Cleric: 2 (L)
• Corpus Bin Jesse - Magic-User: 2 (L)
• Cornelius Swift - Fighter: 3 (L)
• Gwendolyn - Thief: 3 (N)
• Siyr Neski - Cleric: 3 (N)
• Gengis Schweinwächter - Fighter: 3 (L)
• Gareth Ironhand - Dwarf: 3 (L)
• Nuaoo the Islander - Thief: 4 (C)
• Sven Svensgaard - Magic-User: 4 (C)
• Gorgiana Longtree - Cleric: 3 (C) 
• War Dog (2 HD) 
• Phineous Longfellow - Cleric: 4 (L) 
• Elessa Astraya - Fighter: 4 (L) 

---

Campaign Log
Total Time: 66.5 hrs (10.12.14)

• Horror on the Hill (6.1.2014 to 8.7.14) Total Time: 42.5 hrs - No one knows what became of the Hill, but everyone at Guido's Fort knows that something terrible looms over the River Shrill. The adventurers meet at the Inn in the small community, and prepare to set out in search of treasure and glory.
• The PC's introduce themselves upon the road to Guido's Fort and become fast friends, intrigued by the notion of what could be upon the dreaded Hill. After plying an old timer with many drinks, the party hits the sack and sets out for the river at first light. After buying a boat and crossing the river, the party explores the Hill for almost two days, running into Driver Ants, Giant Horned Chameleons and even Neanderthals. Avoiding most of these encounters, the party finally talks to the Neanderthals, and ask for directions. (4 hrs)
• Confusion is the watchword of the day as the party follows the neander-fellows to a sheer cliff. Exploring the hill and avoiding monsters, the party spends close to three days going in circles. However, they soon gain their bearings and begin to map the trails on the hill. On the evening of the last day, the party's camp is attacked by ghouls, skeletons and a strange visitor named Priycyk. However, it' the giant rats that steal in among the party late that night that claim the lives of four of the intrepid adventurers. (5 hrs)
• The party backtracks once again after burying their dead, and happen to rescue a distraught maiden who joins the group rather than be left on the hill. After visiting the strange sisters Rosalinda and Rosabella, the party scales the western cliffs on the hill to investigate the caves and slay the bullyish ogre. After swaying the Neanderthals to help rid the caves, the party wipes out the southern ogre lair. (5.5 hrs)
• The party makes it's way to the old monastery, and begin to explore the inner halls. Much of the searching proved fruitless, however. After losing a member to hobgoblin hostilities, the party returns to the Sister's meadow to recuperate. Afterwards, the party climbs the hill to the ruins of the monastery, getting inside and into a torture room crewed by goblins. The characters free Cullen DeFilch, but lose one of their own as well.(5 hrs)
• The upper level of the monastery is explored, and the complex is mapped out by the adventurers. Bugbears, goblins and hobgoblins abound. The party befriends two starving war dogs, who take to Georgianna quite well. (5 hrs)
• The entrance to the dungeon is found, and the party descends within. The players rescue a dwarf held captive by the monsters in a smith for over a year. After defeating the hobgoblin king through spellcraft and trickery, the party springs a trap that plunges half of them down a 300 foot chute into a room with many doors. One of them sprung open, and Vorenus caught a berserkers' sword to the belly.. (7 hrs)
• The second level of the dungeon is revealed to be a maze of tunnels that intersect at the hub point where the players entered. After learning how the trap works, the party holes up in the hobgoblin king's chambers to rest while they explore the lower level. During the return part of such a trip to the second level, the party encounters Priycyk again, who offers to spread rumors among the humanoids in return for a cut of the treasure. However, one of the spellcasters attempted a charm on him, which did not work. Thankfully, his anger was abated by the offer of 300 gold, which he took and promptly left. The exploration of the lower level continues. (4 hrs)
• Further exploration of the dungeon finds the characters beset by an owlbear guarding it's drinking hole. Bastian Schweinwachter was mauled and killed by the rampaging beast before it was brought down. Burying the body in the earth floor of the tunnels, the characters find two other adventurers (one of them Schweinwachter's brother) who had been trapped in the dungeon since their party was captured more than two weeks earlier. The adventurers retreat to the surface after a grisly encounter with a gelatinous cube leaves the Magic-User Corpus bin Jesse slain. (2 hrs)
• Weeks 9 and 10 are Mystara Battles: Skirmish Playtest. (0 hrs)
• The players return once more into the hideous depths of the Hill after resting in the hobgoblin's chambers. This time, however they are foiled as the chute is closed and their ropes removed. They travel deeper in to the caverns, and eventually find an underground stream. Avoiding many dangers, they find their way into the lair of a young red dragon, who proceeds to incinerate Gwendolyn, Siyr Neski and Bastian. After slaying the beast, the survivors meet with the sisters and return to Guido's Fort rich...though they have lost many lives. (5 hrs)
• The Isle of Dread (8.24.14 to ?) Total Time: 24 hrs - After traveling to Thyatis City and taking a few weeks off, many survivors from the Horror on the Hill congregate to make a new voyage into adventure and the unknown. This time, we set sail south into the Sea of Dread!
• The adventurers spend a great deal of time recuperating from the Horror on the Hill. After traveling to Thyatis City and setting their treasures straight, the group decides to remain a group and even formalize a bit. The party soon finds a secret treasure map in the red dragon's hoard, and it speaks of a strange island to the far south, and hints there may be great treasure there. After buying a small sailing ship (the Drake), the party hires Captain Barlowe and his crew to look after the ship and see to the general upkeep thereof. The party sets sail for Specularum, then turns south following the directions on the vellum letter. 19 days after setting out from Thyatis City, the party find the so-called Isle of Dread. The party waits in the harbor until first light to step ashore. (4 hrs)
• The party makes contact with the islanders. After learning that a great wall seals the villages off from the rest of the island, the party organizes an exploratory venture beyond. They find the village of the Phanatons, and take refuge there. They find the central plateau of the island, and resolve the climb the great wall. After returning to the southern islands and sending Barlowe to the mainland to get trade goods, the party ventures back to the plateau and braves the insane climb. Inside the volcanic caldera, they find another village, and hear tales of horror regarding a temple on an island in the caldera's volcanic lake. The party arrives at the temple, ready to explore the treacherous source of the villager's dread. (5 hrs)
• The adventurer's enter the temple and after mucking around for too long in the entrance are faced with the entirety of the tribe living on Taboo Island. After a short battle ending in the deaths of Gareth Ironhand and Gengis Schweinwächter, the party has charmed all the heads of the tribe. The party heads to the strand to bury their dead, and the chieftain of the tribe (who was blinded, not charmed) dispelled the Continual Light in his eyes with a Continual Darkness and rallied the tribe against the interlopers. On the beach, the tribe is put to sleep and the party murders most of them as they lie helpless, resulting in a major alignment shift for almost all of them. Meanwhile, Wickwar is trapped in the temple on a lower dungeon level, in a dark room full of spitting cobras. (5 hrs)
• The party bumbles around in the lower levels of the flooded temple. Both Wickwar and the party in general separately managed to find some areas that had flooded, and got swept further down the ancient passages. The clerics have found that the Immortals have turned from them, and no longer answer their pleas for spells. After finding a massive, heated underground cavern beneath the temple, they decide that discretion is the better part of valor, and turn back to the surface. (5 hrs)
• Escaping to the surface of the caldera, the players attempt to escape the nightmarish land. There's many complications, however. Sven Svensgard was murdered by the islander Nuaoo, who took Sven's Potion of Flying and flew away before the party could enact retribution. The few of the party, after nearly drowning crossing the narrowest part of the volcanic lake, found some boats on the far side of the lake and attempt a rescue on the rest of the party stranded on the island. However, the celebration doesn't last as 4 pteranadons begin harassing the party. Other than Wickwar and Blaneth, there are no survivors of Taboo Island. Using Invisibility, the intredpid explorers actually make it all the way back to Tanaroa. (2.5 hrs)
• A new party prepares in Minrothad. Blaneth and Wickwar await the return of Captain Barlowe, and make plans to civilize the Isle of Dread and exploit a new set of trade lanes to Minrothad and the mainland. (2.5 hrs)

---

Campaign Resolution

The remaining two members of the party grit their teeth and press forward with their ambition.  The plan is to open the Isle of Dread, and conquer it as their own domain.  Even now, preparations are being made to bring civilization and prosperity to the tribes on the island.

Blaneth of the Light and Wickwar Davis must first find companions to aid them in their endeavor and brave the trials of the Isle of Dread.  Much is to be done, and it must be done with raw money.  However, if the characters are successful in creating, maintaining and defending the trade lane, money and influence may flow into the Isle's newly constructed ports.

What lies ahead?  Wealth and influence, money and power?  Or death and ruin, ridicule and destitution?  Find out in part II of The Face of Mystara!

Format Changes!

By now, you've noticed the site has changed appearance quite significantly.  This is the result of a number of extraneous factors, which I will now share with you here.  I have meant to make this post for a few days, but as many of you know, I've never been accused of having ADHD - I got carried away finding and fixing bugs, adding new features and perfecting the layout.  Not to mention reorganizing our publishing schedule and changing the entire color scheme...and a thousand other things so mundane and banal I do not wish to recall them (or my compulsions to manipulate them).

Some of you may have noticed we started having problems with the blog late last week.  The server that hosted the images we used for the old layout apparently went offline, the event which prompted all this to begin with.  If you were one of the lucky few to encounter a blank white page with invisible elements, congratulations, you found the Negative Zone...and I'm sorry about that.  Getting the blog up and running (and looking good doing it) became my top imperative.

I managed to find a similar template and put it in place...but IntenseDebate was having problems with it.  Try as I might, I could not find the issue, and several hours into that debacle decided to run a test using my Disqus account.  The ease with which everything was taken care of during that test made me change my mind on the spot - the Wargate now uses Disqus for handling comments.  I highly recommend you head over and make an account, it's the easiest discussion system I've ever seen.  It does insist on taking you to the post page to make comments, but we'll try to bring back the drop down menu so you don't have to scroll down after clicking to comment on some of the longer articles.

With IntenseDebate acting up, and since we didn't host the images for the template ourselves anyway (or build the template for the blog) I decided it was time for a complete change.  Overhaul was overdue.  However, to completely code a blog template that contained all the features we wanted and included an artistic backdrop would take more time than I'd like to spend on it, with everything going on with gaming lately!  So, for now, we've went with customizing (corrupting) one of the templates provided by Blogger, so I can get back to the real business at hand - generating campaign material and coordinating the many related projects we've got going on.

So, now that all this is in place, what else is changing?

Well, the new template provided a number of neat opportunities.  First, the bar at the top will house all the links to what used to be called States of Play.  Since these are more visible now, we're doing away with the huge introductory text section that used to contain those links, freeing up a LOT of space.  This is cool.  We're going to add a number of pages there that will house galleries to pictorial articles like various models and terrain.

Also, the display area for pictures and such is much greater, as is the text size.  That's important to old people like myself.  It will probably only get bigger from now on, as the years turn to Alzheimer's.

Labels have now been split up into two different sections.  Battle Index will serve to keep track of all our current games and features, while Battle Archives will contain material from old games we currently do not support on the schedule.  In many cases, a lot of this old stuff will be reclassified as we comb through the Archives and reformat relevant entries, such as the aforementioned model articles.

Another big thing was optimization in the new template for mobile devices.  The old template was from years back, and didn't include a lot of that code.  Now, even this basic one had all of that information already built in, which should make accessing the articles much easier on our friends who carry those blasted cyberdecks...er, I mean cell phones.

The site will continue to mutate for the next few weeks, regrowing any features that were lost.  In a few cases, new features will arise - the plan is in place, now we just have to comb through it all and put it on the right shelf.  However, this is basically the design we'll be looking at for the foreseeable future as it provides a lot more wiggle room than the old one did.  We're able to add website functionality that the old format prohibited, and that's a good thing.

Give us some feedback!  What do you think of the new layout?  Color scheme burn your eyes?  Does your cyb -...uh, cell phone interact with the blog any better at all, or is mobile optimization a cruel hoax?  Leave your comments below!

Introduction to Miniature Painting, Lesson 2

Welcome back to our Introduction to Miniature Painting class log.  It's been a moment since we've been able to actually write this stuff down, but the class has been rolling along strong!  A few days of good weather gave us enough time to get over a hundred models prepped and ready for use in the class and by the club! 

Lesson 2 - Base Coating and Flow Control:  Assembly Line

After getting the first set of archers done, we sat down for the second set.  We'll have a unit of 20 when they are all finished, and just in time:  our player characters in Dungeons & Dragons are already attempting to conquer an untamed land and bring civilization to a savage wilderness.  We all know how that goes - you're probably going to need a ton of soldiers, and I'll wager at least 20 of them will be archers.

Reverend Greg has already turned in a list of units he wants to hire...

We concentrated on the same pattern we used on the first set, but these models were slightly different.  However, the class was instructed in the "Assembly Line" technique and put to work completing a larger number of archers in the same amount of class time.  The class immediately caught on and in no time we had all of these guys ready for the QuickShade treatment.

We'll all be dodging arrows eventually...as soon as she's finished with her nails.

The Assembly Line is a fairly easy concept.  Each stage is repeated on a set of models, one after another, before going on to the next stage.  For example, you have five models on your paint table.  You start with stage 1, and the skin is painted on one model and then that model is set aside.  You then go to the next model and paint only the skin, setting that one aside and moving to the next when finished.  Continue on the same paint stage for all the models, then return to the first and begin stage 2...which in this case was the breeches.

Using this method can speed up your work, but it's only recommended you use this technique with models that are very similar in appearance to make maximum use of your color palette.  You will also find you will waste less paint preparing your brush and flow, as you will use the same color for longer periods of time.

You should try not to work on too many models at the same time.  I usually have a limit of five at a time, but then I spend a lot of time on cleanup and details for each one.  However, normal infantry like this can get by with a quick table-ready paint job, especially if you are going to be using QuickShade on them.

Class is moving along great!  Next week, we'll move on to more advanced techniques - though we'll still be using simple models to practice on.  The practice will definitely pay off, with what lies ahead for our intrepid painters once this class is finished!  We've got a huge job ahead of us getting all our models show-worthy, but it won't take long at this rate!