Guess What I Got!

On my way back from visiting my grandmother in the hospital (don’t worry, she could be a lot worse. It’s not good, but not hugely horrid anymore), I decided to visit Paper Heroes, the FLGS* of the area. While browsing through digging past the GURPS sourcebooks, Buffy and Serenity Roleplaying Games, and World of Darkness titles and carefully avoiding disrupting the Magic: the Gathering game in progress, I came across a book. A thick book. A thick book with many, many shiny images that caught my eye. …And yes, I bought it. What is it?

Rappy’s Top 10 Horror d20 Monsters

Greetings, lacedons and gentlemohrgs,  bones and ghouls. Tonight is my favorite night of the year, the one night that my love of the monstrous and legendary isn’t seen as quite as weird as it’s seen the rest of the year. I decided I’d do something a bit unique this year…a top 10 of my personal favorite horror-themed d20 monsters. Note that these are my personal favorites, so they are pretty subjective (duh).

Madness, You Say?

Hey y’all, it’s me again! I’ve been really busy lately, looking for a better-paying job, working my current job, sleeping off headaches, and plotting to get a new reptilian pet with my next big paycheck. But don’t worry, I’m not closing shop…for the most part. I am, however, putting the Let’s Read I was doing for The Loch on hiatus. Why? Well, the answer is twofold…

1. The book made Scotsperson go into a Scottish Rage-Coma.

2. For all its flaws, Alten at least tried to remain somewhat science-based. I now have bigger fish to fry over at my other blog… (you’ll see).

So for now, Let’s Read The Loch is considered on hiatus until spring 2010, but don’t worry…I’ll have new reviews here soon enough.

Rappy’s RPG Reviews: Ravenloft Player’s Handbook

Welcome to the first review of this October season, where we’ll be gazing into the darkness…and hoping it doesn’t gaze back too hard. Today’s review will be of the Ravenloft Player’s Handbook from Sword and Sorcery Studios (a subsidiary tendril of White Wolf. Yes, that White Wolf). I’ll warn you ahead of time: this campaign setting isn’t for everyone. It’s like a D&D version of Call of Cthulhu: It wants you to die. Painfully. In creative and tortuous ways. Especially if you’re a spellcaster.

Celtic Gaming: WET

Remember me? Scottish guy? Does Reviews and LP’s in between Rappy and Azalea’s posts? I’m back, and reviewing once a week – posted on TGWTG.com in their blog section. I shall post a link and a brief description here, so I ain’t leaving – not for a long, long time. This week, I am looking at WET, a John-Woo-esque romp with a 70s feel – how does it hold up? Have a wee look down below…

LP Videos can be found here

WET Review can be found here

[Admin's Note: Congratulations on making it to TGWTG blogging, Scotsperson!]

Sheer, Unbridled Rage

Sorry folks, but the next review is gonna be late. I was planning on reviewing OGL Horror, but I’m now going to have to find something different to do in the spirit of October. This is the first title I’ve asked for a refund on out of sheer disgust. OGL Horror is over 250 pages of recycled d20 Modern rules with the interesting facet of talents and ability-based classes filed away, fear rules from Unearthed Arcana, and a meager bestiary with a handful of new monsters. I could understand and forgive these things if it was free or cheap, but no, this sucker is $24.49. I payed nearly $30 for what equates to a copy of the SRD and a few new creatures and houserules! This title would have probably gotten a 1/10 if I hadn’t asked for my money back to grab something more worthwhile.

What I Got From the Library Today: 9-29-2009

I had a horrible night and morning, which gave me insomnia and nightmares when I finally id get to sleep, which made me slightly late for work. So after all that, I had to do the most peaceful thing I can think of…retreat to the sanctity of books, for they always seem to help me feel better. So it’s that time again, folks! Oh, and there will be a new review soon, I promise you that. I got a few more than what I wrote here, but as usual, this is just my main reading list, not everything I get.

The Republican War on Science by Chris Mooney (352 pages)

Book Blurb: See review here for a more detailed look than any blurb I could give on it. I just felt like reading it myself instead of relying on a review, though, so I picked it up.

The Book of General Ignorance by the same authors as The Book of Animal Ignorance (go back a few library posts ) (288 pages)

Book Blurb: This title takes a look at “common knowledge” trivia and gives the true story behind them. It’s a fun little title with archetypical British wit.

Dr. Axelrod’s Mini-Atlas of Freshwater Aquarium Fishes Mini-Edition by Dr. Herbet R. Axelrod, Dr. Warren E. Burgess, Dr. Cliff W. Emmens, Neal Pronek, Jerry G. Walls, and Ray Hunziker (992 pages)

Book Blurb: …I’m not quite sure what I was thinking when I picked this one up. Also, it has a silly title.

Dry Storeoom No. 1: The Secret Life of the Natural History Museum by Richard Fortey (352 pages)

Book Blurb: A British palaeontologist discussing the inner machinations of a museum? Sign me up to read it! And no, that’s not a copy-paste from above…I managed to find two books that have the same pagecount. Heh.

Rapture Culture: Left Behind in Evangelical America by Amy Johnson Frykholm (224 pages)

Book Blurb: A cultural study of the premillenial dispensationalist movement in America. Considering my parents are part of this collection of half-baked acorns, I figured it would be an interesting read.

A Field Guide to Dinosaurs: The Essential Handbook for Travelers in the Mesozoic by Henry Gee and Luis V. Rey (144 pages)

Book Blurb: This is a very neat little title, presenting itself as a field guide for time travellers. A mixture of science, speculation, and damn fine art, this title is a very shiny addition to your library.

The Smithsonian: 150 Years of Adventure by James Conway (432 pages)

Book Blurb: A large illustrated guide to the Smithsonian museum chain.

Zendikar! Part 2

Once again, I must kindly ask all rumormongers to plug their ears and close their eyes and go “LALALALALA!”

What I Got From the Library Today: 9-17-09

Since I had to get groceries (and thus deprive myself of my prework nap, and thus shift my sleeping schedule again), I went to the library as well. What did I get? Well, let’s check it out (oh, and now with pagecount lists as well). These are only some of the titles I got this time; there are a few others, but they’re for “light” reading purposes and as such I don’t count them amongst my normal titles.

Rappy’s Bestiary Review: E.N. Critters Volume 2-Beyond the Campfire

Okay, this time, I’m (slightly) more prepared, and thus have a more coherent strategy for giving my opinion on these creatures. The new format is as follows:

What it is: Kinda self-explanatory heading.

What it does: The powers and prowesses you’ll see the creature possess.

Usefulness: A rating system based on how likely you are to use it. The ranks are:

• 1- Unlikely to see use except in certain circumstances, uber-niched.
• 2- Niche creature; likely to see use in certain play styles or individual campaigns, but not an everyday monster.
• 3- Average all in all.
• 4- Somewhat inclined to a certain manner of play or setting, but still valuable.
• 5- Versatile, likelyhood of finding a use high.

Use in d20 Modern: A little bit just for me, on how useful they’d be in a modern setting. Hey…someone is bound to find it useful (even if that person is just myself).

So…let’s get right down to it.