Return to the Lost World!

I've been lying in bed wondering about Solo Wargaming - pondering whether Naval, Zombie or Big Game action would be better.

Miriam the Lady Librarian faces down trouble

Working on the basis that I have the figures and terrain I need to do some Big Game hunting in the Lost World, I've delved in the blog archives to re-read my Egg Hunt! experiences.

I'd forgotten what a blast I had with them!

I need to tweak the mechanisms (but that's some of the fun), but am going to play some more.

Perhaps I'll let the Chaps have a go next time

The News We've Been Waiting For!

Curt the Snowlord has posted notification of this year's Analogue Hobbies Painting Challenge (the ninth, so he must be doing something right!

Details here.

If you've never heard of it, or if you've always been a little afraid, go and have a look.  It's a fun, non-judgmental challenge (most emphatically not a competition!).

Paint Table Saturday

I'm glad to say that I can present another Paint Table Saturday.  I'm actually picking up brushes again!  I'm even reconsidering my decision not to take up a slot in the AHPC this year.

The immediate purpose for these minis is our fortnightly RPG.  As it's an open table, we never know who's going to turn up or what characters are going to form the party.  Although the GM likes the aesthetic of using his 1980s cardboard figures (which I think are older than he is!), I feel it's nice for players to have a choice of something a little more three dimensional.  Last time we found that we had no haflings in either form.

The humans and dwarves here are from my recent purchase from the Oathmark stable.  The haflings on the other hand are from a Kickstarter by Oathsworn Miniatures which I received back in 2014. 

As you can see, I've tried some different methods for basing.  The lentils have come out better that I thought (though I'll be tidier with them next time).  

This fine feller will be Ranwald the Strong.  Love the scar!

It'll be a couple of weeks before they see any action.  They won't be ready for tomorrow's session.

Barrowmaze #1: B'loxi Writes to Ranwald the Strong

I'm attempting to improve my role-playing and think more about back-stories.

I've deliberately not written up our Barrowmaze delves in order to prevent spoilers for other players, but I might change that (without giving too much away!).

With a 1st Level Elf's hit-points being determined by 1d6 roll, death is far from an unlikely possibility for poor B'loxi.  Frankly, I surprised that he's lasted so long.  It's always advisable to have a secondary character rolled up in Labyrinth Lord, and Ranwald (a human fighter) is mine.  LL also allows for PCs to write up a will, and our GM for transfer of knowledge if an in-game method can be shown.

----------------------------------------------------- 

The Brazen Strumpet

Helix 

My Old Comrade in Arms

As I told you I would, I have returned to Helix now that the annual flooding of the Barrowmaze has subsided.  I hope that this, my second season here, will be as profitable as the last.  

We were lucky enough to be the first party to delve into the Maze this year and returned with a good haul of loot.  Yet, as ever, the cost was in blood.  Ren, my companion from last year fell in combat with the undead creatures that always seek to thwart us.  I am sure that there is a Directing Influence behind some of their actions (as you know, I believe the Barrowmaze to be much more than it seems).  We left his body as that Cleric of Hexadron would have wanted us to have - stripped of his equipment and arranged in as cubic a form as possible.  

Ren's death has affected me.  If he, who introduced me to the Maze, could fall so easily I must make arrangements in case of my own death.  I wish you to join us.  In my half-dozen delves into the Barrowmaze we have only scratched the surface: there is so more more yet to find, and many more riches to recover (I still hope to find the motherlode of magical items).  I do not want my explorations to be in vain or my notes to be peddled-off by some surviving hireling.    

So I send you a copy of my Map and the Notes thereon.  I will keep you up-to-date until you join us.  In two days I return to the Barrows.  If I should be killed there, delvers' custom is that the possessions with me shall be divided between the Party.  But, I also have a substantial deposit with what passes as a bank here (The Rosy Quartz Jeweler and Moneylender).  I have instructed the owner - a pompous Halfling named H.R.R. Huffenpuff - that in the case of my death it should be transferred to you (after his exorbitant fee).  Dealing with Huffenpuff will give you a good idea of the sort of people who populate Helix!

Hopefully these arrangements are unnecessary and we will share a bottle and one of your mushroom risottos soon!  May King Shroom bless you.

Your Friend

B'loxi