KingArthur

Because I don't have a scanner! I guess I have the budget to go get one so I could make use of it, but I have the tendencies of both a miser and a Neo-Luddite.

I want to figure this out too! I think the old site had some interesting language features if the players had character sheets linked to the game and also had languages listed on their character sheet. I think that if you could get it to work properly, you could format a post so all the players with characters that spoke Elfish would see certain text translated into English, but players of characters that could not understand the fantasy language just saw Elf-runes or something like that. That seemed potentially fun and more immersive.

Based on some stories found in old legends of witches and of the quest for the holy grail, I introduced the Curse of the Broken Sword: A Broken Sword is a Rare Arcane or Holy magic weapon that can be repaired but the Curse causes to break asunder once again after 1-4 hits. I like it because it is a simple drawback, yet a player could still make use of the item.

This wonderfully speculative novel from 1960 is listed by name within the semi-famous "Appendix N" by Gary Gygax. It is both an alternate medieval history as well as a space-invader science fiction. Apparently, in 1983, TSR also adapted this book into its own boardgame! I know I have read other comments praising the other two novels by Poul Anderson included in the Gygaxian appendix, Three Hearts and Three Lions and The Broken Sword, but so far, The High Crusade is the only writing by this author that I claim the pleasure of reading. I read it only once several years ago, but still remember how much I enjoyed it and my reasons. The book is lots of fun, with humor on every page, yet the plot is treated seriously enough to make you want to believe it all could be plausible. Anybody else read this book and have a comment? Does anyone know what the boardgame was like or actually play it? Who is out there that has read "Appendix N" and something by every author on the list?

So much easier to draw a map on paper! I love drawing maps on paper but trying to do it online is infuriating for me and I have been avoiding it at all costs. I never thought about playing D&D through the mail, but I guess I would do it if you paid me enough. Years ago, I was involved in the magazine & newspaper marketing business but even then, it soon became apparent to me that printed periodicals versus online media was going to be like the dinosaurs versus the meteorite.

Ha, I claim credit for that nomination because failed to explain WHY! Unfortunately, I cannot explain why either because I do not frequent that website ......

Then I shall risk the penalty of a point in order to recommend something that might be more actionable for a new game referee: "The Rules of Dungeoncraft" series by Ray Winninger circa 1997-1999: his first rules were revealed in issue #256 of Dragon magazine, following his preamble or introductory essay printed in the previous issue. All 29 essays are freely available online: I frequently choose to ignore his first rule of dungeoncraft, but his second rule of dungeoncraft is an excellent guideline that every role-playing game referee should consider following. Mr. Winninger references the byzantine ruleset of late AD&D, but most of his own rules could easily be applied to later editions published by the Wizards of the Coast as well as the old basic edition of D&D by Professor Holmes that I used to play, and other games too.

This is a very cool idea I would love to try some day.

THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING by T.H. White. According to the cover on my copy, it is simply: "The world's greatest fantasy classic."

I finished SHADOW OF THE TORTURER by Gene Wolfe and am now into the next book in the series. I love the dreamlike atmosphere and pulpy adventures. Severian the torturer apprentice reminds me of Ishmael the landlubber whaler.

I have been planning a D&D 5E campaign of episodic journeying through wilderness roads to the sea and then onward to Camelot, with the players joining to roleplay famous characters like Galahad and Mordred and Morgana le Fay, or obscure characters such as the werewolves and half-giants that became knights of the Round Table according to various medieval records and traditions, or invent an original character that somehow has been omitted from history and legend or even worse was remembered by bards and minstrels only as a bad tipper. 4th level emphasizing mounted combat & magic in conflicts, with fights to the death possible but more likely until either side yields and surrenders. Adventure, romance, mercy, redemption, betrayal, enchantment. Centuries of lore that rarely fails to contradict itself but remains iconic. The map is based entirely on real world geography but there are additionally invisible extraplanar castles and time-distorting quasi-real lakes and weird unmappable islands, often by inhabited by faeries and by magicians otherwise. Set in the high summer some months after Merlin disappeared, the quest for the grail has not yet been formally announced though there are many reports of visions, a questing beast rampages across the lands, and the dragons and giants that had retreated from Camelot at the height of its glory have already begun to return. Party would all ride horseback with wealth befitting aristocrats and beware attacks by adversaries and monsters. Twas apparently most fashionable in those days to travel in small groups without guards or minions because self-defense is more courageous.