Dicey Tales #2 is (Finally) Out!

Dicey Tales #2 is out!  I'm so excited.  For those of you who don't know, Dicey Tales is a periodical that supplements and expands Barbarians of Lemuria.  Issue #1 gave guidelines and rules on how to use BoL for pulp games set in the '20s and '30s.  This will definitely be my next gaming purchase.  I was considering QAGS or Barebones Fantasy but they've now been bumped down the list.

You can get more info about Dicey Tales at The Evil DM's blog HERE.

You can purchase Dicey Tales #2 HERE.

The Shadow Kingdom

I have read all of Howard's Conan stories in one form or another.  I haven't actually read many of his other works until recently.  I've now read some Bran Mac Morn and Kull stories.  I just finished "The Shadow Kingdom" last night and something interesting happened.  My blood started racing as I read it.  I've re-read several of the Conan stories recently and, with an exception or two, I wasn't as impressed with them as an adult as I was as a teen.  But for some reason "The Shadow Kingdom" affected me in the same way the Conan stories did in those years long ago.  I don't know why.  Maybe it was because I hadn't read it before?  Perhaps.  I didn't find it great literature or any such thing.  I enjoy Howard's work but I don't worship every drop of ink his pen produced as some seem to do.  But I really did enjoy the story and that was refreshing.

(On a personal note, my two favorite authors in the early '80s were Robert E. Howard and H. Beam Piper.  My teenaged mind gave great weight to the fact that they both committed suicide.  Oh, those long ago though processes.)

SWORD & SHIELD: Final Approach

For you fans of Melee and The Fantasy Trip, take a look at this:

SWORD & SHIELD: Final Approach

The development block is here:

Heroes & Other Worlds

Being a big fan of Melee, I can't wait!

Ghosts of Acheron

While I was on hiatus, G-Man produced another outstanding adventure set in Conan's Hyboria.  I think it came out in April.  So, I'm a little late.  I reread the adventure the other day and it reminded me how cool it was and how I hadn't mentioned it yet.  So...

What do the Picts, a Khitain scholar and a hole in the ground have in common?  Download and find out!

You can get it at the Strange Stones blog here.

Enjoy!

Sword and Sorcery Quotes II

I first read the Conan stories as a young teen.  This stuck with me over the years.

"He was a man," said Conan. "I drink to his shade, and to the shade of the dog, who knew no fear." He quaffed part of the wine, then emptied the rest upon the floor, with a curious heathen gesture, and smashed the goblet. "The heads of ten Picts shall pay for his, and seven heads for the dog, who was a better warrior than many a man."

Conan in "Beyond the Black River" by Robert E. Howard

Sword and Sorcery Quotes

Here is one of my favorite quotes from a sword & sorcery story:

"But what if they come to life again?" she whispered.
"Then I'll keep killing them until they stay dead!" he snapped. 

Conan in "Xuthal of the Dusk" aka "The Slithering Shadow" by Robert E. Howard

Brak So Far

I've read a few of John Jakes' Brak the Barbarian stories now.  I am liking them better than the portion of the Thongor stories I have read.  Perhaps it is the writing.  I don't know.  I do think Brak is a fairly silly name though.  Perhaps created simply for the alliteration?

I thought Brak was a pretty cold-hearted bastard at first.  I still think he is but now I'm a bit confused.  In one story he throws the evil female antagonist to a horde of just escaped male prisoners who she was largely responsible for incarcerating and enslaving.  Fortunately, the author ends the story without describing the particulars of her fate.  However, in a second story he does not strike down an evil female antagonist who is  taunting him by stabbing him repeatedly with a dagger in preparation of killing him.  She does this because she knows he won't slay her because of his "code of honor."  I just don't quite get it.  I guess I'm just not barbarian enough to understand.

Here are the Brak's BoL stats as I envision them so far.  I'll update his profile as I learn more.

Brak
Barbarian from the Icy Northern Steppes

Attributes:  Strength 3 Agility 1 Mind 0 Appeal 0
Combat Abilities: Brawl 1 Melee 2 Ranged 0 Defense 1
Careers:  Barbarian 2 Hunter 1 Slave 0
Lifeblood: 15  Hero Points 5
Boons:  Hard to Kill, Plains Tracker
Flaws:  Distrust of Sorcery
Gear:  Sword d6

Edit:  Apparently Brak was the title of some African kings.  So there is a historical precedent for the name.