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Human Perspective - Reader LBP fic

Gender neutral Reader - No romance - Little Big Planet - No dialogue 

A human is lost in the imagisphere and is struggling to cope with their new surroundings. AO3 for those that prefer to read it there - > https://archiveofourown.org/works/28741977

You really don’t remember how you arrived here in this strange place. One moment you were resting peacefully, the next thing you know, you were being woken up by a small little humanoid fabric creature.

Once your eyes focused, you had gotten startled upright from the presence of the being, which was obviously understandable. In a hurry, you scoot away from the being and frantically look around. Despite just waking up, it took mere moments for you to realize that something was completely off about the land you were in...let alone how you got there. You were left completely dumbfounded. The small little humanoid seemed a bit worried about you, despite just meeting you.

Flustered, your confusion only grew when you tried to ask the little creature where you were and it simply spoke in sign language. Which you didn’t understand. Seeing your expression of complete loss, the little being thought for a moment before it decided to wave at you in a ‘follow me’ motion as they turned and waddled away. Still lost and confused, you really didn’t have a choice.

You picked yourself up and followed the little being through some garden-like areas before the landscape began to change and buildings made out of wood and cardboard slowly appeared. While on the walk over to who-knows-where, you decided to slightly distract yourself with looking around at your surroundings.

It was strange, as it almost felt like you were back home on Earth. However, this was far from the case. An example of your strange predicament lies in the horizon and around yourself. It was all made of fabric...just like the ground was...with an exception of other things. Like the cardboard buildings and creatures that dwelled nearby, as well as the fabric clouds that floated on by. The only thing that could be deemed ‘normal’ around here, at least to you, was the water that flowed in the rivers under the bridges you two passed by. Everything was strangely made to look like projects of arts and crafts.

Not even the locals were exempted from this rule. As the little creature that was leading you somewhere was made entirely of knitted wool. I just left you puzzled and completely stumped at where you even were.

But hopefully this little biped would be able to provide some answers. Your first set of strange contacts was with a small group that the little sack...thing...person...was leading you towards. Your approach didn’t go unnoticed. Once you and the little creature arrived, the three figures were giving you wary glances. But the little sackperson stepped forward and began to sign to them. It was quite a surprise to learn that these larger beings seemed to be British...despite this place not looking like Earth. A bit of back and forth later and you finally managed to introduce yourself and explain your situation to the three larger beings. In which, they introduced themselves to you as well.

There was Larry Da Vinci, an elderly individual with a paper beard and cardboard 3D glasses, who seemed to be rather forgetful, as it took him a moment to remember his own name before the bun-having blonde next to him spoke up.

Her name was Victoria, who had doll-like features and a steampunk-inspired body. She also seemed to be very polite too. Despite being an older female, her and Da Vinci even seemed to be a thing. If the sweet-based names he kept calling her had anything to say for it.

Then there was a rather depressed-looking individual named Clive, who was a man with an eraser for a body and a cyan desk calendar for a head, which was just to name a few things that caught your eye about him. It was just so strange to see paperclips merely sticking to a body without an anchor. But he was still polite none-the-less, even if he wasn’t as enthusiastic as Larry or Victoria.

As for yourself? Well, you were a human. Made of flesh and blood, unlike the natives of this realm you happened to get lost in. It wasn’t hard to take notice of how the others would look at you strangely from time to time.

Not only just because you showed up out of nowhere, but because your appearance just seemed...as that Ginger-Haired prideful loudmouth ‘Avalon’ would put it - “Highly suspicious-looking”. You didn’t think you looked that bad...or creepy. So, you just played down their doubts by just explaining that you're from very far away and that you were lost. It took a bit of convincing from Sackthing to see if Larry had any leads on what to do.

Many of them acted like they had never seen a human before and it wasn’t hard to see why. I mean, they even thought you looked ill and took you to an apple-headed nurse, who was strangely in a birdcage of all things, named Eve to have a look at you. She apparently tried to find your ‘stitching’, which took you awhile to explain that you weren’t born with ‘stitching’. She seemed completely lost with your explanation on a normal human body and she did some typical tests. Took your temperature, tested your reflexes, and gave you a few psychological tests. All came back okay, showing that you were in fact a perfectly normal human being. Even if she seemed slightly disappointed. The rest of the time was spent visiting the other creators once word got around that a unique stranger was visiting Craftworld from ‘very far away’. Despite meeting a fair chunk of them within the first few hours.

It was most likely Avalon who let the cat out of the bag, the dude probably can’t keep his mouth shut to save his life. If your first encounter with him had anything to say about it. Dude even had the nerve to call you a ‘rubbery-looking tall weirdo’.

Thankfully, Larry chewed him out for his rudeness before you could. So one by one, you met the creator curators and visited their homelands with Larry as your guide, since sackthing had other duties to attend to at the time.

It was quite an exhausting trip. Thankfully most of the realms could be accessed by rocketships that were provided by Larry Da Vinci. Yes, rocketships. Made out of cardboard...with a jet attached to them.

You didn’t understand how they worked, so you pretty much just went with it and didn’t ask any questions. Each encounter was as unique as they came as you headed off to the other parts of Craftworld with Larry. Your first encounter was with the lovely baker you met before, Victoria. She was very interesting to say the least, having a lab and bakery hybrid that she called home. She explored the possibilities of pastries and science. A strange combination. She even tried to offer you some of her baked goods, which you sadly discovered you couldn’t eat. At all . You just couldn’t force yourself to eat a literal SPONGE cake, so you had to turn her down gently but gratefully thanked her for the offer anyway. After that was Clive, the same depressed individual from earlier. You eventually discover that  he has lived in a factory for most of his life and just knows the day in and day out of being at work constantly. No wonder the poor sap was so blue. He obviously needed a long vacation. After a typical meet and greet, you toured the factory he called home and had a lot of fun watching how things operated while Clive rambled on and on about work and various activities he would perform around the factory. You even got to meet the cute little sackbots while you were there. Which was a pleasant experience in itself! After that was Eve’s Asylum where she and Professor Higginbottom were located. You met Higginbottom at the Asylum. Which was probably the strangest thing you have ever experienced...aside from being lost in this fabric dimension. He seemed like someone who got into the bong and never came out. Though, listening to him talk was quite entertaining. Even if you didn’t understand anything that came from his mouth. Eve was present there as well. Despite the underwhelming encounter from earlier, Eve was still elated to observe you and see how you were coping.  She apparently ran the asylum that was filled with beautiful flora, magical trees, and crazy people. Which wasn’t a surprise, but you were just happy that they were under the care of someone as loving as Eve. Even if she got a bit frustrated that she couldn’t make heads or tails about your ‘strange biology predicament’. Even with an unnecessary ‘second analysis’. Then finally, there was Avalon. The dude was about as loud and as arrogant as they came.

However, he pushed it to a point where he made it endearing rather than annoying, but your traveling companion could beg to differ. It seemed that Larry and Avalon had a lot of disagreements on who was the leader of “The Alliance”. Whatever that was. Both of them mixed like oil and vinegar, like broccoli and pizza, like boomers and millennials...it was honestly kinda funny to watch them bicker. However, you haven’t forgotten that rude comment he made about you. So you were still on the fence with him. Still, Avalonia was a wonderful place to visit. Looking at all of the strange gadgets that were made, the types of vehicles, and the sheer ethereal aura that the place radiated...Avalon really did have a strong reason to flex after all.

But as fun as it was to visit these Curators, you still needed to find your way home. Plus, you had to keep moving if you were going to be able to find anything to eat.

I mean, you have been offered food on numerous occasions while on your trip, however it wasn’t anything you could actually eat. ‘Sponge’ cakes, icing that was too sweet, jam that was too sticky, crackers that were made of cardboard, cookies made out of paper, fruit made out of fabric or plastic… It was all fake...and you were starting to starve.

Your lack of eating also seemed to worry Larry, but you feigned being fine. Despite the fact that you hadn’t really eaten in days. It was wearing down on you pretty bad at this point. Despite your lie, Larry seemed to still be lost on what to do with you. You honestly couldn’t blame him though. You were quite an enigma. Then, Larry was reminded of something and had explained that he was going to go to a place called Bunkum to attend a session in a place called Popit Academy and graciously offered if you wanted to visit while he was participating. At that time, you really didn’t know that you could explore other planets...but this was a strange new universe with strange new ways. So what could possibly go wrong?

So, from one planet made of patches to one with strange gadgets on it, you arrive at a place called “Needlepoint Peaks”.

Which was filled with crisp mountain air and little floating objects that harassed you at every angle. It was quite frustrating, as they would cling to you and you would have to constantly shake them loose. It seemed to amuse Larry to the point of chuckling as you both headed down the mountain together. While on the way, you even decided to take a bite out of the crackers that were sticking out of the ground. Which turned out to be a big mistake.

The ‘treat’ was about as stale as they come. It was hard to chew and it had the lingering scent of cardboard and dust. You promptly spat it out and coughed violently while Larry looked at you like you had lost your marbles.

Despite everything looking tasty, it was all dried and stale, nothing more than deceptive decorations for your ever growing hunger that gnawed away at you from your insides. You could only sigh helplessly as you passed the deceptive goodies and just focused on following Larry to the next destination. Once down from the mountain, both of you arrived at a place called ‘Stitchem Manor’, which seemed to be occupied by two lightbulbs and a monster. The family greeted Larry and seemed to notice you, despite you attempting to hide your taller figure behind the Elder Curator. The smaller lightbulb seemed to be very eager to meet you, as he strode up and waved and said a rather friendly hello. You timidly come out of hiding and meet up with him too. Returning the greeting politely. The lightbulb seems to happily chitter about as you stare at him. He then graciously introduces you to his father, a clear idol in his eyes, and his mother. Who wasn’t a monster. She just looked scary as hell.

You politely greet them in return and Larry explains your situation to the family. It seemed that Larry had decided to see if you could visit with the Pud family, which was a rather strange name, until he was through with his lessons at the popit academy. Seeing if one of them was available to show you around Bunkum until he came back later. You almost rolled your eyes at the thought of needing a guide or babysitter, but you didn’t know this place. So you really should stick with someone until you understand the ropes. The younger-looking lightbulb, who was named Newton, proudly volunteers to show you around Bunkum. A desire to give his ‘new strange-looking chum the best tour of Bunkum they have ever experienced’. So he says. Apparently, his parents were both worried about his proposal. Not because of you, but apparently Newton had caused a heap of trouble for the natives of Bunkum and was still in too-hot water because of it. Despite making peace with most of the locals and trying to clear his name from the titan incident...whatever that was. It sounds bad just by the name alone.

However, after enough begging, his parents gave in and decided to allow him to show you around Bunkum. Satisfied with the ordeal, Larry had headed off and Newton’s parents headed back inside the large manor.

Once alone, Newton had grabbed your hand before suddenly letting go in surprise. When questioned, he just stared and made a comment about how your ‘knitting’ felt strange against his hands. You just merely shrugged and walked ahead, Newton quickly taking the lead again as he rambled on and on about stuff to do while you were visiting.

The first stop was Manglewood. Which could only be reached by boat. Which just made the ride over much more boring than usual, except when Newton would talk about it and mention all the things to do there. It helped to pass the time until the island in question came into view. By appearance alone, you would’ve thought you both were lost in some bayou in the heart of Louisiana, but that wasn’t far enough from the truth. There were film reels, movie cameras, and set pieces all strewn about the landscape. Making it look like a set that was covered in moss and willows. However, you also took notice of a strange figure sitting at the edge of the landmass. Simply sitting there and watching the boat. Once close enough, you seemed to make out that it appeared to be...dog-like? Like a sock puppet type of dog? It was just waiting there and once you both touched down on land, it sped over to investigate. In which, it happily jumped aboard and sniffed around.

Once it glanced at Newton, it’s face changed to a certain type of disinterest but once it scanned over to you, it began to wag its’...butt...and bark happily. You confusedly look at the animal before waving and greeting the...dog-thing. Having it jump up on you and lick you with a fabric tongue, thankfully it didn’t seem to leave any slobber behind.

Newton explained that it was a creature called Oddsock and it seemed to be protecting Manglewood. He almost seemed a tad bit jealous that Oddsock had taken a liking to you so quickly, even if he didn’t show it openly.

He led you off of the boat and further into Manglewood, the dog sticking close to your side.

There, you both found a man who introduced himself as Marlon Random.

He was quite a character. Looking like a spool of film with a strange hairstyle to go with it, the dancing, the personality, the references to movies and such...he was probably the most enjoyable to be around. He didn’t even seem to mind Newton. Greeting him as if it was any other day, in which Newton had replied half-heartedly and explained your situation. Once Marlon heard of your plight, he stopped and looked at you closer. Taking notice of your strange appearance as well, he nods and laughs lightly. Eager to show Manglewood to you, despite Newtons’ protests. You had decided to visit the space area and discovered that floating in space was incredibly fun. The zero gravity, peaceful music playing in the background, and just the weightlessness of it all...it was truly an experience. After that, he took you over to the old-style diner. You jammed out to some old-style tunes, which strangely came from Earth of all places, and you even tried to take a few bites out of the food laying around. Getting the same result as the one from Needlepoint Peaks. You even tried the milkshakes. Which were SO SWEET. Too sweet even!

It was like everything around here was made out of two dumptruck loads of sugar. Plus, you couldn’t really force past it, as it was strong enough to hurt your teeth anyway. One secret spit out later and you lot had decided to settle in for a bite.

With the exemption of you. So while Newton, Marlon, and even Oddsock enjoyed the food...you found yourself without a meal yet again. Your aching belly rumbling in disdain as you sigh quietly. You just had to endure for a bit longer...you would get home soon...hopefully. Thankfully there was water to drink. So you had that instead. Still, you had a kick watching Newton shove fries and pieces of food into that hole in his neck. Which made sense, as he simply couldn’t shove it past the glass that covered his head. It just made you wish you could enjoy it with them...wait...why were they looking at you...why were they laughing --? A tickling sensation pretty much crawled around you as those bothersome floating objects began to stick to you again, resulting in you crying out in agitation and shaking about in the seat to dislodge them. Your companions seemed to find the situation hilarious as you pluck them off and flick them away from yourself. Huffing a bit at your group as they laugh at your grumpiness. But once it was all said and done, the last places being too ‘dangerous’ for you to explore, you both decided it would be time to head out to the Ziggurat. You would’ve headed to a place called ‘Zom Zom’s’ however Newton explained that he only took a special type of currency called ‘collectabells’, which got a chuckle out of you. Sadly, you didn’t really have any currency at all. So you skipped on going there. He probably wouldn’t have anything in your size anyway. So, both of you cross the bridge and ride the gondola into the distance while Marlon and Oddsock waved you both off. In no time at all, the temperature began to drop and snow began to fall from the sky. The wind from the gondola didn’t help the situation either, your clothes could barely keep out the chill. Newton didn’t seem bothered by it, which wasn’t a surprise to you. That fluffy coat he was wearing looked comfortable.

You would ask to wear it, but it was just too small for you. Plus, Lightbulbs radiate heat, so he was probably all warm and toasty underneath that fabric. Talk about being lucky.

Finally, the gondola came to a hill and along that hill seemed to be a towering figure. It almost looked like a burlap sack...like something you would shove potatoes in. Once closer though, it seemed similar to the last creature you encountered.

If logical reasoning could be fathomed here, that must be this land’s protector as well. Seeing by how they grew alert to the approaching elevator. Once it stopped and you and Newton stepped off, the large figure approached curiously. Similar to before, the creature met Newton with a poker face about as blank as the snow, but he gave you a rather silly smile once he looked in your general direction. What you didn’t expect was a large friendly hug to accompany that smile. You were pretty much scooped up and pressed against the taught cloth-chest of the large figure, gasping for air as it cuddled you. Newton began by explaining that this was the Ziggurat, which also happened to be Toggles’ home. Which was the name of the creature hugging you. He told you about the grand library and the ballets that would be held here every day and that hopefully you would enjoy the shows while you both were here. With a few desperate taps on Toggle, you were released and were finally able to get a full breath of air. You almost felt bad for Toggle’s worried face, but a reassured pat on their arm seemed to make them satisfied that you were okay. You walk along, following Newton as he gives you a brief tour of the entrance. Toggle following close behind you both as you walk towards a large and towering brass-like structure that was the centerpiece of this frozen wasteland.

Then, you met Papal Mache in the temple sanctum. Who gave Newton a rather skeptical glance after your arrival before staring at you for a brief moment. Once again, another remark on your appearance was made.

It almost made you wanna put a bag over your head and hide away from the world.

And what is with everyone asking where your ‘stitching’ was? You’re not made of fabric!

You just let out another sigh as Newton repeated the spill from earlier encounters while you busied yourself by looking at the temple architecture. From the looks of it, it seemed to be the insides of a large pipe organ, with stained glass windows of ballerinas and russian-esque soldiers. Which made sense, as Russia was known for its musical culture and revered classics in the modern world. While you admired the art and such, Papal Mache seemed to understand and decided to escort you both down to the library. Which was being looked after by...a dog...woman...thing.

You simply just shake your head and decide to listen in on her history lessons that were offered to you, which were indubitably interesting and selectively inspiring.

Especially once you began to read some of the pamphlets that Toggle helped save from a flood. Toggle even stayed and sat down to listen to his heroic deeds for a bit. Out of curiosity, you pick up one of the pamphlets. No wonder the lady-dog would’ve been so upset to lose some of this history, it was pretty interesting! However, it was short-lived once Newton grew bored and pulled you away from the library with a rushed goodbye to the friendly dog lady. Nearly leaving Toggle behind. Only then did you realize how cold you were getting from the temperature after sitting still on a cold floor. You begin to shudder as the cold wind brushes against you and you slow down as the cold bites at your flesh.

Curiously, Newton had questioned what was wrong as you trembled helplessly in the frigid gales. Once you explained that humans can get something called hypothermia from excessive cold and die, Newton practically flipped his lid.

A quick grasp of your hand and he took off with you in tow.

He quickly rushed past Papal Mache and through the temple to get you to a large furnace on the other side.

Once close enough, you could feel the warmth of the furnace melting away the freezing ice that had wrapped itself around your body. Replacing it with warmth and comfort. Once at the entrance, you graciously sit down on the warmed metal and let out a blissful sigh of relief. You were pretty much scolded by Newton for not telling him earlier and a worried Papal Mache arrived on scene not much later. A brief questioning later and Papal figured it might be best if you don’t stay here too long. Not that he didn’t enjoy new visitors, but because you just weren’t equipped for such freezing temperatures. Which were even worse when night fell.

You nodded in understanding and let out a sigh of brief disappointment, but the snow was hard to endure at this point. Once you thawed out, you both would be heading to your final destination, Bunkum Lagoon.

The sound of small rapid footsteps grace your ears as a smaller version of the big guy came scuttling onto the scene. A brief slide later and suddenly it was the big guy again! Only then did you realize what ‘Toggle’ meant. It made you almost wanna laugh. Papal Mache decided to speak up to the large silent hero about your incident and Toggle seemed to become saddened by the news, but nodded in understanding anyway. You felt bad for such a rapid departure, but what else could be done? It was best to finish touring Bunkum so you could get back to Stitchem Manor so you could wait for Larry. Once you got warm enough, you stood up from the ground and Newton rejoined you as both of you walked back into the temple and towards the back where a large elevator awaited. Both of you got on and Papal Mache and Toggle waved their farewells as the elevator began to move and drop down. You had no idea how this would get you to a lagoon, but if you weren’t at the risk of getting hypothermia, you may like it a bit more… Newton seemed to be more apprehensive about this place, unlike the last two places you both visited. He began to talk about a wicked queen who probably boils her disrespectful subjects in hot oil and how she would probably tear him limb from limb if she as much as smelled him. You probably broke a sweat listening to his anxious worries about the next destination. Didn’t seem to be as peaceful as the last two places, just from what he was saying alone. You gulped as the air began to become more humid as the elevator slowed to a stop.

Once outside, the first thing your eyes caught was the sunset that was glistening over the very large lake that resided in a city filled with towering spires and buildings. You couldn’t hide a gasp of awe as you stepped out into the residential areas and admired the masquerade theme that the city had going for it. Plus, there were airships and clouds as far as your eyes could see. It was truly breathtaking. Newton slowly slinked out after you, scanning around as if to keep an eye out for danger. You had thrown caution to the wind as you walked out further into the Lagoon, Newton squeaking and following behind you for a change. You pretty much just happily stroll through the town, looking at all of the cardboard, stickers, and crafted creatures fluttering about. A stark contrast to a human like yourself.

Suddenly, a sudden shout came from above. The noise made Newton cry out in fear as he hid behind yourself as a hovering platform came into your view. On top of it was a marionette looking female as she called down to the both of you. From the tone of her voice, you already knew you weren’t gonna like her. Her tone was bratty and easily portrayed the type that she was. That type being a heavily spoilt princess that expected everyone to obey and respect them, despite them not deserving any. She was also being followed by another sack creature, this one resembling a bird. She immediately began to chew out Newton for one reason or another, you weren’t exactly paying attention as she hissed at your companion. It was almost like she was demanding an explanation as to why he was in ‘her’ kingdom. Newton had managed to pluck up enough courage to creep out from behind yourself as he explained your situation once more. About how you were from ‘very far away’ and a friend had asked if someone was willing to show Bunkum to the newcomer. Despite the fact that he tried to pass it off as him trying to make amends by doing this ‘tour’ with you. Despite the fact that he selflessly volunteered for it, no pressuring from his father or anything. Still, you said nothing as the ‘Queen of Bunkum’ introduced herself to you and you to Swoop, who had landed and was staring at you after giving Newton another neutral passing glance. It even almost seemed to flutter happily for a bit. It made you wonder why all of these sack creatures seemed to be happy to see you, but that can be pondered later. Right now, you just wanted to go and explore this last location before the night began to fall.

With courtesy, you bowed a bit and greeted Pinky. Being sure to call her ‘queen’ in a respectful manner. She looked like the type that was prone to suck-ups.

In which you assumed correctly. Almost seemingly flustered with your polite behavior, she cackles a bit before welcoming you to the Lagoon and ‘knowing fully well that you WILL enjoy your stay ’. However she does give you a warning to keep ‘that yellow ninny’ out of trouble, to which you assured her that she had nothing to be concerned for. Satisfied, she calls swoop back to her side and the levitating platform hovers off into the distance. A thankfully short encounter. Newton lets out a relieved sigh as you continue on. A desire to explore in your veins as the sun continues to set. It was kinda sad that you couldn’t hang out with the bird like you could the other two, but it probably has a job protecting the queen. Still, you continued on. Your lightbulb co-conspirator follows you from close behind. Just waiting to see what you decide to do with the rest of your day. And It was a rather eventful rest of the day.

Both you and Newton had attended various events. Such as an air joust festival, a puppet show, and you two even climbed the tallest tower in the district and listened to the bells of the tower ring. You even got to see the ‘legendary creative heart’, which was strangely disturbing. Despite it being just a giant valentine heart with large bird wings, it still pulsed like an actual heart. You honestly didn’t know how the locals could stand being next to it for so long. Even from this distance it was loud enough for you to hear. You just brush it off and try to ignore all of the bothersome floaty things that came from it. Hopefully none of them would stick to you. At the end of your trip, you both stopped on a pier to watch the sunset over the lagoon. The purple and pink clouds just brought out a tranquility in the atmosphere that almost made you forget about your troubles and your lingering sleepless exhaustion. Despite being here for about a few days, you were starving and getting any sleep was rather rare. Mostly since weird things would occur while you were dozing.

You fell asleep in the rocketship once and a large flower garden had grown up around you while you had slept and you only took notice when you woke up. It was hard to explain it to Larry. You even crashed in Clive’s factory and when you awakened, some new robots were by your side. Seemingly not made in the factory at all, as they didn’t even have the same body shape as the Sackbots. Clive was about as stumped as you were when you showed him. It was just...when you fell asleep, weird stuff would happen to you and the things that surrounded where you were sleeping. So now, you just try to stay awake as much as possible. Even if your eyelids felt like cinder blocks and tiredness nipped at your aching muscles. The thing that bothered you the most as your empty stomach.

If you couldn’t sleep nor eat, how would you even make it out of here?

There was no sustenance to keep you going. You’re pretty much running on emergency energy right now. Burning stored calories and trying to stay alive while you were at it. The constant insomnia was also wearing down on you. You just felt like you could fall asleep right here on the pier. But Newton jostles you awake by reminding you that you both had to head back to Stitchem Manor before night fell on Bunkum. You nod slowly in understanding and finally muster the strength to stand up with a long stretch. From there, Newton led the way back to his home. Leading back the way you came. Back up the mountain, back through the Ziggurat, back down the mountain, through the swamp again, and back to the boat. Once you both set sail, you watch the sinking sun with a lazy gaze.

It was quite a trip...but you really wish you were home. It wasn’t like you were miserable here. These strangers were so nice and open to you, despite your off-putting appearance. You just wished you had something to eat right now...and maybe a nap. Or a thousand year sleep, which would be far better. Still, Stitchem Manor came into view at the cliffside and you both began to dock the boat. By the time you both arrived home, the sky had turned to twilight as you slowly walked after Newton.

Who seemed to be rather jovial after todays ‘adventure’. Both Nana Pud and Captain Pud were there to greet you both at the gates of the manor, Larry Da Vinci was there as well. Seemingly having an idle chit chat while you both arrived. Once you two were noticed, you sluggishly came to a stand still next to Larry while Newton griped about being pampered by his doting mother. You and Larry couldn’t help but chuckle as you all said your goodnights and you and Larry headed away from the manor. You manage to look over your shoulder as the younger lightbulb seems to be happily waving to you while he and his parents go inside the manor. You returned the favor, albeit a bit more slowly as exhaustion slowly caught up to you. Once you were out of sight of the manor, Larry had asked how your day went. You pretty much told him everything. About the fun you had in Manglewood, the freezing experience in the Ziggurat, and the jousting shows in Bunkum Lagoon. You spoke of all the people you met and how Newton was informative and made sure to look after you. It seemed to earn Larrys’ approval as he nods as the pod comes into sight. Once you both were aboard and a course was set for Craftworld, you decided to settle in on the pillows on the far side of the pod. Where it was a bit quieter than the control room. Larry decided that he would drive you both back to Craftworld while you took a nap. You didn’t mind and happily accepted the offer. Though, he probably could tell that you weren’t getting enough sleep. You could practically see the darkness lining your eyes.

Now you were wrapped up in soft materials and laying in a nest made from pillows and such. Your mind was so tired and strained from being awake for so long that all you could think about was how many people you met in the last few days. How many potential friends you could make...but it was still a mystery as to how you arrived on Craftworld in the first place. Let alone how to get out of this dimension and safely back to Earth. If you wanted to go back...that is. I mean, you were still hungry. Even more so now. You could only sigh as the feelings of hunger went away some time ago after you tried to not focus on anything. You were still lost. Even if you met some friendly faces along the way. Still... how did you get here? And how do you get back? You merely blink as these questions run through your mind and you just let out a deep exhale and close your eyes tightly. You just needed some sleep for now. Maybe this is all just one big fever dream and you’ll wake up back in your normal bed with normal humans around you. No fabric, no cardboard, so sponges...just flesh and bones. Organic stuff... REAL stuff.

Or...at least the things you HOPE were REAL things. Oh, but it was just another problem to solve for tomorrow.

You let out another final long sigh as your heavy eyes finally close and you drifted off to sleep in record time.

Blissfully unaware of the images and energy seeping from your head while you slept peacefully throughout the whole trip back to Craftworld.

Somebody's Guide to Whatever This Place Is

Back in September of 2020, on the final day of the D&D Celebration online event, Ray Winninger, the then-newly-installed Executive Producer of D&D announced that three new campaign settings would be introduced into Fifth Edition D&D in 2021. Speculation over which 'classic' settings would be chosen was rampant, and nearly every old setting had folks who were willing to either predict that setting or at least express a desire for that setting to be one of the settings updated for 2021. (The article linked above suggested that Dark Sun, Spelljammer, and Greyhawk would be good choices, but again, this was more 'these are the settings I'd like to see' then 'these are the settings that are most likely to occur'.)

In the six months that have passed since then, we've gotten confirmation on two of those three settings. The first is Dragonlance, in the aftermath of the lawsuit brought by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman related to a new Dragonlance trilogy that was, in theory, going to be pocket veto-ed by WotC, but is now back on schedule to be published later this year.

The second was revealed in a recent product announcement: in May of 2021, a new setting book, Van Richten's Guide to Ravenloft, will be released. Few predicted Ravenloft would be one of the two settings Winninger referred to, as WotC had already released Curse of Strahd, a hard-cover re-imagining of the classic I6 Ravenloft module from AD&D days updated for Fifth Edition, and had at the same time allowed folks to update other parts of the Ravenloft setting to Fifth Edition via the DMs Guild. Now that the announcement is official, I'm filled with trepidation as to what WotC is going to do with the full campaign setting.

There are a number of things WotC could do with the setting that would make me at least appreciate if not love the new version of the setting, but I'm not holding out a great deal of hope that these things will actually happen. Nevertheless, I thought I'd note some of those things here as a preliminary 'wish list' of things that would make me happy about the re-imagined 5E Ravenloft, and more importantly, why.

Break up 'the Core' into Islands of Terror

Curiously, this is something we already know will actually happen in the 5E Ravenloft setting, thanks to information included as part of the announcement. Nevertheless, it's a change that has a number of more traditional Ravenloft fans upset.

"The Core" is a group of domains physically connected into a single giant land mass which can be navigated as any other continent on a campaign world might be, either via road, river, or what-have-you. Those who argue that the Core should remain do so under the presumption that, if you plan to use Ravenloft as a campaign setting, you need a way to migrate from one domain to another. There are some domains that aren't part of the Core, either in 'clusters' (smaller groups of related domains 'clustered' together into geographic units like the Amber Wastes or the Verdurous Lands, or as isolated 'islands of terror'. Since these other domains are separated from the Core by the Mists, they are at least in theory harder to get to; there are a few 'Mistways' which can be used to travel from one domain to a cluster or island or vice versa, but those Mistways are by their nature unreliable, resulting in anything from a small to an almost certain chance of not actually ending up where you intend to go. Meanwhile, simply marching down the Old Svalich Road from Barovia will ultimately and unerringly get you to the next domain along the road, unless Strahd chooses to close the borders of his domain, preventing your escape.

So why am I in favor of this change? Because it makes sense given the existing campaign canon. The last books to be published that actually defined and/or expanded the Ravenloft setting were published under license by Swords and Sorcery Studios back during Third Edition, specifically a series of Gazetteers with the conceit that they were written by a mysterious chronicler called 'S' at the behest of the lord of Darkon, Azalin Rex. Included in that chronicle was evidence that the lord of Falkovnia, one Vlad Drakov, had tired of being continually defeated in his attempts to conquer his domain neighbors (this is, in fact, part of Drakov's punishment as a darklord, that his military, supreme within his own domain, is powerless to project his authority outside it) and allied himself with the new Dukkar and de facto ruler of Invidia, Malocchio Aderre, to invade their mutual neighbor Borca. Whether this is simply accidental genius on Drakov's part, or whether he had puzzled out some aspect of his punishment and decided that an alliance with a power that wasn't subject to his personal curse might serve as a way around that curse wasn't made clear, but the underlying assumption was that given the relative military power of the domains in question, unless Borca's allies in the 'Treaty of Four Towers' came to its defense, Borca would not be able to survive the combined forces of both Falkovnia and Invidia and would fall. More to the point, nothing would prevent Malocchio, who is not a darklord, from entering Borca and removing that domain's darklord (or more accurately, twin darklords). The simplest way for the Dark Powers to enforce Drakov's curse and ensure that his mutual invasion with the Dukkar doesn't succeed, or at least results in such a huge cost that the victory likely won't be worth the price, is for the Dark Powers to close the borders around both Falkovnia and Borca; doing so would turn every passage from Falkovnia or Invidia into Borca into a Mistway, and even such a Mistway with 'excellent reliability' would cause the invading forces to be decimated -- 10% of all the creatures passing through the Misty Border would be re-directed to other locations and would thus be extremely unlikely to be able to contribute to the war effort. For an adventuring party, this is irritating, but for an army, where each different member of a unit is part of a larger structure, randomly removing 1 in 10 members of that army results in organizational chaos and disaster. Add in that communications between the army in Borca and its headquarters in Falkovnia also are now subject to the potential for Mist-led misdirection, and that Drakov, as a darklord himself, is unable to pass over the Misty Border at all, and Drakov's curse seems fairly easily enforced as a result.

But if the Dark Powers are going to isolate Falkovnia and Invidia, why not take the obvious next step and simply isolate every domain in the Core from every other domain? It only makes sense.

There is another reason why such a change makes sense, but it's more properly discussed as part of a larger idea:

Tie the changes to the Time of Unparalleled Darkness

Changes in D&D editions have often resulted in changes to D&D's associated campaign settings. The best example of this is actually the Forgotten Realms. When D&D moved from 1st to 2nd edition, the changes in the rules necessitated by this change were propagated to the Realms as part of a Realms-wide event, known as the Time of Troubles (or the Avatar Crisis), where the deities of the Realms were kicked out of their divine realms by the Overgod Ao and forced to dwell on Faerun in mortal forms. Some deities survived, while others didn't, which helped explain the changes in the world resulting from the changes in the D&D rules (the removal of assassins as a class option was justified by the death of the god of assassins during this time, for example). Similarly, when Third Edition was replaced by Fourth Edition D&D, the Realms was subjected to the Sundering, a worldwide disaster that unravelled the Weave, significantly modified the world's geography, and even posited a land swap between Toril and its twin sister world Abeir to explain the sudden appearance of dragonborn, which went from being an optional splatbook race in Third Edition to a core racial option in Fourth. (Nearly all of these changes were undone as part of the move from Fourth Edition to Fifth, but the Sundering still canonically happened in the Realms, continuing to support the changes in the setting that still needed to be justified by rules changes).

A similar thing occurred in Ravenloft, referred to alternately as the Grand Conjunction or the Great Upheaval (and referred to in even different ways in specific domains, such as in Sri Rajj, where it is called the "Rebirth of Kali"), and resulted in a reshuffling of the Core's domains, with some Islands of Terror becoming parts of the Core (Dominia), some parts of the Core becoming Islands of Terror (Bluetspur, G'Henna), some parts of the core being relocated (such as Markovia moving from a landlocked Core domain to an island in the Nocturnal Sea), and some domains being absorbed into other domains (Arak being absorbed into Darkon, Arkandale being absorbed into Verbrek, Dorvinia being merged into Borca, and Gundarak being split between Invidia and Barovia). PCs had the opportunity to participate in the lead-up to this event through a series of six adventures that represented the six parts of Hyskosa's Hexad, a prophecy from a past Dukkar that presaged massive change and destruction in Ravenloft. So in a sense, simply turning all of the Core's domains into Islands of Terror wouldn't necessarily be the most drastic change that's ever been made to the campaign's setting, but the past changes were at least tied to an in-game event that is both known and is significant to the domain's residents.

The Time of Unparalleled Darkness, another prophecy, though this one not from a Vistani seer but from a priest of the goddess of the Mists, already exists in Ravenloft as a future peril (at least it was in the future as of the current date of the setting while it was in the hands of Swords & Sorcery Studios); tying the 5E campaign changes to the Time of Unparalleled Darkness, and simultaneously advancing the campaign timeline past 775 BC (Barovian Calendar), the predicted year of the Time of Unparalleled Darkness, would further cement the event as part of existing Ravenloft lore, rather than making the changes seem arbitrary. This isn't to say that part 1 above (the breakup of the Core into Islands of Terror) has to be contemporaneous with the Time of Unparalleled Darkness -- in fact, a pretty good series of adventures, not unlike the Hyskosa's Hexad adventures, could likely be written as a prelude to the Time of Unparalleled Darkness, with the rising of the Mists occurring in an early adventure as part of the PCs' investigation into the joint Falkovnian/Invidian invasion of Borca and culminating in the event that results in more signficant changes to the domain.

De-emphasize the role of darklords in the setting

In reading about other folks' opinions on the upcoming Ravenloft book, it's a bit surprising to me how many of them are convinced that the 'point' of Ravenloft as a setting is to throw your PCs against the machinations and the will of the setting's various darklords, and I'll admit that Curse of Strahd, looked at simplistically, doesn't seem to go against this premise. Though much of what the PCs do in Curse of Strahd is only peripherally related to Strahd himself, the PCs can't actually leave Barovia without venturing into Castle Ravenloft and 'defeating' Strahd, which opens the way for them to escape. Because of this, a lot of folks who seem to be opposed to the idea of breaking up the Core seem to be basing their opposition on the idea that it would thus be harder for PCs to 'piss off' a darklord and then escape into a neighboring domain, where that darklord holds no sway. (This seems to ignore that most darklords of the Core have the power to close the borders of their domains, thus forcing irritating PCs to 'stay put' and receive their punishment for defying the darklord's wishes, but whatever.)

I happen to think that this is a fundamental misrepresentation of the role of the darklords in the Ravenloft setting, akin to someone believing that a Call of Cthulhu adventure isn't complete until and unless the characters have come face-to-face with one of the Great Old Ones, from which the adventure takes its flavor and inspiration.

To continue the comparison with Call of Cthulhu, the main conceit of that game is that the Great Old Ones are above humanity; so far so that not only can humanity not deal with the very existence of the Great Old Ones (any human who directly encounters one has their sanity shattered as a result), but that humanity is but a tiny speck against the long-term plans and goals of the Great Old Ones. The Great Old Ones don't hunt down and destroy those who defy them; at best, a Great Old One might wave away such irritations as we would wave at a gnat, but the real 'hunting', if it occurs at all, occurs by the cult (or cults) devoted to the Great Old One who take umbrage at their own part of the grand design being thwarted (even though, again, from the perspective of the Great Old One, it doesn't matter which of their irrelevant minions brings about their will, because they know their designs will ultimately come to fruition regardless). The role of PCs in Call of Cthulhu is not to destroy or even defeat a Great Old One, but to defeat a plan set in motion by the more mundane servants of a Great Old One, thus pushing doomsday off for another time, and for a later group of investigators to discover and (hopefully) thwart again.

This isn't to say that Ravenloft has to become the same game as Call of Cthulhu; most of the darklords in pre-5e Ravenloft were once mortal, so their motivations are not nearly as odd and inscrutable as the alien thought processes of the entities in the worlds of HP Lovecraft: the evils in a Gothic horror story are much more understandable and comprehensible than the evils of a cosmic horror story. I'd even argue that the classics of Gothic horror, on which a number of Ravenloft domains are based, are more akin to classical tragedies -- for example, the hubris of Victor Frankenstein in striving to create life causes him to build a monster and almost create a race of such monsters, and it costs him his own family. Victor Mordenheim's hubris is similar, and creates a similar, though slightly different tragedy. In this sense, one could create a Ravenloft domain based on the story of Oedipus and it would fit right in with the other tragic darklords of the setting. This kind of tragedy has a very different feel than the cosmic horror of Call of Cthulhu, and should feel different, though neither strictly fits within the existing structure of how stories are told in D&D.

The other thing that de-emphasizing darklords allows is for the focus of adventures to be put back onto those who fight the monsters rather than the monsters themselves. It's not coincidental or a surprise that the height of the setting's popularity was coupled with the most popular and well-known character unique to the setting (rather than either of the D&D adventures that preceded it): Dr. Rudolph Van Richten. Van Richten is rightly known for being a monster-hunter, yet never once does Van Richten defeat or even directly oppose a darklord; the only two times Van Richten (in pre-5e material) interacts with a darklord are once very early in his career, when the lich-king Azalin Rex helps Van Richten take his revenge on the Radanovich clan of Vistani for kidnapping his son Erasmus, who is turned into a vampire by Baron Metis, and later when Van Richten's stealthy intrusion into Castle Ravenloft while Strahd "sleeps" serves as the framing device for the self-serving version of Strahd's history related in "I, Strahd" to leak out into the Realms of Dread. Van Richten doesn't even defeat every enemy he comes across: for example, the fiend Drigor, whose serial possession of the Mandrigore family is responsible for the series of books known as The Mandrigorian, notably destroys all of Van Richten's adventuring companions, but leaves the Great Doctor himself alive to pass along the tale (as well as live with the error -- assuming that Drigor, the author of a centuries-long series of texts related to fiends and their relationship with the Lands of Mists, was lawful rather than chaotic -- that directly led to their deaths). Gothic heroes, after all, are frequently just as tragic if not more so than the villains they do battle with, and if they fail, as they sometimes do in such stories, it's that tragic flaw that is frequently the cause of their failure.

And as long as we're discussing Van Richten's tragic flaw...

Bring the setting's treatment of the Vistani more closely in line with their portrayal in Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani

When Chris Perkins set down to write his 'blood-soaked love letter to the Hickmans' that was Curse of Strahd, he largely left the Vistani as depicted by Tracy Hickman in that classic D&D module. This, understandably, was not considered a good move, as Hickman didn't even refer to the Vistani as the Vistani in that classic module -- they were 'gypsies' and served Strahd in an odd and inimical way which left them as representing many long-time stereotypes and prejudices of the actual Romani people. The reaction against that portrayal was one of a number of factors leading to last year's WotC announcement on Diversity and Dungeons & Dragons, and that WotC would be "working with a Romani consultant" to refocus their depiction of the Vistani to avoid these harmful and stereotypical assumptions. While the mention of the Romani consultant certainly helps them make their case that they are taking this task seriously when it comes to the Vistani, WotC already owns a much more nuanced view of the Vistani, if only they choose to make use of it.

To go back a moment to our previous item, Van Richten's tragic flaw is his sense of the rightness of his own actions, a tragic flaw that nevertheless doesn't expose itself until very late in the Great Doctor's career, when he finally comes to understand that his very first act as a monster-hunter, destroying the Radanoviches who were involved in kidnapping his son, caused him to be the target of a deadly Vistani curse. The twist is that the curse is not deadly to Van Richten himself, but to those who stand with him and whom he comes to care about, and it contributes to their destruction while leaving Van Richten himself alive to continue to spread woe just as he also brings hope. (See above for the tale of Van Richten versus Drigor both for another example of Van Richten's flaw as well as the operation of the curse.)

The story of how Van Richten comes to realize he is laboring under a Vistani curse, how he unwittingly cast a curse upon the Radanoviches as well, and how he and a Vistani whom he comes to know and befriend work to overcome their mutual curses forms the framing device for "Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani", written by David Wise, published by TSR in 1995, and inherited by WotC when they purchased TSR in 1998. Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani is one of my favorite game supplements of all time, for any game, and deserves to be remembered as more than just the supplement that provided rules to allow players to make full Vistani characters. The main reason why this supplement works so well (at least for me) is that the supplement humanizes the Vistani by having Van Richten travel with his new Vistani friend and living with different groups of Vistani, learning about them and the strange and wonderful (and terrible) things they can do.

No one doubts that there can be evil Vistani, just as there can be evil orcs, drow, and humans. The issue that some inelegantly fear will happen, though, is that rather than being portrayed as a complex culture of different views and perspectives, the Vistani will be 'Tolkienized' in much the same way as elves were within AD&D, made into a race that is strictly better than human in nearly every way. I don't believe that this is what is going to happen to the Vistani, however; if only because the old-school 'elves are awesome' perspective has already been unwound by the current design team in many ways (for example, by removing the racial-specific requirement to be a bladesinger). My concern is that the Vistani will become just another 'hat' that a PC can put on to look different than the default without actually having to be different from the default.

My biggest piece of evidence in favor of this approach is not the removal of culturally-specific items from each D&D 'race' (like bladesingers, which traditionally were elves, now coming from any race), but an argument made by a former administrator in the D&D Adventurer's League during the season in which Curse of Strahd was the feature hardcover, and in which all the associated AL adventures took place in the domain of Barovia. The first adventure in the series took place in the Forgotten Realms (the default setting for AL at the time), and described a family of wanderers from Barovia who physically resembled Faerun's version of a Romani-type culture: the Gur. It would make sense that typical residents of the Realms, unfamiliar with Ravenloft and their Vistani, would refer to this family as a curious tribe of Gur, since that's the thing they know. But this admin took the comparison a very large step farther, positing that every Romani-like or Traveler-like culture in any D&D campaign world was actually that world's version of the Vistani; in effect, positing the Vistani as a planar culture that simply goes by different names on different worlds. While this might be an interesting idea to posit with a new race of beings in D&D, my problem with this theory is that the Vistani are so closely tied to Ravenloft and iconic to that setting, that simply declaring that the Gur are 'Faerun's Vistani' is just as reductive and stereotypical as saying that the Gur are 'Faerun's Romani'. You're not solving the problem of problematic representation by claiming that every iteration of a real-world culture in fantasy is actually a copy-paste of a single view of that culture; if anything you're reinforcing the idea that any negative view of that culture in any setting is justified in all settings, simply due to the equating of that culture in one D&D world with the same culture on any other D&D world.

So the Vistani should remain unique to Ravenloft, in my view, and while a Romani consultant can certainly help with tweaking the portrayal of Vistani characters and the Vistani culture to be less overtly problematic, I don't see how it helps the Vistani retain their unique character that has helped them become such a well-known part of the Ravenloft campaign setting. More than just about every other work in D&D history, "Van Richten's Guide to the Vistani" actually does this, presenting the Vistani as a unique culture with its own drives, values, and heroes, while showing that the Vistani culture does not always agree with the 'default' cultures presented in other parts of the setting.

Perhaps I'll be pleasantly surprised on this topic, and the same designers who ultimately figured out that the alignment rules as presented in the Fifth Edition Players Handbook suggested that sexism was bad, but racism was surprisingly OK and decided to do something about it will take a similarly nuanced approach toward the Vistani in their new Ravenloft setting book. Unfortunately, I think a much more likely approach will be to do exactly what that AL admin thought was such a great idea; since they'll have gone to all the trouble to finally make 'good gypsies' for Ravenloft, they'll save themselves a lot of potential work by simply declaring that every Vistani-like culture in any other D&D setting is just the Vistani by another name, thus making every Romani-like or Traveler-like culture in D&D into the 'good gypsies' by default, erasing any question of cultural complexity or questionable flavor in the hope of being more palatable to a mainstream audience that wants to believe that their new Vistani character is just as good as the default, but doesn't want to be bothered to learn why.

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Days 117: Story and Song--the Book of Kells and a Musical Irish Pub Crawl

Today we stayed in Dublin to see some of the city’s highlights: the Book of Kells at Trinity Collge, the Irish National Gallery, and--perhaps best of all--the city’s thriving pub music culture.

On our way to Trinity College, we passed by an odd-looking stone pillar with a creepy moon face at its base. The Steine is a replica that marks the spot where a colony of Viking invaders erected a large standing stone here on the bank of the River Liffey. Which is odd, because the Liffey isn’t even in sight of the Steine.

Today, the Liffey runs through Dublin at a respectable 140 feet or so wide. But before a massive land reclamation project that narrowed it in the early 1700s, it was many times larger. The Steine, which marked the north bank, is around 300 feet north of the current north bank.

The creepy face is supposed to represent Ivar the Boneless, the Viking lord who founded the dynasty that ruled Dublin and terrorized the rest of Ireland for several centuries before the Normans came and took the job for themselves.

I first heard about the Book of Kells through the animated film The Secret of Kells, which my friend Dustin showed back when it came out in 2009. While the movie is firmly planted in the realm of Studio Ghibli-esque fantasy, the Book of Kells itself is quite real, though only slightly less fantastic.

The book was made by Celtic monks who originally lived on the Scottish holy island of Iona but were forced to flee when Vikings invaded. They eventually settled and built a new monastery in the Irish village of Kells.

More than the dramatic story, however, the Book is famous for the stunningly intricate illustrations that cover almost every page. Some of the Celtic knotwork is so tiny that scholars aren’t exactly sure how it could have been made, given the crudeness of the writing quills and the lack of any magnification devices at the time.

Even blown up to wall-sized proportions, the illustrations are amazingly complex.

The exhibit starts with some interesting background info on the different types of bibles that monks made, as well as the techniques and materials used to make them.

As we learned from a timeline in the exhibit, the Book of Kells has had an adventurous life. In addition to surviving Viking raids, it has also escaped numerous fires and the pillaging of Oliver Cromwell’s armies.

The exhibit also included some other interesting artifacts, including a standing stone with ancient Irish “Ogham” writing on it and a selection of 6th-century “pocket gospels” that were small enough for missionaries to carry in their satchels.

It was all fascinating, but the exhibit was claustrophobically crowded and uncomfortably hot, so we took pictures of all the signs and moved on as quickly as we could.

There was quite a crowd around the books, and in the end it required a bit of shoving and shouldering to get a view. But it was well worth it. The book is currently bound in four volumes--one for each gospel. Two are on display at any given time. One is opened to a full-page illustration, and the other is open to a page of normal (but still impressively penned) text. We got to see the opening illustration of the book of Matthew and a passage from Mark describing the burial of Christ’s body after the crucifixion.

Sadly--though quite understandably--we weren’t able to take any pictures of the book itself.

Moving on, the exhibit concludes with Trinity College’s “Long Hall,” a towering library filled with hundreds of thousands of books. It also includes important cultural artifacts like an original copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic (Ireland’s early 20th-century declaration of independence from Britain).

I remember learning stories as a kid that the tiny signatures at the bottom of the US Declaration of Independence may have been written that way because the signers were afraid of personal retaliation by the British. Our founding fathers might not have suffered that fate, but Ireland’s weren’t so lucky. All seven of the signatories named at the bottom of the Proclamation were rounded up and executed as traitors by the British army.

The Long Hall also holds the misnamed “Brian Boru Harp,” a medieval Celtic harp that was used as the model for the modern Irish national emblem. It's also the harp used in the Guinness logo--but mirrored out of respect. Brian Boru was an ancient Irish king who at one point was said to have owned the harp, but scholars have long since determined that there is no possible connection whatsoever.

The hall also included a series of displays on the importance and complexity of preserving old books. Specifically, it demonstrates this by showing off dozens of real books that have been ruined in various ways--fire, water, light exposure, dust, pests, etc.

Next, we went to the Irish National Gallery. It is admittedly not as impressive as many of the other galleries we’ve visited, but it's still worth visiting if you’re at all interested in art (or things that are free).

The first floor is filled with works by Irish painters that you’ve probably never heard of despite being just as good as many of their continental contemporaries. The works mainly focus on landscapes and portraits, so that’s a plus if you’re into either of them.

There is a small room dedicated to the works of Jack Yeats, the younger brother of the poet W. B. Yeats. The room shows the evolution of his distinctive artistic style over the course of his career. Photos weren’t allowed in this room, but I made a point to snap some pictures in the gift shop.

The middle floor houses the Irish national portrait gallery (which we skipped), and the top floor focuses on works from the rest of Europe. Jessica noticed a painting from across the room that immediately reminded us of the sculpture of Laocoön in the Vatican (which has followed us around ever since).

When we walked up to read the placard, it actually mentioned the Laocoön statue by name as a reference used by the artist for this painting.

Jessica and I have been continuously amazed by how many connections like this we are able to make now, especially because we’re seeing things so close together. If we’d gone to Rome on one trip and to Dublin on another trip years later, I don’t know if we would have even stopped to look at this painting, much less made the connection.

We also couldn’t help noticing that the gallery had the most extraordinarily large elevator of any museum we’ve visited.

We had a couple hours to kill before our evening musical pub crawl, but since it had been a pretty long day already, we decided to head over early and relax with some refreshing pints of cider.

The tour was lead by two local musicians who used to play together years ago and were paired together for the first time since. They had great chemistry and repeatedly told us just how lucky we were to be enjoying their “reunion tour.”

After the introductions and a half-pint, we left the Oliver St. John Gogarty and headed over to our next pub, the Ha’Penny Inn, named for the nearby Ha’Penny Bridge, which originally cost half a penny to cross.

The tour was a delightful mix of performance, education, sing-along, and drink. One thing we learned was that Irish folk songs can be divided into jigs and reels--terms that are actually borrowed from the types of dancing that they went with. Jigs are in 6/8 time, fast, lively, and fun. They can tell stories about young love, drinking, or--preferably--both. Reels are in 4/4 time, slower, and generally deal with lost love, death, or--preferably--both.

We learned that both the music and the dance go back millennia, to Ireland’s Celtic roots. The Celts actually originated in continental Europe and at one time spanned from Britain and Ireland all the way down into Spain. The Romans wiped the Celts off of the continent, and the Anglo-Saxons drove them out of England into the fringes of Wales and Scotland. Only Ireland remained as a relatively unpolluted bastion of Celtic culture well into the High Middle Ages.

Sadly, the specific origins of their various arts and traditions have been forgotten. As our musical guides said, the Irish have always been better at making stuff up than at writing it down.

There are hundreds of pubs in Dublin, and pretty much all of them have live bands or recorded music playing day and night. But if you want to see some real traditional music, you need to look for a “session.” On certain nights, various pubs will open their stage for local musicians to show up with their instruments and just have fun playing with each other.

Leaving the Ha’Penny, we made our way to the last pub of the night. On the way, we saw the iconic Dublin spire--which locals joke was built to remind drunk Irishmen which side of the Liffey they’re on when they stumble out of a pub--and a statue of two ladies that the locals lovingly refer to as the Hags with the Bags.

The evening concluded with dinner and a performance from a great Irish stepdancer--both on her own and together with the musicians. We learned that the music and dance were always considered a single art form in Celtic culture. Only recently have they become seen as separate types of performance.

Dinner was fantastic, and we enjoyed talking with several couples about our various travel plans and experiences.

Afterward, our guides gave some recommendations for pubs where we could see a session--The Cobblestone was their highest recommendation--but Jessica and I had had a long day and plenty to drink already, so we headed half-reluctantly back home to bed.

Next Post: Kilmainham Gaol and the National Museum of Archaeology

Last Post: Blarney and Cashel–the Real Rock Stars of Ireland

TAG@TEN Ubiquity Bundle [BUNDLE]

Publisher: Triple Ace Games

This special bundle product contains the following titles.

Leagues of Cthulhu Regular price: $9.79 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Cthulhu dreams no longer in his house at R’lyeh Beyond the world of mortal ken lies another, a nightmare world of profane alien gods, blasphemous terrors, nightmarish tomes of eldritch lore, bloodlines tainted by elder secrets, and forgotten places whose very existence makes a mockery of established history. Welcome to that world. Peer behind the veil of sanity you call reality and inside you’ll find: * New options for characters prepared to stand against the horrors of the Lovecraft Mythos. * Dread rituals for summoning alien fiends and communing with ancient gods. * A tour of the many places spoken of in Lovecraft’s tales. * A bestiary of monsters whose existence tear down the walls of sanity. * Advice ... Leagues of Gothic Horror Regular price: $13.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Light your lamp, check the doors and windows are locked, and prepare to enter a world where the arcane and occult are very real. For all of mankind’s advances in science, the world remains a realm of mystery and supernatural occurrences. The Victorian Era is the age of sinister fictional and historical villains, such as Count Dracula, Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper, and an age when interest in the occult reaches new heights. This major expansion to Leagues of Adventure is one of restless spirits and haunted houses, crumbling castles and Gothic architecture, fog-shrouded streets and deep forests, decadence and decay, secrets and madness, in which the supernatural defies the rationality of science and cold logic. Within ... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Apparitions Regular price: $6.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Beyond the veil of mortal sight lies a world of entities that do far more than just go bump in the night! For every person alive today, a score or more have gone before him. Little wonder then that stories of ghosts date back to the earliest days of civilization. This sourcebook is a detailed guide to ghosts and other haunting spirits for the Ubiquity roleplaying system. Pierce the veil betwixt the worlds of the living and the dead and you will find: An overview of ghosts throughout history Information on the creation and identification of specters How to create haunted houses 34 ghostly powers, allowing you to customize haunting spirits 31 sample ghosts, from banshees to wraiths 13 unique apparitions Two new occult tomes and one new ri... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Mordavia Regular price: $7.69 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Mordavia, a land blighted by vampires and werewolves, insane cultists, and mad scientists. Nestled in the mountains of Eastern Europe, Mordavia is a land where the supernatural is very real. From foreboding forests to crumbling castles, remote hamlets to the gas-lit capital itself, every nook and cranny holds a dark secret, as do the people who dwell in this accursed land. The book details the natives and customs of Mordavia, provides dozens of spooky locales, includes profiles for some of the more notable inhabitants and wicked cults, and gives the GM dozens of adventure seeds. Compatible with other Ubiquity settings... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Ministry of Unusual Affairs Regular price: $7.69 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Do you have what it takes to safeguard the Empire from evil magicians, perverse cults, and supernatural creatures? Working behind the scenes to protect the British Empire from these insidious threats is the Ministry of Unusual Affairs. Inside this handbook you’ll discover the centuries-long history of the Ministry, tour the many departments responsible for fighting evil, explore how to borrow contents from the Ministry’s fabled Collection of arcane relics, and be taught how to cover up supernatural occurrences for reasons of public safety. You’ll even get to meet some of the many agents who defend Great Britain and her colonies against supernatural threats. Compatible with other Ubiquity settings... AFO Adventure Compendium One – Le Mousquetaire Dishonore Regular price: $9.09 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Revenge is a dish best served cold! Le Mousquetaire Déshonoré is a four part adventure campaign for the musketeer roleplaying game —All For One Régime Diabolique. At its core, Le Mousquetaire Déshonoré is a tale of revenge involving a former King’s Musketeer. Thrown out of the company for being caught in the act of a heinous crime, Delmar Boulanger blames four musketeers for his ouster. Vigorously resisting his arrest Boulanger was severely disfigured during a fight and lost an eye. This bitter and disgraced musketeer spent a little over a decade learning to fight with one eye and plotting his revenge. Each adventure in this amazing campaign follows his path to revenge! All for One: Régime Diabolique is the award-winning musk... All for One: Régime Diabolique Regular price: $12.24 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF The year is 1636 and France is a troubled nation. A great and terrible evil gnaws at its core. Darkness stalks the land. All that stands between chaos and order are the King's Musketeers. Explore a France of swashbuckling action, powerful magic, daring deeds, courtly intrigue, witty repartee, and vile monsters! The characters are France's bravest and proudest defenders, the King's Musketeers. Pitted against them is a plethora of corrupt nobles, black magicians, fell demons, and twisted secret societies. Set at the height of power of Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII, All for One: Régime Diabolique mixes the action of literary works such as the Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers with horror and intrigue to create a unique, vibrant setting. The high-actio... Leagues of Adventure - Core Rules Regular price: $13.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Leagues of Adventure a rip-roaring setting of exploration and derring-do in the late Victorian Age! Leagues of Adventure is a roleplaying game set in the late Victorian Age, a gritty steampunk game where the hostile natives are a serious threat, a pulp action game where the characters eat savage warriors for breakfast, a highly cinematic one which allows the characters to swing single-handedly from the underside of an early airship while bare-knuckle boxing pterodactyls over a lost plateau. Truth be told, it’s whatever you want it to be! Whatever drives your character, there’s a world packed with danger, excitement, and mystery out there waiting to be explored! So take an action packed trip into the world of Leagues of Adventure!... Leagues of Adventure - Plateau of the Ape Men Regular price: $5.87 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Leagues of Adventure a rip-roaring setting of exploration and derring-do in the late Victorian Age! This is an age where the world is slowly shrinking. Colonial powers are extending their grip on Africa and Asia, brave men and women are venturing ever further into the great wildernesses in search of lost civilizations, new species of plants and animals, and to map the unexplored tracts. Travel between the great population centers has never been so easy, yet travel into the wilderness remains fraught with danger and mystery. this quickstart edition specially produced for uk games expo 2011 contains: •    an introduction to ubiquity. •    two short adventures. •    six sample characters. •   ... Leagues of Adventure Weird Science Compendium Regular price: $4.89 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF The Industrial Revolution has given way to the Age of Weird Science! From lone eccentrics working in garden sheds to government-funded research projects, weird scientists are producing ever more useful, and wacky, ways to improve (and end) the lives of citizens. Whether you need a device to aid globetrotting or a more efficient way to kill your enemies, help is at hand! This supplement contains new material covering : 5 New Leagues 43 Weird science gadgets 14 Unique weapons 3 Crazy Vehicles 2 Amazing Living creations 3 New Sample player characters We also include a page of henchmen with a scientific bent! The devices follow the same format as per the core rules, giving players the information they need to create their own variants or improve existing models. In addition,...

Total value:$92.23Special bundle price:$30.00Savings of:$62.23 (67%)

Price: $92.23 TAG@TEN Ubiquity Bundle [BUNDLE] published first on https://supergalaxyrom.tumblr.com

College

 Robert McClean

Queen’s Birthday

5 June 2017

Past

If you stand and listen, you can hear the echo of teachers voices ringing out and students who fall into line to play the game out on the courts. Or up in now empty classrooms when we worked up the sums, do the math and come out with an answer - that will please the man in front

It was a past that we were not proud of at all and wanted it consigned to history – but it just keeps hanging on

‘cause I have seen a school in decline. When the grounds are walled off,  the  buildings still stand but the grass is long and the weeds are spreading into masonary cracks so that water enters and the rot sets in and teachers try to do what they can, but it is hopeless as the writing on blackboards is replaced by graffiti

Seperate

If you stand alone in this school – you might as well leave for all is wasted in ambition and power and it will gather around you and overcome. The Teacher’s orders are carried out on command, without question. Siloed and seperated without a glance beyond the collage walls

And your achievements are hollow, memories are few and the past is something to leave behind to filed in the off-site archive draw of low importance

‘cause I know what loneliness looks like and the vacancy of narrow horizons . When hours of work came to nothing, policy and research created is worth naught. It is a a process to create a College that lacks perspective wthout a connection to the World around it

Change

‘cause I know that change is the one thing we can change

Beyond me

If you turn around in this school – you might notice others you have never spoken to before. They are the people beyond your circle, beyond your limited vision. This is the begining of a new life, a mature view beyond me

‘cause I remember in the 5th form turning around and seeing others, reaching out and talking. It was a fundamental change in my life and my old circle ‘of friends’ witnessed it. It was a new life beyond me

 Reading and writing

If you can learn to read – you can learn from others, their stories, moods, wisdom, insight. For every word learnt, you can write and speak a word, a thought, an insight, a story. Reading and writing is our creative force so by our writing we forge something entirely new in our place and a culture of learning/creation is our preoccuption.

Together our llibrary of our words is the heart of the College

‘cause I know the value of a library and I lost myself among books stacked high and hidden in a sun beam where time has no reach. And to create new documents of reports, briefings, drawings and poems is a power that joins the ocean of a million writers all wanting to influence for the common good

Playtime

If you can learn to use time – your breaks for lunch and play become moments to value. Out on the courts and feilds the discipline of knowledge has been let loose, unshackled to the realm of sports, games, circular groups, many times loneliness, sometimes bullying erupts.

Playtime is our time to participate and also find that quiet place on a north-facing ridge where you gather your thoughts and dreams and sometimes doze off

‘cause I know the value of taking a moment to read, walk, rest, run and dream alone but also with others in a game and to feed our souls on talk and conversation so you do return to the afternoon with a renewed spirit

Class

If you are part of a class you have a real life – all is not wasted as ambition and power is shared and people will gather around and we all overcome and change ‘teachers orders’. They are the foot soliders, the troops who turn up each day, sit at our desks as a living breathing thing.

Achievements are real created by all, memories are built and the past is something to celebrate each day which you carry with you

‘cause I know what a real class looks like when we muck in together and make sure we are alright and you do this not for the institution but for the sheer determination of the team to bring everyone together and alive

Class leaders

If you part of a class you have leaders – they stand out as gifted people because they are gifts for all. They help, encourage, coach, pick up, share notes, review, advise, look out, try things and just make the group tick along. These leaders also just happen to pass exams.

‘cause I know who class leaders are when leadership and responsibility is shared and they are engines to deliver a culture of getting stuff done by building a culture, a tribal allegance.

Captain

If you are elected class captain you should lead – you channel ambition and power and to gather a tribe around. To bring the World and all its reality into your domain. It is your duty to challenge teachers orders for what is just and right

But your captainancy is measured only by caring for those struggling with deadlines, remembering who are forgotten, helping in need and letting everyone just get on with it

‘cause I know about being a school leader and we did so much to build the school spirit with discos, games and fundrasiing. It was a whole year project of gathering others, shaping and delivering connectivity

Back-up

If you are in the system – you need someone outside the school. It is a partner, friend, brother, sister, mother, that you share your life with and can share your daily tribulations and trials. A person who checks your ambition and power and is not neglected by neverending school committments and engagements.

That friend is your precious gemstone which no amount of wages and salary can buy

‘cause my life has been blessed by beautiful parents, true brothers and sisters, loyal sons and daughters, trusted friends, always Kathrin - all who sparkle and shine accross the ground of life’s pathway

Discipine

If you are living – you live within an unwritten code. It takes discipline to put people and place together and make it all work. A territorrial expession of power where you aim to live full freedom within and between the rules.

For those who make and maintain the law, are judged on the excerise of it and courage to challenge those rules. It is how you take power and make it a tangible and real a thing for the cause of good where you award, , correct, acknowledge, support, celebrate, guide.

‘cause I remember what rule breaking looked like when the different kids were bullied and those tough kids got away with it. Discipline takes courage when you see it happening – to put your life on the line for others

Sabbatical

If you can have a break from the front line – you can travel beyond the school grounds for a while. It is your time to reconnect with the World around outside and experience what is happening. For you, it is not a theme-park holiday, but rest to read, research and explore.

So when you wander the roads and cities and mountains of the World, your mind is learning and you bring this back to the school on return. As a whole, the college is more connected

‘cause I know the value of time out there beyond and exploring the landscapes of Tuscany, doing the reading and research and travel that re-centres the compass and directs you onward to paths and careers unknown

Future

If you have a plan – you can see into the future and the way ahead for your school. It is tūmanako, a desire and wish for something changed, renewed and restored. It is a hope that is together longing for what is true and should happen for the good of all

So when you return to wander the school grounds, you experience the harmony that comes from a shared vision, a village in a town, the work of a class, clear and renewed, spring garden, lived habitat, buildings alive and freshly painted

‘cause I know what it will look like when our work on earth is completed. It will be the new Jerusalem – a school built on its past and for its today. And acceptance, justice and tolerance will flow across our boundaries and our walls we have built will be removed. And I will never forget everyone in my class and the memories are carved into the design of my college, my place

Rewinding the Year of the Monkey: Part 1

With another New Year – this time of the Lunar variety – looming at the end of this month, Check-in Asia looks back on some of our favourite projects undertaken during the Year of the Monkey. In the first of a three-part series, we recall destination reports for some of the world’s leading publishers…

Beijing Chic for Travel + Leisure (US)

The editorial team at Travel + Leisure commissioned us to research and curate a comprehensive Beijing destination feature featuring the sleekest new stores, galleries, restaurants and bars, and interview local personalities, such as fashion designer Liu Lu. Among our fave Chinese capital finds: TRB Bites fringing the Forbidden City moat; FNJI, a chic homeware boutique in a restored siheyuan dwelling; and Long Jing, a teahouse that transforms into a ‘tea-themed cocktail bar by night. Oolong Old Fashioned, anyone?

  Image courtesy of internchina.com

Hengqin Island for make Architects

We admit, Hengqin Island hadn’t crossed our radar too often until make Architects, an international architecture practice headquartered in London, asked us to prepare a report about the strategically-placed isle between Macau and the Chinese mainland. The world will be hearing much more about Hengqin, however, as it transforms from a forgotten fishing village to key tourism and business player in the Pearl River Delta. You read it here first!

  Image courtesy of MO

Starry Shanghai Dining for MO Magazine

As Shanghai welcomed mainland China’s first Michelin Guide, the world’s media salivated over a newly-minted ‘foodie destination’. We caught up with Shanghai-born chef Tony Lu, who scooped three Michelin stars for two restaurants, for a profile cover story in MO Magazine, the international travel magazine of Mandarin Oriental Hotels & Resorts. Chef Lu took us around a local wet market explaining the importance of seasonality in Shanghainese cuisine, and discussed how he elevates local dining to new realms of refinement at his Michelin-starred restaurants Yong Yi Ting (at Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai) and Buddhist vegetarian restaurant Fu He Hui.

  Image courtesy of Wanda Reign on the Bund

Hot China Hotels for DestinAsian’s Luxe List

At Check-in Asia, we’re often asked to nominate, judge and share our favourite new hotels in the destinations we cover. Among our top five picks for 2016 in China are: Wanda Reign on the Bund, Alila Anji, CHAO Beijing, Park Hyatt Hangzhou and The Parisian Macao. Read more about these winning properties on the DestinAsian Luxe List.

    The post Rewinding the Year of the Monkey: Part 1 appeared first on Check in Asia.

This was a fun bit of something different. Don't you listen to those Baldurians; Waterdeep is where it's at. 🌙🧙‍♀️

Sometimes it's worth a 2nd run at a piece! I'm much happier with this one. Bhaal cults sold separately. 🩸

TAG@TEN Ubiquity Bundle [BUNDLE]

Publisher: Triple Ace Games

This special bundle product contains the following titles.

Leagues of Cthulhu Regular price: $9.79 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Cthulhu dreams no longer in his house at R’lyeh Beyond the world of mortal ken lies another, a nightmare world of profane alien gods, blasphemous terrors, nightmarish tomes of eldritch lore, bloodlines tainted by elder secrets, and forgotten places whose very existence makes a mockery of established history. Welcome to that world. Peer behind the veil of sanity you call reality and inside you’ll find: * New options for characters prepared to stand against the horrors of the Lovecraft Mythos. * Dread rituals for summoning alien fiends and communing with ancient gods. * A tour of the many places spoken of in Lovecraft’s tales. * A bestiary of monsters whose existence tear down the walls of sanity. * Advice ... Leagues of Gothic Horror Regular price: $13.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Light your lamp, check the doors and windows are locked, and prepare to enter a world where the arcane and occult are very real. For all of mankind’s advances in science, the world remains a realm of mystery and supernatural occurrences. The Victorian Era is the age of sinister fictional and historical villains, such as Count Dracula, Mr. Hyde, and Jack the Ripper, and an age when interest in the occult reaches new heights. This major expansion to Leagues of Adventure is one of restless spirits and haunted houses, crumbling castles and Gothic architecture, fog-shrouded streets and deep forests, decadence and decay, secrets and madness, in which the supernatural defies the rationality of science and cold logic. Within ... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Apparitions Regular price: $6.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Beyond the veil of mortal sight lies a world of entities that do far more than just go bump in the night! For every person alive today, a score or more have gone before him. Little wonder then that stories of ghosts date back to the earliest days of civilization. This sourcebook is a detailed guide to ghosts and other haunting spirits for the Ubiquity roleplaying system. Pierce the veil betwixt the worlds of the living and the dead and you will find: An overview of ghosts throughout history Information on the creation and identification of specters How to create haunted houses 34 ghostly powers, allowing you to customize haunting spirits 31 sample ghosts, from banshees to wraiths 13 unique apparitions Two new occult tomes and one new ri... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Guide to Mordavia Regular price: $7.69 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Mordavia, a land blighted by vampires and werewolves, insane cultists, and mad scientists. Nestled in the mountains of Eastern Europe, Mordavia is a land where the supernatural is very real. From foreboding forests to crumbling castles, remote hamlets to the gas-lit capital itself, every nook and cranny holds a dark secret, as do the people who dwell in this accursed land. The book details the natives and customs of Mordavia, provides dozens of spooky locales, includes profiles for some of the more notable inhabitants and wicked cults, and gives the GM dozens of adventure seeds. Compatible with other Ubiquity settings... Leagues of Gothic Horror: Ministry of Unusual Affairs Regular price: $7.69 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Do you have what it takes to safeguard the Empire from evil magicians, perverse cults, and supernatural creatures? Working behind the scenes to protect the British Empire from these insidious threats is the Ministry of Unusual Affairs. Inside this handbook you’ll discover the centuries-long history of the Ministry, tour the many departments responsible for fighting evil, explore how to borrow contents from the Ministry’s fabled Collection of arcane relics, and be taught how to cover up supernatural occurrences for reasons of public safety. You’ll even get to meet some of the many agents who defend Great Britain and her colonies against supernatural threats. Compatible with other Ubiquity settings... AFO Adventure Compendium One – Le Mousquetaire Dishonore Regular price: $9.09 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF Revenge is a dish best served cold! Le Mousquetaire Déshonoré is a four part adventure campaign for the musketeer roleplaying game —All For One Régime Diabolique. At its core, Le Mousquetaire Déshonoré is a tale of revenge involving a former King’s Musketeer. Thrown out of the company for being caught in the act of a heinous crime, Delmar Boulanger blames four musketeers for his ouster. Vigorously resisting his arrest Boulanger was severely disfigured during a fight and lost an eye. This bitter and disgraced musketeer spent a little over a decade learning to fight with one eye and plotting his revenge. Each adventure in this amazing campaign follows his path to revenge! All for One: Régime Diabolique is the award-winning musk... All for One: Régime Diabolique Regular price: $12.24 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: Watermarked PDF The year is 1636 and France is a troubled nation. A great and terrible evil gnaws at its core. Darkness stalks the land. All that stands between chaos and order are the King's Musketeers. Explore a France of swashbuckling action, powerful magic, daring deeds, courtly intrigue, witty repartee, and vile monsters! The characters are France's bravest and proudest defenders, the King's Musketeers. Pitted against them is a plethora of corrupt nobles, black magicians, fell demons, and twisted secret societies. Set at the height of power of Cardinal Richelieu and Louis XIII, All for One: Régime Diabolique mixes the action of literary works such as the Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers with horror and intrigue to create a unique, vibrant setting. The high-actio... Leagues of Adventure - Core Rules Regular price: $13.99 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Leagues of Adventure a rip-roaring setting of exploration and derring-do in the late Victorian Age! Leagues of Adventure is a roleplaying game set in the late Victorian Age, a gritty steampunk game where the hostile natives are a serious threat, a pulp action game where the characters eat savage warriors for breakfast, a highly cinematic one which allows the characters to swing single-handedly from the underside of an early airship while bare-knuckle boxing pterodactyls over a lost plateau. Truth be told, it’s whatever you want it to be! Whatever drives your character, there’s a world packed with danger, excitement, and mystery out there waiting to be explored! So take an action packed trip into the world of Leagues of Adventure!... Leagues of Adventure - Plateau of the Ape Men Regular price: $5.87 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF Welcome to Leagues of Adventure a rip-roaring setting of exploration and derring-do in the late Victorian Age! This is an age where the world is slowly shrinking. Colonial powers are extending their grip on Africa and Asia, brave men and women are venturing ever further into the great wildernesses in search of lost civilizations, new species of plants and animals, and to map the unexplored tracts. Travel between the great population centers has never been so easy, yet travel into the wilderness remains fraught with danger and mystery. this quickstart edition specially produced for uk games expo 2011 contains: •    an introduction to ubiquity. •    two short adventures. •    six sample characters. •   ... Leagues of Adventure Weird Science Compendium Regular price: $4.89 Bundle price: $3.00 Format: PDF The Industrial Revolution has given way to the Age of Weird Science! From lone eccentrics working in garden sheds to government-funded research projects, weird scientists are producing ever more useful, and wacky, ways to improve (and end) the lives of citizens. Whether you need a device to aid globetrotting or a more efficient way to kill your enemies, help is at hand! This supplement contains new material covering : 5 New Leagues 43 Weird science gadgets 14 Unique weapons 3 Crazy Vehicles 2 Amazing Living creations 3 New Sample player characters We also include a page of henchmen with a scientific bent! The devices follow the same format as per the core rules, giving players the information they need to create their own variants or improve existing models. In addition,...

Total value:$92.23Special bundle price:$30.00Savings of:$62.23 (67%)

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