Falling Iron- Playtest approaches.

As I near the point at which I can release test materials for play-test groups I once more am looking at what I have here and I am so very excited and proud, even at the unfinished skeletal version of the game. I am excited to release materials and get feedback, I am also so tempted to work a bit longer and release a 80% version of the rules and setting, but I know it is better to hold a little back and keep some materials for the second round of Beta. I simply cannot wait for the day I can be sitting at a table running the first official game. I have more than a few outlets to have official release parties! Please share this blog with anyone that you feel may be interested

Falling Iron moving forward!

Falling Iron continues to march toward completion (at least to a point I can honestly say is ready for playtesting.) Skills, Talents, spell list and the monster list are all that truly remain before I can get the playtest materials prepared to send out to groups. The setting is nearly fully fleshed out. Once the playtest materials are completed I ill be fleshing every thing out even more. And finally the last step will be the Artwork. I will be doing the lion share and I think I am going to be hiring some people to do some additional pieces for the game's final version. I also will be putting together a kickstarter campaign as well.

Falling Iron. Setting teaser. first draft.

Falling Iron is a fantasy game. The genre is as bold and varied as the imaginations of those involved. Included is a setting called Aern. "Aern is a world with both kindly and treacherous Gods, legendary Heroes, myths and legends, customs, dark empires and just kingdoms. Cataclysms and disasters have shaped this world. Wars great and small have pockmarked its history. Dark forces always just at the edge of the light, wait to overtake the world. Monsters dwell in secret lairs, with gnashing claws and champing teeth. False prophets, poisoned princes and a thousand thousand other things wait to test your mettle." The setting can be used as the standard Falling Iron game world, or as a guide with which Loremasters can create their own fantastic world of adventure for their friends to explore. Strange and fantastic landscapes of imagined worlds, or twisted versions of our own world in a time forgotten long ago, all could be host to the tales told.

First rough description of the game. (sans description of the setting, waiting for copywrite)

Falling Iron is a tabletop RPG; much like Dungeons and Dragons,Worlds of Darkness, Burning Wheel, Pathfinder, etc. It is meant to immerse the players in a fantasy world; even with storytelling as the emphasis,a gritty, fast paced combat- using fluid combat and magic mechanics are included in the system. The rulebook will include everything a small group of players need to play, from the step by step character creation rules, (allowing players to make a extremely customized character, or a quickly built character to play in an impromptu game with friends) A full list of skills and talents, to further customize player characters. The rules for the players are light, stream lined and fun. Falling Iron uses a d10 system unique and easy to learn dice system which allows players to have more control of their rolls than other RPG systems. The rule book will have a section for Loremasters (those that run the game) with suggestions on play style, mood, setting, encounter and experience tables,etc. A group of players and a loremaster can use the Falling Iron setting included, or the Loremaster can use the rules to create their own world filled with adventure, strange monsters, daring deeds, heroes and villains. With 11+ races, 4 major classes with 13 sub-classes, dozens of skills and talents, 11 schools of magic and more players are able to create the character they want to delve deep in ancient ruins, hunt monsters through haunted forests, to lead a rebellion against an evil tyrants, become a legend. Included are rules for combat, magic, experience, movement, travel, survival, encounters and more to allow the Loremaster the tools to create cities, kingdoms, worlds. A Bestiary completes the book, giving the Loremaster creatures and villains to challenge the party with, haunt ancient keeps, to populate cites with and armies to overcome. The game is intended for 2 or more players ages 13+

Falling Iron, Worlds of Ether, The Acolyte and Schedules

So for years now I have been trying to avoid the obvious: without deadlines I get distracted by any shiny thing that crosses my path. It is not so much procrastination as much as a mix of ADD/worry of failure/and sheer lack of confidence that my ideas hold merit or validity. With that being said I am going to try to set some goals, some will be short term goals some a little farther out. List of Goals (aka demands on my self. Note: these goals are able to be surpassed, but must not be missed, to achieve a modicum of success) - at least 1 page of pencils on the Acolyte, per week (with the goal of 34 pages- working towards at least 1 finished issue) - falling skies spell list and Talents list done before November 15th, 2013 -world of Ether Retooling (version 3) finished by Feb 15th - 1 progress report of better yet Blog about something I have read/review of a movie, comic, art showing, album per week here on this blog. I have 11k+ views on this page anD still only 11 readers, doesn't seem possible. ~R

After a long Hiatus, Updates and news...

It has been a long time and over the course of using this tool, "blogger", I have learned more than a few things. Firstly, and most importantly, it is difficult to keep up with a Blog. Now, that seems obvious, but it now has become apparent to me that people that do them often and consistently have a massive amount of will power aimed at doing said blog, or absolutely nothing else to do. My life gets in the way all the time, and I do not have nearly as much to do as many others that run these. Perhaps there is also something to be said if it is a hobby, or something else motivates the writer. This is of course not taking the blogs attached to or entirely making up a job. Anyways, with that being said, here is what I have been up to for the better part of a year: -Left one studio, (sadly)only to join another (yay! new studio and gainful employment continuing)! -Comic on Hiatus while story is again reworked. argh. -work on a new Tabletop Roleplaying game system called Falling Iron (working title) nears test phase! -work on reworking of Larp system continues, albeit slower than originally thought and planned. - watched many many movies (which perhaps I will give my thoughts on at a later date) -got frustrated but continued to watch politics with baited breath. -continue to run 2 table top games So yep. Still working on art and music, and more but I'll write more asap.

THIS IS BAT COUNTRY: my review of Maryland Deathfest XI http://www.marylanddeathfest.com/
Maryland Deathfest (aka MDF) has been something I have been hearing about for a few years now. I have been a fan of metal since the I could walk to the 8 track player and pop in Sabbath; somehow this festival passed right under my radar, however since its inception in 2002. At first it was a very underground festival hosting only the most underground and obscure acts from the dark places of the earth (Norway, Sweden, Finland, etc.) Started as a black metal festival early on, the show in recent years has included thrash, doom, stoner, southern metal acts as well. (see link for history and the band list of former performers: http://www.marylanddeathfest.com/history.html)

So finally, I was able to attend this year. Here are my thoughts on the show goers, the merch, the bands, the food and the overall the festival, and "vibe" of MDF. (I was there for both Saturday and Sunday. I am not sure I could handle the crowds for all 4 days of the full festival.)

The show goers were generally good-natured metal heads and music nerds. The battle vests http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=battle%20jacket were everywhere from the simple black metal style (very few patches,spartan black and white unlegible logos, carefully sewn onto a black plain vest) to full on late 80's style (blue jean vest completely covered in colorful patches, usually sporting a larger full back patch, often from a band the fan only sort of likes but has a brutal or just "awesome" image. thematically these patches feature: has a mythical beast (dragons, hydra, zombies, goblins, trolls, etc), a half nude woman, a man either barechested or heavily armored (holding one/two or all of the following- a gun, sword, axe or mace), a wizard/witch, decomposing/desicated corpse, gas masked figure, nuclear mushroom cloud, a Tolkien/norse religious/dungeons and dragons reference, a reclaimed peice of grim artwork with a band logo just placed onto the art (as if the band had this grim artwork made solely for themselves, etc.

The crowd was generous, friendly and fun. Most people were able to laugh, and talk to each other (they all had the same hobby/common taste) However, there were some people that were miserable dicks(there to start fights, steal, harass women, etc) These people, though greatly out numbered did tend to form glots and become a nuisance, dancing into concert goers looking to just stand and watch, headbanging into other people, pushing, splashing beer etc.) Overall, the people were great, but if you are going to attend be forewarned, have patience of be willing to fight your way through a wall of DB to see bands you like, occasionally. The promotors, I feel, over sold the show for the venue size and therefore the crowds got out of hand more than a few times, and the crowd size was daunting.Overall grade:B-

The merch was great, colorful (and not so colorful) displayes in both outdoor tents and indoor spaces were repleat with logos and shirts and patches, some of which I have not seen ever/or in over a decade. The price for an average t-shirt is $15-$25 patches (small ones) were $5 on average, with the larger patches usually selling for $20-$25. Stickers, cd's, videos all were far less than I first thought. The cd's ranged from $1(!)-$10 with only a few special editions (wooden box set $120) fetching more. Great merch. Overall grade:A

The variety of bands this year was great. List . Bands I didn't expect to be great were- Manilla Road- think early Overkill with a very aged guitarist and high pitched vocals, and Sacred Reich a band I have seen before but were great and also funny between songs, often making fun of how "fat, old and no fun they were anymore" and how "you should have seen us back when we were awesome".

Weedeater, The Melvins and Sleep were the standouts for me, with each band really finding themselves and sounding great. Each of these three bands made the weekend for me. I am sad to say but, I was dissappointed with Ishahan's set, Pentagram's sound, and the crowd for Venom. Overall grade: B

food- Barbeque, thai food, mexican. So much great food! Vegan snacks, Beer everywhere (did I mention once inside you can drink everywhere?) Overall grade: A-

Overall grade for fest: B/B- The bands were great as was the merch and food, however the sound during some of the most legendary bands, and the crowd size took away from the festival. I feel that the festival has outgrown the present venue and they should move it to a larger area, reduce ticket sales (or get a place big enough for the crowd to be more comfortable)I will note, I did not attend the secondary shows at The Baltimore Soundstage. I do feel that perhaps the second stage take over the spot they have been using and did use for the main shows this year and the promoters find a new larger venue for the main stage. It is also important to note, the show was shut down early due to volume and a city ordinance (the promoters are claiming it changed, the ordaninace, that weekend and they didn't know that they would have to stop early. Riiiiight. .I had the thrill of later meeting Venom in person and they all stated that it was a surprise to even them. They were polite and allowed us to get pictures with Cronos. I'll be attending next year...