Fear and Loathing in Greyhawk

I’m back. Back from the U.S.A and the best four days in gaming. Still trying to process it all. I have a d1000 yard stare and am feeling…otherwise. Had a great time. I write for a company called GCT Studios and was manning their booth at GenCon. They produce Bushido-the Game, ( a table-top miniature skirmish game of an Asian bent, as well as a board game called, Rise of the Kage) not to be confused with the 70’s RPG of the same name. Firstly, it’s a long way from Cape Town to Chicago. A long way indeed. Secondly, well, they say things are always bigger in America, but fuck me, you lot aren’t kidding, are you?

GenCon was mad. I won’t bang on about it, you lot know the score. Met some really great people at the booth. Met some absolute twats. Turned loads of people onto our product, pimped and pushed the GenCon specials whenever possible, and did some great business. Our miniatures on display were wildly successful and pulled hundreds of people into the booth to learn a little more. I managed to network as planned, and have filled up my writing calendar with enough paid work to keep me busy for the next twelve to fourteen months.

Because of the scarcity of RPG material in South Africa, I had a shopping list the length of an  elephant’s todger. Big thanks to the lads at DCC for my purchases, and to Games Plus for seeing me right with my collectibles. I have now plugged all the holes in my immediate collection... but I see more purchases on the horizon, regardless. I also picked up an excellent copy of Outdoor Survival for my OD&D game from the lovely people at Noble Knight.

Who ate all the pies?

Once we finished the show, it was off on a road-trip to Ground Zero. ‘Bloody hell,’ I thought, ‘this is Greyhawk…’, as we turned into the more pastoral and bucolic lands of Lake Geneva. We parked the car and went meandering around the town looking for the sites. We stopped at the Horticultural Hall to see where GenCon 1 took place, back in 1968.

GenCon then.

GenCon now

Then it was a short stroll to where it all began. It’s a modest house. White, wooden clad. I wanted to knock on the door and see what was on the inside, but I thought that would just be rude, not everyone shares my passion for D&D in all its many fashions. So I took some snaps and tried to imagine what had gone on there, all those long years ago. I’m glad I went to see the town and the little things that mean so much to me.

 I met a few people who used to game with him, and a few who referred to him as, ‘Oh, Gary What’s-his-face’.  And so it goes. We spent the night drinking the King of Beers, listening to the frogs and cicadas come up as the sun slowly went down. It was pleasant. I’ll be back next year at GenCon, just like the Pie-Man, selling his wares. I don’t think I will return to Lake Geneva until the sculpture/statue is up. Once was good enough. We headed up to Chicago and stayed in a place that looked like the Hotel from the Shining, and reminded us of the Bates Motel at its finest. Needless to say we escaped, unscathed. Then it was plane after plane, mile after mile, until the wholesome sight of Table Mountain appeared over the left-wing of the plane. A simple matter of touchdown and I was home. Knackered, but well worth it. See y'all, next year.

"Above there is no ending

For the Vodka spinning Mir

All that is is passing

And now is never here

So keep on raging

You frenzied pioneers

No time for the wringing of hands

Strange faced ambassadors, strike up the band

Bust out that Dom Perignon

Johnnie Walker Red on that fairway lawn

Remember tripping on the fourth of July?

Exploding octopuses in disguise?

They picked you up and they never let you down.

Everyone's forgiven in the land of Pleasant Living now.

Yuri Garagin sends

His kindest regards

How those Yankees doing?

Still Rock and Roll and Fancy cars?

But onto pressing matters

Such as the gluttony of the starving stars.

No time for the wringing of hands

Strange faced ambassadors, strike up the band

Bust out that Dom Perignon

Jonnie Walker Red on that fairway lawn

Remember tripping on the fourth of July?

Exploding octopuses in disguise?

They picked you up and they never let you down.

Everyone's forgiven in the land of Pleasant Living now."  - Clutch.

Gencon Ho!

“Right. Right. Well, if you do see a flying UFO, these government men come and tell you off,” said Adam, getting back into his stride. “In a big black car. It happens all the time in America.”    The Them nodded sagely. Of this at least they had no doubt. America was, to them, the place that good people went to when they died. They were prepared to believe that just about anything could happen in America.              Good Omens.

Tickets booked. Accommodation sorted. Visa granted. Gencon/America, here I come. It'll be a first for me on two fronts because I have never been to either. I will be at the Bushido booth for most of the show, demoing rules/ talking fiction/ and discussing Rise of the Kage, ( a board-game about Ninjas, stealth, and limited time to fulfill your sneaky missions) that GCT Studios Kick-Started last year. I worked on the rules for them. So, I am hoping to fill my evenings with games and good times. What to expect? Not sure, really. I have wanted to see America since I was a lad watching Disney programs  on a Sunday night before bed. The moment I saw the logo was bittersweet because I would always think, wow, that castle is real you know...yup...it's in America. And then I'd feel sad because I realised I had school in the morning. And as for Gencon, well, I have wanted to go since I saw the advert in the back of the AD&D DM's book. Once the convention is over I have a few days to kill. In all fairness, I can't really imagine that there's a hell-of-a-lot to see in Indianapolis (hey, maybe I am wrong?) so I am thinking of missioning up to Lake Geneva to see what I can see, and then off to LA for a few days.

I have my purchase wishlist ready, and I have to be careful because of the exchange rate. As it stands, one USD gets you twelve ZAR ( South African Rand), OUCH! It hurts precious, it hurts! So I am limiting myself to a copy of the Original D&D Whitebox set, a set of DCC dice, and hopefully a copy of Outdoor Survival. Boring I know, but hey, I have wanted this stuff forever! I am sure there will be other impulse purchases ( who needs food?) along the way. So, yeah, swing on past, we can chew the fat, and hopefully roll some dice together while making funny voices.

“Do you know,” he said, “my cousin said that in America there's shops that sell thirty-nine different flavours of ice cream?”

    This even silenced Adam, briefly.

    “There aren't thirty-nine flavours of ice cream,” said Pepper. “There aren't thirty-nine flavours in the whole world.”

    “There could be, if you mixed them up,” said Wensleydale, blinking owlishly. “You know. Strawberry and chocolate. Chocolate and vanilla.” He sought for more English flavours. “Strawberry and vanilla and chocolate,” he added, lamely.        Good Omens.

Healers. Curing haemorrhoids, one hot poker at a time.

"We got the kingdom, we got the key

We got the empire, now as then

We don't doubt, we don't take direction

Lucretia, my reflection, dance the ghost with me"

Leviathan: Verse VII.

Not all who are drawn to the service of the gods are blessed with the ability to cast spells. For some, all they have is their devotion when it comes to making a difference. None more so than the Sisters of Mercy.

The Sisters are a sect of cloistered healers dotted around the realm in some of the most extreme locations imaginable. The order is old, hierarchical, and completely unrecognised by the larger churches who merely pretend to do good work among the poor and the impoverished. The Sisters work tirelessly in the frontier towns and borderlands healing the sick without spells, scrolls, phylacteries, or potions. Instead, they practice the unsanctioned art of medicine.

At the head of the Order of The Sisters of Mercy is the, Lucretia.  A title awarded to only the most devout, the Lucretia oversees the day to day operations of the Sisters, traveling from province to province visiting the temples, and assisting where she can. She is accompanied by her second-in-command, the Mortal Penitent.

The Sisters specialise in mostly mundane medical procedures like fixing broken bones or curing colds and humours, but some procedures require a more modern approach.

Cataract Removal. Initially, before the Sisters of Mercy perfected this treatment, a large needle was stuck through the cornea removing the lens from the eye pushing it all the way to the bottom of the socket. One misstep, and the sufferer was apt to be blinded instead of cured. However, a Sister who had returned from the Burning Lands used a different approach. A large hypodermic needle was inserted into the eyeball and the cataract was sucked out, instead of just being moved. This proved to be almost effective every time it was done. The cataracts would then be placed in a dish of warm milk, seasoned with cat urine, and sold onto magic users for spell components.

Haemorrhoids (also colloquially known as ’the goblin who lives in my anus’).  There are many treatments for this affliction, one is as simple as paying a halfling to  pull them off, but what has become even more effective, is the hot poker. The subject must disrobe, bend over, pull their cheeks apart and try not to move (or scream) as a large, hot poker, is inserted into the afflicted area. Cauterisation begins immediately. They say you haven’t lived until you have had this treatment. I’ve spoken to someone who’s taken an axe to the head as well as the poker treatment. He said he’d gladly take the axe, every time. 

Bloodletting. If you’ve been bitten by a giant rat, or spider, or anything that causes disease, then bloodletting is generally the only cure. A more sedate way of combating any blood borne malady is by using leeches, or tiny flail-snails. The critters are placed on the afflicted area and left to suck the blood from the patient. A quicker, more sure-fire way is of course, venesection. A vein is opened up and the blood is drained into a bowl. After 18 bowls have been drained, the patient will become faint, and collapse to the floor in good health. Bed rest and light duty is required for the rest of the month. No combat.

Arrow removal. Who hasn’t been hit by an arrow? Every adventurer worth his salt has a few scars to show. But what actually happens to the arrow heads once the party cleric has cast ‘Cure Wounds’? Are they still stuck inside? Most arrows are attached to the shaft by warm bees wax. When the wax has set, the arrow can be handled as normal, but when it is inside someone, and they pull on the shaft to try and remove it, the head comes off. Again, another invention from the Burning Lands has the answers: the arrow spoon. The spoon is inserted into the wound and covers the arrowhead completely, thus allowing it to be pulled out without doing further damage.

Constipation. A common ailment among deep delvers and dungeoneers is constipation. Surviving on iron rations for weeks at a time will do that to you. A Clyster is the answer. A Clyster is a long metal tube with a cup on the end to hold the appropriate liquid medication. The thin end of the tube is inserted where the sun doesn’t shine, and several cups of tepid boar’s bile, is poured into the cup. If this doesn’t do the trick, nothing will.

Flesh wounds. Axes, swords, daggers, they all leave their mark. Urine and vinegar is applied directly to the wound to clean out any bits of skin or amour before the wound is closed. If it is shallow enough, the wound can be sewn back together with catgut. If deeper however, then cauterisation is your only answer. And yes, it’s the same poker they use for combating haemorrhoids.

Head wounds. If the skull is damaged, it inevitably leads to brain swelling, and death. In order to alleviate the pressure, a hole is drilled into the skull. This was invented by sister Trepanus, hence the procedure is known as Trepanning. It is also effective in banishing demons and ending Charm spells. A tight fitting cloth cap must be worn at all times to stop birds from using the hole as a nest.

Anesthetic. A healthy dose of hemlock, mixed with arsenic and goats vomit  is  prescribed to kill the pain. If none of these are available, then consume an inordinate amount of ale, wine, or spirits. 

  

Back adjustment from years of wearing heavy armour and sleeping on the ground.

Bloodletting.

A Clyster

Hemorrhoid removal

Trepanning

  

 

Arrow spoon

Traditions. Part 1.

"It is tradition that before a warrior enters a new dungeon for the first time, that he kiss the pommel of his sword three times while reciting the Oath of Combat. Or, if the fighter uses another type of weapon, then they should kiss the head of it, thrice, while reciting the same oath.

Upon receiving a new shield, it is tradition that a fighter spend one full evening (alone) polishing it with filigree grease if it is predominately metal, or oiling it with a mixture of willow sap and linseed oil if it is wood. During this time, they must not speak to anyone in the party, or their shield may break during their first skirmish.

A new weapon traditionally requires a drop of the new owner’s blood on the blade, as well as an evening in their bed. It should also be given two names: one to be used in polite conversation, the other, when the two are alone, and the person finds they have to give it a bit of a pep talk for letting them down. The secret name is its true name and is descriptive of it inner nature. The public name is for generating interest and fear around such a weapon. Both names should be bold.

When new armour is worn for the first time, tradition dictates the person rub ashes all over it to take away some of its lustre. This does not include, leather or padded armour. Preferably the ashes should be from the forge where it was made. If this is not possible, then any ashes will do, as long as they are still slightly warm. Once the armour is completely lacking in sheen, the wearer must walk backwards through any doorway reciting the prayer of protection in reverse. Once completed the armour can be buffed back up to its original shine.

If however, the armour is primarily made of leather, the tradition is somewhat different, as well as practical. It is to be  soaked in a equal mixture of  ale and horse piss to allow it to soften and mold itself to the wearer's body. 

Traditionally, a newly forged helmet requires a good dousing in sheep’s brains to ward off unlucky head shots. The brains should be mashed into a wooden bucket, along with the eyeballs of the same sheep. A handful of its dung is next, then a flagon of its blood. Mix thoroughly and leave to stand for one full evening. In the morning, while the dew still lies on the ground, submerge the helmet into the bucket and leave until sunset of that evening. Then take it out, give it a good clean, and hey presto, off you go.

When breaking in new pair of leather boots, tradition dictates that you fill them with your own urine to soften the leather, and disguise your scent from devils and demons that seek to waylay you on the road of life. It sounds counterintuitive, masking your scent, with your scent, but I don’t make the traditions, I merely describe them.

When a fighter finds themselves in the lists for hand-to-hand melee, it is tradition that they wipe lampblack under their eyes to ward off the suns glare. Also, they should be clean shaven. This tradition goes back to the times of Xelander the Conqueror, who slew his nemesis with ease, by grabbing him by his beard and lopping off his head." 

Traditions and Trials by Arms by Arik Red-Eye

Loot & Scoot. Killing Is My Business, And Business Is Good. Damn Their Eyes & Pass the Brown M&M’s!

I run a monthly AD&D game for my friends, and because of this, I try and make it an occasion for my players. Those of you that have seen my table can attest to this. But our last game I thought I would do something different, something…simple. If we were a band then this session would be our unplugged album instead of our usual full-on, theatrical world tour complete with smoke, lasers, dancing Ewoks, and a stage rider FULL of brown M&M’s.

 Why the sudden change I hear the crowd, roar? Well, because I wanted that night to be just plain and simple and fun. Nothing more, nothing less.

 Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying our regular games aren’t a barrel of laughs, they are,  I swear, but that night I wanted us to be KISS… KISS without the makeup. Why? So we could just focus on the music for a change instead of the show.

 It’s partly my fault.  I tend to get caught up a few days before the game and create these fekkin’ elaborate missions and set pieces, and then I sit there trying my hardest to make sure that everyone else is having fun, that I forget to have fun myself.

So, as I said, this night was different. I bought some large bits of cardboard, colour-copied some dungeon tiles, gathered all my Hirst/Warhammer/LOTR bits-and-bobs and made a huge dungeon for them to go through. I pulled out all my Mantic/LOTR/Reaper miniatures and went to town. We had Beholders, Serpent Gods, Zombies by the score, Statues breathing fire, and Statues breathing cold, to name but a few.

The premise was simple: Seven Keys need to be collected for them to enter the Tomb of the Foreign God. Each key was around the neck of a Boss type creature that they had to slay to get the key. Every room had a monster, every corridor a trap, it was Hack and Slash in its purest form. And? It was glorious.

Everyone knew where they stood from the outset because I told them that it was going to be ‘Loot & Scoot’, nothing more complicated than that. If it moves? Beat it. If it sparkles? Take it. If it looks like a trap? It probably is. I also let them roll for their own treasure using Kelvin Green’s really cool Drop Table. My players had never seen one before so there was the added excitement of that as well. I rolled in the open too, and that really made them sit up and take notice. 

The result of that night? Well, it was carnage on both fronts. The thief got sneak-attacked by a vampire of my own creation and lost four points of intelligence. We lost a fighter/squire to a Crypt-Keeper, (a level draining Mummy type beastie) who also managed to drain two entire levels from the ranger as well as the already maimed thief. 

One of the mages went off wandering where he shouldn’t have been wandering, and woke what shouldn’t have been woken. It slithered, cast a sleep spell, and is about to eviscerate him, oh, and I almost forgot, I used my Mask Table. I rolled, and they found the Mask of the Whipping Boy. This promptly got stuck on Felonious’ face for a joke… well, let’s just say that no one’s laughing now!

In short? A great time was had by all, and I felt that I got to relieve a little steam from the pressure cooker. You couldn’t do this for every session because you’d just get bored with it, but for once in a while? I highly recommend it.

Random Encounters at a Ki'Afran Watering Hole. Dusk and Dawn.

It’s hot. The sun beats down without mercy. You need to drink or die; Ki’Afra is not for the weak. There, on the horizon... another mirage? Praise be! It’s a watering hole! But wait, what’s that? In the shadow, it’s...

1) A pride of young ,drunk, heavily armoured lion warriors out celebrating their first human kill
2) A posse of outlaw jackals, hiding from the law after boosting a shipment of stones sent from the mines in the Mountains of the Moon
3) A Hyena Necromancer leading a troop of Un-dead Stygians chained hand and foot.
4) A Crash of Rhinoceros Bounty Hunters out hunting Babel the Despoiler- scourge of the Savannah-who are willing to pay for any information you may have on his whereabouts. It’s just unfortunate that one of the party is the spitting image of the man they seek
5) A Vulture Sorcerer taking measurements of the horizon, the longitude, the latitude, and the arc of the setting twin suns
6) A dazed and confused Norse God very far from home
7) A troupe of Monkey Mimes on their way to the Palace of Reeds to perform for the King
8) A caravan of Spice merchants going South following the Dogge Star
9) An Ivory Palanquin, being carried by a bevy of fully armed Amazons. Reclining behind silk curtains is their Queen, Shalla-Bal the Silver
10) A nervous Herald of Zambambia on his way to the Court of the Cannibal King for dinner...
11) A Pure white heron, an emissary of the Ki’Afran Fey
12) A Dream-weed smuggler, guarded by a pack of highly trained Hawk-men
13) A slumbering crocodile berserker
14) A pride of Royal Sabre-tooth-tigers, sitting in the shade, being fanned by their human slaves
15) Ra, the Sun-God, who is weary of his eternal toil and is desperately looking for someone to take his place

16) A giant, spell-weaving arachnid, hiding in the baobab trees surrounding the watering hole
17) A Red-Back Gorilla Gladiator and his master, on their way to the Arena of Shadow and Dust to win their freedom
18) A troop of degenerate gambling Meerkats who are looking for outsiders to join a game that’s in its seventy third hour
19) A second-hand flying carpet salesman from Marrakech
20) A tall, glowing, green man, standing in the middle of the water, sucking it up through his fingers
21) A mosquito assassin, lying supine, resting, and smoking a calabash after his last kill
22) The watering hole is empty, except for the rotting corpses of men and animals everywhere. The water is actually a colossal Water-Weird
23) A Wormhole Wizard who only speaks in colours
24) The fertility goddess Isis, crying and upset at the loss of her lover
25) A boy-child, floating in a basket made from dead locusts
26) A pious of Praying- Mantis-Clerics, fighting a group of un-dead, ravening, warthogs
27) An Ebony Statue of Sorrow; if anyone pours water from the watering hole at its feet, they receive a +1 to all Saves for the next day, also, the statue will then smile until sunrise and sing out if danger approaches
28) A giant Scorpion, hiding under the sand, waiting for its next meal
29) A Veld Giant, with a pack of slobbering jackals, out hunting Quaggas
30) A herd of Wildebeest, with glowing eyes, and smouldering hooves, waiting for the sun

The above can be used at dusk, the following at dawn.

1)      A giant two-headed snake, hiding in the shade of the trees, waiting for the unwary to approach. It will silence its prey quickly then constrict the life out of them before swallowing them whole

2)      A Bard, playing a primal gourd-like instrument , chanting continuously, while a dust devil dances at his feet and around the campfire

3)      A giant, jewel encrusted throne made from beaten gold and platinum. Sitting upon it, is the mighty pachyderm god, Oliphant, surrounded by his court of armoured elephant warriors on their way to make war on their troublesome neighbours in the Kingdom of the Ghouls. You have been commanded to fight by the gods side, lest you be killed for being spies of the Ghoul King, R’Abid

4)      A lone farmer, and his son, fighting off a four-headed hydra. The farmer is actually a Lord of Karma, and will reward those for their good deeds, but punish those you are selfish and think only of themselves

5)      A giant trapdoor spider, who has built its trap right at the water’s edge to catch the unwary

6)      A troupe of ‘Old Men of the Mountains’, a venerable group of Baboon illusionists who are on their way to perform for the gods of the Silent Valley

7)      A giant, Ki’Afran clawed toad (called a Plattanna) submerged stealthily in the water. It’s tongue is strong enough to drag a fully armoured warrior to their doom

8)      The watering hole is empty, except for the rotting corpses of men and animals everywhere. The water is poisoned.

9)      A Calamity of Orc poachers out hunting for ivory on the King’s lands

10)   A larceny of inter-dimensional thieves, disguised as priests from the nearby monastery, who will rob you blind...literally, they will steal your sight

11)   A cloud of locusts, as per the spell for insects and their swarm, but this kind eat everything, even metal...in fact ,they cherish it above all else

12)   A Dazzle of Zebra-men, who are actually expert pickpockets and will rob you blind before you can say...,

13)   A Coalition of Cheetah spies, getting the lay of the land before the invasion, but now that they have told you, they will have to kill you

14)   A Journey of three Giraffe Sages, bearing gifts for the god king born to the east under a celestial black hole

15)   A group of small, emerald, scarab beetles, rolling a collection of tiny stars, moons, and glowing yellow suns, around the swirling, milky white water; entering the water will transport the group to another plane of existence entirely

16)   A Committee of crooked Vultures in talks on what to charge for use of the watering hole and its arboreal amenities

17)   A Rain Goddess of the veld, engaged in discourse with the Queen of the Leopards

18)   A slave trader, on the run from his former master, regretting his life decisions

19)   Alaine Quatermein, the famous Big-Game Hunter, searching for the Elephants Graveyard

20)   A Nuaranain Princess, with a red right hand, sworn to usurp her father. She is waiting for her army to arrive. She has space for more if you are interested

21)   A Royal astronomer, from the Court of the Crimson King, plotting the celestial movement of a falling angel

22)   An Impi of highly trained Zulu warriors, hot on the heels of a group of cattle rustlers

23)   The world famous explorer, Marku Polu, who took a left when he should have taken a right

24)   A dozing Tyrannosaurus Rex

25)   A fraud of snake-oil salesman, who are really pleased to see you. Suspiciously so...

26)   A low lying bank of mist descends as you approach the watering hole. When it finally lifts, one of your group are missing

27)   A drunken, armoured, elephant pirate, who swears his undying love to you

28)   A black and white stripped beholder, hanging around, trying to blend in

29)   A shepherd and his flock of Halfling goats

30)   A slither of Mamba-men, waiting for Queen Slang to descend from the sky above

The Week that Was

Inspiration

The Realms on parade

Thief, Mage, Cleric, and Ranger. Oh, and Demon.

Getting ready to write.

The tools of the trade

DM's Station

Gaming Table

First Hex Done

Waste Weird

WW

Refuse Ray

Frog/Hobbit. Froggit? Hrog? I like Hrog myself.

Ragged Tooth Shark

Haai!

Afflictions & Ailments of Hex 19.17, to be found in the Tenkar's Landing Crowdsourced Sandbox Setting.

Ferryman’s Fever: Caused by drinking unclean water. What you can expect: Explosive vomiting, the goblins, high fever, shaking, sweating, tremors, and delirium. Once contracted this will lay you out for at least a fortnight. If the infected is a part of a group and is monitored daily, it is likely he /she will survive. If the person is on their own then death will more than likely occur.

Swamp Foot/ Zombie Foot: Caused by constant immersion in swamp water or wearing wet boots all the time. What you can expect: Skin becomes pale and infected and starts to rot. Toes/Heel/Bridge swell and will burst if left untreated. Amputation is usually necessary. Movement is initially halved then becomes non-existent unless carried.

Widows Waltz: Caused by the bite of the lesser known bloedsuier leech. What you can expect: An almost catatonic state. The sufferer will not be able to sit, but will instead and shuffle around constantly, moving from side to side as if in a slow dance. They will moan, and drool, and talk aloud to those long since departed.

Bloedsuier Leech

Crazy Eyes: Caused by the bite of the maalhied worm as it lays its eggs inside your bloodstream. What you can expect: The parasites will attach themselves to the nerves controlling the eyes and make the individual stare, wink, blink, and roll their eyes uncontrollably before death. No known cure exists, only magic.

The eyes. They're crazy.

Star Crossed Sorrow: Caused by the maalhied worm as detailed above, however, a certain portion of the parasites rest in the outer layers of the heart rather than the eyes. What to expect: Nothing at first. In fact, this usually manifests itself months after initial infection, but will eventually cause the heart to stop beating resulting in death. Folklore says the person died of a broken heart after being spurned by their lover.

No Sleep ‘Till, (Insert name of hometown here): No one knows how it is caught. What to expect: No sleep. Ever. Until you die. Initial symptoms are irritability, anger, extreme yawning. Then over the following days it becomes melancholy, lethargy, headaches, hallucinations, and finally after about 14-20 days, death.

The Morning after the Night before: Caused by the complete over-consumption of swamp intoxicants and pollutants. What to expect: The initial stages manifest in loud singing, cursing, craving for food at odd hours, slurred speech and a general bohemian outlook on life; then comes the swearing of eternal love and friendship and a lack of sound judgement.  Often followed with explosive vomiting and the occasional bout of the goblins.  The patient will then collapse and sleep, while snoring loudly for several hours. The morning after the night before finds the patient almost entirely unresponsive, communicating monosyllabically or even just grunting. Zero memory of what happened the night before. Delirium tremens, excessive shaking, an almost green reptilian cast to the features, more vomiting, more bouts of the goblins and a propensity to swear off drinking anything, ever again...until the next time, of course.Oh, and somehow they were pick pocketed, because all their gold is gone.

More information on the Hex here in a previous post : Hex 19.17

Cape Town has a Castle shaped like a Pentagram...how Cthulhu is that?

Nestled in the shadow of Table Mountain is South Africa's very own Castle,and it is shaped like a pentagram. How Cthulhu is that? A fitting post for Halloween if ever there was.

But I will let Wikipedia take over for a bit, " The Castle of Good Hope (Dutch: Kasteel de Goede Hoop; Afrikaans: Kasteel die Goeie Hoop) is a star fort built in the 17th century in Cape Town, South Africa. Originally located on the coastline of Table Bay, following land reclamation the fort is now located inland. In 1936 the Castle was declared an historical monument (now a provincial heritage site) and following restorations in the 1980s it is considered the best preserved example of a Dutch East India Company fort.

Built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679, the Castle is the oldest existing colonial building in South Africa. It replaced an older fort called the Fort de Goede Hoop which was constructed from clay and timber and built by Jan van Riebeeck upon his arrival at the Cape of Good Hope in 1652. Two redoubts, Redoubt Kyckuit and Redoubt Duijnhoopwere built at the mouth of the Salt River in 1654. The purpose of the Dutch settlement in the Cape was to act as a replenishment station for ships passing the treacherous coast around the Cape on long voyages between the Netherlands and the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia).

During 1664, tensions between Britain and the Netherlands rose amid rumours of war. That same year, Commander Zacharias Wagenaer, successor to Jan van Riebeeck, was instructed by Commissioner Isbrand Goske to build a pentagonal fortress out of stone. The first stone was laid on 2 January 1666. Work was interrupted frequently because the Dutch East India Company was reluctant to spend money on the project. On 26 April 1679, the five bastions were named after the main titles of William III of Orange-Nassau: Leerdam to the west, with Buuren, Katzenellenbogen, Nassau, and Oranje clockwise from it.

In 1682 the gated entry replaced the old entrance, which had faced the sea. A bell tower, situated over the main entrance, was built in 1684—the original bell, the oldest in South Africa, was cast in Amsterdam in 1697 by the East-Frisian bellmaker Claude Fremy, and weighs just over 300 kilograms (660 lb). It was used to announce the time, as well as warning citizens in case of danger, since it could be heard 10 kilometres away. It was also rung to summon residents and soldiers when important announcements needed to be made.

The fortress housed a church, bakery, various workshops, living quarters, shops, and cells, among other facilities. The yellow paint on the walls was originally chosen because it lessened the effect of heat and the sun. A wall, built to protect citizens in case of an attack, divides the inner courtyard, which also houses the De Kat Balcony, which was designed by Louis Michel Thibault with reliefs and sculptures by Anton Anreith. The original was built in 1695, but rebuilt in its current form between 1786 and 1790. From the balcony, announcements were made to soldiers, slaves and burghers of the Cape. The balcony leads to the William Fehr collection of paintings and antique furniture.

During the Second Boer War (1899–1902), part of the castle was used as a prison, and the former cells remain to this day. Fritz Joubert Duquesne, later known as the man who killed Kitchener and the leader of the Duquesne Spy Ring, was one of its more well-known residents. The walls of the castle were extremely thick, but night after night, Duquesne dug away the cement around the stones with an iron spoon.( I wonder what poster he used to cover the hole?) He nearly escaped one night, but a large stone slipped and pinned him in his tunnel. The next morning, a guard found him unconscious but alive.

In 1936, the Castle was declared an historical monument (from 1969 known as a national monument and since 1 April 2000 a provincial heritage site), the first site in South Africa to be so protected. Extensive restorations were completed during the 1980s making the Castle the best preserved example of a Dutch East India Company fort.

The Castle acted as local headquarters for the South African Army in the Western Cape, and today houses the Castle Military Museum and ceremonial facilities for the traditional Cape Regiments. The Castle is also the home of the Cape Town Highlanders Regiment, a mechanised infantry unit.

Prior to being replaced in 2003, the distinctive shape of the pentagonal castle was used on South African Defence Force flags, formed the basis of some rank insignia of major and above, and was used on South African Air Force aircraft." Attributed to Wikipedia.

But that's not all! You hear me say in my best Tele-Sales voice. Just over the pass heading towards scenic Hout Bay, is another. 

This one is more earthly and less Lovecraftian in design, and is in fact a replica of the Lichtenstein Castle found in southern Germany. It used to be a guest-house but is now in the hands of a Russian Businessman and was bought for 23 Million Rand. 

Happy Halloween and Happy gaming!