This Week’s Hubble Image: Care and Feeding of a Black Hole

Nucleus of Galaxy Centaurus A

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Escape from Borka (Book Excerpt)

It was over.  The Champion of Clan Bloodfist looked over the flotsam and jetsam that had once been the greatest fleet in the history of the Scro Empire, shattered and broken like so many forgotten toys.  At least, they would be if the blood and body parts weren’t floating serenely between them.  His blood brother Corin, the clan leader, was no longer pouring blood from the wound in his throat where a stray shard of broken metal from their shattered rail had pierced it, but he was still unconscious and whether or not he would live or die remained very much anybody’s guess, especially since the healer was only Sarga’s acolyte.  Sarga was dead, killed when their primary helm was crushed by rough-hewn accelerator shot.  They were adrift in the Void, and all around them the noose tightened as the butterfly-shaped vessels of the Imperial Elven Navy Fleet, easily three times the numbers they had any reason to suspect, swarmed the outer limits of the shattered remains of Borka, prepared to pick them off if they dared to navigate the dangerous, oddly floating rocks and escape their deadly trap.

“Helm’s down, sir!” Thorgir, their Artillery Commander, bellowed too loudly through his ringing ears.  “Shall I get some straws?”

The Unhuman Wars as Allegories of History, Part 2

Elven Navy Officers. Image from the Spelljammer comic.

Since I have already likened the elves to the British in my first article in this series, which focused on the similarities between the Unhuman Wars and the World Wars, it would be consistent if I could say that the Elven Imperial Navy was an allegory for the British Royal Navy; and I believe I can.  The Unhuman Wars represent the major historical conflicts of the British Royal Navy; namely, the Anglo-Spanish War and the Napoleonic Wars.

Mercenaire Toronien

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The Wartusker (Part 2)

Crew of the Wartusker

CAPTAIN – ‘Manmauler’ Olarf is an ogre chieftain with these characteristics: AC 4 (chain armor & shield); HD 7+1; hp ; #ATT 1; DMG 1d10+9; AL CE; EXP 1,400; STR 19, INT 6, CHA 5. Wears chain mail and carries a shield. Olarf is armed with a bastard sword +2. He wears a gold ring set with four small amethysts (500 gp) which is a Ring of Fire Resistance. He has a pouch with 25 pp, 33 gp, 75 sp, and 6 uncut topazes (value: 120 gp each). Olarf is the largest (and strongest!) ogre aboard the Wartusker, whose wide girth cannot be fully contained by his filthy red sash. Olarf is also quite stupid, boorish, and cruel. Ironically, he believes himself to be a great captain, a brilliant tactician, and the gods’ gift to women. Woe be any woman who falls into Olarf’s clutches; many have died due to his ‘affection’.

The Wartusker (Part 1)

Ogre Mammoth
Built By: Ogres
Used By: Ogres
Tonnage: 90 tons
Hull Points: 90
Crew: 42 Ogres, 4 Ogre Magi, 6 Orogs, 4 Half-ogres, 60 Orcs
Maneuver Class: E
Landing-Land: Yes
Landing-Water: No
Armor Rating: 4
Saves As: Thick Wood
Power Type: Type III Minor Helm
Ship’s Rating:
Armament:
6 Heavy Ballista (2FS, 2FP, 2A)
2 Heavy Catapult (P, S)
1 Heavy Jettison (A)
Blunt Ram
Cargo Capacity: 36 tons
Keel: 135′
Beam: 45′

Worldbuilding for Believability

http://www.ariefarnam.com/books/2014/11/16/writing-workshop-series-worldbuilding-for-believability

Advice for DMs!

This Week’s Hubble Image: Black Holes Revealed

Read the full story by clicking on the image!

The Unhuman Wars as Allegories of History: Part 1

Man-O-War vs. Mantis by Tilaurin. Source: http://lost.spelljammer.org/.

The Unhuman Wars are, in my opinion, some of the most interesting and sophisticated story elements ever to come out of D&D.  That’s because they are allegories for historical events.  One of the most significant allegories is the comparison between them and our World Wars.

SJA4 Under the Dark Fist (2e) at RPG Now!

Click on the link for the download!

Few creatures inhabiting the realms of Greyspace, Krynnspace, and Realmspace know (or even dream) of each other’s existence. Fewer still understand the celestial bonds they secretly share.

As the worlds of men and elves, dwarves and dragons are about to discover, no less than twelve unknown spheres stand poised for wars. . . a war as unexpected as it will be devastating!

Twelve spheres against three?hardly fair odds. But then again, Emperor Vulkaran the Dark, Master of the Twelve Spheres and Ruler of All Known Space, doesn’t like a fair fight. He’s never fought one yet!
Under the Dark Fist, a 64-page adventure for the Spelljammer setting, provides enough material to wage an intergalactic war across 15 spheres! It can be used as an epic stand-alone adventure or easily incorporated into an existing campaign. This challenging adventure is recommended for experienced players and referees.

This adventure is designed for a party of four to eight characters, levels 10 to 14.