In Memoriam: Father Emry Wicks

Today we remember another player character that has fallen through the years, as has been done previously by Chase, and by Charlie, and by myself (more than once).  This entry is different, however, because today I am eulogizing another player’s character.  Father Emry Wicks was the creation of my good friend Frank, for use in…

Role-Playing v. Roll-Playing: A Homophonic Death Match

As mentioned in an earlier post this month, few topics in the gaming arena get players more heated than the time-honored tensions between ‘role-playing’ and ‘roll-playing’; that is, the primary focus of a player or group of players tending toward adept acting (role, as in character) or mechanical mastery (roll, as in dice).  As I’ve…

House Rules: Using Aspects in D&D

In an earlier post, I spoke about building a D&D character using FATE’s concept of aspects. While I believe this is a worthwhile endeavor for building a coherent character, once it is done there are no mechanical benefits for having aspects for your D&D character. In this post, I’ll outline a few house rules that…

In Memoriam: Sir Quincy Barrows, Explorer

Sir Quincy Goodfellow Barrows, Nobleman and Fellow in the Royal Society, was privileged to receive a commission to lead an expedition into the wild jungles of the northern wilderness. Its rich natural resources, exotic indigenous peoples, and lush landscapes were to be mapped, cataloged, and- when possible- appropriated for the good of the kingdom that…