Game night. WOOOHOOOO!

Ok. I gotta admit. This is the one day a week I really look forward to. Tonight’s game is the Star Wars RPG by West End Games, run by Connon.

Tonight we’ll be facing dark jedi and jedi hunting baddies that don’t care what side of the force someone uses. Ships will be smashed. And durnit, I’m gonna pants someone with the force.

My character. A shaman ewok named Kennit Po. Kenni for short. He’s addicted to slurpees, the force, and wookie lovin’. All in all, he lets me bring my obnoxious side out. Which is good. It needs some exercise.

Today’s been ok workwise. Not really into it. Mostly the Monday thing. It seems like the weekend never happened, because it went by so fast.

I got some over the weekend, so that’s good. 😀 I love it when I’m just layin’ there, about ready to go to sleep, and she gets frisky. One minute I was thinking about how much I was dreading mowing lawn the next day, the next I was worrying about some things much closer to home.

I’ve decided I want to write again. Hopefully, this BLOG helps me get back in the mindframe and rolling on something. I’ve got an idea for an Exalted story-arch that might just be acceptable if I can submit it to White Wolf Publishing. I really wish they had a periodical that they put out like WotC and Palladium have.

No luck on the PT job yet. I need to be a little more agressive, but I’m really wanting to put it off until after C and I’s 2nd anniversary this Saturday.

Man. I can’t believe she’s put up with me for two years… 🙂

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A big chore…

…but I think it’ll be worth it.

I’ve decided to get a second job, and to hell with my ex if she wants to bitch about me not being around enough. I’ve got responsibilities to take care of, and that includes my son’s financial future. He needs money saved up for college, and a father that can give him the financial security he needs while he’s a kid. If she can’t live with that, then she can suffocate on her over-large ass. When she’s bearing any of the financial responsibility for herself or her kids, then I’ll worry about listening to her sorry butt.

I went around yesterday evening picking up job applications near my home. I’m hoping that the convenience store close to me won’t mind that my availability isn’t great, and will hook me up with something. It’s close enough that I could walk home after work, if I really need to. My next two choices would be the video store, or Radio Shack, simply because they’d be cake jobs.

Game last night went well. I’m tired as sin today though. I didn’t get home until midnight, and I have to get up at 5:30 to catch my ride in to work. Apparently, I’m not as young as I used to be. I think I may be elderly before my time.

Things started out kinda slow last night. I first sat down and got to work on bringing everyone back together in-game. Then sent them on to Larjyn, where in much amusement commenced. They opted to stay for a few weeks in order to avoid travelling during Calibration, an unfortunate time of year surrounded by superstition and bad luck. During the process of the game, one player reached his limit break, three lied to the local authorities, and one sat like a bump on a log.

Limit break: Solar Exalted are cursed with a major, life-threatening, character flaw. In the case of the character in question, that involves stealing. If he comes across an opportunity to play Robin Hood, and has to restrain himself for some reason, then he makes a check. Once he fails that check ten times, he goes on a shoplifting, pick-pocketing, and burglary spree that lasts for at least three days. Never thinking about anyone but himself during that time.

All in all, it was a good game, and the players did end up taking the reins for a while, which is what’s supposed to happen. It was nice to set things up and sit back while the story unfolds.

Next week is Star Wars, and I’m psyched about it, even though I may not be able to play.

I’m going to go look for a second job tonight after work. Something at a convenience store in my neighborhood I think. Just something that will provide me with the funds I need to get a car. I’ve done a lot of thinking, and while this will suck short-term, it will also help me get ahead, and get my finances under control. I’m going to miss time with my girl and kids though. *sigh* Being an adult really sucks sometimes.

Fortunately, I’ll be able to get a car in short order. All I need is 1500 – 2000 dollars, and that will be taken care of. I’m hoping to get Subaru. I’ve had one before and I loved it. I guess we’ll see.

meh..

Well, the game went really well the other night. Started out a bit slow because of a new player. Mike had to create a character and get a quick run-down of the rules and setting. He seemed to enjoy himself, once he realized that the GM makes the game and not the system. At least, that was my perception after speaking with him post-game.

The group started out travelling from Rathess to Nexus in a trade caravan that was attacked by two minor demons in the last session. They were doing OK, and had moved on, after making peace with some elves who have made an encampment in the forest, and didn’t attack the group for some unknown reason.

Later, I had a much more serious menace attack the group, and they got pretty messed up before Mike’s new character came in and helped out. They’d nearly killed the thing off, to give them credit. Still though, I think that Connon’s character would have been killed if it weren’t for the intervention of the new guy. Massive swords swung by warrior demons just don’t work out from a squishy character’s standpoint.

I’ve GOT to get a car. It’s just simply putting too much of a strain on my relationship with my gf, and is just inconvenient altogether. I was unemployed for the majority of 2004 while I went through a pretty major career change after being laid off, and ended up getting my car repo-ed. Between child support and rent, the car payment was just too much. So, now I’m trying to get all of that straightened out. If it weren’t for the fact that it would cost me my gf, I’d sign up for a contract overseas for a year, and make 50K as a techie, but I think she might get a bit upset about that.

I’m working half a day today. Which would be cool ordinarily. However, it’s a crappy half-day. Starting at 11 and going until 3. So I’ve got to waste time before and after work, in order to satisfy my requirements for transportation….yet one more reason I need a frickin’ car.

I really want to go back to school. I’ve got 10K from the GI bill to go back. It’s just a matter of finding transportation and funding for school until that money kicks in. Perhaps I should get a gimmick and stand on a street corner with a sign?

I should get to see my son on Sunday. I would be up there Saturday and Sunday, but I have to work Saturday – another half-day – so that’s out. Blech… Oh well. I can spoil him with ice cream and movies, and just hang out with him. He’s a cool little munchkin, even if his mom is a nutcase.

Well, tonight’s game night. Maybe that’s why I’ve got gaming on the brain today.

I play with a pretty cool group of people.

Connon – I’ve known the guy for about 5 years now. He’s a little off-the-wall sometimes, but I don’t think I know of anyone more likeable, and genuinely decent. My best description of him would be a chaotic genius, with a side of goth. He’s a Star Wars fanatic, and runs the SW game we play.

Dagan – A hyperactive Star Wars obsessed individual. IE: He just got two tats. An imperial symbol on one shoulder, and a rebel symbol on the other. I haven’t played in a game that he’s run, but from what I’ve heard, he makes a mean SW game. Now if only he’d quit killing bats at random.

Chris – Chris runs our Rifts campaign. He’s one of the few gamers I know that can keep a character serious for the long term. Lots of gamers end up taking the character and making them into jesters. Chris keeps it on an even keel, but occasionally surprises us with a quip that comes out of the blue.

Bonnie – Kind of like an older sister to me. She and I share a great deal of mutual interests, including authors, gaming, giving Connon a hard time, and chocolate. She helps keep us directed, and banishes us at need. Occasionally, she has a mini-me that comes out and banishes Dagan as well.

Now if only the banishing would stick! :p

Tonight I’m running Exalted. The game is set in a place called Creation. Creation is how the world was shortly after it was made. Elves and creatures of chaos nibble at the edges of it, trying to bring the organized material back into the torrent of ever-changing Wyld at the edge of everything. Yozi (demon princes) are trying to obliterate the world, the Wyld, and everything else they can get their hands on. Various deities are vying for the world’s population to follow them along one enlightened pathway or the other, all while playing politics in the most annoying ways. Amidst all this, the former champions of the gods are having their own political struggles on Creation itself, with little guidance from their deities.

Solar Exalted, the chosen of the Unconquered Sun. They once ruled Creation, but various political and phylosophical disputes are now in disgrace, called Anathema and chased to the ends of the earth…sometimes literally.

Terrestrial Exalted. Currently in charge, or at least they think so. They were manipulated by various factions into overthrowing the Solar Exalted and taking their place. Terrestrial exalts are favored of the five immaculate dragons representing the five elements (Earth, Air, Fire, Water, Wood).

Siderial Exalted. Favored of the goddesses of the stars, they are known to be great seers and martial artists. Much of the manipulation of the Terrestrials can be attributed to Sidereal exalts. Currently the Sidereals are divided into two main factions. The gold and bronze factions. The gold favor the Solars, while the bronze favor the Terrestrials.

Lunar Exalted. The soul mates of the Solar Exalted. They share the fate of the Solars, and have been forced to the edges of Creation. Many have become bandit lords, or tribal chieftans/shamans.

Abyssals. Solar Exalted manipulated by Yozi/demons into giving up their names in exchange for dark power. Their intentions are as yet unknown, but they don’t seem to be good.

Gaming

First, there are a lot of people that don’t know what I mean when I refer to gaming. I’m not talking about Monopoly or Poker. I’m talking about tabletop role-playing games. Basically, here’s how it works…

You take a bunch of geeks (or maybe geeks in denial), and give them some books that have information about how to design an imaginary person. A character. They make these characters, and then ad-lib them in situations presented by a game master. It ends up being mad-libs.

About the best way I’ve ever seen it explained is comparing it to Cops and Robbers. We’ve all seen or participated in the age old argument that goes like so…

Kid 1 – BANG! I got you.
Kid 2 – NO YOU DIDN’T!!!
Kid 1 – Yes I did! My finger was two inches from you.
Kid 2 – So. I’m the cop. I’ve got a bulletproof vest on.

And so on.

RPGs adjust that, and make the content a bit more mature. Most of the action resolution is taken care of using polyhedral dice with modifiers to rolls. Whether it’s driving a car or shooting the bad guy, a bag of dice will tell you how it all works out.

For more info:
http://www.rpg.net
http://www.white-wolf.com
http://www.wizards.com
http://www.palladiumbooks.com
http://www.wizkidsgames.com

There’s probably a billion more websites out there, but those are some of the best I’ve found.