Xiaodi Jin – just WOW!
If you don’t know the name Xiaodi Jin, don’t feel bad, I didn’t either until recently. It’s a name that deserves more attention as a master artist of fantasy – that much is for sure! This master of fantasy brings creatures to such haunting reality that simply viewing the art, requires one to steel themselves and question everything they know about the natural world.
I am not really sure what to say about the images, there is no describing them. So I will simply post a number of them and try to assemble some rambling commentary.
I really would like to find more information on this master artist, ask them a number of questions, and try (likely in vain) to discover their techniques of study and mastery.
The greens of the forests are appropriately muted, even the fantastical dragons bear anatomy that is suddenly believable, and the use of light – simply stunning.
I speak about this artist in gender neutral terms as I honestly don’t know if the name reflects a gender.
If anyone finds an official ‘page’ for this artist, please post it in the comments below.
The closest thing I have found is this link.
I am just simply amazed and beside myself at the mastery of this fantasy artist. wonderful work, and a name we should all get to know a bit better.
~Lloyd
Valerian – The next Fifth Element?
Valerian is scheduled to hit theaters next summer. The film is directed by Luc Besson who was the vision behind the Fifth Element that we have all come to love. It looks to be another visually striking film and IT’S NOT A REBOOT!!!
The idea of a movie not being a reboot of an existing IP is so exciting, that I am pretty sure I will be going out to see this one. The preview is pretty stellar, I was not able to embed it for you, but you can watch it here:
https://www.facebook.com/ValerianMovie/videos/909255319175298/
Just click the link and have at it.
The preview has some really inspiring scenes, you can see the concept artists and digital painters bringing dreams to life on the screen in this one. If the movie is a flop, I think I will still love the visuals. Animation in the previews already promises to be smoother than Avatar.
I hope they pull together new tech in costume and CG to make this one really pop. Space nerd unite, and prepare…. we only need to get through the winter, and spring… looks like the wait might be worth it! It does indeed look like the next Fifth Element without it being… the Fifth Element 2016. Color me excited!
So get all your googling in for the herb and it’s root with the medicinal uses in now. Soon you will only get movie results. I am not sure why the name was chosen. but hey, it’s not another reboot! They could have called it “Poo on a Pancake” if it wasn’t a reboot, I was ready.
Keep an eye on their facebook page here:
https://www.facebook.com/ValerianMovie
and buy me a ticket when it releases!
How many Prancing Pony taverns can one world have?
As you and your players jam though the campaign world finding another tavern called, “The Prancing Pony” “Green Dragon” or some other over-used cliche joint, the name can pull away from the believability and uniqueness of the world.
Do you cringe when the players ask for the local tavern name? Who’s in there? What’s it like?
How about the following for a tavern generated in 5 seconds:
The Archer’s Blade
Location: On Stony Alley, near an outcrop of volcanic rock. Its neighbors include the workshop of a female dwarf woodcarver named Hildga Taridotr and the crumbling ruins of a building.
Description: The inn is a sprawling single storey wooden building, with unusually low ceilings. Several battered shields hang on the walls. Accomodations consist of a single large room with wooden cots.
Innkeeper: The innkeeper is a tall male halfling named Ancis Balley.
Menu:
- Roasted Sausage and Dried Beetroot, Tankard of Cider (7 cp)
- Stewed Lettuce, Mug of Beer (5 cp)
- Vegetable Stew, Mug of Beer (5 cp)
- Roasted Whitefish and Soft Cheese, Tankard of Stout (8 cp)
- Stewed Chicken and Asparagus, Tankard of Bitter (10 cp)
- Barley Porridge, Mug of Ale (2 cp)
Patrons:
- Reder Borne: Male Halfling Peasant, Evil. Reder has white hair and hazel eyes, and numerous unusual tattoos. He wears well-made clothing and several small tools hang from his belt. Reder is envious and fiendish.
- Gili: Male Dwarf Peasant, Neutral. Gili is tall, with silver hair and brown eyes. He wears worn clothing and a wide-brimmed hat.
- Lida: Female Elf Peasant, Evil. Lida is repulsive in appearance, with tangled brown hair and soft amber eyes. She wears worn clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Lida has an animal companion, a black-tailed chicken named Mella.
- Robert: Male Halfling Professional, Good. Robert has short auburn hair and bright brown eyes. He is capable and honorable. Robert seeks a company of adventurers to investigate mysterious lights which appear in the Desolation of Buriashuu.
- Undil: Male Dwarf Artist, Neutral. Undil has a round face, with thick brown hair and bright blue eyes. He wears modest garments and a dragonscale cloak.
Rumors:
- Adward was once an adventurer but was maimed by a dragon
- A volcanic city of fire giants lies somewhere beneath the Vaults of Vile Terror
- Marger saw an invisible dragon in the Cusi Jungle
- The chancellor of the treasury is the real power behind the throne
- Bruda was killed by wolves in the woods outside town
That’s fine, but I can’t think of all that on the fly!!
Me either, Check out the Random Inn creator from Donjon. Donjon is a wonderful tool box for GMs who game on the fly. You can grab this info, pop it in a document and when the party returns, you can pull out the results and these NPC’s menu items etc will be waiting.
In the next town, pop out another tavern for your murder hobos for the folder. You will seem like a genius GM, and no more Prancing Pony taverns!!
Spooky Sale From now until Halloween
From now until October 31st you can save 15% off EVERY SINGLE product you put in your Fail Squad Games shopping cart by entering the coupon code below into the coupon field on check out!
CLICK here to shop all the great Fail Squad Games products.
Then when it’s time to check out, enter the code Spooky in the coupon field and 15% will come right off the top of each and every product in your webcart!
What are you waiting for? get on over to the Fail Squad Games webstore and load up on all the adventure!
Lands of Lunacy
The Lands of Lunacy has launched and shot to “Funded” in 2 hours, then to 300% in just a few days. This is a SHORT Kickstarter, but an important one. With this setting guide, we lay the ground work for many Fail Squad Games projects to come.
Available in First or Fifth Edition, this is an exciting addition to any campaign that resolves a real-world issue. What to do when some of your gamers have to cancel?
The setting includes a sample adventure and has a low buy in. $5 for digital, $10 for print, and $14 for both! There are still some original art levels available as well.
Get in on this now, it’s a great addition to your gaming shelf.
September 11 has another event worthy of memory
September 11 1977
September 11 of that year saw thew release of Atari’s VCS (2600). It is credited with popularizing the use of microprocessor-based hardware and ROM cartridges containing game code, a format first used with the Fairchild Channel F video game console in 1976.
The unit was originally priced at US$199 ($777 adjusted for inflation), and shipped with two joysticks and a Combat cartridge (eight additional games were available at launch and sold separately).
So while there were some tragic events that have come to pass on September 11th in our history, not all those event were tragic. I personally recall many days sitting at my school desk, or in detention for day-dreaming of the day that I might have my hands on an Atari 2600. Then one day in the very early 80’s I did – and nothing was ever the same again!
The console released with only eight games available, and they ALL flew off the shelves. Only PONG preceded this cutting edge device (1974). The VCS console brought multiple games that were recognized in the arcades directly into the homes of consumers.
FSG On Sale!
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Lands of Lunacy 5E
$13.00
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Winter Eternal 5E
$15.00