Ravenpenny

Triple Threat: Water Leaper

It's a bat! It's a lizard! It's a scorpion! It's a frog! It's some horrible amalgamation of all of the above from Welsh legend! Seriously, Welshmen - this thing's pretty scary. Can we not have any more freaky beast like this? K. Thnx. Bai. More seriously, it's much more dangerous than it looks - challenge your players with this new critter or spread terror by merely hinting at it. http://w...

GURPS101: Barter and Trade

GURPS does have some native bartering rules (they're in Social Engineering) - but I thought...what if I could expand them some? Not all games have social constraints like Wealth, Status, etc. and for those games it doesn't make sense to use the regular rules. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/gurps101-barter-and-trade.html#.VI_YhivF8ZM

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Silent as the Dead - Part I - Game Session 1

*stares at clock with bleary eyes* I sure wish to hell my meds would kick in. Oh, well, have another campaign session recap from the vault. Tuesday will bring new GURPS goodness. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/the-chronicles-of-ceteri-silent-as-dead.html#.VI2PuCvF8ZM

Gamemaster's Guidepost: Diablorising Sorcery - The Witch Doctor - Part II

What new devilry is this? It's not devilry, Boromir, it's Sorcery! Sore Sir Ree. Say it with me now! Today I'm continuing my look at Diablo III powers through the looking glass of PK's Sorcery. enjoy. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/gamemasters-guidepost-diablorising.html#.VIn6uDHF8ZM

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Stone Dead - Part I - Game Session 5

Another session recap from the vault for my urban fantasy campaign. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/the-chronicles-of-ceteri-stone-dead_9.html#.VIcy5jHF8ZM

GURPS101: Sorcerous Hexes

A pox upon your enemies (via a hex). I muddle over Sorcery and how to possibly expand it a bit more using temporary enhancements/abilities at default. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/gurps101-sorcerous-hexes.html#.VITYdjHF8ZM

Recovery, Worthiness, and Humility

I know I normally only post GURPS material here - but I thought this was close enough. For those who want TL;DR - there are some pretty cool damn people out there who lent me a hand when they didn't have to and I do my best to thank them. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/recovery-worthiness-and-humility.html#.VIGgwDHF8ZM

GURPS101: Dungeon Fantasy and Flying Carpets

Lo, I have been working in the mines of the Asus to transform this meager writing into something useful. I've been running a Dungeon Fantasy game for a bit, and one of the things I've discovered is that if run the right way it is way to simulate what Dungeons and Dragons should have always been. In short, my players love it...and so do I. So I've been kicking around a few ideas for this campaign frame I wrote up (think Lawrence of Arabia meets a spaghetti western with a dash of the first Indiana...

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Stone Dead - Part I - Game Session 4

Posting from my Asus Transformer here's a session recap. It's been hell trying to even get into my blog from here and typing on this little thing (I use it for editing if at all for word processing) is killing my arms. I'll try to get something more substantial and GURPS-y on Thursday. Till then - we're back on air...for now. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/12/the-chronicles-of-...

Guys. I'm probably going to be out of commission for a bit. Still trying to sort this laptop thing out. I should still be able to put up the Patreon special I have planned for December, but actual posts are out while I try to get a platform I can work on. I feel absolutely terrible about not being able to keep the content flowing, but I can't work on the one machine I have access to (It's too tiny and I'm too big). I'll use this thread to keep you folks updated. Thank all of you again for all yo...

Ravens N' Pennies: My Laptop Has Died

Just warning. My laptop has died and I have no clue when I'll be able to start blogging again. I appreciate all of your guys support and if you want to help me further to get a new laptop, the link is on my blog: http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/my-laptop-has-died.html#.VHdStGdGvIU

Designer's Notes: The Department of Occult Defense

My latest [B][I]Pyramid[/I][/B] offering, "The Department of Occult Defense" was incredibly enjoyable to write. It's been in the stewpot for a bit, but the secret to a good stew has always been a long simmer. I found myself in excellent company (as always) and had a idea that sparked while speaking to a fellow author: what if we (the authors in the issue) connected all the articles to one another using my own as the base? I wasn't sure I'd get even one "yes, let's do that" much less all of them ...

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Stone Dead - Part I - Game Session 3

Another "back log" recap of my urban fantasy campaign. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/the-chronicles-of-ceteri-stone-dead_23.html#.VHJe_vnF82Q

Patreon Special - November 2014

Today is Patreon Day, the day where I thank my patrons with a little something special just for them. In this month's special I talk about ritual path magic and how to emulate one of the caster archetypes I've talked about before. This post includes new spells, new advantages, and a list of traits that all protector-mages should have.

Assembly Required: Outlining Step Three - Geography

Today's installment of Assembly Required is all about settling the geography of your campaign into a format you can easily expand later on. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/assembly-required-outlining-step-three.html#.VG-cRPnF82Q

Melee Academy: Bar Fights and Being a Bouncer, Part II

A lot of threads have been going around lately about GURPS and grappling and it got me thinking about my personal experiences with close-in fighting. Probably owing to the fact that I'm pretty big (6'4" and 400 lbs), I've always preferred to get in close when in a physical altercation. Of course that doesn't take in the fact that I'm also naturally strong (I can bench 450 lbs with very little issue and lift twice that for a short time above my waist). So I decided to do a little navalgazing and ...

Gamemaster's Guidepost: Ritual Path Magic Skill Levels

So what do skill levels mean for Ritual Path magic? Is it the same as all other GURPS skills? Well, sorta, yeah, but it's a bit different too. In today's Guidepost I talk about that very thing and how I tend to view it, write it, and run it. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/gamemasters-guidepost-ritual-path-magic.html#.VGtiCfnF82Q

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Stone Dead - Part I - Game Session 2

More backlog from my campaign recaps. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/the-chronicles-of-ceteri-stone-dead_16.html#.VGk8FfnF82Q

Triple Threat - Aillénsceith

Today's Triple Threat comes from Celtic folklore, the aillén was a nasty beast that seemed unkillable - at least till the right hero came along. But it had kids... Now challenge your players with this magical resistant beasty that's also tough in a fight. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/triple-threat-aillensceith.html#.VGT60_nF82Q

The Hurt Locker: Castlevania Battle Cross

So someone asked over on the forums how the Castlevanian Battle Cross subweapon might look like in GURPS terms. I oblige them. http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/the-hurt-locker-castlevania-battle-cross.html#.VGKk0_nF82Q

The Chronicles of Ceteri - Stone Dead - Part I - Game Session 1

It's been a while since I posted a session recap - I've been running games and even writing the recaps, but for whatever reason I stopped posting them. I'll try not to flood my blog with them, but I'd like to get the backlog cleared. Anyways, the campaign I created several months ago (which I've been talking about on Assembly Required) started off with a bang... http://www.ravensnp...

Assembly Required: Outlining Step Two - People, Places, and Things

Today's Assembly Required is all about the people, places, and things in your setting. The backhistory and legend of these elements can make or break a setting. That's why planning them from the beginning can help you sell your campaign to your players... http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/assembly-required-outlining-step-two.html#.VF0cePnF82Q

Gamemaster's Guidepost: Dungeon Fantasy Musings

Dungeon Fantasy doesn't take itself seriously. That's not to say that it isn't FUN - because it is. But the game I ended up demoing at my FLGS didn't play strictly the way the style otherwise indicates in various DF supplements. Instead, it was a bit more...well, serious. And it set off a spark in my brain that's been running non-stop since. So here are a few of my musings on what became a new (and unplanned) campaign setting. 2014-11-06 20:01:26 +0000 UTC View Post

Designer's Notes: It's a Trap!

I do some naval-gazing as I think about all that occurred while writing this particular article. Warning - very little crunch! http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/11/designers-notes-its-trap.html#.VFlmTfnF82Q

Triple Threat: Raggedy Spirit

I'm going to go to a Halloween part tonight (or at least try) and I'll be doing some gaming in the morning (hopefully) so I thought I'd go ahead and give you guys a special trick nor treat - it's a Triple Threat! A creepy one too. So dolls...they creep me out. I don't like them and I never have. Especially the ones that look like creepy little human people - I hate those. So...dolls...what if they could be possessed by the spirit of a child who just couldn't let his toys go? What if they wanted ...

Ask the Blogger: Games I'd Like to Play

Being someone who enjoys GMing, I rarely get to the play. I get most of my RPG fix from actually running a game. Occasionally I get the itch to play, but it's like the Vulcan itch - maybe once every seven years and only under a GM I trust. Still, were I to play a game it might be one of the following... http://www.ravensnpennies.com/2014/10/ask-blogger-games-id-like-to-play.html

GURPS101: Other Trained by a Master Advantages

That's it. I'm done. I'm poisoning this white-haired bastard's fish-head soup. No amount of martial arts training is worth this. I might as well be Trained by a Master Broomsweeper. Wait? What's that you say? "Christopher, what is this Trained by a Master Broomsweeper? What sort of abilities does it give?" Well, first off, the penalty for Rapid Sweeping is reduced by half, and you can learn esoteric Housekeeping skills like "The Flowers Are Still Standing" to impress your friends and "Pummel Car...

Triple Threat - Gwyllgi

"And the days keeps on worryin' me, there's a hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail, hellhound on my trail" Robert Johnson is arguably one of the greatest blues-men to have ever lived. If you don't know who he is go look him up and listen to his work. That said...having a hellhound on you trail ain't fun. In fact, it sucks. But having a gwyllgi hunting you is just so much worse. It's got a grudge against every thing alive and it wants to burn you to a crisp. Part-fae, part-demon, and all...

Designer's Notes: Dungeon Fantasy Video Gaming

Today favors the release of another issue of Pyramid with a article by yours truly. I figured I'd also toss out the Designer's Notes on it as well and give you the whole thing in one day. Enjoy. (You can find the newest issue of Pyramid here: http://www.warehouse23.com/products/pyramid-number-3-slash-72-alternate-dungeons 2014-10-23 18:08:29 +0000 UTC View Post

Triple Threat: Tooth Fairy

Sarah: Ow! It bit me! Hoggle: What'd you expect fairies to do? Sarah: I thought they did nice things, like... like granting wishes. Hoggle: Shows what *you* know, don't it? These ain't your mother's tooth fairies. They don't leave coins under your bed for teeth. They pull out your damn teeth while you sleep and maybe scratch you up a bit for fun. One is a pain in and of itself - but a swarm of the little bastards can strip a man of his bones and leave a pile of flesh in minutes. They're like...