The Tao of Zen Nihilism

Beauty and the Beast

2009-07-17T17:03:22Z

I'm a little slow.

I say this because only now did I realize that Beauty and the Beast is a story for young girls to prepare them for their arranged marriages.

Moral of the story: "If you love the bastard your parents picked for you enough, he'll turn into a prince."

One day, I'm gonna write a faerie tale. Just waiting for the story to introduce itself.

(And yes, it'll have sports. And kissing.)

Spiritual Mathematics

2009-07-17T14:58:31Z

Excuse me, sir. Could I see the before and after balance sheets? I'd like to test your hypothesis.

Give the Man His Due...

2009-07-17T01:08:08Z

I've had a lot to complain about for the last six months, but DAMN, the man is one of the most inspiring speakers I've ever heard.

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[CotYS] Act 2: Calling the King

2009-07-16T07:09:27Z

Curse of the Yellow Sign: Act 2

2009-07-15T23:50:40Z

Digging for a Dead God: 7,000+ words.
Calling the King: 17,000+ words.

I guess Act 3 is gonna be 27,000+ words or something. Sheesh.

This one is a toad strangler, folks. Last night, I woke up from a very intense dream and could not get back to sleep. I decided to get some writing done. I plopped down in front of the Mac and started typing... but after about thirty minutes, I started feeling... something. Just a sense of real dread. And for a moment, I knew that if I turned around, the Man in Black would be standing in the doorway. I knew it.

I turned slowly... and he wasn't there.

At least, he wasn't there when I looked.

I quickly retired back to the bed and put myself back to sleep as quickly as possible.

Now, writing in the afternoon, I still get that itch down my spine every once in a while. And the cat jolting around isn't helping.

The writing is mostly done. I'm gonna run one more playtest on Friday then hand it off to Aaron for art and layout.

And hopefully--hopefully--I'll have the PDF for sale at Gencon.

Don't read this one alone, folks. Just don't.

The Alternative Medicine Hospital (Courtesy of That Mitchell and Webb Look)

2009-07-14T17:43:31Z

GenCon and Hotels

2009-07-14T17:00:04Z

Looks like I waited too long to book a reservation. I can't find any hotel rooms in Indianapolis for Gencon.

Act 1, Scene 3

2009-07-14T16:48:31Z

(Uoht the Younger and Uoht the Elder approach the castle at the gate. The wind and snow blow around them.)

ELDER

Have you seen Mother? I have heard looks as close to death as a corpse.

YOUNGER

Closer to a corpse puts us closer to the Throne.

ELDER

Your ambition is tasteless, brother.

YOUNGER

It tastes sweet to Cassilda.

ELDER

Her tastes are just as bitter as yours.

YOUNGER

How would you know, brother? Tasted her often?

ELDER

You disgust me. Listening to your plots makes me wonder if I should be so concerned when I sit on the Throne.

YOUNGER

Be silent! Someone approaches!

(ENTER Cassilda)

CASSILDA

(CASSILDA hugs the ELDER and kisses the YOUNGER)

My brothers! And why home so soon? Is the war over?

ELDER

Alas, no. It seems it has only begun.

YOUNGER

Our armies did not fare well against the Enemy, sister.

CASSILDA

When news reaches the streets, the strees shall not be silent.

YOUNGER

They will want blood.

ELDER

They can find it in the veins of our Enemy.

CASSILDA

They will find it in the walking corpse that sits on our Throne.

YOUNGER

Aye, if that corpse has any blood left in her.

ELDER

That is our mother you speak of, brother. You will keep your tongue civil in your head or I will cut it out for you.

YOUNGER

(to CASSILDA)

Our brother has not taken well to the defeats our Enemy has given us.

ELDER

You speak as if they were gifts.

CASSILDA

They are gifts, brother. Do you not see? We can use the defeats and the risk of revolt to restore sanity to the Throne.

ELDER

Sister…

CASSILDA

She says she can see Carcosa on the lake.

ELDER

No…

CASSILDA

Every day, she stares out the window. Every night, she walks the halls. Sleepless. Afraid to sleep. The apothecary has given her a powder to keep her safe from dreams. She says she is eager to call the King.

ELDER

You will be silent, now!

YOUNGER

If it is true, brother…

ELDER

If it is true, I shall see it for myself!

CASSILDA

You shall, Uoht. You shall.

Democrats, Republicans... There's a Difference?

2009-07-14T05:55:06Z

I get some (not a lot) heat from Republican friends of mine who say I'm too harsh on their party.

I get some (not a lot) heat from Democrat friends of mine who say I'm too harsh on their party.

Guys, I have to be honest here: the difference I see between the Dems and the Pubs is that one party can't keep it's dick in it's pants and the other party has no dick. And they both suck from the same corporate teat.

Bill Maher's observations on the same issues:

The John Wick Anthology Series

2009-07-14T04:08:48Z

I love shows like The Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Alfred Hitchock Presents and Mystery!. Anthology series. And, I have an idea.

I'm going to run a different game each month. Over the Edge, Pendragon, GURPS Voodoo... maybe even some L5R and 7th Sea. A different game each month with tightly controlled character creation. I'll let folks make their own characters, but they'll have to make them fit the thing I'm thinking of.

One game a month. Games may run a little longer, may run a little shorter. One night a week, one month per game.

And then, I'm gonna write up a kind of GM Guide to running what I ran and post it for free on www.johnwickpresents.com.

"The John Wick Anthology Series" is kind of stale, though. I need to call it something cool.

The John Wick Outer Zone Mystery Show!

Or maybe The John Wick Presents The Outer Zone Mystery Show!

Heh. That'll work.

A Game of Tears -- Part 25

2009-07-13T22:20:40Z

My Dearest Sister,

The months of Summer have been cruel, but at last, I have found enough strength to write you a letter deserving of your attention. Many failed attempts are on my floor--torn and crumpled--but I think I shall find the will within me to reach the end of this one.

I must admit, the duel was nearly the end of me. It was only chance that made me the victim and not Shara. She was as wounded as I and (my spies tell me) has spent just as long recovering. I now find a smile curling on my lips as I find the necessity to remind you that this is twice I have saved you from Shara: once in the garden and once on the field. For one of those, I shall keep the whisper I gave to her for myself. It is a painful secret, but I promise to share it with you soon. Now is not the time.

(read more at the HotB Design Blog)

This marks the End of Part 1. Enjoy!

P&T Bullshit: Violence & Video Games

2009-07-13T15:57:06Z

An amazingly fantastic episode (and one that hits home hard at the end).

Check it out.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

A Game of Tears -- Part 24

2009-07-11T11:48:56Z

My Dearest Brother,

Oh, my beloved Tomas!

Can you ever, possibly, in a thousand years forgive me? I had not meant to fall apart as I did the day you faced Lady Shara. I swore to myself a dozen times over that I would be strong for you, as you were being brave for me. A solemn pledge that no matter what happened, I would not leave your side. Even if you should fall, I would take you in my arms, my hands in yours, and stay with you until the very end.

And yet, at the critical moment, my heart failed me...

(Read more at the HotB Design Blog!)

Wicked Fantasy Update

2009-07-10T18:05:15Z

I got a subscription to Kobold Quarterly at last year's GenCon. I had never heard of the magazine before the night before when Wolfgang Baur won the Diana Jones Award. I loved the idea behind Open Content and put my money where I thought it deserved to be.

Later, when I got home, I read through a few of the columns. I'm not the biggest fan of d20, but the choices of articles reminded me of working at Shadis. They were diverse, well-selected and really fun. I contacted Wolfgang and asked him if he'd be interested in a series of articles--much in the vein of Play Dirty--something to stir up the pot, so to speak. He said he was interested, but wanted to know what I would be writing about.

"Not GM advice," I told him. "I've already done that."

"Well, what then?"

I thought about it. Thought about it some more. Then, I said, "Let me get back to you."

ONE YEAR LATER...

"Hey Wolf, remember me?"

"Yeah," he said. "What's up?"

"I've got an idea. See, I always loved those 'Ecology of..." articles in Dragon. Remember those?"

"Of course I do!"

"Well, I'd like to do something like that. Except, I want to do them 'John Wick Style.'"

"What does that mean?"

"I want to do the 'Wicked Version' of the traditional D&D races. Elves, dwarves, halflings."

"Hm..." he said. "That could be very interesting."

"It'd be a completely different take on them. Using the cliches we all know and love, but doing something really different."

"Okay. Why don't you send me the first one and we'll go from there."

So, I sat down and thought about what race I'd want to tackle first. But before I got that far, I decided I'd need some help. Not being the biggest d20 fan in the world, I needed someone who had a mind for d20 like no other. Someone who could look at a rule set and manipulate it beyond the original designer's dreams. Someone creative, brilliant and absolutely original.

I had no choice. I had to contact Jess Heinig.

I showed him what I was working on and said, "I want the first race to do this."

Jess took one look at what I suggested and said, "No, you don't." He said, "You want them to do this."

And I smiled and nodded. That's exactly why I picked Jess.

Our first effort will be appearing in Kobold Quarterly #10 in just a few days. Subsequent efforts will be appearing in both the magazine and the website. Go over to Kobold Quarterly and get your subscription now.

You won't believe what Jess and I have done.

Cubicle 7 Partnership Announcement

2009-07-10T15:31:27Z

Cubicle 7 – John Wick Announce Partnership

Cubicle 7 Entertainment and John Wick are pleased to announce they have signed a publishing agreement. This partnership will see Cubicle 7 bring award-winning author and game designer John Wick’s games to a wider audience through distribution and retail stores.

“I’ve enjoyed John’s games ever since he designed 7^th Sea and Legend of the Five Rings for Alderac Entertainment,” said Angus Abranson of Cubicle 7 “I carried on following him when he left the mainstream industry, set up his own company – Wicked Dead Brewing Company – and produced some fantastic games such as Cat and Thirty. It’s an honour to now be able to work alongside John and help bring some of his newer, and future, games to the wider audience they deserve.”

HOUSES OF THE BLOODED is the first book to be published through Cubicle 7: a game of Ambition, Lust and Revenge. Thousands of years ago, the ven ruled the world. They were a passionate people, obsessed with Romance and Revenge, opera and theater, and all the forbidden delights their decadent culture provided. In the end, that which made them beautiful was also the key to their own destruction. Houses of the Blooded is a game about tragic obsession. Set in the fantastic world of ven myth and legend, players take the roles of powerful characters bent on conquering their world, destroying their enemies and possessing all they desire.

“I'm very excited,” said John Wick. "My end goal has always been to get as many people playing my games as possible. My partnership with Cubicle 7 will help make that happen."

About Cubicle 7 Entertainment Ltd

Founded in 2006 Cubicle 7 Entertainment was set up by Angus Abranson and Dominic McDowall-Thomas, two gaming entrepreneurs who wanted to create a games publisher fostering some truly iconic brands. Since then the company has published role playing games from a growing list of properties including Victoriana, SLA Industries, Starblazer Adventures (based on DC Thomson’s 80’s Starblazer comic series), 7th Circle’s Chinese fantasy Qin and is releasing Doctor Who: Adventures in Time and Space, under licensed from the BBC, in October . In June 2009 Cubicle 7 announced it had joined the Rebellion Group. You can find out more at www.cubicle7.co.uk

About John Wick

John Wick is the co-creator of Legend of the Five Rings and 7th Sea, both of which have won Origins Awards for both Best Roleplaying Game and Best Collectible Card Game. He founded the Wicked Dead Brewing Company with Jared Sorensen and recently started John Wick Presents! as a company devoted to creating games for adults, children and families. You can find out more about John and his games at www.johnwickpresents.com.

Curse of the Yellow Sign Site is Live!

2009-07-08T20:40:27Z

The website is now live. Download the character sheets, maps and audio file!

Two-Thirds of Republicans Still Support Palin

2009-07-08T14:19:01Z

WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin's bombshell that she is resigning as Alaska governor actually has boosted her a bit among Republicans, a nationwide USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds...

Two-thirds of Republicans want Palin, the party's vice presidential nominee in 2008, to be "a major national political figure" in the future.

________

Republicans: The Party of Stupid.

Angry Monkey Say...

2009-07-07T22:40:15Z

Thanks to jesshartley for the heads up.

Having worked in the customer service industry for three years now, and at the same time, having worked in the de-humanizing, radioactive waste that is corporate America, I have much sympathy for this song.

Angry Monkey Say: don't piss off creative people with audiences.

Ireland's Proposed Blasphemy Law

2009-07-07T19:04:26Z

As the title suggests, Ireland is considering a law that would make blasphemy a crime.

A crime.

In the spirit of this new law, I would like to make a few blasphemous statements.

Jesus Christ was the son of God. (Article of faith in many Christian relgions, but blasphemous to practitioners of the Jewish and Islamic faiths.)
There is only one God and Mohammed is his prophet. (Article of faith in Islam, but blasphemous to practitioners of the Jewish and Christian faiths.)
The True Messiah has yet to come. (Article of faith in Judiaism, but blasphemous to practitioners of the Christian faith.)
Jerusalem belongs to the Jews. (Article of faith in Judiaism, but blasphemous to practitioners of Islam.)
Jersualem belongs to Islam. (Article of faith in Islam, but blasphemous to practitioners of Judiaism.)
The Torah/New Testament/Quoran is the God's only true Word. (Do I need to spell this one out?)

Oh, I could go on and on and on. And I haven't even included non-Abrahamic faiths!

As a practicing Discordian, I find all three religions equally blasphemous. In fact, everything the Pope says is blasphemous. Lock him up! Lock him up for life!

Yeah, go on Ireland. Pass your law.

I double dog dare you.

I'm #1! I'm #1!

2009-07-07T16:58:46Z

(Well, Aaron Acevedo and I are #1!)

At the time of this posting, Curse of the Yellow Sign: Digging for a Dead God is the #1 best-seller on both IPR and DriveThru RPG!

Putting John in the Book

2009-07-07T14:44:24Z

I playtested Act 2 of Curse of the Yellow Sign last night. It went remarkably well: far better than I expected. I was only half-prepared and didn't have everything I wanted. I had to improvise around a lot of holes. Makes me think about things I've said about directors like John Carpenter: the less money you give him, the better movie he makes.

A lot credit for the session's success goes to the people involved. The scenario needs at least six people (you can have seven). I had seven really good players. And when I was done, I realized that ninety percent of what was happening was because of decisions and improvisations I was making.

Reminded me of a time long ago when we were first developing the L5R RPG. John Zinser read a draft and came into my office. "I don't see it," he told me. "I don't see how to run this."

I said, "That's because I haven't written the GM chapter yet."

He shook his head. "I want to play it," he told me.

So, I organized a session and ran the game. Most of the mechanics weren't fleshed out just yet, but we had an incredible time anyway. Afterward, John asked me, "How do we get you in the book?"

I told him, "I haven't written the GM chapter yet."

For Act 1, almost eighty percent of the scenario is just GM advice. Putting me in the book.

I honestly don't know how to put me into this one. This is gonna be hard.

wickedthought @ 2009-07-05T09:56:00

2009-07-05T16:56:55Z

A Game of Tears -- Part 23

2009-07-04T18:43:49Z

Ismene Yvarai,

You will not recognize my hand. Your brother, Tomas, asked me to write to you regarding his condition after the duel. He is still too weak to rise from the bed and too weak to write you himself, so I have tasked myself to write in his stead. I hope this does not come as a surprise to you--seeing that I am using your brother's stationary and mark--but I also hope this letter finds you well. I saw that you fled the field in the midst of the duel. I daresay, the tears were something you could not hide. I may also dare to say that you should not feel so ashamed by tears. Seeing a beloved sibling in such pain is a good cause for such emotion. Standing as you did for so long, concealing your emotions as you did, was a testament to your courage. I, myself, felt the cold hand of fear on my heart. As I owe so much to your brother now, and as close as I feel to him, I can only imagine the terror that must have been in your own Blood. It easily eclipsed my own.

But forgive me, as I have not properly introduced myself. My name is Shajar Thorne...

(read the rest at the HotB Design Blog)

Curse of the Yellow Sign Feedback (Already?!?)

2009-07-03T02:32:04Z

There's a thread on RPG.net with folks talking about the scenario already. Also over on Yog-sothoth.com.

The feedback (there and elsewhere) has been amazing. And the sales equally so.

Woot!

Wicked Fantasy in Kobold Quarterly #11

2009-07-03T01:28:49Z

Wicked Fantasy is a series of articles I'm co-writing with Jess (trekhead ) Heinig. It's a different look at the classic D&D races. Elves, dwarves, halflings, etc. all done "John Wick Style."

The series begins in Kobold Quarterly #11.

It's been a lot of fun writing with Jess. I handle about 90% of the concept and Jess tackles about 90% of the mechanics. This means, I tell Jess, "I want it to work like this," and Jess says, "No you don't; you want it to work like this," and the suggestion he makes is 90% better than what I wanted. Jess also throws little ideas in with his mechanics that I have to find room for in the write-up.

And I can hear you asking now... what race will John and Jess tackle first?

Let's just say, I hope to make Jared a very happy man.

(Logo provided by the ever-amazing Aaron Acevedo.)