About

I got started with D&D back in about 1980 or so, and quickly became obsessed with the miniatures as much as the game. In 2009 I became interested in revisiting one of the first adventure games I ever owned, Heritage USA’s Crypt of the Sorcerer, and recreating and expanding that was the focus of this blog when I started blogging.

I’ve also made various games as Christmas presents in the past (chess sets and hnefatafl) and as a sideline decided to make some xmas presents based on the Heritage models “Paint & Play” games, Crypt of the Sorcerer and Caverns of Doom.

As these things tend to do, I’ve lost focus and pretty much post on any dorkery-related thing I have going on, so there is D&D stuff, and some library science stuff, and lots of miniatures stuff.

Update — began running a D&D campaign in 2010 which more or less took over the blog (“Telengard”).  And in the process I started contributing stuff to other sites and entering a few contests — my One Page Dungeon entry for the 2011 contest won a prize (Belly of the beast) so I can, with mingled pride and irony, call myself an award-winning dungeon designer.

Updated again — The following questionnaire was suggested by (in)famous blogger Zak Smith — like three or four years ago.  It’s a reasonable template for introducing yourself to the RPG community — a sort of low-pressure resumé. I finally added it.

I’m currently running (at home): Nothing! But up next probably AD&D or B/X with some minor modifications.

Tabletop RPGs I’m currently playing (at home) include: ACKS, AD&D 1e., Boot Hill (but more like Sixguns and Shoggoths really)

I’m currently running (online): None, and no plans to.

Tabletop RPGs I’m currently playing (online) include: None, and no plans to change that.

I would especially like to play/run: DND 5e to see how it goes; Runequest or some other BRP game, to see if I like it; run LotFP:WFRP or Gamma World as a change of pace.

…but would also try: really almost anything I don’t have to run, but I’m pretty unenthusiastic about 4e D&D and Herosystem.

I live in: northeast Ohio

2 or 3 well-known RPG products other people made that I like: The dungeon alphabet by Michael Curtis; Dyson’s Delves

2 or 3 novels I like: Cugel’s saga by Jack Vance; The broken sword by Poul Anderson; Cat’s cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

2 or 3 movies I like: Flesh + Blood, Brazil, and Excalibur … three artsy genre films that are way better than they ought to be

Best place to find me on-line: Here, I guess … I don’t do forums or G+

I will read almost anything on tabletop RPGs if it’s: Got some ideas for simplifying the DM’s job or saving his time (see: Telecanter’s receding rules ; Rules, roles, and rolls ; etc.) or got interesting tricks, traps, or new monsters.

I really do not want to hear about: Detailed character “backgrounds” that describe stuff that did not happen during actual play; stuff tied to a specific RPG game world that cannot be readily transferred to another setting.

I think dead orc babies are ( circle one: funny / problematic / ….well, ok, it’s complicated because….): Funny, but not ha-ha funny, just a weird thing to want in your game.

Free RPG Content I made for: D&D

(system agnostic but probably most compatible with older versions):

One Page Dungeons: for 2011-2016 (all on my Downloads page) 

I’m also a contributor to Burgs & Bailiffs (download for free, pay cost for a print version from Lulu — see below): 

Burgs and Bailiffs: Famine, Disease and Law 

Burgs and Bailiffs: Warfare Too 

Also some stuff in Secret Santicore for several years running.

And I don’t know, maybe some other stuff I forgot.

Free RPG Content I made for: GURPS

various supplements for the GURPS ritual magic system in the old “Voodoo” book, for bringing in more Western ritual magic — er magick.  That’s also on my Downloads page. 

RPG Content I made can be bought here:

Burgs & Bailiffs Trinity: The poor pilgrim’s almanack! Go on a pilgrimage! Steal relics! Explore catacombs! Work miracles! 

The Big Book of Fantasy Gaming Tables has one of my tables in it.   Well someday, I think, it will be released.  Maybe it’s just another bit of vaporware. Sigh.

These OPD compilations include some of my stuff:

OPD 2013

OPD 2012

(there may be a 2014, 2015, or 2016 compilations too?)

Burgs & Bailiffs hard copies are sold at cost

B&B1

B&B2 

I talk about RPGs on: this blog, and comments on other people’s blogs, but generally not on forums, Google+, etc.  I think I have commented a few threads on Dragonsfoot (mainly the Fantasy Wargaming ones) and maybe a few other places…but mainly I keep out of internet discussions.