It looks like tonight is the night for resumption of Pizza and Games at Casa Newbius. I was thinking that "Friday Night Pizza" might work as a restaurant name (or the title of a book on raising kids, either one). It looks like it will be a party of 20, and I would invite Alan Gura if he was in town. :)
Newbius
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Games. Show all posts
Friday, May 13, 2011
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Top Shot Mike
I watched the first episode of Top Shot on HULU and thoroughly enjoyed it. I am not a fan of Survivor-type shows, but I do understand the appeal.
After watching Mike Seeklander completely fail at shooting the 1903 Springfield, I (like many others) were wondering just what the heck happened. And, to be fair, I am out there in print saying I thought I might be able to figure out that shot sooner. But, I wasn't there and it is easy to criticize from behind the anonymous keyboard.
Anyway, here is Mike in his own words regarding the performance. Seems like a class act, and someone I would like to meet some day.
Pax,
Newbius
After watching Mike Seeklander completely fail at shooting the 1903 Springfield, I (like many others) were wondering just what the heck happened. And, to be fair, I am out there in print saying I thought I might be able to figure out that shot sooner. But, I wasn't there and it is easy to criticize from behind the anonymous keyboard.
Anyway, here is Mike in his own words regarding the performance. Seems like a class act, and someone I would like to meet some day.
Pax,
Newbius
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
New Shooter and Lube Fail
This past Thanksgiving, I visited my sister and her family. Dinner was an amazing meal of deep-fried turkey, stuffing, various casseroles and all of the traditional "fixin's" with outstanding homemade pie for dessert.
As part of the weekend, I had promised to take my brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, and my kids to the range. So, I lugged some of my guns down to her house and on Friday we went shooting.
Friday morning began with a complete discussion on the Four Rules, as well as a discussion on range status and safety procedures. Since my BIL and nephew haven't done much (if any) shooting, I wanted to ensure that the time there would be fun. So, in addition to paper targets, we brought along some plastic bottles and a box of clay pigeons.
Arriving at the range, we set up the gear at several tables and reviewed safety one last time. There were some people already there, and it looked like we might have an issue as there was nobody obviously managing safety. I had a brief discussion with the other shooters, let them know that I had neophytes with me and that I would jump into the RSO role to control the range for our group. They agreed and so I did.
After setting up targets and picking out which gun each person was going to start out with, I confirmed our ready status with the line, got thumbs up all the way down, and called "Range Hot". Our experienced shooters got to get some fun time plinking and target shooting, but the real joy was to have my nephew and BIL each get these HUGE grins on their faces after shooting the guns for the first time. I had started out the nephew on the AR, and he did very well, even hitting some clays set up at 100 yds from the offhand position. The boy is a natural.
Brother-in-Law got to start out on the 45, and his form was good. Next he got to shoot the LR-308 and was doing an incredible job of putting the bullet right on target. I watched as he picked out a clay on the berm, lined up, and turned it to powder. I thought the grin he had was going to strain something! It was HUGE! New shooters are more fun than puling the trigger myself sometimes. :)
After we had been shooting for a while, both of the rifles began to malfunction. They would eject just fine, but would fail-to-feed with a bolt over-ride. As it was nearing the end of the session, we agreed to pack up (it was also 35F with a strong wind so we were COLD!), and I would check the guns out when I got back home.
Upon breaking down the rifles, it was obvious that I had experienced a lube failure. Both guns had been throughly cleaned with Hoppes prior to shooting, then lubricated with Break Free CLP (per the manual). Clearly this was inadequate. Below you can see the bolt from the AR, and as you can see, there is no lube residue left on the bolt or carrier.
I did a complete tear-down of the rifles looking for any damage (none found) and commenced to cleaning. After cleaning the rifles, I used a hi-temp grease instead of CLP for the bolts and carriers. I plan to shoot again this Saturday to see if it fares better. The forecast is for similar conditions as we had over Thanksgiving (cold and windy, possible precipitation) so I should be able to determine if this is a better approach for these conditions.
I hope you had as good a Thanksgiving weekend as I did. I look forward to meeting up with you at the NoVa Blogmeet this Saturday
Pax,
Newbius
FTC Disclosure: I am not affiliated with, nor do I derive compensation from, any manufacturers or vendors of any of the products listed. If I use it, it is because I like it. Now, go pull the wings off of some flies or something.
As part of the weekend, I had promised to take my brother-in-law, nieces and nephews, and my kids to the range. So, I lugged some of my guns down to her house and on Friday we went shooting.
Friday morning began with a complete discussion on the Four Rules, as well as a discussion on range status and safety procedures. Since my BIL and nephew haven't done much (if any) shooting, I wanted to ensure that the time there would be fun. So, in addition to paper targets, we brought along some plastic bottles and a box of clay pigeons.
Arriving at the range, we set up the gear at several tables and reviewed safety one last time. There were some people already there, and it looked like we might have an issue as there was nobody obviously managing safety. I had a brief discussion with the other shooters, let them know that I had neophytes with me and that I would jump into the RSO role to control the range for our group. They agreed and so I did.
After setting up targets and picking out which gun each person was going to start out with, I confirmed our ready status with the line, got thumbs up all the way down, and called "Range Hot". Our experienced shooters got to get some fun time plinking and target shooting, but the real joy was to have my nephew and BIL each get these HUGE grins on their faces after shooting the guns for the first time. I had started out the nephew on the AR, and he did very well, even hitting some clays set up at 100 yds from the offhand position. The boy is a natural.
Brother-in-Law got to start out on the 45, and his form was good. Next he got to shoot the LR-308 and was doing an incredible job of putting the bullet right on target. I watched as he picked out a clay on the berm, lined up, and turned it to powder. I thought the grin he had was going to strain something! It was HUGE! New shooters are more fun than puling the trigger myself sometimes. :)
After we had been shooting for a while, both of the rifles began to malfunction. They would eject just fine, but would fail-to-feed with a bolt over-ride. As it was nearing the end of the session, we agreed to pack up (it was also 35F with a strong wind so we were COLD!), and I would check the guns out when I got back home.
Upon breaking down the rifles, it was obvious that I had experienced a lube failure. Both guns had been throughly cleaned with Hoppes prior to shooting, then lubricated with Break Free CLP (per the manual). Clearly this was inadequate. Below you can see the bolt from the AR, and as you can see, there is no lube residue left on the bolt or carrier.
I did a complete tear-down of the rifles looking for any damage (none found) and commenced to cleaning. After cleaning the rifles, I used a hi-temp grease instead of CLP for the bolts and carriers. I plan to shoot again this Saturday to see if it fares better. The forecast is for similar conditions as we had over Thanksgiving (cold and windy, possible precipitation) so I should be able to determine if this is a better approach for these conditions.
I hope you had as good a Thanksgiving weekend as I did. I look forward to meeting up with you at the NoVa Blogmeet this Saturday
Pax,
Newbius
FTC Disclosure: I am not affiliated with, nor do I derive compensation from, any manufacturers or vendors of any of the products listed. If I use it, it is because I like it. Now, go pull the wings off of some flies or something.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday Pizza Perfect
Friday is always busy...
Between finishing my work for the day, making dough and sauce, and finalizing the list of attendees, it can get tense. But, this is a good thing. It is a good thing because Friday Night Pizza is also serious fun.
By the time 1700 rolled around, the oven was heating and everything was just about set. Lefty had her list of friends, Oldest told me about a couple of his friends, and Lord Obsidian agreed to drop by with a new board game to try out.
Making pizza is an interesting dance...the timing on my oven at 500 degrees is such that it takes about 12-15 minutes to do one 16" pie right. 7 minutes on the bottom rack, and 5-8 minutes on the middle, depending on the amount and type of toppings. So, first pie goes in on the bottom rack and then moves to the middle rack when number two goes in on the bottom. And so on throughout the cooking process. Since it takes about 7 minutes to toss the dough, sauce it, and top it, the kitchen becomes a busy place while the pies are going in and coming out. This also means that once I get going, I have a new, hot, steaming pile of "Goodness!" coming out of the oven roughly every 7 minutes. 6 pies takes less than an hour from start to finish.
First pie out of the oven is always chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers on AlfredOMG! Sauce (recipe to follow in a separate post). The early arrivers want this one first because it is the house favorite. It almost never lasts 5 minutes on the table and I always have to make two just to keep people happy. Since this one is so popular, I also make another one at the end of the night for the late arrivals and the people who want a third or fourth slice later in the evening.
I knew Lord Obsidian was arriving early due to a later commitment farther south so I put his fave (and one that I really like too) in next. This one is pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeno on my special Red(state) Sauce. The hot of the jalapeno and the sweetness of the pineapple make a nice counterpoint for each other and the salt of the pepperoni combines nicely with the tang of the sauce. Another winning combination. Lord Obsidian walked in about a minute before the pie came out of the oven. Great timing, and an indicator of how the night was going to go.
OldestChild likes pepperoni (JUST pepperoni), and one of his friends is also particular about that, so that was the next pie in the oven. Oldest was waiting patiently for it to come out and his friend arrived just as I was slicing the pie on the board. Another timing win! The evening was starting to really hit stride.
Next to go into the oven was 6heese! No, that is not a typo...my cheese pizza uses mozarella, aged parmesan, and a 4 cheese blend for a total of 6 cheeses on the red sauce. As I put this pie into the oven, some of Lefty's friends came in who ONLY eat cheese pizza. It was almost like there was some kind of pre-ordained flow to the way things were going.
The party was in full swing by this time, with games and movies going, lots of talk, and laughter in every room. I had just two more pies to make and pie number 5 is another house favorite: smoked ham and pineapple. Toss the dough (watch the ceiling!) and throw it on the pan. Sauce it up, thick layer of mozzarella, generous portion of ham and lots of pineapple, a sprinkle of aged parmesan and into the oven it goes.
The last to go in was another Chicken AlfredOMG pie. This last one came out of the oven right about the time that the last of Oldest's friends came through the door and a few minutes before my beautiful wife got home. The last pie to come out of the oven did so less than an hour after the first one went in, and everybody got to have their favorite type - hot and fresh from the oven - upon arrival. I would call that a cooking WIN!
Now that the pies were out and everybody was NOMming, I got to play a new game (to me) called "Endeavor". This game is a winner and I am going to have to add it to the board game rotation at Casa Newbius. If you like Catan, you will like this one.
All in all, a good night. Lots of food, conversation, and fun. Less than a pizza's worth of leftovers...a few slices of ham and pineapple (BREAKFAST!), a couple slices of cheese, a slice or two of pepperoni (but no Alfedo). And, I got to try a new game. I am really looking forward to the next pizza night. Maybe next week??
Pax,
Newbius
Between finishing my work for the day, making dough and sauce, and finalizing the list of attendees, it can get tense. But, this is a good thing. It is a good thing because Friday Night Pizza is also serious fun.
By the time 1700 rolled around, the oven was heating and everything was just about set. Lefty had her list of friends, Oldest told me about a couple of his friends, and Lord Obsidian agreed to drop by with a new board game to try out.
Making pizza is an interesting dance...the timing on my oven at 500 degrees is such that it takes about 12-15 minutes to do one 16" pie right. 7 minutes on the bottom rack, and 5-8 minutes on the middle, depending on the amount and type of toppings. So, first pie goes in on the bottom rack and then moves to the middle rack when number two goes in on the bottom. And so on throughout the cooking process. Since it takes about 7 minutes to toss the dough, sauce it, and top it, the kitchen becomes a busy place while the pies are going in and coming out. This also means that once I get going, I have a new, hot, steaming pile of "Goodness!" coming out of the oven roughly every 7 minutes. 6 pies takes less than an hour from start to finish.
First pie out of the oven is always chicken, broccoli, and bell peppers on AlfredOMG! Sauce (recipe to follow in a separate post). The early arrivers want this one first because it is the house favorite. It almost never lasts 5 minutes on the table and I always have to make two just to keep people happy. Since this one is so popular, I also make another one at the end of the night for the late arrivals and the people who want a third or fourth slice later in the evening.
I knew Lord Obsidian was arriving early due to a later commitment farther south so I put his fave (and one that I really like too) in next. This one is pepperoni, pineapple, and jalapeno on my special Red(state) Sauce. The hot of the jalapeno and the sweetness of the pineapple make a nice counterpoint for each other and the salt of the pepperoni combines nicely with the tang of the sauce. Another winning combination. Lord Obsidian walked in about a minute before the pie came out of the oven. Great timing, and an indicator of how the night was going to go.
OldestChild likes pepperoni (JUST pepperoni), and one of his friends is also particular about that, so that was the next pie in the oven. Oldest was waiting patiently for it to come out and his friend arrived just as I was slicing the pie on the board. Another timing win! The evening was starting to really hit stride.
Next to go into the oven was 6heese! No, that is not a typo...my cheese pizza uses mozarella, aged parmesan, and a 4 cheese blend for a total of 6 cheeses on the red sauce. As I put this pie into the oven, some of Lefty's friends came in who ONLY eat cheese pizza. It was almost like there was some kind of pre-ordained flow to the way things were going.
The party was in full swing by this time, with games and movies going, lots of talk, and laughter in every room. I had just two more pies to make and pie number 5 is another house favorite: smoked ham and pineapple. Toss the dough (watch the ceiling!) and throw it on the pan. Sauce it up, thick layer of mozzarella, generous portion of ham and lots of pineapple, a sprinkle of aged parmesan and into the oven it goes.
The last to go in was another Chicken AlfredOMG pie. This last one came out of the oven right about the time that the last of Oldest's friends came through the door and a few minutes before my beautiful wife got home. The last pie to come out of the oven did so less than an hour after the first one went in, and everybody got to have their favorite type - hot and fresh from the oven - upon arrival. I would call that a cooking WIN!
Now that the pies were out and everybody was NOMming, I got to play a new game (to me) called "Endeavor". This game is a winner and I am going to have to add it to the board game rotation at Casa Newbius. If you like Catan, you will like this one.
All in all, a good night. Lots of food, conversation, and fun. Less than a pizza's worth of leftovers...a few slices of ham and pineapple (BREAKFAST!), a couple slices of cheese, a slice or two of pepperoni (but no Alfedo). And, I got to try a new game. I am really looking forward to the next pizza night. Maybe next week??
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, October 16, 2009
Pizza Friday
Casa Newbius will once again be alive with the sounds of raucous teens consuming mass quantities of homemade pizza and playing board games. It will be good to have some noise in the house again.
If you were invited, the first pie comes out of the oven at 1800. If you weren't invited...there must have been a reason. ;)
Cheers!
If you were invited, the first pie comes out of the oven at 1800. If you weren't invited...there must have been a reason. ;)
Cheers!
Monday, June 8, 2009
Moonstair quest, Log Entry 3
Archer's Log
Trollhaunt Warrens
Ahhh.....crap! I knew it was my fault.
Even though I was *QUITE* stealthy working my way over to the door, I had to stop and take in the scene. Stupid of me... Halfway to the opposite door, I stopped to cover the group and make sure I could hit the troll and bear if they attacked. The group decided to stay and fight instead of exiting, stage right...
The disaster that resulted could have been great, except our *diplomat* gave away all of the treasure. Ah well. So it goes in the life of an adventurer. .
At least I got to show my companions that I can mix it up at close range. They seemed to think that I like to only battle from afar like some coward... Well, Duh! Why get hurt? I mean, scars are cool and all, but you have to get wounded in order to have them...
Anyway, we managed to escape the troll and the dire bear only to have Lord Obsidian give away the treasure to the dragon. Now we are going to have to kill her to take it back. We got info, sure. But, couldn't we have just flattered her for a few more minutes? I mean, Dragons like only two things: flattery and treasure. Give enough of one, you might not have to give any of the other. Ah well, so it goes.
Anyway, back to the problem at hand. We have a Troll king who wants to re-establish a realm. We have a black dragon in league (or loose alliance?) with it. We have a very big dungeon full of trogs and trolls. Yeesh! It would be nice if some of them bathed at least annually... These warrens stink! (And, I thought that the dragonborn smelled...go figure.)
Given the sorry state of the town's defenses, and the slow progress made in improving them, we might have to end this fight in these warrens. It is starting to look like one long crawl through endless meaningless battles until we arrive at Skalmad's crib.
If the party holds together, we should be alright. There is a small bit of friction right now and it would help if we had a strong party leader. I lack the experience to do so. Lord Obsidian could do it, as could any other member of our party. We just need to work out our roles. On a brighter note, we have enough diversity of talent that we should be able to overcome any obstacle. That is, if I learn to shut up when others are talking. I never was any good at diplomacy...
Anyway, when I get back to town, I will tell Squeaks that he might get to help after all. Squeaks told me before we went to the warren that he has a few friends who have arrived in town. Some good guys to have around in a fight. If we make it back out of this hole, I will tell the group what Squeaks told me. Maaaaybe we can use these guys in defense of the town. It is worth asking about.
In the meantime, I am following Lord Obsidian. He has a pretty good idea what he wants to do in here, and I still have arrows and rations. What else would I rather be doing?
Vanèäron
Trollhaunt Warrens
Ahhh.....crap! I knew it was my fault.
Even though I was *QUITE* stealthy working my way over to the door, I had to stop and take in the scene. Stupid of me... Halfway to the opposite door, I stopped to cover the group and make sure I could hit the troll and bear if they attacked. The group decided to stay and fight instead of exiting, stage right...
The disaster that resulted could have been great, except our *diplomat* gave away all of the treasure. Ah well. So it goes in the life of an adventurer. .
At least I got to show my companions that I can mix it up at close range. They seemed to think that I like to only battle from afar like some coward... Well, Duh! Why get hurt? I mean, scars are cool and all, but you have to get wounded in order to have them...
Anyway, we managed to escape the troll and the dire bear only to have Lord Obsidian give away the treasure to the dragon. Now we are going to have to kill her to take it back. We got info, sure. But, couldn't we have just flattered her for a few more minutes? I mean, Dragons like only two things: flattery and treasure. Give enough of one, you might not have to give any of the other. Ah well, so it goes.
Anyway, back to the problem at hand. We have a Troll king who wants to re-establish a realm. We have a black dragon in league (or loose alliance?) with it. We have a very big dungeon full of trogs and trolls. Yeesh! It would be nice if some of them bathed at least annually... These warrens stink! (And, I thought that the dragonborn smelled...go figure.)
Given the sorry state of the town's defenses, and the slow progress made in improving them, we might have to end this fight in these warrens. It is starting to look like one long crawl through endless meaningless battles until we arrive at Skalmad's crib.
If the party holds together, we should be alright. There is a small bit of friction right now and it would help if we had a strong party leader. I lack the experience to do so. Lord Obsidian could do it, as could any other member of our party. We just need to work out our roles. On a brighter note, we have enough diversity of talent that we should be able to overcome any obstacle. That is, if I learn to shut up when others are talking. I never was any good at diplomacy...
Anyway, when I get back to town, I will tell Squeaks that he might get to help after all. Squeaks told me before we went to the warren that he has a few friends who have arrived in town. Some good guys to have around in a fight. If we make it back out of this hole, I will tell the group what Squeaks told me. Maaaaybe we can use these guys in defense of the town. It is worth asking about.
In the meantime, I am following Lord Obsidian. He has a pretty good idea what he wants to do in here, and I still have arrows and rations. What else would I rather be doing?
Vanèäron
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Moonstair Quest - Log Entry 2 - Shopping
[IC]
Archer's Log-Moonstair
Moonstair in an interesting place. Their whole reason for being appears to be geared toward supplying adventuring parties and selling looted treasure to fetishist dilettantes trying to be trendy. Friendly merchants have set up their wares along every street, and there is more than enough action to keep someone interested at the two major taverns.
After picking up Squeaks over at Lord Obsidian's joint (actually more like throwing some oil on his hungover carcass to bring him around, followed by some hair of the dog to keep him interested), we headed out into the vendors to see what we could scare up in the way of supplies. We found the Alchemist's shop (closed for lunch), a Relics and Curios shop (closed, "at the ruins"), and a couple of armorers in among the more "Specialty" establishments. I decided to dig through the old weapons and ammunition in the dusty back area of the less reputable looking shop, in hopes something of value would turn up while Squeaks tottered off in search of whatever it is he eats. As luck would have it, I came across some charred-looking arrows which turned out to be Firestorm Arrows! The old guy running the store figured that 2 of them were Level 8 enchanted, and the rest of them were Level 3. After some intense haggling, I bought both of the Level 8s and as many of the 3s as I could afford (9), reserving some Gold for the Alchemist after lunch.
After heading back over to Lord Obsidian"s place for some lunch and an Ale (5% discount!), I headed back out. The Alchemist was in, so I bought a flask of Alchemist Fire in case things get dicey later. Then, went over to the other Armorer to see if he had a decent whetstone for sale (no luck). Mine is not as effective as it used to be and both of my swords need a hone. Looks like I am going to spend my evening stoning the blades again.
Walking around the center of town, it was hard not to notice the look of apprehension on most of the faces. It is hard to tell if this is fear, or hope, or a mixture of both. Everybody was pretty friendly though, even the old guy at the fishmonger's hut. Although, with that much damage to his face, it might just have been scar tissue instead of a smile.
Walking the perimeter of town, I spotted some good vantage points for ranged defense. The main wall defenses, though, are in such disrepair that no credible defensive action would last very long. They would have to trench a moat and fill it with burning oil to have a hope, and as rocky as the soil is it would take an army of giant trolls an entire month to do anything substantial.
Finished the day having dinner with the barbarian again. I think I've figured out what's going on with him. He hasn't had a chance to do any serious butt-kicking in a while and he's lacking direction. I almost feel sorry for him...
Vanèäron
Archer's Log-Moonstair
Moonstair in an interesting place. Their whole reason for being appears to be geared toward supplying adventuring parties and selling looted treasure to fetishist dilettantes trying to be trendy. Friendly merchants have set up their wares along every street, and there is more than enough action to keep someone interested at the two major taverns.
After picking up Squeaks over at Lord Obsidian's joint (actually more like throwing some oil on his hungover carcass to bring him around, followed by some hair of the dog to keep him interested), we headed out into the vendors to see what we could scare up in the way of supplies. We found the Alchemist's shop (closed for lunch), a Relics and Curios shop (closed, "at the ruins"), and a couple of armorers in among the more "Specialty" establishments. I decided to dig through the old weapons and ammunition in the dusty back area of the less reputable looking shop, in hopes something of value would turn up while Squeaks tottered off in search of whatever it is he eats. As luck would have it, I came across some charred-looking arrows which turned out to be Firestorm Arrows! The old guy running the store figured that 2 of them were Level 8 enchanted, and the rest of them were Level 3. After some intense haggling, I bought both of the Level 8s and as many of the 3s as I could afford (9), reserving some Gold for the Alchemist after lunch.
After heading back over to Lord Obsidian"s place for some lunch and an Ale (5% discount!), I headed back out. The Alchemist was in, so I bought a flask of Alchemist Fire in case things get dicey later. Then, went over to the other Armorer to see if he had a decent whetstone for sale (no luck). Mine is not as effective as it used to be and both of my swords need a hone. Looks like I am going to spend my evening stoning the blades again.
Walking around the center of town, it was hard not to notice the look of apprehension on most of the faces. It is hard to tell if this is fear, or hope, or a mixture of both. Everybody was pretty friendly though, even the old guy at the fishmonger's hut. Although, with that much damage to his face, it might just have been scar tissue instead of a smile.
Walking the perimeter of town, I spotted some good vantage points for ranged defense. The main wall defenses, though, are in such disrepair that no credible defensive action would last very long. They would have to trench a moat and fill it with burning oil to have a hope, and as rocky as the soil is it would take an army of giant trolls an entire month to do anything substantial.
Finished the day having dinner with the barbarian again. I think I've figured out what's going on with him. He hasn't had a chance to do any serious butt-kicking in a while and he's lacking direction. I almost feel sorry for him...
Vanèäron
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Basement Knights - Moonstair Quest, Log entry 1
[IC]
Archers log, Frostmyr to Moonstair
Interesting trip to Moonstair...
Shortly after leaving Frostmyr headed for Moonstair, I hooked up with this band of adventurers. Since we were headed in the same direction, it only made sense to stick together. During the journey, my favorite purveyor of Ale and Tail-Lord Obsidian-joined up, apparently he was returning from some trade show or something. Lord Obsidian and I had met before, although, I am not sure he has fully forgiven the time I shot at an obnoxious dwarf in one of his taverns and missed, knocking a lit oil lantern into the fryer...
(Reminder to self, never play with weapons when drunk on "Lake of Fire" Ale.)
Anyway, our merry band of pranksters came upon a scene of the usual horror and devastation, in the form of some trolls tearing apart some poor soul and his horse. Ugh. Trolls. I hate their smell. I can smell them from 200 yards away and they sure don't smell like my home woodlands! Since the conditions were perfect, good light and little breeze, I was able to do my work from a little farther away than normal. It is really nice when you have a clear field of fire to work with!
After dispatching the trolls, and causing an Oni to Disapparate, we were able to revive one of the victims and recover a message. Summary: Moonstair is reaping the pain of failing to maintain their defenses and the Troll King wants a trophy. From the sound of it we are going to have to get up close and personal with some of them. Hopefully there will at least be some profit in this.
On a brighter note, after (finally) arriving at Moonstair (yes, we had some trouble with the "victim"), we found that commerce was still thriving. I should be able to buy some supplies to help with the job that the town wants us to do. And, I ran across someone in Lord Obsidian's eatery and beatery who could be useful in a fight. A Barbarian named "Squeaks". Although, after his last battle, he drinks a little more than he used to. We'll see what the rest of the crew thinks.
I am going to chat up some local talent, get re-supplied, and have another Ale or six. It might be a while before I get another chance.
Vanèäron
[OOC]
D&D Questing is an excellent way to explore game theory and game development. While I am not very good at role playing, I do enjoy the gaming action. Also, the interaction with the other gamers is always interesting. It is a good way to burn off some frustration after hard work dealing with other people's problems.
Thursday was Day One in a new quest. Hopefully we can get through this before most of our party has to go back to college in the Fall. In the meantime, I need to figure out how to retrain some of my Ranger's feats to adjust for the fact we are going to be battling in caves and not open area. "V" is deadly with a bow, even at extreme range, but his melee skills could use some improvement...
I wholeheartedly recommend D&D as a great way to spend an evening. Find a game near you and join up. The dark side isn't so bad...and they have cookies.
Pax,
Newbius
Archers log, Frostmyr to Moonstair
Interesting trip to Moonstair...
Shortly after leaving Frostmyr headed for Moonstair, I hooked up with this band of adventurers. Since we were headed in the same direction, it only made sense to stick together. During the journey, my favorite purveyor of Ale and Tail-Lord Obsidian-joined up, apparently he was returning from some trade show or something. Lord Obsidian and I had met before, although, I am not sure he has fully forgiven the time I shot at an obnoxious dwarf in one of his taverns and missed, knocking a lit oil lantern into the fryer...
(Reminder to self, never play with weapons when drunk on "Lake of Fire" Ale.)
Anyway, our merry band of pranksters came upon a scene of the usual horror and devastation, in the form of some trolls tearing apart some poor soul and his horse. Ugh. Trolls. I hate their smell. I can smell them from 200 yards away and they sure don't smell like my home woodlands! Since the conditions were perfect, good light and little breeze, I was able to do my work from a little farther away than normal. It is really nice when you have a clear field of fire to work with!
After dispatching the trolls, and causing an Oni to Disapparate, we were able to revive one of the victims and recover a message. Summary: Moonstair is reaping the pain of failing to maintain their defenses and the Troll King wants a trophy. From the sound of it we are going to have to get up close and personal with some of them. Hopefully there will at least be some profit in this.
On a brighter note, after (finally) arriving at Moonstair (yes, we had some trouble with the "victim"), we found that commerce was still thriving. I should be able to buy some supplies to help with the job that the town wants us to do. And, I ran across someone in Lord Obsidian's eatery and beatery who could be useful in a fight. A Barbarian named "Squeaks". Although, after his last battle, he drinks a little more than he used to. We'll see what the rest of the crew thinks.
I am going to chat up some local talent, get re-supplied, and have another Ale or six. It might be a while before I get another chance.
Vanèäron
[OOC]
D&D Questing is an excellent way to explore game theory and game development. While I am not very good at role playing, I do enjoy the gaming action. Also, the interaction with the other gamers is always interesting. It is a good way to burn off some frustration after hard work dealing with other people's problems.
Thursday was Day One in a new quest. Hopefully we can get through this before most of our party has to go back to college in the Fall. In the meantime, I need to figure out how to retrain some of my Ranger's feats to adjust for the fact we are going to be battling in caves and not open area. "V" is deadly with a bow, even at extreme range, but his melee skills could use some improvement...
I wholeheartedly recommend D&D as a great way to spend an evening. Find a game near you and join up. The dark side isn't so bad...and they have cookies.
Pax,
Newbius
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Contrasts...
This past week was one of interesting contrasts. The work week was hectic and stressful due to demands from the job. We got some unreasonable delivery expectations from my customer requiring some super-human effort on the part of our team. We will get it done, but I do not expect to get any recognition. Maybe that is a good thing.
Yesterday was "National Dungeons and Dragons Day" and saw the release of Players Handbook 2 along with some new player classes. Got to spend the day with some very good people playing games and basically enjoying a somewhat slower pace. I also got an introduction to a very cool board game called Power Grid. I might ask for it for my birthday.
Friday, I was finishing up some stuff for work and then adjusted the scope rings on Beauty. I looked over and saw one of the cats sunning herself on the floor. I had to take a picture. So here is a different kind of contrast for you. Both of these make me smile.
I call them Beauty and the Beast.
Meet Beauty:
and the Beast:
Both of these girls are useful in home defense...The Beast (Princess Sophie) handles everything under 5 pounds and charms everything over 50 pounds. Beauty just handles everything else. Both of them were rescued from unkind circumstances and they have a home now where they are loved and cared for.
Friday night was more pizza and games with the teens. I am in awe of these kids, they are just amazing. Another Friday night recharging the batteries and having fun with people I like. Friday and Saturday were great unwind days. Lots of laughs and good times. Sunday is shaping up to be a good one too. Looking forward to finishing out the weekend on a high note, with good people and good times.
I hope your day brings you smiles too.
Pax,
Newbius
Yesterday was "National Dungeons and Dragons Day" and saw the release of Players Handbook 2 along with some new player classes. Got to spend the day with some very good people playing games and basically enjoying a somewhat slower pace. I also got an introduction to a very cool board game called Power Grid. I might ask for it for my birthday.
Friday, I was finishing up some stuff for work and then adjusted the scope rings on Beauty. I looked over and saw one of the cats sunning herself on the floor. I had to take a picture. So here is a different kind of contrast for you. Both of these make me smile.
I call them Beauty and the Beast.
Meet Beauty:
and the Beast:
Both of these girls are useful in home defense...The Beast (Princess Sophie) handles everything under 5 pounds and charms everything over 50 pounds. Beauty just handles everything else. Both of them were rescued from unkind circumstances and they have a home now where they are loved and cared for.
Friday night was more pizza and games with the teens. I am in awe of these kids, they are just amazing. Another Friday night recharging the batteries and having fun with people I like. Friday and Saturday were great unwind days. Lots of laughs and good times. Sunday is shaping up to be a good one too. Looking forward to finishing out the weekend on a high note, with good people and good times.
I hope your day brings you smiles too.
Pax,
Newbius
Friday, February 27, 2009
I love Friday nights...
I really love Friday nights.
Friday is the day when I get to hang out with the coolest people I know: my teen-aged kids and their friends. In four or five hours, my batteries are totally recharged for another week in the trenches.
The standing deal is this: I make the pizza. 3, 4 or more, depending on group size. Hand-tossed dough, and sauces-yes plural-from scratch, plus whatever toppings they want.
They can invite any friends they want to have over for food, and music, and board or card games. The door is open to anybody they know who wants to be a guest for the evening.
Frankly, I think I get the better end of the deal.
I get to hang out with some of the brightest, freshest, most talented teenagers I have ever met. Their parents know that the kids are safe, and I know where my kids are on Friday night. Most of these friends go to Youth Group with my teens. They are really a wonderful group. So far, every one of the friends has earned a standing invitation to return.
What impresses me most though is their diversity of talent, thought, and world view. All have very clear thinking on the issues of the day. A lot of them are honors students. Some are musicians. Some sing in choir. Some are athletes. They have wonderful senses of humor, sparkling wit, and quick minds. Their parents did very well with every single one of them. I am proud that these are the people that my teens choose to be with.
If these kids are our Nation's future, we are going to be all right.
Here's hoping that your Fridays go as well as mine do.
Pax,
Newbius
Friday is the day when I get to hang out with the coolest people I know: my teen-aged kids and their friends. In four or five hours, my batteries are totally recharged for another week in the trenches.
The standing deal is this: I make the pizza. 3, 4 or more, depending on group size. Hand-tossed dough, and sauces-yes plural-from scratch, plus whatever toppings they want.
They can invite any friends they want to have over for food, and music, and board or card games. The door is open to anybody they know who wants to be a guest for the evening.
Frankly, I think I get the better end of the deal.
I get to hang out with some of the brightest, freshest, most talented teenagers I have ever met. Their parents know that the kids are safe, and I know where my kids are on Friday night. Most of these friends go to Youth Group with my teens. They are really a wonderful group. So far, every one of the friends has earned a standing invitation to return.
What impresses me most though is their diversity of talent, thought, and world view. All have very clear thinking on the issues of the day. A lot of them are honors students. Some are musicians. Some sing in choir. Some are athletes. They have wonderful senses of humor, sparkling wit, and quick minds. Their parents did very well with every single one of them. I am proud that these are the people that my teens choose to be with.
If these kids are our Nation's future, we are going to be all right.
Here's hoping that your Fridays go as well as mine do.
Pax,
Newbius
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