What's Up With D&D? for Monday, 2 January, 2012

Gaming Tonic · Jan 2, 2012

With the holidays upon us it was a slow week for Wizards of the Coast and that is okay because we can all catch our breath for a moment. We did receive news of new Dungeon Tiles, and compilations to tide us all over until next week. Do not miss next week. Really. Don't.

Christopher Perkins gives us an idea what to expect in Dragon 407 with Romancing the Stone Giant. I am glad to be getting a heavy dose of Cormyr this month because it easily converts to so many different campaigns.
The Chaos Scar is back in The Heart of the Scar by Aeryn "Blackdirge" Rudel in Dungeon 197. This 9th-11th level adventure pits the characters against the Brotherhood of the Scar, a cult of Bane. I enjoyed this and the prize is a dwarf's delight.
Legends and Lore Compilation 2011 gathers the Mike Mearls and Monte Cook articles that caused so much commotion last year into one place. Everybody is trying to read between the lines and has something to say about, check out the readers opinions here.
Shelly Mazzanoble conquers Not Fair Assault, Part 2. This is a hilarious look at how you can conquer the Talon of Umberlee, so long as you have the right mix of chocolate, peanut butter, and mother's intuition. Dungeon Masters everywhere you have been put on notice.
If you are indoors this winter then you are in luck. The Dungeon Master Experience 2011 Compilation by Chris Perkins is the perfect reading companion. I have enjoyed the adventures of his players in Iomandra and can always find things for my own campaigns.
Amazon.com now has [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Castle-Grimstead-Dungeon-Dungeons-Accessory/dp/0786960396/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1325478319&sr=1-1"]Castle Grimstead-Dungeon Tiles: A Dungeons & Dragons Accessory[/ame] listed as a Sept. 18, 2012 release. A picture isn't available but when one becomes available I will let you know.

Mark CMG · Jan 2, 2012

Gaming Tonic said:
Legends and Lore Compilation 2011 gathers the Mike Mearls and Monte Cook articles that caused so much commotion last year into one place.

Thanks for another report, GT!

Here's a thread spawned by the L&L compilation article -

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-rpg-discussion/315663-legends-lore-2011-compilation.html

Klaus · Jan 2, 2012

Is it just me, or is Heart of the Scar also available to non-subscribers?

Gaming Tonic · Jan 2, 2012

It does appear to be available to non-subscribers as well. I logged out of my account to check. A late holiday bonus for some. Thanks for the comment.

BLACKDIRGE · Jan 2, 2012

Whether a glitch or a purposeful act, if it's a freebie, that's pretty cool.

Klaus · Jan 2, 2012

BLACKDIRGE said:
Whether a glitch or a purposeful act, if it's a freebie, that's pretty cool.

And it's a great adventure! Congrats on bookending the Chaos Scar!

Anselyn · Jan 3, 2012

Hilarious? Really? They, at best, rise to faintly amusing.

I find them (Confessions of a Full-Time Wizard columns) to be a bit like reality TV; alleged journalism that is in fact a mendacious gloss over a hidden nugget of original reality.

e.g.: "18,” I said. “Oh wait, that’s not an 8. That’s a smudge of chocolate. 13.”

Funny: No.
True: Of course, not.
Effect: So, you made this up. Is it all invented or is there any underlying truth here about your life or experiences.

Windjammer · Jan 3, 2012

Anselyn said:
Hilarious? Really? They, at best, rise to faintly amusing.

I find them (Confessions of a Full-Time Wizard columns) to be a bit like reality TV; alleged journalism that is in fact a mendacious gloss over a hidden nugget of original reality.

e.g.: "18,” I said. “Oh wait, that’s not an 8. That’s a smudge of chocolate. 13.”

Funny: No.
True: Of course, not.
Effect: So, you made this up. Is it all invented or is there any underlying truth here about your life or experiences.

Pretty much this. I loosely recall her writing a holiday report (or was it even a honeymoon?) where she and her partner travelled to Munich and Paris, alleging that they saw teens with Mordenkainen's ME books (plural!) under their arm at Munich main square.

I've lived at Munich until 2010 for some time, and let me tell you, there's one FLGS in town, rather remote from that main square in a back alley, and chances of teenagers (!) carrying around several copies of that book in broad daylight is... not just a white lie, it's so implausible that it's obviously false to anyone familiar with the places Shelley wrote about. She simply banked on the fact that chances of her readership being sufficiently familiar with these places would be negligibly small (and right she was). I mean, hey, teenagers carrying around D&D books in European metropoles, that sounds cool, doesn't it? Too bad I know the FLGS owner, and have it on personal authority that the number of people who even bother to buy 4E stuff anymore are down to 4 people. 1 me, 1 a friend a I know - I guess Shelley saw the other two?

Now that throw away reference to Munich is a wholly unimportant, banal detail in her writing, but it reminded me once again that a) most of this is probably contrived where it isn't simply exaggerated for greater effect, and b) serves a naked marketing purpose. Product placement anyone?

Honestly, I'd rather read RPG forums before wasting time on one of her articles. While forums abound with a's they at least don't stuff b's down your throat while you're at it.

Erudite Frog · Jan 4, 2012

That's a pretty big accusation Wind. Which store are you talking about? I know of several. in fact, i was just in one of them in november.

edit: the store wasnt in a dark alleyway.