Cypher 2

The universe gives, and takes away, and gives again. Hot on the heels of my Knicks winning the championship, my Golden Knights flamed out in the Stanley Cup Final. Mere moments after their fate was sealed, however, I got the email from Monte Cook Games about the arrival of the digital version of the new Cypher System -- now just "Cypher" -- player's handbook. Nathaniel and I are already poring over the character creation rules in the new edition and looking ahead to the upcoming campaign set in Vesper.

Let's Go, Knicks!

When I was in high school, I used to play as the Knicks in NBA Jam and dream of the real-life team bringing home a championship. As a fortysomething adult, now owning my very own NBA Jam cabinet, I've played as the Knicks and dreamed of the real-life team bringing home a championship. Tonight, they're bringing home a championship for real. For the first time in my lifetime, the New York Knicks are world champions!

Endgame

We're nearing the conclusion of our family Vanguard Saga campaign -- or the first big chunk of it, anyway. After slipping around the Anchorites' battle lines by means of a hidden trail, the heroes have reached the ruins where their foes have taken control of a mysterious artifact.

To get to the artifact, they'll have to fight or sneak their way into the dusty temple where the Anchorites' chief archaeologist is preparing to reactivate this long-dormant device.

Can our heroes stop the Anchorites in time? It's going to be quite the showdown! 

(Oh, and a powerful but unpredictable assassin is going to show up at basically the worst-possible time with an agenda of her own, which is bad news for both the Anchorites and the heroes...)

By the Power of Grayskull!

YOU have the power...to see the new Masters of the Universe movie, which premieres today. Maybe it's time to break out Battleground again...

Battle Lines

Our heroes in the Vanguard Saga campaign are continuing their perilous trek across the arid world of Elysion. They're soon to reach the forward command post of their military allies.

Unfortuantely, some Anchorites -- a fanatical sect seeking to separate itself, violently if necessary, from the rest of the human race -- are encamped nearby in the outskirts of a ruined, ancient city. 

The heroes will arrive just as the Anchorites are mounting an attack. They'll have to assist their allies to repel the charge and then continue deeper into the ruined city, where their foes are now unearthing a long-buried artifact that will determine the fate of the planet.

Flawless Victory

Recently I got a hankering to play through Drakkhen again with a new party, and it was just as much fun as last time. The final boss fight was pretty hilarious -- we walked into the room, listened to his evil monologue, and then my wizard killed him two seconds later with a single spell!

Plataea Outpost

In our family Vanguard Saga campaign, the heroes have crossed a harsh, arid wasteland and at last have reached a remote military outpost where they will work with the local garrison to undertake their mission here on the planet Elysion. 

They've also caught up with the Demeter, their trusty transport ship, from which they were separated shortly after arriving on this world. That ship is, of course, is a Warhammer 40k Valkyrie. Cheers to 40k for a wide range of models that I can use in roleplaying campaigns -- but jeers to our 3D printer, which crapped out when I really could have used a few more chain-link fence segments!