Canada photo dump Capilano Park

Alright more pics from my Vancouver vacation.

This is from our morning at Capilano Park. 

It is know for a giant suspension bridge and treetop walks.

We start off with totem poles. I'm a big fan and would love a couple in the back yard.

Then you get to the bridge. It is only a few hundred feet to the ground below. No big right?

I hate suspension bridges. They move and sway and I'm not having it.

Fantastic Beasts and there they are! A review.

The first not Harry Potter/ Harry Potter spin-off film based on a book has been seen by me and mine.

Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

Set in 1926 New York, we are introduced to the American wizarding world through the character Newt Scamander. It seems he is travelling the world studying beasts (fantasy monsters) and writing a book about them. He is also on mission, that they want you to think has a shady vibe about it, to return a beasty to its home. This all seems pretty benign. Well now throw in an invisible monster destroying bits of New York and the investigation by the Magical Congress of the United States American (a.k.a. the Ministry of Magic), a group of anti-witch propaganda pushers, a newspaper magnate and his son running for office, a wizard version of Hatari, not Voldemort on the loose, a paltry romance story, American Muggle interaction (or Mo-Maj’s a word I hate the sound of) and you have the basic plot of Fantastic Beasts.

As I sit here typing this, I am still at odds with this movie. I didn’t hate it, but I hated parts of it. I didn’t love it, but I loved parts of it.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Who thought this pic was 

1. ever a good idea

2. sexy

I guess it was made to show an appreciation for a blunderbuss, to make one hungry and to titillate at the same time?

Whatever the reason it is Thanksgiving. Be thankful for whatever and do the family feasting or whatever it is you and yours chooses to do.

D&D post game 11-19-16

It is hard to believe that a simple week long celebration culminated in a night of vicious attacks and terror.

The final night of the Harvest Festival in Stonekeep was anything but family friendly.

The night began with the Remembrance of the Fallen ceremonies at the local graveyard. It was here that some unknown party struck first. A simple ceremony and candlelight vigil turned into a battle against the risen dead. The city guard held the cemetery gates and our intrepid party ventured in to battle the various skeleton and zombies that were walking about attacking the civilian bystanders.

D&D pre-game 11-19

This week has been a time of celebration throughout the realm. All the cities are decked out in vibrant reds, oranges and yellows. There are parades and celebrations on various days during the week. Various acting and performing troupes have settled in to dance, sing, act and entertain the masses. Food is plentiful. Drink is plentiful. A giant travelling circus has arrived. You can’t walk ten feet without seeing corn, apples or some type of gourd.

 Why?

It is the yearly celebration of the coming Autumnal Equinox, the Harvest Festival, the Days of the Departed, the Celebration of Gratuitous Bounty or whatever the local communities decide to call this time of year.

The celebration of the bounty of the summer planting. A week of enjoying times with family and friends. A time to steel against the coming winter months. A time to reflect on the year. A time for some to honor the fallen and lost. A time to cut loose and party, because there is nothing better to do. Whatever the reason, it is a time of celebration.

Come out to see a show!

Enjoy the time with friends!

Take part in the local events!

Revel in the last days before the lean winter months!

Remember and honor the lost!

Head to Ferrous Spur to see the Ancestoral Parade of the dwarves and the pyrotechnic display afterwards!

Marvel at the raising of the swamp spirits and learn why they call the town Wychlight!

Travel to the garrison at Bastion and listen to the playful music of the elves. However, don’t get over zealous and travel into the woods for a closer look.

If you are in Stonekeep go and see the travelling circus!

 

Go enjoy the party. Everyone else is!





New Privateer pretties!

Leading off with the newest version of my favorite Warlock. A new Kaya on the horizon.
A cool look and a nod to Princess Mononoke.

Reign of Cthulhu!

Reign of Cthulhu ……

…..also known as our newest addiction!

Reign of Cthulhu is made by Z-Man Games, the people who make the pretty awesome Pandemic game. We played a game of this at Gen Con 2016. It was fun, but we needed more than one game.

Well we eventually played many many games of Pandemic on vactation and realized that it is stupid fun and that the Cthulhu version is worth a buy, just as fun and right in our wheelhouse.

Alright.

Reign of Cthulhu is based on the H.P. Lovecraft universe. Here the ancient and long thought dormant Elder Gods have their cultists trying to bring them for into the material realm. You play one of four characters and are trying to thwart the cultists and close dimensional portals that those pesky Elder Gods, most notably the big guy Cthulhu himself, are trying to move through. Simple right?

Nope.

Alright first this is a Co-Op for 1-4 players. You play an archetype character (Doctor, Hunter, Occultist, Driver etc.) with an ability to help you/ the team stop the cultists and their Shaggoth masters from summoning the big nasties. Your team has to travel a board that contains four towns Innsmouth, Arkham, Kingsport and Dunwich. Yes all towns based on/part of Lovecraft literature.  Now each town has a color and a portal. Players collect town  cards and once they have five of the same color, they can close that town/color portal. Do this four times and you win the game.

Now along the way cultists show up every turn and you have to “clear” them from the towns. Why? More than 3 cultists on a town location and they summon an Elder God. This will have some negative game effect and make it harder for the players to win. If you summon all the gods…( there are seven Old Ones to summon and the seventh is always Cthulhu)… then you can guess what happens.

There are also Shoggoths that move around the board. They are trying to get through portals as well. If they do, then an Elder God awakens, like having 3+ cultists. Yup you will move one step closer to Cthulhu and the game will get more difficult. So “clearing” (or killing cultist/Shoggoths) bad guys is as essential as closing gates during the game.

Close four gates and win. That is it. The only way to win the game

Now losing the game is a lot easier.