Quote from: Brad on May 16, 2024, 01:10:50 PM

Quote from: Omega on May 16, 2024, 11:58:54 AMWhat "logic"?

There is no justification except on the minds of raving lunatics.

Considering there are actual blacks mentioned peripherally in Tolkien's lore, it makes the whole "orcs are black" argument even dumber than it sounds on its face.

Not only that, Tolkien described orcs as follows: "...they are (or were) squat, broad, flat-nosed, sallow-skinned, with wide mouths and slant eyes; in fact degraded and repulsive versions of the (to Europeans) least lovely Mongol-types."
There's not the least hint that orcs are stand-ins for black people. If anyone could be offended by orcs, it would be Mongolians, but I doubt anyone has ever asked them.

That's odd compared to other PBTAs I've read, I gonna check it.
(I mean I can kinda get this Pasiones thing since it's mean to be ridiculous Latin Telenovela.)


OK, I've checked Night Witches. The move in question is "TRANSCENDENT LOVE: Choose your one and only lover. Your bond is
intense and unshakable. The first time you take the Mark "Embrace Death and face your final destiny," immediately erase it."

Not gonna lie playbook moves could be better written - but for me RAW - that move means you can mark only pre-existing lover in that way, not any PC or NPC in fiction whatsoever. So don't sleep around and you'll be fine

EDIT 2: OK I checked Pasion thing - seems it's utterly on purpose to emulate how ridiculous Latin TV is.

Quote from: Venka on May 17, 2024, 10:10:32 AMIn other words, I don't think they need to actually pick a fight here in the DMG, or engage in random anti-traditionalist attacks.  I will definitely agree that this would be their first priority if they actually announce Greyhawk as a full setting.

They don't need to do those things.  That doesn't mean they won't do them.  They never actually need to do any of those things and doing them is counter-productive but they do them anyway. 

I'm not going to read that.  I have already read it anyway.  Without reading it, I know exactly what it says and what terminology the writer uses.  I know because these things are all the same.  They make the same stupid claims.  They all make the same misrepresentations.  They phrase them the same way.  The writers all have the same anecdotes.  I don't need to read it to know that it's a reiteration of the same bullshit talking points we have seen these people using for decades.  It was worthless stupidity all of the other times and it's worthless stupidity this time too.   

A teaching edition?  Compatible with 1E?

That sounds good to me.  Just imagine; if someone new to rpgs today, tried to learn everything from Gary's core 3 books. Most people would really struggle.  It's not like B/X, at all.  I started with 1E, back in the mid 1990s; and it was peculiar. I also purchased the 2E books, but then it confused me that the rules were different in presentation.

Most people today, won't dig deeply enough to grasp it all.  1E was awesome, but it's a little scattered in presentation.

Alignment makes sense when you have literal gods aligned with Law and Chaos (and Evil/Good) who are essentially waging a war against each other. Either LOTR style or Michael Moorcock style or Poul Anderson style.

If you don't, it really doesn't.

I think the passions things only really works for Pendragon, because you are supposed to be playing (and simulating, really not just playing) a knight from the Arthurian romances who gets tested with various things. And there was an inherent clash between the original pagan nature of the stories (or at least some of them) and the later Christianized versions (and the Courtly love stuff as well)

Quote from: Chris24601 on May 18, 2024, 03:32:47 PMOne thing that might help in the whole "magic" department is to remember that language is not a constant thing.

The modern sense of the word "magic" only goes back to the 14th Century. Prior to that magikos referred mainly to the acts of various priestly classes (see the Biblical Three Magi... who were priests from the East).

In period there would be terms like Wiccacraeft (witchcraft) and Drycraeft (Dry was derived from the Irish Drui... from which the modern term Druid came) along with Sorcier (later Sorcerer, but derived from "caster of lots" and in terms of seeing the roots... say it as sorSEER) all referring to what we're lumping under "magic."

Basically... if you want this discussion to make more sense, replace every instance of "magic" with "supernatural" and "magician" with a wide array of terms (priest, wiseman/woman for legitimate ones and wicce, dry, sorcier etc. for illegitimate ones).

The term I have most often heard used is sorcery. This is as old as the hills.  It's also the modern umbrella term used by many Christian denominations for anything supernatural that isn't directly from God.

In the New Testament, the story of Simon is often used as a cornerstone of understanding the relationship between Christianity and the use of supernatural powers.

QuoteActs 8:9-25

9 But there was a certain man, called Simon, which before time in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one:

10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.

11 And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries.

12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

13 Then Simon himself believed also: and when he was baptized, he continued with Philip, and wondered, beholding the miracles and signs which were done.

14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:

15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:

16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)

17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.

18 And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles' hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money,

19 Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.

20 But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.

21 Thou hast neither part nor lot in this matter: for thy heart is not right in the sight of God.

22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

23 For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.

24 Then answered Simon, and said, Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of these things which ye have spoken come upon me.

25 And they, when they had testified and preached the word of the Lord, returned to Jerusalem, and preached the gospel in many villages of the Samaritans.

How this is interpreted will be based on the denomination.  Most do agree that this is a story that show that it's a sin to engage in any form of sorcery and you should only rely on the power of God.

Then there is the discussion of the Holy Ghost which leads down another avenue of inquiry that will get your head spinning...

As far as the three Magi, I have seen a lot of arguments and theories as to who they were and where they came from.  I believe they were Zoroaster priests from Parthia but that's just a guess based on my reading.

Tonight, 8pm Eastern, it's Inappropriate Characters!
Live, in our new account on Rumble! Guest starring: Diversity & Dragons
Subscribe, and don't miss it!
�#dnd� �#ttrpg� �#osr�



Inappropriate Characters On Rumble

I think a case could be made that Cleric is the best D&D class in purely mechanical terms, especially if you average it out across the editions. The variations on fighter, thief and magic user have risen and fallen in viability over time, but cleric has always been a strong and highly versatile option.

In 3.5 optimization circles there was a term: "CODzilla" (cleric-or-druid-zilla), to express how broken and overpowered the divine casting classes could easily be.

To answer an earlier question: The DVDs I buy I am rarely disappointed by. If it is something I am just watching casually, it's about a 50-50 chance of my liking it or not.