Vampire the Masquerade Winters Teeth issue 2 review

 

Vampire the Masquerade: Winters Teeth issue 2 from Vault Comics 

Find it at DrivethruComics.

Find it on Amazon.

Or find it at your local comic shop.

This issue starts off by finally giving us Prince Samantha and some insight into her past and the way she thinks now. While at an event Cecily brings forth Alejandra with the claim that she is her progeny. For those unfamiliar with the setting it's given some discourse so you will not be lost. Actually they do this quite well through out the issue with discussions of the hunger, hunting and other such topics. I will say I am impressed with how they are handling giving readers all this information. It's done in a way where it is well written so any fans of the game already don't feel bored and those new to all this aren't completely lost. 

There is not so much about Colleen and her crew, a little backstory and then running into something really bad. I'm not so sure about them being major characters in the story now. Maybe even just collateral damage but we will see with the next issue or two of this series. There have been at least four issues announced so far. 

All in all the writing is pretty good. The story gets a bit wobbly with some "before" scenes but it recovers nicely. The characters do come across as different and three dimensional instead of just card board cut out vampire templates. The art is the same as last issue, maybe even a little improved. Thankfully there is a bit more color being splashed around this time so not everything looks like it's coated in mud. 

The game material in this issue is giving some more information on Minneapolis and St. Paul. Including what information characters may know based on their knowledge of the sister cities. Then a two page character sheet is also included. Having not read the newest edition of Vampire The Masquerade I'm not sure if this is improved or just of a different layout. But it does look nice. 

Jaded Gamer - JK Rowling and Harry Potter

 

Going to talk about something other than gaming right now. But it's something that many gamers are talking about. 

Well you would have to be living under a rock if you haven't heard of the controversy surrounding Harry Potter author JK Rowling. Her blatant support of transphobic individuals online coupled with her own antitrans views she has spouted online and in other places. May are understandably writing her off and will no longer support anything with her name attached to it. I completely support a persons decision to do this.

What I want to talk about is people who are saying they are going to be destroying their copies of the Harry Potter books. What I ask of you is to not do this and instead do something that will affect her ability to profit off the material in the future. Donate them to thrift stores, sell them online via Ebay for cheap prices, drop them off at used book stores. Because whether you like it or not in the years to come some folks are going to want to read the books. Maybe because they saw the movies in reruns on television or maybe even because of the controversy. Make it easy for those folks to get cheap second hand copies. That way the demand for new print runs drop, thrift stores and used book stores get money they need and if you go the route of Ebay you get a little money in your pocket.

All without her ability to profit from any of those sales. 

Make her books more common at yard sales and second hand markets than Fifty Shades of Grey (which I see every damn where). Do this so there is less and less demand for some new special covered copy being released at Wal-Mart when those who are curious can pick up a copy for fifty cents.

On top of all of his I also just hate seeing books getting destroyed. Being one of those people who still hasn't switched over to Kindle to read everything it just sort of irks me even if the person who wrote the books is craptacular. 

Okay I'm off my soap box now. 

Jaded Gamer - Adamant, Far West and Star System

Recently Adamant Entertainment put a new product out on the market called "Star System: Every Star Is A Destination". Which of course sparked up a few folks who are still waiting Gareth to release "Far West" which is years late with a stream of constant excuses and long moments of silence. Although some folks are noticing the pricing of the new product.

The pdf is the exact same cost as the pod version. Also if you buy the physical copy you get the pdf for free. Now this is a slap in the face to those who do digital only or live in areas where shipping costs can be far more than the actual book itself. So people started questioning this. First Gareth gives his usual smug remarks (even though he denies they were smug) and the other person working with Adamant to put this book out made an interesting comment. 

So it appears that Eric Trautmann had to pay forward the entire cost of producing the book. Not Adamant or Gareth, but by himself. Which makes you wonder a whole lot about the fiscal stability of Adamant to produce finished product. Especially one that has been stuck in development of one sort or another for many years. One could very easily assume that by now the money that backers paid is long since gone. Things like shirts and all the extras will likely never see the light of day. Even the production of a physical books in enough copies to fulfill the backer orders seems extremely unlikely at this point. 

So I guess folks can just keep counting the years on Far West which is becoming a piece of RPG Vaporware history. 

Stuff for sale

 Due to financial issues I'm selling off a good chunk of my gaming material I have gathered over the years. Along with some DVDs, books and other random items. If you don't see anything you like but still want to help out you can click on the various links along the side of this blog. Following my Amazon or DrivethruRPG links and buying something, even if it's not what the link is to, will give me a little bit of a kickback. 

If you are interested in anything contact me a: peteramthor (at) gmail (dot) com. 

Locals I can meet you someplace to exchange the goods. Preferably in Bonne Terre, Desloge or Park Hills. If you are not local let me know what you want and I can get you a shipping cost. I'm open to offers if you are buying more than one item. 

Also some items will be up on Ebay as well. 

List last updated: 9-6-2020

Role Playing Games

AD&D Kara-Tur both setting books no maps or box – 25

A State corebook w/ Mire End – 20

Baker Street core book, case book and GM Screen – 45

Blue Planet 1^st edition core book w/Access Denied gm screen - 35

Blue Rose 1^st edition – 5

Castle Falkenstein POD reprint - 30

Chill Voodoo - 10

Circle of Hands – 25

Conspiracy X 1st edition core w/intoductory guide (water damage) - 4

Conspiracy X Aegis - 5

Conspiracy X Nemesis - 5 

Crime Scene Forensics - 12

Crime Scene Police Investigation - 15

Cyberpunk Chromebook 1 - 20

Cyberpunk Solo of Fortune - 35

Cyberpunk Solo of Fortune 2 - 10

Dragonraid boxed set – 25

Digital Burn – 5

D20 Modern sample chapter - 12 

Fantasy Wargaming (full size book) - 20

Gurps COPS - 20 

Harp - Loot: A Field Guide - 12 

Kult Fallen Angels - 40

Kult Metropolis Sourcebook - 25

Kult Players Companion - 35

Kult Taroticum - 40

Liber Elixirium (kickstarter copy) - 40

Mage the Ascension 1^st ed – 10

Magical Theorems & Dark Pacts - 15 

Modern Age (2019 free rpg day) - 2 

Necroscope: Operation Nightside – 4

Novus Fantasy Roleplaying Game - 15

Outbreak Undead intro manual (2019 free rpg day) - 3

Over the Edge Airwaves - 10

Over the Edge Broadcast Unauthorized - 10 

Over the Edge House Call - 8

Over the Edge It Waits - 6

Rolemaster Boxed Set (red border) - 45  

Rolemaster Arm Law: Firearms - 15

Rolemaster Character Records - 12 

Rolemaster Companion 2 - 15

Rolemaster Companion 3 - 20

Rolemaster Companion 4 - 22

Rolemaster Creatures and Treasures - 22

Ryubix Manor w/map - 30

Twilight 2000 1^st ed Soviet Vehicle Guide – 10

Ultramodern Firearms (d20 version) - 15 

Unknown Armies: Hush Hush – 25

Unknown Armies: Lawyers, Guns, and Money – 25

Unknown Armies: One Shots – 25

Unknown Armies: Postmodern Magic – 25

Villains and Vigilantes boxed set – 30

Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay: Old World Armoury – 20

Wicked Fantasy – 35

World of Darkness corebook – 12

Gaming Magazines

Cryptych 2/2 – 2

Games Unplugged issue 12 – 2

Gygax issue 1 – 20

Polymancer vol 1 issue 8 – 2

Polymancer vol 2 issue 1 – 2

Shadis issue 51 - 8

Valkyrie issue 21 – 15

White Dwarf (original run) issue 81 – 8

White Dwarf (original run) issue 88 – 12

White Wolf issue 44 - 4 

Miniature Games/other games 

Chronopia Dark Fantasy Miniature Battles corebook - 12

Iron Stars tabletop boardgame – 5

Silent Death The Next Millennium corebook - 15 

Silent Death Operation Drydock - 8

Silent Death Sigurd Archdiocese - 10

Silent Death Tactics Manual - 10 

World of Warcraft Atlas (original) – 3

Comics – trade paper backs

Archaia Studios 2007 catalog - 4 

X-Men Mutant Massacre – 4

DMZ: On the Ground – 7

DMZ: Body of a Journalist – 9

DMZ: Public Works – 9

Books

Chartres Cathedral (signed by author) - 24 

mont saint michel and chartres - 4

Yokai Attack! - 8

DVDs

Artesia on sale

 Artesia is one of my all time favorite comics. The ttrpg released for it was equally stunning. I wrote about it before on an old blog post. Right now the publisher has put it on sale over on DrivethruRPG and it's worth checking out at this discount. Especially the graphic novels, they not only have great art but it's a showcase of how to do proper storytelling as well.

Click here to check the sale on Artesia right now.

For a print copy of the RPG you can try Ebay or Amazon but prices can vary wildly. 

For a print copy of the comics, same deal Ebay or Amazon but watch those prices. 

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Unknown Armies 2nd ed vs 3rd ed

Been a while since I've talked about Unknown Armies. Especially after I was unhappy with the high buy in cost for third edition by splitting it into three books. So I didn't back the kickstarter and didn't look around for the books.

Eventually a collection of the three main books fell into my lap via a good trade deal. Really it was one I couldn't pass up. So I finally had the new version of Unknown Armies in my hands and I gave it a read through. After that I never mentioned it. Why? Because it was kind of a let down really. It didn't click at all with me, not the way the previous two edition did and it just felt like a whole lot of 'meh' to me.

Well over on rpgdotnet a conversation popped up where a person is reading the second edition of the game. A couple of us said we preferred it over 3rd and one person in particular (Comrade Pointdexter) hit the nail right on the head as to why. Saying it much better than I ever could have.

There are things I'll ransack from UA 3E (such as The Naked Goddess archetype, the schism in her cult, and Ordo Corpulentis), but I stick with 2E. Not only because I like that system better, but the overall tone of 3E strikes me as merely bizarro and kooky than uncanny, dark, and noirish. I recall one reviewer of third edition wrote that he wouldn't have guessed it was a horror rpg if the rule books hadn't said so. If 2E was Tim Powers, Quentin Tarantino, David Lynch, James Ellroy, and Nick Cave then 3E is The Adventures of Pete and Pete and Ween (and, Christ, what they did to The Sleepers is a joke. Literally, a setting meta-joke. No 12-Step Sleepers in my UA, thanks). Take the 1st edition supplement Postmodern Magick and compare two of the individuals/cabals within - The Bad Man and Team Salvation. Second edition was all about characters like The Bad Man; third edition is totally Team Salvation. And I never could stand Team Salvation.

 I have to agree completely with this. It's not a horror game in the way it's been rewritten. The updates to the power groups in the game aren't all that well thought out. It just doesn't work or compare to the previous edition. For the record 2nd edition took everything that was good about the original version, and several of the supplements, combined and refined them in probably the best follow up edition to a game that I have ever seen. It kept the tone and feel while making it all work together.

If you're looking for the 3rd edition you can find it on the Atlas Games page on DrivethruRPG and on Amazon of course or even Ebay. Don't forget to check your FLGS first though.

For 2nd edition you are going to have to hunt around on Ebay, on Amazon, or through second hand sellers. Or you may get lucky and find it at a FLGS also, be sure to check the used games section if they have one.

Truly Rural update 8-17-29

Truly Rural Productions update. While I'm waiting for a piece of art for Clandestine Societies I've started pushing forward on a second project.

A few years back I did a 'roll 20' post with twenty different kinds of masks you could find in a game. I've decided to take that list and expand each entry with a description of each mask, how their magical ability works in more detail, duration or uses and some notes on converting it over to a game system. Thought about stating it out with WaRP but I'm not sure if anchoring it with a system helps or hinders potential sales.

Also since 'Squad Names' sold a few copies I've started tossing together a second edition of that. No idea when it will be done as I'm just jotting down names as inspiration strikes.

After Clandestine Society and the as of yet untitled Mask project I will start working on another installment for Sponsorship.