Helm Greycastle Book One review

 

Helm Greycastle Volume One a available on DrivethruComics.

The story of a man named Helm Greycastle and his party of adventurers who also seem to be a bit shady around the edges in what they do. Opening with a fight to retrieve an item to help a friend it quickly leads to a rescue mission to another world. With the goal of saving a young dragon prince who's been captured the crew must make their way through a culture they have never encountered before. One that Helm discovers he has a connection with. A mix of political intrigue and plain old sword and sorcery action takes place as they must negotiate with rulers and Gods.

The writing and pacing of the story felt off. Starting off with so many characters being introduced fast and furious with little time for the reader to even begin to know them. One right after the other without pause it seemed. Then there was some disconnect between what was being seen on the page, with what was happening in the text and how it related to the next few panels. I felt like I missed something multiple times.

Henry Barajas has a great story here and judging from his credentials can tell a great story. But it's hard to wade through this. I'm wondering if this shouldn't have been a few more issues longer with more time to showcase the characters and their motivations a bit more. So much information was just poured forth quickly with dialogue that didn't seem to flow.

Worldbuilding wise they have a great thing going here. It's interesting with lots of potential. The characters eventually liven up a bit and we begin to see what they are all about. But by the time it gets there it's been a slog already.

Art wise Rahmat Handoko delivers in a pretty solid fashion. Clean art all the way through and all the characters are captured as being unique on the page. You don't mistake one for the other over the course of a few pages. With the colorist Bryan Valenza backing him up it all worked out very well.

The game material presented in the back for use with the 5^th edition of Dungeons and Dragons appears to be functional and well done. I'm not an expert on the latest version of D&D but from what I understand this looks very usable. Again, the world presented is really great and this just backs that up. Tristan J Tarwater, Geoffrey Golden and Matt Hawkins look like they know their stuff and do a good job presenting the information in a clear format. Along with the art of Jen Vaughn splashing in through out to pull it together a bit more.

All in all I give this one a four out of five.   

Shadow Service Volume One - Review

 

Shadow Service Volume One. 

Available on DrivethruComics. 

Available on Amazon.

Or check your local comic shop. 

When you need a private investigator who is better than what they should be then apparently you should be calling Gina Meyers. A young witch who has a natural born ability to do her magic and is used to the dirtier side of the job. But she thought she was mostly alone in the world, now she finds out just how wrong that is.

This trade collects the first five issues of the series and is a great way to dive into the story. Meeting one of Gina's shadier employers known as Gideon Quill and one of her few friends the talking rat known as Edwin. Things are going normal until she runs into the supernatural organization known as Section 26 officially but as MI666 on the street.

Meeting others with high end dark powers that reveal to her a much larger darker secret demonic underground residing in London. She has to chose sides and alliances as more information comes to light about Gideon and the MI666 itself. One thing is for sure, she's in way more over her head than she's ever been before.

The art style of Corin Howell matches up perfectly for the task at hand. Sleek and clean without to much attention to detail to things that aren't important. But just the right amount for what you need to see. There are no wasted lines or overworked panels. With Triona Farrell doing the colors behind him it all clicks together very nicely. Very easy on the eyes and adding that perfect amount of depth to the art.

All the cover designs for the individual issues are at the end of the book. Every one of them an amazing work in themselves. Mixing some great horror design elements and lots of creepy vibes.

As for the writing Cavan Scott takes us on the journey at a brisk pace. Mixing in the current present day story line with flashbacks to backgrounds of the various characters involved. They keep it moving and there are no pages where you're just hoping for something to happen as information is just poured forth in a dull formula.

I can't wait to read the second volume to see where the story goes. So I'm giving this one five stars. A very pleasant surprise and enjoyable read.

For the gamer types (like me) this story also oozes with plenty of ideas to steal for games like UnknownArmies, Kult, Call of Cthulhu and pretty much any modern day horror game. Also being a comic it does give you the necessary visuals to show your players what they are up against.

Sla Industries - The Truth about Dark Night

 

More of my personal take of the Sla Industries setting. Let's look at Dark Night this time around.

Pick up Sla Industries 1st edition over on DrivethruRPG. 

The terrorist group/soft company known as Dark Night isn't quite what most would believe. They definitely aren't what Sla Industries wants you to believe. Let's start off with one thing, there are two Dark Night groups existing at the same time. 

First is the fake Dark Night. This is ran by Sla Agents working undercover as subversive terrorist agents. From the outside they look like they want to cause as much destruction and death as possible. The upper echelon is Sla loyalists who recruit those from downtown who are desperate to survive. They let them think they are in an actual subversive group when they are not. Carrying out specific missions whose actual end goals are to actually cover something up via destruction and mayhem along with some straight up assassination missions against those that get in the way of the bigger picture or are digging to deep into things they should not. 

Basically they do the dirty work that Sla Industries would rather not have their fingers on. Along with smearing the actual Dark Night organization with their heavy handed and high collateral damage activities. 

The actual Dark Night is a full on subversive/soft company organization. Their entire goal is to undermine the Company and shift the power balance so that others may gain footholds and pry the power from one single person into the hands of many. While they also do assignations, thefts and cause some collateral damage they are much more laser focused. Going after very specific targets while doing as little harms to any innocents who may be in the area. They also spread literature and information throughout downtown in an effort to sway the masses to their way of thinking. 

Also they offer a high reward for anyone that can deliver members of the fake Dark Night to them alive. Especially if they turn out to be any of the Sla Agents running that group. 

Now within the actual Dark Night organization is another group that is only known the higher ranking members. It's called Daylight and it's made entirely of undercover Dark Night agents that have infiltrated the company, people within the company who have decided to switch sides and their handlers. It's all kept very compartmentalized so many of them don't now of the others in case somebody is discovered. Even the handlers know the two or three they are assigned to. This group leaks out information, equipment, anything they can in order to aid the movement to take down Sla Industries. Most Dark Night members are completely unaware of the existence of Daylight.   

Sla Industries - The Truth in my Games part 2

 

Over on DrivethruRPG you can pick up Sla Industries 1st edition, Hunter Sheets 1 and Hunter Sheets 2.

Time for a little more about Necranthropes (called Necs for rest of article) in my version of the World of Progress in Sla Industries. First off, and this should be remembered at all times, they are not the good guys. Not even close. They are a race of creatures that are absolutely dripping in evil. The only reason they may look in the least like they are something else is because they are putting on an act. Intruder has a plan for them and until that plan is ready they are to appear loyal to Mister Slayer. 

Flux isn't exactly what it's claimed to be. Yes it's an energy that exists all around us. But it's created by the suffering and agony of living beings. Mort happens to be a perfect location to produce a nearly endless amount.

They have also found an alternative source of flux to draw upon. One that is refined and pure, that they enjoy so much better because it sets their senses on fire. That is by pulling the souls out of those who have been corrupted and abused. Those who have lost all hope, all innocence and are nearly just burned out husks of what they could have potentially been. Now while this may fit many who live in the downtown areas of Mort their absolute favorite supplier is the Skin Trade. 

The Trade sells it's 'remnants' of their 'product' to the Necs either for a tidy little price or in exchange for equipment and information. This also means the Necs will protect those in the trade who in the higher echelons of the company offices. Just so their thirst for this new form of flux can keep making it's way to them. Also it's a self serving circle as the actions of Trade also cause more suffering to keep the furnace of misery that is Mort burning endlessly.

After being drained the emancipated bodies of the victims are disposed of by a massive reality fold to a location off world (more on this in a future article). 

One last thing to remember. Even Bitterness is afraid of the Necs and what they may become.

Sla Industries - I found what? Part 2

 

Searching the bodies for clues and gear to turn in is always a good time in Sla Industries. But what else are you finding? Roll a D10

Thresher Pilot 

1 - 'Thresher Girls' pocket calendar. 

2 - A tin of gun oil.

3 - An identification guide to Sla Industries powered armor. 

4 - Cheap necklace with an imitation shark tooth on it.

5 - A cyanide pill in a small pouch.

6 - Pair of worn leather work gloves. 

7 - A wad of various connection wires.

8 - Pocket tool kit of ultra fine jewelers screwdrivers. 

9 - Small black box with a red button on it. 

10 - A mix tape of subversive grind metal bands. 

Suspected Prop

1 - Three severed fingers in a plastic baggie. 

2 - A pair of scissors with dark stains.

3 - Set of hot pink fuzzy handcuffs. 

4 - A bundle of downtown Mort bus passes, each with a different name.

5 - An ear wax removal kit.

6 - Piece of paper with a bunch of different times written on it.

7 - A snubbed nosed wooden pencil. 

8 - Five pairs of latex gloves, blue. 

9 - A crude, handmade lockpick kit.

10 - Membership card for the 'Happy Jacks' Halloween Jack fanclub. 

Sla Industries - I found what?

 

Searching the bodies for clues and gear to turn in is always a good time in Sla Industries. But what else are you finding? Roll a D10

Dark Night Sniper

1 - 8 Rounds for the weapon they are carrying.

2 - A wad of medical gauze and tape.

3 - A cheap cigarette lighter and a half a pack of Coffin Nails.

4 - Two bottles of No Doze caffeine pills.

5 - Folded up Dark Night propaganda poster. 

6 - Chocolate covered energy bar.

7 - Worn out and ratty looking black ski mask.

8 - Homemade shiv with a handle made of masking tape.

9 - An issue of the Captain Freedom subversive comic book.

10 - A stub of a black grease pen. 

Dead Shiver

1 - A small pack of large condoms.

2 - Couple packs of long lasting breath mints. 

3 - Seven business cards from various brothels. 

4 - Flask of very potent home made alcohol. 

5 - Slip of paper with six apartment numbers written on it, but no address. 

6 - A ring of keys, various sizes and types.

7 - Coupon for a free SLURPS frozen drink.

8 - A folded up pamphlet on signing up to become an operative. 

9 - A homemade one shot derringer with a round of hotline in it.

10 - A pack of blackmarket cigarettes called Black Tar.  

The Backrooms (Found Footage)

Need some horror gaming inspiration?

Sla Industries - The Truth in my games.

 

Decided to start doing some blog posts about the changes I do to the Sla Industries 1st edition setting in my games. Some of these may come as a surprise to my players but I'm not sure how many actually chose to read my blog. 

The Truth about the Ebon race. 

The Ebons are NOT the race that Intruder saved. That is a lie he told Slayer to throw him off of his long term plans. However the Ebons are essential, they are needed for the gestation and growth of the actual race that was saved, the Necanthropes. 

A Necanthrope starts off birthed and grown deep in the bowels of the Dark Lament facilities. It takes years of careful tending to bring them from a larval form to the next stage of their development. That as a deathsuit. It is then that they are attached to their host, a young and healthy Ebon. It is then that they start to develop their abilities to pull in flux and manipulate that wild energy. As the Ebon learns more and grows stronger so does the deathsuit until it reaches the time for the final stage. 

At the Necanthrope Church the Ebon host is offered the choice of steel or lead and is sacrificed to the white. While the false belief is that the Ebon transforms into a Necanthrope the truth is the Ebon dies and their body is fully taken over by the deathsuit and it transforms into the final form. They possess all of the memories and mannerisms the host had but will change over the course of a few years into their own personality. 

The Necanthrope is also completely loyal to Intruder and Preceptor Teeth. With their loyalty to Slayer is a ruse to keep them a secret until they are needed. 

Brain Wasters were an attempt by Bitterness to infect the Ebon line with a tainted poison meant to stop the Necanthrope from bonding. However it did not work and they were just as capable of being a host as before. But there is debate about their any effects that may have carried over after the sacrifice. 

You can find Sla Industries 1st edition on DrivethruRPG.

More to come soon.