Advent is the season in which Christians await and prepare for the Christmas celebration It is also when we look forward to the Second Coming of Christ, and thus a reminder to observe our faith and treat each other as good Christians should. On top of all that, it is a season of family and … Continue reading Advent Calendar 2022
Advent Calendar 2021 (part 2)
This year my lovely wife gave me both an Advent beer calendar and an Advent wine calendar: 'Take a Wine Advent-ure'. Each wine bottle is half the size (375ml) of a regular wine bottle (750 ml). Given the amount of wine involved, that’s too much daily drinking for one month, so I delayed enjoying the … Continue reading Advent Calendar 2021 (part 2)
Advent Calendar 2021 (part 1)
This year my lovely wife gave me both an Advent beer calendar and an Advent wine calendar. Given the amount of wine involved, that's too much daily drinking for one month, so I'll enjoy the wine advent calendar in January, and post on it. Anyway, on to the beer. I wrote about the beer advent … Continue reading Advent Calendar 2021 (part 1)
Cryptocurrency, Medieval Venice, and Among Us
My wife and I have been investing in the stock market with the company Robinhood. Just a little play money, to supplement our investments and to amuse us. One of the things we have looked into is cryptocurrency. It's a currency not backed by any government (so far) and not necessarily widely usable for payment … Continue reading Cryptocurrency, Medieval Venice, and Among Us
Among Us: Behavior, Good and Bad
I wrote here about the game Among Us and what it can teach us. As a frequent player, I am always happy to find other players who behave sensibly. They do their tasks. They respond to a crisis like a reactor meltdown or oxygen depletion. They try to figure out which crewmate is really the … Continue reading Among Us: Behavior, Good and Bad
Everything I need to know I learned playing Among Us
You are part of the crew of a space ship (alternatively, flying headquarters or frozen base). You have a mission to perform, but among you is one (maybe more…) impostor who wants to stop your mission, including by killing crewmates or destroying the ship. You have many tasks to perform throughout the ship to keep … Continue reading Everything I need to know I learned playing Among Us
Designing medieval fantasy armies: Ylaruam
I recently posted a guide to authors who wish to include armies in their medieval historical or fantasy stories, or in background materials for role-playing games. I want to follow up with some examples and what is done well or poorly in each. In the next post I looked at the army of the Duchy … Continue reading Designing medieval fantasy armies: Ylaruam
Designing medieval fantasy armies: Glantri
I recently posted a guide to authors who wish to include armies in their medieval historical or fantasy stories, or in background materials for role-playing games. I want to follow up with some examples and what is done well or poorly in each. In the next post I looked at the army of the Duchy … Continue reading Designing medieval fantasy armies: Glantri
Designing medieval fantasy armies: Karameikos
I recently posted a guide to authors who wish to include armies in their medieval historical or fantasy stories, or in background materials for role-playing games. I want to follow up with some examples and what is done well or poorly in each. An example of army design done wrong is found in the Mystara … Continue reading Designing medieval fantasy armies: Karameikos
Designing medieval fantasy armies: doing it right, doing it wrong
Let's say you're writing a fantasy story, or some fiction based in the medieval world, or writing background information for a role-playing game in a medieval-like fantasy setting. Appearing in your story, or your game campaign, is some interaction with the army of the kingdom. You want to write something believable, but you're not an … Continue reading Designing medieval fantasy armies: doing it right, doing it wrong