The ILMAR (plural) or Ilmarin (singular, descriptive) go by many names: savages, barbarians, wild humans. Though few true Ilmar exist, they are viewed by most civilized people as more animal than human. This view is perpetuated by the little that is known of their culture. Due to fear and misconceptions regarding their humanity, Ilmar are often... Continue Reading →
A while back, I wrote a post regarding my preference for tabletop role playing games to video games, and the ten reasons I feel D&D is the real deal. Today, I'd like to address the flaws I find in electronic RPGs like Dragon Age and Skyrim. Don't get me wrong. I've loved video games since the NES days. But when... Continue Reading →
Roleplaying games, and by that I mean "real" roleplaying games, the kind with dice and paper, can be a powerful resource for any writer of fantasy, a great source of ideas and inspiration. My most recent novel, The Princess of Aenya, was inspired by a one-day 4th edition D&D campaign. In the game, my wife... Continue Reading →
Thelana is born in the river valley of Ilmarinen, the middle child in a family of twelve. Her eldest brother, Borz, is sold into slavery when she is very young. As the dark hemisphere creeps eastward, famine forces Thelana into the wild. Her life is spent on the edge of survival, hunting for prey and... Continue Reading →
Who needs a PS4 when you've got hoop and stick!?! Getting my nephews to play Dungeons & Dragons is like asking them to play 'hoop and stick.' You'd think I was some out of touch grandpa trying to relive the good ol' days, when soda pop cost a nickel and you could watch Mickey Mouse at... Continue Reading →
So the beastmen have taken off with Celine Botissea. They have her on a spit and the fire is roaring. Soon she'll be roasted alive, like a human marshmallow. Her only hope is Juraviel, the wizard, but he is at a loss for what to do. The village is enclosed by tall wooden posts, like... Continue Reading →
Climb up to the roof! What's the worst that could happen? By this point, Dr. Van Richten was begging. "Please, please I don't want to; I'm scared of heights!" But Dr. Van Helsing was insisting, and he was holding the shotgun. Somehow, they needed to learn what was going on in the mansion, and Helsing was not... Continue Reading →
My first D&D book! Once upon a time . . . there lived an elf named Hektor and a half-orc named Lattice. Hektor and Lattice were strolling through the woods when they came upon a group of lizard men. Lightning streaked the sky, and shortly after it began to rain, but the elf and the... Continue Reading →
CLASS/RACE: Ilmarin LEVEL: 1 MAX HEALTH: 9 ARMOR: 11 (nude) Bow Sword: 3 Longbow: 3 / 6 range AGILITY +2 STRENGTH +1 WISDOM +3 ENDURANCE +4 Skills: Athleticism—+1 initiative (if lightly armored), Move 4 Armor of Flesh*—You endure suffering better than most. *As a racial bonus, add Wisdom bonus to Armor. Clothing and armor negates... Continue Reading →
