Odd Sources for Inspiration

[Mister Andersen]

Someone else belongs to RiotClitShave I see.

[MilitiaJim]

I just read Something Positive.

[TheAuldGrump]

Are you sure that is not a Redneck Tree?

The tree is called the Angel Oak - pretty famous, actually. I just had never encountered it before. It predates rednecks by about a millennium. 1500 years is the estimated age. Some of the branches not only touch the ground, but burrow under it, rising again from the soil.

Considering that there is a summer music festival in its shade the thing is more of a 'liberal arts student' tree.

The Auld Grump - it will not be seeing use in Spycraft, this tree is bound for Changeling.

[Psion]

The tree is called the Angel Oak - pretty famous, actually. I just had never encountered it before. It predates rednecks by about a millennium. 1500 years is the estimated age. Some of the branches not only touch the ground, but burrow under it, rising again from the soil.

I was reading a short story from The Spiraling Worm and thought of this picture for some reason...

[TheAuldGrump]

The tree is called the Angel Oak - pretty famous, actually. I just had never encountered it before. It predates rednecks by about a millennium. 1500 years is the estimated age. Some of the branches not only touch the ground, but burrow under it, rising again from the soil.

I was reading a short story from The Spiraling Worm and thought of this picture for some reason...

I am going to have to add that to my list! Thanks!

The Auld Grump

[Psion]

I am going to have to add that to my list! Thanks!

I figured a Delta-Green-ophile like you would already have it. 

The Spycraft game I am running this year is inspired by Weapon Grade (from the Spiraling Worm) as well as Charles Stross' stories A Colder War (cold war/Mythos alternate history yarn, Wiki, Full Story) and The Atrocity Archives (Cthulhoid spy thriller, wiki page). Let's just say Fragile Minds will see full use. 

[TheAuldGrump]

Well, it wasn't in my local book store, so Amazon is my next stop.

I did find a book of photographs from WWI. One of the pictures was from 1917, with American soldiers marching next to their British allies. When I saw the picture my first thought was 'Holy crap! The Americans are HUGE!' On average almost a head taller than the Brits.

Something I will have to bear in mind if I ever get to run my WWI campaign.

The Auld Grump, two games today, one D&D, one Spycraft. I am beat.

[Psion]

Well, it wasn't in my local book store, so Amazon is my next stop.

Well over in off topic, you were talking about picking up minis at chaosium. It's a Chaosium book; could have picked it up there.

I did get mine at Amazon, however.

[TheAuldGrump]

Well, it wasn't in my local book store, so Amazon is my next stop.

Well over in off topic, you were talking about picking up minis at chaosium. It's a Chaosium book; could have picked it up there.

I did get mine at Amazon, however.

Ah, that would explain it then - I very seldom look for fiction from game publishers (so much game fiction, even popular game fiction, is so very bad) even though Chaosium has reprinted some real classics I tend not to look. (The last book that I picked up from them was Frontier Cthulhu, which was typical game fiction. )

The Auld Grump, who must sometimes combat the urge to destroy R. A. Salvatore....

[Psion]

Ah, that would explain it then - I very seldom look for fiction from game publishers (so much game fiction, even popular game fiction, is so very bad) even though Chaosium has reprinted some real classics I tend not to look. (The last book that I picked up from them was Frontier Cthulhu, which was typical game fiction. )

The Auld Grump, who must sometimes combat the urge to destroy R. A. Salvatore....

 

I can certainly understand that. I didn't really thought of it as game fiction, but Lovecraftian homage, having just read another by someone who is not (currently) working for a game company. Don't remember if I've mentioned it outside of the one soundly ignored thread in off-topic, but I've also been reading A Colder War and The Atrocity Archives by Charles Stross. Who reportedly doesn't game anymore, but as a matter of curiosity wrote a goodly number of the creatures in the original Fiend Folio worth remembering (Slaadi, Githyanki, Githzerai, Death Knights, to name those that occur.)

[MilitiaJim]

C.J. Henderson wrote some stuff that I enjoy.  His main character is a bit over the top powerful, but I like his supporting characters a lot.  And his villains seem not to be retarded, which is always nice.  The Stench of Fresh Air is one of them, might be the first.

[TheAuldGrump]

Right now I am trying to track down a dimly remembered poem, as part of a Steampunk Americana sequence set in Appalachia. The poem is (I think) titled Hamlin in the Mist and starts something like:

Ru Aimes went hunting with his hounds last night,
But when they stopped,
And bauked,
And would not go beyond the lantern's light,
Then he came home.
I trust the hounds,
They know what made them stop,
What waits there,
In the mist,
On Hamlin's top.

Anyone have a clearer idea as to the poem?

The Auld Grump, some Manly Wade Wellman is being used as inspirational reading as well.

[TheAuldGrump]

Ann oddball thought that occurred while reading the El Goonish Shive forum -

Google controls the internet.  Since pretty much everyone only uses Google to find information, and considers what they find truth, Google could easily just control information to how they see fit.  Muah ha ha!

A new mastermind in the making?

The Auld Grump

[TheAuldGrump]

In my estimation the best television series (or rather, series of television series) was James Burke's Connections. Some little time ago Mr. Burke began to invest his time in the internet, resulting in The Knowledge Web Project. And to make the Connection obvious he has begun releasing episodes of the show on the site.

His manner of describing history has much to do with the way I taught military history, and with the way I create worlds for my games. If you cannot find inspiration while watching Connections, or the Day the Universe Changed then there really is no hope for you.

The Auld Grump

[TheAuldGrump]

Okay - Odder source than usual. I was looking over some Fallout 3 mods, and ran across a female gypsy costume set.... And suddenly I started wondering how the lifestyle of the Rom might be affected by the Last War.... PCs as Rom or as Romany Rye. The return of the thirty foot trailers.... Hmmmm, might bear some pondering.

The Auld Grump