DriveThruRPG Newsletter article - 9/22/2011

Ten Years and Growing

RPGNowJust a reminder that we're still celebrating the tenth anniversary of RPGNow and the Digital Revolution. Check out the Top Ten Titles for each of those Ten Years (just don't try saying that ten times fast; I sprained my brain doing it).

Bring it to the Table

Gallery of Rogues

The following is a preview of The Trophy Case vol. 1, no. 5, brought to you by Great Scott! Games

Trophy CaseRunning HIDEOUTS & HOODLUMS on the fly and need some quick Supporting Cast Members? Below are three ready-made SCMs that can be dropped into most any campaign.

William J. Bacon, City Councilman

F 1, hp 4. AL L. S 10, I 17, W 11, C 13, D 8, Ch 8.

“Porkbelly” his enemies call him and the name seems to fit; this WWI vet has not aged well and is round and portly now in his 40s. But he is also a genius with a fantastic memory for facts and figures, as well as having an earnest desire to help his constituents by bringing more jobs to the community. His political enemies see it as coddling the working class and wish to sink his chances of re-election. They may not have to work hard; William is a quiet, soft-spoken man with a habit of murmuring his way through speeches. Unless he acquires a more vocal and outgoing spokesperson, like perhaps a local Hero, then his political future seems dim.

Michaela Salmons, Zookeeper

E 2, hp 13. AL L. S 13, I 9, W 10, C 15, D 12, Ch 9.

At only 30 years old, this explorer has spent a surprising number of years in Africa and South America, trapping exotic animals both large and small and bringing them back to zoos in the United States. Prescient of the dangers of extinction, she has made it her mission to secure as many animals to be safeguarded in zoos as possible. She was never so naïve as to believe that the animals were better off in zoos than in the wild, but it still shocked her to see the appalling conditions at the zoo in your Hero’s home town. She promptly applied for the job of head zookeeper and began making severe changes as soon as she won the post. Of course, the old head zookeeper, now fired, resents her intrusion and has been plotting his revenge.

Also, wanderlust has been tugging at her and Michaela desperately needs to find a worthy successor so she can go exploring again. Not all of this is a natural wanderlust. When she was last in South America, she was scouting some ruins and saw a bright, sparkly object there that she can barely recall the appearance of now in her mind, but subconsciously is compelled to go back and look at again…

Minnie Green, Architect’s Wife.

M-U 2, hp 6. AL N. S 11, I 14, W 7, C 13, D 12, Ch 7.

Minnie Bernstein was perfectly happy when she married Phillip Green and became a housewife and she remained happy for several years. Then things became boring at home. She tried getting involved in the community, her church, and her neighbor’s personal business through gossip, but nothing seemed to help – until she found a real spellbook for sale in a bookstore. At first it was just a lark, but to her surprise, she understood the spells and could make them work. And, for awhile, the secret life of being a witch kept her from feeling bored.

It started out with just telling one friend. Then another. Soon, Minnie had a whole coven of bored housewives in her neighborhood, eager to become her apprentices. They knit, gossip, and learn black magic, all without their husbands knowing. So far.

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A Better Game
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Another Trip Down Memory Lane with Phil



I'd like to open with a nice and interesting letter I got in response to my Speaking Out with my Geek Out about minis last week.

The most recent newsletter was, as usual an enjoyable read. Our views on the painting of miniatures are totally different, I've always found the painting to be more than half the fun of the total gaming experience. I seem to paint "life" into them and think up plots and powers as I go. When pre-paints showed up, I was kind of disturbed, as here was a trend that would take the young players away from the enjoyment of the creative portion of using miniatures and 3D terrain in gaming. In a way that was a loss in my attempts to get the beginners into working with their hands and actually making something tangible. Well, I lost a few potential Painters but the games carried on -- and after all, the Game's the thing! - Karl Stimeling

And now I'd like to share something a little different; it's another great look back at the history of our hobby from Phil Brucato, in the guise of birthday wishes.

Happy Birthday, Bill and John Bridges!

Gods, gods... has it really been 28 years?