Fortress of Perpetual Midnight

We were hanging out at some nature museum on a forested planet during the reign of Emperor (A.) Skywalker.

Though it was just this morning, I remember virtually nothing about this one after doing all that work on the previous two.

For some reason, the Waffen-SS of the Last Battalion were not a military group but an urban gang, and it was up to us Ninja Turtles to deal with them. The Hauptsturmführer's work was easy to identify, as there weren't many others running around with Broomhandle Mausers these days.† Oddly enough, Dok‡ wasn't actually doing anything evil, just researching at a local library.

†It had been replaced as a service pistol even by WWII, although some officers (such as him) still had personal ones. As the only confirmed Werwolfes are him and Ms. Rip-Van, we don't know anything about how they're spawned, so for all we know he may have been a soldier for decades before that. Interestingly enough, the powers they are seen to have seem to relate to firearms: Ms. Rip-Van's dancing musket ball and the Hauptsturmführer's ability to make two long-barreled Mausers look like one normal piece when holstered （笑）. (Speaking of extensible barrels, DM had to make a similar excuse so that typical slugthrower rifles (exemplified by the Czerka Adventurer) can double as BAW E-5 Droid Blaster Carbines due to the changes he's made to the plot.) Tangentially, I'm also amused by the fact that humans like Walter can chop up people with mono-wire, while vampires (there's one who shows up later on, not to spoil anything by saying where) can chop up skyscrapers. There's also the fact that Walter is a gunsmith, yet he fights exclusively with mono-wire. (I've thought of a logical reason for that, but that's ( a spoiler for Book 9. ))

Admittedly, there are Mauser variants chambered in modern calibers, so his work might not be identifiable by the ammo and brass left at the scene if he uses one of those. However, each firearm has a distinct pattern of marks that it leaves on each bullet from the rifling in the barrel. I think I may have heard that it's possible to determine the model as well, but I failed to find confirmation on that; still, they would be able to tell that all of the rounds came from the same two weapons, making it easier to link it to a specific person.

‡Since they're German, I assumed it was an abbreviation of the German word. I don't know whether they use such an affectionate term in German, but I don't imagine Hirano does either. (The dwarf is known as "Chef.") Using German words can lead to some odd things; this one is the same as an Ork word, and "Death Korps" is a bit of a false friend. . . .

Who wins?

Notes: These were the most adversarial-looking images I found in appropriate resolutions. I chose to flip the former (forgetting that I'd left some text in) so they'd look a little more like they were facing off, in case the latter had asymmetrical tattoos. As with its predecessor, I hope the image itself doesn't take up much in the way of bandwidth.

For some time, I'd been planning on making a helluva tough fancomic (a one-shot along the lines of Darths & Droids) to hone my layout skillz, but it turned out that my image-editing skillz weren't up to the task (as you can see by the crudely pasted-in text in this one). The chief problems were appropriate panel spacing and word bubbles. I imagine both of these will be solved in comics I draw myself, the former because I'm planning on using graph paper, and the latter because I can draw them myself.

David Morgan-Mar recently posted about Webcomic time and RPG time, both concepts with which I'm quite familiar. The former is of course just as prevalent in other media, including print comics. For instance, in Nana-Misu, the characters have passed through seasonal events several times (including, for instance, two Valentines) but still seem to be the same year in school as they were when they started. In a more extreme example, Ramma 1/2 ran for nine years without any of the characters aging. Less dramatically, STRANGERS IN PARADISE strongly shows the author's changes in style and purpose over the 14 years of writing and drawing, while the characters only aged about eight years. Also amusingly, the kaki-oroshi in CHIBI DEVIL! 2 shows Ms. Satō and Ms. Tōdō in their high school uniforms, despite the fact that the former graduated a couple of years ago in the show, meaning it must have been earlier than that in the original source material (which is confirmed if you look at the publication date of the compilation).

All of this explains why I'm very vague about the temporal setting of Projects AnthraXX and Maddie's Maids, which are set in an approximation of the real world. I'd like them to be generally contemporary, but I don't know whether circumstances will allow me to release them correspondingly (if at all).

For some reason, there've been several follicular jokes today:

*Pat Sajak took off his toupée. (I've been watching this utterly pointless show lately when there isn't anything interesting to watch in just the half hour between CA$H CAB and JEOPARDY! At least last week they had a free contest. It wasn't for anything I wanted, but it was free anyway.)

*Alex Trebek grew his mustache back (black this time) between episode tapings in one day, then shaved it during a CM break.

*Aussie geeks have long hair, but no beards. I'd've cast the darker-haired guy as Qui-Gon because the colors match better that way, and his five-o'-clock shadow is more prominent because of the contrast. (I have that problem as well. Geeks are too lazy to shave daily.) Apparently, they also have tiny dinosaurs on the dinner table in Ms. Skywalker's house. (Apparently Mos Espa slaves are allowed to own a lot of property.)

Nothing from Ms. Hayashiya this year or last year. I only remember her here because of the bomb she dropped in '06. From what I hear, she's doing just fine with Ms. Makise (although she doesn't talk about their relationship, so we just have mōsō).

For some reason, my brother has become curious about gaming again recently, so I had him send me a link to some memes he'd found so I could take them (as usual). Remember, I'm neutral evil and have ability scores as noted.

The first one is rather interesting, as the descriptions of alignment are almost identical to those used in D&D v.3.5 (the only current major RPG that uses such a system), except that the words "moral" and "ethical" are reversed. It also appears that it may use the real-world definition of "sentient" rather than the galaxy-far-far-away version.

"You are 55.6% Good.
You are 25.6% Lawful.
Alignment: Neutral Good

You do the best good that a person could be expected to do. You are devoted to helping others. You are willing to work with authority figures, but you do not feel any particular allegiance to them.

You are the stereotypical “Benefactor.” You believe in doing good without any particular bias for or against order.

Examples of characters[ ]and people who fit into the same alignment as you include Mother Theresa, Ghand[h]i, Gandalf, Indiana Jones, O-B[b]i-Wan Kenobi, Luke Skywalker, Harry Potter, Frodo Baggins, and the Dalai Lama.

Description[s] of alignments are adapted from the Revised (v[.]3.5) System Reference Document, and are presented in accordance with the Open Gaming License v1.0a."

My readership appears to be at an all-time high (apparently at least two regulars!), but I've accumulated quite a lot of stuff during its absence, to say nothing of my sloth and the fact that I've built up a lot of new things due to year's-end-and-beginning splurging. So, I'd like to see if you have any requests or suggestions. What I've got in the works is as follows:

( Ridiculously long notes )

On the topic of the retcons for quilboar, whoever typed this seems to think that the two versions can coexist.

Also, I find it amusing that jungle trolls in the current game and Gungans in the current game have the exact same ability score adjustments (other than different names).

According to the Expanded Universe, the "defenceless" handmaidens are expert martial artists. This brings up another question: Why didn't they help in the fight?

Due to my irregular schedule, I was half-asleep, dreaming about a Dark Lord of the Sith assassinating our presidential candidates, when yet another of my orders from splurging on holiday sales arrived. This one included not only cheap books but also a Darth Maul mini. I don't have any particular plans for it, but since the appearance of Star Wars Miniatures, it's hard to get any sort of properly convertible miniatures for the setting. Even if I never end up making a Zabrak character, the fact that it's limited edition means that I may be able to sell it at a gain eventually.

1. Your rock star name (first pet, current car): Nameless Accord

2. Your gangsta name (fave ice cream flavor, favorite type of shoe): Cheesecake Office

3. Your Native American name (favorite color, favorite animal): Black Human

4. Your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born): Wai-Am Redwood

5. Your Star Wars name† (first three letters of your last name, first two of your first name): Wonmi

6. Superhero name (second favorite color, favorite drink): Green Mountain Dew

7. NASCAR name (first names of your grandfathers): Rodney Dean

8. Stripper name (favorite perfume/cologne/scent, favorite candy): Skunk‡ Chocolate Bar

10. TV weather anchor name (5th-grade teacher’s last name, major city that starts with the same letter): Delaplane Denver

11. Spy name (favorite season/holiday, favorite flower): Winter Lily

12. Cartoon name (favorite fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now): Banana Pants

13. Hippie name (what you ate for breakfast, favorite tree): Nothing Pine

†No idea where they got this one. Lucge? Forha? Fisca? Jonja?

‡I don't really have a favorite smell, but I like skunk scent a lot more than most people. I was going to just randomly put "baby powder," but I don't think I'd even know that smell if it hit me in the face.

[Edit: Hmm, no 9]

As I've uploaded the relevant information on the Rubic's Dome Necromunda Campaign to my role-player's résumé, I've decided to update the main page and type up some of the background stories I've thought up. I may work on updating the actual campaign info later.

Abbot William Alexander reached the docking bay just as the shuttle's boarding ramp hit the launchpad. As the shorter Francis Cristillo waddled up to his master's side, two groups of white-armored figures began to disembark from the vessel, filing down the ramp and taking up positions on both sides. The squad to the starboard side of the vessel Alexander recognized as Battle Sisters of the Order Minoris of the White Rose, one of the groups that recruited from his Schola Progenium habitat—in fact, several of the faces looked familiar. Deploying to the port position was a group of Imperial Storm Troopers bearing the mark of the Inquisition and a lambda insignia. These might be from the Jersey Prime habitat as well, but their full helms and respirators reduced them to faceless clones, making it impossible to identify any individual.

As soon as the last members of the two squads had vacated the ramp, they were followed by the emergence of a group of more diverse individuals, connected only by the fact that all were clothed in variations of black, red, and white, and most also bore prominently the symbol of the Holy Orders of the Emperor's Inquisition. The obvious leader was a man wearing white robes, a pair of goggles pushed up on his shaven head. It had been several decades, but since he had been informed of the guest's identity, Alexander could spot the resemblance to the child who had embarked on a similar shuttle on this very launchpad all that time ago.

"Ah, young Axel—or Inquisitor Axel now, it would appear. We are honored to see the return of one of our most promising Progena."

"Such is the nature of my visit, Abbot," Axel returned coolly. "Do you know of a Progena by the name of Ai Osamu?"

A moment's thought was enough to provide the answer. "Of course, Milord. Although I have not met her personally, my blessèd predecessor often spoke of her as the Jersey Prime habitat's student possessed of the most talent and potential of any in the entire ninth century of this millennium."

"Tell me, Abbot Alexander, am I correct in assessing that you are quite proud of her?"

"Of course, Milord. As with yourself, the habitat is greatly honored to have been able to raise Imperial servants of the caliber to be scouted by the Inquisition. If I might ask, how has she done in that field? Was she too able to reach the rank of Inquisitor?"

Axel's stony face turned to a scowl. "Yes, she was. Even more, she has been confirmed as an Inquisitor Lord. A stain on the honor of the Holy Orders that the induction process should allow such honor to a lifelong heretic, who had been sowing the seeds of treachery from her childhood."

Alexander was gripped with horror. "What do you mean, Milord?"

The Inquisitor fixed the Abbot with a keen and unwavering gaze. "You claim that you have no knowledge of the heretical cult known as the Lilim operating in your own habitat?"

The Abbot could feel sweat starting to bead on his forehead. "No, Milord. Of course not, Milord. We make certain to keep track of everyone who is on this base, but we have not found anything of the sort."

Axel nodded to the Battle Sisters to his right, and two stepped forward. "I feel the truth in your words," he told Alexander. "You are a good, honest servant of the Emperor, and your honorable death will help us ascertain that the taint is fully cleansed."

The two Daughters of the Emperor drew their bolt pistols and loaded individual rounds. "The swift mercy of Arabella," one intoned as they put their sidearms to Alexander's and Castrillo's foreheads, inside the protective fields generated by their Rosarii.

Alexander was familiar with the equipment used by the Sisters of Battle—His personal collection even included a Godwyn-De'az-pattern bolter.

"'Swift mercy' was another term for 'solid slug.'"

Apparently Ms. -Vell (see here) had died, but was found to be alive, but in skeletal form. This was undoubtedly due to the fact that I saw Corpse Bride yesterday. Mother was watching it, so I too decided to sit in front of the tube while I did some research for LEXICANUM.

I wasn't expecting much out of a mainstream musical, so I wasn't disappointed. Some of the ways in which undead were used (such as the skeleton with one eyeball that can move around inside his skull and the severed head transported by bugs living in the neck) were rather interesting. During the after-game conversation on Friday, I thought about making a series in a necropunk (ubiquitous undead technology) setting.

I was also struck by how old Christopher Lee looks. I guess they had to make him up so the apprentice didn't look older than the master. I never watched many horror flicks, but I give him props for being one of the two Frankenstein's Monsters and one of the two Draculas with whom Ms. Portman has co-starred. Unlike De Niro, she also actually appears in a scene with him, albeit at great distance and with no lines exchanged, if memory serves.

Meanwhile, I might as well note that I was surprised to see that Dan Abnett did superhero comics, although I'd already heard as much about several other Black Library folks (notably Wayne Reynolds, my favorite Warhammer 40,000 illustrator, who also happens to be my favorite D&D illustrator). It really is a small world. I noticed earlier that the illustrator of Artesia did some illustrations for EPIC LEVEL HANDBOOK.

Meanwhile, I have to mention HAYABLA in this post because I just noticed that it's surpassed the ubiquitous STAR WARS tag. We'll see how long that lasts. I have some more to say about the series, but no one here cares, so I have little motivation.