Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #8

Thinking I was the "savior" the natives had shouted to, I tried to turn my status to the advantage of the group, particularly since the rest of the guys were already labeled as "devils." I hoped that if I could gain the trust of the natives I could somehow get us out of this jam. However, it turns out the natives didn't think I was the savior, but rather Kickstarter, my horse. To make matters worse, the people I was trying to fool (the tribesmen) saw through my attempt to suck up to them but my own group thought I had legitimately turned against them!

It appears we set the tribe's oil supply on fire with our dramatic entrance. In short order, we were cleaned and send on a spirit quest. They drugged us as we saw all kinds of crazy stuff. Apparently, I was the only one in the group to get a beat down. Just my luck. 

Then the tribal chiefs sent us on a crazy hunting quest in the wilderness to somehow entertain some gods. I don't buy any of this religious mumbo-jumbo. We were attacked by some armored beasts and a giant spider. The group's in rough shape. I just hope to prove myself to the tribe so they'll let us go so we can move on to somewhere more sane. 

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #7

I told them not to go to town. I told them not to make trouble. I told to keep moving. I told them not to stop to repair the train. Idiots! Because of them, we lost it all. Because of them, I smoked two more cigarettes. I hate smoking and I hate killing. I'm beginning to think I was better off alone.

They tell me that Lord Awesome's army, and I mean ARMY, caught up to us and wiped out everything. The train, all of the supplies, the town of Rugby, the survivors... EVERYTHING. GONE.

They tell me I kinda lost it and went on an insane killing spree. That Gopher dragged me to safety. That we escaped into a gigantic underground pipe (where we found Gopher's car, Ace's stupid glider plane thing, and my horse, miraculously still alive). They tell me I took out the Baron and his remaining men. I can't say I remember any of it... just noise and blood and smoke. So much smoke.

We travelled in that pipe for days until we came to the end. Gopher burst through with his car, launching himself into the midst of some red-skinned native tribal nation. Seeing me astride my horse, Kickstarter, they pointed and cried, "The savior has come!"

I'm guessing this won't end well.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #6

Ace, Ash and I fixed the train while Buford and Gopher went to the outpost to trade. Dummies. Pretty sure they're going to be killed by Lord Awesome. If they're not back by the time repairs are done we're leaving them behind. Dummies.
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Explosions dotted the landscape from the direction Buford and Gopher went. Sorry, dummies, but the rest of us are taking the train and leaving you behind, alive or dead. Dummies.
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Lord Awesome's men have relentlessly pursued us. Pretty sure they're using radio to communicate our position back to Lord Awesome. Hope to lose them going back through Grand Forks.
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Made it through Grand Forks, but it turns out that it wasn't Lord Awesome chasing us - it was Buford and Gopher in one of Lord Awesome's military vehicles. We took out some more of Lord Awesome's troops at the military base, made upgrades to the train, and picked up some refugees before heading on to Rugby.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #5

We decided to hightail it out of the old military base, but not before rounding up some tools, taking a few extra railcars for the train, and destroying some key buildings and the fighter jet so they don't fall into Lord Awesome's hands. Dawdled just a little bit too long and were caught by one of Lord Awesome's scouting patrols. We scared them off and then followed the rails, looking for a way away from Lord Awesome to the East or South. It seems it wasn't meant to be, however. After a run in with some mutates in Grand Forks, we found all other rails to be impassable as Lord Awesome's compound loomed larger and larger. Great. I hate killing.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #4

We found our way to an old, apparently abandoned military base. After busting through an electrified fence, we found a locomotive and a Humvee. Oh yeah! Ditch that hand cart! We killed a couple of mutated dogs... weird. Also, there are these drones flying around harassing us. When we put on military clothes they seem to leave us alone. Ace found a couple of fighter jets. He used (and destroyed) one to send six missiles the Baron's way. He tried to do the same to what we believe to be Lord Awesome's camp, but was chased off by incoming surface-to-air missiles. Apparently, this Lord Awesome has some serious tech.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #3

Upon returning to Rugby, I got to meet the Baron. He's got a savior complex, to be sure. He's sending me and these other guys out on a scouting mission to find Lord Awesome's base of operations. I'm hoping that Lord Awesome and the Baron wipe each other out, saving me some trouble. The Baron, in his "wisdom" sent us on a railroad track with a hand cart.
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We set off, traveling a shattering (and backbreaking) 10 mph, stopping to loot as we go. So far, worst trip ever.
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Nevermind. It just got worse. Gopher just blew up a silo I WAS CLIMBING ON. I hate that idiot.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #2

After watching a battle van kill the men we were sent to find, encountered two guys named Ash and Buford. Dougie stole our dune buggie and, of course, Ace stole Ash's motorcycle to go after him. One crashed motorcycle later and we're walking after our stolen car. Sigh.
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We arrived at the "church" where Dougie lives with the "reverend" and his "children." Basically a religious communist community. They forced us to swim in a lake to be "baptized" and then let us take the car back (plus a truck.)
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Buford shared that while at the church he made radio contact with Lord Awesome. This is the man responsible for the deaths of my wife and children. Vengeance burns in my heart.
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Returning to Rugby, the Baron was pleased with the information we brought back. He sent us back on a mission to find Lord Awesome's base. I think, instead, we'll try to pit Lord Awesome against the Baron. Maybe they can kill each other and save us a big headache.

Atomic Highway RPG - Smokes's Journal #1

Came to the settlement of Rugby. Odd place filled with men acting unusually, as if scared constantly. They've got me holed up in a "welcome center." They have an operation arcade. One other visitor came in, a man that goes by Ace. He seemed friendly enough. I hope to get enough work to keep me going for awhile.

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Met another visitor today - Gopher. I can tell this is a man carrying a heavy burden but he's a closed book. Discovered that Rugby's run by "The Baron." Got a job lined up for tonight but the townies are tight lipped.

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The job was a complete set-up arranged by the Baron. Ace and Gopher fell for it. The whole thing smelled wrong from the get go. Fortunately, I avoided the trap succeeded and came out smelling like roses. Gonna have to distance myself from these two knuckleheads.

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Second job from the Baron puts me on the road with Ace and Gopher. Gonna have to teach them a thing or two if we're gonna survive. We need to find three men from Rugby who went missing.

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Met a runaway on the road. Convinced him to show us the way. He spoke of a razed settlement and a "church" where he came from. When we reached the settlement, it was just as he said - completely leveled. Reminded me of losses is my own past...

Atomic Highway RPG - Meet Smokes

In our ongoing Atomic Highway campaign my character's name is Smokes. Here's a little character profile on him.

Smokes a drifter but he wasn't always that way. At one time, he had a wife and children. They lived in a nice, safe settlement... until the raiders came and wiped it all away. After losing everything, he contents himself with survival, staying on the move. Experience has taught him that sticking around in one place too long means you're there when it all goes south. 

Smokes is an honorable man. Guarded but kind. He values his reputation as a honest man. After his own losses, he sees life as precious. Hence, he abhors violence, instead preferring to resolve conflict through dialogue and negotiation. But he also knows that cruel, unreasonable, violent men can, at times, not be dealt with rationally. 

Hence, the pack of cigarettes he carries with him everywhere he goes. Smokes doesn't smoke as a habit. But when evil men give him no choice but to violently take life, he smokes a cigarette, perhaps to recognize the loss of life, perhaps as some small self-imposed punishment. There were twenty cigarettes in that pack when he found it. There are now fifteen. Smokes hopes that's the way it stays.

Atomic Highway RPG - new ongoing campaign

We just wrapped up our 2 1/2 year D&D 5e campaign in November and we've decided to launch a new Atomic Highway RPG campaign. For those not in the know, it's a post-apocalyptic world that features souped up vehicles. Think Mad Max and you're on the right track.

I'll be updating the blog with campaign notes from my character's POV. I'm playing a drifted called "Smokes."

Geek Gear: Dice Rings

My friend Sam recently brought this project to my attention. This is a Kickstarter project that has met and exceeded its goal. You can check it out here.

The creative folks behind this Kickstarter have created high quality "dice rings" made out of etched stainless steel. Each ring has one or more independently spinning outer ring that is fitted into a grove on the inner ring. Instead of "2d6" to represent 2 six sided dice, they note each die with and "r" so if you wanted to spin two six siders it would be "2r6."

Pretty clever. I can't say I would necessarily use them myself but I applaud the effort.

Dice Rings

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design Graphic Novel

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design

People love Apple and they loved Steve Jobs. During his life and since his death he has been the subject of a large number of articles and biographies.

Steve Jobs: Genius by Design is the newest graphic novel biography on the legendary tech titan.

What I particularly loved about the solicit is the cover of the comic. What a brilliantly simple design, shaped to look like a iPad with an unembellished image of Jobs himself looking away from the reader, lost in thought.

This volume is being publihsed by Campfire and will be only $12.99 for 104 pages. You can count on it being well researched, visually interesting, and enlightening.

Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome Webisodes

I'm a huge fan of the revamped Battlestar Galactica series from SciFi so I was very excited when I heard about the new prequel series being released online. It follows a young Adama on his very first mission as a pilot. It's very good. Four of the 10 episodes have been released thus far and two more come out on November 23rd. I can't wait! Check out the first episode: