There is one accessory that I have to say has helped me more than any other when it comes to my games. That is Wikipedia. 

Wikipedia first went online on January 15, 2001, and was created by Jimmy "Jimbo" Wales and Larry Sanger. As of July 2024, English Wikipedia hosts approximately 6.85 million articles and has about 47.68 million registered users, of whom 114,409 have made at least one edit in the past month.  As of early 2024, there are over 1,300 articles on Wikipedia related to "Dungeons & Dragons."

While I don't use Wikipedia for my "day job" as an academic, it is great for D&D and other RPGs.  I would not use it for an academic paper of any sort, but I will go there to get a summary of something. Or if I need to know something like when were sewers introduced in Europe or how a flying buttress was made.  It is also great for RPG and D&D specific information.

I started as an editor back in September of 2007 and I have touched a majority of the D&D articles over the years as an independent fact checker and source finder. I helped get a few articles to "Good Article" status like Drizzt Do'Urden, Dwellers of the Forbidden City, and Bunnies & Burrows. I even got a small grant for that last one.  Even better, I got the Ravenloft and Expedition to the Barrier Peaks articles to Featured Article status. 

I don't edit there as much as I used to, but I still check in on various articles and provide support where and when I can.

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I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

 Not 100% sure what is being asked here, but to me there are a couple of RPGs that can fall into this. Though admittedly, I could be confusing "good form" with "good formatting."

The first ones to come to mind are Dungeons & Dragons 4th Edition and Old-School Essentials.

Both for the same reason. Their layout facilitates laying the book open at the game table with all information needed on facing pages. 

OSE takes this a step further, with all the information needed on a particular topic fitting on just two pages.

So much so that I took it upon myself to get a spiral-bound copy made of Old School Essentials Classic.

It's not an easy task getting all the text to fit like this but the results are impressive.

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I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

Lucy has no word from Jonathan.

6 August.—Another three days, and no news. This suspense is getting dreadful. If I only knew where to write to or where to go to, I should feel easier; but no one has heard a word of Jonathan since that last letter. I must only pray to God for patience. Lucy is more excitable than ever, but is otherwise well. Last night was very threatening, and the fishermen say that we are in for a storm. I must try to watch it and learn the weather signs. To-day is a grey day, and the sun as I write is hidden in thick clouds, high over Kettleness. Everything is grey—except the green grass, which seems like emerald amongst it; grey earthy rock; grey clouds, tinged with the sunburst at the far edge, hang over the grey sea, into which the sand-points stretch like grey fingers. The sea is tumbling in over the shallows and the sandy flats with a roar, muffled in the sea-mists drifting inland. The horizon is lost in a grey mist. All is vastness; the clouds are piled up like giant rocks, and there is a “brool” over the sea that sounds like some presage of doom. Dark figures are on the beach here and there, sometimes half shrouded in the mist, and seem “men like trees walking.” The fishing-boats are racing for home, and rise and dip in the ground swell as they sweep into the harbour, bending to the scuppers. Here comes old Mr. Swales. He is making straight for me, and I can see, by the way he lifts his hat, that he wants to talk....

I have been quite touched by the change in the poor old man. When he sat down beside me, he said in a very gentle way:—

“I want to say something to you, miss.” I could see he was not at ease, so I took his poor old wrinkled hand in mine and asked him to speak fully; so he said, leaving his hand in mine:—

“I’m afraid, my deary, that I must have shocked you by all the wicked things I’ve been sayin’ about the dead, and such like, for weeks past; but I didn’t mean them, and I want ye to remember that when I’m gone. We aud folks that be daffled, and with one foot abaft the krok-hooal, don’t altogether like to think of it, and we don’t want to feel scart of it; an’ that’s why I’ve took to makin’ light of it, so that I’d cheer up my own heart a bit. But, Lord love ye, miss, I ain’t afraid of dyin’, not a bit; only I don’t want to die if I can help it. My time must be nigh at hand now, for I be aud, and a hundred years is too much for any man to expect; and I’m so nigh it that the Aud Man is already whettin’ his scythe. Ye see, I can’t get out o’ the habit of caffin’ about it all at once; the chafts will wag as they be used to. Some day soon the Angel of Death will sound his trumpet for me. But don’t ye dooal an’ greet, my deary!”—for he saw that I was crying—“if he should come this very night I’d not refuse to answer his call. For life be, after all, only a waitin’ for somethin’ else than what we’re doin’; and death be all that we can rightly depend on. But I’m content, for it’s comin’ to me, my deary, and comin’ quick. It may be comin’ while we be lookin’ and wonderin’. Maybe it’s in that wind out over the sea that’s bringin’ with it loss and wreck, and sore distress, and sad hearts. Look! look!” he cried suddenly. “There’s something in that wind and in the hoast beyont that sounds, and looks, and tastes, and smells like death. It’s in the air; I feel it comin’. Lord, make me answer cheerful when my call comes!” He held up his arms devoutly, and raised his hat. His mouth moved as though he were praying. After a few minutes’ silence, he got up, shook hands with me, and blessed me, and said good-bye, and hobbled off. It all touched me, and upset me very much.

I was glad when the coastguard came along, with his spy-glass under his arm. He stopped to talk with me, as he always does, but all the time kept looking at a strange ship.

“I can’t make her out,” he said; “she’s a Russian, by the look of her; but she’s knocking about in the queerest way. She doesn’t know her mind a bit; she seems to see the storm coming, but can’t decide whether to run up north in the open, or to put in here. Look there again! She is steered mighty strangely, for she doesn’t mind the hand on the wheel; changes about with every puff of wind. We’ll hear more of her before this time to-morrow.”

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

The Demeter has entered into Mina's life, though she does not know the importance of this just yet.

 When it gets right down to it, you can't get more basic than Basic D&D.

Like many of the RPGs I am going to talk about this month, this one is so easy that everyone can go from no knowledge to playing their new characters in a matter of minutes.  I know people have very fond memories of the Mentzer set and I personally got my start with the Holmes Basic set, but it is this one I consider my first "real" D&D.

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I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

This one was a bit harder since there are so many well-written RPGs, many with well-designed rules and others with well-crafted narratives. But the one that ticks all those boxes for me is CJ Carella's WitchCraft.

I talk about this game a lot here, and with good reason. It is one of my all-time favorite games. 

Mere words can't express my love for this game. Though I have tried many, many times. This is the game I come back to. This is the game that I hold up as my Gold Standard of Games.  Not that it isn't without its own issues, of course, but nothing I can't work around or even with.  I have often said I wrote Ghosts of Albion as nothing but a giant love letter to the WitchCraft RPG.

WitchCraft was the game that pulled me back into RPGs. I was ready to give up until I found this game. I have never looked back.

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I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

Final Log of the Demeter.

4 August.—Still fog, which the sunrise cannot pierce. I know there is sunrise because I am a sailor, why else I know not. I dared not go below, I dared not leave the helm; so here all night I stayed, and in the dimness of the night I saw It—Him! God forgive me, but the mate was right to jump overboard. It was better to die like a man; to die like a sailor in blue water no man can object. But I am captain, and I must not leave my ship. But I shall baffle this fiend or monster, for I shall tie my hands to the wheel when my strength begins to fail, and along with them I shall tie that which He—It!—dare not touch; and then, come good wind or foul, I shall save my soul, and my honour as a captain. I am growing weaker, and the night is coming on. If He can look me in the face again, I may not have time to act.... If we are wrecked, mayhap this bottle may be found, and those who find it may understand; if not, ... well, then all men shall know that I have been true to my trust. God and the Blessed Virgin and the saints help a poor ignorant soul trying to do his duty....

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

These logs are published along with the account of the Demeter when it runs aground.

 So many, especially today. But one I keep going back to for the art is Green Ronin's Blue Rose, AGE Edition. 

It is one of the many reasons I keep coming back to this game.

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I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

The Demeter continues through fog and the first mate kills himself. Mina has no new word from Jonathan and Lucy's sleep walking is getting worse. Are they all related?

Log of the Demeter (Cont.)

3 August.—At midnight I went to relieve the man at the wheel, and when I got to it found no one there. The wind was steady, and as we ran before it there was no yawing. I dared not leave it, so shouted for the mate. After a few seconds he rushed up on deck in his flannels. He looked wild-eyed and haggard, and I greatly fear his reason has given way. He came close to me and whispered hoarsely, with his mouth to my ear, as though fearing the very air might hear: “It is here; I know it, now. On the watch last night I saw It, like a man, tall and thin, and ghastly pale. It was in the bows, and looking out. I crept behind It, and gave It my knife; but the knife went through It, empty as the air.” And as he spoke he took his knife and drove it savagely into space. Then he went on: “But It is here, and I’ll find It. It is in the hold, perhaps in one of those boxes. I’ll unscrew them one by one and see. You work the helm.” And, with a warning look and his finger on his lip, he went below. There was springing up a choppy wind, and I could not leave the helm. I saw him come out on deck again with a tool-chest and a lantern, and go down the forward hatchway. He is mad, stark, raving mad, and it’s no use my trying to stop him. He can’t hurt those big boxes: they are invoiced as “clay,” and to pull them about is as harmless a thing as he can do. So here I stay, and mind the helm, and write these notes. I can only trust in God and wait till the fog clears. Then, if I can’t steer to any harbour with the wind that is, I shall cut down sails and lie by, and signal for help....

 

It is nearly all over now. Just as I was beginning to hope that the mate would come out calmer—for I heard him knocking away at something in the hold, and work is good for him—there came up the hatchway a sudden, startled scream, which made my blood run cold, and up on the deck he came as if shot from a gun—a raging madman, with his eyes rolling and his face convulsed with fear. “Save me! save me!” he cried, and then looked round on the blanket of fog. His horror turned to despair, and in a steady voice he said: “You had better come too, captain, before it is too late. He is there. I know the secret now. The sea will save me from Him, and it is all that is left!” Before I could say a word, or move forward to seize him, he sprang on the bulwark and deliberately threw himself into the sea. I suppose I know the secret too, now. It was this madman who had got rid of the men one by one, and now he has followed them himself. God help me! How am I to account for all these horrors when I get to port? When I get to port! Will that ever be?

Mina Murray's Journal (Cont.)

3 August.—Another week gone, and no news from Jonathan, not even to Mr. Hawkins, from whom I have heard. Oh, I do hope he is not ill. He surely would have written. I look at that last letter of his, but somehow it does not satisfy me. It does not read like him, and yet it is his writing. There is no mistake of that. Lucy has not walked much in her sleep the last week, but there is an odd concentration about her which I do not understand; even in her sleep she seems to be watching me. She tries the door, and finding it locked, goes about the room searching for the key.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

On the Demeter, the Captain comes so very close to discovering the secret of what is happening with the boxes of Earth. The mate actually saw Dracula, who is still described as pale, and attempted to kill him. Instead he throws himself overboard.

Back in Whitby, Lucy is sleep walking again and it seems worse to Mina. Again, I don't think this is 100% Dracula's doing. I think he found an "eager disciple" and someone who was already prone to his psychic attacks. Good examples of this from the movies are  Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992) and John Badham's Dracula (1979). In Badham's Dracula we get Lucy and Mina swapped and the 1890s are replaced by the 1910s. In both cases the "Lucy" character (Mina in Badham's) succumbs to Dracula's will readily and almost eagerly. She represents the England Dracula thinks he is about to dominate. In reality England has moved on to Mina, the modern woman, whom Dracula can try to control but never truly conquer. 

 I don't think this one is even a contest. That would be Basic-era D&D. 

What treasures in such a small box!

The Moldvay Basic set was more than just an introductory set to D&D. It was an introduction to a hobby, a lifestyle. The rules were simply written and organized. They were not simple rules, and re-reading them today, I marvel that we all conquered this stuff at age 10-11. It may have only covered the first three levels of character growth, but they were a quality three.

I bought the Expert Set for my birthday in 1982. For the longest time, that was all I needed. Eventually, I moved on to AD&D. I discovered those Little Brown Books and even picked up my own real copy of Holmes Basic. I love those games, and I love playing them still, but they never quite had the same magic as that first time I opened up that box and saw what treasures were inside. I did not have to imagine how my characters felt when they discovered some long-lost treasure. I knew.

Today, I still go back to Tom Moldvay's classic Basic book. It is my yardstick for measuring any OSR game. Almost everything I need is right there, just waiting for me.

Holmes Basic, also called the "Blue Book," was my start. Sort of. The rules I used back when I began were a hodge-podge of Holmes Basic and AD&D, particularly the Monster Manual. This was fine, really, since, at the time, 1979, these game lines were a lot closer to each other. I have talked about this in my "1979 Campaign" posts.

Edited by Dr. John Eric Holmes, this book took the original D&D books and re-edited them to a single cohesive whole, though limited to 3rd level, as a means to get people introduced to the D&D game.  The Original Rules (see "O" day!) were an eclectic collection of rules that grew out of Gary Gygax's and Dave Arneson's playstyles. Debate continues on who did what, and I am not going to provide anything close to a definitive answer, but the game sold well but had a steep learning curve to others who were not part of that inner circle or came from War Games. The Holmes Edition attempted to fix that.

Mentzer Basic, or the BECMI (Basic, Expert, Companion, Master, Immortals) rules, was published after the Moldvay Basic, Cook/Marsh Expert sets. The rules between the B/X and BECMI rules are largely superficial (I will discuss this more), and the BECMI rules go past level 14 into the Companion rules (more on that tomorrow).

There is evidence that the Mentzer Basic set, also known as the "Red Box," was one of the best-selling editions of D&D ever, even outselling the flagship line of AD&D at times. It was also sold in more countries and more languages than any other version of D&D. If you recall Sunday's post, the D&D Basic line was in play for 22 years, covering the same time period as AD&D 1st and 2nd Edition rules. And it is still widely popular today. 

Basic books from England, the USA, and Spain

Basic D&D has great online support regarding books from DriveThruRPG and other "Old School Renaissance" creators. But it is an older game. One of the oldest in fact. So, some things made perfectly good sense back then that would cause people to scratch their heads at the various design choices (Descending Armor Class? Level limits?), but that doesn't detract from the fun. Finding a Basic game or even people to play it with will be harder.

I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

The fog continues

2 August, midnight.—Woke up from few minutes’ sleep by hearing a cry, seemingly outside my port. Could see nothing in fog. Rushed on deck, and ran against mate. Tells me heard cry and ran, but no sign of man on watch. One more gone. Lord, help us! Mate says we must be past Straits of Dover, as in a moment of fog lifting he saw North Foreland, just as he heard the man cry out. If so we are now off in the North Sea, and only God can guide us in the fog, which seems to move with us; and God seems to have deserted us.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

The fog is indeed moving with them. I wonder if Stoker was influenced by the tales of King James VI and I and his recounting of the weather that "witches" used against him to prevent his return to England. The same sort of weather is now used to cover Dracula's arrival to England. In each case it is an example of those of evil influence using weather control, or Tempestarii. 

 I have a BIG Kickstart Your Weekend post here with lost of fun and games. Quite literally. Perfect since this is Gen Con weekend and I can't be there. So let's see what we have.

The African Boardgames Convention - AB Con 2024

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/oluwafemi/the-african-boardgames-convention-ab-con-2024?ref=theotherside

This is such a great Kickstarter. Yes there are rewards, but biggest reward is knowing you helped out a worthy cause and got some kids together to play some games. Check it out and support them if you can.

Damn It, Owen! Cartoons That Refused To NOT Be Drawn

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/owenkcstephens/damn-it-owen-cartoons-that-refused-to-not-be-drawn?ref=theotherside

Drawings from industry vets Stan! on the words and wisdom of Owen K.C. Stephens.

This one is great on it's own, but knowing it helps Owen in his fight against cancer is just a huge bonus.

Kitty Clacks - Halloween Treats Polyhedral Dice!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/blackoakworkshop/kitty-clacks-halloween-treats-polyhedral-dice?ref=theotherside

This one is fun! I love the dice from Black Oak Workshop and have a BIG feature I am doing on them in October. So this is quite timely really. 

If you like cats, dice, and Halloween, then this seems like a no-brainer.

D6 System: Second Edition

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/gallantknightgames/d6-system-second-edition?ref=theotherside

I like the D6 system. There are a lot of really fun games out there that use it and honestly I have never given it the attention it really deserves. Looks like I might get to change that with a new version/edition coming out from Gallant Knight Games and West End Games. 

This Kickstarter is doing well and I hope this is the start of a new era for the D6 system.

80's Adventures: 5e Supplement & Adventure Modules for DnD

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dicedungeons/80s-adventures?ref=theotherside

Ok this one is just silly and I love it. D&D Adventures set in the 1980s. I mean really, this has my name written all over it. Way of the Crane Monk, Path of Dance Barbarian? Yeah this will be fun.

Couple of comics featuring witches are next!

Tarot, Witch of the Black Rose: The Vampire of Halloween

https://www.kickstarter.comprojects/jimbalent/tarot-witch-of-the-black-rose-the-vampire-of-halloween?ref=theotherside

Jim (and Holly) are friends of The Other Side and of course I am a fan of all witches.

This one is not live yet, but they are seeking sign-ups for when it is launched next month. I will also repost this one then.

SKYCLAD: Graphic Novel by David Campiti & Michal Dutkiewicz

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/banzaigirl/skyclad-graphic-novel-by-david-campiti-and-michal-dutkiewicz?ref=theotherside

This one is new to me and seem cut from the same cloth as Tarot. Real witches in the real world. This one has witches running a strip club. Maybe it will give me some idea for my Mayfairs.

Not for everyone, but it looks fun.

Quite the round up. Have fun!

 Most recent played?

That would have to be my AD&D 2nd Edition one set in the Forgotten Realms with my oldest.  We play a little here and there when he gets off of work (usually around 11:00pm to midnight).

We have not gotten very far. An hour or two here and there, but we have had a blast doing it.

This is the one where I am running my Sinéad as a DMPC. She is a Bard, so she is always just a support character, and she is the DM mouthpiece on Realms lore. It has been great since I remembered how much fun I always had with Bards.

I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

The Demeter hits a patch of fog.

1 August.—Two days of fog, and not a sail sighted. Had hoped when in the English Channel to be able to signal for help or get in somewhere. Not having power to work sails, have to run before wind. Dare not lower, as could not raise them again. We seem to be drifting to some terrible doom. Mate now more demoralised than either of men. His stronger nature seems to have worked inwardly against himself. Men are beyond fear, working stolidly and patiently, with minds made up to worst. They are Russian, he Roumanian.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Gibbous

Here we see Dracula's ability to control the weather some more, a power often forgotten in some modern retellings of the Dracula story and almost completely ignored in other vampire tales.

We are now down to a crew of four.

That was a tough one to figure out. I bought a lot of RPG-related items this year from adventures to minis, but I think the first full RPG I bought this year was the Spanish Language version of CJ Carella's WitchCraft RPG.

The Spanish Language version from Edge most resembles the Eden Studios 2nd Edition. The text is the same and the art is the same.

The difference, of course, is this new Edge version is in Spanish.

I am happy to have this as this was one of the other "Holy Grail" items for my Spanish collection of RPGs. It was also the last CJ Carella WitchCraft book I am likely able to buy. 

I am pleased that I was able to read a lot of it. Granted, my Spanish is still very limited, but I know this book very, very well. 

My collection of Spanish Language RPGs is not huge, but it covers my favorite games and about 85-90% of the games I like to play.

Not a lot, but enough to keep me busy for a while.

I am participating in Dave Chapman's #RPGaDAY2024 for August. 

 Since it makes sense, here is Roberto Micheri's Spanish translation. You can find Roberto (and me often making a fool of myself with my pre-school-level Spanish) in the Puerto Rico Role Players Facebook Group.

Si es tu primera vez, todos los días de agosto mira la sugerencia y escribe, haz un blog, vlog, podcast, dibuja, haz manualidades o lo que sea como respuesta. Si no te gusta la pregunta completa, por ejemplo, en el Día 3 la pregunta es "RPG (juego de rol) más jugado", la palabra "más" está en negrilla y puedes usar sólo esa palabra como respuesta si quieres hablar de otra cosa. 

También hay una opción alternativa al final, por si acaso. Si no te gusta ninguna de estas sugerencias, sigue leyendo.

1. Primer RPG comprado este año
2. RPG jugado más recientemente
3. RPG más jugado
4. RPG con gran arte
5. RPG muy bien escrito
6. RPG fácil de usar
7. RPG con "buena forma"
8. Un accesorio que aprecies
9. Un accesorio que te gustaría ver
10. RPG que te gustaría ver en televisión
11. RPG con “one-shots” bien respaldados
12. RPG con campañas bien sustentadas
13. Entornos evocadores
14. Personajes fascinantes
15. Gran equipamiento para los personajes
16. Rápido de aprender
17. Una comunidad RPG cautivadora
18. Momentos de juego memorables
19. Sesión sensacional
20. Aventura increíble
21. Campaña clásica
22. Notable personaje no jugador (NPC)
23. Jugador sin igual
24. Aclamados consejos
25. Dados deseables
26. Magnífica pantalla
27. Maravillosa miniatura
28. Excelente artilugio para “gamers”
29. Impresionante aplicación (app)
30. Persona con la que te gustaría jugar
31. Juego o jugador que echas de menos

Alternativa - Una anécdota sorprendenteSi no te gusta ninguno de estas sugerencias, ya sé que son de última hora, puedes optar por un conjunto de temas para #RPGaDAY completamente diferente. Sugeridas por Skala Wyzwania, estas ideas son muy divertidas e incluso hay un gráfico muy atractivo para esta versión. 

Sólo tienes que mirar el día a la izquierda, elegir el tema y tirar un d10 para descubrir qué deberías hacer con ese tema ese día. 

Genial, gracias Skala.

1. Runas
2. Bosque
3. Demonología
4. Cosmos
5. Hadas
6. Portal
7. Ciudad olvidada
8. Experimento
9. Héroes
10. Steampunk
11. Invasión
12. Mundos paralelos
13. Zombis
14. Despertar
15. Genética
16. Mazmorra
17. IA (inteligencia artificial)
18. Maldición
19. Holograma
20. Batalla 
21. Desastre
22. Espacio interdimensional
23. Ritual
24. Antiguo
25. Mutante
26. Tatuaje
27. Transformación / Cambiar de forma
28. Mimeto (Mimic)
29. Caballero
30. Trampa 
31. Dragones

Cada día tira un d10 para seguir la sugerencia

Resultado

1. Describe un monstruo
2. Crea un personaje no jugador (NPC)
3. Escribir una misión para el tablón de anuncios
4. Inventar un objeto
5. Escribe una leyenda o un rumor 
6. Crear una tabla al azar
7. Crear una mecánica sencilla
8. Presentar una idea para un encuentro aleatorio
9. Escribir un diálogo escuchado a escondidas
10. ¡Dibuja!

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The Demeter nears England, but so few crew remain.

30 July.—Last night. Rejoiced we are nearing England. Weather fine, all sails set. Retired worn out; slept soundly; awaked by mate telling me that both man of watch and steersman missing. Only self and mate and two hands left to work ship.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

Dracula must be absolutely gorged at this point. 

I have been on a mini vacation to see my wife's family. They all moved down south. Personally, I dislike going south of Joliet, IL but that is me.  Anyway they are all huge card players staying up till the wee hours playing. That is cool, I got to watch the Olympics. You don't see me talking a lot about sports here though I am a life-long St. Louis Cardinals fan and a complete Olympics junkie. I am no expert by any stretch of the imagination, but I love the Olympics.

With some projects done, and others on hold (Basic Bestiary. Waiting for more art), I started a new project over my extended weekend.

The High Witchcraft Tradition

Well..."new" might be the wrong word.  

I have a lot of notes from other projects that didn't quite fit or didn't get developed enough to get added. Plus this is a book I have been picking at for a while and have been calling my "Last Witch Book."  If it is that remains to be seen, but I do have some great ideas.

Here is the shape of the book so far.

High Magic

It will include the use of High Magic, so magic that invokes spirits, demons, angels and the like. I would also like to include High Magic options for Magic-users. A bit like my Hermetic Mage Prestige class I did for 3.x.

Advanced

This book will be my first "true" book for the Advanced era. So compatibility with OSRIC, Advanced Labyrinth Lord, and Old-School Essentials Advanced is implied. Originally this book was going to be part of my "Basic Witch" series and focus on how I mixed AD&D 1st ed with the Expert set back in the day. I still might do that. I have a lot of ideas for that sort of play, but this is not the book for that.

Plus I will freely admit I am not as enthusiastic for D&D's future as I once was. I will buy D&D 5R, I will even likely play it a few times. But as much as I love digital and online games, that is not my preferred mode. 

So instead of endlessly complaining about it, I am just going to focus my efforts into the types of games I DO enjoy playing. If you are looking for ragey click-bait, you won't find it here.

Best of the Old, Best of the New (Maybe)

I love my old-school games. I also am rather fond of new-school games as well. For me it has always been about maximum fun. So I would love to go back over some of the newer developments in games and see what can be ported back over. This one is not a guarantee. My focus first and foremost is a witch book from circa 1986.   

Cover Art

For this book I am going to commission some original cover art. I have already been sending out emails to artists I want to work with and ones I have worked with in the past for this. And as much as I love the Pre-Raphaelite covers I have used in the past, I have something specific in mind for this one.

Waterhouse's "The Magic Circle" above was one of the ideas I originally had. I am, of course, sad not to use it for this book, but I also want something new. 

I want this book to be really good. I want it to challenge my writing ability and game design ability. Plus I also want it to be able to cover any "so-called" witch written about in the "Advanced-era."  If someone else's book/game/adventure set in the same era with the same or similar rule system and they have a witch character, I want my rules to be flexible enough and comprehensive enough that you could play that character using my rules. Lofty? Maybe. Do able? Certainly.

Potential High Witches

• Iggwilv, The Witch Queen of Perrenland
• Rhiannon
• Skylla
• Syluné, Witch of Shadowdale and a ghost.
• The Simbul, the Witch-Queen of Aglarond.

I have been tossing this idea around for a few years now. I finally hit a critical mass of notes to make it a real book. For me as much as for you, here are my posts about it. 

Links to relevant posts

• The High Secret Order: The High Witchcraft Tradition
• Warlocks, Monsters, More Basic, and the LAST Witch Book
• Basic Bestiary and High Witchcraft
• Current Works In Progress: Basic Bestiary & High Witchcraft
• This Old Dragon: Issue #20
• This Old Dragon: Issue #114
• What Should an OSR Witch Do or Be?
• More thoughts on the Witch
• Which Witch is Which? Basic Era Edition
• Spell Research
• #RPGaDAY 2020: Day 11 Stack
• New Page: Appendix O and the Purpose of Research
• October Horror Movie Challenge: Witchcraft of the 70s
• "Excuse me, can you repeat that in Olde Arcane?"
• Prestige Class: Witch Priestess
• Prestige Class: Queen of Witches

The Demeter suffers more deaths.

29 July.—Another tragedy. Had single watch to-night, as crew too tired to double. When morning watch came on deck could find no one except steersman. Raised outcry, and all came on deck. Thorough search, but no one found. Are now without second mate, and crew in a panic. Mate and I agreed to go armed henceforth and wait for any sign of cause.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

Dracula is hungry, and he will make himself appear younger by using the blood and life of this crew. 

The Demeter travels through storms.

28 July.—Four days in hell, knocking about in a sort of maelstrom, and the wind a tempest. No sleep for any one. Men all worn out. Hardly know how to set a watch, since no one fit to go on. Second mate volunteered to steer and watch, and let men snatch a few hours’ sleep. Wind abating; seas still terrific, but feel them less, as ship is steadier.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

These storms are caused by Dracula. Both to weaken the crew and speed his journey to England.

 Still no news from Harker.

27 July.—No news from Jonathan. I am getting quite uneasy about him, though why I should I do not know; but I do wish that he would write, if it were only a single line. Lucy walks more than ever, and each night I am awakened by her moving about the room. Fortunately, the weather is so hot that she cannot get cold; but still the anxiety and the perpetually being wakened is beginning to tell on me, and I am getting nervous and wakeful myself. Thank God, Lucy’s health keeps up. Mr. Holmwood has been suddenly called to Ring to see his father, who has been taken seriously ill. Lucy frets at the postponement of seeing him, but it does not touch her looks; she is a trifle stouter, and her cheeks are a lovely rose-pink. She has lost that anæmic look which she had. I pray it will all last.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

The plot, unbeknownst to our heroes is moving forward. 

The Ring is the Holmwood Family estate.

 Mina is getting increasingly worried about Jonathan.

26 July.—I am anxious, and it soothes me to express myself here; it is like whispering to one’s self and listening at the same time. And there is also something about the shorthand symbols that makes it different from writing. I am unhappy about Lucy and about Jonathan. I had not heard from Jonathan for some time, and was very concerned; but yesterday dear Mr. Hawkins, who is always so kind, sent me a letter from him. I had written asking him if he had heard, and he said the enclosed had just been received. It is only a line dated from Castle Dracula, and says that he is just starting for home. That is not like Jonathan; I do not understand it, and it makes me uneasy. Then, too, Lucy, although she is so well, has lately taken to her old habit of walking in her sleep. Her mother has spoken to me about it, and we have decided that I am to lock the door of our room every night. Mrs. Westenra has got an idea that sleep-walkers always go out on roofs of houses and along the edges of cliffs and then get suddenly wakened and fall over with a despairing cry that echoes all over the place. Poor dear, she is naturally anxious about Lucy, and she tells me that her husband, Lucy’s father, had the same habit; that he would get up in the night and dress himself and go out, if he were not stopped. Lucy is to be married in the autumn, and she is already planning out her dresses and how her house is to be arranged. I sympathise with her, for I do the same, only Jonathan and I will start in life in a very simple way, and shall have to try to make both ends meet. Mr. Holmwood—he is the Hon. Arthur Holmwood, only son of Lord Godalming—is coming up here very shortly—as soon as he can leave town, for his father is not very well, and I think dear Lucy is counting the moments till he comes. She wants to take him up to the seat on the churchyard cliff and show him the beauty of Whitby. I daresay it is the waiting which disturbs her; she will be all right when he arrives.

Notes

Moon Phase: Waxing Crescent

So Lucy is walking in her sleep. Sleepwalking was of great interest to the Victorians both from the Spiritual and Scientific frames of mind. It was believed that the sleep walker was "between worlds" and had access to knowledge or wisdom. 

Debate goes on. Was Lucy sleepwalking because she was under Dracula's thrall already, OR was she more susceptible of Dracula because of her history of sleepwalking?  I believe it was the latter. Her father had it and Lucy represents the "Old World" of England vs. Mina's New World of England. So Lucy still has a foot in that other, older, and more spiritual world. 

This also hints at the duality of Lucy. The innocent bride to be now and later the horrifying "Bloofer Lady" to come. This too was part of Victorian pop-psychology of the time. See the "Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde" for a more developed example of this. 

There is a solid implication here. Lucy, in her innocence, makes her a "tasty" target for Dracula. We have seen in many movies that while Lucy is Dracula's appetizer, Mina is the meal. She is described by Van Helsing as being "remarkable" and having a "man like mind." All Victorian for Mina is smart and shrewd.  So. What sort of Vampire would Mina have been? Terrifying to be sure. I think this is a bit that Alan Moore grabbed onto in "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen."

We are really just getting introduced to Mina still. But she is, as I'll show, the real star and the real hero of this tale.