Showing results by narrator "Colby Elliott" in All Categories

Letters to a Young GM is the latest book of GM advice from award-winning author John Wick (Legend of the Five Rings, 7th Sea, Houses of the Blooded, Cat, Banners). In it, John provides his unconventional game mastering advice to both young game masters and those who are still young-at-heart. Looking beyond the usual topics, he offers not only tricks and tactics, but also inspiration to those who want to sit behind the GM screen, but are uncertain about their skills.

We think we know Betty and Veronica, but we don’t. Far more than just Archie’s girlfriends, the girls have grown beyond simple archetypes to become compelling, relevant characters for each new generation over the past eighty years.

Compiled by a veteran writer of the comic series, this collection of essays explores Batman’s motivations and actions, as well as those of his foes. Batman is a creature of the night, more about vengeance than justice, more plagued by doubts than full of self-assurance, and more darkness than light. He has no superpowers, just skill, drive, and a really well-made suit.

In the fall of 2000, Gilmore Girls premiered on the WB, and viewers were introduced to the quirky world of Stars Hollow and the Gilmores who had made it their home, mother-daughter best friends Lorelai and Rory. Coffee at Luke's is the perfect look at what made the show such a clever, beloved part of the television landscape for so long.

We all love monsters. We love them because they exist outside of our world and yet feel real to us. We love how strange they can be. We love the sense of danger that arises when we talk about them. We love how they live in our imaginations. And when monsters come to life in our imaginations, we love to face and defeat them. We battle dragons and demons and undead—and conquer them in tales we’ll remember our whole lives. Within the Forge of Foes, we’ll build these monsters. Here in the forge, we’ll modify creatures, giving them new attacks and strange new abilities.

After Comic Con International and New York Comic Con, where does a wandering nerd go next for adventure and fun? Why the wilds of Gen Con, of course! Third in the “Nerdly Travels” series takes Colby to the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America, Gen Con, to fulfill his 10-year-old self's destiny of roleplaying at the convention started by Gary Gygax. He'll meet industry luminaries, some of his childhood heroes and maybe even get surprised at the ENnie Awards!

Even after getting bad news at the doctor’s office, Cole Ellis knows the kids still need to be picked up and the realm of dreams needs to be protected. Strange, that the foreclosure two blocks over is bustling with crows in The Overlay, and stranger still, why is the dream neighborhood filled with the delectable smell of cookies for blocks in every direction? It may be time for Cole to call on the most powerful member of his team yet. And time for another to make the sacrifice of a lifetime.

Designers & Dragons: The 90s is a comprehensive picture of the heyday of the RPG industry. This 2nd edition expands the original single book into a series of four—beginning with the ’70s and ending with the ’00s—and we’ve added over 10,000 new words to this volume alone. In this volume, we profile an RPG titan—Wizards of the Coast—and cover the rise of storytelling RPG settings like White Wolf’s World of Darkness. Regardless of your gaming background, Shannon Appelcline’s meticulously researched history won’t disappoint.

When Cole set something free in the dreamworld of The Overlay, he had no idea it could cause harm in the real world. But now someone is dead and the shaman must use all of his newfound powers to prevent another tragedy and rein in a new menace known only as Dark Beard.

Newly minted dream-walker, Cole, finds everything didn’t get fixed after setting a mysterious spirit free and healing the bruised house next door. Trouble has moved down the road to the nearby Prairie Plains Park where something is attacking people in their dreams. Something hungry. But the Stay-at-home Shaman is going to need some help and a few tricks up his sleeve to tackle these new threats to The Overlay. It turns out naptime is no time to snooze.

When Cole Ellis hits a coyote late one night on I-80, he has no idea how his life will change. Now he travels to a dream realm every time he falls asleep…but all is not well in the drowsing world. There’s mystical talking animals, mysteriously bruised houses, and massive hulking monsters to deal with. How can a stay-at-home dad hope to save the neighborhood by naptime’s end?

Six of the best and most opinionated cyberpunk referees gather together with creator Mike Pondsmith to bring their best advice on how to make your tabletop dark future game epic. How to start a campaign, how to handle problem players, how to use character background to generate story, and much, much more! So, grab your mirrorshades and your netrunner's deck, choomba, 'cause things are about to get real!

Collecting the two first stories in the Dark Prairie Universe, Dark Prairie and Use Yer Brains tells the tales of two western Nebraska lawmen, from two different ages, and how they go about keeping the peace in Platte City. Some bad things crawl outta the ground, while others are brewed up in the local saloon and descend like a bolt of lightning. Whether it's the 1800s or the late 1900s, keep yer wits about ye, and yer six-shooter handy.

Designers & Dragons: The '80s is a comprehensive picture of the growth of the RPG industry. This second edition expands the original single book into a series of four, and we’ve added over 10,000 new words to this volume alone. Take an in-depth look at ’80s style gaming courtesy of companies like Steve Jackson Games and West End Games, plus an intro to the small (but mighty!) presses of the decade. Regardless of your gaming background, Shannon Appelcline’s meticulously researched history won’t disappoint.

A book arrives by Owl, left under an old fir tree in the snow. With it, a mysterious message: Another world’s scientists have discovered the laws of the universe are found in - fairy tales. Is it true? Snotty - the unlikely hero of this tale - is a streetwise adolescent mastermind transported to a mystical realm where the fate of the world rests on discovering who he really is. As Snotty’s perceptions of might and right are upended, the scholarly footnotes point toward a deeper truth.

You won’t need to have read any of the other History of Arcadia books to become engrossed in the drama of Aspern Grayling, whose obsession with creating a new life-form - in the person of ruthless adventurer Pavo Vale - could destroy his whole world. A compelling descendant of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this is a tale of a man bent on conquest and of an adversary that may yet defeat him: the ghost of the Arcadian Devindra Vale, the only woman he has ever loved.

Ruins of the Grendleroot is a collection of 10 short, easy-to-run adventures for the fifth edition of the world's most popular fantasy role-playing game. Designed for characters of first to fifth level, these adventures take place in the caverns, chambers, tunnels, and ruins of the mountain known as Blackclaw, within which lurks the Grendleroot - a strange and otherworldly sentience.

What makes a fantasy fantastic? Magic, of course! Whether it’s unearthly beasts, scheming sorcerers, legendary swords, or locales that defy logic and physics, a compelling fantasy story needs magical elements. The tricky part is that in order for the story to work, you have to get your reader or player to believe the unbelievable. The Kobold Guide to Magic takes you behind the scenes to learn the secrets of designing and writing about magic from 20 top fantasy authors and game designers.

Designers & Dragons: The ’70s is a comprehensive picture of the beginnings of the RPG industry. This second edition expands the original single book into a series of four, and we’ve added over 50,000 new words to this volume alone. Learn about the colorful history of TSR and the wave of D&D inspired games (and gaming companies) to follow, and dip your toes into war gaming trivia. Regardless of your gaming background, Shannon Appelcline’s meticulously researched history won’t disappoint.

Whether you're new to game mastering or have been running the same campaign since 1974, Never Unprepared: The Complete Game Master's Guide to Session Prep will help you prepare for games faster, avoid common pitfalls, and have more fun in the process. Never Unprepared breaks game prep down into its component phases - Brainstorming, Selection, Conceptualization, Documentation, and Review - and provides the tools you need to make the most of each phase. If you hate prep, you'll find ways to make it more enjoyable.