Pyramid #3/58: Urban Fantasy II

[CousinX]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Thanks. I'm kind of wondering (like David) if anybody actually liked it or is using it...or despised it and thought it drivel. I just had so much when I was writing that I knew I wouldn't be able to fit it all in. I had a whole section on Native American "Threshold" myths (they are quite different from the Europeon/Western cousins) that I gathered when I went to see some cousins on the res in North Carolina. I filled three quarters of a damn stenopad with information. Might turn that into a article on its own somewhere down the line.

Yeah, "Safe as Houses" was another hit out of the park for me. This article set many, many wheels to spinning in my head, and fits perfectly into at least one campaign that I've been working on ... I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I have no doubt that it will show up soon.

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

I also really dug Frick's Hunting the Cabal and Tremlett's The Wraith Of Precinct 13. Overall, a fantastic issue that I would have bought if I hadn't been a subscriber. I look forward to Urban Fantasy III. :-D

Agreed, a great issue all-around ... and also thanks, I always wonder if anyone cares about my little contributions. I'm so bad at giving or receiving praise, though, that I usually just distract myself until I forget what I was angsting over.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Blind Mapmaker

I just wanted to say that this issue finally made me re-subscribe to Pyramid for a full year (having the money also helped). There's some really superb stuff in this one. Safe as Houses stands out, but the others are all very good too. I was especially surprised by Traits for Town. I don't play DF by the rules and just pick out the bits I like, but Kromm really offered cool ways to make social traits count in fighting fantasy. The writing in this issue was top-notch too. I had to laugh more than a couple of times.

Originally Posted by CousinX

Yeah, "Safe as Houses" was another hit out of the park for me. This article set many, many wheels to spinning in my head, and fits perfectly into at least one campaign that I've been working on ... I haven't had a chance to use it yet, but I have no doubt that it will show up soon.

Thanks fellas! I've got a spiritual follow-up (pardon the pun) in the works for the Natural Magic issue that I think will be usful. :-)

Originally Posted by CousinX

Agreed, a great issue all-around ... and also thanks, I always wonder if anyone cares about my little contributions. I'm so bad at giving or receiving praise, though, that I usually just distract myself until I forget what I was angsting over.

You're W.A. Frick? If that's the case let me go on the record saying that I referenced two of your articles in two of my own (one I just submitted and another a while back...) One With The Machine was a truly spectacular piece filling a gap I didn't even know GURPS had until I read it. While Console Cowboys and Cyberspace Kung Fu was nothing short of inspired genius. I use it for all my cinematic VR hacking (and in some cases not so cinematic or VR).

[Refplace]

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

Thanks fellas! I've got a spiritual follow-up (pardon the pun) in the works for the Natural Magic issue that I think will be usful. :-)



You're W.A. Frick? If that's the case let me go on the record saying that I referenced two of your articles in two of my own (one I just submitted and another a while back...) One With The Machine was a truly spectacular piece filling a gap I didn't even know GURPS had until I read it. While Console Cowboys and Cyberspace Kung Fu was nothing short of inspired genius. I use it for all my cinematic VR hacking (and in some cases not so cinematic or VR).

Look forward to the article.
I also second those articles you applauded. I liked both.

[CousinX]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Look forward to the article.
I also second those articles you applauded. I liked both.

Thanks, it's good to know that they're enjoyed!

Originally Posted by Ghostdancer

You're W.A. Frick? If that's the case let me go on the record saying that I referenced two of your articles in two of my own (one I just submitted and another a while back...) One With The Machine was a truly spectacular piece filling a gap I didn't even know GURPS had until I read it. While Console Cowboys and Cyberspace Kung Fu was nothing short of inspired genius. I use it for all my cinematic VR hacking (and in some cases not so cinematic or VR).

Likewise for the record, between your excellent works on RPM Alchemy, the Dark Fae, and now Thresholds, you're practically writing my Mythic Dark Ages campaign for me. I'm thinking about picking up the Prehistory issue for "The Old Ways," and if I make my guess, the one you're writing for Natural Magic will be similarly indispensable, whatever it is.

I'll also add my vote to those campaigning for an article (or full e23 supplement?) about Native American myths -- especially the darker aspects, like "The Wild Hunt." I've never seen the word "Ravenmocker" before, and I can only imagine what it is, but it's already giving me goosebumps.

[Christopher R. Rice]

Originally Posted by Refplace

Look forward to the article.

Originally Posted by CousinX

Likewise for the record, between your excellent works on RPM Alchemy, the Dark Fae, and now Thresholds, you're practically writing my Mythic Dark Ages campaign for me. I'm thinking about picking up the Prehistory issue for "The Old Ways," and if I make my guess, the one you're writing for Natural Magic will be similarly indispensable, whatever it is.

Thanks! The Old Ways isn't bad, but I was grumpy when I had to cut a ton of ice and snow spells. They'll probably make their way into another article somewhere down the line. What I'm brewing up for Natural Magic will probably be useful to urban fantasy and secret powers games. :-)

Originally Posted by CousinX

I'll also add my vote to those campaigning for an article (or full e23 supplement?) about Native American myths -- especially the darker aspects, like "The Wild Hunt." I've never seen the word "Ravenmocker" before, and I can only imagine what it is, but it's already giving me goosebumps.

Wikipedia separates the words and misspells the Tsalagi (it should be ka'a'lanu ahkyeli'ski, or so my notes say), but here is some general information. They don't tell you about the other things it does which I won't go into detail into. I'm not usually suspicious, but I don't talk about stuff like that at night. Suffice it to say it puts some of the original Grimm's Fairy Tale story's to shame.

My grandfather told me a story about a Ravenmocker who turned a whole village into willow trees after they failed to greet him properly. There is a spot in the Northwest River Park in Virginia where a groove of willows grows. I saw it when I was a little boy. I've never been back since.

[Peter V. Dell'Orto]

I may get this Pyramid anyway, but sometimes I wish I could buy individual articles. I run DF, and $8 is a lot to pay for a magazine where I really only want the one article. No offense to the other authors - it all sounds great, but I won't use the non-DF stuff, and I'm limiting my purchases to "stuff I can use right now in my current game."


It would also be cool - and I'd cheerfully pay for - a "DF From Pyramid" special issue that collected the DF articles from the non-DF specific issues.

[sir_pudding]

Originally Posted by Peter V. Dell'Orto

and I'm limiting my purchases to "stuff I can use right now in my current game.".

I had that policy for awhile (and still basically do) but now that I'm prepping two new campaigns I find that I really wish I had had a Pyramid subscription from the beginning. Pyramid may be worth making an exception for.

[PseudoFenton]

Just a small question about the Traits for Town article, so might as well ask it here rather than starting a whole new thread for a tiny detial.

Claim to Hospitality, Legal Enforcement Powers and Rank all give means of ignoring the $150 cost of living, but if I had all three, would they stack giving me $300 excess? If not, should there be other benefits or point cost reductions to make up for the reduced utility?