Well, What Do You Think?

Dear Readers,

So I promised you a new website, and here it is. Personally, although there are parts that are still under construction (the old blog posts are being reposted about 5-10 at a time per week. It's going to be a bit before they are all on here, slowly but surely!), but overall, I'm pretty happy with the new layout and the new look.

 Speaking of new, I've got a lot of plans in the works. The first thing I'm going to do is going back to showing pictures of my miniature painting projects. I'm very proud of the jobs that I've done , and I would like to start posting those again.

I have other projects in the works, but they won't be taking away from my work here!

With this week being Halloween, I hope all of you are planning or running (or have run) a Spooktacular adventure filled with horrors beyond imagining. Or something silly. Or your normal game. Hey, you do you. But tomorrow, a new post is going up discussing just that: running holiday-themed adventures! I really hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Lastly, PLEASE don't hesitate to send me comments, put on a like, or whatever, to let me know how I'm doing. I can't get better if I don't hear anything, and I want this to be the best TTRPG blog it can be.

Also, subscriptions are changing. If you are a subscriber and you want to continue to support me, click on the "Support Us" link above, and it will take you to my Patreon page. Support me as you wish. I'm going back to posting my Premium Content, but it's going to be there before it gets here, and it will now be called a "Members Only" post.

Speaking of, I know many of you have subscribed to The Blog. I'll be getting your emails sent out for you to subscribe here to the New Blog. If you click on the confirmation link, you will be able to get notified of new posts (at least that's what I'm being told; there's a little bit of a learning curve here as my new hosting company usually deals with e-commerce sites and not blogs; we're working out the kinks, though, not to worry). If you aren't getting notified of new posts (which should go back to Tuesdays and Thursdays until I post some more miniature painting stuff), please hit me up using the "Contact Us" link above.

Let's see...what else...OH, I ALMOST FORGOT!!

I recently (as in last Thursday) got back into town from a D&D retreat! It. Was. Awesome. Like...you cannot believe how awesome it was. It was a rather...niche group in an already niche group (a bunch of Christian D&D players!), if that makes sense. I was playing a rather cool Gloomstalker Ranger (we were using the 2024 player rules...very interesting!), and I was one of the two folks who got the final strike on the final BBEG! Heavy Crossbow with Crossbow Expert for the win! On the downside, however, someone popped COVID positive at their return, and I've been quarantining since. I'm stuck until this Tuesday afternoon. If I don't have symptoms, I should be okay, but I'll be on the lookout.

Take aways from the retreat?

a) Joy is a precious commodity, and allowing someone or something to take it is a disservice to yourself.

b) Songs can be a powerful thing. Take, for example, our "anthem" for the retreat (keep in mind that the retreat also had a spiritual component, so if that's not your thing, that's okay):

"Joyful, Joyful, We Adventure" (to the tune of the hymn "Joyful, Joyful")

Joyful, joyful, we adventure,
Through the Marches far and wide,
Facing dragons, forging friendships,
With our party by our side.
Hope ignites the paths we travel,
Bringing courage, sharp and true,
In the dungeons, ever onward,
We’ll find quests and fun anew.

Thieves and fighters, wizards, healers,
All together in the fray,
Dang'rous traps and deadly monsters,
Fear shall never win the day!
Rolling dice, our fate determined,
Facing trials, wild and free,
In this world of lore and legends,
We'll make our own history!

Heed our call, O God within us,
Grant us wisdom for the trail,
Guide us through the deepest caverns,
Let the task of love prevail.
Give us strength, O God beyond us,
To ascend the mountain pass.
Holding onto hope and friendship,
Till we enter joy at last.

I thought it was cool. We got to sing it one last time before we all left to head back home after the defeat of the BBEG (it was a three table fight; we each had our own "mini" BBEG that we were fighting, and then the BIG BBEG was teleporting from table to table until we defeated our individual table's mini BBEG, at which point we all, as a whole group of three tables, got to hammer on the final BBEG; it was absolutely EPIC). It was really cool, and the retreat ended on a wonderful high note (COVID exposure aside).

For those who may be interested, it is called "Roll For Joy" or the "Holy Rollers" retreat. You can find it here.

As always, thank you, one and all, for your help and support. It means a whole lot to me.

Until next time, Dear Readers...