text:
Intended as the climax to the entire saga of The Sinking - a series of stand-alone yet linked adventures set in the Great City - this could also be run as a one-off adventure although it might be a bit confusing and would certainly involve a fair bit of explanation and even some handwaving to convince the characters that they are where you'll need them to be to begin the adventure. It would be much better if they are familiar with the Great City and have experienced at least some of the earlier adventures, that way they should have a handle on what is going on!
The adventure starts in media res with the characters stepping through a dimensional gate. From there, they have an underground complex to explore and some evil creatures to deal with, interestingly there is scope for interaction as well as combat... they can even be convinced to be helpful! The complex is described vividly and as they explore they should gain some understanding of what makes its denizens tick, and just how much danger previous visitors pose to surface dwellers particularly those living in the Great City.
As the adventure proceeds, the characters will be able to gather information and equipment necessary to defeat those who created the sinkhole in the first place before coming up through it to find them on the surface busy announcing that they are the heroes of the day... leading to a climactic fight between two 'doom golems' in the finest mecha style! The Great City won't forget this day in a hurry.
Throughout the adventure, there are references to earlier adventures in the series, which are explained well enough for those who have not played them although they'll work better if the characters have their earlier experiences to draw upon. There's plenty of scope for political double-dealing, or at least the exposure thereof, so players who prefer intrigue to brawling will also have plenty to do, whilst those who revel in combat will have a blast!
You ought to get several sessions of high-octane adventure out of this one, especially enjoyable if you have played at least some of the preceding adventures and can follow the strands that have led to this point. It's a cracker!
If you are an Inquisitor, life gets pretty boring without a few heresies, cults and other such issues to investigate. This book goes a way towards alleviating the boredom, providing the Game Master with plenty of foul cults that hide, often in plain sight, throughout the Imperium emperilling the lives and very souls of honest citizens. There's a wealth of information (some of it even true) about what these cults do and believe.
The book is divided into several sections, each dealing with a different aspect of the problems your Acolytes may be sent to deal with. Heretics, mutants, psykers, xenos (aliens), and daemons can be found here, with all the legends and conspiracies that have grown up around them, liberally bestrewn with ideas about how to put them to use in your game. These first few chapters are followed by a chapter on the enemy within, looking at dissent, misunderstanding and strife in the very organisations designed to protect the Imperium. It's not all about weird beings and religious debate, of course, and there's a chapter jam-packed with crime lords and villains as well.
So, Chapter 1: Shadows of the Tyrant Star presents a collection of fragmented prophesies and legends about a rogue dark star that used to, or so it is said, float through the Calixis sector, dragging fear and terror and destruction in its wake. Much takes the form of reports and scrawled notes, suitable to present to your players - although you will have to mess around a bit to take them out of the distinctive page edgings if you are printing from the PDF, and if you own the 'dead tree' version, even a photocopy may not give as full a flavour as might be desired. It would be an enhancement to provide straight PDF versions for GMs to print out for use in play. Some suggestions are made as to how you might weave them into your plots or even base a whole campaign around this star.
Chapter 2: Hereticus then looks at the threats posed by heretics, mutants and psykers. Of course, in an Imperium ruled by an Emperor who is also a god, heresy can take the form of any kind of dissent - pursuing forbidden scientific research, say, political corruption or even being over-vocal in support of progress, it's not always a matter of having got your doctrine wrong or gone off worshipping other deities instead of dutifully following the state religion. Different kinds of cults are discussed, along with some of the rarer abilities some psykers manifest (mainly intended for antagonists but you may wish to allow more advanced Acolytes access to carefully-selected ones). A major heresy called the Temple Tendency is gone into in considerable detail ready for you to use as an underlying plot, background or even a major adversary, depending on your needs and wishes. And if that were not enough, there's another bunch called The Logicians. They seek progress through scientific method and rational analysis rather than religious faith. Again there's plenty of detail on them, as well as on the Pale Throng and the Night Cult, other mischief-makers with which to contend .
Then Chapter 3: Xenos explores the alien threat with, again, plenty of detail about what lurks in the blackest reaches of space and hungers to devour or corrupt the honest citizens it is the Acoloytes' duty to protect. More subtle than ravaging war-fleets, the threats are many and diverse, and there's plenty of scope for missions against them with the information provided here. This is followed by Chapter 4: Malleus, where chaos raises its ugly head to cast a malign influence where it may, the deadly interaction between humanity and the warp. Survival is impossible without it, yet the threat is immense and must be guarded against at all times. Sorcery, dark relics and more are to be found here, again with commentary about how they may be used to effect in your game.
Next, Chapter 5: The Enemy Within is all about dissent that could lead to open strife within the very power structures of the Imperium itself. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? (Who watches the watchers?) Perhaps your Acolytes will be that bastion that stands firm. There's an overview of the causes of conflict, dispute, and factionalism within the authorities and powers that govern the Imperium, an opening of a lid on self-interest, territorialism and other blights that even those involved may not recognise as being against the interests of the greater good within the Imperium they honestly think that they serve.
Chapter 6: The Hunted presents the Most Wanted list, a fine array of transgressors for eager Acolytes to track down and bring to book, along with notes on villain design and the use of the nemesis. Plenty of good advice here for Game Masters to absorb as they plot away.
Finally, there's a scenario ready to play, pitting Acolytes against the dark forces that have gathered to misappropriate the legacy of a Rogue Trader. Called The House of Dust and Ash, there is plenty to keep your Acolytes busy, all presented clearly. Recommended for more experienced Acolytes of the 4th or 5th career rank, it comes in four main parts with plenty of optional encounters and room for expansion as you see fit. There's plenty of advice and scope for stamping your own mark on proceedings... and I'm wishing I hadn't read it now, it would have been fun to play!
Overall, this is an excellent resource, full of information to help you craft adventures that fit the ambience, the feel, of this setting. The Acolytes may not thank you for reading this, but their players will!
This rules expansion delves deep into what it means to be an Inquisitor, providing a wealth of information about the setting of Warhammer 40K and the Inquisitor's place within that setting as well as a host of options to consider in customising your character - everything from new origins and professions to details of different worlds, the religious philosophies he might be exposed to and the nature of life as an Acolyte. There's a lot here, a lot to take in!
Chapter 1: Advanced Character Creation is the home of many of these new options. Building on the core rulebook, there are new homeworlds, backgrounds and character origins from which to choose. Neatly, the Homeworld table from the core rules has been rewritten to incorporate the new ideas so you can just read through (or roll if you prefer a random origin) the one collection rather than having to juggle the information from two books at once! Various sub-options have been provided to allow for even greater variety. This all serves to enhance the rich tapestry of the setting, it's worth reading through the options you don't intend to play just to get an idea of what else is out there!
The chapter moves on to review some unique worlds of the Calixis Sector - useful if you will be visiting, essential if you (or the dice) decide that is where you come from. There are also optional background packages, tailored to suit characters of different career paths and designed to help you give depth and personality to your character - another neat idea. In choosing them other requirements quite often need to be met, ensuring that the background fits your character well.
Next, Chapter 2: Calixian Careers suggests a new career path and offers modifications to existing ones as well as an array of what are described as elite advance packages. First, though, in the male-dominated environment that is the Inquisition, comes the Adepta Sororitas or Daughters of the Emperor, which consists of various orders involved in all aspects of endevour from warfare to diplomacy, teachers to investigators. They're powerful and very straight-laced, unable to tolerate the slightest deviation from orthodoxy or taint of the forbidden. It's not so much a career path as a whole battery of them, driven by faith and providing a wealth of opportunity for those who'd like to play a female character. This is followed by a collection of alternative ways to follow existing career paths, allowing you to customise a character in depth. Interestingly, all the alternatives are rooted in conspiracies, organisations or cults to be found in the Calixis Sector, helping to embed the character deeply into the region in which they operate. You won't change career path, but your advancement through your chosen one will take twists and turns unavailable to others. Each option comes with copious background notes as well as new skills and abilities to apply to the character. Elite advance packages, on the other hand, allow the character to remain on the core career path but take a few non-standard options as they advance, often due to something they've done or experienced along the way.
Chapter 3: Feral and Feudal Worlds begins a look at a vast range of weapons and other equipment that can be found on specific planets within the Calixis Sector. Characters who come from a given world ought to be at least familiar with them and may choose to wield them, others may take a liking to them when they encounter them and go to great efforts to seek them out and learn how to use them to effect. The next two chapters, Chapter 4: Hive and Forge Worlds and Chapter 5: Frontier Worlds and the Void, continue this pattern. Hive worlds are manufacturing centres with high population densities, while forge worlds are also industrial but in the grip of the Adeptus Mechanicus with many things rich and strange (and deadly) to be found there in the shape of the techno-devices that they make. As Calixis Sector is on the edge of the Imperium, there are quite a few frontier worlds which are even more dangerous that one might imagine. And then there is the void. The black between all these worlds and the ships that ply the spacelanes. Naturally, special skills and equipment are needed to survive let alone prosper there. Acolytes often have to travel as part of their duties, sometimes a vessel will be provided but often they will have to find their own way, the details here will help both party and GM organise transportation when it is required.
This survey is followed by Chapter 6: War Zones. There are plenty of them in Calixis Sector (indeed, anywhere in an Imperium which thrives on and is sustained by warfare), and this chapter touches on the weapons and equipment needed to survive there. Properly the domain of the Imperial Guard, there will be occasions when Acolytes' duties take them close to the action. Those interested in military weapons will find plenty here.
Next, Chapter 7: The Holy Ordos takes a look at some of the specialised and rare items used by the Inquisition itself, some are actually unique or extremely specialised for a specific task. Whilst Acolytes are expected to deal with situations using whatever resources they have to hand, it can be useful to know what is available and where to get it if the need arises.
Chapter 8: Religion and Superstition is more philosophical in tone, talking about religious faith within the Imperium. Belief in the God-Emperor is a given - it's not faith, he's actually there, a tangible presence: and he does not tolerate those who do not worship him. However, not everyone is devout, not everyone wishes to listen to preachers, even if they'd say that they venerate the God-Emperor as they should... and here you can find out about the varied roles religion plays in citizens' lives. The priesthood, saints, relics and pilgrimages that may feature in an Acolyte's religious life are discussed here, as well as common heresies that he might encounter. It all helps to add depth and flavour to the setting.
Finally, Chapter 9: Life as an Acolyte gives an inkling of the day-to-day existence that is the character's lot. Threats to overcome, positions to jockey for, the ways to stand out and gain advancement... and how alter-egos and contacts work, both mechanically and in-character. Sometimes an Acolyte does not wish it to be known what he is, hence the need for alter-egos, legends and disguises. And if you are investigating something, contacts always come in useful - as they do if you need something specific to complete the task in hand. Notes on expanded skills and the ability to craft things round out the chapter, and then an Appendix contains collected weapons tables from throughout the book.
There's a lot here, but all serves to contribute to the rich variety of the setting. The sheer scope, the vast sweep, is what makes the Warhammer 40K setting what it is, and this work encapsulates that nicely, bringing information about places and equipment, organisations and ideas, to your hands, and should prove valuable to players and GMs alike.
This work contains three linked adventures which will take a party of Acolytes to some quite unsavoury corners of the underbelly of the Calixis Sector. They are all suitable for characters of Rank 5 or below, and follow on quite nicely from Illumination, the introductory adventure at the back of the core rulebook, thus helping you to get your campaign off to a flying start. However, they are open enough that it's a trivial matter to retool them to take place elsewhere if you do not happen to want to use the Calixis Sector. Again, although linked, you do not need to run all of them if you campaign takes a different direction, and each provides suggestions for further adventures and special notes for those who want to exploit the various factions or Ordos within the Inquisition.
There's a brief introduction explaining all this, then it's on to the first adventure, Rejoice for You Are True. This takes the Acolytes to Scintilla, the capital of the entire Calixis Sector, to investigate a burgeoning new cult called the Joyous Choir. They believe that the main purpose of the Emperor is to ensure that all citizens of the Imperium are happy and hence hold that they should be contented with their lot, whatever it might be, to gain his favour. It's proven popular amongst young nobles and middle-echelon individuals, who seek to become True (as the cult terms it) through attending workshops and individual sessions run by cult Counsellors. Unfortunately, a few members have gone missing, and it is this along with discovery of xenotech devices that has led to the Acolytes being sent to investigate.
The Acolytes will be able to use a variety of routes to investigate, including posing as 'visiting cousins' to the noble and thus getting the opportunity to infiltrate the upper echelons of the cult, as well as wandering the streets to find out whatever they can about it. This is definitely an adventure for players who enjoy interaction, investigation and intrigue. There is a lot of atmospheric description to help you set the scene and create a convincing alternate reality for the Acolytes to wander through, and vividly-described NPCs for them to meet. There's even a pamphlet that the Joyous Choir hands out on the street for you to give them, while there are many unusual rules and customs to catch them out. Make sure you have read the adventure thoroughly beforehand so that you know what they are! There's a lot going on (and a lot for you to keep track of), but there is plenty of advice as to what the Acolytes might do and how to deal with it in their quest to find out what's really going on.
The second adventure is called Shades on Twilight. It's a classic action adventure where the Acolytes are sent to explore a mysterious space hulk that has just emerged heading straight for Scintilla - so they are under pressure to find out what's going on, retrieve anything useful and ensure that it does not hit the sector capital! Pressure indeed, a scant 15 hours are allowed for them to complete their work. There are all manner of threats and downright oddities for them to contend with as they explore. Again, the adventure is well-resourced to enable you to run it to good effect.
The final adventure, Baron Hopes, takes the Acolytes to Sepheris Secundus, a planet where downtrodden serfs live a life that is only slightly less hard than that of mutants. A Baron there attempted - heretical idea! - to better the lives of the mutants but was eventually dealt with, however now the mutants have formed a 'terrorist' group, the Broken Chains, which has been causing trouble - and it seems that even once killed they won't stay dead. Or at least, a recent photograph shows someone believed killed. The Acolytes are sent to find out what's going on in what appears to be another investigative adventure, but which will soon turn to full-blown horror as the investigation turns into an exercise of pure survival!
All three adventures can be summed up with terms like 'atmosphere' - as well as providing plenty of action they also give a real feel for what this alternate reality, the world of Warhammer 40K, is like, highlighting the curious mix of priviledge and constraint that is the Inquisitors' lot within it. They should contribute well to a memorable campaign.
This product has two components: a Game Master's screen and a book containing an adventure and some additional rules. Depending on whether you've gone 'dead tree' or electronic, you either get a cardstock screen and printed book or two separate PDFs to download.
The screen has some useful tables - the ones you are likely to need most often during combat - on one side and some quite dramatic art on the player-facing side. If you have gone for the electronic option, you'll have to print these out and stick them on card for the full effect, of course. Whilst pleasing to the eye, the art is dark and will use up a lot of ink - it may be best to have it done at a copy shop, or decide that you just want the tables for your own convenience. They are in greyscale, clear and easy to read.
The adventure is called Maggots in the Meat. It's set on Acerage, a backwater planet within the Imperium with a feudal ruling structure and hordes of quarrelsome lordlings perpetually squabbling over who is in charge of what, even more so since the High King died without troubling to name a successor! However, this is of no direct interest to the Imperium as long as tribute is paid and the world's surplus food output supplied...
The adventure itself begins with the party of Acolytes (it's suited to 1st or 2nd rank ones) being sent to investigate reports of 'unnatural' attacks on citizens of one lordling's domain, rumours of 'daemons' and 'monsters' fly around and it's their job to get to the bottom of them. Needless to say, the region in which they will have to conduct their investigations is being fought over at the moment.
There's a lot of atmospheric description of the areas they have to visit, along with people to interact with and rumours to pick up in the course of their investigations. Enough is provided to enable you to steer them in the right direction to the source of the problems, and there are plenty of opportunities to brawl along the way, never mind the likelihood of a spectacular combat with said source once they find it. It's a good open-ended adventure with options for you to take it in whatever direction you please, including suggestions for further adventures.
There's also an Appendix which contains details of a xenos (alien) race, rules for creating your own aliens - which can, of course be a sentient race or 'monsters', alien animals to fight, as you need, and a section on poisons and toxins. This includes a list of 'Infamous Toxins of the Calixis Sector' and their effects.
The adventure is good fun, with plenty going on yet open enough for you to run it in a fairly sandbox style to enable the characters to conduct their investigations however they please. The xenos generation system is excellent, and should come in useful whenever you need an alien monster (or race).
This massive tome launches the Warhammer 40K Roleplaying line, something long-awaited by those who'd watched the richness of the setting unfold around the original minitatures skirmish game. Unsurprisingly, it begins by explaining the underlying concepts of that setting, clearly enough that even those of us uninterested in miniatures can understand. Set in the 41st Century, it paints a bleak picture of galaxy-spanning warfare across decaying worlds where much of technology has been lost, presided over by an undead - or at least, not properly alive - emperor, who is as much deity as ruler.
Interestingly, characters are not the iconic 'Space Marines' of the skirmish game, but acolytes of the Inquisition, whose role is to search out threats to the Imperium of Man from within and without. The first part of the book explains how to create your character and shows how the game is played, with later chapters detailing the role of the Game Master, providing a lot more information on the setting, and even an introductory scenario to get things going.
The character creation process is laid out clearly in Chapter 1: Character Creation. It is a six-stage process beginning by determining your home world. You next work out your 'characteristics' or capabilities both physical and mental and then choose a career path to follow. Next you have points to spend on skills (or improving characteristics if preferred) as well as money for weapons, armour and other equipment. That's the main number-crunching part of the process. Then you need to flesh out the character a bit, deciding everything from what he looks like to how he behaves and thinks, maybe even his hobbies or favourite food! Each choice made has a bearing on what comes after, and in the main you have the option of making a choice or rolling random results, although you do have to roll characteristics. Plenty of detail on all the options is provided to help you make up your mind, and it's written in such a way that you are absorbing background on the setting as well - neat!
Chapter 2: Career Paths comes next, giving a wealth of detail about what the path you have chosen to follow has to offer, both now and in the future as your character gains experience. Each is unique, indeed each character on that path can choose a different route, and it is worth studying your chosen one thoroughly from the outset. The entire process of advancement is described here too, it's complex but elegant and quite easy to follow once you get the hang of it. Again, the background is woven in seamlessly so as you read you discover more about your niche within the setting.
The next few chapters continue in similar vein, with detailed examinations of skills, talents, equipment and psychic powers, if you are lucky (or unfortunate?) enough to have any. Throughout, it is explained how each one will work both mechanically and in character, enabling you to use them to good effect in play. The final part of the opening section is Chapter 7: Playing the Game which draws everything else together and gives you the lowdown on how to make everything work. Examples and advice abound, and although there's no substitute for trying it all out, preferably in the company of someone who already understands it, this chapter provides a good start.
Then comes Chapter 8: The Game Master, which seeks to provide aspiring Game Masters with what they need to know to run the game effectively. It is comprehensive, starting from the basics and hence being suitable for someone who has never GMed before, as well as providing system and setting specific information to empower you to run Dark Heresy well. There is a wealth of material here and it will repay careful study (along with the rest of the book, as the GM, of course, needs to have a thorough grounding in rules and setting alike).
The next three chapters provide more detail on the background and setting, looking at life in the Imperium, the Inquisition itself and one part of known space, the Calixis Sector. Unlike many combined rulebooks (i.e. those intended for both GM and player) which divide into a 'Player' section and a 'Game Master' section, these are of equal use to both players and GMs despite being located after the chapter dedicated to the art of game mastering, certainly the chapter on life in the Imperium. The GM may choose to reveal the inner workings of the Inquisition through role-play, if the characters begin as new recruits to its ranks, and likewise may wish to restrict knowledge of the Calixis Sector until the party actually goes there.
Chapter 12: Aliens, Heretics and Antagonists provides a bestiary and details of those whom the characters may encounter in their travels, with particular note - of course - to those who they might be investigating for heresy or who would provide opposition.
Finally, there is a full-blown adventure, Illumination, to get your campaign off to a good beginning. It's a tale of treachery and dark secrets to be uncovered, with action and danger aplenty, showcasing many of the perils that the average Inquisitor faces on a day-to-day basis. A bunch of newly-recruited Acolytes (guess who?) are sent to escort a senior Inquisitor as he heads up an investigation of a barbaric world... but they have to get there first.
As well as providing all the game mechanics necessary to play the game, this richly-presented tome provides an excellent introduction to a darkly fascinating setting. Whether you are a long-time player of the skirmish game wanting to know what else those characters do but brawl or a role-player looking for a vivid and rich setting with depth, this is worth checking out.
Magic in the Sixth World is a diverse and fascinating topic. Practitioners range from the studious academic magician who'd as soon write a paper about a spell as cast it to the street mage who doesn't care about theory as long as it works. This book is designed to open the lid on the practise of magic with everything from underpinning theory and beliefs to organisations mages can join and (of course) plenty of new spells. Then there's material about spirits, alchemy and the role of the talismonger as well.
Of course, after the introduction explains what's in the book, the first thing we get is some fiction. It's intriguing, a story about a girl returning home to see her sick mother, with the magic she wields being almost incidental: a nice touch, it is about a person not her magic!
Story told, along comes Surviving Magic, a discussion about what it means to be a full-blown magic capable part of the Awakened world. For some it is a joy, for some something fearful - and for most, a mixture of the two. Much of this is conversational in style, with contributions from others chipping in. It's a wide-ranging discussion beginning with finding out that you are magically-endowed - and how that makes you a target for everyone who wants to use or abuse you - and looking at popular conceptions about mages and so much more. This is useful reading even for those who are not playing mages, because it helps set the scene in which both mage and mundane operate. Many people are scared of magic, whether they can wield it or not. Others seek to exploit it... and in some parts of the world it's illegal. Most schools test for magical aptitude like they test for other potentials and capabilities, and track those who show signs of it, whilst most universities run courses in magic - which interestingly are not just for those who can cast spells, there are programmes for those interested in the underlying theory, the social ramifications - well, you know academics, they'll study a topic from every possible angle! Of course, shamans stand somewhat outside of this, as they rely on a spirit guide rather than book-learning. Corporations and even religions also take an interest, recruiting magic-users and making use of their skills. And then there's the shadow world...
Next, Magic in the World gets down to the nuts and bolts of how magic actually works. Or at least, as much as is popularly understood. It's not just the laws of magic that are talked about here, it's also the law as it relates to magic: licences to practice or even to purchase magic items can trip up the unwary. You can also find out all about mana and background counts and rifts and other strange manifestations of natural magical power.
Then comes Magical Traditions with a round-up of the myriad beliefs and theories underpinning magic. There are a lot of them, and it depends on your background and upbringing which you'll decide to apply. Most faiths have quite strong ideas on the matter, but if you are not religious there are plenty other paths to follow. Each tradition has its own core style and preferred spells.
This is followed by a section called Magical Societies. People like to band together and it's as true of mages and shamans as it is of anybody else. Some operate openly, others are hidden - and probably find you rather than the other way around. There's everything from religious orders and learned societies to street gangs here. They could provide allies or opponents for the characters, even if they choose not to join up.
The next section is rather ominously titled Dark Magic. Now, those not magically-endowed may see all magic-wielders as being involved in the dark arts but the more enlightened know that magic isn't anything like that, it's a tool like any other and can be used for good or ill... but... well, there really is some nasty stuff out there in the magical world. You may not want to dabble yourself, you may never even encounter it, but it is best to be prepared! Some comes from within, drawing on the worst ideas and emotions that people can have, and some comes from without, from alien entities. Whatever the source, those who choose to make use of it risk their very metahumanity - and quite possibly, yours. The reasons why someone might want to go there are explored, as well as the different paths into darkness that might be followed. All manners of nastiness, most suited more to be used against your party of shadowrunners than used by them (indeed some of the anecdotes and comments suggest scenario ideas as you read them!), and there's plenty of detail such as spirit statistics to enable their use.
Then on to the Expanded Grimoire, which provides a wealth of new spells with which to experiment. They are grouped by nature, so you have combat spells, detection spells and so on. Each comes with a detailed description of its effects and uses as well as the necessary detail to cast it during a game. There's a lot here... but if that is not sufficient, the next section is Shadow Rituals. This is a more detailed look at formal ritual magic than you find in the core rulebook, with plenty of ideas and examples for those who have the patience, discipline and desire to perform castings of this type.
Next comes Secrets of the Initiates. Here, those who wish to expand their powers can find out about different routes they can follow to gain even more arcane knowledge through enlightenment. Not for the faint-hearted, but for those willing to make the attempt the rewards can be potent indeed. Various ordeals may be required, but whole areas of knowledge may be opened up: geomancy, necromancy, psychometry and more. There's even a note about a fascinating career path, that of the forensic thaumaturgist. This role revolves around the use of magic to solve crimes rather than the solving of crimes in which magic was employed (although a good one can probably do that as well). The concept suggests a whole campaign based around a fusion of police procedural, magic and general CSI/forensics... but before I get sidetracked, there's loads more in here, which will be of interest to the more thoughtful mages, those interested in the theory and philosophy of their art as well as the practical applications thereof.
There's another fiction segment, Butcher's Bill, then on to a section called Physical Magic. More goodies for the physical adepts amongst us. Like each section, this begins with a short (page or so) fictional excerpt to set the scene, before launching into detailed material which starts off by explaining what physical adepts are and how they fit into Sixth World society. To give more scope to adepts, several paths or ways for them to follow are presented, each allowing the adept to specialise and focus on a specific area based on their underlying philosophy. There are some juicy new adept powers as well.
The final two sections, The Immaterial Touch and Turning Lead Into Nuyen, deal with spirits and alchemy. The section on spirits delves deep, looking at where they come from, the whys and hows behind the stat blocks we are used to, and should help you make them more of an integral part of your world. Different types of spirit and a collection of new spirit powers round off this section, along with things as diverse as how to create an ally spirit, avatars and more. Finally, the section on alchemy looks at the practice of that ancient craft, providing scope for those who'd like to try it out or for making more rounded NPCs whom the characters might consult. There's a lot about magic items and their manufacture too; and then the discussion moves on to talismongers - what they do and how, and the things they have to offer.
This book reaches down into the core essence of Shadowrun, showing how magic is integral - this is not just a cyberpunk world where magic works, but a true natural revolution, a world changed by the resurgence of magic. Most of us have got that idea already, but the depth and breadth presented here really brings it home and makes it all come to life. If you want the full picture, add this and Run and Gun to your library along with the core rulebook.
Here we have a wide-ranging and varied text, a mix of immense plot ideas and the tools to help you incorporate them into your campaign, from the broad sweeps to the nitty-gritty of actually managing extraction 'runs... there's a lot here and it repays careful study. Even if you do not fancy the main thrust of the plot, you will find material that could enhance your game.
The whole plotline suggestion is based around the spread of a nasty mental illness, one which is spread disease-like from afflicted individual to afflicted individual. It's causing panic, of course, even in corporate circles... and when corporates panic, there's usually work for shadowrunners! Or your 'runners may know someone with this disease, or actually be motivated to try to save the world from it. To bring this plot into your campaign there's a wealth of resources, even down to patient records (unfortunately, not done as handouts, but possible to manipulate into in-character material if that's what you want to do). Fact and rumour, reports and speculation all work together to build up a picture of what is known about the condition and how various entities are reacting to it. You might choose to let this bubble along in the background, to gauge player interest, before deciding how major a role it will play in your campaign.
One odd side-effect is that there's been an upsurge in corporate extractions. It seems this disease, or whatever it is, strikes at those best suited to actually combat it... and so people with the right capabilities are in high demand just as they are getting scarcer. So much of the focus of the book is on extractions with everything from good locations to snatch people from (with a detailed look at the corporate hothouse of Manhattan) to discussions on the most effective way to perform them and a toolkit of useful equipment. Of course, studying the 'how to' of extraction is just as useful if you earn your nuyen protecting people, suggesting alternate slants if you might prefer to put your characters on the other side, so to speak.
Particularly of use should any character contract the condition - called Cognitive Fragmentation Disorder or CFD - or if they find themselves looking after a victim, is an extensive section on treatment which discusses a wide range of approaches from physical (anything from psychoanalysis to surgery or drugs) through magical and even use of the Matrix. It's presented as case studies, complete with narrative results. It will be up to the GM to put some numbers to any such treatment characters decide to try, though.
The neat thing is, that virtually all of this book is player-friendly. There's a short section at the back which gives the low-down about the real nature of the condition which explains a bit about what is going on and provides the necessary game mechanics, but the GM should feel able to let players read nearly everything else. Even the details about Manhattan and other corporate information is stuff that good research ought to discover.
Presentation is good, if sometimes a bit fragmented - a read-through is recommended first, so that you know where to find whatever you are after later on. It's really an idea-spawning and planning tool rather than an actual campaign guide, you are going to have to come up with your own campaign arc and individual adventures. In some ways, it is a bit narrow to be the focus of a whole campaign (is defeating a disease really what you're playing Shadowrun for?), yet in other ways it is ideal - a massive world-spanning threat which your characters might, just might, be able to defeat. Perhaps it could serve as a background thing or a sub-plot, bubbling up every so often amidst the other things going on in your shadowrunners' lives, then maybe taking centre stage when you decide it's ripe for a climax. It's thought-provoking, providing plenty of ideas worth thinking about and developing further - whilst the material on extractions is of general use to any 'runner.
This mammoth tome is billed as the 'core combat rulebook' for Shadowrun 5e, and provides a wealth of detail to supplement and expand on what the core rulebook has to say on the matter. A lot of it is gear - weapons, armour and suchlike - but that in many ways is the least important part, however much your characters like shopping. There are loads of new rules too, but again whilst they will enhance combat by giving you more options, these too are ancillary. The best bits are the more thoughtful ones. Advice on tactics, working as a team, and how to use all the new weapons and combat actions to best effect. In essence, it's a graduate school for shadowrunners, how to develop from being mere street scum to a force to be reckoned with.
But as always, we begin with some fiction. A compelling tale of a 'run going wrong fast, how familiar does that sound? Then the first chapter, Fight for your Life, presented as an online discussion of various aspects of combat along the general lines of what you don't know is the thing that kills you. It looks at fighting itself, weapons, armour, hand-to-hand brawling, tactics, teamwork and the creative use of explosives. Some of this you may have considered already, some may be new to you, but study it well. Someday it may save your 'runner's butt. It's the sort of advice that any beginning character would love to have before he steps out into the underbelly of whatever city he's in.
Next comes Arsenal, a massive listing of just about any weapon you can imagine. It's not just firearms either, perhaps you'd fancy a Highland Claymore (it's a sword, not an explosive...) or want to go all Indiana Jones with a bullwhip, and there are plenty others that are even more exotic. The firearms range from tiny holdout guns to heavy artillery. One novel one is the Shiawase Arms Puzzler, which breaks down into component parts that are disguised as items you might legitimately be carrying, everything from jewellry to commlink accessories, so you can take it someplace you are not supposed to be carrying a weapon. Each is illustrated and comes with description, commentary and a stat block.
Then Armour and Protection does the same for all the stuff you need to keep you safe - as it's pointed out earlier in Fight for your Life, it's really rather silly to spend loads on fancy weapons then skimp on protection. That nice shiny weapon is of no use to you if you are no longer alive to wield it. Neat items include several lines of designer combat wear, so you can look smart and stay safe at the same time. Of course, depending on what you are doing and where you are doing it, a full suit of heavy-duty armour may be more appropriate. That's here as well. Then it all gets exotic. People ignore you if you're dead, right? So why not have some armour specially-rigged so that any damage looks like a kill-shot and fall over when you're hit. Let the brawl move away, then get up again... On a more practical note, you'll also find all that you need for environmental protection - be it too hot, too cold or underwater or even out in space that you want to go!
The next chapter is Tactics and Tools, and here we get back to the discussions that make this book particularly fascinating. It's all about taking small-unit tactics beyond that Shadowrun standby, 'geek the mage first'. Building a team, defining roles, communications, and then holding it all together when the lead and spells start to fly, again this is well worth study if you want your team to be truly effective rather than relying on strength through superior firepower. Veterans will recognise a lot of what is here, but it is no great leap to apply basic military small-unit skills to a group of shadowrunners even if they are less disciplined than a squad of soldiers. The rule mechanics to enable you to model these techniques are included to make this section even more potent... and there are more 'tools of the trade' to empower your group to operate at peak efficiency.
This is followed by Killshots and More, which looks at effective combat, the actual delivery of force part. Options to make combat even more deadly, and ways to pursue non-lethal yet effective methods of putting your point across on the battlefield. Again every suggestion comes with the game mechanics to put it into action. Perhaps you'd like to call shots with precision accuracy, or produce devastating effects based on what ammunition your are using. You'll find plenty of ideas here, along with novel combat moves and much, much more.
Next, Staying Alive addresses other dangers that you may face. Environmental hazards, extreme weather conditions and the ills that come with them - dehydration, sunburn or frostbite... you name it, you'll find it here along with the rules to implement it in your game. Man-made problems like pollution and radiation are included as well. Or perhaps you'd rather venture into the air, under the sea or into the blackness of space?
Then there's Blow Up Good, everything you might want to know about the combat applications of explosives. You may think that blowing stuff up looks like fun, but it's dangerous - and not just in the obvious way, for example you might like to consider the legal implications of being caught with a load-out of illicit explosives. It doesn't matter if you want to purchase or make your charges, or if you want to drop a building or a troll, just about everything you need to know is here.
Finally, there's a another piece of fiction, Hostile Extraction; and an accummulation in one place of a whole stack of useful tables.
Overall, this takes combat to an art form, with plenty of ideas to enhance the use of violence in your game, coupled with the equipment and rules additions to make it happen. Even if combat is not your favourite part of role-playing, this will make you reconsider joining in the next brawl with enthusiasm!
Whether or not you are using Gun H(e)aven 3, these are handy ready-reference cards for the weapons contained in that book. Each card covers one of the weapons, complete with an illustration and the weapon statistics, so organised players can depict their loadout on the tabletop with the relevant cards - and even better, not have to look through the book or on their character sheets to find the data when they need it. After all, the middle of a firefight is not the best place to be looking something up in a book!
The illustrations are the same ones as in Gun H(e)aven 3, which some people found rather bland and unexciting however I find them crisp and clear... some idea of scale would have been nice, though. The stat blocks are for Shadowrun 5e only, although the book was dual-statted for 4e as well - although a separate set of cards is available for those who prefer the earlier edition. Makes sense, the convenience of the cards would be lost if you had to pick the right stat block out every time you consulted one! If you buy the PDF version, there's a single card back provided if you want to have neat double-sided cards, printed/stuck on card or perhaps laminated - they'd be a bit flimsy else.
If you are using these particular weapons, a handy reference tool indeed. It's a nice additon to the main Gear Cards set released earlier, hopefully the same will be done with the weapons and other items to be found in other supplements (or perhaps as part of that supplement?).
If you have need of a well-fortified island settlement for your next game you might take a look at this one. Indeed, if you do take a look anyway, you may find plots spawning as you explore the potentials.
The download is jam-packed with four large JPEGS - at 8.5 x 11.6 inches - offering black and white or colour, labelled or unlabelled versions, plus 2 PDF files (A4 or letter) which have single page copies of the same core versions as well as larger multi-page ones you can print out and stick together.
So, what's the place like? It's a roughly teardrop-shaped island with a rocky shore and an extensive harbour area with wooden staging. Most of the buildings are protected by curtain walls, and the highest point is well-fortified with a central keep surrounded by a wall with towers. Given the harbour provision and the presence (if you use the labelled version) of a Fishmonger's Hall, it's likely that the place makes most of its income from fishing. There's also a Shipwright's Hall, although nothing that really shouts 'shipyard' at you. Looking at the labelled version, there are also two inns - one scruffy one on the docks and a more upmarket one within the walls - and several general businesses to provide for most of your needs. Certain somewhere a seafaring party might find a useful port of call, if not a base.
Visually, it's a neat image with the appearance of being hand-drawn, inked and coloured... it could almost be the work of a local cartographer and so could be used as an in-character handout, as well as being used to inform players of where their characters are.
It's an interesting place with plenty of scope to develop into an important feature of any seafaring campaign.
If your plot is going to take the characters to a river village, you could do a lot worse than send them to this one.
In the download you get a wealth of resources. Big JPEG images, and PDF files which include labelled and unlabelled versions of the full map in full colour and greyscale, as well as larger versions that you have to print out and stick together.
The labelled versions number the main buildings, and provide a legend with fairly generic information about what they are. For a small village there's quite an impressive array of shops, but apart from a baker no food shops - maybe people mostly grow their own. There's a mill, complete with a mill race to drive the wheel, and the river seems to be fairly fast-flowing (judging by the white water around the odd rock in it).
Naturally, if you prefer you can label up the unlabelled version of the JPEG (colour or black and white as you like) with your own designations. The unlabelled versions are also good for showing to your players as they won't know what everything is until they have explored a bit.
The JPEGs are huge - 8.5 x 11.5 inches - and could be used with a virtual table top or printed if you have access to poster-printing facilities. There are four, labelled and unlabelled, colour and black and white. There are two PDF files, one in A4 and one letter size. So however you like to present things, there will be one to suit you.
The art style is that of a neat hand-sketch inked and water-coloured - quite the sort of thing a good, careful cartographer might prepare and so making a good in-character handout as well as something to show the players where their characters have ended up. It's nice, and good-looking.
If there's one thing virtually every shadowrunner is obsessive about, it's his weapons. So here is a catalogue of some 34 new firearms to delight every gun nut wanting to tool up for the next 'run.
No messing about, either: after the usual webpage simulation, it's straight in to some rules - a couple of new weapon traits for the old-schoolers (although I cannot imagine actually wanting to handload ball and powder mid-firefight) and notes on using these weapons with either the 4th or 5th editions of the Shadowrun ruleset - and then the weapons themselves. Page on glorious page, with pictures, sales blurb and commentary from the typically irreverant 'runner community.
Starting small, there are holdout pistols, fancy ones perhaps more suited to display than use (with a neat anecdote about how a corporate executive kept a pair on display but loaded, and used them to save himself when an assassination team came a-calling), machine pistols and submachine guns, right up to assault rifles for those with more military needs, as well as shotguns and even sporting rifles. There are even some reproductions of historic weapons (hence rules for cap and ball), for those who want 'collector's pieces' without the price tag. The way they are presented, this can almost be used as an in-character catalogue (if you ignore the stat blocks tucked neatly in one corner of the page).
The nice thing is the range of weapons: not just the sort you want for serious work, but some 'fun' weapons for the hobbyist, collector, sportsman (be it hunting or target shooting) and even one suitable for youngsters learning to shoot. It speaks of a prevalent gun culture, of course, where firearms ownership is commonplace and widespread... but that's the kind of impression the whole Shadowrun setting gives anyway. Some mention is made of suitability or adaptations for different metatypes, and yes, there is a flamethrower in there as well!
Most 'runners reckon you cannot have too many guns, throw this at them and give them a few more to choose from.
Widening your horizons from the underbelly of Seattle, the iconic home of the shadowrunner, Coyotes looks at how you cross borders from one region to another, particularly if you lack the papers or resources to just take a flight to your next destination. With the published adventures becoming more and more world-spanning, this is a useful and timely addition - and it can be fun to include in your game (she says, remembering how a certain were-tiger character was smuggled across a border in a crate...)
Beginning with a fluff page of mock activity on a 'runner website and three pages of atmospheric fiction to set the scene, the main body of the work describes - mostly in-character - how a Coyote or people-smuggler operates in the Sixth World. It's dangerous but can be lucrative as well... perhaps your 'runners will want to try it as a trade, or at least need to organise a border crossing as part of their 'run. Or it may be that they need to be somewhere that they are not welcome so more orthodox means of travel will result in an arrest at the airport. Or they may need to leave undetected after stepping on the wrong toes...
Costs can be significant, and there's a handy table to give an idea of how they are calculated (with a note that it is merely a guide for Game Masters), and there's also discussion on the resources that the Coyote needs to ply his trade, and how he defends himself from his 'cargo' as well. Corporates too sometimes have need of a Coyote, and some even have them on the payroll, although that's one of those things they are unlikely to admit.
So now we know a bit about how they ply their trade, where do you find one? Most people use a fixer when they need to engage the services of a Coyote (and that's where aspiring Coyotes tend to look for work). That's discussed as well, so once a need has been determined the deal can be struck.
The discussion then moves on to the borders themselves, looking at the various challenges of trying to get through a checkpoint and of trying to cross the border elsewhere - that is, someplace you should not be crossing at all. Security will involve physical, magical and Matrix elements; and there are notes on how to hide that which you do not want discovered (like were-tigers in boxes...). Borders can be classified as easy, normal, hard and very hard; and details are provided about typical border guards, procedures and security (of all kinds) at each level. So what do Coyotes do that's worth paying them for? A few ideas are provided here, to go along with what has been mentioned before. Six sample Coyotes, fully statted-up, are provided in case you need one in a hurry or just want to look over a typical one's build before creating your own.
Finally, there's a short border crossing adventure, Piping Hot. Drop it into a campaign when you want to introduce your 'runners to the fine art of border crossing. A distraught fixer needs some people moved and his regular Coyote isn't answering. Can the 'runners help? Particularly as said Coyote left detailed instructions on his preferred route just in case he needed rescuing...
All good fun with plenty of scope to make travelling to the job as entertaining as actually doing it; whilst the adventure is quite fun and lets you test the water of the border crossing game with ease.
This is the kind of product that has you kicking yourself and wishing you'd thought of it first... that said, whilst it is useful it could have been so much better!
In any game with combat spellcasting, you either need the memory of a wizard or spend ages thumbing through books to find what you need to roll and what the results are each time you want to cast a spell. Ready-reference cards are an obvious solution (ever since I spent ages transcribing Dungeons & Dragons 1e spells onto 5x3 index cards), and if it's the numbers that give you trouble, these ones fit the bill.
Each one is very simple: name of spell, a brief phrase that describes what it does, and four boxes that tell you type of spell, its range, duration and drain. Combat spells have a fifth box to show the damage you do as well. They are colour-coded: orange for combat, blue for detection, red for healing and so on; which makes it easy to look for a spell of the suitable type - but could let others meta-game by seeing what you are about to do.
What's missing is anything descriptive. You will have to remember that, or go look it up - at least each card has the page number for where that spell appears in the core rule book. The other thing that is missing is an image for the card backs, if you are using the PDF version. Most people like their self-printed cards to look good as well as serving a purpose.
Neat idea, but there's the nagging feeling that it could have been done better... and prettier.


text:
Recently added item(s)
You have no items in your shopping bag.
Currently Shopping by:
This enduring classic of devotion consists of the letters and recorded conversations of a simple seventeenth-century lay brother who, through the most ordinary of activities, was able to achieve a profound intimacy with God. At any moment and in any… Read More
From John Chrysostom in the fourth century to Teresa of Avila in the sixteenth to William Butler Yeats in the twentieth, this wide-ranging collection is a treasury of writings on prayer from throughout the history of Christianity. Lorraine Kisly has… Read More
Sign up for our e-mail newsletter and you'll receive 30% off your next order.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Live Life
Do you or someone you know, love to sing?
Sea Belles, a ladies a cappella chorus, will soon begin their regular Tuesday evening practices, starting September 10, 2013 at 7pm at Forest Hills Elementary School. Women of any age who love to sing and can carry a tune, are invited to come and share the FUN of a cappella harmony! New members are always welcome, but we'd especially like to meet you at one of our September Tuesday rehearsals. But please let us know you're coming by contacting Vangie at 633-1811. We're just "Ordinary Women making Extraordinary music!" and we want YOU to share your voice with Sea Belles Chorus! More info on chorus at www.seabelles.ca or facebook page.
© 2016 Created by Uptown Saint John Inc. Powered by


text:
Every week, photographer Scot Zimmerman posts some of his favorite photos from shoots on utahstyleanddesign.com in a section called Photo Friday. We just had to share these beautiful shots with readers on saltlakemagazine.com as well.
One of my clients recently asked for copies of the photos we made a few years ago of his fabulous home. I had forgotten how beautiful this home is and hope you enjoy it as well.
This post was originally published on utahstyleanddesign.com.


text:
House of Horrors
When the White Sox come into the Metrodome, do you think that songs like that are running through their brain?! Amazingly, after looking like a glorified Double-A squad against the Yankees, the Twins were able to put together a strong effort and inch back towards that runner-up slot in the AL Central.
Of course, in the first inning it helped when Chicago starter turned the game into the rough equivalent of one of these:
Danks walked the first four batters of the game and a big hit from Jason Kubel gave the Twins an early lead. Of course, since nothing is easy with this year's bunch, the White Sox kept pecking away at the defecit until finally tying it in the sixth inning (only a tremendous leaping catch from Michael Cuddyer at the base of the baggie prevented the Sox from taking a lead). I was a bit nervous at this point, but Blackie was still pitching well and the pen did their job the rest of the way. This should come as no surprise, but this guy…
…got the big two out hit in the seventh inning that put the Twins in front, while a perfect squeeze bunt from Carlos Gomez an inning later scored Matt Tolbert (pinch running for Kubel after his third hit of the game) with a big insurance run that allowed Joe Nathan to do his thing in the ninth:
Preview (44-43, 3rd, 0.5 GB CWS): Gavin Floyd (6-6, 4.33) vs. Glen Perkins (4-4, 4.38). Ozzie Guillen juggled his rotation to have his Big Three horses face the Twins this weekend. That went well (at least so far).


text:
more helpful information…
Ordering Extras
Please note that in most cases, it is more cost effective to order 25 extra up front than it is to place a new order for 25 at a later date. It is also wise to order 25 extra envelopes in case you make mistakes while addressing.
Need wording help? Our wedding wording guide is a great place to start.
Turnaround Times
For most digitally printed items, the entire process typically takes approximately 2 weeks to complete before items can be shipped. This all depends, of course, on how long it takes you to review and approve your proofs.+ more info
Within 48 hours (weekends not included) of submitting your order, you will be sent an email with a link to view your proofs online. Proofs are only sent after you place an order. + more info
Most orders are shipped via FedEx. For details please review our national shipping information or our international shipping information.
More Questions?
+ see our FAQ page


text:
Our Publications
- Aspen
- Atlanta
- Chicago
- Dallas
- The Hamptons
- Hawai'i
- Houston
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- New York
- Orange County
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- Scottsdale
- Washington, D.C.
Home › Scene › Jewel Tones ›
Jewel Tones
Italy's storied jewelry family was in town to celebrate the grand opening of the Buccellati boutique on Oak Street. Alongside Head Designer Andrea Buccellati and his daughter, Lucrezia Buccellati, who designs the brand's Blossoms collection, the VIP crowd of 80 sipped Champagne (and Italian wines, natch) while enjoying a first look at the decadently designed space featuring 19th-century glass and mirror Italian pharmacy cases. Guests also had full access to the store's collection, and we spotted more than one trying on pieces from $500 into the millions. Photography by Tim Hiatt


text:
The free community celebration will have food, crafts, entertainment and exciting children's activities, too.
Those who want to prepare for the Hispanic holiday can visit the newly-constructed altar Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (or by appointment) to pay their respects to loved ones that have passed on. Traditionally, photos of loved ones, objects from their life, and their favorite foods are placed on the altar or at gravesides as ofrendas, or offerings to the deceased.
Though the Dia de los Muertos is a memorial holiday that focuses on the joys of life and celebrates rebirth as much as death. On Nov. 2, the Center offers more than an amusing event, it offers a intellectually-enriching experience.


text:
Joined IHG® Rewards Club at a Hotel?
Joining is easy and free
Earn points at over 4,700 hotels
Redeem points for free rooms and more
Contact your local IHG® Rewards Club Customer Care to source your PIN and to update your profile with your email address. When you receive your PIN you can also update your email address via www.ihg.com/updateemail.
Reward Nights
When redeeming points for a Reward Night, you may only book one room at a time.
Once you complete your Reward Night reservation you will be given the option to duplicate this reservation.
* Requires affiliation in the respective organization.
** Best Available Rate Search does not include affiliation rates.
To book more than 9 rooms for one stay or request a quote, please use our Easy Meetings tool, call 1-800-MEETING (in United States, Mexico and Canada) or contact a Global Sales Office.
Here in Waynesboro, VA, our hotel's guests are surrounded by the beauty of nature while being just minutes from major local businesses. In addition, the Holiday Inn Express® Hotel & Suites Waynesboro - Route 340 is situated near I-81, just off I-64, so getting around the area is a cinch.
The superior amenities and experienced staff at this hotel cater to the needs of each corporate guest. You can check in with the office using
View More
The superior amenities and experienced staff at this hotel cater to the needs of each corporate guest. You can check in with the office using free Wi-Fi access while in the Business Center. A 572-sq-ft meeting room can accommodate up to 20 guests for your next gathering. Near the hotel's property in Waynesboro, VA are companies like DuPont, Target Distribution Center, PGI and Hollister Inc.
Looking for something to do during your stay in Waynesboro, VA? This hotel's near the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park. You can take a day trip to the historic home of Thomas Jefferson: Monticello. The city hosts incredible festivals throughout the year, like the Taste of the Town and the VA Fly Fishing Festival.
Let this award-winning hotel pamper you like never before. You'll completely relax in the 24-hour indoor, heated pool, whirlpool and dry sauna. Every morning, we treat our patrons to a hot and free Express Start Breakfast Bar with our exclusive Smart Roast coffee. So join us here in Waynesboro; we look forward to serving you.


text:
I've heard it said that a reasonable budget cartridge on an expensive tonearm and deck will easily outperform an expensive MC cartridge on a reasonable budget tonearm and deck.
Those who believe in the source first maxim may not agree. I have always thought the cartridge would play the larger part in vinyl reproduction but now I'm not sure. Is the cartridge the last, less important piece of the puzzle to drop in place?


text: Smartbomb, please take plenty of progress pics, as I want to build one of these next summer, once I get the 3 current builds done and off my plate, and some $$$ put back on. I have been interested for awhile, but other projects were on the gotta build it list. TIA,


text:
Joined IHG® Rewards Club at a Hotel?
Joining is easy and free
Earn points at over 4,700 hotels
Redeem points for free rooms and more
Contact your local IHG® Rewards Club Customer Care to source your PIN and to update your profile with your email address. When you receive your PIN you can also update your email address via www.ihg.com/updateemail.
Reward Nights
When redeeming points for a Reward Night, you may only book one room at a time.
Once you complete your Reward Night reservation you will be given the option to duplicate this reservation.
* Requires affiliation in the respective organization.
** Best Available Rate Search does not include affiliation rates.
To book more than 9 rooms for one stay or request a quote, please use our Easy Meetings tool, call 1-800-MEETING (in United States, Mexico and Canada) or contact a Global Sales Office.
With a courteous, professional staff and a choice location. The Holiday Inn Express® Woodhaven is appreciated by leisure and business guests. We're conveniently near many attractions, as well as downtown Detroit.
Business travelers headed to Woodhaven like that our hotel is close to top area companies, including the Ford Stamping Plant, Marathon Oil, Solutia, Mazda and many more. We boast a 500-sq-ft event room that is perfect for meetings, and
View More
Business travelers headed to Woodhaven like that our hotel is close to top area companies, including the Ford Stamping Plant, Marathon Oil, Solutia, Mazda and many more. We boast a 500-sq-ft event room that is perfect for meetings, and a state-of-the-art business center with free Wi-Fi access to keep you productive.
Leisure travelers enjoy staying in Woodhaven, MI because our hotel's location is close to numerous points of interest. We're just a short drive from Detroit sporting venues, such as Comerica Park and Ford Field. The Henry Ford Museum offers a unique perspective of automotive history and is just minutes away. Shopaholics, meanwhile, love hitting stores at nearby Southland Center.
Whether business or pleasure brings you to Woodhaven, MI, our hotel's guest rooms feature free Wi-Fi access and refrigerators. Enjoy a fresh cup of 100% Arabica bean coffee and a signature cinnamon roll from the free, hot Express Start breakfast bar before venturing into downtown Detroit. Our well-equipped fitness center allows you to maintain your routine, and the indoor pool and whirlpool provide a place to unwind. With such great amenities, it's no wonder we're the best among Woodhaven hotels.


text:
Bcycle Launches today!
Submitted by Kris Thompson on
News Item:
2 Comments
What about South Boulder?
Submitted by Debaser (not verified) on
Six stations in downtown? Only one south of Arapahoe, and not south of Baseline? You'd think they could have spread them out a litte...
Points: 36
Soon, I hope.
Submitted by Rob (not verified) on
I agree with you, Debaser, but I think they were going after the tourists first.
Points: 24


text:
E-Mail This Page
Any information provided by you on this page will be used only to send the message and let the recipient know who sent it. We do not collect or use this information for any other purpose. Privacy Policy
Fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required.
Return to MPS - Funding - Cyberinfrastructure Training, Education, Advancement, and Mentoring for Our 21st Century Workforce (CI-TEAM)


text:
Click here
for full forums index
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
"Lost in Austen": a voyage into the fictional past
AAR Forum Index
Romance Potpourri Forum
View previous topic
View next topic
Elaine S
Joined: 02 Apr 2007
Posts: 685
Location: Rural England
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 8:13 am
Post subject: "Lost in Austen": a voyage into the fictional past
One of the British TV networks is currently showing a new 4 part series Lost in Austen. The premise is that a young woman who is a rabid Janeite walks through a door in her flat and into Longbourn House. The series website summarises it as follows:
Jemima Rooper stars as Amanda Price - the frustrated romantic who lives for reading and adores the characters in her Jane Austen books. Then one day she discovers a gateway in her flat and ends up being transported to her favourite world, the world of Pride and Prejudice. But is the true story in danger of being thrown off track by her presence?
There have been two episodes shown thus far and in the second episode Mr Collins has just married Jane Bennett! Oh dear how will this unravel? Ive got my Sky Box programmed for episodes 3 and 4 as I am about to go away on holiday for 3 weeks so I wont know until October!
The series got me to wondering about our view of the past through the proverbial rose tinted spectacles and I have considered if I
actually would
walk through such an imaginary portal should it rise up and open in front of me.
I (and others here) have talked about how irritated we get with 20-20 hindsight and imposing current values and mores on the characters we read about set firmly the past. However, this series is a portrayal of the fantasy of actually living in the past. Amanda Price is a 21st century girl suddenly thrust into the early 19th century and she cant help but be herself in how she speaks, acts, reacts, judges and feels. And, she is busy trying desperately to force everyone to follow the story line we all know so well so far without great success!
An interesting premise to go back in time
in a novel
rather than the known and genuine historical past.
My question is If you could go back in time, in your favourite novel (and here I dont just mean serious literature) which one would it be and why? Or would you never be tempted to indulge yourself. (I am assuming that you can return to reality!)
Last edited by Elaine S on Mon Sep 15, 2008 1:12 pm; edited 3 times in total
Back to top
Joined: 26 Mar 2007
Posts: 721
Posted: Mon Sep 15, 2008 9:54 am
Post subject:
Spoilers for Lost in Austen.
There have been two episodes shown thus far and in the second episode Mr Collins has just married Jane Bennett
I was watching it with my daughters, and we all just started gibbering at the TV. ("It's okay, she's only dreaming. She must be dreaming. Noooooo!")
Somehow, I'd assumed that the game would be that it all ended up the same: that after Amanda derailed things, her efforts to put them back on track would work.
Poor Jane! Poor Charlotte!
He was a truly repellent Mr Collins as well.
Very clever though, because it means everything really is up for grabs, which makes for a more interesting story.
As for books I'd go into: I think I'd probably - given the chance - have attended the Chalet School as a child, then migrated to Pern for my teenage years. (Always been scared of horses: I've no idea why I wanted a dragon so much.)
I'm now wondering whether it'd be different visiting say Gaskell, Austen and Quinn. If you visit historic London in a book - does it always smell like London did at the time - or does it smell however the author (want to say 'visualized', but that's clearly wrong) does it smell only if the author thought it did, or does it smell only if that's mentioned in the book?
Back to top
Anne Hume
Joined: 22 Mar 2007
Posts: 152
Location: Hong Kong
Posted: Tue Sep 16, 2008 11:09 pm
Post subject: Re: "Lost in Austen": a voyage into the fictional
Elaine S wrote:
An interesting premise to go back in time
in a novel
rather than the known and genuine historical past.
My question is If you could go back in time, in your favourite novel (and here I dont just mean serious literature) which one would it be and why? Or would you never be tempted to indulge yourself. (I am assuming that you can return to reality!)
I would like to go back to Lymonds time in Scotland especially after Checkmate. I would like to see how and what would have happened to his relationship with the young Mary Queen of Scots when she finally went back to Scotland to rule. We know that her rule finally ended in tragedy. What would Lymond have done, what sides and other choices did he take? But for a genuine historical viewpoint, I would like to know the truth about Mary, Queen of Scots. Shes such a doomed and tragic woman. I felt so sorry for her. I would really like to know the truth about her - did she really write those letters (the Caskett Letters) or were they forgeries, the death of Darnley and her relationship with Bothwell, was she forced or did she really fall in love with him, etc...
I put forth what I thought was a rational proposal. And the proposal I put forward was the proposal. - George W. Bush, 43rd President of the USA.
Back to top
Display posts from previous:
All Posts
1 Day
7 Days
2 Weeks
1 Month
3 Months
6 Months
1 Year
Oldest First
Newest First
AAR Forum Index
Romance Potpourri Forum
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Jump to:
Select a forum
Announcements Forum
Let's Talk Romance Novels
Let's Talk Romance Novels Forum
Romance Potpourri
Romance Potpourri Forum
Writer's News
Writer's News Forum
General Chat
General Chat Forum
Wild Wild West
The Wild Wild West Forum
post new topics in this forum
reply to topics in this forum
edit your posts in this forum
delete your posts in this forum
vote in polls in this forum
Powered by
© 2001, 2005 phpBB Group


text:
Quincy Jones – Soul Bossa Nova (1962)
Everyone knows this Quincy Jones tune from something, depending on what generation they belong to and various other environmental factors. In preparation for the new Quincy album, we're tracing this song through time in samples and interpolations in jazz, hip-hop, plus film, TV and beyond.
Quincy released the original album Soul Bossa Nova in 1962 and the title track gained a presence in TV programs and films worldwide throughout the 60s and 70s. The signature flute loop was originally recorded by none other than multi-reed-instrument master Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Besides film licensing, the song also became a popular recording for sampling, particularly from the Canadian hip-hop group Dream Warriors (check out the Boombastic video below). That 90′s style hip-hop/jazz hybrid is a quintessential example of the early Giant Step sound.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/GYCl0ITdEuU" width="550" height="445" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]
The next revival of the song came from Ludacris on his single "Number One Spot," (2004) which was also the ubiquitous theme of the Austin Powers soundtrack. (According to Wikipedia, Mike Myers grew up watching the Canadian game show which used the "Soul Bossa Nova" flute loop as a theme. But again, Wikipedia also once said that Ghostface Killah is also known as 'Chunky Mario Delight'). Ludacris, never lacking a sense of humor, embraces the Austin Powers joke in his music video and drags Q into the video, explaining his new flava on the old classic.
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/dQW6zMWOnic" width="550" height="445" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]
Now Ludacris pays tribute to the living legend again, this time bringing along producer Naturally 7 and Rudy Currence. The instantly-recognizable "Soul Bossa Nostra" continues to find a place in contemporary films and video games, close to 50 years after its release. Check out the new Ludacris version and find more info on the full Quincy Jones album below.
Ludacris, Naturally 7 & Rudy Currence – "Soul Bossa Nostra"
Full album Q: Soul Bossa Nostra will available Novemeber 9th.


text:
So Long story short, im working on a custom theme and wrapping the WP hooks onto said theme etc and i noticed that, When writing a post/page etc, that say for example i want to make a word bold/italic etc, That applied styles dont come through.
So for example, say i select a word, click the "B" icon to make the word bold, its visually displays the word as bold on the editor but when i save and preview the page, the text is normal. There are no visible stylings on the word whatsoever.
I also tried to go into the HTML pane, and apply the html tags manually like
 or
 etc and, the same thing, i save and preview page and the text appears as if no style was apply.
Any ideas as to whats going on? Probably something im missing? Any Tips, links etc i humbly appreciate.
Thanks in advanced.
***edit: this is my current wp post loop
while( have_posts() ) : the_post() ?>

<a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?>

<?php the_post(); ?>

<?php the_content(); ?>

<?php endwhile; ?>


text:
Mayor Williams Paints the Green Stripe on King Street In Honor of St. Patrick's Day
Posted on 03/15/2013 5:14 pm
Joined by members of the St. Patrick's Day Society, Mayor Williams painted a green stripe along King Street, in honor of the St. Patrick's Day holiday.
Chief of Police, Christine Dunning, and former City Councilman, Kevin Kelley, also painted the green stripe to recognize the Irish holiday.
The St. Patrick's Day Parade will take place Saturday, March 16th, and begin at 12:00 p.m. and start on 4th and King Street and traveling north to 15th and King Street. Following the parade, there will be a St. Patrick's Day Hooley located on 14th and Market Street.


text:
Stones Throw renaissance man Aloe Blacc has a new release on iTunes with two singles from his new album, including "Take Me Back." The forthcoming album is called Good Things, and will be produced by Truth & Soul with backing from Expressions and El Michels Affair.
Aloe Blacc – "I Need A Dollar" [mp3]
It's also the theme song for that show you've beeing seeing ads for everywhere, How to Make it in America. Check out the debut:
[kml_flashembed movie="http://www.youtube.com/v/I_9aaotk3PU" width="550" height="445" allowfullscreen="true" fvars="fs=1" /]


text:
- $4.99 Flat Rate Shipping. Any Size Order! -
- Easy 365-Day Returns -
HOME New York Giants Gear New York Giants Accessories New York Giants Accessories Imagine that (41 items) Product ID: 1252811
Main Content
- 1-Gallon tailgate keg
- Decorated with a high-quality metal team logo
- Officially licensed
- Push-button spout for dispensing hot or cold beverages
- Imported
- Brand: Great American Products
Giants Customers also liked:
Special event items are produced by manufacturers only after the outcome of a game or event. These are advanced sale items and will ship immediately after they are received in our warehouse.
Manufacturer direct items are shipped directly from the manufacturer. These items are not available for international or expedited shipping.
Customized items can be personalized with options such as your name, your favorite number, and/or designs. Some options may be limited by league rules.


text:
Useful Links
FAIRTRADE International
- Date submitted: 31 Oct 2011
- Stakeholder type: Major Group
- Name: FAIRTRADE International
- Submission Document: Download
Full SubmissionContribution to Rio + 20 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development
About us
Fairtrade is a global movement with a people first approach to trade. We tackle poverty and injustice by offering producers a better deal and an opportunity to improve their lives and invest in their future. In 2010 around 1.2 million farmers and workers in over 60 countries benefited directly from Fairtrade sales.
Fairtrade also offers consumers a powerful way to reduce poverty through their every day shopping. The international FAIRTRADE Certification Mark is the most widely recognized ethical label globally. Products carrying the FAIRTRADE Mark have met Fairtrade Standards, which are designed to address the imbalance of power in trading relationships, unstable markets and the injustices of conventional trade.
Fairtrade International (FLO) is an independent, non-governmental, not for profit organization working to secure a better deal for producers and is part of the wider Fair Trade movement1. Fairtrade International sets international Fairtrade Standards, organizes support for producers around the world, develops global Fairtrade strategy, and promotes trade justice internationally. For more information see www.fairtrade.net.
The resolution that endorsed the Earth summit 2012 re-affirms that ?changing unsustainable patterns of production and consumption (?) are overarching objectives of and essential requirements for sustainable development?. It further reiterates that ?fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensable for achieving global sustainable development and that all countries should promote sustainable consumption and production patterns, with the developed countries taking the lead and with all countries benefiting from the process (?)?.
The Brundtland report already spelt out the clear link that exists between sustainable consumption and sustainable development. Although this link was reinforced in Agenda 21, there has been no shift in our consumption patterns in the last few decades. Unsustainable production and consumption patterns have led to severe environmental and social degradation. Moreover, the current economic model allows grossly inequitable trading relations to continue and fails to eradicate hunger, deliver sustainable livelihoods or development opportunities to people in developing countries. A ?race to the bottom? ensues, with the environmental and social effects all too apparent.
More and more consumers are bucking the global trend and, through their daily purchases, are supporting schemes like Fairtrade that give farmers and workers better terms of trade, enabling them to improve their production practices, have more stable incomes and invest in their communities. Through Fairtrade, producers are able to access markets that recognize their efforts to improve their social and environmental practices, but that also recognize them as equal trading partners.
As the summit approaches, the proposals to move towards a green economy (in the context of sustainable development and poverty eradication) are welcomed. It is concerning, however that although everyone agrees that sustainability is an economical, environmental and social issue, the focus still lays chiefly on environmental matters. The current argument is that human-wellbeing will increase at the same time as the move towards a green economy takes place. Reality shows however that this is not the case. Principle 5 from the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development states: ?eradicating poverty is an indispensable requirement for sustainable development?.
Fair Trade as Best practice
The increasing popularity of Fair Trade in the last two decades shows people?s appetite to consume more sustainably from an economical, environmental and social point of view. It also demonstrates that a different economic model is possible. Rio + 20 presents a unique opportunity to change the trajectory of current consumption and production patterns.
On s ustainable production
At the end of the supply chain, producers feel the pressure to deliver goods and services at increasingly low prices. But sound environmental and social production practices can only be achieved when they are economically feasible.
We call on governments to
� Promote the achievement of sustainable livelihoods through the payment of fair prices and the empowerment of small scale men and women producers as a keystone to achieve a sustainable and humane food system.
� Promote producers? access to trade under Fair Trade conditions and facilitate access to schemes such as Fairtrade, which empower producers to trade their way out of poverty.
� Support the creation of an enabling environment that allows Fair Trade producers to comply with market expectations in a greener economy through appropriate funding mechanisms (i.e. funding for adaption to climate change).
On s ustainable consumption
In the context of a green economy, the sustainable consumption agenda focuses on the need to minimize the environmental impact without considering the possibility to maximize the social and economic impact of our purchases. The plight of disadvantaged producers in developing countries, particularly small scale men and women farmers, continues to be an important global issue as poverty and inequality abound. We call on governments to
� Acknowledge that sustainable consumption needs to consider the minimization of the environmental impact of purchasing decisions as well as the maximization of the social and economic impact of our purchases.
� Implement national sustainable procurement policies that include sourcing Fair Trade products. Fair Trade procurement guidelines pertaining to cotton uniforms, food, and beverage products need to be included in the traditional government procurement policies, and complement green procurement at the national and sub-national scale.
� Promote mutual supportiveness between trade and sustainable development, providing positive incentives for Fair Trade products or products that comply with certain environmental, social and human rights standards, in particular by ensuring fair revenues for producers and living wages for agricultural workers.
On the role of the private sector in sustainable development There is an increased expectation and support to the private sector as an actor to deliver sustainability outcomes.
We call on governments to continue supporting
� The private sector?s role in development under the premises that it contributes to the human development of the people living in the areas where these interventions take place. In particular, we call on governments to prioritize the involvement of women and men smallholder farmers and other small scale private actors in such partnerships.
� Credible, transparent, multi stakeholder governed and owned certification systems like Fairtrade Trade can deliver sustainable outcomes, but only if an international, enabling policy environment is put in place to foster partnerships between all actors. This includes not only national governments but also local authorities, consumers and the private sector in global supply chains. We call on governments to send their Heads of State or Government to Rio + 20, and commit themselves to the above mentioned ?Calls on Action?.
Gelkha Buitrago, Policy Manager, Fairtrade International
firstname.lastname@example.com; +49 (0)228 94923 ? 292


text:
Putnam Competition Training at Laurier
Mar 14/11
We are pleased to announce that we are in the process of organizing a team of students from
Laurier to participate in the William Lowell Putnam Mathematical Competition. This is an
annual event administered by the MAA and this year it will be held on December 3rd, 2011.
The competition began in 1938 and is designed to stimulate a healthful rivalry in mathematical
studies between undergraduate students in colleges and universities of the United States and
Canada. Prizes will be awarded to the departments of the institutions with the five winning
teams. Students are eligible to participate in the competition no more than four times.
Detail can be found at the official competition website: http://math.scu.edu/putnam/
If you would like preview some of the past problems (some with solutions), they can be found
at: http://amc.maa.org/a-activities/a7-problems/putnamindex.shtml
As well, check out the poster on the Mathematics board opposite the 5th floor elevator in
Bricker Academic.
If you are interested in being a participant of this prestigious competition, please send me
an email at email@example.com by NOON October 7th (next Wednesday). There will be training sessions
once we get a team together, so you would need to be prepared to set aside at least one hour
per week for these training sessions.
NOTE: No grades are associated with this competition, but you will be able to put on your CV.
Also, it is a great opportunity to hang out with your cool colleagues. Last, but not least,
we don't have to win.
View all Mathematics news |
View all Faculty of Science news
View all Laurier news


text:
Is it better to use a serrated knife, or a regular chef's knife that is really sharp?
A really well-sharpened santoku-style chef's knife is usually my choice. But, it does depend on the type of slicing... such as thick/thin discs, wedges, or dicing.
While I understand that a serrated blade can help with slicing a super-ripe tomato, when I want really thin disc-shaped slices, something very sharp and preferably a thinner spine. The favorite in my kitchen is definitely a Henckel santoku chef blade. Some versions can have a very thick spine, and wouldn't work as well, though. This type of choice is also more utilitarian if you're cutting any other veggies at the same time, or making additional cuts in the tomatoes, such as when you're also going to be halving the discs or full-on dicing.
Things I like the thinnest slices on are a ham and cheese melt, roast beef sammy, a sub for the road, and sometimes for a garnish. (hors d'œuvre, anyone?)
Also, when I'm cutting tomatoes into wedges, I also like to use this same type of sharp, non-serrated blade. Otherwise, I find it harder than necessary to do the smaller divisions after the 1/4-of-a-tomato size. I nearly always do 1/8 or 1/12 sized wedges for salad, so it isn't terribly often I use a "real" tomato knife. When I do, is when it's for a lunch and I don't want to sully a larger blade, or when doing large batches. Getting the core out is certainly easiest with a smaller, serrated blade.
Anything this guy sells: http://knifewear.com/
He brings in a bag of ripe tomatoes every morning to show off his blades (and lets customers try them all). The quality of the Japanese steel makes my professional Henkels blades look like toys. He gets all of his blades direct from the masters in Japan. The blades are so sharp, they sort of just fall through the tomatoes...
I use one of these: http://knifewear.com/knife-family.asp?family=5 for most things and have another smaller paring knife to use as well.
But the point is if you use a very sharp knife, you don't need a "tomato" or serrated knife. If your sharp knife doesn't cut through the tomato, it's not sharp.
Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with Knifewear. I just made the mistake of going in one day and buying some knives from him. He has shown me the error of my ways.
I aways use a aerated knife as it doesn't matter how soft the tomato is, it will still slice it with ease
The best tomato knife I ever had, had a high carbon steel blade about 13cm long, and only 1cm in height. The short height and the rough carbon steel surface meant that the slices didn't stick to the blade as you cut, and fell away cleanly. It broke one day when pushed to hard into soft wood chopping block. Never found another one like it
Coated knives like this should be good


text:
Need Help? Call 877.812.6235
Sloane Single Shop Pendant Lamp
- Summary
Like the turn-of-the-century mercantile lighting that inspired it, Sloane is a distinctive pendant of richly burnished brass suspended by an elegant pole. As functional as it is beautiful, it focuses light upon a dining area or work space. Over time the brass will become richer and deeper in color.
- Hand-rubbed antiqued brass.
- Antique Nickel is brass-plated nickel.
- Acrylic diffuser.
- Assembly required.
- 15 1/2" diam., 49"H.
- Hardwire only; professional installation recommended.
- Dimensions & More Info
- Uses two bulbs, to 60W.
- 16 lbs.
- UL-certified.
- This product is intended for use in the United States and Canada and is built to United States electrical standards.
- Made in China.
- Use & Care
- Dust with a clean, dry cloth. Avoid any harsh abrasives or chemicals as they may damage the finish of this item.
- Shipping
Shipping Information
This item is shipped from our warehouse by UPS to arrive within five business days of our receiving your order.
Shipping Rates
The shipping rate varies depending on your order total and shipping destination. View Shipping Options and Charges.
Return Policy
Our products are designed with your comfort and style in mind. Made-to-order items (as marked) are not returnable but may be cancelled only within 24 hours of order placement. We cannot accept cancellations or returns on monogrammed items. Should your item arrive damaged or with a defect, please contact us at 888.922.4108 within 7 days so that we may arrange for a replacement. All other items (with the exception of those marked as Final Sale) may be returned within 30 days of receipt for a refund of merchandise only. Final Sale items are not returnable or cancellable.