rich_jacko

It's perhaps tempting fate, with a relatively unknown new covid variant now circulating, but I want to record how good it feels, now that social and entertainment events have been starting to get back to normal.

Friday pub socials are now happening two or more times a month, and we're getting a pretty good turnout. It's great to be able to relax and spend time with each other over drinks once again.

Just over a month ago, I went to see Tim Peake talk about his career at City Hall. Much of it was things I already new, but some of it was fresh (I'd never previously thought about the difficulty of getting to sleep in zero-g!), and there's nothing like the personal touch of having Major Tim talk through it all in person. It was basically the best PowerPoint presentation ever!

November saw two big birthday parties on consecutive weekends, for Cis and Liz's 50ths. I only paid a brief visit to Cis's, at Trippets Lounge Bar, but it was great to see so many people there and catch up with faces I'd not seen in a long while. Liz's do, at Walkley Community Centre, naturally featured an enormous buffet, as well as party games and dancing into the night (well, 11pm). I had a wonderful time.


A week later, I went with Gillian down to Telford for Wales Comic Con. I'd never have spotted this was on if Gillian hadn't mentioned it to me, and I'm glad she did. We went to a Q&A talk with Doctors 5 through 8, and racked up a few autographs and photo shoots between us. There were a lot of cosplayers to admire too (We were ticking off Doctors). It was a good day out and fairly, if not entirely, successful - The organisation of the event left a lot to be desired and we had a long delay on the trains back. You can read Gillian's post here.


On Monday this week, I was back at City Hall for another space-themed show, this time Return of the Jedi in Concert - the film, up on a cinema screen, accompanied by a 70-piece live orchestra. It sounded fantastic, though at times I had to remind myself to pay attention to the live music, not just get lost in the film!


This coming weekend will also see my final running event of the year, the Percy Pud 10k. This one is a bit of a Sheffield institution. I've never entered it before. The course is through familiar territory, but it'll be a different experience running it as part of a big event, with celebrations (and Christmas puds!) at the finish.

Looking further ahead, I remain hopeful for a much more fun festive season than last year.

I'd forgotten how much fun creating characters for roleplaying games can be. I've just finished preparing my latest one for Ed's new D&D game. I've gone for the contrasting combo of Forest Gnome and Draconic Bloodline Sorcerer, because... well... it's funny.

This is Dramble Tavartarr. He's your friendly, neighbourhood all-round entertainer, with a big stick and a tendency to play with fire. He's also going through a midlife crisis. Having recently turned the big 2-0-0, he has a bit of a complex about supposedly having a great destiny, but not having had the chance to live it yet. I've written an intro for him on our Google Group for the game, and I'm copying it here too for posterity.



"If you buy me a drink, I'll tell you a story."

"Many centuries ago, in arid and distant lands, far from The Valley, lived a mighty dragon. Well, he thought he was mighty (and to you and me he would appear quite fearsome, with his brass-like scales and fiery breath), but by dragon standards he wasn't really. Actually he was a bit of a softy. Liked to chatter with passers-by. If only there were more people passing by. Oh, how foolish for the dragon to wish for that! For giants are not friends of dragons. But the forest folk perhaps are..."

It was a quiet night at the Lakeside inn. An assorted group of humans, halflings and a particularly large half-orc sat huddled in a corner by the fire. A gnome was perched on a bar stool at the centre of the group. Smallish even by gnome standards, he nevertheless held the others in rapt attention. His wild hair flew around him and his eyes sparkled in the firelight as he continued:

"Enter our hero. He'd earned the name Warryn Wildwander when, as a young gnome, he got the wanderlust and began to venture far from home. His clan name was Warryn Tavartarr."

"Tavartarr? Isn't that *your* name, Brighteyes?"

Dramble smiled down from his stool at the eager young halfling. The kid was barely old enough to drink, and sat with his legs crossed on the floor as if he was still at school. He made Dramble feel old. He sighed inwardly and brushed off the feeling.

"Why, so it is!" he replied, with a wink to some of the older members of his audience, who'd heard this story before and knew what was coming.

Dramble continued. He blew on his pan flute - an eerie set of notes - as he began to tell of Warryn stumbling into a home of giants and, trembling, seeking refuge in a cave. Were his audience imagining it, or could they hear the distant sound of giant feet stomping across the fields outside the inn, drawing closer?

"Suddenly, Warryn heard a roar! Much closer and right behind him!" Two halflings and a human jumped. They hadn't imagined it; that had definitely been a creature roaring. It sounded like nothing they had ever heard (certainly nothing that lived in the Valley). Suddenly a burst of flames leapt out of the fire, shaping itself into the form of a dragon.

"It was the dragon, Smaheltersmiddibranner, and he was hiding from the giants too!"

"Wait... Smarheldy-what?"

"Smaheltersmiddibranner. Rolls off the tongue. Now, hiding they both may have been, but Warryn was fearful of ending up a dragon's lunch. He had to impress old Smiddibranner fast."

The story went on. Dramble told how Warryn had impressed the dragon with his quick wits, how they bonded over stories of distant lands, and how they worked together to deceive the giants into leaving them alone. As he did, flames danced in the air in front of him. They took the forms of marching giants, desert caves, and the clever duo of dragon and gnome, all accompanied by disembodied sounds and music he blew on his pipes. Fire flashed in Dramble's eyes as he played out the final chase. The others were sure it wasn't just the reflection from the flames.

"Oi, Jabble Dramble Firespinner, you watch it!" the barmaid shouted. That last fiery giant image had caught part of the counter alight as it ran away, coming rather too close to a clutch of bottles filled with spirits.

"Ooops!" Dramble had the decency to look sheepish. He waved a hand and the flames vanished abruptly.

"That's better," grunted the barmaid, though there was a smile on her face. "You know we likes you bringing folk in 'ere, entertaining 'em with your stories. Especially with how quiet it were yesterday. But it'd be better all round if you spins rather more stories and rather less fires, yes?"

It was Dramble's first evening in the Lakeside Inn for some days. Having been away in the Feygrove this past week, he had missed Dworic's pronouncement of the lost map's discovery, the two bands of adventurers who had ventured out, and the subdued atmosphere in the inn when the first band failed to return as expected the previous night. He was trying to raise everyone's spirits (but not light the spirits, ha!) but inwardly he was kicking himself. Two centuries in the Valley with hardly any excitement and he missed it when adventure finally called!

He hurried on to the finish. "Before they parted, Smaheltersmiddibranner, grateful for Warryn's help, bestowed a great gift on him. The blood of dragons would run in his veins! And not only his, but in certain others of his line who would come after him. They didn't appear in every generation, but those bearing the traits of the dragon...

Dramble paused for the final reveal, rolling his sleeves up to reveal a sheen of brassy scales covering the skin on his arms. There was a gasp, and one or two knowing nods.

"...are said to be destined for great things. Greater even than entertaining you all tonight!"

Dramble smiled. Of all the stories his family had taught him of how Warryn Wildwander had come by his draconic gifts, this was his favourite at the moment. The other one where Warryn had been rewarded for pulling a thorn out of the dragon's side was a little generic, but Dramble thought it had been improved enormously once he changed the thorn for an ogre's spear. The dragon had been called Glaedr Brightscales in that version. Warryn had ridden atop the dragon as together, Wildwander and Brightscales, they chased the ogre back to the mountains. But he'd told that one a lot, a generation ago in human and halfling timescales. This generation needed a fresh story.

He also liked the one where Warryn had been captured by a wicked dragon and tricked it into promising away its power, before using that power to escape its grasp. He might tell that one again some day. It had a lot of cleverness, with all its sneaking around, word tricks and illusions. He could spin that one out for a whole evening with all its twists and turns.

It sometimes felt hollow though. He'd pulled his closing line off with a grin and a flourish, but it had been both bittersweet and true. Two hundred years! He was practically middle-aged. Where was this great destiny he'd been promised all his life? He wanted to live the stories, not just tell them.

"Tell us another one, Brighteyes!"

Dramble was brought out of his reverie by the half-orc, who almost pushed him off his stool by what was clearly meant to be a gentle nudge with her beer tankard. Dramble offered his own tankard in return, now empty. The young halfling leapt up, grabbed it off him and ran to the bar to get another round in. As he did, Dramble settled back in his seat and began to blow a wistful tune.

What story should he tell next? There was the whole saga of Warryn's scrapes and conquests as he learned to master his powers; how he rose to become a mighty sorcerer before meeting an unfortunate end. Or a happily-ever-after end. Did they need to hear a happily-ever-after end this evening, after everything that had happened? Perhaps he could do the tales of some of Warryn's famous descendants instead. Maybe Ella Rosethorn? Or Fabien Fiddlefen and Summer Silverthread? Or...

Before the gnome could decide, the door to the inn burst open and a strangely assorted group wandered in. Dramble recognised a few of them by sight, and knew them to be the second party of explorers. They had returned! What wonders had they seen? What adventures must they have had? He had to know! This was his chance!

"Sorry, friends. Another night, perhaps. I think the stage is theirs now!"

The gnome leapt off his stool and nudged his way past the patrons nearer the entrance, who had stood up to greet the newcomers. The travellers looked down (Well, *most* of them looked down...) at the diminutive figure in front of them, who was grinning from ear to ear and offering an outstretched hand.

"Hi, the name's Dramble Warryn Smiddibranner. I'd be very pleased to make your acquaintance."

"If I buy you a drink, will you tell me your story?"

I went down to Sheffield Hallam's outdoor theatre yesterday morning to watch the 90% partial solar eclipse. The Sheffield Astronomical Society were gathering there and I bumped into first Cis and Steve, and later Krissy.

We were cursing the clouds at first, but it turned out well in the end. There were patches of very light cloud which let us get some good photos and views with the naked eye which otherwise wouldn't have been possible. There were also occasional bursts of clear sky which gave a great view through the eclipse glasses.

I love these grand celestial events. Next up, the U.S. of A. in 2017!

Chewbacca in a fez. Of course, what else would come up in office lunchtime conversation?

The first day of decent weather after what seems like weeks of rain, so naturally I spent the afternoon stuck inside in front of the telly. I did my duty and watched the Brits lose at Silverstone (but well done Mark Webber!) and Wimbledon (but well done Jonathan Marray, winning the doubles for Sheffield!). I can't help but think it would've gone better if it had rained on the motor racing and stayed dry for the tennis, rather than the other way around.

I went out in the (still pleasant) evening, but only so I could sit in someone else's house and roleplay. Still, I can tell I'm going to have fun playing my new D&D character. He's a drunken gnome cleric* named Byther da Malin. It's a good thing hobbesgoblin isn't running this particular game ;o)

*He worships Cayden Cailean, who is the best god, mainly because he only became a god by accident one night following a drunken dare.

...Drank beer, socialised, played games and watched movies, as it turns out :o)

Friday - FFS at the University Arms again for Ruby's birthday. There was much cake and many, many photos of cake.

Saturday - A real ale pub tour of Chesterfield for a colleague's "significant" birthday. We visited The Market, The Royal Oak, Spa Lane Vaults, The Rutland and The Chesterfield Arms, before heading back for a last drink in The Sheffield Tap.

Sunday - An early start for nerdery at my place. We played our shortest ever game of Arkham Horror - One of our party got devoured by the end of the first round; Nyarlathotep woke up by the end of the second; and we killed him by the end of the third. So we ended up playing the game twice more. We also indulged in simultaneous strawberries, chocolate cake, cream and mead. Mmmm...

Monday - One of these days I will remember that the cinema is always heaving with people on rainy bank holidays. Still, although it didn't go quite to plan I managed to see two very different, but both preposterous and fun films - Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and Avengers Assemble (again). In preparation for the latter I watched Thor again this morning, and then had to go and read bonedancer's brilliant version of it another time ;o)

I was quite impressed with the IMAX. They've made Screen 7 quite a bit bigger and moved it closer to the seats. The sound is impressively feel-it-through-your-seat rumbley without making your ears bleed. The 3D does fall apart a bit if you're too close to the screen. Four rows back probably wasn't far enough, but it was very full. Still, I got suitably blasted at that range.

A "quiet" weekend, this one, after the hectic chaos of Christmas and New Year. Although it did still include the First Friday Social, wrangling two children for five hours, shopping in town and a game of Arkham Horror. Ho hum.

My new Fluxx deck got it's first full outing at the FFS last week, and seemed to go down quite well :o)

( Those new Fluxx cards in full )

Thank you to clarestar and bez_loves_pie for giving me several packs of Fluxx Blanxx* yesterday! :o)

Now what I need to do is think of silly cunning ideas to put on them. I'm open to suggestions, so please comment if you've got any ideas!

( Here's a start )