Kitsu’s

DM’s Reading List Vol. 2

I’m going to start numbering these serial posts to make it easier to keep things sorted. I’ve decided to pull more suggested reading for gaming from D&D Insider, my favorite 100% digital publication. One of these is even holiday appropriate!

  • The Dungeon Master Experience: Where’s the Love? by Chris Perkins
    Dungeons and Dragons is about exploring themes and genres and tropes. One trope that is possibly the hardest of all is the romantic sort. In this article Mr. Perkins explores the pitfalls and challenges of love for himself and potentially for other DMs. I found this article particularly interesting because in both of our current home games right now one of the themes that is strongest is the growing emotional loyalty the party members have for one another. He actually applauds what we’re doing as brave, and anytime my Favorite big-name DM calls out something I’m involved in both running and playing, I’m a happy camper.
  • Forging the Realms: How Many Hidden Cults Is Too Many? by Ed Greenwood
    I found this article interesting because in 2 of 2 of our current home games we’ve got hidden cults. I’ve got no clue what Wiley has in the pipes, but I suspect some sort of hidden cult might happen. Though it’s too early to tell much about what He’s going to do, since the game only just barley has characters at this point…
  • The Dungeon Master Experience: The Old DM and the Sea by Chris Perkins
    Mr. Perkins talks about DMing through a series of editions, and talks about the upcoming D&D Next. It’s interesting, but I’m not sure that Next will be for me. It might be 4e from here on out for this Fox.

DM’s Reading List

I’m a loyal subscriber to D&D Insider. This may or may not be a regular feature, as I’m a 4e player, and we’re on a timer for new materials.

  • When Stuff Happens, What’s a DM to Do? By Ed Greenwood
    I love the unforseen moment, however complicated they can make life. Ed Greenwood goes over some ways to deal with those moments, giving advise on dealing with the twists that you didn’t manage to plan for.
  • Wandering Monsters: Chosen of Bahamut By James Wyatt
    I’ve got a thing for dragons. Really, I do. This installment of wandering monsters is focused on  dragonkind. Including the Dragonturtle. Because everyone needs a dragonturtle.

This one is short, but I do recomned reading both of them and finding a way to use them in your advature!

On how to treat women like property:

Why am I the only person in the world who thinks it’s incredibly degrading when someone addresses an envelope “Mr. & Mrs. <Mr’s Name> <Last Name>”?

It’s rude.

I am not, nor have I ever been named “Mrs. Paul Peterson”.
In fact, I will never be Mrs. Paul Peterson. My name is Kelly.
Collectively, the Husband and I are “Mr. & Mrs. Peterson” or “Mr. Paul Peterson & Mrs. Kelly Peterson”, or perhaps “Paul & Kelly Peterson” if you’re feeling informal.

You could even simply write “The Petersons” if you’re not up to including two first names.

When I alter my first name to match my husbands’ in addition to my surname, I will let people know. Until then, stop using an archaic and outdated practice from the days of women as chattel and let that degradation of equality die the death it deserves.

I have a dream…

I am a pacifist by nature. I don’t have a compulsion to hurt anyone else, and when faced with a fight I am the turn the other cheek sort. Some of my best friends and family members are soldiers. This puts me in a strange place of being morally (and by nature) opposed to the idea of war. I openly dream of a world in which war is no longer seen as needed by anybody.

Being honest, I believe war is an activity undertaken by adults too self-centered and unwilling to find a middle ground that they can’t do what they tell their children: Compromise. On the whole, it boils down to the fact that no people should ever fight, and yet we do.

Now we get to the part where I say that I support the armed forces and what they do.

That’s right. I might be a pacifist, and I might hate that war happens and find the whole matter discussing. But that does not change the fact that it’s happening around us. The strong abuse the weak, the rich abuse the poor… The like happens all over the world. All the time. I’m lucky, I’m a pacifist born in a place where I am free to be what I am without question. I’m not a pacifist who has to make a stand (like Tibet’s Monks). Instead I have a wall of defense and the good fortune to be in a country little effected by war on the whole.

It makes being a pacifist easy.

I’m not stupid, though. I know, based on the events of 9-11, that the enemy will bring the fight here given a chance. I don’t like it, but I won’t stand in the way of our soldiers. I won’t stand in the way of them having Veteran’s Benefits. I’ll even support certain operations they undertake (like the work they do to help following natural disasters).

I dream of a day when every soldier can hang up their gun. Today is, sadly, not that day: but I can dream.

Yarn Tails for Sale!

I have been learning to make yarn tails and have hit a point in which I can begin to sell them. To get things moving, the tails I’ve made in practice are now available for the prices listed below, + 5$ shipping (double shipping outside of the USA).

These tails are all made of acrylic yarn and have a loop large enough to go around a belt.

If you’re interested in a custom tail, contact me and we’ll discuss both what’s possible and prices.

Apologies & Building the Internets

First off, I apologize for the distinct lack of me in the last two weeks. Between everything that’s been happening I’ve just been really, really busy. I will catch up soon on the D&D storyline, I SWEAR.

In the meantime, enjoy the following Silly ConversationTM between myself and Mel.

KEL: But then 😉 when it comes to my job you prettymuch know “Builds the internet”. I tend to not mention specificly where very oftend.
MEL: This is true. How does one build the internet?
KEL: Carefully, and with lots of caffine.