Baseball Journal 7-6-13

Independence Day last week was a bit of a bust, baseball-wise.  The Cubs played the A’s in Oakland in a game that apparently neither side wanted to show up for.  The A’s won it 1-0, and that one run was scored on a passed ball by the catcher that scored a runner from third.  The crowd there was totally into it though.  They were like a Wrigley crowd.  Regardless, it was still more enjoyable than going to work that day.

Friday back at work was a bit more interesting for baseball.  I finally got to see Puig, live in action.  What did I see?  Puig hit a single into centerfield, which he turned into a double by sheer speed.  The next play was a ground out to first with the pitcher covering, and Puig rounded third and took home standing up.  No big deal. 

The Cubs game versus the Pirates on Saturday didn’t start off much better.  Both teams trotted out starting pitchers that believe in contemplating their pitches like they’re hovering over a chessboard.  It seemed like the first three innings took two hours, though unbelievably, the game finished in just under three hours.  Alfonso Soriano hit two home runs in a 4-1, Cubs win.

Still, the game coverage had some extra entertainment.  The couple in back of bleachers that spilled their beers on each other in a previous game are apparently still together and hanging out in the same spot.  Call it “Cubs Marriage Therapy.” This game was also the anniversary of 80’s Red’s pitcher Tom Browning, sneaking out of the bullpen during a game and hanging out with the fans at a rooftop party across the street.  There he was, sitting on the edge of the building, waving at the camera.  It was a $500 fine by the team, but worth it. 

For the 7^th inning stretch, the Chicago Blackhawks’ National Anthem singer, Jim Cornelison, belted out “Take Me Out the Ballgame.”  The guy was a deep, majestic baritone, and held the final note for over 10 seconds.  So, that’s what that song sounds like when an actual singer does it.  But the highlight had to be this video they showed during the game of a Korean girl throwing out the first pitch in a Korean league game.  She was on the Rhythmic Gymnastics team.  She stretched out in an exaggerated wind up motion, arching her back.  With one leg on the ground, whirled the rest of herself around in a flip, and then threw the ball home.  What did this have to do with the game?  Nothing.  It was just cool. 

Afterward, the Rangers played Astros on the Fox game, while the Dodgers and the Giants played on the radio.  I turned down the sound on the TV and turned up the radio so I could keep track of both games.  What?  Does this seem like excessive behavior?  Don’t judge me.  (And I would have listened to the end of the Rockies game, but couldn’t get KOA out of Denver to come in.  A Mexican station playing easy-listening American music from 70’s kept interfering with the signal.  Don’t ask me to explain that either.)         

The Giants are not playing well.  You can tell this when Buster Posey hits an RBI double, and the result of the play is Pablo Sandoval being called out as the batter, the runners returned to their bases, and Buster had to come back to the plate and take another at bat.  They had batted out of order you see (or handed out the wrong batting order to the other team and the ump), about as embarrassing mistake as you can make.

Dodger broadcaster, Rick Monday, wondered why the ump didn’t say anything until the Dodger manager brought out his lineup card to protest.  Ha, I knew, and Rick found out after consulting the rulebook during the commercial break.  The umpire is explicitly told in the rules to NOT bring attention to an out of order batter.  Teams are warned to have “constant vigilance,” in such matters.

The Giants won 4-2, but even then, it was ugly.  All four runs were scored via runners that got on and were brought in via walks, errors, fielder’s choice, and sacrifice.  You could tell it was a rivalry game there in San Francisco.  When a Dodger bat was accidentally tossed into the stands on a bad swing, the fan wouldn’t give it back in exchange for another one, as is usually done.  In a sidebar, Puig went 0 for 4 for the first time.  He’s still batting over .400.      

In Texas, the game was even more brutal for the Rangers (and me).  They don’t seem to win when I’m watching, even with Yu Darvish on the mound.  The Rangers scored in the clutch, but the pitching just couldn’t keep the Astros from scoring more.  9-5 Astros in a nearly four hour, 9 inning game.  (The Dodger-Giant game literally finished an hour earlier, even though they started at the same time.)  It seems like the decimation of the Rangers’ starting pitching to injuries and the over-working of the bullpen is coming back to haunt them.

The booth guys had a fun chat with AJ Pierzynski during one inning.  Jurickson Profar, a shortstop, was making his first start in the outfield.  Leonys Martin made a great catch, sliding right in front him.  AJ said, “I think I heard Profar calling for him to take it.”  Profar did actually make a great catch later in the inning, his first in the outfield.  He ran back to the dugout with the ball, all smiles.

I’m going to have a make a special commendation for extreme commercial coverage to Mazda.  At one point, the TV went to commercial and starting showing a car ad.  At the same time, by coincidence, the radio coverage went to commercial, and they played the same ad.  Bravo.  

Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting Adventure Part 2

Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Jianghu Setting
Sample Adventure “Dark Waters Have Unknown Depths”
Part 2

Bravery is often a byproduct of ignorance.

The Character Setup (0 XP)
By whatever motivation, the character group has entered the Shang-tu area. However, they all lack identity documents, which are necessary to enter the city. For now, they’ve had to take whatever odd work they can in the surrounding villages. Word is circulated in the Wulin (wandering warrior) community of an urgent job in Shinju-Mata, a hardscrabble village near the border of the desert.

While many local warriors appear for the job, all of them vacate it when they hear the initial details. The mission is to enter the Lop Nar desert to apprehend a group of bandit raiders. Only the character group, who are recent arrivals to the area, are unaware of the desert’s haunted reputation.

Lord Hanso, himself gravely wounded defending the village during the raid, addresses the group from his bed. “Three days ago, our village was attacked by group of bandits. They made off with hostages and the contents of our local shrine. Information has come to me that the group has holed up the ruins of a temple in the Lop Nar desert outside of town. My offer is 100 gold pieces for the return of the two hostages, our golden idol, and, most importantly, at least one bandit returned alive for trial.”

Hopefully the characters will ask a few questions. The offer is essentially 25 gp for each of the elements listed. None of the locals will go into the desert. Rough directions to the hideout will be provided, it is only a few hours outside of town. The desert has a reputation of housing evil spirits and swallowing up travelers. You should make sure to return before dark (speed is of the essence in any case). About 20 bandits attacked the town and killed the rest of the constables and about 10 of them made it out alive.

There is a loud clattering of horses arriving in the village. It is a troop of Imperial soldiers lead by someone in the fine garb of a minister. Sub-Minister Tai enters Lord Hanso’s house. Hanso asks for forgiveness for not being able to bow. (The characters should take the cue to do so.) Tai is exceedingly gracious and inquiries about his health. He will also ask the characters who they are. Hanso will insist they are applying to be constables, but Tai will want each character to account for themselves. The Sub-Minister then announces that he will be helping to provide security and promises to apprehend the malefactors who raided the village. And with that takes his leave. (Everyone bow again.)

Hanso addresses the characters, “Nothing has changed. Find the bandits and bring back the captives. Frankly, I trust you group of strangers more than all the other groups who have pledged to deliver justice in this situation. Watch your backs.” If the characters want to know who else is after the bandits, Hanso will only say, “It is better that you not the names of these people.”

Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting Adventure Part 1

Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Jianghu Setting
Sample Adventure “Dark Waters Have Unknown Depths”

Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Monsters & NPC’s 1
Monsters & NPC’s 2

You see only the stream turning the wheel at the mill, not it’s source or it’s destination. For that, you must take a journey.

Adventure Background
This information section is only for the Ref. That’s the same as any other adventure, but this time doubly so. The characters should learn virtually nothing of this background information in this opening adventure. By the end, they should have been exposed to several of the power groups in the setting without knowing their goals, perhaps not even their names. However, it is essential that the Ref knows what’s going on, as succeeding adventures depend highly on the machinations between these groups. As usual, monster and NPC stats will be posted at the end of the adventure. This adventure is for four 1st level characters. They should all start off with a mount.

The “Old Man,” Wong-Fei, has passed away. It was he who turned the myriad of gangs of rural bandits, who terrorized the villages outside of the city of Shang-tu, into a single organization, the Brotherhood of the Immortals. Under his ironfist, they became prosperous, profitable, and even respected amongst the villagers under their “protection.” He bore the government officials he raided and the villagers he oppressed no ill will. It was just business. Wong-Fei only hated the Tongs, the urban gang in Shang-tu who rule all the criminal activity in the city, and their masters, the Heaven and Earth Society (popularly, the Triads), who dream of revolution against the current Imperial government.

His death has seemingly opened a window of opportunity for the Triads. Wong-Fei’s son and successor, Wong-Sim, is far more sympathetic to the cause. He just needs a little incentive to get past his upbringing, or so they think. The Tongs are also eager to expand their influence beyond the city. Their leadership, through various intermediaries, has egged on a small, upstart rural gang into challenging the Brotherhood by attacking one of the villages under its protection, Shinju-Mata.

The plan was simply to setup this gang as a bunch of patsies. The Tongs would capture them, return them and whatever they stole as a goodwill gesture to the Brotherhood. This would make Wong-Sim look weak and perhaps create challenges to his leadership, which would drive him into the Tong’s welcoming arms.

While the raid on Shinju-Mata was successful, the rest of the plan failed. The Tongs found their agent provocateur dead at the gang’s usual hideout. The gang itself has disappeared. Worse, and far worse, the Tong’s actions had not been anointed by Triad leadership. Not only have they now been dragged into this mess, they must clean it up, before the Brotherhood suspects their involvement.

Meanwhile, Lord Hanso ruler of Shinju-Mata, immediately appealed to the village’s protectors for aid. Wong-Sim, woefully inexperienced, has only just perceived the importance of this attack as a challenge to his leadership. He has since mobilized the entire Brotherhood to find the raiders, but they are chasing a trail two days old.

There’s more to it just this however. The White Lotus Society, a rival of the Triads (though they ironically both want the Imperial government deposed), has become aware of this scheme. They do not want the Tongs or the Triads to gain further influence in the countryside at this time. (They’d start an immediate peasant revolt, which the White Lotus would not be able to capitalize on.) They have located the gang and have asked their member, Lord Hanso, to find willing volunteers to apprehend the gang and bring them back alive, so that the Tong’s plan may be exposed. Not having success with the Brotherhood, Hanso has done so. (It should be noted that Hanso has only been told to ask for volunteers, not about the Tong’s plot.)

A little late to this affair, the Imperial government has learned of this raid, though not the parties responsible. They are also trying to find the gang to bring them to justice to show that the Empire is still fully sovereign in the rural areas and can protect them against these bandit gangs.

Fantasy Core RPG: Jianghu Setting Intro

Fantasy Core RPG
© Jerry Harris 2013
Published here as Open Game Content.
(This link will take you to the Fantasy Core Index.)

Jianghu Setting Intro

Sample Adventure

Setting Differences
Honor
Character Groups and Class Goals
Level and XP
Special Techniques

Shang-tu, Civic Ward, Guild Ward, Lake Ward, Governor's Ward
Governor Estate
Governor's Palace First Level & Basement, Visitors, Second & Third Levels, Fourth Level
Famous Court Personages
Governor Yu, Governor's Bodyguards
Ministers of State, Minister Liu, Security Chief Kogi, Minister Xun, Sub-Minister Kang
Other Government Officials, Justice & Law, Imperial Military, Other City Power Groups
Secret Societies, White Lotus, Triads, Tongs
Martial Arts Schools, Master Yune, Grandmasters
Mount Tien, The Everlasting Temple, Faith, Divine Favor, and Immortals
The Villages, Kinsai Village, The Brotherhood, Wong-Fei & Wong-Sim
Mongolia, Tibet, Lop Nar Desert & and the Empire
Monsters

Jianghu (jing-how) means “Underworld,” or the “World of Martial Arts.” It’s the domain of outlaws and adventurers; people outside of proper society. This setting is one where characters eke out an existence on the fringes of the law, while skirting edges of villainy. They seek opportunities to enhance their reputation and abilities, but must do so within the context maintaining their sacred personal honor. It’s a tightrope walk. Unbearable disgrace follows bad choices and failure. Redemption is much harder to attain than a title of master in your field. But what hero could live with being anonymous?

First, read this. Really, go ahead. The rest of this post can wait until afterward. I’m not sure how I stumbled upon that essay, but it put the seed of this setting in my mind several years ago. I put the Oriental Classes into Fantasy Core with the future intention of creating a setting for them. Sure, it’s fine to put Ninjas and Flying Warriors in a European fantasy adventure. If you’re accepting the premise of Orcs and dragons, why not? But Asian fantasy adventures usually have their own special flavor.

While the game that was linked to essay was an extension of an existing game with bits and pieces of other games, Wizards of the Coast produced an excellent setting in 1999 by Chris Parmas called Dragonfist. It was an odd mix of Second Edition AD&D in sort of a nascent Third Edition wrapper. It was probably the prototype for 3e. The setting itself was quite impressive as a heroic campaign to dethrone the evil emperor and his eunuch henchmen. It was limited in adventuring scope with the characters all starting at 3rd level and only progressing to 10th. (Parmas admits in the text that the system, with all it’s bonuses and stunts, breaks down after 10th level. If only the 3e designers had listened to that advice.) What is implied in the setting is that the characters are honorable heroes, in this case, trying to right a major injustice.

This setting focuses on the characters’ decisions and their honor. While there are still monsters to fight, most conflict will likely be with other human warriors and magic users. Acquiring wealth and power aren’t the characters’ motivating goals (though those events may happen), but rather the enhancement of their all-important reputation. This happens through the honing of their class skills via their exploits, all while maintaining their inviolate personal honor.

Don’t expect this to be easy. An adventure in this setting means having to make hard choices between serving various disreputable entities. Choosing one side, may make you an enemy of another. Characters should be consistently challenged about their choices and their beliefs and knowledge. In the beginning, the characters may have nothing other than ill informed choices or choices between bad options. Later, with more knowledge and experience, their decisions will be wiser. Finally, at higher levels, they can become primary decision-makers for a power group, or perhaps creating their own. But those days of leadership won’t come, unless they jealously guard their honor and atone for past sins.

Refs should tell the players, “You will be swimming in sewage, but must smell of roses.” Or, “You must maintain your virtue while living in a whorehouse.” I’m going to be littering this setting with little fortune cookies like this, so that you can quickly communicate essential concepts about people, entities, and organizations.

I must add this disclaimer. I am not an Asian scholar. That will become evident from the reading of succeeding posts. I’m not even a Hong Kong Cinema expert (though I can pronounce Tsui Hark’s name correctly). This setting is a curious mish-mash of Chinese, Japanese, and a few other historical Asian societies and mythologies, along with a jumbling of time periods and my own inventions. Real place names and names of groups have been used for the sake of easy identification, but often only bear a superficial relationship to the actual thing, if that. Some NPC names that I’m using may be unintentionally funny to people who know better. No apologies. This has all been done in the interests of making an interesting adventuring setting.

I’m going to start this off by posting the sample adventure first, which will hopefully illustrate the concepts of the setting. Latter posts will fill in the details.


Two things.  One, I'm off tomorrow.  Happy Fourth!  Two, this setting isn't entirely done yet (actually it's about at 70%).  With some trepidation, I'm releasing it anyway, but the rollout may be a little shaky.

The Nomad Striker

The Nomad Striker

Level	Bonus Attack Base	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save
1st	+1/+0	+2	+2	+0
2nd	+2/+1	+3	+3	+0
3rd	+3/+1	+3	+3	+1
4th	+4/+2	+4	+4	+1
5th	+5/+2	+4	+4	+1
6th	+6/+3	+5	+5	+2
7th	+7/+3	+5	+5	+2
8th	+8/+4	+6	+6	+2
9th	+9/+4	+6	+6	+3
10th	+10/+5	+7	+7	+3

Description: A barbarian from the steppes. They specialize in swift, mounted attacks. 10th level example: Genghis Khan.

Hit Die: d8.

Prime Abilities: Str, Con, and Dex.

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: The Nomad Striker is proficient with only mace, short sword, scimitar, spears, lances, and short bows. They may wear light armor (also magical elven chain mail) and use shields.

Standard Starting Gear: 5+1d10 GP, pack, 3 days rations, waterskin, 2 useful items,

short sword, short bow, 20 arrows

Swift Strike: Strikers have two melee attacks per rd if using their proficient weapons. The first attack is at the first BAB value; the second as the next. These attacks may be used against a single opponent or divided against multiple opponents that are within reach.

Mounted Charge: A successful mounted attack by a Striker using a lance or spear at a full gallop causes maximum damage + Stun 1 rd.  Only one charge attack may be made per rd, and a charge requires one rd of gallop first and enough distance to get up to speed.  The Striker will automatically have the initiative in the attack as long as they have the longer weapon.

Swift Shot: A Striker may make two attacks per rd with a short bow. The first attack is at the first BAB value; the second as the next. These attacks may be used against a single opponent or divided against multiple opponents.

Crack Shot: A Striker may make a successful bow attack into a melee fight without making a Called Shot, but only making a single bow attack that rd.

Mounted Archery: A mounted Striker may make a ranged bow attack with their full BAB, but only a single attack. 

Sports Journal 6-30-13

After all those sports blogs last week, I decided to take the week off on writing and just sit back and enjoy. Here’s a few scattered impressions.

"I love baseball. I love talking about baseball and reading about baseball. But, I don’t watch the games. I might watch a key at bat here and there, or a couple of innings with a great pitcher, but watch a full nine innings? Please.” Colin Cowherd, ESPN Radio. From who else and from where else could you get such tremendous sports commentary?

Moving on.

On Thursday, I got to hear the entirety of the Ranger-Yankee matinee and Derek Holland throwing a 9-inning shutout. Even more shocking, the reason I got to hear all of it before I went to work was because it was a two and half hour game. No, really. A Yankee game in Yankee stadium that didn’t go over three and half hours. I’m half convinced their lineup took the day off and the Rangers were just playing against nine guys wearing Yankee jerseys from the stands.

I’d heard about the White Sox dropping a double header to the Indians on Friday and that the first game went 19-10. On Saturday, I got gory details on their broadcast. The two games went nearly eight hours total, an MLB record for a non-extra inning double header. Hawk and Stone did praise the ump for that first game, not just for his durability, but for actually getting the calls right, too.

Hey, join us at the ballpark this week. Tickets start at $7. $1 hot dogs and other reduced food prices. Extended fireworks show on the 3rd and a parade before the game on the 4th. Bring the family. Oh, and watch the White Sox lose like they did again to the Indians on Saturday. (Actually that’s a heck of a deal, and they’ve got some great food items there. I actually wish I was on the South Side this week.)

Meanwhile, did you hear about the All-Star game? It’s on Fox, errr, sometime in July. I really should know the date off the top of my head, given that they were promoting it during the Fox game of the week broadcast EVERY FRICKING INNING! After sitting through that relentless barrage of company advertising, it would have been nice to have seen the Rangers win in extra innings versus the Reds. I have to blame some bullpen mismanagement on that loss.

Late Saturday on sportstalk radio, I did get this great nugget of trivia on records that won’t be broken. Apparently in like 1913 an entire game was played with one ball. No foul balls. No home runs. No throwing the ball out if it’s been hit or scuffed. Almost impossible to believe.

For the last time this season, I got up early Sunday and caught the F1 British GP at Silverstone on Unimas. I’m still hoping to see Jenson Button win it someday for the home crowd. The commentators were excitedly chattering away about having a Mexican Gran Prix someday and seeing Sergio Perez win it. Instead they had to content themselves with watching him retire early again.

The race ended pretty quick with Nico Rosberg being gifted a victory. We got some extended coverage of parc ferme. Nico, Mark Weber, and Fernando Alonso walked up the steps to the podium and were applauded by line of what looked liked stewardesses from the race sponsor. They went into a waiting room, took off their helmets, toweled off, and had some water. The guys congratulated one another as professionals and chit-chatted with each other about the race while they waited for the ceremony. I was almost uncomfortable watching this private affair, though there was nothing scandalous going. Just the guys talking shop. It was bit like eavesdropping. A little peak behind the curtain.

Please, please consider coming out to see the White Sox this week. Hawk and Stone were just about pleading with audience during the Sunday broadcast. (I’d go if I could guys!) After all, you might see something special, like the Indians sweep a four-game series in Chicago for the first time ever. Seriously, in over 100 years, that’s never happened?

Joe Nathan is being seriously overused in Texas and this may have consequences later in the season. Hey, but for now, the Rangers beat the Reds with Nathan locking it down in the 9th.

The Dodger game I got to hear right afterward featured a seriously pumped up Charley Steiner, and why not? After the ass-kicking the Philies delivered on Friday, the two Dodger victories this weekend felt good. Sunday featured the debut of Jose Dominguez, a 100+ mph reliever. The crowd went wild watching him and even the opposing team was on the railing watching him and the speed gun readings. Oh and Puig? Simply a 4 for 5 day, a home run away from hitting for the cycle. He’s had some dicey plays in the field lately, but who cares? He’s gotten a hit like 44 times in his first 100 major league at bats. Apparently, that’s even more impressive than Pete Rose’s epic rookie numbers.

And this was way more than I meant to write, especially given that I hadn’t meant to write anything.

Artifacts: Valle Verde Maps

These are maps of the El Paso Community College, Valle Verde campus, where I received a piece of paper for showing up for two years, and also a paycheck for nearly a year working for one of the departments. If I sound ambivalent, that’s about right. I’m sure some enterprising Ref can find a use for these (probably involving zombies, how original).  (Full disclosure: I used it as a battleground for a superhero battle.) 

Regrettably, these don’t show the four-story building overlooking the campus. There was the bookstore, a cafeteria, a dining area, and a stage for occasional live music acts. The second floor had offices (where I worked) and a balcony overlooking the dining area. Third floor had a library, that had viewing areas in the floor over the dining area. I think the fourth floor had high-level administration offices, but I may not be remembering that correctly.