http://search.deviantart.com/?q=by:Runeir&section=today deviantART RSS for by:Runeir en-us Copyright 2009, deviantART.com Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:21:39 PST deviantART.com http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss http://s.deviantart.com/minish/widgets/apple-touch-icon-precomposed.png http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/20228271/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/20228271/ Sat, 30 Aug 2008 00:03:43 PDT That being said the only way to remedy this problem is, you guessed it, clean-install the OS (which will take forever!). And I can only do that when I am back at school. Needless to say, it'll be a while before I get that stuff online.

On a different note: I found some of my old campaign notes and drawings today and damn did I suck. I mean, my writing was horribly trite at age 12? 14? God, I can't remember. I know that my drawing was kinda crappy too, I had no idea how pieces of fabric worked.

Here's an example of what I mean: the heroes are sent by the MAYOR OF THE ELVEN CITY to rescue the ELVEN PRINCESS AUIN from the evil ONI MAGICIAN who wants to take over the forest using the Princess's magical power to control plants.
Of course, he also happens to be in love with her and realizes this only AFTER being defeated by the heroes in combat. Did I mention the heroes had to fight their way out of the "Dark Keep" (Formerly City Hall of the Elf City), fight the spirit guardian of the three trials that block the way to the ONI MAGICIAN's castle, best the trials, fight something called a "Greater Hell Rose" or something like that and then fight the Oni Magician only after realizing the Princess is trapped in the middle of the giant Hell Rose by evil vines. Yes, the vines are evil. Don't ask me how vines can choose and allegiance, they just can, OK?
And that's just one example. There is more. I won't share it with you, for I fear your bile may rot through your stomachs simply hearing it, but I'll let you imagine just how trite my writing used to be.

So, the moral of the story is that new stuff is COMING, it just isn't HERE.

PS: How the hell do I erase this stupid mood emoticon, its getting on my nerves.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/19762111/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/19762111/ Sun, 03 Aug 2008 23:59:48 PDT and I will be working on. It's nothing breath-taking or fantastic but it's worth a passing mention.

While I'm at it, I may as well mention that my computer hates me and is actively trying to kill itself. It has a hard drive problem that seems to be ruining the rest of the computer. I've backed up most of my important documents, but I haven't backed up any of my pictures.

Hopefully this whole problem can be fixed with just one visit from the computer technician. Keep your fingers crossed.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/18860953/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/18860953/ Sun, 15 Jun 2008 19:05:28 PDT Anyway, I don't know how much a good one would cost, nor am I willing to foot the bill toward a new scanner when I'm saving money for books and other college essentials. I could always give up on that HD monitor I want, but I really don't want to...
Decisions, decisions...

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/18183829/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/18183829/ Mon, 05 May 2008 16:11:45 PDT .
We haven't gotten the specifics worked out too far past the first couple of characters, but she assures me that the story being developed.
Of course, people have assured me of things before, and let me down horribly, but I don't think that's the case. Anyway, please enjoy what I've put up.

There WILL be more to come, perhaps sketches from my other sketch books.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12684266/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12684266/ Sat, 21 Apr 2007 19:13:05 PDT What has happened in Elbright City (My adventure setting)?

First: two demons disguised as students, working under a vampiric aasimar (part-celestial humans) cause problems in the community. Characters are introduced to Anne Oirdirk, who at the moment is looking into the dark arts. They ignore her. The heroes kill both fiends and the vampire.

Next: A hacker hacks the pentagon. The heroes encounter Anne again, who is a friend of the hacker. She is being persued by the Fellowship, a group of radical initiates who want to destroy all shadowkind (the whole group is shadowkind). The players discover Anne can summon demons and conscript her into Extraordinary and Supernatural Investigations Agency (ESI). The hacker continues to toy with the heroes until his employers dispatch a mercenary squad to Anne's house. The heroes discover who the hacker works for and raid the facility, recovering the stolen data as well as discovering that the employer was conducted experiments on shadow creatures.

(Option for another GM to step in for a follow-up adventure. Option missed)

Next: Players investigate 25 disappearances and a strange light in the sky. The disappearance the players are investigating is discovered to have been commited by an angel. Two characters encounter the angel, learn it has been bound to this world by Vash Gavin and serves him. Players dig around for Vash Gavin and Leads to the disappearance. Discover the missing girl, she has actually been turned into a vampire by Gavin. Players discover that ESI Local has come under attack by Gavin's forces. They follow the light in the sky until they reach a warehouse. The angel confronts them. It asks them to fight it to the death and in return it will open the door to Gavin.

This is where we are. What we will do next depends on two factors:
1. How much Time is left before one of the players leaves for a long time
2. How much the players are (not) enjoying themselves.

Based on these factors there could be 0-2 more adventures.
Options:
0 More Adventures: Alter ending to current adventure to conclude it
1 More Adventure: Current ending with a dramatic concluding adventure
2 More Adventures: Current ending, preparation adventure (side-track to prepare for final encounter), dramatic conclusion adventure.

I would be displeased with the first option and I don't think the characters could handle two adventures. I hope for the middle path, but the first path may seem mighty tempting to the playgroup.

The fault is my own, of course.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12453858/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12453858/ Wed, 04 Apr 2007 07:48:06 PDT The novice GM has had three chances. First chance: d20 Modern Urban Arcana adventure involving a dwarf, an ogre, and some kobolds: never finished. The second chance: a d20 Modern adventure involving what we think were Moreau (government-funded genetic-splicing experiments where human genes and animal genes are spliced): never finished. The third slip up is before the first two, but it is harder to remember. I believe it was a botched D&D adventure. I don't know. The bottom line is with this fourth chance the novice has unfortunately (though I believe temporarily) been "Banned" by the playgroup from GMing. The crime: novice errors of wanting the adventure to go exactly his way, and forcing the players to do so with knock-out poisons against which the save is incredibly high.
Personally, I think everyone deserves another chance, especially when I am the only GM in the playgroup....I want to play too! Novices are novices, and they won't get better unless they practice. In this case, practice comes in running adventures. There may be something he can do, or that we can do, to help him out.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12183554/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/12183554/ Wed, 14 Mar 2007 16:19:18 PDT But I believe my biggest problem yet comes from our d20 Modern campaign. Sick and tired of Dungeons and Dragons, the group decided to experiment with the fast paced modern fantasy that is d20 Modern. Sadly they found regular d20 Modern was too bland, so they pushed to spice it up with d20 Modern Urban Arcana, pretty much D&D, watered down, in the urban jungle. The problem, after the "pilot" adventure, the group unanimously decided it hates magical entities and the very existence of magic itself. The Solution: play up psions. The catch: psionics are nowhere near as powerful (or versatile) as magic. With magic, a mage has a wide verity of spells at his disposal. The mage can cast a Knock spell to open up doors (accomodating for his poor dexterity and low strength), make himself invulnerable to bullets (accomodating for his low constitution) and generally bend reality to his whim. Psionics are divided into three classes, all of whom possess powers that make them better at what they do, but do not cover their weaknesses. The charismatic-based telepath can take over a person's mind, but can't fight his way out of a paper bag. The strength-based battle mind is all about getting up close and personal, but has no answer to role-play situations other than "I kill it." The fast Psionic Agent can fly or get 360 degree vision. Great for gun-slinging, bad for everything else.
Nobody is willing to give magic a second try because they feel psionics should get a try. It got a try and was thoroughly outranked by another combat class that specialized in killing creatures foreign to Earth (of which most foes, being demons, were).
I have two options at my disposal:
1. Give in and remove any trace of magic from my adventures.
2. Work with a partner who so far has been reluctant to work on reconciling the problem at all to reconcile the problem.
I wonder which one is easier?
Now I wonder which one will be more rewarding, for both me and my players, in the long run.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/10350510/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/10350510/ Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:35:54 PDT The group of player characters in my Campaign, hitherto known as The Longshot Investigators Adventuring Company (motto: "It just MIGHT work!") are nearing the end of the story I have so lovingly crafted for them.
Albeit, there have been some complications along the way, deals struck, blood sacrifices made, and let us not forget to all too looming trouble of uncooperative players, but all-in-all the group has worked themselves into a semi-interesting mystery. Unfortunately, my group is so unattached to the adventure that they do not CARE about the mystery, perhaps because of the level of intimacy we share as friends (they know me well enough not to care).
The story so far has brought the characters into a strange world dominated by an opressive Church. The group features Alfred Revren (Human Cleric), a priest of the God of Death (considered a false god here), Lucius Pengrave (Human Fighter), archer, lecher, bad man, Wee Pants (Halfling Thief), skilled in the arts of hiding and Heubert (Human Magic-User), the mage who desperately tries to defy the rules while remaining Neutral Good (cough). Together, they set out to discover the location of a magic bowl with the power to control water elemental, as well as protect a young girl named Diane.

The greatest axis of the story, the two children who Alfred and Pengrave knew before they came to this land, has been hindered somewhat by Heubert's player.
The character of Loralei, a young and promising spellcaster was played by Heubert's player, but he abandoned her for a different character. Not wanting to have characters removed from the plot, I diligently (and cleverly) inserted Loralei and Will (Wee's player's former character) into new roles of the story.
This met with the unforseen (though in retrospect it was to be expected) consequences, as Heubert's player so distains the use of anything he even slightly owned as intellectual property. As a rule, he hates it when a DM NPCs his character, and even more when his abandoned character has some importance to the story line.
I have been reduced to not giving the character's name (although my players will forget any name soon handed to them) as to not invoke his wrath.
And it is not so much that I am stealing his idea (which I'm not), I'm using my ability as the DM to create an interesting story by coming up with an explanation for what happened to core characters.

Anyway, the characters have reached THE WALL (a massive construction that divides the Human Kingdoms from the Dragon Lands) and have been attacked by a Wyvern.
Previous to that, they were asked to search for a missing Inquisitor who just so happened to ride over the wall and were warned by the mysterious Wizard "not to believe a word they who bear Cancer tell them."
Will and Loralei previously divulged to Wee that "they bore the cancer", although Will was not aware that it was they, for they wore brown robes (the same Robe Will had worn when he attacked Wee).

The adventure should not last too much longer, as they are nearing their trip to Paterus, where the wizard lives. The plot will all wind up there, and release.

Another unfortunate bit is that my players are so bloodthirsty, they will not ask the villains questions that may sharpen their understanding of the situation, contrary to the fact that they are indeed INVESTIGATORS.

Perhaps they will be inquisitive enough to learn the secrets of the origin of the Omnianthranian Religion and its religious intolerance, or why the villain wants Diane in the first place.
Or they could just blunder through the plot, not caring about what carefully planted plot point they just trod underfoot.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/10166331/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/10166331/ Sat, 23 Sep 2006 21:01:28 PDT I have a problem, and that problem is an AP Class I am taking: AP Literature and Composition. When it comes to my courses, AP Lit is like a schoolyard bully, beating my other classes up for their time with studying. Every night I am required to trudge through another 40-50 pages of Crime and Punishment, answering chapter questions as I go. And when I don't have Crime and Punishment, I've got to study for vocab tests...memorizing the definitions of 20 different words in verbatum, as well as discovering the context of the word in the text it is used.
The next problem I have is that I have another AP Class, European History, which also demands my attention. On top of that, I have Literature as Film, a fun class, but it demands time. And the misery doesn't stop there... I still have to write my college essay and revamp it...and I'm planning to apply for early action at some schools.
So there is my dilemma.

Thank you for listening to my ravings.

]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6401111/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6401111/ Fri, 02 Sep 2005 21:43:20 PDT
Anyway, the story is about an Archaelogist named Ryoushi (it mean "Hunter" in Japanese) and his ally, a female paladin who wields a huge hammer, uncovering the cause of a period in time called the Great Dark Age, which was caused by a calamity that destroyed a thriving reinessance civilization so many years ago.

Ryoushi is not a fighter, but an archer. Young, intelligent and a good shot, Ryoushi is not the strong type, but he has quick wit and quick reflexes. It is his female friend who gets into the frey. Protected by Torso-length armor (full coverage, save a few points) she waids into combat in heavy metal greaves swinging her massive maul. I chose a hammer because big swords are just too cliche in manga and I wanted her to be the not-so-cliche brick wall.

While the paladin can kill Ryoushi twice before he hits the ground, Ryoushi has a gift that the paladin does not. He can read the ancient language of the ancient reinessance, but he cannot fully speak it.

The story is nothing special, it is the enemy that is important.

The Foe is called the Children of the Machine, they're creed: "Deus Es Machina" which, with my shakey latin translation, comes to "God IS Machine." The Children of the Machine believe that the World was built by a Giant Machine, with the sole intent of building a perfect world and that the gods are just ideas the machine created to disguise itself. They alone can see the truth and thus they worship the true god.

To the current church, this "cult" is nothing more than a godless band of heritics, hell-bent on bringing down the current society and all it stands for.

To The Children of the Machine, they are trying to destroy the lies man has lived by and expose him to the truth. After repeated failure they have but one option: Bring the Machine to the Surface from it's nest in the Planet's Core and Show people that they are right and that the current religion (which, according to them is nothing but lies and heracy) is one-hundred percent wrong.

I like the Idea, now If only I could draw it... ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6283088/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6283088/ Sat, 20 Aug 2005 21:13:20 PDT My friend is on vacation in a country in Indonesia and he's getting gifts for his friends. He asked for help to decide what gifts he was going to get them on the board, but I never saw the post or got the message. By the time I got to the board, he had already passed his deadline to get things.
So, on the board he blames the few users he has for not helping him with his gift selection. That just steams me up. He says he was "upset that we didn't think to check the website more regularly." I was at the beach! My other friend, who is the only other user, save my brother, didn't get the message until 10:00 pm at night! How is that just? He's blaming us for his inability to make a decision and that just gets my goat. As if I'm not tired enough, now I have to put up with this crap.
Sometimes people just need to make decisions for themselves. If you can't decide on which gift to buy, just get one of the gifts on the list.
It is the thought that counts after all. I mean, if I'm on vacation, I don't necessarily have to go out of my way to get you a gift from that fine country/state/area. But if I do, you should appreaciate that fact. The bottom line is that people love to get gifts, it just has to be appropriate and decent, getting a gift feels good. And if you believe that it is appropriate to blame other people for your inability to think of a gift idea, then fine, be a jack ass. But know that you're going to piss a lot of people off if you do. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6202447/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6202447/ Thu, 11 Aug 2005 21:50:24 PDT For example, one of my players died in a game. I, feeling bad about it, had the foe ressurect them and tell them that they where no fun to kill. Stupid, no?
I just couldn't help myself. I felt bad that I killed the character, and I don't want my characters dead. It gets too complicated.

Now, I've got a dilemma. One of my players aquired a minor artifact as a trophy from a duel he fought with another man. The man was weaken from a previous duel and was thus knocked out by the hard-hitting barbarian. The player then took the man's weapon, a diamond saber that is indeed a minor artifact known as "Luce."

The problem is this: I don't want him to have it because that is supposed to be the weapon of choice of a character in the storyline. Right now, it isn't looking to good.

I really need to start re-evaluating my options at the moment. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6192595/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6192595/ Wed, 10 Aug 2005 22:02:32 PDT This kind of structure is best suited for Final Fantasy, because D&D does not have awe-inspiring graphics.
This journal is a lot about me. How I feel that I've been doing my plot all wrong. A rant, you might say, that I wish to impose upon all who read this journal.
Take, for instance one of my lastest plot holes on the straight road my players travel. The greatest servant of an unholy god appears to do nothing but attack the adventures while they are staying inside a castle. Strange? My excuse is that he wanted to kill the king, which he did rather well, and once again start the wheels of war turning in the kingdom. But why didn't he get someone else to do it? My only answer to that is "If you want something done right, do it yourself." But really, the truth is that he's something the players cannot kill.
Another problem is villagers giving information to strangers. I had the propretors of an inn tell my players out of the blue about some man named the "red demon."
I feel that, to better my plot structure, instead of trying to get the quest started a little sooner, they should just walk into the quest. Adventure finds adventurers, because they are unlucky enough to walk straight into it.
I also need to spark the role-playing in my characters. Better NPCs, and perhaps, better enemies. Less one-on-ones. More avoidible battles, or powerful foes that lead scores of weaker enemies. Not every foe has to be a demi-god or Solar to be strong. Give more interesting magical items. etc.

This journal is just a long-winded brainstorm put into words. I don't expect replies. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6192509/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6192509/ Wed, 10 Aug 2005 21:50:12 PDT Its funny, but some people have a daily routine on the internet. I check my e-mail, check the sites I'm a member of, read web comics on my favorites list when they update, and then just play computer games all day. Odd, isn't it?
I'm gotten into a new game called "Guild Wars." Its fun, I play a Ranger/Monk who is focused in Protection chants and marksmenship. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6182618/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/6182618/ Tue, 09 Aug 2005 21:13:23 PDT I've got many great pieces in a sketchbook, I just can't show them, because my scanner is a whore. In addition, they're only sketches. Its as if my sketches are my best works, and my serious, penned artwork is a second-hand shadow of my unknown art.
Ho hum. I shall attempt again, soon enough. I need to know how some of the people on deviant art actual DO their CGs. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5871862/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5871862/ Thu, 07 Jul 2005 21:51:53 PDT
Contrary to popular belief, a cross is but ONE way to turn the undead. There are many undead in folk lore that are destroyed by means other than the Christian Cross.
Just think about it. The cross is everywhere in even the most popular animes and mangas. Cowboy Bebop has a fight between Spike and Vicious in a church, Hellsing has crosses everywhere (as some would say it should.)

I am very pleased when I see an anime or manga upholding the traditional japanese religion: shinto. I personally believe that japanese culture is deeply embedded in anime and manga, as is any culture in art.

I understand that it is impossible and wrong to discourage the inclusion of religious or holy icons in artwork. Its truly up to the artist what goes in the piece. All I am saying is that the cross is a cliched image. Perhaps artists should use a different holy symbol, or seek to better understand elements of certain cultures before using symbols of that culture in their art. ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5776886/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5776886/ Mon, 27 Jun 2005 22:56:40 PDT
I'm running my own campaign setting in which there are numerous original character classes that I need to either give an insentive to NOT be (ie why be a 7th level fighter when you could be a weapon master?) or original D&D Classes (fighters, clerics, magic users) which need tweeking. My largest focus right now are the Unearthed Arcana and Oriental Handbook character classes, which are frighteningly powerful. I'm working to sand down the rough edges on cavaliers, make barbarians playable, and deluting the oriental classes to regular character class quality. (I'm also fiddling with monks.)

If any of this sounds greek to anyone, then this might not be a good entry to read. It will be filled with D&D terms.

In my story, I seem to have come upon a problem. I really can't seem to keep my players interested and to get them to PAY ATTENTION to important plot points. Admittedly, there is not much of a plot, but I'm working on that. They forget every NPC they encounter, and don't give a crud about who they talk to or HOW to address them. Last week, one of my players talked smack to a very powerful lord, who was very commanding. I also seem to have problems keeping role play interesting. I suppose I might have polarized rp and combat, giving the players no option when it comes to fighting....

Every enemy I've pitched at them so far does knows no fear. They have no morale, and for the most part, they are either mute, blind or some form of Demi-god.

All they have foughten thus far are
-Silent Ones (Guys in black cloaks who leave no corpse when they die)
-Blind Ones (Blind People, Mostly Evil Elves or Humans who leave corpses. Predominantly spell casters.)
-EL QUETH: Lord of Silence (Demi-god)
-Hobgoblins: Bigger, better, smarter versions of orcs
or
-Crimson Magi (A magic-user class)

As you can see, I've neglected variety. I need to get my adventure back on track, so I plan to make it a little more exciting. Sadly, It only gets exciting after a good deal else of things I wrote before the muses whispered in my ears again.

I always write long blocks of adventure, hoping they will turn out better than they always do.

IN OTHER ADVENTURES:
My friends occasionally manage to pry me away from the D&D screen (it usually involves a lot of kicking and dragging ) and get me behind a character. When this happens one of two thing occur:1. I have a good time role palying a fun character or 2. I'm bored to death. (The latter is very rare.)

I am in too many adventures to count...4.

Niou occasionally DMs, but I never find his adventures very fun, just because I feel he always finds ways to screw my thieves. Its not his fault, though, he makes the world for the world, not the characters. Niou is a dreamer, and sometimes expects more devotion the the characters than we feel is necessary (ie. His adventure before his current one. He expected us to play our characters long enough so we could figth in hell.)

Sometimes one of my not-niou friends will DM, though he has only done it three times (we will call him N-NFA). The first two he never finished, lets just hope he can finish this one. He is a good DM, but he lacks the motivation to be an effective DM, never writing more than the beginning of the adventure.

Occasionally my Brother DMs, but this is rare. His adventures are good, but lack description, though we often have a good time. He is imaginative, creating vast settings with a rich history.

Most of the time I'm not dming my other not-niou friend is dming. He is a very good DM. Recently, he started running a campaign, but scrapped it in lou of a better one. His first campaign is where Kijin has all of his powerful gear (His Minor Artifact, His Holy Armor, etc.) The second campaign is where Haen is. Haen is Kijin's Younger sister. In this campaign, she is the daughter of a great lord who wishes to overthrow the king. She acts as emissary to various neighboring powers, trying to gather allies under her father's banner. Kijin is the brilliant leader and skilled warrior who is martially the bannermen of his house to war. He is the lord's eldest and only son, but a powerful warrior none the less.

Haen is a intelligent by unwise Fighter/Magic-User Dual Class (Fighter 6, Magic User *current class* 5). She has found her way into trouble twice so far. Once, she fell... ]]> ~Runeir http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5776639/ http://Runeir.deviantart.com/journal/5776639/ Mon, 27 Jun 2005 22:21:10 PDT
Most of my inspiration comes from D&D, which I play almost religiously.

Today I toiled feverishly to create a sketch of an idea I have. It will be Haen Corebane (one of my characters) sitting in a chair, looking out a window. The sky outside is dark, and black "snow" is falling. A painted city pans out through the window. Her back is to you, so you can't see her face, except in the reflection. She looks concerned with something on her mind. That is what I see, but the trouble is I can't draw it.

I suppose I should draw a picture of Haen and post it. I also had ideas for a fight that she had with some brigands, which was mostly fought by her bodyguards, Gyoku and Mataku (I think those are the names)...

In my mind, Gyoku is jumping to his feet in surprise, because he has just been grazed by a crossbow bolt, fired by a brigand who said he was going to get him some food. Haen is already on her feet, but in a bent position, as if she has just risen. Mataku is already on his feet, but off in the corner. Behind the archer brigand is an opening in the cave they are in which is veiled in shadows. From the shadows you can see and elfin figure creaping forward, a gleaming short sword drawn. Kind of in the blurred foreground (right infront of the point of view) is the blurred partial form of a spear-toting brigand. Acrossed the fire, partially concealed by the spearman is a brigand with a long sword drawn. The bolt has just wizzed past Gyoku, and a small trail of blood is flying from the grazing wound, as well as parts of Gyoku's gi.

I see so much, but can draw so little. Bah, I suppose I should just go for it. ]]> ~Runeir