I like this article. I found it amusing and light with usable ideas. Is there any work on ideas for players to use to stall an adventure so they can take a break? I know everyone can really get wrapped up into a game, and no one wants to take a break in the middle of the action just because one of the other players needs to run to the bathroom.

I've missed out on some fun gaming sessions because I needed to take a break. I know stopping the game would not have been fair to the other players when the action is getting intense, but some players may have to bow out for several minutes, or fifteen if they have medical issues.

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Interesting. A very usuable idea. It kinda reminds me of Exalted, but it does provide a nice spring-board for a melange of character ideas and possibilities. Go to Comment

I can see this taking on a life of it's own. Literally. As Valadaar suggested, what if someone animated the beard?

Or if there was a parasite that mimicked the Beard of the Magus in appearance? It could feed off of the host's energy.

Beware of the Beard.

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I do not consider myself one of those "talented writers", but I left when the the voting troubles started. It was just a bit much to deal with. But, I came back. Today is my first day back in a very long time and so many things are different now. It is going to take a while to adjust to how things are done now.

If I remember correctly, I deleted the stuff that I posted that was picked to death by some folks. I do not remember their names or the content involved, it was a long time ago. From the looks of it, the Citadel has entered a more civilized age.

I know this was posted last year, and I am a bit slow on getting back to things, but I found the article useful. It gave me a sense of some of the things that happened while I was away. Go to Comment

I was not sure of how this piece was going to be received when I posted it. It is a pleasant surprise to come back several years later and see that people like it. Thank you. It makes coming back to the Citadel easier after being gone so long.

I have missed all of you and look forward to rejoining the community.

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Carviton Cacciatore

3 pounds of carviton meat, cut into serving pieces
2 cups flour seasoned with salt and pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
2 onions, finely chopped
2 -3 cloves garlic, crushed
8 red ripe tomatoes peeled, seeded and chopped
4 green peppers chopped
bay leaves
1 cup white wine
1 pound of mushrooms, sliced
8 ounces of sliced pimientos
Parsley for garnish
2 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons cold water

Dry carviton meat well and dip pieces in seasoned flour. Saute carviton in hot oil until well browned. Remove carviton from pan. In the same oil, saute onions and garlic until golden. Return carviton to pan and add remaining ingredients except the cornstarch, mushrooms, pimientos and parsley. Cover skillet and simmer for 30 minutes until carviton is tender.Add mushrooms and pimientos and cook for 10 minutes. Thicken sauce with cornstarch paste. Garnish with parsley. Serves 8

Chicken can be substituted for the Carviton Go to Comment

Apple Brandy Selvak Chops

6 thick center-cut selvak chops, about 8 oz. each
12 - 15 large fresh basil leaves, finely minced
3 tablespoons minced onion or shallots
1/4 cup green peppers, very finely minced
1/4 cup butter
6 tablespoons apple brandy
Bread crumbs
Salt and pepper
2 eggs
Cooking oil

Cut a lateral pocket in each selvak chop 2" long and 1" deep. Saute shallots and green peppers in butter until vegetables are merely tender. Add apple brandy and set ablaze. When flames disappear, add 1/2 cup bread crumbs and basil. Mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stuff selvak chops with bread crumb mixture. Dip chops in flour. Beat eggs with 4 teaspoons oil. Dip chops in beaten egg, coating thuroughly. Dip chops in bread crumbs; pat crumbs on chops to make firm coating. Close pockets shut with several toothpicks. Heat 1/4" oil in skillet. Saute chops until medium-brown on both sides. Place in a shallow backing dish and cook for one hour at a medium temperature. Serves 6

Should Selvak not be in season, pork chops may be used as a substitution for this recipe. Go to Comment

Marinated Selvak

2/3 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 bay leaves, crumbled
3 cups onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic
Leg of selvak

Marinate selvak in a mixture of all ingredients for at least 12 hours, turning occasionally. Cook for 1 1/2 - 2 hours on the grill, basting occasionally with marinade.

Lamb is an excellent substitute for this recipe. Go to Comment

Karahi Squicken

2 tablespoons ghee
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, chopped finely
2 tablespoons garam masala
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, ground
1/2 teaspoon dried mint
1 bay leaf
1 pound and 10 ounces of squicken meat, diced
Scant 1 cup of chicken stock. (Yes chicken..not squicken)
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
Salt
Warm naan bread or chapatis, to serve

Heat the ghee in a karahi, wok or a large, heavy skillet. Add the garlic and onion. Stir-fry for about 4 minutes until onion is golden.

Stir in the garam masala, ground coriander, mint and bay leaf.

Add the squicken and cook over a high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.Add the stock and simmer 10 minutes, until the sauce has thickened and the squicken juices run clear when the meat is tested with a sharp knife.

Stir in fresh cilantro and salt to taste, mix well and serve immediately with warm naan bread or chapatis. Serve 4.

If Squicken is not to your liking, you may substute it for Chicken. Go to Comment

Squicken Risotto Milanese

1/4 cup butter
2 . lbs squicken meat, sliced thinly
1 large onion, chopped
2 1/2 cups risotto rice
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
2/3 cup white wine
1 teaspoon crumbled saffron
salt and pepper
1/2 grated tuva root, to serve

Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a deep skillet, and fry the squicken and onion until golden brown. Add the rice, stir well, and cook for 15 minutes.

Heat the stock until boiling and gradually add to the rice.

Add the white wine, saffron, salt and pepper to taste and mix well.

Simmer gently for 20 minutes, stirring
occasionally, and adding more stock if the risotto becomes to dry.

Leave to stand for 2-3 minutes and just before serving, add a little more stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve the risotto sprinkled with the grated tuva root and the remaining butter.

Serve 4

* Chicken may be substituted for the squicken meat. Parmesan cheese may be substituted for the tuva root. Go to Comment

Avgolemon Soup

12 cups chicken broth
1/2 - 2/3 cup rice
3 squicken egg yolks*
1/3 - 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup dill leaves

Place the broth in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice, lower the heat to low and cook until it is tender, about 15 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, place the egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk until the mixture is frothy and somewhat thickened.
Gradually add 1/2 cup boiling broth to the egg mixture, being careful not to let the eggs curdle. Add 2 more cups, 1/2 cup at a time. Return the mixture to the stockpot and continue cooking for 10 minutes, hisking occasionally. Serve immediately or cover and chill up to 2 days.

To reheat, cook over low heat until heated through, about 5 - 8 minutes. Garnish with dill. Serve 6.

*If squicken eggs are not available, replace with 12 large chicken egg yolks Go to Comment

As the person who started all of this,I should be the one doing the thanking.

Thank you to everyone who participated in this and thank you to those who continue to do so. I think food was one of the most ignored items in gaming. Aside from conversations with friends about recipes, it was the fact that a great night of gaming went hand in hand with good snacks and good friends. A full stomach lends itself well to a longer game, but too much beverage leads to many breaks. Go to Comment

I have experienced the game enhancing nature of music while gaming. During one of the long running campaigns by Scrasamax, the other players were overwrought by the death of a beloved NPC and very nearly demanded a funeral service to be played out. It took some planning, but when the game resumed, there was music and crying.

The music was Ghost in the Shell soundtrack. "M01 Chant I - Making of Cyborg" – 4:31

There was a memorial service for the NPC, several PCs got up and spoke. There was a funeral procession, and one of the PCs even made a special crafted adornment for the NPCs crypt.

It was an interesting night to say the least. The music made it even more memorable.

Instead of CDs, the music was played on the nearby computer via Napster.

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I find this thread to be very useful. It also gives more insight to the GM I know. As a player, it was easy to get wrapped up in the game and not understand how much effort went in to making it work. There were even game sessions on the fly. And there were spin-off games to the main game plot. When a few members of the group got together (an unplanned gathering) and wanted to play, we had secondary characters and plots that ran beside the main game. And when the main group got back together, sometimes we ran into the mess left behind by our other characters.

It was a lot of fun. But not easy.

And when there was a breakdown in the group, the GM handled it well. The game continued on, and eventually the group would get over whatever issues had cropped up. Then, the groups would merge back together and continue on. We would have new things to talk about, like some of the things we had encountered while seperated. It gave the game a deeper, richer enviroment to play in.

And we learned how to adapt to the diversity of the group.

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There is no telling how long Eliam has been gone. It could be months..it could be years. Depending on the stoyline/game that Petra is put in.

Eliam could be living next door, he maybe be in another village or a far away land. Then again Eliam might be dead. Again, this is up to the person who choses Petra. Petra does not know where Eliam is, or how long he has been gone. Up until her awakening there is lack of understanding the passing of time.

Petra could have been brought to life by the sheer strength of Eliam love and devotion to his creation. After all he spents many months...possible a year, constantly near the marble block and Petra herself as he sculpted her.

Being the gift of a goddess is another idea. Or it was latent magics at work. Go to Comment

I do apologize for my grammar. I may speak english. But when it comes to getting my ideas out, I have some difficulties. It is something I need to work on. :) Go to Comment

A sentient boat. Very interesting. And a good idea. That and including ship's logs, that is pretty cool.

4/5 :) Go to Comment

Ok, first of all, not a bad start. I still dont know why people have characters with a scar across their eye but the eye is perfectly fine. But hey, that's just me.

Hmm, pillaged home and murdered family. Temporary enslavement. Cliche...but again, not a bad start. Alot of cliche things are becoming popular these days.
What get's me is that she has become a mercenary. Which means over time she will be hired out and will become just like the ones who attacked her home. And then someone else will take up the reigns. Kind of an endless cycle of violence there.

:pokes Penguin:
I dont think there is anything wrong with the name given. But one would suggest that an elven character have an elven name. Unless she has adopted the human name as a way of survival. If so, some details of why she chose this name would be appreciated.

Why did the band of humans chose to pillage her home?
Why was Michaela's life spared?
How long was she a prisoner to the band of humans?
What is a bladesinger? (most of us have no clue what this is)
What things did she endure before the Master Bladesinger agreed to become her teacher?

Not trying to be mean. Just trying to give some constructive criticism. These are some questions that need to be answered. And as I have been told many many times. Details are appreciated, even if they are really long. Not bad for your first character. Go to Comment

I have to give it a 4/5.
I could actually picture it like a little mini movie going on there. For some reason I expected to hear Papa Smurf narrating it...or Brainy Smurf. Go to Comment

Becuase it is demoralizing to those they have come to conquer. The others were given much smaller ships to keep with the idea that most of these places are growing colonies that have not been established long enough to build little more than hodge-podge transports cannibalized from the ships that originally brought them there.

My question is, where is New Mecca?(sp?) The place they were originally heading in the first movie. Go to Comment