Where have you been?! Looking behind the curtain.

Hey everybody! I know it's been a few weeks since I've had a blog post here. Rest assured I am okay and safe, so no worries there. That being said, I've had a lot of things in my life come to pass that has made my time extremely tight. For a while rendered my creative muscles for writing strained. I feel it's important for me to lay out all my cards on the table for you all. So let's see behind the curtain a little bit this week.

Since my last post, the relationship I was in ended and had me in a pretty dark place for a while. I've  also started working a day job that I actually have come to love and enjoy immensely. Lastly, a creative project I started working on a year-and-a-half ago with some friends has really kicked off and is going well. I think I should explain a little more clearly on each of those.

Firstly the relationship bit of my opening. I'm really not going to get into it here, because I honestly don't want to. It had me rattled for a while and made things really hard on me mentally. It just kind of sucked, I really think that that is huge understatement but I cannot think of bigger words to describe it. However, since then I've grown and I’ve gotten better. I'm thankful for the time I had with this person, and I'm very glad that we have remained friends. If anything, it is showing that I have a lot of personal demons I deal with.No one's perfect. I'm starting to realize that and accept it. So, even though it may hurt, it's good to know the world hasn't ended. A very close friend of mine once said, “pain is the best teacher, but no one wants to be in his class.” I can't help but say that he's absolutely right.

I started a job! I'm working at a physical therapy clinic as a digital media specialist. I have to say it's one of the best positions I could have asked for. It has a lot of great people there who have been absolutely stunning. It has floored me at how supportive they are, and how genuine they are. It blows my mind! I'm working on videos for them, like testimonials of clients who come in and have gotten help and improve their standard of living. I have also worked on tutorial videos which focus on stretches that can be done at home to help with different kinds of pain. I've been using my camera every day. Filming more and more content, and taking photos for the social media pages. I said it before, I'll say it again, I can't be more thankful. It is taking a lot of my time, but I wouldn't trade any of it for anything.

As for the creative project, there's not much I actually can say. In fact, that's all really I can say. I'm doing some writing and it's exciting. I'm working with some friends I've had for a very long time, and I couldn't think of a better group of people to work with on this outside project. So I’ll seal that up nice and tight.

Those are a few major things that are going and have gone on for the past few weeks. That still leaves the question. What happens to The Wanderers corner? I will be a hundred percent honest, I don't have as much time as I did this past summer, I may not be able to write as much. That being said, this is absolutely not the last post you'll hear from me. This may turn into a biweekly thing, this may turn into a monthly thing, it may not be on a Saturday. In short,  just keep your eyes peeled for any posts that may come. They will still be nerdy, they will still be odd and out there, they will still be dealing with the things I love. Honestly just I’m going to let it flow and I hope you enjoy them. I will explore escapism as best I can with you, if you’ll join me. I just hope you all enjoy the ride. So, as always, keep your eyes peeled for the next post I look forward to hearing from you all in the comments.

Movie Review: "The Mummy" (1999)

This is going to be my first film review here on The Wanderer's Corner. What better than a movie I know like the back of my hand?  The movie I am going to be reviewing, happened to be a huge part of my childhood. It has shaped a lot of my film tastes, and I have a bit of a weak spot for this film to be honest. Regardless, I plan on keeping this a fair review, but I also should prefix this review with a note. This is my opinion, and regardless of what I say here, I hope you will see the movie to form your own opinion. So without further ado, let's dive into the 1999 adventure film The Mummy!

The first major factor to look at here is the movie's art design. When I say art design, I am talking about the overall look to the film. This is everything from sets to costumes in the film, and I must say, I really love this movie’s look. The set design we see throughout the film is fantastic. The design of the final showdown being inside an ancient tomb is one of the most distinct sets. You really get a distinct feeling of how old everything is while also feeling the epicness and grandeur of an ancient Egyptian tomb.

The costuming for the movie is also extremely fantastic. Every character has a distinct look to them that gives you an idea of who they are. Even though they may be simple designs, they fit the characters perfectly. The costume worn by one of our protagonists Rick fits this idea wonderfully. His clothes are simple and functional, but also have the rugged look of a pulp hero. The art for this film really does seem to have a the fondness for the old Universal movie monster films that the mummy draws from. It keeps the pulp adventure of those films, while also having a style to it that makes it feel distinct from the originals.Seriously major congratulations to the art team.

One of the most important part of this film, of any film for that matter, are the characters. It is extremely important for a film to have likable and relatable characters. The Mummy absolutely has just that. Staying with the established mummy villain, originally

portrayed by Boris Karloff in 1932, is Imhotep played by Arnold Vosloo. Vosloo does an absolutely fantastic job playing a sympathetic villain; mind you, we're left with no doubt he is the bad guy. Heck, in one of his first scenes he and his lover brutally murder the pharaoh who she was mistress to. However, despite all that, you still feel why Imhotep is doing what he's doing, it's out of love. Love is a motivation that isn’t explored often in terms of villains.

This is a shining example of love being a twisted motivation for a villain to do villainous things. Vosloo also brings a level of power and grace to the character in a way, where Boris Karloff often came off as clunky in this movement. For main hero of the story, we have Brendan Fraser playing Rick O'Connell the sort of rough and tumble action hero of a character. He plays the reluctant hero at start; yet, the moment everything hits the fan he's in it and he isn't giving up, which is actually a very endearing quality. Brendan Fraser, is also charming and funny in this role which feels really natural. Honestly is what had me really rooting for the good guys. Rachel Weisz takes on the role of Evelyn in the film, an extremely intelligent egyptologist who wishes gain respect of her intellectual peers by the discovery of Hamunaptra. Evelyn is an extremely likable character funny, intelligent, and adventurous. She has the audience in her court for the whole film. I also love the fact that she is the one who makes it possible for there to be a good outcome in the film. It is Evelyn who is able to open up Imhotep's weak spot and really come in clutch in act three. I could go on and on about the characters in this film as it is one of the films strongest point, but honestly you need to see for yourself to really understand how great they are.

Next up we have story which is obviously the most crucial part to consider when talking about any movie. Is the story captivating? Does it hold everybody's attention? Does it make you feel any sort of way? These are all things that could be talked about when looking at film and honestly The Mummy does extremely well in this department. The story for the most part follows the same steps as the old mummy films. It follows an ancient undead who wishes to bring back the love of his life and he is willing to break the world to get her back. It's the whole idea of forbidden love from ancient past that has dire consequences in the present. It also shows bad things done for something typically conceived as good doesn't excuse the bad actions. However, it also does maintain that love is not a bad thing as we see a romance between Rick and

Evelyn develop throughout the film. It actively shows that the way Imhotep's going about all this is wrong, and that what he is doing does make him the bad guy, no question. The film itself is an exciting adventure. This film is a summer blockbuster, a total popcorn movie, but also has a very interesting message in this sense. Honestly, I would have been happy if it was just a summer blockbuster but I'm over the moon because it went the extra mile and didn't take half-measures with the story. The creators of this film wanted to have a message and they did! For that it has my seal of approval.
If you're looking for a fun action film, this is one for you. If you're looking for a Indiana Jones style film that feels like some of the old Universal classics, this is absolutely for you. I saw this film at a young age, but unlike many other films I saw when I was younger, It held up. Looking back on this film it does stand the test of time. I give 1999’s The Mummy a solid 9/10 and my personal note of a must watch. If you enjoyed this movie review feel free to let me know what you think in the comments. Stay tuned to The Wanderer’s Corner new posts come on Saturdays!

Daniel's 10 Fantasy Films (Part 2)

Alright, it's time to finish what was started, last week I gave you all the first five films in my top ten fantasy films and now the time has come. These are  the creme of the crop, the best of the best in my humble opinion. I give you my top five fantasy films of all time, So without further ado, let's dive in.

5) Hellboy
Hellboy is a fantastic film with a good amount of heart. It is exactly how I would imagine an urban fantasy could incorporate both pulp action and elements of lovecraftian horror. Our main character is a demon a giant stone hand that fights evil cultists who happened to work for the Nazis. Now, tell me that actually doesn't sound entertaining in some regard. The character designs of of the character Abe and Hellboy himself I have found to be absolutely fantastic. This is thanks, in no small part, to the fantastic artwork of the comics who inspired the artist behind the movie. This arguably was the movie that made Guillermo Del Toro a household name and you can feel his directorial choices all throughout this piece. I feel it's also important to note that the casting of Ron Perlman as Hellboy had to be one of the best choices a casting director could have ever made. The actor is synonymous with this character. I also feel that takes the whole idea of a demon, something that should be evil and a villain, and making a hero, is a fantastic idea. There's really something to be said about the nature versus nurture approach that this film takes. If Hellboy wasn’t taken in by John Hurt's character at the start of the film and instead was taken by let's say the Nazis that brought him through to our world, it would be a very different film. As an urban fantasy this film is fantastic. As a pulp Adventure it is fantastic. As an introduction to lovecraftian horror it is awesome. It is for all these reasons with absolute certainty I give Hellboy the number five spot on my list.

4) Excalibur (1981)
Now we have an Arthurian legend movie that is unlike most King Arthur movies. Excalibur is one of the best fantasy films that we can look to that came out of the 80s. It is easily one of the more in depth Arthur movies. That being said, I understand that it's enormous run time might be a turnoff to most people; but, without a doubt in my mind, this film is worth sitting through the entire duration. In this film, you learned about Arthur's father, which is huge! Not many movies talk about Uther Pendragon or even really mention him. We see how the sword became The Sword in the Stone. Another big thing is the film doesn't end with Arthur being crowned King, no it goes into full the Le Morte d'Arthur. The audience gets to see how his kingdom Rises and falls. We see how he is betrayed by best friend and wife. We see the sword return to the lake and Arthur sent off to Avalon. I really love that it told us the whole story and didn't pull punches. Not to mention that this film has the absolute best Merlin I have ever seen, seriously! Nicol Williamson absolutely steals the show as Merlin and it's fantastic. If Ever I use Merlin in D&D games I base it off his performance. The film also has the best use of the song O Fortuna I've ever seen. The costuming was great, acting great, and just overall one of the best King Arthur films ever to be made. That's why I've placed it comfortably at number four on my list.

3) Van Helsing
The next film on my list I’ve seen critically criticized, I can understand why but I couldn’t ever bring myself to agree with it being a bad film. Van Helsing is an absolute joy to watch, it takes gothic horror, the universal movie monsters, and all the thrills of a summer blockbuster into one film. This is easily Stephen Sommers best film, not to say that Sommers other films are bad. Far from it actually, the mummy films helped shape my childhood in all honesty. That being said, holy heck this far and beyond is his absolute best film and in my opinion is the best kind of summer movie. I loved the fact that this film brings forth just about all of the universal monsters and each one is fantastic. The design of Frankenstein is one of the best parts of the film and really is a cool way of imagining how the monster would look and work. In my older article about Lycanthropes, I talked briefly about the werewolves from this movie and now I will say for absolute certainty,. Van Helsing has the absolute best werewolves in any film ,ever. These beasts are big, bad and absolutely intimidating in all the right ways. Next, we come to one of the best parts of the film in my opinion, its villain. The Dracula in this film is my personal favorite portrayal of the big vampire himself.. Yes, there is Christopher Lee, Bela Lugosi, Gary Oldman, and Frank Langella all to compete with and of these actors are fantastic, but Richard Roxburgh is absolutely fantastic. Roxburgh steals a great amount of his scenes, and that is no small feat when playing against Hugh Jackman as Van Helsing. This is a fantastic monster filled adventure that fuses gothic themed horror with high scale adventure and for that it gets my number three spot on this list.

2) Conan the Barbarian (1982)
What can I say about the original Conan movie, that hasn’t been said by countless others? Conan was my first live action fantasy film ever and I must say, though seeing it as young as I did may sway my opinion on this one, I love it. This is a Swords and Sorcery romp in the absolute best way, and it absolutely feels like an adventure in Dungeons and Dragons. The cast for this movie is also great! With, at the time, relative new comer Arnold Schwarzenegger as its title character, Conan felt like an absolutely awesome warrior character. Having played two D&D characters based around this performance, I am happy to say it still holds up despite time. It is also hugely important that I don’t forget to talk about the iconic baddie that is Thulsa Doom played by the always epic James Earl Jones. Jones brings a huge amount of charisma to the role as Thulsa Doom . He is absolutely awesome in this movie playing a cool and collected villain opposite to Arnold's rage motivated Conan. The film has some great moments, it has both action and comedy that really gives this movie its charm. It makes the film that much more enjoyable. It was my first and it still holds up to me. In my opinion it is a must see when it comes to fantasy films. For that Conan the Barbarian gets the number two spot on this list.

1) Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King
Yeah, just about anyone could have guessed that this would be sitting pretty as my favorite. Honestly, I love this film so much. The Return of The King is the culmination of years of hard work from a team that loved what it was doing, it was a journey that still stands the test of time. The costuming was absolutely stunning with great hand crafted pieces developed by Weta Workshop. The digital effects never feel fake in this movie; but, rather, they feel like they enhance the excellence of all the practical effects of the picture, which is fantastic! The score to the film is absolutely iconic and has become synonymous with the films, as well as, whenever something epic is happening. Yes, this has led for parody and sometimes silliness, but still it holds an effect on people in a way that many cannot explain -other that feeling completely hyped! This film also had a stunning ensemble cast that everyone could really invest their hearts into. For me, the character that I attached to, and my friends compare me to most often is Samwise Gamgee played by the absolutely fantastic Sean Astin. Sam is my favorite character of all time and is the real hero of the films, in my opinion. Without Sam, Frodo would have been dead ages ago, and without his best friend Frodo, Sam wouldn’t have become the man he was supposed to be. Honestly, despite the film sweeping the Oscars for every category it was nominated for, I still am sitting here saying where the hell is Sean Astin’s best supporting actor! This is not to discount any of the other stellar performances of this film as I feel that everyone was absolutely marvelous.,The casting team for this film should be given free drinks at any restaurant for the rest of their lives, in my opinion. The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King is absolutely my number one pick. Seriously, how could it not be? It is a fantastic adaptation and a great film. It has changed how the world perceived fantasy in entertainment. Swords and magic wasn’t just for nerds who lived in basements anymore. It wasn’t just for the perceived geeks and nerds of the world. One could argue without Lord of The Rings, there would be no Game of Thrones, no other experimental fantasy films, no boom in the fantasy fandom. For everything it did, and everything it continues to do. The Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King takes my number one fantasy film of all time.

Well that about wraps this post up, I hope you all liked the list. Please, feel free to comment and share this article. I’d love to hear all your thoughts. I am curious,.are your favorite fantasy films?

   If you enjoyed this bit of writing stay tuned.  There will be a new article here every Saturday at The Wanderer's Corner.

Daniel's 10 Fantasy Films (Part 1)

This week I'd like to talk about something very near and dear to my heart, Fantasy films. Now just to be clear, fantasy films in my book are films that in some way shape or form have the existence of magic and or magical elements. That really and truly is my major requirement for a movie to be considered a work of fantasy. Other than that, it is fairly open to most films. I also feel like I should say that this is indeed MY list. If there's anything on this list you don't like, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to apologize for what I enjoy. That being said, I do encourage you to create your own list. I'd love to see what you would say your favorite fantasy films are! In the interest of time, I will be breaking this list into two parts. Part one will be covered this week and the top five will be posted next week. So, without further ado, here are numbers ten to six in my top ten fantasy films.

10) Warcraft

Now, I know what you're thinking with this one. "Ugh, the video game adaptation movie that was critically rated horrible?" Yes, that one. Now I should say, I am a fan of Blizzard Entertainment and their Warcraft series, but hear me out. Warcraft made my list because it is a fun enjoyable popcorn movie that did something different from what most fantasy films do. In just about every fantasy film, we see that bad guys that are ugly nasty evil monsters fueling the the whole idea that the only good orc is a dead orc, or goblins are only evil always!  This is what Warcraft did different . One of the main heroic figures in this film is Durotan, an orc. Yes, we see the orc’s can be brutal warriors and horrible opponents, and yes, we see that the typical good looking human heroes are the people we are supposed to be rooting for. With that said,  we see that there are indeed good orcs, ones who merely want to live and make a new home. By having Durotan, a new father and leader of a clan, be one of their principals, and a character that is actually try and do the right thing is huge! The film itself is also beautifully shot. The costuming, as well as, set design really captured the feeling of the games this picture was based on. Is it going to win any awards for being a groundbreaking piece of cinema? No. Is it going to change the way we look at at think of video game movies? No chance. Does it introduce an interesting world to a mainstream audience, and is it at the very least a fun movie? I genuinely feel that it does. That's why Warcraft sits comfortably at my number ten spot.

9) Wizard of Oz

What can I say about the Wizard of Oz that hasn’t already been said? This is an absolute classic film with a fantastic cast. It is the forerunner of fantasy films and is absolutely iconic in the history of American cinema. I remember the first time I watched this film and seeing the moment when color hit the screen in this picture was absolutely breathtaking. To this day, I feel it is one of the most successful reveals in a movie. The casting of Judy Garland as the films protagonist was an absolutely brilliant move by the casting department. She brought a quality to the film that makes it very hard not to like the character. Even if I found myself questioning her intelligence, at times. I can say there was never a moment I wasn't rooting for her. It's costuming was fantastic, as was its set design. With an Iconic soundtrack, this film hit some absolutely fantastic notes and really did pave the way for countless other pieces in the genera. It also has gained a huge half-life in its countless spin off pieces like Oz the Great and Powerful and the Broadway classic Wicked. To put it simply, this film is and will always be a classic. It would feel like a misstep to not have it here in the number nine spot.

8) Labyrinth

Good God, I love this movie. I was introduced to this film not as a kid, but as a sophomore in college . I am a little mad I didn’t know about it earlier! This has to be one of, if not the best,  Jim Henson films I’ve ever seen. It has some of the best creature design I have ever seen. While watching, I never questioned or said "oh that's just a puppet." As with all his work, Jim Henson made these creatures real.  He breathed life into them and made them living characters that were unparalleled at the time. The sets, as well, were absolutely wonderful with a sort of wonderland like quality. They really feel like a twisted child's idea of what a labyrinthian city would be. To be 100% honest, they hold up today and it's marvelous. When one talks about Labyrinth, they cannot skip over one of the most likable fantasy villains of all time. The Goblin King is charismatic,  cool, suave, and, of course, David Bowie. Good God! No one else could have played this part. No one else should play this part!  This is literally the perfect casting. It is also important to note that the music is so fantastic because of the work that Bowie put into the film. Sure, it may be a kids film and maybe dated by time,  but it is an absolutely fantastic film. If you have never seen this classic of the eighties, you need to as soon as you can. Despite time and me being late to the party that is Labyrinth ,it  has earned a secure eight spot on this list.

7) Pirates of The Caribbean: Curse of The Black Pearl

The first film in the Pirates of the Caribbean film series, and in this writer's humble opinion the best, absolutely qualifies as a fantasy film. What would you call a film that has zombie pirates, cursed treasure, and swashbuckling adventure. This film captured the spirit of the old Errol Flynn swashbuckling movies like The Sea Hawk and Captain Blood  for which I'm extremely grateful as those were two classics, in my opinion. It also launched a franchise that, despite all its missteps, has really been able to touch on pirate legends and nautical folklore like no other film series. It also has given us one of the most iconic pirate characters of all time, Captain Jack Sparrow. Regardless, of what anyone can say about Johnny Depp, the Jack Sparrow character is iconic and this is the film that brought him to us. Jack Sparrow with this constant swagger and ridiculous amounts of good luck is the iconic lovable rogue nowadays. When Jack Sparrow is able to play off of Orlando Bloom's, Will Turner, or Geoffrey Rush's fantastic, Captain Barbossa, you get something really special and fun to watch. There is indeed a charm to this film and the production value is incredible. With fantastic locations and sets, in conjunction to some great costuming work, it is without a doubt a great looking movie. It has earned its position as my number seven pick on this list.

6) Harry Potter and The Sorcerer's Stone

Yes, I know the Sorcerer's Stone isn't the best of all the Harry Potter movies in most people's opinions,  but the Sorcerer's Stone did something fantastic. It was the opening introduction to a phenomenon for so many people, including myself. I grew up with my mom reading to us as a family the Harry Potter series and I remember every single book so you can say the series had a huge impact on me. The first film was absolutely fantastic and captured the very nature of the first Harry Potter book. Everything is so exciting and new and you're along for the ride with this 11 year old who is just now finding out he's something special. This was before everything got darker and was more intense like the other films. It really caught the childhood innocence that the first book had to it. The world building in this film is fantastic and really establishes what the magical world looks like and who the people are in the Magical World. This film was also the introduction to three fantastic talents in today's film world Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, and Daniel Radcliffe who have gone on to do so much for the world around them. To me it's important to note that the Sorcerer's Stone was the start of it all.  It was when I started dreaming of being a wizard, it was when a franchise was born, and it was when the world really met Harry Potter. For everything it has done in bringing fantasy to the mainstream, it gets the number six spot on the list.

That's it for the first half of my top ten fantasy films list. If you didn't see one of your favorites on this first part, don't worry. There is always a chance that it will be on my top five. Heck even if it's not it's not something to get bent out of shape on. Regardless feel free to tell me what you think in the comments. Stay tuned for next week when I will be revealing my top five fantasy films here at The Wanderer's Corner.

Game Review: Civilization V

  I’ve decided that the time has indeed come that I review a game that has absorbed countless hours of my life. That game is the 2010 strategy classic, Sid Meier’s Civilization V. Civ V was developed by Firaxis Games the creators behind XCOM: Enemy Unknown and many other Sid Meier games. Despite the game’s age, it still stands strong as a fantastic example of an empire building game done right. For another note, I am reviewing this with all DLC thanks to an absolutely wonderful steam sale I encountered ages ago. So, without further delay let's dive into Civ V.

Civilization V

In Civilization V, you take control of a historically significant leader. With all the expansions of the game, there are 43 Civs, or Civilizations, you can take control of. Now there's no real story mode to speak of, Unless you play through different scenarios the game offers. In The American Civil War scenario you pick a side and fight an opponent trying to turn the tide in your favor, or perhaps The Fall of Rome scenario where it's the dawn of the dark ages and you play as one of three groups, The Eastern Empire in Constantinople, The Western Empire in Rome, or the barbarians trying to take down Rome. These scenarios are just examples of what the game has pre-generated and ready to go. However, the main game mode is what I find to be Civ V’s main draw. The single player game mode lets you set the parameters of the game, you decide what the victory conditions are, what kind of world the civilizations will populate, and even what era of technology everyone will begin with from the classical era to the distant future. For example when I play, I play typically on an accurate map of the world, but I randomise just about every civ in the game, except for the one I am playing because playing as Kamehameha I of Polynesia is just too much fun, and I start in the pre-classical era. This really does end up making every game different from the last.

Every civilization in in Civ V is different in a lot of different ways. Every leader has certain qualities to consider. These qualities determine what kind of special units they have, if they have any special buildings for their cities, and what their culture is strong at. For example, Oda Nobunaga of Japan has a passive bonus that allows all military units of Japan to fight at full strength even if they are damaged. Another example,is Casimir III of Poland having the unique heavy cavalry unit The Winged Hussars. Now, there are many ways to win the game and each Civ is predisposed to having an easier time achieving certain victory types. Domination, for example, requires you to have captured the capitals of all the other civilizations. For a  science victory,  you have to be the first to send a spaceship to another planet. A cultural victory requires that you win over the world's population with works of art or other creative means. The diplomatic victory requires you to manipulate and hold sway over the other Civs enough so that they elect you willingly as the leader of the world. The last victory condition is time, the game is set to run for a certain amount of time in the world and will end at a certain point if none of the other victories are met before then. Points are tallied and calculated by the game to determine who had the most successful Civ and by the end a winner is named.

I’ve had a huge amount of fun with this game and actually have played through every scenario the official game makers had to offer, as well as, countless other single player sessions. That being said, the game isn’t all just about single player experiences, It does offer a decent multiplayer experience.Now, Take this bit with a grain of salt as I have not played the online multiplayer, yes I know I am awful, but I have had some absolutely wonderful experiences with the hot seat games. Getting together a few friends and a couple of cold ones to play a game of world domination casually while just kind of hanging out is fantastic. There is another point with this game, This is a game that you can play in the background. I cannot say how many times I’ve fired up a game of civ and played while checking email, doing some writing, or even studying for exams back while I was in college. This game is a great choice when it comes to casually enjoying oneself while also handling one's responsibilities, and in a day and age like today where your attention is pulled in countless directions it is nice to have a small tool for self enjoyment.  

Now In final thoughts. I have to say that this is the absolute closest to a board game in a video game I’ve ever played. I would caution; this game is absolutely addictive. I have logged days into this game and I can say with certainty that it snuck up on me! Civ V is a must have for those who love strategy games, for those who love a good board game, and for those who have a passion for empire building. My overall rating of this game is a solid 9/10. Civilization V is available on the steam marketplace now. If you enjoyed this little review and would like to see more, stay tuned in. New articles post here on The Wanderer’s Corner every Saturday.

Rpg thoughts: Lycanthropes, howl at the moon!

A full moon, a howl in the night, a scream in the dark. Lycanthropes have been a part of horror and fantasy for a very long time. They have had the privilege of walking on both sides of audience perception as wanton cruel villains, and as darkly fascinating heroes. I believe my first introduction to werewolves in any meaningful way was in An American Werewolf in London, which I likely saw at way too young of an age. I stand by the fact that that film still holds the championship belt for the most painful looking werewolf transformation in film history. It is safe to say that lycanthropes are likely one of my most enjoyed fantasy creatures. This has led me to using them in a lot of my tabletop rpg sessions as villains, allies, and characters who are just trying to make their way in the world. In this editorial, I will explore and share ways in which I have used these shifting creatures, or even possibly how I could use them. Hopefully, It could spark some interesting ideas in the creative minds reading this to make something both frightening and fun.

Werewolves in 2004 Van Helsing are some of the best to date.

To start, I’d like to look at the typical idea of a lycanthrope. When I say typical lycanthrope, I am referring to the beast that lives inside of a mortal and emerges once a month at the full moon. When an individual turns they are nothing but the beast; they are wild feral and have no control over their actions. It is only when they awake after the moon has passed that they become themselves. These are the cursed lycans doomed to endure until they are restored or, more likely, killed by a silver weapon of some kind. For me, using these in a storytelling game like Dungeons and Dragons, allows me the opportunity to create often very tragic and sympathetic characters. If an adventuring party comes to a town plagued by a werebear that is destroying whole house's, occupants and all, it creates an air of urgency to stop the beast. Consider what happens when it turns out to be the town priest who has been actively helping the victims, or what if it is a child who is scared and doesn’t know what's happening. This puts the party in a moral conundrum that leads to some very interesting moments of character development and could even cause a rift in the party. If the lawful good paladin see the cursed individual as a threat that has to be destroyed, but the chaotic good wizard has a theory on how to remove the curse, what's going to happen? Will the party seek the fastest solution or the one with a chance to save the cursed? Will they risk a angry mob if they kill a beloved member of the town? Will they put their lives on the line to keep the individual restrained while they work for a cure? What happens if one of the party gets bit? This is where things can get very tricky for a Dungeon Master, but if you know your world and know the party, it certainly can work.

The next point to bring up is the evil lycanthrope. These are beings that are fully aware of what they do when they shift.Some may even have control, but regardless, they enjoy the pain and slaughter that they commit. They may be killing just for kicks, or they may even be scheming masterminds with a grand plan. Regardless, due to the power they possess and their killer instinct, they can make a huge threat to a group of adventurers. These beings can exist in many fashions. One of my most enjoyed creations of this nature was a big bad evil guy for a story arch in a campaign. The creature was a wererat who had fashioned himself as Lord Below, in a major city where the player characters had begun to call home. The Lord Below was an apha wererat who had

Never forget wererats are indeed valid threats.

called together others to act as his swarm .It was his ambition to take the city above. He was starting by kidnaping children and infecting them to raise them as his own personal horde along with those who joined him. This is one way to get a party's attention for a long term campaign against an evil lycanthrope. Another way that could easily be used for this type of villain is to introduce  the Lone Killer. This is when a series of grisly murders begin to pop up and there seems to be a pattern and evidence of a lycan. However, he doesn’t ever turn his targets and there is a specific mode of operation to the creature's mind set. Examples include specific types of victims or even certain locations in which the kill must be made. Both of the above mentioned concepts can lead to some great villains.Sometimes lycanthropes may not be the big bad; they may be a major sub-boss in the story serving a greater master. Think of the werewolves working for Dracula in 2004’s Van Helsing. If a greater evil can give a evil lycanthrope what it wants and it knows how to temper the beast, lycans can be deadly elite henchmen for a mastermind.

The next thing that comes up when using lycanthropes are the good aligned werefolk. There have been a few examples of this in a few different works of fiction. These are the lycans that maintain some semblance of their humanity despite their shifting, some even using the dark gift as a tool to do good. The most popular example that comes to mind when one talks about these kind of werebeasts comes from the Worgen from the World of Warcraft video game, and honestly that's not a bad example to consider. Characters like this are more  loners, often staying away from large groups of people. They understand that most will view them as monsters if they aren’t careful. That

Worgen in the World of Warcraft are both
fierce and proud. 

being said, this doesn’t stop the afflicted from doing the right thing, good lycanthropes often take on the role of a protector or guardian type character in my narratives. There was a moment when I was thinking to myself: What would a group of good aligned lycanthropes look like? So, I had the thought of, an order of Paladins, Clerics, and Priests, dedicated to order, justice, and protection of the weak called the Lunar Sacrament. They are feared by most due to the fact that makes them different from from most holy orders. You guessed it, they are Lycanthropes. Its is the idea of to fight the darkness, you must use the darkness. I thought about what would be their errant forces. I determined that they travel in groups called packs, because it's fitting. A pack for this order of lycans, consists of a cleric, a priest, and three holy knights. I knew that seeing squads of roving lycans likely would be overwhelming to adventurers. So, what would be their Knight Errant type? There are some who walk the path of the lone crusader. These are, more often than not, the most well known members of the order, essentially being champions. However, one doesn’t need to go the paladin route. Just because I was inspired by the band Powerwolf doesn’t mean everyone will be. Exploring druidic customs as well as monastic paths could lead to some fascinating concepts when creating these kinds of characters.

Now we come to my last major point. How do you handle a player character who wants to be connected to lycanthropy? Well,there is good news!  With the wonderful world of the open game license that is D&D,  homebrew rules exist! I have found that there are indeed some very creative people in this community who love the idea of playing a lycanthrope or lycan touched character. Below, I will put some links that I have approved for use in most of my games. I hope they help you as they have me. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed this brief exploration into werewolves and their kind in this little read. If you did please feel free to comment your thoughts and stay tuned into The Wanderer’s Corner. New content posts every Saturday, see you next weekend!

Home Brewery World of Warcraft Races (Worgen):

http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com/share/ryDhrVf2e

Reddits Werewolf Prestige Class by Wardrow:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3fJRdxUJqHCRk0zWEFKVnFaajg/view

Wizards of The Coast Unearthed Arcana: Eberron (Shifters)

http://media.wizards.com/2015/downloads/dnd/UA_Eberron_v1.1.pdf

Rpg Thoughts: "Urban Fantasy"

Urban fantasy has been a staple of fiction for an extremely long time. From Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter to the Dresden Files, monsters and creatures of fantasy have walked the streets of many modern day metropolises of the world. Many have even made the jump to television, and movies. However, what I’m here to talk about is urban fantasy in the table top roleplaying community. I am currently running a heavily modified version of Dungeons and Dragons, fifth edition, where the story takes place in an alternate history Los Angeles just after the second world war. The heroes in question work for a secret paranormal branch of the government and have been sent to try and find the Black Dahlia killer, who is believed to be a supernatural entity. I am borrowing from plenty of rpg systems, as well as other sources of fiction, to create the world for this game. In my acquisition of some of these materials and ideas to create my own setting, I got to thinking. What is important to think about when creating an urban fantasy adventure? I think I’ve narrowed it down to three major things.

A great example of urban fantasy in an rpg.

The Stars, as a game master, it is important to keep in mind your players. So before anything, make sure that your players are interested in playing in a more modern setting. If they say no, that’s okay it’s not your job to force them into a new thing. Don’t be afraid to approach other friends to play in a game like this.  In fact, I’ve learned that this type of setting can really be a great way to bring in new players, as it is a little more familiar to the everyday world. Once you have your players, sit down with them individually. Talk with them about their characters and what they want to play as. This is a general rule of thumb for rpgs in my opinion, but for urban fantasy settings it is dang near a must do. Try and get the players to come up with how their character has become what they are today. There are plenty of online questionnaires that you can use for helping a player come up with their character. I go for a more personal touch when I do this. I like to sit down with a player one to one, perhaps with a coffee or lunch, and just ask them a series of questions. Often times in going on this stream of consciousness style of questioning you get characters you’d never expect from players. More often than not, it becomes a character that the players actually get really attached to and will remember fondly. Plus, with this style of questioning, it often gives you an idea for more plot points that you can twist and weave into your group's narrative. Just remember, taking notes is a good thing.

Setting is my second major point. Out of setting, the three sub points I focus on are the When, the Where, and the Type. Before you even begin approaching players, having a handle on what kind of story you want to tell is important. For my urban fantasy game, I wanted to tell a post war detective drama set Los Angeles with elements of a hidden world of magic. That was all I knew going in. It was the When, post World War 2, the Where, Los Angeles, and the Type, detective drama. Try and nail down your concept into a sentence, then you can expand outward to a broader idea. This sentence is your hook to get players curious and asking about the game and eager to start playing. Once I knew I had people interested in the concept, I started looking more into the idea. I started thinking. What mysteries might be connected to the world of magic? How is magic involved in this place? Where does our world begin to blend with the other? It really depends on what you established in your sentence. Let's say you are playing a game in the American west with magic and it's a Indiana Jones esque relic hunt! First of all, awesome! Second of all, it’s now deeper question time. Is it post or presently the American Civil War? How do magical creatures and humanoids feel about westward expansion? What’s the Relic? Who or what made it? Who or what wants it? Is magic going to be absolutely everywhere, or is it more subtle?  The list goes on. I’d say answer those questions till you feel comfortable with how the world itself works. As game masters, it is important to ask: if the game goes off the main story, will it still work? If you feel the answer is yes, then congratulations you have an urban fantasy setting for your game, or any setting for a game really.

The final note that I have for anyone looking to run this type of game is to make sure you have a healthy set of character concepts ready. Having non-player characters at the ready to populate the newly created setting can really breathe a great amount of life into your game. Not all of these will be major npcs; but,  as they say, there are no small parts. Minor npcs you may only need a name, race, and occupation. For example, in my detective game the party needed weapons of a magical variety, I had written down Angus McCree, leprechaun, arms dealer. From there, a story began to form as to who he was. Now, with larger, more in depth characters I like to take time and really dive into their story, and drive. Much like I recommended earlier with your perspective players, ask yourself the questions you posed to your players. Answer how you best feel the npc would respond and you are well on your way to having a well- fleshed out character for your players interact with, be it in a positive or negative way.

With these three tools at your disposal, I certainly feel that anyone can act as a game master for a urban fantasy game, heck, for any tabletop rpg really. If you enjoyed this read feel free to keep your eyes peeled for more content coming on Saturdays, here on The Wanderer's Corner.