Recounting Encounters: 5th Edition Monster Manual Review

So this week at Recounting Encounters has been a busy week.  Not only did we get our regular podcast up and running, we also took the time to review the new Monster Manual which was realeased earlier this week on September 30th, 2014.  Craig, Derek and I take time to state what is good, bad and ugly about this new edition Monster Manual.  

Take a listen, it might surprise you.

Scourge of the Sword Coast: Session - Report Card

We kick this season off in Daggerford, a smaller town of the Sword Coast where adventurers are drawn to the possibility of treasure and plunder.

Humanoids of all types have been more active in the area and no one knows why. Recently you have heard rumours of confrontations with the Red Wizards of Thay up by Dragonspear Castle: but that was all that they were...rumours.

The characters will travel almost anyplace, such as cities nearby such as Waterdeep and Baldur's Gate (oh no! Not Baldur's Gate again.)

Join Derek, Craig and I on this roller coaster ride of adventure and scavenging as we talk about what happened at our table.




Click HERE to listen!

My GenCon Jaunt (And How I Survive It - Part 1)

GenCon had to be the best time I’ve ever had in my life (in gaming terms anyways).  Even though I had the best time of my life, it had to be one of the most stressful planning occasions I have ever had to do in my life.  If it wasn’t for Derek, this trip may not have turned out to be the best trip of my gaming history.

How intimidating it was, when I first announced that I was taking the plunge to go to GenCon.  I did not know my head for my ass and was extremely nervous to do some of the bookings that I had to do for this trip.  Even having started an account at GenCon, there was so much information on the web site that I did not know what to do with it.  The only advantage I had in planning the trip was that I had a person of experience guiding me in the step by step process of being able to attend GenCon.

I was so excited when I finally booked my badge for this event, and right after, Derek booked our hotel room at the gorgeous Omni Severn hotel.  This was the easy part.

Losing my Convention Virginity: GenCon, Here I Come!!

I guess the sign says it all.   No game left behind.  It should actually say no gamer left behind.  As I ponder my upcoming trip to Indianapolis, I realize that it is only about 20 days away.  How awesome is that.  from the day I booked my badge to the event registration date, time flew fast.  Not to worry though, I am prepared; well prepared booking-wise, but not quite aware yet of all the awesomeness I am going to be subjected to.

I have been gaming for 28+ years and have never been to a gaming convention, whether it was in Toronto (when I lived there for 10 years) or any other place for that matter.  In essence I am a convention virgin, at the age of 38, and my first one is going to be GenCon: I am scared out of my pants.  I am extremely lucky though, cause this year I am travelling with a pro convention goer, Derek Myers (Ameron from Dungeon's Master), who has shown me the ropes on how to register, how to get the best events and how to make all the travel arrangements.  Without him, I would not be in a hotel right next to the convention centre, nor would I be attending some of the cool seminars I am actually signed up for.

Overwhelmed is not a word I use lightly for the amount of events going on at GenCon.  The hardest part about this convention was finding enough time to to the absolute minimum I would like to do.  There is so much stuff to do.  Seminars on building chain-mail, board games galore, new gaming systems tables(that I will unfortunately not have the time to try while I am there), and most importantly D&D.  Here is a look at some of the events I will be attending at GenCon as well as some of the things I would like to accomplish on this trip.

Review: Venom in Her Veins - A Forgotten Realms Novel

You know if you have read this blog often enough, that I am a huge fan of most fantasy novels based in the world of Dungeons & Dragons, whether it be Eberron, Forgotten Realms, plain old D&D and even Dark Sun (still not a fan of the world).

I highly respect the authors who take the time to write these books, all the hours they put into them and the numerous revisions and spelling errors they have to catch before the initial release of these novels.  

I thoroughly enjoy most of the novels.  They are neither too deep, nor do they require post-secondary education to understand them (unlike a novel like Game of Thrones) and most do have very enjoyable story lines.  

The novel "Venom in Her Veins" by Tim Pratt is no exception to this rule.  Based on the description of the novel by various sites, I was hesitant to buy the novel, but I said what the heck and bought it, since I had a coupon for 50% off the next Kobo book I bought.  I needed something to read and was not disappointed.

Review: The Mark of Nerath - A Dungeons & Dragons Novel

When I discovered the Dungeons and Dragons novels, I immediately jumped online and bought quite a few of them for my e-reader.  One of the first novels I read was this one (prior to my reviewing books).  It took me awhile to get back to this one but I guess I saved one of the good ones to review.

This novel, by Bill Slavicsek, is one that is set in the world of D&D.  It is his first novel, and I hope it is not his last.  When 4th disposed of releasing Greyhawk and instead invented this world for the players to do with as they saw fit, what other perfect setting for a book such as this one.

This novel introduces the continuing series of The Abyssal Plague.  It is a great introductory novel, introducing us to some of the characters we may love for future iterations of Dungeons & Dragons novels.

Review: The Last Garrison - A Dungeons & Dragons Novel

The Last Garrison, a novel by Matthew Beard is a novel published by Wizards of the Coast in December 2011. This book happens to be the authors' first book.

The story begins in a little town in the middle of nowhere called Haven.  A town protected since the fall of  the Empire by the 'Old Stargazer'.  The Stargazer is a powerful spellcaster who traded his soul for the power to protect the people of the village.

Now his power is fading, the protection of the village is fading and the enemies of Haven are preparing an assault on the populace.

Nergei, servant and adopted son of the 'Old Stargazer', is thrown into an adventure, to accompany 3 other village children; Kohel, Padlur, Luzhon.  The children are taked with taking supplies to the town at the bottom of the hill to hire some seasoned adventurers to help defend the city against the invading force.

Review: Shadowbane, a Forgotten Realms Novel

Shadowbane, a Frogotten Realms novel by Erik Scott De Bie, brings us back to the story of Kalen Dren, Waterdeeps' own vigilante.  This novel, set one year after Downshadow, brings us to the plague ridden city of Luskan where any semblance of organization and order do not exist.

In a message delivered by Fayne, Kalen rushes to the aid of Myrin, a girl who went out on her own to find her lost memories.  Having lost an apprentice, and lost his faith, Shadowbane must confront his own demons in order to save a city he hates and a woman he loves.

Relentlessly pursued by gangs, caught up with a young idealist who wants to be his apprentice, and stuck in the middle of the plots of higher beings, this novel promises a non-stop read, filled with epic battles, blind love, and misplaced faith.

Review: The Cloud Roads, Volume One of the Books of the Raksura

Moon is a shapeshifter, a man lost, without people, without identity.  He has spent his whole life hiding his true form, a creature of flight.  Orphaned at a young age, Moon does not know his purpose.  His whole life he has craved companionship and acceptance, trying to live among the 'groundlings' until they discover what he is and throw him out of the tribe.

Staked to the ground to die, Moon is rescued by Stone, another shapeshifter just like him and together they set off to a distant place where there are many of his kin.  Curious and frightened at the same time, Stone and Moon make their way back to Stone's home, Indigo Court, where he meets opposition at every turn.

Moon soon finds out that his extraordinary lineage is crucial for the colony's survival, survival that will be challenged by the world's nemesis called the Fell.

Moon is faced with a tough decision, flee the terror that approaches, or fight a lifetime of conditioning in order to save himself and his newfound kin.

D&D Encounters: The Elder Elemental Eye Sneek Preview

Week 0 is upon us and I just received my copy of the new season of D&D Encounters: The Elder Elemental Eye.  Once again Wizards is starting this new season following the release of their new supplement "Heroes of the Elemental Chaos" which is being released 1 day prior to the launch of week 0.


Week 0 is something that Wizards introduced in the last season, to give new players a chance to create their own characters at the table prior to the launch of the roleplaying part of the adventure.


I will just give you some of the highlights and some of the cool things to expect with the upcoming season.

Review: Sword of the Gods, A Forgotten Realms Novel

Demons, thieves, mad wizards, and a man with amnesia.  Sword of the Gods, A Forgotten Realms Novel, by Bruce Cordell is a novel that captures the imagination of the reader, springing us into the world of a man named Demascus.  Waking up naked on an altar in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by corpses dressed in red clothing, Demascus is confused.  He has no idea who, or where he is.  He defends himself from a demon, finds a map and some clothing and hits the trail.

Events lead to the city of Airspur where he meets haphazardly meets Chant Morvan, a pawn broker who just happens to be holding a scarf for Demascus.  No sooner than he gets his hands on this scarf that it is stolen by a thief.

Demascus knows if he has any chance whatsoever to regain his memories, he knows he must find his scarf.  He and Chant track the thief through the city, meeting interesting characters along the way.

Review: The Shard Axe, an Eberron Novel

The Shard Axe is a novel written by Marsheila Rockwell and set in the  Eberron world of Dungeons & Dragons.  The novel  is also based on the popular game of D&D online: Eberron Unlimited, a free MMO, popular with the masses.

The novel introduces a down and out on her luck protagonist named Sentinel Marshal Sabira d'Deneith.   Having defeated the assassin Nightshard and ending his reign of terror in the Holds, Sabira has tried to stay away from her  memories of this mission.  Feeling guilty for the death of her partner during this time, and harbouring her anger towards Aggar Tordannon, the dwarf they had sworn to protect, she drinks and gamble to numb the pain.

Little does she know that she would be tricked into returning to the city she never wanted to see again, to defend the dwarf Aggar Tordannon for similar crimes like the ones Nightshard  committed all these years ago.  Even with the Sentinel Marshal by his side, Aggar is going to need all the help he can get.  When Sabira returns, she realizes that something is not right about these murders and must uncover the secrets of these murders to find the true killer.

Review: Sooner Dead - A Gamma World Novel

Happy New Year to all!  I have been having a blast here in New York and have just had enough time to write up a little something to begin the new year with. Having read this novel many moons ago, I decided to reread the novel and I realized how good it really was.  I am now going to share my opinion with you.

As I review this book, I will attempt to keep it spoiler-free so you can pickup your own copy and read it yourself.

Gamma World is new to me in the 4th Edition setting.  I have neither heard nor played it in the past.  When the Gamma World game came out I decided I wanted to buy it.  I am glad I did.  It was so much fun, which leads me to the first Gamma World novel I have read.

D&D Encounters: Dark Legacy of Evard Sneak Peek

I just received my copy of this season of Encounters and I must say it looks pretty good.  I made a comment over at Dungeon's Master that I do not think this season is going to top last season.  I still hold true to that thought, but after reading the adventure, I think it is going to come darned close to the quality of D&D Encounters Season 4: March of the Phantom Brigade.  We will see at the end of the season.

My FLGS is always kind enough tho give me a shout when I get my items in the mail.  I received a large box and thought: "What the heck have they put in here for the season?"  Cracking the box open, I see that most of the "Bigness" is filler, and the cool stuff is at the bottom of the pack.

Review: The Unsuspecting Mage

The Unsuspecting Mage is the first installment of seven book series entitled the Morcyth Saga. 

Actually choosing the book was the hardest part of this novel.  Going through my free Kobo ereader selections, I decided to at least download this to my cell phone.  Two books later, and bored I decided to pick it up and take a go at it.  Suprisingly, the book proved to be pleasantly distracting.  It was refreshing and not too heavy, something I would read in the car on a trip to somewhere.

The Look

I found the cover to be less than impressive.  A boy walking in the forest towards a blue thing. I know that there is a lot of fantasy art out there and maybe the intention was to be a little different than a regular fantasy book.  Unfortunately, it came nowhere near to grabbing my attention on the bookshelf.

Review: Lord of the White Field

This is one of the series of playtested adventures that I will be reviewing over the course of time.  The Lord of the White Fields is an adventure geared towards character of levels 6-8.  By the end of this module, you should have to level your character if you were level 6-7 and should be really close to level 9 if your characters started at level 8.

Lord of the White Field can be accessed here.  It is only accessible if you have a D&D Insider subscription.  For those that need a pickup game for a couple of sessions, or just want an all out undead campaign, this adventure is great for any of these situations.

Warning:  Spoiler Alert!  The following pages have information that a DM should be looking at to see if this adventure is one to run for their players.

Dungeons and Dragons Virtual Table!?

With the continuation of BETA testing of the Virtual Table, I wanted to take a few moments to go and review what we know about it so far and what this system can do for gamers like us.

----original article----

One of my good buddies posted this on our forum.  The D&D Virtual Table.  WotC_Trevor talks a little about the tool that DMs and players can use to participate virtually.  Now, the article does not go into much detail, but they do talk about the graphics, sets of tokens and dungeon tiles from the new Essentials line being included with the product. The VT BETA FAQ also mentions the product will be able to connect friends with the help of voice chat and text.