Trollzine #8

I had a slight shock last night. An email with the edited version of the story I wrote last year for Trollzine #8.

The shock was the amount of red on the Word document showing the proposed changes. As a teacher, I associate that much red with a failed effort!

Actually, I felt most appreciative of the time the editor had spent on my short tale of a gnome bank clerk. I scanned the changes and saw that many fell into the class of 'minor' - eg which side of the verb you put the adverb.

I decided to let go.

Now I have two stories and the second is a collaboration. All my working life has been spent working that way so not such a giant leap for a man and certainly nothing to write home about for mankind.

The Arena of Khaboom

By coincidence (I've just playtested Stefan Jones' Arena solo), I've been working on one too. Oh well, you can't have too many arenae (Latin for sand, arena).

Here's an illustration to whet the appetite:

PDF pretty damn quick...

Shudda/cudda/wudda put this link up too:

http://rpg.drivethrustuff.com/product/125939/Joy-Ride

Two Bites At The Cherries avialble at Lulu

You play a teenager dared to steal the cherries from Old Man Gruber's house... the tree is laden with fruit, just visible from the street over the wall of his garden. You might even venture into his house; you might even live to tell the tale. More than 450 game paragraphs and lots of surprises...

 http://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=Two+Bites+at+the+Cherries&categoryId=100501

Here Comes The Weekend

Time to put my feet up...

1) Finish Magic City Mayor comic first issue

2) Write up descriptors for the next batch of 12 combatants for the Arena of Khaboom

3) Nudge Outer Sanctum game along

Ahhh - how good it is to relax :)

Spying on the Ghost Camp

The ghosts' new head coach, Nina Kulagina, has been concentrating on bringing out latent telekinetic abilities in her squad. Our mole watching a behind-closed-doors camp reports that while the players focussed 100% under the iron lady's icy gaze, the ball remained stubbornly at centrefield the whole time. More to come, especially on the heckling from rejected applicant Uri Geller, a urukin form the back country.

Head Coaches Wanted

The next game slated is between the Ghosts and the Balruhks - both teams lack a head coach. No experience necessary, technical and rules knowledge required is minimal.

CVs please with covering letter stating why you have the skills to succeed.

Football News

This from our correspondent Yorrdamma Vrash:

Here are the stats on the recent Troll-Ogre football contest.
Ogres: Rushing: 44 runs for 138 yards 3.1 yards per carry
Pass: 17/28 for 208 yards 61% 12.2 yards per completion
Total Offense: 346 yards
two interceptions
Trolls: Rushing: 35 runs for 90 yards 2.6 yards per carry 1 fumble
Pass: 19/34 for 217 yards- 56% 11.4 yards per completion
Total offense 291 yards
4 interceptions

And for other parts of Trollhala, Khaghbboommm reports:

 Here are the stats on the recent Fairies v Pixies football contest.
Fairies: Rushing: 0 runs for 0 yards 0 yards per carry
Pass: 0/1 for 0 yards 61% 0 yards per completion
Total Offense: 0 yards
no interceptions
Pixies: Rushing: 155 runs for 155 yards 1 yard per carry 31 fumbles, all recovered
Pass: 0/1 for 0 yards- 0% 0 yards per completion
Total offense 155 yards
0 interceptions

The pixies attempted a pass only once but abandoned that strategy for their rushing game once they realised that they couldn't pick the ball up. They tired quickly and settled for short bursts of one yard power rushes but never made first down.
The fairies came with a 100% defensive game plan. It was not put to the test. They recorded the shortest kick off and punts in TFL history.
The TFL is considered allowing smaller kindreds to elect not to play with the standard troll football. Watch this space...

Online Game

The new Outer Sanctum game finally feels as if it is one the move after a delayed start. New players still welcome.

The runes on the strange sphere that crashed through the circus tent as the new acts introduced themselves are being deciphered... those present are listed on the sphere...

Flexible Is Good

OK, bowing to public opinion and trollish mentoring, I shall go, enjoy and all shall be good!

I will report back in due course...