Good Monday, Gamer!

“It is not death that we should fear, but we should fear never beginning to live” —Marcus Aurelius, Emperor-Philosopher

As you know, dear gamer, I’m a cranky old veteran.

Memorial Day for me isn’t about our war hero grandfathers, great-grandfathers, or some abstract feeling that “soldiers out there” are watching over me like angels. It’s a rollercoaster of feels — one that hits harder the older I get.
I’ve lost a lot of veteran friends. I drank with them, ate with them, played with their kids. And if you’re a vet, you know: it’s all yesterday. You said ‘see you later’, meaning some future assignment or TDY.

There was a moment during one of my regular blood rituals at the VA where the nurse asks if I know where my next meal or two is coming from, my silly ass asked if that was an invite for dinner?!
She laughed, but she was talking about 'food insecurity' -she was asking me if I was food insecure, because many vets coming through there were, and also homeless, and that made me tear up something strong. I'll never forget it. I’m in that cohort.
The folks at the VA medical clinic remind me that veterans who served abroad, especially those from combat theaters, face some of the highest post-service suicide rates, worsened if they hit rough transitions home.
I’ve attended the funerals of three veteran friends who took their own lives over the past four years.
We’ve been ‘civvies’ for more than 20.

These days, in my cranky old-man phase, I’ve been spending more time at my local VFW — which is HILARIOUS to me. My newest family group. It feels like going home to NJ/NY to see my peoples. Or like catching up with gamer friends at game conventions.
These are my veteran people.

I’m okay.
My secret? I always keep a mission on the books — and the mission comes first. IYKYK.

If you can, I urge you: reach out to your local VA.
Ask how you can help. Thank you.

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CBR+PNK: Ghost in Virtual Seconds

Two sessions are in the books, and it’s been a ride.
CBR+PNK uses the Forged in the Dark system (think Blades in the Dark), perfect for crew-focused, neon-soaked heist games. I dig how fast you can make a character and be running a session in under 20 minutes. Check out session two’s AP write-up from our newest crew member, “Downtown” on Don't Roll A One. I’ll post my own GM-side recap later this week. All in service of dogfooding Mad-Dice.com!

Draw Steel RPG

Played my first session of Draw Steel — a crunchy, tactical fantasy RPG where I’m playing the Human Censor, which honestly feels like a cleric on steroids. They ain’t kidding about this being a _Fightin’ Fanatsy Monsters_ game!
Other players keep referencing 4E (which I’ve never played), but even without that anchor, I can say:

• It’s crunchy.

• It’s loaded with combat tactical bits.

• And it’s got just enough weirdness to keep me intrigued.
  Any game that lets me roll up into a ritual, pass Judgement on a fool (a bugbear caster) and Vader-snatch them 40 feet -- You have my attention.

I'm only one session in, but I love these early play cycles where everyone at the table is invested in the play mechanics

“What is this game? What is it doing here? What’s it really about?”

We’re working through it for now — most recently on a rescue errand to save the blacksmith’s daughter from goblin raiders…
and we stumbled into something occult…

Mythic Bastionland

I’m excited about an upcoming Mythic Bastionland game in a few weeks! It's built on Into the Odd and set in the past of Bastionland in a past that never was. And the book is BEAUTIFUL!!
I’ll be playing the Tome Knight — a loom of wisdom spun at dawn, Laid to rest til coming morn. I can’t wait to ride into this one… but I’m sure you’ll hear from our Legendary GM soon!

ICYMI

What’s become of Best Buy?!
We stopped in for a new Xbox controller and batteries, and it was like walking through a ghost town — no DVDs, no music CDs, barely any accessories.

Just a strange, half-empty appliance husk.🤷🏾‍♂️

🐐 I would be doing y’all a disservice… Advanced OSE is on Humble Bundle. I’m a fan!

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Thanks for sticking around, friends.
Hold your people close.
Keep a mission on the books.

Catch you next Monday,
— Mad Jay