Empty Promises...

Haven't updated. I know. So much to do, so little time. Not much has changed. Nothing to report. I am going to run Exalted for the group. I got kind of got thrown into it, but I don't mind since I miss running. I haven't touched the Ashitaka story. It has been hard to write the scene that I am writing, and pushing it isn't what I wanted to do. Someday we will get to the new part. Not sure what else to say, just wanted to point out that I am still alive. Keep in touch.

And so...

...Finally the blog is getting some action. I know I haven't been updating this blog in the least, but now that my World of Warcraft subscription has expired, I think that is going to change for good.

Life? Not much to say there. Little has changed. Same ol' same ol'. Just trying to survive. You know how it is.

I have been working on an update for the Ashitaka story. It has been a hard scene to write and has been a very slow process. The next section should be up soon though.

Here is an excerp:
""Ashitaka!" Kairi yelled out. It was then she heard that malicious roar. Oh no, Kairi thought to herself."

Holy Crap...

I downloaded the demo of the new Exalted 2nd Edition after my friend was telling me exactly how it works. All I can say is...HOLY CRAP! These rules are amazing. The system is so streamlined it hurts. Combat now runs on a "tick" system. When your action comes up, you take your action. No change there. What action you do take, however, dictates how many ticks you have to wait before you can act again. Also, what action you take has an effect on you Defense Value. That's right, now the game, using your skills and weapon modifiers, gives you a constant defense number representing how hard it is to hit you. This number is affected by what actions you take and refreshes on your next action. Charms are now very easy to understand and still give the desired effect. For example: An old charm called One Weapon, Two Blows used to let you take two actions and get modifiers to your attack. Now, that same charm adds to your accuracy (to hit roll) and rate (the weapon's stat for how many attacks it can be used in one turn). The first time I read it all through, I thought it was decently complicated, but once I read it a couple of times, I realized it is not. This will make the game ten times more enjoyable and allow for even more high-flying action! Can't wait. And...I'm sorry I ever doubted you White Wolf.

P.S. - This is where the demo can be downloaded. Make sure and click on the Return to the Tomb of 5 Corners link. I found it best to "right-click" and select "save-as".

A few things to eat my time...

This month the new edition of Exalted comes out. As I stated in a previous post, I am more than a bit apprehensive about the new book. Small details that I keep hearing make me worry that White Wolf, for once in the past few years, has made a terrible mistake. The game seems to be moving away from a Anime high-end epic battle of gods and more toward a regular people who can do some neat tricks. All I do know about the book is that I am going to wait until I can take a good look over it before I buy it.

lately, I have been back into the Mechwarrior miniatures game from WizKids. There are all kinds of new 'Mechs and rules that make the game really cool. Now they have new units like helicopters and four-legged 'Mechs, there are pilot cards that can be put into 'Mechs for bonuses, you can put extra equipment cards on the 'Mechs giving them a new advantage, if you pay points, you can hire mercenary units into your faction, and there are cards that change the battle because of environment problems. These problems include volcanoes on the planet, twisters, storms, and the like. And the best part of all, no more construction 'Mechs in the new packs! Add in a bunch of different rules changes that make the game a lot more fun, and you have a completely new game. Now, if I could just get Java to play... -_-

What I have been playing with Java is the Legends of the Five Rings CCG. He has so many cards that it is not hard to make our own decks. The only thing is that he has stomped me every time we play. And I mean stomped. Oh well, it is fun anyhow I guess.

Finally...

Due to wonderful problems created by SBC, I have not had the internet for about a month and a week. It sucks. There was a small amount of time that I was using some one's unsecured wireless network in my apartment building, but they moved out and I haven't seen that network since. After positioning the antenna just right, and using internet explorer (for some reason it really helps) I am finally back on the net using a neighbors network (they did give me permission). The bad part, however, is that the network is not stable and dies out randomly for about 15 to 30 seconds. Just enough to drop me from any game I would want to play. No WoW for me. I have been going through withdrawal these past weeks and am in dire need to play. But, at least I have my blog and e-mail back. Can't have everything I guess. Sorry Java. >_<

Firstly I would like to say, 1 month to Exalted 2nd Edition. This may not mean anything to some people, if not, just skip this first paragraph. Moving on, this new edition has me a little worried. It sounds like the developers are trying to do way too much to make the system fresh and new. What they don't realize is that the old system worked just fine. SOME things need to be re-written, but other than that there is no reason for a COMPLETE rules change. So, in a little less than a month, we will finally have the answer to whether or not White-Wolf will screw up one of the greatest things they have ever had.

Now, moving on to current events, it seems as though I am going to hang on for dear life to my current job and tack on part-time at Jewel once again. Who knows how this will all work out in the end, but if I can just (my favorite line) get us enough money to live off of for awhile, we will be set. In the mean-time, I want to get my A+ certification and broaden my horizon.

Next, someone at work told me about this awesome game. It's called Soldat, and it is a lot of fun. Check it out and enjoy.

Lastly, I just wanted to throw up some pics of Layla, our dog real quick. I had promised months ago that I would, and I never did so here she is.

Time...

Yes, it has been awhile. I have neglected this far too long. I started this blog and made a commitment. I will see that through. The reason for not posting anything has been World of Warcraft. It is no excuse, but it is what I do if I am on the computer. I am going to make another entry in the Ashitaka story soon and start that up again. Hopefully then at least I can drop some kind of update on here once a week at least.

On another note, I have been watching the first season of Battlestar Galactica. No, not the old 70's show, but the newer version. It is, as everyone raves, awesome. Finally, a show that represents space battles accurately. I have always wanted to watch a show with excellent battles between small star fighters while capital ships unleash a barrage of weapons. Even Star Wars misrepresented such battles. The acting and characters are top-notch, and the resulting story is amazing. As all of my friends have been telling me, watch it!

Mystery revealed...

Some of you have asked where I am and have some theories that I have been kidnapped. The truth about the situation is that World of Warcraft has eaten all of my free-time alive. It has become like heroine. I love that game so much. After a year and some months of resisting its hold as everyone peer-pressured me to play, I gave in and have been a WoW addict since. My character is a hot Night Elf named Nesh. She and her companion Ghost, a white wolf, have been traveling the world exploring and helping all those they can. As soon as I started up, I was also taken into a guild called Sere Vala which had been created by all of my friends and has been running for a year now. I attended an awesome in-game guild party last Sunday where there was much drinking and fun. Once everyone had taken the group screenshot, we all headed horde side and created the new horde guild called Cowshire Management Inc.

So that is it. Kind of disappointing and pathetic, isn't it? Ah, well.

Turkey Day...

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

2.1...

Ashitaka and Kairi sat on top of the volcano for quite awhile, both of them not saying anything. Kairi knew that Ashitaka needed some time and space to collect himself, and she had given it to him. Besides, she had gotten to take in the whole view of Dragon City for as long as she wanted. She was able to see the sun go down on all the unfinished towers struggling to touch the sky. Bathed in the pinks and oranges of the dusk, the city looked like an unfinished clay sculpture waiting to be shaped once again. If finished, Kairi knew that the next Dragon City would be far greater than the original. But for now, it seemed content with being half of what it had once been.

After the final sliver of sun crept behind the ocean, the two Samurai were walking again. Their destination was the far side of the island where the harbor lay. Kairi kept quiet. She knew that her Sensei was reflecting on past events and that he needed silence to concentrate.

Kairi was startled when Ashitaka broke the two-hour long silence, "Kairi, what is it that you hope to gain from training at my dojo?"

"A better understanding of my ancestors and the ability to walk in their footsteps. Also, a better understanding of myself and what I'm capable of," the Samurai of the Owl said truthfully.

"Is that all?" asked Ashitaka.

"Well, to be honest, no Sensei. I also wanted a better understanding of you," said Kairi meekly. "I wanted to meet the man behind the legend."

"Legend?"

"Sensei, you have accomplished more in a couple of years than most in a lifetime. I could only hope to—" Kairi stopped mid-sentence. The cold steel against her neck had stolen her attention.

"Kairi?" said Ashitaka. He had been walking ahead of her and couldn't tell if something was wrong or if she was too afraid to finish her sentence. He slowly turned around to find a masked girl holding a knife to his companion's neck.

Ashitaka guessed the girl was in her teens. He could tell she had great strength despite her tiny body. Only the bottom portion of her head was covered, leaving the rest exposed. Long golden hair was tied in a tight pony-tail at the top of her head and her blue eyes fixated on The Samurai of the Wolf. Looking deep into her eyes, Ashitaka recognized this girl was no killer. Her breathing was very rapid. Adrenaline. She will make a lot of mistakes if given the chance, she isn't controlling her body, he thought to himself.

"Put down your swords Samurai scum!" called the girl over Kairi's shoulder.

In response, Ashitaka stood completely still.

"I am not messing around! I WILL kill her!" exclaimed the girl in desperation.

"And then you will have this woman's blood on your hands. You are too young for that. You have a lot ahead of you," Ashitaka said plainly.

The girl narrowed her eyes at the Samurai, "I have nothing ahead of me. You have taken it all. Vengeance or death are the things I look forward to." At that, the girl began a series of back hand springs away from Kairi that ended in a thirty-foot leap into the air.

Ashitaka placed his hand on the hilt of his katana as he watched the girl sail backwards in the sky. What is she doing with her hands? he wondered. As the Samurai took the time to look, he noticed the girl making specific gestures in a pattern. She's casting a spell! Kairi! Ashitaka thought. He glanced back down where his student was staggering back and forth, eyes half open. What the...? Kairi's heavy Naginata clattered to the ground as she fell to her hands and knees. It was then that Ashitaka saw the needle sticking out the back of Kairi's neck.

Suddenly, a flash washed out over the immediate area with a loud crack. The Samurai looked back up to find a colossal silhouette bearing down on him, blocking the moonlight as it fell. Quickly, he did his own backwards leap high into the air, trying to escape the explosion of rock and dirt as the monster smashed into the ground. As he landed safely, Ashitaka looked up to the monster standing before him. The pale moonlight trickled over the scales of the thirty-foot tall tyrannosaurus rex. Snapping its head back, the dinosaur released a deafening roar.

Ashitaka freed his Katana and wakasahi from their sheaths and began taking note of his surroundings. On either side of the road, rocky hills rose up about twenty feet. He couldn't see Kari. She had been where the tyrannosaurus had landed which, Ashitaka figured, couldn't mean anything good. Kairi's safety is the priority here, Ashitaka decided.

At that moment, the gigantic lizard lunged forward with an immense bite that surely would have broken the Samurai in half had he been there. Instead, Ashitaka had side-stepped and sprinted underneath the large body. In his vain attack, Rex had moved forward, freeing himself from the crater he had created, giving Ashitaka the opportunity to get to Kairi. The dinosaur quickly stood back up, and wheeled, facing its prey once again.

Thinking it could catch Ashitaka, the tyrannosaurus raised its giant left foot and smashed it into the ground, creating another explosion of earth. Like lightning, the Samurai bolted out of the dust and debris to the dinosaur's right leg sinking his swords to their hilts in the tyrannosaurus' calf. Rex let out a rabid roar to the heavens as Ashitaka sprinted to find Kairi. She was sprawled out at the bottom of the crater where the Dinosaur had landed, bleeding from her mouth. The Wolf Samurai slid down into the crater and picked up the broken body.