TSO '13

Now this is what I call "Christmas music"!

"Lords of Waterdeep" Playthru: Undermountain Expansion

Challenged Dad to a Lords of Waterdeep game Christmas evening. I came out on top (176-133), but he certainly had his chances. I caught a break, though. Played the "Open Lord" card from the expansion: basically made me immune to attack cards and mandatory quests. Big break! Such a fun game; can't wait to try out the Skullport expansion, too!

Next time, we return to Drizzt!

"The Legend of Drizzt" Playthru: "Starless Night—Passage to Dawn" Duology (Part 1)

Last night, Yume, Dad, and I finished a playthru of the "Starless Night" adventure scenario for The Legend of Drizzt Board Game (basically "D&D lite"). Both teams won, but it was a dramatic finish. Check out the final game-state pics below!

This is how the board looked at the penultimate moment!  Dad was playing "Drizzt" (the hero), Yume was "Catti-Brie" (the hero's forbidden love interest), and I was saddled with the delightfully loathsome role of "Artemis Entreri" (a famous assassin, and the hero's arch-nemesis). The scenario called for us (the two of them on one team, and me by myself) to work together as we escaped a dangerous underground setting. By the end, I had attained the exit door first, and next came Dad (err, Drizzt), all bloody and beaten from the ordeal…

The scenario required us to "work together" to get out, but at any point afterward there's nothing preventing either team from stabbing the other in the back. See, either team can win, or both teams can win, and certainly both teams can lose. Standing on the doorstep of victory, I had to play the character out. But rather than kill Drizzt (thus eliminating Dad from the game and causing them to lose), I decided the kill wouldn't be much of a challenge (wounded as he was) and opted to remind him that Catti-Brie (Yume) had been left behind with a feral troll on her heels—planting that worming seed of doubt in his head over whether or not they would succeed. Needless to say, I succeeded, and so did they, but Artemis might not be so merciful next time!

The great thing about this game is how much it has to offer: a variety of modes of play, plenty of player options, and great art and assets, to name a few. (It even makes the 4th edition rules seem perfectly justified for board game play.) Win or lose, it's always a challenge. I liken it to a multidirectional version of chess spiked with clever card play and basic D&D rules and die rolls.

Here's a look at the copper dragon and earth guardian molds from the Dungeon Command "Heart of Cormyr" set (also usable as an expansion for The Legend of Drizzt).

Very nice! Next time, we'll take on the "Passage to Dawn" adventure scenario.

Random Thought of the Day: "Ohh yi-eahh!"

There are basically two types of people in the world. Those who hear, "Ohh yi-eahh!" and think of the Kool-Aid Man, and those who hear, "Ohh yi-eahh!" and think of the Macho Man Randy Savage. Admittedly, and somewhat proudly, I'm one of the latter. It may have something to do with the fact that I've never liked Kool-Aid, but there was a time (let's call it the late 80s/early 90s) when I thought professional wrestling was real.

That said, there's got to be more to it than simple preference for the brands behind the words. (After all, I've never been much of a fan of Slim-Jims either!)

Maybe it has something to do with the speakers themselves? They both have "man" in their names. But I mean, come on! Who wants to hear those words coming out of the mouth of a bulging, red monstrosity with the rough voice of a coke-head who goes around smashing things?!

Okaaaay. So, maybe it's not about the man, per se. Maybe it has something to do with the voice? They're both gravelly and straining. But whereas the Kool-Aid Man sounds like a poor man's Wolfman Jack, I think we can all agree that Macho Man's voice is at least a level higher on the unattainability scale, and that makes it something special.

Go ahead, try it. Say, "Ohh yi-eahh!" with the same intensity you might employ while trying to pass a baseball through your anus, and determine for yourself what it first brings to mind. I'm sure you'll be pleased with the result.

In the Cone-zone!

Way to go, Trev!

Thanksgiving Scrabble

Victory was ours this time, thanks in part to my fortuitous play of "libations" (an 80-point play, and currently high score for a single turn in our recorded play, as it was also a bingo, adding 50 points to the total)! Under regulation rules, using special tiles, Dad and I (left and right) scored 289 to Mom and Yume's (bottom and top) 196.

And here's a bonus Thanksgiving Day "glamor-shot" (complete with bed head).