Suddenly, an update!

Today I learned:

Grigori Yefimovich Rasputin was born 22nd of January, 1869 in Russia. Not too much is known about his growing up years, other than that both of his siblings died (His sister drowned, and his brother nearly did too but instead got pneumonia). At 18, he went to a Monastery (Possibly as penance for theft) and had his life turned around, determining he should be a holy man. He got married and was settled down for until 1901, when he became a wandering holy man. Like a pilgrim of sorts, going about and preaching, he made his way to Saint Petersburg.

he garnered a reputation as a holy healer there, and ended up helping with the Tsar's only son, a hemophiliac whom Rasputin had some success in helping. (As far as historians can tell, more by common sense than magic) He began to gather more and more controversy as well, gaining influence with the royal family and attacked by the church for various suspicions.

Then one day he was killed. there are more theories and myths about his death than his life, but current research indicates that rather than the famous "Shot, stabbed, poisoned, beaten, chained and drowned" killing method, he was just shot. By British Intelligence no less, who feared his influence on the crown, because he was advocating retreating on the Western Front during world war I.

The royal daughters were very sad to hear of his death, being close friends with him, but in the end it didn't matter because every single one of the royal family were murdered...HAPPY ENDINGS AHOY!

New Day

Today I Learned:

I am already an accomplished thief, having stolen something beyond value or price: a heart.

--Flynn ("Say it with me: "D'aaaaaaaw!")

Apologies.

Today I learned:

I did in fact intend on coming back. It was a bit of a close affair, though; but in the end I decided that I was interested in coming back, and sharing the little things I learn.

Don't be drunk. Just don't. Any state of mind which leaves you sincerely believing that someone you've met once briefly a few months ago is your best friend is a bad state of mind. Any state of mind in which you laugh uproariously every 30 seconds at your own witticisms is a very annoying state of mind. Any state of mind in which you feel compelled to spend dozens of dollars in a week on food that makes you feel ill and look stupid is one not worth the investment.

Youtube should start allowing you to report song parodies on the pure basis of their being retarded/unfunny. Because they are a plague which has infected youtube, and I have decided I will not condone any longer.

Today I learned:

it's hard work moving. Especially when you are a newb.

--Flynn

November 12, 2010

Today I learned,

in 2000 the third edition of Dungeons and Dragons was released. It had been 11 years since the last major edition, (oddly enough, I was born the same year AD&D2, or 2nd Edition, came out...) and people were excited for change. (Or so I assume, I wasn't born back then.) The 3rd Edition came out, then 3 years later after some "Uh...did you MEAN to do that?" feedback from users, 3.5 edition (3.5e as it is typically called) came out. It was very similar to 3rd edition, but implemented some changes that fixed some problems, unified the way monsters and players were created, and added more spells etc. to the core rules. They released most of this in happy revised core rule books; but some non-core rule books were already released into the wild, and did not receive a base re-printing. The fiend Folio, Manual of the Planes, Epic Handbook, and Monster Manual II all were still 3rd Edition, and a little sketchy therefore to implement in your games. (I mean, there were skills that were no longer in 3.5e, values that made no sense, and somethings that were supposedly playable that really didn't make a lick of sense.) This made some people sad sad pandas, because the monsters and things contained therein were pretty sweet; they just kind of were a little hard to justify including, due to the way they kind of were a bit archaic. However, Wizards of the Coast (who had in 1997 bought out Tactical Studies Rules and acquired DnD) realized this problem, and issued a supplement to bring these books up to speed. It was free (since it was useless without the books they were based on, and you PRESUMABLY paid money for those) and suddenly? Life was more awesome.

However, I did not know of the existence of this supplement; so I have pined away, trying to figure out how to properly implement the fearsome Mountain Giant, and how to finally live the dream of Weaving Spells. (I mean playing a Spellweaver, a six armed humanoid who can cast up to six spells simultaneously. Le Sigh) Then a few days ago I ran across it (not literally, ew) and eagerly looked up the Monster Manual II part, to see what I could see. Lo and behold! Suddenly, the Mountain Giant was no longer available to players. It made perfect sense...but was a sad day, to lose the largest playable race. But then, what did I discover, but that they'd made Spellweavers playable! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

And then I realized that Doctor Seuss was the best rapper of our time.

--Flynn ("He punches the gravity right out of people!")

November 11th, 2010

Today I learned:


Banks are closed on veterans day. Lazy bum bankers.




Back in WWII, Britain set up many outposts for Anti-Air defense purposes, most of the outposts being on actual British soil. HM Fort Roughs, however, was situated six miles off the coast, which interesting put it outside of the 3 mile territorial waters claimed by the UK at that time. After WWII, the many bases were disassembled...but not Fort Roughs, which was merely abandoned and left to its own devices, as it were. A group of pirate radio broadcasters (ie: radio broadcasters operating without regulation and independently, not broadcasters who only play illegally downloaded music) had occupied the fort by 1967, when former Major Paddy Roy Bates gave them the boot to install his own pirate radio station. (Off shore broadcasts are the best for Pirates, as they fall outside of the jurisdiction of the country they are broadcasting too. This off shore affiliation would be one reason they are called pirates) After a year, a maintenance worker was servicing a navigational buoy and came too close for Bates' comfort, so he fired warning shots. The UK being as gun loving as they are asked Bates politely to come to court to deal with the charges of gun discharging. However, once in court, they realized that "Sealand" as it was now being called (by Bates and his family) was outside of British Jurisdiction, so their hands were tied. Bates took this to mean he was an independent country, and in 1975 wrote a constitution, which he followed up with a national anthem, flag,
currency, and passports issued to personal friends and supporters of Sealand.

In 1978, disaster struck the tiny nation. Bates and his wife were visiting Austria, and the self proclaimed Prime Minister of Sealand (German Alexander Achenbach) hired German and Dutch mercenaries to assault the platform with helicopters and speedboats, successfully taking over it in its ruler's absence. (They also kidnapped his son during this time.) Roy of Sealand however was not going to take that guff. He launched a counter assault and took the invaders captive, rescued his son, and won the war. He released the Mercenaries first, as the Geneva Convention dictates teh release of prisoners, but delayed on the mastermined Achenbach. Achenbach held a Sealand passport, but was charged with treason and was not to be released except for a price. A German diplomat finally visited Sealand to negotiate his release (a move that has been accepted by Roy as Germany's de facto recognition of their existence as a micronation) and he was finally let go. (Government Documents that have since surfaced reveal that britain was so embarrassed by all this that it nearly tried to demolish the small nation.)

However, Achenbach was not done. in 1997, it was brought to the Royal Family's attention that there were multitudes of falsified Sealand Passports circulating, estimated to be around 150,000, stemming from the traitorous dog Achenbach. Prince Roy, with heavy heart, terminated ALL Sealand passports, rather then let his country's good graces be tarnished by these imposters. (Largely emigrants from China) In 2006, there was a fire that ravaged the tiny nation, but with some hard work they repaired the damage and have fended off claims by "King Marduk" a delusional fool who claims that because of it's non mention in treaties after WWII, it is up for grabs by anyone. (Royal Prince Michael, son of Roy, has said that this is preposterous and anyone trying to encroach on their sovereignity will be dealt with appropriately)


--Flynn ("E Mare Libertas!")

November 10th, 2010

Today I learned:


it is in fact possible to have an epic, amazing, deep webcomic...starring a wombat. Digger is simultaneously thought provoking, sobering, engaging, funny, and epic. It weaves in real world mythology (Vampire Pumpkins anyone? :D ) to a setting with talking Hyenas, Dwarves, and prophetic slugs. I've not finished the archive yet, but I would highly recommend that anyone with some time on their hands read it, well worth the effort. *coughs* MORTAL WOMBAT!!!



(Addendum) I learned that I also forgot to actually post this after writing this O_o my bad.


--Flynn ("Remember Tunnel 17!")