Monday 15 January 2024

Bit Box

Two years ago my son took apart all of his toys and put the pieces in ziplock bags, separating screws, motors, batteries, plastic parts etc.

He made some fantastic looking machines. Then he lost interest. 

a lot of toys

It has become a tradition in my family to take out boxes filled with old toys at the beginning of the year, take a look at them and sort out as much as we can. This year we were able to give away a lot of plush toys, a doll, two light sabers and a wooden puzzle.

bit box

Inspired by the work of Ana Polanšćak I kept this bit box. I hope to make something out of it eventually, a terrain piece, a steampunk robot, a vehicle, I don’t know yet …

Wednesday 27 September 2023

Gorgon Hoplite Shield

Gorgon

I made a shield out of polymer clay, green stuff and Milliput. It has a diameter of 40 mm. I might use it as a shield for some scratch built hoplites later.

Sunday 30 July 2023

The Shadow in the Sun / One Page Dungeon Contest

Lina (15), Hendrik (13) and Joaquín (11) wrote a dungeon for the One Page Dungeon Contest.

The Shadow in the Sun

You suddenly wake up in a huge, pretentious hall filled with diamonds and furniture that was all colored in bright yellowy gold. A being, which you can't recognize because it's shining so bright, sitting on a throne starts talking:

“You have been chosen to save the sun from the shadow trying to take us over! The shadow beings have been waiting a long time to defeat the light beings, which make the sunshine, so the sun is forever dark. They are in the center of the sun, waiting until tonight, so they can eliminate us, leading to the sun never rising again. Will you help us?”

You agree to help them.

The sun ruler explains to you what awaits you in the dungeon:

The first step is to go to the weapon dealer to get weapons for the mission. The difficulty is that the dealer is very sketchy, and because you don’t come from the sun, he’ll try to scam you to get more money or give you weapons that don’t work. If you try to defend yourself, he might end up killing you, so what you need to do is be as careful as possible. From him, you'll need to buy Darkvision and the weapons or enchantments of your choice but be careful; shadow beings are immune to weapons using fire. The most effective weapons are metal, wood, or light-related weapons.

The second step is finding the secret passageway inside the weapon shop to the inside of the sun. There, you’ll find a room (1) full of traps designed to kill you. You’ll need to find the traps and then find a way to get around them. The traps are not only on the floor tiles but on the walls too. The traps include the floor disappearing, the walls crumbling, or highly venomous lizards being thrown at you. All the traps could instantly kill you, but luckily the room isn’t that big.

Once you’ve escaped, the next room (2) awaits you. There, you’ll have to fight your first group of three shadow beings, which will protect the next rooms at all costs, even at the cost of death. The downside for you is that the room is incredibly dark, so you’ll need to have Darkvision to even have a chance of making it out. The shadow beings have very powerful weapons, which can each kill you with three hits. Their problem is that the sun beings have gifted you very powerful shields, so not every attack reaches you, but you’ll still need to be careful and kill them as fast as you can.

In the next room (3), there’s venomous fog, which can kill you fast, but the door to the next room is closed, so you have to find a key for the door. The difficulty is that the room is filled with a lot of things, ranging from antique teacups to fluffy pillows, making it hard to find the right key. The time until the rise of the shadow beings to the surface of the planet is getting shorter every minute, and once they’ve gotten to the surface, nothing can stop them.

In the penultimate room (4), a huge shadow beast is waiting to kill you. It could devour you instantly, but it has one weakness: it is deadly allergic to bread and salt. You can buy bread in the weapon shop, but salt can only be found in the fourth room, so you should not only look for a key but also salt to defeat the monster.

The last room (5) is filled with shadow beings, which you’ll have to kill as fast as possible because there’s only half an hour remaining until their rise. With the right weapons, it’s easier to kill them, so choose wisely.

If all goes well, the sun shall rise; if not, we're doomed, because with the sun, all of our solar system goes down.

Are you up for the challenge?

Tuesday 11 July 2023

The Eternal Necropolis

The Eternal Necropolis, an image created with DALL·E

On Sunday I had a conversation with ChatGPT about the One Page Dungeon Contest.

Me: 

I need an idea for a dungeon for the One Page Dungeon Contest. This year the subject is "And Still They Rise". I just need a couple of sentences please.

ChatGPT:

The Eternal Necropolis

In the desolate wasteland, a hidden necropolis emerges from the shifting sands. Despite countless attempts to destroy it, the undead within this cursed dungeon continue to rise, defying death itself. Brave adventurers must navigate treacherous traps, battle hordes of relentless undead, and uncover the source of this perpetual resurrection to put an end to the eternal nightmare.

Me: 

Can you shortly describe 5 rooms?

ChatGPT:

Certainly! Here are short descriptions of five rooms within "The Eternal Necropolis":

1 Hall of Resurrection: A vast chamber lined with rows of sarcophagi, each containing ancient mummies. As intruders enter, the mummies rise from their slumber, their decaying bodies reanimating to defend their resting place. The room echoes with the eerie chants of necromantic rituals.

2 Chamber of Reflection: A serene room adorned with mirrored walls and a still, reflective pool at its center. However, the mirrors hide malevolent spirits that attack anyone who gazes upon them. To progress, the adventurers must navigate the room blindfolded or find a way to dispel the vengeful apparitions.

3 Maze of Wandering Souls: A twisting labyrinth where lost souls endlessly roam. Phantoms whisper distorted truths and half-truths, attempting to mislead those who dare to enter. The walls shift and change, forcing the adventurers to rely on their wits and intuition to navigate the maze and avoid being trapped forever.

4 Chamber of Eternal Flames: A scorching-hot room engulfed in perpetual flames. The air crackles with intense heat, and the floor is covered in molten lava. To progress, the adventurers must locate hidden platforms or activate ancient mechanisms that temporarily extinguish the flames, providing brief respite to cross the room unscathed.

5 Crypt of the Undying King: A grand sepulcher that houses the remains of a long-forgotten ruler. The room is guarded by spectral knights and shadowy guardians who fiercely protect their fallen monarch. To proceed, the adventurers must uncover the secret burial rites that bind the Undying King's spirit and perform a ritual to finally put his restless soul to rest.

Me:

Thank you.

ChatGPT:

You're welcome! If you have any more questions or need further assistance, feel free to ask. Good luck with your One Page Dungeon contest!

Friday 2 June 2023

Fimo Dragon Rampant

Dragon Rampant

A picture from our last game of Dragon Rampant.

The miniatures on the table are two Pokémon monsters made out of Fimo and a couple of Space Marines and Orks from my friend’s collection.

Glutexo

The Fimo monsters won.

Have a great weekend!