Environmental actions, Unitarians, Gaming

[tcpip]

GetUp! are currently running a very sensible campaign concerning some serious problems with the government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. On a related note, I have joined the Labor Environmental Activist Network, which is one of the more positive things I have seen in that party for sometime; I intend to develop some material for them around eco-taxes and the like based around the simple (but oft-ignored) principle that it is far better to drive government funds from the resources people use, rather than the production they engage in.

Unitarian service on Sunday wasn't very good. It came under the title "The Truth Will Set You Free", and I gave the speaker the benefit of the doubt that perhaps they would actually discuss the nature of truth. Instead, as I suspected, they gave yet another espousal of a truncuated and old version of historical materialism; criticism of the presentation by younger members of the congregation was noted. Afterwards I gave a presentation at the Philosophy Forum on "Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast", which investigated the problems that philosophy has whilst it is tied to metaphysics (and particularly theology) and expanded verification theory to incorporate the rational dimensions of universal pragmatics. Last month's notes on Dark Matter/Dark Energy is now available.

My review of Summerland is up, including some pretty bad editing errors on my part; I really should be more careful in this regard. On Sunday our RuneQuest group went truly retro with the integration of the 1978 scenario Balastor's Barracks into our storyline; it went really well but I had to make some modifications so it made sense. Have found myself working on another project for ICE; NDA forbids me from discussing the details (bleh).

Comments

[cheshirenoir.livejournal.com]

Have found myself working on another project for ICE;
Did you ever get all the money for your Rulemaster Companion all those years ago?

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Nowhere near it; ICE limped along during the 90s and finally died. This is a completely new company and, interestingly, the pay in advance rather than on sales, which gives writers a greater sense of security.

[natureboy87.livejournal.com]

Summerland? Interesting concept but just seems weird. Sadly though, I get my RPG fix within LOTRO. Hard to start up any good RPGs with hardly anyone around to play so I must rely on the internets.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I haven't played it, but I think it would work. The biggest problem - and perhaps advantage - is that the game simply gives you but the bare bones and leaves a lot to be fleshed out by the GM.

I do think it would work really well with a JG Ballard fan tho'...

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

What did you find you had to do to Balastor to make it make sense? I gave the Swords campaign the Axe a while back, and they're keeping it carefully locked up where it can't possess anyone, but I never did send them round the Dungeon part.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Some of the layout of the underground (although in comparison to say the D&D module B1: In Search of the Unknown) needed a bit of tweaking. The positioning of some of the opponents didn't make much sense either (e.g., trolls and broos being in the same compound, Windwhistler being in the compound) - in some of those cases I made similar modifications as per the version published in Big Rubble. Also I got rid of the Vampires and had more protective Pavic ghosts. It seemed unlikely, although not impossible, that Undead would be so close to a Humakti shrine.

One of the PCs became possessed by the axe. The best part of it was that two sessions ago he was possessed by another spirit (the librarian from Old Sun Dome). So the PCs original character is two layers down! Three spirits in one body...

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

crowded!

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

How many angels can fit on the head of a pin? How many personalities can fit in the same body? What is going to happen when situations arise when the old personalities have a chance to attempt to regain control... Oh, that's going to be lots of fun indeed...

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

And how does Balastor get on with the librarian? Both anti-troll....

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Indeed, that's a unifying point between them. A lot depends on how the party's recently promoted Yelmalio Rune Priest reacts to Balastor's demands to re-establish old Pavis... and soon something else will be coming down the river..

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

trolling in the river!

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Ah, I think I was working from the Big Rubble version in the first place (well, the more recent reprint). I hadn't realised there were differences.

I've just been looking back at what happened when they found the axe: here, you might find it amusing. They're investigating the abandoned Jalmar temple (don't know if you've read that scenario, but he's an Arkati/Humakti subcult.

Here's the foreshadowing:
""As to what is rumoured to be here, well your guess is as good as mine. Anything from knowledge of how to become a god, to treasure enough to buy a kingdom, down to nothing because the trolls would have raided the place whilst they had the chance. Take your pick."

He does not mention the rumours that it held details of incredibly powerful hero-quests, now all lost, of course. Plus a dragon's hoard of gold, Balastor's Axe, the original Unbreakable Sword, and a written copy of the God Learners Secret. All obvious silliness and exaggeration :)"

http://www.herewardslegion.info/wikka/wikka.php?wakka=ChronP14

"Armoury catalogue, and an Axe" is the bit of particular interest.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

I liked the reference to St. Petersberg. Perhaps I'll introduce more elements like that to the story, as Balastor tries to revive the old city of Pavis.

What I have to work out is what he thinks of the Lunars... I can't imagine he'd be completely happy with the idea. But as long as they leave him the Rubble.

I can imagine that Balastor is going to unite with the Yelmalio in the party, or at least attempt to get them to support getting rid of the trolls in the area..

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Petersburg, not St Petersburg. Virginia, not Russia.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Petersburg
Not that it matters enormously, any old historical inspiration will do, but that was the result of me studying ACW stories in far too much details, reading diaries written at the time, and so on.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Oh, my very bad. I wondered what the acronym ACW was. Now I get it!

Of course poor ol' Leningrad had it very hard in the winter of '41-'42. There wasn't a bird, cat or rat that hadn't been eaten and there were rumours of cannibalism..

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

Phew - I didn't realize how philosophical the Unitarians are ! I always pigeon-holed them with the Quakers ...
Two more interesting links , if you don't have them already -
http://community.livejournal.com/green_future/profile
http://community.livejournal.com/real_philosophy/profile

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

Oh they're pretty friendly with the Quakers.

There hasn't been that many UU philosophers of particular note; From the transcendentalist tradition in religion there was Ralph Waldo Emerson and David Thoreau. Plus, in more recent times, Arthur Lovejoy.

I'll join the first community, but not the second. I have some issues with some of the moderators of the latter; indeed, I would go so far to describe them as enemies of the philosophical tradition of free and reasoned inquiry.

[fluffyblanket.livejournal.com]

I wasn't criticising the Society of Friends . I greatly admire them .

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

the proposed carbon trading scheme wont work well in my opinion.
the scheme in the uk was rorted so too many permits were given out.

theyd be better off just adding more tax to gas, electricity, oil etc with the money going straight to solar and wind projects and some grants to the poor and elderly.

water is too cheap too.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

You're absolutely correct.

For social justice reasons it is important to have a minimal level of water, gas, electricity, oil etc. available for free.

But beyond this limit both this free level and the rest should be charged at the total cost (i.e., including the free amount).

If we want people to use less water we should charge more for it. Because "educational programmes" themselves just don't work.

[darknova666.livejournal.com]

agreed.

did u see the front page age article a month ago about the guy in kinglake who dug a bore and sold tankers of the water to rich toorak residents etc at 500-1000$ a load so they could skirt water restrictions. unethical and discouraging to everyday citizens who could easily just turn on the tap if they really wanted.

as events unfolded the water would have been a lot more useful filling dams and fire hoses etc for that area.

[djayha.livejournal.com]

I've been wondering---and haven't actually gotten around to asking (at least I don't think I did)---if you are the minister at your UU church, or if you're a worship associate or something similar.

[tcpip.livejournal.com]

We haven't had a church minister since about 1973; although we do have a minister from the U.S. who is a member of the congregation.