On Three Strands: Fridays, Newbies & Hackmastery

This is something of a news post from the wondrous world of my hobby head.

It's been a weird week or so since my last post. I've had a period of holiday and then a return to regular. During this time, however, my butterfly-head has fluttered over myriad points of interest.

There are, however, three main things to talk about.

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Pathfinder With Newbies

Meeting for the first time in the now quiet classroom after hours, the four lads ambled in and settled around the two tables that had been pushed together and surrounded by 5 chairs. Greeting their teacher in the role of the arcanely named "Gamesmaster", they took their places. Characters were chosen, funny-looking dice tested and some basic "rules" of play outlined. Then, without much hesitation, they plunged into the Goblin-infested cave...

Bringing Light To The Uninitiated
When I first played Dungeons & Dragons, many moons ago now it seems, I was only very slightly younger than the three young chaps who met in my classroom the other night. I vaguely remember the excitement that emanated from the discovery of polyhedral dice and the musty smell of the "Red Box". To the outsider this must all sound quite sinister and strange... but it was really only the first taste of a hobby which has served me well for more than 30 years: roleplaying games.

At the inaugural meeting of my school's "Pathfinder Society" (as I have chosen to call it) four pupils met around the traditional table and  played their first ever game of Pathfinder. To be completely accurate, we were using the rather excellent Pathfinder Beginner's Box.

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