About
This Site
I created this site as a medium for disseminating information to the players of Catastrophic Fumble about upcoming game sessions, rules changes/addenda, and logs of the sessions we’ve played. I toyed with the idea of creating a forum, but decided the increased focus on conversation wasn’t necessarily what I was looking for in a site of this nature. I decided on a blog because I’m familiar with the blog system, it lends itself to posts in categories by an author, and can be extended in a great many ways. Save vs. Death is a blog with a purpose, unlike my blog at http://blog.thedow.org, which is defined primarily by its lack of purpose.
The Group
Catastrophic Fumble as a Role-Playing Group has been around in various incarnations with various lineups for for over 10 years. We’ve played various games over the years, but the game that has given us the most fun and has caused the longest-running campaigns is Hackmaster, and that’s what incorporates us now.
The current lineup of the group is as follows:
Chris - GM
Gabe - Daggar, Human Knight-Errant
Shawn - Therin, Dwarven Cleric of Thor
Ryan - Arael, Human Magic-User
Kim - Bren Lightfinger, Halfling Thief
For an explanation of what Pen and Paper Role Playing Games are, see this post on my other blog: http://blog.thedow.org/?p=635
The Game
Hackmaster is an RPG based on the 1st and 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons rulesets with “crunchy bits” thrown in for an entirely unique game experience. There is a lot more history to Hackmaster than its age might suggest.
To begin with, a guy named Jolly Blackburn created a comic called Knights of the Dinner Table about a group of friends who played a game. That game was Hackmaster. Hackmaster existed as an obvious parody of 1st and 2nd Edition Dungeons and Dragons, with the feel of old school gaming very much alive in the comics. When Wizards of the Coast (owners of the D&D franchise) created 3rd edition D&D, a lot of old school gamers refused to play it. They felt that it mimicked the feel of computer games, and wanted to stick with 1st and 2nd edition. It was familiar. It was comfortable.
After 3e had been out a couple years, Kenzer and Company (the publishers of Knights of the Dinner Table) began to see what could be the niche of Hackmaster. A currently-published game with old school feel to it. They secured a license from Wizards of the Coast to use the 1e and 2e ruleset for Hackmaster and began producing materials.
Catastrophic Fumble was hooked from the start and I, myself became an active contributor on the Kenzer and Company forums, asking questions, learning the rules, providing help for newer GM’s, and enjoying the community that quickly sprung up around the game.
Hackmaster is no longer actively being produced, since Kenzer & Co. allowed the license to expire. They are busily working on and playtesting the new edition (called 5th edition, to continue the parody) which will use none of the old AD&D rules. However, we will continue using 4e (the original Hackmaster version) for the foreseeable future. I’ve spent too much money on the Hackmaster books, and I know the rules now. I see no reason to move from this system, as my disposable income isn’t what it was with a wife, rent, and bills to consume much of it. I’m sure Kenzer & Co. will produce a quality game; that’s just what they do.
Catastrophic Fumble, as I said, has undergone a number of changes to its lineup. Currently, only myself and my wife, Kim have made it through from the “original” Hackmaster campaign. Gabe is a former Catastrophic Fumble member from the Battletech days of the group. Shawn and Ryan are new to the group and new to P&P RPG’s, so we’re looking forward to breaking them in.
As long as P&P gaming exists, I expect Catastrophic Fumble will be there to Hack and Slash our way through them.