Hello from Iowa

Message

FrankL · #1 Post by **FrankL** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:35 am

I am a pastor, programmer, and writer from Iowa. I write fantasy and contemporary spiritual stories. Some of them are meant to be creepy, but since I don't scare easily, it's hard for me to know when I've accomplished this.

I've actually never played an RPG before except for on consoles back in college. Final Fantasy, Secret of Mana, Secret of Evermore, a couple of others. I'm hoping to get in a CoC game here.

#2 Post by **rredmond** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 12:29 pm

Hey Frank! Welcome. Hopefully you get into a game or two soon.
Be well,
--Ron--

#3 Post by **Alethan** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:51 pm

Welcome, Frank!

Um... by "CoC" game, do you mean the Clash of Clans app? Or something else? Hopefully something else, because not sure the former will ever happen here; that doesn't qualify as an RPG.

In any case, we hope you find something that helps scratch that itch! If you've never played an RPG, you might consider giving one a try. There are several rule sets you could read up on that would cost you nothing but a download...

OSRIC - a free RPG ruleset based on the D&D 1e game.
Labyrinth Lords - a free RPG ruleset based on the D&D B/E (Basic/Expert) edition.
Delving Deeper - a free RPG ruleset based on the Original D&D (1974) game.
Dark Dungeons - a free RPG ruleset based on the D&D Moldvay (1981) and Mentzer (1983) editions.

There are more, but this is a good start.

Keehnelf · #4 Post by **Keehnelf** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:12 pm

I think he's looking for Call of Cthulhu

Which, incidentally, is a great game for beginning tabletop role players who are familiar with the genre and not already indoctrinated in the power fantasies that undergird most other games

#5 Post by **Alethan** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 2:15 pm

Keehnelf wrote:I think he's looking for Call of Cthulhu

Which, incidentally, is a great game for beginning tabletop role players who are familiar with the genre and not already indoctrinated in the power fantasies that undergird most other games

Ha! Duh.

Wow, that is Alethan before his second cup of coffee. You're absolutely correct, Keehn.

I'm slowly gearing up to full speed...

FrankL · #6 Post by **FrankL** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:14 pm

Yes. Call of Cthulhu. I've friends who play it, but none live around here. I've played a solo adventure in it from Chaosium (basically a Choose Your Own Adventure with a character sheet) and enjoyed it immensely. There's a CoC game running here (that's how I found the site), and I've asked to be added to the waiting list.

I'm skipping the coffee today. I feel awake enough without it. If that changes before two o'clock, I'll have one. Otherwise, it'll keep me up too late.

#7 Post by **Alethan** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:35 pm

Apologies, Frank.

No idea why some silly app popped into my head (except that I am inundated with advertisements for it on social media).

I believe there might be a few gothic horror style games running right now; might check for them and see if they have any openings or a waiting list you might have your name added to.

Some days I can't function properly without coffee. Dreading Wednesday morning; having bloodwork done (standard stuff) and can't eat or drink anything but water until 10:00 in the a.m. that day.

I'll be sure not to post on USS during that time.

In any case, welcome to the forum. We're glad to have you here. If you want to promote any of your writings by title, feel free to do so. I've found men of the cloth do some of the more creative writing I've read over the years. And I'm a huge fan of HPL (believe it or not) and anyone writing in that style.

#8 Post by **dmw71** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:57 pm

Welcome, FrankL. There seems to be a large number and variety of non-D&D games springing up here all the time, so hopefully you'll be able to latch onto one soon.

Enjoy!
- Dave

Mister-Kent · #9 Post by **Mister-Kent** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 6:40 pm

Welcome to the site Frank!

Grognardsw · #10 Post by **Grognardsw** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:53 pm

Cthulhu fthagn brother. The cult can make room for another acolyte.

Fulci · #11 Post by **Fulci** » Mon Mar 23, 2015 9:35 pm

Welcome to the forums, Frank!

GreyWolfVT · #12 Post by **GreyWolfVT** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:27 am

Welcome Frank!

Scott308 · #13 Post by **Scott308** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:26 am

Welcome aboard.

Argennian · #14 Post by **Argennian** » Tue Mar 24, 2015 7:07 am

Hail & well met, FrankL!

Welcome aboard and here's hoping you get to enjoying the pbp radness forthwith!

Best,

Mitch
14th-level coffee drinker

tooleychris · #15 Post by **tooleychris** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 12:44 pm

FrankL · #16 Post by **FrankL** » Fri Mar 27, 2015 1:57 pm

Thank you for the welcome everyone! Alethan asked about my writings. I have published Crazy Moon in my Lou's Bar & Grill series. My fantasy collection, Rebirths is also available. The second Lou's story will be available as soon as the cover is ready. My wife is working on series logos for me. The sequel to Rebirths is maybe a third of the way done. I know where it needs to go and have loosely plotted it (if I plot it too much ahead of time, I get bored writing it).

My stories have also appeared in Supernatural Colorado and The Cross and the Cosmos Anthology Year 1 (which I also edited about half the stories). Supernatural Colorado has "The Other Cemetery," based on an actual legend of a haunted cemetery in Silver Cliff, Colorado. The Anthology has my Shylocke Averyson trilogy about a noble's son whose kingdom is invaded and defeated. The three tales, "Sunset Over Gunther," "The Contest," and "Pursuit," tell of his first wanderings to find himself.

The Lou's stories go back to my love for Twilight Zone stories. At some point in the story, the main character will find their way to Lou's Bar & Grill and be presented with a Faustian Bargain. Lou's appears as everything from a dive bar ("Sixes Wild"), to a 24-hour diner ("Keeping Up Appearances"), even a western saloon ("Snake Oil Man"). There will be seven in the first set (I don't know about a second set, but the door is still open).

My final set of stories, two of which are done, is Joshua's Pawn Shop. Joshua is a fixer. People find his shop when they need it and never before. On his shelves they'll find something they've gotten rid of or lost in the past. They are then given the opportunity to change one mistake related to that item in the past or present. "The Buick Eight" and "Fun and Games" are done but unpublished with "House of Cards" and "Walk Away Joe" partially complete. I'm planning six or seven Joshua stories.

Yes, you could say I like to write. When it comes to marketing, though...

Thank you again for the welcome. I'm in a game and plan to have fun with it.

FrankL · #17 Post by **FrankL** » Thu Apr 23, 2015 3:23 am

If anyone is interested in reading one of my stories for free, I've uploaded it to this post. It was a fun story to write, and while every writer's most recent work is their favorite, I really like this one.

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