After doing some spring cleaning of our bookshelves and having a good brunch at Zaftig’s Delicatessen in Natick, Mass., Janice and I met Thomas K.Y. and his friend to screen Sucker Punch. Despite mixedreviews, we enjoyed the crossgenre action movie.
Emily Browning plays a young woman who’s institutionalized after a family tragedy. In a 1950s American gothic asylum, she befriends characters depicted by the attractive Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens, and Jamie Chung. Carla Gugino, as a Polish psychiatrist, teaches the girls to dance and escape their unpleasant reality into shared dreams.
They’re menaced by orderly Oscar Isaac, who appears in the alternate universe as a pimp, and Jon Hamm as a lobotomist/”high roller.” From the first-level dreamscape of the burlesque show, the girls descend into a world where their obstacles are represented by giant samurai, World War I zombies, orcs, robots, and a dragon. Scott Glenn appears as an old man who guides them on their missions to find clues to escaping their multilayered prison.
Snyder isn’t bashful about alluding to his inspirations, which include Heavy Metal, Brazil, and Kill Bill, all of which I also like. In fact, I enjoyed Sucker Punch more than similar movies such as What Dreams May Come and Inception. The skimpy costumes notwithstanding, the movie isn’t as exploitative as I had feared, and the fight scenes are well-choreographed, if sometimes hard to follow.
I was also favorably impressed with Sucker Punch‘s soundtrack, which includes Browning covering the Eurythmics, as well as Bjork, some metallic tracks, and “Love is the Drug” sung by Gugino and Isaac over the credits.
Overall, I’d give Sucker Punch a 7 or 8 out of 10, a solid “B,” or three or four stars out of five. The film is rated PG-13 for violence, sexuality, and language. Fans of high fantasy, dieselpunk, or psychological thrillers who keep their expectations in check should enjoy the visuals even if they recognize most of the story.
While I remain hopeful about the long-term prospects for democracy worldwide, I’m less sanguine about U.S. foreign policy, regardless of the political party in charge. The U.S. government has a track record of repeatedly betting on the wrong horse, allowing the personal rapport between leaders to overwhelm common sense. We also tend to value military spending over human rights rhetoric and resort to heavy-handed economic or military measures when we don’t like a revolution’s outcome.
Cyberutopians have hailed the role of cell phones, the Internet, and social media in the latest round of populist uprisings. Global telecommunications have certainly made it easier for groups of people to organize, but we shouldn’t underestimate the ability of regimes from Havana and Beijing to Tehran and Pyongyang to censor news media, ruthlessly crush domestic protests while rallying their own supporters, and fend off international disapproval.
Focusing on North Africa and the Middle East, I think that Egypt may be the exception rather than the rule. I’m glad that Egyptians ousted Hosni Mubarak with a minimum of violence. He was a client of U.S. military largesse and a sponsor of détente with Israel. But Mubarak was not loved in his country, which has long been an important regional power with an educated middle class (preconditions for Western-style democracy and capitalism).
The lack of influence by religious radicals in Egypt’s uprising shows that most Muslims want security, prosperity, and freedom, just like people of other faiths and ethnicities. On the other hand, we have yet to see whether recent elections will lead to positive change or if Egypt’s military will merely swap one strongman for another.
The so-called First World’s addiction to apparently cheap energy has led to our tacit support of nondemocratic Saudi Arabia over the protestors in Bahrain, the difficult occupation of Iraq, and halfhearted support of reform in Yemen and Syria. Israel is the most Westernized of the nations in the region, but it is still struggling with its borders, settlements, and Palestinian neighbors, many of whom are radicalized.
As for our involvement in Libya’s civil war, I’m no fan of Mr. Khadafy, but I’m not sure that the U.S. and U.N. will be able to oust to oust him just as his forces were advancing on rebels. As usual, President Obama is in a no-win situation — our European allies want to intervene in Libya’s civil war, but Congress and the American people are reluctant to intervene, even for humanitarian reasons.
I understand Obama’s hesitation, but I hope that the U.S. can encourage democratic movements, discourage armed conflict and tribalism/fundamentalism, and continue to work with our allies. In an ideal world, we’d stop providing billions of dollars in weapons to the region, and disputed territories would be disarmed and made U.N. protectorates. Of course, if there were easy answers to the region’s socioeconomic, ethnic/religious, and political problems, someone would have found them by now. What do you think we should do?
P.S.: One reason I’ve consolidated and moved my blogs here is to make it easier for readers to subscribe to e-mail updates or add it to their RSS feeds. The links to do so are at right.
In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but ecological degradation and internecine conflicts persist. Open and official First Contact with Galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?
After encountering regional warlords, extraterrestrial probes, and other hazards around Karachi and Ghanki Station beneath the Arabian Sea, the adventurers had escaped to the Shepard 2 orbital city, but the ship that awaited them was missing key components. After a successful heist from a Lunar warehouse, the crew of the Fortune’s Fool/Gen. Lee set out for Venus on an urgent medical mission….
>>”Vortex” Team 2 Player Characters, crew of the Appomattox, as of spring 2011:
-“Gabriel Adams” [Paul J.]-male North American Terran near-human with telepathy, courier and pilot
-“ARTHERR” [Greg D.C.]-Advanced Resonance Theoretical Heuristic Exploration and Research Robot created by megacorp Vimeco
-“Jasmine” [Sara F.]-female Martian Felinoid (Synth, “Uplifted” tiger), former professional pit fighter
-“Dr. Dieter Klein” [Rich L.]-male European Terran human, semi-retired physician, altruist and thrillseeker
-“Hector Chavez” [Beruk A./absent]-male Latin American Terran human, “burned” operative and communications expert
-“Dr. Richmond Garrett” [Dave S.C./absent]-male Southern American Terran human, space snake-oil salesman and social climber
“25 to 26 August 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Galactic Era:” A virus whose symptoms resemble arthritis continues to spread among the Venusian colonies. The investigators have found that sabotage was the cause of an explosive decompression that killed thousands of workers who had gathered for treatment at Hephaestus Stadium in the Kardikea orbital city.
Gabriel and Jasmine explain to ARTHERR, who has been coordinating the distribution of medicine, that the evidence of sabotage has led them to the Central Committee of the Venusian Finance Union. Meanwhile, the virus has mutated, accelerating the rate of infection and mortality.
Hector returns to the cockpit of the Appomattox (formerly the “General Lee“) to monitor communications of the Finance Union, news media, and the United Earth Authority (U.E.A.) quarantine of Venus. “Capt. Doug McDonnell” [Erik B.L./Non-Player Character] confirms that a member of the Parsifal‘s crew has died from the virus.
Dr. Richmond Garrett, appointed surgeon general by Chairman Orion Stefanov, stays in his low-gravity sauna. Nero Bartholomew, onetime owner of the Fortune’s Fool and more recently the ship’s cook, is confined to his cabin after becoming ill. Reptilian Synth (genetically engineered humanoid) and former miner Averki “Deep Dish” Dyashenko takes over his duties.
Now that food has been identified as the epidemic’s attack vector, ARTHERR requests samples from Kardikea authorities. His friend’s space yacht stranded because of the blockade, Dr. Dieter Klein soon finds himself helping to bring rats and small livestock to the Appomattox.
Gabriel welcomes Herr Klein aboard, and ARTHERR helpfully leads him to the galley/kitchen, where he has created a makeshift laboratory. The doctor recommends that they eventually acquire a medical bay. Jasmine is relieved to have a real physician around, and the robot and retiree get to work devising a way to detect the virus in food.
Several hours later, Dr. Klein and ARTHERR create a blood test to find whether livestock or people are infected. They proudly share their results via teleconference with medical colleagues at Morningstar Consortium, Xi Labs, and Vimeco, plus Capt. Amelia Saviola of the U.E.V. Sphinx.
Not pausing between challenges, Gabriel, ARTHERR, Jasmine, and Dieter then decide to sneak into the Central Committee to see how far up the chain of command they can trace the orders to sabotage the stadium. Hector obtains schematics and loans a handheld scanner to Dr. Klein.
The former government operative creates a diversion to distract guards in the docking bay, allowing the foursome to slip into the orbital city. Gabriel and Dieter are disguised in maintenance-worker coveralls retrieved from the late Kiril Shatalin’s quarters. Felinoid Jasmine hides her identity in a customized space suit, and ARTHERR adds some panels to appear as a rolling trash can.
Hector remotely guides the infiltrators to a back entrance of the station’s command center. They pass through a labyrinth of pipe-filled tunnels and bluff their way past guards and low-ranking drones. Gabriel and Dieter duck into a locker room to upgrade their uniforms but are soon surrounded by burly men named Yegor, Igar, and Ugir.
ARTHERR tampers with a thermostat, creating steam to cover the interlopers as they grab clothing and leave. The group ascends to a level filled with colonial bureaucrats and soldiers. Wary of surveillance devices, the team ducks into a latrine. Dr. Klein suggests using dumping a cauterizing agent from his medic kit into water to drive people out and obscure cameras.
Jasmine goes into a stall, Gabriel stands near a urinal trough, and ARTHERR continues to pose as a trash can. Dr. Klein’s plan works, and several officers leave quickly to avoid the noxious fumes. Gabriel stands by a sink, then leads the way into an air vent that happens to be large enough for even Jasmine to crawl in.
After disabling a dangerous fan, the fearless four climb a vertical shaft to a nicer restroom directly above the previous one. ARTHERR uses his Taser against the sole stall occupant, and Gabriel again trades up in uniform. The telepath then uses his suggestion ability on some guards and an ID card to gain access to Chairman Stefanov’s office. Jasmine and Dieter wait at the air shaft.
ARTHERR finds and removes a local data-storage unit, and Gabriel warns him that Orion and aides are coming. When the stunned officer is found in the restroom next door, an alarm is raised. Gabriel bars the door with a desk, and ARTHERR cuts a hole in the third-story window and wheels out. He then hides in plain sight in a courtyard.
Acrobatic Gabriel manages to reach the ground unscathed, but pursuing guards shoot him in the leg. Dr. Klein and Jasmine get caught in a duct between a fan leading to a rooftop exit and a security robot. Mighty Jasmine shoots the droid, kicks out the fan and grill, and finds a fire escape for herself and the good doctor as more sentries and aerodynes arrive.
After running through deserted streets, Gabriel requisitions a garbage truck near the stadium ruins and covertly picks up ARTHERR. Jasmine leads police on a chase with her hoverbike before losing them and regrouping with Gabriel, thanks in part to Hector’s hacking of traffic lights and communications.
Back at the Appomattox, Jasmine is first in line for a long shower, and Dr. Klein attends to his and Gabriel’s injuries. ARTHERR begins analyzing the hard drive to find proof that the ruling council of Kardikea Station and the 12 families that control Venus’ colonies are behind the carnage at Hephaestus Stadium….
Beruk and Dave, we missed you, and I hope you’ll be able to meet Rich at the next Team 2 game on April 4! Rich also plans to sit in on the next Team 1 session on March 28. In the meantime, I’ll see Paul and Beruk at this Sunday’s Pathfinder/Skype: “the Vanished Lands” virtualfantasy campaign, and take it easy, -Gene
In one future, humanity has begun to colonize the Sol system, but ecological degradation and internecine conflicts persist. Open and official First Contact with Galactic societies, themselves at war, threaten Terra’s very survival. Can heroes rise to the challenges?
After evading xenophobic attacks at the Rio “beanstalk,” New Miami, and Lemuria Station, two alien explorers and their human allies visited the Moon and the Martian Confederation. After obtaining passage to the Asteroid Belt, they prepared to leave the Sol system together for the first time….
>>”Vortex” Team 1 Player Characters, crew of the “Blackbird,” as of spring 2011:
-“Syzygy” [Brian W.]-Trinoid (trilateral amphibious alien) xenologist with an organic laboratory and a pet cat named “Mr. Sniffles”
-“Tela” [Sara F.]-female Tharian (winged reptilian humanoid alien) escapee from the Encegulans, engineer
-“Chris McKee” [Josh C.]-male North American Terran cyborg human sniper working for eugenics conspirators at Black Box Security Co.
-“Aughest-vor” [Jason E.R.]-male human from the Lemuria orbital city, onetime dilettante, solar-sail regatta pilot
-“Lt. Kevin Reese” [Bruce K.]-male Terran human, burned-out officer and explorer in the Interplanetary Patrol
-“Gombo Shisel” [Rich L./absent]-male Mongolian/Martian human, former horse rancher and wilderness survival expert
>Field report of Agent Prometheus, “30 August to 4 September 2194 A.D./C.E. or 0 Galactic Era”
This report is brief but positive. After our interviews, including a grilling of former playboy pilot and would-be politician Aughest-vor by the United Earth Authority (U.E.A.), my companions and I waited for approval for interstellar travel. Most of us spent this time productively.
Syzygy prepared his living lab and cat “Mr. Sniffles” for another move, while Tela looked over the specifications of the Olvar (mammal-like arboreal alien) scout ship Morifaiwet. Lt. Kevin Reese talked up Capt. Wu Hanbei of the I.P.V. Babieca; I believe he was trying to get advance information out of the council deciding its decision.
Aughest-vor took on the quartermaster duties, making sure that our refitted ship would be provisioned and that his solar sail craft and the Tiger Hawk Sandstorm ground-effect vehicle would be available. We still need a small drop ship/shuttle. Aughest also remembered that he had a piece of Ru’ulok (heavy-gravity reptilian alien pirate) technology from our raid on the Martian domestead. Further reports are pending on investigation.
After a few days, the Olvar Star League and the U.E.A. awarded us possession of the Morifaiwet, which was rechristened the Terran-Kharvamid Vessel (T.C.V.) Blackbird. During a brief boarding ceremony, Adm. Raul Xinshang, commander of the Musashi battle group, put us on a shuttle from Ceres Station. Lt. Reese relived the stationed guards, and we took command!
Upon inspection, we discovered that the experimental starship was in top shape and came with unrequested features, specifically, an astrogation/mechanic robot we named “Mr. Bucket.” I suspect that the droid is aboard to report our activities back to the U.E.A. In addition, engineer Tela found an area called “the Hive,” filled with biomechanical spiders. They’re apparently part of the ship’s automated maintenance and repair systems.
Scientist Syzygy checked the ship’s computer, which contains Terran and Kharvamid Alliance databases and a holographic interface. I examined the beam weapons system and long-range sensors, and we assigned crew cabins, including one for newcomer Mr. Shisel.
The U.E.A. space navy issued orders to inspect an extrasolar body named Tyche that is emitting radiation. Pilot Aughest-vor took us out of dock, and we are on our way….
>[Josh’s out-of-character notes:] Hi guys, here are additional details not in “Chris McKee’s” report. We finished the troupe-style interrogation of Jason (see previous update for the review rosters), since he was absent last time.
-U.E.A. review committee: We have thought further about Aughest-vor. Since we are unable to arrest him or toss him out an airlock (as Capt. Wu Hanbei recommended), we reluctantly approve him to accompany Lt. Kevin Reese.
–Kharvamid Fleet panel: After reflection and discussion, we have decided to approve the humans for deep-space Transit. We feel it may not be the best time, but their blundering into Galactic politics is now inevitable.
We also spent a good chunk of the session building our new ship. Now that’s the Blackbird refit is completed (see write-up below), we look forward to exploring the Milky Way Galaxy, making new friends and enemies, and shooting as many Ru’ulok as humanly possible. ;) -Josh/”Chris”
-16. Ship Systems/ (+1, life support, gravitics, and Tela’s biomechanical shop), aft hatch
-17. Maneuver Drive (+2, Beryllium spheres, sublight and power)
>>Secondary pod (see Breen/Olvar exterior, not in “Daemon” plan):
-18. Flight Bay (+1): Small drop ship (to acquire)
-19. Beam Weapon (+1, Chris’ gunner’s turret; to install-secondary or multifire controls)
-20. Flight Bay (+1): The “Tiger Hawk Sandstorm” ground-effect vehicle and Aughest’s solar-sail racing craft (to stat out)
-21. Cargo Hold (+1)
Thanks, Josh, for the update, and I look forward to seeing Team 1 on Monday, March 28. Rich met part of Team 2 at last night’s “Vortex” game (notes to come), and he plans to sit in on more sessions of both groups to meet everyone. In the meantime, please remember to post to Jason’s and my posts about minis and books for sale if you haven’t already. Be seeing you, -Gene
Fellow role-players, here is my update for Session T3.21 of the latest adventuring party in my “Vanished Lands” heroic fantasy campaign setting. The teleconferencing team met on Sunday, 20 March 2011, and has been using Pathfinder, Skype, and an online dice roller.
In one ancient world, there was a region where strange majicks and demihuman races thrived. After “Holy Steel‘s” journey to the distant empire of Khemet, another motley group gathered in the northwestern “Vanished Lands” to explore a world full of perils and wonders….
>>Telecom party Player Character roster, as of spring 2011:
-“Gawain Keary” [Paul J.]-male Saganim human Illusionist (proto-Celtic Wizard); NGc, Age 20, Lvl. 1
-“Kovar” [Beruk A.]-male Half-Orc/Saganim human Paladin of Mithras, god of contracts and brotherhood; LGn, Lvl. 2
-“Davven ‘Digger’ Hollysharp” [Robert A.S.]-male Faldine Halfling archaeologist (Tallfellow Rogue) from a pipeweed farm in Tarken; CGn, Age 45, Lvl. 2
-“Asish Chen Ti” [Byron V.O.]-male Tsucharim human archer (Mongol-style Ranger), escaped from the kingdom of Gokuri; owner of Akita dog Genghis and horse Onimusha; NGl, Age 20, Lvl. 2
-“Jovinda Halflight” [Sammy H.]-female Half-Elf (Grugach/Hifalendorin) Cleric of Mekkil, goddess of nature; owner of horse Wyth-Amoi, or “Wind Spirit”; NGl, Age 23, Lvl. 2
-“Kazuo Takenaga” [Taum D’A.]-male Nezumi (Rat-kin) Monk from the Zedu kingdom in the Therud Forest; LNg, Age 20, Lvl. 2
“17 to 18 August 1229 B.C.E.:” After meeting in the Wisalef Forest and encountering hostile Centaurs and other creatures on the Plains of Sathendo, the adventuring party rode back to the abandoned Hifalendorin (proto-Western European) human hamlet of Alarn.
After spending the night at a farm north of Alarn, the group has breakfast with the Sandia clan. Digger climbs onto a bench and shows a sketch of Octavius Karstus, the mysterious Wizard who hired him to look into property in Evesboro.
Jonas recognizes the drawing and says that he had met Karstus near the Aspar River a few months ago and directed him to the city of Nadwi. The peasant says he got a whole silver coin for his help, and the Halfling Rogue offers Jonas two coppers more.
Kovar, Gawain, and “Sir Bonner of Runnymeade” [Jon W.B./Non-Player Character] enjoy the morning’s entertainment before going to ready their steeds. Digger and Jovinda ask matron Violet Sandia for another private conversation. They apologize for Kazuo, who told Violet’s impressionable granddaughter Alyssa about Vappu Lahja, and note that the pregnant girl is otherwise healthy.
Meanwhile, Kazuo’s presence is requested upstairs, where bedridden Alyssa begs the Nezumi Monk not to leave because the he is the only person who understands her. Asish and Jovinda bring the paranoid heiress some tea and retrieve Kazuo. The Grugach Cleric whispers that the group should make a quick exit because it’s no longer welcome.
The wanderers ride past wary field hands and pass Alarn, which is still empty. Tsucharim Ranger Asish looks for recent Centaur tracks, and Digger and Jovinda debate whether to place more warnings for would-be raiders. Perhaps due to Vappu Lahja’s influence, Digger believes that some of the enigmatic woman’s followers must be misguided — and punished — if they attacked this Hifalendorin community rather than let him and Kazuo find converts.
He and Gawain also conclude that the storm giant sighted in the area must be a magically transformed peasant, based on the reticence they encountered at the Sandia farm. Kovar and Kazuo say there’s no need to interfere further with the farmers, but they keep watch for more Fey. Sir Bonner tells Digger that he encountered Karstus, whom he took for a lost courier, a few weeks ago.
Several hours later, the team passes through a wheat field near the Aspar River on its way southwest toward Nadwi. Four figures watch the road, unmoving and drawing the party’s curiosity. Gawain, Kovar, Jovinda, and Kazuo ride to about 60 feet away, while Asish stays a bit farther back and to one side. Digger and Sir Bonner keep near the road in case of ambush.
The four humanoids, about 50 feet each from one another, are in ragged clothing and glower at the investigators. Kovar and Gawain shrug off their fear, but Sir Bonner is affected, and Jovinda is fascinated.
Asish fires an arrow into the emaciated creature closest to Jovinda, knocking off its human face and revealing a glowing skull! Digger dismounts and readies his sling, and Kazuo slides off his mule. Gawain readies spells, and Asish’s dog Genghis tugs on Jovinda, shaking her out of her fascination.
One of the strange scarecrows rakes Jovinda with skeletal claws, and the others shamble forward. Paladin Kovar spurs his horse and charges, smiting one with his spear. Asish’s next two arrows miss, and the unnerved archer steps back to avoid the enemy. Digger also falls back.
Martial artist Kazuo rains Flurries of Blows on the straw-stuffed constructs, and arcanist Gawain helps by knocking down one with a Grease spell. Jovinda draws her short bow but fumbles her first shot. One monster hits Kovar, and another staggers Jovinda.
Armored Kovar jumps off his destrier and skewers a scarecrow, as Asish incinerates a straw man with a volley of flaming arrows. Swift Kazuo moves to another opponent.
Priestess Jovinda invokes Mekkil, goddess of nature, for a Positive Energy Burst. Fellow spellcaster Gawain observes that since it only healed her and her friends but didn’t hurt the scarecrows, they must not be Undead. He casts Enlarge on Half-Orc Kovar, who spears another before it can hit him.
Sniper Asish continues to lay covering fire for Kazuo, Jovinda, and Kovar, but unlucky Kazuo is knocked unconscious and dragged out of the melee by Genghis. Illusionist Gawain casts a Minor Image of embiggened Kovar and Blinding Rays. After missing the scarecrows with arrows, Jovinda casts Cure Light Wounds on herself.
The three remaining foes close in on the party. Kovar shield bashes one before missing and being knocked down, and Gawain is fascinated until shaken by Genghis. Jovinda races to Kovar, casts Sanctuary and heal, and then retreats.
Asish pulls Kazuo onto his saddle and continues to wield his bow against the scarecrows, eventually destroying them. Digger and Kazuo say it’s no coincidence that these unnatural creations were near the road from Alarn, and Digger and Gawain suspect that Octavius Karstus may be involved.
Kovar angrily asks Sir Bonner why he didn’t help. The hapless knight says he recognized one dead face as that of a tinker he once traveled with. Jovinda attends to Kovar, Kazuo, and Gawain’s injuries, as well as her own, while Akita Genghis licks the Wild Elf’s face.
Asish and Digger find 18 crowns (gold pieces), assorted silverware and tools worth 30 g.p., and the remains of a skin once holding Fey wine amid the charred corpses. Sir Bonner identifies the tools as belonging to one Taras of Rockney….
Please note that I’ve added the treasure amounts and Sir Bonner’s explanation of why he didn’t fight. Paul and Beruk, I look forward to seeing both of you (and prospective role-player Rich L.) at tonight’s FATE 3eStarblazer Adventures: “Vortex” space opera game! Byron, thanks for posting your prestige class ideas for Asish on the Google Group, and I hope the others give good suggestions.
Rob, I’ll try to touch base with you later this week on the parts you missed. Sammy, I hope you get your computer back in good working order, and can you and Taum let me know which D&D3.5/4e books I’m selling you’re interested in? Dexter, we saw you online briefly — were you having problems with Skype? Have a good week, everyone! -Gene
Gene's Worlds 