[KAMUT]

Why do we get into the things that we do. this is why I do, now how about you?
If you can keep it true, then this cipher is for you. read through............

I've always collected 1:72 scale plastic soldiers, preferably the quality stuff like Revel(Germany) and some Hasegawa kits. I've always enjoyed big armies so there is where all that comes from (CAV guys). I started DMing sometime in the early 80s and originally we had used mini's, but eventually that gave way to hand drawn maps, and such. Ocassionally some minis would be around to give my players a visualization of what was trying to eat their characters and such. (My guys had trouble visualizing things like Owlbears, Eye Tyrants, Kobolds and Gnolls.)

The last fantasy game I DMed was in the mid 90s to my cousins in the South Bronx, before they got caught up in "the life" and no longer had time for such "childish things". I still have a decent collection of Ral Partha stuff, D&D books stashed away in a storage space in New York; been meaning to get at them since I returned to the civilian world. Right after I left the Army, my oldest daughter was a year old and I figured, it would be nice to have something the family can get involved in. hence we started collecting Reapers DH line and assembling our first "midievil army" using Anhur men at arms and Ritterlich soldiers.

Next came the Armorcast buildings and that thing took a life of its own, now it's the Kingdom of Brannok Noir, and the towne of Conoors. a small city state with a slight mediterranian flavor (Hey, we got palm trees!). The kids enjoy the towne, (even learned to count while organizing the city militia, take that Sesame Street!) I don't think we will ever game them, so all you Warlord players can breathe easy, there will be no Warlord House rules from Kamut.

I've always enjoyed Battletech, but aside from an occasional Mech mini here and there, it wasn't something that people around my way got into, unless they were playing Mechwarrior on the PC. With the exception of Ghost Bear Legacy, I have most everything from MW2 on. Whatever mechs I have are sort of like trophies for each game completed. I regard myself as an elite Clan Wolf mechwarrior, self styled Master of the Summoner (Thor), for that was my mech of choice. The Lone Wolf, independant sort of like Wolf Dragoons, but not Dezgra or exiled.

Anyhow, wanting to get into Sci fi table top battles, I tried MWDA and was disappointed. Was nothing like the original game, and captured nothing I could even relate to Battletech mechanics-wise. I ENJOY CUSTOMABILITY, and I utilize the element of surprise when I hit my opponents with a variant that they obviously wasn't prepared for; they just never know what to expect from me. Anybody, whos ever confronted me as a Mechwarrior online, knows win or lose, I'm liable to hit them with the kitchen sink if I could find the right mount for it.

And here is where CAV comes in; I feel it captures the speed and versatility I was looking for in a sci-fi atmosphere; I had to get use to the paired weapons format (IE 2 identical main weapons) but in thinking, that is a more potent use of weaponry anyway. (Though I am known to go to town with a Knight or a Puma on occasion.) Because of the scale, I have the perfect excuse to build that N scale model train layout (Fort Wolf) I've been fiending to build for the longest time. As I've said before, I've always enjoyed huge armies, and my CAV collection is easily past the $1000 mark, damn near all of it, coming out of my own pockets. (toot toot)

As some can tell, we do more than just bring our troops to the table. I combine my DMing skills with the tabletop experience to create a backdrop for every battle we play. We've fought massive battles against incredible enemies; Even in peace time, something is always admist. We enjoy character interaction, and try to make these characters much more than a statline on a sheet of paper. Suddenly, a ficticious character like Grand Disciple Remi Santiago or Red Sentinal Couselor David Castillo sends a shudder down my player's backs. Suddenly my players are elatted when War Cheif Sabian Reyes is sharing the field of battle with them.

Thats taking a character past a simple sketch, or a series of numbers on a peice of paper. My brother created a character, Preston Alverez, commander of the Pheonix Reign, who's lifelong dream is to score a date with Red Spades Captain Dana Murphy. (what a cutey!) Of course, that's if he doesn't get shot down over Cassini within the next month.

Gaming and pianting mini's have become a family pastime, not just for my immediate family, but for my cousins, neices and nephews. Heck, my aunt won a Kill the Rhino demo a while back. that's cool. I see this hobby as a creative alternative the "street life" so many people around get drawn into. Lancaster is nothing like Webster Avenue in the South Bronx, but it isn't exactly paradise either.

So in the "hood", there is a quiet little oasis admist the gunshots, the fisticuffs, the shouting, the drug dealing, the pimping and all the wonderful things people glamourize about the ghetto. In this oasis, minis are painted, games are played, models are made, stories are written, sketches are drawn, deep rhymes are delivered, beats are bangin', good food is served, and people forget about the riff raff outside.

Its funny, I go to public places with my kids and sooo many people make the same comment, "your children are so well behaved; your family is so laid back." I think about that and the answer stares me back in the face. We do things as a family; my children have creative interests and are surrounded by tangible examples of our collective creativity. Things we did together. It's been a wonderful 5 years married to the same woman, and with very few problems. That's a blessing, considering some folks I know don't even make it that far.

These are the things I'm thankful for, and I'm so proud of "Mi Familia". Reaper is a wonderful company and everyone there is top notch. You make this great hobby what it is, and the staff has gone far above and beyond; and I thank them, especially Matt Ragan for at least hearing us out our issues, even if we have different perceptions on some points. He's a great guy and part of the reason, "Mi Familia" is pretty much, locked solid in the Reaper camp.

Some people may say we're hardcore, others say enthusiastic; those are cool but I prefer to think of it something like an unwritten old school law of the streets. It goes along the lines of "Loyalty, begets Loyalty, Respect begets Respect." Reaper keeps it's ears to the people, and the people will love them for it.

Cipher passed to the next......

[red5angel]

Merry Christmas KAMUT!

[KAMUT]

Right back at ya, brotha’ keepin’ it real, this’ how we feel

Laying it down, hardcore like steel.

We drop phenomenal, the jewels and lyrics are spectatcular, like an Acura.

Hooped out, tubbed out with spinna’s showing off clout. I’m catchin’ ya

With the flavor we live, this my bid

Reflecting on the things that we did.

The Q3s gone, we’ lookin’ foreward to the Q4 and still raw.

Jumpin’ off to get ya for more.

It’s the Cruz, baby. very few could fit in these shoes

I’m cutting loose, long from the days when I was clappin’ 22s

And spinning juice. Real times call for real things

So nowadays, the daddy gotta new song to sing

I pass the cipher, but first lemme explain whats the game

Of free expression, like water flowing right from the brain

A little rusty, but my freestyle is mad tight

But like dynamite, exploding when I’m passin’ the mic.....

[Orsino]

Though your posting I call quite verbose,
Your mini games sound like the mos'.
Let's give props to the Reaps
For their little lead peeps
And say "Merry Christmas," of co'se.

[benhamtroll]

I'm not an english teacher, but I think it would scan better if you used 'pewter' instead of 'lead'. Not to mention it wouldn't rot.

[Orsino]

Nope. Anapestic (and dactylic) feet in da house, as in the tune to "The Irish Washerwoman's Jig" or "paradimethylaminobenzaldehyde."

[KAMUT]

OK, its seems I have to eleborate on just what a cipher is....

In some circles, its a few MCs delivering rhymes, not necessarily battling, just rocking the crowd.

in other circles its an exchange of poetic thought, sometimes rhymes, often not. I've seen cats break it down in terms of metaphors; It would be pretty cool to hear some Haiku from Matt.

There was one in a Coke commercial featuring the Roots, where everybody just contributed to their little jam they had going. nothing rehearsed, just break the conformity a bit.

OK, with that said.

Cipher mode back on.....

[Akela]

One of the only ones I read often is by Issa Kobayashi. I read it when days are rough.

Ku no shaba ya
sakura ga sakeba
saita tote

(A corrupt world of pain.
Yet cherry blossoms are
blooming also.)

[KAMUT]

HMMM
Interesting, I have to think on that one.
thanks

edit: after returning from a quick assignment.

The world is a beautiful place, we are the ones choose to make it ugly.

pretty deep, bossman; 50 cool points on that

[Froggy the Great]

If you eat
a live frog
first thing in
the morning

nothing worse
will happen
to either
of you the
rest of the

day.

Cipher passed on from this boy to someone who can handle it better than I...

This post has been edited by Herr Oberfroschmeister: 03 February 2004 - 12:43 PM

[KAMUT]

Cipher accepted
Hiccup ribbit!
cipher passed!
LOL

[MinipainterUS]

All life is the voice of one
who speaks from distant childhood,
where eyes peer out
from the mystery of birth
and look across an abyss of comprehension.

Voice the phrase
of ancient discontent
whose rituals evoke
the weight of years,
chants by willing thralls, primordial thoughts.

We are the lonely animals
who speak because we cannot
dream each other's dreams.

[KAMUT]

Quote

All life is the voice of one
who speaks from distant childhood,
where eyes peer out
from the mystery of birth
and look across an abyss of comprehension.

Voice the phrase
of ancient discontent
whose rituals evoke
the weight of years,
chants by willing thralls, primordial thoughts.

We are the lonely animals
who speak because we cannot
dream each other's dreams.

This is incredibly good! Take a look at Immaterial in the book of rhymes thread, you may appreciate that train of thought. Incredibly articulate and I could only look at this peice and reflect on the teachings of Hermes Trismigustus. If you haven't, look at the Seven Hermetic Principles, then look at this poem again, and you'll probably see exactly why I feel this poem is utterly fantastic! Bravo!

Excellent work, I'm inspired.

[MinipainterUS]

KAMUT, on Feb 23 2004, 06:52 AM, said:

This is incredibly good! Take a look at Immaterial in the book of rhymes thread, you may appreciate that train of thought. Incredibly articulate and I could only look at this peice and reflect on the teachings of Hermes Trismigustus. If you haven't, look at the Seven Hermetic Principles, then look at this poem again, and you'll probably see exactly why I feel this poem is utterly fantastic! Bravo!

Excellent work, I'm inspired.

Thanks. As someone who spends an inordinate amount of time reading about , writing from and theorizing about various aspects of myth, legend and archetype, it is only natural that it becomes increasinglyvisible in my writing. Not to mention I am a huge fan of the Symbolist Poets.

There was no conscious effort on my part to include the Hermetic Principles, but since the archetypal nature of the imagery is the same, it should easily parallel with them.

[KAMUT]

Yeah, definately caught on to that train of thought; The Hermetic Principals was something I learned in recent years, and calmed me down quite a bit. I can appreciate anything that comes from an evolved thought. Thats what I see in it.

I'm not sure I've heard of Symbolist Poets (perhaps been in the box too long huh) but if this level of thought is what to expect, then I'm certainly interested.