A Beginner's Guide to Savage Worlds (Chapter 1: Dice Mechanics)

I've heard there was a bit of a kerfuffle regarding Dungeons & Dragons earlier this year. Yes, I have been living in a cave. No, there isn't "room for one more". I actually migrated from Dungeons & Dragons to the Savage Worlds system over ten years ago, so I'd only been following the stories out of curiosity and the hopes of attracting new players. And the memes. I can't forget the memes.

Anyway, Savage Worlds is one of my favourite RPG systems. I love the flexibility it offers, and how I can easily apply it to a variety of genres and settings. With this in mind, I've decided to do a series of blog posts intended to help introduce new players to the system (especially those familiar with Dungeons & Dragons).

To begin with, I'll look at the basic dice mechanics.

Traits

All characters have abilities known as Traits, which have a die type that can range from a d4 to a d12. The die type represents your level of proficiency in that particular Trait, with a d6 being average. You make a Trait roll any time you want to perform a task that has a risk of failure. The GM assigns an appropriate Trait, along with any modifiers from circumstances relating to the task (both positive and negative). You roll the die type you have listed for that Trait, and then add or subtract the modifiers. If you're called to roll a Trait you don't have, you make an unskilled roll, which means you roll a d4 with a -2 penalty. 

The aim of the roll is to equal or exceed a Target Number, which is usually 4. This means if your total is 4 or more, you perform a task successfully. You’re probably wondering “How can you get a 4 when you only have a d4 and subtract 2 from the total?”

Here's how: If you roll the maximum value on a die (a 4 on a d4, 6 on a d6, and so on), you roll that die again and add the new roll to the previous one. And yes, this can happen repeatedly, and it is cumulative (I once rolled an 18 on a d4 because of it). This is referred to in-game as Acing.

If the final total meets or beats the Target Number, the task was successful. Additionally, you score a raise for every four points the total exceeds the Target Number, which represents a greater magnitude of success. A raise often grants an additional benefit, but whether or not multiple raises have additional effects is dependent on the task.

Unlike D&D, in which different tasks have a variable Difficulty Class, the Target Number in Savage Worlds is almost always 4 (with a few exceptions). The more complicated a task, the more penalties it incurs. 

Anyway, let's illustrate things with an example: 

Pulp adventurer Virginia Stone is trying to bypass a locked door by picking the lock with a hairpin. The GM determines that this is a Thievery roll. Thievery is not one of Virginia's Traits, so she makes an unskilled roll. Furthermore the GM imposes an additional -2 penalty for lacking suitable equipment (a hairpin rather than a dedicated lockpick). This brings the total penalty to -4.

While that sounds difficult, it's not impossible thanks to Acing. But that’s not the only thing that improves her chances...

Wild Die

All characters in Savage Worlds fall into two categories; Wild Cards and Extras. Wild Cards represent the most important characters in a story. This includes the player characters, major non-player characters (friends and enemies), and notable monsters. All other characters and creatures are Extras. 

Example: In a Star Wars game, Han Solo, Darth Vader, and the Rancor would all be Wild Cards. Generic Rebels and Stormtroopers would be Extras.

All Wild Cards have what's known as a Wild Die. This is a d6 which you roll with every Trait roll. But you don’t add it to the Trait die. Instead, you treat the Wild Die as a separate roll that's subject to the same modifiers as the Trait die and can still Ace. You use whichever total is higher. 

Think of it like this: The Trait die represents succeeding at a task because you're good at it, whereas the Wild Die represents succeeding at a task because you're the hero of the story. I always recommend that all players set aside one particularly distinct d6 to serve as their Wild Die.

Of course, there's a downside: Any time you roll a natural 1 on both your Trait die and the Wild Die, you get a Critical Failure, which introduces an additional complication.

Let's go back to the earlier example. Virginia is a Wild Card, so she rolls a d4 (her Trait die) and a d6 (her Wild Die):

• The Target Number is 4, which she must equal or exceed on at least one of her dice
• She has a -4 penalty on both rolls (-2 for making an unskilled roll, and -2 for using improvised equipment).
• Her Trait Die rolls a 2, and the penalties bring the total down to -2.
• Her Wild Die rolls a 6, which means it's Aced. Rolling it again, she gets a 3 and adds that to the 6 for a total of 9. The penalties then reduce the total to 5.
• Since the total on the Wild Die was greater than the total on the Trait die, she uses the Wild Die, thus giving her a final total of 5. 

As the Target Number was 4 and Virginia’s total was 5, her roll was successful. The GM decides that she picks the lock in 2d6 minutes. If her total was 8 or more, she would have scored a raise. The GM decides that a raise would halve the time determined by the roll. Of course, she could still try for a raise...

Bennies

A major feature of Savage Worlds is Bennies. Short for "benefits", Bennies are tokens which represent luck or fortune, and can be spent in a variety of ways. 

All players start each session with three Bennies, and can earn more through good roleplaying or cool actions. Additionally, the GM has a Benny for each player at the session, and can spend these on anybody under their control (whether they’re a Wild Card or not). Furthermore, all Wild Card NPCs have two Bennies of their own. Bennies are reset to these values at the beginning of each session (they're not carried over unless midway through an encounter, and reset after that encounter).

For in-person games, I use paperclips to represent Bennies. It means I can make separate chains to distinguish Wild Card Bennies from GM Bennies. For my Roll20 games, the character sheet has a Benny counter, but I have a "card" for player and GM Bennies which are spent by dragging onto the table.

One of the main uses for Bennies is to reroll a Trait roll and keep the best result. I'll talk about other uses in future posts. 

Going back to the earlier example, Virginia spends a Benny to reroll her Thievery check, hoping for a raise. She rerolls both her Trait die and her Wild Die:

• The Target Number is still 4, and there's still a -4 penalty on the roll
• Her Trait die rolls a 4, which Aces. She rolls a 3 for a total of 7, but the penalties reduce it to 3.
• On the Wild Die, she rolls a 5, which is reduced to a 1.
• She uses the total on the Trait Die, but that would be a failure since it's below the Target Number
• Since her initial roll yielded a total of 5, she can either keep that 5 or spend another Benny to reroll. 

You can keep spending Bennies to reroll until you’re happy with the result or you run out of Bennies, and you always keep the highest roll. However, a Critical Failure can't be rerolled and must be accepted if it's the result of a reroll.

Unsatisfied, Virginia spends another Benny to try again, but rolls a Critical Failure. Her previous total of 5 is now invalidated, and she can't spend any more Bennies on that roll. Furthermore, her hairpin breaks in the lock, preventing anybody from opening the door without breaking it down. But a guard's footsteps are approaching...

Opposed Rolls

Sometimes a Trait roll is an opposed roll. This means an aggressor rolls against the standard Target Number of 4, but then the defender makes a roll in which the aggressor's total serves as the Target Number for them. Whoever rolls higher is the winner, and compares their total to their opponent's for the purpose of raises (the defender wins on a tie). You can still spend Bennies on opposed rolls, but if you're the aggressor, you must do so before the defender makes their roll.

As Virginia hears someone approaching, she ducks into an opposite room. The GM determines that this a Stealth roll. A guard is walking down the hallway on a routine patrol. Virginia's Stealth is a d6, and she still gets a Wild Die on the roll.

• As the guard is inattentive, the Target Number is 4
• Her Trait die rolls a 2, and her Wild Die rolls a 3
• Since the Target Number was 4, this would be a failure

Virginia ducks into the opposite room, but the guard notices the door close and decides to investigate further. Virginia must now make another Stealth roll, but this time it's an opposed roll.

• The Target Number is still 4, but she's spotted immediately if she fails
• She rolls a 5 on her Trait Die and a 4 on her Wild Die
  

Since the Target Number for Virginia is still 4, that means she finds a hiding place in the other room. However, the guard comes in to investigate, and makes a Notice roll. His Notice is a d6, but he's an Extra, so he doesn't get a Wild Die (however, if several Extras are acting as a group, they can roll a group die with their Trait die, which acts like a Wild Die).

• The Target Number for the guard is 5 (the total on Virginia's Stealth roll)
• The guard rolls a 6, which Aces. He then rolls a 1, which gives him a total of 7.

Since the Target Number was 5, this is a success. He spots Virginia. She lunges at him, and a scuffle ensues...

I'll wrap things up here, but I'll be making regular posts over the next couple of weeks. Please join me again next week, where I'll be providing a walkthrough of basic character creation.

This game references the Savage Worlds game system, available from Pinnacle Entertainment Group at www.peginc.com. It is unofficial Media Content permitted under the Media Network Content Agreement. This content is not managed, approved, or endorsed by Pinnacle Entertainment Group. Certain portions of the materials used are the intellectual property of Pinnacle, and all rights are reserved. Savage Worlds, all related settings, and unique characters, locations, and characters, logos and trademarks are copyrights of Pinnacle Entertainment Group

A Q&A with Val Penny

 

I'm once gain pleased to be joined on the Writer's Block by Val Penny, who has recently launched  Hunter's Force, the third story in her Hunter Wilson series, and is here to answer some questions about her writing and her story.

Over to you, Val.

Thank you so much for inviting me onto your blog today. I am delighted to have a chance to tell you and your readers about Hunter’s Force, the new novel in my series of DI Hunter Wilson Thrillers.

1. What made you decide to start writing novels?

I have been writing and telling stories all my life. When I was a child, I used to make up stories for my little sister after our Mum put the light out and told us to go to sleep. Later, I wrote documents, contracts, and courses as part of my job, but my time was well accounted for, so I did not create any fiction.

However, I took early retirement when I was diagnosed with breast cancer, and there were times when I suffered severe side effects from my treatment. I could not go out, spend time with friends or indulge in many of my favourite hobbies, but watching daytime television got very old very fast, so I turned to reading. It was the only thing I had the energy to do and could do safely.

2. What inspired you to write crime fiction and set your series in Edinburgh?

I must admit that the genre of book that I enjoy most to read is crime fiction, so I decided to write what I like to read. Before I set the DI Hunter Wilson series in Edinburgh, I did debate making up a town like Peter Robinson did for his crime series. However, I know Edinburgh well and it is a city many people have visited or want to visit. It is also quite a small city, but cosmopolitan and it has everything in it that I needed, so Edinburgh is Hunter’s home.

3. The book has some dark humour within it as well as some brutal murders, how did you manage to combine to two without it sounding forced and was it intentional to combine both and yet keep a gritty feel?

Aah yes, well that was intentional. I enjoy humour and especially dark humour. I think you need that to lift a crime novel from being too bleak.

4. How do you get into the mindset of your characters to write both the murderer and the police solving the case?

I drafted biographies for each of my main characters and that allowed me to get to know them well before I started writing my novels. I particularly like Hunter Wilson because I know I can trust his judgement. I enjoy Jamie as a character too. His judgement is always suspect, but he tries his best to accomplish his goals!

5. Did you have to research for the police procedures? If so, how easy, or difficult was this to do and then to translate it into a fictional story?

Yes. I am lucky to have a friend who is a retired Detective Chief Inspector and another who is a serving CSI with Greater Manchester Police. They were most helpful in guiding me in the right direction, Of course, I may have strayed for dramatic effect and any errors are mine.

6. How do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from many different places. Overhearing a snatch of a conversation in a restaurant, hearing a story from a friend or from the evening news. I always have a notebook with me to jot down my thoughts.

7. This is the third book in this series now, do you have more planned or what’s next in your writing career?

I certainly plan to write more books in the Hunter series. I also have a second series now where Jane Renwick is the main character. The first book in that series will be published by SpellBound Books this year and I am writing the second book in that series now.

 8. You write a blog and keep a social media presence, as well as writing books. From an author’s perspective, how does this benefit both you and your readers?

I like to keep in touch with my readers and to hear from them through my website, www.valpenny.com my blog, and on social media. It is always lovely to keep in touch.

9. When can readers expect your next novel?

I particularly enjoyed writing Hunter’s Force and hope that your readers will enjoy the novel too. SpellBound plan that the next novel in this series, Hunter’s Blood, will appear later in 2023. It will explore more aspects of Hunter and his family. Your readers can find out about that on my website in due course!

10. What genres do you like to read and what are you reading just now?

I read many crime fiction novels, but also women’s fiction, historical novels, and nonfiction. I have just finished reading My Extra Life by Maggie Cobbett, a nonfiction book of the author’s 20year career as a TV and film extra. Now I am reading a historical novel set in Roman times, The Third Daughter, by Fiona Forsyth.

Thank you for inviting me to your blog today. It is always nice to speak to you.

Thank you for joining me today. And all the best with Hunter's Force, which is available here.

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature.

Can DI Hunter Wilson keep Edinburgh safe when he is the hunted?

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is woken in the early hours of the morning by a call from his son. Cameron’s flatmate was murdered. Why would anybody want to kill a young woman recently arrived in the city?

Hunter must call in the new Major Incident Team (MIT) to lead the investigation due to the reorganisation of police services. Hunter's ability to be involved, however, is put in severe doubt when someone from his past decides to take revenge on him. He goes missing, and his team have no idea where to look for him. Who would want to stop Hunter in his tracks?

Meanwhile, Hunter's team must work closely with the MIT and with or without him, solve the murder in this taut crime thriller.

About the Author

Val Penny has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. 

Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction books, and novels. Her novels are published by SpellBound Books Ltd. 

Val is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat. 

Happy writing.

Western Weekends: Zorro (1975)

Happy New Year, despite it being halfway into the year's Monday (cold, depressing, and feels longer than it is). Anyway, it's been a while since I've done a "Western Weekend", so I figured I'd revive that. And since we could all use a Zorro right now, that would be my next film to review. Zorro is an Italian film released in 1975, and is a delightful romp.

Alain Delon plays Don Diego de la Vega, a Spanish swordsman and adventurer in Colombia (rather than the traditional location of California), who is preparing to return to Spain. While waiting for passage in Cartagena, he meets his old friend Don Miguel de la Serna. An idealistic and peace-loving noble, Miguel has been appointed governor of the province of Neuva Aragon following the suspicious death of his uncle. That evening, Miguel is attacked by assassins hired by the power-hungry Colonel Huerta. Diego is eager for revenge and offers to go in his Miguel's stead, but Miguel makes him promise that the new governor will never kill. Accompanied by Miguel's mute servant Joaquin, he travels to Nueva Aragon, and finds a dystopia; the local farmers are swindled by the merchant classes, and oppressed by the militia. Colonel Huerta, played by Stanley Baker, seeks to rule the province as a military dictator, but Diego assumes the role of a fop to lull the colonel into a false sense of security. He later learns of a local story of a trickster spirit known as Zorro, and uses the story to adopt the persona of a masked swordsman who fights oppression. He later falls in love with Hortensia Purlido, the daughter of a bankrupt noble family and a vocal critic of the government.

One thing to note is that the film still retains a few moments from the original Johnston McCulley novel. For example, there is a scene in which a well-respected monk named Brother Francisco (Fray Felipe in the original story) is tried for allegedly selling spoiled hides to a merchant and sentenced to be whipped. Zorro interrupts the flogging, ordering the merchant, the magistrate, and the executioner to be flogged instead. Huerta's henchman, Sergeant Garcia, is based on Sergeant Gonzales, who is determined to capture Zorro but is on friendly terms with Diego.

Naturally, there's plenty of sword fighting, but it seems to adopt a more slapstick tone. That might not be your thing, but I personally love it. There's one notable fight scene in a marketplace in which Zorro battles with Sergeant Garcia. While evading Garcia's soldiers, Zorro makes use of someone carrying a large plank to utilise a "Laurel and Hardy" combat style. Or another moment involves using the canvas of the market stalls as trampolines. In a more ridiculous scene, Zorro is infiltrating a prison and delays guards by rolling barrels down a staircase like Donkey Kong, later hiding in one of the barrels to sneak past them.

If there's any issue I do have, it's with the finale before the fight between Zorro and Huerta. As the people begin to rebel, Huerta shoots and kills Brother Francisco. Zorro - who never actually kills anyone he fights - decides that the priest's death absolves him of his vow. It's all well and good, but it was kind of arbitrary and came out of nowhere. I would have liked to see some build-up to that. There are also a fair few scenes that don't add much, mainly involving Miguel's aunt Carmen and his Prussian bodyguard Fritz von Markel (both of whom largely serve as comic relief). Hortensia seems like an interesting character with her outspoken nature, but ends up being a damsel in distress.

All in all, I love this film. It's not the most well-produced film around, but I find it enjoyably silly. It's worth at least one watch. Try and find an uncut version if possible, since many cuts have left out a lot of important backstory. Some of it could have been cut, but other bits really should have been kept in.

Also, is that dog dubbed?

2022: Wrap-Up and Future Plans

Once around the sun again. 2022 has been an interesting year. I'm still figuring out what to do since graduating. Other than make art, enjoy life, and cause trouble for the establishment which seems to object to that.

One big win from this year was that I published my second book, The Pirate King, allowing Kestrel and Scar to continue their journey set up in Gentlemen of Fortune.

I've largely been working as a ghostwriter. I'd been working on a few Western novels, but I took a break to work on some of my own stories while in an internship. But costs are going up, and I need to find some other kinds of work. Which will likely get in the away of my writing.

I'm still on the committee for the Writers' Summer School, and that went pretty well this year. I'm hoping that next year will be just as good.

What are my writing plans for next year? Well, I'm working on a third Kestrel and Scar story, The Homecoming, which I hope to publish in the summer. It will still be e-book only, but my plan is to release what I'd like to call "The Rosanna Barclay Trilogy" (Gentlemen of Fortune, The Pirate King, and The Homecoming) as a collection, which will be a physical book. I want to have that published by August, in time for Swanwick.

I'm also working on a table-top roleplaying game, Misadventures in Planaterra. I'm looking to publish that under the Savage Worlds Adventuring Guild licence. Ideally, I'd want to have it released on DriveThruRPG by September, so it can be included in the SWAGtember bundle.

Anyway, see you in 2023. Whatever happens, happens.

An Extract from Hunter's Revenge by Val Penny

 

Today I'm thrilled to have author and fellow Swanwicker Val Penny joining me on the Writer's Block once again, to promote the new edition of Hunter's Revenge, the second story in her D.I. Hunter Wilson series of crime thrillers. I often get these stories as they're released, and finish them in the space of a weekend, enjoying the great cast of characters and snarky dialogue. Val has been more than happy to share an extract from her latest work, which you can find below. Enjoy!

Blurb

Hunter by name – Hunter by nature.

Detective Inspector Hunter Wilson is a loyal friend and a fair leader. He is called to the scene of a murder in Edinburgh where the corpse has been fatally shot. He is dismayed to find the victim is his friend and colleague, George Reinbold. Hunter must investigate Reinbold’s murky past in Germany to identify George’s killer.

At the same time, Hunter is tasked with looking into a previously undetected criminal gang supplying drugs from Peru. There seems to be no connection between the murder and the drug supply until Hunter unexpectedly secures help from inmates of the local jail.

Hunter’s investigations are hampered by distracted members of his team and unobservant witnesses. 

Reinbold was not the quiet, old man Hunter believed him to be and his killer bore their grudge for a lifetime.

Extract

Linda has found the body of the victim in his porch when she tried to deliver a book. DI Hunter Wilson and DC Tim Myerscough examine the scene and discover the corpse is the body of their friend George Reinbold.

DI Hunter Wilson and DC Tim Myerscough pulled up just behind the ambulance. Hunter liked spring: he could almost smell the world waking up. The freshness of the air encouraged crocuses and daffodils to decorate flower beds, and buds of leaves to appear on trees. Edinburgh had a beauty in every season, but he found his city especially lovely in springtime. However, today was not one of those fine, balmy spring days. It was bright enough, but sharp and cold. Hunter did not like chilly days like today as much as the warmer days he hoped April would bring. 

He and Tim got out of the car. The detective constable dwarfed Hunter by an easy five inches, but as Hunter stood and took in the scene with a serious face and intelligent piercing blue eyes, it was clear that he was the man in charge. Hunter quickly identified the girl sitting on the wet grass as the source of a loud and blood-curdling racket that offended his ears. He looked from the girl to Tim and back again.

“You deal with her, young Myerscough. It’s far too early for me to be coping with weeping women. Try to get some sense out of her, and get her to be quiet, will you? I can’t think with that noise going on.”

“Yes, Sir.” Tim took two strides and crouched down beside the young woman. “Hello, I’m DC Tim Myerscough. What’s your name?”

“Linda.” 

“Linda?”

“Linda Maguire.” She stopped crying but was still sobbing hard.

“So, Linda, it was you who found the body, was it?” Tim asked.

She looked at him as if she thought he was crazy. “Well, I don’t get this upset just because there’s nobody home. I don’t get paid enough for this. It’s awful. Have you seen it? Don’t look. The place is all blood and brains. The back of his head’s gone. I can’t un-see that, you know.” Linda started weeping again as Hunter shouted.

“Tim! Tim! DC Myerscough. Here. Now.” Hunter’s face was grey. “Tim, you won’t believe who the victim is. It’s George Reinbold, shot in the head.”

“What? Oh No! Not our George Reinbold? Head of the Crime Scene Investigations?”

“Not any more he’s not.”

“No, it can’t be. It must be a mistake, he’s just an old man. Who would want to kill him?”

“Don’t take my word for it. Feel free to look but hold on to your breakfast.” Hunter watched as Tim went over and stuck his head around the door and withdrew it quickly.

Linda was right, you can’t un-see that. 

“Boss, that’s been close range. Tiny hole in the forehead, but they’ve blown the back of his skull right off.”

“Hmm. Bloody awful. It’s got to be a professional job. But the murderer would surely be hit by some spray from the blood.” Hunter grimaced. 

“Definitely. This is surely a case of mistaken identity? Nobody would want to hurt George?” Tim’s questions asked for the reassurance that Hunter could not give.

“We’ll need to find out what he’s been working on recently. It could be a targeted attack. And I certainly don’t want our CSIs working on this; it would be too traumatic. I’ll call Glasgow and get them to send a team over. PC Angus McKenzie can stay at the door to restrict access while I get DS Jane Renwick to gather a team to organise door-to-door enquiries. One thing is for sure, somebody saw something or heard the gun.”

“Yes.” Tim paused “Will Doctor Sharma be able to do the post-mortem?”

“I doubt she would allow anybody else that honour, but it won’t be easy for her. She liked George and respected him greatly. You stay here and take the witness statement from that girl. When Meera Sharma and the CSIs are finished, I want you and me into that flat as soon as possible to find out everything we can about George and why he was murdered.”

Tim turned back to Linda and walked slowly across the grass. He saw the young delivery woman was now dry-heaving as hard as she was weeping. It must have been a terrible shock for her. He took out his notebook in a vain effort to try to divert her attention. He smiled at her as she lifted her head. His smile seemed to work as a better diversion. 

He was aware of her looking up at him. He watched as she swept her hair behind her ear, glanced into his eyes and she allowed her glance to rove from his eyes to his hair, smile and shoulders. For some reason he became self-conscious about his broken nose. This was silly. He blushed and realised that she had stopped sobbing.

 Tim looked at her more closely. Under all the thick layer of make-up and dribbles of snot, she was pretty. 

He took down her personal details and then they discussed how Linda’s morning had been going before her shocking discovery.

“What were you delivering to Mr Reinbold?” Tim asked.

“A book. The label just says a book.”

“But it also says it’s insured for £25,000. That’s some book,” Tim said, looking at Linda’s delivery list. 

“I didn't notice that. It's an awful lot.”

Tim looked around for help and caught sight of DS Jane Renwick, who had joined Hunter talking to the paramedics. Tim wondered how Jane always looked so elegant, as though she had just walked off a magazine cover. 

“Sarge? Sarge, can you help with this?” Tim called to Jane.

“What’s up, Tim?”

“Linda here has on her manifest that the parcel Mr Reinbold was expecting was a book, but I’ve noticed it’s insured for £25,000. That seems a great deal for a book.”

“It certainly does. Do we know where the parcel is?”

Linda pulled it out from underneath her. “I didn’t know what to do. I didn’t want to sit on the grass. It's wet,” she said by way of explanation.

Jane looked at the girl and sighed. Then she held out her hand and, in the presence of Linda and Tim, opened the parcel. 

“It is indeed a book. A signed first edition of A.A. Milne’s Winnie the Pooh. My goodness. It’s amazing! Include this in the statement, Tim, and give Linda a note to say that we now hold the book. I’ll take it back to the station. We’ll need to get a proper valuation.”

“Wow! All that for a kiddies’ book.” Linda finished her statement and agreed to come down to the station to sign a typed copy whenever Tim phoned her to tell her it was ready. He caught her allowing herself one more gaze into his eyes before they stood up. Tim was over a foot taller than her diminutive five foot two inches. 

“Thank you for all your help today, Linda,” Tim said.

“It's all right, but I suppose I better get on with my deliveries. I’m ever so late. It would be me who found the bloody body.”

Hunter's Revenge was published on 30th November 2022, and is available on Kindle here.

About the Author

Val Penny is an American author living in SW Scotland. She has two adult daughters of whom she is justly proud and lives with her husband and their cat. 

Val has an Llb degree from the University of Edinburgh and her MSc from Napier University. She has had many jobs including hairdresser, waitress, banker, azalea farmer and lecturer but has not yet achieved either of her childhood dreams of being a ballerina or owning a candy store. Until those dreams come true, she has turned her hand to writing poetry, short stories, nonfiction, and novels. 

Thanks for dropping by, Val. I wish you luck with the sales.

Happy writing.

Next Book and Plans

 

It's been a while, but I have actually been writing.

Last week, I published a new Kestrel and Scar story, The Pirate King. This follows on from my previous story, Gentlemen of Fortune (which is available here). The story was published on 19th September for Talk Like a Pirate Day, and I ran a fun Facebook launch on 23rd September.

Anyway, this story picks up where Gentlemen of Fortune left off, in which Kestrel is forced to find a safe port to make repairs, but his previous adventure has attracted other interested parties. The story is going to be the second entry in the "Rosanna Barclay Trilogy" of novelettes in which wandering scoundrels Kestrel and Scar travel with former lady-in-waiting Rosanna Barclay. 

While the previous story was published as an e-book and a paperback, I decided to make this one e-book only. This was largely due to KDP's cover formatting, which repeatedly rejected the cover. When I originally published the story for a university assignment, I'd made the front and back covers using Canva, and merged all the files to print using Doxzoo. Unfortunately, Amazon seemed to take issue with that, and I had to make several attempts to merge the covers into one file for the upload before it was finally accepted. With that in mind, you can probably understand why I didn't want that particular headache. Apologies to those who prefer paperbacks, but I have a plan.

I'm going to be working on the third story, The Homecoming, which I aim to publish next year. In this one, Kestrel and Scar take Rosanna back to England, but a storm runs them aground near St Ives; Kestrel's place of birth. After Scar is shot, Kestrel finds himself dredging up memories of his departure ten years earlier. This one is also going to be e-book only, but I hope to release a paperback with all three stories. I already started The Homecoming for a second-year assignment at university, but I'm going to take a short break from the series.

I'm planning to dedicate October to working on one of my other projects; Misadventures in Planaterra. This is a comic fantasy I've been sketching for some time, that I'm hoping to develop as a roleplaying game.

Anyway, the Pirate King is on now available from Amazon here.

Anyway, I'd best get back to work. Happy writing.

A Hidden Treasure: Crimson Skies

 

Yeah, I'm procrastinating again. Just an update on what's going on: I've been working on my follow-up to Gentlemen of Fortune. This new story, The Pirate King, will be released as an e-book on 19th September (Talk Like a Pirate Day, naturally).

Anyway, I like to give shout-outs to obscure gems from time to time. Since pirates are on the mind, I know what I'm choosing. Crimson Skies is an arcade-style flying game released in 2000, based on a collectible miniatures game of the same name. The game takes place during the 1930s, in an alternative history in which the United States and Canada have broken up into 23 squabbling nation-states. With most roads and railways crossing hostile borders, air travel has become the primary means of transportation. The zeppelins that ferry passengers and goods across the continent are a lucrative target for air pirates, and the government air militias formed to fight the pirates regularly face off against one another in sabre-rattling contests.

The player assumes the role of Nathan Zachary, a self-proclaimed "gentleman pirate" who sees himself as a modern-day Robin Hood, stealing from those who can afford the loss while minimising collateral damage. The game follows Zachary and his gang, the Fortune Hunters, as they embark on a series of adventures across this balkanised continent. 

It feels weird talking about games I haven't played (it's hard to find and harder to run on newer machines). Nevertheless, I've been watching Let's Plays on YouTube and have become truly engaged with the Fortune Hunters during their travels thanks to their endearing sense of camaraderie and likeable personalities.

The game's story is divided into five arcs, each of which features around five missions:

1. The Fortune Hunters search for a ship in Sir Francis Drake's fleet, which was lost in a storm somewhere in Hawaii (which has gained independence and become a constitutional monarchy in this universe) and was purportedly carrying stolen Spanish gold. They tussle with the Medusas, an all-female pirate gang led by Justine "Battle Axe" Perot, and also foil an attempt by the British to establish a colony in clear violation of Hawaiian sovereignty.
2. Nathan's old friend, the renowned aviation scientist Dr Wilhelm Fassenbiender, is kidnapped by Soviet agents in Pacifica (a nation-state encompassing Washington, Oregon, and British Colombia). The Fortune Hunters mount a rescue, and then carry out a raid on the Boeing Aviation facility where he and his daughter work, putting them into conflict with a private air force established by Paladin Blake.
3. Johnny Johnson, a studio executive in The Nation of Hollywood (a nation-state encompassing California), claims that his nation will never be threatened by pirates. Nathan becomes determined to put his old rival in his place.
4. During a period spent resting in Sky Haven (a pirate city in the Rocky Mountains), the Fortune Hunters are kidnapped by a vicious new pirate gang known as the Black Hats. Nathan must team up with his rival, Black Swan, in order to rescue them.
5. The Fortune Hunters have discovered a connection between the Black Hats and Sacred Trust, a new private security company which has been poaching many of Paladin Blake's customers. They travel to Empire State (a nation encompassing New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), in order to expose them.

Since I was only watching Let's Plays, I haven't been able to look at the gameplay, but it's mainly revolving around flying or customising planes with different engines and munitions. All in all, the game has brought a very pulpy adventure feel with elements that kind of resonate today, such as punishing corporate greed and state regionalism.

Before I go, I'd like to tie this into some trivia I dug up during research for my pirate stories. For those who are unfamiliar, a Letter of Marque was a document issued to ship crews which sanctioned acts of piracy against the enemies of the issuing nation. It was common practice for the colonial powers to issue these in times of war, to help bolster their fledgling navies. This practice was formally abolished by the Paris Declaration Respecting Maritime Law, which was signed in 1856 by 55 nations. 

However, the United States - despite agreeing to uphold the agreement - is not officially a signatory. This means that the USA can still issue Letters of Marque (albeit requiring Congressional approval to do). One notable story was that the crew of the Goodyear blimp Resolute allegedly held a Letter of Marque to fly anti-submarine patrols during the early years of the Second World War. This was later debunked as an urban myth, as the Navy didn't have Congressional approval to issue a Letter of Marque and subsequently requisitioned the vessel. Nevertheless, it made a great concept for a story, and probably influenced a lot of air pirates in other works of fiction, including Crimson Skies, TaleSpin, and Porco Rosso. I hope to do something with the concept myself in the near-future.

Well, that's about it. Happy writing.

A Spot of Mead and Cheese

(Not actually worn for the occasion)

Well, I'm dreading the return to whatever my daily grind is going to be. Friday was quite busy. Not only did I return home from Swanwick, but I also made a guest appearance on a pirate-themed episode of Mead and Cheese.

For those who are unfamiliar, Mead and Cheese is a show on the student radio station, DemonFM. The hosts, DJ Mead (Corey) and DJ Cheese (Tom), play music, discuss popular culture, and are advocating for more sales of mead (I agree, because mead is good).

Anyway, the show's Patreon supporters were given the chance to vote on a themed episode, and the winner was pirates. I then received an invitation to appear on the show, since my main project is a series of pirate stories. I've never been on the radio before, and I knew that Mead and Cheese takes a rather laid back and silly tone, so I decided it might be good for a laugh.

I appeared on the show alongside two other guests; a musician named Kieran McCavana, and one of the show's patrons. Me and Kieran were given a pirate quiz, but in a sudden twist, it was about music piracy rather than the high seas piracy I'm accustomed to. That said, the tie-breaker was a "two truths and a lie" about that kind of piracy, which I ended up winning.

There was also a fun game called "pitch invasion". The guests and the patron were asked to come up with a pitch for the next Pirates of the Caribbean film (you can read my views about the franchise here), but it had to involve mead and cheese. There was then another round in which we had to write an anti-piracy ad to be included at the screening, but it had to include a tragic element and something ridiculous that you wouldn't steal. This was followed by a discussion of our favourite pirate films that aren't Pirates of the Caribbean. In case anyone's wondering, mine's Muppet Treasure Island.

On top of that, there was some opportunities for promotions. I was able to promote my book, Swanwick, and my poetry blog. Kieran was also able to promote his latest single, "Just a Loser".

All in all, it was a fun experience. I hope the listeners had as much fun as I did.

Mead and Cheese is broadcast live on DemonFM every Friday between 4:00 pm and 7:00 pm. If you wish to find out more about Kieran McCavana's work, you can find him on Facebook and Instagram, along with his producer, James Knapp. 

Anyway, I'd best chase the horizon (and flee the energy companies trying to extort me).

Happy writing.

Swanwick 2022: A Different Kind of Swanwick

Writers not pictured due to heat

It's that wonderful time of year again; my annual visit to the Swanwick Writers' Summer School. I know folks are disdainful about Christmas songs in the summer, but I suppose I often joke about getting excited for Swanwick like a kid getting excited for Christmas. This year was my sixth visit to Swanwick, but it was my first year serving as a member of the school's committee, which provided a completely different experience. I got elected at the end of last year's Swanwick, and took on the role of co-ordinating the school's TopWrite scheme, which offers subsidised places to 18 to 30-year-olds who are looking to start their writing journey. I also ended up being assigned to the tech team, which meant sitting in the control booths at the back of the hall and making sure that the microphones and screens were working.

That sanitiser was standard committee issue

Like last year, I ran a course at Swanwick on the Tuesday morning; specifically a single-session course about writing action scenes. I'd initially put it forward as a two-part short course, but then agreed to compress it. I didn't get many attendees, but that's the time of the week when a lot of people are flagging (myself included, so it was kind of comfortable). That said, those who did attend came to me and said they enjoyed it and got a lot out of it.

Anyway, let's do the breakdown of the week. Courses at Swanwick are divided into three categories: Specialist courses, which comprise four hour-long sessions spread throughout the week, which run after breakfast; short courses, which comprise two sessions which run before and after lunch; and workshops, which comprise a single session which is run either after the afternoon tea break or in the morning sessions on the Tuesday. Since I was on the tech team, I had to be on hand for certain courses, but I was mostly able to be at the courses I was interested in. I guess we're the only people who have to book our courses in advance.

Specialist Course - Short Stories

My chosen specialist course this week was on Short Stories, taught by Ingrid Jendrzejewski. Short stories is what I normally write, so I wanted to make sure I was on track for that. I'd blown the dust off an air pirate story I'd started for one of my final year modules at university, and was using that in the exercises. The first part of the course looked at writing the endings first, which is something I don't normally do, but it's definitely something that's worth thinking about. There was also an exercise which involved making the protagonist's shopping list, and another involving writing something in different points of view. I hope to apply it to subsequent Kestrel and Scar stories.

Short Courses

Promoting Your Work

On Sunday, I attended Joan Harthan's short course on Writing Groups. I was originally in a writing group in Newcastle-Under-Lyme, which was how I ended up discovering Swanwick in the first place. The course offered some great pointers about how to set up a writers' group, including a group exercise in which one person facilitates and times a writing prompt, along with shared feedback. It came up with some fun or dramatic pieces. I'm looking to set up a writing group on Discord, and I think I came up with some interesting pointers.

Monday's course was Promoting Your Work with Val Penny. The sessions looked at various platforms and strategies, along with things to avoid (like vanity publishers). This is something I'm struggling with at the moment. I'm aiming to use social media (mainly Twitter) as a marketing platform, but I don't want to degenerate into repeatedly tweeting "buy my book". I'd been distracted by an issue with one of the screens (not to mention the heat), but I might have ideas about where to go. In fact, I was on the radio to discuss it yesterday. But I'll talk about that tomorrow.

On Wednesday, I attended Writing Believable LGBTQ+ Characters, taught by Spencer Meakin. They ran this course in the previous year, but I'd been unable to attend due to a clash. Ever since I exhibited Kestrel and Scar at university, someone once asked me "Do they f***?", and was very disappointed when I said they hadn't (because I don't write any explicit sex scenes). Since then, I've been thinking about their sexual orientations. The first session discussed the various orientations, and discussions of pronouns along with acceptable language. The second session looked at the various LGBTQ+ stereotypes, and provided pointers on how to establish a character's orientation through subtle hints. As someone who favours the "show, don't tell" school of thought, I think it gave me a lot to work with.

Thursday's course was Writing Competitions with Vivien Brown. This is an avenue that I haven't really touched upon, so it provided an interesting insight. The first session involved looking at handouts for different contests and filling in a worksheet with what they're looking for, entry fees, prizes, and who is eligible to take place. I looked at one called To Hull and Back, which involves submissions of funny stories, and I'm seriously considering entering something. The second session looked at common blunders to avoid when submitting.

Other Sessions

In previous years, I've avoided the single-session workshops so I can use the time to write. This year, I was on hand for tech in a couple of those sessions. One of these was the Prize Winning Readings. Every year, Swanwick runs a series of competitions judged by Writing Magazine, in which the prize is a place at Swanwick. This can be either a poem, a short story, or a children's story. The winners are all invited to this event to read out their work, and I heard some truly poignant pieces.

On Tuesday morning, I attended Toni Bunnel's session on book covers. She provided some decent pointers, and I received a nice reminder about cover formatting, having previously looked at it at university. There was also an activity which involved matching titles to covers, which was a nice bit of fun. Of course, there was the pointing out of one elephant in the room that's Amazon's shambolic paperback cover formatting. When I published Gentlemen of Fortune last year, I fell afoul of that to the point that I decided to make all subsequent titles e-book only until I have written enough for a decent-sized collection.

Wednesday afternoon added a new feature, known as Swanwick Success stories. A number of delegates - myself included - were invited to speak about the role Swanwick played in their writing journeys. I largely improvised my speech, but I think it went well, and it was a great way to show new delegates what they could be going on to do.

In a one-off event, I attended a special screening of How to Avoid Death Forever, a short film by Ella Muscroft. The story follows a pair of teenagers who are suffering from inoperable brain tumours, who decide to find ways to enjoy what little life they have left. It provided a great mix of comedic and dramatic moments, including one line about the characters' hometown being suffocating that made me tear up (something that resonated with me thanks to my own lockdown experiences).

Evening Events

As always, Swanwick isn't just about the courses. There are an array of events in the evenings, along with after-dinner speakers on some nights. I don't usually attend the speakers because I like to use the times for writing (which often ended up being spent setting up for later events). But I do enjoy the evening events. This included "Birds of a Feather" on the Saturday night, in which writers could meet and network with other writers of the same genre. There's also a poetry open mic, a prose open mic, a busker's night, two quizzes, and a fancy dress evening. There's also the Page to Stage, in which delegates can submit a short play before the school, and then they can be picked up by directors to perform them one night. I was on hand for that, and enjoyed a mix of comedic and dramatic pieces.

One of the new events added this year was a Firepit Singalong. Although it had been threatening rain, and quite frankly I hoped the event would manipulate the laws of Karma and Sod into making rain, it was a fun night spent toasting marshmallows and singing a few campfire songs (including sea shanties).

The theme of this year's fancy dress was "Another Night at the Movies", and I decided to go as the harmonica-playing gunfighter from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs. It was a fun night, and I did manage to do my gun spinning in a (relatively) fluid motion. But I still haven't mastered the macarena. There's also the final night, in which delegates are invited to suit up, including a farewell

Wrap-Up

If there's one thing I wasn't able to do this week, it was get some writing done. My committee responsibilities kept me busy, and there times when things got hectic. But I expected this. I'd finished a draft before I travelled out, so I could use this week to let it rest.

All in all, the Swanwick magic is still there. It was great to be back, great to see people again, and great to feel appreciated for the work the committee had put in. I'm still on the committee, and I'm excited to get things ready for next year. But for now, I think I need a rest.

Happy writing.

The Musketeers Marathon - Wrap-up

 

The Musketeers is not one of the greatest shows around, but I still enjoy it all the same. It's not exactly a faithful adaptation of the works of Alexandre Dumas, but there have been so many other adaptations that there's a need to develop an identity. One of my classmates once described it as "fan fiction". Is that accurate? I'd say so. But is that a bad thing? Not at all. I started out writing fan fiction too.

The show utilises plenty of swashbuckling tropes and clichés in both action and story, often playing them straight. But I love those tropes and clichés, and make use of them in my own writing while also looking for opportunities to utilise them in a different way. I guess the show spoke out to me because of its "pulp" nature, and I consider myself to be a pulp writer. I love the action, and I love the camaraderie between the main characters which produces a ton of witty lines. I previously cited the dynamic between Santiago Carbrera and Howard Charles as an influence on Kestrel and Scar. Hell, I could even see the pair playing my characters if my stories ever got adapted to screen.

This is where I'd normally do a "Top 5 Best Episodes". Instead, I'll look at each season in turn, and choose my favourite episode along with a runner-up.

Season 1

Overall, the first season consisted of self-contained stories. The overarching stories consisted of d'Artagnan becoming a Musketeer and Cardinal Richelieu's machinations in the name of France. As stated before, Richelieu is essentially Peter Capaldi reprising his role as Malcolm Tucker (except with less foul language and even fewer scruples). While the first episode paints him as wanting to destroy the Musketeer regiment, subsequent episodes have him working with the Musketeers.

For my "pick of the season", I'm tempted to go with "Commodities". We get some insights into both Athos and Porthos, a "villain of the week" who is kind of fun to be with but still provides a source of tension, along with some more dramatic strides than the previous two episodes. However, I'm going to make that one the runner-up in favour of "Knight Takes Queen". It shows how far the Cardinal is willing to go to further his national interest, and there's some great action as Aramis and Athos are besieged in the convent. It also kick-starts many of the events of the later seasons as Aramis ends up sleeping with Queen Anne. We also get some insight into Aramis' past, with elements I hope to utilise for Kestrel.

Season 2

The second season followed a similar path, but with a more distinct formula: King Louis blaming the Musketeers for failure while praising the Comte de Rochefort. We also get some running plot threads with Aramis spending time with the Dauphin (despite knowing that admitting fatherhood would be treasonous), and Porthos learning about his parentage. Rochefort is something of a contrast from the Cardinal. While the Cardinal is methodical, Rochefort seems a little more impulsive. While Richelieu acts in a mix of national interest and self-interest, Rochefort is working for Spain but purely in self-interest. However, Rochefort does have an endgame - to seize the throne and forge an alliance with Spain - while the Cardinal's plots were often about maintaining stability ("The Exiles") or doing things to help France on the world stage ("Commodities").

My runner-up for "pick of the season" would have to be "Keep Your Friends Close". It kicks off the aforementioned plot threads, and I love the action as the Musketeers and Rochefort spring General De Foix. As for the winner, hands down it has to be "Through a Glass Darkly". The tension as the royal court is taken hostage is thrilling. But I also love how Marmion ultimately comes across as sympathetic.

Season 3

The third season took a much darker turn, with the war between France and Spain serving as a backdrop. Again, there's an overarching conspiracy; a plot to install Gaston as the new king. Some episodes work towards this, but others don't. Grimaud is a menacing villain with his ruthlessness, seemingly indestructible nature, and his ability to disappear. It makes him almost other-worldly but he's a little bit one-note. He's essentially a bogeyman, but we do get some insights into what made him that way. Working with him does seem Faustian in nature, as Ferron and Lorraine found out the hard way.

I think my runner-up for "pick of the season" would go to "Death of a Hero". It has nail-biting peril for all the characters, and the reveal for most of the cast of the king's condition, but it also gives Ferron some development. As for my winner, I'm going with "The Prize". It was great to see Treville running rings around the villainous triumvirate, and the ending was truly poignant.

Well, that's about it. It was fun to look at a show that has been an influence on my writing. Tomorrow is July, which mean's it's once again Camp NaNoWriMo. I'll be dedicating that month to working on The Pirate King, the follow-up to my previous Kestrel and Scar adventure, Gentlemen of Fortune. I'm hoping to finish it before I go to Swanwick this year.

Happy writing. Or perhaps "All for one and one for all"?

The Musketeers Marathon - S3E10: We are the Garrison

 

Well, it's the final episode, here at the end of all things.

Treville has shattered the alliance between Gaston, Grimaud, and Lorraine. But he has done so at the cost of his own life. The Duke of Lorraine is dead, and his army has withdrawn. But Gaston and Grimaud are both still at large. And Grimaud is seeking a final reckoning before he leaves, and has the Red Guards at his beck and call. They attack the tavern where Treville's wake is being held, and demolish the Garrison. When the Musketeers survive, Grimaud and his men invade the refugee settlement. They demand the Musketeers surrender, threatening to kill Sylvie, who is pregnant with Athos' child. When that fails, Grimaud attempts to blow up Notre Dame during a blessing ceremony for King Louis XIV.

Overall, this feels less like a finale and more like an epilogue. The biggest threat to Paris was stopped last episode, so now we're just tying off a few loose ends. Grimaud doesn't really have much left to gain other than the aforementioned reckoning. He's not the sort of person who gets satisfaction. That said, it's still a good episode, with the characters at their lowest points.

The wake scene is particularly poignant, as d'Artagnan tears up while giving a speech about Treville. It shows how much they all saw him as a mentor and father figure. One big surprise is seeing Athos sober during the whole event. It's a small moment, but it says a lot. And when the attacks happen, things get tense as d'Artagnan realises that Constance was at the Garrison. Once again, we have the "is Constance going to die?" tension that seems common for season finales. Granted, it pulls off a "Disney death", but it was still tense. We get a rousing speech from Athos about how "We are the Garrison", which is a little cliched, but that's expected for a series like this.

There's still some great action. When Grimaud invades the settlement, he had assumed that d'Artagnan was killed at the Garrison. Porthos realises this, which allows them to use it to their advantage. They fight off the Red Guards, Grimaud is wounded but escapes, and I got a great sense of catharsis from seeing d'Artagnan kill Marcheaux. We then get a somewhat more subdued climax as Grimaud attempts to blow up the cathedral. Athos and d'Artagnan are able to extinguish the burning fuses (a classic swashbuckler set piece), and Athos decides to have the final duel with Grimaud.

Once everything's resolved, we basically get what Wayne's World called a "mega-happy ending". It's a contrast from the darker and edgier tone this season has taken, but I think it's well-deserved:

• Athos takes a leave of absence and decides to retire to the countryside with Sylvie
• D'Artagnan is appointed the new Captain of the Musketeers (complete with a nice hat), and is tasked with rebuilding the Garrison with Constance.
• Porthos is made a general, and returns to the front lines with a newly-commissioned Brujon. Before leaving, he marries Elodie, the widowed mother whom he'd bonded with in "Fool's Gold" who had come to Paris seeking him out.
• Aramis accepts the position of First Minister, allowing him to mentor the king as he grows up. While also rekindling his affair with Queen Anne.
• Even Milady gains a new position as Queen Anne's personal assassin, taking care of Gaston and thus wrapping up the final loose end.

Well, it's been a ride. Finale or epilogue, or whatever's in-between, this was still a good episode. I'll post my wrap-up later today.