I thought I'd start a thread where the community welcomes new members and where we can tell a little bit about ourselves, how we found BIP, our choice for avatars and sig lines, and maybe who we know that would like to become future members.
I found BIP back when Halaster was a member of the DF community and somehow became a member of his old site (either Hal invited me or I just applied - I can't quite remember). Later, when the new site came to be, I was transferred over. I was pseudo active for the longest time on either site as I was extremely addicted to online MORPG (or however that is spelled). Slowly, I weened myself from them (and it was only one really - EUO) and started to post on DF again. Later, I started to become infatuated with the Sewers of Water Deep (that I still need to get dirty in and start working on those maps) and the Rat Hills.
Bit by bit I started to contribute more to BIP (though lately I've been playing around with the Way Back Machine too much). Now, I've taken an active interest in increasing the Membership numbers up with quality posters and contributers. I'm also trying to locate additional artists for Halister to make a dent in the art department for ROU III (and let me tell you how much of a pain that is; or maybe I should let Hal tell you).
My avatar is from a magical item pic called the "Dagger of Vampire Slaying (Nosferatu E'Destrom)" from the old Vastonia website. I figured it mirrored my parady on MacBeth (me being Bane McDeath) quite well. The name is from a character I made years ago who was a scottish-like character. I would try to talk with a Scottish accent the best I could. The idea came from me playing the old computer RPG "Anvil of Dawn." There was a section in that game where you battled clansmen and collosal baboons; thus the idea for me to create the character came to be.
My sig line is from King Diamond's band tape "A Dangerous Meeting;" Track 1 on Side B "The Candle." That tape always made me think of making a new Ravenloft adventure.
So, let's hear something about yourself and, most importantly, let us know who you'd like to see join the site (perhaps my prime motivation for starting this thread).
MCD (my often used signature which is short for McDeath as I didnt' like BMCD, which seemed far to close to BECM or Basic-Expert-Companion-Master for Frank's boxed set)
WELCOME TO BIP!
Moderators: Thorn Blackstone, Halaster Blackcloak
WELCOME TO BIP!
At the edge of madness, he will show no sadness
Never broken, he'll be back for more
Proven under fire, over trench and wire
No fear of death, he's unshakeable
Forged for the war, he's unbreakable
Never broken, he'll be back for more
Proven under fire, over trench and wire
No fear of death, he's unshakeable
Forged for the war, he's unbreakable
I found BIP through Halaster on the AD&DCampaigns website, and before that, on the Mortality website. He and I started chatting a lot via email over the status of where D&D was headed, and we mutually agreed that it was headed towards emasculation, as Halaster likes to say.
My avatar is a concept piece of a doppleganger from our MMO, Trials of Ascension, that is currently in limbo.
My sigfile is a quote I read just after the death of Gary, and it really hit home for me on the essence of gaming through the eyes of a child.
My avatar is a concept piece of a doppleganger from our MMO, Trials of Ascension, that is currently in limbo.
My sigfile is a quote I read just after the death of Gary, and it really hit home for me on the essence of gaming through the eyes of a child.
Tired of clone MMOs? So are we!
http://trialsofascension.com/
http://trialsofascension.com/
I found BIP through Halaster's notice on CK. I'm a new member so there's not much to say about my history with this site or its members.
I'm located in Australia and I play 2nd ed FR (I've got a campaign log in the site if anyone is interested). I started gaming back in the late 80's - early 90's and played until the mid - late 90's then had a decade hiatus then came back to gaming in the last few years.
I haven't been happy with the changes that have been made since the mid-90's and agree with the argument that the D&D system has deteriorated significantly since that period.
(I also think the same thing has happened with several things in life, esp. music which peaked in the 80's
.)
I'm located in Australia and I play 2nd ed FR (I've got a campaign log in the site if anyone is interested). I started gaming back in the late 80's - early 90's and played until the mid - late 90's then had a decade hiatus then came back to gaming in the last few years.
I haven't been happy with the changes that have been made since the mid-90's and agree with the argument that the D&D system has deteriorated significantly since that period.
(I also think the same thing has happened with several things in life, esp. music which peaked in the 80's
.)
Last edited by Sangalor on Wed Jun 25, 2008 12:34 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Torctref Spleenkiller
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:48 pm
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Halaster Blackcloak
- Lord of Undermountain
- Posts: 4034
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:47 am
- Location: Undermountain
- Contact:
I didn't find BIP, I founded it! 
I guess my avatar is self-explanatory as well.
I started the BIP Project to keep AD&D alive for myself and for friends who also enjoyed it. I looked at 3E, recognized it for the emasculated crap that it is, and the decision was made. It took quite awhile to get things moving. We had problems with strange, unscrupulous people running the website, and shutting it down on us without notice, we had deaths and people moving and jobs changing and all sorts of speed bumps to overcome.
But we did, and we're now actually producing material. In 2007 we released our first module, Caves of Sydwall. Shortly after that, we released the web version of Halaster's Tome of Monsters. We'd have had more released since then, except that Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels is a massive undertaking and we needed to find a new artist, a new cartographer, new proof readers, etc. I'm sure everyone will appreciate the wait though, once they see it. So far, it's just mind-boogling, looking at those maps on the wall!
And the BIP site is growing with more and more quality people and on-topic, fun discssion. Zherbus and Minstrel resurrected our sister site, ADNDCampaigns.com under the new Orcforge banner. So things are moving along nicely. It's starting to gel into what I envisioned it as.
On the side, I have my first job doing medical research, and as a second job I'm trying to forge a career in real estate during one of the crappiest markets in my lifetime. Good timing Halaster!
Which of course makes it hard to work in my hobbies and downtime, but I do my best. Speaking of which, I gotta go wrap up the rooms for Level 7. I got total writer's block that turned to burn out on a particular room, but I solved that problem.
I guess my avatar is self-explanatory as well.
I started the BIP Project to keep AD&D alive for myself and for friends who also enjoyed it. I looked at 3E, recognized it for the emasculated crap that it is, and the decision was made. It took quite awhile to get things moving. We had problems with strange, unscrupulous people running the website, and shutting it down on us without notice, we had deaths and people moving and jobs changing and all sorts of speed bumps to overcome.
But we did, and we're now actually producing material. In 2007 we released our first module, Caves of Sydwall. Shortly after that, we released the web version of Halaster's Tome of Monsters. We'd have had more released since then, except that Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels is a massive undertaking and we needed to find a new artist, a new cartographer, new proof readers, etc. I'm sure everyone will appreciate the wait though, once they see it. So far, it's just mind-boogling, looking at those maps on the wall!
And the BIP site is growing with more and more quality people and on-topic, fun discssion. Zherbus and Minstrel resurrected our sister site, ADNDCampaigns.com under the new Orcforge banner. So things are moving along nicely. It's starting to gel into what I envisioned it as.
On the side, I have my first job doing medical research, and as a second job I'm trying to forge a career in real estate during one of the crappiest markets in my lifetime. Good timing Halaster!
Which of course makes it hard to work in my hobbies and downtime, but I do my best. Speaking of which, I gotta go wrap up the rooms for Level 7. I got total writer's block that turned to burn out on a particular room, but I solved that problem.
The Back In Print Project - Where AD&D Lives Forever!
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Sir Clarence
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:34 am
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
I was invited here by McDeath just a few days ago. I'm 45 years old, live in Hamburg, Germany, and play D&D (1st edition) since 1980. I have no problems with later editions and actually use quite some stuff from 2E and 3E in my games. So I guess that saying that I play 1E isn't quite true - it's more an edition hybrid plus houserules, with about 60% 1E btb.
My avatar is a drawing that a friend of mine made for Len Lakofka's L5 adventure module that will hopefully see the light of day during my lifetime. I've been working on this and on L4 together with Len during the last years. We've even started with L6 in the meantime but only Istus knows whether this will ever be published in this century.
What else? I work in a home for people with mental retardations and psychic illnesses. I'm married to a wonderful woman (who doesn't play RPGs but is most tolerant about it) and have two kids (14 and 9), with my son already being an avid warhammer player and excellent miniature painter. Besides all this I'm also playing bass guitar in a band.
My avatar is a drawing that a friend of mine made for Len Lakofka's L5 adventure module that will hopefully see the light of day during my lifetime. I've been working on this and on L4 together with Len during the last years. We've even started with L6 in the meantime but only Istus knows whether this will ever be published in this century.
What else? I work in a home for people with mental retardations and psychic illnesses. I'm married to a wonderful woman (who doesn't play RPGs but is most tolerant about it) and have two kids (14 and 9), with my son already being an avid warhammer player and excellent miniature painter. Besides all this I'm also playing bass guitar in a band.
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Halaster Blackcloak
- Lord of Undermountain
- Posts: 4034
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:47 am
- Location: Undermountain
- Contact:
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Torctref Spleenkiller
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:48 pm
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Torctref Spleenkiller
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:48 pm
Wow...very nice Sir Clarence...Learn something new every day...very cool.Sir Clarence wrote:I was invited here by McDeath just a few days ago. I'm 45 years old, live in Hamburg, Germany, and play D&D (1st edition) since 1980. I have no problems with later editions and actually use quite some stuff from 2E and 3E in my games. So I guess that saying that I play 1E isn't quite true - it's more an edition hybrid plus houserules, with about 60% 1E btb.
My avatar is a drawing that a friend of mine made for Len Lakofka's L5 adventure module that will hopefully see the light of day during my lifetime. I've been working on this and on L4 together with Len during the last years. We've even started with L6 in the meantime but only Istus knows whether this will ever be published in this century.
What else? I work in a home for people with mental retardations and psychic illnesses. I'm married to a wonderful woman (who doesn't play RPGs but is most tolerant about it) and have two kids (14 and 9), with my son already being an avid warhammer player and excellent miniature painter. Besides all this I'm also playing bass guitar in a band.
You and I are the same age. 
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Sir Clarence
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:34 am
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
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Torctref Spleenkiller
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 11:48 pm
Sir Clarence wrote:'63 is a good vintage, Torc.
You're not also a capricorn by chance?
No...Aries...Early April. 
I gotta hand it to you...it takes a very special person to be able to this noble job. My hats off to you. Very cool.Sir Clarence wrote:I work in a home for people with mental retardations and psychic illnesses.
Old school players are only scared of two things:
1. Stuff that turns your ass to stone
2. Energy Drain
1. Stuff that turns your ass to stone
2. Energy Drain
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Sir Clarence
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:34 am
- Location: Hamburg, Germany
Torctref Spleenkiller wrote:I gotta hand it to you...it takes a very special person to be able to this noble job. My hats off to you. Very cool.
Thanks, my friend. It's actually a very rewarding job, which is why I'm happy with it. And although demanding at times, the main problem is the lack of public funding and the miserable life situation that many of my clients are in. It's a shame, but these people have no lobby like so many others.I can't remember quite well how I got in here, maybe I searched "Undermountain" in google or maybe by seeing an old thread in Dragonsfoot. I tried for a week to create an account and then I emailed Halaster for an account.
I'm 23 years old and I don't work I'm a medicine student and, if everything goes right, I'll graduate by next year's end.
I played AD&D 2nd edition for many years, then I switched to 3E for some years then I got back to AD&D, since the games have gone completely out of hand after a while.
I'm 23 years old and I don't work
I'm a medicine student and, if everything goes right, I'll graduate by next year's end.I played AD&D 2nd edition for many years, then I switched to 3E for some years then I got back to AD&D, since the games have gone completely out of hand after a while.
Hi everybody, I'm the newest member of the site and glad to be here! I found it by doing a search for Undermountain and could barely contain my excitement when I saw Undermountain III as one of the search results. That was probably close to a year ago and it was on an older site, but I found this one and lurked for a long time before finally emailing Halaster to get an account.
Recently I've resurrected 2nd edition here in Edmonton. We have a local gamer's association that puts on various events once or twice a month and provides an online forum to meet new players and whatnot. I put up a post for 2nd edition players and got a nice response and now we're going on 2 months with a nice solid campaign. When we play in a local game store we have people stopping by and sharing their memories of OD&D and AD&D, and have attracted some new players that way.
For me, I've never wanted to try anything newer than 2nd edition. I was excited when 3rd was announced but as soon as I saw the words "not compatible with 2nd" that did it for me. I've tried to get through the PHB but just can't do it. And don't even get me started on 4th...
Recently I've resurrected 2nd edition here in Edmonton. We have a local gamer's association that puts on various events once or twice a month and provides an online forum to meet new players and whatnot. I put up a post for 2nd edition players and got a nice response and now we're going on 2 months with a nice solid campaign. When we play in a local game store we have people stopping by and sharing their memories of OD&D and AD&D, and have attracted some new players that way.
For me, I've never wanted to try anything newer than 2nd edition. I was excited when 3rd was announced but as soon as I saw the words "not compatible with 2nd" that did it for me. I've tried to get through the PHB but just can't do it. And don't even get me started on 4th...
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Lance Hawvermale
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Fri Jul 11, 2008 12:52 pm
- Contact:
Greetings to all!
I've been a member for . . . oh, less than twenty minutes now. But I'm thrilled to be numbered among these kindred souls. Though I run a 1E game "on the side," my primary campaign is Second Edition, and yes, we do indeed use the Player's Option expansion rules.
This is my 24th year as a gamemaster. I started with the Mentzer Basic rules and the fabulous Elmore art.
My avatar is, of course, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog, one of my all-time favorite RPG supplements.
I am a writer and editor by trade. My third novel, a murder mystery, was released in January. No, I have not earned enough in royalties to quit my day job. Yet.
The sheer scope of the current Undermountain project amazes me. As an RPG author, I understand the kind of work that goes into these products. There are a lot of "indie" RPG modules floating around these days, but this one blows those little 32-pagers clear out of the water. I anxiously await!
I've been a member for . . . oh, less than twenty minutes now. But I'm thrilled to be numbered among these kindred souls. Though I run a 1E game "on the side," my primary campaign is Second Edition, and yes, we do indeed use the Player's Option expansion rules.
This is my 24th year as a gamemaster. I started with the Mentzer Basic rules and the fabulous Elmore art.
My avatar is, of course, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalog, one of my all-time favorite RPG supplements.
I am a writer and editor by trade. My third novel, a murder mystery, was released in January. No, I have not earned enough in royalties to quit my day job. Yet.
The sheer scope of the current Undermountain project amazes me. As an RPG author, I understand the kind of work that goes into these products. There are a lot of "indie" RPG modules floating around these days, but this one blows those little 32-pagers clear out of the water. I anxiously await!
Hello!
My name is Trent and I'm a 32-yr-old IT professional in the Kansas City area. I first started playing DnD with friends way back in Junior High and High School and have continued ever since. As you might be able to guess from my avatar and signature, I'm very much into CRPG's. It all started with Baldur's Gate and has continued ever since for me. I've been an active member of the Neverwinter Nights community for about 5 years now. I do a lot of module design using the NWN and NWN2 engines, and my current NWN2 project is a multiplayer campaign-style module based around Undermountain.
My gaming group has been playing Champions for most of the last 8 years or so. I started GM'ing it 3 years ago when our old GM moved away, and I'm currently playing while one of the other players is running something for us. It's a lot of fun and a definite change of pace from Fantasy RPG's.
I discovered this site while searching online for resource ideas for my NWN2 module and contacted Halaster to join the community here. I had no idea what I had discovered. The efforts here to keep the REAL old-school brand of tabletop adventuring are amazing, and are surpassed only by their results. I love the adventure supplements you have for download here.
My Avatar is the character Okku the Bear God, a mighty Animal Spirit of Rashemen in NWN2, and my signature quote is one of the numerous random mutterings of the Ranger Minsc in Baldur's Gate 1... also from Rashemen, ironically enough. Great place, Rashemen.
Anyway, that's pretty much it. Thanks for having me!
My name is Trent and I'm a 32-yr-old IT professional in the Kansas City area. I first started playing DnD with friends way back in Junior High and High School and have continued ever since. As you might be able to guess from my avatar and signature, I'm very much into CRPG's. It all started with Baldur's Gate and has continued ever since for me. I've been an active member of the Neverwinter Nights community for about 5 years now. I do a lot of module design using the NWN and NWN2 engines, and my current NWN2 project is a multiplayer campaign-style module based around Undermountain.
My gaming group has been playing Champions for most of the last 8 years or so. I started GM'ing it 3 years ago when our old GM moved away, and I'm currently playing while one of the other players is running something for us. It's a lot of fun and a definite change of pace from Fantasy RPG's.
I discovered this site while searching online for resource ideas for my NWN2 module and contacted Halaster to join the community here. I had no idea what I had discovered. The efforts here to keep the REAL old-school brand of tabletop adventuring are amazing, and are surpassed only by their results. I love the adventure supplements you have for download here.
My Avatar is the character Okku the Bear God, a mighty Animal Spirit of Rashemen in NWN2, and my signature quote is one of the numerous random mutterings of the Ranger Minsc in Baldur's Gate 1... also from Rashemen, ironically enough. Great place, Rashemen.
Anyway, that's pretty much it. Thanks for having me!
"Evil around every corner... careful not to step in it." - Minsc
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Halaster Blackcloak
- Lord of Undermountain
- Posts: 4034
- Joined: Wed Mar 14, 2007 12:47 am
- Location: Undermountain
- Contact:
Welcome Lance and Trent, and it's great to see the new faces here! (Nice avatars btw!).
Lance wrote:
All 26 areas of interest for Level 7 are done, and I think the room I wrapped up last night was the 38th core room for Level 7. So Level 7 should be done really soon. Then there's Level 8 and the sub-level.
We're still shooting for the November release. It should come to around 200 pages or so. Who knows the total once we add in the monster sheets, the adventure booklet, the dungeon cards, etc? It's just...insane!
Trent wrote:
I think you'll need to be sitting down when you finally see the Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels revealed.
If you guys haven't seen the previews yet, here they are:
viewtopic.php?t=190
We should be adding some additional previews soon.
Lance wrote:
Thanks Lance! I was up at 2AM yesterday wrapping up another room for the project. RouIII will have, counting the random plug-and-play rooms, over 200 developed rooms. And keeping in mind that some areas have complexes such as Room #5A, 5B, 5C, 5D, etc, who knows what the total count it? Perhaps 250 rooms?The sheer scope of the current Undermountain project amazes me. As an RPG author, I understand the kind of work that goes into these products. There are a lot of "indie" RPG modules floating around these days, but this one blows those little 32-pagers clear out of the water. I anxiously await!
All 26 areas of interest for Level 7 are done, and I think the room I wrapped up last night was the 38th core room for Level 7. So Level 7 should be done really soon. Then there's Level 8 and the sub-level.
We're still shooting for the November release. It should come to around 200 pages or so. Who knows the total once we add in the monster sheets, the adventure booklet, the dungeon cards, etc? It's just...insane!
Trent wrote:
High praise indeed! Thank you!I discovered this site while searching online for resource ideas for my NWN2 module and contacted Halaster to join the community here. I had no idea what I had discovered. The efforts here to keep the REAL old-school brand of tabletop adventuring are amazing, and are surpassed only by their results. I love the adventure supplements you have for download here.
I think you'll need to be sitting down when you finally see the Ruins of Undermountain III: The Deadly Levels revealed.
If you guys haven't seen the previews yet, here they are:
viewtopic.php?t=190
We should be adding some additional previews soon.
The Back In Print Project - Where AD&D Lives Forever!
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Tarrax Ironwolf
- Citizen of Undermountain
- Posts: 95
- Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 3:04 pm
- Location: Union Grove, WI
Greetings and well met fellow gamers!
My name is Tarrax, and I'm 41 and hail from Round Lake Beach, IL (40 minutes south of Lake Geneva - give or take a minute). I found my way to BIP via an invite from McDeath in June. Took a little time to finally get here due to my new job and new schedule (which is ever changing so far) but I finally got some free time to sit down and peruse.
I got my first taste of D&D when my friend brought it over to my apartment during our Thanksgiving school break in 1979, and I've been gaming ever since.
I started out with Basic edition and quickly adapted the Expert edition a few months after. During a short trip to Friend's Hobby Shop (then in Waukegan) I discovered Advanced D&D and was drawn in ever further. Then many years later I moved to 2nd edition.
My campaign world which started off as a small 5 square mile area of an unknown world back in '79 and has evolved into a very large complete world that uses a mish-mash of 1st and 2nd edition and numerous house rules.
My avatar is of Gimli since he's by far the best representation of how I pictured Tarrax Ironwolf (my first character to successfully survive my old killer DM's campaign world) looked like.
My signature is from the Simpson's episode, [1F02] Homer Goes to College, which Homer recounts his day at college and making three new friends.
Homer: We played Dungeons & Dragons for three hours! Then I was slain by an elf.
Bart: Listen to yourself, man: you're hangin' with nerds.
Homer: You take that back!
Marge: Homer, please! These boys sound very nice, but they're clearly nerds.
Homer: Really? But nerds are my mortal enemy!
My name is Tarrax, and I'm 41 and hail from Round Lake Beach, IL (40 minutes south of Lake Geneva - give or take a minute). I found my way to BIP via an invite from McDeath in June. Took a little time to finally get here due to my new job and new schedule (which is ever changing so far) but I finally got some free time to sit down and peruse.
I got my first taste of D&D when my friend brought it over to my apartment during our Thanksgiving school break in 1979, and I've been gaming ever since.
I started out with Basic edition and quickly adapted the Expert edition a few months after. During a short trip to Friend's Hobby Shop (then in Waukegan) I discovered Advanced D&D and was drawn in ever further. Then many years later I moved to 2nd edition.
My campaign world which started off as a small 5 square mile area of an unknown world back in '79 and has evolved into a very large complete world that uses a mish-mash of 1st and 2nd edition and numerous house rules.
My avatar is of Gimli since he's by far the best representation of how I pictured Tarrax Ironwolf (my first character to successfully survive my old killer DM's campaign world) looked like.
My signature is from the Simpson's episode, [1F02] Homer Goes to College, which Homer recounts his day at college and making three new friends.
Homer: We played Dungeons & Dragons for three hours! Then I was slain by an elf.
Bart: Listen to yourself, man: you're hangin' with nerds.
Homer: You take that back!
Marge: Homer, please! These boys sound very nice, but they're clearly nerds.
Homer: Really? But nerds are my mortal enemy!
"We played Dungeons & Dragons for three hours! Then I was slain by an elf." -- Homer Simpson
Dragynn (My new AD&D gaming blog)
Dragynn (My new AD&D gaming blog)
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Sir Clarence
- Dungeon Delver
- Posts: 22
- Joined: Mon Jun 23, 2008 12:34 am
- Location: Hamburg, Germany