Matt Drozdowski's page

This is important, so dropping the Ashe avatar for a moment.

I was raised Roman Catholic like my father was. Attended Sunday school from 1st grade all the way to freshman year in high school. Hells, I even went to Gannon University for a semester of Pre-med.

So, there's the foundation. Here's where we build on that:

My mom was born and raised Protestant (back in the good ol' days when they were taught that if they saw a Catholic walking down the street towards them, cross the street to avoid them, or they'd drag you to H-E-DOUBLE HOCKEY STICKS). Her parents divorced when she was very, VERY young (back in the 40's, yeah it was a scandal), in order to go their separate ways. WITHOUT HER. Yep, she was dumped with her aunt that raised her until her mom came back into her life when she was a teenager. I'm telling you this, in order to get to this. My grandmother's love after the divorce was a nice Jewish man who owned a lot of property in town. They were together for almost thirty years. My grandmother past away just a few years ago, but I've always introduced her as my Jewish grandmother.

Add to that neighbors, friends and family that were Lutheran, Mormon and Latter Day Saints. Then mix with healthy doses of Shamanism, Buddhism, Islam, Confucianism, Wicca, Agnostics and Atheists from college and post-college and you can say that, if it's out there, chances are I've at least encountered it, if not out-right studied it.

But what really defines my faith? It goes back to my Mom. I remember listening to a lot of the sermons back in the day and, even then, the scientific method had it's firm grasp on me. Words about coming back from the dead and other miracles sprouted theories and ideas about how science could duplicate a lot of stuff going on in the bible.

Then, in junior high, the evolution bug worked it's way into my brain. This led to all kinds of questions that religious leaders and sunday school teachers don't like to answer. And I began to turn my back on the whole she-bang until one night at the dinner table. My Mom and I were talking about school and I brought up evolution and how science could pretty much explain everything. My Dad, being the stubborn SoB I love, told me to just don't worry about it, but my Mom understood how my brain worked. So, she asked where we came from.

"Apes," I said.
"And them?"
"They evolved from mammals."
"Them?"
"Some sea creatures and such."
"Where'd they come from?"
"Elemental stew from the interaction of the atmosphere with other environmental factors." I smiled, thinking I won.
"And what started all that?"
"Essentially, the Big Bang." Smirking with my success with the logic.
"And why did the Big Bang happen."
"Nobody really knows."
"So, is it possible that God snapped his fingers and kick-started the whole thing?"

That stopped me cold. I had a choice. Either a) embrace the scientific method and say that it was possible or b) denounce the possibility and feel a nagging bit of hypocrisy for the rest of my days.

I chose A and have spent everyday with faith as my guide and science as my tool.

"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind."
- Albert Einstein

Aberzombie wrote:

Matthew Morris wrote:

Erik? ;-)

If I ever had a son, his name would be Charles Maximillian. Charles from the family tradidion, and Maximillian because I love that name.

Charles is another name on my short list, possibly as a middle name, but the wife hasn't said no to it being a first name. It's my father's first name, so it would be cool.

In my family it bounces back and forth.

Donald Charles --> Charles Richard --> Matthew Charles.

Which makes my name in English and Russian the same. Kind of cool. :-)

I approve of any Matthew name as well. And I have the backing of numerous avatars.

Whoa... reality bites.

Ah well, wound up only 8 for 24, much lower than my previous year's efforts. But I am happy to see Avatar not getting any of the 'big' awards.

6 for 11. Predictions based totally off judging how the politics of Hollywood will pick, not on quality of story or quantity of money.

So far, I'm 3 for 7 and I've only seen Up, Up in the Air, Avatar, Sherlock Holmes, Harry Potter, Food Inc, Star Trek and Transformers 2.

Okay, here's my predictions:

Best Picture: An Education
Best Actor: Morgan Freeman
Best Actor in a Supporting Role: Christopher Plummer
Best Actress: Gabourey Sidibe
Best Actress in a Supporting Role: Mo'Nique
Best Animated Film: Up (as much as I'd like to see Coraline or The Secret of the Kells win)
Art Direction: Avatar
Cinematography: The White Ribbon
Costume Design: The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Directing: Avatar
Documentary Feature: Which Way Home
Documentary Short: China's Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province
Editing: Inglourious Basterds
Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon
Makeup: The Young Victoria
Music (Original Score): The Hurt Locker
Music (Original Song): Crazy Heart
Short Film (Animated): A Matter of Loaf and Death
Short Film (Live Action): The Door
Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker
Sound Mixing: Star Trek
Visual Effects: Avatar
Writing (Adapted): Precious
Writing (Original): The Hurt Locker

I just have a feeling the reason they are 'trying' 10 Best Movie nominees is because they had chosen the top 5 before Avatar opened and couldn't stomach dropping one for Avatar, so added it to the list, but couldn't come out with a top 6, so grabbed four more to round it up to 10.

Add one more star for the 3D Tron Trailer (not the teaser that's been out for a while).

If the fans are royally pissed about it, then they have the right to be pissed about it. Especially if it's something they were involved in for years or even decades.

If the fans are so pissed that they decide never to buy anything from those bastards who butchered their setting, they're absolutely in their right.

There's one important difference, though: If you have found answers to your Lego Han Solos, find an answer for me for this question: How many old timers are still buying new "proper" Forgotten Realms sourcebooks, never ever mentioning stuff like the spellplague and all the other crap they pulled off?

Don't bother, because I have your answer right here: Zero.

The setting has lost all support. It has become a...

Actually, if you come over to the Candlekeep Forums, you'll find a LOT of pre-Spellplague lore being discussed and generated (including discussions with Ed Greenwood himself on lore).

A Man In Black wrote:

Matt Drozdowski wrote:

WotC has it's own plans for Ravenloft

WOTC has been retooling Ravenloft themes and setting pieces for the 4e core D&D cosmology for a while now, as well.

Which is sad, because all they're doing to them is completely butchering them all. Settings like Ravenloft, Planescape, Spelljammer, and Dragonlance need to be licensed to those that actually care about the setting's continuity and mythology. You can expect Dark Sun to get the same rape the Forgotten Realms received this year.

Although I don't like what they did with the Spellplague, I have to point out that it is THEIR property and they can do with it whatever they want. If Tolkien had decided that, in Return of the King, he wanted a spaceship to crash into Mt. Doom, he would be allowed to do that. If the Rolling Stones decided they wanted to do an album consisting of nothing but disco music, they can do that. And if George Lucas wants Indiana Jones to investigate extraterrestrials, so be it!*

Are they good ideas based on what the fans want? That's a matter of opinion. Would they still make a boatload of cash for the creator? Yes**

If WotC/Hasbro feels that they can make money from there products in a certain fashion, the only judge of success will not be complaints from fans, but the profit on the product. So, with the release of the Ravenloft board game and the Gamma World RPG (complete with collectible/upgradable power/loot decks) in the coming year, they are obviously not worried about what some of us grognards have to say. And, as much as it pains me to say it, they SHOULDN'T be.

Lucas, for all the bemoaning of the prequels and the canonical miasma of the Clone Wars, now has three different generations that he can sell merchandise to. Point of Fact: How many of you old timers got the Lego: Star Wars Original Trilogy games for your xStationWii's? And still wander through the toy aisle looking for a new rendition of Han Solo? Put that with the generation just hitting their earning years that grew up on the Prequels (just as we grew up on the originals) and the new 'tweeners that are hooked on Cartoon Network's Clone Wars and he's got enough that his kids won't need to worry about much.

And the Stones? Hell, Richards (who will outlive us all) hinted at the possibility of a studio album this year.

*Note, only one of these isn't true.
**Really, Some Girls is a 6x Platinum album that spent 82 WEEKS at #1 in the U.S. and Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is the 25th largest grossing movie of ALL-TIME (beating out Fellowship of the Ring AND Return of the Jedi).

Russian police = awesome.

Not always.

Here's a crazy question...

What about Ghostwalk?

Does WOTC own that or can Sean do a Pathfinder RPG update to it?

As long as the book has a WotC copyright, they have rights to the material. Monte and Sean were paid to produce the material for WotC.

Here is about 50 free 3.5 adventures from WOTC. Enjoy.

Some interesting names on those adventures... Wonder whatever happened to them?

<.<

>.>

Yes, I know PaizoCon is going on, but I am working on something for my father. Does anyone know if Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman are going to be at Gen Con Indy this year?

My main reason is for autographs for the Leatherbound annotated Chronicles Trilogy for my son. My father has purchased a copy of this, and he would like to have it signed by the authors and present it to him once he is old enough to read it (he swears it'll be his 18th birthday, but I think it'll be sooner).

I'd ask over on the WotC boards, but since neither of them work for WotC anymore, I figured it might be best to ask elsewhere.

Anyhoo, that's the point of it all. If anyone has an inside track, I'd be happy to know :)

Thanks for any info,
/d

It doesn't look like they have the list of authors/artists/exhibitors up yet at the GenCon website. Even if Margaret and Tracy aren't there in Author's Avenue, I'd expect to see Margaret there with Margaret Weis Productions in the exhibition hall. But I'd keep checking the site to make sure once they post the information. You can also keep up to date on MWP.

According to Tracy's Calendar, he's got GenCon blocked off. Whether he'll be there in any official capacity or not is anyone's guess.

Damn, I fell for it.

And even had a Linky to help with free PDFs from DriveThruRPG.

o_0

They have GDW's original Canal Priests of Mars for free!

Mmmm... Steam-punky/flying ether/1889 Mars goodness...

Dang I missed it, I am new to Paizo. Gotta wait another year for a great sale like that?

You didn't miss it, it's today!

And the sale goes on until March 9th.

Over at DriveThruRPG, they have a sale as well (including a lot of Malhovic Press and Green Ronin) going on through March 8th.

Jenny Poussin wrote:

MY FIRST GAME OF PATHFINDER just started in the PbP section!

Check out a pic of Nicephora aka Nik in her entertainer's outfit:

NICEPHORA aka NIK

Wish me Desna's luck! :-)

Big Kiss

jenny

B.t.w., your gaming group wins. (but as a professional model, you already know that. ;D)

Can I be in her group too? ;)

I'd say this is pretty much a no, give the wealth of material Paizo generate for they're own setting. But would it be in the realms of possibility that Pazio would acquire the rights to publish material for D&D settings such as Ravenloft or Al-Qadim? (Such as the situation that the swords and sorcery imprint got into with Ravenloft)

Al-Qadim was "shoe-horned" into being a part of the Forgotten Realms and WotC has it's own plans for Ravenloft

Linky

Linkified.

From what I've heard in the many reports, if Siegel and Shuster get the rights, DC would still be able to publish Superman and could reference Kryptonite, but not the story of Jor-El and Lara, Krypton blowing up or his being known as Kal-El by other Kryptonians. They'd still be able to use Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, etc. and all of his abilities (since he is now way stronger than he used to be).

did anyone check out my new Rogue character background in the gamer connection post? wadda u guys think? :-)

Just checked it out. Sounds like a great backstory!

Matt Drozdowski wrote:

I agree, but the biggest crimes are those perpetrated against Bigby and Mordenkainen.

True, but I guess that didn't bug me as much because I understood stripping out the IP when they appeared in the SRD. Seeing an actual WOTC book strip those names out was depressing.

I *think* it was because the Spell Compendium is supposed to supercede all the other previously published versions of the spells. If you look at the Spell List, it only lists the PHB and the Compendium as the sources. Kinda like they thought they MIGHT do a SRD update...

Some of the replacement names for the Forgotten Realms spells were criminally boring and sad compared to the original title.

I agree, but the biggest crimes are those perpetrated against Bigby and Mordenkainen.

Here's a list of the items:

Apparatus of Kwalish [Apparatus of the Crab]
Boccob's Blessed Book [Blessed Book]
Daern's Instant Fortress [Instant Fortress]
Heward's Handy Haversack [Handy Haversack]
Keoghtom's Ointment [Restorative Ointment]
Murlynd's Spoon [Sustaining Spoon]
Nolzar's Marvelous Pigments [Marvelous Pigments]
Quaal's Feather Token [Feather Token]
Quiver of Ehlonna [Efficient Quiver]

Major Artifacts:

Hand and Eye of Vecna [Not in SRD]
The Mace of Cuthbert [The Saint's Mace]
The Shield of Prator [The Shield of the Sun]
The Sword of Kas [Not in SRD]

Aganazzar's Scorcher [Scorch]
Alamanther's Return [Replicate Casting]
Auril's Flowers [Ice Flowers]
Azuth's Exalted Triad [Triadspell]
Azuth's Spellshield [Mass Spell Resistance]
Balagarn's Iron Horn [Ironthunder Horn]
Barlen's Crabwalk [Crabwalk]
Beltyn's Burning Blood [Burning Blood]
Bigby's Clenched Fist [Clenched Fist]
Bigby's Crushing Hand [Crushing Hand]
Bigby's Forceful Hand [Forceful Hand]
Bigby's Grasping Hand [Grasping Hand]
Bigby's Interposing Hand [Interposing Hand]
Bigby's Slapping Hand [Slapping Hand]
Caligarde's Claw [Force Claw]
Darsson's Potion [Quick Potion]
Dhulark's Glassstrike [Glass Strike]
Drawmig's Instand Summons [Instant Summons]
Elistraee's Grace [Grace]
Elminster's Effulgent Epuration [Effulgent Epuration]
Elminster's Evasion [Instant Refuge]
Evard's Black Tentacles [Black Tentacles]
Favor of Ilmater [Favor of the Martyr]
Fugue of Tvash-Prull [Fugue]
Ghorus Toth's Metal Melt [Metal Melt]
Grimwald’s Greymantle [Graymantle]
Hand of Torm [Hand of the Faithful]
Horizikaul’s Boom [Sonic Blast]
Horizikaul’s Cough [Sonic Snap]
Horizikaul’s Versatile Vibration [Sonic Rumble]
Igedrazaar’s Miasma [Malevolent Miasma]
Kaupaer's Skittish Nerves [Nerveskitter]
Kelemvor's Grace [Life's Grace]
Khelben's Suspended Silence [Suspended Silence]
Laeral’s Cutting Hand [Cutting Hand]
Laogzed’s Breath [Nauseating Breath]
Leomund’s Hidden Lodge [Hidden Lodge]
Leomund's Secret Chest [Secret Chest]
Leomund's Secure Shelter [Secure Shelter]
Leomund's Tiny Hut [Tiny Hut]
Leomund's Trap [Phantom Trap]
Lutzaen's Frequent Jaunt [Greater Dimension Door]
Melf's Acid Arrow [Acid Arrow]
Mestil’s Acid Breath [Acid Breath]
Mestil’s Acid Sheath [Acid Sheath]
Mordenkainen’s Buzzing Bee [Buzzing Bee]
Mordenkainen's Disjunction [Mage's Disjunction]
Mordenkainen's Faithful Hound [Mage's Faithful Hound]
Mordenkainen’s Force Missiles [Force Missiles]
Mordenkainen's Lucubration [Mage's Lucubration]
Mordenkainen's Magnificent Mansion [Mage's Magnificent Mansion]
Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum [Mage's Private Sanctum]
Mordenkainen's Sword [Mage's Sword]
Mystra’s Miasma [Magic Miasma]
Nchaser’s Glowing Orb [Glowing Orb]
Nybor’s Gentle Reminder [Rebuke]
Nybor’s Mild Admonishment [Greater Rebuke]
Nybor’s Stern Reproof [Final Rebuke]
Nybor’s Wrathful Castigation [Wrathful Castigation]
Nystul's Magic Aura [Magic Aura]
Otiluke’s Dispelling Screen [Dispelling Screen]
Otiluke's Freezing Sphere [Freezin Sphere]
Otiluke's Resilient Sphere [Resilient Sphere]
Otiluke's Telekinetic Sphere [Telekinetic Sphere]
Otiluke’s Greater Dispelling Screen [Greater Dispelling Screen]
Otto's Irrestible Dance [Irresistible Dance]
Presper’s Moonbow [Moonbow]
Rary’s Interplanar Telepathic Bond [Interplanar Telepathic Bond]
Rary's Lesser Telepathic Bond [Lesser Telepathic Bond]
Rary's Mnemonic Enhancer [Mnemonic Enhancer]
Rary's Telepathic Bond [Telepathic Bond]
Shelgarn’s Persistent Blade [Persistent Blade]
Simbul’s Skeletal Deliquescence [Corporeal Instability]
Simbul’s Spell Sequencer [Spell Matrix]
Simbul’s Spell Trigger [Greater Spell Matrix]
Simbul’s Spell Matrix [Lesser Spell Matrix]
Simbul’s Synostodweomer [Synostodweomer]
Snilloc’s Snowball Swarm [Snowball Swarm]
Tasha's Hideous Laughter [Hideous Laughter]
Tenser’s Greater Floating Disk [Greater Floating Disk]
Tenser's Floating Disk [Floating Disk]
Tenser's Transformation [Transformation]
Tirumel’s Energy Spheres [Energy Spheres]
Tvash-Prull’s Bonefiddle [Bonefiddle]
Vaeraun’s Nightshield [Nightshield]
Zajimarn’s Avalanche [Obedient Avalanche]
Zajimarn's Field of Icy Razors [Field of Icy Razors]
Zajimarn’s Ice Claw Prison [Ice Claw]

As for her use of "text" language, giggles, etc...yeah, I personally find that kind of thing a bit annoying. But it's becoming more and more common for younger people to interact that way on the internet, regardless of the type of interface that they are using at the time.

Stephen Fry/Craig Ferguson

Check out the video from about 5:10 on. Needless to say, the "Text Language" is nothing new since more characters have always meant spending more (time or money or space) instead of communicating your idea as quickly or efficiently as possible.

MWA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Y'know, I was eight years old when the "Kid Super Power Hour" was on. And even then, I knew that humanity had reached the lowest point in its history.

HA! I'm just glad I didn't have to bring out the BIG GUNS.

And I don't deny that some of the cartoons were good. The theme songs weren't though...

The Eldritch Mr. Shiny wrote:

The worst cartoon theme song of all time. Ever.

I, sir, CHALLENGE your claim to worst cartoon theme song ever with the following:

James Bond Jr

Highlander: The Animated Series

Rambo: Force of Freedom

Mr. T

Conan: The Adventurer

Chuck Norris: Karate Kommandos

Robocop

Phantom: 2040

Defenders of the Earth

Bravestar

Centurions

WildC.A.T.S

C.O.P.S

MASK

Bionic Six

Ghostbusters (the other one)

Seriously, I can do this all night. I've seen a LOT of bad cartoon themes in my life.

Yup..Han for the simple fact that he would shoot first..

The both shot first (the swordsman in Raiders?).

yoda8myhead wrote:

Any plans to film and make available any of the events at PaizoCon?

Paizo has such plans.

Why is it that when YOU say that, it sounds deliciously evil? :)

Heh, lets see them remake the Quiet Man and it be any good :-)

Or The Shootist

here is my FaceBook:

Jenny Poussin Facebook

http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/profile.php?ref=profile&id=10000046 9305424

Thanks! Friend request sent (and probably another 200 hundred soon to come from the boards...) ;)

ChrisRevocateur wrote:

And they say hot gamer chicks are a myth....

Some of the gamer chicks that were already here...AHEM...may take offense at that!!! ;)

Ah Solnes, there are those of who've know you're hot for a while...

Jenny, any way you could post your Facebook address to make sure we don't get one of the knockoffs?

Welcome Jenny! Glad to have you onboard with all the other Paizonians!