Progress: Kino's Journey, Courtney Crumrin, The Army of Darkness Role Playing Game

So, I finished reading the section on Delirium, Dementia, and Amnestic disorders in the DSM-IV. I'm not entirely sure why the chapter is organized as it is, after all I would think lowest number of presenting symptoms to highest would make for a more than adequate organization principal, but apparently the scientists who cooked up the DSM did not. I suppose it's a good thing I have a greater understanding of how to distinguish delusions, delirium, and dementia, but as all are accompanied by memory impairment one would think amnestic disorders would come first, not last as the case may be.

I spent most of my waking hours on sunday watching Kino's Journey. I've seen the first two episodes a couple of times, they came included with an issue of NewType I purchased many years ago. And, lucky me, it was available on amazon prime. The general story behind Kino's Journey is about a girl that was born in the Land of Adults. The posthumously named Kino is one of a number of children who, because of a tribal imperative, are lobotomized upon reaching their twelfth birthday so that they will always be happy NPC's (that is to say mindlessly reasonable adults who enjoy their work) in their utopian society where they (the NPC's and sheeple who are lobotomized) use stand your ground laws to justify murder. My inference, after watching that particular episode, is that the villagers have a predisposition to schizophrenia or other cognitive slash personality disorders and the adjustment bureau decided the cut off age for imagination or depression was twelve. Which, is somewhat ironic, if what I've read about personality disorders is true. Because, if most humans have developed a psychological disorder by the age of twelve, in much the same way most people can distinguish between reality and fantasy by the age of eight, even if they lacked the ability to express the concept of mental illness it would appear this society in the land of adults values collective unconsciousness over logic and good governance.

Anyway, the protagonist of the aforementioned series adopted the name of Kino to honor the drifter who sacrificed his life so that she could escape the land of adults on her birthday. She claims she has no memory of her real name (although by the end of the series it's revealed her name was possibly Lilly). Of course, the other possible backstory of of Kino is that her father developed a virtual reality headset that would allow her to live the life of a character in her favorite story. Then again, this was revealed in an episode wherein the mythical library that houses all the knowledge of the world is actually a high security asylum. A place where people are sentenced to a life of becoming the sort of critics that ban books for the safety of their children. Whereas the global library available to the public houses only children's books and how to manuals. I wouldn't be surprised if the entire series was revealed to be a dream of childhood's end. I suppose the entire series could be seen as a decent in to madness if you think about it to hard. I don't even think Kino was revealed to be a girl until the third episode. I also had my concerns that she was acting out some sort of NPC program by the final episode. Only, instead of the drifter dying in the end the whole village was destroyed. Talk about a head trip. I'd give Kino's journey a solid 3.5 to 4 stars out of five.

Courtney Crumrin Volume 1, it's been roughly four years since I read it the first time and the story still holds my interest even now. Considering I was in my late twenty's when I first read Courtney Crumrin and I am now in my early thirties, that's pretty high praise. Yes, I still read comics, I'd still be drawing them for something more than personal enrichment if I felt there was some way I could be financially successful at it. However, whenever possible, I do support independent press and that includes christian comic books as well. Courtney Crumrin is a secular comic book about a girl that moved to Hillsborough, Florida... at least that's were I envision the story taking place. Edward Scissorhands was filmed in Pasco county and Hillsborough is the next county over. Given that my hometown fired a science teacher for practicing witchcraft nearly a decade after I left that reformation era peninsula, if ever there was a place full of bad magic, socially reinforced slavery, fearful, greedy, and corrupt religious, social, and/or law enforcement institutions; Florida is most likely where I would set a horror story... and one wouldn't need to delve into the supernatural to do it.

But, I digress, Volume one of Courtney Crumrin has four stories that take place in Hillsborough. Courtney's parents are a couple of fraudsters who have come there to take advantage of their great uncle Aloysius' generosity in his time of need. He doesn't seem to care about that though, seeing as he's using them as an oblivious cover to hide his true nature. Courtney can't sleep at night because of the night things that prowl her uncle's estate day and night. Including things like goblins, simulacrum, and a wood nymph. So, with nothing better to do during the witching hour, Courtney finds herself in her uncles library and (wouldn't you know it) he's a wizard, possibly a warlock (I honestly have nothing in the way of training to distinguishing the two types of magic users, he's definitely not a bad witch or an ogre). Of the four stories presented in this first volume two deal with being replaced by a doppleganger or facsimile, one has to do with image, and another with friendship.

The first issue deals with Courtney's adjustment to her new environment. She makes an "almost friend" but he was tragically eaten by Butterworm after betraying Courtney and calling her to the attention of the local bully. Courtney then makes Butterworm her familiar as she couldn't very well have him trying to eat her while she uses the woods to prowl the nights or return home and successfully avoid being seen by her classmates. One story in the volume involves a glamour spell that turns every one of her classmates into obsessive compulsive psychopaths who see Courtney as their 'bestest' best friend, and some even feel betrayed by things and events she had no actual control over. Another story involves a baby being replaced by a changeling and later sold at auction. With the help of Boo, the neighbors cat, Courtney attempts to rescue the rugrat but winds up on the auction block herself. In the final issue of the volume Courtney is temporarily replaced by an isomorph or smooze like emotional vampire who thinks she can do a better job of being Courtney, than Courtney can, while her uncle Aloysius is out of town on business.

Courtney Crumrin was a solid five stars when I first read it, and I still consider it five stars four years later. I even went out of my way to order the full color hardcover edition because I just happen like Courtney Crumrin that much.

Now for a discussion about the Army of Darkness Role Playing Game. having only read the first chapter and just flipping through the book, I have to admit I already like the presentation better than the intro to Dungeons and Dragons, Holy Lands, and GURPS 3rd edition. The pages have a nice glossy sheen that I can appreciate, but when it comes to the book cover itself it seems they really went on the cheap. But, The true test of an RPG book is being able to eat a proper meal off a paper plate on it without the grease bleeding through and damaging the cover. . .so I guess that means its passable. I honestly wonder if the face on the cover of the book is that of Rami himself, 'Cause it sure as shootin' don't look like Ash. I haven't read or come across any of the world of darkness books, and my game design and development selection consists mostly of textbooks and and more than half a dozen GURPS compendiums so I'm afraid I cannot vouch for the quality of introduction in comparison to that series. But, if I have to be honest, I liked the book that came with Dragonage II much better.

I think the thing that disappoints me most about the Army of Darkness RPG book is the cover, how it's spine breaks when you open it for the first time is hideous and outright shameful. The goblin companion I purchased for a dollar has seemingly better quality binding. Then again, being an Army of Darkness book I'm sure the creators expect it to eventually be bound in porcine flesh and that the game master would ink their name in blood on the inside cover. Or, Maybe they just anticipated most people would only be reading it in pdf format. So they put all their resources into the written word and figured they'd forget everything else about presentation. This has got to be one of the few times I really wish an RPG book came with a dust Jacket. I kind of feel like the action bible has a better quality cover than this book. Heck, even a paperback cover might have suited the material so much better. However, that's just my personal opinion and first impression. I bought it for the content anyway, but I somehow get the feeling I could use 'Shrek's Art of the Quest' as a better resource manual after giving this a once over. I'm sure once I've learned the Unisystem I probably won't care what the book looks like anymore. I mean the writing of the first chapter alone is a joy to work with.

If you've come this far, and are still interested in learning more about my thoughts, opinions, or even if you're curious about what I'm up to lately, I want to thank you for reading this blog post. I wish you all a great day.