I’ve uploaded the files and set it for release first thing tomorrow. This new race, for use with 4e, details the Arak, blue-skinned barbarians dedicated to the One. The Arak are the first of the Diomin races to be adapted to 4e, and it was a lot of fun, especially now with PHB2:

In the language of the Arak, the word “arak” means “the First.” This is the source of their pride, their noble carriage and their isolation.

According to the other races of the world, the Arak are little more than blue-skinned barbarians who live in the outskirts of the world. If during a conversation with an Arak you were to call him a barbarian, he would probably snort and mutter, “What do you know? You are but a simple T’endrak.” Unless you spoke Araki, the fact that you had just been given the worst insult that one of the Arak can utter would be lost on you. If you did speak it, you’d know that he had just called you “a Second.”

That is the core of the Arak worldview. You are either one of the Arak, or you are just a Second…simple, foolish and one of the lost.

Play an Arak if you want . . .

• to be a member of a race proud of your ancient heritage.
• to be tough and wise.
• to strike your enemies with the skill of the expert hunter.
• to be a member of a race that favors the barbarian, ranger, shaman and warden classes.

I’ll post a link and more about the product tomorrow.

This PDF product will be released early next week. It’s for use with 4th Edition and includes everything you need to play this race including a complete history as well as Heroic and Paragon tier racial feats. Here’s a little tease:

In the language of the Arak, the word “arak” means “the First.”  This is the source of their pride, their noble carriage and their isolation.

According to the other races of the world, the Arak are little more than blue-skinned barbarians who live in the outskirts of the world. If during a conversation with an Arak you were to call him a barbarian, he would probably snort and mutter, “What do you know?  You are but a simple T’endrak.”  Unless you spoke Araki, the fact that you had just been given the worst insult that one of the Arak can utter would be lost on you.  If you did speak it, you’d know that he’d just called you “a Second.”

That is the core of the Arak worldview. You are either one of the Arak, or you are just a Second…simple,  foolish and one of the lost.

Play an Arak if you want . . .
 * to be a member of a race proud of your ancient heritage.
* to be tough and wise.
* to strike your enemies with the skill of the expert hunter.
* to be a member of a race that favors the barbarian, ranger, shaman and warden  classes.

Poker and video games both seem like idle pursuits, like wastes of money and time for those with nothing better to do. But only to the uninitiated! 

Talented poker players and talented video game players can profit handsomely from their talents while illustrating displays of skill that can entertain masses of people.

Online Poker and RTS Video Games

The greatest similarity comes between online poker and real time strategy, or “RTS” video games. Both of these allow a player to log on from their home computers and challenge other players (today there’s even poker Mac OS). For both, while there is an element of luck, it is generally the most skilled players who will win the day.

Tactics in Poker and Video Games

Both poker and RTS video games require that players master certain tactics in order to succeed. Without these tactics, a player will be at a severe disadvantage.
Tactics critical to poker play include slow playing, bluffing, trapping and check-raising. Video game strategies that players must at least be familiar with if not implement themselves include the rush, turtling and camping.

Expertise in Poker and Video Games

Expertise in video games does not necessarily transfer to poker or vice versa. However, it should be noted that two of the most successful young poker players today, Ivan Demidov, who made both the WSOP and WSOPE main event final tables in 2008, and Bertrand Grospellier, who has both a WPT and a WPTE championship under his belt, are both champion video game players, with professional level skill in games like StarCraft.

Playing Poker and Video Games

Playing video games that are not multi-player interactive strategy games will probably not hone your strategic or competitive skills too much. This is similar to the understanding that playing free money poker games on the Internet probably won’t advance your education as a poker player. You won’t learn to play poker until you’ve felt the pain of real loss.
However, they can both still be quite entertaining. If you do make the effort to play the high level games, you will probably find you experience significant gains in both arenas, and may even be able to transfer them from one to another.

Charles West, a member of the school board of the Arkham School District has a plan to address our education problems. You can read about it here:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news/lovecraftian_school_board_member

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The fine folks over at Flames Rising have posted a review of Midnight Harvest. You can read it here:

http://www.flamesrising.com/midnight-harvest-review/

They also reviewed The Doom from Below awhile back. You can read that review here:

http://www.flamesrising.com/doom-from-below-review/

Thanks guys!