Month: February 2011

Lucky 13 Hair Salon

Lucky 13 is the best hair-cutting experience I’ve ever had. I can say that honestly and without question.
 
I was going to write up a nice little review using all the review techniques they teach you in school. But I hate writing like that, and I hate reading sanitized, boring reviews. Most people agree with me. So here we go.

I needed a haircut. For the past couple years I always went to Great Clips or other McDonalds-like chain places. I have always been completely unsatisfied with these hair-cutting experiences and figured that I just hate getting my hair cut. So I posted a status update on Facebook asking for any recommendations for a new place to get my hair cut. I got 4 responses within about 20 seconds, all of which said “Lucky 13.”

Being a guy who doesn’t pay attention to such things, I had no idea what “Lucky 13” was or what it meant. So I Googled it to find out. Sounded hip, cool, and therefore not like something I would like at all. So I mulled it over for a few days before I decided, “Aw, what the hell. Why not?”

I had a bunch of other errands to run so I put Lucky 13 at the end of my list for the day. When I finally walked in, a very pretty blond woman (can’t tell from the pictures on the website who she was) smiled a genuine smile at me and asked me to sign in. She informed me that there was a 45 minute to an hour wait, and I was welcome to wait inside or leave and come back. I was Famished, so I left and got a Reuben at the Deli down the street. That isn’t important. What is important is when I walked back in, a completely different woman (I’m assuming Lane) said, “Tim?” To which I replied, “Yes?” She told me I was up next. I had only been gone for a half hour, so I was pleasantly surprised.

A quite attractive, smiling (perfect teeth) young woman named Angie walked up, introduced herself and extended her hand for a shake. She led me to her chair, and asked me what I wanted done.

This is always the part of getting a haircut that I hate the most. I never have any idea of what I want done. All I know is that I look horrible, I despise my hair, and I just want to get in, get a haircut, and get out as quickly as possible. I don’t like to chit-chat, I don’t like being sociable with people I don’t know, and I do not like haircuts.

So I say, “I dunno.”

She laughed, which made me laugh, and Angie proceeded to start making suggestions while we were facing the mirror (Another issue I’ve had with every past barber or stylist I’ve ever had is that they always face me AWAY from the mirror so I can’t see what they are doing). She made me feel comfortable; the most comfortable I’ve ever felt while getting a haircut. I talked, I chit-chatted, and I never once cringed and thought, “Oh God, what is she doing?”

I even mentioned my past experiences of horrible haircuts with her and how this was so much better. She replied that she thinks it’s probably because unlike the people at other places like Great Clips, she actually likes what she does and where she works. She’s been working at Lucky 13 for three years now and loves it. (Angie was pretty fascinating; she’s backpacked through the jungles of Costa Rica, has a tight rope in her backyard that she performs yoga on, and other ridiculously cool things that I can’t seem to remember right now)

This made me recall that every employ I came across seemed genuinely happy and friendly. I think that means quite a lot.

So, I think I’ve found my new hair-cutting place. I don’t want to say my new barbershop because it doesn’t sound right, nor do I want to say my new salon because, well, I just ain’t gonna say that either.


Lucky 13 is the best hair-cutting experience I’ve ever had. I can say that honestly and without question. I like my haircut, I liked my experience, and I will definitely go back.

Also, I thoroughly recommend Angie. While it certainly seems like I’ve been gushing about her, you just can’t understand how much I hate getting my hair cut, nor how much this experience made me realize that getting my hair cut doesn’t have to be an awful experience.

One last thing; they give you a card which they punch out every time you are in. Get 12 punches and your 13th cut is free.

As an aside; what is the proper amount to tip for a hair cut?

[Photos were pulled from Lucky 13’s website. I do not make any claims to ownership of photos, and if you want them taken down, just tell me]

Goblinoid Races

In the previous post I mentioned that I had to create several new playable races for Castles and Crusades. Well, here they are if anyone wants to use them.

As I said before, the race descriptions are based off of those from Palladium Fantasy.

Roll the standard 3D6 for attributes. I always let my players reroll ones.

Goblin
Modifiers: +1 Dexterity, -1 Strength
Racial Traits and Abilities:
Animal Empathy: Goblins can read the emotions of animals. They can not conversate with them, though.
Combat Expertise: When fighting against Gnomes and Halflings, Goblins enjoy a bonus of +1 to hit against AC.
Dark Vision: 120 feet – can see in total darkness, but needs 1 round for eyes to adjust.
Hearing: Goblins receive a bonus of +1 to listening based checks.
Size: Height is 3 feet plus D12 inches, Weight is 60 + 5D8 pounds

Goblins are short and skinny with spindly arms and legs, pencil necks, skin colors that range from yellow and light green to brown and dark green, and hair that is either black, dark brown, or deep red. Eyes are large and ears are pointed. Teeth are sharp and pointy.

Kobold
Modifiers: +1 Constitution, -1 Dexterity
Racial Traits and Abilities:
Racial Animosity: -2 on Charisma checks when dealing with Humans, Elves, Halflings, and Gnomes.
Darkvision: 120 feet – can see in total darkness, but needs 1 round for eyes to adjust.
Underground Direction: Can sense approximate depth underground without needing an attribute check.
Fearless: +2 to savings throws vs Fear.
Resistant to Poison (Constitution) +2 to savings throws vs Poison.
Movement: 20 feet per round
Size: Height is 3 feet plus D12 inches, Weight is 70 + 5D8 pounds

Kobolds are short, thin, with leathery skin that is dark muddy brown or red. They often go bald on the top of their heads and do not grow facial or body hair. What hair they do have is white. Their eyes are yellow or red, and their teeth are sharp and pointed.

Orc
Modifiers: +2 Strength, +1 Constitution, -2 Intelligence, -1 Charisma
Racial Traits and Abilities:
Twilight Vision: Able to see clearly and in color for 1 mile under starlight or moonlight.
Sense of Smell: Detect the presence (but not location) of creatures within 30 feet, or 60 feet if upwind. Strong scents can be picked up at twice that range, and Exceptionally strong scents at three times the range. Provides a bonus of +2 to Track if a Ranger.
Martial Prowess: +2 to AC when not wearing armor. The Orc does not receive this bonus if wearing armor of any kind.
Resistance to Disease: +2 to save vs Disease
Size: Height is 5 feet plus D20 inches, Weight is 130 + D100 pounds

Orcs are broad shouldered, muscular, with sharp teeth and small tusks coming up from the lower jaw. Their noses are flat and pig-like, with long tongues used to wet the nose to improve their sense of smell. Skin colors range from dark green and dark brown to black, with thick black hair.

Troglodyte
Modifiers: +1 Charisma, -1 Wisdom
Racial Traits and Abilities:
Fearless: Troglodytes are naturally inquisitive and confident. +2 vs Fear.
Twilight Vision: Able to see clearly and in color for 1 mile under starlight or moonlight.
Resistant: +1 to all Constitution-based Savings throws.
Spot Hidden Doors: Troglodytes natural curiousity gives them a +1 bonus to find hidden doors.
Empathy: Troglodytes are the most liked of the Goblinoid races, and receive a +1 to Charisma checks when dealing with Goblinoids, and no negative modifier when dealing with other races.
Size: Height is 4 feet plus D12 inches, Weight is 130 + D100 pounds

Troglodytes are broad shouldered, with pale waxy skin, large dark brown eyes, flabby bodies and heads that vaguely resemble Salamanders or Newts. They are generally friendly, trusting, and curious. They like to eat well and party hard.

Hobgoblin
Modifiers: +2 Wisdom, -1 Charisma, -1 Constitution
Racial Traits and Abilities:
Enhanced Senses: Vision is exceptional, and large ears provide a +2 bonus to checks involving listening and sound.
Twilight Vision: Able to see clearly and in color for 1 mile under starlight or moonlight.
Charm Resistance: Hobgoblins are resistant to spells that Charm or cause Sleep: +10 to save
Spot Hidden Doors: Hobgoblins receive a +2 bonus when searching for hidden doors/compartments.
Movement: 30 feet per round
Size: Height is 4 feet plus D12 inches, Weight is 90 + 6D10 pounds

Hobgoblins resemble their goblin cousins, but are taller and have comically over-sized ears. Hobgoblins are notoriously hard to get along with; gruff, arrogant, pompous.

Castles and Crusades

The Castles & Crusades logoImage via Wikipedia

I just got my hands on a couple of Castles and Crusades books. I’ve been hearing a lot about it and decided to try it out.

I was originally designing a Palladium Fantasy 1st edition campaign but decided to go with C&C instead. Particularly after I read Grinding Gears by Lamentations of the Flame Princess.

So, I had to make new races for my campaign; Goblin, Hobgoblin, Orc, Kobold, and Troglodyte.  I’m still using the race descriptions as they are for Palladium (I like them a lot more than the D&D versions).

Humans, Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, and Gnomes are the enemy! In some cases, individuals of these races can and will be allies to the characters, but this will be very rare.

The idea behind the campaign was inspired by the Goblins webcomic. Basically, the characters have gotten fed up being fodder for low level “adventurers” and have decided to become adventurers themselves in order to protect their people. Not only are the players playing monsters (and from the monster’s points of view) but the characters themselves are vaguely aware that they are part of a game. Breaking the 4th wall and all that.

I’m also including a lot of humor in the campaign, mixed with quite a bit of potential death for the characters. 

I’m going to be running this game for two different small groups (scheduling conflicts have forced this). One is my main gaming group, and the other is a group of people that for the most part are brand new to role playing. That’s another reason I chose to go with Castles and Crusades – it’s so ridiculously simple.

The final reason I’m using Castles and Crusades is because my roommate has an extensive collection of 1st and 2nd edition AD&D books that are all easily converted to C&C.

As a GM, I’ve never been big on pre-made adventures or modules. In fact, I’ve only ever used one pre-made adventure in over 15 years of running games. However, due to my own time constraints, I’ve decided to start the players off using two different low-level adventures; Grinding Gears by LotFP, and Beacon at Enon Tor for C&C. I actually have no idea who wrote the conversion for Beacon, but I’m aware it was originally printed in Dragon for D&D.

Both adventures are very different from each other, are good for introducing the game to everyone, and are short enough to fit into a single game session.

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