PLEASE NOTE: The mp3 file links for this post are outdated. To listen to this episode please visit  The SBU Podcast Archives.  Sorry for the inconvenience. A "First Five" review of Pillars Of Eternity and an examination of some themes in Dragon Age: Inquisition!

With over 30 years of backstory to catch up on, figuring out where to start with classic who can be a daunting prospect – whether you're watching it or blogging about it. I’m starting with the 20th Anniversary special episode The Five Doctors, which works well as an introduction to the first five Doctors – pick the Doctor you’d like to see more of and then check out more of his adventures. Fans who are familiar with the earlier stories will enjoy the in-jokes, catchphrases and call-backs to Doctors gone by, and the cameo appearances of some of the earlier companions. The central conceit of the story is that the Doctor’s various incarnations are being kidnapped by some cloak-wearing rogue with a time scoop and brought to the Death Zone on Gallifrey, where they must break in to the Dark Tower – the tomb of Rasillon, founder of Time Lord culture – in order to release the Tardis and return to their own timelines. On the way the various Doctors meet old friends and old enemies...

While recuperating from my still-broken ankle, I attended Madicon 24, on the campus of James Madison University. Since I was not 100%, I wanted to at least go for a few hours on Saturday and check out the scene.  It has been 30+ years since I attended an honest-to-goodness convention, and I really wanted to see what remained the same and what had changed in the intervening years. One feature that hadn't changed is the  cosplay . Cosplay is a portmanteau mashing up the words  costume  and  play  and describing an aesthetic expression where individuals can identify with a favorite character or setting in science fiction or fantasy. Back in 1996,  Barbara   Adams   made   headlines  when she wore a uniform based on ones featured on the  Star Trek: The Next Generation  television series as part of the juror pool during the Whitewater trials. When asked why, she simply said "I always wear my uniform on formal occasions...

I've heard it said that what we despise most in other people is what we despise about ourselves.  I love these guys that I'm about to introduce to you, today, but sometimes I see my own flaws reflected back at me. What do I mean? Well, unlike the previous introductions, Matt Anderson and Ben De Bono of The Sci-Fi Christian were very succinct in their answers. I actually had a little bit of sympathy for all my teachers who tried to coax a little more out of my essays over the years.  Having said that, it is my great pleasure to introduce these guys. Matt Anderson is probably not going to be a stranger to anyone who follows geeky Christian podcasts. He has a segment of Comic Book Time Machine with CGC's Ben Avery and Daniel Butcher, and was in both episodes of the supposedly-not-defunct Crossover Nexus. Matt is the perfect foil for the more ...let's call it "scholarly" ;) antics of Ben De Bono.  If you love literature that MEANS something, Ben is your guy. If...

Freeport: City of Adventure Freeport has been Green Ronin's signature setting of pirate adventure and Cthulhoid madness since the early days of the d20 System boom. The setting launched with the ENnie award-winning adventure “Death in Freeport”, and has seen several other adventure modules as well as multiple setting expansions centered around the flagship title “Freeport: City of Adventure”. In 2006 the setting went “system agnostic” with the publication of the “Pirate's Guide to Freeport” which contained no system stat blocks at all. This book was followed (slowly) by a series of “Freeport Companions” for different systems, all containing similar information tailored to different game systems. At this point, the line includes companion books for True 20, 3 rd Era (d20 System), Savage Worlds, Pathfinder, and Fate. In 2013, Green Ronin funded the production through Kickstarter of a single massive tome combining the Pirate's Guide and the Companion material as...

What happens when an everyday Leprechaun is mugged during a bank robbery?  Story: "Thick As Thieves" by Matt McKinney Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale Rating: PG-13     Credits: "Thick As Thieves" (Leprechaun Story 2) by Matt McKinney "The Saving Thunderclap" (Leprechaun Story 1) - Episode 20 POS: TOS POS: TOS - Not Our Savior Month: Omnipotools Part 1 Part 2 POS: TOS #59 "Up The Long Ladder" Part 1 Part 2 Trek Talk: The Defector (The Best Episode Ever) St. Patrick's Bad Analogies Video by Lutheran Satire Sound Effects Attribution: aaronsiler , Speedenza , Wolfsinger Cover Attribution: “Leprechaun 2” by Ignacio Leonardi    Originally Appearing on The Untold Podcast