Author: Charlie Brooks

Award-winning author of "Fantasy as you Like It" and "Eight-Bit Heaven," Season 9 finalist in RPG Superstar, author of the young adult fantasy novel Greystone Valley, and super-opinionated nerd dad.

Greystone Valley: Kay

On By Charlie BrooksIn FictionLeave a comment

“What about your staff? Is that magical, too?”

This time it was Kay’s turn to look confused. “A magical staff? Of course not. Who ever heard of a magical staff?”

“Then why are you in so worried about getting it back?”

They finished digging the hole. Kay dropped the book in and covered it up. Then he pushed the heavy rock back on top. “I just need it, is all. I wouldn’t be much of a wizard if I didn’t have a staff, would I? You might as well ask me to shave my beard.”

“But you don’t have a beard,” said Sarah.

Kay jumped back defensively. “Yes I do! It’s just taking time to grow in! See?” He stuck his head forward and pointed at his chin. Sarah squinted, and only found three short brown hairs on an otherwise naked chin.

“Um…yes,” she said. “It’s quite…lovely.”

“You bet,” said Kay, going back to his energetic self. “In another few months, it will be down past my neck. Then we’ll see who’s the proper wizard, eh?”

The wizard Kay is only thirteen years old but is potentially one of the most powerful people in Greystone Valley thanks to his spellbook, which contains all the world’s magical secrets. Unfortunately, he doesn’t know how to read it.

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Pros and Cons of Getting an NT Scan

On By Charlie BrooksIn ParentingLeave a comment

Originally published May 1, 2013 on BabyCenter.com.

We’re now at week 13 of pregnancy number two, which means that we recently had to make the decision about whether or not we wanted an NT scan.

An NT scan, for those who are unaware, is a nuchal translucency screening, which can help predict chromosomal abnormalities in the child. The most common of these abnormalities is Down syndrome, which does not prevent a child from having a happy life. There are other rarer abnormalities that are potentially much worse, including some that can indicate your child will not survive through the first year. Thankfully, those situations are rare, and a positive result on an NT scan doesn’t mean that anything is definite.

This is not a procedure that is at all required. It’s purely up to expectant parents. We chose not to go through the testing for our first child because the NT scan wasn’t available to us. Back then (a whopping two years ago), all we had for an option was a chorionic villus sampling (CVS) test, which was a more invasive procedure that carries a slight risk to the baby. We opted not to go through with that because of the risk. In retrospect, it was also a good thing not to do the test at the time because I was a nervous wreck throughout the pregnancy and didn’t need one more thing to worry about had it come up positive.

Technology marches on, and thankfully the NT scan is now available to us. (I believe it was available only to those at high risk for chromosomal abnormalities before.) This time we chose to get the scan for a few reasons:

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Greystone Valley: Dax

On By Charlie BrooksIn FictionLeave a comment

With a jangle of metal, Dax thrust the key into the locked door and gave it a twist. The barred door flew open, and Dax leapt out of the cell, just in time to face the recovered guard. Shouting an alarm, the guard reached for the sword at his belt, but not quickly enough. Wielding his fists like a pair of dangerous clubs, Dax bludgeoned the guard across the head. Then he kicked the beast-man’s knees, knocking the two short pig legs out from under it. As the guard fell, Dax seized the pig-man’s sword belt, drawing the blade in one deft movement. Then he brought the blade down, hitting the guard with the flat of the sword. The pig-man slumped in the corner, unconscious. He did not get up.

From inside the cell, Sarah and Kay watched in amazement.

“That was incredible!” shouted Sarah.

“Not really,” moaned Dax. He put his hand on the small of his back and gave a loud sigh. “I think I threw my back out.”

Some people are just born lucky. Dax is not one of those people.

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Greystone Valley: Baelan

On By Charlie BrooksIn FictionLeave a comment

“The world is made for strong people, Sarah. You either impose your will on others, or you let them push you around for the rest of your life. You should know what I’m talking about. You have parents, don’t you?”

“I have a mom,” she said.

“And she probably tells you that she loves you very much,” said Baelan, his voice growing harder. “But whenever she gets a chance, she forces you to live by her laws. She rules over you. Wouldn’t you like a chance to do the same?”

“But my mom doesn’t use threats to tell me what to do. You did. You threatened an entire village with your army, just to get at Kay. When my mom lays down a rule, she’s trying to help me. You’re just trying to help yourself, and you don’t care who you need to push around to do it.”

The corners of Baelan’s mustache twitched. His face seemed to grow darker. “I’ve offered you power and glory, Sarah. Don’t be stupid enough to throw it away. I will master Castle Greystone, one way or another. It is my destiny to rule, and to conquer as many new worlds as I can find. If you tell me where Kay hid his spellbook, I will give you entire countries as your playthings. If you refuse me again, I will throw you in my dungeon and make sure you never see the light of day until you’re too old and gray to even remember your precious home and your beloved mother. Now tell me…where is the spellbook?”

Known as the Warlord of Greystone Valley, Baelan is a cunning middle-aged man who seeks a life filled with conflict and conquest. Unfortunately for him, the magical confines of Greystone Valley prevent him from achieving that goal.

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Teachings from my Father: Usual Lessons Taught in an Unusual Way

On By Charlie BrooksIn ParentingLeave a comment

Originally published on BabyCenter.com Marsh 16, 2023

It’s a tough world, and you need somebody to prepare you for it.

As I grew up, my mom took the role of the protector, building up my confidence and sheltering me from the bad things in the world. My dad chose a different role. He decided that he was going to be the guy to toughen me up.

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Comics & Quests: Players

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

By 1990, DC Comics had four concurrent Dungeons & Dragons comics running: Dragonlance, Spelljammer, and two Forgotten Realms titles. A TSR Worlds Annual one-shot that year tied all four settings together, while the Forgotten Realms Annual featured a crossover between the two Toril-bound adventuring groups. Meanwhile, the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Annual went for something much smaller, but very fun…

D&D is the original role-playing game, yet the media that ties into it very rarely leans into the “game” aspect of it. That’s natural, since it’s hard to handle that sort of fourth wall breaking without feeling trite. “Players,” the tale told in the 1990 Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Annual, manages to subvert that by simultaneously fleshing out our cast of heroes and presenting them as characters in a game. All it takes is a little magic…

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Out Now: Tyron the Hidden Paladin

On By Charlie BrooksIn Publication NewsLeave a comment

Ferreth Elliser has a reputation for tinkering with souls, but a recent magical experiment might change him forever. Occasionally possessed by a paladin’s spirit, this evil necromancer sometimes sets about righting old wrongs.

“Tyron the Hidden Paladin” is the latest article for EN5ider, an online publication to add options and story hooks to your D&D game. When you subscribe to EN5ider, you get this an over 600 other articles and adventures for your game.

Check out the EN5ider Patreon here!

Comics & Quests: Waterdhavian Nights

On By Charlie BrooksIn Comics, Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

The heroes of the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms lines were part of the same adventure in “Jammers,” but they never actually crossed paths. The 1990 Forgotten Realms Annual changes that, as the crew of the Realms Master drops anchor in Waterdeep and runs headlong into the adventures who live at Selûne’s Smile.

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