Upcoming Site Changes

On By Charlie BrooksIn Site NewsLeave a comment

Although it has changed homes a few times, the Screamsheet has been around since 2000 when I got my first domain on Geocities. The name came from the news sheets in the Cyberpunk 2020 role-playing game, and it fit my personality because I spent a lot of time screaming about nerdy things.

Now I’ve reached middle age and I don’t do as much comical ranting as I used to. So as the year draws to a close, I think I’m going to adjust a few cosmetic things about this website, including the name.

I have yet to make a final decision, but my current feeling is that in January 2026 I’ll change the title, header, and background of this website, retiring the name “The Screamsheet” and likely going with “Babbling Brooks,” since I do more babbling than screaming these days.

This is a change in name and appearance only. I don’t plan on removing any content, and I’m not going to change the WordPress template I use to organize the site–I did that once before and had to basically rebuild the whole thing.

The website address also won’t change, but I might wind up buying a domain name so screamsheet.wordpress.com isn’t the only way to get here.

The only other changes I have in mind for the new year are a possible reorganizing of the site menus so my books (which I want people to read) are easier to find and my various recurring articles like Comics & Quests or A Kind of Magic can be accessed from the home page. But again, I don’t plan to remove any actual content.

If you feel strongly that I’m making the wrong move, I’d love to hear from you. Nothing will be changed until January, so I have plenty of time to mull everything over in my head.

Featured Image: Alan Hunt, CC BY-SA 2.0, cropped and resized

Comics & Quests: Wake of the Realms Master

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

Since I don’t own copies of the Dragonlance or Spelljammer comics, this entry marks the end of my 1990s D&D comics. While there were other D&D comics over the years, it would take two full editions of the game before a licensed comic struck my fancy as much as the gang at Selûne’s Smile and the crew of the Realms Master did.

So let’s dive into one final adventure with our intrepid crew and see how the story ends for Dwalimor Omen and his faithful companions.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Wake of the Realms Master” →

Reading to Kids is One of the best Parts of Being a Parent

On By Charlie BrooksIn ParentingLeave a comment

Originally published on BabyCenter.com February 22, 2014

Today marks one full year since I started blogging at BabyCenter. My first official entry was about reading to your kids. Since then, my son has turned two and we’ve added a baby girl to the mix. Reading still remains important, and there’s a lot more I’ve learned over the past year.

Continue reading “Reading to Kids is One of the best Parts of Being a Parent” →

Out Now: Alien Core

On By Charlie BrooksIn Role-Playing GamesLeave a comment

Starfinder 2nd edition is here, and now there are 200 new aliens to use in your game!

Alien Core marks a dream come true for me because it’s the first time my writing has appeared in a major RPG core book. I designed the ksarik and the warp troll.

You can find the Alien Core in your local game store, or you can order it directly from Paizo.com!

Check it out, and if you use the ksarik or warp troll in your game, let me know!

Comics & Quests: Everybody Wants to Run the Realms

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

I’m going to put my conspiracy hat on for a moment and speculate on why the penultimate issue of DC’s Forgotten Realms comic series is a spoofy fourth-wall breaking story…

By 1991, DC knew that their licensing agreement for Advanced Dungeons & Dragons was nearing its end. TSR, the company that owned AD&D, decided to produce their own comics. This ended the ongoing comics quite abruptly, giving the creative teams a short window to wrap up their ongoing stories. I think both Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and Forgotten Realms had their stories ready to print when they received the notice that the arcs they were working on would be their last. That likely necessitated the insertion of a quick one-shot to make sure the current story arcs ended with the license’s expiration.

Why do I think this? Because both titles had a single-issue fill-in ahead of their final stories. AD&D has “Summer in the City,” which could at least use the familiar setting of Selûne’s Smile for its one-off. But the Forgotten Realms comic was in no place to run a silly one-off when their heroes were still struggling with the aftermath of Labelas Enoreth destroying their ship. Thus, my theory goes, “Everybody Wants to Run the Realms” happened. We’ve had some fourth wall breaks in the past, such as with “Players,” but nothing that ever as explicitly meta-fiction as this.

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Everybody Wants to Run the Realms” →

Dads, it’s Okay if the Baby Cries

On By Charlie BrooksIn ParentingLeave a comment

Originally published on BabyCenter.com January 24, 2014

My wife had a singing engagement, so I was left alone with two kids who took turns crying for two and a half hours straight.

Uncontrollable sobbing is a good way to make a parent feel useless, especially in men since we lack the magic boobies that calm infants down. But in the end, it’s not that big a deal.

Continue reading “Dads, it’s Okay if the Baby Cries” →

Comics & Quests: Picking Up the Pieces

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

Our last story with the Realms Master crew put them through their paces. Vartan became possessed by a mad god, Agrivar’s successful fight against alcoholism was undone, Minder’s body got shattered, and the ship was smashed to pieces by an angry god.

But at least it can’t get much worse…right…?

Continue reading “Comics & Quests: Picking Up the Pieces” →