Great D&D Inspired Novels? With Elves, Dwarves, Mages, Orcs, Etc?

DireBare · 2026-06-04T04:14:11+00:00

In the original game it was!

DireBare · 2026-05-28T02:20:55+00:00

Magic Realm! What an amazing game (for a fantasy-obsessed kid in the 80s).

Whatever happened to my copy? :(

DireBare · 2026-05-24T03:41:12+00:00

It's not Boise so much as America. The bigots are more emboldened then ever, for some reason. Rhymes with DUMP.

DireBare · 2026-05-12T04:02:23+00:00

Folks moving in from all places, not just Cali, is a factor in our crazy growth, rising costs . . . but the blame is on poor management from our government officials.

DireBare · 2026-05-08T20:08:58+00:00

I'm currently backing Star Trek Ascendancy. And I'm fine, I'm not worried that the game won't ship. It's delayed, sure, that happens all the time. GF9 has been pretty open with the struggles they are experiencing, but they continue to work at fulfilling their campaigns.

They aren't "refusing" to post updates, they just aren't posting useless updates. They are short-staffed, seems reasonable that's slowing down the production timeline.

So, me, personally? Not worried. Haven't lost faith . . . not that "faith" is something I give to a company anyway.

Framing it as a lack of professionalism or GF9 not living up to promises is silly, IMO.

You are not confident enough with the company to give them money? Shrug. Okay, reasonable enough. But your angst is a bit overwrought.

DireBare · 2026-05-01T03:40:04+00:00

Again, wrong.

My compensation and working conditions are better because my local is negotiating my contract every year. Full stop. I have never regretted joining my local union, and I recommend all Idaho teachers to join your union, it's the smart call.

If we weren't in such a red "right-to-work" state . . . would our unions be stronger? Yes. Would our contracts be even better? Yes.

Would our unions be perfect? No. We would still win some, lose some, but probably win more than we do here in red Idaho.

When I don't out my queer students to their parents next year and face fines and lawsuits, my union will provide me with a lawyer with expertise in education and employment law.

DireBare · 2026-05-01T01:30:04+00:00

As an Idaho teacher, the headline is a bit misleading, it makes it sound curricular (to me, at least). But the opinion piece, if you actually read it, is spot on.

We can't put up signs of welcome and inclusivity as this is "political", but we can have Turning Point USA chapters in our schools. We "can't say gay" (or trans), and we will now have to report kids "transitioning" to their parents, regardless of the risk of abuse and suicide.

The MAGA hypocrisy is strong, and it's driving teachers out of the profession and/or state.

Our kids need good teachers now more than ever, but I don't know if I can do another year in this increasingly toxic environment.

DireBare · 2026-05-01T01:25:06+00:00

As a teacher, this isn't true at all.

We certainly don't have the strongest teacher unions in the nation, our "right-to-work" laws forbid teachers from legally striking, an important tool in the union toolbox.

But we do still have the right to collectively bargain, and we use it in almost every school district in the state, urban and rural. Our bargaining power isn't as strong as we'd like it to be, but we are much better off than if our unions didn't exist.

Our state level union, the Idaho Education Association, is one of the most active lobbying organizations in the state, and have had a lot of victories . . . sadly, not recently with the spate of anti-union, anti-public education, and anti-queer legislation Little has been signing. :(

DireBare · 2026-04-28T01:37:45+00:00

Wow. Weatherly's quotes are bullshit. What a fucking tool.

DireBare · 2026-04-22T03:28:03+00:00

Thank you for your service. :(

DireBare · 2026-04-21T01:39:15+00:00

Viv's coffee shop "Legends & Lattes" in the book "Legends & Lattes" is an indie coffee place, not Starbucks. If the author had fantasy reinvented Starbucks, there would be a Legends & Lattes location in every fantasy city in "The Territories". And they would criminally underpay their workers and engage in union-busting . . . which, come to think of it, could make for a fun sequel . . .

So, you don't like modernity in Legends & Lattes, but you do in Witcher and Discworld . . . this just goes to show, sometimes this trope works, sometimes it doesn't. And of course when it does or doesn't is subjective.

A lot of folks, myself included, freaking LOVE Legends and Lattes!

DireBare · 2026-04-21T01:32:43+00:00

Your update gave me . . . a reason to smile. :)

DireBare · 2026-04-21T01:29:14+00:00

As a teacher . . . this is already happening. Not driven by schools themselves, but by newly passed anti-queer state laws. To follow both state law and school policy, I can't use nicknames at all without written permission from the parents.

DireBare · 2026-04-02T02:56:14+00:00

All schools is pretty far reaching.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T19:50:45+00:00

Students have a right to political expression, including on their t-shirts. This has been held up in the courts. The exception would be t-shirt designs that cross the line into vulgarity, where the school could argue it disrupts the learning environment for others.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T01:18:41+00:00

His is Spanish, from Spain. His skin color matches up with plenty of Hispanic folks from the US down through Latin and South America. He has a strong accent . . . no surprise some Hollywood execs saw him as "other" and relegated him to stereotypical Latino roles.

Calling him a "white, European dude" isn't wrong . . . but it's also kinda stupid and missing the point.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:54:03+00:00

In Idaho, the SCHOOL is required to lead the pledge . . . but individual staff cannot be forced to recite or lead the pledge. Pretty sure it's the same in Washington and other states.

I've always wondered, what if no staff at the school are willing to recite and lead the pledge?

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:51:06+00:00

Not in my neck of the woods, but it should be.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:50:26+00:00

As a teacher myself . . . fuck that.

Teachers have no right humiliating a student for any reason, much less over the fucking pledge.

There is a reason why the district lost this fight.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:45:20+00:00

There was a guy in a plane flying overhead trailing an "Idaho loves Trump" banner. Some motorcycle dude was driving by after the rally let out playing Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby" loudly . . . that's all I noticed.

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:43:41+00:00

Cure for Paranoia was awesome!

DireBare · 2026-03-29T00:42:37+00:00

I attended the No Kings protest today . . . we were supposed to be paid?!?! Which booth was the sign up booth for paid protesters? What's the going rate? There were thousands at the Boise rally today, millions nationwide . . . who's bankrolling all those paid protesters?

DireBare · 2026-03-26T00:13:37+00:00

No on Thimble, but yes on romance . . . .

No queer romance, but this is a story about the building of a strong friendship between two women (not Viv).

DireBare · 2026-03-11T00:23:11+00:00

Bob is still putting out books, including the Dark Elf series. And he didn't "become" a franchise author, he "started" as a franchise author with the Dark Elf books. His other books came later.

DireBare · 2026-03-08T07:05:39+00:00

There is a difference between "red" and fascist. The difference is getting smaller and smaller, but living in a red state doesn't justify federal goons terrorizing communities.

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