A Personal Adventure


Rare is it I make comment on my personal life. This blog was set aside specifically for the discussion and development of Tortured Earth, its revision, and expansion of worlds. However, a little off topic discussion does well to break up the monotony.

Many of the pictures I use to open the my blogs are actual pictures I've taken while traveling. I've always held a fascination with nature, wildlife, and the reclamation of abandoned buildings and structures, so the use of that imagery in Tortured Earth is almost second nature. Getting those pictures requires a little effort on my part, but the travel makes it well worth it. Couple this with the fact I live in Louisiana and suddenly I have yet another hobby. 

This weekend, my wife and I are planning on traveling around the area taking pictures of buildings and objects in various states of abandonment. Hopefully, our trip will be productive and I'll have a whole new batch of imagery to add to my growing collection of apocalyptic filler art. 

My wife and I make an odd couple. She's far more practical than I am, likes dramas on television, has a creative flare for cooking, and prefers a minimalistic style when decorating our home. I won't watch a show that doesn't have a monster, cooks traditional Cajun/Creole cuisine, and loves ornate details in our home. She likes some science fiction and fantasy but isn't a real fan. In fact, the only time she reads the genre lately is when I've written it.

Together, we actually make a pretty neat pair. We've each come from a previous marriage and bring into the relationship a degree of maturity. We often find we compliment the other in our differences and take comfort in the other's ability to fill in the gap. She supports my mad capped adventures in game development & promotion and even comes along on some of the trips. (This is mostly to conventions located on beaches or other scenic places but I'm not picky.)

With no conventions this weekend and a rise in COVID cases, we're looking at things to do and not be involved with a lot of people. Apocalyptic photography it is!

In traveling throughout the region, I'm hoping to pick up images of old vehicles, buildings, abandoned personal items, etc. in various stages of neglect. There are a couple of old roads that were redirected and have been allowed to convert back to nature. These should prove promising as photographic subjects.

One of the best images I ever snapped was of an old coffee can sitting on the base of an abandoned gas pump. The combination made for an eerie drop-and-run feeling. With the wealth of abandoned buildings and forgotten items laying on the sides of old roads, fields, and pastures, we should gather quite the trove.


Thanks for reading! 

K. B. Kidder

 

If you are checking out this blog for the first time, you may access our website by clicking here: Tortured Earth

Character Species released for review: Allorn, Dwarf, Elf, Eoceph, and Goblin.

Combat Creatures released for review: Braunach, Faeda, Fetid Hound, Minotaur, and Wolf.

If you are interested in the creature development process, you may submit your own creatures by filling out the following form. We will review the forms before publishing the creatures to the website. Creature Creation Form

If you would like to see what Tortured Earth looks like, the GM portion of the rule book is available as a free download on the Tortured Earth Home Page. Tortured Earth Beta GM Guide  

And finally, I have created a Tavern Generator and Loot Generator. Both are free downloads and can be adapted to a wide range of story settings. Both are written in Excel. If you are using a tablet, you can download a free version of Excel and operate it live at the game table.

 

Update: A copy of our picture trove:

Above is a quiet crossroad in Lecompte, LA. Below is an abandoned bridge across the intersection.

Above: Quiet, lazy lawns in Lecompte. Below: disused rail tresses.

Above: open building in Lecompte. Below: Abandoned gas station on the way to LSUA.

Above: Abandoned office space on the way to LSUA. Below: A borrow pit on the way to Monroe, LA off HWY 165.

Above: The abandoned 165 bridge outside of Georgetown, LA. Below: Same bridge from the base.

Above and Below: Columbia, LA.
Below: An oak tree in front of the parish courthouse in Columbia.
Next 4 Shots: Abandoned school. Amazing structure despite the disrepair.



Below: West Monroe at evening.


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