Neal Litherland
Bio
Neal Litherland is an author, freelance blogger, and RPG designer. A regular on the Chicago convention circuit, he works in a variety of genres.
Blog: Improved Initiative and The Literary Mercenary
Stories (338)
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5 Tips For Playing Better Gunslingers
Exploding onto the scene with the release of Ultimate Combat, there has been perhaps no more controversial class than the gunslinger. A breath of fresh air to some players, and a blatant breaking of genre conventions for others, the class is simultaneously loved and hated to similar degrees.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
I Was Never In The Military. Please Stop Thanking Me For My Service.
I remember the first time it happened. I was sitting in a booth with a friend, and eating pasta when an older man approached our table. I looked up when he cleared his throat, and before I could say anything he just smiled at me.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in The Swamp
Captain America is Chaotic Good
During the second World War, a secret experiment aimed to create an army of super soldiers. Warriors who were enhanced to the peak of human performance, and then beyond. Only one candidate made it through the experiment before the doctor behind the formula was assassinated... Steve Rogers, the man who became Captain America.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Geeks
5 Tips for Playing Better Evil Characters
When we sit around a table with our favorite RPG, we can take on the roles of some of the greatest heroes in the land. From powerful wizards and noble warriors, to mysterious rangers and light-fingered thieves, these characters come in a wide variety of forms.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
Now That The Election Is Over, What Do I Want To See Happen To Trump Supporters?
If you were paying any attention to the news (or, god forbid, reading comments sections and trawling through Twitter), you probably saw all kinds of bellowed promises from Trump supporters about what they were going to do to "the libs" once their guy won re-election. They were going to charge doctors who performed abortions with murder, assault anyone who protested, execute reporters live on-air, and the list went on and on. While you could argue that some of it was hyperbole, and a lot of it was just rage-induced fantasy from a vocal minority, the central theme of nearly every, single promise was that anyone who disagreed with them was going to be punished for their dissent. They would be silenced. They were, to use the common phrase, going to make us all cry.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in The Swamp
5 Things You Should Be Putting Mio In (Other Than Water)
If you're one of those people who hates drinking plain, from-the-tap water, then chances are you've at least given Mio a shot. Billed as a sports drink you can keep in your pocket, it's a concentrated liquid sweetener that adds color and flavor to your water so that your post-workout hydration isn't so much of a chore, or so that you can keep yourself from drying out at your desk during the workday.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Feast
How to Build Michael Myers in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Michael Myers was a boy who, on the surface, was just like any other boy. Voices whispered to him in the dark, though, and one Halloween night he did as they bid him. He put on a clown costume, and took a butcher knife to his older sister. She died, and Michael waited for his parents, and the police, to come retrieve him. Years passed silently in the ward for the criminally insane, and they were long years, where Michael destroyed the minds of those who tried to help him. Those who gazed into his abyss, and felt the empty hunger that waited behind his eyes. Eyes behind which lurked pure, unadulterated evil.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
How To Build Iron Man in The Pathfinder RPG
Tony Stark is, at his core, the story of a knight. A man who overcomes his weakness by putting on a suit of armor and trying to live up to the ideals of a hero while plagued by his own, very human shortcomings. From alcoholism to irresponsibility, revenge to fear, Tony Stark dons the skin of Iron Man in order to become more than who he is without his armor. For players who want to bring that kind of a theme to their games, as well as a sweet re-creation of the Mark II and many of Stark's other armors, this character build guide should help.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
5 Tips For Playing Better Vigilantes
The idea of a costumed hero who hides their true face behind a secret identity has a rich and varied history in our stories. Arguably beginning with the Scarlet Pimpernel in the early 1900s, the archetype also includes such famous characters as Zorro, The Shadow, The Phantom, and Batman. Playing such character in a traditional fantasy game has been difficult, but for those who wish to combine genres, Paizo gave us the Vigilante base class in Ultimate Intrigue!
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
Candyman: A Horror Film That Haunts Us Decades Later
We've all seen the formula at work. A few college students go somewhere they shouldn't, ignoring the warnings and rumors of a deadly killer. The killer is a deformed hulk, showcasing clearly supernatural powers. One by one he picks off the other cast members, until it's only the girl he's focused on (which just so happens to be the pretty blonde one). In the end she seems to defeat him, taking away his weapon and claiming that power for her own.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Horror
Goddesses of Badassdom: Freya
When we read myths and legends, we get reams of text about how awesome the gods are. How clever, how manly, how wise, and we get intricate details about all their deeds and accomplishments. But when it comes to the goddesses? Well, we know their names, and we know generally what their areas of concern were, but more often than not the way they're talked about is that they're just the girls of the pantheon. As if the gods all went out for an epic roarer of a boy's night, and the wives stayed at home waiting for them to come back.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Futurism
Would "Rage" Make an Impact in a New Season of Luke Cage?
When we look back at the shows Marvel put on Netflix, Luke Cage is one of the major successes. In addition to just being a good show, and picking up from where Luke's debut left off in Jessica Jones, it managed to address social issues in a way that really put the audience in the perspective of a character we don't see much; a black superhero. It felt (at least to me as a white viewer, so take this with a huge grain of salt) like it was trying to provide a genuine experience rather than simply co-opting blacknesss to try to get credit. It managed to handle the blacksplotation-era inspiration of the character, and to update him in a way that felt empowering rather than exploitative.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Geeks
