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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How to Get Out of Handcuffs, Flexicuffs, and Duct Tape
You've been kidnapped, thrown into a dark room, and your hands are cuffed behind you. You can hear your nameless, faceless abductors through the thin walls laughing at your predicament. We've all been there a time or two, but if you have a very specific set of rather simple skills it won't take long for you to turn the tables on your would-be captors. They won't know what hit them... if, that is, you know how to get out of your restraints.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Lifehack
How to Build George Washington in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
George Washington, his name reverberates in the halls of America's schools, and the man has become a legend. He was the first president, one of the primary founding fathers, and his face adorns both our money, and several of our major national landmarks. What we tend to gloss over, though, is the fact that George was a stone-cold badass. A man who preferred the sound of bullets slicing past his head to silence, and who regularly stood in front of hundreds of his enemies' guns with shoulders back and chest out, Washington was a man who led from the vanguard. If you've been looking for a solid build for a general that can lead by example, this guide should get you started.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
The True Origin of The Religious Right
Up until the 1960s when you thought of Christian activists and protesters, certain images came to mind. Volunteers in soup kitchens trying to help the homeless, marchers asking for civil rights and women's suffrage, and if you went back even further, those who demanded humane treatment for society's outcasts, according to NPR. Before that, Christian activists were the men and women who deeply desired an end to slavery. After the 1970s, though, that tune changed. In the post-Vietnam era, Christian activists started staging more aggressive protests. They traded in turning the other cheek for fire and brimstone, and with every generation the rhetoric grew more intractable, fearful, and hate-filled. This was the rise of the Christian Right, which has driven policies like opposition to civil rights for LGBTQ+ people, the restriction of abortion, and other attempts to combine their faith with the law of the land.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in The Swamp
How to Build Andrew Jackson in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Andrew Jackson, the 7th President of the United States, is one of the most memorable politicians we've had in our history. Part of that has to do with his history of achievements in the White House, and how he shaped the very nature of the executive branch, and part of it is because his mug is on the $20 bill, which is the default for ATMs. However, if you've ever looked down at that scarred, sour face and wondered about that man, rest assured he was one of the most violent, vengeful, and balls-out homicidal men we've yet to elect to the office of the president. And, if you've been wondering how to bring that sort of crazed warrior-ruler combination to your game, here's a Pathfinder conversion guide to get you started.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
Was Captain Jack Sparrow a Real Person?
Captain Jack Sparrow is probably the most famous fictional pirate seen in generations, pushing infamous figures like Captain Blood and Treasure Island's Captain Flint right out of the limelight. While the drunken antics and wild shenanigans of the crazed captain have become iconic to Johnny Depp's portfolio, fans have been asking for years whether a character that creative (and downright strange) could really be spun out of whole cloth.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Geeks
How to Build Abraham Lincoln in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Abraham Lincoln was many things; a statesman, a lawyer, a commander-in-chief, a father, and thus far the only President of the United States to fight a civil war. We all know Lincoln the great emancipator, and the president who was taken from a nation before his work was fully done. The man most of us don't know, because for some reason it isn't in our history books, is the bare-knuckle brawler with superhuman strength who cracked skulls and served booze long before he was ever a sitting member of the nation's government. For those of you who'd like to bring the younger, wild-eyed Abe to your table and carve a path to leadership and governance with careful words and a big damn ax, then this Pathfinder character build ought to get you started.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
How to Kick in a Door
We've all been there. You're walking down the street when you hear a scream, and you see a gang of black clad men jump in a van before driving away from a burning building with the tires squealing. You run up to help, and the trapped Olympic women's volleyball team inside screams that all the doors are locked and they can't get out. Do you dig into your pocket, break out your phone and heroically call 911? Or do you kick in the door and save the day?
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Lifehack
5 Tips for Playing Better Tieflings and Aasimar
The blood of fiends and angels runs through many mortal veins on the material plane. These children of the outer realms are often regarded with fear and awe, their strange powers and unusual abilities marking out their heritage for all to see.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
How to Build Teddy Roosevelt in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Theodore Roosevelt, the 26th President of The United States, still stands like a titan of history. His career, from a boxer and cow puncher all the way to the highest office of the executive branch, reads like the bastard child of a documentary, and an action movie conceived while fighting off bears in the depths of the forest. Roosevelt was a soldier, a fighter, a stone-cold badass, and a lover of animals in all their various states. If you'd like to bring the rough-rider himself to your game, this guide should get you started.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
What Was the Satanic Panic?
If you watch the news, you'll see no shortage of ridiculous things Americans believe. A number of people still believe former President Barack Obama is actually a Kenyan-born foreigner, despite producing a legitimate US birth certificate. There are large portions of the population who believe modern vaccines will cause children to develop autism, despite the only study that made such a claim being discredited, the author having his medical license revoked, and the CDC confirming there is no link. There are Americans who believe they've seen angels, Bigfoot, and unidentified flying objects.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Criminal
How to Build Hawkeye in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Hawkeye, alias Clint Barton, is easy to miss given the company he keeps. After all, when Iron Man, Captain America, the Hulk, and even the Black Widow are all on screen, there's a lot of eyes on them. That's fine though; despite the flimsy look of his weapons, Hawkeye is one of the most dangerous Avengers on the team. Players who want a smart tactician, an unbeatable archer, and someone who can handle himself in nearly any situation may find that taking a page out of Barton's book might just be the way to go for their next Pathfinder character.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Gamers
The Winchester Mystery House
America is full of strange, unusual, and out-of-the-way places. From record-breaking balls of twine, to castles built along unnamed lakes in undeveloped forests, there are all kinds of weird things lurking in the corners of the country. Sometimes, though, the stories behind these unusual places is even more bizarre than the place itself.
By Neal Litherland6 years ago in Wander
