1-Up Dice Sets by Infinite Black

I got into D&D at an early age, which naturally lead me to explore other RPGs over the years. Anyone that's ever participated in tabletop role playing will tell you there's one thing you absolutely need: your own set of dice. Sure, there's books upon books for every game but you can always borrow those from a friend, but dice...dice are sacred to some and aren't to be shared.

 

I can't tell you the last time I picked up a die to make a saving throw or an attack roll so a new set of dice is something not even on my radar but when I saw this Kickstarter awhile back I had to get in on it. Not only did it combine RPGs and video games but the packaging really grabbed me.

As you can see, I liked the sets so much, I got two! It was just too hard to pick only one. And I got a few bonus items: silver and gold d20s and a special d2 coin.

Let's dig into the sets!

 

Monthly Media Recap - December 2023

Happy New Year!

 

As always, most links below are Amazon affiliate links where I can earn from qualifying purchases if you buy the weird things I watch.

I didn't see a whole lot of big studio movies in theaters this year and the majority of what I did were Marvel movies. I had zero interest in seeing Oppenheimer but I really enjoyed Barbie. Guardians Vol 3 was a terrific send off for the crew. Disney's Haunted Mansion may have a few issues but it was far better than the Eddie Murphy one for me. And Talk to Me...just wow! I'm so happy I got to see that with an audience.

Streaming (sort of)

A Muppet Family Christmas (1987, YouTube)

Forget Endgame, THIS is the epic crossover I've been wanting all my life! Characters from Sesame Street, The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and Muppet Babies all in the same show! As a pretty much lifelong Muppet fan, this delivered on every level. I'm not usually one for Christmas specials but seeing all these characters interact and the focus being on them was fantastic.

On to the ho-ho-holiday horror!

Movies

 

Await Further Instructions (2018, Shudder)

I've actually had this on my watch list for months and since it takes place at Christmas, what better time to get around to it?  This is definitely a bit on the odd side but in the best way. Aside from the family's interpersonal problems, there's a whole other mysterious thing going on that has trapped them in the house and is issuing instructions through the TV which keeps you guessing.

Rating: 7/10

The Fiery Festive Game of Snap-dragon

 Nothing says we like to party like thrusting your hand into a plate of burning alcohol to snatch a piece of fruit or a nut and pop it in your mouth without getting burned. And that's just what some Victorian families did at this time of year, even the kids!

Snap-dragon, or Flap-dragon, is a parlor game that came into being in the 16th century. The game was usually played on Christmas Eve, and also on Halloween by some counts! You'd take a shallow bowl, drop in some raisins, almonds, grapes, or figs, pour in some brandy, light it up and see who can eat the most treats...presumably with the least amount of bodily harm. And kids today will complain when their phone battery runs out. Ha! 

 

Using a liquor around 50% proof creates blue flames which give off a lot of light but doesn't burn as hot as your average candle. An 18th century writer even said of the blue fire "the wantonness of the thing was to see each other look like a demon, as we burnt ourselves, and snatched out the fruit". That sort of ties the game into the tradition of telling Christmas ghost stories and would probably be a fun way to wrap up your Halloween night.

 

Here's a short video that explains a little more of the history and gives a demonstration.

If you decided to give Snap-dragon a whirl this year, please read up on it and take the necessary precautions for playing with fire in your house.

Have a great holiday!