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 (309/0)
How to Build Brienne of Tarth in the Pathfinder RPG
Brienne of Tarth is one of the most memorable characters in A Song of Ice and Fire, as well as in the Game of Thrones television show. A huge, homely woman, Brienne is strong and skilled, deadly in combat and relentless in pursuit of her goals. For Pathfinder RPG players who want to try and capture the spirit of the Maid of Tarth, this guide should help you get a handle on her.
By Neal Litherland4 years ago in Gamers
- Top Story - October 2019
The Vikings, Not Columbus, Were the First Europeans in the AmericasTop Story - October 2019
Think back to your elementary and high school days, and ask yourself: "Who discovered America?" You're probably hearing nursery rhymes about the Nina, the Pinta, and the Santa Maria already. You're thinking about how brave the explorers were to cross the vast expanse in their little ships in the 1400s, and about how funny it was they didn't know they weren't in India when they got to America. Well, add these up to all the other lies about Christopher Columbus, because they're wrong. Columbus was quite sure he wasn't in India, and he was also half a millennium late to the North America party. In case the discarded battle axes and rotting longboats weren't a clue, the Vikings had beaten him there by quite a stretch, as Cracked points out.
By Neal Litherland4 years ago in Wander
How to Build Khal Drogo in the Pathfinder RPG
Khal Drogo is one of the most feared men in the Eastern lands of the Song of Ice and Fire series. A powerful warrior, and the leader of one of the greatest bands in the Dothraki nation, he was wed to the ousted queen Daenerys Targaryen. The goal was to invade Westeros with a barbarian horde, but great warriors rarely live to old age on the sea of grass. For those who haven't had enough Drogo, though, his brutal skill and sheer power can easily be translated into the Pathfinder roleplaying game. While every player may have his or her own interpretation, here's a basic guide to get you started.
By Neal Litherland4 years ago in Gamers
How to Knock Someone out with the Sleeper Hold
Anyone that's studied a martial art that includes a form of grappling has learned about pressure points, and the weaknesses that every human body shares. When it comes to quick knock outs, though, there are only three things that you can do; great harm to the head, interrupt the flow of oxygen to the brain, or cut off the supply of blood to that same, very-necessary organ. All of these are risky moves, but when they work, they are fight enders. The infamous Sleeper Hold uses the third strategy, and once you know that, it's a fairly simple thing to execute.
By Neal Litherland4 years ago in Unbalanced
How to Build Tyrion Lannister in The Pathfinder RPG
Tyrion Lannister is the trickster in his purest form; a character who uses what he has to perform often-heroic actions, despite all those who refuse to see him as anything but a monster. He manages to outwit his foes at nearly every turn, and to pull warriors, spies, and even common men and women to his cause with his compelling charisma. Whether you're a fan of the Song of Ice and Fire book series, or just of Peter Dinklage's performance as Tyrion, the following suggestions are meant to help you bring the Imp to your tabletop game.
By Neal Litherland4 years ago in Gamers
How to Break a Car Window in Case of Emergency
You're pinned in a back alley by half a dozen goons who have your wife and daughter in the back of their black SUV. You wait for a lull in the hail of bullets, then step out and put one round in each of them. Just as the last bad guy is going down, his gun goes off, and sparks from the bullet set the car on fire. You're out of ammo and your family is trapped in the burning vehicle. You've got to think quick. Yes you could snatch up a fallen weapon and shoot out the window, but if you want to make sure those inside are kept safe, you need to dig a little deeper into your bag of tricks.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Lifehack
How to Build Bronn in 'The Pathfinder RPG'
Bronn, or to give his full title by the end of the series Ser Bronn of the Blackwater, is one of the only notable common born characters in the Song of Ice and Fire book series by George R. R. Martin. A garden-variety sell-sword, Bronn entered the service of Tyrion Lannister, and through their adventures managed to raise himself to knighthood. Despite being a knight, and eventually marrying into a title, Bronn is a selfish, black-hearted bastard with no pity or mercy in him, who fights using a combination of viciousness and guile. That's why Tyrion kept him around, after all. And if that's the sort of character you're looking to bring to your next Pathfinder game, this guide should get you started.
By Neal Litherland5 years ago in Gamers
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 Litherland5 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 Litherland5 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 Litherland5 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 Litherland5 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 Litherland5 years ago in Geeks