Bryan Young

Past, Present, Future

Utahs
Indie Game
Developers

Walking
Through
Walls
Chapter 8:

FREE

Burning
Bridges
Original Fiction by

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com
UtahGeekMagazine.com

David
Page 1J West

Page 2

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Publisher & CEO

Dennis Lundstrom

Executive Editor & VP

Adrian Broadhead

Contributing Editors

What Happened to
Regular Old TV?
By Deborah Moore
Photo credit stampylonghead via YouTube

Alex Sousa, Ricky Alvarez

Contributing Writers

Raising Geeks

Alan Ly, Bryan Young, Carter Reid, Clelia Guinn,

Daniel Yocom, David J. West, Deborah Moore,
Mercedes Roberts, Zac Johnson
Utah Geek Magazine may or may not agree with the views
and opinions expressed herein by our contributors.
Copyright Utah Geek Media LLC. Reproduction without
our expressed permission is prohibited. Utah Geek
Magazine, UGeek Media, and the UGeek logo are
trademarks (TM) of Utah Geek Media LLC.
To advertise in Utah Geek Magazine, visit
UtahGeekMagazine.com/advertise, or call Dennis at
801.839.4581

Website: www.UtahGeekMagazine.com
Email: info@ugeekmedia.com

Follow us on Social Media:

Facebook.com/ugeekmedia
Twitter.com/ugeekmedia
YouTube.com/ugeektv

re you sure you dont want to watch a show? I

asked my 11-year old daughter, River. She shook
her head. How about playing a game on the
Xbox? There was a slight pause before I was given the same response.
I sighed and was sad that she hadnt taken the bait. My daughter had
earned her screen time and nothing would dissuade her. River was
going to watch YouTube.

River is enamored with a few of the gamers, such as stampylonghead, on YouTube and was choosing to watch someone
else play video games. The whole concept seemed bizarre to
me, and I think it had do with my own childhood experiences.
If I was watching someone else play a video game, it generally
meant they had taken away my controller in order to help me
out. But once it was in their hand, they rarely gave it back.
For months, I tried to steer River away from these videos. But
finally, I accepted that she loved them, and sat down with her to
watch them, and give them a real chance.
It didnt take long for me to see why she loved them. It wasnt
just about the game, it was about the personalities behind the
videos and how they interact with the games. The videos also
introduced us to independent games we probably wouldnt
have seen otherwise, plus they gave River tips on how to play
some of the games we do own.
If I want my daughter to understand my interests, it helps if
Im willing to listen to hers. Sometimes we may even gain a new
interest together. If not, at least we learn a bit more tolerance.
And since my daughters almost a teenager, I think thats a good
thing for us to practice!

Cover art courtesy of

Lucasfilm
www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Page 3

Debra Jenson:
Fantastic to
Fantastical P.R.

GirlsGoneGeek

By Deborah Moore
Photo courtesy Debra Jenson

f you walk into Debra Jensens

Public Relations class, you might
overhear the students discussing a
smear campaign against Dumbledore,
or the ethics of mutant rights. Thats
because she has a unique and engaging
way of combining teaching with geek
culture. What other college professor
would give their students extra credit
on a test for drawing their favorite
superhero?

Debra has a PhD in Communications

and is an Assistant Professor at Utah
State University. When teaching her P.R.
students, Debra prefers to use geek and
pop culture references in lieu of real
world examples.
Sometimes, examples in the real world
can be very polarizing, Debra says. By using
fictional scenarios with a geek backdrop, any
preconceived notions of a controversial real-world topic just arent there. And coming up

Utah Gundam
Article and photos by Alan Ly and Utah Gundam

Club Connection

obile Suit Gundam started

in 1979 with a legendary
animated television series
that has defined a generation of mechanical design. Originating in Japan,
Gundam has become a multimedia
phenomenon through animation,
books, toys, and much more.
Utah Gundam is dedicated to
brining the love of Gundam to all. We
host a monthly meeting as well as a
model building event
every third Saturday
of the month. At our
meetings, we also
discuss books, television shows, movies,
and other Gundam
releases.

with these scenarios is one of the many things

she enjoys about being a teacher.
I love watching something click, Debra
said about her students. She enjoys watching
a student understand the material and gain
confidence in their own abilities. Its wonderful
to see the students find their passion.
Debras own passion, that led to a degree
in communications, partially stemmed from
the television show West Wing. I wanted to
be C.J. [Cregg] Debra said, in reference to the
Chief of Staff character from the show. She
was also interested in real world politics and
political science, and over time, she noticed a
lot of misconceptions and misinformation. This
bothered her.
I felt like if I wanted to be part of solving
that problem then I would need to go back to
school, Debra said. This eventually led to her
getting a PhD in Communications.
In addition to teaching, Debra is also passionate about promoting and volunteering
her time with non-profit organizations, such as
the Special Olympics. Some of their members
have become her personal heroes as well as
her closest friends. They do incredible things
by the standard of any person with or without
a disability, Debra said, complimenting them
as competitors, athletes and individuals. I
absolutely adore them.
Debra is grateful for her degree in commu-

nications. Its afforded me so many opportunities. Its a wide open field and you can
do almost anything with it, Debra said. She
advises anyone interested in communications
to go and do it.
Debras out of the box thinking, passion,
knowledge, and approachable nature have all
helped to turn her into the inspiring teacher
that she is. Get used to embarrassing yourself,
she says of anyone interested in becoming a
teacher, stressing the importance of being able
to admit a mistake, having a sense of humor
about it, and moving on.

in meeting room B. You are welcome to

bring your Gundam models (gunpla), books,
videos, and anything else Gundam.
Online, we interacts with our members
primarily though our Facebook group, www.
facebook.com/groups/UtahGundam. Since
starting last year, Utah Gundam has grown
to over 200 members.
Through the use of anime, manga, gunpla,
and other various media, members are
always discussing everything Gundam. Feel
free to join our group as well as attend our
monthly meets. And remember, bring any
model kits you are working on!

Anyone is welcome
to join our monthly meetings. They are held every
third Saturday from 2 PM to
6 PM at the Salt Lake City
Main City Library downtown,

Page 4

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Star Wars
Role Playing
By Daniel Yocom
www.UGeek.us/DanielYocom
Photo credit Fantasy Flight Games

being tempted to use the power available

from the dark side.

Each setting uses the same mechanics for

character creation and advancement. This
allows for crossover between the settings.
You can also delve into one setting of your
choosing without the need of the others.
With any of the settings you become a
part of the Star Wars universe. As you play
you can draw on the visual references given
in the movies, television shows, books, etc.
However, since you are now the lead characters of your own story, you dont have to limit yourselves to what has happened before.
The universe is opened to you to create your
own destiny, a new age, or a new life.

ouve probably seen the movies and

made the sound of a lightsaber as
you waved your pen in front of you.
Now you have the opportunity to play a
character in the Star Wars universe.
The universe is large, as a universe should
be, and Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) has several settings you can play a Star Wars character in: Force and Destiny, Age of Rebellion, and
The Edge of the Empire.

Star Wars
Miniatures
By Daniel Yocom
www.UGeek.us/DanielYocom
Photo credit Fantasy Flight Games

Force and Destiny brings force sensitive

characters together. Being sensitive to
the force is dangerous since The Empire is
working to eliminate anyone who shows any
talent in it. But, The Empire is not the only
danger the characters must face. With the
force being two-sided, a character is always

The two-dimensional representation of the combat works well. When

fist learning how to play, you could
think of it like Chess without the grid,
but that would be over simplifying
it. One difference is, there is not a
sequential back and forth movement
between the players. Each ship has its own
initiative, so one side could potentially move
all of their pieces before the other side goes.

Another strategy aspect is that you set

your movement before the start of the turn.
As the turn unfolds, you play out the moves
as you chose them beforehand, which
results in an ever-changing scene of battle.
One wrong move or misjudgment leads to a
shift in battle plans. This aspect creates some
fun strategic reconsiderations for the rest of
the engagement.
There are set scenarios, and rules for
purchasing a fleet. Scenarios can be played
multiple times with different outcomes, all
depending on the strategy you start with
and how you change it during game play.
The point system allows for creating your
own scenarios, or just quick down-and-dirty
battles. Either way provides for great play, although deciding on what your fleet consists
of is altogether another level of strategy.

FFG provided Beginner Game boxed sets

of all three to Utah Geek Magazine and Guild
Master Gaming for review. Listed here are
the basics for each setting so you can get a
feel for them. For an extended review of the
individual material, visit UtahGeekMagazine.
com/star-wars-rpgs.
Age of Rebellion provides a place for you
to join the rebel alliance against The Empire.
You may be a spy, engineer, pilot, or soldier
doing your part to help out against the
emperor and his legions. It is a dangerous
path, fighting against soldiers, elite storm
troopers, and other special agents working
for The Empire. However, your cause is just,
so the risks are worth it.

Outer space is three-dimensional, but

your table top is not, and there are
drawbacks to playing a three-dimension game in a two-dimension plane.
However, trying to work up a game
mechanic to play on a tabletop to
show three-dimensional movement
would make for an extremely complex
game. What Fantasy Flight Games has
done with this game makes for a playable, enjoyable game in a two-dimensional three-foot by three-foot space.

Tabletop Games

Edge of the Empire links the characters

together in the outer reaches of The Empire.
The Empire might not be as strong among
the outer planets, but there are also other
factions vying for control. Your group has
joined together for protection as you are
making your way, or hiding among the backwaters of the civilized worlds. Together you
are working to survive, and if possible, create
something for yourselves.

Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures is a strategy

war game where you can choose the side,
the ships, and the pilots. There are a number
of levels you can play, and the more involved
you want to be results in a greater complexity you get to enjoy.

The basic set comes with X-Wings and

TIE fighters. But there are a number of
miniatures already released and they cover
different factions.

ar is a strategy game, a system of

checks and balances played out
in a systematic unfolding. Each
battle is a small part of the larger campaign,
right down to the actions of the individuals.
It is a matter of what they can contribute to
the conclusion of their one, small scene in
this game being played.

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Ships are not the only items in the game

that can be customized. Ships have pilots,
and the rules allow for making changes to
the effectiveness of a ship based on who is
piloting and gunning them.
Star Wars X-Wing Miniatures does well
at being a playable, quick-paced, strategy
game.

Page 5

Past, Present, Future...

By Bryan Young

n December 18th,
when youre in your
seat for Star Wars: The
Force Awakens, you will have
virtually no idea what youre
going to see. The story will
unfold in ways that you
couldnt possibly have
imagined, and the ending
is an absolute mystery.
This will be the first time
audiences have been in a
position like that in more
than thirty years.
The three prequel
movies, released from
1999-2005, are vital to the
saga, and they spawned
a whole new generation of
Star Wars fans. Critics liked
them well enough, and many
fans loved them too. But, by 1999,
one would have been hard pressed to
find someone who hadnt yet seen Star
Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope, so audiences knew exactly how they were
going to end.

Feature

Fans, both casual and

hardcore, have no idea what the
world of Star Wars looks thirty
years after Return of the Jedi,
but that wasnt always the
case. And this is something
that hasnt been possible
before last year either.

You see, in order
to create an experience that
would surprise everyone,
Lucasfilm opted to take every story theyd ever told in
other media such as books,
comics, video games, etc.,
that took place after Episode
VI, and move them out of the
official canon.
What is canon?

Article by Bryan Young

bryan@shineboxmp.com
Artwork courtesy Lucasfilm
Page

Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo

after they destroyed the evil Galactic Empire. It
was, what was.
But now it is no longer.
Knowing it would be foolish to handcuff
artists and writers like J.J. Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan to 30 years of continuity that had
as many low points as it had high points, Lucasfilm made these stories legends. The word
itself implies much more than a wholesale
destruction of the universe. Lucasfilm representatives, including Dave Filoni, the Supervising Director of The Clone Wars and Rebels, have
reiterated that a legend is a story thats passed
down with tradition, even if the details arent
right. And hes proved time and time again that
these stories will find aspects of themselves
laced back into the new way of things, but in
unexpected ways.
On April 25, 2014 the proclamation came
from Lucasfilm that those hundreds of stories
of all eras that had helped us expand the Star
Wars universe in our imaginations through the
80s, 90s, and 2000s would no longer be canon.
Instead, we would be entering this new era of
Star Wars with a virtually blank slate. The things
that would be counted as canon on that day in
April were simple: The six Star Wars films and
every episode of Star Wars: The Clone Wars and
Star Wars Rebels.
From that point forward, every comic book,
novel, and story, would be canon.
Every story would be run through what is
called The Story Group. This creative hivemind at Lucasfilm, led by Kiri Hartwhos been
described as Lucasfilms equivalent of Marvels
Kevin Fiegeworks to make sure all of the
storytelling in the Star Wars universe stays uniform. They will approve every story and make
sure each one fits in with the events happening
in every other medium. In contrast, when the
books of the original expanded universe were
coming out on the heels of the prequel films,
there was no mechanism in place to make sure
the stories didnt contradict in even the smallest of details. This extraordinary new development gives every bit of Star Wars ephemera a
cohesion its never had before.

Told as simply as possible,

canon is the official story. It is
what is. From the 1991 release of
Thanks to the work of Hart and the Star Wars
Timothy Zahns landmark novel Star
experts on the team like, Pablo Hidalgo and
Wars: Heir to the Empire, all the way to
Leland Chee, theyre able to manage what is,
Troy Dennings Crucible in 2013, hundreds
what will be, and what George Lucas and other
of novels have filled in the continuing
story of
www.UtahGeekMagazine.com
creatives wished to be.

And theyre able to help guide some of the

coolest things from the old canon into the new.
Take for example the Witches of Dathomir.
They were perhaps the most striking feature to
come from a book called The Courtship of Princess Leia, written by Utah local David Farland
(or David Wolverton at the time of publication.) When George Lucas called for Dark Side
witches to appear on The Clone Wars, the story
teams on the show and at Lucasfilm were able
to smuggle in all of their coolest elements and
bring them into the new canon.

sion experience as Breaking Bad or Game of

Thrones, even though it might take a season to
find its groove. Rebels is heading in that same
direction.
Beyond the gaps being filled in at other
parts of the saga, and in other eras, theres a
media series from Lucasfilm and Disney called
Journey to The Force Awakens. This series of
books and comics is designed to hint at what
turmoil the galaxy is in by the time the new
film starts.

For those searching for clues to the state

of the galaxy by the time The Force Awakens
opens, they would be well served in reading
There have been a handful of novels to come Lost Stars by Claudia Gray, and Aftermath by
out that tie directly into stories we see on
Chuck Wendig. Both give us a first look at the
screen. The first was Jonathan Jackson Millers
galaxy in this new era of canon beyond the
A New Dawn. This book served as the meeting
time frame of Return of the Jedi. They show us
point for Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus, two
how the Empire is fracturing and becoming
of the lead characters on the cartoon Star Wars even more oppressive in
Rebels. Another book, Lords of the Sith, gave us
places, and why the Rebel
the first real team-up between Darth Vader and Alliance might be having
Darth Sidious and gives us a snapshot of the
a much more difficult
galaxy in the period between Episode III and Ep- time bringing peace and
isode IV. It also brought diversity to the novels
restoring freedom to the
by introducing the first LGBT character to this
galaxy than they would
Go to
new era of Star Wars. Dark Disciple is another
have liked.
download
important book in the world of this new canon,
In addition to these
because it was based on eight unproduced
prose novels, theres
scripts from The Clone Wars, wrapping up the
a comic book that fits
storyline of the mysterious force-wielding
in the timeline as well:
assassin, Asajj Ventress.
Greg Ruckas Shattered
So what has come out in the new canon that
you should know about? Plenty.

Smugglers Run tells a story of Han and Chewie,

Moving Target shows us Princess Leia making
difficult choices leading up to the battle of
Endor, and Weapon of A Jedi gives us a story of
the first time Luke used his lightsaber in combat against a living foe. While the meat of each
of these three books is set during the classic
trilogy, the prologues and epilogues all take
place just before The Force Awakens, giving us
a status update on all of our favorite characters
before, presumably, all hell breaks loose.
All of this is leading to the release of the film
on December 18, 2015. For those who have
read the entire new canon, they will be rewarded with an added insight into the film. And for
those who choose to forgo it all, they still get a
fresh new Star Wars film.
And isnt that all everyone wants anyway?

The Dark Side

Alternate Cover

Marvel Comics has been putting out comic

books that fill in the time between Star Wars
and The Empire Strikes Back, giving us a glimpse
of the galaxy under the Empire at its most
oppressive and dangerous, lashing out in the
wake of its lost Death Star. Were starting to
see how Luke grows into the Force adept we
see on Hoth, and exactly how many bounty
hunters Han and Chewie attract. Were also
learning quite a bit about how Princess Leia
deals with the loss of her home planet in a way
the movies werent able to offer us.
Perhaps the most important component are
the two animated series. With The Clone Wars
on Netflix in its entirety, and new episodes of
Star Wars Rebels hitting Disney XD regularly,
theres no excuse to not keep up with these
thrilling installments of the saga. The Clone
Wars, taken as a whole, is as good a televi-

CelticGifts

1011 E 900 S
SLC,Utah 84105

UtahGeekMagazine.com to
our first ever alternate cover!

Empire. It picks up at the

celebration of the Ewoks
and offers a hint about
the parents of a character
well get to know in The
Force Awakens, as well as
tie the Skywalker twins
to the legacies of their
parents and offer imagery
that will tie all three trilogies together.
And though theyre
classified as middle-grade books, there is
a trio of books, illustrated
by Phil Noto and written
by Greg Rucka, Jason Fry,
and Cassie Castelucci,
that are worth reading.

New to StarWars?
(801) 521-9100

www.gypsymoonemporium.com

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

For our newbies guide to the essential Star Wars experience,

as well as our definitave list of the new Star Wars canon,
head to our website.
UtahGeekMagazine.com/star-wars-guide

Page 7

Cosplayer: Matt, Ascension Props

www.ascensionprops.com
Character: Commander Shepard,
Terminus Armor variant
Photographer: Rachel Ashdown
etsy.com/shop/TheCloakRoombyRy
Page 8

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Cosplay Tip:

Foam Armor
By Mercedes Roberts
www.StitchAndSeam.blogspot.com

Meet Matthew of Ascension Props, an EVA foam

armor guru and extraordinaire! Here are his top
five tips for working with foam armor:

1
2
3
4

Dont be afraid to mess up. If youre

just starting out, you dont need extra
fancy foam, which means you can get
the cheap stuff and not worry so much about
having to make it again.
Start small and practice. Foam may
be easier to work with than most
materials, but it can also be very
finicky always practice with scraps first,
before you do something on your real piece.
Dont worry if you lack tools.
Stradivarius didnt have a band saw,
Michelangelo didnt have a Dremel.
You can work with foam just fine with a
hobby knife and some super glue.
Get a respirator and some safety
goggles! I mean it! Youre going to be
kicking up a lot of foam dust and you
dont want to be breathing it in or get it into
your eyes. I recommend a respirator rather
than a dust mask, because the foam can also
spew out fumes when you heat it to shape,
and you dont want to breathe it in.

The best way to learn how to make

something with foam is to make
something! Seriously! You can watch
internet videos or read online tutorials all you
want, but until you actually start cutting that
foam yourself, youre not really learning a skill
youre only learning about it. Get out there
and make something!
Alright crafters, get out there and make
something cool! For more pictures and the rest
of the interview with Matt, visit Cosplay Stitch and
Seam at www.StitchAndSeam.blogspot.com

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Page 9

Walking Through Walls

Chapter 8:
Burning Bridges
By David J. West
The story so far:
Kenaz, a young information broker, can
step outside his body to gather secrets. He has
been blackmailed by multiple sinister parties
to retrieve a powerful artifact known as The
Reliliqy. But now his accomplice Lysandra has
the priceless artifact, but its sealed in a chest
she cant open and it seems everyone wants
itand wants her dead!

ysandras eyelids were closed but

she was not asleep. Somewhere in
the dark, the soft skittering footfalls
of a rat merged with the sudden vigorous
flapping of pigeon wings. Something had
startled the night creatures, something that
was trying hard to be more silent than was
possible.

Fiction

Floor boards creaked ever so slightly just

outside her door. Heavy footfalls went over
the roof above. Murmuring in the alleyway
below didnt sound right either.
She was being surrounded and all exits
were closed. At least every exit known to
anyone but Lysandra herself, who always
had a backdoor. Easing off the bed, she
prayed to Bel, the god of thieves, that
the stout plank would hold her door
barred until she reached the laundry
chute. She drew her long Nybo blade
and crept silently, listening over the
deafening beat of her own heart.
Thunder struck. A man slammed
against her door as another crashed
through her window. Another
chopped at her roof.
Lysandra sliced the window crasher
before he saw her. But the long ax
made quick work of her door and a
huge dark man strode through. It
was Tubaloth, chief henchman of The
Salamander!
Now she knew she was in trouble.
Not only was her employer trying to
kill her, he sent his best man to do the job!
She ducked as the big dusky man swept
his ax at her skull. Did a lock of her hair fall at
the blades passing? Men charged in behind
and another came in thru the window, all of

Page 10

david-j-west.blogspot.com
them barking like ravenous dogs.
There was no time to ask why they wanted
her dead. Everything was about survival
now. Answers and revenge will come later.
Lysandra tucked and rolled into another
dodge, while letting her vicious Nybo blade
cut mens legs. These would not be deadly
wounds, but would slow her pursuers down.
This was not going to be over any time soon.
Tubaloths ax-head bit into the floorboards
right beside as she leapt away. He snarled
terrible Valchiki curses at her. Another attacker hurled a spear which stuck in the wall
beside Lysandra. She snaked below it and
made for the laundry chute.
A stout Valchiki wrestler barred her way
with open arms, made for strangling. Lysandra gave him a swift kick to the groin and
leapt over him. A hatchet struck the wall a
hairs breadth from where her head had just
been as she went down the chute.
Tumbling down three stories of chute, she
was grateful knowing the men would be far
too large to follow. But they would be in the
basement soon enough.
A pile of dirty laundry did little to pad her
landing. She was up in an instant. A small
window showed mens feet in the alleyway
to her right. The thundering stomp of men
rushing downstairs was all she could hear.
Lysandra wasnt happy, she had always
liked her home here at Mother Grus, even
if it was just a flophouse. But it was her
flophouse. There was no choice now with
how many men were surrounding her. Time
to take it down.
Her fist struck the right spot in the wall
behind a carefully hidden fresh piece of
plaster to reveal a blue bottle. A large blue of
chemical ooze. She took a long match from
beside the bottle and lit the rag in the top.
With a quick incantation to Lavalous, the
light bringer, the flame turned green.
She waited until men were at the door to
throw it at them. Several ignited with green
witch-fire before the men behind even realized. Blind panic spread the sticky flaming
gel to the others and the stairs. Green flames
embraced the men and clung tenaciously.
The Valchiki men cried out in the mass

confusion.
The mens feet disappeared from the
alleyway window as smoke barreled from
it. Lysandra leapt up a prearranged shelf to
take her chances outside. The men outside
were looking in at their burned brethren and
noticed her too late. She took down three
before retreating into the night, away from
the flames and screams.
Sorry, Mother Gru, Ill owe you for a monstrous mess. She then banished the spell to
Lavalous. Around the block the green flames
suddenly all died out before any more
damage was done to the flop house. It was a
useful spell, mastering the flame. She would
have to thank Malvernis next time she saw
the old wizard.
She had two seconds to think. The
Salamander wanted her dead, before even
asking about The Reliliqy. Why? He couldnt
have it could he? No, she had hidden it too
well. She didnt believe Kenaz had betrayed
her, but why Sal, and why now? Maybe he
had been planning this all along. He was a
fork-tongued devil with machinations within
machinations.
There was little choice now on what to do
with The Reliliqy. She would sell what she
knew to Sals enemy, The Torch. Let the two
gangsters fight it out. She would be paid and
have her revenge.
It was nearly dawn when she arrived at
The Torchs compound. Sharkun, an underboss, recognized her and waved her inside
with nary a word. The Torch employed thugs
from all across the world. There were blondehaired men of Vjorn, Oogluks from the
steppes, mercenary Ronin from Sen-Toku,
raiders from Dar-Alahambra and even deadly
shapeshifting Karsvell Assassins always
watching with their black birdlike eyes.
Her infamous reputation preceded her,
but the rogues eyed her with suspicion and
lust. Had she walked from one danger to
another? Certainly, but when you are out of
the usual options you have to try something
different. Otherwise that way lies death or
madness.
Youve come a long way to taunt me,
Beautiful, said The Torch.

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

I never taunt. Ive come to make a bargain, she said.

Oh really? The Salamander has already
spread word that you have betrayed him and
is offering a thousand denarii for your pretty
head.
Thats a joke. Betrayed him to who? I only
just started talking to you.
The Torch nodded. So what can you offer
that is worth more than a thousand denarii?
I have The Reliliqy.
On you?
She smiled facetiously at that. What do
you want for it? And, what can I do to help
put the hurt on Sal?
The Torch smiled like the predator he was.
Give it to me and Ill put the hurt on Sal but
good. Thats payment enough for a girl like
you I think. Ill protect you. Stay with me,
please me and everything will be all right.
Thats not what I asked for.
Its what Ill do, like it or not, he said, his
tone betraying a growing anger. He signaled
his men who promptly shut the gates of the
compound.
Im no mans arm band, she said.
Oh, but you will be. Ill not have any
more of these intrigues from you. I think I
shall keep you chained in my harem. A gold
choker will suit you nicely. Soon enough
youll gladly tell me where youve hidden
The Reliliqy. It doesnt matter to me so long
as something Sal wants is denied him. But
about what I want . . . he said, licking his lips.
All right, if you swear you will protect me.
Lysandra resisted any more words or insults.
She wanted him thinking she was to accept
his cruel offer, anything to have him and his
men lower the guard even an instant, so she
could act.
Oh, I swear all right, he said, grinning
lasciviously.
She smiled and stepped toward The Torch.
Easy girl, dont look too excited. How
about you drop that Nybo blade I know you
carry first, and Ill make everything a lot more
pleasurable instead of painful.
She smiled and let the knife and belt fall
to the ground. I only want to express my
appreciation.
The Torch beckoned to her while giving a
nod and a knowing leer to his men as they
closed in. Lysandra would not show fear, she
would not give them the satisfaction. She
would play this out somehow. She still had a
few tricks up her sleeve, literally.
Smiling, Lysandra sidled up close to The
Torch, letting him put his arm about her slim
waist. Fast as thought, a stiletto popped
from her sleeve and pressed at his throat.
Whats this? Forget my promises woman!
Youre dead! he spat as a trickle of red
stained his shirt.
Im free to go or youre first, she snarled.
Tell them to open the gate or I snuff The

Torch like a bad candle!

Sharkun and few others pressed closer but
she only eased the blade across his throat.
Back off, he muttered, through his teeth.
She gouged her thumb into his neck. Open
the gate, he stammered.
Reluctantly, his men opened the compound doors. With amazing dexterity, she
kicked up her knife and belt as they passed,
catching it in mid-flight. She then sidestepped holding tight to The Torch and
strode out the gate.
You wont get away with this.
You underestimated a woman for the last
time. You know that? she asked.
Youre dead, you know that? There is nowhere in this city or this world you can hide
from me now!
She faced the gate with The Torchs men
looking back at her. Maybe, but it wont be
you commanding it. His eyes grew wide
with fear at the awful realization of her
resolve.
Wait!
Come after me and youll get the same!
She sliced through The Torch and let him
fall and turned to run into the bustle of the
waking city.
His men burst out the doors astonished
at her boldness. But they would need a new
boss now. Confusion overran them. Sharkun
cried out, Send the Karsvell after her! And
someone tell Enri, hes in charge now! Black
and maroon clothed shapes resembling
both men and birds rushed from some dark
corridor. Get the woman! And bring back
whatever she is hiding!
Lysandra took a route she had planned on
for just such an emergency. It had random
jogs and turns. She was sure to throw off
even the best pursuers, but she knew a
blood debt was passed. It was the price one
had to pay in a world as cruel as this.
There was one hope, the Witches of
Vavath. They wanted the cursed Reliliqy and
used a magic worm to try to force Kenaz
to get what they wanted. They couldnt be
trusted, but maybe she could play them
against both The Torchs men and The Salamander. She could ride out a city-wide gang
war until things calmed down.
A safe house of her Moon Sisters hid her
until midday. The Sisterhood told her that
Tubaloth still hunted her as did the more
obvious spies for the deceased Torch. It was
the hidden ones that worried her.
She deserved a medal for ridding the city
of The Torch. But who would give her one,
who benefitted most? Stealing The Reliliqy
from the Grand Sahir ruled out Duke Larkspur. What about Count Magnus? He might
have a stake in this growing conundrum.
Perhaps she could reach out to him instead
of the Witches?
So many questions that needed answers.

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

She held council with the Moon Sisterhood.

It was not pleasant.
You need to leave us now, said her Moon
Sister, Azalia.
Why?
You slew my best client. This will cost all
of us for weeks, even months to come. And
the Karsvell are hunting for you and thats
too much for the Sisterhood to bear. My
advice leave Tolburn for good. Sail far away
and stay there, said Azalia, icily.
I think not. Ill do nothing to please you,
said Lysandra.
The Karsvell finding you would please
me. In fact Im sure they soon will.
You didnt! snapped, Moon Sister Fliesch.
Azalia shrugged with a haughty smile.
Sister Fliesch said, You best leave Lysandra, for I cannot keep them from the door,
nor our own sisters inferred betrayal.
Lysandra nodded, thumbing her Nybo
blade with thoughts on blood. Sister Fliesch
shook her head. We cannot strike down our
own unless they violate the laws. You must
flee.
Youre lucky this time, Lysandra, said to
the mocking Azalia. With all of the backstabbing Lysandra had experienced this day, this
from the Moon Sisters was the worst.
Lysandra went up to the roof to have a
birds-eye view of the city and she would
decide which direction to go next. Here she
could shed a tear with none to witness. The
warm glow of the sun blocked her vision a
moment until dark shapes surrounded her.
The Karsvell!
There were three of them. They said nothing but moved closer while swinging kamas
and chains with spiked balls on the ends. It
was their favored weapon.
Lysandra drew her own Nybo blade
challenging, Youre not the first to taste my
blade, and you sure wont be the last, before
launching her attack.
Next Time: The Demons Head
About the Author:
David J. West is the bestselling author of
Heroes of the Fallen, Weird Tales of Horror, and
The Mad Song. His latest novel is the western
ghost story collection Whispers Out of the
Dust. He has an affinity for history, action-adventure, fantasy, westerns and pulpy horror
blended with a sharp knife and served in
a dirty glassmeaning he writes what he
knows. He currently lives in Utah with his
wife and children.

Page 11

The Guild of
Games
Guilds arent just for
MMOs as two local
guilds have formed to
help designers publish
video and tabletop games
By Clelia Guinn, photos courtesy Josh Sutphin, Kickbomb Entertainment, and Nick Keil

Feature

t this years Salt Lake Gaming Con,

gamers from all over came to see,
compete in, and discover various
genres and types of games. But often it seems
like the people and the processes behind the
games are forgotten in all the excitement.
Thats never the case for two groups in Utah,
though: Utah Games Guild and Board
Game Designers Guild of Utah.
Formed in May 2014 by three indie
video game developers, Utah Games
Guild was made to support the indie
video game community by providing
resources and information to aspiring
and current indie developers. Primarily
created to coordinate finances for a
showing at Salt Lake Comic Con 2014,
they have grown to support the local
indie community, according to Josh
Sutphin, co-founder of UGG as well as
the owner of Kickbomb Entertainment,
a Salt Lake City-based game company.

Though not open to public membership just yet, the founders meet often
to discuss the future. Within the indie
game developer community, they meet with
other developers at Indie Game Nights and
IGDA meetings every couple of months. Currently, they support the indie game developer

Page 12

community through event supportsuch as the showing they

had at the Salt Lake Gaming
Con in Sandy, UTpromotional
support for local indie developers through their social media,
and a live database of Utah indie
video games and teams.
As for the Board Game
Designers Guild of Utah, it was
created from the desire to meet
with those who were interested in designing board games.
In 2006, Game Night Games
manager, Greg Jones, asked
customers if they were interested, and soon a strong following
began meeting together.
When a publishing company agreed to choose a game
to publish from one of their
gatherings, and it was clear that
structure was necessary. BGDG
was officially born. Now they
meet every second and fourth
Tuesdays each month at Epic
Puzzles and Games in West Valley City, UT to
test and design many different types of games,
with Euro Gameslike Settlers of Catanbeing
a popular choice. It is open to all who have an
interest in the board game design process, be
it playtesting, design, or just looking at things
in a different light.
More often than not, you can add by subtracting, says Dale Gifford, a BGDG member.
Many people face a problem and to fix it, they
keep adding elements or complications that
just shroud the real problem. What they really
need to do is subtract the problem to solve it.
This is true all over life.
SaltCON, an annual board game convention
in Layton, UT, was formed through a guild
meeting as well, mentioned Gifford.

Both board games and video games bring

more fun to the world. But, some may think
theyre completely different. In reality, they actually have features in common. For one thing,
both require passion to be successful.
If you arent passionate about [your board
game], you will eventually give up on your
design, said Dave Bailey, another BGDG member. Because it takes time and persistence
to be able to go through the design process,
modifying your design as you receive feedback
through play testing, and continuing on until
it is ready.
It is the same for indie video games. You
have to have it for any entrepreneurial venture,
and games are no different, said Lyle Cox,
co-founder of UGG and founder of Mount

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Hastur Games and Comics

Your One Stop Gaming Shop

Olympus Games. Without passion for the

project, you are likely doing it for the wrong
reasons and setting yourself up for disappointment.
Sutphin suggests having some business
education, game industry experiences, and
the ability to discuss and show off your game
to help you along in your endeavor as an indie
game developer.
Something else both types of games have
in common is their ability to be self-published.
However, that decision has its own set of
problems as well. According to Sutphin, one
main challenge of self-published indie games
is getting discovered.
No one knows you exist, there are a million
other indies out their vying for attention,

and you have few

contacts and fewer
resources for any
kind of real marketing campaign, he
said. You have to
get very creative.

6831 S. State St., Midvale, UT 84047

Phone: 801.352.2605
www.hasturgames.com
: Hastur Games and Comics

On the plus side,

you can make the
game you want rather than being tied down
to a publishers rules, Sutphin explained. That
means not having a publishers resources at
hand either. Its absolutely a business of tradeoffs.

The guild is full of creative energy and the

positivity of people helping each other create
publishable quality games, he said. This energy and positivity are a nice spark to what can
be a very negative world in which we live.

Alf Seegert, the creator of Trollhalla; Sandeep

Kharkar, and Dave Haslam, the creators of
Kings Vineyard; and Ryan Laukat, the creator of
The Ancient World; are just a few of the many
board game designers who published their
games thanksin partto their involvement
in BGDG. While still new, UGG is excited to see
In many cases, games are published before
theyre ready just because they can, said Bailey. a few Utah indie video games that they have
worked with prepare for their launch in 2016,
And then again, it has also helped some titles
such as Kickbomb Entertainments Legacy of
be published that probably would not have
the Elder Star, a side-scrolling shooter, and
survived the traditional publisher route. He
Mount Olympus Games Together: Amna and
also mentions some new local game compaSaif, a co-op adventure game.
nies that may not have been around if not for
Kickstarter, like Tasty Minstrel Games, Mayday
With such groups as BGDG and UGG, the
Games, and Red Raven Games.
gaming community in Utah is expected to conMany indie video game developers are
known for using crowdfunding platforms such
as Kickstarter to publish their games. This has
proven true for indie board game designers as
well, but that isnt necessarily a good thing.

Board games and indie video games

definitely are different, but now you can see
they have a lot in common, too. Along with
self-publishing and passion, they each have
a guild supporting them in Utah. The indie
video game and board game communities can
find ways to fulfill dreams through the help of
groups such as BGDG and UGG. Gifford especially enjoys the atmosphere of the guild.

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

tinue growing and expanding. More information on Utah Games Guild can be found online
at utahgamesguild.com. Theyre also available
at an Indie Game Night, hosted by Greg Squire,
with their meetings announced on utahindiegames.org. For information on the Board Game
Designers Guild of Utah, check out bgdg.info,
or attend one of their game nights at Epic
Puzzles and Games.

Page 13

Reprinted with permission

Geek Cred Pop Quiz

Edition

By Zac Johnson

A) Jedi Scum
C) Jedi Insect

B) Jedi Slime
D) None

What did Darth Vader Tell Admiral Piett

regarding the shuttle Tydirium?
A) Leave them to me
B) Ill deal with them
C) He has arrived
D) The force is strong with them

What does the TIE in Tie fighter

stand for?

A) Twin Impulse Engine

B) Twin Iradium Engine
C) Twin Intake Engine
D) Twin Ion Engine

Page 14

4
5

What was the name of Lukes aunt?

A) Mara Jade
C) Zam Wessell

B) Aurra Sing
D) Beru Lars

What was Wedges call sign in A New

Hope?

6
7

A) Red Five
C) Red Leader

B) Red Two
D) Red Four

Who kills Jaba the Hutt?

A) Han Solo
C) Princess Leia
B) Luke Skywalker D) R2-D2

At what location does Luke say he used

to Bullseye womp rats?

A) Beggars Cove
B) Beggars Canyon
C) Beggars Cave
D) None of the above

When Han was trying to hot wire the

bunker door in Return of the Jedi,
where did Leia get shot?

A) Right Shoulder B) Hip

C) Left Shoulder D) Stomach

What was Jedi Master Plo Koons

species?

A) Kel Dor
C) Gungan

10

B) Gran
D) Herglic

In Empire Strike back, Who said

He is as clumsy as he is stupid?

A) Leia
B) Darth Vader
C) Han Solo
D) Lando Calrissian

Answers at www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

What did General Grievous call Obi-Wan

Kenobi on Utapau?

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

A world of adventure awaits you . . .

role-playing magazines and podcasts

GygaxMagazine.com
Learn a new RPG from the
designer, with actual play
sessions, every episode of
Game School.
Then try Cube of Death the
quiz show thats a dungeon
crawl!
The TSR Podcast Network

TSRPN.COM

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Page 15

Page 16

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com