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49BC: 'Alea iacta est!' (The die is thrown!) With these words, Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon into Italy at the head of an army. A Roman aristocrat, Gaius Julius Caesar was a very successful general, in Spain in the late 60s BC, and in Gaul in the 50s. Caesar was a fast, decisive, determined and adaptable general, enabling him to subdue the famously bellicose Gauls. Like most Romans, he used this experience to propel himself up the political ladder, but much more distinctively, Caesar also used the power and prestige gained through military success to become the sole dictator of the Roman Republic. Caesar's victories in Gaul had amassed him great power, and a large, effective, and loyal army. By the last years of the 50s, the powerful men back in Rome, the Optimates, fearing Caesar's power and abilities, started to act against him, trying to limit his scope for action, hoping that by stopping him achieving his next aim, a consulship in 48, they [...]

Explore a spellbinding sounsdscape of haunting melodies and winter magic. As the first snow mingles with stardust and moonlight, an enchanted kingdom comes to life once again, deep in the Ebonshire forest. The White Queen of Winter returns to cast her ancient spell of slumber, and as the woodlands drift to sleep, she watches over a tranquil realm of wondrous dreams and memories frozen in time. Go to our sponsor's site at http://www.noxarcana.com/winterseve.html

Times & Transcript Published Monday January 11th, 2010 Going to the movies is one of the more popular weekend activities for residents of Metro Moncton. There has been a renewed excitement detected lately since the release of 'Avatar,' 'Sherlock Homes,' and even 'The Chipmunks Squeakquel' has moviegoers of all ages lining up for a few hours of welcomed delight and escapism. This is indeed the time of year when the major studios release films that they hope will benefit from colder nights and shorter days of winter. Moviegoers agree that there is a wonderful selection these days from musicals like 'Nine' to hard-to-remember titles such as 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.' Avatar, in particular, seems to be the focus of most of the hoopla these days. The sheer volume of positive comments indicate this one to be a 'sure thing.' John recently indicated his satisfaction of Avatar by quickly updating his Facebook page with "I was blown away by Avatar. The story was Dances With [...]

Published Friday January 8th, 2010 THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK - The home of superheroes including Spider-Man, the Fantastic Four and the X-Men sued one of its most successful artists Friday to retain the rights to the lucrative characters. The federal lawsuit filed Friday in Manhattan by Marvel Worldwide Inc. asks a judge to invalidate 45 notices sent by the heirs of artist Jack Kirby to try to terminate Marvel's copyrights, effective on dates ranging from 2014 through 2019. The heirs notified several companies last year that the rights to the characters would revert from Marvel to Kirby's estate. The lawsuit said Kirby's work on the comics published between 1958 and 1963 were "for hire" and render the heirs' claims invalid. Comic book characters such as Spider-Man and the X-Men have become some of Hollywood's most bankable properties in recent years. Marc Toberoff, an attorney who represents the Kirby heirs, said he hadn't seen the lawsuit and had no immediate comment. The lawsuit said the [...]

ARKHAM NOW CHA23116 MSRP $27.95 ISBN 10: 1-56882-321-5 ISBN 13: 978-1-56882-321-8 176 Pages plus a 17 x 22" fold-out map of the city ARKHAM NOW updates to modern times the famous and fabled city of Arkham, about which so much has been written by many talented and diverse hands. A conscious effort was made to make this book as timely as possible; rents, mortgages, salary rates, and the like are left purposely vague since these things change as years go by — this is no longer a city frozen in time, but yours to move into the future. Most residents believe there is only one horror lurking in this legendary haunted town – the urban sprawl slowly eroding Arkham’s old New England beauty. Rushing by neon signs and mega-marts on a quest to obtain even more material possessions, no one has time to notice the more disturbing, underlying qualities of the city – the grotesque vegetation sprouting in some places, the sometimes odd taste from [...]

Since we are only a few days into 2010, gadget lovers who love to delve into the future may have the itch to seek out the latest information regarding which trends will be 'the talk of the town by year's end.' According to 'Digital Trends' a publication that tracks the latest gadgets and they are predicting 2010 should be the year for 3D TV. The television audience may well be ready for a three dimensional experience. The box office success of James Cameron's Avatar also piqued consumer interest in 3D movies since its release before the holidays. Expect a slew of 3D-ready stereoscopic televisions, and maybe even some 3D Blu-ray players to match. Meanwhile a globally recognized shoe company has paired up with George Lucas to create a science fiction spin for their latest line of athletic shoes for Spring 2010. The shoes work in some of the classic characters from the movies including the white Superskate Mid Stormtroopers and the black Darth Varder shoes, [...]

Out of the Box Publishing Announces Three Fast Play Card Games—Review Copies Now Available Dodgeville, Wisconsin — Out of the Box Publishing launched the three newest additions to their extremely popular fast-play card game line late last year. Initial demand by retailers and consumers alike was so high that the company sold out immediately. Review copies are now available to members of the press. Super Circles™, 7 Ate 9™ and Run Wild™ test players eye-hand coordination at lightning speeds. A full game can completed in less than two minutes. “We love these fast play games, because they allow a child and parent to connect on a fun and educational level in just two minutes. That is something every family can find time for,” says Al Waller, President of Out of the Box Publishing. All three games come with a handy travel tin. SUPER CIRCLES™ The Radical Ring Race! 4…3…2…1…Blast off! Players race to play all their cards by matching colored rings on the previously played [...]

Yeesh. After a few months of major illness, a new system, no email and lousy timing, we're FINALLY getting back in order. Teribly sorry about reality getting in the way of your gaming pleasure. First, we're hunting spam out of the forums. Shhhhh.... We're hunting SPAMMERS. Secondly, March to Oblivion is in the works so stay tuned for more details. Finally, COMUNICON is coming up on Jan 30-31 at UNB, but at the SUB this year. Again More details and sponsor advertisements to come. Welcome back all

Damp, Dank Ruins Await . . . Just a note to update you on books that have been arriving at a steady pace during the past few weeks. More are at the printers! SHIPPING! THREE HUNDRED YEARS AGO a brave human hero named Sir Tolwar was slain while leading an epic charge during the height of the Troll Wars. The body of the knight was never found but, because of his bravery, the tide of the war turned and Sir Tolwar became revered as a Saint. A brotherhood was formed that honored the knight, and they erected a shrine on the very site of the battlefield where Sir Tolwar was slain. They called themselves the Brotherhood of the Lance in reference to the weapon Sir Tolwar wielded on that fateful day — a golden spear called Kerok, the Trollslayer. IN SEARCH OF THE TROLLSLAYER is a classic roleplaying adventure depicting the quest for the recovery of that ancient spear. Also available as the TROLLSLAYER PDF [...]