Let's go, de vik

Rock Band 2 is a lot of fun. It's essentially the exact same as the first one. There are some minor modifications to the menu screens that make navigating easier, but the game play itself is the exact same as before. That being said, the game play still kicks ass, cause it's effing Rock Band. It's taking some time for us to get through the first few venues to unlock the fun songs, but last night Jay sang "You Oughtta Know" and I laughed.

I spent last night trying to fall asleep and thinking of more backstory for my D&D character. I wanted to max out my character's Stealth ability, but I had a feeling most of the group would be like, "Dude, spread your abilities out a little, don't be so one sided." But then I came up with this fantastic story about my character, which would logically explain why he would make his Stealth so high. If you don't care about D&D, stop reading now.

After the defeat of Kalaral, the warlock who was trying to open a gateway to the demon world, Tawmi and his friends returned to the town of Winterhaven to relax and prepare for their next adventure. While the others set off to celebrate their victory, Tawmi headed straight for the inn where they were staying. He grabbed a quill and some parchment and began writing a letter to his father. Tawmi wanted to tell his father about his adventure, of the disaster he helped stop and the number of creatures he killed in the Raven Queen's name. He knew that he was his father's only chance to continue the family tradition of skilled Rangers, and his father would be enormously proud and happy to hear that his only son had succeeded in his first quest.

Tawmi handed the barkeep his letter, urging him to send it off immediately, as it's content was very important. The barkeep, in turn, handed a letter to Tawmi that had arrived a couple days after they left on their quest. Tawmi recognized the handwriting on the letter as his mother's immediately. Tawmi tore open the envelope and read the letter as quickly as he could. Tawmi's father had passed away.

Tawmi was crushed. Not only had he lost his father, but he also lost the opportunity to make him proud, to prove his worth as a Power Ranger. He knew his father had longed for his son to join in the family business, and now, he would never be able to see that wish fulfilled. Tawmi was wracked with sorrow, regret, guilt. He wandered the town aimlessly. He barely heard Chet and Raoul call to him from the local tavern over the roaring silence in his own heart. Soon, night fell, and Tawmi found himself in a graveyard, standing in front of a statue of the Raven Queen, her face hidden by her cloak. As Tawmi looked around at the others the Raven Queen had claimed, a flame seemed to leap up inside him, searing his throat. The words left his mouth before Tawmi had a chance to stop them.

"How could you do this to me?" Tawmi cried at the statue, "How could you take him from me now, of all times? I know death is nothing but the next adventure we must all take, but why now? When I was so close to proving myself to him, you stole him away! I have dedicated my life to your cause, and this is how you show your love for me? By spitting in my face? So be it, my queen. If you wish to renounce your love for me, I shall simply return the favor."

With that declaration, Tawmi spat into the face of the statue and strode off back to town. Tawmi renounced the god he had followed his entire life, and despite the night, the world around him seemed brighter and more alive than ever before, as though he had been living under a veil his entire life. Tawmi would continue to fight with the Unkindness of Ravens, and he would continue to send his enemies to meet the Raven Queen, but he would do so not because it is her will, but because it is his own will. He alone would choose his path now. The Raven Queen would have no say in how he lived his life. Tawmi was so determined to defy her will that he decided he would spend the rest of his life learning how to hide, to become invisible, so that when the time came for the Raven Queen to take him too, she would be unable to find him. In the end, Tawmi would have the final laugh.