Someone call a janitor. This mess is a place!

Good grief! Dust all over everything, equipment-batteries dead... and, someone left the milk out. I suppose months (I cringe to admit it!) away from the Lab, and I should expect nothing less when I return. But I have not been resting on my laurels, not a bit! Some extra-curricular experimentation for the Doctor was in order, the results of which are visible here, on the Obsidian Portal.

I have been engaged in a thorough test of the RPG Mouse Guard, and I can say with 100% certainty that it is scientifically awesome. This is the work of Luke Crane, David Petersen, and a whole case of intrepid researchers (of the small, furry, large-eared kind and otherwise). Not only is it a beautifully-illustrated hardback in a unique size of binding, it also consists of the same elements that made Burning Wheel and Burning Empires so very intriguing, rendered down to the bare essentials. (As an aside, I am sort of disappointed that the "Burning X" conceit was not followed with Mouse Guard – though I admit that "Burning Mice" sounds like a Roman snack food.)

In other news, I've broken 70,000 words on the pet project. A select few coconspirators are reading this roughest of rough drafts, and if they don't pan it completely I shall be grateful, and perhaps relate a few of their wittier comments here. In the meantime, let us just say this: the plot has thickened.

Other writing has occurred as well. For example, here is an excerpt of a four-season cycle of stories I am writing partly for myself, partly as an homage to central Pennsylvania, and partly as a wingeing, cringeing example of fan-fiction. Yes, there are faeries. No, there are no wings.

A Piece of Winter Ice

So read and enjoy – it's short and it's free. A cookie for you* if you can guess which game line is being shamefully aped!

And speaking of short, that's it for this lab report. I have too much tidying to do, and too many experiments to reset, to spend all evening tapping away. But return I shall, dear reader! For Great Justice!

–Dr. Madu

*Offer of cookie only good in locations immediately proximate to Dr. Madu.