Raising Geeks - Utah Geek Magazine

From the Publisher Here it is, 2015. Happy New Year from Utah Geek Magazine! So, what does “Happy New Year” really mean? For many it’s an opportunity to set resolutions for the New Year. Regrettably, many of those are broken within a month or so. For some, maybe only a few days. For others, it may be a new beginning; an opportunity to start fresh. For most of us, it seems, it’s just another day on the calendar. For Utah Geek Magazine, it’s a new issue! When we started Utah Geek Magazine, just a few months ago, we set a number of goals ourselves. Albeit a bit early. We set these goals, or milestones, in order to consistently make a better magazine for you, our readers. The issue you are reading happens to be one of those milestones. First, we’re optimizing our use of color, but more importantly, we’re debuting our new recurring column, Girls Gone Geek. Yes, it is a “play on words”. Yes, the women featured in these columns are far from “girls”. Girls Gone Geek is a column that provides an opportunity to feature women, in our community, who have excelled in a fields of S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Math). We hope these interviews will be an inspiration to young women, as well as young men, who themselves are striving to “Go Geek”! As we continue to hit these milestones we have set for ourselves, we want to remind you that we are consistently striving to do better. Your feedback in critical for this. We want this magazine to be as much yours as it is ours. For example, some people have asked us why the main articles in our issues have focused on similar topics. Well, it’s simply a matter of space. So far, each of our magazines have had a theme set by the front cover and the two main articles. As Utah Geek Magazine expands in size we will be adding more, and more diverse, content. Upcoming milestones for Utah’s only geek culture magazine include new featured and recurring articles, celebrity interviews, a Cosplay Centerfold, and full color. And how do we fit all that into this little magazine? By adding eight more pages to our next issue! - Dennis Lundstrom, Publisher & CEO

On the Cover: Cover: Illustration by Jacob Doughty. “I'm an allall-around freelance art director, a 3D Modeler, Animator and Comic Artist, and ready to show my work to the world. I finished my Bachelor's Degree in Digital Media at Utah Valley University, and hope to work in the animation industry in both movies and gaming.” jojo-bac.deviantart.com

www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Publisher & CEO Dennis Lundstrom

Executive Editor & VP Adrian Broadhead

Contributing Editor Ricky Alvarez

Contributing Writers David J. West, Deborah Moore, Carter Reid, Zac Johnson, Aldo Gomez, Keyra Kristoffersen, Amanda Williams, Stephanie Sharp Utah Geek Magazine may, or may not, agree with the articles, interviews, ads, or reviews herein. Copyright Utah Geek Media LLC. Reproduction without our expressed permission is prohibited. To advertise in Utah Geek Magazine, visit ugeekmedia.com/advertise, or call Dennis at 801.839.4581 Website: www.UGeekMedia.com Email: [email protected]

Follow us on Social Media: Facebook.com/ugeekmedia Twitter.com/ugeekmedia YouTube.com/ugeektv

UGeek Media is currently seeking talented people, like you, to contribute to Utah Geek Magazine. We are looking for help with:

*Ad Sales & Marketing* Consulting Distribution Content Writing Video Production Photography Cosplay Modeling Graphic Designing Original and Fan Art If you are interested in volunteering in any way, or have questions about UGeek Media please visit: UtahGeekMagazine.com/Contribute

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Raising Geeks A parent’s guide to raising children in geek culture

Fun Cleaning Bedrooms By Deborah Moore

There are some universal problems that all parents have to deal with. One is getting your children to clean their rooms. To make things run smoother at our house, with minimal eye-rolling, I have employed my own geeky methods.

When my children are having a hard time getting started, I employ the robot method. This is generally geared toward my five-year old daughter, Nelina, but sometimes my tenyear old, River, will play along. I give instructions for cleaning the room in a robotic voice. Instantly, the chore is a game. Once, I told my daughter she could push an imaginary button on my stomach each time she finished a task. This is not a method I would recommend for the faint-hearted, though. Photo: Matt Grommes, bit.ly/1vF4cCI, CreativeCommons.org CC BY SA

Some other advantages to the robotic voice is that it lends itself to words that coincide with cleaning up. For example, if you want your child to put their clothing away, you can tell them to categorize them. Instead of nagging, you can give directives. You can also ask your children to exterminate the garbage on their floor. That is always a favorite at our house.

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Being a robot works much better than the mom voice. If your children are teenagers, and they have a good sense of humor, they might enjoy the robotic directives. Otherwise, it might be embarrassing. They might agree to clean their room, as long as you stop. Either way, you win. A few months ago I was standing in my daughters room and using the robot voice to encourage them to tidy up the room. For a few minutes, I gave orders in the robotic voice, but soon they wanted to join in on the action. River decided to be R2-D2 and Nelina was a Dalek. They ran around using their imagination to get the job done. I was so proud. www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Utah Geek Magazine and the Dungeon Crawlers Radio podcast have teamed up! Tune in live every Thursday night at 6:00, and join UGeek on the third Thursday of every month at www.dungeoncrawlersradio.com Page 5

By: Aldo Gomez


Spider-man can be written by John Straczynski and drawn by John Romita Jr. for two years, before switching to writer Dan Slott and artist Humberto Ramos for a year. There are also colorists, inkers and letterers dedicated to only speech bubbles. Conversely, manga tends to rely on small, passionate, and dedicated teams that see a series through to the end, so even popular ones like Dragon Ball, Fullmetal Alchemist, and the recently finished Naruto only last a decade or so. The heroes, in addition to the medium, are also heavily influenced by their respective cultures. Typical western superheroes are often analogues of Greek gods, as if they are placed on a moral pedestal to represent a single aspect of humanity, and many stories focus on trying to break that moral aspect. The dark brooding Batman is a symbol of human resilience and resistance to kill, and most of his stories focus on the villains trying to break him. Superman is a symbol of honesty and moral goodness, and his tales revolve around testing his limits. Spider-man represents human intelligence and dedication, and his villains challenge those aspects. Heroes in manga are just the opposite. In these stories, we don’t see an idol or a symbol. Instead, we see weak, unseasoned kids, and follow them as they learn and eventually overcome their obstacles. Goku from Dragon Ball might seem like a representation of dedication and honesty, but he is only a naïve fighter that has to fight stronger and stronger foes and learn new techniques. His story revolves around learning, growing, and becoming a better person. Manga also likes to follow a formula called “Slice of Life,” where the reader is following the day-today events of a character. So, where a character like Batman would keep skipping time as he’s searching for clues, a “Slice of Life” series would show everything that’s happening to him, whether or not it’s important to the overall story. Even if a series is not considered part of the “Slice of Life” genre, you can see the prominent influence of the genre throughout eastern comics because they often focus on Character Development over story. Of course, not all of these observations are concrete rules, and there are always exceptions. However, if you’re looking for something new to read, and you want to follow the hero from their origin story all the way through saving the world, start in the manga section. On the other hand, if you just want to jump in and read about Superhero version 3.0 saving the world, again, start in the comic book section. Either way, just be sure to look around, and don’t judge a book by it’s cover.

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Photo: Niabot, bit.ly/13RCnPP, CreativeCommons.org CC BY SA

Comic books have been a staple of American society since the 1930s, and Japanese manga has been a staple of the Land of the Rising Sun since the mid-1800s. They both offer a plethora of genres within them like cyberpunk, western, sci-fi, fantasy, and more. And even though they’re culturally different, both mediums deliver entertainment to young and old alike. The first, and most obvious, difference is hardly worth mentioning, and that is the manner in which they are read. American, or western, comics are read in in the same manner as any American writing, from left to right. Manga and other Asian writing, on the other hand, are read from right to left. Each medium also differs in how they are sold. Comic books are typically sold in single issues and feature full color art. Consumers have come, over time, to value them as part of their collections. They hold on to the individual chapter which feels like they are storing a piece of history, especially with first printings. Storylines are eventually collected in trade-paperbacks, or graphic novels, if sales of the single issues are strong enough. These are usually a more economic option. They vary in format, such as hardcover or omnibus collections that can contain up to fifty or one hundred chapters. Asians tend to value manga as bound collections rather than individual chapters. As a result, they tend to favor tankōbon volumes, which are akin to western graphic novels. Instead of publishing separate books for individual chapters, they publish chapters in large, themed, weekly or monthly anthology magazines targeting a particular group. They are sometimes referred to as phonebook manga due to their thickness, cheap paper, black and white art, and disposability. The length of stories and character arcs also differ between the two mediums. Japanese manga typically favors long stories with a definite beginning, middle, and end, while western comics do not. For example, the iconic superhero characters like Batman, Spider-man and Superman have had separate storylines, and side-stories, and even entire reboots with new origin stories, all with no definitive middle or end. DC comics’ Batman and Superman have both existed since the early 1930s, and each series has over 700 issues with no end in sight. One of the reasons American comics can last over 70 years is that creative teams can change from time to time. This means that

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Producing Passion: Valerie Cameron-Walker By Deborah Moore Valerie Cameron-Walker has an impressive resume in the entertainment field. At 13, she began teaching dance. Then at the age of 21, she began her own dance company. Currently, she is a film maker and the events/ promotion director for FantasyCon. “If you want something, you have to go for it,” Valerie said. It isn’t always easy to follow a passion. She admits that it’s been hard to get where she is. Although it can be tough, it’s not impossible. She is thankful for living in Utah, where there is an abundant amount of creative jobs. This is something she is familiar with, since she has worked as choreography, the film industry and radio.


In 2001, Valerie decided to open her own dance company. She had been working with another company, but wanted to do the choreography that appealed to her. “It gave Utah moms a chance to shake their butts,” she said. When the company had been running for a year, Valerie called the Salt Lake Tribune to tell them about her dance studio. She thinks that it’s important to be proud of your success, and let others know. She admits that it can be a tricky balancing act between being confident without coming off as cocky. By speaking up about her abilities, the newspaper came out and did an article on her studio. She thought it would be a short blurb, but they ended up doing a two-page spread in the entertainment section. The article was seen by a woman who worked for Disney, and subsequently asked to come to her studio. Valerie was offered a job working with Disney as a choreographer. While there, she also worked at promoting Radio Disney. She worked with them for seven years while they had a company based in Utah. Her job with FantasyCon began by accident. She was invited to go by a co-worker where she worked to talk with Josh Patel, the creator of FantasyCon. The plan was to talk to him about promoting Radio Disney. He asked her to volunteer for the convention. Valerie agreed. The more she did, the more it made (Continued on page 14)

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The Fandom of Fan Art By Keyra Kristoffersen Illustration by: Jacob Doughty

Charles Cabel Colton, a 19th century English writer, said, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” We have heard this expression used over and again. However, can it also apply to the art of visual media such as comics, movies and video games? Typically, fan art, or fanart, falls into one of two categories. First, there are original adaptations of beloved characters in their normal settings. This would be like the image above of Spiderman swinging from a building, or like Aquaman swimming in the ocean. This kind of art has a built-in audience ready to fall in love and buy the heck out of prints at Comic Con. And second, there is the increasingly popular genre of mashing up two or more fandoms together, resulting in unholy alliances and fish-out-of-water tales.

artist, raise your claws, wands, and swords in the air! Ignore the naysayers and create what you love! Don’t be ashamed to create something and get yourself noticed. Unlike the aforementioned original adaptations, nothing has grown in popularity quite like the mixing of universes. This form of expression has gone way beyond the simple (ha ha) Marvel versus DC crossovers, with their impossible multitudinous array of dimensions with every kind of outcome, death, and relationship that could be devised by the fever dreams of a rabid monkey-liger hybrid and cooked up in a basement laboratory. It goes so far beyond that. With the advent of better technology, online sharing, and an endless supply of newcomers, one common conclusion has been made: mash up ALL the fandoms!

Original adaptations of popular characters will almost always be desirable to fans. As an artist grows, his artistic style evolves, and his art becomes more sophisticated. This helps grow the fan base, and perhaps even lends credence to fan obsession. As more and more people become infatuated with fictional stories and characWhoever you are, whatever you are into, there is a mash-up for ters, the fan community grows. As these fan communities grow, you. Are you a Doctor Who fan who loves Van Gogh? A quick search they will enjoy a new found of the internet and you can have actual canvas power of influencing popular “A lot of professional comic book artists get paintings of The Starry Night, Café Terrace at demand. their start by drawing fan art, and it is great Night, and The Yellow House, all including the “Fan art is pretty much the practice. I’ve done a lot of fan art myself: iconic blue TARDIS, hanging on your wall in 3-5 foundation of fandom,” says business days. sketching, painting, digital illustration, and tJacob Doughty, this issue's cover No fandom is safe from a good mash-up. Charlie artist and fan art extraordinaire. shirt design. It’s a good way to get your artBrown and his friends have all been reimagined “Even if the fandom isn't all that work noticed by editors and publishers.“ as DC and MARVEL super-heroes, Disney princes popular, when seen through - Bill Galvan and princesses have all been Browncoats or other someone's different take and Archie Comics Firefly characters, and the Muppets have traveled style, [it] can turn anyone into a thought time and space in the same blue police fan.” The delight found in fan box that has shown up in your favorite Van Gogh paintings. Disney’s art has led many independent artists to shy away from truly original Alice is now Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Family Guy’s Meg Griffin is works in favor of derivative works of popular characters, much to Catwoman, Tarzan's Jane Porter is Lara Croft, and Disney’s Tinkerbell the chagrin of many “Deviants”, users of the DeviantArt website. is Tarantino's Beatrix Kiddo. What is really fantastic is that the According to Catherine, who goes by SilverDingDong on devispread of fan art, and especially mash-ups, is unlimited, it encomantArt, “people who draw Fanart tend to have more watchers and passes all mediums, and it even stretches beyond generational gaps. more activity than people who don't, even if their art style needs This parody of visual media we call fan art is ever-expanding some improvement.” This has long been the outcry of many artists within geek culture. It affords a creative outlet to artists and enthuunwilling to “sell out” for a larger fan base. However, as Virginia siasts themselves while drawing outsiders into their vision. From Shelly, who goes by Master Planner, replied, “Fanart has a built-in mediocre to masterpiece, fan art can be found through a simple audience: other fans of the franchise. Original content requires search of prominent websites. From generic searches like Google time, patience, and more effort and skill to gain the audience.” This images, to social media sites like Pinterest, and specialty sites like means that while fan art may offend the purists of the art world, it is DeviantArt, fan art is a place where art and passion can come tocurrently the best and fastest way to gain an audience, which is the gether. ultimate drive behind those who share their art. So, if you are an


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by David J. West

http://david-j-west.blogspot.com

The story so far: Kenaz, an information broker, can step outside his own body to gather secrets. He has been blackmailed by multiple sinister parties. If he doesn’t give them what they want—a powerful artifact known as the Reliliqy—many lives besides his own will pay the price. He has less than a day to get it all together…

Chapter 3. The Enemy of My Enemy The sands are pouring out of the hourglass. By this time tomorrow, I’m a dead man. With no other option, I went to speak with the enemies of my enemies: the Black Seers, the apothecary druggists, the muttering priests of the healing god, Dyzan, even the back alley Zaubezi conjuring tricksters. Tragically, none could give me hope on how to deal with even one of my trio of potent curses. Disheartened, I stopped for a drink at the Slippery Eel, and saw my friend, the fiddle-man. “Hail, Master Burnside. By the gods, I need a happy tune,” I said, tossing a coin into the open mouth of Shallum, an idol beside the front door. “Come on, man, call me Burnsie,” he said hazily, before putting his fiddle to his chin, and dashing off a spry ditty, reminiscent of something the Little People might dance to, before spiriting you forever away to Unterland. Burnsie abruptly stopped just as people were starting to enjoy it. “Wait, Kenaz. What’s the matter?” “Nothing, just that I’m dying,” I said, toasting him. “That’s not funny, man.” “I’m deadly serious.” Burnsie threw down his fiddle, glowering at me. “I don’t do funerals!” he shot, pointing his bowstring at me. “And I don’t like those kinda jokes.” You could see he regretted how he treated his fiddle, but he was still sore at me. “If I don’t accomplish something very difficult for three separate parties, me and my family are dead,” I said, as an apology.

the well-to-do Fairchild district of Tolburn. But he has a spider-web of informants. Only I, with my unique gift, could surpass their learning of secrets. I felt bodily weak but mentally alert as I made my way to his home. The tugging in my arm, the brain worm of Vavath, almost to my elbow wouldn’t let me forget how dire my circumstances are. At the gates I rang a bell and a dark-skinned Valchiki sentry stared down from his overlook. “Yes?” “I need to speak with Sal. It’s important. Tell him it’s Kenaz.” The sentry didn’t like my familiarity with his master’s name. After waiting a few tense moments, the door opened upon a pair of tall Valchiki guards wearing crimson cloaks and copper armor. They frisked me for weapons (which I don’t carry) and then led me silently in to The Salamander’s inner chamber. It was much the same as I remembered, though now it was kept even dimmer. Sal was clothed in billowy, pale silks and wore dark spectacles to hide his cataract-filled eyes. “Kenaz!” he said from beneath his hooded face. “Before we utter another word, sit and play a game with me.” He clapped his hands and shouted, “Hounds and Foxes!” A servant girl brought out a marble-checked gaming board, while a second brought the pieces. A third gave us wine and a fourth yet strummed a gentle tune upon a harp. Sal made the first move of Hound One to Quarter Moon. “You look well.” “So do you,” I lied, as Fox One took Crescent Moon. He harrumphed once as his belly fat roiled beneath his pale cloak. “Ha! Kenaz. I know what shape I am in. But you have matured and look quite the dashing young man, now. No more the lean boy I trained.” Hound Two flanked Fox One. “Apologies for my absence, but my need is great,” I said, running Fox One to Full Moon. The Salamander’s brow perked and he gestured for me to stop as he sipped dark wine. “I know what troubles you.” Hound Two to Sun East. “I am not surrendering yet.” Fox One to Comet Corner.

Burnsie shook his head ruefully, “You gotta talk to The Salamander then, man.” Leave it to my stoned friend to speak the most sense I had heard all day.

“My little birds and spiders tell me everything.” Hound Three to Sun West.

The Salamander was ironically an old friend of mine, but not anyone I wanted to owe any favors to. But all other solutions eluded me.

“Of course,” he said. “A triad of deaths await you from cruel hands, and I’m not talking about the Hounds.” Hound Five to Quarter Moon.

“You know everything?” Fox Four to Crescent Moon.

These days, The Salamander rarely left his veritable fortress in


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Fox Five to Crescent Moon. “I’ve sought answers everywhere, from every wise man and crank in the city.” He cut me off. “I could have told you there is no solution without the proper spell and exact dosage for each known tribulation. Usually only the agent in question knows the balance. If one of the Zaubezi had attempted an antidote, you would be dead already,” said Sal dryly. “You play too cautiously; sometimes you have to risk it all.” Hound Seven to Horned Moon. “I’m too cautious? What can I do that’s not risky?” Fox Five to Waning Moon. He smirked. “Besides retrieving the Reliliqy?” Hound Three bites Fox Three. Fox Four bites Hound Three. “Serve one, and I receive two deaths from the others, not to mention the deaths of my family members, thanks to the benevolent Torch.” “Aye. We must kill the worm, turn the poison, and stave off The Torch. There is always a way.” Hound Five bites Foxes Four and Five. I grumbled at the loss of my pieces but acknowledged his maxim, then moved Fox Six to Waxing Moon. “How long has it been since you’ve played?” He asked. Hound Seven to the Rising Dawn. “Not since last time.” Fox Six to Midday.

“Now,” said Sal, “I am most unhappy with your circumstances, but we must get the Reliliqy to save you and your family. I have a way to neutralize the worm of Vavath, but it will take a little time. As for Jadair’s poison, we will just have to get him to tell us the antidote.” “I don’t think he is the sharing sort.” The Salamander laughed, “I have my ways.” He clapped his hands and bellowed to the Valchiki sentries, “Bring out the warlock!” The sentries brought out a bruised and chained Jadair. I have to admit that sight was satisfying. Perhaps I hadn’t really let The Salamander win Foxes and Hounds, he truly won and surprised even me with this reveal! Sal spoke calmly but with force. “Warlock, please enlighten us as to why you drugged my friend and vassal, Kenaz. And need I add, give us the antidote, nay salvation to his pressing condition. I understand Y’more extract is quite fatal.” Jadair snarled through broken teeth, “I was paid, you know that—” With but a tiny hand gesture from The Salamander, a sentry struck Jadair across the face, breaking his retort. “Answer my question with respect, worm! What is the antidote?” Jadair yet managed a smirk, “I won’t say unless I’m freed.”

“You must serve me exclusively once again. Going your own way got you into this trouble.” Hound Seven bites Fox Two.

“And why, pray tell, should I believe that fools bargain?” said Sal, removing his dark spectacles, revealing fearsome pale eyes.

“I am yours once again,” I pledged, though this was a bitter draught to swallow. Fox Six bites Hound Seven.

“I know what you want, Salamander, and you won’t get it unless I’m freed,” said Jadair.

“We haven’t been like family in a long time, Kenaz.” Hound Five bites Fox Six.

Sal put his spectacles back on. “You have my word.”

“I know.” Fox Seven bites Hound Five. Sal chuckled. “And yet you came to me in your time of need. I am very pleased that I can help you.” Hound Two to Crescent Moon. “I have thought of everything.” Fox Seven bites Hound One. “I’m desperate. Don’t you ever move Hound Four?” Sal chuckled. “Any move and you are bitten by the other Hound.” I furrowed my brow and studied the board a moment. “If I move Fox Seven, yes. But I still have Fox One—my reserve.” Sal snorted his surprise. Fox One bites Hound Two. “You crafty bastard. That’s why I like you!” said Sal, as his Hound Four took Fox One. Fox Seven to Horned Moon. Sal continued, “You but delayed the inevitable.” Hound Four bit Fox Seven. “You always were the master,” I said, as Sal beamed in triumph. Never mind that I had purposefully sacrificed Foxes to give him that edge. “Yes, I am.” It never hurts to let people win sometimes, especially when it feeds their soul. And with The Salamander, I want him underestimating me and thinking he has all the answers.


“That means nothing. We know how many treacherous deals have gone on here today,” spat Jadair. One of the sentries shook Jadair but Sal bid the man cease. “Perhaps I have earned your scorn, but you will say nothing more that is not related to the matter at hand. Give me the antidote for Kenaz, and you will be released unharmed, and without retribution. On my honor.” “Ha! I need more!” snarled Jadair. “Give me a horse and I will write it down and drop the note in my departure.” “I don’t trust him with a quill,” I said. “He stabbed me with a poisoned one last night.” “Duly noted,” said Sal. “Fetch Jadair’s bag.” A sentry brought the bag and withdrew a quill and small alabaster jar. “Stick the warlock with the same dipped quill,” commanded Sal. Jadair braced and strained but was helpless as the sentry stuck him with his own instrument. “Whatever Kenaz has, you now have,” said Sal. “What do we do to cure you both, hmm?” Sagging within his bonds, Jadair said, “Light a brazier of NightVine and let each of us inhale it. Afterward we must perform an invocation of the binding release of Apophis.” “You worship Apophis?” exclaimed a serving girl not far behind me. She was out of turn here in The Salamander’s court but voiced what we all wondered. Apophis is a vile god far beyond those usually worshipped, even among the most wicked of dark servants. (Continued on page 14)

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G

eekGirls Corp was started by a couple of girls in 2014 after Salt Lake Comic Con. They both felt that a change was needed in the cosplay community to help other females find empowerment and creativity within themselves and with their cosplay. They noticed how so many females locally were struggling to find the confidence within themselves or feel that they had a place to belong. Due to so much negativity that can be surrounded in the cosplay world, it was then the girls decided they wanted to take a stand. Founders Amber Dahl and Dez Creepcore wanted to help other females of all ages to channel their inner geek and come together with others who feel they are struggling as well. Even though they are aware the struggles that males can have


with cosplay too, being female they understand the difficulties of being in the geek culture and the bullying that can occur. They feel strong about this message and are doing everything they can to spread the word and encourage others. Currently the team has 5 members to help with cosplay projects, managing, and social media. They have already put on their first charity event with more planned in the future. Eventually they will recruit other girls to join them in future festivities to help them find a place and embrace their inner geek. To learn more about GeekGirls Corp, check them out at: www.facebook.com/ GeekGirlsCorp http://geekgirlscorp.com Twitter: GeekGirls Corp [email protected]

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By Amanda Williams

Shadows of Brimstone is an exciting new cooperative game from the mind of Jason C. Hill at Flying Frog Productions. For those of you who love the Wild Wild West and supernatural horror, this is the perfect mash -up. It is set for 1 to 4 players, and admittedly, I was hoping for more, but a max of 4 keeps the game hum-

ming right along at about 2 hours of play. That is fine for an evening with friends or family, and dinner or snacks on the side. Set up takes about 10 to 15 minutes as you have lots of fiddly-bits, but as you set them out you can learn what they are for and I think it makes the game easier. Players choose a class, such as Lawman, Saloon Gal, or even Rancher. Then, you band together like a posse and go off to fight whatever is bothering townsfolk, or to solve mysteries. What is truly lurking in that old mine shaft, and what does that have to do with my cows disappearing? As in all cooperative games, communication between players is key because you must work together to survive. And even that doesn't guarantee a win, but I tell you, loosing is just as much fun as winning in this game. Personally, I think that going out with the largest explosions and taking all the monsters with you is just as fun as anything else! And you won't play the same game twice! There is definitely a lot to do. You have dice play, card play, and loot to find as you make your way through the adventures. I loved playing Call of Cthulhu and Deadlands RPGs and this is like a perfect mix made into a board game! This high-quality game includes pieces that will stand up to repeated play. The price reflects the quality and is a good investment for durable, repayable entertainment.

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By Stephanie Sharp

By Stephanie Sharp

Announcers talk. Linemen block. And Techies? They prank! January is the month for bowl games, and the Rose Bowl, played in Pasadena, California, is prime space for pulling off a great prank! History's shown that a lack of a football team hasn't kept the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) from making their mark on college football history. Their most famous prank - The Great Rose Bowl Hoax - was pulled off in 1961 at the Washington vs. Minnesota halftime show. The Huskies' cheerleaders led the crowd through a series of stunt cards, not knowing that fourteen Caltech students had switched the instruction sheets. Images morphed to add bucked teeth to the Huskies' mascot, spell Washington backwards, and culminated in reading out, "Caltech". They managed to pull off this stunt in front of 100,000 attendees and over 30 million television viewers, and it brought the entire stadium to a halt! The 1961 prank inspired the 1984 Caltech students to hack into the electronic scoreboard at the UCLA vs. Illinois game. As the UCLA Bruins took the lead, the scoreboard suddenly changed to read, "Caltech 38. MIT 9," giving Caltech the upper-hand in the game. Before the 2014 Rose www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

Bowl, 100 Caltech students built a sign over the city that said, "Pasadena." Just before halftime, as the sun went down, the sign was lit. When the 6,300 orange lights came on, the Pasadena sign clearly read, "CALTECH!" College traditions abound! And pranking are a big part of Caltech culture. Techies play pranks on one another at a personal, house, and campus-wide level. From the most simple, to the extravagant. A great prank is pulled off with style and grace. It's about unwinding, gaining respect and admiration, and giving everyone involved something to laugh about. Alumni continue to support the Caltech Prank Club. We can't wait to see what they have in store for the future!

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“You worship what you can afford,” said Jadair dryly, repeating a Tolburn maxim. “You’ve cast away your very soul!” whispered the servant girl. “Enough,” cried Sal. “We do what we must to save Kenaz’s life. What else, Warlock?” Jadair frowned answering, “We drink a potion of Heavenly Dew, mixed with sacred gold ore powder and it is done. Keep your word this time, Salamander.” Sal smirked but nodded. “Let it be done,” he commanded as we were all taken to the outer courtyard. I generally avoid anything to do with the diabolic arts but it seems this time I have no choice. Flames purged, wafting smoke from the Night-Vine leaves, as Jadair chanted something profane to the evil snake god Apophis. The heaving smoke and summoning ritual brought weighty vapors to my mind and then all was black. *** “Awake, Kenaz, shake the dreams from your head and drink,” came a voice. I drank the offered cup and swallowed purifying water. “One of your troubles is gone,” said Sal. I saw Jadair’s lifeless body being dragged away. “You killed him? But your oath?” The Salamander laughed. “Oh yes; he was too much trouble. Oaths to devil worshippers are meaningless.” The realization that Sal did not keep his word even to a man that sought to murder me was troubling, but I had other more pressing worries. “And the other two curses?” “Lysandra here will help you succeed in both of them,” he said, pointing to the renowned and beautiful thief. “She knows how to rid you of the worm of Vavath, and afterward will assist in fetching the Reliliqy—you still have to do that. But this time it’s for me!” Seems there is no escaping other peoples greed.

Next time: Chapter 4. Burning Ice and Freezing Fire

About the Author David has been writing as long as he can remember, winning a number of secretive awards too prestigious for you to have heard of. He lives in Utah with his wife and children. Among his other published works are Heroes of the Fallen, Bless the Child, Whispers of the Goddess, the sci-fi horror collections of Space Eldritch 1 & 2, and Weird Tales of Horror. You can visit him online at: http://david-j-west.blogspot.com https://twitter.com/David_JWest http://davidjwest.tumblr.com/


sense to work full time for FantasyCon. For one month, she worked full time at the radio station and full time at the FantasyCon. She had volunteered at conventions before this. Valerie made the jump knowing that, since it was a convention, she might not have a job in July. “It was worth it to me, no matter which way it went,” she said. FantasyCon is more of a family based convention, but they offer things that are enjoyable for all ages. Each different area has something that is geared toward children, rather than having only one dedicated area, and Valerie oversees the volunteers, promotional events, security, floor layout and execution, realms, and celebrity relations. Along with other members of the staff, Valerie had planned out events from the current time until September 2016. This was all done before she knew for certain if she would have a job. Now, they are being approached by so many people to do events, that they actually have to turn people down sometimes. Once a quarter, they do an event to promote FantasyCon, but the rest of the events are all about being involved in the community. One of the events that they will be doing with the Salt Lake City Library is a Teen Yule Ball. It is based on the Harry Potter Books. On February Friday 13, FantasyCon will be having an event calling the Bleeding Heart ball. It is for people age 18 and over. The ball sponsors the American Red Cross and the Heart Association. The focus of the event is on the heart. You don’t have to have a date for the event. It’s all about getting together in the geek community. “We are going to have some really cool additions to FantasyCon come 2016 that, I think, will broaden the doors, but still stick with our branding,” Valerie said. In Utah, she appreciates that there are opportunities for people to be creative and get paid for it. As a mother, she has always felt that it is important to be a positive role model for her daughter. This has involved finding jobs with flexible hours and projects that she believes in. When her daughter was younger, there was a time when Valerie had five part time jobs with different hours so that she could have time to be at home with her child. Valerie has worked in many fields, which are dominated by men, and continues to do so. This includes film making. In spring of 2015, she will be producing her first feature film. It is a western movie called ‘Trails End’. The production company is owned by women. She is always adding to her resume and taking on different creative jobs. Valerie feels that it’s important for women to build skills and be willing to take chances. “I think that it’s important that we show our little girls that they can run a big company,” she said.

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Reprinted with permission

1) Jayce is a planeswalker for which of the following shards of magic? A) Plains B) Mountains C) Islands D) Swamp

6) In the board game Risk, how many bonus troops are awarded for controlling all of North America? A) 2 B) 3 C) 5 D) 7

2) (Select all that apply) Which of the following Marvel Characters have picked up Thor's Hammer? A) Iron Man B) Captain America C) Thanos D) Professor Xavier E) All the Above F) None of the Above

7) In the Anime Series "One Piece" what is the name of the character "Mr. 3?" A) Eneru B) Galdino C) Kizaru D) Tashigi

4) Which Champion in League of Legends cursed Warwick, turning him into a werewolf? A) Soraka B) Singed C) Kayle D) Morgana 5) In the Warcraft lore, who was responsible for the death of Lord Anduin Lothar? A) Teron Gorfiend B) Gul'Dan C) Ner'zhul D) Ogrim Doomhammer

8) In the game "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" who is the Fairy that attempts to "help" Link on his journey? A) Navi B) Tatl C) Ciela D) Neri 9) In the Star Trek Universe, Who was the disgraced scientist responsible for creating the Android "Data" and his brother "Lore?" A) Lewis Zimmerman B) Leonard McCoy C) Noonien Soong D) Julian Bashir 10) In the Star Wars universe, what was the original name of the Sith known as "Darth Sidious?" A) Jacen Solo B) Sheev Palpatine C) Count Dooku D) Kao Cen Darach Answers at www.UtahGeekMagazine.com

3) (Select all that apply) Which of the following are Nintendo Consoles? A) Famicon Disk System B) Virtual Boy C) Jaguar D) Vectrex E) All the Above F) None of the Above

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