Changes by Jim Butcher (Dresden Files #12), Book Review

Harry Dresden is in for another rollercoaster ride, just like the reader in Changes. Jim Butcher is able to once again move the story forward with another major chapter in the life of his modern day, wizard detective who is battling the supernatural.

Again, this is a fast past novel that reads quickly. Changes is one of the longer books in the series I have read so far, almost 550 in paperback format. There is a lot being covered, but, just like the earlier installments, it is hard to set aside once you start reading.

I have had some time to think about why I like the Dresden books so much. I know part of it is what my imagination brings into the books. There is also the element of taking the classic investigator novel of Spencer or Sam Spade and adding the element of magic. This isn't the type of magic that immediately solves everything at the end of the book—it is structured and foreshadowed so if you are waiting to see if what is hinted at comes to pass.

There are times when the red herring is thrown into the path, which keeps you guessing if you have the right clues lined up. So, just like the earlier form of the detective genre, you are playing sleuth along with Harry as he is telling you his story.

Possible spoilers from here on.

Harry is reunited with his lost love, Susan, to find out that events from an earlier book means Harry has a daughter. But in true Dresden fashion, his daughter, Maggie, has been kidnapped by the Red Court for a ritual sacrifice. The sacrifice will not only take the girl's life, it will kill everyone in her blood line, including Harry and Susan.

The sacrifice is only a short time off, but is taking place in Chichen Itza. Time and space are against our hero.

Of course, Harry's friends are eager to help. Together, they plot to overcome the Red Court's Scheme, or is it just the scheming of one Red Court vampire, or is it the vampires scheming against each other. To Harry that is only a sideline to the fact he needs to save his daughter.

True to the title, Changes, is about the changes taking place around our protagonist, but also directly for him. By the end of the book there are a number of events leaving their mark on Harry, his friends, his daughter, and all of their relationships. There is enough introduced in this book you understand the story is going to be taking a turn, the question becomes in which direction.

I won't give away the ending, I hate it when others do it. I am not even going to give any more clues, except for knowing there are already additional books in the series, will have you wanting to start the next one as you finish this one.

If you have any comments, questions, or critiques please leave a comment here, or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Developing Culture, Continued Example, City Backstory

Thank you for the interest on the articles discussing culture. At the end of this article I have included links to earlier articles about the city and some of its inhabitants I use.

Backstory for Supporting Culture

Developing the culture does not require building a backstory, but it helps. After I decided what I wanted in my "current" city I could go back in time to figure out why the structure, rules, and culture of the current society exist.

As you develop a location you don't need to know everything. All you need to know is what is needed for what you are currently doing. I have been developing the city of Castanis for many years, most of it by writing down short, one-line, notes, names, or ideas. Those notes can either be forgotten, decided against, or developed. Development doesn't have to be in full either.

When writing the previous article on the goblin enclave I developed what was needed without going into full detail. The goblin are developed enough so they can be included in the city. They have their area of control, how they are able to sustain themselves, and few other details. There are hints at what is involved, but until I need the leadership they don't need to be developed. (I have been asked to provide some more details on the goblin enclave leadership, so they are now in the works.)

As an example of developing a backstory for a culture, here is the beginning of a history for the Castanis. The history is meant to be a guide, in this case for both a game master and a player. There is enough information to explain the basic of why some things are the way they are, along with clues to additional information someone might want to delve deeper into. There are also large gaps in the information about the intervening years, which can be expanded when additional backstory is needed.

A Brief History of Castanis

Many years ago, generations in terms of the lives of humans, men were starting to push there way out from their own minor existence. They started sailing the coast, exploring and trading. The estuary of the Long River was found as a place with good anchorage and for providing protection from the open sea. The location had been previously used by other seafaring races and conflicts occurred.

No one knows why the first battle took place, but the conflicts escalated, as grudges developed. Battles took place in the harbor, and the surrounding waters. Ships were sunk and many brave souls from different races were sent back to the heavens. It is said the battles continued for years. Until a wizened human, Pilan, did something the other captains were not expecting: instead of fighting he went to shore and planted a flag of truce.

Pilan, the Founder, called forth to the other captains present that day. Pilan negotiated with the captains to provide a safe place for all who were travelling along the coast. Instead of sailing on Pilan and his crew would stay at the mouth of the Long and build a new port. He promised he would welcome all the races who came there. This way the ships could bring their goods to a new area and the people of the area would be able to trade with the rest of the known world. The new port was named Castanis by the pact of captains, derived from one of the old languages because it means a place of protection.

Initially, times were tough on the fledging town. The only advantage the location had was the harbor. The area was muddy and swampy. Food was not easily obtained. And, they were pushing back against the wilderness.

Monsters assaulted those who took up residence in Castanis. Luckily, the new port brought adventurers who were wanting and willing to take on the struggle of taming the area. Some came to slay the monsters, while others came to convert them. Both had some success and each year the town and trade grew. Pilan grew old watching the town he settled develop.

Castanis has never stopped growing, and the principle it was founded on stayed firm—everyone, no matter what race, who came in peace, to trade or live, was accepted. This does not mean everyone lives in peace, but the law is applied to every resident, theoretically. This caused the town, and now the city, to develop in unexpected ways.

New groups arrived and set up their own camps, in the most part keeping to themselves. Over the years some have mixed with the other races over time, while others still maintain a level of separation. There are a number of racial neighborhoods where one race feels more secure, while some areas are highly mixed. There are places, like the portion living under the waves or in the dark, who live the way they do out of requirement. The city has moved up the river, along the coast, down into the earth, and, with the wizards and priests, into other dimension.

Walking down the streets of the city, day or night, you are likely to meet others gathering together in common trade; where, if they had met in the wilderness, they would be spilling blood. Adventurers have started their careers here, while others have found this the place to retire from their exploits. Still, there are those who are born, live, and die without ever travelling away from their beloved city. Those who never travel away are not just the common folk. There is potential to rise to great prominence and power within the confines of Castanis. Great adventures not only come from or to the city, many are made because of the city.

LIST

Mystic Theurge, Priestess of Baccob

Gladiator

Lady Fenn

Gunt, a Spy in the City

Hariman, Negotiator

Lots, Horse Trainer, Breeder, and Trader

Amilia, Horsewoman

Machiavellian Campaign—General Information, Size and Power bases for the Starting City

Machiavellian Campaign—Trading House Sardinis

Expanding the Merchant Skill for the Machiavellian Campaign

Considering Enslavement in the Machiavellian Campaign

Reader Response on Enslavement

Master Wainwright

Wainwright Journeyman

Developing a City's Culture—Example

TheGoblin Enclave

If you have any comments, questions, or critiques please leave a comment here, or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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The Kennel Club - still registering puppy farm dogs

Last night, BBC Panorama aired a gruesome exposé of a northern Ireland puppy farmer called Eric Hale. (If you are in the UK, you can watch the whole programme on iPlayer here.)

But it was also an an exposé of the Kennel Club's continued registration of puppy farm dogs.

Despite repeated urging by the Kennel Club to prospective puppy-buyers to avoid puppy-farmed dogs, the organisation continues to register dogs bred by breeders such as Eric Hale. 

Hale is a show-breeder of Beagles - and before that Bearded Collies -  registering the Beagles under his Southistle affix.  He has registered at least 20 litters of Beagles with the Kennel Club - the last that I can find in August 2015, although this litter, from January 2016, was advertised on DoneDeal as also being KC-registered.

Clearly, Mr Hale is also breeding a whole heap of other dogs, as last night's programme revealed. The conditions looked grim - with little bedding and the dogs on sawdust. The programme claimed that the dogs did not routinely get access to the outside.

In its position statement on puppy farming, the KC states:

"Breeders who breed five or more litters a year normally require a breeding licence from their local authority, and in order to continue registering puppies with the Kennel Club, anyone seeking to register five or more litters in a single year is asked to provide a copy of their licence. The Kennel Club will also be entitled to ask for a licence from those individuals who collectively register more than five litters a year from a single address."

So, presumably, the KC has asked Mr Hale for a copy of his breeding license, and this will have shown how many dogs he is licensed to keep.

Here's the public record from 2012 - which shows that Mr and Mrs Hale are licensed to keep over 100 breeding bitches.

The Kennel Club often points out that not all volume breeders are puppy-farmers - citing Guide Dogs for the Blind as a large-scale breeder that is "responsible and caring".  But, of course, this exception does not prove the rule. Assistance dog charities or police-dog breeding programmes may mostly do a good job but, in practice, no volume breeder meets the needs of a really large number of breeding bitches unless they are in the public glare or are blessed with wad of cash from either charity donations or the public purse.

Truly raising, keeping and breeding dogs well is expensive and labour-intensive. 

The KC also maintains that "only two per cent [of breeders who register their dogs with the KC] breed more than five litters per annum". 

This is a weaselly statistic - it may be only 2 per cent of breeders, but it will be a higher percentage of actual puppies - so it is at least several-thousand puppies a year. (KC registrations per annum are about 225k.) 

However, if there are really so few volume breeders registering their dogs with the Kennel Club, how about the KC commits to inspecting any breeder that is licensed for more than, say, 10 breeding bitches - regardless of whether they have been inspected by their local authority (we know this task is often delegated to people who either don't care much or who don't have a clue)?  If the numbers really are so small, surely it is not going to be a huge toll on resources?

The KC constantly maintains that it is obliged to register any dog on its general register, as long as it meets some minimum requirements. Those requirements do not include the conditions in which the pups have been bred. 

Quite frankly, the registration of puppy-farm dogs remains a blot on the KC landscape and it needs to be addressed - to ease both our souls and the KC's reputation.

I have asked the KC for input regarding the continued registration of Mr Hale's puppies and will add here if I get it. 

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The problem. Right here. Right now.

This video has had over two million views on Facebook with a whole heap of unthinking "so CUTE!!!" comments.

Here's what happened when someone tried to raise awareness of this dog's breathing issues.

Charlotte West Wilson is the dog's owner...

One person has provided this link to a website which advises on Pug's breathing problems. There is some good info there, but it includes this attempt to normalise noisy breathing and pinched nostrils.

Normal Noises and Wheezes 

The Pug dog will have breathing issues that are considered "normal". Although they may be quite alarming to new, unsuspecting owners, the following are common traits that are to be expected:

Snoring - Many Pugs snore when napping and sleeping through the night. This is not usually indicative of a serious health issue. If it does become excessive, stenotic nares and/or elogated palate may be the cause.


Snorting noises - It it typical for a Pug to make noises like grunting and snorting. This breed will wheeze and gasp a bit. As we look ahead into the details of Pug breathing problems, this will only need to be addressed if it appear to interfere with normal respiratory functions.

Stenotic Nares 

This is not uncommon with brachycephalic, short-nosed dogs. This is a physical condition in which the dog's nostril are too narrow to allow for proper breathing.


This is also referred to as pinched nostrils. It is a congenital trait, which means that it is passed down genetically, however it cannot be bred out of the Pug due to facial structure that gives the Pug his unique appearance.

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The Goblin Enclave, In The City

Goblins from Narnia

A few months ago I started giving information on my new Machiavellian campaign. The starting of the campaign is in a city, and as described in the last post, the city of Castanis updated to include some of the changes we want to work with (more on the city's development in the last article on an example of culture development). One of the earlier articles was about some of the size and power bases of the city. Mentioned in passing in the article is the goblin enclave, which has drawn some additional interest. So, I present some expanded information about the enclave. 

Goblin Enclave

A small area of the city, in the run down district known as the Grotto, has become the protected area for a small tribe of goblins. The residents of the city have come to call the area the goblin enclave. It is ran like a miniature goblin kingdom by an older goblin with rumored powers. The area is well protected and only a select few are allowed an audience with the goblin king.

The goblins of the enclave live in a more orderly fashion than goblins are expected to. It is said this is partly because they are more civilized, a concept the goblins are promoting, while others say it is because of their leader, who rules by absolutes. Whatever the reason, because the goblins behave themselves (sort of) and live in an area of the city more "civilized" residents don't want to live, they have been tolerated, enough so they have been able to establish some worthy businesses.

The goblins are known for maintaining a mushroom garden of varieties sought after by gourmets, and wizards. It is also suspected they grow other varieties with more unreputable abilities. No one else has been able to provide the fresh fungi within the city. The other varieties are tightly controlled and are only traded with those who have established themselves with the goblins.

The enclave controls a small area of the Grotto and provides the area around them with a certain level of protection which keeps the area "clean."  The Grotto is known as the slums of the city, but the area around the enclave is an area even the locals warn outsiders to stay away from, unless the intruders are disliked. Very few city patrols enter the grotto, and the goblins patrol their own area. Known residents are generally left alone (many of whom pay for the added protection so they are left alone by outsiders). At night, unknown trespassers are not tolerated. First the goblins will be forcibly warn or escort intruders away. If resisted, the goblins will use whatever force they deem necessary to secure their home. The clean part of the operation has been no one has ever found the remains of intruders who chose not to leave.

In the past there have been further inquiries into missing individuals, but to no avail. This led to a street war with a band of dwarves. The fighting escalated quickly, and ended quickly. The dwarves found themselves outnumbered and were driven out of the enclave's area. Those who didn't make it out of the area were taken care of as part of the cleaning operation. The leader of the dwarven group petitioned for the city to do something about the goblins, but were not successful with their legal arguments.

Goblin from Harry Potter

To gain more acceptance into the surrounding society some goblins are now working in other local businesses. They are careful not to expand too far away from their protected area, for those who do become part of someone else's cleaning operation. This newer group of working goblins try to present themselves as more civilized. They usually dress better and clean themselves up better than their cousins. Some have even taken up some of the adventuring classes.

The leader of the enclave is a skilled rogue who has been infected with lycanthropy, werewolf. Only a few of the goblin elite know this fact. His infection has helped in establishing the enclave and protecting it. One of his advisers is a wizard who came to the city a short while back. The wizard wanted a place of protection where he could study some of the darker arts. The enclave has provided him protection for helping them. It is said this wizard is the one who brought the spores for the mushrooms the goblins now sell.

It is also rumored at least one of the neighbors of the enclave is undead. It is also said there are other denizens from the underdark living around the enclave who are manipulating the goblins for their own ends.

Goblins living in a group have always been a scourge to towns and villages. Now in a major city the goblins have learned how their own racial traits can be used to make gains in a different way. They may not be the most skilled merchants, the smartest adversary, or wisest choice in a time of need. But they have a certain level of cunning, making them dangerous when they have established themselves in a new environment.

If you have any comments, questions, or critiques please leave a comment here, or send an email to guildmastergaming@gmail.com.

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Thirty years ago, how one brave vet tried to raise the alarm

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Online for the first time: the 2012 sequel to Pedigree Dogs Exposed

Well, now seemed like a very good time.... ;-)

There has been further reform since this film. The Kennel Club has beefed up its efforts to educate on genetic diversity and it has given breeders new tools to help them avoid inbreeding.

There's no doubt we've come a long way since 2008.

But there is still such a long way to go - and particularly when it comes to the brachycephalics which feature strongly in this follow-up. Nothing really has changed for them - and if anything, things have got worse.

Hopefully, that is shortly going to change.

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