I realize that most people, especially in America, are no where near ready for autumn. For me it lives in my heart pretty much year round. At the Wisdom household we are a mere two weeks away from going full ham on decorating our home in our favorite Halloween decor. It takes us a couple of days to set up all of our animatronics and yard props. September 1st is the day we start the process. It is almost a holy day around these parts for us. In years past that is when I would start to think about the annual Samhain Campaign sessions. The amazing thing this year is that my weekly sessions are taking place in the Samhain Vale, and I couldn't be more stoked about that fact.

The family and I are making plans to visit Knott's Scary Farm, the premiere theme park Halloween haunt. We will be attending in early October. Let alone the fact that we will soon be collecting those bright orange balls of delight, aka pumpkins. Usually ending up with 8 to 12 of them by the seasons end. Love it or hate it we delve into pumpkin spice everything. At least for me every day of the year starts with a coffee that is speckled with cinnamon and nutmeg....black espresso, thank you very much. On a good day it will have my favorite he hem....Jack Daniels "flavored" syrup.

At my place of work, the grounds crew have planted different species of turning trees such as maple and even now in the middle of August we are starting to see the first signs of color on the top most branches. I am starting to feel at home. I want the fall process to begin faster and stay longer. It is the very reason why I want to keep the autumn flame alive throughout the year with the Samhain: Hearth & Horror campaign setting. Playing weekly in the setting has really become my home away from home.

Right now my group is playing out of the Hexatic County of The Corpse based in the village of Westwend. A village known for its pipe carvers, sweet tobaccos and comforting hospitality. In fact, sometimes it's hard to get the players motivated to get out into the Vale where the action is because home is so comfortable. The village is hedged in by tobacco crops and charmed by the local witches to keep the unsavory creatures of the Vale at bay, but I digress. We get to play tomorrow night again and I couldn't be happier about playing in this most awesome perpetual autumn setting, if I do say so myself.

The above picture was from the Samhain Campaign, 2024. Me as the Harvest Master in full garb. Of course I played with the mask on the whole time ;), HAHAHA! I cannot tell you how much I love this campaign setting. To me it sets my heart alight in the darkness of the world we are living in. No matter what calamity of the day befalls our world I have been able to escape to my home away from home.

Did you know that the idea for the Samhain Campaign Setting started during some of the darkest days of our recent past, in 2020. I think under the duress of that time it was such a comfort. We were playing 5e D&D (seems like forever ago), a game I've moved away from mostly due to the OGL scandal, and I played a very stripped down version of D&D that looked more like Shadowdark, before Shadowdark was a thing. I have a unique perspective on that which I may share in a future post, but it was so light and free. We were meeting face to face even through it was quasi-illegal to do so at the time. What a respite from the stupidity of the world and in hindsight we were better having rebelled against the "new norm" and gathered as humans, seeking human interaction and loving every minute of it.

What is the point of this post? I don't fucking know, other than I am excited for Autumn and all the cheer and comfort it brings. Here's to you and your future games in the Samhain Vale!