I’m experimenting with a new format for “Cool Links” today.  Rather than dumping everything in one post, I’m dividing it out to several shorter posts. Let me know how it works for you!

Once upon a time, between the gamer-bountiful middle school years and the return-of-the-gamer-king adult years, I considered myself a computer gamer.

Please don’t judge me. I would have done street drugs instead if I had any idea that they trumped computer games in cost and savings advantages.

Needless to say, one of the great game series I remember is the Monkey Island series. (By the way, holy cow, there are new ones? No, be strong…) These featured a memorable character: a talking skull who joined your inventory bag and provided color commentary on the game. The Dresden-y part of my brain wants to call him Bob, but I think his name was Murray.

I can’t believe I never thought to use him in an RPG before. I recalled him fondly upon reading Erik Tenkar’s post I Wasn’t Dead ‘Till I Had No Head, in which he details giving the talking head as loot. I couldn’t help but recall the great contribution Murray the Talking Skull made to the Monkey Island games, and kick myself in the pants for not using this one before.