Swords & Wizardry Light is a labor of love. It is an offering to the OSR from Frog God Games and myself. As such, you should have input as to how it gets to show itself off.
We (as in you and me) have access to nearly the whole Frog God Games and Necromancer Games art libraries.
What we (as in FGG and myself) need are some suggested pieces. Something that you feel screams old school gaming, Swords & Wizardry, amazing fantasy - if it speaks to you, we want to know about it.
We can only squeeze in 3 or 4 pieces but I'd really like to see what the community identifies with.
What we need in your comments below is:
1 - Book it appears in
2 - Page number it is on
3 - Brief description in your words
4 - Why you think it should be chosen
What do you get in return? Bragging rights for having helped chose the art direction for Swords & Wizardry Light.
Now, for those still reading. Over the next few days I'll be giving away some of the duplicates in my Swords & Wizardry collection. These will be "flash giveaways", only accepting entries for 12 or 24 hours, depending on how I feel when the post goes up. I'll only be able to ship to the US, so if you enter from outside the states, you'll get a $10 RPGNow GC instead. Sorry about that.
So, keep your eyes open, and in the meantime, start posting those art suggestions!
Can I suggest something from the current kickstarter?
ReplyDeleteyou can suggest it. not sure we have access to it but it can't hurt ;)
DeleteIt would be great if the Gennifer Bone monster illustrations and the Jenna Fowler spell illustrations were available. Probably not likely, though, given the time frame, right?
DeleteTwo suggestions:
ReplyDeleteCore rules book, page 11, picture of adventuring party. Because that is where this all starts - it's about the group.
Complete rules, page 114, troll. This has always been an iconic monster to me and I love this depiction. The troll is a widely recognized Hadassah, and the first time you encounter one and learn it has regeneration...well, it is memorable.
Magic User, S&W: Core rules, 1st Printing, p. 16 -- because it depicts a magic-user in somethings besides the traditional robes and pointy hat.
ReplyDeleteCleric, S&W White Box rules, Second Print, p. 5 -- the cleric is all too often portrayed as a stodgy looking fighter with a mace. Not this guy! He is dynamically depicted and obviously laying some divine judgment on some Chaos tainted wretch! It's the iconic cleric illustration to my mind (note: the image as it appears is either reversed or, less likely, the cleric is drawn as a 'leftie')
The Cleric, as I posted above, I should have noted as being the the 2nd Brave Halfling Press 2nd Printing ... just in case it makes a difference. The picture appears in other S&W rule books IIRC, but this is the first instance I found.
DeleteExcellent suggestion with the Magic User. I was just looking through the first printing and was going to suggest the same.
DeleteAnd aside from suggesting you roll with the green Otus cover above, I would be pleased as punch if you used any of the stock art of mine you have, as it comes with the license to use...
ReplyDeleteI think i have it all ;)
DeleteWhatever you choose I think it should be simple and black and white. Keeping with the light theme and easy to print.
ReplyDeleteCleric Healing pg 24 Core Rules Book.
ReplyDeleteWhat is that first picture you posted above, with that strange dragon-thing? It's amazing.
ReplyDeleteNot sure on page count and layout on the rules lite version, but I figured I would list all the art that I really liked - maybe others do too. I don't have a copy of the Otus cover printing but plan to pick it up with the Kickstarter 3rd printing add-ons.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, enough rambling. Here is the list:
1st printing (2010, Sardinha cover)
Class Representations
p. 9, Assassin
p. 12, Druid
p. 16, Magic User
p. 23, Thief
Filler:
p. 17
p. 31
p. 42
p. 43
p. 57
p. 74
p. 97
p. 98 - gotta have Orcus!
p. 100 - and a dragon!
p. 114
p. 127
4th printing (2011, Mullen cover)
Class Representations
p. 8, Cleric
p. 10, Fighter
Filler
p. 16, Dwarf
p. 22, Armor
p. 33, Tentacle Pit
p. 40, Archmage
p. 45, Scrying Crystal
p. 68, Magic Symbols
p. 72, Dungeon under ruins (reminds me a bit of Castle Greyhawk & dungeon)
p. 79, Tower
p. 87, Banshee
p. 100, Goblin
p. 105, Lich!
p. 116, Zombie
p. 138, Sarcophagus
Zhern/Patrick
This version of S&W is gorgeous. I love the cover. I thought Matt drew this himself.
ReplyDeleteI love the two simple images on pages 21 and 22 of S&W (Core Rules): the various gear items and the various armors with AC scores. They scream of Old School manuals where gear was illustrated as if presented to be acquired and sometimes you'd end up buying something just because its illustration looked good.
ReplyDelete(I'd love to get in list for Quests of Doom 3, for Swords & Wizardry - but I am out of the US)
I have a few:
ReplyDeleteSwords & Wizardry Cole Rules (2011, Peter Mullin Cover)
-Page 9: Adventurers approach ruined statue - It raises questions that hint at an adventure. Was the statue actually a stone golem? Why are the adventurers wary while the natives are relaxed?
- Page 23: Lizard Man on Lizard Mount - Reminds me of a similar image on page 3 of the Holmes Basic rulebook
- Page 105: Lich - Just a beautiful monster image
- Cover: Looting the giant skeleton - Reminiscent of both Erol Otus and the 1E PHB.
Swords & Wizardry Complete Rulebook (2012, Erol Otus cover)
- Cover: Against the spirit - Great action scene, great lighting, and so reminiscent of Erol Otus (but I guess it helps that it IS Erol Otus)
- Page 34: Fighter vs Goblins - An active scene that brings to mind Russ Nicholson's work on the 1E Fiend Folio
(Does this warrant another Quests of Doom 3 entry? Huh huh does it does it? ;) )
Three art suggestions from the original Tomb of Abysthor adventure (not sure of the page numbers in the new combined version)
ReplyDeletePg. 34 Not sure on area. Picture is of a five member party, two climbing on ropes while above them the other three are battling Stirges.
Pg. 49 - Not sure what room it is, picture is of a bridge going to a sacrificial alter with a statue of Orcus behind it.
Pg. 51 - Area 12 "Cavern of Orcus and Bronze Portals" Picture of giant stature of Orcus looming over a "rough black pit filled with bones of sacrifices."
Impressive suggestions! Having not yet played S&W, much of it still remains a mystery to me. That being said, I am really blown away by the comments here, and I am awarding each commenter 100 bonus XP
ReplyDeleteI love anything by Erol Otus, I've thought about getting the Core rules just to get that cover actually. So that is where my vote would go (though reuse of the art may cause some confusion).
ReplyDeleteI love anything by Erol Otus, I've thought about getting the Core rules just to get that cover actually. So that is where my vote would go (though reuse of the art may cause some confusion).
ReplyDeleteI suggest the dungeon exterior shot from p74 of S&W Complete 2nd Printing. It is clean. I don't like a lot of the shaded grey illustrations from Frog God Games because they are too muddy. The illustration invites me to ask a lot of questions: What are those statues and what do they mean? Are they statutes? Are those tombs opposite the dungeon? What creature does the skull come from? Is it real or a replica? Who used to live there? etc. etc. etc.
ReplyDeleteThis illustration has me hooked as a player to create a character to go explore it and as a Referee to answer all my questions as I design the dungeon depicted. In other words, it makes me want to play.
You cannot beat the giant, green skeleton on the original Swords and Wizardry book. Go with that.
ReplyDeleteIt was suggested in a previous comment up there, but I'll cast another vote for the Troll on pg. 114 of S&W Complete. It strikes me as a good all-around "monster" illustration when space is at a premium, and I think it would still be clear what it is even if the image is shrunk down a bit.
ReplyDelete