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Saturday, June 11, 2016

NTRPG Con - The Pics - Merle Rasmussen's Espionage Game




I figure it's about time to post some pics from NTRPG Con. Below are some pics from Merle Rasmussen's excellent espionage RPG (we played in Sunday's session). We were gaming and play testing and I'm looking forward to talking more with Merle about his game (hint hint).

With the exception of the ruins in the middle, the players assembled the ruins themselves.

Of course, we initially steered clear of the actual adventure location and were doing a beeline for the the false lead. Thankfully, our curiosity overcame our well thought out plan, and we were quickly deep in the doo doo.



I had a blast watching Rach with a silent gauze pistol, blasting away the bad guys. She has a hidden violent streak it seems ;)

It was just a damn good time at Merle's table. The rules were intuitive and the game session had a natural flow. Hell, we came damn close to spending the whole session shopping for equipment.

I don't want to spoil the adventure for future players, but suffice to say we kicked Isis ass ;)

Dice bag in lower right hand corner by Brenda Wolf

Guest Post - PERMES Review, by Jacob DC Ross

PERMES Review, by Jacob DC Ross

Salud! My name’s Jake and our Tavern’s owner was kind enough to give me a little soap box. My goal with this and other articles is to highlight lesser-known publishers who put out high-quality content. The focus is going to be mainly on artistic products, such as printable paper miniatures and terrain, as well as stock art.

PERMES, the nom de plume of artist Przemek Skiba, publishes a wide array of paper miniatures for games of virtually any genre. When I say any genre, I mean any genre. He covers the standard fantasy tropes, but if sword and sorcery isn’t your thing (I play historical and sci-fi games, myself), PERMES has you covered.

The various sets include samurai, pirates, American Western, sci-fi/post-apocalyptic, European knights, ancient Egypt and more. One cool thing is that PERMES creates miniatures based on the Polish winged Hussars, which are some of the sweetest-looking mounted warriors in history.

PERMES groups his modules by theme to make it easy to search them out. Most products are under 3.00 USD, and a lot of those are in bundles for around 6 bucks, which gives you many units to print out for very little start-up cost. His art style is consistent across the lines so any character looks at home with the rest. The lines aren’t limited to warrior types, but also feature characters like Japanese courtiers (and scenery for their throne rooms) and Roman Patricians so you can use them in warfare- or politics-based games.

Many of the packs feature “Mod Kits”, which are printable double-sided accessories, such as shields, banners, wings or cloaks, that you glue onto the models for added customization. Like a lot of the miniatures put out today, PERMES includes multiple colors for differentiating factions. You make the figures by printing them out, cutting the front and back into two sections, folding them so the bottom flanges out, and then wrapping a base around it for stability. Various bases have different colors to represent dirt, grass or other grounds.

One issue that I have with PERMES’ products is that I’d like to see them put into layers so you can select the colors you want. Some products have sheets of characters all from a single color scheme, but others, such as Samurai 2, have four archers and four musketeers on a page, each with a different color scheme. This is fine if you’re playing an RPG with only a few characters present at a time, but it makes printing out similarly colored units for larger wargames much more time- and paper- consuming. I’d also like it if there were uncolored versions of each unit so people could select their own custom decor. The final issue is that the bases tend to depict only outside ground, even in sets with figures made for indoor scenes (such as the Daimyo’s Court).

All told, PERMES work is gorgeous and well-researched (though the Native American set blends scenery from all across North America, that’s a pretty common trope in Western games). I highly recommend his products, especially starting out with his various free samplers. You can find his publisher page HERE.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership Cards Arrive Wednesday - First Batch Should Go Out Thursday



It's been a busy post NTRPG Con week. I estimate we are around 225 requests for Tenkar's Tavern Membership cards. Holy shit isn't half of it!

A couple of quick things.

If you are a Patreon backer of The Tavern and you want a card number in the first 50, I need you to request your card by midnight, Monday June 13th, 2016. Why? Because I need to enter data into the spreadsheet so I have accurate card numbers before I start filling out cards on Wednesday. I need to get a head start as early as possible. If you are a Patreon backer that requested a card but didn't let me know you were a backer, email me and I'll take it into account.

Do card numbers really matter? Nope. It's all about bragging rights. Those that donated to the cause, with offers of free or discounted goods or services, are also going to get a lower number.

All cards requested in this month will be dated 6/16, so technically you'll all be first issue ;)

I've been asked about replacement cards if lost / stolen / damaged / acts of God / etc. So long as there are cards left, I'll reissue with the same card number. They'll be a $5 donation to the cause for replacements. Now, your first card is free and ships free. Don't lose it.

Google Group invites will start going out later today. Hopefully it will be done by the end of tomorrow. If you don't get an invite by Wednesday, send me an email and I'll rectify it.

I need to add a page at The Tavern that lists all the bennies. The community is extremely generous. You won't be disappointed with the benefits that membership brings.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have about 225 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards. (I won't have an accurate number until I complete the spreadsheet, as some emails requested 2 cards - couples - and a small number of requests were made via Facebook IM). Requests made at this point are probably looking at 3 weeks from now or so for delivery.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Friday, June 10, 2016

Ken Whitman - 15 Days / Zero Dollars Raised - I Think We've Reached a Proper Level of Awareness


Screen shot kinda says it all.

15 Days

Zero Dollars

Fuck you sir!

BTW Kenny, reread the law you quoted. It doesn't say what you think it says.

That little word "and" changes the whole meaning.

Little things have huge impact...


Purple Sorcerer 2016 Free Tools Pledge Drive has Just Kicked Off


Short and simple.

+Jon Marr has done some amazing work with the Purple Sorcerer's assortment of tools for the DCC RPG. If you play DCC I can you've probably used one if not all of the tools. Zero Level Character Generator for the win ;)

This pledge drive should reach it's highest goal before the night is out, not in a week! I just put my $25 into the pool. You dont need to strike that high. A buck or two would help things along ;)

This really is a good cause and helps someone support the community he loves.

Over 200 Tenkar's Tavern Membership Cards Requested - And I Can't Send Bulk Emails - Doh!



So, I learned last night that Gmail won't allow me to send bulk BCC emails. Not 190 at a time, not 10 at a time. Which means I'm sending out nearly 200 emails one at a time, to inform folks of the bennies currently secured and to give an overview of the bennies currently being worked on.

(One of my next steps is to include a page here at The Tavern listing the current bennies)

It's also letting them know that they will be receiving an invite to the Tenkar's Tavern Community Google Group, as THAT will allow me to send group emails out (as it requires an to "opt in"). In truth, this is probably a better solution for keeping members abreast of new deals and discounts as they arise. I don't THINK you need a Gmail account to be invited to the group but who the hell knows.

I'm almost halfway to sending out the emails and then I'll start sending out the invites to the Community Group.

If you signed up for a card and need the Gamehole discount code, email me at I'll send it to you.

To think I almost only ordered 250 cards.

I'm humbled by the response. I'm figuring those requesting cards at this point are looking at 2 to 3 weeks before they get them, longer for overseas. I'm finding there's a number of gamers in the NYC area (prime attendees for a Pub Con) and Taverners from all over the world.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have over 200 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards. (I won't have an accurate number until I do the spreadsheet, as some emails requested 2 cards - couples - and a small number of requests were made via Facebook IM)

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

What a Surprise - Ken Whitman is Crowdfunding his Girl Downtown Movie - Will Ship Before the Dead Kickstarters (if it ships at all)


Equipment bought and paid for by unfulfilled Kickstarters? Check!

Asking the public to crowd fund yet another film related dream? Checkity Check!

Asking $20 for sponsorship and then claiming the DVD is free? Checkity Check Check WTF?!?

The actual return on your $20 sponsorship? Feel free to fill in the blank, just so long as you realize your return will have no value...

Ah Kenny, a gift to your daughter, paid for by forgotten Kickstarter backers and fresh meat to be bilked.

At least you are true to your nature.

Thursday, June 9, 2016

Kickstarter - BR-5 Isle of the Ancients - Fantasy Adventure Module (AD&D)



I guess it's about time to peek at another Kickstarter. It's a good one this time - I'll focus on some train wrecks in the days to come ;)

BR-5 Isle of the Ancients is the latest in a series of adventures for AD&D 1e and 2e (I can say that directly - they can't). The first adventures in the series were not Kickstarted, but this isnt the first Kickstarter for Dark Cult Games.

They have successfully funded and spot on as for timely completion. As far as Kickstarter goes this is nearly unheard of (if you follow my posts). Those projects were a boxed game and specialty dice, both of which had elements of completion that were out of the hands of Dark Cult Games.

It's a 40 page adventure for levels 7 to 9 set on an island, so a controlled sandbox of sorts.

Oh, and I'm really enjoying the art samples. Very evocative B&W work.

15 bucks for the PDF, 20 for the Print + PDF and 50 for the 3 part series in print plus PDF.

And of course I see the previous release in the series is Oh RATTS! Looks like I need to back for the whole series, just to see if there's 2,000 coppers to go along with it.

Tavern Membership Bennie #3 - $5 Off Any Weekend Badge at Gamehole Con



I've been talking with Alex Kammer this morning. He's the main man behind Gamehole Con (November 4th through the 6th, Madison Wisconsin) . He wanted to offer a benefit to Tenkar's Tavern card holding members and he's offering $5 off any weekend badge to members of The Tavern.

Yes, you need your free card for this.

Maybe this will convince Rach this should be our second con for this year :)

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have over 150 requests and I'm still waiting on deliver of the cards. Give it 3 weeks or so for delivery.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.


Tenkar's Tavern Membership Card - Over 135 Cards Requested - Ships Free Anywhere in the World - Get Yours Now!



Tuesday night I offered free membership cards for Tenkar's Tavern that I'll ship anywhere in the world for free. I figured it's your community, why not get something to show for it? The response has been amazing. Beyond anything I could have imagined in so short a time. Over 135 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards.

Even better, the card has benefits. +Michael Badolato / Bad Mike Books is offering a free Judges Guild Traveller product at any cons he attends as a vendor (and possibly just as an attendee) and +Zach Glazar / Lesser Gnome is offering 20-25% off the Death & Taxes boxed set for card holders. I've also discussed discounts from other publishers using the mailing list to offer discounts directly to card holders. Nothing to announce yet, but we've got a solid half dozen publishers interested. This is BEFORE I've directly reached out to any publishers or retailers.

As more people request their cards, membership just gets more valuable. There is strength in numbers.

I've had it suggested that I work out a Gamer Seeking Gamers service, as I have physical addresses for everyone, but that's not something you opted in for. I COULD, down the line, set up a page where I list folks that opt in by country / state / zip-postal code and just ID members by their ID number. Then, upon request, use said ID # to match folks up. That would be after I put together the spreadsheet or database to keep these ID numbers organized. I want to get that done early, as organization IS NOT my middle name ;)

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Tavern Chat Tonight - 9PM to 11 PM Eastern - Post NTRPG Con Wrap Up and Membership Bennies

Yep, it's a Wednesday Night and that means Tavern Chat.

Be here or be square.

We'll be talking about NTRPG Con, the new Tenkar's Tavern Membership Card and whatever else your heart desires.

How do you participate in Tavern Chat? Look at the right side of this page (you may need to scroll down just a bit) - There is a chat box by Chatwing. That is our Tavern Chat. You can log in using just about any social media platform. See you tonight!

Tenkar's Tavern Membership - Second Benefit Announced - Lesser Gnome is Offering 20-25% Off Death & Taxes Boxes



Just a heads up. We are well over 100 membership cards requested. So, if you email me your request now, you are probably in the 2 to 3 weeks range before receiving your card. I'm guessing that number figuring a week to a week and a half for print and delivery to me.

Now on to the fun stuff.

+Zach Glazar , aka The Lesser Gnome has offered the following benefit for card carry members of Tenkar's Tavern:
I will give 20% off Death & Taxes boxes bought via mail-order with a photo of The Tavern member holding the membership card. 25% holding it in a funny way for social sharing.
Now, you physically need your membership card for this, so it will take a couple of weeks before you can cash in on this. Death & Taxes is an AMAZING release. You literally can't go wrong if you decide to use this benefit.

Purchase must be made at the Lesser Gnome webstore. Social media sharing must tag +Erik Tenkar and +Zach Glazar . We are both on G+ and Facebook, so your choice. The Lesser Gnome is the final arbitrator on whether or not your social media share is funny or not.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.


Tenkar's Tavern Membership - First Benefit Announced - BadMike Books and Games is Offering Free JG Traveller Item of Choice at Cons (Membership is Free)



Yep, Bad Mike and his BadMike Books and Games is offering a a free Judges Guild Traveller Item of your choice at the cons he attend as a vendor. Which definitely means NTRPG Con 2017 among others. How do you get this free loot? You need to show him your Tenkar's Tavern Membership card.

Wait, you don't have one?

It's free. I'll mail it to you on my dime.

We're also working on getting some discounts for members on OSR product releases (notifications will come via email - these discounts will not be posted at The Tavern directly, although in the future one could sign up for a free membership and be eligible for all benefits immediately)

How do you get your free card?

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community.

Cards are at least 2 weeks out at this point. I'll start mailing the day they arrive, but we're over 75 cards to be sent so far.

God bless you all :)

Tavern Membership Will Have Benefits, And it's Free :)



Last night I announced that Tenkar's Tavern will be mailing membership cards anywhere in the world - for free. They will have the owner's name (or online handle) as well as a membership number on the back.

I was asked if I would be forming a mailing list and at first I thought "why?" but then I had a thought. What better way to get word of new OSR releases with a membership only discount. Basically, the idea is that publishers would send me info and a link to buy their new release along with a Tenkar's Tavern Member discount.

Of course, this thought occurred to me as I laid in bed last night, so nothing in the works yet. Still, I think it's viable and an excellent way to both get some eyes on new OSR releases and save Tenkar's Tavern Members a few coppers.

How do you get your free card?

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community.


Tuesday, June 7, 2016

As We Near 500 Members at The Tavern's Facebook Community, We Now Have Free Membership Cards



When I say "now" I actually mean, now ordered. These are extra thick business cards with +Dirk Stanley art on the front and a small piece of +Del Teigeler art on the back (I still need to upload Del's art into the banner rotation)

These will be numbered consecutively, with your name or online handle on the bottom left. Patreon backers will get the first numbers (it's around 42 right now) and then it will be first come, first served.

There will be no charge for the cards. I'll send them anywhere in the world. They're thicker than credit cards with a matte finish, so they should stand up to some abuse.

I was trying to figure out some way to say "thank you" to all the fine members of the OSR gaming community, and this just seemed like a fun way to do so.

I should receive the cards in about a week.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community.

edit - 502 members as of 1115 PM, Tuesday June 7th 2016

Ken Whitman has a Movie Listed on IMDb - Will "Girl Downtown" Stay Up or Go Down?


Now I know the above storyline was submitted "by the community" for Girl Downtown and not the world famous Ken Whitman, but it is a hoot. Ken actually is doing this "movie". Wait, no, Whit Whitman is doing it.



Want more of a hoot? I give you Kenny's IMDB:
Whit was born and raised in Fort Knox, Kentucky. He majored in Art Education and switched to Graphic Design at Murray State University in Murray Kentucky. He has had a lifelong passion for gaming, traveling and enjoying the arts (not to mention bilking customers and Kickstarter backers for YEARS). He works to produce many different forms of entertainment (and if you follow the Kenny drama, the lies, misstatements, threats and fraud, it has the entertainment value of a train wreck) and specializes in geek culture. Whit is well-known in the gaming and fantasy industry (infamous would be a better choice of words), having worked in the industry for over twenty years. Some of his most notable moments include working on products for the World Wrestling Federation, Ralph Bakshi's Wizards, The Three Stooges, Sergio Aragone's Groo, Drazonball Z, Dungeons and Dragons (notice not ONE of his failed to deliver Kickstarters made this list. I'd say any one of them are more notable moments)Whit looks forward to an exciting future in the entertainment business (bilking a new community out of their hard earned cash)
- IMDb Mini Biography By: Matt Smith (with comments by Erik Tenkar)

Guest Poster - Chris Kutalik - Behind the Scenes in the Misty Isles


First, a little background. I mentioned to as many people at NTRPG that I could that The Tavern is always open to guest posting. For The Tavern to truly be the community it is becoming, it needs more than my voice on these posts. I may be the one paying the bills, but there would be no Tavern without readers like you and guest posters like Chris.

+Chris Kutalik is a founding member of the Hydra Cooperative, a publisher of OSR styled RPGs and supplements. Check out their website and see who they are. You may be surprised.

He is probably best known for Slumbering Ursine Dunes and the Hill Cantons but Chris has been involved in many more projects than just those. 

Misty Isles of the Eld is Chris' latest project. I received the PDF in the days before NTRPG, but haven't gotten to the point that I can do a proper review. I'll rectify that in the near future. Chris was kind enough to write out some thoughts behind Misty Isles of the Eld as well as forward me some amazing art from the project that wasn't used due to lack of space. 

Here's Chris:



Behind the Scenes in the Misty Isles

Misty Isles of the Eld was pretty different from my previous two installments in the Dunes Kickstarter series (Slumbering UrsineDunes and Fever-Dreaming Marlinko). And not just for the obvious reasons like the fact that's it significantly heftier (almost double the length of the Dunes main adventure) and packed with art. Several things set it apart and gave it a totally different dynamic when putting it together:



1. Not Ripped Wholly out of Campaign Play. The Misty Isles is the first of the series that the players didn't reach. I mean sure I had some sketchy maps and the main tentpole dungeon, the Vat Complex, was played the hell out of (it was situated in the same plane but through a different place in the campaign), but it was the first published thing that I really built from the bottom up and independent like. For better or worse the previous two are almost like frozen (though more developed for a broader audience) moments of play at my table. I like to think that's for the better, that they are not artificial and impossible to play, but it does kind of back you into a corner when you are writing. Misty Isles was the first thing I could hog wild with a number of ideas for an adventure and mini-setting that were burning the back of my brain and old notebooks.

2. Luka Rejec. Working with Luka was a helluva positive experience and really his aesthetic vision—and drive to get it done—was so strong that I like to call him my other co-author (along with Robert Parker who wrote some great bits in the monster and artifact section). We had originally expected to get him to do a cover, eight interior illustrations and maps (he did an amazing job with the ones in Marlinko). But see we never even did an art order. The guy just set down read the manuscript and seemed to get totally inspired—and churned out 60-plus illustrations totally on his own intiative—and what illustrations! They were all so charming and fittingly weird that I am not ashamed to say that I ended up adding whole pages of new characters, gear and sites just based on what he was pumping out.


There were so many illustrations that sadly some of them had to get cut, some of my favorites even. But hey you can see them here below (actually, throughout the post) One of them is of Eldmen, slaves of the Eld who emulate the bulby heads of their masters with fake heads (yeah a Jack Vance homage), working the Plantation, one of the four adventure sites.



3. Extra-Planar Adventure. Misty was my first attempt to do a proper extra-planar adventure and it was surprisingly hard to get the weirdness of something that alien without making it so dang incoherent that  like a bad dream sequence in a movie you just shrug your shoulders. Like we don't really have many good examples in doing D&D adventures wholly off the prime material plane (leaving aside Planescape which gets some right and a lot wrong), so I found that challenging. A fun challenge yeah, but a challenge.


Monday, June 6, 2016

Greg Bilsland to Leave WotC - Will the Last to Leave Please Turn Out the Lights?

Greg Bilsland is leaving WotC. He was one of the few left actively working on / with the D&D team. I feel like I'm reading an Agatha Christie novel in slow motion.

From Greg's Linked In:

Marketer, Digital and Content
Wizards of the Coast
July 2014 – Present (2 years)Renton, WA
Manage content and design for Dungeons & Dragons website, as well as directing editorial for D&D's digital magazine app and collective social media channels.

Here's his announcement from Facebook:
I’ll be leaving Wizards of the Coast on June 21st. It wasn’t a decision I made lightly—working on D&D was my dream job, and it gave my wayward, 24-year-old soul a bit of direction. I came to D&D just before the announcement of D&D fourth edition, and now I leave as the fifth edition tabletop roleplaying game reaches new heights and expands to new horizons. It’s been a wild, crazy adventure (as any good D&D adventure should be), but and now I’m off to pursue new endeavors—including starting my own business. I’m excited for all the unpredictable things that come with that, if a bit trepidatious. I hope to stay involved in gaming as much as possible with writing, editing, marketing—and whatever else may come my way. 
Gary Gygax said “random chance plays a huge part in everybody's life.” I think that’s as true about taking chances as it is about a roll of the die. So I’m rolling the die and taking a chance on something new.

Back From NTRPG Con - Boy, am I Tired ;)

photo by Jonathan Perkel

Lets see. Not only did the TSA in Dallas - Fort Worth feel a need to pat me down, they also swabbed my fingers. Rach also got patted down (hair only) and had to show her fingers - no swabbing? Is NTRPG Con flagged for extra attention? Bad Mike, what's the secret?

That being said, the flight arrived at Laguardia 30 minutes early. Can I get an amen? (we heard lots of "Amens!" during the revival services happening right next to Merle Rausmussen's Espionage session yesterday)

I literally have way too many people to thank individually. I'm afraid to even try.

To everyone that took the time out of their gaming schedule to say "hi!" not only to me, but my wife Rach (and yes, they knew her name - it made her feel very special and probably proves they read The Tavern with some frequency) I say "thank you". Some of you made me blush, some of you shared selfies with me, some of you took selfies of me. Some of you gamed with Rach and I, some of you gamemastered for Rach and I. Some gave me gifts of gaming material, one made me a gift to store my gaming material and one gave me a gift of a selfie stick. Many of us shared meals, drinks, stories.

All gave of themselves to go to NTRPG Con and to be part of one of the most amazing communities in the OSR if not RPGs.

I'll be doing a series of posts about the gaming sessions, the con in general, acquisitions and reviews. More importantly, I'm asking you, my fellow NTRPG Con attendees, guests, hosts, sponsors - if you have a story to tell about the con or gaming in general and you don't know how or where to share it, share it here at The Tavern. Email me at trublunite at that gmail thing or contact me using the Blogger contact form on the right side of this page. Just because NTRPG is over until next year doesn't mean the stories need to stop flowing :)

edit - Jonathan, Rach simply loves this shot. You done well :)


Sunday, June 5, 2016

NTRPG Con - Auction Win - Signed by EGG Dangerous Journeys Book II



I bid on many things in the Saturday afternoon auction at NTRPG Con, but winning isn't something that comes to me (the midnight auction is another kettle of fish).

This year, I actually won something. A copy of Dangerous Journeys Book II: Mythus Magick - signed by E. Gary Gygax to Steve March in 1992. I then asked Steve to sign it for me and he did.



Winning bid was $170. Not bad at all.

I also picked up 2 other signed items on my trip to Texas. More on that later ;)


Kickstarter - Michael Satran's Journey to the Center of the Earth! (Champions / Savage Worlds / Mutants & Masterminds)



I'll be the first to admit that I don't play much in the world of supers. I love my superheroes but most of the adventures I've seen are more of the same old same old.Now, having just interviewed +Jeff Dee last night at NTRPG Con for Roll For Initiative and getting to flip through the latest printing of Villains & Vigilantes, I've got my eyes on the superhero RPG scene.

So, peeking at Kickstarter, there's Michael Satran's Journey to the Center of the Earth! for Champions (with conversions for Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds). I'd come across it earlier but hadn't looked close enough until now. This is a supers adventure that isn't something that's been done time and time again.
Jules Verne. The Lost World of the Warlord. Doc Savage. The Challengers of the Unknown. The Fantastic Four! The Savage Land! As long as there have been stories about explorers and superbeings, there have been stories of strange underground lands and societies at Earth's Center. This campaign supplement for Champions by veteran game author Michael Satran fits easily into any campaign world - and in glorious full color! It addresses a variety of differing power levels, with many options for adjustment and expansion. 
This softcover campaign supplement for Champions Complete using Hero System 6th Edition rules runs approximately 280 pages, including art and maps. All backers at the $20.00 or more level will also receive a zip file containing not only the PDF of the book, but additional PDFs character sheets and information for Savage Worlds and Mutants & Masterminds as well. 
Sinister sorcerers, Reptile Men, underground supervillains, hidden temples, evil cultists, and awesome archmages! This one's got it all! 
Meet the King of the Reptile Men, and find out why he wants to go to war with the surface world! 
Face The Oligarch, guardian of the laws of magic, and learn his hidden agenda! To many on the surface world he is a sinister villain! To others, a bold leader! 
Face cybernetic mole men, explore the underground, deal with earthquakes, lava, and hidden civilization. 
Additional information about underground environments and combat. 
Tons of ideas for your superhero game even if you don't play Champions, Savage Worlds, or Mutants & Masterminds! 
Maps of the Center of the Earth, including a typical city, key areas of the Reptile Empire and the Oligarch's Dark Spire! 
Learn secret objectives of the Cult of the Ebon Flame! 
See how other criminal organizations and governments deal with the Center of the Earth! 
Rules for how much knowledge the characters should have in different types of campaigns! 
Unique flora, fauna, and cultures! 
Over 30 new characters to bedevil, confront, and aid your heroes! 
Hundreds of plot seeds, ideas, and ways to mix things up to make your game unique!
So yeah, this excites me. Enough that I got Michael to send me a piece of art that hasn't been shown yet for the Kickstarter.

Go figure. Me and supers RPGs. Who'da thunk it?

NTRPG - Roll for Initiative Podcast - The Old School Interviews Episode



+Vincent Florio and I had a blast interviewing folks from the hobby last night at NTRPG Con for the Roll For Initiative Podcast . We scored some really great interviews.

Who did we interview you might ask?

+Richard LeBlanc
+Zach Glazar
Jeff Dee
The Frugal GM +Christopher Stogdill
Mike and Liz from Save or Die
Jim Wampler from Save or Die
DM Glen from Thaco’s Hammer
Jennell Jaquays

Give it a listen. It was a lot of fun and you can hear the Con energy in the background.

Photo courtesy of +Tim Snider , who we failed our roll to interview, but will have to track down at a later date. We understand there are apes in his future...


NTRPG Con - What Makes Skeeter Green?

Something goes horribly wrong at the Midnight Auction

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