We Have Arrived - Time to Run Naked Through the Halls!

Wait! That's been done already. Ah Well.

This is our room. Those are Rach's feet.

This is our view. That cloud hides and adventure.

Alright, time to explore the new hotel :)

Off To NTRPG Con We Go!

Rach and I have a noon flight to Dallas today. NTRPG Con here we come!

In case you missed it, last night we announced the launch of Tenkar's Tavern Crate, a monthly mailing of OSR goodness. I've already have publishers asking to be involved in the project and I'll be talking with others at NTRPG Con. I just realized, that makes this year's Con something that might actually involve work ;)

If you are at NTRPG this weekend, please, don't hesitate to introduce yourself. I don't bite and I am a tad more fun than a rock (inside joke there ;) Be warned, get me talking and I may be hard to shut up - heh.

I'll announce Tavern Chat's status for tonight after I settle in to NT/

Announcing the Tenkar's Tavern Monthly Crate of OSR Goodness - I Kid You Not!

Here's the official press release announcing the Tenkar's Tavern OSR Crate (I told you there was something special coming on the 8th Anniversary of The Tavern) 

Illusionist Investment Group Partners with Tenkar’s Tavern 

Erik Tenkar, the populist old school roleplaying (OSR) commentator and blogger, has granted theexclusive monthly subscription box license to the Illusionist Investment Group entertainment collective. 

Houston, TX, May 30, 2017 (www.illusioni.st) - Monthly subscription services are key to the growth of the Illusionist Investment Group (IIG). IIG brings scale, corporate business support, capital, technology resources, marketing specialists, and strategic relationships to key celebrities and creative studios within the tabletop game industry. 

“Tenkar’s Tavern brings a bold and edgy commentary to the adventure trade with blogs, social media, convention appearances, and brand licensing across many verticals,” said Jared Nielsen, Principal Investor of IIG. “We believe that with additional investment the Tenkar’s Tavern brand and IIG can mutually grow together.” 

When asked what appealed to him about bring involved with a monthly crate, Erik Tenkar responded: “To be honest, I love getting monthly surprises in the mail, especially those related to RPGs. An offer to help curate a monthly crate of OSR goodies was something I just couldn't pass on." 

About Illusionist Investment Group LLC 

The Illusionist Investment Group is a woman-owned, Houston-based company focused on developing entertainment properties within the tabletop game industry that includes board games, card games, roleplaying games, miniatures, web games, mobile apps and augmented reality games. 

About Tenkar’s Tavern 

Tenkar’s Tavern is a cutting edge network of blogs, events, social media and convention
appearances led by its namesake, Erik Tenkar. Over time Erik has become the voice of the old school roleplaying market with his edgy humor and incisive wit. An avid gamer, Erik not only comments on the games he reviews, but he creates his own content and inspires and assists other small press publishers using his podium as a megaphone. He is respected by old school grognards and newbies alike for his fairness and transparency with industry reporting and game information. 

About Tenkar’s Tavern Crate 

The Tenkar’s Tavern crate is a monthly subscription box filled with a mystery selection of OSR gaming products. Products range from RPG books, scenarios, adventure modules, dice, tabletop game accessories, miniatures and much more. With a changing selection each month this crate aims to satisfy collectors in the old school roleplaying market segment.

Media Contacts:
Trina Burns
Illusionist Investment Group
(832) 664-7993
trina@illusioni.st
www.illusioni.st 

So, what does this mean for you?

Well, if you are a gamer I hope to present you with a deep selection of OSR goodness. You've been loyal readers for years, some of your for the full eight years, and this is part of me paying you back. Seriously, I love getting my Loot Crate and Mythoard every month, but the idea of a monthly shipment of OSR picks landing on my doorstep is simply awesome. If you've been following the current OSR Extravaganza Sale at RPGNow, you know the waters of the OSR are deep and full of life. Its time to take a swim in those waters.

If you are a publisher of OSR or System Neutral products, rulebooks, adventures, accessories, settings, etc and you would like to be part of the Tenkar's Tavern Crate I need to talk with you. Email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing. Put "Tenkar's Crate" in the email heading. We'll talk gaming and TPKs before getting down to the nitty gritty.

If you are a publisher and will be at NTRPG Con this week, we WILL talk. Trust me on this :)

As if you can't tell, I'm extremely excited to be a part of this. I've been dying to talk about this for weeks!

Doh! Sign up is on the right side of this page! DO spread the word! The more folks that sign up for the crate the better the crates are for everyone. Now to put my Tenkar's Tavern Crate Wishlist together...

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - The Witch Queen's Lair was in the Lost City of the Dwarves beneath the Frozen Fortress of the Winter Lord

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

Saga of the Witch Queen - Lets look back to the Summer of 2007, when Goodman Games released Saga of the Witch Queen at Gen Con. A 1e adventure for AD&D 1e, it is one of +Harley Stroh 's earlier works. Conversion by +Jon Hershberger - "Drawn into a series of adventures spanning the north, the heroes take up arms against the sinister machinations of Kyleth, the Witch Queen. Beginning in the miserable bog known as the Great Swamp, the heroes are called to thwart Kyleth’s plot to create sinister artifacts of unholy blight. But the Witch Queen is a tenacious foe, protected by wicked dweomers and ancient rites. Running their prey to ground, the heroes must navigate the perilous halls and torturous caverns of the Lost Passage of the Drow. Their epic quest comes to a head in a battle that stretches across the icy reaches of the Northlands and to the stygian demesne of Baba Yazoth herself!"  $9.99  $8.49

Frozen Fortress of the Winter Warlord - This time we only are going back to 2014. Amazing cover +James Spahn -  "Cold Be Hand and Heart and Bone!and written by none other than our very own Frozen Fortress of the Winter Warlord is an adventure module for 4 - 6 characters of 9th - 12th level for Labyrinth Lord and other old school fantasy role-playing games. Utilizing rules in both the Labyrinth Lord core rules and the Advanced Edition Companion, this huge adventure pits the characters against foes of undead and ice!"

In addition to the adventure Frozen Fortress of the Winter Warlord includes...

-A complete dossier on the village of Winterhome, an adventuring location that can easily be inserted into any fantasy campaign - including NPCs and a rumor table!
-Seven new magic items
-Ten original monsters for use in any old school fantasy role-playing game
-Optional rules for frigid temperatures and how to survive them

This adventure is suitable for several weeks of gaming, with over 100 unique locations!  $4.95  $4.21

Lost City of the Dwarves Part 1:Discovery - They had me with Dwarves. Really. Slam dunk - "The first book in the Path of Legends gaming book series which allows you to choose the path of your adventure while using a dice-rolling combat system. The refined OSRIC-compatible adventure system (old school d20 RPG) has a minimal learning time but covers the most used aspects of old school gaming. In no time you’ll be hunting for enchanted items, battling goblins, rat-men and other creatures, enhancing your combat with a variety of potions and solving puzzles with deadly traps. Best of all, the character that you create, level up and spend time building in this adventure can be used continually in all of the Path of Legends books as you travel the path to becoming a living legend."  $5.99  $5.09

For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

The Tavern - Eight Years and Still Open Every Day - Thanks to You!

Ashley knows something the party doesn't...

Eight years ago today Tenkar's Tavern hit the blogoshpere. Actually, the blog was created a year before, but with the exception of a single test post it wasn't really alive.

Now, eight years later, here we are. The prolific posting has slowed down slightly but we've only missed a day of posting once in over five years. Conventions, sickness, holidays, vacations, a 29 1/2 hour work day, family drama, whatever - we've been posting.

Notice I said "we". I'm not alone here. Others do post and share at The Tavern and guest posters are always welcome. It is your community after all, I am merely the bartender. I keep the taps flowing, enable the conversation and throw out the occasionally unruly customer (we have few of those)

I can't thank you all enough for joining me on this wild ride. It has been and continues to be, a blast :)

So, where do we go from here?

Well, after I get back from NTRPG Con next week I plan on immersing myself in InDesign and getting some more creatures, magic items and even adventures up on RPGNow. PWYW or low prices, it will all be meant to be used.

Once I know how close Swords & Wizardry Continual Light is to release I'll turn the fire back on with the Torchlight contributors. Can't put the cart before the horse.

There's another project that may get announced later today or may not. Sometimes things fall into place as hoped, sometimes the process takes longer than planned. Its all good and will be worth the wait if it comes to that.

Last, but far from least, I'd like to thank you all for your support. Whether with words, donations, affiliate links (my God but judging from my numbers over the last week, the OSR has been neglected in the past by RPGNow - y'all are on fire!), evangelizing SWL, participating in The Tavern's Facebook Community or simply reading The Tavern - your actions are why I continue doing what I do and enjoy doing it so much.

Here's to another eight years and then some!

Ashley is a cruel DM.

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Operation White Box has an Urban Encounter Beyond the Wall

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures - probably the Old School game I want to borrow from more than any other. On my list of "things to reread for inspiration - "Lots of times, we want to play a roleplaying game but just don’t have the time for all the prep work involved. No more. Beyond the Wall and Other Adventures is a kit to make a gang of childhood friends and send them off on their first big adventure, just like in the novels we loved growing up. Now we have this simple fantasy roleplaying game that gives a group of players all the tools they need to play an exciting adventure in a single evening, no homework, no fuss. Anyone with a background in OSR games will already be comfortable with the core rules of Beyond the Wall."


• Inspired by the works of Ursula K. LeGuin, Susan Cooper, and Lloyd Alexander.
• Character Playbooks and Scenario Packs for play in a single evening with no prep.
• Player driven village design for fleshing out the characters’ home.
• Six Character Playbooks, including the Village Hero and the Witch’s Prentice.
• Two Scenario Packs: the Angered Fae and the Hidden Cult.  $7.99  $6.79

WWII: Operation WhiteBox - If you are at all interested in military roleplaying, this is your go to game. The fact that it is powered by the Swords & Wizardry White Box rules is simply a small bonus - "In WWII: Operation WhiteBox, the player characters (PCs) play the role of WWII special forces operatives. They may be formally trained and part of an officially designated special forces unit such as the SAS or U.S. Army Airborne, or they may simply be guerilla fighters dedicated to making life hard for the German Army. They may also be covert agents working for organizations such as the SOE or OSS. Whatever their affiliation, their job is to complete missions behind enemy lines, paving the way for the next Allied advance. WWII: Operation WhiteBox is a standalone game that uses the Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox rules as its base."  $7.99  $6.79


The Book of Lairs: Urban Encounters - I simply love releases like this. Twenty-five lairs - or twenty -five potential adventures - for less than five bucks. Huzzah! - "The Book of Lairs: Urban Encounters is a collection of 25 lairs in an urban environment, with full-colour maps, map details and monster statistics. It uses the Adventurer, Conqueror, King System (ACKS) for its mechanics, but is easily adapted to other games. Most of the content is system-neutral.

It uses monsters from ACKS, Teratic Tome, Monstrosities, and The Tome of Horror Complete. Also included are two new monsters, both brilliantly illustrated by Gennifer Bone.  $4.80  $4.52

For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Kickstarter - Blood & Bones: Tabletop/PC Role-playing Game (Uhm - yeah...)

Boy, is this awkward. The creator emailed me in the hopes that I'd cover his Blood & Bones Kickstarter, and I am - but I don't think its the coverage that he desired.

First, the good stuff. The Kickstarter page is pretty much free of grammatical and spelling mistakes. Pledge levels can fund the Kickstarter. Sometimes I think both are uncommon these days. The email inquiry was polite enough. Shit. This isn't easy.

Okay, here are the issues I see:

#1 - $50k goal from an unknown creator. Not just First Created but it appears, Zero Backed. No resume of prior projects or sample of prior work. Again, asking 50k.

#2 - Its a project many years in the making. Yes, we are talking classic Heartbreaker.

#3 - Monies are going towards living expenses (paying himself for the work) While I do understand time is money, there is no break down as to where the money is going .

#4 - Novels are also involved. To advertise the game. Need I say more?

#5 - No discussion of the rules on the KS page aside from a need for an app to play. Watch the video and you'll see the NEED for an app

#6 - Pledge levels included different levels for each of the three core rulebooks. No mention of add ons.

#7 - Mentions electronic versions of the rules in the video. No PDF level to back. Unless the backer levels are for PDFs. Doesn't say physical products.

#8 - Video mentions hiring folks to work on the project.

#9 - Money is needed to playtest. Shouldn't playtest of some sort have happened BEFORE asking for 50k?

#10 - Risks & Challenges - Apparently, Number One is "making a lot of money from this game" - Need I say more?

Yeah, I know. Harsh.

Kickstarter is not some sore of virtual cash machine where you put up a project and $50k spits out. It doesn't work that way. Especially not now with burned and angry backers lurking on every KS page.

Do you need 50k to bring this project to life? You certainly haven't spelled out the expenses to justify it. How are books shipping? Not POD obviously, as they are binders. Have you taken into account the cost of shipping? How about international shipping, which may be more than you've actually charged for the book? Are you handling fulfillment? An outside company? What about art expenses? Why are we expected to pay your bills when you have no proven record, either in the hobby or on Kickstarter.

My advice?

Rework your funding numbers. Lower you goal by AT LEAST 90%. Have some sample art. Show some sample writing from the rulebooks. Figure out your potential shipping costs! I can't stress shipping enough. Its the most common way for Kickstarter success to lead to Kickstarter distress.

Fat Goblin Games has some One Dollar Stock Art Selections - Limited Time

Fat Goblin Games has a limited selection of stock art for a buck, limited time only.

Follow THIS LINK and you will see a selection of One Dollar stock art collections.

Note - Not everything is on sale at a buck, but that which os is well worth the price of admission.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Mutant Apes & Spacemen in Spaceship Labyrinths!

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

Starships & Spacemen 2e - Labyrinth Lord in Spaaaaccceeeeee! I'd love to play in a White Star / Starships & Spaceman mashup ;) - "Boldly explore the galaxy in search of alien civilizations! You take the role of a Military Officer, Technical Officer, Science Officer, or Enlisted Man in the Galactic Confederation. Travel in a starship under your command, on missions of first contact, rescue, exploration, and more in a galaxy full of hostile aliens. Try to maintain the tenuous truce with the militaristic Zangid, and fight the Videni who may look like your Tauran allies, but do not adhere to a philosophy of peace and logic.

Design alien humanoids with either "original series" or "next generation" sensibilites, or blend the two approaches! There are 100 forehead shapes that may be randomly rolled when a new alien race is encountered.

This book contains: Eight player races, Three main classes, with several subclasses, Rules for spaceships and exploration, many alien creatures and more..."  $6.45  $5.48

Mutant Future - Labyrinth Lord meets Gamma World. Oh my! - "The sinister and sadistic bleating of spidergoats echoes in the night, a complementary chorus to the rustling of an unfortunate victim caught in their webs. In deep, dank caves to the north, corrupted humans take communion with an unspeakably evil abomination they worship as a god. Shrill cries from the fields can only mean the vomit flies are back, molesting your livestock. In short, just another day in the Mutant Future!

Mutant Future is a post-apocalyptic science fantasy RPG, in the same flavor of similar genre games from the late 70s and early 80s. The game is almost entirely open game content, and a free trademark license allows anyone to publish materials compatible with Mutant Future.

Enter a post-apocalyptic nuclear wasteland filled with mutants, ruins, and radiation! You can take the role of an android, mutant human, mutant animal, pure human, and even a mutant plant! Seek wealth and ancient technological artifacts. Enter vast underground complexes, and avoid killer robots!"
$6.95  $5.91

Apes Victorious - Labyrinth Lord meets... you guessed it... Planet of the Apes - Apes Victorious is a roleplaying game in which you take the role of an astronaut from the 1970’s who finds himself marooned on a future Earth ruled by intelligent apes. Players may also take the role of an ape, a degenerated human, or a psi-active under dweller. Fight to survive in this post-apocalyptic future ruled by four species of apes. Or play apes who hunt humans for sport. For a different kind of campaign, play highly intelligent but insane under dwellers who have advanced technology and powerful psi powers.


This book contains:
-A complete game
-A post-nuclear apocalyptic setting in which apes have become the dominant species
-Seven player classes
-Animals and creatures of the post-nuclear future
-Campaign advice
-A complete introductory adventure
-Conversion notes for compatible games including: Labyrinth Lord, Mutant Future, Starships & Spacemen

Grab them all and play the genre mashup - Mutant Apes & Spacemen in Spaceship Labyrinths!

Remember, the art free version of Labyrinth Lord is free.

For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Announcement - Star Sword Magazine Issue #1 is Live (White Star RPG)

+James Spahn had mentioned he was working on a magazine for White Star but I never dreamed it was this far along. Yep, Star Sword Magazine Issue #1 is here (PDF for now, POD will be coming soon) - 3.99 in Galactic Credits - failing that, USC should suffice ;)

Welcome to the exciting first issue of Star Sword: The Official White Star Magazine! Each quarter you'll get the original content from across the galaxy! Each issue will feature new fiction, new classes, new equipment, adventure seeds and plot hooks, and thrilling sci-fi heroics as infinite as the stars themselves! 

Thrill to the Tales of the Cosmic Kestrel!
Discover the heroic powers of Prime Humans!
Arm yourself with Gunslinger Gear!
Be drawn between Star and Void as you use your Knight's Gambit deck to discover The Blade's Way!
And much more! 

Star Sword: The Official White Star Magazine is designed for use with White Star: White Box Science Fiction Roleplaying  and White Star: Galaxy Edition, but all the material can easily be adapted to any classic OSR-style roleplaying game. 

What's that? You don't own White Star? You do realize that White Star is currently PWYW, both in PDF and Print (minimum cost for print to cover, well, the printing) - Go grab your copy, then come back and grab your Star Sword!

Remember, all purchases made through The Tavern's affiliate links help to support The Tavern. Don't let the taps run dry, support your local barkeep ;)

The Other Basic Ancient Red "Almost Red Box Cover" - Larry Elmore - Limited Print - Signed and Numbered

I saw the original at +Frank Mentzer 's house the night before Gary Con kicked off. It really is an amazing "what if" piece of art.

Prints are $40 plus shipping ($16 in the US)

D&D - Other Basic Ancient Red

This is a print, original size, of the sketch for the cover painting of basic Dungeons and Dragons. Gary Gygax wanted only the Dragon and Warrior on the painting so it would "Jump out and grab ya"
Limited Edition

Cubicle 7 to Put Out New Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay - Update! Also - Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game Announced

Before I do the news dump, let me just say - I own all previous editions of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (even that box that called itself an RPG but was really the precursor to the miniatures wargame). I loved running the Games Workshop version, enjoyed reading the Green Ronin version and really couldn't make heads or tails of the Fantasy Flight version Screw that, I simply didn't like the la. I'm cautiously optimistic of Cubicle 7's upcoming version with it drawing upon the first two for inspiration.

A new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay will be launched by Cubicle 7 Entertainment later this year. The new edition will return players to Warhammer's grim world of perilous adventure, and takes its direction from the first and second editions of the game. 

Cubicle 7 CEO Dominic McDowall said, "Like so many gamers I grew up on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. It's an iconic setting and I'm thrilled to be working on this new edition of the game. Our team have a huge breadth of experience with Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, and I’m excited to be able to bring the Cubicle 7 approach to the Old World. We’ll be revealing more of our plans in the coming months, so subscribe to our newsletter and keep an eye on our website!”

From the Cubicle 7 Facebook posting.

But wait! There's more! From the Cubicle 7 website posted earlier today!

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game Announced! 

Games Workshop and Cubicle 7 Entertainment have announced the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game, for release in 2018. 

Warhammer Age of Sigmar is Games Workshop’s epic tale of heroes, gods and monsters fighting a desperate battle for the fate of the Mortal Realms. 

Dominic McDowall, Cubicle 7 CEO said, “The Warhammer Age of Sigmar setting is fantasy at its most imaginative. The Mortal Realms are fascinating, highly evocative and hold endless possibilities for roleplaying. I am enormously excited to explore them with the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game!” 

This news follows Cubicle 7’s announcement of the fourth edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for release in 2017. These two games will be independent game lines with different rulesets.

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Colonial Troopers find The Devil in the Crypt inside The Pyramid of the Lost King

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

The Devil in the Crypt - Death will come on swift wings to those who disturb the tomb of the Black Pharaoh! Haunted by evil both otherworldly and mundane, the tomb of the sorcerer-king Akhenseti lies waiting. Within its halls are secrets to be uncovered, enemies to be defeated, and weirdness to be encountered. “The Devil in the Crypt” is an OSR adventure for a party of 4-8 characters between level 1 and 3. It is designed to be system agnostic and compatible with traditional role-playing games.
$3.00  $2.55

Colonial Troopers - If you know Swords & Wizardry, you already know the system behind Colonial Troopers, as it is one and the same - What if the first RPG was inspired by hard Science Fiction as written by Robert Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Isaac Asimov, and Frank Herbert instead of Tolkienesque fantasy? Colonial Troopers is a science fiction RPG compatible with the original fantasy roleplaying game and subsequent editions, and other “OSR” games that follow in the mold of the original like, Guardians, Warriors of the Red Planet, and others. If your tastes run towards battle hardened combat armor, some attention to real physics, and explorations of just what it is to be human, you’ve found the right book. As in the fiction of the above writers, the players are confronted with an unforgiving universe full of wonders and deadly quirks of science ready to astound and enchant, and cull the unwary.
$9.99  $8.50

Pyramid of the Lost King - campaign, setting or adventure? Now you don't have to choose :) Millions of year ago the lands of Usarm were devastated by a great Cataclysm in the final days of the war between the Gods of Usa’arm and the demonish threat of the N’zi. In the wake of a final assault by the Usa’arm the very fabric of reality was torn asunder flooding the world with arcane energies and rips that sundered other worlds and realities … and in the process sank Usarm into the dark depths of ruin. Now, Usarm is home to races and monsters dragged through those rips; refugees who now call a world ravaged by magic home. Wars between some races is common, and a dark threat rises in the North and another in the far south. A south that until now was left unexplored by the peoples of Usarm. Intrigued by the prospect of riches the Merchants Guilds of Newrk stretch their arms and money into the great southern desert of the Saragubi hoping to find new peoples and new cultures to trade with and to grow more wealthy by.

Pyramid of the Lost King is designed for play with Frog God Games Swords & Wizardry and can be enjoyed by characters of the first to five level and is as much a campaign as it is an adventure. Within this book lay the trade city of Basq, the Rift Bridge, the Saragubi Desert, and hours of adventure for all who are foolhardy enough to venture into the Desert.
$10.00  $8.50

 For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Kickstarter - Wandering Monster Decks for 5E and Pathfinder!

Wandering Monster Decks for 5E and Pathfinder is a Kickstarter by Nord Games. I've enjoyed backing their previous KSs as they seem to have a nice handle on GM accessories regardless of system used.

What I find interesting with this offering is that they have licensed content from both Frog God Games and Kobold Press in addition to using the core creatures for both Pathfinder and 5e.

Now, I know the question on the minds of many: Why am I even looking at this if it doesn't directly support Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC or some other OSR system? Because looking at the card backs, they appear fairly systemless. So long as you have access to a monster book of sorts appropriate for the deck you are using for your system, it looks like you are good to go. Obviously, Tome of Beasts and Fifth Edition Foes require a specific reference book.

Still, I'd love a deck of cards that refers to Swords & Wizardry Monstrosities... hint... hint ;)

12 bucks a deck makes this a very fair deal.

40% Off Many of the Troll Lord PDFs - Today Only

Sorry for the late notification - the email came in around 2PM but I only caught it now.

Here are the direct links:

For the Player

Monsters (actually only 15%, so not linked)

Adventures

World of Aihrde

Remember, use of The Tavern's Affiliate links keeps the lights on here at The Tavern :)

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Random Esoterica invade the Town of Brighton in the Misty Isles

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

+James Raggi 's Random Esoteric Creature Generator for Classic Fantasy Role-Playing Games and their Modern Simulacra is a mouthful. It is ALSO extremely useful and full of inspiration when you want that "special" creature to entertain your players (and gives some insight into LotFP Weird Fantasy rules).

Looking to instill a little fear in your game? Then look no further! Nothing brings the thrill – and terror – of discovery to a game like new monsters. Faced with the unknown, mighty-thewed heroes tremble in their hauberks, wizened wizards fumble with their spell books, and even the most audacious of rogues hesitate before plunging into battle. Nevermore worry that your players have memorized every monster’s stat, power and weakness. Nevermore resort to tired fantasy clichés, and worn out monsters fought a thousand times before. The Random Esoteric Creature Generator ensures that each monster your PCs cross is unique, unexpected, and best of all – unknown. With an unlimited number of horrific combinations, this is the last monster book you will ever need. Bring terror back to the table with the Random Esoteric Creature Generator! 

Rules Set: Systems-neutral, designed to be used with any RPG  $7.99  $6.79

Dark Times in Brighton - An adventure and a town designed for Labyrinth Lord, but really for the OSR ruleset of your preference. Who doesn't need a town for his or her players to be based in?

Dark Times in Brighton is an adventure for four to six characters of 1st - 2nd level. Although designed as a Labyrinth LordTM compatible product, It is easily compatible with most fantasy RPG systems.  In addition to the adventure itself, contained within these pages are details of Brighton and its people, a town that could easily become an important part of your character's careers as adventurers. 

The town of Brighton exists in the north, at the source of the Daakencraags where the Darkenwolde Forest shades the winding Brother’s River. The legendary adventurer, Richan Thatcher (along with his party of adventurers) carved the place away from a once mighty goblin kingdom. It has prospered for many long decades, until now. Townsfolk are disappearing from the surrounding countryside. Goblins are on the march once more. If that wasn’t enough, a terrible blighting disease has infected the waters and not even the curative magics of the Temple of the Winds can thwart it. This is indeed a very dark time for Brighton. Too old to do anything about it himself, Thatcher has sent out a call to any adventurers who will swear their swords to his mighty town and its innocent people. 

Are your players hero enough to face down a growing goblin horde? Are they brave enough to fell the mighty goblin shaman, Vir-Kayik? Are they clever enough to find the source of the blight and cleanse the town’s water source? Are they the light to end these dark times in Brighton?                                        $5.00  $4.25

Misty Isles of the Eld - Dude, its got a meth-fruit plantation house! Heh. I was given a print copy of this at last year's NTRPG Con. It was a trip to flip through on the flight home ;)

Come visit the acid fantasy mini-sandbox of the Misty Isles, a hellish pocket plane that's brutally displaced a bucolic paradise. Marvel at its massive grub-ridges, shake at the body horror of its protein vats—and watch as your players dynamically unleash the Anti-Chaos Index through their own in-game actions. Misty Isles of the Eld is a stand-alone sequel to Slumbering Ursine Dunes and Fever-Dreaming Marlinko. 

What's inside its 104 pages:
-Four dungeons. The Vat Complex (with its menacing sealed off-west wing, body-horrific industrial process and pocket dimensions), the flying god-prison Monument Five, the meth-fruit Plantation House and Colonel Zogg's Pagoda Bunker.
-Full “extra-planar” pointcrawl. The wilderness crawl spreads over one main isle and two smaller islets subdivided by massive, movable grubs.
-An “Anti-Chaos Index.” Through their actions the players shape the very reality of the Isles. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst, but always for the weird.
-A slew of new otherwordly monsters.
-A large collection of bizarre technological Eldish artifacts and treasure. Includes a random generator for miscellaneous artifacts picked up.
-A new psionicist player class, the Psychonaut, with a soft scifi twist. Including its own powers and mutations.                                          $12.00  $10.20

 For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

 

OSR Extravaganza Sale - OSRIC Adventures Bundle - 8 Adventures for 10 Bucks

Expeditious Retreat Press is offering a bundle of OSRIC Adventures from their Advanced Adventures line - 8 adventures in PDF for $10 bucks. At that price it's hard to go wrong. So, what's in the bundle you might ask?

The Lost Keys of Solitude is an OSRIC(TM) module designed for 6-8 adventurers of levels 6-10.

While traveling through the foothills of the Garvain Mountains, your party found refuge for the night in a hermit's cave. In the morning, you wake to find the hermit and all his possessions gone, all except for two golden tiles: one embossed with the image of a bull with his hrons down and ready to charge, the other a tiger poised and ready to pounce. When the tiles are placed next to each other so that the bull and tiger face one another, the embossed images move, fusing the two pieces into one. The newly created image is the bull and tiger locked in combat. The fused piece is easily separated, and when separated, the images of the bull and tiger return to norm...

Stonesky Delve is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventures of levels 4-7.

Giant Stonesky Mountain has been a spiritual home for the Dwarves since the first clan received the 4 Pillars of the Underearth from Motsognir. The voice of the dwarven deity purified the halls and caves under Stonesky and the mountain has been a sanctified place for all the various dwarven peoples. And now, as lamentable dwarven internal conflicts rage on, a new entrance into the Stonesky has prompted an exploratory party. Unwilling to send his own into the dark hole when they are so desperately needed elsewhere, the local Hlaford's hired you for your delving expertise. Your mission - enter, explore, map, and do not return to the surface until the passing of three days!

The Frozen Wave Satsuma is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-8 adventures of levels 3-5.

A bank of frigid fog rolls down the northern coasts, bringing seaborne raiders sacking villages and temples along the way. Survivors wail of strange-speaking men in stranger armor, wielding weapons unseen in civilized lands. All know that the fog must hide a larger ship of some equally strange design, for the raiders strike from small boats which would surely capsize in the open seas.

What dangers await upon the cold and windy ocean? What terrible foreign ship lurks within the haze, hiding like a lion upon the wine-dark sea? Into this fog travels the intrepid party - seeking to solve the mystery of The Frozen Wave Satsuma!

The Riddle of Anadi is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 5-7 adventures of levels 6-10.

The ancient name of Anadi is legendary among sages, mystics, and wizards throughout the land. It was the Great Sage herself who researched countless magical rituals and spells commonly used today. Yet none know what ultimately became of Anadi; rumors abound that she ascended to godhood, she was enslaved by some demon of the nether planes, or that she simply died and is buried in some long forgotten location.

The Obsidian Sands of Syncrates is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventures of levels 4-7. It was the tournament adventure at GenCon Indy 2011.

Returning from a successful trading voyage to far-away lands, the party's ship is stranded in the doldrums. After two days without any wind, the sky darkens and small particles of black ash fall like a dark snow. The party's two native guide-translators panic and begin wildly yelling, quickly whipping themselves into a fury of fear. Faster than the group can react, the two guides pull their small knives and stab themselves in the chest repeatedly as they jump over the side of the ship...

Redtooth Ridge is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventurers of levels 1-3.The plain wooden cup the dryad Aralina needs for her great oak’s rebirth has been stolen by creeping foul things! Small, man-like, creatures with great heads assaulted her and, in the confusion, pick-pocketed the cup before fleeing towards Redtooth Ridge. Without her cup, her tree with die before it can reproduce and she will die with it. In her distress, she has offered a reward of a beautiful coral necklace in exchange for her plain wooden cup. The call has gone out and surely a party exists willing to assault Redtooth Ridge?

The Red Mausoleum: The populated regions north of the Sistermoors have enjoyed over a century of respite from the wars that once plagued the area. However, within the past year, baronial patrols have reported clashes with undead and other dark creatures brave enough to strike out from the moors into the forests of men and elves. The Baron’s sage suspects that the undead issue out of the mysterious ancient landmark known as the Red Mausoleum located somewhere on the wild stretches of the moors!

The Seven Shrines of Nav'k-Qar is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-8 adventurers of levels 8-12.

Nav'k-Qar! A name lost to antiquities and feared only by scholars who know of the dread toad god's former power... once surrounded by a cult which performed the most vile and evil acts in his honor. Now that all of his followers are long dead and the temples of the Gray One completely destroyed, the final resting place of the cult's last riches has been a source of speculation for generations. At long last, one scholar discovered the location of that elusive shrine, the greatest one of all... the fabled Seven Shrines!

Do you have the strength, knowledge and skill to penetrate the horrors of that dread place and wrest the vast treasure from the jaws of the Gray One himself?

For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Fat Goblin Games "One Dollar Sale - Some OSR and GM Tools are Included

Fat Goblin Games is running a "One Dollar Sale" on many of their lines of releases (not all). Much of it is Pathfinder, so if that strikes your fancy, have at it. There is, however, some OSR goodness and some GM tools included in the sale.

The OSR releases include the following at a buck a piece:

Bride of the Darkened Rider, an adventure for the DCC RPG

Basilisk Goggles and Wishing Wells, a magic item resource for LL and other OSR games

Sinister Serpents: New forms of Dragonkind - I reviewed this a while back. Its a very nice way to keep your players on their toes.

GM Resources include the following at a buck a piece:

The GM's Cartographer Companion

The GM's World Building Journal

The GM's Adventure Planner

The GM's Monster Memoir

The GM's Allies and Adversaries Journal

The Master Player's Adventures Journal

The GM's Star Log

Don't forget the OSR Extravaganza Sale :)

5% of all sales made through The Tavern's Affiliate Links goes to support The Tavern. I appreciate all of the support.

No Testing of the Facebook Live Feed Tonight - Its Snot Right

Well, the cold that Rach was nice enough to share with me has come full swing. I really doubt anyone wants to view and listen to a Facebook Live feed with me blowing my nose (its also why I told Rach that although Indian food might clear the sinuses for dinner tonight, we will not be doing any other patrons a favor ;)

Might attempt it this weekend. We'll see. Hasn't helped that its been raining all damn day. Sigh.

Still, gives me time to make some picks for the OSR Extravaganza Sale :)

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - The Barrel Rider went to The Majestic Wilderlands

Some OSR publishers were left in the cold when the OSR Extravaganza Sale kicked off yesterday. Have no fear! They are back and with deeper discounts than the rest.

Barrel Rider Games ( +James Spahn ) best known for White Star and the series of White Box releases, has entered the fray:

A few of Barrel Rider Games' White Box and White Star products seem to have slipped past the OSR Extravaganza! But fear not! Not only are all of these following products on sale for the duration of the OSR Extravaganza, they're also 20% off instead of the current sale price of 15% 

Products discounted at 20% include: White Box Companion [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Treasures [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Bestiary [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Wererat's Well [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Wizard's Tower [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Dragon's Hoard [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Omnibus [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Demihumans [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Companion II [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Options: Psychic Talents [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Classics: Reluctant Heroes [Swords & Wizardry], Uttin [White Star], Combat Medic [White Star], Brimling [White Star], Rock Star [White Star], White Box Gothic [Swords & Wizardry] and White Box Compendium [Swords & Wizardry]! 

Other OSR products currently on sale as part of the OSR Extravaganza at 15% off include all of Barrel Rider Games' Labyrinth Lord and Starships & Spacemen products like Class Compendium, They're Only Kobolds and the 2012 Barrel Rider Bundle!

Bat in the Attic Games ( +Rob Conley ) is also offering deep discounts:

The Majestic Wilderlands - From the City-State of the Invincible Overlord to the ancient city of Viridistan the wilderness is thick with dungeons and ruins. Contained in this book are the background and rules used in a campaign thirty years in the making. You will find over two dozen classes ranging from Soldiers to Mountebanks and races of Reptile Men to Half-Viridians. New races, magic variants, creatures, and magic items can be found within these pages. Also included is a complete overview of the Majestic Wilderlands. Begin your journey into the Majestic Wilderlands and become the next person to carve their mark in the hall of destiny. A 140 page rules supplement compatible with the Swords & Wizardry rules and a guide to the Majestic Wilderlands $7.00  $4.20

Scourge of the Demon Wolf - Three died. They were mauled beyond recognition. The Baron sent his huntsmen to kill the beasts and for a fortnight they tramped across the countryside. Between their whoring and drinking they killed twelve wolves, parading their skins through the village. They were hung on poles as trophies of victory. Then the huntsmen left, the beasts slain, the village saved… so we thought. As the fields turned golden under the summer sun the killings began again. Four more died. Then the Baron's man, the bailiff, was killed on the high meadow in sight of Mitra's Temple. His screams could be heard well into the village. He was only identified after we reassembled the pieces. With the priest's help I wrote a report to our liege, the Baron of Westtower. My report ended with, There will be no harvest until the beast is slain and the killings stopped.
A 72 page adventure compatible with the Swords & Wizardry  rules and a setting supplement to the Majestic Wilderlands. detailing a small barony, a complete fantasy village, a conclave of mages, a crossroads hamlet, and a camp of wandering beggars. $10.00  $6.00

I'd like to mention my two PWYW releases - Pocket Creatures Volumes 1 & 2. Grab them for free. Use them. Enjoy.

All posts for the OSR Extravaganza Sale can be found using this link.

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - Lets Discuss Some OSR Picks :)

In the midst of the excitement with the launch of today's OSR Sale at RPGNow we'll be having our regularly scheduled Tavern Chat tonight.

When: 9 PM Eastern

Where: Chatwing chat window on the right side of this page

Oh, we'll probably also talk about tomorrow night's test of the Tavern Chat Live Call In Show :)

AD&D 2e Core Books Plus Planescape Bundle - 8 Books - 15 Bucks

Its strange that I don't see these bundles directly linked under the OSR Sale going on at RPGNow. In any case, in addition to the AD&D 1e bundle and the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and Gazetteer bundle there is the AD&D 2e plus Planescape Bundle.

Here's what you get for your 15 bucks:

Players Handbook, 2e

DMG, 2e

Monstrous Manual, 2e

Plansecape - Original Boxes Set

In the Cage: Guide to Sigi

Planes of Chaos

Planes of Conflict

Planes of Law

Eight PDFs, 15 bucks

I appreciate all the support shown for The Tavern in using the affiliate links. Huzzah!

RPGNow - OSR Extravaganza Sale - 15% Off Plus Bundle Deals!

How the bloody hell did I miss this?

RPGNow is running an OSR Extravaganza Sale for the next 18+ Days. That is simply awesome.

In addition to the AD&D 1e Bundle of Eight Core books I just posted about minutes ago the is also a Known World Bundle which includes the Rules Cyclopedia!

Here's what you get in the Known World Bundle

D&D Rules Cyclopedia

GAZ1 The Grand Duchy of Karameikos (Basic)

GAZ2 The Emirates of Ylaruam (Basic)

GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri (Basic)

GAZ4 The Kingdom of Ierendi (Basic)

GAZ5 The Elves of Alfheim (Basic)

GAZ6 The Dwarves of Rockhome (Basic)

GAZ7 The Northern Reaches (Basic)

GAZ8 The Five Shires (Basic)

GAZ9 The Minrothad Guilds (Basic)

GAZ10 The Orcs of Thar (Basic)

GAZ11 The Republic of Darokin (Basic)

GAZ12 The Golden Khan of Ethengar (Basic)

GAZ13 The Shadow Elves (Basic)

GAZ14: The Atruaghin Clans (Basic)

Fifteen PDF for BECMI D&D - 15 bucks

I'll be making OSR Picks of the Day starting tomorrow :)

Remember, all sales via The Tavern's affiliate links goes to support The Tavern. Shop Smart! Shop using The Tavern's affiliate links ;)

edit - a hair over 1300 items on sale. 2 1/2 weeks MAY be enough time to find the gems in the rough...

AD&D 1e Core Books Mega Bundle on Sale at RPGNow - 8 PDF Books - 15 Bucks

My favorite AD&D 1e book cover and one of my favorite RPG book covers ever.

A HUGE tip of the hat to one of The Tavern's regulars for bringing this to my attention. RPGNow has a Bundle of eight AD&D 1e Core books in PDF on sale for - $14.95

Its an amazing deal with only one omission - Unearthed Arcana. (edit - one omission of NOTE IMHO ;)

Here's what you get:

Player's Handbook

Dungeon Master's Guide

Monster Manual

Monster Manual II

Fiend Folio

Oriental Adventures

Dungeoneer's Survival Guide

Wilderness Survival Guide

Normally 75 bucks, the AD&D 1e PDF Bundle is $14.95

Remember, all sales via The Tavern's affiliate links goes to support The Tavern. Shop Smart! Shop using The Tavern's affiliate links ;)

edit - Yes, the Survival Guides are "eh" but a great bundle value anyhow...

Tentative - Tavern Talk Live Call In Show - Test - 10 PM to 1030 PM Eastern Thursday May 25th.

Alright. I've done some research, so it SHOULD work in theory, just need to test how WELL it works in practice.

Thursday night at 10 PM Eastern we are going to do a test run of the Tavern Talk Live Call In Show via Facebook Live. I expect things to go all buggered, but that IS the point of a test.

Why Facebook and not Youtube? Because Youtube had some major hiccups when Zach and I were using that for the livecasts. Hell, in the end we might wind up using Youtube - thus the testing this Thursday Night.

I'll post the Google Voice number on Thursday before we start the test.

This is either going to rock hard or suck eggs ;)

Huzzah!

Once the kinks work out we'll set a schedule and general topics. I'm figuring one 30 to 60 min show once a week, with alternate weeks being late evening and late morning my time. In any case, that's putting the horse before the cart. Need to see if the idea works on the technical level first...