Tenkar's Tavern is 10 Years Old Today - Huge Thanks to All & Some Thoughts on The Tavern's Success

Here's the first true Tavern Post:

Yeah, I didn't quite know what direction The Tavern was going to take 10 years ago. I certainly never dreamed it would still be around 10 years later, and no longer just a blog either.

The Tavern wouldn't be what it is without all of you.

I've been asked over the years to share the secret to The Tavern's success. Sadly, I can't bottle the secret and sell it, but there are some things that I believe are certainly part of that success's foundation.

1 - Just do it. Seriously, if you want a successful blog, podcast, whatever you actually need to start that blog or podcast. Talking about it doesn't do anything. Find the time and do it.

2 - Be yourself. Sure, some popular and/or controversial personalities in our community are acts, but over time folks will appreciate knowing the real you. Besides, it much easier being you than somebody else.

3 - Be passionate. Don't blog or podcast about a subject because you think it with have a built-in audience. It might at first, but without that passion, you won't retain them. As if you couldn't guess, I'm passionate about tabletop gaming ;)

4 - Be persistent. Keep at it. Even if the early parts are rough, practice and persistence will allow you to hone your craft.

5 - Be patient. I've been blogging for over 10 years, involved in podcasting for over 5 years and have had my solo podcast for over a year. Success did not come quick or easy, and in truth, I can't pick out a moment where I realized that The Tavern was "a success", but I think its hit that spot.

6 - Listen. To both praise and criticism. An echo chamber is NOT to your benefit.

7 - You can't please everyone. This is a hard one to come to terms with. Some folks don't like change (the podcast) and others may feel intimidated or worse by any success you may achieve. Don't ignore that they have concerns, but understand that not all of their concerns are your's to correct.

8 - Remember your community. Successful blogs, podcasts, Facebook groups, Discord servers and the like often have communities that form around them. Any influence you might have is because THEY grant it to you. It is a responsibility and an honor to be granted such. Do not abuse it.

9 - Invest. Time is probably the biggest investment, but there is also money, emotion and so much more. Success requires some sacrifice. You must be willing to do so.

10 - Have fun. If at some point it no longer is fun for you, it's probably time to take a break. I'm blessed that I enjoy it all and I have an amazingly supportive community. I'll warn you all if I need a break ;P

Again, 10 years. Holy Shit. No longer just a blog, The Tavern is a thriving Facebook Group (with just under 2400 members), an active Discord Server (with exactly 2000 members), the Tavern Chat Podcast (379 episodes and more each day) and of course, the Tenkar's Tavern Blog.

There are some huge plans for the blog-side and hopefully, I'll be able to get some of it in place this summer. New host, additional bloggers and more. No exact timeframe as I'm juggling multiple balls at the moment but I hope you'll enjoy the ride ;)

WFRP The Enemy Within Collector’s Edition - 10 Books - 750 Bucks

I really shouldn't be tempted by the WFRP The Enemy Within Collector’s Edition. Certainly, the $750 price point should have me turn away quickly and. I mean, who the FUCK puts down 750 bucks for an RPG campaign?

But it IS Warhammer, and not the abomination that was WFRP 3e.

Oh, and it is the Enemy Within Campaign, one of the best - if not the best - fantasy campaign for ANY system.

You can also buy it piecemeal, and each of the five adventure books is matched with a companion book. 10 books. Damn.

Each set of two books is $150, so there is no savings in preordering the set, but then you don't get:

Developer Diaries 

If you buy the complete Enemy Within Collector’s Edition, we will send you regular Developer Diaries. These are emailed updates from WFRP Producer Andy Law detailing the progress of the new version of the campaign, including exclusive art previews, developer and artist interviews, production commentaries, amusing asides, and so much more. The Developer Diaries provide you with a unique insight into exactly what is included in the Director’s Cut of The Enemy Within, and why. 

So, do you want to know how Bögenhafen is being updated? Or what maps will be included? Or what new Chaos cults are included? Or what happens in the two new additions to the campaign, The Horned Rat and Empire in Ruins? If so, then the Developer Diaries are for you.

Sigh...

I need to run a GoFundMe ;)

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight & Renovations are Complete

Today is a Wednesday, which means tonight is Tavern Chat. Hang out with gamers and creators from the OSR and beyond from all around the world at 9 PM Eastern.

Voice chat (but if you don't want to talk, all you need do is listen) Its been likened to a live podcast that isn't recorded, so if you miss it - you really missed it ;)

Use the following link to join:  https://discord.gg/4sHwScH

Kickstarter - Apex Coasters: Fantasy/RPG Series

"Amazing ceramic coasters, cork backing, durable imprinted art. Perfect for the gaming table, computer desk, table art, or as a gift."

I have a sizeable collection of coasters. Sadly, they get little use these days.

Apex Coasters: Fantasy/RPG Series is actually cool. I do love the art.

I summon James Spahn!

Note. J.M. Ward is James Michael Ward and the creator of this project, not Jim Ward. Apparently, Jim is feeling a wee bit defensive and fears there may be some confusion.

4 coasters start at 28 bucks plus 9 for shipping in the US.

State of The Tavern - I May Have Imbibed Too Much :)

So, I had an excellent weekend in the Poconos Mountains. Away from the hustle and bustle. 12 pack of a local brew for 6.99. Severe lower back pain. Maybe no perfectly excellent, but memory can be selective.

Tomorrow I hit Pexx with my immediate schedule of free time, so as to enable us to get in some more Fireside Chats.

Also, more work on the Shire Con adventure.

Further thoughts on a possible 4-page monthly zine.

More thoughts on updating / changing hosts for this blog.

Did I mention updating the Tenkar's Tavern One-Shot Community?

It commences tomorrow...

I need to sleep off 8 pints and a shot.

Warhammer Fantasy Role-play 4e - First Look

This past Friday I was at the Complete Strategist on 33rd Street in Manhattan with JoeTheLawyer and my wife Rach. On a shelf near the Pathfinder books I saw a lone copy of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay 4e, the new edition from Cubicle 7.

I've heard good things about the latest edition, and it wasn't long before i grabbed it in my greasy paws. 60 bucks (plus tax) later and it was mine. I must say, I am impressed.

Physically, it is a beauty to behold. The art simply screams Warhammer, and although it steps away from the black and white art that I've always felt was iconic of WFRP 1e, the color art does a fine job on its own.

Character generation detail is superb. What I really like is that 4e encourages "roll in order" and "take what is rolled" by offering bonus XP for doing so, but still allowing players that are unhappy with what is rolled some further choice.

Ambitions are personal and / or party goals that can be minor or major. Accomplishing such offers bonus XP.

Player Character races are well detailed and have some nice details about the races opinions of each other.

Just started reading the classes. I really want to run this.

WFRP 4e is available on Amazon for 47.44 (ships Prime) - and yes, this is an affiliate link.

More as I dig further...

Kickstarter - RPG Achievement Stickers

"Achievement stickers for your favorite tabletop roleplaying game!"

What do you get the tabletop RPG gamer that has everything? Stickers, just like they were getting in the early years of grade school. RPG Achievement Stickers that is!

Oh, my bad. Like they get in video games. Actually, I'm not sure which is worse in my opinion for the adult gamer. For my 8-year-old niece, I'm sure they'd work for a bit before becoming old hat and put to the side.

2 1/2 days left to fund as I type this. Short just less than 20% of its funding goal.

10 bucks for one sheet, 20 bucks for all four. I guess if are willing to pay for one sheet, four is a no brainer.

Best Dungeons & Dragons Movie - In Less then Two Minutes & In Portuguese

Yep, its the car commercial from Brazil that uses the iconic characters from the Dungeons & Dragons cartoon. Enjoy!

Wayward Kickstarter - Erotic Adventures - Apparently it Has Performance Anxiety

Ah yes, this winner of a Kickstarter, Erotic Adventures. I backed for a buck just for the drama ;P

The Erotic Adventures book, compatible with 5th edition, will feature the sexual attraction system, fetish rules, new spells, new items, new feats, new races, new monsters, new gods, and new specialties. Play a barbarian maenad and use sex to recharge your rage. Play a rogue paramour and manipulate others using seduction. Cast a spell to enlarge your breasts, or gain an additional penis. Fight a gender bending semen ooze. And much, much more...  

The goal is 1000 dollars, but, for each additional 100 dollars I raise, I will add a picture to the book. If we reach 2000 dollars, I will make an android app based on the book and put it for sale on SlideMe.  

So back this project, and be one of the first to bring sex into the world of 5e! 

PDF was due in December of 2017. Print book in December of 2018. (It funded October 5th, 2017)

Here's the update from earlier today. At least it's an honest one.

How many Kickstarter Creators suffer from depression? I ask because it crops up A LOT, certainly more than it appears in the general population.

I guess there's still no sex in 5e...

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - I'll be There - Renovations Willing

Renovations continue yet at La Casa de Tenkar. Last night my contractor wrapped up AFTER 10 pm. Tonight? Your guess is as good as mine. It's that last 2% that takes up 50% of the time.

In any case, the weekly Tavern Chat hangout is at 9PM Eastern tonight and every Wednesday night in the Tavern's Discord Server. Voice, text, pics and more.

Use the following link:

https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

Looking forward to hearing from you tonight...

Rot Grubs - I've Always Hated Them - As a Player and a DM

I've never really seen a Rot Grubs that I've ever liked. Wait, that's a joke, son.

JoeTheLawyer left me a voicemail over on the Tavern Chat podcast (and I'll be putting that episode up later tonight) about, specifically out Tim (Gothridge Manor) using rot grubs to cut down on Joe digging through every piece of garbage in a session looking for loot. And therein lies my issue with rot grubs. They aren't really an adversary. Much like Green Slime, they are more trap or poison than predator.

Here's their description:

Rot grubs are occasionally found in heaps of offal or dung. They are rarely
found in ceilings, walls, or floors. These small creatures will viciously burrow
into any living flesh which touches them, for they greatly enjoy such fare to
dine upon. The victim must immediately apply flame to the wound (1-6 hit
points damage per application) or have a cure disease spell cast upon him.
Otherwise, the rot grubs will burrow to the heart and kill their host in
1-3 turns.

Yep the cure can kill you. I've changed my mind. They are worse than poison...

There is an All Editions D&D Sale Going On - OSR Included (DriveThruRPG)

May is the month for a Massive D&D sale over at DriveThruRPG - and I only just started looking at it tonight. Seriously, I do apologize. There simply has been lots of balls in the air outside of Tavern related activities (renovations at the Casa de Tenkar are continuing. The last bits seem to be the most tedious and time-consuming. So close ;)

Later on tonight and tomorrow I'm going to go through the sale collection and will highlight some OSR friendly choices.

In the meantime, some publishers to check out (in no particular order):

Goodman Games DCC RPG and more

Fat Goblin Games Includes stock art

Autarch ACKS

Frog God Games - Swords & Wizardry adventures

Cubicle 7 - Adventures in Middle Earth

Swords & Wizardry - technically a category ;)

There are affiliate links above. Keep The Tavern's beer cold and the doors open by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

So, What'd the Latest with Far West and Gareth Shirker?

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/shirker

What the latest on Far West and our favorite Shirker?

Absolutely fucking nothing. The last update is STILL from December 22 of last year. But hey, why update your backers nearly five months after your last bullshit update (just sharing the relevant promises)

I'd intended to get all of this done before year's end -- I'll be blunt:  This is unlikely, though possible.  The reason it's unlikely is because I am headed out to spend Christmas with my extended family for the first time in 15 years, and naturally want to be as present as possible -- although I suspect that I'll still find time here and there to get some stuff done (and we'll be back home before year-end).  In all likelihood, though, this will get its final touches once I'm back in the office on Monday, January 7th. 

So we're almost there.  Layout has begun, so the full PDF will follow soon after the final chapter deliveries, and then to the printer.  Thank you all so much for your continued support and patience, which has been far more than anyone could hope for.
Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.
"Gor blezzus, errywon."
--
Gareth-Michael Skirker
Lawrence, Kansas
22 December 2018

Hey, gonna threaten to punch me in the throat again, Mr Shirker?

I'll be in Dallas at NTRPG Con June 5th through June 10th. Sorry, I'm not making a trip to Kansas, but I'm sure you'll be welcomed in Texas. Or come to NYC anytime. I'll even buy you a drink, so long as you are okay with waiting 7 1/2 years.

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2019/01/gareth-skarka-of-far-west-shame.html

Hey publishers? Would you be okay if someone you hired to produce a gaming product was 7 1/2 years late and STILL was no closer to delivery? What about threatening physical violence? How the fuck does Mr Shirker continue to get work in the industry?

Demonic Dungeon of the Bone Dreamer - Part the Second

None other than Matt Jackson offered me access to his map collection for this project. It is HUGE!

I like the above myself for the Demonic Dungeon of the Bone Dreamer. A bit more manageable in size for a single session than my prior pick.

I've got ideas bouncing around my head with this map.

Does the Bone Dreamer dream its own dreams or those of the bones it consumes? What do the dreams mean? What effect(s) can the dreams have on the party? What effect(s) are the dreams having on the local population?

You can find Matt's Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/msjackson/posts

Kickstarter - Dark Trails RPG (Weird West DCC RPG Hack)

Oh my f'n God. It is finally here!

David Baity's Dark Trails RPG is funded on Kickstarter in 3 hours. Yep, the 12k goal has been surpassed and then some. Now it's stretch goals time.

I've been waiting for this for a long time. Shit, my beer koozie gets constant work ;)

So, what is the Dark Trails RPG about?

The Dark Trails RPG is a game which pays homage to the popular weird West genre.  It can be used as a standalone game or as the perfect complement to a growing line of products that all utilize the rules found in the Dungeon Crawl Classics (DCC) RPG. As a player, you’ll find a wealth of material that allows you to assume the role of one of 11 unique classes, with descriptive names like: the Calavera, the Bedlamite, and the Sin-Eater. As a Judge, you’ll find over 400 pages of material giving you a wealth of resources for designing and running fantastic adventures set against the haunted landscapes of an unforgiving weird West.  

You may be wondering about the above mentioned game that Dark Trails is tethered to. Dungeon Crawl Classics is a Fantasy RPG written by Joseph Goodman of Goodman Games. Since debuting in 2012, the book has gone through seven (7) printings and spawned a wonderful community of passionate gamers both new and old. DCC continues to grow by leaps and bounds by way of exciting adventures penned by some of the best writers in the industry, including third-party publishers using the system to fuel their own creative fires. 

Fortunately, the Dark Master (Joseph Goodman) has granted permission to include a modified version of the DCC ruleset within the pages of Dark Trails to make it the first 3rd party published work to include the necessary rules for play. You don’t need anything other than the Dark Trails RPG to play the game aside from some dice, paper, and pencils.  

Some of the DCC rules were purposefully left out when weighed against their place in a weird West setting, but these omitted rules can easily be added to Dark Trails should you own a copy of DCC and wish to include them.

Stand-alone hack of the DCC RPG rules? Weird West setting? Years of playtesting and development? My kinda game :)

Dark Trails begins near the end of the American Civil War. The mass casualties and tragedy that accompany the war are being used to fuel a series of rituals with the intent of awakening a pantheon of sleeping gods, who were banished as a result of losing a war against mankind and their Celestial allies during a time before recorded history.  

Only one of these Elder Gods would escape the eternal slumber and exile exacted upon his kin through magical rites. Nyarlathotep was wise to the coming war with the Celestials, knowing the primal chaos that is stitched into every cell of an Elder God would prevent them from forming a united front in time to beat back their human slaves and their meddling allies. Rather than fight a losing war, Nyarlathotep escaped to the safety of the Dreamlands with a powerful artifact in tow—the Necronomicon—an ancient grimoire that might one day provide the means to awaken and free his kin from exile. 

Several centuries after the departure of the Celestials, Nyarlathotep re-emerged to walk amongst countless generations of mankind, waiting for times of great strife to gift the ancient tome to those foolish enough to attempt the rituals within. Famines, plagues, and wars all served up the required strife to fuel the rituals of unbinding found within the Necronomicon, but with each attempt a secret order, well-versed in esoteric history, disrupted the rites and put the cultists down in their tracks—burning the Necronomicon to a pile of tainted ashes. 

Not to be deterred, each failed attempt ended with Nyarlathotep collecting the ashes of the ancient grimoire, taking it to the safety of the Dreamlands to tend, while the nigh-indestructible tome slowly reforms over several years...

20 bucks in PDF. Hardcover shipped directly to you plus PDF is $65. Limited edition HC with PDF is 85. Decision decisions...

When things calm down a bit with this on-fire Kickstarter I'll try and steal David for a Fireside Chat :)

Dark Trails RPG by David Baity - accept no imitations! 

Tavern Chat - Tonight's Episode was 365 is 365 Days!

I figured I should share this over on the blog side (Tenkar's Tavern has a huge milestone later this month but I digress) Tonight was the 365th episode of the Tavern Chat Podcast. 365 episodes in 365 days. I never would have guessed when I recorded the first episode that not only would Tavern Chat be around a year later, but it would have such a large and loyal following.

Truly I am blessed.

Additionally, today Anchor (my podcast host / service) added a new feature - Voicemails for All. Prior to today if you wanted to leave a voicemail you needed to use the Anchor app on your cellphone or tablet.

Now, all you need do is go here: https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/message

Pretty damn cool. I look forward to hearing from you all calling in ;)

Kickstarter - Sea King's Malice: a 5E Adventure in the Deadly Depths (and S&W too)

"A lavishly-illustrated hardcover book, with maps from Beadle & Grimm's, a host of additional resources, and much more!"

For those that don't know, Alex Kammer is the main man behind GameHole Con, held in Madison, Wisconsin each fall. He's also written a number of well-received adventures for 5e. Well, Frog God Games' latest Kickstarter is a hardcover adventure from none other than Alex Kammer himself called Sea King's Malice.

Sea King’s Malice is a full color and lavishly illustrated 5e adventure for the world’s most popular role-playing game that takes characters on a sweeping adventure across the ocean, to previously uncharted lands, and finally down under the waves to the very depths of the sea. It is also available for the 0E Swords & Wizardry system for those preferring old-school rulesets.

Only the most stalwart and bravest of heroes will have any chance of surviving the hazards of the open sea and the perils of other strange and yet unknown lands, both above and below the waves, as they search for clues surrounding the disappearance of the missing ship.  For in the sea-green depths a brooding menace awaits them, filled with  inhuman hatred of all things of the surface world. The adventurers’ journey will end, one way or the other, in the Court of the terrifying Sea King. This edge-of-your seat 5e adventure takes characters to level 10, and is also available for Swords & Wizardry (0e) The Swords & Wizardry version will begin at a higher level and cover fewer level advancements.

And then there are the maps from Beadle & Grimm:

Frog God Games is very proud to announce our partnership with Beadle & Grimm’s Pandemonium Warehouse. They are the premier creator of high-end tools for tabletop game masters and players worldwide. The Map Vault: Sea King's Malice is the first of a planned series of limited edition maps for gamers everywhere.

Dear friends, 

As grizzled veterans of the original AD&D, Alex’s tale of the Sea King really spoke to us here at Beadle & Grimm’s. The rules may be 5th Edition, but the vibe is old school in the best possible way – it strikes the perfect balance between heady role-playing, tense dungeon-crawling  and visceral, gory combat. We’ve been looking for an opportunity to try something new, so we’re very grateful to Alex and Frog God for inviting us to create a special enhancement for the Sea King’s Malice adventure – our first-ever selection from the B&G Map Vault.
 

The Sea King’s Edition of the Map Vault focuses on one of the most exciting and unique elements of Alex’s story – the sailing ships. Three different ships are presented here, each on its own two-sided 24x30 map with art created exclusively for Beadle & Grimm’s. One side has the full-color detail of a ship from the adventure, while the other has blank interiors and a dry erase surface so that you, the Dungeon Master, can use it to create future adventures from your own imagination. All six battle maps are scaled and gridded for your minis, and they come rolled in a custom cartographer’s tube to keep them protected for years of future use.

Pretty cool shit!

Already funded and knocking down stretch goals as I write this with 28 days to go...

As most of you know, I am affiliated with Frog God Games. It doesn't make this Kickstarter any less awesome (Alex has that knack). - Erik Tenkar

Demonic Dungeon of the Bone Dreamer - Part the First

So, Thom Wilson reminded me earlier that I need to submit my adventure for ShireCon II / 2019 coming up in September. As many of you know, I've recently been juggling multiple balls (as an aside, the flooring for Casa de Tenkar comes in the morning and installation commences on Friday - Huzzah!) and this is one that had escaped my grasp - until now.

If you plan on playing in my session at ShireCon this September, you may not want to follow up too closely with the later posts in this series, as it may give away some secrets to the adventure. Then again, if you've played in any of my sessions at the various gaming conventions, you probably know I'm big on improv. Players beware ;)

In any case, I broke out the Tome of Adventure Design by Matt Finch for some adventure inspiration and I ended up with Demonic Dungeon of the Bone Dreamer for the adventure title. I love it. It speaks to me. I see demons and undead and a new, unique creature for the BBG. As I will be using Swords & Wizardry Light, it will need to be written so as to challenge a first level party while still being beatable. Not a small challenge but one I look forward to.

At the moment, I'm looking at using the following Dyson map for the adventure, but that may change if I am inspired to create my own. We'll see. It might be too large for a single session.

More importantly, I need to decide what the Bone Dreamer actually is. A new creature, perhaps.

As always, the creative process will play out on the blog side and if all goes well, the finished product may make its way up to DriveThruRPG.

Time for more brainstorming...

There are affiliate links above. Help keep the kegs cold and the fires warm by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

Limited - Amazing Adventures - Core Books at 10 bucks a pop in Print (Troll Lord Games)

From the Troll Lord Games email:

Amazing Adventures Month Kicks Into High Gear 

As we continue to celebrate A-May-Zing Adventures month, we've decided to pull out all the stops. For a very limited time. And frankly for a very limited amount as we are almost out of the core book for Amazing Adventures. We have about 80 or so left in the warehouse, with some probably strewn about at distributors and what not. But basically this is your best chance to try this wonderful game at a ridiculous price. 

$10 for the Amazing Adventures Core
$10 for the Manual of Monsters
$10 for the Companion

Or you can go for the bundle that includes and adventure for only $33 bucks total for all four!

Here's the link: https://www.trolllord.com/tlgstore/#!/Amazing-Adventures/c/11639154/offset=0&sort=normal

/Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - Lets Burns Some SWL! ;P

Yes, the title of this post is a callback to yesterday's post. I expect I might also call out a small handful of people that have made public statements of blocking me on social media and yet still participate in online communities I own / manage. I guess they failed to see the hypocrisy.

Eh, that's just bitter me with lack of sleep and a few adult beverages over lunch. What will probably happen is we'll all talk stuff geek, nerd, and RPG related ;)

Remember, 9 PM eastern using the following link:  https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

I'm Burning, I'm Burning, I'm Burning (SWL) for You!

Ah, you gotta love it when people make burnt offerings to you ;)

So, what brought this latest sacrifice?

As is, apparently, Matt Finch's Swords & Wizardry Core rules. Does that mean Matt is on the outs at FGG? But wait, 2nd print of Complete is available. I'm confused. But hey, the adventure Stacey actually wrote is still up.

I expect there is some spring cleaning / consolidation going on at the FGG web store. But hey, thanks for the burnt offering. I'll cherish it forever...

Kickstarter - The Cthulhu Alphabet (Goodman Games)

"A book of Lovecraftian inspiration for your RPG sessions. A is for Altar, B is for Books, C is for Cultist, N is for Nyarlathotep!"

The Dungeon Alphabet is one of my favorite RPG books. It simply bleeds with inspiration. I expect nothing less from The Cthulhu Alphabet.

For generations, H.P. Lovecraft has inspired fans of horror, fantasy, and science-fiction. This is especially true in tabletop role playing games, where his stories have been adapted into countless variations of exciting adventure. Now we offer another way for you bring his mythos into your tabletop RPG session!

A is for Angles, B is for Books, C is for Cults, N is for Nyarlathotep
This Kickstarter funds the creation of The Cthulhu Alphabet, a prolifically illustrated tabletop RPG supplement published in hardcover book format.  

The Cthulhu Alphabet is a collection of random tables to inspire your role playing game, structured around an abecedarian theme. If you are a player navigating an uncaring universe, a haunted setting, or horror-filled dungeon, you will find new ideas for your character and adventures. And if you are a game master creating scenarios set in the Cthulhu Mythos – or in any fantastic world – you will find every page bursting with ideas. Your brain will spark on every page, whether you roll randomly for inspiration or read the tables in order. 

The Cthulhu Alphabet is systems-neutral and will work with any rules set, whether 5E, DCC RPG, or otherwise. The book is estimated to be 112 pages long, and will be printed with color cover and B/W interior.

The “Alphabet” Format

The Cthulhu Alphabet follows the format first popularized by Goodman Games in The Dungeon Alphabet. The entries are in alphabetical order, and each concerns one aspect of the Cthulhu mythos. Each entry contains a mix of inspirational text and one or more random tables.  

Looking to make your next monster encounter more interesting? Try rolling on S is for Serpentfolk, Z is for Zombies, or D is for Deep Ones. 

Creating a mythos-styled location for your next scenario? Try rolling on K is for Kingsport, or M is for Miskatonic University. 

Figuring out the antediluvian horror central to your next plot? Try rolling on O is for Outer Gods, U is for Unnamable, or E is for Elder Thing. 

Building out the dark history of a lost book, mysterious grandfather, or odd old house? Try rolling on L is for Legacy, M is for Madness, B is for Books, or J is for Journal. 

Tweaking the nuances of a historically accurate literary adventure, but need a little bit of inspiration or added mystery? Roll on V is for Voorish Sign, P is for Pnakotic, U is for Ubbo-Sathla, H is for Hastur, or I is for Ithaqua. 

Just need something gross for the characters to fight? Look up C is for Cultists, T is for Tentacles, or S is for Shoggoth.

12 bucks in PDF, 25 for standard Print cover plus PDF and 35 for foil Print cover plus PDF. Shipping will be collected via Bckerkit.

State of The Tavern - Renovation Breakdown, Drives me Insane ;)

As I've mentioned elsewhere, La Casa de Tenkar is currently being renovated. I've been without a living room and a "yoga" room for Rach for the past week and a half - and we are now on an extended tour, as the flooring we picked ut is a special order and we are awaiting delivery.

All of this has put a cramp in all things Tavern related - internet outages, late-night contractor work, lack of old man naps, etc.

Still, things are moving along fairly well.

The Tavern Chat podcast just posted its 361st daily episode - four more days and we'll have a full year in the bag ;)  https://anchor.fm/tavernchat. I am playing with some ideas for Season Two and I'm looking forward to hearing your ideas.

The Tenkar's Tavern Blog will be 10 years old on May 31st. We've got plans to make 2019 really special (yes, I do mean WE). More on that as we get things lined up after NTRPG Con in early June.

The Tenkar's Tavern Discord has over 1950 members and a large number of live shows / podcasts that use the server. Check it out if you haven't yet. We have a fairly lively text chat throughout the day (and night too) https://discord.gg/aEMemPf

Our Facebook Group (with over 2370 members) has posts from members of the gaming community multiple times per day and some lively Gary Gygax discussion with comments from Luke Cygax and Troll Lords Games' Stephen Chenault chiming in to add details.  https://www.facebook.com/groups/849179298513223/

Just think where we'll be when I have all of my house back ;)

Kickstarter - The Folio: Digital Quarterly #5 (1e & 5e)

"An AD&D & 5th Edition module set in two different fantasy time periods, so double up your adventure!"

If you want to check out the quality of the various Folio offerings, the Digital Quarterlies are a good option.

For 10 bucks you can get the latest offering - The Folio: Digital Quarterly #5, or for 35 bucks you can get the full set of 5 (that's 7 bucks each). After the clean up / condensing / throwing out of various sundries to prep for renovations at Casa de Tenkar, I need to really consider going digital for the majority of my future gaming purchases. I am simply running out of room.

My first two Digital Quarterlies revolved around this setting, and I've always been inspired by drawing in bits of old history to sprinkle through those adventures.  Since the next two Digital Quarterlies were both traditional fantasy, I had a choice to make about what kind of Digital Quarterly I wanted to produce for number 5, and then it hit me, why not do both!  So what you will find in this DQ will actually be TWO adventures, one that will revolve around traditional fantasy, and the other in my future 'mage-punk' setting of The Gun Kingdoms.  Each adventure can be stand alone, but they also can tie directly to each other, and you could have ancient documents, descendants, or old legends connect the past to the present as this dungeon adventure takes on new features, monsters, and magic.  R Scott Taylor

Kickstarter - Dungeonmorphs Revenge: RPG Dice & Cards

Strangely enough, I actually have two sets of the original Dungeonmorph Dice, as Rach won a set at NTRPG Con a few years back. She has no clue what to use the dice for, but she cherishes them greatly. Alright, technically I don't have two sets, as Rach has one set, but who's really counting ;)

Personally, I love them for inspiration. I'm very much a DM that likes to improve and the Dungeonmorph Dice and accompanying cards are very much a high water level in my DM's Toolbox.

So, what does the Dungeonmorphs Revenge RPG Dice & Cards Kickstarter offer for your DM's toolbox?

• 3 new dice sets (2 dungeons, 1 cavern set), a matching set of 2.5"x2.5" cards, a matching font, and a matching set of 10"x10" battlemat style cards. Each card set and the font have all 90 designs from all 3 dice sets. There is also a PDF of the 2.5" cards and one of the 10" cards.
• Also available are our 3 original dungeon & cavern dice sets. (2 dungeon sets, 1 cavern set; 5 dice each). The dice have been upgraded since our original Kickstarter with a prettier stone pattern. These dice sets also have a single set of 90 matching 2.5"x2.5" cards (and PDF) and a matching font. (But no 10"x10" cards.)
• Likewise, our city, village, and ruined city dice sets (5 dice each) are available through the Kickstarter. They too have a matching set of 90 2.5"x2.5" cards (and PDF) and a matching font. (But no 10"x10 cards.)

Dice Specifications

• Three different sets of 5 dice each, with a different design on each side of each die. (90 geomorph designs.) 
•  25mm (just about 1 inch cube) dice. 1" dice have enough space to show a 10x10 grid with good detail. 
• White die with a black design.   The design will be engraved into the die, so it will not wear off.
• The designs will have a small letter on each side to differentiate the dice and make it easy to jot down the position of each design so you can set them back up easily.

Notes about Rewards

• You will pick the specific sets of dice, cards, etc. you want through our pledge manager after the Kickstarter ends.
• If you want just the 3 new dice sets, pick the $50 reward.  If you missed our cities, ruined cities, and villages set or the original dungeons & caverns set, pick the $95 6 dice sets reward. If you missed all of them, pick the $135 9 dice sets Kickstarter to get them all!
• If you want all the new stuff, pick the $115 reward and you'll be able to get the 3 new dice sets, the new 2.5" cards, and the new 10" battlemats. Add $5 if you also want the new font files.

I'm not sure what level I'll be backing at yet, but back I will :)

Joe's Kickstarter record is matched by few. His are always safe picks.

Email Reveals Initial Plans for Yggsburgh Post Gary's Death

I took it upon myself to redact the recipients of the above email, as their emails are private ones.

I believe "Jeffrey" is Jeff Talanian, as he was working with Gary on the Yggsburgh project at the time.

Having Luke on board would have been a win all around.

Sadly, the project was killed before we could see the team that Gary had assembled continue his legacy. Gail pulled the plug on this as well as Lejendary Adventures three months later.

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern

Yep, its Wednesday, and that means at 9pm Eastern we'll be hosting the weekly Tavern Chat hangout for The Tavern's Community over on our Discord Sever.

Join us and participate in what has been likened to a live podcast, unscripted, unrecorded and as always - without rails ;)

Use this link to join the festivities:

https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

Did Bethesda Plagiarize a D&D 5e DM's Guild Adventure to Advertise its Upcoming for its Upcoming Elder Scrolls Online DLC Content Release?

Is the adventure that was released to help publicize the planned for release later this month in the latest Elder Scrolls Online DLC release plagiarized from an adventure released for 5e on the DM's Guild? From the side by side comparisons available at arsTechnica, the answer appears to be "most likely."

Here's the link to the original article: Bethesda’s latest Elder Scrolls adventure taken down amid cries of plagiarism

Link to the original DropBox folder for the Bethesda promo adventure

And here are some screenshots comparing the two side by side by the writer of the original adventure (more screenshots in the original article:

Pretty damn blatant in my opinion. I blame Bethesda less than the employees that thought that could pull this off. This is a poorer job of plagiarism than the ones that get caught in college.

Tip of the hat to Rob Conly, he of Bat in the Attic

Frog God Games Competition (500 bucks in "Frog Loot" up for Grabs)

Passing the word along...

𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒈 𝑮𝒐𝒅 𝑮𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

𝟏𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞: 400 𝘍𝘳𝘰𝘨 𝘉𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘴 (400 dollars in store credit) & will put it up on our website for all to see.

𝟐𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐞: 100 𝐹𝑟𝑜𝑔 𝐵𝑢𝑐𝑘𝑠 (100 dollars in store credit).

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬: May 7th at 8:30amPST

𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐬: May 31st at 11:00pmPST

We want to hear from you our fans. Pick your favorite FGG product and tell us why you like it to so much in video, blog, or podcast format.

Enter as many times as you like!

Once you have created your video, blog or podcast submit it to us as a Facebook comment to our main feed:   https://bit.ly/2Ws2au9

Please Read the Submission Policy before submitting located here: https://froggodgames.com/frogs/contest-policy/

Kickstarter - Fantasy Grounds Unity

"Fantasy Grounds Unity - Help us Launch the RPG Virtual Tabletop of the Future"

I've been "invested" in Fantasy Grounds since 2006, when I picked up a bundle of GM and Player's licenses. When I met Rach I was a player in my second FG campaign. The first was a Dark Heresy campaign. The second was Castles & Crusades.

I wanted to use it as a GM but could never wrap my head around how to set it up with a homebrewed adventure. It seemed to need coding language, and that has never been my strong point. Then I went to using a Mac and Fantasy Grounds did not play well with it, and I found Roll20 and I stepped away from Fantasy Grounds.

Fantasy Grounds Unity may just bring me back.

Fantasy Grounds is a popular system for playing a host of different roleplaying games online.  It is used by more than 130,000 gamers worldwide to connect and play popular games such as Dungeons and Dragons, Pathfinder, Savage Worlds, Call of Cthulhu, and more.  This type of program is commonly referred to as a virtual tabletop, or VTT, due to their ability to emulate various part of an RPG session in a digital form. 

What makes Fantasy Grounds different than competitors is how we expose character sheets and automate large portions of gameplay specifically for each system we support.  This is done through rulesets.  Your experience playing Deadlands Reloaded will differ from D&D and will be unique to that environment, contain custom graphics, character sheets, and automation specific to that game system.   

One feature shared across most game systems is maps.  Some may use hexes while others use square grids and some may not use grids at all.  Facing is important in some and less so in others.  While FG has featured maps for many years, they have been primarily focused as reproductions of maps in existing adventure modules from our many licensed publishers. We believe that we can enhance these to provide dynamic line of sight, fog of war, and even map building support with painting and tiles.

What you get for backing this project will be a license for Fantasy Grounds Unity (or FGU). This new game engine has all the great features of current version of Fantasy Grounds (soon to be called Fantasy Grounds Classic) along with new enhanced features. 

Original Features Supported:

• Multiplayer support for playing tabletop games of Dungeons & Dragons (2E, 3.5E, 4E and 5E), Pathfinder RPG 1, Pathfinder RPG 2, Starfinder.
• Built-in content for D&D 3.5E, 5E and Pathfinder 1
• Officially licensed add-on content available for D&D, D&D Classics (2E), Pathfinder, Starfinder, Savage Worlds, Call of Cthulhu, Basic Roleplaying, Castles & Crusades, Mutants & Masterminds, 13th Age, W.O.I.N., Traveller, and Rolemaster Classic
• Generic system support through our CoreRPG ruleset
• Brilliant Campaign Management
• Integrated character sheets with lots of automation built in for playing and leveling (depending on ruleset and content owned)
• Combat Tracking
• 3D dice

Fantasy Grounds Unity Enhanced Features Include:

• 64-bit support to allow for more content (quality and quantity)
• Native support for Mac, Linux and Windows PC
• Network lobby for easy hosting and joining of games (no port forwarding required)
• Tile based map building
• Enhanced Drawing Tools
• Additional Dice Macros support
• A new FGU only skin
• Dynamic Line of Sight with enhanced toggle blockers
• Paint with images, such as walls
• Animated image effects

Backward compatibility with all existing campaigns and DLC from FGC
In addition to these features, we are now poised to add even greater functionality going forward. We have lots of ideas for new features and this rebuilt engine will make it easier for us reach those goals and deliver consistent updates for free. 

So yes, I'm very excited.

There are a ton of backer levels. Read them carefully. If you have a current license, you need to know when you purchased it to ensure you back at the proper upgrade level.

This is what I'll be backing at:

 As far as the funding is going, the Fantasy Grounds Unity Kickstarter is on fire!