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Saturday, March 28, 2020

Deal of the Day - Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells



I've always enjoyed Sword & Planet as a fiction genre. It just enough over the top to hit my sweet tooth. If you have a similar sweet tooth, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells may just satisfy your cravings.

Normally priced at 19.99 for the PDF, as today's Deal of the Day you can get Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells for 6 bucks. Not bad at all.
What will you do when the forces of the Void close in? 
Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells is a rules light, Star & Sorcery Role Playing Game with an Old School spirit. This is a complete Role Playing Game, inspired by the Old School Renaissance, the Pulp Literature and the many Science Fantasy stories brought to us by movies, comics and games. Based on the Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells RPG, this game system provides players and Overlords (that's how we call the GM in this game) a set of flexible and streamlined rules, as well as an array of tools to make gameplay fast and fun, allowing them to have exciting adventures with solar blades and cosmic spells!
What is in the book? 
Although the book has more than 450 pages, it’s filled with hundreds and hundreds of illustrations, tables to generate all sorts of game elementos (from items, NPCs, monsters to an entire galaxy). The rules themselves occupy less than 150 pages (including examples and lots of other helpful things). The game also comes with a ready to play adventure, full os possible endings and with great hooks for future game play! 
So grab a few dice, call your friends and get ready for a life of adventure with Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells!   
Free No-Art Version - https://oldskulling.blogspot.com/2018/10/download-final-text-and-sheets-of-solar.html

Yep, that there is an affiliate link. Keep the beer cold and the taps flowing by using The Tavern's affiliate links. I thank you in advance.
 

Kickstarter - MaximumHP - RPG Zine #003



Tabletop RPG Zine Issue #003 "The Wilderness" A zine for 1E / 2E / OSRIC gamers.

Gotta love any magazine that shows love for AD&D :) Maximum HP is the Kickstarter you are looking for...
At Fail Squad Games, we offer rousing content for your classic tabletop roleplaying games. What follows in this and upcoming issues of Maximum HP are articles, notes, tips, tricks, traps, and treasures for your 1E / OSRIC gaming table. To keep the zines fresh and exciting, we have liberated ourselves from a production deadline to allow us to channel maximum creativity into each issue. 
Our intent is to share the Fail Squad Games style with other old school gamers to enrich their gaming experience. The zine format presents small, easy to digest articles firmly rooted in the spirit of the older edition games and magazines. Although the content may be informal, we want the physical product and presentation to be the best we can deliver for the cost.

Welcome to issue #003 – The Wilderness issue of Maximum HP, The old school zine for a new school world. In this issue we delve into the wild forests of the world. The deep green places oft forgotten on the way to the dungeon. Here there are fey, wild creatures, and hidden secrets kept by nature and the unknown. The game might have the word dungeons in it, but it doesn't end there!

Friday, March 27, 2020

Swords & Wizardry Continual Light Goes Gold - Priced as PWYW Through End of April


DriveThruRPG has changed its Metal Ranking slightly to make it consistent across all storefronts. Lo and behold, I just checked and Swords & Wizardry Continual Light has gone GOLD! Woot!

To celebrate (and to give some additional reading material to those in the community that don't yet have a copy as we all "shelter at home") I've changed the pricing to Pay What You Want. Grab a copy for free. Seriously. Only tip if you want to. PWYW pricing will be in effect through the end of April.

edit - If you want a print copy, its 7 bucks on Amazon (ships Prime)  https://amzn.to/2ULDjls

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Thursday, March 26, 2020

Deal of the Day - Kaigaku Second Edition (Japanese Themed OSR)



I remember being impressed with the first edition of Kaigaku. It appears Kaigaku Second Edition is based on the Stars Without Number ruleset. Huzzah! Normally 10 bucks, until tomorrow it on sale for $4.
As a result of community support for this title, 10% of the proceeds are now going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation! 
This is the core book for the second edition of our bestselling Kaigaku RPG. Based on Stars Without Number Revised, by Kevin Crawford, it brings a more modern rules set to the game, while still respecting what's come before.      
Visit the perilous and beautiful land of Kaigaku as a member of the samurai class, or for the first time as someone born into the less-fortunate castes. Will you play as an honorable samurai? An empowered ascetic who channels ki through gemstones? A devious courtier? Or perhaps a shadowy ninja?       
Building on Stars Without Numbers' original system, you can now create characters using hybrid classes. We've expanded the list of Foci, called Techniques in this game, with three dozen new specialties. Each of the new Techniques is also perfectly compatible with Stars Without Numbers Revised, too. There are several new Ascetic Disciplines, which merge well with SWN's Psychic class. 
If playing as a human isn't your style, the core book offers support for non-human species, including the foxlike kitsune, shapeshifting tanuki and many others. 
There are cultural notes in multiple sections to help you immerse yourself in this world that's based on Japanese lore and history. It's explicitly set in an alternate world to give you more freedom with your storytelling. We believe that you should be able to make Kaigaku your own saga, so we've painted the canon of this world in very broad strokes.
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Wednesday, March 25, 2020

Five Free e-books from Osprey each week for the Next Four Weeks


Tip of the hat to Thaddeus Moore.

More free stuff!

Link to Osprey

Many people all over the world are staying at home to combat the spread of COVID-19. While self-isolation might be a bit daunting, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up on your reading. To help pass the time, we’ll be giving customers five free eBooks each week for the next four weeks. Read through the options, add the eBook to your basket and use the code FREEBOOKS1 at checkout to get your free eBooks.

CBT 8: US Marine vs Japanese Infantryman by Gordon L. Rottman
Illustrated by Johnny Shumate

The brutal fighting between US Marines and Japanese infantry on the island of Guadalcanal in many ways came to typify the island-hopping war in the Pacific. This book not only explores the differing tactics and equipment used by the two combatants but also shows how the challenges of fighting in inhospitable tropical jungles impacted on soldiers on the ground, as combatants had to deal not only with their determined opponents but also the twin issues of disease and stretched supply lines. Written by a former special forces veteran with extensive knowledge of jungle warfare, this fully illustrated book lifts the veil on one of the most pivotal and ferocious close combat duels of World War II.


DUE 65: Bf 109E/F vs Yak-1/7 by Dmitriy Khazanov, Aleksander Medved
Illustrated by Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector, Andrey Yurgenson

Step into the cockpits of the Luftwaffe's Bf 109 and the Red Air Force's Yaks 1-7, two fighters which were involved in some of the largest, fiercest aerial battles in history. The Iconic Messerschmitt fighter and its combat hardened pilots inflicted a fearful beating on the Yaks in the beginning of the war. Some of the highest scoring aces in history benefitted from the Bf 109's technical superiority over the overweight and underpowered Yak 1, racking up incredible successes against their poorly trained and equipped adversaries. And yet, as the Soviets accumulated combat experience, their tactics improved, as did their mounts in the upgraded Yak 1B and gradually, the Red Force eroded the Jagdwaffe's dominance of the skies in the eastern front, though with the 109G they would never lose qualitative superiority. Featuring first-hand accounts from veteran pilots, rare archival photographs and expert analysis, this volume brings to life the vicious dogfights that took place between the Bf 109 and the Yak as they vied for mastery of the frozen skies of the Eastern Front.


ELI 110: Sassanian Elite Cavalry AD 224–642 by Kaveh Farrokh
Illustrated by Angus McBride

The Sassanians ruled the last great imperial Empire of Persia before the Arab conquests of the 7th century. Rome's only equal in the classical world, the Sassanian Empire had an enormous impact on the development of architecture, mythology, arts, music, military tactics and technology. Within the Sassanian military, the cavalry was the most influential element, and Sassanian cavalry tactics were adopted by the Romans, Arabs, and Turks. Their cavalry systems of weaponry, battle tactics, Tamgas, Medallions, court customs, and costumes influenced Romano-Byzantine and medieval European culture, and this book allows the reader to see how a little-studied eastern power affected the development of cavalry traditions in the western world.


RAID 37: Blackbeard’s Last Fight by Angus Konstam
Illustrated by Mark Stacey, Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland

In April 1713 the War of the Spanish Succession came to an end. During the conflict hundreds of privateers - licenced pirates - preyed on enemy shipping throughout the Caribbean. These privateers now found themselves out of a job, and many turned to piracy. One of theme was Edward Teach - more popularly known as "Blackbeard”. He joined the pirates in New Providence (now Nassau) in the Bahamas, and by early 1717 he had become a pirate captain. From then on he caused havoc off the North American seaboard, in the West Indies and off Honduras, before appearing off Charleston, South Carolina in May 1718. He blockaded this major port for a week, an act that made Blackbeard the most notorious pirate of his day.


WPN 26: The Martini-Henry Rifle by Stephen Manning
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The breech-loading, single-shot .458in Martini-Henry rifle has become a symbol of both the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the numerous battles in Egypt and the Sudan in 1884-85, but continued to be used by both British and colonial troops well into the 20th century. Its invention and introduction into British service were in direct response to the success of the Prussian Dreyse needle gun, which demonstrated that the breech-loading rifle offered faster loading, improved accuracy and superior range; significantly, the weapon could be loaded and fired from a prone position, thus offering the rifleman greater security on the battlefield. Due to the longevity of service, many Martini-Henry rifles survive today, both in museums and in private collections, and the weapon is highly prized by shooting enthusiasts. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and an array of arresting first-hand accounts and written by an authority on warfare in the Victorian era, this engaging study tells the story of the powerful Martini-Henry and its impact on the battlefield, from the Anglo-Zulu War to the opening months of World War I.

Tuesday, March 24, 2020

Free RPG - Top Secret / New World Order (TSR)


There have been a number of RPG releases that have been priced at free or PWYW this month. Added to the list is Top Secret / New World Order from the new TSR. It is free until the end of March.
The new espionage role-playing game from Merle M. Rasmussen, creator of the first espionage role-playing game. 
The time: now. The place: everywhere. 
Your mission: preserve peace and stability in a world rife with conflict, mistrust, duplicity, and shadowy organizations. 
You are an agent of ICON: The International Covert Operatives Network. You have been recruited from your former life, trained in the ways of tradecraft, and sent into the field to handle the missions that other agencies cannot, or will not handle. 
One player is the Administrator, describing and controlling the game world, while the other players take on the role of international spies, working behind the scenes where governments won’t go. 
Tense negotiations, dangerous combat, thrilling car chases, tradecraft, surveillance, intrigue, and subterfuge are all at hand with the roll of the dice. 
Top Secret: New World Order is a tabletop role-playing game recommended for 2–8 players. 
There is an affiliate link up above. Affiliate links keep the beer cold and the taps flowing here at The Tavern - Tenkar 

Monday, March 23, 2020

CV-19 Pandemic Causes Onyx Path to Cancel Current Kickstarter



You can read the original update here
Important Message from Rich Thomas of Onyx PathMarch 23, 2020
Dear supporters of Legendlore, 
When we plan a project for Kickstarter we rely on our years of experience with KS, so we really thought we were totally prepared to give our Legendlore TTRPG a great start with a great Kickstarter. But nothing, I mean NOTHING, in our experience has prepared us for anything like our lives during the Coronavirus pandemic. 
We even thought that we could run this Kickstarter like normal since it's online, our crew is online, and you folks and other potential backers are all online. But we really can't do much of anything normally these days, and trying to push forward with this KS in the face of the seriousness of how all our lives have been affected seems like trying to dive into a tidal wave while hoping to swim out the other side. 
All of us right now are focusing on social distancing, quarantine, school and work closures, border and business closures, shortages of supplies, and anxiety for loved ones. Hell, just anxiety in general. We're all distracted and often overwhelmed by all that is happening and how to adapt to it. 
At this point, not knowing yet how things are going to resolve, we have to be realistic and face the fact that now is not the time to continue to ask you to support the launch of our game. There is just too much other, far more serious, stuff going on. While we still think that we would have eked out the funding amount and maybe a tad more, we also feel that Legendlore has a lot more to offer than a "just funded" campaign. 
So we are canceling this Kickstarter with the intention of relaunching it later this year.
We'll need to figure out how to fit it into our current roster of Kickstarter projects, but we will. None of you will be charged for a canceled campaign, and James will be providing all current backers links to the complete text as a PDF. We hope you'll be able to take the chance to give Legendlore a try at your gaming tables and when we relaunch we'll love to hear how your games played. 
We offer our grateful thanks to everyone who has backed Legendlore's KS so far. You will be the first to know when we launch again! 
We shall all return to the Realm another day, and it will be glorious!
— RichT and all of Onyx Path
Folks, we live in stressful times. Anxiety is our constant neighbor these days. You are not alone. If you need to reach out, email me at tenkarsDOTtavernAT that gmail thing. We'll talk. We are all in this together - Tenkar

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Free RPG - Teenagers from Outerspace


It should be free through the end of the month.

First released in 1987, Teenagers from Outerspace is a game I've long had in my collection. Enjoyed reading through it more than once back in the day.

Now you can grab your copy of Teenagers from Outerspace for the outrageous price of FREE.
EEK! EEK! YATTA! YATTA! EEK! EEK! 
Tommy Tanaka dove under his desk as the Disco Dwarves from Dimension X teleported with a "pop" into the Homeroom. Zap rays sizzled overhead, vaporizing his English is Fun textbook and scorching one of the slower freshmen nearby. There was a sound like tearing rubber as, in the corner, Vilar Monstered Out to his full thirteen feet-two and began throwing desks around. Cano started to shapechange, but a stray bolt from a Boy / Girl gun turned into a cute blond Cannette. 
Rami cringed behind her desk, her saucer-sized eyes wide with mindless terror, (actually, everything about Rami was mindless), the tip of her long fluffy tail stuffed in her mouth. "What do we do now?" she wailed at Tommy. "No problem," said Kev, pulling the pin on his Weird Science 101 project and lofting it casually toward the Dwarves. There was a thunderous paisley explosion and the room was suddenly filled with hot buttered popcorn.... 
Welcome to the world of TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE: the amazingly weird role-playing game that lets you become a character in your very own (or even somebody else's) Japanese Animation Comedy Show! Complete with everything you'll need to create Silly Superpowers, Gonzo Gadgets, Bikini Battlesuits, Mecha Mayhem, Magical Girlfriends and the ever popular sex-changing Boy / Girl Gun, this new edition of the original award-winning game is guaranteed to change the way you look at anime (and roleplaying) forever!
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Tenkar's Tavern is supported by various affiliate programs, including Amazon, RPGNow,
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lights on and the taps flowing. Your Humble Bartender, Tenkar

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