Tenkar's Tavern: July 2023

Monday, July 31, 2023

Deal of the Day - DRAGONLOCK Lost Dungeons: Master Set

So, true story. Right before NTRPG Con, Microcenter had a sale of a 3d printer, a decent one, for 99 bucks. I snagged it with great plans, but have yet to set it up. Looks like I'm snagging Tom's latest to force me to set up my 3d printer ;)

Today's Deal of the Day is DRAGONLOCK Lost Dungeons: Master Set from Fat Dragon Games. Normally 49.99, it is on sale until tomorrow morning for 9.99

DRAGONLOCK Lost Dungeons™ is an all-new 3D printable terrain series that is the culmination of our 18 years of design experience in tabletop gaming, and this master set is so complete we even include a dungeon toilet!
All models print supportless and are optimized for FDM 3D printers. This set features our innovative no-solder LED lighting designs that Dragonlock™ first introduced in 2019 (allowing anyone to make gorgeous LED illuminated terrain with no soldering or electronics experience necessary), our new easy-build hinge design for opening doors, 45˚ angle hallways, round rooms with centered doors, our incredibly popular Dragonbite™ link system, and much more! Lost Dungeons™ expansion sets will allow you to customize your dungeon layouts even further with the groundbreaking innovations you have come to expect from Fat Dragon Games.
New to 3D printing? We've got you covered! Fat Dragon Games has a YouTube channel devoted to getting you started in this fantastic hobby, we walk you through everything you need to know to get your first printer, troubleshooting, tutorials, recommended settings, and much more. We also do the hard work for you and provide custom slicing profiles for Cura (a free slicing software) to take all of the guesswork out of the printing process. With full color instruction manuals, custom slicer profiles, video tutorials and build guides, and a Facebook support group with over 13,000 members, no other 3D model publisher provides you with as many support options as we do! A typical dungeon wall can be printed at home for only $0.40, and good starter 3D printers can be purchased for around $180. See our website for more info.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar

Sunday, July 30, 2023

The Dreams in Gary's Basement is Finished!

First and foremost..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIK!!!

Kind of interesting Sunday post as I'm starting off celebrating the birth of one gamer while reviewing the life of another.

The Dreams in Gary's Basement (Kickstarter Link) documentary came out this weekend from the Dorks of Yore (Youtube Channel Link). I backed the Kickstarter for $100 which gets my "name" in the credits as well as a digital download (I haven't figured out how to download yet) and some goodies including an extra copy of the DVD/Blu-Ray which I have already promised to Erik a few years ago......so simultaneously an early and belated birthday gift(?). Probably beats the $5 I've been sending him to buy himself a beer.....

The film has been a long time coming, but the Dorks of Yore have been doing a good job communicating the status of the film for the last five years. The documentary is really more about the man and not the game, but the two are appropriately intertwined and I highly recommend seeing this if you appreciate the history of either. I have a few books on the subject and have a copy of Dave Arneson's documentary. I think The Dreams in Gary's Basement did a really good job. There were a few times graphics were repeated and pretty sure one bit of repeated video, but overall I think it was worth the wait.

Oh, and so I can geek out a bit:

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Deal of the Day - Fear's Sharp Little Needles - 26 Modern Day Call of Cthulhu Scenarios (CoC)

I plan to run some Call of Cthulhu this fall, and while I tend to find 1920s America my usual comfort zone, I do find myself occasionally looking towards CoC modern setting.

Today's Deal of the Day is Fear's Sharp Little Needles - 26 Modern-Day Call of Cthulhu Scenarios. Normally 19.95 in PDF, until tomorrow morning it is on sale for 11.97.

Fear's Sharp Little Needles is an ENnie award winning anthology of 26 one-night modern day scenarios for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game published by Chaosium, Inc, edited by Jeff Moeller and written by Christopher Smith Adair, Glynn Owen Barrass, Simon Brake, Stuart Boon, Chad Bowser, Brian Courtemanche, Scott Dorward, Adam Gauntlett, Allan Goodall, Helen Gould, Tyler Hudak, Jo Kreil, Jeff Moeller, Andi Newton, Oscar Rios, Brian M. Sammons, Matthew Sanderson, Jennifer Thrasher, Joe Trier, Jason Williams, Matt Wiseman, and Simon Yee, with art by Dean Engelhardt, Reuben Dodd, Badger McInnes,
Taking its inspirational cues from Delta Green, X-Files, The Ritual, Mandy, and True Detective, the book takes a mature look at the horror of human nature and its ability to be just as disturbing as anything from the Mythos with blood and its inhuman uses as its theme.

Friday, July 28, 2023

Deal of the Day - Bad Things Happen (OSR)

Today's Deal of the Day is Bad Things Happen for 2.99, normally 4.99 in PDF.

Bad Things Happen is a compilation of tables and rules to inspire DMs as well as solo players: using this book, discover what twists and turns the characters will have to face next.
With this 54 pages supplement, generate all the bad things that happen to the characters, whether they are exploring a dungeon, camping in the wilderness, visiting a city or playing with magic. Tables about other themes such as sea travel and weapons are also provided in the last pages.
This book is medieval-fantasy oriented and is meant to be used with your favorite OSR ruleset and bestiary.

This book is divided in five chapters that each contain various tables and rules:

Dungeons
What happens when the PCs run out of light in the dungeon?*
Serious injuries, dark inclinations, phobia and strange encounters
What happened to the hirelings while the PCs were in the dungeon?
Alternatives to death depending on who/what defeated the PCs
Why is the replacement PC in the dungeon?
Wilderness
What happens when the PCs cannot make it back to safety?*
Illnesses, strange encounters, things that should not be eaten and food poisoning
Traps (type, concealment, purpose)
Starvation
Eating monsters and potential side effects
Wild animals encounters (day and night)
Kingdom-sized encounters
Cities
What happens when the PCs are lost in the city at night?*
Problems when walking down the street
Buildings hazards
Scams to avoid
City events
Strange laws and customs
False rumors
Why does the ruler hate the PCs so much?
Crimes to be wrongly accused of
Cellmates to meet
Magic
Magic corruption (caster and environment)
Spell mishaps
Other
Sea voyage incidents
Bad omens
How to get rid of bad luck
Haunted locations
Weapons critical hits and misses
Armors troubles

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Humble Bundle - Bethesda 3D Printables & TTRPs (Fallout RPG)

I always loved Fallout as a CRPG, going back to the first release. The setting is evocative of the future as imagined in the 1950s. Although I have an un-setup 3D Printer and there are some cool 3d printables included in the Bethesda 3D Printables & TTRPGs Bundle. I'm in for 18 bucks myself, for all the RPGs ;)

You CAN get the Fallout Starter Set for as little as a buck :)

Explore the realms of Tamriel, the Empire of the Isles, and the wastelands of America with this bundle of tabletop role-playing & war-gaming ebooks and 3D printables! This bundle featuring Bethesda’s popular fantasy and sci-fi universes features rulebooks and more resources for Fallout: The Roleplaying Game & Wasteland Warfare, The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms, and Dishonored, plus a cache of 3D print-at-home files to bring your wastelands and tombs to life. Experience your favorite universes in a whole new dimension, and help support International Rescue Committee with your purchase!

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Deal of the Day - D100 Dungeon (Book 1)

I've been purchasing, in print and PDF, a number of solo RPGs / Dungeon Crawling Games with the idea of giving them a playthrough over the next couple of weeks as time allows. I own today's Deal of the Day ;)

Today's Deal of the Day is D100 Dungeon (Book 1). Normally 15.45 in PDF, it is marked down to 6.11 until tomorrow morning. This Adamantium Best Seller is a solo dungeon crawling game.

D100 Dungeon (Book 1) is a game in which you will steer an adventurer through underground caves and dungeons, looking for lost treasures and completing dangerous quests. With each game your adventurer will gain wealth, recognition and become stronger and increasingly skilled in their pursuits. All you will need to play D100 Dungeon, is a pencil, eraser, a few dice and your imagination.
Your journey begins when you create an adventurer and start performing the dungeon training missions. Once they have been successfully completed your adventurer will be ready to face some greater challenges and begin questing in an endeavour to gain notoriety and wealth, rivalling that of royalty and who knows one day their greatest exploits might even become stories and songs performed by bards in every tavern throughout the kingdom.
This version of the D100 Dungeon game is known as D100 Dungeon V3; it supersedes the earlier versions known as V1 and V2. You will need version 3 D100 Dungeon in order to use and play any of the books, pdfs and accessories here on DriveThruRPG. Older versions (V1 and V2) will not translate well into this edition.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Wayward Kickstarter - Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG (a lesson in failure)

Can an interesting-looking RPG fall flat? Most assuredly. Such is the case with the Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG Kickstarter.

Let's look at some of the stumbles:

The name itself - Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG. Most RPGs are "unlimited". Throwing "online" into the title makes one think of an MMORPG such as World of Warcraft or EverQuest. But the point is to sell physical books. It's a confusing project from the title alone.

Hubris - "D3 Gaming plans to make Unlimited Online a powerful flagship in the tabletop rpg market. Our goal is a modern take on traditional TTRPG that feels familiar, while innovating new skills, locales, and tools for developing unforgettable storytelling experiences with your friends." So, is this meant to be played in person, or via VTT? Does it make a difference? How is this game tweaked for online performance? It promises a lot, yet shows little.

AI Art - I can't say for certain the art is AI art, but it certainly has that feel.

Lack of focus - cyberpunk or fantasy? Not like Shadowrun, where it's mixed, but separately. Do one thing well over two things poorly.

Lack of updates - it appears that early on, the creator abandoned this project. Not a single update. It should have been canceled and reworked, instead of rotting on the vine.

From About the Creator - "Creating is one of my greatest joys. Now is the time for me to make my mark. I will create the worlds of Unlimited Online and have no regrets, for I will try with all I have. I will bring those whom I love and hold dear on the road with me. All good journies start with good company." I believe he stopped trying.

Nothing about the system itself. 'Nuff said.

Monday, July 24, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Index Card RPG

I've heard a lot, and I mean A LOT of talk about the Index Card RPG over the last year or so, all of it very positive from those that have read the rules or decided to give it an actual session or two at the game table.

So, what pops up this afternoon on Bundle of Holding? None other than the Index Card RPG Starter Collection and Bonus Collection. The Starter Collection (priced at 9.95) includes Index Card RPG 2e, ICRPG Worlds, and Heroes of the Hammer. The ICRPG Bonus Collection includes the above and adds a World Map Poster Pack, Altered State, 4 Index Card Settings, and 2 Thaumavore Adventures.

For just US$9.95 you get all three titles in this revived March 2021 offer's Starter Collection (retail value $38) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete 192-page Index Card RPG Second Edition core rulebook (2019), plus its free ICRPG Quickstart; the key supplement ICRPG Worlds; and a collection of 44 pregenerated fantasy characters, Heroes of the Hammer.
Altered State sourcebook for the Index Card RPGAnd if you pay more than the threshold price of $20.03, you'll level up and also get this revival's entire Bonus Collection with nine more supplements, sourcebooks, and adventures worth an additional $58, including the World Map Poster Pack and Doomvault Mega Map, the cyberpunk supplement Altered State, four complete campaign settings – Vigilante City, Xeno Dead Zone, Blood and Snow, and Bearcats – and two adventures by YouTube video reviewer and ICRPG fan Dave Thaumavore: Age of Snakes and The Turnip Knights.

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Got a New Toy For My Game Table/Game Prep

So this last week I bought myself a new toy that I hope to use at the gaming table, more for prep/adventure design, but I'm starting to see how it might be useful during a game (especially if online).

So I managed to find this Wacom One drawing tablet at Sam's Club while on a business trip and it was like $20 more new than picking up a used one directly from Wacom.

I've tried an old drawing tablet that was basically a mouse pad that your could draw on, but you had to see everything on your monitor and frankly it just didn't work out for me. The Wacom One is a 13.3" secondary screen that you can use a pen like a mouse.

I'm sure everyone probably has a clue what drawing tablet is, so the real question (as if there was one) is why would I think this is possibly a good GM tool. First off, I plan on using it normally like anyone else would...to work on my maps and assorted game-related graphics. Yeah, I know....that's a big "duh".

Half the reason I got this, is that the tablet is essentially a second screen and since I play most of my recent games online and having that second screen that I can easily draw on is rather appealing. I don't know how many times I've needed to add some notation and I'm fumbling around with the fricken mouse, where a stylus would be sooooooo easy. As a GM though, being able to share a second screen with that same level of stylus editing.....

I don't know how many people here have tried the assorted Virtual Table Tops, but some will let you run two instances on one computer. With a second screen and stylus input I could have the GM screen on my laptop and also be logged in as a player (NPC, torchbearer.....hell, even a torch), which can be super helpful, probably depending on the program. I have found it useful to be able to see things as a player/through the player's "eyes".

I do have other monitors, even an ultra-thin portable monitor that's a bit bigger than this tablet, but the air-mouse that is the stylus is a huge draw......probably more of one than I realize. Hopefully some other patrons here can fill me in on some other uses I'm not even thinking of yet.

I'm already starting on my next Tweak and Toss adventure, but if I'm having fun with this new toy I might pivot a bit and just work on something else......time will tell.

Seriously though....if there is something else I can do with this thing, I'd love to hear about it. I do love my toys and if I can more mileage out of them....

Saturday, July 22, 2023

Kickstarter - Drinking Quest: Belch of the Wild

I'm a huge fan of the Drinking Quest series of releases. I have a complete collection of the prior releases, and even if they don't get as much use as they should, I always bring a box to every convention, "just in case" ;)

I find it impossible to have enough Drinking Quest. You can snag the newest release in the series, Drinking Quest: Belch of the Wild, for about 25 bucks USC - this includes a physical copy of the new game AND print and play PDFs of the new game and the six prior releases. Heck, you can snag all 7 games in print for about 75 bucks.

Friday, July 21, 2023

Kickstarter - MACE Volume #002 (Zine and Stock Art by James Shields)

For those that don't know, James Shields did the cover for Swords & Wizardry Continual Light, and James did the cover for the (as of now) unreleased revision, titled Continual Light. I own a number of originals of James' original work, and I love his stock art. When I can focus on my small hobby publishing again, James' art will have a prominent place.

Needless to say, I backed the MACE Volume #002 Kickstarter at the ALL THE STOCK ART level, not just to support a creator and artist whose work I truly enjoy and who I personally respect, but because I know it will be top-notch.

You can back MACE Volume #002 for just the zine for as little as 10 bucks, but 75 gives you 45 pieces of stock art and the zine in print plus PDF. I know what I did :)

Thursday, July 20, 2023

Kickstarter - Six Hack (an OSR-ish homage)

A dead simple, OSR homage to The World's First Fantasy Roleplaying Game.

Not every Kickstarter I highlight is one I think will fit my style of gaming, let alone fit the style of my gaming group. Six Hack is just such a game - interesting enough that it deserves an audience, but that audience likely isn't me or my group.

You can back the Six Hack Kickstarter for as little as 2 bucks for the draft of the rules, or for 10 bucks you get the draft, and later, upon completion, the professionally laid out final copy, complete with mini-setting and adventure for 10 bucks.

Six-Hack is a simple set of guidelines for roleplaying in the spirit of The Original Fantasy Roleplaying Game (1974). It pays homage to that classic game, but introduces some modern sensibilities, as well. For example, it includes a unified action resolution system, an Action Point economy, templates for creating mutable monsters, and an abstract commerce system. It further includes some tried and true advice for Referees (referred to as "Game Masters" in many systems). Finally, it also kills some so-called "sacred cows" - for example, there are no longer any ability scores (or ability score modifiers), alignments have been replaced with player-defined moral codes, and Experience Points have been replaced with an encounter economy.

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Hydra Cooperative

The Hydra Cooperative Bundle is one of the few bundles where I own nearly a complete collection and still plan on snagging the collection. 9 titles for 14.95 can't be beaten. Some of the best OSR releases one can find in a single bundle.

Adventurer! This Hydra Cooperative Quick Deal gathers tabletop roleplaying supplements and modules designed by the talented creators in the Hydra Cooperative publishing alliance. Drawn from five early Bundle of Holding offers (2015-2020), these inventive and strikingly packaged titles show graphic inspirations ranging from art nouveau to pulp magazines to Atari game cartridges to Gold Key comics. And the modules themselves are just as flavorful: Face a Zombastodon during the Yambor soldier-bear pilgrimage across the Slumbering Ursine Dunes. Dodge mile-long grubs and Bonegrinders outside the bio-transmogrification Vat Complex of the Eld. Visit the Prismatic Peak of Mount Geegaw in seearch of the Whim-Wham Stone. Run scams and con games with Frantisek the Checkered Mage or Jarek the Nagsman at Marlinko's Ebon Horse Fair. Save the Village of the Gleaming Fins people from Skelephants or the immense pale crocodile called the Bachelor. What Ho, Frog Demons!

Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Deal of the Day - Xeno Dead Zone (ICRPG turns Aliens)

Index Card RPG (ICRPG)is currently sitting on my physical pile of "shit to read", but I think after reading the description of today's Deal of the Day, I'll be reading it when I return from the Poconos ;)

Xeno Dead Zone (both a stand-alone game AND an ICRPG supplement) is today's Deal of the Day. Normally 4.50 in PDF, but until tomorrow morning it is on sale for 1.80.

XENO DEAD ZONE is a one-stop solution to scratch your itch for a night of great gaming in the world of deadly space predators and the badasses who fight them.
This package is power packed with rules and resources for ICRPG players and GM's.
-Play in XDZ mode: a GM-less board game ruleset
-Play in classic ICRPG mode: 9 new classes, Xeno and vehicle stats
-Dynamic Mission Objectives and Ecalations in any mode
-A huge collection of print-and-cut standees
-Tokens for use in your favorite VTT
-32 map building cards and door standees to assemble your game map with flair
Expand your ICRPG multiverse to include the deadliest creatures in the spaceways!

What Happens When Your PCs Crash the Economy by Pumping Too Much Gold Into It?

Monday, July 17, 2023

Deal of the Day - BEOWULF: Age of Heroes (5e Reimagined)

I'm not a huge 5e fan, but I've come across some hacks that made the unwieldy (in my opinion) system bearable. Mythgarther was the prior high watermark to my eyes. From what I've read of BEOWULF: Age of Heroes, we may have a new contender.

Normally 19.99 in PDF, BEOWULF: Age of Heroes is marked down to 10 bucks until tomorrow morning.

“BEOWULF: Age of Heroes is a vast treasure-hoard that shows how you can hone the rules for 5e to make them cut like the edge of a long-seax and sing like a Scop.” – Francesco Nepitello, designer of The One Ring Roleplaying Game
One of the oldest recorded stories in Western Europe, Beowulf is the ultimate tale of hero vs. monster – and now a dramatic, 5e setting.
Discover a fierce background of wild seas and savage monsters, of meadhalls and of heirloom swords that bear legendary names. Gain Followers, take Inspiration from unique Portents, and use our specially crafted tokens to guide your voyage along the Whale Road.
Play the ‘Hero’ class, and choose from six sub-classes based on your ability scores. You can be the mighty Bench-Breaker, the wily Riddle-Reaver, or the sturdy Ox-Blooded. And you can come from a range of setting-specific backgrounds: you might be the Chosen One, or Adrift and seeking answers. You may be an Avenger, or of Noble Blood.
Written and illustrated by a team of industry veterans, led by Jon Hodgson, (The One Ring, D&D, Warhammer Historical) BEOWULF: Age of Heroes features 272 pages of beautifully illustrated mythic setting, and evokes a legendary age of tales, poems and song.
Described by fans as the ‘best hack of 5e ever made’, and by games designer Will Hindmarch as something ‘really magical’, BEOWULF Age of Heroes is uniquely designed for duet play: one Hero and one GM (though it can still be played by a group). This means it’s very easy to get a game going and to keep it going, and it’s especially ideal for play over the internet.
With its feet firmly in the world’s favourite role-playing game, BEOWULF has been very carefully forged to follow the folklore, flow and feel of the original poem.

Sunday, July 16, 2023

MACE #2 Kickstarter is Worth Checking Out

I try not to take too much advantage of my ability to post here, but......if you can't abuse your position slightly to help out your friends.....

...actually this is a bit of a win-win as the MACE Volume #2 Kickstarter is a cool Zine of monsters that James Shields is producing. I'm a big fan of his black & white style and have several pieces of his original art. $15 for a print and digital copy of the Zine is a fair price and it's some great art. Getting new monsters is almost always a good thing, for GMs at least.

I haven't received my physical copy of MACE #1, but it's probably in my stack of mail I have to go through. The digital copy though....I'm pretty impressed. The digital copy I got with my backing was actually three digital copies.....three! I know, I know, you're probably thinking "Duh, even I know how to make a copy of a digital file...."

MACE #1 came to me as three distinct digital copies: a Low Res version, a High Res version, and a printer-friendly High Res version. I really wish more....publishers (?) did this. I was going to try and show the differences here, but the subtleties would be completely lost on a web/screen viewing, which is a shame.

All too often these digital copies are not far removed from the PDF sent to the printers, maybe cut back to not show cut lines and bleeds, but otherwise the same. Having three different versions, all fully bookmarked by the way, shows that James expects people to....I don't know, actually use the product. Being able to easily go to and then print off a single monster is a nice nod to the end-user that is sorely lacking in the average gaming PDF.

Monster and Character Encounters (MACE) Volume 2

Check out James Shields' MACE Volume 2 Kickstarter if you get the chance....

Saturday, July 15, 2023

A Successful Venture to The Compleat Strategist

Rach and I did something we rarely do these days - we ventured into Manhattan (often referred to as "The City" by New Yorkers). I had forgotten that hell's Furnaces are directly linked to the Subway system in The City, and I couldn't wait to venture out of the warrens known as the NYC Subway System and into the surface reaches of Manhattan.

Heh!

In any case, we were meeting up with Professor DM, JoetheLawyer, and a few others for what is now a yearly tradition of gamer shopping, followed quickly by gamer eating and gamer drinking.

A fun time was had, stories were told, and the attendees left (hopefully) satiated.

As usual, we forgot to take a photo to commemorate the event, but I'm toying with the idea of adding a January meet-up to the schedule. I mean, gaming purchases, Irish food, and good beer are timeless, correct? ;)

The picture above shows my acquisitions for this trip :)

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

RPGNow