Tenkar's Tavern: 2023-07-30

Saturday, August 5, 2023

Humble Bundle - Baldurs Gate & Beyond

For me, the original Baldur's Gate releases brought back much of the same joys of playing the earlier Gold Box releases on my Commodore 64. The stories were great and they felt like the D&D ruleset they were built upon.

For the next couple of days, you can score the Baldur's Gate & Beyond Bundle for 12 bucks, which is beyond a bargain (see what I did there?). I have a few of these titles and I'm in for 12 bucks.

Lose yourself in some of the most immersive, beloved, legendary PC role-playing experiences of all time—and get Lose yourself in some of the most immersive, beloved, legendary PC role-playing experiences of all time! Rediscover a genre-defining saga in the Enhanced Editions of Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II from Beamdog. Embark on an epic journey in 2021’s acclaimed Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous. Return to the Forgotten Realms in Neverwinter Nights: Complete Adventures and more, and help support Active Minds with your purchase!

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

Friday, August 4, 2023

Humble Bundle - Traveller by Mongoose Publishing

I enjoyed the original Traveller rules - the only rules I knew of at the time where your could die during character generation. I remember rolling Traveller characters during breaks between classes in High School.

Today we have the latest Mongoose Traveller Rules. For as little as a buck, you can snag the Traveller Explorer Rules and an adventure. For 18 bucks, you get that, the full Traveller RPG Rules (updated in 2022), adventures, setting material, soundtrack, and fiction. A total of 16 different pieces of digital Traveller material for you to enjoy.

Set out on a journey into the unknown in Traveller, the science fiction role-playing game of the far future! This starfarers’ bundle features over a dozen digital rulebooks, sourcebooks, and character & campaign resources for the latest edition of the iconic tabletop RPG. Plunder the galaxy in the Pirates of Drinax campaign and Drinaxian Companion, expanding the setting with new possibilities for adventure. Gear up with weapons and equipment using the Central Supply Catalogue and Field Catalogue. Get everything you need to craft and play your own sci-fi saga, and help support Cancer Research UK with your purchase!

Thursday, August 3, 2023

Bundle of Holding - DiceGeeks Eras - Hundreds of d100 tables for adventures past and future

Tables. Random Tables. It seems the more of an improv GM you are, the more you rely on random tables.

The DiceGeeks Eras Bundle is literally hundreds of tables for different eras (nothing directly related to fantasy (but that really isn't an era) for 7.95.

Adventurer! This all-new dicegeeks Eras Bundle presents 11 .PDF ebooks of tables created by Matt Davids at dicegeeks that enhance tabletop roleplaying games set in many historical and future eras. If you run (for example) 1920s Call of Cthulhu investigations, modern-day superheroics, Shadowrun or Cyberpunk 2020 data heists, starfaring RPGs like Traveller, Weird West, steampunk, posts-apocalypse, and more, each of these 50-page assortments of d100 tables can help speed up your game prep and add authentic detail to enhance your gaming sessions.
For just US$7.95 you get all eleven gatherings of random tables in our Eras Collection (retail value $33) as DRM-free ebooks, including Ancient World, Steampunk, Wild West, 1920s-30s, 1960s-70s, Modern, Cyberpunk 1, Cyberpunk 2, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction 1, & Science Fiction 2.

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Get Unique Portait Stock Art and Support Fat Goblin Games

Life as a self-publisher is often hand to mouth, with usually little if any sort of "emergency funds". Rick Hershey is the main man at Fat Goblin Games and is quite talented as an artist. He did the logo for my Torchlight Zine, and I often snag pieces of his stock art when I can.

Fat Goblin Games is offering stock art exclusively through a Paypal Donation that won't be available elsewhere.

I'm in for 100 myself. I love the samples we've been shown thus far, and my mind is already rolling with ideas :)

Here's the link

Help us meet our goal!
It's time we get a new vehicle, something more reliable and a bit newer. But generating those extra funds can be difficult when you are an artist and a small TTRPG publisher. So, I am running this fundraiser to help with that!

I've been working on a new style of watercolor and inks for my own projects, but also with the idea that I would like to produce art closer to the illustrators that inspired me as a kid. That said, I have mostly focused on fairly normal studies, and nothing I would say comes close to the "fantasy" of TTRPGs. To help reach our goal, this entire set of 25 Exclusive portraits is completed in this style.
When you donate $100 (or more) you will receive the 25 base portraits.
Each time we reach a $1000 milestone, I will add 10 more portraits to the set.
If we fully fund, I expect to have all completed and delivered before November. They will be sent via email (so please make sure you include your email when donating).
The portraits are EXCLUSIVE here and will not be sold as stock art elsewhere, they will also include our standard license.

Tuesday, August 1, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Blue Rose (AGE System)

Now, not everything I share is something that I PERSONALLY would enjoy. I quite like the AGE system and it looks like it would play out quick and fast and mostly fall quietly into the background. I do NOT enjoy "romantic fantasy" for my reading material, nor do I enjoy such in my RPGs. Others do, which is why this post exists ;)

Blue Rose is one of the current offers on Bundle of Holding and for 7.95, you get the Blue Rose RPG Rules, Shadowtide (novel) Pit of Vipers novelette) and Sovereigns of the Blue Rose (a 14-story anthology). As you can see, Blue Rose takes its "romantic fantasy" source material quite seriously :)

The threshold price for the Blue Rose Bonus Collection stands at approximately 20 bucks as I type this and includes setting material, an adventure, a GM kit, and yet more fiction.

Adventurer! We've resurrected our March 2020 Blue Rose Bundle featuring the 2017 Second Edition of Blue Rose, the tabletop roleplaying game of romantic fantasy from Green Ronin Publishing. Inspired by authors like Mercedes Lackey, Diane Duane, Tamora Pierce, and many more, Blue Rose makes you an envoy in service to the Sovereign of the peaceful and prosperous kingdom of Aldea. As much problem-solvers and diplomats as warriors, envoys uphold civilization's ideals and protect ordinary people from danger. Aided by the rhydan – your psychic animal allies – you and your companions guard your homeland from aggressive neighbors, ancient monsters and artifacts, and a resurgent Shadow.

The 2017 edition of Blue Rose uses Green Ronin's Adventure Game Engine (AGE), the popular rules that power the Fantasy AGE, Dragon Age, and The Expanse RPGs. This March 2020 offer once again brings you the core Blue Rose AGE rulebook and essential supplements. And after you get this revived offer, look for our all-new companion with recent campaigns and adventures, Blue Rose Aldean Adventures.
Six of Swords scenario collection for Blue RoseFor just US$7.95 you get all four titles in this revived offer's Starter Collection (retail value $38) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete full-color, 384-page Blue Rose 2E rulebook for the AGE System; the novel Shadowtide by Joseph D. Carriker Jr. (plus its novella-length sequel Pit of Vipers and the free Shadowtide: Recipes from Aldea); and the 14-story anthology Sovereigns of the Blue Rose.
And if you pay more than the threshold price of $19.96, you'll level up and also get this revival's entire Bonus Collection with five more titles worth an additional $45, including the massive city sourcebook Aldis: City of the Blue Rose, the adventure collection Six of Swords, the Blue Rose Narrator's Kit, and two more short stories.

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.

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:

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

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