Rob Conley / Bat in the Attic Games Announces Impending End of Their Judges Guild License

You can read Rob's full articles at his Bat in the Attic Blog, where he breaks everything down. https://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2022/08/concerning-judges-guild-to-all-things.html

Long story short, if you have an interest in Rob's amazing Wilderlands maps and remakes or his Majestic Wilderlands setting, you have about 2 weeks to pick them up. I strongly recommend you do so.

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When Do You Officially Call a Project "Dead"? re: City State of the Invincible Overlord (Judges Guild)

Tonight as I was flipping through Facebook, I saw a post from The Tavern from exactly three years ago - Oh My! Crowdfunding Update from Judges Guild (CSIO). Well, three years later (and a final update over two years ago on the CSIO Kickstarter page) and I think we can all agree, CSIO is NOT going to get the Marmoreal Tomb treatment. No publisher is going to swoop in and spend the dollars, nor the man-hours, to fix this failure. Unlike the Marmoreal Tomb, there are no funds left to pay for layout and development. There's nothing left but promises and disappointed backers.

CSIO didn't fail to complete its obligations because of Bob II and Bob III going out in burning flames on social media, it failed because neither Bob II nor Bob III had the faintest ideas about:

- handling business finances

- managing a budget

- writing RPG material

- project management

- layout (oh my God, the layout horror stories)

Most of all, and perhaps the crux of their issues, is that they lacked simple honesty. With their backers. With their freelances. And yes, even with each other.

This isn't unique to Judges Guild. I wish it was. We see it right now, with companies taking money for products and never shipping them. If it isn't straight-up malfeasance, it's most likely due to one or more reasons stated above.

I am not judging Judges Guild by the social media insanity of its owner but by the incompetence of that very same owner. Bob II has set a new standard that I hope no other companies come close to meeting, but I suspect one or two may actually surpass, and do so with glee in their eyes.

Judges Guild is dead, and its best years were well over 40 years ago. It was a slow death, but a death nonetheless.

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Goodman Games Acquires Dark Tower from Judges Guild - Where Does This Leave the CSIO Kickstarter Backers?

Goodman Games announced over the weekend that they had acquired Dark Tower from Judges Guild. Not the rights to the property, the actual property.

Here's the relevant announcement:

So step back in time with us to 1980 and have a crawl through the only non-TSR module to ever make Dungeon Magazine’s cut as one of ‘the greatest D&D modules of all time:’ Dark Tower. Goodman Games has acquired Dark Tower from the Judges’ Guild, and will republish it in fully converted 5E and DCC RPG editions later this year. Director of Product Development Chris Doyle will lead the conversion to 5E, and original Dark Tower creator Jennell Jaquays will be included in design work on the new edition.

Strange, considering last May's announcement:

Goodman Games has stopped selling our previous Judges Guild products through all distribution channels. 

Judges Guild will no longer receive income from Goodman Games products now that sales of their titles have ceased. 

We have one remaining product to release, which is a collector’s edition focused on the works of Jennell Jaquays. Jennell’s story is one quite different from the views espoused by Bob Bledsaw Jr. Judges Guild and Bob Bledsaw Jr. have agreed to receive no royalties of any kind from this title. To say it bluntly: Bob Bledsaw Jr. and Judges Guild will not profit from the Judges Guild Deluxe Collector’s Edition Vol. 2 focused on the works of Jennell Jaquays. Goodman Games will match 20% of the proceeds of this title with donations: 10% to the Anti Defamation League and 10% to GLAAD. The funds that would have been used for a Judges Guild licensing fee will be included in this donation, as requested by Bob Bledsaw Jr. 

After this final volume, we have no plans to release future Judges Guild titles. 

Then there was the Kickstarter announcement from the Judges Guild Deluxe Collector's Edition Vol. 2 in November of 2020.

In lieu of royalties, Judges Guild has agreed to donate a portion of proceeds from the Kickstarter to benefit two special charities, as outlined below.

In lieu of a royalty from the production of this volume of the Deluxe Collector’s Edition, Judges Guild has agreed to donate their royalty to philanthropic causes, and Goodman Games will match that donation. Therefore, a total of 20% of the proceeds from this Kickstarter will be donated to charity. 10% will go to the Anti-Defamation League and 10% to GLAAD.

Those royalties would have amounted to about $8,500 from the Kickstarter. How far would that have gone to making the backers of the City-State of the Invincible Overlord Kickstarter whole?  Probably not far enough, but certainly closer than we are now, and I'm sure the monies could have been accounted for in whatever contract Judges Guild would have had to sign.

So, it begs the question - how much were Bob Bledsaw and Judges Guild paid for the rights to Dark Tower? Is that money being earmarked for the floundering CSIO Kickstarter, or is it going to be spent on hookers and blow - or some other such nonsense?

What changed from "After this final volume, we have no plans to release future Judges Guild titles" to "Goodman Games has acquired Dark Tower from the Judges’ Guild, and will republish it in fully converted 5E and DCC RPG editions later this year" in the course of 10 months? I'm guessing an $85k Kickstarter despite the bad publicity caused a change of heart...

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.  

Is Judges Guild F'ing CSIO Backers YET Again?

Ah, the fiasco best known as the CSIO Kickstarter by Judges Guild. Misspent monies, mismanagement, and other stupidity all were blamed on Bob III. Well, guess what? The current "fuck you" is from Bob II.

Only one map has been released to backers by Judges Guild - Map1. If you want maps II, XI or XII expect to pay Bob II for the privilege.

Bob II, go fuck yourself.

Judges Guild - A Private Message from Bob II - Regarding Recent Accusations - to Help People Better Understand the Personal Views of the Owner

Link is valid as of this posting (gone now)
Note - comments at the link have been pruned of comments that Bo II sees as insulting.


Regarding Recent Accusations - to Help People Better Understand the Personal Views of the Owner:

I Have Traditional Christian values. My family crest attests to 3 European Crusades, and I regard that as a calling. That means I am pro-life, anti-gay, and against self-mutilation.
I believe we are all God's Children, and hold a compassion for everyone.
I am not their judge, and judging the morals of others is Not my job.
I have my Views and unless asked, or in my home, I keep them to myself.
I keep my personal views out of my professional life.
I respect people based on their behavior, not what they are, or think they are.
That could be why people can be surprised or offended.
In my opinion, they cannot expect everyone to agree with them.
Social Morals do not change overnight, and progressives must not expect them to.
I do not expect to change the view or other, and I do not try because that is not my job.
I believe in Free Speach: I understand that being offended comes with that freedom.
I apply the Golden Rule, and treat others as I would wish to be treated.
My family fought the Revolution; the two Rutledges who drafted and Signed the Constitution
and Delcaration of Independence, so I do take American Politics personally.
Being a peace-loving person, I do not own a gun, but I would never give up my right to get one.
I stand against corruption in high places and No Country should be above question, or be feeding off ours.
Politically, I am an Independent Libertarian. I Voted for Perot, and Paul, but do support what Trump has managed to do for America, despite being labeled Hitler.
I do believe the Media is Controlled in America by Leftists and Zionists, but I do not Hate them. I hate what they do.
I do have relatives and friends in Government with Top Secret Clearances.
Prior to 9/11 I also did some private work for the Government, no tin-foil here. Today's Conspiracy often proves to be Tomorrow's Truth. Mud is everywhere, and they revel in getting us to throw it on each other.
I have never been one to chase money: I lost my belongings in an explosion in 1974 at age 12, so what is dear to me hold sentimental value, not material. I have been homeless before, and slept nights in cornfields and under bridges, but never begged or stole to feed myself. I know what being down is like and exhibit a given nature because of that experience.
I am not interested in money and my intention here should not be construed that way. I consider myself an artist by nature.
My goal here has always been to keep the works of the Guild alive and in reach of the public, because I consider those I grew up with to be family. If you have helped me, I consider you like a brother. We will not always get along, but I will love you regardless, because you helped me once.
I live a very humble personal life on very little income.
Am I a perfect Person? No, but I am the first to admit it. I do not Lord over others, anywhere.
I raised 6 Children with those values, but as they are now adults, I respect their choosing their own way.
I think All Paths Lead eventually to God, and there is good to be found in All People and Religions, I have studied several of them.

I have been accused of being a Racist. I am not. I have made and keep friends of all races.
I am not pure white; being part Cherokee, Dutch, and Romanian. My family came to America in 1643,
and by 1665 owned Slaves, sold to us by Jewish Slave Merchants. I personally would not own
anyone... All God's Children.
When they first started bussing blacks to my school in the 60's, two were introduced to my class, Renee and Tony. I was the first white boy to make friends with Tony, and we are still friends to this day. We shared Elementary and High School years together. He knows I do not hate blacks, but knows I am just as capable of racial humor as he is.

My ancestors' slave-ownership eventually surfaced in my life. I was contacted by a black female Bledsoe seeking history of her ancestry. I provided her with what documents I had, wills and deeds bearing the names of her forefathers.
She lives in Texas, where following the Civil War, a group of my relatives migrated, wishing to hold the investment held in their slaves. It was personally chilling for me to read in those documents where the daughters of one slave was to be given to one, and the sons of the same slave be given to another
family member... the idea that children be separated so, as was common then, bothered me a lot because I have 6 children on my own. The woman informed me that the reason they kept our family name was because my ancestors treated them well, and with kindness, allowing them to receive Christian learning. Do I feel shame for the actions of my ancestors? No. My ancestors walked in a different time.
Do I feel a kinship with the Black Bledsoes? Yes. We share a common bond, of having walked together in that time. My home is open to them, as it is to all people. That does not sound very racist.

I have been also accused here of being Anti-Semitic. The answer to this is more complex because it addresses both Race and Religion. As for Race, I have and keep friends who are Jewish; as I stated, we are All Children of God, but I am not a Zionist, nor do I believe they are any better than anyone else. I have worked for Jewish Causes several times, and donate yearly to MDA, which benefits Ashkenazim Jews. As for the religious aspect, I do not believe in Judaeo-Christianity.
As I said, I am a Traditional Christian, therefore I embrace one or the other. My views do not come from studying the Scriptures from Hebrew, but from the original Aramaic. I do not believe Christ was a Jew, but I do not expect
others to hold that opinion. I suggest they study the Books of Moses in Aramaic, as it was the language of Christ, and would give them a different perspective. I will always oppose things which to me seem anti-Christian, but I have friends of many faiths, and Love them all as brothers. I do not try to change them.

I state these things with a sincere heart, and know that in today's world it is easy to label and pigeon-hole people. I hold no grudges and wish to be friends with everyone. I ask for your understanding, but not for your forgiveness. I am truly sorry for offending anyone, as I have never tried to single any individual out. I will in future try to be more sensitive, but in this social climate I walk on a lot of eggshells. The living DNA in me scaled walls of castles with an axe, fired muskets against the King's Army, and fought in most every war America has ever had. I am a Proud Boomer, and I do hold my tongue more that one thinks.

Sincerely - Bob Bledsaw II

edit - the following was sent by a community member:

Goodman Games - NEW Official Written Statement re: Judges Guild

Link here

Following up on our recent video, this statement is to confirm the following points regarding Goodman Games and our former relationship with Judges Guild.  

To start with, we are disgusted and disheartened by the antisemitism, bigotry, and racism exhibited by the current owners of Judges Guild.  

Goodman Games has stopped selling our previous Judges Guild products through all distribution channels.  

Judges Guild will no longer receive income from Goodman Games products now that sales of their titles have ceased.  

We have one remaining product to release, which is a collector’s edition focused on the works of Jennell Jaquays. Jennell’s story is one quite different from the views espoused by Bob Bledsaw Jr. Judges Guild and Bob Bledsaw Jr. have agreed to receive no royalties of any kind from this title. To say it bluntly: Bob Bledsaw Jr. and Judges Guild will not profit from the Judges Guild Deluxe Collector’s Edition Vol. 2 focused on the works of Jennell Jaquays. Goodman Games will match 20% of the proceeds of this title with donations: 10% to the Anti Defamation League and 10% to GLAAD. The funds that would have been used for a Judges Guild licensing fee will be included in this donation, as requested by Bob Bledsaw Jr.  

After this final volume, we have no plans to release future Judges Guild titles.  

We are deeply saddened and frankly horrified by the views espoused by Bob Bledsaw Jr. 

It answers the questions I had from yesterday's video.

Goodman Games makes an Official Statement re: Judges Guild / Bob Bledsaw II

The official statement is itself a video. Watch the video, then read my observations below it. It is less than 7 minutes long.

You DON'T start your official statement saying you are making the statement because "we need to get out in front of that drama."

I felt it was more of an attempt to protect their licensed project that is in the works than to make a true statement about the current situation with Bob Bledsaw II.

There is no statement regarding any possible future projects licensed from Judges Guild, nor does it mention current properties licensed from Judges Guild and their future.

Jennell and Godman were going to donate 20% of their KS monies to charity. They approached Bob II and through no suggestion from them, he offered to donate all royalties that Judges Guild would receive. Bob's donation does NOT increase the 20% donation, so more monies for Jennell and Goodman and NO MONIES towards the CSIO Kickstarter. Bob II has said in past comment all monies coming into Judges Guild from royalties and PDF sales would go towards making CSIO backers whole.

Compared to other publisher statements regarding Judges Guild, I find it lacking.

Did I mention a small thing about Kickstarter and charities?

Announcements Regarding Judges Guild / Bob Bledsaw JR from Various Publishers and Conventions

FYI, Judges Guild is no longer available for sale at DrveThruRPG. I have not seen an official announcement from OneBookShelf nor Judges Guild explaining why the products were removed.

NTRPG Con That I even have to make a public statement about this is uncomfortable. But I have been contacted by a few regular attendees asking about Bob Bledsaw Jr. and the statements that came to light this week on his social media pages. No, he will not be asked back to the con nor allowed to attend. While Doug and I foster an inclusive environment, believe in free speech, and champion gaming with all other gamers over political litmus tests, this is a step too far. Bob's statements weren't another political view. They were the kind of statements that show extreme ignorance at best and promulgation of evil at worst. Doug and I both were shocked by Bob's comments and taken by surprise....we've talked with him for years and never had a clue. In fact in person he seemed like a nice guy. We never suspected he held opinions and beliefs that are antithesis to what brings us to the gaming table to share adventures and companionship at cons, nor that he would state them so publicly. Stated bluntly, if you have views like Bobs and feel the need to share them socially, please don’t attend NTRPG con. 

Doug and I aren't looking for kudos or backpats for this, this is pretty much Being a Human 101. If you want to thank us, please spread the word that Judges Guild products and Bob Bledsaw Sr shouldn't be held responsible for Bob Jrs words, and people should continue to enjoy the great gaming products JG gave us over the years. Good people like Jennell Jaquays and Paul Elkmann own some of their own JG material they worked on and shouldn't have to suffer guilt by association. Support them and other creators like Robert Conley who have contributed to the mythos over the years. And thanks for attending the con for 11 years and trusting us enough to provide a safe enough con that you share this experience with your kids and sometimes grandkids. Gaming is something that brings us together, in good and bad times, and we love seeing all of you every year. Be safe and be good to each other. Michael Badoloto - NTRPG https://www.facebook.com/groups/310434204630/ 

The Secrets of Blackmoor Team Due to recent events that have come to our attention, there will be changes in the Tonisborg Dungeon book. 

We had initially reached out to Bob Bledsaw and Judges Guild to partner on the book via artwork and branding. At the time, we wanted to ally ourselves with a company and artist that would help boost visibility to Blackmoor fans. We also felt the book should be in the same category as Dave Arneson's First Fantasy Campaign, which was produced by Judges Guild way back in 1977. However, due to a series of entirely unacceptable comments made by Bob Bledsaw Jr. and Bob Bledsaw III on social media, we can't continue a business relationship with the Bledsaw family or Judges Guild.  

We are still very much dedicated to producing the Tonisborg Dungeon book. The manuscript is full of fun OSR material for new and old referees, and the dungeon itself deserves to be in print for everyone to enjoy. To this end, we will be dropping the Judges Guild name from the publication and replace the Bledsaw artwork with works by other artists before going to press. 

Additionally, we are aware that we've delayed delivery on your Kickstarter rewards way too long. On our end, it's been an issue of trying to cut shipping costs and waiting with crossed fingers for everything made by our vendors to arrive. We're just going to cut to the chase today and ship what we have (DVD's, Blu rays, T-shirts, and Dice Bags).
We want to hear from you, our backers, on how you feel about the changes to the Tonisborg book. Please respond here, or send us a message privately.
Thank you, The Secrets of Blackmoor Team https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/secretsofblackmoor/secrets-of-blackmoor-the-true-history-of-dungeons/posts/2756098

Frog God Games Recently the owner of Judges Guild made a series of racist and anti-semitic posts on Facebook. We will not reproduce them here; they are shown on Rob Conley's Bat in the Attic blog, and we are convinced of their authenticity. Rob wrote his post because, as a licensee of Judges Guild property, he felt he needed to state clearly that he would not be doing business with Judges Guild in the future. We have also licensed property from Judges Guild in the past, and we are seconding Rob's example by cutting off all future business with Judges Guild. The posts made on Facebook were completely unacceptable.     https://www.facebook.com/frog.god.games/                                    

Bat in the Attic - Rob Conley Concerning Judges Guild

I use facebook to keep in contact with various individuals including Robert Bledsaw II, the owner of the Judges Guild IP and the son of one of the company's founders.

Saturday evening, I noticed the following post:

Read the caption above the picture to see the issue. This is unacceptable. 

Sunday evening, I called Robert Bledsaw II and discussed the issue. I notified him that I will no longer be doing future Judges' Guild projects and will only continue to sell what I have currently listed.  I stated that I will be calling the other Judges Guild licensee and inform them of the situation and of my decision. 

I was not planning making any public announcements. Given the mob mentality I have seen emerge, I was not comfortable in making a public statement. 

However, because I was calling several people who are immediately affected by this situation, the odds of a public post were high. With issues like these, one has to follow the dictates of their conscience. It has gone public hence this post explaining what happened and why. 

In addition to the above post, I noticed shortly before the call the following post:

The video is of Christian Bale dropping the card and looking disappointed. 

This cemented my decision that I can no longer be in a future business relationship with Judges Guild. Then later this post was pointed out to me:

This too, I consider unacceptable. 

For now, I will keep up my Judges Guild related products up for sale. I currently have a unique situation in regards to the royalties I pay. Given the state of the Kickstarter finances, Robert Bledsaw II suspended the royalty payments in lieu of paying me for finishing the last nine maps. This has been going on since November of 2017 when I released the CSIO map. Since then, all revenue after taxes and expenses have gone to me. This will not last indefinitely, at which point I will have to revisit having these products listed based on how things have progressed. I will make an announcement accordingly. 

Expect a post outlining my future plans for Bat in the Attic Games. In a nutshell, I wasn't expecting to have a license to Judges Guild IP ten years ago and was proceeding on that basis for what became the Majestic Wilderlands supplement. Then an opportunity came up after I finished working on the map for City State of the Sea Kings, and as a result I secured a license. 

Last Word

To those of you familiar with my published writing: I try to follow a philosophy of less is more. So is it the same in the case of my response. I don't need to explain the ills caused by generations of bigotry and prejudice. It is just wrong, and it is unacceptable.

http://batintheattic.blogspot.com/2020/02/concerning-judges-guild.html

Kickstarter - City State of the Overlord by Judges Guild - Update from Bob II

The following is being shared without comment (original here):

Our current situation: All proceeds that have come in from the Frog God Tegel Manor ks, earlier this year has been spent on the Campaign Maps (which are not finished - 3 remaining) and City State artwork, as originally agreed to in 2014. We are still in the process of building funds for printing and shipping of the Books, which have been revised. As there is a totally new version for Pathfinder, and the CS version will need adjustments for that, I am open to suggestions (comments to jgww@comcast.net). I will try to answer all questions in a timely manner. Originally, I had placed a hold on all upcoming Guild products, pending this ks completion, but this seems to have hamstrung our efforts to build funds quite a lot, so I have permitted Aaron Bledsaw (my fourth son) to begin releasing those so that the funds will profit this project also. Another major project, which was to sweep away the problems here fell through (not of the Guild's fault) but just did not come to completion. These are projects that have been on hold since 2016, but unless I get more funds here, the wait will continue. Further, I have continued to ship the miniatures to the backers who ordered them as I can. To save money, I have not attended any cons this year, and have done much to cut expenses. Slow progress, yes, but I have not given up. Much has been added to the City State, using draft materials, and other unfinished works by Bob Sr., which I know will bring much joy. I wish this was over, and I hope you all know that I am doing what I can here. I close by thanking you all again for your support and loyalty to the Guild. If I can be of help in some other way, I would be glad to hear from you at the above email. -  Sincerely, Bob II

Journey's End (for now), the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches has been released! (Reposted from the Bat in the Attic Blog)

The following was first posted over on Rob Conley's Bat in the Attic Blog. All the following words are Rob's. Affiliate links are The Tavern's. Keep the beer cold and the lights on at The Tavern via our affiliate links :)

I (Rob) am pleased to announce the release of Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches. This is the fourth of four products covering the eighteen maps that encompass the Judges Guild Wilderlands setting. This product covers four of the maps as detailed below. The four sets combined will cover a region equal in size to Western Europe providing years and decades of adventuring for you and your group.

Unlike many setting products, the Wilderlands sketches out the overview and history in light detail. Then presents a comprehensive list of local detail in a compact format that is customizable. This eliminates much of the tedious work involved in creating a setting and allows the referee to focus on the campaign and the grand adventures the players face as their characters.

This is presented as two products both in PDF and Print on Demand.

The first product is a 44-page guidebook containing a brief overview of and commentary on Maps Fifteen to Map Eighteen of the Wilderlands along with lists covering details on Villages, Castles, Lairs, Ruins, and Islands.

Due to the extensive use of monsters from the supplements to the original edition, this release details 7 monsters and provides full statistics suitable for use with Swords and Wizardry and similar RPGs.

The Guidebook for the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches also includes charts, tables, and rules concerning the Triumphant Grand Tactical mapping system used by the Wilderlands, how to build strongholds, and establishing baronies. In addition, information has been added on the demographics of the Wilderlands along with new rules governing pastoral and nomadic cultures. Because Tula, the City of Wizards, plays a prominent role in this region, rules for potion and magic item creations has been included. Finally, as the Isle of the Blest straddles the corners of four maps, a combined map and list has been added as a bonus chapter. This includes the background originally written by Scott Fulton in Pegasus #3.

Included with the Guidebook are a letter-sized blank map of the Wilderlands that can be used to take notes during a campaign. A PDF with the map legend. A letter-size black and white guide to the placement of each of the 18 maps within the Wilderlands.

Finally a giant-sized preliminary version of the master map that I used to crop the individual maps from. With the right printer, this can be printed as a full-scale map 5 feet wide and 8 feet long. With the PDF you can selectively copy out regions as complete maps that overlap the borders of the 18 maps. After the release of the final set of maps this file will be updated as a layered PDF allowing for custom maps of the Wilderlands to be copied or created.

The second product is a set of four maps:  Isles of the Dawn Map Fifteen, Southern Reaches Map Sixteen, Silver Skein Isles Map Seventeen, and Ghinor Highlands Map Eighteen. When ordered via print on the demand they are printed in two overlapping halves each on a 12" by 18" poster. In addition, each map is presented as a 22" by 17" PDF file.

The maps have been redrawn from the original in a color style. Instead of the distinct symbols of the original maps, the terrain has been drawn as a transparent fill and vegetation represented by colored areas. This allows both terrain and vegetation to overlap. Representing more accurately the complexity and diversity of the Wilderland's geography.

This release is the final book in a series of four covering the Wilderlands of High Fantasy.

A preview PDF

The Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches Guidebook

The Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches Map

Bundles

I now offer bundles of all four sets of guidebooks and maps at 25% off buying separately. There are four bundles two sets of print or PDF for the guidebooks, and two sets of print or PDF for the maps. DrivethruRPG doesn't allow maps and books to be mixed in the same bundle (or order).

Wilderlands Guidebook Bundle (PDF)
Wilderlands Guidebook Bundle (Print)
Wilderlands Map Bundle (PDF) 
Wilderlands Map Bundle (Print)

Oh My! Crowdfunding Update from Judges Guild (CSIO)

I'm going to drop this without comment. I may comment later on the podcast side. Oh, and a LotFP update later today ;)

July, and Progress on the Book

Posted by Judges Guild
Jul 5, 2019

- Update from Bob Bledsaw II.

I could not simply sit on my hands here (having promised to halt other Guild projects and stop my convention appearances). I want the City State to be better, and so began a rewrite of the original texts. This is changing the City State Book in the following ways:

1. Additional material is being added to enhance and fresh-out the descriptions of people, places and things. Some of this material draws from Bob Bledsaw's original 1970's campaign (unpublished writings), and alternate drafts, the Guild's unpublished works Gem City, Bob's Lonely Mountian, and Book of Rumors.

2. Weapons on NPC's are now described as in-hand, worn, secreted, or near-by. This will help judges determine readiness in combat situations.

3. The Tri-stat system is has been stripped out for the lighter generic version. This is the one thing that has been altered away from Bob Bledsaw's 1999 Universal design. (the last digit imposed an endurance factor to all stats, meaning how many times per day the stat held without degradation). This is a good feature, but for this product, I have bowed to popular opinion here.

4. Many NPC's have now complete stats, where before it was only sketched. This created full NPC listings for many new characters.

5. Many NPC's have been given their own combat style and tactics which they will employ if provoked. Their aggressiveness or passiveness with help judges determine how they with interact in various situations.

6. Drawing from Bob Bledsaw's unpublished ideas for monsters and items, some new surprises in the way of creatures, rare weapons, and back-stories have been applied.

7. The original artwork needed cleaned and digitally enhanced. Also, new illustrations are being applied, but sparingly to avoid over-extending page-count (which has jumped significantly with the additional text).

I feel this expansion of the material will enhance your product, because aside from the great map and concept of the City State as a whole, the meat of the product has always been the richness of ideas within. Although a lot of the new material draws from Bob's scattered thoughts jotted down on scraps of paper, I think they have a place here, and have inserted the best of these where I felt they fit best.

I want you all to know that as of yet, no large project has added substantial funds toward the account, but the account is growing from sales royalties coming in from third-parties. As for now, I continue to make this something you will all treasure. My goal remains to get this into your hands as soon as possible.

- Bob Bledsaw II

Tegel Manor Full-Size Prototype Map (Kickstarter)

Wow. Simply wow. Just thinking about the idea of running Tegel Manor using the final, full-size map at future conventions makes me smile :)

Zach tells it like it is:

Here's the link to the Tegel Manor Kickstarter for 5e and S&W.

I'll let the pictures do the talking:

Kickstarter - Tegel Manor Returns! (by Frog God Games - S&W and 5e)

The first rumors I heard about a possible Tegel Manor Returns! Kickstarter was at North Texas RPG Con 2017. Just early rumblings. Possibilities. Potential. Later, I learned it was going to be a definite "thing". I'm very excited to say that "thing" has launched today and its damn near explosive!

As I type this, Tegel Manor Returns! launched a mere 2 1/2 hours ago. I was notified when it launched, peek from my phone and saw zero backers and zero dollars pledged. If I had been home, I could have been backer #1. Right now, it has 139 backers and over $17k raised (of a $15k goal). To say this is a huge deal is an understatement - this is going to hit numerous stretch goals :)

I'm in at $50 - Swords & Wizardry version - Print plus PDF with the six-panel poster map.

Here's some info from the Kickstarter page:

First published in 1977, Tegel Manor is the oldest of “Haunted House” adventures in fantasy roleplaying, and probably the very first megadungeon ever published. The Manor is a sprawling edifice of 250+ rooms filled with tricks, traps, puzzles, monsters, and situations both humorous and horrific. The huge manor house has been the curse of its owners, the Rump family, for generations – no matter how many times they have tried to get rid of it, the ownership manages to come back to them. 

If you’ve already seen the 1977 version of the Manor, there’s a lot more for you to learn in this updated and expanded 5E (and S&W) version of the classic. This printing contains expanded descriptions of the rooms, new areas, new monsters, new magic items, and much more, all with spectacular color illustrations. 

At the start of the Kickstarter, the book will be a perfect bound softcover, but if we get 250 backers purchasing an edition of the book, it will be upgraded to hardcover, free of charge! 

In addition to the Manor itself, this book contains: 

• A 4-level dungeon under the Manor, fully detailed.
• The Temple of the Frog and the Monastery of Garm, as well as a full length new adventure-The Sanctum of Madness!
• A detailed handling of Tegel Village, the wilderness area, the black dragon lair and even the pirate lair and tower along the seacoast.
• All 100 members of the Rump Family are described and detailed, and many even have portraits done!
• Over a 15 new monsters and dozens of never before seen magic items!
• and one more thing...

The Map of Tegel Manor 

The map was revolutionary to gaming when it was introduced.  Our cartographer is the famous Alyssa Faden — we’ve gone all-out on quality for this project.

Alyssa Faden, map goddess and Frog God favorite, has been working on making the Sine Qua Non of Fantasy Gaming Maps. Using details from both the original and the newly written material each room now reflects the chaotic, creepy and often violent nature of the Manor. This is done at an incredibly high resolution which will keep the minute details she captures visibly pleasing when zoomed beyond what is normal in online games or projection based set-ups. 

Note. I swim in the Frog Pond these days. I also pledged $50 of my own hard earned cash to back this project. THAT is how excited I am :)

Wilderlands - Rob Conley Announces the Release of the Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde (Judges Guild)

I'm sharing this from Rob Conley's Bat in the Attic blog with his express permission. Linked products have affiliate links that support The Tavern. This was shared by Rob last night. Tenkar

I am pleased to announce the release of the Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde. This is one of four products covering the eighteen maps that encompasses the Judges Guild Wilderlands setting. This product covers five of the maps as detailed below. The four sets combined will cover a region equal in size to Western Europe providing years and decades of adventuring for you and your group.

Unlike many setting products, the Wilderlands sketches out the overview and history in light detail. Then presents a comprehensive list of local detail in a compact format that is customizable. This eliminates much of the tedious work involved in creating a setting and allows the referee to focus on the campaign and the grand adventures the players face as their characters.

This is presented at two products both in PDF and Print on Demand.

This product is a 38 page Guidebook for the five maps of the Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde. The books have an introduction and commentary by Robert S. Conley who has used the Wilderlands as his main fantasy campaign for nearly forty years. Each map is detailed with the following listings: Villages, Castles & Citadels, Idyllic Isles, Ruins & Relics, and Lurid Lairs.

Included with the Guidebook are letter sized blank map of the Wilderlands that can be used to take notes during a campaign. A PDF with the map legend. A letter size black and white guide to the placement of each of the 18 maps within the Wilderlands. This guidebook covers the City State of the World Emperor Map Six, Desert Lands Map Seven, Sea of Five Maps Map Eight, Elphand Lands Map Nine, and Lenap Map Ten.

Finally a giant-sized preliminary version of the master map that I used to crop the individual maps from. With the right printer, this can be printed as a full-scale map 5 feet wide and 8 feet long. With the PDF you can selectively copy out regions as complete maps that overlap the borders of the 18 maps. After the release of the final set of maps, this file will be updated as a layered PDF allowing for custom maps of the Wilderlands to be copied or created.

The second product is a set of five maps: City-State of the Invincible Overlord, Barbarian Altanis, Valley of the Ancients, Tarantis, and Valon. When ordered via print on the demand they are printed in two overlapping halves each on a 12" by 18" poster. In addition, each map is presented as a 22" by 17" PDF file.

The maps have been redrawn from the original in a color style. Instead of the distinct symbols of the original maps, the terrain has been drawn as a  transparent fill and vegetation represented by colored areas. This allows both terrain and vegetation to overlap. Representing more accurately the complexity and diversity of the Wilderland's geography.

Links:

Preview PDF (Free)

The Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde Guidebook  4.99 PDF / Print plus PDF 6.99

The Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde Color Map  9.99 PDF / Print plus PDF 14.99

News - Bob Bledsaw III Removed from CSIO Kickstarter - Bob Bledsaw II now at Helm

I'll give the long story short - Bob Bledsaw III has been removed from the City State of the Invincible Overlord Kickstarter. Bob II says he "appointed the wrong manager" and the capital was "mismanaged". I think those are both HUGE understatements. The money is, however, gone and then some, so outside funds will be needed to bring this to completion. Oh, and Bob II needs to change the Kickstarter password like NOW. - Tenkar

Below is the update:

Update #97

May 14 2018

Slow but Sure Progress - Change of the Guard (link to original)

There has been a major change made in management of this project.
Until today, it was in the hands of Bob III (my son) and now I finally can take the helm and ultimate responsibility of this important task. In fact, this is my first time logging into the account, and seeing the backers list - all who pledged and what amounts are due. Anyone wishing to reach me can use jgww@comcast.net or facebook.

I cannot ask for time, you all have given that, and your support.

I can only offer candor and truth. The books ARE still in progress. I have already begun sending out the miniatures to those who paid for them. I go into this with none of the capital you pledged, as it was mismanaged. I have had no access to the pledged funds ... and have sunk over 6k of my own funds into the layout and maps (I am not a rich man, or this would have been fixed long ago) ... things WILL get done as I can afford to do them. All JG profits from the Goodman Games/ Judges Guild kickstarter went to this kickstarter layout and map costs.

I ask that you back (publicly if not financially) any other projects JG may do by way of other publishers, as those funds will come here to help resolve this floundering venture as well. I do understand your anger and disgust with all this. I agree with that sentiment; you have all waited far too long, and so have I.

My goal when this kickstarter was first proposed was simply to revamp and produce our original campaign maps... all else was added as an afterthought by the project manager. My short-term goal is to fulfill this kickstarter as soon as possible. My long-term goal is to see as many of JG's classic titles as possible available to the public.

I did not make the decisions that got us to this point, but I failed you all in appointing the wrong manager. I have always strove to make JG look good, and you cannot imagine how sorry I feel at this point. I know that our biggest backers were our dearest fans; those who have bought our products for decades and literally put food on my family's table. My work is ahead of me here, and I will try to get past this to everyone's satisfaction.

Sincerely -
Bob Bledsaw II - Judges Guild
jgww@comcast.net

The First Five Maps and Guidebook for the Wilderlands of High Fantasy is Available for Sale

Rob Conley, in association with Judges Guild, has just released the first five maps and guidebook for the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. If you backed the Kickstarter, check your email for a project update with backer links.

Now, this release is available in both PDF and Print on Demand.

The Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Revised Guidebook is $4.99 in PDF, $5.99 in Print plus PDF

The Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Color Maps is $9.99 in PDF, $14.99 in Print plus PDF (note: The PDF for the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Guidebook is included in this product. You only need to buy the separate guidebook if you want a print copy of the guidebook.)

There is a FREE Preview PDF that gives a sample map and some tables from the full releases. Download the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Preview PDF here. If you do nothing else, snag the preview. It is well worth your time to peruse. Heck, you basically get one of the 5 maps and all the charts to go with it.

Prior Release: City State of the Invincible Overlord, Color Map is $7.99 in PDF, $9.98 in Print plus PDF

In 1976, Bob Bledsaw and Bill Owen went into business as Judges Guild. Their initial offering was centered on a magnificent 34" by 44" map of the City State of Invincible Overlord. First appearing at Gen Con IX, it was sold literally out of the trunk of a car during the convention. 

This map launched Judges Guild which began working on even more ambitious project, the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. This became an ambitious project of 18 22" by 17" maps covering a total area 800 miles from west to east, and 1,000 miles from north to south. Each individual map was divided into 5 miles hexes covering an area of 260 miles west to east, and 170 miles from north to south. 

Now forty years later those maps have been redrawn in full color. These maps preserves the original detail and applies known errata and corrections. Each was drawn as part of single 6 foot by 8 foot map encompassing the entire Wilderlands then subdivided and cropped.
These maps are not a scanned images of the original but have been redrawn from scratch. The guidebook is also not a scanned image but has been relaid out from the original text with errata and corrections applied. 

The Wilderlands of High Fantasy Guidebook 

This product contains a 24 page Guidebook for the five maps of the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. The books has an introduction and commentary by Robert S. Conley who has used the Wilderlands as his main fantasy campaign for nearly forty years. Each map is detailed with the following listings: Villages, Castles & Citadels, Idyllic Isles, Ruins & Relics, and Lurid Lairs. 

This product contains: 

5 PDFs of the following 22" by 17" maps: City State of the Invincible Overlord Map One, Barbarian Altanis Map Two, Glow-Worm Steppes Map Three, Tarantis Map Four, and Valon Map Five. 

1 PDF of the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Guidebook. 

The print option adds the following: 

Ten overlapping full scale maps of each half of the maps. 

You can read Rob's post at Bat in the Attic here.

Those are definitely affiliate links above. If you wish to keep The Tavern going strong while doing what you already do, please use our affiliate links prior to shopping at RPGNow and the rest of the OneBookShelf sister sites. It really does mean a lot and I thank you.

News - Announcing the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Revised Editions

Note, this was originally shared at The Bat in the Attic blog and the City State of the Invincible Kickstarter by +Rob Conley . Shared with permission - Tenkar

Wilderlands of High Fantasy Announcement 

In November I promised to revisit the issue of the Wilderlands maps if nothing has been released by March for the Judges Guild's City State of the Invincible Overlord Kickstarter. I was able to work out a publishing agreement with Robert Blesdaw II to release the 18 maps I drew for the kickstarter project. In addition, I am permitted to publish a series of revised guidebooks to accompany the maps.

Each guidebook will be around 20 to 32 pages and will contain the original listings edited for known errata and corrections. To avoid the issues of cost that accompanied other releases of Wilderlands of High Fantasy, I am following the pattern of the original releases.

The maps and guidebooks will be divided into four products, the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde, Wilderlands of the Magic Realm, and the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches. Unlike the original releases, Map 6 Viridistan will be included in Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde although edited down to the format of the other four maps.

The retail cost is yet to be determined as I am testing the various print options. I am targeting $20 per bundle of printed map and guidebook. The maps will be printed as two 12” by 18” sheets. There will be five maps in Wilderlands of High Fantasy and Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde, and four maps in Wilderlands of the Magic Realm, and Wilderlands of Fantastic Maps. The backer and retail costs will reflect the quantity of maps within a product.

The PDFs will be free to all Kickstarter backers. The printed cost to backers for all 18 maps will be slightly less than $20. The printed cost of the guidebooks for backers should be around $3 to $4 depending on which print format works out the best. I am tacking on a one dollar charge so it will count as a sale on both OBS sites, RPGNow and DrivethruRPG. There will be shipping charges from One Bookshelf.

I am doing this because as a Judges Guild licensee, the problems of this Kickstarter affect my sales of the Majestic Wilderlands along with other projects using the Judges Guild IP. The above is what I can do to help with the resources I possess. Robert Bledsaw II is aware of what is going on and has worked with me to come up with a solution to get a portion of the product you paid for into your hands.

I will have the package of the first five maps and guidebook released by mid-April as the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. I am trying to have remaining maps and guidebooks done by the end of May so I can release them for North Texas RPG Con, a convention focused on older edition gaming. But it may not be until June until I get Fantastic Reaches out. The PDFs will be done first and I will release preliminary copies as soon as I am able. Rob Conley

Update: Wayward Kickstarter - City State of the Invincible Overlord - Poke the Bear, Sometimes the Bear Poke You!

So, last night I posted about the City State of the Invincible Overlord Kickstarter. It was a much nicer, more reasoned, less emotional post than the one I had initially written. I awake this morning and there is a "Backers Only" update waiting in my email. I loath "Backers Only" updates. As it is my understanding that Bob II is not a backer and doesn't get to read the "Backers Only" updates, I will now share it here - along with some comments and questions.

January '18 Update

Hello all. This has been a hard update to get to. Not because of the matter of the update, but day-to-day life getting in the way. (for the last 4 months Bob III didn't have 15 minutes free to update you) The new job I took starting in October was very demanding with lots of overtime. The money was good, but the work-life balance wasn't great. They weren't willing to work with me for time off for my new-born daughter or for caring for my wife's grandmother. My wife's grandmother has advanced Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and moved in with us just after Christmas. I'm no longer working there as-of January, which means I will have more time to work on this and family matters. (no longer employed, Bob III will need to find money from somewhere...)

This project is still being worked on. (but obviously not much over the last 4 months) I'm still having so many issues with tables and stat-blocks that we are going to present what we have to a couple other companies to see if they're interested in taking over. (they aren't) The last company alluded to in September's update was unable to take this project on. (quite simply Bob III took over layout so he could pay himself to do layout and does not know how to do layout. But for a company to "White Knight" they'll need to pony up cash not just to finish up layout but to cover printing of the book and maps. Its a losing proposition)

Now to answer a few questions that keep popping up:

Was this an official Judges Guild Kickstarter? Yes. (now THIS is clarity. I've heard this argued that it is and it isn't. So, in the end, Judges Guild is the one holding the bag of mostly empty toys. Or is it? Was this licensed and "official" or run by Judges Guild "Official"?)

Is this still being worked on? Yes. (how much progress was made over the last 4 months? how much work has to be done by a "White Knight" to get this out the door?)

Is this project out of money? No. The project is over-budget, but not out of money. (right. so, all the monies raised - aside from paying for miniature molds and +Rob Conley for his maps - they were paid, right? - the rest of the monies are still there. If they weren't paid and there are still funds in the pot, why weren't they paid? So, just how much "over budget" is the project?) 

Where did the money go? A statement regarding what money was spent and what is left was made back on February 13, 2015. This is why work for the rest of the maps were suspended; it would mean not having the funds to complete the book. (now, I'm confused - this was 3 years ago - why hasn't the book been completed if the monies were there? The two statements don't parse well with each other)

here's the relevant piece from nearly 3 years ago:

Campaign Map Progress: 

For those that don't know, the first 10 maps have been released electronically. We have the first 5 or so in print. We've had to halt progress on the maps until February because not enough people bought into the Miniatures (we lost about $16k on those) (THIS! Don't mix minis with your RPG Kickstarter). We didn't realize this until it was too late due to waiting for all enough of the survey responses to come in. We're still waiting on some final number crunching to give the go-ahead to continue the Campaign Maps.

Have efforts been made to put money back into this project to get the project back on track? Yes.  Bob II has used money received from Goodman Games's JG Kickstarters to pay Christina and Rob for a couple of more maps to be made. Bob III has paid for product to be printed that was being consigned by Blackblade Publishing at various conventions; the proceeds of which went back into the project.

And thus ends our update. Actually, it ends rather abruptly. No real mention of how close this endless book will take to complete (reminds me of Far West) Really, there is little substance to this update