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Showing posts with label against the dark master. Show all posts
Showing posts with label against the dark master. Show all posts

Friday, August 8, 2025

Deal of the Day - Secrets of the Golden Throne (Against the Darkmaster)



So, I finally did a little research, as I had thought that Against the Darkmaster was a clone/reimagining of RoleMaster, but I was wrong. It's inspired by Middle-earth Role Playing, which was a simpler version of RoleMaster; however, Against the Darkmaster seeks to make MERP even cleaner and simpler. I may need to give the core rules a closer look, but I digress.

Today's Deal of the Day is Secrets of the Golden Throne. It's a rules supplement / mini setting / campaign for Against the Darkmaster. Coming in at 355 pages. Normally priced at $19, until tomorrow morning, Secrets of the Golden Throne is priced at $3.80 - an 80% discount!

Secrets of the Golden Throne is the major supplement for Against the Darkmaster, containing new rules and options for both the players and the GM, but it’s also a mini-setting, and an epic campaign that will pitch your heroes against the machinations of an entity older than the world itself.

Inside Secrets of the Golden Throne you’ll find:

  • Five new Kins: Ethereal Pixies, unseen Gnomes, enigmatic Changelings, beguiling Asrai and voracious Ogres.
  • New Cultures and Backgrounds to expand your character options.
  • New magic options and 30 new Spells.
  • New combat and rules options to help you run underwater and aerial adventures.
  • A Bestiary containing a host of new monstrous adversaries.
  • The island of Awallon, an original setting inspired by fairy tales and Arthurian legends which can be used on its own, or easily dropped into an existing campaign setting.
  • Guidelines to help you create both Awallonian and Outlander PCs.
  • An epic campaign that will see the heroes travel across all of Awallon, in order to face an unprecedented threat and decide the fate of the entire world.


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Friday, April 11, 2025

Free OSR - Against the Darkmaster - Quickstart (RoleMaster/MERPS)



In the late '80s, one of the game systems I played (ran) was Rolemaster, although it was often merged with MERPS. Of course, we always used the critical tables from Rolemaster. Rolling a "66" was always magical. :)

Against the Darkmaster—Quickstart is priced at PWYW and is a love poem to the classic RoleMaster system. You know you want it :)

Return to the Classic Game of Fantasy Adventure!

Against the Darkmaster is an Epic Fantasy role-playing game of high adventures, eldritch magic, and heavy metal combat.

Inspired by the classic fantasy sagas and 80s fantasy movies, Against the Darkmaster is built for heroic action and intense, character driven campaigns.

The Against the Darkmaster Deluxe Quickstart Rules include everything you need to start playing. In fact, it could well be a full RPG! This beautifully illustrated 122-page PDF includes:

Character creation rules and options;

Detailed rules for travels, combat, and adventuring;

A complete magic system, with over 100 spells;

Attack tables and Critical Strikes;

Dozens of creatures for your heroes to face.

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Thursday, January 2, 2025

Deal of the Day - Against the Darkmaster (D100)


When you look at the cover of Against the Darkmaster (just look above for your reference), it is reminiscent of classic Rolemaster, which makes sense, as the rules are strongly influenced and inspired by Rolemaster. If you enjoy those classic critical tables, you have some new ones, and the selection is a bit more MERP-like (more by weapon type than each weapon having its own).

Until tomorrow morning, Against the Darkmaster is on sale for 5 bucks (usually 24.99). Over 500 pages of classic roleplaying. If it isn't already in your digital collection, don't hesitate. Grab it! I already have it ;)

Against the Darkmaster is a tabletop Epic Fantasy roleplaying game of high adventure, heroic action, and heavy metal combat.

If you put together works like The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time, sprinkled them with a bit of Labyrinth and Dragonslayer, and put everything in a blender together with a healthy dose of classic Heavy Metal, you’ll get a typical Against the Darkmaster game session.

Travel to distant lands, face terrible dangers, uncover ancient items of power, and gather the armies of the world under your banner to defeat the ultimate Evil.

A complete rule system, including:

  • Unified d100-based action resolution mechanic
  • Huge variety of character customization options
  • Detailed travel mechanics for long overland adventures
  • Flexible magic system with over 300 spells
  • Tactical combat and brutal Critical Strikes
  • Immersive rules for character driven adventures
  • A Bestiary with over 60 fearsome creatures
  • A full introductory campaign in three parts

 

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.

DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Rumble or YouTube - Tenkar 

Wednesday, January 17, 2024

Deal of the Day - Against the Darkmaster Core Rules

Remember Rolemaster? Consider Against the Darkmaster to be Rolemaster Remastered ;)

Today's Deal of the Day is Against the Darkmaster Core Rules. Normally 25 bucks in PDF, until tomorrow morning it is on sale for 5 bucks.

Against the Darkmaster is a tabletop Epic Fantasy roleplaying game of high adventure, heroic action, and heavy metal combat.

If you put together works like The Lord of the Rings and The Wheel of Time, sprinkled them with a bit of Labyrinth and Dragonslayer, and put everything in a blender together with a healthy dose of classic Heavy Metal, you’ll get a typical Against the Darkmaster game session.

Travel to distant lands, face terrible dangers, uncover ancient items of power, and gather the armies of the world under your banner to defeat the ultimate Evil.

A complete rule system, including:

  • Unified d100-based action resolution mechanic
  • Huge variety of character customization options
  • Detailed travel mechanics for long overland adventures
  • Flexible magic system with over 300 spells
  • Tactical combat and brutal Critical Strikes
  • Immersive rules for character driven adventures
  • A Bestiary with over 60 fearsome creatures
  • A full introductory campaign in three parts

 


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.

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

Friday, January 13, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Non-OGL Fantasy

My God! There are a number of titles in this package that I've been dying to read and have never gotten. Now, I have them - and some dupes. What happens if you already own one or more parts of a Bundle? Can you pass them on? Hmmmmmm

I've already snagged the Non-OGL Fantasy Bundle for the Bonus Collection - it's just that good a collection. It's 9.99 for the Starter Collection and it's about 30 bucks for the Bonus Collection.

And yes, OSR Christmas keeps getting pushed back, but time is ticking on this bundle. There are 3 days left as I type this.


The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. 

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

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Quickstart - Against the Darkmaster (PWYW)


I'm a big fan of Quickstarts, as they break systems down to their basics and it's not easy to strip down a system heavily influenced by MERP & RoleMaster to its basics. In the case of Against the Darkmaster, the basics are still well over 100 pages. The fact that Against the Darkmaster Quickstart is offered at PWYW pricing is amazing.

Return to the Classic Game of Fantasy Adventure!

Against the Darkmaster is a Epic Fantasy role-playing game of high adventures, eldritch magic and heavy metal combat.

Inspired by the classic fantasy sagas and 80s fantasy movies, Against the Darkmaster is built for heroic action and intense, character driven campaigns.

The Against the Darkmaster Deluxe Quickstart Rules include everything you need to start playing, In fact, it could well be a full RPG! This beautifully illustrated 122-page PDF includes:

  • Character creation rules and options;
  • Detailed rules for travels, combat and adventuring;
  • A complete magic system, with over 100 spells;
  • Attack tables and Critical Strikes;
  • Dozens of creatures for your heroes to face

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPGAmazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern. 

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on AnchorYouTubeor wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

Deal of the Day - Against the Darkmaster Core Rules

What is Against the Darkmaster? According to the Against the Darkmster Quickstart Rules (available at PWYW pricing, so please, grab the Quickstart before plunking down your cash for the full rules):

Against the Darkmaster (abbreviated in VsD throughout) is a tabletop pen & paper role-playing game of high fantasy, epic adventures, eldritch magic, and heavy-metal combat.

What is Against the Darkmaster inspired from? As we mentioned above, VsD is an epic fantasy game first of all. As such, it draws its main inspiration from the classic works of the masters of the genre, from J.R.R. Tolkien to Ursula K. Le Guin, passing through the two Terrys (Brooks and Goodkind) and their followers, Weis & Hickman, Jordan, and Williams. Anyhow, these are only the original sources of inspiration.

Against the Darkmaster is also inspired by the great fantasy movies of the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s and from the sword & sorcery genre. Think of The Lord of The Rings cartoon from Ralph Bakshi. Think of the cheap ‘80s barbarian movies. Think of the heartbreaker movies a whole generation was raised to: Dragonslayer, Krull, Labyrinth, Clash of the Titans, Legend.

Finally, think of VsD as a mix of all the above as seen through the eyes of a heavy metal music fan. And when we say “heavy metal”, we mean the original genre. The music of Malmsteen, Dio, Black Sabbath, Blind Guardian, Manowar, Iron Maiden. Lyrics and music bringing to life the very clash of steel versus steel, the power of elemental fire and thunder. These are all ingredients you will find in generous doses in the VsD recipe.

Why is it abbreviated VsD?  I'm guessing the original is in Italian, and that is the abbreviation from Italian. I could be wrong, so I'll be happy to correct it.

But really, WHAT IS Against the Darkmaster? For all intents and purposes, it is a clone of the Rolemaster rules. It never comes out and says to, but just looking at the cover, you can see the similarities.

I no longer desire to play rules as fiddly as Rolemaster, but for those that do, Against the Darkmaster Core Rules may be an excellent option. Normally 20 bucks in PDF, until tomorrow morning at 11 am Eastern, the rules are on sale for 10 bucks. Remember, the Quickstart Rules linked above are free.

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

Tenkar's Tavern is supported by various affiliate programs, including Amazon, RPGNow,
and Humble Bundle as well as Patreon. Your patronage is appreciated and helps keep the
lights on and the taps flowing. Your Humble Bartender, Tenkar

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