Kickstarter - Hunters in Death (Old School Zine by Tim Shorts)

What can I say about Tim Shorts? His was one of the first blogs I ever read and Gothridge Manor was certainly one of my inspirations. I've GMed for Tim and he's GMed for me. As good as he is as a player, as a GM he is awesome and as a content creator, he is amazing. I've been a backer of his Patreon for many years and the content offered is simply top-notch.

Now the fucker is Kickstarting a zine, Hunters in Death. Do yourself a favor and back this one. It won't just sit on your gaming shelf looking pretty, I can guarantee you it will get serious use.

Did I mention it funded in just over two hours? Damn!

Let's talk about what's inside: This is a glimpse into how I run a campaign. I've run games for over 41 years, and like every game master in existence, I've created my own rules and mechanics. I provide a list of these rules/mechanics to provide a sense of immersion particular to the Komor Forest. Then you'll find Hounds Head, a place for the party to get information, get henchmen, get supplies, sell stuff, and rest until their next adventure. Then what follows is an array of adventures. The adventures aren't meant to be played in any order. While the adventures are separate there are connections between some of them. Within the adventures there are new magic items, new spells, new monsters, and new artifacts. And any old school gaming zine wouldn't be complete without random tables. Yeah, it's got some of those. 

Wait a second! Our party is currently IN Komar Forest. Am I even allowed to back this? Fuck it. I ain't telling Tim if you don't ;)

Podcast - Gothridge Manor - Tim Shorts Speaks

I'm annoyed I only came across this today (as it's been going since at least April 23rd). Damn you, Tim! Keep me in the loop next time, damn it!

Here's the link to the Gothridge Manor Podcast.

Episodes are, for the most part, 15 minutes or less, which is about my sweet point these days. Long episodes are ideal for driving, but for listening at home, 10 to 15 minutes is ideal.

Tim uses Anchor.fm, which is not just free but looks damn simple to use. I've been thinking about doing Vidcasts, but podcasting with Anchor seems ideal. More thoughts on that later today.

In the meantime, catch Tim's Gotheridge Manor Podcast.

S&W Light Micro-Adventure - Born as Two, Die as One - Tim Shorts - Patreon

I've been supporting +Tim Shorts Patreon since... forever. Tim does excellent adventures with full color maps (often laminated) that are prefect for dropping into your campaign.

Since December of last year, Tim has been writing his adventures using Swords & Wizardry Light as the ruleset of choice (Tim - I have an update to SWCL - drop me a message and I'll send to you)

Its really exciting watching the ruleset you authored get used in someone else's projects.

Above is a pic of Tim's latest. Just got it in the mail a few minutes ago. It feels like Christmas :)

Check out Tim's Patreon - you won't be disappointed.

edit - damn keyboard always wants to spell out "Time Shorts"

OSR Christmas Day Ten - Mind Your F'n Manors!

I saw +Tim Shorts had announced the third part of his OSR Christmas Giveaways last night right before I left for work. I didn't have the time to share it last night (then slept to 1 pm and watched the Jets beat the Pats this afternoon) so I'm sharing it now.

If you haven't had the opportunity to read the various issues of The Manor, you've been missing out. Fixing it now ;)

Go to the Gothridge Manor blog, follow the instructions and get a change to own a piece of OSR goodness.

I'm going back to sleep. Work hours and a cold make one a miserable fuck...

Day Seven of OSR Christmas - Post 3 - It's All Manor of Assorted Gothridge

Day Seven - Post 3. So it was that I was in the midst of learning about moonshining when all manner of shenanigans started at The Manor. Or rather, all manner of assorted laminated half sheets and 4" x 6" cards and card stock zine style adventures were put up for grabs by +Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor fame.

How can you grab yourself a grab bag of adventures and encounters to keep your campaign going for a long, long time?

Head over to Gothridge Manor and follow Tim's simple instructions.

Day Six of OSR Christmas - Post 1 - Start Your Engines and Adventure in The Manor

Did you notice that little bit of extra in the post title? Yep, this is actually Christmas Week, so expect the gift giving to be hot-n-heavy (I also expect OSR Christmas to spill over into next week but that is nothing new - lots of gifts to give out.)

This morning's post is linked to +Tim Shorts / Gothridge Manor giveaway of Starter Adventures. It's an awesome collection of exactly what it says on the tin - adventures to kick off a campaign.

In Tim's own words:

A good place to start new players and even GMs.  Lots of small adventures and situations to help teach the game.  In addition there is a fully developed tavern and when your new players can tell a d8 from a d12 you can graduate them to the full adventure in the back.

How do you get yourself gifted such a piece of awesomeness? 

You need to go to Gothridge Manor and follow the instructions Tim has left. That's all. Good luck!

NTRPG Con - Day Two - Post 5k - Starter Adventures - Print Ships Anywhere Giveaway

+Tim Shorts is donating to the Post 5k celebration and gifting 2 copies of his excellent Starter Adventures to the cause of celebration.

Tim will be shipping these himself - God bless the man and Gothridge Manor - and Ivy too :)

So, you should know the deal by now - add a comment to this post by Monday Night, June 8th, 2016 and you'll have a chance to have your very own copy of Starter Adventures shipped to your very home, even if that home is not anywhere near mine ;)

No, back to gaming at NTRPG Con.

Patreon Highlights - Tim Shorts and His Micro Adventures

I mentioned earlier this week I was going to highlight some Patreon RPG Projects. If all goes as planned, I'll be hitting one a day but plans rarely go as planned.

The first project I'll be looking at is +Tim Shorts and his Micro-Adventures. I'm sure I've mentioned Tim's Patreon Project before, but if I have, the below is what you can get for supporting Tim's project.

I literally just got them today (I checked the mailbox after I shoveled today's snow.)

Ashley refused to have her picture taken. Sorry Tim :(

If this isn't cool, I don't know what is. Awesome, shiny and unique. If I had any kind of artistic talent, I'd be doing the same thing, but I don't. Therefore, I blog and take fun pics. Besides, these pieces speak for themselves. Each is a solid evening of gameplay written and drawn by the master of Gothridge Manor himself.

All of the Patreon Projects I back are a worthy cause. They are creative and talented and simply awesome member of the OSR community. You can see them all here at Patreon.

Lulu is Running a 28% off Coupon Through Sunday

Here I am, a day late and nearly 28% short. Yep, Lulu is running a coupon sale for 28% off print products. Damn temping.

+Tim Shorts has a fine list of recommendations over at Gothridge Manor. Regretfully, I have all but one of the picks on his list. I guess that means he's got a bunch of good picks :)

BTW, tell Ivy I said "Hi!" when you visit The Manor and make sure you comment on her decorating.

The coupon code is:

BELULUS

Tim Shorts Wants You to Show Your Maps - Why Aren't You?

+Tim Shorts , he of Gothridge Manor (All Hail his Lord and Master!) has put out a call to the mappers of our blogosphere:

Hear ye! 

Hear ye! 

Will all the map makers of the realm gather round.  Sheath your quills, we will not have another ink fight like last time. 

+Dyson Logos  please refrain from crosshatching +Simon Forster 's forehead.  And that Jackson fellow, +matt jackson +matt jackson drawing contour lines on the Most Wanted posters while amusing it is illegal.

Where was I?  To all maps makers out there, if you would, please share your most favoritous map.  It may be difficult, but chose only one and show the world.

+MonkeyBlood Design  ,  you can stop drawing fill in dirt in the dirt.  It's dirt.  

Please pass this along and see if we can get back to yapping about the important things in gaming and in life.  Fluffy trees or bare trees.  Contour lines or boobie hills.  Filled in squares or detailed roofs.  

+Michael Prescott  yes, that does look like its a 3D map of a horse and yes it is ironic you drew it on a horse. 

If you think you suck at maps, share one anyway.  The only way you can suck is if you don't share.

Shit. I may have to dig out one of my own. It will suck. Guaranteed ;)

Another Amazing Laminated Micro Adventure by Tim Shorts

Listen, I pity the fool that isn't backing +Tim Shorts 's Micro Adventures Patreon project page, as you are missing out on these cool laminated one-sheet adventures.

Don't be a fool, fool!  :)

Laminated Micro Adventure by Tim Shorts

I received the above from +Tim Shorts (Gothridge Manor blog) in the mail yesterday (I also received a mystery envelope from Tim today - a mystery as it was ripped open and delivered w/o contents by the wonderful US Mail system). You can grab it free in PDF at Tim's blog.

This is awesome. As +Christian Walker says over at the Destination Unknown blog, a DM armed with a handful of these will never be found wanting. Good stuff. Now I feel the need to buy a grease pencil and write on the map ;)

"Find Norman" and Find a New Patreon Project by Time Shorts (Gothridge Manor)

Yeah, I "stole" the above from +Tim Shorts Gothridge Manor Blog in order to highlight Tim's new Patreon Project.

Listen, Tim will be offering the above for free on his blog, but if you want to support him (and possibly get some input into what he produces) Tim's Patreon Project is a way to do so.

Oh, and if you haven't picked up any issues of Tim's The Manor zine, you've failed in your OSR Perception Check - got ya! There is no such check, but there is such a zine. Check it out.

Damn You Tim Shorts!!!

If you've been following along this week, you know it's been a week of hellish proportions. With today's funeral behind us (and a long nap afterwards - well, after lunch at the local pub) I figured I'd be ready for some gaming posts.

Then i read +Tim Shorts post over at Gothridge Manor and his box of loot from Troll and Toad.

I'm neck deep in buying more shit that I don't need thanks to you Tim! I had to make a conscious effort to not pick up the Challenge Magazine issues. I'm still going thru the list of clearance - I'm only up to "E" so far.

I need to order this stuff before my wife looks over my shoulder and asks me "WTF are you doing!?!"

Good thing I get home from work before she does - I'll just unpack the box when it arrives before she comes home - and hide the loot!

(edit: some Dragons starting at issue 79 for 49 cents! I have them already, but for others, damn but it's a good price!)

Pulp Mill Press is Looking For "Appendix N" Styled Short Fiction Submissions

+Tim Shorts from the Gothridge Manor blog and a few others have gotten together to form Pulp Mill Press with the intention of publishing Appendix N flavored anthologies of short stories.

How f'n cool is that?

Here's the official announcement:

As of today, Boric G of the Dwarven Stronghold, Ken Harrison of The Rusty Battle Axe, Sean Robson of Tales from the Flaming Faggot and myself have formed Pulp Mill Press. 

We are announcing that Pulp Mill Press is putting a fiction anthology together, short stories in the tradition of Appendix N, called Libram Mysterum.  

We are looking for short stories with interesting characters and innovative plots.  If you are interested in submitting a story please read the guidelines first.  While all of us are very excited about the project, it is a lot of work, and following the guidelines will help streamline the process.

Hell, Tim gave me the heads up last night and I started a little piece. Not sure if it's the piece I will stick with, but I've got the thoughts sloshing around my head now ;) 

Purple Sorcerer is Adding 10 PDF Copies of it's Releases to the S&W Appreciation Day Gift Pool

+Jon Marr , also known as the main man behind Purple Sorcerer Games, is putting 5 PDF copies of The Ooze Pits of Jonas Gralk and 5 PDF copies of Perils of the Sunken City into the gift pool. While written for the DCC RPG, Jon will be posting an article on how to use DCC adventures and resources in your Swords & Wizardry game.

Wow, let me figure out the current "gift basket" for the Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day Blogfest on April 17th:

Frog God Games will be giving away a PDF copy of Monstrosities to the blog post deemed "the best of the blogfest by Matt, Chris and myself. You can also hit Frog God for snazzy graphics to show your support of the S&W Appreciation Day.

Spes Magna Games is giving away a $10 RPGNow gift certificate to a random participating blog.

+Tim Shorts of Gothridge Manor will be giving away 5 copies of his zine, The Manor. You'll need to hit his blog on the 17th for details. Heck, hit it before then, it's a damn good blog (as are os The Manor)

I'm throwing in 1 $10 gift certificate and 3 $5 gift certificates to random participating blogs. As we have surpassed 100 participating blogs, I'll also be throwing in 2 $5 gift certificates to random commenters on the S&W Appreciation Day blogpost that goes up on this blog on the 17th. If the winning commenters are also members of the 2,000 Coppers G+ Community, I'll double their gift to a value of $10.

Add in the Purple Sorcerer stuff, and it's an amazing "gift basket" which I expect to grow a bit further yet.



List of Participating Blogs (107):

1 - Chronicles of Ganth! - Homebrewed heartbreaker

2 - Secrets of the Shadowend

3 - They Might Be Gazebos

4 - Mad-Kyndalanth - 'to share good stories afterwards' 

5 - Dizzy Dungeon - New School falls for the OSR

6 - Gothridge Manor - OMG, its full of Sleestaks

7 - Lapsus Calumni

8 - 19th Level - Musings on RPGs & Fiction

9 - Sycarion Diversions - "One day, Spelljammer will return!"

10 - Dorkland!

11 - Worlds Galore

12 - Dreams of My Mystic Fantasy

13 - Daily OSR fix - Random tables makes me smile 

14 - BrewLab Gaming Concepts

15 - Realms of Chirak - "Eclectic Gaming Madness from Camazotz"

16 - Quickly, Quietly, Carefully - OD&D exegis, retro stupid fun

17 - Dreams in the Lich House

18 - Hereticwerks

19 - RPG Delisi - A Turkish blog about RPGs

20 - The Retired Adventurer

21 - Semper Initiativus Unum - Rethinking Classic Tropes, Sharing History 

22 - Red Box Denver

23 - Bat in the Attic - Hexes, Sandboxes, and Wilderlands 

24 - Reverend Dak dot Blogspot - Bicycles, Beer and 20-sided Dice

25 - The Ongoing Campaign - Obscure Games and Famous Ones

26 - The Other Side

27 - d20 Dialectic

28 - Once More Unto the Breach - Rediscovering the joy of roleplaying!

29 - Venger's old school gaming blog

30 - Fear No Darkness - reasons...not rules

31 - Mythmere's Blog (Mr S&W Himself ;)

32 - Gamers & Grodnards

33 - Dispatches From Kickassistan

34 - Six Sarcophagi

35 - Edgar's Game Blog

36 - Spes Magna Games

37 - The Space Cockroach's Hideout - Space, Modern and fantastic Adventures

38 - inthecitiesdotcom

39 - Sorcerer Under Mountain

40 - Tenkar's Tavern - "OSR To the Core!"

41 - No School Like the Old School

42 - Blessings of the Dice Gods

43 - Porky's Expanse - a nebulous region of hobby space

44 - The Clash of Spear on Sword

45 - Roll to Carouse!

46 - Ilea jacta Est -  A 20-Sided Look at Life

47 - Blood & Battle - Swords & Wizardry resources, reviews, recaps 

48 - Starting Over With the OSR

49 - Sandbox of Doom

50 - Lord Archaon's Grimoire

51 - Battle Axes and Beasties - Sporadic Babbling about Various Stuff

52 - Apathy Blogs

53 - Applied Phantasticality

54 - Strange Stones - Strange Stones: Demons, Rogues, and Lemurian Barbarians

55 - Mystic Bull Games

56 - Le Verre Violet - Hexcrawls, Blackmoor, Carcosa and OD&Dities

57 - The Sorcerer Speaks! - Purple Sorcerer News, and stuff

58 - The Crazy GM

59 - O Druida Hierofante (The Hierophant Druid) - Swords & Wizardry in Brasil

60 - The Rusty Battle Axe - Home of Haiku: The RPG

61 - Keith Davies -- In My Campaign - Too heavy for Tenkar's reading ;)

62 - Necropraxis - OD&D, rules hacking, necromantic musings

63 - Rended Press - Free typos deal double damage!

64 - Hunter's Quarry

65 - hDan's YAGB - Traveller, D&D and related interests 

66 - Like Being Read to From Dictionaries - It's Like Reading A Dictionary

67 - Vargold - The Wolf-Time

68 - The Wizard's Chest

69 - Wampus Country - Whimsical tall-tale fantasy frontier

70 - Troll & Flame

71 - Epic RPG Blog - San Diego's RPG Scene 

72 - Kingdoms in Trevail - Infrequent & random old-school gaming thoughts :)

73 - Jeffro's Space Gaming Blog - Microgames, Monster Games, and RPG's 

74 - Swords & Dorkery - the name is the description

75 - Dice of Doom - Old School Cool

76 - Infinite Dragons - Adventure Unlimited

77 - Dyson's Dodecahedron - Award Winning Dungeon Design

78 - The Ultimate Josha - RPG reviews, stories, and thoughts

79 - Places to Go, People to Be - RPGs are easily accessible self-expression

80 - Tales From the Tower - Recaps, Campaign Info, Game Art

81 - Tenfootpole - Hypocrite reviews OSR adventures

82 - Ynas Midgard's OSR Blog - irregular musings and content for D&D

83 - Castelli & Chimere (Castles & Chimeras) - My musings on D&D (OSR)

84 - What Do I Know? - One Gamer Yapping; Many RPGs

85 - Dungeon of Signs - Drunken OSR glossolalia

86 - The Frothy Friar - Advancing back to basics
 -
87 - Edgar's Game Blog - Recaps, Philosophy, & Games Within Games
 -
88 - The Adventures of the Clock Caravel - Eclectic Crowdsourced Virtual Steampunk Roleplaying

89 - Requiem for a Muse

90 - Scottenkainenland

91 - EdoWar's Blog

92 - Pilgrims Guide to Zeitgeist - A journey into the worlds i play in

93 - Forgotten Runes

94 - @ Padre's - Dragonquest lives on!

95 - Heropress

96 - Basic Fantasy RPG Blog -  The Basic Fantasy RPG Blog

97 - Rather Gamey

98 - Into the Dungeondark - TPKs Continue Until Play Improves

99 - ubiHEX

100 - Mesmerized By Sirens - Carrying the torch of defunct fantasy role-playing games

101 - Tower of the Lonely GM

102 - The Frog God's Blog - where you can be the frog, not the flies

103 - The Dice Are a Lie

104 - Acirema Mountain - Playing the first Finnish rpg

105 - Ruthless Diastema BlogCast - Life From a Gamer's Perspective

106 - Jack's Toolbox - tools and tips for DMs

107 - Infinite Dragon - Mostly OSR-themed game blogging

108 - Lost in Time - D&D, Jorune, and other gubbins

109 - 

Adding Another Prize to the Next DCC Contest - A Print Copy of The Manor (Winner's Choice of Issue)

Tim Shorts - The Master of Gothridge Manor, is offering up a copy of his 'zine, The Manor for the next DCC RPG Contest. The winner can chose either of the first two issues, and Tim will send it to your doorstep, assuming you have a doorstep. Otherwise, we'll improvise or something ;)

See, this community f'n rocks!

The other currently confirmed prizes can be found here.

Damn, I guess I'll have to announce the contest soon...