#ConManKen - Marketing Genie for Swords & Wizardry (Complete / Light) - Episode 68 of The Tavern Chat Podcast

Hey, what we got here is a "dual purpose post" ;)

Seriously, I wrote up the Marketing Genie for Swords & Wizardry last night for posting today, then realized that the process I used to create the Marketing Genie applies to how I create pretty much all of my creatures for Swords & Wizardry, so why not do an episode going through the process.

In today's episode, I describe the process I use to create creatures in Swords & Wizardry, in this instance, a #ConManKen inspired Marketing Genie.

Link to Episode 68 -  https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-68---ConManKen---Creating-a-Marketing-Genie-for-SW-e1ro43

Marketing Genie - By David Leroy - used under the CC BY 3.0 license

Ah, the mystical, magical backwater Marketing Genie. If one didn't know better, they might suspect they had come in contact with some backwoodsman that had avoided contact with sentient creatures for the last dozen-odd years, but they would be sorely mistaken. No, despite their disheveled appearance and "natural" odor, there is much more here than is seen by the naked eye (or smelled by even the most sensitive noses).

The threat of a Marketing Genie is that one underestimates what one sees. In truth, although quick to engage in conversation, they only make nonsensical statements in an effort to confuse their opponents (When engaging a Marketing Genie in any kind of discourse, Save or suffer -4 to all actions for 1d6 rounds. Succesful save causes rage in the opponent, +2 to all attacks against the Marketing Genie for 1d6 rounds)

The main attack of a Marketing Genie is its breath weapon - it can emit a foul odor causing all within a 15' radius to save or be unable to take any actions for 1d6 rounds, followed by 1d6 rounds of all actions at -2. In combat, a Marketing Genie prefers flight to fight and will flee combat at the first opportunity. If forced to fight, it attacks as a second level creature for 1d6-2 damage (minimum 1 point) and will complain continuously about old football injuries.

If one is able to successfully capture a Marketing Genie, it will promise its captor one wish, which it says it will grant when the stars align and the moon is bright and the dew falls at just the right... in any case, a situation that will never occur. Such it is with a Marketing Genie.

Additional power, only one in six Marketing Genies have the following ability:

Threats. When confronted with the possibility of combat, the Marketing Genie will make threats about summoning the Fantasy Beast Inquisitors to deal with troublemakers. This is an empty threat; as the Marketing Genie has no such special power at its disposal. (thanks to Adam M)

Marketing Genie

ARMOR CLASS   5 [14]

HIT DICE   4

TOTAL HIT BONUS   +2 (see above)

ATTACKS   Fists 1d6-2 (minimum 1 point)

SAVING THROW 10 (save bonus due to pure obstinance)

SPECIAL - breath weapon, confusion

MOVEMENT 12 / 15 when fleeing combat

OGL

The Tavern By The Numbers - Downloads, Members and More

Art by +Craig Brasco , Cover Artist for Issue #1 of Torchlight Magazine

Just so the paying folks know, monies spent on PWYW products released by Triumvirate Tavern Publishing go towards paying the cover artist of the  Torchlight magazine for Swords & Wizardry. So, if you like the art of +Craig Brasco , tip your barman.

Now, for the numbers relating to Pocket Creatures Volume 1 and 2. 135 downloads of Volume 1, and 76 downloads of Volume 2. I'm impressed and I thank you for the support. So far, $23.59 raised for the cover art of Torchlight but we haven't even started.

1297 members of the Tenkar's Tavern Facebook Community. Sometimes members get information minutes before it goes out on the blogside. Other times it is hours. In any case, it is an active community and certainly a place for all old school gamers to be.

Currently I'm working on a PWYW compilation / conversion / quasi-professional release of Beneath the Battered Dwarf Tavern to be released as PWYW. If we happen to hit 1300 hundred members by tomorrow, I will attempt to submit it my the end of the week to OBS. Mind you, I am learning InDesign and I can't predict my progress. I am, after all, a mere retired Civil Servant ;)

Thanks to all! You make this a sandbox worth playing in :)

Tavern Weekend Update for April 1st, 2017 - Downloads, Signups and Assorted Minutiae

Volume 2 of Pocket Creatures has 56 downloads since Thursday night, which is faster than Volume 1, but its only sitting in 48th place for Hottest Small Press at RPGNow. Still trying to figure out how that all works but I must say, it's a wonderful feeling to see so many copies download this quickly.

Volume 1 of Pocket Creatures is sitting at 36th place with 127 downloads. Volume 3 is probably two weeks out as I start learning InDesign.

We have a half dozen people signed up at the Swords & Wizardry Slack Community for those looking to contribute to Torchlight, the Official Swords & Wizardry Magazine, from Light to Complete. We are looking to compensate contributors with a percentage of sales at OBS (hopefully I'll have that feature unlocked at RPGNow when we go live) No one is getting rich in the OSR but everyone should be paid for their work. Most of the art we'll be using is stock art but we are considering selling some ads (no more than 10% of the total page count per issue) to commission original art as needed.

Still working on the Torchlight guidelines (uncle duties commenced today and I should be running a game tonight, so we'll work on getting that hashed out tomorrow.) One thing to note is that creatures / characters / adventures will be dual stated for Light and Complete flavors of Swords & Wizardry, in order to give the greatest compatibility not just for S&W but other OSR systems as well.

Swords & Wizardry Continual Light will be releasing in PDF on April 22nd - three weeks from today, priced at PWYW. Layout by the amazingly talented +Zach Glazar . It will be followed later this year by a print run funded by Frog God Games. Print copies will be distributed for free. SWCL covers 7 levels of play, optional classes, new spells, new monsters, magic items - a complete game in 16 pages (current layout - subject to change but not by much ;)

There's more in the works (I need to put Beneath the Battered Dwarf Tavern into a PWYW PDF) that we'll post more on as we get closer ;)

Pocket Creatures Volume 2 is Live on RPGNow - PWYW

Yep, Pocket Creatures Volume 2 is now live on RPGNow. I'm very excited.

Pocket Creatures Volume 1 has been downloaded 113 times in a week and a half. That's in addition to the 50+ copies downloaded off the Dropbox link.

Did I mention we gave away over 40 copies each of Pocket Creatures Volumes 1 and 2 in print at Gary Con?

I'm dancing a happy dance :)

We're Number 1 - Hottest Small Press (43rd Hottest Overall ;) - Pocket Creatures Volume 1

I woke up to a wonderful surprise. Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is currently (920 AM, March 21st, 2017) the Hottest Small Press seller over at RPGNow. (Number 43 overall)

Thank you all for your support. If something like this doesn't ignite creative fires, nothing will ;)

I head out to Gary Con early this afternoon, so posting will be sparse.

Thanks again. I'm all googlie inside ;P

We're Number 4! (Hottest Small Press)

As of 3/20/17, at approximately 1015 PM Eastern Time, Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is sitting at #4 for Hottest Small Press. While I know that position is fleeting, I just want to thanks everyone for their support.

Expect Pocket Creatures Volume 2 in a week - I'll push it live at RPGNow when I return from Gary Con.

The content for Volume 3 is mostly ready, but it will be the first one laid out with InDesign, so give me a few weeks to get a hang of that.

Remember, Pocket Creatures is laid out so that you can print it in booklet form if you would like - 4 pages, 1 sheet. Or if you have something like the Swords & Wizardry Legion folder (check out the Swords & Wizardry Legion Facebook Community) a single sheet per monster starts a nice Creature Collectanea :)

Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is Live on RPGNow - PWYW So Grab a Copy

Yep, Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is LIVE! Seems the process itself confused me and I missed a step in the submitting process, so it looked submitted but it wasn't. I'll know for next time. Which may be soon, as Volume 2 is ready to go ;)

Its PWYW, so really, there is no reason not to grab a copy.

Its for Swords & Wizardry Light but compatible with all the OSR systems.

As We Await Approval from RPGNow, Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is being Released for Free in The Tavern's Facebook Community

I don't know how much longer it is going to take to get approval at RPGNow for Pocket Creatures Volume 1. Until its approved, it won't show up for sale. With the weekend knocking on our door quickly followed by Gary Con I'd like to get this in the hands of gamers sooner than later.

So, I'm releasing it to The Tavern's Facebook Group in a few minutes.

On RPGNow it is going to be PWYW, so it isn't going to be a money maker, but if you like it you can always re-download it later at RPGNow. Heck, you could even throw in a few coppers too ;)

Pocket Creatures Volume 2 is laid out and ready to be submitted.

I'm not sure we'll have a print ready copy of the Swords & Wizardry Continual Light rules in time for Gary Con. If that's the case I'll bring a few dozen print copies of the two Pocket Creatures Volumes to hand out.

Pocket Creatures Volume 2 is Almost Ready for Prime Time - More Swords & Wizardry Light Monster Madness

Yep, I'm on a "layout roll" ;)

Seriously, as I await RPGNow to clear Pocket Creatures Volume 1 for the market (at PWYW) Volume 2 is nearly ready to be submitted. The material in Volumes 1 and 2 were already posted at The Tavern over the past few years but have been heavily edited and rewritten for use with Swords & Wizardry Light (although they fit perfectly well with other Swords & Wizardry flavors as well as most other OSR rulesets)

If all goes well, Volume 2 should be ready some time this evening and it will roll out to Patreon backers of $1.50 a month or higher. If you are a Paypal backer, you may need to remind me or simply wait for it to go up at PWYW, probably this weekend.

Neither volume is going to be watermarked and both print out nicely in booklet form form on a single sheet.

New creatures will be a feature of the Torchlight Zine, but I enjoy creating monsters and such for my games, so expect more releases in the Pocket Creature line going forward (but at a reduced productivity rate ;)

Art for the above was by +Jim Magnusson

Pocket Creatures Volume 1 is Laid Out and Done for Swords & Wizardry Light

I started thinking "layout" earlier today as it comes to the Torchlight Zine, so what better way to get myself in the right mindset than to start laying out the Pocket Creature collection.

It will be three creatures per release, priced PWYW at RPGNow (waiting for my first product to be approved) and mailed to my Patreon backers via email (check your notifications - went out about a half hour ago)

No longer sure we will have a print ready copy of Swords & Wizardry Continual Light ready for Gary Con, but if not we'll have a few 4 page volumes of Pocket Creatures. BTW, the PDF is not watermarked at is perfect for printing at home.

I'll post the link when its up at RPGNow :)

Monstrous Mondays - Three Armed Squat - White Star / White Box

Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art
©Rick Hershey/Fat Goblin Games

Aye, I've seen the beast, and beast it is, even if it stands on two legs. It's simple minded but cunning. You'd think it's short legs would make it slow, but when it starts charging it's a fearsome sight.

The say it's third arm is the result of it eating its sibling in the womb and I wouldn't be all that surprised. Thing is, that arm seems to have a mind of it's own. It senses things. I've seen a Three Armed Squat lose it's eyes and that third arm shoot a pocket pistol 50 feet as well as if it had been point blank.

They understand tech. Not like you or I, but enough to pull a trigger. Cunning, like I said.

Monstrous Mondays - Bonus - Gelamorphous Cube - White Star / White Box

Art by Denis McCarthy - © Denis McCarthy, 2016

Aye, we've all heard of the Gelatinous Cube. Some may have seen one. It's the ones that ain't seen that's the problem. But have ya heard of the Gelamorphous Cube? I didna think so. They look exact as their cousins until they consume their prey. Then the fun starts. They take the basic shape of their last meal, some of it's abilities, memories and worst of all - intelligence. When they be morphed they are the most cunning of dangers in the dungeon.

Gelamorphous Cube

Armor Class: 6 [13]

Hit Dice: 5 (plus 1/2 last meal's maximum HP)

Attacks: Envelope (2d6) 

Special: Takes on characteristics of it's last prey eaten for 

2d6 days, including basic shape, movement speed, powers 

and / or spells of 3rd level or less, special class abilities, 

cunnning and intelligence. paralysis, lighting and cold immunity

Move: 3/X

HDE/XP: 6/400

When in the shape of their last prey Gelamorphous Cubes are very dangerous. Hit Points are boosted, movement speed is greater and they have many of the abilities (and some memories) that belonged to their last meal while retaining their ability to paralyze new prey. When morphed they have the cunning of an animal hunter. Needing neither air nor water to survive, they have been found in deep dungeons and abandoned starships.

OGL

Denis McCarthy Stock Art

Monstrous Mondays - Osseinian Horror - White Star / White Box

Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art©Rick Hershey/Fat Goblin Games

Some say they're humans cursed by the gods to wear their bones on the outside. Other's claim the devil himself made 'em in his image. What the truth is, none can say for certain except this - ya' see one of them Bone Boys commin' your way, ya better run fast or strike hard. They ain't the fastest but their bones is like armor covering from head to toe. Get past that bones tho' and a good blow should take them down. Just don't get caught in it's claws as the tail will whip around with it's poisoned barb. Yep, best stay clear if ya can, that's fer sure.

Osseinian Horror
Armor Class: 0 [19]
Hit Dice: 2
Attacks: claw x2 (1d6)
Special: If both claws hit same target in same round, target is clutched.
Roll tail attack at + 4 hit. Damage is 1d6 and save vs poison at +2 or be
paralyzed for 2d6 rounds.
Move: 6
HDE/XP: 4/120

Osseinian Horrors, or Bone Boys as the common folks call them, are humanoids that wear their bones on the outside, giving them a relatively high AC and relatively low HP. They do not appear to breath and the only sustenance they needs is the bone marrow of their victims. Bone Boys rarely travel in large groups, but every 30 years or so they swarm a population center like a swarm of locusts, destroying all life therein before returning to their separate paths.

OGL
www.fatgoblingames.com
Fat Goblin Games Stock Art at RPGNow

Pocket Creatures - Simareans - Ghost Walkers (Swords & Wizardry / White Star)

Art by Sidney Sime - Public Domain

"They swarmed like locusts yet seemed t' have a "hive mind" like ants. With barely a sound they descended upon Kraven's Hamlet, devouring the living, leaving just gnawed upon bones.  We seen them only when the sun went down. Don't know where these "Ghost Walkers" came from. Some called them the undead, but they lacked the weaknesses of those foul creatures. No, these are the Un-Living, as our priest soon learned. He was the first of us to fall. I am not proud that I abandoned my companions, but I am alive. They, sadly, are not."   Rathman Breckt, Manipulator of the Magical and Mechanical Arts, sole survivor of The Gathering of Fools adventuring party.

Simerians, often referred to as Ghost Walkers, are a dangerous site to see. Much like locusts, they come from seemingly nowhere, descend upon a location, devour all they can and leave. They aren't a conquering force, nor one of destruction, as buildings and such are left more or less intact in their wake. If it weren't for the bones left behind, no one would be able to guess the fate of the prior inhabitants.

It appears that the Ghost Walkers have a 7 year cycle of inactivity, followed by a month or so of feeding, following by 7 more years of no signs, no nothing. Where they are between feeding cycles, no one know but it is assumed that they are either in some form of stasis or another dimension all together. No Ghost Walker has been found alone, in stasis or captured alive so it is all conjecture.

Ghost Walker swarms number from 50 to 500, with the usual number in the 100 to 150 range. Ghost Walker bodies rot quickly in sunlight and few dead specimens have been recovered to study. Apparently needing neither water nor air and immune to extreme temperatures, small swarms have been known to attach themselves to starships for interstellar travel.

Simareans / Ghost Walkers

ARMOR CLASS   4 [14]
HIT DICE   2
TOTAL HIT BONUS   + 2
ATTACKS   2 x 1d6 (Claws)
SAVING THROW 17 (immune to fire / cold attacks)
SPECIAL - Hypnotic eyes. Instead of attacking, may use eyes to stun opponent. Save or no actions for 1 round. Save every round after first round until successful to negate effect.
MOVEMENT - 15 Ground

OGL

(I'm hoping to get the first Pocket Creature Collection in PDF to Patreon Backers this weekend, with another following in 2 weeks or so. Print copies to the high end backers next weekend if all goes well. Slowly adjusting to my overnight tours ;)

Pocket Creatures - Ginat Leaf Bug (Swords & Wizardry / White Star)

Photo by Erik Tenkar - Side Note - This critter hitched a ride from Hawley PA to somewhere on Route 15 in NJ,  holding on at speeds that exceeded 60 MPH at points

The Giant Leaf Bug comes in at a sizable 2'-3' across when it's wings are fully expended. They are hard to find in temperate zones and the like, with their natural camouflage resulting in a 1 in 12 chance of spotting the Giant Leaf Bug when coming within 10' of it.

Giant Leaf Bugs are hunted for their sticky secretions, that can hold up to 2,000 pounds with just a drop. The average giant leaf bug, when harvested by a skilled hunter, can produced 2 to 12 drops of secretions, valued at 100 GP / Credits per drop. An unskilled hunter will be able to harvest 1d6-3 drops of secretion.

Giant Leaf Bugs are solitary creatures that would rather hide or flee than fight. If they win initiative in a round, they will take of in flight, allowing creatures directly engaged with the Giant Leaf Bug a final attack at -2 to attempt to take them down.

Giant Leaf Bug

ARMOR CLASS   2 [17]
HIT DICE   3+2
TOTAL HIT BONUS   + 3
ATTACKS   1 x 1d6 
SAVING THROW 15
SPECIAL - SEE ABOVE
MOVEMENT - 9 Ground - 18 Flight
HDE/XP - 240

OGL

Pocket Creatures - Fell Hind - (Swords & Wizardry / White Star)

Photo by Erik Tenkar

Fell Hinds are solitary creatures related to deer and virtual indistinguishable from such without a close look. Fell Hinds evolved into omnivores and have an intelligence rating in the 3-5 range, allowing them to plan attacks with almost human like ingenuity.

While quite content to live on foliage and brush they have a taste for fresh flesh and have been known to attack other animals and even humans from ambush. Their first attack is usually a headbutting charge which inflicts double damage if successful as well as requiring a Saving Throw to avoid being knocked prone. Prone targets are subject to stomp attacks in the following rounds if prone - stomp attacks are made at + 2 to hit and inflict double damage. Prone targets can come to their feet with a successful Saving Throw. Targets may attempt this Saving Throw once per round.

Fell Hind

ARMOR CLASS   4 [15]
HIT DICE   6
TOTAL HIT BONUS   + 6
ATTACKS   1 x 1d6 and SEE ABOVE
SAVING THROW 12
SPECIAL - SEE ABOVE
MOVEMENT - 15
HDE/XP - 650

OGL

Pocket Creatures - Wealdlings (White Star / Swords & Wizardry)

Photo by Erik Tenkar

Wealdlings, or Creatures of the Wood, are similar in appearance to their Treant cousins. They are, however slower, more primitive and potential more dangerous.

Wealdlings have been found in groves of as much as 100 but 2 to 12 is most common. Dormant during the winter months they have been known to attack sleeping travelers, especially those that have fire burning for safety. They attack as a pack and have the intelligence of pack hunters. Creatures killed are absorbed by their roots, providing nourishment. Solid materials - weapons, armor, coins and the like are left behind at the kill location.

Wooded areas known for, or suspected to be inhabited by Wealdlings are avoided by the experienced traveler.

Wealdlings

ARMOR CLASS   3 [15]
HIT DICE   2+2 to 6+6
TOTAL HIT BONUS   +2 to + 6
ATTACKS   2 x 1d6
SAVING THROW 15 to 11
SPECIAL - 1/2 damage from blunt weapons / -2 save vs fire
MOVEMENT - 3
HDE/XP - varies by HD

OGL

Pocket Creatures - The Four Armed Squatch - For Swords & Wizardry and White Star

I love the point blank shot to the head myself ;)

There is little more amoral or disgusting in the known world (or known universe for that matter) than the Four Armed Squatch (what they call themselves is unknown). These green, 6' tall and obviously four armed creatures communicate exclusively via a form of telepathy. They are known as slavers, and make the average slaver compare favorably to a Star Knight or Paladin of old.

They rarely use weapons, preferring to use a form of psychic blast to stun their opponent, as dead new slaves are fairly worthless (except to feed other slaves - waste not, want not.) The lifespan of the average slave of a Four Armed Squatch is counted in weeks and therefore recruitment of new slaves is an ongoing concern.

Physically weak, nearly everything in Squatch society has been built by, prepared by, cooked by, moved by, carried by, etc - slave labor. There have been few slave rebellions and none successful. The last rebellion resulted in the recycling of over 90% of the slave population, the remainder being used to clean up and process the bodies of the former.



Four Armed Squatch

ARMOR CLASS   5 [14]
HIT DICE   2+2
TOTAL HIT BONUS   +2
ATTACKS   2 x Fists (1d6-2) or Psychic Blast
SAVING THROW 15
SPECIAL - Psychic Blast - Range 6" - Save or sleep 1d6 rounds
MOVEMENT 12
HDE/XP 4/340

For use with White Star (discount link - link expires in 3 days - use it if you want it) and Swords and Wizardry White Box (free download link)

Pocket Creatures - Muelitoad - Swords & Wizardry and White Star

Really, what can be said about the Muelitoad race that hasn't been said prior? The fact that they all seem to be female, with wart covered breasts and the frame of an ogre? Perhaps the small stalks that protrude from the eyes and ears that appear to have no useful purpose? Or maybe that they are drawn to the females of intelligent races - for what nefarious purpose we know not yet.

I suspect you didn't realize that they spit poison at their adversaries, for if you did the wad of spittle oozing down your face would cause you no small amount of alarm.

Ah, never mind. You are experiencing such knowledge first hand right now. What a lovely shade of blue. I shall take your leave now if you don't mind. I wonder what will happen to your woman?

Muelitoad

ARMOR CLASS   4 [15]
HIT DICE   4+1
TOTAL HIT BONUS   +4
ATTACKS   Fists (1d6) or Spit (1d6-3) and Save or Die
SAVING THROW 10 (save bonus due to thick skin)
SPECIAL - Poisonous spit - Range 3"
MOVEMENT 9
HDE/XP 5/600

Further Thoughts on "Four Page Pocket Projects"

So, the first "Four Page Pocket Project" to release on Patreon will be Pocket Monsters, Creatures and NPCs - Ashcan #1. I call it an "Ashcan" because the plan to to rerelease it later in a more professional format consolidating at least three to four releases. I'll cross that bridge when it gets there ;)

The goal is to release 1 to 2 four page pocket projects a month, get feedback and tweak as needed.

Now, I'm also thinking of adding a Four Page Pocket Treasures into the mix, which would include magic items, tech items and all the stuff inbetween. As always, they will be posted at The Tavern first.

The fun part is I get to splurge on some stock art. I'll be like a kid in a candy store :)

Oh, got my mailing envelopes for the printed Four Pagers.

And no. No zine on the horizon. Need to crawl before I can even walk ;)