Tenkar's Tavern Facebook Community - 603 Members and Growing

I realized yesterday that The Tavern's Facebook Community just broke the 600 mark. I'm in awe. Thank you all.

Remember, don't just be a member but be an active one. Post and comment. It is YOUR community after all. I just serve the drinks.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership cards have SLOWLY been going out. Much slower than I anticipated. Not only has work on Swords & Wizardry: Light been a bit time consuming, but wrapping up before my actual retirement date on the 17th has been a distracting time sink. A significant time sink. Not just with last minute paperwork either.

As of the 18th I am a free man. I expect to be able to focus on the various projects in the works and speed up the processing of The Tavern Membership Cards. This weekend will be a total wash though ;)

Tavern Cards Have Started Their Journeys - May the USPS Be a Kind Benefactor

I have a bad habit of adding projects in the midst of projects. Swords & Wizardry: Light drew me away from adding everything to the spreadsheet and getting the cards out, and the surprise overwhelming reaction to the Tavern Cards interrupted me in the midst of matching up the last half of gifters and gift receivers for Chucks fundraising.

Anyhow, today a batch of cards went out. It is a bit time consuming, as I'm adding to the spreadsheet and addressing the envelopes by hand. Ah well, keeps me outa trouble, right? I'm going to try and set a minimum of 20 cards a day, hopefully more, in addition to the rest of the stuff on the plate (the upcoming 3 day weekend is NOT included in those numbers). I decided NOT to put names or nicknames on the card - you will need to do that on your end. Signing the cards, dating them and numbering them I can do without making a mistake, but the names are not mine and while practicing on scratch paper, that is where I saw mistakes (and potentially wasted cards).

I'm in NYC, so I'm hopeful the international cards will ship faster than they might otherwise have done so. We literally have worldwide requests, from every continent aside from Antartica. When the database is complete, I'll do a breakdown by general location and post it up.

I'm hoping to start playtesting the Swords & Wizardry: Light rules in about 2 weeks time, but that is not set in stone. Playtesters will be initially drawn from my current gaming group, but will expand as the summer grows and the project gets closer to completion. I suspect the initial call will go out over the Tavern's Google Group Community before opening up as a post here at The Tavern.

Time to Start Processing Tavern Card Requests - Ashley Demands it Be So!

500 extra heavy Tenkar's Tavern Membership cards - check!

400 peel and seal envelopes - check!

300 US Postage Forever Stamps - check!

30 US Postage Global Forever Stamps - check!

A bunch of mini post it's for personal notes - check!

not pictured - metallic ink pens

Postage alone was $175.50 and with the requests over the weekend that I need to add to the Google Community, we'll need more postage ;)

Stephen Marsh Adds His NTRPG Con 2016 Scenario to The Tenkar's Tavern Community Card Benefits

The response to the Tenkar's Tavern Free Membership Card and Google Community has been overwhelming, not just from gamers that want their slick card but from publishers, conventions and even game writers.

Last night Stephen Marsh forwarded me his 2016 NTRPG Con Scenario, Volume 2 of City of the Revenant, for the use by members of the Tenkar's Tavern Community:

This is a pdf release of the OSR scenario I ran at the 2016 NTPRG Con. It is provided for free for members of Tenkar’s Tavern as of June 2016. You may make up to ten copies for personal use and may run the scenario. This is not a general release or a release for purposes of making derivative works. I eventually hope to find a publisher for the complete work.

How do you get access to such an exclusive adventure?

First, you need to request your very own FREE Tenkar's Tavern Card which will ship anywhere in the world. Email your request to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that Gmail thing. Give it at least 3 weeks to get your card at this point, as we are closing in on 300 requests and I only received the cards yesterday.

Second, you'll need to join the Tenkar's Tavern Community Group on Google. I'll send you an invite when you request your card. The group seems to work best with Gmail email addresses.

Much thanks to Stephen Marsh for his generosity. Expect more benefits over the next days and weeks.

Tenkar's Tavern Cards Have Arrived - They Look Sharp

I'm very impressed with the sharpness of the front of the card. The colors "snap" (the above shot does not do it justice)

Now, the above back is for Rach and filled out as a sample of sorts. The numbering uses metallic blue ink, the date and my signature (such as it is) are in green metallic ink. I wanted to do the same with the names but some names are too long and will be lucky to fit on 2 lines with a fine tip black ink pen.

I also have metallic pink, but that almost looks like a blood and puss mixture ;)

So, comments on the back? Go with the colors? Go all black? Go all metallic and find a way to make the really long names fit ;)

I'm hoping to have the first 50 cards or so in the mail sometime Friday. Then I am gone for a 3 day weekend. Then I'm back to mailing cards. Want a card? Email me at tenkarstavernDOTcommunity at that Gmail DOT com thing. I'll need a snail mail address.

Tenkar's Tavern Community Cards - 270+ Requested - Still Available for Free - Expecting to Mail First 50 By Friday

You know how I said I'd never do a Kickstarter? I suddenly feel like I'm doing one ;)

We are at about 275 requests for Tenkar's Tavern Community Membership Cards. Yes, I'm shipping them worldwide for free. Yes, we are accepting more requests. Yes, membership has it's privileges.

The latest shipping update indicates I should have the cards tomorrow. I'm hoping to have the first 50 cards or so in the mail sometime Friday. Then I am gone for a 3 day weekend. Then I'm back to mailing cards. Want a card? Email me at tenkarstavernDOTcommunity at that Gmail DOT com thing. I'll need a snail mail address.

I have NEVER done anything on this scale before. The notoriously uncoordinated and disorganized Tenkar is actually using a spreadsheet for this. I'm hoping to have all of the current requests in the mail within 3 weeks, but I really have no idea how time consuming this will be. I have most of the first 50 entries on the spreadsheet, but still waiting on some Patreons to finalize it all.

You do get the majority of the benefits upon request, as I'm sending the requests for the Tenkar's Tavern Google Community within hours if not minutes. It is important that you join the online community, as that is where we are sharing the discounts and freebies. It is invite only. You get your invite upon requesting your free card.

It is important to use the discount codes and links available to you from the community if they interest you. You are not doing yourself, or the publisher / venue / retailer any good by paying full price. By using the links / codes, you are showing the influence of the Tenkar's Tavern Community as a whole. There are many discounts / freebies in the works and if they interest you, use them. I myself are very close to using the Gamehole discount for Rach and I. There are other discounts / promotions I hope to secure for this focused, Old School Gaming Community (yes, that's how I plan to "sell this" to other publishers)

When you ask "where does The Tavern's Patreon funds go to?" or "what do the OBS affiliate funds go to?" this is one of your answers. It goes back to the OSR, Old School Gaming and to the loyal readers of The Tavern.

Thank you for putting your faith in me. Thank you for sharing this expanded community (the blog, the G+ Community, the Facebook Community and the new Google Group Invite Only Community) with me. If you have offers of discounts or free material you want to give to Tenkar's Tavern Card Holding Members, you know where to find me ;)

All Invites to The Tenkar's Tavern Google Group Community Were Sent - We Are Nearing 250 Cards Requested

A few quick things.

I sent out over 235 invites (some requests were made by couples - 2 cards, 1 email) to The Tenkar's Tavern Google Group Community yesterday (well, I finished after midnight) as well as individual emails to let folks know the invite was incoming. If you haven't gotten your invite yet, check you spam folder. If you need a new invite, email me at the same email you used to ask for a card.

The Tenkar's Tavern Group is where you will find you discount codes, links to free and discounted products, announcements for brick and mortar promotions, deals at cons and the like. If your not in the group, you won't have access to these bennies.

If you are in the group and want to change the email your notifications go to, again, send me an email with your current email and the email you want to use and we'll delete the one and invite the other. It's that simple.

If you signed up via Instant Messaging I don't have your email and you didn't get an invite. Forward me an email address if you want the bennies to go along with your free Tenkar's Tavern Card.

If we include folks that I know are going to sign up (we've spoken, I have your emails, I may just do it on my end) we are just a few members short of 250 soon to be card carrying members. To think I came close to ordering only 250 cards (I ordered 500, so we are good for a bit).

Another 100 requests and we hit NTRPG Con numbers ;)

I'll be very happy when every request is entered into the spreadsheet, as we have requests from all over the world. It's nice to see The Tavern has a large and far reach.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have over 240 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards. (I won't have an accurate number until I complete the spreadsheet, as some emails requested 2 cards - couples - and a small number of requests were made via Facebook IM). Requests made at this point are probably looking at 3 weeks from now or so for delivery. I've never done this before, so this is pure speculation. It depends on the number of cards I can prepare and mail on a daily basis.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership Cards Arrive Wednesday - First Batch Should Go Out Thursday

It's been a busy post NTRPG Con week. I estimate we are around 225 requests for Tenkar's Tavern Membership cards. Holy shit isn't half of it!

A couple of quick things.

If you are a Patreon backer of The Tavern and you want a card number in the first 50, I need you to request your card by midnight, Monday June 13th, 2016. Why? Because I need to enter data into the spreadsheet so I have accurate card numbers before I start filling out cards on Wednesday. I need to get a head start as early as possible. If you are a Patreon backer that requested a card but didn't let me know you were a backer, email me and I'll take it into account.

Do card numbers really matter? Nope. It's all about bragging rights. Those that donated to the cause, with offers of free or discounted goods or services, are also going to get a lower number.

All cards requested in this month will be dated 6/16, so technically you'll all be first issue ;)

I've been asked about replacement cards if lost / stolen / damaged / acts of God / etc. So long as there are cards left, I'll reissue with the same card number. They'll be a $5 donation to the cause for replacements. Now, your first card is free and ships free. Don't lose it.

Google Group invites will start going out later today. Hopefully it will be done by the end of tomorrow. If you don't get an invite by Wednesday, send me an email and I'll rectify it.

I need to add a page at The Tavern that lists all the bennies. The community is extremely generous. You won't be disappointed with the benefits that membership brings.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have about 225 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards. (I won't have an accurate number until I complete the spreadsheet, as some emails requested 2 cards - couples - and a small number of requests were made via Facebook IM). Requests made at this point are probably looking at 3 weeks from now or so for delivery.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Over 200 Tenkar's Tavern Membership Cards Requested - And I Can't Send Bulk Emails - Doh!

So, I learned last night that Gmail won't allow me to send bulk BCC emails. Not 190 at a time, not 10 at a time. Which means I'm sending out nearly 200 emails one at a time, to inform folks of the bennies currently secured and to give an overview of the bennies currently being worked on.

(One of my next steps is to include a page here at The Tavern listing the current bennies)

It's also letting them know that they will be receiving an invite to the Tenkar's Tavern Community Google Group, as THAT will allow me to send group emails out (as it requires an to "opt in"). In truth, this is probably a better solution for keeping members abreast of new deals and discounts as they arise. I don't THINK you need a Gmail account to be invited to the group but who the hell knows.

I'm almost halfway to sending out the emails and then I'll start sending out the invites to the Community Group.

If you signed up for a card and need the Gamehole discount code, email me at I'll send it to you.

To think I almost only ordered 250 cards.

I'm humbled by the response. I'm figuring those requesting cards at this point are looking at 2 to 3 weeks before they get them, longer for overseas. I'm finding there's a number of gamers in the NYC area (prime attendees for a Pub Con) and Taverners from all over the world.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have over 200 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards. (I won't have an accurate number until I do the spreadsheet, as some emails requested 2 cards - couples - and a small number of requests were made via Facebook IM)

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Tavern Membership Bennie #3 - $5 Off Any Weekend Badge at Gamehole Con

I've been talking with Alex Kammer this morning. He's the main man behind Gamehole Con (November 4th through the 6th, Madison Wisconsin) . He wanted to offer a benefit to Tenkar's Tavern card holding members and he's offering $5 off any weekend badge to members of The Tavern.

Yes, you need your free card for this.

Maybe this will convince Rach this should be our second con for this year :)

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

Note - We have over 150 requests and I'm still waiting on deliver of the cards. Give it 3 weeks or so for delivery.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership Card - Over 135 Cards Requested - Ships Free Anywhere in the World - Get Yours Now!

Tuesday night I offered free membership cards for Tenkar's Tavern that I'll ship anywhere in the world for free. I figured it's your community, why not get something to show for it? The response has been amazing. Beyond anything I could have imagined in so short a time. Over 135 requests and I'm still waiting on delivery of the cards.

Even better, the card has benefits. +Michael Badolato / Bad Mike Books is offering a free Judges Guild Traveller product at any cons he attends as a vendor (and possibly just as an attendee) and +Zach Glazar / Lesser Gnome is offering 20-25% off the Death & Taxes boxed set for card holders. I've also discussed discounts from other publishers using the mailing list to offer discounts directly to card holders. Nothing to announce yet, but we've got a solid half dozen publishers interested. This is BEFORE I've directly reached out to any publishers or retailers.

As more people request their cards, membership just gets more valuable. There is strength in numbers.

I've had it suggested that I work out a Gamer Seeking Gamers service, as I have physical addresses for everyone, but that's not something you opted in for. I COULD, down the line, set up a page where I list folks that opt in by country / state / zip-postal code and just ID members by their ID number. Then, upon request, use said ID # to match folks up. That would be after I put together the spreadsheet or database to keep these ID numbers organized. I want to get that done early, as organization IS NOT my middle name ;)

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunity AT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership - Second Benefit Announced - Lesser Gnome is Offering 20-25% Off Death & Taxes Boxes

Just a heads up. We are well over 100 membership cards requested. So, if you email me your request now, you are probably in the 2 to 3 weeks range before receiving your card. I'm guessing that number figuring a week to a week and a half for print and delivery to me.

Now on to the fun stuff.

+Zach Glazar , aka The Lesser Gnome has offered the following benefit for card carry members of Tenkar's Tavern:

I will give 20% off Death & Taxes boxes bought via mail-order with a photo of The Tavern member holding the membership card. 25% holding it in a funny way for social sharing.

Now, you physically need your membership card for this, so it will take a couple of weeks before you can cash in on this. Death & Taxes is an AMAZING release. You literally can't go wrong if you decide to use this benefit.

Purchase must be made at the Lesser Gnome webstore. Social media sharing must tag +Erik Tenkar and +Zach Glazar . We are both on G+ and Facebook, so your choice. The Lesser Gnome is the final arbitrator on whether or not your social media share is funny or not.

Don't have a membership card for Tenkar's Tavern? Why not? It's free. Really. I will mail you a physical copy anywhere in the world. What does it look like? It's pictured to the right of this post.

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community. Your email may be used to offer you savings and other such exclusives to Tenkar's Tavern members and will NOT be shared with anyone.

Tenkar's Tavern Membership - First Benefit Announced - BadMike Books and Games is Offering Free JG Traveller Item of Choice at Cons (Membership is Free)

Yep, Bad Mike and his BadMike Books and Games is offering a a free Judges Guild Traveller Item of your choice at the cons he attend as a vendor. Which definitely means NTRPG Con 2017 among others. How do you get this free loot? You need to show him your Tenkar's Tavern Membership card.

Wait, you don't have one?

It's free. I'll mail it to you on my dime.

We're also working on getting some discounts for members on OSR product releases (notifications will come via email - these discounts will not be posted at The Tavern directly, although in the future one could sign up for a free membership and be eligible for all benefits immediately)

How do you get your free card?

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community.

Cards are at least 2 weeks out at this point. I'll start mailing the day they arrive, but we're over 75 cards to be sent so far.

God bless you all :)

Tavern Membership Will Have Benefits, And it's Free :)

Last night I announced that Tenkar's Tavern will be mailing membership cards anywhere in the world - for free. They will have the owner's name (or online handle) as well as a membership number on the back.

I was asked if I would be forming a mailing list and at first I thought "why?" but then I had a thought. What better way to get word of new OSR releases with a membership only discount. Basically, the idea is that publishers would send me info and a link to buy their new release along with a Tenkar's Tavern Member discount.

Of course, this thought occurred to me as I laid in bed last night, so nothing in the works yet. Still, I think it's viable and an excellent way to both get some eyes on new OSR releases and save Tenkar's Tavern Members a few coppers.

How do you get your free card?

You'll need to email me your mailing address and the name you want on the card. Send the info to tenkarstavernDOTcommunityAT that gmail thing. Yep, brand new email for a brand new way to share our community.