New OSR Release - Dan Dies in the End no.1 (DCC RPG Zine)

 

A DCC RPG Zine for 50 cents? I almost didn't believe it :)

Dan Dies in the End no.1 is a new zine and it's on sale for a mere 50 cents.

Oh snap! Look at you, perusing a description for the most gloriously gonzo zine you'll read in Dan’s short, inconsequential life. Dan Dies in the End is a labor of love, created by and for folks who love playing tabletop rpgs. 

Need useless magical items? We got ‘em. Is an enormous, rat-like pangolin attacking your village? We got the stats. Craving a low-prep, zany dungeon to throw at your players? That’s on page nineteen. 

Baba Yaga (enemy)

The Undertrench (Heart landmark)

Goblin Super Powers (Goblin Quest rules addition)

Terrible Hirelings

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner (dungeon)

T'Ratsk (enemy)

Xurl the Face Fister & the Dread Beast (short story)

Defenders of Kobold are not responsible for legal or funerary costs incurred as a result of consuming the content within this zine.

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I Thank you in advance - Tenkar 

Deal of the Day - Rocket Age 5e - Core Rulebook

 I'm a huge fan of pulp-era sci-fi serials. Flash Gordon was cheese, but it was good cheese. Putting such into a 5e powered RPG ruleset may actually tempt me into learning the 5e rules well enough to run a few sessions.

The Rocket Age 5e Core Rulebook is normally 19.99 but until tomorrow morning its on sale for 9.99.

Rocket Age won the ENnies Judge's Spotlight Award.

"It's alternate history pulpy retro-sci-fi space opera planetary romance. It's throttled up rocket packs burning radium on the long blast to the farthest reaches of the Solar System. It's hunting thunder lizards in the upland jungles of Venus. It's battling Ancient Martian killing machines piloted by the Deutsche Marskorps across the baking red deserts of Mars. It's exploring the deadly skies of Jupiter under the constant threat of Europan disintegration. It's RAY gun wielding heroes bulls-eyeing mutants in the blasted ruins of Io" - Ken Spencer, Rocket Age Author.

Rocket Age is the core rulebook in our new radium-powered game line of interplanetary adventure! 5e compatible, it's packed to the fins with all the rules, setting information and game ideas to keep you playing throughout your very own rocket age!

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I Thank you in advance - Tenkar 

Bundle for Beirut! Over 230 bucks of Gaming Goodness for 30 bucks

The Bundle for Beirut! charity bundle is live on DriveThruRPG. We've all seen the videos of the recent unimaginable explosion in Beirut. This bundle raises monies for Doctors Without Borders and their response to the scene of the tragedy.

You'll find 5e, Pathfinder, OSR, and other material in the bundle.

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I Thank you in advance - Tenkar 

Props to DRTRP for a Quick Response to a Report of Offensive Material - Deal of the Day

 I'd like to give a huge "thank you" to DTRPG for quickly responding and taking action to address a complaint with today's Deal of the Day. 

Below is a screenshot of today's Deal of the Day:

Notice that last line? I certainly did. I emailed a polite complaint.

Within 15 minutes I had a personalized response that my complaint was forwarded up the chain of command.

In less than 90 minutes I had the following email:

A few minutes later the company's catalog was offline:

Well played, DTRPG. Well played.

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 the affiliate programs that support The Tavern. I Thank you in advance - Tenkar 

Kickstarter - The Majestic Fantasy RPG (Bat in the Attic Games)

 There are few Kickstarters I've had the pleasure to look forward to as much as Rob Conley's The Majestic Fantasy RPG. Not that I knew it was going to be a Kickstarter when Rob first teased it, but man, I'm so glad it's here. :)

I was supposed to have a Fireside Chat with Rob earlier tonight on the Tavern Chat Podcast, but my stomach isn't cooperating, so we've punted to the end of the week. 

Time for me to let Rob explain The Majestic Fantasy RPG:

In 2009, I released a platinum selling supplement (Blackmarsh is now PWYW) that explained the details of the setting I used for my fantasy campaign for nearly forty years. Along with providing details, the supplement contains rules for adapting the material to the Swords & Wizardry RPG and other classic editions of the original roleplaying game. 

Since then, I have continued to run campaigns and now have enough material and rules to release a new series of supplements. The supplements together will function as their own system, useful as a tool for running many different types of fantasy campaigns. They will also function as individual supplements to the Swords & Wizardry RPG and other RPGs based on the classic editions. 

This reflects the reality that most fantasy campaigns based on the classic editions are a kitbash of different elements that the referee finds useful. So rather than try to compete with the large number of excellent RPGs targeting the classic editions, I decided to format my take in a way that supports kitbashing. While I hope people will enjoy the system I created as a whole, I expect most will pick out just the parts they are interested in, whether it is classes, monsters, or magic items. 

However, there needs to be something that ties these different elements together. A supplement that explains and illustrates how these rules work together as a complete system. To this end, I wrote The Basic Rules For The Majestic Fantasy RPG. It covers the traditional four classes of burglar, cleric, fighter, and magic user from levels 1 to 5 along with details on spells, equipment, and combat rules. It also supports the referee by including a list of monsters, NPCs, and magic items for a fantasy campaign. It ends with two sections of referee advice on how I use the elements of the classic editions to construct the rules and to make new rulings to cover the fantastic and unexpected things that players will attempt as their characters. Then it explains how to use the included material to bring the world outside the dungeon to life. 

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 the affiliate programs that support The Tavern. I Thank you in advance - Tenkar 

Deal of the Day - Castles & Crusades Codex Germania

When Troll Lord Games Kickstarted its various historical sourcebooks for Castles & Crusades, I was all over it. Today, Codex Germania is the DTRPG Deal of the Day. You can snag a copy for 6.40 (normally 16 bucks)

While you are at it you can also grab copies of Codex Classicum (Greek, Etruscan and Roman myths) and Codex Slavorum (Slavic myths) for 6.40 apiece.

The Codex Germania unearths the mythological realms of the ancient Germans. From the murky forests of their beginnings rise the myths, the magic, gods, goddesses, monsters, heroes and legends of the ancient Germans, all brought to life for your Castles & Crusades game.

New Classes! New spells! More monsters!

Bring the Germanic World to the table!

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Deal of the Day - Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures (5e)

I may have my feet solidly in the OSR, but even I have heard good things about Sly Flourish and their various releases. Today's Deal of the Day is Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures. Inside you get 10 short adventures for D&D 5e, but I suspect, as they are lower-level adventures, you can convert to the OSR system of your choice with little effort.

Normally 14.99, until tomorrow morning Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures is available for 4.50.

Sly Flourish's Fantastic Adventures is a book of ten short adventures for the fifth edition of the world's most popular roleplaying game.

Each adventure is written for 2nd to 5th level and is designed so GMs can drop them into any fantasy campaign world. Whether you run a homebrew setting or a published game world, these adventures will fit in as either main adventure hooks or side quests to be undertaken by the characters in your game.

The adventures include:

The Night Blade: Ralavaz the Night Blade, a notorious bandit chieftain, has been released from prison. Rumors mark him as having returned to the hideout from which he and his band once operated—a ruined watchtower where a new group of bandits now dwells. The local sheriff believes that Ralavaz’s return means the Night Blades are back—and that the bandit chieftain must be stopped for good.

The Dwarven Vault: Miners digging on Goldpeak Mountain recently broke into an ancient dwarven vault lost for centuries, and from which treasure and madness now flow. Monstrous attacks in the local area see the adventurers asked to investigate, leading them to the mines and the discovery of the ancient magic underlying the threat.

The Well of the Black Sun: The mine known as Deepfathom Well is the only source of the lucrative alchemical substance voidwater. However, a number of recent murders—including the immolation of a head miner—have closed the operation, and the mine’s owner hires the characters to investigate. As they explore the mysteries buried deep beneath the ground, the characters discover the dark power lurking within the mine—and expose the activities of a secret cult that seeks to control that power.

Rosethorn: A particularly intelligent goblin named Rosethorn has brought the local goblin tribes under his control, and is leading them in devastating raids against trade wagons and farm folk. When the local sheriff seeks help to put an end to these dastardly robberies, the characters uncover multiple levels of mystery and subterfuge, and discover the secret behind Rosethorn’s villainous mind.

The Gleam in the King’s Eye: Lord Marlin Whitesparrow hires the characters to join him as he explores the lost chambers beneath his ancient keep. His goal is to claim the Crown of the First Lord—a lost family relic that might help solidify his rule. But within the forgotten spaces beneath the keep, Whitesparrow and the characters will discover family histories that should have been left alone.

The Crashed Palace: When a celestial palace falls to earth, its destruction unleashes corrupting magic and a bearded devil intent on summoning its master—a powerful pit fiend from the hellish plane of Dyn. A mortally wounded archon begs the characters to travel to the palace and prevent the summoning of this fiend, but dark magic and monstrous creatures transformed by the devil’s rituals stand in their way.

The Flesh Eaters: Lizardfolk tribes living near settled lands traditionally keep to themselves. So when a lizardfolk attack leaves local settlers dead, the characters are asked to investigate. After discovering that an ancient lizardfolk cult is responsible, the characters must track the cannibal cultists back to their lair, revealing the dark magic that has corrupted the lizardfolk, and standing against their powerful leader.

The Queen of Red Water: At an old dwarven dam, a bugbear matriarch has found the key to holding an entire valley hostage by stopping the flow of the local river. With farms on the verge of collapse from the sudden drought, the characters are charged with negotiating with the bugbear’s agents on behalf of the local village. They must then infiltrate the dam to identify the full scope of the bugbear chieftain’s threats.

The Cult of Dusk: A deadly attack in the local village leads to the revelation that a dark cult is seeking forbidden magic in the nearby ruins known as the forgotten library. The characters must pursue the cultists and their mysterious leader into the ruins, trying to prevent a ritual that might pull the world into eternal night.

Gloom: Lord Whitesparrow’s spoiled nephew and heir, Pennin, is marked for death, and the characters are tasked with discovering who is behind the threat. Even as they learn that Pennin recently desecrated a local temple, murder and mayhem lead the characters to discover that one of the temple’s priests is a former assassin of great and terrible renown—and that she has kidnapped Pennin to seek bloody revenge.

Each adventure includes a map of the adventure location and a special presentation format designed to make it as easy as possible for game masters to pick up this book, choose an adventure, and get started playing. Whether you're running a single-session adventure for a few friends or want to drop a short adventure into the middle of your longer campaign, Fantastic Adventures has you covered.

The electronic version includes both PDFs and Epub, perfect for running off of your phone or tablet along with pregenerated character sheets for levels 1 to 5 custom built for Fantastic Adventures.

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About the Appendix N Library

I made it back from my business trip to Ft Bragg/Fayetteville NC and even though my luggage space was tight I managed to make space for a couple books I picked up from a used book store. Both of them were compilations of Fafhrd and the Grey Mouser stories by Fritz Leiber. I only had one Leiber book so far and these two basically filled out the rest of the stories I didn't already have.

Last year I started building up an Appendix N library in earnest. I hit up the used book stores on the regular and have a list of the books I'm looking for. Last year I was "stuck" in the Jacksonville FL area for a month and I found a couple treasure troves of bookstores.

I probably should go back a bit and explain what Appendix N is for those that are coming from another headspace. In the back of the 1st Edition AD&D Dungeon Master's Guide, listed as "Appendix N" Gary Gygax compiled a list of authors and wrote "All of the above authors, as well as many not listed, certainly helped to shape the form of the game. For this reason, and for the hours of reading enjoyment, I heartily recommend the works of these fine authors to you."

So basically the main man himself says that these authors were not only inspirational for AD&D (and clearly all subsequent RPGs) but just good reading. Some of the works by the listed authors can easily be pointed to as inspiration for specific elements of AD&D. I'd list them, but why? You should figure that out yourself.....and while you're at it take some inspiration for making your own tweaks to your game (or not).

So we have a 40 year-old recommended reading list.....have you ever tried to go to the library to pick up an old, non-mainstream book? Not as easy to do as you would think, unless you happen to be part of a HUGE library network (like Tenkar has in NYC). Sure, inter-library loans will help some, but you've got to wait in line with all the other nerds trying to do the same thing.

Actually a LOT of the "official" Appendix N authors had their works published as dime-store paperbacks. Hardcovers aren't always available....they may never have been made, or were made in much smaller numbers. Sometimes you'll luck out and find a compilation or omnibus version with a few books under one cover, but I've found that out more with my own personal Appendix N list.

This is the thing as well.....you really should have your own Appendix N list. The official one in the back of the DMG is a good start, but there has been a lot written in the last 40 years. You might want to add or remove genres, etc. I'll add my personal list at the end of this post, after a couple bits of advice.

Lets say you have your beginning Appendix N list, now where to start?

I'm going to suggest working a bit backwards and even before picking up your 1st book, well your next deliberate Appendix N purchase (undoubtedly you already have at least one book...right?) figure out how you're going to track your library. I dislike buying a second copy of a book that I don't need because I wasn't tracking...... I personally use Libib, which is free. Google documents/sheets can work just fine, but even a simple hand-written list will suffice, as long as you always have it on you. I'm to the point now where I have most of the books I've been looking for, so I often have just a couple here and there from specific series, or hardcovers I want to replace my paperbacks. In Libib I just have a specific library called "Wanted Books" that lists what I'm needing.

As far as actually getting the books you want for your library.......well, you'll inevitably need to put in some leg work. Used bookstores are my personal go-to. The larger chains are hit and miss, but they have multiple locations and are usually the leading places where people go to sell books in the first place. I do like Half Price Books and when I'm in OKC or Dallas I hit up a few. I have had a couple good finds, but I think the days of walking into an entire library of cheap gaming books is long-gone. Still, there is a gem here & there. The smaller used bookstores, the genuine small business type places (regardless of physical size) have been really good to me. They've been the best place for me to find the old trade paperbacks. Lastly, and I've only done this a couple times to close out series for my library, you have the online retailers like AbeBooks. These retailers are worth checking into after you've been hitting the bookstores a bit and you get a feel for what certain books cost. Just yesterday I bought a book to finish out a series because I could do the mental math and realized I'm just paying an extra $2 for shipping over me buying it in person. Since it could be months or years before I saw that book in the wild......a $2 "premium" is totally worth it.

This weekend I'm relaxing from my trip and organizing my Appendix N library (see where I got the inspiration from?) I've bagged up some of my trade paperbacks to help protect them and generally figured out which books I still need to close out certain series. Now I enjoy the hunt for adding to my library almost as much as I hate buying unneeded dupes. I'm hoping that at least one Tavern reader is motivated to start/formalize their own Appendix N library and maybe....maybe have a bit better luck than I have (not that I'm complaining....)

Frugal GM's Appendix N Library (Authors):
Poul Anderson
Piers Anthony
Robert Asprin
Terry Brooks
Jim Butcher
L. Sprague de Camp
Lin Carter
C. J. Cherryh
David Farland
Craig Shaw Gardner
John Jakes
Robert Jordan
Katherine Kurtz
Tanith Lee
Fritz Leiber
John Moore
Andrew J. Offutt
Jack Vance
Lawrence Watt-Evans
Robert E. Howard

I could be missing some authors, but I've deliberately avoided authors of actual RPG material or TSR books, well at least the ones I know of.

New OSR Release - Heart of Varrul (White Star Campaign Setting)

I love me some White Star. As I dig through the gaming content I've created here at The Tavern, I've found that I've created a sizeable amount of material for White Star. There are probably the seeds of a campaign floating around here if you dig deep enough. But why should you do that when you can get a White Star campaign from none other than White Star's own James Spahn and his not quite a brother nor related Pete Spahn. If the Spahns aren't a winning combination then there simply isn't one.

Heart of Varrul is the new White Star setting available from Spahn & Spahn. Pete has given me peeks over the years and I must say, it is an impressive offering.

Heart of Varrul is 15 bucks in PDF, 25 in softcover, and 30 in hardcover.

But wait! There is a Heart of Varrul bundle for 20 bucks in PDF. It includes White Star Galaxy Edition, Rul System Adventure Pack, Walking the Way, and of course Heart of Varrul. A $43 value. If you are new to White Star this is an amazing value.

Of course, you can snag the Original White Star rules at PWYW pricing, so there is no reason not to give them a peek and see what everyone is talking about.

Note: James is like a brother to me, and I've been friends with Pete for years. They do write some good shit. Support them :)

Heart of Varrul is a White Star: Galaxy Edition™ campaign setting book that details the aliens, factions, and conflicts of the Rul System, Tathkee Station, and the Planet Varrul. The Rul System is on the brink of an interstellar gold rush and the PCs are poised to get involved on the ground floor. How they get involved is up to them!  

Written by Peter C. Spahn and James M. Spahn, Heart of Varrul expands on the foundation laid by the critically acclaimed White Star: Galaxy Edition™. With illustrations by artists Nicolas Giacondino and James Shields and maps by Just Insert Imagination's Morne Schaap, Heart of Varrul is specifically designed to give Referees a readymade location to run hours of adventures.

OVERVIEW

"They call it varrulium. A lightweight ore that, when refined, shows a remarkable ability to deflect energy. It can be used to protect everything from circuit boards to dreadnaught hulls. Some say that certain alloys can even resist the cutting properties of the mystical Star Swords.  

The ore is found only on the remote gas giant Varrul, which lies deep in the Galactic Beyond, but that’s not stopping anyone. There are too many free credits to be made. Millions. Maybe billions, all just there for the taking.  

The big corporations are sending contractors to locate and strip mine the islands floating through the gas giant’s skies. They are hiring mercenaries to protect their workers from the local fauna. A lot of independent miners have also traveled to Varrul hoping to strike it rich.  

There’s a catch of course. Varrul’s turbulent red skies are filled with clouds of toxic gases, ion pockets, and storms of superheated plasma that can burn through even the thickest bulkheads, so every trip into the planet’s atmosphere could be your last.  

Then there’s the wildlife. Flocks of power suckers descend on anything with an energy signature. Giant flying worms prowl the airways, attacking and consuming survey and mining vessels. And deadly swarms of insectile beasts have already slaughtered more miners than the Rampallan Plague.  

I can see you're not deterred. Safe travels on your trip. When you get there, Tathkee Station is the place to start. It’s an old SkyMall 5000 series that has been converted to a rough and tumble suborbital spaceport. It’s owner, Ingan Tathkee, is an old friend of mine. Mention my name and he’ll set you on the right path to making your own fortune, but watch your back. There are plenty of lawless types at the station ready to prey on newcomers.  

You’d best hurry, though. It’s only a matter of time before the Interstellar Upheaval reaches Varrul---if it hasn’t already. Varrulium ore would be worth a fortune to the war chests of the Galactic Consortium or the Restoration. And some say there’s even more to the planet than meets the eye. Talk among mystics and scholars suggests that Varrul’s swirling gases hide a cosmic secret deep in the planet’s core, in the very heart of Varrul.  

Of course, these could all just be rumors. There's only one way to find out for sure. . . "

GAME CONTENT

Heart of Varrul is packed full of usable content. The newly discovered Rul System lies far out in the Galactic Beyond which makes it easy to drop into any existing White Star™ campaign. Descriptions of NPCs, factions, and locations are similarly painted in broad strokes to make them easily adaptable. All NPC entries are fully statted for the White Star™ system. 

The book contains a detailed overview of the Rul System, Tathkee Station, and Planet Varrul including:

• Layout of the planets and features of the remotely located Rul System.
• History of Varrul. This includes the history known to the miners and other visitors as well as the planet’s darker, more mysterious history.
• History of Tathkee Station. A seedy suborbital space station that acts as the hub of commerce and intrigue on the gas giant Varrul and the Rul System.
• Security, laws, and punishment aboard the station.
• Interesting shops aboard the station and locales throughout the system and planet.
• Games and leisure activities (many of them dangerous) to be found aboard the station.
• Over one hundred (100) original NPCs of Note.
• Twenty-five (25) Factions of Note.
• Thirteen (13) New Aliens and Creatures found on the station and in the Rul System, including the insectile Tikatikatik, a sapient species native to Varrul.
• Seven (7) New Vessels found on Tathkee Station and Varrul.
• Three (3) New Classes.
• Various intrigues aboard Tathkee Station.
• Random Encounters on Tathkee Station (detailed and fully statted).
• Random Encounters in the skies of Planet Varrul (detailed and fully statted).
• Guidelines for opening a business on Tathkee Station, starting an independent varrulium mining company, or working as a corporate mercenary.
• Guidelines for meeting (and perhaps joining) the native Varrulians whose lives are being ruined by the constant strip-mining operations.
• Numerous Plot Hooks, Conflicts, and Adventure Ideas to be found in the Rul System, aboard Tathkee Station, and on Planet Varrul

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Torchlight - 11 Days Later, Hanging on at Number 5 in Hottest Small Press on DTRPG

I need to seriously thank this community. Because of y'all, Torchlight's Premiere Issue (snag a copy for a buck at this link) is a Silver Best Seller, and 11 days after launch is still hanging on at #5 in the Hottest Small Press Category over at DTRPG.com 

Work has commenced on the next issue of Torchlight, currently aiming for an early September release. If you have a Swords & Wizardry article or content you'd like to submit, we would need to be received by August 15th. The plan is to offer Torchlight on a quarterly basis, so we'll be happy to look at articles after the August 15th deadline for later issues. We offer a percentage of royalties based on sales, and if you are lucky you may earn enough to buy yourself a beer with those monies - domestic only ;)

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New OSR Release - Crown (ruleset)

Before anyone asks the question "why do we need another OSR ruleset" I'll answer the question - the OSR must continue to grow if it is to survive and thrive, and no one says you must enjoy every OSR ruleset - let alone own it. That being said, I enjoy reading new OSR rulesets as I almost always find a rule or three that I'm tempted to include in my own old school gaming. Crown certainly has its share of inspiration to give.

Crown itself is a hack of Whitehack, but skews more towards its old school roots than Whitehack does, in my humble opinion.

In a mere 60+ pages, Crown includes rules for sea travel, ship to ship combat, dehydration, foraging, and more. As I said, inspirational material I can use with other rulesets.

Crown is 6 bucks in PDF. There is not currently a print option.

Crown is an easy-to-learn, rules-lite old school fantasy roleplaying game. In a compact sixty pages it contains all the rules you need to set out on perilous adventures, dangerous journeys, and harrowing quests. This is a complete game based off of Whitehack and strongly influenced by games like Maze Rats and Whitebox: Fantastic Medieval Adventure Game. These rules are compatible with other OSR products with only a little conversion. The book is split into two parts, the first half is intended for both the players and the Game Master (you can find these rules for free in Crown - Player Rules https://www.drivethrurpg.com/product/319366/Crown--Player-Rules?manufacturers_id=5958) and the second half is full of tools and advice for the Game Master. 

Player Rules: 

Roll-under d20 rules focused around a character's attribute scores. Three character classes (Fighters, Mages, and Rogues) and one optional class (Clerics). Slot based encumbrance with possible item destruction. Simple but extensive adventuring and combat rules centered around class statistics and character attribute scores. Rules for hiring retainers. Permanent injuries. Morale for monsters and retainers. Magic rules based on unique spells made by the Game Master. Optional rules for backgrounds and nonhuman (demihuman) characters. 

Game Master's Section:

Advice for running old school games. Rules for dungeon crawls. Rules for hex crawls. Stronghold and domain guidelines. Simple warfare rules based on traditional "handful-of-d6" wargames. Tools for making spells and dealing with the various arcane powers that can occur in old school games. Tools for making retainers and other nonplayer characters. Quick and concise tips for granting treasure. Basic rules for monsters and converting from other OSR products into Crown. A short bestiary containing 45 common fantasy monsters with easy-to-use explanations. 

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New OSR Release - City of Solstice: Evil Streets

It's a rare release that covers law and order in an urban environment, let alone one that focuses on PCs as the police (well, simultaneously lawbreakers too). Still, it works as an urban setting without using the built-in default campaign. Actually, it works as a truly vibrant urban setting with enough factions to keep the PCs busy for ages.

That all being said, urban adventures play differently than dungeon crawls, and killing your foe can have repercussions that go further than angering later foes. You need the right group mindset for extensive urban adventures and the City of Solstice is set to offer near-limitless adventure opportunities for your PCs.

The City of Solstice is 15 bucks in PDF, 30 in Print plus PDF.

You are not adventurers. 

They’re dead. 

Just like His Royal Majesty, Prince Roth, Earl of the City of Solstice and his wife, the Princess Sirena. 

Their killers were the Star Society, five rival criminal organizations who joined together as one. They are: the Church of Mother Moon, led by the Shadow Shroud, a mysterious prophetess, the Nizari, most ruthless mercenary company in the known world, the shadow archers of the Sagittarius Sect, the mysterious elven executioners of the Order of Antares, and the martial arts masters known as the Five Forms. 

The city is now theirs in all but name. The Royal Chancellor, Lord Toren, Her Majesty’s Lord Protector, is officially in charge of the city. But everyone knows he’s a tired old man who looks the other way while terror rules the streets. 

You are members of the Vigilant, a thoroughly corrupted effigy of a once proud guild, charged with keeping order in a chaotic city of 100,000 souls. You are not adventurers. But you have a duty.

***

The City of Solstice provides a complete urban setting for your Old School Fantasy Adventures. If you're playing a game based on the 1st Advanced Edition of the Greatest RPG of All Time (TM) this city will give you everything you need from a setting for hundreds of adventures, with minimal mechanical adaptation required. 

In addition to the setting, this tome contains new classes, new spells, new magic items, and a completely revamped magic system. Better yet, you can use all of this, some of it, or none of it, nothing in the rules depend on anything optional. It's up to the Game Master and their players.

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GoFundMe to defray Jayson "Rocky" Gardner's post surgery expenses

I've known Rocky for years. He's one of those "good folks" in our corner of gaming. Well, Rocky was recently diagnoses with lung cancer and is recovering from some fairly aggressive surgery. This means that not only is Rocky not working but his wife Kendra is stretched a bit thin, with caring for Rocky, the kids, and her employment.

As a community, we've also stepped forward when members of our own have been in need, and this certainly is one of those times.

The Tavern will match, at a minimum, the first $250 raised by the readers of The Tavern for Rocky's GoFundMe. Simply note your donation below as a comment. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing.

If you can't afford to give, and in the current economy that is sadly more likely than it was in the past, positive thoughts and prayers for Rocky and his famiy are always welcome.

Rocky has finally quit smoking but one of his lungs took off in protest. Funds from this will be used to help cover household and medical expenses while the family is not able to work full time while they work through these medical challenges. This will help to make sure the boys stay fed, clothed, and the family is not worried about paying to keep the electricity on during this challenging time

Deal of the Day - Tiny Tavern (d6)

It's focused on Taverns! Its gotta be good :)

I backed Tiny Taverns on Kickstarter because of two things - it was obviously themed about taverns and it was from Gallant Knight Games. Pretty much a win-win.

While it's more storytelling than RPG, its a beautiful game, and one I'm sure my niece will love to play with Auntie and Uncle.

Normally 14.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning Tiny Taverns is on sale for 6 bucks.

The story you tell with Tiny Taverns is one of friendship, a group of former adventurers running a tavern together. This tavern happens to exist in a fantasy world, replete with monsters, magic and cheerfully-crafted menus (and hijinks!)

Using the rules in this book, you'll be able to play to tell new heartwarming stories in this slice-of-life inspired TinyD6 narrative RPG! It's a new storytelling game powered by an revised iteration of TinyD6, more akin to Fate or Powered by the Apocalypse, but still the same minimalist nature you love!

Character creation is simple, fast, and exciting. You pick your character archetype based on the exciting stories your Game Master is going to tell, you pick a few Traits that each grant a single benefit, and you're done!

As a group, you'll work to create the world you exist in, as well as identify the sort of tavern, home, inn, or other enterprise you've decided to support with your friends! This setting will be your groups, from the ground up!

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A Quick Look at Megadungeon #1 (Courtney Campbell / Hack & Slash)

About a week and a half ago I ordered Courtney's Megadungeon Zine, Issues 1-3 in print and PDF. I've enjoyed Courtney's work for years, and his take on the Megadungeon is a good one. I might not agree with all of his thoughts, but I enjoy them none the less.

Megadungeons are about resource management. Oh, and loot. Killing monsters is almost irrelevant.

What I find most interesting within is his introduction of skills to the B/X game, or really any OSR ruleset. I may seriously yoke this.

Courtney also introduces a new class.race. Think Warforged in the Eberron setting. I like it. A lot.

What is Megadungeon #1 missing? It has advice, setting material, random tables, a new class, 5e conversion rules. Heck, there's even an Ettercop lair and an entrance hall to whet your dugeoneering appetite.

5.99 in PDF, 9.99 in Print plus PDF

The first issue of Megadungeon is upon us!

Dungeon adventures, NPC's, and resources suitable for any campaign! Dual-statted for B/X and 5e. Come explore Numenhalla, the god halls. Learn about the altars and the logos, see the ettercop lair. 

Articles on the pillars of megadungeon play, and using 5e and the megadungeon!  

Heavily illustrated by the talented OSR artists, Sam Mameli, Todd McGowan, and Kent Miller!

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the lights on and the beer cold here at The Tavern. 

Is it Cheating on Your FLGS if You're in Another Time Zone?

Truth be told I don't have a FLGS (Favorite Local Game Store) there is one local comic store where I live that has some game stuff and I do visit them almost weekly to pick things up, but it it isn't *my* store, my *favorite* store......it's just the only local game store.

Not knocking the store, I still support them, but I do miss having an actual FLGS.

Sometimes I travel for work and when I'm on the road I do like to stop in and check out local game stores. I've seen (mostly) some real hole-in-the-wall places that seemed to basically live off of CCGs, some smaller shops that just happen to have RPG stuff on the side, and even a few *holy crap, this is awesome* game stores.....and at least one the game stuff was less than 1/4 of the store!

I have more of a retail background than I really wish was on my resume, so I understand (better than most) what it takes to run a retail store and know just how much *fun* (seriously, can you feel my eye rolls) running a game store would probably be. If I had to have an endeavor to lose money and could do a specific type of diversification.....I'd consider it, but then I'd probably save some cash by paying a buddy to simply kick my ass for suggesting it.

I'm not saying you can't run a game store and you cannot make money doing so....just retail kind of sucks and the nerd/geek/gamer "dream" of owning and running a game store would most likely be a nightmare (technically still a dream.....)

......anyway I'm on this trip and I stopped by two hobby/game stores. One was closed, as in out of business, and the other was a tiny, deep shop loaded to the gills with product. Fully half the store was devoted to models, but there was a HUGE selection of RPGs, more old than new, a ton of dice, minis......most everything you'd expect in a game store. While there wasn't a ton of any particular product, what was there was quite varied. I found a ton of minis I haven't seen out in the wild, which I scooped up, along with a tool that you'd expect to find in a model shop, but I haven't seen yet.....a set of tiny drill bits.

You might wonder why I'm not naming this shop........it's a social media thing for work to post where I'm at for work. I'll update this after the fact next week when I make a post. (Edit: It was the Hobbit Hobby Shop in Fayetteville NC)

There were a few things I really wanted to pick up, but I only have so much room in my luggage, so I kept it to what I got:

My Game Store Mini Haul....almost $75!

Now clearly I visit game stores while travelling, but for those of you who travel.....do you make side trips/visits to local game stores? If so, would you like to know which ones are worth visiting? Maybe we'll get together a list.....or not.

Indiegogo - 1975 - MCMLXXV (S&W, Pathfinder, 5e Adventure)

An introductory-level adventure for 5e, Pathfinder 1e, and Swords & Wizardry by Bill Webb!

I ran a few sessions of MCMLXXV for some personal friends a few years back using Roll20, Discord, and the Swords & Wizardry Complete Rules. We had a blast. It's a great adventure.

The Adventure 

A treasure map, a mysterious valley, and a group of untried adventurers -- what could possibly go wrong? This introductory-level adventure is written for a free-form, old school type of play, as the characters go "hex crawling" through the wilderness to discover the secret of a strange map that has fallen into their hands. 

This classic adventure was originally published in 2010, and contains the original introduction about how to approach "old-school" type play with Dungeons & Dragons and similar RPGs. The edition is re-done and is printed in premium quality for three rules-systems: D&D 5e, Pathfinder 1e, and Swords & Wizardry.  

The Project  

• Frog God Games projects on Indiegogo are simple, focused, and short.
• Short in duration (2-3 weeks)
• Fast delivery of PDF once funding is completed
• Limited to a single title
• Have options priced between $5-$30
• Stretch goals and project bonuses (if any) affect the principle reward only (usually both the PDF and the softcover).
• Are the only guaranteed method to get the premium* print copy (NOTE: the softcover versions  in this printing will not be sold on our website: see FAQ for explanation).
• Have a simple fulfillment process that does not use Backerkit
• *Premium means heavyweight glossy interior pages enhancing the art and color elements. The  thick, glossy cardstock brings out the vibrant color of the cover illustration. These are the nicest softcover books we have ever sold and we only print a title this way once.

Humble Bundle - Star Trek Adventures RPG

Currently, on Humble Bundle, the Star Trek Adventures RPG is available for as little as a buck. Buy-in at the 8 buck level and you can snag a physical copy of the Star Wars Adventures core rulebook at half price.

Purchases made via the Humble Bunde link linked on this page add a small portion of the purchase price to your bartender's coffers. I thank you in advance.

An Analysis of Torchlight Sales (Currently #1 in Small Press)

Torchlight is currently the #1 Hottest Seller in Small Press on DTRPG and #2 under 5 bucks (it held #1 very briefly). This is the first time I've released a product with discount coupons and I've found the results to be eye-opening.

In the 36 hours or so that Torchlight has been available for sale, it has sold 108 copies. 78 copies were sold via the discount code shared here and on the Discord Server. 20 copies were sold via the discount code that went out via email to purchasers of prior releases, mostly SWCL (there were over 700 emails sent). 10 copies have been sold at full price, theoretically organic sales for placing high on the DTRPG sales charts.

The numbers in the wishlist and carts are interesting but little more. Clicking a DTRPG coupon code puts the title in your cart automatically.

What is the takeaway? Successful sales on DTRPG require a lot more than placing high on a sales chart. It requires an audience and community looking forward to your release. Without this very community, Torchlight would be withering on the vine right now.

It also means The Tavern has a responsibility to share and highlight new OSR releases as they come out. Sadly, I don't have the time to constantly scour the interwebs looking for new releases and many will pass me by. You can, however, email me, whether you are a publisher or just a fan. I can't guarantee I'll get to them all, but I will certainly give it the yeoman's try.

I can be emailed at:
tenkarsDOTtavernATgmail.com 

Torchlight Zine is Currently Number 2 on the DTRPG Hottest Small Press

Talk about humbling. I want to thank everyone for the support and please, don't stop ;)

Want to grab Torchlight for a buck? Just use this link!

The next issue is planned for September and then the intention is to go quarterly, but we may do special issues in addition to the usual ones.

Oh, and a Copper Best Seller too!