10 Copies of the 2018 Baby Bestiary up for Grabs

Enter to win a copy of the 2018 Baby Bestiary Calendar with artwork by Travis Hanson. 10 copies in the mix.

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#ConManKen - Kenny Takes the Show to Facebook Live - Hilarity Ensues followed by Threats of Indictment

Because I didn't have an easy way to replace him with a pile of shit

Ah, sweet #ConManKen. Never at a loss to make folks laugh. See, Kenny took to Facebook Live for a live sale yesterday and my, the laughs were flying. And yes Kenny, folks were laughing AT you.

Now, it WAS authentic Kenny as you will see from the following shots taken by one of The Taverners" of the scroll at the bottom of the feed:

Some folks went s far as commenting about Ken's Kickstarters that he's failed to deliver, failed to update - fuck it, he's basically a failure.

Then Kenny complained about the Trolls - he started deleting posts and blocking people:

This is the post that got James banned: "Will unsold product be available as a Stretch Goal reward in future Kickstarter projects?"

He also made the statement that those trolling were in violation of Kentucky Law for causing a loss of business and it was a Class D Felony. I couldnt find the relevant law.

The following does, however, seem potentially relevant:

KRS 517.120 Operating a sham or front company

Kenny, can you quote us the law you are threatening folks with in the above format? It may help.

Because folks want to know which law you are threatening them with via PMs:

Turn you over and pour you out...

Kenny, where's my FBI Agents? I've had tea and coffee cake ready for them for 15 months and they never came. What was the federal law that I was violating again?

#ConManKen , if he wasn't so full of shit, he wouldnt be Ken...

Kickstarter - For Coin & Blood: Grimdark Old-School Fantasy Roleplaying

There's just about 12 hours left in the funding period of For Coin & Blood: Grimdark Old-School Fantasy Roleplaying. It bills itself as a "grimdark" OSR styled game. While I suspect the game itself will not be something I'd want to play or run as is, I'm sure for 5 bucks for the PDF I'll find enough to rip for Swords & Wizardry that I'll get my 5 bucks back in gameable value.

For Coin & Blood is an old-school inspired roleplaying fantasy roleplaying game, which takes the direction of playing the scum and villains in most fantasy campaigns! 

Playing assassins, cult leaders, blackguards and more, For Coin & Blood is a different look at the otherside of the coin of fantasy roleplaying games. Inspired by the writings of authors such as Kate Elliot, Joe Abercrombie, Sarah Monette, Glen Cook, Anna Smith Spark, Scott Lynch, and more, For Coin & Blood is fantasy roleplaying about antiheroes, thieves and assassins, rooted in the darkest recess of mankind’s depredations. 

While most roleplaying games hide their murderers under the mantle of “hero” (I mean, what “hero” invades underground complexes in search of treasure and murders the denizens because their whole species is “evil?”), For Coin & Blood makes no pretenses about what it asks you to be. You’re the villains that other campaigns fight. You’re the cult leaders, assassins, fallen nobles, murderers, mercenaries, necromancers and thugs.

Wayward Kickstarter - Artisan Dice Does Handcrafted Polyhedrals - an Artful Fiasco?

I get it. Kickstarters run late. Kickstarters blow up (9k goal and raised over 291k) Equipment breaks down. Shit happens.

I do get that.

Over 4 years late, no update since July on the Artisan Dice Does Handcrafted Polyhedrals Kickstarter and its selling product to retailers when some Kickstarter backers are still waiting over 4 years?

That shit is like Gareth Junior type of Kickstarter running.

It sees like someone has a bad business plan.

Now, I know Artisan Dice takes a long time to fulfill their KS orders. I backed their earlier wooden dice set and that too forever. I don't remember accusations that they were filling retail orders at the time. They just seemed to be overwhelmed.

Here's the online store for Artisan Dice

The thing is, their BBB ranking is in the tank:

Apparently they are deleting negative comments from their Facebook page too (see comments on the KS page)

Are you still waiting on your dice?

Free Download - Engineering Castles (Troll Lord Games)

The Trolls have priced Engineering Castles down to the price of FREE.

32 pages of mostly charts to stock out those castles your party of adventurers may stumble into. The price is certainly right ;)

Bastions of Timber & Stone  

Adventure does not limit itself to dungeons of earth and stone, but calls the seeker to plunder the halls of war and worship; from the spires of looming towers, to castles set in forbidden glades deep in ancient heartwood and to the sunken and abandoned places lost in time. Not all are hidden – some are welcoming bastions for the wayward traveler, and others are the holdings of creatures most foul; still more bear foreboding edifices, casting a mocking shadow – be they castle, ruin or manor, each beckons a promise of loot, a glimpse of chance, and portends fate.  

Castles  

An aspiring Castle Keeper will often have many floor-plans of places through which unsuspecting player characters dare to venture, generally taking the forms of underground complexes or even wilderness or urban areas, but many likely do not have much stock for the "other" locales such as bastions, keeps, temples, and castles. This tome will remedy that situation and provide the Castle Keeper the tools and templates to design such from nothing or, if desired, to modify an existing structure with new and unknown which may be otherwise familiar traits. 

Giveaway - Dust 1947 Miniature - Gamers on Games Channel

The Gamers on Games Youtube Channel is giving away a Dust 1947 miniature. I'm not much of a war-gamer these days but I do know a significant portion of The Tavern's readership is, so here's you chance to win a free mini. Heck, even if you don't play Dust 1947, its a free mini and that's damn cool.

Watch the video, pick a winning side for the upcoming battle (and add it as a comment to the Youtube video linked above) and if you pick right, you'll be in the pool from which the winner is picked. Pretty cool.

You can enter until Feb 15, 2018.

OldSchool Counterpoint - Benoist and I are Looking for Topics

Yesterday's OldSchool Counterpoint LiveStream went very well. Benoist and I are going to make it a fairly regular "thing" - we had a fun time and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.

So, we need topics.

Some suggestions that have been made thus far are:

Min/Maxing
Gnomes - yeay or nay
Variable weapon damage or not
Level Drain

Add your ideas to the mix. Comment below. If we use yours, we'll give you credit on the Livestream ;)

Wizards Updates Terms and Conditions for WPN Store Owners - Background Checks of Store Staff now Included

So, that post from the weekend here at The Tavern talking about how stores can protect your children while they participate in the hobby, a post that I made due to a story circulating in social media. Well, it looks like the story that was circulating got Wizards to do something. WPN is Wizards Play Network.

Here's a quote from Vice President of Global Brand Strategy Elaine Chase:

Recently, a few former judges and players had their sex offender registries posted to social media. In accordance with our policy, the majority had already had their access to Magic organized play suspended indefinitely, and are not active in the Magic community. 

We learned, however, that an individual reported to the Judge Conduct Committee was inadvertently not decertified by Magic Judges nor reported to Wizards. You can read more about that here. However, once this was brought to our attention, Wizards immediately coordinated with Magic Judges—an independent community-run organization that operates and manages the judge community and its Judge Conduct Committee—to address the situation. That individual has now been indefinitely suspended as a player and the Magic Judges decertified the individual’s status as a Magic judge. When Wizards learns that a DCI member or a Wizards Play Network (WPN) retailer is on a sex offender registry, we take immediate action to remove them from organized play and our promotional programs. We have a zero-tolerance policy. Sex offenders have no place in the Magic community. 

As part of our commitment to safe and inclusive spaces, tournament organizers and retailers will be explicitly required to conduct background checks for all staff (as permitted by applicable law). This includes CFB Events' Grand Prix, local store events like Friday Night Magic, and professional events like the Pro Tour and World Magic Cup as well as convention play run by Wizards. 

We remain committed to working with tournament organizers, local game stores, and the Magic community to foster safe and inclusive environments. The proper channels for reporting misconduct are as follows: report judge misconduct to the Judge Conduct Committee at magicjudgefeedback@gmail.com, and retailer or player misconduct to investigations@wizards.com.

I give Wizards credit for getting ahead of the narrative in this situation. Ir can only make gaming a safer environment for all.

Old School Counterpoint - Livestream - NOW - Secret Doors - Loath them or Love Them

Here's the link for the first Old School Counterpoint Livestream - Secret Doors, Loth them or Love them.

Yep, we started a thing ;)

"Conversation between Erik Tenkar of Tenkar's Tavern and Benoist Poire of GP Adventures regarding Secret Doors in Old School Gaming and D&D variants. Pros and cons, their usage, purpose, and how they affect game play in various ways. "

Old School Counterpoint - Secret Doors - Livestream - 5PM Eastern - Benoist Poire and Tenkar

+Benoist Poiré and myself are trying out something which may very well become a regular feature - Old School Counterpoint - where we discuss a topic within the Old School realm with differing views.

Today at 5 PM Eastern the topic will be Secret Doors - overused or the perfect obstacle? We know where I stand (overused) and we know where Benoist stands, but do we know where we'll be at the end of the discussion?

I'll put up a new post with the link to the livestream when we are closer to 5 pm so you can join us. This very well be the start of a "new thing" ;)

Frog God Clearance Sale - Cyclopean Deeps - Vol I & II - $14.99 each or $24.99 set (S&W and PF)

The Frog God Clearance Sale keeps rolling along. Added to the mix earlier today, Cyclopean Deeps Volumes I & II in Hardcover (with free PDFs) for $14.99 each or $24.99 for the pair. Choose between Swords & Wizardry and Pathfinder (like there's any sort of choice if you are a Tavern Regular ;)

Here's the link for the Frog God Hardcover Clearance Sale. You'll find a few other goodies there that might tempt you.

No affiliate links. Just damn good shit at awesome pricing.

State of The Tavern (Keeper) - Its (s)not Nice...

I'm under the weather. If you heard me in Tavern Chat last night my voice was a bit hoarse. Well, maybe a lot hoarse. Now I've got that dopey congestion fog. Started on Saturday. Yeah for me!

I'm still playing catch up with reviews and such here at The Tavern.

I know, vitamins and bed rest. Working on it. Uncle duties have been heavy this week and I have them again today. I'll try and mold Pinky into the gamer she wants to be anyway.

Alright, back tonight. I'm trying to put together a list of all of the Community Content Storefronts at OBS. Just noticed there is one now for Call of Cthulhu 7e. Holy shit but that's cool :)

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - It's NOT Hidden Behind a Secret Door ;)

Tavern Chat is tonight, 9 PM Eastern. Fair warning, your bartender is suffering from a cold from hell. I might sound like shit but thankfully germs aren't spread through Discord ;)

Where? Simply follow the invite. Open Bar is where the voice chat is. You can lurk - we don't mind...

https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

Tavern Chat has been likened to a live podcast, unscripted with random guests and unrecorded - if you aren't listening you've lost your chance ;)

Kickstarter - Folio #1 1E & 5E Adventure Reprint

The Folio is one of the most successful, serialized gaming supplements available today and probably the only one that dual stats for both OSR systems and 5e.

If you missed out on the start of the series, the Folio #1 1E & 5E Adventure Reprint is your chance to grab a reprint of the first issue, which is also the first part of the Roslof Campaign.

Hurry though - just over two days left in the funding period.

Three years ago I started the Folio series with a dream of creating OSR inspired adventures that also fit into today's gaming styles.  My first adventure was entitled 'Beneath Roslof Keep'.  At the time, I had no idea that The Folio would become a 'thing', or that so many fans the world over would enjoy the exploits of this particular dungeon delve. So, as I ring in 2018, I wanted to once again touch base with Roslof Keep, and try to allow new players who might have missed this long out of print module the opportunity to lay hands on it.  As it was the first module ever produced by Art of the Genre, I also wanted to have a chance to go back in, modify the content and presentation to match what later became out standard Folio process, and also add-in content not included on first publication.  

So, if you've ever wanted to own a Folio, start a new campaign, or just want to see what we do here are Art of the Genre, this is a perfect opportunity to get in on the ground floor, or should I say, Beneath Roslof Keep.  

My Project: The Folio is a 1st Edition & 5th Edition gaming module. It will be produced as an 8x11”, removable cover [11x17" once removed], adventure with mostly b/w interior artwork. The final size is roughly 32 pages of content. 

Who’s it for? ALL gamers, both new gamers and old gamers as it is easily expandable or playable as is.The concept is to allow gamers a starting point for adventure that can be modified to their liking while providing excellent reference content and framework.The base mechanic will be for 1st Edition AD&D, while having 'grey block' stat blocks for 5th Edition D&D, but I’ve designed it to be readily modified to any fantasy game. 

What’s in it? It has been written by myself and my OSR compatriot Mark Timm, with incredible cover art from old school masters and interior artwork by skilled black and white illustrators Travis Hanson and Michael Wilson, and even a bit of Jim Holloway because I can never get enough Holloway. We are intent on providing a polished and modern design with creatively nostalgic content that transcends a particular age. The Folio will contain a 3-D map, a Gazetteer, a monster section, a new monster unique to the setting, DM’s notes and guides, and a full adventure.

Kickstarter - Castle of the Mad Archmage: Musicland (OSR)

Its time to catch up on some Kickstarters, both old and new (or a bit of both)

Castle of the Mad Archmage: Musicland is the latest Kickstarter by +Joseph Bloch . Technically an add on or expansion to CotMA it should be playable as a stand alone adventure, simply because its a parallel dimension. Makes me think of some classic Gygax adventures. Imagine that...

Already at 4 times its funding goal in just over a week, all physical copies are accounted for. Yep, you read that right. There were 99 limited print copies and they've all been pledged for.

5 bucks gets you Musicland in PDF. 30 bucks gets you the PDF bundle that includes all of the Castle of the Mad Archmage releases - including this one.

I had a blast running the original CotMA megadungeon with my "B-Team". We never finished it but that seems par for the course with my gaming groups, but thats okay. Its the journey, not the destination that matters most.

This is the third expansion to the Castle of the Mad Archmage megadungeon adventure. In this adventure, the characters are catapulted to a parallel dimension called Musicland where musical instruments are alive, people speak in musical notes, and the King of Instruments produces melodies that embody the Platonic ideal of music itself.  

Not only will the adventurers need to navigate this strange and deadly place, but they will need to figure out a way home, as well. But where there is great peril, there is always promise of great reward, and treasures both mundane and magical await those who enter Musicland. 

Written for Adventures Dark & Deep, Musicland should play well with most any OSR ruleset. We used Swords & Wizardry Complete with CotMA and it was seamless.

Alright, expect some Folio when I awake in the morning...

Deal of the Day - 5e Creature Decks: Constructs, Giants, Humanoids, Undead (and more)

Today's Deal of the Day at RPGNow is 5e Creature Decks: Constructs, Giants, Humanoids, Undead from Inkwell Designs.

The PDFs are normally $5.95 a deck. Until tomorrow morning they are $1.95 a deck in PDF. Print plus PDF is $9.95 a deck. And yes, there are other decks on sale for the same pricing.

5e Creature Decks: More Dragons & Monstrosities

5e Creature Decks: More Aberrations & Fiends

5e Creature Decks: Dragons & Monstrosities

5e Creature Decks: Beasts, Oozes, & Plants

Crap. There are two more decks but I have to pick Rach up from work...

Grab the PDF Bundle of 7 decks for 10 bucks here and the print plus PDF bundle of 7 decks for less than $70 here.

Yep, affiliate links above. Keep the lamps on and the taps flowing. Heck, maybe we'll throw in a little heat here at The Tavern. Much thanks!

What The Tavern Being a Neutral Ground Means

So, there was a bit of a dust up yesterday due to Sunday night's post here at The Tavern. It had nothing to do with the topic - protecting our children - and quickly devolved thanks to a handful of people into "how dare you link to that site!' drama.

The story that was circulating this weekend was from said "offending site."

It was suggested I should have googled for other stories detailing pedophiles preying on children in the gaming hobby instead of sourcing the one that was making its way through social media over the weekend. This story was the current one, and thus the one linked.

It was also suggested I could have simply screenshot the story and have posted it without link or attribution because "they didn't want to make the site money by visiting it". Not only is that unethical, but if I were to do so for a site like, oh, i dunno - ENWorld - screenshot stories instead of linking when referring to something they've shared, there would be an uproar and rightfully so.

The Tavern is a Neutral Ground. I don't take a political stand. I am about a apolitical a gaming blogger as you will find (it might sneak in on police related topics and for that I apologize. I do acknowledge my own biases.) It is not, however, a safe space. I can not guarentee someone's sensibilities will not be offended. I can not foresee reactions.

We all live our lives with our own biases. Being a Neutral Ground, The Tavern asks that you leave your biases at the door if at all possible. If you can't, at least acknowledge to yourself that you have them. Gaming is our bond and our strength.

No one at The Tavern, especially me, has the intention of offending any of our fellow gamers. I ask that you not read intent where there was none.

Mini Review - B/X Essentials: Classes and Equipment

I was asked the other day if we really needed another presentation of B/X D&D, as that was the purpose of Labyrinth Lord - a cleaner presentation of B/X. My truthful answer is that while it wasn't needed, it is much appreciated.

Let me explain.

B/X is a great if poorly organized system of rules over multiple vloumes. Labyrinth Lord rewrote it and presented it as a much more organized single volume of rules. The B/X Essentials series is doing much the same, but split among what will be five volumes - Core (the rule mechanics), Classes & Equipment (what I'm looking at now), Spells, Monsters and finally Adventures & Treasures.

Which method is better? All in one or five volumes. That's up to you, the consumer.

As for B/X Essentials: Classes and Equipment - The presentation is easy to read, the layout is clean and easy to read, art ranges from fine to exceptional, the table of contents is hyperlinked, the classes and equipment are what you would expect and the water transportation section I may yoke for my own campaigns regardless of system

B/X Essentials: Classes and Equipment is exactly what it says on the tin. Yes, you've seen it before but this is probably the cleanest and clearest presentation yet.

B/X Essentials: Classes and Equipment with all of the bells & whistles is $4.99 for the PDF. Print plus PDF is a very reasonable $7.99 for a standard color paper softcover ($9.99 if you want heavier paper and staple bound instead of perfect bound)

Plain "vanilla" text version is free - perfect for a living houserules document. Also, a great way to try before you buy.

You can find the Core Rules here.

The B/X Essentials line is a restatement of the classic Basic/Expert fantasy adventure gaming rule set, given a fresh, new presentation focused on usability:

• Basic and Expert rules seamlessly combined.
• Streamlined presentation optimised for ease of reference during play.
• Meticulously researched; a guaranteed 100% accurate rendition of the classic rules of yesteryear.
• Carefully clarified, ironing out ambiguities in the original rules.

This second book lays out the standard classes of adventurer and the ways in which characters can spend their hard-earned treasure, including: arms, adventuring gear, mounts, sea vessels, mercenaries, specialists, and (eventually!) castles and strongholds.

44 pages 

I was comped a PDF copy for review purposes. Yes, there are affiliate links above. Keep the taps flowing and the lights burning at The Tavern. Thank you :)

On Secret Doors and Why I Detest Them

Secret doors. Almost every dungeon has them. I simply detest them.

It was recently asked why there were no mechanics for secret doors in Swords & Wizardry Light / Continual Light and the simple answer is it never even occurred to me. That is how much I dislike them. It wasn't even a conscious omission ;)

I find secret doors to be an overused obstacle. Just how many does a single dungeon level need?

My problem with secret doors is that they are a potential show stopper that even with good play from your players, the dice can decide the door is never found. What lies behind? For all intents and purposes it never existed if the dice decide it was never found

Concealed doors? Now THAT is something I can get behind. Look behind that armoire. Why are there curtains on this wall? What's under this rug? Good play will reveal with concealed doors what dice may otherwise steal with secret doors.

Besides, I never understood elves uncanny ability to see secret doors when others can't...

Sex Offenders and the Gaming Youth - Wherein I Comment on the Current Story

You can't miss the headline - Magic: The Gathering Has a Pedophile Problem That No One Wants to Acknowledge. Now, I know it's Milo's website, so I expect sensationalism, but the reality is there is NOTHING in the article that surprises me.

Where underage children are hanging out, those that prey on underage children will be hunting. When I was a kid, pedophiles hung out in arcades. Heck, some worked in arcades. These days, its gaming stores.

Some common sense would help store owners and Hasbro and the gaming communities they serve.

First, every state has a sex offender registry. Whether its a new employee or some volunteer organizer, get their basic info and check your state's sex offender registry. Ground ball. Its not going to catch all, but it will catch many.

Do a google search for news stories using the basic info you've already gathered. Need to be careful with this one, as you may get false hits, especially with more common names.

Most states allow you to check their correctional system records online for those that have served prior time. Personally, I wouldnt want a convicted felon interacting with children, but if the time was served for a sexual or violent offense you really can't allow it IMHO.

If children are the future of our hobby, we need to do all that we can to protect them from those that will use the hobby to abuse them.

Swords & Wizardry Super Bundle - Over $300 in S&W PDFs for $25 ($5 and $13 bundles too)

Wow. So yeah, the 5e Humble Bundle was very nice but the Swords & Wizardry Super Bundle from the Frogs is damn sweet too. I do think I already own it all in print and PDF though ;)

Here's what you get for 5 bucks ($106 retail) Tier 1:

Quests of Doom 1 - retail $30.00
The Borderlands Provinces - retail $14.00
Tome of Horrors 4 - retail $17.00
The Mother of All Encounter Tables - retail $20.00
Rogues of Remballo - retail $5.00
Adventures in the Borderlands -$17.00

At 13 bucks you get to add (another $65 retail) Tier 2:

Monstrosities - retail $25.00
Quests of Doom 3 - retail $15.00
The Borderland Provinces Gazetteer - $5.00
The Borderland Provinces Players Guide - $5.00
The Borderland Provinces Journey Generator - $5.00
Strange Bedfellows - $10.00

25 bucks adds the rest (another $142 retail) Tier 3:

Digital Maps - retail $20.00
Hex Crawl Chronicles Volumes 1-7 - retail $35.00
Chuck's Dragons - retail $15.00
Swords and Wizardry Card Decks - retail $42.00
Tome of Horrors Complete - retail $30.00

If nothing else, 5 bucks gives you years of material for your Swords & Wizardry Campaign. Its also a very low cost buy in for the Lost Lands setting. 2018 will be a big year for the Lost Lands from what I hear.

Yes, I swim in the Frog's pond these days. Doesn't make this deal any less of a deal. Look at it this way - you could get Tome of Horrors Complete at a 5 buck discount and consider all of the rest a gift with purchase ;)

Dungeon Crawl Classics: RPG Starter Box (preorder) Rulebook, 7 adventures, more - Suggested Retail - 100 Bucks (or less)

God bless The Taverners. When multiple eyes are always checking in the nooks and crannies, you never know what they may find.

Here's the link to the DCC RPG Starter Box preorder

This limited-edition DCC RPG Starter Box is only available while supplies last! It includes a special edition of the DCC RPG core book, printed with gilded edges, thumb tabs, and a dust jacket. In addition, the boxed set contains 7 adventure modules, plus stickers, a character record folio, character sheets, and more. All is packaged in a sturdy corrugated cardboard box custom-printed with the DCC RPG logo. This is a complete "campaign in a box,"

Suggested retail is $100. Preorder through above is $70.

I find nothing about it on the Goodman Games site.

I'm Swimming In Emails - OSR Santa Needs a Holiday

Alright, to the best of my knowledge, all of the outstanding OSR Christmas emails have been addressed / forwarded / SWCL ordered / etc. I say to the best of my knowledge as it is possible someone / something was missed.

There are some unclaimed gifts. Gifts still unclaimed as of January 12th, 2018 will be forfeited. Sorry, OSR Santa can be a biatch at times.

Frog God gift recipients will be having their info forwarded this weekend.

I have one thing to mail out that is not coming from Amazon - that will require a trip to the post office. That will be in the later half of next week. I'll need to dig my car out (no mail deliver the past 2 days)

If you haven't received an email from me AND your gift isnt coming from the Frogs, email me again. Damn, I probably should check the spam folder.

Now, on to reviews this weekend, as I'll be mostly stuck home with a foot plus of plowed snow keeping my car in place and single digit temperatures keeping my travels very close to home ;)

Matt Finch interviews Wolfgang Baur - Midgard Setting for S&W Officially Announced

I've been following Kobold Press since before the now defunct Kobold Quarterly. They were an early innovator of crowdfunding and its exciting to see their Midgard setting getting a Swords & Wizardry Guidebook (PDF is $5 for the PDF and $15 for the softcover - use this link and go to the bottom of the page if you are interested in placing an order - https://midgard-campaign-setting-dark-roads-and-deep-magic.backerkit.com/hosted_preorders )

Release is set for March 2017 2018 (damn year change)

Oh, the interview with Wolfgang is pretty good too ;)

If you missed it, Matt and my conversation is linked to the left... hint... hint

State of The Tavern - Snow, Emails, Videos and More

The Tavern was hit with about 12" of snow yesterday, not including drifting snow with the high winds for the storm that wasn't officially a blizzard. The side of the street I'm parked on is the side the plows pushed the snow. With single digit temps in the forecast, I don't expect to dig my car out until the first half of next week. I owe a physical copy the Midderlands from OSR Christmas - at best it will ship Wednesday, maybe later in the week. I don't fair well in sub zero wind chills. Call me a sissy :)

I am almost caught up on emails from OSR Christmas but not fully. Yesterday was lost to snow and shoveling (and sleeping until 1135 AM this morning due to - shoveling) My niece is off from school and is here - and staying the night. Hopefully emails are caught up tonight after she goes to bed. I'm working on this post in the midst of "uncleing" ;)

There are plans to kick off a fairly regular video series. There are certain releases - +Rob Conley 's CSIO maps is a perfect example - that really need more than just a text post to do them justice. I'm hoping to kick that off this weekend. Lets see if "Pinky" cooperates.

I've got plans for The Tavern in 2018 and more video posting is just a small part of that. I'd like to get an active series of guest posters (each once a week or so) and things are in the works but there is no time frame to kick it off. When its ready, its ready.

Alright. Back to uncleing. Duty calls...

What Exactly Happened to Remove The RPGPundit's Latest Release from RPGNow?

In case you missed it, the RPGPundit's Lion & Dragon RPG got delisted and then re-listed at RPGNow, initially losing is "Copper" seller status, issuing it a new link and certainly losing its place on the Best Sellers list (currently at #28 - it was Top 10 prior.) You can read the Pundit's post on it here.

So, what happened?

According to The Pundit, OBS said when The Pundit's publisher uploaded the file to be published, there was  "some kind of an 'error'." They said 'the system' mistook some prototype page for the real page we'd been using all month, and that now it couldn't be switched back and the old page was lost.
At first they gave us a new page with no pdf option, without our copper status. After some gentle shouting and threats on my part, they restored the copper button."

I've only uploaded three products to OBS's servers for sale. As far as I know, there is only one way to do it. Assuming that is the case, it wasn't an error on the publisher's part but on the end of OBS.

Question - Has this happened with other publishers? Has this happened to you?

Now, The Pundit thinks this was an act of intentional sabotage over his anti-censorship stance. If you are going to go that route, you may as well throw in his right wing political stances into the mix too. I don't see the evidence for either. Not saying The Pundit is wrong, I just don't see the hard evidence.

There IS some hard evidence to take from this and The Pundit made the observation himself:

They restored my copper bestseller status (though now that we know they can fiddle with the numbers who's to say that they won't be secretly keeping me from reaching Silver or higher, or for that matter that games that have reached to high positions like that got a "little help" for being ideologically correct??) - emphasis mine

I've already asked OBS in the past about certain sales numbers and rankings I felt didn't add up. Their answer was plausible but this observation from the Pundit is making me think. Its certainly something to keep an eye on.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. Keep the taps flowing here at The Tavern with your patronage.

Reminder - Tavern Chat - 9PM Eastern - Welcome to the Year 2018

New Year. More Chat!

Tonight is the first Tavern Chat of 2018.

When: 9 PM Eastern

Where: The Tenkar's Channel Discord Channel
https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

I'm thinking of adding an off time once a month Tavern Chat to accommodate those that that work off hours - Europe - Aussies and Kiwis. Weekdays of weekends? Let me know.

And if you somehow can't get enough of your favorite bartender, watch myself and +matt finch discuss all things OSR...

Almost Caught Up with OSR Christmas - Almost

This morning I started emailing folks that are receiving  gifts as well as gift givers from the 12th Day of OSR Christmas (and days 11, 10, 9 and some others) - Hopefully I'll get to the rest later this afternoon. +Pete Spahn , I probably filled your email box ;)

Note, if you are receiving a gift from Frog God Games, Zach is on vacation this week - info will be forwarded this weekend.

Thanks to all for your patience.

Tenkar

So, ConManKen DID NOT Buy a Store? Color Me NOT Surprised

With the New Year the entertainment from #ConManKen is simply priceless, Well, Marcus the Enabler is certainly skilled too and together they are simply gold.

Gotta love it when Marcus expects the blowback right from the start.

Remember when Marcus was going to sell close his second location at the end of last July?

Then Marcus decided to sell it instead (after clearing dead inventory from both store and selling it as clearance in the soon to close store - allegedly)

Then Ken bought the store...

for no money down at that. Little Monster is the new name of the store under Ken's watch - I mean ownership - or is it simply management?

See, look at the first screenshot. "He (Ken Whitman) is the manager of a store in Kentucky" - emphasis is mine. The follow up to that screenshot is priceless as Ken's rep is apparently well known and hasn't gotten better with age (i have more screenshots), but I'm more concerned that Marcus would attempt to add Ken to a Facebook Group for hobby store owners and yet introduce Ken as a manager.

It brings up some interesting questions:

Who REALLY owns Little Monster?

Who actually runs Little Monster?

Did Marcus retain defacto control of the shop when he "sold" it to Ken for "no money down"?

If Ken doesn't own the shop, why make it look like he does?

What are the tax implications?

RPGNow Deal of the Day - Bard's Gate (5e - Frog God Games)

Let me give you a small piece of inside information on Bard's Gate. Your humble bartender was approached to write a small entry for an establishment that would have effectively been Tenkar's Tavern. While I agreed without hesitation, the events in my personal life at the time (especially my impending retirement and crazy work hours) kept me from accomplishing what was needed. Who do you turn to in such a predicament? None other than +James Spahn . So, when you read the entry for what is effectively Tenkar's Tavern, know who it was that pulled my butt from the fire...

Oh, needless to say I think its one of the best Frog God releases ever, and I have nearly all and there are few that aren't readily available on my nearby desk shelf, waiting to be used or referenced. It has nothing to do with The Tavern being within the city walls. Well, maybe a wee nit ;)

There are also a crap ton of Easter Eggs within for those that know personas in the gaming community, past and present. NPCs, locations, streets - many names will look familiar and even their placement often has a hidden meaning.

Anyway, today's RPGNow Deal of the Day is for the 5e PDF of Bard's Gate. Currently $100 for the Print version and $40 for the PDF version at the Frog God Store, for the next 24 hours (well, slightly less as I'm typing this) you can snag the 5e PDF of Bard's Gate for $8.04 at RPGNow.

Can you use this readily with an OSR ruleset? I think so. I find setting material to be easier to convert on the fly than adventures (and i convert those on the fly too, so maybe I am not the one to talk ;)

City of the Lyre  

Established centuries ago as little more than a ferry for travelers between the ancient cities of Tsen in the north and Remenos and Curgantium in the west, over the years Bard’s Gate has grown from a small river crossing tended by a pig farmer into an important center of learning and trade. The city is famed far and wide as a bastion of the arts that welcomes bards, performers, writers, artists and crafters of all sorts. It is a beacon of civilization and a pillar of the western world.Yet this citadel of enlightenment is also threatened by dark forces — gnolls and orcs from the Stoneheart Mountains, cults of evil gods lurking within and without, and the machinations of rivals and allies alike threaten the city daily, for the very freedom that draws artists and musicians from around the world also allows evil to flourish.  

City of Adventures  

While Bard’s Gate serves as a cornerstone for The Lost Lands, it is also a fully-developed fantasy city that can be used in any campaign. A wide range of businesses and shops, churches and temples, homes, taverns, inns and other locations are described in detail, ready made for your ease of use. Bard’s Gate is filled with unique NPCs, from the most influential leaders and wealthiest merchants on high to the lowliest beggar living in the gutter.After a decade of playability, with the associated stories, tall tales, lies, and legends, Frog God Games presents you with the updated and reimagined The Lost Lands: Bard’s Gate. In striking full-color, and more than doubling the size of the original, The Lost Lands: Bard’s Gate details hundreds of individual locations and NPCs, gives an overview of the Lyre Valley and a complete history of the city, and quadruples the number of adventures that were found in the original, raising the total to 8. The adventures contained within are suitable for player characters of 1st level to 10th and even beyond. More than 20 pages of random encounter tables and descriptions give additional unique opportunities to fine-tune the city to your tastes. The Lost Lands: Bard’s Gate is not just for The Lost Lands campaign setting, it is designed with enough flexibility to be used in any campaign. Whoever you may be, whether prince or pauper, if you are a seeker of adventure, Bard’s Gate welcomes you!

I swim in the Frog's Pond these days, but I'm barely a pollywog. James Spahn is a damn good friend of mine and not just because he pulled my ass from the fire. Neither makes this anything less than the amazing deal it is. Yes, that's an affiliate link above. Affiliate sales are the magic that keeps the taps flowing here at The Tavern.

Frog God Games Clearance Sale - Stoneheart Valley - Print plus PDF - $12.99 (S&W and PF)

New Year. New Sales.

Frog God Games has put Stoneheart Valley on sale for $12.99 in Print with the PDF included (choose between the Swords & Wizardry and Pathfinder versions - as if there truly is any choice ;)

Finally, welcome to the World of Necromancer Games! From Bill Webb and Clark Peterson's home campaign comes the old-school setting of The Lost Lands: Stoneheart Valley. For over a decade, fans of Necromancer Games and Frog God Games have been asking to see the world behind the adventures. And at long last, here is where it all began, in the Stoneheart Valley near the town of Fairhill. This mini-campaign was originally presented to the fans of Necromancer Games in three separate modules: "The Wizard's Amulet", "The Crucible of Freya", and "The Tomb of Abysthor". Frog God Games has taken the full series from the 3E version plus supplemental material previously available only online, and converted it all to the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game system and the Swords & Wizardry Complete ruleset. 

Weighing in at 192 pages for Pathfinder (retail $32.99), and 144 pages for the Swords & Wizardry Complete rules (retail $29.99), this new product is the first offering in The Lost Lands setting, coming from Frog God Games. Expanded, enhanced, and providing hours and hours of adventure, this hardbound book is intended for characters of levels 1-8 (and beyond), including dungeon, wilderness and city encounters.

Matt Finch Interviews Your's Truly for Old School Gaming Radio

I'm actually nervous sharing this. Not a lot nervous, just a little. You see, when I do podcasts, we have a general idea where the conversation is going to go and I am not the focus. With +Matt Finch I really didn't know where the conversation was going to go and i WAS the focus.

We did I have fun, that's for sure. I haven't watched it yet so I can't tell you whether it went well or not, but shit - it had Matt and that's about all a video needs to have for success.

Watch the video. Subscribe to the channel. Hit the website - Old School Gamer Radio. Tell Matt that "Tenkar sent you" ;)

Far West - Six Years Late and Still Not Done - Seven Months of Silence from Gareth (but not on Twitter)

Can you believe it? Six years have passed since Gareth's completion date for Far West. Six fucking years. I wish I had spent my $150 on something more useful, like a toilet paper / sand paper combo Kickstarter or some such.

Last Update from "an Icon in the RPG Industry?"

Weeks, months, years - really, what does it all mean when you tweet every day (and multiple tweets at that) but don't even attempt to live up to your financial obligations? Get your head out of the sand and man up Gareth!

Yeah, this is NOT the man I'd ever want to do business with in the future.

Now, about that pre-ordered Buckaroo Bonzai RPG I heard about...