Tavern Tidbits - Monster Madness - Pyro-Hydra (SWCL & SWC)

Pyro-Hydra - Statted for Swords & Wizardry Light/Continual Light and Swords & Wizardry Complete. Based on the entry for the Hyrda in Monstrosities for Swords & Wizardry Complete.

Pyro Hydras are theorized to be the result of magically crossbreeding a red dragon with a hydra. As such, they have multiple heads that can breathe fire much like a red dragon. On any given round, roll 1d6 per head. On a 5 or 6, that head breathes fire instead of attempting to bite. Breath attacks are aimed at one target and that target must save vs breath weapon or suffer 2d6 damage (No attack roll is needed by the Pyro Hydra. Target no damage with a successful save.) Pyro Hydras are extremely dangerous adversaries.

Like a standard hydra, each head has one hit die of its own, and when an individual head takes damage equal to the rolled hit die, that head dies. The body has as many hit dice as the total of the heads, so it is a matter of good strategy for adventurers to focus either on killing heads (when all the heads are dead the body dies) or killing the creature by attacking the body (in which case the heads die, too)

Note, weapons that do special damage to reptiles or dragons are effective against Pyro Hydras.

(for SWCL, ignore AL / CL and XP entries)

Hydra (5 headed): HD 5; AC 5[14]; Atk 5 heads (1d6); Move 9;  Save 12
AL N; CL/XP 7/800; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (6 headed): HD 6; AC 5[14]; Atk 6 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 11
AL N; CL/XP 8/1100; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (7 headed): HD 7; AC 5[14]; Atk 7 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 9
AL N; CL/XP 9/1400; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (8 headed): HD 8; AC 5[14]; Atk 8 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 8
AL N; CL/XP 10/1700; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (9 headed): HD 9; AC 5[14]; Atk 9 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 6
AL N; CL/XP 11/2000; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (10 headed): HD 10; AC 5[14]; Atk 10 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 5
AL N; CL/XP 12/2300; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (11 headed): HD 11; AC 5[14]; Atk 11 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 4
AL N; CL/XP 13/2600; Special: Breathes Fire

Hydra (12 headed): HD 12; AC 5[14]; Atk 12 heads (1d6); Move 9; Save 3
AL N; CL/XP 14/2900; Special: Breathes Fire

Artwork copyright Daniel F. Walthall, used with permission.

OGL

Kickstarter - Dead in the West: A Tabletop RPG set in the Mythic Old West

I have a soft spot for Old West history and mythology. It is very much the fantasy medieval age of Americana. Which puts me at an awkward juncture with the Dead in the West: A Tabletop RPG set in the Mythic Old West Kickstarter. I want it to succeed due to the subject matter, but I think it has priced itself out of successfully funding.

First, we have a lot of firsts. First Kickstarter created. One Kickstarter backed. First game written. The only thing balancing against this is the creator's passion - he certainly has faith in his project.

Second - pricing. With a goal of just over $10k in USD, it's a lot for no track record. More worrisome is the backers' levels. $25 for the rulebook in PDF and the Quickstart in PDF - and a mention on Facebook. $25 for a PDF from an unknown creator? And could someone tell me what the value of such a mention is on Facebook if the one doing the mentioning has little if any following? I mean, even WITH a following of noticeable size it has little value IMHO. Print plus PDF is $37 USD - but add in shipping and its more like $60. Oh, and we don't know the size of the book or the actual game mechanics (uses d8s if you read the FAQ)

There is a lot being asked of backers with little more than a dream presented in return. Yes, I know Kickstarter is very much about fulfilling those dreams, but this is one dream that will never come to be.

Dead in the West: A Tabletop RPG set in the Mythic Old West is at about 42% of funding with a week and a half left to fund. Short of an "Angel Back" or six, this project is going back on the shelf.

Article @ Reason.com - The Radical Freedom of Dungeons & Dragons

I always enjoy articles that look at the history of Dungeons & Dragons, as they come from differing perspectives. Even the same historical events are seen in a different light. Reason.com's The Radical Freedom of Dungeons & Dragons article is no different.

You might not recognize the name Gary Gygax. But even if you've never rolled a critical fail on a d20, you have almost certainly consumed some movie, TV show, book, comic, computer game, or music influenced by Gygax's most famous creation: Dungeons & Dragons, the world's first and most popular role-playing game. 

The FBI certainly knew who he was. Between 1980 and 1995, agents compiled a dossier on the gaming company TSR Inc. and Gygax, its founder. In 1980, a note on TSR stationary about an assassination plot drew the FBI's attention, leading to a search of the company's offices in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The note turned out to be materials for an upcoming espionage game. 

In 1983, an FBI field report about an investigation into a cocaine trafficking ring in Lake Geneva cryptically references Gygax—but whatever his alleged role was, it has since been heavily redacted by the Bureau. 

The company appears again in FBI reports from 1995, as part of the agency's sprawling investigation into the Unabomber. The FBI was apparently looking into a possible tie between the string of then-unsolved bombings and a bitter legal dispute between TSR and a rival gaming company in Fresno, California. 

In an FBI field report describing the convoluted history of TSR, one source at the company describes the father of role-playing games as "eccentric and frightening," a "drug abuser" who is "known to carry a weapon and was proud of his record of personally answering any letter coming from a prisoner." He would be extremely uncooperative if the FBI tried to interview him, the source warned. 

The report also claims Gygax set up a Liberian holding company to avoid paying taxes and "is known to be a member of the Libertarian Party."

The above is only a small sample of the article linked above.

As for the unnamed source in the FBI field report, I think most anyone with a basic history of Gary's departure from TSR could make an educated guess ;)

The One Page Dungeon Contest has its 10th Anniversary This Year - Are You Entering?

I can't believe the One Page Dungeon Contest has been going for as long as it has. Heck, its been around longer than The Tavern. Go figure ;)

I love going through the previous years winners for those "oh shit!" moments when you need an adventure and have nothing in hand. With One Page Dungeon in your bookmarks, you're never caught unprepared.

Here's the official announcement:

I am thrilled to announce that the creators of the original 2009 One Page Dungeon Contest ChattyDM  and Chgowiz  are returning as judges for the 10th Anniversary of the contest!
​
I am equally thrilled to announce that Martin Thomas has also agreed to serve as a judge again, making this his fifth consecutive year supporting the contest!
​
Steve Winter has just confirmed he is returning for the ten year anniversary, and this will also be his fifth year serving as a judge!
​
Jason Sholtis joins the 2018 One Page Dungeon Contest as a judge! -Been trying to get him as a judge for over a year and a half, but schedules never lined up, so super happy to share this news!

The Tavern has offered to contribute to the "Prize Closet" as a sponsor. We are adding one $25 and one $10 OneBookShelf Gift Certificate to the prize pool.

Now accepting submissions/ entries for the 2018 One Page Dungeon Contest!

The Deadline for entry submission is May 1st, 2018 by midnight UMT.
​
2018 entries must be sent to 1pdcontest@gmail.com

Go to the 2018 One Page Dungeon Contest for contest rules.

Thoughts on Kickstarter Roundup / Freebie Friday Regular Weekly Posts

For a while, I was doing weekly postings titled "Kickstarter Roundup". They were usually midweek and had a quick blurb on a half dozen or so gaming related Kickstarters that were actively funding at the time. Some of the projects were also covered by me with individual posts but most were not. It was a good way to peek at projects I otherwise didn't have time to peek at. I'm thinking of bringing that back as a Monday Morning post each week.

I'm also thinking of starting a Freebie Fridays weekly posting, where I link to and include a blurb for each of three to four free / PWYW OSR related releases. Some releases might be old. some might be very recent - all will be free / PWYW.

Oh, and I still need to finish the OSR freebie lists. Work is progressing slowly but surely.

Any other regular weekly features we're missing at The Tavern? Leave your thoughts below. Can't say I can implement all suggestions but I'll see what can be accomplished.

What's More Important: Setting or System?

As I start digging through the current document for Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells (currently funding on Indiegogo) I find myself loving the setting but translating in my head how I would run it with Swords & Wizardry. It's a good system but I find myself wanting to run the supplied setting with a different ruleset.

Heck, I've run DCC RPG adventures with Swords & Wizardry, converting on the fly.

I doubt I'm the only one that does this. Let us know your thoughts on it.

Kickstarter - There and Back Again: An Anthology of Travel and Gaming

You ever come across a Kickstarter and think "Wow, I never would have thought of this. It's amazing!" Yeah, There and Back Again isn't one of those for me. Instead, it's more of an "I don't know what to think of this..."

What we have here is a book aimed at gamers but not about gaming. Instead, its "An anthology of how travel impacts tabletop role-playing games, featuring stars in the RPG industry."

Now, who are those stars, exactly? Eddy Webb, Mikey Mason, Lynn Hardy, Dan Repperger, Jack Norris, John Houlihan, Linda Mercury and Jason Durall. I recognize one name off the bat, a second when you point out there is a podcast host in the mix. I wouldn't exactly call the list stars, but they are certainly involved in the hobby.

What kind of essays are included?

• Adventures, campaign frameworks, and locations inspired by real-world sites people have visited.
• Rules and design notions based on the realities, wonders, trials, and tribulations of travel.
• Personal travel essays relating to gaming and gaming culture. 
• Thoughts and experiences about gaming in different cultures.
• A couple of wild cards that don't fit into any particular category. 

I see a very niche project here. One that probably won't fund. I'm not sure if that's good or bad. It simply is.

As an aside, offering a Facebook mention as a reward isn't much of a reward unless you have thousands of Facebook friends. Even then, not much of a reward.

The creator has five prior Kickstarters, three failed to fund. All book / fiction related. So, does that mean he's willing to take chances or that he doesn't know (or hasn't found) his audience?

Less Than Two Months till Nine Years of The Tavern - What's in the Works for the Future

The end of May - May 31st to be exact, will be the Ninth Anniversary of Tenkar's Tavern. We've come a long way as a community in those years, with a highly successful Facebook Community (nearly 2100 members) and a Discord Community of over 400 very active members. Join us for a Wednesday Night Tavern Chat and see for yourself just how active we are ;)

Not to rest on one's laurels, I have some ideas in the works to show the community how much they are appreciated.

As I've mentioned before, I'd like to start running monthly Roll20 sessions of Swords & Wizardry Light aimed at players both new to the OSR and new to gaming on a whole. The sessions won't be limited to just new players though, but they will be given priority seating. I'd like to kick that off in early May, give or take a week or two.

On the Tavern Chat side of things, I'd like to add a monthly session that is scheduled to accommodate those "across the pond" - the UK and the rest of Europe as well as one for our Aussie and Kiwi friends. So, one month UK friendly, next month "down under" and so forth.

I would also like to set up a once a month "Chew the Shit" session on Discord that would be recorded and released as an audio podcast. This would NOT replace the regular weekly Tavern Chat.

Another new feature I'd like to add is short (5 to 7 minute long) videos released Monday / Wednesday / Friday about various OSR topics that are on my mind that I feel work better spoken as opposed to written. I expect some will very much be "string of consciousness" in nature. This could be very hit or miss but the potential entertainment value could be priceless ;)

So, those are the current plans for the next few months.

Again, thank you all for the support over the years. I appreciate it more than you could ever imagine.

Deal of the Day - Fever-Dreaming Marlinko (OSR Setting / Adventure)

Today's RPGNow Deal of the Day is Fever-Dreaming Marlinko from the Hydra Collective.

Visit Marlinko, a borderlands city where life takes a strange fever-dream cast, in this 72-page urban adventure fantasy supplement. Part city-setting, part full-blown adventure, Fever-Dreaming Marlinko is a stand-alone companion to the Slavic acid fantasy weirdness of the Slumbering Ursine Dunes. 

What you will find inside: 

• Background and hooks for the city's “four contradas,” city quarters with their own peculiar traditions, sites and even gods.
• Gorgeous isometric city maps by Luka Rejec. Download them for free at full-sized, high resolution here. 
• Two complete dungeon adventure sites.
• Two new players classes (the Mountebank and Robodwarf).
• Chaos Index with escalating events/triggers scattered throughout the city.
• News generator with full news briefs and hooks.
• Tiger-wrestling mini-game.
• Weird nickname generator.
• Section on running scams, hoaxes and grifting activity in a fantasy campaign.
• Carousing system tied into the contrada system.
• A“fair play/pay” guild system for hirelings.

Normally $6.75 in PDF, you can grab a copy of Fever Dreaming Marlinko until tomorrow morning for $2.70.

That's an affiliate link above. Its one of the ways you can "tip your bartender" doing what you were going to do anyway ;)

James Spahn Prices WHITE BOX OMNIBUS at PWYW - PDF, Softcover and Hardcover

"I am once again left flabbergasted by the generosity of the OSR. As a humble thank you to the community which has been so kind to me and in response to the kindness shown to me regarding North Texas RPG Con 2018, I am now pricing the White Box Omnibus at Pay-What-You-Want across all formats; this includes PDF, softcover, and hardcover. Thank you once again to my beloved OSR tribe and their boundlessness of spirit." - James Spahn

Now you can get it all in one place! White Box Omnibus is a compilation of all the material found in White Box Companion, White Box Treasures, White Box Bestiary, White Box Adventures: The Wererat's Well, White Box Adventures: The Wizard's Tower, and White Box Adventures: The Dragon's Hoard. 

But wait, there's more! 

It includes twenty-five pages of new material never before published! Add a two-fisted monk to your adventuring party, experience the power of artifacts from ages past and encounter a plethora of new monsters! 

Bring your Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox campaign together with the Willow Valley Gazetteer! Over twenty pages of brand new material detailing the region where all these adventures are set. Easy to drop into any campaign, it'll add depth to the featured adventures and provide hooks for even more sword & sorcery thrills! Brave the Swamps of Sithiss or explore the Stoneaxe Citadel! Visit the halflings of Burrowmoor and help the citizens of Willowford find peace!
Over 130 pages of Swords & Wizardry WhiteBox fun! 

Softcover comes to $3.57 minimum and hardcover is $9.18 minimum. That is cost.

That's an affiliate link above. Keep the taps flowing at The Tavern by purchasing through our affiliate links. We thank you. 

Revisiting the Halfling Brewmaster for Swords & Wizardry Complete

About 5 1/2 years ago I wrote four halfling centric classes for Swords & Wizardry Complete. The plan was to do the same for the other core races - dwarves and elves, but the publisher at the time never went forward with the plans.

In any case, I'm looking at the classes I wrote and figure they need some updating, so update I shall.

Halfling Brewmaster

For many halflings, seeking spiritual guidance goes hand in hand with a trip to the local brewery. Beer is considered not just a drink to quench one’s thirst, but a true gift from the gods. As such, Halfling brewmaster’s aren’t just brewers of beers and ale, but men and women of a higher calling and faith. As halflings are fond of saying "if you can’t put your faith in a good beer, what can you trust?"

Brewmasters can be found serving the faithful in small villages and even halfling communities in larger cities. Non-halflings appreciate the tasty brews, often failing to note that the brewer of such beer and ale serves a higher purpose.

Always on the search for new recipes and strains of hops, young brewmasters can sometimes be found in parties of adventurers of various races, as the desire for a fresh brew while away from civilization is something they can often satiate.

Prime Attribute: Wisdom 13+ (+5% experience bonus)
Hit Dice: 1d6/level (gains 1hp/level after 9th)
Fights as a Cleric of the same level
Armor: Any, can use a shield
Weapons Permitted: Mace, Hammer, Staff, Club, Sling, and Short Bow

Level XP Required for Level Hit Dice (d6) Saving Throw
1          0 1         15
2 1750 2         14
3 3500 3         13
4 7000 4         12
5   14000 5         11
6   28000 6         10
7   56000 7           9
8 110000 8           8
9 190000 9           7
10 270000                                             9+1 hp   6
11 340000                                           +1 hp/level  5
12+ +70000 per level                                          4

Brewmaster Class Abilities:

Master Brewer - The Halfling Brewmaster is a master brewer of beers and ales.  When not adventuring he can supervise the brewing of 5 gallons of ale/beer per level per month. Such supervised ale/beer will not spoil or go sour during the brewing process.

Blessed Brew- the Halfling Brewmaster can bless one pint of brew (ale or beer) per level per day. Such Blessed Brew must be consumed within one day per level of the Brewmaster that blessed for it to be effective. Blessed Brew adds +1 to all saves for 24 hours to any that drink at least one pint of Blessed Brew. Drinking more than one pint of Blessed Brew within 24 hours does not have an additional effect.

Turn Undead - Starting at 2nd level, Halfling Brewmasters turn undead as a Cleric one level lower.

Cast Spells - Starting at 2nd level, Halfling Brewmasters cast spells as a Cleric of the same level. (use cleric number of spells table page 11 S&W Complete)

New Spells:

Homestead Blessing

Spell Level - Cleric 2 / Druid 1 / Brewmaster 1

Range - 100' radius per level of the caster

Duration - 1 Year

This spell is used to bless a home or farm. Blessed homes gain a +2 save vs fire and severe weather (winds, floods, etc). Occupants of the blessed homes receive a +1 to all saves while in the blessed home.

Lands surrounding the home and within the radius of the spell are more fertile and are able to withstand drought and pests a bit better than unblessed lands. Blessed farmland will yield 10% greater crops than unblessed farmland.

The material component is a pinch of dirt from consecrated ground, usually from a local church affiliated with the caster.

Brewer's Best

Spell Level - Cleric 2 / Druid 2 / Magic-User 2 / Brewmaster 1

Range - Touch

Duration - Immediate

This spell turns 2 pints (1 quart) of water per caster level, drinkable or not, into a decent beer or ale of the caster's choice. A pinch of hops and a pinch of yeast for a pale ale or lager type, and optional pinches for other types of brew (casters may experiment or research other types). This is an effective way to turn stale water into sanitary beer.

OGL

Uncle Matt's D&D Studio and Jordoba Livestream Patreons are Looking for Backers - Join the Cool Kids

+Matt Finch has two Patreons - one for Uncle Matt's D&D Studio and another for his Jordoba livestreams. If you like interviews with creatives in the Old School Gaming community and beyond in addition to game theory, Uncle Matt's D&D Studio is an easy choice to back. Interested in livestreamed RPG sessions with a unique camera perspective? You probably want to back Jordoba. I've got them both covered with a $35 monthly pledge ;)

Below is an explanation by Matt as to the current plans for both Patreons:

I'm trying to round up a few more patrons for the patreons at patreon.com/Jordoba (the games) and patreon.com/unclematt (the channel and website) because I'm going to do another patrons-only livestream on Friday. As an example of communication with the patrons, here is the most recent post made to the channel's patreon forum: 

For the first post on the Uncle Matt's D&D Studio patreon, first of all, thank you for your help in keeping the channel on the air! 

This is my to-do list for this week on the channel's behalf, and it's kind of an aspirational set of goals, but probably workable. 

Today (Wed): I am editing three of the game videos for sound quality and to remove long pauses from the livestream versions. Then uploading them, which is a long process. One of the things all of you have helped to fund is a faster bandwidth for the studio's modem, which is pretty important not only for uploading these videos (an hours-long process) but also for reducing sound and video glitches when recording interviews in a Google hangout. This is a monthly cost that I couldn't have incurred without your help. 

I also plan on running a Patron-only livestream on Friday for all of you to advise me and give me feedback on the channel's quality, which means that I'm going to start a bit of a drive for new patrons today so I can have as many people as possible joined up by the time of the livestream. 

Thursday: I'm recording an interview with Bill Silvey for the next Thursday conversation on Uncle Matt's D&D Neighborhood, I'm releasing the conversation with Skeeter, and I'll be organizing the publication side of the project so I can begin to put pdfs in your hands and also to start up the project's publishing page. I'll also be updating the Episode Guides on the website, which I can't finish until I've uploaded the edited videos (Wednesday's job). 

Friday: I'll run the patron-only livestream and hopefully I'll be able to post up some pdf resources if I'm caught up with Thursday's goal.
Saturday is usually terrain day, since I try to have at least one "signal" piece of terrain made for each game, whether that's a statue or a distinct wall, or a scary door. These are great because they GET Skeeter every single time, and I love the reactions.  

Sunday: Same as Saturday because usually I spend time with Ian Finch on one day or the other. 

Monday and Tuesday: final prep for the games and run the games. 

So that's the plan! In order to get as many people onto the Friday patron-only livestream, it would be great if all of you could share around your opinions about the Patreon so far. People may not realize how much I depend on patrons for advice, and how much it costs - in addition to the monthly bandwidth increase I've just bought a 3D printer to make more stable snap-together terrain for the games, I bought a piece of art to use in videos, and we've always got the cost of the server for the website.

Reminder - Tavern Chat - 9 PM Eastern - Where the Deals are Done

You literally never know who is going to be logged into Tavern Chat or what topics are going to come up or what deals are going to be made. Last week was really special on all fronts - who knows what this week holds?

What is Tavern Chat?

Tavern Chat is a weekly hangout of Old School Gaming folks - some well known. We chat in The Tavern's Discord Server as well as a text chat channel. You don't need to participate in the voice chat if you don't want to, but if you can, I strongly encourage you to at least listen to the voice chat. It's been likened to an unscripted live podcast with audience participation. Seriously, its a lot of fun.

The link:

https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

Indiegogo - Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells (SciFi / Fantasy / Space Opera / Swords & Sorcery)

Swords & Sorcery & Space Opera? Oh my!

It’s science fiction, it’s fantasy, it’s space opera, it’s sword and sorcery, it’s post-apocalyptic. It’s all that and more, mixed up and packed together. In this game the party can be composed of knights of a mystical tradition, space pilots, cyber hackers, smugglers running from space authorities, barbarians from a primitive world, engineers and inventors, students of the lost and dangerous art of cosmic spells, or anything in between all this. In this universe, technology is advanced but the great accomplishments of it were lost in a glorious past. Sorcery is real and is wielded by terrible despots. It is also feared by most of the species, being the main reason why the old glorious days are over. Planets and sectors have many different cultures, most of them are now divisive and belligerent, led by these Sorcerer-Emperors. It’s sword and sorcery in space and with some cosmic horror thrown in.

The above pretty much sold me. Don't get me wrong, Diogo Nogueira does good work. Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells, upon which Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells builds upon, is an excellent ruleset. I just expect SB&CS to bring it all up to Eleven.

The gonzo artwork fits the premise perfectly. And of course, it has that Old School spirit:

Although not directly related to an old game, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells was designed to be played with the same spirit and style. All the principles of the classic A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming by Matt Finch apply to this game (and if you don't know about A Quick Primer for Old School Gaming, you should google it), although this is not a proper Retroclone. It does take inspirations and is based on many games that are (and some that are not), and other actual Old School games. However, to avoid the controversy of calling itself an Old School Game, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells calls itself a game with Old School Spirit.

PDF buy-in is $10. Soft Cover at cost coupon code and PDF is $15 (fulfilled by DriveThruRPG) Hardcover at cost coupon code and PDF is $20. There are levels for limited covers and multiple at cost coupons, but these are your sweet spots I think. Did I mention its already funded? Stretch goals include paying those doing the work more for the work they are doing, an admirable stretch goal. I'd like to see an artless free version myself ;)

Far West - Releasing 2018 - Is Gareth a Day Late with his April Fools Joke?

Timeliness has never been one of Gareth's strengths. For a game, Far West, that was due in backers hands in December of 2011, a date set by a supposedly professional writer and publisher (an "Icon in the industry"), promising 2018 via Twitter on the day after April Fools is not all that promising.

Note, he hasn't posted an update on the Kickstarter in 11 months.

I call shenanigans!

Thanks to +Eric Franklin for the heads up.

TSR Alumnus Laura Roslof Passed Away this Afternoon After a Battle with Cancer

As reported over at Sanctum Secorum, Laura Roslof, widow of Jim Roslof, passed away this afternoon after a battle with cancer. It was her second battle with cancer. Laura was 70 years old.

Laura's Facebook page is linked below if you wish to add condolences:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100010574327151&lst=1181830933%3A100010574327151%3A1522718431

The above art by Laura was in the recalled version of B3, Palace of the Silver Princess.

Kickstarter - The Dragon Heresy Introductory Set Fantasy RPG (built off of the 5.1 SRD)

"Explore and conquer in a Norse-inspired land with Dragon Heresy, an SRD5.1 Fantasy RPG. Secure your place in the sagas, or die trying!"

I've been following +Douglas Cole 's Dragon Heresy project for a while now and it's exciting to see it come to life.

In the Dragon Heresy Introductory set, you will find everything required to create your hero, play the game, and challenge fearsome foes.   

Venture forth under the eyes of the Aesir. Put your skill, strength, and sacred honor to the test. Find horror and death, or rise to take your place among the jarls of Torengar.   

Go forth and stake your claim. Your saga starts here.

Doug does Kickstarter right. You can tell he is a project manager by trade as everything is done like clockwork. What do I mean? Writing and layout are already done :)

So, what makes Dragon Heresy different?

Dragon Heresy builds off of the excellent SRD5.1 game engine, but with adjustments and additions made to match the feel of the setting and provide more nuance to combat and struggle. 

• Division of HP into wounds and vigor for a more coherent treatment of rest and injury
• Shields are way, way cooler, providing active defense using your reaction, and protection against missile weapons and other swift attacks not available to melee-only fighters
• Enhanced use of existing mechanics to add nuance and risk to combat, especially exhaustion and reactions
• The ability to aim and evaluate, make a called shot, and rules to ensure long-reach spear-fighters are a force to be reckoned with
• Grappling rules that don’t suck! Dragon Heresy originated the rules that became Dungeon Grappling
• The changes in the rules have been painstakingly rippled through the rules for monsters and spells, updating each where appropriate

I'm looking forward to giving these rules a proper workout.

As for where your money goes when you back:

The Dragon Heresy project has been underway for the better part of two years, and substantial pre-investment has been made to bring the book to its current state. So what's left?

• Final Editing - getting an SRD5.1-aware editor on board for a final check of wording, grammar, and rules consistency
• Indexing - A great book deserves a great index.
• Remaining Art Spaces - there are a few art holes that need to be filled
• Printing (covered by your pledge) and Shipping (which will be done in Backerkit)

That's really it. Backers at the Berserker and higher levels ($5 and more) will receive preliminary, playable copies of their electronic files the day the Kickstarter funds settle. 

$20 for the PDF level, $50 for the B&W print plus PDF and $100 for the glorious color plus PDF.

I'm in at $50.

Oh, almost forgot. There is a $500 backers level. If I thought Rach wouldn't kill me it's DAMN tempting:

Skjald-hirð 

A shield-bearer of the elite guard! Join the huscarls of Torengar, and get a shield to go with it! 

At this pledge level, in addition to a color copy of the game, I will also build for you a custom-constructed viking shield. It will be made of aspen planks, butted together with hide glue, to historical dimensions. 

Custom-spec the size (half your height recommended) to an upper limit of about 35.5". Hand-carved oak handle, goatskin edging, and linen stitching. Painted with colors and symbology from the game. 

I make these myself and have made a dozen in a week's time before; I am not worried about getting them made. These shields are suitable for historical re-creation martial arts training but not for re-enactment. Contact me for details if you're curious. 

The shield will be very expensive to ship and will only ship inside the USA. Cost is listed as zero, but will be charged in Backerkit.

 

RPG Industry News - Easter Sunday, 2018

Wow! It's a busy time here in the RPG Industry. Spring is here and oh boy, do we have news to share.

ENWorld announced its latest release in its series of W.O.I.N line of RPG releases. L.O.I.N. will be releasing just in time for Gen Con. When asked by this intrepid reporter for more information on his L.O.I.N. release, Morrus simply smirked and pointed towards his pants.

Gareth Sharka made news with the announcement of his Further West RPG via a series of Twitter postings. Further West will replace the still unreleased Far West for Kickstarter backers. It will be written via a series of 280 character tweets. As Gareth stated via Twitter: "I know I can maintain my Twittering many times a day and I think it will work well for RPG writing." Gareth will commence writing the new RPG after recovering from his latest relapse of Con Crud.

#ConManKen embraced the Easter Holiday at his Little Monsters Games & Comics Shop in Sumerset KY this weekend. Offering to teach kids how to paint Easter Eggs for the small fee of $15 for the 30-minute class (children must supply their own eggs and coloring material) and $20 for a signed photo with the Easter Bunny ($15 unsigned). Walking Dead memorabilia was on sale for 25% off this weekend. In Ken's own words: "That Christ guy, he rose from the dead. He musta walked from his tomb. So, we kinda see him as a kindred spirit to the Walking Dead."

Gail Gygax announced last week that would be a significant delay in the unveiling of the Gygax statue. Apparently, someone mistook "inches" to mean "10' squares". The unveiling of the now Giant Sized Gary Gygax statue will be moved to Arizona dependant upon the GMF getting a suitable acreage donation. Bricks will go on sale soon.

Paizo revealed last week that it felt underserved by the ENWorld Community's lackluster support of Pathfinder 2.0. As such, they've decided to go forward with their own GleeMax 2.0 community, powered by Web 2.0. A source at Paizo stated "If we can borrow from the success of D&D 5e for our Pathfinder reboot, why not snag WotC's failure of a community and see what we can make of that. Besides, we know online. Just look at Pathfinder Online and the smashing success it's been".

That's all of the news for this week folks. We'll be listening for more news to keep you "in the loop on all the poop".

Yes, it's an April Fools posting for those that didn't already guess ;)

No More Critiquing, Sarcasm or Negative Posting at The Tavern

Due to the (minor) blowback from last night's Kickstarter post, we will no longer be allowing the following to appear in ANY posts here at The Tavern:

Critique - while critiquing may have beneficial results for the community as a whole, someone may get their underwear in a knot. Even worse, someone may get hurt feelings. So, no more. Everything is awesome. As an aside, the half dozen or so Kickstarter creators that reach out to me each month for critique and feedback - sorry to be a buzzkill, but I can't help anymore. That's okay though, I'm sure everything is awesome.

Sarcasm - yep, no more sarcasm. I'll just flat out tell you exactly how I feel about something unless its...

Negative - again, no more negativity. Everything is awesome. That which isn't awesome will not be shared, but since everything is awesome that won't be an issue.

As for last night's post - its a Kickstarter about Zombies, so it must be AWESOME!

Last Gasp of the Palladium Robotech RPG - Once its Gone its Gone (Unless your FLGS Has it in Stock)

Well, today is either the last day or tomorrow is, depending on the sentence:

Seems like Kevin can't get his hype right.

I'm guessing The Macross Saga Sourcebook is somehow in great demand and will sell out at 20% off while the other books are 50 to 60%. Right...

Oh, and there is still a ton of Robotech Tactics Minis just waiting for a new home:

Did I mention the email doesn't link to the Palladium webstore?

It does link to DriveThruRPG though.

Not linking to either ;)

Kickstarter - The Living Dead: Table Top RPG (Just Like D&D...)

First, let's be clear - there is no way on God's green earth that The Living Dead: Table Top RPG Kickstarter will fund. Now that we have that out of the way, let's use this as a force for good - what NOT to do when setting up your first Kickstarter.

Video - I know everyone says you need a video. That isn't true, especially if your presentation is boring. If all you are going to give us is a talking head, don't do it.

D&D - Don't mention "it" by name, just use the edition. This applies especially to project names and the project pitch:

Need to add - understand the OGL if you are going to go that route.

Preparedness - Have something written. Have an art sample. Edit your  Kickstarter copy for God's sake. This does not cut it as it tells nothing about the setting. Isn/t Walking / Living / Listing Dead all about the setting?

"The game takes place in modern society as the world has fallen to the dead. The cause is unknown and the military has disappeared.Similar to D&D 5e."

"There are currently 7 classes, 25+ backgrounds, companions, details on how to build a safe haven, how to turn your safe haven into a major faction. Vehicles in the land air and sea variety. Zombies currently just slow walking zombies (plan on adding verity as an option). Hunger, thirst, and Humanity system. Feats that are special combat abilities. Large selection of guns,and melee weapons (plan to expand it more) Special ammo such as Armour piercing and incendiary rounds, gun attachments such as suppressors, and fore grips (plan to expand even further) guns (not all) have firing modes for single, burst, and automatic, cover system for combat. apocalypse stages system and infection."

Risks - The risks with this project are not the ones spelled out in the "Risks" section: "The risks are not getting things done on time witch is why the current date is set to end of 2020. That is not the planed date a timeline will be shown once the goal is reached. Those are there for worst case scenarios. It also is to make a game that fans of D&D can enjoy. As a guy who recently has just recently come to light of this world I will need play testers to help me balance it. I'm merely one man and I can't find very error or fluke on my own. "

I see risks associated with how the "risks" are detailed.

Pricing: This is a two-pronged situation - You need to set your pledge levels at a point that you entice backers while still making some money from each pledge AND you need to set a funding goal that raises enough money to go forward while still being attainable.

$25 for early access to the rules - basically, you're playing to playtest.

$50 for a special thank you in the book - and the playtest rules.

$75 to create a faction or background, plus the special thanks and playtest. Actually, as written, background backers also get to create a faction.

$100 to get a copy of the book "and all previous award". Doesn't mention if that is a physical copy or not.

That's asking for a sizable investment from potential backers with little given back in return.

Good thing the funding goal is $10k.

Before anyone complains that I'm "picking on a kid", he's 19 and studying Criminology. He can vote. Hopefully, he doesn't ;)

Thoughts on Adding Some Meat to Swords & Wizardry Monstrosities

Last night as +James Spahn and I were talking about things related to Swords & Wizardry it suddenly struck me - each entry for Swords & Wizardry Monstrosities (currently only in PDF at the FGG store) has an event or encounter linked to it. What if we (James & I) were to do a regular posting (weekly? bi-weekly?) expanding upon some of those encounters, turning a "one and done" to a full night's adventuring?

Yeah, I get ideas like that on occasions.

The great thing about the Monstrosities book is that the content is 100% OGL, including the encounters.

It is in the brainstorming process thus far. No idea when the first post will come, but if you have ideas for creatures you'd like to see in the mix, drop a comment below and we'll see what we can do.

Humble Bundle Book Bundle: Tales From the Worlds of Warhammer

I've always enjoyed Warhammer and Warhammer 40k fiction, and I'm just now realizing its been a few years since I've delved into such. Looks like I have some catching up to do with the Humble Bundle Book Bundle: Tales From the Worlds of Warhammer. Even if you just grab the 1 buck level, its a heck of a lot of reading.

Yep, I'll be loading these up on my Kindle Oasis.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above (and below). Your purchases made through The Tavern's affiliate links help generate some revenue and keep the taps flowing.

As a bonus, even if you aren't looking to read any of the above, Humble Bundle is giving away a free game:

Use the link below - its good for 24 hours from the time I post this:

https://www.humblebundle.com/store/spec-ops-the-line?partner=tenkar

Kickstarter - Rappan Athuk for 5e $160k Stretch Goal Revealed - Go Down The Well and Make Me a Jolly Grip!

Ah, fun times:

As stated earlier in an update the $160,00 Stretch Goal is.. 

Mystery Stretch Goal from Bill Webb free for everyone who gets a physical copy of the book- including the softcover Pathfinder & Swords & Wizardry updates. We will keep you postered on the reward as it gets closer ;) 

Well, we can now reveal that it is... 

A handsome 2-panel color poster folded for proper placement inside your books. All backers receiving a physical book in their pledge get the Poster free. Oh, yeah a free high-resolution PDF of the same is available for FREE to all backers of $5 or more.

Ah, to be a "Jolly grip" has been a lifelong dream. WTF is a "Jolly grip" anyway?

 Rappan Athuk: Reborn for Fifth Edition! Go down the Well!

9 hours left and almost at the $160k stretch goal...

News - Announcing the Wilderlands of High Fantasy Revised Editions

Note, this was originally shared at The Bat in the Attic blog and the City State of the Invincible Kickstarter by +Rob Conley . Shared with permission - Tenkar

Wilderlands of High Fantasy Announcement 

In November I promised to revisit the issue of the Wilderlands maps if nothing has been released by March for the Judges Guild's City State of the Invincible Overlord Kickstarter. I was able to work out a publishing agreement with Robert Blesdaw II to release the 18 maps I drew for the kickstarter project. In addition, I am permitted to publish a series of revised guidebooks to accompany the maps.

Each guidebook will be around 20 to 32 pages and will contain the original listings edited for known errata and corrections. To avoid the issues of cost that accompanied other releases of Wilderlands of High Fantasy, I am following the pattern of the original releases.

The maps and guidebooks will be divided into four products, the Wilderlands of High Fantasy, Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde, Wilderlands of the Magic Realm, and the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches. Unlike the original releases, Map 6 Viridistan will be included in Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde although edited down to the format of the other four maps.

The retail cost is yet to be determined as I am testing the various print options. I am targeting $20 per bundle of printed map and guidebook. The maps will be printed as two 12” by 18” sheets. There will be five maps in Wilderlands of High Fantasy and Fantastic Wilderlands Beyonde, and four maps in Wilderlands of the Magic Realm, and Wilderlands of Fantastic Maps. The backer and retail costs will reflect the quantity of maps within a product.

The PDFs will be free to all Kickstarter backers. The printed cost to backers for all 18 maps will be slightly less than $20. The printed cost of the guidebooks for backers should be around $3 to $4 depending on which print format works out the best. I am tacking on a one dollar charge so it will count as a sale on both OBS sites, RPGNow and DrivethruRPG. There will be shipping charges from One Bookshelf.

I am doing this because as a Judges Guild licensee, the problems of this Kickstarter affect my sales of the Majestic Wilderlands along with other projects using the Judges Guild IP. The above is what I can do to help with the resources I possess. Robert Bledsaw II is aware of what is going on and has worked with me to come up with a solution to get a portion of the product you paid for into your hands.

I will have the package of the first five maps and guidebook released by mid-April as the Wilderlands of High Fantasy. I am trying to have remaining maps and guidebooks done by the end of May so I can release them for North Texas RPG Con, a convention focused on older edition gaming. But it may not be until June until I get Fantastic Reaches out. The PDFs will be done first and I will release preliminary copies as soon as I am able. Rob Conley

First Print of Swords & Wizardry Light Nearly Gone - Second Print Will be Another 10k Run

If you were listening to last night's Tavern Chat, you would have heard Bill Webb (Frog God Games) mention that there are about 550 print copies of the first print run of Swords & Wizardry Light left in the possession of Frog God Games - from an initial print run of 10k (plus the 250 or so printed locally for Gamehole 2016). That means that over 9,500 copies have been put in the hands of gamers in less than 18 months.

Damn.

Bill announced the second print run of SWL will be another 10k copies. Yep, I'm grinning to ear to ear.

Oh, it was also revealed that +Rob Conley 's sandbox for the Swords & Wizardry Continual Light update will be set in Frog God Games' Lost Lands setting. Happy dance.

Rob also had snuck in a Wilderlands announcement - more on that tomorrow.

Kickstarter - Rappan Athuk: Reborn for Fifth Edition! Go down the Well! (28 Hours Left Reminder)

Time is running short to back the Rappan Athuk: Reborn for Fifth Edition! Go down the Well! Kickstarter. 28 hours and counting as I type this. If you are a 5e player, especially a DM, it should be a no-brainer. But what if you are a Swords & Wizardry gamer or (gasp!) Pathfinder? What's in it for you?

The sweet point is the $35 backer level for folks like us.

Now, what stretch goals are included at the $35 level?

UNLOCKED $33,000 High-Resolution Wallpaper #1 FREE

UNLOCKED $43,000 High-Resolution Wallpaper #2 FREE

UNLOCKED $45,000 New Level from Bill Webb and Tom Knauss available to all backers as a bonus (5e/SW/PF PDF only)

UNLOCKED $50,000 Player's Guide to Rappan Athuk (2012) PDF free to all backers

UNLOCKED $75,000 The First Ever Release of Rappan Athuk, The Upper Levels, for D20 becomes a free stretch goal PDF for all pledges above $5. ($3.99 value)

UNLOCKED $100,000 Adventures in Zelkor's Ferry by Alex Kammer for Fifth Edition, Swords & Wizardry or Pathfinder. Add-on $15 Softcover / $7 PDF

UNLOCKED $120,000  The second ever Rappan Athuk title, the Middle Levels, for D20 becomes a free stretch goal PDF for all pledges above $5. ($3.99 value)

UNLOCKED $140,000 The third ever Rappan Athuk title, the Lower Levels, for D20 becomes a free stretch goal PDF for all pledges above $5. ($6.38 value)

LOCKED $150,000 Mystery 3-D print file stretch goal.

LOCKED $160,000 Mystery Stretch Goal from Bill Webb free for everyone who gets a physical copy of the book- including the softcover Pathfinder & Swords & Wizardry updates. We will keep you postered on the reward as it gets closer ;)

Pledge level is just short of $144k as I type this.

Pretty good value for your 35 bucks...

RPGNow Deal of the Day - Umerican Survival Guide, Chase cover (DCC)

The Umerican Survival Guide, Chase cover (DCC) is today's Deal of the Day at RPGNow. Normally $8.70 for the PDF, until tomorrow morning the price is reduced to $3.48 - a savings of 60%.

A Gonzo Post-Apocalyptic Campaign Setting and Sourcebook based on the articles of Crawling Under a Broken Moon. 

Within this irradiated tome you will find: 

• A dozen new or revised character class options, nine of which are unique to Umerica: Clerics of the Wasteland, The Cyborg, Feral Urchin, Fossiorian, Grays, Mutant, Petrol Head, Robot, Scavenger, Technologist, Wasteland Warrior, Wizard of the Wasteland.
• New piecemeal armor system that incorporates damage resistance, ablatives, and armor degradation
• An extensive, revised mutation system usable by all characters and creatures
• An expanded vehicular creation and combat system for all of your petrolhead needs
• A pantheon of Umerican Gods and Patrons, old and new
• A comprehensive section on the Citadel of Scrap, a good campaign starting point for exploring Umerica
• Dozens of random tables covering aspects of everyday wasteland life, finding salvage, and adventure creation plus much, much more!
• All fully compatible with the Dungeon Crawl Classics Role Playing Game from Goodman Games.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. You keep the taps flowing at The Tavern when you use our affiliate links for your purchases.

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - So Tell Me, How Can We do Better?

How can we do better? Sounds like a customer service survey ;) In all seriousness, The Tavern is looking to "up its game" and all feedback is useful, even if it doesn't necessarily appear to have an impact. Trust me, it all gets into the mix at some point.

Anyhow, today is a Wednesday and that means tonight is a Tavern Chat Night. Tavern Chat is a voice chat (with an accompanying text chat channel) that kicks off at 9 PM Eastern and continues until 11 PM and beyond. You can lurk in the voice chat - many do - and it is sort of like a live, unrecorded podcast where anyone can participate.

Here's the link:

https://discord.gg/fReGmuD

I'll be grabbing dinner before the chat and probably large doses of caffeine. Had another doc appt today (went well if long) and I'm still recovering from last week's infected tooth / abscess draining so I might not last as long as I might want in the chat, but who knows...

Oh, for an Easter Egg, there is something on The Tavern's homepage that is new and a hint at The Tavern's future. I'll award a Marvel No-Prize to the first commenter that mentions it :)

Kickstarter - Its Not Pencil Dice, Its a Pen WITH Dice Within!

I would have missed this without one of the Taverners sending me a link to The Dice Pen (with Standard Dice and CCG Dice).

Not Pencil Dice. No, its a pen with dice within. Small d6 or micro-small d6.

Besides the fact that I probably can't read dice of this size very well, at least without picking them up to look at the number, which kinda defeats the purpose, how long will the ink actually last?

They offer a CCG Dice counter option, but not a FATE dice option. Weird.

10 bucks a pen, which is probably better priced and more useful than Pencil Dice. Thank God Ken never thought of this...

Rantish - My Thoughts on Gatekeeping in the OSR

There was a comment made in The Tavern's Facebook Community yesterday that got me thinking about gatekeeping in the OSR. It essentially called the OSR clones "PDF edits of the originals with minor house rules thrown in" and proceeded to talk about the virtue of learning the original D&D White Box in middle school. Essentially, the clones have no value.

edit - For clarity, the original quotes: 

"we might actually have had to play with our original D&D books instead of derivative pdf files of minor edits to the original game. The horror!" 

"hard for new players? Most of us learned to play it in middle school!

Further edit: those that don't have access to the original books at an affordable price or would prefer to read a more modern presentation - in print or PDF - are effectively dismissed. That is my interpretation. YMMV,

A month or so ago, in another Facebook Gaming Community, a different poster went on a rant about Swords & Wizardry Light, where he wrote (not quoting exactly) he didn't understand why Frog God Games was putting so much time, money and effort into SWL, "the dumbing down of an already dumbed down game."

Gatekeeping is alive and well in the OSR, or at least the mindset is.

If it isn't the original rules, it has no value.

If it's easy to learn its been dumbed down.

Which are fine attitudes to have at your own table but not the ones needed to grow the Old School Gaming Community or even keep it viable, Those of us that started with "the originals", be it OD&D, BX,  BECMI, 1e, 2e and the like - we are getting older. If we want to bring others into our love of Old School Gaming, we need to be welcoming, not excluding.

When my niece, who was 5 years old at the time, saw that I had written a 4-page Swords & Wizardry Light ruleset she exclaimed: "Uncle, you wrote a 4-page Dungeons & Dragons? You can teach me to read 4-pages. You wrote this for me!" I guess I did.

When +Bill Webb decided to publish Swords & Wizardry Light (and +Matt Finch gave me his blessings), when Frog God Games decided to print thousands of copies to give away for free at conventions and via mail, its because they understood the value of making the entry bar to the OSR and gaming in general easier for potential players to cross, not harder.

The clones don't have the same nostalgia value for me that my original 1e books have - my entry to the hobby, but when I ran a 1e game a few years back I ran it using OSRIC - the organization was better, the writing was clearer and it was all in one book. Old school gaming meets modern day presentation.

I want the OSR to not just survive, I want it to thrive. I think many 5e players will find Old School Gaming an alternative (not a substitute) for the latest release of the D&D rules for the times they want a looser playing ruleset, but that's only going to happen if we welcome them, not exclude them.

BBC News has a 3 Minute Video on the Beginnings of Games Workshop

One of The Tavern's Discord members shared the link to a recent BBC News story on the beginnings of Games Workshop. It clocks in at just under 3 minutes so it won't keep you from doing your usual responsibilities, like writing bills or cleaning the cat's pan ;)

Seriously, its 3 minutes well spent.

Here's the link to the video.

Enjoy.

With Permission, I'm Stealing Lists & Links from Old School Gamer Radio - Now 73 Blogs Come a Callin ;)

Last night I added a link to various Old School Podcasts. This morning I yoked links to 73 Old School Blogs (I would have yoked 74, but for some reason, I couldn't get Castle Triskelion to take)

At some point, the blogs will have their own permanent page here at The Tavern where they will be listed alphabetically with descriptions (and possible commentary by yours truly).  They are currently linked below the blog posts themselves - 73 blogs listed by the most recent updates.

Why by updates? Because active blogs should be rewarded. Recent posts should be seen. Alphabetical lists favor the "A"s and hurt those that start with a letter in the middle of the alphabet, which is fine for a list, not so much for an active blogroll. 

Want to add your blog to the list? Drop me a line at tenkarsDOTtavern at that Gmail thing with a link and a description and we'll get it added.

+Matt Finch (Old School Gamer Radio) and I are working together on ideas to strengthen and grow the gaming community we both love.

Come to think of it, you've subscribed to Uncle Matt's D&D Studio Youtube Channel, right? Interviews, live play podcasts, gaming thought - the works.  Over1,100 subscribers can't be wrong ;)