Kickstarter - The Phylactery - An Old School Heroic Fantasy Adventure Zine (ZineQuest 2)

A RPG zine full of OSR flavored adventure hooks and resources for use in your heroic fantasy games.

Yes, it is officially time for ZineQuest 2, the now annual Kickstarter even (at least I assume it is annual ;) I expect I'll be covering a number of zines this month.

This time we are looking at The Phylactery, An Old School Heroic Fantasy Adventure Zine Kickstarter.

We go in assuming you already have the core books to play your favorite games and instead jump right into OSR-inspired material that is unavailable anywhere else, giving you an entire cover-to-cover zine devoted strictly to cool new adventures, quirky NPCs, wondrous magical items, marauding  monsters, fell locations, relics from beyond the mists of time and all sorts of heroic fantasy resources for your tabletop games. 

As this project launches, The Phylactery is a cover-to-cover 24-page, saddle-stitched, 5.5-inch by 8.5-inch B&W printed zine with a bad ass color cover by Planet X favorite Ed Bickford. This booklet is jam packed with page after page of heroic fantasy adventure influenced heavily by early third party RPG badassery like Dave Hargrave’s infamous  Arduin Grimoire series and the early Dragontree Press stuff. The Phylactery is meant to be a quick and easy resource that you can pull ideas and plot hooks from for use directly at your gaming table. There’s no fluff in here and nothing padding out the page count - just pure old school goodness created exclusively for the fantasy gaming community. We have absolutely JAM-PACKED a ton of RPG goodness in here for you. 

5 bucks for the PDF, 10 bucks for print plus PDF (free shipping in the US). I'm in for print :)

 

Australia Relief Raffle (RPG Prizes)

Shared from Tales Of The Tentacled Gunslinger as requested.

Australia Relief Raffle
by Mike Harrington
Posted on February 1, 2020

This past year, an early and unusally dry and hot drought season combined with Climate Change, resulted in a horrific series of fires in Australia which continues to burn to this day.

A mindnumbing 1 billion animals are now estimated dead due the fires in Australia fires and more than 15.6 million acres have been decimated. The number of kangaroos, koalas, and others killed keeps skyrocketing and estimates of economic impact to humans is also mindblowing - at least 24 people killed, over 1,400 homes destroyed. The costs of the fires in Sydney alone are estimated at 50 million a day.

Koala Recovering From Burns

David Baity, the author of Dark Trails and himself a firefighter has put together a relief raffle for the animals and people of Australia.

I am posting his letter to the RPG community here in the hopes of boosting the signal.

Here is David:

“Hey Folks, I’ve been working on something special for the last couple of weeks in response to the, truly horrific fires currently plaguing our friends in Australia. If you know me on any level, you probably know I’m a lover of all things feline and do a yearly prize raffle to raise money for local no-kill shelters in my area.

It’s hard to comprehend the death and destruction that the fires raging across Australia have caused and by now, we’ve all seen heartbreaking pictures floating around on the web.

That brings me to the great news I’m sharing with you today. I’ve spent the last couple of weeks reaching out to friends I know in the industry in hopes they might donate some items for a charity raffle geared towards helping the animals and folks currently suffering in Australia.

The response has been amazing! Folks have jumped on board and offered some amazing prize support that I think will help make this raffle a big success! I’m going to list the prizes and donors below but want to lay out the important details first.

There will be one winner for all physical and digital rewards. In the case of multiple digital prizes, we will draw additional names for the extras.

Each $1 donated will enter you once for the drawing. Throw $10 dollars at the cause and you’ll earn ten entries in the raffle.

The raffle will begin 2/01/2020 and end on midnight 02/29/2020 with the winner being determined randomly by someone well known in the community other than myself.

Shipping will be covered for physical prizes, some of which I already have on hand, while others will be mailed directly from our generous donors. In the case of a non-US winner, we will strive to work with you on shipping, but you may be partly responsible for some of the charges.

I’ve chosen Wires (Wildlife Information Rescue Education) and GIVIT after doing some research into current organizations raising funds and think you’ll find them worthy of what we raise.

• To donate click here

So, let’s get to the fun part of the post! You’ll find all the prizes going into the raffle listed below. I’m also including a link to visuals for those wishing to take a peek at the loot! SC= soft cover HB= hardback. You can find an album with pics of all the prize support here

Goodman Games:

• Grimtooth’s Ultimate Traps Collection (faux leather edition),
• Dungeon Crawl Classics rulebook (faux leather edition)
• Dungeon Crawl Classics Annual #1 (faux leather edition)
• Sailors of the Starless Sea adventure (HB faux leather edition),
• Dungeon Crawl Classics adventures #99, #98, #97, #96, #95, #94, #93, #92,#76,#75, #74, #73, #72, #71, #70, #69, #68, and #67 (all adventures are SC)
• GM Gems (HB)
• Into the Borderlands 5E (HB)

Stefan Poag: One original piece of art

Weird Works: A selection of three RPG stamps, adventure journals and magical adventure dice bag.

Impact! Miniatures: Full set of dice

Vance Games:

• Escape from the Demon Inn adventure (SC)
• Temple of the Hamster adventure (SC)
• Mother’s Maze adventure (SC)

Thick Skull Adventures:

• The Haunting of Larvik Island adventure
• Stronghold of the Wood Giant Shaman adventure
• Children of the Fallen Sun adventure

Mudpuppy Games: Check this Artifact (HB) MCC supplement.

Greg Gillespie Publishing:

• The Forbidden Caves of Archaia (HB and PDF)
• Highfell (HB and PDF)
• Barrowmaze (HB and PDF)

Purple Sorcerer Games:

• Sunken City Omnibus adventure x5 (PDF
• Escape from the Shrouded Fen adventure x5 (PDF)
• Carnival of the Damned adventure x5 (PDF)
• Nebin Pendlebrooks Perilous Pantry adventure x5 (PDF)

Purple Pirate Games: Secrets of the World Harvesters adventure (SC and PDF)

Ken Campbell Creations DCC dice organizer tray (dice for show and not included)

Steve Bean Games:

• DCC-Null Singularity adventure (SC)
• DCC-World Quest of the Winter Clock adventure (SC)
• DCC-Rock God Death Fugue adventure (SC)
• DCC- Slave Drones of the Fantastiplex adventure (SC)
• DCC-Chained Coffin (gold and silver foil edition SC)
• 50 Fantastic Functions for the d50 (SC)
• DCC-The Monster Alphabet (HB)
• DCC- Pack of scratch-off character sheets
• Incredible Lifeforms- a coloring book (SC)
• Metamorphosis Alpha poster of the Warden
• 3 random Reaper miniatures
• us Alliance- A Fantasy Bluffing Card Game
• Robotech Tactics Miniature Game

Shield of Faith Studios : Note-All prizes listed below fall under the Crawling Under a Broken Moon post-apocalypse RPG based off of the DCC RPG.

• Umerican Survival Guide
• Slave Drones of the Fantastiplex adventure (SC and PDF)
• Burger Wars adventure (SC and PDF)
• Twisted Menagerie Manual adventure (SC and PDF)
• Killer of Giants adventure (SC and PDF)
• Damn Tasty adventure (SC and PDF)
• Children of the Sun adventure (SC and PDF)

Stiff Whiskers Press

• Dark Trails RPG- Gaucho pledge level (you will receive all items and stretch goals listed at the Gaucho pledge level)
• Dark Trails RPG- Rustler pledge level x 5 (you will receive a PDF copy of the game along with digital stretch goals.”

Mike Here: Please consider giving to this worthly cause to help the people of Austraila. Here is the link to donate again.

Kickstarter - Hunters in Death (Old School Zine by Tim Shorts)

What can I say about Tim Shorts? His was one of the first blogs I ever read and Gothridge Manor was certainly one of my inspirations. I've GMed for Tim and he's GMed for me. As good as he is as a player, as a GM he is awesome and as a content creator, he is amazing. I've been a backer of his Patreon for many years and the content offered is simply top-notch.

Now the fucker is Kickstarting a zine, Hunters in Death. Do yourself a favor and back this one. It won't just sit on your gaming shelf looking pretty, I can guarantee you it will get serious use.

Did I mention it funded in just over two hours? Damn!

Let's talk about what's inside: This is a glimpse into how I run a campaign. I've run games for over 41 years, and like every game master in existence, I've created my own rules and mechanics. I provide a list of these rules/mechanics to provide a sense of immersion particular to the Komor Forest. Then you'll find Hounds Head, a place for the party to get information, get henchmen, get supplies, sell stuff, and rest until their next adventure. Then what follows is an array of adventures. The adventures aren't meant to be played in any order. While the adventures are separate there are connections between some of them. Within the adventures there are new magic items, new spells, new monsters, and new artifacts. And any old school gaming zine wouldn't be complete without random tables. Yeah, it's got some of those. 

Wait a second! Our party is currently IN Komar Forest. Am I even allowed to back this? Fuck it. I ain't telling Tim if you don't ;)

Deal of the Day - The Midderlands Expanded (Monkeyblood)

Today was a busy day and I almost missed that The Midderlands Expanded is the Deal of the Day. As I type this, there are about 11 hours left to get on this deal. Did I mention that Glynn Seal is for real? Truly amazing stuff. Normally 15.72, the PDF is currently available for a mere 3.10

This book is an expansion to The Midderlands - An OSR Setting & Bestiary  

Important Note:
This book contains some content already found in The Midderlands Additions, and The Midderlands Additions II supplements. It also contains lots of new content not published already. 

Contains Strong language & Graphic Descriptions 

Written for use with the Swords & Wizardry Complete roleplaying game, but suitable for any Old-School D&D-style roleplaying game. 

More green-hued, twisted, dark-fantasy, old-school mini-setting. Now expanded to include the whole of the British Isles and beyond. 

The first book (The Midderlands — An OSR Mini-setting & Bestiary) focused on the land-locked Midderlands, a twisted version of central England. This book expands the setting to include the whole of Havenland, Scrotland, Oldenwale, Emeraude, and beyond. 

Learn about Bear Maw, Darkpool, H’sst-Akal, Middercastle, Queensmyr, Scar Burg, the Great Wall of Hadreen and many more locations. 

Explore the shipwrecks of the coast, and be harried by Gloomcrabs, Sharkfolk, Leviathan Spawn and more. 

Learn of the dangers of the neighbouring countries, Gaulandia and the Serpentlands.
This book is full of more horrors and threats to the safety of not only the midderfolk, but havenfolk at large. 

Sea monsters, threats of invasion, countrywide travel, island enclaves, and ship combat to name a few. This expanded setting gives more opportunity for adventure and who doesn’t love adventure? 

WANT A HARD COPY? HEAD OVER HERE: http://monkeyblooddesign.co.uk/The-Midderlands 

The first book focused on the land-locked Midderlands, an area I know well. In terms of a campaign area, it is small – approximately 45 miles by 35 miles – which allows for a feeling of close ties and for the actions of the player characters to have a tangible influence. I have been to Haven’s End, Ill Faircombe, Blymouth, Great Lunden, Windsour, Caer Oldenwale, Bellthorp… the list goes on. I realised that I know quite a bit about some of the other locations around my fair island home. I love the sea, the rugged hills and mountains of Oldenwale, and I frequently take trips to Bear Maw. I realised I could use the same approach as I used in The Midderlands to twist and mould other locations, and finally make my way to the seas and discover the other landmasses at its borders. 

Ports, shipwrecks, Gaulandia, Scrotland, Oldenwale, Emeraude, and the Serpentlands could all be used to make the setting larger and introduce more alarming horrors and threats to the safety of not only the midderfolk, but havenfolk at large. Sea monsters, threats of invasion, countrywide travel, island enclaves, ship combat to name a few. An expanded setting gave more opportunity for adventure and who doesn’t love adventure?

Castles & Crusades Classic Box Edition

Boxes are all the rage these days ;)

I have the "original" Castles & Crusades "White Box" from many years ago.

While Swords & Wizardry might be my true love among OSR rulesets, Castles & Crusades was the first love that brought me back to gaming.

Classic Gaming! 

Easy-to-learn, fast and fun to play, Castles & Crusades is the game for those who enjoy tales of high adventure and epic fantasy. 

Now available in the Classic Box Edition! Everything you see here in one beautiful box!
This set contains five booklets including all the rules to play, monsters, treasure and a starting adventure. 

The Castles & Crusades Classic Edition box contains everything needed to create heroic characters and enter a world of fantastic adventure. A world where brave adventurers battle ancient dragons, descend into dungeons in search of treasure and glory, and rescue mystic artifacts from the clutches of evil wizards. 

Castles & Crusades' easy-to-learn attribute-based rules system allows players to choose among archetypal character classes and races to create their characters. Spells, equipment, fast-paced combat rules, and all essential information needed for the players of Castles & Crusades is in this box.

Gather some friends, grab some dice, unleash your imagination – you’re entering the grand adventure that is Castles & Crusades!

This set contains the following: 

Five Books *Each Book is 5.5 inches wide and 8.5 inches tall. They are saddle stitched. They are black and white in the interior and black with red on the covers. 

• Vol. 1 Men and Magic, 36 pages (this includes the OGL)
• Vol. 2 Eldritch Enchantments, 52 pages (this includes the OGL)
• Vol. 3 Adventures in the Wilderness and Underworld, 36 pages (this includes the OGL)
• Vol. 4 Monsters & Treasure, 44 pages (this includes the OGL)
• Kane’s Gauntlet, 36 pages (this includes the OGL)
• 3-5 Character Sheets
• Reference Sheets (this reprints various charts in the books above)
• Dice (randomly chosen colors)
• 1 Golf Pencil

NOTE: The first four volumes do not contain new material for the C&C PRG. These books recast material already published in other sources, but is presented here in a Classic Style Box set. 

Here's the link.

Kickstarter - The Hero's Journey 2e - Last 14 Hours!

The Hero's Journey 2e Kickstarter is coming to a close in 14 hours or so as I type this, so you have until about 10 AM Eastern time, January 31st 2020 to back it. You have backed it right? It's written by James Spahn, one of the most skilled RPG ruleset writers in the OSR Community and beyond (I'm not just saying that because he is one of my closest friends, its the simple truth :)

Over 730 backers can't be wrong ;)

The game is written, the art is done, the editing is finished and layout is done! The PDF has already been uploaded to DriveThruRPG, and proof copies ordered! 

This game is ready to go. We just need your help to get the word out about it, and help make sure everyone gets paid!  Gallant Knight Games has already paid for the art, layout, and editing, but making games is more expensive than that.  

The long term success of a game can often depend on retail stores, gaming groups and more. The goal of our project is to run a focused, tight campaign that will allow us to make a high-quality offset print run of the corebook in both softcover and hardcover. We believe James has created a work of art here, and we want to show case that with the best print run we can do.  

The day the funds are delivered to Gallant Knight Games you'll get your PDF and we'll put the game to print. This will be a very fast turn around and a very tightly focused project. We're producing one book, and everything else is digital. 

Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day to Return in 2020

I'm still gobsmacked by the Swords & Wizardry Boxed Set Kickstarter, which is sitting at over $52k in just under a day and a half. The Frog God Team is looking for new stretch goals, as the ones that were planned are nearly blown through :)

I figured the return of Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day, hosted by The Tavern (we were the original host back in April of 2013) would be nice considering all of the love the community has shown Swords & Wizardry over the past two days.

Consider this an open call to all of the OSR bloggers, podcasters and Youtubers. I'm thinking of running it over three days - February 28, February 29 and March 1st.

Basically, if you create Swords & Wizardry related content - gaming material, reviews, live plays, etc and share it during those days, I will share a link here. So start brainstorming :)

I'm excited! I plan on producing some S&W related gaming material this weekend and have some ideas for release on each of those three days :)

More details as I converse with others. I hope to get a prize pool together for contributors ;)

Kickstarter - Swords and Wizardry: Limited and Collectors Edition Box Sets

Wow. Holy shit! Seriously!

The Swords and Wizardry: Limited and Collectors Edition Box Sets Kickstarter hit its $12k goal in 25 minutes. 8 hours later, it has surpassed $36k. You want proof of the viability of the OSR? You are looking at it.

I'm as excited as all hell. I LOVE Swords & Wizardry and this simply shows how much love everyone else has for it too :)

I interviewed Pexx from Frog God Games earlier today regarding this very Kickstarter. I interview Matt Finch at 10 AM EST tomorrow (Wednesday, Jan 28, 2020) on the Tenkars Tavern Discord Server. There will be further interviews with Frogs over the next few weeks on the Tavern Chat Podcast.

Standard Box is 50 bucks, limited wood grain box is 55.

What is Swords & Wizardry?

Swords & Wizardry is more than a re-statement of the original rules that gave rise to 5e. It is fast-playing, easy to start, and easy to learn by anyone. Swords and Wizardry is  a snapshot of the rules as they existed in 1978 right before "first edition" was released. The fifth edition game currently played, watched and beloved by millions is great fun, but the structure of the rules has changed over the course of editions, and there's a unique feel to the earlier versions of the game which you may not have encountered before. 

The rules in Swords & Wizardry are based on the original 1974 game, plus all of the supplements released from 1974 to 1978, articles in the Strategic Review and the Dragon magazine from that period, plus tips for house rules choices. The rules are organized in a more modern fashion than the original books, and are more accessible to those who started gaming after the 1970s.

Swords and Wizardry Box Set Contents 

Four Softcover Rule-books :
Player Book
Spells & Magic
Monsters
Referee's Book 

Also includes:
Extra height is reserved for dice,minis, adventures or ... expansions?

Stretch Goals 

Can you tell I'm excited?

Deal of the Day - Top Secret / New World Order

Rach and I got to playtest Top Secret / New World Order a handful of times with Merle Rasmussen behind the screen at various NTRPG Cons over the years. Actually, I think a very early playtest was before the game was publicly announced. It was a no brainer for me to back it when it Kickstarted. sadly, like 98% of my gaming purchases these days, it's sitting on a shelf. I guess I'm more of a collector these days ;)

Today's Deal of the Day at DTRPG is the Top Secret / New World Order PDF. Normally 19.99, until tomorrow morning its on sale for 9.99

The new espionage role-playing game from Merle M. Rasmussen, creator of the first espionage role-playing game. 

The time: now. The place: everywhere. 

Your mission: preserve peace and stability in a world rife with conflict, mistrust, duplicity, and shadowy organizations. 

You are an agent of ICON: The International Covert Operatives Network. You have been recruited from your former life, trained in the ways of tradecraft, and sent into the field to handle the missions that other agencies cannot, or will not handle. 

One player is the Administrator, describing and controlling the game world, while the other players take on the role of international spies, working behind the scenes where governments won’t go. 

Tense negotiations, dangerous combat, thrilling car chases, tradecraft, surveillance, intrigue, and subterfuge are all at hand with the roll of the dice. 

Top Secret: New World Order is a tabletop role-playing game recommended for 2–8 players. 

Frog God Games 35% Off Sale at DTRPG - Swords & Wizardry (oh, and PF and 5e)

So, it looks like the Kickstarter for the NEW Swords & Wizardry Boxed Set will be launching on this coming Tuesday. Completely compatible with prior printings, the boxed set will certainly be getting new eyes on Swords & Wizardry.

Just in time, Frog God Games has put its entire PDF catalog on sale at DriveThruRPG at 20% (my math shows 35% or more) off. Now's the time to plug the holes in your Swords & Wizardry virtual collection ;)

Sale prices are in effect thru early Tuesday morning, so don't wait too long...

Yes, that is an affiliate link. Support The Tavern by using our affiliate links. I thank you in advance. Will work for beer...

Bundle of Holding - Stygian Fox Cthulhu

Call of Cthulhu is perhaps my favorite game that I haven't run in over 25 years. I own many adventures for the system for the sheer joy of reading them. The Stygian Fox Cthulhu Bundle is a collection of CoC adventures that are new to my eyes. I'll be enjoying this.

Investigator! This all-new Stygian Fox Cthulhu Bundle presents tabletop roleplaying scenarios and sourcebooks of realistic horror from Stygian Fox Publishing. Though written for the Call of Cthulhu RPG rules, these fiercely imaginative (and uncomfortable) investigations range beyond the Mythos and across many times and locales. Caution: Not for children. 

For just US$7.95 you get all four titles in our Starter Collection (retail value $42) as DRM-free .PDF ebooks, including The Book of Contemporary Magical Places, the modern-day CoC scenario I Want to Play, the beautiful Cartomancy 23: Lovecraft Country Map Pack collection, and an unusual play aid: Afterlives, a deck of print-and-cut cards that describe your Investigator's ultimate post-scenario fate. 

And if you pay more than the threshold price of $19.75, you'll level up and also get our entire Bonus Collection with five more scenarios and sourcebooks worth an additional $60, including Nakuko (set in 1990s Japan); The Dark Forest (modern-day Michigan); Thorston, the Shunned Town on the Dee and Nightmare on the Necropolis Express (both Cthulhu by Gaslight Victorian-era); and Autophagia (1920s New York).

Kickstarter - Outdoor Encounter Cards 3 - For use with many tabletop RPGs (Phil Reed)

Holy shit! I nearly missed this the Outdoor Encounter Cards 3 Kickstarter by Phil Reed. ALL (and I do mean ALL) of Phil's Kickstarters have been must-haves and on time (if not early). I expect more of the same with Phil's latest project.

Outdoor Encounters are poker-sized, 330 gsm game cards that the GM may use to randomly generate an outdoor event in any fantasy roleplaying game. The cards are generic in nature and not designed for any one game system. Experienced GMs will have no problems incorporating the encounters into the game of their choice. 

YOU DO NOT NEED THE FIRST OR SECOND SETS TO USE THESE NEW CARDS!

These cards may be either used randomly -- ask the players to draw a card when the party is traveling across the countryside -- or, instead, the GM may select a card when looking to throw a quick encounter at the players. 

Outdoor Encounter cards are not intended for novice gamemasters. The encounters described on these cards do not include monster or character statistics, game mechanics, or detailed instructions for using each card. Outdoor Encounter cards are, in a sense, adventure seeds with a slight twist. These cards are only useful once you've applied some effort to the suggested encounters.

14 bucks for the deck in print plus PDF, 4 bucks for PDF only.

Deal of the Day - GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops I (5e)

The GM's Miscellany series of releases from Raging Swan Press are simply priceless. Ignore the system indicated - even their 5e books work just as well with the OSR and other rulesets as do their system-neutral titles.

Today's Deal of the Day is GM's Miscellany: Village Backdrops I (5e). Normally 12 bucks, its on sale until tomorrow morning for 4.80.

Village Backdrops are short, richly detailed supplements that each present a single village ready to insert into almost any home campaign. Perfect for use as a waystop on the road to adventure, as an adventure site themselves or as a PC’s home, Village Backdrop present the details so the busy GM can focus on crafting exciting, compelling adventures. 

This GM’s Miscellany collects together twelve Village Backdrops, along with bonus, never seen before material, together in one place. 

GM’s Miscellany: Village Backdrops is the work of many talented designers and features the following villages: 

• Creighton Broadhurst: Ashford, Coldwater, Kingsfell, Lanthorn, Longbridge, Thornhill, Wellswood
• Jeff Gomez: Bleakflat, Suurin
• Richard Green: Black Wyvern
• Marc Radle: White Moon Cove
• Mike Welham: Shroudhaven

This product is a Dual Format PDF. The downloadable ZIP file contains two versions, one optimised for printing and use on a normal computer and one optimised for use on a mobile device such as an iPad.

Yes, that is an affiliate link above. Keep your bartender in fresh beer and hot lunches by using The Tavern's affiliate links :) 

Australian Brushfire Relief Charity Bundles at DriveThruRPG

DriveThruRPG has a variety of charity bundles to support the Australian Brushfire Relief. Personally, I find the Fantasy Core & Settings and the Fantasy Supplements bundles very tempting, but I also find I already own much that is included ;)

You can find the Australian Brushfire Relief Charity Bundles at this link. If nothing else, browse the bundles to see if anything tempts you. The cause is a good one.

Bundle prices range from 9.99 to 29.99

Yep, that is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep The Tavern afloat (it being a "backwater" Tavern and all ;)

Kickstarter - Return to Dark Tower

An epic fantasy game pitting 1-4 heroes against an intelligent, malevolent tower.

Like many, I have fond memories of the original Dark Tower. I never owned the game, but I had friends that had it and it was played quite often in the early and mid-80s. In our imagination, we were all Conan, exploring a continent, defeating foes and stealing treasure, and it was grand. Alas, I never owned the game myself and except for an online version, I haven't played it in well over 30 years.

Well, it's back - kinda sorta. Now it integrates your smartphone to the gameplay. Here's the video:

I must say, I am sorely tempted to back the Return to Dark Tower Kickstarter, although it certainly ain't cheap. 125 for the basic game, 235 for all the bells and whistles. Its already surpassed 2,675,000 in backing. yes, that's over 2.5 million.

What are your memories of the original?

Frog God Games is Looking for Your Thoughts on What You Would Like in the Upcoming Swords & Wizardry Boxed Set

Frog God Games has asked me to ask you what you would like to see in the upcoming Swords & Wizardry Boxed Set. Yes, your thoughts and opinions matter.

The S&W Boxed Set will be digest sized and consist of multiple booklets, with extra room built into the box for additional booklets and such.

Besides the rules, which will mostly be a re-editing of the current Swords & Wizardry Complete ruleset, what else would you like in your box?

As for me, I'd like the following (in no particular order):

- A digest-sized GM screen. For me, this is huge. Regular GM screens are too tall and block my view of the players at my table
- Adventures. Preferably at least one intro adventure and some examples of adventures for other level ranges
- A print of the cover art. Hey, one can always hope ;)
- Rules for making magic items, potions, and scrolls

What do you want to find in the new Swords & Wizardry Boxed Set? Tell us below.

Deal of the Day - Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing

Castles & Crusades was my return to gaming. I found the C&C Players Handbook first printing on the old Buy.com website and I was immediately hooked. I wound up buying copies for the others in my old face to face gaming group, and giving gaming gifts out each year when we meet in the spring has become a tradition.

My, how the Trolls and Castles & Crusades RPG have come far over the years since. Today's Deal of the Day is none other than the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook 7th Printing. Normally 20 bucks in PDF it is on sale through tomorrow morning for 10 bucks - 50% off.

We’ve moved to the 7th printing of the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook. A pillar of the table top RPG industry, Castles & Crusades embodies the spirit of the old-school gamer with the easy to use modern mechanics. The Players Handbook has all you need to get started in a wild ride of adventure! 

It’s easy to learn attribute-based rules system allows players to choose among 13 archetypal character classes and 7 races to create their characters. Spells, equipment, fast-paced combat rules, and all essential information needed to play a game of Castles & Crusades is in this book.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the taps flowing and the heat on at The Tavern during those cold winter months. 

IndieGogo - For the Love of Valentine (S&W, 5e, PF1e)

Frog God Games releases its limited run, softcover adventures through IndieGogo. Their latest is For the Love of Valentine, which comes in Swords & Wizardry, 5e, and Pathfinder 1e flavors. 6 bucks in PDF, 20 bucks for the Print plus PDF. You may occasionally find some of these releases at various conventions the Frogs attend. Otherwise, your only guaranteed opportunity is when they seek funding on IndieGogo.

Will Love triumph?  

A chance encounter connects your party with a charismatic prophet on the lam, and the woman who loves him. Congratulations, you’ve stumbled into an epic clash of religions, and you may or may not be on the winning side of that conflict. Sure, you have Love on your side. But they have soldiers, power, and maybe something more. Delivering your guy to safety means winding your way through a crowded city celebrating a raucous festival of fertility, and a race through the countryside, where all is not as it seems.  

For the Love of Valentine takes your 1st-3rd level characters and their NPC charges through a land in turmoil, while being hunted by the law. And perhaps, something darker…? Inspired by the tales of St. Valentine and the ancient legends of Lupercalia, your players will ultimately have to answer the question: Will Love triumph?  

The setting in this scenario drew heavily on the politics and rituals of the Roman Empire for inspiration. Interested readers are encouraged to learn more about the Lupercalia Festival, the legends of St. Valentine, and the god Faunus. 

We have placed the adventure in the coastal city of Freegate, an independent city in the Western Akados region of the Lost Lands. Additional information can be found in the City of Brass adventure and the Gazetteer of the Lost Lands, both by Frog God Games. 

You are, of course, free to place this adventure in a small- to mid-sized city on a river. If you wish a more Roman feel to the adventure, replace Freegate with the city of Terni, the Talamerin river with the Nera, and mention the power and authority of Rome, a mere four-days’ march to the south.

Death Notice - Christopher Tolkien (JRR Tolkien's Son)

The news of Christopher Tolkien's Death (JRR Tolkien's Son) made the rounds of social media yesterday. He was 95 years at the time of his passing.

From Wikipedia:

Christopher John Reuel Tolkien (21 November 1924 – 15 January 2020) was an English editor and academic. He was the son of author J. R. R. Tolkien and the editor of much of his father's posthumously published work. Tolkien drew the original maps for his father's The Lord of the Rings.

I knew he edited much of his father's posthumous work but had no idea he drew the original maps for the Lord of the Rings.

It was easy to overlook the influence he had on Middle Earth. The number of his father's work he edited is stunning:

Tolkien, J. R. R. (1977). ——— (ed.). The Silmarillion. , with Guy Gavriel Kay
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1979). ——— (ed.). Pictures by J. R. R. Tolkien.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1980). ——— (ed.). Unfinished Tales.
Carpenter, Humphrey; ———, eds. (1981). The Letters of J. R. R. Tolkien. , as an assisting editor
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1983). ——— (ed.). The Monsters and the Critics, and Other Essays.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1983–2002). ——— (ed.). The History of Middle-earth. , 12 volumes
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1983). ——— (ed.). The Book of Lost Tales, part 1. 1.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1984). ——— (ed.). The Book of Lost Tales, part 2. 2.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1985). ——— (ed.). The Lays of Beleriand. 3.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1986). ——— (ed.). The Shaping of Middle-earth. 4.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1987). ——— (ed.). The Lost Road and Other Writings. 5.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1988). ——— (ed.). The Return of the Shadow. 6.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1989). ——— (ed.). The Treason of Isengard. 7.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1990). ——— (ed.). The War of the Ring. 8.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1992). ——— (ed.). Sauron Defeated. 9.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1993). ——— (ed.). Morgoth's Ring. 10.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1994). ——— (ed.). The War of the Jewels. 11.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (1996). ——— (ed.). The Peoples of Middle-earth. 12.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2002). ——— (ed.). The History of Middle-earth Index.
Also The History of The Lord of the Rings comprising volumes 6, 7, 8, and 9 (volume 9 re-titled The End of the Third Age, some paperback editions truncated to only relevant chapters)
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2007). ——— (ed.). The Children of Húrin.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2009). ——— (ed.). The Legend of Sigurd and Gudrún.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2013). ——— (ed.). The Fall of Arthur.
———, ed. (2014). Beowulf: A Translation and Commentary. Translated by Tolkien, J. R. R.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2017). ——— (ed.). Beren and Lúthien.
Tolkien, J. R. R. (2018). ——— (ed.). The Fall of Gondolin.

Deal of the Day - Old School Essentials Classic Fantasy: Rules Tome

We've been using the Old School Essentials rules in Tim Short's Monday Night game for the past year or so. Well laid out, beautifully edited, you aren't going to be surprised by anything new. Instead, they will fit like a pair of well-worn gloves coming right out of the box.

Today's Deal of the Day happens to be those same rues -  the Old School Essentials Classic Fantasy: Rules Tome. Normally 20 bucks in PDF, until tomorrow morning you can snag them for a mere 10 bucks.

Old-School Essentials is an adventure role-playing game of exploration, danger, monsters, and magic. The game is intentionally rules-light, putting the focus of play on imagination, improvisation, and fun. The rules are optimised for ease of use at the table, with meticulous attention to wording and layout clarity. What's more, Old-School Essentials is 100% compatible with the classic Basic/Expert game from 1981, meaning that decades of adventure are at your fingertips! 

A Complete Game All in One Book 

Old-School Essentials is a modular game where the core rules of the game are extended by additional "rules modules" which add content for different genres of fantastic adventure. The Old-School Essentials Rules Tome is a compilation of the core rules plus four rules modules, forming a complete game for Classic Fantasy adventures: 

• Core Rules: Rules for character creation and advancement, adventuring in dungeons, the wilderness, and at sea, magic and combat.
• Classic Fantasy: Genre Rules: Seven classic classes (cleric, dwarf, elf, fighter, halfling, magic-user, thief), complete lists of weapons and adventuring gear, extensive lists of vehicles, mounts, and vessels, mercenaries and specialists for hire, rules for stronghold construction.
• Classic Fantasy: Cleric and Magic-User Spells: The complete set of 34 cleric spells (from 1st to 5th level) and 72 magic-user spells (from 1st to 6th level), for use by players or cleric, elf, and magic-user characters.
• Classic Fantasy: Monsters: A selection of over 200 classic monsters to challenge adventurers of all levels.
• Classic Fantasy: Treasures: A hoard of over 150 wondrous magic items.

The material in this book forms a complete clone of the classic Basic/Expert game, including all rules, classes, spells, monsters, and magic items.

Yep, that is an affiliate link above. Keep your bartender in Kleenex and Nyquil by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

Deal of the Day - Gathox Vertical Slum: Quake Alley Mayhem (Swords & Wizardry)

If I'd been feeling better I would have gotten this post up earlier, but I'm sick as a dog - whatever that actually means.

Today's Deal of the Day at DriveThruRPG is Gathox Vertical Slum: Quake Alley Mayhem. It is an adventure for Swords & Wizardry characters of levels 1 to 3. Normally 6.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning it is reduced to 4.19 in PDF.

Enter a seedy underworld of alien hyper-capitalists and wondrous ancient artifacts with Quake Alley Mayhem!  

This murderous, misshapen module foists a host of traps, puzzles, and environmental hazards upon unsuspecting players in a race against time. Structured for both tournament and campaign play, Quake Alley Mayhem! includes pregenerated characters, supplements to track the party's progress and impending doom, and hooks to fit the adventure into a larger campaign. 

Yep, that is an affiliate link above. Keep your sick bartender knocked out with Nyquil and antibiotics by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

Kickstarter - FantaSOAP Tears of Unicorn, Sputum of Troll & Chant of Dryad

A collectable series of magic potions, filled in awesome flasks containing RPG dice and creamy soaps inspired to fantasy creatures!!!

Yep, it's another Soap-n-Dice Kickstarter. What makes FantaSOAP Tears of Unicorn, Sputum of Troll & Chant of Dryad Kickstarter different?

So, what makes this one different? Liquid soap and potentially glass bottles.

Everyone knows how much Role Playing game players like their dice. They are a little treasure for all of us. We want to create special items designed to RPG, boardgames and tabletop games lovers, the perfect gift for your lovely master or for those who dream of dice just closing their eyes... :)

Ah, a nice bottle of Scotch!

In this first phase of the FantaSOAP campaign we want to create awesome flasks, with the aspect of a magic potion, inspired to fantasy creatures, spells, mith and folklore, filled with special customized creamy soap, enriched with special related soap flakes. After using the soap you'll find a special set of RPG Dice hidden in it. We will attach to each flask a scroll with a special spell, related to the "magic potion". 

The Flasks: We will send to you cute ampoules in glass or plastic, with a paper scroll attached on it. Flask's models will be sent randomly, according to availability. 

The Soap: We will fill flasks with HQ creamy soap, enriched with HQ soap flakes. A specialized company will create it for us, according to our requests. Soap will not be HOMEMADE, but professionally produced. We consider it a good warranty. Scent and soap will be related to the subject of the model, please see specific description below. 

The Dice: You'll find a special set of RPG dice into the soap. Dice will be professional crafted and HQ. Colors will be related to the fantasy "setting" of the magic potion.

Fuck, not Scotch!

Wait, I can't choose between glass and plastic? I don't want glass and slippery liquid soap in my bathtub.

It's Been a While Since I've Dropped in on Dragonsfoot

I know I've told this story elsewhere, but at my first NTRPG Con back in 2014, I had an in-person Dragonsfoot sighting, kinda sorta ;)

The Wednesday night before the convention we (Rach and I) arrived at our hotel. Not knowing ANYONE we decided to use the hotel pool. One other was using the pool at the time, a male probably in his late 30s.

Rach decided to introduce us because she figured he must be here for the convention too, and EVERYONE read Tenkar's Tavern. She couldn't have been more wrong. Heh. My proud wife dropped my name and the other swimmer had no clue who I was (and he was there for the convention). Rach was confused. How could this be?

I asked him if he read blogs. The answer was no. Then I asked which forum he frequented? Dragonsfoot. There was my answer :)

It's been my experience that the audiences for blogs and forums, while they do overlap to some extent, certainly favor one over the other depending on the individual in question.

The thing is, not going to Dragonsfoot can mean missing out on some damn good stuff. Free stuff. I'm not even talking about the message boards. No, I'm talking about the AD&D 1e, BFRPG, C&C, and so much more downloads section. If you want access to high quality and abundant material for your OSR campaign, you can do your one-stop shopping at Dragonsfoot.

Link to adventures

Link to settings

Kickstarter - Make 100: MeepleCraft Mini Maps (Leather Maps)

"Handmade postcard-sized leather maps for display or use in RPGs!"

I love maps. I have little ability to do so myself, which is probably why I like them so much ;)

The Make 100: MeepleCraft Mini Maps Kickstarter brings those maps to 4"x 6" leather pieces. Yes, maps on leather. I'm not sure if I need one, but I want one. At 30 bucks a pop, I think I can afford it too.

Each map will be roughly 4" x 6" in size and backers will have the option of keeping them rectangular or having the edges scalloped in a way that resembles the style of maps seen in fantasy settings.  As we get more maps made I will update here with more photos showing examples of the types of maps you may expect with the different tiers.   

The Mini Maps project will hopefully be the beginning of future cartography projects for me.  While this project isn't about making custom maps (backers will receive a random map of our design from the tier they selected), I can see this as great practice for making larger, custom maps that will enhance an RPG setting.  Backing this project will help me learn more skills and build experience (basically - I'm hoping to level up) in order to bring forth something bigger in the future.

Deal of the Day - Woodfall (System Neutral Setting)

I'm surprised I don't already own this. This is something right up my alley. Woodfall is a  DTRPG Best Gold selling system-neutral setting, suitable for OSR play. Normally 12 bucks, recently 9 bucks and now $7.20 in PDF until tomorrow morning.

Woodfall is a system neutral dark fantasy mini setting.

Explore a dark fairytale setting, wade through a misty swamp, get caught up in the fighting between warring monster clans, discover a strange town of witches and thieves, and search for forgotten treasure. 

Woodfall is a swamp belonging to a king where witches, thieves and outlaws are squatting. They have built a town on top of the swamp and have resisted several evictions. The town is a hub for black market activity and magical folk.  

The surrounding forest and swamp is a hexcrawl filled with various monster factions.

The Setting has many political themes, influenced mostly from 15th-16th century European history but also includes contemporary political themes and satire. Woodfall village depicts anti-authoritarian peasants in revolt against a kingdom. Elements of influence are taken from :the German peasants war, the anabaptist's, the diggers (of the 1600's), the free miners in the forest of Dean, the history of the witch trails in Europe and history of squatting in the middle ages in Europe ( Tŷ unnos ). Woodfall village is thus a strange village that players might not have encountered much before in fantasy games. 

About the Book 

- 6 x 9 digest size 

- Designed to be easy to drop into your game or run as a stand alone 

- 92 Pagew

PDF Includes : 

- Bookmarks 

- Hyperlinked table of contents and village map 

- Extra A4 PDF with 2 maps to print and hand out to players 

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There's "OSR Community Content" at DriveThruRPG - What?

When I think OSR, I think D&D retro-clones, or at the very least, systems that are open license - OGL. The OGL is pretty much the reason OSR retro-clones even exist.

So, if OSR rule systems are OGL, why would one need to produce content under a more restrictive Community Content License over on DriveThruRPG?

When that OSR ruleset is is Zweihander, a clone of the Warhammer Fantasy RPG.

By virtue of the fact that Zweihander is a "closed rule system", one can not simply publish compatible material for it. Thus the Zweihander Community Content.

All of the Hottest Community OSR shown in the screenshot above is for Zweihander.

Is Zweihander gaming the system? Is it OSR merely to own the hottest list?

I truly don't know but look forward to your thoughts...

Above is an affiliate link. Affiliate links keep the beers cold and the taps flowing.

Certificate in Tabletop Gaming - Spalding University (May 22-31 in Louisville, Kentucky)

Earlier today I was sent an email by Dirk Stanley, perhaps best known for his FarAway Lands RPG. Apparently, Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky, will be offering a Certificate in Tabletop Gaming this Spring (May 22-31, 2020).

It is very tempting. Don't think I can spend a week and a half away from my family, but tempting indeed.

BTW, Dirk created the program and curriculum.

Are you a writer? Are you into playing tabletop games? Have you long wanted to create your own game? What if you could get feedback and direction on your game while simultaneously pursuing a graduate certificate in writing with a focus on Tabletop Gaming at an accredited university?

Level-up your career and pursue your passion simultaneously at Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing. The low-residency certificate program fuses writing and tabletop game design, focusing on board game, card game, and role-playing game writing and creation.

The certificate program begins with a ten-day residency on Spalding’s campus, where you will participate in a residency workshop/seminar with other game writers, honing your craft to a fine edge. Afterward, you’ll return home to complete an independent study, working one-on-one with a mentor as you explore the mechanics, setting, and writing of your game. You will be introduced to crowdfunding strategies and techniques along with methods and resources related to tabletop game design. And you will receive focused feedback on your work designed to take your creativity to the next level.

For students who decide to continue their studies, certificate credits can be used to fulfill first-semester requirements toward earning an advanced creative writing degree: the two-semester Master of Arts in Writing (MAW) or the four-semester Master of Fine Arts in Writing (MFA).

The residency takes place May 22-31 on Spalding’s campus in Louisville, Kentucky. The early-placement application deadline of February 1 guarantees a slot to those admitted to the program, though later applications will also be considered. Financial aid is available. To inquire about special application requirements for the certificate, email SchoolofWriting@spalding.edu.  

News - Fantasy Flight Games Closes Interactive and RPG Divisions

The following was shared on Facebook:

Then there was this yesterday:

Cubicle 7 drops its Middle Earth License and now Fantasy Flight Games is apparently ending its Star Wars RPG. Could it be that the licensed properties of this magnitude leave little margin for profit?

edit - this was sent to me from someone who's insight I respect:

You pay your RPG staff 40k a year.

They had 4-5 staff people.

That's 200k a year just in salary.

Plus freelancers.

Sell a book for 40

Costs say... 7 dollars to print and ship en mass, per book.

The retailer buys it for half retail.

So you're making 12 a book.

What MOST other large companies do (C7 did this) is have ONE guy who runs each IP and everyone else is on freelance or short term contract.

It's what WotC does.

So most likely, FFG is gonna install a head of their RPG department, cancel RPGs that aren't cost-effective, and then have one manager for those that remain that are.

RPGs made for all of 9% of FFG's revenues back in 2016 I think. Then they expanded heavily.

Star Wars has a solid fanbase of buyers, but the fandom as a whole is pissed.

L5R happened and no one really cared.

So they went to Genesys to cut external costs.

Genesys can still make money for them because it has a core book, player's guide, and the Foundry where fans can make content and THEY make money.

IndieGogo - The Folio: Black Label #3 (1e & 5e)

The Folio Black Label releases have been a nice option for fans for The Folio for more edgy releases. I've always been happy with the quality of the various Folio releases I've backed. The Folio: Black Label #3:White Witch and Black Stone is the latest release in the series.

The Folio: Black Label series are fantasy adventure modules that are compatible with BOTH classic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and 5th Edition D&D formats.  Each adventure combines what I enjoyed most from the heady days of of the late 1970s and the 1980s swords & sorcery storytelling.  

The Folio: Black Label #3 continues in the same locations as Black Label's #1 & #2, and is going to have even more adult edge than is found in the standard Folio, and yes, there might be some nudity, and maybe some horror, and maybe a twisted quality here or there, but at the base its really just about the unfettered fun of hacking and slashing your way through a pulp style adventure with blatant evil doers, magical treasures, and exposed flesh.   

So, I'm throwing out the playbook for 2019, and turning the flux capacitor back to the early days of gaming.  I hope some of you will join me. 

Kickstarter - The Hero's Journey 2e

I've been waiting for The Hero's Journey 2e Kickstarter to launch for a while now. I've known about it, I've gotten sneak peeks and I'm truly amped up.

Full disclosure - James Spahn is probably the closest I've come to having a brother. We've both been there for the other at the drop of a dime. I can't think of a truer friend.

I also can't think of a more skilled, talented and prolific write of RPG material. Name the property - The One Ring, Star Wars, OSRIC, Swords & Wizardry - fuck it, here's a more complete listing: https://rpggeek.com/rpgdesigner/34854/james-spahn

The Hero's Journey 2ed is James' baby, perhaps nearly as much as his daughter Trixie. We've spoken about his passion for the project, and it shows. Trust me - I've read much of it ;)

The Hero’s Journey Fantasy Roleplaying, Second Edition is a fantasy roleplaying game that blends classic tradition and modern game design to bring you an experience where players take up the mantle of heroes in a world of danger and magic inspired by classic fairy stories and timeless fantasy literature. 

Whether you’re taking a Knight clad in shining armor astride your grand steed, a cunning Burglar hoping to use your silver tongue to flatter a terrifying Elder Wyrm while your friends slip away, or a dedicated Yeoman who has given your heart and soul to defend the good and true people of the world from the strange dangers of Fairie and beyond, The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition creates a gaming experience firmly rooted traditional western folklore where the player characters are more than just sword-swinging mercenaries looking to kick in the door, kill the monster, and claim the loot. In The Hero’s Journey, Second Edition, they are all that stands between civilization and the unimaginable dangers just beyond the wild…

The game is written, the art is done, the editing is finished and layout is done! The PDF has already been uploaded to DriveThruRPG, and proof copies ordered! 

This game is ready to go. We just need your help to get the word out about it, and help make sure everyone gets paid!  Gallant Knight Games has already paid for the art, layout, and editing, but making games is more expensive than that.  

The long term success of a game can often depend on retail stores, gaming groups and more. The goal of our project is to run a focused, tight campaign that will allow us to make a high-quality offset print run of the corebook in both softcover and hardcover. We believe James has created a work of art here, and we want to show case that with the best print run we can do.  

The day the funds are delivered to Gallant Knight Games you'll get your PDF and we'll put the game to print. This will be a very fast turn around and a very tightly focused project. We're producing one book, and everything else is digital.  

I'll be grabbing James for a Fireside Chat in the next few days :)

In the meantime: