Humble Bundle - 3d Printable Dungeons & Dragon Lairs Terrain Bundle

Stuck at home for weeks if not months on end? Check!

Looking for an excuse to buy a 3d printer? Check!

433 bucks worth of 3d terrain for 15 bucks? Check!

Damn it Amazon! Where's my Same Day Shipping?

3d Printable Dungeons & Dragon Lairs Terrain Bundle

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

Free - Castles & Crusades Player’s Handbook PDF

Troll Lord Games is offering the Castles & Crusades Player’s Handbook for FREE.

There is light at the end of the tunnel, and we'll be through it sooner than you think, of that there is little doubt. In the meantime, we must all do our part and stay out of the public sphere. To help you through this, for a limited time you can download the Castles & Crusades Players Handbook for free. It's everything you need to run and play a game of Castles & Crusades. Also, enjoy A Houseless God and Other Tales, four short stories of Eurich Gunshoff and Ava, a ranger of some renown.

Osprey Publishing - Free eBooks = Week 2

Link to free eBooks:  https://ospreypublishing.com/blog/Free_eBooks_week_2/

Many people all over the world are staying at home to combat the spread of COVID-19. While self-isolation might be a bit daunting, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up on your reading. To help pass the time, we are giving customers five free eBooks each week for four weeks. Read through this week's options, add the eBook to your basket and use the code FREEBOOKS2 at checkout to get your free eBooks. 

AVG 6: Hawker Hurricane Mk I–V by Martyn Chorlton
Illustrated by Adam Tooby, Simon Smith

At the outbreak of World War II, only 111 Squadron and a handful of others were equipped with the Hurricane. Thanks to sudden massive orders and a well-organized Hawker sub-contracting production to Gloster and General Aircraft, more squadrons rapidly became operational. Cutting their teeth during the Battle of France, it was during the Battle of Britain that the type excelled and came to form the backbone of Fighter Command. While the Hurricane was steadily overtaken by the Spitfire in the fighter defence role, it remained the fighter of choice in North Africa and the Far East. Despite a large number being shot down in these far-flung conflicts, many received hasty repairs and returned to the fray while more fragile designs were permanently grounded. The Hurricane may not have been the prettiest or, the best-performing aircraft but, as Francis Mason stated: ‘The Royal Air Force was glad to get the Spitfire…it had to have the Hurricane!'

CAM 276: Waterloo 1815 (1) by John Franklin
Illustrated by Gerry Embleton

To commemorate the 2015 bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo, one of the defining campaigns in European History, Osprey replaced its single volume Campaign title covering the whole of the battle with three highly detailed volumes. Based on new research drawn from unpublished first-hand accounts these volumes will provide a comprehensive resource for every aspect of the battle. The first of this trilogy details the battle of Quatre Bras where an initial 8,000 Allied troops faced 48,000 men of the French Armée du Nord under Marshal Ney. Realising his error, Wellington concentrated his troops at the strategic crossroads of Quatre Bras where they just managed to hold off Ney's attacks. The battle ended in a tactical stalemate but, unable to link up with Blücher's Prussians, Wellington retreated back along the road to Brussels to new positions at Waterloo. Featuring extensive photographs, full colour artworks, maps and bird's-eye-views, this first instalment is not to be missed.

MAA 447: The Czech Legion 1914–20 by David Bullock
Illustrated by Ramiro Bujeiro

The Czech Legion was not just a single military unit, but a volunteer army that fielded up to 100,000 troops on the Allied side on all three main fronts of the war. Since only the defeat of Austro-Hungary and Germany offered any hope for Czech national independence, they were amongst the most motivated and steadfast of the Allied forces. After the Bolshevik Revolution, they fought their way across Russia, captured the Russian national gold reserves and used this as a bargaining chip to force the Bolsheviks to allow them to return home. Today the Legion is recognized as the founding fathers of Czech nationhood. This very colourful force of World War I has never before been detailed in English and is illustrated with an astonishing array of never-before-published photographs.

NVG 214: US Heavy Cruisers 1943–75 by Mark Stile
Illustrated by Paul Wright

This title follows on from a companion book covering the US heavy cruisers that were built prior to the war, together forming the definitive guide to the US's heavy cruiser classes. Versatile warships, the heavy cruisers of the Baltimore class, and their successors in the Oregon City and Des Moines classes, commonly acted as carrier escorts throughout World War II, but also performed bombardment duties in support of amphibious landings. Post-World War II, the heavy cruisers continued to see service, chiefly in Korea and Vietnam. Even after the heyday of the heavy cruiser had passed, the ships continued to serve - several were converted into the earliest examples of guided missile cruisers, and created an enduring legacy in the US Navy. From an established expert on the US and Pacific naval history, this is an invaluable resource richly illustrated with artwork and photographs.

WAR 7: Samurai 1550–1600 by Anthony J Bryant
Illustrated by Angus McBride

This title details the culture, weapons, armour and training of the elite samurai warrior class in the fascinating Age of Battles period (1550-1600). This was a period of vital importance not only because of the political effects of the chaos but also due to the changes in warfare that occurred. In 1542 the Portuguese introduced the matchlock musket into Japanese warfare, and this book traces the effect that this important innovation had on the samurai. Life outside the field of battle is also examined, making this an unmissable book for those interested in this brave warrior caste.

Hat tip to Thad.

Death Notice - Brian Blume (TSR)

From Wikipedia:

Brian John Blume (January 12, 1950 - March 27, 2020)[1] was a game designer and writer, principally known as a former business partner of Gary Gygax at TSR, Inc., producers of the fantasy role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons.

Blume met Gary Gygax at the Gen Con game convention in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Gygax and his friend Don Kaye had recently formed Tactical Studies Rules in Lake Geneva in order to publish a new type of game that Gygax and Dave Arneson had developed, Dungeons & Dragons. Gygax and Kaye had each invested $1,000 into the venture, but still did not have enough money to print the game. In December 1973, Blume offered to become an equal partner in the company for an investment of $2,000.[4]:78 Using Blume's money, the three partners printed a thousand copies of the new game and sold their first copy in January 1974. Blume and Gygax also coauthored the Warriors of Mars miniatures wargame adaptation. Before the end of 1974, the first printing of D&D had sold out, and demand for the game was skyrocketing.

As various new rules and products for D&D were created, Blume provided material for The Rogues Gallery,[9] and co-authored the Dungeons & Dragons supplement Eldritch Wizardry with Gygax in 1976,[10] naming the character Vecna as an anagram of Jack Vance. Blume and Gygax also co-authored the Boot Hill role-playing game as a tribute to Don Kaye, who had been a fan of Westerns.[11][12] Blume also authored the Panzer Warfare miniatures wargame in 1975.

Blume died on March 27, 2020, at the Lakeland Nursing Home in Elkhorn, Wisconsin from Lewy Body Dementia and Parkinson's disease

Deal of the Day - City of Brass (5e)

City of Brass is one of the best-looking releases from Frog God Games. I think it does an amazing job of showcasing their new stable of artists as well as presenting an entertaining adventures / setting. The City of Brass PDF is normally 50 bucks - yes, not cheap - but as the Deal of the Day, it is on sale for $15.

If you want City of Brass in Print PLUS PDF (or for Swords & Wizardry), it's normally 100, but you can snag it for half off if you go to yesterday's Tavern post ;)

Good folk have vanished. Those who were once disparaged and forgotten now wield power unlike anything seen before. Rulers and sages turn a blind eye to the disturbing events unfolding around them. In every corner of the Lost Lands, the Cult of the Veiled One spreads unchecked. 

Prophesizing a cleansing jihad of flames and the coming of the Burning One, the cult has erected its brazen spires in every land. What follows depends on the wit and courage of mighty heroes who must rise to the occasion and take the fight to the enemy in its very stronghold. Will they succeed, or will they succumb to the temptations of the Veiled One’s court and join in the conquest of their home world? A fabled city of wishes on the edge of an eternal flame. The City of Brass is a rich combination of sand-box style role playing adventure, planar exploration, and twisted dungeons designed to test even the most seasoned adventurers. 

Adventure Begins Across Planes of Fire and Deceit 

Beginning with low-level challenges in the familiar confines of the Lost Lands, the adventure leads characters on a thrilling journey through multiple planes of existence culminating in the exploration of the City of Brass itself. The gleaming towers and floating platforms of the city hold terrors and wonders such as the Great Repository and the Minaret of Screams. Characters may choose to take a turn in the Circus of Pain, raid the floating Pyramid of Set, or join the resistance to the Sultan’s oppressive rule and lead an assault on the palace itself! A phoenix rises fully formed from the ashes of the past. The City of Brass is re-imagined for the new renaissance of fantasy role playing games, brought to you in the epic style of old school fantasy campaigns of yesteryear. 

About City of Brass 

From the design team that brought you Bard's Gate and Sword of Air, the City of Brass is an adventure unlike any other. With full color art and maps, new content and new organization, the City of Brass returns bigger and better than ever! An Adventure Sourcebook for characters level 1-20. New versions for Fifth Edition of the world’s most popular role-playing game. 

So what’s new in this release compared to the original Necromancer Games Boxed Set? 

This new release of The City of Brass includes all new color maps by Alyssa Faden and Robert Altbauer. Plus amazing new color art by Colin Chan, Adrian Landeros, Terry Pavlet, Michael Syrigos, C. J. Allan Marsh, and Artem Shukaev. 

The original City of Brass was divided into 3 sections and has been revised and reorganized throughout with 150,000 new words of adventures and material. 

Section 1: Cult of the Burning One - Now includes the following adventures

• Lornedain the Secret Flame: An introductory adventure for characters Levels 1-3.
• Freegate: the Brazen Spire (For Levels 4-6), giving new details to the Lost Lands city of Freegate as the characters investigate the arrival of a new cult and its magical tower.
• The Sea of Baal: (For levels 5-8). Adventures in the Titian Isles, the Elemental Plane of Air and Beyond as they travel across the Sea of Baal to the continent of Lybinos!
• Numeda a Caliphate in Flames: (For levels 6-9). Arriving in Lybinos the characters discover that the city of Cirtius in the Caliphate of Numeda is over-run by the forces of the Sultan of Efreet. Help free the survivors or join the Sultan in his conquest of the Lost Lands!
• The Path of the Prophet: (For Levels 8-10). Rewritten from the original with new content.

Section 2: The City of Brass is now newly organized with details on factions, new locations in the Plane of Molten Skies. 

Section 3: Tales of Brass features new adventure locations including:

• Ard’s Sanctuary: An adventure location for 11-14th level characters.
• Freeman’s Tower: An ultra-dimensional apartment complex and home base located in the lower city. Conquer the tower and live rent free under the Sultan’s nose! For 11th-14th level characters.
• The Apartment of Ra Po Jejh!: An old enemy makes a surprise return. Find his phylactery and finish him off once and for all! For 16th-18th level characters!
• Cathedral of the Lightbringer: The cathedral of the Lord of Infurnace’s minions serving as his consulate in the City of Brass. Steal the Sword of the Lightbringer if you Dare!

That there is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the beer cold and the taps flowing here at The Tavern.

Frog God Games - 50% Off Print plus PDF

I think I already own it all ;)

Frog God Games is running a 50% off sale, store-wide, until the end of April. We have a warehouse - feel free to empty it. Use coupon code specialgarycon50

https://froggodgames.com/ 

Huzzah!

Deal of the Day - Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells

I've always enjoyed Sword & Planet as a fiction genre. It just enough over the top to hit my sweet tooth. If you have a similar sweet tooth, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells may just satisfy your cravings.

Normally priced at 19.99 for the PDF, as today's Deal of the Day you can get Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells for 6 bucks. Not bad at all.

What will you do when the forces of the Void close in? 

Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells is a rules light, Star & Sorcery Role Playing Game with an Old School spirit. This is a complete Role Playing Game, inspired by the Old School Renaissance, the Pulp Literature and the many Science Fantasy stories brought to us by movies, comics and games. Based on the Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells RPG, this game system provides players and Overlords (that's how we call the GM in this game) a set of flexible and streamlined rules, as well as an array of tools to make gameplay fast and fun, allowing them to have exciting adventures with solar blades and cosmic spells!
What is in the book? 

Although the book has more than 450 pages, it’s filled with hundreds and hundreds of illustrations, tables to generate all sorts of game elementos (from items, NPCs, monsters to an entire galaxy). The rules themselves occupy less than 150 pages (including examples and lots of other helpful things). The game also comes with a ready to play adventure, full os possible endings and with great hooks for future game play! 

So grab a few dice, call your friends and get ready for a life of adventure with Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells!   

Free No-Art Version - https://oldskulling.blogspot.com/2018/10/download-final-text-and-sheets-of-solar.html

Yep, that there is an affiliate link. Keep the beer cold and the taps flowing by using The Tavern's affiliate links. I thank you in advance.

 

Kickstarter - MaximumHP - RPG Zine #003

Tabletop RPG Zine Issue #003 "The Wilderness" A zine for 1E / 2E / OSRIC gamers.

Gotta love any magazine that shows love for AD&D :) Maximum HP is the Kickstarter you are looking for...

At Fail Squad Games, we offer rousing content for your classic tabletop roleplaying games. What follows in this and upcoming issues of Maximum HP are articles, notes, tips, tricks, traps, and treasures for your 1E / OSRIC gaming table. To keep the zines fresh and exciting, we have liberated ourselves from a production deadline to allow us to channel maximum creativity into each issue. 

Our intent is to share the Fail Squad Games style with other old school gamers to enrich their gaming experience. The zine format presents small, easy to digest articles firmly rooted in the spirit of the older edition games and magazines. Although the content may be informal, we want the physical product and presentation to be the best we can deliver for the cost.

Welcome to issue #003 – The Wilderness issue of Maximum HP, The old school zine for a new school world. In this issue we delve into the wild forests of the world. The deep green places oft forgotten on the way to the dungeon. Here there are fey, wild creatures, and hidden secrets kept by nature and the unknown. The game might have the word dungeons in it, but it doesn't end there!

Swords & Wizardry Continual Light Goes Gold - Priced as PWYW Through End of April

DriveThruRPG has changed its Metal Ranking slightly to make it consistent across all storefronts. Lo and behold, I just checked and Swords & Wizardry Continual Light has gone GOLD! Woot!

To celebrate (and to give some additional reading material to those in the community that don't yet have a copy as we all "shelter at home") I've changed the pricing to Pay What You Want. Grab a copy for free. Seriously. Only tip if you want to. PWYW pricing will be in effect through the end of April.

edit - If you want a print copy, its 7 bucks on Amazon (ships Prime)  https://amzn.to/2ULDjls

Yes, that's an affiliate link. Affiliate links keep The Tavern's doors open, the beers cold and fresh and the lights on.

Deal of the Day - Kaigaku Second Edition (Japanese Themed OSR)

I remember being impressed with the first edition of Kaigaku. It appears Kaigaku Second Edition is based on the Stars Without Number ruleset. Huzzah! Normally 10 bucks, until tomorrow it on sale for $4.

As a result of community support for this title, 10% of the proceeds are now going to the Make-A-Wish Foundation! 

This is the core book for the second edition of our bestselling Kaigaku RPG. Based on Stars Without Number Revised, by Kevin Crawford, it brings a more modern rules set to the game, while still respecting what's come before.      

Visit the perilous and beautiful land of Kaigaku as a member of the samurai class, or for the first time as someone born into the less-fortunate castes. Will you play as an honorable samurai? An empowered ascetic who channels ki through gemstones? A devious courtier? Or perhaps a shadowy ninja?       

Building on Stars Without Numbers' original system, you can now create characters using hybrid classes. We've expanded the list of Foci, called Techniques in this game, with three dozen new specialties. Each of the new Techniques is also perfectly compatible with Stars Without Numbers Revised, too. There are several new Ascetic Disciplines, which merge well with SWN's Psychic class. 

If playing as a human isn't your style, the core book offers support for non-human species, including the foxlike kitsune, shapeshifting tanuki and many others. 

There are cultural notes in multiple sections to help you immerse yourself in this world that's based on Japanese lore and history. It's explicitly set in an alternate world to give you more freedom with your storytelling. We believe that you should be able to make Kaigaku your own saga, so we've painted the canon of this world in very broad strokes.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. With the current pandemic, I've moved to an at-home mini tap system. Please, keep me in fresh, cold beer by using The Tavern's affiliate links ;) 

Five Free e-books from Osprey each week for the Next Four Weeks

Tip of the hat to Thaddeus Moore.

More free stuff!

Link to Osprey

Many people all over the world are staying at home to combat the spread of COVID-19. While self-isolation might be a bit daunting, it’s also a great opportunity to catch up on your reading. To help pass the time, we’ll be giving customers five free eBooks each week for the next four weeks. Read through the options, add the eBook to your basket and use the code FREEBOOKS1 at checkout to get your free eBooks.

CBT 8: US Marine vs Japanese Infantryman by Gordon L. Rottman
Illustrated by Johnny Shumate

The brutal fighting between US Marines and Japanese infantry on the island of Guadalcanal in many ways came to typify the island-hopping war in the Pacific. This book not only explores the differing tactics and equipment used by the two combatants but also shows how the challenges of fighting in inhospitable tropical jungles impacted on soldiers on the ground, as combatants had to deal not only with their determined opponents but also the twin issues of disease and stretched supply lines. Written by a former special forces veteran with extensive knowledge of jungle warfare, this fully illustrated book lifts the veil on one of the most pivotal and ferocious close combat duels of World War II.


DUE 65: Bf 109E/F vs Yak-1/7 by Dmitriy Khazanov, Aleksander Medved
Illustrated by Jim Laurier, Gareth Hector, Andrey Yurgenson

Step into the cockpits of the Luftwaffe's Bf 109 and the Red Air Force's Yaks 1-7, two fighters which were involved in some of the largest, fiercest aerial battles in history. The Iconic Messerschmitt fighter and its combat hardened pilots inflicted a fearful beating on the Yaks in the beginning of the war. Some of the highest scoring aces in history benefitted from the Bf 109's technical superiority over the overweight and underpowered Yak 1, racking up incredible successes against their poorly trained and equipped adversaries. And yet, as the Soviets accumulated combat experience, their tactics improved, as did their mounts in the upgraded Yak 1B and gradually, the Red Force eroded the Jagdwaffe's dominance of the skies in the eastern front, though with the 109G they would never lose qualitative superiority. Featuring first-hand accounts from veteran pilots, rare archival photographs and expert analysis, this volume brings to life the vicious dogfights that took place between the Bf 109 and the Yak as they vied for mastery of the frozen skies of the Eastern Front.


ELI 110: Sassanian Elite Cavalry AD 224–642 by Kaveh Farrokh
Illustrated by Angus McBride

The Sassanians ruled the last great imperial Empire of Persia before the Arab conquests of the 7th century. Rome's only equal in the classical world, the Sassanian Empire had an enormous impact on the development of architecture, mythology, arts, music, military tactics and technology. Within the Sassanian military, the cavalry was the most influential element, and Sassanian cavalry tactics were adopted by the Romans, Arabs, and Turks. Their cavalry systems of weaponry, battle tactics, Tamgas, Medallions, court customs, and costumes influenced Romano-Byzantine and medieval European culture, and this book allows the reader to see how a little-studied eastern power affected the development of cavalry traditions in the western world.


RAID 37: Blackbeard’s Last Fight by Angus Konstam
Illustrated by Mark Stacey, Johnny Shumate, Alan Gilliland

In April 1713 the War of the Spanish Succession came to an end. During the conflict hundreds of privateers - licenced pirates - preyed on enemy shipping throughout the Caribbean. These privateers now found themselves out of a job, and many turned to piracy. One of theme was Edward Teach - more popularly known as "Blackbeard”. He joined the pirates in New Providence (now Nassau) in the Bahamas, and by early 1717 he had become a pirate captain. From then on he caused havoc off the North American seaboard, in the West Indies and off Honduras, before appearing off Charleston, South Carolina in May 1718. He blockaded this major port for a week, an act that made Blackbeard the most notorious pirate of his day.


WPN 26: The Martini-Henry Rifle by Stephen Manning
Illustrated by Peter Dennis

The breech-loading, single-shot .458in Martini-Henry rifle has become a symbol of both the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and the numerous battles in Egypt and the Sudan in 1884-85, but continued to be used by both British and colonial troops well into the 20th century. Its invention and introduction into British service were in direct response to the success of the Prussian Dreyse needle gun, which demonstrated that the breech-loading rifle offered faster loading, improved accuracy and superior range; significantly, the weapon could be loaded and fired from a prone position, thus offering the rifleman greater security on the battlefield. Due to the longevity of service, many Martini-Henry rifles survive today, both in museums and in private collections, and the weapon is highly prized by shooting enthusiasts. Featuring specially commissioned full-colour artwork and an array of arresting first-hand accounts and written by an authority on warfare in the Victorian era, this engaging study tells the story of the powerful Martini-Henry and its impact on the battlefield, from the Anglo-Zulu War to the opening months of World War I.

Free RPG - Top Secret / New World Order (TSR)

There have been a number of RPG releases that have been priced at free or PWYW this month. Added to the list is Top Secret / New World Order from the new TSR. It is free until the end of March.

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. 

There is an affiliate link up above. Affiliate links keep the beer cold and the taps flowing here at The Tavern - Tenkar 

CV-19 Pandemic Causes Onyx Path to Cancel Current Kickstarter

You can read the original update here

Important Message from Rich Thomas of Onyx PathMarch 23, 2020
Dear supporters of Legendlore, 

When we plan a project for Kickstarter we rely on our years of experience with KS, so we really thought we were totally prepared to give our Legendlore TTRPG a great start with a great Kickstarter. But nothing, I mean NOTHING, in our experience has prepared us for anything like our lives during the Coronavirus pandemic. 

We even thought that we could run this Kickstarter like normal since it's online, our crew is online, and you folks and other potential backers are all online. But we really can't do much of anything normally these days, and trying to push forward with this KS in the face of the seriousness of how all our lives have been affected seems like trying to dive into a tidal wave while hoping to swim out the other side. 

All of us right now are focusing on social distancing, quarantine, school and work closures, border and business closures, shortages of supplies, and anxiety for loved ones. Hell, just anxiety in general. We're all distracted and often overwhelmed by all that is happening and how to adapt to it. 

At this point, not knowing yet how things are going to resolve, we have to be realistic and face the fact that now is not the time to continue to ask you to support the launch of our game. There is just too much other, far more serious, stuff going on. While we still think that we would have eked out the funding amount and maybe a tad more, we also feel that Legendlore has a lot more to offer than a "just funded" campaign. 

So we are canceling this Kickstarter with the intention of relaunching it later this year.
We'll need to figure out how to fit it into our current roster of Kickstarter projects, but we will. None of you will be charged for a canceled campaign, and James will be providing all current backers links to the complete text as a PDF. We hope you'll be able to take the chance to give Legendlore a try at your gaming tables and when we relaunch we'll love to hear how your games played. 

We offer our grateful thanks to everyone who has backed Legendlore's KS so far. You will be the first to know when we launch again! 

We shall all return to the Realm another day, and it will be glorious!
— RichT and all of Onyx Path

Folks, we live in stressful times. Anxiety is our constant neighbor these days. You are not alone. If you need to reach out, email me at tenkarsDOTtavernAT that gmail thing. We'll talk. We are all in this together - Tenkar

Free RPG - Teenagers from Outerspace

It should be free through the end of the month.

First released in 1987, Teenagers from Outerspace is a game I've long had in my collection. Enjoyed reading through it more than once back in the day.

Now you can grab your copy of Teenagers from Outerspace for the outrageous price of FREE.

EEK! EEK! YATTA! YATTA! EEK! EEK! 

Tommy Tanaka dove under his desk as the Disco Dwarves from Dimension X teleported with a "pop" into the Homeroom. Zap rays sizzled overhead, vaporizing his English is Fun textbook and scorching one of the slower freshmen nearby. There was a sound like tearing rubber as, in the corner, Vilar Monstered Out to his full thirteen feet-two and began throwing desks around. Cano started to shapechange, but a stray bolt from a Boy / Girl gun turned into a cute blond Cannette. 

Rami cringed behind her desk, her saucer-sized eyes wide with mindless terror, (actually, everything about Rami was mindless), the tip of her long fluffy tail stuffed in her mouth. "What do we do now?" she wailed at Tommy. "No problem," said Kev, pulling the pin on his Weird Science 101 project and lofting it casually toward the Dwarves. There was a thunderous paisley explosion and the room was suddenly filled with hot buttered popcorn.... 

Welcome to the world of TEENAGERS FROM OUTER SPACE: the amazingly weird role-playing game that lets you become a character in your very own (or even somebody else's) Japanese Animation Comedy Show! Complete with everything you'll need to create Silly Superpowers, Gonzo Gadgets, Bikini Battlesuits, Mecha Mayhem, Magical Girlfriends and the ever popular sex-changing Boy / Girl Gun, this new edition of the original award-winning game is guaranteed to change the way you look at anime (and roleplaying) forever!

That is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep your Tavern Keeper in cold, fresh beer.

Gary Con Deals and Freebies for All

Gary Con has gone Virtual Table Top this year due to the pandemic. If you see a sponsor you would like to support PLEASE use their link and take advantage of the available discounts and freebies.

• New Comet Games: use the code "garycon2020" to get 10% off your order + 20% will be donated to The Wounded Warrior Project
• Brent Chumley Art: 10% off art if you mention Gary Con in the message.
• Troll Lord: 25% off everything with code "GARYCON25"
• David Lee Pancake: 10% off everything with code "GARYCON10"
• Fat Dragon Games: 20-80% off all terrain and miniature sets - no code needed.
• Hyperborea: 40% off AS&SH Players' Manual, Beneath the Comet, and Ghost Ship of the Desert Dunes.
• Fail Squad Games: 75% off until 3/30/20 with code "VirtualGaryConXII"
• Savage Creations will be offering various specials on custom pens.
• Terry Pavlet will be honoring his con rates for customs - $45 and up.
• World of Game Design: free dice fanatics set - just pay shipping - with code "GARYCON2020."
• Inkwell Ideas: Buy 2, get 1 free on physical products with code "Buy2Get1"
• Hrothgars Hoard Games: 10% off + free shipping on orders $35+ with code "GARYCON2020"
• Role 4 Initiative: 12% off + free shipping on orders $39.99+ with code "GC12"
• Pacesetter Games: 20% off with code "Gary12"
• Axe N Shield: 10% off with code "GaryCon20"
• Frog God Games: 10% off with code "taking10"
• Total Party Kill Games: Free copy of Libam of Lost Spells with code "GC2020"
• WizCo Games: Free copy of Winter's Grim Tidings with code "GaryCon"
• Dark Naga Adventures: download DNH1 - The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil Complete Set for free
• Skeeter Green Productions: download Crypt of the Science Wizard for free starting on March 25th

Select Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperboria Titles at 40% Off

Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperboria is probably THEE Swords & Sorcery OSR ruleset. Now you can get the Player's Manual and two AS&SH adventures (Ghost Ship of the Desert Dunes and Beneath the Comet) at 40% off. No, you don't need to run the adventures with AS&SH but why wouldn't you? ;)

Here's the link to 40% off AS&SH.

Sale runs through Saturday, March 21st, 2020.

Some Free & PWYW Titles to Distract You During "Self Isolation" Time

Corona Virus 19. It is shutting countries down. We are self-isolating. We need distractions and I have some. They are all free or PWYW. Let's peek, shall we?

Dear members of the Chaosium tribe,

Many of you - like us - may be staying put at home over the coming weeks. We're all in this together, and to help keep spirits up and minds occupied, the Chaosium team is working on some fun and engaging diversions we can enjoy while staying in, working-from-home, in quarantine, or in self-isolation.

To start things off at #homewithchaosium, we've made the Gold ENnie award-winning Call of Cthulhu the Coloring Book available as a free download (FREE)

While away the hours in lockdown coloring an amazing array of scenes, with striking images from H.P. Lovecraft’s stories­—and the Call of Cthulhu RPG his imagination inspired (Horror on the Orient Express, Masks of Nyarlathotep, The Fungi from Yuggoth and more).

Wishing everyone all the best until the Stars are Right again.
— your friends at Chaosium
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fantasy AGE Basic Rulebook (FREE) is your entry point to tabletop roleplaying. Now you can be the
hero in your own sword and sorcery adventures!

This is the game played on Wil Wheaton’s new tabletop RPG show, Titansgrave: The Ashes of Valkana.

The Adventure Game Engine (AGE) rules are easy to learn, and feature an innovative stunt system that keeps the action tense and exciting. This Basic Rulebook includes full 20 level advancement for all three classes, a new magic system, advice for players and GMs, and an introductory adventure so you can get started right away. You can use Fantasy AGE to run adventures in the campaign setting of your choice or a world of your own creation. A new AGE is upon us!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tiny Supers (PWYW) is the newest iteration of the minimalist roleplaying system TinyD6! Powered by the TinyD6 engine, with streamlined mechanics that utilize only one to three single six-sided dice on every action, characters that can be written on a 3x5 notecard, and easy to understand and teach rules, Tiny Supers is great for all groups, ages, and experience levels who want to enjoy fast and accessible superheroics! Characters are created quickly, with a simple power selection system designed to be fast, inuitive, and easy to understand.

A wide range of innovations on the TinyD6 ruleset allow you to craft nearly any superhero you can imagine. Versatile Power Traits model comic book style powers, utilizing a 3-tier format to show the increasing potency of superpowers. Subtle changes to the combat system allow for quick, cinematic comic book action, while still remaining easy to resolve and understand!

Featuring the near-future comic-inspired GallantVerse (Gallant Knight Games’ first default TinyD6 setting!), as well as standalone micro-verses, Tiny Supers provides you with a toolbox approach and framework to create exciting and easy to run superhero stories at your table!

So grab some dice, some pencils, some friends, and get ready for some minimalist, straight-forward, super-heroic roleplaying!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What if the B/X engine was used to create a mashup of a certain 1980s para-military post apoc game,

another game set in a world of rampaging mutants, and the coolest elite military unit comic of all time?

It would probably look like this.

Michael T. Desing’s Army Ants: Twilight is two things: first, it’s an ongoing narrative about a group of ants at the end of the Ant/Wasp War, © Michael T. Desing. It is also a roleplaying game for two or more players, released under the Open Game License.

As a reader, you will hopefully decide to follow the exploits of a team of army ants on their greatest, and possibly final, adventure.

As a player, you will take on the role of an army ant or an allied bug, traversing the wilds. You will join with a team of other bugs to overcome the challenges that the referee places before you. You will use these rules, an assortment of dice, and your imagination to craft a shared tale of your adventures.

This core ruleset, which is also the first issue of the ongoing series, is released as a PWYW book in glorious full color, the way the 1980s would have wanted.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fantasy Trip: Melee - A classic game of fantasy combat. Create characters in just a few minutes – then send them into the arena. Winners become stronger and faster for the next battle. Losers die.

Each counter in this fast-moving game is a single warrior. Players choose weapons and tactics for their fighters and send them into combat against men, beasts, or monsters – to victory, or death.

This is the basic combat system for The Fantasy Trip.

Note - there are affiliate links above. Keep the lights on and the beer cold by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

Sale - Wilderlands of High Fantasy Maps Reduced in Price

Originally shared at Bat in the Attic. Reshared with permission.

note: below is from Rob Conley

Given what happened recently with Judges Guild I have not been promoting my products even though I still offer them for sale. Still, I have been getting a steady stream of sales and I thank everybody who purchased one of my products.

With problems caused by the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) many companies been offering various products for free or at a reduced price.

I am offering the PDFs of the first set of maps for Wilderlands of High Fantasy for half off and reducing the price of the print version by $5. Remember the PDF of the guidebook comes with the maps so you only need to buy the guidebook for $5.99 if you want a print copy.

Rob's Note: Offering a combo map/book product was also an experiment. You can't bundle them due to the fact that OneBookshelf has two different printing services for posters/cards versus books. I thought I would make the map the primary product and the guidebook the add-on.

In hindsight, this would have been better if the guidebook was the primary product with all the PDF including those of the map. And the poster product was the add-on. The PDF option for the poster would be free and be a promotional brochure. I will talk more about this when I release the Wild North.

As for the Wild North, I am in the midst of drawing up the towns. There are five important towns in the setting. The major difference is that Russian houses are built on lots and have fenced-in yards. So it is more open than a traditional medieval city. Of course, at the center is the kremlin or citadel. Most of the town at this point in the history of the Wild North only has wooden kremlin.

Those are affiliate links above. Affiliate links keep the taps cold and the heat on at The Tavern.

Kickstarter - The Greatest Thieves in Lankhmar: A DCC Boxed Set

I'm a huge fan of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. I simply devoured the Lankhmar series in junior high and the Lankhmar setting book from TSR was one of my earliest setting books. It was probably the first city setting I ever ran with.

Goodman Games produced the Lankhmar setting boxed set via Kickstarter prior, but the new Kickstarter: The Greatest Thieves in Lankhmar literally stands alone. If you don't own the prior Lnkhmar boxed set, it "includes a primer on DCC Lankhmar rules, so you can play it with simply the DCC RPG core rulebook."

The Greatest Thieves in Lankhmar boxed set in print and PDF is merely 50 bucks. I suspect I'll soon own more Lankhmar ;)

From the most famous city in the history of fantasy comes a sword-and-sorcery adventure to test the finest gamers! The Greatest Thieves in Lankhmar is a level 3 Dungeon Crawl Classics boxed set that sends characters into the hot cellars beneath Thieves’ House, across the sooty rooftops of the City of Sevenscore Thousand Smokes, and on to a mad dash through the palace of the Overlord. Featuring design leads Harley Stroh and Marc Bruner with cover art by Doug Kovacs, this boxed set comes with everything you need to run an epic adventure over several sessions, whether you run it as a tournament or as part of an ongoing campaign.

PWYW - Tiny Supers (d6)

I really like the Tiny d6 rules engine. I can wrap my head around it and it is simple - literally. Now, Gallant Knight Games is offering Tiny Supers at PWYW pricing - this includes print copies too.

How does that break down?

PDF - minimum pricing - free

Hardcover - premium - minimum pricing - 24.80
Hardcover - standard - minimum pricing -  14.93

Softcover, premium - minimum pricing - 20.24
Softcover, standard - minimum pricing -  10.37

Powered by the TinyD6 engine, with streamlined mechanics that utilize only one to three single six-sided dice on every action, characters that can be written on a 3x5 notecard, and easy to understand and teach rules, Tiny Supers is great for all groups, ages, and experience levels who want to enjoy fast and accessible superheroics! Characters are created quickly, with a simple power selection system designed to be fast, inuitive, and easy to understand.  

A wide range of innovations on the TinyD6 ruleset allow you to craft nearly any superhero you can imagine. Versatile Power Traits model comic book style powers, utilizing a 3-tier format to show the increasing potency of superpowers. Subtle changes to the combat system allow for quick, cinematic comic book action, while still remaining easy to resolve and understand!  

Featuring the near-future comic-inspired GallantVerse (Gallant Knight Games’ first default TinyD6 setting!), as well as standalone micro-verses, Tiny Supers provides you with a toolbox approach and framework to create exciting and easy to run superhero stories at your table!  

So grab some dice, some pencils, some friends, and get ready for some minimalist, straight-forward, super-heroic roleplaying!

Yes, that is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep the beer flowing and the heat on at The Tavern. I thank you in advance. 

Tavern After Hours - 24/7 Voice Chat Channel on the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server

We live in challenging times. CoVid-19 is closing schools, churches, stores, conventions and more. People are staying at home instead of socializing outside the home. But we have options.

Many gamers are turning to VTTs, to the point that Roll20 was having server and connection issues last night.

Sometimes you want to talk about gaming and geek stuff. Or about current events (not politics) For me, that is the highlight of every convention I've ever gone to. Gaming is a blast but hanging in the hotel bar and chewing the shit with other gamers is priceless.

On the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server, we are opening up a new voice channel for those that just want to hang out with other gamers and geeks. No convention, no problem. No after game bullshitting because there is face to face game? Stop by Tavern After Hours. If there is no one else in the room, just by logging into the room, others will likely drop in to join. I should be logged in off and on throughout the day. This is in addition to the weekly Thursday Night Tavern Chat Hangout in the Speakeasy.

If what you want to do is use text to chat, we have the #common-room.

We are looking forward to seeing you over at The Tenkar's Discord Server.

Link to invite:  https://discord.gg/4sHwScH

Pacesetter Games & Simulations is Offering Three 1e Solo Modules at PWYW Pricing

From Bill Barsh, Pacesetter Games:

With the news of the cancellation, we at Pacesetter want to offer a few things for Gary Con attendees. We have modified our three AD&D solo modules on drivethrurpg to PAY WHAT YOU WANT. With so many groups shutting down, here is your chance to still play some AD&D. If you do decide to donate, we are donating all the proceeds to Gary Con charities - Wounded Warrior Project and Extra Life. These charities are definitely losing out and we are committed to doing what we can. As an Army veteran of two wars, I'm certainly attuned to the need. Let's all do what we can. Don't need the modules, please go to the charities directly. They always need the help. Again, thank you Luke Gygax and company.

If you can't donate, please grab the modules anyway! Fight some monsters, solve some mystery, grab some treasure, its what Gary would do!

https://support.woundedwarriorproject.org/default.aspx?tsid=10043&fbclid=IwAR13ROZTkgD3YSQ7QaHE2t_4ZcX0hqM9-HyqzeTqwChDVVios5qUwh03dnw

https://www.extra-life.org/

Links to Modules:

I3-Ruins-of-the-Red-Moon

I2-Beyond-the-Black-Wall

I1-Grave-of-the-Green-Flame

Yep, those are affiliate links above. Affiliate links keep the beer cold and the heat on at The Tavern.

New - Castle Amber is the 5th Volume In the Goodman Games Original Adventures Reincarnated Line

Somehow I missed the announcement of the 4th volume in the OriginalAdventures Reincarnated Line (The Lost City) - Tenkar

You’ve speculated. You’ve wondered. You’ve waited. Now you get an answer.

Coming this September, Goodman Games will release Original Adventures Reincarnated #5: Castle Amber.

Intended for levels 3 through 7, Castle Amber was the adventure that launched the Mystara campaign setting and was the second adventure for the D&D Expert Set.

Here’s some text from the back cover:

They fled from the far-flung land of Averoigne: the Amber family, a bloodline of wizards and warriors persecuted for their dark sorcery and occult crimes. In their new world, they built a lavish manor for themselves, the fabulous Castle Amber. For a time, the Ambers flourished, their magical and military might having little equal. Then, however, jealousy and murder struck the heart of the family and the Curse of Stephen Amber descended upon the castle like a fell and heavy hand. Now, the Ambers dwell beyond space and time, imprisoned with their monstrously transformed servants and suffering under the family’s dead patriarch’s death-sent doom.

It is into this mad manor that the party awakens, plucked from their homeworld and imprisoned in the heart of Castle Amber. To escape, the heroes must negotiate a path through the insane Amber family home, overcoming the clan’s machinations, dangerous servants, cunning traps, and bizarre phenomena. Only by finding a way to break the Curse of Stephen Amber will the party be able to return home. Failure means a lifetime of imprisonment in Castle Amber, a place where lifetimes can be very short indeed…

Within its pages, you will find high-quality scans of the original first edition adventure module, plus commentary by renowned contemporary game designers and writers. A full fifth edition conversion of the original adventure is included, as well as brand new additional adventure encounters and an expanded Castle Amber.

The 5E translation is an homage to the original module X2: Castle Amber, as converted by Michael Curtis and Tim Wadzinski. The original module was written by beloved game designer Tom Molday in 1981 and partially inspired by the writings of acclaimed weird fiction author Clark Ashton Smith. Both the original module and OAR #5 feature cover artwork by Erol Otus.

This is the perfect old-school “funhouse dungeon” given new life for the fifth edition era. Won’t you please come in? The doors to OAR #5: Castle Amber open up in September.

Your Bartender is Corona Virus 19 Free - Time to Drink... later

Yep, the test results are in and I am Corona Virus 19 free.

Holy shit.

Still have viral & bacterial pneumonia, so expect me to be operating and less than usual energy levels for the near and intermediate future.