Bundle of Holding - Warlock! Warpstar!

When I saw that Warlock! was one of the current bundles at Bundle of Holding, I realized I had the Warlock! core rules PDF (and needed to give it another glance). The rules remind me a bit of the Fighting Fantasy books from the 80s, and that isn't a bad thing. I think Warlock! is a good match for one-offs, short campaigns or even convention play. Once you understand the rules you hardly need to look at the book during play.

The standard Warlock! PDF Bundle is $12.95 and includes 7 books (for reference the Warlock! Traitor Edition core rules are $12.99 on their own). At just over 25 bucks you get to add the Warpstar! collection, a sci-fi variation on the Warlock! rules.

Adventurer! This new Warlock-Warpstar Bundle presents two tabletop roleplaying games from Fire Ruby Designs inspired by the early days of British roleplaying. Ready your warhammer or slug projector for rules-light adventure in the dark yet wondrous spirit of early Games Workshop and the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. The fantasy game Warlock! and its standalone compatible space-opera companion Warpstar! both feature career-based characters, concise rules, and a unified 1d20+skill mechanic that adapts easily to published grim-and-perilous adventures and helps you create your own new stories.

For just US$12.95 you get all five titles in our Warlock Collection (retail value $65) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete Warlock! Traitor's Edition core rulebook, previously in the January 2023 Non-OGL Fantasy Bundle; the Compendium 3 rules expansion; and three current Warlock! sourcebooks: Kingdom Traitor's Edition, the citybook Rebeck, and the seagoing campaign book Buccaneer!

And if you pay more than the threshold price of $25.02, you'll level up and also get our entire Warpstar Collection with five more titles worth an additional $68, including the complete Warpstar! standalone core rulebook (retail price $16) and four Warpstar! supplements (retail $13 each): Caldera, Dire Threats, Hegemony, and Omoron.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

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HackMaster Coupons/Tokens

Earlier this week I had an....interesting...interaction with somebody on Facebook who was slamming my beloved HackMaster (4th Edition). I didn't go full-on fanboy and I'll spare everyone the details, but in the broad strokes the game was slammed as "not successful" and a "joke".

Now on a couple of levels I get it, mostly because the licensing agreement required a certain level of parody. Thing is, the majority of the "humor/parody" in the game is stuff that simply worked to begin with....like the idea of the Gnome Titan Groin Stomp or (again) the idea of Gnome Titan bars having an in-house weak poisoned drink called the Gutbuster. Getting kicked in the nads and (military) Grog Bowls are real world things....and players will undoubtedly interject far more humor into your game than what a game designer can write. The broader, rather silly, joke elements were usually, and easily discarded by the players and GMs......Gnome Titans were pretty rare.

....also, someone else in the larger gaming group was proud that they had managed to acquire some OOP KenzerCo HackMaster gaming books that still had their coupons!

Coupons were another joke/parody element that were largely pushed aside by the overwhelming majority of HackMaster players/groups. First off, the majority of the coupons were minor things easily hand-waived at the table. Things like having an extra healing potion or some generic piece of needed equipment....but there were some pretty good gems that were harder to find. The coupons had rarity levels!

They also had GM coupons and there was a coupon book. The GM coupons also ranged from relatively benign to straight-up "Killer GM". GMs were encouraged to retaliate in kind to coupon use. Players use a coupon that essentially negates a PC death.....the GM can, assuming they have one on hand, play "He's Dead Jim", which instantly kills a PC....GM's choice. Oh yeah, just the presence of such a coupon generally keeps things civil amongst a group. To me the real "joke" is that KenzerCo made/sold a product that gamers were eager to buy, but never use!

We still used the occasional coupon, and if you weren't a dick about it, neither was the GM. If you had a killer GM then you're problem wasn't coupon use, but general play.

While I had a metric butt-load of coupons, both GM and Player, I recall using one....one coupon in seven or eight years of play. I had traveled across the country for work and managed to drive a couple hours to play in a some friends' home group. I brought my DS Invoker and during the course of play I played my one coupon. I don't recall the name, but the effect was I got to cast one 1st Level Spell for free (no cost for components). This is generally a low-power throwaway coupon, especially since 1st level spells are cheap...except one: Find Familiar. Cost really wasn't an issue as it was only 1,000 GP. No, the real value in the coupon was that DS Invokers are prohibited from casting Conjuration magic, so this coupon let me break that rule. I lucked out and was able to get a "special" familiar of a Pseudo Dragon, which was perfect for my long-term goals for this PC.

I had considered using some other type of coupons in game, but I ended up instead going to a token system in my 5th Edition (HackMaster 5th edition, sorry not D&D). Players got a token whenever they did something that I thought, as the GM, was really cool, and each player got a token at the end of every game BUT they were not allowed to keep that token. Instead they had to award the token to another player and tell the group why. Basically it was akin to having a table MVP, which was a thing for 4th Edition. Players playing their class and alignment was easy enough to manage through the Honor system, but I liked the idea that players could earn a bit of advantage to "break"....more like "bend" they system. I do not remember the exchange rate, so I might be a bit off, but players could use one token for a +1 die bump, exchange 10 tokens for a re-roll/mulligan, 15 to force a GM re-roll, and each token was worth something like 10 XP per level. I hated it when a player was *just* shy of leveling with the rest of the group.

I think if I was running a group again, I'd tweak and implement a new token system.....

Kickstarter - Cutthroats & Thieves Card Game

A game where everyone is out for their own selves.

This is the part, right up front, where I reveal any connections I may have with any creator or publisher whose work I highlight in one of these blog posts. I've known Don Semora /Wizard Tower Games for nearly two years now, and Don is about as creative as they come. He has his own printing facility for the games he produces, so he really is a one-man shop. I am proud to call Don a friend.

Victor Dorso did the main game design and he's yet another member of this community that I call a friend. Damn, it's getting to be like I can't throw a D&D 4e rulebook without hitting a friend that doubles as a game designer ;)

Now, it's nice to see that Cutthroats and Thieves avoids the "cooperative game" theme that's been all the rage the last few years.

Cutthroats and Thieves is a game where up to four players strive to best their other players. Using cunning and careful planning you will try to best everyone at the table. While at the same time you will also try to not become the victim of a fellow player.

The Cutthroats and Thieves Kickstarter can be backed for as little as 15 bucks plus shipping, but I went in for the signed poster and shirt, simply "because" ;)

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

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Deal of the Day - Endless Encounters: Dungeons (5e and OSR)

I'm a big fan of Pacesetter Games and Bill and Ben Barsh. I've been buying Pacesetter stuff since my first NTRPG Con in 2014 (and have watched Ben grow from a teen to a young man).

Endless Encounters: Dungeons is pretty much as it says on the tin: a series of tables and charts for generating encounters on the fly to keep your players entertained.

Until tomorrow morning, Endless Encounters: Dungeons is DTRPG's Deal of the Day. Normally 20 bucks in PDF, but until tomorrow morning Endless Encounters: Dungeons is on sale for 6 bucks in PDF.

Within these pages are dozens of charts for each level (1-10) that generate memorable encounters with just a few dice rolls. Whether you need to add an encounter to your adventure or design an entire dungeon, EE: Dungeons is an exhaustive resource and easy to use. Charts include everything you need to create an amazing encounter including illumination, room type, room contents, traps, monsters (full statistic blocks), treasures, and much more. EE: Dungeons also has 53 new monsters and 64 new magical items! Of course there is more in the form of a complete sample dungeon for each level with room descriptions and full-color map. All ten levels connect and form a mega-dungeon with more than 500 encounters! EE: Dungeons is designed for use with the 5e RPG and compatible with all other OSR classic game systems based on the world’s largest fantasy RPG.

 

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Free OSR - Desert Denizens (OSE, S&W, OSRIC, Basic Fantasy)

Yes, I list four different flavors of OSR gaming in the blog header above, but there actually are four different versions of Desert Denizens.

For a free PDF, Desert Denizens looks to be professionally laid out as well as a solid OSR resource. Seriously, you can't bear free, and don't limit yourself to desert environs with this release ;)

In the harsh and unforgiving deserts, the shimmering sands conceal secrets beyond imagination. The ancient ruins of long-forgotten civilizations offer the promise of untold wealth and powerful artifacts, but they are also guarded by creatures of unimaginable ferocity. From the legendary sphinxes that roam the shifting dunes to the deadly mummies that haunt the tombs of the long-dead, danger lurks around every corner. But for those bold enough to brave the dangers of this harsh world, great rewards await. Magic items of unparalleled power lie hidden beneath the sands, waiting for those who are worthy to claim them. From enchanted weapons that cleave through solid rock to amulets that can turn back the deadliest of curses, these treasures are legendary. But the road to these riches is perilous, and only the strongest and most cunning adventurers can hope to survive the trials that await them.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

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Indiegogo - Sherwood: The Legend of Robin Hood (5E)

Adventures in the time of Robin Hood for 5E!

I often think of two semi-historical medieval settings/stories that fit well into fantasy RPGs. King Arthur/Pendragon (which has been well adapted by Chaosium) and Robin Hood. Both seem to fit well with either no magic or low magic versions of the settings to my eye. 

Sherwood: The Legend of Robin Hood 5E is from Battlefield Press, a company recently inherited by Adam Thompson upon the passing of his brother, Johnathan. I've known Adam for a number of years and he has been making an impressive effort to continue the legacy of his brother.

Here's a little tidbit that I wish other crowdfunded projects would offer - the opportunity to back for other systems:

Backer Perk - This perk allows you to back our project but only to get the Sherwood the Legend of Robin Hood in Swords and Wizardry, Pathfinder 1e, or Savage Worlds Adventurer’s Edition. (2 bucks)

I'm jumping in for the Swords & Wizardry version. Savage Worlds is tempting, but I'd never get to play it. 

Heads up, Indiegogo is adding a tip to the cost of backing. You can set the tip to ZERO manually, which I did.

Sherwood can be played in either historic or mythical mode. Historic mode is more realistic, leaving out magic. In in mythical mode magic has been added to the setting allowing you to play in the fantastic. Both are fully supported with campaign notes, foes, and unique rules.In addition to this we have a special type of Action Points called Swashbuckling Points. What these do is allow your character to do the impossible, from swinging on a rope chandelier to climbing up the wall using only a knife. In a style that emulates the early fantastical stories of the genre.

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Kickstarter - Groo: The Game Returns!

Bring Groo back to the game table! Sergio Aragonés' hapless comic hero wants your support! And cheese dip!

I've been a fan of Groo since the Pacific Comics days. I've even tried to stat him out as a fighter or barbarian, depending on the edition of D&D I was playing. There is just something wholesomely funny about Groo the Wanderer.

I missed the Groo game release back in 1997. I'm sure there were a lot of game releases I missed back in that era. Well, I can soon fix that mission with Groo: The Game Returns! Kickstarter from none other than Steve Jackson Games. The buy-in is 30 bucks for one copy (plus shipping). I'm already in ;)

Groo Returns To The Gaming Table!

Comic fans love Sergio Aragonés, and they love his character Groo the Barbarian. Now this classic comic character returns in Groo: The Game, a fast, fun card game that plays in under an hour and is great fun for two to six players.

A hit when it was first released, this game has been unavailable for many years. This new release of Groo: The Game includes both the original game and the supplement, with cards illustrated by the great Sergio Aragonés himself and featuring Groo and his friends and foes!

GAMEPLAY

Groo the Barbarian is the classic fantasy hero – brave, daring, and completely brainless. When Groo comes to town, armies melt away and buildings fall. He doesn't MEAN it. It just happens!

In Groo: The Game, players try to build a town without having it stomped to rubble by Groo himself. Roll dice for resources and use them for buildings (which create victory points) and armies (which knock down other players' buildings and defend your own). Groo moves randomly, always with the best of intentions, destroying all that he encounters. The player with the last town standing wins!

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar 

Bundle of Holding -The Dark Eye MEGA

I've been following The Dark Eye for the better part of a decade. It looks to be a highly popular RPG in Germany and beyond, I just don't know if I NEED it. Of course, what does need have to do with anything RPG related ;)

The buy-in points of The Dark Eye MEGA Bundle of Holding are higher than most other Bundles of Holding, but you are getting more material than in other bundles. The Player Collection of The Dark Eye is 24.95 for 10 titles, and the GM Collection adds 12 titles for a total of just a hair over $45 at this moment.

Especially useful for players new to the game, this big new Megabundle draws from our two past Dark Eye offers (January 2018 and June 2020) and adds ten recent titles – everything you need to start exploring Aventuria, a rich and believable setting inspired by Europe's medieval lore, forbidding landscapes, and fairytale castles. For just US$24.95 you get all ten English-language titles in our Player Collection (retail value $106) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete The Dark Eye core rulebook (plus the Character Sheets Pack, Deluxe Character Sheets, Figure Flats, and the free Quickstart Rules); the Aventuria Armory, Armory of the Warring Kingdoms, and Magic of Aventuria sourcebooks; the Aventuria Almanac and Map Set; and the introductory solitaire adventure Conspiracy of Mages.

The Silver Guard adventure for The Dark Eye roleplaying gameAnd if you pay more than the threshold price of $45.29, you'll level up and also get our entire Game Master Collection with twelve more titles worth an additional $137.50, including the Aventuria Compendium (plus its Compendium Figure Flats); the Aventuria Bestiary and Gods of Aventuria sourcebooks; all six colorful scenarios in the 392-page Theater Knights campaign – I White Lake, II Blue Tome, III The Black Forest, IV Green Platoon, V Silver Guard, and VI Red Choir; the companion sourcebook Legacy of the Theater Knights; and The Dark Eye GM Screen with its Inns & Taverns booklet.

 

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Buildings on my Mind...

I have officially returned from my combination NTRPG Con/Business Trip only to find my domicile worse for the wear due to a series of storms, golf ball-sized hail, and a couple of tornados. Lucky for me the damage was just to my roof and a large spot of ceiling where the water made it's way in.

Not fun, but could definitely have been worse. Now when I double check what I expect to be a HUGE roof-specific deductible, I may feel differently, but for now my stuff...and more importantly my pets, are fine and I like to think I'm occasionally capable of seeing the big picture.

Of course, as these things do, thinking so much about my home weighs heavily when I'm trying to shift mental gears and think about what to post today. Thinking over the myriad of D&D characters I've played over the...decades (yep, I'm old) and one.....one kind of had a home, and I really don't recall any of my player's PCs ever having an "official" residence. Not one single murderhobo dwelling among the lot.....

....and I highly suspect that is closer to the norm for most D&D players.

A big reason, or I think a big part of the reason is simply that the vast majority of PCs don't get to the generalized double-digit levels required of them to build a "stronghold", not that I'm necessarily referring to a "stronghold" in the first place. Aside from that I'm guessing that people who want to play murderhobos want to do murderhobo stuff, and setting up a house is not on the typical KTATTS list.

Now I have seen parties of PCs band together to get a..... "clubhouse" of sorts to work out of, but definitely not a home.

Hmmm......now that I think about it, my one PC that was working on his home/library technically already owned a farmstead. I'm pretty sure I've already told the story about how my PC "bought the farm" at first level (was on my blog, not here), allowing the party successfully complete a four-hour tournament in something like 10 minutes.

Anyway, this one PC was working on building a library even though he wasn't high enough level to have a "stronghold", but I figured it'd take quite a few level's worth of adventuring to get enough resources to finish the thing. Once my PCs get a couple of levels in I like to imagine how, in a perfect game, their adventuring career (or life) would end. This guy was going to use his vast intellect to become basically a doctor....non-magical healer. His goal was to build a community and to build something since he was quite the destructive force as a magical murderhobo.

If I'm a bit off-base, which is not uncommon for me, and you have a need for building a "stronghold", I highly recommend a particular OOP sourcebook: Lord Flataroy's Guide to Fortifications. I loved using this book to plan out OSR building.....not sure I'd spend the $75 or so it's going for now, but if you keep your eyes out for a copy you might luck out....and no...Half Price Books doesn't have any listed.

Hopefully I'm also off-base that PCs building homesteads is more common than I think.....

Kickstarter - Action! System 2.0

When I saw Action! System 2.0 pop up in my Kickstarter feed, it took a few minutes to remember why it looked familiar. Then I remembered: Gold Rush Games. This was an interesting little system from the early days of D&D 3.0 that took just the OGL and released its own open ruleset. I have a PDF copy of the Action System rules on one of my external drives, but other than that, I don't remember much else about it.

According to the Kickstarter page:

The Action! System™ was the second commercially-supported set of tabletop RPG rules ever to be published under the first edition of the Open Game License (OGL). It was originally released by Gold Rush Games in 2001 and used by multiple publishers between the years 2001 and 2005. It is a generic system that was designed to be incredibly similar to a variety of late-90s RPGs, specifically to ones that were used in anime RPGs.

After using it for some home games starting in 2013, Neon Necromancer Games finally bought the rights to it in 2020 intending to publish a second edition for its twentieth anniversary and then, well... *gestures broadly to the news events of the past couple years*.

Now that a certain company is being evil [censored]holes about the Open Game License, we feel it is necessary to revive this OGL pioneer. The Action! System was an entirely new creation upon release, with no text taken from other "system references". The intention is that A!S 2.0 will be released both under the original OGL 1.0a as well as Paizo's new Open RPG Creative License (ORC) once it is ready and released. (In the event that the ORC license sucks we will also release it under another open license, such as Community Commons.

So, is a two-decade-old system that barely made a splash 20 years ago a good candidate for a Kickstarter refresh today? According to the funding I'm looking at, the answer is no. The Action! System 2.0 Kickstarter has $1,397 pledged of $7,500 goal with 4 days to go. It simply aint gonna happen.

Nostalgia doesn't work when one has no nostalgia for something. Ah well.

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Deal of the Day - The Isle of the Plangent Mage (OSE)

The Isle of the Plangent Mage is today's Deal of the Day. Normally 7.50 in PDF, but until tomorrow morning it is 3 bucks.

An idyllic cove harbours deep secrets. Magic and sound are entwined harmoniously, while dark things lurking in the depths rise to explore new avenues through previously locked portals. Adventurers will be changed as they explore the depths of the Undertower, unlock strange musical puzzles, and reveal the glorious treasures of the Isle of the Plangent Mage.

A fantasy adventure of sonic wonder for characters of 3rd to 5th level.

• 64 keyed areas, village description and NPCs, rumour table, loot summary, dungeon background info.
• Keyed in a quick-reference, bullet point format.
• Statted for Old-School Essentials (B/X), usable with any vintage adventure game.
• Unlabelled map included for VTT use.

 

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Deal of the Day - EZD6 Book of Quests

I really like the EZD6 System. Easy to grock with lots of potential, EZD6 fills that sweet spot. My only issue is that I was finding it difficult to write adventures for a system that I wasn't quite comfortable with yet.

The EZD6 Book of Quests solves that issue and then some. 18 Quests, at a discounted price of 5 bucks in PDF until tomorrow morning.

EZD6 has been wildly successful, exploding onto tabletops everywhere fast, fun play from the wild and wacky table of DM SCOTTY. Now, EZD6 fans can play 18 of Scotty's wildest quests, in a simple, plug-anywhere format that's easy to bring to players fast.

-150 page book

-18 complete quests, playable as one-offs or in a huge sequence

-Each quest complete with maps, NPCs, dialogue, monster stats, and a D20 'Details to Discover' table

-Art by Sean Bova and maps by Robert Rudnicki

A must-have book of adventures for the weirdo GM!

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Kickstarter - HYPERBOREA RPG Map

Sometimes the good things in life aren't simple or cheap. I'm looking at YOU Mister HYPERBOREA RPG Map. The canvas version of the map literally is a thing of beauty. I'm not sure I can justify picking one up in Canvas for $155 plus shipping, but really, who do I need to justify this with? Myself? That's an easy convincing to accomplish ;)

North Wind Adventures, producers of the HYPERBOREA RPG, are proud to present the new rendition of the Hyperborea Map, in high-gloss poster and canvas. Illustrated by Glynn Seal, this map brilliantly displays the whole of Hyperborea, a "flat earth" micro-setting for use with HYPERBOREA, a role-playing game of swords, sorcery, and weird science-fantasy.

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Humble Bundle - Star Wars - Legends, Myths, and the High Republic (Fiction)

My Star Wars fiction started with Splinter of the Mind's Eye by Alan Dean Foster. It's my understanding that Star Wars fiction from that era is no longer canon. I could be wrong. It's been decades since I've read any Star Wars fiction.

The current Star Wars Fiction Bundle, Legends, Myths, and the High Republic packages together a large digital collection of modern Star Wars fiction releases - 41 titles for 18 bucks. That's a lot of reading ;)

Discover tales of legendary Jedi heroes, Dark Side masters, and the galaxy’s most wretched hives of scum and villainy in this library of novels and fiction for Star Wars fans of all ages! Explore an era when the Jedi Order was at its prime in books from the best-selling High Republic series (Into the Dark). Read about the adventures of Padmé Amidala (Queen’s Peril), the rise and fall of Darth Vader, and the journeys of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

 

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Lazy Sunday Morning Gaming Shopping

Erik did me a bit of a solid last week (and tried again this week) to post for me last week because Sunday I had to spend the day travelling early am to an undisclosed location......basically I had to stay up after NTRPG's midnight auction and head out to the airport at 4AM. I knew that day of travelling was going to wreck me and my internet access at my destination was unknown at the time.

Anyway, I'm still at my undisclosed location and this morning was a lazy day so I decided to head on over to the next town and peruse the "sights".......

....yeah this town was....rather...crunchy. Like granola crunchy.....like they don't put up flags for Pride month 'cause the flags are up year-round and painted on the street already.

Meh, not a big deal except.....except the only place I could find open to get a bite to eat before the bookstore opened was a vegan café. Actually had no idea it was a vegan café at first, but hungry is hungry and vegan "wings" made out of cauliflower is not far off of decent bar food of fried cauliflower......

The great thing about these hippy (there was definitely a hippy vibe in places) areas is that they have some great hole-in-the-wall stores. Tons of tiny shops packed with stuff. I wandered into an art supply store and found some pens that I like, but in sizes I normally don't see, as well as my favorite mechanical pencil and replacement lead, both at better prices than I'm used to! Went ahead and picked up a little notebook and a fancy-schmancy (well, seemed like it) Japanese marker that just works different than what I'm used to.

Up the street was the book store. Wasn't quite what
I was hoping for, but I did find a few books for my Appendix N collection and another book (not shown) that I only had a PDF of. That book was "expensive", relatively speaking, but the other books were cheaper than I'd find at HPB, so a win in my book.

I'm so, sorry....that wasn't an intended pun.

This one book, With a Single Spell, is already in my collection, but one of the author's other books, set in the same world, is something I pretty much buy every time I see it in a store. I'll pick it up and just give it to the first friend I find out hasn't read it. I'm going to read this copy on this trip and then gift it like I do the other book......

While the bookstore was a draw, the real reason I went down to granola-town was to visit an indoor "flea market". It wasn't an indoor flea market, despite what they advertised. Instead it was basically two of these small store fronts linked together and stuffed with a few, pretty sure it was five, but there wasn't a firm boundary between three of the places. Lots of nice stuff, reasonably priced with the exception of the clothes. Evidently "vintage" clothes are worth more than common sense would lead one to believe.....

I found some cool stuff, most of it was too big to pick up and travel back home with, but I enjoyed looking at the one booth just stuffed with DVDs, Legos, and action figures. There was stuff I liked, but nothing that had to come home with me......until I turned to leave and saw a little bowl of dice stuffed in the corner of a large display case. What caught my eye were the Gamescience dice, but it looked like there was some Holmes set dice and a couple other old-assed dice.....along with a giant 12 sided d4.

Totally worth the $8. Those Gamescience D20's are numbered 0-9 twice and inked in two different colors.

Not a bad haul for a lazy Sunday morning!

Kickstarter - Delver 9: Old School RPG Resources for GMs and Players

I'm a huge fan of zines, even if I don't keep them in ANY semblance of order. They are literally everywhere around the house, and I often rediscover them some years after acquiring them. 

Somehow, eight issues of the Delver zine have been published before coming to my attention. Assuming Delver 9 hits the mark, I may be looking to acquire the prior issues.

Delver Issue #9 is 7 bucks in PDF, 11 plus 5 bucks shipping in the States for Print plus PDF.

The primary features of Delver magazine are the random charts and tables. Each issue will contain pages and pages of random charts that can be used before or during a session. Each page has a theme or subject, typically with four to six tables that pertain to that topic.

The secondary feature of each issue is the ready-to-go adventure, complete with maps, room descriptions, random encounters, and more. The adventure in Delver #9 is designed for 4 to 8 characters of level 5-6 or higher.

Finally, each issue will contain an article for GMs. Each article will be short and sweet and provide a GM with some useful points to ponder on between sessions. The current article for Delver #9 is titled RPGs as Wargames? and will cover thoughts on why the combat rules of wargames often trump those of RPGs and why blending a wargame and your favorite RPG might be a fun thing for you to try.

Delver #9 will start at a minimum of 36 pages, but the page count can go much higher depending on reached stretched goals that can push Delver #9 up in length.

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