Tenkar's Tavern

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Crowdfunding - Dragon Dice - Dracolem (GameFound)

Color me surprised when I saw Dragon Dice on a crowdfunding platform - in this case, Gamefound. For those that don't recall, Dragon Dice was one of TSR's responses to Magic The Gathering, the other being the Spellfire collectible card game. The history of Dragon Dice can be found on Wikipedia.

Honestly, I own a few Dragon Dice sets from the TSR era and never really understood the rules, but the dice were cool. The current project has art that I'll find difficult to differentiate between the different power levels, but I guess it's found it nice over the last two decades.

Dracolem are the 14th species created for Dragon Dice - the compact wargame with streamlined rules played with dice armies. Build forces from various fantasy species and fight to control battlefield locations. Mix and match units to harness the unique abilities they gain from the elements of nature and death. To play Dragon Dice you only need a pocketful of dice, setup in 5 minutes, and you can play on a card table. Experience the deep strategy of a wargame without having to paint miniatures, build terrain, or carry around large rulebooks and codexes!

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

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Arkham Gazette (CoC)

If there is a time to put Call of Cthulhu material up on Bundle of Holding, this is it, the month of October.

The Arkham Gazette Issues 1 through 5 Bundle gives you all of the currently released issues of the Arkham Gazette for 9.95 in PDF.

Investigator! This all-new Arkham Gazette Bundle presents The Arkham Gazette, the digital magazine of Miskatonic Country tabletop roleplaying scenarios and articles from Sentinel Hill Press supporting Chaosium's Call of Cthulhu horror RPG. Since 2013 each big issue of The Arkham Gazette has covered one area in depth of the New England region formerly called "Lovecraft Country" (not to be confused with the unrelated 2020 HBO Max TV series Lovecraft Country). From crumbling, whisper-haunted Arkham to decaying Innsmouth to the fog-draped village of Kingsport, The Arkham Gazette is your guide to local sites of interest, curiosities, odd citizens, peculiar histories, and books of forbidden lore. Each issue includes a full-length scenario for Call of Cthulhu Sixth or Seventh Edition, high-quality handouts, and a full bibliography of relevant published scenarios.
This offer gives you all the issues of The Arkham Gazette to date – a total of 476 Mythos-haunted pages – plus a conspectus of published Call of Cthulhu scenarios set in the Miskatonic region. For just US$9.95 you get all six titles in our Arkham Collection (retail value $54) as DRM-free ebooks, including five issues of The Arkham Gazette – Issue #0, #1, #2, #3, and #4 – as well as the helpful overview Miskatonic Country Scenarios: A Keeper's Guide.

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

Kickstarter - Adventurer Conqueror King System Imperial Imprint (ACKS II)

Welcome to the new edition of the bestselling fantasy role-playing game. Adventure, conquer, and reign.

The first system I ran upon returning to the GM's table was AD&D 1e / OSRIC. The second system I ran was the Adventurer Conquerer King System, and it felt like B/X tuned up to 11, in all of the good ways. From what I've read of ACKS II, I'm eager to get behind the DM's screen and run some ACKS again :)

The Adventurer Conqueror King System Imperial Imprint (hereafter referred to as ACKS II) Kickstarter is going strong out of the gate. As I type this, it is less than 9 hours after launch and it has already raised over $180K. Phew! The OSR is still going strong.

ACKS II is being released in a total of three books, the Revised Rulebook (the core rules and player-facing), the Judges Journal, and the Monstrous Manual. The core three books in PDF come in at $50, the Revised Rulebook in Print & PDF is $75, and the Revised Rulebook in Print & PDF with the Judges Journal & Monstrous Manual in PDF is $100. I'm in at $175, with the three books in Print plus PDF, along with a Referee Screen. The $175 price point is good through 10/26 before the price goes up to $200.

Since the inception of the Old School Renaissance in 2008, there have been countless retro-clones of D20 fantasy games. Any gamer seeking an old-school RPG has a thousand options. But ACKS II isn't like any of those games. Because with ACKS II you get:
Endgame action that's more than just a treadmill of higher HD foes. Build and run domains, conquer your enemies in grand wars, break the laws of magic with ritual experiments, run a criminal syndicate, even anoint yourself a god and empower yourself with the worship of your loyal subjects. The experience point mechanics integrate campaign activities into the core gameplay loop, enabling your character to level up in new ways as his temporal power grows!
Epic pitched battles as grand as any in fiction or history. Don't settle for so-called "mass combat" rules that can't handle battles bigger than a few hundred combatants. With ACKS II you can field armies that measure in the hundreds of thousands and fight hordes that make the earth shiver.
Integrated in-game economics that make sense. Naysayers will claim that fantasy adventure worlds can never have plausible in-game economies. ACKS II proves them wrong with a robust economic system that's easy to use because we've done all the heavy lifting for you.
Sandbox setting design that emphasizes player agency. Our clear, comprehensive (and comprehensible!) guidelines, based on the top down zoom-in method in our book Arbiter of Worlds, help your world come to life.
Fractal design with modular rules. ACKS II is designed to let you focus on what matters to your campaign, diving as deeply as you want into any area of the game knowing that it just works at every level.
Scaling complexity with an easy-to-learn new player experience. ACKS II is structured such that the players only need to learn a narrow slice of the rules to start playing, and then incrementally scales up the mechanical crunch as the players improve their mastery of their game.
Customizable and transparent construction tools. We open up the hood and let you see how the ACKS II engine runs. Build your own custom classes, spells, magic types, monsters, and more, knowing that anything you create will mesh well and balance properly with the canon material.
Fearsome fighters that can change the course of a pitched battle. Say goodbye to "quadratic mages and linear fighters" and embrace epic heroism. Combat mechanics for cleaves, sweep attacks, and special maneuvers allow your fighters to conduct a symphony of slaughter on the battlefield.
Thrilling thieves that lead the way in dungeon delves and urban adventures. In ACKS II, thieves are skilled experts from level one. With special mechanics for shadowy senses, hasty searching, hijinks, and more, thieves can finally steal the spotlight.
Whatever you've ever wanted to do in a fantasy world -- ACKS II already does that.

Monday, October 23, 2023

Deal of Day - Teratogenicon (OSR/ System Neutral)

I don't know how I missed the Teratogenicon prior to it popping up on my radar as today's Deal of the Day. So, of course, I'm snagging it in Print plus PDF. Until tomorrow morning Teratogenicon is on sale in PDF for 6 bucks, down from 11.99.

TERATOGENICON - our most impressive book so far - is a collection of tables and essays on how to create your own monsters.
It contains one chapter for each of the fourteen most famous monster types (aberrations, beasts, celestials, constructs, and so on). Each chapter examines specific habits, appearance, goals, traits, powers, origins, and many other topics. In addition, the appendixes will help you to create stats (for both old school and contemporary games), to roleplay monsters, and to include all monster types into a coherent whole, among other things.
The book is beautifully illustrated by Rick Troula (of The Displaced fame). Take a look at the previews to see for yourself!
The book is inspired by the most famous RPG in the world (in its current format and by its earlier "old school" version) but is mostly system-less. Use it as inspiration for ANY RPG of your choice, or even for your own stories, comic books, videogames, etc.

Sunday, October 22, 2023

Hit or Miss Game Weekend

This weekend was a bit of a hit & a miss. I'm not able to go to Game Hole Con....not sure if I would if I could 'cause it's too close to the family farm and even as much as I love to sling dice, I'd probably rather visit my family. I know, I know....total a-hole move, but that's where my folks, and my Great Nephews live.

I didn't get to game on Friday, which was our scheduled game, but a family issue came up for the GM and believe it or not I did not just set the bar on the matter of gaming vs. family.

I did however, manage to snag some choice titles for my growing ~~habit~~ ~~problem~~ ~~addiction~~ Appendix N library. Before I get to that though, I need to share this HUGE (to me) bit of news: I have FINALLY slain the garage demon! I.E. I found the !**^!%$#! CO2 monitor that was beeping due to low battery. I swear that thing has been going off about every minute since freakin June. My garage is more of a mess than usual because I've been tearing through boxes, moving crap, even unplugging my garage doors (I thought that was it for a hot minute). I just could not actually localize the source of the sporadic beeping. One would think that the damned battery would.....JUST....EFFING...DIE!, but no, I had to use those fancy-dancy long-term lithium batteries. That fucker probably wouldn't be dying until 2025! Anyway I found the detector wrapped in something else in a box and now it is relatively quiet. Now the only high-pitched tones are in my head (tinnitus).

OK, I think I got that out of my system.

NO MORE BEEPING!!!

Evidently not...

Anyway, I decided to go hit up some Half Priced Books in the city and I did find some OSR stuff, but somebody in charge at the one store is smoking some crack. They had a nice-looking 3rd (I know, bear with me) printing of the Deities & Demigods for $150. They also had a good (?) copy of the basic rulebook for $60....not the set, just the book.

No bueno

A different location did yield a nice little find for me. I've thought about picking up some Edgar Rice Burroughs books, but I specifically didn't want Tarzan or John Carter of Mars books. I'm not a Tarzan fan and I think I'd like John Carter of Mars, but I'm still hurting from the completely unavoidable fiasco that was the Disney movie. I liked the movie, would've loved a series, but allegedly the movie was a failure. Of course it was a failure because Disney screwed with the marketing, changing the name and then pulling funding.

I'm full of digressing today.

So I did find some Ace Paperback copies of ERB's books and got six of the seven books of the Pellucidar series and all three books of his "Lost World" series. Even though I was using my phone to help me look for certain titles, I really got only those three books "lost world" books by pure happenstance as I was focusing on the Pellucidar series.

I'm sure the observant among the 12 regular readers here will notice there is a Tarzan title in the group......evidently Old Man Burroughs did a crossover novel.

To me, these books are perfect Appendix N fodder. I mean, Burroughs and specifically the Pellucidar series is actually mentioned in the Appendix N (I hadn't bothered to check until just now). Maybe I should have picked up some of the other books they had, but I had enough of a score for now.

Saturday, October 21, 2023

Deal of the Day - Big Rubble (RuneQuest)

My history with RuneQuest, Classic RuneQuest, started in 86 or 87, when I bought the hardback rules along with the box sets of Pavis & Big Rubble at an RPG convention at Columbia University. The boxes were shelf worn, but still in their wrap, and I believe I snagged it all for 20 bucks. Little did I know this would be the first time I'd ever run a sandbox (or even know that's what the experience was), but we had a blast that summer, with our party exploring Big Rubble, and going back to Pavis in between adventuring. Yes, I have some very special memories of Big Rubble ;)

Today's Deal of the Day is none other than Big Rubble (1983 edition) in all of its original glory. Normally 14.99 in PDF, and it is on sale for a mere 3 bucks in PDF until tomorrow morning.

THE BIG RUBBLE is the perfect hunting ground for both prospective and veteran adventurers. From the relative safety of the frontier town of New Pavis, exploration parties may venture forth into the Rubble to once again tap the treasures and magics buried in its ruins. They will be aided and hindered by the guards and bureaucrats of the occupying Lunar empire.
The Big Rubble is a vast area enclosed by giant-build walls of solid stone. Once it was the site of Robcradle, an ancient Jrusteli city, and then it held the magnificent capital of the hero Pavis. Only thousands of acres of ruin and destruction now remain, full of robbers, outcasts, and inhuman monsters.
The Rubble Guide provides background describing the creation of the ruins, tells of major areas within the giant walls and of 49 points of interest within those areas, examines the vegetable guardians of the Elven Garden, hints at how to get in and out of the Rubble, illustrates four types of Rubble ruins, contains general and specific encounters, and reveals the cult of Yelorna.
The nine scenarios in the Episodes book explore some of the many exciting places within the Rubble. Griffin Gate is the main entrance for legal adventuring parties, and this scenario includes three separate episodes occurring within the gate area. Wolfhead's Lair, Raid of Yelorna, The Devil's Playground, Krang's Table, and the Puzzle Canal introduce the manifold gangs who survive through incessant raid and plunder within the Rubble. Temple at Feroda takes the adventurers south, beyond the walls, to the mouth of the Zola Fel River. Each of those adventures requires one or two evenings to complete. Dozens of additional scenarios will develop as sidelights from the nine given here or from the plentiful descriptions provided.
Several "official" Lunar Empire forms have been included to license and annoy hapless adventurers. No one is allowed back into the safety of New Pavis without their Adventurer's License, and few except for trolls, elves, broos, and ogres dare to live in the Rubble.
The book also includes designer's notes and a detailed index. The PDF is fully bookmarked, with a fully hyperlinked Table of Contents and Index.

Friday, October 20, 2023

Kickstarter - Delver 11 & 12: Old School RPG Resources for GMs and Players

Delver is a magazine for Referees and Players of OSR fantasy roleplaying games.

I did not realize it was time for the next issues of Delver. Truly an excellent resource for the OSR DM. Time to put my money down for Delver 11 & 12 - Print plus PDF for the 2 issues is 22 bucks plus shipping - in my case 8 bucks shipping to NYC.

Delver magazine (zine-format, 5.5 " wide x 8.5" tall) is a third-party resource for GMs and Players of OSR fantasy RPGs such as Old-School Essentials, ShadowDark, Swords & Sorcery, and Basic Fantasy RPG.
OSR games offer a fantasy roleplaying game experience to players looking for a return to the style and feel of classic dungeon crawling, and Delver seeks to offer Game Masters and players of OSR games additional aids in the form of adventures, articles, random tables, new magic items and much more. The content in every issue of Delver magazine, however, will also be useful to GMs and players of other fantasy RPGs with some minor tweaks; most of it will require ZERO changes!
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. For example, the What's in that Cube? page from Delver #2 rolls up the contents of a Gelatinous Cube wandering monster... download this sample page using the link beneath the following image.

Thursday, October 19, 2023

Humble Bundle - The Best of Warhammer RPGs

I have some extremely fond memories of running Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay back in the 80s and had my first self-inflicted by the part TPK. When I was returning to RPGs, my initial return was via Dark Herasy for Warhammer 40k via Fantasy Grounds. Damn, I really do enjoy the Warhammer Universe RPGs.

Humble Bundle is currently offering The Best of Warhammer RPGs as their latest RPG Bundle. This is a rare bundle where even the $1 level offers a Starter Set (Soulbound). 18 bucks get your three core rules (WFRP 4e, Soulbound, and Wrath & Glory) and a bunch of adventures and supplements.

RPGs spanning the worlds of Warhammer
Whether you’re partial to Space Marines, Stormcast Eternals, or good ol’ greenskins and high elves, this bundle of Warhammer pen-and-paper RPGs from Cubicle 7 will bring eternities of adventure to your table! If you seek adventure in the 41st century, Warhammer 40,000: Wrath & Glory will immerse your RPG group in the galaxy’s grimdark battles and heretical nightmares. If your tastes run classic, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay puts the entirety of the beloved Old World at your fingertips. And if you want to explore a realm of high fantasy, magitech, and post-apocalyptic horror, Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Soulbound invites you to forge your group’s destiny in a gods-shattered realm.
Pay what you want for over 20 books, supplements, game aids, and more resources for these three thrilling Warhammer RPG systems, and help support Children's Health Ireland with your purchase!

Wednesday, October 18, 2023

News: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Role-Playing Game is Back!

Yep, The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Role-Playing Game is returning from Palladium Books via Kickstarter on October 31st, 2023. I played it a bit back in the day but never owned the rules. I guess that will be corrected shortly ;)

From the press release:

Westland, MI – October 13, 2023 – Palladium Books and Paramount Consumer Products have joined forces to reissue the ever-popular role-playing game Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness.
The beloved, out-of-print Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles role-playing game and its sourcebooks are sought-after collector items that have enthralled generations since its release in 1985 as one of the first licensed TMNT products. They are returning to print as two deluxe hardcover collections of the RPG and sourcebooks. Each is being completely remastered by industry veteran Sean Owen Roberson and presented in full color, and Kevin Eastman, co-creator of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, will also provide a new painted cover.
Bonus material includes an array of new artwork, never before seen behind-the-scenes info and art, plus remembrances and tributes by renowned comic book and RPG creators including Eastman, Peter Laird, Freddie E. Williams II, Steven Cummings, Sophie Campbell, David Petersen, and many more.
“This is incredibly exciting! I am 1000% onboard to help bring this historic and original TMNT Role Playing Game series back in a truly deluxe collector’s edition that will thrill original fans and open the door for new ones,” said Eastman. “I've made all my archives available for expanded behind-the-scenes content as well as a few top-secret surprises you need to be part of. Stay tuned!”
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Kickstarter
The Kickstarter campaign, launching October 31, 2023, will offer a host of mind-blowing Kickstarter exclusives: TMNT miniatures based on the role-playing game, dice sets, variant book covers, art prints by legacy TMNT creatives, a card deck, and more, including special stretch goals to entice role-playing fans and TMNT fans alike. All products ship in 2024. To be among the first to hear about the entire exciting slate of releases, creators, exclusives and stretch goals to be unlocked with your support, be sure to go to the Kickstarter page and subscribe for updates.
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/palladiumbooks/teenage-mutant-ninja-turtles-and-other-strangeness
About Palladium Books®
Palladium Books was established in 1981 by visionary game designer Kevin Siembieda, renowned for his world-building. Together he and Erick Wujcik created one of the best-selling and most beloved RPGs of all time, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness. Other popular Palladium RPG titles over the years include Rifts, Robotech, Heroes Unlimited, Ninjas & Superspies, Palladium Fantasy RPG, Nightbane, and Dead Reign, among many others.
For more information visit the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & Other Strangeness Kickstarter starting October 31 or www.palladiumbooks.com
About Paramount Consumer Products
Paramount Consumer Products oversees all licensing and merchandising for Paramount (Nasdaq: PARA, PARAA), a leading global media and entertainment company that creates premium content and experiences for audiences worldwide. Driven by iconic consumer brands, Paramount Consumer Products’ portfolio includes a diverse slate of brands and content from BET, CBS (including CBS Television Studios and CBS Television Distribution), Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures and SHOWTIME®. With properties spanning animation, live-action, preschool, youth and adult, Paramount Consumer Products is committed to creating the highest quality product for some of the world’s most beloved, iconic franchises. To view our range of consumer products and Paramount branded apparel, visit ParamountShop.com.

Tuesday, October 17, 2023

Kickstarter - The End of Everything: Epic 5e Adventure to Save the World (Frog GodGames)

Crops are failing, the undead rise, an ancient evil stirs in the north, and even magic seems tainted — why is everything failing?

I enjoy campaign books that take characters from 1st to name level or beyond, even if I don't always run them. They offer value for money, and a well-written campaign will entertain for months or longer.

The End of Everything Kickstarter is written by Alex Kammer and Alan Patrick. Alex has been writing some SOLID RPG adventures for years, and his gaming convention, GameHole, is one of the best one can attend. My only complaint is that the only flavor it comes in is 5e.

Is there a group of adventurers that has the grit, bravery, and tenacity to stop The End of Everything?
Sure ... massive, sprawling, and dangerous D&D campaigns are cool, but what about one imbued with the cosmic horror of the Cthulhu mythos?! If you dare, dive into the pages of this enormous new campaign adventure: The End of Everything!
Epic Adventure, Full Campaign
The End of Everything is a brand-new and 100%-finished campaign and setting book that takes characters from 1st through 12th level. As soon as this Kickstarter campaign concludes, backers at the $25 pledge level and above will receive a link to download the full PDF of the book. The book features entirely new material and information regarding the fascinating Haunted Steppes region of The Lost Lands, including revised and more detailed regional maps; several new town and village maps and accompanying setting lore; many new and expanded monsters; the Gnoll, a new playable race; the Geomancer, a new arcane tradition; four new setting-specific character backgrounds; new magic items; new and simple mass combat rules (why would anyone need that? 😊); and, of course, Corruption Value, a new game mechanic described below.
REMEMBER! The entire project is complete and will deliver digitally shortly after the Kickstarter campaign ends.

Monday, October 16, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Kult: Divinity Lost

I have a first printing of Kult somewhere in storage. Can't believe it's over 30 years old at this point. It was a very interesting read at the time.

Currently on Bundle of Holding is Kult: Divinity Lost.

We've resurrected our October 2020 Kult: Divinity Lost Bundle featuring the 2018 Helmgast edition of the acclaimed tabletop roleplaying game of contemporary horror Kult. The world around us is a lie, and humanity is trapped in Illusion. By discovering the truth about our prison, our captors, our hidden past, and our Shadow selves, player characters hope to awaken from their induced sleep and take control of a stolen destiny. Funded in a February 2016 Kickstarter campaign, Kult: Divinity Lost updates the original 1991 Kult with a new rules set Powered by the Apocalypse. But just as before, death in Kult is only the beginning. Escape your nightmares, strike bargains with demons, and try to stay alive in a world full of pain.
(Content warning: Kult has always been, and remains, a game of visceral and psychological horror about madness, sex, brutality, and death.)
For just US$14.95 you get all three titles in this revived offer's Starter Collection (retail value $49) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete Kult: Divinity Lost core rulebook, the GM Screen, and the Reference Deck.

Sunday, October 15, 2023

I Tried to get Some Stuff Done, and was Almost Successful...

Late post today because I had plans, I worked on said plans, and I didn't quite finish....

...and I was going to post about it here as a bit of a brag.

A few months ago I had picked up a Dungeons & Dragons Tower of Doom arcade cabinet and this weekend it was time to do a light refresh (not quite a restoration). The cabinet was in generally good shape, but it has had it's fair share of dings and dents, along with some half-assed repairs (mostly just a quick slap of paint). The veneer had been peeled off on part of the side, so I first had to remove all of the veneer, which was a pain in the ass. That I got done last weekend, along with some structural filler (i.e. "fancy" wood spackle) and a coat of primer.

This weekend involved getting the finish coats on, some wheels, and replacing the locks and internal marquee lighting. The &^$!@ keys were somehow locked inside the damned thing and I was able to pick one lock, but the other....well luckily I had a small through-hole that I could use a 30" screwdriver to reach through the cabinet and unscrew the back of the one lock. I bought that tool wondering if I'd ever get to use it, and this weekend I was damned glad I had!

I got it mostly done and inside, but I still need to clean the front and do a little touch-up on the paint where I wasn't as careful as I could have been bringing it in. When I get it's future home squared away then I'll be comfortable taking picks, bragging about it, but more importantly...play the damned thing.

Of course this wasn't my only project this weekend. I had also picked up a can/bottle vending machine for my game room and I man-handled that beast (It's 568 pounds.....) into the house, got it all cleaned up and plugged in. Works like a champ, but the machine is too loud. Ugh, so then I had to man-handle that beast back out of the house (thankfully that part was easier) so it can no live in the garage. So any future gamers at my house will have to go outside to grab a soda or beer.

Sorry guys, that's just how it has to be....

...at least until I can get my other two machines fixed & serviced. They're bottle only though and one is missing the keys, which seems to be a theme this weekend. I had to go get a special lockpick set for that and watch a bunch of videos on how to use said lockpick.

Clearly I'm one of those guys that collect shit of all types....

Saturday, October 14, 2023

Kickstarter - Familiar RPG Coins

At a gaming session, in your pocket, or on display - keep your favorite Familiar with you at all times with these large Familiar Coins!

I'm a sucker for dice, but even more so, I'm a sucker for fantasy coins. Artwork that can be held, put in your pocket, and looked at at random is simply something very special to me.

The Familiar RPG Coins Kickstarter offers these 1/4 pound coins - they ARE large, for 22 bucks each - 5 coins can be had for 100 plus shipping (and they ship in time for the December Holidays). I'm in for 5 for Rach and myself - thinking cat, owl, pseudodragon, rat, and one other. Fun times!

Goliath Coins are incredibly detailed, large metal coins, with sculpted 3D art. Each coin comes with a display stand.
This series of Goliath Coins features "Familiar RPG Coins" and consists of ten different Familiars!
You can keep your favorite Familiar with you at all times - at a gaming session, in your pocket, or on display!
They can also be used as a game marker, first player token, game prop, inspiration token, deck topper, card guard, or good luck piece.

Friday, October 13, 2023

Kickstarter - How to Make a Fantasy Sandbox (Bat in the Attic)

A book that teaches you how to create a hex crawl-formatted setting for a fantasy sandbox campaign.

Rob Conley writes about "How to make a fantasy sandbox." Need I say more?

What is a Hexcrawl-formatted setting?
A hex grid is placed over a map of the setting with each hex numbered. The hex location of the various locales such as lairs, are noted and arranged into an index. This format provides a convenient way to reference detailed local information within the setting.
You can look at the map, see the hex number the location is in, and then look it up quickly in the book. It works in reverse as well. You can read about a location in the book, which will have its hex location noted in the text. Then look up where it is on the map quickly.
This allows for easy access to dozens if not hundreds of detailed locations scattered across the setting map.
Hexcrawls and Sandbox Campaigns
Sandbox campaigns are distinguished by the fact the players drive the campaign forward by their choices. While there are many types of sandbox campaigns, one common type is where the group arrives at a location on the map and begins exploring the region.
Regardless of the type of sandbox that is being run, the possibility exists that the players will decide that they need to head west instead of east in pursuit of their goals. The ease of looking locations up makes the hexcrawl-formatted setting a useful tool for the referee trying to keep ahead of their players while running a sandbox campaign.
How to Make a Fantasy Sandbox will teach you how to make a hexcrawl-formatted setting and explain what details are important to include to handle the different types of sandbox campaigns.

Rewards
This project is offering three rewards:
How to Make a Fantasy Sandbox (Digest PDF/Book, 150+ pages)
The Isle of Pyade Setting (Digest PDF/Book, 50+ pages)
Blackmarsh Revised Layout (Digest Book, 39 pages)

Thursday, October 12, 2023

GoFundMe - Ernie "The Barbarian" Gygax Needs Aid

Without further commentary:

Dave Conant is organizing this fundraiser.
We have a friend in need...can you help?
Ernie “The Barbarian” Gygax has been in many D&D battles in his life being the eldest son of the co-creator of the D&D game. Now, he is in a fight for his very life – in fact, he has been in-and-out of hospitals and in-and-out of critical condition over the last few months. He even died for several minutes this past week, but was able to be revived. I won't go into many details, but he has a heart defect that results in not enough blood being pumped through his body and, more importantly, not delivered to vital organs...like the kidney. That means, in addition to heart issues, he is also needing dialysis to help the kidney to do it's job. Like any barbarian though, he keeps fighting – winning each individual battle so far, but he's getting wary and frustrated by his body's growing weaknesses.
The initial reason for this fundraising campaign is to help Ernie and Donna with the medical bills that are already mounting AND to help cover some of the hotel expenses for Donna (Ernie's significant other, soulmate, and Health Care POA), while she stays by Ernie's side every day at the hospital helping him through this and making some VERY difficult medical decisions along the way. Going forward with the time he has left, even accounting for the best possible situation, Ernie will need to follow strict guidelines and be severely limited in his activities...but HOPES that he and Donna can once again offer a place at their home in Lake Geneva for gamers to stop by and roll some dice.
Did you know that:
The cost for an Air Ambulance (Life Flight) is between $12,000 - $25,000 (used twice),
Average Ambulance transport in Wisconsin is $1,200 (used twice)
Average for 1 Day in ICU/Critical Care: Numbers vary widely depending on how sick you are, but an average of $8,000-10,000 is typical – more the first few days and a little less beyond that (More than 10 WEEKS in 4 different hospitals.),
Average for 1 Day of regular hospital care for heart issue patients is $4,000 (Used 15-20 days),
Most insurance plans only pay up to 80% of those costs (if they pay them at all)
Today Ernie is fighting for his life...tomorrow they'll both be fighting to dig out from the pile of bills – even with insurance picking up a good portion of that tab. He has used all of those expensive services multiple times during his struggle over the last few months plus many doctor visits for months before that as he began feeling the affects of his body's weakening. Between the various ambulance services, hospitals, numerous doctors, procedures, medications and services provided, they'll be getting bills for many months.
Please lend your aide and contribute what you're able to help a gaming community friend in need.

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

Swords & Wizardry Light - Forum

RPGNow