Flash Giveaway - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor - Print Copy - A Copy to Award and a Second Copy to Gift!

+Jason Paul McCartan and The Tavern are giving away yet ANOTHER PRINT copy of Jason's #1 Bestseller on RPGNow - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor.

But first - we have an earlier copy to gift - and the receiver is:

Goblintown - email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at the gmail thing and I'll give your info to Jason. Print copies will arrive in 3 to 5 weeks

edit - SECOND copy goes to: T.G Moore - same instructions as above ;)

How do you get into the mix for a chance to grab a copy in print? Simply make a comment on this very post. In the next 60 to 90 minutes, the post will close and the gift will be awarded to a random commenter.

Tonight on The Tavern's Discord server, we'll give away a THIRD copy in print.

The PDF is $12.99, but if you use The Tavern's link here you can snag it for $9.99

Flash Giveaway - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor - Print Copy

+Jason Paul McCartan and The Tavern are giving away a PRINT copy of Jason's #1 Bestseller on RPGNow - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor.

How do you get into the mix for a chance to grab a copy in print? Simply make a comment on this very post. In the next 60 to 90 minutes, the post will close and the gift will be awarded to a random commenter.

Later today we'll giveaway a SECOND copy in print. Then tonight on The Tavern's Discord server, we'll give away a THIRD copy in print.

The PDF is $12.99, but if you use The Tavern's link here you can snag it for $9.99

Tavern Chat Tonight 9PM Eastern- and some Flash Giveaways!

Tonight is another Wednesday Night and that means Tavern Chat on the Tavern's Discord server at 9PM Eastern. There is both a text channel (tavern-chat-wed-9pm-eastern) and a voice channel (Open Bar)

Last week at midnight, none other that Bill Webb himself dropped into the voice chat for an hour. Literally, you never know who will be popping in.

The invite link to the Tenkar's Tavern Live Discord server is:  https://discord.gg/Y9GB4d

Now, even if you don't intent to participate in the voice chat, I suggest you log into it just before 10 PM Eastern and stay for a few minutes afterwards. We will be gifting on random logged in participant with a Print Copy of the current #1 bestseller on RPGNow - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor

Additionally, we'll be giving away two additional print copies via two flash giveaway posts here at The Tavern today. The posts will be posted sometime between 3 pm and 8 pm Eastern and will remain open for no longer than 90 minutes (and no shorter than 60 minutes) before pulling a random commenter for a gift of Through Dungeons Deeper in Print.

The PDF of Through Dungeons Deeper is normally 12.99, but The Tavern has a discount code that makes that 9.99

Those are affiliate links above. Purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links help to support The Tavern. 

Good luck to all and hope to see you in Tavern Chat tonight :)

Kickstarter: The Folio: Storyteller's Arcana - 1E & 5E gaming supplement

Ive been a supporter practically since the first release in the series. The production values are high and the gaming value has been very good, whether you play OSR or 5e your covered. The Folio: Storyteller's Arcana is something a bit different. Instead of an adventure and setting material, tis book harken's back to 1e's Unearthed Arcana.

So you are probably asking, what exactly is The Storyteller's Arcana?  Well, when I was 14 I managed to get my hands on a newly printed copy of TSR's Unearthed Arcana and AD&D was forever changed for me.  That book introduced me to so many great wrinkles in the system, and over the past thirty-five years I've tried to translate my own gaming knowledge into a series of notes and rules that I think can resonate with all gamers, be they OSR die-hards or newly minted 5E campaigners.  By compiling and expanding on everything I've addressed during my time around a table, it is my hope that this new 'Arcana' will hold a special place on the shelves of gamers just as those old Orange Spine hardcovers do. 

We do have the table of contents pages to refer to, so you can make a choice if the content is for you:

Currently the book comes in around 128 pages, but that might grow with the funding. As of this morning the funding goal of The Folio: Storyteller's Arcana has been met with 14 days left for funding. Art of the Genre is pretty much always on time if not early in shipping their projects. And yes, that is Larry Elmore art on the cover...

Puerto Rico Direct Relief BUNDLE - Aegis Studios (Excellent Stock Art Included)

This has been one hell of a Hurricane Season. The latest heavy hit was Puerto Rico. Much of Puerto Rico is still without power and may be for weeks or even months.

Aegis Studios is offering the Puerto Rico Direct Relief Bundle. All proceeds made by Aegis Studios from the sale of this bundle.

At the recommendation of artist Denis McCarthy, we have compiled a superbundle of stock art, publisher resources and additional materials, the proceeds from which will go to benefit Puerto Rico through the Direct Relief charity. Link to Puerto Rico Direct Relief Bundle

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE BUNDLE (Aegis Studios gets 70% of what we sell at DriveThruRPG) will go directly to Direct Relief.

The bundle is valued at over $56 and costs $25.

I've already purchased the bundle and have plans for the excellent stock art included. This will be tomorrow's Midweek Monster Madness post and a major player in next month's Tavern Adventure.

Art copyright Denis McCarthy

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. Monies raised from now to the end of the month will help pay The Tavern's art expenses. We've just commissioned Denis McCarthy to do a major scene for next month's adventure ;)

We'll be Using Dyson's Serzen's Seven Stairs map for the October Tavern Adventure

The people have spoken. As has +Dyson Logos : "SOMEONE needs to do something cool with Serzen's Seven Stairs because it is such a "crazy fantasy dungeon" style map." I will attempt to do something cool ;)

A few quick notes:

If you only have the ability to back one RPG related Patreon I implore you to back Dyson's. For as little as 50 cents a map you are supporting a creator that has released dozens of professional drawn maps for free commercial use. That's the resources I'm using here.

Supporting the The Tavern via Patreon or Paypal subscription allows me to put time aside to create weekly monsters and magic items for Swords & Wizardry Light (and other OSR games) and post them for free at The Tavern. Purchases made via The Tavern's RPGNow affiliate links are funding the free adventure for the month of October (we had a goal to raise $300 in affiliate monies and we did) Half the monies raised for the rest of the month are going towards art purchases - commissioned and / or stock art.

Notice the top of the map? That certainly looks like a dragon's head. I wouldn't mind commissioning a pencil / ink drawing of a party of adventurers entering the dragon's mouth. Art budget is probably going to come in between 60 and 75 bucks (currently sitting at 40), which is less than I would like so I may dig into the till. We'll see.

I'm pretty damn excited to be doing this if you couldn't tell. Heh!

In any case, this was all funded by you, Thew Tavern's Readers. Thank you :)

Top Five Bestselling Releases at RPGNow are OSR - Only One Makes Top 10 at DTRPG

Wow. Isn't this a thing of beauty. The five bestselling releases at RPGNow this moment are OSR. All but The Forbidden Caverns of Archaia have hit Copper is their sales numbers.

So, how does that compare to their rankings at DriveThruRPG?

Only AS&SH makes the top ten (at #10) at DTRPG.

The Forbidden Caverns of Archaia sits at #12.

White Star: Galaxy Edition comes it at #16.

Mighty Protectors? You'll find it at #41

And that #1 Best Seller on RPGNow? Through Dungeons Deeper (note - link takes you to the discounted Tavern price of $9.99 instead of the regular $12.99) It doesn't even make the Top 100 Bestselling Titles at DTRPG. Instead, its #89 of the Hottest Small Press.

There's a lesson to be learned from this. If you are an OSR publisher, market to RPGNow. This is where the majority of your customers shop. This is where your new release can rise to the top based on quality, not get lost among the masses.

There's affiliate links above. If you make a purchase through one of the above links a small percentage goes to The Tavern. Half the monies raised from now to the end of the month are going toward art purchases for October projects.

OSR Picks for the RPGNow September Setting Sale - 33% off select PDFs - Part VI - I'll see your Two Temples and a City

RPGNow is running a September Setting Sale with thousands of titles in the mix. That's a lot to sort through. I'm going to try to pick out some of my personal favorites that are OSR or system neutral over a small series of posts (although one or two may creep in from outside those parameters) Part 1 is here.  Part II is here. Part III is here. Part IV is here. Part V is here.

Temple of Elemental Evil - my original print copy of T1 - T4 saw more use in my high school and college days than any book other than the core three. I must have run this a half dozen times - at least. By far, my favorite old school adventure - A sinister force, long thought destroyed, stirs from the black hole that spawned it. Like an ebony darkness it prowls the land and safety is but an illusion, for it watches from every shadow and ponders possibilities. - What began years ago, with the introduction of the players to the quiet village of Hommlet and the amazing lands of Greyhawk, at last is complete. Here is the long-awaited campaign adventure, featuring the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil, where a great evil broods and grows beneath its blasted stones. This is your chance to drive it back and scatter its force again. - This product includes the village of Hommlet, the filthy shire of Nulb, and reveals the ruins of the Temple of Elemental Evil and the labyrinths that lie beneath, a warren of darkness. And beyond these ruins, even more is revealed. - For the first time, this product provides a complete campaign adventure, which will take beginning characters from 1st all the way to 8th level and possibly beyond! Hours of adventuring await you!

The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil (5e & OSR) - "A Fifth Edition Fantasy or OSR adventure for 4-6 players of level 4-6 - The small town of Boldon, and its surrounding villages are afraid. Dozens of people are missing, some speculate lost to some nefarious purpose. A broken drunkard tells fantastic tales of an evil temple and the horrible things within. The rare few who know the legends and history of the region are beginning to think the dark times have returned; not seen since the fall of the first age of man. People are beginning to feel the icy fingers of fear closing in. The party becomes aware of these events and is inspired to investigate. This leads them to a broken man who tells them a story of a lost temple. Has it been rediscovered by men seduced by its forgotten evil? The drunkard’s tale leads to others who might help the party discover more before they face The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil." 6.95  4.66

Against the Giants: The Liberation of Geoff - The classic G1 -G3 series. Didn't much care for the D series that followed, but the G series was a blast - "A ravaged land. . . . Villains that really are larger than life. . . . A time for heroes. . . . A decade ago, the land of Geoff was overrun by a horde of giants, ogres, and evil humanoids, its people either slain, enslaved, or driven into exile. Now at last the tide has turned. Against the Giants features: The full text of three classic adventures by Gary Gygax: G1: Steading of the Hill Giant Chief G2: The Glacial Rift of the Frost Giant Jarl G3: Hall of the Fire Giant King - Details on 18 new encounter sites in the war-torn land of Geoff, linked together to form a grand campaign. - Dozens of hours of gameplay as the heroes struggle to free and entire country from the grasp of giant overlords. - An epic adventure for characters of all levels." 4.99  3.34

Project Oasis - somehow this one escaped me prior. I'll be rectifying that. "A thousand years ago, the world died. Now, out of the ashes of the great nuclear-biological Devastation comes a new world. A world where intelligent apes hunt humans for sport. Where subterranean mutant cyborgs serve great disembodied brains and plot world domination. Where apocalyptic cults try to finish what the bombs started. Where frightful artificial intelligences command armies of robot servants, and entire nations of clones lead peaceful and productive lives, unless you’re not of the right clone-lineage. Where mankind and his newfound fellow intelligent species try to pick up the pieces and rebuild civilization. This is also a world where a force for good, knowledge, and science works to help restore that which was lost, to guide this new world onto a path of justice and learning. That force is called Project Oasis. Project Oasis is a post-apocalyptic role-playing setting for use with Mutant Future™, Apes Victorious™, and other science fantasy RPGs. Contains a complete overview of 30th century North America, including new creatures and equipment for both the Mutant Future™ and Apes Victorious™ games, more than a hundred adventure hooks, plus a giant poster map." 9.95  6.67 

Metamorphosis Alpha: Epsilon City - "On a spaceship 50 miles long with more than a million colonists, Epsilon City was the single largest habitation. It was filled with entertainment centers, apartments, and offices for all the people moving about the ship during the long voyage. The city was designed to be maintained by its own artificial intelligence (A.I.) and a special series of robots able to maintain areas of the city when breakdowns happened. Epsilon City wasn’t even half full when the interstellar radiation cloud destroyed the people of the ship and turned 99% of them into piles of white ash. The city was wiped out. Now, three hundred years later, things are vastly different in the city. The A.I. is insane and has an aggressive personality. The special robots have had to change or be destroyed, and have mutated much like the rest of the life on the ship. Wolfoid packs now inhabit many sections of the city and consider this metropolis their lair. And many more dangers lurk, hidden and waiting to be explored… 2016 marks the 40th anniversary of Metamorphosis Alpha! In honor of this milestone, creator James M. Ward has authorized Goodman Games to publish Metamorphosis Alpha: Epsilon City. This huge expansion for the starship Warden is the biggest expansion for the original 1976 edition ever published! This product contains: The 272-page Epsilon City setting book, three 11”x17” maps, a 20-page cyborg supplement, and a 56-page adventure supplement." 25.00  16.75  

Purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links help to support The Tavern. Additionally, if we generate $300 or more via OBS affiliate referral monies, I've promised to release a short adventure in the month of October for free on The Tavern. Well, we just did! Woot!  I'll look to invest at least half of the extra monies into art or cartography for the adventure. I'd love to pony up for original pieces of art, but that will require significant monies in the pot ;)

Matt Finch interview Jason Paul McCartan about Through Dungeons Deeper (Currently #1 Bestseller on RPGNow)

Last night +Matt Finch interviewed +Jason Paul McCartan about Jason's new release: Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor - currently the #1 Bestseller at RPGNow.

Its a great interview and doesn't take up much of the viewers time (approximately 10 minutes).

Through Dungeons Deeper is $12.99 in PDF. But wait! There is a Tavern specific link that puts Through Dungeons Deeper into your cart at $9.99. Purchases of the PDF will be credited for the PDF price if one wants the print version later.

Yep, that's an affiliate link. Thanks to The Tavern's community, The Tavern has achieved its goal of $300 in affiliate earnings for the month of September. At least half the monies earned over $300 will go towards art expenses for the promised October adventure - stock art and / or commissioned, depending on the funds available. Thank you all.

Kickstarter - Devil's Swamp - A Call of Cthulhu RPG Adventure

Halloween is around the corner which means its time to start thinking Call of Cthulhu. Not that you'd receive the Devil's Swamp in time for next month's scare-fest, but you would be situated well for 2018 ;)

I do love me some CoC. I don't play it near enough to satisfy the itch but thankfully CoC works well with one shots and story arcs.

So, what is the Devil's Swamp?

The Devil's Swamp is a Call of Cthulhu adventure book for the classic 1920's era, licensed by Chaosium. The book contains a series of five or more adventures set in the Hockomock swamp in Massachusetts to be used with 7th edition Call of Cthulhu RPG.

You know me - I love to pick out inaccuracies with Kickstarter projects and I'm calling one out now. Thanks to stretch goals its now SIX adventures with a seventh nearly reached ;)

12 bucks gets you the PDF with all stretch goals. 22 bucks gets you the Devil's Swamp in Print plus PDF along with all stretch goals.

I'm in for 22 myself. Seriously, for what will be about 3 bucks an adventure, in print, you really can'y go wrong.

BTW, this is what I like to see with a KS - explanations and expectations:

While we will not guarantee any minimum page count, the first 5 adventures are almost finished, and the book is currently around 60-70 pages. The more people pledge, the more adventures we will add in and the longer the book will be. If we hit the stretch goal for 6 adventures, it will probably be 70-85 pages. If we hit the stretch goal for 7 adventures It will expand to be 85-100 pages. If we hit the stretch goal for 8 adventures, it will expand to be 100-120 pages. If we get all the way to 9 adventure modules, we could push this well over 130 pages! 

The delivery time for the books includes the anticipation of the extra adventures.

Kickstarter - Battlelords, Science Fiction RPG revised edition

I had lots of fun playing Battlelords of the 23rd Century in the early 90s but then again, my group played nearly anything back then. As I recall, it involved a lot of shooting ;)

Here we are, 25 or some odd years later, and the 7th edition of the Battlelords rules are being Kickstarted. I didn't realize the game was that popular. I kid! They really aren't ;)

Anyhow, 15K goal and about halfway there with 24 days left to fund. Its doable but in no way a sure thing.

So, what are my issues? Not the art, which is fairly nice. No, its the pledge levels.

Yep, $25 for the PDF. Actually $40 (as the $35 level is limited) if you want access to any stretch goals - not that I expect any stretch goals to be hit.

$60 for print, $75 for Print plus PDF and Print with stretch goals and some PDFs from prior editions is $100. Yep, you need to be in for $100 for the unattainable stretch goals.

Ah well, still good to see a game I thought would have long ago withered on the vine getting some support. I just don't think this will lead to any long term success - might fail to reach short term success too.

Weekend Wonders - Ring of the Forgotten Man (Swords & Wizardry Light / OSR)

Ring of the Forgotten Man - This ring is a favorite of pickpockets and other ne-er-do-wells. When worn, the ring allows one to change their facial appearance, once per round, for up to sixty minutes. Note, hair color and style, height, weight, clothing, etc do not change. The Ring of the Forgotten Man just changes facial appearance, but that can change racial features (human to half orc, half orc, orc, etc - any humanoid) as well as add / remove beards, scars, birthmarks, change eye color, shape of nose and the like. There is a 1% cumulative change per use that the last facial change of that usage will become the new normal facial appearance of the user. The ring ceases to function as a magic ring should this happen. There is no save against this effect.

Note - The pictured ring is from the Publisher's Choice Quality Stock Art Collection Copyright Rick Hershey / Fat Goblin Games.

Yep, that's an affiliate link above. Rick offers some high quality stock art. Purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links help support The Tavern

Thanks to The Tavern's supporters at both The Tavern's Patreon and directly through Paypal, we have a monthly backing of over $150. This means 4 to 5 monsters for Swords & Wizardry Light / OSR per month, 4 to 5 Swords & Wizardry Light / OSR magic items per month AND backers at $1.50 a month or higher via Patreon will get a collected PDF of the prior month's releases emailed to them. Paypal backers will need to email me in the middle of October to receive theirs.

Just a reminder - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor released today. If you go to The Tavern post that announces the release, you will find a discounted link to save you 3 bucks off the regular PDF price.

RPGNow Deal of the Day - Dungeon Grappling (D&D Grappling that "Doesn't Suck")

My introduction to grappling in RPGs came with my first ever RPG - AD&D 1e. Remember those arcane tables that didn't follow anything else that seemed like D&D and made little sense, at least to me?

Well, Dungeon Grappling is the opposite of that. As +Douglas Cole , the author, has been known to say - these are grappling rules that "Don't Suck" and he's right. Normally priced at $7.50 in PDF, until tomorrow morning at 11 AM Eastern Dungeon Grappling is on sale for $2.85.

From the first story ever told, to tales on the silver screen. They all have at least one thing in common: Grappling. 

Grappling is thrilling, dangerous, and drives thousands of years of epic storytelling.
Dungeon Grappling brings those thrills to the oldest fantasy RPG with rules and examples for Swords and Wizardry (and other OSR-style games), the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and 5e. 

Dungeon Grappling provides: 

• Simple, unified mechanics, using the same concepts as weapon strikes
• Variable outcomes – grapples can be good or bad
• Dynamic, tense stories
• Weapons, talons, magic . . . they’re all in here.
• Grappling just got scary again! 

What’s in the Book 

First and foremost, this book contains rules based on Open Gaming License content from several editions of the industry’s most popular RPG – explicit examples for Swords and Wizardry, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and Fifth Edition. 

Let’s look inside: 

• Introduction: How can grappling be as epic at the tabletop as it has been in stories throughout history?
• Core Concepts: Dungeon Grappling shows that the same basic concepts that you use to smite a foe with your sword are perfectly appropriate when grappling. The attack roll, target number, and effect roll are all unified in the context of grapples to minimize special cases. 
• Grappling Effects: Dungeon Grappling presents a variable effect roll - using both "control points" as well as conditions to make grappling exciting and unpredictable.
• Grappling Techniques: This section gives you options, from simply rendering them immobile, to tossing or dragging, to takedowns, throws, choke holds, grappling with weapons, using magical spells to grapple in a way that makes all of them follow the same basic principles.
• Monstrous Grappling: Let’s face it. Grappling is for monsters. A dozen examples are provided to highlight how to calculate the attack bonus, grappling target number (the equivalent of armor class for grappling), and the grappling damage roll, as well as brief discussions of how such monsters fight.
• Combat Examples: An example vignette and grappling-oriented combat is provided for each of Swords and Wizardry, the Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, and 5e.
• Quick Reference Sheets: All of the key calculations, tables, and concepts are summarized in three pages in the back of the book for easy lookups and rules checks.
• Art and Layout: Laid out and illustrated in full color by a great team of professionals, the interior is as beautiful as the rules are elegant.
• Navigation and Layering: The PDF is hyperlinked in the Table of Contents and Index, and Bookmarks are provided. The document is also layered, allowing the background, art, or text to be turned on and off for ease of printing or readability.

Just a reminder - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor released today. If you go to The Tavern post that announces the release, you will find a discounted link to save you 3 bucks off the regular PDF price.

All purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links put coins in The Tavern's coffers. Thanks to The Tavern's readers, I already owe you an adventure in October. Further monies raised in September will allow for future art purchases. Thank you :)

New Release - Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor (With Tavern Discount Code)

Sometimes membership DOES have its privileges. For a limited time only (a couple of weeks) readers of The Tavern can grab a PDF copy of Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor for the discounted price of $9.99 (normally $12.99 in PDF, so that's a $3 discount just for reading The Tavern).

Now, I woke up to my reviewer's copy code sitting in my inbox and I downloaded a copy right away. I'm nearly halfway through it. It might be 150 pages but its such a pleasurable read it sure doesn't feel like it is. So, what is it? Its a DM's resource and a player's resource and the source of a whole lotta chuckling on my end. Seriously, its a fun read and its meant to be that way.

Have you ever wanted a primer on dungeon delving and dungeoneering? Ever wanted to know the stuff that real experts know about how to survive and thrive while looting dungeons of everything they have that's valuable and isn't nailed down?
THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU! 

Written by master dungeoneer halfling Maximillian Sparfoot, veteran of a thousand dungeon delves (according to his own bio). Follow along with Max as he: 

• Explains the 10 Dungeon Axioms! 
• Introduces you to his 78 Rules of Dungeoneering, including preparation, your role in the party, how to fight wisely, and how to make a last will and testament, among other Very Important Rules If You Don't Want To Die! Tactics! Strategy! Other stuff! 
• Gives you important information about magic items, curses, owlbears, traps, mimics and gelatinous cubes! 
• Tells you the important things you need to know about the races and professions that you'll be dungeoneering with! 
• Includes a sample simple will from Stonehand & Associates, lawyers to dungeoneers!  

So, what are you waiting for? Buy Max's super guide to dungeoneering today for yourself or a loved one who is considering delving in the darkest dungeons. You don't want them being unprepared, do you? DO YOU? 

Digital+ files (ebook and raw text) will be added to this download soon. Those who purchase the digital version will receive a discount code for the POD version once it is available. 

An update following soon will enable internal hyperlinks as well as additional artwork, and a version of the PDF with layers.

edit: As per Jason -  "anyone who buys now will get a discount of the PDF price against the POD version."

As stated above, the normal price for Through Dungeons Deeper: A Survival Guide For Dungeoneers As Written By A Survivor is $12.99 i PDF. Using the discount link unique to The Tavern, you can snag your PDF copy for $9.99.

Note:  +Jason Paul McCartan is a friend of mine. He's funny and he writes good shit. A Survival Guide for Dungeoneers is funny AND good shit ;)

Remember, purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links put 5% into The Tavern's coffers. I already owe y'all a dungeon next month due to your support. Thank you!

"Kindle" For 5e Coming Soon - But Pricing will Mirror Print

We all knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Project Morningstar - the failed project to digitally offer the D&D 5e rules - was a hint at how far WotC was looking to go to lock down the current rules in digital. Sure, the overlords gave WotC permission to sell earlier editions of the rules in PDF - heck, those files were already in the land of pirates - but 5e was print only - unless you counted the free Basic Rules.

So, what's the solution? A "Kindle" like app that's just for D&D's latest edition. You can nickel and dime parts of the rules or buy whole rulebooks for pretty much print pricing although it looks like "the basic rules" may be free.

From Mashable (full article)

It's worth noting that some of this stuff is completely free. Even if you don't own the Player's Handbook, you can still look at the sections that teach you about character creation, basic classes, gear, ability scores, combat, spellcasting, and all the other sort of ground-level features that everyone needs to understand in order to play. 

Similarly, the app lets you purchase any paywalled parts of each book piecemeal. If, for example, you'll only ever care about rolling a bard, you can just buy that. Prices for individual sections are $3 or $5 (depending on what you buy) and the three full rulebooks — Player's Handbook, Monster Manual, and Dungeon Master's Guide — are $30 apiece for everything.

Of course they have to use the oft maligned bard as an example. I mean, I like bards and all, but 3 bucks to play the bard class seems kinds steep...

OSR Picks for the RPGNow September Setting Sale - 33% off select PDFs - Part V (Stoneheart Liberation of Perilous Pantries)

RPGNow is running a September Setting Sale with thousands of titles in the mix. That's a lot to sort through. I'm going to try to pick out some of my personal favorites that are OSR or system neutral over a small series of posts (although one or two may creep in from outside those parameters) Part 1 is here.  Part II is here. Part III is here. Part IV is here.

The Lost Lands: Stoneheart Valley Swords and Wizardry Edition - Very tempted to bring this into play in my FLGS SWL campaign - hard to beat as a starting series of adventures - "Finally, welcome to the World of Necromancer Games! From Bill Webb and Clark Peterson's home campaign comes the old-school setting of The Lost Lands: Stoneheart Valley. For over a decade, fans of Necromancer Games and Frog God Games have been asking to see the world behind the adventures. And at long last, here is where it all began, in the Stoneheart Valley near the town of Fairhill. This mini-campaign was originally presented to the fans of Necromancer Games in three separate modules: "The Wizard's Amulet", "The Crucible of Freya", and "The Tomb of Abysthor". Weighing in at 144 pages for the Swords & Wizardry Complete rules this product is the first offering in The Lost Lands setting, coming from Frog God Games. Expanded, enhanced, and providing hours and hours of adventure, this book is intended for characters of levels 1-8 (and beyond), including dungeon, wilderness and city encounters."  12.99  8.70

Starter Adventures - perfect adventures to start out new players with, made for one player and one GM - "Starter Adventures is where you learn to fight, steal, cast spells and heal.  You'll have to use your wits to figure out puzzles.  Use a sword to murderize goblins.  And crumble the undead beneath the power of your god. It's time to grab a weapon, memorize a spell and strap on some armor.  This is going to be fun. Starter Adventures is targeted toward introducing a new player into RPGs.  Inside are four short adventures for each of the four main classes, a tavern to hangout in, and a full-fledged adventure when they've got enough blood encrusted on their blades."  7.99  5.35

Nebin Pendlebrook's Perilous Pantry (DCC) - "The tiny village of Bitterweed Barrow is unaccustomed to mysterious tunnels, missing halflings, or the need for brave adventurers, but now it has all three! Can a band of gong-farmers and shoe-cobblers muster the courage to descend into the darkness and confront the terror that waits beyond Nebin Pendlebrook’s unexpectedly perilous pantry? Designed to be completed in a single furious session, this Instant Action 0-Level Dungeon Crawl Classics adventure drops your players into peril straight away. Dangerous foes, wicked traps, and ancient secrets await! Features: 42 pages of classic 6'x9' digest-format old-school b/w dungeon fun! Designed to be completed in a single 4 hour session, perfect for convention or demo play, but with enough hooks to become a centerpiece for your beginning campaign. 37 page appendix contains paper miniatures of every combatant, initiative cards, battlemaps of the entire dungeon, and printable pics of every image in the adventure. "  4.49  3.01

Crawling Under A Broken Moon fanzine issue #1 (DCC) - The whole series is on sale - "Welcome to the first issue of Crawling Under A Broken Moon, a fanzine dedicated to bringing gonzo post apocalyptic content for the Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG from Goodman Games. In this issue you will discover the following articles: Welcome to Umerica, Crawling in a Gonzo Post-Apocalyptic Fantasy World, The Technologist, A class dedicated to the accumulation of scientific knowledge and power, Weapons of the Wastelands, Guns, Guns, and more Guns, Twisted Menagerie, The Sharkhana, Debris Elemental, and Sentrybot, An Interesting Place to Die and Blooms Fashions: a store with clothes to die for.  1.99  1.33



Liberation of the Demon Slayer - an extremely solid adventure and a bargain at the price - The stars are falling - which can only mean one thing. Your town is about to be invaded by demons! Unfortunately, the famed demon-slaying sword Kalthalax lies in the caves below, and all manner of dark and deadly fiends reside in those eldritch-haunted Nether Realms. Liberation of the Demon Slayer is an old school, multi-level dungeon complimented by optional rules and campaign guide, usable with practically every paper and pencil, tabletop fantasy roleplaying game!
5.00  3.35


Purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links help to support The Tavern. Additionally, if we generate $300 or more via OBS affiliate referral monies, I've promised to release a short adventure in the month of October for free on The Tavern. Well, we just did! Woot! If we surpass $300, I'll look to invest at least half of the extra monies into art or cartography for the adventure. I'd love to pony up for original pieces of art, but that will require significant monies in the pot ;)

Looking for Stock Art Suggestions

We are about a buck from The Tavern's September funding goal via its RPGNow Affiliate links with 8 days left in the month and I'd like to invest at least half of whatever earnings come in after this point to the end of the month on some quality stock art.

Yes, I have purchased a fairly large collection prior to this point, but the more I have access to the more inspiration waiting for me. I am looking at 4 to 5 magic items, 4 to 5 creatures, one dungeon / adventure and possibly one fleshed out NPC with adventure hooks and the like for October alone.

So, if you have favorite artists or art packs, please drop links in the comments below. You won't just be helping me - you'll be helping other self publishers and the artists themselves.

I lean to preferring B&W over color but don't let that stop you from recommending artists or art that primarily work in color.

Which Dyson Map Do I Use for the October Adventure Funded by the Tavern's Readers?

I offered to write a Swords & Wizardry Light adventure and post it for free here at The Tavern (and possibly laid out and PWYW on RPGNow)if the monies raised during September via The Tavern's RPGNow affiliate links exceeded $300. Thanks to the community we are currently less than 9 bucks from that goal with 8 days left in the month. So, I'd like to get a head start ;)

I'll be posting four +Dyson Logos maps below. I'd like you, the reader, to pick a map and tell me why you'd like that one written up for October's adventure. Your input will help decide the direction of the adventure.

Comment below!

Pirate's Cave

Serzen's Seven Stairs

Crypt of the Scarlet Wolf 

Hall of the Ancient Ones

Why I Say "Yes" Far More Often Than "No" as a DM at the Gaming Table

Last night at our FLGS (where I recently started running a Swords & Wizardry Light Campaign) we had an interested spectator who wanted to be a player.

"Can I convert my 5e Halfling Cleric to Swords & Wizardry?"

Sure!

It was then pointed out to me that BtB, there are no Halfling Cleric PCs in SWL. I know, I wrote the rules. There also aren't Dwarven Clerics and the party already had one of those.

Give me a backstory that explains how and why you want to "break the rules as written" and its quite likely I'll go along with it. At the very least, I'll explain my rational for saying no if that's the case.

Gaming is as much about empowering the players as it about the actually game rules. Actually, empowering the players is probably the key to everyone having fun. I don't mean empowering by making their PCs more powerful but by allowing them to invest themselves into the campaign, because without player buy in you really don't have much of a campaign. So, most likely Yes to that class / race combo that isn't allowed by the book, but you better make an effort to sell me on it.

You want to try what? A running power leap into the door with strange metal swirly things and you're a halfling with 8 strength? Sure, roll a d20 and roll under strength. You have a penalty of 4 due to your size. 20? Great - you do that Wylie Coyote deal - you hit the door with a thump and hang there for a second before sliding to the floor.

Yes can lead to fun situations. No just leads to disappointment.

Zweihander Grim & Perilous RPG POD On Sale for $44.99 (Normally $59.99) - WFRP 1e Clone

Yep, for a limited time you can get the Zweihander POD for $44.99 using this link. NOTE! CLICKING THIS LINK WILL PUT THE DISCOUNTED BOOK IN YOU DIGITAL CART. USE THIS LINK IF YOU JUST WANT TO EXAMINE THE PAGE. Without the discount link it is currently on sale for $49.99, normally $59.99. PDF is priced for $13 if that is more your thing.

Now, I have the Kickstarter version of Zweihander in print and it is HUGE and pretty. If you enjoyed WFRP and would like to have an in print version this is certainly an affordable way to go for a high quality book. There are some places the rules take a different direction but that is true with most clones.

The book comes with a full color cover, with black & white interior. We used the Hardcover Color Book (Standard Heavyweight) option to make the B&W images richer. In addition, the heavier paper weight makes this book retail quality! 

ZWEIHÄNDER Grim & Perilous RPG is an OSR Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay loveletter/retroclone/heartbreaker released under Creative Commons License Share-Alike. It is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game, one where adventurers will: 

• Live in a gritty, ‘realistic’ fantasy world
• Make morally grey decisions & enact vicious reprisals
• Uncover insidious plots & political intrigue
• Desperately fight in clandestine & open field combat
• Defend themselves from injuries, madness & mutations
• Take part in heart-pumping chase scenes
• Venture into the wilderness & survive its perils
• Encounter sanity-blasting creatures & their minions

Using the classical D100 system, you will create grim characters, write perilous adventures and build low fantasy & dark fantasy campaigns. These rules are perfectly suitable to run Renaissance and medieval-styled adventures, too. You can also use this book to craft homebrew stories set in the works of Andrzej Sapkowski, George R.R. Martin, Glen Cook, Scott Lynch and other ‘grimdark’-inspired worlds. 

This 692 page, all-in-one game includes most of what you need to play: a character creation guide, game mastery rules and a bestiary brimming with creatures both fair & foul. All that’s left to gather are a few friends, pencils and a handful of dice.

Remember, all purchases made via The Tavern's affiliate links return 5% to the Tavern's coffers. You humble bartender thanks you in advance ;)