Tavern Closed for Pneumonia

State of The Tavern Keeper - In ER with Pneumonia

Title pretty much says it all.

Left lung. Awaiting results of X-rays and bloodwork.

I’ll post an update when I’m released.

I’ll never mock Con Crud again ;)

News - Free League Signs Deal to Publish RPGs in Tolkien's Middle-Earth

From the Free League website

Free League Publishing today announced a partnership with Sophisticated Games to publish tabletop roleplaying games set in Middle-earth and based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien. Francesco Nepitello, author of the game series alongside Marco Maggi, will continue as its lead designer.

"We are thrilled to be working with Sophisticated Games and Francesco Nepitello to bring to life a new edition of The One Ring and its 5E iteration. We grew up with J.R.R. Tolkien's iconic works and we're huge fans of the original version of the game. We have a very similar approach to game design as Francesco and we're convinced that we can create something truly special together," Free League’s CEO Tomas Härenstam says.

“Free League shares all our values. Values which are vital in interpreting the most extraordinary fantasy world ever created, one that is of enduring interest throughout the world in every language. Working with Free League’s highly talented team we look forward to continuing the work we began a decade ago, with the publication of The One Ring," says Sophisticated Games' MD Robert Hyde.

The agreement will go into effect from June 1, 2020. Products and release dates will be announced at a later time.

For questions and interview requests, please email to pr@frialigan.se

News - Gary Con & Grand Geneva Actions to Mitigate Risk at GC XII

Taken directly from the Gary Con website as of March 7, 2020.

There is a lot of attention on infectious diseases this cold and flu season, including COVID-19 (aka Coronavirus), and we have addressed several attendees' questions about it.  We wanted to let everyone know publicly how we are working with the Grand Geneva staff to take actions to mitigate the risk of contracting an infectious disease while at the Grand Geneva Resort to celebrate Gary Con. 

We are currently acting based on information from the CDC as found here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/summary.html 

The CDC makes the following recommendations that are good guidelines for everyone, including attendees, staff, and volunteers at Gary Con.

• It’s currently flu and respiratory disease season and the CDC recommends getting a flu vaccine, taking everyday preventive actions to help stop the spread of germs, and taking flu antivirals if prescribed. Please read these carefully and follow them.  These are relatively simple and believed to be the best defense against infectious diseases.  Good hygiene and proper hand washing are a must. 
• Individuals and communities should familiarize themselves with recommendations to protect themselves and their communities from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses like coronavirus disease 2019.
• Older people and people with severe chronic conditions should take special precautions because they are at higher risk of developing serious COVID-19 illness.
• If you are a close contact of someone with COVID-19 and develop symptoms of COVID-19, call your healthcare provider and tell them about your symptoms and your exposure.

In addition to those guidelines, Gary Con asks:

• If you are exhibiting flu-like symptoms, and especially the two main, known symptoms of COVID-19, a high fever, and a dry cough, that you stay home. It is important that you not expose others to the risk of getting sick because you decided to disregard their health and safety.
• If you live in a community where Coronavirus cases have been documented and you may have been exposed to it, we would ask you to weigh your attendance vs. possibly exposing other attendees. Be aware that people infected with the Coronavirus can be contagious with no external symptoms for an extended period of time. 
• If you suffer from chronic conditions, possess a compromised immune system, are recovering from a major illness or hospitalization or have respiratory issues we urge you to consult with your medical provider before deciding to attend Gary Con. If you are in a higher risk category please strongly consider staying home this year.  

While attending Gary Con XII we encourage attendees to minimize physical contact with other attendees. (Shaking hands, hugs, etc.) A simple wave is a good way to greet fellow Seekers!

Please be prepared! Attendees should bring appropriate amounts of hand sanitizer, germ-killing wipes and similar materials for their unique and individual needs. Gary Con has purchased hand sanitizer for the staff and volunteers, as well as several hundred travel size bottles for Guests and GMs.  There is a high demand for hand sanitizer at retail outlets and many are sold out.  So once again it is wise to bring a sufficient personal supply to last you all four days. The steps being taken by Gary Con in partnership with the Grand Geneva are outlined below.

Attendees exhibiting flu-like symptoms may be asked to leave Gary Con if they are not taking reasonable steps to protect others such as wearing a mask to contain their cough. 

When the Coronavirus outbreak first became news, we began working on an action plan with the Grand Geneva to come up with a plan. Below is a statement from The Grand Geneva to Gary Con.

Due to the recent issues surrounding the Coronavirus, as a precaution, we have introduced enhanced prevention measures and cleaning protocols to ensure the highest safety standards. Our actions are consistent with guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), best practices within the hospitality industry and our Corporate risk management team.

The CDC continues to emphasize that, at this time, the Coronavirus poses a low risk of exposure to most people in the U.S. The well-being of our guests and associates is a top priority. While we don’t foresee any issues with Gary Con, we are monitoring the situation very closely and are prepared to take additional steps as new information and best practices emerge.

Steps we have taken to date:
• Educated our managers and associates per guidelines and information provided by the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC) which included:
 What You Need to Know About Coronavirus
 What to Do if You Are Sick with Coronavirus
 Stop The Spread of Germs
 Symptoms of Coronavirus

Contained within this information are reminders for associates on proper hand hygiene,
what the symptoms look like, to stay home if sick and the importance of properly
cleaning high-touch surfaces.

To support the communication of the above information, posters have been placed in all
associate areas.
• Enhanced hotel cleaning guidelines specific to Coronavirus have been created by our
partners at Ecolab which is being used to retrain staff. This includes increasing frequency
with which public areas are cleaned.
• Associates are being retrained on the proper use of personal protective equipment to
include gloves, goggles, and masks.
• Antibacterial soap has been provided in all public area bathrooms and associate locker
rooms and hand sanitizer stations have been placed in public areas.

We hope that the above measures address any concerns regarding the proper handling of the Coronavirus.

Gary Con is about family, friends and fellow game aficionados coming together to celebrate the life and works of Gary Gygax. By taking these reasonable steps we feel confident that Gary Con XII will be a great experience for everyone! We look forward to welcoming you to Gary Con in Lake Geneva in just a few days from now.

State of the Tavern Keeper - Upper Respiratory Infection Day 15

I never thought I'd be typing this 2 weeks after getting my URI diagnosis while enjoying Total Con, but here we are on the 15th day of Con Crud. Ughhh! I'm finally averaging over 4 hours of sleep each night this week - last week was consistently under 3 hours a night. No more snap, crackle pop coming from my lungs, but the wheeze still sneaks in after a couple hours of sleep.

Just as an FYI, I've been a miserable fuck with little energy to do anything other than sit and bing watch on-demand shows. It takes all I have to put together a short podcast and a quick post every day, although I do seem to be getting some energy back over the past few days.

To put thigs into perspective, the last time I left my house was the Monday after the con to see my own doc, who just confirmed what the Urgent Care doc said 2 days prior. If nearly 2 weeks effectively self quarantining sounds like fun, it isnt. That being said, I run short on breath when walking even short distances, so staying home simply makes sense.

This means re-punting Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day, yet again. I'm going to aim for the weekend of March 28th, 2020, as I strongly suspect next week will continue the slow but steady improvement in my health and energy levels but I literally do not know when I'll be back to 100%. Le sigh...

I've got a number of pending Fireside Chats to schedule for the Tavern Chat Podcast. I don't want to schedule anything until my breathing improves a tad more. Another le sigh...

For those waiting on me to accomplish things, and there are more than a few, I apologize. Apparently, I don't multitask well with being sick.

Tenkar

Kickstarter - Monsters! Monsters rpg & "Toughest Dungeon in the World" solo

For those that somehow don't already know this, I'm a huge Tunnels & Trolls fan. I own original copies of the Tunnels & Trolls 2nd print (Ken's play copy), 4th print, multiple versions of 5e and 5.5e. the tin and cardboard boxes from Fiery Dragon and of course T&T Deluxe. I own first prints of most of the original T&T adventures. Yes, I really enjoy me some T&T.

So it is safe to say I am am excited to see the Monsters! Monsters rpg & "Toughest Dungeon in the World" solo Kickstarter go live and at VERY reasonable backer levels. Both books in PDF for 8 bucks or both books in Print -and shipping free in the US with PDFs for 29 bucks. 37 bucks if you want both books signed by Ken St Andre and Steve Crompton (there are levels between for one book or the other, but trust me, you'll want both). Tell me I don't want the signed leather copy. Sigh. Rach will kill me ;)

In 1976 Ken St Andre, the creator of the 2nd oldest role-playing game, Tunnels & Trolls created a companion game to T&T, called Monsters Monsters! It was first published by Metagaming Concepts and then again by Flying Buffalo in 1979. The game remained unchanged from then until now...   

It's 2020 - Ken St. Andre has worked since the 1970's to make games that are better for the players; for example, the Origins  award-winning Stormbringer for Chaosuim, and Computer Hall of Fame Wasteland for Electronic Arts/Interplay. (It was the first post-apocalyptic rpg.) Plus Deluxe Tunnels & Trolls for Flying Buffalo. Now he  has updated and created a new edition of Monsters! Monsters! that retains much of its original appeal and structure, but with all new art and new options like stunting and monster chaos factor. 

The new M! M! rules also lists 38 monster kindreds you can play, gives you their dice modifiers and now each monster has a special power unique to its kindred. Each monster is described in a separate section. Its also better organized and easier to use. (For example - now the monsters are separated into humanoid and non-humanoid types)  There are two character sheets you can use along with specialized charts that allow you to roll up  various types of Monsters based on many common frpg environments.  And before this Kickstarter is over, we may have some other exciting surprises to add to the book if we reach some of our stretch goals...

In 1980 Judges Guild published "The Toughest Dungeon in the World" a solitaire adventure that was meant to be played with Monsters! Monsters! or Tunnels & Trolls. Since then several new editions of T&T have come out and Ken St Andre was inducted into the Origins Hall of Fame. Ken is one of the last standing creators of the first generation of role-playing game designers and is still working on the classic games he created.  Now, 40 years later, Ken has updated and enhanced this classic adventure and the Monsters Monsters Rules. Artists Phil Longmeier and Steve Crompton have enhanced it with new illustrations and graphics more suitable for a monster-mash solo adventure. This new edition is at least 44 pages long and will keep any player busy for a lot of adventure in caverns and tunnels deep below Trollworld. The Lord of Shadows dwells in the depths - can you avoid his power or will you be corrupted by it?  One other thing we should add is that you can play this solo with the Tunnels &Trolls rules or the Monsters! Monsters! rules, so you don't have to learn a whole new rpg to play.  

Project status: Just to let you all know - these books are DONE.  The rules are written, the art is finished and the layout is complete.  We will be able to send this to the printers a few weeks after this Kickstarter is funded.  All we need to know is how many of each book to print. We also want to add the backers' who paid to have their names listed in the book our Monster Benefactor thank you section.  This Kickstarter is open to shipping anywhere in the USA.  (We will soon have an update that details how overseas fans will be able to order as well.) 

Kickstarter - Tiny Cthulhu

Cosmic Horror meets the minimalist TinyD6 RPG system in Tiny Cthulhu!

I really enjoy the TinyD6 system. Heck, it's one of the few "modern" systems that I pretty much grocked with little difficulty. Then there is Cthulhu. A very popular setting, I do believe Evil Hat has done a Kickstarter for a FATE driven Cthulhu RPG. Screw FATE - that system really makes no sense to me ;)

Gallant Knight Games is bringing us a TinyD6 Cthulhu RPG via Kickstarter. I'm over it like game designers on public domain horror resources ;)

I guess I'm adding to my TinyD6 collection...

15 bucks for the PDF. 40 bucks for SC Print plus PDF. 60 bucks for SC Print, PDF, Tiny Cthulhu d6 and a GM Screen. Need I say at what level I'm backing?

Using the rules in this book, you'll be able to play investigators, doomed heroes, and classic cosmic horror characters of all types, from scientists and librarians, to WWI veterans, to mysterious guardians defending the world from the dark powers of cthonic entities!

Character creation is simple, fast, and exciting. You pick your character archetype based on the exciting stories your Game Master is going to tell, you pick a few Traits that each grant a single benefit, and you're done! 

Tiny Cthulhu features a myrid of settings set throughout the world and history, ranging from prehistory to the Bronze Age,  Age of Sail, World War 1, modern day, as well as fantasy, superheroes and the science fiction future! 

You can survive cosmic horror in any time or place! (Lucky you!) 

Additionally, each setting will have appendices that details how you can integrate other TinyD6 books like Tiny Dungeon 2e, Tiny Supers, and Tiny Frontiers: Revised with Tiny Cthulhu to create robust and unique experiences

Kickstarter - Midderlands 5e

If you are a regular reader of The Tavern, you've seen me talk about the Midderlands before. It's Glynn Seal's "weird fantasy" setting and was written with the OSR in mind. This time around the Midderlands are getting the 5e treatment, and I couldn't be happier.

Fifth Edition needs a setting that breaks the mold and yet feels familiar, and the Midderlands 5e Kickstarter will do just that. There's a whole world of future Midderlands fans that will be introduced to Glynn's work through this Kickstarter and I couldn't be happier.

This Kickstarter is being run by Frog Gd Games under its Necromancer Games subsidiary label.

20 bucks for the PDF, for bucks (plus shipping) for the Print plus PDF.

The Midderlands 5e
Necromancer Games is proud to team up with Glynn Seal to bring the ENnie Award winning Swords & Wizardry weird fantasy setting, the Midderlands, to Fifth Edition. This strange and wondrous setting is edgy and twisted and will make a perfect addition for those looking for something new and challenging for their home campaigns. The Fifth Edition version comes with a ton of new art, a fresh layout, and updated maps.  It still has all the green style of the original! 

Words from the Author 

The Midderlands exists because of a series of fortunate thoughts. 

It was mid-late 2016 and often I would go around to my partner’s house on the evenings and whilst she sat on the sofa watching the television, I doodled the heads of strange creatures in side profile. 

I had no plan for these doodles, but I had a sketchbook and I wanted to fill quite a lot of it. As I doodled, I imagined that these creatures might live in the surrounding lands where I lived. That gave them much more life. I then thought I cou 

ld create a book of creatures with a little about where they live and what they do.
Then I figured that rather than living in the land where I do now, why not an alternate version of where I live. It would be a bit weirder, darker, gloomier. I wanted something that made the land the way it did. That’s when Gloomium became a thing. 

The locations would be inspired by the real world, but twisted and green-tinged, so I needed a map. I made an alternative version and that’s when I decided this was a game setting. 

------- 

The creation of the initial setting book for old school games – the 5E version of which is being crowdfunded here – spawned another book which covered the rest of the United Kingdom, and then a further book which focused on the setting’s version of London, Great Lunden. 

I have been amazed with its success and wanted to bring a version of the original to the 5E audience, so they too could enjoy wandering its twisted locales and encounter its unusual creatures. I just wasn’t sure how to achieve it. 

Luckily, the kindly amphibians at Necromancer Games came to the rescue and we are now in a great position to bring a new version of the setting to you. My hands will be heavily involved in new and updated artwork and maps and a new layout. 

This is going to be exciting and you won’t want to miss out.
—Glynn 

Kickstarter - Ascendant (Superhero RPG)

A new superpowered role-playing game of infinite possibilities.

I've always had mixed feelings about superhero RPGs. Usually, they were too many dice (Champions) or had random powers (V&V). TSR's Marvel Superheros probably hit the sweet spot, and as much as I thought I wouldn't like the color-coded charts, they grew on me and became second nature.

Yesterday, Autarch launched a superhero RPG Kickstarter - Ascendant - and it has its own color-coded chart. Heck, they forwarded me a PDF of the rules - when I'm healthy I'll delve into them - but at first glance, they look solid.

20 bucks for the PDF, 40 for POD w/ PDF, 60 for the limited HC w/PDF.

Deal of the Day - Magical Industrial Revolution (OSR)

There has simply been a huge OSR presence in the recent Deal of the Day promotions over at DTRPG. Today is no different. Well, Magical Industrial Revolution is OSR but it IS different ;)

Normally 15 bucks in PDF, until tomorrow morning Magical Industrial Revolution is 9 bucks.

This book is about Atlantis before the tide turned. It’s about Hyperborea before it vanished between dimensions. It’s about Nu Yark Citee before the Mushroom Bombs hit. 

It’s a setting guide to the greatest and most ambitious city in the world: Endon. It’s about a world slowly tipping onto its side, and all the interesting things that begin to slide at the start of a revolution. It’s about people with grand dreams pushing the boundaries of the possible, and the strange machines and devices they create along the way. 

But mostly, it’s about magic. 

Magical Industrial Revolution: A Pre-Apocalyptic Setting Guide contains a wealth of information to supplement Role Playing Games, including: 

• Maps, People, Buildings, Dungeons, Factions, and Villains of Endon
• Eight Pre-Apocalyptic Innovations
• Hundreds of Magic Items and Spells
• Rules for Magical Industry
• Useful Tools for Urban Campaigns
• Horrible Monsters and Nightmarish Creatures
• And much, much more. 

By Skerples, the author of the CoinsandScrolls blog, Tomb of the Serpent Kings, Kidnap the Archpriest, Epochrypha, and Magical Murder Mansion. Art by Jonathan Newell, Logan Stahl, & Luka Rejec. Editing, layout, and incalculably valuable assistance by David Shugars. Additional editing by Fiona Geist. 

Three very useful pamphlets featuring magical industrial tips, hanging ballads, and local attractions are provided along with the 156 page book. The PDF is fully optimized and bookmarked.

That is an affiliate link above. Keep your bartender in fresh beer by using The Tavern's affiliate links.

Kickstarter - Face Folio (100 Fantasy Portraits for Tabletop Role-playing Games)

When it comes to RPG material that really catches my attention, inspirational releases grab my attention more often than anything else. I prefer stuff that enhances my campaign - so something like the Face Folio Kickstarter is perfect for my needs.

So, what do you get with Face Folio?

Face Folio is a simple project with a simple goal: to provide 100 fantasy portraits for use in your tabletop role-playing games. Referees are always on the lookout for NPC faces to show their players and players are always looking for portraits for their character sheets. This project aims to meet that need. 

The portraits will be organized into the following sets: 

• Human NPCs/PCs
• Dragon-blood
• Dwarf
• Elf 
• Gnome
• Halfling 
• Orc-blood
• Demon-blood 
• Human nobles
• Human peasants and towns folk 

Each set will contain ten portraits, half male and half female. With the exception of the human nobles and peasants, the portraits will be a spread of adventuring classes. 

The Zine will have a simple elegant layout with 10 portraits per two-page spread, and organized in the above groups. There will be no blocks of text and no fluff to get in the way. That way this book can be used right at the table, as and when needed, for example when the referee suddenly needs an NPC to drop into the game.  

We are using a single artist to do all the artwork. This is because MARCINs is a wonderfully talented artist and because we want there to be a coherent and unified style to the whole project.

It's about 7 bucks in PDF, Print plus PDF is about 12 bucks shipped. I'm in for a print copy.

Deal of the Day - Curse of Mistwood (DCC RPG)

Wow, it been a busy couple of days for the OSR when it comes to DTRPG's Deal of the Day promotion. Today it is the Curse of Mistwood for the DCC RPG. Normally 12.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning Curse of Mistwood is on sale for 5.20

Curse of Mistwood is the second adventure in the Mistwood Series. It can be played as a continuation of The Trolls of Mistwood or as a standalone adventure. With 70 pages of adventure and over 20 pages of patrons, spells and magic items, Curse of Mistwood has enough material to be its own campaign setting. 

A dark power has stirred in Mistwood. An evil so great that not only is the quiet waterside village at risk but perhaps the world itself. Once more adventurers must heed the call to arms, risking everything to thwart the plans of a much greater foe. Will the adventurers have the courage to seek the source of Mistwood's woes, or will they be consumed trying? 

Designed for adventurers from 4th to 6th level, Curse of Mistwood will challenge higher level characters and rack up the body count for larger, less experienced groups.
Features: 

• Mystery and excitement compatible with Goodman Games Dungeon Crawl Classics RPG but easily converted to other systems
• 100 pages of cunning crones, eerie swamps, shadowy villains and a visit to another world
• Beautifully rendered isometric maps by Brian Van Hunsel and Del Teigeler
• New magic items and curses to share amongst your players
• Detailed history and description of Mistwood and the surrounding region

Don't forget your change of pants!

Yep, that is an affiliate link above. Affiliate links keep your bartender in cold beer and chips ;) 

Deal of the Day - Dead In The Water (MCC RPG)

Tim Snider. The man, the myth, the amazing GM. Time Master, Toon, Mutant Future and more - no system will lay abandoned in his hands. Or something like that. Tim is, quite simply, "good folk" and I like to support good folk. Besides, Tim was my wife Rachel's first GM. :)

Today's Deal of the Day is Dead in the Water, a funnel for the Mutant Crawl Classics RPG by none other than Tim Snider. Normally 6.99 in PDF, until tomorrow morning you can get it for 3.49. Now THAT is a deal ;)

Mindless, water-logged abominations have been coming ashore, attacking fishing villages along the coast of The Rainbow Sea, then dragging their victims off to a watery doom. Your ragtag party of post-apocalyptic Seekers have been tasked with stopping the invasion. Perhaps the answer can be found on the legendary Island of Fire. 

Dead In The Water is a beginning funnel adventure for 12 to 16 0-level Seekers. This product is compatible with the Mutant Crawl Classics Role-Playing Game (MCC RPG).

Deal of the Day - Winter's Daughter (Old-School Version)

I apologize for not getting to this earlier in the day.

Winter's Daughter by Necrotic Gnome is today's deal of the day. Normally 8.50 for the PDF, through tomorrow morning it is 4.25.

The tomb of an ancient hero, lost in the tangled depths of the woods. A ring of standing stones, guarded by the sinister Drune cult. A fairy princess who watches with ageless patience from beyond the veil of the mortal. A forgotten treasure that holds the key to her heart. 

Winter's Daughter is a romantic fairy-tale dungeon adventure set in the creepy old forest of Dolmenwood. 

• Suitable for characters of 1st to 3rd level.
• Encompasses woodland, tomb, and fairy otherworld—all in one handy package!
• Keyed in a quick-reference, bullet point format.
• Statted for Old-School Essentials (B/X), usable with any vintage adventure game.
• Illustrated by the otherworldly Mish Scott.
• Cartography by the mycotic Karl Stjernberg.

Kickstarter - Swords & Wizardry Dark: A Grim Set of Optional Rules

optional rules for Swords & Wizardry and other OSR RPGS

I'm sure I'm missing tons of stuff at the moment. This upper respiratory infection makes me feel like I'm always catching up, as I'm always out of breath. That being said, I almost overlooked the Swords & Wizardry Dark: A Grim Set of Optional Rules Kickstarter. I'm usually on top of this stuff. How could I nearly miss a Swords & Wizardry related Kickstarter?

So, what do you get in this zine?

A black and white zine with optional rules to add to your S&W game. Some rules are inspired by DCC, AD&D, The Black Hack, Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells and more. THIS IS NOT A COMPLETE GAME, YOU MUST HAVE A COPY OF SWORDS & WIZARDRY by Frog God Games or other OSR GAME TO USE THIS ZINE. 

VOL 1 KS edition will be 5.5"x 8" printed in a high quality 130lb Cover and 100lb paper. - What this means is that it will hold up for a long time and fit nicely with your new S&W Box Set! See the Frog God Kickstarter HERE 

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/froggodgames/swords-and-wizardry-limited-and-collectors-edition-box-sets 

New magic rules- say goodbye to vancian magic

New Regional Backgrounds-no Demi Humans in Dark

Rules for The Dark - dealing with stress and peril while adventuring

New Equipment Rules - less bookkeeping = faster play

Faster Monster Rules - keep the action fast
and More!!! 

PLUS: A short adventure in a minimalist layout, because you all know how to run games, you don't need a bunch of words on a page to do it. (My experience is that OSR GM's are generally pretty well experienced) 

The zine will be in a modern "Dash Board" like layout, making the rules easy to find and read while at the table.

Coming Soon - The Unearthed Arcana Podcast (AD&D 1e)

I have to say, I love the art for the upcoming Unearthed Arcana Podcast :)

From left to right - Myself, Vince Florio and Ronald Corn.

We were going to get together and discuss the show's direction and the first episode later this week, but my URI has caused us to punt that till next week. Yep, blame me for any delays :(

Here's the URL: https://anchor.fm/unearthedarcana

Now for me to start feeling better so I can put my energy where it belongs. Getting short of breath going from one end of the house to the other is not high energy...

edit: for those wondering why I was reading through old Dragon issues for AD&D articles...

State of the Tavern Keeper - I Need a Scroll Protection from URI

So, there I was in my GP's office, shortly after noon, telling him my trials and tribulations and my weekend trip to Urgent Care but 5 minutes from the TotalCon venue - and he already had the faxed paperwork in my folder.

"K, let me listen to your lungs. Yep, there is fluid there, but less than was indicated on Saturday. Shortness of breath, you say? Yep, goes along with an Upper Respiratory Infection. It's viral, so no prescription meds. Just keep with the original prescribed over the counter recommendations. Get plenty of rest and fluids. Time is your friend."

Then he offered me a note for work before remembering that I'm retired ;)

What does this mean for all things Tavern?

I was hoping to host this year's Swords & Wizardry Appreciation Day this Saturday. It ain't happening. We are punting to March 14th. Sorry about that, but it gives everyone more time to prepare and gives me time to heal.

The Tavern Chat Podcast. I'll need voicemails to get me through the next few days/week maybe. Old topics, new topics - doesn't matter - I need them all. Less talking I need to do, the more likely we keep the daily podcast from skipping a day here and there over this.

‪(347) 509-5168‬ is the Google Number for voicemails.

Want to leave a voicemail via Anchor? If you have the app on your phone, just use that or, use your computer. The link is here: https://anchor.fm/tavernchat

Blog posting shouldn't be impaired but you never know...

Thanks for reading :)

I Thought I Beat Con Crud, but Con Crud Came Back to Beat on Me

I thought I was beating Con Crud, but Con Crud came back and beat me upside the head, and in the upper chest.

To my GP at noon.

I'll update when there is an update to be had.

TotalCon Day Three - Strike of the Crud

I woke up at 630 in the morning with a death rattle in my chest. Uggh!

I do 4 to 5 conventions a year and this is the first time con crud has struck AT the convention, but it is a horrible year for the flu. Not that I have the flu, but you know what I mean.

I was told at Urgent Care that the URI is likely the result of seasonal allergies. Another uggh!

I have a break from 3 to 7 and run a game of SWL at 7pm. Hopefully, I've got a second wind (and a nice nap) for the game.

Kickstarter -Artifices, Deceptions & Dilemmas (Courtney)

Sometimes, while at a convention (currently Total Con), I find it difficult to stay current with outside events. I'm happy to say I'm pretty much on time with my coverage of Courtney's second Kickstarter - Artifices, Deceptions & Dilemmas. If you don't know Courtney, he is a skilled and prolific creator of RPG content. While solidly rooted in old school gaming, his works are generally system agnostic and suitable right through to Pathfinder and 5e, if one were to go such a route.

So, what is Artifices, Deceptions & Dilemmas?

What's the difference between a room and a chamber? What's the difference between a mausoleum, a sepulcher, and a crypt? Would disarming traps be more exciting if you understood how those releases, springs, and snares worked?  

Do you think it would be exciting if a classic group of fantasy artists got together and drew pictures of all these artifices, deceptions, and dilemmas for you to use as a reference at your table with your group?

I did. - Courtney

1 buck for access to a digital draft copy of the book. Final digital and draft copy is 10 bucks. 20 bucks adds an at-cost softcover book to the mix.

Simply put, Courtney does good shit. You won't regret backing Artifices, Deceptions & Dilemmas.