Update - Gale Force 9 Sues WotC in Excess of $950k - Text of Legal Filing

There are 51 pages to the lawsuit filed by Gale Force 9 in it's lawsuit against WotC. I am not sharing screenshots of all 51 pages below (which includes the original licensing agreement) - as it is simply too huge. I will, however, copy and paste the core of the filing.

Note: None of this would be possible without the help of members of The Tavern's Community. As always, I can't thank you enough - Tenkar

And now on to the show:

I. PARTIES

1. Plaintiff Gale Force Nine, LLC (“GF9”) is a Virginia Limited Liability Corporation with its principal place of business in Earlysville, Virginia. GF9 is wholly owned by Battlefront Miniatures Ltd. a New Zealand corporation with its principal place of business in Auckland, New Zealand. Battlefront New Zealand Ltd. is owned by John Paul Brisigotti a British citizen with his current residence in Virginia and Peter Simunovich a New Zealand citizen with his current residence in Auckland, New Zealand.

2. Defendant Wizards of the Coast LLC (“Wizards”) is a Delaware Limited Liability Company with its primary place of business located at 1600 Lind Avenue Southwest, Suite 400, Renton, Washington 98057.

II. JURISDICTION AND VENUE

3. This court has jurisdiction over the subject matter and the parties pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1332. GF9 and Wizards are diverse citizens and the amount in controversy, exclusive of costs and interest, exceeds seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000.00).

4. This Court also has jurisdiction over the subject matter of this action for declaratory relief under 28 U.S.C. §§ 2201 and 2202.

5. Venue is proper in this Judicial District pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1391(a) and (c) in that Defendant Wizards resides in this Judicial District and the parties have stipulated to venue in Washington State by contract, a true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

III. FACTS

6. GF9 is a manufacturer and distributor of figurines, board games, cards, books, and other products associated with sci-fi and fantasy titles and/or brands such as Dungeons & Dragons, Dr Who, Dune, Star Trek, and other similar titles.

7. Wizards is the owner of the Dungeons & Dragons brand and trademark. Wizards is a subsidiary of, and wholly owned by, Hasbro, Inc.

8. This dispute arises out of a Merchandise Licensing Agreement (“2017 Agreement”), entered into between Wizards and GF9 on February 22, 2017, relating to the translation and distribution in foreign markets of Dungeons & Dragons brand products and books. A true and correct copy of the 2017 Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit A.

9. The 2017 Agreement was amended on or about May 1, 2018, to among other items, extend the term of the 2017 Agreement from February 7, 2021 to December 31, 2021.

10. The parties also entered into a Merchandising Licensing Agreement on May 1, 2008 (“2008 Agreement”) for the manufacture and worldwide distribution of Dungeons & Dragons brand products. A true and correct copy of the 2008 Agreement is attached hereto as Exhibit B.

A. Wizards Failure to Approve Products Previously Agreed Upon for Release

11. Under to the 2017 Agreement, products planned for translation and release in the different foreign markets for the coming calendar year are agreed upon between Wizards and GF9 in December of the then current calendar year (sometimes bleeding into the beginning of the next calendar year) and a product release schedule is established. Based off this release schedule, GF9, through its translation and distribution subcontractors in their respective foreign markets, plan for and begin translation and production of the products several months before the scheduled release date.

12. Products scheduled for release in the coming year are then added to the Wizards’ approval platform prior to the planned release date and Wizards gives the final approval for the distribution subcontractor to release the product for sale.

13. From the inception of the 2017 Agreement to June 2020, all the products which were included on the approved release schedule were subsequently approved by Wizards through its approval platform without comment or correction. Wizards has occasionally taken longer than the designated approval process time to provide its approval, but prior to June 2020, had never declined to approve a product that had been included on the agreed upon release schedule.

14. The 2020 release schedule for products licensed under the 2017 Agreement was approved by Wizards and GF9 in December of 2019.

15. Subsequent revisions to the release schedule were made each month in January, February, March, and April, primarily to show delay to planned product release dates that were being affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.

16. On or about May 18, 2020, Wizards communicated to GF9 its desire to end the 2017 Agreement and the 2008 Agreement one year early – on December 31, 2020 rather than the planned expiration date of December 31, 2021.

17. The parties communicated over the next several months in an attempt to strike a compromise; however, no agreement has been reached.

18. During the discussions regarding Wizards’ requested early end to the 2017 and 2008 Agreements, Wizards informed GF9 that certain products licensed under the 2017 Agreement, which were included in the parties’ agreed to release schedule, were not going to be approved.

19. Wizards did not note any issue with the products, yet declined to approve the products for release.

20. All of the products Wizards declined to approve were listed on the approved release schedule and updates. These unapproved products are not wholly new products, but rather new translations of previously approved and released products – in English and other languages – planned for release by Wizards approved translation and distribution subcontractors in Wizards approved foreign markets.

21. From June 2020 to October 2020, GF9 repeatedly communicated with Wizards to continue to seek approval of the products, but Wizards continued to decline to approve the products and would not provide any rationale for its failure to do so.

22. GF9 and its foreign translation and distribution subcontractors spent significant time and money translating and preparing the products included on the release schedule.

23. The course of dealing between Wizards and GF9 established that GF9 and the foreign subcontractors could rely on the mutually agreed upon release schedule to plan for and begin translation and production of products.

24. On November 9, 2020, GF9 sent a letter to Wizards notifying it that GF9 considered Wizards’ failure to approve submitted products was a breach of the 2017 Agreement and demanded that Wizards’ cure its breach. As of today, Wizards has not done so.

B. Wizards Allegation of Breach of Contract by GF9

25. On November 9, 2020, Wizards sent to GF9 a notice of breach of the 2017 Agreement.

26. Wizards’ breach notice alleged two breaches of the 2017 Agreement by GF9 through the actions of two of GF9’s foreign translation and distribution subcontractors.

27. First, Wizards alleged that GF9 breached the 2017 Agreement through the actions of TRPG Club (GF9’s Korean translation and distribution subcontractor). Wizards alleged that certain unidentified products translated into Korean and distributed by TRPG Club were of low quality, including translations that were poorly done and included inaccurate, missing, and offensive translations. Wizards breach notice went on to further allege that TRPG Club failed to provide adequate customer service to consumers of Dungeons & Dragons materials.

28. Second, Wizards alleged a breach of the 2017 Agreement due to the actions of Black Book Editions FR (“BBE”). Wizards alleged that after BBE translated certain Dungeons & Dragons books into French, it republished certain portions of the translated product under its own brand “Heros & Dragons.”

29. Wizards’ notice of breach states that it intends to terminate of the 2017 Agreement, unless GF9 remedies its breach to Wizards’ satisfaction within the applicable time periods for cure. 30. However, the products translated and distributed by TRPG Club, which are the subject of Wizards’ allegation of breach, were submitted in their final translated form to Wizards and approved by Wizards for release. Wizards informed GF9 that it had reviewers on its staff who were fluent in Korean who reviewed the product as translated and did not note a single correction or issue.

31. GF9 disputes that the TRPG Club translation was of a poor quality, and TRPG Club provided a report stating the adequacy of its translation that was subsequently provided to Wizards, on November 12, 2019.

32. When the translation quality issue was brought to the attention of GF9 and Wizards, GF9 sought direction from Wizards on the action necessary to rectify the alleged translation issue. Although GF9 and TRPG Club disputed that any significant deficiency in the translation was present in the products, GF9 offered to remove the products from the market. However, Wizards directed GF9 to leave the products in the market and to not renew its contract with TRPG Club or submit any additional products for approval.

33. Acting on Wizards direction, GF9 did not take any further action related to the translated products, informed TRPG Club that its contract would not be renewed, and has not submitted any additional TRPG Club products for approval or release.

34. GF9 cured any breach of the 2017 Agreement it may have committed related to the alleged poor translation when it enacted the actions directed by Wizards.

35. Wizards’ breach notice further alleged a breach of the 2017 Agreement by the actions of TRPG Club for customer complaints about damaged books and orders that never arrived. 36. GF9 is aware of very few customer complaints related to TRPG Club produced products all of which occurred in fall 2019 (one year before the breach notice). Customer complaints stem largely from products being damaged in transit. The amount of products for which customers complained is extremely minimal and within the expected threshold of transit damaged products experienced in all other markets (including the US market).

37. GF9 worked with TRPG Club to ensure that each of the customer complaints TRPG Club received were rectified by either providing replacement products or a refund as requested by the respective customer.

38. GF9 and TRPG Club rectified each of the customer issues and therefore no breach exists. Even said breach did occur, it has since been cured.

39. GF9 disputes that it breached the 2017 Agreement due to the alleged actions of BBE in utilizing Wizards’ intellectual property for its own benefit.

40. GF9 does not have an obligation under the 2017 Agreement to prosecute and defend Wizards intellectual property from use by the translation and distribution subcontractors. The 2017 Agreement provides Wizards the sole right to determine whether or not any action shall be taken on account of an intellectual property infringement and GF9 is required to assist Wizards in this defense, if requested to do so.

41. On information and belief, Wizards has not instituted an action against BBE.

42. However, even if GF9 may have some responsibility under the 2017 Agreement for

BBE alleged infringement, BBE did not utilize Wizards’ intellectual property gained through its relationship with GF9. BBE produced and distributed for sale its Heros & Dragons product in the fall of 2016, approximately ten months before it entered into the contract with GF9 to translate and distribute Dungeons & Dragons products. BBE’s Heros & Dragons product utilized text previously translated under a Dungeons & Dragons open gaming license, which permits the Dungeons & Dragons core rules and mechanics of game play to be used by others.

43. Upon information and belief, Wizards was aware of the Heros & Dragons products already in the market prior to GF9’s agreement with BBE to translate and distribute Dungeons & Dragons products in the French market. Wizards approved BBE as the French partner with knowledge that Heroes & Dragons already existed in the market.

44. Under its contract with GF9, when BBE translated the Dungeons & Dragons products, it utilized the same translated text it had previously translated and used in its Heros & Dragons products (i.e. the open gaming license core rules and game play mechanics). BBE did not use intellectual property gained through its contractual relationship with GF9 for its Heros & Dragons products, instead when translating the Dungeons & Dragons products it used translated text it already possessed before the contract with GF9 to expedite the translation process.

45. Upon Wizards informing GF9 of its belief that BBE was utilizing Wizards’ intellectual property in its Heros & Dragons products, GF9 entered into discussions with BBE to terminate the existing translation and distribution agreement between BBE and GF9, to purchase all outstanding stock of Heros & Dragons at GF9’s expense, to pull all existing Heros & Dragons products from the market, and to destroy all product purchased.

46. Agreement between GF9 and BBE was reached to accomplish the above stated objectives, and GF9 informed Wizards of the agreement. After reaching agreement with BBE and informing Wizards, Wizards required that BBE sign an admission of liability indicating that it had improperly utilized Wizards’ intellectual property. BBE refused to sign the admission of liability that Wizards demanded and the deal between GF9 and BBE was not completed.

47. Because BBE refused to sign the admission of liability demanded by Wizards, and upon the request of Wizards, in November 2019, GF9 terminated BBE for breach of its agreements with GF9 for failure to timely pay its royalties. The termination of BBE and settlement of outstanding claims was concluded fully in May 2020, with full agreement on termination and settlement from Wizards. A new French partner was approved and the market became active again in February 2020.

48. GF9 has no control over BBE after termination of its agreement with BBE and therefore, cannot cure any breach that Wizards has alleged relating to BBE’s continued use of intellectual property in BBE’s Heros & Dragons product.

IV. FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION – BREACH OF CONTRACT

49. GF9 incorporates by this reference each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through 48 as though fully set forth herein.

50. Wizards and GF9 entered into the 2017 Agreement on February 22, 2017.

51. The 2017 Agreement provides that “...[GF9] will have the right to translate and the exclusive rights to manufacture, publish, market, sell and distribute physical translated versions of the Dungeons & Dragons’ Starter Set, Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual (and at [Wizards’] sole discretion, other Dungeons & Dragons products as provided to [GF9] by [Wizards].” (Emphasis in original).

52. Wizards provided approval to GF9 to translate, manufacture, and distribute in foreign markets certain other Dungeons & Dragons products.

53. After being provided Wizards approval for other products, GF9 and Wizards agreed in the 2020 release schedule to release these previously approved products in certain approved markets.

54. Wizards actions in failing to approve products under the 2017 Agreement, despite the products being included on the mutually agreed upon release schedule, is a breach of the 2017 Agreement.

55. As a direct and proximate result of Wizards’ breach of contract GF9 suffered and will continue to suffer damages in an amount to be proven at trial, and which on information and belief, is in excess of $950,000.00.

V. SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION – BREACH OF IMPLIED DUTY OF GOOD FAITH AND FAIR DEALING

56. GF9 incorporates by this reference each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through 55 as though fully set forth herein.

57. The 2017 Agreement between Wizards and GF9 contained an implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing by and between the parties, which prohibits them from engaging in any activity or conduct that would prevent the other party from receiving the benefit of the contract.

58. Wizards actions in declining to approve products under the 2017 Agreement, despite the products being included on the mutually agreed upon release schedule, is contrary to the established course of dealing between the parties and a breach of Wizards’ duty of good faith and fair dealing.

59. Wizards actions in declining to approve products included on the release schedule deprived GF9 and its translation and distribution subcontractors of the benefit of the contract and had the effect of interfering with and destroying the value of the 2017 Agreement.

60. As a direct and proximate result of Wizards’ breach of the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing GF9 suffered and will continue to suffer damages in an amount to be proven at trial, and which on information and belief, is in excess of $950,000.00.

VI. THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION – DECLARATORY RELIEF AND TEMPORARY INJUNCTIVE RELIEF

61. GF9 incorporates by this reference each and every allegation contained in paragraphs 1 through 60 as though fully set forth herein.

62. Wizards sent to GF9 a notice of breach on November 9, 2020, alleging breach of contract by GF9 for the actions of its prior translation and distribution subcontractors – TRPG Club and BBE.

63. Wizards’ breach notice states that it will terminate the 2017 Agreement, if the breaches alleged by Wizards are not cured the full satisfaction of Wizards within the respective cure period provided in the 2017 Agreement.

64. Wizards’ accusations are without merit, because (1) Wizards approved for release the TRPG Clubs’ final translation of the product it now alleges to have been poorly translated; (2) TRPG Club’s translation was not of poor quality; (3) GF9 and TRPG Club adequately and appropriately resolved any customer complaints about damaged or incomplete products; (4) GF9 followed the direction of Wizards in leaving the complained of products in the Korean market, not renewing TRPG Club’s contract, and not approving any additional products for release by TRPG Club; (5) GF9 is not responsible under the 2017 Agreement for the alleged improper use of Wizards’ intellectual property by BBE; (6) BBE used open gaming license content (core rules and game play mechanics) that Wizards permitted to be utilized by the public; and (7) BBE’s Heros & Dragons product(s) were published in the fall of 2016, ten months before BBE and GF9 entered into contract for translation and distribution of Dungeons & Dragons products and Wizards knew of the BBE’s Heros & Dragons product and the use of open gaming license content prior to GF9 entering into contract with BBE.

65. GF9 herein seeks a determination by the court that GF9 is not in breach of the 2017 Agreement, such that any termination by Wizards would be wrongful.

66. Absent injunctive relief, GF9 will be irreparably harmed if Wizards is allowed to terminate the 2017 Agreement on the basis of the alleged breach of contract. As such, GF9 herein seeks to enjoin Wizards from terminating the 2017 Agreement based on the alleged breaches in its November 9, 2020 Notice.

67. Under the 2008 and 2017 Agreements, if there is a default and termination under one of them, it automatically causes a default (and likely termination) of the other. As such, Wizards is expected to terminate the 2017 Agreement, based on the meritless reasons set forth in its November 9, 2020 letter, which will then lead to the termination of the 2008 Agreement. The loss of both these Agreements will cause devastating, irreparable harm to GF9.

68. If wrongfully terminated, GF9 will be forced to lay off a significant amount of its work force – as the Dungeons & Dragons products account for a substantial portion of GF9’s yearly revenue. GF9 will suffer significant impacts to its reputation in the industry – with distribution partners to whom GF9 supplies the manufactured products and licensors of other products with whom GF9 currently works and desires to work. Further, GF9’s manufacturing partners with whom GF9 has contracted to manufacture Dungeons & Dragons and other products – will be significantly harmed, as GF9 will be forced to terminate its foreign translation and distribution subcontractors and face legal challenges in numerous jurisdictions worldwide. Finally, GF9 will lose the continued revenue expected to be earned under the 2017 Agreement for the remainder of its term.

69. If Wizards is permitted to terminate the 2017 Agreement, GF9 is required to immediately cease production of any additional products and very shortly thereafter either sell to Wizards the products it has already produced or destroy the entirety of its remaining stock of produced products.

70. If Wizards termination of the 2017 Agreement is allowed to proceed, GF9 will face significant hardships as described above.

VII. PRAYER FOR RELIEF

WHEREFORE, Plaintiff Gale Force Nine, LLC, having set forth the above fact and having alleged the above first through third causes of action, prays for judgment against Defendant Wizards of the Coast LLC as follows:

1. Judgement for monetary damages against Wizards in an amount to be proven at trial, and which on information and belief, is in excess of $950,000.00;

2. An award of attorneys’ fees and costs incurred by GF9 in prosecuting the foregoing claims against Wizards;

3. For declaratory relief finding that GF9 has not breached the 2017 Agreement for the breaches alleged by Wizards in its November 9, 2020 notice of breach;

4. For permanent injunctive relief restraining Wizards from:

    a. Terminating the 2017 Agreement for the breach of contract alleged in its November 9, 2020 notice of breach;

5. For any other costs, including interest, authorized by law; and 

6. For such other relief as the court may deem just and equitable.

DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL

 Plaintiff hereby demands a jury trial of all issues in the Complaint that are triable to a jury.

DATED THIS 17th day of November, 2020.

OLES MORRISON RINKER & BAKER LLP

/s/ Eric P. Forner

Thomas R. Krider, WSBA #29490 

Eric P. Former, WSBA #49264

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News - Gale Force Nine, LLC v. Wizards of the Coast LLC (Breach of Contract)

I woke this morning to a PM from one of the Taverner's with a screen pic showing a filing in the US District Court for the Western District of Washington by Gale Force Nine with WotC as the defendant. 

I can find nothing about it on the web, and my access to the filing is very limited, but it appears to be in regards to Breach of Contract, Breach of Implied Duty of Good Faith, and Fair Dealing. Remind anyone of a recent lawsuit WotC is also defending oneself against?

Gale Force Nine is a third party partner of Wizards of the Coast.

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Time for Tea at The Tavern!

Thanks to my Ring Doorbell, I knew there was motion at my front door around 7 AM, so upon waking I walked downstairs to see what the mailman had left for us. 

Lo and behold, it was a box without a return address or sender markings. Now, although I know my good friend Ken Whitless would love to send me gifts in unmarked boxes, he thinks my name is Ernie and that I live in Lake Geneva, so I was fairly sure the box was safe to open.

To my great surprise, what is pictured above was in the box. One of the regular Taverners, Jeremy F, sent it to me completely out of the blue. Handmade and custom job. Perfect for my morning tea.

One hell of a way to recharge my batteries :)

Thank you Jeremy!

Kickstarter - Old Skull Zine RPG Trilogy!

Diogo Nogueira has one hell of a list of OSR credits to his name: Sharp Swords & Sinister Spells, Solar Blades & Cosmic Spells, Dark Streets & Darker Secrets, and Lost in the Fantasy World. I own all but the last one and now realize I have a hole in my Old Skull collection I need to fill. But wait, he's coming out with THREE more games!

The Old Skull Zine RPG Trilogy Kickstarter includes: The Dead are Coming, Screams Amongst the Stars, and Running Out of Time. The zines are 10 each in PDF, 15 for print plus PDF, and 40 for print plus PDF for all three, plus shipping.

Here's the basic descriptions: a trilogy of minimalist OSR style games focusing on survival in very different scenarios: a post-apocalyptic world where zombies are everywhere and other people can be even worse monsters; the frontiers of the universe where many organizations vie for power and influence and the ruins of ancient alien races reveals mysteries best left buried; and in a dystopian future where time is literally money, and it's in incredible short supply.

Each Zine RPG contains a full game and a toolkit to help you create endless adventures, locations, characters and much more!

I'm in for 45 bucks (includes shipping in the US) and I couldn't be more excited :)

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 150 subscribers. When we hit 200 subscribers, I'll award 2 random subscribers a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate.  

Amazing Adventures $10 Hardcover Book Sale (Castles & Crusades SIEGE Engine)

When I found myself returning to gaming back in 2006 or so, my return to D&D and my pathway to the OSR was via Castles & Crusades. I have a certain fondness for the SIEGE Engine and have been intrigued by Amazing Adventures since its release, but never got around to pulling the trigger on physical copies.

That has changed today. I got the Amazing Adventures Bundle. Woot!

You can take your fantasy character directly from the fantasy table and plunge them into the many worlds of Amazing Adventure and vice versa!

Ten Dollar Hardcovers are back -- this week only -- for Amazing Adventures! Get the Core Book, the Manual of Monsters, the Companion Book, all for only $10 each.

Or save even more and get the Amazing Adventures Bundle which gets you the three books above and also includes the adventure Ashton & The Augments!

Good times!

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

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Appendix N Video Collection

 

I'm just about to enter a mandatory two-week quarantine for work (required for travel, evidently) and I'll freely admit I have more than enough to do during those two weeks.....BUT if it's anything computer related then odds are I'll be doing it in front of the idiot box, er television.

Technically I don't watch "television". I mean clearly I view stuff on the device commonly known as a TV, but I don't have cable, nor do I watch on-air broadcasts. Between Netflix, Hulu, YouTube, Vudu, and my massive video collection streaming from my home's Plex server.....I'm good. My setup is such that I can easily replicate this setup wherever I travel, as long as I have a decent internet connection. 

I know, you've read the 1st two paragraphs here and have probably already gotten to the "that's nice, quit bragging you SOB" level of excitement and are already thinking...."what's the point?"

Man you are impatient!

My point is that I watch a lot of movies and long before my Appendix N book collection started, I had been collecting Appendix N movies. Now I wasn't collecting Appendix N movies deliberately, it's just that I like to play OSR-ish RPGs and I like to watch movies, so there is bound to be some overlap. Speaking of overlap, since I do tend to collect "stuff" in general, and in this case books and movies specifically, it is real easy to accidentally buy movies I already own. I use a service called Libib to catalog my libraries and it's free for the 1st 5,000 items. I highly recommend it. You can even publish you library so others can see what's in it....mine is cstogdill.libib.com (only my movie and wanted book libraries are public.)

I thought I'd share 10 specific titles from my Appendix N (Movie) Library, and hopefully solicit some recommendations to add to my collection:

The 13th Warrior is a great RPG flick and does a great job of showing a low/no magic campaign as well as a culture clash of sorts. One of my favorite aspects of this film is the transition from the lead not knowing the Viking's language to being able to speak it. Lots of cool touches that just make me feel like it could have been an actual campaign brought to the big screen.

Army of Darkness is totally a RPG movie. It literally has swords & sorcery and seriously?.....the hero chops off his arm and attaches a chainsaw (I know that was in the previous movie, but still...). With all the weird stuff going on, you can't tell me there wasn't a GM coming up with some crazy rolls behind the screen. Hail to the King Baby!

The Beastmaster was one of my favorites growing up. I saw it again recently and it wasn't at all how I remembered it, which was actually a good thing as it was almost like watching a new movie. I think of Dar as more of a sword-wielding Druid than a barbarian, but whatever. Just don't watch Beastmaster II or Beastmaster III!

Conan the Barbarian is a great Appendix N addition, but I specifically mean the 2011 version with Jason Momoa. I know this won't be a popular opinion, but I liked it far more than the Schwarzenegger version. I liked seeing that young Conan was clearly born a bad-ass and wasn't some muscle-bound jock slave that was taught to kick ass. I also liked how there were more references to the larger world and Conan's other adventures (like his pirate days) as well as there was more sorcery going on. Just overall a better film and I wish it had done better in the box office so we could have gotten some sequels.

Heavy Metal is not something that seems appropriate for this list, but hear me out. 1st off there are some sequences that do fit this list, but the real reason this is on the list is because of the fact that Heavy Metal was in heavy rental rotation with my peer group growing up. I can recall watching this while we rolled up PCs or even just talked about gaming. I have fond memories of watching this while reading the PHB and DMG, so if there is any movie that will take me back to the early 80's, this is it.

Now, switching RPG genre's from Medieval Fantasy to Western (I'm thinking very much about Aces & Eights here) the movie Open Range gets me wanting to sling dice. I there's a couple reasons why, but at its core is how I see the main protagonist had one occupation and then clearly transitioned to another, something that is a thing in Aces & Eights.

Ok, while we're switching genres, when I first saw Underworld I was 120% convinced it was a straight-up rip-off from White Wolf, and clearly I wasn't the only one who saw that. I could explain why this film is worth watching, but I'll make my most persuasive argument: Kate Beckinsale wears skin-tight leathers....constantly.

Ok, back to more a Medieval Fantasy, but only for one more film. I actually remember seeing Willow in the theater when it came out. I was off for an evening at the very beginning of Boy Scout Camp Mitigwa and I saw it with some of my new counselor friends. We ended up quoting this film all summer. It has swords, sorcery, .....clearly a multi-classed hero. I have no idea what the Nelwyns are supposed to be, because I think they're more halflings than dwarves, but clearly neither. In any regard, big fantasy film that I think aged quite well.

Ok, last, but not least is Zombieland. As far as a modern-day zombie film I get that this is largely a comedy, but it is also a good story about the formation of the party. If you've ever played Zombies!!! or possibly Final Days (I know, another KenzerCo game), then Zombieland is a fitting addition.

Now I deliberately skipped some no-brainers, like the Lord of the Rings or Monty Python & the Holy Grail, but U was only limiting myself to 10 entries and if you factored in some of the cheesy sci-fi films....Appendix N entries in the DMG had plenty of Sci-Fi in there....., not to mention the numerous other gaming genres there are these days, and my list could have been just huge. No, 10 entries seemed sufficient.

Now I've stated, and kind of shown, that I have many other titles that would qualify for an Appendix N Video Collection, but I am wise enough to know that I don't know what I don't know........so I would ask if there are some particularly good movies I should be watching for RPG inspiration. Bonus points if they are available on the main streaming services!

Humble Bundle - RPG Book Bundle - Conan by Modiphius

I was a Kickstarter backer of the Conan RPG less for the system and more for the setting material. You simply can't get more swords & sorcery than Conan. I am very glad I backed it.

If you didn't back the Conan RPG Kickstarter, the Humble Bundle - RPG Book Bundle - Conan by Modiphius is your chance to grab a huge selection of source material for a fraction of the cost. Although you can buy in for as little as a buck, I truly think your sweet spot kicks in with the rulebook, a sourcebook, and adventures at 8 bucks. Of course, 15 bucks gives you more sourcebooks than you can shake a Pict at :)

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

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Torchlight - We Are Now Soliciting for Paid Submissions (Swords & Wizardry / SWL / SWCL)

The next issue of Torchlight is coming together but we aren't announcing a projected release date until we have two issues ready to go. The content in the Premiere Issue of Torchlight was mostly from your humble bartender, and that isn't a content workload I can expect to repeatedly hit on a regular basis.

Issue One will have other (well known) contributors aside from me, but further issues will depend on outside contributors for future success. 

At the moment we are expecting to pay 5 cents a word for new classes, creatures, NPCs, adventures, locations, articles, and the like. The author retains copyright and the work will be released under the OGL. Torchlight will require exclusive publication rights for 1 year, and the right to reprint in compilations (such as annuals) in the future.

Content should be written for Swords & Wizardry, Swords & Wizardry Light, Swords & Wizardry Continual Light, or White Star. 

At the moment we are not commissioning new art but may do so in the near future if / when we have a thematic issue of the zine planned.

Email tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing with "Torchlight" in the subject with your pitches and inquiries.

We want to get Torchlight out on a regular quarterly basis, and this will only happen with your help and contributions.

When you shop via The Tavern's affiliate links, the monies will go towards Torchlight, other Tavern related projects, and community giveaways. So long as we are breaking even on each issue of Torchlight we'll be rocking and rolling.

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Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 142 subscribers. When we hit 200 subscribers, I'll award 2 random subscribers a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate.  So on at 300 subs and beyond.

Kickstarter - The Lost Triptych: A 5e and B/X RPG Campaign!

Pacesetter Games has a very nice Kickstarter record. Thom Wilson has a deep & full library of quality OSR releases behind him. Put them together and you get The Lost Triptych for B/X and 5e.

Bad Mike and I sat down with Thom last night on the Talking Crit podcast and it was a blast, and we got some insights into how The Lost Triptych came to be as a collaboration between the two companies.

Minions of a rival deity have stolen a sacred artifact of your order with the intent to transform it to suit their own nefarious machinations. They have brought the holy device to the Mountain of Whispers, the stomping grounds of evil sycophants and zealot soldiers who serve the goddess Egramish without question. Your precious artifact has been broken into separate pieces and hidden in secret locations to make it harder for your order to recover. No doubt, the high priest Miltotok is preparing the rituals and spells to make the device a vessel for evil at this very moment.

Is your faith strong enough to endure the evil horrors of the mountain, where your gods can barely be felt? Can you persevere through overwhelming odds to defeat Egramish and recover the Lost Triptych?

The Lost Triptych is a campaign for characters level 8-12 for the 5th Edition or B/X game systems!

The Lost Triptych is a high-level adventure that pits seasoned adventurers against the dark forces of an evil god whose servants are willing to sacrifice themselves and others to bring about the end of peace and prosperity. The foes that the characters will face are quite deadly – powerful spellcasters, ancient undead, and ruthless spies will challenge the group at every turn. This is no simple adventure, by any means!

This adventure can be dropped into any world of the game master’s choosing. The only location-specific element of the story is the Mountain of Whispers, which can be placed in any mountain range within the game master’s campaign world. Characters will start their journey at the bottom of the mountain, crawl through its dark depths, and finally arrive at the fortress peak to confront the minions of the evil god and her thieving sycophants.

If none of the characters is Lawful or (especially) a Cleric, the story can be adjusted to fit the group’s deities or alignments. The story plays out best if a conflict between good (the characters) and evil (followers of the rival goddess) exists. Also, the opposing deity can be adjusted to fit the game master’s world as needed. The story suggests using the evil goddess Egramish if the game master has no other viable antagonist in mind. If Egramish is used in this adventure, it will be assumed that the central character or characters (those affiliated with the Lawful deity) will know of the goddess as a long-standing rival deity and her constant attempts to overthrow their own god.

This book will include:

• 150+ Pages of Adventure
• Full-Color Interior Art and Maps
• New Magic Items
• New Monsters
• And More Pending Stretch Goals!

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 133 subscribers. When we hit 200 subscribers, I'll award 2 random subscribers a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate.  So on at 300 subs and beyond.

Deal of the Day - Creature Description Generator Volume 10 - Mutations (System Neutral)

As I work on my upcoming campaign, one thing that sticks out to me is that there needs to be a uniqueness to some of the creatures. Sure, orcs and goblins and ogres can me your mainstays, but it's the unique adversaries that your party will remember.

I don't have much of an issue coming up with new and unique creatures, but any resource that can assist in such is priceless.

Creature Description Generator Volume 10 - Mutations is just such a resource. I've added it to my Virtual GM's Resource Guide :)

Mutants – The word can conjure fear and sometimes revulsion. They are the same as you, yet different. Some perceive them as a threat, as a hidden danger walking amongst all good and right-minded folk, whilst some see them as the next stage in evolution for many species.

They are pitied, they are feared, they treated as outcasts. Yet a few rises above the hatred, ignoring the braying mob and doing the right thing no matter what.

They can become heroes, villains or horrible creatures with abilities not seen anywhere else. They are here to stay and you could be sitting right next to one right now.

CDG – 10 Mutations is, unlike others in the Creature Description Generator series designed to take an already existing being and give them a twist or two, turning that mundane creature into something special.

Designers Note

Whilst this publication is designed to be useful in as many genres as possible, some of the mutations may require a bit of tweaking to fit in with your chosen genre, such as psionics replacing magic in a sci-fi or near modern setting and so on.

Featuring...

• 500 possible mutations - Some good, some bad others downright dangerous
• Many of the mutations have sub-versions or variations
• A system for categorizing how strong the mutations are
• Some suggested side-effects to go along with them

As an aside, the cover is atrocious. Don't judge this book by its cover...

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 133 subscribers. When we hit 200 subscribers, I'll award 2 random subscribers a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate.  So on at 300 subs and beyond.

In-Person Gary Con for March 25-28, 2021 is Canceled - Virtual Only

The following is from the Gary Con website: 

Material Gary Con 2021 Cancelled

November 10, 2020 0  By MELF

Greetings Fellow Gamers,

After thorough consideration of the circumstances throughout the nation and the world, I regret to announce that Material Gary Con is cancelled for 2021 due to the risks posed by coronavirus. The steep increase in new cases across the country and the lack of an approved vaccine made it clear to the entire staff that to go forward with a physical gathering of 1,500 people would be irresponsible and potentially put tens of thousands of people across the nation at an increased risk. This was a difficult decision because we all really wanted to bring everyone together and create the unique spirit of camaraderie that has been the hallmark of Gary Con since 2009, but we unanimously agreed the right decision was to go virtual only in 2021.

So what does this mean for our Gary Con Family? Although Material Gary Con is cancelled, we will still celebrate Ethereal Gary Con March 25-28, 2021. If you purchased an Ethereal Badge you are all set and do not need to take any action. If you have a Physical Badge Package, there are two options. You can convert to an Ethereal Badge and join us as we celebrate Gary Con XIII by filling out this form [https://forms.gle/Pdrm23968yLySzbw6]. We will convert your badge to one of 6 possible options Ethereal, Astral, or Elemental- and we added a “PLUS†option to include a special GC merchandise bundle with each. The other option, if you decide you do not want to attend Ethereal Gary Con, is to request a refund through TTE. The refund process is administered completely through their system and not the Gary Con Staff. We encourage you to show your support for Gary Con by converting to an Ethereal Badge and adding the Merchandise Bundle so we can come back strong and celebrate together in Lake Geneva for Gary Con XIV in March 2022.

The deadline for converting or requesting a refund is still December 31st 2020. Please make sure to take action as soon as you can and help us spread the word to your fellow Gary Con Goers in case they missed this in their email and social media feeds. These are challenging times for all of us, but we are strong when we stick together as a community. I look forward to seeing you and gaming alongside you in ethereal form in March. Stay tuned for more information on the great line-up of Guests and special events we have planned for Virtual Gary Con XIII. And thank you for your understanding and support as we all navigate through the effects of the pandemic.

Cheers,

Luke Gygax

PS- If you already have a virtual badge and want to get a PLUS badge with the Merchandise Bundle fill out the request form and we will get that added for you. Game on!

On Magic Weapons by Racial Background (more campaign design thoughts)

So, I've been working on tables to randomly generate magic weapons, because cookie-cutter magic is boring and not magical ;)

While working on the tables, it occurred to me that weapons created by dwarves would be enchanted via a different method than those of men, or elves.

• Dwarven magic weapons would be made of mithral or adamantine, perhaps with precious metals added to the mix. Magic would be centered more on bonuses to damage, with other powers (rock breaking, goblin slaying, or the like) centered on what would be most useful in dwarven culture.
• Elven magic weapons would be lighter and intricately embellished. Made of steel or specially enchanted ironwood, bonuses to hit would be the focus. Elven weapons often come enchanted with spell-like powers, such as flight, charm, or alter self.
• Human magic weapons are almost crude compared to those of dwarves and elves. Focused. As the human life span is short compared to their longer-lived brethren, less time is spent in the creation and their abilities are often crude but effective (drain health from the target and give it to the wielder, but wielder no longer heals naturally). Powers usually come with an offsetting curse. Such is the way with those so shortsighted.

These basic assumptions are helping to flesh out the item generation lists, the first of which I hope to share with you tomorrow.

Note: artwork copyright John Buckley, used with permission.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are the affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  

You can catch the daily Tavern Chat podcast on Anchor, YouTube, or wherever you listen to your podcast collection.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 133 subscribers. When we hit 200 subscribers, I'll award 2 random subscribers a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate.  So on at 300 subs and beyond.

PC Deaths can be a Good Thing....no, Really!

Special Note: For the record....I'm typing this up on a Saturday morning, hours before my bi-weekly game. Just have to mention this in case there happens to be a coincidence between the game and today's subject matter.

I'd like to think that I've had less than my fair share of PC deaths, which is interesting since I like to play HackMaster, which is known to be crunchy and deadly. Of course I might actually have more than my fair share of PC deaths and I just don't remember them because they aren't remarkable or because they were low-level PCs. Who really regrets the loss of a 1st level nobody?

As a GM I have kind of relished killing off the PCs, and have exercised some bragging rights when doing so. In truth though I try to be a bit of a tactician and I'm trying to have and share in the fun at the table. I get a metric shit-ton more mileage out of almost killing a PC. Now I'm not the type to fudge the dice rolls, but bringing a mighty PC down to low single-digits or castrating their abilities in some way......good times. The players fear for the safety of their PCs and the party has to tie up resources covering for the new weakness in their ranks. This can lead to a snowball effect that either makes the party escape by the skin of their teeth or suffer a crushing defeat. I'll risk one for the other any day, but I'll not let you know which one I'm rooting for in the moment...... 

"Fear for the safety".....do players really have feelings about their PCs? I sure hope they do! I want my players to be proud when their PC pulls off something mighty & heroic, and get a bit miffed when things don't go their way. Downright sad, for a while, when their PC actually dies....this is a good thing. No, I'm not a sicko GM.....well maybe I am, but not for this reason. The way I see it, players should be emotionally invested in their PCs. It's what makes the game fun and I think it's what can help make a game, for the lack of a better term, "real". Sure, players can have fun simply because they are hanging out with their friends and generally having a good time, but they can also just do that over pizza a beer.....don't need to be adding dice to the mix then.

What makes role-playing games an actual hobby is this emotional investment and the bond a good game group establishes with each other. I personally look forward to my next game, my next get-together, and I think this is because of this emotional investment in my PCs. Hell, I would also argue this is one of the reasons so many players don't do regular game conventions, unless they end up going with some of their home group members.

<insert Wayne's World doodly-doo noises here> Deep in my old records I have a write-up from my very first official HackMaster tournament as a GM. It's a rather in-depth (and lengthy) account because my table didn't fair so well and there were quite a few PC deaths. At one point there was some yelling/swearing and a chair was kicked a fair bit. I had heard, and disagreed with, how another table breezed through a couple encounters and assumed that the players from the one home-group that sat at my table would file a compliant (I didn't blame them), so immediately after the game I took my notes and wrote up the game. Wow, did I make a bunch of mistakes. With one exception they were all in the players favor, both the player and I had simply forgotten about one of their PC's magic items, but the players really didn't play well. You'd never guess this was an established home group used to playing together. I think the fact it was a late night game hindered their collective cognitive abilities because one PC could have avoided death simply by side-stepping 5' in almost any direction....and this was pretty obvious. <insert Wayne's World doodly-doo noises here>

Back to the intended train of thought.....this group lost several mid-high level PCs and were super pissed in the moment, and not that happy for the rest of the convention. They had been playing these characters for years and had a lot of investment, clearly not just time, in them. I'm sure they were able to resurrect the PCs, albeit with some new quirks and flaws (par for the HackMaster 4th Edition course) and carry on. I'm certain the extremity of their initial reactions were a bit much, but that's the chance you take.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained......had the players made a couple different decisions, like the aforementioned player stepping left two paces or the one player reminding me her PC could run like the dickens due to her magic item, then the party would have gotten their asses handed to them, but the would have survived. The players would have been high-fiving each other and they probably would have won the tournament.

Just remember this the next time you lose a PC and you're pissed off.......this is actually a good thing. Surely more a silver lining, but still.....a good thing. Stop short of kicking that chair, thank you GM, and figure out how you could have avoided that death. Worst case, pick up your 3d6 and hope you can get pissed when you lose this one as well....hopefully a long, long time (and many more levels) than last time.  

Like a Hydra, You Just Can't Kill the Beast - Ken Whitman "Claims" to have Found the "Lost to a Fire" KotDT Live Action Footage

I kid you the fuck not!

Ken "I only lie when I talk" Whitman now claims to have found the Knights of the Dinner Table: Live Action Series footage that he claimed in court was lost in a barn fire. Kenny, we all know this is yet another attempt to milk money from those you have already scammed.

Kenny had been silent for over four years on the KotDT: LAS Kickstarter, but look what Mr. "The FBI is waiting for you at your doorstep" Whitman has updated with today:

Hey Everyone,   

This morning I recovered the original files for KODT Live Action series.   I am copying the files and shipping them to Jolly on Monday.   

I have reached out to Jolly and Dave and have asked for permission to remaster the product, however, my contract ran out years ago.   If I can get their permission to work on the footage I would love to finish and distribute the project.  

I do ask for your forgiveness, and hope I am allowed a way to make amends for my shotty business performance.   

I will keep you updated, and hope all of you are still enjoying one of the best damn comics ever made!

-Ken Whitman 

Ken does nothing out of the kindness of his heart. It has always been about separating many fools (and some not so foolish) from their money. Highlander Collectible Card Game and printing off rares to sell? Allegedly. Rapid POD Printing Company and books that fell apart the moment you cracked them open? Allegedly. Using Kickstarter as a pyramid scheme to bilk honest folks out of their hard-earned cash? Most definitely!

So Kenny, where did these files come from that allegedly went up in smoke when your friend's barn burned down? That was your testimony in NYS Court. 

I can guarantee that ANYTHING of potential value that Ken is willing to give to the backers of the KotDT: LAS will come with a new price tag. That simply is Kenny's way.

My advice? Don't give him a cent. He preys on the gaming community, then hopes the community will forget the transgressions and theft that he committed in the past. Kenny will never be reformed. 

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 92 subscribers. When we hit 100 subscribers, I'll award a random subscriber a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate. We'll do the same at 200 subscribers, but then it will be TWO Gift Certificates given away. So on at 300 subs and beyond.

 Note: This week's newsletter went out Sunday night. If you are a subscriber, check your spam folder - Tenkar

Free High Quality Fantasy Map Generation Tools for Personal and Commercial Use

Oleg Dolya has some amazing map tools that you can use for personal use and in your commercial projects. He gives them away for free, but he does have a Patreon that you can support for 5 bucks a month. I'll be using them as I create my new campaign that will be detailed here, at The Tavern, over the next few months (as well as some other mapping programs, but truly, Oleg is the master of random AND quality)

Link to all of Oleg's Tools: https://watabou.itch.io/

The above map, along with a numbered hex version for me as the DM, maybe all my sandbox needs to start. https://watabou.itch.io/perilous-shores

Then there is the Village Generator:

Let us not forget the City Generator:

Then there is the One Page Dungeon Generator:

Simply amazing quality and inspiration. The tools are there for you. Use them. If you wind up supporting Oleg's Patreon, tell him Tenkar sent you ;)

Don't forget to subscribe to The Tavern's weekly Newsletter! We currently have 92 subscribers. When we hit 100 subscribers, I'll award a random subscriber a $10 DTRPG Gift Certificate. We'll do the same at 200 subscribers, but then it will be TWO Gift Certificates given away. So on at 300 subs and beyond.

 Note: This week's newsletter went out Sunday night. If you are a subscriber, check your spam folder - Tenkar