Tenkar's Tavern

Sunday, July 2, 2023

Getting My Zines Organized....Kind Of

While I've been accused of being a(n).....associate, no.......crony, maybe...of Erik's, truth be told I don't always drink the Kool-Aid, but that's probably more due to me be lazy. What I'm getting at is that my participation with the Tavern is generally limited to my Sunday postings and an annual Whisky testing at NTXRPG Con. I do, however, occasionally tune in to Tavern Chat on YouTube.

This week I did tune in for a whole five minutes or so and while it was a bit of an aside, Bad Mike was talking about zines and zine storage. Jump forward to this weekend and I'm trying, a bit in vain, to go through my hugs stack of loose adventures, unbagged comics, and a fairly decent stack of zines. While it may seem a bit anally retentive I HAVE to bag, sort, and store these things or I will undoubtedly break, lose, or worse off......re-purchase stuff I already have.

I pretty much hate not being able to find crap I own, but not nearly as much as I hate throwing money away on needless duplicates. For example I have a small stack of duplicate Judge's Guild stuff that Bad Mike was more than happy to sell to me....

Comics are super easy to sort, bag, and store as there is an entire industry of collectors. That same industry does also make magazine bags & boards, as long as you remember to get the two main sizes of magazine bags 'cause if you have a thicker adventure.....you'll need that larger bag.

Unfortunately for me Zines come in all shapes & sizes....part of the charm. Most of mine come in at 6" x 9" and while the company I got my other supplies from doesn't carry bags in this size, others do. Backer boards have been a bit of a let-down. An hour of searching and I can definitely find "boards" that are 6" x 9", but they are expensive and probably too thick. I ended up just getting me some slightly oversized Sheet Music Backer Boards that I can basically cut in half to make them the right size.....

.....no to figure out how the hell to put these things on my shelf so they aren't wasting space. Bagging and boarding Zines aren't that big of a deal, but being able to access what I want, when I want is.

Finding something workable so far has been problematic. There is a $5 DTRPG product, Tomb of Zines, that I can pick up to make my own boxes. Great...another assembly project. It would be cost effective...but that's going to be my Plan B (no, not that Plan B!). I'm still looking for boxes and I may have found a relatively cheap alternative at Harbor Freight, of all places. They have a .30 cal ammo box with an interior dimension of 9.5" x 6" x 4.25". These boxes can nest on top of each other and with a width of over 4" I think for $4-$6 a box I can get a bit more protection than a cardboard box and while it is a bit more expensive...if I factor in the time and frustration of making boxes....they might work out.

If it works, I'll come in and edit this post, but in the meantime if there are any suggestions, please....by all means, post it in the comments.

EDIT: I realized I had a little more than an hour before Harbor Freight closed, so I went ahead and picked some up because they were on sale for $4. They don't have the big logo on the side (like the pic) and they work just fine for most of my Zines.

Saturday, July 1, 2023

Humble Bundle - 3d Fantasy Miniatures - The Complete Bundle

So, long story short, I have a nice 3d printer that is still in the box. Now that I'm looking at the 3d Fantasy Miniatures Bundle, I need to figure out a proper place to set it up at. Ah, trials and tribulations of an RPG Collector ;)

I'm going to show what you can snag for 1 buck. 25 bucks get you the complete collection, and that's where I am grabbing this at, but even for a buck, you get a nice collection of minis to print out with your 3d printer.

An epic treasure trove of 3D printables
Bring your fantasy tabletop gaming sessions to life with this massive loot haul of 3D printable miniatures and terrain! Featuring 100+ models and themed sets, this bundle lets you create ready-for-adventure dwarf paladins and elf mages; modular taverns and treacherous mountain terrain; and a bestiary of monstrous creatures to bring peril to your next campaign. Plus, your purchase helps support Make-A-Wish Foundation.

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

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

Friday, June 30, 2023

Humble Bundle - Chronicles From the Worlds of Warhammer 2023 by Black Library

I'm a huge fan of Warhammer (fantasy, 40k and beyond) fiction, though I tend to prefer audiobooks over print, and digital works over print (it's the aging eyes damn it). Chronicles From the Worlds of Warhammer 2023 by Black Library is a digital book offering in mobi and epub formats.

18 bucks get you the 27 titles shown.

Explore the dangerous world of Warhammer
Thanks to our friends at the Black Library, you can adventure through the ruthless realms of Warhammer! With novels from the high-fantasy-inspired Age of Sigmar era, tales from the science-fantasy-infused 40,000 setting, and more Warhammer fiction, you’ll explore a range of settings as you dive headlong into danger. Take home an epic collection of more than two dozen books including Knight Errant, Knight of the Realm, and Pariah, and help support EveryLibrary with your purchase!

Thursday, June 29, 2023

Modiphius Conan Coming to an End June 30th - Dirt Cheap Pricing on Remainders

I've never really looked closely at the Conan RPG from Modiphius, but its license ends tomorrow night, and they are selling off the remainders.

The PDF collection is a huge deal for those interested, but I opted for 4 of the 5 card decks, which I suspect I can use for inspiration in adventure designing. Four decks shipped came to about 14 bucks, not bad at all.

Here's the link to the Sale Page at Modiphius.

There's also a Conan sale going on at DTRPG.

Details of the PDF Bundle:

This massive Conan PDF bundle includes everything we have released in digital form for Conan: Adventures In An Age Undreamed Of since its launch. You’ll get over 40 PDFs at approximately 90% OFF the original price of buying them individually. This bundle will only be available until the end of June 2023, so this is your last best chance to get everything at an incredible price!

The bundle contains:

Robert E Howard’s Conan Roleplaying Game - Core Book
Conan the Adventurer
Conan the Barbarian
Conan the Brigand
Conan the King
Conan the Mercenary
Conan the Pirate
Conan the Scout
Conan the Thief
Conan the Wanderer
Conan: Ancient Ruins & Cursed Cities
Conan: The Book of Skelos
Conan: Gamemaster Screen + Toolkit
Conan: Horrors of the Hyborian Age
Conan: Jeweled Thrones of the Earth
Conan: Kull of Atlantis
Conan: Maps Bundle
Conan: Nameless Cults
Conan: Player’s Guide
Conan: The Shadow of the Sorcerer
Conan: Waves Stained Crimson
Conan: The Age of Conan Sourcebook
Conan: The Exiles Sourcebook
Conan: The Monolith Sourcebook
The Art of Conan
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Dowry of The Peacock Seal
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Eye of the Vulture
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Frost on the Vilayet
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Isle of Eons
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Sons of Vidarna
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - Spoils of War
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - The Black Temple
Conan: Shining Kingdoms - The Dwellers Below
Conan Geomorphic Tile Set: Dens of Iniquity & Streets of Terror
Conan Geomorphic Tile Set: Fields of Glory & Thrilling Encounters
Conan Geomorphic Tile Set: Forbidden Places & Pits of Horror
Conan Geomorphic Tile Set: Perilous Ruins & Forgotten Cities
Conan: FREE RPG Day 2017: The Pit of Kutallu
Conan: Quickstart
PLUS Character Sheets, Free RPG Day Extra Characters, and a d20 to 2d20 Conversion Guide

Wednesday, June 28, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Dork Tower

I remember Dork Tower quite fondly going back to the Shadis days. What else can I say other than for me, this is an instant buy :)

The Dork Tower Bundle is 14.95 on Bundle of Holding for the next week.

Adventurer! Give in to the dork side with this all-new Dork Tower Quick Deal featuring .PDF ebooks of Dork Tower, the fan-favorite webcomic by John Kovalic (Munchkin, Apples to Apples) about five gamers and the worlds they create, the games they play, the tech they abuse and misuse, and the conventions they road-trip to – a comic for everybody, geeks or otherwise. The big graphic albums in this all-new Dork Tower Quick Deal from Dork Storm Press have together sold more than half a million copies. Get them all now in .PDF for an unbeatable bargain price.
For just US$14.95 you get all nine complete graphic albums in our Dork Collection (retail value $90) as DRM-free ebooks, including Dork Covenant, Dork Shadows, Heart of Dorkness, Livin' La Vida Dorka, Understanding Gamers, 1d6 Degrees of Separation, Dork Side of the Goon, and Go, Dork, Go!, as well as a full-color compilation of early Shadis and Dragon strips, Dork Decade.

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

Deal of the Day - John Carter of Mars Core Rulebook (2d20 System)

I don't have much - if any - experience with the 2d20 System, but a setting like that of John Carter of Mars may be just far enough off the beaten path for me to give it a look.

Until tomorrow morning, the John Carter of Mars Core Rulebook is on sale for 4 bucks in PDF (down from 20).

Edgar Rice Burrough’s John Carter of Mars: Adventures on the Dying World of Barsoom transports you to the Red Planet of Barsoom, an arid, dying land of ancient civilizations and fearsome creatures. Begin your adventures of romance and heroism using a pulp-action inspired variant of the 2d20 System. Take on the role of heroes as you travel, battle, and romance your way across the wondrous and dangerous world of Barsoom. Play as John Carter, Princess Dejah Thoris, the fearsome Thark warrior Tars Tarkas – or create your own heroes from an exciting variety of options.
An overview of Barsoom and its peoples, perfect to introduce new players to the wondrous world of John Carter of Mars.
Detailed chapters on Barsoomian technology, creatures and cultures.
A new talent focused, narrative variation of the 2d20 System including a step-by-step character generation system designed to create heroes from a variety of backgrounds and concepts.
Create a wide variety of characters such as a Dashing Red Martian Duelist, a Brilliant First Born Scientist, a Savage Beastmaster, a Courageous Airship Officer, even Earthborn characters, so players can follow in the bounding footsteps of John Carter himself!
A detailed narrator's section filled with information on how to run genre-and-setting appropriate campaigns, including information about the great and terrible secrets of Barsoom.
Three eras of play based on the adventures of John Carter himself. Adventure during the Dotar Sojat era, or adventure during the time where Carter became a Prince of Helium and in the years after when he was believed dead, or fight alongside Carter and his allies during the later Jeddak of Jeddaks era.
An introductory adventure, the Mind Merchants of Mars, to get players and narrators started on their adventures and immersed in the world of Barsoom

Monday, June 26, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Warlock! Warpstar!

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

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

Adventurer! This new Warlock-Warpstar Bundle presents two tabletop roleplaying games from Fire Ruby Designs inspired by the early days of British roleplaying. Ready your warhammer or slug projector for rules-light adventure in the dark yet wondrous spirit of early Games Workshop and the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. The fantasy game Warlock! and its standalone compatible space-opera companion Warpstar! both feature career-based characters, concise rules, and a unified 1d20+skill mechanic that adapts easily to published grim-and-perilous adventures and helps you create your own new stories.
For just US$12.95 you get all five titles in our Warlock Collection (retail value $65) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete Warlock! Traitor's Edition core rulebook, previously in the January 2023 Non-OGL Fantasy Bundle; the Compendium 3 rules expansion; and three current Warlock! sourcebooks: Kingdom Traitor's Edition, the citybook Rebeck, and the seagoing campaign book Buccaneer!
And if you pay more than the threshold price of $25.02, you'll level up and also get our entire Warpstar Collection with five more titles worth an additional $68, including the complete Warpstar! standalone core rulebook (retail price $16) and four Warpstar! supplements (retail $13 each): Caldera, Dire Threats, Hegemony, and Omoron.

Sunday, June 25, 2023

HackMaster Coupons/Tokens

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, June 24, 2023

Kickstarter - Cutthroats & Thieves Card Game

A game where everyone is out for their own selves.

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

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

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

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

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

Friday, June 23, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

Thursday, June 22, 2023

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

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

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

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

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

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

Adventures in the time of Robin Hood for 5E!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tuesday, June 20, 2023

Kickstarter - Groo: The Game Returns!

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

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

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

Groo Returns To The Gaming Table!
Comic fans love Sergio Aragonés, and they love his character Groo the Barbarian. Now this classic comic character returns in Groo: The Game, a fast, fun card game that plays in under an hour and is great fun for two to six players.
A hit when it was first released, this game has been unavailable for many years. This new release of Groo: The Game includes both the original game and the supplement, with cards illustrated by the great Sergio Aragonés himself and featuring Groo and his friends and foes!
GAMEPLAY
Groo the Barbarian is the classic fantasy hero – brave, daring, and completely brainless. When Groo comes to town, armies melt away and buildings fall. He doesn't MEAN it. It just happens!
In Groo: The Game, players try to build a town without having it stomped to rubble by Groo himself. Roll dice for resources and use them for buildings (which create victory points) and armies (which knock down other players' buildings and defend your own). Groo moves randomly, always with the best of intentions, destroying all that he encounters. The player with the last town standing wins!

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

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

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

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

Because the shit works.

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

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

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

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