Tenkar's Tavern: Free RPG - Crumbling Epoch (OSR-ish)

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Free RPG - Crumbling Epoch (OSR-ish)

+Andrew Shields is one of the most prolific writers of free games that I know. He's also the guy that is in the process of pulling Mike Nystul's ass out of the Kickstarter fire for Mike's failure to accomplish pretty much anything of value with Axes & Anvils before Andrew's participation (that's all my spin on the situation - I never asked Andrew).

Anyhow, in 8 pages of Crumbling Epoch (based on Searchers of the Unknown) Andrew has put together a ruleset that is pretty much B/X compatible with a whole lot of non-standard stuff going on. Including no stats, but if you are rolling 3d6 in order, lack of stats and associated bonuses / penalties probably isn't much of a loss

What I would like to do is take some of the new classes / races that Andrew has introduced and rework it for Swords & Wizardry - the Blooded and the Thirsters come to mind.

Interesting stuff to play with, and Devilmount is also part of the inspiration.

2 comments:

AndrewMay 1, 2013 at 7:49 AM
Now it has more magic, reskinned from Wampus Country!

http://fictivefantasies.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/crumbling-epoch-and-wampus-country-magic/
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AndrewMay 1, 2013 at 7:50 AM
Now it has more magic, reskinned from Wampus Country!

http://fictivefantasies.wordpress.com/2013/05/01/crumbling-epoch-and-wampus-country-magic/
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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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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Free RPG - Crumbling Epoch (OSR-ish)

2 comments:

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