The Other Basic Ancient Red "Almost Red Box Cover" - Larry Elmore - Limited Print - Signed and Numbered

I saw the original at +Frank Mentzer 's house the night before Gary Con kicked off. It really is an amazing "what if" piece of art.

Prints are $40 plus shipping ($16 in the US)

D&D - Other Basic Ancient Red

This is a print, original size, of the sketch for the cover painting of basic Dungeons and Dragons. Gary Gygax wanted only the Dragon and Warrior on the painting so it would "Jump out and grab ya"
Limited Edition

Cubicle 7 to Put Out New Edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay - Update! Also - Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game Announced

Before I do the news dump, let me just say - I own all previous editions of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay (even that box that called itself an RPG but was really the precursor to the miniatures wargame). I loved running the Games Workshop version, enjoyed reading the Green Ronin version and really couldn't make heads or tails of the Fantasy Flight version Screw that, I simply didn't like the la. I'm cautiously optimistic of Cubicle 7's upcoming version with it drawing upon the first two for inspiration.

A new edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay will be launched by Cubicle 7 Entertainment later this year. The new edition will return players to Warhammer's grim world of perilous adventure, and takes its direction from the first and second editions of the game. 

Cubicle 7 CEO Dominic McDowall said, "Like so many gamers I grew up on Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay. It's an iconic setting and I'm thrilled to be working on this new edition of the game. Our team have a huge breadth of experience with Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay, and I’m excited to be able to bring the Cubicle 7 approach to the Old World. We’ll be revealing more of our plans in the coming months, so subscribe to our newsletter and keep an eye on our website!”

From the Cubicle 7 Facebook posting.

But wait! There's more! From the Cubicle 7 website posted earlier today!

Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game Announced! 

Games Workshop and Cubicle 7 Entertainment have announced the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game, for release in 2018. 

Warhammer Age of Sigmar is Games Workshop’s epic tale of heroes, gods and monsters fighting a desperate battle for the fate of the Mortal Realms. 

Dominic McDowall, Cubicle 7 CEO said, “The Warhammer Age of Sigmar setting is fantasy at its most imaginative. The Mortal Realms are fascinating, highly evocative and hold endless possibilities for roleplaying. I am enormously excited to explore them with the Warhammer Age of Sigmar Roleplaying Game!” 

This news follows Cubicle 7’s announcement of the fourth edition of Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay for release in 2017. These two games will be independent game lines with different rulesets.

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Colonial Troopers find The Devil in the Crypt inside The Pyramid of the Lost King

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

The Devil in the Crypt - Death will come on swift wings to those who disturb the tomb of the Black Pharaoh! Haunted by evil both otherworldly and mundane, the tomb of the sorcerer-king Akhenseti lies waiting. Within its halls are secrets to be uncovered, enemies to be defeated, and weirdness to be encountered. “The Devil in the Crypt” is an OSR adventure for a party of 4-8 characters between level 1 and 3. It is designed to be system agnostic and compatible with traditional role-playing games.
$3.00  $2.55

Colonial Troopers - If you know Swords & Wizardry, you already know the system behind Colonial Troopers, as it is one and the same - What if the first RPG was inspired by hard Science Fiction as written by Robert Heinlein, Poul Anderson, Isaac Asimov, and Frank Herbert instead of Tolkienesque fantasy? Colonial Troopers is a science fiction RPG compatible with the original fantasy roleplaying game and subsequent editions, and other “OSR” games that follow in the mold of the original like, Guardians, Warriors of the Red Planet, and others. If your tastes run towards battle hardened combat armor, some attention to real physics, and explorations of just what it is to be human, you’ve found the right book. As in the fiction of the above writers, the players are confronted with an unforgiving universe full of wonders and deadly quirks of science ready to astound and enchant, and cull the unwary.
$9.99  $8.50

Pyramid of the Lost King - campaign, setting or adventure? Now you don't have to choose :) Millions of year ago the lands of Usarm were devastated by a great Cataclysm in the final days of the war between the Gods of Usa’arm and the demonish threat of the N’zi. In the wake of a final assault by the Usa’arm the very fabric of reality was torn asunder flooding the world with arcane energies and rips that sundered other worlds and realities … and in the process sank Usarm into the dark depths of ruin. Now, Usarm is home to races and monsters dragged through those rips; refugees who now call a world ravaged by magic home. Wars between some races is common, and a dark threat rises in the North and another in the far south. A south that until now was left unexplored by the peoples of Usarm. Intrigued by the prospect of riches the Merchants Guilds of Newrk stretch their arms and money into the great southern desert of the Saragubi hoping to find new peoples and new cultures to trade with and to grow more wealthy by.

Pyramid of the Lost King is designed for play with Frog God Games Swords & Wizardry and can be enjoyed by characters of the first to five level and is as much a campaign as it is an adventure. Within this book lay the trade city of Basq, the Rift Bridge, the Saragubi Desert, and hours of adventure for all who are foolhardy enough to venture into the Desert.
$10.00  $8.50

 For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Kickstarter - Wandering Monster Decks for 5E and Pathfinder!

Wandering Monster Decks for 5E and Pathfinder is a Kickstarter by Nord Games. I've enjoyed backing their previous KSs as they seem to have a nice handle on GM accessories regardless of system used.

What I find interesting with this offering is that they have licensed content from both Frog God Games and Kobold Press in addition to using the core creatures for both Pathfinder and 5e.

Now, I know the question on the minds of many: Why am I even looking at this if it doesn't directly support Swords & Wizardry, OSRIC or some other OSR system? Because looking at the card backs, they appear fairly systemless. So long as you have access to a monster book of sorts appropriate for the deck you are using for your system, it looks like you are good to go. Obviously, Tome of Beasts and Fifth Edition Foes require a specific reference book.

Still, I'd love a deck of cards that refers to Swords & Wizardry Monstrosities... hint... hint ;)

12 bucks a deck makes this a very fair deal.

40% Off Many of the Troll Lord PDFs - Today Only

Sorry for the late notification - the email came in around 2PM but I only caught it now.

Here are the direct links:

For the Player

Monsters (actually only 15%, so not linked)

Adventures

World of Aihrde

Remember, use of The Tavern's Affiliate links keeps the lights on here at The Tavern :)

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - Random Esoterica invade the Town of Brighton in the Misty Isles

The OSR Extravaganza Sale is in full swing. Its time for The Tavern to make some picks and the occasional "deep track" ;)

+James Raggi 's Random Esoteric Creature Generator for Classic Fantasy Role-Playing Games and their Modern Simulacra is a mouthful. It is ALSO extremely useful and full of inspiration when you want that "special" creature to entertain your players (and gives some insight into LotFP Weird Fantasy rules).

Looking to instill a little fear in your game? Then look no further! Nothing brings the thrill – and terror – of discovery to a game like new monsters. Faced with the unknown, mighty-thewed heroes tremble in their hauberks, wizened wizards fumble with their spell books, and even the most audacious of rogues hesitate before plunging into battle. Nevermore worry that your players have memorized every monster’s stat, power and weakness. Nevermore resort to tired fantasy clichés, and worn out monsters fought a thousand times before. The Random Esoteric Creature Generator ensures that each monster your PCs cross is unique, unexpected, and best of all – unknown. With an unlimited number of horrific combinations, this is the last monster book you will ever need. Bring terror back to the table with the Random Esoteric Creature Generator! 

Rules Set: Systems-neutral, designed to be used with any RPG  $7.99  $6.79

Dark Times in Brighton - An adventure and a town designed for Labyrinth Lord, but really for the OSR ruleset of your preference. Who doesn't need a town for his or her players to be based in?

Dark Times in Brighton is an adventure for four to six characters of 1st - 2nd level. Although designed as a Labyrinth LordTM compatible product, It is easily compatible with most fantasy RPG systems.  In addition to the adventure itself, contained within these pages are details of Brighton and its people, a town that could easily become an important part of your character's careers as adventurers. 

The town of Brighton exists in the north, at the source of the Daakencraags where the Darkenwolde Forest shades the winding Brother’s River. The legendary adventurer, Richan Thatcher (along with his party of adventurers) carved the place away from a once mighty goblin kingdom. It has prospered for many long decades, until now. Townsfolk are disappearing from the surrounding countryside. Goblins are on the march once more. If that wasn’t enough, a terrible blighting disease has infected the waters and not even the curative magics of the Temple of the Winds can thwart it. This is indeed a very dark time for Brighton. Too old to do anything about it himself, Thatcher has sent out a call to any adventurers who will swear their swords to his mighty town and its innocent people. 

Are your players hero enough to face down a growing goblin horde? Are they brave enough to fell the mighty goblin shaman, Vir-Kayik? Are they clever enough to find the source of the blight and cleanse the town’s water source? Are they the light to end these dark times in Brighton?                                        $5.00  $4.25

Misty Isles of the Eld - Dude, its got a meth-fruit plantation house! Heh. I was given a print copy of this at last year's NTRPG Con. It was a trip to flip through on the flight home ;)

Come visit the acid fantasy mini-sandbox of the Misty Isles, a hellish pocket plane that's brutally displaced a bucolic paradise. Marvel at its massive grub-ridges, shake at the body horror of its protein vats—and watch as your players dynamically unleash the Anti-Chaos Index through their own in-game actions. Misty Isles of the Eld is a stand-alone sequel to Slumbering Ursine Dunes and Fever-Dreaming Marlinko. 

What's inside its 104 pages:
-Four dungeons. The Vat Complex (with its menacing sealed off-west wing, body-horrific industrial process and pocket dimensions), the flying god-prison Monument Five, the meth-fruit Plantation House and Colonel Zogg's Pagoda Bunker.
-Full “extra-planar” pointcrawl. The wilderness crawl spreads over one main isle and two smaller islets subdivided by massive, movable grubs.
-An “Anti-Chaos Index.” Through their actions the players shape the very reality of the Isles. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worst, but always for the weird.
-A slew of new otherwordly monsters.
-A large collection of bizarre technological Eldish artifacts and treasure. Includes a random generator for miscellaneous artifacts picked up.
-A new psionicist player class, the Psychonaut, with a soft scifi twist. Including its own powers and mutations.                                          $12.00  $10.20

 For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

 

OSR Extravaganza Sale - OSRIC Adventures Bundle - 8 Adventures for 10 Bucks

Expeditious Retreat Press is offering a bundle of OSRIC Adventures from their Advanced Adventures line - 8 adventures in PDF for $10 bucks. At that price it's hard to go wrong. So, what's in the bundle you might ask?

The Lost Keys of Solitude is an OSRIC(TM) module designed for 6-8 adventurers of levels 6-10.

While traveling through the foothills of the Garvain Mountains, your party found refuge for the night in a hermit's cave. In the morning, you wake to find the hermit and all his possessions gone, all except for two golden tiles: one embossed with the image of a bull with his hrons down and ready to charge, the other a tiger poised and ready to pounce. When the tiles are placed next to each other so that the bull and tiger face one another, the embossed images move, fusing the two pieces into one. The newly created image is the bull and tiger locked in combat. The fused piece is easily separated, and when separated, the images of the bull and tiger return to norm...

Stonesky Delve is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventures of levels 4-7.

Giant Stonesky Mountain has been a spiritual home for the Dwarves since the first clan received the 4 Pillars of the Underearth from Motsognir. The voice of the dwarven deity purified the halls and caves under Stonesky and the mountain has been a sanctified place for all the various dwarven peoples. And now, as lamentable dwarven internal conflicts rage on, a new entrance into the Stonesky has prompted an exploratory party. Unwilling to send his own into the dark hole when they are so desperately needed elsewhere, the local Hlaford's hired you for your delving expertise. Your mission - enter, explore, map, and do not return to the surface until the passing of three days!

The Frozen Wave Satsuma is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-8 adventures of levels 3-5.

A bank of frigid fog rolls down the northern coasts, bringing seaborne raiders sacking villages and temples along the way. Survivors wail of strange-speaking men in stranger armor, wielding weapons unseen in civilized lands. All know that the fog must hide a larger ship of some equally strange design, for the raiders strike from small boats which would surely capsize in the open seas.

What dangers await upon the cold and windy ocean? What terrible foreign ship lurks within the haze, hiding like a lion upon the wine-dark sea? Into this fog travels the intrepid party - seeking to solve the mystery of The Frozen Wave Satsuma!

The Riddle of Anadi is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 5-7 adventures of levels 6-10.

The ancient name of Anadi is legendary among sages, mystics, and wizards throughout the land. It was the Great Sage herself who researched countless magical rituals and spells commonly used today. Yet none know what ultimately became of Anadi; rumors abound that she ascended to godhood, she was enslaved by some demon of the nether planes, or that she simply died and is buried in some long forgotten location.

The Obsidian Sands of Syncrates is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventures of levels 4-7. It was the tournament adventure at GenCon Indy 2011.

Returning from a successful trading voyage to far-away lands, the party's ship is stranded in the doldrums. After two days without any wind, the sky darkens and small particles of black ash fall like a dark snow. The party's two native guide-translators panic and begin wildly yelling, quickly whipping themselves into a fury of fear. Faster than the group can react, the two guides pull their small knives and stab themselves in the chest repeatedly as they jump over the side of the ship...

Redtooth Ridge is an OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-10 adventurers of levels 1-3.The plain wooden cup the dryad Aralina needs for her great oak’s rebirth has been stolen by creeping foul things! Small, man-like, creatures with great heads assaulted her and, in the confusion, pick-pocketed the cup before fleeing towards Redtooth Ridge. Without her cup, her tree with die before it can reproduce and she will die with it. In her distress, she has offered a reward of a beautiful coral necklace in exchange for her plain wooden cup. The call has gone out and surely a party exists willing to assault Redtooth Ridge?

The Red Mausoleum: The populated regions north of the Sistermoors have enjoyed over a century of respite from the wars that once plagued the area. However, within the past year, baronial patrols have reported clashes with undead and other dark creatures brave enough to strike out from the moors into the forests of men and elves. The Baron’s sage suspects that the undead issue out of the mysterious ancient landmark known as the Red Mausoleum located somewhere on the wild stretches of the moors!

The Seven Shrines of Nav'k-Qar is An OSRIC(tm) module designed for 6-8 adventurers of levels 8-12.

Nav'k-Qar! A name lost to antiquities and feared only by scholars who know of the dread toad god's former power... once surrounded by a cult which performed the most vile and evil acts in his honor. Now that all of his followers are long dead and the temples of the Gray One completely destroyed, the final resting place of the cult's last riches has been a source of speculation for generations. At long last, one scholar discovered the location of that elusive shrine, the greatest one of all... the fabled Seven Shrines!

Do you have the strength, knowledge and skill to penetrate the horrors of that dread place and wrest the vast treasure from the jaws of the Gray One himself?

For the complete Tenkar's Tavern series of posts highlighting the notable picks of the OSR Extravaganza Sale, follow this link. New posts added daily.

Remember, your use of The Tavern's affiliate links helps keep the candles burning and the taps flowing at The Tavern. As always, we thank you.

Fat Goblin Games "One Dollar Sale - Some OSR and GM Tools are Included

Fat Goblin Games is running a "One Dollar Sale" on many of their lines of releases (not all). Much of it is Pathfinder, so if that strikes your fancy, have at it. There is, however, some OSR goodness and some GM tools included in the sale.

The OSR releases include the following at a buck a piece:

Bride of the Darkened Rider, an adventure for the DCC RPG

Basilisk Goggles and Wishing Wells, a magic item resource for LL and other OSR games

Sinister Serpents: New forms of Dragonkind - I reviewed this a while back. Its a very nice way to keep your players on their toes.

GM Resources include the following at a buck a piece:

The GM's Cartographer Companion

The GM's World Building Journal

The GM's Adventure Planner

The GM's Monster Memoir

The GM's Allies and Adversaries Journal

The Master Player's Adventures Journal

The GM's Star Log

Don't forget the OSR Extravaganza Sale :)

5% of all sales made through The Tavern's Affiliate Links goes to support The Tavern. I appreciate all of the support.

No Testing of the Facebook Live Feed Tonight - Its Snot Right

Well, the cold that Rach was nice enough to share with me has come full swing. I really doubt anyone wants to view and listen to a Facebook Live feed with me blowing my nose (its also why I told Rach that although Indian food might clear the sinuses for dinner tonight, we will not be doing any other patrons a favor ;)

Might attempt it this weekend. We'll see. Hasn't helped that its been raining all damn day. Sigh.

Still, gives me time to make some picks for the OSR Extravaganza Sale :)

OSR Extravaganza Sale - The Picks - The Barrel Rider went to The Majestic Wilderlands

Some OSR publishers were left in the cold when the OSR Extravaganza Sale kicked off yesterday. Have no fear! They are back and with deeper discounts than the rest.

Barrel Rider Games ( +James Spahn ) best known for White Star and the series of White Box releases, has entered the fray:

A few of Barrel Rider Games' White Box and White Star products seem to have slipped past the OSR Extravaganza! But fear not! Not only are all of these following products on sale for the duration of the OSR Extravaganza, they're also 20% off instead of the current sale price of 15% 

Products discounted at 20% include: White Box Companion [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Treasures [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Bestiary [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Wererat's Well [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Wizard's Tower [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Adventures: The Dragon's Hoard [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Omnibus [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Demihumans [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Companion II [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Options: Psychic Talents [Swords & Wizardry], White Box Classics: Reluctant Heroes [Swords & Wizardry], Uttin [White Star], Combat Medic [White Star], Brimling [White Star], Rock Star [White Star], White Box Gothic [Swords & Wizardry] and White Box Compendium [Swords & Wizardry]! 

Other OSR products currently on sale as part of the OSR Extravaganza at 15% off include all of Barrel Rider Games' Labyrinth Lord and Starships & Spacemen products like Class Compendium, They're Only Kobolds and the 2012 Barrel Rider Bundle!

Bat in the Attic Games ( +Rob Conley ) is also offering deep discounts:

The Majestic Wilderlands - From the City-State of the Invincible Overlord to the ancient city of Viridistan the wilderness is thick with dungeons and ruins. Contained in this book are the background and rules used in a campaign thirty years in the making. You will find over two dozen classes ranging from Soldiers to Mountebanks and races of Reptile Men to Half-Viridians. New races, magic variants, creatures, and magic items can be found within these pages. Also included is a complete overview of the Majestic Wilderlands. Begin your journey into the Majestic Wilderlands and become the next person to carve their mark in the hall of destiny. A 140 page rules supplement compatible with the Swords & Wizardry rules and a guide to the Majestic Wilderlands $7.00  $4.20

Scourge of the Demon Wolf - Three died. They were mauled beyond recognition. The Baron sent his huntsmen to kill the beasts and for a fortnight they tramped across the countryside. Between their whoring and drinking they killed twelve wolves, parading their skins through the village. They were hung on poles as trophies of victory. Then the huntsmen left, the beasts slain, the village saved… so we thought. As the fields turned golden under the summer sun the killings began again. Four more died. Then the Baron's man, the bailiff, was killed on the high meadow in sight of Mitra's Temple. His screams could be heard well into the village. He was only identified after we reassembled the pieces. With the priest's help I wrote a report to our liege, the Baron of Westtower. My report ended with, There will be no harvest until the beast is slain and the killings stopped.
A 72 page adventure compatible with the Swords & Wizardry  rules and a setting supplement to the Majestic Wilderlands. detailing a small barony, a complete fantasy village, a conclave of mages, a crossroads hamlet, and a camp of wandering beggars. $10.00  $6.00

I'd like to mention my two PWYW releases - Pocket Creatures Volumes 1 & 2. Grab them for free. Use them. Enjoy.

All posts for the OSR Extravaganza Sale can be found using this link.

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - Lets Discuss Some OSR Picks :)

In the midst of the excitement with the launch of today's OSR Sale at RPGNow we'll be having our regularly scheduled Tavern Chat tonight.

When: 9 PM Eastern

Where: Chatwing chat window on the right side of this page

Oh, we'll probably also talk about tomorrow night's test of the Tavern Chat Live Call In Show :)

AD&D 2e Core Books Plus Planescape Bundle - 8 Books - 15 Bucks

Its strange that I don't see these bundles directly linked under the OSR Sale going on at RPGNow. In any case, in addition to the AD&D 1e bundle and the D&D Rules Cyclopedia and Gazetteer bundle there is the AD&D 2e plus Planescape Bundle.

Here's what you get for your 15 bucks:

Players Handbook, 2e

DMG, 2e

Monstrous Manual, 2e

Plansecape - Original Boxes Set

In the Cage: Guide to Sigi

Planes of Chaos

Planes of Conflict

Planes of Law

Eight PDFs, 15 bucks

I appreciate all the support shown for The Tavern in using the affiliate links. Huzzah!

RPGNow - OSR Extravaganza Sale - 15% Off Plus Bundle Deals!

How the bloody hell did I miss this?

RPGNow is running an OSR Extravaganza Sale for the next 18+ Days. That is simply awesome.

In addition to the AD&D 1e Bundle of Eight Core books I just posted about minutes ago the is also a Known World Bundle which includes the Rules Cyclopedia!

Here's what you get in the Known World Bundle

D&D Rules Cyclopedia

GAZ1 The Grand Duchy of Karameikos (Basic)

GAZ2 The Emirates of Ylaruam (Basic)

GAZ3 The Principalities of Glantri (Basic)

GAZ4 The Kingdom of Ierendi (Basic)

GAZ5 The Elves of Alfheim (Basic)

GAZ6 The Dwarves of Rockhome (Basic)

GAZ7 The Northern Reaches (Basic)

GAZ8 The Five Shires (Basic)

GAZ9 The Minrothad Guilds (Basic)

GAZ10 The Orcs of Thar (Basic)

GAZ11 The Republic of Darokin (Basic)

GAZ12 The Golden Khan of Ethengar (Basic)

GAZ13 The Shadow Elves (Basic)

GAZ14: The Atruaghin Clans (Basic)

Fifteen PDF for BECMI D&D - 15 bucks

I'll be making OSR Picks of the Day starting tomorrow :)

Remember, all sales via The Tavern's affiliate links goes to support The Tavern. Shop Smart! Shop using The Tavern's affiliate links ;)

edit - a hair over 1300 items on sale. 2 1/2 weeks MAY be enough time to find the gems in the rough...

AD&D 1e Core Books Mega Bundle on Sale at RPGNow - 8 PDF Books - 15 Bucks

My favorite AD&D 1e book cover and one of my favorite RPG book covers ever.

A HUGE tip of the hat to one of The Tavern's regulars for bringing this to my attention. RPGNow has a Bundle of eight AD&D 1e Core books in PDF on sale for - $14.95

Its an amazing deal with only one omission - Unearthed Arcana. (edit - one omission of NOTE IMHO ;)

Here's what you get:

Player's Handbook

Dungeon Master's Guide

Monster Manual

Monster Manual II

Fiend Folio

Oriental Adventures

Dungeoneer's Survival Guide

Wilderness Survival Guide

Normally 75 bucks, the AD&D 1e PDF Bundle is $14.95

Remember, all sales via The Tavern's affiliate links goes to support The Tavern. Shop Smart! Shop using The Tavern's affiliate links ;)

edit - Yes, the Survival Guides are "eh" but a great bundle value anyhow...

Tentative - Tavern Talk Live Call In Show - Test - 10 PM to 1030 PM Eastern Thursday May 25th.

Alright. I've done some research, so it SHOULD work in theory, just need to test how WELL it works in practice.

Thursday night at 10 PM Eastern we are going to do a test run of the Tavern Talk Live Call In Show via Facebook Live. I expect things to go all buggered, but that IS the point of a test.

Why Facebook and not Youtube? Because Youtube had some major hiccups when Zach and I were using that for the livecasts. Hell, in the end we might wind up using Youtube - thus the testing this Thursday Night.

I'll post the Google Voice number on Thursday before we start the test.

This is either going to rock hard or suck eggs ;)

Huzzah!

Once the kinks work out we'll set a schedule and general topics. I'm figuring one 30 to 60 min show once a week, with alternate weeks being late evening and late morning my time. In any case, that's putting the horse before the cart. Need to see if the idea works on the technical level first...

Kickstarter - Archive: Historical People, Places, and Events for RPGs (System Neutral)

In the way back, before I was a blogger, before I was a cop, before I worked retail - I was a college student. Not thinking so clearly back in the fall of 85 I decided to defer my major and just take the core requirements and classes that interested me. Lo and behold, come my Junior Year (as college credits are tallied, not by years spent) the computer wouldn't let me register without a major. Reflecting on the classes I had taken prior, t appeared to me that I had self selected History - Sociology was nearly tied, but what does one do with Sociology. Come to think of it, what does one do with History? ;)

Where does all of this lead us? Right to the Archive Kickstarter. If you dig history, if you love RPGs, you'll love the Reeses Peanut Butter Cup that's been put together for you.

Archive is a collection of adventure sites, NPCs, and events ripped right out of history and perfect for your campaign. It’s a 265-page book with 80 subjects. All have everything you need to make them come alive at your table: sights, smells, history, local color, and even plot hooks and ideas to help you adapt them to your campaign setting. 

Need a villain? Throw your PCs against Ching Shih, the notorious pirate queen, presented with the tactics and schemes she used to wreak havoc across coastal China! Need a random encounter during travel? Recreate the 1861 encounter of the French corvette Alecton with a dying giant squid, and the social consequences that followed. Need an adventure site? Why not Fort Jefferson, complete with real historical secrets for your PCs to uncover?

I actually have an advance copy of the PDF. 260 some odd pages, suffice to say I have not read it all. But what I HAVE read appeals to me as both a gamer and a history buff. It scratches both itches and it does it well.

10 bucks for the PDF is a steal. Seriously. 30 for the book plus PDF which is also damn good.

I'm going to do something I rarely if ever do, mostly because I don't have a product to review in order to do so - The Tavern is endorsing the Archive Kickstarter. the PDF exists, I have it and backers get their PDF in June - next month.

Additionally, Tristan Zimmerman of Molten Sulfur Press reached out to me in the right way. Seriously. He hit all of the notes - polite, respectful, explained the project, included a sample (well, the whole book) and ended with the following: "There’s an advance reader’s copy of the book attached. If you happen to glance at it and you like what you see, I’d sure be grateful if you’d mention it, but no pressure. Whether you tell anybody or not, we really hope you enjoy the book, and thank you for your time."

Kickstarter creators, take notes. There is a right way and a wrong way to get attention. Maybe reach out to Tristan if you need to refine your skills.

Deal of the Day - Gloamhold Campaign Guide (System Neutral)

Today's Deal of the Day is the Gloamhold Campaign Guide from Raging Swan Press.

Its a setting. Its a mega dungeon. Its a mega dungeon setting.

Sixty pages. Normally $5.95 in PDF, Gloamhold is currently on sale for $1.66 in PDF. Its worth $1.66 for inspiration alone.

Glowering amid dark rumours and terrible stories of desperate adventure, death, betrayal and glimmering treasures squat the unutterably ancient halls of Gloamhold. This crumbling, benighted, haunted dungeon complex of unknown, but undeniably vast, extent is buried deep within the grim and brooding spray-drenched headland of the Mottled Spire. It is a place of legends, madness and death. Within this towering, wave-lashed shard of limestone lies the labyrinthine passageways and chambers of Gloamhold’s outer reaches and, beyond them, the benighted precincts and canals of the legend-shrouded Twilight City.

I love the idea that it was written with Old School Gaming in mind (its system neutral)

:

Kickstarter - Endless RPG: A Random Dungeon Generator for Pen & Paper

What can I say about my initial impressions of Endless RPG?

- When the creator says he needs to purchase art assets, he isn't kidding.

- Endless RPG isn't an RPG but a random dungeon generator for 5E and Pathfinder

- It will be iOS only

- Amazing instructions on "Solo Play":

- Even better instructions on "Group Play":

Certainly not meant for me nor my play style nor what I would consider an RPG. Well, it isn't an RPG.

Goal is moderate ($300) and current backing is $250 with 42 days to fund.

There obviously is a market for this, no matter how small. I think with better sample art it would have funded and then some by now.

Interesting that the app will probably be a buck when it releases, but backing for a buck is simply a tip. Backing for 10 bucks gets you a free copy, so you are paying a premium, obviously not a discount.

One thing I'll never understand - limiting backer numbers for an app or other virtual product.

Maximum backing is $550 plus tips. Or wait, is that to keep it under the Tax Man's $600s and you must report the income threshold...

Weekend Wrap Up - Home, Away and Possible Tavern Chat Facebook Live Dry Run later this Week

I'm home now. Rach and I spent Friday afternoon through noon today in the Poconos. My God, we hadn't been there since last November. What a beautiful little weekend vacation it was. Saw deer, wilt turkeys and thankfully no bear this weekend ;)

Certain things planned - like reading some adventures that had been sent to me never happened. There simply wasn't that much spare time. I'm home now, with the better part of a week of rain on its way here to the NYC area, so less gardening and more writing, practicing InDesign, blogging, reading and all that jazz.

Other things that need to be done is matching up artists with the developer of the Frauds, Cons and Angry Mom's app. This will be fun to see come into being. I know #ConManKen is enjoying the attention ;)

I'm thinking of doing a dry run / guaranteed to be fucked up test of The Tavern's Facebook Live Call-In Show, possibly Thursday night (time TBD). Maybe. Still figuring the logistics. I mean, theoretically it SHOULD work, but it may not work well enough. Or it may. Thus the testing.

It was brought to my notice that ENWorld's posting of Ernie Gygax's reminiscing was a uncredited rip from Ernie's Facebook feed. I had read Ernie's story on FB earlier last week but I thought it was a reposting of the ENWorld article when I found it over on ENW. Guess I was wrong. Posted by Morrus at that. Go figure. At least I credit #ConManKen when I post his FB posts - heck, I usually share them as screenshots.

Alright, tonight will probably be an early night - the drive home added about an hour of traffic and I'm exhausted.