We've Seen Amazing Growth This Week with Tenkar's Tavern Discord Community - What are You Waiting For? ;)

I was talking with Pexx about The Tavern's Discord Server and we are both really impressed with the growth its seen in the past few weeks, not just with new members but third-party publishers and content creators.

Want some numbers?

In the past week, we've added 45 members to the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server. This puts us OVER 780 members. That is HUGE. We thank you all, old and new. Oh, and the week still has a few hours left ;)

How about third-party publishers? We now have ten with their own channels: Autarch, Barrel Rider Games, Bat in the Attic, Battlegrounds Games, Gaming Ballistic, Hack n Slash, Infinibadger Press, JB Publishing, Kort'thalis Publishing, Saga RPG, and Silver Bulette.

Looking for "content creators?" Gothridge Manor, Mystara, Middle Kingdoms, Megadungeon Games, Tabletop Bellhop, and Uncle Matt's RPG Studio. Phew!

Want to help us grow more? Invite your gaming buddies. Need a link to send them?
tenkars-tavern.games/Discord

Know an old-school publisher, podcaster, blogger, Youtuber or the like that isn't on the above lists? We'd love to add them. Drop me a PM on Discord with their contact info and we'll try and make it happen. Are YOU an old-school publisher, podcaster, blogger, Youtuber or the like that isn't on one of the above lists? What are you waiting for? Email me at tenkarsDOTtavern at that gmail thing and we'll set it all up for you.

Want to take it a step further? Download the Discord Client for Windows, OSX, Linux, iOS or Android. Here's an easy link: tenkars-tavern.games/DiscordApp Just download and install. It can run in the background. It gives you easy access to The Tavern's Community on Discord. Your community. I always have Discord open on my second monitor when I'm working, browsing, watching YouTube or Netflix and sitting at my desk. Because of you. And maybe even that other guy but I can't be sure.

The more folks that are members, the more members logged in at any given moment of time, the more active The Tavern's Community will be, to the benefit of all of us. Maybe if we play our cards right, we can become a Discord Partner with high-end servers for our voice channels and a spiffy link that isn't random letters and numbers :)

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 87 - Thoughts on Using Historical Inspiration

I'm in the Poconos for the weekend. I always find it inspiring to be away from the city and recharge my batteries.

In this episode, I talk a little bit about some of the local histories of Wayne County in the Pocono Mountains, and an idea to use it to inspire a fantasy-themed adventure. Also, let's talk Discord.

Link to Episode 87: https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-87---Thoughts-on-Using-Historical-Inspiration-e20f73

Link to the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server: tenkars-tavern.games/Discord

Kickstarter - The Year of Cthulhu - A 2019 Calendar

A gaming related Calendar on Kickstarter - last I backed was the Baby Bestiary. Actually, that's the only one I've ever backed. Looks like I'm backing another.

The Year of Chtulhu - 2019 Calendar Kickstarter looks damn sharp. I love the art. really, is there another reason to back a Kickstarter like this?

Sweet spot to back at? 12 bucks - and that includes shipping!

The Year of Cthulhu is a Calendar for 2019 featuring the beautiful art work of Evgeni Maloshenkov and brought to you by New Comet Games.

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 86 - Is The Punisher Watching the Watchmen?

I just watched The Watchmen - Ultimate Edition. Make it stop. Please, make it stop...

Some thoughts on The Watchmen, the Netflix Marvel Universe - especially The Punisher, Supers Gaming and such.

Link to Episode 86 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-86---Is-The-Punisher-Watching-the-Watchmen-e2059a
Link to the Tenkar's Tavern Patreon - tenkars-tavern.games/patreon

Link to the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server - tenkars-tavern.games/Discord

Deal of the Day - White Star Galaxy Edition PDF

As the stars aligned above, the White Star Galaxy Edition found itself on sale.

Yep, today's RPGNow Deal of the Day is the White Star Galaxy Edition. Normally 10 bucks in PDF, for one day only it is half the price - 5 bucks.

Ace Pilots, dead-eyed Gunslingers, and irrepressible Star Squirrels blast off across the stars to save the galaxy from the horrors of the Void! Hellfire Mecha march across the battlefield, leaving carnage in their wake! From the galactic center of Omega Consor to the Manrash System on the edge of the universe, the galaxy needs heroes! 

Endless galactic adventure awaits you in White Star: Galaxy Edition! Integrated and updated to include material from White Star and the White Star Companion, White Star: Galaxy Edition integrates new rules, new options, and expands the original game. Now more than just a tool box, White Star: Galaxy Edition offers you a universe full of thrilling adventure! 

White Star: Galaxy Edition includes: 

• Twenty-five character classes!
• Complete rules for Starship, Vehicle, and Mecha combat!
• New Starship and Vehicle Modifications!
• New Aliens and Creatures!
• New Equipment, Advanced Technology, and Cybernetics!
• New Meditations and Gifts!
• Two new forms of Mysticism: The tribal Etchings of the Yabnab and strange Chitterings of the Star Squirrels!
• New Optional Rules, like Deeds Dark & Daring, to add pulp sci-fi heroics to your game!
• New Star Systems: The rugged Marnash Sector and strange Scuiridae System! 

White Star: Galaxy Edition is compatible with all previous White Star products and can be seamlessly integrated into White Box and other OSR material!

The above includes an affiliate link. Keep the beer cold and the lights on. Support The Tavern. 

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 85 - $500 Waterdeep Platinum Edition for 5e - WTF?

I know we are a hobby that enjoys collectible, limited editions, but 500 bucks for an adventure that will be available in hardcover for 50 - or less than 40 shipped on Amazon.

WotC has licensed a $500 "Platinum Edition" of its upcoming Waterdeep: Dragon Heist adventure, the same adventure that will release 2 months earlier in hardcover for 40 bucks - shipped - on Amazon.

Link to Episode 85 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-85---500-Waterdeep-Platinum-Edition-for-5e---WTF-e200sg

Links:

https://www.beadleandgrimms.com/spoilers/

https://amzn.to/2Mx4483

There is an affiliate link above. Long live the rise of the affiliate link. Hail Cobra!

New Release - The Little Book of Adventuring Classes Vol. 2 (Swords & Wizardry)

InfiniBadger Press has released its latest product in its line of Swords & Wizardry support material, The Little Book of Adventuring Classes Vol. 2.

As per the blurb:

The second volume in a series of minimalist design, small page-count books offering big play options for your gaming table.

Welcome to the second volume of The Little Book of Adventuring Classes books – a series of minimalist design, small page-count books offering big play options for your gaming table.

Will you play the mysterious and deadly Ninja, or fight with words and knowledge as a Scholar? Will you command others as a Warmonger, or make sure the way is safe as a Vanguard. Will you allow others to travel other paths as a Navigator, or grow your own Barbarian clan and tribe? Will you master magical runes as a Runecaster or be a Summoner that can call beasts and creatures magical and non-magical from other planes? All these options stand before you.

Choose new races including the badger-like Brokkan or the winged Skylings who dwell in their floating aeries. Are you a Half-Orc struggling to find acceptance, or a Minotaur born of chaos? Or are you a gnome, fey magic user or technical genius?

This supplement for the Swords & Wizardry roleplaying game works best with the Complete version of the game, but can easily be converted to work with the other older versions. The content within can also be readily used with other roleplaying game systems if you have an alternative favorite rule set.

Includes 8 New Classes:

• Barbarian
• Navigator
• Ninja
• Runecaster
• Scholar
• Summoner
• Vanguard
• Warmonger

and 5 New Races:

• Brokkan
• Gnome
• Half-Orc
• Minotaur
• Skyling

You know what? I think the gnome sold it to me ;) You can snag the PDF for $3.99.

The above includes an affiliate link. Affiliate links keep the beer cold and the lights on at The Tavern. Also, Jason is a friend of mine. We speak. We've gamed together. He talks funny. He produces good shit.

Reminder - Tavern Chat - 9 PM Eastern - Post Gen Con Yapup?

Yep, its a Wednesday Night, and that means Tavern Chat at 9 PM Eastern. Where all the cool kids and grumpy grogs hang out.

Tavern Chat is mostly a voice chat but you don't need a mike to listen and there is an accompanying text channel. The experience has been, at times, likened to a live podcast that is unscripted with random participants and some more or less regular hosts.

You can use the following link to get to the chat:

tenkars-tavern.games/Discord

Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 84 - The Voices in Your Head Will Make Them Believe

Ask anyone that has played in a game session with me, I love to use different voices. I feel it makes NPCs more memorable and furthers your players' ability to suspend disbelief.

Today I talk about using voices - accents and catchphrases, to make your NPCs come to life. I also talk about how the Tenkar's Tavern Discord Server has channels for third-party publishers and content creators.

Link to Episode #84 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-84---The-Voices-in-Your-Head-Will-Make-Them-Believe-e1vpju

Other Links:

tenkars-tavern.games/patreon

tenkars-tavern.games/Discord

Indigogo - The City that Dripped Blood: A Fantasy Adventure (S&W and 5e - Frog God Games)

The only complaint I've ever heard about Frog God Games releases is the cost. High quality, full color and the size of textbooks, they seem to often be priced like a textbook. Now it is time for something completely different and yet so familiar. With The City that Dripped Blood: A Fantasy Adventure Frog God is going small.

The Tiny Print Run 

Why Indiegogo? 

Frog God Games is testing a new approach with the launch of this project- almost the inverse of how we design our crowdfunding projects on Kickstarter. We call it the 'Tiny Print Run'. 

Thus, Indiegogo projects by Frog God Games will- 

• Be short in duration
• Be limited to a single title
• Have options priced between $5-$30
• Have simple fulfillment process that does not use Backerkit

So, what do we get with The City that Dripped Blood: A Fantasy Adventure?

Frog God Games is proud to announce The City that Dripped Blood, the first in a four part series centered in and around the city Temelpa.  This mid-level adventure is written by D & D Legend Steve Winter, whose credits include over 30 years of best selling games, adventures, and supplements for some of the most popular RPG companies in the industry.  He has played a part in many of the most beloved titles from Star Frontiers to the Fifth Edition rule books. He was a contributor most recently to the Frog God Games' Quests of Doom 4 series. Steve's incredible legacy and experience in the RPG world makes The City that Dripped Blood a perfect Indiegogo project debut title. 

Overview

Temelpa, an ancient walled city on a forgotten trade route, thought to be abandoned ages ago, and now, the adventurers find themselves besieged within.  

Unable to leave their refuge, the adventurers will quickly discover the city is inhabited, not deserted as initially believed, by an ancient society. They will soon be embroiled in the affairs of a twisted caste system built on servitude and cannibalism and headed by an inter-dimensional vampiric overlord. 

This open-ended adventure allows the GM to unleash an array of unique monsters, factional power struggles, and intriguing plots upon the characters as they fight and scheme to stay alive, entrapped in a hostile city where they are viewed as useful pawns or a tasty exotic meal. 

Can the characters hold out until the siege is broken and escape with their lives? Will they champion the cause of the downtrodden and upend the social order? Or will they be the main course for the next cannibalistic feast? 

Welcome to the City!

Six bucks for the PDF. Thirteen for the Print plus PDF. I'm in for 13 ;)

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 83 - Kickstarter Roundup for August 7, 2018

Yep, Tuesdays are Kickstarter Day on The Tavern Chat Podcast, and we have a lineup that you should find interesting. Alas, no all-weather dice tubes this time around.

As we do every Tuesday, its time to look at some current Kickstarters (and one Indigogo) that strike my fancy. Oh, and a four year overdue KS from someone who shouldn't punch windows... MAIN GAUCHE, THE FANTASY TRIP, The Sinister Stone of Sakkara 5E, Dark Naga - OSR Haunting of Hastur Modules, and Glamazons vs The Curse of the Chainmail Bikini.

Link to Episode 83 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-83---Kickstarter-Roundup-for-August-7--2018-e1vjaj

Links:

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/grimandperilous/main-gauche-a-zweihander-grim-and-perilous-rpg-sup/description

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sjgames/the-fantasy-trip-old-school-roleplaying/description

https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-sinister-stone-of-sakkara-5e-adventure#/

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/darknaga/dark-naga-osr-haunting-of-hastur-modules

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/prettiestprincess/glamazons-vs-the-curse-of-the-chainmail-bikini/updates

tenkars-tavern.games/patreon

Crowdfunding - The Sinister Stone of Sakkara for 5E

As if to prove my thesis that the OSR and D&D 5e have much more synergy that the OSR ever did with Pathfinder, we find The Sinister Stone of Sakkara for 5E by Autarch over on Indiegogo. Proper conversions of OSR adventure material to 5e makes it just that much more likely I'll actually play 5e. I know, those are heretical words to some ;)

From the press release:

I'm excited to alert our fans that our adventure module The Sinister Stone of Sakkara is being released for Fifth Edition. We're currently running a small IndieGoGo campaign to cover the costs of layout and printing so that we can offer an offset printed version of the book.   

You can check out the IndieGoGo here: https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/the-sinister-stone-of-sakkara-5e-adventure#/ 

This is Autarch's ninth crowdfunding project, but it's our first Fifth Edition project. All of our prior material has been for our proprietary Adventurer Conqueror King System. 

We're very excited to begin to adapt our material for the world's most popular RPG.  

The adventure scenario is approximately 50,000 words. That's 10,000 words more than the adventure's old school version.  The Sinister Stone of Sakkara has been re-written from the ground up to follow the XP, Challenge Rating, and Treasure guidelines for 5E.
The adventure is set in our Auran Empire campaign world, a swords & sorcery setting inspired by the Late Roman Empire. For the first time, we offer Fifth Edition stats for many monsters of the Auran Empire, including the Abominable Young Dragon, Abomination, Birthing Tree, Brigand, Possessed Giant Spider, and Zaharan Ruinguard, plus 5E stats for Imperial Cataphracts, Legionaries, Legates, and more.  

As with the ACKS version, the adventure features: 

• Dozens of black and white illustrations by Michael Syrigos and a pair of full-color landscape paintings, one of the fortress of Türos Tem and one of the buried temple by concept artist Jeff Brown
• A starting base including a villa, headquarters, hospital, chapterhouse, infantry barracks, cavalry barracks, bathhouse, traveler's inn, and forum, all mapped and keyed.
• A dungeon with two levels, the first with 75 rooms and the second with 39 rooms, mapped and keyed, along with two custom random encounter tables. 

If you play 5E, I hope you'll check it out. It's a great adaptation that brings the fortress and dungeon to life with 5E mechanics. If you know friends who are into Fifth Edition and looking for new content with an old-school feel, please have them take a look. Thank you, as always, for being a supporter of our work.

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 82 - How Can a Top 100 List Only Go to 85? Feedspot!

Damn it. I had planned to play with funny voices today. Distractions are the bane of my podcasting. Squirrel!

I got squirreled today. An email from Feedpsot drew me back into the rabbit hole of Top 100 RPG Blog Lists that only have 85 entries, where a good portion of the list is "pay to play". Grrrrrr!

Link to Episode 82:  https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-82---How-Can-a-Top-100-List-Only-Go-to-85--Feedspot-e1vbjd

Link to prior posts talking about FeedSpot:  http://www.tenkarstavern.com/search?q=feedspot

Interview with Steve Jackson (SJG) regarding The Fantasy Trip RPG

Before the launch of The Fantasy Trip Kickstarter, I had an email exchange with Steve Jackson (of Steve Jackson Games, not the other one ;) regarding The Fantasy Trip. Steve answered some questions and I suspect some of the answers may lead to questions from my readers. If you do have some questions, leave them in the comments section and I'll forward them to Steve Jackson Games.

Tenkar: Here is the initial round of The Fantasy Trip questions. I expect some answers to generate further questions. There is no specific reason for the order of the questions.

I must confess to not owning a copy of the original rules. Not for lack of interest, simply lack of desire to be shaken down on Ebay.

Steve: Yes, totally understandable.

Tenkar: 1 - Steve, what was your inspiration for The Fantasy Trip? What were you trying to accomplish with the rules when you wrote them?

Steve: For the original Melee, the inspiration was OD&D and I wanted to create a better combat system, for “suits me better” values of better. I like hexes.  For the later material, the inspiration was all the fun we were having playing Melee, and the goal was to see if I could create a coherent but simpler rules system.


Tenkar: 2 - Are you surprised by the amount of nostalgia and love there is for The Fantasy Trip?

Steve: In a word, yes!


Tenkar: 3 - I believe GURPS is an evolution of The Fantasy Trip, much like AD&D was of OD&D, perhaps with more divergence in the case of TFT / GURPS. With the new printing of TFT, will we get to see a “what if" version of The Fantasy Trip if it had been allowed evolve on its own?

Steve: It won’t be the same as 40 years of natural evolution,, but yes, it will at least be a lot like it would have been if I’d had another few months and Metagaming’s print budget had been greater, back in the day.


Tenkar: 4 - Rob Conley raised a question in The Tavern’s weekly voice chat session - Will there be something similar to OneBookShelf's Community Content Program for The Fantasy Trip, so that third-party publishers could publish content for TFT and share the profits with SJg?

Steve: Maaaaaaaaaaybe?


Tenkar: 5 - What kind of initial support can be expected after the core rules are released? Adventures, campaign setting, etc?

Steve: Yes and yes. We’re working on a neat GM tool, and an introductory one-character solo.


Tenkar: 6 - I see $60 is going to be the "I want it all" cost for TFT on KS. What are the plans for distribution aside from KS?

Steve: Not fully formed. Melee and Wizard will be in stores. If the whole Legacy box is in stores, it will be considerably more than $60.


Tenkar: 7 - Related in part to Question 4, are there any third party publishers that have asked or have lined up to support TFT (understood if this is confidential - yes or no may suffice)?

Steve: Confidential and yes.


Tenkar: 8 - With Melee and Wizard being published at the same time this time around, has that enabled you to ensure both books work seamlessly with each other?

Steve: I have certainly given it the old college try.


Tenkar: 9 - Will Advanced Melee and Advanced Wizard be a part of the initial core books, are they something for later or is it something that hasn’t been considered yet.

Steve: They will be subsumed into ITL, which will go up to 160 pages. (Note: "ITL" is "In the Labyrinth" and will be inside The Fantasy Trip Legacy Edition box.)


Tenkar: 10 - Which, if any, of the original supplements that you no have the rights to will be reissued?

Steve: All of them, eventually. Everything but the Death Tests is in the basic set, and the DTs are stretch goals that I really hope will be hit. If not, they will be part of the first supplement package.

Feel free to ask follow-ups.

Bundle of Holding - Rifts

Actually, the Rifts Bundle of Holding is TWO different bundles.

Rifts World Books has the following as its Starter Collection for $14.95:
Vampire Kingdom Revised
Lone Star
Federation of Magi Revised
Canada
D-Bees of North America

The Bonus Collection is currently $26.60 and includes the above plus:
Coalition War Campaign
Spirit West
Free Quebec
Coalition Navy
Vampires Sourcebook
The Black Vault

Then there is Rifts Essentials. The Starter Collection is $8.95 and includes:
Rifts® Ultimate Edition
Rifts® Sourcebook One

The Bonus Collection is currently $20.58 and includes the above plus:
Rifts Game Master Guide
Rifts Book of Magic
Rifts Game Master Kit

Personally, I think the Wolrd Books offer more, especially if you are going to yoke it for setting material over system.

The Tavern Chat Podcast - Episode 81 - Gen Con Update, Post Roundup & Voicemails

It appears that the individual throwing fists at a certain Youtuber outside a bar in the area of Gen Con not only owns a game store but also has a Kickstarter that is years late (and over a year since the last official update). This sounds like a future Wayward Kickstarter investigation...

Yep, its a bit of a smorgasbord with today's episode. An update on the "Gen Con assault", voicemails, highlighting some interesting posts from the blogside and and update on The Tavern's Discord Server (invite link: discord.gg/fReGmuD )

Link to Episode 81 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/Episode-81---Gen-Con-Update--Post-Roundup--Voicemails-e1v3s4

Links:

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2018/08/the-tenkars-tavern-discord-server-got.html

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2018/08/free-osr-liberation-of-demon-slayer.html

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2018/08/guest-review-adventurer-conqueror-king.html

http://www.tenkarstavern.com/2018/08/untold-adventures-crowd-sourced.html

Kickstarter - Dark Naga - OSR Haunting of Hastur Modules

The Haunting of Hastur series of modules were originally a 5e release. The Dark Naga - OSR Haunting of Hastur Modules Kickstarter brings them to the OSR.

Dark Naga has a history of doing some solid RPG releases, regardless of system, and I expect nothing less from their latest release.

The Haunting of Hastur series has been very successful for Dark Naga Adventures. However, they were never successful enough to unlock the OSR print run stretch goal. Several OSR fans have lamented this shortfall. This is my wish fulfillment project for the OSR community, particularly those fans who have waited for their version in the classic print format. 

This Kickstarter project has just one reward, all five modules in the old school print format: wrap around, detached covers, maps on the inner cover, saddle stitched (stapled) booklet. Simple. No stretch goals, just a low target small print run to give the backers who have wanted this version in this print format to have their wish granted.  

There is a little bit of editing to be done. See below on changes to DNH1 - The Lost Temple of Forgotten Evil. Beyond that, as soon as the project funds, I will order the proofs, and as soon as they are verified, the print copies will be ordered. This will be a fast cycle project. So fast, that there won't be any add-ons available via Backerkit. I expect to place the print order a few days after the funds post to my account.

There is one backer level. 100 bucks for 5 modules, detachable covers. All the good shit :)