New Release - Midderzine Issue #1 (Midderlands / S&W / OSR)

This popped up in my Facebook feed last night and I nearly lept out of bed to share it. Of course, that never happened as sleep overtook me ;)

In any case, I'm picking up Midderzine #1 in Print & PDF - because I can't wait on the mail to come to me...

This is a fanzine for The Midderlands campaign setting for old school games. Although The Midderlands was written for Swords & Wizardry Complete, it works with all the old school games and retroclones with little or no conversion. Hell, you can even adopt it for any fantasy roleplaying game. 

Within this issue you can find news articles, information about locations, NPCs, monsters, races, classes, oddities, spells, flora, fauna, and just about anything to do with the Midderlands, the Haven Isles, and further afield.  

IN THIS ISSUE: 

• More fodder for your ‘The Midderlands’ OSR campaign setting.
• Rumours from The Haven Gazette.
• Details on the village of Stonecastle.
• 3 new monsters: The Catvile, Gloomrat, and Devil’s Goat.
• The Crowmaster class.
• New Oddities, Flora, and Fauna including: Catvile Spittle, Demonfeathers, and Plague Flies.
• Jim Magnusson: The Scandinavian Artist Sensation.
• And more…

Midderzine #1 is $3.92 in PDF

Midderzine #1 is $9.14 in Print - Shipped (converted from 6.75 British Pounds)

Yep, PDF sales use an affiliate link. Put some beer in your bartender's fridge. :)

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E122 - Are Game Sessions with Constant Action Good Gaming?

I'm actually very happy with the Dungeons & Dragons Survey currently posted by WotC. Remember, under "other editions of D&D played", enter "OSR" ;)

I'm really enjoying the D&D survey posted by WotC. Some of the questions are thought-provoking. They certainly drive the conversation. I'd love to hear some community response to the questions I covered on this episode :)

Link to Episode 122 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E122---Are-Game-Sessions-with-Constant-Action-Good-Gaming-e27tit

Free Games on Humble Bundle - Through September 16th, 2018

Earlier today I received the following email from Humble Bundle:

From now until September 16 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, the following DRM-free games will be available to the general public: 

• Alan Wake's American Nightmare
• Limbo
• Uurnog
• Fortune 499
• Tiny Echo
• Cat Girl Without Salad
• Drawkanoid
• THOR.N
• Crescent Bay

Here's the link (yep, its a link to free stuff, but of course Humble Bundle hopes you subscribe to Humble Bundle Monthly, so yes, its an affiliate link):

https://www.humblebundle.com/monthly/trove?partner=tenkar

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E121 - WotC has a D&D Survey Up - I Encourage You to Take It

WotC has a Dungeons & Dragons Survey up on their site - it can take 25 minutes or more to take it. I started the survey on today's podcast and covered some of the early questions. Hint: when it asks for editions of D&D that you play, you can fill in OSR ;)

WotC has an in-depth survey up about tabletop Dungeons & Dragons, the editions you play, how you play and such. There are a number of questions that may even lead to their own podcast episodes.

Link to Episode 121 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E121---WotC-has-a-DD-Survey-Up---I-Encourage-You-to-Take-It-e277f3

Link to D&D Survey - http://dnd.wizards.com/articles/news/dd-survey-1

Troll Lord Games Sale - 1.99 Adventures - 9.99 Core Books - PDF - C&C, 5e and More

Its been a busy day here at The Tavern, mostly doing non-Tavern activities. But fear not! We have a sale from Troll Lord Games that runs through tomorrow night at midnight.

Now through Friday night at midnight we are extending the sale on almost all our Castles & Crusades, Amazing Adventures, Victorious, Haunted Highlands, and 5th edition adventures.  Not only that, we are also extending the $9.99 sale on almost all core books, settings, etc.  You'll have to do a little digging around our publisher page to find all the nuggets, but at least now you have a little more time to do it, :-)

Here's the link to the Troll Lords Sale (yep, that's an affiliate link)

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E120 - Transdimensional Taverns, Unsung Heroes and Art

This episode went by in a flash. All of the sudden I was like "Shit! We're done!" ;)

In today's episode, we listen to a voicemail, read some emails and discuss art preferences in the OSR - B&W vs Color. Oh my!

Link to Episode 120 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E120---Transdimensional-Taverns--Unsung-Heroes-and-Art-e271bi

Reminder - Tavern Chat Tonight - 9 PM Eastern - Transdimensional Taverns Anyone?

Sorry for the late reminder of tonight's Tavern Chat. I've been running around like a chicken without a head the past week or so :)

Link to the Chat:

https://discord.gg/jjCnvk

Voice chat will be in the Open Bar Channel

Huzzah!

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E119 - A Wee Bit of KS and Transdimensional Voicemails

It really is a slow week for Kickstarter. Thankfully, its been a busy few days for voicemails ;)

There isn't much in the way of Kickstarters that excite me much this week, but there is a ton of excitement with the idea of a Transdimensional Tenkar's Tavern. Woot!

Link to Episode 119 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E119---A-Wee-Bit-of-KS-and-Transdimensional-Voicemails-e26rgr

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/johnwrot/reality-shard-supernova-and-neutron-rpg-dice-sets?ref=category&ref=discovery&term=rpg

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/bookofdarksecrets/create-your-own-fantasy-rpg-adventure-rpg-resource?ref=category&ref=discovery&term=rpg

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E118 - Remembering 9-11 From One Who was at the WTC

17 years. 17 fucking years. As I finished recording today's podcast, I received a text from a friend that her husband was diagnosed with 9/11 related renal cancer. Both my friend and her husband are retired NYC Police Officers who responded that fateful day.

No bumpers this episode. Music didn't feel appropriate.

This is NOT a Kickstarter Round-up episode. This is an episode recounting my experiences on 9-11 as a NYC Police Officer. This episode is dedicated to Paul Benedetti - Husband, son, gamer.

Link to Episode 118 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E118---Remembering-9-11-From-One-Who-was-at-the-WTC-e26hs9

Link to Paul Benedetti's Memorial Page - http://www.legacy.com/Sept11/aon/Story.aspx?PersonID=114885&location=3

Further Transdimensional Tavern Thoughts

On this morning's podcast, I talked a bit about my ideas for making Tenkar's Tavern a transdimensional location, complete with a portal between the different "shadows" of The Tavern.

My current idea is to put together a number of random tables to help with descriptors, staffing, patron types, type of dimensional doorway, special highlights, drink menu and the like as well as set few features that are common across all locations.

As I type this, I've had two voicemails in regards to this idea and I'll gladly take feedback / ideas to mine from commenters here.

Figuring the tables will be released via the OGL and the use of Tenkar's Tavern would simply require a statement that Tenkar's Tavern and Tenkar are trademarks of Erik "Tenkar" Stiene, used with permission.

Thoughts?

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E117 - ENWorld has News & Transdimensional Tavern Thoughts

Strange how Chris Helton left ENWorld nearly two months ago and only now are they announcing it. Oh, I blame Joe D for transdimensional tavern thoughts...

Yep, ENWorld has news. Helton is officially gone and Mike Tresca is now managing editor of the ENWorld Columnist program. I have some thoughts on a Transdimensional Tenkar's Tavern.

Link to Episode 117 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E117---ENWorld-has-News--Transdimensional-Tavern-Thoughts-e2684h

Link to ENWorld Article - http://www.enworld.org/forum/content.php?5584-The-New-EN-World-Columnist-Program

Weekends No Longer are for Free Time

Before I retired, I could find time to post a half dozen times or more on the weekends.

Now that I am retired, I'm lucky to do half that. Time, it seems, has other ideas than I do. Weekends were the time to relax. Now, it seems its when "I'm working". Cleaning, shopping, family time and more. Weekdays are my downtime now.

Not complaining though. Just observing.

Will play catch up tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm enjoying Jack Ryan on Amazon. But not on weekends...

The Tavern Chat Podcast - E 116 - Win a Month of Humble Bundle Monthly & CRPG Talk

Humble Bundle has been truly generous with me this month and we have yet another giveaway, this time for a month free of Humble Bundle Monthly.

Listen to this episode to learn how you could receive a month of Humble Bundle Monthly (9 games) - I talk about classic CRPGs.

Link to Episode #116 - https://anchor.fm/tavernchat/episodes/E-116---Win-a-Month-of-Humble-Bundle-Monthly--CRPG-Talk-e261b6

www.humblebundle.com/monthly?partner=tenkar (affiliate link)