Journey's End (for now), the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches has been released! (Reposted from the Bat in the Attic Blog)

The following was first posted over on Rob Conley's Bat in the Attic Blog. All the following words are Rob's. Affiliate links are The Tavern's. Keep the beer cold and the lights on at The Tavern via our affiliate links :)

I (Rob) am pleased to announce the release of Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches. This is the fourth of four products covering the eighteen maps that encompass the Judges Guild Wilderlands setting. This product covers four of the maps as detailed below. The four sets combined will cover a region equal in size to Western Europe providing years and decades of adventuring for you and your group.

Unlike many setting products, the Wilderlands sketches out the overview and history in light detail. Then presents a comprehensive list of local detail in a compact format that is customizable. This eliminates much of the tedious work involved in creating a setting and allows the referee to focus on the campaign and the grand adventures the players face as their characters.

This is presented as two products both in PDF and Print on Demand.

The first product is a 44-page guidebook containing a brief overview of and commentary on Maps Fifteen to Map Eighteen of the Wilderlands along with lists covering details on Villages, Castles, Lairs, Ruins, and Islands.

Due to the extensive use of monsters from the supplements to the original edition, this release details 7 monsters and provides full statistics suitable for use with Swords and Wizardry and similar RPGs.

The Guidebook for the Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches also includes charts, tables, and rules concerning the Triumphant Grand Tactical mapping system used by the Wilderlands, how to build strongholds, and establishing baronies. In addition, information has been added on the demographics of the Wilderlands along with new rules governing pastoral and nomadic cultures. Because Tula, the City of Wizards, plays a prominent role in this region, rules for potion and magic item creations has been included. Finally, as the Isle of the Blest straddles the corners of four maps, a combined map and list has been added as a bonus chapter. This includes the background originally written by Scott Fulton in Pegasus #3.

Included with the Guidebook are a letter-sized blank map of the Wilderlands that can be used to take notes during a campaign. A PDF with the map legend. A letter-size black and white guide to the placement of each of the 18 maps within the Wilderlands.

Finally a giant-sized preliminary version of the master map that I used to crop the individual maps from. With the right printer, this can be printed as a full-scale map 5 feet wide and 8 feet long. With the PDF you can selectively copy out regions as complete maps that overlap the borders of the 18 maps. After the release of the final set of maps this file will be updated as a layered PDF allowing for custom maps of the Wilderlands to be copied or created.

The second product is a set of four maps:  Isles of the Dawn Map Fifteen, Southern Reaches Map Sixteen, Silver Skein Isles Map Seventeen, and Ghinor Highlands Map Eighteen. When ordered via print on the demand they are printed in two overlapping halves each on a 12" by 18" poster. In addition, each map is presented as a 22" by 17" PDF file.

The maps have been redrawn from the original in a color style. Instead of the distinct symbols of the original maps, the terrain has been drawn as a transparent fill and vegetation represented by colored areas. This allows both terrain and vegetation to overlap. Representing more accurately the complexity and diversity of the Wilderland's geography.

This release is the final book in a series of four covering the Wilderlands of High Fantasy.

A preview PDF

The Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches Guidebook

The Wilderlands of the Fantastic Reaches Map

Bundles

I now offer bundles of all four sets of guidebooks and maps at 25% off buying separately. There are four bundles two sets of print or PDF for the guidebooks, and two sets of print or PDF for the maps. DrivethruRPG doesn't allow maps and books to be mixed in the same bundle (or order).

Wilderlands Guidebook Bundle (PDF)
Wilderlands Guidebook Bundle (Print)
Wilderlands Map Bundle (PDF) 
Wilderlands Map Bundle (Print)

Indiegogo - Bill Webb's RPG Decks of Dirty Tricks

Why do I have an AC/DC song in my head when I think of Bill Webb's Deck of Dirty Tricks? heh.

I've been using Bill's Deck off and on for years at the various conventions I run games at. The results have always been fun and often game-changing. Certainly not for the DM that is weak of heart and unable to improvise ;)

With this project introducing TWO new decks of Bill Webb Dirty Tricks in addition to reprinting the original deck, I'm excited as all hell. One deck of your choice for 15 bucks, two for 29, all three for 42. Want to add a signed copy of Bill Webb's Book of Dirty Tricks (DM Aid)? You're at 50 bucks. Shipping not included.

The Classic Deck of Dirty Tricks

Made for use during game sessions to encourage unexpected events and player interactivity. The cards are all printed with suggestions for changes in the narration and their potential mechanical implications. It is system neutral but works best with any one of the many variations of the world's most popular roleplaying game. 

The New Expansion Decks of Dirty Tricks 

We are bringing 2 new decks for this Indiegogo project. We are also reprinting the classic (and sold out classic Deck of Dirty tricks . The expansion decks are planned for 48 cards with, often requested blank cards for creating your very own "dirty tricks" for your home or convention game.

A WTF Kickstarter - Age of Uranus

Sometimes, the name says it all. I'm sure it was a language issue that failed to see the issue with the title of this Kickstarter - Age of Uranus before launch.

I guess they released after launch, as it was canceled after not meeting projections.

So, what is the Age of Uranus? Yes, that was a bad joke, but it is funny ;)

Age of Uranus is a role-playing game in which art and mystery blend to create a unique and fascinating setting: a sublime and tormented world where signs invisible to ordinary mortals lead to weird and wonderful places and where codes hidden within works of art reveal paths to powers and long-forgotten truths. 

Players take on the role of hyper-humans, supernatural beings of great power, who covet supremacy over humans and their peers, but in hyper-human society nothing is as it seems. Characters will have to navigate this world of Mystery, Intrigue and Passion...

Ah well. It's never good to play with Uranus. Yes, I'm in high school again - signed, Dick Hertz ;P

God Bless Those Lost in the 9-11-01 Terror Attacks

September 11th is always a hard day for me. Now that I'm retired, I do my best to stay in bed late in the morning, so as to no longer be tempted to listen to the list of names of those lost in the attacks of 9-11. I cry enough on this day without such. I saw too much, smelled too much that day to ever forget.

Paul was lost on 9-11 working in the World Trade Center. He was also working at the WTC back in the '93 attack.

Paul was a member of our gaming group since high school and one of my closest friends, helping me navigate my way through the end of a long term relationship just a few years before. Always easy to talk to, always listening, always caring.

Paul could have survived that day. Others in his office did. He took a moment to call his wife and leave a message that a plane had hit the Towers and he was clearing out his staff from his office before locking up and heading down himself. Paul never got out.

To Paul, his family, friends, and coworkers, to all of those that were lost that horrible day and their family, friends, and coworkers, you are in my thoughts and prayers today and every day. But for the grace of God, my name would be on the memorial.

Never forget.

New Release - Alarms & Journeys (OSR Zine)

There's a new Zine in the OSR community - Alarms & Journeys. Its just 2 bucks. Probably worth it for the adventure alone.

An OSR 'zine for use with OSRIC, AD&D 1e,2e, and others. 42 pages! (actually, more than 42 pages ;) 

In this issue! 

Editorial/ Barbarian Class page: 2 

Law and Disorder by Todd Cannon page: 6 

Interview with Joseph Bingaman
By Dave Johnson Page: 8
The Role of Books: 

Monsters and Creatures
Page: 12 

Trail of Cthulhu
page: 13 

Obligatory Dungeon
by Chris Larr Page: 16† 

The Role of Games
page: 46 

Ecology of the Gas Spore
page: 50 

New Monsters & Magic!
page: 55

That's an affiliate link above. Keep the lights on and the beer cold at The Tavern by using our affiliate links.

Indiegogo - The Folio: Black Label #2 (Oh my!) 1E and 5E

A swords & sorcery styled adventure in both traditional AD&D and modern 5th Edition D&D.

Sexy certainly sells. Suffice to say, I think The Folio: Black Label #2 will certainly sell, although not being available in physical copies at retail means I won't be able to see uncomfortable gamers at cons sneaking a glimpse at the cover. Heck, the cover art of The Folio: Black Label #2 makes me feel like I'm back in the 90s, and that's a good thing.

I've been consistently happy with the quality of the various The Folio releases via Kickstarter and Indiegogo.

The Folio: Black Label series are fantasy adventure modules that is compatible with BOTH classic Advanced Dungeons & Dragons and 5th Edition D&D formats.  It combines what I enjoyed most from the heady days of of the late 1970s and the 1980s swords & sorcery storytelling.  

The Folio: Black Label #2 continues in the same locations as Black Label #1, and is going to have even more adult edge than is found in the standard Folio, and yes, there might be some nudity, and maybe some horror, and maybe a twisted quality here or there, but at the base its really just about the unfettered fun of hacking and slashing your way through a pulp style adventure with blatant evil doers, magical treasures, and exposed flesh.   

So, I'm throwing out the playbook for 2019, and turning the flux capacitor back to the early days of gaming.  I hope some of you will join me. 

A WTF Kickstarter - Critical (S)hit! Diarrhea Dice

d20 and polyhedral dice sets designed after and engraved with poop! For gaming, dungeons and dragons, collectors, rpgs, gifts, and more

Just when I thought I had seen it all, Critical (S)hit! Diarrhea Dice arrived on Kickstarter. I think we've hit the point where there are now new ideas for dice - but wait! ou get a nice poop pin to go along with your $13 dice set... of poop.

We have seen that many people love the poop emoji and its various forms, so we figured it would be pretty awesome to put a big old piece of poo right on the 20 side of a d20. So that is what we aim to just do! Try to get the funding to make some crappy dice! We also decided that these dice could be extra shitty by adding a whole bunch of poop inspired colors on sets of polyhedral dice based on all the sorts of poop out there. Perhaps you've encountered some of this shit yourself. We're really down to earth, so we had to be real about it but still had to pull off a way to make the dice look cute. You've got your everyday poop, diarrhea, corn infested, and others!  

Hopefully none of you are too disgusted by the idea of these dice  - We know there were times when we felt sick (and funny) when designing them because much research and many references were needed (gross). It really was not easy to do, but luckily we had some help from a fine designer based out of Diving Hippo Studio (another Canadian association) who helped us survive the process of getting these dice designed. We pulled through, and now they're here on Kickstarter for you all to pledge for! These dice, if funded, are not going to be only full of humor and silliness, but also look great! They'll be the real shit! One of a kind!   

Oh, did we mention that we also want to make some pretty crappy pins and a dice bag for you too? One of them is very nice - for your friends to get you rolling when you game. The other one is for you gamers out there that just want the world to lose. Suck it, losers! Finally, sometimes we've all got crap in life or in the middle of a DnD game where you just need to pull out a dice bag full of attitude. We'd love to make you some golden bags that you can flaunt off in your games!  

Finally, we have some related creations for you all to add on if you wish. We've designed a dice tray cut out in the shape of poop so you can roll your crappy dice on them if you so desire! We also had the lads down at Galaxy Gaming Gear design a wicked looking toilet dice tower if you wish to add it to your pledge. This way you can get your crappy dice totally flushed when you're gaming, since you probably always roll 1's and miss the enemy all the time, anyways! May as well send them down the drain! 

I get the joke, but ts a crappy one (no pun intended) and 20 bucks after shipping for a shitty joke just doesn't cut it for me.

Fuck. the puns are like diarrhea... they just don't stop!