Kickstarter - HST.3.33, a Third-Party CY_BORG Musical Interlude (Phil Reed)

Phil Reed is the master of the One Dollar Kickstarter. It's not a level where you "kick in to support" but a level where you get all of the goods in digital format. It is really something special to see.

This time, Phil is offering both an MP# file and a PDF adventure for a buck (but you can back at a higher level to get physical copies of both).

The HST.3.33, a Third-Party CY_BORG Musical Interlude Kickstarter is Phil's latest offering.

The 22.08" x 10.48" double-sided pocket map ($12 reward) featuring game content, and the lathe-cut record ($36, $50, and $62 rewards) are both exclusive to this Kickstarter campaign and will not be offered in this form again. We may release the game and music content in other physical formats in the future, but they will not appear again in the versions introduced through this project.

The digital edition -- both game content and music -- will be released as free downloads if this campaign is successfully funded.

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Kickstarter - Swords of Cthulhu (OSR Rules Expansion)

Bring Lovecraftian horrors to your old-school RPG with this rules expansion.

I've known Joe Bloch / The Greyhawk Grognard for a number of years. I first met Joe in person at the release of Gygax Magazine Issue #1 at the Brooklyn Strategist back in January of 2013 (has it already been over 9 years? Damn!) Joe's knowledge of Greyhawk is second to none, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the various releases he has issued under the BRW banner.

Swords of Cthulhu is Joe's current Kickstarter, and it is the one I find myself the most excited about (and I've backed them all). I always enjoy myself a little Dark Ones in my fantasy gaming, and I expect Joe will hit the mark with his latest offering.

Swords of Cthulhu is already written. The Kickstarter funds will pay for editing and art. You can back for the PDF version for 10 bucks, POD plus PDF is 15 (plus about 9 bucks for the POD itself).

Joe Bloch will be the special guest on next Wednesday's Talking Crit Livestream.

The book features:

• Two new character classes; the scholar and the cultist, with multiple specialty cults, each with unique powers and spells
• Two new character races; the deep one hybrid and the degenerate
• New secondary skills, including technology of other times and worlds
• New insanity rules, building on existing saving throw mechanics
• Over 150 new spells
• Nearly 30 new monsters
• More than 30 new magic items, including Mythos grimoires
• Tips on adding Lovecraftian horror to a fantasy-style campaign
• Everything is completely modular, and designed to be used or not used as you see fit for your campaign.

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Dave Johnson Games KNOWS Alarms & Journeys is the Successor to Gygax Magazine

There's something about Dave Johnson that implies douchebaggery (in my humble opinion - your opinion may vary). Maybe it's the game Dave has turned the release of Star Frontiers: New Genesis into. Note, I'm not talking about the actual ruleset, which likely only exists in a tangible format in the rocky crags of Dave's mind. I'm talking about the "release game" - free copies of SFNG at TSR Con! No Dave Johnson at TSR Con and no copies of SFNG at TSR Con (apparently due to Dave getting hit with Covid, and then recording the announcement of the delayed release of SFNG at a restaurant while still suffering from the effects of Covid), announcing the shipping of SFNG the end of last week, followed by the announcement of limited playtesting and a very limited number of playtest copies available. (so, copies apparently AREN"T shipping). Good luck getting into the playtest, Dave's blocked about half the community in the official Star Frontiers: New Genesis Facebook Group ;)

If you think that timeline is a bit bizarre, read the above pic at the top of this post. Notice the reference to Gygax Magazine, including using the magazine's logo. Did you happen to see Dave couldn't be bothered to do a simple google search to determine if it had been "5 or 6 issues"? What kind of lazy fuckery is that? You claim to have "taken the mantle" of Gygax Magazine, and you have no clue how many issues of Gygax Magazine was published. Dave, as a simple FYI, it lasted six issues. Always looking to have others do your work for you I see ;)

Below is the official response of Solarian Games (formerly known as TSR before the latest fiasco)

So, of course, Dave does what Dave does best - a very sloppy correction.

Did I mention that Alarms & Journeys is an obvious attempt to invoke the thought that it is a spiritual successor to Lee Gold's Alarums and Excursions, or even be mistaken for such?

I'd like to quote Time Kask, from David Flor's share of Solarian Games post over on Facebook:

Damn it Dave, I also failed to have an original thought ;)

Edit:

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Hasbro/WotC Acquires D&D Beyond from Fandom for $146.3 Million in Cash

Last year, after the D&D survey was making the rounds, I surmised that WotC would be staking its claim very firmly in the digital world and VTTs. Well, it looks like the first step has happened.

Hasbro/WotC just spent nearly $150 Million to buy D&D Beyond from Fandom. If this isn't the first step toward a WotC branded VTT, I don't know what is.

If I were Roll20, Fantasy Grounds, and the rest that have a customer base that is mostly composed of D&D 5e players, I'd be very nervous right now.

Here's the WotC announcement.

Here's the BusinessWire article discussing the purchase.

Huge tip of the hat to Rob Conley over at Bat in the Attic for the heads up :)

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Kickstarter - FAST Core Rulebook - Multi-Genre RPG System (from the creator of The Folio)

I've known R Scott Taylor for a number of years. His Folio series has been consistently very good to amazing in quality and content, and he certainly knows old-school gaming. This is why I am in for the $80 "Kitchen Sink in Print" level for the FAST Core Rulebook Kickstarter. Sure, I don't need yet another RPG, but I do need a streamlined multi-genre RPG. I no longer can parse GURPS like I used to when I was younger ;)

FAST is a multi-genre tabletop RPG that streamlines game play for both gamemasters and players alike.  The purpose of FAST is to help over-burdened users create and play fun scenarios without hours or prep time.  The system revolves around a single die, the D10, and character creation and updating is made to reflect the ease of first generation RPGs in which multiple books, massive skill trees, and weighty feats and additions didn't quickly send character builds out of control.  At its core, FAST is about quick fun, without the headaches of overly 'crunchy' and rules heavy systems.   

 

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Deal of the Day - The Halls of Arden Vul Complete (OSR Megadungeon)

I put The Halls of Arden Vul in the "Holy Shit" category. It's of the size that no group will likely ever complete the experience, but it is of such high quality they would wish they could. I own this in Print plus PDF (thanks to the amazing community here at The Tavern and the use of affiliate links like the one on this page). I've yet to complete my reading of the various volumes in this collection, but what I've read I truly do like.

The Halls of Arden Vul Complete is normally 109 in PDF, due to it being over 1100 pages, but until tomorrow morning at 11 AM Eastern, it can be snagged for 43.60 (a 60% discount off of its regular price). This is definitely not an impulse buy, but it is one hell of a mega-dungeon.

Arden Vul is the most ambitious megadungeon ever created, with over 1,100 Pages of Incredible Adventure. This First Edition compatible fully-bookmarked PDF product features:

• 2,162 Encounter Descriptions
• 14 NPC Factions
• 10 Massive Levels
• 15 Extensive Sub-levels
• 7 Dangerous Exterior locations
• 149 New Monsters
• 332 New Magic Items
• 69 New Technological Items
• 44 New Spells
• 189 New Books through which PCs can gain a deep understanding of the dungeon
• A full NPC appendix with 10 competing parties at 3 levels of power
• Over 140 original pieces of art, including 28 full-page illustrations!

All of this is mapped via 33 Amazing Maps that you can download for free at The Maps of Arden Vul. As we have gotten requests for VTT player's maps we have created The VTT Maps of Arden Vul for free as well. If you know you want the physical copies, just head over to the Arden Vul Bundle and get everything Arden Vul in one fell swoop.

There has never been anything like Arden Vul, and there never will be again.

Welcome to the Halls of Arden Vul!

If you want everything but can't afford the full Arden Vul Bundle right now, those who order this PDF can receive 33% discounts on the print versions at a later date so you can piece-meal your purchase as finances allow. Just send me an e-mail (josephbrowning@gmail.com) with your Complete PDF order number and I'll get the discount codes to you.

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Dungeon Security vs. Murderhobos

Yesterday I'm working on some little crap around the house, including changing out some door locks and putting a new hasp on the shed (because I have no idea how to change out that small lock). As I'm fiddling around with the installation my mind wanders, as it does, and I'm thinking about dungeon security....or really, the lack thereof.

Just like some of the work I'm doing, I'm of the opinion that dungeon security is pretty much just minor speed-bump on the road to a party determined to get the goods. I'm sure the hasp on the shed can be crowbarred off easily enough and the lock could be cut off with a bit more difficulty. In the dungeon, there aren't too many locks that can't be defeated by a mid-level thief. Sure, the dungeon has traps and magical wards....which we can't legally (thinking poison needles and the like) use, but again just some minor road blocks to a well, balanced party of murderhobos.

I can think of a few occasions, and they were always in an OSR game, were some of the favored loot in the game was the adventures security. A really good lockbox with re-settable trap (and false bottom), magical traps, and more than one well-made metal door. I think it was just a couple sessions ago we figured out we could get a few hundred more XP if we carted the front door off of a place. Of course the opportunity to sell it in town and using the gp to go drinking an whoring factored in a little bit.

After thinking about it some more I'm thinking some of the best dungeon security I've seen is really just hiding the good stuff, like putting the "good stuff" behind a secret door hidden by an illusion. Guards get killed off, traps, get set off (or bypassed), and locks get picked.....but the stuff never seen, well that might have a chance.

This doesn't mean I get to hide all my...*ahem* shit behind walls or buried in my backyard, but maybe I can just make my property a little less "visible" than the neighbors?  Yeah, that's not going to help too much. I think the alarm system and living in a better neighborhood will have to do.....