Tenkar's Tavern: 2023-07-23

Saturday, July 29, 2023

Deal of the Day - Fear's Sharp Little Needles - 26 Modern Day Call of Cthulhu Scenarios (CoC)

I plan to run some Call of Cthulhu this fall, and while I tend to find 1920s America my usual comfort zone, I do find myself occasionally looking towards CoC modern setting.

Today's Deal of the Day is Fear's Sharp Little Needles - 26 Modern-Day Call of Cthulhu Scenarios. Normally 19.95 in PDF, until tomorrow morning it is on sale for 11.97.

Fear's Sharp Little Needles is an ENnie award winning anthology of 26 one-night modern day scenarios for the Call of Cthulhu roleplaying game published by Chaosium, Inc, edited by Jeff Moeller and written by Christopher Smith Adair, Glynn Owen Barrass, Simon Brake, Stuart Boon, Chad Bowser, Brian Courtemanche, Scott Dorward, Adam Gauntlett, Allan Goodall, Helen Gould, Tyler Hudak, Jo Kreil, Jeff Moeller, Andi Newton, Oscar Rios, Brian M. Sammons, Matthew Sanderson, Jennifer Thrasher, Joe Trier, Jason Williams, Matt Wiseman, and Simon Yee, with art by Dean Engelhardt, Reuben Dodd, Badger McInnes,
Taking its inspirational cues from Delta Green, X-Files, The Ritual, Mandy, and True Detective, the book takes a mature look at the horror of human nature and its ability to be just as disturbing as anything from the Mythos with blood and its inhuman uses as its theme.

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Friday, July 28, 2023

Deal of the Day - Bad Things Happen (OSR)

Today's Deal of the Day is Bad Things Happen for 2.99, normally 4.99 in PDF.

Bad Things Happen is a compilation of tables and rules to inspire DMs as well as solo players: using this book, discover what twists and turns the characters will have to face next.
With this 54 pages supplement, generate all the bad things that happen to the characters, whether they are exploring a dungeon, camping in the wilderness, visiting a city or playing with magic. Tables about other themes such as sea travel and weapons are also provided in the last pages.
This book is medieval-fantasy oriented and is meant to be used with your favorite OSR ruleset and bestiary.

This book is divided in five chapters that each contain various tables and rules:

Dungeons
What happens when the PCs run out of light in the dungeon?*
Serious injuries, dark inclinations, phobia and strange encounters
What happened to the hirelings while the PCs were in the dungeon?
Alternatives to death depending on who/what defeated the PCs
Why is the replacement PC in the dungeon?
Wilderness
What happens when the PCs cannot make it back to safety?*
Illnesses, strange encounters, things that should not be eaten and food poisoning
Traps (type, concealment, purpose)
Starvation
Eating monsters and potential side effects
Wild animals encounters (day and night)
Kingdom-sized encounters
Cities
What happens when the PCs are lost in the city at night?*
Problems when walking down the street
Buildings hazards
Scams to avoid
City events
Strange laws and customs
False rumors
Why does the ruler hate the PCs so much?
Crimes to be wrongly accused of
Cellmates to meet
Magic
Magic corruption (caster and environment)
Spell mishaps
Other
Sea voyage incidents
Bad omens
How to get rid of bad luck
Haunted locations
Weapons critical hits and misses
Armors troubles

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Humble Bundle - Bethesda 3D Printables & TTRPs (Fallout RPG)

I always loved Fallout as a CRPG, going back to the first release. The setting is evocative of the future as imagined in the 1950s. Although I have an un-setup 3D Printer and there are some cool 3d printables included in the Bethesda 3D Printables & TTRPGs Bundle. I'm in for 18 bucks myself, for all the RPGs ;)

You CAN get the Fallout Starter Set for as little as a buck :)

Explore the realms of Tamriel, the Empire of the Isles, and the wastelands of America with this bundle of tabletop role-playing & war-gaming ebooks and 3D printables! This bundle featuring Bethesda’s popular fantasy and sci-fi universes features rulebooks and more resources for Fallout: The Roleplaying Game & Wasteland Warfare, The Elder Scrolls: Call to Arms, and Dishonored, plus a cache of 3D print-at-home files to bring your wastelands and tombs to life. Experience your favorite universes in a whole new dimension, and help support International Rescue Committee with your purchase!

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Deal of the Day - D100 Dungeon (Book 1)

I've been purchasing, in print and PDF, a number of solo RPGs / Dungeon Crawling Games with the idea of giving them a playthrough over the next couple of weeks as time allows. I own today's Deal of the Day ;)

Today's Deal of the Day is D100 Dungeon (Book 1). Normally 15.45 in PDF, it is marked down to 6.11 until tomorrow morning. This Adamantium Best Seller is a solo dungeon crawling game.

D100 Dungeon (Book 1) is a game in which you will steer an adventurer through underground caves and dungeons, looking for lost treasures and completing dangerous quests. With each game your adventurer will gain wealth, recognition and become stronger and increasingly skilled in their pursuits. All you will need to play D100 Dungeon, is a pencil, eraser, a few dice and your imagination.
Your journey begins when you create an adventurer and start performing the dungeon training missions. Once they have been successfully completed your adventurer will be ready to face some greater challenges and begin questing in an endeavour to gain notoriety and wealth, rivalling that of royalty and who knows one day their greatest exploits might even become stories and songs performed by bards in every tavern throughout the kingdom.
This version of the D100 Dungeon game is known as D100 Dungeon V3; it supersedes the earlier versions known as V1 and V2. You will need version 3 D100 Dungeon in order to use and play any of the books, pdfs and accessories here on DriveThruRPG. Older versions (V1 and V2) will not translate well into this edition.

Tuesday, July 25, 2023

Wayward Kickstarter - Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG (a lesson in failure)

Can an interesting-looking RPG fall flat? Most assuredly. Such is the case with the Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG Kickstarter.

Let's look at some of the stumbles:

The name itself - Unlimited Online Tabletop RPG. Most RPGs are "unlimited". Throwing "online" into the title makes one think of an MMORPG such as World of Warcraft or EverQuest. But the point is to sell physical books. It's a confusing project from the title alone.

Hubris - "D3 Gaming plans to make Unlimited Online a powerful flagship in the tabletop rpg market. Our goal is a modern take on traditional TTRPG that feels familiar, while innovating new skills, locales, and tools for developing unforgettable storytelling experiences with your friends." So, is this meant to be played in person, or via VTT? Does it make a difference? How is this game tweaked for online performance? It promises a lot, yet shows little.

AI Art - I can't say for certain the art is AI art, but it certainly has that feel.

Lack of focus - cyberpunk or fantasy? Not like Shadowrun, where it's mixed, but separately. Do one thing well over two things poorly.

Lack of updates - it appears that early on, the creator abandoned this project. Not a single update. It should have been canceled and reworked, instead of rotting on the vine.

From About the Creator - "Creating is one of my greatest joys. Now is the time for me to make my mark. I will create the worlds of Unlimited Online and have no regrets, for I will try with all I have. I will bring those whom I love and hold dear on the road with me. All good journies start with good company." I believe he stopped trying.

Nothing about the system itself. 'Nuff said.

Monday, July 24, 2023

Bundle of Holding - Index Card RPG

I've heard a lot, and I mean A LOT of talk about the Index Card RPG over the last year or so, all of it very positive from those that have read the rules or decided to give it an actual session or two at the game table.

So, what pops up this afternoon on Bundle of Holding? None other than the Index Card RPG Starter Collection and Bonus Collection. The Starter Collection (priced at 9.95) includes Index Card RPG 2e, ICRPG Worlds, and Heroes of the Hammer. The ICRPG Bonus Collection includes the above and adds a World Map Poster Pack, Altered State, 4 Index Card Settings, and 2 Thaumavore Adventures.

For just US$9.95 you get all three titles in this revived March 2021 offer's Starter Collection (retail value $38) as DRM-free ebooks, including the complete 192-page Index Card RPG Second Edition core rulebook (2019), plus its free ICRPG Quickstart; the key supplement ICRPG Worlds; and a collection of 44 pregenerated fantasy characters, Heroes of the Hammer.
Altered State sourcebook for the Index Card RPGAnd if you pay more than the threshold price of $20.03, you'll level up and also get this revival's entire Bonus Collection with nine more supplements, sourcebooks, and adventures worth an additional $58, including the World Map Poster Pack and Doomvault Mega Map, the cyberpunk supplement Altered State, four complete campaign settings – Vigilante City, Xeno Dead Zone, Blood and Snow, and Bearcats – and two adventures by YouTube video reviewer and ICRPG fan Dave Thaumavore: Age of Snakes and The Turnip Knights.

Sunday, July 23, 2023

Got a New Toy For My Game Table/Game Prep

So this last week I bought myself a new toy that I hope to use at the gaming table, more for prep/adventure design, but I'm starting to see how it might be useful during a game (especially if online).

So I managed to find this Wacom One drawing tablet at Sam's Club while on a business trip and it was like $20 more new than picking up a used one directly from Wacom.

I've tried an old drawing tablet that was basically a mouse pad that your could draw on, but you had to see everything on your monitor and frankly it just didn't work out for me. The Wacom One is a 13.3" secondary screen that you can use a pen like a mouse.

I'm sure everyone probably has a clue what drawing tablet is, so the real question (as if there was one) is why would I think this is possibly a good GM tool. First off, I plan on using it normally like anyone else would...to work on my maps and assorted game-related graphics. Yeah, I know....that's a big "duh".

Half the reason I got this, is that the tablet is essentially a second screen and since I play most of my recent games online and having that second screen that I can easily draw on is rather appealing. I don't know how many times I've needed to add some notation and I'm fumbling around with the fricken mouse, where a stylus would be sooooooo easy. As a GM though, being able to share a second screen with that same level of stylus editing.....

I don't know how many people here have tried the assorted Virtual Table Tops, but some will let you run two instances on one computer. With a second screen and stylus input I could have the GM screen on my laptop and also be logged in as a player (NPC, torchbearer.....hell, even a torch), which can be super helpful, probably depending on the program. I have found it useful to be able to see things as a player/through the player's "eyes".

I do have other monitors, even an ultra-thin portable monitor that's a bit bigger than this tablet, but the air-mouse that is the stylus is a huge draw......probably more of one than I realize. Hopefully some other patrons here can fill me in on some other uses I'm not even thinking of yet.

I'm already starting on my next Tweak and Toss adventure, but if I'm having fun with this new toy I might pivot a bit and just work on something else......time will tell.

Seriously though....if there is something else I can do with this thing, I'd love to hear about it. I do love my toys and if I can more mileage out of them....

Why "Swords & Wizardry?"

Believe me when I say I have them all in dead tree format. I have OSRIC in full size, trade paperback and the Player's Guide. I have LL and the AEC (and somewhere OEC, but I can't find it at the moment). Obviously I have Basic Fantasy RPG. Actually, I have the whole available line in print. Way too much Castles & Crusades. We all know my love for the DCC RPG. I even have Dark Dungeons in print, the Delving Deeper boxed set, Astonishing Swordsmen & Sorcerers of Hyperborea. BOTH editions of LotFP's Weird Fantasy and some dead tree copies of the Greyhawk Grognards Adventures Dark & Deep

I am so deep in the OSR when I come up for breath it's for the OSR's cousin, Tunnels & Trolls

So, out of all that, why Swords & Wizardry? Why, when I have been running a AD&D 1e / OSRIC campaign in Rappan Athuk am I using Swords & Wizardry and it's variant, Crypts & Things, for the second campaign? (Actually, now running a S&W Complete campaign, soon to be with multiple groups)

Because the shit works.

It's easy for lapsed gamers to pick up and feel like they haven't lost a step. I can house rule it and it doesn't break. It plays so close to the AD&D of my youth and college years (S&W Complete especially) that it continually surprises me. Just much less rules hopping than I remember. (my God but I can run it nearly without the book)

I grab and pick and steal from just about all OSR and Original resources. They seem to fit into S&W with little fuss. It may be the same with LL and the rest, but for me the ease of use fit's my expectations with S&W.

Even the single saving throw. That took me longer to adjust to, but even that seems like a natural to me now. Don't ask me why, it just does. Maybe it's the simplicity of it. At 45 52, simplicity and flexibility while remaining true to the feel of the original is an OSR hat trick for me ;)

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