Humble Bundle - Solo RPG Library by Parts Per Million

This past summer, I went down the Solo RPG Rabbit Hole. Wasn't sure I found what I wanted, but certainly found many options to try out. The Solo RPG Library Humble Bundle might be just what i was looking for. 18 bucks for 42 titles, there likely is something for everyone.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Doorbuster Sales at DTRPG - up to 80% Off!

 Without further ado, here are today's Doorbuster Offerings at DTRPG:

Fantasy RPG Deals for Black Friday

Apocalyptic RPG Deals for Black Friday

Horror RPGs for Black Friday

There are other titles on sale, with discounts ranging from 20 to 40%.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar  

Death Notice - Aaron Koelman Has Passed

Aaron, Tenkar, and David Baity

I've been doing death notification posts here at The Tavern for the better part of a decade. There's usually a bit of a disconnect when I do them because it is rare that I know the person in more than passing. I call it "falling into cop mode", with just enough distance to make the responsibility seem slightly less onerous. It's always worked in the past.

I've had to wipe my eyes a number of times simply typing the words above. I was blessed to have been given the opportunity to assist in the fundraising to support Aaron's son for just this moment in time. 

I met Aaron this past June for the first, and only time, at NTRPG Con. I beleive it was Sunday, around noon on the last day of the convention. There was this tall, thin guy, looking slightly lost and distracted, standing in front of the entrance to the dealer hall, across from the registration desk. Something prodded me to see if there was anything I could do to help...

Me: You look a bit awestruck :)

Aaron: I am. I'm actually here at North Texas. It's amazing!

Me: Yeah, I love this place. I never miss it.

Aaron: Noticing my con badge - You're Tenkar? I'm speaking with you!

Me: Confused - You are...

Aaron: Aaron Koelman. You helped with the fundraiser for my son...

At this point, it all gets muddled. We hugged, cried, laughed. Spoke of his upcoming wedding. Shared cancer stories. Cried some more, to the point a con volunteer approached us with a box of tissues. 

I'm a cancer survivor. I understood where Aaron was, and we both knew each day for him was going to be a fight.

The fight is over now, Aaron. 

Rest well.

Aaron peacefully passed away this morning at home, surrounded by family. 

Kickstarter - The Woods at Blight's Hollow - Folk Horror & Fairy Tales RPG

Alright, for just over 31 bucks US, for a Hardcover and PDF, I'm in for a copy of The Woods at Blight's Hollow - Folk Horror & Fairy Tales RPG via Kickstarter.

A small town. An infinite forest. A conspiracy of silence. You have a year and a day to solve this mystery.

The Woods at Blight's Hollow is a folk horror tabletop roleplaying game of mystery and imagination illustrated by Corey Brickley (Penguin, Disney, Harper Collins) and written by Oli Jeffery (Quietus, Extreme Meatpunks Forever, Trophy). It concerns the children of Blight’s Hollow, an isolated village surrounded by a trackless forest in a time before electricity and radio, a world of hearthside tales and nights to be feared. Inspired by the works of Guillermo Del Toro, Angela Carter, The Brothers Grimm, Kirsty Logan and Mary Shelley amongst others, this is a tabletop roleplaying game of the darkest fairy tales and the queerest folk-horror.

Mysteries in The Woods at Blight’s Hollow have no set outcome. Using the innovative mystery system seen in games like hit Grannies-vs-cosmic-horror TTRPG Brindlewood Bay, the players may uncover clues called Breadcrumbs provided by Mother (our name for the Games Master or GM) by Sticking Their Nose  Where It’s Not Welcome, but no one - not even Mother - knows what the Breadcrumbs mean at the start. Once the players have gathered enough clues, they will Tell a Tale Out of School, collaboratively answering questions that will allow the children to defeat the Beasts plaguing their town. Even though there are no canonical answers to how to defeat the beasts, this system makes it feel like you're really solving the mystery yourself!

Play conducted in the village is, relatively speaking, safe; but the final clues needed to solve any mystery will always require the children to enter the forbidden woods, where their lives and perhaps their very souls are at risk.

 

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

OSR Christmas 2023 - Getting the Ducks in Line

Yep, it's that most, wonderous time of the year. No, I'm not talking about Turkey Day. No, I'm talking about OSR Christmas.

The first OSR Christmas was in 2013, so this will make the 11th year that The Tavern has hosted the annual event.

When does OSR Christmas kick off? Early December. Current plans are to run it on the Blog Side (right here) AND on The Tavern's YouTube channel, on our livestreams. Current expectations are six days on the blog, four days on the Wednesday Night livestreams, and two days on the Friday Night livestreams.

The Tavern will be putting a minimum of $250 in DTRPG gift certificates over the various days, as well as - hopefully - some physical prizes from The Tavern's Duplicates Closet.

Every year, we see the generosity of publishers, big and small, as they donate gifts for OSR Christmas, and I expect no less this year. If you are a publisher - or simply a generous fan, email me at TENKARSdotTAVERN at that Gmail thing with OSR Christmas 2023 in the subject, and let me know if you have gifts to donate. Physical gifts are always enjoyed, but PDFs can travel the world and cost ZERO shipping.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

Bundle of Holding - Sine Nomine Rulebooks

Let me start this by saying I own ALL of Sine Nomine's core rulebooks in Print and PDF. They literally are that good. If you are an improv-style GM, Kevin's rulebooks are the ones you want. Tools for a long and strong campaign? These right here, there are no better. Fantasy, sci-fi, cyberpunk, post-apoc, Lovecraftian horror, quasi-historical - Kevin has them all. 

Stars Without Number Revised Deluxe, Other Dust, Spears of the Dawn, and Cities Without Number: Free Edition are all in the Starter package for 12.95. The Bonus Collection adds Worlds Without Number Deluxe, Wolves of God, Scarlet Heroes, and Silent Legions and comes to about $26 as I type this.

Seriously, you can't go wrong with Sine Nomine's rulesets.

The Tavern is supported by readers like you. The easiest way to support The Tavern is to shop via our affiliate links. The Tavern DOES NOT do "Paid For" Articles and discloses personal connections to products and creators written about when applicable.

DTRPG, Amazon, and Humble Bundle are affiliate programs that support The Tavern.  You can catch the daily Tavern Chat cast on Anchor, YouTube,  or wherever you listen to your podcast collection. - Tenkar   

What I Look for in a Game Store

This weekend I got the opportunity to head into "the city" to do some shopping, which I did....BUT I've been at a loss to find a good, local game store. I've checked out a few locations, but nothing was better than what I have in my small town (technically it's towards the top 10 as far as city sizes in my state, but shopping & entertainment doesn't mesh will with the population size/base). Now I do have another spot to check out when I'm in the city, but fat lot of good that does me today....

I'm assuming that different Tavern patrons here have different requirements of what makes a good game store, much less a Favorite Local Game Store (FLGS).

For some dumb reason I tend to pick up way more board games than I get to play (so....most of them) and any store that wants to contend for my FLGS title has to have a decent spread of board games. If I can't find a good half-dozen Spiel des Jahres (German Game of the Year), then they're right out. If 75% plus of the business is Collectible Card Games, which is usually immediately evident, again....right out.

A good game store, has some used games available, and if they have some games (really, ANY games) available to demo......they get on my short list. I think one of the most important services a FLGS offers is serving as a connection spot for gamers. They don't really need a ton of gaming space, but a table or two for demos or a friendly game is a HUGE plus. Some kind of bulletin board for groups seeking players or players seeking groups really helps.

As far as stock goes, yes....I'd love to be able to find used products so I can try or have a place to offload some games I know I'm not going to ever get to play. That's a minor thing.....what is major for me is being able to find new games and expansions that I didn't even know about. Being able to grab some minis or paint supplies is just about required. I don't need to see a large supply of minis, but a mix of PCs, monsters, and terrain is a must if there's going to be any.

Since I travel...a lot, I've seen more than my fair share of stores. Most aren't worth mentioning and some don't seem that great on a quick view, but spend a few minutes checking things out reveal a FLGS in the making. I've noticed many game stores service the local nerd community with more than just games.....a lot have comics as well. A few more might have food and a rare few have a bar! I've seen game stores with a small arcade and one Hastur Games (SLC area) has/had (haven't been there in at least half a decade) had a row of computers for local LAN games or online play.

So...what do you require in a game store, much less a FLGS?