Classic Modules Today

In February I signed on to this project to offer 1e D&D modules converted to 5e rules. I thought it would give me an opportunity to learn how 5e differed from the rules as I was used to them. +Stan Shinn was the organizer of the this project and not only has it given me an opportunity to review with new appreciation the old modules I first enjoyed it has forced me to learn how to do basic formatting, editing and layout with some of the simple word processing tools out there. These exercises have helped me sharpen up my cheap USR publications I have released on RPGNow and there is a long way to go before I think I have decent enough documents to start offering print copies, but it has been fun participating in the OSR exchange of goods.

It also exposed me to bad reviews, and yeah they feel like shit. But there has been more positive reviews and it seems there are many DM's out there who have found value in these conversion guides. Here is the latest one and it sure helps me push on through to complete my current assignments; EX1 and EX2!

The Bearded Trees and Stone Barrows for your OSR game

Memory eaten away by time leaves who the terrible kings of old buried in the Stone Barrows were and what made their reign so terrible, but what is certain is the promise of unspoilt wealth to be won for those who can win their way into their cold crypts.

Why has the speculative wealth of these ancient kings lain untouched over these long years? Why have those who've braved the silent peaks of the Wadzo Nano-Tassis never returned from their sojourns? Is it true the dead kings jealously guard their old wealth and steal the souls of those who dare climb to their last resting place? 

There are several deadly horrors which make summiting the Wadzo Nano-Tassis perilous for adventurers lured to the Stone Barrows found on top. Any approach through the heavily forested flanks of the range requires travel through the Flenn, a perpetually mist shrouded forest. Beneath this thick sheaf of impenetrable gloom are found the Bearded Trees.

The Bearded Trees of Flenn are attracted to the breath of the living. At night the green mossy growth which clings to the damp dark branches detach and propel themselves to nearby living beings. Seeking the breath of the living the light web of moss fastens onto the source releasing a paralysing toxin. Rapidly growing the green "beard" rapidly expands into the lungs of its host, suffocating the victim. A soft phosphorescent glow throbs regularly while the beard feeds throughout the night. By the time noonday sun filters feebly through the ever present fog the victim has disappeared beneath the newly forming mass of moss. Within a month a new tree will have sprouted. Within six months the new tree will cast drifting beards of its own each damp night under the mist shrouded canopy of Flenn. The DM should mention during daytime travel that there is a complete absence of wildlife within the forest. 

The Bearded Trees of Flenn for BFRPG
AC: 14/17 for floating beards.
HD: 3 (for the tree itself. Each drifting beard can take 4 hit points of damage before it is rendered inert).
Number of Attacks: special (at night only); 
Damage: special (save vs. paralysis for three rounds in a row); from drifting beards. A failed roll results in paralysis for twelve hours. Must be destroyed within three rounds or the victim will be suffocated by the beards growing inside and shutting down the lungs and infecting the brain with toxins. The drifting beards must make contact with skin to cause damage. Keeping oneself completely clothed will offer protection as any beard which latches onto a live beings face that is protected will turn brown, brittle and slide off within three rounds. 

Once reaching the wind torn heights finding, let alone entering the subterranean tombs of ancient kings, adventurers will have to contend with a lunar cycle which will allow entry. 

For three nights surrounding the arrival of the new moon giant lizards will issue forth from the barrows themselves. Moving the huge blocks of stone which plug the entrance with their ridiculously strong tongues the Rock Lizards seek the dew and moisture which regularly coat the granite peaks. If there happens to be a rain storm when the prehistoric beasts emerge they will appear as in a stupor with their large jaws open and long tongues lax on the ground. After an hour the beasts will come out of their daze and return below, pulling the blocks back into place. Otherwise the lizards will remain on the summit sponging up moisture for at least four hours. In that case the Rock Lizards will be aware of and disturbed by the presence of the adventuring party and will move to attack.

 Rock Lizards of the Stone Barrows
 Number Appearing: 3-6
AC: 15
HD: 7
Number of Attacks: 1 of 3 types
Damage: from bite 2D10, from trample 2d8, and tail 2d6. 

With the lizards dead or dazed in a rainstorm a party of adventurers will find it easy to enter the stone barrows and descend into the unexplored depths. 

Only the Shrouded know of the Rock Lizards habits but for some reason never dare enter the stone barrows. They are an unknown race of beings which can be found only in the mist shrouded forest of Flen. Possibly an alien race which arrived in the world with the bearded trees, they live in symbiosis amongst the horrid woods. Abroad during the day clothed in elaborate suits composed of woven tree fiber the Shrouded harvest moss and bark for their dwellings and food. They nurture moss gardens in ravines carved by burbling streams winding down the slopes of the Wadzo Nano-Tassis. Camouflaged beneath stripped and limbed trees only the sound of flowing water will generally indicate the presence of inhabited structures below. At night these secret dwellings may be spotted by the fluorescent moss which they use for illumination. What moves these alien settlers to treat with interlopers, who knows? There are very few who even know of their existence and they prefer to keep it that way.

The Shrouded
Number Appearing: 3-18 abroad in the forest. Many more live within several "cities" within the forest
AC: 14
HD: 2
Number of Attacks: 1
Damage: from Spears and Stone Axes 1D8, from Paralytic Dart Guns save vs. Paralysis or be paralyzed for four hours.  

Anthropomorphic USR beta

Here is the current version of the rules. Need to finish with an equipment list and an introductory adventure before it is released in the wild.

Please take advantage of this free beta version and kick back some feedback when you get a chance.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0BwVZBuRk_BgOb2hicTZqaGdMbDA/view?usp=sharing

The final product has been released on RPGNow. Includes introductory adventure, get your PDF copy of Anthropomorphic USR here.

Review Undercroft #7

The OSR has spewed forth the best reflex action towards startling talent with the curdled froth of independent zines. The turgid underground of free thought every child learned to articulate with a Tonka Truck in one hand and a headless GI Joe doll in the other on top of a sun soaked sandbox is given free reign with the current OSR zine scene.

I dipped my financial toes in the water very selectively. These selections were Vacant Ritual Assembly #4  and The Undercroft #7. They just felt the most punk rock, to me, at the time.

The most important quality of a zine for myself is there is "stuff" I can use immediately at the table with a flick of a page. No lead in, no boxed text, just an immediacy of game content felt personable, new and ready to go.

Which is kind of contradictory on its face; looking for original content that is quickly grasped and made useful? Do I ask too much? Apparently not.

Both zines met my illogical desires and demands plus more.

Undercroft came in a hand-made envelope with a secret stamp while the zine itself was embellished with flecks of red ink, fingermarks, the impression of someone bleeding to death on the pages. I think I was all in for less than seven bucks to have this bizarrely personal piece of game artifact delivered to my mailbox on any given Tuesday from across the world. Art and presentation are the stand outs from this zine. The content is a bit iffy, but it passed the immediacy test with the last article containing a must have NPC. There is nothing more valuable to  me as a GM than a useful NPC. Not that I used Old Sigvor in toto, just that it gave an intended villain another face, more depth than I would have otherwise presented. The other articles and tables in the zine will be useful in their time, but I really enjoyed holding this brutally wrought gift in my hand.

Vacant Ritual Assembly #4 doesn't have the same level of dirty handed elegance but the pages are brimming with useful content. The front cover art is awesome. That wanky line art is just the right kind of loose scribble which sparks ideas in my game head. Very Traveller or Gamma World. I pulled a dream trance setting for a Sword & Sorcery campaign from its slim pages. A whole druidic battle cult race religion was available fully formed from its pages which inspired a Dying Earth BFRPG setting. I needed a lotus den for my then running Sword & Sorcery campaign and well the zine had that too. All in all promising adversaries devised "through a terrifying cosmos of adventure-gaming psychedelia." was well articulated in less than twenty two pages.

If this level of accomplishment is routinely being delivered by the myriad of OSR zines currently available then table top rpg'ers are indeed in the middle of a renaissance which will take decades to unravel and appreciate.

I worship Satan

and play D&D.

Thermal Factors

I spent my recent vacation in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park. With every exploration into the wilderness I game it out. Yellowstone National Park is remarkable for the thermal features. Sure you have the vast plains, dramatic waterfalls and idyllic grassy meadows, but the warning signs are thrown up for the scalding hot water which just erupts out of the earth.

So the next time your B/X party of adventures are striding across the wasteland unimpeded have the ground they walk on start to erode their foot gear. Three days in and the PC starts taking damage, to their feet. Let them do the calculation. "But I can't survive the march out" if I'm takng damage from just walking.

Don't surprise the players. That is just shit GM'ing. But give them an inclination of  the slow degradation of foot gear. Any asshat of a PC will pay attention to it.

Which leads to the next question; when is it appropriate to introduce a waste land to characters. Only after they have picked a marching order!

Anyways I'm thinking 1 point of damage a day until protection is achieved or environment is left.

I should have ran

but I decided two players wasn't enough. I don't think I have the chops to keep a small crowd entertained. Pretty soon you are down to one person and then you are in a relationship. I have one of those, It is work. RPG's are a chance to sit at the counter and kibitz with the lunch crowd.

But it is better than that. After a couple of sessions you get to see who sits at the front of the class, They want to play and as a GM you lovingly set up the pieces because they are nothing but dreams until another puts their hands on the table.

No one is herding cats here. But the most success I have had with running a game online is with a firm theme, regular set times, and being at the virtual table as the host ready to go.
So when I cancel a session I am seriously conflicted. Even if one person shows up shouldn't I run the session?

I've always decided no because I think a table top RPG runs best with three players minimum. That is one GM and three players. So four. With three PC's gaming the GM has some of the session work lifted off their shoulders because the group of players are going to start creating and carrying adventure ideas. So as a GM I get to start playing more. Less script, more random tables, and more riffing off of cause and effect being driven by the players.

I've had some really good two player sessions. But for regular campaign play I see three players essential to carrying the story.

The USR Community has been busy

Scott Malthouse's (U)nbelievably (S)imple (R)oleplaying game has gathered a small but loyal following which is found at the Google+ community here.

There has been a new "Hack" of this rules-lite system; a Samurai Noir setting called Blood and Silk by +Talon Waite as well as a preview of +Pete Segreti 's upcoming Roman Empire game Swarm of Barbarians.

+Appalachian Elf has been geeking out over Somnium Void, a Space Opera setting and has been showing off his hard copy of the rules. We wait with baited breath for him to reveal how he had it made!

Google Hangout Campaign Greatest Hits

I've run four campaigns on Google+ Hangouts since 2012 and they have all been stand out examples of the best talk being shopped around here on the OSR gaming blogosphere. Here is why. First reason is me as a Game Master. I haven't done it in a long time. I gave it up a long time ago because I couldn't do it right and I couldn't get good information on why. This all changed because of the internet. I didn't have to try and figure out this problem in a vacuum anymore. There is a wealth of information available and willing game groups are a video chat away so my game is going to be better out of the gate. Stage two; actual play. Playing all the time (for me that is once to two times a month) bad habits and bad ideas start to get run into the ground. Stimulus/response. Like a punk album. Players make the game, but nothing happens without a world builder. And the world builder needs help. I have a job. I have lovely friends and family. I have deep powder to ski while my knees hold out. I don't have a lot of free time. Now I need more material and am making purchases. Spending real money and not running off of old ideas and free pdf's. Well fresh ideas and free pdf's are probably running the show at this point. Either way the salient real time data is bearing fruit. I appreciate well done game tools, adventure materials and random tables that help me run what the hell my players are mixing and matching at the table. This has generated Stage three;

my current  Clockwork & Cthulhu campaign has just been completely taken over by the players. I run sessions now just so I can read the voluminous stories they spin after. I'm thinking soon I'll be slapping restraining orders on 'em all!

Actually, it is more being at peace with my role. I'm a game master. This is the job I can do well in this hobby. My lovely binder with the few PC's alive I treasure are a rare artifact. The binders filled with the scaffolding required for PC's to climb on is my time well spent.

July should just die

but what do you do, as a GM, when the PC's are driving a story better than you could? How do you keep up?

Classic Traveller Sector ETU-AI215

Ridicules how the simple set of rules presented in the original Traveller game can lead to a fully satisfying and realized sci-fi game world. I ran an adventure arc with a module written for a classic fantasy setting. Adapted for sci-fi horror, and ended up with a fully fleshed out universe setting. 

Part of the Outer Frontier (who knows what that means) this scrub of a Traveller universe I was forced to create it after ruminating over what would be the consequences of the PC's actions.. When I mean sparse I'm talking four systems total, tenuous jump routes built on jump one tech, and not a lot of civilization. Just to keep it manageable in my GM mind. But even these limitations I enforced on the homebrew subsector the emergent play of the PC's has sprung so many tentacles I can't read enough science fiction to keep up with the possibilities.  

Great game system.

Cool Things in Clockwork & Cthulhu

Today a PC decided to dispatch an NPC the party was interrogating. No torture or anything. The NPC was answering questions, rather compliant tied up in a chair. But without hesitation, matchlock pistol to the head! The player just couldn't see an answer to the problems the NPC represented short of death. What that threat looked like for the PC I don't know. Nothing to be done about party paranoia.  Hurray, must mean I'm running the game right.

Any who, so the NPC  is now an open cavity of brains spread over the ale and blood soaked bar table and the PC has a moment of reflection. Have I gone too far? Blowing out the brains of a defenseless enemy? The player asked me if there was a need for a sanity check. I was like whatever, you killed a hardened mercenary, your fine.

On reflection, I thought that was kinda cool. The players are invested enough in the campaign that I don't have to hammer home consequences. They are creating their own experience to the events because the story has come alive at some point for all participants.

This campaign has been rocking really well by I think these elements;

Quality adventure product,

PC buy in regarding genre tropes,

and a GM making the action where the PCs are which means hacking the hell out of the published material to bend and reflect the PCs actions in the game world.

I'm an okay GM

but a fucking lousy player. Why?

[Addition 07/29/16]

I have to agree with the comments. Running games means I get to play all the time. If there is no game on I can world build. I'm used to playing at my time, when I want. I have a bigger time bank of play when I run.

There is a PC chee which is way different than the elan of well executed GM fiat (just being a good game master). I can't just snatch it up all the time. I'll define PC chee as inner listening, with moments of outward playing. No luxury of time. The game is on and time to be efficient with each touch of the ball. Is it harder or easier, Player or GM? Neither, both are worthy of pursuit towards fun and excellence. I've just done one more than another. Switching "roles" it shouldn't come as a surprise that the work is different enough a conscious transition is helpful when flipping. I probably have informal ways to make transitions. 

World of Xoth NPC's for USR Sword & Sorcery

Off and on I have been putting together a Bestiary. Saving the stats of the animals and people I had to come up with as my online players chewed through the campaign world over two and a half years of play.

The PC's thrashed their way from the forgotten city of Akhlat the Cursed, to the tea shops of Taikang City and probably saw more Deep Water Belly Fish then they cared to.

Here is a sampling of some of the NPC's the players have come across in these past adventures...

Town & City NPC's

Agrapurian Thugs,
A8 W6 E4 H07
S. Hand to Hand +1A, Intimidate +1W.
Leather Vest, +1DR. Club +1A.

Now this is a tough mountain town (ripped from the pages of REH) found on the Khazistan side of the Kharjah Pass and the PC's had just survived a hard seven days march through wasteland. The only reason they didn't get their ass handed to them is because they went straight to the fate of carousing heavily and they rolled well and the Crypt Keeper's NPC's rolled poorly.

Ghazorian Town Guard,
A8 W6 E4 H07
S. Hand to Hand Combat +1A, Authority +1W.
Leather Vest +1DR, Small Shield +1DR. Spear +1A, Knife +1A.

In the pay of Sea Lords the PC's made fools of them when hired as assassins. They left town before retribution could be exacted by the next paying pouch of gold.

Corrupt Sorcerer,
A6 W10 E8 H09
S.Ancient Lore +3W, Bind Demon +2E, Move Silently +2A, Connections +1W.
Dagger +1A,

Once again the PC's channeled the Conan vibe of this Sword & Sorcery campaign and struck quickly against a formidable foe. It is hard to command your giant snake and female vampire slaves with your head blown off by an ancient ray gun.

Khazabad Pit Fighting Champion, A10 W6 E8 H10
S. Unarmed Combat +3A, Intimidate +1W.
Leather Arm Band and Greaves +1DR. Spiked Knuckles +1A.

The PC in the pit straight up rolled better than the NPC. That is what I liked best about adapting the USR rules to try a simultaneous combat method and a critical hit table. I as the Crypt Keeper never new how any combat was going to play out. I felt I had the best of both worlds. A combat could end quickly in unmitigated savagery or turn into a brutal exhausting contest. Another PC bet heavily on the right side of this fight.

Dipurian Flesh Peddler,
A6 W10 E6 H06
S. Connections +2W.
Robes and oils.

There is so much hate in this crowd towards the PC's they will never know it unless they return to the Grand Inquisitor's city.

There is a bunch more scattered throughout the three ring binders of campaign material I generated during the run. I want to keep working on compiling them into a "Monster Manual" for USR Sword & Sorcery but I am a bit weepish about stripping them of their World of Xoth trappings because it is not a campaign setting of my own creation. It has the best name for a Sword & Sorcery campaign setting by far. I took the small map and superimposed it on a modified map of Venus with much of the surface covered in water. Irregardless of my world building I was smart enough just to spend time on where the PC's were currently exploring and making that important. I was extremely gratified to see my judgement validated by the Tales To Astound post about making the action where the PC's are at. I didn't know that was what I was doing at the time, it was done out of necessity. But it gelled so well. It made sense cause it was built adventure by adventure and all I did was feast off of the player's actions and acceptance of the genre tropes.

So a USR Sword & Sorcery Bestiary is worth it and should be seen through to the bitter (roll 1D10) end.

Maze of the Blue Medusa Shipped Just Fine

There was some concern about corner damage occurring while shipping, but my copy arrived in perfect shape. The book was packed well. It was obvious even the intern who packed my book was infected with the high quality vibe which oozes out of the book. A gorgeous book by any standards.

But how well does it play? I don't know. I'm not old enough yet to play this. But it is just a game book, after all. I will want to have it at the table in some physical form. I have two, three choices? Well, purchasing another book doesn't feel like much of a solution. At fifty dollars I want to have everything I need for the experience, you know what I mean?

There is the PDF which comes with full purchase, there is even just the PDF you can buy which makes the content accessible to most people. Sure there is the cost of printing out your own pages, but you can print what you want and in no way should you feel conflicted.

A marriage , healthy and vibrant, takes time. This book is a deep, luxurious bed for Dungeon Masters to roll in. How many hours have I sweated crappy adventure modules after throwing away five bucks, rebuilding the wretched content into something which would hold my players attention for more than five minutes? Like all of them. Maze of the Blue Medusa does not require this of me. I must study to deliver the content correctly. You would be a fool to think you can just "wing" this megadungeon. Organized in a manner to think you could by unseen hands, unknown hours of quiet talk, maybe there is tape? but the work will foil you. It takes the supposition which TSR threw in every DM's face "You will need to read this adventure module completely before you run it for your players" and actually makes good on the promise. Lets face it, the only reason you had to read a module thoroughly before play was because it sucked and was organized so poorly  the only way you could use it was a total parsing of contents, shred, then appropriate.

Maze of the Blue Medusa rewards the patience of the serious Dungeon Master. It is so dense and digestible and worthy of long drives in the desert with an old cassette playing in a choked out car stereo, angry at the end of life, it is stupid good on the most bald face appraisal.  Patrick Suart  is amazing for holding it all together. All the way. Zack filled in the gaps brilliantly. I'm guessing this collaboration was completed online. That such luminaries, working talent, is being conducted remotely and coherently is staggering. The brick and mortar crowd holding Monday morning meetings contemplating units moved must be shitting their pants seeing productivity dollars go up in so much smoke stacks. The OSR is such the Velvet Underground. Independent, and unprofessional. Which doesn't mean unaccountable. Everyone's work gets criticism, help, guidance, support. It happens because most OSR participants trust if all good effort is put forth a MAze of the BLue Medusa will arrive and all will game immaculate.

Fear & Loathing USR is now available on RPGNow

With the edition of Fear & Loathing USR up on RPGNow Vanishing Tower Press has four publications, one adventure and three genre specific rule books, available cheaply for download.

One more rules hack of Scott Malthouse's excellent rules lite system Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying game, Anthropomorphic USR, will be done shortly then the adventures for each of these game systems will start to appear.

WU01 Broke Down in Bug Town and GZ01 Fear & Loathing in Fat City will be first in line for release. One for Western USR, the other for this here Fear & Loathing USR.

The one adventure out so far is for USR Sword & Sorcery and it includes Crypt Keeper ref sheets as well as a character sheet.

Thanks Scott for letting me release my own game products utilizing your great game mechanics!

Shrine of the Keepers includes Crypt Keeper Ref Sheets

as well as a simple character sheet. It is a straight forward site based adventure and if you are familiar with the tales of Conan the Barbarian you will find familiar tropes. You will enjoy Shrine of the Keepers if you want to play a sword and sorcery adventure fast and the players need to create characters too. Scott Malthouse's free Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying rules are a breeze to pick up and character creation can be finished in three to five minutes.

The included ref sheets and character sheet give you enough information to customize a sword and sorcery adventure of your own out of the box. For more detailed options you can see my USR Sword & Sorcery rules I wrote using Scott's great game rules.

Western USR is now available on RPGNow

My latest rule book, Western USR,  based on Unbelievably Simple Roleplaying by Scott Malthouse is now available for fifty cents on line as a downloadable PDF. Includes a custom USR character sheet as well. Enjoy!

USR Sword & Sorcery 3.01 on RPGNow

The USR Sword & Sorcery rule book is now only available at RPGNow All my future game stuff which includes any art will be posted there. I'm trying to respect the Fair Use laws and am repackaging my USR PDF's with non copyrighted art.

Western, Cyberpunk, Fear & Loathing, these will all get a make over and will be coming out shortly. The Western USR rules actually should be available by tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Western USR preview

For those requesting a look at my hack of Scott Malthouse's USR for playing western themed rpg's here you go.

Western USR Preview PDF

USR NPC Sheet

I just posted a useful NPC character sheet for your USR game to the Summonings page of the blog.

It has two sheets per page and should be printed longways (landscape).

So I used tMfBSaT for my first time playing Traveller

and I pretty much killed all the Player Characters. One survived.

I've always wanted to play Traveller, but never got the chance. Never really had a good idea to hang a starting Traveller game around it either.

That changed when I purchased Lamentations of the Flame Princess' The Monolith from Beyond Space and Time. I was like three page in and was sold on running this as straight sci-fi. Reading blog posts about playing Traveller straight out of the box got me really excited about doing this as well.

So I set up a Classic Traveller community stating I wanted to run a game of Classic Traveller based on the movie Alien and see what would happen.

It works. It works really well. Now the players may disagree. I probably could have done a better job, but I think the LBB's and this module are made to go together like Gieger and heroin.

USR Sword & Sorcery Rules

[06/21/16] Edit: All my USR products are now only available on RPGNow for sale. Look for future announcements on this blog for new rule books and adventures using the USR game mechanics.

With the addition of magic and magical research rules I have finally completed my USR Sword & Sorcery rpg based on Scott Malthouse's (U)nbelievably (S)imple (R)oleplaying system.

I've also added wilderness and city encounter tables, and a table to see if the city burns down when the PC's (and they will) start lighting things on fire when causing trouble in the more civilized parts of your game world.

Don't forget to download your Crypt Keeper ref sheets at RPGNow as well! Found in the introductory adventure Shrine of the Keepers, it also includes a USR character sheet.

USR World of Xoth Ref Sheet

Working on some referee sheets for my USR Sword & Sorcery game set in the World of Xoth. The untold misery I have caused my players flipping through my homebrew notes for the necessary game materials may now come to an end...

This document is now available on RPGNow. I've added Wilderness and Sea Travel information as well as a Wilderness and Civilized Encounter checks, not to mention a USR Sword & Sorcery Character Sheet!

The full random tables have Wilderness and City encounters, Magical Research Encounter table, and a table to see what happens when your PC's start fires within a city!

OD&D for BRP

Here is my suggested hack of Chaosium's Basic Role Playing system for original Dungeons & Dragons.

Roll 3d6 in order for your PC's attributes, except Intelligence (2d6+6). These are the eight basic attributes to be rolled; Strength, Constitution, Size, Intelligence, Power, Dexterity, Appearance, and Education.

Additional attributes are Sanity, Effort, Stamina, and Hit Points. These are figured per the normal rules found in the Basic Roleplaying book.

Skill Category bonuses are assigned the full value of your PC's attribute. For example; Intelligence is the Primary characteristic for Mental Skills. A PC with an Intelligence of 13 would add +13% to all the skills base values. Whether or not a PC can use a particular skill is entirely at the discretion of the the referee.

After your PC's attributes are written down you can chose your character's class. They are Fighting Man, Magic User, Cleric and Thief.

The Fighting Man adds +25% to any one of the four Combat skills. The Martial Arts skill starts at (STR+INT+DEX)% base value for the Fighting Man

The Magic User has the ability to read magic, and this is reflected with a +25% to Knowledge (Magical) skill. This skill begins at (POW+(INT or EDU))%.

Clerics have the power to turn undead at 25% plus POW. They also receive the ability to cast divine spells when their Knowledge (Divine Magic) reaches 51%. This skill begins at (POW+(INT or EDU))%.

Choosing the Thief class grants the PC +25% to the Climb skill.

That's it. The details of a magical character's spells and capabilities will need to be hashed out with the referee.

If a player wants his new PC to be a race other than human consult with your referee to establish racial abilities and restrictions.

"Leveling" is handled via standard BRP rules. To improve your character's skills you need to use them during the game, learn them during the game, and find ways to get trained in them during the game, etc.

Classic Traveller Campaign Note Paper

I like to cobble together custom notepaper for my campaigns to record what happens during any particular game session. I'm really bad at keeping track of all the activities the PC's get themselves up to, and this helps make it more enjoyable.

This is the one I've created for my upcoming homebrew Traveller game; Traveller Session Notepaper

This link is on my Summonings page on the blog. I've added additional Traveller pages and I do tweak the format from time to time.

Burning Sword & Sorcery Cities

How do you determine the results of arson in an ancient city? Here is a table I created to figure this out in my World of Xoth campaign.

For fire damage the most important factor will be time. Given that the structure, and possibly the surrounding structures are flammable, once a fire starts it is only a matter of time before it burns everything around it. The following table uses an ascending order of magnitude (from sputtering out to reducing the city proper to ash) to try and model this.

1d12 City Fire Table (numbered result also reflects the number of hours the blaze burns):

Negative modifiers from -1 to -6 are applied to the initial fire roll to reflect any number of factors the Crypt Keeper deems appropriate for the current game situation, such as weather, available fuel, citizen response, etc. This modified result becomes your initial fire roll. This initial roll establishes the ferocity of the fire within the first hour. Any result of 6 and over requires an additional roll at the end of the first hour. If this second, unmodified roll is greater than the initial fire roll # than roll the 1d12 again. Either way, you finally end up on the final degree of damage caused by the fire at the conclusion of the number of hours the fire burned for.

Any result of 1 or less obviously means the fire didn't get very far and may certainly cause more problems for the PC than it was intended to solve. Then again, the same can be said for the other end of the table too.

01. Put out quickly by the city watch and concerned citizens. The evidence of arson is plain to see.

02. A small portion of the structure is damaged before the fire is quenched. Evidence of arson can be deduced by the wise and the experienced.

03. At least half of the structure is damaged, with some of this resulting in a total loss to items within the building. If the building was occupied there is an excellent chance there was loss of life. It will take some investigation to uncover arson as the reason for the blaze.

04. While the structure is still standing, there isn't a part of it which has not been ruined by fire or smoke damage. The locals may have their suspicions, but the damage makes it difficult to discern if the fire was deliberately set. Unless inhabitants of the structure were awake, or extremely lucky, many inside will have died in the blaze.

05. The structure is a complete loss, dangerous even to walk through after the fire is doused. Nothing of value would have survived and those who were unable to exit quickly will have perished in the flames. Only those who have had their suspicions aroused would be able to discern a deliberate act of arson is the cause.

06. The initial structure has become completely consumed and nearby structures have been damaged. At some point during the conflaguration the locals have given up on saving the original building and put all their efforts into stopping the fire from spreading further. Occupants of the neighboring buildings would have had time to escape harm.

07. Residents and shop owners near the blaze will begin to move valuables away, emptying out the silver cabinet and grabbing the livestock. The streets are clogged with frightened people and animals. Half the city will be aware of the fire at this point.

08. The initial fire has burned hot and bright enough to start multiple buildings on fire. Entire neighborhoods will be alarmed and these residents will rush to extinguish the fire. Who knows if their efforts will be successful?

09. The neighborhood watch appears in force. They will order citizens to risk their lives in putting out the fire if they half to, turning out common houses and gambling halls. People caught near the fire will be hard pressed to reach safety. Large numbers of people will start to move out of the neighborhood.

10. The city will muster all its resources in a final attempt to save the city. Property damage is now severe and countless lives are certainly lost. At this point the fire can be easily seen from a distance from the city.

11. Most people try to abandon the city. The fire has burned large enough that the inhabitants of the city have lost all ability to contain it. Whole neighborhoods are burning at the whim of the gods and the terrorized screams of man and beast ring out.

12. City engulfed. At least 60% of the urban landscape has been destroyed or effected by the raging inferno. The death toll is staggering. Many surviving citizens have been displaced by the fire.

.

Rolling Dice Twice

no, three times. I DM'ed another session of my Mystara campaign and while the PC's where in a decidedly deadly environment I only rolled a d20 for attack in only three instants. Granted one attack was a multiple, but the the PC's (and NPC's) rolled high saving rolls when it mattered.

In between the PC's seemed vexed, confounded, and felt railroaded. But they have patience. The proper response when confronted with the inexplicable and decidedly deadly. I found it a good session because the PC's felt unsure and nervous while I don't think I abused their fantasy sensabilaties. 

I did throw many rolls on them, in the form of saving throws. I like it better than rolling against ability scores because it rewards levels. Maybe the PC's would argue the case, but lifting a portcullis together and then one bolts, roll against Save vs. Paralysis. Didn't make it, ouch. Forget the strange serpent with the pig face snorting through the underbrush where the heck did the dwarf run off to?

The Ease of Basic Fantasy

I challenged myself to tease out of my bookcase the text tools I've accumulated to run a game instantly. What would I grab? Would it work?

First experiment is Basic Fantasy Role-Playing Game (free pdf) with Richard Leblanc, Jr.'s AX1 D30 DM Companion, AX2 D30 Sandbox Companion, and CC1 Creature Compendium.

I got all four of these products through Lulu as a print on demand product. Granted Basic Fantasy is a completely free product as a pdf, but at less then the price of a pint of vodka delivered to your door I think it is worth spending for a print version.

AX2 has an Adventure Generator so this is the right start. The adventure generation tables have ten categories which require a roll on a d30. It is explicate on the tin, use of the product requires a d30. I don't have one, but online tools are readily available to generate random numbers, so honey badger don't give a shit.

Adventure Generator

Trigger:            Diary

Major Goal:     Defend Location

Obstacle:          Fix “broken” item.

Location:          Tower

Feature:            Library

Phenomena:     Fear

Villain Goal:    Power

Artifact:           Codex/Manual/tome

Theme:             Glory

Key NPC:         Slave              

Trigger:            Transaction

Major Goal:      Stop Impending Devastation

Obstacle:          Acquire Key Parts

Location:          Village

Feature:             Plaza

Phenomena:      Monster Plague

Villain Goal:     Utopia (at all cost)

Artifact:             Horn

Theme:              Wonder

Key NPC:          King

I rolled two times in each category just to see how different random rolls on these tables would perform. Doesn't disappoint. The first adventure generated makes the object of the game session an object, a "McGuffin". The second an exchange between (at least) two disparate parties. As the gods of probability dispatch their judgment you end up with divergent adventures. So far so good. You could go on with this. Adventure hook after adventure hook. But the PC's will make a move, then you will need meat on the hoof. 

Location will most likely be any player groups first move, so don't worry about the details of the goal, the scheming NPC's. price of drink, etc. They will move from point A to point B to achieve the goal. this means you will need to illuminate to your satisfaction the Obstacle which stand in the way of the PC's success. Scenario 1 considers a broken state which needs fixing while scenario 2 postulates the assemblage of particular parts of a greater whole are needed for success. Hand in hand kind of thinking here. Sorry, I didn't write the charts. So I will run to AX1 D30 DM Companion. Why? Because I am making it up as I go, 

So the PC's decide defending a tower containing a valuable book will get them to next level faster than the other (only) adventure opportunity on the table. So the AX1 book gives me table to generate the salient interior features of the "tower" but I can use the AX2 book to create overland challenges; yep, that easy. Not going to bore yo with the details, but it seems with these for books, a bag of dice yo can show up anywhere and get interested parties involved in one f'ed up adventure. Great sport.

Google+ is going Nowhere

Just like the Howling Google Plus is the way we game on line. Not going anywhere. Too successful. Ready when you are.

LotFP Quality Tee

is beyond expectations.

It reminds me of that shitty movie A Simple Plan. Here is why; because it is better than what I could come up with. But has a better outcome.