White lightning

 I've been re-reading my old 2e books, and I want to start planning a campaign.  But more importantly I want to re-start my DM binder and start filling it with things, world building, npcs etc.  One of the most important things in my brain is to pick a system when you start designing stuff (honestly its this weird ADD thing... its probably not that important).  

Couldn't sleep last night as my brain was filled with D&D ideas.  Here's the train of thought before bed: 

1.  5e group really hasn't had much time to play latetly, all good.  But its been leaving me thinking that I need a creative outlet for the upcoming winter months.  I just bought witchlight (review forthcoming). 

2.  I decided to post on a few forums "looking for players".  The plan would be discord only, as I'm not the best with roll20. 

3.  I started thinking about working on a small area to start with for a 2e campaign.  Nothing grand.  Just like in the bx rules, create a homebase, a dungeon and go from there.  

Made a decision to work on a map today after I got home from work.  I wanted it to be in the style of: 

https://samwise7rpg.blogspot.com/2020/08/lotfp-maps-part-2.html?m=1

and this: https://sites.google.com/view/dragonsmarch/home

specifically this: https://sites.google.com/view/dragonsmarch/whispglow-sw-basic?authuser=0

then I read this post this evening: https://theymightbegazebos.blog/2021/10/25/the-tale-of-two-dm-notebooks/

Wound up with something a little bit more Tron like: 

I've often talked about how If I ever run another game it would be very rules light because my brain just can't do number crunching anymore.  

Then I stumbled onto this interesting post, which is basically suggesting that If you blow away all the optional rules you are playing a basic version of D&D.  Which I like!  

https://www.reddit.com/r/adnd/comments/oxa9mz/why_you_should_try_add_2e_without_optional_rules/

Which has lead me to realize that I should infact create a https://www.reddit.com/r/adnd/comments/qb69hz/2e_rules_reminderplayer_handout/

for any newbies or as a reminder of what the "house rules" will be.  

Now while I'd like to use and work on my 10 monster setting.  I think what I'm going to fill my DM binder with is just some traditional fantasy stuff.  I was thinking about the Gygax Challenge last night, and maybe using that as a bit of inspiration to get writing in the binder.  I likely will at some point.  However what was really making me wonder was my very first games of D&D, and my first writing.  Where did it come from?  In the gygax challenge you are supposed to note your references for your world.  In mine I was talking about Xanth, and strange fantasy novels that I've read over the years.  But what did 14 year me know about fantasy back then? 

What was my initial appendix n? 

fighting fantasy books (The green spined ones), the art from the 2e books, Forgotten realms setting, dragonlance novels, he-man, GI joe (I was a huge fan, not sure if it counts, but this is my blog so I guess?).  

I'll take a picture of my binder when I have time. 

Tomorrow's plan write up a 2nd edition Artifact.  The day after write up an NPC (Bullwark the minotaur). 

Nifty OSR Products Oct 1

YEAH! It's October! Here's hoping we don't have snow on Halloween this year.  Currently we are actually above normal temps, but that can change in an instant. 

Rather than finding the newer OSR stuff, I decided to do a bit more of a deep dive this morning to see what I could find. 

Scourge of the Demon Wolf

Three died. They were mauled beyond recognition. The Baron sent his huntsmen to kill the beasts and for a fortnight they tramped across the countryside. Between their whoring and drinking they killed twelve wolves, parading their skins through the village. They were hung on poles as trophies of victory. Then the huntsmen left, the beasts slain, the village saved… so we thought.

As the fields turned golden under the summer sun the killings began again. Four more died. Then the Baron's man, the bailiff, was killed on the high meadow in sight of Mitra's Temple. His screams could be heard well into the village. He was only identified after we reassembled the pieces.

With the priest's help I wrote a report to our liege, the Baron of Westtower. My report ended with,

There will be no harvest until the beast is slain and the killings stopped.

A 72 page adventure compatible with the Swords & Wizardry  rules and a setting supplement to the Majestic Wilderlands. detailing a small barony, a complete fantasy village, a conclave of mages, a crossroads hamlet, and a camp of wandering beggars.

GET IT

Talespinner magazine, Issue One

Talespinner is a magazine dedicated to roleplaying gamespublished by Ganesha Games (Tales of Blades and Heroes, Familiars RPG). Playable materials are double-statted for Labyrinth Lord (tm) so they can be used by players of "Old School" games. In this issue:

Three short fantasy adventures ("The Crystal Heart", "Knock on Wood", and "The Crumbling Tower", all for low-power player-characters);

 

Swimming Rules for TBH;

New character types for Familiars RPG;

Monster Menagerie: Swamp Trolls (for TBH and LL);

The Martial Artist archetype for TBH;

Sneak Peek: Heroes of the Tales (TBH supplement);

Alternative Initiative rules for TBH;

GET IT

Attack of the Frawgs

"The thing I love about Stephen Newton's Attack of the Frawgs is that you think everything's fine. This is just another adventure. Everything's cool. Nothing too unusual. Nothing crazy. Good ol' vanilla fantasy.  But when the frawgs hit the fan... all bets are off. Best "holy shit" reveal I've seen for DCC yet." 

GET IT 

Hex Crawl Chronicles 3: Beyond Black Water (Swords and Wizardry)

When the game was invented and sold in a little woodgrain box, the author told us a required supplement was an Avalon Hill game called Outdoor Survival. This was a wilderness survival game that consisted of a hexagonal map system that players would travel around, trying to find their way back to civilization, all the while trying not to die of thirst or get eaten by bears. This game map was used as the first wilderness "hex-crawl" for what eventually became D&D. Later, Judges Guild took this to a whole new level with the Wilderlands series. For many years, hex crawling was just the way the game was played. This series brings that back, or supplements existing games that use that system of travel.

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The Purple Worm Graveyard

It is said that when the largest and most ancient of purple worms know that the time of their death is near, they make their way through rock, earth, and water to the legendary Purple Worm Graveyard.

The graveyard is said to lie somewhere in the barren Rockspyre mountains, but its exact location is unknown. Now and then an adventuring expedition sets out on a hunch or clue seeking the graveyard. Most return empty-handed and dispirited. Some never return.

But a few, just enough to keep the legend alive really, come back with whispered tales of subterranean fields littered with a fortune in purple ivory, unguarded and ripe for the take.

The Purple Worm Graveyard is a short dungeon crawl adventure that's best for levels 1-4. The adventure has 15 entries and is designed to provide a variety of challenges for a new adventuring party or one-shot game. It's got fabulous treasures, cunning monsters, dangerous traps, and ancient mysteries for players to discover and explore. It's written using the Labyrinth Lord rules, but will work with any dungeon crawl adventure game.

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Shadowbrook Manor

This Labyrinth Lord adventure is suitable for characters of levels 1-3, and is usable with similar basic or advanced fantasy role-playing games.
Once a powerful proponent of Law, the Archmage Tazimack the Red was eventually driven mad by a fear of mortality. As he slipped into insanity his retirement home began to reflect the chaotic bent of his mind. Long after Tazimack's unnaturally animated body has disintegrated, his manor house remains as a shadow cast by a twisted intellect. Can the characters bring order to this chaos?

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Creatures of the Tropical Wastes (Mutant Future)

Do you need more monsters and mutations for your postapocalyptic, sci-fi, or fantasy game? If so, Creatures of the Tropical Wastes is what you are looking for!

Fully compatible with Mutant Future - as well as Labyrinth Lord and other games that use the familiar and easy-to-use "Basic" role-playing game rules introduced in the 1970s - this collection includes:

* A Foreword by Derek Holland, author of several licensed Mutant Future sourcebooks.

* 50 new creatures, including the mysterious Ahas Folk, the insidious Egret Puppeteer, and the fearsome War Baboy.

* 30 new mutations, including numerous Plant mutations.

* Official Mutant Future Poison and Radiation Tables for convenience of reference.

* Original illustrations by fantasy artist Sharon Daugherty

GET IT